NEWS: Citroen DS Inside Concept For Geneva 2009
Only 3 days after I reported that Citroen were going to revive the DS nameplate, Citroen have released these first pictures of a DS model. In fact, it is only a concept, called "DS Inside" which will be on show at Geneva Motor Show next month, but it seems suspiciously close to production, and the official line is that the production version of this model will be released only next year. So I can't imagine that they will make drastic changes at this late stage.
I had said that the three DS models would be equivalents of the C3, C4 and C5, however this vehicle we have here appears to be C2 sized, which is a little confusing. Or perhaps the pictures are just decieving, and this really is a C3 sized car.
But can I say something I've been dying to say since the start of this article? WOW!!!! I love it already. Finally, I'm looking at a design for a 21st century car that has the attention to detail I want to expect from today's carmakers. I would happily pay quite a price premium over a C3 just to have a car that looks as good as this. The attention to detail is what I believe makes this car look more expensive than its competitors. Does the Mini Cooper look this good? Does a Volvo C30 look this good? Even the Alfa Romeo MiTo doesn't look quite this good. That's quite an achievement.
Although having said that, Citroen won't tell us what the interior looks like yet - it's been blacked out in these pictures, and ironically, even thought it is called the "DS Inside" Concept, it is still unknown whether the car's interior will be shown at the Geneva Motor Show. Time will tell whether it truly deserves to be a DS car - the interior of this car is crucially important, and Citroen will have to set a new benchmark in innovative design for their plan to work. While it's unrealistic to expect new and unseen technologies to debut in this car (it's not a Merc, after all), I think we should expect something rather special nonetheless. What we do now know from these pictures is that the DS models will retain Citroen's regular design language - it's just been pumped up to a new level.
In my opinion, the exterior of what will end up being the DS3 has definitely delivered. Of the many standout delicacies of this car, those bold alloy wheels hit the spot with me the most. It's reflective of the design talent at Citroen that they can create a design theme in their cars that can make their cars sexier than Alfa Romeos. That deserves applause.
WATCH THIS SPACE: New Cars Coming Your Way
Skoda Octavia - The Czech brand has unveiled a new facelifted Octavia, which looks more modern than before. They've taken this opportunity to stuff the Octavia with even more features, new engines, and for the first time, Volkswagen's excellent 7-speed DSG transmission. Maybe finally Skoda will be taken seriously in Oz - but they really do need to make more stylish cars...
Volvo XC60 - The Compact SUV claiming to be Australia's Safest Car has much more going for it than claims about safety. The XC60 will bring new levels of class and elegance to the segment, and will almost certainly rise to the top of the SUV pile. This is, without a doubt, the prettiest 4x4 on the market. I'd much rather have one of these than an awful BMW X3 anyway.
Hyundai i30 Cross Wagon - The reputation-busting i30 (since it will probably go down in history as the first ever actually good Hyundai) adds wagon versatility to its armory. So the Holden Viva wagon should be worried, because the i30 Cross Wagon will probably steal its grand total of three buyers The line-up is the same as the hatch range, and it gets an awkward looking tailgate. But do wagon buyers want something this small?
Citroen C4 - One of my favourite hatches gets a freshen-up. It still retains the same quirky interior design, and the funkiest 3-door style on the market, but instead of the PSA (that's Peugeot group, basically) engines which powered the C4, new BMW-developed engines will sit under the bonnet. I wonder if the transformer gets a makeover too, or will that remain the same? New dance, perhaps?
Mini Cabrio - The all new Mini convertible that looks exactly the same as the old one arrives in Australia. So what is actually worth knowing about this car? Not much, really. The car also introduces the "Always-Open Timer" to the motoring world. The gimmicky gauge monitors the amount of time the owner spends with the roof down. Who is vain enough to handle that?
Kia Soul - A five-door family hatch, that's sort of a 4x4. It's confusing
Nissan GT-R - The one we've all been waiting for
Mazda 3 - One of the most important cars of 2009, Mazda is hoping the new 3 keeps its popularity
Honda Civic hatchback - Finally, we'll get the Civic we all want
Nissan 370Z - Hideously ugly z-car may well be delicious, but I still like the old one
Audi Q5 - A bulky looking minature (...) of the Q7
BMW Z4 - Classy looking convertible says goodbye to awkward droopy eyes
Audi S4 - A4 gets a fast model, but I'll wait for the RS4 thanks
BMW 730d - turbo-diesel joins line-up, promises impressive performance/economy
BMW 330d - 3-Series gets that same diesel
Nissan Maxima - Nissan wants this new Maxima to sell better than any Accord or Aurion
Mini Cooper D - Turbo-diesel hatch stakes a claim to title of Australia's cleanest car
Skoda Superb - Slightly camp name, but the Superb is Skoda's attempt at a large car
Peugeot 308CC - let's hope Peugeot don't try to use this for a rally car, like the 307CC
Alfa Romeo MiTo - slightly stunned-looking baby hatch kicks the Mini's butt into next week
Ferrari California - Underwhelming new Ferrari takes it's first orders from rich hairdressers
Ferrari 430 Scuderia Spider 16M - A lightweight Scuderia model convertible? Too heavy...
Audi R8 V10 - Audi nicks Lamborghini's V10 for the R8. Expect fireworks
Toyota Prius - Green apparently, but I'm not entirely convinced
Jeep Patriot - Jeep updates the better of its compact SUVs
Mercedes Benz E-Class - Sedan and Coupe (formerly CLK) will arrive simultaneously
Porsche Panamera - the ugliest sports/luxury car in the world hits home
Subaru Liberty/Outback - Subaru will again prove that it knows how to make an ugly car
Kia Cerato Koup - Kia presents its rival for the Hyundai Tiburon
Volvo C30 DRIVe - the first Volvo eco-efficient DRIVe model to hit our shores
Hyundai i20 - Compact hatch now slated to sell beside Getz, even though t
Jaguar XFR/XF 3.0L Diesel - I can't wait for the sports model of one of my favourite large cars
Audi A5/S5 Cabriolet - sexy coupe loses it's head
Audi Q7 V12 - Every time this motor starts up, a penguin dies somewhere in Antarctica
Mercedes Benz S-Class - It's getting a facelift. Yes, already
Mercedes Benz GL-Class - Also getting a makeover, will probably get a huge badge like GLK
Honda Insight - Honda's answer to the Toyota Prius, but much cheaper apparently
Jaguar XKR - Gets even faster, not sure how yet
Kia Sorento - I forgot this car still existed, but it's getting updated
Kia Magentis - will get the new Schreyer grille, but doesn't look any nicer really
Subaru Exiga - a sort of low, wagon-like MPV that looks a bit like the new Liberty
Chery A1 - Chinese car maker Chery looks to enter the Australian market
Chery A5 - But may not, because of the current financial crisis. We may be saved...
Chery Tiggo - BTW, the A1 is a tiny car, the A5 a Tiida size car, and this Tiggo is a SUV
Peugeot 4007 - Still being considered, even though everyone knows it won't sell
Ford Territory - Facelifted, but will it be enough to save dying sales?
Holden Cruze - Holden want this car to take the fight back to the might of Toyota
Mazda CX-7 - It doesn't look crap at all, but Mazda feel the need to facelift it
Porsche 911 GT3 - Is it the best Porsche? Time will tell
Renault Megane - Sexy bum now gone, will the Megane have any appeal at all?
Ford Fiesta ECOnetic - The diesel that's taking the fight up to hybrid cars
Audi A1 - Is it really good looking enough to be a MiTo competitor?
Volvo S60 - should look great, if the concept and XC60 are anything to go by
Mercedes Benz GLK - we'll probably only get the RWD version of this boxy SUV
BMW X1 - new SUV is about the size of current X3... huh?
Nissan 370Z Roadster - let's hope the convertible looks better
Volkswagen Robust Ute - camp name, but set to take on the venerable HiLux
Peugeot 3008 - Sweet Nissan Dualis competitor with an aggro look and a possible hybrid drivetrain
Hyundai Sonata - Hyundai look deadly serious about making this a world beater
Hyundai CC - Hyundai's take on a "four-door coupe", but I'm unsure if it'll be desirable
Ford Focus - going to be built down under, so cross fingers it's good
BMW 1 Series - as long as it doesn't look as weird as the current model...
Mini Crossover - the largest Mini ever will go on debut
Porsche 998 911 - the next 911 is currently being refined
NEWS: Audi A7 to challenge the CLS
Yes, it seems that the Mercedes-Benz CLS was something other car makers want to copy - thus we have these pictures of what the upcoming Audi A7 will look like. The CLS created a new segment - a car that had the shape of a coupe, but had four doors and could seat four people in comfort. But the CLS was either absolutely fantastic, or disproportionate and flawed, depending on your eyesight. The A7 seems to follow the same formula - rear doors that seem to be made for small children, and a roofline that rakes low enough to bump your head
rather nicely as you try to enter the car. While the A7 doesn't have the CLS' awkward headlights, and doesn't have a rear end that looks like an AU Falcon, it doesn't have the smooth elegance of a CLS, and it still looks very big, bullish, and brutal. Rather, Audi-ish. News is that it will probably only be offered with Quattro all-wheel-drive, and curiously, the entry-level engine is most likely going to be the 4.2 litre V8. Which is interesting. Very interesting...
NEWS: Mazda 3 2010 Teaser Photos
Well, Mazda has decided that the aging (but still great looking) Mazda3 needs a new model. So they leaked out some teaser images. As usual, these teaser images are taken from not-so-revealing angles, so that you don't really get much of an idea of how the car will look in real life.
Unfortunately, this looks like one contrived car, particularly at the rear, which poses the question - why did Mazda decide that two of these three pictures should showcase the back? It's hard to tell what the front looks like at all. The rear tail-lights mimic the new Mazda6, but seem far too big, and wrap around the sides too far, and the car itself generally looks big-bottomed because of the squared off boot, and large bumper - surely you don't need a bumper that sticks out that much? It may be for safety, but it weighs the rear down even more than that squared off boot does - what's it for then, sitting on? The side windows sort of just, finish - without a bit of smoothness, which is odd, considering the rest of the car has been redesigned to look smoother than the previous model.
But enough whinging. The new Mazda3 sedan will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show on November 19, and will be billed as the "next generation of Zoom-Zoom spirit". Yeah, whatever. No word on when the hatch will be unveiled, though - and I was always a far bigger fan of the hatch too, damn! No really, I was, I'm keep telling my sister to buy one for her first car, I like it that much.
A long search for the hatch yielded only this unverified picture (left), which considering we now know what the sedan looks like, could be almost right: 
Yes, I know the front doesn't look the same, but I think the general shape is right here. It hopefully won't look quite as conservative as this, but it's an agreeable design nonetheless.
I noticed something though: check out this Peugeot 308 on the right, and then the face of the Mazda3 Sedan at the very top.
Now do you understand where you thought you'd seen this face before? It's nearly identical. That's the way the motor industry works, and has for donkey's yonks - everyone copies each other. What a shame Mazda didn't copy something cooler, like it's Furai concept - google it, it's fully sick. Especially with the lights all on!
