Volkswagen Unveils Touareg

Volkswagen has unveiled its Golf-based mini-Touareg to UK dealer principals on a visit to Germany. The newcomer is due to hit the streets within two years to take on Land Rover's new Freelander and Toyota's updated RAV4.

Details are scant but we have been told the compact Volkswagen 4x4 will be available with a full range of petrol and turbodiesel engines driving an advanced all-wheel-drive system. The five-door body will be roomy with a versatile seating layout to help it appeal to familes and owners who need practicality and 4x4 ability.

The new Volkswagen - still without a name - will take its place in the family line-up below the large Touareg.

Source: ITV Motoring News

Volvo Research Inattentive Drivers

In efforts to further develop aids to keep the driver concentrating on traffic, Volvo have undertaken extensive research into inattentive drivers.

ITV Motoring News reports Volvo plans to equip its future trucks with advanced functions for signalling driver inattentiveness. Trent Victor, the project manager who has undertaken the research, has developed a system to deal with the problem of drivers looking away at the wrong moment.

With the help of an eye camera, sensors in the steering wheel and a camera in the windscreen, the driver's eye movements and head movements, jerky movements of the steering wheel and the vehicle's lane position can be studied. If the driver's attention is directed too long or too often at something other than the road, or if he is prioritising incorrectly, he is given a warning. The eye camera contains the Distraction Alert function, a number of LEDs on the instrument panel which pulls the driver's gaze back to the road ahead.

"A tired and inattentive driver is just as dangerous as a driver who is under the influence of drink or drugs in traffic," says Trent Victor. "If, with the help of different aids in trucks, we can prevent accidents on the roads then we can save human lives."

Grande Punto Arrives in the UK

Already topping 100,000 orders throughout the rest of Europe since it went on sale in September 2005, the Fiat Grande Punto arrived in the UK on Wednesday. Rock group the Bodyrockers were a part of the event, held in London.

ITV Motoring News reports two new Grande Puntos will be showcased in Harrod's Brompton Road shop windows for two months from the end of January and visitors to the store will have the opporunity for a test drive before its sale date of February 11.

New Leon Bodykit Shown at Autosport International

SEAT showed off a styling kit of the new Leon at the Autosport International last week, reports ITV Motoring News.

Expected to be available from next month through the SEAT Dealer network, the kit offers modified front and rear bumpers, 18" wheels and extended side skirts aswell as an oval centrally-located exhaust pipe and spoiler at the top of the hatch.

Prices are expected to range between £1200 and £2500 depending on the package (there will be three variations).

Jag XK Wins What Car? Award

PistonHeads.com are reporting the readers of What Car? magazine have voted Jaguar's XK into winning an award for "The Most Exciting Car to be Launched in 2006".

The award was announced last night during a What Car? event in London.

The Jaguar XK recently picked up a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for it's contribution to pedestrian safety with a bonnet that pops up should the car hit a pedestrian.

Petrol Blog is Born

Welcome to Petrol Blog!

I intend to use this blog to comment on car-related news stories, press releases and auto industry rumours.