PARIS - Vauxhall to showcase the All-New Zafira Tourer and Mokka X, along with the Ampera-e EV car.

• New Mokka X stars in Paris ahead of UK dealer launch next month
• New Zafira Tourer debuts with new infotainment and cockpit
• New Ampera-e hints at Vauxhall’s electric future

Vauxhall will reveal new versions of two class-leading models at next week’s Paris Motor Show, while providing a clear signal about its future commitment to electric vehicles. Both the Mokka X and new Zafira Tourer will appear ahead of their dealer launch next month, and the ground-breaking Ampera-e will be readied for UK evaluation early in 2017.

 MOKKA X

Vauxhall’s new Mokka X, which reaches UK showrooms in October, appears at the 2016 Paris Motor Show with a fresh interior and exterior design, a new powertrain and featuring OnStar and Apple CarPlay.

With over half a million sold in Europe and nearly 100,000 in the UK, Mokka has seen huge success since its launch in 2012. The Mokka’s compact size (4.28m long), sporty looks and elevated seating position having wowed customers looking for an affordable SUV.

Incorporating cues from Vauxhall’s new design philosophy, the new Mokka X is the first model to introduce the “X” segment identifier for future Vauxhall SUV and crossover vehicles.

The Mokka X’s bold new look is thanks to work carried out by a design team led by Brit Mark Adams. Its new front treatment is aligned with Vauxhall’s new design philosophy including a wing-shaped horizontal front grille and the dominant, sharp double-wing signature of the LED daytime running lights. At the rear is another double wing signature highlighted in the tail lamps, with LED technology an option. Vibrant new colours such as ‘Amber Orange’ and ‘Lava Red’ are also available. On the inside, the Mokka X has a completely new dashboard inspired by the new Astra.

After introducing the much-lauded 1.6-litre ‘Whisper Diesel’ engine last year, the Mokka range is now extended further to include a new generation 1.4-litre Direct Injection Turbo (152PS) petrol unit which first appeared in the Astra. With a six-speed automatic transmission, adaptive all-wheel drive and start/stop, this Mokka achieves 43.5mpg* and CO₂ emissions of 150g/km*.

In addition to the AWD system, Vauxhall engineers have once again made innovative technology available to a broad group of customers by introducing LED Adaptive Forward Lighting headlamps. The new AFL LED system adapts the headlights’ lighting patterns automatically to the driving situation so that the best possible light performance is given without dazzling other road users.

ZAFIRA TOURER

The new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer make its show debut in Paris, demonstrating a unique blend of exceptional versatility and optimum comfort. Its flexibility makes it an ideal choice for families and professionals who need a spacious and versatile vehicle for travelling long distances in high comfort.

The new model will be in showrooms from October across the UK, priced from £18,615 on-the-road. New Zafira Tourer comes with an attractive new exterior and interior that emphasises its spacious design and outstanding in-car connectivity. The latest model comes with all the well-known virtues of its predecessor such as the Flex7 seating system, ergonomically-certified AGR front seats, the Flex-Fix bicycle carrier and FlexRide adaptive damping. The new Zafira Tourer range includes Design, Energy, SRi, SRi Nav, SE, Tech Line, Elite and Elite Nav trim levels.

The latest generation Vauxhall IntelliLink infotainment systems with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and OnStar, including 4G/LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, ensure the Zafira Tourer offers optimum connectivity while on the road. Vauxhall has also introducing full LED Adaptive Forward Lighting headlamps to the Zafira Tourer range.

AMPERA-E

The new Ampera-e electric car, premiering at the Paris Motor Show, will be evaluated in the UK by Vauxhall with the possibility of right-hand-drive models being produced in a future generation.

Due to be sold by Vauxhall’s sister company, Opel, from 2017 with left-hand-drive, the Ampera-e has a class-leading pure electrical range that can exceed 250 miles without recharging (purely electrical range measured, based on the New European Driving Cycle, or NEDC, in km: > 400; provisional figure). However, even taking into account the real world impact of driving style, road and weather conditions, the car can still achieve a range of over 185 miles under average, every day conditions.

‘Vauxhall is committed to having a future EV presence in its range,’ said Rory Harvey, Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director. ‘The technology which underpins the new Ampera-e is of great interest to us, and we will be evaluating LHD cars from next spring and demonstrating them to clients. The fact that Ampera-e is not an eco-luxury or second car for customers broadens its appeal greatly, but it’s obviously vital that the car we sell in our market is right-hand-drive, and that won’t be available in the current generation.’

The class-leading range of 250 miles (provisional figure measured, based on the NEDC) of the Ampera-e – which beats the maximum 186-mile NEDC range of its closest competitor, the BMW i3, fitted with its optional, large 33kWh battery – is not the only feature which will be part of

Vauxhall’s appraisal. Clever integration of the ten battery modules means that the 4.17 metre-long car can accommodate five people, yet still offers a 381-litre boot. The battery package is located in the underbody and is tailored to the contours of the vehicle, with no space wasted. The battery, developed in cooperation with LG Chem, comprises 288 lithium-ion cells and has a capacity of 60 kWh.

Sports car acceleration

With maximum torque of 360Nm and power equivalent to 204PS, the Ampera-e’s standing-start and mid-range acceleration figures are on a par with many a sports car. Zero to 30mph takes a mere 3.2 seconds, while 50-75mph – a particularly important yardstick for overtaking performance – takes just 4.5 seconds (preliminary figures). Top speed is electronically limited to 93mph for the benefit of overall range.

The Ampera-e also has the ability to re-charge its batteries while being driven. To do so, the driver just eases off the accelerator in the normal ‘Drive’ mode. The Ampera-e recuperates automatically in overrun and wins back energy from the electric motor, which doubles as a generator. The motor’s braking effect is increased when the driver switches to ‘Low’ mode, therefore increasing recuperation. Furthermore, the driver can switch to ‘Regen on Demand’ for maximum energy recuperation, via a paddle at the back of the steering wheel. The drag torque is so high in ‘Low/Regen on Demand’ modes that the brake pedal need not be applied to reduce speed to a full stop in normal traffic, leaving the Ampera-e to be safely controlled by the accelerator (naturally, the brake pedal still needs to be applied in an emergency).

Initial vehicle simulation models show that drivers can increase the range by up to five per cent compared with ‘Drive’ mode, when applying ‘One Pedal Driving’ with the corresponding full recuperation in dense city stop/go traffic.

Fully connected with OnStar and smartphone integration

The Ampera-e has both the latest generation IntelliLink infotainment and OnStar on board, with the award-winning connectivity and service assistant offering a powerful WiFi hotspot for up to seven devices (depending on market). The Apple CarPlay- and Android Auto-compatible IntelliLink systems bring the world of smartphones into the Ampera-e, allowing passengers complete access to their favourite music, or the luxury of streaming movies.

Ssangyong exhibits a number of new concepts and production ready cars.

• The final development concepts of X100 - due to go on sale early 2015
• Available with 1.6 litre petrol & 1.6 litre diesel Euro 6 engines
• Advanced active and passive safety features
• Plans now at an advanced stage to ensure the successful European and international launch of X100

The XIV-Air and XIV-Adventure are near production ready concepts of the soon to be launched X100 - which is expected to go on sale early in 2015 - and will be shown at the Paris Motor Show, Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, 2nd (press day) to 19th October.SsangYong Motor Company, (CEO Yoo-il Lee; www.smotor.com) will showcase seven vehicles at this year’s Paris Motor Show as part of its concerted drive for sales in Europe. This will include two final development concepts of its new internationally strategic B-segment SUV - project name X100, along with cars from its four model range.

Based on the brand’s development philosophy of ‘Robust, Specialty and Premium’ and design theme of ‘Nature born - 3 Motion’, the XIV B-segment SUV series has been shown in six iterations at recent international motor shows over the past four years, beginning with the IAA Frankfurt in 2011.

The marque’s design philosophy embraces the dignified, dynamic and rhythmical qualities of nature, enriching the customer experience through the harmony of man, nature and the car.

These two new concepts are intended to capture the emotional satisfaction derived from the pleasure of travelling.  Echoing the ‘rhythmical motion’ seen in the XLV concept at this year’s Geneva motor show, these cars share many design values of the new B-segment car to be launched next year.

With its targa ‘T-top’ roof, XIV-Air meets the design brief by enabling driver and passengers to enjoy nature within their daily life.  Believed to be unique in the SUV sector, this affords a sporty and dynamic sense while driving.

The simple yet refined bodylines create the sense of rhythm and dynamism, while the targa top offers the pleasure of wind-in-the-hair driving yet with protection.

Inspired by the anticipation and excitement of the journey, XIV-Adventure embraces the escape from the routines and frustrations of urban life, leaving the crowded streets and skyscrapers behind while travelling away to new beginnings and possibilities.  With such design cues as a heavy-duty bumper protector, purposeful roof rack and search light, the car evokes happy memories of escaping to the country and camping out in the wild surrounded by nature. Rhythmical character lines flow down the side of the car’s body, while the taut volume of the rear bumper exudes dynamic motion. 

Inside, the XIV-Air pursues an emotional design language inspired by the effect of a cool and silky breeze.  The shape of a bird’s wings in flight and two-tone colourway of white and dark blue creates the sense of inner space and a sporty, stylish ambiance, while the metal central fascia highlights the car’s futuristic design.

The interior fully embraces the importance of easy-to-use controls and devices, and integrates the very latest IT to ensure the best possible interface with users.

XIV-Air and XIV-Adventure are powered by either a 1.6 litre petrol or 1.6 litre diesel engine, and meet the latest exacting Euro 6 emission standards.

The 1.6 litre eco-friendly diesel engine produces much reduced CO² emissions of 110-120g/km (two wheel drive, manual with Stop/Start), and the 1.6 litre petrol engine delivers a 140-150g/km CO² emission level, again with two-wheel drive, manual transmission with Stop/Start.

Safety has been a key priority throughout the design stages of the new XIV, with passengers at the centre of consideration.  To this end, advanced safety equipment such as ESP (electronic stability programme) is included which continually monitors road conditions and the vehicle’s status, adjusting speed, engine output, balance, braking and steering angle at the point when the driver is potentially about to lose control.  The car also comes with a Hill Start Assist system, which allows drivers to change pedals easily from the brake to the accelerator and carry out a safer hill start, and an Emergency Stop Signal system helps prevent collisions by warning following vehicles when braking hard.

XIV is equipped with the choice of a newly designed MP3 audio.  A USB/AUX port enables users to play external audio devices, while Bluetooth hands-free affords safe use of a mobile phone on the move.  Passengers can also use their iPod and iPhone thanks to the iPod connection, with information displayed on the high-resolution LCD screen.  A mirroring function on the smart audio system allows you to share content on your smart phone with others by easily synching devices and then viewing on the screen.

With its high riding, good visibility and go-anywhere ability, XIV offers occupants all the advantages of an SUV with the comforts and convenience of a saloon car.

Meanwhile, SsangYong will also present five other vehicles on its 530 sq m stand in Paris.  These will include the New Korando (known as Korando C in Korea), Rodius (also known as Korando Turismo, Turismo and Stavic), Rexton W and Actyon Sports (Korando Sports).  During the show, there will also be a presentation to the company’s European distributors about sales and marketing strategy.

CEO of SsangYong, Yoo-il Lee, said, “As we approach the international launch of X100, SsangYong’s global strategic model, we are making an all-out effort to perfect the introduction of this vitally important new car.  With the XIV-Air and XIV-Adventure pre-production concepts, you can get a very good idea of what this new car will look like, and after several years developing this futuristic model, it’s very exciting to think that we’re now just a few months away from its launch.

He added: “Starting from the Paris Motor Show, we will be focusing on our pre-launch planning, and implementing the sales and marketing strategies for Europe and other international markets to ensure the sales success of X100 around the world.”