Subaru, The launch of a new car and the event that goes with it.

I was sitting on my computer when i had the unmistakable ding to say i received an email, and was surprised to see an invite to the launch of a new car, namely the new Subaru XV, the all wheel drive estate style SUV, and being that it is Subaru, we knew that the launch would not be a normal one.

And it was not, we had an early start to arrive at the airport, where they event was being held, and we found ourselves at an aeroplane, where the event was to based out of, up the steps and into the plane, we found a new car, not something we were expecting to find, but a nice surprise, along with plenty of info and pictures.

Breakfast was how it should be, bacon rolls, with loads of bacon, so no complaints there and another tick, we were then invited to take our seats where we were introduced to some of the Subaru hierarchy, and an introduction to the brand, the future and the reason we were there for.

And that reason was the new XV, a stunning car, now that might sound like a huge comment to make, and it is not made lightly, the XV is a massive leap forward, from safety, to design, to technology and comfort.

SAFETY

The car has been heavily updated, to not only make it far more safe, probably one of the safest cars in the segment, with the ABS, it benefits from Subaru's Global Manufacturing Platform (GMP), this is a higher rigidity, with vastly more strength, along with a lower weight, which in turn gives the car a better rolling resistance for an even better driving experience.

The car also benefits from a Rear Vehicle Detection system, which includes Blind spot monitoring, Lane change assist and rear cross traffic alert, which can alert the driver to a possible collision, the XV also benefits from the full 5* Euro NCAP rating for safety, it has also been declares the Euro NCAP Best In Class, safest small family car 2017 having achieved the best scores in it's segment for Adult and Child occupancy and pedestrian protection, and a very good for the Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Support Systems.

TECHNOLOGY

The entire Subaru range is well kitted out, but the XV does benefit from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto 2, allowing easy connectivity for your smartphone, and the use of hands free, which keeps the driver more in control, thus keeping everyone safe whilst driving, the car also benefits from a reversing camera to aid in parking, and the view from that camera is wider than on some other so called premium products, the LED steering responsive headlights follow the car, whether on a straight or around a bend, which maximises visibility.

The keyless entry and push button start system amkes getting in and going easy, rather than press a blip, if you have the key in your pocket, grab the door handles and the the car doors will unlock, the same for the push button, as long as the key is on you, the car will start.

ENGINE

The Subaru range is famous for it's Boxer range of engines, they are powerful, yet economical, the powerplant sits lower down in the car to make it more stable, and combined with the Symmetrical All Wheel Drive is a set up that is hard to beat.

The XV comes in two engine specs the 1.6L and the 2.0L, the 2.0L can manage a 120mph top speed with a 10.4 seconds 0-62mph, and the 1.6L comes with a great fuel consumption of :-

• Urban             35.8mpg
• Extra Urban    50.4mpg
• Combined       44.1mpg

COMFORT

The XV is one of the most comfortable cars i have had the pleasure of driving, the setas are very supportive, and allows you to place both the seat and steering wheel into numerous positions, so no matter how big or small you are, you will find a seating position to suit. Every thing is within easy reach, and so simple to use, from the steering wheel controls to the navigation and secondary switchgear.

There is loads of space in the car, with more room than needed up front for the driver and passenger, access to the rear seats is very easy, and seating is equally as comfortable, and the boot space is really big for a car in this class, so overall, space is great, and with a lot of glass, the available viewability is also great.

The Air con and heating are simple to use, and gives the driver and passenger swift heat in the cold, and cold air in the heat, it does all this with ease, but thats not all, the car comes very well equipped and all models include.

• Subaru Boxer engine (1.6 or 2.0 litre petrol)
• Permanent Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
• Lineartronic Continuous Variable Transmission
• EyeSight Driver Assist technology
• X-Mode with Hill Descent Control
• Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection – Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• High Beam Assist
• LED Steering Responsive Headlights
• Keyless Entry & Push Button Start System
• 8” multi-function colour touchscreen with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™
• Reversing camera
• Dual-zone Automatic Air-conditioning System
• Power-folding heated door mirrors
• Aluminium alloy wheels (17” or 18”)

And lastly for the car is the pièce de résistance and thats the Eyesight system, one of the most intuitive and capable systems that you will find, it includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Braking, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist and Lead Vehicle Start Alert.

The system that i think is brilliant is the autonomous slowing down to a halt and speed gaining as the vehicle in front slows and speeds up, it is available on other cars, but this one is far superior, and the first time you try it, it is really scary, just allowing the car to slow down and pick up speed as it see's fit to do, dependant on the traffic.

CONCLUSION

The car and brand is great, comparing the new XV to the old version on our test day, showed how much the new one has moved ahead, from its look and the way it drove, it is a stunning car, and one that you must consider, very highly when looking for a car in the class, and with pricing starting at £25,000, you really do not need to spec up the car as it probably already has what you need, but please do consider it, you will not be disappointed.

Groupe PSA see's sales grow in 2017 with the help of Vauxhall and Opel, but whats to come !

• Groupe PSA sold 3,632,3001 vehicles worldwide
• 4th consecutive year of improvement in Groupe PSA sales
• Successful SUV product offensive supporting the Group’s profitable growth
• Strengthening European leadership in Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) for PEUGEOT and CITROËN, with a 20.2% market share

The Push to Pass plan’s SUV offensive accelerates and the five SUV models launched in the past 18 months have enjoyed growing success. Overall, SUV sales accounted for 23% of consolidated sales at the year-end.

PEUGEOT brand sold nearly 600,000 SUVs in 2017 worldwide and ranks 2nd in the SUV European market with a strong expansion of nearly 60%.

With 259,300 PEUGEOT 3008 SUVs sold globally in 2017, the PEUGEOT brand enjoyed sustained demand for the model, which was named Car of the Year 2017 in Europe and recognised by 38 additional awards worldwide. PEUGEOT also benefited from the success of the new PEUGEOT 5008 launched in March 2017, with 85,900 units sold, and the positive performance of the PEUGEOT 4008 in China, with 51,500 units.

In autumn 2017, CITROËN kicked off its SUV offensive in China with the C5 Aircross, launched in September, and in Europe with the C3 Aircross, launched in October. Each model sold around 22,700 and 35,400 units, respectively, and will be rolled out worldwide in 2018.

At the end of February 2017, DS Automobiles debuted its first SUV, DS 7 CROSSBACK, and opened up online reservations for the La Première limited edition model. In October, the brand launched its exclusive network in parallel with order taking for all the line-up’s versions. The first deliveries are set for February 2018.

In 2017, OPEL and VAUXHALL rationalized the channel mix, in line with PACE! turnaround plan and led a record-breaking product offensive in 2017, with two new SUVs, the Crossland X and Grandland X, launched in May and September with sales of 33,900 and 18,700 units, respectively.

In 2017, Groupe PSA reported its best LCV sales ever, with 476,500 units sold, up 15% on 2016. And with Passenger Car derivatives (PEUGEOT Traveller and CITROËN SpaceTourer for example) these are 658,000 units sold by the Group in 2017.

The PEUGEOT and CITROËN brands strengthened the Group’s leadership status in Europe, where it holds a market share of 20.2% in LCV (1.3 point market share gain) allowing the Group to capture more than 50% of European LCV market growth thanks to the new PEUGEOT Expert and CITROËN Jumpy/Dispatch.

Outside Europe, the Group’s LCV offensive also began to deliver results. In Eurasia, sales were up 55% before the start of local production of new PEUGEOT Expert and CITROËN Jumpy/Dispatch planned in the first half of 2018. In Latin America, sales increased 13% and a full range of renewed products and a complete range of services will be offered in 2018.

The rise of a European champion

Consolidated sales in Europe came in at 2,378,600 units, representing a year-on-year increase of nearly 450,000 vehicles (up 23.2%), of which 376,400 OPEL and VAUXHALL units since 1 August 2017.

Groupe PSA’s market share increased in all of the Group’s main host countries, excluding the United Kingdom. For the first time since 2010, the Group added 0.3 points to its market share (11.1%) from PEUGEOT, CITROËN and DS sales alone.

On top of increased sales of SUVs and LCVs, the Group benefited from the successful launch of the PEUGEOT 308 (166,000 units sold), CITROËN C3 (217,000 units sold), and OPEL Insignia, available in three models, the Sports Tourer, Grand Sport and Country Tourer (total 40 600 units sold from August to December 2017).

In addition, the PEUGEOT 2008 and OPEL Mokka ended the year second and third, respectively, in their segment.

DS Automobiles continued to develop its network, with 150 locations now dedicated to marketing the first-ever second generation DS model, the DS 7 CROSSBACK.

In the Middle East & Africa, profitable growth ahead of targets

Consolidated sales in the Middle East & Africa region up a sharp 61.4% year on year at 618,800 units, of which 26,800 for the OPEL brand.

This performance was driven by the Group’s development in Iran (444,600 units sold in 2017) and higher sales in Turkey, Israel and the French overseas departments. The Group’s overall market share in the region came in at 11.6% and has steadily risen since 2015, on target with the Push to Pass plan objective of selling 700,000 vehicles by 2021.

Groupe PSA has continued its product offensive in the region, where it has successfully launched the new CITROËN C3 (awarded the “Best Urbanite” title in Israel), the new PEUGEOT 3008 SUV (voted “Family Car of the Year” in South Africa and “Car of the Year” in Israel), and the new PEUGEOT Pick Up, which marks the brand’s history-making return to its legitimate place in the segment.

OPEL is in the midst of a product offensive in the region having recently launched the new Insignia and Crossland X and with the launch of the new Grandland X scheduled for early 2018.

For the DS brand, 2017 marked the development of a dealer network across the region ahead of the market launch of the DS 7 CROSSBACK in the coming months.

The year also saw the production start-up and market launch of the PEUGEOT 2008 SUV in Iran, and the creation of an Iranian joint venture between CITROËN and SAIPA based at the Kashan plant. The Group continued to expand its manufacturing base, breaking ground on the Kenitra plant in Morocco, starting up local production in Kenya and Ethiopia, and signing a memorandum of understanding to set up a new plant in Oran, Algeria.

Signs of a sales recovery in China & Southeast Asia

In a difficult economic environment, the Group sold 387,000 vehicles in the China & Southeast Asia region. Showing the first signs of a sales recovery, the Group has seen a rise in sales since July, and a market share gain of 0.3 points in second-half 2017 compared with the first half. The SUV line-up proved to be a triumph, with the successful launch in 2017 of the PEUGEOT 4008 and 5008, and the CITROËN C5 Aircross. It is worthy to note that sales volumes for the new PEUGEOT 308 and the CITROËN C5 and C6 were stable versus 2016, despite weaker demand in this market segment.

In Southeast Asia, Groupe PSA has been accelerating its development, particularly in Vietnam with the successful launch of the PEUGEOT 3008 and 5008 SUVs. The vehicles are now produced locally at THACO’s plant in Chu Lai, just nine months after a new assembly agreement was signed.

In June 2017, Groupe PSA signed an agreement to step up its cooperation with ChangAn Automobile, establishing a solid foundation for faster expansion of the DS brand. Presented at Auto Shanghai, the DS 7 CROSSBACK will be brought to market at the start of the Beijing Motor Show.

Further rebound in Latin America, with sales climbing 12.2% to 206,300 units

In Latin America, PEUGEOT sales rose 11.1% due to strong momentum in most of the region’s markets. The PEUGEOT 3008 and 5008 SUVs were launched very successfully in every country and sales have exceeded targets. The PEUGEOT Expert, recently launched in Brazil and Argentina and produced in Uruguay, also promises to be a success.

CITROËN’s sales were up 13,8% in most of the region’s markets. For example, sales in Chile jumped 47% thanks to the tremendous success of the new CITROËN C3 and the solid performance delivered in the LCV segment, with Berlingo leading the way. The CITROËN Jumpy/Dispatch, produced in Uruguay and marketed in Brazil and Argentina, has been well received, suggesting that demand for the vehicle will be strong in 2018.

DS Automobiles recorded sales growth of 21.6%, led by Argentina’s performance, where the brand ranks fourth in the premium automotive market thanks to the DS 3, the leading vehicle in its class for the fourth year in a row. The DS brand opened two DS Stores at the end of the year and is set to accelerate the expansion of the network in 2018. In the coming months, the brand will launch the DS 7 CROSSBACK.

India-Pacific reports 26,100 cars sold and 31% growth ahead of India market launch in 2020

In Japan, the Group grew by 20% and recorded its best performance in more than 20 years. A sales recovery is under way in Australia and New Zealand, where two new importers have been appointed, resulting in sales almost tripling compared to 2016. Sales for the French Pacific overseas territories continued to rise sharply (up 40%) and South Korea’s performance was in line with that of 2016.

PEUGEOT contributed significantly to this growth, reporting a 37% increase in sales driven by the successful launch of the PEUGEOT 3008 and 5008.

CITROËN’s sales also rose sharply (up 36%) thanks to strong demand for the new C3.

DS continued to build its brand in the region. In Japan, the DS 7 CROSSBACK was warmly received at the Tokyo Motor Show. In addition, DS Automobiles opened three DS STORES and DS SALONS and will continue to develop its network in 2018.

Sales up 45% in Eurasia, outpacing the auto market

The Group made headway in the region’s major markets, including Russia (up 38%) and Ukraine (up 62%), with a total of 15,200 units sold.

Sales of the new PEUGEOT 3008 SUV were significantly ahead of the previous generation’s performance, accounting for 21% of the brand’s volumes, and helping to drive its volumes up 50.7%. The momentum in sales for CITROËN’s Grand C4 Picasso (up 126%), particularly in the BtoB segment, also pushed up the brand’s sales, by a strong 33.4% in Eurasia.

Groupe PSA’s LCV segment sales rose 55%. Local production of the PEUGEOT Expert, CITROËN Jumpy/Dispatch, PEUGEOT Traveller and CITROËN SpaceTourer in Kaluga, Russia as from 2018 is expected to enable the Group to achieve even faster sales growth in Eurasia.

Jean-Philippe Imparato, Chief Executive Officer, PEUGEOT, said: “2017 was an exceptional year, with record high results for PEUGEOT. We beat our target of selling two million vehicles, largely due to strong demand for our SUV and light commercial vehicle line­ups, on top of solid performances from our conventional PEUGEOT 208 sedan models and the new 308. The brand increased volumes sold as well as market share in five out of six regions. PEUGEOT has successfully moved upmarket and is continuing to expand internationally with sales outside Europe now representing 45% of the worldwide total.”

Linda Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, CITROËN, said: “2017 unleashed the momentum driven by CITROËN’s new product offensive: it was the first full year for the new C3, the new Jumpy/Dispatch and the SpaceTourer, but also the year we launched the C3 Aircross SUV in Europe and the C5 AIRCROSS SUV in China. The result was that, in Europe, we achieved our highest level of sales in six years and won back market share in both passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Excluding China, our worldwide sales rose 7.5%! We have the necessary strengths to sustain and intensify this sales momentum in 2018, thanks to the global roll-out of our most recent launches, but also to major upcoming launches. Visit the Geneva Motor Show to find out more!”

Yves Bonnefont, Chief Executive Officer, DS Automobiles, said: “2017 was a crucial milestone in the development of the DS brand, with the opening of orders for the DS 7 CROSSBACK, the first DS of second generation, the debut of the DS exclusive network and the deployment of ‘Only You’. We are delivering on our global strategic roadmap.”

Peter Küspert, Executive Vice-President, Sales, Marketing & Aftersales at OPEL/VAUXHALL, said: “2017 was a transitional year for OPEL/VAUXHALL involving an unprecedented product offensive that will allow us to offer a young line-up over the full 2018 year and be present in all major segments, in particular with the X family of vehicles, which includes the Mokka X, Crossland X and Grandland X, on top of the Insignia GSi, Corsa GSi and the brand new Combo.”

Groupe PSA in 2017

	Consolidated world sales by regions
units				2016		2017	%Var
Europe*		Peugeot		1 102 230		1 173 465	6.5%
		Citroën		762 576		785 662	3.0%
		DS		65 452		43 135	-34.1%
		PCD		1 930 258		2 002 262	3.7%
		Opel/Vauxhall				376 380
		PCD+OV		1 930 258		2 378 642	23.2%
Middle East & Africa **		Peugeot		323 084		533 170	65.0%
		Citroën		58 662		57 273	-2.4%
		DS		1 743		1 575	-9.6%
		PCD		383 489		592 018	54.4%
		Opel/Vauxhall				26 809
		PCD+OV		383 489		618 827	61.4%
China & Southeast Asia		Peugeot		351 904		249 223	-29.2%
		Citroën		250 297		131 821	-47.3%
		DS		16 151		5 963	-63.1%
		PCD		618 352		387 007	-37.4%
		Opel/Vauxhall				295
		PCD+OV		618 352		387 302	-37.4%
Latin America		Peugeot		122 639		136 303	11.1%
		Citroën		60 196		68 526	13.8%
		DS		1 072		1 304	21.6%
		PCD		183 907		206 133	12.1%
		Opel/Vauxhall				142
		PCD+OV		183 907		206 275	12.2%
India & Pacific		Peugeot		13 977		19 205	37.4%
		Citroën		4 452		6 049	35.9%
		DS		1 457		799	-45.2%
		PCD		19 886		26 053	31.0%
		PCD+OV		19 886		26 053	31.0%
Eurasia		Peugeot		5 626		8 479	50.7%
		Citroën		4 758		6 345	33.4%
		DS		106		84	-20.8%
		PCD		10 490		14 908	42.1%
		Opel/Vauxhall				307
		PCD+OV		10 490		15 215	45.0%
Total		Peugeot		1 919 460		2 119 845	10.4%
		Citroën		1 140 941		1 055 676	-7.5%
		DS		85 981		52 860	-38.5%
		PCD		3 146 382		3 228 381	2.6%
		Opel/Vauxhall				403 933
		PCD+OV		3 146 382		3 632 314	15.4%
PCD : Peugeot/Citroën/DS
OV : Opel/Vauxhall

*Europe = EU + EFTA + Albania + Bosnia + Croatia + Kosovo + Macedonia + Montenegro + Serbia

**including 443,000 vehicles produced in Iran under a Peugeot licence in 2017

1 As from 1 August 2017, the Group’s scope of consolidation includes the sales volumes of OPEL and VAUXHALL, together representing 403,900 units sold between August and December

The original Mustang Bullitt car returns with the 2019 model year updated version.

• All-new special edition Ford Mustang Bullitt™ and Ford Edge ST – Ford’s first SUV to be tuned by the Ford Performance team – star at North American International Auto Show

• Mustang Bullitt™ is due out this summer in U.S. offering at least 481PS, saluting 1968 movie car with effortlessly cool appearance

• Original 1968 Mustang GT fastback that starred alongside Steve McQueen in award-winning movie “Bullitt” drives onto Ford NAIAS stage, ending 40-year mystery of its whereabouts

• All-new Ford Edge ST offers sports styling, 340PS 2.7-litre EcoBoost engine, eight-speed auto gearbox, Sport Mode and class-leading driver assistance tech

• Ford Ranger pick-up for U.S. revealed, specially engineered to meet U.S. customers’ needs with 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and 10-speed automatic transmission

Ford Motor Company delivered global debuts for the third-generation, limited-edition Mustang Bullitt™* – celebrating the 50th anniversary of Steve McQueen’s classic film “Bullitt”; and all-new Ford Edge ST – Ford’s first SUV to be tuned by the Ford Performance team, at the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

The new Ford Mustang Bullitt™, due out this summer for Ford customers in the U.S., is powered by an upgraded 5.0-litre V8 engine that will deliver at least 481PS and 569Nm of torque, pushing the new Bullitt™ to a top speed of 163mph.

The original 1968 Mustang GT fastback that starred alongside Steve McQueen in the award-winning movie “Bullitt”, also drove onto the Ford stage at NAIAS, ending a 40-year mystery about the film car’s whereabouts.

Offered only for Ford customers in the U.S., the all-new Edge ST is the first version of the new Edge SUV to be unveiled by Ford. The new Ford Edge will be introduced for customers in Europe later this year in variants including Edge Vignale, ST-Line and Titanium, offering powerful new diesel engines**, sophisticated driver assistance technologies and enhanced styling.

Special Edition Mustang Bullitt™

The all-new Mustang Bullitt™ is equipped with a manual transmission, and the gear shifter features a white cue ball shift knob as a nod to the original. An active valve performance exhaust system is standard, and retuned to give the car a signature burble.

Other standard equipment includes a 12-inch all-digital LCD instrument cluster, identical in function to the cluster introduced on the all-new Mustang that goes on sale across Europe later this year, but with a unique Bullitt™ welcome screen that starts in green with an image of the car rather than the pony.

“This new Bullitt™ is, as Steve McQueen was, effortlessly cool,” said Darrell Behmer, Mustang chief designer. “As a designer, it’s my favourite Mustang – devoid of stripes, spoilers and badges. It doesn’t need to scream about anything – it’s just cool.”

Exterior paint choices are limited to Shadow Black and the classic Dark Highland Green – as worn in the movie. Other features that pay tribute to the car McQueen drove are subtle chrome accents around the grille and front windows, and classic torque thrust 19-inch aluminium wheels. Inside and out, the vehicle uses minimal badging; only the circular faux fuel-filler cap Bullitt™ logo on the rear centre is visible on the exterior.

The Original

Two identical 1968 Mustang GT fastbacks were used in the filming of the hit movie “Bullitt” that debuted in theatres on 17 October 1968. After filming, the cars went their separate ways: the hero vehicle driven by McQueen in the movie was sold by Warner Bros. to a private buyer, and the other – used in many of the jumps during the famous chase scene – was sent to a salvage yard. That jumper vehicle resurfaced in Baja, California, in early 2017, but the other was lost to history. Until now.

Sean Kiernan, owner of the hero vehicle, inherited the car in 2014 from his late father, Robert, who had purchased the vehicle in 1974. To fulfil his family’s lifelong dream, Sean contacted Ford and the two parties worked together to reveal his movie star car alongside the all-new Mustang Bullitt™ at the 2018 North American International Auto Show.

First Ford Performance SUV

The all-new Edge ST features the most powerful V6 engine available in its class, with a specially tuned 2.7-litre twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine delivering 340PS and 515Nm of torque.

A quick-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission and ST-tuned sport suspension support dynamic handling. A new Sport Mode allows Edge ST drivers to experience more aggressive throttle response and shifting patterns and a more resonant exhaust tone.

“Edge ST puts a new animal on the road – a performance SUV with a track mentality,” said Hau Thai-Tang, executive vice president of Product Development and Purchasing. “From a performance standpoint, and with its SUV silhouette and versatility, it sets a new standard Edge fans will love to drive.”

Edge ST features new front and rear styling, a wide mesh grille for optimal cooling, deep side skirts and dual-exhaust outlets. Unique 21-inch wheels are available and the interior features a redesigned centre console with an all-new rotary gearshift dial that frees up space, allows easier access to the wireless charging pad and enhances the vehicle’s modern, sophisticated feel.