USA - Chevy adds more special editions to its range of SUV's giving it's ever growing sales more choice for the buyer.

• Equinox Midnight and Sport Editions, Traverse Graphite Edition offer distinction

Chevrolet announced it is expanding its popular special edition models to include the Equinox and Traverse SUVs for 2017.

Equinox sales are up 8 percent and Traverse had its best month ever, with retail sales up 24 percent in the month of July as compact and midsize SUVs continue to be hot segments. Chevrolet retail crossover sales were up 20 percent in July for the best July ever.

The News

The Equinox Midnight and Sport Editions and Traverse Graphite Edition join the Trax Midnight Edition and a growing portfolio of Chevrolet special edition vehicles.

They have proven popular with customers, with special edition Chevy trucks selling up to three times faster than the average truck and to younger, more affluent buyers.

Product Details

The 2017 Equinox Midnight Edition is offered in Mosaic Black Metallic, while the Sport Edition is offered in Summit White. Both are offered on the LT model and require the available Convenience Package. Content for both includes:

• Black grille and Chevrolet bowties
• Black 18-inch aluminum wheels
• Jet-black perforated leather-appointed seats, giving customers the opportunity to have leather on an LT model
• Memory settings for the driver’s seat and exterior mirrors
• Black mirror caps and roof rack crossbars

The 2017 Traverse Graphite Edition is available exclusively on the 2LT model and its features include:

• Mosaic Black Metallic, Tungsten Metallic, Siren Red Tintcoat and Iridescent Pearl Tricoat exterior colors
• 20-inch Dark Charcoal wheels
• Dual exhaust
• Black Chevrolet bowties
• Integrated Assist Step

Quotable

“Special Editions resonate with buyers, offering a unique package with unique looks,” said Betsy Flegg, senior manager, Chevrolet SUVs. “We’ve already seen a strong interest with the Trax Midnight Edition when we announced production last December. We anticipate customers will strongly like the looks of the new Equinox Midnight and Sport Editions and Traverse Graphite Edition.”

“Special Editions give consumers an opportunity to buy something outside of the mainstream trim designation,” said Karl Brauer, senior director, automotive industry insights, Kelly Blue Book. “This lets them spend a little more for a unique model, one that often provides a higher resale value when it’s time to sell or trade the vehicle for their next purchase.”

On Sale

Currently on sale

Peugeot has already launched this years Roland Garros special editions, the 108 Top! and 208 Supermini.

• 108 TOP! Roland Garros available in both three and five door models from £12,760
• 208 Roland Garros five door model available in Nera Black or Satin White from £17,965
• High levels of standard equipment makes the Roland Garros Special Editions attractive models
• Sporty and well-appointed ‘GT Line’ specification is another appealing addition to the 108 range

Following the success at the French Open by PEUGEOT brand ambassador, Novak Djokovic, PEUGEOT is introducing two new Special Editions on the popular 108 and 208 models.  The new Roland Garros Special Editions will be available in Dealer showrooms in June, accompanied by the introduction of a sporty and well-appointed new ‘GT Line’ trim level to the 108 range.

The 108 TOP! and 208 Roland Garros Special Editions salute the famous Paris venue that hosts the French Open tennis tournament, which PEUGEOT has supported for some 32 years. Both models are positioned above the popular and well-specified Allure trim level and feature a high level of standard equipment with exclusive features.

The 108 TOP! Roland Garros is available as a three or five door vehicle with a 99g/km 1.2L PureTech 82 petrol engine. Distinctive in Diamond White with a retractable black fabric hood, orange door mirrors and 15” Thorren alloy wheels with orange centre caps. Tinted rear and side windows, LED daytime running lights and Roland Garros badging complete the car’s external styling, while satellite navigation, air conditioning, electric/heated door mirrors and PEUGEOT Open & Go keyless entry are all included - features you would normally expect to see on a high-status car.

Safety features fitted as standard equipment include a reversing camera, Active City Brake and Lane Departure Warning. The Rayyura Grey cloth with distinctive orange trim and Roland Garros Porcelain dash detailing give the popular city car a luxurious feel, from £13,360.

The 208 Roland Garros comes as a five door model with three engine/gearbox combinations - the 1.2L PureTech 110 petrol engine is available with a five speed manual or six speed ‘EAT6’ automatic gearbox for £17,965 and £18,965 respectively, while the 1.6L BlueHDi 100 Diesel is available from £18,915 with a five speed manual gearbox. All three have low CO₂ emissions at 99g/km, 104g/km and 90g/km.

The 208 Roland Garros is available in either Nera Black or Satin White paintwork, with 16” alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, daytime LED running lights, orange mirrors and exclusive badging/detailing, making the 208 Roland Garros Special Edition stylishly distinctive.

A cielo panoramic glass roof, leather two-tone seats with orange contrast stitching, leather steering wheel, DAB digital radio, satellite navigation and multi-function touchscreen with Mirror Screen® and CarPlay® provide a luxurious interior for all occupants.

A rear parking aid and reversing camera helps avoid collisions, while front and rear electric windows, electric heated mirrors, cruise control/speed limiter and automatic headlights complete the impressive supplementary specification list.

Separately, the introduction of the new 108 ‘GT Line’ follows its popularity on the 208, 308 and 508 models, with the 308 ‘GT Line’ versions accounting for nearly 20% of range. The ‘GT Line’ supersedes the Feline Nav trim level with an increased specification that includes 15” ‘S Line’ alloy wheels, tinted rear windows, red PEUGEOT lettering on the front grille, gloss black door mirrors and front fog lights.

Three and five door ‘GT Line’ models feature the accomplished 1.2L PureTech 82hp petrol engine, with the three door at £12,760 and the five door £13,160.

The technology inside the 108 ‘GT Line’ has been enhanced, with automatic air conditioning, a brand new Active City Brake & Lane Departure Warning system and satellite navigation as standard. It also features the popular Laser Red interior ambience colour scheme and Black Claudia leather seats.

The new Volkswagen Polo Beats special edition, a vastly upgraded sound system makes this the one to go for.

• The Volkswagen Polo Beats special edition is on sale now
• Enhanced styling combines with a powerful 300-watt sound system
• Prices start from £13,910 (RRP OTR), with petrol and diesel engines available

The Volkswagen Polo is one of the enduring mainstays of the German brand in the UK.  Now Volkswagen is joining forces with world-renowned audio specialist Beats Electronics to launch a range of Polo special editions that feature a stunning sound system wrapped in fresh styling cues.

The Volkswagen Polo Beats is available to order at Volkswagen Retailers now starting at £13,910 OTR RRP. The Polo Beats brings new vigour to the small car segment and blends the technology of two class leaders: German car manufacturer Volkswagen and Californian audio experts Beats Electronics.

The Polo Beats features a state-of-the-art sound system comprising a 300-watt, eight-channel amplifier that is fitted with a digital signal processor (DSP).  By comparison, in Match trim the Polo comes with an 80-watt system.  The DSP in the Polo Beats delivers high-performance audio processing that gives clarity and definition to each of the seven high-end loudspeakers.

The speaker set-up comprises two tweeters located in the A-pillars, two woofers in the front doors, two broadband speakers located in the back with a subwoofer integrated into the spare wheel well to deliver powerful and punching bass tones.

The sharp looks of the Polo Beats back up its class-leading sound system, with standard equipment including 16-inch ‘Knight’ alloy wheels.  In addition, the Polo Beats features darkened rear light clusters and 65 % tinted rear windows.  The radiator grille is finished in ‘High Gloss Black’ and the car is enhanced with ‘Flash Red’, ‘Pure White’ or ‘Black’ door mirrors with integrated indicators.  A unique ‘Beats’ badge on the B-pillar combines with ‘Beats’ decals on the side skirts to complete the exterior styling additions.

As well as additional speakers, the interior of the Polo Beats boasts ‘Cortina Silver’ trim on the centre console and air vent surrounds along with leatherette door panels and chrome trim.  The front and rear carpet mats have stylish red stitching, while the doors have unique ‘Beats’ sill protectors.

The sporty seats have Alcantara side bolsters and a special ‘Beats’ cloth centre section, and there’s a streak of character through the seatbelts thanks to the addition of thin vertical red stripes.  LED foot well lighting rounds off a cabin that benefits from the style and audio of Beats plus the technology and functionality synonymous with Volkswagen.

The Volkswagen Polo Beats is available in three- or five-door configuration and offers a choice of four engines: three petrol units and one diesel.  All benefit from Volkswagen’s efficiency-boosting BlueMotion Technology and the 1.4-litre TDI diesel, which is available with a five-speed manual gearbox, has CO₂emissions* of just 93 g/km and a fuel economy* rating on the combined cycle of 83.1 mpg.

The 1.0-litre petrol engine is available as a 60 PS or a 75 PS unit.  Both come with a five-speed manual gearbox and have CO₂ ratings of 106 g/km for the 60 PS unit and 108 g/km for the 75 PS option.  Fuel economy (combined) is 60.1 mpg for the 60 PS engine and 58.9 mpg for the 75 PS.

The extensive engine line-up is completed by a 1.2-litre TSI engine that produces 90 PS and is available with a five-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed auto DSG ‘box.  It has a CO₂ figure of 107 g/km (109 g/km for the DSG) and both have a fuel economy figure of 60.1 mpg (combined).

The Polo Beats special edition slots into the Volkswagen Polo range above the Match trim.  Like the Match, standard-fit technology in the Polo Beats includes the Composition Media system which boasts a 6.5-inch colour display.  This includes a car information display, CD player, simultaneous pairing of two compatible mobile phones, SMS functionality for reading and composing text messages and music title and cover art display.

The Polo Beats also adds Volkswagen’s Car-Net ‘App-Connect’, which combines the functionality of Apple ‘CarPlay’, Google ‘Android Auto’ and ‘MirrorLink’™ and allows the ‘mirroring’ of the smartphone display on the infotainment touchscreen via USB.

Additional tech includes manual air conditioning and cruise control, while manoeuvring becomes even easier with the standard-fit front and rear ultrasonic parking sensors.

The latest member of the Polo family features a variety of safety equipment as standard, including ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and Automatic Post-Collision Braking.  The cars are also equipped with driver’s and front passenger’s airbags, and a side head airbag system.

Deliveries of the Volkswagen Polo Beats, which is open to order now, are expected to start this month. 

Volkswagen Polo Beats
Engine	Transmission	No. of doors	Power	CO₂ (g/km)	OTR Price
1.0 BMT	Five-speed manual	Three-door	60	106*	£13,910.00
1.0 BMT	Five-speed manual	Five-door	60	106*	£14,540.00
1.0 BMT	Five-speed manual	Three-door	75	108*	£14,435.00
1.0 BMT	Five-speed manual	Five-door	75	108*	£15,065.00
1.2 TSI BMT	Five-speed manual	Three-door	90	107*	£15,055.00
1.2 TSI BMT	Five-speed manual	Five-door	90	107*	£15,685.00
1.2 TSI BMT	Seven-speed auto DSG	Three-door	90	109*	£16,430.00
1.2 TSI BMT	Seven-speed auto DSG	Five-door	90	109*	£17,060.00
1.4 TDI BMT	Five-speed manual	Three-door	75	93*	£16,120.00
1.4 TDI BMT	Five-speed manual	Five-door	75	93*	£16,750.00

Jeep celebrates it's 75th anniversary in style with a host of limited edition models with special paint and badging.

A new limited edition range of Jeep vehicles is being launched in the UK today (14 April) to celebrate the legendary brand’s 75^th Anniversary.

The special versions feature exclusive branding, a high level of standard equipment, special styling details, unique green paint finishes (among other colour choices) and unique ‘75^th Anniversary’ badging.

Just 8,000 of the limited edition cars will be built for the entire EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. Celebratory editions of Jeep’s popular Renegade and iconic Cherokee will be the first models to arrive in the UK, with the most awarded SUV ever, the Grand Cherokee, and the ‘go anywhere, do anything’ Wrangler following later in the year.

All 75th Anniversary models are distinguished by a new livery, a 75th Anniversary badge, low gloss bronze wheels, bronze and orange exterior inserts and exclusive interiors with seats sporting the 75th Anniversary logo in relief (with the exception of Renegade) .

The Renegade 75th Anniversary sports a unique Jungle Green livery and comes equipped with either a 1.4-litre turbo MultiAir II 170 hp engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. 

Or a 2.0-litre MultiJet II 140 hp engine with a choice of either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic transmission and class exclusive Active Drive and Active Drive Low 4x4 systems. 

Standard equipment includes 18-inch wheels, the exclusive MySky sunroof with removable panels, bronze-coloured fog lamp bezels, roof rails, and new, specific fabric seats in either Black or Black and Sandstorm cloth with Tangerine stitching.

Jeep’s Cherokee 75th Anniversary comes in Recon Green and is powered by the new MultiJet II 2.2-litre 200 hp turbo diesel engine with either Jeep Active Drive I 4x4 system or Active Drive II with two-speed power transmission units and low mode. Nappa leather seats with dual tone Tangerine/Pearl stitching, 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen radio, bi-xenon headlamps, heated steering wheel and dual pane panoramic sunroof, are among the standard equipment.

The iconic Jeep Wrangler has received similar treatment. The 75th Anniversary edition for this model boasts a Sarge Green body and comes equipped with either a 2.8-litre 200 hp turbo diesel or a 3.6-litre 284 hp petrol engine. Standard equipment includes body-colour grille, low gloss bronze headlamp surrounds and grille throats, Power Dome hood with functional air vents, navigation with premium sound system, Ombre Mesh leather seats and body-colour dual top.

The line-up is completed by the Jeep Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary also featuring Recon Green paint finish. Powered by the 3.0-litre V-6 MultiJet 250 hp engine, it is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Equipment is comprehensive and includes 20-inch light alloy wheels, navigation system, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and Quadra-Lift air suspension that adjusts ground clearance to five different levels for improved driving dynamics on and off-road. A Nappa leather interior will be available in Morocco Black.

At launch the new Jeep Renegade 75^th Anniversary edition will cost from £26,795 OTR, while the new Cherokee 75^th Anniversary edition will cost from £38,945 OTR. Prices for the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee versions will be announced later in the year.

“It’s a Jeep tradition to celebrate key anniversaries, and 2016 is no exception,” says Damien Dally, head of brand, Jeep UK. “Born in 1941, the Jeep brand has a rich heritage which this new line-up of special cars brilliantly acknowledges.

“One of the special features of these 75^th Anniversary cars will be the unique green colours, but the choice does not stop there. There are several other paints to choose from, along with a range of options which will help owners to make their special cars even more distinctive.”