Eurekar

NISSAN has announced that a new 52kWh battery option is available to order for the British-built, all-electric LEAF, following the introduction of the 75kWh version earlier this year. The new variant also qualifies for the UK Government's full £3,750 Electric Car Grant taking its price to £28,849. With a range of up to 280 miles the new battery option will be available on Engage and Advance grades.

BENTLEY designers have created ‘Design Theme by Mulliner' available exclusively on Supersports models. Now for the first time on any Bentley, the pinnacle ‘Design Theme by Mulliner', introduces a paint fade running from one side of the car to the other. A highlight colour defines the driver's side and blends across the body into a darker tone on the opposite side. A single off-centre highlight stripe runs from front to rear, aligned with the passenger seat.

KIA has announced a new special-edition trim level being offered on its popular medium SUV models, the EV5 and Sportage. Named ‘Storm', the new trim levels sit between the ‘GT-Line' and ‘GT-Line S' variants of both EV5 and Sportage, offering a premium specification with ‘Air'-inspired design cues, enabling more bang for buck. Additionally, Kia has broadened its popular EV5 line-up with the addition of all-wheel drive (AWD) power on ‘GT-Line' and ‘GT-Line S' only.

GROWINGcar dimensions over the past 20 years have created a parking crisis for millions of motorists, new analysis has revealed. The average car now occupies almost one square metremore space, meaning that a 200-metre residential street provides kerbside parking for four fewer cars. Analysis by automotive data technology specialist, Vehicle Data Global (VDG), reveals that the average car this year has a footprint of 8.61 square metres, compared with 7.67squaremetres in 2006.

DACIA is cutting the price of its all-electric Dacia Spring to £11,990, making one of the country's most affordable new car even more compelling. Every Spring still comes with air conditioning, cruise control, rear parking sensors, a digital instrument display and Dacia's Media Control system with steering wheel-mounted controls.

THE fifth generation of the BMW X5 SUV has been revealed showing how the car looks as one of the company's Neue Klasse models. The BMW X5 has consistently set industry benchmarks since its launch in 1999 and this latest iteration continues that legacy as the first BMW model engineered to support five different drive systems, including hydrogen, as part of its global line-up.

KIA is marking the milestone of half a million Sportage sales since its UK launch. The Sportage has become Kia's most popular and recognisable model, with five generations spanning 31 years in the UK and 33 globally. The model is Kia's most popular and best-selling in the UK, Europe and globally. The 500,000thsale was for a new Sportage ‘GT-Line' Hybrid in Blue Flame, bought from GWR Kia, in Brentford West London.

THE Audi A3 is getting an upgrade, focusing on the redesigned interior with a panoramic display as well as a wider range of driver-assist systems. The A3 family is becoming more capable and more digital, and in the UK more affordable, as a new Technik trim reduces the starting price to £28,650. Whether it is a Sportback or Saloon, a traditional petrol or diesel engine a plug-in hybrid or the sporty S3 and RS3 models. A3 models will now come with a completely new cockpit layout.

INEOS Automotive, SMT Defence and NMS UK have joined forces to form Team Grenadier, a UK-anchored industrial collaboration dedicated to delivering a range of vehicles ideal for deployment by the UK Ministry of Defence, based on the INEOS Grenadier platform. The partnership delivers on the core requirements of the MoD's Light Mobility Vehicle programme, by combining a world-leading 4X4 vehicle platform with deep-rooted special operations and systems integration expertise.

IF you think Geely is a new brand in Britain, think again. While it launched its first badged model, the Geely EX5, last year it has been quietly contemplating its place and plans for some years. Geely is deeply involved behind the scenes with our own Lotus sports car makers, and is providing the knowledge and expertise for Volvo and Smart electric models. So think about a Chinese brand which has knowledge of sports cars, executive and family cars as well as city commuting cars.