Auto News 5

It's party time at Ford, and the Fiesta is getting all glammed up! In a sensational world first scoop, Auto Express magazine can reveal the wild new look of the blue oval's best-selling supermini. And one thing is clear: it's going to be the manufacturer's most striking small model since the launch of the Ka.

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French tire manufacturer Michelin has no short-term plans for a capital increase and will continue to focus on cash and stock management amid the industry crisis, executives said on Friday. Full story...

Both Volkswagen and PSA Peugeot Citroen will soon start selling cars built at their new plants in the Kaluga region of Russia, the companies told an investment forum in the city. Full story...

A man lost EUR23,000 (GBP20,594) to the wind when an envelope containing the money he had stored in the passenger seat pocket of his convertible blew away during a test drive in northern Germany. Full story...

Seating and electronic/electrical equipment supplier Lear Corporation has booked a first quarter 2009 pretax loss of $257.1m, including restructuring costs and other special items of $121.2m on net sales of $2.2bn, down 44% year on year. Full story...

Here is the car Ford said it would never make...

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A new package of hi-tech kit is being offered on a limited number of Ford Fiestas. More than £800 worth of lifestyle gear is available in only 2,500 Freedom models (image).


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The Fiesta was Ford's first 'supermini' hatchback and also its most compact car ever. However, it wasn't Ford's first hatchback (that was the Capri), nor its first front-drive car (Taunus 12M).

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No one builds hot hatches like Ford... From the original Fiesta XR2 of 1981 to the brand new ST, the company has put a nation of young drivers behind the wheel of their first performance car. The firm's sporting superminis are legendary for their compact dimensions, gutsy four-cylinder engines and back-to-basics driving thrills, and anyone wanting to get a better feel for the character of the next evolution of Ford's fastest Fiesta could do worse than look to the past.

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Prices for Ford's hot Fiesta models have been announced. The 99bhp 1.6-litre Zetec S is available for £11,595, while the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel is £12,495. Both come with deeper bumpers, a mesh grille and sports seats.



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Faster Fiesta prices, online commuting tips, bargain G-Wiz....and more.

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The hot hatch heritage of Renault is already impressive, but another chapter is about to open with the launch of a new ultra-hot Clio. Following in the tyre tracks of performance models such as the 5 GT Turbo and the Clio 182, an even quicker model is being developed. It will be the car's swansong and will go on sale later in the year, before an all-new Clio is launched.

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We knew Renault's new Clio would be a supermini - but we weren't expecting it to be this small. An exclusive picture in this week's magazine reveals exactly how the newcomer will look when it goes on sale at the end of this year - but the image is of a 1/43 scale model!

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Auto Express has doubled-up! Exclusive pictures of the new Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa in this week's mag reveal how two of the UK's most popular superminis will look when they hit showrooms over the coming months.

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The lid has been lifted on Renault's plans to introduce a folding hard-top version of the all-new Clio. This week's mag has an exclusive image of the Clio drop-top.

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Forget Vauxhall's VXR, turn your back on VW's GTI - here's the car that Renault says will leave them both trailing.

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Exclusive images in this week's magazine reveal the entry-level Renault Clio. The RS is the model performance fans will yearn for - revealed in issue 857 - but it's the base Clio which will make up the bulk of sales.

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Things are warming up at this week's Canary Wharf Motorexpo in London - Renault is giving its newest hot hatch, the Clio Trophy 182, a world debut.

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It's the third helping of va va voom from Renault - and big is beautiful! The French firm has unwrapped the Clio III, and our exclusive studio shots reveal a supermini that keeps on growing.

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This car has had a real grille-ing! The massive air intake on the front of the Renaultsport Clio is good news for hot hatch fans. Only weeks after the firm announced the end of Clio V6 production, this is the world's first look at the performance version of the all-new French supermini.


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