KEY POINTS:
Not so much a hot (top) dog as a slightly warmed one, the 88kW version of the new Ford Fiesta hatchback looks good to us. The 1.6-litre Zetec S was revealed at this week's British Motor Show. Ford New Zealand doesn't talk about future product, but has previously acknowledged the Fiesta is coming at year's end.
Surely public affairs manager Brie Elder's comment that "It's great to see the Fiesta Zetec has been so well received overseas" could be construed as a bit of a pointer to the S heading the NZ market line-up? Well, let's hope.
Kiwis can confidently expect that the three-door will be bypassed for a five-door edition.
Fiesta is on same platform as the well-received Mazda2, and shares many hidden components, but seems to have more styling verve inside and out. The S gets a dynamic body kit and sharper handling than the mainstream models. The real racer will be the more powerful ST, which has yet to be seen.
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When it comes to eco matters, it seems we're all a little green. According to findings, 85 per cent of British drivers do not know their own car's emissions level, and more than half admit to feeling confused about emissions, even though nearly three-quarters say they care about reducing emissions when driving.
Researchers have also found more than half think electric vehicles have exhaust pipes (er, why?) and a quarter believe that biofuel is CO2 free (it's not). More misconceptions are that water comes out of an electric car's engines and "biofuel" is a car that uses two types of fuel (no to both).
We're particularly intrigued by the very confused 4 per cent of motorists who think a "hybrid" car is two cars welded together!
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The Holden Commodore has topped a list of bad environmental performers issued by Australia's Federal Government. An online vehicle guide (www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au) lists the VE as having the highest fuel costs - A$2430 ($3132) a year - and largest greenhouse pollution output (3.8 tonnes) of the top five selling cars. Ford fans shouldn't laugh - the Falcon came in second (A$2272, 3.6 tonnes).
More bad news for the Aussie carmakers - an international car parts manufacturer will close its loss-making Australian operation, retrenching 116 staff in Adelaide. US-owned Cooper Standard Automotive is bailing out of the Adelaide plant that produced brake lining and power steering systems.
A review of Aussie car manufacturing is due to be delivered to the feds by the end of the month.
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General Motors has begun to leak details of the Saab 9-4x, to make its debut at next autumn's New York motor show.
Though developed for North America, the "mid-sized SUV" - which translates to something somewhat larger by our standards - is to be built in Mexico (alongside its sister model, the Cadillac SRX), and is also destined for Europe. Right-hand drive production is not being entirely discounted.
Launch engines are a 211kW petrol V6 and a 186kW V6 diesel, with an ethanol-compatible four-cylinder, 2.0-litre Saab Biopower engine to follow.
The 9-4X will be positioned against more compact models such as the BMW X3, the soon-to-land Volvo XC60 and Mercedes-Benz GLK, which will arrive here - albeit in rear-drive form-only - in early 2010.
