Bigger, better Jazz calls a great new tune

All-new Honda baby on sale after debut at October’s Paris show.

Strike up the band – the new Jazz is here! Honda claims its next supermini, due on sale in October, is superior to the outgoing model in every area.

And that’s some promise, as the current car has been hugely popular – with two million sold since it was launched in 2001. The Jazz has featured regularly in the top 10 of Auto Express’s Driver Power satisfaction and reliability survey.

Although it’s based on a reworked version of the current chassis, the newcomer offers more passenger and storage space – as it’s longer and has a wider track than at present.

The windscreen has been moved further forward, too, creating the roomiest cabin in class. And the 427-litre boot is 74 litres up on the original’s.

Surprisingly, though, there will be no diesel engine. Honda believes the refinement, fuel economy and performance of its i-vtec petrol units will keep customers happy.

So, power will come from 1.2 and 1.4-litre petrol motors from launch. A hybrid version will follow in 2009, featuring a 1.2-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to power the car silently and without emissions at urban speeds.

As a result, this variant will offer significant tax benefits, as well as fuel bills low enough to satisfy motorists hit hard by the credit crunch.

Two gearbox options will be available: a five-speed manual and Honda’s ‘i-shift’ automated manual, complete with steering wheel-mounted paddles and a full auto mode. A light on the dashboard indicates the most economical time to change ratios using the paddles.

There will be three trims from launch, with the line-up headed by a Sport version which gets a dynamic bodykit and heavily sculpted seats.

The Jazz hits dealers here shortly after being officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. Prices will start from £10,000, and rise to around £14,000 for a range-topping 1.4-litre petrol model.

Datsun’s 240Z is ready to return!

Four-door coupé set to resurrect legendary brand features bold design and hi-tech hybrid powerplant

The Datsun 240Z is back! This is the car that could point the way to a resurrection of Nissan’s legendary brand, 22 years after the last Datsun-badged model rolled off the production line.

Called the XLink, the four-door, four-seater coupé has been penned to capture the essence of Datsun if the marque was to be relaunched today. It’s the work of design student Benjamin Nawaka, who completed his project at the famous Yulon Nissan Design Centre in Taiwan.

Nawaka claims he drew inspiration for the newcomer’s looks from architecture and aviation, so it follows that the most prominent features are the ‘winglets’ – which are formed by the body panels overlapping the bonnet – and the rear flanks extending over the back screen.

Power comes from a diesel hybrid drivetrain, while there are 380 litres of boot space – s0 the car stays true to the Datsun philosophy of reliability and ease of use. Nissan insists that it’s simply a design concept at the moment, but watch this space to see if the XLink becomes a production reality.

VW gives the Golf fresh look, competitive price

Volkswagen has given its next Golf a fresh design, new technology and a competitive price in a bid to maintain the car's position as Europe's top-selling lower-medium model.

The sixth-generation Golf will be unveiled at the Paris auto show in October and will go on sale in Europe shortly after.

The new entry-level Golf will cost 16,500 euros in Germany, about 200 euros more than the current car.

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Redesigned key elements

VW has redesigned key elements of the current Golf to give the new model a sportier and more distinctive appearance than previous generations of the car. The wide grille is similar to that of the new Scirocco coupe.

The new Golf will have diesel engines equipped with common-rail injection technology, which is quieter than the current pump-injection diesel technology.

The new Golf's Euro 5-standard gasoline and diesel engines are up to 28 percent more fuel efficient than engines in the current car.

The most fuel-efficient engine, a 110hp, 2.0-liter diesel, uses 4.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, a 0.6 liter reduction compared with the current engine. It emits 119g/km of CO2.

For the first time, the Golf will be offered with adaptive chassis and automatic distance control, and parking assistance.

VW has sold 26 million Golfs since the car was launched in 2003. Last year, VW sold 548,942 Golfs in Europe, according to JATO Dynamics.