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The latest developments within the car industry

We today have a list of some of the biggest news stories to make their way out of the automotive industry from the past week. We are today looking into some brand new vehicles which have just recently gone on sale and even the announcements of some brand new vehicles. A look into the potential future of the car trade is also covered today with a look at the new Mercedes Benz autonomous vehicle. The amount of new vehicles going on sale at this time of year is nothing short of great with new models for the 2015 market making their way into the line up. Today we have companies such as Skoda, Citroen and Volvo covered in our listings and we begin with a look at a recently revealed car from the Skoda firm.

Skoda reveal the R5 rally car

The brand based in the Czech Republic yesterday revealed their brand new entrant into the rally world which will excite fans in 2015. The brand new R5 has been confirmed to be the companies addition to the European rally championship from next year and will also be competing in other rally competitions around the world. Pictures of the car was first brought to the attention of rally fans with specifications and other pieces of information following suit. The car comes in a White and Neon Green paint design with the same Green design being used for the spoke wheels and roof of the motor. The R5 is in concept phase right now but next years addition to the rally circuit is not expected to differ too much from what was shown yesterday.Skoda have taken the first place position in the European rally championship for the past two consecutive years with the S2000 but is it a bold move to take the R5 to the party instead of the S2000?. Well with what we have heard spec wise for the car, we certainly think that it has a great chance of holding on to the title.

A 1.6 engine equipped with a turbocharger has been confirmed to be the power source that the firm hope can carry them to success once more. In excess of 265bhp has been guaranteed to be delivered from the car with a MacPherson suspension setup also making the cut. An exhaust placed in a central position and a wider body design could make it even quicker than the S2000. We look forward to seeing just what the R5 can do from next year.

The Mercedes Autonomous

Google's self driving vehicle has been the talk of the town over the past number of months and it certainly appears to be one of the biggest steps in automotive technology that the world has ever seen. With the constant rate that new developments are flowing through the car industry with plug in hybrids and FCV vehicles, all companies are looking to make their mark on the car industry. This is where Mercedes Benz are hoping they can make their presence felt for the future. A number of months ago, a teaser image of a vehicle testing was posted online which was later confirmed to be the Autonomous vehicle from Mercedes. It is rumoured that it is a self driving motor vehicle much like the Google car that is being developed. Our first official taster of the car will come from the CES electronic show next year which comes to us in January from Las Vegas.

When the vehicle was first seen testing, it was clearly visible that the company had included LED lighting technology at the tail end. The body design showed the car in a pod like shape, with the interior of the car set to be the next step in advancement for the mass manufacturer. Other specifics are unconfirmed at this time of writing but more will be revealed in January from the CES event.

The Volvo XC90 is officially on sale

Sweden based brand Volvo certainly have turned heads on a global scale with the announcement and unveiling of their new XC90 SUV. Already the car has proven to be a great success for the firm with special edition day one models going on sale a number of months ago and selling out completely within the first two days of being on sale. The day one edition receives extra features such as limited edition badging and interior upgrades. Now though we are delighted to confirm that the standard range is now officially on sale and orders can be placed now ahead of the first set of deliveries in April next year. The C9 shows the future design direction in which Volvo will be taking their range and has been a vehicle that has been in development for the past three years. A range of different engines are to be supplied with the car with the most popular expected to be a power source delivering 225bhp.The firms new Drive E setup will also be offered in both petrol and diesel forms across the range. A leather wrapped steering wheel and seating area are confirmed for the car aswell as a suede flooring design. The XC90 could be the most imaginative SUV on sale for the future as it also features a seven seat setup therefore, perfect for the whole family. Prices get underway at £45,785 with an April delivery date.

The Citroen DS6

Citroen are well known for their new range of family C4 models which have been a hit all around the world. They were most recognised in the past for cars such as the Saxo and more recently with the DS3. Speaking of the DS family though, we are today focusing on the companies brand new DS6 addition which is another SUV addition to the market and could prove to be the motor that knocks the Qashqai away from the top spot. Unfortunately for us UK fans, the vehicle is only available to purchase on Chinese markets with no indication of a release over here anytime soon. It features a powerful 1.6 engine fitted with a turbocharger and runs on a front wheel drive platform. The car has only been offered in a petrol format with no diesel engines up for grabs whatsoever. A White paint job and chrome detailing gives the vehicle that special look and the inside of the car is just as special. A tanned colour layout and chrome details around the gearstick and dashboard give it that special look. An angled, multi functioning steering wheel is also brought into play. Given the specs of the DS6 and the success that Citroen's DS range has achieved in the past, we think that the motor will prove to be very popular in China and could even take some tough competition to the Range Rover Evoque amongst other big selling models such as the Juke. There is always a possibility that the car could arrive on British soil further down the line but no clear indication has been given of any plans to do so.

BMW 3 series e Drive

In 2016 BMW are hoping to set new standards with the arrival of their new 3 series e Drive. This car is claimed to be the future design the brand are taking with their plug in hybrid cars and they are hoping to set new records in terms of fuel efficiency for their range. This would be the second time a plug in hybrid version of a current production car would be offered to the world and has been confirmed to run on a petrol electric platform. Power and driving modes are just two of the main highlights when it comes to making a name for themselves with this car in 2016 and this is clearly demonstrated by the fact that BMW have included a two litre,turbo charged engine which has guaranteed a 177bhp deliverance. An eight speed automatic transmission will convert the car into one of the smoothest hybrid models on the road. There have been a range of five driving modes confirmed to make their presence felt with the new 3 series in which one allows the car to drive on electric power alone and another saving battery life on the lithium Ion battery fitting by travelling at reduced rates. The other feature that is expected to be a key selling point is the announced fuel economy rates to come along with the car. It has been commented on by BMW themselves, that the 3 series e Drive will offer a return of 131mpg with C02 emissions to come in at 50g/km. The car will first arrive on the road from September of next year and is speculated to be made available for around the £37,000 figure.

The brand new AMG Sports range is revealed

Mercedes return to our round up now with news that has broken over the past hour. Mercedes have revealed their brand new range of AMG Sports models. These cars are to go on sale from early on into next year with speculation on these cars beginning from earlier on this year. The firm have a plan of selling 64,000 performance cars by the time of 2017 and this brand new range could certainly help get them to that figure. All vehicles in the family will be ran from a four wheel drive platform. A,C,E and G classes are expected to be represented within the full line up with only one car being actually confirmed for the time being which is the C450AMG Sport. Both the interior and exterior of these vehicles will be altered along with some tweaking to the engine setup too. The chassis on all vehicles will also receive some adjustments. AMG models are some of the biggest selling models that Mercedes have on sale and the range of new AMG additions we certainly think will do nothing but bring in even more attention for the firm and establish them as one of the most popular brand names in the world.