Thinking CAP

Another new week and another new 4x4 – this time the Citroën C-Crosser.

This is the same vehicle as the Peugeot 4007 and the Mitsubishi Outlander – all three are built in Japan by Mitsubishi.

The 4007 and C-Crosser both have a 2.2-litre HDi diesel engine, whereas the Outlander has a 2.0-litre Volkswagen-sourced unit – but that will change later this year when the 2.2 becomes available to Mitsubishi.

Citroën says it will attract caravanning customers as it has a strong heritage with the towing fraternity, thanks to cars like the BX.

The line-up is simple: one engine, two models – VTR+ and Exclusive – with prices starting from £22,790. Citroën expects 500 UK sales this year and 2,000 in 2008.

A press release arrived on my doormat from Fiat about the new addition to the Grande Punto range – the 1.4 T-Jet 120.

But it was the fact at the end of the release that was more interesting, and surprising.

Fiat has sold more than 58,000 Grande Puntos since its launch last year in the UK – that is a great result and shows what Fiat is good at – small cars. By the way, has anyone seen a Croma yet?

Volkswagen delivered a new Golf Estate and for the first time the model looks like an estate should, and not like a hatch with a bit added on the back.

For as long as the old estate was around it was always worth much less than the five-door, due to its looks.

However, the new estate is catching up with the hatch in RV terms. According to CAP Monitor, there is now only 2% between the two in RV after three years/60,000 miles.

Volkswagen’s Mexican plant is delivering the goods by turning out an estate that even beats the hatch in looks and quality.

Volkswagen expects to sell around 650 in the UK this year, and 2,000 in 2008, so no big numbers to worry about.

Andy Webb, SEAT’s fleet and business sales manager, came to the office in Leeds.

He told us that nearly everything is going well – Altea XL is selling above expectations, especially with fleets, and the Altea Freetrack, the 4x4 version due out in October, is getting early interest.

SEAT is slowly but surely improving awareness, thanks mainly to the Leon, as it sells better and better.

However, the Toledo is now selling just 450 units a year. This is not an ideal, but with other models going well SEAT is reasonably happy.

The next big thing will be the Mondeo/Vectra rival, due in 2009. No name yet, but if tradition is upheld it’ll have a Spanish place name.

Went to have a look at a new car – can’t say where, or what… sorry. All I can say is that it isn’t a 4 x 4 and it isn’t German. It should be on sale early in 2008 and will see it on August 28. It certainly has the ‘wow-factor’ – and you will want one.