Vauxhall Zafira

Vauxhall is banking on sharper design and greater versatility to keep its next-generation Zafira range in pole position in the race for compact Multi-purpose vehicles sales. Sleeker lines with added interior space are set to be a recipe for success with corporate buyers despite the flood of recent rivals. Vauxhall is understood to be pulling out of several short-cycle deals as it runs out supplies of the current Zafira, which achieved 50,000 registrations in 2004. The manufacturer aims to give a better service to the business sector as well as catering to higher retail demand. Longer, wider and featuring increased overhangs at the front and rear, the new car boasts of a fresh appearance and looks a higher-grade product.

Though the engineering of its Flex7 seating arrangement remains unchanged, detail modifications make it easier to use and loadspace is up by 120 litres to a van-like 1,820 litres when the two rear rows of seats are folded flat. Upholstery, trim materials and switchgear have a higher quality feel which approaches premium car standards and, depending on specification, the interior provides up to 30 stowage areas for small items. Five engines will be available when the car goes on sale in July – three 16-valve petrol units in 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2-litre guises delivering 104bhp, 197bhp and 148bhp respectively, and two Euro IV turbodiesels offering 118bhp and 148bhp.

Serena Minivan

Nissan Motor Co Ltd has recently announced the launch of the new Serena minivan. As its tagline ‘Shift capacity’ implies, the Serena dramatically transforms the potentialities of a one-box vehicle by accommodating users’ diverse driving needs. The exterior design is built around the themes of “active” and “spacious” and features large side windows rendered with a distinctive, step-like spur character line and a modern-looking cubic body form that conveys a feeling of stability. The stable-looking 3-D form is accentuated by the bumpers and the coloured accent belt around the bottom of the body. Thanks to the combination of Nissan’s 2.0-litre MR20DE engine and X-tronic CVT, both two-wheel drive (2WD) and four-wheel drive (4WD) models are available. Nissan’s high-strength zone body, which is built on the C-platform, achieves world-class safety performance. All Serena models are certified as ultra-low emission vehicles (U-LEVs) 1 because they emit 50 per cent fewer exhaust emissions than the levels.