A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
BMW unveils next generation 1 Series
IT MIGHT be rolling out its fantastic new 1 Series M Coupé, but BMW has also been working on the next generation of its entry-level model. This is the all-new BMW 1 Series (pictured).
The look is evolutionary on the outgoing edition, with the most striking changes to the front nose that bears a resemblance to the recently launched 5 Series. The car is also larger than before but the good news for Irish buyers is that emissions have been significantly reduced, with the new 116d, for example, emitting less than 100g/km.
With its sights firmly set on the Audi A3, VW Golf and upcoming Mercedes A-Class, the car is more practical, with boot space increased by 30 litres and an interior that BMW claims is a match for any of its rivals. The best at present is the Lexus CT200h, so we will wait and see if the BMW matches up.
All engine variants come with auto start/stop to cut fuel consumption in traffic, while the car also features a new ECO PRO system aimed at adjusting the various on-board systems to maximise efficiency. Staying pure to its roots, the 1 Series remains BMW’s rear-wheel-drive system.
Prius supermini spotted
TOYOTA HAS already confirmed it is expanding its Prius range with a larger people carrier version and a supermini in the coming years and this is the first sign that work is underway to prepare the smaller version for the road.
The car should go on sale late next year, becoming one of the most fuel-efficient small cars on the market.
It retains many styling cues from the current Prius family car but is noticeably shorter and slightly lower to the ground.
It remains a five-door but the power will come from 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain rather than the 1.8-litre unit in the current Prius. During the testing a Honda CRZ hybrid and Mazda2 was spotted in the fleet, probably for comparison purposes.