United Kingdom
1998 has seen the launch of two important new cars for the British market.
The fourth generation Vauxhall Astra went on sale in May, with an all-new design as well as range of updated and new engines. Lotus Cars has been employed to tune the new Astra's chassis, giving excellent ride and handling which are big improvement on its predecessor's. Entry-level engine is a 1.6 8-valve unit carried over from the previous Astra. There are also 16-valve units with 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 litres, as well as 1.7 and 2.0 diesels. Three- and five-door hatchbacks will be the mainstay of the range, along with the five-door estate and four-door saloon. There will coupe and cabriolet versions in two years.
Ford has produced the winner of this year's European Car of the Year award in the shape of its Focus - a radically designed range of family hatchbacks, saloons and estatest to succeed the Escort. But the Escort is remaining on sale for another two years for buyers who prefer a less dramatic-looking form of transport. The Focus has superb ride and handling as well as competitive pricing and good equipment levels. Power comes from impressive 16-valve 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec petrol engines as well as a not-so-impressive 1.8 turbo-diesel.
Jaguar has expanded its range to include a smaller, more competitively priced model - the S-Type. Designed as a competitor for the likes of the BMW 5 Series, the S Type is a traditionally styled four-door saloon with a design that harks back to the classic 1960s saloons. It is powered by smooth 3.0 V6, 3.2 V8 and 4.0 V8 engines which offer strong performance combined with impressive handling.
Rover has called time on 600 and 800 Series production for the launch of an all-new car. The Rover 75 is a retro-styled four-door saloon which is aimed directly at BMW 3 Series drivers, but offering a more competitive asking price. Rover had promised buyers that the 75 would be the best-handling front-wheel drive car in the world. Few drivers would agree with that, but it's certainly one of the most comfortable front-wheel drive cars in the world, even if its interior space is not overly generous.
Read more about this topic: 1998 In Motoring
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