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Chevrolet at Geneva

By Guy Bird Motor Shows 10 March 2008 11:31 What’s new on Chevrolet’s Geneva Motor Show stand? There were more exciting show stands at Geneva but Chevy did muster up a small – in every sense – global unveil in the shape of the three-door Aveo supermini (the five-door was unveiled last autumn at the 2007 Frankfurt show). The smart-ish new exterior – all big grille and wraparound front lights – is a big improvement on the mundane Kalos it replaces but still a bit of a let down.

Lexus GS 300h: Shanghai Motor Show

Offering much better economy than the GS 450h, it offers not only a viable alternative for private buyers looking for a bit of beautifully built Japanese luxury with lower running costs, but also makes the GS a much more appealing option for company car drivers – probably where most of the sales will be made. Lexus are aiming for Co2 emissions below 110g/km for the GS 300h (the IS 300h manages 99g/km) which will give headline economy around 60mpg – a third better than the GS 450h can manage. Power comes from the same hybrid drivetrain as the IS 300h, which means a 2.5 litre petrol mated to an electric motor and delivering 215bhp and o-62mph in around 8.5 seconds.

Kia preparing a range of sporting models

Kia is quietly readying a string of sportier models to pep up its humdrum image, CAR has learned. The burgeoning sports car plan is likely to sire everything from hot hatches to standalone sports cars. On our trip to Korea this week, sources at Kia HQ confirmed a range of performance models, designed to mix some excitement into a brand that now commands respect from mainstream buyers after its crawl upmarket to the volume market alongside Europe's mass-market brands.