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Skoda confirms two new models

Skoda Vision D at Geneva - Skoda's new design direction It’s now got to the point with Skoda where the skip-on-wheels reputation of the ’70s and ’80s – and even the ‘Cheap’ VW tag of the ’90s and ’00s – has been completely eclipsed by the perception of Skoda as quite simply the maker of some crackingly good cars. Cars like the brilliant little Skoda Fabia vRS – which we’d take over the Polo GTI (much more character) – and the equally brilliant Skoda Yeti which, although it might not quite live up to Clarkson’s recent tongue-in-cheek assertion as the best car in the world is, nonetheless, exceptionally good. That change in perception is clear in the confident model range on offer from Skoda and the clever way in which it’s marketed.

New Ford Focus (2011 / 2012) at Detroit

The 2011 / 2012 Ford Focus - starts out as a saloon or hatchback The new Ford Focus – possibly the most important car in Ford’s history – debuts today at the Detroit Motor Show. Which is in itself an indication that the 2011 / 2012 Ford Focus will be the beacon for Ford’s ‘One Ford’ policy of producing basically the same cars for markets throughout the world. Scheduled to start production at the end of 2010 – and start hitting customer’s driveways in early 2011 – the new Ford Focus is just one of ten variations on the Global C Platform which Ford will launch in the next few years.

Fewer people commuting but distances on the up

The average commute has increased in distance, but more people working from home means there are actually fewer cars on the road at rush hour today compared to 10 years ago, according to statistics from the most recent Census conducted in 2011. Figures show the average commute has increased from 8.3 miles in 2001 to 9.32 miles in 2011. People living in the east of England travelled the furthest to work at an average distance of 10.34 miles – while those in London had the shortest commutes averaging 6.83 miles.