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New Volvo V40: Strong residual values predicted

New Volvo V40 – Strong residuals Volvo has had good news from the fleet industry with strong residuals forecast for the new 2012 Volvo V40 ahead of first customer cars. We’ve been very impressed with what we’ve seen of the new Volvo V40; it’s a car that is right on the money in its style, its pricing and its range (although we’d like to see something more exciting at the top end). And now, with production of the V40 under way and the first customer cars expected to arrive in the UK in September, Volvo has had very good news from the fleet industry and the people who set residual values for car finance.

Interior Motives China Conference to explore new design directions

Chinese consumers are driving new design directions, and CDN's Interior Motives China Conference in Beijing next week is set to explore how. Titled ‘New brands and the search for a design identity', the conference features an impressive speaker line-up that blends the international (Chris Bangle and VW's Wolfgang Muller Pietralla) with the regional (GM PATAC's Friedhelm Engler, Ford China's Chelsia Lau and PSA-Peugeot/Citroën China's Robert Walker), with the domestic (Shan Wei of the Beijing Automotive Technical Center (BATC), and Ken Ma of SAIC). The annual conference is the third in China to be hosted by CDN's magazine Interior Motives, and will be held on Wednesday 21 April, and Thursday 22 April, just in advance of the opening of Auto China 2010 in Beijing on Friday (23 April).

Alfa MiTo Sportiva & Giulietta Sportiva added to range

Alfa Romeo has added a new trim level in the UK – Sportiva – for both the Alfa MiTo and the Alfa Giulietta. Two cars we like very much – depending on trim and engine – are the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta. Both offer style and fun at decent prices and make a nice change from Teutonic sameness.