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VW Taigun Compact SUV heading for production

It was a good-looking and appealing effort from VW to tap in to the very compact SUV market, with a real family look (a Tiguan on a boil wash), peppy little 3-cylinder 1.0 litre engine delivering 108bhp and a 0-62mph of 9.2 seconds (with 60mpg economy) and enough room to carry stuff and people thanks to an extra 50mm in the wheelbase compared to the Up! Now it looks like the Taigun is heading for production after VW’s Chief designer, Klaus Bishoff, told Autoexpress that he deeply believed the Taigun would be heading for VW showrooms very soon, and could be sold in the UK and Europe as well as in emerging markets. So you can add the Taigun to the list of VW’s SUV offerings, and with new versions of the Tiguan and Touareg (perhaps based on the CrossBlue Concept) and a Polo based SUV on the way too, it looks like VW are covering all the bases.

Hyundai HED-4 concept

4x4's have become for many shorthand for the cause of climate change, demonised as emblems of irresponsibility. To launch one that pats the environment on the back rather than stamping all over it in neutral, ergo pure, Switzerland is therefore a welcome repost to typical media hysteria. So alongside the unveiling of their new C-segment rival, the FD, Hyundai will present the latest example of their advanced vehicle research, the HED-4 concept.

Ferrari sets personal best in China

It was a solid year for Ferrari in the burgeoning Chinese car market in 2010, as the Italian dream maker racked up its most impressive sales in that country with a tally of 300 cars. Sales were up almost 50 percent compared with 2009 results. With 10 current dealerships and the addition of some new business partners, Ferrari expects the added sales for Hong Kong and Taiwan will elevate the region to one of the company's top five international markets.