But now Volvo has gone...
But now Volvo has gone and thrown a nail file in the works by staging a cheap, badly managed and cheesy publicity stunt at the Geneva Motor Show. This, the Ford-owned, Swedish firm did by not only erecting barriers, but doing so proudly, publicly and provocatively. In establishing an "all-woman" team to develop, over several years, a vehicle called Your Concept Car or YCC, Volvo females blatantly banned Volvo males. Aren"t there equality laws to prevent this sort of workplace prejudice and exclusion?
Larger than the outgoing...
Larger than the outgoing model, the next Punto has a pronounced front bumper and a steeply raked bonnet. These will help it to become one of the world"s first cars to meet the strict new pedestrian impact regulations that are due to come into force in 2005.
The new look is the work of Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who has a long history of styling small Fiats, including the original Punto and the Uno. Underneath the modern wrapping, the Punto shares an all-new platform with the 2006 Vauxhall Corsa.
Developed jointly by Fiat and GM Europe, the chassis will be much stiffer than the current Punto"s, which means it will have better ride and handling. Engines will be similar to existing units, with a combination of petrol and Multijet diesels on offer. A sporty Abarth model will use a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine currently under development by GM Europe, or a 150bhp 1.9-litre oil-burner.
The new Punto is all set to make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, with UK sales scheduled to start next autumn.