The Car Domain

The new Fiat 500 received five stars in adult occupant protection with an overall score of 35 points in a recent press release from Euro NCAP. Another car in the same supermini category - the Renault Twingo also did quite well, receiving a four-star result in adult occupant protection with an overall score of 28 points.

No child protection rating was available for the Twingo as there was not enough space to fit Renault’s recommended child restraints in the rear seats with the front seats set to Euro NCAP’s test position for adults.


The Kia Cee’d

Two cars in the small family car category also received Five stars in Adult Occupant Protection. The Kia Cee’d is the first Kia to receive 5 stars since Euro NCAP first tested this make of car in 2003. The Peugeot 308, received five stars in adult occupant protection and a higher result in pedestrian protection than the Kia Cee’d, with a three star score.

Click the following links for their full test results:

• Fiat 500
• Renault Twingo
• Kia Cee’d
• Peugeot 308

according to an announcement today, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and PSA Peugeot Citroen have signed a new collaborative agreement under which by PSA Peugeot Citroen will supply diesel engines to Mitsubishi Motors from mid-2007.

The engine is the state-of-the-art 2.2l common-rail, direct-injection diesel engine. This engine will also be fitted with a PSA Peugeot Citroën patented particulate filter to deliver outstanding environmental performance.

Read the details of this agreement here.

Tags: Agreement Citroen Mitsubishi Peugeot

The Ryton factory in Coventry will close completely later this month. Peugeot had stopped production of the 206 before Christmas.

The factory has a long and varied history. It was built in 1939 to manufacture engines for war planes during the 2nd World War. They only started building cars there in 1946 with the Sunbeam-Talbot by the Rootes Group.

The Rootes group lost control of the factory in the 1960s due to financial difficulties. Chrysler Europe bought over the group and continued to build cars at Ryton. However, they too faced problems and sold the plant to Peugeot in 1978 for the sum of $1. AT that time it was known as the Talbot Motor Company. Peugeot built the first car there in 1985.

Some facts
- The Talbot names was dropped in 1995 and the company became Peugeot Motor Company Plc.
- Robots were first used in 1985.

- The plant stopped production of the 306 in 1999 and the plant was left producing only the 206.

- The closure of the factory by Peugeot leads to the loss of 2,300 jobs in Coventry.

The British should be thankful that Proton is not leaving Norwich.

Tags: Coventry Peugeot Ryton