Audi Cross Coupé quattro

This is the first official pictures of what will become in 2010 Audi's new Freelander rival, the Q3. It's a baby brother to the Q7 mud-plugger and forthcoming Q5 - but this one is more compact, seats only five and has gone on a crash-diet.

End result? The Cross Coupe Quattro - unveiled today in Shanghai, it's a concept car for a much slicker crossover. It'll be based on VW's new Tiguan, sharing its four-wheel drive and transversely mounted 204bhp 2.0-litre TDI engine.

Ford Focus ST

The ST is the long-awaited successor to the Focus RS and latest in a long line of fast Fords that stretches back decades. The concept of an affordable performance car is one that Ford has championed more than any other mainstream manufacturer. There are currently more mid-sized performance hatchbacks than ever before with particularly impressive offerings from Vauxhall and Volkswagen. But the ST makes a strong case for being the best of the lot, not least because it is offered at such a temptingly low price. And as it also has a brilliant engine, fool-proof handling, a roomy interior and a sharp styling, it leaves just one question: why not buy one?
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Honda CR-V

Hondas latest CR-V diesel is aiming to cement its place at the top of the compact 4x4 tree. As Andy Enright reports, it faces some tough rivals

Before you put pen to paper and commit to purchase a Honda CRV 2.2 i-CTDi, youve got to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. In fact, youve got to undertake an exercise in merciless self-flagellation the like of which virtually no other car imposes upon you. How so? Well, this Honda is a 4x4 that even its manufacturers tacitly admit is next to useless off road.
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Škoda Octavia Scout

Ready to be unveiled at next month's Paris Motor Show, the new 4x4 is a cheaper alternative to Audi's A6 Avant-based Allroad, and widens the appeal of Skoda's model range.

Riding 40mm higher than the standard Octavia estate, the Scout doesn't feature the adjustable air-suspension of the Audi, but it still has enough ground clearance to tackle rough roads. What's more, with a tough all-wheel-drive system and underbody protection, it should offer all the mild mud-plugging ability most owners will ever need.

Visually, the Scout is given a chunky finish with a redesigned front and rear bumper, as well as extended side skirts and wheelarches. The extra bodywork has increased the overall dimensions, and at 4,581mm in length, the model is 10mm longer and 15mm wider than the standard Octavia 4x4, which is already available in the UK. At the rear, twin exhausts are also standard.

Inside, the Scout variant is set apart by unique trim designed to reflect the rugged exterior styling. Buyers have a choice of two engines. A 2.0-litre FSI petrol developing 148bhp will provide maximum refinement, while a 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel offers greater economy. Both are linked to a six-speed manual gearbox as standard.

Following its debut in Paris, the car goes on sale in the UK early next year. Only estate variants will be available, but the existing 4x4 model will remain in the line-up alongside the Scout.

Volkswagen Touareg

he luxurious New Touareg, offers even more for those seeking a premium 4x4. Sporting a striking restyle for it’s launch in March 2007, including updated headlights, distinctive grille, front wings and bumper.

The New Touareg combines class-leading levels of on-road comfort and performance with outstanding off-road capabilities, now available to order. This great all-rounder can tow 3.5 tonnes, ford water up to half a metre deep* and climb slopes of 45 degrees, thanks to a host of all-terrain solutions.

Intelligent safety features include the advanced new ABSplus system which can cut braking distances by 20 per cent on rough ground. While the improved Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) now offers Active Rollover Protection (ARP), rain brake support and understeer control logic for sharper turning performance.
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Seat Leon Cupra

The new León Cupra is hitting the roads – a vehicle in which SEAT has implemented all of the knowledge gained during the current successful World Touring Car Championship season; the Spanish make is, in fact, one of the favourites for the WTCC constructors and drivers championship. For SEAT, whose goal is to create sporty cars with cutting-edge design and the latest technology, the arrival of the new León Cupra is not just a source of satisfaction and pride; it is also essential.

The new Cupra is also a record-breaking car: it is the most powerful SEAT passenger car to date. With 240 hp, the new model sits at the top of SEAT’s sporty range. The León Cupra’s advanced engineering, allied to its agile chassis, looks set to create a stir in the increasingly competitive hot hatch marke
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Citroen C-Métisse

Looking at C-Métisse is a visual shock in itself. Long (4.74 m), wide (2 m) and low (1.24 m), the car is sculptural and almost intimidating. It demands immediate respect. However, far from creating a sense of distance between the onlooker and the car, this respect is mingled with an irresistible appeal, an absolute attraction.

Whether we're looking at the rear wheel arches, the bonnet or even the boot, an astonishing sensuality is reflected in the car's curving, sleekly muscled volumes.

The seduction of C-Métisse is also expressed through a sense of latent power. Even when stationary, the body suggests movement. With its very long bonnet and virtually inexistent rear overhang, C-Métisse brings to mind the design balance of vehicles seen during the golden age of Grand Touring.
The design lines of C-Métisse also reflect the quest for outstanding aerodynamics, delivering improved fuel economy and lower pollutant emissions while also integrating the latest technological developments. Positioned either side of the double chevron badge on the radiator grille, the headlamps are equipped with a row of LEDs that light up progressively, depending on the steering-wheel angle and vehicle speed. This feature ensures excellent lighting when driving on winding roads by night. At the same time, the Michelin tyres with their central wheel nuts contribute to the sporting character of the coupé. More specifically, the development of these tyres was integrated with the vehicle design process, in order to optimise resistance to air and thus contribute to the vehicle's excellent drag coefficient (Cd of 0.30).
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