BIBA
GeoTrust
container image
Need help? Calling from a mobile please call 0151 647 7556
Lines open: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm | Closed Saturday & Sunday

Over the course of a vehicles life span,many many manufacturers re launch vehicles onto the market which contain brand new features fitted to the same vehicle. Some of these features can include the likes of new exterior design structures,interior looks,added pieces of equipment and even brand new engine ranges. The idea behind updating these vehicles are in hopes that the car if refreshed will give customers more incentive to purchase these vehicles all around the world. We have seen a lot of vehicles have this happen to them over the years and in the automotive industry this is commonly what is known as a face lift. The terms revamp or re design may also be used to describe this process. Now today here at Shortfall, we have been taking a look into some of the most popular vehicles to be sold by their respective manufacturers which have received face lifts over their life cycle and have made the most impact on the car market on a global scale. We have today designed a top five list which shows these vehicles and some of the new features that have come along with them compared to their previous counterparts. We have ranked the placement on our list today on a number of different things. For example we have taken into consideration the price tags that come along with the cars,value for money, both interior and exterior features,added pieces of equipment and an all round fun to drive experience. The majority of the cars we are about to list are available on the market right now and can be purchased from your local participating dealership. There are a number of vehicles in our countdown though which are yet to be released onto the market but are going to be either this year or next year. We have included some of these vehicles due to the hype and anticipation that surrounds them. So lets take a look into five of the very best facelifted vehicles and their manufacturers.

 

Five facelifts that have refreshed a range

 

  1. The BMW 6 Series

So getting us under way today is a vehicle from German manufacturer BMW which has since its original launch in 1976 been one of the best selling vehicle line ups from the manufacturer over the years. Production of the BMW 6 series was fist begun in 1976 and was produced up to 1989. It was not until 2003 though that we seen the car be relaunched across the world and become a phenomenal success. The 6 series is still in production today and is a key seller for the mass manufacturer. This facelifted version of the car is yet to be released onto our streets but it has been confirmed directly by the brand behind the car that we can expect to see the vehicle reach dealerships from the Summer time next year. Although not confirmed as of yet, there is speculation that we may see our first taste of this car live from the Detroit motor show which kicks off in January next year. The vehicle a number of months ago was spotted testing on the roads over in Germany and looked pretty much complete. Some features of the car could be seen from the photographs that were made available although other features remained disguised by the camouflage used on the car. Some features of the car that were visible included a redesigned grille,mirror integrated indicators and the boot lid has also been slightly altered compared to that of the previous addition to the range. It has been confirmed that the current engine line up found in the 6 series now will be carried over to the re designed model but minor changes have been done to the car which will help the vehicle to develop on increased performance rates and lower C02 emissions.

 

  1. The Citroen C1

Our next facelifted vehicle comes to us courtesy of the minds over at the Citroen brand it was a revised version of the big selling C1 city car. The new facelifted version of the car was officially launched onto our streets last year and has proven to be a success for the brand. The C1 first seen a release onto our roads back in 2005 and shares the same platform as the 107 from Peugeot and the Toyota Aygo. The C1 is offered as both a three and five door variant and in the past has locked horns with other big selling city cars like the Vauxhall Corsa and the Renault Clio. So what brand new features found their way into the C1 model that have helped it to achieve such good standards ?. Well regarding the power that the car packs, the revised version of the vehicle seen the welcome addition of just the one engine variant which came in the form of a 1.0 litre,three cylinder which packs 67 units of brake horse power. An automatic gearbox also comes fitted to the new version of the car. There are however different variations of the car on sale which include the entry level VT, the VTR and the high spec VTR+. Standard equipment for the VTR level version of the car consists of LED daytime running lights,air conditioning and front electric windows. If you choose to opt for the VTR+ though,you can find 14 inch alloy wheels,tinted windows,Bluetooth connectivity,front fog lights and a leather steering wheel. The standard manual C1 version of the car emits only 99g/km of C02 emissions. The automatic version of the car produces 104g/km. This revised version of the C1 officially went on sale from April of last year and we are pleased to inform you that you can purchase this facelifted version of the car for just £7,995.

 

  1. The Volkswagen Polo

Our third position place revised vehicle today is the addition of one of the biggest selling city car models from the Volkswagen which has been made available on the road since 1975. Since the launch of the very first Polo model we have seen a total of five generations of the car go on sale. Today though we are taking a look into a revised version of the latest generation Polo which officially went on sale here in the UK and across other parts of the world from earlier on this year. Our fist look at this model came from the Geneva motor show in March of this year where the manufacturer officially confirmed details on the brand new vehicle. The brand officially introduced two brand new engine units for the car which consist of three cylinder,1.0 litre units. Power outputs between 59 and 74bhp are produced from these units and 1.2 litre,four cylinder engines are also made available which deliver both 89 and 108 brake horse power. A 1.4 litre TSI petrol engine is also made available to you at the time of purchase which sees an increase of power upto 148bhp.

There are also two brand new diesel units to come along with the facelifted Polo. These include 1.4 litre TDI engines. Between 74 and 89 brake horse power are developed from the diesel units. There are a total of three transmission systems made available with the car but which one you get depends on which engine range you opt for. These transmissions are available as a standard six speed manual,a five speed manual transmission and you third and final option being the seven speed,dual clutch automatic gearbox. New selling features added to the exterior of the car are also key focal points and these consist of a brand new front bumper,larger air ducts and a re designed grille. A total of fifteen colour schemes are made available with the facelifted version of the Polo and depending on the trim level purchased, there are a range of 15,16 and 17 inch wheels made available. Some other key features across the trim levels include a DAB digital radio,front and rear parking sensors,front fog lights, a lowered sports suspension and adaptive cruise control.

 

2.The Audi A4

Just missing out on our top place position today,comes a vehicle which for the past twenty years has been one of the flagship selling vehicles that the Audi brand has ever offered. The A4 has benefited from four life cycles over the years since its original launch in 1994 and has recently been included in the companies brand new Ultra line up which focuses on lower C02 emissions and fuel consumption. The Ultra addition of the A4 has certainly given more attention to the car all around the world and from early on into next year, a revised version of the vehicle will also go on sale which yet again is expected to bring in even more popularity. It is highly expected that the revised A4 is going to be revealed in front of the general public next month from the Paris motor show with an on sale date expected to come early on into 2015. The addition of this car into the Audi Ultra range has certainly turned heads and brought in a lot more attention. So whilst the car is popular Audi are capitalising with the revamped model. Some details are still being kept quiet by Audi but as far as the engine range of the car is concerned, it is expected that the vehicle will receive hybrid technology which will consist of a 2.0 litre petrol unit joined along side by an electric motor. Another hybrid variant is also expected to be an option and could receive the same petrol unit and two electric motors. A 1.8 TFSI and a 2,0 litre TFSI petrol line up are expected to be alternative choices as will be the 2.0 litre TDI diesel units also.

Regarding some new feature changes made to the car, this is very much under lock and key at this moment in time but speculation in the automotive industry is suggesting that we could see swept back LED lighting and a body structure made from either carbon fibre or aluminum in order to reduce body weight and increase agility and performance statistics.

 

  1. The Ford Focus ST

Now reaching our number one spot and a car very deserving of this position in our minds, is a big selling vehicle from American manufacturer Ford and is a high spec model which was officially confirmed earlier on this year from the Goodwood festival of speed. The roaring its way into our top place spot today is the power orientated Ford Focus ST. The ST is the range topping trim level offered with Focus models and focuses more on power than anything else. That is not to say that it does not benefit from other great features though. The vehicle was revealed in all its glory at the Goodwood festival of speed and sees a brand new range of powerful engines come along with it. This will be a history making ST model for the Ford brand also as this marks the first time the ST Focus is offered as a diesel variant. The engine unit comes in the manner of a 2.0 TDCI and produces 183 brake horse power overall with the sprint from 0 to 62mph being achieved in only 8.1 seconds. Of course a petrol unit can also be found in the facelifted ST Focus as this has been confirmed to be a 2.0 litre Ecoboost unit with the sprint to 62 miles per hour being made possible in a quicker time compared to the diesel of 6.5 seconds. A total power deliverance of 247bhp will also be made possible. The five door and estate versions of the car have had changes made to the body design and retuned dampers and tweaks to the suspension system of the car have also been made.

Some new features made to the interior of the car include the likes of Recaro race seating,an eight inch built in colour touch screen and a new sports style steering wheel.

 

What impact do revamped vehicles have on buyers ?

The idea behind manufacturers refreshing their engine range is of course to help bring in more sales and popularity for the chosen vehicle and even the range. History has certainly shown us that facelifted vehicles can often prove to be beneficial for the brands all around the world and this has firmly been demonstrated by the majority of vehicles that have made it into our line up today. With some greatly redesigned vehicles on the road right now and some set to arrive later this year and in 2015, we expect to see a lot of the same faces from the automotive industry making the headlines for many years to come.