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It has certainly been a big week for the automotive industry as a whole and we have seen many manufacturers make their presence felt on a global level this week. Companies have revealed new cars for the first time, new vehicles are set to launch this month and prices have been confirmed for upcoming models in the future of the industry. Today we have chosen from some of the biggest and most exciting breaking news stories of the week for you to cast your attention to a total of six manufacturers are represented here today. So the first piece of news we bring to you today was revealed just this morning and it could be the biggest news of the week.

 

BMW reveal plug in hybrids across the board

 

German car firm BMW have confirmed today that starting from a development that is set to begin from next year, all of their range right across the board will soon be offered with a plug in hybrid variant. This big announcement affects every single range that BMW currently produce and could prove to be the next step in plug in hybrid technology. Hybrids are becoming more and more common with many manufactures offering these vehicles as a part of their range but BMW are the first to offer them for every single range. The firm have confirmed that the very first model to receive this treatment from next year will be the X5 and forthcoming models such as the highly anticipated X7 will also receive the treatment. Other models such as the 1 to 7 series vehicles are also affected. BMW have a plan to extend their hybrid range vastly by the year 2020 and this new movie will certainly help the firm to increase the odds of this happening.

 

The Peugeot 208 GTI 30th anniversary model

It was thirty years ago now that the world was treated to the 205 model from French firm Peugeot which went on to be one of the best sellers that the company has ever offered. After the 205 was discontinued, fans were given its replacement which came in the form of the 208 in 2012. Now in order to celebrate the vehicle ranges thirty year anniversary, the company are to put their brand new 208GTI 30th anniversary model on sale from this month. Considering the GTI name to come along with the motor, you can of course expect the vehicle to be a power orientated version of the standard 208 hatch. Peugeot have confirmed this by installing a 1.6 litre, turbo charged engine unit. 205 bhp is the stated output from the car and it will also feature some more sporty features than previously seen on some other GTI additions from the companies history. Some of the highlights include features such as metal pedals in the car. Sports seating, a built in sat nav system and a new set of Brembo brakes are now to be found in the vehicle, also. The car will go on sale from this month and will set you back a cost of £21,995.

 

The Land Rover Discovery for 2015 has been revealed

Jaguar-Land Rover have put on sale their brand new Discovery model for 2015. This model will make its way to you in the variant of a Sports addition. The mass manufacturer has also revealed some of the new specifications that you can expect to find inside the car. This brand new addition to the Land Rover family has been confirmed to be the direct replacement for the older Freelander model which has made an impact on the market over the years. The British brand have confirmed that from around the first eight months of its on sale date, the new Discovery Sport will only be offered with the one engine choice and it will come in the form of a diesel variant. However if you decide to wait just a little longer than you can be treated to a range of four cylinder engines that can currently be found in some Jaguar models on the road. A 187 brake horse power deliverance will be found from the standard diesel from launch. Specifications also that a nine speed automatic transmission system will also be offered with the car. A cost of £34,195 is how much an entry level version of the Discovery Sport 2015 will cost you.

 

Prices are announced for the new Toyota Prius Plus

Japanese auto maker Toyota this week have officially revealed the price tag that will come along with their brand new addition to their Prius range which will be known under the name of the Prius Plus. The firm have revealed the information to the world that a cost of £26,995 for the entry level vehicle with prices rising up to £31,245 for the range topper. More information regarding the overall specifications and new features that can be found on the car have also been revealed. So before we divert our attention to what features can be found inside the car and technical specifications, lets take a look into how the car looks from the outside. A revised front grille and a more angled front grille much similar to the current Yaris can also be found on the new model. A new set of rear lighting and licence plate surroundings are two of the highlights which have been added to the rear end of the car. Toyota have confirmed that the engine range of the car will remain the same but some slight tweaks have been made to the system which allow it to be more efficient on the road. The Prius Plus will now emit just 99g/km CO2 emissions.

 

Toyota have confirmed that three trim levels are to be offered with the vehicle which include Icon,Excel and Excel Plus. All of these trim levels will contain new added equipment which drivers and passengers could find to be very beneficial. The entry level is very generous by offering a DAB digital radio,LED headlights,a reversing camera and heated front seats just being some of the highlights. If you opt to the top of the range spec Excel Plus, you will find adaptive cruise control, leather seating and two DVD players.

 

The Abarth 695 Biposto

Next up to make the round up today is the grand launch of a new racing style vehicle which could prove to be one of the most exciting racers to go on sale this year. The car is named the 695 Biposto and comes to us from the Abarth brand who are a subsidiary brand of Italian auto maker Fiat. They are well known for their selection of racing style vehicles and the new 695 is certainly not going to be any different. The car feeds out some impressive performance rates and could take on vehicles such as the Golf R and the Fiesta ST. There is no hiding that Abarth are owned by Fiat and this can be seen via the size of the car and general style which looks somewhat similar to that of the latest 500 range. The 685 comes well equipped with a 1.4 litre,turbo charged engine running on a front wheel drive platform and overall reaching a maximum top speed of 143 miles per hour. The interior of the racer comes in a Black finish and also contains a pair of Red harness seatbelts. Racing seats and a carbon fibre trim also contribute the great look that the interior benefits from.

 

There are vast ranges of special features to choose from for the 685 with some of these features including an aluminium roof,carbonated windows, track kits, carbon kits and titanium parts. Abarth have confirmed that only one colour option is available for the car and that is Grey. It doesn't make the vehicle in less exciting in our opinion though. If you decided to buy the entry level model, you would be paying a cost of £32,955. If you much prefer the 695 with a full spec range, you can expect to pay £50,000 in total.

 

Vauxhall reveal the brand new Viva for 2015

Vauxhall have revealed their brand new Viva model which will go on sale from 2015. This is exciting news for the mass manufacturer and car fans all around the world as this is the first time that a Vauxhall vehicle will carry the Viva badge for thirty five years. In other parts of the world it will be named the Opel Karl but the UK receives the Viva name. Alongside an image of the car that the firm posted, they also confirmed some new specifications that you can expect to find on the Viva from the date of launch next year. A Spring time of launch has been confirmed for the car which will join the brands city car line up and an expected cost of around the £7,000 area is also expected to come along with the car. The car has been confirmed to be the direct replacement for the Vauxhall Agila and will adopt some of the same features that are to be found on the new Corsa model. Sweeping headlights and a redesigned grille are just two of the eye catching features. A one litre,three cylinder ECOTEC engine has been confirmed to be the only engine unit found on the car from launch. With much popularity surrounding the car during its past run on the road, will it prove to be just as successful as its previous addition?. We certainly look forward to welcoming the Viva back to the UK with open arms.