Van guard

PITSTOP

At the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Skoda Pavilion boasted a rather cheeky looking and, in hindsight, well-received new vehicle, the Roomster. Before the Yeti, the MPV showed off the new corporate grille to good effect. Now, the Roomster is scheduled to make production.

Skoda says the MPV will be at the Geneva show at the end of February in final production form. Expected to go on sale in Europe in summer/autumn 2006, the Roomster will feature MPV-standard flexible interiors and loads of space. The MPV will be offered with three petrol and three diesel engine options, with manual and automatic gearboxes.

More details of the Roomster will come at the show itself, and we should be able to get an answer to the perennial question "" will this come to India soon?

M-phasize

BMW has taken the wraps off its new Z4 Coupe and its gym-going M cousin. The Z4 M Coupe is a 343 bhp, 36.5 kgm rocket that uses its 3200cc straight six to effect a five second run to 100 kph. The suspension setup is close to the recently announced Z4 M Roadster with tweaks for the differences in weight and rigidity.

Visually, the cars look very impressive, with the M getting a supremely aggressive lower air dam, with gaping air scoops and smashing looking bonnet with twin sharp ridges that underline the motor-muscle.

The regular Z4 Coupe, lest we forget, is in the mix with a 3000cc six pot motor that is good for 31.5 kgm and 265 bhp, which translates to 0.7 seconds slower to 100 kph.