SUV Trends

Amidst the credit crunch, the biggest German manufacturer’s press release has announced that it will begin producing its Touareg full-size SUV at its Russia’s plant in January 2009. Not so safe choice for the Russian market, being severely hit by recent downturn. Kaluga-based plant has been producing Passat and Jetta (Golf-based sedan model) so far as well as Skoda’s Octavia and Fabia.

BMW unveils its smallest SUV so far - the X1. It is just 10cm shorter than the X3 that will soon be being relocated to the US BMW plan while the Graz (Austria) capacity will be manifacturing the new X1.

Mercedes ML hybrid version has been recently spied. ML450 Hybrid will use a 3.5-liter V-6, although diesel-crazy Europe a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 could be offered. The ML450 Hybrid could arrive at dealers as early as the end of 2009.