TWO NEW CONCEPTS FROM DAIHATSU AT FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW

6-SEATER COMPACT MPV TO ARRIVE NEXT YEAR
As the small car market in the UK continues to outperform all other sectors and Daihatsu (UK) moves toward its third successive record sales year, small car motoring is experiencing a boom as we head for the 21st century. And it doesn�t look like slowing down. Congestion, the environment and taxation are all encouraging motorists to downsize. Daihatsu aim to gain from this.

Daihatsu debuted two new concept vehicles at last week�s Frankfurt Motor Show, the NCX-2 a 6-seater compact MPV - and the Sirion 2CD - a direct injection 2-stroke diesel. The unique engine in the Sirion is still being developed, but the NCX-2 is likely to hit UK showrooms virtually unchanged.

Daihatsu NCX-2
The NCX-2 is a very compact and completely new vehicle, seating six people in three rows of seats. Daihatsu calls it a multi-purpose semi-cab design and of course, it has a variety of seat and luggage combinations in a surprisingly spacious interior. And there�s more good news. Officially a concept car at last week�s show, the NCX-2 has since been confirmed as a production ready model and will be available in the UK within 12 months, as a direct competitor to the Toyota Yaris Verso.

The seating design allows the second and third row seats to be folded flat, creating enough space for loading sports equipment, the new dishwasher or IKEA�s latest shelving unit.... The second and third row seats also allow for a number of seating arrangements to cope with different passenger / luggage requirements. Even more flexibility is provided by sliding second row seats and the seat back can be folded flat for use as a table.

It�s a lifestyle vehicle, but with all the advantages of a small car, but none of the style! The NCX-2 can be manoeuvred through town or in and out of tight spaces in the same fashion as an A-sector car, thanks to compact dimensions (overall length less than a Fiesta, overall width less than the new Punto) and a miniature turning circle of 8.8 metres. Fuel economy is 39mpg and CO₂ emissions are as low as 168.6g/km. Not only do these figures shame many superminis, they are way ahead of most MPVs.

To allow the co-existence of a roomy interior and a compact overall size the NCX-2�s 4-cylinder, 1.3-litre, 16 valve DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing) petrol engine is slanted at an angle of 67� and mounted midships below the floor. The engine�s unique positioning aids handling and weight distribution and it develops 83bhp at 6000rpm and 88lb.ft of torque at 4000rpm.

Safety, as always, was a development priority. The NCX-2 not only meets all current safety regulations, it also satisfies the safety requirements specified in the Euro NCAP conditions. As well as airbags and Daihatsu�s impact release system the NCX-2 incorporates a pull in type steering system which pulls the steering away from the driver in a collision.

Daihatsu Sirion 2CD
The Sirion 2CD is further away from the production line than the NCX-2 but no less important in terms of Daihatsu�s future model plans. Underneath the familiar Sirion body shell is a totally new concept - a two-stroke, direct injection, turbocharged and supercharged diesel engine. Dubbed the E202, the engine is capable of travelling 100 km on only 3 litres of fuel - 94 mpg.

At 987 cc the innovative E202 engine is the world�s smallest two-stroke, direct injection diesel engine. The 2-stroke cycle allows the Sirion to develop greater torque at low speeds and less vibration than a similar four-stroke engine. The three cylinders produce an impressive maximum torque of 110lb.ft and 60bhp, and don�t forget that�s all from a 1.0-litre diesel engine.

The E202 engine employs a hybrid scavenging system that combines a supercharger, a variable nozzle turbocharger and an intercooler together with a bypass control for internal exhaust gas re-circulation. This hybrid system improves the output and fuel consumption of the engine by using the exhaust energy efficiently, maintaining the scavenging pressure at an optimum level. The E202 also employs DVVT (Dynamic Variable Valve Timing) to control the four valves per cylinder and fuel is injected using a common-rail injection system.

But it�s not just a super-efficient diesel engine that achieves such low fuel consumption. The Sirion 2CD has been given a 50 kg lighter aerodynamic body featuring shaped bumpers and a roof end spoiler. For even more improved fuel consumption, it employs a system that automatically stops the engine when idling, thereby significantly reducing fuel wastage.

The Sirion 2CD clears current Euro 3 exhaust emission regulations and is also ready to meet Euro 4 regulations.

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