Small is the answer; STEVE HUGHES rounds up the week's motoring news in a nutshell

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 26, 2007

Byline: STEVE HUGHES

IF we are all expected to start downsizing our cars in order to help save the planet then there should be some decent ones to choose from and if this week's newcomers are anything to go by we will not be disappointed.

Just as televisions can now be as thin as a sandwich and mobile phones have shrunk from the size of an over-the-shoulder suitcase to a credit card, so family cars can now be as small as a supermini.

Engines and gearboxes are half the size they used to be with even more power, electrical equipment and wiring are a fraction of the size and modern cars weigh next to nothing compared with those of a couple of decades ago.

This opens up a world of possibilities in terms of automotive design, as epitomised by the Fiat 500, the aptly-named Space Up from Volkswagen and Audi's new Metro.

The idea behind the name is to make it sound as close as possible to Mini without being too blatant. The Mini has been hugely successful and now Audi wants a slice of the action.

Audi is owned by Volkswagen, which is rumoured to be in talks about a possible takeover by Porsche, which would result in a range of incredibly sporty small cars. In the meantime the baby Audi uses a turbocharged petrol engine of just 1.4 litres, which achieves a remarkable 150bhp and is mated to a six-speed direct shift transmission with Formula One-style paddles on the steering wheel.

The car can also run on electric power or a combination of the two when the accelerator is floored, which automatically sends power to all four wheels.

With economy nudging 60mph and low CO2 emissions of just 1 12g/km it seems remarkable that the Metro can nip from rest to 60mph in just seven and a half seconds and achieve a top speed of 125mph. Somewhat overtaken by events and new legislation, the car also features a hand-held device that can start the engine and control the in-car phone, music system and satellite navigation.

Another newcomer this week is the Citroen C-Cactus, which uses a four-cylinder 1.6-litre diesel electric engine to achieve its target economy figure of 100mpg.

This small four-seat supermini is virtually 100% recyclable.

These are just some of the innovative new models being shown at this month's Tokyo motor show.

And just to show that innovative automotive designs can raise money for good causes too, a Fiat 500 decorated by artist Tracy Emin has become the first Fiat 500 to be sold in the UK - raising a cool pounds 42,000 for charity.

CAPTION(S):

RIVAL FOR THE MINI - the Audi Metro; MOBILE ARTWORK - the Fiat 500