ALFA A is for Alfa Romeo, again just pipping Audi for the top spot (and it will remain in first position as long as it stays in business and the alphabet remains the same). 2006 saw quite a bit of activity for the iconic Italians, with the launch in January of the new Alfa 159 range of three petrol and three diesel engines. This was followed in April by a 159 Sportwagon.

March saw the new Alfa Brera, which was introduced as a concept car four years ago and now offers drivers the chance to speed up to 240 Kph (not that that would be a good idea) in the 3.2 V6 JTS version (there is also a 2.2 16v. JTS Brera which manages a mere 222 Kph).

For Alfa Romeo enthusiasts, November introduced us to special series Alfa 147 Collezione and Alfa GT Monza and Milano. And, for next year, we will have the re-launched Alfa Spider.

AUDI Quite a few new models for Audi going into the new year.

Not only do we have new engines for the A3 and A3 Sportback, but we will also have free up-specs for the A4 Saloon and Avant. There will be a new 2.0 TDI 140BHP Multitronic engine for the A4 Cabriolet, and more new engines for the A6 range.

Filling in the gaps in the numbers, an A5 coupe is expected to be shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March, while we will have some new engines for the Q7.

Outside of this, an A8 SE model with higher specs will soon appear, while the 4.2l R8 coupe, with a top speed of 301 Kph, should knock the socks off motorists when it comes in March. Finally, a TT Roadster, based on the TT coupe, should arrive in the same month.

Chrysler So many of the cars in this new American revolution begin with the letter C, and Chrysler is no exception. The D segment Sebring is one of America's most popular cars, and by June, Irish people will be able to drive a 2 litre petrol or diesel version. In fact, the Sebring Convertible is the US' most popular cabriolet, and that will be coming to Ireland in 2008.

The 300C and the Voyager both remain popular, with the latter soon to add a 2.8l diesel to the range.

Citroen Following on from the popular Xsara Picasso is Citroen's C4 Picasso, which is a compact seven-seater featuring the sleek styling that is again making Citroen something of a modern design icon (following on from previous glories in the 1960s and 1970s). Later next year, we can expect to see Citroen's first foray into the 4x4 market with the C-Crosser.

Daihatsu The new Daihatsu Terios 1.5l SUV was the success for the brand last year, and the Japanese have promised greater supplies for next year. At the other end of the scale, the little twoseater Copen convertible, which was available in a 600 cc engine, will soon come with a beefier 1.3l engine and (it is promised) a better price. And June will see the launch of the new Charade, which has been the lynchpin of Daihatsu's success over the years.

Dodge Master of the testosterone-fuelled names, Dodge is aggressively trying to grab at least a part of the Irish market with its C-segment Caliber (whose high stance makes many people confuse it with an SUV). But, for people want it by special order, the 8.0l V10 Dodge Viper (190 mph on the track) is also a possibility (the tagline of "look but don't touch" is surely not meant to be taken literally, unless the marketing team has a professional death wish).

The Dodge Nitro is a mid-sized SUV which should be with us by May, while July will bring with it the D-segment Avenger in two litre petrol and diesel engines. And for those who think that Dodge is too American, it used to be assembled in Santry, and was driven by the President of Ireland.

Ford Henry's legacy was continued throughout a busy 2006, and 2007 will be no different from Ford. Early this year, we saw a new S-Max (five or seven people carrier), while a new Galaxy (Ireland's best selling MPV in recent years) came around the same time. A new model Transit van was also launched, which deserves a mention as Ireland's biggest selling commercial vehicle.

Later in the year saw the new Focus Coupe Cabriolet, allowing Ford to return to the world of open-topped motoring, while reversing the trend of car-derived vans was the vanderived Tourneo Connect- a passenger derivative of the award-winning Transit Connect van.

A new range of engines for the Mondeo will be introduced in May of next year, while special Fiesta editions will also be lauched, called the Fiesta Argento, the Fiesta Steel II, the Fusion Steel II and the Fusion Argento.

Honda The new Civic was recently voted the Semperit Ireland Car of the Year for 2007. In other Civic news, Honda has recently introduced a hybrid car . . . a Civic hybrid with a 1.3l engine.

A new CR-V is in development for 2007, while next year will also see the birth of a new Legend (Honda's flagship car).

The new FR-V will also get a new engine, up to 1.8l from 1.7l.

Hyundai The most significant launch of last year was the new Santa Fe, with a 2.2l diesel engine, which remains one of the most popular SUVs on the Irish market. This was followed closely by the commercial version of the car.

A three-door Accent was launched at the end of November, which was essentially a re-design of the existing car, complete with 1.4l engine, while the news for the new year will be the facelifted Coupe, which will include a re-styling of the front and rear lights, as well as a job on the side air vents.

Expect this in mid-January.

Jaguar The Jaguar XK is winning awards all round the country, including 'Car of the Year' and 'GT of the Year' at the 2006 Top Gear Awards. New to the range is the XKR supercharged 4.2l engine, delivering a hefty 400 bhp . . . and with a price tag of 137,000, the marque is still expecting to sell quite a few next year.

2007 will also see a replacement for the S Type, while the XF will be a totally new car, so new that pictures have not yet been released, so we'll have to wait until Frankfurt.

The Grand Cherokee will soon introduce a 3.0l turbodiesel, while the seven seater Commander is also available in three litres. February will see the return of the Jeep Wrangler, which is essentially the WW II jeep that many of us played with as a toy (before military toys became politically incorrect). Following these, the soft-roader Compass, which is smaller than the Cherokee, will soon be with us, and while the Patriot may have a corny, flag-waving name, it will be more traditionally Jeep, and more rugged all round.

Kia The main news for Kia at the moment is the launch of the new Cee'd (technically "cee'd", but capitals are important in punctuation), in a 1.4l petrol and a 1.6l diesel engine. It is the first Kia to be designed in Europe for Europe, and comes with a spectacular Kia seven year warranty. A small family car with a surprisingly long wheel base, it features a five-star safety rating from EuroNCAP.

Landrover We have had a few new Land and Range Rovers to complement the offering from Land Rover. These include the new Freelander 2, which is a compact premium 4x4, the new Range Rover TD V8, and an even newer Range Rover Sport TD V8, which is smaller than the non-sport version, and will appeal to those who find the Range Rover thing a little too ostentatious.

Lexus Hybrids are the order of the day for Lexus, with a new LS 600 H (the H is for Hybrid) set to supplement the range which already includes the RX 400 H (SUV) and the GS 450 H (saloon), which was recently voted the CBG Executive Car of the Year. In fact, by the end of the year, it is estimated that 21% of Lexus sales will be in the hybrid market. The LS 600 H comes with a 5.0l V8 petrol engine as well as electric motor.

The latter part of the year will also see the launch of the ISF, which will come with a 5.0l V8 engine and an eight-speed gearbox.

Mazda Baby's got the Benz. Three new models for Mercedes, whose myriad letters are about as easy to remember as the alphabet is to a two-year-old. The B class is a compact "sports tourer", the R class is a six-seater tourer that is bigger than the B class, while the GL class is a comfortable offroader (although it is unlikely that anyone will ever use their Merc in an "off-road" capacity).

We can also expect a facelift for the E class and a new S class to replace the old model of the flagship car. A new CL will be introduced for 2007, while a new C class should also be coming towards the middle of next year.

Peugeot May saw the launch of the new 207, replacing the 206. But for next year, there is still quite a bit of activity. For example, a Special Edition 107 Sport model will be launched in January, with alloy wheels and rev counter as standard. An entry Level 207 S model has just been launched in Ireland , while a 1.6 petrol 120bhp automatic 207 will arrive in April 2007 - the first automatic gearbox on the range.

At the Geneva Motor Show in early March, Peugeot will unveil the new 207 CC and SW, while The 207 Coupe Cabriolet will arrive in Ireland in April 2007, followed by a SW in the autumn.

A Special Edition 307 Design model will be launched in March 2007, and a Special Edition 407 Solaire model will be launched from January.

The Peugeot 4007 SUV will be launched in late 2007 with a 2.2 HDi diesel engine, while the A 2.2 HDi engine will be also be launched on the 807 MPV range in November.

Renault In a bid to return to its number one position in the MPV segment, a new Scenic will be launched for 2007, with sun roof and air conditioning as standard. Outside of this, Renault will be launching limited edition Monaco ranges for its Clio, Megane and Laguna ranges, with such elements as A/C, leather and alloys as standards, depending on the model.

Summer should bring a new Twingo model, which is Renault's continental supermini, and which will be available in a right hand drive model for the first time. A new Laguna will also be launched, as well as Renault's first venture into the 4x4 market with the Koleos, which will be a 4WD version of the Scenic.

Saab The big news for Saab this year was the launch of the new 9-5 BioPower. This marks Saab's entry into the eco-friendly market, with a car that can run on both ordinary unleaded petrol and bioethanol, (sold here as E85 fuel, which is 15% petrol and 85% bioethanol, and is manufactured from whey in Cork).

This E85 is available through selected Maxol garages, but even if you can't make it to a specialist filling station, you can fill up with ordinary unleaded and the car will automatically adjust the timing of the engine . . . not only environmental, but smart, too.

Advantages to buying a BioPower car is that the government will refund 50% of your VRT (which will amount to about 6,000 in the case of the 9-5), as well as knocking the excise duty off the bioethanol itself. BioPower is currently available in a 2.0l engine, but a 2.3l is expected to follow, while the 9-3 should have a BioPower version by the end to next year.

Ssangyong The Ssangyong range of SUVs is having quite an impact (in a niche sort of way) on the Irish market, and motorists will have more to select from in February of next year with the launch of the Actyon. Less off-road and more lifestyle, the Actyon will be available in a 141 bhp 2.0l turbo diesel version.

The main news last year was the second coming of the Leon, with a new 1.4l engine appealing to the more economically minded among us . . . although the Spaniards will soon introduce a Leon FR which is capable of 180 bhp.

Come January, we can expect a new Altea XL, which will be 15cm longer and will come with a bigger boot, while October 2007 should bring with it a new Ibiza.

Skoda It's the world's third oldest car manufacturer, and 2007 sees the tradition continued with the launch in April of the Octavia Scout, which is an allroad derivative of the Octavia 4x4 styled in the mould of the Audi A6 allroad. The Roomster Scout (an allroad cross between "room" and "roadster") will also not the showrooms in April. Back on solid ground, a new version of the Fabia hatchback will be launched towards the middle of the year, while the Superb range (Superb being a Skoda model, not necessarily a description of how good Skoda's range actually is) will be expanded with the introduction of a 1.9l TDI.

Toy o t a Toyota got a bit of a boost earlier this year when its name was emblazoned across the victorious Munster team's shirts. But off the pitch, the self-proclaimed "best made cars in the world" experienced a new RAV4 SUV, as well as a minor change to the Avensis and Prius. For 2007, the company (which is expected to take over from GM as the world's largest manufacturer of cars in the near future) will introduce a new Corolla saloon, a new Auris and a Yaris T sport.

But as long as Munster keeps winning, it can expect extra sales around Limerick.

Volkswagen What can we expect from VW next year? Well, reliability should be a given, but outside of that, all we really have is a possibility of a new Golf Estate, which could be launched towards the middle of the year. 2008 should see much more activity, but for 2007, it's really just a matter of consolidation.

Volvo