IN the wake of the emissions scandal involving Volkswagen the French car group PSA which makes Peugeot, Citroen and DS vehicles has decided to release data which shows fuel consumption in real world diving conditions.

Instead of relying on strictly controlled laboratory tests which are mandatory for all new cars in Europe, the French manufacturer has elected to reveal independent data calculated with two non-governmental organisations, Transport & Environment and France Nature Environment.

The measurements of 30 PSA models were made on public roads open to traffic (15.5 mile urban, 24.2 miles rural and 19.2 mile motorway) and under real-life driving conditions, notably with passenger and luggage loads, road gradients, and the use of air-conditioning systems.

With consumer confidence in car testing falling the PSAGroup decided to publish real-world fuel consumption data for its cars in order to be transparent with customers.

It is a world first initiative in the automotive industry.

Under the new test regime a Peugeot 108 1.2 PureTech petrol model which would have been rated at 65.5mpg under the standard test, returned 46.4mpg under the new PSA real-world test.

Gilles Le Borgne, executive vice president for research and development at PSA, said: "The PSA Group has published real-world consumption data for 30Peugeot, Citroen and DS models, in line with the commitment to transparency as part of its drive to continuously provide customers with more information, and the group will publish figures for another 20models by the end of the year and introduce a simulator allowing customers to reduce their fuel consumption depending on driving conditions, thereby lowering their COemissions.

"In 2017, the PSA Group will move to the next level by extending measurements to pollutant emissions of nitrogen oxides in customer driving conditions."