Innholdsfortegnelse for 1421 i Auto Express

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram “A 2008 GTi would build on success of 208 and 308 GTi, and use a powerful turbo petrol engine” PEUGEOT Sport director Bruno Famin has hinted that a series of GTi-badged SUVs could be on the way. We challenged the boss on whether he could ignore the success of crossovers in Europe, and if his performance sub-brand was already considering beefed-up versions of existing SUVs. “Why not?” Famin told Auto Express. “The 2008 DKR is fully in the brand’s strategy. Cross-country races like the Dakar are getting bigger and bigger, and we are winning them. The 2008 is our world car. Having this cross-country program fits very well with where we want to develop our brand. Doing it with the 2008 is also a way to promote this…

Joe_Finnerty@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer “In 2015, 1.6 million speeding tickets were issued, with 7.6 per cent eventually overturned” Areas with highest and lowest rates for overturning fines from 2011-2015 DRIVERS caught by speed cameras in London or Northamptonshire are more than twice as likely to have their fine overturned than the UK average, according to exclusive Auto Express research. More than 7.6 million tickets have been issued by forces since 2011, with 8.4 per cent of drivers successfully cancelling the fine. Our Freedom of Information request revealed 1.6 million tickets were issued in 2015 – the highest in the last five years. But it was also the least successful for appeals, with just 7.6 per cent overturned. In 2014, drivers had a success rate of 9.2 per cent. Motorists caught by the…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Ferrari 488 GTB vs Porsche 911 Turbo S SUPERCAR makers are the latest to embrace turbocharging – and two of the most intriguing newcomers are the Ferrari 488 GTB and the Porsche 911 Turbo S. One’s mid-engined, the other rear-engined. One’s four-wheel drive, the other two-wheel drive. But which of these sensational thoroughbreds would steal our heart? Watch our video to find out. Have a look round MG’s new GS SUV EASILY the star attraction at last week’s London Motor Show was the MG GS, which made its UK debut. The car has been on sale in China for a year, and is scheduled to land in showrooms here next month. Our video reveals exactly what buyers can expect from the SUV. You can watch any of our…

“Potential for growth of sales in China is huge, especially with the new DBX crossover” CITROEN Linda Jackson CEO Citroen Sabine Scheunert director of Citroen China CITROEN launched the China-only C6 saloon in Beijing, but the future is more international with a range of global models in the offing, as CEO Linda Jackson and Sabine Scheunert, director of Citroen in China, told us. Jackson said: “Our core model strategy is about international multi-regional silhouettes. Rather than say we’re going to design it all in Europe or China, we look for the biggest opportunity. So with the C6, the biggest opportunity for us is here in China. Hence we developed it in the Shanghai design studio. “Whereas five or so years ago you had different vehicles between China and Europe and…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_ “Supportive seats and a good driving position complement soft suspension” Essentials YOU might already recognise the Fiat Tipo name, last used on a humble hatchback in the early nineties. This new car has little in common with that model, however, and is Fiat’s latest addition to the family hatchback market, with rivals including the Skoda Rapid and SEAT Toledo. We’ve already tested the saloon version (Issue 1,400), but that model won’t be available in the UK. Now we’ve had the chance to try the Brit-friendly hatchback, here in 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel form. This engine is likely to be the top seller, although the range will include cheaper and less powerful units from launch. The Tipo is positioned to compete with its rivals on value, and with a starting…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE SUZUKI already has the Swift to compete in the supermini class, so it might seem odd that its new Baleno will challenge in the same market. But the company’s logic is sound: superminis still make up the lion’s share of sales in the UK, and a more practical in-house alternative should help cement Suzuki’s presence in the class. The Baleno sits on a new platform – the same one that will form the basis of the next-generation Swift. It’s designed to save weight without compromising body rigidity. In fact, the basic shell structure of the car weighs less than 200kg, keeping the newcomer’s total weight down to 935kg. Losing mass is always a huge bonus, as it means the Suzuki will be more efficient, more agile and faster,…

MODEL TESTED: Range Rover SVAutobiography PRICE: £149,800 ENGINE: 5.0-litre V8, 542bhp Testers’ notes “The Range Rover SVAutobiography is a plush SUV, but it hasn’t sacrificed off-road ability in the pursuit of luxury. The raft of electronics, cameras and sensors on board means even the toughest terrain is child’s play. The Terrain Response system can raise the car by 65mm to help the car clear obstacles, while the Wade Sensing function allows you to make the most of its 900mm wading depth.” “Auto shifts smoothly, and 680Nm of torque is instantly available” THE Range Rover has been on sale for more than 40 years, but the current model is only the fourth generation to hit showrooms. It was launched in 2012, and features all-aluminium construction, a range of V6 and V8…

An Estate Car Named Desire Martin Gurdon (Duckworth Overlook, ducknet.co.uk) Price: £12.99 Rating: AN Estate Car Named Desire is a funny and charming look back at the motoring life of a self-confessed car nut, but you don’t have to be a petrolhead to appreciate it. Beautifully written by author Gurdon, it’s a great laugh from start to finish. And it’s easy to imagine some older readers chuckling at their own car memories on these pages.  The Jowett Jupiter Edmund Nankivell (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Price: £50 Rating: FLICKING through the pages of this book, it’s easy to see the work that’s gone into it as it charts the life of the Jowett Jupiter right from its inception – with a particular focus on its racing history. It’s an interesting look at…

Got any car queries? Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Pearlescent paint touch-up I RECENTLY took delivery of a Peugeot 208 Roland Garros in pearlescent white paint, but am unable to obtain a touch-up kit to sort any stone chip damage I acquire. Can you advise? John Diamond, E-mail A A PEUGEOT spokeswoman told us that while you can’t buy a touch-up kit for your model that’ll provide paint for the alternative coloured panels like wing mirrors, you can get separate kits for pearlescent white finishes. Contact your dealer, with your VIN to hand, and you should be able to order one. Q Does repair extend cover? MY car came with a six-month warranty, but had to immediately go back to the dealer for gearbox repairs for a month. The warranty has just…

THERE is a school of thought that anyone who likes cars should really own an Alfa Romeo at least once in their life. It has something to do with the brio, the flair and the sheer Italian passion that is supposed to run through the models from Milan. The trouble is that, while Alfas have certainly retained a distinct and desirable flair in their design in recent years, the rest of the product has been less attractive. The company hopes to change all that with the new Giulia, and things are promising as soon as you get inside. In terms of design, the interior is stylish yet quite simple. The fit and finish seem good, with the plastics feeling solid, if not quite up to Audi levels of quality. You…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn “Engineers from FCA and Google will share a base to accelerate the process” FIAT Chrysler (FCA) has teamed up with Google to work on the development of driverless cars. FCA will supply the tech giant with 100 Chrysler Pacificas (above), and engineers from both firms will combine efforts to turn the MPVs into self-driving cars. The deal marks the first time Google has worked with a traditional car manufacturer since the beginning of its autonomous project in 2009 – although its current test fleet of around 70 vehicles includes the Lexus RX 450h. Chrysler will supply 100 of its hybrid Pacificas with special adaptations to allow engineers to fit Google’s selfdriving software and hardware. “Working with Google provides an opportunity for FCA to partner with one of the…

“The dealer had been forced to order a tool from the US to unbolt a seat and investigate further” FINDING a fault with a new car is irritating, but it’s not the end of the world if your dealer can fix it. The question is, how long should you wait for the repair? Reader Chris Grindrod of Oldham, Greater Manchester, argued one month was too long for his dealer to locate the source of a leak in his four-month-old Jeep Cherokee. He told Auto Express: “I noticed flooding in the footwells back in January, but it kept the car for weeks before it managed to work out how the water was getting in.” He explained his franchised dealer, Oldham Motors, had been forced to order a tool from the US…

Director of research at Thatcham Research (www.thatcham.org) OPTIONS, options! If you’ve ordered a new car recently, you’ll know the plethora of extras available. What do you choose? The 20-inch diamond-cut wheels? Glass roof? Top-end stereo? All very desirable, but what about safety kit? “But all cars get five stars now, don’t they?” I hear you cry. “Safety’s standard!” The answer is surprisingly “no” – and to be really safe in many models, you’ll need to spend extra. If you look at Suzuki’s new Baleno, it has the first of our Euro NCAP dual ratings. In effect, the model gets two ratings. The first is a base rating for standard kit (three stars). Yet if you opt for the safety pack, you can ‘buy’ five stars. Problem is, most customers won’t…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE BEST OF BRITISH LOTUS’S TOUGH TURNAROUND “Gales took every part a Lotus uses, and looked to cut weight and cost” WHEN Jean-Marc Gales took over as Lotus Cars chief executive two years ago, he found a brand on the brink. Dogged by controversy over the past decade, the famous Norfolk sports car maker’s aura had been severely dented. The sacking of previous boss Dany Bahar, whose bold plans included five concepts that never made it to production, was followed by legal actions that further tarnished Lotus. And despite new Malaysian owner DRB-HICOM investing £100million to get the company back on track, the reality was that Lotus still had losses of nearly £80m for the year 2013-14 alongside an ageing and limited model line-up. It was worse still, as…

MODEL TESTED: Ford Focus RS PRICE: £31,000 ENGINE: 2.3-litre 4cyl, 345bhp Testers’ notes “The RS gets four different driving settings, including Drift mode. This changes the parameters of that trick four-wheel-drive system, pushing power to the outside rear wheel when you plant the throttle. It’s extremely clever, but it feels like the Focus is fighting itself as the computer shuffles power around to sustain the slide. In Track mode, the effect is less aggressive and helps to extract more speed.” FAST Fords have always been popular in the UK, offering performance for the masses at affordable prices – and the latest Focus RS is no different, taking things to the next level with a clever four-wheel-drive system. There’s only one model available, with prices starting from £30,000, so here we…

New specialist oil for Ford TDCi diesels OIL specialist Comma has developed a new line of motor oils specifically for Ford Duratorq TDCi diesel engines. As the Focus and Fiesta are regulars at the top of the best-seller charts, plenty of owners could benefit from this model-specific oil (above). Nearly 62 per cent of new cars and vans require a 5W-30 grade and often vehicle-specific engine oil. Using a generic blend can affect the engine’s performance, and could damage catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters. Log on to www.commaoil.com for details. Laser spark plugs are set to beam in ONE day, we could all be driving around with lasers in our engines. So say researchers from Japan’s National Institute of Natural Sciences, who are busy creating laser igniters which could…

www.autoexpress.co.uk/driverpower OUR VIEW  CITROEN won’t be celebrating the C4 Mk2’s 139th place in our Driver Power 2016 satisfaction survey. It only managed top 100 scores for running costs (80th) and practicality (94th). Its worst marks were for ease of driving (147th) and handling (141st). YOUR VIEW KAREN Pedley from Bourne, Lincs, owns a 2014 C4 1.6 HDi. She told us: “I bought it second-hand, so it was excellent value. It’s easy to drive, and is economical and well equipped. There was a heater issue, but this was fixed under warranty.” Interior  THE C4’s dashboard design is quite stylish, but some of the materials don’t look or feel very durable. Those in the front get plenty of space yet the rear seats are cramped, due to the large boot, which is…

“If it’s about securing the lowest-priced insurance, avoid direct sellers and use comparison sites every 12 months”  I’VE been a harsh critic of insurers and their inflation-shattering price hikes over the decades. But I’ve just been subjected to a softer, more consumerfriendly approach from the insurance industry. And frankly, I liked it. Mr BIPI (aka Ian Crowder) is to blame. On radio, TV and in Auto Express he’s the AA insurance guru I’ve had several runins with, as he’s had the thankless job of defending the less than perfect industry, while I’ve had the easier task of complaining that the price of cover is too often too high. Take the latest from the Mr BIPI-inspired AA British Insurance Premium Index (BIPI). It reveals the “average” price of a third party,…

Nissan gets its Kicks with new baby SUV NISSAN has revealed its new Kicks SUV (above), which is primarily targeted at emerging markets. The front resembles a scaled-down version of the current X-Trail, while the rear looks like a tweaked version of the Renault Captur. The Kicks is slightly longer, taller and wider than the Juke – with a longer wheelbase – but will cost considerably less. Nissan is staying tight-lipped on plans for the car in Europe. April registrations best in 13 years PRIVATE car sales fell by 2.5 per cent in April, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), but a buoyant fleet market helped total new car registrations rise by two per cent. Latest figures show 189,505 cars were registered last month – the…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilro “As S-Class range now comprises six models, Audi has admitted it’s discussing similar A8 derivatives” AUDI is considering widening the model range of its flagship A8, in response to Mercedes’ extension of the S-Class brand to include extra-long-wheelbase and two and four-door coupé versions. Currently, the A8 saloon is available in only two bodystyles – conventional and long-wheelbase. But one of its main rivals, the S-Class, is offered in these two set-ups and also a pair of even longer models, the Maybach and Pullman. Mercedes has also renamed the old CL-Class the S-Class Coupé, and recently started selling a convertible version of that model, taking the total S-Class family up to six vehicles. Speaking at the launch of the SQ7 (driven on Page 38), Audi’s new technical boss…

SERVICE stations are a necessary way of feeding the masses who traipse up and down the motorway on long-distance road trips. Yet few of those who’ve stopped off and enjoyed an average cup of coffee or an overpriced cheese and ham panini will have left praising the high quality of food on offer. It might be that we need to start paying extra attention, though, after a recent report on food hygiene found 10 service stations along the network failed to achieve “good” standard. The investigation also revealed services in the south-east of England are three times more likely than services anywhere else in Britain to have at least one food court failing to achieve a four-out-of-five rating. The Food Standards Agency says a restaurant needs to score at least…

Contact Martin Saarinen mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, D ennis Publishing, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD HOT TOPIC Jaguar’s new F-Pace FROM: Bambee THE new Jaguar F-Pace appears to be a triumph for the company, and looks to be one of Jaguar Land Rover’s best cars. When backed up with a slick dealership experience, Jaguar has to be on to a winner here for sure. Congratulations. FROM: tigger I LIKE this car, but reading about the slightly firm suspension in your report (Issue 1,416) makes me feel the F-Pace won’t be a good drive on UK roads. When are we going to get an SUV with decent suspension? If I wanted a sports car ride, I’d buy a sports car. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “The…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_bur Essentials BRITISH buyers cannot get enough of convertibles, no matter how big or small. And the new Smart ForTwo Cabrio is as small as they come. Indeed, it’s such a unique proposition, it doesn’t really have any direct rivals. It’s the smallest convertible you can buy and while the Aygo (opposite) comes close in terms of price and size, its fabric roof is nothing more than a glorified sunroof. The Smart is a fully fledged convertible. Better still, the Smart’s transition from hard-top to soft-top hasn’t hampered its ability to negotiate the busiest of urban environments. Its dimensions are exactly the same as the hard-top’s and despite its dinky proportions, the clever packaging means there’s a surprising amount of space inside for two people. Another trick of the…

MODEL TESTED: Bentley Bentayga PRICE: £161,375 ENGINE: 6.0-litre W12, 600bhp Testers’ notes “The Bentley’s interior is a masterclass in handcrafted luxury and refinement, but that doesn’t mean the brand isn’t taking technology seriously. As you’d expect, there’s the usual mix of TFT screens and touchscreen infotainment systems, but a host of other options includes an Apple smartwatch app that allows owners to remotely adjust the seats and air-con, plus access the car’s trip computer data.” “Bentley handles bumps with the same supple composure as the Range Rover” BENTLEY has gone bold with its first ever SUV. Claiming unrivalled performance, handling, off-road ability and luxury, the Bentayga promises to raise the bar for upmarket off-roaders. It shares many of its underpinnings with the current Audi Q7, while the only engine choice…

MODEL TESTED: Audi RS3 Sportback PRICE: £40,805 ENGINE: 2.5-litre 5cyl, 362bhp Testers’ notes “Unlike the BMW and Ford, the Audi doesn’t feature any trick driving modes – but if you go for the £2,495 Dynamic Package Plus, you will be able to feel the full extent of the RS3’s engine. This lifts the car’s standard 155mph speed limiter, derestricting the RS3 and pushing the top speed up to 174mph “where the law permits”, according to Audi. However, it seems a seriously steep option that you may never see the benefit of.” THE Audi RS3 sits in between the Ford Focus RS and BMW M2 when it comes to price and power. At £40,805, it still costs considerably more to buy than the Ford, but as it boasts the German brand’s…

Steve_Walker@dennis.co.uk Second opinion “The Verso is a little bit behind the times in terms of technology. Still, Toyota has tried to claw back some ground with a facelifted version that adds extra equipment across the range, as well as cleaner Euro 6 engines. It’s on sale now.” Dean Gibson Deputy road test editor “The kids loved the Skyview panoramic roof and would insist on it being opened before any journey”  THE Toyota Verso is leaving our fleet, but what have we learned about both it and the wider MPV vs crossover debate? As our Deep Titanium test car rides off into the sunset, we’re left to wonder what the future holds for the people carrier class. This type of car was once the obvious choice for a growing family, but…

Got a query? Kim_Adams@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Stop items sliding in boot I CARRY most of my maintenance kit and top-up fluids in the boot of my car, but they slide around a lot and I’m often worried about spills. Is there a solution? PaulTraynor, E-mail A BOOT liners cover the floor and stop things from sliding around, plus they contain spills. An alternative is a boot organiser, which grips the carpet and has sections and pockets with high sides to prevent items from moving. We like Draper’s 47650 (above). It costs around £25, is well built and has plenty of room for kit.  Q In-car vacuum required I’VE just spent a lot of money on a new vacuum cleaner for the home, and I don’t want it to get damaged…

SUNNY summer drives with the family can get sweaty. Even if your car has aircon, in bright sunlight rear passengers can become uncomfortable, particularly children. But a window shade can help. There’s a host of options, but the new Car Shades clip to the window frame, for a tinted glass-like effect. They cost less than similar shades we’ve tried before, so how do they fare against Window Sox, our Issue 1,221 Best Buy? We tried them on the road in a Ford Focus, looking for easy installation and removal, a good fit, the ability to open the window, and rating how much light each cut out. Prices were from various sources as we went to press. The new Car Shades look like original kit and are ideal as a more…