Innholdsfortegnelse for December 9, 2015 i Auto Express

WHO would’ve thought, this time last year, that the biggest motoring story of 2015 would be about the Volkswagen Group recalling more than 11 million cars because they cheated emissions tests? One thing’s for sure, that story will rumble on in 2016 as customers and potential buyers continue to voice their disapproval. The latest UK registration figures show VW down 19.9 per cent, Audi down 4.4 per cent, Skoda down 10.9 per cent and SEAT down 23.8 per cent – in a market up by eight per cent. Read into that what you will. It’s a great shame, because the VW story has overshadowed what has been another stellar year for the car industry. In spite of VW’s best efforts, it should still be a record 12 months for car…

VOLVO has hinted at its desire to launch more coupés and convertibles once it’s fully refreshed its current model range. An S90 Coupé is likely to be the first arrival, towards the end of the decade. Speaking with Auto Express, the brand’s senior vice president of design, Thomas Ingenlath, said: “First we’ll roll out the 90 cluster, then we’ll roll out the 60 cluster. Then, even that new all-electric product and – as everyone knows by now – an XC40 as well. We want to manage all this within a four-year period. In 2019, the XC90 will be the oldest car in our range.” He told us that the trio of concepts seen at the Frankfurt, Detroit and Geneva motor shows in 2013 and 2014 would “carry [Volvo] quite far”.…

PIECE by piece, the all-new Mercedes E-Class is beginning to come together. This is our first look inside the fifth-generation saloon, as official interior images are released ahead of the car’s debut at the Detroit Motor Show in January. To help give the E-Class the upper hand against rivals such as the Audi A6, Mercedes has introduced a wave of new features. On the dashboard sits its next-generation digital readout, made up of two bonded 12.3-inch HD displays. The system will be fitted as standard on all models except the base version, which makes do with analogue dials and a separate 8.4-inch colour display. Both systems get Apple CarPlay. Other new additions include two touch-sensitive steering wheel pads, which let the driver control the displays independently without taking their hands…

PORSCHE has confirmed that the Mission E concept, first seen at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, has got the go-ahead for production and will arrive by 2020. In concept form, the Mission E was powered by a state-of-the-art 800-volt drive system with two electric motors, and a battery Porsche claims is more powerful than that of any current EV. The resulting 592bhp gets it from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds, yet it is also capable of a 310-mile range. The batteries can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 15 minutes with Porsche’s ‘Turbo Charging’ system, with the option of wireless inductive charging also available. The brand’s first pure EV will herald a new era in battery-powered Porsches, and will entail massive investment for a new plant to produce it,…

McLAREN’S model expansion continues apace with this, the 675LT Spider. It’s the second car in the company’s Super Series to use the LT (Longtail) name after the coupe version was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Both cars share their name and design ethos with the Le Mans-winning F1 GTR Longtail from 1997. The 675LT Spider will be limited to just 500 sales around the world, so you’ll need to get your order in quick. Just make sure you’ve got enough spare change in your pocket as it will set you back £285,450 – a £25,950 premium over the coupé. Its folding hard-top can be opened and closed at speeds of up to 19mph and sits beneath a tonneau cover behind the cockpit, but the V8 is still…

Porsche’s new turbo 911 blasts off YOU may have already read our verdict on the new all-turbo Porsche 911 range in Issue 1,397. One of the key concerns about the brand’s recent switch to forced induction was that the legendary sports car would lose some of its characterful flat-six-cylinder bark. So is that the case? Watch our video review of the coupé and convertible, and decide for yourself. GT86 road car faces 500bhp GT86 racer HOW much faster can you make a Toyota GT86 if you strip it out, tune it to 500bhp and fit a sequential transmission? We wanted to find out, so we travelled to Blyton Park in Lincolnshire to put the Cosworthpowered Fensport GT86 race car head-to-head with the road model. You can watch any of our…

HOT TOPIC New Evoque cabrio FROM: chris_xxx I THINK the convertible maintains the looks of the Evoque, which has been one of the reasons it has sold so well. I wonder if Land Rover has fixed the slow movement of the front seats when trying to access the rear? Will we see a sporty version soon? FROM: Lt. Bullitt THIS car is perfect for my wife and I. After years of owning Audi and BMW convertibles, back problems have made living with their rigid suspension harder. This model from Land Rover answers our problems and solves all of our issues with standard convertibles. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk • “It’s amazing how removing that hideous hard-top has actually improved the look of this car.” soldierboy001 • “It just…

Essentials Lexus RX 450h Luxury Price: £49,995 Engine: 3.5-litre 6cyl petrol-electric hybrid Power: 308bhp Transmission: CVT automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 7.7 seconds Top speed: 124mph Economy: 54.3mpg CO2: 120g/km ON SALE Now THE RX is a very important car for Lexus – it’s the Japanese brand’s biggest-selling model worldwide, accounting for 30 per cent of overall sales. This all-new fourth-generation model, then, has to deliver. It’s been six years since the current RX was launched, and this new version has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to help raise its profile even further. The most obvious change is the dramatic styling. While the outgoing model was fairly handsome, it faded into the background somewhat. There’s no chance of that happening here. The huge grille and sharp LED headlights bring the…

Essentials Mercedes GLS 350d Price: £69,100 Engine: 3.0-litre 6cyl turbodiesel Power: 255bhp Transmission: Nine-speed auto, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 7.8 seconds Top speed: 138mph Economy: 37.2mpg CO2: 199g/km ON SALE Now BIG SUVs are big business, and Mercedes knows this more than most. The fresher-faced and newly named GLS sits at the top of the brand’s SUV tree, and in its previous guise as the GL, it’s been the best-selling seven-seat SUV in North America for years. However, on this side of the Atlantic bigger doesn’t always mean better. With the new Audi Q7 and our current Car of the Year, the Volvo XC90, to contend with, can a thorough refresh keep the new GLS competitive? Mercedes certainly thinks so, referring to it as the “S-Class of SUVs”. Claims don’t come…

SsangYong Tivoli 4x4 Price: £19,500Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl dieselPower: 113bhpTransmission: Six-speed auto,four-wheel drive0-62mph: 11.0 secondsTop speed: 107mphEconomy: 47.9mpgCO2: 156g/km ON SALE Now FOR years, SsangYong has been a bit-part player in the UK market, producing no-nonsense, rugged 4x4s with refinement and driver appeal taking a back seat. However, the new Tivoli, which is pitched as a rival to the Nissan Juke and Suzuki Vitara, is built to be a more desirable option. It’s now available with four-wheel drive, and we’ve tested it in the UK for the first time. It’s a relatively unique move in the small, fashionable crossover class. Suzuki will sell you a diesel Vitara with four-wheel drive and Nissan does have a 4x4 Juke, but only if you opt for the top-spec petrol model. SsangYong hasn’t just bolted…

DRIVER Power is back and it’s your chance to be part of the UK’s biggest and most influential car ownership satisfaction survey. In 2015, we had a record-breaking 61,000 responses, with our readers telling us all about their cars and their dealer service – and this year we want to go even bigger. From practicality to mpg, from repair costs to whether you’d consider buying the same brand again, and from average mileage to whether your dealer answers the phone... we want to know it all. We receive hundreds of calls and E-mails every year from owners telling us what they do and don’t like about their cars, and now’s the time to have your say and make a difference. And your views really do count, with brands increasingly taking…

VAUXHALL HQ, LUTON WEMBLEY STADIUM TIME: 04:38 HRS MILES: 29 SWINDON DELAY TIME LOST: 40 MINS CARDIFF CITY STADIUM TIME: 09:00 HRS MILES: 184 ELLSEMERE PORT, CHESHIRE TIME: 13:15 HRS MILES: 394  TIME: 03: 23 HRS MILES: 0 FUEL STOP DELAY TIME LOST: 10 MINS HAMPDEN PARK STADIUM TIME: 17:25 HRS MILES: 634 CAIRNRYAN PORT TIME: 20:30 HRS MILES: 727 FERRY DELAY TIME LOST: 4 HRS WINDSOR PARK STADIUM TIME: 02:54 HRS MILES: 756 WE cram lots of stuff into our busy lives every month. We watch around 141 hours of television, gorge our way through 50kg of food and still manage to squeeze in 73 cups of tea. None of this has much relevance to the new Vauxhall Astra, but what does are the 764 miles the average British…

DIRECT FROM THE LINE... DARREN TUNSTALL Team leader, trim assembly “I’m inmcharge of maintaining the machines and the team thattputs the windows on the new Astra.” STEPHEN MORRIS Production operator “Placing the engine uses muscles you didn’t even know you had.” JILL BROCKLEY QA inspector “A gap too wide in the bonnet affects things like aerodynamics and wind noise. I make sure that doesn’t happen.” IAN COOPER Team leader, seat fitting “With the Astra’s a sales success, we’re readying the factory for more orders. Production will no doubt rise.” LIFE at Ellesmere Port starts at 7.30am when around 2,000 workers settle in for another day of building the new Astra. It takes over a million square metres of Cheshire land, 24 hours and dozens of robots to put together the…

THE all-new Astra’s mix of technology, weight-saving and driver involvement marks a new dawn for Vauxhall’s family car. But back in 1980, the launch of the original Astra was arguably even more significant. At the time, the brand was struggling to maintain its position as a front-runner in the sales charts. Ageing models such as the Viva and Chevette were being shown the way by a new wave of rival hatchbacks that offered more practicality and family friendly features, and Vauxhall was in desperate need of a front-wheel-drive hatch to compete. Thankfully, sister company Opel had launched the Kadett 12 months earlier, so Vauxhall added a Griffin badge to the nose – as it had done with the larger Cavalier – and called it the Astra. Line them up side-by-side,…

WHAT a 12 months it’s been for the car industry. An array of dazzling new models, record sales and a scandal that dominated the headlines for months have combined to make it one of the most memorable motoring years for some time. Over the next 28 pages, we reflect on the cars that helped define 2015, plus cast our eyes back on some of the most compelling stories that graced the pages of your favourite weekly car magazine. Sit back and relive a rollercoaster year with us...…

YEARS: 2006-2010 PRICE NEW: £9,995 ENGINE: 1.4-litre 4cyl, 99bhp THE Fiat Group has used 1.4 power several times in its history. While current cars such as the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Abarth 595 (opposite) use the turbocharged 1.4 MultiAir engine, the Panda 100HP featured naturally aspirated power. The 1.4-litre 16v makes 100PS – hence the car’s name – and the 100HP got lowered suspension and some chunky styling add-ons to mark it out from the rest of the range. It was the only second-generation Panda to come with a six-speed manual gearbox, and the closely packed ratios were designed to keep the engine on the boil. That’s because peak power is made at a heady 5,800rpm, while peak torque comes in at 4,250rpm, and the engine revs all the way…

YEARS: 1989-1995 PRICE NEW: £8,775 ENGINE: 1.4-litre 4cyl, 105bhp WHEN planning this road test we knew there was one car that had to be here: the Rover 214. Rewind 27 years and 1,399 issues of Auto Express, and the British hatchback was our first-ever cover star. Back then the Rover was still a year from launch, so our artist’s impression was based on spy shots. Looking at the renderings alongside the final production car, it’s clear we were spot-on. There’s the same chiselled profile, crisp lines and large glass area. It looks a little plain alongside today’s bold designs, but the 200 Series was a gamechanger. Designed in partnership with Honda, the 200 looked far slicker than its predecessor, and was powered by a new, lightweight 1.4-litre K Series. It…

Got a query? Cat_Dow@dennis.co.uk  @AE_Consumer Q Tyre switch dilemma I NEED to change the front tyres on my SEAT Leon, and am interested in switching from the current Continental SportContacts to Michelin’s new CrossClimates, which I noticed are summer tyres. Can I just change two tyres now and replace the other two once they’re worn? Andrew Payne, E-mail A THE CrossClimate is an all-season tyre, but it’s a summer design with winter capability. Most all-season tyres are winter patterns with summer capability. We’d advise you to change all four tyres, but if you can only afford to switch two, fit the new tyres at the rear and swap your current rear tyres to the front. Q Best upgrade bulbs THE main beam from mySuzuki Alto’s headlights is great,…

Got any car queries? Martin_ Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Confused by tax bands I AM still struggling to get my head around the forthcoming vehicle tax changes. Will I have to pay higher car tax after 2017 when the new laws come in place? My current car emits 99g/km of CO2. John Davenport, E-mail A THE changes in vehicle excise duty will only apply to new cars registered after 1 April 2017. This means that any car registered before this date will continue to be taxed under the old system. You will continue to pay zero road tax from 2017 onwards. Q Can I reject faulty Cactus? I BOUGHT a new Citroen C4 Cactus last month, but have encountered some problems. The radio changes station and volume by itself, and the…

THERE wasn’t much change at the top in world motorsport this season, with the Formula One, World Rally, World Touring Car and World Rallycross drivers’ titles all going to the same men who lifted them in 2014. But there were winds of change as well – not least from Formula E, which rounded out the first full season of all-electric motor racing and crowned its inaugural champion in June. With a support series for driverless cars in the works, involvement from several big manufacturers (and more on the way), the series is definitely one to watch this year. But the most crowd-pleasing racing of the year was probably in the World Endurance Championship, where Porsche won Le Mans for the first time since 1998 and Mark Webber secured the title…

WINTER proper has just arrived. Surprise, surprise, it’s cold, dark, wet and windy. Arctic conditions are en route. Weather-wise, this is the season of badwill. So what’s the latest advice from Brake, the pressure group that’s – increasingly, I fear – anti-motorist? Simple: “Drive less.” Put another way, walk past the taxed and insured, 100 per cent legal car that’s costing you thousands per annum to own... then, er, keep walking. If you’re tempted to follow Brake’s ‘park it, don’t drive it’ command, I can give you an insight into what to expect. That’s because I swapped car keys for walking boots for a full month in autumn. The positives are that I got plenty of much needed exercise, I lost a little weight, and I did my bit for…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m). Legal AA: 0906 010 1300 (p) RAC: 0870 5533 533 (m) Which?: 01992 822 800 Consumer Direct: 0845 404 0506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 085 3007 RAC: 0800 085 2529 Technical advice AA: 0870 606 1619 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0800 975 5867 Traffic information AA: 09003 401100 (p) RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers Motor Codes: 0800 692 0825 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 839 9205 (m) Scottish Motor Trade Association: 0131 331 5510…

GAMES consoles, digital cameras and jewellery might top most Christmas lists this year, but petrolheads will be hoping Santa pops the keys to a new supercar down the chimney and into their stocking instead. Unfortunately, the closest most of us will get is a scale model of our favourite motor to sit on our shelves rather than a new car on the driveway on Christmas morning. Auto Express brought the dream a little closer to reality for one reader, though, when we announced the winner of our Aston Martin design competition. We asked you to create a version of the V12 Vantage S, with the prize an Aston Martin factory tour and a rendering of your design signed by chief creative officer Marek Reichman – the man behind some of…

Essentials Fiat Tipo 1.6 Multijet 120 Price: £16,000 (est) Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl diesel Power: 118bhp Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 9.7 seconds Top speed: 117mph Economy: 67.3mpg CO2: 110g/km ON SALE September 2016 FIAT has seen huge success in the UK and Europe in the past few years with its small cars. The 500 city car, in particular, has flown out of British dealers for several years now, but the larger family car market has proven a tougher nut to crack. The Italian brand’s last two efforts, the Bravo and Stilo, struggled to make an impact up against more talented class leaders such as the Ford Focus and VW Golf. So Fiat has taken a leaf out of Dacia’s book and said: “If you can’t beat them, undercut them.”…

Essentials Volkswagen Golf Match BlueMotion Edition 1.0 Price: £21,910 Engine: 1.0-litre, 3cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 113bhp/200Nm Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 9.7 seconds Top speed: 127mph Economy: 65.7mpg CO2: 99g/km ON SALE Now VOLKSWAGEN may well be tightening the purse strings in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal, but there are certain cars whose future is secure. One is the Golf Mk8, with development of the next family hatch well underway for launch in 2018. Before then, however, the current model has still got to turn a healthy profit, so there’ll be a smattering of new derivatives and a facelift in 2016 to keep the coffers topped up. One of those new Golfs is this – the petrol-powered BlueMotion 1.0-litre TSI. It’s the first petrol Golf to wear…

IT’S been a bumper year for new car launches. Everything from new superminis to SUVs has landed in dealers – and the industry shows no signs of slowing despite the recent ‘dieselgate’ scandal. Some important new cars are already scheduled for 2016, and we’ve looked into the future to show you what’s worth waiting for. If you’re in the market for a new crossover and don’t fancy the current class leader, then the new Kia Sportage might be for you, while a refreshed Toyota Prius seems set to command the eco car crown. For something a bit flashier, take a look at the drop-top Range Rover Evoque, while if money’s no object, you’d be silly not to consider the new Aston Martin DB11. Our class-by-class guide runs through the best…

FEW cars are held in as much affection by the British motoring public as the Vauxhall Astra. Incredibly, it’s estimated by the company that one in four Brits have driven an Astra at one time or another. That explains why it’s become such a popular sight on the roads over the years. Now there’s an all-new seventh-generation model in showrooms – and having driven it and tested it extensively, we believe it to be the finest model Vauxhall has launched in many years. To mark the arrival of such a significant new UK-built car, we’ve produced this 32-page special which looks at the new model in detail as well as reflecting on the cars of the past that have earned the Astra deserving status as a British Legend.…

“ROB TUTORS 12 DRIVERS ON THE CURRENT F1 GRID, 16 GP2 RACERS AND A NUMBER OF WRC ACES” WHEN Formula One drivers need to sharpen their skills, you’d imagine they’d take to some sun-drenched race circuit in a stripped-out sports car. Yet the reality is rather different, because these superstars of motorsport actually climb behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Astra at a windswept Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground in rural Leicestershire. These choices might seem strange to some, but to driver coaching guru Rob Wilson, both are perfect. “The Astra is as tough as old boots,” claims Wilson, who is the go-to guy for teams looking to get the most out of their drivers. “I currently use a GTC coupé and a Sport Tourer diesel, and both have probably done the…

IT’S doubtful there’s anyone in Britain who has quite as much hands-on experience with the Astra as sales manager Simon Railton. In a career that has spanned 32 years to date, Simon has sold all seven versions of the huge-selling hatchback, and so is uniquely positioned to volunteer an opinion on the current model. “It’s evolved hugely,” he says. “It’s a long way from the car we were selling 30 years ago – it’s totally different now.” And there can be no doubting Simon’s expert opinion, as he reckons he’s averaged six Astra sales a month since starting out as a trainee at the now closed Boleyn Vauxhall and Opel dealer in Plaistow, east London, back in 1983. “Add them all up over 32 years and that works out at…

6,000,000 LAND ROVER LANDMARK The six millionth Land Rover took pride of place at the Shanghai Motor Show. To celebrate Range Rover’s 45th anniversary, it was a LWB Vogue SE. 28% ROADWORK DELAYS Average overrun of roadworks in England. Since 2011, delays have hit a quarter of the 3,801 schemes. 500 RAC PATROL LOADS UP Average number of parts and tools carried by RAC patrols. Auto Express spent a day with one to help fix flat batteries and change tyres. NEWS Readers vote Lexus their Driver Power No. 1 THE Lexus IS Mk3 was crowned the best car to own in Driver Power after a record-breaking 61,000 owners filled in our 2015 satisfaction survey. It knocked the ever-dependable Skoda Yeti off top spot for the first time in three years.…

“IT was a choice between the AX GT or a Daihatsu Charade GTti – I think I I made the right decision. I took delivery of the AX on 1 August 1988 as my first ever brand new car – and boy did I love it. The throaty 1.4-litre TU engine, low weight and super-sharp steering made it a dream of hot hatch. And crucially, it didn’t cost too much to insure. Mine was a bit odd in turning up with steel wheels, not alloys (Citroen will still have my letters of complaint on file!), but for sheer fun, few hot hatches have ever been able to match my little AX GT.”…

“I ALWAYS wanted a Ford Puma when I turned 17 and passed my test – partly because the advert with Steve McQueen at the wheel was so cool, and partly because it was a great car with a relatively modest 89bhp from its 1.4-litre engine. Frustratingly, it was always just out of reach for me, and I never did get that Puma, settling for my mum’s Mk6 Fiesta instead – but it shared the same torquey engine. The Fiesta’s chassis had the same character as the Puma, and you could really have some fun on the right road. However, a drive in the real deal later in life showed me what I was missing at the time.”…

WE get our hands on hundreds of products over the course of the year, and occasionally something stands head and shoulders above the rest and really grabs our attention. It’s often because it brings something new to the market, but we also consider products that are so much better than rivals and deserve special praise. Here, we compile a handy list of our Top 20 products of 2015, with prices from a range of online sources. Wo-Wo Snow Foam Lance Best price: £29.99 Contact: www.wo-wo.co.uk THIS caught our eye during the year, as it provides a neat solution to those who can’t get power to where they clean their car, but still want to cover it in snow foam. The Wo-Wo works off a normal hose rather than a…

RENAULT plans to return to the glory days after finally confirming its buyout of the Lotus Formula One team. The French brand won the drivers’ crown with Fernando Alonso in 2005 and 2006 when it owned the Oxfordshire-based squad from 2002 to 2010. And Renault chairman and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, said: “Our ambition is to win – even if it’ll take some time.” Ghosn was speaking after the outfit sealed its return to the sport’s top level as a constructor for the first time since 2009, and added: “Renault had two options: to come back to F1 at 100 per cent or leave. “After a detailed study, I have decided that Renault will be in Formula One, starting [in] 2016. The final details supplied by F1’s main stakeholders gave us…

THE all-new Volvo S90 has been revealed and will herald a new chapter for the brand when it joins the award-winning XC90 SUV in showrooms next summer. It will take on the likes of BMW’s 5 Series, the Audi A6 and Jaguar XF, as well as the new Mercedes E-Class. Like the latter, it will debut at January’s Detroit Motor Show. The S90 follows the lead of the XC90, and shares much of its DNA with its SUV sibling. It sits on the same Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform and uses an identical range of four-cylinder engines. It will come with steel or air-suspension systems and has a similar hi-tech, upmarket interior. The exterior also apes the SUV, with LED headlamps and the striking ‘Thor’s hammer’ daytime running lights, although…

WHAT’S not to like about this set of headline-writing ingredients: 493bhp, 730Nm of torque, four-wheel drive, 1,550kg, 94.1mpg fuel economy and 70g/km CO2 emissions, all neatly wrapped up in the practical skin of the Peugeot 308 GTi? Well, you can’t actually buy this car yet. Indeed, unless the engineers at Peugeot Sport persuade their bosses to turn the 308 R HYbrid Concept into a production reality, you might never be able to drive this car. But having now driven it, I can tell you one thing without hesitation: Peugeot should build this car... and build it soon. The 308 R HYbrid is a game-changer if ever there was one. Considering the cars it would look to compete with – everything from a Honda Civic Type R up to and beyond…

BUGATTI has confirmed its next-generation hypercar will be called the Chiron. The name comes from Louis Chiron, who raced for Bugatti through the twenties and thirties, winning numerous grands prix. The brief for the new car was simple: “Make the best significantly better.” Bugatti says the Chiron – which is set to boast 1,500bhp-plus – will be “the best super sports car of the present day”. A production version is touted for a Geneva Motor Show reveal in March.…

Kia names it price on latest Optima KIA has announced prices for its new Optima (above). The saloon is claimed to be more upmarket, more fun to drive and more economical than its predecessor, but the starting price has risen from £19,995 to £21,495. With the 1 trim dropped, the range will consist of 2, 3 and 4 models, with GT-Line and GT coming later in 2016. The car goes on sale on 5 January. Audi to attend the London Motor Show AUDI is the latest brand to confirm attendance at next year’s London Motor Show, where it will be represented by dealer group Marshall. The show is being billed as an event for the whole family, with an impressive list of dealer-backed attendees including Tesla, Jaguar, VW, Mazda, BMW,…

IT’S not often a new report comes out and the advice seems to add up and be well received. Unfortunately, the reality is that in the world of Government departments and top-level organisations, common-sense isn’t always as common as it should be. So the recent General Medical Council (GMC) draft guidance for GPs is much welcomed. It now says doctors should inform the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if their patient is unfit to drive or getting behind the wheel against medical advice. This allows the DVLA – and DVA in Northern Ireland – to then revoke a licence where needed. GPs don’t need permission from the patient, either, if there is a need to protect individuals or the wider public from the risks of death or serious harm.…

FOR years many drivers thought that, when the parking ticket expired in private or council car parks, they had to be given a few minutes before a penalty notice could be issued. But that was just a myth, and you could be given a ticket as soon as you were over your allotted time. However, this year has seen significant change that benefits motorists. In April, the law was updated so that drivers must be given a 10-minute grace period in all on and off-street council parking places. The grace period was then extended to private parking companies, too, under the Code of Practice laid down by the British Parking Association. The new ruling applies to both paid for parking tickets or after the expiry of free parking tickets. It’s…

Essentials Porsche 911 Carrera S Price: £85,857 Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six petrol Power/torque: 414bhp/500Nm Transmission: Seven-speed manual rear-wheel drive 0-62mph: 4.3 seconds Top speed: 191mph Economy: 32.5mpg CO2: 199g/km ON SALE Now THERE’S no stopping the pace of development – and Porsche’s new 911 is proof of that. This £85,857 Carrera S now has a pair of turbos bolted to its downsized 3.0-litre flat-six to boost efficiency, but it also serves up 414bhp and a massive 500Nm of torque from a mere 1,700rpm. While purists might not warm to the idea of the new turbo, there’s no denying this 991.2-generation car is much more usable. Floor the accelerator and the S romps down the road thanks to the solid wall of torque. Mid-range thrust is noticeably more potent, and you no…

Essentials Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo Touring Price: £49,950Engine: 3.0-litre 6cyl twin-turboPower: 345bhpTransmission: Eight-speed autorear-wheel drive0-62mph: 4.6 secondsTop speed: 170mphEconomy/CO2: 52.3mpg/142g/km ON SALE Now GERMAN tuning firm Alpina has more than 50 years of experience making fast BMWs even faster. In fact, it’s so well respected that its cars are fully endorsed by BMW – you can get them serviced at any dealer – plus it has access to the newest models sooner than many rival tuners. As a result, it has just launched its updated D3 Bi-Turbo, which is based on BMW’s facelifted 3 Series. That means you get new LED daytime running lights, plus Alpina’s bodykit and 19 or 20-inch wheels, which give the D3 a purposeful look. Pinstripe logos are optional. Inside, Alpina has ditched the small gearchange buttons…

NEW ARRIVALS 1 What new car won the coveted Auto Express Car of the Year award for 2015? Jaguar XESkoda FabiaVolvo XC90 2 Which feature was missing from the Citroen C4 Cactus M Concept at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show? WindscreenRoofSteering wheel 3 What engineering features did the Ferrari 488 and Porsche 911 Carrera gain during 2015? SuperchargersTurbochargersHybrid drivetrains 4 According to Tesla, the new Model S P90D takes how long to go from 0-62mph? 2.8 seconds4.1 seconds9.2 seconds 5 The new Skoda Superb features a two-fold increase in the number of what? SunroofsBrake pedalsBuilt-in umbrellas 6 Which brand launched Lauréate Prime special edition cars this year to mark a milestone anniversary? DaciaPeugeotSsangYong 7 What is the power output of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT? 461bhp641bhp164bhp 8 What does the…

FOR the past 35 years, the Vauxhall Astra’s been as much a part of British life as fish ’n’ chips and Doctor Who. And as with the Time Lord, the Astra has regenerated over the years with a new look but the same attitude – in the Vauxhall’s case, this means it’s an affordable, family friendly hatch with a cheeky side. So to celebrate this special issue, we gathered all seven generations of the Astra at Vauxhall’s Heritage Centre located to the rear of its Luton home. We invited Vauxhall and Opel’s vice president of design, Mark Adams, to give his view on what’s gone before, as well as the new car that’s arriving in showrooms right now. As with so many Brits, London-born Adams has plenty of history with…

EUROPE is clearly a challenge for technology such as OnStar. With the continent’s patchwork of local languages, cultures and emergency infrastructures, not to mention the differences in road, car, telecoms and privacy regulations, delivering seamless connectivity solutions to equal standards across all regions is no mean feat. We felt it only fitting to give OnStar and IntelliLux a real run for their money, so we sailed over the Channel to Northern France without any concrete plans. We arrived in the Port of Calais at 11pm with no hotel reservation, which we knew would put IntelliLux and OnStar into action from the very beginning. The matrix lighting automatically detected that the oncoming traffic had changed position on the road, so there was no need for reflectors, and the IntelliLink screen’s brightness…

TESTING CONDITIONS Vauxhall-Opel’s Michael Harder talks our man Carson through the test process, then takes to the wheel to put new Astra through its paces on some of Europe’s toughest roads... in Wales HOW does a week away in picturesque North Wales sound at this time of year? Relaxing? Well, that’s exactly what Vauxhall’s engineers were treated to this time last year – but this wasn’t a holiday. At the end of 2014, Michael Harder, Vauxhall-Opel’s engineering supervisor, vehicle dynamics, and his team decamped to Wales with a small fleet of Astras – as well as a Ford Focus and a Volkswagen Golf – to put the finishing touches to the new car’s chassis set-up. They were able to tweak the steering and suspension settings by testing them on some…

1.1MILLION Number of Astras on UK roads today 125MPH Average speed of 24-hour diesel world record set in 2013 876 Registrations in March 1980, the Astra’s first month on sale 42 The number of police constabularies in Britain that use the Vauxhall Astra as a panda car. One-in-five beat bobby cars in UK are Astras, and all are built by Vauxhall’s specialist vehicle division in Millbrook, Bedfordshire 57 In its lifetime there have been at least 57 trim level names for the Astra, with more special editions adding to that. Everything from geography (such as Arctic and Arizona) to emotions (like Excite, Expression and Enjoy) has been covered 3MILLION The total number of Astras sold in the UK since its introduction 35 years ago. That makes it the third best-selling…

YEARS: 1989-1993 PRICE NEW: £7,985 ENGINE: 1.4-litre 4cyl, 71bhp BOXY styling and blistered wheelarches inspired a generation of car fans in the eighties, and the Vauxhall Nova SR was the aspirational warm hatch for young drivers who wanted thrills without the bills. In 1989, the original’s 1.3-litre was replaced by a larger 1.4-litre. Pumping out 71bhp and weighing not much more than a shoebox (well, 675kg), the SR was rapid for the time. It will go from 0-62mph in 10.2 seconds, which doesn’t sound so fast now, but the engine revs freely and charges towards the red line with a snort from its tiny tailpipe. By modern standards the brakes are wooden, the damping is lumpy and the engine is noisy at cruising speed. The steering is heavy at low…

Best price: £99.99 Contact: www.wowwee.com REMOTE-controlled cars have been brought into the realm of the smartphone generation by R.E.V. The name stands for Robotic Enhanced Vehicles, and the app-controlled products combine mobile gaming with real-life remote control to provide hours of fun. The cars look great, and claim to have the kind of solid, durable construction that’ll stand up to rough use by keen youngsters. Linking to the cars using the futuristic R.E.V. app is said to be easy, too: simply hold your phone on top of the car and it connects. You then drive using ‘skid-style’ steering, with the maker claiming quick responses through the Bluetooth signal. Yet the real appeal is in the battles you can have. There’s no track; instead you can line up in your living…