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@Jonathan_burn IN its own unique style, Tesla has once again shocked the automotive world by revealing an all-new version of its first-ever car, the Tesla Roadster. The model was shown last week for the first time at an event in California, which had originally been planned for the unveiling of the firm’s new electric truck (below). It will go into production in 2020 and go on sale in the UK at a later date. Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, explained that the idea behind the Roadster was to “give a hardcore smack down to gasoline cars”. He added: “We started Tesla with a sports car, the Roadster. That baby got us going and it was the foundation of the whole company and people asked us for a long time when are…

@johnmcilroy SEAT is showcasing safety technology that could be rolled out across the wider Volkswagen Group with a new concept called Leon Cristobal, which has made its debut at the Smart City Expo in Barcelona. The Spanish manufacturer’s creation takes an existing Leon hatchback and introduces almost 20 new features designed to help reduce the number of road accidents. Many of the systems involved are based on software, not hardware, making them suitable for fast-tracking through to market. The project is inspired by EU data which suggests that 30 per cent of road accidents involve excess speed, 36 per cent involve distraction (such as using a mobile phone) and 25 per cent can be attributed to alcohol or drug use. To counter these causes, the Leon Cristobal won’t start unless…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Videowatch AT youtube.com/Autoexpress this week we drive the new Jaguar E-Pace SUV, plus the facelifted Maserati Ghibli. Behind the wheel of Jag’s new E-Pace WATCH out BMW and Audi; a new Jaguar is in town. As you’ve read in our Top Story (Page 8), the E-Pace has arrived and it’s squaring up to the X1 and Q3 for a fight. The second SUV from Jaguar, the E-Pace is based on the Land Rover Discovery Sport and, for the first time in Jag’s history, isn’t being built in the UK. Watch our video as deputy editor John McIlroy gives his verdict. Maserati’s updated Ghibli hits the road YOU could be forgiven for thinking the executive class is the domain of the German establishment. But don’t forget Maserati’s Ghibli. Special…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram TWO decades ago, the Subaru Impreza was enjoying global fame at the top of the World Rally Championship. For many, it was a poster car that represented the best in auto engineering; an all-wheel-drive super-saloon that defined a generation. More recently the Impreza’s rally heritage has been somewhat diluted. In 2008 the range split in two as Subaru withdrew from the WRC, with the hotter WRX separating from the standard family car. As a result, the iconic nameplate has lost much of its fastcar cachet and many of its hardcore fans. Yet Subaru is keen to recover from its so-called ‘rally hangover’ – and for 2018 it is placing the Impreza on an all-new platform, adding upgraded engines and a longer, roomier body. The maker claims the structure…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn THE backbone of any premium car company’s product line-up these days is a mid-size SUV. The NX is Lexus’ offering, and to keep it fresh in a sector where buyers have the option between the plush Volvo XC60 and racy Alfa Romeo Stelvio, it has been given a bit of TLC. Lexus sells its mid-size offering on its striking looks, so that’s where a chunk of the updates for the latest model have been focused, although you’ll struggle to notice. There’s a set of subtly tweaked LED headlamps and a slightly slimmer grille, flanked by new vertical air vents. Add in some new alloy wheel designs and a pair of new tail-lights and that’s your lot. It’s far from a dramatic makeover, but there’s no denying the NX…

Vauxhall Grandland X 1.2 T Auto Sport Nav PRICE: £26,095 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 128bhp THE Grandland shares its mechanical make-up with the 3008. It’s not as extrovert, but there’s plenty of tech thanks to its OnStar system. A 514-litre boot means practicality is competitive when compared with the Karoq’s as well. Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG-T CVT N-Connecta PRICE: £25,255 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 4cyl, 113bhp NOT only does the Qashqai have a price advantage, it also offers lots of kit in N-Connecta trim. But a 430-litre boot and sub-standard infotainment mean it lags way behind the best cars in the class in many of the areas buyers here prioritise.…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE hot hatch is a staple of the family five-door class, because these cars have been offered with souped-up variants for decades here in Britain. Honda is no exception with its new Civic. But instead of waiting the usual 12 or 18 months after the launch of the common-orgarden model to introduce its hot hatchback, the Japanese car maker released its firebreathing Type R almost immediately. Producing 316bhp from its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, it has more than double the power of the humble 1.0-litre model on our fleet. The Type R’s aggressive bodywork, big wing and 20-inch alloy wheels hint at its ability, while its triple tailpipes leave you in no doubt of the firepower beneath its sculpted bonnet. But driving the two cars back-to-back throws up a…

Dear Lawrence, I’m looking to buy into the booming SUV trend. I need space for a family of four, stylish looks and decent economy. What will £12k get me? Contact: Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk THE RUGGED CHOICE Jeep Renegade CARS FOR: Butch looks, off-road ability, value AGAINST: Not great to drive, unsettled ride JEEP entered the crossover market with the Renegade in 2015, and it has sold well. The square-edged styling won’t be to all tastes but it certainly stands out, while the cabin is full of offroad inspired touches that make it feel special. It’s a shame neither handling nor ride is up to rivals’, and the frugal 1.6-litre diesel is slow. We saw a 65-plate Renegade 1.6 M-Jet Longitude with just 16,000 miles for a reasonable £11,450. INTERIOR CABIN is certainly…

Mike Rutherford Many ‘experts’ told me back in 1988 that Auto Express wouldn’t last 15 issues. How wrong you were, chaps WHEN I became one of the founding fathers of Auto Express in the summer of 1988, prior to launching the mag that autumn, many ‘experts’ took great delight in telling me it wouldn’t last 15 issues, never mind 1,500. How wrong you were, chaps. Since then, so much has altered on the car, driving, design, tech, corporate, insurance, retailing, leasing, fuel, safety, tolling, pricing, policing, personnel, parking and political fronts that it’s impossible in the space I have here to acknowledge all the significant products, people and events. But the likes of Audi, Aston Martin, Dacia, Kia, Jaguar, Land Rover, McLaren, SEAT, Skoda and SsangYong deserve credit for successfully…

@johnmcilroy THE Jaguar F-Pace has become the fastest-selling model in the company’s history. So it’s little surprise that the British brand is keen to follow up its first SUV with another, even more affordable offering: the E-Pace. Now we’ve had our first chance to get behind the wheel of the new baby model – and on UK roads. The E-Pace looks a very different beast from its larger brother. It’s based on the same chassis as the Range Rover Evoque, so it is basically a front-wheel-drive car adapted to a four-wheel-drive set-up, and with a transverse engine fitted. That’s reflected in the stance, with the cabin much further forward than on the F-Pace, headlights that are more similar to those of the F-Type sports car and a much shorter bonnet.…

Revamped Mazda 6 set for debut in LA MAZDA will reveal an updated version of its 6 saloon at the LA Motor Show, with an official teaser (above) previewing the re-engineered and redesigned model. From the outside, the car doesn’t look much different, with changes limited to a new grille and lights. Inside, it will be updated with a new infotainment screen and simplified dashboard. Mazda has confirmed a 2.5-litre engine for US cars, although UK models will get diesels, too. It’ll launch to the American market first, before coming to Europe in 2018. Autonomous testing for JLR on UK roads JAGUAR Land Rover has started testing autonomous cars on UK roads. As part of the £20m UK Autodrive project, JLR is trialling tech, including cars that talk to each…

Ultimate Cayman is up and running PORSCHE’S upcoming 718 Cayman GT4 has been spotted testing (above) ahead of its 2018 release date. The GT4 will shun the flat-four engine used in lesser 718 Caymans in favour of a naturally aspirated flat-six, which could be tuned to produce over 400bhp. Motorsport-inspired suspension and aerodynamics aim to make it more focused on track, while weight-saving measures will be deployed. Expect a significant price penalty over the regular car, plus limited production numbers. Number of drivers dodging tax triples THE number of drivers not paying their vehicle tax is estimated to have tripled after the Government axed the paper tax disc in 2014, new figures reveal. Department for Transport statistics show 755,000 drivers failed to pay their vehicle excise duty this year, costing…

What do you think? Contact Hugo Griffiths mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC Mitsubishi’s Fiesta rival FROM: Alistair Stevens THIS looks a lot better than what Mitsubishi has produced so far. The current Mirage is cheap and woefully uncompetitive. Let’s just hope Mitsubishi customers actually buy this model. It could give the Ford Fiesta some serious competition. FROM: snappyuk SMALL cars are chosen just as much for their looks as anything else, and if buyers think the latest Micra looks better than the Clio, they’ll go for it regardless of the underpinnings. It will be the same when this Mitsubishi comes out; its style will determine its success. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ▪ “Fit the 1.5-litre turbo from…

IN DETAIL MINI Cooper Convertible Engine: 1.5-litre 3cyl turbo petrol Power/torque 134bhp/220Nm 0-62mph/top speed: 8.8 secs/129mph Economy/CO2: 57.6mpg/114g/km Price: £19,265 MINI’S stylish Convertible is one of the best models in the business. In Cooper form here, it shares its 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine with the BMW i8, although it does without that car’s electric assistance. That doesn’t stop it from delivering one of the most individual and enjoyable driving experiences on offer today for the money. Although the drop-top weighs 120kg more than the hatch due to the roof mechanism and body strengthening required to ensure the MINI’s chassis is as rigid as possible, the 134bhp 1.5 still delivers enough poke to make this car fun. Removing the hood (which is possible in 18 seconds at up to 18mph due…

IN DETAIL Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport 1.5 Turbo SRi Nav Engine: 1.5-litre 4cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 163bhp/250Nm 0-60mph/top speed: 8.4 secs/138mph Economy/CO2: 47.1mpg/136g/km Price: £20,530 IT might still bear the Insignia badge, but the latest incarnation of Vauxhall’s large family hatch, the Insignia Grand Sport, is a giant leap on from its predecessor. A new engine made its debut in this car, too. Vauxhall’s 163bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol unit is a match for the 1.5-litre turbos offered by the likes of VW and Skoda, with plenty of smooth, easy performance matched by a level of refinement that a diesel motor couldn’t hope to match. Combined with the Grand Sport’s long-legged cruising ability and enough comfort (even without adaptive dampers) to rival some full-on exec saloons, it’s stylish and practical…

UK styling accessory specialist E-TECH is the latest firm to launch a car care range with its Pro Class line-up. Promising “amazing results” and using the latest formulation techniques, the range is aimed at the higher end of cleaning and protecting solutions. So does the performance match the claims? To find out, we tried its Wheel Cleaner against another newcomer from detailing specialist Auto Curators, plus our multiple test winner, Bilt-Hamber auto-wheel. We applied the products to grimy wheels and wheel trims, following the makers’ instructions, using just a rinse to reveal each cleaner’s effect. Bilt-Hamber hangs on to its crown, although it was pushed hard. Auto Curators’ Flawless Cleanser is very effective, but price counts against it. And while E-TECH’s cleaner works well, the acid-based formula limits its use.…

Got any car queries? Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Claiming recall expenses MY car needed recall workand a warranty repair, meaning two visits to the dealer. It’s a 100-mile trip, so takes time and means I end up paying for petrol and lunches. Can I claim these expenses back from the manufacturer? Brian Kirk, E-mail A THE Motor Ombudsman says that while you might be able to submit a claim for the warranty repair, you probably won’t be able to for the recall work. You’re also unlikely to be able to claim for food and drink as “the onus is on the consumer to mitigate expenses”. Q EV brake lights query I’M looking to buy an electric car, but want to know whether brake lights on models with regenerative braking come on…

@Jonathan_burn “Its styling has been influenced by the DB10 driven by James Bond” ASTON Martin has revealed the all-new version of its Porsche 911 rival, the Vantage. Following on from the DB11, it’s the second of seven core new models to arrive from the British brand before 2023. The latest Vantage is more powerful, lighter and faster than the model it replaces. Unsurprisingly it’s also more expensive; customers can place an order now but have to fork out £120,900, which represents a premium of around £25,000 over the Porsche 911 GTS and today’s Vantage. For your money you do get an entirely new car, however. The latest Vantage shares almost nothing with its predecessor and makes use of Aston’s new aluminium architecture, which already underpins the DB11. However, Aston says…

@AE_Consumer POLICE in Britain have handed out over 27,000 fines to drivers for illegally using a mobile phone since March this year, when the penalty for the offence doubled, research by Auto Express’s sister site, Carbuyer, has revealed. In the six months after the Government doubled mobile phone penalties from a £100 fine and three penalty points to a £200 fixed penalty notice (FPN) and six points, 27,614 drivers have been caught for the act. This equates to roughly 149 drivers caught every day across the country. Under the new £200 FPN, police across Britain will have earned as much as £5.5million. The figures, obtained through a series of Freedom of Information requests to the 44 constabularies in Britain, also suggest a declining number of drivers are caught for the…

EARLIER this month, Mitsubishi announced it had launched its first online store in the UK. In doing so, the Japanese brand joins the likes of BMW and Hyundai’s Rockar in offering new car buyers the chance to take their shopping journey entirely into the digital sphere. Internet dealerships have been a long time in the making, and the coming years will see most makers introduce online portals where buyers can skip all dealership interaction and simply order their new car online. So says Marcus Hodgkinson, chairman of Sophus3, a web analytics firm working with most of the major brands in the UK. Hodgkinson claims that in five years’ time, up to 30 per cent of new cars could be bought entirely online, placing huge pressure on dealerships. Figures from the…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk MASERATI has come a long way in a relatively short period of time since its rebirth in 2013, and so far the Ghibli has been one of its strongest sellers. Based on the larger, longer Quattroporte, it’s just been thoroughly revised both above and beneath the skin to a point where Maserati claims 70 per cent of components are brand new. The big news mechanically concerns the steering, which has gone from a conventional hydraulic set up to a more efficient electric system. Also new is a range of electronic safety features including adaptive cruise control,“intelligent” LED headlights, lane keep assist, steering assist and brake force assist, giving it a five-star Euro NCAP rating. Styling changes inside and out have improved the overall look and feel. It now appears…

Seats LIKE its larger brother, the Kodiaq, this SE L model gets a sliding rear bench seat as standard. It boosts the Karoq’s flexibility so you can maximise the room in the rear, or cram in more cases on longer trips. Boot space might be down on the 3008’s, but there’s still more than enough here. Engine tech ALTHOUGH it’s not quite as efficient on paper, the Karoq’s cylinderdeactivation tech helped it achieve decent economy on test. It means you get more performance than the Peugeot, but with similar efficiency. Gearbox THE Skoda’s DSG auto is the superior gearbox here. It shifts as smoothly as the 3008’s standard auto, but offers snappy changes in manual mode that make the most of the Karoq’s more powerful 148bhp 1.5-litre turbo engine.…

IN DETAIL Mazda MX-5 1.5 SkyActiv-G SE-L Nav Engine: 1.5-litre 4cyl petrol Power/torque: 129bhp/150Nm 0-62/top speed: 8.3 secs/127mph Economy/CO2: 47.1mpg/139g/km Price: £20,495 MAZDA’S MX-5 is an icon. It’s the world’s best-selling two-seater roadster, with the Japanese company having shifted more than a million units during the model’s 18-year lifespan. For the fourth-generation ND version that launched just a few years ago, Mazda developed a new engine, bolstering the line-up earlier this year with the retractable fastback RF model that took our Best Roadster crown back in June. Alongside the venerable 158bhp 2.0-litre motor, a 129bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine was launched – and it’s actually the smaller-capacity unit that’s the more satisfying engine of the two. The 1.5 has more than enough power. Less torque than the 2.0-litre means you have…

Adams Kim Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer IN-DEPTH RACE SIM PUTS YOU CLOSE TO THE ACTION NEW PRODUCT Project CARS 2 Available for: Xbox One, PS4, PC Price: From £42 Contact: www.projectcarsgame.com WITH nearly 200 cars, 40 tracks and 29 motorsport disciplines, Project CARS 2 might just be one of the most in-depth racing simulations to be released yet. Everything from Aston Martin to Formula Three cars is here – ultimately stretching to 180-plus models. And laser-scanned tracks include British favourites such as Silverstone and Brands Hatch, alongside worldwide classics such as the Nürburgring in Germany, Le Mans in France, Belgium’s Spa and Laguna Seca in California. Unlike some games, you can access everything in singleplayer mode without having to gain credits or unlock modes. For more hardcore gamers, there’s…

Gullibles’s Travels Alan C Hess & Guy Loveridge (Special order, contact Guy Loveridge via Douglas Loveridge Publications on Facebook) Price: £30 Rating: THIS is two books in one. The first is a reprint of Hess’ original volume, that details a journey made in the winter of 1947, when he and a team took three Austin Sixteen cars to the Geneva Motor Show. The second details Loveridge’s attempt to recreate the trip. It all makes for a fascinating read, but publishing on the new parts is slightly low-budget. Volkswagen Camper: An A-Z of popular Camper conversions Richard Copping (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £19.99 Rating: WE like this book’s retro vibe, but feel some of that is down to the cheap paper and muted colours used in the printing. Even so, one…

Tel: 01380 818181 elitereg.co.uk We have been specialising in value for money registrations for over 40 years. We buy for stock and therefore we have become the source of supply for these registrations. All are offered on a first come, first served basis, subject to availability. All are subject to VAT and the £80 Dept. for Transport transfer fee. Prices may fluctuate. See website for full terms. Write: P.O. Box 100, Devizes, Wiltshire, SN10 4TE REGISTRATIONS ALSO WANTED FOR IMMEDIATE OUTRIGHT PURCHASE…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk ASTON Martin has unveiled a racing version of its new Vantage at the same time as the roadgoing model (see Page 12). Like its predecessor, which competed for six seasons and racked up a total of 37 international race wins, the new Vantage will compete in the GTE Pro class of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). It’s expected to make its race debut at the opening round of the 2018-19 ‘super season’ at Spa, Belgium, on 5 May. The new Vantage racer shares the road car’s AMG-derived twin-turbocharged V8 engine and is equipped with Alcon brakes and Ohlins suspension. The team is also switching back to using Michelin tyres, having run Dunlops in recent seasons. Aston says the new Vantage racer has already completed 13,000km of testing, including…