Innholdsfortegnelse for 1520 i Auto Express

WELCOME to one of the most important (and most popular) issues of Auto Express of the year where we count down the very best new cars on sale in the UK – as voted by owners. Driver Power is now in its 16th year and has grown to become the UK’s biggest car ownership survey. Over 80,000 of you took part in 2018 and you’ve had lots to say, not only giving scores across nine different categories, but leaving hundreds of thousands of comments about your cars, too. The good news is that you’re more satisfied with your cars than ever – scores have gone up this year. But that’s cold comfort for the car makers who find their latest models sitting at the bottom of the table. What I…

LEARNER drivers could face restrictions on the number of passengers they can carry in their vehicles after passing their test, as the Government moves closer to issuing newly qualified drivers with a graduated driving licence. A letter written by roads minister Jesse Norman says proposed changes to the graduated driving licence (GDL) system in Northern Ireland will be used as a “pilot” scheme to gauge whether GDLs should be introduced across the UK. In the letter, sent to Scottish SMP David Stewart, Norman wrote: “The Department for Transport has decided to use the introduction of GDL [graduated driving licence] in Northern Ireland as a pilot to gather evidence on the potential for GDL in Great Britain.” Although a tiered licence system already exists in Northern Ireland, authorities are currently in…

AN all-new version of the Audi Q3 is in the works, and based on our latest spy shots, the German brand will be including a hot SQ3 in the range. It’s likely to take advantage of the forthcoming SUV’s larger footprint to help stability and handling, and get a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing around 306bhp. Expect it to be a dual-clutch automatic only, and to offer quattro all-wheel drive as standard. Large alloy wheels and brakes, twin tailpipes and gaping air intakes at the front mark this out as the performance model. The spy shots show again how the next Q3 will get a longer wheelbase than the current version, helping to improve cabin accommodation, especially for rear-seat passengers. The SQ3 is likely to be joined by an RS…

DRIVERS in Dubai could soon have their cars transformed under new plans to fit them with digital number plates. Starting in May, the authorities in the Emirate are trialling new ‘smart’ registration plates that come with a digital screen and GPS tracking. The plates will be synced up to a user’s account so that parking fees, road fines or licence plate renewals could be remotely taken by the police. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority says the technology will be useful in alerting emergency services to accidents. The plates could also change to display a special alert or warning if they’re stolen. The trial will end in November, although they have already raised questions about data privacy.…

A. This number signifies the car’s position in the Driver Power Top 75. If your model isn’t here, we didn’t get enough responses to include it. B. Here you can see at a glance how long the car has been in production for. Below this are key attributes that owners say shaped its performance. C. We average a car’s scores across our nine judging categories to work out this percentage. This is its overall rating, and defines its chart position. D. These bars represent individual rankings in each of our Driver Power judging categories. The longer the bar, the better the car performed. E. Once again in 2018, we asked owners to report any faults with their car. This is the percentage who did, plus we spell out what the…

“THE Giulia is the most astonishing car,” John Vater QC, a barrister from Oxfordshire, told us. He owns the hot 503bhp Quadrifoglio (QV) model, but John reckons elements of the Italian performance saloon will be appreciated by all Giulia owners. “It has an unbelievably good driving position and, with the exception of my Porsche 911, the best steering of any car I have ever driven,” John said. “When you drive over white lines on the road, you can feel it through your fingertips.” John’s experience with powerful cars puts him in a good position to judge the Giulia’s relative merits. “Having owned a BMW M3 and a Mercedes-AMG C 63, I think the quality of the Giulia’s interior more than matches them,” he explained. “I actually think there’s more rear…

Running costs 50.1mpg (on test) £56 fill-up/£140 or 23% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 478/1,245 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 9.2 seconds/125mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 47.9/35.9/9.4m MODEL TESTED: Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX PRICE: £24,925 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 118bhp THE Honda Civic has only been available in turbo petrol form until now, so this 1.6 i-DTEC joins the line-up as the sole diesel option. However, it’s only available in certain trims, and the EX model we’re testing here is on the pricey side at £24,925. Design & engineering IT’S fair to say the Civic’s styling is divisive, because the angled lines and big rear mean the car is not as obviously slick as the Renault, or as well proportioned as the Astra. Appearance is subjective, though, so what might matter more to…

KIA’S plug-in hybrid estate comprises a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engine up front, producing 154bhp. It’s joined by a 67bhp electric motor that can run on its own or with the combustion unit to deliver a total of 202bhp and 375Nm of torque. This is 13bhp and 25Nm down on the Passat, and with a heavier 1,815kg kerbweight as well, the Kia trailed its rival. It sprinted from 0-60mph in 8.7 seconds, which was 1.5 seconds down on the VW. The Optima’s conventional six-speed auto doesn’t shift as quickly as the Passat’s six-speed dualclutch unit, either, which contributed towards the deficit, but it is much smoother at low speed. The Kia still offers acceptable acceleration, but you feel the car’s mass, because even with the boost from the electric motor…

Otis_Clay@dennis.co.uk OUR Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer has been pampered, after getting the car equivalent of a relaxing spa treatment recently. As part of our Issue 1,517 Spring Car Care Special, we took the estate to AutoGlym’s HQ in Letchworth Garden City, Herts, where the firm carried out a deep clean and applied a development version of its latest wash wax – and the results are promising so far. Our Vauxhall is looking better than ever, and all that’s needed to keep the bodywork clean is a quick hose down. That’s been really useful, because it reduces the annoying impact of the muddy, salty roads we’re still having to endure at this time of year. But the Insignia is a great car whatever the weather has thrown at it. It provides…

THIS WEEK’S HOT KIT NEW PRODUCT Milenco High Security Steering Wheel Lock Price: £59.95 Contact: 01908 220102, www.milenco.com KEYLESS vehicle theft has risen by 30 per cent in the past five years, according to official figures. Estimates by tracking companies suggest that criminals “electronically compromise” vehicles in up to two-thirds of cases of theft. That’s why many drivers are now starting to resort to old-school protection for their cars and vans. Security specialist Milenco has launched a new wheel lock to protect cars even if criminals manage to open the doors. The High Security Steering Wheel Lock is the only product of its type that comes with a Sold Secure Gold standard in the UK, according to the brand. The compact wheel lock is made of strong steel and has…

PRODUCT GROUP TEST 18|4|2018 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive SAT-nav apps are quickly becoming serious rivals to traditional portable units. Not only are they much cheaper than standalone devices, their software is also updated regularly by developers – adding new functions and features. So while some of the apps we’ve put through their paces here look identical to those we rated in our last test in Issue 1,493, most will have benefited from updates since then. To find out whether these developments have made any difference and see if new players in the sector have moved into contention at the top, we downloaded eight nav apps. How we…

CO2/tax 131-149g/km £135-£150 Running costs 56.5mpg (2.0 TDI 150 quattro) £79 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.3 seconds/126mph WHEN Audi launched the Q3 at the end of 2011, it couldn’t really fail. The Q7 and Q5 were hits with buyers, and with premium compact SUVs all the rage it was clear from the outset that the Q3 would be another success for the brand. Offered with petrol or diesel engines and in most cases with a choice of front or four-wheel drive and manual or automatic gearboxes, the car provided something for everyone. However, as the smallest SUV in Audi’s stable, the Q3 isn’t especially roomy inside and it’s strictly a five-seater as a result. But with plenty of luxurious options and the availability of a super-quick, high-performance RS edition, small…

HYUNDAI will enter a pair of i30 N racers in the TCR touring-car class of the Nürburgring 24-hour race in May. An eight-man driver squad will be spread across the two cars, with Italian former F1 driver Nicola Larini joining Koreans Jae-Kyun Kim and Byung Hui Kang and Germans Manuel Lauck, Andreas Gülden, Peter Terting, Moritz Oestreich and Guido Naumann. The i30 Ns entered will feature an ‘endurance package’, comprising ABS, additional lights and a fast-refuelling kit. The package is offered to customer racing teams who want to enter their i30 N TCRs in endurance events. Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing deputy general manager Andrea Adamo said: “The Nürburgring remains one of the toughest tests in racing and the 24 Hours is the perfect place to show the i30 N TCR…

• Upgraded brakes, chassis tweaks and style changes added • Sporty two-door goes on sale next month after Beijing debut Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE BMW M2 has been judged as one of the finest offerings in recent years from the high-performance Bavarian brand – and now the car is going to get an added shot of adrenalin with the M2 Competition Pack. The brand new two-door Coupé has been announced ahead of its public debut at the Beijing Motor Show. The M2 Competition Pack lifts its new engine from the outgoing M3, and will replace the standard M2 when it goes on sale in May. Ditching the current M2’s 3.0-litre straight-six (which started life in the M135i hatchback) and slotting in the higher-spec M3 unit boosts power by 39bhp, to 404bhp.…

ONE electric Audi that will be making its way into showrooms is a four-door GT, previewed by this hazy teaser shot (right). It’s due in 2020 and will sit at the top of the marque’s EV portfolio, under the Audi Sport brand, as a “highly dynamic” EV. The Vision Gran Turismo race car (above) has demonstrated Audi’s ability when it comes to extracting performance from an electric vehicle, but it’s unlikely that we’ll see 805bhp from the four-door coupé. Four-wheel drive and a range of battery sizes are more likely.…

“The AMR isn’t just a sporty styling exercise, as power will rise to 592bhp” ASTON Martin has been spied putting the finishing touches to the upcoming Rapide AMR – a harder, faster version of the firm’s four-door grand tourer. Revealed last year at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show in mild concept car form, the Rapide AMR has already been confirmed for production. These spy shots show that the finished car will be more or less exactly in line with Aston’s Geneva preview, boasting the same racier bodykit, including a new rear diffuser and lip spoiler on the boot. Inside, a new pair of sport seats will be found up front, while the cabin itself will be trimmed in carbon fibre. The Rapide AMR isn’t just a sporty styling exercise, either,…

AIR fresheners are meant to enhance a car’s interior, but one Auto Express reader found a Febreze Vanilla Bouquet had quite the opposite effect. Nick Dainton, from Howden, East Yorkshire, bought the clip-on freshener just before Christmas, but when the liquid inside it leaked out, it caused significant damage to his Peugeot RCZ’s dashboard. He told us: “I noticed a damp patch on the dashboard just below the vent. I wiped it and thought no more about it, until I noticed a bubbling up of the dash covering, which got worse and unsightly.” The nature of the damage meant it couldn’t be neatly repaired, and Nick was quoted an “eye-watering” £7,100 replacement bill. He contacted Febreze maker Proctor & Gamble (P&G), and was offered £250 in compensation, with P&G not…

MOST of us are unlikely ever to travel faster than the speeds reached by a commercial jet plane, but even at more than 630mph your senses will play tricks on you. If you glance out of the window at the ground, you’ll struggle to tell how fast you’re going. Judging your speed when driving isn’t easy, either. It’s a critical skill, not only because the number of speeding fines reached a record high of 2.15 million in 2016 thanks to the rise of automated cameras, but also from a safety viewpoint. Every extra mph on the speedo increases your emergency braking distance. The relentlessly increasing focus on speed begs another question, though. Is there a point where making drivers concentrate too hard on how fast they’re going means they’re less…

ALFA Romeo is a brand on the move. The famous Italian name is back in Formula One (sort of), and a fresh range of radically new cars spearheaded by the Giulia saloon and Stelvio SUV is incoming. Now, the company’s Porsche Macan Turbo rival has landed in the UK, and we’ve been behind the wheel. The lack of space and practicality in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, especially for an SUV, has been widely reported. Room for passengers is adequate, boot capacity is merely average and you can’t even fit a tow bar on the back of the new model. However, Alfa’s first performance SUV has many attributes to help you forget about how little it can lug around. Chief among them is the 503bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. It’s the…

PERMINDER Sahota, an IT consultant from Hounslow, Middlesex, is very clear why he chose a Lexus RX. “The car’s size, the shape, the comfort and Lexus’s reputation for reliability all drew me to it,” he said. “I looked at the Jaguar F-Pace, but the RX felt better built and had more space in the back.” And Perminder needs the RX’s rear-seat capacity. “Both my sons are over six feet tall, but they can sit anywhere in the RX with plenty of room, even compared with other cars in the class,” he added. Lexus’s famous attention to detail is clear to see inside as well. Perminder continued: “The quality is immediately obvious, and there are several small details I like. The stitching on the leather, the hidden storage cubby under the…

EVALINE Foster, a retired café owner from Shrewsbury, Shropshire, hadn’t intended to buy a Niro, but was glad she did. “We were looking for a Skoda Yeti, but as this was going out of production the dealer didn’t have the model we were after,” she told us. “When I saw the Niro, I just thought it looked great.” The positive impressions continued when Evaline drove it. She added: “It really impressed me; it was so easy to drive. The auto lights and wipers, reversing camera and sat-nav made it very straightforward. “It’s very smooth: you can hardly tell when it’s switching from electric to petrol drive. I also get great economy. We mainly use it for town driving, but even on a trip to the local supermarket we get around…

Running costs 50.4mpg (on test) £58 fill-up/£140 or 25% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 434/1,247 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 10.9 seconds/116mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 47.3/35.1/8.2m MODEL TESTED: Renault Mégane dCi 110 Signature Nav PRICE: £23,115 ENGINE: 1.5-litre 4cyl, 108bhp THE Renault Mégane is a handsome hatch and has plenty of tech, while the dCi 110 turbodiesel engine is a top pick. In high-spec £23,115 Signature Nav trim it’s very well priced and comes loaded with equipment, too. The Mégane has fought it out with the Astra for the family hatch crown for years now, but is it a better choice than its rivals in this spec? Design & engineering A DISTINCTIVE design is one of the Mégane’s most attractive features, but there’s engineering substance to back up this style. It’s based…

IF you’re a family buyer looking for efficiency and space, a diesel SUV isn’t always the answer – and a growing crop of plug-in hybrid estate cars proves this. Last year Kia announced it would combine the plug-in hybrid powertrain from its Optima saloon with the firm’s more versatile estate body, offering a decent stab at all-electric range without the conventional EV anxiety. However, Volkswagen has already been doing this to great effect with its Passat Estate GTE. In theory, these wagons could cut your running costs without impinging on how you use your car. But does this play out once we get the pairing on to the open road – and more importantly, which car is a more convincing choice? Kia Optima SW PHEV Optima offers a good package…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.1 seconds/174mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 335/1,175 litres Running costs 31.3mpg (on test) £66 fill-up/£450 or 37% tax mail@autoexpress.co.uk AFTER six months and 17 days, our time with the Audi RS 3 Sportback is finally up. So what did we learn? All sorts of things, many of which were extremely positive – to the point where I’m now genuinely gutted to be waving the car goodbye. This hasn’t always been the case with Audis in the past, it must be said. A while back I ran a first-generation TT RS for a year, at the end of which I wasn’t exactly distraught to be handing back the keys. For various reasons, that car just wasn’t as engaging to live with as I thought it should have been.…

THERE are two new DAB adaptors on the market. The first is from Pure, the maker of our reigning test Best Buy. The Highway 200 is a budget version of our test winner, the Pure Highway 400, and does without Bluetooth. Lining up against it is a new device from dash cam specialist Nextbase. The range-topping DAB350BT comes with Bluetooth. To see which is better, we rated each for sound and signal quality, ease of fitting and use, plus price. The Nextbase DAB350BT wins, partly thanks to a marginally better sound signal. It’s not perfect, but just beats the Pure 200. Whether it can take class honours from the Pure 400 remains to be seen, though. “We rated each device for sound and signal quality” Mini test NEW PRODUCT Pure…

2018 Results Toyota C-HR Factfile Years: 2016 to present CO2: 86g/km Fuel economy: 74.3mpg (Icon Hybrid) Best options: Front parking sensors, keyless go, JBL stereo, tinted windows Used prices: From £17,000 OVERALL SCORE 92.08% Bars show where model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2018 new car survey. The longer the bar the better • GOOD “HAS a real wow factor. I am constantly getting compliments on it.” “I average 55mpg despite driving mostly in town.” “The CVT gearbox makes it a very smooth car to drive.” “Ride quality is superb in all conditions.” “No problem getting golf clubs in boot, even with a trolley fitted.” “All the controls are really easy to reach and operate.” “Lane departure and adaptive cruise are helpful on motorways.” • NOT SO GOOD…

• Power hiked and weight cut as Ferrari ups the 488 ante THE Ferrari 488 GTB sports car is already as quick as supercars from just a few years ago, but the company still reckons there’s room for a bit extra and even more involvement. Enter the 488 Pista, equipped with an engine that is 50 per cent new and an even more extreme chassis set-up. We got behind the wheel of a late pre-production version to see if the new car delivers. As well as being more powerful, the Pista is lighter (by 90kg if you tick the right options boxes) and it uses aero tricks from motorsport. And yet, despite the increase in raw speed, Ferrari is adamant that the 488 Pista is about driving enjoyment – on…

MEET the new Subaru Outback – a lightly updated version of the firm’s SUV for 2018. But the biggest change is one that you can’t see, because Subaru has dropped the 2.0-litre diesel engine from its UK line-up. Visual changes are modest and the Japanese manufacturer has added a redesigned grille, bumper and headlamp cluster at the front. Inside, gloss black panels and a larger eight-inch touchscreen, compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, have been added. Entry-spec SE models will feature a smaller 6.5-inch display. New safety technology has also been introduced; Lane Keep Assist and an uprated surround view camera system are now standard. Other safety kit is bundled into Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist pack, and includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Pre-collision Braking System…

“Around Audi’s test track its performance is savage; the sprint from 0-60mph takes less than 2.5 seconds” AUDI’S plan to launch three electric vehicles by 2020 is well known, but to whet our appetite, the German brand has brought its electric racer from the Gran Turismo video game to life, and Auto Express has been behind the wheel. The Vision Gran Turismo won’t directly make it into production, but will be used as an official race taxi in the Formula E series. The ultra-wide and low-riding two-seater is inspired by the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO of the nineties, but unlike its spiritual predecessor, it does not run on petrol; the Vision GT is fully electric and power comes from a 60kWh lithium-ion battery. It was built in less then…

THE finishing touches are being applied to the updated Audi TT. This flagship RS model, spied testing at the Nürburgring, is due a minor cosmetic update, extra tech and the possibility of more power. Behind the camouflage, expect to see some reshaped front and rear LED lights, while reprofiled front and rear bumpers will also be introduced. Like the current RS, the updated model will use Audi’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine and power could swell beyond the current 395bhp. Four-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission will help it fire from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds. Updates will extend to the rest of the TT line-up: Coupé, Roadster and TT S cars will benefit from the same cosmetic tweaks, while small power and efficiency changes are expected across the range.…

REPLACING the Shogun is going to be a stiffer challenge for Mitsubishi, the firm’s boss has conceded – although a new version of the manufacturer’s popular off-roader could yet share components with the L200 pick-up. Mitsubishi COO Trevor Mann told us: “The Pajero [sold as the Shogun in the UK] is deeply ingrained in everyone’s hearts. So we’re only looking now at what it should be – how we can make it compliant [with emissions rules] and get the economies of scale to make money on it, when that area of the market is decreasing. “We can look across the Alliance for a solution, but the likes of the Nissan Patrol are a very different vehicle from Pajero. We could look at developing something off an extended Triton [L200] truck…

“Andy hoped he would be getting the red carpet treatment from his dealer to match top-spec Kuga” MANY drivers pay extra for options such as leather seats and a sat-nav on their cars, and some even spend a little more in the hope of getting a better level of customer service. That’s what Andy Cole, from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, expected when he bought his Ford Kuga in March last year from Trust Ford in Staines. By opting for the Vignale trim, Andy hoped he would be getting the red carpet treatment from his dealer – including a personal relationship manager, plus other extra perks – to match his top-spec Kuga. But Andy’s problems started on day one. “When we first collected the car it wasn’t ready and we weren’t expected,” he…

“THE Prius was a complete change for me as my previous car was a Mazda MX-5,” explained Ross Bennet, a financial advisor from Aylestone, Leicester – although he’d toyed with the idea of one before. “I’d test driven the previous Prius and loved the hybrid set-up, but I didn’t like the looks,” he told us. “I like this one, though; it’s much more angular.” Ross’s decision to buy was driven by his head rather than his heart. He explained: “I couldn’t argue with the numbers. I was spending £200 a month on petrol for my MX-5, but in the Prius I spend around £50. It’s ridiculous how little fuel I’m putting in it.” But the Prius has also made Ross calmer behind the wheel. “It really encourages relaxed driving,” he…

NIKKI Young, chair of Mutual Support, the armed forces’ multiple sclerosis charity, owns a Peugeot 3008 GT Line, and has nothing but praise for it. She told us: “It’s just fantastic – the best car I’ve ever owned. I’ve covered 13,000 miles in six months, and it’s so smooth. The power is there when I want it, and the auto box is responsive.” What convinced her to go for the 3008 over rivals? “I looked at the Volkswagen Tiguan and Nissan Qashqai, but the 3008’s interior, powertrain and styling swayed me,” explained Nikki, from Yaxley, Suffolk. “It’s the bee’s knees; I love my 3008 and keep it spotless.” So the Peugeot is good to drive and looks great, but it’s also easy to live with. Nikki added: “The driving position…

JUST as the tide has turned towards petrol power in the family hatch market, Honda has released a diesel version of its five-door Civic. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though, because if you’re a motorist covering lots of miles every year, electing to go with diesel – especially newer Euro 6-compliant models like those in our test trio – can still add up. Motorway fuel economy is fantastic, there’s plenty of space, refinement is good and even these downsized engines deliver adequate torque to make progress relaxed. Or that’s the theory we’re putting to the test here. The Civic is squaring up to two of the best diesel family hatches on the market, in the shape of the Renault Mégane and Vauxhall Astra. Both of these contenders offer space,…

Running costs 53.4mpg (on test) £59 fill-up/£140 or 25% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 370/1,210 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 8.7 seconds/127mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 46.5/34.0/8.6m MODEL TESTED: Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi 136 SRi Nav PRICE: £23,305 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 134bhp THE latest Vauxhall Astra surprised many people when it was transformed from an also-ran into one of the best cars in its class. It’s great value for money in SRi Nav trim as well. It costs from £23,305, so it sits in between its rivals on price, but has a more powerful engine than either the Honda or Renault. Design & engineering VAUXHALL uses some clever details in the architecture underpinning the Astra to cut down on weight, so it’s up to 200kg lighter than its predecessor thanks to strategic use…

Running costs 39.9mpg (on test) £60 fill-up/£130 or 13% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 7.2 seconds/140mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 483/1,613 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 50.7/33.6/9.9m WHILE the Kia uses a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engine in conjunction with its electric motor, the Volkswagen features a downsized 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, which actually results in more power. The two sources combine to give the VW 215bhp and 400Nm of torque. Along with the sharper six-speed dual-clutch transmission, this meant the GTE was faster than the Optima on test, sprinting from 0-60mph in 7.2 seconds. It’s also 80kg lighter which, together with that extra torque, made it quicker in gear, too. However, there’s also a drawback to that DSG unit, because the switch between petrol and electric power isn’t quite as smooth as in…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.1 seconds/137mph Running costs 47.9mpg (on test) £81 fill-up/£140 or 28% tax Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk WINTER is finally over, and now that the weather is improving in the UK, we’ve got a new model to brighten up our fleet. This is Volkswagen’s new flagship car, the Arteon. It’s a four-door coupé that takes on the Audi A5 Sportback and, as you can see, it’s a beautiful thing. Our car’s Chilli Red metallic paint (£595) looks stunning in the spring sunshine. It’s got my creative juices flowing, and I’m looking forward to photographing it for Auto Express. For now, though, I’ve just been enjoying driving it instead. Unlike my old Peugeot 3008, the driving position feels very low and quite sporty, and the experience so far backs that up. The…

“A few laps of the Italian wet handling circuit revealed a very safe tyre” FIRST TEST Bridgestone Turanza 005 Price: £54 (185/65R15) Contact: www.bridgestone.co.uk THERE’S no doubting that the Turanza 005 is an important tyre for Bridgestone, because, alongside the brand’s run-flat DriveGuard, the new 005 will cover the entire touring market. It also represents a fundamental change in how the manufacturer develops a tyre. So has it been successful? Following its January launch we’ve now had the chance to try the 005 at Bridgestone’s proving ground near Rome, Italy. First impressions are good and it seems Bridgestone’s new policy of studying what drivers want from a tyre has paid off. Top of that list is wet grip and the range, which spans 14 to 21-inch rims, has the top A…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk PORSCHE has broken the lap record around the Spa-Francorchamps GP track in Belgium with a modified ‘Evo’ version of its retired 919 Le Mans racer, freed of World Endurance Championship (WEC) technical regulations. Works driver Neel Jani recorded a lap time of 1:41.770 – 0.783 seconds quicker than Lewis Hamilton’s 2017 Belgian Grand Prix pole position lap and 12 seconds faster than the pole lap recorded by the ‘legal’ version of the 919 at last year’s Spa WEC race. After his lap, Jani said: “The 919 Evo is brutally impressive. It’s definitely the fastest car I’ve ever driven. The grip is at a fully new dimension for me. The speed on which everything happens on a lap with the 919 Evo is so fast; the demand on reaction speed…