Innholdsfortegnelse for 1705 i Auto Express

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler ● Production-ready electric SUV revealed ● Up to 350 miles of range and coming to UK REBORN Tesla rival Fisker has revealed its first production model at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show, and CEO Henrik Fisker exclusively revealed details of the car’s UK launch in 2023 to Auto Express. Prices are set to start from £32,490 for the smaller-battery Sport model, with a range of around 250 miles. This rises to £48,900 for the all-wheel-drive Ultra, with a claimed 340-mile range, and £59,900 for the range-topping Extreme, with a potential range “in excess of 350 miles”, according to Fisker. The first 5,000 cars built will be in full bellsand-whistles spec, badged Fisker Ocean One, with the same performance stats and price as the Extreme. However, it’s not…

We want to hear your views. Send your questions or opinions to the E-mail address below Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress FROM: Joseph Lynn MANUFACTURERS should get rid of any unnecessary features or make them optional extras. I need a stereo and sat-nav, but I want physical controls for volume and heating. I don’t want lane-keep assist or AEB. FROM: Craig Morris I’VE just gone back to a 2005 BMW 1 Series from a 2019 Volkswagen e-Golf. I’ve found the lack of gadgetry very refreshing so far. AEB in the Golf was over-sensitive and adaptive cruise control left a big gap that let people cut in in front of me. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “Anything beyond ABS, ESP and perhaps parking sensors is unnecessary.” Paul Lomas ■ “I…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.3 seconds/124mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 545/1,436 litres A FRESH outlook at Lexus means that the latest NX – a left-field Audi Q5, Mercedes GLC and BMW X3 rival – is not just the first Lexus model to be developed with a new philosophy, but the first Lexus to come with plug-in hybrid power. And we’re driving the PHEV version, which is badged 450h+. While it’s new technology for Lexus, it’s not a completely unknown quantity. The car shares its TNGA-K underpinnings with the latest Toyota RAV4, along with this hybrid set-up, comprising a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a CVT transmission, an electric motor and an 18.1kWh battery. More than 40 miles is possible on electric power, while CO2 emissions as low as 20g/km launch…

Running costs 45.2mpg (on test) £57 fill-up/£145 or 27% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 352/1,165 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.4 seconds/117mph MODEL TESTED: Hyundai i20 1.0 T-GDi Premium PRICE: £21,000 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo mild hybrid, 99bhp HYUNDAI’S latest models have challenged the best of the VW Group at the larger end of its range, so can the dinky i20 continue to fly the flag? This Premium trim is well equipped, but also the most expensive car here, at £21,000. Optional metallic paint adds £550 to that figure. Design & engineering FROM the outside, the i20 looks like the sportiest supermini here. The angular headlights drop down towards a grille that gives the impression of a low nose, while at the back the angular tail-lights extend into a red reflector…

CO2/tax 113-114g/km £155 Running costs 45-57mpg (1.0 TSI 115) £58 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.8 seconds/113mph WHEN Nissan introduced the Juke in 2010, it was an obvious move. Superminis were the most popular type of car across Europe, and SUVs were increasingly sought-after. Combining the two segments made perfect sense, and sure enough, these mini-SUVs sold like hot cakes pretty much regardless of which badge was on the nose. By the time SEAT got in on the act in 2017, many of its rivals had introduced mini-SUVs of their own; in the two years up to the Arona’s introduction, global sales of these smallest of crossovers had increased fourfold. Within four years of the Arona being introduced, SEAT had sold more than 350,000 of them, proving that it was the…

TOYOTA has announced prices and specs for its Aygo X. The city car is available to order from 1 December, starting from £14,795. Entry-level Pure trim comes with 17-inch alloys, a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Toyota’s Safety Sense system with adaptive cruise control. Step up to Edge spec, costing £16,495, and 18-inch alloys, auto wipers, rear privacy glass, front foglights and a larger eight-inch touchscreen are added. Exterior styling details include a two-tone paint finish with a contrasting black roof. The flagship is the £17,715 Exclusive model. It comes with synthetic leather and cloth upholstery, wireless phone charging, LED headlights, keyless entry, parking sensors and a nine-inch HD touchscreen. There’s also a First Edition variant from £19,640, which has unique styling and heated part-leather seats.…

King has only been at Fisker for six weeks, but the former Aston Martin man has shared his thoughts exclusively with Auto Express. Q What tempted you to leave Aston Martin for Fisker? A “I wanted to do something else with the last chapter of my career. I loved my time at Aston, but I wanted something a bit different that’s sustainable.” Q What’s the timeline on the Magic Works UK engineering base? A “We’re setting up a satellite office that draws on the expertise at HQ and grows as and when we need to. Imagine a small workshop sometime next year that may expand in 2023.” Q Henrik Fisker has spoken about two different models coming out of Magic Works, above and below £100,000 – does that fit in…

Tackling the motoring issues that matter BREMBO has revealed what it is heralding as a revolution in braking, a new system that it calls Sensify. It combines artificial intelligence and an electronically controlled braking system that can not only improve braking performance, but is also designed to work across a spectrum of different vehicle types — everything from city cars to vans and even hypercars. Brembo also foresees this system being applied to motorcycles, and potentially trailers and caravans, too. It should also be noted that it can be paired with any powertrain, be it petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric. The Sensify system is primarily operated electrically, although Brembo stops short of calling it a brake-by-wire system. There is still a brake pedal, but rather than activating a brake booster,…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Running costs 31.4mpg (official) £78 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.8 seconds/174mph TWO decades ago, a premium saloon with around 400bhp looked like BMW’s M5 of E39 vintage. In 2021 it takes the form of Audi’s new RS 3, a smaller saloon that punches with just as much power. We’ve already tried the RS 3 Sportback, which will be the bigger seller in the UK, but this saloon version still appeals to those wanting something fast, characterful and premium in a different bodystyle. Audi’s smallest RS model offers 395bhp from its 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine – a layout synonymous with Audi’s performance models. It sends that power to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, but it’s the model’s clever new RS Torque Splitter that is the biggest…

Running costs 41.0mpg (on test) £57 fill-up/£155 or 27% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 351/1,125 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.8 seconds/116mph MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 95 Style PRICE: £20,785 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 94bhp ONE of the biggest names in this small-car class has received a makeover for 2021 – but is the nip and tuck enough to help the Polo get back to the top of the class? Here we drive a Style model finished in Vibrant Violet Metallic – a new paint colour introduced with the revised range. Including that £595 option, it costs a total of £21,380. Design & engineering FIRST launched in 2016, the Polo Mk6 has been given a spruce-up to keep it fresh against the best in the supermini field, but also…

Volkswagen Polo Discover Media Navigation Key Features: 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit UNUSUALLY, the VW has the smallest infotainment screen in this company. Still, the eight-inch display is neatly integrated into the Polo’s dash design, and although the system itself isn’t as modern as the setups used by its rivals here, it remains logical and straightforward to use. The mapping is easy to use, thanks to a screen that responds quickly to pinching and swiping motions. However, the smaller display size means that the on-screen keyboard is a little small, making address entry a little more fiddly than it is in the i20 or Ibiza. However, the Digital Cockpit Pro instrument cluster is excellent. It’s easy to switch through the various functions of the 10.25-inch display via the steering wheel buttons, and…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk Running costs 53.4mpg (on test) £57 fill-up Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 362/1,149 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.6 seconds/106mph PASSENGERS have described them as whooshes, whistles or whirrs, but regardless of what name you give them, I’ve become quite fond of the range of little noises that our new Renault Captur E-Tech makes while it’s in electric-only mode. The crossover has just joined our fleet – marking its debut by beating the Honda HR-V and SEAT Arona (below) in last week’s road test – and is the latest generation of self-charging hybrid. Although you don’t get the 30-odd miles of pure-electric driving that the pricier plug-in hybrid variant provides, you do spend more time under only battery power than might be imagined. It’s not just in town where the Captur…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● Limited-run Icona model packs 829bhp V12 ● 0-62mph in 2.85 seconds, top speed more than 211mph “Bespoke body mixes cutting-edge aerodynamics with nods to Ferrari’s sports prototypes from the sixties” FERRARI has never shied away from its heritage, and its Icona series of models celebrates some of its most prestigious moments. The front-engined Monza SP1 and SP2 led the way, but now it’s time for the first mid-engined Icona car: the Daytona SP3. This new creation is a tribute to one of Ferrari’s greatest ever days on the race track, when the firm locked out all three podium positions at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours with a 330 P3/4, 330 P4 and 412 P. The Daytona SP3 is Ferrari’s first midengined V12 since the LaFerrari hypercar. It…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk ● Euro NCAP awards scores for tech in seven new models ● Tests were conducted in the UK by Thatcham Research ● Makers praised for highlighting limits of systems THE BMW iX3 has been awarded a “very good” ranking out of seven cars assessed for the performance of their assisted driving tech. It joins the Mercedes GLE, BMW 3 Series and Audi A8, which received similar “very good” ratings in 2020, while the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Cupra Formentor assistance systems have been judged as “good”. The latest assessments, which rate features such as speed and steering assistance, and adaptive cruise control, have also seen the Polestar 2 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 earn only “moderate” ratings, while the Toyota Yaris and Vauxhall Mokka-e were assessed as “entry” level. Thatcham…

Countdown to first Lotus SUV commences SPRING 2022 will mark the start of a new era for Lotus, when the brand launches its first ever SUV (above). Codenamed Type 132, the high-riding all-electric model will be based on the British brand’s Premium Architecture. The platform is compatible with batteries between 90-120kWh, and when combined with an 800-volt electrical system and rapid-charge capability that could hit 350kW, maximum range should be more than 400 miles. Bad timing scuppers towing law change A PROPOSED change to trailer towing laws scheduled for 15 November has been delayed due to Parliament not having time to vote on the measures. The proposal would remove the requirement for new drivers, and those who passed their test after 1997, to take an extra test to tow a…

RANGE ROVER LA saw the crucial new Range Rover tempting wealthy Californian buyers on its public debut. VIP customers enjoyed a pre-show preview led by design boss Gerry McGovern, while interest in the new car was described as “incredible – better than we could have expected”. VINFAST Vietnamese EV start-up Vinfast used LA to show its new VF e35 and VF e36 electric SUVs. The company promises affordable luxury, with both models getting plush interiors. The pair use the same 397bhp, 640Nm electric powertrain, while a range of 422 miles is also claimed. F-100 ELUMINATOR EV Ford joined the popular restomod scene with this all-electric recreation of a 1978 F-100 pick-up. Under the skin is the powertrain from a Mustang Mach-E GT, while the truck’s classic interior has been modernised.…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler TYPE R-thrills aside, the Honda Civic – while undoubtedly a global success, given its 11 generations – has never really put its name up in lights in Europe. This new Mk11 Civic has already gone on sale in four-door form in the US, which is where we managed to get our first drive as part of the annual World Car of the Year judging session. It’s up for the main award next year, and that would make a fine 50th birthday present. But is it a winner? As well as being a four-door model, our test car came with a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine and a CVT automatic gearbox. The same spec sits in the outgoing Civic in the UK, but the new European model is going all…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Battery/range 77.4kWh (usable) 300 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.2 seconds/114mph THERE was a time, not too long ago, when the idea of a Kia costing even £30,000 would have been hard to comprehend. But the Korean brand has matured greatly over the past decade, to the point where there is currently a very healthy order book for its Sorento large SUV – a car that could cost you more than £50k. There’s a sense of quiet confidence about Kia’s new electric flagship, the EV6, breaking the same price barrier. EVs still cost more than their combustion-engined counterparts anyway, and the market is also very “green”, with brand equity and image playing a lesser role. Perfect fodder, really, for a company like Kia, complete with the hi-tech backing of…

Running costs 41.6mpg (on test) £57 fill-up/£155 or 28% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 355/1,165 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.8 seconds/116mph MODEL TESTED: SEAT Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95 FR PRICE: £19,580 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 94bhp WHILE the Ibiza name doesn’t quite hold the status of the Polo in the supermini segment, it remains a big-selling car, and indeed SEAT’s most successful nameplate ever. We’re testing the latest version in FR spec here, which costs £19,580 with the 1.0 TSI 95 engine. There are no extras added to that cost either; even metallic paint is included. Design & engineering FLICK through the Ibiza’s vital stats, and all of the numbers look remarkably similar to the Polo’s. The pair come within 15mm of one another in length, 12mm in wheelbase, and…

Renault Clio TCe 90 S Edition PRICE: £19,100 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 89bhp ON balance the Clio doesn’t drive quite as well as the Polo, nor is its three-cylinder turbo engine as flexible. But in all other areas the Renault has an edge; it’s more practical, better equipped and feels more expensive, even though it’s cheaper. Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost ST-Line PRICE: £20,720 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 99bhp IT’S a given that if you want a supermini that’s brilliant to drive, then you buy a Fiesta. But there’s much more to appreciate than just its engaging handling. The engine is smooth, there’s decent space inside, and there’s more tech in the facelifted model.…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk Running costs 31.7mpg (test) £73 fill-up Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 380/1,210 litres WITHOUT wishing to sound too much like the silver-haired, shiny-suited second-hand car salesman Swiss Tony, cars, like fine wines, don’t always travel too well. There are numerous reasons why, and you might be surprised how often it happens. You drive a car on its international launch, often on unfamiliar but great roads, and you like the new model very much indeed and give it a rave review. Then you drive the same car back in the UK and it feels completely different. Sometimes this is because UK roads are unique. But there are other occasions when the car itself changes before it makes its way across the English Channel, and I’m both glad and disappointed to report…

Q Is glass cleaner necessary? MY uncle has told me that glass cleaners are a waste of time and you only need to use a damp cloth then a dry one? Is he right? Mike Yarrow, E-mail A IF glass is cleaned regularly then a damp cloth may indeed be sufficient, but we prefer to use a specialised cleaner if the grime has built up. Just use it sparingly, because if too much is applied it takes time to properly remove. We also prefer to apply the cleaner to a clean cloth to prevent overspray and using too much. Q What are winter tyre rules? I’M travelling to Germany to visit relatives over the Christmas holiday. Must I fit winter tyres? Jack Smitheram, E-mail A IT depends on how you…

Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk Q Where’s the software fix to smooth my jerky Vauxhall? MY 2016 Vauxhall Mokka is jerky when I pull away from a standstill. You addressed this issue in a Watchdog article in 2018 and said there is a software update to fix the issue. No dealer I’ve spoken to is aware of it, though. Any ideas? KM, E-mail A WE spoke to Vauxhall and happily, as a result of our intervention and further enquiries you made, your car was taken to a dealer and had a software update installed. You told us the problem has now disappeared. Vauxhall previously stated there was no issue with the car as standard, but that it didn’t suit certain owners’ driving styles, in which case the update is available to deal with the…

THE C-Class won the Compact Executive Car crown in our 2018 New Car Awards – and the same strengths that secured it that win make it a great used buy. The Merc’s comfort and refinement are the real highlights, the combination of a supple ride and a well insulated cabin making it a superb long-distance cruiser. It’s not quite as much fun to drive as the Jaguar or Alfa, but the handling is fine, with plenty of grip. The 2.0-litre diesel is the smoothest and quietest here, plus it’s a muscular performer and mated to an excellent gearbox that helps it sprint from 0-60mph in an impressive 6.5 seconds. Inside, style and space combine to impressive effect. Build quality is impeccable and the materials lift the C-Class above its rivals.…

AN Auto Express favourite, the XE won many group tests before being toppled by the C-Class. The Jag is a tempting saloon sprinkled with sporty appeal, plus it’s handsome, great to drive and lavishly equipped. It’s not quite as engaging to drive as the Alfa, but the rear-wheel-drive Jag is still agile and entertaining. More importantly, it combines this with a cosseting ride that almost matches the Merc’s for comfort. If there’s a weakness it’s the engine, which can’t match its rivals’ refinement, performance and efficiency. The Jaguar’s interior is as comfortable as you’d expect from the brand, with generous levels of kit including dual-zone climate control and autonomous emergency braking. Its touchscreen lags behind the Merc’s set-up, but if your budget stretches to a post-2019 model, you’ll get the…

Save up to £98 on an annual Christmas gift subscription on the best motoring magazines around. Share your passion and get hassle-free gifts that last all year. VISIT US AT magazinedeals.co.uk/mpxmas to claim your special offer or call 0330 333 9491 using offer code P21XM Calls to 03 numbers will be charged at your standard local rate. This offer closes on 24th December 2021. The number of issues published in a 3, 6 or 12 month period will vary for each magazine. Discounts are based on the shop price of a single issue. The number of issues ordered will be displayed upon checkout. Offer only available on subscriptions delivered to UK addresses. All gift subscriptions will begin in January 2022.…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn • Ehrlacher has one hand on title • Frenchman is 36 points ahead with 60 available THE Sochi Autodromin Russia plays host to the final round of the FIA WTCR World Touring Car Cup, and Lynk & Co driver Yann Ehrlacher will be looking to wrap up a second consecutive WTCR title at the circuit. The Frenchman goes into the final round with 201 points and a 36-point lead over Audi driver and fellow countryman Frédéric Vervisch. However, with a maximum of 60 points on offer from two qualifying sessions and two races, Ehrlacher isn’t taking anything for granted, especially since this will be the first time WTCR has visited Sochi. “To be honest I don’t know much [about Sochi Autodrom],” said Ehrlacher. “I know it’s a track…

WHILE the WTCR title decider (left) is relatively clear cut, there are five drivers in with a chance of winning the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Just 29 points cover Peugeot drivers Timmy and Kevin Hansen, Audi’s Johan Kristoffersson and Hyundai’s Niclas Grönholm, while fellow i20 driver Krisztián Szabó also has a mathematical chance of taking the title. The final round is happening this weekend at the Nürburgring in Germany. The double-header event takes place on a brand-new course that has been built on the southern section of the Grand Prix circuit. It combines parts of the tarmac track with dirt sections, while the grandstands surrounding the track will help to provide an amphitheatre-style atmosphere. The final round marks the end of an era for World Rallycross, because the current petrol-powered…

THERE’S nowt wrong with a catchy one-liner, but the often-repeated claim that goes something like “the switch from internal combustion to pureelectric cars is the biggest change ever in the history of the auto industry” is not right, I suspect. If you really must know what the largest transformation was (and still is), in the last 100-plus years of car building, here’s your answer – Asia. In the 1970s, the first Asian car maker – Japan – broke the Europe/North America “cartel” by tempting buyers into models offering more bang for their buck and better quality. A decade or two later, South Korea – an even smaller country with far fewer people – also launched itself as a maker of value cars for export. Neighbouring China jumped on the bandwagon,…