Innholdsfortegnelse for 1714 i Auto Express

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods DBX707 arrives in summer 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds ASTON Martin has revealed what it calls “the world’s most powerful luxury SUV” in the form of a new, high-performance version of the DBX. It’s called the DBX707 and, like the regular DBX, it will be built at the brand’s St Athan factory in South Wales. It hits the road this summer. The headline figures read 697bhp (the 707 name refers to its metric horsepower), with 900Nm of torque going to all four wheels. The 707 will get from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds – that’s 0.1 seconds quicker than the latest Porsche 911 GT3 – and while its top speed has not been confirmed, expect a decent advance on the regular DBX’s 181mph, edging close to 200mph. What makes those…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Longer range for new model First electric Skoda vRS SKODA has added the Enyaq Coupé iV to its electric SUV line-up. Based on the same MEB platform as the standard Enyaq, the sleeker Coupé is available with three motor options, while better aerodynamics mean even more range from its 82kWh battery, serving up a maximum of 339 miles. The entry-level car features a rear-mounted 201bhp electric motor, while the 80x model adds a motor to the front axle for fourwheel drive and a total of 261bhp. Skoda’s first-ever electric vRS model has also made its debut in the form of the Enyaq Coupé iV vRS. With four-wheel drive, 295bhp and 460Nm of torque, the vRS will accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 111mph.…

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: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumerombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.7 seconds/124mph Practicality Boot (seats up) 520 litres LEXUS is a hybrid stalwart. Aside from the V8 RC and LC coupés, every model in the brand’s range comes exclusively with electrification. The new NX is no different. It was launched first as a plug-in (Issue 1,705), and now we’re driving the hybrid NX 350h edition in the UK. This conventional hybrid is around £9,000 cheaper than the NX 450h+ plug-in. For private buyers, and those looking at finance deals, that’s a lot. But delve a little deeper and things may be less clear-cut. Take the PHEV’s 40-mile electric range for example; plug that car in every day and you could instantly slash your fuel bills, only filling up for longer journeys. Then there’s company car…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.0 seconds/1112mph Running costs 30.7mpg (off icial) WITH fewer rivals in the pick-up class, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Ford Ranger – the sector’s best-seller by a big margin – would just plod on as-is until the all-new version arrives in 2023. But Ford isn’t done with the current generation just yet, having introduced no less than four new versions to the line-up at the end of 2021. Here we’re driving the Ranger MS-RT, arguably the most interesting model of the new quartet. The initials MS-RT might already be familiar to you if you’re a fast Ford fan. The company is an offshoot of the M-Sport rally team that’s just taken victory at the 2022 Monte Carlo Rally. It already sells modified…

MODELTESTED: Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor PRICE: £42,900 POWER: Single motor, 78kWh battery, 228bhp Running costs 3.5mi/kWh (on test) £13 recharge/£0 or 1% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 440/1,095 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.0 seconds/100mph WITH prices starting from £42,900, the Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor is the cheapest car here. Even when you add the £4,000 Plus pack (which includes a heat pump, panoramic roof, Harman Kardon sound system, electric seats and more) and the £3,000 Pilot pack (uprated LED headlights, a 360-degree parking camera, ‘Pilot Assist’ adaptive cruise control) our test car still just slips under the £50,000 mark. Design & engineering THIS Long Range Single Motor model is the third and most recent variant to join the Polestar 2 family. As with the entry-level car,…

1st BMW THE margins are incredibly slim, but the BMW just snatches the win here. As a driver’s car, there’s no contest; few EVs at any price ride, handle and feel as fundamentally accomplished as the i4. It’s backed up by brilliant tech, a practical boot and great build quality. It does cost a little more than the Model 3 and it isn’t quite as efficient, but otherwise it’s not just a brilliant EV, it’s a brilliant car in general. 2nd TESLA MARK this trio purely on the numbers, and it’s very hard to look past the Model 3. It’s the fastest car here, yet it still achieves the greatest efficiency, and on monthly finance payments it offers great value for money. Tesla’s Supercharger network is still class-leading, too. However,…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q Does battery need replacing? DURING the winter I left the lights on and ran the battery flat on my car. I recharged it overnight, but the starter is still not as fast as it was. Do I need a new battery? Wayne Hill, E-mail A COLD weather and batteries do not get on, so the slow starter could be down to low temperatures. Nothing happens fast with batteries, and it may well take longer than overnight to fully charge a deeply discharged unit. We’d give the battery at least a 24-hour charge – longer if possible – on a battery charger (above) and see if there’s an improvement before you replace it. Q Benefits of silicone switch I HAVE an early Mazda MX-5 which I…

DASH cams are becoming cheaper and more sophisticated, which is prompting more of us to fit devices that can watch over us while we’re out on the road. If you are thinking of taking the plunge, there are two new products that seem to be remarkably good value. The first is part of a new range from accessory giant Ring. The RSDC3000 sits in the middle of the company’s new line-up and costs less than £90. Meanwhile, Nexar’s stylish new cam has a trick up its sleeve in the form of an interior camera, although is a little pricier than its rival as a result. To test both new arrivals we tried them against our previous budget camera favourite – the DDPAI Mola N3. Although the Mola is still a…

Loeb back for second season of Extreme E SEBASTIEN Loeb and his team-mate Cristina Gutierrez have both been re-signed by Lewis Hamilton’s X44 team for the second season of the Extreme E off-road racing series. The duo finished 2021 level on points with champions Rosberg RXR, but lost the title due to having fewer wins over the course of the season. Elsewhere, the M-Sport Ford team is keen to have Loeb turn out for more WRC rounds this year in its new Puma Hybrid Rally1 car, following his victory on last month’s Rallye Monte Carlo. Channel 4 will show Formula E in the UK FANS in the UK will be able to watch the current 2021-22 Formula E season on Channel 4, after the broadcaster announced a deal on the…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Two-seat T.33 enters production next year • Powered by 607bhp Cosworth V12 GORDON Murray Automotive has followed up the T.50 with a new supercar that’s billed as being more approachable, but just as pure in its attitude to performance. It’s called the T.33 and it will go into production next year with a conventional two-seat layout. The new car gets its own chassis made from carbon fibre and aluminium, and loses the fan-based aerodynamics of the T.50, resulting in a neat, clean shape. “It’s really a look that’s been in my head for many years,” designer Gordon Murray told us. “It’s absolutely not retro, but there are a lot of small influences from my favourite sports racing cars of the sixties.” Key features include vertically stacked headlights,…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods THE NEW Range Rover is now available as a plug-in hybrid, with prices starting from £103,485. Two versions are offered: the P440e and the more powerful P510e. Both models use a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo petrol engine in tandem with a 141bhp electric motor and a 38kWh battery (with a usable capacity of 31kWh), but the P440e’s engine is detuned slightly. The total output of the P440e stands at 434bhp with 620Nm of torque, while the P510e steps things up to 503bhp and 700Nm. Land Rover claims 0-62mph times of 6.0 seconds and 5.5 seconds, while top speeds are 140mph and 150mph respectively. Both cars will offer up to 70 miles of range on electric power, and CO2 emissions are as low as 18g/km. This means Benefit-in-Kind tax of…

All-new ‘electric Elise’ on way from Lotus A NEW all-electric sports car successor to the Lotus Elise is on the way, the company has confirmed. The car (above) is due in 2026 and uses a new platform called E-Sports that’s currently under development. It will also be used by the next-generation Alpine A110. Along with the teaser, the brand confirmed that it has signed a working deal with British battery specialist Britishvolt to provide cell technology for its next-generation electric sports car. Covid and chips put pay to UK production CAR production in the UK saw its worst year since 1956 in 2021, with 859,575 units built – a decline of 6.7 per cent from 2020 and 34 per cent from 2019. The semiconductor shortage was the primary cause, along…

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: Andrew P Mansbridge SMART motorways are a classic case of a great idea on paper, but terrible in the real world, because of drivers not paying attention, not understanding the rules or being distracted. They’re a terrible idea in reality. FROM: Greg Chorchel THE problem is too much money has already been invested, hence the ones already under construction are going to be completed. Adding more emergency refuge areas will help, but I think it will still be dangerous in some cases. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “Having the M62 ripped up, only to be left with no hard shoulder was miserable.”Josh Stankler “If a driver can’t stop…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk SINCE its launch in 2019, when the Mk5 Renault Clio went straight to the top of its class, Renault has streamlined the range. It has added a hybrid and dropped the diesel option, both in line with buyer trends. However, it’s also tweaked its bestselling 1.0-litre TCe petrol model. Now producing 89bhp rather than the 99bhp it launched with as a TCe 100, this Clio TCe 90 is slightly less powerful, but offers the same fuel economy of 54.3mpg. The trim structure has changed too, with this latest Iconic Edition now representing the entry point to ownership, at £18,290. Although the engine now produces 10bhp less, it has an identical 160Nm of torque, meaning that you won’t notice too much difference in performance. A 0-62mph time of 12.2 seconds…

MODELTESTED: Tesla Model 3 Long Range PRICE: £49,990 POWERTRAIN: Dual motor, 75kWh battery, 434bhp Running costs 4.4mi/kWh (on test) £13 recharge/£0 or 1% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 425 litres/N/A Performance 0-60mph/top speed 4.2 seconds/145mph AS with the BMW, it’s easy to ramp up the price of the Model 3 with a few select options. Throw in the likes of metallic paint (£1,100), 19-inch wheels (£1,500), the Black and White Premium Interior (£1,100) and Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot system (£3,400) and the initial £49,990 price of the Long Range model you see here climbs to £58,080. Design & engineering OF the three cars in this contest, the Model 3 is the only one that uses a platform designed exclusively for electric vehicles. This has allowed Tesla’s engineers to package the 75kWh…

6 ISSUES FOR £1 Then if you continue to subscribe after your trial you pay from just £26.99 every three months (saving you 43%). If for any reason you’re not satisfied you can cancel at any time and receive a refund on any unmailed issues. DELIVERED FREE Every issue is delivered to your door, free of charge. It’ll arrive in paper packaging, too, making it easier than ever to recycle. WELCOME TO THE FAMILY We offer every subscriber a free welcome gift when they come on board. This month get a bottle STP® Complete Fuel System Cleaner worth £14.99. For convenience, scan our QR code with your camera phone for quick access to our secure online store! YOUR FREE GIFT Subscribe to Auto Express today and get a free STP®…

Lola: The T70 and Can-Am Cars Gordon Jones (Evro Publishing, evropublishing.com) Price: £95 Rating: SPORTS car devotees will enjoy this look back at the T70, and data nerds will love that it tracks the lives of every one built. It’s a niche offering, indepth, and priced accordingly, but if you’re passionate about these cars, you’ll love its exhaustive recording and impressive array of photos. Formula One Race Engineering Ernesto Desiderio (Libri d’Impresa, libridimpresa.it) Price: £15.99 Rating: A HIGHLY technical look at the methods some F1 drivers use when making decisions in the heat of a race. Written by an F1 performance engineer who has taught his own tactics, it’s very interesting – ideal for drivers who want to extract that extra tenth of a second, or for fans, who’ll enjoy…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk Q Should I pay for pricey brake pads to keep my warranty? I TOOK my 30,000-mile car to be serviced at a main dealer and was told it needed new brake pads. This seems early, and the quoted price was £250, which sounds expensive, but I want to keep my warranty. Any advice? Name withheld, E-mail A BRAKE pads typically last around 50,000 miles, but can wear faster than this. If the old pads have worn, it’s wise to replace them, both from a safety perspective and to maintain the warranty. That said, £250 is a lot to pay for a new set, so you may wish to look for a cheaper quote at an independent garage. If they use manufacturer-approved parts, your warranty will…

RIGHT now, life is sweet for two of Britain’s greatest assets – Bentley and Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA). It could even be argued that, despite the ongoing problems in our pandemicravaged world, these two have never had it so good. Last Wednesday, I witnessed the British and German Bentley boys and girls in buoyant mood as they spoke with genuine enthusiasm about their existing or imminent hybrid and pure-electric products, the record year they’ve just enjoyed, ambitious UK production plans, massive (and non-subsidised) financial investment on English soil, plus tons more upbeat stuff. Know that sensation when you can’t help but feel proud to be British? That’s what I got from Bentley a few days ago. And the following day I witnessed more feel-good ambition, inspiration and positivity – thanks…

THE next Morgan ‘Three-Wheeler’ will be unveiled on 24 February, powered by a three-cylinder Ford engine. Morgan hasn’t confirmed the exact name of the car yet and only refers to it as its new “three-wheeled model”. But trademark applications suggest that the car will be called Super3. Morgan says the new car will be its first clean-sheet design since the Aero 8, launched in 2000. The brand has also hinted that this will be its most customisable model yet, while Steve Morris, Chairman and CEO of Morgan Motor Company, said: “The allnew model continues a 113 year legacy of three-wheeled Morgan cars, and – as has always been the case – the new model will be totally different to anything else.”…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods NISSAN has committed to the supermini market in Europe by confirming that it intends to replace the Micra with an allelectric model, which will be related to the new Renault 5 that’s due to launch in 2024. “This all-new model will be designed by Nissan and engineered and manufactured by Renault using our new common platform,” revealed Nissan Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta. The firm also teased the new car (right) and previewed in our exclusive main image. It will feature a more rounded design than the angular Renault 5. “This is a great example of the Alliance’s ‘smart differentiation’ approach,” Gupta added. “Succeeding our iconic Micra, I am sure this new model will provide further excitement to our customers in Europe.” Sales of the current petrol-powered Micra…

POLESTAR has made another prototype based on its 2 car, and it’s the complete opposite of the Experimental Polestar 2 revealed at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s called the Polestar 2 Arctic Circle, and is inspired by winter rallying. The ride height is increased by 30mm and the springs are softened. New 19-inch OZ wheels are shod in studded tyres, and the car includes spotlamps, further body protection and a unique livery. Power is increased to 469bhp and there is 680Nm of torque. Polestar has no serious plans to put the one-off prototype into production. PAGE 30: Polestar 2 vs Model 3 & i4…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram STYLING is a subjective point that we don’t often tackle in an Auto Express review, but we’ll make an exception for the Maserati MC20. We reckon that the brand’s first supercar since the MC12 in 2004 might already be one of the most dramatic shapes of the year. It seems that the general public agree: few cars in recent memory have received more jaw-dropped gawps during our time behind the wheel. Certain parts of that flowing body have hints of the MC12. Others, such as the butterfly doors and the shape of the vents in the rear screen that form a Maserati trident, give the MC20 true supercar theatre. As far as announcing Maserati’s return to the supercar fray, it’s a great first impression. We never doubted that…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.2 seconds/133mph Running costs 156mpg (off icial) £87 fill-up BMW has been gently nudging its bigselling 3 Series towards electrification for a while. But while there was a plug-in hybrid version of the previous generation of the car, it was restricted to rear-wheel drive and the saloon bodystyle. That changes with the current iteration, which adds a PHEV wagon, with a choice of transmissions. This is our first chance, then, to see how the more practical 3 Series Touring feels with plug-in power. And, in the case of our test car, xDrive four-wheel drive. Under the metal, the recipe is the same as the 330e saloon. There’s a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine producing 182bhp, and an electric motor that’s integrated into the car’s eight-speed…

MODELTESTED: BMW i4 eDrive40 M Sport PRICE: £53,405 POWER: Single motor, 80.7kWh battery, 335bhp Running costs 3.8mi/kWh (on test) £14 recharge/£0 or 1% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 470/1,290 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.7 seconds/118mph THE BMW i4 in eDrive40 M Sport trim driven here costs £53,405. Add the Visibility Pack (£1,500, including laser headlights), Tech Plus Pack (£3,900, with steering-assisted cruise control, a Harman Kardon sound system and more), M Sport Pro pack (£2,500, with 19-inch wheels, uprated brakes and variable steering) plus the Brooklyn Grey paint paired with fetching Red leather upholstery (£695 and £1,300 respectively) and the total climbs to £63,200. Design & engineering IF you think that the i4 looks a little familiar, that’s because its bodyshell is very similar to the combustion-powered 4 Series Gran…

BMW i4 iDrive OS 8 Key features: Over-the-air updates THE i4 borrows its infotainment tech from the iX electric SUV, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel placed alongside a 14.9-inch touchscreen in one seamless, gently curving display. It looks stunning, and unlike its rivals here, manages to strike a usable balance between contemporary touchscreen functions and the iDrive clickwheel and shortcut buttons. These are so intuitive that they barely need a second glance to use. The screens look fantastic – although some drivers who are used to BMW’s simple analogue clocks might think the semi-hexagonal speedometer design is a little fussy. The graphics are clear, though. If you’d rather make the most of your smartphone’s processing power, then the latest iDrive system integrates the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto apps…

RetroClassic tees up new Campbell range RetroClassic Clothing has launched a new line-up of T-shirts commemorating the legendary father-and-son pairing of Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, who are best known for their land and water speed record attempts. Produced in collaboration with the Campbell Family Heritage Trust, the five new shirts feature designs from the family’s photo archives, showing the Sunbeam 350hp and Campbell-Railton Blue Bird land speed record cars, as well as the Bluebird K7 water speed record craft. They’re available in sizes XS to 4XL, cost £24 and can be ordered at retroclassicclothing.com. New online home for automotivecharity MOTOR-industry charity Ben has a new website. Anyone in the trade can access self-help tools and resources if they’re struggling with their mental health, anxiety, money worries or an array of…