Auto Express 1410

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news THERE are some things in the car business that are hard to explain and Fiat is one of them. It’s a company with the sort of heritage some brands would pay handsomely for and, on the face of it, not a bad current line-up. But something’s not adding up with UK buyers. Despite the arrival of the (rather good) 500X into the burgeoning small SUV sector, complete with some hard-working finance offers, Fiat’s UK sales were down over four per cent in 2015 with a bigger 15 per cent tumble in the first month of 2016. Yes, Fiat’s range is limited – there’s not much of interest that doesn’t wear a 500 badge. But small cars are still big news and…

First for news every week ■ Fifty years after iconic 124 Spider’s birth, we drive new roadster ■ Mazda body, suspension, transmission, but own engine and look James_Disdale@dennis.co.uk FIAT is heading back to the future with its latest addition. Exactly half a century after the Italian brand launched its iconic 124 Spider sports car, it has resurrected the name for an all-new two-seat roadster. The sixties original remained in production for nearly two decades, so the newcomer has a lot to live up to. It certainly has to do better than Fiat’s last effort at a sporty droptop: the Barchetta. Although that 1995 model was very good looking, it was hobbled by its front-wheel-drive chassis and left-hand-drive-only layout. Sales were subsequently low – and the car disappeared from British dealerships…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “SUV is set to feature a longer rear overhang that will help to make it a larger car altogether” VOLKSWAGEN is planning a larger, more practical version of its Polo hatchback for 2018, and the range will be augmented by the introduction of a proper baby SUV version – revealed in our exclusive main image – that’s likely to arrive soon after the regular car’s launch. VW insiders told us that the nextgeneration Polo will be stretched, as the brand makes its own small car the first supermini in the VW Group to switch to the MQB platform. Unlike the current model and Skoda Fabia, which sit on older architecture, the next Polo will introduce the smallest version yet of the MQB platform, called A0. Engineers have been…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE “There’s a lower roofline, longer wheelbase and shorter rear overhang than on previous model” RENAULT is continuing the family car revolution it started with the Kadjar SUV and new Mégane hatch on its new Scenic. The brand has clearly taken inspiration from its Kadjar crossover, as the MPV – set to debut at next week’s Geneva Motor Show – gets an SUV-like makeover, with a pumped-up look. The now-familiar oversized badge gives the car the latest Renault family face, while every model comes equipped with 20-inch wheels as standard to provide an elevated stance. There’s also a lower roofline, longer wheelbase and shorter rear overhang than on the previous model. This all adds up to a car that’s less MPV and more family-focused SUV, although the curved windscreen…

JOINING the all-new Scenic on Renault’s stand at Geneva will be the more practical version of the Mégane, the Sport Tourer. It shares the same bold front end, oversized diamond badge and distinctive LED light signature as the hatchback. It’s only from the C-pillar back that changes are evident, with the extended rear overhang. The Sport Tourer will be shown first in this range-topping GT spec, complete with 18-inch alloys, a diffuser-style rear bumper and a chrome exhaust tailpipe. Rounding off the additions are a chunkier radiator grille and honeycomb mesh inserts. Unlike some rivals, the Mégane Sport Tourer’s wheelbase is unchanged from the hatch’s. Renault promises the “segment’s longest maximum load length, and a versatile interior with a choice of boot arrangements”. No official details have yet been confirmed,…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram FORD revealed its US-spec Escape SUV at the LA Motor Show in November, and three months later the car has appeared in Europe with Kuga badges on the back. The car was expected to debut at the Geneva Motor Show, but Ford has released a suite of pictures – along with official engine and spec details – a week early. Headline news is that there’s a new SYNC 3 infotainment system (see panel, opposite), as well as updated styling and a new 1.5-litre diesel designed for improved efficiency. The interior has had a nip and tuck, too, to help the Kuga rival premium SUVs such as the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. The newcomer gets a bold two-bar grille, tweaked LED daytime running lights and all-new front bumpers,…