Auto Express 1411

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news WHERE the Detroit Motor Show now sits alongside the Consumer Electronics Show in the car calendar, so the Geneva Motor Show follows Europe’s biggest tech show, Mobile World Congress. You might wonder about MWC’s relevance to the car world, but it’s an important enough show for Ford to give the updated Kuga its world debut there (very nice, too – as is the Vignale version exclusively revealed on Page 52). SEAT, Volvo and Jaguar were also there and drawing big crowds. Among the many second tier industry suppliers at the show, the main theme I picked up from them was how 5G mobile networks are going to play a big role in the connectivity of our cars, helping make our motoring…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram A CONCEPT version of the new Honda Civic hatch has been revealed at the Geneva Motor Show – and last week Auto Express was granted an early interview with the chief designer to find out more about the upcoming 10th-generation model. While the car you see here is strictly for modelling purposes, it gives us a good idea of how the new version will look when it hits dealers in February 2017. Principal designer Diasuke Tsutamori told Auto Express: “This prototype is already on a very close level to mass production. When you see the final car, you’ll probably think it’s still the prototype.” It’s a stark departure from the current Civic, which has been criticised for its divisive styling. At the front, short overhangs, large air intakes…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram “Newcomer is the most powerful, most efficient and ‘most dynamically gifted’ Aston DB ever” AFTER months of speculation and spy shots, the Aston Martin DB11 has finally been revealed – and Auto Express has been given the lowdown on the car at the brand’s headquarters in Gaydon, Warks. The DB11 is Aston’s most significant model since the outgoing DB9 debuted in 2003. It’s the most powerful, most efficient and “most dynamically gifted” DB model in the company’s history, and will arrive in showrooms this year priced from £154,900. From the front it’s instantly recognisable, but shows the brand is moving in a new design direction after a decade of similarly styled models. This differentiation was so important during the design process that product development director Ian Minards told…

ALONGSIDE the DB11 sports car, Aston Martin has confirmed plans to build its upcoming crossover at a new facility in St Athan, Wales (right). It’ll run alongside the company’s HQ in Gaydon. Up to 1,000 new jobs will be created across the sites, as a result of a £200m investment. Factory construction work should commence next year, with the first cars set to reach customers in 2020. Around 90 per cent of St Athan’s output is due for export outside the UK. CEO Andy Palmer told us: “It’s a monumental moment. It takes us beyond sports cars. It makes us sustainable and gives us portfolio protection.”…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE THIS is the DS E-Tense concept, a luxurious all-electric GT that previews future styling, tech and drivetrains for the luxury brand. It’s been revealed at Geneva, but Auto Express had the chance to see the car up close ahead of the big unveil. DS product managers were keen to stress that the E-Tense isn’t merely a concept – it’s a real car that could go into production. Design manager Bertrand Dantec told us the only thing needed to build this model would be “a decision”. It’ll cover 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and hit 155mph, but still manages an EV range of 193 miles. DS product manager Olivier Desserprit told Auto Express: “It’s a different vision of the next step for DS, looking into electric cars. This is the…

THE new Maserati Levante SUV has been revealed in Geneva. It’ll hit dealers next year, with the brand hoping to recreate the buzz we saw around last year’s Jaguar F-Pace and Bentley Bentayga. Flowing lines add aggression to the jacked-up shape, while a large grille and slim headlamps dominate the nose. All models get an eight-speed auto box, four-wheel drive and electric suspension. Inside, there’s plenty of leather, from the seats to the doors and dashboard. A central screen will control the infotainment.…