Auto Express 1417

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news HOW I’ve loved Formula One over the years. I worshipped Nigel Mansell as a lad (so what a joy to have him in the pages of Auto Express this week), I’ve stood on muddy banks watching the daring do’s of more modern day heroes, I’ve bought and worn the teamwear, subscribed to watch live on TV and had the privilege of meeting some of the drivers, including the legendary and charming Michael Schumacher. But in spite of all that, my love affair with F1 is almost over. The candle still flickers away in the hope that those who run it, whoever they are (and that’s part of the problem), realise it’s fast becoming a farce – a global laughing stock. Let’s…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy ■ Classier look for Q5, plus front-wheel drive for the first time ■ Will sit on new platform; set to be 100kg lighter than before “Inside, it will get improved materials as well as greater scope for personalisation” AUDI’S all-new Q5 SUV will be more upmarket and refined when it reaches showrooms before the end of the year. Spied testing at the Nürburgring (above, right), the prototype Q5 shows how Audi is keeping the existing model’s chunky look and steering it away from the awkward angles of the recently launched Q2. As illustrated in our exclusive images, it will feature a prominent hexagonal front grille, slimmer headlamps than those on the outgoing model and triple-slat air intakes. Given the size and design of the alloy wheels, the car…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “The view from behind the wheel is classic SUV, but it’s easy to place the front wheels” “The Skoda Kodiaq will potentially offer more space than a Nissan X-Trail for similar cash” SKODA’S big SUV is heading rapidly towards UK showrooms, with a production version of the Vision S concept due in September. Auto Express has been behind the wheel of the show car to get an idea of what we can expect. The Vision S will be called Kodiaq when deliveries start next spring. It’s a five and seven-seat large SUV that has potential to shake up the market, undercutting the Hyundai Santa Fe and Kia Sorento on price and potentially offering more space than a Nissan X-Trail for similar cash. The Vision S’s exterior gives a…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy PSA GROUPE PSA’s PLAN AT A GLANCE ■ 26 new cars by 2021, including seven new Citroens by 2018 ■ Seven plug-in hybrids, four new pure-electric vehicles, including an upmarket 4x4 EV ■ A pick-up and seven additional commercial vehicles by 2021 ■ Expansion of car sharing scheme and ‘pay as you drive’ plans ■ Ten-year plan to work out needs of American buyers, then re-enter that market ■ Profit margin target of six per cent by 2021. The company’s average between 2001 and 2015 was just one per cent ■ Heavy investment in aftermarket parts sales through three different providers PEUGEOT, Citroen and DS will launch a total of 26 new models over the next five years, including full-electric cars and plug-in hybrids, as part of a…

ALONGSIDE PSA’s product offensive, Citroen boss Linda Jackson said the brand should consider haggle-free prices. Jackson told Auto Express that Citroen’s key value – ‘360-degree comfort’ – should go beyond dynamic elements to include everything from space to the buying process. When asked if this could extend to fixed pricing without haggling, Jackson said: “Yes, absolutely. I think a haggle-free, more transparent way of purchasing sits very well with the Citroen brand. Reducing hassle in the customer experience is part of the process; we’re moving away from higher list prices with big discounts towards pricing the cars in the context of the market.” Jackson also stated that Citroen should avoid conservative models like the existing C4: “We are still mainstream but want to be different. Our cars need to be…

MAZDA’S new CX-4 is just around the corner, and the brand is preparing for its imminent Beijing Motor Show debut with a series of teasers. The coupé-SUV is set to go on sale late this year, sitting between the supermini-based CX-3 and practical CX-5. In this darkened teaser image, we can see the overall profile of the CX-4 is heavily inspired by the Koeru concept revealed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The rising, muscular shoulder line and rakish rear window profile have been transferred intact, and you can also see rugged lower body cladding around the wheelarches. The rear shape is also remarkably similar to that of the new Jaguar F-Pace (driven on Page 42). Further teasers released by Mazda in Japan show a longer front bonnet than the…