Innholdsfortegnelse for 1423 i Auto Express

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelo Early verdict on new Aston Martin DB11 NEW Aston Martins don’t come along very often, so when one does the expectations are high. It’s fair to say the DB9 has left a great legacy, so the stakes are even higher for its replacement, the DB11 – complete with an all-new 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12. Special contributor Steve Sutcliffe has had an early first drive of a prototype to see if it’s good news. All is revealed in his video. Preview of clever new Hyundai Ioniq WITH every motor show, a wealth of new eco cars is launched, but the wraps were pulled off a new take on the green theme at Geneva in March. The Hyundai Ioniq breaks new ground in offering three powertrains in one bodystyle – there’s…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE “Body is 20cm longer than the hatch’s, and extra space translates to more headroom” WHILE we won’t be getting the new Fiat Tipo saloon in the UK, buyers will have a choice between the hatchback model and the Station Wagon (estate) version driven here. Both share engine and transmission choices, as well as the same three specification levels. The top-selling engine is likely to be this 1.6-litre diesel with 118bhp, which is our pick of the range. The 1.4-litre turbo petrol is a decent unit – and it’s quieter than the diesel – but the 1.6’s fuel economy and emissions (76.3mpg and 98g/km) are key for a car like this, especially as it has the performance to back them up. Of course, the most important thing for the…

PRICE: £51,105 ENGINE: 2.5-litre flat-four turbo, 345bhp Testers’ notes “The debate over the 718 Boxster’s new engine will go on, but there’s no doubt it’s made the extra performance more accessible. Despite the new name, the Porsche is still one of the most complete convertibles on sale.” Sean Carson Senior road tester LAST year, Porsche replaced the naturally aspirated engine in its 911 with a turbo unit – and now the German brand has turned to forced induction for its smaller Boxster roadster. It’s also renamed the car, so it’s now officially called the 718 Boxster to commemorate Porsche’s racer of the sixties. But there’s an even bigger bombshell in the engine bay: not only is the Boxster now turbocharged, it’s no longer available with a flat-six. The new 2.5-litre…

PRICE: £265,155 ENGINE: 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12, 563bhp FROM the moment you swing open the expansive rear-hinged door of the Rolls-Royce Dawn, it’s clear that you’re dealing with something special. This £265,155 four-seat convertible exudes opulence. Push the starter button, and the huge 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 sparks into life in near-silence. It’s the same engine as in the sportier Wraith coupé, only detuned to 563bhp here to better suit the Dawn’s elegance and more relaxed character. Extreme acceleration might not be a Rolls-Royce trait, but don’t think this means this 2,560kg car is slow. With 780Nm of torque on offer and an eightspeed automatic gearbox, the Dawn serenely takes off and whisks you forward. The 0-62mph sprint takes 5.0 seconds, but the Roller’s strengths are its long-legged lope and incredible comfort.…

MODEL TESTED: Toyota Verso 1.8 Icon CVT PRICE: £22,155 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl, 145bhp Testers’ notes “It’s more limited for luggage space, but as our test Verso has no spare wheel the void under the boot floor is freed up. This is a big space and lets you hide things out of sight, plus allows you to stow the load cover when it’s not needed. There’s also a pair of underfloor cubbies behind the front seats for other items, while the twin glovebox is a practical solution – and the upper part is even refrigerated as standard on Icon models.” James Disdale Road test editor TOYOTA has mildly updated its Verso model for 2016, and as it’s a family-friendly MPV, the additions are important. The company’s Safety Sense tech is now…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk Essentials Jaguar XE 2.0d R-Sport Price new: £34,775 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 178bhp CO2/tax: 111g/km/£20 Options: Bluefire metallic paint (£635), 18-inch alloy wheels, leather, etched aluminium veneers, ambient interior lighting (all no cost), Cold Climate Pack (£445), Parking Pack (£545), 10x10-way Electric Front Seats (£765), Wi-Fi hotspot (£310), InControl Secure (£525) Insurance*: Group: 27 Quote: £562 Mileage/MPG: 17,440/49.8mpg Any problems?: Erratic fuel gauge “XE is swish and cool in the city and appeals to younger customers, yet still reaches out to Jag buyers of old” Second opinion “Jaguar doesn’t have its German rivals’ development budgets, so it’s wisely spent most of its cash on the XE’s design and engineering. The car looks great and drives beautifully, but this means some of the fixtures and fittings inside aren’t up to…

Got a query? Kim_Adams@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Loosening stuck wheel nut A WHEEL nut on my car has stuck and whatever I do, I don’t seem able to get it off. I’ve tried a pipe slipped over the wheel wrench and it still doesn’t move. What else can I try? Andy Lynch, E-mail A THIS is a very common problem caused by corrosion between bolt and hub. An impact wrench should solve it. Either go to your local tyre outlet and get staff there to remove it with an air-powered wrench or invest in a cordless one. Our test winner is the Panasonic EY75A2 (right). To prevent this happening again, apply copper grease to the bolts when replacing them. Q Old fuel in stationary car I’M planning to get my mother’s…

YOUR VIEWS ON YOUR CARS 2016 Results SX-4 S-Cross Factfile Years: 2013 to present CO2: 110g/km Fuel economy: 67.2mpg (1.6 DDiS SZ3) Best options: Sat-nav, Bluetooth, reversing camera, automatic emergency braking Prices: From £8,000 OVERALL SCORE 89.43% Bars show where model finished out of 150 cars in our 2016 survey. The lower the rating the better GOOD “EXCELLENT handling and performance.” “It comes with a good amount of kit as standard.” “I’m impressed by the car’s fuel economy.” “Ideal for towing caravans; there’s plenty of grunt from the diesels.” “The gearchange is slick, and it’s very easy to drive.” “A very comfortable car to drive on long journeys.” “It’s a very spacious car. Handy on holiday and family trips.” “A nimble car. Easy to park.” NOT SO GOOD “I’M having…

Dear Lawrence, My VW Passat needs replacing and I no longer want a diesel. What economical petrol saloon should I be considering for £14k? James Eastrop, E-mail Contact: Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk CARS Lexus IS FOR: Efficient if driven carefully, solid build AGAINST: Not as green at speed, fiddly nav LEXUS has been offering an alternative to the diesel norm for years with its hybrid saloons, and the IS Mk3 is a stylish choice, as long as you know how to use it. It pairs a four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor, which makes for smooth, silent and efficient running at low speeds. But at higher speeds, the IS turns purely to petrol power and is much thirstier; expect just over 40mpg economy. We found a 2013 IS 300h SE with 78,000…

“The global trend is for more town and city living, which causes much-reduced space per driver in those non-rural areas” UNLESS global auto makers concentrate harder on creating cars more appropriate for the increasingly limited road space beneath them, we’ll soon sleepwalk into gridlock. The world’s highway ‘network’ struggles to accommodate the roughly 1.2 billion motors currently driven or parked on/around it. And it’s a given that come 2035, when forecasts say the population will hit around 8.3bn and car numbers 2.0bn, the required near-doubling of lanes for motorists will not be forthcoming. That volatile cocktail of more citizens, ongoing upsurges in consumer demand, plus comparatively few new roads could be hellish. And there’s another problem: country areas are out, towns and cities are very much in as far as…

Show car said to be close to production XC40; due in 2017 Likely to start at £22,000; petrol, diesel and hybrid power John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy VOLVO is taking aim at the BMW X1 and Audi Q2 and Q3 with this small SUV show car, called Concept 40.1, that’s going to reach production late next year as the XC40. The Swedish manufacturer has been investing heavily in its larger models recently, having introduced the XC90, S90 and V90 over the past 18 months. Now it’s the turn of its small-car line-up – and while Volvo has also previewed an innovative hatchback design with another show car, Concept 40.2 (see Page 10), the range overhaul really starts with this baby SUV. Volvo has developed an all-new set of chassis components for its small…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk SamNaylor_AE THE new Renault Grand Scenic has been revealed, with the seven-seater MPV getting the same 20-inch wheels and crossover-style design as the five-seat Scenic seen at March’s Geneva Motor Show. It’s longer and wider than the previous Grand Scenic, with a raised ride height, and gets more space inside as a result. The boot is 40 litres bigger than before in five-seat mode, at 765 litres, but you can also add two extra seats at the back. The new Grand Scenic has a shorter rear overhang, with sculpted side panels, L-shaped tail-lights and Renault’s distinctive family face. Standard 20-inch wheels mark out the car, too, as do a panoramic glass roof and roof rails as part of the long roofline. A sliding centre console tucks below the display…

Senior Partner at Caddick Davies (www.motordefencelawyers.co.uk) BEEN caught speeding on a motorway with variable limits? Well, get used to it. Actively managed or so-called smart motorways have been present in some parts of the country for a while and are being developed further by Highways England. They already cover parts of the M25, M1, M6, M42 and M62, and there are plans to extend to parts of the M4. While we are told the logic behind smart motorways is they help to control traffic flow and cut congestion, one of the ways they do so is by enforcing variable speed limits of 60, 50 and 40mph with overhead gantry speed cameras. What many people don’t realise is that even when these variable speed limits aren’t showing and the national speed…

MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Touran 1.2 TSI SE PRICE: £23,660 ENGINE: 1.2-litre 4cyl, 108bhp Testers’ notes “If you want your Touran to have an automatic transmission, then the choices are limited. For instance, the cheapest petrol model is the 1.4 TSI paired with the brand’s seven-speed twin-clutch DSG, which is available in SE L guise for £27,945. Diesel models are slightly more affordable, with the 1.6 TDI S DSG setting you back £25,170. At the top of the range is the eye-wateringly expensive £31,535 2.0 TDI 190 R-Line DSG.” James Disdale Road test editor BY using the same versatile MQB platform as the Mk7 Golf, Volkswagen’s latest Touran delivers a compelling blend of composure, quality and practicality. On its road test debut in Issue 1,406, the 2.0-litre TDI version lost out…

FIRST TEST Pirelli P Zero Price: TBA Contact: www.pirelli.com Rating: ★★★ THE Pirelli P Zero is one of the longest-established performance tyres on the market; it was first used on 1987’s Ferrari F40. Over the years, rivals have caught up with this standard-setting design, but now there’s a new, improved P Zero offering several innovations. Pirelli has built on its Formula One experience, using race-inspired construction to give the tyre extra stability. New compounds claim improved grip, plus 15 per cent lower rolling resistance to boost efficiency – its predecessor trailed here in our Issue 1,375 tyre test. This should see a three per cent rise in economy. Aquaplaning in bends was also a previous weak point, due to the P Zero’s unconventional tread pattern. Now, though, there are more grooves,…

A Life Awheel – The ‘auto’ biography of W de Forte Wilberforce de Forte (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £14.99 Rating: ★★★★★ IT’S easy to forget that this book is a work of fiction. Charming characters conjure up a story of a true British eccentric, giving his opinions on everything from vintage Rovers to nineties supercars. It’s beautifully written and very funny, making it a great, inexpensive read for motoring enthusiasts of any age. Senna vs Brundle Mario Muth (www.vimeo.com) Price: From £5.99 (rent or buy) Rating: ★★★ THIS film is made up of carefully curated interviews with the people at the heart of the 1983 Formula 3 season. Filmed in beautiful 4K, it’s certainly interesting for the diehard enthusiast, but unfortunately, many will simply find it boring. There’s no action…

Got any car queries? Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q OBD to fight Ford thieves I’VE ordered a Ford Fiesta ST3, but have been reading how thieves can steal cars by hacking in to them. My dealer says he can fit a £199 OBD device which should stop this. Are these kind of devices all the same, and do they work? Keith Pavitt, E-mail A THERE are several systems on the market and they work in different ways. Ford has teamed up with one supplier to offer OBD security devices. There are other slightly cheaper products on the market, but you’ll be able to get your dealer to fit this device. Q Do I need cambelt already? MY second-hand Volkswagen Golf recently went in for a service. It had the cambelt changed four…

Gearbox boost for Mercedes Citan van MERCEDES has updated its Citan van with a six-speed, dual-clutch gearbox. The new 6G-DCT transmission is only available with the 114bhp petrol engine – on both MPV and panel van (above) models. When fitted with the new box, the Citan claims 44.1mpg fuel economy, with 144g/km CO2 emissions. It’s set to cost about £1,500 more than the standard manual van, from £15,820 (ex VAT), and goes on sale next month. Government laws for driverless cars THE UK Government has pledged to be at the forefront of transport tech with a focus on driverless cars, as revealed in the Queen’s Speech last week. A Modern Transport Bill will look at law changes so motorists can buy and own driverless cars by 2020. These will extend…

ON the back of successive hikes to Insurance Premium Tax by the Government, the price of yearly policies is on the rise – a move that’s all but wiped out the savings made by reforms on whiplash and claims management companies. So what can be done? Experts suggest the next uncontrolled area in need of revision is credit hire. The principle behind it is great: a not-at-fault driver gets a like-for-like courtesy car while theirs is repaired, with bills covered by the at-fault party’s insurer. Trouble is, this insurer has no control over what the credit hire firm charges, or the length of the rental. So, naturally, some companies are guilty of presenting unreasonable costs – and once the service has been provided, there’s little comeback other than a long…

Contact Martin Saarinen mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoEXpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD HOT TOPIC A potential future MGB FROM: enfant_teribl THE students have come up with some excellent designs for a future MGB in my opinion. The only trouble was the Union Jack on a few of them. Shouldn’t it be a Chinese flag these days, given that MG is now owned by a Chinese car maker? FROM: Mike Garwood MG should make a stripped-out, lightweight, no-nonsense sports car with great handling and strong performance for a bargain price, as it used to. This would surely appeal to anyone looking at a Mazda MX-5, and MG would have no trouble selling a car like this. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “The Union Jack…

Essentials Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 DSG Price: £32,350 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo Power/torque: 286bhp/350Nm Transmission: Six-speed twin-clutch auto, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.3 seconds Top speed: 155mph Economy: 40.9mpg CO2: 158g/km ON SALE Now James_Disdale@dennis.co.uk “There’s cast-iron body control and very little roll, plus the steering is precise and well weighted” A 40TH birthday usually merits a big party, so it’s no surprise VW has pulled out all the stops to celebrate four decades of the Golf GTI – the car that set the hot hatch ball rolling in 1976. Not happy with a simple special edition, the brand has unleashed the fastest and most track-focused GTI yet. The GTI Clubsport Edition 40 gets a hefty power hike, various suspension upgrades and an aggressive new look. We’ve driven the…

PRICE: £44,995 ENGINE: 2.0-litre supercharged 4cyl, 310bhp Testers’ notes “Even though this Seven has Caterham’s S pack, and is undoubtedly more usable, it still delivers a raw driving experience. If you’re after this level of involvement with a few creature comforts, there’s nothing like it.” Sean Carson Senior road tester CATERHAM’S Seven 620 takes things to the next level in performance terms. Dropping a Ford-sourced 2.0-litre supercharged four-cylinder engine into the iconic British sports car makes for a rabid lightweight machine in 620R form, but for this latest 620S model, Caterham has dialled things back slightly to deliver a more usable road car. The S Pack adds a five-speed manual box with longer gearing, so the 620S is actually a relatively decent cruiser. Full weather protection and a heater are…

Clarion makes a big noise over latest ICE CLARION has launched a new digital in-car audio system, as previewed at last autumn’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Its speakers (above) get round the need to convert digital music into analogue frequencies – which can hamper audio quality – and instead maintain a digital signal directly from the source to the speaker coils. The new speakers are compatible with most head units, and fit into the same slots as analogue versions. Get them from www.clarion.co.uk. Bentley buyers clock on to Apple Watch IT follows that customers who buy a top-of-the-range Bentley Bentayga will be at the cutting edge of technology, and so the company has launched a bespoke app for the Apple Watch. This synchronises with the car’s Touch Screen Remote system and…

www.autoexpress.co.uk/driverpower Interior THE A1’s cabin has the same upmarket feel as Audi’s bigger models, and it’s well laid out. Space is good in the front, but rear head and legroom are tight in threedoor cars and access is awkward, too. The boot holds 270 litres – more than a MINI but less than a DS 3. OUR VIEW THE A1 rose two places to 150th in our Driver Power 2016 survey, which is disappointing for a premium car that’s still relatively new. It managed two top 100 category ratings, for build quality (73rd) and performance (71st); 109th place for running costs, 128th for reliability and 106th for handling are poor. YOUR VIEW GRAHAM Sutcliffe from Loughborough, Leics, owns an A1 1.2 TFSI. He told us: “I like the looks and…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk LYDDEN Hill in Kent is the venue for the fourth round of the 2016 FIA World Rallycross Championship this weekend. This rapid-fire, action-packed form of motorsport is now in its third year of world championship status, with 2003 World Rally Champion Petter Solberg having won the title in both 2014 and 2015. The Norwegian took victory at Lydden Hill on his way to the championship last season and says the Kent venue is among the best in the series. “It suits my DS 3 well,” he told Auto Express last week. “You need very good flow, it’s quite fast and you can choose to take your ‘joker’ lap right at the start. I won last year, but this will be a tough weekend, as Tanner Foust is coming with…