Auto Express 1438

OUR feature on motoring costs across the world in Issue 1,437 sparked a lot of debate, much of it focusing on the relatively high price we pay here in the UK. But I’ve recently returned from a country where the sums involved in buying a new car are truly mind-boggling. Step forward Singapore. A column of this length can’t explain the complex process in full, but at the heart of it all is the necessity for every potential new owner to bid for a Certificate of Entitlement – which lasts for 10 years – to buy a car. The number of COEs issued is restricted, and bids are invited twice a month. This year every round of bidding has been oversubscribed. The result of this is that the price can…

“The overall stance of the Kodiaq is stronger and more angular than we’ve seen in the Yeti” SKODA has enjoyed strong crossover sales with its Yeti – and now the firm has turned towards larger models by launching its first full-size SUV, the Kodiaq. A rival for everything from the Hyundai Santa Fe to the Land Rover Discovery Sport, the Kodiaq is a five and seven-seat 4x4 that’s due on sale in early 2017, promising to trump rivals on list price and loadspace. The new model is 4,700mm long, 1,882mm wide and 1,676mm tall; those figures are a few millimetres shorter, wider and taller than the Santa Fe, but importantly, Skoda’s offering has a wheelbase that’s 91mm longer than its rival’s, at 2,791mm. The overall stance of the Kodiaq is…

DEVELOPMENT on the all-new BMW 5 Series is drawing to a close – the seventh-generation saloon is due to hit UK showrooms in the middle of 2017. We’ll see the finished article before the end of this year, but as these development shots (right) and our exclusive main image show, BMW will refine the saloon rather than reinvent it – details from the larger 7 Series luxury car will filter down. Before the disguise comes off, Auto Express has been offered the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a prototype on some thrilling roads in north Wales to see how one of BMW’s most important new cars in a decade is shaping up. With us is a nice chap called Alex Meske, head of integrated application driving dynamics for…

“Front grille has been carried over from the Discovery Sport almost unchanged” “Evolutionary design shows a wider stance, with sharper air intakes” THIS is our first official look at the brand-new Land Rover Discovery, ahead of its launch later this month. It’s the fifth incarnation of the popular offroader, and is expected to offer previously unseen levels of luxury when it goes on sale next year, priced from around £45,000. JLR says the new Discovery embodies Land Rover’s drive to go “Above and beyond, combining British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure”. The single head-on teaser image shows a development of the recognisable face first seen on the Discovery Sport. However, the evolutionary design shows a wider stance, sharper air intakes and a defined scuff plate. The grille is…

Ultimate Macan gets power boost PORSCHE is spicing up its hottest Macan, the Turbo, with a new Performance Package (above). The upgrade boosts the 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 from 394bhp to 433bhp, while torque rises by 50Nm to 600Nm. That means the SUV can do 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds – four-tenths faster than a standard Turbo. The package also brings beefier front brakes, lowered suspension, a sports exhaust and the Sport Chrono pack for a £5,500 premium. Code of conduct for car sales and finance A NEW code has been introduced by industry body Motor Codes to protect buyers of new and used cars, as well as those taking out finance and warranties. The Vehicle Sales Code has been added in response to the growing number of enquiries by consumers since…

PEUGEOT is turning its back on the traditional MPV, and here are the official pictures to prove it. This is the all-new 5008, which Peugeot has transformed into a large, seven-seat SUV. The firm describes it as “the first SUV to offer modularity on a par with that of the best people carriers”. On the outside it’s a radical departure from the old MPV, but it shares a resemblance to the smaller 3008. The butch front end is a beefier version of that seen on its smaller brother, while a bold shoulder line and rugged lower body cladding give it that all-important SUV styling. A chunky rear overhang and squared-off rear end hint at the huge amount of space on offer inside. The dash, also adapted from the 3008, uses…