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THIRTY years ago this month, the doors opened at a car factory that was a leap of faith for its owner, Nissan, which had never previously built a plant outside its native Japan. The importance of the occasion was underlined by the fact that then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher did the honours, but few at the time could have predicted just how significant the Sunderland factory would become, not just for the United Kingdom, but in global terms. Fast forward to 2016, and it’s impossible to overstate the impact of the Wearside facility. For the north-east of England it has been a life-saver, with a direct workforce of 7,000 and around 40,000 other jobs reliant on the factory. For Nissan it has been a production powerhouse, responsible for cars such…

MERCEDES will turn to one of its most iconic models for inspiration when it launches its all-new GLB 4x4 in 2019. The GLB will sit between the GLA and GLC in the firm’s SUV line-up, but rather than looking like a scaled-up version of the brand’s current small SUV, it will become the baby sibling to the G-Class – or G-Wagen as it is still affectionately known. The original 4x4 has been around since 1979 and has continued to perform well in the sales charts, despite its leisurely rate of development since arriving 37 years ago. With entry-level G-Class models nudging almost £90,000, the new GLB will usher in a more accessible price point for those looking for a rugged and boxy SUV. Our exclusive images give you an idea…

THIS is the new Hyundai i30, the latest generation of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf rival, which has been unveiled ahead of a public debut at the Paris Motor Show this month. The new i30 has to build on Hyundai’s improved profile in Europe to deliver mainstream sales – and its styling is clearly aimed at the masses. The overall look is neat but conservative, with less of the dramatic bodywork surfacing of the outgoing model. The new i30 also gets inverted curves as part of its hexagonal grille; this is a design cue that will appear on all future Hyundais. The new model is a little longer and wider than the car it replaces, although the roofline sits slightly lower. Its wheelbase is the same at 2,650mm, so…

HYUNDAI is planning to bolster its SUV line-up by adding a new rival for the Nissan Juke to its range within the next 18 months, Auto Express can reveal. The Korean manufacturer has enjoyed its strongest sales performance in European history with the Tucson SUV, which has become the company’s fastestselling model in the region, including the UK, since it was launched a year ago. Now senior sources have confirmed that the Tucson is likely to be joined in the line-up by a smaller model that will give Hyundai a proper rival for the big-selling Juke, Renault Captur and Peugeot 2008. The new car is likely to be based on the chassis of the existing i20, which is only two years into its life. It will probably get the latest…

Deputy editor, Auto Express Small SUVs spell end for mini-MPV HYUNDAI’S decision to focus on an i20 SUV instead of a new ix20 is a further blow for the mini-MPV market. Small MPVs like the ix20 and the Vauxhall Meriva were conceived for young families, but they were adopted by older buyers instead. Then small SUVs arrived, offering a reasonable amount of space and a higher ‘H-point’ – car industryspeak for the height of the base of the driver’s seat. Older customers have found it easier to slide in and out of small SUVs, and younger buyers find them more appealing too. The net result is that mini-MPV sales have gone through the floor. Vauxhall is replacing the Meriva with a higher-riding vehicle and Ford insiders admit the B-MAX has…

“A long bonnet and short rear overhang mean the Supra looks like a traditional coupé” THE rumour mill has been stirring for years, but it looks like Toyota’s all-new Supra sports car has finally hit the road. We’ve spied the highly-anticipated coupé undergoing development testing for the first time ahead of its launch in late 2018. The original Supra was a major hit with enthusiasts but production ended in 2002, so the car’s return is big news. In 2012 we found out that Toyota and BMW were going to jointly develop a new sports car that would become the new Supra and Z4 respectively; then only a few months ago Toyota made fresh trademark applications in Europe and the US for the Supra name. Toyota made clear that it was…