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THE festive season is upon us again, and Auto Express will ensure you’re well prepared with our fantastic Christmas gift guide on Page 64. But of course, this time of year also offers endless opportunities to party, spelling potential danger for drivers. So it is with some consternation that I read more quotes last week from transport minister Lord Ahmad reiterating that England and Wales have no intention of following Scotland’s lead in reducing the blood-alcohol limit to 50mg per 100ml. England and Wales are sticking resolutely to 80mg per 100ml, out of step with every other nation in Europe with the exception of Malta. The argument appears to be that rigorous enforcement of the law is sufficient to tackle the problem. And because most offenders are way over the…

“It’s instantly recognisable as a Fiesta, but the new car is 71mm longer and 12mm wider than its predecessor” “The new Fiesta is bigger, roomier and more upmarket than ever, while a compact crossover will join the range” Q&A GEORGE SARIDAKIS Exterior design director, Ford Europe WE sat down with the man responsible for the design of the new Fiesta and got his take on why and how the new car had to change. Q What was the design goal for the new Fiesta? A “Our research showed that Fiesta buyers are maturing. For the last car we had a target customer we called Antonella. She was quite fashionable and young, and she was still living with her parents. “But now the typical Fiesta customer has grown up, got their…

“Every model in BMW’s X range will either be comprehensively updated or brand new” BMW’S range of X-badged SUVs is set for a radical overhaul, and bookending the new line-up will be new X2 and X7 SUVs, a BMW insider has revealed to Auto Express. Every model in the family – with the exception of the X1 crossover and X6 coupé-SUV – will either be updated by the end of 2018 or a brand new model. The Concept X2 was BMW’s star at the Paris Motor Show in September, and buyers will be pleased to hear that the production X2 will remain largely unchanged. Our exclusive main image previews the car, which promises a virtually identical profile to the concept and many of the same sporty details. While the large…

“Investing today for the economy of the future. There is additional funding to keep Britain moving” PHILIP HAMMOND Chancellor THERE was good and bad news for motorists last week as new Chancellor Philip Hammond announced his first Autumn Statement – the first since June’s Brexit vote. Hammond’s focus was on increasing productivity in the UK by backing transport projects and investing more in research and development for future technologies. The Chancellor said: “[The Government is] investing today for the economy of the future. Families rely on roads, rail and telecommunications. There is additional funding to help keep Britain moving.” Hammond said he wants to close the productivity gap with rival nations, as the UK currently lags behind Germany by 30 per cent and France by more than 20 per cent.…

New diesel engine for Nissan’s X-Trail NISSAN has introduced a new 175bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine to the X-Trail (above). Sitting above the existing 128bhp 1.6 diesel, the four-cylinder unit has been available in other markets, but has only recently been upgraded to meet Euro 6 emissions standards. It’s available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic. The manual is four-wheel drive only, while the CVT comes with a choice of 2WD or 4WD. It’s capable of up to 50.5mpg. Record payout by Britain’s insurers INSURERS have paid out £28.6million a day in claims this year, the highest number on record, according to figures from the Association of British Insurers. The £10.4billion bill comes despite a reduction in the number of road accidents – down five per cent…

“Like other Porsche GTs, an electric version would be a development of an existing model” THE boss of Porsche Motorsport has admitted to Auto Express that the firm will expand its range of race-focused production models, which currently comprises the 911 GT3 and Cayman GT4, to include an all-electric model in the future. The high-performance car is likely to arrive once a production version of the Mission E concept hits showrooms in 2020. At the recent Los Angeles Motor Show, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President of Motorsport, who is responsible for the firm’s GT-badged production sports cars, told us: “For sure you have possibilities, and some things are really different. “If I think of an electric car, the weight and torque on the tyres is a nightmare, but there are…