Auto Express 1403

A NEW year always brings a sense of optimism and, of course, curiosity over how the next 12 months will pan out. That’s especially true in the car world; who could have known, for example, what 2015 had in store for the beleaguered VW Group? There’s a lot to be excited about in 2016, but it’s another of the big European car-building empires that I’ll be watching with particular interest, as it’s no exaggeration to say that it really is time for the Italian brands in the Fiat Chrysler axis to deliver. Boss Sergio Marchionne has set bold targets for Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati, and 2016 is the year when some of the plans will come to fruition. At the top end of the company, Maserati will unveil the…

“Mk8 Golf will be more practical, more powerful and, most importantly, more fuel efficient” LAST summer’s diesel emissions scandal rocked the motor industry and shook the VW Group. Damage to the brand’s reputation and loss of customer confidence have been hard to quantify in recent months, but the consequences are set to be huge – and they’re likely to impact on the next-generation Golf, revealed in our exclusive images. Volkswagen has hatched a masterplan to save 1billion Euros per year, while making a clear commitment to electromobility and a new generation of ‘clean’ diesel engines. Various all-electric VW projects are in the pipeline, with a new Phaeton and Bulli Microbus spearheading the brand’s emission-free future. On top of that, the German giant will now take a closer look at other…

EACH and every VW Golf to date has been flanked by a hot GTI version, with the current car pumping out as much as 286bhp in flagship Clubsport form. The Mk8 will be no different, and – as we reported in August (Issue 1,382) – the GTI is likely to feature a new 2.0 TSI engine with as much as 325bhp. The new hot Golf, which is due shortly after the standard car, in 2019, will get a significant power hike, with even the entry-level model producing in the region of 260bhp. There will be a more powerful Performance Pack car with 300bhp, as well as an evolution of the Clubsport version with 325bhp. Our exclusive image (right) reveals how the GTI could look, although it’s likely to be subject…

“Even over rough terrain it felt smooth and composed, absorbing large bumps” THIS year will be an important one for Ford, with the brand planning a wider range of upmarket Vignale models (opposite) as well as finally launching the Edge SUV in the UK. As the largest SUV in Ford’s line-up, it’s placed as a rival to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, but without the premium price tag. It’s part of a plan to expand the brand’s SUV range; Ford says it expects to sell 200 per cent more models in this part of the lineup by the end of 2016 than it did two years ago. Sales of all-wheel-drive cars are rising as well, and Ford now offers half of its cars and commercial vehicles with a 4x4…

FORD is planning a wider range of premium models, following last year’s launch of the Mondeo Vignale. We’ll see the full line-up at the Geneva Motor Show in March, with Ford confirming it will reveal an S-MAX Vignale on the stand, along with two other models. A Ford insider told us that the brand is focusing on its larger models for the Vignale range, which means we could see the Kuga and Edge get the makeover as well. The Vignale models sit at the top of the range and feature plush leather seats, active noise cancelling technology and soft-touch interior materials, as well as exterior tweaks like polished alloy wheels. We expect the S-MAX and Kuga Vignale models to get similar upgrades. The S-MAX Vignale will go on sale later…

“Highest premiums were for drivers in London, yet those in Edinburgh are offered some of cheapest” DRIVERS paying the least for car insurance in Britain can be found in Dumfries, Scotland, where the average policy sets owners back just £265, Auto Express can exclusively reveal. Figures supplied by Moneysupermarket broke down average annual premiums in the third quarter of 2015 for all British area codes. Three of the five cheapest premiums were found north of the border, with drivers in Perth and Kirkcaldy paying £267 and £283 respectively on average. Surprisingly, Dorchester and Exeter were the only two areas in England with average premiums below £300 – with the rest of the nine sub-£300 premiums found in Scotland and Wales. Predictably, the highest premiums were quoted for drivers living in…