Auto Express July 22, 2015

WHO doesn’t love a car that makes you laugh? That might not necessarily be the reaction that Abarth is looking for from its (soon to grow) range of fast Fiats, but they’re so unashamedly focused on fun that they make me chuckle. Who can’t fail to find the thought of a Fiat 500 with 187bhp and a price tag that can get to £50,000 funny? The Abarth 595 Biposto might seem completely bonkers to some, but boy are we glad the guys at Abarth had the guts to give it a go! And now there’s more to come, as our news editor James Batchelor reveals this week – an Abarth version of the upcoming Fiat 124 Spider is something I can’t wait to try. Based on the Mazda MX-5, a…

GLOBALLY, the 3 Series is BMW’s biggest-selling model. Since the first-generation E21 arrived 40 years ago, the German manufacturer has shifted more than 14 million and now offers it in an astonishing 130 markets worldwide. In response to a glut of new rivals, including the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Jaguar XE and Audi A4, BMW has facelifted its best-seller, adding new engines and more equipment. Compared to the recently revealed 1 Series, visual changes to the 3 are slight. At the front, all cars get a wider look with larger air intakes and new LED daytime running lights. To the rear, every facelifted 3 Series benefits from L-shaped LED light clusters with a two-piece indicator design, as well as bigger tailpipes across the range. Inside, it feels very familiar, albeit with…

FIAT’S 124 Spider – due next year – might have a retro nameplate, but its performance and handling will be right up to date. After months of speculation, the company has confirmed that the sister car to the Mazda MX-5 will definitely spawn a high-performance Abarth version, and usher in a new generation of Abarth models that’s faster and more focused than ever before. “You like performance? There will be an Abarth version,” said Alfredo Altavilla, Fiat Chrysler Group’s chief operating officer. He confirmed that there will be two versions of the 124 Spider – a “comfortable” Fiat model and a more “extreme” Abarth. Our exclusive images show how the car could look. With a gaping mesh grille and large air vents cut into the bumper, the Abarth version adopts…

FIAT fans waiting to get their hands on an all-new second-generation 500 will have to wait a little longer than they hoped, as it won’t arrive until the end of the decade at the earliest. Fiat Chrysler chief operating officer Alfredo Altavilla has told Auto Express the car should be launched by 2020 – but don’t expect it to look much different. Our exclusive image (top) shows how Fiat is likely to take an evolutionary approach to the new 500 – a move that has been spurred by feedback from its customers when the company decided to facelift the current car. “The indications we have received from our customers are very clear – 500 has to remain as it is,” said Altavilla. “So the overall size of the car will…

FIAT will return to the compact family hatch class next year for the first time since the Brava (below) ceased production in 2001 – yet the brand’s new offering won’t chase the Ford Focus or VW Golf in the sales charts. Speaking to Auto Express, Fiat Chrysler chief operating officer Alfredo Altavilla said he’s not targeting these models, but just “some volume” sales. “In the perfect world, I’d like Fiat to recapture the slice of the market we had with the Tipo, but that is out of reach, at least with the first generation,” he told us. “We aim to be a credible player, but I’m not dreaming of setting the world on fire in the C-segment.”…

VAUXHALL is readying its new Astra GSi warm hatch for its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and our spies have caught it on test. The Ford Focus ST rival will occupy the gap between the standard Astra and the full-fat VXR model that is expected in 2017. The GSi badge was previously used on hot Vauxhalls in the nineties and noughties, but was abandoned in favour of VXR. However, Vauxhall is now resurrecting the name alongside the VXR models. Our spies spotted the new car being put through its paces in Germany, and despite the test mule’s camouflage, you can see that Vauxhall will save the deep bumpers and bulging wheelarches for the VXR. Even so, the GSi will be set apart from lesser Astras by…