Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2, 2015 i Auto Express

CITROEN will pull the wraps off a mysterious concept based on the C4 Cactus at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but all will be revealed online this week ahead of its world debut. It’s expected to be a wacky convertible version of the popular crossover, and a canvas roof and pick-up style loading area – as illustrated in our exclusive image above – will build on its quirky image. If it makes production, the current 1.2 and 1.5-litre engines could be adopted. For more visit autoexpress.co.uk…

AS we’ve already seen, the all-new Sportage has taken huge steps towards a more contemporary, European design, but can that be paired with big improvements to refinement and comfort? Before Kia showcases the Sportage at Frankfurt, Auto Express joined the Korean manufacturer in California’s Mojave Desert to sample an early prototype. As you can see, the pre-production model we tested was heavily camouflaged inside and out – the SUV had yet to be revealed when we got our hands on it. It feels familiar but more modern inside, thanks to the slicker dash architecture and larger integrated touchscreen. The 2.4-litre petrol auto we tried won’t make it to our shores, but as a package the marked step up in quality was apparent, as was a remarkably quieter ride. Acoustic shields…

BRITISH drivers spend an average of 30 hours a year stuck in traffic. But if you think we have it bad, we rank as only the fifth most congested nation in Europe. The highest numbers were found in Belgium, where drivers waste on average 51 hours sitting in jams. Motorists in the Netherlands and Germany rounded out the top three in the report from traffic data analyst INRIX, spending 41 and 39 hours respectively in traffic. But London topped the charts as Europe’s most congested city. Drivers in the UK capital spent 96 hours in jams – 20 hours more than those in second-placed Brussels.…

SMART has revealed the second member of its new ForTwo family: the Cabrio. The third-generation soft-top will debut in the metal at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with order books opening in November ahead of first deliveries early next year. So far in the ForTwo’s 17-year history, Smart has sold more than 220,000 Cabrios, so it’s not surprising that the formula hasn’t changed too much – although as with the standard ForTwo, the Cabrio has grown up over the model it replaces. It’s still 2.69 metres long, but the track is 100mm wider than before to increase safety, stability and passenger space. The ‘tri-top’ three-layer fabric roof is four per cent larger than before and 20mm thick, and now features a heated glass rear window. Customers can choose red, black or…

HOT TOPIC Jaguar’s new XF FROM: Phil I LOVE the XF’s understated looks, both inside and outside. It has more charisma and character than any of the latest offerings from Audi or BMW. The performance from the impressive diesel range will no doubt make the XF a class leader. FROM: Richard Gooch AS a current XF owner, I’m not impressed. The interior feels too plain, and it lacks the opulence of the new Mercedes E-Class. The rear lights look too clumsy as well. I’d have preferred it if they’d been styled after the F-Type. Room for improvement, I think. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “I’m surprised to hear Jaguar isn’t offering the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the new XF. I always liked it.” Mr. B1G “The interior…

WE’RE already familiar with Jaguar Land Rover’s brilliant new 178bhp 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel in the Land Rover Discovery Sport, as well as in the Jaguar XE (tested on Page 80). But to widen our Compact SUV of the Year’s customer base, particularly on the fleet market, a detuned 148bhp e-Capability model has been launched. We’ve driven it. This car is designed purely to appeal to company car drivers looking for low tax bills and maximum fuel efficiency, so it has 50Nm less torque as well as 30bhp less power. But the e-Capability’s sacrifices extend beyond that. To get CO2 emissions below 130g/km, Land Rover has had to cut weight, so it’s ditched the third row of seats. Lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in low-rolling-resistance tyres have been added, as has…

IF you’re looking for some old-school, hairy-chested driving fun, the Vauxhall VXR8 takes some beating. Featuring a muscular supercharged V8 engine, playful rear-wheel-drive handling and vast four-door body, it’s a cut-price alternative to the Mercedes-AMG E 63 and BMW M5. In an effort to further broaden the thunderous VXR8’s appeal, Vauxhall has added the option of a paddleshift automatic transmission. The six-speed unit bucks the current trend for sophisticated twin-clutch systems in favour of a traditional torque convertor unit. Yet while this approach isn’t exactly cutting-edge, it doesn’t affect the way the VXR8 performs – Vauxhall claims the newcomer will blast from 0-62mph in just 4.2 seconds, which is exactly the same figure as the manual version. However, on the move, the paddleshift version feels a little lazier in its…

DS. Just two letters, but in the motoring world they represent a lot. Ever since the stunning, original DS made its debut in 1955, it has become a byword for style, sophistication, innovation and unrivalled luxury. Fast-forward 60 years and it’s these qualities that underpin the birth of DS as a premium brand to match the best in the world. To mark the occasion, we’ve taken an in-depth look at DS’s past and present, plus been granted exclusive access to glimpse its future – including a world first look at the new DS 4. From the bold fifties original through to the latest cutting-edge creations, we’ve delved deep to find out what makes DS special and how it aims to make its cars among the most desirable in the world.…

“IT’S a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a brand in the car business.” They’re the words of DS brand development director UK, Arnaud Leclerc, who’s tasked with overseeing the birth of DS here. Sure, manufacturers have attempted premium sub-brands before – with mixed success – but what makes DS different is that it’s going the whole nine yards. Leclerc and his team are creating from the ground up an entire car line-up alongside a swathe of British DSonly dealerships. A run-of-the-mill rebadging this is not. By the end of the year, the UK will have 10 DS Salons – at sites of existing Citroen dealers – and two standalone DS Stores that’ll take their cues from DS World in Paris (see Page 59). Fast forward to 2018, when the new-generation DS…

Divine by DS Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 266bhp/330Nm Transmission: Six-speed auto, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.0 seconds (est) Top speed: 155mph (est) Economy: 45mpg (est) CO2: 145g/km (est) WE drove the Divine by DS a couple of months ago (Issue 1,379) as a preview of what to expect from the upmarket French brand over the next five years. It’s designed as a rival for the big-selling VW Golf and Ford Focus, and while PSA Peugeot-Citroen bosses insist the Divine will never make production in its current form, with the DS 4 set to be replaced in 2016, it’s likely we’ll see plenty of Divine inspiration in the next family hatch. Driving impressions from the hand-built concept car are irrelevant, but we did get an opportunity to quiz designer Damien…

IT’S only just hit showrooms, but already BMW is offering attractive finance deals on the new 3 Series. The only model currently listed on the brand’s Select Finance scheme is the 318d M Sport, which you can choose to run on a personal contract plan for two, three or four years. Go for the latter, and you’ll pay £299 a month with a deposit of £5,699. Although that’s a lot of cash, BMW will contribute £4,588, while the APR is a decent 5.4 per cent. After 48 months, you can pay £10,722 to keep the car, hand it back or use its value as a deposit on a new model. Jaguar is advertising equally attractive deals on the XE, and you can get behind the wheel of the R Sport…

NEW: Mazda 6 Tourer 2.2D (150) SE Nav PRICE: £23,795 ENGINE: 2.2-litre 4cyl, 148bhp LOWER-powered Mazda 6 Tourer is 30bhp more potent than the Superb, while 110g/km emissions mean tax costs fall between the VW and Toyota. Extra power aids towing, plus sharp chassis makes for fun driving. USED: Mercedes E220 CDI SE Estate PRICE: £22,750 ENGINE: 2.1-litre 4cyl, 175bhp IF you want a Superb-rivalling boot, and you’re prepared to buy used, try the E-Class Estate. Its 695-litre load area rises to 1,950 litres. We found a 26,000-mile facelift model with loads of kit for under £23,000.…

Ignition and Timing Colin Beever (Crowood Press, www.crowood.com) Price: £14.99 (paperback) IGNITION and timing are at the heart of any car’s powertrain, so it’s worth spending a bit of time getting to know yours. This guide to rebuilding, repairing and replacing your ignition is very specific, but it’s well paced, well illustrated and thorough. Owners of classics will find it more helpful than those with newer cars. However, there’s a chapter near the end dedicated to electronic ignition. Rating: Jaguar New XK: Essential Buyer’s Guide Nigel Thorley (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £12.99 (paperback) Rating: INVESTING in your dream car can be an emotional experience. This guide to the latest XK covers models from 2005 to 2014. It’s a handy little book to help make sure your used buy doesn’t turn…

Got any car queries? Martin_ Saarinen@dennis.co.uk  @AE_Consumer Q Roaming mobility scooters I CAN’T be the only one who cringes when I see a mobility scooter on a busy road. I’ve already witnessed the aftermath of a scooter crash on local roads. What does the law say? David Spencer, E-mail A ACCORDING to the Government, only Class 3 invalid carriages with a top speed of 8mph are allowed on the road. They are not permitted on motorways, bus or cycle lanes, but are on dual carriageways. However, the Government strongly advises against the latter. Q Can Octavia go digital? I’VE bought a 2012 Skoda Octavia that comes with the Amundsen+ infotainment system, but I would like a DAB radio. Can I install one with the Amundsen+? Graham Bastin, E-mail…

CHATTING to some senior car industry execs this week, we got around to discussing the ebb and flow of success in the car business. Consistent brilliance is rare and even the mighty will occasionally produce cars that fail to impress. Take the two brands that are the subject of our Best of British series this week: Ford and Vauxhall. Vauxhall’s on a bit of a roll at the moment, while the Ford line-up isn’t as strong as it once was. Whether that reverses anytime soon I’m not sure, but you can count on the good times coming back for Ford at some stage – let’s hope so, anyway. Skoda is a brand that I’ve really enjoyed watching over the past 15 years. After initial success with a whole range of…

WE’VE already reported on Skoda’s upcoming SUV boom (Issue 1,366), and now we can reveal an all-new coupé crossover is on the way from the brand, due in showrooms in 2017 – and our exclusive images show how it could look. The as-yet-unnamed competitor for the BMW X4 and forthcoming Mercedes GLC Coupé will get a swept-back profile and sloping roofline, plus tall suspension and a raised driving position. Expect big alloy wheels and a Superb-style front end, as well as sharp creases in the bodywork and a high boot lip for that coupé look. Inside, the new car will feel largely familiar to owners of current Skodas and other VW Group models, although we expect advances in technology to make it sharper and even more solidly built than any…

Black magic peps up sporty Mazda 2 MAZDA has introduced a new Sport Black edition of the 2 supermini (above). Priced at £15,395 and based on the 89bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine in SE-L Nav spec, the Sport Black gets racy styling additions and extra tech. It gets black front and side skirts, a black spoiler, 16-inch gunmetal alloys, a chrome exhaust trim and a free pearlescent paint option. Tinted windows, parking sensors and auto wipers and lights are added, too. P100 : Our Mazda 2’s Euro road trip Interest high in mystery new TVR REBORN British brand TVR has announced its mystery new sports car has already sold out for 2017. The new model, said to be powered by a Cosworth V8 and feature design input from Gordon Murray, hasn’t…

THESE are the latest spy shots of Mercedes’ next BMW 5 Series rival, all but confirmed for the Detroit Motor Show in January with a spring 2016 release date. A prototype has been spotted by Auto Express reader Robert Trumm in the UK, suggesting Mercedes is using notoriously bad British roads to test the chassis to the limit. While there’s still a thick layer of disguise, it’s obvious the new E will ditch the angular styling of the boxy current car in favour of a softer, curvier approach. The all-new seventh-generation E-Class is set to be the most technologically advanced car the company has ever produced, and is expected to be fitted with more autonomous safety systems than even the current S-Class flagship. The executive car has grown slightly, and…

DRIVERLESS cars are “as useless as a chocolate teapot”. Not my words, but those of a university professor and senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Dr Kevin Curran, senior lecturer in computer science at the University of Ulster, believes that unless we address security issues right now, the UK will not only miss its target of getting driverless cars on the road by 2020, but the tech could flop altogether. Dr Curran told us: “With current levels of technology, as well as the network that needs to be established to make this technology functional, a lot more research and development needs to be done before the technology can emerge publicly.” And given the news this week that hundreds of cars from 26 manufacturers are vulnerable…

FORD is Britain’s top-selling car company, but things have changed dramatically for the auto giant’s UK operation. While the Fiesta and Focus are consistently our two most popular models, many owners don’t realise that Ford stopped making cars in this country back in 2002. In fact, the blue oval brought the curtain down on vehicle production completely after 103 years in the UK, when it closed its Transit van plant in Southampton in 2014. At that point, Ford had built a staggering 24,803,311 cars and vans in Britain since a Model T rolled off its Old Trafford factory production line in Manchester in 1911. At its peak in 1979, 76,548 people were on Ford’s UK operations payroll. Today the firm is still a major employer, but the numbers have been…

HYUNDAI’S new Tucson is not only a car with some big shoes to fill – replacing the popular ix35 – but it’s also one with a huge amount of expectation on its shoulders. Tempting buyers away from Nissan’s accomplished Qashqai and Mazda’s sleek CX-5 would be a tough enough ask on its own. However, following on from a car that accounted for more than 20 per cent of the brand’s sales last year, as well as enticing a new breed of customer with a renewed focus on style, is a daunting task for any newcomer. We’ve been behind the Tucson’s wheel before, having sampled high-powered petrol and diesel models. Those are likely to make up only a fraction of overall sales, though. Driven here, and in the UK for the…

IT’S the end of an era for the Land Rover Defender. To celebrate the venerable Brit’s standing as the ultimate 4x4, we inducted it into the Auto Express Hall of Fame earlier this year, while Land Rover itself is sending the model off in style with its trio of Celebration Series models. The Heritage and Adventure versions pay homage to the Defender’s history and its go-anywhere spirit, while the Autobiography driven here is the pinnacle of urban luxury. It’s going to be the rarest model of the trio, too, as only 100 examples will be built, plus it will only be sold in the short-wheelbase 90 Station Wagon bodystyle. There are plenty of distinctive touches to help the Autobiography stand out, including a two-tone paintjob, gloss-black wheels with chunky Goodyear…

YVES BONNEFONT DS CEO Charged with building on early success; sees it as a 15-year project STEVE FOWLER Editor-in-chief Auto Express ARNAUD RIBAULT Sales and marketing Ensures every detail is right at dealers, down to music and scent THERE are some really tough jobs in the car business, but launching a new car brand has to be one of the toughest. No, hang on, launching a premium car brand up against some of the biggest brands on the planet, let alone in the motor industry – now that’s the definition of tough. But the launch of DS into a world dominated by Audi, BMW and Mercedes (with Jaguar, Volvo, Lexus and Infiniti all knocking on the door, too) is well underway, and Auto Express has been given an exclusive look…

PARIS isn’t called the ‘city of love’ for nothing. With its paved streets and Neoclassical architecture, the place oozes elegance and a romance that some capitals can only dream of. But there’s a love affair that’s so strong in the city’s boulevards, even Napoleon and Josephine can’t match it – and that’s Paris and the DS. Ever since a convoy of Citroen DSs slinked up the Champs-Élysées in 1955, chased by hundreds of Parisians chanting “Une DS, une DS, voilà la DS!”, Paris and that car have been entwined in the greatest love affair ever seen. It all started when the DS debuted at the ’55 Motor Show in Paris’s elegant Grand Palais. Around 750 people put in orders within 45 minutes of the expo opening, and 12,000 had handed…

WITH China already the largest single car market in the world, accounting for 23 million new car sales in 2014, its importance to premium car brands is enormous. For example, over 35 per cent of the VW Group’s sales last year were in China, with a similar amount of the group’s pre-tax earnings coming from the region. “The word premium is repeated time and time again – everyone knows the goal of DS is to compete with the big German brands” As sales have dipped in other markets, especially Europe, China’s growth has brought a timely and fruitful balance to car makers’ books, and the potential for a new brand like DS cannot go untapped. So much so that Stéphane Le Guével, director general of Peugeot Citroen Automobiles in the…

WHEN the ethereal shape of Citroen’s DS was unveiled to the world in 1955, it must have turned heads at 20 paces next to conventional, boxy British family cars. But the looks were nothing compared to the technical innovations the DS pioneered under its svelte skin. At the top of that list has to be the DS’s clever hydraulic system that controlled the suspension, brakes and gearbox. Unlike most other cars, which usually have steel springs, the DS’s oil and nitrogen-filled suspension ‘spheres’ supported the weight of the vehicle and took care of the damping, giving a supremely refined ride. In fact, the tech was so clever, it was later sold to Rolls-Royce, as the British brand couldn’t better it. With a hydraulic oil tank under the bonnet and an…

IF you’re a true car enthusiast, the VW Golf GTE can’t help but be intriguing, even if it isn’t the last word in high-performance hot hatch motoring. I’ve been running one for the last six weeks now to see if its hybrid personality might fit rather neatly into my life, or turn out to be an overpriced, under-engineered gimmick. And I’ve reached the conclusion that it’s one of the smartest, most relevant hatchbacks money can buy right now. Yes, the GTE Nav looks expensive at, wince, £35,520 – the standard GTE is £33,755 – but take the £5,000 Government grant into consideration and £30,520 no longer seems quite so painful, especially if you check out how much standard kit the car comes with (adaptive cruise control, air-con and satnav with…

NEW PRODUCT RIL80 and RIL82 Ring Inspection Lamps Price: From £7.99 Contact: www.ringautomotive.co.uk IF you spend a lot of time tinkering with your car, it’s worth investing in decent inspection lamps to give you the best view of your workspace. In our last group test (Issue 1,316), Ring took the top spot with its Ultra Bright Magnetic Flexi RIL4000. It’s since refined its technology to bring out the RIL82 and RIL80 mini lamps. With magnets at various points of the body design, they promise to make it easy to take full advantage of the number of different angles the high-quality LED-based lights can flex to. The RIL82 has a hook and hinge, both of which fold away, so it should be simple to manipulate the lamp to get the…

Garmin nav upgrade for Golf, Polo, Passat KENWOOD has developed a Garminpowered navigation upgrade for Volkswagen owners who didn’t select the factory-fitted option in their Golf, Polo and Passat. The GVN-MIB1 (above) is a £599 plug and play system that can quickly and easily be installed for no extra cost by your local dealer. It integrates seamlessly with the original VW multimedia set-up, and offers full touchscreen control of the navigation, plus Eco-Route, Photo View and Lane Assist features. £38m indoor tyre test track gets green light A $60MILLION (£38m) indoor tyre test track is being created in the US, to begin operations in 2016. Camber Ridge, in partnership with Teton Capital, has invested the money to build the hi-tech site in Charlotte, North Carolina, to look at the development…

PRODUCT GROUP TEST 2 |9 | 2015 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive. BEING stranded with a flat battery is never a fun experience, but gone are the days of flagging down a passing vehicle for a sympathetic jump start or having to wait around for a roadside assistance service to come to the rescue. Just as power packs charge our phones and PCs, you can now buy versions with sufficient grunt to jump start your car. As the morning temperatures begin to fall and the evenings draw in, we put seven mini jump packs to the test to pick the best. While most can be used straight out…

FOLLOWING a series of leaked images and hazy teasers, these are the first official pictures of Kia’s all-new Sportage. The SUV will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and go on sale at the end of the year, priced from around £18,000. For the moment we’re limited to three exterior images, but even from this initial batch the more athletic and muscular look of the Nissan Qashqai rival is apparent. The design has been heavily inspired by the KX-3 concept that was first seen in China at the Guangzhou Motor Show last year. It’s described as “bold and progressive”. The Sportage features a new version of Kia’s trademark ‘tiger nose’ front end, with a more prominent grille, chrome surround and sleeker headlamps protruding from the bonnet sides. The windscreen has…

SEAT’S Ibiza Cupra is nearing its 20th birthday, and to bring the model in line with the rest of the updated Ibiza range, the firm has revealed a newly refreshed 189bhp version. Lightly revised on the outside, but with bigger changes beneath the surface, SEAT’s Ford Fiesta ST rival will be presented at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, before going on sale in January. With the exception of the addition of LED headlamps, the hot hatch is the mirror image of the model it replaces. As before, however, there are distinctive Cupra touches, such as the darkened rear diffuser and central exhaust, more aggressive bumpers and unique 17-inch alloys. More significant changes have been made under the bonnet. To replace the 177bhp 1.4-litre TSI turbo, SEAT has borrowed the larger and…

THE Peugeot Fractal is an “electric urban coupé” concept that’s set to star at the Frankfurt Motor Show. And as well as giving a glimpse of an exciting future two-door, it previews a new design direction for the brand, which is due to debut on next year’s revised 3008 (spied below). Auto Express was granted early access to the Fractal, and the people responsible for its creation, and it casts a sleek, compact profile – think Peugeot 208 and VW Polo. The designers were tasked with coming up with something completely new – a focus on sound and an “unprecedented attention to acoustics”. Peugeot bosses say the result is a “level of auditory perception that further enriches the driving experience”. For example, the interior is laden with 3D-printed ‘anechoic protrusions’…

Honda concept to take aim at Atom HONDA looks to be gunning for the Ariel Atom with an open-wheel road racer concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The ‘2&4’ concept, teased in this cut-away image (above) of the car’s side profile from above, gets a modified MotoGP four-cylinder bike engine and an open-air cockpit. Like the Atom, the wheels and suspension will be exposed and viewable in the cockpit, and it will be extremely lightweight. There’s no word yet on a potential production car. Swift Sport teaser set for Tokyo show SUZUKI is planning to reveal a concept car at October’s Tokyo Motor Show which will preview the next Swift Sport. The concept will debut a new 1.4-litre ‘Boosterjet’ turbo engine which will likely feature in the next Swift Sport,…

MORE than 800,000 drivers ran out of fuel at the roadside in 2014 – an increase of 50,000 from the previous year, new research reveals. The estimated 827,000 motorists who were caught out represent two per cent of the entire UK driving population, according to the study, by LV= Road Rescue. It calculated some 536,000 motorists deliberately ignored their vehicle’s fuel warning lights, while a further 267,000 failed to notice the low fuel light was on. Differing fuel costs on motorways and urban areas continue to influence motorists’ decision to drive with the fuel warning light on, as 54 per cent admitted to passing a fuel station in search of a cheaper one, despite already being low on fuel. When searching for cheaper fuel, many drivers wrongly believed they had…

MERCEDES’ S-Class Cabriolet has been a poorly kept secret for some time, but finally the German manufacturer has revealed its flagship drop-top for all to see ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Cabriolet is swooping in with the hope of stealing sales from the Bentley Continental GTC, and is the first car of its type in Mercedes’ product range in over 40 years. With the roof in place, the cabrio’s profile is almost entirely unchanged from the sleek S-Class Coupé. The same graceful long bonnet and swept-back headlamps trail into the steeply raked windscreen and distinctive side kinks on the flanks. The rear has been revised slightly, with a longer deck meeting the more upright window of the soft-top, but the Cabriolet’s overall dimensions are identical…

Essential car news in just 90 seconds LIKE your car news in a quick, digestible package? Our News in 90 Seconds videos should be absolutely perfect for you. The premise is very simple – we take the big motoring stories of the week and pack them into a bite-sized one-and-a-half minute video. The video news bulletin goes live every Thursday and subscribers to our video newsletter are always the first to watch the latest news. Our launch control drag race blasts off EVER wondered what happens when you drag race a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS, BMW M4 and a Mercedes-AMG C 63, and include engaging their launch control in the time? Well, we did. And to make things more interesting, we threw a 1.0-litre Volkswagen Polo into the mix…

Factory’s given rest of auto industry a blueprint for how to run a successful modern car plant ELLESMERE Port is the Vauxhall factory that’s given the rest of the auto industry the blueprint for how to run a successful modern plant. When management and workers reached a groundbreaking agreement in 2012, it not only won the Cheshire site the next-generation Astra, but – more importantly – it probably saved Vauxhall from extinction. US owner General Motors had decided to shut one of three European factories that were competing to win the contract to build the new Mk7 family car. If Ellesmere Port had lost the battle, GM would’ve closed the plant with the loss of more than 2,000 jobs. Without it, Vauxhall would have been left with just one manufacturing…

AS the entry point into MINI ownership, the One has often been overlooked due to its less powerful engines and shortage of standard kit for a premium-priced car. To answer part of that, the brand has slotted in a new 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine that brings extra punch, more flexibility and improved emissions, sampled here in the more practical five-door body. Like the 1.5-litre engine found in the Cooper, the smaller 1.2 turbo is a zippy three-cylinder. Fire it up, and as you begin to roll away, you’d be hard pressed to tell the One apart from the Cooper. The engine is very refined for a three-cylinder, with no real vibration at idle. It also pulls smoothly from 1,500rpm thanks to 180Nm of torque. It’s silky smooth to rev out,…

IF you’re a fast Ford fan and simply can’t wait for the new Focus RS mega hatch, then you’re in luck. Ford tuner Mountune has fettled the new Focus ST to give it even more performance than the standard car. While it might not boast the RS’s 345bhp engine and four-wheel-drive system, there’s still a lot to like. Instead, the ST’s standard 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol unit has been tweaked to produce 271bhp and 400Nm of torque, which is 24bhp and 40Nm up on standard. It has a big effect, cutting the 0-60mph time from 6.5 to 5.7 seconds, while boosting in-gear acceleration, too. However, with a significant amount more torque coming in much lower in the rev range, when the Mountune’s turbo gets going it delivers a great dollop…

IT’LL be some time until Jaguar lets its Special Vehicle Operations division loose on the new XF, with its XE smaller brother likely to get the SVO treatment sooner. So, until it arrives, the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 XF S will have to do for those seeking a bit more drama from the BMW 5 Series rival. That’s no bad thing, though. Just like the XE S, the XF S pinches the sonorous 3.0-litre supercharged V6 from the F-Type S, so that means 375bhp and 450Nm of torque. It’ll hit 155mph without breaking sweat, while 0-60mph is over in a brisk 5.1 seconds. And although fuel economy will not be a key factor for buyers, 34mpg is still good going. Press the starter button, and if you’re expecting the same brash…

BERNARD GERMAIN DS 4 chief designer Stylist talks our man Fowler through his role in adding premium feel to DS range HOT on the heels of the revised DS 5 comes this, a similarly fettled DS 4 but with an added twist – DS’s middle model has had an allroad makeover with a raised ride height and some body cladding to give it some crossover attitude. And Auto Express was granted exclusive access to the new DS 4s and their chief designer, Bernard Germain. The most striking difference between old and new DS is the new nose – very similar in design to the new DS 5’s, featuring a wide, upright grille surrounded by chrome ‘DS Wings’ with a prominent DS logo in the centre. As is becoming of the…

DRIVERS CAR makers have long been keen to emphasise the idea of technology transfer between race and road vehicles. But while it’s true that clever ideas such as twin-clutch gearboxes and disc brakes were born out of motorsport innovation, the link between the race track and the road has become less direct in recent years. Formula One’s high-revving engines and dizzyingly complex aerodynamics bear little relation to what you’ll see on even a high-performance road car – but the FIA Formula E championship promises to play a pivotal role in the development of electric vehicle technology. This is why DS has decided to partner with Richard Branson’s Virgin Racing outfit for the series’ second season, which kicks off in Beijing, China, on 17 October. We spoke to the team’s technical…

Benefit in kind LOW running costs are essential for fleet-targeted models like our duo. The Jag is the cheaper choice for business users – it’s more expensive to buy, but claims lower CO2 emissions. Drivers looking to save can go for a 161bhp 2.0 XE, at £29,775, which emits 99g/km. The 320d EfficientDynamics Plus has the same CO2, yet costs £30,485. Practicality THE Jag may be slightly bigger on the outside, but its cabin is a touch more cramped, while the boot is 25 litres smaller and awkwardly shaped. Not only is the 3 Series’ boot bigger, buyers wanting even more space can opt for the Touring estate that features a 495-litre capacity. Performance AT the track, the BMW had a small advantage over the Jaguar, due to its superior…

Boot space SKODA wins the space race with its long wheelbase, which gives a load capacity of 660 litres, or 1,950 litres with the seats folded. The Passat serves up 650 and 1,780 litres respectively, while the Avensis trails in third with 543 or 1,609 litres. But those cars have an advantage over the Superb due to their flush floors with the back seats folded. Neat touches SKODA has filled the Superb with lots of handy features. The familiar ice scraper is attached to the fuel cap, and an umbrella is stored in each front door. The boot light becomes a torch and the front cup-holder has a grippy rubber base so you can twist open a bottle cap single-handedly. Tax costs THE lowest P11D price and a 19 per…

ANYONE who knows me well will tell you that I have a rather old head atop my 24-year-old shoulders. Give me a Frank Sinatra album over the latest chart-topper and 40 winks over 40 drinks any day. So when Mazda came calling and asked if I’d fancy driving our 2 supermini to Brussels to go to Tomorrowland – the biggest dance music festival in the world – you can imagine the nature of my response. Well, er, I jumped at the chance. Not because I’d had a sudden change of heart and decided to act my age rather than my birth year, but because the prospect of driving the 2 on a 400-mile round trip was one that I simply couldn’t refuse. The little Mazda has been at Auto Express…

Got a query? Cat_Dow@dennis.co.uk  @AE_Consumer Q Tips for marathon journey WE’RE planning a drive up to see friends in Inverness from Brighton over the next few weeks. Do you have any suggestions for breaking up the journey? Dan Fields, E-mail A THIS trip is at least 10 hours one way, so we’d recommend investing in a few smartphone apps. Use Spotify to create playlists and Audible for audio books. You need to rest regularly, too. The Motorway Walks and Breaks app (Issue 1,199), suggests areas to stretch your legs en route. Q Best pressure washer? HAVING just moved house, I finally have a driveway next to an external power source and tap, so I’m treating myself to a pressure washer. What’s the best on the market? Bob Kennett, E-mail A…

CORDLESS car vacs are getting better and better with improved battery life, additional attachments and more lightweight components. Dyson has just launched the V6 Absolute and Fluffy to add to its DC59 Animal, which did well in our Issue 1,354 test. However, the Animal’s uncompromising price rated it below the much cheaper Black and Decker Dustbuster, which matched it on performance. So how did the Absolute fare against the Dustbuster and Makita’s LXT DCL180, which was recommended in our test? We compared prices, suction and battery power, as well as comfort, extra nozzles and ease of emptying. The Dyson’s position was again compromised by price. It has amazing suction and lots of nozzles, so is worth the money if used in the house, too. Just want a car vac? Go…

CARS THE SENSIBLE CHOICE Kia Rio FOR: Classy and spacious cabin, warranty AGAINST: Dull to drive, small boot THE latest Rio is Kia’s most competitive supermini to date. It scored five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests and an impressive 92 per cent for adult protection – right up there with class rivals. It’s not as composed as the Fabia to drive, and there aren’t as many engines, but it looks sharp, and the cabin is smartly designed, spacious and feels a cut above the Clio. We found a 2015 1.4 petrol in top-spec 3 trim with just 2,500 miles for £11,750. INTERIOR RELIABILITY CARS THE STYLISH CHOICE Renault Clio FOR: Bold looks, equipment, very safe AGAINST: Slightly rough ride, cabin quality THE Clio gained a bold new look in…

FORMULA One rolls into the historic setting of Monza in Italy this weekend, but recent comments from F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone suggest the iconic track’s days on the calendar are numbered. Speaking at the previous round at Spa, Belgium, Ecclestone said: “They’ve got a contract, all they’ve got to do is find a pen, it’s easy. We’ll see what happens. I hope we don’t lose this track, but the chance of it happening is now very high.” As is almost always the case when any grand prix’s position on the calendar is threatened, the issue at stake is the large hosting fee that has to be paid to Formula One management by the track each year. “We cannot make exceptions,” continued Ecclestone. “The conditions are the same for Monza as…

AS tributes continue to roll in for Justin Wilson, fans have been given a chance to honour his memory with a fund to support his young family. The British IndyCar and ex-Minardi and Jaguar F1 racer (right) died after an accident at Pocono Raceway circuit in Pennsylvania in August, and fans can buy merchandise at indycar.com, with 100 per cent of the profits going to the fund for his children. Wilson’s website (justinwilson.co.uk) has details on how to make a direct contribution to the fund.…

HIGH Street retailing hasn’t changed in recent decades. It’s been revolutionised. Today’s best coffee shops, supermarkets, electrical stores, stationers, furniture warehouses, clothing outlets and drinking establishments are a world apart from their counterparts of yesterday. In the past, consumers seeking, say, audio or video gear would have to go to Rumbelows or Comet. Now they’ve got Apple Stores or Richer Sounds. Like Blockbuster, Borders, Focus, MFI, Threshers and others, Rumbelows and Comet were murdered on the High Street. Every dog has its day – and they’ve had theirs. Traditional/tired franchised dealers selling new cars, take note. Too many languish in inappropriate properties peddling factory-fresh vehicles in the same way they’ve always peddled them – via the hated haggling process. Customers go up against seasoned salesmen (women are rare) on their…