Innholdsfortegnelse for September 9, 2015 i Auto Express

THIS time next week, the doors will have swung open to the Frankfurt Motor Show the biggest in the world – and the world’s press, followed by eager European car buyers, will be poring over the biggest and best new releases. Leading the way (and in many cases leading the world) is a host of new British cars we have every right to feel very proud of. Cars like the new Rolls-Royce Dawn (above). Britain does luxury better than anyone else on the planet, and the exquisite design and finish of the Dawn is proof of that. I was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the Dawn some months ago at Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood HQ, where the expertise of the workers reinforces the unique skills and work ethic the…

PORSCHE has pulled the covers off its facelifted 911 ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week – and as we’ve previously reported, the brand has made the switch to turbocharged engines. In fact, Porsche’s main focus has been under the skin, but it’s also subtly tweaked the design of its legendary sports car. At the front are new headlamps with four-point LED daytime running lights, plus reshaped air intakes, while revised tail-lamps and a new engine cover are visible at the back. Inside, there’s an updated Porsche Communication Management (PCM) touchscreen infotainment system, now with a Wi-Fi hotspot and Apple CarPlay. The optional Sport Chrono package also brings a new Sport Response button; this prepares the drivetrain for 20 seconds of maximum acceleration by selecting the…

AS motoring faces huge reforms, pointless road signs are also for the chop under a new taskforce. Spearheaded by MP Sir Alan Duncan, it’ll look to curb the number of road signs, which has doubled in the last decade. With such a rapid increase, authorities are concerned some are becoming a distraction and compromising safety. The group is already consulting on how to improve the UK’s road sign infrastructure, and is due to present its findings to Government ministers by December 2015. Sir Alan said: “We are going to look at how we might get rid of whole categories of unnecessary signs and improve the look of our roads.”…

IT’S been a week of myth-busting at Auto Express after we investigated worries about Shell’s Fill up and Go smartphone app (right). Readers had got in touch concerned the app was encouraging drivers to use phones at petrol stations – something they believed could cause explosions. But according to Shell – and some scientific research which we dug out from 2005 – this is in fact a myth, and there’s no fire risk. We were surprised as we’d recently seen signs banning drivers from using their phones at petrol stations, but Shell said this is to prevent people getting distracted on the phone while filling up. A myth well and truly busted, then. And it got us thinking: what other motoring myths do drivers wrongly believe? Do you pour boiling…

IN a time when SUVs and crossovers are the latest must-have, you’d expect BMW’s top seller to be the X3 or even the X1. Amazingly, the car that wears the crown of Britain’s best-loved BMW is the 3 Series. It’s been around for 40 years, and while a cart load of best-in-class accolades have been placed on its head, the competition is catching up – and fast. Mercedes’ C-Class showed how luxurious a compact exec could be, Jaguar’s XE has toppled the 3 Series in the dynamic stakes and the new Audi A4 looks set to match it on every level. The venerable BMW has been treated to a host of changes to keep it on top, but as we discovered in Issue 1,386, the XE still has the refreshed…

WITH more than one million sales since its launch in 2006, the Cee’d has been a resounding success for Kia. However, compared to many modern, more frugal family hatchbacks, the current model was in danger of looking a little old hat. Not any more, as the Korean brand is back in the running with this facelifted 2016 Cee’d. It adds a new high-efficiency 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine and a more advanced seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to the range, as well as subtly updated styling. Kia’s new downsized engine is the big news, though, so we got behind the wheel to find out what it’s like. Thankfully, the answer is good. The new unit serves up either 99bhp or 118bhp, depending on which model you go for, but both blend decent…

Running costs THE Nissan is the cheapest car to buy and will cost the least to run for private buyers over three years. Depreciation, fuel, insurance, servicing and tax add up to a total of £19,386. That’s marginally less than the i30’s bills, at £19,456, but nearly £1,000 cheaper than the Peugeot’s £20,173 three-year running costs. Parts share ALL three cars use engines from elsewhere in the line-ups. The Pulsar’s is a detuned version of the Juke Nismo RS’ engine, while the 308 GT’s unit comes from the 208 GTi. Hyundai’s i30 Turbo shares a powerplant with the 198bhp Kia Cee’d GT, but it’s oddly down on power. Quality THE Peugeot’s air of quality is palpable inside. It’s a lot more upmarket than the budget-feeling Pulsar as well as the…

Load carriers THE L200 is down on space, but its combined payload and towing capacity stands at a useful 4,145kg even though it’s a lighter vehicle. This is 75kg more than the Amarok, and Mitsubishi claims it’s a best-in-class combined carrying capacity – if you need more, only an HGV will do! Both models are easy to load, with similar ride heights. Premium details MITSUBISHI has beaten VW at its own game when it comes to upmarket details, as the L200 offers many more premium features than the Amarok. Illuminated sill plates and leather seats are good examples of how the new pick-up mixes style and substance at a cheaper price. Insurance THE L200 is rated three groups higher than the Amarok at group 13. It means you’ll pay slightly…

YOU’VE seen how the top-rated winter and summer tyres compare to the best all-season designs (opposite), but as we list our results by category in these tables, we’ve included the scores for the Continental and Dunlop respectively, so you can compare them easily. It’s telling that the same names dominate different areas of our test, but if you’re convinced of the merits of all-season tyres, and don’t have the budget for two sets of tyres, Nokian’s Weatherproof comes out on top. SNOW CIRCLE 1. Nokian 100% 2. Maxxis 97.5% 3. Goodyear 96.1% 4. Vredestein 95.9% 5. Pirelli 89.2% 6. Bridgestone 88.2% Win Continental 96.1% Sum Dunlop 79.9% WET BRAKING 1. Goodyear 100% 2. Nokian 97.3% 3. Pirelli 96.9% 4. Vredestein 91.5% 5. Bridgestone 85.1% 6. Maxxis 83.8% Win Continental 93.9%…

CITROEN has revealed a stylish new convertible version of its C4 Cactus crossover. The drop-top crossover concept, called the Cactus M, will star at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, and Auto Express was granted early access to the car and its lead designer ahead of the event. We first brought you news that Citroen was building a wacky convertible version of its Cactus in Issue 1,384. More importantly, we revealed the brand was delving into its heritage and borrowing key design themes from the classic Citroen Mehari (right). Built between 1968 and 1986, the Mehari was a utilitarian car based largely on the legendary 2CV, with narrow wheels, raised suspension and tough plastic bodywork. The Cactus M is trying to revive that ethos 30 years on. It’s not just…

JOINING the XAV-Adventure on SsangYong’s Frankfurt stand next week will be a stretched version of the Tivoli, called the XLV-Air. The car will also sit on the small SUV’s platform, and is confirmed for production early next year. Despite the longer body, the XLV-Air will be a strict five-seater with the focus on increasing interior and storage space. The same 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines from the Tivoli have been confirmed, while two and four-wheel-drive models will also be available. It’s not clear whether SsangYong plans to bring the XLV-Air to showrooms in the UK, but more details will be revealed at Frankfurt. PAGE 98: Mike Rutherford’s view…

Special edition DS 3 set to shine in UK THE DS 3 supermini is now available as a shimmering Dark Light special edition (above). The standard Perla Nerva black paintwork is complemented by a scratch-resistant metallic vinyl wrap. Based on the DStyle Nav model and powered by the PureTech 110 petrol with a six-speed auto, the special also gets black leather seats, diamond-cut alloys and unique badging. Just 300 examples of the DS 3 Dark Light will be brought to the UK, priced from £20,795. Next Juke boost for Sunderland factory NISSAN has confirmed its next-generation Juke crossover, expected to appear in 2017, will be built in Britain. The announcement secures 34,000 jobs at the Sunderland factory until at least 2020, while £100million will be invested in the plant to…

THE Government is planning the biggest changes to motoring laws since the introduction of the driving test in 1935. Part-privatising the driving test, introducing more flexible test slots and closing existing test centres all feature in a draft consultation document by the Department for Transport (DfT), obtained by the Independent on Sunday. The main target for ministers in the document is believed to be the driving test pass rate, which currently sits at just under 50 per cent. The report states there’s ‘anecdotal’ evidence learners are booking tests after just a handful of lessons over fears they’ll have to wait, and subsequently failing. Last year, the average test waiting time hit eight weeks due to a shortage of examiners – above the Government’s six-week target. To reduce this, more evening…

THE hubbub surrounding Rolls-Royce’s future SUV is huge, but before we see a new chapter in the brand’s history, there’ll be a new Dawn for Rolls – and this is it. The Rolls-Royce Dawn is a luxurious new four-seater convertible, and Auto Express caught up with design director Giles Taylor to take a closer look prior to its debut at next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Although it uses the same underpinnings as the Wraith coupé – the most driver-focused Rolls ever – Taylor is quick to point out that the Dawn isn’t simply a Wraith with no roof. “The first decision we made was to treat it as a car in its own right,” he told us. “That meant there were a few challenges. “The key was to get the…

Bentley Continental GT Speed first drive THE fastest car Bentley produces has been given an update, although you’ll need a keen eye to spot the tweaks. The new Continental GT Speed hasn’t changed drastically; most of the improvements have been carried out under the bonnet. Our head of motoring video, Mat Watson, has climbed behind the wheel – so will he feel the difference? Watch our video to find out exactly what he thought. All the gossip ahead of Frankfurt show IT’S one of the biggest motor shows on the European calendar, and Auto Express will be at Frankfurt in force next week, reporting on the reveals. Before then, there’s plenty of juicy gossip about the new or updated cars and concepts making an appearance at the event. We’ve wrapped…

IF it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. That’s certainly the philosophy Land Rover has applied to the new Evoque. Only now, almost five years since the baby Range Rover was first launched, has the brand decided to update it. But don’t think Land Rover has got lazy or run out of ideas – far from it; the simple fact is that it can barely produce enough Evoques to satisfy demand. This is the firm’s fastest-selling model ever, so clearly, there is little reason for change. From the outside, you’ll struggle to identify any tweaks. Land Rover isn’t even calling this a facelift, simply a “Model Year update for 2016”. Look close enough, and you’ll notice mildly reshaped front and rear bumpers, plus an altered grille and fresh headlights, while new…

FAST Skodas are more popular than ever, and over 163,000 Octavia vRS models have found homes worldwide since 2001. But to further boost sales, Skoda is adding what is effectively a VW Golf GTI’s Performance Pack to the already potent Octavia vRS. It provides a 10bhp boost in power to 227bhp, as well as a new exhaust, bigger brakes, and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The upgrades cost £2,520 whether you opt for a manual or DSG box, or hatchback or Estate bodystyle. However, in addition to these performance tweaks, vRS 230 buyers benefit from a set of unique 19-inch alloys, gloss-black details, leather sports seats and a trip computer with a lap timer. Park assist is also included, as is sat-nav – the regular vRS gets a touchscreen, but…

THE crossover market is really crowded, so you could be forgiven for missing the Mitsubishi ASX. It’s been in showrooms since 2010, but low sales volumes mean it’s a pretty rare sight in the UK. However, Mitsubishi has decided to give the model a bit of a freshen up. The exterior updates are pretty subtle, and include new wheel designs and tweaked lines for the nose and wheelarches, while under the bonnet there’s a new 1.6-litre diesel sourced from PSA Peugeot-Citroen. The new engine delivers lower emissions and better fuel economy than before, while the ASX range has been rebranded, and now comprises ZC, ZC-M and ZC-H trims. Here we try the mid-spec diesel model. Sadly, first impressions aren’t great. Mitsubishi has done the bare minimum to revise the ASX,…

Kia Cee’d GT Tech PRICE: £23,400 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 198bhp WITH lots of kit and more power than the i30 Turbo, Kia’s Cee’d GT is a sporty warm hatch with a sprightly chassis and lots of neat touches, like Recaro bucket seats. Claimed economy of 38.2mpg is a weak point, though. Renault Mégane GT 220 PRICE: £23,250 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 217bhp PLENTY of power and sparkling handling mean the Mégane is thrilling to drive. Ageing Renault might be more focused and fun on the road, but it doesn’t have the premium feel of the marginally more expensive Cee’d GT, and isn’t as fresh.…

MITSUBISHI is offering some strong finance deals on the top-spec Barbarian manual model we’ve tested here – based on a four-year contract and a £15,861 deposit, the monthly payments stand at £298. Interest is charged at 4.9 per cent APR, but if the car is for business use, you’ll be able to claim the VAT back on a PCP deal, too. There aren’t many cash discounts around. However, Mitsubishi is still selling the older Series 4 model alongside the new L200, so if you want a brand new but more budget-focused alternative to these two, this is your best bet. As the Amarok Ultimate is a special edition, with only 500 vehicles allocated for the UK market, cars are in short supply – never mind discount offers. However,…

CARS THE BOLD CHOICE Citroen C4 Cactus FOR:Distinctive inside and out, clever, cheap AGAINST:Looks won’t be to everyone’s taste CITROEN returned to form with the bold C4 Cactus, and on the outside the car looks like a motor show concept. Distinctive Airbumps protecting the body prevent parking scuffs, and while the interior’s more conventional, it’s still modern and neatly packaged. On the road it’s less revolutionary, and the handling lets it down, although the ride is comfortable and the engines punchy. We found a 2,000-mile 2015 1.2 PureTech 110 petrol in top Flair spec for £15,000. INTERIOR RELIABILITY CARS THE FAMILIAR CHOICE MINI Countryman FOR:Like the MINI but bigger, stylish cabin AGAINST:Firm ride in town, a bit pricey MINI jumped on the crossover bandwagon with its retro-themed Countryman back in…

WORLD Rally star Sebastien Ogier can potentially clinch his third drivers’ crown on the trot at this weekend’s Rally Australia. And his Volkswagen team can also take the manufacturers’ title Down Under should the results go its way. With three rounds to go, this would be the earliest a championship title has ever been decided in the WRC’s history. Ogier and his co-driver Julien Ingrassia’s lead currently stands at 93 points. In order for them to take the title in Australia, they must maintain a lead of at least 84 points over their Finnish team-mate Jari-Mati Latvala and his co-driver Mikko Anttila. As long as Ogier winds up ahead of Latvala, the title is his. Should Latvala win, second place and a bonus point from the rally’s ‘power stage’ would…

WHILE consumers worldwide wait for Samsung to relaunch itself as a proper, standalone vehicle manufacturer (it’s only a matter of time), I’m forced to look for an interim favourite Korean car firm. Hyundai, Kia or GM Daewoo it isn’t. So, for the time being, reborn SsangYong takes over as my preferred Korean car maker. Its appeal is the irreverent attitude, brutal honesty, sense of humour, healthy cynicism and excellent warranties. For the money, tank-like SsangYong cars and trucks aren’t bad, either. And I love its obsession for and determination to deliver good, old-fashioned value for money. This underdog doesn’t do cheap. Instead it does reasonable and credible list prices, best-in-class affordability, great price-to-spec ratios, and with its new Tivoli, impressive predicted resale values of 47 per cent after three years.…

FEW cars have had such a difficult start in life as Bentley’s Bentayga. It was previewed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012 by the EXP 9 F concept – a car that proved two things: there was clear demand for a Bentley SUV, and it should look nothing like the EXP 9 F. The Bentayga name wasn’t received with universal praise, either, while there have been three design directors and two different CEOs in charge of the project. All that upheaval doesn’t seem to have harmed the Bentayga, as Auto Express discovered in an exclusive preview at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire, which has benefited from £114million of investment to build the new car. Bentley describes the Bentayga as “the fastest, most luxurious and most exclusive SUV in…

A REVOLUTIONARY device that scans engines via ultrasound to give accurate mileage readings could stop car clocking in the UK and help meet EU targets. A digital record of a car’s history held on a national database is required under EU legislation by 2017, while mileage correction companies will be outlawed, too. The owners of Tacho-Spion, or Speedo-Spy, believe its patented algorithm could be the answer. The tech has been in development for 10 years and is already being used in Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Poland, Austria and as far afield as the US and Malaysia. Speedo-Spy checks the wear and tear of the engine via an ultrasound scan and gives a result – with five to 10 per cent accuracy – in minutes. Michael Schmutzenhofer, Tacho-Spion CEO, is now looking…

TOYOTA has revealed the latest version of its hybrid pioneer, the Prius, which will hit next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show before going on sale early next year. The brand says the new fourth-generation Prius will “establish new benchmarks in fuel economy”. It’s staying tight-lipped on specific details for now, but has confirmed that the newcomer will be the first model to use the Toyota New Generation Architecture (TNGA) platform. Like the VW Group’s MQB set-up, this is modular, so will be used to underpin a whole host of future models. The all-new platform has given Toyota’s engineers the freedom to develop a clean-sheet hybrid drivetrain. And it will bring improvements in economy and CO2 emissions – to around 90mpg and 70g/km. Better economy on the motorway has also been promised,…

WE were given our first look at the all-new Kia Sportage in Issue 1,386, but all images of the interior were held back – stirring up interest and speculation on how the fourth-generation SUV’s cabin may look. However, official pictures have now been released, showing the inside of the Nissan Qashqai rival, with Kia claiming “significant improvements” over the outgoing model. Taking inspiration from the larger Sorento, the Sportage uses a large, thick-rimmed steering wheel alongside a central touchscreen display. The dash layout is very familiar, too, with the air-con and fan controls placed lower down and towards the driver for easy use on the move. The electronic handbrake is carried over, with a pair of cup-holders next to the gearlever. Plus, high-spec models will benefit from swathes of leather…

ROLLS-Royce could be about to offer a coachbuilding option through its Bespoke service. So far Bespoke has concentrated on exclusive designs and finishes on the firm’s models, and producing cars like the one-off Phantom Serenity concept (above) exhibited at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. “It’s something we’d like to do,” Rolls-Royce design director Giles Taylor told Auto Express. “If a customer comes in and asks us to put some new metal on our spaceframe chassis, perhaps it’s something we should look at.”…

HOT TOPIC New Vauxhall Insignia FROM: Richard Gooch I DON’T doubt for a moment that the new Insignia will be well made, luxurious and attractive. But, premium isn’t just about soft leather, LED lights and lots of tech. The badge, dealer experience and reputation are all aspects Vauxhall has to deliver on, too. FROM: CamDeMon BEARING in mind the market for mainstream cars is shrinking, I don’t see Vauxhall has much choice: either go premium or go budget. The company is much closer to a premium brand to begin with, so it seems an obvious choice. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “I don’t see Vauxhall ever challenging the likes of Audi, BMW or Mercedes for premium saloon market share.” erly5 “Not sure about this. I remember how GM…

THE Tank Museum’s collection of tanks and armour is widely recognised as one of the most important in the world, making the attraction a great day out. Exhibits at the site at Bovington, Dorset, include the world’s first tank, Little Willie, plus Challenger 2 – the UK’s current battle tank. The fascinating fighting vehicles are drawn from the last century, with interactive exhibits and displays from the WWI trenches to Afghanistan. Plus, a display arena lets you see the vehicles being put through their paces. Find out more at www.tankmuseum.org…

THE eight-year-old Fiat 500 is enjoying something of a renaissance of late, with close to 45,000 examples finding homes in the UK in 2014 – the most sold in a single year since the car was introduced. Clearly, it makes sense for Fiat to keep things as they are with this facelifted model. And, unsurprisingly, that’s exactly what it’s done. Despite 1,900 component changes and marketing to suggest the chic city car has been completely revamped, you’d have to be a 500 fanatic to notice many changes. The car’s appearance is subtly lifted by a new grille, new bumpers, revised headlamps and ring-shaped tail-lights, although it’s no revolution. Instead, Fiat has focused on what matters most to fashion-led 500 buyers: bringing fresh colour schemes, accessories and new ‘Second Skin’ exterior…

IF imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, then the BMW X6 will be blushing when it sees the new GLE Coupé. Both cars aim to tread the same line between sleek style and rugged SUV ability, and viewed in profile it’s hard to tell them apart. Yet, while they’re closely matched in looks, size and price, Mercedes believes the GLE is better on the road. We drove one of the first UK cars to find out if that’s the case. There are two petrol engines available from launch – a 362bhp 3.0-litre V6, plus a 577bhp 5.5-litre V8 for the flagship AMG – but the 350d diesel driven here is set to be the big-seller. The 255bhp 3.0-litre unit fires unobtrusively into life and remains smooth and refined,…

AS product and tech writer for Auto Express, I need to cart around various products to keep up with our comprehensive testing schedule. And thankfully, our Renault Twingo is perfect for my role. Space isn’t this city car’s top feature, but it’s surprisingly roomy for its size. As the engine is mounted at the rear, the cabin has capitalised on the additional space up front. Unfortunately, there have been sacrifices made in boot capacity. I’m not the only one in the office to have had issues locating the opening mechanism, either. There’s a bit of a gap between the tailgate glass and bodywork, so the button release actually sits about 10cm under the boot handle, and initially you feel incredibly stupid as you hunt about for it. However as it’s…

Got any car queries? Martin_ Saarinen@dennis.co.uk  @AE_Consumer Q Air-suspension woe on C4 THE air-suspension on my 2011 C4 Picasso has suddenly collapsed. I’ve done only 36,000 miles, but Citroen claims the failure is due to wear and tear. What do you think? Carly Holmes, E-mail A THE Mk1 C4 Picasso (2007-2013) had a known suspension issue, in which air would leak from the system. Previously Citroen said it would repair the fault on cars up to 10 years old or 120,000 miles from the date of registration. Contact the company and ask it to look at the issue once more. Q Polo’s messaging service MY partner has just purchased a new Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI SE. Can we receive and send text messages with her iPhone 6 when connected to…