Innholdsfortegnelse for November 11, 2015 i Auto Express

WHILE Volkswagen’s new CEO Matthias Müller is discovering the emissions scandal is bigger than perhaps he ever imagined (Page 17), plans are underway for the German brand’s renaissance. A new plan called Strategy 2025 aims to focus on profitability – and key to this is building the right products for the right markets. VW has already announced a bespoke platform for a raft of all-electric cars, as well as promising to introduce a plug-in hybrid version of all its core models. However, the company’s future plans will extend further than EVs and hybrids as it eyes a range of all-new SUVs, which will begin to arrive as early as 2017. Central to this line-up will be a Golf SUV – revealed in our exclusive main image – which will slot…

THE number of motorists who appeal a pass from their MoT test centre is more than 10 times higher than those who appeal a fail, Auto Express can reveal. Figures obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show that since 2010, more than 1,000 motorists a year challenge a pass from their MoT centre. The number is rising, too, with over 1,250 drivers in 2014 alone calling up the DVSA believing their car should have failed – up by nearly 100 from 2013. In comparison, just 100 owners per year petition the DVSA to retest their vehicle in the hope of passing – although 2014 was a five-year high. A DVSA spokeswoman told us: “Secondhand car buyers often think there is something wrong with their car and it…

KIA’S GREAT AMERICAN ADVENTURE FLARED wheelarches, outrageous spoilers, custom paintjobs and oversized wheels took centre stage at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, US. Kia was only one of the manufacturers to unveil some crazy concepts, and its line-up was based on the Great American Adventure. The PacWest Adventure Sorento (right) is designed for the Pacific Northwest, and has a raised ride height, bespoke roof rack and underwater snorkel. Meanwhile, (below, from left) the Forte Koup Mud Bogger has 28-inch tyres and side skirts for hardcore off-roading, plus a rollcage. The Photo Safari Sedona features an on-board film studio with a handcrafted walnut desk in the middle row, while the roll-top-roofed Trail’ster has a supercharged all-wheel-drive system to cope with Rocky Mountain terrain. MAZDA MX-5 SPEEDSTER…

A LOT of work has been done by insurers and the Government to cut down on bogus claims that are hurting honest drivers’ premiums. It’s good work, too, as the number of crash-for-cash scams has fallen heavily following new legislation. Premiums have started to level out – and even fall. However, does this mean it’s now impossible to make a genuine claim for whiplash? The recent experience of an Auto Express reader with one claims management company would suggest that the path is far from clear. After contacting their insurer to make a non-fault claim, the reader was passed on to a management company, as they were suffering neck and shoulder pain. Unfortunately, the layers of paperwork needed to ascertain it wasn’t a bogus claim proved time-consuming and onerous. There…

AGED 17, my first car was a Vauxhall Chevette – and all I could think was how to get rid of its ‘pipe and slippers’ image. With my hard-earned cash, I seriously considered all the options to make it cooler; super-wide wheels, a big stereo and a fancy paint job. At no point did I think my insurer would need to know. Why does this matter? What’s wrong with personalisation? Talk to insurance providers and their answers might vary from “not much” to “a lot”. Premium pricing is based on factory fittings. Any changes should be notified, so your broker or insurer can decide if it alters the likelihood of accident, damage or theft. Some mods are obvious; tuning kits, exhausts and low-profile tyres make cars go faster. What about…

Essentials Mercedes C 250d AMG Line Coupé Price: £37,615Engine: 2.1-litre 4cyl turbodieselPower/torque: 201bhp/500NmTransmission: Nine-speed automatic,rear-wheel drive0-62mph: 6.7 secondsTop speed: 153mphEconomy: 67.3mpgCO2: 112g/km ON SALE Now DRIVERS wanting some of the most expensive and ostentatious two-door coupés money can buy have often flocked to Mercedes. Its S-Class Coupé, launched last year, isn’t just the latest in a long line of vast and showy four-seater two-doors, but it also offers some seriously cutting-edge technology, putting it up against more exotic names in the business like Bentley. Yet while the S-Class has the panache to tempt the super-rich to open their cheque books, those further down the pecking order have to look elsewhere. Step up the new C-Class Coupé, which aims to offer a taste of the £100,000 S-Class Coupé in a far…

Essentials Range Rover SV Autobiography Price: £156,000 Engine: 4.4-litre V8 turbodiesel Power: 334bhp Transmission: Eight-speed auto, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 7.2 seconds Top speed: 135mph Econ/CO2: 33.6mpg/216g/km RANGE Rover customers aren’t strangers to personalisation. Their cars come with inventories longer than the SUV itself, and six-figure list prices are more common than buttered toast for breakfast. The people at Land Rover are wise to this, and as a result have tasked the Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) department with creating the biggest and best Rangie yet. This then is the Range Rover SV Autobiography – a leather-trimmed luxury tech fest with every option available that has an emphasis on the passenger. From the outside, Graphite lettering and a special SV Autobiography badge at the back mark it out, plus a £9,000 optional…

VW Caddy Life Price: £22,818 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl diesel Power: 148bhp Transmission: Six-speed auto, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 9.9 seconds Top speed: 116mph Economy: 55.4mpg CO2: 133g/km ON SALE Now Verdict THE Caddy is one of the better van-based people carriers on the market, but this top-spec car pushes the price well into mid-size MPV territory. That raises the expectations and unfortunately the Caddy Life just doesn’t deliver. In a lo er spec, it makes more sense as a spacious family runabout, but a Peugeot Partner Tepee can be had for significantly less. THE booming demand for crossovers in Europe has seen five-seat MPVs take a bit of a back seat for most car makers. But alongside the Golf SV and larger Touran, VW now has a new passenger-carrying version of…

WINTER is coming and it’s important to be prepared – and that doesn’t just mean making sure your car is ready. Your own driving behaviour and style is just as vital to staying safe on the road when the worst of the weather hits. It’s fair to say the UK has enjoyed some milder winters in recent years, so you might be out of practice in dealing with hazards such as black ice or snow drifts. Don’t worry, though, as Auto Express has joined forces with the experts at Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy, Weybridge, Surrey to take one of its winter driving courses and produce a “dos and don’ts” guide of how to prepare for and drive in extreme weather. DO PLAN YOUR TRAVEL IT’S important to pick the right roads…

NOT every British winter is defined by deep snow drifts and huge blizzards – depending on whereabouts in the country you live, of course – but it can still be a treacherous time. Slippery roads combined with poor preparation and careless driving cause accidents. To help you get through the worst of the big freeze, we’ve come up with 20 handy items for you and your car – 11 that are easily stored in the boot and nine best kept in a garage. Plus, if you’re short on space, why not check out one of our five all-inclusive winter kits? “SLIPPERY ROADS COMBINED WITH POOR PREPARATION AND CARELESS DRIVING CAUSE ACCIDENTS” “SNOW TRACKS ARE BOARDS THAT YOU SLIDE UNDER THE TYRES TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO GRIP” FOR YOUR Car…

1. Find a working car with a similar sized engine, and park it in neutral close to your stricken vehicle. 2. Connect the red lead to the positive terminal on the working battery, then to the same terminal on the flat battery. 3. Connect the black lead to the negative terminal on the working battery, then to an engine bolt, bracket, or another metal earthing point away from the flat battery. 4. Check the leads are clear of obstructions and start the engine on the working car. 5. Leave the engine running for a minute with the leads connected. Then start the engine on the car with the flat battery. 6. If the engine won’t start, leave it a little longer and try again. Check the leads and switch off…

MODEL TESTED: Volkswagen Golf R Estate PRICE: £33,585 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 296bhp VOLKSWAGEN Golf R models have been around for more than a decade, but this is the first time the brand’s flagship performance badge has been applied to an estate. Boasting the same 296bhp 2.0-litre turbo and four-wheel-drive system as the hatch, the newcomer promises performance and practicality in equal measure. Unlike the three and five-door, the estate is available only with a six-speed DSG transmission, and prices start from £33,585. Styling 3.9/5 DESPITE being the fastest Golf you can buy, the standard R hatch doesn’t shout about its performance potential – and the estate’s no different. As with its stablemate, you get a deeper front bumper that houses large air intakes, plus subtle side skirts, a quad-exit exhaust…

NEW: Ford Focus ST Mountune Estate PRICE: £24,790 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 271bhp THE tuned Focus ST closes on the SEAT for muscle, with the Mountune kit upping power by 24bhp, and it claims 0-62mph in six seconds. Handling isn’t as polished as Leon’s, but hairy-chested Ford is full of character. USED: Audi S4 Avant PRICE: £29,900 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6, 328bhp UPMARKET Audi has even more power than Golf, while quattro all-wheel drive inspires confidence. Interior quality is impeccable, and at this budget you can buy a lightly used 2013 car with the desirable Black Edition upgrade.…

IT had to happen – on top of the regular SUVs we’ve had coupé-SUVs and performance SUVs, so surely a convertible SUV is a natural next step? Land Rover seems to think so, which is why the Evoque Convertible – previewed by a concept at 2012’s Geneva Motor Show – has got the green light and will arrive in time for when the warm weather returns next year. Okay, so we know there have been open-top versions of working Land Rover Defenders for years and there’s a soft-top version of the Nissan Murano available in the US. But Land Rover is keen to position the Evoque Convertible as the world’s first luxury convertible – with prices to match. When the car arrives in the spring, diesel versions will start from…

AN internal Volkswagen investigation has revealed irregularities in fuel economy and CO2 figures for 800,000 of its models – dragging petrol cars into the scandal for the first time. The majority of the vehicles affected are diesels, but it’s believed the 1.4-litre ‘Cylinder on Demand’ petrol engines, found in many of the VW Group’s smaller Audis, VWs, Skodas and SEATs, are also involved. A VW Group spokesman said: “Under the ongoing review of all processes and workflows connected with diesel engines, it was established that the CO2 levels and thus the fuel-consumption figures for some models were set too low during the CO2 certification process.” VW is now “in dialogue” with the type-approval agencies to determine what these findings will mean for the company and its customers. The manufacturer estimated…

VOLVO’S XC90 will be getting the full-fat Polestar treatment in time, but to whet our appetite the firm has released some Polestar performance upgrades for the SUV. The Polestar Performance Optimisation upgrade packs start from £835 and can be applied to both the D5 diesel and T6 petrol powertrains on the Audi Q7 rival. Fitted to the diesel, the pack brings a 7bhp boost, taking it from 222bhp to 229bhp, while torque is upped 30Nm to 500Nm. The T6 petrol is boosted from 316bhp to 330bhp, and gains 40Nm of torque for a total of 440Nm. While none of those increases sounds significant, Volvo claims mid-range responsiveness is much improved thanks to a broader powerband and faster gearchanges. UK sites in running to build new DBX ASTON Martin will announce…

Tyre safety test for winter driving ARE premium tyres really worth the money over budget versions? And what difference does it make if you don’t look after your tyres? These are just two of the questions we answer in our winter driving special tyre safety feature on Page 88. But to get a full idea of the effects, watch the video from our test track session. Video review of the all-new Infiniti Q30 THE all-new British-built Q30 compact hatch is the car that will invigorate Infiniti sales – or so the brand says. We took the five-door for a spin on some smooth roads in the Portuguese sunshine, and our comprehensive video report reveals whether it’s the premium car it claims to be. You can watch any of our videos…

HOT TOPIC Auto headlights debate FROM: Stephen Espley THE EU made Daytime Running Lights (DLRs) mandatory partly because of drivers not using their headlamps in poor visibility. However, I think having mandatory automatic lights would have been a much better solution. Let’s make it happen. FROM: Neville MANY years ago, the Department for Transport placed an ad in a newspaper where readers could put their fingers over the headlamps of a car in the dark. The car’s silhouette disappeared once you covered its lights. I’m a big supporter of automatic lights. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk • “I’m all for automatic headlights, and I would also like to see a warning sign on the dash when a bulb goes out.” Brian Homans • “I like the idea of…

Essentials Jaguar XJ SWB 3.0D R-Sport Price: £71,625Engine: 3.0-litre V6 dieselPower/torque: 296bhp/700NmTransmission: Eight-speed automatic,rear-wheel drive0-62mph: 5.9 secondsTop speed: 155mphEconomy: 48.0mpgCO2: 155g/km ON SALE Now A CAR passing the millionth milestone often goes unnoticed, but for Jaguar it’s very big news indeed. Its XJ – the model that’s always stood as the essence of the brand – clocked seven figures in production this year, taking a ‘mere’ 47 years to do so. And to time perfectly with this landmark, and keep the car fresh, the company’s treated its flagship to a comprehensive makeover. The current-shape Mk5 caused a stir among Jag fans when it was launched in 2009, largely because it was the first XJ not to be evolutionary. Ever since the XJ6 arrived in 1968, every version that’s come after…

Essentials Peugeot 308 GTi Price: £28,155Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl turboPower/torque: 266bhp/330NmTransmission: Six-speed manual,front-wheel drive0-62mph: 6.0 secondsTop speed: 155mphEconomy: 47mpgCO2: 139g/km ON SALE Now PEUGEOT has a long and illustrious history of producing fast and fun hot hatches, and this 308 GTi is no exception. Developed by Peugeot Sport – the team behind the sweet 208 GTi and rapid RCZ R – it features the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo as you’ll find in both those cars. Now we’ve tested it in the UK for the first time. Here it develops 266bhp and 330Nm of torque, which reaches the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. There’s no slick-shifting dual-clutch auto available. Yet while the GTi is down on power next to the SEAT Leon Cupra and Honda Civic Type R, it’s much…

Essentials Skoda Octavia vRS 230 Price: £26,150 Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo Power: 227bhp Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.7 seconds Top speed: 155mph Economy: 45.6mpg CO2: 145g/km ON SALE Now IT’S clear that there’s an element of favouritism within the VW Group stable of hot hatchbacks. After all, the 261bhp VW Golf GTI Clubsport is just around the corner, while SEAT has upped the ante with its Leon Cupra 290. So where does that leave Skoda? The brand’s Octavia vRS has been a tad unloved since its UK release, but there’s now a new vRS 230 model, which gets a small power boost and the Golf GTI’s Performance Pack add-ons. Externally, the new car features unique 19-inch rims, a rear spoiler, gloss-black grille and door mirrors plus optional red…

WINTER presents a unique challenge to car owners, with extreme temperatures, limited hours of daylight and the likelihood of rain or snow making driving a much more formidable task than at any other time of the year. To help you get ready for the months ahead, Auto Express has put together this essential Winter Driving Special. We’ve got every base covered to ensure you’ll be fully prepared when the big freeze bites. Four-wheel drive, of course, gives extra reassurance in poor conditions, and over the next 46 pages, we rate every SUV sale on Britain. We also have expert advice on the tyres you should fit and products you should carry in your car, plus get winter driving tips from the Mercedes-Benz Driving Academy. It’s all you need to ensure…

Bosmere W135 Emergency Winter Kit RRP: £24.99 (www.bosmere.com) THIS contains the essentials in the form of a wind-up torch, foil blanket, hi-vis vest and snow shovel. The shovel in particular looks very sturdy and would be great for digging a car out of the deepest snow drifts. AA Winter Car Kit RRP: £15 (www.shop.theaa.com) FOR years, the AA has been offering a range of kits, and its Winter Car Kit comes in a handy cargo bag to stop the contents rolling around the boot. It has the same items as the Bosmere W135 kit, but the torch is battery-powered, rather than a wind-up version, hence the £9 saving. CarPlan Winter Essentials Car Care Kit RRP: £5.95 (www.carplan.co.uk) CARPLAN focuses on the windscreen rather than surviving snow drifts with its kit…

IF snow falls this year, it’s easy to feel panicked that you don’t have the necessary experience of driving in challenging conditions. One approach is to stock up the cupboards while the weather is still OK, and the instant the first snowflake drops, lock yourself inside. The alternative is to learn to drive on snow and ice. So why not embrace the big freeze this year with some of these exotic courses? They’ll not only boost your skills, but should also be lots of fun. “REAR-WHEEL-DRIVE CARS CAN BE QUITE LIVELY IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS, SO BMW USES M4 AND M6 COUPES FOR WINTER DRIVING COURSE IN AUSTRIA” BMW Snow Drift Training Price: 410 Euros (£303) (www.bmw-drivingexperience.com) REAR-drive cars can be lively in slippery conditions, so for this driving course, BMW…

Facts, figures and advice powered by carbuyer.co.uk IT’S only just landed in UK showrooms, but the Golf R Estate is already available with some attractive deals. For instance, finance the car through VW’s Solutions PCP agreement, and you’ll pay £362 a month at 6.6 per cent APR. The three-and-a-half-year plan requires a hefty deposit of £8,000 – although you can adjust this to suit your requirements – and there’s an optional final payment of £15,317. But you can add a three-year servicing pack for only £149. There are even better deals to be had on the Leon Cupra ST, with SEAT offering zero per cent finance over the same 42-month period. Put down an £8,312 deposit and you’ll pay £255 a month with an optional balloon payment of…

Higher-spec new Prius names price TOYOTA has announced full pricing and specs for its new Prius (above). The range kicks off with the entry-level Active, from £23,295. It’s £1,300 more than before, but has climate control, LED lights, a multimedia touchscreen with DAB and adaptive cruise control. Topping the range is Excel trim (from £27,450), which gets sat-nav and connected apps, leather and a premium audio system. Order books are open now ahead of first deliveries in March. Fire alert sparks big Zafira recall... VAUXHALL is set to recall 220,000 Zafiras after owners have reported their vehicles catching fire. Only right-hand-drive Zafira B models, built between 2005 and 2014 with manual air-con, or with no air-con, are involved. The recall does not concern the current Zafira Tourer. Owners will be…

GENESIS is back – but as a car brand, not a band. Hyundai is taking the name of its flagship saloon and expanding it into a global luxury car division to take on the likes of Mercedes and Audi. Bosses are promising six new Genesis models by 2020, offering “the highest standards of performance, design and innovation”. The current Genesis emblem has also been tweaked to take on a wing-style design (above). The cars will be sold in markets like China and the US, before being considered for roll-out in the UK.…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m). Legal AA: 0906 010 1300 (p) RAC: 0870 5533 533 (m) Which?: 01992 822 800 Consumer Direct: 0845 404 0506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 085 3007 RAC: 0800 085 2529 Technical advice AA: 0870 606 1619 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0800 975 5867 Traffic information AA: 09003 401100 (p) RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers Motor Codes: 0800 692 0825 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 839 9205 (m) Scottish Motor Trade Association: 0131 331 5510…

Essentials Audi R8 V10 Plus Price: £134,500Engine: 5.2-litre V10 petrolPower: 602bhpTransmission: Seven-speed S tronicauto, four-wheel drive0-62mph: 3.2 secondsTop speed: 205mphEconomy: 23mpgCO2: 287g/km ON SALE Now LIGHTER, stiffer, more powerful and faster than ever, the new Audi R8 appears – on paper at least – to be a much improved version of a very good supercar. Two models will hit UK roads at the end of this month, both featuring V10 engines – one with 532bhp, the other with 602bhp. The entry-level version, known simply as the V10, costs £119,500, while the top-notch V10 Plus we drove starts at £134,500. Since its launch in 2007, the R8 has redefined what’s possible in terms of dynamics and driver enjoyment at the wheel of a fast Audi. Before the R8, they were always…

Essentials MINI Cooper D Clubman Price: £22,265Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl dieselPower: 148bhpTransmission: Six-speed manual,front-wheel drive0-62mph: 8.6 secondsTop speed: 132mphEconomy: 68.9mpgCO2: 109g/km ON SALE Now THE Clubman name first appeared back in 1969. BMW reimagined it in 2007 with a similarly boxy shape, high roofline and barn-style doors – marketing it as a MINI for those with growing families. But that never really worked. It was too small, cramped and compromised. MINI says it’s rectified that with this new car, which is not only bigger on the outside, but also significantly roomier on the inside. This is no longer just a lardy MINI hatch, but instead a rival for the Audi A3, Mercedes A-Class and Volvo V40. There’s a sizeable 360-litre boot behind the rear seats, and folding them down frees up…

Essentials Skoda Citigo Black Edition Price: £10,340 Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol Power: 59bhp Transmission: Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 14.4 seconds Top speed: 100mph Economy: 62.8mpg CO2: 105g/km ON SALE Now SMALL city cars used to be considered basic transport, but now they also need to cater for image-conscious buyers to be popular. For example, just look at the sales figures for the Fiat 500, which is arguably more about fashion than form. Special editions are a good way of boosting a car’s appeal with minimal effort, and Skoda has taken a leaf out of that book with the new Citigo Black Edition. The car we drove was finished in white, but not surprisingly, the Black Edition is also available in black. Other styling enhancements include black 15-inch alloys and…

WE’RE coming around the rain-covered bend at a steady 35mph, the steering in our Ford Focus feels light but not unresponsive and the chassis is relatively composed. Suddenly, the tail snaps and a haze of hand movements is needed to rein in the family hatch. We eventually got it around the corner, but without any finesse or composure. Driver trainer Nigel Smith, sitting alongside us, says: “Just think what could have happened if we were on real roads with actual traffic.” Fortunately for us, we’re on the wet handling track at the 750-acre Horiba-MIRA vehicle testing facility in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. But as treacherous puddles and patches of black ice often cover UK roads during the winter months, many drivers will experience similar loss of control. Snow and blizzards aren’t that…

ALL parts of your car need looking after as the weather gets colder and colder, but none more so than your battery. Cold weather changes the chemical process within the battery, meaning it doesn’t work as efficiently as it should. This can have a devastating effect on your morning if your car simply won’t start. Flat batteries are the number one cause of RAC callouts during the winter months, so we teamed up with one of the breakdown operator’s patrolmen, Charlie Harding, to put together some top tips for keeping mobile this winter... 1. Keep driving IT might sound basic, but your battery only charges while the engine’s being used. Short journeys, or not using the car at all, will gradually flatten the battery. If you don’t need to do…

Space race THESE cars are as much about practicality as performance, and the Golf takes first blood with its larger 605-litre boot. It extends its advantage with the seats folded. Yet the Leon hits back with its thoughtfully laid-out load bay that features remote release handles and an underfloor area for storing the load cover when it’s not in use. On track TRIP computers and built-in lap timers show that both models are designed to hit the track. However, the SEAT goes one stage further with its optional Sub8 pack, which adds bigger brakes, subtle aero tweaks, lighter alloy wheels and super-sticky Michelin tyres. Gearbox A SIX-speed DSG automatic is standard on the Golf R Estate, while the Leon gets a six-speed manual. Cupra buyers can add a twin-clutch set-up…

Essentials Citroen C4 Cactus 1.2 PureTech Flair 5dr S&S On fleet since: March 2015 Price new: £17,290 Engine: 1.2-litre 3cyl, 109bhp CO2/tax: 107g/km/£20 Options: Blue Lagoon paint (£250), thermally insulated panoramic sunroof (£425), space-saver spare wheel (£75), City Park Pack (£325), Citroen eTouch emergency and assistance system (£250), gloss black rear insert with grey Cactus lettering (no cost) Insurance*: Group: 16 Quote: £345 Mileage/mpg: 9,702/45.9mpg Any problems? None so far *Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points. AUTO Express’s first impressions of the C4 Cactus concept in 2013 were that the car “draws on the comfort and simplicity of the 2CV”. And after nearly 10,000 miles in the production C4 Cactus we’re running on our fleet, it’s clear this Citroen and…

Q Sat-nav update KO I OWN an Audi A1 with an SD slot sat-nav. Can I upgrade the sat-nav through downloading the new map on another SD card, or would I have to go to my Audi dealer to do this? Tony Wood, E-mail A AUDI told us it’s not possible to update the sat-nav without visiting an Audi centre. It can be updated at yearly intervals for £250. The company says the high costs are because it buys the mapping software from a third-party supplier, which dictates the final price. Q Personalised plate query WHAT would happen to the private reg on my car if I crashed the vehicle and it became an insurance write-off? Could I still retain the registration afterwards? Allan Ayears, E-mail A IN the case…

THE long-running saga of Red Bull’s 2016 engine supply appears to have been resolved – with the Milton Keynes-based team arranging to take development of its current Renault engine in-house. Former Mercedes engine guru Mario Illien, who’s been working at Red Bull as a consultant since late last year, will head up the engine development project at Red Bull’s factory. It’s believed the team will develop its own energy-recovery system to pair with the existing Renault motor. Illien previously worked with Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey in the late nineties and early 2000s at McLaren-Mercedes, where their efforts helped Mika Hakkinen become a double world champion. Renault itself is expected to develop the engine in a different direction for use by the former Lotus team when it becomes a…