Auto Express 1453

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news AE I USED to think it was just me. Almost every time I have a reason to pick up the phone and sort something out with my car, I’ll end up being frustrated. The past year has been no different. We have two cars in our household that I’m responsible for: servicing, insurance and (for some strange reason) fuelling, too. And in 2016 we’ve had issues with a couple of car dealers, both of whom were too busy to call me back so I could book a service. Sadly, it seems it’s not just me, but all too often you, too. The most common gripes, according to the many thousands who take part in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, are…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ■ Hi-tech underpinnings will make new Q3 lighter than current car ■ Set to be roomier inside, with Virtual Cockpit instrument display AEAUDI is readying a lighter, more upmarket and practical Q3 that will arrive in dealers in 2018. The current SUV is the oldest model in the Audi range, but increased competition within the VW Group – with the launch of the SEAT Ateca and new Volkswagen Tiguan – means it will get an overhaul inside and out to keep it on the pace. And our exclusive images show how it could look. Under the skin, the existing Q3 uses running gear that can be traced back to the Mk5 VW Golf, and like so many other models within the VW Group, the new version will switch…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “Engineers have been given a ‘blank piece of paper’ to develop all-new engine with even more power” MERCEDES is gearing up to trump its rivals by taking the hot AMG version of the next A-Class north of 400bhp, the boss of the performance division has revealed. The existing AMG A 45 has enjoyed its status as the world’s most powerful hot hatch ever since it first appeared in 2013. Its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo produced 355bhp at launch, although this figure has subsequently been boosted to 376bhp. Yet that’s not going to stop AMG pushing even further with the hardcore version of the next A-Class – previewed by our exclusive images – which will follow the launch of the standard car in the second half of 2017. AMG boss…

Audi RS 3 saloon (394bhp) NOT yet on sale in the UK, RS 3 saloon is the current power king. Audi’s famous 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo develops 394bhp, while quattro AWD is also fitted. Ford Focus RS (345bhp) AT just over £30,000, Focus RS offers the biggest bang for your buck, producing 345bhp. All-wheel drive and a new Drift mode only add to its appeal. Honda Civic Type R (340bhp) NEW Type R was previewed by Paris Motor Show concept, and is due in September. It’s the only front-wheel drive car here, but should get around 340bhp from a 2.0-litre turbo. The one that got away VW Golf R400 (394bhp) A VICTIM of Volkswagen’s dieselgate scandal, the Golf R400 project was axed in an increased effort to help dramatically cut costs…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer “Pump prices varied by more than 20p per litre from cheapest areas to the most expensive” AEVARIATIONS in fuel prices across the UK in 2016 have resulted in some drivers spending over £220 more than others when refuelling their car, new exclusive figures show. Despite a seventh consecutive fuel duty freeze in November by the Government, pump prices across the country are far from balanced, as shown by the figures obtained from comparison site PetrolPrices.com. They varied by more than 20 pence per litre from the cheapest areas to the priciest. In the past 12 months, motorists at two locations in Argyll, Scotland have forked out the most for fuel, with average prices hitting 125.9ppl for petrol and 125.1ppl for diesel. That compares with just 103.9ppl for petrol…

AEMANY people consider the Volkswagen Beetle a lifestyle gimmick. Owners christen their cars with cuddly nicknames and adorn them in eye-catching accessories. But the bright yellow Beetle LSR is different. It’s a proper race car, with a 536bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. It’s the fastest Beetle ever, in fact, promising 200mph-plus. And we’re going to drive it on a dry lake bed in rural Utah, US. The engine shakes you to the bones, its roar finding a perfect resonance in the stripped-out cabin. Levers in the roof release parachutes to slow the car from three times the motorway limit. We’ll need those later... Selecting first gear and lifting the heavy clutch pins you to your seat. The 600Nm of torque lets the narrow tyres squeak on the sand, and before long…