Innholdsfortegnelse for 1454 i Auto Express

@AE_Consumer WOMEN are likely to drink more alcohol than men before getting behind the wheel – but they are given shorter bans, exclusive Auto Express figures can reveal. Data from IAM RoadSmart’s drink-drive rehab course last year shows UK drivers are on average 2.1 times over the limit when caught, and receive a 20-month ban. And while men outnumber women four to one, females in their thirties were found to be nearly two-and-a-half times over the limit – more than any other age group or gender. Despite this, women received a 90-day shorter driving ban than male counterparts. The worst case was a 48-year-old woman from Aylesbury, Bucks, who registered 161mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in a roadside test – nearly five times the 35mg limit – and…

@LobAllan SKODA has introduced the final models in the facelifted Octavia range with the racy vRS and rugged Scout editions. The performance version of Skoda’s Ford Focus rival – available as a hatch and estate – will arrive in showrooms later this year, featuring a bold redesign, extra tech and a small power boost over the outgoing model. The biggest change to the vRS, as with the standard Octavia, is the distinctive new front-end treatment with the split headlights and wider air intakes. Optional adaptive full-LED headlamps are also available. The changes at the rear are limited to a pair of new LED tail-lamps and a revised diffuser. Further vRS design cues include 18 or (optional) 19-inch alloy wheels, a 15mm lower ride height and a rear track that’s 30mm…

WE’RE seeing in the New Year at youtube.com/Autoexpress with a drive of Suzuki’s new Ignis and a look at Mercedes’ E-Class Coupé. @JRRBatchelor Behind the wheel of chunky Suzuki Ignis THE new Suzuki Ignis is a really interesting car. It sits alongside the conventional Celerio city car in the brand’s range, but benefits from pumped-up, SUV-like styling, with a few retro, seventies touches. The big question is, of course, what’s it like to drive? And does this beefed-up urban runabout deliver low running costs? Watch our video as we hit the road to reveal all. Full details on allnew E-Class Coupé MERCEDES has expanded its E-Class executive car range with a swoopy new two-door coupé. And the curvy exterior is matched by a bold cabin featuring a lot of the…

@Jonathan_burn THERE were countless new car debuts during 2016, including some monumental arrivals that have turned the industry on its head. And that looks set to continue now we’re into 2017, with virtually every manufacturer preparing fresh metal and launch models. Here we’ve rounded up the most exciting new cars in 15 classes, as well as the rivals they need to beat. So if you’re in the market for a Jaguar XF, for example, be sure to read up on the next BMW 5 Series. Or if a Ford Focus RS takes your fancy, then you might want to hold on for our verdict on the forthcoming Honda Civic Type R. Can’t wait for summer? Audi’s new A5 Cabriolet might catch your eye, while a load of SUVs, such…

@LobAllan AS the compact crossover market exploded in Europe over the past decade, most manufacturers hastily scrambled to launch a competitor to the hugely popular Nissan Qashqai. Toyota, however, has sat aside and taken its time. Content with the big but unexciting RAV4 for many years, the Japanese brand has looked on as more desirable high-riding models have enjoyed unprecedented sales success. It will be watching no longer, however, as the bold new C-HR has finally hit British showrooms. Sitting on the same Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform that underpins the latest Prius, the C-HR is the company’s potential cash cow. It has a target of more than 100,000 sales in Europe over the next 12 months. We’ve already driven the Hybrid (Issue 1,448), which is expected to account…

@Jonathan_burn PORSCHE may be renowned for its sports cars, but its SUV duo – the Macan and Cayenne – are the big players when it comes to sales. The pair have racked up nearly a million between them, and this new flagship Macan Turbo with Performance Package is the latest addition to the line-up. There is a small problem, though – and that’s its name. People who buy the fastest and most expensive Porsches want others to know about it. And the Performance Package doesn’t do this, because it appears visually identical to the Turbo on which it’s based. Nevertheless, the tweaks add £5,533 to the price and increase power by 40bhp. That means peak muscle is now 436bhp, while torque has increased by 50Nm to 600Nm. The extra grunt…

MODEL TESTED: Peugeot 3008 Allure 1.6 BlueHDi 120 PRICE: £25,445 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 118bhp WITH its second-generation 3008, Peugeot has pushed upmarket. Featuring a high-quality finish, lots of tech and the promise of class-leading refinement, the new car has its eyes on the crossover crown. There’s a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines, plus four trim levels, so there should be something for every taste and budget. Here we test the 118bhp 1.6-litre BlueHDi in £25,445 Allure guise. DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.2 PEUGEOT has clearly tried to distance this 3008 from its frumpy predecessor. Sharper lines, a bold grille and rugged SUV styling cues give the car a far more upmarket look. Top-spec GT-Line and GT versions are also available with eyecatching extras such as a…

PEUGEOT 3008 score 4.4 3D Connected Navigation Standard Key features: TomTom Live, Mirror Screen ALL versions of the new 3008 feature the impressive i-Cockpit set-up that ditches traditional dials in favour of a fully configurable TFT screen ahead of the driver. This is linked to an eight-inch tablet-style capacitive touchscreen that sits on top of the dashboard and controls settings for the hi-fi, phone connection, car preferences, climate control and, on Allure models and above, the sat-nav. The Peugeot has the same TomTom Live nav features as the Renault, but a more generous three-year subscription is thrown in. Entering a destination is simple, and once under way you can beam the map and directions to the i-Cockpit display, making following the route a doddle. Also included is the Mirror Screen…

LAST time we tested hand cleaners (Issue 1,355), the best contained microbeads. But these grime-shifting abrasives are due to be banned later this year, so we’ve lined up three products that use alternative abrasives, including the newto-the-UK Wynns Fast Orange. It goes up against Swarfega Orange, ranked third in our last test, plus Bilt-Hamber heavy duty CITRUS, a past test winner which has since switched from using microbeads in its formula. We tested them on car and house grime, plus we looked for a pleasant scent, a choice of pack sizes and easy dispensing. Prices were taken from various sources as we went to press. Swarfega is the most pleasant to use, but its cleaning power trails. While the Bilt Hamber is effective, the smell could be better and it…

IT’S a quiet time of the year for motorsport right now, but British racing fans have another bumper lineup to look forward to in 2017, with the usual visits from the Formula One, rallying, sportscar, rallycross and motorbike world championships. There’s also a packed national calendar, with touring cars and GTs, as well as annual highlights like the Goodwood Festival of Speed that bring a huge variety of classic and modern motorsport machines to the UK. We’ve rounded up a host of mustsee events for your diary to make sure you don’t miss a single lap or stage of action this season.…

JAGUAR Land Rover’s group engineering director, Dr Wolfgang Ziebart, has revealed to Auto Express that the company could create a Jaguar 1+1 EV that’s around half the width of most premium cars. The I-Pace Concept, Jag’s first electric car, stole the limelight at last November’s LA Motor Show, and buyers are already placing orders for the first production examples, due for delivery in 2018. It’s understood that this warm acceptance of, and apparent appetite for, Jaguars with 100 per cent electric power has further motivated JLR to establish a very different and versatile range of pure EVs – including the 1+1 – by the 2020s. “Such a thing is possible,” Ziebart told us following the I-Pace’s global debut in LA. The Indian-owned British brand boldly claims that in terms of…

AUTONOMOUS emergency braking, lane keep systems and intelligent speed assistance top the list of safety kit the European Commission wants to be made standard on all cars. The new report, submitted to the European Parliament, lists 19 costeffective measures that could be made mandatory on all new cars to improve safety. It includes seatbelt reminders, crash testing improvements and pedestrian detection, too. The proposals have been released in a bid to spur on moves to cut the number of fatalities on EU roads; there are 26,000 deaths and 135,000 life-changing injuries annually. Progress has halted in the last few years and the EU’s vehicle safety rules haven’t been updated since 2009. Antonio Avenoso, European Transport Safety Council executive director, said the changes were “long overdue”, but added: “There is…

What do you think? Contact Martin Saarinen mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watching/letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 30 Cleveland Street, london WIT 4JD HOT TOPIC Removing speed bumps FROM: PeesonLess IT’S been known for a while that speed bumps also increase emissions and make life difficult for ambulances, so this is good to see. Even more radical is seeing cities like Paris, Madrid, Athens and Mexico City considering banning all diesels. FROM: Tellemhowitis SPEED bumps have contributed to more steering and suspension failures and failed MoTs than any other factor on the road. Fuel consumption and tyre components all suffer when progress is artificially interfered with. Glad to seem them gone. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “Another option to reduce congestion and improve air quality is to build more roads. This…

@SamNaylor_AE  Essentials THE Renault ZOE was already one of the most convincing electric cars on sale, thanks to its affordable list price, familiar driving dynamics and supermini dimensions. Now, Renault has added a new battery to boost its range to 250 miles. Although that’s an official NEDC figure, Renault estimates real-world figures of around 180 miles in the summer and 120 miles in the winter. This is significantly more than the 100-odd miles you’d get from the smaller battery in favourable conditions. The line-up still includes the lesser 22kWh battery in the entry-level car, but the new ZE 40 (with a 41kWh battery) adds peace of mind to buyers after more range. Elsewhere, it gets the same electric motor as before, while the chassis, steering and suspension are unchanged. We…

@rsp_ingram AS it’s done with the Evoque (left), Land Rover has applied a host of updates to the newer Discovery Sport for 2017. They’re more subtle than those made to the model’s Range Rover stablemate, and focus on the same 10.2-inch infotainment display. It’s a welcome revision, with the same swipe and pinch-to-zoom functionality for the menus and nav screen. It’s designed to replicate the set-up you’ll find on the latest smartphones, and works really well. The set-up is a £1,140 option on all but the base SE and SE Tech model, although it doesn’t include Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The Disco Sport is also the first Land Rover to feature new Tile tech, which uses small Bluetooth tags that you attach to everyday items such as keys and…

@LobAllan INFINITI’s last coupé was axed almost two years ago due to slow sales. But given that Britain is the second largest global market for four-seat coupés, the brand would be mad not to give it another go. We’ve already sampled the range-topping 400bhp Q60S (Issue 1,442), and now it’s the turn of the 2.0 turbo petrol. It’s cheaper to buy and more efficient, but without a diesel it’ll find tough competition from German rivals. The Mercedes-sourced 2.0-litre fourcylinder unit produces 208bhp and 350Nm of torque. The Q60 is heavy, though, so it’s no quicker than your average warm hatch. Exacerbating the lack of pace is the lethargic single-clutch auto box, which slurs changes smoothly when cruising but kicks down lazily when you want to push on. Switching to Sport…

MODEL TESTED: SEAT Ateca 1.6 TDI SE Technology PRICE: £23,890 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 113bhp THE Ateca is SEAT’s first crossover, but it’s an excellent effort and won its first road test (Issue 1,428). Combining sharp looks, composed driving dynamics, decent practicality and low running costs, this rugged machine makes a fine alternative to a conventional family car. Here we test the 1.6-litre TDI for the first time, in £23,890 SE Technology guise. DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.3 THE Ateca follows the same bold styling template as the Leon hatch, so you get sharp creases and angular styling. Highlights include the broad grille, large lower air intake and distinctive LED headlamps, which are standard on SE Tech and XCELLENCE models. There are more Leon connections under the skin, because the…

IT’S time for our Ford S-MAX to head for pastures new, and I can give my verdict on this MPV and its load-carrying ability. Overall, the S-MAX has been quiet and superbly refined, and I’ve loved its long-distance cruising comfort and hi-tech goodies. But spending more time behind the wheel of any car can show up its shortcomings, and there are some things about the S-MAX that have left me rather disappointed. Don’t get me wrong – I think this is arguably one of the best mainstream cars that Ford makes. It’s certainly better than the Mondeo, as well as the largely similar, but more expensive, Galaxy. But you need a very specific kind of lifestyle to make the most of this people carrier. I must confess that I’ve very…

Latest hi-tech dash cam is in the pink NEXTBASE has a stylish new addition to its dash cam range – an updated version of the 312GW (above), which ditches the black and silver shell for a white and pink effect. Five per cent of the proceeds from sales of the 2,000 Rose Gold 312GW models being produced will go to the not-for-profit FOXY Lady Drivers Club, which offers advice to female motorists, plus insurance discounts and deals. The camera is available exclusively from Halfords, priced at £99. To find out more or to buy, visit the www.halfords.com website. Wheel protectors go big for SUV market WE know Alloygator wheel protectors can be great – this is a former Auto Express Product of the Year – and the range has been…

Formula 1: The Pursuit of Speed Maurice Hamilton (Aurum Press, quartoknows.com) Price: £30 Rating: ★★★★★ THIS beautifully written book will appeal to fans of classic and modern F1 alike. With a foreword by threetime champ Sir Jackie Stewart, and stunning pictures taken by two of the sport’s finest photographers, it’s a must-have for racing fans. Don’t be put off by the price; this is a huge book, and with so much content, it will keep you coming back for more. How to Improve MGB, MGC & MGB V8 Roger Williams (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £40 Rating: ★★★★ UNLIKE previous MG titles in the series, this book focuses on the whole range, from early cars through rubber-bumpered export versions to the final V8 models. Essential for anybody overhauling or restoring one…

Got any car queries? Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Can I add family to policy? MY sister is coming to visit me from the United States, and we’re planning a road trip around the UK. Is it possible to add her to my insurance policy on a temporary basis? Samantha Ennis, E-mail A MOST insurers offer temporary cover that can be added to an existing policy. Contact your provider about this. If it proves unable to help, consider buying a separate policy for your sister – although temporary cover usually lasts for 90 days, you can buy daily insurance policies from specialist brokers. Q Stumped by licence points IN the past three years I’ve unfortunately accumulated nine points on my licence for speeding. I thought the points disappeared after four years, but…

Mike Rutherford Sales and finance experts should go to Southern Rail stations to remind commuters that cars and roads are strike-free zones I’M hoping for a prosperous New Year, because over the festive season things had been looking preposterous. I’d like to think in 2017 we’ll be able to rely on traditions like public transport, the Post Office and high street stores delivering the goods because what we experienced at the end of last year was simply unacceptable. An army of striking Southern Rail drivers and conductors, postal ‘workers’ and Argos truckers collectively dumped on customers and taxpayers during what became a season of badwill. Cheers, guys. Christmas/New Year is the most important, heart-warming time for the Marcus Rutherford Foundation/Young Adult Cancer Trust, which was bravely founded and part-funded by…

@Jonathan_burn THE Kia Picanto has been something of an unsung hero in the city car class, but these official design sketches of the all-new third-generation model suggest things could be about to change. While we’ve already seen leaked pictures, the illustrations give us our best look yet at the newcomer before it’s officially unveiled at March’s Geneva Motor Show. Kia is aiming to put some distance between the Picanto and its closely related cousin, the Hyundai i10, in terms of image. The sketches show that the brand has taken a sporty approach; a narrow ‘tiger nose’ grille stretches across the front end, while the gaping bumper grille and red exterior detailing add to the sporty lines. Design elements such as the new LED headlamps, reworked nose and alloy wheels are…

New Aygo specials are a big hit for kit TOYOTA is seeing in the New Year with two new trim levels for its Aygo city car. The x-press (above) features a brightred roof, bumper inserts and side sills, plus rear privacy glass. The x-style gets grey or silver grille and A-pillar trim. Both models start from £11,935, are available only with a five-door body and come with 15-inch alloys, body-coloured interior trim, a touchscreen multimedia system and climate control as standard. £7m uninsured cars are saved from scrap A SCHEME to help return uninsured cars to their rightful owners saved £7.75mworth of vehicles from the scrapheap in November. History checker HPI’s CrushWatch helps finance and leasing firms recover seized vehicles that would otherwise be scrapped or auctioned. The biggest recoveries…

TESLA has announced plans to introduce a new idle fee across its network of supercharging stations in a bid to increase availability for customers. Once a Tesla is fully charged, owners will be remotely notified by the Tesla app. For every additional minute the car remains plugged into the supercharger, a fee of 40p will be incurred. However, if the car is unplugged within five minutes of the owner being notified, the fee is waived. Any charges will be billed at the next Service Centre visit. A Tesla statement read: “A customer would never leave a car parked by the pump at a gas station and the same thinking applies with Superchargers.” The news follows Tesla’s decision to start forcing new customers to pay to use its superchargers,…

IT’S the first week of January and it’s likely that most of us have already ditched or broken our New Year resolutions: the gym membership is gathering dust already and that bottle of wine has been drunk... The world of motoring has more willpower, though, and 2017 is a real year of change. First, we’ll see the penalty for mobile phone use increase to six points and a £200 fine in a bid to reduce the number of motorists using a handset while driving. Whether it works remains to be seen. Then, vehicle excise duty laws will change in April as the Government seeks to balance its books. There will be new first year rates followed by a £140 flat fee after that. If you’re thinking of buying, make sure…

Tackling the motoring issues that matter @AE_Consumer DRONES, self-driving forklifts, lasers and a robot called Paula. It might sound like the set from the next Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster, but in fact it’s the future of the motor industry. As cars get more connected and advanced with each passing model, with auto braking, lane assist and self-parking, so too do the processes that build them. We already have smartphones, smart TVs and even smart kettles – so why not a smart factory? Digital manufacturing – known as ‘the fourth Industrial Revolution’ (see panel, below) – is an area of the automotive industry that remains relatively untapped. Yet with the right investment and research, it’s estimated it could be worth £74billion to the UK economy alone over the next two decades. Benefits…

@Jonathan_burn THINK of diesel and you’d be forgiven for recalling the VW emissions scandal. But Porsche is now attempting to squeeze poise and performance from one of the automotive world’s most tarnished words, with its new Panamera 4S. The brand says this is the fastest diesel on the planet – and we’ve driven it in the UK. The diesel saloon develops 416bhp and 850Nm of torque from an all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. This is paired with an eightspeed PDK box and four-wheel drive, which slingshot the 2.1-tonne four-door from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and on to 177mph. The second-generation Panamera is based on the VW Group’s MSB platform (which will later underpin the next Bentley Continental), and is new from the ground up. Its cabin has been redesigned, while externally…

Recently deposed class leader remains a fine crossover choice with its low running costs MODEL TESTED: Renault Kadjar 1.5 dCi Signature Nav PRICE: £24,845 ENGINE: 1.5-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 108bhp THE Renault Kadjar was beaten by the SEAT Ateca last time out (Issue 1,428), but with its mix of style, practicality, refinement and low running costs, it’s still a formidable rival. Here we test the efficient 1.5-litre dCi diesel in well equipped flagship £24,845 Signature Nav guise – although the car in our pictures is a Dynamique S Nav. DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 3.9 THE handsome, well proportioned Kadjar is based on the same CMF-CD platform that underpins the Mégane hatch and Nissan Qashqai. But clever styling means you’ll struggle to spot the common ancestry. While it’s not as bold…

@johnmcilroy VISIT your local car dealership these days and you’ll struggle to find anything that’s not an SUV. These cars come in all shapes and sizes – everything from baby models such as the Nissan Juke up to seven-seat behemoths like the new Skoda Kodiaq. The Mercedes GLC I’m running is roughly halfway between these extremes, bang in the middle of the ‘family crossover’ zone. As my car’s departure starts to loom large, I’ve finally come to recognise the GLC as a pretty stellar bit of kit. This didn’t happen immediately, though; not because it feels cheap (it doesn’t) or because it hasn’t been economical (it’s averaging 40mpg-plus on the commute), but because of what came before it. I was previously in charge of our fleet’s frankly epic Skoda Superb…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q How to stop doors freezing MY wife came out to the car early one morning during the recent cold snap and couldn’t open the door, which had frozen shut. I managed to get it open, but is there something I can do to prevent this from happening again? Richard Pollard, E-mail A FROZEN doors can sometimes be opened with de-icer. But a better solution is to treat the door seals with a protectant. The surface will become slippery and less prone to sticking and freezing in the first place. Armor All has Door Seal Wipes (above, armorall.eu/en), which are handy and simple to use. Q What should MoT cost? HAVING recently moved to a new area, I took my car to a garage I’ve…

NEW PRODUCT AND WINNER Wynns Fast Orange Best price: £18.99 (3.78l) Rating:★★★★★ Contact: 020 3474 0500, eurocarparts.com FIRST impressions of Fast Orange are good. It’s a grittier, harsher texture than its rivals here, as it uses pumice stone as an abrasive – great for exfoliating, and even better for working every last bit of grease and dirt out of your hands. This fairly thick paste won’t drip everywhere, while the orange scent is fairly pleasant. Fast Orange got our hands spotless with minimal effort, and didn’t leave them feeling dry. That’s often a problem with industrial-strength hand cleaners and we’re glad it’s been addressed. It’s offered in a large, 3.78-litre bottle with a pump or a 440ml squeeze bottle. We found the squeeze bottle quickly got slippery when held in…

16 April FIA World Endurance Championship Silverstone, Towcester, Northants NN12 8TN Tickets: www.silverstone.co.uk 28 May FIA World Rallycross Championship Lydden Hill, Wootton, Canterbury, Kent CT4 6ET Tickets: www.lyddenhill.co.uk 29 May FIA European Drag Racing Championship Santa Pod, Airfield Road, Podington, Wellingborough, Northants NN29 7XA Tickets: www.santapod.co.uk 29 June - 2 July Goodwood Festival Of Speed Goodwood Estate, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0PH Tickets: www.goodwood.com 16 July British F1 Grand Prix Silverstone, Towcester, Northants NN12 8TN Tickets: www.silverstone.co.uk 27 August FIM MotoGP World Championship Silverstone, Towcester, Northants NN12 8TN Tickets: www.silverstone.co.uk 24 September British GT Championship finale Donington Park, Castle Donington, Derby DE74 2RP Tickets: www.donington-park.co.uk 1 October British Touring Car Championship finale Brands Hatch, Fawkham, Longfield, Kent DA3 8NG Tickets: www.brandshatch.co.uk 27-30 October FIA World Rally Championship Wales Rally GB…