Auto Express 1458

FORMULA One has been in a curious position of late. While many involved have become hugely wealthy, the spectacle itself has diminished steadily in appeal. The former is inextricably linked to the latter; with vast amounts of money being generated, there has been little appetite for change. Now, though, with F1 under new management in the shape of Liberty Media, it stands on the brink of a fascinating new era. And as car fans, I think we’re all entitled to be excited. A poll on the Auto Express website last week gave a clear indication of the areas you think should be improved. For starters, the racing needs to be more competitive, and it’s obvious a fairer distribution of the revenues would help facilitate this. For too long F1 has…

Next GLA to be based on new platform and offer more space Revised styling, new diesel engines and hybrid power all planned MERCEDES is plotting a massive overhaul of its SUV range with five new models by the end of the decade. And set to form a vital piece of the puzzle will be an all-new GLA crossover. The GLA will remain the smallest, cheapest member of the SUV family, and even though the current model received a mid-life refresh at January’s Detroit Motor Show, the second-generation car is already undergoing development testing ahead of a debut expected in 2019. Our exclusive images preview what the all-new Audi Q2 rival could look like, and while we don’t expect the GLA to move on too far in terms of design –…

MERCEDES’ NEW SUV LINE-UP THE GLA may not be the first of Mercedes’ new SUVs to arrive, but it will be the most important. The brand has seen enormous success with the current model, with almost 60 per cent of its buyers new to the luxury brand. It will hope to mirror that success with the GLB crossover, which will sit above the new GLA in the range. Before that, however, an all-new GLE will land, while at the upper end of the range, a new G-Class and Maybach SUV will also appear. MERCEDES GLB 2019 Probably the most interesting newcomer to Mercedes’ SUV range will be the GLB. We expect the baby G-Wagen to arrive in 2019 with boxy but modern looks. It should share the MFA2 platform with…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE THE supermini market is fiercely competitive, with new versions of the Nissan Micra, Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo coming this year. And they’re set to be joined by an all-new, fifthgeneration SEAT Ibiza, revealed here for the first time. It’s based on a completely new platform, and brings the model right up to date in terms of engines and technology. The car has been built from the ground up to move the game on with its safety, design, performance and comfort, according to SEAT. It uses the VW Group MQB platform – more specifically the new A0 version set to underpin the smallest models in the group. While the fundamentals of this Ibiza are new, the design isn’t a huge change from the previous car, with similar light…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer MOTORISTS could face a struggle to find a garage to MoT their cars as testers fail to keep up with the latest tech and testing practices, according to figures which reveal only a third of UK technicians have completed new, compulsory training. Garages face losing their testing status if they fail to complete the new annual training before the 31 March deadline and the Independent Garage Association (IGA) estimates a mere 35 per cent of the 60,000 testers in 23,000 MoT garages across Britain have done so. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) overhauled MoT training standards last year, replacing the five-year refresher course with annual training and assessment. The new training is at least three hours long, and can be done online, at designated training centres…

Scout’s honour for rugged Skoda SUV SKODA has added another string to the Kodiaq’s bow, revealing a rugged Scout version of its new SUV (above) that will star at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. A host of distinctive styling tweaks set the four-wheel-drive-only Kodiaq Scout apart, including new silver protective inserts for the front and rear bumpers. Silver detailing can also be found framing the grille, plus on the roof rails and window trims. Unique 19-inch wheels and increased ground clearance of 194mm round off the upgrades. And price is right on fresh-faced Octavia THE Czech brand has also announced that the facelifted 2017 Octavia is now on sale, with a starting price of £17,055 for a 1.0-litre TSI hatch in S trim. The popular 114bhp 1.6 diesel starts from…