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@jimmybrods VOLKSWAGEN pulled the wraps off its hi-tech vision for a fully autonomous, self-driving pod at last week’s Geneva Motor Show. Called the Sedric, the concept hints at the entire VW Group’s autonomous future across its various marques. Bosses call it a “cross-brand ideas platform”, but it’s likely to form a part of VW’s new MOIA mobility brand, established last year. The name is short for Self-Driving Car, and the Sedric features five lidar scanners, seven cameras and a number of additional sensors. All this makes the car a Level 5 autonomous vehicle – meaning it can drive itself completely independently. It’s operated via a OneButton key, pressed by the operator to summon the vehicle. Information is fed back about its time of arrival, and once occupants are on board,…

All-electric Bentley teased at Geneva BENTLEY is aiming to launch a 600bhp all-electric sports car by 2021, capable of up to 310 miles on a single charge. The EXP 12 Speed 6e concept (above) was shown at Geneva to evaluate public reaction to a Bentley EV. Although it’s around four years away, CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer confirmed that a Bentley EV would be based on the same platform as the Porsche Mission E. It will arrive after plug-in hybrid versions of the Bentayga and next Continental GT. Next Golf remains top priority for VW DESPITE huge investment in electric vehicles like the Sedric (left) and its new MEB platform, Volkswagen’s top priority is still the Golf Mk8, according to boss Herbert Diess. The eighth-generation car will go on sale in 2019…

@johnmcilroy HYUNDAI showcased its new FE Fuel Cell Concept at last week’s Geneva Motor Show, previewing its next-generation hydrogen-powered SUV that’s due in 2018. The FE is a crossover that features ultra-slim headlights, complex surfacing around the leading edges of the front wings and a sloping roofline that incorporates aerodynamic strakes across its supporting C-pillars. The dramatically lit cabin has a dual-screen set-up which shoulders an instrument display and the navigation system at the top of the facia. A further screen in the centre console appears to be designed for use as an infotainment system and smartphone controller. Hyundai isn’t saying if the FE directly previews a production model’s shape – but it does claim “elements will influence an SUV fuel-cell model set for launch in 2018”. Auto Express understands…

Graham Hope Editor Range Rover Velar THE very idea of a coupé-SUV is a travesty to some people. Perhaps that’s no surprise, given some of the compromised designs we’ve seen in this booming market. But design director Gerry McGovern has shown it’s a bodystyle that really can work with the gorgeous new Range Rover Velar. It’s a fantastically well executed design that has a clear connection with the rest of the line-up while forging an identity of its own. It’s beautifully built, too, and inside, the pioneering tech and use of innovative materials create a cutting-edge environment. Best of all? It’s designed and developed in Britain and will also be made here. The Velar is truly a car for us all to be proud of. Steve Fowler Editor-in-chief McLaren 720S…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Videowatch AT youtube.com/Autoexpress this week, we pick out our stars of the Geneva Motor Show and drive VW’s new I.D. electric car. We round up our Geneva highlights MISSED our team’s comprehensive, industry-leading live coverage of the Geneva Motor Show? Don’t worry. This video rounds up the highlights, taking in all the big reveals. It includes a closer look at the McLaren 720S (above) and Audi Q8 Sport Concept, as well as the Ford Fiesta ST and SEAT Ibiza. Head over to our YouTube channel and join me for this whistle-stop tour. Behind the wheel of VW’s all-electric I.D. IT won’t have escaped your notice that VW is trying to clean up its act in the wake of the Dieselgate scandal – by focusing on building electric cars.…

@SamNaylor_AE THE all-new Mercedes E-Class stunned us when it arrived last year, so we had high hopes for this new Coupé version – especially as it looks sleeker than ever and features the same updated engines and interior as the excellent saloon model. The two-door E-Class has always been a good-looking car, with elegant grand tourer style. But this new model raises the game, with a long, sloping roofline that lifts into a small boot spoiler. Perhaps the best feature of the latest Coupé’s design is the fact that there’s no B-pillar, which means the window line is unbroken with the glass lowered. This has big benefits inside as well, since there’s no pillar blocking the light. It’s an airy cabin, and all-round visibility is very good. Thanks to the…

MODEL TESTED: Jaguar F-Pace R-Sport 2.0d 180 auto PRICE: £41,330 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 178bhp THE Jaguar F-Pace arrived last year, taking road test victory on its first outing (Issue 1,420) and scooping top honours at our 2016 New Car Awards. By mixing the brand’s traditional style, comfort, refinement and engaging driving dynamics with rugged SUV looks and ability, the F-Pace sets a high standard for any new challenger. Here we test the 2.0-litre diesel AWD in racy £41,330 R-Sport guise. DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.2 THE F-Pace SUV’s design remains faithful to that of the C-X17 concept revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013 – and that’s a positive thing, because it gives the coupé-like Jag real kerb appeal. Our car’s eye-catching lines were further enhanced by its…

IN theory, taking delivery of a shiny new Sapphire Black BMW M240i Convertible should have been an event to relish and a day to delight. But that’s not quite how things turned out, and I have the Great British Winter to thank – because the day the open-top 2 Series arrived it was minus one outside and, in the month or so and 2,120 miles since, I’ve had the roof down just twice. No matter, because if the vagaries of the weather have conspired against me enjoying the car with the roof down (it takes 20 seconds to lower electrically at speeds of up to 30mph), this is still a nice machine to drive. In fact, it feels a lot like a regular coupé with the canvas up, with only…

Hankook opens new Arctic tyre test site KOREAN tyre producer Hankook has opened its own winter test facility in Ivalo, northern Finland. Technotrac has been built next to the UK-owned Test World site, which Hankook previously used to develop its winter and all-season tyres. The new facility offers the brand three flat tracks for testing traction, braking plus lateral grip on snow and ice, plus two handling circuits for its exclusive use. Establishing the centre is part of Hankook’s drive to develop its European tyres within Europe. Use your phone as remote for car stereo PIONEER has unveiled a new way to interact with its car stereos. The Advanced Remote Control app (ARC) allows iPhones or Android devices to be used as a touchscreen remote for a compatible Pioneer MVH,…

The Original Ford GT 101 Ed Heuvink (McKlein Publishing, www.mcklein.de) Price: £79.99 Rating: THE GT40 was one of Ford’s most interesting cars ever, and this beautiful book tells the story of chassis number 101. The first model off the line had a short racing career, but was recreated for a concours contest in 2016. Fans of the car or brand will have no difficulty justifying the price – particularly because only 999 copies will be produced. The Ultimate Book of the Air-Cooled 911 Brian Long (Veloce, www.ultimate911.veloce.co.uk) Price: £175 Rating: EVERY Porsche buff in the Auto Express office wanted a look at this book – and they weren’t disappointed. A stunning level of research has gone into it, and an enthusiast could spend hours marvelling at its contents. It was…

Got any car queries? Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Does discount KO tax hike? MY local Audi dealer is offering a discount on a new A6. The list price with the options I’ve picked is £41,000, but with the discount I can get the car for £39,500. Am I still liable to pay the new £310 tax supplement? Alf Hawking, E-mail A YES. The £310 annual five-year supplement that applies from 1 April to all cars priced above £40,000 doesn’t take dealer discounts into account. But it does include any options fitted, so it may be worth considering whether you need all the extras you’ve specified. Q Reject a car after two years I BOUGHT aVauxhall Adam on a PCP two years ago. There’s still 12 months of the contract left, but…

FERRARI showed strong form as eight days of pre-season testing for the 2017 Formula One season concluded last week. Kimi Raikkonen’s best lap of 1:18.634 on Friday morning was the fastest set in testing up to that point and Ferrari also enjoyed good reliability and long-run pace. Raikkonen’s team-mate Sebastian Vettel was cautious about the team’s prospects, however, saying: “The car is much better than last year because the nature of the formula has changed, but it’s early days.” He continued: “If you look at the amount of laps Mercedes has done, if you look how slow they go in the testing, how much they are able to ramp it up for the races... it’s clear. They’re very fast if you look at their long-run pace. They’re the ones to…

Join the debate now... www.autoexpress.co.uk/opinion AS a former Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond knows all about drivers, the vehicles they use, highways they drive and frustrations they endure. What’s more, he’s more aware than most that we drivers cough up £165million a day in road-user taxation (vehicles, fuel, vehicle insurance, etc), tolls, duties, levies and other iffy charges. This £60billion per annum goes direct to HM Treasury – a department he now runs as Chancellor. I was expecting – and thankfully, heard – a largely driver-friendly Budget speech from him last week. True, he broke taxation promises previously published in his Conservative party manifesto, although he didn’t give motorists the sort of brutal kicking they’ve suffered in the past. But with so many comparatively cheap and easy fixes desperately needed on…

▪ On the road in Jaguar’s priceless electric crossover concept ▪ Smaller than an F-Pace, set to undercut Tesla; due in 2018 @LobAllan OFFICIAL Jaguar’s own picture of the production car in development testing shows little is going to change from the concept INTERIOR Low-slung driving position means I-Pace feels more like a car than an SUV to drive, while large glass area gives an excellent view of your surroundings PRACTICALITY With a wheelbase longer than an XF’s, the I-Pace has plenty of cabin space in the back, and the boot is a generous 530 litres, too THE Jaguar I-Pace is one of the most important vehicles to emerge from the British car maker in its 80-year history. With Tesla and BMW’s ‘i’ range in its sights, the striking EV…

@stevefowler VAUXHALL/Opel boss Karl-Thomas Neumann believes that the British brand needs “more attention and a clearer position” if it’s to flourish under its new owner, PSA Peugeot-Citroen. The French firm announced on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show that it has reached a deal with General Motors to buy its European brands. The process is expected to be completed before the end of the year. Speaking to Auto Express at the show, Neumann said that Vauxhall needs to react to the evolving tastes of UK customers. “We are further along repositioning the Opel brand than we are with Vauxhall,” he explained. “I think Vauxhall needs more attention and clearer positioning. There are so many changes in the British market – mainly the move towards premium or luxury brands. “So…

Inbox What do you think? Contact Martin Saarinen mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, AutoExpress, Dennis Publishing, 30 Cleveland street, London W1T 4JD FROM: Wiley ALFA is a little late to the crossover/SUV segment, but the Stelvio appears to be a very good effort. I quite like the looks, although perhaps Alfa has borrowed a little too much from the Giulia. The big question will be whether or not it will sell. I’m tempted, though. FROM: Graham I HOPE this car is as good as it’s been made out to be. When I first saw the Giulia, I thought it looked lovely, but I wasn’t impressed with the quality. I hope the Stelvio doesn’t suffer from the same issue. This is such an important car for Alfa, after all. Join the…

@JRRBatchelor WE’VE already concluded that the new Alfa Romeo Giulia may not have the all-round polish of a BMW 320d or the poise and balance of a Jaguar XE, but that there’s enough going for the car to make potential buyers seriously consider it. Up until now, though, we’ve sampled only the diesel model. The Giulia range kicks off not with the 2.2d but with this 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol. On paper, the stats look good enough; 197bhp and 330Nm of torque mean it’s more powerful than a 320i and a Mercedes C 200, and on par with an XE 2.0. The Giulia has more torque than any of these models, too, and with a 0-62mph time of 6.6 seconds, it’s seven-tenths quicker over the sprint than the two German cars.…

MODEL TESTED: Mercedes GLC 250 d 4MATIC AMG Line PRICE: £41,025 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 201bhp THE Mercedes GLC has already seen off the BMW X3 and previous-generation Audi Q5 in our Issue 1,408 test. With style, refinement, comfort and upmarket appeal, this is a talented addition to the fiercely fought compact SUV sector. Here we test the GLC 250 d 4MATIC in desirable £41,025 AMG Line trim. DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.0 AS with the Jaguar, the Mercedes tries to merge the sleeker lines of a coupé with the rugged stance of an off-roader. It’s not as imposing or head-turning as the Jaguar, but in sporty AMG Line trim the GLC is a more distinctive and stylish choice than the rather conservative Q5. As with its rivals here, the…

AT a glance, you’ll struggle to spot the updates to the Dacia Sandero. The tight margins at this budget end of the market mean any tweaks have been minimal in order to keep costs in check. Still, the revised headlamps with LED running lights look smart, as do the 3D effect tail-lights. Inside, there’s a new soft-touch four-spoke steering wheel and some satin-finish trim inserts, but it still feels more functional and low-rent than the Ford. Under the skin, the Sandero remains unchanged. This means you get a structure related to that of the second-generation Renault Clio, which made its debut in 1998. The engine line-up is also familiar, with the exception of the naturally aspirated 74bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol that replaces the decades-old 1.2-litre. However, the turbocharged 0.9-litre TCe…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Best brush for wheels THE brush that came with a wheel cleaner I bought years ago now needs replacing. I’d like one that can do the inner rim as well as the outside. Is there something that does both jobs? George Hampson, E-mail A TO some extent the choice will depend on your rims. If they are complex with small gaps between spokes, then you’ll need a narrow brush. If the gaps are bigger, Muc-Off’s Wheel & Component Brush (£6, www.muc-off.com) – our Issue 1,408 test Best Buy (above) – is a good all-rounder with a decent reach. Q Why is battery draining? I’VE had two flat batteries over the past month for no apparent reason. It has been fine again after charging, but…

NEW PRODUCT Diamondbrite Ruby Red Wheel Cleaner Price: £9 Size: 500ml Rating: Contact: 01622 815679, diamondbriteshop.co.uk MANY of the cleaners that change colour as they work on brake dust can be used on all wheel surfaces, including anodised and chrome. But Diamondbrite says Ruby Red is only good for steel and alloy. Not that the instructions in their impossibly small print informed us of this; we only found out from the listing on the manufacturer’s website. The site and pack instructions also differ; one tells you the formula needs two to three minutes to work, and the other says five to 10 minutes. We left the cleaner for five minutes and saw definite progress on wheel and trim when rinsed. But the Bilt Hamber left less of the black stuff.…

PRODUCT GROUP TEST 15 | 3 | 2017 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive. FEW car care products are more difficult to choose than screen wash. Unlike in other areas, manufacturers have yet to agree on pack sizes, let alone dilutions for the very different requirements of summer and winter. A screen wash that works right down to -40 degrees Centigrade may be incredibly expensive, and another that’s easy on the pocket hopeless at shifting the summer’s baked-on bugs. But we put 10 through their paces on the screen and in the deep freeze, and then dug out the calculator, to pick the best year-round solution. How we tested…

@johnmcilroy EXCLUSIVE IMAGES “New508 should get amore swooping, coupé-like roofline that prioritises looks over space in the rear” PEUGEOT is planning a more stylefocused new generation of its 508, due in 2018 as a rival to everything from the BMW 3 Series to the Vauxhall Insignia and Volkswagen’s newly launched Arteon. Sales of ‘D-segment’ saloons such as the 508, Insignia and Ford Mondeo have suffered in the past decade, thanks to the increasing popularity of SUVs and premium brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes offering more mainstream pricing on their models. Peugeot’s sister brand Citroen is said to be completely abandoning the saloon format – at least for European customers – and will launch a C5 Aircross crossover (right) later this year instead. Peugeot insists it needs to maintain…

Geneva debut for Alpina supersaloon ALPINA beat the next BMW M5 to the punch by revealing its new B5 at Geneva. It gets a tuned version of the 4.4-litre twinturbo V8 found in the M550i that makes 600bhp and 800Nm of torque, and it comes with four-wheel drive as standard. That means 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 205mph. There won’t be a BMW M5 Touring, so the B5 Touring will be the closest estate buyers can get. PAGE 32: New BMW 540i driven Tata and VW sign new partnership VOLKSWAGEN and Tata have announced a strategic partnership to “drive forward work towards development of vehicle concepts in the economy segment”. Skoda will lead the project, suggesting that any new models developed could feature the Czech firm’s…

GREATER protection for consumers and investment in automotive R&D budgets formed part of the 2017 Budget. Terms and conditions for finance and insurance contracts will be simplified as part of Government proposals to protect consumers from unexpected fees and clauses. Consumer bodies will also be given greater enforcement powers under plans to be outlined in full later this year. In addition, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced £270million to keep Britain at the head of “disruptive technology”, like driverless cars, while £16m has been set aside for a 5G hub. A contest for £690m will also be launched for local authorities to aid urban congestion. Fuel duty, vehicle excise duty and the HGV road user levy were all frozen. PAGE 82: Rutherford rates The Budget…

HAVING all your data stored in “the cloud” is becoming more and more the norm, as remote working starts to offer a convenient option. This also allows you to work across multiple locations, meaning getting the brightest minds together for work projects is easier than ever. No longer do you have to organise people to one location at the same time, which can be pricey, or a logistical nightmare. For car development, though, there remains the problem of having a working prototype in one location. Sure, manufacturers have been using computer simulations to test concepts without spending thousands on fullsize prototypes for years. But can you carry out virtual-reality testing with parts scattered around the country? Experts in the industry believe so, and have set up a three-year project –…

We find out how the security experts at Thatcham have stayed a step ahead as car thieves move from brute force to hi-tech hacking Joe_Finnerty@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer A SCREWDRIVER, hammer and brute force – that was all you needed to smash your way into a car and drive off with it 25 years ago. It was so quick and easy that thieves embarked on a car crime wave that saw 620,000 vehicle thefts and one million thefts from inside cars and vans on UK roads in 1992 alone. But vehicle manufacturers and insurers vowed that enough was enough, and fought back, creating new vehicle security standards to stop thieves in their tracks. The continually evolving system to tackle criminal tactics over the past quarter of a century has helped bring car…

@rsp_ingram DESPITE rumours that diesel is dying, it remains the fuel of choice for lots of costconscious car buyers. As many as 80 per cent of BMW 5 Series customers are expected to go for the 2.0-litre diesel, with the sixcylinder 530d coming a close second. However, for those worried about NOx emissions and potential future expulsion from busy city centres, BMW also offers a range of petrol engines. From launch, you can specify a rear-wheel-drive, four-cylinder 530i, or this: the flagship 540i xDrive. Sitting at the top of the 5 Series range until the new 600bhp-plus, four-wheel-drive M5 arrives later this year, the 540i offers performance not dissimilar to the outgoing M-car’s – albeit with around 250bhp less. In fact, the model we have here is just one tenth…

MODEL TESTED: Audi Q5 quattro S line S tronic PRICE: £40,220 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 187bhp A NEW crop of premium SUVs has arrived over recent years, and with the Jaguar F-Pace and Mercedes GLC evolving buyers’ expectations, the previous Audi Q5 was showing its age. However, Audi has enhanced the technology on offer in the new car, making this one of the most advanced mid-size off-roaders on the market. Here we test the £40,220 Q5 S line with the brand’s 2.0 TDI engine, S tronic dual-clutch auto gearbox and quattro four-wheel-drive system. DESIGN & ENGINEERING score 4.0 AT a glance you’ll struggle to tell the new Q5 from its predecessor, and it’s clear the brand has taken an ‘if ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ approach. But under the skin,…

AUDI Q5 score 4.2 MMI Navigation Standard Key features: Wi-Fi, CarPlay, Android Auto WHEN it comes to infotainment, the new Q5 has its rivals cornered. Sport models and above get Audi’s MMI Navigation with a central screen – a seven-inch unit as standard. But our car had the £1,100 Technology Pack, which upgrades this to an 8.3-inch display. If you want the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital dial pack fitted here, it will cost another £250, and can only be specified with the Technology Pack. But it’s a worthwhile extra, because it gives you the flexibility to have the sat-nav map in front of you and the main screen controlling in-car entertainment, for example. There are lots of features on offer, with the Tech Pack adding a three-year subscription to Audi’s…

THIS third-generation Ka+ takes a more sensible and sober-suited approach than the fun and funky 1996 original. Designed and developed by Ford’s Brazilian arm, the five-door model is bigger than before and designed with cash-strapped emerging markets in mind. However, it’s based on the current Fiesta platform, while the brand’s European engineers have extensively tweaked the chassis to deliver sharper responses and greater refinement. These efforts have paid off, because on the move, the Ka+ delivers a more mature and accomplished driving experience than the Dacia. In fact, in many respects, it feels much like the more expensive Fiesta. There’s the same accurate and well weighted steering, while the gearshift has a slick and precise action. Body control is excellent, plus there’s plenty of grip. Ride comfort is good, too;…

WHEEL cleaners that turn purple as they shift brake dust have shaken up the market. Now Kent-based Diamondbrite has joined the revolution with its new, pH-neutral Ruby Red. We tested it against Best Buy and ‘purple’ pioneer Bilt Hamber auto-wheel, focusing on the formulas’ effectiveness. So we applied them, waited five minutes as they worked, then rinsed with a low-pressure hose. We also wiped them with a weighted brush to ensure equal pressure, and tried them on a neglected wheel trim. Our final factor was cost, using makers’ prices. Our champ takes another clear victory. While the new Diamondbrite certainly works, it’s not quite as effective. TEST WINNER Bilt Hamber auto-wheel Price: £12.95 Size: 1,000ml Rating: Contact: 01277 658899, www.bilthamber.com EVEN before we sprayed it on, auto-wheel had an edge.…

THE world of motorsport is in mourning following the death at the age of 83 of 1964 Formula One world champion John Surtees – still the only driver to take both two and four-wheel world titles. As Auto Express went to press last Friday, the Henry Surtees Foundation, the charity Surtees set up in memory of his late son, released a statement saying: “John was a loving husband, father, brother and friend. “He was also a true great of motorsport and worked tirelessly with the foundation and Buckmore Park Circuit [in Kent]. “We deeply mourn the loss of such an incredible, kind and loving man. He has set a very real example of someone who kept pushing himself at his peak and one who continued fighting until the very end.”…