Auto Express 1469

ONE topic sure to spark a heated debate among car fans is what constitutes a British car. To some it’s a model created here. To others it’s one wearing the badge of a recognisable British brand. And then there are those who insist foreign ownership effectively means some of our most famous brands can no longer be considered British. Strangely, this seems quite particular to petrolheads; I rarely hear football fans complain that Chelsea are Russian or Manchester United American, for example. Here at Auto Express, we believe that cars developed and built in the UK should be considered British, and this week we celebrate our 50 greatest models of all-time, as chosen by some of the country’s leading lights in the global auto industry, as well as the expert…

steve_fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler ▪ New platform, more space and improved comfort for supermini ▪ Our first verdict delivered after secret test drive in South Africa VOLKSWAGEN’S new Polo isn’t due in showrooms until the end of the year, and we won’t even see official pictures until the car’s unveiling in the summer, but Auto Express has already been behind the wheel of this crucial new model on a secret test with VW engineers in South Africa. There are currently no official details on anything other than engines, but we drove the new, three-cylinder 94bhp 1.0- litre in an early, disguised prototype. In spite of the car’s camouflage inside and out, it’s clear that the new Polo’s styling will be evolutionary. Our exclusive image (opposite) gives you an idea of how it’ll…

Punchy SUV focuses on style ▪ Shares platform with Audi Q2 steve_fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler VOLKSWAGEN bosses speak a lot these days about more “emotional” cars, and the upcoming, Golf-based T-Roc SUV is the first all-new embodiment of that. When we drove prototype T-Rocs in South Africa they were well covered in camouflage, but the shape and new-found emotion was just about visible. In size and scale, the T-Roc is very similar to Audi’s new Q2, with squared-off wheelarches, a chunky shoulder line and that signature C-pillar. It even uses the same platform and wheelbase as its Audi stablemate. So it’s based on the adaptable MQB platform with all the tech-sharing benefits that brings. And it’s no surprise that it feels very similar to the Audi behind the wheel. As with the…

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan OFFICIAL VAUXHALL is aiming to grab a bigger slice of the SUV market, with a raft of new or updated crossovers on the horizon. And this is the latest: the Grandland X – the company’s rival for models such as the SEAT Ateca and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Grandland X is set for a public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, and is the third member of Vauxhall’s ‘X’ family – joining the smaller Mokka X and Crossland X models. At 4.48m long and 1.84m wide, it’s the largest SUV we’ve seen from the brand since the Antara, and 20cm longer than the Mokka X. It’s also the first all-new model from Vauxhall to emerge since PSA Peugeot Citroen confirmed the £1.9bn acquisition of Opel/Vauxhall from General…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods OFFICIAL CITROEN has kick-started its SUV roll-out by revealing the all-new C5 Aircross at the Shanghai Motor Show. With styling inspired by the Aircross concept revealed at the same show in 2015, it sits on the PSA Group’s EMP2 platform, which is shared with sister cars the Peugeot 3008 and the DS 7 Crossback, plus Vauxhall’s Grandland X (see Page 12). What’s more, it features plug-in hybrid technology. Citroen says that the 2015 concept exhibited a ‘colourful’ personality in terms of design, and the production C5 Aircross carries over a near identical shape, although some design elements have been toned down for production. The floating roof with 360-degree windows, capped off with the new chrome C-pillar design, has made the cut, alongside flared wheelarches and Airbump-equipped body cladding…

Exclusive McLaren 570GT storms in McLAREN has unveiled the limited-run 570 GT Commemorative Edition at the Shanghai Motor Show. The special model marks three years since McLaren first entered the Chinese market. It features Pacific Blue paint, a carbon fibre bodykit and bespoke Nappa leather, plus extra kit such as a Bowers & Wilkins 12-speaker sound system. Only three will be made at an undisclosed price, while the McLaren 720S will also appear in Shanghai. British cars hold their value better UK-built cars retain their value over the first 12 months better than those from any other nation, according to data from car leasing specialist OSV. Models from JLR, Nissan, Rolls-Royce and Vauxhall all roll off UK production lines and retain an average of 65.5 per cent of their original…