Auto Express 1473

WHEN autonomous cars really do allow us to take our hands off the wheel, will they really be able to cope with every on-road situation? This was one of the topics raised last week during a fascinating day of presentations on the future of the car, organised by the Financial Times. One of the event’s most interesting presenters was Maarten Sierhuis, who leads Nissan’s research centre in Silicon Valley. You might expect someone who once wrote software for NASA to be a firm believer in artificial intelligence and processor power. But in fact, Sierhuis and his team argue that a key feature of autonomous vehicles will be the ability for them to call on a human for back-up. In the end, the relationship may be similar to the one between…

▪ Newcomer heralds introduction of Hyundai’s N performance line ▪ We drive early prototype with company’s development boss mail@autoexpress.co.uk UNTIL the end of 2014, Albert Biermann was happy with his life as boss of BMW’s M Division. The 59-year-old had masterminded all sorts of cars. He had no reason not to stay for the rest of his career. And then he got a call from Hyundai, who offered him an enticing deal to go and work in Korea – in order to oversee the firm’s top-secret new N-car project. That was early in 2015, and since then Biermann has been working flat-out at Hyundai, with the i30 N occupying much of his time. The car arrives in the UK next year, and the heavy disguise in our pictures (below) belies…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ONE of the most important and eagerly anticipated hot hatch arrivals in 2017 is the next-generation Renaultsport Mégane, which will make its global debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Work on the Mégane RS – previewed by our exclusive main image – started in tandem with the standard hatch in a bid to maximise development time. It will follow the Hyundai i30 N (Page 6) and Honda Civic Type R to the market, but more than match them when it comes to performance. It’s possible that Renaultsport could pluck the new 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo from the Alpine A110 as a replacement for the existing 2.0-litre turbo in the Mégane RS. The new motor develops 249bhp and 320Nm of torque in the Alpine, but Renaultsport boss Patrice…

Suzuki Swift Sport SUZUKI’S new Swift Sport will be one of the later hot hatch arrivals this year, but big things are expected from the eagerly awaited Japanese pocket rocket. Based on Suzuki’s new lightweight platform, the Swift Sport will be powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine developing upwards of 140bhp. Its lightweight construction means it should weigh no more than 900kg, making it good for 0-62mph in around eight seconds. POWER 140bhp Price: £14,000 (est) Engine: 1.4 4cyl turbo What to look forward to: As with the outgoing model, the new Swift Sport will stick with front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox. Honda Civic Type R ONCE again the fastest front-wheel-drive car to lap the Nürburgring, the Honda Civic Type R carries forward its brutish looks and searing performance…

“Even in 4WD setting, the new M5 still feels driven from the rear, and changes direction keenly” THE new BMW M5 won’t be officially unveiled until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but to save the wait, Auto Express has been granted an early drive in a prototype car to understand what will make the sixth-generation saloon the best yet. Naturally, the new M5 will get an aggressive look to differentiate it from lesser 5 Series models, although for now the finer points of its enhanced styling remain hidden. Most notable will be a carbon-fibre roof, with a centre section that echoes the car’s creased bonnet. But the biggest change is the adoption of four-wheel drive for the first time on an M-division model. BMW is reacting to market demand,…

...and new 8 Series coupé aims to tease A TEASER image from BMW (above) is the first official confirmation of the return of the 8 Series. The short-lived but iconic badge will return in 2018 on a new flagship sports car to rival the Mercedes S-Class Coupé. We’ll get a glimpse of the reborn model at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy at the end of May with the reveal of a new concept car. A number of patent applications have been filed for the future model range, too, including M8. Ford brings Energi to its EV ambition FORD has applied to re-register its ‘Energi’ badge alongside a number of new models set to receive electrified powertrains in the next few years. The company has pending trademark applications for…