Innholdsfortegnelse for 1480 i Auto Express

THE silhouette may look familiar, but underneath the clever cladding (right) lies a much sleeker machine, and a very different sort of Bentley. This is the allnew Continental GT – and Auto Express has had an early taste of what to expect when the car reaches showrooms next spring. After 14 years and sales success that surely exceeded all expectations, the Conti gets a fresh chassis and lots of new technology. It’s based on the VW Group’s new MSB platform, first used by the Porsche Panamera, but 200mm has been chopped from the wheelbase to underpin the Crewe company’s 2+2 coupé. In fact, this is no mere re-skin of the Panamera; Bentley engineers were involved from the start with the MSB platform, and their demands have influenced the Porsche, just…

£200 premium for fresh-faced Citigo SKODA has revealed pricing for the revised Citigo (above, driven on Page 36), with the city car costing from £8,635 – a rise of around £200 spec-for-spec. Entry-level models get rear Isofix fittings, a Blues radio system and USB ports. SE versions cost £1,000 extra but add alloys, LED daytime running lights, air-con and a colour display. SE L variants are priced from £10,280, with sportier Monte Carlo cars from £11,170. The two 1.0-litre engines fitted to Skoda’s smallest model are unchanged. Rear-drive Audis to target Merc-AMGs AUDI Sport CEO Stephan Winklemann has hinted at future rear-wheel-drive cars to take on the most focused models from BMW M and Mercedes-AMG. Since rebranding from Quattro GmbH to Audi Sport last year, Winklemann has been looking at…

Executive Director at British Insurance Brokers’ Association www.biba.org.uk ELECTRIC vehicles often cost more to buy than their ‘fossil fuel’ equivalents, but how do their insurance premiums compare? BIBA surveyed specialist brokers and discussed this with Thatcham Research, who set the car group ratings. The car group system ranges from 1 to 50, with premiums rising with group ratings. Electric cars tend to be around two groups higher than the equivalent petrol or diesel, with an additional uplift of one further group if the battery is leased. This is because specially trained and qualified high-voltage specialist repairers are required and there is a battery disposal cost as this is classed as hazardous waste. In general, parts can cost more and EVs have a higher value. Despite this, some EVs like the…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler A LITTLE over three years ago, Linda Jackson was running Citroen’s UK sales operation, living in Coventry and sitting at number 39 in the Auto Express Brit List. Then she had a phone call; a call that would transform her world. It was from PSA chairman Carlos Tavares, and he asked her if she would move to Paris to run Citroen. Not Citroen France, but the whole Citroen brand. Tavares could see what the past three years have proven – Jackson is a formidable operator who, as well as having her own world transformed, has done precisely that as CEO of the famous French brand. That’s why Linda Jackson sits at number one in the Auto Express Brit List in 2017 and was inducted into the Auto Express…

MODEL TESTED: Mazda CX-5 2.2 SkyActiv-D 150 SE-L Nav PRICE: £25,695 ENGINE: 2.2-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 148bhp THE new Mazda CX-5 range is relatively compact compared with its rivals: just two trim levels are offered. There’s a mix of diesel and petrol engines, but it’s the lower-powered 2.2-litre diesel in two-wheel-drive manual form we test here. In entry-level SE-L Nav spec, this comes in at £25,695 (although our pictures show a Sport Nav model). DESIGN & ENGINEERING MAZDA says this second-generation CX-5 features a “fully revised body structure”, using the firm’s SkyActiv underpinnings. Changes include a 15 per cent improvement in the body’s torsional rigidity, which has enabled engineers to tweak the suspension to offer more comfort, apparently without compromising the CX-5’s trademark engaging dynamics. In line with the firm’s SkyActiv…

MAZDA CX-5 Mazda MZD-Connect Standard Key features: DAB, Bluetooth, sat-nav score 3.7 NEXT to the larger infotainment screens in its rivals, the seven-inch unit in the Mazda trails. The graphics aren’t as sharp as in the higher-resolution displays in the Skoda or VW, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t supported, either – although the firm has announced this functionality is coming soon and that owners will be able to have it retro-fitted. There’s still some good smartphone integration as standard, with apps for Internet radio, Facebook and Twitter. Also included are DAB, Bluetooth and three years’ map updates for the standard sat-nav. The system is relatively easy to operate using the rotary controller on the transmission tunnel, although the menu layout isn’t especially logical and too many inputs are…

Mini test NEW PRODUCT Tacklife RTD35ACL Rotary Tool Kit Price: £32.97 Rating: Speeds (x100)/Watts: 10/32 Contact: www.amazon.co.uk THIS is well finished in bright orange, and we liked the grippy black rubber underside and the handle, which made it better balanced and more accurate. The flexible drive was useful, as was the cutting guide. Having 80 consumables (discs, stones etc.) was reasonable, if not exceptional, and it was all stored in a simple box slotted in the kit case. With the on/off switch under the rear of the device and the rotary speed control above, the multi-tool was easy to use and smooth with no load. But it made hard work of our bolt test, which took 75 seconds and wore down most of the disc, suggesting that power and/or speeds…

▪ Big changes under the skin put Fiesta back among the class best ▪ New trim levels and engines boost family appeal of supermini James_Disdale@dennis.co.uk WE’VE seen it on the motor show stands and been up close during static photo shoots, but after months of waiting Auto Express has finally got behind the wheel of one of 2017’s most eagerly awaited cars – the all-new Ford Fiesta. The newcomer has some big shoes to fill, because even after eight years on sale its predecessor still had a firm grip on the top of the sales charts, plus it continues to set the class standard for driving fun. Ford bosses are acutely aware that upmarket models such as the VW Polo and new SEAT Ibiza – the latter still basking in…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer NEW Super Clean Electrified Diesel technology capable of reducing realworld emissions by 60 per cent will be key to ensuring that “diesel has a future”, and Auto Express has been given an exclusive preview of how it will work. Engineers at tech and tyre company Continental have developed an electrified after-treatment system capable of reducing NOx emissions by nearly two thirds under real-world driving. The company says that it’s already in discussions with manufacturers over the technology. Key to the new set-up is an electrically heated catalytic converter that uses a 48V electrical system. Johannes Drechsel, development engineer at Continental, explained to Auto Express how the tech works. “Instead of a normal catalytic converter that relies on the engine to bring it up to temperature, our catalyst relies…

BACK in 1970, the Nobelprize- winning economist George Akerlof highlighted how used car buyers are always on the back foot due to an “information asymmetry” with the seller. In short, the seller of a faulty ‘lemon’ car is able to charge a higher than justified price for it – because charging a low, but fair price would tip the buyer off about the potential problems – and it’s up to the buyers to avoid this minefield. However, technology may soon bring buyers to a level playing field. Tech and tyre company Continental is working on an advanced version of current ‘black box’ technology that allows vehicle rental companies to track their cars via dozens of different sensors – such as how fast people accelerate, if components are experiencing advanced wear…

FROM: QashqaiVSCompass WHILE I like the new Nissan Qashqai, it’s too expensive for me, especially when you start to add some of the options. I think the styling lacks some refinement when compared with the new Jeep Compass, which Jeep clearly had some fun designing. FROM: Pitor Reut I’VE had a Qashqai for the last three years on a lease and I’ve been really happy with it, so I might go for a further three years with the facelift model. I can’t find a better SUV for the same money in terms of quality (inside and out) and safety features. Inbox What do you think? Contact Michael Cox Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “THE Qashqai is a…

MODEL TESTED: Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TDI 150 4x4 SE (5 seat) PRICE: £27,300 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 148bhp THIS is Skoda’s first proper SUV. While the Yeti was always a crossover, the Kodiaq takes on the brand’s mantle of offering practical family transport with some premium touches at mainstream prices. It’s available with five or seven seats and a range of petrol and diesel engines linked to manual or dual-clutch automatic transmissions, while two and four-wheel drive feature, too. To match the Mazda, we tested the £27,300 fiveseat Kodiaq 2.0 TDI manual in SE trim here. DESIGN & ENGINEERING UNDERNEATH the Kodiaq’s solid-looking exterior is the VW Group’s versatile MQB platform. This chassis architecture underpins everything from the Audi TT sports car to this family SUV, highlighting just how scalable…

Rare Italian Coupés of the Fifties Xavier De Nombel, Christian Descombes (Dalton Watson Fine Books, www.daltonwatson.com) Price: £69 Rating: THIS beautiful book instantly sets itself apart thanks to gorgeous colour plates studded throughout. They complement the otherwise incredible photography well – you could enjoy this without reading any of the text. If you do choose to dive in, you’ll find it well researched, going into impressive depth considering the cars’ rarity. The Essential Buyer’s Guide: Alfa Romeo Alfasud Colin Metcalfe (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £12.99 Rating: HOW do you fancy an iconic Italian hatchback? If you’ve ever lusted after the Alfasud, you can live out your buying fantasies with this book. It’s ideal if you’re planning on taking the plunge into Alfasud ownership, as it covers everything you’d expect. And…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk SEBASTIAN Vettel faces investigation by motorsport’s governing body the FIA in the run-up to this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, following his controversial clash with Lewis Hamilton last time out in Azerbaijan. Stewards at the event handed the Ferrari driver a 10-second stop-and-go penalty after he hit Hamilton’s Mercedes as the pair circulated behind the safety car. But there have since been calls for harsher sanctions for the championship leader’s actions. An FIA statement said: “Following the recent incident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in which Car 5 (Sebastian Vettel) was involved in a collision with Car 44 (Lewis Hamilton)... the FIA will further examine the causes of the incident in order to evaluate whether further action is necessary.” Immediately after the race, an angry Hamilton told the media: “Driving…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Guided tour of the all-new BMW X3 WE brought you all the pictures and information about the new BMW X3 in Issue 1,479, but now you can join us for the guided tour. Although this latest-generation SUV looks very similar to the old car, it’s totally new under the skin, as well as on the inside. As we reveal in our video, it benefits from a whole raft of technology from the 5 Series exec and 7 Series luxury saloons. Know your stuff with A-Z of car tech OUR informative series of videos covering the A-Z of car tech continues this week with the letter C. So head over to our YouTube channel now, where our experts will bring you the lowdown on everything from carbon fibre to…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.2 seconds/149mph Running costs 44.1mpg (official) £58 fill-up CHANCES are you’ve already decided whether you want an Alfa Giulia or not. The brand’s first rear-wheel-drive saloon in decades is more than capable of going toeto- toe with its German rivals on the road, but it’s mightily appealing in the showroom, too, and that counts for a great deal. Where it can’t quite match the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series or Mercedes C-Class is in the sheer range of models it offers. The Giulia Veloce goes some way to redressing that, doing its best to fill the enormous power gap between the 197bhp 2.0-litre petrol and the ballistic 503bhp Quadrifoglio V6. Mechanically, the Veloce is much the same as the standard car, with an aluminium engine block, direct-injection…

MODEL TESTED: VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150 manual 2WD SE Navigation PRICE: £28,865 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbodiesel, 148bhp THE Volkswagen Tiguan is one of the most hi-tech SUVs around, but this five-seat family off-roader will need more than cutting-edge kit to overcome its rivals. We tested the £28,865 Tiguan 2.0 TDI two-wheel-drive manual in SE Navigation trim, although our pictures show a DSG auto model. DESIGN & ENGINEERING LIKE the Kodiaq, the Tiguan uses VW’s MQB chassis. It has a similar layout to the Skoda and Mazda, employing MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear to control suspension and body movement. score 4.1 The same 148bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine as the Skoda is tucked under the bonnet, only in the VW it drives the…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk A CHANGE is as good as a rest, they say. In Issue 1,475 I waved goodbye to the M240i Convertible I’d been running, replacing it with this fixed-roof version of the car – and what a difference. While I enjoyed running the drop-top take on BMW’s compact M car lite, not least the few occasions where I managed to get the roof down and bask in the rich exhaust note from the engine, there were some niggles that put me off. That’s less so with the M240i Coupé, and the more time I spend with it and miles I do, the more I am falling for the hard-top. Just occasionally you come across a car that over-delivers on your expectations, maybe because your expectations of it weren’t that high…

Watch cut from Mini panels THE luxury automotive watch market seems to get more interesting every week. The latest timepiece on show is from REC, and it’s made using recycled panels from classic Minis. Each watch features a dial cut from a Mk1 or Mk2 Mini, while the face is decorated in the style of the elliptical gauge cluster from the legendary cars. Every timepiece is supplied with a VIN number and short history of the car from which it’s made. Prices start from £295 at www.watchshop.com. TT and MX-5 guides join Haynes range TWO new titles have joined the vast library of Haynes manuals, and they’re just in time for summer. The new releases cover the Mk1 Audi TT and Mk3 Mazda MX-5. As with all Haynes manuals, the…

£12,000 for a small crossover, but which one? Dear Lawrence, I like the look of the latest batch of small crossovers, but I need a good-sized boot. What are the most practical buys for £12,000? Lorraine Newton, Shropshire Contact: Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk THE STYLISH CHOICE Renault Captur FOR: Bold looks, lots of kit, decent space AGAINST: Unexciting drive, underpowered THE Captur is one of the most popular crossovers in Europe, and it’s easy to see why. The appeal lies in its design flair and strong kit list, although the interior is a bit dark. And while it isn’t the biggest car here, it is versatile, plus what the 0.9-litre petrol engine lacks in pace it makes up for in efficiency. The Captur offers a fair level of comfort, although it’s not much…

THEY’RE hardly my best mates, but I do occasionally hang out with chief executives of motor manufacturing firms. These are the CEOs whose companies have spent many decades perfecting the art of designing, building, exporting and selling world-class cars to the masses. They have the specialist vehicle manufacturing experience, talent and knowledge. They’re on a different level to non car-making folk in other sectors. But if the CEOs I know best and respect most – JLR’s Ralf Speth, Audi’s Rupert Stadler, Citroen’s Linda Jackson and Aston Martin’s Andy Palmer – told me they aimed to take on and beat the leading phone and computer firms, I’d laugh in their faces. Motor manufacturers dabbling in diversity is fine – thus their bicycles, furniture and clothing.But they know better than to try…