Auto Express 1498

WHAT’S the most significant car to have been launched in the past 20 years? I’m sure we’d all have differing opinions, but there’s an undeniable case to be made for the Toyota Prius. Yes, incredible as it may seem, it’s now a full two decades since the wraps were pulled off the first production Prius at the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show. A few months later we were behind the wheel for the first time, and came away suitably impressed. “Overall the Prius is a remarkable piece of engineering,” we gushed. “With its small-change running costs and minimal emissions, it could well be a glimpse of the future.” How quaint those words look now, with the streets of our major cities full of Prius models, and Toyota so confident that it…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ▪ New ZS majors on space and standard equipment ▪ 1.0-litre engine delivers 110bhp and 160Nm of torque MG is determined to cash in on the crossover craze. Despite inheriting its nameplate from a nineties sports saloon, its new ZS will take on compact SUV rivals such as the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, plus newcomers including the SEAT Arona. So its hopes are high, with bosses looking to the SUV to more than double current UK sales. British buyers will be offered three trim choices, priced from £12,495. However, the company reckons that the most popular choice will be the Exclusive model, priced from £15,495 or £17,495 as tested here with a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine and a six-speed automatic gearbox. The engine develops 110bhp and 160Nm…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy DS is planning to square up to the MINI Countryman and Audi Q2 with a high-riding DS 3 SUV that’s due to break cover next year and arrive in British dealerships at the start of 2019. And a fully electric version is also on the way. Likely to be badged the DS 3 Crossback, the new car will vie with the next-generation Peugeot 208 to be the first model based on parent company PSA’s all-new small CMP platform. It’s expected to be just over four metres long and, as previewed in our exclusive images, it’ll mix existing DS 3 styling cues with design language introduced on the forthcoming DS 7 Crossback. Speaking at the recent Tokyo Motor Show, Eric Apode, DS’s executive vicepresident with responsibility for research and…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show took place in Las Vegas last week. The expo is closed to the public, and instead focuses on industry traders and automotive media – showcasing the latest in aftermarket tuning, interior tweaks and performance upgrades. However, unlike other modified car shows, SEMA is regularly attended by international car giants such as Honda and Toyota, as well as Ford, Audi and BMW. This year was no different, with brands using the event as a platform to launch new sportinspired accessory packs, crazy concept cars and high-end production vehicles. Here’s our round-up of the very best manufacturer models at SEMA 2017. “Brands use SEMA as a platform to launch new sport-inspired accessory packs and crazy concepts” Toyota C-HR R-Tuned TOYOTA’S current range…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer MANUFACTURERS could face limits on the type of tyres and brakes they can use in the future, as experts predict legislators could soon turn their attention to particle matter emissions from these components. A recent report by Transport for London and the Greater London Authority found that particle matter (PM) 2.5 emissions are a contributor to 29,000 premature deaths a year in the UK, and are “widely acknowledged as being the pollutant which has the greatest impact on human health”. Small-particle emissions are linked to the use of wood-burning stoves, construction and the transport sector – in particular, wear from tyres and brakes. In cities such as London, vehicles contribute to more than half of PM2.5 emissions, with the capital already in breach of its pollution limits set…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram ALONGSIDE the mad, modified models at the SEMA trade show in Las Vegas (Page 12), Jeep showed the first images of its all-new Wrangler for 2018. The rugged 4x4 will be officially launched at the LA Motor Show in December, but the first details are slowly trickling out. The new Wrangler’s styling is best described as evolutionary, and the retro profile is instantly recognisable. Revisions to the light clusters, grille and bumpers give it softer features, but the flat roofline, upright nose and exposed door hinges transfer over. “There appears to be a greater variety of higher-grade materials inside, while the tech has been improved” Although no details have been issued on the interior, spy shots have shown a similarly upright dashboard design. There appears to be a…