Auto Express 1509

WHAT makes an iconic car? That was the question posed by Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche at the recent launch of the new G-Wagen. Mr Zetsche had his own views, and it was hard to quibble with any of them. Firstly, he said, an icon had to offer “no compromises” in its performance. It should also be instantly recognisable, having defined a look. And finally, he mooted, there had to be what he described as “a built-in story”. Alongside the G-Class, four models which he felt ticked the necessary boxes to be considered icons were the Porsche 911, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Mustang and his own company’s 300 SL. A fair selection? I’d struggle to argue with any of that quartet. To that list, I would tentatively add the Fiat 500 and…

• New 1.8-litre turbo engine for Renault Sport thriller • Manual or dual-clutch auto boxes; Sport or Cup chassis Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn IT feels as if we’ve had to wait a long time for a new Renault Mégane RS. The standard hatch was launched back in 2015 and from that point the question on everybody’s lips has been: “When is the RS coming?” A little over two years on and it’s finally here, wading into a hot hatch market brimming with talent; the Honda Civic Type R, Hyundai i30 N and VW Golf GTI are only a handful of the capable cars the Mégane RS has to face up to. The newcomer also has big shoes to fill because of the success, popularity and value offered by its predecessor. Key to…

“It’s a really good-looking car, because it looks distinctive and yet it’s clearly a SEAT”DR MATTHIAS RABE Vice-president, R&D, SEAT John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy SEAT’S forthcoming pure-electric car will match the Leon hatchback on size, but offer much more cabin space, the firm’s head of R&D has revealed. The Spanish brand will launch its first product based on the VW Group’s pure-electric MEB platform in 2020. SEAT hasn’t confirmed the bodystyle, but Auto Express understands that it’s likely to be a hatchback with a slightly raised floor and roofline to accommodate the batteries. Our exclusive images show how the manufacturer’s first EV could look. SEAT’s vice-president for research and development, Dr Matthias Rabe, has now told Auto Express where the vehicle will sit in the company’s line-up. “The first MEB car will…

“The firm released a teaser video this week showcasing the same logo which we reported on last year” SEAT has also issued first official confirmation that it intends to spin offits Cupra performance division into a separate brand in its own right. As Auto Express revealed in Issue 1,486, the marque plans to expand the line-up of faster vehicles and badge them purely as Cupras. The firm released a teaser video this week showcasing the same logo (below) which we reported SEAT had applied to register last year. A release accompanying the video said the new brand – “Cupra as its own entity” – will be revealed in full on 22 February. Significantly, the logo uses a copper colour similar to that seen on some details of the recent limited-edition…

“A more elegant profile would allow the 4008 to offer an edge over less style-focused SUVs“ Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan PEUGEOT is looking to build on the strong success of its 2008, 3008 and 5008 SUVs with a sportier, sleeker fourth model. Likely to be named 4008, it’ll offer a more coupé-like design to take on cars such as the Toyota C-HR, and will arrive early in 2020. The new Peugeot, previewed by our exclusive images, will be inspired by the success premium German brands such as BMW have enjoyed in the coupé- SUV sector and will be based on the existing 3008. As a result, we can expect the ‘3008 coupé’ to have a curvier exterior, with a sloping roofline and reduced side glass area. It’s set to feature a number…

LAMBORGHINI is set to embrace electrification in its next-generation flagship supercar, which will arrive early in the next decade, the company’s tech boss has revealed. Speaking to Auto Express ahead of the UK debut of the new Urus SUV, Lamborghini research and development boss Maurizio Reggiani said that a replacement for the firm’s current V12 range-topper, the Aventador, will arrive in the early 2020s with hybrid power. “The next-generation supersport car will be based on plug-in hybrid technology,” said Reggiani, adding that the firm will pair plug-in tech with a trademark naturally aspirated V12. “The value of our brand is based on our top-end product,” he added. “It must be really the pure interpretation of a supersport car. We are sure that one of the things you must offer on…