Innholdsfortegnelse for 1512 i Auto Express

OF all the motor industry executives I have spoken to over the years, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles boss Sergio Marchionne (above) is by some way the most interesting. He can be brash, outspoken, dismissive, amusing and charmingly charismatic, all in one 30-minute press conference. He was on typical form when I last interviewed him, confirming a Ferrari SUV for 2019 and describing Jeep’s performance in Europe as “lousy” within minutes of each other. He is a far cry from traditional execs, who often talk a lot but say little. Marchionne is leaving his role next year, and filling the boots of such a dominant personality will not be easy. There is FCA’s future direction to contend with, as well, because to these eyes at least, the company has some serious thinking…

“We’ve been funding a single cab for the past couple of years and been impressed with its impact on safety” RICHARD LEONARD Head of road safety, Highways England Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer MOTORWAYS and major A-roads in England and Wales will be patrolled by a new set of ‘supercab’ heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) that will help capture motorists breaking the law. Highways England, which manages England’s motorways and major A-roads, has confirmed that it will fund three unmarked HGV cabs following a successful trial. Since April 2015, a single unmarked HGV patrolling the road network has helped police officers across 28 forces pull over 4,176 drivers in relation to 5,039 offences. Nearly two-thirds of the motorists stopped were illegally using a mobile phone. Other offenders included a driver putting toothpaste on to…

“Current rules require drivers to report it when they hit a number of animals, but cats aren’t on the list“ THE Chinese Year of the Dog may have just started, but drivers in the UK are calling for equal rights for cats on the road, according to a new survey. Motorists who run over a feline should have to report the incident to the police, as they currently have to do when striking a dog, a survey by our sister publication Carbuyer found. Current rules require drivers to report it when they hit a number of animals, including horses, cattle, sheep and dogs, but cats aren’t on the list. The Carbuyer study found 59 per cent of drivers are in favour of a law requiring motorists to report cat incidents…

INFINITI has updated its Q30 and QX30 range with specification changes and a new trim level structure. The entry-level Q30 is now called Pure (previously SE) and features equipment such as forward collision avoidance, auto headlamps with LED running lights and Bluetooth. Luxe and Sport grades offer similar kit levels, but Sport trim features larger 19-inch alloys, sportier bumper designs and a 20mm lower ride height. Both specs can also be ordered with a Tech pack, adding adaptive cruise control and an around-view monitor. The QX30 is only available in Luxe and Luxe Tech, but with 19-inch alloy rims.…

“Sales manager took his car for a test drive, but staff wouldn’t bring it into the workshop to investigate” WHEN is a problem not a problem? That’s a question Andrew Hamilton, from Crowborough, East Sussex, asked after taking delivery of his new Vauxhall Mokka X in May last year. Whenever Andrew pulled away in his 1.4-litre petrol small SUV, it was really jerky – yet Vauxhall was adamant there was no problem. Andrew explained: “When pulling away from a junction in first gear, the car could be incredibly jerky and hesitant, kangarooing noticeably.” Andrew felt this hesitation had the potential to be dangerous, and left him with “no confidence” when taking off from junctions and roundabouts. He reported this hesitation almost immediately to his supplying dealer, SLM Vauxhall of Tunbridge…

Running costs 58.9mpg (official) £61 fill-up James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor “The suspension works best on undulating roads; it’s like it floats from crest to crest” “In a small throwback to the original DS, the seats are designed to be big squashy sofas and make for a welcome relief from the class norm” WHEN Citroen launched the C4 Cactus, it seemed like a great return to form for a manufacturer once known for avant-garde design. This funky-looking quasi-SUV, with mad air-filled plastic Airbumps on the doors, showed exactly where Citroen was going. The C4 Cactus has been on sale for nearly four years now, though, so Citroen has decided it’s time to give it an update. Unusually for a midlife facelift, this isn’t just a case of fancy new wheels and different colours.…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.9 seconds/171mph Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ “The D5 S pulls with a smooth swell from low down in the range” MANY tuning companies strive for attention through outlandish extras and looks, but Alpina does things differently. It’s a refreshing approach, and to call it a tuning company is rather underselling the work Alpina does. Its production process has been so deeply integrated with BMW’s for over 50 years that Alpina is now considered a manufacturer in its own right – and this, the D5 S, is its latest creation. Based on the current G30-generation BMW 5 Series, it uses a bi-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six diesel that provides a healthy 322bhp and 700Nm of torque. So while the D5 S weighs a not-inconsiderable 1,870kg, it can still do 0-62mph in just…

Running costs 27.8mpg (on test) £100 fill-up/£440 or 31% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.0 seconds/155mph Practicality Boot 430 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 48.9/34.7/9.8m MODEL TESTED: Lexus LS 500h Luxury AWD PRICE: £82,595 ENGINE: 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric, 354bhp LEXUS has always ploughed its own furrow with the LS, giving the luxury saloon an individual appeal next to its German rivals, and for this latest, fifth-generation model the Japanese firm hasn’t ripped up its rulebook. We’re testing the LS 500h in £82,595 Luxury AWD trim (although our pictures show a top-of-the-range Premier Pleat model). Design & engineering THE Mk5 LS is based on an all-new platform for Lexus. Called Global Architecture – Luxury, it’s been designed for upmarket models and, as is a constant for the brand, with hybrid power in mind. As…

Running costs 46.8mpg (on test) £69 fill-up Performance 0-60mph/30-70mph 9.7/9.0 seconds Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 555/1,752 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 49.9/35.6/10.9m ALTHOUGH the DS brand has been around for a while, the DS 7 Crossback marks the first time that we’ve seen an all-new model arrive that’s not an update of what was previously a Citroen. It’s not completely bespoke to the upmarket French brand, though, because it’s based on the PSA Group’s EMP2 platform and shares parts with the Peugeot 3008. It uses a front MacPherson strut and a rear multi-link set-up, as with the XC40, but where the DS differs is with its new DS Active Scan Suspension. This is a brand-new system that analyses the road ahead and adjusts damping automatically. It’s standard on our Prestige model, and…

Steve_Walker@dennis.co.uk JUMP back in time a couple of decades and keyless entry was something liable to get you a three to five-year stretch in Parkhurst. Today, it’s a standard feature on most new cars. But has the key’s eradication really been a positive thing? It’s fair to say our Renault Grand Scenic has been having a few key card niggles since it arrived. Recently our MPV became convinced it was being stolen and a visit from the RAC was needed to deactivate the alarm (Issue 1,510). Maybe the keyless system has actually been a backward step. Renault wasn’t the innovator of this technology, but was instrumental in bringing it into the mainstream, because the Mégane II was the first family hatch to benefit from keyless tech. Now, you can’t get…

“Drive Espana’s tours take in challenging roads, track days and historic race meetings” NEW PRODUCT Drive Espana tours Prices: From £1,950 Contact: www.driveespana.com DON’T let your sports car fester in the garage. Get out and enjoy it on one of the newly announced Drive Espana tours. Now in its 15th year, Drive Espana organises self-drive tours for sports and supercars taking in challenging roads, track days and historic race meetings. Founder Jasper Gilder has seen his company grow from its first trip, with fellow TVR owners to a track day at Spain’s Circuito de Guadix. Now Drive Espana organises tours for other marques, including Ferrari and Aston Martin, plus trips for a mixture of cars. Its 2018 line-up starts with the TVR Tour of Spain (4-15 April, £2,950), including a track day…

CO2/tax 139g/km £135 Running costs 53.3mpg (2.0 TDCi 140) £86 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.2 seconds/121mph FORD has long been the champion when it comes to offering cars for the masses, but the idea of a people carrier with a sporty edge was an alien concept until the arrival of the brand’s S-MAX. MPVs were upright, boxy and mediocre to drive before this seven-seater was launched in 2006. The S-MAX meant transporting the family could now be genuinely fun, because it successfully blended a sporty driving experience with the functionality buyers expected of a people carrier; and a dash of style was thrown in for good measure. The S-MAX picked up 2007’s European Car of the Year title, and was one of the most deserving winners in a long time.…

• We get behind wheel of world’s most eagerly awaited EV in US • Right-hand-drive versions scheduled to go on sale next year THE Tesla Model 3 is here – sort of. Although shipments technically began in July, the production ramp of the new “affordable” Tesla EV has been slower than CEO Elon Musk had hoped. Last quarter, Tesla delivered just 1,542 Model 3 cars against a reservation list that is several hundred thousand long, and production of right-hand-drive versions isn’t expected to begin until 2019 at the earliest. UK pricing has yet to be announced, too. Despite a brief run in the Model 3 last summer (Issue 1,485), we’ve had to wait until now to get our hands on the new EV for a more thorough test. We borrowed…

A TRIO of brands from the PSA Group, Citroen, Peugeot and Vauxhall, have all revealed new van-based MPVs. The new, third-generation Citroen Berlingo is joined by the Peugeot Rifter (a replacement for the Partner Tepee) and the Vauxhall Combo Life, with all three in showrooms later this year. The new minivans are all based on a modified version of PSA’s EMP2 platform, and distinguish themselves from each other by sporting their respective brands’ latest family faces. Aside from that there’s very little to pick them apart, although the Citroen gets some Airbump bodywork trim. All three will use a combination of PSA 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engines and 1.5-litre BlueHDi diesels, with the option of an eight-speed automatic transmission on the most powerful 128bhp diesel unit. All three cars feature identical…

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan “Porsche has squeezed an extra 20bhp and 10Nm of torque out of the 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat six” PORSCHE has given us an early look at its Geneva show star, the new 911 GT3 RS. The updated model gains more power, a revised chassis and tweaked aerodynamics to boost the sports car’s performance. Shown in a vibrant shade of green in these official pictures, the exterior styling hasn’t changed much, with the same minor tweaks to the front and rear light designs as on the latest 911s. A redesigned front bumper made from lightweight polyurethane features, too. Further new touches include brake cooling louvres in the front bootlid, while a revised rear spoiler is borrowed from the GT2 RS and sits higher than before. New forged alloy wheels…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.1 seconds/187mph Running costs 28.3mpg (official) £95 fill-up Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ “The DB11 Volante has a genuine style that sets the tone for the rest of the car” ELEGANCE is a commodity prized by car designers. It’s often strived for, seldom achieved. But the Aston Martin DB11 Volante has a genuine style that sets the tone for the rest of the car. It’s the first drop-top in the company’s new model line-up, and far from being a simple chop-the-roof-off-a-DB11-Coupé job, it’s been reworked to ensure it behaves like a big Aston GT should. The roof is a new eight-layer fabric hood that Aston says is ‘class-leading’ in many ways. From its insulating properties to the devilishly low deck lid when folded that caused Aston’s design teams and engineers…

Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE TO mark its 60th birthday last year, Caterham launched the Seven Sprint, a back-to-basics model with some traditional trim features to give it a real sixties look. Now there’s the SuperSprint, which builds on that car with a convincing period racing theme. Although our model is a singleseater, it can be had in two-seat form, while the Brooklands-style aero windscreen, quilted tan leather seats and wooden steering wheel mean it really does look and feel like a classic car. The black number plates add to the illusion, too. The SuperSprint uses a tuned-up version of the Sprint’s Suzuki-sourced 660cc three-cylinder turbo engine, with 95bhp. Low-end performance is surprisingly strong, and Caterham has managed to make it sound nicely oldschool with an entertaining exhaust note. With that engine, an…

Running costs 46.0mpg (on test) £102 fill-up/£450 or 31% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.9 seconds/155mph Practicality Boot 505 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 44.8/31.8/9.2m MODEL TESTED: Audi A8 L 50 TDI quattro PRICE: £73,095 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, 282bhp AUDI’S fourth-generation A8 has arrived sporting plenty of new tech in almost every area; from the chassis to the powertrains and interior, the German brand went to town with its all-new luxury limousine. Can the car rise to the top in £73,095 long-wheelbase 50 TDI quattro form? Design & engineering PERHAPS the biggest advance for the new A8 comes in the form of its mildhybrid powertrains. The latest car uses a 48-volt electric system with a belt alternator starter that lets it coast with the engine shut down for up to 40 seconds…

THE DS brand has only been around for four years, and it’s having a tough time finding its feet in a crowded market. It began with the DS 3, a premium hatch that became a standalone model after a while under Citroen’s umbrella. It was followed by other cars, such as the DS 4 and DS 5. Now the fledgling marque with upmarket aspirations has its first proper SUV: the DS 7 Crossback. With distinctive styling inside and out, this car brings something different to the premium crossover class, which is currently headed by Volvo’s XC40. And thanks to its wide range of talents, the cool Volvo is set to make this a really tough fight for the new French model. DS 7 Crossback It shares underpinnings with the Peugeot…

“Despite the Type R’s performance, what strikes you is how forgiving it is to drive” Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.8 seconds/169mph Running costs 31.0mpg (on test) £56 fill-up Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn WE’VE only just waved goodbye to our 1.0-litre Honda Civic SR, which proved itself to be an honest, reliable and refined companion for reviews editor Rich Ingram. But the model we’re most excited about in the range is currently our favourite hot hatch: the Civic Type R. We know from our road tests that it’s taken on some very talented cars and seen off each one, so what is it really like to live with? To find out, we’re going to be running our reigning class champ on the fleet for the next six months. As it’s built here in Britain,…

“We checked ease of fitting, noise and the wipe using the washers” WHEN you’re thinking about replacing your wipers for the summer there’s another option to choose from. Ring launched its Ultravision at the end of 2017 promising to ‘transform blade replacement’. At the heart of this claim was a single-piece clip that can be adapted to 95 per cent of cars. Drivers just need to measure the length of the blade they need. We tried it against the multiple test-winning Bosch Aerotwin. Instructions were checked, as was ease of fitting, noise on a dry screen and the wipe using the washers. Bosch wins again because it arrives ready to go and delivers a cleaner wipe than the Ring, which was quiet but could be easier to fit. Mini test…

64th PLACE 2017 Results X-Trail Factfile Years: 2014 to present CO2: 129g/km Fuel econ: 57.6mpg (1.6 dCi 130 2WD) Best options: Leather seats, sat-nav, 360-degree camera, panoramic sunroof Used prices: From £11,500 OVERALL SCORE 87.93% Bars show where model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2017 new car survey. The longer the bar the better • GOOD “TO my eyes, it’s more stylish than most SUVs.” “Acceleration is strong for a large car with a small engine.” “I suffer from backache, but not in the X-Trail; its seats are so comfy.” “Seven-seat flexibility makes it an excellent family vehicle.” “The dashboard is logical, intuitive and feels built to last.” “Bluetooth connectivity is easy to establish and never drops out.” “The electronically assisted brakes are reassuringly powerful.” • NOT SO GOOD…

LYDDEN Hill will host the finale of the 2018 Global Rallycross Championship (GRC), it was announced last week. The Kent track, which is seen as the spiritual home of the sport, lost the UK round of World Rallycross to Silverstone for this season, but has now attracted the US-based GRC series to replace it. Lydden Hill boss Pat Doran confirmed the announcement, saying: “Lydden has been at the forefront of rallycross for over 50 years and we’ve invested in the sport throughout that time. “It’s fitting therefore that the GRC’s return to Europe is here on our track.” The Global Rallycross championship has been running since 2009 and boasts works-backed entries from Volkswagen, Honda and Subaru, with former Toro Rosso Formula One driver Scott Speed and ex-Subaru World Rally Championship…

“New version of Kia’s Golf rival is longer and wider than the car it replaces” Andy_Pringle@dennis.co.uk @AndyMoshPringle THIS model is Kia’s big star for the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show – the third generation of Ceed, which is due in dealers later this year. The new version of the South Korean manufacturer’s VW Golf rival is longer and wider than the car it replaces, and also has a slightly different name: Cee’d becomes simply Ceed for the Mk3. The car’s styling is also simpler, with a less rounded design that’s intended to make it look more sporty. At the front, there’s a wider version of the company’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille, while the air intake is set lower down, and the ‘ice cube’ LED daytime running lights that were exclusive to the…

“Race-bred turbochargers mean that the new Ferrari has about 48bhp more than even the 488 GTB, at 710bhp” John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy THIS is Ferrari’s show-stopper for the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show: the 488 Pista, a new, more focused version of the Italian brand’s mid-engined V8 supercar. The new model – whose name is the Italian for ‘track’ – uses components developed for the 488 Challenge race series, including exhaust manifolds made out of super-alloy Inconel, titanium conrods, a modified crankshaft and flywheel, and carbon-fibre intake plenums, to shave a hefty 90kg from the weight of the regular 488 GTB. That gives the 488 Pista a dry weight of 1,280kg – about the same as an entry-level Ford Focus. But race-bred turbochargers mean that the new Ferrari has about 48bhp more than…

THE fifth-generation Toyota Supra is set to be one of the biggest talking points at the Geneva Motor Show next month, when the brand will preview its reborn flagship sports car in racing form. Our exclusive image has already given a glimpse of how it could look, but the Geneva car – described as a ‘modern racing concept’ – will introduce the Supra in extreme, track-ready guise. This official teaser shot shows its huge rear wing. Some of the Supra’s specs appear to have leaked, too. Japanese sources claim that in its most potent form, the new car – one half of a joint project with the next BMW Z4 – will use a 3.0-litre straight-six turbo producing 330bhp and 450Nm of torque. The 0-62mph time is quoted at 3.8…

NEARLY a third of local councils in England are set to hike parking rates this year, a new study claims. In a financial audit survey, answered by almost a third of England’s 353 local councils, 80 per cent of authorities said they “fear for their financial stability”, and are likely to increase parking fees and charges in their boroughs as a result. The planned hikes are deemed necessary because, according to the report, councils are facing a financial “cliff edge” following a £16billion cut in Government grants (from which councils draw half their budgets) since 2011. Local authorities in England took £1.58billion from parking fines, fees and permits in the last financial year, making an £819million ‘surplus’ in the process. Those surpluses are ploughed back into local transport operations, although…

“Savvy buyers, especially in the trade, know which models are going to be trouble” NEW car prices are set by sharp-suited executives armed with spreadsheets and pie charts. But once those cars hit the used market, they’re subject to the laws of supply and demand. Savvy buyers, especially in the trade, know which models are going to be trouble and which will be easy to live with. The rise of Internet forums has made this information available to the general car-buying public, too. Vehicles with a bad reputation or steep service costs will sit unsold until the price is low enough to compensate. Other models gain a cult following and get snapped up at seemingly crazy prices. We’ve picked some examples of these automotive anomalies to show how the second-hand…

Running costs 39.8mpg (official) £77 fill-up Performance 0-60mph/top speed 7.4 seconds/144mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 560/1,665 litres Andy_Pringle@dennis.co.uk @AndyMoshPringle A QUARTER of a century after the GSi badge first appeared on a Vauxhall, the letters that used to mark out the company’s high-performance models are back – on a range-topping version of the new Insignia. In effect a replacement for the VXR, the Insignia GSi is available in two bodystyles: the Grand Sport hatch and the Sports Tourer estate we’re driving here. Buyers have the option of a diesel engine, too. The 207bhp unit we’re testing is the only alternative to a 256bhp petrol motor, in fact. Thanks to its sports suspension, the GSi sits 10mm lower than a regular model, and its 20-inch alloys, bespoke bumpers and sills, LED…

LEXUS is aiming to shake up the luxury car market with its new LS, but it faces a tough task. Even in this high-end class, there’s no shortage of new contenders. The LS 500h is the latest model to join the flagship executive ranks, and in a sector where space, comfort and tech take centre stage, there are some interesting engineering details that make it a contender. The new Audi A8 boasts many of the same credentials, but there’s a distinct difference when you look at the two cars’ powertrains. While the Lexus uses a petrol-electric hybrid set-up, Audi has elected to follow the mild-hybrid diesel route, although a petrol A8 is also available – as is the case with the third car in our test. The mighty Mercedes S-Class…

Running costs 46.6mpg (on test) £88 fill-up/£450 or 29% tax Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.1 seconds/155mph Practicality Boot 510 litres Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 47.4/33.9/8.8m MODEL TESTED: Mercedes S 350 d AMG Line L PRICE: £75,505 ENGINE: 3.0-litre 6cyl turbodiesel, 282bhp IT’S arguably the default luxury saloon, and an update has only enhanced its appeal. But the Mercedes S-Class is facing some hi-tech rivals, so can this £75,505 S 350 d AMG Line L keep the car’s crown? Design & engineering AS with the A8, there’s a choice between standard and long-wheelbase models with this S 350 d diesel. We’ve chosen the more spacious L variant, but both cars use the same chassis, albeit with a little more length between the axles here. The S-Class has an adaptive air suspension set-up to match…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.4 seconds/127mph Running costs 40.7mpg (on test) £72 fill-up Graham_Hope@dennis.co.uk OUR Mazda CX-5 is undoubtedly a great car to drive. But does the SUV always know where it’s going? Some sat-nav foibles of late have caused me to invest in a good, old-fashioned atlas as well as pay more rigorous attention to Waze on my phone. Our Sport Nav model comes with the MZD-Connect set-up as standard, but its behaviour has been rather puzzling so far. Firstly, I noticed the routing suddenly became a bit unusual in London, as I started being directed up random back streets. But I realised something really was up when it tried to take me to Coventry without using a motorway. A check of the settings saw it had defaulted to using…

“Aim of Polar Blast is to coat the car in a thick blanket of suds” NEW PRODUCT Autoglym Polar Blast Price: £16.99 Contact: www.autoglym.com SWIRLS in the clearcoat are the curse of modern paintwork and take the shine off even nearly new cars. One prime cause of this is poor washing technique, and the latest addition to Autoglym’s product range is designed to reduce the risk of marking the lacquer. Polar Blast is a snow foam and, as its name suggests, aims to coat the car in a thick, dense blanket of suds. The developers at Autoglym have worked hard to reduce run-off and extend the dwell time to give the formula maximum chance to loosen traffic film and grime. Once the product has done its job, the grit can be…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk WILLIAMS and Haas have become the first two Formula One teams to reveal their cars for the 2018 season, in the process finally giving fans a look at what the Halo head protection looks like when fully integrated into a car’s design. American squad Haas was first out of the blocks, posting images of its car on social media last Wednesday; Williams took the wraps off its FW41 challenger at an event in London on Thursday night. Haas is describing its VF-18 as ‘an evolution’ of its 2017 car, the VF-17. Team principal Gunther Steiner said: “The biggest part of the car’s evolution was the Halo. It took a bit of study by the aerodynamicists and they had to work hard to modify the chassis so the Halo could…