Auto Express 1513

“THERE is no truth. There is only perception.” A famous quote from the acclaimed French novelist Gustave Flaubert, and one I was reminded of again last week, when Porsche confirmed it would no longer sell diesel cars in its current line-up. The German brand, part of the wider VW Group empire implicated in the Dieselgate scandal, has already launched its new Cayenne SUV with no diesel engine. There will be no more oil-burning Panameras, either, and the final Macan S diesel (above) has now rolled off the production line. It would appear that removing the latter from the line-up is linked to an “ongoing consultation with the authorities in relation to another software update”. This suggests that Porsche has opted to axe the model rather than re-engineer it for assessment…

• Sportier looks, but A6 is bigger and more spacious than ever • Electric assistance cuts emissions and boosts performance “The A6 is the first executive car to offer mild-hybrid technology across its entire engine range” Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan AUDI has revealed its all-new A6 saloon, which will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The BMW 5 Series rival has been completely redesigned inside and out, with more technology on board and mild-hybrid engines across the range. Inspiration for the styling has come from the larger A8, but shorter overhangs, different body details and a lower stance are designed to make the A6 look more ‘athletic’, according to company bosses. In profile the A6’s roofline is more coupé-like, but the newcomer is actually taller than the car it…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “It makes the jump to PSA’s EMP2 chassis, so there’ll be a hybrid” THIS is the new Peugeot 508, a large family car that’s designed to be a rival for everything from the Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Mondeo to the likes of the VW Passat, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. Unveiled ahead of a public debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the new 508 takes a more radical approach than the conservative car it replaces. It’s now a five-door ‘fastback’, with a more aggressive roofline that tapers down to an extremely complex rear three-quarter panel. The idea, Peugeot’s team claims, is to give the 508 more emotional appeal in a class where mainstream offerings have all suffered at the hands of premium models such as the 3…

THE 508 is a key car for Peugeot as the manufacturer tries to prove that it can match premium brands for quality and durability. We joined the development team for a run around PSA’s Belchamp test track in France, hitching a lift in a well-used prototype. It’s one of a fleet of vehicles that have been going through a durability programme that packs in 30,000km in just 31 weeks; which is the equivalent, Peugeot claims, of three years and 60,000km of customer use. Our diesel 508 has too much loose camouflage flapping in the breeze for any judgement on refinement, but we can see how the sample course we’re shown would expose any tolerances that aren’t quite up to par. Engineers have been counting the number of BSR problems (Buzz,…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy THIS is the car which SEAT is hoping can launch its Cupra performance division as a whole new brand – the Cupra Ateca. The fast SUV promises the pace of many hot hatchbacks and surprising agility for a car of its size. The rationale for reinventing Cupra as a standalone brand is based on the success of some rivals – notably Abarth. SEAT boss Luca de Meo cites Fiat’s performance division as a good example of how to prevent higher-end customers from deserting to premium makers. But SEAT’s head of R&D Dr Matthias Rabe has told Auto Express that the Cupra Ateca and the models that follow won’t just use motorsport-themed styling; the fact that Cupra is a division in its own right will allow engineers to push…

FOLLOWING the Cupra Ateca into showrooms could be a potential rival for the Ford Fiesta ST. The Cupra Ibiza is just a show car for now, as SEAT management wants to gauge reaction to the car from customers and dealers before committing it to production. However, Auto Express understands that only a strong negative response is likely to halt the hot Ibiza’s development process – and it will also be joined in the line-up by a Cupra Arona. SEAT has not revealed any technical details on the Cupra Ibiza, but the show car features lowered suspension, two-tone alloy wheels, an aggressive front splitter and a mix of gloss finish detailing and copper-tinted Cupra brand colouring. It also uses a DSG gearbox rather than a manual. If the hot supermini makes…