Innholdsfortegnelse for 1517 i Auto Express

ONE conversation I had recently sums up the confusion over diesel right now: a local car dealer told me of one customer who didn’t want a diesel because she was worried she wouldn’t be able to drive it into the local town centre. Of course, there are no imminent plans to ban diesels from any town centre in the UK. But who knows if and when that might change? And, frankly, who knows which way local and national legislators might go when it comes to future taxation, too? Therein lies the problem and the understandable confusion and nervousness over buying or owning a diesel car. So it’s no surprise sales are suffering and, as some experts predicted, values are falling. For the record, here’s our view: for the moment, diesel…

Jonathan Burn Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn CUSTOMER and political attitudes towards diesel have shifted dramatically over the past year. More governments around the world are being lobbied to ban diesel vehicles from entering cities and discourage their sales, because of concerns around air pollution and damage to public health. Market share for diesel cars in the UK has fallen off a cliff, dropping by 24.9 per cent in the past 12 months. The announcement by the UK Government that new petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned from sale by 2040 further ratcheted up the pressure on diesel, and weakened consumer confidence. Given how quickly the perception of diesel has changed over the past year, Auto Express sat down with 12 leading industry executives to get their view on diesel and ask:…

MERCEDES has continued the rollout of the newly facelifted C-Class with fresh Coupé and Cabriolet versions, plus the latest AMG fettled C 63 models. The new Coupé and Cabriolet cars get similar mid-life revisions to those found on the updated saloon and Estate, with a slightly revised design, an optional 12.3-inch digital display, a new, larger central infotainment screen and engine upgrades. Extra kit, new colours and new driver assistance systems will feature on the new models, too. C 200 petrol models gain 48v mild hybrid assistance and an additional 14bhp, while the diesel C 220 d jumps up by 23bhp and is claimed to be more economical than before. The updated cars go on sale in the UK next month, and first UK deliveries are expected to be made…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods CHINESE-owned car maker Lynk & Co has revealed its third production model, while also outlining its plans to build and sell cars in Europe next year. The new model from the Geely-owned company, and sister brand to Volvo, is called the 02, and it slots in beneath the 01 as a small premium crossover that’s designed to take on the likes of the Mercedes GLA and Audi Q2. There are obvious design traits from the 01, but they are packaged into a smaller car. This includes the wide, thin grille and raised daytime running lights that are mounted high on the bonnet. It’s a similar story around the back, because the rear end is largely similar to its bigger brother’s. Thick, cladded wheelarches give the hatchback-sized crossover some…

• 20 per cent of roads have less than five years of life left, survey says Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths LOCAL roads in England and Wales are facing a “tidal wave” of deterioration that could see one in eight close within 12 months if urgent repairs to potholes and road damage aren’t carried out. The new Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey from the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) estimates up to 24,000 miles of roads face closure as councils struggle with a £556million annual shortfall in funding. According to the report, a “one-time catch-up” to fix England and Wales’ roads would cost £9.31billion and take 14 years to complete. One in five local roads is also classed as “structurally poor” and has less than five years’ of life left, the survey…

BOSSES at SEAT have also confirmed that a crossover-coupé will join the range in 2020. It was previewed by the 20v20 concept seen at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, and sit alongside the Ateca and below the forthcoming Tarraco. The model has yet to be named, but it will initially launch with SEAT badging, and a Cupra version (previewed earlier this year in the sketch, right) is in the pipeline, too. SEAT calls the car a Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV), but the firm’s R&D boss Dr Matthias Rabe told Auto Express, “Our CUV will be Leon-sized. Quite high, coupé-like and sporty. It works well as a Cupra, too. It fits perfectly.”…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP FROM: Paul ANOTHER good-looking car from Ian Callum; this should sell well. The interior looks tidy, but Jag has missed a trick by fitting a wide centre console. This is unnecessary in an electric car and may make the front seats feel cramped. FROM: Greg Pearson GREAT to see Jaguar steal a march on German rivals in the executive EV race; the I-Pace looks ace. I wish it were £15,000 cheaper, though. Sure, you’ll save money on tax and fuel, but a lower price would help convert people to EVs. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk • “I think the I-Pace is the ultimate crossover of crossovers: a hatchback, estate, EV, MPV and SUV all…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor THE Range Rover Sport SVR was the first production car to emerge from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) skunkworks back in 2015. Since then there has been the Jaguar F-Type SVR and Range Rover SVAutobiography, as well as a handful of special editions. Soon, it’ll be joined by the Jaguar F-Pace SVR (Page 12), too. To ready the Sport for this family feud, SVO has fettled its original project for 2018. Headlining the changes is the brand’s latest 5.0-litre V8. Fittingly, the Sport SVR now has 567bhp and 700Nm of torque, the same as the F-Type SVR and XJR 575. That’s 33bhp and 80Nm more than the old car, which makes it four tenths of a second faster from 0-60mph. Top speed is up to 176mph.…

MODEL: Nissan Leaf Tekna PRICE: £27,490 POWER: 148bhp 0-62MPH: 7.9 seconds TOP SPEED: 89mph OFFICIAL RANGE: 217 miles THE second-generation Nissan Leaf is aiming to bring electric motoring to the mainstream. And with the Tekna trim’s claimed range of up to 217 miles on a full charge, it can suit more lifestyles than ever. The Leaf range starts from £21,990 including the Government’s £4,500 Plug-in Car Grant, but here we test the top-spec Tekna model, which costs £27,490. Design & engineering AS the original Leaf was an electric pioneer, it’s no surprise that Nissan has developed its chassis and running gear for the Mk2 version, rather than opt for a clean-sheet design. As a result, the new car has a conventional suspension layout, with MacPherson struts up front and a…

MODEL: Renault ZOE Dynamique Nav R110 ZE 40 PRICE: £18,420 (excl. battery lease) POWER: 106bhp 0-62MPH: 11.9 seconds OFFICIAL RANGE: 250 miles THE Renault ZOE was launched in 2013, and the electric supermini has received constant updates over its life. This month, the most recent change came in the form of a more powerful electric motor. The range was also revised, so it now starts from £18,420 with a minimum £59 per month battery rental. It’s the only car here to offer this. Design & engineering LIKE the e-Golf, the Renault ZOE uses an existing platform with EV running gear added. In this instance, it’s based on the Renault Clio, but it’s been extensively re-engineered to accommodate the battery under the floor and the rest of the electric systems under…

WHILE our MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid may have retro-inspired looks, it is bang up to date under the skin, with enough essential gizmos to keep hardened technophiles happy. But there is one gadget that I’ve decided is more hassle than it’s worth. In fact, I am starting to think the £375 automatic boot opening device might have something against me. It’s meant to operate ‘hands-free’, where you wave your foot underneath the back bumper to get it to open up while your hands are full. But it only seems to work about a third of the time we try it. I have largely given up bothering now, because it’s hard not to be self-conscious when you’re in a crowded car park, stood on one leg while waving the other under…

THE interior doesn’t escape the worst of the winter. Clothing and footwear drag in grime, grit and moisture, so now it’s time for a spring clean. Start by vacuuming all surfaces to remove grit and prevent scratching. Use a paintbrush with the metal parts taped to release grime from vents, sucking them away with the vac. Tackle fabrics with our test-winning Halfords Upholstery Cleaner, leaving time for seats to dry. Apply Dodo Juice’s Supernatural on leather. To see what you should use on hard surfaces like plastics and vinyl, we put chocolate, margarine and dried juice on a panel. Limited wiping revealed which of 17 products made most progress after each of two runs, and we rated the overall finish. Cost was also a factor. THE BEST Dodo Juice Total…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk “United Autosports will have a pair of LMP2 cars at Le Mans and has a seat to fill in each“ EX-Formula One drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Paul di Resta could make their Le Mans 24 Hours debuts this summer with the Anglo-American United Autosports sportscar team. Di Resta already contested this year’s Daytona 24 Hours and Sebring 12 Hours races in the US for the squad, which is co-owned by McLaren boss Zak Brown. Montoya, meanwhile, is tackling a full-time sportscar programme in the US this season with the Penske-Acura team in the IMSA WeatherTech championship. United Autosports will have a pair of LMP2 cars at Le Mans and has a seat to fill in each: ex-Audi works driver Filipe Albuquerque and British rising star Phil Hanson have…

“The UK Government and its counterparts in Europe and elsewhere have made a U-turn on diesel since 2015” Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer IT’S just days before new diesel cars will be hit with higher first-year taxes. This is the latest in a number blows from the authorities against the fuel in recent years, which have left many believing diesel is now running on fumes. With cities across Europe considering bans on older models, the UK Government proposing charging zones for ageing diesel cars and councils introducing various diesel surcharges, new diesel sales have slumped in the UK. February’s new car registrations show new diesel accounts for just 35 per cent of the market – six years ago, this figure was above the 50 per cent mark. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and…

“The Touareg is described as the most technologically advanced car that VW has ever built” Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn VOLKSWAGEN is waging a fresh assault on the premium SUV market with its all-new Touareg. The thirdgeneration car arrives on the back of one million global sales since its launch in 2003, and was revealed in front of the world’s media in Beijing, China. The new Touareg will arrive in UK showrooms this summer priced from around £50,000. But this is more than just a new SUV, according to VW. It’s described as the most technologically advanced car the German maker has ever built. It needs to be, because it faces tough competition from the likes of the Audi Q7, the Land Rover Discovery and the Volvo XC90. Now based on the same…

MERCEDES is pushing ahead with hydrogen fuel-cell tech, and we’ve been to Stuttgart for an early ride in the firm’s latest offering: the GLC F-CELL. This zero-emissions version of the mid-sized SUV has a pair of hydrogen tanks and an electric motor driving the rear wheels. There’s also a battery that can be charged at the plug, giving an electric-only range of around 30 miles. Combine that with the hydrogen tanks and you end up with a car that can travel 272 miles between fill-ups. On the road, the GLC F-CELL feels brisk enough, although there’s a bit more whine from the ZF-sourced electric motor than you might expect. Still, there’s none of the ‘fuel cell gurgle’ that we’ve heard in the Toyota Mirai and Honda Clarity. The car is…

ANOTHER high-performance RS model is joining the Audi Sport fold in the form of the RS 5 Sportback. It goes on sale in the UK this summer. Like the RS 5 Coupé, a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 producing 444bhp and 600Nm of torque is under the bonnet. And as with the coupé, the Sportback has a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174mph if the 155mph limiter is removed. Trademark RS design changes give it a sportier edge than the S5 Sportback, with a black honeycomb grille and more aggressive front apron. A large diffuser and two oval exhaust tips are found at the back, plus a small lip spoiler on the bootlid. Under the wider wheelarches there are 19-inch wheels as standard, with 20-inch alloys on…

A SELF-DRIVING car operated by ride-hailing company Uber has been involved in the first fatal accident involving a pedestrian, in Tempe, Arizona, in the US. The woman, named by police as 49-year-old Elaine Herzberg, was crossing a dark road when she was struck. She was taken to hospital, but later died from her injuries. Although a driver was present in the Volvo XC90 operated by Uber, the SUV was in autonomous mode and the driver failed to react quickly enough to take over control of the vehicle. At the time of going to print, Uber has halted its autonomous trials until the firm has further clarification on the incident. An Uber statement said: “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family. We are fully cooperating with local authorities in their investigation…

MOTORISTS and cyclists could soon face new laws, after the Department for Transport (DfT) announced a study on making cycling on the roads safer. A possible area the Government may consider is setting a minimum distance for motorists to leave when they are overtaking cyclists. The Highway Code says drivers should give cyclists “plenty” of space and “at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car”, but ministers have previously said they were interested in bringing in a mandatory minimum gap. Back in 2016, then transport minister Robert Goodwill said, following the introduction of minimum passing distances in South Africa, that DfT bosses “remain interested in the change and are keeping it under review”. Another possible new rule would tackle the danger caused by drivers opening car…

“Attack a series of tight, twisting bends and the feel through the wheel is excellent” James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor REINVENTING the original 1950s Mini will go down as one of the hardest jobs in automotive history. And with three generations of the ‘new’ MINI already under BMW’s belt, it’ll go down as one of the most successful, too. But no matter how progressive each new MINI is, it’s really just like any other car; after time, it gets old. The current pace of development in the car world means that even a retro classic such as this can start to feel dated very quickly. So for 2018, the MINI has had a spruce up. There are some new bits and pieces on the outside, extra gadgets, and some trinket jewellery in the…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods THE pick-up market is gaining traction. Everyone from Mitsubishi to Mercedes has an offering, and now SsangYong’s got a new contender, too. The 2018 Musso is a stablemate to the latest Rexton, boasting the same body-on-frame architecture and 179bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine. It also lifts its interior from SsangYong’s large SUV. Our early UK review was in a preproduction, left-hand-drive model badged Rexton Sport, equipped and trimmed for its native Korean market. Mechanically, though, it’s exactly what we’ll get when the truck arrives in June. The test car was representative of the top-end spec, and as a result, is likely to cost a few thousand pounds more than the £18,000 estimate. But with 20-inch wheels and LED daytime running lights, it’s not short of sparkle. The cabin feels…

MODEL: Volkswagen e-Golf PRICE: £28,230 POWER: 134bhp 0-62MPH: 9.6 seconds TOP SPEED: 93mph OFFICIAL RANGE: 186 miles THE Mk7 Volkswagen Golf was updated in 2017 with a subtle facelift and additional tech, while the all-electric e-Golf gained a larger 35.8kWh battery and a more powerful electric motor. At £28,230 (including the Government grant), the five-door-only e-Golf is one of the most expensive Golfs; only the performance versions cost more. Design & engineering WHILE Volkswagen’s future EVs will use a bespoke electric car platform, the e-Golf sits on the same MQB architecture as the rest of the Golf range. This features MacPherson struts up front, and either torsion beam suspension or a multi-link set-up at the rear, depending on the engine fitted. In this instance, the e-Golf gets the more sophisticated…

Skoda Citigo 1.0 MPI 60 SE L 5dr PRICE: £11,020 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol, 59bhp CITY CAR PROFIT margins are tight in the city car market and buyers want affordability, so because diesel cars tend to command a higher price, this fuel doesn’t feature. It means our ‘alternative’ here is more of a mainstream choice. The Citigo is a fantastic city car that’s at its best with the 59bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine. This delivers enough performance, plenty of flexibility and strong affordability, which means you can splash out a little more on SE L trim. That model gets a good level of kit, although all cars in the Citigo range use your smartphone as the basis for the infotainment set-up. But it’s the lightweight, yet spacious, body, combined with the…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk OUR Audi’s normally fault-free TFT instrument display lit up with all sorts of yellow warning lights recently. And the revs suddenly became restricted to just 4,500rpm. At which point I thought: “Blimey, is my beloved RS 3 Sportback about to keel over and croak?” The engine and its ECU do a similar thing when you first fire the car up. To prevent you from bending a valve when the five-cylinder is cold, the control unit restricts revs to 5,500rpm momentarily, until everything is warmed up. Then after a couple of minutes the digitised dash shows that the full 7,000rpm is available. This time, though, the engine was already warm. The car had been running for a good 30 minutes or so. Also, the revs were restricted to 4,500rpm, rather…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer “As with any aftermarket product, a lot of science, research and trial and error goes into each compound” AS cars develop over the years, so does the aftermarket sector. And waxes are a prime example. With new metal surfaces, paint finishes and tougher customer demands, producers now have to come up with more versatile solutions. As with any aftermarket product, a huge amount of science, research and trial and error goes into each wax compound. Natural waxes often come with the highest gloss, while synthetics generally last longer. Striking the right balance between the two is essential. So how do manufacturers innovate, and what are their research, development and testing procedures like? To find out, Auto Express spoke to four producers, covering everything from small UK operations to…

Models KNOW what you’re buying. sDrive denotes rear-wheel drive, xDrive means 4WD, but sDrive18d is the only two-wheel-drive car. Rattles CREAKS and rattles are surprisingly common. The tailgate, seats, parcel shelf and doors can all exhibit these traits. Navigation THE factory-fit sat-nav isn’t great, and map updates can be hard to come by, but they are out there if you search around. Door mirrors THE wing mirrors provide excellent visibility, but they produce a fair amount of wind noise at motorway speeds. BMW’S first SUV was the multitalented X5, which went on sale in 2000. Like everyone who drove it, we reckoned the car set a new standard in the class, so when a smaller SUV arrived four years later we expected great things. We were disappointed, though, because while…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods JAGUAR has revealed how it plans to go after the current crop of super-SUVs with the new F-Pace SVR. Going on sale in the UK in May, the latest JLR Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) project has the same power as Jaguar’s legendary XJ220 supercar. There’s a supercharged 5.0-litre V8 under the bonnet that has 542bhp and 680Nm of torque, while the power is fed through a four-wheel-drive system with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The F-Pace SVR has nearly 100bhp more than a Porsche Macan Turbo Performance Pack; Jaguar claims it will cover the 0-62mph sprint in 4.3 seconds and hit 176mph, 0.1sec and 7mph faster than the Porsche. A mild effort to trim some weight comes in the form of new lightweight forged alloy wheels, while larger, lightweight…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy SEAT has confirmed that its push towards electrification will include an all-electric car in 2020, and a plug-in hybrid version of the next Leon. Revealed by Auto Express in January (Issue 1,509), the fully electric car will be a sister vehicle to the forthcoming Volkswagen I.D. hatchback. It will be based on the VW Group’s MEB platform, and have a claimed range of 311 miles. No name has been issued, although the Spanish marque has previously applied to register Born-E and E-Born, based on a trendy district of Barcelona. Our image (above) showed how the MEB car could look – and a teaser picture behind SEAT’s board at its annual conference last week suggests our preview is accurate. SEAT said it will be “competitively priced” and feature “the…

“Stephen soon noticed that only the speakers in the front of the car played any sound” BROCHURES are a huge part of the car buying process, as they help people figure out the specs, kit and engines they’d like on their purchases. But what happens when the model you order turns out to be different from the one described in the sales leaflet? Stephen Fussell, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, got in touch after he noticed his new MG ZS didn’t come with the six speakers advertised in the brochure. When purchasing his car, Stephen opted for the Excite trim over the rangetopping Exclusive, partly because it was said to come with the same six-speaker sound system, but none of the other bits of extra equipment Stephen didn’t want. “The MG brochure…

“The M5 is a true driver’s car: so much so that you could forget you’re driving a large saloon” Sam_Naylor@dennis.co.uk @SamNaylor_AE WHEN the 604bhp Mercedes-AMG E63 S arrived last year, it seemed that Mercedes finally had a proper foil to rival the legendary BMW M5. However, BMW is already poised to turn the tables back in its favour; the sixth-generation M5 is now here in the UK. There’s a new 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with 592bhp and 750Nm of torque and a new eight-speed automatic gearbox, too. It’s a definite step on from the last model and, crucially, good enough to challenge the mighty E63. Like the Merc, it’s now four-wheel drive after decades of relying on sending power to only the rear wheels. Adding 4WD means the M5 can go…

THE BEST AFFORDABLEEVs TESTED: New Leaf vsrivals WHEN the original Nissan Leaf appeared in 2010, it set a new standard for electric vehicles with its range and everyday usability. Now it’s time for the Leaf Mk2 to build on those abilities by offering an even longer range and the kind of driver assistance that marks the next step towards autonomous vehicles. The original Leaf was an EV pioneer, but the second generation will have to stand out among a host of new models in the class. For this test, we put the Leaf up against three EV rivals that show how the sector has changed since the original landed in showrooms. First up is the BMW i3. Along with the i8 supercar, it’s a showcase for BMW’s cutting-edge EV tech,…

MODEL: BMW i3s PRICE: £32,480 POWER: 180bhp 0-62MPH: 6.9 seconds TOP SPEED: 99mph OFFICIAL RANGE: 174 miles BMW has updated the i3 and taken the opportunity to introduce a new model to the range in the shape of the sportier i3s in our pictures. It gets a more powerful electric motor and revised suspension to deliver a sportier drive. Yet it also has a higher price, starting from £32,480 including the Government grant, a £2,905 premium over the updated, regular i3. Design & engineering WHERE Nissan has reined in the futuristic styling with the Mk2 Leaf, the i3 shouts about its revolutionary running gear from every angle. Its unique platform is made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic and the rear-mounted electric drive system enabled the fresh design. The i3 certainly looks…

MANY waxes and sealants were flagging well before the end of this year’s five-week test. So after months of rain and freezing temperatures, any protection you added back in autumn is going to need topping up at best, if not replacing completely. First job is to clean the car, and we have the top solutions to use through your pressure washer on Page 60. Not only does a pre-wash make life easier, as lots of grime can be shifted with a lance, it’s also better for your paint. Using water means less risk of dragging grit over the clearcoat, causing swirls. With the car clean, examine the paintwork for tiny scratches. If they’re present, use a colour restorer like the ones we test on Page 62. With the bodywork prepared,…

WITH the car clean, check the state of the paintwork. Slip your hand in a plastic bag and run it over the body, focusing on the horizontal panels. If the surface feels like sandpaper it needs to be clayed to remove the invisible contaminants. Then look for fine lines or swirls in the clearcoat. These are easily picked up in winter, where grit clings to the body. Shift it by rinsing with a pressure washer before touching the car, then use a pre-wash or snow foam and rinse again. When you touch the car, use a mitt with lots of water and two buckets – one with shampoo; one to rinse the mitt – or one bucket with a grit guard. To sort swirls, you need a colour restorer. These…

2017 Results Mazda 6 Factfile Years: 2013 to present CO2: 107g/km Fuel economy: 67.3mpg (2. 2D 150) Best options: Leather seats, reversing camera, metallic paint, head-up display Used prices: From £7,000 OVERALL SCORE 90.4% Bars show where-model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2017 new car survey. The longer the bar the better • GOOD “IT is the best-looking car in its class by a country mile!” “I have never driven a car that has a quieter diesel engine.” “The automatic box is so smooth, I hardly notice gearchanges.” “Comfortable seats and a great driving position make it a good cruiser.” “The interior styling is up there with the best the Germans can offer.” “Even though my car is the estate model, it still gets admiring glances.” “The steering feels…

Vauxhall Viva Viva 1.0 75 SL Years: 2015 to date Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 74bhp Ins group: 4 Official econ/CO2: 62.8mpg/104g/km Why? Comfortable and competitively priced, the Viva also impresses with its optional infotainment. Prices from: £5,793 WITH the relaunch of the Viva, Vauxhall has tried to push right to the front of the city car pack by taking a comfortable and well-equipped approach. A safe if unspectacular driving experience is paired with a composed ride given its size, while the optional seven-inch infotainment set-up leaves those in the Ka+ and the Citigo trailing. The Viva has yet to appear in our Driver Power new car satisfaction survey, but Vauxhall ranked a disappointing 23rd in the makers’ chart last year. Ford Ka+ Ka+ 1.2 Zetec Years: 2016 to date Engine: 1.2-litre…

VOLKSWAGEN has revealed the first images of the I.D. R Pikes Peak racer – the car with which it’ll compete in the legendary US hillclimb this summer. It combines four-wheel drive and a purely electric drivetrain and is being positioned as part of the I.D. family of EV concepts the German brand has presented at recent motor shows. “We want to be at the forefront of electromobility with Volkswagen and the I.D. family,” explained VW board member Dr. Frank Welsch. “Competing in the most famous hillclimb in the world not only has symbolic meaning, but is also a valuable test for the development of electric cars.” Fellow board member Jürgen Stackmann added: “Pikes Peak is without question the most iconic hillclimb in the world. For Volkswagen, it represents a fantastic…