Innholdsfortegnelse for 1522 i Auto Express

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “The 48V EQ Boost system adds a further 22bhp and up to 250Nm” THIS is the new Mercedes-AMG E 53 4MATIC+, which replaces the E 43 in the line-up as a rapid understudy to the full-blown E 63 and E 63 S models. Available as a saloon and an Estate, the E 53 gets AMG’s take on Mercedes’ latest straight-six petrol engine. The 3.0-litre unit uses 48-volt tech to deliver what the firm calls EQ Boost, a starteralternator that sits between the engine and the gearbox. The engine produces 429bhp and 520Nm, but the EQ Boost system adds a further 22bhp and up to 250Nm; the E 43’s powertrain (with no electrical assistance) produced 396bhp. Both E 53 versions have identical performance figures: 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds (a…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer “The show concept will be coming to the UK next year as the brand’s flagship model“ MG used last week’s Beijing Motor Show to reveal a fresh large SUV concept, which has been confirmed for production and will be coming to the UK next year as the brand’s flagship model. The X-Motion Concept will be MG’s largest SUV when it hits showrooms, sitting above the ZS and GS and sizing up against the likes of the Renault Koleos and Skoda Kodiaq. Speaking with Auto Express at the show, MG designer Xu Dengtao hinted that 90 per cent of the concept’s styling will remain intact when the model makes production, highlighting the angular front end in particular. That’s no great surprise, though, because the car’s face is clearly inspired…

Volvo XC40 PHEV to wear T5 badge VOLVO has revealed that the new plug-in hybrid XC40 (above) will wear the T5 Twin Engine badge. It will use the same 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine linked to an electric motor and battery as found in the Lynk & Co 01 PHEV, unveiled in Beijing. Volvo wants 50 per cent of its sales to consist of full EVs by 2025. Meanwhile, sister brand Lynk & Co will offer only electrified models in Europe. PAGE 28: Lynk & Co 02 driven MINI set to plug in second electric car MINI is plotting a second allelectric vehicle to follow up the MINI Hatch EV due next year, but for the Chinese market only. Speaking at the Beijing Motor Show, MINI bosses remained tight-lipped on exactly…

Special edition for 50 years of the XJ AS the ultimate XE hit the track (left), Jaguar celebrated 50 years of the XJ with a new special-edition XJ50 (above), which is on sale now. Available with either a regular or long wheelbase, it gets unique 20-inch alloy wheels, plus bespoke design tweaks such as a black front grille mesh and XJ50 badges. Priced from £74,280, the car is powered by the XJ’s 296bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine. Polestar 1 will cost from £135k in UK VOLVO sub-brand Polestar has announced prices for its first standalone model, the Polestar 1. The 592bhp hybrid coupé can be bought outright from 155,000 Euros (around £135,500), or via a subscription service. Full details of the latter will be confirmed soon. Customers can already reserve…

HAND car washes are to be investigated by MPs amid concerns some are trapping workers in “bonded labour”. Environmental issues linked to hazardous cleaning chemicals will also be looked into. Mary Creagh, who chairs the Environment Audit Committee set to lead the enquiry, told the BBC: “We have environmental, employment and slavery concerns.” The Car Wash Advisory Service says there are up to 20,000 hand car washes in the UK, with roughly 8,000 “bad boys” engaged in criminal activity.…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor First drive report on Suzuki Swift Sport AS with the two previous versions, Suzuki has added a hot Sport model at the top of the Swift range. In the past, the Swift Sport has been light, fun to drive and cheap to buy. So what’s the latest version like? Has Suzuki worked its magic again? I went to Spain to find out. Biggest stars of the Beijing Motor Show THE motor show circus headed east last week to China’s capital, Beijing. In the past there hasn’t been much European relevance, but now this is a crucial show. Key reveals included the BMW iX3, Mercedes A-Class saloon (above), Lexus ES and a new, large MG SUV concept. News editor Johnny Burn was our man in China. You can watch…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor TUCKED behind an unassuming fire door at the corner of a conventional car park lies a staircase. Climb three flights and there’s a small landing with posters describing health and safety regulations. Head through another set of doors and this mundane factory is transformed into a petrolhead’s paradise. A whole floor of Renault’s Flins factory, 25 miles north west of Paris, is devoted to celebrating 120 years of the firm, with 120 cars from Renault Classic’s 750- strong collection each marking a singular moment in the French company’s history. Renault’s first 19th century cars rub shoulders with World Championship-winning Formula One racers, plus wacky concepts, too. The exhibition isn’t open to the public; it’s a treat reserved only for the plant’s workers when they take some time out…

AS standard, the MX-5 is one of our favourite sports cars. It’s handsome, characterful and fun to drive, but its naturally aspirated engines can’t match the Nissan for performance, so it loses some appeal for some driving enthusiasts. However, BBR GTi has stepped in with its new turbo upgrade that boosts power by 90bhp and torque by 120Nm – enough to improve the 0-60mph time to match its rival in the wet at 6.3 seconds. That’s because with a peak output of 248bhp and a low kerbweight of 1,045kg, it has a power-to-weight ratio of 237bhp per tonne – more than the 370Z (217bhp per tonne). This means it feels much more aggressive from low speed than its rival here, especially as the 320Nm of torque is produced at 3,800rpm,…

Wear your devotion to BMW with pride THE BMW 2002 isn’t short of fans, both in and out of the Auto Express office. Now, admirers of this classic compact sports saloon can show off their love with a new T-shirt (above). Displaying an intricate line drawing of the 2002, along with an oversized ‘02’ racing motif, it’s sure to attract plenty of attention. It costs 23 euros (around £19.90), is available in sizes S to 3XL, and can be purchased online exclusively at the www.69pitstop.com website. Dunlop tyres for Porsche 911 GT3 RS HIGH-performance cars need high-performance tyres, and Dunlop has announced that its Sport Maxx Race 2 rubber has been approved as original equipment for Porsche’s incredible new 911 GT3 RS supercar (driven on Page 32). The tyres will…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “Where’s the movement talking, arguing and educating about the positives of diesel fuel for medium to large cars and vans?” NEVER before has Britain’s automotive industry, the car retailing/servicing sector, plus the bruised and battered motoring public, been in more need of calm, considered, convincing leadership. That leader might be a credible, charismatic individual with belief and passion for the job that needs tackling. More likely, I suspect, the requirement is for a powerful, well-connected, highly credible organisation with proven clout and significant funding behind it. The job is simple: to take command, defend, support and give hope to demonised diesel cars, the brands designing them, the workers who build them and the motorists who buy them. After that comes the task…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “Mokka will have the option of an all-electric edition, based on the e-CMP version of the architecture” VAUXHALL is about to undergo a major range revamp under its new owner, PSA, with a fresh Corsa due within the next 18 months. And soon after the supermini’s arrival there will be another key debut: the second generation of the Vauxhall Mokka X. Due in 2020, the Mokka will switch to the same PSA platform as the likes of the forthcoming new Peugeot 208 and the DS 3 Crossback, as well as the next version of Vauxhall’s Corsa. The future of the Mokka model had been called into question after the PSA takeover – particularly since Vauxhall has recently launched another small SUV, the Crossland X, which already uses hardware…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk “We tear down the pitlane accompanied by an almighty roar from the V8” THERE is nothing remotely subtle about Jaguar’s 592bhp, £149,995, 200mph XE SV Project 8. It looks cartoonlike in its muscularity from every angle, with swollen rear wheelarches that only just manage to contain a pair of enormous 20-inch alloys shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. And when you climb inside it, as we did for a passenger ride at Goodwood last week, the Project 8 has the look – and feel – of a very serious piece of machinery. Albeit one that is designed for use on the road as well as the track. “Don’t worry,” says the car’s chief development engineer, Dave Spook, as we clamber in beside him. “I’m not here to…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths “Bosch tech works by moving catalytic reduction system and DPF closer to the vehicle’s engine” REVOLUTIONARY new diesel emissions technology capable of cutting harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) output to almost a tenth of future limits will ensure that “there’s a future for diesel”, according to its maker. The system, developed by Bosch, enables diesel cars to emit just 13mg/km (milligrams per kilometre) of NOx in mixed real-world driving conditions. This dramatically undercuts RDE2 emission limits being introduced in 2020, which permit up to 120mg/km of NOx to be produced in real-world driving conditions. Announcing the breakthrough at the firm’s annual conference in Stuttgart, Bosch’s chief executive, Dr Volkmar Denner, said: “We want to put a stop, once and for all, to the debate about the demise of diesel…

Executive Director at British Insurance Brokers’ Association www.biba.org.uk ONE question every driver is asked when arranging insurance is what class of use do they want? Options include: SD&P, class 1,2 or 3, but what do these mean and why are they important? The law requires you to be insured for the correct use of your car; if not, you risk voiding your policy and a fine. Classes of use usually include SD&P only (excluding commuting); this means the car is used for purely social, domestic and pleasure purposes. SD&P including commuting means travel to and from a permanent place of work; it doesn’t allow you to travel to different work places, such as another branch or a training course. Class 1 is usually SD&P plus personal business use by you…

1898 Renault Voiturette Type A NO list could be complete without Renault’s first ever car. It was built in the Renault family’s home and put the firm on the map after Louis Renault drove one up the Rue Lepic in Paris on 24 December 1878. This may have been a publicity stunt, but it was one that worked because by 1899 Renault had built 70 cars by hand. 1965 Renault 16 (R16) THE 16 used the Renault 4’s front-engined, front-wheeldrive and hatchback body formula in a larger package. In so doing it became one of the fathers of the modern family car, and with typically French styling and suspension, it was one of the best-loved models of the period. 1984 Renault Espace DESIGNED by Matra, the Espace was the first…

MODELTESTED: Mercedes X 250 d 4MATIC Power auto PRICE: £40,920 ENGINE: 2.3-litre 4cyl, 187bhp THE X-Class combines the utilitarian appeal of the Mercedes commercial vehicle range with the premium quality of the brand’s road cars. There are two engines: the 161bhp X 220 d manual or 187bhp X 250 d auto tested here. Prices start from £32,772 (including VAT), although that’s still more expensive than the top-spec Navara Tekna with a manual box. Design & engineering TO dismiss the X-Class as simply being a Navara with a three-pointed star on the nose is doing a disservice to the engineering Mercedes has put into its pick-up. Yes, it uses the same chassis, suspension and engines, and the X-Class is built in the same Spanish plant as the Nissan, but many parts…

Mercedes X-Class Comand Online Nav £2,670 option Key features: Live traffic, voice control ALL X-Class models have an Audio 20 infotainment system that’s pre-wired to accept a Garmin navigation installation, at £413. It’s the most cost-effective way to get nav. However, ours featured the COMAND Online Navigation system, sourced from the Mercedes car range; it’s very slick, but also quite pricey at £2,670. It adds an 8.4-inch high-resolution display that’s operated via the COMAND control wheel and track pad on the centre console next to the gearlever. This wheeled system is very easy to use while on the move, rather than having to navigate the touchscreens of its rivals. The set-up looks good, too, and is another factor in giving the X-Class the feel of a Mercedes SUV, rather than…

Vauxhall Insignia ST WE’RE used to seeing one load-lugger in our work car park: staff photographer Otis Clay’s Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer. But this week Otis has found an exhibition centre full of them at the 2018 Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC. Our man was covering the event for Auto Express, and spent the day taking snaps of the latest and greatest models designed to carry all sorts of loads all around the UK. It got him thinking about just how spacious his humble Vauxhall is. The family estate is still working hard covering plenty of miles daily, with its 560-litre boot space proving to be more than enough over the past six months on our fleet. We can’t imagine the Insignia would look too out of place alongside…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Best tool to keep in the car WHEN a hose clip came loose recently, I had to call the breakdown service. I could have fixed it myself and saved the wait if I’d had tools in the car. Could you recommend a set of tools I could keep in the boot or glovebox? Simon Hammerton, E-mail A THERE are many basic tool and breakdown kits for emergencies. We’ve not tested any recently, but why not look at a multitool? Our current choice is the Gerber MP1 (£111.99). It can handle most cutting and tightening jobs and will slip in the glovebox easily. Q All-season run-flat dilemma I RECENTLY bought a new MINI Clubman Cooper S with run-flat 225/40R18 tyres. Yet I’m unsure what to…

NEW PRODUCT Swarfega Tough Price: £2.99 (250ml) Rating: Contact: www.toughbs.com SWARFEGA Tough is an excellent cleaner, and it scores highly for that. It easily scrubbed stubborn muck off our hands and wasn’t fazed by engine oil, road grime or garden soil. It’s also quite convenient to use, with a handy tube dispenser that allows you to choose precisely how much of the product you want to apply. But it doesn’t smell very good. There’s no pleasant orange fragrance here; it’s unashamedly industrial. It’s also not as nice to use as Zalpon Zorange. The fine abrasive took lots and lots of rinsing to get off our hands, and we were left with a greasy feeling afterwards. So while it may be a great cleaner, it’s not one you could substitute for…

Dear James, I’m looking for a roomy estate that my dogs will be happy in, and I’ll enjoy driving. What does £15,000 get me? Daniel Dobbs, E-mail Contact: James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk • THE PREMIUM CHOICE Mercedes E-Class FOR: Excellent build quality and practicality AGAINST: Uninspiring cabin, gruff four-cylinders FOR upmarket quality at this price level, the previous-generation E-Class Estate is a smart choice, and you’ll find some well equipped models for £15,000. E 220 CDI versions with the 2.1-litre diesel engine are common, with the 175bhp unit delivering a respectable blend of performance and fuel economy. Adaptive dampers make it a comfortable cruiser, but it could score better for refinement. For £15,000, we found a well equipped 49,000-mile E 220 CDI AMG Sport with sat-nav. • THE STYLISH CHOICE Volvo V60 FOR:…

IN addition to new Maybach models (below, left), Mercedes may launch even faster G-Class variants in the future, including a G 63 S, bosses have revealed. Product chief Dr Gunnar Guthenke told us the bespoke platform meant further variants were inevitable. He suggested that dynamic improvements would pave the way for ‘S’ versions, too. Changes to the car’s ladderframe chassis mean the all-new G-Wagen (below) could cope with more power – suggesting an AMG ‘S’ model is on the cards. “Previously, you’d never have had the steering and dynamics for an S,” Guthenke explained. “I am so excited about future modifications.” However, despite the trend for downsizing, a six-cylinder AMG is less likely. Guthenke simply said: “Our customers love the V8.”…

ONE of the home-grown Beijing show stars was a new Geely SUV. Called the Concept Icon, it’s intended to showcase the brand – a sister to Volvo and Lynk & Co – in a more eyecatching light. Geely’s vice-president of design Guy Burgoyne describes the model’s chunky shape as “8-bit inspired”. The Concept Icon represents a major step forward from Geely’s more conservative offerings in its local market. It appears to mix styling cues from a number of sources; the clamshell bonnet’s leading edge has traces of Range Rover Evoque, while the ‘floating’ roof has elements from that car, but also the likes of the Kia Soul crossover. Geely hasn’t announced plans to bring the concept to production, nor are there any powertrain details, but it’s likely to be based…

AS significant cuts to traffic police numbers leave speed cameras increasingly responsible for enforcing the rules of the road, the consequences of this trend have been emerging with inevitability: offences that are easily detected by automated systems are on the up, while penalties for poor driving behaviours that can (so far) only be detected by the human eye are down. Official figures reveal, for example, that 2.15 million motorists were caught speeding in 2016, up from 1.6 million in 2011. Compare that with the number of drivers cited for dangerous, careless or drunken driving, which fell from 276,000 to 179,000 over the same period. It seems to me that speeding motorists are being issued tickets at almost every turn, while instances of ‘bad driving’ are increasingly going unpunished. Yet ask…

mail@autoespress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP FROM: Marco Vailati IT looks a little like the new CLS at the front and is somewhat anonymous at the rear, but the interior is excellent. My only real concern is cost: at over £27,000 for the A 200 Sport, Mercedes has priced this off the scale. FROM: Nelson Boothe NOT everyone wants a driver-focused hatchback, so it’s pleasing to see Mercedes has prioritised luxury and comfort with the new A-Class. That interior really does it for me as well; it’ll be like getting an E-Class for half the price. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk • “I quite like the current A-Class, but I’m not too keen on the new one; it looks a…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn Essentials Lynk & Co 02 Price: £23,000 (est) Engine: 1.5-litre 3cyl turbo petrol Power/torque: 178bhp/245Nm Transmission: Seven-speed auto, front-wheel drive 0-62mph: 8.5 seconds (est) Top speed: TBC Economy: 45mpg (est) CO2: TBC ONSALE 2020 “Cabin is trimmed in leather, aluminium and textured plastics, and has 10.2-inch display” THERE is a chance you may not have heard of Lynk & Co. The brand only appeared at the end of 2016, but in that short space of time it has come a relatively long way. Two models are already on sale in China, with a third in the pipeline. Think of the company as Volvo’s more adventurous younger brother, and you’ll be on the right lines. It will be a few years until Lynk & Co appears in the UK…

MODELTESTED: VWAmarok 3.0 V6 TDI 204PS 4MOTION Highline auto PRICE: £38,123 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6, 201bhp WHEN the Volkswagen Amarok arrived in 2010, it raised the bar for car-like luxury in the pick-up truck sector. Like the X-Class, it’s only offered with a five-seat double-cab body, but prices start from a slightly lower £30,455. Here we test the Highline model with VW’s 201bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel. Design & engineering WHILE Mercedes turned to Nissan to get a head start in making its first double-cab pick-up, VW created the Amarok from scratch. Like its rivals here, it features bodyon- frame construction, and up front it has doublewishbone suspension, but there are traditional leaf springs at the rear. It’s an older-style layout, although it’s very much the norm in the pick-up truck class…

Alfa Romeo Giulia Issue 1,515 Citroen C3 Aircross New arrival Ford Fiesta Issues 1,508, 1,506, 1,519 Honda Civic Type R Issue 1,512 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in Issue 1,514 Land Rover Discovery Issues 1,506, 1,510, 1,519 Mazda CX-5 Issues 1,503, 1,512, 1,521 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Issues 1,509, 1,521 Renault Grand Scenic Issues 1,508, 1,512, 1,515 SEAT Ibiza Issues 1,507, 1,513, 1,518 Skoda Kodiaq Issues 1,501, 1,508, 1,516 SsangYong Rexton Issue 1,516 Vauxhall Insignia Issues 1,510, 1,520 Volkswagen Arteon Issue 1,520…

NEW PRODUCT Tamiya remote control cars Price: From £119.99 Contact: www.hobbyco.net JUST as the weather shows some signs of improving, Tamiya has revealed a broad new range of radio-controlled cars to let you make the most of it. For rally fans, there’s the £225 Lancia 037 Rally, whose mid-engine, rear-drive layout bucked the eighties trend of 4WD Group B machinery. However, Tamiya’s model gets 4WD as it uses the short version of the firm’s TA-02 chassis. If your rally tastes are more modern, then there’s the £199.99 limited-edition, re-release Subaru Impreza in its 2004 Rally of Mexico livery. It sits on the 4WD TT-01 Type E chassis with shaft drive and double-wishbone suspension. For off-road drivers, there’s King Yellow – a six-wheel-drive monster truck with a US school bus body.…

Book of the Mazda MX-5 Miata (NB) Brian Long (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £30 Rating: FOLLOWING the successful MX-5 was never going to be easy, and the NB (Mk2) received criticism for its duller styling. But today it’s one of the best ways to get rear-drive fun on a budget. An interesting book, if not a buying guide. Paranormal Encounters on Britain’s Roads Peter A McCue (The History Press, thehistorypress.co.uk) Price: £12.99 Rating: IDEAL for any driver with more than a passing interest in the paranormal, some of these supposed ‘encounters’ may have you subconsciously reaching for the door locks during a spooky evening drive. An enjoyable read regardless of whether you believe or not. Realistic Car Crash Simulator Available for: Android Price: Free Rating: UNSKIPPABLE video ads, laggy gameplay,…

Got any car queries? Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Where can I rent an EV? I WANT to find out if an electric car is right for me before making the switch. Do any companies offer long-term EV rental? I would like to run one for six months. Robert Leitch, E-mail A LONG-term rental agreements for an EV are available, but they’re not cheap: we found one firm offering a Mk 1 Nissan Leaf for £230 a week. A cheaper option could be to buy a used EV, such as a Leaf or a Renault ZOE. These are available from around £5,000; if life with an EV is not working out, you could sell either on. Q Price advice for C5 sensor MY Citroen C5 Tourer needs a new exterior temperature sensor,…