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THE car industry has finally run out of patience with the UK Government on Brexit, it seems. After warnings last month from BMW and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth (above) finally broke his tactful silence on the subject last week, questioning whether the company would even be able to remain British at all if a hard Brexit were to occur. That’s a firm that has spent more than £50billion in the UK over the past five years, and which supports more than 300,000 UK jobs, questioning whether it should stay committed to further investment of £80bn between now and 2022. And listening to some of the soundbites from politicians on how cars are really made, you can hardly blame JLR for playing…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk “On the move the T-Cross rides extremely well and steers with a light, accurate precision” THE Volkswagen Polo-based T-Cross will be the company’s third new SUV in 18 months when it launches next spring, completing a family lineup of five off-road-inspired models. We’ve been for an early drive in Volkswagen’s new mini-SUV in all-but-finalised pre-production form, ahead of the car’s official debut in October. The front-wheel-drive SEAT Arona rival is a bit longer than a Polo, at 4,107mm. It’s also 110mm higher, and the driving position has been raised by 100mm, too. As a result, it’s considerably bigger than a Polo in every direction, despite featuring an identical wheelbase. “It feels more grownup inside, and the extra space is immediately obvious from any seat” In the rear, the T-Cross…

Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ “Even in patchy, damp conditions, the DBS Superleggera feels explosively fast” ASTON Martin’s Second Century business plan continues apace. The recent DB11 AMR improved the DB11 launched in 2016, and the latest Vantage has earned plenty of praise. Next up is this DBS Superleggera, which will join the line-up later this year. And Aston invited Auto Express to try it in final prototype form, getting the full briefing from its chief engineer, Matt Becker. “It’s the brute of the range,” Becker tells us. The DBS gets the 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 carried over from the DB11. The engine uses the same hardware, but with more boost pressure from those turbos and a remap, the motor is making 715bhp and 900Nm of torque. There’s a new eight-speed auto gearbox, too.…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram “Cayenne Coupé shares its platform with the Panamera, which already has plug-in hybrid tech” DEVELOPMENT of the first ever Porsche Cayenne Coupé is well under way, and our spy shots show it’s almost ready to take the fight to BMW’s X6 and Mercedes’ GLE Coupé (Page 16), as well as the forthcoming Audi Q8. The test car looks largely undisguised at the front, suggesting a near-identical face to the regular Cayenne. The majority of styling changes are set to take place at the rear; the most obvious tweak is a more steeply-raked roofline. Around the C-pillar you’ll notice a shorter, rounded window line, while the rear number plate has been relocated from the boot to the bumper. A spoiler sprouts from below the rear window, and the way…

INCIDENTS of dangerous driving caught on dash cams can now be sent directly to police following the launch of a new universal online service. The National Dash Cam Safety Portal (NDSP), previously detailed in Issue 1,519, now has backing from 19 of the UK’s 45 police forces, with more expected to give their support soon. After detailing the location of the incident and submitting footage to the NDSP, drivers complete an online form, creating a ‘gold standard’ package of evidence for police. Launched by dash cam maker Nextbase, but compatible with all brands, the NDSP shortens the time it takes to process footage from 14 hours to minutes.…

POLICE are to crack down on drivers who overtake too close to cyclists, following the launch of a new cycle-safety initiative by the Department for Transport (DfT). Officers will get “training materials and support” to help prevent “close passing”, which is said to put many cyclists off taking to the roads. PC Mark Hodson, from West Midlands Police, said motorists who do not give cyclists enough room on the road “need to understand that we run operations to catch them, using footage provided by cyclists and other motorists”. While the Highway Code only advises drivers give cyclists “at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car”, some police forces recommend allowing 1.5 metres of space when passing. Driving instructors will also take part in a £500,000 pilot…