Innholdsfortegnelse for 1580 i Auto Express

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● Race-inspired Cayman debuts ● 414bhp flat-six; 0-62 in 4.4s THE current Porsche 718 Cayman has taken some criticism for the character of its four-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine – but the German sports car is reverting back to six-cylinder power for its most extreme version yet, the 718 Cayman GT4. The fresh range-topper gets a new 4.0-litre motor that is derived from the engine seen in the latest Porsche 911, but without the turbochargers. In the smaller car, it delivers 414bhp, a gain of 35bhp over the previous Cayman GT4, along with 420Nm of torque between 5,000 and 6,800rpm. The rev limit is 8,000rpm. That’s enough to take the GT4, equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, to a top speed of 189mph (more than 300kph) and from 0-62mph in…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram ● Power boost and more kit for flagship model ● Suspension tweaks for a more focused drive “Power jumps to 288bhp, and 0-62mph now takes 4.4 seconds” THIS is the Alpine A110S, a more potent version of the French sports car with an uprated 1.8-litre engine and chassis tweaks. Power jumps by 39bhp to 288bhp, and it comes higher in the rev range. Torque is unchanged, at 320Nm, but is now available all the way from 2,000rpm to 6,400rpm. Top speed rises to 162mph and the car is one tenth of a second faster from 0-62mph than the existing A110, at 4.4 seconds. Alpine has also revised the suspension, stability control and wheel geometry for a more responsive driving experience. The springs are 4mm lower and 50 per…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● Battery range up to 242 miles ● More powerful electric motor GIVEN Tesla’s headline-grabbing stories and the noise made by the VW Group about its future electric cars, it’s often forgotten that Europe’s best-selling EV is in fact the little Renault Zoe. Now there’s a new version of the pure-electric supermini with an updated look, more tech and the promise of a 242-mile range. This is the biggest update the Zoe has benefitted from since it was launched seven years ago. But despite that, little has changed on the outside. The new car is exactly the same size as the existing model, with Renault adding a new front bumper, C-shaped LED headlamps and additional chrome detailing. Like before, the Zoe’s charging port, which now supports DC fast-charging…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor This week we try Skoda’s electric concept and check out Bentley’s new luxury limo. See both at youtube.com/Autoexpress. Skoda’s Vision of an electric future VOLKSWAGEN is making a big noise about its upcoming ID. electric cars, but sister brand Skoda is jumping on the EV bandwagon, too. The Czech brand is investing in its iV electric range, and we’ve been lucky enough to get behind the wheel of the Vision iV SUV concept (above). Under the skin of the new Flying Spur BENTLEY claims to have developed the world’s ‘most advanced luxury Grand Touring saloon’ with its new Flying Spur. Among its long list of posh new features are a retractable ‘flying B’ motif, a platform shared with Porsche’s Panamera and a very large grille. Watch our video for…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Which?: 01992 878329 Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0330 159 0364 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 26.9mpg (official) £85 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.1 seconds/155mph IT was really only a matter of time before a high-performance version of BMW’s X3 SUV hit showrooms. With more buyers turning away from traditional performance-oriented segments, this new X3 M is very much an M car of its time. Purists may scoff at it, but perhaps that’s why it’s taken BMW so long to provide us with a rival for the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. It could also be why this newcomer, in one key way, serves up an early preview of BMW M division’s next important launch. Under the suitably sporty body is a new engine – a redeveloped version of BMW’s 3.0-litre turbo straight-six that will also be used in the new M3 arriving next…

MODEL TESTED: Jaguar I-Pace EV400 AWD HSE PRICE: £74,995 ENGINE: Dual-electric motors, 395bhp NOT only is the I-Pace our favourite premium EV, it’s also our reigning Car of the Year, so the e-tron is going up against one of the best cars on sale, not just the best in the class. At £74,995 in top-spec HSE trim, it’s a little pricier than the e-tron, but is the Jag actually better value and therefore a better car? Design & engineering THE I-Pace was Jaguar’s first EV and sits on the brand’s D7e platform for electric cars. The layout is similar to the e-tron’s, with the battery sandwiched in the floor and supplying two electric motors – one on the front axle and one on the rear – to give 395bhp and…

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid Toyota Touch 2 with Go Standard Key features: Sat-nav, Bluetooth, DAB THE RAV4’s infotainment system uses an eight-inch screen, which is an inch larger than the Honda’s display. The Toyota features sat-nav, DAB, Bluetooth and voice activation, but it misses out on Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both apps are standard on the CR-V, which puts the RAV4 at a real disadvantage, because its built-in sat-nav and infotainment interface is pretty poor. It’s not intuitive or easy to navigate, and the screen can be unresponsive, making it a frustrating experience. There are buttons around the display that act as shortcuts to the key features, which are useful, but you’re still reliant on using the awkward touchscreen. It looks old-fashioned – Toyota’s graphics haven’t been updated in years…

Steve_Walker@dennis.co.uk OUR Hyundai Santa Fe has eased past the 2,000-mile mark. We’ve stretched its legs on three or four lengthy journeys and stretched its capacity with a heap of awkward payloads. Motorway driving is something of a forte, with the absorbent suspension and well-contained noise levels producing a tranquil effect inside. The eight-speed automatic eases between its ratios yet still jumps to attention reasonably smartly when you ask it to kick down. The diesel engine has no problem shifting the fully-loaded SUV, either. The biggest annoyance we’ve uncovered with the way that the Santa Fe drives so far materialises at the other end of the scale of driving tasks – in town. The fuel-saving stop-start system is doing its job in one respect, helping the Santa Fe to average over…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “Imagine just how free-thinking and productive he’ll be when he’s permitted to sit on the throne and wear the crown” YOU have to feel a bit sorry for poor ol’ Eui-Sun Chung at the minute. OK, OK, he’s not that poor (personal wealth around $3billion) and he’s comparatively young (in his forties). But he’s a bit like Prince Charles in that, although he’s chugging along quite comfortably, he can’t yet inherit the top job, full responsibility, plus mega-salary package until his much-loved elderly parent abdicates or dies. You see, Eui-Sun’s dad is Mong-Koo Chung, who’s the closest thing that South Korea’s got to a king. The 81-year old is the hard-as-nails chairman and CEO of Hyundai-Kia-Genesis and has even more billions than…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler ● Chunkier look for next SUV ● Electric model due at launch THIS is the new Peugeot 2008 – a small SUV that hopes to emulate the sales success of its superstar sibling, the 3008. Not wanting to mess with a winning formula for Peugeot, the 2008 offers ‘the spirit of the 3008’ according to Guillaume Clerc, project leader for the new 2008 and 208. And in the metal the 2008 does look like a shrunken 3008, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s not much smaller, either; it’s only 150mm shorter, even though it sits on PSA’s new small-car CMP architecture. Peugeot’s design team, led by exterior styling director Yann Beurel, has given the 2008 plenty of character of its own, though. The all-LED lighting features claw and…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods “Leg and headroom are significantly improved compared with the Coupé” THE final model in the BMW 8 Series line-up has been revealed in the shape of the Gran Coupé. The Porsche Panamera and Mercedes CLS rival is available to order now, priced from £69,340, with first deliveries due in September. The looks of the new model don’t come as a great surprise, because the Gran Coupé shares a clear link with the two-door Coupé and Cabriolet versions. That means a long, swoopy silhouette while keeping the existing 8 Series front and rear designs. The Gran Coupé has a 201mm longer wheelbase than the Coupé in order to accommodate the extra pair of doors, and is 231mm longer overall. A more steeply raked windscreen flows into a roofline that’s…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC Ferrari SF90 Stradale FROM: Luke Keogh IN terms of mechanics, this sounds like it will be another hypercar tour de force! I look forward to reading and watching the first reviews. It’s a pity the V12 has been replaced, but that’s a sign of the times, as is a Ferrari PHEV. FROM: Steven Teves AS impressive as this is, I would rather have an older Ferrari hypercar, such as the Enzo. I prefer V12s and this car’s design seems rather bland. Something like an F40 or even an F355 would look much cooler on the road. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “So almost 1,000bhp, a shame they couldn’t quite get it…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy AS a launch vehicle for a new brand, the Polestar 1 is quite the statement: concept-car looks, a 599bhp hybrid powertrain, carbon-fibre bodywork, four-wheel drive and a price tag of £139,000. In fact, the new 2+2 coupé is the first and only vehicle from Volvo’s offshoot to feature a combustion engine (a four-cylinder turbo and supercharged unit with 304bhp). From the next model – the Polestar 2 hatchback – all of the brand’s cars will be purely electric. The first deliveries of the Polestar 1 (left-hand drive only) aren’t due until the final quarter of 2019. But we’ve been allowed a quick spin in a verification-prototype vehicle on damp Swedish roads, as well as around Volvo’s test track in Hällered. On the outside, the car sticks closely to…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 38.1mpg (official) £86 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.2 seconds/149mph THE coupé-SUV class is a niche too far for some, but it’s one that continues to grow in choice and popularity. Mercedes was among the first to get in on the act with chopped roof-versions of the GLE, while its second model to follow the formula has just received a mid-life update. This is the refreshed GLC Coupé. Revisions for the BMW X4 rival are in line with the rest of the GLC family, and the changes include subtle styling tweaks, an overhauled engine line-up and Merc’s latest infotainment tech. As with the regular five-door GLC, the Coupé will be offered with a choice of 220 d and 300 d diesels from launch. The petrol we’re driving…

Audi e-tron MMI Nav Plus Standard Key features: Three screens, digi dash THE e-tron takes Audi’s most advanced infotainment system and carries it across with a re-skin for the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit. The other two screens (10.1-inch for the upper MMI system, 8.6-inch for the lower climate control panel) are both high-res and the graphics are great. It’s superior to the I-Pace’s set-up. That’s true of the way it works, too. It’s more responsive, faster to load and easier to operate – even if it’s sometimes imprecise using the system on the move, because it’s based on two touchscreens. You get plenty of kit, though, with 3D sat-nav that incorporates public charging points across the UK and route-planning logic that helps here as well, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB,…

MODEL TESTED: Toyota RAV4 2.5 Hybrid 2WD Excel PRICE: £33,915 ENGINE: 2.5-litre 4cyl plus electric motor, 215bhp TOYOTA’S RAV4 has been around since 1994, but that version used combustion engines only. Later models had both ICE and hybrid powertrains, but this new edition is hybrid only. In front-wheel-drive Excel form, as tested here, it costs from £33,915. Design & engineering TOYOTA and Honda measure the output of their powertrains differently. The former publishes a total output (here it’s 215bhp), while the latter lists separate figures for the engine and electric motor (143bhp and 181bhp respectively in the CR-V). However, it’s not as simple as adding the Honda’s numbers together to compare the cars. For example, the RAV4’s combustion engine develops 176bhp and its motor produces 118bhp, yet the quoted total…

POWERTRAIN THEY might have the same badge on the back, but these models use different hybrid systems. The Toyota’s engine provides power to the wheels regularly, although the motor can work alone. The Honda’s powertrain is set up so that the engine is mostly used to charge the battery, while the motor drives the wheels. However, the end result is very similar and the cars are both quiet and smooth. SPACE THE Toyota’s boxy shape at the rear has its benefits, because the RAV4 has a larger boot even with the large spare wheel stowed. The Honda’s sleeker shape means that its load bay isn’t quite as roomy, although rear-seat space is still excellent. The CR-V isn’t available with a powered tailgate in SR trim, with only the higher-spec EX…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk Running costs 46.3mpg (on test) £96 fill-up/£465 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 810/1,800 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.5 seconds/135mph THIS is the newest addition to our fleet, the Volkswagen Touareg – and as you can see, it’s already making a splash. Our model is fitted with air suspension, which is a fantastic extra. It means the car can lower itself for better aerodynamics on the motorway, boosting economy, or raise the body for more ground clearance. This function is perfect for taking on fords, which has already come in very handy. Recently, on the way to pick up my kids from a camping trip, I found my route blocked by water – yet the Touareg’s raised ride height made fording the flood easy, and I arrived in…

CAR personalisation is big business. Making your car unique used to be something that was reserved for the most luxurious and exotic models, but these days a dealer will happily sell you all sorts of options to make your new car match your style and personality, even if it’s a humble supermini. But what if you’re buying used, and the previous owner didn’t share your tastes? And is there a cost-effective way of adding factory-style options to your new car? We’ve taken a look at some of the best ways of improving and customising your car to make it better and more personal, and possibly add to its value. Sticker for detail WHEN the MINI was launched in 2000, it began a new fashion for having bonnet stripes, contrasting roof…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Hydrogen cars vs EVs WHY are hydrogen cars not more common than electric ones? Filling up with hydrogen is quick, and petrol stations could be adapted. Wouldn’t this be easier for motorists? LC, E-mail A ELECTRIC cars have been in development for longer than hydrogen ones, which are more complex and expensive. There are only around a dozen suitable filling stations in the UK, while hydrogen storage and transportation are also tricky issues. That’s not to say, though, that such cars won’t be more common in the future. Q Excess waiver advice I’M booking a rental car and have heard you can buy excess waiver insurance. What is this cover, and should I purchase it? Barry Wilkinson, E-mail A EXCESS waiver insurance will…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● High-riding hatch on the way ● Slots between Q2 and Q3 AUDI is looking to broaden its range of compact models by developing a new jacked-up, off-road-inspired version of the next A3 hatchback. The model has been conceived to help offset falling sales of the Q3 SUV and plug the gap between it and the Q2 crossover, which is significantly smaller in size. The project, known internally as Cityhopper according to a senior company source, will see Audi apply the Allroad treatment that features on the A4 and A6 Avant estates to its big-selling hatchback. However, Audi is unlikely to use the Allroad name because the model won’t use quattro four-wheel drive, chiefly to keep CO2 emissions down. Instead it will be a heavy cosmetic overhaul to…

Autonomous XC90 makes production VOLVO has revealed a production version of its XC90 SUV (above) that will be used by ride-hailing app Uber to conduct fully-autonomous journeys. Uber will buy tens of thousands of examples of the car between now and 2021. Each vehicle is equipped with back-up systems for the steering and brakes, so it can bring itself to a stop if the main driverless system fails. For now, every car will be under the ‘supervision of specially-trained employees’ but the firm has said the vehicles will become fully independent at some point. Government leads by example in EV take-up ALL vehicles used by government officials will be fully electric by 2030, the Department for Transport has announced. Currently just 23 per cent of the DfT-managed Government Car Service…

LOUD exhausts are the latest target for road bosses, after the Department for Transport announced it would trial acoustic cameras that can determine if cars breach legal noise limits. New cars have to meet a 74-decibel noise limit to gain type approval, so only motorists who modify or fail to maintain their exhausts, and those who rev their cars “beyond legal limits”, will be caught, according to the DfT. The cameras will be installed at “several” locations over the next seven months and could be linked to automatic number plate-recognition cameras to issue fines. The DfT claims long-term exposure to noise is linked to heart attacks, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes.…

TVR has confirmed that refurbishment on its new factory in Ebbw Vale, South Wales, will begin imminently, after the Welsh government finally selected a preferred contractor for the project. The delay has stalled manufacture of the new TVR Griffith, which was originally intended to enter production at the start of the year. The Welsh Minister for Economy and Transport confirmed on 10 June that a suitable contractor had been selected. TVR claims that the delay in making the announcement was due to a “number of unknowns”, including the discovery of harmful substances, the condition of the main roof and the state of the building’s fire safety system. TVR has yet to give a revised date for when production of the new Griffith will commence.…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler THE first Aston Martin DBX SUV isn’t due to be delivered until next summer, but pre-production models are already rolling down the production line at the British brand’s new plant in St Athan in South Wales, and Auto Express was invited down to take a look. The 90-acre former Ministry of Defence site has been transformed since Aston Martin got the keys in 2016, with the three hangars now housing a state-of-the-art car factory, described by the firm’s CEO, Andy Palmer, as “the world’s first beyond-lean manufacturing facility”. A beautifully-coiffured driveway, which is as well kept as the one at the company’s HQ in Gaydon, Warwickshire, leads up to a plush new entrance that does a grand job of hiding the plant’s military roots. The sign above the…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 12.2 seconds/118mph MOST cars benefit from just one major facelift during their seven or eight-year lifespan. But the Mitsubishi ASX has recently undergone its second major update, just as the small SUV approaches its 10th birthday. Mitsubishi, in fairness, is stuck between a rock and a hard place. It joined the Renault-Nissan alliance in 2017, and the group is in the process of developing a small-car platform that will, in time, support a trio of brand-new B-segment SUVs, including a fresh Nissan Juke and Renault Captur. But for now Mitsubishi must make do, hence the recent round of tweaks for its ASX crossover. The visual changes centre on the front end, which is completely new from the windscreen forward. It has been wholly redesigned to…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 40.4mpg (official) £65 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.3 seconds/139mph WHEN did everything get so sporty? Almost every car maker these days is giving its more sensible family wares a bit of added spice, and Skoda has been one of the leaders of the artificial performance revolution. Sportline versions of the Karoq, Kodiaq and Superb have hit the ground running, and now it’s the Octavia’s turn. They cost from £23,875 for the hatchback driven here, or £1,200 more for the Estate, and the usual racy trim details apply. That means a set of black and silver 18-inch alloy wheels, sporty-looking gloss black exterior trim, a small lip spoiler on the bootlid, LED headlights, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and a pair of sports seats. The 148bhp 1.5-litre turbo…

MODEL TESTED: Audi e-tron 55 quattro PRICE: £72,270 ENGINE: Dual-electric motors, 402bhp THE e-tron is Audi’s first full EV. That badge has been used on plug-in cars before, but the tag now represents the brand’s electric models. At £72,270, this is the cheaper of the two variants available (there’s a higher-spec Launch Edition in the line-up, too), but it still gets plenty of kit. Let’s see how it fares. Design & engineering THE e-tron is based on a heavily adapted version of the MLB architecture, with the 95kWh battery mounted in the floor. This is partly why the car sits up high and partly why it’s so heavy, at 2,490kg. Weight is the enemy of efficiency, so this seems slightly at odds with the e-tron’s ethos. The car uses two…

CHARGING THIS is a big factor with any EV. The e-tron’s 11kW on-board charger can actually be upgraded to a 22kW unit to cut recharge times when using an AC supply. The Jag only gets a 7kW on-board charger, but in standard form hooked up to a three-pin supply or a wallbox, top-up times are similar for both cars. Given that a lot of AC charging is overnight, the e-tron’s standard set-up is fine. STORAGE EV architecture means there are no engines up front, so both cars boast storage under their bonnets for charging cables. Alternatively, you can tuck the leads out of sight under the boot floor in both if you’d prefer. The I-Pace’s charging port is on the nearside front wing, while the e-tron comes with two motorised…

MODEL TESTED: Honda CR-V Hybrid 2WD eCVT SR PRICE: £34,070 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl plus electric motor, N/A THE Honda CR-V is also available with a 1.5-litre petrol engine, unlike its hybrid-only rival here. We’re testing a Hybrid 2WD model in SR specification, which costs from £34,070, making it slightly more expensive than the Toyota. Design & engineering HONDA’S hybrid powertrain is slightly different to Toyota’s, because while the RAV4’s engine regularly powers the wheels directly in combination with the electric motor, the CR-V’s 2.0-litre petrol unit is mostly used to keep the battery topped up. That means the electric motor does most of the work when you’re driving. This still isn’t a range-extender hybrid, though, because there’s a unique single-speed gearbox fitted that can engage the engine to drive the…

SEAT Tarraco SE Technology 2.0 TDI DSG PRICE: £34,010 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 148bhp THE SEAT Tarraco is our favourite big SUV, and it’s even more practical than the RAV4, thanks to its huge 700-litre boot or two extra seats in the back. While diesel power isn’t as popular as it once was, the Tarraco still offers strong fuel economy and solid pace. Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Juro PRICE: £36,755 ENGINE: 2.4-litre 4cyl & e-motor IT may be more pricey than its rivals here, but a Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid could make even more sense if you have a driveway. You can charge the battery at home and only use electric power for short trips, possibly making for super-cheap motoring.…

Vicky_Parrott@dennis.co.uk @VickyParrott Performance 0-60mph/top speed 7.5 seconds/104mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 451/1,405 litres Running costs 4.3 miles/kWh (on test) £8.50 fill-up WE’VE covered well over 5,000 miles in our Kia e-Niro, and it has been absolutely spot on for every one of them – as a family car, as well as in terms of its electric efficiency. In our first report, we mentioned that it had started its time with us when the weather was much colder, offering an average real-world range of around 230 miles. To get the essential update out of the way, it’s doing some 260 miles to a charge easily these days, and averaging around 4.3 miles/kWh. For context, a single charge costs me around £8.50. Or, if I ‘fill up’ between midnight and 4.30am (which…

Audi e-tron Issue 1,579 BMW 3 Series Issue 1,576 Citroen Berlingo XL Issue 1,579 CupraAteca Issues 1,564, 1,573 Dacia Duster Iss 1,561, 1,564, 1,572, 1,575 Honda CR-V Hybrid Issue 1,576 Hyundai Santa Fe Issue 1,575 Kia e-Niro Issue 1,569 Kia Ceed Issue 1,567, 1,577 Mazda MX-5 Issue 1,573 Mercedes G-Class Issues 1,565, 1,574 Mercedes X-Class Issues 1,547, 1,557, 1,563, 1,571, 1,578 Nissan Leaf Issues 1,533, 1,551, 1,555, 1,560, 1,568, 1,578 SEAT Tarraco Issue 1,574 Skoda Fabia Issue 1,572 Volkswagen California Issue 1,578 Volkswagen Touareg New arrival…

WINNING any of our tests is seriously good news for a product, and nowhere is that more true than for tyres. One firm secured a major supply contract with the help of victory in our tyre test. Some companies have won more than once, others multiple times, but the last round of tests saw something that had never been achieved before. We first added winter tyres to our test programme in 2010 following a couple of severe winters which brought much of the country to a halt. These prompted the start of a market for winter tyres in the UK, before increasingly erratic and severe weather prompted demand for a tyre that coped better than conventional designs with cold temperatures, but without the hassle of changing tyres twice a year. That…

YOUR VIEWS ON YOUR CARS Sponsored by 2019 Results BMW X1 Factfile Years: 2016 to present CO2: 143g/km Fuel economy: 38.7mpg (xDrive20i SE) Best options: Heated seats/wheel, reversing camera, upgraded sat-nav Used prices: From £11,000 OVERALL SCORE 90.11% Bars show where model finished out of 100 vehicles in our 2019 new car survey. The longer the bar the better GOOD “POWERTRAIN is great. I can accelerate swiftly, despite the X1’s size and weight.” “Sunset Orange, chrome trim and twin tailpipes look just right without being too blingy.” “Plenty of room in the boot for a large dog; good underfloor storage available as well.” “The autonomous emergency braking system has saved me from a few small bumps.” “Four-wheel drive offers fantastic grip in the corners, and helps in the rain.” “Sound…

Dear James, I’m looking for an SUV that emits less than 120g/km of CO2 and costs no more than £500 per month on a business lease. Andrew Abbott, E-mail Contact: James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk • THE ELECTRIC CHOICE Audi e-tron FOR: Looks like any other Audi; smooth and refined AGAINST: Heavy, high power consumption IF you’re willing to sacrifice the convenience of refuelling for zero-emission motoring, the Audi e-tron is an attractive purchase. The brand’s first all-electric model has, overall, been well executed, with a spacious cabin, plenty of ground clearance, four-wheel drive and a huge boot. Its 95kWh battery offers a claimed range of 249 miles. This could deter buyers who often cover long distances, but a reasonably quick top-up time helps. An 80 per cent charge takes around 90 minutes with…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk ● First hypercar entry confirmed ● Multi-year works programme ASTON Martin has become the first manufacturer to commit to the new ‘hypercar’ regulations for the World Endurance Championship (WEC). It will enter a pair of Valkyrie hypercars in the 2020-21 WEC season, which begins in autumn 2020 and will culminate at the 2021 running of the Le Mans 24 Hours. Speaking at the announcement, which was made last Friday ahead of this year’s Le Mans, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said: “We have always said we would one day bring Aston Martin back to Le Mans with the intention of going for the outright win when the time was right. Now is that time. “The Aston Martin Valkyrie is primed for such a challenge and sits perfectly within the…