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THE Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is now the season-opener for car companies. But many of the bosses present at last week’s showcase were as keen to tell us about one technology that won’t happen any time soon, as they were to plug the next big thing. On the back burner? Autonomy. The fact is, car companies exist to make money. And right now, the biggest influence on their bottom line is not whether we have to continue physically driving their cars. BMW’s board member for technical development, Klaus Fröhlich, didn’t pull any punches on the subject. “We never believed in this hype about Level 5 (so-called ‘brain-off’) autonomy,” he said. “With a lot of new technology we can achieve robust Level 3 (where the driver must remain…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk ● Aston’s first-ever SUV and first Welsh-built car since 1973 ● Car arrives amidst profit warning and plummeting share value “The V8 provides a massive shove in the back, with a beefy soundtrack to match” SUVS have been the saviours of many a car company. Porsche wouldn’t be Porsche (or arguably anything at all) without its Cayenne and Macan models, while Mercedes, Audi and BMW’s balance sheets are healthier thanks to their 4x4 sales. Aston Martin’s financial woes have been well documented of late, so the famous British brand’s first SUV, the DBX, can’t come soon enough. But is it too little, too late? Auto Express was invited to DBX HQ, the all-new production facility in St Athan, South Wales, to take a drive in the new model alongside…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk ● Homologation special revealed ● 4WD, 257bhp, manual gearbox TOYOTA has officially revealed the GR Yaris at the Tokyo Auto Salon. It’s the first homologation special produced for a generation, picking up where nineties rally legends such as the Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution left off. It’s been created to give Toyota a competitive advantage in the World Rally Championship, where it’s locked in battle with Korean rival Hyundai, by helping development of the next Yaris WRC. As such, the hot hatch has been developed collaboratively by Toyota Gazoo Racing and Tommi Mäkinen Racing, the Finnish outfit responsible for Toyota’s WRC campaign. The GR Yaris comes with a range of design features that have racing at their core, such as a bespoke 257bhp three-cylinder turbocharged engine, a three-door…

AT the end of last year, Auto Express had the chance to get behind the wheel of a GR Yaris prototype on road and track. “The structure feels very strong, letting the suspension do its best work over bumps and sunken drain covers,” we said. The model’s focus as a rally special serves as a misleading pointer for how you think it will behave on the road. “It’s surprisingly pliant, and makes the car feel less hardcore than you’d expect.” The three-cylinder motor packs a real punch, too, with a healthy 257bhp, but the noise “is far from tuneful”. But the gearshift from the six-speed manual gearbox and brake pedal feel were “more serious”, while the four-wheel-drive system kept progress “tidy and effective”.…

Ford RS200 Power: 246bhp Top speed: 150mph 0-62mph: 5.0 secs PERHAPS the wildest road car to ever wear a Ford badge, the RS200 came too late to have success in Group B rallying, but the road car is highly sought after. The Evo edition is now worth in excess of £100,000. Lancia Delta HF Integrale Power: 185bhp Top speed: 127mph 0-62mph: 6.6 secs LANCIA had huge success in rallying 30 years ago with its Delta, winning six back-to-back manufacturer titles. The first road cars in 1987 packed 185bhp; production ended seven years later, with power up to 212bhp. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI Power: 276bhp Top speed: 150mph 0-62mph: 4.6 secs THE Tommi Mäkinen Edition of the Evo VI was the one to have. This special was born out of Makinen’s…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk ● AI:ME concept returns for CES ● Interior revamped for tech show AUDI scored a hit at last year’s Shanghai show with its customer environment-focused AI:ME. Now Auto Express has been among the first to ride in the city car concept, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, to see how it works. The AI:ME (it’s pronounced ‘Amy’) is, in effect, a sandbox that allows the German brand’s engineers to play around with how we can interact with a vehicle when we no longer have to drive it all of the time. As such, it is immediately obvious when we arrive at our test venue that dynamic assessment isn’t part of this ride. In fact, we’re going to tour an empty rooftop car park in Las Vegas…