Auto Express 1636

AS with so many things in life, the car business is cyclical. Some car makers shine, then the limelight (and sales success) shifts onto someone else. Ford is a case in point. Through the nineties and the start of the 2000s, every model in its line-up was a winner. Well, almost (Scorpio…). Then the company lost its way with product that, frankly, wasn’t very Ford. You might well blame the leadership of the time; the global One Ford plan never really brought us cars that shone in any market, let alone across the world. Now, though, Ford is on a roll and – from my point of view – is one of the brands we should be getting most excited about in the coming years. Cars like the Mustang Mach-E…

“In Race mode, the SF90 Stradale makes almost 1,000bhp feel friendly and accessible” First drive of near-1,000bhp SF90 Stradale, Ferrari’s first hybrid Advanced engineering creates the ultimate plug-in supercar Richard Meaden Ferrari flagships have always been special. For many years they were midengined poster cars that epitomised italian exotica. Then came the 550 Maranello – an elegant front-engined V12 that majored on the everyday usability of a great GT. in recent years, Ferrari’s front-engined V12s have become increasingly potent, culminating in the outrageous 812 Superfast. Such is Ferrari’s commercial confidence and engineering prowess that rather than replace the 812, it has created an entirely new upper tier to the series production range. How do you top the 800bhp-plus Superfast? By building a 987bhp plug-in hybrid that melds old-school mid-engined drama…

John McIlroy John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Early taste of new supermini • Mild-hybrid tech boosts MPG AMID Hyundai’s torrent of fresh models over the past couple of years – i30 N, Kona, updated Ioniq and new Tucson – the company’s Ford Fiesta and Renault Clio rival, the i20, has faded into obscurity. But that’s about to change with an all-new version due in showrooms this autumn. Now we’ve had a chance to try a late prototype of the car on UK roads. The new generation of i20 does actually sit on a very heavily modified version of the old car’s platform. But that’s pretty much where any connection ends, because the cabin promises to be transformed, and under the bonnet there’s a fresh turbo engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. Indeed, the…

John McIlroy THE current Hyundai i30 has been with us for more than three years now. So this VW Golf and Ford Focus rival has received some timely mid-life updates, and we’ve been able to try a prototype on UK roads. The exterior tweaks to the i30 are minor, with a slightly wider front grille, slimmer headlights, different daytime running lights and a fresh rear bumper. Inside, there’s a seven-inch digital instrument cluster and a widescreen 10.25-inch infotainment system. The big news comes under the bonnet, where there’s a new 1.5-litre petrol engine, called T-GDI, that has a 48-volt starter/generator which stores energy under braking and then uses it to aid acceleration. This 158bhp unit will be available with either a sixspeed ‘intelligent’ manual gearbox (tested here) or a seven-speed…

Jonathan Burn Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn • Design boss sees EV rethink • SUV-coupés likely to lead way VOLVO’S model range expansion will see the company develop a fleet of sleeker and more aerodynamically focused vehicles, the firm’s design boss has revealed to Auto Express. The Swedish firm has promised to launch an all-new electric vehicle every year up to 2025, with a focus on higher-riding or crossover vehicles. On top of this, Volvo will also move into new segments to help grow the company and its model portfolio. Speaking exclusively to Auto Express, Volvo’s Senior Vice President of Design, Robin Page, told us that in combination with the firm’s focus on electrification, Volvo’s future model line-up will be very different to what we see today. “Moving into electrification gives us an opportunity…

NISSAN’S all-new Qashqai – due to be unveiled later this year – will be one of the first cars offered with the Japanese manufacturer’s innovative e-Power hybrid system, Auto Express can confirm. Speaking at the unveiling of the new allelectric Ariya, Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta told us: “Qashqai will come to Europe with e-Power – it’s one our core technologies.” E-Power uses an internal-combustion engine as a generator to charge a battery, which then drives an electric motor. E-power models feel like an electric car to drive, with an instant hit of torque and near-silent running, while offering fuel consumption similar to that of a full hybrid model. The new Qashqai, which has already been caught testing, is expected to go on sale early next year. An e-Power model is…