Auto Express 1680

WATCH out Audi, BMW and Mercedes, here comes… well, this week it’s DS. In a couple of weeks it’ll be Genesis, and we can guarantee it won’t be long before someone else is chasing the premium pack. The posh German brands have been targets for many over the years, from Saab to Infiniti (not so successful) to Volvo and Lexus, not to mention the UK’s own Jaguar. And who can blame the world’s car makers, with bigger margins at stake when you’ve convinced buyers that the badge on the bonnet means you can charge a bit more. This week I’ve driven the new DS 9 (above and on page 30) and it’s an impressive car. DS – and it’s parent company Stellantis – knows this is a long game, not…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler IT’S been one long, tumultuous year since the launch of the new Land Rover Defender – arguably the British brand’s most important new car in a generation. Launching during a global pandemic was hardly the start in life the car needed. But with over 45,000 cars sold already, Auto Express caught up with Land Rover’s Brand Director, Finbar McFall, to talk about the Defender’s first year and what’s in store for the next 12 months and beyond. While a hugely important part of the business, there’s an emotional connection to Defender for the whole Land Rover team, as McFall explains. “I know it’s only a car, but it matters to us,” he says. “You know we had various calls thinking how we replace Defender before. When we arrived…

SINCE the car’s launch in early 2020, the Defender range has already expanded to include the commercial Hard Top models plus a plug-in hybrid, and a V8 that costs more than £100,000. But JLR’s Chief Creative Officer, Gerry McGovern, has always spoken about the Defender ‘family’, so what’s coming next? Land Rover investors have already been told about a forthcoming longer-wheelbase Defender, a 130 model to sit alongside the three-door 90 and five-door 110, and dubbed the ‘premium explorer’. The new model is expected to share its wheelbase with the 110 version, with an increase in rear overhang accounting for the extra length. Auto Express also understands that a pick-up version of the new Defender is planned, based on the 110 model and likely to go up against premium pick-ups such…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods WITH the launch of the BMW i4, the brand, by its own admission, has produced an all-electric car that’s aimed at its “traditional core” of buyers. It’s a four-door gran coupé that’s similar in size to the 3 Series, and is gunning directly for the Tesla Model 3. The new EV uses BMW’s CLAR modular cluster architecture – which also sits beneath the current 3 Series and a number of other models, right up to the X7 SUV. The i4 measures 4,785mm, has a 470-litre boot and integrates a super-slim lithium-ion battery beneath the floor of the passenger cell with a usable capacity of 81kWh. There are two models at launch, with the eDrive40 version featuring BMW’s trademark BMW rear-wheel-drive layout, while the high-performance M50 has a rear-biased…

MID-SIZE saloons are where BMW’s customer base has resided traditionally, so the fully-electric i4 has the chance to attract a significant proportion of the marque’s buyers to zero-emission motoring. In the M50 variant, one thing is immediately clear: this is an EV made for keen drivers. The i4 appeals with astonishing steering precision and smooth handling, and despite the two-tonne weight there’s relatively little body roll. The ultra-low centre of gravity comes into play here; it’s actually 53mm lower than in the 3 Series. The i4’s dynamics are very impressive, but despite the incredible rigidity that BMW’s engineers have achieved (thanks mainly to making use of the battery pack as a structural component), it’s not quite as outstanding in this regard as the similarly powerful M3 Competition. There’s only so…

Q The i4 is described as being an electric BMW at the heart of the brand. Do you expect sales to come from 3 Series owners or from new customers? A “The i4 is really essential for us. The core is around the 3 Series and 4 Series, so for us the i4 will attract 3 Series customers who are looking for a powerful EV with sufficient electric range. But the car is also attractive because its loading capabilities and space inside will attract potential 5 Series customers, too.” Q How does a car like i4 differ to the brand’s earlier ‘i’ vehicles, the i3 and i8? A “What is essential at this point for us is with the i4 and the iX (right) we are attracting BMW customers in…