Auto Express 1681

AS if the world wasn’t crazy enough right now, the car business is in a very strange place. Last year’s lack of new car sales has led to a shortage of used cars to buy and sell, while the current new car component crisis means car deliveries have slowed. So the usual flow of part-exchanges making their way to used car forecourts has been hit, too. At the same time, demand from consumers is high, resulting in used car prices soaring. Not good news if you are looking to buy right now, but if you’re looking to part exchange your car for a new one, you could be quids in. Only this week I had a slightly confused family member ask me why he’d had a call from the dealer…

THE Nissan Qashqai is the model that redefined the idea of an SUV as a mainstream family car. It came as the replacement for the unloved Almera hatchback, and buyers were quickly sold on the idea of a more elevated seating position and funky crossover styling. The fact it was built in the UK, at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, further boosted its appeal with British customers. Now it’s time for the third generation of Qashqai, but many rivals have long since caught up and the competition is more fierce than ever. Auto Express has had an early taste, so has the Nissan done enough to keep the Qashqai competitive? From the outside, there’s the right sort of evolution, in that while you’ll never mistake the Mk3 version for its predecessor, it…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods • Prices start from around £44k • New range on sale this summer “All models get exterior and interior design updates, plus new tech, while the X3 and X4 petrol engine line-up changes to adopt 48-volt mild-hybrid systems” BMW has revitalised its best-selling SUV for 2021 with a facelift for the popular X3, alongside similarly updated versions of the X4 coupé-SUV, and the high-performance X3 M and X4 M options. They go on sale this summer, with prices for the X3 starting from around £44,000. All models get exterior and interior design updates, plus new tech, while the X3 and X4 petrol engine line-up changes to adopt 48-volt mild-hybrid systems. The X3 and X4 receive an entirely new front apron, while the reshaped kidney grille sits between new,…

FOLLOWING hot on the heels of the Tesla Model 3-rivalling i4, BMW has introduced a new 4 Series Gran Coupé, complete with four doors and petrol and diesel engine options. It’s a new Audi A5 Sportback rival that goes on sale in the UK with a large range of powertrains for buyers to choose from, including petrol, diesel, rear and four-wheel drive, and one hot M division-tweaked variant. The 4 Series Gran Coupé’s design takes the i4’s four-door body and combines it with design elements we’ve already seen in the 4 Series Coupé. That means a kidney grille at the front, plus the ditching of the various active aerodynamic elements and air curtains used by its EV sibling. Inside, it is differentiated from the i4 by making use of the…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk • Latest styling for large SUV • New hi-tech kit inside and out VAUXHALL has revealed a facelifted version of its largest SUV, the Grandland, with a host of design changes and tech updates confirmed for the British brand’s Nissan Qashqai rival. As with Vauxhall’s smaller Crossland and Mokka SUVs, the Grandland drops the old ‘X’ tag, and receives styling cues that were first seen on the Mokka. These include Vauxhall’s now-trademark Vizor grille, as well as the brand’s latest Griffin logo and adaptive IntelliLux LED Pixel light units, the latter carried over from the Insignia. The Vizor face gives the Grandland a sleeker look, while at the rear the brand’s flagship SUV now sports new badging. The new light units feature 168 LEDs, with the car adjusting the…

PORSCHE is developing a new 911 GT3 RS to follow the new 992-generation GT3, and it has been spied at the Nürburgring. This early prototype showcases several large-scale aerodynamic and chassis alterations for the more track-focused RS version of the GT3. The most obvious is the huge rear wing, which could have active elements and an F1-inspired DRS system. Other changes include a new front splitter and beefed-up front wheelarches covering a wider track. At the back, the car features an extended diffuser. The GT3 RS will use the standard GT3’s naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine, but power is expected to increase to more than 520bhp. Prices should start from around £150,000, so around £27,000 more than the £123,100 GT3.…