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Head of Design, Volvo ONE of the UK automotive’s finest exports, Robin Page, is a perennial feature in the Auto Express Brit List – he placed 22nd in the 2021 countdown. Q What impact does the new flat floor have? A “We can optimise the space and lower the overall height of the vehicle. But we keep the all-important high eye-point. This also gives the efficiency gain in terms of aerodynamics, and that means more range.” Q What principles guide the next-generation interior? A “We have embraced Scandinavian design principles of creating visually clean and harmonised design. And because of the flat floor, we have even more space.” Q What segment does Concept Recharge occupy? A “It encapsulates all our new technology. It is a new type of vehicle, and…

MORE than half of the UK’s 11 million domestic garages are not used for parking cars in, research suggests, with many too full of rubbish to accommodate a vehicle. Only 40 per cent of drivers surveyed by the RAC who own a garage regularly put their car in it, while 53 per cent never do. Some 68 per cent of those say it’s because they have too much junk or other items in there. A further 39 per cent say that, even if it’s empty, their garage simply isn’t big enough for their car, while 23 per cent can’t open their car’s doors once it’s in the garage. Of those who do use their garage for parking, 30 per cent keep a classic in there, rather than a modern car.…

Cupra names its price for hot Leon range CUPRA has revealed pricing for its Leon hot hatch (above), with the range starting at £31,555 for the 242bhp model. That undercuts the VW Golf GTI, with which it shares many parts, by more than £2,000. Prices rise to £35,205 for the eHybrid with the same power output. This PHEV can also cover 32 miles on electricity alone. The most potent 296bhp 2.0 TSI model costs from £35,125 and will sprint from 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds. No need for green card when driving in Europe MOTORISTS from the UK who drive their cars in EU countries will no longer be required to show a car insurance green card, after the European Commission agreed to scrap the rule. The change will be published…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy NISSAN has confirmed that it is to build the successor to the Leaf EV at its Sunderland plant in the north-east of England – as part of a deal that will bring a major new battery factory to the UK. The new EV manufacturing hub, called EV36Zero, represents an overall investment of around £1billion from Nissan and its partner, battery manufacturer Envision AESC. It will create 900 jobs directly at Nissan and 750 new roles at Envision AESC, as well as securing more than 4,500 jobs in the wider supply chain. The battery plant will be based at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), a new hub just to the north of Nissan’s Sunderland site. The overall capacity for the new Nissan factory will be an initial 9GWh…

LAUNCHED in 2012, Mission Motorsport is a Royal Foundation charity that has the backing of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and it also works closely with the Ministry of Defence. Run by armed forces personnel and automotive industry professionals past and present, the organisation gets veterans involved in motorsport, and assists them in translating their skills into civilian jobs. One example of the charity’s work surrounds high-voltage competencies. Modern EVs have a voltage of anywhere between 400-800V, with mechanics required to gain special qualifications to work on their systems – something only around five per cent of vehicle technicians have so far taken up. In the military, high-voltage training enables engineers to work on systems in excess of 1,000V, while 400-600V systems are standard fare for anyone in the armed…

Luke_Wilkinson@autovia.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 410/1,289 litres Running costs 51.5mpg (off icial) £59 fill-up THINGS move fast in the compact SUV world, and after four years on sale it’s time for a facelifted Citroen C3 Aircross. The crossover is the third-best-selling model in the firm’s range, and these latest updates are designed to keep the car competitive with newer rivals like the Renault Captur. In fact, you can buy a C3 Aircross for as little as £17,320, which is nearly £2,000 less than the entry-level Renault Captur. That’s a significant saving, but it’s worth noting you can only have that bargain price tag if you order online, and you’ll have to do without the new nine-inch infotainment system found on Shine trim and above. Our range-topping Shine Plus test…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk 28 BRILLIANT WINNERS 75 BEST BUYS NAMED FOLLOWING a trying 2020 for us all, 2021 has been an opportunity to return to normality. It’s also a year for the motor industry to bounce back; following the decimation of sales during the pandemic, the recovery has been rapid. New-car registrations were up 42.5 per cent on last year’s numbers to the end of May, no doubt boosted by so many exciting releases. From sensible EVs to wild sports cars, we’ve tested the lot – but we’ve also re-evaluated our categories to reflect the changes within the industry, not least the onset of electrification. Over the next 51 pages we’ll name our top picks in 27 categories, plus one very special overall winner.…

BEST DEAL Skoda Octavia 1.5 TSI 150 SE L (£25,375) A £2,000 deposit contribution from Skoda makes our favourite family car an even bigger bargain. Stump up 10 per cent of the car’s retail price as a deposit, and the punchy 1.5-litre turbo petrol SE L model will cost £356 a month on a 36-month PCP agreement. WHY IT WINS THE Skoda Octavia has been a top choice in the family car class for a long time, and the newest model – which was our overall Car of the Year last year – is as good as ever. It offers a great level of tech, both in terms of in-car gadgets and life-saving safety equipment. New technology also helps its engines to be more efficient and quieter than ever, too.…

BEST DEAL Hyundai Ioniq 5 73kWh Premium (£41,945) OF the three powertrain options, the company car choice has to be the middle 214bhp motor paired with the largest 73kWh battery. Thanks to its one per cent tax classification, a full year’s deductions total £168 for Premium trim – thousands less than an equivalently priced petrol or diesel car. WHY IT WINS MUCH like our Small Company Car of the Year, VW’s ID.3 (Page 44), the Hyundai Ioniq 5 takes the Mid-size Company Car crown due to the incredibly low Benefit-in-Kind rates made possible by its electric drivetrain. The Hyundai sits in the lowest one per cent tax bracket, so a higher-income earner can expect to settle for annual deductions of just £157 for the entry-level model; the driver of a…

BEST DEAL Land Rover Defender 110 D300 SE (£61,955) THE longer-wheelbase 110 is more practical than the 90 model, so it’s the one we’d choose. The six-cylinder D300 diesel in SE trim is a sweet spot in the range; go for a three-year PCP deal with a £7,000 deposit and you’ll be paying £851 per month. WHY IT WINS THE Land Rover Defender stunned us when it launched last year and it continues to be a class-leading premium SUV in 2021. In 90 form it’s a brilliantly characterful model, and it offers even more space and flexibility in longer-wheelbase 110 guise. The Defender is surprisingly affordable in its lesser trim levels, but these versions simply represent strong value rather than feeling in any way lacking. And while the Land Rover…

BEST DEAL Hyundai i20 N (£24,995) THERE’S just the one trim option for the i20 N, and it’s both competitively priced and generously kitted out. A representative quote from Hyundai includes a £1,500 deposit contribution from the manufacturer; with a further £2,500 placed up front, a three-year contract will result in payments of £360 per month. If you want this striking Performance Blue paint (or any other colour that’s not white), it’s an extra £16 per month. WHY IT WINS WHEN Hyundai released the first model from its performance-focused N sub-brand, the i30 N, the Korean firm really grabbed the attention of hot hatch fans. But it’s the division’s second hot hatchback, the i20 N, that’s an absolute corker. Developed under the direction of ex-BMW M head Albert Biermann, the…

BEST DEAL Toyota GR Yaris Circuit Pack (£33,520) IN creating the GR Yaris, Toyota has produced an exciting performance car that’s in huge demand. Offers are still available, however; go for the hardcore Circuit Pack and there’s a zero per cent finance deal on a twoyear PCP. A 10 per cent deposit translates into monthly payments of £522. WHY IT WINS THIS year’s Performance Car champ is a true giantkiller, fighting off machines with twice the power and prices three times as high. The GR Yaris was one of the most eagerly anticipated arrivals of the year, and its blend of performance, poise and price means it hasn’t disappointed. Few cars are as fun to drive, yet this pocket rocket is easy to live with and relatively affordable to run.…

ADRIAN HALLMARK WHY ADRIAN WINS THE car industry has been through a tumultuous 18 months, but the man in top spot in this year’s Brit List – our annual rundown of the top UK execs – managed Bentley through the storm and on to record sales. Adrian Hallmark says that being “quick to sense when things are getting different” helped him to see how Covid-19 was affecting Europe and get Bentley’s survival plan into action a few weeks ahead of the rest of the UK. It wasn’t easy – Bentley had spent 2019 focusing on its workflow to take 24 per cent out of the time required to build every car. And once Covid hit, Hallmark had to work with his team to put some slack back into the system.…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for our extensive product archive NEW PRODUCT Dometic Patrol cool boxes Prices: From £171 Contact: store-eu.dometic.com IF you like to keep chilled food and drink in the car, but are worried about flattening your battery with a powered cooler, then the latest additions to Dometic’s line-up could be the solution. The Patrol range lacks the ability to cool like the CF line-up (Issue 1,681) but the Scandinavian specialist claims the thick insulation will keep ice frozen for days. Just cool or freeze your food or drinks before you leave, and they will stay that way. The boxes are claimed to be built for outdoor adventures, and more than up to life in a car boot. They’re made from one piece of polyethylene with a deep freeze-standard lid to…

Wheel gives a fresh steer for sim racers BENTLEY and Fanatec have developed a unique steering wheel (above) that might give sim racers something to think about. It may be in its element in a top-end home racing set-up, but the wheel was actually designed for Bentley’s Continental GT3 Pikes Peak racecar, making it the first gaming kit to have raced for real. Made from a blend of carbon fibre and magnesium alloy, the wheel has a telemetry display, customisable switchgear and a display mount. Visit bentley.fanatec.com for more details. End of the road for printed manuals HAYNES Publishing has released its last printed manual, ahead of the brand’s switch to digital products. Building a Special is written by TV regular Ant Anstead and follows the construction of his single-seater,…

PRODUCT GROUP TEST 7|7|2021 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive ANYONE who takes pride in their car will like to add a bit of shine to its paint. Polishing will remove the tiny – or not so tiny – scratches, which are inevitably collected as part of everyday life. But polishing is hard work, so it makes sense to let a power tool take the strain. There are generally two types of polisher. The first, and usually cheapest, has an orbital action, moving in small circles rather than rotating. It is safer to use, but takes longer to get a good shine. Rotary polishers have heads that spin at…

In association with Search more than 60,000 cars with competitive finance. Order online, delivered to your door, 14 day money-back guarantee LOOK at used car sales figures at any given time and you can bet that the bestsellers’ list will contain a smattering of family hatchbacks. Among those models, it’s highly likely you’ll see the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. Both offer a useful combination of economy, practicality and affordability. They’re also great to drive, while their sensible size makes them easy to drive and spacious enough. There will always be competitors looking to knock accomplished cars out of the top spots in the sales charts, though, and that’s where the Mazda 3 comes in. Building on the competent package of its predecessor, this fourth-generation model benefits from decent standard equipment, a…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • First new sports car from Lotus under new Chinese owner Geely • Mid-engined model to offer 4cyl and V6 power, with up to 395bhp WE’VE been waiting to see how Lotus would transform its line-up under its new Chinese owner – and here’s the first example of the brand’s new vision: the Emira. The all-new mid-engined model will mix Lotus’s traditional lightweight approach with cutting-edge tech when it reaches customers next spring. It uses the brand’s fresh Sports Car Architecture – a further evolution of the bonded aluminium chassis structure that made its debut on the original Elise, but with different dimensions, so it will weigh from as little as 1,405kg. And it will be offered with four-and six-cylinder power. The looks of the new model, created…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods • New BMW compact coupé retains its traditional layout • M Sport cars coming to UK; M240i features four-wheel drive BMW has revealed the new 2 Series Coupé, which will go on sale in the UK early in 2022 priced from around £35,000. Unlike the four-door 2 Series Gran Coupé, which is based on the brand’s UKL platform, the two-door Coupé is built on the same platform as the 3 and 4 Series, so rear and four-wheel drive are offered, while six-cylinder power features in the range-topping M240i. The new car is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, while weight drops, thanks to the use of more aluminium in its construction. Unlike the larger 4 Series, the 2 Series Coupé has a more conventional front end, with…

THE new M240i picks up where the last car left off dynamically, even with power being sent to all four wheels. The rear-biased nature of the drivetrain is easy enough to exploit, but perhaps it’s not quite as accessible as the rear-drive M240i owners may be familiar with. Instead, the new level of traction on corner exit is significant, thanks in part to the wider track, but also to the new electronically controlled M Sport rear differential. However, although it’s not coming to the UK, the four-cylinder 230i gives us the best impression of the new car’s level of agility. Perhaps that’s because there’s no heavy in-line six at the front and no four-wheel drive. Freed of that extra weight, the chassis comes alive. The engine isn’t the most charismatic,…

BATTERY factories were the talk of the SMMT’s International Automotive Summit last week, with the trade body warning UK jobs could be at risk if there isn’t more battery production here. It suggests a target of 60GWh of battery production in the UK by 2030. According to the SMMT the UK will have just 12GWh of capacity by 2025, compared with 164GWh in Germany, 91GWh in the US and 32GWh in France. At the summit, Aston Martin COO Michael Straughan insisted that if battery plants were built in the UK, car makers would be more likely to come here. But when we asked if they would move closer to the production plants, he said, “That’s a risk – batteries are big, heavy items to transport.” McLaren’s Ruth Nic Aoidh believes,…

Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress FROM: Luke Geoffrey THAT interior is really smart. I love the little retro nod in the honeycomb strip. The exterior is plain, but at least it looks as though it comes from the same family as the Jazz and HR-V now. Is this a sign that Honda has turned a design corner? FROM: Jeremy Jones I SUPPOSE it’s at least a fairly tidy design, but it looks a bit safe if anything – one could even call it bland if feeling particularly harsh. I know this is said a lot, but the worst thing about it for me is the tablet-style touchscreen stuck on! Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “Not very inspiring – I can’t imagine how this will look if it gets the…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.2 seconds/142mph HYUNDAI is a brand casting a wide net at the moment. The Korean firm is getting really serious about its electric Ioniq subbrand, but at the same time it’s still trying to establish N as a performance division. It’s been making solid progress in both areas; the i30 N was a decent first effort as a hot hatch, and we were impressed by its smaller stablemate, the i20 N, when we tried it in left-hand-drive form earlier this year. Now we’ve had a chance to drive the finished right-hand-drive car on UK roads. While the i30 N was conceived and developed after the base model had been launched, the Fiesta ST rival was stitched…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods Electric motor Power/range 295bhp/296 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.2 seconds/111mph THE new Audi Q4 e-tron isn’t just poised to be Audi’s most popular allelectric model; it’s lining itself up to become one of the brand’s best-selling cars in the UK, full stop. So perhaps it’s unsurprising to see that not just one, but two versions will be on sale in Britain very shortly. This is the Sportback variant of the Q4 e-tron. It’s a coupé-SUV rival to Mercedes’ EQA, and Audi predicts that this will be the preferred shape of around 16 per cent of all Q4 buyers. With electric power, perhaps there is a compelling case for the coupé-SUV – a more aerodynamic shape that can cut through the air with greater efficiently than the traditional two-box…

BEST DEAL FIAT 500 Electric Icon (£25,495 incl. Govt. Grant) THE entry-level version of the all-electric 500 is incredibly tempting value, but it misses out on the flexibility of the larger battery, and some key equipment. With Fiat currently offering a £1,000 discount across the entire range, we’d go for Icon trim; a three-year PCP agreement with a £3,000 deposit translates to £295 per month. WHY IT WINS SMALL really is beautiful when it comes to the winner of our city car crown. Cheeky looks, compact dimensions, an upmarket interior and advanced infotainment all play a part in the little Latin machine’s success, but it’s the smooth and efficient electric powertrain that helps lift the 500 above its competition in the city car class, which is increasingly turning towards full…

BEST DEAL Skoda Octavia Estate SE 1.5 TSI 150PS (£23,640) WITH no-nonsense load lugging an estate car’s top priority, it makes sense to keep things simple. That’s why it’s tough to overlook the entry-level SE trim paired with the smooth yet torquey 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine. It costs £330 per month on a three-year PCP deal with a 10 per cent deposit, thanks to a £2,000 contribution from Skoda. WHY IT WINS DESPITE the growth in popularity of SUVs, estate cars are still fantastic allrounders. They offer incredible practicality alongside the talents of a normal hatchback, such as affordable running costs, and the latest Skoda Octavia Estate is our top pick for the second year in a row. The number you’re looking for here is 640 litres; that’s the boot…

BEST DEAL Mercedes E 300 e AMG Line (£46,230) WHILE every model throughout the E-Class range is compelling, low Benefit-in-Kind costs make the plug-in hybrid variants the cheapest to run for company car users. Falling into the 11 per cent bracket, the petrol E 300 e AMG Line will cost roughly £2,032 in the first year for a higher-rate income tax-payer. WHY IT WINS FIRST impressions count in business, which is one of the many reasons Mercedes takes top honours here. The three-pointed star has long been a firm favourite of the executive set, and the latest E-Class does nothing to change that. As well as classy yet understated looks on the outside, it also packs an interior that effortlessly combines traditional luxury with bang-up-to-date tech, including the brilliantly intuitive…

BEST DEAL SEAT Tarraco 1.5 TSI EVO 150PS FR (£33,140) SEAT is offering buyers two finance choices on the 1.5 TSI in FR trim – either zero per cent APR or a £3,000 deposit contribution. Over three years with 10 per cent up front (£3,350), the £3,000 deposit contribution is the cheaper option by £1.30 a month, at £482.36. WHY IT WINS IT’S a hat-trick of wins in the large SUV category for the SEAT Tarraco, and it’s not hard to see why. Stylish, spacious and with a surprisingly sporty side, the seven-seat model has all the family-car bases covered. New arrivals over the past year have challenged its supremacy, but none has landed the killer blow on this supremely talented machine. Underpinned by the versatile MQB platform that also…

BEST DEAL Mercedes E 300 de AMG Line (£47,891) BOTH E-Class plug-ins offer potential for low running costs, but the diesel E 300 de offers lower emissions and superior fuel consumption once the battery has run out. We found an official Mercedes dealer knocking nearly £4,600 off the list price, which translates to a £550-per-month, four-year PCP deal with an £8,380 deposit. WHY IT WINS THE Mercedes E-Class hybrid isn’t just a singular model in the range; the fact that there’s a choice of plug-in hybrids is a big part of the reason why it’s our favourite premium hybrid car for a third year running. Mercedes recently updated the E-Class, with the hybrids getting the same styling and kit tweaks as the rest of the range. You can go for…

FOR this year’s Design Award, we offered the chance for you, the readers, to vote for 2021’s most stunning new car. In the end, the win was comfortable; congratulations to the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which took 18.9 per cent of the poll. Eye-catching, contemporary and distinctive, it’s a showcase of styling done right; retro without being overtly pastiche, unique without being fussy and, despite its size, well judged proportions. Inspiration for the shape was taken from the Hyundai Pony Coupé concept of 1974, although elements of another Giugiaro design classic are there; that boxy hatchback shape and those flat-faced, rally-esque wheels give off a strong hint of the Lancia Delta. The detailing is fantastic, too – the pixel-like LED lights and fine illuminated slats running the width of the front…

WHY IT WINS IT’S no mean feat to be crowned Auto Express Car of the Year. Our winner needs to have a huge range of talents; it should move the game on, and not just in its own segment, but in the new-car market as a whole. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 does exactly that. This year has seen the range of choice for EV buyers explode, and many of those new cars were in with a shout of taking the overall prize. But the Ioniq 5 truly excels on so many fronts. Firstly there’s the design; it looks unlike anything else on the road, yet without being contrived or awkward. The cabin is another triumph, making the most of the car’s electric architecture to offer limo-like legroom in a bright, lounge-like…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q Best cam for track action? I’M about to start doing track days and I want to record my runs. Can I just use my phone, or is there a better choice? Martin Smith, E-mail A HANDHELD cameras are not allowed, and those with suction mounts need a separate tether. Action cams are the best option, because they have sophisticated stabilisation tech. In our last test in 2019, the GoPro Hero 7 Black was our pick. This has been updated since, but we see no reason why a GoPro would not be our winner now – it’s also many professionals’ choice. Q Green rating in car care test? YOUR ratings for car care products are based on cleaning and protection, but are the chemical elements safe?…

THERE are more than 30 official, government-backed electric scooter rental schemes available to the public in Britain. As a result, interest in buying, rather than renting, e-scooters continues to grow, despite privately owned models being illegal to use on public roads. Some riders are running the risk, while others keep on the right side of the law and scoot on private land such as campsites, race tracks and commercial properties. As demand grows, so does the number of new models offered in the UK. Prices are falling, too, so we’ve tested the latest models to see what you get for around £400. The top-selling Ninebot is now cheaper than ever, and is still a great choice if you don’t need a long range or weatherproofing. The Turboant’s extra cost goes…

Join the debate now at autoexpress.co.uk/opinion WHAT a difference a decade makes in this brave new automotive world. If, 10 years or so ago, someone predicted that humble Hyundai would beat Audi, Jaguar, Volvo and other prestigious car firms in terms of class-leading, world-beating showroom products for 2021, he or she would have been written off as a naively bonkers automotive amateur. How could a newbie company from a tiny, late-starting car-producing country in Far East Asia possibly catch up with and overtake highly respected, veteran, Far West car manufacturers, who pretty much knew it all – or so they thought – operating out of their long-established HQs and factories? But, Hyundai did exactly that: it has just surpassed Audi, Jag and Volvo. The South Korean outfit had the temerity…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods “The platform layout has allowed Volvo to come up with an entirely new vehicle shape” • Concept Recharge SUV shown • Previews XC90 replacement VOLVO has revealed its ‘manifesto’ for the future in the form of a new concept car previewing the first member of its next-generation, all-electric line-up. It’s called Concept Recharge, and Volvo boss Håkan Samuelsson has confirmed that the production version of this concept will be revealed next year as a flagship SUV. However, while it will replace the XC90, it won’t be an XC-badged model. “This will be the first of its kind. We should also then mark that by deviating from our normal way of giving our cars names,” said Samuelsson. The Recharge Concept uses Volvo’s new SPA2 platform, which is scalable for…

THE Flying Spur Hybrid arrives as Bentley boss Adrian Hallmark (right) enters our Brit List Hall of Fame as this year’s top UKborn car executive. We spoke to him about the challenges of the past 18 months, and Bentley’s forthcoming push to electrification. Q How big a task was it to adapt Crewe for Covid-19 rules? A “Enormous. We’d taken 24 per cent out of the TAKT [build time] of our cars in 2019. You’d normally do a change of that magnitude every few years. We had two in six months.” Q You’ve announced a major electrification push, but you’ve sounded sceptical in the past on EVs. What’s changed? A “I’ve never been lukewarm on the end state. But I’ve been frigidly cold on the transition. For Bentley to jump…

Electric VW models shaken up for 2022 ELSEWHERE, Volkswagen has updated its ID.3 and ID.4 ranges for the 2022 model year, with two more versions of the ID.3 now qualifying for the £2,500 Plug-in Car Grant. The ID.3 Max and Tour models also receive a £3,800 price reduction. Entry-level City trim on both ID.3 and ID.4 has been renamed ‘Life’, while ‘Business’ and ‘Tech’ specs have been discontinued. VW has made more option packs available, providing extra buyer choice when it comes to specification. Motorway charging given a major boost GRIDSERVE has announced details of its revamped Electric Highway after buying out the network from Ecotricity. The firm is setting up more than 50 Electric Hubs, each featuring six to 12 350kW chargers, while a further 300 rapid chargers will…

RENAULT has revealed that the forthcoming all-electric R5 will be around 33 per cent cheaper than the current Zoe. That would suggest a price tag of around £18,500 when it launches in 2023. The cost reduction is found in the development of a new small-car electric platform sharing some elements with the CMF-B architecture of the Zoe. Called CMF-BEV, it will offer cars with up to 249 miles of range, and use a single 134bhp electric motor. The brand has also confirmed plans for a new Renault 4 EV, and the brand has teased it in both passenger and van guises. A concept called 4ever previewing the model will be shown later this year.…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale Tackling the motoring issues that matter THE British armed forces represent the best of our country. Their training is unparalleled, their resolve unbreakable and the sacrifices they make unequalled. So when the team at armed-forces charity Mission Motorsport (see panel, opposite) said they were going to break the Renault Zoe EV hypermiling record, it would take a brave person to bet against them. The idea came about after charity founder and CEO James Cameron and his team became aware of a record set in 2018 on the Paris ‘Périphérique’ ring road. Frenchman Pierre Desjardins managed to cover 351 miles on a single charge in a 40kWh Renault Zoe, which had an official WLTP range of just 186 miles. This meant the hypermiling record for the Zoe had been…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk “Even in poor conditions our car indicated more than 300 miles from a full charge” THE Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s electric sensation, the car that turned the Mustang nameplate into a family. We’ve tried it in Standard Range rear-wheel-drive trim and liked its balance of affordability and usability thanks to its range, but with a claimed 335 miles from its 88kWh (usable) battery, this Extended Range AWD car is pricier, at £57,030. So is it as appealing? on the first count the Extended Range car’s bigger battery certainly helps. Even in poor conditions our car indicated more than 300 miles from a full charge, and cruising at 60mph, it used one mile of range for every mile travelled. So it’s also predictable, which helps reduce any range anxiety. But…

BEST DEAL Renault Clio TCe 90 S Edition (£19,100) THOSE willing to take up a two-year PCP deal are treated to a zero per cent finance offer on every Clio. That means even the high-spec S Edition, which gets a huge 9.3-inch touchscreen and parking sensors all round, comes to £214 per month with a £4,218 deposit. WHY IT WINS THE Renault Clio retains its top spot in the supermini class this year, beating some really tough contenders, such as the Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208 and the latest Dacia Sandero. One of the Clio’s strongest points is its practicality, which is far better than you might expect of a car of this size. It has a 391-litre boot that is more spacious than in cars from the class…

BEST DEAL Volkswagen ID.3 Life 58kWh Pro (£28,420 incl. Govt. grant) THE appeal of the ID.3 goes well beyond just the company car driver. In addition to the Government’s £2,500 grant for EVs, VW offers a further £1,750 discount on a PCP agreement. We’d get the entry-level Life with the upgraded 58kWh battery; place a 10 per deposit and the total over three years will translate to £330 per month. WHY IT WINS THE company car class is changing fast, and no firm has reacted faster to the upheaval than VW. Not that long ago diesel dominated this sector, but with Benefit-in-Kind bills now favouring the lowest-emissions vehicles, in particular EVs, drivers and fleet managers have been clamouring to make the switch to electric power. And few cars make more…

BEST DEAL Renault Captur TCe 90 Iconic (£20,800) JUST like the Clio, the full Captur range is currently offered with zero per cent APR on any two-year PCP deal. Place a 10 per cent deposit on the mid-range Iconic trim with the 89bhp turbocharged petrol engine, and you’ll pay £322 each month; that’s also including a further £500 deposit contribution from Renault. WHY IT WINS THE Renault Captur grabs a second consecutive win in the Small SUV category in 2021. And like last year this practical, comfortable and great-value car is a winner for many of the same reasons as the Clio (Supermini of the Year) it shares its platform with. The Captur is a bit larger than the Clio, but it’s still an affordable offering that delivers plenty of…

BEST DEAL Mercedes GLA 200 Sport (£30,750) UNTIL the end of September, Mercedes will throw in a £1,000 discount on selected GLA models, including the GLA 200 Sport. We found one Mercedes dealer taking that further with a £2,600 discount; that translates to £330 per month on a four-year PCP with a £5,400 customer deposit. WHY IT WINS IT’S back-to-back wins for the Mercedes GLA, which is an impressive achievement when you consider the quality of the opposition in this closely fought category. Combining luxury, tech and practicality in a distinctively designed package, the high-riding German machine makes a compelling choice for families looking for style and substance. Nowhere is this more obvious than inside, where the GLA effortlessly blends a premium finish with impressive practicality. Soft-touch materials are used…

BEST DEAL Bentley Flying Spur V8 (£153,900) BUYERS at this level won’t be haggling over monthly PCP figures, so instead we’re recommending our top pick. We’d choose the V8 and add the sublime Naim audio system at £6,660, while the theatre of the Bentley Rotating Display is worth its £4,820 outlay. WHY IT WINS FOR the second year in a row, our favourite luxury car is the Bentley Flying Spur. When it made the switch to the fantastic MSB platform used by other VW Group models, it marked a huge step forward, and it’s still brilliant a year later. The Bentley is all about comfort, and its ride quality is close to perfect, keeping you totally insulated from any bumps and potholes the road might throw up. The suspension deals…

YOUR FIRST 6 ISSUES FOR £1 Then if you continue to subscribe after your trial you pay from just £24.99 every three months SAVING 47% on the shop price FREE G3 PRO COLOUR RESTORER We offer every subscriber a free welcome gift when they come on board WORTH £13.95. FREE DELIVERY Every issue is delivered to your door, free of charge. It’ll arrive in paper packaging, too, making it easier than ever to recycle. £150 BUYACAR VOUCHER Get £150 off your next used car purchase at buyacar.co.uk. Look out for the link in your confirmation email. For convenience, scan our QR code with your camera phone for quick access to our secure online store! YOUR FREE GIFT G3 Pro Colour Restorer uses a high grade of light polishing abrasives to…

NEW PRODUCT Laser telescopic support, bucket and extractors Prices: From £27.70 Contact: lasertools.co.uk BUILDING a tool kit is not just about buying big multipiece sets of spanners, sockets or screwdrivers, but also adding those extra bits of kit that can make working on cars so much easier, and Laser has just added several to its range. To ensure the maximum access to the engine bay it helps if you can open your car’s bonnet fully rather than just as much as the prop allows, which is where you need the new telescopic support from Laser. It’s designed to support 150kg, which is easily enough for a bonnet or tailgate, and the three-piece unit can be adjusted between 460-1,180mm. Expect to pay around £43. If you’re tired of flimsy plastic buckets that…

Original Jaguar E-Type Malcolm McKay (Porter Press, porterpress.co.uk) Price: £65 Rating: PART restoration guide, part Haynes manual on steroids and part beautifully constructed history lesson. Production values are sky high here and despite the wealth of technical details and reams of print, it’s arguably worthy of being a coffee-table book, too. It’s also seriously interesting for E-Type fans. The Mechanic: The Secret World of the F1 Pitlane Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestley (Yellow Jersey, penguin.co.uk) Price: £9.99 Rating: FORMER McLaren mechanic and Wheeler Dealers TV presenter Marc Priestley tells all in this book. Well, almost all. While the stories are interesting, they tend to focus on antics outside of the pit lane, such as relationships between the drivers and mechanics. But you’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting technical insight or shocking exposés.…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@autovia.co.uk Q Just how full should a “full” service history on a car be? I AM buying a used car after having company cars for several years, and am wondering if the definition of “full service history” has changed. To me, it should mean sheaves of paper, but two cars I have seen have just had stamps in their service books. Is this right? Gareth P, E-mail A GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) rules that came into place in 2018 have seen dealers concerned about breaking the law by sharing personal details of previous owners when they sell used cars. This can be avoided by removing personal information from a car’s history rather than not sharing maintenance records at all, but dealers often play it too…

• Radical design with no rear wing • 4WD with turbo hybrid power Stephen_Errity@autovia.co.uk PEUGEOT has fully unveiled its new 9X8 racing car, which will contest the top Hypercar category of the World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the Le Mans 24 Hours, from 2022 onwards. The 9X8 is a successor to both the 905 of the early nineties and 908 of the 2000s, both of which won at Le Mans. Its most notable feature is the absence of a rear wing. According to technical director Olivier Jansonnie: “The regulations stipulate that only one adjustable aerodynamic device is permitted, without specifying the rear wing. Our calculation work and simulations revealed that high performance was effectively possible without one.” Peugeot motorsport director Jean-Marc Finot added: “We have achieved a degree of aerodynamic…