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ACCORDING to a recent poll we ran, buyers are more likely to tick an options box to upgrade their in-car sound system than they are to add important safety kit. I can’t say I’m surprised – the interest in and reaction to our recent feature on Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Audio shows there’s a real passion for in-car hi-fi – for many it’s the best opportunity they have to listen to music these days. The UK is home to some of the best hi-fi companies in the world, who are all keen to get their systems into the latest cars. One thing I spotted in my drive with Jenson Button in the new Lotus Emira (see page 10) was that Kent-based loudspeaker specialist KEF is supplying the speaker system for the new…

Luke_Wilkinson@autovia.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson • Eighth generation of hatchback officially revealed • Features Vauxhall’s latest design and infotainment IT’S all change for the eighth-generation Vauxhall Astra – the first version of the family hatchback to use a platform and running gear shared with sister Stellantis brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS. The new Astra draws plenty of design inspiration from the latest Mokka SUV, and adopts Vauxhall’s new Vizor grille. This includes the latest Intelli-Lux LED Pixel headlights, which feature 168 LED elements and can automatically adjust the beam pattern to suit conditions. Measuring in at 4,374mm long, 1,860mm wide and with a 2,675mm wheelbase, the new Astra is larger than its predecessor. That wheelbase is up by 13mm, so there should be extra space for passengers. Boot space has also grown to…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler “When you get in, everything should feel just right, you should feel part of the car. You do with this” • F1 champ takes us for a drive • Latest Lotus on sale next year WHEN it comes to a first verdict on one of the most important British sports cars for a generation, there can be nobody better qualified than Jenson Button, Britain’s 2009 Formula One world champion and Lotus fan. Auto Express was invited to ride shotgun with Button as he drove the all-new Lotus Emira at the brand’s revamped Hethel home. This is the very first car off the production line, so Button says he’s taking it easy – it doesn’t feel like it. That trademark Button smoothness is still there as the car switches…

IT might have been Jenson Button behind the wheel, not us, but you can tell a lot from a ride in an all-new car before you’ve even driven it. And two things struck us with the Emira. Dynamically, the car feels very well sorted. Grip levels, even in the wet, are high, our chauffeur was able to change direction quickly with no drama, the punch from the 3.5-litre V6 was impressive and even the ride comfort seemed to be pretty good when we caught the edges of the ridged curbs. But perhaps most impressive of all for the very first Emira off the production line was the comfort and quality – not exactly a traditional Lotus strong point. Getting in and out of the car was easy, while the style…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • EV-only brand by mid-decade • Three cars in ‘dream garage’ THE forthcoming all-electric hot hatchback from Alpine will be a beefed-up version of the reborn Renault 5 featuring the more potent electric motor from the new Mégane EV crossover, the company’s engineering boss has confirmed. The French sports brand is due to switch to pure-electric vehicles by the middle of this decade and it has already issued teasers for its ‘dream garage’ – a large SUV with a coupé roofline, a sports car that it will develop with Lotus, and a muscular-looking hot hatch with a large spoiler. Our exclusive images show how the cars could look. The company’s executive vice-president for engineering, Gilles le Borgne, has confirmed to Auto Express that not only will the Alpine…

GENESIS used last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed to unveil the fifth model in its initial launch line-up in the UK: the G70 Shooting Brake estate. Intended to rival the likes of the BMW 3 Series Touring and Audi A4 Avant, the G70 Shooting Brake has the same width, length and height as the saloon on which it is based. It features a dramatic C-pillar treatment, with a strongly curved rear glass element to give a swoopy look suggesting the car is likely to be more focused on style than outright carrying capacity. The loadbay measures 465 litres – 40 per cent more than the saloon’s – and the rear seats fold down in a 40:20:40 split. At launch, the G70 Shooting Brake will be offered with one petrol and…