Auto Express 1687

THE shortage of semiconductors is still causing havoc in the new car market, with certain companies quoting delivery some time next year for cars that would normally take just a few weeks to turn up. The shortage of new cars is meaning eager buyers – of which there are many – are turning to the used market instead. But the combination of high demand and fewer part-exchanges landing on forecourts over the past year due to Covid-19 means there’s a shortage of good-quality used cars, too. As a result the unthinkable is happening: used cars are actually going up in value. There are pockets of new car supply if you know where to shop – and your local Honda dealer could be a good place to start. Speaking to Honda…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk • V8 plug-in hybrid set-up • Defines new era for Aston “Track mode drops the ride height and works with the aerodynamic package to improve downforce and therefore grip” THIS is the Aston Martin Valhalla – a new hybrid supercar that is the first mid-engined series-production road car in the company’s 108-year history. It has evolved from 2019’s Geneva Show concept, but the planned in-house V6 has been scrapped in favour of a 4.0-litre twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8. The engine is bespoke for the Valhalla, and will be built at Aston’s home in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The new unit produces 740bhp and revs to 7,200rpm. It’s joined by a pair of electric motors – one on the front axle and one on the rear – which add a further 201bhp…

Q How many Valhallas will Aston Martin build and when will production start? A “We’re going to ramp up at the end of the third quarter/beginning of the fourth quarter of 2023, then we have 2024 and 2025. Production will be limited to a two-year cycle – probably an output of maximum 1,000 cars. The car is going to be 600,000-700,000 – Euros, not pounds. I think that’s a new sweet spot for the mid-engined car.” Q Will we see other variants like a convertible? A “No, we’re not going to do a spider. There’s another mid-engined programme coming up with Vanquish, and this car is maybe more suited to that style.” Q How do you differentiate a mid-engined Aston Martin from your rivals in this sector? A “Honestly, we…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk • Sportback and saloon options • Flagship costs from £50,900 AFTER months of teasing and drip-feeding specifications, Audi has finally unveiled its 2021 RS 3 in both five-door Sportback guise – a rival for the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S – and as a four-door saloon. Audi has already previously confirmed mechanical specs for the RS 3 – including its new RS Torque Splitter rear differential, and the 395bhp five-cylinder turbo petrol engine. With four-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, 0-62mph takes just 3.8 seconds – but this is our first chance to see the car uncamouflaged, as well as taking a look at the interior. Reinforcing its status as the A3 range-topper, the RS 3 has a new, redesigned single-frame grille with honeycomb mesh for its large air…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler • Small SUV could go all-electric • New 4xe plug-ins coming, too JEEP is investigating a smaller SUV that would sit below the Renegade in the brand’s line-up – and it’s set to be all-electric. As part of Jeep’s celebrations for its 80th anniversary, brand boss Christian Meunier announced there would be an “emissions-free Jeep in every segment by 2025”. However, Jeep’s head of exterior design, Mark Allen, also hinted at a range expansion to tie in with electrification. “We’re looking at every segment possible,” he said, and Auto Express can reveal that’s set to include a new baby Jeep. When asked if Jeep’s line-up could extend beyond the Wagoneer at the top end and Renegade at the bottom, Allen said, “Absolutely – we’re looking beyond those projects.…

MERCEDES has lifted the lid on the interior of its new SL convertible. This will feature a “hyperanalogue” cockpit, inspired by the 300 SL Roadster of the fifties. Initial images show a “driver-focused” interior that centres around a large, adjustable display in the centre console. This will run the MBUX infotainment system, which will boast a number of AMG-specific features, including the more overtly sporting Performance and Track Pack modes. Mercedes describes the hyperanalogue concept as a mix of “analogue geometry and digital work”, highlighted in the SL’s 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which is not freestanding, but integrated into a visor to prevent sunlight reflections when the car’s new fabric roof is down. Likewise, the angle of the large 11.9-inch touchscreen in the centre console is electrically adjustable, allowing a…