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WARNING! This magazine may make you want to spend money – it certainly does me. Our annual Used Car of the Year Awards are not only among the most fun things to judge, but the realisation of what fantastic cars are now available for a fraction of their original price can also put a serious dent in your bank balance. It’s always the biggest depreciators that provide the biggest temptation – such as an Audi R8 for under £35,000, a Volvo S90 for £18,000 or, my personal favourite, a fabulous five-year-old Mercedes S-Class for the price of a new Nissan Qashqai. Our overall Used Car of the Year is the more affordable – but no less talented – Citroen C3 Aircross (above), a car I know well because there’s one…

● New platform, looks and technology for popular hatchback ● Our verdict after first drive? It’s now a rival for the VW Golf SKODA has been putting in a lot of effort to grab your attention in recent years. A flurry of new SUVs – cars that appeal to a more upmarket customer base – has underpinned this strategy, and let the brand push further into the electric market. Plus, two new family cars in the form of the Scala and the latest Octavia have seen the maker turn on the style in their sectors, too. Virtually every core model in the brand’s line-up has been reinvented, but the Fabia supermini has, until now, not been a part of this turnaround. Finally it has caught up, and the fourth-generation Fabia…

Yousuf_Ashraf@autovia.co.uk @ashrafoncars ● Style inspired by 1974 icon ● Hybrid V12 makes 803bhp “The car blends cues from the 1974 Countach with contemporary Lamborghini touches” IT’S been 50 years since the Lamborghini Countach wedged itself into the supercar crowd with wild Bertone styling, a bellowing V12 and a race-inspired chassis. For 2021, the Italian marque is reviving the iconic name – so meet the reborn Lamborghini Countach. Just 112 examples will be built, each combining Lamborghini’s most advanced powertrain technology and an appearance that is distinctly Countach, with a wedge-shaped silhouette and numerous details that pay homage to the original model. The new car blends cues from the 1974 Countach with contemporary Lamborghini touches. Retro features include black NACA intakes along the flanks, and distinctive “Periscopio” lines running from the…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● Brand set to increase EV range ● Mid-sized crossover on way KIA will follow its first bespoke electric car, the EV6 crossover, with two ‘EV’ SUV models, Auto Express has learned. According to European product boss Sjoerd Knipping, the Korean brand’s second “EVx” car will be a large SUV targeting the US. But more importantly for us, it will be followed by a model developed for the European market – Knipping spoke of “balancing” the US and other territories. Kia holds trademarks for badges ranging from EV1 to EV9. The large SUV could be branded EV7 or EV8, and it will offer seven-seat capability similar to that of Hyundai’s Ioniq 7 SUV confirmed for launch in 2024. It will be followed by a crossover potentially called EV4, sized…

THE British Motor Show is going ahead this week, and Auto Express has had a sneak peek of what you can expect at the event, which runs at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre in Hampshire from 19-22 August. Inside the huge main hall, a Live Stage hosted by Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend from Car SOS will feature discussions and interviews on numerous motoring topics. There will also be a Tech Theatre hosted by automotive influencer Shahzad Sheikh, which will look at various issues surrounding electric cars, including servicing, tips and myth busting. “A Live Arena will put on high-octane motorsport and stunt-driving displays as well as supercar parades” A Live Arena hosted by Mike Brewer of Wheeler Dealers fame will put on high-octane motorsport and stunt-driving displays, as…

MINI has teamed up with British fashion designer Paul Smith to create the Strip. The one-off concept, based on the MINI Electric, was developed to highlight the issue of sustainability in automotive manufacturing – and ways it can be improved in future. Equipment, finishings and trim have been chosen in an effort to keep the car’s environmental impact to a minimum. This includes bare plastics, lacquered metal (instead of paint) and a perspex roof skin that reveals the metal structure below. There’s a new front splitter and rear apron made from 3D-printed recycled plastics, while a blanked-off radiator grille and aerodynamic wheel covers should increase the car’s range. The cabin has been stripped bare in the interests of saving weight – dash panels are finished in cork, door cards are…