Innholdsfortegnelse for 1896 i Auto Express

AS more cars become eligible for the Government’s Electric Car Grant, it’s interesting that none of them yet qualifies for the higher £3,750 amount. A total of 24 vehicles are now eligible – all for a £1,500 contribution. With the latest batch of five including the likes of the Cupra Born, Volkswagen ID.3 and Peugeot 2008, there’s now a decent array of cars included in the scheme, from the chic Renault 4 and 5 through to the practical, family-friendly Nissan Ariya – a former Auto Express Car of the Year – the Vauxhall Frontera and the Renault Scenic. All qualify for the lower £1,500 grant, but it’s not clear how the calculations are being worked out. “THE BIG ONE WILL BE WHEN THE UK-BUILT NISSAN LEAF GOES ON SALE. IF…

“WE HAVE ACCESS TO CERTAIN NIO TECH, WHICH IS AMAZING BECAUSE SOME OF THE BEST AUTOMOTIVE TECH IN THE WORLD IS IN CHINA”NICK COLLINS CEO, McLaren Automotive McLAREN Automotive is at a crossroads – under new ownership and leadership, and on the brink of a radical push into electric SUVs as its range is overhauled. Abu Dhabi investment fund CYVN Holdings acquired the supercar business and a non-controlling stake in McLaren’s Formula One race team in April. CYVN immediately merged McLaren with its other automotive assets: a 700-employee British engineering start-up then operating under the name Forseven, the technology division of Gordon Murray Automotive and a technology licence deal with Chinese EV maker Nio. This new British luxury car group – McLaren Group Holdings – has vowed to transform McLaren…

DRIVERS aged over 70 could face losing their licence if they fail their triennial eyesight test, under new rules to reduce the number of fatalities on UK roads. The proposed changes are set to be published in the autumn as part of a new road safety strategy alongside other measures such as a reduction in drink-drive limits. They come months after a senior coroner declared the UK’s current eyesight rules to be “ineffective and unsafe”. A Government source told The Times: “In no other circumstance would we accept 1,600 people dying, with thousands more seriously injured, costing the NHS more than £2 billion per year. “This Labour Government will deliver the first Road Safety Strategy in a decade, imposing tougher penalties on those breaking the law, protecting road users and…

FORD has announced a new electric-vehicle platform that it’s hoping will be its next Model T moment. As part of a £3.8 billion investment, the brand has confirmed that it’ll produce a new, flexible and profitable family of cars that will be introduced in 2027, starting with a mid-size truck costing just $30,000 (£22,380) in the US. The new pick-up will be similar in size to the existing Ford Ranger, although the two won’t be related under the skin; instead the forthcoming truck will be built on the new universal EV platform. Aside from it being “faster than a turbocharged Mustang,” we don’t yet know much about the pick-up. Ford hasn’t revealed what it will look like or the specification of its technical components, other than the fact that it’ll…

AUGUST is known in media circles as silly season because everyone is on holiday and nothing serious is happening. Therefore the TV, papers and internet are filled with the kind of stories that wouldn’t see the light of day in more sensible months. So, it seemed like the perfect time to manifest the ‘go crazy’ principle on our long-term test fleet, and spend a couple of weeks in something silly. Sitting at the top of the Range Rover Sport line-up is the barmy SV version, with your £139,995 buying a 626bhp super-SUV that’s ridiculously capable at everything from family outings and motorway trips to rapid cross-country runs. And using unleaded. It’s really, really good at that. The point of the swap was to see what the SV gives you over…

AN all-purpose cleaner needs to be a jack of all trades. It will be the bottle you reach for when you have a stain on the carpet, coffee streaks on a cup-holder, or flies on the bonnet. In our last big test, we awarded the top prize to VP’s All Purpose Cleaner, but now there are two new rivals which aim to steal the crown with their combinations of both performance and value. The first is Jennychem’s Superclean 101. In the smallest one-litre bottle available, it costs slightly more than the VP offering, but you get twice the amount in the container. “THE JENNYCHEM CLEANED JUST AS WELL AS ITS RIVALS IN MOST SITUATIONS. BUT ITS BIGGEST ADVANTAGE WAS ITS SHEER VALUE” At the other end of the scale is…

THE new Toyota Land Cruiser is capable of conquering pretty much any terrain, but prices start from almost £78,000. So I decided to use the Auto Express used car classifieds to build a do-it-all garage for the same money as one new Land Cruiser, all three featuring all-wheel drive surefootedness. 1 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON £33,984 THE Jeep Wrangler is one of the few 4x4s that can match the Land Cruiser’s off-road prowess. Its design is not only iconic, but also allows the life-size Tonka Toy to achieve incredible approach and departure angles. It also uses a proven body-on-frame design, plus a proper two-speed transfer case. But it doesn’t stop there. This Rubicon model features a beefed-up Dana 44 full-floating solid rear axle, locking front and rear differentials, and an electronic front…

A BRAND-new Vauxhall Corsa will be arriving in 2027 in both full-electric and hybrid forms, and will ditch its traditionally conservative image through cutting-edge tech and a new sporty range-topper. It’s destined to be priced right at the heart of the supermini class somewhere between £25,000 and £35,000, which will put it right up against the Renault 5, plus new offerings including the Cupra Raval, the next Peugeot e-208 and the Volkswagen ID.2. Unlike the current generation (below), which was a quick-fire development project after Vauxhall was integrated into the larger Stellantis group, this all-new model has been given the development time to be a more sophisticated supermini. It’ll do this by packing the latest tech from its parent company, underpinned by a new platform. And thanks to the new…

LAMBORGHINI has revealed its next low-volume hypercar, the Fenomeno. The new car will be limited to just 29 units, with a price expected to be well into seven figures. The wraps came off the new Fenomeno at Monterey Car Week in California, US. As is often the case with the firm’s limited-run models, it’s promised to be a “manifesto of Lamborghini design”, while using the V12 hybrid power train from the Revuelto. The headline news is the addition of 64bhp in power over the Revuelto, with the Fenomeno’s 1,064bhp making it the most powerful Lamborghini yet. This is generated by a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine supported by three electric motors, with the extra grunt coming from a new lithium ion battery pack. One of those motors is a new…

Produced to celebrate CEO Murray’s success as a racing car designer and McLaren engineer, the Le Mans GTR is limited to 24 units, one for every racing hour at the famous French event. The car takes inspiration from the McLaren F1 GTR that dominated endurance racing in the late nineties. Aside from the 4.0-litre V12 engine and six-speed transmission, the Le Mans GTR shares little with the T.50. Its engine is now rigidly mounted to the chassis, much like other track-focused supercars. Other differences include greater track widths, wider tyres and a stiffer suspension set-up. The Le Mans GTR was unveiled at Monterey Car Week in California alongside the even more exclusive S1 LM. This is also based on the T.50 and has been specifically designed to celebrate the first…

YOU’RE used to paying for access to Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney+ every month, but now Volkswagen is getting in on the act. It’s asking owners of the ID.3 hatch to pay extra if they want their car to deliver the full performance it’s capable of. The VW ID.3 Pro and Pro+ are listed on the configurator as producing 201bhp, with buyers asked to pay a subscription fee to reach the car’s full 228bhp. This cost is £16.50 per month, almost three times the price of a ‘Standard with Ads’ Netflix subscription, or £165 per year. Owners can also choose a lifetime subscription for £649, with it attached to the car rather than the individual. VW says that the upgrade does not affect battery range. The car is registered at…

LATE last year, we pitted the freshly facelifted BMW M135 against the Audi S3 and while it was a close battle, the M-car emerged victorious. We praised it for delivering “plenty of power to put a smile on your face” and having a “lively chassis that really appeals, with involving handling and plenty of grip.” However, BMW’s boffins have fettled the car’s chassis some more, and all their refinements (plus other goodies) have been bundled together into a new ‘M Dynamic Pack’. It costs £3,000 – or at least it would on its own, but if you want it, BMW forces you to add either the £1,550 Technology Pack or £2,750 Technology Plus Pack as well. As greedy as that is, the M135 costs more than £45k before you’ve even…

AS with so many Japanese cars from the nineties, check for rust and previous repairs, in the Toyota’s case particularly on the sills under the air intakes ahead of the rear wheels. The Mk2 MR2 was built in the early days of complex ECU systems. The circuit boards on these can short out or get damaged by capacitors leaking acid, which manifest as intermittent engine warning lights or a refusal to start one day and then starting fine the next. This problem is common, especially around the 30-year mark. A new ECU could set you back hundreds of pounds, but look hard in the MR2 community and you might be able to find an expert to carry out a repair more cheaply. Many owners suggest removing all the sponge insulation…

IN AN era when electric cars frequently have supercar-baiting power outputs and acceleration times, Alpine has taken an entirely different approach to its full EV – focusing heavily on feel and feedback. Look beyond the striking rally-style front spotlights and heavily sculpted bodykit, and much of the work under the Renault 5-based body has been to improve the chassis. The 5’s front suspension set-up has been ditched, with a completely redesigned layout, including a new subframe to enable a track width that’s 60mm wider than the 5’s. The geometry is unique to the A290, while its dampers are backed up by hydraulic bump stops, which allow for more compliance towards the top of the suspension’s travel. ENGINES & PERFORMANCE THE A290 comes with a choice of two power outputs, both…

THE time has come to wave goodbye to our BMW 530e Touring – and to say I’ll miss it would be an understatement. But like my daughter, who has just finished her first year at primary school, the 5 Series didn’t want to let me go without a small certificate of achievement. I’ve run plenty of electric cars over the years, but the 530e was the first plug-in hybrid I’ve had the pleasure of looking after on long-term loan. When it arrived back in January, I was actually pretty sceptical about just how the technology would fit my hectic lifestyle – but 7,000 miles later, I’m (almost) convinced. A big part of this has been the way the ‘My BMW’ app feeds you information about the car and your driving…

THE vacuum cleaner you use to clean your house might do a reasonable job in your car when you just need to quickly spruce up the interior and get rid of a light layer of dust, but ask it to do anything more hardcore and it’s likely to wilt. For deeper cleans, workshop use and dealing with wet spills, it will pay to invest in a sturdy wet and dry workshop vacuum. In addition to dealing with daily dust, these are designed to swallow sweet wrappers, mud and chunks of discarded toddler snacks without clogging. They have bigger dirt tanks than the average domestic cleaner and will be able to go for longer without needing to be emptied. And they usually have more power too. Outside of the car they…

DRINK-drive limits in England and Wales are set to become stricter, meaning drivers will have to consume less alcohol before getting behind the wheel. The move is part of a Government effort to reduce road fatalities. The latest figures showed that there were 6,310 casualties in 2023 as a result of drink-driving, with 260 people being killed. While these numbers represent a slight drop over the previous year, figures have remained relatively consistent since 2010, apart from during Covid in 2020. The proposed changes have been welcomed with open arms by road safety charities and motoring associations alike. IAM RoadSmart’s director of policy and standards, Nicholas Lyes, called the upcoming road safety strategy a “step in the right direction,” adding: “We support reducing the drink drive limit.” However, the RAC’s…

THERE’S more misery for Citroen owners after the French brand extended its ‘code red’ recall programme to cover an additional 10,000 models, despite reports that the firm is already struggling to cope with the current influx of vehicles to be repaired. In June, Citroen’s parent company Stellantis issued a ‘stop drive order’ – meaning that owners were instructed not to use their cars – for almost 100,000 models built between 2009 and 2019 after fears their airbags could potentially be lethal if detonated. The original recall concerned roughly 120,000 vehicles across the UK, particularly examples of the Citroen C3 and DS 3. It has now been extended to the Citroen C4 (2010-2011), DS 4 (2010-2011), and DS 5 (2010-2013) – the equivalent of an additional 9,968 cars. In a statement,…

YOU only need to drive on UK roads for a few minutes to realise how big a success the Model Y has been since it arrived here in 2022, because you’ll likely see one. Even before the Tesla’s recent facelift, it was the fifth best-selling car here, so clearly there’s a lot riding on this update. Starting brightly, the range-topping Launch Edition Model Y beat the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Audi Q4 e-tron earlier this year in our electric family car triple test, thanks to an outstanding mix of performance and efficiency. That £61k Launch Edition has since been removed, with the £51,990 Long Range All-Wheel Drive taking that flagship role (until the Performance variant returns, at least). Sitting beneath it is the £48,990 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive and kicking…

THE commercial 4x4 sector has typically been a bit of a niche market in the UK, but it’s now becoming surprisingly busy. The Suzuki Jimny Commercial is the entry point to the sector, and cars such as Land Rover’s Defender Hard Top and Discovery Commercial, plus the Ineos Grenadier Commercial, offer a bit more versatility. But now there’s another option to choose from in the shape of the Toyota Land Cruiser Commercial. With prices starting from around £50,000 ex.VAT, it’s a close match for its Land Rover and Ineos rivals. The Commercial model is built in Japan on the same line as the SUV, before being fitted out here in the UK with the equipment to turn it into a commercial vehicle, comprising a flat floor section, steel mesh bulkhead…

IT’S been a little over 30 years since BMW bought the MINI brand, and it’s fair to say that over the three decades since, the transformation from one-model icon to a diverse range of retro-inspired hatchbacks, convertibles and SUVs has been a success. While previously the John Cooper Works moniker was reserved for the most extreme limited-run editions of the MINI hatch, it now denotes the hottest model within any given range; it can be found on the Countryman, the Convertible, the Aceman and the MINI hatchback. In the case of the hatch, it’s offered with a petrol engine, or as we’re testing here, a fully electric powertrain. There’s no mistaking the John Cooper Works from the outside, because it’s set apart from lesser Coopers thanks to its deeper front…

VOLVO EC40 AFTER eight months it’s almost time to wave goodbye to our electric crossover, but I couldn’t resist one last 500-mile holiday road trip with my wife and grandchildren to sign off. The EC40 aced it. Its sat-nav found quicker, more effective back-road routes both to and from our destination. The boot coped with three cases, a travel cot, buggy and bedding plus the children’s toys, despite the sloping roofline. We drove quickly in smooth comfort using the climate control, and yet the efficiency figure crept ever-upwards. Indeed, at no point on the trip did I feel range anxiety. We had enough range to do our four-hour return leg in one hit, but needed to stop and feed the children, so I plugged into a rapid charger and by…

Price: £53.99 Rating: Contact: ringautomotive.com CHECKING and adjusting our tyre pressures at least every month is a habit we should all get in to, especially as the seasons change or if we’re planning a long journey in a fully laden vehicle. Instead of paying £1 (or more) for air at the local petrol station, it’s far more convenient to have your own tyre pump, especially one powered by electricity rather than your foot. Ring’s new Ultrainflate range appears to have an excellent list of features, especially the top-of-the-range 30 model we’re testing here. Pull it out of the neat zip-up storage case and you’ll find it has a large digital display and a programmable auto-stop function, meaning it will cut out when your desired tyre pressure is reached. It’s designed to…

OVER recent years SUVs have become the main choice for family car buyers. Everyone is being drawn to the familiar formula of raised ride height, boxy body and an underwhelming driving experience. I can see SUVs’ appeal but I’m convinced there’s a better way for a lot of people. A new Kia Sportage or Nissan Qashqai will set you back over £30,000 in entry-level form. It’s a solid car, but personally, I’d rather buy a three-year-old executive car. It is a bit compromised, but it more than makes up for that with presence, style and driving enjoyment. As a new car, it would have cost well over £50,000 but depreciation is your friend. It’s now possible to pick up a used example for much less than those new SUVs. Late…

WHEN Fiat brought back its funky fifties favourite, the 500, in 2007, it was a genius move. Whereas the original 500 was basic transport for the masses, the second coming was all about premium urban transport. Intended to be Fiat’s answer to the reborn and hugely popular MINI, which had arrived in 2001, the 500 proved to be a smash hit, to the point that it’s hard to see how Fiat could have survived without it. At one point it accounted for more than 80 per cent of the company’s sales, so it really was a life saver. When Fiat introduced the third-generation 500 in 2020, it was a pure-electric vehicle and while buyers haven’t taken to it nearly as enthusiastically as they did with previous editions of the 500,…

HEAVILY discounted cars in the showrooms. Winter and summer sales on electrical goods. Savings of a third or more when travelling on off-peak trains. Such things are no-brainer bargains, right? Er, maybe not. These, and other consumer products, are often excessively priced in the first place. Inevitably, they struggle to sell, so discounts have to kick in. The argument goes that technically, legally and psychologically, consumers enjoy great deals. But do they? Really? In most cases, isn’t it more a case of the pre-discount prices being greedily over the top, while the post-discount amounts are much fairer and more appropriate? I think so. In fact, I know so. Examples: I occasionally take a train from just outside Greater London to the centre of the capital. If I buy a ticket…

100 BEST CARS SPORTS CARS ● SMALL CARS ● PLUG-IN HYBRIDS SUVs ● LUXURY CARS ● HOT HATCHES ● FAMILY HATCHES EXECUTIVE CARS ● ESTATE CARS ● ELECTRIC CARS +BUYING ADVICE Top tips to help you get the best car at the best price DRIVEN On the road in new Dacia Bigster 4x4 Is four-wheel-drive edition of Duster’s big brother the pick of the range? TESTED Subaru Forester vs KGM Actyon Our test team name the winner in a clash of two rugged family SUVs…