Auto Express 1659

IT’S fair to say that 2020 taught us not to make any predictions, but I’m hoping that the next 12 months will add a good deal more excitement than we’ve had of late – the sort of excitement that a good hot hatchback can bring. We Brits love a hot hatch; I certainly do, with a few under my belt (and one in the bushes!) over the years. It’s something the car industry is well aware of, with new Skoda boss Thomas Schäfer asking me recently, “What is it with you Brits and hot hatches?”. We were talking about the latest in a long line of vRS Skodas and the potential for more – and it’s seen as an essential part of that brand’s line-up in the UK. As ever,…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler • Hot EVs will have “more than enough” performance • Cars will get handling upgrades plus aggressive looks VAUXHALL has confirmed that its famous VXR badge will be back on hot models by 2022, if not before. There hasn’t been a new model from the British firm’s performance arm since 2015, but a bold new product plan has been signed off, and electric power is at its core. Speaking exclusively to Auto Express, Vauxhall managing director Stephen Norman said: “We will introduce a VXR Mokka early in 2022, and it will be with an electric engine.” Auto Express understands that the iconic badge won’t be limited to the new Mokka, with VXR versions of the new Corsa, next-generation Astra and even the new Vivaro van expected. However, as…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods • New large SUV on the way • Plug-in and M models possible BMW will add another member to its SUV line-up next year with the arrival of the X8, a more style-driven counterpart to the full-size X7. As with that model, it will challenge cars such as the Mercedes GLS, Audi Q8 and Range Rover. BMW has owned the X8 trademark for a number of years, and the car’s launch will see the company’s range of X-badged SUVs expand to 10 models in total. Under the skin, the X8 shares its running gear with the X7. In common with other even-numbered BMW SUVs, such as the X4 and X6, the flagship X8 will be a coupéinspired model, but aimed primarily at markets such as China and the…

• Winners look ahead • Car industry ‘must focus on online’ THE past 12 months have seen unprecedented shifts in human behaviour, with enormous disruption in everything from the airline industry to public transport and working life. The car industry hasn’t escaped the turmoil of Covid-19, with factory and dealership closures coming at the same time as increased demand for electric vehicles and different buying patterns from customers, many of whom no longer feel the need to visit the showroom before signing up for a new car. How has the industry reacted to these shifts? And will the trends continue as we move into 2021? Here, we put those questions to four members of our Brit List Hall of Fame – all experienced executives rated at the top of our…

SKODA is ready to double up its Enyaq iV electric SUV line-up with a new coupé variant, which will hit the roads in 2022. Now our spy photographers have caught a late-stage prototype in testing wearing minimal camouflage. When the new Enyaq iV coupé arrives, it will offer cut-price competition for the Jaguar I-Pace and will be a direct rival for the forthcoming Nissan Ariya. Using the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform for electric cars, its specifications should match that of the Enyaq SUV. A 62kWh battery should be standard fit alongside a 177bhp electric motor, good for a range of 260 miles on a single charge. A higher-spec 82kWh car with a 201bhp rear-mounted electric motor could also be offered, with a range eclipsing 316 miles. However, as a sportier-looking…

A NEW safety-rating system for vans from Euro NCAP has found an “alarming” lack of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) fitted to commercial vehicles by manufacturers. NCAP tested the fitment and performance of ADAS systems on 19 vans that make up 98 per cent of the UK market. Only three – the VW Transporter, Ford Transit (right) and Mercedes Vito – were given a ‘Gold’ rating. Five achieved ‘Silver’ and six got ‘Bronze’, but a further five – the Renault Trafic and platformsharing Fiat Talento, plus the Renault Master and sister models the Vauxhall Movano and Nissan NV400 – were deemed ‘Not Recommended’ by NCAP due to a lack of safety kit. Renault said its vans “are compliant with all market regulations”.…