Tabla de contenidos para 1492 en Auto Express

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram DACIA, the brand that currently sells the cheapest new car available in the UK, will apply its budget roots philosophy to fully electric vehicles in the future, Auto Express can reveal. The Romanian company will use its position as part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance to develop affordable EVs. The group, which was recently expanded with Renault taking a majority stake in Mitsubishi, will launch 12 new pure-electric vehicles by 2022. Speaking at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, Dacia’s European chairman Jean Christophe Kugler told Auto Express that his team will look at the technology available to Dacia, and make decisions based on customer demand. “We will remain shockingly affordable,” Kugler told us. “We won’t change our brand territory. We will benefit from the Alliance strength and the proven…

Aggressive look for new MG 6 four-door AN all-new MG 6 four-door saloon (above) has been revealed in China by MG’s parent company SAIC. Based on the Roewe i6, the secondgeneration MG 6 has an aggressive ‘star rider’ grille, LED headlamps, a leather interior with a nine-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth and a rear parking camera. No powertrain details or an arrival date for UK models have been issued, but the saloon should be here next year. Uber facing end of the road in London RIDE-hailing firm Uber could lose the right to operate in the capital because it will not be issued with a new private hire operator licence, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed. In a statement, TfL said that Uber is not “fit and proper” to hold a private…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram LEXUS will move straight from hybrids to fuel-cell cars and full EVs over the next few years, according to Europe boss Alain Uyttenhoven. The strategy will see Lexus first launch a hydrogen-powered luxury saloon based on the LF-FC concept in 2020, before moving towards smaller electric cars and SUVs (as previewed by the LF-SA concept, right) later down the line. Uyttenhoven told Auto Express at the Frankfurt Motor Show: “We do not need to have plug-in hybrid vehicles. It’s a loophole in the market. We will reach the [CO2] targets without them.” As legislation becomes more stringent, Lexus would need to progress beyond its range of hybrids, Uyttenhoven admitted. “Soon we will have to reach 75g/km,” he told us. “At that time pure hybrids will not be sufficient.…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Video watch AT youtube.com/Autoexpress this week, we have a report on the new Volvo XC40, plus our A-Z of tech continues with G. Video report on the all-new Volvo XC40 THE great SUV roll-out continues at Volvo with yet another model. As you’ve read on Page 8, the XC90 and XC60 have been joined by the XC40. Happily, the new baby off-roader isn’t just a scaled-down version of its larger brothers, but features a look all of its own. Key to the XC40 is the use of colour, trim and personalisation in a bid to rival the BMW X1. Watch our video for the full low-down. Our A-Z of car tech continues with G OUR exploration through the world of car tech continues with the letter ‘G’. Auto…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk CONCEIVED by Hyundai’s sparkling new N division, the i30N is one of the more intriguing hot hatchbacks of 2017. Mainly because we simply don’t know what to expect from it. The firm has precisely zero history when it comes to making genuine high-performance cars, so the question is: can it succeed straight out the box? The short answer is yes. In 2014 Hyundai hired Albert Biermann, who for 20 years had headed up BMW’s M Division. His brief was clear: to create a new high-performance sub-brand to spawn a range of fast, exciting cars. And it all starts with the i30N. Delivering the goods for an entirely new company, in a different part of the world, is a tough task. But Mr Biermann and his team have worked tirelessly…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram SINCE its launch in 2014, the Peugeot 308 has been one of those cars that sat firmly in the middle of the pack. It did most things well, but sporadic failings regarding ergonomics and infotainment let it down. In an attempt to rectify some of those flaws, Peugeot has given its family hatch a mid-life makeover. So is it enough to beat the best cars in a competitive class? Look closely and you’ll notice the 308’s new, more upright grille and Peugeot badge, as well as the reprofiled bonnet and bumpers. New headlights and integrated running lights also feature, plus revised tail-lamps. Despite fitting its vastly improved second-generation i-Cockpit in the latest 3008 SUV, Peugeot has kept the same analogue set-up as before in its revised hatch. Their…

Skoda Octavia Estate 1.6 TDI SE L PRICE: £23,825 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 113bhp SKODA is known for building great-value, spacious cars and the Octavia Estate is the perfect example. It’s good to drive, very practical and well equipped. A recent facelift has improved infotainment as well, with an eight-inch touchscreen. Peugeot 308 SW 1.6 BlueHDi Allure PRICE: £22,590 ENGINE: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 118bhp A NEW Peugeot 308 SW is on the way soon, with a subtle new exterior look and some tech upgrades, including the addition of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It’s as spacious and practical as before, so it should remain a great family choice.…

NEW PRODUCT Auto Curators car care products Price: From £12 Contact: 01256 769611, www.autocurators.com EVER wanted to care for your car like a pro with professional cleaners and treatments? Well, now you can, because leading detailer Auto Curators has created its own range of products that it uses on clients’ cars in its detailing studio. The products, which have been developed in the UK over 18 months, are also produced in Britain and focus on helping users minimise wastage because they are highly concentrated. The Body Cleanse Shampoo (£17 for 1,000ml) comes in a hand-pump dispenser pack. It requires only one measure per bucket, which makes it good for 100 washes. There’s also the innovative Hydro Repel drying aid (£19 for 1,000ml), which is sprayed on to bodywork and rinsed…

Performance bulb in special celebration GERMAN firm Osram is celebrating 10 years since it launched its Night Breaker performance bulb. The original promised a 90 per cent brighter beam than the brand’s standard bulb. In 2009 the Plus bulb offered a 35-metre longer beam and goldcovered connector pins. The Limited Edition Night Breaker added more gold, this time to the tip, in 2012. The Unlimited version in 2013 promised 110 per cent more light and the current Laser 130 per cent. Calculator removes tyre pressure worry WHEN driving any vehicle, you should have your tyres pumped up to the correct pressure, but it’s especially crucial when you’re aboard a 3.5-tonne motorhome. Tyresafe has launched a new calculator to help owners work out the correct tyre pressures for their motorhome. Simply…

Cars in Cuba Kim Buddee (New Holland, newhollandpublishers.com) Price: £22.89 Rating: CUBA’S car culture is a mystery to those of us used to concours displays and polished classics. The photography in this book does a fine job of capturing the island’s motoring legends, and lets the cars do the talking without too much intervention. Gripes include distracting grammatical errors and colours that make the text difficult to read. But don’t let that put you off too much. The Volvo Estate Car Ashley Hollebone (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £19.99 Rating: ONE of Britain’s best-loved model lines has been immortalised in print. The Volvo estate is as much a part of the British landscape as the antique dealers who keep buying them, and this is an interesting, informal look through the cars’…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Too much for Jeep service MY Jeep Cherokee has been for its second service. It’s only done 11,000 miles, which is far below the 25,000-mile interval for the check-up, but I’ve been charged £584 by the garage for parts. Can I complain about this? Lynnette Clark, E-mail A THE Cherokee’s second service must be carried out at either 24 months old or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first. However, the rates do seem excessive for the low mileage, so ask for a breakdown of the parts used and an explanation to justify their need. Q Can I reject faulty MINI? I PURCHASED a second-hand MINI Cooper S; then three days later, a brake warning light came on. The garage I bought it from took it in for repairs,…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk FORMULA E will hold the first motor race in Switzerland for 63 years next June, with an event around the streets of Zurich in the north of the country. Motor racing was banned by the Swiss government in the wake of the 1955 Le Mans disaster, which saw French driver Pierre Levegh and 83 spectators killed. That left a meeting at the Bremgarten circuit in 1954 as the most recent race to be held in Switzerland. While hillclimbs and time-trials are allowed, the prohibition on circuit racing remains to this day. However, a modification to the relevant legislation in 2015 created an exemption for electric vehicles, allowing the Zurich street race to go ahead on 10 June. Commenting on the announcement, FIA president Jean Todt said: “I am very…

I WISH I’d kept every issue of Auto Express since day one. Had I done so, I’d have a copy of the ‘Samsung is coming’ headline and story I wrote shortly after we launched in 1988. In the three decades since, Samsung has become South Korea’s largest and most profitable company. Very deliberately it’s merely dabbled in the car game so far – mainly, but not entirely, via its downplayed fringe business, Renault Samsung Motors. But I’ve always suspected that when (not if!) the giant launches itself fully on the global automotive stage, it’s far too large, wealthy, clever and proud to do so in conjunction with a traditional car maker. On its own, Samsung was about as profitable last year as Ford, Renault, Hyundai and the VW Group combined…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy ▪ First 40 series Volvo to share parts developed with Geely ▪ Petrol and diesel power, but electrified cars could follow VOLVO has a strong reputation for large SUVs, with its XC90 and the recently launched XC60. But now the firm is targeting the likes of the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque with the all-new XC40. The XC40 is the first ‘40’ series model to be based on parts jointly developed by Volvo and its Chinese owner, Geely. It’s 4,425mm long and 1,863mm wide – so shorter and narrower than the XC60. It’s tall, though; the roofline is just a few millimetres shy of its bigger brother’s, in fact. Volvo says this is because customer research has indicated that buyers want something that is unmistakably…

RUMOURS of a potential Performante version of the Lamborghini Aventador have been given more fuel with new spy shots of a subtly revealing test mule of the brand’s flagship supercar. From the front, the Aventador looks largely identical to the standard model, but it’s at the back where things get a bit more interesting. The prototype boasts a rear exhaust disguise that bears a strong resemblance to early prototypes of the Huracán Performante. Other revisions to a forthcoming Aventador Performante would largely focus on stripping any unnecessary weight; that would mean extensive use of carbon fibre, as well as a more basic interior. In its current most powerful state of tune the Aventador’s 6.5-litre V12 develops 729bhp, but a new intake manifold and exhaust system, like that fitted to the…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths PEOPLE who smoke in their cars run the risk of losing thousands of pounds when they come to sell or trade in, research has revealed. A survey run by our sister website, Carbuyer.co.uk, asked consumers if they would buy a used car that had been smoked in. Out of the 6,000 people who responded, 87 per cent said they wouldn’t. “Of the 6,000 people we polled, 87 per cent told us they wouldn’t buy a used car that had been smoked in” Those findings are echoed by automotive data specialist cap hpi, whose Black Book editor, James Dower, told us dealers don’t like smokers’ cars, either, adding: “The first thing a car dealer will do when looking at a car being sold by a smoker is knock down…

Managing director at www.petrolprices.com THE devastating effect of Hurricane Harvey on the US oil production and refining industry was one of the main reasons why UK fuel prices increased in August. The cost rose by three pence per litre at the start of the month, and is set to keep rising. Experts were quick to point out that the effect isn’t as severe as that of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Katrina added five pence per litre to the price of fuel within a few days, although prices did drop again a few days later. While Katrina destroyed the infrastructure used to create the fuel, Harvey only caused systems to shut down temporarily. Prices were already on the rise, however, due to a general increase in the cost of crude oil,…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy CITROEN has a solid history of producing small, practical cars; its outgoing C3 Picasso was a popular choice for those wanting a bit more space than your average supermini. Demand for baby MPVs has been almost entirely wiped out by small SUVs, though – so here, instead of a new Picasso, is the new C3 Aircross. The Aircross is available to order, but first deliveries to customers won’t be until the start of November. UK buyers are offered three trim levels, although only a few are expected to choose entry Touch spec. Move up to Feel and you get 16-inch alloy wheels, a seven-inch touchscreen, a leather steering wheel and aluminium-effect trim on the bumpers to make your Aircross look a bit more rugged. The top spec is…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk WE like the Aston Martin DB11. Who wouldn’t? Yet when we first drove the V12 last year (Issue 1,441) it fell half a notch short of perfection. We couldn’t help but feel cabin quality wasn’t quite up to snuff for a luxurious £160,000 GT car. Welcome, then, to the new, much improved V8-engined DB11. It costs £144,900 and comes with the same thundering 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that also powers most modern Mercedes-AMG models. Here it’s been fettled to make it feel less AMG and more Aston Martin. The V8 model gets a raft of styling changes inside, all of which are designed to improve the overall quality. Most of these do precisely that, even if the black air vents look similar to those in a £20k Mercedes A-Class. The…

HYUNDAI i30 TOURER score 3.8 Touchscreen sat-nav Standard Key features: Phone link-up, wireless charging HYUNDAI’S eight-inch touchscreen system is standard on SE Nav models and above, so our Premium test car has it fitted. It’s a good-looking display, with bright, clear graphics and a reasonably responsive interface. A few buttons are fitted around the edge of the screen that make navigating a bit easier, and the display itself is big enough and easy to see while on the move. The sat-nav is also bright and easy to use, with contrasting colours to help boost clarity. Standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus wireless charging, are the really key features here. The large touchscreen works well with the phone interfaces, and there’s plenty of space to store your smartphone while it’s…

Stuart_Milne@dennis.co.uk @stuartjmilne IF Kia were planning a commercial for the Niro, it could do a lot worse than replicate a Volkswagen Golf advert from the eighties. The one where a mechanic cures the Golf’s only rattle with a drop of oil on the sleeping passenger’s earring. That’s because at a cruise, the Niro is remarkably quiet. It feels as though you could drive it through a library, and no one would be disturbed. It really is a remarkably relaxing car to drive over a long distance. But more importantly, it seems as though Kia has launched the right model at the right time. With the hybrid Niro, it has a car that easily stands up to scrutiny from buyers switching from their diesels. In this ‘2’ trim, shod with 16-inch…

products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Sealing dusty garage floor I’VE finally moved to a house with a garage, but the floor is dusty concrete and not suitable for working on cars. What’s the best way of sealing it so I can avoid getting filthy? Francis Pleasance, E-mail A THERE is a wide range of specialist paints designed to seal and protect garage and workshop floors. Otherwise, you could try covering it in tiles, which will also mask minor imperfections. We’ve had good results with the vinyl floor tiles from Big Dug (above, 0800 088630, www.bigdug.co.uk). Q Should seatbelt scrub up? THE light brown rear seatbelt in my car is now stained where my young daughter has spilt food. I want to remove the marks, but I’ve been told I should not clean…

NEWCOMER Mothers Speed Clay 2.0 Price: £19.99 Rating: Contact: 01924 469920, www.motherscarcare.co.uk ACCORDING to Mothers, you can clay as you wax or wash – but there’s more to the process than that. Wax mode is no different to using a conventional clay bar with a detailer spray as a lube. For washing, the car must be clean, rinsed, kept wet and the clay dunked in the shampoo bucket. Water alone is not a sufficient lubricant. Speed Clay works well both ways, and is fast and efficient. The larger working area allows rapid progress, but the bar isn’t so good in tight spots or on rims. It moves easily, if a bit too smoothly; you don’t feel the release when the surface is clean. It’s good for 20 cars, Mothers says…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ANOTHER piece in Mercedes’ SUV puzzle is slowly falling into place: the next-generation GLE. The new BMW X5 rival has been caught on camera by our spy photographers, and our exclusive images preview how it could look. It’s set to arrive in 2018 with a possible debut at next year’s LA Motor Show. The GLE will be an important model for Mercedes; the brand shifted 712,100 SUVs in total last year, with the ageing current car playing an important role. Over the next two years it’ll be joined by a new GLA, rugged GLB, a fresh GLS, an SUV entry under the Maybach brand and even a new G-Class. “It’s anticipated the GLE will use a new scalable platform and feature a range of fresh engines” The existing…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy SKODA is lining up a high-performance version of its latest small SUV, the Karoq – and it could use an electrified powertrain to give it the potential to match SEAT’s forthcoming Ateca Cupra. The Karoq is an indirect, slightly larger replacement for the Yeti – a car that was never offered as a vRS. But speaking at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, the Czech brand’s research and development boss Christian Strube revealed that he is already pushing for a high-performance variant of the new arrival, previewed in our exclusive images. When asked if there was potential for a Karoq vRS, he replied: “Yes, of course. I’m fighting for it. Just as I was fighting for the Kodiaq vRS. Sometimes I’m successful, and sometimes I’m not. But yes, we…

GET caught by a speed camera and you have an 8.4 per cent chance of overturning the fine, according to research conducted by Auto Express last year (Issue 1,421). That represents a small number of cases, such as when the motorist no longer owns the car, wasn’t driving it or when the camera was faulty. But in most instances, the fines were clearly justified. Compare this with the success rate for appealing fines from private parking firms, and something doesn’t quite add up. According to a study by the RAC, 60 per cent of drivers handed bills by private parking companies have successfully overturned the charges. The self-policing practices under which such organisations currently operate have clearly got out of hand if so many fines are so easily waived when…

Contact Lawrence Allan subscriptions@autoexpress.co.uk @autoexpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC Volkswagen Arteon FROM: HTG AM I reading that price correctly? At £35,000, there are much more desirable rear-wheel-drive cars out there. No matter what Volkswagen says, it’s a Passat wearing a designer frock. If I really wanted a large VW, why would I spend an extra £5k on this model? FROM: McF1 SO it gets more gadgets but feels smaller than a Passat. This is what happens when form takes over from function. But I have no issue with the Arteon being less practical, since it looks fantastic on the outside. It has to be the most striking saloon on the market. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ▪ “I saw…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram KIA reckons the small SUV market will double in size by 2020 – accounting for as many as 2.2 million units each year in Europe alone. The Rio-based Stonic is the model bosses hope will steal a big share, joining the hybrid Niro, mid-size Sportage and larger Sorento in the brand’s line-up. The Stonic is more of a ‘Rio Cross’ than a standalone model. Its similar headlights flank a small tiger nose grille, while the foglamps have been tweaked for the taller bumpers. From the A-pillar back the Stonic is quite a different car, however. It boasts a set of sharp roof rails and a ‘targa-style’ body-coloured C-pillar, while full-LED lights and silver scuff plates complete the look at the back. Design is the main driver for small…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods THE Qashqai has been Nissan’s bread-winner in the SUV sector since it launched in 2009, but the X-Trail has also proven an undisputed success for the brand. Last year, more than 19,000 units were sold in the UK, with an astounding 760,000 models finding homes globally. The current third-generation car has been around since 2013. Four years later, Nissan has freshened it up with a facelift. We put it through its paces on European roads in Issue 1,484, but this is our first chance to try the updated Skoda Kodiaq rival in the UK. Nissan reckons buyers will continue to shun lower-spec models in favour of plusher versions. Cars like ours in flagship Tekna trim are expected to account for 47 per cent of UK sales, with mid-grade…

Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan THERE was lots of hype surrounding the launch of Alfa Romeo’s new Giulia saloon. But the success of its latest model, the Stelvio SUV, is far more crucial. After all, it’s expected to account for nearly two-thirds of Alfa sales in the UK next year, and these projections are similar around the world. To be a hit, this can’t be another Alfa that tugs at the heartstrings without delivering on a rational basis. And with the premium SUV market more crowded than ever, Alfa has a challenge on its hands to topple the best European SUVs currently on sale. We’ve now driven a UK-spec car in launch edition Milano spec to see whether there’s substance behind the svelteness. “The Stelvio is one of the prettiest SUVs around” The…

‘QUICKER and easier’ is the bold claim of many of today’s car care products, and the latest offering for the keen DIY automotive valeter who is short of time is Speed Clay 2.0. Produced by established specialist Mothers, it follows the path beaten by the very clay mitts and cloths it aims to replace, and it is claimed to work more quickly than a traditional clay bar in removing invisible contaminants. The US manufacturer uses a rubber polymer with a soft foam backing that is mounted on a firm, palm-sized grip. So how does Mothers Speed Clay 2.0 compare with a conventional bar? We tried it against our reigning test champ, Bilt Hamber auto-clay regular. To measure how effective each was, we tackled a bonnet and roof panel with limited…

52nd PLACE 2017 Results Jaguar XF Mk2 Factfile Years: 2015 to present CO2: 109g/km Fuel economy: 67mpg (2.0d auto) Best options: Climate control, heated seats and steering, 10-inch display, panoramic roof and sat-nav Prices: From £23,280 88.82% OVERALL SCORE Bars show where model finished out of 75 cars in our 2017 survey. The longer the bar the better GOOD “INTERIOR ambience in my car is second to none.” “I love having the option of paddles in sport mode.” “Passengers love the comfort and the amount of space in the back.” “No backache or soreness after a 300-mile journey.” “The diesel engines come with plenty of torque and power. I find them good on fuel, too.” “Ride quality is just superb and the XF handles so well.” “There’s enough space to…