Table of contents for 1577 in Auto Express

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● More practical new 1 Series officially revealed ● On sale now, with first deliveries in September THIS is the all-new BMW 1 Series, a thoroughly re-engineered version of the German manufacturer’s entry-level model. It’s on sale now priced from £24,430, with first customer deliveries due in September. For its third generation, the 1 Series has undergone its most dramatic transformation since the car was launched in 2004. Based on customer feedback, BMW has focused on increasing practicality, so the hatch is now larger than before, while the brand’s compact car line-up will see the three-door 2 Series Coupé morph into a five-door Gran Coupé. To achieve those gains in practicality, the 1 Series has switched to BMW’s front-wheel-drive architecture, which also underpins the MINI range. But to…

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson ● Revised looks inside and out ● Range of new engines added SKODA has given its Superb range a thorough mid-life update. Alongside a subtle redesign for its family car, the Czech brand has added two new variants to the line-up: a plug-in hybrid as well as an off-road-inspired Scout edition. Styling updates for the standard Superb model are mild, but include new LED Matrix headlights and a restyled radiator grille and front bumper. Tweaked rear lamps and new chrome bootlid trim also feature, along with a retrimmed interior, which adopts the VW Group’s latest digital instrument cluster and infotainment system. The biggest change for the 2019 Superb is the arrival of a plug-in hybrid edition – the first Skoda to feature such technology. This new model, called…

Flagship M50i model to join BMW X5 range THIS is the BMW X5 M50i, a new range-topping model for the SUV line-up. This M Performance model (above) uses a 523bhp 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 that develops 750Nm of torque. It comes as standard with xDrive all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic box. It’ll be joined by a full-fat X5 M next year. BMW has also given the M50i a firmer suspension and damper set-up to improve the car’s agility, while 20-inch alloy wheels come as standard. Subtle styling tweaks include pronounced sills and redesigned bumpers. Lower sales and Brexit push JLR to record loss JAGUAR Land Rover posted record losses of £3.6billion for the last financial year against revenue of £24.2billion, the company has announced. A huge proportion of the loss…

tristan_shale-hester@dennis.co.uk @tristan_shale “Company lostan appeal for VAT charge on overpayments, arguing they did not constitute services” THE UK’s largest private car park operator, NCP, made millions of pounds over three-and-a-half years from drivers who did not have the right change for parking in one of its 600 or so car parks, it has emerged. The news comes after the company lost an appeal at the High Court for a VAT charge of £488,669 on overpayments made from June 2009 to December 2012. NCP argued it should not have had to pay the VAT bill because the overpayments did not constitute “services”, and should not have attracted VAT. But the judges disagreed, ruling that the total sum paid by customers – including overpayments – constituted fees paid for parking services. With…

tristan_shale-hester@dennis.co.uk @tristan_shale WHETHER you’re a fan of Stravinsky or Stormzy, Bach or Buddy Holly, around two thirds of us listen to music when we’re behind the wheel. Reasons for listening to music when on the road vary from motorist to motorist, but surveys typically find drivers report that music relaxes us and helps us concentrate, while also distracting us from the tedium of the traffic jam, or the monotony of a long motorway journey. Yet while music may take our minds away from the slog of the daily grind, is it distracting in other ways? Much of the recent focus on behind-the-wheel distractions has been on mobile phones and technology, with drivers caught using a handheld mobile facing six points and a £200 fine, while the chief executive of Highways…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.1 seconds/155mph Running costs 35.3mpg (official) £84 fill-up AUDI’s evergreen S models are a varied bunch. Bookended by the athletic S3 and muscular SQ7 TDI, these sporty cars come in all shapes and sizes. Yet despite the industry turning its back on diesel, Audi thinks the fuel can still play a part in, of all places, performance cars. So, its new S6 and S7 models have ditched their high-revving V8 petrol engines in favour of an electrically assisted six-cylinder TDI. It’s a compelling proposition, and one that will surely still appeal to plenty of buyers. The stats make for interesting reading: 344bhp, 700Nm of torque, quattro all-wheel drive and 600 miles between fillups. In Avant guise, you also benefit from the standard car’s generous 565-litre…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor IT’S fair to say the BMW 7 Series has lived in the shadow of the Mercedes S-Class for a long time, forever missing the last degree of polish that makes its mighty rival from Stuttgart so special. But BMW is having another crack at the S-Class. The 7 now has a whole new look, a more luxurious cabin and some fresh engines, including the plug-in hybrid we’re driving. The standout exterior feature is the new front grille, which is 40 per cent larger than before, and unashamedly brash as a result. Inside, BMW has added the latest version of its iDrive infotainment set-up, with gesture control, and a new screen for the dials. Yet it’s pretty much business as usual, with top-quality materials, but a fairly generic design.…

MODEL TESTED: Audi R8 V10 quattro S tronic PRICE: £128,295 ENGINE: 5.2-litre V10, 562bhp WHILE the updated R8 is more expensive than the 911, matching them up on kit brings things closer. Besides, at this end of the market, performance and ability are more relevant than price, so we’re testing the standard R8 V10 Coupé, at £128,295. Design & engineering THE R8 does things differently to the 911. The 5.2-litre V10 offers more power, at 562bhp alongside 560Nm of torque. There are no turbos, either; the unit is an engineering masterpiece that sounds glorious. It’s almost worth the price alone. This is one of few non-turbo sports or supercars left, too, so no matter how it stacks up next to the Porsche, it should be savoured; the replacement for the…

MODEL TESTED: BMW 330i M Sport Sport-auto PRICE: £39,165 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 254bhp THE BMW 3 Series arrives here fresh from a win against key rivals in 320d diesel form (Issue 1,559), but we’re looking at the 330i petrol here. Previous models with this badge have had six-cylinder motors, but now it’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit. It costs from £39,165 in M Sport trim. Design & engineering THIS latest G20 3 Series sits on an all-new platform: BMW’s CLAR architecture, which is also used for the brand’s larger models, such as the excellent 5 Series. The 330i has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, with 254bhp, so it’s closely matched to the S60 T5 on paper. However, power is sent to the rear wheels (the S60 is front-wheel drive only) through…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Getting rid of marks on glass I WASHED my car on a sunny day, and I think the bodywork must have been too hot because there were marks on the paint. I removed these with a waterless wash, but a film is still on the screen, despite using a glass cleaner. What should I do? Logan Green, E-mail A YOUR problems are almost certainly caused by working in too high a temperature. Many car cleaners need to be used out of the sun. If glass cleaner is not shifting the film, try a glass polish that contains a mild abrasive to shift-bonded-on deposits. If applying it by hand does not work, try a machine polisher. Q Is airbag light an MoT failure? THE airbag…

AUTOGLYM has always gone its own way when it comes to drying cars, with a synthetic chamois and an unfashionably minimalist microfibre towel. But now it has a new weapon: the InstaDry. While many rivals offer monster microfibre cloths that have huge thirsts for water but are hard to handle when soaked, Autoglym has teamed up with Vileda to make a coated microfibre cloth. It’s claimed to give “a streak-free finish”, but does it work? We tried it against Kent’s multiple test-winning Extra Large Drying Towel. Water absorption was assessed, and we used them on a soaked bonnet and factored in their cost. The Kent keeps its crown but it was close. Although the Instadry works a bit better, it’s not enough to overcome the price difference. “Autoglym has always…

Motoring’s most outspoken and opinionated columnist sounds off “It hurts me to say this, but 2018 was the year the UK auto industry went backwards in far too many important departments” UP-to-the-minute UK auto industry stats I’ve just nicked show colossal changes in 2018 over 2017. True, Jaguar Land Rover retained its position as our largest vehicle manufacturer. Equally good news was that, across the UK automotive scene, job numbers stayed the same (at 856,000), with at least 10 per cent of employees hailing from Europe (the same as in 2017). The icing on the cake was that our vehicle industry continued to turn over precisely £82billion. But that’s where the positive consistencies end and the mostly negative changes kick in. It hurts me to say this, but 2018 was…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● Mk6 Corsa is first electric Vauxhall developed since PSA takeover ● Corsa-e on sale next April, following petrol and diesel versions “When PSA bought Vauxhall, engineers had to develop the Corsa from scratch in three years – half the usual time” WHEN a new Vauxhall Corsa comes around, it’s big news and no iteration of the supermini over its 25-year lifespan has been more important or crucial to the Luton-based firm than this one. The all-new sixth-generation Corsa has been re-engineered from top to bottom and is the first Vauxhall ever to be made available as a pure-electric model. It’s badged as the Corsa-e and will arrive in showrooms in April next year, several months after the conventional petrol and diesel versions of the supermini. Taking into…

Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ ● First ride in latest fast Ford ● Most potent Focus ST yet GIVEN the illustrious history of fast Fords, the brand has a big challenge on its hands with the new Focus ST. Since the last-generation car was launched in 2012, the class has moved on dramatically, with fast family machines such as the Honda Civic Type R and Hyundai i30 N offering an incredible level of tech for the money. Ford hasn’t approached this challenge lightly, and has thrown everything at the hot Focus. And now we’ve been given an overview – and passenger ride – alongside the man behind its development, Ford Performance Europe director Leo Roeks. There’s an electronic limited-slip diff (eLSD), adaptive dampers, sticky dual-compound tyres, anti-lag for the turbo engine, launch control…

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor First drive review of new Toyota Supra THE Supra name is legendary among Japanese high-performance fans, but the car hasn’t been on sale since 2002. Now it’s back thanks to a tie-up with BMW, which has created a new Z4 roadster for the German firm, and the Supra coupé for Toyota. Is it really a return to form? Sean Carson finds out. We count down the best hot hatchbacks THE appeal of hot hatchbacks keeps on giving. For makers, they can add spice to a range of otherwise dull cars. Hot hatches have always been fast, practical and affordable for buyers, and the latest crop delivers that and more. But which ones are the best? Log on now to watch our countdown. You can watch any of our…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress Write to: Watchdog/Letters, Auto Express, Dennis Publishing Ltd, 31-32 Alfred Place, London WC1E 7DP HOT TOPIC New Discovery Sport FROM: Chris Greening THE textbook definition of a successful facelift. Land Rover has stayed true to the original’s style, yet done enough to the exterior to leave no doubt that this is a new car. But given how posh the cabin is, could this be badged a Range Rover? FROM: Matt Wisden WHEN every other manufacturer builds a coupé-SUV, a supermini-based crossover, or an SUV designed to offer great handling, it’s pleasing Land Rover still makes proper off-roaders that prioritise relaxation, practicality and luxurious interiors. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “I wish Land Rover had left the rear lights the same as they were and kept the rotary…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE original Porsche Cayenne set a high handling benchmark in the luxury SUV class when it was launched almost two decades ago. It has cemented its place ever since, with the latest version retaining dynamic honours when it arrived in 2017. But while rivals have reaped the rewards of diversification, it took Porsche longer to expand its range. Better late than never, the manufacturer stunned crowds at this year’s Shanghai show with the Cayenne Coupé. The name is self-explanatory, and plays on a theme BMW has owned since the X6 went on sale back in 2008. From nose to B-pillar the sleekly styled Porsche is pure Cayenne – albeit with a flatter windscreen. But from the driver’s door, it takes on an altogether more aggressive stance. Much like…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram IF you don’t need the space and practicality offered by the latest S6 (left) then fear not, Audi has your back. With the same V6 mild-hybrid diesel, this S7 does everything its sibling does, with an added dose of Sportback style. Boasting an identical 344bhp and 700Nm, the S7 is no faster than the S6. Despite is sleeker body and coupé looks, it isn’t any sharper, either. In fact, the two cars feel very similar to drive. That’s no bad thing, of course. Like the estate, the S7 Sportback delivers a huge slug of torque from 2,500rpm – easily forging past slow-moving traffic. It’s quiet, too, with the slippery shape, and our car’s optional double-glazed side windows, keeping wind noise to a minimum. Like the S6, our test…

Porsche 911 PCM Standard Key features: Nav, three screens THE 10.9-inch screen works in a similar way to the tech in Porsche’s Panamera luxury car and Cayenne SUV. Most of the functions are controlled using this set-up, which is bright, sharp and responsive. It’s a little fiddly to use on the move, but then, the R8’s system isn’t perfect, either, as we’ll see. It does at least mean the centre console is much less cluttered, while the cabin feels more modern. That’s also due to the twin screens in front of the driver, which give additional information, including speed, the nav map and other details. There’s a decent degree of configurability to the set-up, while CarPlay is standard as well. Although the Audi still gets more standard kit, the Porsche…

Volvo S60 Sensus navigation Standard Key features: Sat-nav, portrait screen VOLVO’S nine-inch portrait touchscreen is standard on the S60, but while it works brilliantly when you’re sitting still, it’s more of a challenge to use on the move. It looks great and is intuitive, with sharp graphics and an elegant interface that uses swipe and tap commands (like on a smartphone or tablet). Plus the graphics are acceptable and it feels modern. However, trying to change the fan speed or temperature while you’re on the move requires you to look away from the road for longer; that’s not a problem in the BMW. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity are standard, but they are displayed in a small box on the screen rather than the whole display. Still, at least…

Pete_Gibson@dennis.co.uk THERE has been a running theme over the past six months of my Audi A6 Avant ownership while it’s been on our fleet – both in the reports that featured in the magazine and online, as well as whenever I talked about the car with colleagues or friends. Regular readers will probably know what I’m talking about, but for the uninitiated: I reckon the Audi A6 Avant is the best photographer-mobile around. I have three basic needs with a car in order to do my job effectively. The first is space, because I have a lot of equipment to cart around with me every day. The A6 Avant was able to fit my camera bag, lights, tripods, step ladder, car cleaning kit and (if necessary) an overnight bag as…

Audi A6 Avant Iss 1,555, 1,558, 1,566, 1,571 BMW 3 Series Issue 1,576 Cupra Ateca Issues 1,564, 1,573 Dacia Duster Iss 1,561, 1,564, 1,572, 1,575 Honda CR-V Hybrid Issue 1,576 Hyundai Santa Fe Issue 1,575 Kia e-Niro Issue 1,569 Kia Ceed Issue 1,567 Mazda MX-5 Issue 1,573 Mercedes G-Class Issues 1,565, 1,574 Mercedes X-Class Iss 1,547, 1,557, 1,563, 1,571 Nissan Leaf Issues 1,533, 1,551, 1,555, 1,560, 1,568 SEAT Tarraco Issue 1,574 Skoda Fabia Issue 1,572 Volkswagen California New arrival Volkswagen Touareg New arrival Your ultimate guide to buying and owning an electric car…

Formula 1 The Knowledge David Hayhoe (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £55 IMMENSELY interesting and very well researched, but it’s hard to imagine what you’d use this book for. It’s based around tables and charts, so it’s impossible to categorise the data, which makes it hard to find a specific item. Best only for hardcore F1 fans. The Road to Muckle Flugga Phil Llewellin (Haynes Publishing, www.haynes.com) Price: £9.99 THIS classic set of incredible road trips remains impressive. The late Phil Llewellin wrote this laid-back travelogue of his adventures across continents, including the northernmost point of the British Isles – giving the book its name. An ideal, timeless holiday read. Traffic Run! Available for: iOS, Android Price: Free WE like this racing/Frogger-style game’s chunky graphics and one-finger controls. You drive a…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Sponsored by Q Dealing with pitted alloys I FITTED a set of alloy rim guards to my car, and my wheels have developed pitting on their outside edges. The dealer won’t repair them under warranty. What can I do now? Richard Terry, E-mail A EVEN if the alloy rim guards are responsible for the damage to your wheels, as the dealer claims, proving this would be difficult or impossible. Your best bet is to see if you can get the rims refurbished by a specialist. This needn’t cost the earth and should be done to just as high a standard as at the dealership. Q Is three better than four? WHY are three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines so popular right now? Some new cars aren’t…

Honda e THE Japanese firm’s EV is smaller and set to be a more premium model. It will have a price to match, at upwards of £30,000. Peugeot 208-e MECHANICALLY-identical 208 matches the Corsa-e punch for punch with a 211-mile electric range and 50kWh battery pack. MINI Cooper SE HOT-hatch performance from an EV – that’s what MINI promises with the Cooper SE. It packs 181bhp and launches this summer. Renault ZOE THIS remains the first truly affordable EV and promises a decent range of 184 miles, but it’ll soon have a lot of competition. Volkswagen ID.3 THE first of a fleet of VW EVs promises a range of 342 miles. In a matter of weeks 15,000 customers have placed orders.…

ANOTHER new addition to the hot hatch market is the Renault Mégane R.S. Trophy-R. And having lapped the Nürburgring in seven minutes 40.1 seconds, it’s officially the world’s fastest front-wheel-drive car. It’s powered by the same 296bhp 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbo as the regular Mégane R.S. Trophy, but engineers reduced the Trophy-R’s weight by 130kg and redesigned the aerodynamics to help it clinch the record at the German track. There’s an Akrapovic exhaust, Brembo brakes, adjustable Ohlins suspension, lighter alloys and grippier Bridgestone tyres as well. Carbon-backed Sabelt bucket seats with racing harnesses feature, as does a new Alcantara-trimmed sports steering wheel. The rear seats were ditched to save weight. Due here by the end of 2019, the Trophy-R will be limited to “a few hundred units”, each costing from around…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● Revamped twin-turbo V12 ● Higher top speed than Urus “Power peaks at little more than idle, so the Speed accelerates with a relentless surge that belies its size” A 2.5-tonne SUV does not belong on a race track, yet that’s where we find ourselves in the new Bentley Bentayga Speed. This particular SUV holds the rather irrelevant, some could argue, accolade as the world’s fastest – hence our location. It’s our first opportunity to get to grips with the Bentayga Speed, but it is far from a thorough test. We’re limited to a few laps of Anglesey Circuit in Wales and can get only a taste of what the latest addition to Bentley’s Speed portfolio is capable of. Let’s start with the numbers. The Bentayga’s 6.0-litre W12…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Which?: 01992 878329 Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 01722 422422 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0330 159 0364 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler HOW Toyota has changed. To be fair, we’ve all changed in the past 15 years, but we now have a Toyota that has brought us a new Supra and a range of cars that are as good to drive as they are to look at. Toyota’s results in this year’s Driver Power satisfaction survey show they’re as reliable and easy to own as ever, too. It’s a bold move to bring a large saloon car, the last of which was seen in the UK 15 years ago, back into a declining market – especially if you endow it with a name that evokes mediocrity. The old Camry was never a car to boast about – at least, unless you were a cab driver. The new Camry, though, is…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 42.2mpg (official) £61 fill-up PERHAPS the most newsworthy footnote in the recent refresh of the Honda HR-V line-up is the arrival of a racy new model at the top of the range: the Sport. It has some subtle styling tweaks, but the key to this model is a new engine. The Sport gets the turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit from the Civic, which develops 180bhp and 240Nm. Drive is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, and Honda claims 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds. Those numbers verge on hot supermini territory, and there’s definitely some performance here. The engine pulls strongly from around 2,500rpm, tailing off a few hundred revs short of a 6,000rpm red line. It’s quite bizarre to have such a feisty engine…

MODEL TESTED: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S PDK PRICE: £99,753 ENGINE: 3.0-litre flat-six, 444bhp THE new 911 is bigger, heavier and more powerful than before – not to mention more expensive, at £99,753 for this Carrera 4S PDK. This is inevitable when a brand like Porsche has to be seen to make progress, but we’ll see how far it’s advanced by testing this Mk8 911 against one of its toughest rivals. Design & engineering PORSCHE doesn’t often make huge changes to its iconic sports car. The last big update was a move to turbocharging for even the ‘normal’ 911s, and this 992 doesn’t deviate from that. However, the 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine now delivers 444bhp and 530Nm of torque in Carrera 4S form (only two and four-wheel-drive S models are available…

MODEL TESTED: Volvo S60 T5 R-Design Edition PRICE: £37,935 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 247bhp VOLVO’S new S60 is closely related to the manufacturer’s excellent V60 estate, with a slightly sportier edge to this saloon. There’s only one version available at the moment: this T5 R-Design Edition model, and it costs from £37,935. Design & engineering IF the S60 looks familiar, that’s probably because it features the trademark styling cues that have made the firm’s current range so appealing to so many buyers. It’s bridged the gap to brands like BMW. Larger cars from the Swedish firm are based on Volvo’s Scaleable Product Architecture (SPA), with common visual traits including a set of signature LED headlights, a large badge and a wide grille. The S60 uses sophisticated double-wishbone front suspension and Volvo’s…

WHEELS OUR S60 test car was fitted with huge optional alloys, which contributed to a harsh ride around town. The wheels thud into potholes and shake the cabin, and because the driving position and seats don’t provide as much support as the BMW’s, you can also be thrown about in your chair. In contrast, the BMW’s wheels don’t sacrifice style, but they manage to soak up potholes far more smoothly. RANGE A LIMITED range makes it easier to choose the S60 you want, but it’s disappointing that there aren’t more engines to choose from. A D4 diesel – like the one available in the V60 – would make a lot more sense for most drivers. It would be more economical and allow a cheaper point of entry to the line-up.…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 37.2mpg (on test) £62 fill-up/£140 or 29% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 395/1,291 litres EVERY car has its quirks, its ups and its downs. Some are the sort that we road testers take only a few hundred yards to get a grip on – the quality of control weights, or whether a car rides properly, for example. Others take a while to show, which is why we borrow cars for extended periods. On our first encounter with the Kia Ceed, we already had some doubts about its automatic gearbox. I mentioned in my first report (Issue 1,567) that, combined with a soft accelerator pedal, it can make the car feel lethargic. Now we’ve spent a few months behind the wheel, my opinion of the seven-speed dual-clutch…

NEW PRODUCT Bookaclassic car rental Price: Various Contact: www.bookaclassic.com THIS WEEK’S HOT KIT FANCY a sixties Fiat 500 for a tour of Rome or a classic Ford Mustang to cruise along Californian highways? Making your dream road trip come true is easier than ever on the revised Bookaclassic website, where drivers can browse cars on five continents. There are more than 4,000 vehicles, and they can be used for anything from chauffeured tours to weddings. The choice covers everything from Aston Martins and Bentleys to a Citroen H van or a DeLorean DMC12; even buses and trucks feature. Booking is simple. Choose whether you want to be chauffeured or drive yourself, when and where you need the car and what you intend to do with it, and pick from the models…

DS TECHEETAH team announces first watch OMOLOGATO and the Formula E squad DS TECHEETAH have launched their first watch collaboration. The DS TECHEETAH Chronograph (above) matches the team’s 2019 livery, with a black case and black leather strap plus gold and red highlights. The movement is Japanese meca-quartz, and sapphire glass should help prevent scratches. All DS TECHEETAH team members will wear the watches, and fans can pre-order one of the First Edition timepieces from www.omologatowatches.com for £335. Car investors set to get a Bit of the action THE worlds of classic cars and a cryptocurrency have collided, with the launch of BitCar, a token-based trading system that allows buyers to acquire BitCar tokens that are worth a fraction of a portion of a real supercar. The Singapore-based company will purchase the…

PRODUCT GROUP TEST 29|5|2019 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive IF you are a fan of track days, off-road thrills or simply driving great roads, chances are you will eventually want an action camera to record your adventures. These tiny devices can be mounted in or around the cabin, on a helmet and even outside the car to provide detailed footage of your driving from just about any angle you want. With waterproof casings and image-stabilisation software, they’re also ideal for other outdoor pursuits. The latest not only record in crisp 4K, but also offer 360-degree footage, giving users a full view of the action around the car. To…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk ● Mercedes’ Wolff leads tributes ● Minute’s silence held in Monaco MERCEDES team boss Toto Wolff has led the sport’s tributes to the triple Formula 1 World Champion Niki Lauda, who died last week at the age of 70. Wolff worked closely with Lauda in the management of the Mercedes F1 team, of which Lauda owned a 10 per cent stake. “Niki will always remain one of the greatest legends of our sport,” said Wolff. “He combined heroism, humanity and honesty inside and outside the cockpit. “His passing leaves a void in Formula 1. We haven’t just lost a hero who staged the most remarkable comeback ever seen, but also a man who brought precious clarity and candour to modern Formula 1. He will be missed as our voice…