Auto Express 1585

I’VE been a critic of Formula One for some time now. Like so many, I’ve been an avid fan for years, but now I find myself watching the start, taking the dog for a walk, getting back for the finish and finding that I haven’t missed much. To be fair, we’ve had the odd more interesting race lately – or at least a few battles and overtakes – but that’s not enough. So when I was offered the chance to attend the season finale of the all-electric Formula E series, I thought I’d go to see what it had to offer. Formula E has come in for lots of criticism from car fans, who have complained about the lack of real racing and noise. But I’m now firmly a Formula…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● BMW’s smallest SUV will use UKL2 platform ● Electric, mild hybrid and conventional drivetrains BMW is in the final stages of a plan to add a new baby SUV to its model range, in an attempt to capitalise on the growth of affordable, compact crossovers. The firm has one of the largest SUV line-ups in the industry, stretching from the X1 to the X7. During the first half of 2019 almost 45 per cent of the company’s sales were made up of SUVs – the highest figures the firm has ever recorded, and up almost 10 per cent on the same period last year. The rapid rise in the popularity of SUVs has encouraged bosses to look at other areas of opportunity. The first will be a…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● At LA show in November ● Replaces 2 Series Coupé ELSEWHERE at BMW, the firm has given us our best look yet at the new 2 Series Gran Coupé. A series of images show the new Mercedes CLA rival in camouflage, which will be officially removed at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November. Beyond the obvious addition of a saloon-style shape, it’s possible to see one or two design changes over the 1 Series. The front end gets a grille that’s a little wider and flatter than that on its hatchback cousin, while the headlights are slightly thicker and feature a kink in their lower edge. Around the back, the tail-lights bear a similar, albeit slimmer, design to those used by the 3 Series, and appear…

THE future of the BMW i3 is in doubt, with senior bosses at the firm revealing to Auto Express that the groundbreaking electric car may not get a direct successor. The i3 launched back in 2013 and kickstarted BMW’s move into developing electric vehicles. However, the brand has shifted its strategy to integrate future EVs into its mainstream ranges. “It is difficult to say if the i3 will have a straight successor as it [electrification] goes more into the mainstream, like the upcoming iX3,” Pieter Nota, member of board of management at BMW for sales told us. “The i3 had a pioneering role – it was at the very beginning of BMW’s electrification plans – but what we are seeing now is that electrification is moving more into the mainstream.”…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ● Rival for BMW X2, Merc GLA ● Petrol, diesel and mild hybrid THIS is the new Audi Q3 Sportback, a more design-led, more coupé-inspired version of the firm’s popular Q3 compact SUV. It goes on sale in the UK next month, with deliveries expected this autumn. The newcomer builds on the success of the regular Q3 – almost 170,000 of which were sold last year – and arrives with plenty of rivals in the shape of the BMW X2, Mercedes GLA and Mazda CX-30. Measured up to the parcel shelf, boot space is 530 litres – exactly the same as you’ll find in the regular Q3, despite the more sloping roofline. The rear bench seats three and slides forward to open up a little extra space, or…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn ● Small battery keeps weight down ● Short range “no problem” FIRST things first, let’s address the elephant in the room: range. The new MINI Electric will cover ‘at least’ 122 miles on a single charge, which, when you consider a Peugeot e-208 does more than 200 miles, really isn’t all that impressive. If you put that to Peter Schwarzenbauer, board member at BMW responsible for MINI, his reply is straightforward. “Nobody needs a big range in an urban car; it’s psychological,” he says. “An average drive for a MINI customer per day is 23 miles.” There’s also the question of cost and weight; the larger the battery, the more expensive the car and the heavier it will be, which has a detrimental effect on handling and performance. So…