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100 Articles

Hold your nerve for incredible new-car deals this year

WE’VE always recommended that buying towards the end of a month – or even better, the end of a quarter – could prove fruitful. Dealers are more likely to hand over a larger proportion of their profit margins to buyers who help them hit their end-of-period sales targets, which bring lucrative bonuses with them. But in the weird and wonderful times we currently live in, there’s an added incentive for car makers and their dealers to shift stock before the end of 2019. And a hitherto unseen desperation to do so, with massive financial backing that’s playing into the hands of buyers. Next year a new European Commission regulation comes into force that means all car makers have a fleet-wide average emission target for new cars of 95g/km of CO2. Failing to…

Hold your nerve for incredible new-car deals this year

New Skoda Octavia turns up the luxury

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ● All-new Octavia revealed in hatchback and estate body styles ● Engine line-up features hybrid and plug-in options for first time SKODA has followed up the new Scala hatchback and Kamiq SUV with a fresh incarnation of the Octavia – the car that has arguably come to define the brand since the Volkswagen Group acquisition in 1991. The Octavia story started well before then, though. The nameplate celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019, so this new version is technically the fifth-generation model overall and the fourth to emerge under VW Group direction. Over 6.5 million Octavias have hit the road since 1959, but this is the first to be offered with plug-in and mild-hybrid powertrains. A hot vRS model using an electrified drivetrain will also join the line-up in 2020 (see page 11). Under…

New Skoda Octavia turns up the luxury

Hold your nerve for incredible new-car deals this year

WE’VE always recommended that buying towards the end of a month – or even better, the end of a quarter – could prove fruitful. Dealers are more likely to hand over a larger proportion of their profit margins to buyers who help them hit their end-of-period sales targets, which bring lucrative bonuses with them. But in the weird and wonderful times we currently live in, there’s an added incentive for car makers and their dealers to shift stock before the end of 2019. And a hitherto unseen desperation to do so, with massive financial backing that’s playing into the hands of buyers. Next year a new European Commission regulation comes into force that means all car makers have a fleet-wide average emission target for new cars of 95g/km of CO2.…

Hold your nerve for incredible new-car deals this year

Omens are good after our first taste of Octavia Estate

Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ SKODA has a lot riding on this new Octavia, but as we discovered last month (Issue 1,599) a drive in a prototype proves the firm is on to a winner again. We tried a 148bhp 1.5 TSI petrol with a six-speed manual gearbox, as well as a 148bhp 2.0 TDI diesel with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. The petrol was smooth and refined, revving fairly sweetly and without much fuss. The manual transmission’s shift action was quite light, but felt mechanical and was precise enough to enjoy. The 2.0 TDI feels grunty and eager, and is more refined than ever thanks to updated engine internals. This new-found refinement is one of the new Octavia’s big plus points. That’s because, while the Skoda’s body-in-white has hardly changed, there’s much more soundproofing and absorption material…

Omens are good after our first taste of Octavia Estate

Plug-in power on the cards for rapid vRS

THE next-generation Octavia vRS is likely to be offered with a choice of three powertrains, Auto Express has learned. As well as new versions of the current petrol and diesel models, a plug-in hybrid variant will be available. This electrified version is likely to match the output of the petrol model, so we’d expect a figure of around 250bhp – but with the extra tech on board, the vRS PHEV is likely to be slightly slower than its more conventional stablemate. It should still be capable of 0-62mph in around seven seconds, however. Expect the vRS PHEV to use an uprated version of the 1.4 TSI set-up that will appear in the standard Octavia plug-in. That means more power for the engine, but it’s likely to get the same 13kWh battery, delivering…

Plug-in power on the cards for rapid vRS

New Skoda Octavia turns up the luxury

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods ● All-new Octavia revealed in hatchback and estate body styles ● Engine line-up features hybrid and plug-in options for first time SKODA has followed up the new Scala hatchback and Kamiq SUV with a fresh incarnation of the Octavia – the car that has arguably come to define the brand since the Volkswagen Group acquisition in 1991. The Octavia story started well before then, though. The nameplate celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019, so this new version is technically the fifth-generation model overall and the fourth to emerge under VW Group direction. Over 6.5 million Octavias have hit the road since 1959, but this is the first to be offered with plug-in and mild-hybrid powertrains. A hot vRS model using an electrified drivetrain will also join the line-up…

New Skoda Octavia turns up the luxury

Porsche ramps up the performance for 2020

● Early taste of four-wheel-drive 911 flagship ● All-new twin-turbo engine makes more than 600bhp WHEN the word Turbo was pasted on to the back of a car, you knew it was something out of the ordinary. It stood for speed, exclusivity and performance. But today? Diesels are proudly called turbos, small cars carry it alongside their name and it’s even applied to Porsche’s all-electric Taycan. Even with all of that, the word Turbo is still synonymous with another Porsche – the 911. And with the new 911 Turbo S, which we’re sampling from the passenger seat for the first time, it’s clear the firm’s engineers have taken it to a new level. We joined Porsche’s development team in the south of France as they applied the finishing touches to late prototypes. The…

Porsche ramps up the performance for 2020

Omens are good after our first taste of Octavia Estate

Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @sean_carson_ SKODA has a lot riding on this new Octavia, but as we discovered last month (Issue 1,599) a drive in a prototype proves the firm is on to a winner again. We tried a 148bhp 1.5 TSI petrol with a six-speed manual gearbox, as well as a 148bhp 2.0 TDI diesel with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto. The petrol was smooth and refined, revving fairly sweetly and without much fuss. The manual transmission’s shift action was quite light, but felt mechanical and was precise enough to enjoy. The 2.0 TDI feels grunty and eager, and is more refined than ever thanks to updated engine internals. This new-found refinement is one of the new Octavia’s big plus points. That’s because, while the Skoda’s body-in-white has hardly changed, there’s much more…

Omens are good after our first taste of Octavia Estate

Plug-in power on the cards for rapid vRS

THE next-generation Octavia vRS is likely to be offered with a choice of three powertrains, Auto Express has learned. As well as new versions of the current petrol and diesel models, a plug-in hybrid variant will be available. This electrified version is likely to match the output of the petrol model, so we’d expect a figure of around 250bhp – but with the extra tech on board, the vRS PHEV is likely to be slightly slower than its more conventional stablemate. It should still be capable of 0-62mph in around seven seconds, however. Expect the vRS PHEV to use an uprated version of the 1.4 TSI set-up that will appear in the standard Octavia plug-in. That means more power for the engine, but it’s likely to get the same 13kWh…

Plug-in power on the cards for rapid vRS

Faster GT models at the double

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram IT’S not just the 911 Turbo that Porsche engineers are hard at work to deliver. As our exclusive images show, there’s a new 911 GT3 on the way, plus we’ve spied the most extreme Cayman ever, expected to be called the GT4 RS. The 911 GT3 follows a similar formula to its predecessors: a track-focused model that gains power, loses weight and uses extreme aerodynamics to sharpen its responses. As our images show, that aero will take the form of a deep front splitter, added bonnet vents and a two-tier rear wing. Technical details remain scarce, but expect the next GT3 to keep a naturally aspirated flat-six engine in place of the turbocharged units used by other modern 911s. A manual gearbox is likely to feature alongside the option of a PDK…

Faster GT models at the double

Latest VW ID. model to be unveiled at LA Show VOLKSWAGEN has confirmed the reveal of its seventh all-electric ID.-badged concept will take place at next week’s Los Angeles Motor Show, previewing a new EV destined to go on sale in 2021. Sketches of the ID. Space Vizzion (above), released by VW, confirm the new vehicle will be a more practical version of the standard ID. Vizzion – making it one of the first all-electric estate cars on the market. The car itself will be revealed on 19 November. Golden Steering Wheel award for Jag’s I-Pace THE Jaguar I-Pace led the winners in our German sister title Auto Bild’s Golden Steering Wheel Awards. The electric SUV – our 2018 Car of the Year and World Car of the Year 2019 – beat the SEAT…

Porsche ramps up the performance for 2020

● Early taste of four-wheel-drive 911 flagship ● All-new twin-turbo engine makes more than 600bhp WHEN the word Turbo was pasted on to the back of a car, you knew it was something out of the ordinary. It stood for speed, exclusivity and performance. But today? Diesels are proudly called turbos, small cars carry it alongside their name and it’s even applied to Porsche’s all-electric Taycan. Even with all of that, the word Turbo is still synonymous with another Porsche – the 911. And with the new 911 Turbo S, which we’re sampling from the passenger seat for the first time, it’s clear the firm’s engineers have taken it to a new level. We joined Porsche’s development team in the south of France as they applied the finishing touches to…

Porsche ramps up the performance for 2020

McLaren Elva focuses on driving enjoyment

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● Third Ultimate Series model ● More powerful than Senna THIS is the Elva: a £1.425million McLaren speedster that accelerates faster than a Senna and weighs less than any modern McLaren road car. It completes the brand’s trio of Ultimate Series models; while the Senna’s purpose is to lap race tracks at the fastest speed possible and the forthcoming Speedtail covers continents in unrivalled speed and comfort, the Elva is all about driving enjoyment. The name originates from the McLaren-Elva M1A: a Bruce McLaren-designed racing car built to Group 7 specs in the sixties. The Elva’s design is a nod to that car, too; there’s no roof, windscreen or side windows, although a tiny pair of doors eases cabin access. A retractable wind deflector channels air from the front, through the clamshell bonnet and…

McLaren Elva focuses on driving enjoyment

Faster GT models at the double

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram IT’S not just the 911 Turbo that Porsche engineers are hard at work to deliver. As our exclusive images show, there’s a new 911 GT3 on the way, plus we’ve spied the most extreme Cayman ever, expected to be called the GT4 RS. The 911 GT3 follows a similar formula to its predecessors: a track-focused model that gains power, loses weight and uses extreme aerodynamics to sharpen its responses. As our images show, that aero will take the form of a deep front splitter, added bonnet vents and a two-tier rear wing. Technical details remain scarce, but expect the next GT3 to keep a naturally aspirated flat-six engine in place of the turbocharged units used by other modern 911s. A manual gearbox is likely to feature alongside the…

Faster GT models at the double

Kia reveals new electric SUV-coupé concept

THIS is the Kia Futuron concept, a new design study that previews how a future electric coupé-crossover from the Korean brand could look. Kia describes the concept as ‘a sports car on an SUV platform’. The Futuron has unique exterior proportions – measuring 4,850mm in length and 1,550mm tall. That makes the crossover concept as long as a BMW X5, but only as tall as a MINI Countryman. A reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille has been grafted to the front. This extends across the full width of the SUV and incorporates a long LED strip and multiple LEDs that act as the car’s headlamps. The name Futuron is a blend of the words ‘future’ and ‘on’; Kia says this references the ‘switched-on’ aspect of electric vehicles. As such, under the skin, the…

Kia reveals new electric SUV-coupé concept

Latest VW ID. model to be unveiled at LA Show VOLKSWAGEN has confirmed the reveal of its seventh all-electric ID.-badged concept will take place at next week’s Los Angeles Motor Show, previewing a new EV destined to go on sale in 2021. Sketches of the ID. Space Vizzion (above), released by VW, confirm the new vehicle will be a more practical version of the standard ID. Vizzion – making it one of the first all-electric estate cars on the market. The car itself will be revealed on 19 November. Golden Steering Wheel award for Jag’s I-Pace THE Jaguar I-Pace led the winners in our German sister title Auto Bild’s Golden Steering Wheel Awards. The electric SUV – our 2018 Car of the Year and World Car of the Year 2019…

McLaren Elva focuses on driving enjoyment

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram ● Third Ultimate Series model ● More powerful than Senna THIS is the Elva: a £1.425million McLaren speedster that accelerates faster than a Senna and weighs less than any modern McLaren road car. It completes the brand’s trio of Ultimate Series models; while the Senna’s purpose is to lap race tracks at the fastest speed possible and the forthcoming Speedtail covers continents in unrivalled speed and comfort, the Elva is all about driving enjoyment. The name originates from the McLaren-Elva M1A: a Bruce McLaren-designed racing car built to Group 7 specs in the sixties. The Elva’s design is a nod to that car, too; there’s no roof, windscreen or side windows, although a tiny pair of doors eases cabin access. A retractable wind deflector channels air from the…

McLaren Elva focuses on driving enjoyment

5 Series prepped for a fresh look and efficiency upgrade

BMW is putting the final touches to a range of updates for the 5 Series line-up. Due to reach UK showrooms next year, the tweaks will include a subtly revised look, updated on-board tech and improved efficiency. Spy shots reveal that only minor cosmetic tweaks will appear on the updated saloon, amounting to a reshaped front bumper and revised headlamps. And as on other recently revised BMW models, a new larger kidney grille will also be added. Around the back it’s familiar facelift fare; new tail-lamps can be picked out beneath the cladding, along with a reprofiled rear bumper. Tweaks will also be made to the 5 Series’ range of petrol and diesel engines, but the focus for the German firm will be on improving the all-electric range of the plug-in hybrid…

5 Series prepped for a fresh look and efficiency upgrade

Kia reveals new electric SUV-coupé concept

THIS is the Kia Futuron concept, a new design study that previews how a future electric coupé-crossover from the Korean brand could look. Kia describes the concept as ‘a sports car on an SUV platform’. The Futuron has unique exterior proportions – measuring 4,850mm in length and 1,550mm tall. That makes the crossover concept as long as a BMW X5, but only as tall as a MINI Countryman. A reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille has been grafted to the front. This extends across the full width of the SUV and incorporates a long LED strip and multiple LEDs that act as the car’s headlamps. The name Futuron is a blend of the words ‘future’ and ‘on’; Kia says this references the ‘switched-on’ aspect of electric vehicles. As such, under…

Kia reveals new electric SUV-coupé concept

Lister is ready for a performance I-Pace

THIS is the Lister SUV-E Concept, the British tuner’s take on the Jaguar I-Pace. Upgrades include a bodykit, British Racing Green paint and yellow accents. The bumper is carbon fibre, and the wheels are titanium. There are ceramic brakes and the suspension is adjustable. Lister hasn’t listed any mechanical changes, but says the software can be updated for more power and torque. If there’s enough interest, the SUV could go on sale priced from £125,000.…

Lister is ready for a performance I-Pace

5 Series prepped for a fresh look and efficiency upgrade

BMW is putting the final touches to a range of updates for the 5 Series line-up. Due to reach UK showrooms next year, the tweaks will include a subtly revised look, updated on-board tech and improved efficiency. Spy shots reveal that only minor cosmetic tweaks will appear on the updated saloon, amounting to a reshaped front bumper and revised headlamps. And as on other recently revised BMW models, a new larger kidney grille will also be added. Around the back it’s familiar facelift fare; new tail-lamps can be picked out beneath the cladding, along with a reprofiled rear bumper. Tweaks will also be made to the 5 Series’ range of petrol and diesel engines, but the focus for the German firm will be on improving the all-electric range of the plug-in…

5 Series prepped for a fresh look and efficiency upgrade

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Seehow we did on London-Brighton run THE London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is totally unique. Every year around 400 cars all dating from before 1905 tackle the epic 60-mile journey – often in typically British weather – with no guarantee of actually finishing. This year I took part in an 1899 Fiat 3 1/2hp. See how I got on in our special video. Wraps are off the new Honda Jazz SUVs are in fashion, but there’s a glut of new superminis on the way. The Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 will be here soon, and the new Renault Clio has already impressed in our group test on page 70. Honda has also revealed the new Jazz (above). See our video of it on our YouTube channel. You can watch any of our videos…

Plug-in X3 names its price

ELSEWHERE at BMW, the German firm has announced that its plug-in hybrid X3 xDrive30e (right) will start from £47,565 in the UK, with first deliveries due in December. The SUV is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and a small electric motor for a total system power output of 288bhp and 420Nm of torque. BMW claims the xDrive30e will cover up to 34 miles on electric power, emit 49g/km of CO2 and return as much as 128.4mpg. A fully electric X3, the iX3, is due next year.…

Plug-in X3 names its price

Makers go wild at Vegas show

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson ● SEMA Show is largest modified-car exhibition ● Tuning firms showcase latest tech and styling THE Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show opened its doors last week. It’s the world’s largest modified car expo, and is held annually at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in Nevada, USA. The trade event lets the latest and greatest tuners and parts distributors showcase and sell their products. While it’s not open to the general public, SEMA also acts as a stage for manufacturers to parade their wildest race cars and highly tuned production car-based one-offs – so the diversity of vehicles on display is unlike anything you’ll see at conventional European or American motor shows such as Frankfurt, Geneva or Los Angeles. In previous years, the SEMA Show has played host to some wild prototype vehicles,…

Makers go wild at Vegas show

Bristol council set to ban all diesel cars from city centre

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths DIESEL cars are set to be banned from the centre of Bristol by a blanket policy that will see the cleanest Euro 6 models treated in the same manner as older, more polluting diesels. Under plans ratified by Bristol City Council, privately owned diesel cars will be forbidden from entering an area of the city centre between the hours of 7am and 3pm. The affected area covers the main city centre, and also takes in part of the M32 motorway. Drivers taking a diesel car into the zone during its hours of operation will be fined. A wider clean air zone covering a larger area of the city was also approved by the council. This won’t affect privately owned cars, but HGVs and buses will have to pay £100 to enter the…

Bristol council set to ban all diesel cars from city centre

James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Seehow we did on London-Brighton run THE London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is totally unique. Every year around 400 cars all dating from before 1905 tackle the epic 60-mile journey – often in typically British weather – with no guarantee of actually finishing. This year I took part in an 1899 Fiat 3 1/2hp. See how I got on in our special video. Wraps are off the new Honda Jazz SUVs are in fashion, but there’s a glut of new superminis on the way. The Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 will be here soon, and the new Renault Clio has already impressed in our group test on page 70. Honda has also revealed the new Jazz (above). See our video of it on our YouTube channel. You…

Makers go wild at Vegas show

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson ● SEMA Show is largest modified-car exhibition ● Tuning firms showcase latest tech and styling THE Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show opened its doors last week. It’s the world’s largest modified car expo, and is held annually at the Las Vegas Convention Centre in Nevada, USA. The trade event lets the latest and greatest tuners and parts distributors showcase and sell their products. While it’s not open to the general public, SEMA also acts as a stage for manufacturers to parade their wildest race cars and highly tuned production car-based one-offs – so the diversity of vehicles on display is unlike anything you’ll see at conventional European or American motor shows such as Frankfurt, Geneva or Los Angeles. In previous years, the SEMA Show has played host…

Makers go wild at Vegas show

Useful Contacts

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 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls DVSA: 0300 123 9000…

Inbox Your views

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC New Volkswagen Golf FROM: Ian Newton DOESN’T look that different to the previous model, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Golf’s been around for nearly half a century and I think it’s fair to say it’s iconic. This design is an evolution, but it’s also instantly recognisable. FROM: Jeremy Bonner CERTAINLY not a bad-looking car and I think it’s an improvement on the last generation, but it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing Golf VW has ever made. The fifth-generation was a much more interesting car to look at, to my mind. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “A solid, safe, reliable car, with an inoffensive design and plenty of tech. Ideal for daily use.” Ed Rivers “Let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter how well styled the Golf is, VW…

Inbox Your views

Bristol council set to ban all diesel cars from city centre

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths DIESEL cars are set to be banned from the centre of Bristol by a blanket policy that will see the cleanest Euro 6 models treated in the same manner as older, more polluting diesels. Under plans ratified by Bristol City Council, privately owned diesel cars will be forbidden from entering an area of the city centre between the hours of 7am and 3pm. The affected area covers the main city centre, and also takes in part of the M32 motorway. Drivers taking a diesel car into the zone during its hours of operation will be fined. A wider clean air zone covering a larger area of the city was also approved by the council. This won’t affect privately owned cars, but HGVs and buses will have to pay…

Bristol council set to ban all diesel cars from city centre

Useful Contacts

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 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls DVSA: 0300 123 9000…

TALES OF THE SCORPION

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths “I fell in love with Abarth straight away. The noise, the performance, the handling”BERTIE BRYANT UK Owners Club COMPANY founders can be relied on to produce memorable quotes. Take W.O. Bentley’s desire to build “a fast car, a good car, the best in its class”; Enzo Ferrari’s proclamation that “aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines”; or Henry Ford’s recollection in his autobiography that “any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.” To these might be added a line from Karl Abarth, founder of the sports car and tuning firm that has borne his name for 70 years. Karl – or Carlo, as the Austrian became known after he moved to Italy in 1934 – once declared that there is “a…

TALES OF THE SCORPION

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram IT’S tough to stand out in the family crossover class, but Toyota managed to get the formula bang on with its debut attempt back in 2016. The C-HR offered striking looks and a fuel-sipping hybrid option that set it apart from the likes of Skoda’s Karoq and Renault’s Kadjar. Three years and roughly 50,000 UK sales later, and the C-HR has been given a refresh. The updated model brings new interior tech, revised styling and a more powerful hybrid engine to the party. Toyota says the car is more refined and better to drive, too. Even a few years on from its debut, the C-HR manages to cut a distinctive shape, so there wasn’t much need to fiddle with the styling. As a result, the new car’s external spruce-up is mild; reshaped…

Inbox Your views

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC New Volkswagen Golf FROM: Ian Newton DOESN’T look that different to the previous model, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Golf’s been around for nearly half a century and I think it’s fair to say it’s iconic. This design is an evolution, but it’s also instantly recognisable. FROM: Jeremy Bonner CERTAINLY not a bad-looking car and I think it’s an improvement on the last generation, but it’s not the most aesthetically pleasing Golf VW has ever made. The fifth-generation was a much more interesting car to look at, to my mind. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “A solid, safe, reliable car, with an inoffensive design and plenty of tech. Ideal for daily use.” Ed Rivers ■ “Let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter…

Inbox Your views

Mercedes GLC 220 d

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 47.9mpg (official) £66 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/134mph THE Mercedes GLC first hit showrooms back in 2015, and four years later the Stuttgart brand has introduced a facelifted model to keep it fresh against competition from the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. On our first encounter (Issue 1,579), we suspected that the smaller of the two diesel engines, the 220 d, might be the model to have. So now we’ve got one back in the UK to see if our initial hunch was right. The GLC 220 d is based on the same four-cylinder diesel engine as the 300 d, but with just 191bhp it’s 51bhp down on its big brother. That sounds like a big loss – and it’s a change that translates into a 1.4-second gap in 0-62mph times (7.9 seconds for the…

Mercedes GLC 220 d

TALES OF THE SCORPION

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths “I fell in love with Abarth straight away. The noise, the performance, the handling”BERTIE BRYANT UK Owners Club COMPANY founders can be relied on to produce memorable quotes. Take W.O. Bentley’s desire to build “a fast car, a good car, the best in its class”; Enzo Ferrari’s proclamation that “aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines”; or Henry Ford’s recollection in his autobiography that “any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black.” To these might be added a line from Karl Abarth, founder of the sports car and tuning firm that has borne his name for 70 years. Karl – or Carlo, as the Austrian became known after he moved to Italy in 1934 – once declared…

TALES OF THE SCORPION

Porsche 911 Speedster

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn Running costs 20.6mpg (official) £81 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.0 seconds/192mph “The 4.0-litre flat six is the star, with an intoxicating cocktail of noise, power and usability” THE temperatures are dropping and the long, dark nights are drawing in. So of course now is exactly the right time to think about sinking more than £210,000 into an open-topped, rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911. But this is no ordinary 911. In fact, it’s not even the latest 911. This is the Speedster, which is based on the previous 991-generation of Porsche’s famous sports car, and was built in limited numbers as a 70th birthday present to itself. Having said that, even if you want one, you can’t have it. The UK allocation of the 1,948 global production run has already been sold, so be prepared to hit the classifieds and pay considerably…

Porsche 911 Speedster

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram IT’S tough to stand out in the family crossover class, but Toyota managed to get the formula bang on with its debut attempt back in 2016. The C-HR offered striking looks and a fuel-sipping hybrid option that set it apart from the likes of Skoda’s Karoq and Renault’s Kadjar. Three years and roughly 50,000 UK sales later, and the C-HR has been given a refresh. The updated model brings new interior tech, revised styling and a more powerful hybrid engine to the party. Toyota says the car is more refined and better to drive, too. Even a few years on from its debut, the C-HR manages to cut a distinctive shape, so there wasn’t much need to fiddle with the styling. As a result, the new car’s external…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 50.4mpg (official) £65 fill-up SMALL saloons play second fiddle to more popular hatchbacks and SUVs in new-car showrooms. But the brand-new Mazda 3 is still available as a traditional three-box model, designed to rival the Mercedes A-Class and Audi A3 saloons. Although the Mazda is cheaper than the German cars, it has more upmarket appeal than home-grown rivals like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla – both of which are on offer as hatchbacks and saloons. Only the bonnet and windscreen are retained from the 3 hatchback; every other panel is new. The roofline is taller, and while the wheelbase is the same, the Saloon’s bodywork is 200mm longer overall. That extra length is mainly in the rear overhang. The boot has grown from 351 to 444 litres, and thanks to the higher roof,…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 38.2mpg (official) £75 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.4 seconds/155mph BMW’s M division is applying the finishing touches to the forthcoming brand-new M3 right now. But until it arrives, what is currently the hottest member of the 3 Series range slots into a gap in the market that seems somewhat sparsely populated. This is the M340i xDrive, and it’s a halfway house between the M3 and the rest of the 3 Series range. It’s the only model in the current line-up with a six-cylinder petrol motor, and BMW’s engineers have applied parts and development from the company’s esteemed performance division, too. Priced from £48,555, the new car joins the Mercedes-AMG C 43 and the latest (diesel) Audi S4 in a clutch of performance saloons serving as understudies to their more established, more powerful flagships. Interestingly though, the power…

Mercedes GLC 220 d

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 47.9mpg (official) £66 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/134mph THE Mercedes GLC first hit showrooms back in 2015, and four years later the Stuttgart brand has introduced a facelifted model to keep it fresh against competition from the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. On our first encounter (Issue 1,579), we suspected that the smaller of the two diesel engines, the 220 d, might be the model to have. So now we’ve got one back in the UK to see if our initial hunch was right. The GLC 220 d is based on the same four-cylinder diesel engine as the 300 d, but with just 191bhp it’s 51bhp down on its big brother. That sounds like a big loss – and it’s a change that translates into…

Mercedes GLC 220 d

Porsche 911 Speedster

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn Running costs 20.6mpg (official) £81 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.0 seconds/192mph “The 4.0-litre flat six is the star, with an intoxicating cocktail of noise, power and usability” THE temperatures are dropping and the long, dark nights are drawing in. So of course now is exactly the right time to think about sinking more than £210,000 into an open-topped, rear-wheel-drive Porsche 911. But this is no ordinary 911. In fact, it’s not even the latest 911. This is the Speedster, which is based on the previous 991-generation of Porsche’s famous sports car, and was built in limited numbers as a 70th birthday present to itself. Having said that, even if you want one, you can’t have it. The UK allocation of the 1,948 global production run has already been…

Porsche 911 Speedster

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 50.4mpg (official) £65 fill-up SMALL saloons play second fiddle to more popular hatchbacks and SUVs in new-car showrooms. But the brand-new Mazda 3 is still available as a traditional three-box model, designed to rival the Mercedes A-Class and Audi A3 saloons. Although the Mazda is cheaper than the German cars, it has more upmarket appeal than home-grown rivals like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla – both of which are on offer as hatchbacks and saloons. Only the bonnet and windscreen are retained from the 3 hatchback; every other panel is new. The roofline is taller, and while the wheelbase is the same, the Saloon’s bodywork is 200mm longer overall. That extra length is mainly in the rear overhang. The boot has grown from 351 to…

@johnmcilroy SKODA is on a roll, enjoying record sales as the company gears up for its 125th birthday in 2020. Now there’s a new arrival in the brand’s showrooms: the Kamiq. And over the next 30 pages, we’ll get under the skin of this small SUV. We’ve been to the Czech Republic to get the inside line on the design process – and chatted to Skoda boss Bernhard Maier about the unusual challenges that come with sales success. The Kamiq is also the most connected Skoda ever, thanks to the latest version of the company’s infotainment system – so we take an in-depth look at its development. And we meet Skoda’s chassis and powertrain boss, a man whose family history is inextricably intertwined with that of the company. We’ve also visited a Czech glassblowing…

SETTING THE SCENE

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy SKODA boss Bernhard Maier has a problem: his company literally cannot make its cars quickly enough. The Czech manufacturer, 125 years old next year, set a record in 2018 of more than 1.2 million cars sold worldwide. And yet Maier knows that this figure could have been higher if he’d had a few more vehicles available. Many car brands would be happy enough to be presented with this issue, of course. But even so, it’s not about to get any easier with the arrival of the Kamiq, a vehicle that is designed to appeal not only to those who loved the original Yeti, but also to customers who want family-car space at supermini money. Indeed, as we chat behind the scenes at Skoda’s Frankfurt Motor Show presentation, Maier displays a mixture of…

SETTING THE SCENE

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “Only when Stefani was happy with the final Kamiq did he turn to his team and tell them, ‘Make that into a concept car’” THE car industry has a pretty well-set formula on how to bring a design to market. First, do an outlandish concept that grabs the attention. Second, struggle like hell to turn it into a production car while still retaining enough of the show car’s glamour. This is not how Skoda does things. Because while it is true that the two cars you see here, Vision X (left) and Kamiq, are closely related, it was the production car that was created first. Only when Skoda design boss Oliver Stefani was happy with the final Kamiq that is now arriving in showrooms did he then turn to his team and…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Running costs 38.2mpg (official) £75 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.4 seconds/155mph BMW’s M division is applying the finishing touches to the forthcoming brand-new M3 right now. But until it arrives, what is currently the hottest member of the 3 Series range slots into a gap in the market that seems somewhat sparsely populated. This is the M340i xDrive, and it’s a halfway house between the M3 and the rest of the 3 Series range. It’s the only model in the current line-up with a six-cylinder petrol motor, and BMW’s engineers have applied parts and development from the company’s esteemed performance division, too. Priced from £48,555, the new car joins the Mercedes-AMG C 43 and the latest (diesel) Audi S4 in a clutch of performance saloons serving as understudies…

THE MAN WITH SKODA IN HIS BLOOD

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “My grandfather was the overall boss of the company, my father was a board member whose car changed the future of Skoda. Now I’m just the guy in charge of engines and chassis”MARTIN HRDLICKA, Skoda Head of powertrain and chassis IF you’re after an example of how Skoda’s heritage feeds through into its future, five minutes with Martin Hrdlicka should do the trick. He’s the company’s head of powertrain and chassis – so the man responsible for how the Kamiq drives and how many miles it does to the gallon. And yet his head is as full of historical facts and figures as it is CO2 emissions and 0-62mph times. Hrdlicka’s background is intertwined with that of Skoda. Because the brand we know today was formed in 1925, when troubled entrepreneurs Václav…

THE MAN WITH SKODA IN HIS BLOOD

IN TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy YOU won’t be aware of the ‘silver box’, but you should be. Buried deep in your car’s dashboard, this is the brain that runs the infotainment system, managing everything from navigation to smartphone integration and even some vehicle settings. In physical terms, this piece of industry speak is uncannily accurate, because the box concerned is a computer in a metal container, roughly the same size as the old single-DIN stereo that cars used to have in the eighties and nineties. And in the case of the Skoda Kamiq, it’s a world away from the slick, gloss-black-clad display that sits proudly on top of the dashboard. The Kamiq and its sister car, the Scala, are important vehicles for Skoda’s electronics division, based in an unassuming building in Mlada Boleslav. The two vehicles signal…

IN TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY

@johnmcilroy SKODA is on a roll, enjoying record sales as the company gears up for its 125th birthday in 2020. Now there’s a new arrival in the brand’s showrooms: the Kamiq. And over the next 30 pages, we’ll get under the skin of this small SUV. We’ve been to the Czech Republic to get the inside line on the design process – and chatted to Skoda boss Bernhard Maier about the unusual challenges that come with sales success. The Kamiq is also the most connected Skoda ever, thanks to the latest version of the company’s infotainment system – so we take an in-depth look at its development. And we meet Skoda’s chassis and powertrain boss, a man whose family history is inextricably intertwined with that of the company. We’ve also…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods A BABY is being made before my very eyes. I’m hot and sweaty, I’m losing layers of clothing and I’ve just been handed a small beer. I’m having one of the strangest days I’ve had at work in years, but for my new colleagues who I’ve just enthusiastically said cheers to, it’s just another dollar. What you are looking at is one of the Czech Republic’s best known exports, perhaps only after pilsner and Skodas. Bohemian glass and crystal are embedded deeply into the culture of the country’s mineral-rich west. A winding, bumpy hour’s drive north of Skoda’s Mlada Boleslav home will see you land right in the crucible of where that reputation has been forged. There are hundreds of glass producers and specialists in this small corner of the world –…

SKODA KAMIQ IN NUMBERS

33 days IT took barely one month to remove the Skoda Rapid production line in Mlada Boleslav and get the factory ready to start making the Kamiq. The Rapid is no longer sold in Europe, but many parts of the production line that were specific to this model – the stamping presses, for example – were crated up and shipped to other sites that will continue to build the hatchback, including a facility in Russia. 25,600 THE total number of staff employed by Skoda in Mlada Boleslav. This includes manufacturing but also development, engineering, data and administration. 165 minutes THE amount of time it takes a painted but otherwise-bare Kamiq bodyshell to go down the assembly line and be transformed into a complete car for a customer. € 100,000,000 SKODA invested about £86m to get Mlada Boleslav…

SKODA KAMIQ IN NUMBERS

SETTING THE SCENE

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy SKODA boss Bernhard Maier has a problem: his company literally cannot make its cars quickly enough. The Czech manufacturer, 125 years old next year, set a record in 2018 of more than 1.2 million cars sold worldwide. And yet Maier knows that this figure could have been higher if he’d had a few more vehicles available. Many car brands would be happy enough to be presented with this issue, of course. But even so, it’s not about to get any easier with the arrival of the Kamiq, a vehicle that is designed to appeal not only to those who loved the original Yeti, but also to customers who want family-car space at supermini money. Indeed, as we chat behind the scenes at Skoda’s Frankfurt Motor Show presentation, Maier…

SETTING THE SCENE

READY FOR LAUNCH

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler “TWO of our guys have actually come in today just to see the Kamiq when they should be on holiday,” says Paul Abraham, Franchise Director for Marshall Motor Group. Actually, Paul is also officially on holiday when we meet up at Marshall Skoda in Newbury, Berkshire. But such is the excitement about the new Skoda Kamiq among the dealer network – many of whom have yet to see one in the metal – the news that we’re turning up with a Race Blue Kamiq SE L is an opportunity not to be missed. To be honest, we weren’t expecting that level of excitement from dealers, but then a new Skoda is big business, especially for a sizeable dealer group such as Marshall, which has invested heavily in the Czech brand. “You used…

READY FOR LAUNCH

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “Only when Stefani was happy with the final Kamiq did he turn to his team and tell them, ‘Make that into a concept car’” THE car industry has a pretty well-set formula on how to bring a design to market. First, do an outlandish concept that grabs the attention. Second, struggle like hell to turn it into a production car while still retaining enough of the show car’s glamour. This is not how Skoda does things. Because while it is true that the two cars you see here, Vision X (left) and Kamiq, are closely related, it was the production car that was created first. Only when Skoda design boss Oliver Stefani was happy with the final Kamiq that is now arriving in showrooms did he then turn…

THE MAN WITH SKODA IN HIS BLOOD

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy “My grandfather was the overall boss of the company, my father was a board member whose car changed the future of Skoda. Now I’m just the guy in charge of engines and chassis”MARTIN HRDLICKA, Skoda Head of powertrain and chassis IF you’re after an example of how Skoda’s heritage feeds through into its future, five minutes with Martin Hrdlicka should do the trick. He’s the company’s head of powertrain and chassis – so the man responsible for how the Kamiq drives and how many miles it does to the gallon. And yet his head is as full of historical facts and figures as it is CO2 emissions and 0-62mph times. Hrdlicka’s background is intertwined with that of Skoda. Because the brand we know today was formed in 1925,…

THE MAN WITH SKODA IN HIS BLOOD

SKODA’S ELECTRIC FUTURE

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram FOR most manufacturers, a concept is a complete flight of fancy. It’s an opportunity to create a car that’s spectacular and outrageous, but something that will usually have only little – if any – influence on its road vehicles in the near future. It can be a chance to showcase technology which doesn’t even exist yet. If they’re feeling really cruel, brands can show off models that look pretty much ready to jump straight into showrooms, but then never make production. Skoda, on the other hand, likes to give us things to really get excited about. Its one-off show stars give us a huge clue towards the look of its next production models. And it’s a practice that’s gone on for almost 20 years, as the manufacturer’s back catalogue shows. The quirky…

SKODA’S ELECTRIC FUTURE

IN TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy YOU won’t be aware of the ‘silver box’, but you should be. Buried deep in your car’s dashboard, this is the brain that runs the infotainment system, managing everything from navigation to smartphone integration and even some vehicle settings. In physical terms, this piece of industry speak is uncannily accurate, because the box concerned is a computer in a metal container, roughly the same size as the old single-DIN stereo that cars used to have in the eighties and nineties. And in the case of the Skoda Kamiq, it’s a world away from the slick, gloss-black-clad display that sits proudly on top of the dashboard. The Kamiq and its sister car, the Scala, are important vehicles for Skoda’s electronics division, based in an unassuming building in Mlada Boleslav.…

IN TOUCH WITH TECHNOLOGY

WIN A KAMIQ FOR 6 MONTHS

OVER the last 30 pages, you’ve read the Kamiq’s story: what it means to Skoda’s hometown, the design challenges and even how the infotainment systems were developed. Now we’re giving you the chance to live with one. One lucky winner will enjoy six months behind the wheel of a new Kamiq – and Skoda will even cover the insurance costs. You only need to put in fuel and enjoy. The model in question will be a Kamiq 1.0 TSI in SE L specification, which will be loaded with the latest kit, including 18-inch alloy wheels, Virtual Cockpit and Amundsen sat-nav with a 9.2-inch touchscreen and voice control. It really couldn’t be easier to enter the competition. Simply visit our website at the address below and follow the instructions. TO ENTER GO TO: autoexpress.co.uk/win-a-kamiq…

WIN A KAMIQ FOR 6 MONTHS

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods A BABY is being made before my very eyes. I’m hot and sweaty, I’m losing layers of clothing and I’ve just been handed a small beer. I’m having one of the strangest days I’ve had at work in years, but for my new colleagues who I’ve just enthusiastically said cheers to, it’s just another dollar. What you are looking at is one of the Czech Republic’s best known exports, perhaps only after pilsner and Skodas. Bohemian glass and crystal are embedded deeply into the culture of the country’s mineral-rich west. A winding, bumpy hour’s drive north of Skoda’s Mlada Boleslav home will see you land right in the crucible of where that reputation has been forged. There are hundreds of glass producers and specialists in this small corner…

Room at the top?

FRENCH car manufacturers have traditionally been strong when it comes to their small, affordable cars, yet it’s fair to say recently other brands have had it more their own way in the supermini sector. But now Renault has returned with its new, fifth-generation Clio. Over the past four iterations it’s mobilised generations of new drivers, taken countless commuters to and from work and covered almost every base in between. But the fourth version wasn’t exactly the best model in its class and the humble supermini has evolved to the point where it now has an operating window that’s broader than ever. Take the Ford Fiesta and the SEAT Ibiza, for example. These cars arrived in the summer of 2017 and set the class alight, heading straight to the top. Both hatchbacks are fun…

Room at the top?

Running costs 44.0mpg (on test) £54 fill-up/£145 or 23% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 391/1,069 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 11.2 seconds/116mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 50.5/37.0/9.4m MODEL TESTED: Renault Clio Tce 100 Iconic PRICE: £16,295 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 99bhp IN Iconic trim with Renault’s TCe 100 engine, this new Clio comes in at an affordable £16,295, undercutting its rivals. But is it short on ability? Design & engineering THERE’S a lot that’s fresh with this fifth-generation Clio. The CMF-B platform is all-new for Renault’s supermini (the last three versions were based on the older Renault-Nissan Alliance B platform), which uses MacPherson-strut front suspension and a torsion beam at the rear. It’s a standard layout for a car of this type at this price point. The platform has improved packaging, as we’ll see, but it also houses the new TCe 100 engine. This is a 99bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo…

SKODA KAMIQ IN NUMBERS

33 days IT took barely one month to remove the Skoda Rapid production line in Mlada Boleslav and get the factory ready to start making the Kamiq. The Rapid is no longer sold in Europe, but many parts of the production line that were specific to this model – the stamping presses, for example – were crated up and shipped to other sites that will continue to build the hatchback, including a facility in Russia. 25,600 THE total number of staff employed by Skoda in Mlada Boleslav. This includes manufacturing but also development, engineering, data and administration. 165 minutes THE amount of time it takes a painted but otherwise-bare Kamiq bodyshell to go down the assembly line and be transformed into a complete car for a customer. € 100,000,000 SKODA…

SKODA KAMIQ IN NUMBERS

Running costs 43.8mpg (on test) £54 fill-up/£145 or 25% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 311/1,093 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 9.8 seconds/114mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 45.1/33.7/9.8m MODEL TESTED: Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost 100 ST-Line PRICE: £18,070 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 99bhp IT’S our current class leader, but is the Ford Fiesta about to slip down the rankings? We’re testing the 1.0 EcoBoost 100 model in five-door ST-Line trim (Titanium X pictured) to find out. Design & engineering IN this specification the Fiesta costs £18,070 – £1,775 more than the Clio, which is quite a significant chunk of cash at this price point. While you should be able to walk into a Ford dealer and haggle a little, this is partly because the brand doesn’t list the Zetec trim level in its price lists any more. That spec was closest on price to the Clio, but now it’s the…

READY FOR LAUNCH

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler “TWO of our guys have actually come in today just to see the Kamiq when they should be on holiday,” says Paul Abraham, Franchise Director for Marshall Motor Group. Actually, Paul is also officially on holiday when we meet up at Marshall Skoda in Newbury, Berkshire. But such is the excitement about the new Skoda Kamiq among the dealer network – many of whom have yet to see one in the metal – the news that we’re turning up with a Race Blue Kamiq SE L is an opportunity not to be missed. To be honest, we weren’t expecting that level of excitement from dealers, but then a new Skoda is big business, especially for a sizeable dealer group such as Marshall, which has invested heavily in the…

READY FOR LAUNCH

SKODA’S ELECTRIC FUTURE

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram FOR most manufacturers, a concept is a complete flight of fancy. It’s an opportunity to create a car that’s spectacular and outrageous, but something that will usually have only little – if any – influence on its road vehicles in the near future. It can be a chance to showcase technology which doesn’t even exist yet. If they’re feeling really cruel, brands can show off models that look pretty much ready to jump straight into showrooms, but then never make production. Skoda, on the other hand, likes to give us things to really get excited about. Its one-off show stars give us a huge clue towards the look of its next production models. And it’s a practice that’s gone on for almost 20 years, as the manufacturer’s back…

SKODA’S ELECTRIC FUTURE

Running costs 44.0mpg (on test) £51 fill-up/£145 or 24% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 355 litres/N/A Performance 0-60mph/top speed 10.2 seconds/113mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 48.0/35.6/8.9m MODEL TESTED: SEAT Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95 SE Technology PRICE: £16,735 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 94bhp ALONG with the Fiesta, it’s the Ibiza the Clio has to beat if it wants to take class honours – and looking at the price of this £16,735 1.0 TSI 95 car in SE Technology trim, the SEAT could prove to be closer competition than the Ford. Design & engineering THE Ibiza is based on the A0 version of the MQB platform that cemented the fortunes of parent company, the Volkswagen Group. It’s the same platform that underpins other superminis, such as the VW Polo. That means that, as in its rivals, the suspension layout is conventional, as is the choice of engine and gearbox. It’s SEAT’s…

WIN A KAMIQ FOR 6 MONTHS

OVER the last 30 pages, you’ve read the Kamiq’s story: what it means to Skoda’s hometown, the design challenges and even how the infotainment systems were developed. Now we’re giving you the chance to live with one. One lucky winner will enjoy six months behind the wheel of a new Kamiq – and Skoda will even cover the insurance costs. You only need to put in fuel and enjoy. The model in question will be a Kamiq 1.0 TSI in SE L specification, which will be loaded with the latest kit, including 18-inch alloy wheels, Virtual Cockpit and Amundsen sat-nav with a 9.2-inch touchscreen and voice control. It really couldn’t be easier to enter the competition. Simply visit our website at the address below and follow the instructions. TO ENTER…

WIN A KAMIQ FOR 6 MONTHS

Renault Clio Renault Easylink Standard Key features: Nav, connectivity ICONIC trim features Renault’s Easylink seven-inch touchscreen set-up that boasts sat-nav as standard. The Ibiza gets navigation, too, but it’s an extra on the Ford. All three cars get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and in the Renault they work well. However, the Clio’s native system is the least responsive. All three use touchscreens, but the Renault misses more inputs than in either rival. The graphics aren’t quite as slick in the Clio as in the Fiesta or Ibiza, either, but at least the menu layout and system logic is clearer than in other Renaults, such as the Mégane. The brand has learned here. It’s a shame you can’t add options on Iconic like the digital dashboard feature, or wireless charging (this is the same as on…

1st RENAULT VALUE is key in this sector, and it’s one area where the Clio really succeeds. It’s the cheapest, yet gets the most equipment, while quality is also the highest. The Renault teams this with overall running costs that better the Fiesta and Ibiza’s, plus a big boot that boosts versatility, even if the cabin isn’t quite as roomy. The French hatch isn’t the best to drive or the quickest car, but the ride comfort and refinement offset these drawbacks. 2nd SEAT THE Ibiza is close to the Clio in every area and exceeds it when it comes to fun and responsiveness. Its engine is punchy and the gearbox is great, but it doesn’t ride as well. The infotainment system just edges the Renault’s, but the cabin feels much cheaper and the…

HYBRIDS are huge business. Every manufacturer needs one in its range to succeed in 2019 and beyond – and when it comes to sales success, at the minute there’s no better way to combine this powertrain tech than with an SUV body. With the excellent Kona Electric under its belt, Hyundai has released a standard hybrid version of its small SUV. Sister firm Kia did the reverse. It started with a hybrid version of the Niro, then added the brilliant e-Niro to the range. So while the two brands have ended up at the same point (this Niro Hybrid is also new, having received a facelift earlier this year) they’ve done it in different ways. This doesn’t matter all that much, though; what does is the efficiency, practicality, tech and general…

Room at the top?

FRENCH car manufacturers have traditionally been strong when it comes to their small, affordable cars, yet it’s fair to say recently other brands have had it more their own way in the supermini sector. But now Renault has returned with its new, fifth-generation Clio. Over the past four iterations it’s mobilised generations of new drivers, taken countless commuters to and from work and covered almost every base in between. But the fourth version wasn’t exactly the best model in its class and the humble supermini has evolved to the point where it now has an operating window that’s broader than ever. Take the Ford Fiesta and the SEAT Ibiza, for example. These cars arrived in the summer of 2017 and set the class alight, heading straight to the top. Both hatchbacks…

Room at the top?

Running costs 44.0mpg (on test) £54 fill-up/£145 or 23% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 391/1,069 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 11.2 seconds/116mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 50.5/37.0/9.4m MODEL TESTED: Renault Clio Tce 100 Iconic PRICE: £16,295 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 99bhp IN Iconic trim with Renault’s TCe 100 engine, this new Clio comes in at an affordable £16,295, undercutting its rivals. But is it short on ability? Design & engineering THERE’S a lot that’s fresh with this fifth-generation Clio. The CMF-B platform is all-new for Renault’s supermini (the last three versions were based on the older Renault-Nissan Alliance B platform), which uses MacPherson-strut front suspension and a torsion beam at the rear. It’s a standard layout for a car of this type at this price point. The platform has improved packaging, as we’ll…

1st Kia Niro Hybrid

GIVEN Hyundai and Kia are sister companies, it’s no surprise that this Niro Hybrid shares much of its tech with the Kona. That means the 1.6-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol unit and electric motor deliver a total of 139bhp and 265Nm of torque, identical figures to the Hyundai. The Niro sprinted from 0-60mph in 9.2 seconds, undercutting its rival by 0.3 seconds, while it was always a few tenths ahead in our in-gear flexibility assessments, too. Here you can feel the 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor’s boost as it augments the petrol unit, which feels weak and strained when the electricity runs out. Performance isn’t what this pair of hybrids is about, though; instead they’re easy to drive and mostly relaxing in the right situation. They’re better suited to use around…

1st Kia Niro Hybrid

Running costs 43.8mpg (on test) £54 fill-up/£145 or 25% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 311/1,093 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 9.8 seconds/114mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 45.1/33.7/9.8m MODEL TESTED: Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost 100 ST-Line PRICE: £18,070 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 99bhp IT’S our current class leader, but is the Ford Fiesta about to slip down the rankings? We’re testing the 1.0 EcoBoost 100 model in five-door ST-Line trim (Titanium X pictured) to find out. Design & engineering IN this specification the Fiesta costs £18,070 – £1,775 more than the Clio, which is quite a significant chunk of cash at this price point. While you should be able to walk into a Ford dealer and haggle a little, this is partly because the brand doesn’t list the Zetec trim level in its price…

2nd Hyundai Kona Hybrid

THE chassis architecture the Kona Hybrid is based on means a hybrid was always a distinct possibility, and since diesel sales have dropped it makes more sense for the firm to offer this petrol/electric model rather than a downsized turbodiesel for those who want a bit more efficiency. Like the Kia, it’s a 1.6-litre four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine and a 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery supplying an electric motor in the gearbox that deliver this efficiency potential. The petrol unit produces 104bhp while the electric motor kicks out 43bhp and a more impressive 170Nm of torque to bolster the total combined figures up to 139bhp and 265Nm, identical to the Kia’s. But the Hyundai was slightly slower from 0-60mph, taking 9.5 seconds compared with 9.2 for the Niro, and its in-gear acceleration tests…

2nd Hyundai Kona Hybrid

Running costs 44.0mpg (on test) £51 fill-up/£145 or 24% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 355 litres/N/A Performance 0-60mph/top speed 10.2 seconds/113mph Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 48.0/35.6/8.9m MODEL TESTED: SEAT Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95 SE Technology PRICE: £16,735 ENGINE: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo, 94bhp ALONG with the Fiesta, it’s the Ibiza the Clio has to beat if it wants to take class honours – and looking at the price of this £16,735 1.0 TSI 95 car in SE Technology trim, the SEAT could prove to be closer competition than the Ford. Design & engineering THE Ibiza is based on the A0 version of the MQB platform that cemented the fortunes of parent company, the Volkswagen Group. It’s the same platform that underpins other superminis, such as the VW Polo. That means that, as in…

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YOUR GREAT OFFER FREE G3 Pro Multicleaner All the latest news, road tests & reviews delivered to your door each week FREE delivery of every issue Save 50% on your subscription ORDER ONLINE: dennismags.co.uk/autoexpress OR CALL NOW ON: 0330 333 9491 quoting offer code D1601 YOUR FREE GIFT G3 Pro Multicleaner is a truly versatile rigorous cleaning solution that is safe to use on all soft and hard surfaces, inside and outside your vehicle - from carpets and upholstery, through vinyl and paintwork to wheel arch liners and engine bays. It is a silicone-free product that will not discolour rubber, plastics, vinyl or fabric. For maximum performance, use neat, but it can be diluted with water for lighter contamination. ORDER ONLINE: DENNISMAGS.CO.UK/AUTOEXPRESS CALL NOW: 0330 333 9491quotingoffercode D1601 Calls to 03 numbers will be charged at your standard…

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James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 85/830 litres Running costs 34.2mpg (on test) £50 fill-up THE Suzuki Jimny is one of those cars that doesn’t come along very often. It’s amusingly old-fashioned in an unashamed kind of way, unapologetic about its shortcomings, truculent and likes to get muddy. Apart from the last point, we go hand-in-hand together and that’s why I’ll be running this delightfully beige example for the next six months. And it really is beige. Suzuki calls it ‘Chiffon Ivory Pearl Metallic,’ while the roof is finished in ‘Blueish Black’, which seems rather fancy for what is, let’s face it, a car that’s anything but fancy. You can even have a shade called ‘Brisk Blue’, for heaven’s sake. While the Jimny is brand new, it comes from a different time. It replaces the last Jimny, which was on…

Renault Clio Renault Easylink Standard Key features: Nav, connectivity ICONIC trim features Renault’s Easylink seven-inch touchscreen set-up that boasts sat-nav as standard. The Ibiza gets navigation, too, but it’s an extra on the Ford. All three cars get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and in the Renault they work well. However, the Clio’s native system is the least responsive. All three use touchscreens, but the Renault misses more inputs than in either rival. The graphics aren’t quite as slick in the Clio as in the Fiesta or Ibiza, either, but at least the menu layout and system logic is clearer than in other Renaults, such as the Mégane. The brand has learned here. It’s a shame you can’t add options on Iconic like the digital dashboard feature, or wireless charging…

Volvo S60 OUR test fleet is celebrating a new arrival: a Volvo S60 T8 plug-in hybrid. The saloon follows in the footsteps of the V60 estate we enjoyed running at the start of the year, but where that was a humble D3 diesel model, this is the Swedish manufacturer’s flagship T8 plug-in hybrid. The prices are certainly at the premium end of the compact executive class, because the T8 in R-Design Plus trim costs £49,805 on the road. Add in the options fitted to our car and it’s a £55,250 investment. If that sounds expensive, fear not because anyone crunching the numbers will find plenty that doesn’t leave a sour taste. Volvo’s T8 powertrain is quite a piece of kit, with a 299bhp four-cylinder petrol engine working with an 86bhp electric motor to…

1st RENAULT VALUE is key in this sector, and it’s one area where the Clio really succeeds. It’s the cheapest, yet gets the most equipment, while quality is also the highest. The Renault teams this with overall running costs that better the Fiesta and Ibiza’s, plus a big boot that boosts versatility, even if the cabin isn’t quite as roomy. The French hatch isn’t the best to drive or the quickest car, but the ride comfort and refinement offset these drawbacks. 2nd SEAT THE Ibiza is close to the Clio in every area and exceeds it when it comes to fun and responsiveness. Its engine is punchy and the gearbox is great, but it doesn’t ride as well. The infotainment system just edges the Renault’s, but the cabin feels much…

COUNT DOWN TO XMAS WITH DRAPER

NEW PRODUCT Draper Advent Calendar Price: £35 Contact: www.drapertools.com TOOL specialist Draper has come up with an advent calendar that will not just be better for the waistline than the usual chocolate-filled item, but will also last a lot longer. The firm’s first festive calendar dispenses tools over the 24-day advent period to make a 55-piece set. The set will be complete in time to fix Christmas toys and swap batteries with ease. Plus there’s a bottle opener with a moulded rubber screwdriver-style handle ready to lift the lid on any number of beers and fizzy drinks during the festivities. Inside the set itself are stubby and precision screwdrivers to take the 31 quarter inch bits and 20 3mm-drive precision pieces. The tempered, chrome-vanadium steel bits cover PZ, cross slot, Draper’s TX-Star, and hex fasteners. These come…

COUNT DOWN TO XMAS WITH DRAPER

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Do thieves target dash cams? A I’M considering a dash cam but I’m worried about it getting stolen. I never leave my sat-nav in the car, so should I remove the cam too? It seems a lot of trouble if I use it every time I drive.Steve Thompson, E-mail A WHILE it may be less obvious than a sat-nav, a dash cam does attract criminals. One option might be something like the latest cams from Nextbase (above) which clip in to a magnetic mount, making removal easy. One alternative would be a Thinkware cam, because these bond to the screen, making quick removal harder. Q Winning polishes not on sale I TRIED to buy your recommended polishes but neither was on sale locally, and shops hadn’t heard of them. May I…

HYBRIDS are huge business. Every manufacturer needs one in its range to succeed in 2019 and beyond – and when it comes to sales success, at the minute there’s no better way to combine this powertrain tech than with an SUV body. With the excellent Kona Electric under its belt, Hyundai has released a standard hybrid version of its small SUV. Sister firm Kia did the reverse. It started with a hybrid version of the Niro, then added the brilliant e-Niro to the range. So while the two brands have ended up at the same point (this Niro Hybrid is also new, having received a facelift earlier this year) they’ve done it in different ways. This doesn’t matter all that much, though; what does is the efficiency, practicality, tech and…

LINE UP ON THE GRID FOR SOME ARCADE-STYLE FUN

FIRST TEST Grid Price: From £34.99 Available on: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Windows PC Contact: www.codemasters.com THE original Grid hit consoles back in 2008, and Codemasters has rebooted the series for the current generation to take on the likes of Project CARS, Gran Turismo and Forza. We should say at this point that it doesn’t really compare to these titles at all, because the racing here is altogether different. The driving dynamics are pure arcade and a world away from the simulation-led titles above, focusing more on drifting, ambitious passes and bonus points for style. All of this makes Grid more accessible for casual gamers. Where you can compare Grid with sim-led games is on the car and track selection, but unfortunately, it’s not favourable. With only 13 locations, each with various layouts, and around 70…

LINE UP ON THE GRID FOR SOME ARCADE-STYLE FUN

1st Kia Niro Hybrid

GIVEN Hyundai and Kia are sister companies, it’s no surprise that this Niro Hybrid shares much of its tech with the Kona. That means the 1.6-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol unit and electric motor deliver a total of 139bhp and 265Nm of torque, identical figures to the Hyundai. The Niro sprinted from 0-60mph in 9.2 seconds, undercutting its rival by 0.3 seconds, while it was always a few tenths ahead in our in-gear flexibility assessments, too. Here you can feel the 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor’s boost as it augments the petrol unit, which feels weak and strained when the electricity runs out. Performance isn’t what this pair of hybrids is about, though; instead they’re easy to drive and mostly relaxing in the right situation. They’re better suited to…

1st Kia Niro Hybrid

news, deals & events

WIN: Jenson Button’s latest F1 biography EX-Formula One world champion Jenson Button has launched his second book, How To Be An F1 Driver (above). Published by Bonnier Books, the hardback goes behind the scenes of life in the grand prix paddock, with anecdotes and experiences from Button’s career at the wheel in the premier single-seater category. It’s available now in all good bookshops, priced at £20. Auto Express has two copies of the book to give away, plus each winner will also receive a McLaren baseball cap signed by Jenson. To be in with a chance of winning, head to autoexpress.co.uk/button and answer our question, and you’ll be entered into our prize draw. Motorsport UK set to be boosted by new HQ MOTORSPORT UK, the governing body for four-wheeled motorsport in the UK, is…

news, deals & events

2nd Hyundai Kona Hybrid

THE chassis architecture the Kona Hybrid is based on means a hybrid was always a distinct possibility, and since diesel sales have dropped it makes more sense for the firm to offer this petrol/electric model rather than a downsized turbodiesel for those who want a bit more efficiency. Like the Kia, it’s a 1.6-litre four-cylinder non-turbo petrol engine and a 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery supplying an electric motor in the gearbox that deliver this efficiency potential. The petrol unit produces 104bhp while the electric motor kicks out 43bhp and a more impressive 170Nm of torque to bolster the total combined figures up to 139bhp and 265Nm, identical to the Kia’s. But the Hyundai was slightly slower from 0-60mph, taking 9.5 seconds compared with 9.2 for the Niro, and its in-gear acceleration…

2nd Hyundai Kona Hybrid

Socket it to them with these USB adaptors

WHEN it comes to in-car power, the focus has moved away from additional 12V sockets to USB outlets for running phones, tablets and all manner of other electronic kit. Many cars have a USB port as standard, but these are often not up to fully charging the latest smartphones, plus many drivers need more than one. There’s a new adaptor from Anker to solve the problem. We put it up against the top one-piece adaptor from our Issue 1,455 multi-test: the Ring RMS20. We checked size and spec, then compared charging by connecting an iPhone X and an iPad Pro to see how much power could be added in 20 minutes. Price was the final factor. The Ring’s extra socket sees it keep its crown, but it was very close. If space…

Socket it to them with these USB adaptors

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YOUR GREAT OFFER ■ FREE G3 Pro Multicleaner ■ All the latest news, road tests & reviews delivered to your door each week ■ FREE delivery of every issue ■ Save 50% on your subscription ORDER ONLINE: dennismags.co.uk/autoexpress OR CALL NOW ON: 0330 333 9491 quoting offer code D1601 YOUR FREE GIFT G3 Pro Multicleaner is a truly versatile rigorous cleaning solution that is safe to use on all soft and hard surfaces, inside and outside your vehicle - from carpets and upholstery, through vinyl and paintwork to wheel arch liners and engine bays. It is a silicone-free product that will not discolour rubber, plastics, vinyl or fabric. For maximum performance, use neat, but it can be diluted with water for lighter contamination. ORDER ONLINE: DENNISMAGS.CO.UK/AUTOEXPRESS CALL NOW: 0330 333…

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James_Batchelor@dennis.co.uk @JRRBatchelor Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 85/830 litres Running costs 34.2mpg (on test) £50 fill-up THE Suzuki Jimny is one of those cars that doesn’t come along very often. It’s amusingly old-fashioned in an unashamed kind of way, unapologetic about its shortcomings, truculent and likes to get muddy. Apart from the last point, we go hand-in-hand together and that’s why I’ll be running this delightfully beige example for the next six months. And it really is beige. Suzuki calls it ‘Chiffon Ivory Pearl Metallic,’ while the roof is finished in ‘Blueish Black’, which seems rather fancy for what is, let’s face it, a car that’s anything but fancy. You can even have a shade called ‘Brisk Blue’, for heaven’s sake. While the Jimny is brand new, it comes from a…

books, games & apps

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Matteo Licata (Self-published, amazon.co.uk) Price: £26.04 AUTHOR Licata has rewritten this book to better fit with his other titles, and the added work shows. It flows much more easily than before, it’s longer, and there are more pictures. All good additions to what was already a very informative and interesting book about one of Alfa’s most iconic nameplates. Austin Cars David Rowe (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Price: £12.99 THOROUGH, and a good reference title to have in the library, but we can’t recommend it as an exciting read. It’s illustrated with the author’s own photos taken at car shows across the country, backed up with dry but informative specification sheets and even little diagrams of the gearchange patterns and instrument layouts. One for the real Austin buffs. CarX Highway Racer Available for: iOS, Android Price: Free GOOD graphics, a…

books, games & apps

Volvo S60 OUR test fleet is celebrating a new arrival: a Volvo S60 T8 plug-in hybrid. The saloon follows in the footsteps of the V60 estate we enjoyed running at the start of the year, but where that was a humble D3 diesel model, this is the Swedish manufacturer’s flagship T8 plug-in hybrid. The prices are certainly at the premium end of the compact executive class, because the T8 in R-Design Plus trim costs £49,805 on the road. Add in the options fitted to our car and it’s a £55,250 investment. If that sounds expensive, fear not because anyone crunching the numbers will find plenty that doesn’t leave a sour taste. Volvo’s T8 powertrain is quite a piece of kit, with a 299bhp four-cylinder petrol engine working with an 86bhp…

PRODUCTGROUPTEST 13|11|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 FOR really tough car cleaning jobs you need a pressure washer, but most of the time using a spray gun with a garden hose will be enough. Many guns offer a choice of pre-set modes, some of which are specifically for gardens, while others can be used on your car. These include jet, shower, mist, flat and cone sprays. Of the various types, plastic (or ABS) guns are lighter and more wieldy, but not as robust, and often a damaged or worn bayonet connector means the whole thing has to be scrapped. Some kind of water control – usually a variable trigger or lever…

Sponsored by 2019 Results Lexus GS Factfile Years: 2011 to 2018 CO2: 104g/km Fuel economy: 64.2mpg (300h) Best options: Head-up display, premium sound system, adaptive suspension. Used prices: From £8,000 OVERALL SCORE 92.64% Bars show where model finished out of 100 vehicles in our 2019 new car survey. The longer the bar the better GOOD “THE hybrid powertrain offers surprisingly good acceleration considering its economy. Sport mode makes it even better.” “CVT gearbox is very much to my liking; it’s really smooth when driving at any speed.” “Lexus build quality is nothing short of exceptional; it feels as secure as a bank vault!” “Styling is so good, both inside and out. The designers’ attention to detail is obvious.” “Most comfortable driver’s seat of any car I’ve owned.” “Passengers are always very happy with the rear legroom.” “Steering is exceptionally responsive in corners.” NOT SO GOOD “CONNECTIVITY is very…

Tristan Shale-Hester

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Solution to engine problem MY dad bought a used car with a three-month warranty; it’s had several faults in that period and needs a new engine, for which the dealer wants £3,000. What should we do?Kevin J, E-mail A YOUR dad shouldn’t pay for the engine, because the dealer has to provide six months’ protection under the Consumer Rights Act, and the car is clearly not ‘of satisfactory quality’. If the dealer won’t back down, find out if it’s signed up to the Motor Ombudsman and lodge a complaint if so. Trading Standards or legal action are also options. Q How do we get disabled bay? MY mother has to use a wheelchair and is coming to live with me at my flat, which has no driveway and is on…

Tristan Shale-Hester

COUNT DOWN TO XMAS WITH DRAPER

NEW PRODUCT Draper Advent Calendar Price: £35 Contact: www.drapertools.com TOOL specialist Draper has come up with an advent calendar that will not just be better for the waistline than the usual chocolate-filled item, but will also last a lot longer. The firm’s first festive calendar dispenses tools over the 24-day advent period to make a 55-piece set. The set will be complete in time to fix Christmas toys and swap batteries with ease. Plus there’s a bottle opener with a moulded rubber screwdriver-style handle ready to lift the lid on any number of beers and fizzy drinks during the festivities. Inside the set itself are stubby and precision screwdrivers to take the 31 quarter inch bits and 20 3mm-drive precision pieces. The tempered, chrome-vanadium steel bits cover PZ, cross slot, Draper’s…

COUNT DOWN TO XMAS WITH DRAPER

BUYER’S GUIDE: Maserati Ghibli

ALTHOUGH Maserati was formed in 1914, it built only racing cars until 1946, when it launched its first road-going model. Then, in 1967 came an all-time great: the original Maserati Ghibli, a rakish two-seater supercar with a 4.7-litre V8 engine. The Ghibli badge was revived in 1992 for a four-seat grand tourer based on the Biturbo saloon launched in 1981. When Maserati turned to the Ghibli name for a third time, it was on an executive car tasked with lifting the company’s sales to 50,000 per year. The availability of a diesel Maserati for the first time helped the firm towards this target, with global sales peaking at 46,000 in 2017 – but just 36,000 Maseratis were sold last year. Has the Ghibli already had its day? History THE Ghibli Mk3 arrived in September…

BUYER’S GUIDE: Maserati Ghibli

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk @AE_Consumer Q Do thieves target dash cams? A I’M considering a dash cam but I’m worried about it getting stolen. I never leave my sat-nav in the car, so should I remove the cam too? It seems a lot of trouble if I use it every time I drive.Steve Thompson, E-mail A WHILE it may be less obvious than a sat-nav, a dash cam does attract criminals. One option might be something like the latest cams from Nextbase (above) which clip in to a magnetic mount, making removal easy. One alternative would be a Thinkware cam, because these bond to the screen, making quick removal harder. Q Winning polishes not on sale I TRIED to buy your recommended polishes but neither was on sale locally, and…

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