Daily Motoring News From Vertar

Ford of Europe boss issues rallying call

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:32:04 +0000

News 21 May, 2013

Stephen Odell issues ‘wide-ranging call to enable car manufacturers to flourish’

Renaultsport Megane Red Bull Racing RB8

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:02:14 +0000

News 21 May, 2013

Renault and Red Bull celebrate a third F1 constructor's title with special edition Renaultsport Megane RB8

New Audi TT 2014

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0000

News 21 May, 2013

Exclusive images show dramatic look of next Audi TT coupe, which will be lighter for better efficiency and performance

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:55:33 +0000

News 20 May, 2013

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed 12-14 July, will feature seven F1 teams and a celebration of fifty years of the Porsche 911

2013 BMW 5 Series range

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:48:44 +0000

News 19 May, 2013

Facelifted BMW 5 Series, 5 Series Touring and 5 Series GT models revealed

BMW M5 facelift revealed

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:05:12 +0000

News 19 May, 2013

New look for facelifted BMW M5; Competition Package option for M5 and M6

Aston Martin CC100 revealed

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:43:46 +0000

News 19 May, 2013

One-off Aston Martin CC100 sports car revealed to celebrate Aston Martin's centenary

New Mercedes S-Class 2013 launch

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:21:27 +0000

News 17 May, 2013

All the razzmatazz from the Mercedes S-Class launch, which was held in an aircraft hangar near Hamburg

Mazda MX-5: Fun in the sun

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:04:48 +0000

Videos 17 May, 2013

Watch a group of guys have fun in the sun with two Mazda MX-5s and a frisbee

BMW 2 Series spied

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:13:17 +0000

News 17 May, 2013

The BMW 2 Series has been spied undisguised in sporty M235i trim ahead of its debut later this year

New BMW X5 2013 price and release date

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:15:24 +0000

News 17 May, 2013

The latest on the new BMW X5, including release date, price and rumours ahead of its Frankfurt Motor Show debut

New BMW 4 Series 2014 release date and price

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:25:33 +0000

News 17 May, 2013

The new BMW 4 Series goes on sale at the end of 2013 with an expected price of £28,000

New Ford Mondeo: release date, price and rumours

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:01:53 +0000

News 16 May, 2013

All the latest news and pictures of the new Ford Mondeo, ahead of its 2014 release date

BMW reveals new Genius programme

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:02:41 +0000

News 16 May, 2013

BMW Genius service will help customers understand complex tech options

New Peugeot 308 release date and price

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:54:21 +0000

News 16 May, 2013

The new Peugeot 308 release date early 2014, 308 GTi in 2015

Driver Power 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:08:56 +0000

Car group tests 16 May, 2013

Thousands of you gave your verdict, and now we can reveal the Driver Power results in full

Self-driving Mercedes S-Class within five years

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:41:51 +0000

News 16 May, 2013

The new S-Class opens the door to self-driving cars, says Mercedes

New Mercedes S-Class 2014 price & release date

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:40:21 +0000

News 15 May, 2013

New Mercedes S-Class 2014 revealed, on sale September from £64,500

EC raids oil firms after price fixing claims

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

News 15 May, 2013

The offices of Shell and BP have been raided after claims they may have rigged oil prices for more than a decade

New Nissan Qashqai 2014 release date & price rumours

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:38:49 +0000

News 15 May, 2013

The all-new Nissan Qashqai will go on sale in 2014, and our exclusive images show how it could look

Alfa Romeo Giulietta FF6 Limited Edition

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:28:02 +0000

News 15 May, 2013

Alfa Romeo has unveiled a Fast and Furious 6 Limited Edition Giulietta

BMW Gran Lusso Pininfarina teaser

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:15:16 +0000

News 15 May, 2013

The BMW Gran Lusso Pininfarina concept will be unveiled later this month, possibly previewing a new 8 Series

This week's issue of Auto Express

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:54:31 +0000

News 15 May, 2013

The latest issue of Auto Express is on sale now and features our exclusive on the all-new BMW M3 super saloon

Peugeot 2008 prices

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:37:25 +0000

News 14 May, 2013

The all-new Peugeot 2008 crossover is now available to order, with a starting price of £12,995

New Honda NSX now available to order

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:03:25 +0000

News 14 May, 2013

Order books have opened for the Honda NSX ahead of its debut in 2015

BMW M5 facelift leaked

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:05:14 +0000

News 14 May, 2013

Pictures of the revised BMW M5 have been leaked ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show

VW Passat R-Line

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:14:58 +0000

News 13 May, 2013

A new 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine and R-Line trim level have been added to Volkswagen Passat range

Mercedes E63 AMG S

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:49:58 +0000

News 13 May, 2013

The Mercedes E63 AMG S is the most powerful E-Class ever sold in the UK and it starts at £83,740

Volkswagen Amarok Power-Pickup

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:11:33 +0000

News 13 May, 2013

A 268bhp VW Amarok Power-Pickup has been revealed at Worthersee

Lamborghini Egoista

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:25:25 +0000

News 13 May, 2013

The Lamborghini Egoista concept has been revealed to cap off the company's anniversary celebrations

New Range Rover Sport 2014 release date & price revealed

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:26:34 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

The all-new 2014 Range Rover Sport's release date and full price list has officially been unveiled

VW Beetle GSR on sale

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:34:22 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

The Volkswagen Beetle GSR has been revealed, and it will be limited to only 100 models in the UK

Jaguar F-Type coupe

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:36:40 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

First spy pictures of the Jaguar F-Type coupe, which has been spotted outside its Gaydon HQ

Smart Fortwo BoConcept

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:04:28 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

Smart has created a special-edition Fortwo BoConcept, which has a starting price of £22,315

MINI Paceman by Roberto Cavalli

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:53:06 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

A one-off MINI Paceman designed by Roberto Cavalli has been revealed

Micro Mayhem - a short film

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:20:20 +0000

Videos 10 May, 2013

Take a look at this clever Micro Machines stop-motion animation involving a car, a truck, and a deer

The invention of the BMW 3 Series Touring

Fri, 10 May 2013 09:27:06 +0000

Videos 10 May, 2013

Check out how the concept of the BMW 3 Series Touring came about as an after-hours project

New Lexus IS 2013 release date, price and specs

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:59:15 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

New Lexus IS 250 price: £26,495. Leuxs IS 300h price: £29,495. On sale now

Maserati two-seater sports car likely in 2016

Fri, 10 May 2013 10:16:12 +0000

News 10 May, 2013

Small Maserati sports car looks increasingly likely, according to its chief

VW Golf GTI Cabrio Austria

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:33:20 +0000

News 9 May, 2013

A special one-off VW Golf GTI Cabrio Austria has been built by team of young Volkswagen apprentices

BMW 1200GS: Review

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

PH2 was impressed with the GS in the wilds of South Africa - can it cope with East Anglia?

Ford Focus ST-3 Estate: PH Fleet

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

After a shaky start, the Focus begins to win us over

Renault Megane RB8

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Renault piggybacks on Red Bull success with special edition Megane 265

N24 reflections: PH Blog

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Scrof reflects on a mad weekend of noise, rain and sausage

Dealers confirmed for BMW i3 and i8

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Ready to go electric? BMW is, as dealers gear up for the new i range

Ghostly goings on at Rolls

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Rolls-Royce celebrates century-old bling with a very special Ghost

Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R: Spotted

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Box-fresh, delivery mileage R34 or a nearly-new R35? It's a £50K dilemma for any Skyline fanatic...

Aston DB4 GT makes £3m at auction

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Bonhams sale sets a new Aston auction record; barn-find DB5 a bargain by comparison at £320,700

BMW M5 and M6 Competition Packs

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Same but more so as both M5 and M6 gain boosts to keep up with the horsepower arms race

Ferrari 512TR: PH Carpool

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Much-overlooked Testarossa evolution fires the passion of one PHer

MotoGP France: PH2

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Rain spices up the action at Le Mans in a thrilling French MotoGP round

Porsche 911 C4 vs Audi R8 V10

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Two German tourists slug it out for honours on Highland roads, PH at the wheel

N24 in an Aston: PH Liveblog

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The chequered flag falls, but not before Scrof snaps some golden oldies

The PistonHeads Motoring Week

Sat, 18 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Lambos, Ferraris, Bentleys, Porsches, a classic F1 partnership reunited and a Jaguar parked next to a Vulcan!

Aston Martin CC100 revealed

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Aston Martin centenary celebrated with CC100 Speedster Concept and 'ring lap with the DBR1 that inspired it

Aston Martin planning N24 spectacular

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Three racers and 100-car parade will celebrate company's centenary - and PH will be part of it!

Le Mans Friday Service - June 21

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Heading to Le Mans? Make sure you call into the Friday Service

Scarlett's Garage mini classic racers

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Half-scale 250 GTO latest creation built for daughter of the world's coolest dad

Personalised plates: Tell Me I'm Wrong

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Chris Harris has a problem with personalised plates but invites you to set him right on the matter...

New S-Class - hit or miss?

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The definitive Merc megabarge is back with an all-new version, ready to Assist in every way possible

British Power: Pic Of The Week

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

F-Type meets Vulcan at last weekend's very special Sunday Service

SOTW: Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Shed makes the case for a much-maligned iteration of the Golf GTI

Harris on the Mille Miglia: PH Liveblog

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Police escorts, chasing priceless Ferraris and a sneaky visit to a place Chris really shouldn't be

Gran Turismo: 15 years of geekery

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

As the boundaries between real and virtual grow ever more blurry PH talks gaming with Mr Gran Turismo

Renaultsport Megane 265 Cup: PH Fleet

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Concluding instalment for the PH Megane sees final verdict on 19s vs 18s

Mille Miglia 2013 review

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:36:46 GMT

Torrential rain fails to dent the appeal of this glamorous road rally in the spirit of the famous 1,000-mile road race in Italy.

Iain Banks defends his science fiction novels in update to fans

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:44:59 GMT

Novelist Iain Banks has posted an update to his fans, saying he has revived his love of fast cars and is considering chemotherapy following his cancer diagnosis.

Peking to Paris classic car rally 2013: The latest

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:21:51 GMT

Follow Michelle Jana Chan as she competes in a gruelling cross-continental classic car rally.

New BMW 5-series revealed

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:38:59 GMT

BMW's facelifted executive car promises lower emissions when it reaches showrooms in September.

Aston Martin DB4GT fetches world record price

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:53:26 GMT

A unique Aston Martin DB4GT has sold for £3,249,500 at auction.

Aston Martin CC100 in pictures

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:29:35 GMT

Images of the stunning Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept.

Aston Martin CC100 - From concept to reality

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:49:32 GMT

See how the CC100 Speedster went from concept to reality to mark 100 years of Aston Martin.

New Mercedes-Benz S-class promo video

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:29:57 GMT

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is bigger and more high-tech than ever.

Aston Martin's CC100 Speedster Concept

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:30:39 GMT

Aston Martin's new concept car celebrates 100 years of the marque - and hints at future design direction for the British sports car company.

Aston Martin CC100 Speedster Concept

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:30:39 GMT

Aston Martin's new concept car celebrates 100 years of the marque - and hints at future design direction for the British sports car company.

How to clean up when selling your car

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:19:12 GMT

Thoroughly cleaning your car will reap dividends if you're selling - and if not, you'll be getting rid of winter's worst.

Hop on and off the bus for a ride to freedom and growth

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:34:22 GMT

The new Routemaster will boost the economy as well as restore the benefits of healthy risk, says Boris Johnson

Driven: Citroen DS3 Cabrio

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:17:29 GMT

Alexei Sayle tests the new Citroen DS3 Cabrio on a tour of First World War sites.

2013 Mercedes S-class gallery

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:40:25 GMT

Images of the new Mercedes-Benz S-class - the brand's flagship luxury saloon.

Honest John's Car of the Year 2013

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:58:08 GMT

HonestJohn.co.uk announces its 2013 Car of the Year award winners.

2013 Mercedes S-class in pictures

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:36:36 GMT

Track cars to challenge Pageant of Power lap record

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:23:27 GMT

Supercars from Ariel, BAC, Caterham and Radical to push for the fastest time at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power.

Older drivers should retake their test, says survey

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:59:20 GMT

A survey published this week has started a debate about the safety of older drivers.

'Shady middle men' driving up fuel prices, AA claims

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:22:54 GMT

Speculators, traders and "shady middle men" looking for a quick profit are driving up fuel prices, a report claims.

Driver fined for pulling into bus lane to let fire engines pass

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:43:52 GMT

Driver asked for further evidence and was sent video showing that seconds after he moved into the bus lane, two fire engines raced past.

Dedicated traffic courts set up to fast-track motoring offences

Thu, 16 May 2013 23:01:32 GMT

Special dedicated traffic courts dealing with offences such as speeding and driving without insurance are to be introduced across the country, the Government has announced.

New Mercedes-Benz S-class unveiled

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:25:56 GMT

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class is bigger and more high-tech than ever.

Le Mans 24 Hours preview

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:46:05 GMT

The world's greatest endurance race is a matter of weeks away. Our man in the pitlane reports on the build-up to an event steeped in history.

Top 10 classic car survivors in pictures

Thu, 16 May 2013 05:30:20 GMT

British sports cars dominate the list of the classic cars that have survived best.

New Honda NSX to be built in Ohio

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:28:07 GMT

The new Honda NSX supercar will be produced in the US and will go on sale in 2015

Lexus IS300h F Sport first drive review

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:54:14 +0100

Hybrid version of third-gen Lexus IS has predictable strengths, but it’s too devoted to calmness and efficiency to really enjoy driving The car that completes the gradual hybridisation of the Lexus range. The new IS executive saloon becomes the final piece of the jigsaw. There now isn’t a model from the Japanese luxury brand that doesn’t come with at least the option of petrol-electric power. The firm’s flirtation with diesel is over. A few petrol-only models remain, but they’re dwindling in number. And so – 14 years and three generations into the life of the car that really launched Lexus as a fully fledged European premium automotive brand - ‘Hybrid Synergy Drive’ becomes the weapon that parent firm Toyota wields for a renewed assault on the BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-class.It’s a bid that should attract plenty of attention – albeit, says Lexus, perhaps only five thousand UK sales in a full year. Having added 75mm to the overall length of the IS saloon, and taken the usual painstaking approach to redesigning it from top to bottom, Lexus has developed an all-new hybrid powertrain for the IS saloon, which mates a 2.5-litre four-cylinder 178bhp Atkinson cycle petrol engine with a 141bhp electric motor, both feeding the rear wheels.The IS300h’s petrol engine, like all of Toyota and Lexus’ hybrid motors, runs on the Atkinson combustion cycle for a high expansion ratio and increased efficiency. Fitted with a new fuel-injection system with injectors positioned both in the chamber and in the port, it also has exhaust gas recirculation for reduced operating temperature and high thermal efficiency. There are low-friction piston rings fitted, as well as a low-friction timing chain, low-friction valvegear, and an intelligent oil pump. It runs at a very high compression ratio of 13.0:1. Meanwhile, power for the 141bhp, 221lb ft, rear-mounted electric motor comes from a 230-volt, 192-cell Nickel-Metal-Hydride battery pack.It's satisfying to find the IS300h free of many of the compromises we’ve seen in hybrid saloons before. In entry-level SE trim, it’s hardly any more expensive than a mid-spec 2.0-litre diesel Audi A4. No longer must owners stomach an unpalatable premium for the privilege of occasional zero-emissions running. The performance stats are competitive, too. The boot is all-but as large and usable as any rival’s. And then come the numbers to really lure you in: 99g/km of CO2 and 65.7mpg on the combined cycle. The former stands to save a company car driver three figures on his annual tax bill, even compared with an equivalent BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics, via Benefit in Kind liability at just 11 per cent.Yet in spite of the headline-making efficiency it offers, the new IS300h isn’t a martyr to the cause. Apparently. “It’s a car to change your mind,” says Toyota head honcho Akio Toyoda - about hybrids and about Lexus.Using new joining techniques and lightweight materials, the company says it’s added significantly to the torsional stiffness of the IS’s body-in-white without adding to its weight. Stiffer anti-roll bars make the car 20 per cent more roll-resistant at the front axle, while a new multi-link suspension set-up has added 15 per cent more grip at the rear. New steering and braking systems are alleged to bring quicker response, smoother control and greater feedback.

Autocar magazine 22 May preview

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:11:36 +0100

Aston Martin CC100 revealed; new Mercedes S-class launched; Porsche 918 Spyder tested; Kia Cee'd buying guide; full Nissan Juke Nismo road test

This week's Autocar magazine stars three key cars — the shock new Aston Martin CC100 concept, the new Mercedes S-class and the Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar.

The CC100 takes top billing, with our four-page story and interview with chief designer Marek Reichman outlining exactly how it will influence future Aston Martin design. Steve Cropley also reports live on the impact it made at the Nürburgring 24 Hours race.

The Mercedes S-class stands out for being the new technical flagship of the Mercedes range; and with the firm's long-standing commitment to drip-feed that technology back down to all the cars it builds, it makes the new car especially relevant. Hilton Holloway reports live from the launch, and outlines all the technology that makes the S-class special.

Greg Kable, meanwhile, gets behind the steering wheel of a Porsche 918 Spyder prototype and reports back on why it delivers a sensational driving experience and could even out-punch the more feted LaFerrari and McLaren P1 in terms of its breadth of technical capability.

First drive reviews include the new 200mph Bentley Flying Spur, Skoda Superb, Jeep Grand Cherokee, MG 5 and Skoda Octavia 4x4 estate. Long-term test updates include the Mitsubishi Outlander, Jaguar XKR-S, Toyota Auris and VW CC. The Nissan Juke Nismo hot hatch is the subject of our eight-page road test.

In our features section Andrew Frankel compares a modern Caterham to a 30-year-old example as he charts the progression of the marque, Mark Tisshaw joins Lamborghini's 50th anniversary tour through Italy and reports back on the colour and sounds generated by 190,000bhp and Steve Cropley meets the man tipped for Ford's top job, Mark Fields.

Fresh from his used car special last week, James Ruppert tells you all you need to know about buying a cheap Ford Fiesta from £300 through to a fast and cheap Ford Fiesta from £3000. We also give you the lowdown on buying the best secondhand car £3000 can get you, the Kia Cee'd.

Autocar magazine is available through all good newsagents, and available to download from Zinio, Newsstand and the Apple iTunes store.

New Renault M�gane Renaultsport RB8 revealed

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:47:57 +0100

Special version of the Mégane Renaultsport celebrates third F1 constructor title

A new version of the Renault Mégane Renaultsport has been revealed, called the Red Bull Racing RB8.

To celebrate its third constructor's world title in Formula 1, Renault and Red Bull have created the new model to become a flagship for the range.

The RB8 comes with a range of additional equipment including Red Bull Racing branding, Recaro seats, R-Link multimedia and a TomTom Live navigation system, Bridgestone Potenza tyres and the latest version of the on-board RS Monitor.

Red Bull branding continues inside, with bespoke aluminium kickplates and carpets.

An exclusive Twilight Blue finish with Platinum Grey detail will also be available on the hot hatch.

The RB8 will use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged 261bhp engine with stop-start as the Mégane Renaultsport 265 Cup.

As with the Cup, the RB8 features stiffer springs, dampers, anti-roll bar, limited-slip differential and grooved discs with Brembo callipers.

Three former Saab executives arrested - updated

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:17:56 +0100

Former executives suspected of accounting fraud charges

It's been reported that three former executives of Saab have been released, having been arrested earlier today on accounting fraud charges.

Swedish prosecutor Olof Sahlgren said that the three former executives are suspected of "aggravated attempts to avoid tax controls" by allegedly falsifying parts of Saab's accounts between 2010 and 2011. The crime carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

The three executives, named as Jan Ake Jonsson, Kristina Geers and Karl G Lindström allegedly worked for Saab while it was under the ownership of Spyker. The Dutch car maker bought Saab from General Motors.

Hong Kong-owned company National Electric Vehicle Sweden subsequently bought the car maker after it filed for bankruptcy in December 2011, and has on-going plans to make electric cars under the Saab brand.

Ford to launch more than 15 new vehicles within five years

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:01:41 +0100

A host of new Ford models expected as vice president announces focus on manufacturing

Ford will launch more than 15 new vehicles in Europe within the next five years, with most of them being powered by British-built engines.

That was the pledge made by executive vice president of Ford Stephen Odell to the Future of Manufacturing summit, held at Cranfield University.

He also said that engines built by Ford in the UK could potentially power one third of all Fords globally.

Speaking at the summit Odell issued a call to create better market conditions that would enable manufacturers to flourish.

To help face the challenges of the modern marketplace Ford will invest in new technologies to drive product appeal and seek out better-qualified engineers for its operations.

Odell spoke about the skills deficit in the UK and emphasised the importance of a workforce with the right skills and qualifications in the industry. He called on the motor trade to “do more in the interests of schoolchildren” to help encourage more careers in engineering and science.

Despite tough economic conditions Odell concluded his speech by saying he was confident that European and UK manufacturing could survive under the right business conditions.

Odell continued: “We expect Europe’s volume car makers, preferably encouraged and aided by Brussels, to follow the hugely successful American example and do what everybody knows needs to be done: to restructure, to cut excess manufacturing capacity and to reinvigorate their product range. And to develop industry-leading technology for the world.”

Aston Martin makes history with Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:01:22 +0100

Hybrid Hydrogen Rapide S racer becomes first to compete in international racing

An Aston Martin Rapide S Hybrid has become the first race car to complete emissions-free laps of an international motor race.

The car, using a Hybrid Hydrogen system, also became the first car of its kind to compete in an international race during the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez led the Rapide S driver line-up. He said the target of achieving a complete lap of the 12.8mile Nürburgring course was “very ambitious”.

The car was the sole entry within the special E1-XP2 race classification. The Rapide S used was fitted with a hydrogen fuel supply system, tank and proprietary engine management system. Proving the durability of the concept, the system ran faultlessly throughout the race.

Fuel refills took just 30 seconds with the hydrogen being stored at 350 bars of pressure.

During the event the Aston Martin reached a top speed of around 160mph, running on nothing but pure hydrogen.

Infiniti plans luxury Nissan Leaf rival

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:04 +0100

Leaf-based Infiniti will showcase 'neater' induction-based charging technology

The launch of a luxury Infiniti electric car based on the Nissan Leaf hinges on a standard process of induction charging being introduced around the world.

The new Infiniti will have a completely different exterior and interior from the Nissan hatchback and it will be used to showcase induction technology, which does away with charging cables.

“The whole concept of not having to couple up cables to a plug socket, dragging them on the ground and on you as you go, is in keeping with luxury motoring,” said Infiniti boss Andy Palmer.

“It is this technology we want to shine a light on, so while there is no world standard on methods, the roll-out will be dependent on region.”

Infiniti is currently pushing for car makers to develop induction technology on an open source basis, rather than individually investing in their own systems.

New Land Rover Freelander to join extended Discovery family

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:13:05 +0100

Next generation of the popular Land Rover SUV will lose Freelander name

The all-new Land Rover Freelander replacement will become a member of an extended Discovery family, according to company sources. The new car, based on a stretched Evoque platform, is expected late next year.

The Freelander badge, first seen in 1997, will be dropped. The name was discontinued in the US market in 2006 when the second-generation model was launched. The Freelander and Discovery are known as LR2 and LR4 in the US.

Land Rover’s decision to create a family of Discovery models is based on a number of considerations. Perhaps most importantly, Land Rover suffers from a profusion of confusing brands. Although the company is called Land Rover, Range Rover is also its own well established brand. And the company sells three families of vehicles under the Freelander, Discovery and Defender nameplates, which are arguably distinct sub-brands in their own right.

At Land Rover’s recent 65th anniversary celebrations, global brand director John Edwards made a point of telling journalists that the company was based on “three iconic brands: Range Rover, Discovery and Defender”.

The three nameplates will lead to three distinct vehicle families, as Autocar revealed last year (News, 7 November). The Range Rover family has already been marked out with the eponymous luxury version as a flagship, stretching down to the highly successful Evoque. The new Range Rover Sport is close to being launched and sources expect a fourth Range Rover model in the medium term. It has already been dubbed ‘Evoque XL’ and is designed to fill the gap between the compact Evoque and the Range Rover Sport.

It is now clear that the Discovery replacement will be used as a flagship to create a new family of rugged models designed for everyday use and aimed at adventurous families and outdoor enthusiasts. Insiders say today’s Discovery — which combines generous seven-seat space with the ability to carry huge loads — has become an icon in its own right, and the customer satisfaction and brand image it delivers is such that it will be the inspiration for Land Rover’s mainstream range.

The new Discovery range will be topped by two flagship models based on the Range Rover’s PLA all-aluminium architecture. They will be joined by two models to replace the Freelander — a seven-seater and a five-seater.

Propping up the range — if it is given the green light — will be a compact urban model, not much more than four metres long and based on a shortened Evoque platform.

The new Discovery models will be powered by JLR’s new AJ-200 range of four-cylinder engines, including a supercharged petrol unit.

Plans for a third brand family, which will replace the ancient Defender line-up, have also recently been shaken up.

Embracing Bangernomics through the ages

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:43:37 +0100

The concept of Bangernomics was officially born in 1990, but probably dates back to those shrewd chariot-riding Romans

According to the online Urban Dictionary ‘Bangernomics is the art of buying the cheapest car/vehicle possible so that it does not lose value and waste money’. I suppose that’s okay, although I would much prefer to hear what the Oxford English has to say.

Yes I coined the word, but I certainly did not invent the concept of minimal motoring. I am sure that in 200 BC there were chariot buyers looking at the seriously pre-owned end of the marketplace to save a few sestertii.

Fast forward to 1947 when my Uncle Charlie bought a Humber Super Snipe for 15 quid. It was a massive 1930s barge of a car that he ran for a few years and when it stopped for good, he broke it up and got more than his money back. That seemed like a pretty sensible way to approach motoring.

So my first car was a £50 quid Mini in 1977. Although I never called it Bangernomics, it was all I could afford at the time, which sums up what Bangernomics stands for very well.

By 1990 I was a motoring hack and the idea of buying and running a car that would be cheaper than taking the taxi or train and more flexible than the bus sounded like a great idea for a story. I rashly bought an FSO Polonez for £80.

In retrospect that sounds like an awful lot of money for a very rubbish car. It was damp and smelly but worked and got me from A to B and back again for a month. I told Steve Cropley – now of this parish, but in those far off days the proprietor of a brilliant magazine called Buying Cars. He liked it and a feature entitled 'Better Than Walking' was born. I did a calculation of the costs and called it Bangernomics. Steve put the new word and a small picture of my FSO on the cover.

The article went down very well and I thought the subject could be fleshed out a bit more. In 1993 a book called, well, Bangernomics came out. It wasn’t exactly a best seller, but if I had a quid for every time someone had said that they had bought an old Golf/Polo/Volvo after reading the book I wouldn’t be working for Autocar, I’d be a gazillionaire.

Which brings us to Shed 7. As the direct result of an appeal in the blogs on this website, I was offered a great big BMW 7-series for £500. It proves just how far Bangernomics has come in the last few decades, as build quality and the relative simplicity of 1990s motors means that it is possible to get lucky and run a comfy car for peanuts.

Bangernomics is a big, important sounding word for something very simple, which is buying and running a car on a shoestring. It means not worrying about depreciation or cosmetics, and gives you a nice warm feeling in the pit of your wallet.

Aston Martin Rapide Shooting Brake Bertone Jet 2+2 first drive review

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:27:41 +0100

We test the one-off V12-engined Aston Martin shooting brake At the moment, the Aston Martin Rapide Shooting Brake – or the Jet 2+2 as it is officially entitled – is merely a one-off design project that Bertone has created for one of its wealthier customers; a chap who likes his Aston Martins and who goes by the name of Mr Barry Weir.However, so taken with the car are the folks at Aston Martin that, rumour has it, they are now seriously considering making a small but perfectly formed production run.If that run is less than 10, then the cars will be made by Bertone. But if it’s more than 10, Aston will build them instead, at Gaydon, probably (not that anyone from Aston will confirm or deny any plans for such a model as it stands…).Either way, from the moment you set eyes on the Shooting Brake Rapide, you just know that its styling is right. It looks so natural, in fact, that it’s a wonder Aston Martin didn’t come up with the idea in-house.Putting a price on such a one-off car is hard if not impossible to do, but at a guess you’d have to think that the Aston Martin is worth at least £1.5m, possibly more.Beneath its elegantly stretched lines the Shooting Brake is “about 70 per cent Rapide” according to its chief designer, ex-Rover man and a very proud Britain who works abroad, Adrian Griffiths.That means, effectively, that it uses the previous generation's 470bhp V12 and the same rear wheel-drive chassis as the regular Rapide. Mechanically, in other words, it is pure Rapide.“We basically had to take the car apart and then put most of it back together again” admits Griffiths.“But we realised early on that we had to lift the rear haunches substantially because the whole car was sitting too low at the back. I’m extremely proud of what we’ve achieved, the client is very happy, and so are the people at Aston Martin.”

BMW launches Competition Package option for M5 and M6

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:57:52 +0100

BMW M models to benefit from Competition Package upgrade, which will provide more power and improved traction

BMW has revealed a new option for its M5 and M6 models dubbed the Competition Package.

The option, available from July, boosts the output of the V8 engine powering the M5 and M6 by 15bhp to 567bhp.

The package also adds chassis modifications, which include extra tuning to the stabiliser bars. The M5, equipped with the Competition Package, is also lowered by around 10mm.

BMW’s Active M Differential has also been given its own control unit as part of the Competition Package. In conjunction with the other adaptations the end result is improved traction and enhanced driving precision, says BMW.

Aesthetically the Competition Package includes a new 20-inch M wheel design along with a sport exhaust system, featuring twin tailpipes finished in black chrome.

Prices for the Competition Package have not yet been revealed.

Facelifted BMW M5 revealed

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:36:46 +0100

Updated BMW M5 gets minor cosmetic tweaks, new safety features and optional 'Competition Package'

The facelifted BMW M5, which is set to launch in July 2013, will benefit from minor updates and a new 'Competition Package'.

Little has changed mechanically, with the car retaining the 552bhp twin-turbo V8 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The new competition package, however, boosts output to 567bhp for those wanting "outstanding dynamic driving performance".

Externally, the key changes include a new grille, new-design tail lights, optional adaptive LED headlights and several additional paint schemes, including matt finishes.

The changes are similarly minor inside, with the high-performance saloon receiving a different steering wheel, a larger storage compartment under the armrest and chrome trim on the iDrive's control display. An optional touch control is offered for the iDrive system as well, for the first time.

The M5's assistance systems have also been upgraded to improve driver comfort and safety. The M5 now gets a 'Driving Assistant' feature which combines lane departure warning, collision warning and automatic emergency braking.

Other upgrades to the BMW include optional automatic main beam assistance, a lane-change warning system that now operates from upwards of 12.4mph, and an 'Online Entertainment' pack which allows the car to access a database containing 12 million tracks.

Aston Martin CC100 leads centenary parade around N�rburgring

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:30:16 +0100

CC100 Speedster concept heads over 100 Aston Martin cars on 22km lap

A parade of more than 100 Aston Martins took to the famous Nürburgring this weekend ahead of the ongoing 24 hours race, lead by the CC100 Speedster concept.

The cavalcade, planned as part of the marque’s centenary celebrations, also featured Sir Stirling Moss at the wheel of his original 1959 Nürburgring 1000 km-winning DBR1. A DB5 used in the film Skyfall, a One-77 hypercar and a special centenary edition Vanquish also took part in the parade.

Owners and Aston Martin enthusiasts followed suit on the 22km lap. Showroom examples of DB3, DB2/4 Drophead, DB7 Zagato, DB9, Vantage, Rapide, DBS and V12 Vanquish S models were also represented among the crowd.

Aston Martin CEO and CC100 Speedster driver Dr Ulrich Bez said: “It was a fabulous occasion. To see so many of our great cars together on the Nordschleife – the ‘Green Hell’ where we test and develop our modern road cars – was, I hope, truly memorable for the spectators and drivers.”

Aston also continues to have a strong showing in the Nürburgring 24 hours race with a V12 Vantage GT3, a hybrid hydrogen Rapide S and a V12 Vantage competing.

The team is currently running in tenth position with under six hours of the race still remaining.

BMW reveals dealer network for i brand

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:03:21 +0100

BMW reveals 46-strong dealer network for its new i range of cars

BMW has announced a 46-strong sales network for its ‘i’ sub-brand range.

The network will be up and running from launch later this year. Initially two BMW i cars have been confirmed for production, the i3 city car and the plug-in hybrid i8 sports car.

The i3 is available to order from July — with a rumoured price tag of £35,000 — before arriving in showrooms around October.

The i3 will feature an all-aluminium chassis combined with a passenger cell made entirely from lightweight carbonfibre reinforced plastic. It will be made available in either fully electric or range-extended form.

Meanwhile, the i8 isn’t expected to make an appearance until 2014.

According to BMW, more than 6000 potential customers have already registered their interest in the i brand.

The dealers selected are:

Bavarian

Lloyd Newcastle

Berry Chiswick

North Oxford Garage

Benham Wolverhampton

Ocean Plymouth

BMW Park Lane

Rybrook Warwick

Bowker Preston

Sandal Huddersfield

Broad Oak Canterbury

Scotthall Milton Keynes

Chandlers Brighton

Soper of Lincoln

Cooper Croydon

Specialist Cars Stevenage

Cooper Norwich

Stephen James Enfield

Cooper Reading

Stratstone Derby

Cooper Teesside

Stratstone Leeds

Cooper Tunbridge Wells

Sycamore Peterborough

Cotswold Gloucester

Sytner Birmingham

Dick Lovett Bristol

Sytner Cardiff

Eastern Motor Company

Sytner Harold Wood

Elms Cambridge

Sytner High Wycombe

Fairfield

Sytner Leicester

Halliwell Jones Warrington

Sytner Sheffield

Harry Fairbairn Glasgow

Vines of Guildford

Jacksons Jersey

Westerly Exeter

John Clark Aberdeen

Williams Liverpool

Knights North Staffs

Williams Manchester

Lloyd Carlisle

Wood of Bournemouth

Citro�n readies new 'competitively priced' C-line range

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:29:21 +0100

C-line range from Citroën will seek to strike a balance between cost and functionality - but it doesn't aim to rival Dacia

Citroën will show the first of its new ‘C-line’ value cars in just over 12 months, according to its CEO, Frederic Banzet.

In an trade press interview, Banzet revealed that the C-line brand will be the final link in the repositioning of PSA’s Citroën, Peugeot and DS brands.

The first C-line car is expected to be the replacement for the ageing C3 supermini, which is described as being “competitively priced” rather than a low-cost rival for Renault’s Dacia brand. Banzet says that the model was “inspired” by the radical C-Cactus concept from 2007.

The DS line will become a stand-alone marque, with a view to charging the same kind of premium prices as German brands and an eye on serious growth in China. Peugeot will attempt to take a more upmarket slice of the mainstream European market.

Citroën’s mainstream models — the C-line — will be pitched at buyers who seek a balance between cost and functionality.

According to Banzet, the production costs of the C-line models will be held down by simplifying the range line-up and, for example, reducing the number of drivetrain options.

However, Citroën says that it will avoid falling into the  trap of competing purely on price and will use bold styling that “really sets us apart  [from rivals]”.

Citroën planners figure that ‘characterful’ styling has proved — via the Fiat 500 and DS3 — to be a very effective way to add perceived value  to a model.

Plans for new Land Rover Defender shaken up

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:30:52 +0100

Land Rover's plans to replace the ageing Defender with a more rugged vehicle have been scrapped

Land Rover’s plans to replace the ancient Defender with a new range of super-rugged, relatively basic off-roaders have been scrapped, according to sources close to the company.

Outline plans to build the new model in India, probably alongside a related Tata SUV, have also been dropped. A further consequence of the surprise move is that the planned JLR engine factory in India has also been put on ice.

Although a replacement Defender is currently in the works, John Edwards, Land Rover’s global brand director, has been quoted as saying     the new Defender will not go into production in 2015 as originally envisaged. The current Defender will still be retired in 2015, however, partly because of the impossibility of meeting future legislation.

It is thought that the latest plans for the new Defender,  which is certainly three years away, are to create a more premium-level product and build it on a version of JLR’s new, all-aluminium PLA architecture.

Land Rover’s aluminium body shop can currently handle 95,000 vehicles per year on three shifts, but there is already existing room for expansion to 180,000 units. Even so, Land Rover has started work on a further extension of the body shop, suggesting it expects to roll out more than four models based on the PLA platform.

The upshot is that it’s highly likely that a new ‘premium’ Defender will be a sister car to the next-generation flagship model of the expanded Discovery range (see p10), with both models based on a new, marginally smaller version of the PLA architecture.

Sources say Land Rover is confident of being able to buy aluminium at a highly competitive price from its new joint venture in Saudi Arabia. This, and premium pricing, means building the car in the UK would be cost-competitive.

Autocar understands that the decision to shake up plans to replace the Defender has been prompted, at least in part, by the fact that the health of the automotive division of parent company Tata is in question. After suffering a sales humiliation with the super-budget Nano, the company has also seen its new Aria SUV massively undershoot sales expectations.

New car sales in India have gone into freefall in the past six months. Without Tata Motors making significant sales progress, any planned co-operation with Jaguar Land Rover on a back-to-basics Defender is  not financially viable.

Autocar also understands that the product development boss hired to oversee the new Defender argued strongly against using a separate chassis construction and trying to compete globally, particularly with Toyota, in the market for commercial SUVs.

The mysterious case of Ferrari, �15 deodorant, �19 mugs and �52 ashtrays....

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:51 +0100

Ferrari has relaunched its range of merchandising, but should we embrace these 'brand extensions' or revile them?

When I walked in to the new Ferrari brand store in Maranello last week, I was braced to be outraged. I am – like I suspect many of you – not entirely comfortable with the idea of linking the history and aura of Ferrari with everything from silk polo shirts through to teddy bears, all of it sold at a premium price.

As I toured the store my indignation grew. Here, for your own personal chest puffing, are a few selected ‘highlights’, all of which are pictured in the gallery should you require visual evidence:

Ferrari deodorant: €15

Ferrari mug: €19

Ferrari USB stick: €28

Ferrari ballpoint pen: €28

Ferrari Puma wallet: €32.50

Ferrari keyring: €48

Ferrari ashtray: €52

Ferrari wallet: €55

Ferrari Puma shoes: €86

Ferrari paperweight: €150

Ferrari sunglasses: €150

Ferrari playing card case: €240

Ferrari pencil tidy: €265

Ferrari F156 model: €600

Ferrari F1 car art model: €1800

But then someone said two things that made me change my position: firstly, if people want to spend their hard-earned on something that brings them closer to an otherwise out-of-reach brand, so be it. In almost everyone’s life there are examples of spending over the odds to buy something valued as that bit special.

As Ferrari road car sales are pushed into ever-more exclusive areas, presumably demand for this sort of thing will only increase?

And, secondly, and most effectively, the point was made to me that Enzo Ferrari only started selling road cars so that he could fund his passion for racing cars, so these kind of brand extensions could be seen as a continuation of that philosophy.

Of course, there’s the small consideration of shareholders and the like to be taken in to account these days, rather than the ability to just plough profits straight back in to racing.

But if someone wants to spend huge sums to have a Ferrari wallet, the profits from which will make Fernando Alonso go faster somewhere down the line, should I really be anything other than accepting?

New facelifted BMW 5-series revealed

Sat, 18 May 2013 23:00:00 +0100

As part of a facelift of the big-selling 5-series, BMW is introducing a new ultra-frugal entry-level diesel option to the UK

BMW has added a new entry-level 518d to its range as part of a host of mid-life changes to the biggest-selling BMW 5-series ever.

Set to go on sale in the UK in September, the subtly restyled 5-series features reprofiled bumpers, altered headlight and tail-light graphics, and a new range of alloy wheels among the measures aimed at providing the 5-series with fresh visual appeal.

The big news on the engine front is the arrival of the 518d. It gets a version of the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine used in the existing 520d, detuned to produce 141bhp and 266lb ft of torque. BMW puts the 0-62mph time at 9.6sec, combined economy at 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions at 119g/km.

The 181bhp version of the engine used in the 520d has been further improved and now has economy and CO2 emissions to match the 518d’s. As a result, the 520d EfficientDynamics model has been discontinued. The legacy of that car lives on, though, because the 520d ED’s aerodynamic aids are added to the 520d as standard to reduce its drag coefficient to 0.25.

All other engines in the 5-series line-up are tweaked to meet Euro6 emissions standards and gain technology such as brake-energy regeneration, stop-start and a fuel-sipping Eco Pro driving mode. A coasting function, which operates under a trailing throttle to disengage the driveline for added fuel savings at speeds between 31mph and 99mph, is also added.

Further driveline choices include a revised petrol-electric hybrid unit in the 5-series ActiveHybrid, which will continue to be sold in saloon body style only. Topping the line-up is the M5, whose styling receives similarly subtle revisions to those of the standard 5-series models.

Despite the addition of BMW’s four-wheel-drive xDrive system to many 5-series models in mainland Europe, no xDrive-equipped 5-series models are planned for the UK. However, BMW has introduced xDrive to the UK by adding it to the 335d saloon.

Greg Kable

Alpina B6 Biturbo first drive review

Sat, 18 May 2013 07:30:21 +0100

Niche car maker goes large with its repurposed twin-turbo V8 6-series Rumour has it that the next big thing from Alpina will be a six-cylinder, twin-turbo D3 that can live with a BMW M3 in a straight line yet return more than 50mpg at the same time.But that car won’t be available until quite a bit later in the year, and in the meantime Alpina has a whole range of other new cars with which to tickle the fancies of enthusiasts wanting more exclusivity from their fast BMWs, starting with the car you see here, the frankly monstrous new B6 Biturbo coupé.Everything about the B6 is, shall we say, large. Beneath its bonnet sits a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 that produces 532bhp between 5200 and 6250rpm and a positively herculean 538lb ft at just 2800rpm.The gearbox is a tweaked version of the eight-speed ZF automatic used in the regular 6-series, in this case enhanced by Alpina’s engineers to prevent upshifts in certain modes (which is useful on a circuit, for example) and to momentarily cut the flow of fuel and deliver a lovely burble between gearshifts as a result.The chassis has also been preened by Alpina to provide a wider range of set-ups than in the standard BMW 6-series. So in Comfort mode the ride quality is softer than you get in a regular BMW, while in Sport and Sport Plus it’s the other way around, with the electronic dampers sharpening up the driving experience to a level that no regular BMW driver would quite recognise.The same philosophy applies to the interior, in which you’ll find a far higher quality of leather than in a factory BMW, plus a set of dials and seats that are bespoke to the B6.And if that’s not sufficient to distinguish the car, Alpina also offers a vast range of options that enable B6 owners to personalise their cars to whatever specification they require – while spending a great deal of money in the process, of course.

30 years of the Peugeot 205: picture special

Sat, 18 May 2013 06:10:33 +0100

It's been three decades since the introduction of Peugeot's iconic supermini. We look back at some of the greatest models

The Peugeot 205 was so popular in its 13 years on sale in Britain that it became notoriously difficult for Peugeot to replace.

In 1991 the Peugeot 106 had been introduced to offer another affordable small car, but it didn't have the same appeal. It wasn't until 1998, over two years after the demise of the 205, that Peugeot launched its 206 successor. While stylish and popular, the 206 never captured the hearts and minds of those who drove it, unlike the 205.

At its launch in 1983, the Peugeot 205 was available with a range of small petrol engines and naturally aspirated diesels. Suspension was by Macpherson strut at the front and trailing arms fixed to transversely mounted torsion bars at the rear.

Despite being beaten to the 1984 European Car of the Year title by the Fiat Uno, the 205 soon won many plaudits thanks to its low running costs, attractive styling and excellent dynamics.

Peugeot launched the GTi in April 1984, perhaps the most revered of the 205 models. Originally a 1.6 litre with 105bhp, then upgraded to 115bhp during 1986, the GTi had a list price of £6295. It was joined in the range by a 130bhp 1.9-litre flagship at the end of 1986.

Both models offered huge driver involvement, fizzy performance and pert good looks that made them hugely popular with hot hatch drivers of the 1980s. A series of special editions, such as the 1FM (produced in association with Radio 1 and adding a host of additional equipment) further enhanced the GTi's appeal.

Watch Autocar's Hero Cars feature on the 205 GTi 1.9

The Peugeot 205 Gentry was a softer-edged GTi, with a detuned 1.9-litre engine producing 105bhp, more luxurious interior and automatic gearbox. It was only available in Sorrento Green or Aztec Gold. The spirit of the Gentry can be seen in the recently launched 208 XY, using a less-powerful GTi engine with a softer focus.

The cabriolet version of the Peugeot 205 was the CJ, and was available with a 1.4-litre petrol shared with other hatchback variants like the XS and GT. Launched in 1986 and made until 1994, the CJ was partially assembled by Pininfarina. It rivalled cabriolet variants of the VW Golf and Ford Escort.

Peugeot also made a GTi version of the CJ cabriolet, called the CTi. Initially available with the 1.6-litre engine, the more powerful 1.9 was later introduced to the CTi, but only in its catalysed 122bhp form. Today the CTis are much less sought after than the hatchback GTis.

The Rallye badge has arguably as much kudos fixed to a Peugeot as the GTi moniker does. With the 205, two very different Rallyes were produced for British and European markets. The former was little different from the regular 1.4-litre 205s - it produced the same power but was lighter and came with unique colours and decals. The 205 Rallye was only produced in 1992.

European versions of the 205 Rallye made 102bhp thanks to the adoption of twin Weber carburettors (the UK car had just one). Bereft of most interior luxuries, it weighed just 790kg.

With the 205 DTurbo, Peugeot arguably created the diesel hot hatch that is still popular today with models like the VW Golf GTD and Mini Cooper SD. Adding a turbo to the 205's 1.8-litre diesel liberated 78bhp and 117lb ft of torque, combining pace with economy.

Dimma provided a range of factory-approved engine and body modifications for the 205. While kits were available to be retrofitted, the official Dimma cars, ordered from Peugeot, are now most collectable.

Available on GTi and CTi models, the Dimma widebody tweaks gave the 205 massively flared arches and new vents, similar to that of the T16. Perhaps the most famous Dimma 205 is 'H 20 COS', a Cosworth-powered wide-body car.

The 205 was as accomplished in motorsport as it was on the road. The T16 was the ultimate evolution of 205, homologated by Peugeot to compete in Group B rallying. The competition car was hugely successful, winning 16 events and two WRC titles for Peugeot between 1984 and 1986.

The final T16 Evolution 2 cars produced over 500bhp and weighed less than 1000kg. Production T16s made a more sedate 200bhp from a 1.8-litre turbo, but retained the mid-engined, 4WD layout of the rally cars.

See more of the 205 GTi 1.9 in our Hero Cars feature video here.

Matt Bird

Price cut for 1.6-litre petrol Subaru XV variants

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:20:57 +0100

The cost of the entry-level Subaru XV, which comes with a petrol 1.6-litre engine, has been revised and now starts from below £20k

The four 1.6-litre petrol variants in the Subaru XV range have been reduced in price by £1300, bringing the cost of the entry-level version of the compact crossover to below £20k for the first time.

Since its launch last year, the Impreza-based 4x4 has ranged in price from £21,295 for the basic 1.6i S model to £24,715 for the 1.6i SE Lineartronic.

Now, the high-riding hatchback will cost between £19,995 and £23,415 when fitted with the smaller of Subaru’s petrol powerplants.

The original UK pricing structure for the XV was impacted by the strong Yen, which pushed up prices for Subaru’s domestic importer, IM Group.

In recent months the Yen’s value has eased, allowing Subaru UK to revise the prices of some variants.

The price reductions do not apply to the 2.0-litre petrol and diesel XV variants, although Subaru UK is offering three years’ interest-free credit on its oil burning models until the end of June.

Video: Land Rover Bowler EXR S vs Caterham Seven Supersport on track

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:37:50 +0100

We find out if a lightweight Caterham can fend off a 550bhp Bowler EXR S on a tight handling circuit

Can a 1750kg off-roader keep up with a 520kg track toy around a tight handling circuit? Steve Sutcliffe and Matt Prior pitch a 550bhp Bowler EXR S against a 140bhp Caterham Seven Supersport, in a clash of the opposites, to find out.

Jeep considers upmarket seven-seat SUV

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:27:51 +0100

US 4x4 brand is expanding its range and could introduce an upmarket seven-seater in addition to a small entry-level SUV

Jeep is planning to add a seven-seat SUV to its range, although the company’s UK chiefs haven’t yet decided whether it will reach these shores.

Buoyed by encouraging sales growth, the American manufacturer is currently expanding its model range, which currently lacks a seven-seat 4x4 to rival cars such as the Audi Q7.

The new vehicle could be branded as ‘Grand Wagoneer’, reviving an iconic nameplate that was last used in the 1990s. The idea of using the Grand Wagoneer name was raised at the Geneva motor show in 2012, when Jeep chiefs conceded that they were looking at growing the brand with an ‘über SUV’ that would be in keeping with the current global popularity for upmarket 4x4s.

The last seven-seat Jeep was the Commander, which was discontinued three years ago. Sister brand Dodge, though, does make a three-row SUV called the Durango, which is built on an extended version of the Grand Cherokee's platform at Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit.

It is likely that a new seven-seat Jeep could be based on a similar platform, which would make it about five metres long. The size might be a factor that precludes it going on sale in right-hand-drive format in the UK.

“When you look at the packaging of larger SUVs, about 40cm is added for the extra row of seats. We would have to consider whether that would become too large for UK roads,” said Jeep’s UK brand director Nigel Land.

Although the new vehicle has yet to be officially confirmed and wouldn’t arrive until 2015 or 2016, a car that is certainly part of Jeep’s range expansion is a new small B-segment SUV. It will become the brand’s entry-level model and is due to be introduced in late 2014.

Aston Martin CC100 concept unveiled

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:57:02 +0100

Bold V12-engined CC100 concept car takes cues from 1959 Le Mans race car

Aston Martin has celebrated its centenary with a dramatic new concept car that reveals many clues about the firm’s future design direction.

Called CC100, the new concept also pays homage to Aston’s 1959 Le Mans-winning DBR1 racer by adopting a classic two-seat speedster shape. The CC100 is a fully working prototype capable of more than 100mph and was given its world debut at the Nürburgring 24 Hours last weekend on a demonstration lap driven by Aston boss Ulrich Bez, in formation with a DBR1 driven by Sir Stirling Moss.

The CC100 — it stands for Concept Car in Aston’s 100th year — has close visual links with the DBR1 at first glance. However, further inspection of the CC100 reveals the latest evolution of Aston’s design language and a whole host of flourishes, details and engineering ideas destined for its sports car line-up.

These include the latest interpretation of Aston’s grille design, a dramatic evolution of the firm’s signature side strakes and a new rear-end design that forges closer visual ties with the front of the car.

Underneath the carbonfibre-bodied CC100 is the latest version of Aston’s versatile and constantly evolving VH structure, complete with carbonfibre bonded on to parts of the rear, as with the Vanquish. Power comes from a 6.0-litre V12 engine mated to a six-speed automated manual transmission. The concept is good for 0-62mph in just over 4.0sec and a theoretical top speed limited to 180mph.

There are clues to the future of Aston Martin throughout the CC100 but it is in the design where they are most prominent, as Aston’s design director, Marek Reichman, revealed to Autocar.

“An Aston Martin is always beautiful and timeless, but timeless still can and needs to evolve,” he said. “For instance, we have had a great face with our grille for 60 years, and we’ve evolved it a huge amount here on CC100 while still making it instantly recognisable as an Aston.

“The front grille is now part of the body. It is the bodywork that gives the overall shape of the grille, rather than the grille being a graphic stuck on to the front of the car. Then within that shape you have the grille itself, with an insert giving a mirroring effect.”

The grille insert is intended for more sporting Astons, such as the Vantage. Reichman said that the look of this new grille could be made more luxurious for, say, a Rapide by removing the insert and having the body create the grille’s outline.

The side strake air vent is also now part of the body, rather than being a graphic stuck on the side. It cuts out of the top of the wheelarch, splitting the arch in two, and flows back into the sides for a sculpted, dramatic shape.

“The side strake is now actually the side of the car,” said Reichman. “Having the vent in the arch helps to reduce drag but also reinterprets what we know a side strake to be as it’s become the whole side of the car. It’s no longer a graphic and we will see this on Astons of the future.”

Another feature set to become a mainstay of future Astons is the turning of the firm’s instantly recognisable ‘C’ graphic on the rear lights into a 3D shape that flanks the rear of the car. Surrounding the lights is a shape that is essentially an upturned CC100 front grille without the top bar.

The concept, which was designed and built in less than six months, has what Reichman calls a “minimal but functional interior”. It has all the hallmarks that you’d expect of an extreme two-seat speedster, such as sports seats and harnesses, but with “added luxurious and hand-crafted touches to add to the function”.

The concept also reveals technologies that will be used on future Aston Martins, including a TFT display for the instrument binnacle in place of traditional dials, and full LED front headlights.

The CC100 — nicknamed DBR100 internally — is close to the Vantage in length, at about 4.5m, but it is much wider, at about 2m, and considerably lower, giving it a radically profile and proportions. Insiders have revealed its weight to be less than 1200kg, a saving of more than 400kg over a V8 Vantage.

Reichman, who worked alongside exterior design chief Miles Nurnberger to create the concept, describes the CC100’s body as being part of the structure to increase rigidity, something that is expected to carry over to future Astons.

“The unconnected front wheelarches show that we’re starting to think of the body less as wrapping around wheels but as being an integral part of the structure,” he said.

Full carbonfibre bodywork was used by Aston for the first time on the One-77 and Vanquish, and its reappearance for the CC100, Reichman admitted, shows a future trend for Aston, although the cost of the material is preventing a wider application.

The bonding of carbonfibre into the mainly aluminium VH structure in the Vanquish and CC100, coupled with a full carbonfibre monocoque for the One-77, are also clues to where Aston’s platform strategy is heading, Reichman hinted.

“Carbonfibre has real flexibility in its form and rigidity in its structure, and it is torsionally stiff and light, but it also has a high price as its main downside,” he said. “It is a material you won’t be able to avoid in sports cars in the future, although aluminium makers are responding with improved technology of their own as its in their business interests to do so.”

Continued advancements in the manufacturing of carbonfibre also mean parts that might have taken a month to be turned from concept to reality before are now able to be delivered in just a matter of days, Reichman revealed.

Reichman said that the new design themes on the CC100 would be gradually rolled out on the continually updated Aston Martin range rather than put on a new car in one fell swoop.

“We are always about evolution at Aston Martin rather than revolution,” he said. “It gives you better, more beautiful designs. With revolution you can fail. Evolution improves. If no one had ever invented the sports car, then we could do a revolution but we’ve already got it and are evolving it.”

New traffic courts to deal with problem drivers

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:37:32 +0100

Traffic courts will hear cases on motoring offences to help ease the burden on magistrates

Special traffic courts are to be set up to deal with problem drivers, freeing up courts to deal with more serious crimes.

The government announced the changes after revealing that around half a million motoring cases are heard in the magistrates' courts each year. These cases can often take longer to progress than more major offences, says the Ministry of Justice.

The average time taken to complete a driving offence case is almost six months — despite over 90 per cent of cases resulting in a guilty plea or being proved in absence.

Nine police forces in the UK have already trialled the new traffic courts including forces in Essex, Lincolnshire and London's Metropolitan Police.

Justice minister Damian Green said the justice system must respond more quickly to victims, witnesses and local communities. "These dedicated courts will enable magistrates to better organise their work and drive greater efficiency," he said.

The government is currently in consultation to decide how best to implement the courts. At present the 'express' traffic courts will only come into operation when there is a guilty plea or where the case is not contested.

Ford launches 'BlueService' customer care scheme

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:08:28 +0100

New 'BlueService' scheme features free electronic health check for Ford vehicles of any age and mileage.

Ford has launched a new service option for Blue Oval vehicles of any mileage and age.

The new scheme, dubbed 'Ford BlueService', includes an electronic vehicle health check and an online service booking system, which is incorporated with the existing Ford Assistance, Ford Accident Management and One Call initiatives.

Ford's electronic vehicle health check, dubbed eCHECK, gives customers a colour-coded rating on the health of their vehicle.

The launch of the program is just the start, says Ford, with the scheme set to expand to include fixed pricing on parts, service costs, security and operating system upgrades over the coming months.

Jon Wellsman, customer service division director, Ford of Britain, said, “This new package, which combines servicing, roadside assistance and an annual inspection, will benefit customers driving Fords of any age or mileage. On top of that, the ability to access services through a single contact number ensures unrivalled convenience and peace of mind.”

BlueService is a joint investment between Ford and its dealers, costing £7.5 million, and it will be rolled out across Ford's 650-strong UK service network.

Mercedes C63 AMG Edition 507 to cost �66,690

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:37:47 +0100

Latest supersaloon from AMG to start at £66,690, capable of 174mph and 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds

Mercedes has released pricing details of its C63 AMG Edition 507, with the saloon starting at £66,690 and the coupé and estate from £68,160.

When the Edition 507 goes on sale in July, the saloon variant will be £9760 more expensive than the standard C63 saloon. The premium for the estate and coupé is £10,030.

Over the standard C63 AMG, the Edition 507 receives an extra 49bhp and 8lb ft of torque, taking its totals to 500bhp and 450lb ft. The electronic speed limiter has also been upped from 155 mph to 174mph, setting the Edition 507 apart from other AMG models and putting it just below the C63 Black Series.

The 0-62mph sprint is now dealt with in 4.2sec, or 4.3sec for the estate. Stopping power is provided by a 'high-performance composite brake system', clamped by red calipers and visible through new 19-inch cross spoke alloys.

Inside the 507 receives unique badging and black gloss trims, with exterior alterations including flared bonnet domes and gloss paint on the mirrors, grille and front splitter. The saloon gains a boot spoiler too.

Edition 507 buyers benefit from free AMG basic training, at one of five racetracks in Germany, including the Nürburgring GP circuit.

Jack Evans

Virtual to reality - on track with Gran Turismo

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:36:39 +0100

Can racing skills learnt in the virtual world ever be transposed to the real thing? Let's find out...

Here’s a question: can you turn a gamer into a racer?

The answer is an unequivocal yes if the results of the Nissan GT Academy are anything to go by. Started back in 2008, the Academy invited gamers playing special versions of popular racing game Gran Turismo to get online and get racing, with the best invited to turn their virtual skills into real ones at the GT Academy Boot Camp.

Champions of the Academy get the offer of a lifetime, the chance to work as a pro driver for the Nissan race team. It’s led to big success, too, with two former GT Academy winners driving in Le Mans next month.

It’s a perfect example of turning skills learnt through the virtual world into real world talent – but can anyone do it?

To celebrate the launch of Gran Turismo 6, and a new season of the Nissan GT Race Academy at Silverstone, I was invited to pit my best virtual lap time of the International Circuit against a real-world equivalent.

In the game I managed a fairly respectable 1:32 lap time. On my best attempt I was beginning to learn each corner of the circuit, ready to anticipate braking zones and where to accelerate. Could I replicate that knowledge on the track?

This is the first time Silverstone has been represented in the Gran Turismo series, and I was going to tackle the famous International Circuit.

As I neared the first corner in my allocated Audi TT RS I followed the line I’d taken on the virtual track, and was surprised at just how realistic the game felt to the real car. It’s the subtle things you notice, like body roll and the way weight shifts when you brake and accelerate. Of course, there are some things the game will never be able to do – as racing drivers will tell you, a decent portion of track driving is felt through your rear end – but this is definitely up there.

The lap continued and I began to get cocky. I knew where the corners were and when I should be braking, so we made rapid progress around the course. We even overtook a slowcoach in an R8 on one of the straights. I felt invincible.

At the end of it all I asked my instructor how I did on a scale of one to ten, with one meaning he wanted to throw me from the car and ten meaning he’d be placing me in F1 as soon as possible. He gave me a four. Damn.

So yes, it is possible to learn, at least in part, a racetrack from the comfort of your living room. For me though, that’s where I’d best be staying.

Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 170 DSG first drive review

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:41:27 +0100

Skoda's flagship saloon receives a mid-life refresh comprising revised styling, extra equipment and improved efficiency It's a helluva lot of car for the money. This is what people said of the first Skoda Superb - in essence a bargain-priced, Skoda-styled VW Passat, stretched by 100mm between the wheels - when it first appeared burst onto the market back in 2008.And they’ll be saying it again this July when the revised Superb hits British showrooms featuring some eye-catching styling and equipment updates, plus improved CO2 numbers for the all-important fleet-friendly versions, at prices close those of the outgoing model.

F1 2013: What does the McLaren-Honda partnership mean for the sport?

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:16:26 +0100

This week's McLaren-Honda announcement is likely to have consequences way beyond the racetrack

The news that Honda is coming back to Formula 1 in 2015 is interesting in that it confirms that the new Formula 1 rules are attractive to the automobile industry — as was intended.

It means while the unambitious Formula 1 teams will be trying to do deals with the existing manufacturers and Honda, the more imaginative will be chasing around the world banging on the doors of the motor companies that have an interest in hybrid technology: the likes of Porsche, BMW, Toyota/Lexus, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia and so on.

Honda CEO Takanobu Ito said all that was needed during the launch: "As the direction of Formula 1's new technologies and the direction that Honda aims at for development matches, the young engineers who will be responsible for Honda in the future started to voice their desire to take part in the challenge. More so than in the past, we can expect feedback from the race cars to common road cars and vice versa."

And it is not just the car companies to watch out for, because the battery companies that supply the big automobile firms will also be looking to get a little publicity and business for their work by getting involved in F1.

In all probability the next title sponsor of McLaren will be a Japanese firm because in the past Honda’s partners in F1 have often been companies with which it does a lot of business. These days B2B is the key to successful Formula 1 sponsorships and so one should look at who is the principal supplier of hybrid batteries to Honda these days… The answer is Sanyo, which is today owned by Panasonic.

Oddly enough, Panasonic has just announced the establishment of Panasonic Mobile Communications Co, Ltd, specialising in the development, manufacturing and sales of mobile phone handsets including smartphones, which would be useful for Claro, which is to be a McLaren sponsor in the years ahead.

One can imagine that Panasonic might be able to do a fair amount of business with Claro, which is one of the four largest mobile phone network operators in the world and has more than 50 million customers in Central and South America.

They all need smartphones…

BMW 2-series coup� spotted undisguised

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:30:29 +0100

Latest spy shots reveal BMW's new M235i coupé in full

The new BMW 2-series coupé has been caught practically undisguised, months ahead of its expected official unveiling later this year.

BMW's 2-series nameplate will be used for replacements for today’s 1-series coupé and cabriolet models. This move, similar to the renaming of the 3-series coupé and cabriolet models as 4-series for their next generation, is part of BMW’s plans to provide greater differentiation between saloons, estates and hatchbacks and their coupé and cabriolet siblings

The 2-series coupé and fabric-roofed cabriolet, codenamed F22 and F23 respectively, have been extensively re-engineered in a move that sees them grow incrementally in size over their predecessors, providing them with increased levels of interior accommodation and luggage capacity together with improved safety credentials.

Latest spy pictures reveal that the coupé retains the almost two-door saloon styling of the 1-series coupé, but with a more rakish profile.

Nods to both the 1-series and the 4-series are visible in 2-series' design: the double kidney grille and the lights are not as narrow and slender as the 4, but the car’s overall proportions give a lower, sleeker effect than the 1-series’ proportions.

The 2-series' wheelbase will be 30mm longer than its 1-series predecessor; supporting front and rear tracks that have been extended by a significant 55mm and 60mm respectively. The new car has also been engineered to support both standard rear- and optional four-wheel drive, as with the latest 1-series hatchback

The model spied here is the range-topping BMW 2-series M235i, essentially a coupé version of the M135i hatchback that’s powered by a turbocharged 315bhp 3.0-litre straight-six engine.

Engines will be carried over from the 1-series range when it goes into production in November. The coupé could also form the basis of a new range-topping M2 derivative, using an even more potent version of the M235i’s engine.

Mark Tisshaw/Greg Kable

N�rburgring goes up for sale

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:30:24 +0100

Bidding to secure ownership of the Nürburgring has begun

Bidding for the Nürburgring begun this week, with the race track and its associated facilities expected to sell for around £100 million.

Constructed in 1927, the ‘Green Hell’ fell into bankruptcy last July and the track has been in need of a buyer since then. The new owner will take over 300 employees and 12.8 miles of tarmac famed for its danger and risk.

The 90-year old Nordschleife has the possibility of being sold to more than one investor, who would purchase the Nürburgring free from the £338 million worth of debt that caused the previous government-supported owners to file for bankruptcy. Currently the Nürburgring has a yearly turnover, estimated at around £50.7 million.

Unique in its appeal, the Nürburgring sale has drawn protesters who voiced their opposition to the track’s private sale. Many of those protesters would rather that the Nürburgring went back into public ownership as it had been previously, securing the Nordschleife as a public facility rather than a private acquisition.

Formal interest in the Nürburgring must be submitted by 12 June, indicating that the track could find new owners by the end of the summer.

Jack Evans

Ford Fiesta ST v Peugeot 208 GTI v Renault Clio RS 200 Turbo

Fri, 17 May 2013 06:00:16 +0100

There is no greater hot hatch contest right now than this: we put the Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTI and Renault Clio RS 200 Turbo to the test

So, here we are, on the Brecon Beacons with The Big Three - the new Ford Fiesta ST, the Peugeot 208 GTI and the Renault Clio RS 200 Turbo.

It has been a long time coming, and conditions are perfect. A minor hurricane is blowing, obviously, but it has been spliced with fluorescent spring sunshine, so the roads are cricket-crease dry.

The glacial breeze might be the reason for my savage goose bumps. But perhaps not. This is a rare occasion. It’s unusual to have three direct rivals arrive so close together, even more unusual to get them between the cattle grids without a preliminary comparison to upset the form guide, and practically unheard of for it all to occur in a segment as compelling (and as pertinent) as this one. This is hot hatch Yalta. In Wales.

Except, of course, it isn’t, because we’re on day two of the conference, and much has already occurred. Our favourite strip of national park may be the photogenic showpiece where considered debate becomes verdict, but there has been a massive amount of preamble to see the dignitaries on to the B4560’s round table. And as hot hatches – particularly the affordable supermini variant – are as much about making the logistical nitty-gritty memorable as they are rewarding in rural isolation, I’ll take you all the way back to the introductory handshakes for some historical context.

Broadly speaking, each car here is in an enviable position. Spicy superminis were once an adolescent side show to the family-sized hot hatch, but now going ‘small’ is very much of the moment. Downsizing equals efficiency. Once upon a time, a hot hatch’s eco credentials would have been a source of shame, but there isn’t a car here that claims a combined fuel economy score lower than 44.7mpg. All feature their maker’s latest turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engines, all are relatively well equipped, all seat five at a pinch and manage 62mph in less than 7.0sec, and none exceeds 145g/km of CO2.

Elsewhere, they are rather different. But in the basic task of giving the people what they need, all three get the required balance largely right. Needless to say, giving people what they want is far more tricky, and here the Ford Fiesta ST, Peugeot 208 GTI and Renault Clio RS 200 Turbo diverge. I’d suggest that none is free from the peculiar pressure of expectation or reputation, and there’s a certain amount of baggage to be acknowledged (and possibly jettisoned) along the way.

None comes with more than the Clio. Its predecessors list like a band’s seminal albums: the 172, the 182, the 197, the 200 – more numbered memories than model generations. I’ve owned one, lusted after another, earned points in two and sweated buckets in all. It’s a decade-long relationship that I’d hate to have sullied, and that’s tricky ground for a car that seeks to alter so much of the existing formula.

Let’s recap. The Clio 200 Turbo is a five-door-only model. It’s available only with a new six-speed Efficient Dual Clutch transmission. The Cup chassis remains an option (fitted here), but this is the heaviest car on test, at 1204kg, and the most expensive, at £19,995 for the Lux model tested. Somewhat predictably, our first 10 minutes around Cardiff together are fraught. No, I do not like the gearbox. I don’t like the clunky lever or having to choose between P, N, R and D. I don’t like the cheap paddle shifters or its reticent default mode, either.

Much of this is personal preference; objectively, the twin clutches pick out gears sleekly enough, and leaving them to do so relieves some of the tedium involved in urban driving. But with it, sucked from the car like marrow from the bone, is the around-town spontaneity that separates a hot hatch from its siblings in the first place. Our problem with the visceral difference between fingering a lever and manually threading a gear seems familiar to the point of cliché, yet it must be reiterated here: the EDC, at slow speeds, reduces your willingness to interact with the car, making the much-improved 177lb ft of low-down torque tricky to harness effectively.

It’s all the more frustrating because away from the gearbox, there’s much to appreciate. The Clio appears long and louche in this company, cluttered by doors, perhaps, but fabulous from the rear and well proportioned all round. The inherited cabin architecture is satisfying enough – particularly the seven-inch touchscreen, capable of conveying GT-R levels of performance data – and the added maturity implied by the EDC is well served by the ride control, which, considering the Cup chassis’s 15 per cent stiffer intent and 18-inch alloy wheels, is superb. Aided by the introduction of rally-derived hydraulic compression stops (essentially smaller secondary dampers working inside the main units), the result is uncanny: not too stiff, not too loose, but tweaked to express, support and mitigate.

The sophistication of the new set-up is unmistakable, and coming in a Clio – formerly the peddler of intense dynamic rigour – it serves to highlight the more stringent character selected by Ford. Of the three, the ST is the only car that comes with a classic hot hatch bent as standard. Rather than being isolated from Swiss-cheese suburban roads, you tremor and twitch with its vertical movements – a very fleshy appendage of the chassis’s mechanical righteousness. It would be wearing on a commute if the judder had any sharp edges (it doesn’t; the usual Ford polish still applies) and if it didn’t suit the car’s revised demeanour down to the ground. This is a super-heated hatch in the best tradition, effortlessly capturing, via a clockwork-precise six-speed manual ’box and a typically spirited steering rack, the kind of analogue vigour that has ebbed from the digital Clio.

Certainly, the Fiesta’s size helps its agility along; its wheelbase is a full 100mm shorter than the Clio’s. Its fusion of a shrunken Aston Martin head with an upright body is both petite and pretty. There’s precisely the same 177lb ft of torque from the EcoBoost motor as found in the Renault, but thanks to Ford’s sound symposer, it has a beefy charisma and more accessible punch. But not as much as the 208, which strains at a 30-40mph leash with an exaggerated potency located in the additional 26lb ft available from 1750rpm. While it weighs hardly any less than the ST (1160kg plays 1163kg), the extra grunt and lighter steering imbue the Peugeot with a fleet-footed giddiness reminiscent of more than one overpowered 1990s hatchback.

This makes it enjoyable company when slicing and dicing Cardiff’s other commuters on the city’s curious lane-controlled one-way system – especially as Peugeot has opted to soften its approach for better comfort. The chassis has none of the Clio’s expensive poise – it pitches gently fore and aft under heavy acceleration and braking – but with the 197bhp engine practically daring you to ditch measured inputs for some old-fashioned welly, its conviction is heartening.

It’s in the 208 that I finally break out of the metropolitan sprawl, and its big-chested flexibility is welcome on the motorway sprint, requiring far fewer gearchanges than its rivals. Although all three cars share remarkably similar 0-62mph times (the Clio is officially quickest, at 6.7sec, but only thanks to a launch control mode), the 208 GTI, with its willingness to rev far into the supposedly forbidden red, feels subjectively like it might actually be top gun in a straight line. That’s no bad thing in the peeing contest that informs most hot hatch purchases.

However, any notion that the Peugeot might have the beating of its rivals away from anything more challenging than a set of traffic lights is swiftly dispelled the moment we meet moorland. In the tight, testing circumstances presented by the B4560, the Clio and Fiesta – both endowed with diff-replicating electronics and tauter front ends – romp away under the kind of throttle input that lights up the 208’s inside wheel and turns the already distant steering into a lost cause of understeer slush.

Its unruliness is hardly a surprise, given its allotted personality, but driving it back to back with the competition over the Beacons does cause its appeal to depreciate. The same steering rack that makes the 208 GTI a breeze in car parks and alleyways is the one that ultimately foils it at pace. It lacks both the directness and split-second subtlety required to recognise the tyre’s initial bite, thereby shortening confidence in the car’s ability to cling on in corners.

This is not a trait that the ST lacks. In fact, faith in the Fiesta’s controls is so immediate and heartfelt that it’s all too easy to overlook the level of expertise required to render such an instantaneous level of understanding between car and driver. The distance between what you want it to do and what it actually does is infinitesimal.

Part of this is enduring familiarity – familiarity with the elasticity, assertive self-centring and accuracy of Ford’s steering tune (even when quickened and endowed with a knuckle redesign and shorter arm), familiarity with the ergonomics of the cabin and the pedal response, and finally with a front end that has been flattened by a 15mm reduction in ride height, broadened by wider tyres and filtered through Torque Vectoring Control (the system that applies brake force to the inside front wheel to reduce understeer). The rest is down to an almost perfectly tuned front-wheel-drive chassis.

Best of all, its superior sense of control isn’t focused exclusively on the business of pushing on. The ST is utterly biddable away from its limit and can be keenly adjusted on (and off) the throttle. The chassis’s balance is always focused on the nose, with the back end – embellished by a stiffened torsion beam – reacting on demand, cantering sideways in jaunty, easily correctable lunges. Its dynamic obedience is quite an accomplishment.

So persuasive is its amenable talent that the first half mile in the Clio seems tame by comparison. Unlike the ST, the Renault is not a blank sheet of paper on which to scrawl; it takes a while to adjust to its alternative brand of composure.

First, it requires some button pushing. The RS Drive switch next to your knee must be pushed once to access Sport mode (remapping the throttle, steering weight, traction control and transmission) and then held down to get the good stuff (allowing the engine to hit its limiter in ‘manual mode’ and disengaging the ESC altogether).

Despite a ticklish sense of delicacy, for me the steering isn’t as deftly weighted as the ST’s and its tugs at the wrists to indicate the limit of traction aren’t as convincing. Given the peerlessness of its lineage, that rankles as a disappointment. However, as speeds rise, so does the articulateness of an extraordinarily communicative chassis. Its dexterity and balance – not to mention a level of grip that almost registers as taxing in the city – come to vibrant life on the mountainside.

In the Fiesta, the dynamic linchpin can be found just ahead of the gearlever; in the Clio, it straddles the seat backs. This is a supermini with four appreciable corners, not just a pointy nose with a spring-loaded rear to arbitrarily discharge. Here the reinforced back end – specifically, the outside tyre – registers in your consciousness early, to the point where you lean on it as hard and as earnestly as you do the RS-Diff-informed front (Renault’s own name for its electronic solution to understeer).

The result is not as playful as the ST, but – in collaboration with a ’box that finally comes somewhat alive through flat, pistol-whip changes and an engine more entertaining in its final 1500rpm than any that have preceded it – this is an intoxicating and fluidic brand of handling worthy not only of a long afternoon on the B4560 but also perhaps of a new chapter in the Renaultsport saga.

It leaves an impression on the final running order, too. Had the test been compressed into Cardiff alone, the Renault would likely have languished at the bottom. As it is, my fervour atop the Beacons cannot be ignored, and it’s the 208 that must finish at the back. But not out of sight of the leading pack. Unlike its direct antecedents, this is no barrel scraper; despite being too expensive, at £18,895, it’s more fun, more capable and certainly more usable than a swathe of hot hatch rivals that didn’t even merit a trip across the Severn. It’s also worth pointing out that while the RS and the ST are underpinned by first-rate superminis, the orthodox 208 is desperately mundane. If there were an award for most-improved model, Peugeot would be collecting it.

Renault, I suspect, will be content with second here. The latest Clio is a curious mix of attributes and vices, poorly packaged from some angles and undeniably overpriced from all. Yet it’s still possible to glean the manufacturer’s original objective and even applaud its ambition. Had it been executed flawlessly, the dual-clutch ’box might have been heralded as a principal strength in a new and mature breed of adaptive supermini. Even as it is, I don’t doubt that the car will find its fans, underwritten as it is by consummate ride control and an exuberant on-the-limit identity. But ultimately, this isn’t the best B-segment hot hatch you can buy – and that’s a backward step for the brand.

Conversely, it’s a proud leap forward for the Blue Oval. We’ve become accustomed to Ford delivering class leaders right out of the gate, and the ST is no exception. During the car’s development, the manufacturer was quick to distance itself from the previous (at the time, current) generation of Renaultsport Clio, suggesting that it was aiming for a more accommodating middle ground.

Nevertheless, confronted with the aggressive, mischievous and rather marvellous final product, it’s tough not to conclude that Ford borrowed liberally from Renault’s former playbook – right down to the bargain starting price of £16,995. Had its rival succeeded in rewriting the rules with the new Clio, the unyielding Fiesta might have had closer company.

As it is, the Ford Fiesta ST proves an object lesson in familiar Ford development – namely, giving us exactly what we want.

Ford Fiesta ST-2

Price £17,995; 0-62mph 6.9sec; Top speed 139mph Economy 47.9mpg (combined); CO2 138g/km; Kerb weight 1163kg Engine layout 4 cyls, 1596cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, transverse, FWD; Power 180bhp at 5700rpm; Torque 177lb ft at 1600-5000rpm; Power to weight 154bhp per tonne; Specific output 113bhp per litre; Compression ratio 10.1:1; Gearbox 6-spd manual; Length 3975mm Width 1787mm; Height 1456mm; Wheelbase 2489mm; Fuel tank 42 litres; Range 442 miles; Boot 276 litres; Front suspension MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; Rear suspension Torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar; Brakes 278mm ventilated discs (f), 253mm discs (r); Wheels 7.5Jx17in; Tyres 205/40 R17;

Renault Clio RS 200 Turbo Lux

Price £19,995; 0-62mph 6.7sec; Top speed143mph Economy 44.8mpg (combined) CO2 144g/km; Kerb weight 1204kg; Engine layout 4 cyls, 1618cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, tranverse, FWD; Power 197bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 177lb ft at 1750-5500rpm; Power to weight 163bhp per tonne; Specific output 122bhp per litre; Compression ratio 9.5:1; Gearbox 6-spd dual-clutch auto; Length 4062mm; Width 1731mm; Height 1448mm; Wheelbase 2589mm Fuel tank 45 litres; Range 443 miles; Boot 300 litres; Front suspension MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; Rear suspension Torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar; Brakes 320mm ventilated discs (f), 260mm discs (r); Wheels 7.5Jx18in; Tyres 205/40 R18

Peugeot 208 GTI

Price £18,895; 0-62mph 6.8sec; Top speed 143mph; Economy 47.9mpg (combined); CO2 139g/km; Kerb weight 1160kg; Engine layout 4 cyls, 1598cc, turbo, petrol; Installation Front, transverse, FWD; Power 197bhp at 5800rpm Torque 203lb ft at 1700rpm; Power to weight 170bhp per tonne; Specific output 123bhp per litre Compression ratio 10.5:1 Gearbox 6-spd manual Length 3962mm; Width 1829mm; Height 1460mm; Wheelbase 2538mm; Fuel tank 50 litres; Range 527 miles; Boot 285 litres; Front suspension MacPherson struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; Rear suspension Torsion beam, coil springs, anti-roll bar; Brakes 302mm ventilated discs (f), 249mm discs (r); Wheels 7Jx17in; Tyres 205/45 R17

McLaren and Honda - every F1 win in pictures

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:40:09 +0100

McLaren and Honda announced today that they will join forces in F1 again from 2015; here we celebrate their partnership from 1988-1992

McLaren and Honda announced today that they will renew their partnership in Formula 1 from 2015.

The pair originally worked together from 1988 to 1992, shattering F1 records along the way. Here we celebrate every win in pictures.

The partnership began with a pole position by Ayrton Senna and victory by Alain Prost in the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix in 1988, and ended at the 1992 Australian Grand Prix with a victory for Gerhard Berger.

Over the course of the five-year partnership McLaren and Honda started 80 grands prix, scored 55 pole positions (a 66 per cent strike rate), won 44 races (a 55 per cent win rate) and set 30 fastest laps.

Drivers of McLaren-Honda cars won four world championships (Ayrton Senna in 1988, 1990 and 1991 and Alain Prost in 1989) and the pairing notched up constructors' titles in 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

During the course of the association McLaren and Honda also enjoyed three race-winning engine combinations: a 1.5-litre turbo V6, 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V10 and 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V12.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0 V6 CRD Summit first drive review

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:12:14 +0100

New-look Jeep Grand Cherokee also gets new technology and improved performance to take on the class best It's the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee, revised with new technology, improved performance and cosmetic changes both inside and out. Most significant among the tweaks to this luxury SUV is the installation of the Chrysler Group's new ZF-derived eight-speed automatic transmission, which is available across the entire engine line-up.The new transmission, says Jeep, reduces consumption and emissions while improving acceleration and gear-shifts. It's something the Grand Cherokee had been crying out for to replace the prehistoric five-speed auto.The UK range ignores the petrol V6 and V8 engines and focuses solely on the 3.0-litre V6 diesel (apart, that is, from the monstrously powerful 6.4-litre Grand Cherokee SRT halo model, of which only about 20 will be sold here).This new Grand Cherokee also gets an Eco Mode which optimises gear-shifts, although it can be disengaged if more sporty performance is desired. The economy-driven changes help the claimed fuel economy to increase by about ten per cent to 37.7mpg, with the attendant fall in CO2 emissions meaning the Grand Cherokee now dips below 200g/km, putting it on a more competitive footing with rivals such as the 3.0-litre V6 variants of the Volkswagen Touareg and BMW X5.As for the styling changes, at the front the Grand Cherokee features a shorter upper grille, slimmer headlights, more pronounced fog lights and a front fascia that's been slightly elevated.The rear end boasts larger tail lamps with LED lighting, a larger and more aerodynamic rear spoiler and a re-sculpted tailgate that offers greater rear-ward visibility.In the UK the new Grand Cherokee will be offered in five trim levels, with the entry-level Laredo variant being followed by Limited, Limited Plus, Overland and Summit. Laredo, Limited, Overland and Summit each features mild styling variations to distinguish them, and the higher-specification cars get Jeep's more sophisticated four-wheel-drive system and air suspension. Limited Plus is a UK specific level that adds extra toys such as satnav and 20in alloys to the Limited trim. It is expected to be the biggest seller in the UK range.Although UK prices are still being finalised, it is expected that the range will start at about £37,000 and rise to just under £50,000 for top-of-the-range editions. Right-hand-drive cars will reach the UK in the middle of July.

536bhp electric Mitsubishis set to tackle Pikes Peak hill climb

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:38:46 +0100

Pair of all-electric MiEV Evolution II race cars destined for arduous hill climb; Mitsubishi aiming for first-place finish

Mitsubishi has announced the entry of a pair of all-electric MiEV Evolution II race cars in to the 2013 Pikes Peak hill climb.

The original i-MiEV Evolution competed in the Pikes Peak last year, completing the course in 10m 31sec and earning a second-place finish in the electric vehicle class. Overall, it finished eighth out of a total 170 entries, setting times faster than many petrol-powered rivals.

Mitsubishi's MiEV Evolution II, which is hoped to attain a first-place finish overall, uses parts from production vehicles combined with a specially designed high-performance battery and electric motors.

Experience from last year's race has led to the addition of Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control system, as well as a two-front/two-rear four-motor drivetrain, in order to improve the car's performance.

Power has risen considerably, with the original Evolution offering a total 321bhp and the new Evolution a total of 536bhp. Other changes include reductions in weight and aerodynamic improvements, partly thanks to a specially designed body.

One MiEV Evolution II will be driven by two-time Dakar Rally overall champion Hirsohi Masuoka; the second will be driven by Greg Tracy, six-time Pikes Peak motorcycle champion.

The 91st running of the 'Race to the clouds' will see the MiEVs race alongside other all-electric competitors, including a Honda Fit EV and the Monster Sport E-RUNNER. The 12.42-mile hill climb features 156 turns and, from start to finish, an increase in altitude of 4,720ft. The current course record, set in 2012 by Rhys Millen, is 9m 46sec.

The original i-MiEV Evolution was a purpose-built hill climb car that used three electric motors, each outputting 107bhp and 148lb ft. One drove the front axle, the others drove the rear, giving the Evolution four-wheel drive and a 0-60mph time of 3.8sec.

Of the previous entry, 2012 team principal and driver Hiroshi Masuoka said "Although we missed out on capturing the top spot by finishing 2nd in the Electric Division, I'm satisfied that we were able to compete in the challenging driving conditions of this Pikes Peak course using motors and batteries from the production i-MiEV."

Other notable entries into the 2013 Pikes Peak include the Peugeot 208 T16, the manufacturer's first entry into the event since 1989.

To watch Autocar's video review of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution, click here. For our full road test, click here.

Volvo boosts V60 Plug-In Hybrid production

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:36:22 +0100

Growing demand for Volvo's recently launched range-extender will see production rise by 90 per cent

Volvo is ramping up production of its V60 Plug-In Hybrid by 90 per cent, following an unexpected level of demand for the car.

Production numbers at Volvo's Torslanda plant will rise from 150 a week to 282 immediately. Countries in which the V60 is in particular demand include Holland, Belgium and Italy.

The increase in production will mean a total of 7600 V60 Plug-In Hybrids will be constructed in 2013, with a target of 10,000 units for next year. Volvo predicts around 300 of the cars made in 2014 will be sold in Britain.

The Plug-In Hybrid is powered by a 212bhp 2.4-litre five-cylinder diesel and 69bhp electric motor. The V60 Plug-In Hybrid is also four-wheel drive, with power to the rear provided by the electric motor.

In 'Pure' mode, the Plug-In can travel 31 miles using electricity alone, whilst 'Power' mode combines both diesel and electricity to offer 280bhp and 473lb ft. Official testing has rated the V60 at 155.2mpg and 48g/km.

Of the move, Volvo's senior R&D vice president Peter Mertens said: “We are exceptionally pleased that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid has received such a fantastic reception among consumers”.

Furthermore, with the model fully integrated into Volvo's production process, Mertens affirmed “we have the flexibility to quickly adapt to the increasing demand”.

Matt Bird

What happened to the �beautiful� Lamborghini?

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:33:02 +0100

Sant'Agata’s cars have become increasingly angular, and a lot less pretty in recent years. Why?

Lamborghini celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend by unveiling what it clearly believes is its most dramatic-ever concept car, the angry but not especially beautiful-looking Egoista.

Based on the current Gallardo but taking its cues from the Apache fighter helicopter, the Egoista is, according to its designer Walter De Silva, “designed for people who want the most extreme and most special things in the world. This car represents extremes of hedonism; it is a car without compromise. In a word, it is selfish".

Hmm. What I’d like to know, having been a fan of the way Lamborghinis look since the year dot, is what, precisely, the Egoista has got in common with the cars that Sant'Agata has produced over the previous five decades?

What sort of design homage, exactly, does the Egoista pay to the Miura, for example, or even the original 2003 Gallardo on whose mechanicals it is based?

Ever since Ferruccio Lamborghini formed his beloved car company in 1963 as a means of making better machines than his arch enemy Enzo Ferrari just up the road in Modena, Lamborghini has consistently produced some of the most beautiful-looking cars on the road.

But then about six or seven years ago, something changed at Lamborghini. A different mindset took over at Sant'Agata, and at a stroke the design houses of northern Italy that had helped create so many of the world’s most stunning-looking cars were universally shunned.

Instead, all design was brought in house, since when all Lamborghinis have become increasingly angular – if you’re being polite – or increasingly vulgar if you’re telling the truth.

As each new concept or actual model has appeared, the lines have become sharper and more awkward to look at – like shards of shattered carbon fibre – and the curves have continue to fade, presumably with the intention of appealing almost exclusively to that same selfish, hedonistic person at whom the Egoista is so squarely aimed.

But where will this seemingly deliberate eschewing of its past heritage leave Lamborghini in 10-15 years' time? And if the move to ignore what’s gone before really is deliberate, why are they making such strange decisions when most sports car makers would kill for a heritage like Lamborghini’s?

I simply refuse to believe that Sant'Agata has decided to cater for just one very particular type of customer – young, brash, loaded and lairy – to the detriment of all its other requirements, or customers.

One day, after all, such customers will surely grow older and wiser, and then maybe they won’t want a car that looks like it could cut you to pieces at 100 paces – at which point Lamborghini’s appeal will have narrowed to a point where the rest of us will simply no longer care. And then they really will be in trouble.

In the meantime, you’d have to hope that at some stage in the next few years, Lamborghini will realise that making beautiful cars is also key to its future, and that designing cars that look ultra-aggressive purely for the sake of it – and appeal to some of the world’s more odious egotists in the process – isn’t actually where salvation lies.

But at the moment they would appear to have their lost their way a bit at Sant'Agata. The trouble is, the road back will only get longer with every new styling gimmick that Lamborghini comes up with.

Honda confirms F1 return

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:25:08 +0100

Japanese manufacturer will race with McLaren in F1 in 2015

Honda will return to Formula 1 in 2015 as engine supplier to McLaren.  

Honda left F1 at the end of 2008, but has been tempted back to the sport by the new 2014 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine rules.   The firm confirmed in a statement that it has already begun development of its all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 Formula 1 engine, working out of its R&D facility in Tochigi, Japan.

The team will be renamed McLaren Honda.

"For everyone that works for the company, the weight of our past achievements lies heavily on our shoulders," said McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh . "It's a partnership synonymous with success."

McLaren and Honda won 44 grands prix and eight world championship titles in the 1980s and 1990s.

Honda's decision to return under the new 1.6 turbo rules is expected to further underline the firm's growing commitment to developing high-performance turbocharged engines for its road cars in the future. It already campaigns a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine in the World Touring Car Championship.

Charles Morgan's Gumball Morgan 3 Wheeler in charity auction

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:45:18 +0100

Morgan aims to raise more than £50,000 through selling unique 'Spirit of the Gumball' 3 Wheeler

Charles Morgan is to sell a Morgan 3 Wheeler that he drove in last year’s Gumball Rally in a charity auction in Monaco.

The 3 Wheeler was used by Morgan to compete in the 2012 event, which ran from New York to Los Angeles. Originally in a Superdry livery, the car now features a black and gold colour scheme.

With an auction estimate of between £50,000 and £100,000, the 3 Wheeler is up for auction alongside items such as Kimi Räikkönen’s Lotus F1 car steering wheel and X Games champion skier Jon Olsson’s skis.

The auction will take place at the finish line of this year’s Gumball race in Monte Carlo's Casino Square in Monaco on 24 May. Two Aero 8s are representing Morgan in this year's event, one by Gumball Rally founder Maximillion Cooper.

The Gumball, which this year is celebrating its 15th anniversary, attracts some of the world's most desirable cars and their drivers to travel 3000 miles on public roads in order to raise money for charitable causes. The Gumball Rally starts in Copenhagen on 19 May and 114 competitors are expected to take part.

Lotus F1 driver Räikkönen is taking part in this year's rally along with some celebrities, including actor David Hasselhoff and professional skateboarder Tony Hawk. Cars in the event include a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT 500.

Jack Evans

McLaren confirms P1 successor

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:30:20 +0100

McLaren sales boss predicts another flagship in ten years' time

There will be a successor to the McLaren P1, but not for “at least ten years” according to sales and marketing boss Greg Levine.

Part of the original P1 project’s brief from its initiation in 2009 was revealed by McLaren last week, stating the car “will maintain its status as the best super sports car the world has ever seen until a successor is built”.

However, Levine played down the significance of the mission statement, saying: “The only way a car like the P1 works is by being exclusive and having a short product cycle. After that, you have to step back from the market for a few years. These sort of launches can only happen every ten years or so.”

Three-quarters of the McLaren P1s that have been fully specced by customers so far include bespoke modifications, although that number is expected to drop to around a third as more orders are logged.

The changes from the standard car range vary from individual paint colour choices to interior modifications. Several customers have also ordered two cars, although no-one has yet ordered more.

“We’ve had 30 or so cars full specced by the customers so far, and the desire to make each car more individual has been noticeable,” said Paul MacKenzie, the head of the McLaren Special Operations division. “Based on experience we expect that figure to come down, but what’s significant is that people want their cars to look different.”

More extreme potential modifications include removing the air conditioning units to shave weight or finishing the bodywork in an unpainted carbonfibre weave.

Around a fifth of all McLaren 12Cs ordered are modified by the MSO division.

MG 5 first drive review

Thu, 16 May 2013 07:30:47 +0100

MG's Focus rival has been indefinitely postponed in favour of an SUV; was it the right decision? This is the MG 5, once mooted to be coming to Britain by the end of this year, but now parked, officially at least, because Chinese parent firm SAIC is focusing on getting its mooted Nissan Qashqai-rivalling SUV over here as fast as possible.The MG 5 is a Ford Focus rival that arrived with great fanfare, first being shown as a concept at the Shanghai motor show in 2011, and then in a more muted production form at the Beijing motor show one year later. At the time there was talk of a potential hot hatch, but that appears as far off today as it was then.

Kia Carens 1.7 CRDi 3 first drive review

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:15:46 +0100

Kia's flagship MPV delivers good value for money, but the best Carens is lower down the range This is the Kia Carens MPV in all its glory, with the highest output engine — a 134bhp 1.7-litre diesel — and presented in top-spec ‘3’ trim.It won’t surprise the budget conscious, however, to learn that Kia has not lost sight of its core customer base even as you push up the range.While the price gap is pushed by both the engine and equipment levels, it shouldn’t be enough to make your eyes water — especially if you compare it alongside the opposition, such as the Ford Grand C-Max.

Autocar reveals used car bargains in Bangernomics special

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:42:14 +0100

Bangernomics is all about saving money by buying and running the best used car for the lowest outlay; our guide explains how it's done

Tough financial times have prompted Autocar’s Used Car Expert James Ruppert to reveal the secrets of Bangernomics.

It's all about getting yourself the most car for the least money. At a stroke, depreciation no longer becomes an issue, running costs are slashed and there are no monthly finance charges. It also contrasts the high costs of buying a new car with the supreme good sense of buying a well-used one.

The full Bangernomics guide, published in the 15 May 2013 edition of Autocar, details our pick of the best city cars, people carriers, family cars, luxury saloons and performance cars. The feature also highlights common issues and faults to bear in mind when considering a competitively priced used car.

Not only will it save you money, but Bangernomics makes you feel good about owning a car. You'll be recycling a used car, prolonging its life and hopefully seeing a slightly larger balance in your bank account.

There are numerous BMWs, Mercedes and Audis available at very competitive prices. Savvy buyers could pick up a BMW 5-series from £595, a Mercedes from £395 and an iconic Volkswagen Golf from £495.

"You will own a car that will not drop in value much and will be cheap to run", explained James Ruppert.

Bangernomics isn't difficult either; it can be rewarding and enjoyable. You'll learn some skills, waste less money and have a new topic of dinner party conversation.

To learn more about the Bangernomics way, pick up this week's issue of Autocar magazine.

Autocar magazine is available through all good newsagents, and available to download from Zinio and the Apple iTunes store.

Click here for more used car buying guides.

Quick news: Peugeot 2008 prices; Mazda's record attempt; Toyota Auris Hybrid; used Volvo scheme; classic Ferrari auction

Wed, 15 May 2013 08:44:38 +0100

Latest compact crossover contender from £12,995; Mazda aims to bring 800 MX-5s together; Latest petrol-electric Toyota available from June; extended Volvo used car scheme; John Lennon's Ferrari

The Peugeot 2008 is available to order now from £12,995. From launch, four specifications (Access+, Active, Allure and Feline) are available with six engines, including the 1.6 e-HDi that emits 98g/km of CO2. The 2008 officially launches on 18 July.

Mazda is hoping to organise the largest parade of its models this summer. IMAX-5 2013 aims to bring 800 MX-5s to the RDW Test Centrum in Lelystad, Holland, beating the previous record set at Essen in 2010 of 459 MX-5s . The event is open to all MX-5 owners, with tickets priced at €30.

Toyota has launched a revised version of the Auris Hybrid. New aerodynamic improvements have lowered CO2 emissions to 84g/km in the hatch and 85g/km for the Auris Touring Sports. This applies to Icon models, with Excel models emitting 91g/km. The new Auris Hybrid goes on sale in June.

Volvo has extended its approved used car system to cover cars that are up to seven years old and with less than 100,000 miles. The Volvo Selekt scheme will be available through all 110 Volvo retailers and all used cars sold will come with a 30-day or 1500-mile satisfaction guarantee.

A Ferrari 330GT once owned by John Lennon will be auctioned by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. Bought new by Lennon in 1964, he used it for three years and 20,000 miles. The Azzuro Blue, numbers-matching 330GT is expected to make between £180,000-£220,000.

Matt Bird

BMW previews Grand Lusso Coup� Pininfarina concept

Wed, 15 May 2013 00:01:00 +0100

First collaboration between BMW and Pininfarina results in V12-engined coupé concept; set to be revealed at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'este 2013

The BMW Gran Lusso Coupé Pininfarina, previewed here in a series of teaser shots, will be revealed in full at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'este 2013 show.

Co-designed with Italian car design firm Pininfarina, the coupé is claimed to be "the embodiment of sheer elegance". It continues a design theme that was seen on last year's distinctive Zagato Coupé.

Power comes from a front-mounted V12 engine, most likely the twin-turbo 6.0-litre unit found in current iterations of the 7-series. This unit is rated at 544bhp and 550lb ft, which would give the coupé suitably rapid and smooth performance.

The new coupé features typical BMW proportions, including short front and rear overhangs, a long bonnet and a sizeable wheelbase.

Little else has been revealed about the concept's features or specifications, and the interior is yet to be seen. BMW says, however, that the cabin of the coupé demonstrates the "successful combination of modern elegance and luxury".

BMW's Gran Lusso Coupé Pininfarina concept could potentially be the basis for a new generation of BMW 8-series, the last of which rolled off the production line in 1999.

The 8-series was also a front-engined, rear-drive coupé - and it was similarly offered with a V12 engine. Rivals of the time included GTs like the Porsche 928.

The new BMW Grand Lusso Coupé Pininfarina concept will be revealed in full on 24 May.

Porsche 918 Spyder first drive review

Tue, 14 May 2013 23:01:00 +0100

We drive the 918 Spyder – the most powerful and fastest Porsche road car to date. Take cover, Ferrari and McLaren... Off in the distance, the Porsche 918 Spyder rounds a bend and spears toward us, pursued by the high-pitched scream of its petrol-electric driveline. It flashes by the pit wall then arcs into the turn at the end of the straight, revealing a huge rear wing before disappearing from view.I’ve travelled to Porsche’s Leipzig test track not only to witness rally legend Walter Röhrl display his talent at the wheel of Porsche’s new flagship but also to become one of the first people outside its team of engineers to drive the staggeringly complex 918 Spyder. It seems an impossible task given its complexity, but the 918 Spyder has progressed from concept to pre-production form in just two years. Even since my ride in the first road-going prototype last year, Porsche has reworked much of the mechanical and electrical package, and the car’s completeness today has me in awe.The naturally aspirated 4.6-litre V8 produces 599bhp at 8600rpm, giving a specific output of 130bhp per litre. Two electric motors – one mounted within the front axle, another at the rear – add an additional 275bhp. Combined, the three power sources output 875bhp.This makes the 918 Spyder easily the most powerful Porsche road car ever. By comparison, the rear-wheel drive Carrera GT’s naturally aspirated 5.7-litre V10 produced 603bhp.But is 875bhp enough? The new LaFerrari’s naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12 and HY-KERS system develops a collective 950bhp, while the McLaren P1’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 and single electric motor produce 903bhp. And they are a respective 385kg and 240kg lighter than the 1640kg 918 Spyder. It is this thought I find myself grappling with as the car rumbles down pit lane for my turn behind the wheel.

Porsche to go fully hybrid

Tue, 14 May 2013 22:28:47 +0100

German carmaker will make 'hybrid' versions of all future models

All future Porsche models will be available with hybrid-electric drive, according to the German sports car maker. Speaking at Porsche’s Panamera Hybrid technology workshop, Daniel Semmer said a new hybrid module - which combines an electric motor and clutches in one unit - had been designed by Porsche to fit into all its future cars, including the 911 range.

The move is part of new philosophy to dramatically reduce fuel consumption when driving at everyday speeds. Porsche engineers say their ‘new parameter’ for fuel saving is reducing the ‘revolutions per kilometre’ of the engine. In the first phase, exemplified by the new plug-in Panamera, reducing the number of engines revs per kilometre travelled involves conventional stop/start, coasting, coasting with the engine off, and running as a plug in hybrid.

The next stage, due in 2016-2017, Porsche’s cars will interact more intelligently with their surroundings using, for example, information from very detailed road maps. These will include data such as accurately-measured inclines (eg 5.9 percent) and even the radius of approaching corners (eg 157m). The cars will also automatically selecting the ‘correct’ driving mode for the circumstances (from Electric, Hybrid, Charging-while-driving and Sports mode).

Although the new plug-in Panamera does not arrive in showrooms until this summer, Porsche engineers outlined their plans for the next-generation plug-in transmission, which will probably debut under the next-generation Panamera, due in late 2016. The system will be integrated into a new rear/all-wheel drive platform called MSB. MSB is also set to underpin future Bentley models, which means the first Bentley hybrid - probably the all-new Flying Spur - should arrive in 2017.

The new hybrid module - which is one generation on from the unit in the brand new Panamera plug-in Hybrid - will be both water and air-cooled. It be more powerful than the 94bhp hybrid electric motor in the new Panamera, and will backed up by a more energy-dense battery pack and other improvements including a lighter wiring loom, which will include aluminium instead of copper wires.

Porsche is also working on an induction charging system that can be installed in domestic garages. Induction charging allows the battery to be refreshed simply by being in the proximity of the charger, eliminating charging cables.

Despite this new concentration on fuel economy, Porsche will also be pushing the performance advantages of a hybrid electric drivetrain for future cars. At full tilt, Porsche says the new Panamera plug-in combines the 3.0-litre V6 supercharged engine and the electric motor to generate an output of 416bhp and 435lb ft, allowing a 0-62mph time of 5.5sec in a car that weighs 2095kg unladen.

Bentley Flying Spur first drive review

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:36:29 +0100

The new Spur is a genuine luxury saloon in size and it has a cabin of rare opulence - but is that enough to see off the opposition? It’s Bentley’s latest; the new Flying Spur luxury saloon. Note it’s no longer a Bentley Continental Flying Spur. Bentley wants to put clear air between the Spur and the Conti coupé/convertible, hence some new visual differences at the nose. It’s the outer rather than inner pair of front lights that is bigger on the Spur, while a chrome horizontal strip makes its way onto the lower grille.Pretty subtle, but both form part of a thorough redesign that includes more muscular rear haunches beside a tail that otherwise drops heavily at the rear – a bit reminiscent of a Bristol Blenheim. You won’t mistake the new Flying Spur for the old one from the back.The rest of the redesign is just as thorough. As with the Continental that launched last year, this isn’t an all-new platform, but is comprehensively re-engineered.Some of the stand-out technical changes to this 5.3-metre long saloon are an increase in body rigidity of four per cent, alongside a drop in weight of 50kg (though a steel monocoque, there are some aluminium panels at the front and plastic ones at the rear), and the fitment of ZF’s eight-speed automatic gearbox instead of a six-speed.The W12 engine, meanwhile, arrives here in 616bhp form, making this Bentley’s most powerful-ever four-door. The top speed is quoted (probably conservatively) at 200mph, and 0-60mph at 4.3sec. It’s pretty decadent at the pumps too; at the moment the Spur is only available with the W12 engine, which means 19.2mpg and 343g/km.Inside, there are a few carried-over parts around the dashboard, but the rest of it is new, although familiar in feel. You know the sort of thing. Lots of leather.The most significant alterations to the new Flying Spur, as we’ll see, are to the suspension. The old Spur never rode particularly calmly, particularly for customers in its primary markets – China (where more than half of Flying Spurs are sold) and the USA.So, this time around spring rates have been dropped by 10 and 13 per cent front and rear respectively, with anti-roll bars softened 13 and 15 per cent, while bushes are 25 per cent softer and the standard tyres, running on 19in rims, have a higher aspect ratio.

Garmin brings DAB digital traffic updates to its sat-nav

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:21:30 +0100

Latest in-car GPS devices use DAB broadcasting for instant updates

Garmin is claiming a UK-first for an in-car sat-nav with faster DAB radio-transmitted traffic data, available today on a new range of GPS devices.

About 80 times more information can be transmitted by digital broadcasting than old-style, FM-based RDS or cellular GPS, Garmin says.

“With DAB, the traffic data is constantly being updated, whereas with RDS it changes every minute and for cellular services usually every two minutes,” says product manager Colin Lee.

Digital traffic updates have been available since late last year on devices aimed at truckers, but now the technology is available on car GPS systems. Garmin uses traffic data supplied by Inrix, which gathers data from multiple sources, including 20 million road users and the Highways Agency network.

Significantly, Garmin’s three new 'nüvi' GPS devices, which start from £80, will include lifetime-free traffic updates and free map updates. Also new is the interface, which comes with higher quality graphics, sharper screens and more detailed mapping and directions.

Saab bosses held for alleged tax offences

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:17:24 GMT

Jan-Åke Jonsson, chief executive, Karl-Gustav Lindström, finance director, and general counsel Kristina Geers accused of obstructing tax checks

Fiat Industrial to move tax home to UK

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:11:51 GMT

Blow to Italy underlines the attractiveness of the UK’s increasingly light corporate tax regime

Eco City seizes chance to lift taxi sales

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:37:25 GMT

Sales of the London taxi supplier’s customised Mercedes-Benz Vito van picked up strongly as competitor Manganese Bronze went into administration

Tesla Motors: hybrid financing

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:31:15 GMT

The coupon on the group’s convertible bond is 1.5%. Investors accept that paltry rate in return for option to convert into carmaker’s shares

Bentley misses out on incentives

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:59:15 GMT

Volkswagen unit carries on investing - biting into profits - but fails to reap rewards from credit

Building blocks to cut output costs

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:21:54 GMT

Companies such as Volkswagen are following Scania’s lead in applying a modular strategy to create different brands from common components

Modular is way forward for suppliers

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:21:54 GMT

Magna, the Canadian car parts company, designs, manufactures and assembles parts and components for global carmakers

Low fuel prices drive US light truck sales

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:53:37 GMT

Strong interest for SUVs fuelled by improved efficiency and shrinking size, while surge in demand for pickups attributed to rise in housing starts

EU car sales inch into positive territory

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:34:34 GMT

Early Easter helps carmakers end 18-month downward trend in April, though a historic low in April 2012 made for a favourable comparison

European cars: sputtering sales

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:10:02 GMT

There was a 1.7% increase, year on year in new passenger car registrations in the EU last month. If that sounds underwhelming, don’t be so sniffy

Honda set for F1 return with McLaren

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:47:55 GMT

Japanese carmaker to supply British team’s engines from 2015, marking a return to the sport after it pulled out in 2008 amid spiralling costs

UK car manufacturing rises 17% in April

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:12:01 GMT

Car manufacturing rose 17% in April as the global appeal of British cars helped the industry overcome weak demand in the rest of Europe

Flat-pack truck aims to help remote areas

Mon, 13 May 2013 23:01:44 GMT

Bluebird Toy founder backs the ‘Ox’ and plans to ship the vehicle packs to Africa by the end of next year to transport grain, fertiliser and water

An odd corporate vehicle in China

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:21:50 GMT

The experience of carmakers that entered into joint ventures with local partners reveals the challenges of getting it right

Engaging with a company�s users

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:21:01 GMT

High-end Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati tapped the power of fans, developing a community that helped the company increase its profitability

Rotork chief springs to tap new openings

Sun, 12 May 2013 13:28:14 GMT

Peter France has navigated the FTSE 250 company through the choppiest of waters with a resilience not usually associated with a manufacturer of industrial products such as valve actuators

Tesla and Netflix

Fri, 10 May 2013 19:34:34 GMT

A joint letter from the chiefs of electric car maker Tesla and Netflix, the TV streamer, to those who bet against them

Indian car market extends bad sales run

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:18:38 GMT

Weak consumer confidence continues to plague sector, as the country’s industry registers its longest period of negative growth

Mercedes rolls out nippier model

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:16:56 GMT

The German carmaker has struggled for success in F1 recently, which is why it has granted much greater autonomy to the head of its latest venture

Chinese car market recovery continues

Thu, 09 May 2013 14:20:13 GMT

Light vehicle sales rise 13% in April despite weakening economic growth, with several leading foreign carmakers being boosted by new models

It�s the new BMW M5!*

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:29:48 +0100

*Sort of. Super-saloon gets facelift and Competition Pack with extra poweeerrr

First drive: the new Lexus IS300h

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:04:28 +0100

Finally a decent alternative to a 3-Series or A4? Paul Horrell finds out…

Video: Corsica rally stage with Kris Meeke

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:06:15 +0100

We strap ourselves into the passenger seat and prepare for mild terror…

First drive: Porsche 918 Spyder

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:44:34 +0100

Watch out P1 and LaFerrari - Paul Horrell reports from the driving seat of the 887bhp hybrid hypercar for the first time…

TG drives Bertone�s one-off AM Rapide

Wed, 15 May 2013 01:11:52 +0100

It’s the ‘Jet 2+2’: an Aston Martin Rapide reimagined as a shooting brake…

TG.com meets Fast & Furious 6 cast

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:24:51 +0100

We talk crashes, speeding tickets and the biggest collection of BMW E36 lightweights in the US…

First drive: Bentley Flying Spur

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:24 +0100

Need something a cut above your average S Class? Head this way sir...

Mercedes reveals E63 AMG S�

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:33:18 +0100

…and it has 585bhp and 590lb ft of torque. Where's Stig?

Man puts plane engine in bike

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:45:18 +0100

Nine cylinders, zero silencers. We don’t do bikes on TG, but if we did…

The new Peugeot 308 revealed

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:45:16 +0100

This is the car Pug plans to go upmarket with…

Revised Jeep Grand Cherokee tested

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:26:52 +0100

Revised Jeep Grand Cherokee tested

Mercedes unveils all-new S-Class

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:56:10 +0100

Mercedes unveils all-new S-Class

BMW reveals upgraded 2013 5 Series

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:11:28 +0100

BMW reveal revised 2013 5 Series

Revised 2013 Skoda Superb tested

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:30:21 +0100

Revised 2013 Skoda Superb tested

Used car values rise four months in a row

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:43:41 +0100

Used car prices have risen for the fourth month in a row – at a time of year when they usually fall.

One in three under-25s admit to drink-driving

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:44:41 +0100

A new poll showed 37 per cent of young drivers have driven under the influence of alcohol.

Scrappage scheme slows fall in car sales

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:45:39 +0100

The scrappage scheme has made a “positive impact” on the new car industry after slowing the decline in new car sales.

Vauxhall buyout will get government support

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:46:36 +0100

Britain's car manufacturers and its unions are no longer the problem, but the solution, business secretary Lord Mandelson said today.

Depreciation-busting sports cars

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:47:43 +0100

Buy a car which retains its value and you’ll save money when it’s time to sell. We round up six of the most affordable depreciation-beating sports cars.

Text message scam advice

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:06:44 +0100

Auto Trader is warning customers to be aware of a new text message scam. Find out what the bogus message is and how to avoid it.

Virtual vehicle scams

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:10:28 +0100

We reveal the potential pitfalls of money transfer services and virtual vehicle scams. Find out how to stay safe when paying for a car.

Attack of the clones: staying safe

Thu, 21 May 2009 15:39:44 +0100

With money tighter than ever, it’s important to make sure you buy a used car safely. Find out what a clone is, why to avoid them and how to spot one.

How to avoid car jacking: The complete guide

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:24:01 +0100

Half a million vehicles are stolen in the UK every year. We reveal five common car thefts and show you how to avoid them.

Car scams

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:57:25 +0100

YOU could lose thousands of pounds from a single scam email. Don’t fall victim of fraud – read our round up of the most dangerous emails and scams now.

Toyota Urban Cruiser car review

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:49:06 +0100

The Urban Cruiser is Toyota’s distinctive new model which is part soft-roader and part compact MPV, entering a growing niche featuring the Citroen C3 Picasso and Kia Soul.

Iconic TT gets RS power

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:50:07 +0100

It’s taken since 1995 for Audi to build a really hot, Porsche-rivalling TT Coupe and Roadster. Has it been worth the wait?

Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG car review

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:51:14 +0100

Mercedes’ uber-sensible E-Class big car now has a discreet-but-bonkers alter ego in the shape of the E 63 AMG.

Ibiza Cupra and Bocanegra first drive

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:52:17 +0100

Adrian Hearn travelled to Barcelona to test drive the new Ibiza Cupra and Ibiza Bocanegra models.

Mazda 3 i-stop car review

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:53:31 +0100

The 2-litre petrol Mazda 3 is the manufacturer’s first car to benefit from stop-start fuel saving technology, paving the way for its introduction across the next few years.

Mercedes SLS 'Gullwing' pics leaked

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:21:32 +0100

The first official pictures of the 21st Century Mercedes Gullwing have been leaked on the Internet.

Stunts and jumps

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:55:45 +0100

May Starey brings you some of films greatest stunts and jumps. From Mad Max to Transporter 3 - from swimming pools and staircases to two wheels and no wheels.

Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG car review

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:56:15 +0100

Mercedes’ uber-sensible E-Class big car now has a discreet-but-bonkers alter ego in the shape of the E 63 AMG.

Michael Jackson fan kicks repo driver

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:57:25 +0100

Vijay Pattni is your host for this week’s Weird World of Wheels.

How to buy a supercar

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:28:15 +0100

Want the biggest driving thrills with affordable insurance and cheap ways to pay? We reveal the essential supercar checks in our complete buyers' guide.

The best 09-plate cars for less

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:18:09 +0100

March will put the ?09? in 2009 with the new number plate change. There will be plenty of great new car offers to be had.

The complete guide to supercar clubs

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:19:31 +0100

Fancy driving a Ferrari F430 for a day for £100? Or perhaps a Lamborghini Gallardo for the weekend?

Get the best price for your part-exchange

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:00:04 +0100

Take the first offer a dealer makes on your part exchange and you could be missing out on hundreds of pounds ? especially if you don?t know its true value.

Six of the best: Fuel-efficient cars

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:58:35 +0100

The average working motorist spends £1,930 on fuel. Drive a fuel-efficient car and you could cut your petrol bill in half.

Downsizing your car: The complete guide

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:57:10 +0100

You could save thousands of pounds by switching to a smaller car with better fuel economy.

Doctor Who's car tax mishap

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:56:14 +0100

Doctor Who star David Tennant has allegedly been spotted driving with an expired car tax disc.

Sell your car for the most money

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:55:24 +0100

Get the most cash for your car by writing a great advert.

Add hundreds to your car's value

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:54:34 +0100

A few quick and easy jobs can add hundreds of pounds to your car?s value.

Sell your car: Set the price

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:50:32 +0100

Set your car?s price too low and you could lose money ? set it too high and it might struggle to sell.

Save �3,000 on the price of a brand new car

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:19:05 +0100

Dealers are slashing thousands of pounds off old models to make way for new cars ? such as the revamped Ford Fiesta.

Could you save money on car insurance?

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:34:21 +0100

Car insurance premiums could rise by 20 per cent this year, some UK insurers have warned.

Tax your car for �3 a month

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:33:20 +0100

Want to save money on road tax? Drive a car which emits between 101 and 120g/km of CO2 and you?ll pay £35 per year.

Buy a new car for the price of a coffee

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:32:20 +0100

If you want your next car to cost LESS than a large cup of coffee per day, now is the best time to buy.

Depreciation-busting sports cars

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:29:36 +0100

Buy a car which retains its value and you?ll save money when it?s time to sell.

Six of the best: Tax-free cars

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:28:44 +0100

Road tax is set to rise this year, but look for a car with low enough CO2 emissions and you won?t have to pay a penny on tax.

The best New Year car bargains

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:27:41 +0100

Dealers are slashing thousands of pounds off cars in January.

Six of the best: Cheapest cars to insure

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:26:46 +0100

Car insurance premiums could rise by 20 per cent this year, some UK insurers have warned.

The complete motorists' guide to 2009

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:25:25 +0100

With car tax rises and the credit crunch affecting new and used car prices, 2009 will be an interesting time for the motor industry. But how will it affect YOU?

Money-saving tips and tricks

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:24:31 +0100

From speeding tickets to lying sat-navs, the world of motoring is full of unexpected horrors? but costs needn?t be a nightmare.

Half-price cars

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:23:03 +0100

Dealers are selling cars for HALF-PRICE to combat the economic downturn.

Six of the best: UK's cheapest cars

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 15:13:22 +0100

We’ve scoured every new car list price in Britain to bring you the best bargain-priced cars. This week: Six superminis at a snip...

Advertise your car on Auto Trader

Fri, 15 May 2009 12:35:01 +0100

Feeling the crunch? You could save thousands of pounds on running costs by replacing your car with a more economical one. Sell your car on Auto Trader now.

Make money by putting adverts on your car

Fri, 15 May 2009 12:03:43 +0100

You could earn up to £1,500 per year by displaying logos on the side of your car. Find out how to turn your car into a motorised billboard.

Save �2,000 on your next car: complete guide

Fri, 15 May 2009 12:11:12 +0100

The car scrappage scheme offers buyers £2,000 towards a new car or van. Find out how it works and which cars can be scrapped.

The motorists' guide to beating the downturn

Fri, 15 May 2009 12:14:35 +0100

More than two million people in the UK are unemployed – find out our money-saving tips to buying, selling and running a car now.

Worst ever F1 car makes debut

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:34:19 +0100

The worst car ever to enter F1 will be appearing at this year's Festival of Speed.

Ten reasons to visit the Festival of Speed

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:33:40 +0100

This weekend will see 150,000 petrolheads descending on a sleepy Sussex village for a weekend of motorsport mayhem.

The complete driver's line-up

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:30:35 +0100

More than 115 star riders and drivers will descend on Goodwood for the 2009 Festival of Speed.

The Wacky Racers

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:27:36 +0100

A real-life Dick Dasterdly and Penelope Pitstop will be making an appearance at the Festival of Speed this year.

Wild Citroen supercar to tackle hill

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:24:52 +0100

The wild GTbyCitroen - whcih won the Louis Vuitton Classic Concept Award - will make its UK debut at Goodwood.

Latest Veyron to make debut

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:11:13 +0100

The incredible Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport will make its way up the iconic hill at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Girls of the Frankfurt Motor Show 2009

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:57:56 +0100

Forget the £1 million Lambo Roadster or the Focus RS-shredding Golf R - we've got pics of the girls of the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show!

Hamann�s 265bhp Fiat 500

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:00:10 +0100

Which engineer at Hamann thought it would be a wise idea to put 265bhp under the hood of a Fiat 500? You deserve a pat on the back.

Audi R8 Spyder

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:02:07 +0100

White, roofless and with a roaring V10 engine - the Audi R8 Spyder has just made the decision of which £100,000-plus convertible to own even harder.

VW Golf R faster than Focus RS

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:04:03 +0100

This is the new Volkswagen Golf R – the flagship VW hot hatch which will destroy the Ford Focus RS in a straight line.

New Vauxhall Astra makes Frankfurt debut

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:16:13 +0100

This is the new Vauxhall Astra - the new generation of one of the UK's biggest selling cars. Want to know how much it costs and the details? Click to find out.

Ford Mondeo Econetic Titanium car review

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:39:25 +0100

A luxury-spec Ford Mondeo for £73 a month? We were among the first to drive the new Ford Mondeo Econetic Titanium.

The 70mpg club

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:07:36 +0100

The 72.4mpg Toyota Prius goes on sale this weekend - see which other cars on sale in the UK can manage more than 70mpg.

Vauxhall Corsa joins the tax-free club

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:15:33 +0100

Vauxhall has announced it will offer a Corsa which emits just 98g/km of CO2, which qualifies it for a free tax disc.

Lexus RX450h Ten Point Test

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:20:48 +0100

The Lexus RX series has been a real success for the Japanese luxury marque, and marked a line in the sand with the option of hybrid models.

Review: Tax-free 83mpg Polo

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:23:09 +0100

The Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion has style and sophistication by the bucket load and it's a hard combination to resist. Read our full review.

December car sales surge

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:42:32 +0100

December saw a 38.9 per cent rise in new car sales, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Scrappage scheme extended again

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:16:21 +0100

The government’s £2,000 scrappage scheme has been extended for the second time.

Ten great new car bargains

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:53:04 +0100

With VAT back up to 17.5 per cent, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s difficult to get a great deal on a new car. Not so – and here’s the proof.

'How I got �13,000 for two cars'

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:44:30 +0100

One Auto Trader reader has taken a great deal on a new Alfa Romeo Mito by getting £13,000 for his previous cars - we explain how.

What cars have been scrapped so far?

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:42:51 +0100

It’s been five months since the scrappage scheme began, and some of the cars crushed so far include Mercedes, Porsches and Jaguars.

Budget 2009: expert reaction

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:05:14 +0100

As Chancellor Alistair Darling unveils his 2009 budget, we speak to the UK's motoring industry to find out what they think.

Scrappage scheme confirmed

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:34:05 +0100

The government has confirmed motorists with cars aged ten-year-old or more will be entitled to £2,000 for their old banger under a new scrappage scheme.

How much will it cost to tax a car?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:11:16 +0100

With the Budget now announced, how much will it cost to tax your car? Find out all you need to know in our Budget 2009 tax guide.

What it means for motorists

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:08:52 +0100

Will you be paying more to run your car from May 2009? Find out everything you need to know about the Budget in our essential guide.

Budget: your questions answered

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:30:44 +0100

How much will it cost to tax my car? Is the price of petrol going up? Answers to all the big questions about the Budget 2009.

Budget 2009: another fuel price rise?

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:00:41 +0100

Why have fuel prices risen again in this year’s Budget? We talk to the experts and look at recent trends to find out why.