Motoring News
Yesterday, 13 June 2016Volkswagen Golf Estate review
PH heads to the Isle of Man to meet Higgins and get a lap of the TT in a WRX STI (updated with vid)
read moreVolkswagen accused of manipulating test results in South Korea
The German car maker allegedly fabricated emissions and noise test results to secure approval to import models including the Golf GTD and Audi RS7
Volkswagen is facing allegations that it manipulated emissions and noise tests in order to import German vehicles to South Korea, according to a news agency in the country.The manufacturer’s South Korean unit allegedly falsified 37 emission and noise-level results to secure approval to import 26 models, dating back to August 2010 from February last year.Yonhap News Agency claims the models affected include the Volkswagen Golf GTD and Audi RS7. The Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office is thought to be summoning company officials this week to question them.It is alleged that the manufacturer submitted existing test results of similar models before the new model results were received in a bid to fast-track launches and save money, according to Yonhap.Volkswagen has begun recalling cars in the UK to apply a software fix on its vehicles affected by the emissions scandal.Autocar is awaiting a response from Volkswagen.Nissan denies accusations of
read moreVideo: Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S driven at the Nürburgring
It's the fastest front-wheel drive production car around the Nürburgring, and we've taken the 306bhp mega hatch for a full test
The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S is officially the fastest front-wheel drive production car around the daunting Nürburgring Nordschleife race track. We take the 306bhp Clubsport S to the Nürburgring for a full test.The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S is the hottest Golf GTI that Volkswagen has yet made. It has a 306bhp engine and only two seats; the rear bench having been thrown out during a weight saving process that has shaved 30kg from the standard GTI.An advanced aerodynamic package and a range of suspension modifications means the Clubsport S laps the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7m 49.21sec; faster than a Honda Civic Type-R, Renault Sport Megane Trophy R and Seat Leon Cupra 280.
read moreSsangYong: the Korean Land Rover? - pictures
read more2016 Fiat 500S launched
The 500S is a warmed-up addition to Fiat's 500 line-up, and it starts from £12,950
Fiat has launched the new 500S, a sportily styled variant of the regular 500 hatch. The model was first revealed at the Geneva motor show and is now on sale.Despite the 500X and 500L being separate models to the 500, the 500S is marked out by sportier bumpers, alloys and bodywork, as well as a host of interior upgrades.Engines are shared with the rest of the 500 range, with the cheapest 500S using the 68bhp 1.2-litre engine. The range is topped by the 94bhp 1.3 MultiJet II diesel, which costs £15,350. It’s also the most frugal car in the range, according to Fiat’s figures, returning 83.1mpg combined and CO2 emissions of 89g/km.The 104bhp 0.9-litre Twinair is the most powerful and fastest in the 500S line-up, with a 0-62mph time of 10sec and a top speed of 117mph.In addition to more aggressive front and rear bumpers, the 500S has black-painted 15in or 16in alloys, a rear spoiler, side skirts and two exclusive colours – bright blue and matt green. Much of the exterior trim is also finished to match the alloys.Below the 500S sits above Lounge trim in the 500 line-up, a specification that costs several hundred pounds less. The 500S shares much of its equipment list with lounge trim, which includes Fiat’s 7in UConnect infotainment system, front foglights and rear parking sensors.Tinted rear windows, colour interior trim panels on the doors, sports seats and a black roof liner also mark out the 500S. TomTom sat-nav is a £250 option, while an optional seven-
read moreMaserati Quattroporte saloon facelift 2016 - pictures
read moreMaserati Quattroporte gets styling tweaks and new trims for 2016
News
13 Jun, 2016
GranLusso and GranSport trim levels have been introduced to the facelifted Maserati Quattroporte saloon car’s range
read moreRange Rover Sport Coupé - new pictures of BMW X6 rival
Jaguar Land Rover will enter the SUV-coupé market place with its first ever road-biased model; these are the first spy pictures
The Range Rover Sport Coupé has been spotted testing for the first time ahead of its expected launch next year.The manufacturer's next new model will break fresh ground by moving the brand into sportier and more-road biased territory with a luxury £60k model pitched at the BMW X6.It will get the same aluminium architecture that the Jaguar F-Pace sits on, and while the model is codenamed L560 it's expected to be named the Range Rover Sport Coupé.Three years ago, when Autocar revealed Land Rover’s ‘three-pillar’ brand strategy — Defender, Discovery and Range Rover — the Sport Coupé was referred to as ‘Evoque XL’ and positioned between the Evoque and Range Rover Sport.Launch expected next yearMany details of the new Sport Coupé remain secret in the build-up to its launch, which is expected next year.However, before these spy shots were released Autocar pieced together a picture of the new model that will set new standards for a Range Rover’s styling, interior and road-focused handling, the last of these coming courtesy of the F-Pac
read moreFlywheel classic car and aircraft festival preview
PH heads to the Isle of Man to meet Higgins and get a lap of the TT in a WRX STI (updated with vid)
read moreNew Range Rover Sport Coupe spotted testing ahead of 2017 launch
News
13 Jun, 2016
New Land Rover model, thought to be a Range Rover Sport Coupe, caught testing ahead of public debut in mid 2017
read moreNew Range Rover Sport Coupe - spy shots and pictures
read more2017 Audi SQ5 diesel will top power of current SQ5 Plus
The next Audi SQ5 is set to have more power than the existing SQ5 Plus (pictured)
Next SQ5 model is set to have at least 25bhp more than existing SQ5 Plus; will use 48V electric system first seen on new SQ7
The upcoming Audi SQ5 will have more power than the current SQ5 Plus model and use the brand’s 48V electric compressor turbocharging technology, first seen on the recently launched SQ7.Details of the new model are starting to emerge, with Audi’s powertrain boss Oliver Hoffman telling Autocar that 390bhp was "possible" from the new SQ5, representing a potential increase of 55bhp over the existing SQ5 Plus, which has 335bhp. However, he added that it was important to maintain driveability, suggesting a power output of around 365bhp.Hoffman also revealed that the new SQ5, which is expected in 2017, will use a 48V electric system powering an electric compressor running in tandem with a single exhaust-driven turbocharger, rather than the twin turbos of the current SQ5.That's in the contrast to the recently launched SQ7 on which the electric compressor had its debut, where two exhaust-driven turbos work alongside the electrically powered compressor.Apart from lag reduction, the deletion of a second exhaust-driven turbo cuts heat loss from the exhaust system, in turn benefiting fuel efficieny, which relies on high temperatures for optima
read moreDrug-driving deaths more than double in US
PH heads to the Isle of Man to meet Higgins and get a lap of the TT in a WRX STI (updated with vid)
read moreMercedes G-class review: a real-life Tonka toy
PH heads to the Isle of Man to meet Higgins and get a lap of the TT in a WRX STI (updated with vid)
read moreDecided not to watch Top Gear? You’re missing out
PH heads to the Isle of Man to meet Higgins and get a lap of the TT in a WRX STI (updated with vid)
read moreSsangYong takes aim at Land Rover
PH heads to the Isle of Man to meet Higgins and get a lap of the TT in a WRX STI (updated with vid)
read moreGT Sport revealed for PS4 - pictures
read moreMaking a motorhome - pictures
read moreGran Turismo Sport: new PS4 racer could earn you a 'real' racing licence
News
13 Jun, 2016
GT Sport is Polyphony Digital's latest game in the franchise - here's all you need to know about the next PS4 racing simulation
read more2018 Bentley Continental GT Convertible spotted with production body
New, lighter luxury coupé and convertible will switch to platform shared with next-generation Porsche Panamera; hybrid powertrain will be among engine options
The next-generation Bentley Continental GT Convertible has been spied testing for the first time, ahead of its expected launch in 2018. The car, with the exception of the folding fabric roof, is almost identical in look to the new Continental GT coupé, also due in 2018, with front-end styling that appears to draw from the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept first seen at last year's Geneva motor show.Aside from these changes, the heavily disguised car appears to follow Bentley's hallmark styling, carrying over many cues from the current model. The majority of changes take place under the surface. The new Continental body shape echoes the design of the Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept car, with a lower front and rear than the current car, as well as shorter overhangs and a shorter wheelbase. The new Bentley Continental GT coupé has previously been spotted testing in the UK wearing its own bodywork. Previous mules were seen in the skin of a modified Porsche Panamera. Eagle-eyed Autocar reader Grant Gamble photographed the car while in a traffic
read more2016 Audi RS6 Avant Performance UK review
Already monstrously fast Audi RS6 gets yet more power for even more hooliganism but is no more relevant on UK roads
The Audi RS6 Performance is a bit questionable, if we're honest. After all, taking the existing standard, 552bhp Audi RS6 and adding another 45bhp feels a bit like throwing a sparkler onto an enormous bonfire. Things were already really very hot anyway, so it seems unlikely that the gesture is going to bring much more to the party.Still, the RS6 has always been a brutish but compelling thing, with its raucous twin-turbo V8 delivering visceral, nonchalantly ridiculous straight-line performance and a wonderfully soft-edged yet aggressive V8 soundtrack. This Performance version costs a further £7000 on top of the £79,505 asked for the standard RS6, but for that extra outlay you get not only the extra power - which drops the 0-62mph time by 0.1sec - but also an overboost function that sees torque rise to 553lb ft, along with 21in alloys, a sports exhaust and a 'Titanium' styling pack that brings contrasting front splitter, door mirrors, rear diffuser and Quattro badging on the front grille.
read moreM-Sport Ford Ranger pick-up gets the Raptor treatment
News
13 Jun, 2016
Beefy Ford Ranger pick-up by M-Sport gets F-150 Raptor-inspired styling tweaks and extra off-road additions
read moreM-Sport Ford Ranger - pictures
read morePeugeot, Citroën and DS target new electric tech to ease range anxiety
The manufacturers' new electric cars will get higher capacity batteries and faster charging times; clean energy sources will be used
PSA Peugeot Citroën's next-generation lithium ion batteries and chargers are set to offer faster charging times and reduced range anxiety for battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners.Future plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) will have 12kWh batteries (13kWh for SUVs), which are 12 times the capacity of existing PHEV packs and claimed to be 20-30% more powerful than competitors’, at 80kW and 90kW respectively.Read more: Peugeot, Citroën and DS outline plans for electric and hybrid futureThese batteries’ operating range is 210-350V (240-400V for the SUV). A 3.3kW onboard charger tops up PHEV batteries in 4.5 hours, or 2.5 hours if a 6.6kW fast charger is installed.The BEVs' 7kW onboard charger can deliver enough charge in 90 minutes to drive 62 miles, while a full charge will take eight hours. A wall-mounted fast charger can deliver an 80% charge in 30 minutes, or 7.5 miles of additional range per minute of charging.Clean electricity needed for clean futurePSA Group chairman Carlos Tavares has sent out a clear message that clean energy sources are vital for the electrification of cars.“Having clean powertrain technologies and zero-emissions mobility devices is not enough,” he said. “If the energy generation process is not clean then it is not going to deliver an appropriate result.”The PSA Group’s commercial rebirth under its ‘Push to
read moreFacelifted Renault Clio to go on sale in October
Renault updates its Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa rival with a new diesel engine and subtle exterior and interior changes
The facelifted Renault Clio has been unveiled. Renault's updated mass-market rival for the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa will reach the UK in October, with an updated version of the Clio RS hot hatchback expected to follow soon after.The fourth-generation Clio has been on sale in the UK since 2012, and with the next-generation model not due until at least 2018 - don't forget, that model will be inspired in part by the 282mpg Eolab concept car - it's high time for an update.In terms of looks, this facelifted Clio receives very little changes, which is unsurprising because it's already one of the more stylish offerings in this class. There are new LED headlights, a new front grille designed to accentuate the car's width, and a reprofiled bumper at the rear. The look is in part designed to bring the Clio more in line with the latest Megane, and was first revealed in spy pictures last month.Inside very little has changed too, a
read morePeugeot 308 GTi long-term test review: versatile hot hatch
With 266bhp under its belt, the 308 GTi can pack a punch, but it's comfortable around town, too
My Peugeot 308 GTi arrived two months ago, and we’re already developing quite a bond.Behind the wheel, it has more than proved itself as a daily driver. It’s perfectly sedate around town, despite its hot hatch capabilities. But I can’t deny that having 266bhp on tap is useful; the turbo spools up quickly to boost you away from the lights with an aggressiveness that always surprises those new to the car.One recent example comes courtesy of an airport parking driver who, after delivering the car to me, eloquently volunteered: “It’s quick, isn’t it?” That’s not the most reassuring thing to hear, but there’s no doubting he’s right. Not only does it get away from a standstill swiftly, but with consistent torque throughout the range, you could also be forgiven for thinking there was an engine much bigger than the 1.6-litre unit that's under the bonnet. The six-speed manual ’box is good, too, even if it is missing the precision and crispness that you get in something sweeter and more delicate, such as a Mazda MX-5.At cruising speeds, the GTi is more than comfortable, although those 19in ‘Carbone’ alloy wheels and wide tyres create quite a rumble on the motorway. It probably seems more pronounced because the 308 lulls you into a general sense of ease, in which it’s easy to forget you’re in a super-fast hatchback.There’s little else to report on t
read moreAudi SQ5 Plus: Review
Audi's forgotten mid-weight heavy hitter comes back from the gym with a 340hp punch - is it a knockout?
read moreRevised Maserati Quattroporte prices and spec
'GranSport' and 'GranLusso' introduced as the Quattroporte gets its mid-life refresh
read more2016 IOM TT round-up: PH2
Fast, and a bit furious, the 2016 TT sees records tumble
read moreLitchfield Porsche 911 Turbo: PH Carpool
Old habits die hard as former GT-R owner turns to Litchfield to spice up his 911 Turbo
read moreM4 GTS vs. 911 GT3: Time for Coffee?
Sport auto sorts out the twin test we've all been waiting for; it's a close race...
read moreTOTD: 'Spork mode'
Are driving modes all a bit pointless? This discussion will run for a while!
read moreRange Rover Sport Coupe spy shots
Just in case you were worried Range Rover didn't have an X6 or GLE rival...
read more
Subscribe to this Motoring News feed!
