Motoring News
Today, 26 January 20162017 Renault Mégane Sport Tourer under development
New pictures of Renault’s next-gen Mégane estate confirm it’ll resemble its hatchback sibling more than predecessors
New spy pictures of a development Renault Mégane Sport Tourer reveal it’ll get the same long tail-lights and sporty details as its smaller hatchback sibling when it arrives in 2017.Although the photographed estate test mule is heavily camouflaged, the outline of the Mégane’s extended rear lights can be seen, as can the shape of the new model’s angular headlights and connected front grille.The all-new model will rival estate versions of the Ford Mondeo and Vauxhall Astra and looks set to receive the same range of four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines as its hatchback equivalent, as well as more potent GT versions.Also like the hatchback, the Sport Tourer will be offered with either a manual gearbox or a dual-clutch automatic with steering wheel-mounted shift paddles.Officially called the Sport Tourer, the Mégane estate features an extended wheelbase and larger boot than the hatchback on which it is based.It’ll be joined by a three-door coupé version that will spawn a Renaultsport model to take on hot front-wheel-drive rivals such as the Honda Civic Type R and Seat Leon Cupra 290.
read moreBargain BMWs from £5000 - used car buying guide
BMW 3 Series
Small hatch, sporty coupé, refined GT, exec all-rounder or luxury car: there’s a BMW for you and your budget
BMW's have a reputation for mixing luxury with performance, and the modern line-up caters for almost every taste. The used car market can offer up a decent bargain, too. Here are five of our favourites.1 - BMW 3 Series (1998-2005)Some consider this generation of the 3 Series (E46) as the best looking to date. The two-door coupé version was — and still is — a very popular car and it retains a sleek and smart appearance.BMW has always ensured that the 3 Series drives well, and the E46 is no exception. In 320Ci guise, it will get you from standstill to 60mph in 8.3sec and return 31.7mpg. Ride quality is top notch and the car is spacious and has a top-quality finish inside.There are few reports of major problems with the 3 Series, because it is well engineered. Servicing costs are reasonable, too.We found a 2.2-litre 320Ci Sport showing 49,000 miles for £4950.2 - BMW 6 Series (2003-2010)After an absence of 14 years, t
read moreMaserati to introduce hybrids 'because it has to'
Italian sports car brand will introduce hybrid variants of its most popular models in order to meet strict emissions targets
Maserati is likely to offer all future models with hybrid powertrains, with the exception of the range-topping Alfieri sports car due on sale in 2018.Until now the firm has been ambivalent about electrification. Boss Harald Wester said in 2013 that EVs were “nonsense”, backing up his argument with statistics suggesting that producing, powering and disposing of electric cars resulted in more CO2 than the most efficient combustion-engined cars.At the time he said: “If we want a realistic solution then the regulators need to be more honest in how they calculate emissions. Electric cars are not the answer.”However, Maserati is now set to introduce plug-in hybrid variants of the Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Ghibli, in order to meet average emissions targets by 2020.It's already known that the upcoming Levante SUV will be offered with plug-in hybrid powertrain options.Giulio Pastore, Maserati’s European general manager, said: “We have to do it - it’s that simple. In some countries where it is highly incentivised, they will be a success, in others maybe less so, but there is government and customer demand for such cars.“Wh
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