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Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news AS dealers threw open their doors to welcome a surprising number of eager customers back into showrooms, so the bosses of dealer groups and car companies accelerated their plans to offer end-to-end digital sales channels. That could see dealers becoming ‘try’ rather than ‘buy’ outlets, and customers – if they want – only interacting with retailers over the internet. A few dealer and car company bosses have admitted that they had been “caught napping” when it comes to their digital offerings during lockdown. Not so the Managing Director of Ford, Andy Barratt. However, when I caught up with him recently, he did reveal that Ford’s upcoming online sales channel – due to launch later this summer – could mean job losses…

VOLKSWAGEN has confirmed that as part of an update for the Arteon range, the firm will also launch a new Shooting Brake variant. Previewed in this new official design sketch, the sporty estate will also be made available as a flagship R model, identified by the small ‘R’ badges that can be seen on the nose and flanks. The hot model is expected to make use of the outgoing Golf R’s 2.0-litre fourcylinder turbo that will be tuned to deliver 326bhp. 4MOTION four-wheel drive and a DSG automatic gearbox will be standard. The teaser image also offers our first glimpse at the updated Arteon’s new design; a reshaped front bumper with new air intakes, tweaked LED headlamps and a revised radiator grille can clearly be seen. As well as the…

Hardy Hilux pick-up gets a major update TOYOTA has given its Hilux pick-up truck (above) an update. Styling revisions, improved cabin technology and a more powerful diesel have been introduced. There’s a new eight-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while under the bonnet a new 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel has 201bhp and 500Nm of torque. Sales will begin in November, with prices starting from around £25,000. Low sales and job losses for UK industry NEW car registrations were down 89 per cent in May as dealers remained closed, with just 20,247 cars sold – down from 183,724 in the same month last year. This was an improvement on the 4,321 cars registered in April 2020, but more dark clouds gathered over UK automotive as Bentley announced it would…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths LOCAL authorities could gain powers allowing them to issue £130 fines to drivers who block box junctions, drive the wrong way up one-way streets or contravene bus lanes, after a minister said that the Department for Transport was “giving thought” to expanding their responsibilities. London councils and Cardiff Council are already able to issue moving-traffic fines, but other councils must apply to do so under the Traffic Management Act 2004. Many councils have applied to administer bus lane-fines, but boxjunction penalties and other minor offences, such as failing to give priority to oncoming vehicles, generally remain under the control of the police – a responsibility the Local Government Association has said officers have “largely ceased to enforce”. With councils across England and Wales saying they need £10billion from…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy IF you’re reaching out for a slice of ‘normal routine’ in these curious times, look no further: here is the new (eighth) generation of Volkswagen Golf, driven for the first time on UK roads. Plusher? Tick. More sophisticated? Sure. More efficient? You bet. Radically different? Don’t make us laugh; the world is standing on its head right now but the Golf is the Golf. It evolves – no more than that. That is particularly true of the Mk8, which retains much of the base of its predecessor, including its MQB Evo platform. However, there are some significant changes, many of them made in the name of fuel efficiency. And if there is a ‘statement model’ among the new line-up…

Essentials Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 1.8 VVT-i Trek Price: £29,225 Engine: 1.8-litre 4cyl hybrid Power: 120bhp Transmission: CVT automatic, front-wheel drive 0-60mph: 11.1 seconds Top speed: 112mph Economy: 56.4mpg CO2: 113g/km ONSALE Now PASSENGER SPACE Trek’s rear bench can comfortably accommodate three people. Legroom is generous and there’s a good amount of head space, too. Middle seat also has an armrest with cup-holders INFOTAINMENT This is a weak point in the Corolla, and the infotainment set-up is average at best. The graphics are low-res, and the system is not very responsive. However, Apple CarPlay has been added as standard PRACTICALITY With the rear seats upright, the Corolla’s boot capacity comes in at 598 litres. Dropping the rear bench increases that figure to more than 1,600 litres, and there’s also a…

How to make sure you get the right family SUV When you’re buying any car that’ll be used as family transport, the obvious thing is to take your family along when you have a test drive. Check they’ll fit, and check you can easily install any child seats you might be using at the time – which is often made easier with SUVs like these because they sit higher up from the road, and the doors tend to open wide for better access. every car in our list features Isofix mountings, too. Check that any items your children might take with them on a family day out will fit in the boot too. If you’ll be spending upwards of £30,000 on your new family SUV, you’re well within your rights…

CABRIOLET TWIN TEST BIG, luxurious convertible grand tourers aren’t all that common and therefore aren’t released that often, but two have arrived in the UK just in time for summer. They are the BMW M8 Competition Convertible and the Bentley Continental GT V8 Convertible. Both blend image and performance with an eight-cylinder soundtrack, and both are pricey, as we’ll see. However, this pairing also exhibits a change in this sector of the market, because in this class there’s an increasing focus on dynamics and performance rather than the traditional stance that erred towards pure comfort and opulence. Any good luxury drop-top still has to possess these qualities in spades, though, so we’ll see which is the best option here. The BMW isn’t as expensive as the Bentley, but do the…

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Goodyear’s Blimp flies back to Europe FOR the first time since 2012, the legendary Goodyear Blimp (above) is returning to Europe. As part of the brand’s latest European investments (including a return to international motorsport), the 75-metre blimp is in Germany but will provide footage of some of the remaining European races of the 2020 motorsport calendar. “Its return to Europe has been longawaited and is the perfect way to celebrate our return to international motorsport,” the company said. You can follow the blimp’s progress on the Goodyear website or social media. Designer tells tale of Escort’s whale tail THE latest in a series of lectures by designer Frank Stephenson is now on YouTube. The ‘How I Designed’ series focuses on Stephenson’s most iconic projects, and this most recent lecture…

EVER since Suzuki built its first car back in 1955, the Japanese manufacturer has focused on small cars that place an emphasis on economy and reliability. Despite its low profile, the brand has produced some great models, which aren’t necessarily class-leading in many areas, but invariably offer an interesting alternative to more obvious mainstream rivals, due to a blend of keen prices, excellent practicality and generous equipment levels. The Baleno is a perfect example of this, because it combines a roomy, well equipped interior with prices that are significantly lower than for many immediate rivals. The catch is that some of the cabin materials aren’t all that plush, but if you can live with this small penalty, you may find that the Suzuki hatch fits your needs very well. History…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for your daily news updates Behind the wheel of Honda’s hybrid-only supermini Plus, we spend time with SUV-inspired Crosstar variant John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy FOR such a humble, inoffensive vehicle, the Honda Jazz certainly does a good job of splitting opinion. To its fans, it’s the supermini that is clever enough to behave as a small family car when required. For countless others, it’s a conservative small car designed for an older generation. In fact, the Jazz is designed to be both of these things. It’s just that in the UK in particular, it has struggled for almost 20 years to break out of this love-hate relationship – although Honda insists that sales numbers for the outgoing version stood up well in a market under pressure from small SUVs. Still,…

ONCE Lotus has an established its fleet of electric sports cars, the company will look to broaden its product range with the addition of saloons, GT cars and possibly even SUVs. “We’re not focusing on SUVs at the moment,” Popham revealed to Auto Express, “but we are not discounting any segment: crossovers, sporting sedans, GTs. But what we have to do is say what makes it distinctly a Lotus.” Being part of the Geely group gives the firm access to a multitude of platforms, powertrains and technology. However, Popham was clear that any future Lotus had to stay true to the brand’s core values. “How can we illustrate what we are focused on, what we are famous for – aerodynamics, performance, light weight,” he said. “How can it be a…

THE all-new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, available in right-hand drive for the first time, is on sale in the UK now, priced from £81,700 for the coupé and £87,110 for the convertible. First deliveries are expected to arrive during the second half of 2021. Chevrolet pulled out of Europe in 2016, and it has just one UK dealership in the UK, located in Virginia Water, Surrey. There are also three licensed service centres, but only one, in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has the tooling required to maintain the new C8 Corvette. The new Corvette is powered by a mid-mounted 495bhp 6.2-litre V8 that sends power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Every UK model comes with adjustable suspension with adaptive dampers, an electronic limited-slip differential and a freer-flowing exhaust…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods Lower set-up boosts handling 454bhp from twin-turbo V8 THIS is the new Porsche Cayenne GTS, a sharper, more focused version of the firm’s largest SUV. Available in standard and coupé bodystyles, it’s on sale now from £85,930, and first deliveries are due in July. As before, the GTS model plugs the gap between the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo, incorporating new chassis and suspension components to separate it dynamically. The biggest change, however, is its powertrain. While the previous Cayenne GTS used a turbocharged 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6, the new GTS adopts a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Power stands at 454bhp – an increase of 20bhp – while the torque figure creeps up by 20Nm, to a maximum of 620Nm. Porsche claims that with the optional Sport Chrono pack, the…

COUNCILS on the hunt for extra revenue may turn to the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for inspiration, because the authority here manages a box junction so profitable it is nicknamed ‘the moneybox’. Situated where Bagleys Lane and New King’s Road meet in Fulham, this junction (pictured) raises an estimated £1.9million a year in fines, catching almost 2,500 drivers a month. The phasing of two sets of traffic lights means only four cars can fit in a small patch of road immediately after the box, leaving countless vehicles caught in the hatchings.…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy EVERY car design is the work of a team. And it’s not unusual for more than one boss at the helm to help get the finished vehicle over the line. But for the latest in our series looking at how some famous motor-show creations became popular production cars, we look at a model that was worked on by no fewer than three heads of design during its gestation: the Skoda Yeti. THESE days, Skoda is a brand that’s fully stitched into the VW Group, happily sharing components and expertise (in both engineering and manufacturing) across Volkswagen, SEAT and Audi. But at the start of the century, the Czech brand was still finding its feet beyond the Iron Curtain; VW had only assumed total control in 2000, so Skoda…

FORD FOCUS Price from: £19,895 FEW mainstream cars of any type drive as well as the Focus. It has real verve and handling flair, yet is comfortable enough on UK roads. The latest generation of Ford’s family stalwart has a boot that’s just a few litres shy of the Golf’s capacity. But while there’s plenty of in-car tech, the materials and finish in the Focus are some way off the sophistication offered in the Mk8 Golf. It’s short on hybrid options, too – for now, at least. MAZDA3 Price from: £21,840 THE latest 3 marks a proper leap forward from Mazda – particularly on cabin quality, where the car really threatens to break out of ‘mainstream’ and into ‘premium’, much as the Golf does. There are big differences under the…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives No1. Ford Puma I’M worried that I’ll be disowned by my fellow motoring journalists, because not only does this list not include any Porsches or Ferraris, it also nominates a superminibased coupé as my greatest drive. But let me assure you there is method behind my apparent madness, even if I have to virtually echo my colleague Steve Walker’s words from last week’s issue. If a manufacturer can’t come up with a great car when it has the luxury of charging hundreds of thousands of pounds for it, then it really ought to take a good look at itself in the mirror. I’m far more impressed by a maker that can turn the most humble collection of parts into something truly…

Kia Sorento THERE’S an all-new Sorento on the way, but the current model is still a fine family SUV, with a relaxed feeling on the road, great quality and plenty of onboard tech to help keep the family occupied on a long journey. There’s enough space for seven inside, and it’s comfortable, although the diesel engines are a little thirsty. Peugeot 5008 LIKE Skoda’s Kodiaq (right), the Peugeot 5008 is a brilliantly versatile seven-seat family SUV that features styling cues inside and out from its smaller sister, as well as much of the same tech. Go for one of the PureTech petrols; they’re punchy enough to cope with the car’s size, and should be cheap to run, while Allure spec is fine. Volvo XC60 VOLVO’s current crop of SUVs is…

Tom Barnard LOOK under the sink or on a garage shelf in most homes, and you’ll find a can of WD-40. The blue and yellow aerosol is used for everything from stopping squeaks, to starting cars. But is the original still the best? There are a few rivals that claim to do the same jobs better, cheaper, or both. We chose three and set them a series of tasks. Because these seemingly magic fluids have so many possible uses, we needed to come up with a long list of tests to see which was the best all-rounder. Unpainted steel samples were sprayed, and then doused in salty water, and identical nut and bolt combinations were also left to rust, to measure the penetrating capabilities. We also looked at how effectively…

2020 Results Corolla Factfile Years: 2019 to present CO2: 83g/km Fuel economy: 62.7mpg (1.8 hybrid) Best options: Panoramic sunroof, upgraded infotainment, JBL stereo USED PRICES: From £15,750 OVERALL SCORE 91.71% Bars show where model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2020 new car survey. The longer the bar the better WE SAID “Toyota’s decision to reintroduce the Corolla name brings with it strong scores. It beats all other cars in our poll for ride comfort, while reliability also impresses. Owners don’t like the infotainment, though.” ✓ GOOD “MY previous hybrid car also had a CVT gearbox, but the Corolla’s seems significantly more quiet and smooth.” “Considering the focus on economy, it’s extremely responsive and very quick.” “Quality of the interior plastics is fantastic. It feels like I’m driving about…

HONDA knows that small-car buyers are increasingly tempted by baby SUVs, and the firm is trying to cater for some of them with the Jazz Crosstar. It’s a jacked-up version with body cladding and roof rails to give it a pseudo-4x4 look – even though there’s not even the slightest pretence of off-roading ability. The Crosstar is only offered in rangetopping EX trim, and you’ll pay an additional £1,250 for it over a regular Jazz EX, making it £22,635. For that you get a beefed-up sound system with a subwoofer, water-repellent seat fabric – a sign of how Honda is pitching this model to those with an ‘active lifestyle’ – plus the option of a contrast paint finish on the roof (£950 extra). However you lose the heated steering wheel…

AN all-new version of a Driver Power favourite, the Lexus IS, is on the way, but it will not be sold in Britain, the Japanese company has confirmed. Previewed in this new teaser image (right), Lexus’s BMW 3 Series rival will be officially revealed later this month. However, Toyota’s premium brand has already revealed that the car will not be sold in Europe due “to the continued growth of the SUV segment here”. SUVs account for 80 per cent of all Lexus sales in Europe, and the larger GS saloon outsells the IS by two to one. The IS was best compact executive car in the Auto Express 2020 Driver Power owner’s satisfaction survey, while Lexus was also crowned best manufacturer.…

Essentials Mercedes GLA 250 e AMG Line Price: £37,000 (est) Engine: 1.3-litre 4cyl petrol/electric Power/torque: 215bhp/450Nm Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 7.1 seconds Top speed: 137mph Economy: 176.5mpg CO2: 38g/km ONSALE July PRACTICALITY Passenger space in the back seats remains good, even in this hybrid version. The new GLA is much larger in the rear than its predecessor, so getting adults in there comfortably is no longer a problem. BOOT CAPACITY The batteries that form part of the plug-in hybrid system slightly eat into the boot space, which drops by 50 litres over the regular car to 385 litres in total. But the rear bench can fold down for more space Andreas May SMALL cars are playing an increasingly large role at Mercedes, especially when you take a closer…

Expert insight Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk WITH our driving duties spent more than ever with our families in the car at the moment, it brings into focus the question of which are the top machines to transport your loved ones around in. Increasingly, as buyers demand more style from their new-car purchases, SUVs are the most popular way to carry around their brood. That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of our top 10. As with family cars, there are all sorts: sporty SUVs, seven-seaters for larger families, more luxurious high-end SUVs, and more affordable, smaller models. But all of them offer a good level of practicality as family transport, while some mix this with genuine off-road ability, superbly low running costs, masses of style and image, or general all-round appeal that’s hard…

NEW Land Rover Defender LAND Rover pushed the Discovery (above) upmarket to make room for this, the reborn Defender. You can buy this version of the iconic off-roader with five, six or seven seats, and while prices are steep, this SUV offers all the practicality you’d want from your family transport with an immense amount of personality. It’s great to drive as well, both on and off road. NEW Mercedes GLB MERCEDES’ GLB SUV is an automotive Tardis. Despite its compact footprint, this off-roader can offer seven seats (for an extra £750) and lots of practicality as a result. With a similarly slick interior to the A-Class hatchback, it boasts lots of premium, cutting-edge technology, while the engine line-up is solid. A plug-in hybrid will join the range soon, too.…

The M8 Competition Convertible is a technical tour de force. Let’s start with the powertrain, because it’s what defines this hottest M car. The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 produces 616bhp; that’s 74bhp more than the Bentley, but the M8 has 20Nm less torque, at 750Nm in total. It sends this motive force to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, although as with the M5 saloon, which shares the same running gear, you can uncouple the front axle to access its rear-drive balance. The M8 is startlingly quick for such a big, heavy machine. With launch control, 0-62mph comes up in just 3.3 seconds; that’s 0.7 seconds quicker than the Bentley takes to get to 60mph. There’s plenty of flexibility, and the turbocharged torque that’s accessible from just 1,800rpm means…

Toyota Corolla Hybrid WITHIN days of the travel limits being lifted, creative director Darren Wilson and his wife Dawn headed out to some wide open spaces in his Corolla. Just in the nick of time, too, given that the Toyota is due for collection soon. Darren was delighted to be out on the road again, and the Corolla was a perfect driving companion on the traffic-free, post-lockdown roads. Over the last few months, Darren has received a number of E-mails from other Corolla drivers, questioning his unimpressive fuel-economy figure of 38.5mpg. Most of them are seeing far better returns, but often across very different daily journeys. Darren’s usual commute would only be around nine miles, but it’s through dense central London traffic. Now free from that congestion, and driving longer…

NEW PRODUCT Wheel Surgery alloy repairs Price: from £78 Contact: wheelsurgery.com A NEW alloy wheel repair service has been launched, with the aim of having a franchise in every major county within three years. Wheel Surgery, which started in Leeds and has just opened its first franchise in Derby, deals with professional garages and bodyshops, plus private motorists. It says it has refined and researched its processes, and developed a facility to repair and apply coatings to original equipment (OEM) standards, and aims to fully refurbish a wheel within 48 hours. It uses OEM coatings and hand finishes every wheel. The firm’s services include powder coating (from £78), which uses a conveyor system to ensure the correct timing and temperatures. It can also repair diamond-cut wheels with high-end CNC (Computer…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk Eight European rounds confirmed, including Silverstone double No fan attendance allowed for now FORMULA 1 bosses have revealed an initial eight-race European schedule to get the sport’s 2020 World Championship under way at last, following several months of shutdown due to the coronavirus crisis. Further races in the Americas, Asia and the Middle East are being planned, but not confirmed for now, with a total of between 15 and 18 events being targeted. Should ongoing travel restrictions prevent these taking place, however, F1 sporting director Ross Brawn says the initial eight-round calendar revealed last week will count as the full 2020 championship season. The new-look schedule begins with racing three weekends in a row: two events at the Red Bull Ring in Austria on 5 July and 12 July,…