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Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks “BMW has made some big adjustments to the X5’s powertrains” BMW has given the X5 SUV refreshed looks, tweaked powertrains and tech upgrades, while the Mercedes GLE (right) makes do with a facelift and new tech. The X5’s exterior changes include slimmer headlights, a new tail-lamp design, a reshaped grille and a different front bumper that has redesigned air intakes. M Sport versions of the X5 get a more aggressive look, with a black-gloss finish to key elements and a new rear bumper. Inside, BMW has fitted the latest version of the firm’s iDrive infotainment system on a curved display, as seen on the recently facelifted 3 Series. Consisting of a 12.3-inch touchscreen and a 14.9-inch driver’s display, the design changes the layout of the dash, with some…

MERCEDES clearly has an eye on the BMW X6 with its revised GLE Coupé – and the company is turning to its AMG performance division to help make the more sporty bodystyle stand out. The GLE Coupé receives the same interior upgrades as the regular model, albeit within a more compromised cabin. But on the outside, it now gets an updated AMG Line styling pack. This endows the more swoopy SUV with its own treatment for the front bumper, door sills, front grille, plus headlights and tail-lamps. As with the regular GLE, no prices have been issued. Expect a small rise over the existing car’s figures.…

No-interest offer for whole Vauxhall range VAUXHALL has introduced interest-free finance across its range. Available on the brand’s full line-up, including EVs, the two-year PCP deal can apply to any vehicle ordered between now and 5 April. The company says that its promotion on home-charging wallboxes – payment for which can be rolled into the PCP finance arrangement – is unaffected by the new interest-free offer. Peugeot 208 calls time on Golf’s Euro reign THE Peugeot 208 was Europe’s best-selling car in 2022, ending a 15-year run for the VW Golf at the top of the charts. More than 208,000 examples of the 208 were sold, to give Peugeot its first chart-topper since the 207 back in 2007. The Golf fell to fifth in the rankings, as overall sales volumes…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale LOW Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) – which ban cars from entering certain residential streets in urban areas – are continuing to rake in money for councils, despite long-running controversy. Haringey Council in London issued 60,000 penalty charge notices to drivers entering three LTNs between September and December 2022, The Daily Telegraph reported, resulting in revenue of nearly £2million in four months. And residents of Tottenham, which also comes under Haringey, contacted their MP, Labour’s David Lammy, to complain that LTNs in the area were increasing congestion. Lammy called for a review of the schemes. Another area of London, Dulwich Village, also made headlines over LTNs. According to the Daily Mail, disability campaigners asked Southwark Council if Blue Badge holders could be given an exemption from LTNs in the area,…

tristan_shale-hester@autovia.co.uk @tristan_shale “The trick is to come up with a car that is 100 per cent Qashqai, but has the volume turned up from the last generation”MATTHEW WEAVER Nissan vice president for design in Europe THE Nissan Qashqai has been with us for more than 20 years and is a common sight on British roads. The Mk1 model was one of the first crossover SUVs to go on sale in the UK, and it sold in greater numbers than Nissan could ever have anticipated. Last year, however, the third-generation Qashqai achieved something rather special, officially earning the title of the UK’s best-selling new car in 2022, with no fewer than 42,704 examples going from the factory in Sunderland to people’s driveways. Nissan may be a Japanese company, but today the…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk Running costs 21.7mpg (official) £126 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.6 seconds/180mph IN the absence of Bentley’s ultra-luxurious Mulsanne saloon, the firm has turned to a long-wheelbase version of its Bentayga SUV for its flagship model. With incredibly profitable markets such as China and the USA both in love with SUVs and intent on the pursuit of luxury, a more spacious, more opulent version of Bentley’s big off-roader seems like a logical move. But does it make the same statement as the Mulsanne? Well, yes and no. Firstly, the yes. And we’ll start in the rear, which is the focus of the EWB. The longer wheelbase means the distance between the B-pillars and the rear axle is stretched over the standard car. As a result, you swing open the expansive…

Audi SQ2 PRICE: £41,775 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 296bhp THE wider VW Group offers this hot compact crossover from Audi. It’s smaller, lighter and extracts more power from a version of the Macan T’s 2.0-litre engine. The Audi costs less, too, but it’s not as practical or as fun to drive. Mercedes-AMG A 35 PRICE: £45,930 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 306bhp IN some areas, the A 35 holds a narrow edge over the BMW in terms of driving fun, showing a slightly more raucous side to the hot-hatch formula. It’s expensive these days, though, with a list price that’s £5,000 higher than the M135i’s.…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler Running costs 30.1mpg (on test) £162 fill-up £510 or 12% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 499/1,946 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.9 seconds/119mph REPUTATIONS are tough to build and just as hard to lose. As much as I’ve loved living with the Land Rover Defender, every time I post something about how brilliant it has been on social media, some clever Dick will post a reply about it being likely to break down. That’s a cross Land Rover has to bear and has to change. Well, I’m here to report that in very close to 13,000 miles across all sorts of countries and terrains, in all weathers loaded to the gunwales or with just me and my music on board, my Defender has been faultless – as you’d hope…

Milltek performance for modern classics MILLTEK Sport has extended its Classic range of performance exhausts to include some cars from the noughties. Models including the Audi TT, the Honda Integra Type R, the R53 Mini Cooper S and the Mitsubishi Evolution VII/VIII can now have their standard exhausts upgraded with units that emulate the original factory design, or larger-bore, race-inspired set-ups. All Milltek Sport exhausts are made from aircraft-grade stainless steel and promise enhanced performance and an improved sound. To find your nearest stockist, visit millteksport.com. BMW elects Pirelli P Zero as i4 M50 tyre BMW has selected Pirelli P Zero Elect tyres for its i4 M50, the brand’s high-performance electric car to rival the Tesla Model 3 Performance. The tyres are specifically developed to complement the characteristics of EVs, such…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks ● New regulations drew firm in ● AlphaTauri also part of deal ONE of the most decorated brands in Formula One history will return to the sport in 2026, after Ford announced it will supply engines to the Red Bull team. Almost 20 years have passed since Ford left F1 in 2004, when it was an engine supplier to Jordan. With 10 Constructors’ championships and 13 Drivers’ championships, Ford is the third most successful engine manufacturer in F1 history. The US giant will team up with Red Bull, which has won five Constructors’ championships and six Drivers’ titles since its first season in 2005. Red Bull’s sister team Scuderia AlphaTauri will also use Ford power units, and the deal will run from 2026 until “at least 2030”. Regulation…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● ‘Daring’ new EV combines SUV and coupé elements in its design ● Expect a range of up to 435 miles and rapid-charging capability PEUGEOT is preparing a push of next-generation models – and the process will kick off with an all-new 3008, which will go all electric when it’s revealed in the second half of this year. Brand boss Linda Jackson confirmed recently that the 3008 will be the first Peugeot to sit on parent firm Stellantis’s new platforms for pure-electric vehicles, with the STLA Medium underpinnings chosen for the new e-3008. Now, speaking to Auto Express (and combined with early shots taken by our spy photographers), Jackson has given us an indication as to how the e-3008 could look, as previewed by our exclusive images. Jackson’s Stellantis…

WHILE the X5 is a key model for BMW, the company is also treating the SUV’s more exclusive coupé stablemate, the X6, to many of the same upgrades introduced on the regular car. The style-focused coupé-SUV does without the xDrive50e plug-in hybrid in its line-up, but it does get the mild-hybrid-enhanced xDrive40i and xDrive 30d versions, as well as the M60i. Design tweaks include the same slimmer headlight treatment as on the X5, but the X6 also gets an M Sport package fitted as standard. That means M-specific side skirts and bumpers feature on coupé version, as well as high-gloss ‘Shadowline’ trim.…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● We drive Spectre prototype ● Car is ‘60 per cent complete’ BEFORE the first customer drives a mile in their Rolls-Royce Spectre, the new EV will have covered over 1.5 million miles in development testing – and we’ve joined the company as part of the fourth stage of this process to get behind the wheel of a prototype model for the first time. The car is about 60 per cent complete, we’re told (probably a little more in truth), but gives a great idea of where the Spectre is heading and how it will behave. And its manners are already brilliant, right from the moment you slide past the car’s huge, rear-hinged door and sink into the seat. Put your foot on the brake and the door arcs…

SUZUKI’S popular Jimny was pulled from UK sales because of emissions regulations, but this simple drawing suggests that the Japanese brand is readying an all-electric replacement that could allow a return. Shown as part of Suzuki’s product plan for the rest of the decade, this silhouette is unmistakably Jimny, with a boxy body but an LED interpretation of its classic headlight signature. It’s included in a proposed line-up of five pure-electric cars set for Europe.…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler NOT content with launching its first model, the Grenadier (driven on page 24), Ineos Automotive has started development of a new, slightly smaller, all-electric off-roader. Auto Express understands that the new model is due to go on sale in 2026, after a pick-up version of the Grenadier. The design is set to be signed off shortly and the technical specification is already taking shape. Our exclusive image shows how we think it might look, taking plenty of cues from its rugged bigger brother. It’s anticipated that the bluff proportions of the Grenadier will be carried over, but the electric car is expected to sit slightly lower, with a few aerodynamic tweaks to help boost efficiency and extend range. Speaking to Auto Express at the launch of the Grenadier,…

We want to hear your views. Send your questions or opinions to the E-mail address below Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC Fiat Tipo FROM: KF IT looks good, but I’m concerned that it’s another big car. These SUVs are getting too expensive – people are going to want smaller cars that they can actually afford, whether buying new or second-hand. Fiat is meant to be affordable. FROM: Anthony Mason JUST another reused platform. There’s nothing to get excited about with new cars like this; so many of them are boring at the moment. I think it’s because of this limbo we’re in between petrol/diesel and electric cars. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ■ “How boring. The Tipo should not be turned into another bland SUV. I don’t get…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler TO really understand the Ineos Grenadier, you have to go back before the famed meeting in the West London pub that gave the new 4x4 its name. Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe was on safari in Botswana when a chat with his guide turned to the demise of the old Land Rover Defender. “He had about 600 Land Rovers,” Ratcliffe told us. “And he was decrying what on earth he was going to do because Land Rover had just announced that they were ceasing production of the Defender.” Ever the entrepreneur, a seed was sown in Ratcliffe’s mind, which started to germinate in that famous meeting in the Grenadier pub. So the Ineos Grenadier, the result of “about a billion and a half Euros”, according to Ratcliffe, is…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.3 seconds/114mph OVER-the-air updates are making it easier than ever for brands to tweak electric vehicles on the fly, but even some of the most successful models are getting hardware upgrades a lot more rapidly than would normally be the case with combustion-engined cars. To prove the point, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a new specification. The car has only been on sale in the UK since 2021, when it lifted our overall New Car Awards title. The changes are significant, too. There’s a new 77.4kWh battery (up from 72.6kWh), and a more potent 321bhp dual-motor set-up, enough for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. Hyundai has also overhauled the trim levels, with some notable additions to the kit list if you’re willing to spend big. The…

Running costs 27.4mpg (on test) £97 fill-up/£520 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 488/1,503 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.2 seconds/144mph MODEL TESTED: Porsche Macan T PRICE: £55,800 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol, 261bhp GIVEN that it’s a larger car than the BMW with an even more premium badge, it’s no surprise that the Porsche Macan T (for Touring) is much more expensive, at £55,800. Our test car was ordered before the most recent price rises, so it was £53,970. There are a dizzying array of options added, too, including Carrara White Metallic paint (£674), Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (£1,052), a Bose surround sound system (£834) and tinted LED lights (£618 front, £539 rear). When ordered, the total price was £60,841. Design & engineering THE starting point for the Macan…

Porsche Macan PCM Key feature: Apple CarPlay THE Porsche Macan’s set-up isn’t quite as slick as the M135i’s, but it’s not far off. The 10.9-inch touchscreen is very responsive, and there’s no faulting the graphics. Plus it’s another system that avoids being cluttered with fiddly climate controls; these are physical buttons mounted on the centre console. One area where this version of PCM lags behind iDrive 7 is through smartphone connectivity; it comes with Apple CarPlay, but not Android Auto. This has long been an issue in Porsches, although the brand is gradually adding full connectivity to its range. Another downside is that there’s no equivalent to the BMW’s excellent iDrive rotary clickwheel. This gives the BMW an edge when it comes to making small adjustments when you’re on the…

STEERING THE BMW’s steering wheel is an uncluttered item as far as modern rims go. The button layout is good, but the rim itself is needlessly thick. The Porsche’s wheel, on the other hand, is thinner and a great piece of design, featuring ‘floating’ banks of buttons on either side and a rotary drive mode selector. This is the same steering wheel found in the 911, among other models. LIGHTS PORSCHE has been using its quad (per lamp) daytime running light signature for a while now. It looks neat – and makes Porsches easy to spot in the dark – but isn’t as intricate as the twin semi-circular motif found in each cluster of the M135i. The design is a modern-day interpretation of the twin circular ‘angel eyes’ lighting signature…

Steve_Walker@autovia.co.uk “It’s early days, but we’ve certainly learned how the Megane copes with the cold” TIMING, as they say, is everything and this Renault Megane E-Tech’s has been impeccable. The first all-electric version of the French marque’s family hatch arrived on our fleet in the middle of a cold snap, and with electricity prices at an all-time high. It really will need to be good if it’s going to impress testers rendered even more cynical than usual by icy windscreens and frozen toes. Thankfully, we already know that the new Megane is a bit special. This fifth-generation car is a radical departure from what’s gone before it. We picked it out as our Small Company Car of the Year for 2022 and, between you and me, it also ran the…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk HOW TO Understand our tests How do we assess kit? OVER the next few pages you will see several star ratings. There are even more across the Auto Express website, where we have a huge archive of product tests going back more than a decade. But how do we come up with these ratings? For most of these tests, how we go about assessing products is, for space reasons, restricted to just a paragraph or two. However, you can guarantee that our tests are thorough and independent, and not influenced by commercial pressures. Every rating we give is based on the result of testing, with no exceptions. Testing is only of merit if it is valid and repeatable. Our tests have been developed in several ways.…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk LAST YEAR, Volkswagen’s popular Tiguan made a significant leap up the Driver Power charts from 62nd place in the 2021 poll, but a 45th place in 2022 is still not much of a cause for celebration, especially when there are 11 cars in the VW’s mid-size SUV class that achieved higher scores. Owners give above-average ratings for the Tiguan’s exterior quality, but don’t seem overly impressed with the Volkswagen’s styling. The good visibility is appreciated, while rear-seat legroom also gets a reasonable score. The flexibility of the seating was considered decent, but the model’s highest ranking was for the availability of interior storage space. Otherwise the scores were only average. WE SAID “From the outset the Volkswagen Tiguan has hit the spot for buyers, with its raised seating position, versatile…

I DON’T do smug. But, looking back, I do feel a sense of vindication. Repeatedly in the 2010s, I visited Kia in Korea and America to see and drive what the company’s research, design, engineering and other centres were producing. So impressed was I that I named it as my car company of the decade. Back then, Kia was, and still is, among the world’s best at refusing to take sides in the ICE vs EV debate. It sent a message to consumers that whatever they wanted, the answer was yes – be it petrol, diesel, LPG, hybrid or pure-electric. As part of the Hyundai clan, Kia even enjoys access to the latest hydrogen tech, in case the motoring masses demand it (which they don’t). The awards Kia has won…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy ● Firm builds physical version of virtual EV sports car concept NISSAN has moved a step closer to introducing a pure-electric sports car by showing a physical version of the Max-Out concept that it first revealed in digital form back in 2021. The Max-Out is a two-seat convertible that shows how Nissan could adapt a zero-emissions powertrain to a more emotional type of vehicle. It has been translated accurately from the original renderings, with complex, animated 3D-effect texturing in its headlights, tail-lamps and wheel covers. The standout feature at the front end is an open duct where the grille would be on a conventionally powered vehicle; it appears to have been designed to channel air over the base of the extremely long, deep windscreen, while retaining a frame…

THE UK is marking 40 years since it introduced compulsory seat-belt usage – but a fresh survey reveals that drivers think the law is too soft. The RAC polled 1,800 people, 68 per cent of whom agreed with the motoring organisation that it should be the legal responsibility of the driver to ensure all occupants of their vehicle are wearing a seat belt. Currently, the driver is only responsible for themself and any children in the car. In addition, 33 per cent of respondents believe that drivers should be penalised if any passengers in their car are caught without a seat belt on. At present, drivers can be fined £500 for failing to buckle up, but 24 per cent of those surveyed said that’s too lenient, with two thirds of…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram THIS is the new Peugeot 408, a car that even its maker isn’t quite sure how to pigeonhole. The brand reckons it falls into several categories and has no direct rival. The striking shape contains a mash-up of bodystyles: hatchback, fastback, and a bit of SUV. This has been made possible by a body that’s 4,687mm long – 51mm longer than even the 308 SW estate. But the key figure for many will be the increase in wheelbase; at 2,787mm, the 408 stretches 107mm further than the 308. That has given Peugeot a chance to address one of the 308’s biggest flaws: rear passenger space. Indeed, Peugeot says that the 408 has the most kneeroom of any of its models. There’s more space in the back than in…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks I’M at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge, Surrey. It’s essentially a Mercedes theme park, museum and testing facility all rolled into one, and if you’re a fan of the three-pointed star, then a visit is highly recommended. It’s located within the famous Brooklands circuit – home of the first purpose-built race track in the world. But our visit is focused on something much more modern. Those of us who’ve played racing games will know the obsession with shaving off milliseconds from our lap times. Thanks to Mercedes’ new AMG Track Pace technology, that obsession can be brought to real life through a host of in-car telemetry. Of course, a simple stopwatch will record lap times to a thousandth of a second, but the software we’ve been invited to try…

Running costs 32.4mpg (on test) £74 fill-up/£520 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 380/1,200 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.8 seconds/155mph MODEL TESTED: XBMW M135i xDrive PRICE: £40,595 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo petrol, 302bhp THE range-topping version of the BMW 1 Series is yours for £40,595. The example you see on these pages comes with numerous extras, which lifted our test car to £46,265 when ordered. However, price rises since then mean you’d now pay £48,750 for the same spec. Design & engineering FOR the most recent 1 Series, BMW ditched its traditional rear-wheel-drive layout in favour of sending drive to the front wheels to improve the car’s interior packaging. It’s roomier inside, despite being slightly shorter than the old car, helped by the fact that it’s 13mm taller and…

PORSCHE 1st WHILE this pair aren’t direct rivals, our test proves that these cars are interestingly matched in many more ways than you might expect. The Porsche just about has the edge, though, because it’s more interesting to drive, despite being slower, plus it’s more practical. Fantastic residuals make it a tempting choice for private buyers, too. It justifies its premium over the BMW. BMW 2nd THERE’S not much between these two in the overall marks. But as it stands, the M135i is a solid all-round performance car that could just do with being a little more exciting. Standard passive dampers might have made a small difference to its chances, but next to such capable opposition, it settles for a close second place. AEB = Autonomous Emergency Braking. In red = equipment…

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Racing Green Kit Chapman (Bloomsbury Sigma, bloomsbury.com) Price: £20 Rating: MOTORSPORT science isn’t a thrilling topic for most people, but it’s presented so well here and the writing is so compelling that it’s undeniably interesting. The book is full of facts and anecdotes, and ways in which advancements make their way from racing to the road, and how they might help tackle present and future issues. Alfa Romeo Alfasud: The Complete Story Chris Martin (Crowood Press, crowood.com) Price: £25 Rating: AN excellent book about a remarkable car that’s one of Alfa’s very best. The Alfasud’s often-troubled history is recounted here with plenty of delicious period imagery, spec tables, performance data and engine codes to get your inner nerd frothing. From prototypes, special editions to Alfasuds in competition, it’s all here…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed Not quoted/116mph Running costs 39mpg (2.2 e-XDi) £136 fill-up CO2 /tax 189-212g/km £330-£360 SSANGYONG has had something of a rollercoaster existence, with its UK presence coming and going over the years, thanks to various financial circumstances. It’s a brand that flies below the radar for many car buyers, despite having had a presence in the UK since the mid-nineties. Unfortunately for SsangYong, it’s perhaps best known for its Rodius, a generously sized MPV that arrived in 2005 and which always seems to be an entry in the worst-car lists that proliferate online. But while the Rodius was pretty ugly, it provided comfortable family transport for relatively little money. Stung by criticism of the Rodius, SsangYong redesigned and rebranded it as the Turismo in 2013. So how does it…