Auto Express 1455

AS a snapshot of how the car industry is changing at an extraordinary rate, the first two major shows of the year provide a real marker. Last week I attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas; this week Auto Express is in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show. The names explain the key difference; it’s all about the car in Motor City, while the Sin City event concentrates on the tech under the bodywork. A decade ago, CES meant nothing to car makers. I was gobsmacked to learn that Hyundai was the first manufacturer to attend, as recently as 2009. This year big names such as Mercedes, VW, Honda and Ford were out in force; some even suggested they think it’s now far more important for their…

@johnmcilroy A Avarvarii EXCLUSIVE IMAGES “New model should rediscover the handling ability that made Mk2 so popular” ELECTRIC Latest Focus is expected to be available with both a hybrid and a pure-EV powertrain, as part of Ford’s electric push FORD is gearing up to resharpen its Focus when the new version of the Volkswagen Golf and Vauxhall Astrarivalling family car hits showrooms in 2018. The current third generation of the Focus has faced ever-tougher competition during its lifetime – not just from the likes of its age-old rival, the Astra, which has shed weight to rediscover a handling sweetness it has lacked for years, but also from the boom of ‘lifestyle’ vehicles, like baby SUVs and larger crossovers. The Mk3 Focus moved away from the ultra-crisp handling of its predecessors…

@johnmcilroy OFFICIAL A HYBRID version of the iconic Mustang will lead a major push from Ford into electrified vehicles, bringing 13 new models to market by the year 2020. The American giant has confirmed an investment of $4.5billion (£3.7bn) into electrified vehicles – enough to deliver not only the first version of its sports car with electric power assistance, but also a plug-in hybrid edition of the Transit Custom. In addition, an all-new, fully electric SUV will be made in the United States and also sold in Europe and Asia. Ford sources have already stressed that the Mustang will use electrification for performance instead of pure efficiency. A statement from the company said that the car “will deliver V8 power and even more low-end torque”. It’s likely to mix an…

OFFICIAL KIA has unveiled its fastest and most expensive production car to date. The Stinger GT has been conceived as a fourdoor grand tourer, and is tasked with changing global perception of Kia and helping the Korean company to become an aspirational car brand. Revealed at this week’s Detroit Motor Show, the 365bhp newcomer takes its inspiration from the Kia GT Concept that was first seen at Frankfurt six years ago. It will arrive in the UK in September, with an anticipated list price of £43,000. Ahead of the official reveal in Detroit, Kia invited Auto Express to its research and development centre in Korea as part of a select press group to discuss the Stinger GT with its designers and engineers – as well as to drive an early…

@johnmcilroy OFFICIAL BARELY a week after it teased the design with a sketch, Kia has given us the first official look at its next-generation Picanto city car – which will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and go on sale before the summer. The new model features the latest interpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ front grille – and, in the case of the GT-Line seen in the first pictures, an aggressively sporty front bumper and LED lighting tech. Lesser specs are likely to have a simpler and slightly softer approach on the front-end styling. At 3,595mm, the new Picanto is precisely the same length as the outgoing model, but it features shorter front and rear overhangs that allow a slightly longer wheelbase (up by 15mm, to…

@Jonathan_burn OFFICIAL AUDI pulled in the crowds at this week’s Detroit Motor Show with its latest Q8 concept – a thinly veiled glimpse at a new flagship SUV that will join the range in 2018. When it arrives, the Q8 will rival the likes of the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupé, as well as the Range Rover. The concept shares a similar footprint to the current Audi Q7 – it’s over five metres long and has a wheelbase of three metres – but is 40mm lower than the Q7. A sloping roofline and tapered rear end mean the concept is a four-seater, although the production version is expected to be available with five seats. The Q8 concept has a 630-litre boot. Showcased as a plug-in hybrid e-tron model, the…