Auto Express 1641

THE future of the sports car has never been in greater jeopardy. Car makers are finding it increasingly difficult to justify them in their line-ups as demand slows and ever-tightening emissions regulations make for higher costs. Some have already disappeared – Peugeot, for example, is quite clear about concentrating on cars that make money before considering a replacement for the RCZ, while even the Audi TT is likely to be reinvented as a crossover rather than an out-and-out coupé next time around. Thankfully, the Japanese still believe in their sports cars; Toyota’s Supra (with the help of BMW) and GT86 are firm favourites, while Mazda’s MX-5 keeps on going. Nissan, too, knows the value of a great sports car and – as we reveal on page eight – there’s a…

• Sleek coupé will forego electrification for combustion engines • Debut expected in 2022, with sales starting the following year Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn NISSAN is in the midst of an ambitious plan to rebuild the brand, boost profits, plus establish a new generation of products, and key to its turnaround is a successor to the firm’s 370Z sports car. Expected to be revealed towards the end of 2022 and go on sale the following year, the new Z car’s launch will mark 15 years since the current 370Z was introduced, back in 2008. The Japanese firm’s short-term plan, which goes up to 2023, will see the company focus its efforts on expanding its crossover model range, launch more than eight new electric vehicles and reinvigorate its sports car line-up. At the…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods LAND ROVER has revealed updated versions of the Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport, and both are available to order in the UK now. The Discovery Sport has been updated to include new electrified engine options, new infotainment, and a new cabin filtration system. There’s also a new special edition that verges on performance-SUV territory. New 48-volt mild-hybrid diesels join the range for the first time; the pair, badged D165 and D200, use a new 2.0-litre diesel four-cylinder engine developing 161bhp and 201bhp respectively. Both feature allwheel drive as standard, but the D165 is equipped with a manual gearbox, while the D200 has an eight-speed automatic. A new special-edition model called Discovery Sport Black also joins the ranks. It’s based on the R-Dynamic S version of the car,…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn • Engine uses dry-sump tech developed in motorsport • Italian brand may develop electrically powered MC20 in future MASERATI is gearing up to launch one of the most anticipated supercars of 2020, and our spy photographers have caught the all-new MC20 on camera ahead of its grand unveiling next month. The latest spy shots catch the car on the road for the first time, and reveal that the car’s overall look will be inspired by those of the Italian brand’s previous mid-engined supercar – the MC12. It features a low, sleek profile and same broad radiator grille, with a centre-mounted Maserati trident badge. At the rear, there’s a full-width diffuser and a pair of air vents, which should partner with the supercar’s aggressive front splitter and side skirts…

WHAT makes the Chiron Pur Sport different to any roadgoing VW-era Bugatti so far is its track-honed nature, which isn’t easy when the drivetrain alone weighs around 800kg. Still, with no need to chase an enormous v-max (top speed is limited to 217mph), the engineers have turned their attention to how the Chiron behaves in corners. Weight reduction and downforce are key, with 50kg shed from the weight of a normal Chiron; the hydraulically extending rear spoiler has been replaced by a fixed wing. Elsewhere, there are suspension changes. The engine remains an 8.0-litre, quadturbo W16 developing 1,479bhp and 1,600Nm torque, but the seven-speed gearbox has closer ratios. Before we can even move our head back into a comfortable position, we’re already well hooked into the first fast corner. The…

tristan_shale-hester@dennis.co.uk @tristan_shale • Drivers pay out over £58m • PCNs up by 34 per cent TWO local authorities have seen revenue from Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for traffic offences rise by a quarter over two years, it has been revealed. Drivers caught committing offences, including stopping in a yellow box junction, making an illegal turn and driving down a no-entry road in London and Cardiff, forked out £58.2million in the 2018/19 financial year, 24.6 per cent more than the £46.7million taken in 2016/17. The data came from a Freedom of Information request made by the RAC to Transport for London (TfL), all the London boroughs and Cardiff City Council. At present, only local authorities in London and Cardiff can issue PCNs for these types of moving traffic offences. Other local…