Table of contents for 1502 in Auto Express

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news WHILE bad news may seem to be dominating headlines at the moment, this special double issue is an opportunity for us to celebrate all that was good about the car business in 2017. It started out with consumer confidence on a high and sales to match, yet finishes with both very much in reverse. But that hasn’t stopped this industry that fascinates and excites us in equal measure from delivering some breathtaking new products that have enabled us to fill the pages of Auto Express with some incredible stories. One thing currently unites everyone who works in the motor industry – the feeling that we are in the midst of a golden age for cars. We all agree that we’re going…

Daniel_Smith@dennis.co.uk @dsmithgt2 BMW has been flirting with the idea of an open-top i8 since 2012 when it first unveiled the i8 Spyder concept. Five years later, at last week’s LA Motor Show, the German brand finally revealed the production model, the i8 Roadster. The plug-in hybrid soft-top is the only car of its kind and gets a more powerful and efficient version of the i8’s existing plug-in powertrain, plus new styling tweaks. It goes on sale in January priced from £124,730; that’s £12,000 more than the Coupé. The brand has fitted a three-piece folding fabric roof on the Roadster. It’s fully electric and takes 16 seconds to open or close, and can be operated at speeds of up to 31mph. BMW says the hood folds vertically behind the cabin to…

OVER on the Toyota stand at the Los Angeles show, the Japanese maker rolled out the wacky FT-AC concept (Future Toyota Adventure Concept). The rugged 4x4 is purely a design study but has been inspired by Toyota’s current range of SUVs. A wide track, high ground clearance and 20-inch alloys wrapped in chunky all-terrain tyres are fitted to assist when you head off-road. The concept is also fitted with LED headlights and foglamps that can be removed from their housing and used as torches. Completing the look is a safari-style roof rack that can be operated remotely, while a bike rack has also been integrated within the rear bumper. A host of infra-red cameras feature, and these are connected to the car’s integrated WiFi system so that it can broadcast…

Daniel_Smith@dennis.co.uk @dsmithgt2 IN a bid to keep its VW Passat rival fresh, Mazda revealed an updated version of the 6 saloon at last week’s LA Motor Show. Although initially destined for the US market, the facelifted Mazda 6 will arrive in the UK in middle of next year. The changes to the styling aren’t striking, but the front grille has been updated with a new mesh design, while the headlamps have also been spruced up with chrome detailing. Mazda’s new saloon can be fitted with 17 or 19-inch wheels, and there’s a new shade of metallic red paint. Inside, the new 6 features an eight-inch infotainment screen, while high-spec models come with a new seven-inch digital instrument cluster. The buttons on the centre console have been simplified and reduced in…

ELECTRIC trucks are “not viable” at present, an industry expert has told Auto Express. Ian Constance, chief executive of the Advanced Propulsion Centre, says issues surrounding “weight, range and charging requirements” mean the industry focus should be on electric cars and light commercial vehicles instead. Tesla’s recently announced EV truck will have a 400-mile range and take 30 minutes to recharge, but Constance said using current tech such a fast recharge would require the same amount of energy consumed by up to 4,000 homes. Constance also said using current calculations, the batteries in an electric truck would weigh between five and 10 tonnes and take up significantly more space than an equivalent tank of diesel, robbing lorries of cargo capacity in the process.…

We get behind the stories that the that affect you “The garage had Ray’s Evoque for more than three months and was unable to solve the problem” INTERMITTENT faults can be tricky to track down, often requiring at least a few days of inspections, but Ray Hayes, from Stockport, Cheshire, got in touch after his dealer took months to fix a noise in a 14-plate Range Rover Evoque. Ray told us: “The squeak wasn’t there all the time, but would either manifest shortly after setting off, going over a bump or turning. I thought it might be something to do with the suspension or gearbox.” Ray took his Evoque to local dealer Guy Salmon Land Rover in Knutsford in July to have the problem fixed under warranty, but the mechanics…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.4 seconds/155mph Running costs 26.9mpg (official) £82 fill-up Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @Sean_Carson_ FOR more than 30 years and over five generations, the BMW M5 has pretty much had the supersaloon sector sewn up – that was until the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S arrived earlier this year, sporting a colossal 604bhp and four-wheel drive. However, BMW and its M Division boffins have been hard at work, so the M5 is back in all-new sixth-generation form with key specs to match the mighty Mercedes. First off, the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 now makes 592bhp and 750Nm of torque, while it now drives all four wheels through a new eight-speed automatic gearbox – two new developments for this most potent M car. Purists needn’t…

Performance 0-60mph/top speed 6.4 seconds/137mph Running costs 101mpg (official) £109 fill-up Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler THERE has been much talk of Jaguar Land Rover’s electrification plans recently, but only now are we able to give a verdict on one of its plug-in products. And what a way to start – the PHEV version of its range-topping Range Rover, the P400e. If ever there was a car that should suit electrification, it’s the Range Rover. And the silent progress afforded by an electric motor should work well with the latest Model Year updates, which have been designed to raise luxury levels in the firm’s most opulent car. These updates include a new Velarinspired grille and bumper, as well as new Pixel-Laser lights, which can project up to 500m. At the rear, the exhausts…

Running costs 38.7mpg (official) £61 fill-up Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram THE current Leon Cupra launched in 2014 with a 261bhp four-cylinder turbo engine. At the time, it was one of the most powerful hot hatches – and since then, its output has climbed to a heady 296bhp. But cars like the Honda Civic Type R now offer more punch, while the all-wheel-drive Ford Focus RS turns the wick up further still. To maintain interest, SEAT has launched a flagship Cupra R, packing performance tweaks and extra kit. Each one is £34,995 and comes with a manual box, but with an initial allocation of just 24 cars for the UK, you’ll be lucky to get your hands on one. Visually, the R is marked out by its 19-inch wheels, copper accents and wider…

MODEL TESTED: Land Rover Discovery Mk1 200Tdi ENGINE: 2.5-litre 4cyl turbodiesel GEARBOX: Five-speed manual, four-wheel drive POWER/TORQUE: 111bhp/265Nm 0-60MPH/TOP SPEED: 17.1 secs/92mph SUVs are common today, but 30 years ago, things were different. Land Rover had its iconic, go-anywhere four-wheel-drive workhorse that would go on to become the Defender, while it had proven that luxury and off-road ability could be combined in the opulent Range Rover. But it was looking for a third model to bolster the line-up. Enter the Discovery. The prototype was originally known as Project Jay, and its aim was to adopt parts already used in the Range Rover to produce a more affordable, mass-market car. And so in 1989 the Discovery was launched to the world. As with the Range Rover, the Discovery was originally only…

MODEL TESTED: Land Rover Discovery 4 SDV6 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel GEARBOX: Eight-speed auto, four-wheel drive POWER/TORQUE: 252bhp/600Nm 0-62MPH/TOP SPEED: 8.8 secs/112mph THE cracks had started to show five years after the Discovery Mk3’s launch, but a facelifted car in 2009, known as the fourth generation, improved things. The Mk4’s design changes, including new bumpers, headlights and tail-lamps, gave the model a stronger family resemblance to the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport of the time, plus there were improvements under the skin. During the car’s life, the V6 turbodiesel engine evolved into a 252bhp 3.0-litre unit. Performance was improved, with the 0-62mph sprint taking 8.8 seconds, while an eight-speed auto and stop/start boosted efficiency, even if claims of 36.7mpg and 213g/km CO2 are optimistic. On top of this there’s…

“Golf’s comfort, performance and efficiency remain, but with new tech and engines” DRIVES Small changes make big difference to brilliant Golf AFTER three years on sale, the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf benefited from an update in 2017, and we drove the new family hatchback for the first time in February. While the looks have barely changed, we were delighted to report that the Golf ‘Mk7.5’ drove even better than before. So the car’s combination of comfort, performance and efficiency remains intact, but with new engines and technology on board. The biggest update under the skin is the addition of VW’s new 1.5 TSI turbo petrol engine. We tried the 148bhp version, which has the latest cylinder deactivation tech, so not only is it powerful, but it can also return a claimed…

“The Karoq is bigger than the Yeti inside, and features plenty of Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ touches” NEWS Skoda Karoq has big boots to fill as it steps up to replace Yeti IN May, we got to see the replacement for the Skoda Yeti, the all-new Karoq. Although some fans will wonder why the name was changed, Skoda has focused on the new car’s potential over the model it replaced. While the new comer shares its basic body and plenty of technology with the SEAT Ateca (it’s even produced in the same factory), there are some distinct differences between the two, including the fact that the Karoq features removable seats, just like the Yeti did. In addition, the Karoq is bigger inside, and it features plenty of Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ design…

“Elon Musk promised the new Roadster would be the fastest accelerating car in the world” NEWS Tesla shocks world with its 250mph Roadster TESLA grabbed the headlines again in November, as the company caught the automotive world off guard by rolling out an all-new version of its Roadster. The new model was unveiled at an event originally scheduled to be the debut of Tesla’s new electric truck, the Semi (below). At the same time, Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, also promised that the new Roadster would be the fastest-accelerating car in the world when production versions start to roll out of the factory in 2020. It’s powered by a 200kWh battery (twice the size of that in Tesla’s most powerful current car, the Model S P100D), which is claimed to deliver…

McLaren 570S McLaren 570S Years: 2015 to date Engine: 3.8-litre 8cyl, 562bhp Ins group: 50 Official econ/CO2: 26.4mpg/249g/km Why? Best-looking car here. Fast, handles well and is more practical than some would think. Prices from: £129,990 McLAREN’S mid-range 570S may be the least powerful choice, but it’s arguably the best looking. Despite its aggressive styling, it also features many user-friendly traits. It has the biggest boot with 144-litre capacity storage at the front, some 30 litres more than the R8 and 911. The suspension also performs wonderfully on track, helping the 570S to the fastest head-to-head lap time, but it works equally well on the road, where it absorbs bumps and bruises, giving a comfortable ride. The only drawbacks are occasional reliability problems, with electronical issues mentioned by some owners.…

“The look of the new car will be traditional MINI, but feature details shown on the Electric concept” First for news every week ■ MINI hatching a secret plan for new small SUV ■ Under the skin is platform that allows electric drive Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler MINI will take advantage of the continuing SUV boom by launching a smaller sister car to the Countryman, Auto Express can exclusively reveal. The new model – previewed in our exclusive images – won’t join the range until 2021 at the earliest, making use of the brand’s next generation of chassis technology – and that means electric power will be a given for the new small SUV. According to a source close to MINI, the new model is likely to be similar in footprint to…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy ANOTHER of the big debuts at last week’s LA Motor Show was an all-new version of Mercedes’ CLS four-door coupé. It will arrive in the UK in spring and become one of the first models to be launched under a new 53 AMG sub-brand, which will be exclusive to performance-based hybrids. Now in its third generation, the CLS is based heavily on the latest E-Class, sharing that car’s chassis tech and powertrains. It has a smoother look than the old model, with more of the swooping lines that made the original such a distinctive proposition when it was launched back in 2003. The CLS will arrive with a choice of two diesels and one petrol engine, and all feature 4MATIC all-wheel drive and a ninespeed automatic gearbox. There…

SUBARU launched its biggest ever model at last week’s LA Motor Show, the new Ascent SUV. A rival for the Land Rover Discovery, it will be available in the US from next summer, but there’s no indication of whether it will be sold in the UK. The Ascent is built on Subaru’s new Global Platform – just like the new Impreza. It’s five metres long and 1.93m wide, and has up to nine seating configurations, with space for eight passengers. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.4-litre flat-four ‘Boxer’ engine producing 256bhp and 376Nm of torque, and driving the 2.3-tonne SUV through permanent four-wheel drive and a CVT gearbox. Subaru’s Eyesight driving assistance tech is fitted as standard, along with hill descent control, built-in WiFi, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and torque…

“We feel the brutal force of acceleration – the claimed 0-60mph time of 4.0 seconds seems conservative” Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler 2018 is the year Tesla will cease to have things its own way, as Jaguar aims to be the first new brand going for a slice of the premium all-electric market. The I-Pace SUV is set to be in showrooms in mid-2018, and Auto Express was invited on one of the car’s final testing sessions in California. The broken and busy streets of West Hollywood are ideal for an assessment of a pre-production model, so it was interesting to see how the I-Pace fared. We’re invited to sit alongside powertrain programme manager Simon Patel, who tells us that the car has already undergone 1.5 million miles of testing, ahead of its…

A TEST mule for the next Land Rover Defender has been spotted for the first time, ahead of the finished car arriving next year. This strange-looking shortened Range Rover Sport SUV appears to be a chassis development car for the three-door, ‘90 Series’ Defender. A huge chunk of the wheelbase has been lopped out, and it looks similar in length to the previous three-door car. The prototype has a tiny set of rear doors, but these are unlikely to make production. The test mule has a 2.0-litre Ingenium four-cylinder petrol engine, which suggests that the Defender could be offered with both petrol and diesel variants, unlike the last car. The use of a Range Rover Sport body means that it could share that car’s rugged but lightweight aluminium platform underneath,…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.9 seconds/99mph Electric motor Power/range 180bhp/174 miles Sean_Carson@dennis.co.uk @Sean_Carson_ WHILE the new M5 (Page 26) shows what BMW is capable of when it comes to ultimate performance, at the other end of the company’s line-up is the electric i3. But now BMW has developed a sporty new version, the i3s, that claims to deliver more performance and driver-focused dynamics without impacting the ‘real-world’ range. Can you have your cake and eat it? The German firm certainly believes there’s an appetite for this sportier version of its updated urban runaround. Tested in pure electric form, the new car features the same battery as the standard i3, but gets a more powerful 180bhp electric motor, with 270Nm of torque. That’s 12bhp and 20Nm more than the standard i3, which…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk FIVE-door coupés tend to have limited appeal in the UK. But Hyundai believes it has come up with a fresh take on the genre with this; the new i30 Fastback. It’s based on the i30 hatchback, and this particular version is powered by Hyundai’s 138bhp 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine. Buyers also get the option of a 1.0- litre three-cylinder, and in the fullness of time they will be joined by a 1.6 diesel. Visually, the Fastback differs from the regular car in a number of ways. There are minor tweaks to the front and sides, but a rethink of the rear gives the car a more rakish appearance. In the flesh, it looks smart, and a fair bit more arresting than the hatch. Don’t think of the Fastback…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.3 seconds/132mph Running costs 43mpg (official) £65 fill-up Lawrence_Allan@dennis.co.uk @LobAllan THE car industry is currently going through what could be its biggest revolution of modern times. Autonomous tech is soon to transform the way we use cars, and experts believe that younger consumers will start moving away from the traditional car buying process, too. Chinese automotive conglomerate Geely, owner of Volvo, has chosen to tackle the problem by launching an all-new brand called Lynk & Co. After getting a ride in the 01 SUV earlier this year (Issue 1,482), Auto Express headed to Shanghai to be one of the first to drive the firm’s launch model. The 01 has also been designed and engineered in conjunction with Volvo in Sweden. It sits on the same CMA platform…

MODEL TESTED: Land Rover Discovery Mk2 4.0 V8 ENGINE: 4.0-litre V8 petrol GEARBOX: Four-speed auto, four-wheel drive POWER/TORQUE: 182bhp/340Nm 0-62MPH/TOP SPEED: 12.8 secs/106mph A DECADE passed between the launch of the original Discovery and the second-generation model in 1998. But in terms of looks, the Mk2 was more of a refinement of what went before, rather than a clean-sheet design Land Rover spruced up the styling so the Discovery could keep pace with newer models launching around the same time, such as the BMW X5 and Mercedes M-Class. But it still had an advantage, thanks to seating for seven. Every body panel apart from the tailgate was new, while the interior was similarly reworked to give it a classier feel. However, there were plenty of tweaks over the original –…

MODEL TESTED: Land Rover Discovery Mk5 Td6 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel GEARBOX: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive POWER/TORQUE: 254bhp/600Nm 0-60MPH/TOP SPEED: 7.7 secs/130mph THE Discovery Mk5 made its debut earlier this year, sporting two major new features. The first is a new monocoque chassis that helps reduce the car’s weight by up to 480kg over its predecessor. This is helped by the return of a four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, producing 237bhp; together these boosted the new model’s efficiency, making the Disco a more attractive prospect for many. But while the 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel offers enough power and respectable refinement for a four-cylinder, the creamy V6 is still the one to go for, carrying just a £1,300 price premium. The car we’re running on our fleet is fitted with this engine. A healthy…

NEWS Civic Type R and Fiesta ST turn up the heat THERE was a wave of March madness in Issues 1,462 and 1,463, as a pair of exciting new hot hatchbacks made their debuts in quick succession. First was the new Ford Fiesta ST, which had some very big boots to fill, because of the sheer brilliance of its predecessor. We had yet to try the new Fiesta at this point, so we couldn’t confirm that the base model had the ingredients to make the ST a star – but what we did know was that the outgoing car’s 180bhp 1.6-litre turbo would be replaced by a 1.5 threecylinder unit with 197bhp and 290Nm of torque. Although the Honda Civic Type R isn’t a direct rival for the Fiesta, it…

“Our awards also reflect an increasing focus on plug-in hybrid technology and EVs” NEWS Discovery wins Car of the Year LAND Rover’s all-new, fifth-generation Discovery notched up a coveted win in June, taking the Auto Express Car of the Year crown, as well as the Best Large Premium SUV award. Its refinement and luxury are mixed with decent performance, an incredible level of tech and plenty of practicality, which together make it more like a seven-seat Range Rover with pricing at a more affordable level. These attributes helped it see off the competition from other classes. The Citroen C4 Cactus took honours in the Mid-Size SUV category, while Volvo’s XC60 fought off its rivals to claim a new title for 2017 – Best Mid-Size Premium SUV – reflecting how the…

NEWS Mercedes hypercar steals the show in Frankfurt SEPTEMBER is the big motor show month on the calendar, and this year the world’s car makers descended on Frankfurt to display their wares. One company that dominated the show was Mercedes, not only with one of the biggest stands ever seen, but also by revealing the Project One hypercar and shedding more light on the expansion of its electric vehicle range. The Project One features technology from Mercedes’ hugely successful Formula One team, using a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine and four electric motors to make around 1,000bhp. Four-wheel drive is standard, while power is sent to the road via an eight-speed automated manual gearbox. This gives the Project One a claimed 0-124mph time of 6.0 seconds, while a 217mph top speed is…

NEW PRODUCT Muc-Off Snow Foam Price: From £9.99 Contact: www.muc-off.com IT might not be a white Christmas this year but it can be for your car with Muc-Off’s Snow Foam, which has just gone on general sale. Previously exclusive to an online retailer, the product is now available from sellers across the UK. A snow foam is the best way to loosen grit and grime on bodywork before blasting it with a pressure washer to leave the bare minimum to be taken off with a mitt. By removing as much grit as possible without touching the bodywork, you greatly reduce the risk of dragging it across the car and leaving scratches and swirls. Muc-Off’s version needs to be applied with a foam lance – expect to pay from around £20…

NEED TO KNOW Only the entry-level Style edition got a two-wheel-drive option, which was offered in manual form only. NEED TO KNOW A Santa Fe with four-wheel drive and seven seats comes with self-levelling rear suspension, which aids towing. NEED TO KNOW Hyundai also offered 2.0-litre diesel and 2.4-litre petrol engines in some European markets, but not the UK. IF Father Christmas were in the market for a used car, there’s a strong chance he’d make a Hyundai Santa Fe his new sleigh. With a vast boot, a dependable diesel engine and strong towing capabilities, the Santa Fe would be more than up to the task of replacing Rudolf and his chums. When it was first introduced in 2001, the Santa Fe was a five-seater SUV with styling that was…

Richard_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @rsp_ingram LAMBORGHINI is no stranger to the SUV market and five years after the Urus concept first made its debut at the Beijing Motor Show, the Italian brand has revealed what it is calling the world’s first super-SUV. Lamborghini claims the Urus, which is named after a large Spanish fighting bull, is the new class benchmark for “power, performance and driving dynamics”, while also mixing in a dose of “design, luxury and daily usability”. It launches next spring and will cost £165,000 in the UK. The Urus is based on the same platform as the Audi Q7, but despite its humble origins, Lamborghini claims it will be more exceptional when it comes to performance and handling. It’s powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 developing 641bhp and 850Nm of torque,…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn LEXUS has added an extra dose of practicality to its flagship SUV by unveiling a new seven-seat version, the RX L, at last week’s LA Motor Show. It’ll be the third model in the company’s growing SUV portfolio and will serve as its rival for the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90. The new model arrives in the UK in May, and pricing and specs will be announced nearer that date. However, a four-figure premium over the standard RX is expected. To squeeze in the additional row of seating, Lexus has stretched the length of the standard RX by 110mm and fitted a steeper tailgate to ensure those in the back row have enough headroom. The third row is a 60:40-split bench, which, Lexus says, provides as much comfort…

Martin_Saarinen@dennis.co.uk @AE_Consumer UK car makers with electric vehicles in the pipeline have received an enormous boost after the Government announced a new £80million electric vehicle battery facility will be built in the Midlands to make the country a “world leader” in battery tech. Last week, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy revealed that Coventry and Warwickshire will be the home of the new National Battery Manufacturing Development Facility (NMDF). The site will be funded from the £246million Faraday Battery Challenge announced earlier this year. It will become the UK’s first ever battery development facility and will “help establish the UK as one of the world leaders in battery technology and innovation”. It will be responsible for turning the most promising early and mid-stage battery research and development into…

THE number of drivers caught speeding has reached a six-year high, with 2.15 million motorists flouting speed limits last year, according to the latest official figures. The data – released by the Department for Transport – reveal an extra 28,000 drivers were issued with a fixed penalty notice (FPN), taken to court or given a written warning for speeding offences in the past year compared with 2015. In 2011, 1.61 million drivers were caught speeding in total. The increase in speed limit violations contributed towards an overall rise in traffic offences, with 3,059,000 motorists falling foul of the law in 2016 compared with 3,049,000 the previous year and 2,892,000 in 2011. AA president Edmund King said: “On one level the sharp rise in speeding fines is counter-intuitive because we have…

THE most dangerous roads in Britain have been named in a revealing new study. The A537 between Macclesfield in Cheshire and Buxton, Derbyshire, was rated as the most dangerous in the country, scoring highest in the “persistently higher risk” category that’s assigned to roads where “serious crashes are little improved or worsening” over six years. The A254 between Ramsgate and Margate, Kent, followed the A537, and the A259 from Glyne Gap to Ore, Hastings, E Sussex, was identified as the third riskiest road. Sections of the A588 and A6 in Lancashire were also judged to be persistently higher-risk, as were portions of the A32 in Hampshire, the A3055 on the Isle of Wight, the A21 in East Sussex, the A18 in Lincolnshire and Berkshire’s A4. The European Road Assessment Programme…

Running costs 46.3mpg (official) £54 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.5 seconds/155mph IN 2016, Renault boss Carlos Ghosn unveiled the resurrected Alpine brand’s first concept car. The A110 resembled its sixties namesake, just like BMW’s MINI took inspiration from the original. But this wasn’t a nod to the classic, it was a complete revival. With rear-wheel drive, a mid-engined layout and a kerbweight less than 1,000kg, the Alpine possessed the ingredients of a great sports car. More than a year later, the production version appeared, with a 249bhp 1.8-litre turbo engine and seven-speed auto gearbox. And now we’ve driven it. Tipping the scales at 1,103kg, it was clear that the earlier target could only have been achieved by using carbon fibre. That would’ve made the car too pricey, so aluminium is…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.8 seconds/155mph Running costs 34.8mpg (official) £99 fill-up Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler FOR years, Lexus has been chasing the big German makers for luxury, dynamics and quality, and each time it has missed by a country mile. But things are changing, and recently the company has taken a confident approach, embracing its Japanese origins to create cars that offer a refreshing change from the European norm. We’ve already seen that with the new LC coupé; individual, sharp-edged styling being the opener for a new breed of customers. Now it’s the turn of the LS flagship, a car we first drove briefly in November (Issue 1,497). Although the Mercedes S-Class still sets the standard, the new LS ploughs a different furrow with bolder styling and a cabin that highlights Japanese…

Running costs 34.4mpg (official) £77 fill-up PORSCHE debuted the GTS tag with the 904 racer in the sixties, but it has now become synonymous with cars that strike the ideal balance between performance and usability. In fact, it’s given us some of the German brand’s finest cars to date. The latest 718 Boxster GTS (and its fixedroof Cayman sibling) are set to continue that trend. They mix aggressive styling, improved performance and extra kit, without going down the route of the roll-caged GT4. Based on the Boxster S, the GTS has some subtle additions, but they give the car its own character. The front and rear lights have a dark tint, which matches the black front and rear aprons, the black badging and 20-inch wheels. It sits 10mm lower, or…

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives IT was a landmark year for the Land Rover Discovery in 2017. While the nameplate has spanned nearly three decades, there have only been five models, so the launch of the all-new fifth-generation version earlier in the year was a milestone in the Discovery’s timeline. Another significant moment for the Discovery was when the Mk5 scooped the Car of the Year crown at the Auto Express New Car Awards in 2017. However, there are older and more significant links between Auto Express and the Discovery than you might think. Original prototypes were undergoing final testing in the same year that the first issue of Auto Express was published back in 1988, and it was one of the first cars we carried spy…

MODEL TESTED: Land Rover Discovery 3 TDV6 ENGINE: 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel GEARBOX: Six-speed auto, four-wheel drive POWER/TORQUE: 188bhp/440Nm 0-62MPH/TOP SPEED: 11.7 secs/112mph THE Discovery 3 was a departure from the norm for the famous nameplate. In 2004 Land Rover wanted to crack America, so its design team went big and bold, with a slabbier, more solid look and square, chiselled proportions. Retaining some of the car’s visual trademarks, like the little glass panels in the rear of the stepped roof, vertical tail-light blocks and asymmetric rear glass with an offset number plate, the third-generation model is clearly a Discovery, only reimagined for the new millennium. Underneath, the body is still mounted on a ladder frame chassis, but there’s independent suspension and an even more sophisticated air set-up that improves the…

NEWS Bold new Audi Q8 leads the stars at Detroit Motor Show THE car world focused on America in January, as the Detroit Motor Show kicked off the automotive calendar. The Motor City not only showcased the latest from the US big three of Ford, General Motors and Chrysler, but also a raft of technology from overseas makers. Highlights included the Audi Q8 concept, previewing a new Range Rover-rivalling SUV. This vast 4x4 gets a curvier look than the Q7, and will share much of its tech with its sister model. That means Q8 e-tron and rapid SQ8 models are likely, although the cabin will offer only five seats. Also on display was a new Volkswagen Microbus, the I.D. Buzz. This eight-seat MPV concept mixes the retro and the thoroughly…

“I.D. Crozz is based on VW’s I.D. hatch but in a high-riding body” NEWS E-Motion points to electric MG sports car EVER since the Chinese took over MG, there have been rumours about a sports car revival for the brand – and we saw the first steps towards this at April’s Shanghai Motor Show, when the wraps came off the E-Motion coupé. This two-door four-seater features electric drive using a platform from MG parent company SAIC. The newcomer promises a 0-60mph sprint time of less than four seconds, as well as a range of 310 miles from a single charge. The E-Motion isn’t quite the successor to the MGB that some fans might want, but it will be a showcase of the brand’s latest technology. MG is determined to get…

“The Fiesta edged aheadwith its comfort, tech and driving dynamics” TESTS Ford’s brilliant new Fiesta reclaims supermini crown IT isn’t every day that the UK’s best-selling car gets a makeover, but it’s big news when it does. Ford has sold more Fiestas than any other car in Britain for the past seven years, so the all-new model was hugely important for our market when it went on sale. Despite its place at the top of the sales charts, the supermini has some stiff competition. SEAT introduced a new Ibiza earlier this year, which raised the game enormously compared with the outgoing model – so much so that we named it Best Supermini at our New Car Awards in June. Fellow VW Group contender, the Skoda Fabia, was freshened up with…

“It’s relatively small for an SUV, so it’s good to drive in town” DRIVES New Volkswagen T-Roc makes a solid first impression THE combination of Volkswagen Golf dimensions with the raised ride height of an SUV should make for a winning formula. So, we wanted to find out if that was the case when we drove the new T-Roc for the first time. There’s plenty to like about the new car, especially its stylish looks and decent interior space, while the relatively small dimensions for an SUV mean it’s good to drive in town. Choose a higher-spec model, and the larger-diameter wheels will add a firmer edge to the ride, but whichever version you go for, you’ll be rewarded with decent handling. The main issues we had were the cheap-feeling…

New and used buying advice 19th PLACE 2017 results Peugeot 308 Factfile Years: 2013 to present CO2: 94g/km Fuel economy: 78.5mpg (1.6 BlueHDi 100) Best options: Sat-nav, keyless entry, panoramic sunroof, parking camera, heated seats Used prices: From £7,300 OVERALL SCORE 91.24% Bars show where model finished out of 75 vehicles in our 2017 new car survey. The longer the bar the better ▪ GOOD “IT looks aggressive in a pleasingly understated way.” “The seats are fantastic and hold you in place without being too firm.” “Even on rough roads the ride is smooth.” “The brakes are effective and easy to modulate.“ “Insurance, road tax and fuel are all cheap, plus fixed-price servicing offers good value.” “It took getting used to, but the small steering wheel makes the car responsive.” “Quality…