Table of contents for 1650 in Auto Express

Luke_Wilkinson@dennis.co.uk @LT_Wilkinson • Fresh looks for small SUV • Plug-in power joins line-up “Jaguar has refreshed the cabin, adding a new drive selector and a reshaped transmission tunnel” JAGUAR has launched an updated version of the E-Pace crossover. Exterior styling tweaks mask a switch to the same PTA platform as the latest Range Rover Evoque, allowing an all-new infotainment system and a fresh plug-in powertrain. On the outside, the facelifted E-Pace features a redesigned front bumper, a new mesh radiator grille and a fresh pair of LED headlights, which feature Jaguar’s latest ‘Double J’ lighting signature. Jaguar has also fitted a new undertray at the rear, along with revised LED tail-lights that are inspired by the units fitted to the all-electric I-Pace. The changes to the cabin include a new…

FUTURE hot Renault models will wear Alpine badges, new Renault CEO Luca de Meo has confirmed to Auto Express. The new Clio could become one of the first Renault Alpine models. “As I did with [SEAT brand] Cupra, I will find a point of contact between the Alpine brand and some Renault models,” said de Meo. “We need to be credible on that, so I’m not going to do that with an Espace – I’m going to do that with things that fit the brand.” That could mean that the new Renault Clio, currently without a hot Renault Sport version in its line-up, would be the first hot Renault to wear an Alpine badge, while a hot version of the electric Zoe (above) has been discussed by bosses. “Clio could be the…

Hugo_Griffiths@dennis.co.uk @hugo_griffiths PROPOSED changes to road laws that would see drivers take their hands off the steering wheel and eyes off the road at up to 70mph “will put UK motorists’ lives at risk”, according to safety experts. The Government is consulting on if cars with an Automated Lane Keeping System, or ALKS (see right), can be used with minimal human input at up to 70mph from spring 2021. The UK is positioning itself at the forefront of such technology, with ministers wanting the UK to be “the first country to see these benefits, attracting manufacturers to develop and test new technologies”. Drivers could be allowed to watch films on in-car screens with ALKS engaged, but would have to step in if the system came across an issue it could…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy WE know what the top-spec Defender 90 is like to drive, with 395bhp and air suspension. But now it’s time to rate the Defender with its most basic petrol engine, with 100bhp less and conventional springs. Called P300, this Defender has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium engine producing 296bhp and 400Nm of torque. It gets the same eight-speed automatic gearbox as the rest of the range and can manage 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds. So it’s hardly slow. For this test, though, we won’t explore the car’s behaviour at high speeds – because we’re taking the P300 through some of the trickiest routes at Land Rover’s Eastnor Castle off-road experience centre. Frustratingly, our car is in 2020-spec SE trim, which is now only available to order from stock as Land…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram Running costs 36.2mpg (off icial) £63 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.8 seconds/155mph C02/tax 178g/km £870 or 37% THE new Audi S3 is now available in two flavours, with this Mercedes A 35 Saloon-rivalling S3 Saloon joining the A 35-rivalling Sportback five-door hatchback. Compared with the regular A3 saloon, the intakes on the front bumper are larger, while the single-frame grille gets silver highlights through its honeycomb structure, sitting above a matching splitter. The door-mirror caps and extended side sills are finished in the same contrasting shade of silver, while the rear gets some sharp LED tail-lights and quad tailpipes. The car also sits on sports suspension, which lowers the body by 15mm. Inside, the changes from A3 to S3 are subtle, but all welcome. The sports steering wheel…

MODEL TESTED: Peugeot e-2008 GT Line PRICE: £32,915 POWERTRAIN: 1x e-motor/lithium-ion battery Running costs 3.8 miles/kWh (on test) £6.50 charge/£0 or 0% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 434/1,467 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.5 seconds/93mph THE e-2008 is Peugeot’s first all-electric SUV. At £32,915, this mid-spec GT Line model is affordable, but does it offer enough range and flexibility to compete with its rivals in this test? Design & engineering THE 2008 was planned with an all-electric variant in mind, so its CMP platform (known as e-CMP for this EV) accepts a battery pack and electric motor with basically no compromise. The battery is a 50kWh lithium-ion unit, of which 45kWh are usable. This energy is supplied to a front-mounted electric motor that produces 134bhp and 300Nm of torque, which means…

Peugeot e-2008 i-Cockpit Standard Key features: Twin-screen set-up THE e-2008 comes as standard with a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system that’s loaded with features. These include sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless phone charging, DAB radio, some good connected services and wireless phone charging. We’d like the panel to be a little sharper when it comes to its resolution and response to inputs, but it’s mostly okay and the functionality it offers is good, with some strong eV-specific data to rival the hyundai and Kia, which both boast particularly strong infotainment. however, one area where the Peugeot beats them is with its digital dashboard display. It’s more configurable than the panel in either rival and can show more data. Overall, the e-2008’s connectivity and technology work okay; ultimately, the Peugeot…

Exceptional Cars: Alfa Romeo T33/TT/3 Ian Wagstaff (Porter Press, porterpress.co.uk) Price: £30 Rating: ANOTHER beautifully printed and photographed story from the Exceptional Cars series, this time focusing on Alfa’s racer produced to compete in the 1972 sportscar world championship. It also competed in the Targa Florio road race before gaining a second life in historic racing. Well told and wonderfully produced, it’s a great book. Quest for Speed Barry John (Evro Publishing, www.evropublishing.com) Price: £30 Rating: YOU can’t get much more evocative than land speed record cars, and this book charts the record holders, right from the birth of the automobile. With remarkable detail, it’s bound to school you on a few record attempts you’ll never have heard of. But we know extensive photography exists of many of these cars,…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk Clutch fix hasn’t resolved new-car issue – can I reject it? I REPORTED a clutch judder in my new car after three days and 37 miles of ownership. The dealer agreed there was a problem and replaced the clutch, but I would now like to return the car for a refund. Can I do this? TM, E-mail THE Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you the right to reject goods that are not of satisfactory quality for a full refund within the first 30 days after purchase. The fact the dealer has already repaired the car might complicate matters, but you may still be able to argue that it was a faulty product, and you are therefore able to reject it. Keep a record of all…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk “Called SC01, the SuperCharge car has an electric motor on each axle for a 670bhp output” New series planned for 2022 670bhp car and stadium track A NEW road-car-based electric racing championship has become the latest addition to the increasingly crowded field of zero-emissions motorsport series. SuperCharge has been developed by a team of industry veterans and hopes to kick off its first season in 2022, with races in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas, using a self-contained ‘stadium’ track concept that can be adapted for use in city centres, existing circuits or locations such as industrial areas and sports arenas. The SuperCharge car, called the SC01, is a tubular-frame vehicle with an electric motor on each axle for a total power output of 670bhp. SuperCharge says…

Jonathan_Burn@dennis.co.uk @Jonathan_burn Visit autoexpress.co.uk for your daily news updates • MINI hatch set to shrink, while Countryman grows • Electric SUV on way, but Clubman and Convertible face axe MINI has confirmed a major model shake-up that includes plans to develop a smaller three-door hatchback, a new electric crossover and a larger version of the Countryman. At the same time, slow-selling models such as the Convertible and Clubman, as well as plug-in hybrids, will be dropped as MINI takes the first steps to becoming an all-electric brand. The plan for MINI’s next generation of cars is ‘80 per cent’ complete, according to the Head of MINI, Bernd Körber. The first of the company’s three ‘core’ cars to arrive in 2023 will be a smaller three-door hatch, designed to take MINI back…

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 makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls www.check-mot.service.gov.uk…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy THE world is being made to wait for Daniel Craig’s last appearance as James Bond 007, in No Time to Die (now delayed, for a second time, until 2 April 2021). But Auto Express has already tried one of the stars of the most recent trailer: the leaping Land Rover Defender. In fact, there were 10 such models allocated to the stunt sequence in question, which was planned by Lee Morrison, a veteran of all of Craig’s Bond appearances and the overall stunt coordinator for No Time to Die. “These were the first 10 Defenders off the production line in Slovakia,” Morrison tells us. “They pulled out all the stops to get them to us in time, because we were obviously on a schedule for the movie’s original…

Running costs 38.7mpg (off icial) £82 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.4 seconds/155mph FOR decades the Mercedes S-Class has been the go-to luxury limo for CEOs, high-ranking officials and anyone else looking for maximum luxury in a discrete wrapper. Each generation has pushed the boundaries of luxury and tech – the S-Class was the first car to have modern four-channel anti-lock brakes and adaptive cruise control – and the new one is no different, although you might have to look closely to spot the slimmer headlights and retractable door handles that mark it out from the old car. Priced from £78,705 for the entry-level S 350 d AMG Line, this new S (W223 for Merc geeks) will be the first car available with Level 3 autonomous-driving capability when the law allows…

MODELTESTED: Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh Premium PRICE: £36,150 POWERTRAIN: 1x e-motor/lithium-ion battery HYUNDAI’S Kona Electric was the first of the new generation of cars to launch that made electric motoring genuinely viable. However, at £36,150 after the £3,000 government plug-in car grant for the 64kWh Premium spec model we’re testing (our pictures show a Premium SE), it’s by far the priciest model. Is it worth it? Running costs 3.8 miles/kWh (on test) £8.70 charge/£0 or 0% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 332/1,114 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.9 seconds/104mph Design & engineering MUCH of the Kona Electric’s tech is the same as the Soul EV’s, given that Hyundai and Kia are sister brands. The Kona’s 64kWh (usable) battery and 201bhp electric motor are the same, while both have more regenerative braking…

Rolls’ competition winners take flight ROLLS-Royce has announced the winners of its Young Designer competition. There were more than 5,000 entries from 80 countries, and children were invited to design the dream Rolls-Royce of the future – with winners getting a chauffeur-driven trip to school with their best friend, plus having their designs digitally rendered by the Rolls-Royce team (above). Winners were chosen in Technology, Environment, Fantasy and Fun categories, with three other designs highly commended. The full list of winners can be viewed at www.rolls-royceyoungdesignercompetition.com. Pirelli makes a mark with new McLaren A HIGH-performance car needs a tyre to match, so McLaren teamed up with Pirelli to equip its latest 765LT with the Italian firm’s P Zero Trofeo R tyres. The tyre is bespoke to the 765LT, and Pirelli…

PRODUCTGROUP TEST 28|10|2020 Every week, we extensively test all the latest car kit from tyres to trim cleaners. Log on to www.autoexpress.co.uk to look through our huge online test archive THE days of relying on I Spy and a stack of comics to keep young passengers happy on car journeys are long over. Adults and kids alike demand electronic entertainment to keep them occupied, and this inevitably means using a tablet such as an iPad. Holding one ends up being tiring and uncomfortable, while looking downwards for long periods can bring on carsickness, so it’s best to invest in an in-car tablet holder, which can safely secure an iPad or a similar device at eye level. Mounts that fix firmly to the headrest of the seat in front of a…

CO2/tax 99g/km Free-£150 Running costs 65mpg (1.0 manual) £40 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 13.5 seconds/96mph MOST Japanese brands started out by building tiny-engined cars before moving on to much bigger and more costly vehicles. It’s how Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda and Subaru began, and Suzuki, too. But whereas the first five went on to focus more on relatively costly family-sized models, Suzuki’s emphasis has long been on smaller vehicles created mainly for urban drivers. For decades the company has offered city cars and superminis, some better than others, and one of the more recent is the already-defunct Celerio, which arrived in 2014 and was killed off five years later. Few people noticed its demise and it would be easy to dismiss this boxy small car as an also-ran, but the…

James_Brodie@dennis.co.uk @jimmybrods • SUV moves to electric power • Style and tech from Taycan EXCLUSIVE IMAGE PORSCHE will soon introduce a radical reinvention of its best-selling model: the Macan SUV. It will adopt an all-new platform that will turn the car all-electric, making it Porsche’s second EV following the recently released Taycan. These spy shots are the first images of the second-generation version of the brand’s breadwinner, and they tell quite a story. A massive design overhaul is coming, with the Macan moving to a more coupé SUV-like silhouette as well as taking clear inspiration from its Taycan sibling. Porsche designers are looking to put a lot of distance between the old and new Macans for one very important reason: both the current car and the second-generation model will be…

Final GTD model joins VW hot hatch line-up VOLKSWAGEN has completed its trinity of GT-badged hot hatchbacks with the new Golf GTD (above), on sale now from £32,790. It’s powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel with 197bhp and 400Nm of torque. 0-62mph takes 7.1 seconds and top speed is 152mph. The company says the new GTD will return up to 54.3mpg for a theoretical maximum range of 600 miles per tank. Police time saved by dash cam portal A DASH cam portal where drivers can upload clips of dangerous driving has saved 170,000 hours of police time since 2018. The National Dash Cam Safety Portal – run by dash cam maker Nextbase – has been adopted by 33 of the UK’s 45 police forces. In that time, it has recorded…

THE Government launched a consultation in August asking if drivers should be able to take their hands off the wheel, and eyes off the road, when using an Automated Lane Keeping System (ALKS). This in effect comprises four systems: Systems similar to ALKS are already on the road, but the formalisation of the combined technologies, and the manner of their intended use, are new, and set out in United Nations Economic Committee for Europe (UNECE) rules. ALKS is expected to be certifiable under type approval by early 2021, meaning the systems would be judged to meet certain criteria, and could be sold to customers. But while regulations allow ALKS to operate at up to 60km/h (37mph), the Government is asking if the systems should be used…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC New BMW X8 FROM: Liam Clark I’M sure this will be a very comfortable, well made car, but who is it catering to? BMW already makes the X7, which is absolutely massive. Is this just for people who want a luxurious SUV but can’t afford a Rolls-Royce Cullinan? FROM: Jack Smith I HAVE no problem with SUVs in general, but what is the point of something this big? We have terrible congestion problems in this country; massive cars such as this will only exacerbate the problem. But I’m sure it will sell in great numbers. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “X7 is already verging on ridiculous size. You’re going to need a truck licence to drive the X8.”Stuart Middleton “I know this is the kind of…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives Performance 0-60mph/top speed 5.7 seconds/119mph THE Land Rover Defender has certainly been one of the biggest car launches of the past 12 months. But up to now it has been available only as the 110 model – a big, practical workhorse with stellar off-road ability, but not the three-door 90 that will account for many ‘urban’ sales. So here, then, is the new Defender 90 – and in a spec and trim level that are bound to appeal to lifestyle customers more than farmers or vets. This is the P400, which has a new straight-six, mild-hybrid petrol engine producing 395bhp and 550Nm of torque – enough to take this 2.2-tonne SUV from 0-60mph in a mere 5.7 seconds. What’s…

John_McIlroy@dennis.co.uk @johnmcilroy Running costs 55.4mpg (official) £46 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.4 seconds/117mph IF you’ve flicked over to this page and are now scrabbling to recall the outgoing generation of Hyundai i20, we won’t hold it against you. The Korean brand’s most recent supermini was a pretty anonymous creation. But prepare yourself for a genuine shock: based on this first drive of a full UK-spec car on British roads, the new version is a very convincing proposition indeed. In theory this i20 sits on an evolution of the previous car’s platform, but it has been influenced by former BMW M Division man Albert Biermann, who is now head of R&D at Hyundai-Kia. And it shows. In fact, the i20 is now every bit a proper Fiesta rival in the way…

MODELTESTED: Kia Soul EV First Edition PRICE: £34,295 POWERTRAIN: 1x e-motor/lithium-ion battery KIA’S Soul EV is one of the best electric cars on sale, but it’s still only available in First Edition trim, so even with its bigger battery, is this £34,295 model better value than the more affordable Peugeot? Running costs 3.9 miles/kWh (on test) £8.70 charge/£0 or 0% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 315/1,339 litres Performance 0-60mph/top speed 7.6 second/104mph Design & engineering THE Soul EV uses a tried-and-tested recipe from Kia, because much of its tech is shared with the more generic-looking e-Niro. It means the 64kWh battery – that’s usable energy – supplies a 201bhp electric motor on the front wheels that also produces a hefty 395Nm of torque to carry this relatively heavy 1,757kg SUV…

Steve_Walker@dennis.co.uk Running costs 103mpg (on test) £67 fill-up £470 or 10% tax Practicality Boot space 390 litres A LOT has changed since the Volvo S60 T8 arrived on our test fleet. Back in late 2019, lockdown was something that happened when the residents misbehaved in prison movies, and Halloween was still your main opportunity for wearing a mask. Back then we wondered about the compromise inherent in the plug-in hybrid concept and how Volvo’s take on the tech would perform in different real-world scenarios. Now, as we say goodbye to the Volvo what seems like far, far longer than 10 months later, we have a much clearer picture than even we expected. The S60’s stay on our fleet was extended due to lockdown, so much so that the car has…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q Which wax for winter? I USUALLY wax my car prior to the winter weather, and in the past I’ve used your recommended Bilt-Hamber double speed-wax (above). But should I be looking at one of the new sealants? Mark Dean, E-mail A WE are currently testing ceramic sealants. Our evaluation has been running for close to six months, and while some samples have largely disappeared, our Bilt-Hamber control wax is matching the best ceramics so far. Hopefully you have wax left for now, and we can provide a comprehensive result when the test is complete. Q How to revive tired fabric MY car is coming up to 15 years old and the light grey fabric seats are looking very tired, with darker patches on the base.…

MOST of us would be lost without smartphone maps. Unlike built-in vehicle navs, these apps are constantly updated, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration means they can be displayed in-car, making control even easier. In our previous test Google Maps came out on top thanks to the integration of several new features, on top of its unbeatable access to map, Street View and search data. Rival Sygic is also constantly updating its app in an attempt to get users to pay for its software. Sygic’s latest app has two new features and has more than halved in price. The first is EV mode, which allows electric-car owners to plan routes around chargers; the second is speed camera reporting. While the Sygic looks impressive and does a decent job of…

Dear Tristan, I’m looking to buy a small premium SUV, and have up to £20,000 to spend. What can you recommend for me? Jenny Marsden, E-mail Contact: Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk THE HI-TECH CHOICE Audi Q2 FOR: Modern, angular looks, ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital dash AGAINST: Firm ride, interior could be better made SMALL SUVs like the Audi Q2 may not offer a great deal more space than an equivalent hatchback, but they do bring a higher driving position and fashionable looks. Sitting on Volkswagen’s MQB platform means the Q2 offers competent handling, while three petrol engines with outputs from 114bhp to 187bhp, two diesels with 114bhp or 148bhp, and the option of quattro four-wheel drive mean there’s plenty of choice. A 115bhp petrol 19-plate Q2 Sport with 6,000 miles is within budget. THE…

Join the debate now at autoexpress.co.uk/opinion WITH a mixture of realism and regret, but no remorse, it’s my job to tell you that lockdown has claimed yet another victim. It’s the beast known as the international motor show. Join me in acknowledging that a lethal cocktail of Covid, crippling costs, changing consumer demands and travel restrictions has made it almost extinct. Traditionally, such shows were staged in legendary car capitals like Detroit, Geneva, Frankfurt and Paris. They’ve all had their day. On a happier note, the future looks rosy for local exhibitions. And here are some of the non-virtual, Covid-compliant events scheduled to receive you, in the flesh, from late 2020 to summer 2021. The humble, different, free-to-enter Pop-Up Motor Show at Festival Place Shopping Centre, Basingstoke, Hants, was shocked…