Table of contents for 1641 in Auto Express

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…

If you’re in the market for a van, then both the purchase and running costs will play a key part in your buying decision. With more manufacturers bringing electric vans to market, there’s now more choice than ever – plus the potential to drastically cut down your carbon emissions and reduce the cost of ownership. Of course, an electric van won’t be right for everyone. They’re restricted by range, so are best suited to businesses that operate in the city over shorter distances, while having access to a charging point is a necessity. If neither of these is a concern, then an electric van could be the way forward. But how favourably does an electric van compare to a diesel-powered version when it comes to cost? In the second of…

Running costs 42.2mpg (off icial) £81 fill-up Performance 0-60mph/top speed 9.1 seconds/127mph WELCOME to the all-new Kia Sorento. This seven-seat Korean SUV has long been one of the best-value, most family-friendly SUVs around, and this fourth-generation model is now on sale in the UK with a lot of expectation on its shoulders. Thankfully, Kia is on a roll at the moment and its designers have come up with a pretty handsome-looking SUV. In 2002, the Sorento looked like a Mercedes ML replica, but the car has evolved over the last 18 years and this latest version is certainly the most ‘premium-looking’ of the lot. It’s based on a new monocoque chassis and, although it’s only 10mm longer and wider overall than the outgoing model, the wheelbase has grown by 35mm.…

Pete_Baiden@dennis.co.uk @PeteBaiden THIS quality-focused facelift of the SsangYong Tivoli is part of a bid to push the SUV a bit further upmarket. Changes extend to a new range of engines, as well as updated looks, which include new foglamps and a larger grille. To our eyes, the result is a better-looking car than before, and it’s a world away from SsangYongs of the past. There are big changes in the cabin, with the updated Tivoli taking much of the tech on offer in the larger Korando. The standout feature is the new digital cockpit on the topspec Ultimate trim. It adds a customisable 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and an 8.0-inch central infotainment screen, and looks as good as anything in this class. The central facia below the screen, which was…

Running costs 29.3mpg (on test) £50 fill-up/£150 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) N/A/612-816 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.2 seconds/164mph MODELTESTED: MINI JCW GP PRICE: £35,345 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 302bhp THIS third-generation MINI GP has a lot to live up to given the first two models were brilliant driver’s cars. The £35,345 GP faces a challenge from one of the best hot hatches around: the Mégane R.S. Trophy Design & engineering LIKE its forebears, this MINI GP is a hardcore little car, and as time has gone on it’s clear to see how the process of turning a hot hatch into a very special limited-run breed like the GPs has changed. While the standard John Cooper Works hatchback’s 2.0-litre turbocharged fourcylinder engine has been beefed up to 302bhp and…

MINI JCW GP Navigation Plus £2,000 option Key features: Nav, Apple CarPlay IF you want nav on the MINI you’ll have to option the £2,000 GP Touring pack. This enlarges the standard 6.5-inch screen to an 8.8-inch unit and brings sat-nav and Apple CarPlay to improve connectivity, but not Android Auto. The system is the same as you’d get in anything from a Cooper to a JCW, so it works with the same easy operation we’ve come to expect from MINI. The graphics are good, the traffic info is among the best out there, and with a scroll wheel down on the centre console, it’s easy to use on the move, but it also features touchscreen capability depending on how you want to use it. It’s quick to respond and…

products@autoexpress.co.uk Running costs 26.3mpg (on test) £84 fill-up £260 Practicality Payload 1,075kg THE point of long-term tests is to offer an idea of what cars are like to live with over a long period, rather than how they perform against the stopwatch or in a road tester’s hands for a week or so. That’s why, at some point, you need to decide whether this is a vehicle you’d like on your drive permanently. I’ve been running pick-ups and large SUVs since 2016, when I took delivery of the previous-generation L200, and none of my test cars since has eclipsed it. I had hopes that the new L200 might be able to oust it from the top of the pile, but the jury’s out. Its time with me has not been…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q Screen test for infotainment I’M looking to replace the infotainment system on my 2019 Honda CR-V. I’ve found set-ups online from AliExpress, Rockchip and Joyring. Would these retain steering wheel controls, the parking sensor system, reversing camera and the like? Nick Fraser-Smith, E-mail A WE’VE not tested systems from these firms, but have been impressed by Pioneer products. It has one system with a nine-inch screen – the SPH-EVO93DAB (above). This should retain steering wheel controls plus the camera if there is an adaptor. Audible parking alerts should be fine and sat-nav would be via a phone app. Q Will tyre swap improve ride? I WANT to improve the ride on my 2014 Honda Civic. Would fitting all-season tyres help? I’m considering switching to a…

AN ailing battery can make life very annoying and difficult, which is where a lithium battery jump start is ideal. It packs enough punch to get you started, but is small enough to be popped into a glovebox. Our previous champion was the MSC Overland, which has been comprehensively updated, and we’re testing it here against the new Halfords Advanced Jump Starter unit. Each device had to start a 1.6-litre petrol engine, turning it over five times for five seconds, with two minutes between attempts. We recorded the state of the jump pack when the test ended, and awarded marks for features such as cable length, clamp size, extras like USB sockets, and high-quality instructions and safety warnings. It’s important to note diesel and larger petrol engines demand more from…

Stephen_Errity@dennis.co.uk “As a family we have always put our team first. Making the team successful again and protecting our people has been at the heart of this process from start”CLAIRE WILLIAMS Deputy team principal US investment firm buys team Belgian Grand Prix is next up AFTER more than 40 years of Williams family ownership, the eponymous British F1 team was sold last week to US investment firm Dorilton Capital. The Grove, Oxfordshire-based outfit had been in search of new investment or ownership for several months, since title sponsorship from Rokit was terminated ahead of schedule earlier this year. In a statement, the team said: “Dorilton Capital is known for its long-term approach to investment and its key focus will be to restore the competitiveness of the team. “This marks the…

Join the debate now at autoexpress.co.uk/opinion THE greatest car designer? In 2016 it was Ikuo Maeda with his latest Mazda MX-5. Twelve months later, Ian Callum (Jaguar F-Pace) inherited the crown, followed by Gerry McGovern (Range Rover Velar), then Callum again in 2019 (Jaguar I-Pace). Now, in 2020, Maeda’s done it again thanks to the Mazda 3. Who says this trio are best of the best, 2016-2020? Only a select group of legendary designers – Professor Gordon Murray, Shiro Nakamura and Patrick le Quément included. They’re official World Car Awards design gurus. And it’s they (in conjunction with WCA’s circa 90 jurors across the globe), who effectively voted Maeda and Callum joint No. 1, with McGovern runner-up. Maeda (plus righthand man Yasutake Tsuchida) was scheduled to collect the 2020 World…

• 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 BMW’s enormous SUV line-up will be strengthened next year with the unveiling of the third-generation X1, which will be on sale by 2022. The company’s smallest SUV is one of the biggest contributors to its coffers; it accounts for more than 12 per cent of all BMW SUV sales, and it’s second only to the X3 in the brand’s SUV line-up, with more than 260,000 sold in 2019. The new X1 – previewed in our exclusive image – will look more imposing than the current model to battle the new Mercedes GLB. The beltline is flatter, the rear window is more upright, and the overhangs shrink slightly. We can expect the X1 to appear chunkier and like a proper 4x4, separating it further from the coupé-influenced X2. The…

Alex_Ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram REMEMBER that classic advert for Werther’s Originals? That cheery old man reminiscing about the very first time his Grandad treated him to a finely wrapped lozenge of that creamy butter candy. “I remember feeling like I must be someone very special,” he chuckles, settling back into his armchair before dishing out the treats to his own grandson. That’s how Ben Hedley feels. He’s the CEO of the Little Car Company that makes this Bugatti Baby II: a scaled-down, electric-driven replica of the iconic Type 35 racers that dominated 1920s motor racing. “We see this as a Werther’s Originals car” says Hedley. “It’s something that will be cherished and passed down through generations”. This then, isn’t just a kid’s toy. It’s for big kids, too. The original Type 35…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk running costs 25.7mpg (off icial) £98 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.7 seconds/155mph THE BMW X7 is, in many ways, absolutely brilliant. Seven-seat SUVs are in demand, and those with space for two adults to sit in the rear without feeling cramped are few and far between. The X7 is one of them, though, and if you choose the optional six-seat layout, it can also deliver chauffeur-class comfort. In fact, as a rival to the likes of the Mercedes GLS, Range Rover and Tesla Model X, it’s easy to see why you’d choose this flagship M50i variant. The X7 may be offered in more sensible 30d, 50d and 40i variants, but if you’re going to spend your bonus on a massive luxury SUV, you might as well go the whole…

alex_ingram@dennis.co.uk @AxleIngram WHY WAS IT SO GOOD? ANY car fan who has dived into the rabbit hole of YouTube motoring clips is bound to have stumbled across grainy footage of Ayrton Senna’s godly driving skills at some point. But although the three-time F1 champ’s heroic efforts hustling McLarens around Monaco or Jerez captivate many viewers, his YouTube hits don’t stop with Formula 1 cars. That’s because Senna played a part in developing Honda’s first ever supercar, the NSX – evidence of which can be seen as he thrashes a Type R variant around Suzuka in iconic footage from 1992. The video, complete with inset pedal cam, shows Senna’s right foot stabbing the throttle to provoke the rear end of a beautifully balanced chassis. It shows two icons completely in tune…

Running costs 27.9mpg (on test) £57 fill-up/£150 or 37% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 384/1,247 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.7 seconds/162mph MODELTESTED: Renault Mégane R.S. 300 Trophy PRICE: £32,995 ENGINE: 1.8-litre 4cyl, 296bhp AT £32,995 for the manual Mégane R.S. Trophy model, the Renault is slightly cheaper than the MINI, but we’ve gone for this version of the car because these models are all about involvement. Design & engineering IF you want an auto, there’s a dual-clutch model for another £1,500, closing the price gap to the MINI, but either way the Renault has price on its side. However, that’s less important here. These cars are more about the engineering detail and how they feel on the move – and the R.S. has plenty of interesting features, since the Trophy…

STYLING BOTH the GP and R.S. are pumped up, muscular models compared with their more normal siblings – and our head-to-head shot here shows as much. Each car has swollen bodywork, sits lower to the road and has big alloy wheels that fill their fatter wheelarches, making them look fairly mean. You’d expect that for the price, though, given both cars comfortably exceed the £30,000 mark. EXHAUSTS MINI’s twin-pipe central exit exhaust is a letdown, as we’ve already mentioned. There’s not enough of this car’s exhaust note audible in the cabin, while a few more pops would add some personality. Inside, you just hear the motor drone, whereas with the Renault, its central-exit exhaust bangs when you lift off. There’s also more of a rush and a growl from the…

Ford Focus Mk1 RS & ST170: Essential Buyer’s Guide Dan Williamson (Veloce Publishing, www.veloce.co.uk) Price: £13.99 Rating: THE latest Veloce buying guide covers one of the more affordable hot hatch legends: the Mk1 Ford Focus. It’s this series’ concise and practical advice that sells it; most of the information you want is easy to find. It’s well worth buying if you’re in the market. Driven Rosemary Smith (Kindle Edition, www.amazon.co.uk) Price: £8.99 Rating: A FASCINATING autobiographical look into the life of rally driver Rosemary Smith, whose name you might recognise from a Renault F1 promo a little while ago. In her own words, Rosemary describes her life and career with passion, recounting her adventures on and off the rally circuit. It’s honest and raw, but wonderful to read, something that’s…

Got any car queries? Tristan_Shale-Hester@dennis.co.uk Q Do I still display GB sticker outside NI after Brexit? AFTER Brexit transition ends, what will be the correct sticker to put on the back of a car from Northern Ireland when driving in the EU? Is it the GB sticker, even though Northern Ireland isn’t part of Great Britain? Alasdair Henderson, E-mail A WE contacted the Department for Transport about this and were told that, even though Northern Ireland isn’t part of Great Britain, the GB sticker actually covers the whole of the UK and is therefore the correct one to use. It’s also worth noting the Irish government has said it will not be an offence for UK-registered cars to drive in the Republic of Ireland without a GB sticker after the…

Ypres Rally added to 2020 WRC calendar BELGIUM has secured a slot on the heavily revised 2020 World Rally Championship calendar, with the tarmac event (above) based around the town of Ypres joining the schedule on 19-22 November of this year. It replaces the now-cancelled Rally Japan as the final event of an eight-round 2020 season. The Ypres Rally has run since 1965, but has never been part of the world championship. Alexander Sims joins Mahindra Formula E BRITISH driver Alexander Sims is making the move from BMW i Andretti to the Indian Mahindra team for the seventh season of Formula E, which kicks off in Santiago, Chile, in January 2021. Sims, a long-time advocate for zeroe-missions mobility, had driven for the BMW squad for the past two seasons, scoring…

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,…

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…

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 FROM: Sam Bevan ONLY Gordon Murray could pull it off, and this spiritual successor to the F1 looks stunning. I’m so glad it looks set to be a proper drivers’ car. Screaming Cosworth-tuned V12, manual gearbox and blistering performance. Love it. FROM: Mohammed Nisar Dar ONLY time will tell if this is a true successor to the McLaren F1. It’s got all the right numbers, but the original F1 was created at a time when those numbers were special. Nowadays, lots of manufacturers are at it. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk ◼ “As a technical exercise, the T.50 is impressive. But do we need another hypercar?” Gary CH ◼…

Steve_Fowler@dennis.co.uk @stevefowler WE’VE been used to exaggerated fuel economy figures for years, and things don’t seem to have improved with the ranges manufacturers claim for electric cars either. So surely Mercedes’ declaration that its new plug-in hybrid A-Class could average over 250mpg and run on electric power for 44 miles is pie in the sky? Let’s see… Most plug-in hybrids will struggle to get near the 30-mile mark their makers claim, so 44 miles is quite a challenge. But Merc’s answer is to give its baby a 15.6kWh battery – hidden where you won’t notice (until you fill up the smaller-than-usual 35-litre fuel tank) – and a turbocharged 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Total power output is 215bhp, meaning the A 250 e’s 0-62mph time is a swift 6.6 seconds. But…

SKODA launched its Kamiq small SUV last year with what’s best described as a compact engine range, but now the Czech brand has added a more powerful (and pricier) 1.5-litre TSI petrol turbo unit. It’s available on all but the base-spec Kamiq S, and we test it here as a top-spec Monte Carlo, with a seven-speed DSG dualclutch automatic gearbox for £26,600. That’s quite a bit of cash – some £2,695 more than a 1.0 TSI 115 manual model in the same trim level, in fact. Still, Monte Carlo spec contains plenty of equipment. It’s a sporty trim, and the gloss black exterior detailing looks good, along with the standard 18-inch alloy wheels. There are also LED headlights, a panoramic roof, a digital dash and some sports seats. Otherwise, it…

Kumho unveils new all-season rubber KUMHO has launched a successor to its Solus HA31 all-season tyre. The Solus HA32 (above) is claimed to have 15 per cent greater wet grip than its predecessor, while wet/dry braking and handling are 10 per cent better. The improvements are down to its new directional tread pattern and a ‘cutting-edge’ compound. The two earn the new design a B rating for wet grip in the EU tyre labelling (the best is A). The new tyre also has the threepeak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating so it can be used where winter tyres are required by law. It also has the M+S rating. Available in 42 sizes for 14 to 18-inch wheels, the Solus HA32 is on sale now. VW offers 0% APR on dealer accessories…

CO2/tax 115-122g/km £30-£125 Running costs 64mpg (B180 CDI) £59 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.9 seconds/118mph LIKE all mainstream car brands, for years Mercedes has been chasing volume, and as a result of expanding its range, the German company now sells more cars in the UK than its main rivals, Audi and BMW. One key way in which it has increased its sales is by offering a far wider variety of cars, while another is by including generous standard equipment, so its models represent better value than before, even if they’re priced at a premium level. The B-Class typifies this approach, in that it’s in a sector long dominated by volume brands, and it also offers strong value – but what more does it bring to the table? History THE second-generation…