Table of contents for 1743 in Auto Express

The Chinese-owned British brand is rethinking how it’s perceived by Western buyers, as it gets set for sales to rise when new models arrive Q What does MG stand for these days? A “In terms of brand and heritage we’ve got something that most manufacturers would give their right arm for. People spend billions and take decades building up brand equity like we have. An MG is a blooming good car. They’re fantastic value for money, reliable, very well equipped, look nice and they’re getting better and better.” Q How much work on the cars is done in the UK? A “We have a design centre in London and an engineering base in Longbridge. So we partly design the cars here and partly engineer them here.” Q How are you…

@jimmybrods PORSCHE has added a new hardcore version of the 911 to its line-up with this 992-generation GT3 RS. Orders can be placed now, with prices from £178,500. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine producing 518bhp. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that features a slightly shorter final drive ratio than the regular GT3, for quicker acceleration. Porsche quotes 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 184mph. Rather than straight-line performance, though, the car is focused on setting the fastest lap times, with engineers going to town on the aero and chassis. Thanks to a front splitter, a massive rear wing with an F1-style Drag Reduction System and a rear diffuser, Porsche claims that the new car develops…

AUDI has confirmed the pricing and specifications for its new RS 4 Avant Competition. It costs from £84,600 and goes on sale in “early September”, with deliveries set for the start of 2023. Audi has also upped the number of models coming to the UK from an initial 50 to 75, but the RS 5 Competition will no longer be sold here, Auto Express was told. The RS 4 Competition has upgraded suspension and a sports exhaust system as standard, while the regular RS 4’s top speed has been increased to 180mph on this Competition version. The car uses the same 444bhp 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 engine as the regular model, but improvements to the eight-speed automatic gearbox’s software have resulted in faster shifts for a quicker 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds,…

@rsp_ingram BELIEVE it or not, the Honda Civic is 50 years old. In that time we’ve seen it morph from a small, city-suited runaround, into a larger, more family-focused model. The car you see here is the 11th iteration of the Japanese mainstay. Honda will tell you the design has evolved, with its “open-feeling glassy cabin” and “sleek, light body”. Less complicated styling than the Mk10 Civic makes it a cleaner-looking car, but it’s still a recognisable alternative to the Toyota Corolla and Vauxhall Astra. It’s under the skin and in the cabin where the biggest changes have taken place. The Civic – forthcoming Type R aside – is now hybrid only, with just one powertrain available to UK buyers. Lifted from the CR-V, the 2.0-litre e:HEV system has been…

@AllieCrooks Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.4 seconds/196mph Running costs 21.4mpg (official) £118 fill-up WHEN Porsche has something as iconic and revered as the 911 in its range, you’d think there would have been some pressure for the firm not to step on its own toes with the GT4 RS. Thankfully, this clearly wasn’t the case as it devised the hottest version of the Cayman to date. When Steve Sutcliffe drove the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS in Portugal, he said it was one of the best road cars he’d ever driven. Now, we’re trying it in the UK. The ingredients that make up the GT4 RS seem like a greatest hits list of the parts you’d want in a mid-engined sports car from Porsche. Its engine is the fabulous 4.0-litre flat-six…

MODELTESTED: Nissan Ariya 63kWh Advance PRICE: £43,845 POWERTRAIN: 63kWh battery, e-motor, 214bhp Running costs 3.7 miles/kWh (on test) £18 recharge/£0 or 2% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 466/N/A litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.5 seconds/100mph THE Ariya catches the eye with its concept-car looks, even in this entry-level Advance trim. Prices start from £43,845, with the optional panoramic roof (£1,295) and the striking Akatsuki Copper paint with Pearl Black roof (£1,225) bringing the total to £46,365 for our test car. Design & engineering IT’S been a long wait, but Nissan’s follow-up to its groundbreaking Leaf family hatchback is here. The brand was one of the first on the EV market with the original Leaf, but now even the second-gen hatchback is getting long in the tooth. So the all-new Ariya couldn’t…

Nissan Ariya NissanConnect Navigation Key features: Built-in Amazon Alexa THE initial expectations of the Nissan’s set-up are pegged back by the screens themselves. Although the twin displays are large, the resolution isn’t as high as in the other two cars, so the data displayed isn’t as sharp. Despite this, the software is light years ahead of what Nissan offers in some of its other cars today. We’re impressed by the screen’s speed when responding to touches, while loading times in general run the Volkswagen – the quickest system on test – quite close. The map display is also bright and clear, without any fussy, unnecessary details cluttering it up. Of course, there’s the added benefit of standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. All three cars have this compatibility, and…

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McLaren shoes hit the ground running MCLAREN has launched a range of luxury footwear with APL. The limited-edition McLaren Hyspeeds (above) are said to take styling cues from the firm’s supercars: “visually intriguing, aerodynamic, fast and unique”. The padded heels echo the seat cushioning in the McLaren Senna, while performance tyres informed the outsole, and the shape is influenced by the long tails of McLaren’s racers. With five colours to choose from, you might even be able to match your shoes to your car. The trainers cost £545 a pair and are available at athleticpropulsionlabs.com. Expanded Triumph parts range from Tex TEX Automotive has added several new parts to its range for Triumph sports cars. Owners can now order spares for their TR6 hard-tops, including the three trim finishers, remanufactured…

Citroen Cars 1934-1986: A Pictorial History Julian Parish (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Price: £19.99 Rating: A ROUND-UP of all the significant Citroens up to the mid-eighties with photos from car shows, exhibitions and meet-ups. Citroen’s quirkiness makes this more interesting than many other books in the series, and it’s a fine starting point for more research into your favourite models. Alvis Cars in Competition Clive Taylor (Amberley Publishing, amberley-books.com) Price: £15.99 Rating: A VERY compact book that only scrapes the surface of the subject. While it’s interesting to see the lengths some owners will go to with their classic Alvises, we’d have liked more depth, so this is a jumping-off point at best. Good imagery, though, supplied with help from the Alvis owners’ club. Smash Cops Heat Available for: iOS, Android…

Q Is there a price to pay for fitting part-worn tyres? I’M trying to save money during the cost of living crisis and have considered fitting part-worn tyres to my car instead of brand-new ones. The car is a bit of an old banger, but do part-worn tyres compromise safety? DW, E-mail A THE law requires that part-worn tyres – which have been fitted to another vehicle previously – must have at least 2mm of tread left across their full width. The legal limit is 1.6mm, but tyre manufacturers generally advise changing at 3mm for safety reasons. Furthermore, you have to be certain the retailer is trustworthy and not selling dangerous or defective tyres. You’re better off with brand-new ones. Q How can I get the smell of spilt milk…

MOTOR shows are back, slotting into one of two distinct camps: real and unreal. Let’s start with the latter. Switzerland has staged its annual car exhibition for more than 100 years. Having attended it 30-odd times (plus all its major rival shows in Asia, Europe and North America), I can confirm that the Geneva International Motor Show was, consistently, the world’s best and most significant automotive gathering – right up until 2019. But on August 18 2022, the organisers in effect pulled the plug on this big and once hugely important event. Why? “Uncertainties in the global economy and geopolitics,” plus “the development of the pandemic,” they explained. Tragedy then morphed into comedy with the follow-up announcement that “the Geneva International Motor Show will be held exclusively in Qatar in…

● We get behind the wheel of MG’s new electric family hatch ● Prices start at £25,995 for the SE, with a 218-mile range THIS is British brand MG’s ‘ID.’ moment. While the Chinese-owned firm has dabbled with EVs in the past – including the impressive affordable ZS crossover and MG5 estate – this MG4 family hatchback is where the company’s push with its next generation of models really begins. That’s why, in almost every sense, you can see parallels with Volkswagen’s ID.3 – hence this being a crucial car for MG. For a start, both models are competing in the same sector and aiming for the same buyers: everyone from city dwellers to families who might use the MG4 as a second car, as well as company car drivers…

BENTLEY MULLINER BATUR PRICE: £1.65m Number made: 18 BENTLEY is at a tipping point. We’ll see the brand’s first EV by 2025 – and this new Bentley Mulliner Batur model gives us a preview of the brand’s future design language for the all-electric age. Following on from the firm’s Bacalar, by in-house coachbuilding division Mulliner, the combustion-engined Batur is Bentley’s most powerful road car ever. Revealed at Monterey Car Week, Bentley says that the Batur “embodies the start of a design revolution” that “will ultimately guide the design of Bentley’s future range of electric vehicles.” This is underpinned by three design pillars that focus on the car’s powerful stance, upright elegance (with a redesigned grille and slimmer lights) and endless bonnet, according to the brand. As a result, while the…

JAGUAR Land Rover is the UK’s largest automotive employer and its Early Careers programme is on course to have recruited 500 people by the end of 2022. One of the many young people working at the firm is software engineering degree apprentice Parris Small. “I love working at Jaguar Land Rover,” she told us. “As a woman in STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics], I am proud to say I help develop vehicles that are at the forefront of the industry. “Through software engineering I innovate, develop, and test new technologies that help to achieve modern luxury for our customers.” These sentiments were echoed by digital and technology solutions apprentice Yusuf Mumtaz, who said: “My colleagues go over and above to create a culture that excites learning and delivers exceptional…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress FROM: Fred B I REALLY like the look of this, but I wouldn’t buy one new. Instead, I would wait a year for it to depreciate by 50 per cent. Don’t get me wrong – I loved my old Alfa Romeo 164, but is the demand for a car such as this really there? Perhaps among some small groups, but not in the mass market, I don’t think. FROM: NH GLAD to see this. Hopefully it proves my belief that the current fashion of SUVs will die out once people realise that they handle worse and are inherently less economical than saloon or estate cars. SUVs all look the same to me, so I’m hoping this is a sign that beautiful car design could return fairly soon. Join…

FORD’S Grand Tourneo Connect is the first fruit of the partnership between the American giant and Volkswagen. The two signed an agreement that will involve Ford rebadging some of the German firm’s passenger-carrying models (including EVs that we should see soon), while VW will do the same with Ford’s commercial vehicles – including the Ranger pick-up truck. The signs are obvious with this car, particularly inside, because the Grand Tourneo Connect’s dashboard layout is lifted directly from the VW Caddy. In many respects this is no bad thing. You get lots of equipment on our high-spec Active model, including a 10-inch infotainment screen with the latest smartphone connectivity and sat-nav. However, because it’s a VW system, rather than Ford’s, the former’s frustrating touch-sensitive climate and volume controls are also present.…

MODELTESTED: Genesis GV60 Single Motor Premium PRICE: £47,005 POWERTRAIN: 72.6kWh, 1x e-motor, 226bhp Running costs 4.0 miles/kWh (on test) £20 recharge/£0 or 2% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 432/1,550 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.8 seconds/115mph GENESIS is positioned as a brand to rival the premium big-hitters. However, the £47,005 price tag for this Single Motor Premium GV60 model we’re testing puts it in the same ballpark as the Nissan Ariya and VW’s ID.5. So how does it fare? Design & engineering IN some ways the Genesis GV60 looks like a standard family hatchback when it comes to its proportions. That rounded body shape has been cleverly designed, however, because it disguises a car which, at just under 4.6 metres long, is actually slightly larger than the Ariya, and almost identical…

1st NISSAN WE can’t think of many brands that have released a car so far ahead of anything else that it currently makes. The Ariya is a huge moment for Nissan – a vehicle that is great to drive, refined, practical, and competitively priced. What surprised us most is the genuine high-quality feel inside. The Ariya seems special, even beside premium alternatives. If Nissan can find a way to boost its efficiency, it’d be pretty much flawless. 2nd GENESIS THE GV60 is another all-electric hit from the Hyundai empire. A desirable, efficient EV that’s packed with tech, it offers buyers excellent aftersales prospects with its five years of cover. This is another example of Genesis taking on premium rivals its own way, and succeeding. Only the brilliant Nissan, which has a more…

@rsp_ingram Running costs Official range/tax 286 miles/£0 Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 510/1,560 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.8 seconds/112mph HAVE you ever taken a moment to consider all the beeps and bongs your car makes as you start it up and drive along? Many of these are designed to blend into the background; Volvo’s very proud of its indicator sound that’s modelled on the sound of a snapping twig, for example. Others are more noticeable – as you’ll know if you’ve ever had an autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system unduly activate when it senses an approaching obstacle you had every intention of avoiding. These noises are created and tuned specifically for their planned use. But BMW is taking things to the next level. Not content with a generic sound library, the…

products@autoexpress.co.uk Q How do I care for matt paint? I’M thinking of buying a used car with matt paint. I like the look but I’m worried about taking care of it. Am I buying in to a load of grief? Paul Johnson A IT shouldn’t require any more care than regular paint, but you do need to use specific products. Autoglym advises a snow foam pre-wash to avoid scratches. Then use a shampoo that doesn’t add a shine. For protection, use a spray wax that only adds a thin layer. The key with matt paint is to preserve the finish, so you should avoid polishes and abrasives. Q Can I fix the air-con myself? AFTER a year or so of my mother’s VW Polo being off the road, I have…

CARRYING a first aid kit in your car is compulsory in many European countries and even where it’s not, it is a good idea. Cuts, burns and scrapes from working on cars or sustained during that shopping trip or weekend away can all be dealt with effectively and quickly on the spot, before seeking professional help if it’s required. However, makers can’t agree on exactly what a first aid kit designed to go in a car should contain, so we opened up eight to find the best one to keep in your car’s boot. AA Ultimate First Aid Kit Price: £12.99 Rating: Contact: amazon.co.uk BEST BUY THE AA’s first aid kit was clearly related to the Sakura SS5418 (below), because it was the same colour and size. However, its big plus…

CO2/tax 132g/km £165 Running costs 44mpg (1.4 T-GDi) £87 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.9 seconds/130mph THE original i30 was a game changer for Hyundai when it arrived in 2007. Until then, the Korean company’s cars had been unremarkable, and bought largely because they offered excellent value with impressive reliability, but little in the way of a feel-good factor. Then the accomplished i30 went on sale and everything changed. An all-new i30 in 2012 raised the bar even further, but by the time the third-generation car appeared five years later, Hyundai had really got into its stride. Plusher and more sophisticated than ever, with a design to match, the company now found itself snapping at the heels of semi-premium brands. By this point prices had risen noticeably, too, but the i30…

@AxleIngram ● Subtle revisions made to track ● Verstappen leads by 80 points FORMULA ONE returns from its summer break this weekend, and the second act of the season starts at one of the fastest, most challenging and most beautiful tracks on the calendar. Round 14 takes place at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit; the Belgian track provides a huge test of skill for the drivers – even on the off chance that it remains dry. Some physical changes to the track, or at least its surroundings, have been made for 2022, in a bid to improve safety while also introducing an extra degree of difficulty for the drivers. Safety concessions are most obvious at the dizzying Eau Rouge/Raidillon sequence of corners; the barrier on the driver’s left of the track…

@stevefowler ● All models to be full EV by ’27 ● Hot MG4 due next year “The MG ZS could take design cues from the MG4 and get serious in-car tech and quality improvements” MG is riding the crest of a wave right now. Sales are up nearly 28 per cent so far this year, there’s a solid order bank stretching months ahead, and the brilliant new MG4 is about to arrive in showrooms. Now Auto Express can reveal that the whole MG line-up will be refreshed or replaced by the end of 2024, while the brand is set to be electric-only by 2027. First up after the arrival of the MG4 hatchback will be the updated MG5 estate, arriving by the end of the year and already previewed with…

@tristan_shale ● IMI warns of jobs crisis ● 160k vacancies predicted THE UK automotive industry has mounted a robust defence of the opportunities it offers following the recent publication of a report raising concerns over the sector’s future. The Institute for the Motor Industry’s (IMI) new Automotive Sector Employment report for 2021-2031 predicts a worsening skills crisis that will see 160,000 vacancies needing to be filled in nine years’ time. Of the vacancies – which the IMI believes will be driven by factors such as low immigration, electrification and the green agenda – some 16 per cent will be for the role of vehicle technician. Dean Lander is head of repair sector services at Thatcham Research and runs the organisation’s Automotive Academy. “We concur greatly with content within the report,…

Hot i4 could preview first all-electric M car BMW’S vision of an all-electric M car could be under development with this special i4 prototype. Based on the firm’s i4 M50 model, this car has been adapted with a quad-motor set-up. Technical specifications haven’t been outlined, but BMW M’s head of development, Dirk Hacker, said that “Electrification opens up completely new degrees of freedom”, so expect the prototype to have the same hardcore character as its ICE siblings. Scottish police force blasted for EV policy POLICE Scotland has come under fire for investing £20million in a fleet of electric vehicles, but not the infrastructure to charge them. A Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that 23 Scottish police stations with EVs have no chargers. A further 21…

@AllieCrooks AUDI has revealed a teaser image of a new concept car, called Activesphere, which previews a potential production car to replace the firm’s TT coupé when it eventually goes off sale. The Activesphere coupé-crossover is the latest in a string of four ‘sphere’ concepts that includes the brand’s Skysphere model, which was quickly followed by the Grandsphere concept. Earlier this year we saw the new Urbansphere concept, too. Each of Audi’s ‘sphere’ concepts hints at the future direction of the brand, not only in design, but also potentially the type of products the German firm intends to offer. Audi hasn’t divulged too much about its latest model, but we know it’s designed for automated driving and will be fully electric. The Activesphere’s shape shows a lifted, rakish SUV with…

THE Monte Carlo Rally is one of motorsport’s most iconic events, with a history spanning more than a century. But while hundreds of marques have gone head to head in the mountains above the principality of Monaco since 1911, not to mention wheel-to-the-brink-of-disaster around precipitous stages such as the famous Col de Turini in the Alpes Maritimes, only one manufacturer is permitted to use Monte Carlo badges on its cars with the sanction of the Monaco authorities. That’s Skoda, which signed a deal to license the name from the city-state in 2011, and uses Monte Carlo badges on some of its sporty trim levels as an homage to its real-life successes on the famous rally. Whether Chevrolet’s bosses did the same when launching the Monte Carlo luxury sedan in 1969,…

@AllieCrooks THREE years is a long time in the automotive industry, even more so in the fast-paced small SUV segment – that’s how long we’ve had to wait for this new Alfa Romeo Tonale since it first emerged as a concept. But now we’re finally trying an early left-hand-drive model on UK roads to see how the BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, Volvo XC40 and Audi Q3 rival fares. Our car is the top-spec Veloce version, and at £42,505 you might question the use of a shared platform from the much cheaper Jeep Compass, but it’s clear Alfa has worked hard to add its own driver-focused touch. It has MacPherson strut suspension at the front and rear, with adaptive dampers on this Veloce model. There are also large Brembo brakes, specially…

MODELTESTED: Volkswagen ID.5 Style Pro PRICE: £49,735 POWERTRAIN: 77kWh battery, e-motor, 172bhp Running costs 3.9 miles/kWh (on test) £22 recharge/£0 or 2% tax Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 549/1,561 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.4 seconds/99mph WE’RE pitting Volkswagen’s new ID.5 against its rivals in Style trim and with the Pro powertrain. Our test car also has a few optional extras fitted: 20-inch wheels (£500), a heat pump (£1,050) and the Stonewashed Blue metallic paint (£685) bring the total to £51,970. Design & engineering THE ID.5 is the latest VW to be released in the expanding family of cars that ride on the all-electric MEB platform. Approach it from the front and you might get a little déjà vu, because it’s nearly identical to the firm’s ID.4 SUV. The changes come at…

Audi Q4 Sportback S line 40 e-tron PRICE: £51,815 ENGINE: 77kWh battery, 201bhp AUDI’S premium rival to the GV60 is more convincing than the ID.5 - not least because it feels like a better executed, more expensive product. Comfort and space inside are strong points, although it can get pricey beside this competition. Hyundai Ioniq 5 Premium 77kWh 2WD PRICE: £45,095 ENGINE: 77kWh battery, 225bhp MECHANICALLY similar to the GV60 - and we reckon even more distinctive to look at - the Ioniq 5 remains one of the very best EVs around. The ride lacks the control or sophistication of the Nissan, but it’s spacious and very well equipped.…

ELECTRIC bikes have made cycling more popular and accessible than ever, but their weight and bulk make them tricky to carry on a car. The most secure option for bigger bikes is a rack that mounts to a towbar. This allows you to carry several heavier cycles and they can be easily loaded. Our favourite from the last multi-test was the Atera Genio Pro, and now the firm has a new rack, which is a useful £50 cheaper but does without the folding mechanism that made it easier to store. In this test it goes up against the two-bike version of the best-selling Halfords Advanced rack, which appears to do the same job, but is a hefty £152.95 cheaper. The Halfords rack will take longer to set up on the…

Wolff exits ROKiT as Maserati takes over SUSIE Wolff has announced that she will be leaving her role as CEO of the ROKiT Venturi Formula E team. Wolff departs as the team becomes a fully fledged manufacturer squad backed by Maserati as the Formula E story moves into the Gen 3 era. Wolff moves aside after she oversaw the team’s best ever season; Edoardo Mortara took four wins on his way to third in the 2021/22 campaign and Lucas Di Grassi ended up fifth, with one win in London. Venturi won’t be the only team with a new name over the door for the 2022/23 campaign; the championship-winning Mercedes squad, which took both the driver’s and constructor’s titles two years on the trot, will be run by McLaren going forward.…