Auto Express – 30 March 2016

8/18/2019 Auto Express – 30 March 2016

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30 Mar-5 Apr 2016No. 1,415 | £3.00

Our thrilling first taste

of 200mph Jag

Boxy look axed as SUVturns on the style


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C ntrol MSS


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NY SHOWSTARS

ContentsNews | New Cars | Features | Tests | Products | Buying cars | Sport

Onlinethis week

We celebrate Jeep’s75th birthday in style

JEEP is celebratingits 75thanniversary this year and to

k th i th US4 4

NewsweekCOVER New Skoda Yeti 8Exclusive images and details of next-generation SUV

COVER F-Type SVR blasts off 10We get behind the wheel of sensational new Jaguar

COVER 202mpg plug-in Prius 12Toyota’s eco star leads the unveils at New York show

COVER New Subaru Impreza 15Wraps come off hatch that is destined for the UK

Call for tighter rules on safety 17Rethink needed as some cars would get zero stars in crash tests

COVER New Mégane RS exclusive 184WD and 300bhp on way for Renaultsport hot hatch

More Nissan EVs coming 20New platform will pave way for additional models to join Leaf

Features50 years of chart-toppers 24We look at Britain’s best sellers over the past five decades

New carsBMW X5 xDrive40e 28First UK drive of new plug-in hybrid version of SUV favourite

VW Passat BlueMotion 30Does fuel-sipping saloon demand any compromises?

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer 33Whisper diesel adds extra appeal to classy estate

Vauxhall Viva ecoFLEX 34City car gets eco tweaks for improved efficiency

E-Class V6 diesel 36Our verdict on Mercedes’ muscular new E 350d

Skoda Fabia 38Colour Edition adds some extra flair to supermini favourite

Road testsCOVER 7 Series vs rivals 40Luxurious BMW takes on Mercedes S-Class and Jaguar XJ

Polo BlueMotion vs 208 BlueHDi 50Petrol vs diesel as VW and Peugeot eco superminis fight it out

Our cars 58Updates on the Ford S-MAX and Caterham Seven 270S

ProductsNew on the shelves 64The latest kit, including GT Radial’s performance tyre

Sat-navs tested 68Which is the best portable device for you? We reveal all

Buying carsClio buyer’s guide 72

Subaru reveals new Impreza hatch

Toyota’s new 202mpg plug-in Prius

15

12

Blast-off in Jaguar’s F-Type SVR 10

Exclusive images and details of new Skoda Yeti8

Bestnew

sat-navstested


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7/92

Thisweek Visit autoexpress.co.uk for all the latest new cars news

AFTERyears of coming close,Mazdahas

won the2016WorldCar of the YearAwardfor the newMX-5, presentedat theNewYork MotorShow lastweek.Myself andcolumnistMike Rutherford joined70 other jurorsin thisincreasingly influential awards ceremony– onethat’s usuallydominatedby bigGermanbrands. WithBMW’s7 SerieswinningLuxuryCarof the

YearandAudi’s R8winningPerformanceCarof the Year,therewasstill somethingfor theusual suspectstocelebrate– anddeservedly sowith thosemodels.But littleMazda stole the show– as itdid atthe

NewYorkshow itself. ThestunningMX-5RFwithitsTarga-esquefolding roof wowed thecrowds–andprovidedmore reasonswhytheMX-5 alsowontheWorldCarDesignof theYear trophy. TheMazdateam, withMX-5programme

managerNobuhiroYamamotoandMazda’sUSbossMasahiroMoro collecting theawardabove,has everyrightto behappy. TheMX-5has alwaysbeen thestar ofMazda’s line-up,butnow therest of themodel range isshining brightly, too.

As a formerMazda owner(I lovedthe323 thatwasmy secondcar), I’veenjoyed seeinghow thecompanyhascarvedits niche intoday’smarket.It’sobsessedwith twothings: style andweight. There’snodenying thecars look great,while itsuniqueapproach to takingweightout of itscars,improvingefficiency anddriver appeal, is clearlyworking.SoMazdahas all theingredients tobe amajor hit

Editor-in-chief:SteveFowler

Editor: GrahamHope

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NewsNewseditor: RichardIngram

Deputynewseditor: JonathanBurnNewsreporters: LawrenceAllan,Sam Naylor

RoadtestsRoadtesteditor: JamesDisdale

Deputyroadtesteditor:DeanGibsonSeniorroadtester:SeanCarson

Roadtester: LesleyHarris

Consumer Consumereditor: JoeFinnerty

Consumerreporter: MartinSaarinenProductseditor: KimAdams

Production

Managingeditor: StuartMortonSub-editor: StuartNewmanProductioneditor: BeckyWells

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Could Mazda’s World Car winbe the start of something big?

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8/92

First for news every week

[email protected]

@SamNaylor_AE

S

SKODA is preparing a replacementfor

itsYeti withmore space, a newengine

range andamore traditional crossover

look, as seen in ourexclusive images.

Itwill share much of itsDNAwith the new

SEAT Ateca andVolkswagenTiguan,with all

three SUVs riding on variationsof VW’sMQB

platform– and a hybrid is on the way,too.

Skoda boss Bernhard Maier told

Auto Express: “Itis not a surprise that

therewillbe a successor for theYeti. This

is alreadyin development; it looks

beautiful andperfectly fitsto thebrand.”

While thecurrent car’s ‘Tonka toy’ looks

area distinctive feature andhave helped

theYeti tohugesalessuccess, thenew

model will featuremore traditional styling

with a sleeker look, incorporating thedesign

language set out bythe VisionS conceptfrom theGenevaMotor Show,alsoset

for theKodiaqseven-seater which will be

unveiled atOctober’s ParisMotorShow.

“The newlookkept us in intense

discussions aswe have a real fanbase for

thecurrentYeti,” Maiertoldus. “We have

asked ourcustomers about thedesign,and

one thing is clear: the newdesign language

for ourSUVs will also applyto the new Yeti.”

Thepreviously upright rear hatchwill be

replaced bya morerakedversion, giving the

caramuchsleeker profile than before.Slim

tail-lights featureSkoda’s signature light

patternand split as the tailgate is opened.

A four-lightheadlamparrangementand

clamshell bonnetmean theYeti shares

its face with theupcoming Kodiaq, while

slim LEDheadlightsand a wide grille

complete the look, withmore thana

hint of thenewSuperb in the design, too.

Squared-off wheelarches,sculpted

side panelsand larger sills will give

thecardefinition in profile.Inside,we

expect a simple designwitha focus on

maximising space, butwiththe use of

qualitymaterials for amoreupmarket feel.

The newYeti will bemore practical

than the current car aswell, with a bigger

boot andmore space in the cabinfor

passengers.The SEAT Ateca hasa 510-litre

loadarea, so expect an increase ofover100

litreson thecurrentYeti’s416-litre capacity.

While four-wheeldrive on somemodels

islikely tocut into load space,Skoda intends

tomake surethat future hybridversionswill retain thecar’s pragmatic character.

“Hybrids are somethingwearediscussing

for all of our productline-up,”Maiertoldus.

“Ourengineers areworking to find

thebest solution forSkoda forhybrid

technology. Whatever Skoda bringswewill

stand to our core values, irrespective of the

■

■ ■

Raked hatch

will give Yeti a more traditional

look, while light signatures

are as seen on Vision S


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10/92

News Jaguar F-Type SVR

“The performance figures are

staggering; this isnow an

F-Type that canhit 200mph”

JohnMcIlroy [email protected]@johnmcilroy

JAGUAR LandRover’sSpecialVehicle

Operations divisionhas focused on the

SUVbrand so far,with high-performance

Range Rovers. Nowit’s time for Jaguar

to get the treatment – and we’ve had

h t bl tth h i ll

■ Behindwheel of 200mphSVR ■ Sensational V8 engine roar

New Jaguar F-Typ


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Jaguar F-Type SVR News

BOSSof JLR’sSpecialVehicleOperationsdivision

talksaboutF-TypeSVR,andbrand’s futureplans.

Q ThenewF-TypeSVR has 567bhp from its5.0-litresupercharged V8. Is this thelimit forthis engine?

A “Thereare always waysandmeans, but yes, I thinkwe’regettingclose to the limit,the way things stand.”

Q Whyis it 4WD?Shouldn’t SVR beabout extremeperformance anddrivingpleasure, favouring rear-drive?

A “I thinkwe decided,quite earlyon, thatwewantedfour-wheeldrive acrossthe SVRsub-brand. I think it’sabout driveability, so using thecarevery day. Global

salespotential isa key factor in thedecision, too.”

Q SVR seemsto begrowingin a steadybutmeasuredfashion. Is it limited bymarketing reach,how farthe

brandcan stretch,or engineering resource?

Managing director, SVO

Q & A

JOHN EDWARDS

GROWTH

There’s lots of

future growth for

the sub-brand,

says managing

director John

Edwards

long, runs for five blocksandwas fittedwith

t li hti f d ti ff t b tJLR

to it. Thegearshiftsfrom theeight-speed

t h d f t d i d

CLOSED

ROAD

Our man McIlroy

gets ready for

blast-off in New

York’s Park Road

Tunnel, which

has been lit up

especially –

but the F-Type

SVR’s rumbling

soundtrack

provides all

the drama

SVR blasts off

OFFICIAL


12/92

News New York Motor Show round-up

JamesBatchelor [email protected]

@JRRBatchelor

[email protected]

@LobAllan

Audi unleashes new 532bhp R8 Spyder

Big hitters out in force f 202mpg Prius is world’sgreenest plug-in

JUSTweeks after the latest Toyota

Priushybridarrived in theUK,the

Plug-In version of Toyota’seco car hasbroken coverat theNew YorkMotorShow.

Known asthe Prius Prime inthe US, it

featuresdifferent styling to thestandardcar,

more tech andclaimed 202mpg economy.

That will make it themost efficientplug-in

hybridon sale when it arrives later this year.

It’s thesecondgeneration of thePlug-In

Prius,and itwill sitalongside the regular

ONtheAudistand,thenewR8 Spyderwas rolledout to a

stunnedNew Yorkcrowd.The V10drop-top’s debut follows

our undisguisedspyshots in Issue1,413, and the car on

di l i i di ti i h bl f th dj t

model inthe range. Ituses the same1.8-

litre petrolas thehybrid, yetthe powertrain

gainsa larger8.8kWhlithium-ion battery

pack anddual motor drive system.

Theimpressive fuel economy figuremakes

it 108mpg more frugalthan theregular Priusonpaper. ClaimedCO2 emissionsof32g/km

are38g/kmlowerthan thenormal car’s

andalso give it a 7g/km advantageover

the VWGolfGTE – one of its closest rivals.

Toyota claimsthe Plug-In canbe drivenat

upto 84mph inpureelectric mode, withan

EVrangeof 30miles – twice thatof the old

petrol-electricmodel.Charging timeis said

■ Bigger battery pack, better aero

boost Toyota’s EV range to 30 miles

DESIGNSpyder has same grille and

headlights as Coupé; roof

tobe aroundtwo hours and 20minutes. No

performance figures havebeen released,

but “class-leadingacceleration” ispromised.

Newtechsuch asa battery-powered

heating system andgas injectionair-con

helps thePriusavoidusing itspetrol enginewherever possible,while the tweaked

exterior meansa lowerdrag coefficient, too.

Thisis thanksto the new body, which is

15mm wider and20mm lower to theground

than thestandardPrius,and featuressuch

as thenew double-bubble tailgate glass and

active grille shutter. Unique headlampsand

boomerang-style LEDlights helpit stand out.

“Claimed 202mpg

economy makes it the

most efficient plug-

in hybrid on sale”

NY SHOW STAR

BODY Plug-In is wider and lower than regular Prius, which reduces drag


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■ Subaru unveiled in New York

■ Based on new Global Platform NY SHOW STAR

[email protected]

@rsp_ingram

WE revealed the new Subaru Impreza

saloon in Issue1,414, but now the

wraps are off the European-spec five-door

hatchback, due herelater this year.

Unveiled at the New York Motor Show,

the newVW Golf-rivalling family car liftsits front-end stylingalmostunchanged

fromthe saloon, witha similarly

sculpted bumper, grille and

headlights. The changes come

at the back, though, wherethe

traditional three-box design makes

wayfor a UK-friendly hatch.There’s

a whiffof Infiniti Q30 atthe rear,

with high-settail-lamps, a sharp

bumper and subtle roof spoiler.

Like the saloon,the Imprezahatchbacksits on Subaru’snew Global

Platform. The complex underpinnings

will form the basis of several newSubarus

in the coming years, with the flexibilityto

cater for everything from hatch to SUV.

The cabin gets a major overhaul, with a

cleaner, less cluttered layout. Allmodels

come witha 6.5-inchtouchscreen, Android

Auto and Apple CarPlay capabilities, ■MOVING UP Morestylish newelectricwindows and electric door look is complemented insidebymoremirrors.Four trims are available, and on hi-tech cabinwith a less clutteredlayout

the top-spec Limited buyers will betreated to a larger touchscreen, keyless entry and start, climate control

and a Harman Kardon sound system.

“The underpinnings Under the bonnet, Subaru’s trademark

will form thebasis boxer engines will be retainedbut in anupdated form that could incorporate

of several new Subarus cylinder deactivation technology.

over the next few years” Full-time four-wheel drive will continue

to be standard on all cars, helping it

stand out from front-driverivals.

MX-5 hard-top raises the roof MAZDA wowed theNewYorkMotorShow

with thenew MX-5RF. It follows thefolding NY SHOW STAR hard-top versionof the previous-generation

hi h t d f d80 CHARACTER


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N


17/92

EU regulations News

TVR confirms new Welsh home

Call to update car safety rules■ ‘Minimum standard’ cars would receive zero stars in tests ■ Proposal to make AEB standard

EUsafetyregulationsaresaid toneedan urgent“overhaul”, after a report

by the EuropeanTransportSafety Council(ETSC) revealed a carbuilt to thecurrentminimumstandardwould receive a

zero-star rating in a Euro NCAP test.TheETSCsays policymakershaverelied

on thevoluntaryEuroNCAP test systemtodrive safetyimprovements forthe past20years,so laws have becomeoutdated.

Itwants tech such as IntelligentSpeed Assistance,AdvancedSeatbelt Remindersand AutomatedEmergencyBraking (AEB)tobemade standard, andmandatory rulesupgraded tomatchcurrent Euro NCAPtestswhen laws are revised this year.

According to the report,more work needs tobedone to compare real-worldcollisions to labresults,too, as althoughseveral studies have found a correlationbetween higher star ratings anda

reduced chanceofdeathor seriousinjury,this isn’t alwaysthe case.Itwarnedan increase in techwill

distancereal-world and lab results further,assystemssuch asAEB andlaneassistareonly testedin a limited andstandardised

way.TheETSCalsocalled for a newopen

EU database of collisioninvestigationinformation, fundedby a nominalcontribution on thecost of every carsold.Otherproposals included restricting tax

benefits tocars that combine lowemissionswithtop safetyratings.Green taxbreaksin

DenmarkandtheNetherlandsboostedsalesof smaller cars with lower safetyratings.

Higherminimum standardsforpedestrianprotection needto bemandated,too.TheETSCreportcomesa weekafter the

US took similar action,and20 carmakersagreed tomakeAEBstandard onallmodelsby2022. Latestfigures show half of cars

soldin theUK lastyear werefittedwithsome form of autonomous safetytech. AntonioAvenoso,executivedirector

of theETSC, said: “WhileEurope is stilla leader in safety, thisreport shows

thebenefits arenotequally spread.Weneedan overhaul ofcar safety in the EU toensurethe latestadvancesbenefitthe majority.“In thepast, ithas taken 20years

for technologies suchas Electronic

StabilityControl (ESC) tobemademandatory. Thisshouldnot beallowedtohappenagainwith newtechsuch asAEB, IntelligentSpeed Assistance and passenger

Seatbelt Reminders.”

NO STARSCars built to

the minimum

EU standard

would receive

zero stars from

Euro NCAP, new

report claims

JoeFinnerty [email protected]

@AE_Consumer

OFFICIAL

OFFICIAL

N


18/92

News Renault Mégane RS

[email protected]

@SamNaylor_AE

S4WD, 300bhp-plus Még

BMW to push upmarket with X7 SUV

DEVELOPMENT iswell underway on

thenexthot RenaultMéganeRS, and

tohelp it keeppacewiththe 345bhp Ford

Focus RS, it could get four-wheeldrive,

rear-wheel steering andover 300bhp,

AutoExpress canexclusively reveal.A Renaultsport insider, who ispartof

thenew project, toldus the brand isworking

tirelessly on thenewMéganeRS, andour

exclusiveimageshowshowit could look.

“When youhave torquevectoring, rear-

wheel steering and four-wheeldrive, and

you want the car tobehave ina certainway,

youhave to have a global chassiscontrol

system,” theysaid.“When youseecars like

theFocus RS,you can feelthat Renaultsport

will have to do something about it.”Thebrand has beenkeeping close tabs

on the newFocusRSas itdevelops the

nexthot Mégane,likely to appear in 2018.

It will be a five-door only, asthe coupé

bodystylewon’tbe offered on thenew

Mégane, andwill cost around£30,000.

Asour image shows, the RSwillkeepthe

Mégane’s trademarkdesigncues,although

itwill be setapart bybeefierwheelarches,

reshapedbumpersand larger alloys.

If itis to compete with the Ford,the

Méganewill need a power boost over thecurrentcar’s271bhp– expect inexcessof

300bhpfroma 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo.

Renaultsportboss Patrice Ratti also told

usthatthe RSwill“probably” get amanual

gearbox, aswell as theEDCdual-clutch

automaticoptionfrom theClio RS.

“The EDC gearboxoffers the car up to

newmarkets, like JapanandAustralia, but

BMW will pitchits forthcomingX7SUVas aluxurystablemateto the7 Series, placedalongside– or evenslightlyabove– the

l ithth l l f t i ti

wewould preferto beable tooffer

thechoice of a manual,” said Ratti.

ThewarmMéganeGTwasdeveloped

jointlyby Renaultsport, andfeatures a

rear-wheel steering systemthat’s likely

tomakeits way on to thefull-fatRS model,

too. This set-up improvesmobility at low

speed butalsostabilityat higher revs.

Developmentof thenewMéganeRSwasstarted alongsidethestandardmodel,

which issomething that will happenmore

often. Our source told us: “Renault is saying

that Renaultsport is something specialand

itshouldworkon more cars. At themoment,

wehave the RS, Alpineand Clioto workon.”

That alsoincludes hybrids, asRenault

starts to developmore electric models.“It’s

only the beginning, but weare looking at

a hybridproject,” our insider continued.

“As Renaultis keen to look atit, of coursewewill have tobe involved aswell.

“We are trying tobe involved inbig

decisions, including the architecture, and

how batterieswillbe put in the cars. Ifwe

havefour-wheel-drive systems, we

needto lookat how toget

more performance to

make themfun

to drive.”

■ Exclusive image shows Focus RS rival as insider reveals detailsHOT STUFFOur exclusiveimage showshow new RS isset to be a five-door only, unlikecurrent model(below), withbig alloysand wide wheelarches

new7 Series(testedon Page 40), anduse some of the luxurycar’scarbon fibreconstructiontechniques.TheSUV willbe

ld l b ll i l di th UK dth

butwe dohave a seven-seatX5,” hesaid.“Furtherup thespectrum,those flexibleofferingsare less required.But forsome

l th X7 ldb f ll ”

News


19/92

Renault MéganeRS News

MilosDvorak

SPIED

A u t om e d i a

ne RS shapes up news

inbrief

“To rival the Focus RS, Mégane will need a power boost over

the current car’s 271bhp”

Log on to pick look,spec of first AtecaSEAT haslauncheda crowd-sourcing competition tohelp decide the lookof the‘First Edition’of the AtecaSUV.Thedesignandspecof thespecial

modelwill be chosen by thepublic ontheSEAT website,with192potential

outcomesto seven questions thatwillshape theAteca (above). TheUK-onlymodel willgo onsale withtherest oftherange inMay,andrespondentscanwin

a £3,000 holiday toBarcelona for four.

Order books open for Tesla Model 3TESLAhas beguntakingorders foritsnewModel 3 electricsaloon.Prospective

buyerswillhave toput down a £1,000deposit tosecure a placeon thewaiting list, butdeliveriesaresaid tobeat least

18monthsawayfor UKbuyers.Thosewhoplace their order inTesla

storesaround thecountrywill be further upthequeue thanthosewhodoitonline.Therevealof the BMW3Series-sized EV

will bebroadcastonline on31March. It’sexpected tobepriced just over £30,000.

Hyundai sets fuel-cell distance recordHYUNDAI has seta newworldrecordfor the longest continuous journey ofahydrogen fuel-cell. An ix35 Fuel CellSUV (below) travelled 6,096miles in six days

b i li th M25 d L d

EXCLUSIVE IMAGE

EXCLUSIVE IMAGE

News


20/92

News Nissan EV boom

currently housed under the floor, which

is good for weight distribution but raises the

floor level – not something you want in an

electricsports car, according to Nakamura.

“For a crossover, we don’t care about floor

height because themodel alreadyhas a high

ground clearance, [but] a sports car you

have to make as low as possible,” he said.

Engineers have been experimenting with placing thebatteriesunderthe rear

seatsand even running them down the

transmission tunnel to minimise the

amount by which the floor wouldneed

to be raised. Nakamura said theresearch

is“partof thestudywe’re doing”.

Nissan also sees the modular platform’s

development as a way of helping reduce the

cost of EV tech, rather than creating several

bespoke architectures for the various

powertrain options the company offers.

Nakamura explained that it would be

“maybe five years” before we’re likely

to see the first production model spun

from the new platform. Nissan is likely

to preview any production vehicle with

a concept car ahead of that, however.

JonathanBurn [email protected]

@Jonathan_burn

Nissan plans electric spor EXCLUSIVE

NISSAN’Selectric car range could

expand to include a new crossover

and sports car within the next five years,

Auto Express can exclusively reveal.

Senior vice-president Shiro Nakamura

has told us that a new modular platformcurrently under development will be able

to adopt conventional and alternative

powertrains – and that this will be key to

Nissan’s plan to broaden its EVline-up.

“We don’t want to limit our EVs just

to the Leaf,” Nakamura told Auto Express.

“We’re the leading EV manufacturer, but

I don’t think we can make it just off one EV,

so we want to grow the portfolio – that’s

our next plan. It could be a crossover, it

could be a sports car; we see much more

opportunity for EVs than just a hatchback.”

Nissan’s interest in introducing an all-

electric sports car extends back to the

2011 Geneva MotorShow, when the

maker revealed the Esflow concept

(right). The rear-wheel-drive electric car

produced a modest 107bhp, but could

get from 0-62mph in five seconds.

While little has come of the Esflow

since its debut, Nakamura insists that

the idea of an all-electric sports car hasn’t

been shelved. An alternatively fuelledcrossover, though, appears to be at the

forefront of Nissan’s future product

plans – as previewed by the hybrid Gripz

concept at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

There are ongoing discussions within

Nissan regarding the design and layout of

the new modular platform that’ll underpin

the new models. The Leaf’s batteries are

■ Boss confirms expansion plans beyond Leaf within five years

EV BOOMEsflow hintedat electric sportscar at Geneva in2011; Gripz (below)shows look of new EV-based crossover

Ultimate E-Class hits the road with 550bhpMERCEDES-AMG isadding the finishing

touches to its newE 63. Newspyshots

showboth saloonandestatetest mules

d i fi l h k d h d f

around600bhp. Tohelp contain allthis,

expect theE 63 toget a rear-biasedfour-

wheel-drive systemsendingpowerthrough

d t ti b R

SPIED

News


21/92

Nissan EV boom News

New Rolls-RoyceDawn raises roof

WITHRolls-Royce revealing that the

massive Phantom Drophead won’t

be replaced, fans of large,expensive

convertibles might want to look

elsewhere for their open-airthrills.Toprevent that, Rolls has chopped

thetop off itsWraithto produce the

stunning newDawn. Butas ourfirst

drive video reveals, it’smore than

just a case of slicing the roof off. Is

thisthe best posh cabrio around?

Hear Jaguar F-TypeSVR in all its glory

EV boom

[email protected]@JRRBatchelor

James_Batc e or @ ennis.c . JRRBatc e or

JamesBatchelor

WEdriveRolls-Royce’sDawn

at youtube.com/Autoexpress

thisweek,plus havea videoon

thenew JaguarF-TypeSVR.

Videowatch

s car and crossover

“New modular

platform will be key

to Nissan’s plans to

broaden its EV line-up”

£800m pothole crisisCOUNCILS in England andWalesface a

near-£800millionshortfall in road repair

budgets, as theystruggle to tacklea

th l i b kl di t

one-timecost of£69millionto bring

roadsup toa reasonable standard.

Last year, theGovernmentannounced a

£250 illi th l f d t h l il

QUICK FIX Repairing all

potholes in the

UK in one go

is estimated to

cost £11.8billion

Watchdog


22/92

We get behind the stories that affect you

JoeFinnerty

Watchdog

Drivers needs to take amore responsible attitude

to the rules of the road

■ CASE STUDY Auto Express to the rescue after reader left confused as USB key fails to register on 2008

Peugeot takes wrong

turn over faulty sat-nav OPTIONAL extras are a great way for

owners to spec a car to theirindividual

needs, but they often don’t come cheap.

So, whenyou’resplashing outhundreds on

thelatest tech, the least you expectis for it

to work. CharlesHepburn, from Maryburghin theScottish Highlands, encountered

issueswhenhe couldn’t get the sat-nav

working on hisnew Peugeot 2008.

“When I boughtthecar, I paidan

extra £300 fora USB key thathouses

3G connectivity, a GPSreceiver and built-

in appsto connectit with. ButwhenI

l d i th USB thi h d

KEY POINT

USB key did not

register initially,

meaning 2008’s

sat-nav would

not function as

was intended

LATESTfigures fromtheinsurer

DirectLineshow28millionfixedpenaltynotices (FPN) havebeen issuedto drivers formotoringoffencesbetween2002and 2012.

Of those,5.6millionwere for

parkingoffences,two millionfornotwearinga seatbeltandonemillionforusinga mobile. Byfar andawaythebiggestoffence wasspeeding,though,with more than 15.2 million FPNsissuedfor this over thedecade.

Theseareremarkably highfigures,andshowthe disregardso manymotoristshavefor thelawsof theroad.Sure,wemightdisagreewithsome rulessuch asunfair parking

restrictions or lowspeedlimitsonlarge,openroads, butthelawsmust beabidedbyand arenormallyin place fora good reason.

Consider this:you’rewalkingdownthestreet,and somebodyasksyouto

slap a passer-byin thefaceor lightupa cigarettein a shop.Wouldyoudoeither? Probablynot, becauseyouknowyou’d facerepercussions.Yet ina car, peoplewillhappilydo 40mphin

a 30mphzone or ignoretraffic lights.Manyseetheseoffencesas

victimlesscrimes,but speedingorusingamobilephonehugely

increasesyourchanceof causinganaccidentandhurtingyourself,

otherroadusersand pedestrians.Suffolk,MerseysideandSouthWales

seethehighest numberof offenders,butit’sa problem acrossEnglandandWales(thefiguresdon’t include

Scotland, butit’s likely thesamestoryh ) T hi d

Charles Hepburn was left frustrated

when hi-tech kit on 2008 wouldn’t work

MartinSaarinen


23/92

Inbox What do you think?

Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk

Martin Saarinen

Contact Martin Saarinen

Drivers welcome ‘big brother’ into their cars

HOT TOPIC New Evoque cabrio

■ More motorists opting to fit telematics to reduce premiums

TALKINGPOINTReaders are

divided over

controversial

new Evoque

Convertible

Renault and Aston’smissteps at Geneva

Why hospital parking fees require treatment

FROM: DSmalls A LOT ofmoneyfora car

withnomorespace– and a smaller

boot – than a supermini. It’s notlike

it’s a performancecar, either. So

you’re spending£50,000 to impress

theneighbours?Still, youjust know

people willbuy the EvoqueConvertible.

FROM: chris_xxxx LANDRover will

sell this model by thethousands in

Southern California, Florida andAsia,

supportingUK jobs andhelping to fund

newproducts.The Evoque Convertible

might notbe everyone’s cupof tea,

butvarietyis good for thecar business.

FROM: Alan Mansfield A coupleof things

struckmeabouttheGenevaMotorShow.

It seemsRenault’s in thegame ofmaking

its badge everlarger – a shame,as it

detracts fromotherwisebeautifullines.

Second, thewheelson theDB11 are

woefully outof character foranAston.

FROM: Ron Walker I READ your articleon

hospital parking charges(Issue 1,412).

A few years ago I had tovisit the hospital

a lot, and paidfor hourlyparking with a

two-hourmaximum. I would’vebeenmore

grateful for a reducedweekly charge,

instead of frequent visits to thecarpark.

FROM: J.S Wignall I READwith interest your

l t tfl t t th J XE (I

FROM: Nick White One of themain

it’ t l (I

XE’s marred by roughride and noisy diesel

Number plate sellersneed more regulation

■ “What a pointlessvehicle.

Ugly, slow andlimited load

capacity. If JLRsellshalf a

dozenof these,it should

be happy.”Ron Gambol

■ “Iratherlike the lookof

it.Sure it hasits downfalls,

but it’sa signof thingsto

come –whichmakes it

kind of cool.” Wiley

■ “Nota fan.I needa car

with seven seats. I’msure

if Land Roverreally tried,

it couldhave fittedseven

passengersin.” Jayne

THEnumber ofmotorists

buying insurance policieswitha

telematics device tomonitor their

driving hasrisenby 40percent

over thepast year.According

toa new study bythe British

Insurance Brokers’Association

(BIBA), there arenownearlyhalf

a milliondrivers in theUKwith

a ‘black box’ fitted– up132,000

from the end of2014.

Thetech isan increasingly

popular choice for young drivers,withmanyreceiving discounts

ofup to25 per centon their

premiums.As a result, thenumber

of black box policies in theUK

hassoared from only 12,000in

2009 to455,000 today. Industry

stats also show that drivers with a

blackboxfittedare 40percent

less likelyto have anaccident.

Thetech is installedby insurers

andmonitorsa number of driving

inputs, fromaccelerationto

cornering. It builds a risk profile

basedon the findings.The safest

andmost compliantdrivers then

receivediscountson theirpolicy.

GraemeTrudgill,executive

director at BIBA, said: “We’re

d li ht dt th fi

More young drivers

are fitting black boxes

DRIVING along anA-road ormotorway

at thenationalspeed limit,only to

bestopped inyour tracks bya fellow

motorist cruising alongmuchmore

slowly,canbe extremelyannoying.

Butis middle-lanehogging reallyanoffence? Thetruth is, there’s no such

crime.However, inappropriately driving

in lanes that areintended forovertaking

– in thecaseof a three-lane motorway,

the two outer lanes– can amountto an

offence of driving without duecare and

attentionorwithout consideration for

other road users.More commonly, this

isknownas‘carelessdriving’, andthe

inclusion of ‘lane-hogging’underthis

bannerwasintroduced in 2013.

Ifyoustick in the two outer lanes

unnecessarily,particularlywhereyou

impedeother roadusers,it canbe said

that thestandardofyour driving has

fallen belowwhat’sexpectedof the

competentand carefulmotorist.

If you’recaught, youmay find yourself

b i ff d D i I t

MOTORING

LAWYER Neil DaviesSenior Partner atCaddick Davies

( www.motordefencelawyers.co.uk )

Insidestory


24/92

Cortina came second in first year registrations were published, ahead of Mini (below)

Tackl ing the motoring issues that matter

Insidestory

1965Pos. Model Sales

1 Austin/Morris 1100 157,679

2 Ford Cortina 116,637

3 Austin/Morris Mini 104,477

4 Ford Anglia 84,589

5 Vauxhall Victor 69,854

6 Vauxhall Viva 58,884

7 BMC 1.6 Farina 52,503

8 Ford Corsair 44,943

9 M i Mi 44 905


1 Ford Cortina 106,787

2 F d E t 103 817

1965 1975

saleschart

saleschart

BestSellingCarsBlog.com is themostexhaustivesitecovering newcar salesdata,trendsand analysisfor over 190markets,fromAlgeria toZimbabwe.It hasa searchabledatabasegoing back 50to 100yearsfor markets like theUK,Germany andUS.

We follow the trends in the UK’s new car market

by revealing the top 10 sellers over five decades

Matt Gasnier

LAST year saw a major shiftin the

UKcarindustry,with recordsales and

a growingnumberofmanufacturers

producingvehicleson theseshores.

Butdespite the ever-changing

landscape, thenamesat thetop of

thebest sellers list remain fairlystatic.

TheFord Fiesta,FordFocusandVauxhall

Corsacontinueto findhomesfaster than

anyothermodels. That wasn’t always

thecase,though, anda look back

through thehistory books flags

upsome great recovery stories, as

well assome fallen heroes– once

greatnames in thebusinessnow

consigned to thescrapyard.

With thehelpof BestSellingCarsBlog,

AutoExpresshastracked thepast50

years, taking snapshotsof annual UK

newcarsales every decadeto chronicle

a periodof enormouschange.

1965 QUEEN ElizabethII courted controversyin 1965by appointing allfour Beatles to the

Orderof theBritish Empire– an honour

traditionally reserved for military veterans.

This wasalso the first year that official car

registrations figures were unveiled, and they

showed just over onemillionnew cars found

homes that year.The sixties were the most

successful decadefor the 1959Mini (below),

but surprisingly, it nevertopped the annual

sales charts at home, ranking third in 1965.

I t d th A ti /M i 1100

1975 FAST forward10 years,and MargaretThatcher became the

Conservative Party’s first female leader,

the first episodeof FawltyTowers hitour

t l i i d D id B i t d

o

f

t

h

p

s

t

5

0o f t h e p a s t 50

Datsun Sunny was

just outside top 10, assales of imports rose

Austin/Morris 1100 was theUK’s top-selling car in 1965

CHART

Top sellers Insidestory


25/92


1 Ford Escort 157,269

2 V h ll C li 134 335


1 Ford Escort 137,760

2 F d Fi t 129 574

1985 1995

saleschart

saleschart

“Since the Cortina

took the lead in 1972,a Ford has been number

one every single year”

1995 ONLY one percent of theUK population

hadInternetaccess in 1995– unthinkable

21 years on.Oasis andBlur were popular and

theSpice Girls were less than a year away.

Th k d th l t l h t i t

1985 THECold War was thawing in1985,and

PM MargaretThatcherwas in hersecond term.

In response to the HeyselStadium tragedy in

Belgium, all English football clubs were banned

f E titi f fi

r

se a r s

Top sellers Insidestory

Even cabrio boosted

Escort Mk3 sales

Mk6 model flew flag for

Escort in late nineties

HITS


26/92


27/92


28/92

ASTRA ESTATE

Whisper diesel engine

VIVA ECOFLEX

City car is latestmodel

E-CLASS V6DIESEL

Mercedes’ 254bhpSKODA FABIA

NewColour Edition33 34 36 38


29/92

Essentials

Caption to go in

space here please

Caption to go in

space here please

gives Vauxhall’sSports

Tourerevenmore appeal.

to getgreentreatment

onnewecoFLEXmodel.

E 350dis a compelling

choice,butexpensive.

givessupermini an

added touchof flair.

Cabin is typical X5, with high-quality finish and iDrive-controlled screen dominating dash. But box struggles to select right gear

BMWX5xDrive40eMSport

Price: £56,705

Engine: 2.0-litre4cyl petrol,pluselectric motor

Power/torque: 309bhp/450Nm

Transmission: Eight-speed auto,four-wheel drive

0-62/top spd: 6.8 secs/130mph

Economy: 83.1mpg

CO2: 78g/km

ON SALE Now

settings,whichalter the throttle

response,damper andsteeringset-ups.

Instant torquefrom theelectricmotor

ensuresswift progressoff the line, but

things feel strainedwhen theenginekicks

in– leaving youlonging forthe grunt from

BMW’ b illi t i li d di l Th b

involves regularmotorway jaunts, the diesel

ismore suitable. It’s smooth, fast andeasier

to live with, while theprogressivepower

delivery ismore predictable – theplug-in’s

indecision over whether to usepetrol,

electricorbothcanmake forjolting progress.

Y ’t f ltth fi t th h

PRACTICALITY There’s no seven-

seat option, but the rear offers plenty of room for three adults. Boot space

is reduced by the chunky batteries,

shrinking from 650 to 500 litres

EQUIPMENT Plug-in socket for

charging is located behind the frontleft wheel, while inside you’ll find sat-

nav, DAB radio and BMW’s innovative

Emergency Call fitted as standard

NEED TO KNOW

The X5 hybrid falls outside the

Government’s

sub-75g/km

CO2 emissions

threshold for the

plug-in car grant

Newcars Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion


30/92

Essentials

PRACTICALITY The BlueMotion tweaksdon’t affect interior space, meaning four

tall adults can travel in comfort. The

saloon’s 586-litre boot is big, too, although

the Skoda Superb trumps it for outright

capacity and limousine-like legroom

EQUIPMENT While BlueMotion isbadged as its own spec, it’s based on the

entry-level S. It gets a 6.5-inch touchscreen,

collision assist and DAB radio, but sat-nav

is a £675 option. Aero tweaks include

unique bumpers and lowered suspension

VWPassatBlueMotionPrice: £23,530

Engine: 1.6-litre4cyl diesel

Power/torque: 118bhp/250NmTransmission: Six-speedmanual,

front-wheeldrive

0-62mph: 10.8seconds

Top speed: 130mph

Economy: 76.3mpg

CO2: 95g/km

ON SALE Now

VOLKSWAGENmay bepromisinga raft

of fancynewhybrid andelectricmodels

in thefuture,but diesels remainbig business

d it th tDi l t d l Th

NEED TO KNOW Passat BlueMotion

costs £1,275 more

to buy than the

mechanically identical

Skoda Superb 1.6

TDI GreenLine

saloon. Butthe impacton efficiency is far

greater,with VWclaimingan economy jump

from 70.6mpg on the regular 1.6-litreTDI to

76.3mpg on this model.CO2 emissionsfall

from105g/km to95g/km, too. That’sa big

improvement,but it’sworth remembering

th Bl M ti t £880 t b

touchscreen. It’s a shame the6.5-inch

display’sgraphicsarea littlebasic,

while sat-nav ispartof a £675option

pack that bringsVW’s‘Guide andInform’

online traffic andnewsservice.

Aneight-inch touchscreenis also on the

ti li t hi h l k i k i

[email protected]

@LobAllan

LLa

FIRSTDRIVE Latest

VolksPassat BlueMotion is composed and smooth in corners, and there’s very little body roll


31/92

EMOTIONS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY


32/92

Stay Connected

STAY CONNECTED...

AVIC-F80DABAVH-X8800BTAVIC-F88DAB

AVIC-F980BT AVIC-F980DAB

EVERYTHING YOU NEED - RIGHT WHERE YOU NEED IT!

Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer Newcars


33/92

N a t h a nM or g a n

V di t

CABINInterior is full

of high-quality materials and

technology; car is

130kg lighter than

its predecessor

VauxhallAstraSTCDTiFIRST UKDRIVEWhisper diesel is a good fit for classy new estate

Essentials

FINISHINGthirdmight netyou

amedal in theOlympics, but

in themotor industry, that justisn’t goodenough.Vauxhall’s

outgoingAstraSports Tourer is

the thirdmost popularmid-size

estate in theUK, behindthe load-

lugging FordFocus andVolkswagen

Golf.So forthe all-newmodel,the

brandhaspulledoutall thestops.

We’ve already tested theSportsTourer

withthe1.0-litreturboengine (Issue1,413),

butas fleetbuyers will makeuparound80

percentof sales in this class,thismid-spec

Whisper dieselshould be thebigseller.It delivers134bhpand320Nmof torque–

considerablymore than theequivalent Golf

or Focus – yet isjustas frugalas its rivals.

The oldAstra’s performance advantage

washindered by itslardybody,but the

newmodel is130kg lighter than before.

Th 1 6 f l t bl i

Sports Tourer handles well,

with direct steering

and plenty of grip

VauxhallAstraSportsTourerSRiNav1.6CDTiPrice: £22,770

Engine: 1.6-litre4cyl diesel


Transmission: Six-speedmanual,front-wheeldrive

0-60mph: 9.5seconds

Top speed: 127mph

Economy: 72.4mpg

CO2: 104g/km

ON SALE Now

PRACTICALITY Boot is a lot bigger than before, offering 540 litres of space

with the rear seats in place. But a Skoda

Octavia Estate’s capacity is bigger still

REAR SEATS There’s plenty of head and legroom for back seatpassengers, so carrying five on longer

journeys shouldn’t be a problem

EQUIPMENT SRi spec comes wellequipped, while Nav trim adds the eight-

inch IntelliLink touchscreen sat-nav withadditional smartphone connectivity

[email protected]

@LobAllan

LLa

Newcars Vauxhall Viva ecoFLEX


34/92

N a t h a nM or g a n

V di t

INTERIOR There’s no air-con

or Bluetooth on

this SE ecoFLEX

model, but the

dash looks good,

even if material

VauxhallVivaecoFLEXFIRST UKDRIVE City car gets eco tweaks for improved efficiency

Essentials

AS withVolkswagenand its BlueMotion

models, Vauxhall offersmore efficiency-

biased ecoFLEX versions of its cars that

boast uniquetweaks to boost economy and

lower CO2 emissions. TheViva is the latest

Vauxhall to get the fuel-sipping treatment,

andwe’ve driven itfor thefirst time.

TheViva ecoFLEX hasan extended lip

spoilerand a newblackroof spoiler to helpchannel airflow, plus low-rolling-resistance

tyres. They add £175 to theprice of an entry-

level SE-spec model, bringing it to £8,570.

More importantly, thetweaks mean CO2emissions forthe 74bhp 1.0-litre engine fall

from 104g/km to 99g/km,while economy is

bumped up from 62.8mpg to 65.7mpg. That

means road tax isnow free, and the Viva

falls into the 14 per cent Benefit inKind

band forcompany cardrivers.Those figures

compare well with rivals like the Hyundaii10 BlueDrive, which emits 98g/km

butcostsnearly £2,000 more to buy.

There areno changes to the interior, so

youget a sensible yetslightly bland dash,

plus a reasonable amount of kit, including

electric frontwindows, a thick-rimmed

multifunction steering wheel and cruise

control. If youwant Bluetooth or air-con,

you’ll have to forgo theecoFLEX tweaksand

opt for higherSL trim. That’sfineat thistime

ofyear,but be sureyou won’t curse your

penny-pinching decision comethe summer.Practicality is good, with adequate

storage and just enoughspacein the

back for two tall adults.The 206-litre

boot is fine, butthe SuzukiCelerio’s is

bigger– offering a class-leading 254 litres.

Around town, you’d be hard pushed to

ti i ifi t h th

Steering is light and direct, while Viva is composed

over rough roads

VauxhallViva SEecoFLEXPrice: £8,570

Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol


Transmission: Five-speed manual,front-wheel drive

0-62mph: 13.1seconds

Top speed: 106mph

Economy: 65.7mpg

CO2: 99g/km

ON SALE Now

EQUIPMENT All Viva modelsget front foglights, plus electric front

windows, cruise control and steering

wheel-mounted audio controls

EFFICIENCY Fuel economy is thename of the game with ecoFLEX

version of the Viva – helped by

aero tweaks like this bootlid spoiler

HANDLING Like the standard car,the ecoFLEX Viva is fun to drive, with

light yet direct steering and a compliant

ride. The engine lacks power, though

[email protected]

@LobAllan

LLa

t s eco

odel, but the

a s oo s goo ,

even if material

. -

ine, butthe Suzu i Celerio’s is

o ering a class-leading 254 litres.

d town, you’d behardpushed to

i i i t h th


35/92

THE ULTIMATE IN

PERFORMANCE UPGRADES

AT DMS AUTOMOTIVE

WE’VE BEEN UNLEASHING

AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE

FOR OVER 19 YEARS

DMS CLS63 AMG (EVO AUGUST ‘14) “ENGINE UPGRADE ADDS HUGE PERFORMANCE AND RE AL CHARACTER”

DMS 1M (EVO MARCH 12) “THERE’S A REAL RIP TO THE WAY THE REVS PILE ON ABOVE 4000RPM”

DMS SL65 BLACK SERIES (EVO OCTOBER ‘10) “IT FEELS LIKE THE LOVE CHILD OF AN SL65 AND A PORSCHE GT2”

DMS 135I (BMW CAR MAY ‘09) “THE STANDARD CAR IS GREAT BUT DMS HAVE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEX T LEVEL”

DMS 997 TURBO 3.6 (EVO SEPTEMBER ‘08) “IT’S EPIC, HILARIOUS AND ADDICTIVE IN EVERY GEAR, YET DOCILE WHEN CRUISING”

DMS 997 TURBO 3.8 PDK (EVO JUNE ‘11) “DELIVERY IS ALMOST UNCOMFORTABLY FORCEFUL”

BELOWIS A SMALL SELECTION OFOUR MORE POPULAR MODELS TO

UPGRADE.WE ARE ABLE TO UNLEASH

PERFORMANCEFROM SMALL FOUR

CYCLINDER DIESEL ENGINES UP TO

V12 SUPERCARS.

AUDI

AUDI RS6 4.0 T V8 » 690+BHP (+DE-LIMIT)AUDI RS6 V10 » 680+BHP (+DE-LIMIT)AUDI R8 V10 » 592+BHP (+DE-LIMIT)

AUDI RS4 B7/ R8 » 445 BHP (+DE-LIMIT)AUDI RS3/RSQ3 » 420+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT)AUDI S3 / GOLF R » 373+ BHP (+DE-LIMIT)AUDI 3.0TDi (ALL MODELS) » 315+ BHPAUDI 3.0 Bi-TDi (ALL MODELS) » 380+ BHPAUDI Q7/A8 4.2 TDi » 400+ BHP

BMW

M5 V10 » 548+BHP(205 MPH)X5M / X6M » 618+ BHP

316D/216D/116D » 160BHP318D/218D/118D » 225 BHP330DE90 » 296+BHP320DE90 » 215BHP420i/320i/220i/120i » 275+BHP435i/ F30335i » 390 BHP428i/328i » 295BHP535D/ 335D/ X5SD » 355+BHP640D/335D/535D/435D » 390 BHP730D » 305+BHPX54.0D / 740D » 370BHPX5 3.0D » 305BHP

X6 X5.0I 4.4 » 500+BHPX6 M50D/X5M50D/550D » 450BHP

MERCEDES-BENZ

A200CDi/C200CDi/E200CDi » 175 BHPA250/C250 » 260 BHPA45/CLA45 » 420 BHPC300 HYBRID » 285 BHPA220CDi/C220CDi/E220CDi » 215 BHP

C63 AMG4.0T » CALLFOR DETAILSSL63AMG 6.3 » 560+BHP (+DE-LIMIT,RE-MAP & LOWER ABC SUSPENSION)CL600 Bi-TURBO » 580+ BHPSLK55AMG » 420+BHP (+DELIMIT)320CDiV6 » 274BHP350CDiV6 » 312BHP420/450CDi V8 » 358 BHP

ALL 2015 RANGE ROVERS AVAILABLE

R ROVER SC5.0 » 580+ BHPR ROVER 4.4 SDV8 » 395+BHP

R ROVER 3.0TDV6 » 315+BHPR ROVER 3.0SDV6 » 345+BHPEVOQUE/DISCOSPORT 2.2 DIESEL» 240+BHP

PORSCHE

997TURBO/S3.8 INCPDK » 611 BHP997TURBO3.6 » 625+BHP997GT2RS » 670+BHP

CAYENNE TURBO 4.8 » 578+BHPCAYENNE TURBO S 4.8 » 600+ BHPCAYENNE 4.2 DIESEL » 450+BHPCAYENNE DIESEL » 315+BHPPANAMERA TURBO » 600+ BHPPANAMERA DIESEL » 315+BHP

EXOTIC / MISC

FERRARI CALIFORNIA » 487 BHPFERRARI 599 » 647 BHPFERRARI 430 » 525 BHP

GALLARDO » 546 BHPLP560 » 608+BHPLP640 » 707 BHPHURACAN » 640+ BHPAVENTADOR » CALLFOR DETAILSMCLAREN MP4-12C » 700 BHPMCLAREN 650S » 720BHPMURCIELAGOLP640 » 707 BHPMASERATI GHIBLI3.0S PETROL » 470BHPMASERATI GHIBLI3.0 PETROL » 400 BHP

Newcars


36/92

V di t

Performance

0-62mph/top speed5.9 seconds/155mph

MercedesE350dFIRSTDRIVE V6 diesel exec saloon is a compelling choice, but pricey

Essentials

WEawardedMercedes’new executive

saloon five stars in2.0-litreE 220ddieselform (Issue1,412), thanksto its

vastly improved refinement and tech. But

canthe more powerfulV6 dieselin the

E 350dfollow in itssibling’s footsteps?

It hasthe same classy cabinand strong

build quality as theE 220d, whilebuyers

opting forthe largerengine getplenty of

extra kit. Air-suspension is standard,

as is theupgradedCOMAND Online

sat-nav systemwith a larger12.3-inch

display,AppleCarPlayandAndroid

Auto,pluslarger 18-inchalloywheels.TheAMGLine version wedrovealso

featuressportier styling andevenbigger

19-inch alloys, but despite thewheels, the

E-Classfeels compliant with the suspension

inComfortmode.With 254bhpand620Nm

of torqueavailable from the3.0-litreV6,

th 0 62 h i 5 9 d

Mercedes is impressively refined

at motorway speeds, adding to

the comfortable, luxurious feel

more than theentry-level E 220d, the

E 350ddoesn’tturnin quite askeenly as

itssibling, butat leastthe quicksteering

enablesyouto leanon theavailable grip.

It feelsplanted andsafe,too, but comfort

d lit h thi ’ i t l t

MercedesE 350d

AMGLinePrice: £44,930Engine: 3.0-litreV6 turbodiesel


Transmission: Nine-speed auto,rear-wheeldrive

0-62mph: 5.9seconds

Top speed: 155mph

Economy: 54.3mpg

CO2: 136g/km

ON SALE Now

PRACTICALITY E-Class’ 540-litreboot trumps most rivals, but the

Jaguar XJ does offer similar luggage

space. Rear space is decent, too

EQUIPMENT Chrome exhausttips hint at potential of 254bhp V6diesel; LED headlights are standard,

as is wireless mobile phone charging

ENGINE Starter button brings stunning3.0-litre engine to life. Mercedes claims

economy of 54.3mpg, which is some way behind the 72.4mpg E 220d

[email protected]

@Sean_Carson_

Display in place of dials costs £495;

USB connection is a useful addition


37/92

Newcars Xxxxxxxxxx x


38/92

Performance0-62mph/top speed

14.7 seconds/107mph

C h r i s t i a n

S

c h u l t e

Coming soon

FabiaFIRSTDRIVE Colour Edition model sets supermini apart

VOLVOXC60

2018 All-new version of

Volvo’s biggest seller

will be in showrooms

in 2018. Expect mini

XC90 looks and a

raft of safety tech.

SUPERMINIS

Ford Ka+ summer Ford Fiesta early 2017Ford Fiesta ST200 JuneKia Rio 2018MitsubishiMiragefacelift mid2016

Nissan Micra summer R enau lt Twin goGT mid2016Renault 5 late 2017SEAT Ibiza 2017SEATMiiX-Perience late2016SmartForTwoBrabus late2016Suzuki Swift 2017Suzuki Baleno JuneVolkswagen Polo 2017

FAMILYCARS

Alfa Ro meo G iulia summer AlfaRomeoGiuliaEstate 2017BMW 3 Series Plug-in Ap rilFiat Tipo September Honda Civic 2017Honda FCV late 2016

Hyundai Ioniq October Kia Op tima estate summer JaguarXE Sportbrake late2016MG5 2020MINI Coun tryman l at e2016Nissan Leaf 2017PorschePanamera early2017PorschePanameraestate 2017RenaultMéganeSportTourer autumnSubaru Impreza late 2 016Tesla Model 3 summer Va uxha ll I nsigni a mid2017VauxhallInsigniaSportsTourer late 2017VolkswagenBeetleDune MayVolkswagenGolffacelift late2016

SPORTSCARS

Alfa4CQuadrifoglio mid2016A st on Marti n DB 11 l at e2016AstonMartinV8Vantage 2017A st on Marti n Van qu is h 2018Audi A5 September Audi A9 2018Audi RS4 late 2016Audi TT RS late 2016Audi TT Sportback 2017Audi TTQ 2017BentleyContinentalGT 2018BMW i8 Plus late 2016BMW M2 AprilBMW M4 GTS AprilBMW Z4 2017Bugatti Chiron autumnCaterham sp or ts car 2018Ford GT late 2016FordMustangGT350 late2016Honda CR-Z 2017Honda NSX autumnHyundai i30 N early 2017Infiniti Q60 summer Jaguar F-TypeSVR summer JaguarXE R late2016Kia GT4 Stinger 2017Lexus LC 500 late 2016

VolkswagenGolfR400 late2016VolkswagenGolfGTIMk8 2019

SUVs

Abarth 500X 2017Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2017Aston Martin DBX 2018

Audi Q2 AugustAudi Q5 late 2016Audi Q6 2018Audi Q7 e-tron late 2016Audi Q8 2020Audi RS Q2 2017BentleyBentaygaCoupé late2016BMW1SeriesSportCross 2017BMW i5 2017BMW X2 spring 2017BMW X3 late 2016BMW X7 2018Citroen Grand Cactus 2018DaciaDusterfacelift summer DS 3 SUV 2018F ordKuga fa celi ft lat e2016Infiniti QX30 summer Jaguar F-Pace mid2016 Jaguar ‘Baby’F-Pace 2018Kia B-SUV 2018Kia Niro Hybrid summer Lamborghini Urus 2018Land Rover D efender 2018LandRoverDiscovery5 early2017Maserati Levante summe r Mazda CX-4 early 2017Mazda large SUV 2017MercedesGLCCoupé late2016MG GS MayMitsubishiASXfacelift autumnMitsubishi Shogun 2017N issan Juke sum mer 2 018NissanQashqaifacelift 2017

Peugeot 3008 spring PorscheCayenneCoupé 2017Qoros 2 SUV summer Qoros 3City SUV 2017RenaultAlaskanpick-up late2016Renaultseven-seatSUV 2017R oll s-RoyceCull inan 2018SEAT Ateca September SEAT Ibiza SUV late 2017Skoda Coupé SUV 2017Skoda Kodiaq 2017Skoda Yeti 2018Suzuki Ignis spring 2017Tesla Model X summer Toyota C-HR summer Vauxhall Mo kka X summe r Vauxhall large SUV 2018Volkswagen Tiguan Ap rilVolkswagen Golf SUV 2018Volkswagen T-Cross 2018Volvo XC40 2017Volvo XC60 2018

PEOPLEMOVERS

Renault Scenic summer Vauxhall Zafira X late 2 016

CABRIOLETS

Audi R8 Spyder late 2016

SKODA hasgained a reputation for building sensible, practical and good-

value cars – butdistinctiveones?Not really.

Now, to appeal to the more youthful end

of the market, theFabia superminirange

has gained vibrant new Colour Editions.

Buyershave thechoice of a white,green,

blue or blackbody,with contrasting black

or white roof, wing mirrors andwheels.

Our blueand white test car may not be to

everyone’s taste,but there’s no doubting it

helps the smart yet understated supermini

stand out. Compared with the straight-laced

Volkswagen Polo, it’s refreshingly different

and colourful, butnot too over thetop.

The Colour Edition Fabia is based on mid-

specSE trim, and ontop of thatcar’srear

parking sensors, DAB radio and Bluetooth,

it bringsLED running lights,cruise control

and16-inch alloy wheelsfor £540 extra.

Sat-nav is a reasonable £500 option,too.

As with every Fabia,the dash is easy

on theeye,solid andsimply laid-out,

although youwon’tfind anysoft-touchplastics.There’s also plentyof space for

four adults anda roomy 330-litre boot.

ColourEditionscan be ordered with

eitherthe 74bhp 1.0-litre or 89bhp 1.2 TSI

petrolengines.We tried the former, and,

while it’s pretty frugal, it can only be

d ib d ti ll l

Price: £13,360

Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl petrol

Power: 74bhp

Transmission: Five-speed manual,front-wheel drive

0-62mph: 14.7 seconds

Topspeed: 107mph

Economy: 58.9mpg

CO2: 108g/km

ON SALE Now

Lawrence [email protected]

Dash is simple

and clean, but

finish trails VW


39/92

Road testsVi it t k f th l t t d d i

SUPER-EFFICIENTSUPERMINI BATTLE

Newpetrol Volkswagen

Polo BlueMotionmeets

50


40/92

Visit autoexpress.co.uk for the latest new cars and drives diesel Peugeot208.


41/92

Road tests BMW 7 Series vs rivals


42/92

MODEL TESTED:BMW730Ld M SportPRICE:£72,260 ENGINE: 3.0-litre 6cyl, 261bhp

FORyears, theMercedesS-Classhasruled

the luxurycarroost,but thissixth-generation7 SeriesmovestheBMWonmassively, thanksto ablendof clever construction,efficientengines and

anupmarket interior loadedwithtech.We testthe£72,260730LdM Sportversion tosee if itcanchallengeitsclosestcontenders.

Styling& tech 4.5/5BMWhasevolved itscorporatelookeven furtherwiththis flagship7 Series, enlargingits trademark kidneygrillesand slimmingtheLEDheadlightsdown totie everything inwith thefrontwings.Lowerdown in thefrontbumper there’s a pair

of heavily sculptedairintakes,with evensharperstyling forthisM Sportmodelto accentuate the7 Series’widthand stretchedproportions. Inourtest car’sCarbonBlackmetallicpaint, theBMW’senlargeddesign featuresaremoresubtle, though.

Theairscoops areformfollowingfunction,asthey channel airthroughthe frontbumper andout,throughwhat BMWcalls itsAirCurtains in frontof eachwheel.Thisreduces airpressurein thewheel

welland improvesefficiency, butequallyaddsanextraelement tothe car’slookfromtheside.

It’s helpedby the730Ld’sstrong shoulderlineandnarrowglassarea.Togetherwithits longerwheelbase,it givesan elegant, elongatedlook.ButevenwiththeM Sportadditions, theBMW

hasn’tlostitsmore focused edge.Whilethismight

notbe toeveryone’s taste,theblackbumper insertandlarge twintailpipesare subtle,underscoring thebig tail-lights,whichareconnectedbyabrightchromestripfora low, long andwidestance.There’snodoubtit’s imposing,evenif therearehintsof scaled-upstylingcuesfromthe3 and5 Series.

Inside it’spackedfullof technology,withtouch-sensitivebuttonsfor theclimate controlandpin-sharpgraphicsfor theinfotainmentsystemanddigital gauges, butit’sin therearwherethe 7 Seriesis evenmore impressive.

Ourtestcarwasfittedwith the£4,815RearSeatComfortPackage, includinga seven-inchTouchCommand tabletin therearcentre armrest thatcanbeejected, allowingpassengersto controleverythingfromseat positionandwindowblinds

to thetemperature andthemultimediasystem.It’s intuitive, easy touseandmakes it simpleto

control therearentertainmentscreens thatare alsopart of thepackage.With options like this,our 730test carwaswellequipped,witha priceof£101,305.

Driving 4.3/5

thelastwordin handling.As a result, ratherthan aSportPlus setting like insomeof itsothercars,BMWhasfitteda Comfort Plusmode that

softens thedamping further,improvingthe ride. The £2,450ExecutiveDrivePro option scans

theroadaheadfor lumpsandbumps andsets thesuspensionupaccordinglyin advance,so thedampers

smoothout road surfacesnicely. The7 Seriesis softerandmorecushioned than theJaguar, butdespitethis,

itstillcan’tmatch theridequalityin theMercedes.Evenonsmoothsurfacesthere’sstilla firmeredgetothe ride,partly dueto this car’s20-inchM Sportalloys – it’s beautifullyrefined,butlacks that finallayerof finessethatthe S-Class hasin abundance.

Ownership4.1/5BMWmightbeapremiumbrand,but itsresults inourDriver Power2015 satisfactionsurveyweren’tthat impressive; itfinisheddown theorderin 14th

outof 32manufacturers. Thatmakes it theworstperformerof thethreefor customersatisfaction.Itsdealerservice scoredevenworse,withBMW’s

official network comingbottomofourtrioyetagain, taking23rdplace inourownersurvey.

The 7 Series faresmuchbetter onsafety. AlthoughEuroNCAPdoesn’tcrashtest carsof this type,BMW’sDynamic Safetypackcomes asstandard;thisclosesthewindows andbrings theseatbacksuprightif itsensesa crashsituation. The

car gets sixairbags,too.Ourtestcarwasalsofittedwiththe£985DrivingAssistant system,whichbringsautonomousbraking,collisionalert, lanechangeandlanedeparturewarningto improve safety further.

Practicality4.5/5WITH h l h lb l i li i

BMW 730

Testers’ notes“Only a few miles behind the wheel of the new7 Series proves BMW hasn’t lost its traditionalfocus on the driving experience. It’s comfier thanever, but still impressively agile. This is helped bythe £1,195 rear-wheel steering system on ourtest car, which gives the impression of a shorterwheelbase and a more agile chassis, despitethe BMW’s vast dimensions. However, there’snot much feel through the accurate steering.”

James Disdale Road test editorJa

BMW 7 Series vs rivals Road tests

Styling


43/92

d M Sport CO2/tax132g/km£130 or 24% PracticalityBoot515 litres Performance0-60/30-70mph6.2/5.3 seconds!Braking

70-0/60-0/30-0mph

50.6/36.3/9.5m

Running costs32.0mpg (on test)

£80 fill-up

StylingWINDOWS feature electricblinds, while speakers aredotted round cabin. Badgehints at car’s cutting-edge

construction, which addsto BMW’s handling agility

Running costs 3.6/5 THERE’S notmuchto splitour trioonprice, so

depreciation,CO2 emissionsandfueleconomywillbemore importantto running costs– althoughat

over £70,000,expectheftybillsfor allof thesecars. TheBMWis themostexpensive choice,at £72,260,butis also expectedto lose themostto depreciation,at£43,761.Ourexpertspredict itwill only hold onto

39.4 percentof itsvalue,whereas theS-Classis settoretain44.9percent.TheJag isonlymarginallybetter, andis expectedtoretain 39.9 percent.It’snotall badnewsfor the7 Series though


MODEL TESTED J XJ3 0 V6D P tf li LWB


44/92

MODEL TESTED: JaguarXJ3.0 V6D Portfolio LWBPRICE:£72,075 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6, 296bhp

Jaguar XJ

LASTyear, Jaguar faceliftedits largestsaloon,

mildlyrefreshingthe XJ’slooks andadding asportierR-Sportmodelto theline-upatthe sametime.GoingagainstitsMSportand AMGLinerivals

fromBMWandMercedes,theXJR-Sportshould bethenaturalfit. However,thismodeldoesn’t comeinextendedwheelbaseform, soherewetest thesimilarlypriced£72,075PortfolioLWB,to seeif theupdatescanpushthe Jagto thetopof itsclass.

Styling& tech 4.1/5 THEXJ’s lookshaveonlybeenmildly updated,which

is testamentto thecar’s originallines. It’s a stylish,swoopingsaloon thatstartedadesignrevolution for

Jaguar, andoverthe yearshasbuilt a solidreputationforitself, havingbeenlaunchedbackin 2009.

ButwiththenewtwinJ-shapeLEDheadlights,chromebumper inserts belowthemandrevised tail-lights, plus anevenmoreupright frontgrille, theJag

isstillimposingeveninthis company.It’sthe lowestcarhere,too,andwhencombinedwith thearcingglassandtaperedtail, this gives theXJ a sveltelook.

Slimheadlights provide the Jaguarwitha piercing

glarefromthefront, whileat theback,theglossblack pillarsofferaneatwraparound look tothescreen.

The talltail-lightsrunon totherearwings,unlikein thesmallerJaguarXE andXF saloons,andin ourlong-wheelbase testmodel,theymaketheXJ appearsimple butelegantfromthe rear.

Climbaboard andyou’remetby amoderninterior

that emitsa cool blue glowatnight. Inthelight of day, though,materialquality isn’tquite as strongas rivals’.Still, it’snicely crafted,andhasfeatureslikean updatedinfotainmentsystem– including AppleCarPlayand AndroidAuto, aswellas aWi-Fihotspot – anda crisper 12.3-inchTFT screen.

The listof standardkit isn’tquite asextensiveaseithertheBMWorMercedes’, andthere aren’tasmanyhi-techoptions,either.But neatscreensintherearwillkeeppassengers entertained,evenif theremovable footrestsaren’t quiteaselegantas

thelegsupports inthe7 Seriesor theMercedes.

Driving 4.0/5LIGHTWEIGHTaluminiumunderpinnings

anda sportierchassismean theXJ hasalwaysbeenthemostdriver-focusedlarge saloononsale, andevenwithakerbweight of 1,860kg,it’ssurprisingjust howwellthe Jaguar handles.

Body control isgood,and thecarcornerswith acomposed,flat stance.However, ridingon 20-inch

wheelsas standard,theXJfeelsfirm,anddoesn’td l i h h d ll i G i l

itmatchedperformancein thelowergears,andhadtheedgebetween50and70mphinfifth andsixth. The eight-speed autotransmissionis silky

smooth,whilethe steering is themostprecisehere.Evenwithout anycleverchassis tech like theBMW’srear-wheelsteering,it stillfeels incrediblyagile foracar ofthissize,andfunto drive.Butwiththis LWB

modelthere’smore focusoncomfort intherear. Thanksto air-suspensionat theback,it’s a little

more comfortablein therearseats. Thefirmeredge tothe damping upsetsthebodymoreontypical UKroads, though,meaningtheXJ isn’t assereneas the7 Serieswhencoveringlongdistances.

Ownership4.7/5 THEJaguarmakesupfor itsdrawbackswith a strongperformance inDriverPower.The Britishbrandroutinelyfinishesnear thetop inoursatisfactionsurvey, andhas come secondtwoyearsrunning.

Itsgaragesarealso highlyrated – theyfinishedthird inourdealer chart–whiletheXJwas votedtheBest ExecutiveCar inour2015survey,withanoverallresultof seventh outof 200cars.OwnersratedtheJaguarhighly inmostareas,althoughit suffers

withlow scoresfor practicalityandreliability.Safetyshouldbegood,but like the7 Series,

theXJ trails theS-Class’airbag count,featuringsix.This is acceptable,whilethe £1,575Driving Assistancepack includesautonomousemergency

braking,adaptivecruise control andqueueassist.ItundercutsMercedes’similarpackage,althoughtheS-ClasscomeswithAEBas standard.

Practicality 3.9/5 AS ithas theshortestwheelbase,lowestroofand

b d h XJ i h i h i id Y

Testers’ notes“As part of the XJ’s update, Jaguar has addedsomething called All Surface Progress Control.This system improves traction on slipperysurfaces when pulling away, as it does in theF-Pace SUV – and with 296bhp going throughthe rear wheels, it should be helpful in winter. Plus,while the low-speed cruise control and hill descentfunctions areodd additions to a luxury saloon,they should be a boon on icyor snowy hills.”

JamesDisdale Road test editorJa


Design


45/92

LWB CO2/tax155g/km£185 or 29% PracticalityBoot479 litres Performance0-60/30-70mph6.6/5.6 seconds!

Braking70-0/60-0/30-0mph

50.3/37.1/10.7m


£83 fill-up

DesignSLOPING roof makes XJ thelowest choice; dials andleather look great. Meridianstereo sounds good. On the

road, Jag is agile for its size

Space

Running costs 3.4/5 THEXJsitsin insurancegroup50,whichis fourgroupshigher than the7 Seriesand theS-Class. Yet

itdoesn’t have themostexpensive premiumson test:oursampledriver facesaquoteof£1,243,which is£177

less than fortheMercedesand£90upon theBMW’s.Eventhoughengineimprovementshavebrought

CO2 emissionsdownto 155g/km, theXJ isstillthe

mostpollutingcarhere.Asa result, it attractsa29per centBenefit inKind taxrate, makingit bythefar themostcostly choicefor company carusers,withhigher-rateearnerspaying£9,206 a year.

If h i k bill ’ll d


MODEL TESTED:Mercedes S 350d AMG Line L


46/92

Mercedes

MODEL TESTED:Mercedes S 350d AMG Line LPRICE:£71,955 ENGINE: 3.0-litre V6, 254bhp

On the roadIN Comfort mode, S-Class glidesalong with a gloriously smooth ride,and while it trails its rivals here onperformance, it’s still quick enough

MERCEDES’range-toppingS-Classhasalways

pioneerednewengineeringinnovations,andthecurrentcar isnodifferent. When it launchedin2013,it offered anastoundingamount of tech,and

hasbeensubtlyupdated sinceto keep it competitive.

Styling& tech4.7/5OUR£71,995S 350dAMGLineL test caris arguably

thesweetspotof theS-Classrange,combining sportystyling inAMGLinetrimwithan efficientdieselandlotsof spacethanksto the long-wheelbasebody.

Despitethe deeperfront apron, large20-inchalloys,

subtlesideskirts anda glossblackinsertin therearbumper,the Mercedesstillhas anelegant, graceful

overall shape.Onlythe extra AMGstylingupgradesonthis trim level adda touchmoresportinesswithout sacrificingthe vastcar’s effortlessstyle.

It’snicelyunderstated,withoutanytrulyhead-turning styling cues,so like the7 SeriestheS-Class

offersdiscreetcomfort.However,featureslikedark-tintedwindows, chrome triminserts andsubtlesurfacedetails includingtheintersecting curves onthedoorsmarkthisout astheflagshipof therange.

Thewidegrillewiththe traditionalMercedesemblemsittingin prideofplaceon thebonnet also

adds aneat,retrotouch– lessermodels inthebrand’srangehave a larger,front-mountedthree-pointedstar –whilethe threesharpLED ringsin eachtail-lightmark this outas theflagship.

Inside, althoughthe S-Classstandsout above

therestof Mercedes’saloon line-up,it feelsmorebespoke than the7 Series. It’s asthoughtherangehasbeen engineered from theS-Classdown;with theBMWandJaguar, it seemselementsofothercarshavebeen scaledup.

This iswhytheS-Classfeelsspecial,but that’s

also todowith theequipmentonofferin ourtestcar. TheextendedAMGLinemodelgets lots ofkitasstandard,butwith a staggering £43,185worthof options,youwon’twant foranythingin this S-Class.

Helping give it a lavishfeelare a rear seat comfort

pack (a£3,500optionthat incorporatesmassage seats,a surroundsoundstereoandrearentertainmentscreens).There’s alsoan individualrear seatpackage,whichbringselectricallyadjustable backseats thatrecline byup to37degrees,plusairline-stylefolding

tables,for £5,000.Mercedes’ £1,500rear seatrecliningpackage givesevenmore legroom,so itedgesaheadof even thespacious rear in theBMWforcomfort.

Asitdoesn’thavetheBMW’s slick tablet,operatingalltheequipmentcrammedintothe S-Class isn’tquiteas simple. Still,withseatcontrolson the

doors improvingeaseof use, anda removable, TV l d i h f i il f i

powerfulcar on test,the S-Class’engine stilldeliversmorethan adequateperformance. Itonlytraileditscompetitorsbya fewtenths from0-60mph,and

althoughthegapswidened inthehigher gearsfrom50-70mph,theMercedesneverfeels sluggish.Andbesides, theextrarefinement isworththe trade-off.

Part of theperformancedeficit comesfromthe

nine-speed automaticbox.As itpullsthe lowestrevscruisingat 70mph,it wasn’tquite assharpin-gear,

butthe transmissionhandles changes imperceptibly,making foreffortless,smoothprogress.And whatitlacksin handlingprowess inthis company, theS-Classmakesupfor inrefinementandride quality.

Ownership 4.4/5SAFETYhasalwaysbeenan S-Class strength,and thelatestmodelupholds this:it’s theonlycar inourtriotogetautonomousbrakingas standard(Mercedescalls thesystemCollisionPreventionAssist Plus).

Therearealsoeight airbagsandanactive bonnettoreducetheaffects ofanimpactwitha pedestrian.

Inaddition,our test carhadthe£2,300Driving AssistancePackage– comprisingblindspotand lanekeepassist, cross trafficalert andsteeringassist to

helpkeepyouin your lane –plus there’s a £2,250nightvisioncamera thathelps pickout pedestriansinthedark.Theseoptionsareexpensive,butboostsafety; theothermodelsoffersimilarsystems.

YetMercedescouldn’tmatch Jaguar forowner

satisfaction,with thebrandfinishing11thin themakers’ chartof ourDriverPower2015 survey. Still,thiswasbetterthanBMW,aswasMercedes’ 21stplacedealerranking. TheS-Classhasbeenon sale fora few years, andwe’venotheardany horrorstoriesaboutanyof itssophisticatedequipmentgoing wrong.

Testers’ notes“Althoughthe£780multi-spoke20-inch AMGalloys look good andset theAMG Linemodel’sbodyworkoffwell,we’d steer clear. Not only dothey bump CO2 up to 157g/km,so you’ll pay anextra £35 year in road tax, theyalso increase theBenefitin Kind rate to29per cent, so businessusers annual tax bill is hiked by£574. This speccomeswith 19-inch wheels as standard, andtheirtaller rear tyres give an even smoother ride.”

James Disdale Roadtest editorJa



47/92

!

HEADTO

HEAD

350d L

Key tech7 SERIES’ key with its colourdisplay is like a mini smartphone.It lets you set the climate controlremotely, plus check the fuelrange and the security status.

A smartphone app woulddo the job just as well, but itreinforces the car’s hi-tech feel,with features like gesture control

letting you adjust the volume witha simple swish of your finger.

Parking solutionBMW’S £1,100 advanced parkingpack makes manoeuvring abreeze. Not only does it featurea 360-degree camera, it allowsyou to park the saloon remotely.You can climb out of the car andsimply let it park itself using thekey – another brilliant innovationon this sixth-generation 7 Series.

Space raceS-CLASS feels slightly roomierin the rear, helped by its higherroofline, but the 7 Series is closebehind. Both get options formulti-way seat adjustment andplenty of hi-tech kit. The Jaguari ’t i lth h it’

CO2/tax148g/km

£145 or 27%

PracticalityBoot

510 litres

Performance0-60/30-70mph

6.5/5.8 seconds

Braking70-0/60-0/30-0mph

50.9/57.5/10.0m


£72 fill-up


48/92

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Figures MercedesS 350d BMW 730LdM Sport Jaguar XJ3 0 V6D


49/92

On theroad price/total as testedResidual value(after3yrs/36,000)

Depreciation Annual taxliabilitystd/higherrate Annual fuel cost (12k/20kmiles)

Ins. group/quote/road taxband/cost

Costof 1st/2nd/3rdservice

Length/wheelbaseHeight/width

Engine

Peakpower/revsPeaktorque/revs

Transmission

Fuel tankcapacity/sparewheelBootcapacity

Kerbweight/payload/towing weight

Turning circle/dragcoefficientBasicwarranty (miles)/recovery

Service intervals/UKdealersDriver Powermanufacturer/dealerpos.NCAP: Adult/child/ped./assist/stars

0-60/30-70mph30-50mph in3rd/4th

50-70mph in 5th/6th/7th/8thTop speed/rpmat 70mphBraking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph

Noiseoutside/idle/30/70mph Auto Express econ (mpg/mpl)/rangeGovt urban/extra-urban/combinedGovt urban/extra-urban/combined Actual/claimedCO2/taxbracket

Airbags/Isofix/parksensors/camera Auto box/stability/adaptcruise/AEB**Climatecontrol/leather/heatedseats

Metallic paint/LED lights/keyless goSat-nav/USB/DAB radio/Bluetooth

1st 2nd 3rdResults

FiguresRESIDUAL VALUESOLDER S-Class

still has the edge

over the all-newBMW and revised

Jag for predicted

residuals. It’s set

to lose £4,107 less

to depreciation

than the 7 Series.

BOOT SPACEMERCEDES and

BMW offer a

similar amountof luggage space,

and both leave

the XJ trailing.

NCAP RATINGNONE of our trio

is crash tested by

Euro NCAP, but

with a raft of

advanced safety

systems, all three

offer great levels

of protection.

AIRBAG COUNTS-CLASS’ strong

safety record is

helped by eight

airbags. It’s also

the only car here

with autonomous

emergencybraking

as standard.

WEIGHTTHE 7 Series isn’t

thelightestcar, but

clever new Carbon

Core tech means

it’s as spacious asthe Mercedes yet

undercuts it on

the scales.

INSURANCETHE XJ sits in

insurance group

50 – four groups

higher than its

rivals here – but

surprisingly it

doesn’t have the

highest premiums

on test for our

sample driver.

DRIVER POWERJAGUAR scores

consistently

well in our annual

satisfaction survey.

The brand finished

in second place

in the makers’

chart in 2015.

PERFORMANCEBMW recorded the

fastest 0-60mph

time, with strong

traction off the

line and a smooth

and snappy eight-

speed auto box.

LOWER CO2COMBINATION

of lightweight

materials like

carbon fibre and

aluminium is the

key to 7 Series’

132g/km low

CO2 emissions.

EQUIPMENTALL three cars

come with lots

of kit as standard.

As with its rivals,

Jag charges for

adaptive cruise,

although it’s

cheaper, at £1,575.

S 350dAMG Line L

£71,955/£115,140

£32,301/44.9%

£39,654£3,875/£7,750

£1,487/£2,479

46/£1,420/F/£145

£41pm(3yrs)

5,246/3,165mm

1,496/1,899mm

V6/2,987cc

254/3,600 bhp/rpm

620/1,600Nm/rpm

9-spdauto/rwd

70 litres/repair kit510litres

1,975/715/2,100kg

12.3metres/N/A

3yrs (unltd)/4yrs

15,500miles(1yr)/136

11th/21st

N/A

6.5/5.8 secs

2.6/3.4 secs

4.4/5.4/7.2/11.4 secs155mph*/1,200rpm

50.9/37.5/10.0m

70/51/63/69dB

37.6/8.3/579miles

42.2/57.7/52.3mpg

9.3/12.7/11.5mpl

201/148g/km/27%

Eight/yes/yes/yes

Yes/yes/£2,300/yes

Yes/yes/yes

Yes/yes/£1,490 Yes/yes/yes/yes

M Sport

£72,260/£101,305

£28,499/39.4%

£43,761£3,460/£6,919

£1,747/£2,912

46/£1,153/E/£130

5yrs/50k (included)

5,238/3,210mm

1,479/1,902mm

6cyl in-line/2,993cc

261/4,000 bhp/rpm

620/2,000Nm/rpm

8-spdauto/rwd

78 litres/run-flats515litres

1,870/695/2,100kg

12.8metres/N/A

3yrs (unltd)/3yrs

Variable (2yrs)/153

14th/23rd

N/A

6.2/5.3secs

2.4/2.9 secs

3.7/5.0/6.7/12.8 secs155mph*/1,350rpm

50.6/36.3/9.5m

73/52/65/72dB

32.0/7.0/549miles

47.9/64.2/56.5mpg

10.5/14.1/12.4mpl

237/132g/km/24%

Six/yes/yes/yes

Yes/yes/£2,960/£985 Yes/yes/yes

Yes/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes

3.0 V6DPortfolio LWB

£72,075/£88,220

£28,772/39.9%

£43,303£4,630/£9,206

£1,580/£2,633

50/£1,243/F/£185

£229/£329/£229

5,255/3,157mm

1,460/1,899mm

V6/2,993cc

296/4,000 bhp/rpm

700/2,000Nm/rpm

8-spdauto/rwd

80 litres/space saver 479litres

1,860/590kg/N/A

12.3metres/N/A

3yrs (unltd)/3yrs

16,000miles(1yr)/97

2nd/3rd

N/A

6.6/5.6secs

2.4/2.9secs

3.8/4.8/6.5secs/N/A155mph/1,400rpm

50.3/37.1/10.7m

71/54/67/72dB

35.4/7.8/623miles

39.8/54.3/48.0mpg

8.8/11.9/12.4mpl

214/155g/km/29%

Six/yes/yes/yes

Y/y/y/£1,575^

Yes/yes/yes

Yes/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes

MERCEDESTHES-Classcements its

positionat thetop.While

BMW’snew7 Seriescomes

close, rivalling it for technology, theMercedesbettermixes its futuristic

feel with exquisiteridequality. It’s

notquiteas fast,but performance

ismore than adequate,plus it feels

more special than itsrivals in this test.

On topof that, it’s thecheapest car

h d ith i t

BMWLOWemissionsand

inclusiveservicingwill

help cutrunning costs,butwhilethe

7Seriesis alsogreatto drive,it isn’tquite asspecial insideas theS-Class.

There’s no faultingthe gadgetson

offer,althoughit feelsmore like an

enlarged,expensive 5Seriesthana

bespoke flagship saloon.Still, good

agility andcomfort,plus lots ofspace,

k it b illi tb i li i

JAGUARDESPITE its striking

design, theXJ feels

compromisedin thiscompany.

There’

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Auto Express – 30 March 2016

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