The warranty that comes with a new car is often described as ‘bumper to bumper’ cover, so every part of the vehicle is guaranteed. But is it all really protected for the full three years? And more importantly for reader James Buchan, how long are the bumpers part of the policy for?
Don't write us off – that’s the message from Jason Plato and his SEAT team as the HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship takes a breather before the second half of the season starts at Snetterton in mid-July. The Spanish squad introduced a new diesel Leon TDI at the start of this year and it has proved competitive, notching up three wins. But disappointing results last time out at Croft have dropped Plato and team-mate Darren Turner to fourth and eighth in the drivers’ championship.
Until now, LED daytime running lights have been the preserve of models like the Audi A4, A5 and R8. But Hella is offering a new kit that gives the look of a premium model at a fraction of the price.
A British engineer has invented a device that could halve current CO2 emissions from cars.
Ian Houston of Origo Industries, based on the Isle of Man, has created the EcoBox. It’s a converter that acts as a chemical sponge, absorbing CO2 in the exhaust gases. Ian fitted a prototype to his Mitsubishi Shogun, and emissions fell from 275g/km to 110g/km – just one 1g/km more than a Volkswagen
Could 3 really be the magic number for Mazda? If these latest spy shots are anything to go by, the answer is almost certain to be yes.
Congestion charging is spreading across the UK – and the Government is making it even easier to take your cash!
Manchester is the next city to introduce road tolls. Commuters entering and leaving the city at rush hour will pay up to £5 a day. But unlike the London scheme, drivers going into the central zone outside rush hour will be exempt, and there’s no network of enforcement cameras.
It’s mid-summer, and Audi is celebrating in style with this: the new A1 Cabriolet.
The German supermini first broke cover last October as the Metroproject Quattro – a concept designed to showcase both the A1 and Audi’s clever electric-hybrid powertrain.
Volkswagen is giving its Polo four-wheel drive for the first time and launching a new baby SUV.
The car is set to replace the current Polo Dune, and it will get beefed-up looks to match its all-terrain ability. It will go up against forthcoming supermini 4x4 class rivals such as the Vauxhall Corsa SUV and its planned Chevrolet-badged sister model.
These stunning images show what the brutish successor to the AC/Shelby Cobra could look like. Named the Cobra Venom, this elegantly styled sportscar will include a Ford V8, and is a celebration of all things Anglo-American.
Click here for a full tour of the car and further concept images from designer Jamie Martin.
Japanese giant Subaru plans to muscle in on the MPV market with the new Exiga. The seven-seater plugs a gap in the line-up, and is based on a modified version of the Impreza and Forester platform.
It’s one of the freshest and most attractive cars on the road, but believe it or not, the Jaguar XK is already approaching middle age. So, to ensure it maintains its showroom appeal, new owner Tata has decided the time has come for a facelift.
Toyota is set to get pulses racing at this year’s British Motor Show. The Japanese firm has commissioned a wild one-off version of its Aygo to appear on its stand.
The £100,000 Aygo Crazy has a 1.8-litre turbo from the MR2 roadster, producing 197bhp and 240Nm of torque – enough for 0-60mph in under six seconds and a top speed of 127mph.
From YouTube to personal websites, the trend for home video is growing fast – and so is the desire for driving action.
However, the X-Driven DRS1100 does more than record track exploits. It can also provide evidence in a collision.
The simple answer is yes. You take out the internal combustion engine and everything associated with it. In its place you fit an electric motor and some sort of power storage system – usually batteries.
New-look 5-series caught out on the town in most revealing costume yet. These exclusive shots captured by our spies in Europe show BMW’s class-leading saloon, carrying out some preliminary tests in the run up to its 2009 release.
Codenamed the “F10”, BMW’s E-Class rival can be seen here with softer lines than the current model and much more conventional-looking headlights with an all-round cleaner front-end design.
Dressed all in black this heavily disguised MPV is actually Peugeot’s forthcoming 3008, undergoing secret hot-weather testing in the middle of nowhere.
Drawing styling cue’s from its bigger brother the 4007, the 3008 will be based on the 308’s platform and will be Peugeot’s long-overdue rival, looking to take on Renault’s Scenic and the VW Touran. The people carrier will also feature a number of novel design and packaging ideas to set it apart from its competitors along with a mean front grille.
S this the unfairest motoring tax ever? Levies on owning and driving a car have existed for a century. But parking on private land has traditionally been entirely free.
That’s about to change. Parking taxes at locations where people work and study (plus a few other places besides) have arrived, been approved and, in one area of Britain at least, are about to be publicly unleashed.
Bosses at Audi won’t rest until every possible niche has been filled – and now, the four-door coup market is in their sights.
These exclusive images provide the best look yet at the new A7. It’s Audi’s challenger to the Mercedes CLS, as well as the forthcoming BMW 8-Series, and promises a strong combination of luxury, style and performance.
Panic bulk-buying of fuel could spark rationing for motorists, experts have warned.
The alert has come after last week’s four-day strike by tanker drivers, which saw queues as people stocked up on petrol.
Anything that makes cleaning your car easier has to be a good thing, and that’s just what the latest additions to the Meguiar’s range aim to do.
The NXT Generation 2.0 polish lasts ‘twice as long’, claims the firm, due to its hydrophobic polymer technology.
Ford is going mean and green with the Focus RS. Our exclusive pictures show the blue oval’s hottest-ever hatch is set to get stunning looks to match its scorching performance when it arrives early in 2009.
It’s Honda’s latest step towards world hybrid domination. The firm is looking to revolutionise green transport with the Global Hybrid car, which will appear at October’s Paris Motor Show.
Having children can be costly – not least when they grow out of things. So the new adjustable child seat from Sunshine Kids could be just the answer.
Ford is taking the Mondeo to the max, with an all-new coup version offering Mercedes CLS looks for half the price.
The forthcoming Vauxhall Insignia is set to raise the style stakes in the class, while the Volkswagen Passat CC has proved there really is demand for four-door coups. So the time is right for the ultimate evolution of Ford’s family car to take a bow.
Campers rejoice! Here's the world's first four-wheeled tent!
Or maybe not. These images show the new Audi A7 'four door coupe', set to hit showrooms in 2010 and challenge the Mercedes CLS for sleek-saloon supremacy. BMW will throw its hat into the ring with the 8-Series too, also expected in 2010.
The Lion king is ready to return... meet the stunning replacement for the Peugeot 607.
The range-topping saloon promises to set new standards of style and sophistication for the French brand, and is tipped to be one of the stars of the Paris Motor Show in October.
Here is a car that’s dressed to impress. Instead of sporting traditional metal bodywork, the stunning BMW GINA roadster is clothed in a hi-tech fabric skin.
Not only does this provide a striking look, the durable material is stretched over a wire frame which can move at the flick of a switch, completely changing the car’s appearance. And we’ve got video of the system in action on our website (www.autoexpress.co.uk).
Scottish star Allan McNish overcame all the odds to lead underdog Audi to a magnificent victory in this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. Although it was the German manufacturer’s eighth success in the famous endurance race in the past nine years, the result was totally unexpected.
Here’s a growing Cee’d! This is the Kia Cee’d Plus MPV, set to take the fight to the VW Golf Plus when it’s launched in 2010.
Our spies caught the bigger Cee’d brake testing in the Swiss Alps, although the identity of the heavily disguised development mule wasn’t immediately obvious. The Hyundai plates initially suggested this could have been the forthcoming Hyundai MPV, set to make its debut in concept form at the Paris Motor Show this year before replacing the current Matrix.
Your eyes aren't deceiving you - the newly launched BMW M3 has already undergone a facelift!
Our spies have captured this red M3 saloon - cleverly disguised with black tape over the badge - going through tests after some very subtle tweaks.
Despite having just been launched, the M3 saloon has been subject to minor changes to bring the car in line with the rest of the freshly facelifted 3-Series range.
Auto Express has obtained exclusive insider details on Ford's barnstorming Focus RS hatchback!
These mouth-watering images, leaked from within Ford, show how the flagship Focus will look when it hits showrooms in the first quarter of 2009.
The pictures were generated by Ford designers to showcase the features and overall look the ultimate Focus will have, giving a tantalising glimpse of what to expect from the production version.
IT was crunch time in Canada for Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren ace threw away his race and championship lead during an action-packed event that saw Polish star Robert Kubica score his first victory and leapfrog to the top of the title table.
Climb aboard and see what it’s going to be like sitting in Vauxhall’s replacement for the Vectra – the new Insignia.
These first official pictures of the car’s interior show that the design team has pulled out all the stops in an attempt to leapfrog Ford’s family favourite, the Mondeo. And the newcomer is pitched at premium rivals, the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4.
The sporty version of SEAT’s new Ibiza has broken ‘three’! The SportCoup now joins the five-door model that was launched at the recent Madrid Motor Show.
It has the same front end as the five-door, but at the rear the shape is much more distinctive. Engine options will include a 1.6-litre petrol motor delivering 105bhp, with diesel buyers offered a choice of 1.4 and 1.9-litre TDIs. The smaller oil-burner will form the basis of an ultra-efficient ECOmotive version, which SEAT claims will emit only 99g/km of CO2. That would be low enough to put the model in road tax band A, and mean owners wouldn’t have to pay anything for their annual disc. This car is also equipped with a seven-speed twin-clutch DSG transmission – which was first seen in parent company Volkswagen’s Golf – to boost performance and economy.
Ford's new baby has taken its first steps! Following our exclusive pictures in Issue 1,014, which revealed the look of the all-new Ka, Auto Express can now bring you spy shots of the model on the road.
German giants BMW have lifted the lid on its top secret concept car. Here are the first images of the innovative new sportscar currently referred to as the GINA Light Visionary Model Concept.
At first glance it may look like any other car but covering the shell is a highly durable, expansion-resistant fabric stretched across the frame. The fabric is secured on a mesh of metal wires that can move, controlled by electro-hydraulics. This can be seen in greater detail in the BMW premiere video.
Evolution, not revolution – that has always been Porsche’s approach with its legendary 911.
And the latest revised version of the famous rear-engined supercar is no different.
Here’s the new Bentley Continental Flying Spur – now with more speed!
Bentley has fettled the Continental Flying Spur saloon to create a range-topping Speed version, and as the name suggest it majors on performance as well as opulence. The standard car has also undergone a comprehensive mid-life update.
We've lifted the lid on the hot new Audi A5 Cabriolet with these exclusive first pictures of the car undergoing testing in the hills of Switzerland.
There have been numerous computer-illustrations of what the A5 will look like but these first-glimpse exclusive pictures show the car completely undisguised and lay any theories to rest as to the soft-tops design. As expected the car is almost identical to the coupe and the choice of a canvas roof over the retractable hard-top is no surprise either.
Stylish cars are becoming Kia’s fort – and here’s another to prove it! This is the first official image of its next family model, called the Forte.
Following on from the Kue and Kee concepts, the sporty hatch – which is slightly bigger than the Cee’d – is the best example yet of Kia’s future design direction.
Jams, roadworks and middle-lane hoggers are all, arguably, legitimate reasons for road-raging motorists to lose their rag. But it’s a sad day when they add children crossing a road to the list.
Astonishingly, however, they have – and the result is anything from intimidation to abuse and even life-threatening manoeuvres, according to the lollipop men and women who face this behaviour every day.
Forget a free set of mats. The latest way for car makers to attract new buyers is by offering them the ultimate incentive – free fuel!
Faced with soaring prices at the pumps, Chrysler, Kia and Suzuki are resorting to these desperate measures to get US buyers through their showroom doors. Chrysler’s Let’s Refuel America campaign guarantees new owners will pay $2.99 – around £1.60 – a gallon for the first three years of ownership.
Evolution rather than revolution - that’s always been Porsche’s approach with its legendary 911. And the latest facelifted version of the famous rear-engined sportscar is no different.
These are the first official pictures of the new Carrera and Carrera S and, as you can see, you’ll need to be looking closely to spot the changes.
Using an in-ear hands-free kit isn’t for everyone, as its size and weight can prove uncomfortable. But there are no such problems with the super-light UFO from Bluetrek. Weighing in at eight grams, it is all too easy to forget it is even on your ear!
German giant BMW is poised to hit the road with its stunning M1 supercar. Sources within the company claim that bosses are ready to give the green light to a production version of the recently unveiled M1 Hommage concept.
The Griffin has landed! Feast your eyes on the exclusive first interior pictures of the all-new Vauxhall Insignia, set to soar into showrooms at the end of this year.
THE wraps are off the hottest Astra ever! In a world exclusive, Auto Express can reveal the high-performance version of Vauxhall’s new family car – the eagerly anticipated Astra VXR.
There’s a shake-up on the cards at Citroen this summer! The C2 city car and C3 supermini line-ups are being updated with sportier looks, a fresh choice of upgraded trims, new equipment and new body colours across the board.
The Spirit of Ecstasy has landed –and this time it’s in seventh heaven! These are the first official sketches of the new entry-level Rolls Royce, due to arrive in 2010.
Between the 11 - 14 June thousands of Brits will head to North West France joining up with a 250,000-strong crowd of motorsport fans to watch the world-famous Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race. For many of those making the trip, the drive down to the circuit is one of the highlights of the weekend.
