The Vauxhall Insignia has made quite a splash with the world’s media – and not only because of its dramatic entrance!
A raft of new details have been revealed for the crucial family car, including an innovative hot wash windscreen wiper system – plus the all-important price. The Insignia will start from just under £16,000.
Here's a Cayman with even more bite! It’s the limited-edition S Sport model.
Few details have been announced yet about the newcomer, but we do know that it uses an uprated version of the 3.4-litre six-cylinder unit in the Cayman S. This offers 303bhp – an increase of 8bhp.
Could this be the face of things to come for Honda’s new Civic?
The firm’s Open Study Model stole the limelight at the British Motor Show – and it’s likely to influence the design of the next family car, due in 2010.
Since the debut of the Freeplay portable radio in 1996, wind-up gadgets have become more and more common. This latest torch from Metro uses the technology to ensure you always have light, even if you don’t have batteries.
How about this for a triple whammy of sensational new models from Jaguar?
First up is the XK60, which celebrates 60 years of the firm’s XK badge. The model is making its debut at this week’s British Motor Show, and offers buyers a heap of extras, such as 20-inch ‘Senta’ alloys, a new front spoiler and rear valance. The XK’s normally aspirated 294bhp 4.2-litre V8 is unchanged, and prices are set at £60,995 for the coup, with the Convertible adding an extra £6,000.
If playing movies and surfing the Internet isn’t enough, the versatile Archos 605 WiFi multimedia player can now get you from A to B. Its new GPS in-car holder links to the vehicle’s built-in sound system through the line-out socket. Satellite navigation instructions are relayed through the head unit and speakers, while mapping is displayed on the 4.3-inch LCD touchscreen.
BMW has been busy with the X3, too. The compact SUV benefits from some subtle revisions inside, with upgraded materials and fresh switchgear.
There are also two new limited-edition versions, badged Lifestyle and Exclusive, which get fresh alloy wheels, interior trim options, new body
colours and storage boxes.
Diehard Subaru fans should prepare to be 'imprezed'!
The Japanese carmaker is launching three new red-hot Imprezas at the British Motorshow, while two other new Subaru models are making UK debuts.
Turning up the heat on the Impreza WRX has created the brand new WRX-S, packing a Prodrive tuned 255bhp motor and upgraded interior.
No warnings, no arguments, it’s straight to jail! That’s the message being sent out to people who persistently text and phone while at the wheel.
The Sentencing Guidelines Council, which advises courts in England and Wales, is behind the new rules that demand stronger punishment for anyone causing a death on the road while using a phone. Harshest sentences will be handed out to drivers who are sending text messages at the time – the guidelines suggest between four and seven years in jail.
There’s no shortage of electric cars at this year's British Motor Show, but none are quite like the stunning Lightning.
Built by the Lightning Car Company, based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, this running prototype combines elegant GT looks with electric power. With styling that has hints of Corvette, Aston Martin and Marcos, the Lightning looks fantastic. And this British firm has big plans to develop its new car into the first fully zero-emissions supercar.
Could this be the hottest supermini ever? Well, bearing the markings of the world’s most famous Italian supercar maker should help!
Suzuki unveiled the Kizashi on its stand at the ExCeL centre, and also announced that the Mondeo rival will hit the road in 2010. The firm also unveiled it’s A-Star concept, first shown at the Mumbai Motor Show in January this year.
The A-Star is a Ford Fiesta-sized machine that hints at an all-new model, due from the Japanese car maker in the next five years. It's likely to be built in India, but the car will sold across the world.
The big news for Nissan at the British Motor Show came in the shape of a more practical version of the Qashqai.
With two extra seats in the rear, the aptly named Qashqai+2 will go on sale in August, and made its public debut at the London expo. Prices will range from £18,000 to £24,000, with buyers having a choice of 2.0-litre petrol or diesel engines. Both all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive only versions will be available, too.
The air is turning TrueBlue for Mercedes at the British Motor Show!
While Mercedes wheeled out a raft of freshly facelifted models, including the SLK coupe, it was the German maker's 'TrueBlue Solutions' being touted most. TrueBlue is the blanket name for the CO2-reducing tech set to appear in future Mercs.
There was nothing little about the red Corvette dominating this year’s show stands.
The awesome ZR1 struck an impressive pose, wedged between its C6 Coupe and Z06 stablemates, both in canary yellow. Due to arrive in the UK in limited numbers and priced around £100,000, the car is powered by a blistering 6.2-litre V8 supercharged engine, capable of 647bhp.
Faster than a Bugatti Veyron and more economical than a Ford Mondeo diesel – this is the IFR Aspid! The new sportscar was unveiled at the British Motor Show and it’s gunning for other high performance two seater roadsters such as the Caterham CSR 260, Donkervoort D8 and the KTM X-Bow – but with more pace and lower fuel consumption.
The lid has been lifted on Honda’s green future! The Japanese firm wowed crowds at the British Motor Show with its stunning OSM (Open Study Model) concept.
Making its world debut here in London, the rakish two-seater points the way toward an eco-friendly successor to the company’s S2000 roadster.
The Land Rover Freelander is under attack by a striking 4x4 from Mazda. This is the stunning new Kazamai, which is due to make its debut at the Moscow Motor Show in August.
These pictures, snapped by our spies in Germany, show an intriguingly undisguised Ford C-MAX undergoing testing, which can mean only one thing - it's a development mule for the all-new C-MAX, due in 2010.
The car will be based on the Focus platform and will share most of the hatchback's engines, though it's not certain whether the 2.5-litre turbocharged unit from the Focus ST will make an apearance. That said, the sucess of the Vauxhall Zafira VXR means Ford could be missing a trick by neglecting to provide a blue oval alternative for Daddy Cool!
AS with computers, watches and music systems, sat-navs are cramming more technology into smaller packages – and this new Navigon 2110 is no exception. But despite its small dimensions, it packs in a big 4.3-inch touchscreen.
The Porsche Cayenne is cleaning up its act! The second generation of the popular SUV has been spied testing ahead of a planned 2010 launch, eight years after the brand’s most controversial model first hit our streets.
Porsche is acknowledging spiralling fuel costs and a falling demand for heavy polluters by adding a hybrid and a diesel to the lineup. The petrol-electric hybrid is expected to be a V8 and will be shared with the Panamera super-saloon, due next year, while the oil-burner will most likely be the 3.0-litre V6 unit found in the Cayenne’s sister-car, the Audi Q7.
British, brash and blindingly fast! This is the Salica GT, a new supercar capable of scorching from 0-60mph in 3.2 seconds and hitting 190mph.
Fans of home-grown exotica might spot a strong similarity with the Noble N400. That’s because the newcomer is based on that very car – so expect sublime handling and ferocious pace.
Volkswagen’s new micro-car, the up!, has come into some problems in the translation from concept to production, Auto Express can reveal. The all-new machine, which was revealed at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, could drop its rear-engined, rear-wheel drive layout in favour of a more conventional front-engined, front-wheel drive configuration.
There’ll be an all-new Mexican flavour at the British Motor Show! Sports car manufacturer Mastretta will be there with its 150mph MXT coupe, the first car ever to be designed and built in Mexico.
It makes its world debut in London on July 22, in ‘penultimate prototype’ form. RHD production is expected to start in January 2009, and is limited to 80 cars per year.
Here are the pictures that prove the brilliant new Ford Fiesta is about to blow its top!
As blue oval’s sensational supermini sets up to wow British Motor Show visitors next week, we can reveal the cabriolet version – which is set to hit the road here in 18 months’ time!
Red Bull ace David Coulthard is not ready to give up racing just yet. Despite announcing his retirement from F1 on the eve of the British GP, the Scot hasn’t ruled out a return to the track.
There’s a bit of good news for motorists – the proposed 2p rise in fuel duty has been postponed.
With petrol or diesel prices rising almost constantly since the budget, an extra 2p a litre would have made things even worse for those regularly filling up. But the government have responded to drivers concerns and stopped the rise in duty that was planned for October.
British Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton is putting his foot down as he aims to capture the Formula One World Championship. The Brit set a blistering pace at pre-event testing in preparation for this weekend’s race at Hockenheim, Germany.
It might not look much like a bella bambino now – but this is the Fiat 500’s baby brother.
As we revealed in Issue 1,013, the firm has plans for a low-CO2 micro-car, reviving memories of the Topolino – and our spies have caught it on the road.
The Eagle has landed – at last! After months of spy shots, Auto Express can finally bring you the first official picture of Lotus' new sports car, known as Project Eagle. The latest incarnation of the Elise, it's a 2+2 that's aimed squarely at Porsche's Cayman with a price tag of around £45,000 and power from a 276bhp 3.5-litre V6 engine.
Honda has lifted the lid on its next S2000 roadster – and it will have you going green! The Honda OSM (Open Study Model) shown in this official sketch will be unveiled at next week’s British Motor Show as an eco-friendly concept car. But the sleek drop-top also gives us a tantalising early look at the forthcoming S2000.
Hot on the heels of the all-new 7-Series, BMW has pulled the wraps off its revamped 3-Series.
Changes to the front end include new lights with LED indicators, revised bumpers, less chrome on the grille and a more distinctive creased bonnet. Fresh, larger mirrors grace the doors, while the restyled rear lamp clusters also include LEDs.
When we tried Furniture Clinic’s Leather Ultra Clean in our Issue 882 test, it didn’t do too well. Now, it’s back – and has been much improved.
The solution is easily worked into the leather, and removes stains well. Once the grime is off, you can apply the company’s Protection Clean, which conditions the hide.
Car makers are letting safety slide when it comes to superminis, crash test experts claim.
Despite the growing popularity of the fuel-efficient small models, only 17 per cent of those on sale in the UK are fitted with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) as standard.
As with mobile phones, each new generation of in-ear hands-free kit seems smaller than the last, and the M11 from Argard continues that trend. The headset weighs 10.5 grammes, and is no bigger than the average car keys.
Italian scooter giant Piaggio continues to push the twist and go boundaries. It pioneered the three-wheeler with its MP3 – and now, it has squeezed an 839cc V-twin into a maxi-scooter frame.
Top portable sat-nav developer TomTom has unveiled the rest of its range to support the flagship Go930T we tested recently (Issue 1,012).
As before, the line-up starts with the entry-level One at £149.99. It has a 3.5-inch screen and is available with European maps or traffic information for additional costs. The XL replaces the One XL. It has the same features as its little brother, but with a 4.3-inch touchscreen, and starts at £179.99. Both feature the new EasyPort mount for removing the sat-nav from the screen with one twist of the wrist.
Peugeot has lifted the lid on its summer star, the Peugeot 308 CC.
With four full-size seats and a large boot, the new 308 CC might just be the practical drop top sun-seekers have been waiting for, offering 3-Series Convertible thrills for a fraction of the cost.
Ever fancied sculpting your own car? What about developing a unique combination of paintwork and interior trim? Well, Mazda’s design bosses have thrown down the gauntlet and set us that very challenge – to design an Auto Express edition of the MX-5.
Forget the Germans and Japanese: it’s Korean models that are in demand! Last year, Hyundai/Kia shifted 3,961,629 cars to become the world’s fifth best seller.
Sometimes the most minor changes can make a major difference - take this Porsche Boxster, for instance, caught testing by our network of spies. The famous Porsche strategy of 'evolving' a car over a long period through continues work is impressively demonstrated here by this sharp looking roadster.
Ferrari's new baby, the California, has been caught outdoors for the first time with its electric folding hard-top down.
Our exclusive new picture reveals the stylish, leather-wrapped interior in full.
The behind-the-scenes dramas at Silverstone failed to distract Lewis Hamilton, as he got his F1 championship challenge back on track with a dominant British GP win.
In a rain-soaked and incident-packed race, the McLaren ace kept his head to finish over a minute ahead of Nick Heidfeld’s BMW Sauber, while Honda’s Rubens Barrichello clinched the final podium place after an inspired drive.
It’s the showdown that every Ford fan has been waiting for – the new Focus RS pitched head-to-head with the legendary Escort Cosworth!
As the car giant releases full details on the RS, Auto Express has brought the Cossie and the hottest Focus yet together for an exclusive photoshoot. So, is the Escort about to lose its crown as the most powerful hatch to come out of Essex? Here’s the answer...
The black and white disguise has been designed to throw us off the scent – but there’s no mistaking this car as the Mercedes SLR McLaren, with its bold headlights and large three-pointed star badge.
Despite sporting more black vinyl than Pete Tong’s record bag, there’s no mistaking the shape of this sleek coupe, caught testing in Italy by our spies. The pronounced wheel arches, steeply sloped bonnet and familiar rear lights tell us this is a Maserati GranTurismo.
A famous Brit is back from the dead! Auto Express can exclusively reveal that the MG TF LE500 – a special-edition run of 500 for the UK – will cost £16,399 each. And that undercuts the equivalent previous-generation TF by nearly £700 – but it’s still more expensive than a basic Mazda MX-5 by the same margin.
Bosses at the ‘new home of British motorsport’, Donington Park, are already putting their plans into action to host the British Grand Prix in 2010.
They unveiled their £100m redevelopment programme as organisers of the grand prix at Silverstone (above) were left reeling in shock by the decision to axe the event. The new 10-year deal was announced by Bernie Ecclestone on the eve of last weekend’s race, ending months of speculation over the future of F1 in the UK.
For those who find sat-nav graphics hard to follow, the new N Drive G800 could be ideal. It uses satellite photos of the road to show exactly where you are.
Only major cities are covered by the system at the moment, although other areas will become available as downloads. Using pictures is a good idea, but the images aren’t quite as clear as conventional graphics. And in 3D mode, tall buildings can obscure the route. Address entry could be better, too – only the first four characters of postcodes are accepted, and it can’t locate house numbers. That is also to be resolved with a download, but disappointingly, our route missed a couple of roundabouts.
Renault has created a 3D dealership online – with a dedicated area for each model. Customers can view cars
such as the Clio, Clio Sport Tourer and Clio Campus side-by-side, rotate each through 360o and watch a demo.
