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8/10/2019 Auto Express Magazine - December 31, 2014 UK
1/92
EKLY
NEWJ GXE
& MW3SERIES
EXCLUSIVEHEAD-TO-HEAD
31Dec 2014- 6Jan 2015No. 1,351 | 2.80
BRITAINSBIGGEST-SELLINGWEEKLYCARMAGAZINE
www.autoexpress.co.u
k
PORSCHES 5 SERIES
We reveal plans for Pajun super saloo
ll the stats that matter as bold
new rit meets its arch rival
HOT-H TCH
SHOOTOUT
a
FREEWALLCH T
VOLVO XC90Full preview & exclusive pics
TESTEDNew lfa MiT
o QV vs SEATIbiza Cupra vs Peugeot 208 GTi
EXCLUSIVE IMAGE
MWI3S
PPLULUSS
TOUGHESTTEST
w rit meets its arch rival
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Perfect grip
Optimum stabilityMaximum water displacement
Excellent handling performance
TH LXRY O ON YR OR OR AON
VRDSTIN QUATRAC5. TH LA NRAION ALL-AON YR OR ANOPIMI PRORMAN IN ALL WAHR ONIION. 3D GRIP CLAW OR PR RIP AN
ALRAION ON NOW AN I. ENHAN ABILIY AN IMPROV HANLIN ON RY RA.
EXRMLY WAR-RIAN HANK O INNOVAIV FLL SILIA COMPON. GRN EU YR LABL:
BNI POPL, H NVIRONMN AN YOR WALL!
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S THE FIRST SIGNOFWINTER APPEARS...
BMW WINTER WHEELS AND TYRES.
M KE THIS THE ONETHAT COUNTS.
ecommended retailpriceis correctat time of going to print andmay changewithout noticeA visit to your BMW Centre is the best way to keep up to date.*RRP includes VAT, but excludes fitting. Your BMW Retailer can give you a quote for fitting.
IMPROVED STOPPING ND OPTIMUM GRIPWITH BMW WINTER TYRES.
Dont let winter compromise your driving experience. B MW Winter Tyres improve safety byreducing braking distances considerably in all winter conditions, as well as lasting longer than
normal tyres at lower temperatures, especially below 7C.
Prices for a set of Winter Wheels and Tyres start from just 752 RRP*, so follow the
signs to your local BMW Centre or visit www.bmw.co.uk/winter-tyres to find out more.
www bmw co uk/winter-tyres
BMW WinterTyres
The Ultimate
Driving Machine
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5/92www.autoexpress.co.uk 31 December20145
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Tell us about your carDriverPower isthe UKsbiggestmotoringsatisfactionsurvey.
Everyyear weneedyouto tellusaboutyourcar.Goodor bad,yourfeedbackhelpsustellEVERYmotormanufacturerwhatYOUwant...andbelieveus, theyre listening!
ITSnotdifficult,is it?Treatyour customersasyouwouldwanttobetreated yourself.
Howaboutstartingwith returningphonecalls the numberone gripein ourDriverPower satisfaction survey?Inspite of the amountofmoneyweall spend
buyingandmaintainingourcars,all toooftenwere treatedwith less courtesy than youmightgetbuyingbakedbeansatyour local supermarket.ncredi ly, out of the 50,000-pluspeoplewhorespondedtooursurvey,oneinfivemadea
complaint about their car and lessthana thirdwere happywith theoutcome.Shocking.Itsclear that the carmakerssee thisasa
bigbattleground. Theyvefinally cottonedontowhatwevebeentelling themfor yearsweremorelikely tobuy fromadealerwhos a pleasure, not a pain, todealwith.Peugeot hasreaped therewards from improving
itsdealers, jumping 17placesin this yearssurveyas thebiggestmover. AndnowSEATs UKboss isusing theresults fromDriverPower2014 tokick-start animprovement fromhisdealers, too andfrankly theres onlyoneway togo fromlastplace!Thisdissatisfactionamongcarowners hasnt
goneunnoticed byHalfords still one of theUKsbiggestmotoringbrands. Asweexclusively revealthisweek, its targeting carownerswhonormallygettheir cars servicedat franchised dealers byofferingthesort of service levelspeopleexpect(but rarelyget) atpriceswellbelow the norm.Whatmanycarowners dontrealise is they
donthave tobe slavesto franchiseddealers tokeeptheirwarrantiesintact. Soif you can get abetterdeal elsewhere,whynot? Good service costs solittle,so letshopemore car
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ST V OWL R
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AUTOEXPRESSROADTESTSAllAutoExpresstestsarecarriedoutat privateproving
groundswherecarsare driventothe limitandperformance
testedusing RacelogicVBoxcomputertiming equipment.
AutoExpressalsoassessesthecarsovermanymilesof
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t
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J GU R
X
vs MW
3 S RI S
To st ryFirst for newsevery week
ITS D-Day in executivecar land.
If the new JaguarXE isto succeed
when it goes on sale in April, theres
nowhere to hide it needs to hit BMWs
class-leading 3 Serieswhere it hurts.
In this crucial part of themarket,
buyersare ledas much by crunchingnumbers astheyare by their eyes and
hearts. So before we get behind the
wheel of anXEprototype atthe end
of January, weve brought together the
twocontenders in an exclusivestudio
shoot to prod, measure andanalyse
every inch (with full specs,opposite),
and helpyou makea fully informed
decisionbetween the two.
Its worth reiterating just how
important the XE is for Jaguar. Its
Indian owner,Tata, has invested 2bn
in brand new technology and facilities
to make JLR a truly modern car company.
A new plant in Wolverhampton hasbeenconstructed to build a range of efficient
new Ingenium engines whichwill power
the XEanda range ofotherJLR cars, and
itsSolihull manufacturing plant now
housesan all-new facility to build the
small Jag. More than3,000jobs in the
UKhave been created off the backof
the XE so failure is not an option.
Fortunately, there areplentyof
potential customersout there.Globally,
thesmall premium market accounts for
1.3million salesannually, and thats
expected to continue growing well into
the end ofthe decade. In the UKin 2013,
BMW sold just under 44,0003 Series,
Mercedes shifted 31,000examplesof
theC-Class andAudi sold 21,000A4s.
A Jaguarexecutive told Auto Express
the company is not looking to topple the
German big three andchasevolume atthecost of residual values. TheXE has
the task of doubling Jags 16,000sales
a year in the UKcurrently,and is seen
bycompany execs asa fourth way for
thenations fleet andprivate buyers,
with the car trading on good looks,
Crucial new Jaguar meets arch rival ahead
of 2015s launch as we reveal all the stats
mesBatchelor [email protected]
JJ
every week
STRIKING LOOKS Sharp newJaguar will certainly stand out on theroad, particularly compared to BMW,which rather fades into background
as its now such a common sight
MEASURING UP Our man Batchelor gets vitalstatistics of XEs boot, and while it trails 3 Series
load bay (left) on capacity, its nearly as long
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OtisClay
EXCLUSIVE
fine handling andbeingmore
of an exclusive choice.
Idont thinkweneed to flood themarketwithXE, explainedJaguarUK
product planningmanagerDamian
Lawton. Were not tryingto beBMW,
but I think there isroom for a new
challenger.We arenotaimingto beat
the 3 Series in the sales charts.
Climb insideand the XEhas
theedge. Thesteeringwheel and
instrumentbinnacleare pinched from
theF-Type sports car,while thecabin
can bebathed ina variety of colours.
Theres a new,slicker touchscreen
infotainmentsystem andthecabin is
wellscrewed together,although the
Jag trails on interior andbootspace ithas 455 litresto the 320ds480.
Park thecars side-by-side, andthe
XE ismoredistinctive.The BMW isno
frump,but looks a bit dour in fleet-
focused EDBusinesstrim.The Jags
nose appears wide (the XE isnearly
JaguarXEPrestige
2.0 163man (auto)Price: 30,775 (32,525)
Monthly lease cost: 301 (312)
Residualvalue:47%(46%)
Annual taxliability:15%(16%)
Annual fuelcost(12k/20kmiles):
883/1,471 (961/1,602)
Annual roadtax: 0 (20)
Fuelconsumption avg:75mpg (68.9mpg)
CO2 emissions:99g/km(106g/km)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl diesel
0-62/topspd: 8.4s/132mph(8.2s/132mph)
Peakpower/revs:161bhp/4,000rpm
Peaktorque/revs:380Nm/1,750-2,500rpm
Transmission:6-spdmanual (8-spdauto)
Fuel tank/range:47 litres/773miles(710)Length/wheelbase:4,672mm/2,835mm
Width/height:1,850/1,416mm
Boot capacity/length/width/depth:
455 litres/1,005mm/1,250mm/653mm
Rearleg/shoulderroom:889mm/1,389mm
MW320dE
Businessman (auto)Price:30,175 (31,725)
Monthly leasecost: 338(355)
Residualvalue: 41%(40%)
Annualtax liability:17%(17%)
Annualfuel cost(12k/20kmiles):
961/1,602 (961/1,602)
Annualroad tax:20(20)
Fuelconsumptionavg:68.9mpg(68.9mpg)
CO2 emissions:109g/km(109g/km)
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl diesel
0-62/topspd:8.0s/143mph(7.9s/140mph)
Peakpower/revs:163bhp/4,000rpm
Peaktorque/revs:380Nm/1,750-2,750rpm
Transmission:6-spdmanual (8-spdauto)
Fuel tank/range:57 litres/861miles (861)Length/wheelbase:4,624mm/2,810mm
Width/height: 1,811mm/1,416mm
Boot capacity/length/width/depth:
480 litres/1,007mm/1,397mm/667mm
Rearleg/shoulder room:892mm/1,400mm
IN DETAIL: XE vs 3 Series
SPACE RACE Rear seat leg
and shoulder room are very
closely matched, with BMW
just about having the edge,
but XE is the wider car here,
which should bring benefits
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Top story JaguarXE vs BMW 3 Series
40mm wider than the3 Series) andleads
along flatter sides to a sleeker rear end.
In fact, fromthe rear three-quarter theresa shade of Audi A5 to the newcomer.
OurXE was a mid-specPrestige.This
sits between SEandR-Sport versions,
and is predicted to be thebest-selling
trim. It also featured thenew Ingenium
2.0-litrediesel, with 161bhpand 380Nm
of torque. It claims75mpg economy,
meetsEuroVI emissions regulations
and emits just99g/kmof CO2.
Meanwhile, the320d ED Business
gets an extra 2bhp from its older EuroV
2.0-litreengine, but also packs 380Nm
of torque. It still promises a respectable
68.9mpg and109g/kmemissions, butis
four-tenthsquicker from0-62mph thanthe Jag.Wereexpecting a faceliftedBMW
in the middleof the year thatll boast
better stats, includinga 99g/km version.
Theres a vastnumber of 3 Series
trims to choose from,with ther nge
kicking off at 25,575 for the 316d ES
with a 2.0-litrediesel. XE prices start at
26,995 for the197bhp2.0-litre turbopetrolSE, andacrossthe range Jaguar
charges a few hundred poundsmore
than for theequivalent BMW, although
theBritish cardoes have more modern
engines andshouldhold itsvalue better.
Forexample, theXE pictured here is
predicted to retain 47 per cent of its new
price after three years and30,000miles,
compared to the320d ED Businesss
40 per cent. This isone of the reasons
Jag thinks the XE willperform strongly in
the fleet sector. It sees the car askey to
plans to grow global fleet andbusiness
sales from 17 per cent currently to
around 25 per cent by2020.And on first impressions, theXE
looks like ithas all thecredentials to
topple the3 Series. Wellfind out
for sure when wedrive the cars
ck-to- ck in thespring.
8 31Decem er2014
STILL WORKS WELLTheres nothing wrong with the 3 Series driver-focused cabin,
with its high-grade plastics and top-quality finish. Business edition offers decent kit, too
HEAD-TO-HEADUnder theskin, new Jaguar looks to have
edge withle ner, more modern
diesel engine, although BMW isnt
that far behind. Driver appeal will
be key, so we cant wait to hit road
SPECIAL FEELAs youd expect
from gu r, theres a real sense of
occasion inside the XE, with slick
touchscreen infotainment and top-
quality materials used throughout
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10/92www.autoexpress.co.uk1031 December2014
News VolvoXC90
The flagship of therange will be the T8
Twin Engine plug-in
hybrid, packing 390bhp
MEET Volvossafest model ever
andoneof 2015smost important
newcars the brand new XC90.
We had the chance toexplore it
beyond the confinesofamotor showfor
the first time, andthecompanys design
manager for exterior,AndersGunnarson,
tooktimeout to showusaround it.
Arguably themost important feature
ofthebigSUVis the way itlooks. It
shows off a new design languageand
one thatwill be seenonVolvos for years
to come. We haveworkedhardat
giving it someconfidence, Gunnarson
toldus. We wanted the XC90 to look
strong not onlybecause it isa strong,
Scandinaviancar, butalso because it is
the face of thefuturewave ofVolvos.
ThebigSUVusesVolvosnewSPA
(ScalableProduct Architecture) platformwhich willunderpina range of carsin
thecomingyears estates, saloonsand
even a coup. Its great for a designer
likemetoworkwitha platform that
encourageswellproportioneddesigns,
said Gunnarson. The oldXC90 looked
top-heavy this doesnt and thats
partlydue to theplatform.
UKcustomerswill able to select
from three trim levels Momentum,
R-Design and Inscriptionwhileunder
thebonnetwillbe a choiceof two 2.0-litre
four-cylinder engines. Buyers canopt
for a twin-turboD5222bhpdiesel ora
turboand supercharged316bhppetrol.Theflagship of the range, though,
will be theT8 Twin Enginepetrolplug-in
hybrid. Packing a stonking 390bhp, the
T8 combines the 2.0-litre four-cylinder
petrolengine nd n ele tri motor,
lassy 90 is ready f SUV heralds new era for Volvo UK order books now open OFFICIAL
Touchscreen dominates classy cabin.
Rear seats take adults up to 5ft 6in
and willemitjust64g/kmofCO2,returning a claimed 104.6mpg.
Inside, a new tablet-likenine-inch
touchscreen takes centre stage, and
there areswathesof wood and leather
with hand-craftedhighlights such asa
crystal-glass gearlever on the hybrid.
Theres a massiveamountof space,
too. Volvo claimsthe rearmost seats
will comfortably accommodate adult
passengersup to5ft6in,andwhenall
theseats arefolded theres amassive
1,900-litrecapacityon offer. Safety
mesBatchelor [email protected]
@JRRBatchelor
JaJa
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Three-cylinder engine News
Nath
anMorgan
r ction
ption in sp ce here ple se
ption sp ce here ple se
ption in sp ce here ple se
Volvo3-cylprototype
QUICK FIXIts taken Volvoless than a yearfrom managementapproval to getthree-cylinderengine prototypeout on test track.We tried it in V40Cross Country andwere impressed
OUR drive was shortand in the
only current prototype, butwith
newinvestment from Chinese
owner, Geely,Volvo is clearly
backon formwhen it comestocreating great engines. Itwas
punchyandenjoyable touse in
our V40Cross Country now
the firmjustneeds tobuild it.
Verdict
FIRST DRIVE New engine shows real potential
NOT content with replacingitsfive,
sixand eight-cylinderengineswith
the2.0four-cylinder thatll be used in
theXC90,Volvohascreated a 1.5-litre
three-cylinderpetrolengine andAuto
Express has drivenanearly prototype.
An in-housecreation,andbasedon
the same500cc-per-cylindermodular
concept as the 2.0-litre four-cylinder
petrol(built on the same line), the
engine went frommanagementapproval to thefirst one running in
48weeks. Its currentlyundergoing
testing, and isslated toappear in the
V40 in the next two years. In time, its
also likely to feature in the S60,V60
andXC60. A three-cylinder dieselwas
considered byVolvo, too, butdeemed
notpremiumenough for itscustomers.
Toavoid the vibrationsassociated
withthree-cylinders,Volvo hastuned
the flywheel andtorsionaldamperto
tryto match therefinementof itslarger
2.0-litre four-cylinder. Andonthemove
theengine is a delight, staying quiet
ata variety of speeds onlyunderhard acceleration andasyounear
the 6,000rpm red line can you hear
thatmuffled three-cylinder thrum.
Volvo isaiming for 95g/kmofCO2in the conventionalthree-cylinder, but
admits theenginecould be adapted
forhybridandplug-in hybriduses to
offer evenmoreeco-friendlymotoring.
Our testwas limited to lapsof a
Swedish trackin a car with studded
tyres, butwewerepleasantlysurprised
athowproduction-readytheengine felt.
Our prototype developedaround
156bhpand wasmore thanwilling to
tackle the tracks slimy tarmacand
steep inclines.Approacha cornerand
thanksto theengines lightness, the
turn-in isdirect. Theres a real senseof
how light the front end is, but our test
was skewedby the way the studdedtyresdancedover the tarmac.
On first impressions, theengine is
a potentialwinner especially if the
economy figures areas lowasVolvo
isaiming for (itassuresus theyll be
class-leading). Volvo justneedsto
beat rivalsand put it into production.
mesBatchelor [email protected]
@JRRBatchelor
JaJam
highlightsinclude twoworldfirsts.
A run-off road protection package
tightens seatbeltsandactivatesenergy-
absorbing tech in theseatswhen the
cardetects challenging terrain ahead.
Autobraking cuts in if a driver pulls
out in front of oncoming traffic.
Order books are openand the rangestartsat45,550. R-Design cars get
underway at 49,050, while Inscription
startsat49,950. Theplug-in T8Twin
Engine isaround14,000more than
theentry-level D5models in each trim.
PAGE18:Volvomotor show shock
VolvoV401.53cylprototype
Price: 21,000 (est)
Engine: 1.5-litre 3cyl turbo
Power: 156bhp
Transmission: Six-speedmanual,front-wheeldrive
0-62mph: 8.5seconds (est)
Top speed: 130mph (est)
Economy: 69mpg (est)
CO2: 95g/km (est)
ON SALE 2016 (est)
BOLD STYLING SUV introduces newdesign language for the company which
is to be used on estates, saloons andmaybe a coup over the next few years.
British XC90 deliveries start in summer Lightweight three-cylengine made our testcar feel quite agile
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AA callouts 2014 News
31December201413
o Finnertyoe_ inner [email protected]
@AE_Consumeroe
Forgetful parents who locked toddlers in cars called the AA 2,410 times in
2014. A host of animals were freed, too, including snakes and guinea pigs
Mondays were the
busiest day for callouts,
with an average of more
than 1,000 extra cases
Automedia
Mer
s new seven-seat SUV spied on test
Newly named GLS takes
over from GL and will
get minor styling tweaks
MERCEDES flagship GL seven-seatSUV
will be rebadged as theGLSfollowing
minor cosmetictweaks and a debut at
heDetroit MotorShow in January.
As our latestspypictures show,
he 4x4 issetto get a light refresh at
he front and rearin a bid tokeep it
ompetitiveagainst theall-new Audi Q7.
Newheadlamps, a revised front grillend restyled front and rear bumpers will
make up thebulkof theexterior changes.
While thereare noshots of the interior,
ubtle cosmetic changes to thedash
ndcentreconsole areexpected.
The engine range isalso likelyto be
SNAKES, raccoons,guineapigs
and toddlers have allbeen
escued by the AA from locked
ars during thepast 12months.
Motorists called the recovery
organisation2,410times aftertheydnadvertently locked theirchildren
n the car, and a further 1,014
imesafter trapping their pets, too.
Thebizarre requestsmake up
ust someof the AAs three million
allouts in2014 andAutoExpress
anexclusively revealsome of the
tories behindthe statistics.
Mark Spowage, AA patrolof the
ear, said: Oneof the moreunusual
alloutswegetis to release animals
ccidentallylocked in thecaror when
heydoa Houdini andescape, often
getting stuckbehind thedash.Weve
adeverything although theyre notlwaysgrateful when we getthem out.
Mondays were the busiest day of the
ear,with anaverage ofmore than 1,000
xtra cases per day.The busiest day of
heyear wasMonday24November,
where the AAdealt with14,501
breakdowncases.Thats up from the
carried over,with only twooptions
available to buyers. The245bhp
3.0-litre BlueTEC dieseland scorching
549bhp twin-turbo 5.5-litreV8petrol
shouldreceive minor efficiency and
performance upgrades.However,
thenip and tuckcouldonlyextend
the life ofMercedesSUV byanother
year or soasa completely new
model is expected in 2017.
2014 daily averageof 9,337.The
longest recovery this year took an AA
van ona 615-mile trip fromMorden,
South London toRoss-shire in the
ScottishHighlands.Markadded:
Althougha breakdown is inconvenient,
itmakes the job worthwhile when
wehelppeopleon their way.
s FIVEMOST OMMON
LLOUT ISSUES IN2014
Ourtable showstheproblemspatrolsmost regularlyhadto sort this year
Batteries 427,586
Tyres 373,746
Lights 131,527
Alternator106,857
Clutch 103,229
Data correct up to8 December.Source: AA
2,410
have lockedchild in a
car, while...
1,014
have locked
a pet in car 40,072incidents of
misfuelling
EVE LE : Stories behind the
stats on AAs craziest callouts Kiddiesandanimals
freed fromcabins
Around threemillion
callouts over 12months
SPIED
615mileslongestrecovery
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14/92www.autoexpress.co.uk1431 December2014
News MINI sports car
on th nBurnon [email protected]
@Jonathan_burn
JonJon
MINI could introduce
the Superleggera as a
flagship replacement for
the Coup and RoadsterLeaked shot from European patent office appears to suggest car will be made
Roadside drug-dr v t sts rollout
MINI sports car mystery deepens
ROADSIDEdrugs testswill be rolledout
across England andWales from 2015 as
partof a crackdown ondrug-driving.
TheGovernmentsaysdrivers wont
know if theyllbe breathalysed,given a
drugstest orbothwhenpolicestopthem.
Groundbreakingnew drugalysers,
recently givenHomeOfficeapproval,will
take salivasamples andanalyse them
immediatelyfor cannabis andcocaine.
Legalhighs arentdetectable yet, though.
At present, officershave to arrest
suspectsand take themto a policestation to undergo time-consuming
blood tests conductedundermedical
supervision. Toavoiddetection,many
would argue theywereunable togive
a blood sampleformedical reasons or
dueto religiousbeliefs wasting time
A PRODUCTION version of the
MINISuperleggeraVision concept
is edgingever closer following the
emergenceof a mysteriousdrawing,
reported tobe filed byMINI at
theEuropeanpatentoffice.
Although thecompany has yet to give
thetwo-seat roadster thego-ahead for
production, thedrawing showswhat
looksto beplansfor a showroommodel.
MINI has deniedanyconnection
with themysterious image,but it
certainly showshowa productionversion of theconcept could look,
with a folding fabricroof,door handles
andrestyledwing mirrors alladded.
Bespoke styling cues from the
originalSuperleggeraVision concept
can still be pickedout, however, such
as thesubtlyembossedbonnet, flared
wheelarches and gaping grille.
Thenews follows theannouncement
fromMINIbossPeterSchwarzenbauer
earlier this year that thebrands range
willbe cutfromeight to five coremodels.
Thecurrent MINI CoupandRoadster
will be axed,while thePaceman also
looks set tobe dropped to cut costsandstreamline theproductportfolio. Its
thoughtMINI could introducetheopen-
topSuperleggera to complement the
andallowing the drugs to leave their
system.With thedrugalyserson the
streets, that loophole hasbeen closed.
The kitswill support the new drug
offence, coming into force inMarch,but
theyllbe in usealmost immediately.
Theannouncementfollowson from
our NoDrink,NoDoubt campaign that
calls ondrivers not to drinkat all if they
plan on getting behind thewheel.
Policingminister Mike Penning said
mostmotorists had the sameviewof
drug-driving as of drink-driving, adding:TheGovernment is determinedto
drive this menacefrom our roads.
Thosewhotake the wheelwhile
under the influenceof drugsputtheir
own livesat risk, plus those of innocent
motoristsand their passengers.
five core modelsasa flagship
replacement forboth theCoup and
Roadster.A MINI insider revealed aproductionmodel isbetween one to two
years away if approvedby theboard.
Likea superhero, each of these cars
has itsownpersonality andunique
capabilities, saidSchwarzenbauer
talking abouthisvision of five coreMINIs.
It is important to find theright balance
between growth andprofitability.
A newCountryman andClubman will
join the three and five-doorhatch, with
a new Convertible alsoset tobe added.
Patent sketch emerges
Hints at production roadster
COOL CONCEPTSuperleggera Visionmade its debut
in Italy last May,
and speculation
has been feverish
since regarding the
possibility of a
production version
NOO
R NKR NK
NO
DOUBT
DIY breathalysers are common, but police are getting roadside drug test kits
OFFICIAL
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News Halfords servicing plan
1631 December2014
X LUSIV
utocentre network
is set to grow from around 300 to 320 and will feature Apple Store-like pods and wifi
Routine servicing work is pretty
much the same. The big difference is
the price the customer has charged
ndyRandallManaging Director of Halfords Autocentre
i
o
a
k
Autocentre net
Routi
much t
the pri
Andy Ra
New 40m Q for entley
alfords makes bid to muscle
into dealer servicing market
Mega Juke storms inNISSANS Juke NismoRS is available to order now,
pricedfrom21,995. Thatmakes itaround5,000less
than theVW Golf GTI, which italmostmatches forpower.
Thecurrent 19,995 Juke Nismo boasts197bhp.
For theRS, Nissanhas boosted the 1.6 DiG-T petrol
engine to215bhp, while torquealsoincreases to
280Nmforthe front-wheel-drivemanual.The4WDauto
gets the same250Nm asbefore. The Golfhas 217bhp.
ThemanualNismo does 0-62mphin seven
seconds, rising to eight seconds forthe 4WDcar.
Image shows
how BentleySUV could look
and itll be
built at newly
expanded
Crewe HQ
BENTLEYhas announced plans forthe
biggest site development in itshistory,
including a newR&Dcentre, expanding
theCrewe HQaspartofa 40million
investmentprogramme.
The facilitieswillbe home to the new
Bentley V, due in2016,a car whichwill
share a platformwith Audisnew Q7.
TheBentleywas previewedat the
2012 GenevaMotorShow, and is likely
to cost more than 140,000, rivalling
the likesof the long-wheelbase Range
Rover.More detailswill be revealed in2015, but its likelyto offer a choiceof
W12 and V8petrol engines,with the
optionofdieselandhybrid tech, too.
The 11-acre Cheshire-based facility
will house1,300Bentley staff, including
designers,R&Dofficersand technical
HALFORDS is urgingownersof
under-warranty cars to turn their
backs on franchiseddealerworkshops,
which dominate the 10 billion-a-
year automotive aftercare market.
The invitation to consumers to defect
to the Halfords Autocentre network
followsAuto Express latest Driver
Power survey, in which many dealernetworks were severely criticised.
Blockexemption rules mean that
ownersof cars still under manufacturer
warrantiescanhave them serviced at
independent workshops. And Andy
Randall, Managing Director of Halfords
Autocentre, believes that it canoffer that
alternative.Routine servicing workis
prettymuch the same, whether its
carried outby qualified Autocentre
technicians or those employed by
workshops attached to franchised
dealers. The bigdifference is the
price the customer is charged.
Randall claimshiscustomersenjoy pricesup to
40 per cent lower than those
charged by official dealers.
Yet onlyhighly trained
technicians are employed,
and allwork is guaranteed.
The Autocentre network
not to be confused with
Halfords shops will be
320-strong by the end
of 2015. The plan isfor
professionals.Workon thenewsite is
scheduled to start early theNewYear.WolfgangDrheimer, chairman and
CEO,said:With our newR&D centre,
wewill develop a newgenerationof
Bentleys,which will continue our
commitment of luxury, performance,
qualityand engineeringexcellence.
receptionists and their desks to be
replaced by hosts standing alongside
Apple Store-like pods. Waiting areas will
feature wifi, plus iPads forcustomersto watch their cars being serviced.
And a motoristwho books their car in
for an Autocentre servicecan, free of
charge, ask for it to be collected in the
morning, then returned later in the day.
A National FranchisedDealers
Association spokeswoman said:I think
dealers would step up to this. Franchised
dealers are underpinned by fully trained
technicians with the best level of tools.
PAGE90:ReadRutherfordsview
Autocentre network expands Boss claims prices are lower
Image s owsrofessionals. Workon thenewsite is
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18/92www.autoexpress.co.uk1831 December2014
News Porsche Pajun
orsches b by n m
Exclusive images show the
look of striking new Pajun
A PORSCHE insider has confirmed
that a newmid-sizesportssaloon,
believed tobecalledPajun, isin the
developmentandplanning stage. Itsa car thatsbeen rumoured for some
time, but thecompany is finally ready
to expand its line-up to sevenmodels.
Ourexclusive imagesshowhowthe
Pajun (short forPanamera junior) could
look. Our source toldus its more likea
911 witha boot rather thana shrunken
Panamera, but isexpected to resemble
itsbiggerbrother, just as theMacanhas
echoes of theCayenne in itsdesign.
A Porsche spokesmanclaimed the
brand is still deciding on themarketing
strategy for thePajun in termsof pricing
andperformance levels, soweshouldnt
expect tosee a productionmodelon
sale before2018. However, a predicted
entry point of just under 50,000 would
put the car squarely in themix with
theMaseratiGhibli, aswell asmore
powerful BMW5Seriesmodels.
WolfgangHatz, thePorscheboard
member in charge of researchanddevelopment, recently confirmedto
us that the brand isworking ona
completely new platform for the
Panamerawhichoffersa lotof
opportunities for newmodels.
CalledMSB, theplatform ishighly
likely tounderpin thesmaller Pajun.
Hatz also said energy efficiency
is everythingas emissions regulations
get stricter. So the Pajun is likely to get
a rangeof smaller four-cylinder engines
alongside theVWGroups existing
New turbo 458 up anOURspieshave caughtFerrari testing
the458M ahead of its launch nextyear.
The light camouflage reveals that the
turbochargedsupercarwill geta new
exhaust systemwith two instead of the
existing 458s three signaturepipes.A
newbumper isalso expected toboost
aerodynamicsandhigh-speed handling.
Changes at the front are less obvious
thanks to thedisguise, but the458M
could get new headlamps anda lightly
tweaked front end. Theslits behind thelights remain,asdo the flexible rubber
winglets in the front bumper.
Enginedetailswillbe confirmedcloser
to thecars launch, but itsclear Ferrari
will favour theturbo route with thenew
458M.Thecompany hasalready fitted
theCalifornia T witha 552bhp3.8-litre
V8 turbo, and this sameengine is likely
topowerthenew car albeitin a higher
state of tune. Itll replace thecurrent
naturally aspirated4.5-litreV8, andhike
power from 562bhp to650bhp-plus.
However, the torque increaseswould
play havocwiththecurrent carsGetrag
seven-speeddual-clutch gearbox, so its
likelyengineerswill be tweaking this to
copewith theextrahorsepower, too.
Ferrari insiders told us to expect thecarat Marchs GenevaMotorShow,but
it could bedelayed untilFrankfurt in the
autumn if thedevelopment team needs
moretime.As the 458M issetto raise
the bar when it arrives nextyear, Ferrari
clearlywants to getit absolutelyright.
3.0-litreV6TDIdiesel. A V6petrolturbo
with around400bhp is also expected,
asis a plug-in hybrid similar to the
PanameraS E-Hybridsset-up.
Despite thiseco focus, driver-focused
GTS andPajunTurbosupersaloonsare
almostcertain,with the latter set to
offer performance to rival theBMWM5.
Volvos shock motor show KOVOLVOhasannouncedthatitwill no longer attend themajorityof the
worlds leadingmotor shows, such as Frankfurt, Tokyo andParis,as it focuses insteadon improvingits onlinepresence.
TheChinese-owned brand is lookingto cutspending on trade shows,
sportssponsorships andTVadvertising in favourof other marketing.
Salesandmarketing VPAlainVissersaid: Were still a relatively small
playerglobally...Werenot going towinbydoing thesame asothersdo.
wrence Allan [email protected]
Concept Estate
was displayed
at Geneva this
y r
, but Volvo
is set to scale
down motor
show debuts
EXCLUSIVEIMOur images show look of new
Pajun. Its set to get four-cyl,
V6 and hybrid power
Source said its more
911 with a boot thana shrunken PanameraPo
bl ete
Automedia
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19/9231December 201419
Porsche PajunNews
r t king sh p
running
est new cars of
2015 previewed
THE JaguarXE, Honda Civic Type R
(above) andVolvo XC90aresome
of the excitingnewcars wewillbe
filming over the next12months. Ifyou cant wait tosee our reviews
and wecan barelywait toproduce
them then the preview video
weve put together of thehottest
newmodelsdue inshowrooms in
2015 shouldwhet your appetite.
Porsche 911 vs
Bentley Conti GT
BENTLEYSContinental GT has
twiceasmany cylindersas the
Porsche911Carrera,anddelivers
more than500bhp to the road
through allfour wheels. Butits
heavier and, as its theprevious-
generation model,older.So which
car isfaster ina straight line?
ON THE ROAD Spies
caught new Ferrari 458 M
on test, and light disguise
at rear cant hide new twin
exhausts, which replace
stacked triple set-up
Ferrari will
favour the turbo
route with the
458 M, using a
version of the
orniaTs V8
Youcan watchany of ourvideos
onyour phone
Simply scan
this QRcode.
AS 2014 comes to a close,werelookingahead to next year witha preview of the hottest new carscoming in2015. Also thisweekatautoexpress.co.uk/vi os,our drag race seriescontinues.
t
@mat_watson
THEnew GT3 RS iscloser toPorsche dealers thanthe Pajun (above), asourspies have caught itontest ahead of a possible revealnext summer. Andits setto be themost extreme roadgoing911ever.
Marking it outfromthe GT3 are a wider trackwith more flared bodywork, plusan aggressivefront splitter and deeper air intakes. At the rearisa huge wing. Like the previous GT3 RS,expecta lightweight, stripped-out interior.The RS will
use theGT3s 3.8-litre flat-six,butwith a powerhike from 469bhptoaround 500bhpanda higherrev limit.That, along with reduced weight, shouldcut the 0-62mph time tobelow3.5 seconds. Itslikely to be offered with the PDKautobox only.
Before we see the GT3 RS,Porsche has twomore stripped-out road racersup itssleevetheCaymanandBoxster GT4models, which areexpected to debut at Marchs GenevaMotorShow.
ES
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Automedia
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tchdog
We get behind the stories that affect you
2031 December2014
ADVICEWhat should you do if it happens to you?
SE
STUDY
uyers dism yed t problem on new c r andt m kers sluggish response
CATCHINGa red light ataclear junctioncanbe very
frustrating andoften setsthetone fora miserablejourney.Imagine, then, traffic signals
beingturnedoff outside rush
hour, helping vehiclestoflowthroughempty streets.Thats theproposalwhich
ToryMP SirGregKnight(left)put forward aspartof anideatocutback onqueues andcongestion. AnMPinterestedinassistingmotorists?Iknow, mostunlikely, isnt it?Part-timesignalsarealready
inuse intheUK often atbusyroundaboutsbutis it feasibletoswitchoff othersignalswhentheyre notneeded?
bviously , thesafety
implicationsneedto beconsidered turningoff trafficlightsat junctionsthatarebusyatalltimesisntbeneficial atall.Insomeplaces, though, theupsideof a switch-off ishuge.Asidefrom improvingtraffic
flow, therewouldbea positiveenvironmental impact.Electricityusagewouldreduce,plus carswouldspend less timeidling, cuttingemissions.Its beendone inother
countriesin EuropeandNorthAmerica, sowhynothere, too?
adly , theresponse fromtheGovernmentabout a seeminglysensible ideawas, asusual,lessthanencouraging.Ministerssaid theylllookinto it,but eventhis tentativestepisntlikely tohappenuntilafternextyearsGeneralElection,as politiciansdown toolsandprepare tosavetheir jobs. In themeantime,were left stuckat thelights.
oFinnertydea toswitchoff traff iclightshas realmerit,
but wont happen soon
Two-day-old udi 1
in brake fault shockCall to switch signalsoff to cut traffic jams
Imagine turningoff traffic signalsoutside rush hour,easing congestion
Warning lights f lashed
up on the A1s dashboard
just two days after delivery
WHEN rejecting a car, it can often be
hard to prove the fault was there at the
time of manufacture andthatitsnot fit
for purpose the two key points for
achieving a successful rejection.
But forSteven McCormackand his
daughter Fiona, it wassimple there
were problems with her Audi A1 just two
days after they picked it up from Audi
Kings Lynn in Norfolk. Little proof wasneeded because as soon as the warning
lightscame on,Steven, of Richmond,
N Yorks, returned the car to his dealer,
AudiTeesside, to get it checked out.
It spenttwo weeks in the garage
before it wasfinally decided that there
was an issue with the ABS control unit.
Unfortunately, staff couldnt find a fix.
Steven demanded a replacement car
free of faultshavingspent thousandson
thenew Audi, butdidnt get anywhere.
He contacted Auto Express and told
us:The customer service is rubbish.
I dont expectto havea new car that
needs a major repair after two days.
Its been an absolute nightmare.
With no dispute over the car being
under warranty or thefault developing
due to driving style, we felt Audi should
be doing all it could to compensate the
McCormacks. So,we contacted Audi
and a spokesman confirmed it had
provided a courtesy car for Fiona and
was trying to source a newA1, too.
A few weeks later, Audi confirmedit had been successful. The spokesman
added: By way of an apology, Audi will
replace Miss McCormacks A1 with a
new model, upgraded toS line
specification to compensate for
the inconvenience caused.
Thiswasnt the end of the story,
though, as we spoke to Steven, who
said hed agreed to stump up extra for
the upgrade. We pushed Audi further
and it confirmed there wasno charge.
Steven said: Mydaughter is delighted.
Audi appreciated the disappointment
and hasrecovered the situation.
THEMcCormackscase for rejectingtheir carandgetting a replacementwas oneof
thestrongestweve had. Theywereable toprovethe A1wasnt fitfor purpose and
hada manufacturing fault.Audialso agreedit couldnt be fixed.If youcan provethis,
buta makerwontbudge, contactMotor Codesor theAuto ExpressWatchdog team.
A MINISTER hascalledfor the
Governmentto consider turning off
some traffic signalsin a bid tocut
queuesat non-rushhour times.
Conservative MP for EastYorkshire,
SirGreg Knight, urged theGovernment
to follow theleadof othercountries andturn offcertain signalsto prevent
thousandsofmotoristsbeing stuckin
traffic jamsfor no reasonwhatsoever.
Knightasked transportminister John
Hayes,whosebriefincludesnational
roads: Are youaware that thousands
ofmotorists travellingat non-rushhour
times often find themselves stuckin a
traffic jamat traffic lights forno reason
whatsoever?Hayes said there were no
plans to implementthe idea, but that
theGovernmentwould look intoit. [email protected]
@AE_Consumer
Joe Finnerty
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Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.ukDRIVING DOCTORPaul Ripleywww.drd.uk.com @drpaulripley
Inbox What do you think?Contact Chris Ebbs
[email protected] @AutoExpressWriteto: Watchdog/Letters,Auto Express, Dennis Publishing,30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD
river left stranded
by cancelled deposit
HOT TOPICEuro NCAP test changes
Its time to raise the
UK driving age to 18Hot - lass should be
called Silver Arrows
FROM:Shaun34 CREATING a two-tier scoring system(Issue 1,347) will make crash
testing far too complex. Euro NCAP tests should be about how well cars protectoccupants in the eventof a crash, not how good they are at avoiding them.
These safety systems may be great when the cars arenew, butwhat happens
a few years down the line? What happens when the third, fourth or even fifth
owner hasskimped on servicing, and is driving on worn brakeswith cheaptyres?
Autonomous braking is reliant on the serviceability of the brakes and tyres,
so you cant say its a five-star car if itsnot working to its maximum level.
FROM:Norman Hawkes IVEread a great
deal recently about how to reduce
accidents among young drivers. But
what Ive never seen is the suggestion
we fall in line with the rest of Europe and
raise the minimum age for driving cars
to 18. Why has no one suggested this
so far? Surely its a no-brainer and
would reduce accidents straight away.
FROM:Mike Spencer I AGREEwith AMG
boss Tobias Moers (Issue 1,347) that an
uprated, street fighter version of the
A45 AMG should not be called Black
Series. What about the Mercedes-AMG
A45 Silver Arrows instead? That works
for me, particularly after the F1 finale
in Abu Dhabi. A new city car for world
champ Lewis Hamilton, perhaps?
FROM:Dean Lock I REALLY love the
modern interior ofthe new Mazda 2
(Issue 1,345). I hope that Ford takes
note and modernisesthe Fiestas
interior soon. Mazda has proven that
itcanbe done ona small car atthe
same price point. So get on it, Ford
and then I can justifyspending my
hard-earned money on a FiestaST.
FROM:David Hutchins IN addition to the
Driving Doctors comments on night
driving (Issue 1,345), I recently found
out from my optician that if you wear
glasses with reactive lenses that
darken in sunlight, they are now
considered unsafe for night driving.
The yellow tinted over-glasses are
also not considered safe, either.
Mazda 2 is showing
Fiesta the way aheadKnowyour glasses
for night-time driving
Its too complex. What
would have been wrong
with just going from five
stars, to six and then
seven? PeteRichardson
People will pay
attention as long as its
simple to understand,
otherwise consumers
will lose interest.Nicko
This move to tiered
rankings suggests that
safety is becoming a
privilege of wealthy
car owners.Trellis
Under new
NCAP rules,
only cars
with kit like
autobrake
will be able to
get five stars
DOyou knowthe basicsof traffic
signs?What shapearewarning signs?
What about those that give usorders?
Andwhyaresomedifferent colours?If you dont knowthe answers to these
simplequestions, youd fail thedriving
theory test. Andif the answerwas no
to any of the above, taketimeto refresh
yourmind.Traffic signs giveusvaluable
information that allowsus to drive safely
andplan forwhat will happenahead.
TOPTIP: If usedproperly, traffic signsenhanceyour safetyand awareness.
DVLA CASHES IN ON DRIVERS
THEDVLA hasmade nearly22million inthepast four-and-a-half yearsselling
drivers details to parking enforcement
firms.The incomehas risenannually, with
the agencyset tomake7.3m thisyear.
This information includesdrivers
namesandaddresses,aswell asvehicle
details, and isoftenused bycompanies
to issueandcollect fines.Approved
companiesarecharged2.50 a time
but the DVLAclaims that it doesnt
makea profit on the service.
Reader left with big loan and no car as deposit is cancelled
ONCE youve secured a
deal on a car,you often leave
a deposit with a view to pay
he full amount later.Mark
Parkin, from Barnsley, S Yorks,
paid 450 for a Mitsubishi
200 Warrior at franchised
dealer Montys, in Sheffield.
He hoped to pay the rest
after selling hisexisting car
and sorting a loan. But justdays after doing both, he
eceived hisdeposit back in
he post with no explanation.
He called Montys and was
old the L200 had been sold
at auction. A gearbox issue
had been found and it was
decided it wasnt suitable for
private sale. Mark said: Im
ow left with loan repayments
and Ive sold my other car.
We contacted Mitsubishi,
which said it couldnt help
because it was a dispute
between dealer and customer.A spokeswoman told us:
The sales agent did not
ommunicate the decision
oMr Parkinas hewason
annual leave at the time.
Montys has written to Mr
Parkin and apologised for
ot notifying him earlier.
Marksaid he would be
aking the case further, and
may pursue losses through
he small claims court.
Dealer returned deposit on L200, but
didnt keep buyer properly informed
Joe Finnerty
ContactsHE followingprovide helpwith
motoring problems.Someervices are free, others chargefeeor operate on premium-
ate lines (p), while some offerdvicefor members only (m).
Legal
AA: 0906 010 1300 (p)RAC: 0870 5533 533 (m)Which?: 01992 822 800Consumer Direct:0845 404 0506Local Trading StandardsLocal CitizensAdvice Bureau
Used car inspections
AA: 0800 085 3007RAC: 0800 085 2529
Technical advice
AA: 0870 606 1619 (m)
Driving licences
DVLA: 0300 790 6801
Car registration/history
HPI: 01722 422422AA: 0800 316 3564DVLA: 0300 790 6802RAC: 0800 975 5867
Traffic informationAA: 09003 401100 (p)RAC:09003 444999 (p)
Problems with dealersMotor Codes:0800 692 0825RMIF: 0845 839 9205 (m)Scottish Motor TradeAssociation:0131 331 5510
Problems with makersMotorCodes: 08006920825
Financial problems
Financial Ombudsman:0800 023 4567
Safety concerns/recalls
Vehicle and OperatorServices Agency (VOSA):0117 954 3300
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22/922231 December2014
nsi estoryA dif ferent take on the world of motoring
k r
the road to
READYFORACTION X-raid uses MINI All4 Racing for the 2015 Dakar lly, with NaniRoma (pictured far right with co-driver Michel Prin) hoping for a second consecutive win
ur man joins the X-Raid akar Rally team on its boot campOur man joins the X-Raid Dakar Rally team on its boot camp
in tenerife, as it prepares for 2015s instalment of one ofin tenerife, as it prepares for 2015s instalment of one of
the most demanding races in the world of motorsportthe most demanding races in the world of motorsport
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nry Willis [email protected]
@WineryHills
TEAM BONDING From the DakarRally stars to the support crew, every
member of the outfit takes part in the
demanding exercises... as did our man Willis
THEphysical rigours of theDakarRally arealmost
unparalleled inmotorsport.Entrants are faced
withcoveringup to500miles a day more than5,000
n total over13days in Januaryacrossvarious types
of terrain.The demanding eventis now held in the
eat andhostilityofSouthAmerica each year, so its
ital that theparticipantsmaintainpeak fitness levels.
To see justhow hard the drivershave toworkto
tay in shape,weheaded toTenerife tocatch upwith
heX-raid team,which is using theCanaryIslandsastraining base in thebuild-up to2015sDakar Rally
whichkicks offnextweek inBuenosAires, Argentina.
With warmweather andundulating, savage
andscapes, the tourist trapmakes for the ideal
preparation grounddue to its relatively close
proximity to the teamsGermany base.Most of
X-raids resourcesare kept at their Frankfurt HQ,
includingthe race-tunedMINI All4 Racingcars and
equipment that will cross theAtlantic tohelp drivers
tackle theDakar. Membersof theX-raid outfitare
stationedallover theworld,butTenerife acts asa
remotebase, where a variety of activities await the
team andeveryone isencouraged toget involved.
Frommaindriver, Nani Roma who won 2014s
Dakar Rally to chiefoverseer andboss,Sven
Quandt, right down to travelling mechanicsand
supportcrew, everymemberof the group chips inand
takespart in thephysically demandingyet team
morale-boosting tasks, ranging frommountain bikingtodancing.We wentalong tosee what it involves.
Upearly on the first activityday,weweredriven
high up tooneof Tenerifes lofty vantage points for
a morning of cycling.Only a short distanceseparated
us fromMount Teide a dormant volcano and the
highest point inSpain and aswe spotted snowon
thepeak, it emphasised thebitingcold andthin
air thatweweregoing toencounter thatday.
Bikes weredishedout toeverymember of the
team,andthree different routeswere served
depending on each riders level of cycling ability.
A shorter20km (12-mile) version was selected
fornovices, 35km (22miles)awaited intermediates
and anelite few including Roma opted for
the60km (37-mile) off-roadmega ride.
I chose the 20kmroute and found the ridenot
toophysically demanding, butquite technical with
an emphasis onhandling that wouldprove a useful
pointer to theexpertvehicle control that driverswillsoonbeputting touse inSouth America.And itwasnt
just a fitness test italsotuned teamwork, asa pre-
designedroute had beendrawn on toa map,and all
threeteamswereresponsible for theirownnavigation.
For Roma, thisis a small part of keeping in shape
for the exertion thathell faceat the wheel ofhis MINI
We spotted snow on the top of MountTeide, emphasising the biting cold and
thin air that we were going to encounter
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24/92www.autoexpress.co.uk2431 December 2014
Inside story
As the end drew nearer and I beganto feel a little weary, it was clear
to me just how much the Dakar Rallyracers put their bodies through
Dakar car. For me, physical training began in August,
and fromthen onwe gohard, hesaid.I doquitea
lotof road cycling, mountain biking, running and
even cross-countryskiing to keepfit. Occasionally,
I go swimming because its a non-impactsport.
Whats as important to Roma, though, is that he
knows andcan relyon the team around him come
the beginning of the race. Around now [at the endof November], we startto wrap everything up on the
physical side, because its important to focus on team
building which is whywere here, he explained.
Upon finishing, we headed to TenerifeTop Training
a training facility open only to sports teamsand
used by some of Englands leading football clubs.
An evening of dancing ensued at a nearby dance
school, much to the amusement,and occasional
embarrassment, of the team. What looked like a
bit of fun was muchmore than that, too.Thiswas
another exercise that demanded high fitness
levelsand provided even more team bonding.
Allthe time the team spendstogether is valuable
as, excluding the four or five races they enter each
year, theyre together for only28 days. One weekof
that is spent on theSpanish island,so organisers
were keen to packin as manyactivities as possible
which meant that everyone was heaved out of bed
early the next morning to go rock climbing.
Again, Tenerife was the perfect host for thisday of
physical exertion. No man-made climbing walls were
needed as natural gorgesand rock faces made for theperfectsetting. Just like the biking, this required on-
the-spot thinking, as team members hadto pick out
fixing pointsand where to secure ropes before relying
on their ownjudgement to scale the surfaces.
Thefollowing day,and with the odd strain and
pain, it wastime to becomeacquainted with nature
once more in a day of hiking up anddownthe islands
spectacular landscape. Taking in even moreofTenerife,
the typical warmer climeswere scrapped in favour of
returning to high altitude formore multi-mile exercise.
Before the trip wound down, the team squeezed in
some sailing. Leaving the cold mountain heights and
soaking up theTenerife sunin thesea, theX-raid outfit
built up relationships and gotto know one another
furtherwhile working together to steer andsail a boat.Astheend drewnearer and I began tofeel a little
weary from the physical exertions, it wasclear to
me justhow muchthe Dakar Rally racers put their
bodies through. Butwhat wasmore apparent is just
how muchthe team around them does and how
important the internal trust and relationships are.
MORALE BOOSTWhile activities
such as sailing,
hiking and mountain
climbing are a
physical test, they
succeed in bringing
team closer together
History of TH WORL SMOST GRUELLING RACETHEDakar Rallybegan life asan endurance
race back in1979, going from Paris,
France, allthe way toDakar,Senegal,
byland. The dash toAfrica had its last
outing in2007due tosecurity fears in
Mauritania, which bordersSenegal, and
lies inbetween the startand end points.
Asmuchas the rally could haveskirtedaroundMauritania, itwasdecidedbest to
missa year in2008. The Dakar Rally was
then reborn in2009, but on the other side
of theAtlantic, inSouthAmerica, and its
been held on thecontinentever since.
Countries such asArgentinaandPeru
best replicatethe Africanterrainwith
sand dunesandother testing conditions.
In Dakars inauguralyear,only heavily
adapted rally cars entered as they
were the onlyones that could cope
with theelementsandgroundsurfaces.
But in 1980,motorbike andtruck
categorieswere addedandhave remained
since. Main X-raiddriverNaniRomahaswonboth carandmotorbike events.
Therace isntwithout itscontroversy,
andit is thought thataround60people
have lost their lives asa direct result
of theDakarRally most of them
participants,butalsosome spectators, too.
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8/10/2019 Auto Express Magazine - December 31, 2014 UK
25/92
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8/10/2019 Auto Express Magazine - December 31, 2014 UK
26/922631 December2014
risEbbs [email protected]
REGRESE R HREG RESEARCHBuying a plate is
simple enough at a
DVLA auction, and
many celebrities,
such as Tamara
Ecclestone, have
taken the plunge.
But selling is a
trickier business
and its important
to do your research
initials and nameplatestend to sell pretty easily,as its likely that someonewith the same name as you isafter a personalised plate
Rex
Inside storyextra
w1ll5Karona7d
beck5Ache7se
G TTINGGETTINGP RSONRSON
S LLING P RSON Lised PL T can be an extremely luSELLING A PERSONALised PLATE can be an extremely luc
PERSONALISED numberplates are
bigbusiness. In fact, theirestimated
worth in the UK in2012was 2.3billion,
and inNovember2014, the plate 25 O
sold fora record-breaking518,000at
a DriverandVehicleLicensingAgency
(DVLA) auction.With allthatmoney
available, could it be the right time
tocash inonyour own investment?
The first part of the process isgetting
a valuation foryour plate beware,
though, as this isnt an exact science.
Plates area reallyhard thing tovalue.
Evenafter 30years ofdoing it, wecould
get fiveor six peoplewhomight value
onedifferently, r transfers.co.uks John
Dohertytold us. Thepriceswould be in
a similar ballpark, but slightlydifferent.
Essentially, a plate isworthwhat
someone iswilling topay for it.Remember,every platehas a particular
audience, andwhatsvaluabletoyou
might not be to the nextperson. Generic
initialsandnameplates tend to sell
prettyeasily, as its likely that someone
else in the countryhas the samename
asyouand isafter a personalisedplate.
PopularityOne thingwell lookat is thepopularity
of the nameand initialsona plate. You
couldhave something like 8 JJJ, which
looksgood, buthowmany peoplehave
theinitials JJJ? Doherty added. Its also
worthseeingwhatelse ison themarket.If there are 20or30similar plates, then
thevaluation is going tobe less.
The speed ofa sale can vary, too.
Funny phrasesmay bea littleharder to
moveon, astheywont be toeveryones
taste, while plates that aredifficult to
decipherwill take even longer to sell.
We never givea guideline onhow
long itwilltake to sell a plate, but if
they arepopular initials andnamesand
there is amarket, they will goquicker.
However,wordsandcomical phrases
thatpeoplehavecomeupwith
notsomuch,explainedDoherty.
Whathedoesagree on, though, isthat ifyou are looking to sell a plate,
therearentmany places that youcan
go. The options forsellers arevery
limited, andthats theproblem. The
DVLAsells newlypublishedplates, but
forsecond-hand ones, youneedtogo
through a dealeror put anad out so,
theres verylittle choice, Dohertysaid.
To help you get themostfor your
plate,Auto Express has rundown the
topoptions forselling, togetherwith the
pros andconsofeachmethod(far right).
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27/9231December201427
ejayzpo5hn
S1Dinorom4n
iantvroveu
att ive business. eres how you c n c sh inive business. Heres how you can cash in
TH OPTIONS FOR
SELLING YOUR PLATE
Specialist companiesONE of the easiest ways to sell your plate is
to take it to a specialist company, such as
regtransfers.co.u ,nationalnumbers.co.uk
orbritishcarregstrations.co.u , which will
advertise your plate and look for a buyer.
However, this method does have its
flaws. Youll have to pay, as companiesoften charge a fee for selling the plate,
plus theres no definitive way of
knowing the valuation youre
given is what the plate is worth.
Auction websitesANOTHER way of selling your plate is through
an auction site like eBay. This way you can
put a reserve on your item to ensure that
youre getting what you think its worth.
As with anything on this kind of
website, though, getting the right buyer
is often down to luck. Choosing to take
your plate to an auction means youwont be able to guarantee a sale
or that the plate will get anywhere
near your reserve price, either.
Private saleIF youre not keen on relying on other firms
or websites to shift your plate and you
dont want to pass on part of the earnings,
you can always advertise it yourself.
Therell be an initial outlay for advertising,
whether its online at sites like Gumtree or
in local ads, but this is likely to be lower
than the cost of using other methods. The
main issue is that people may not see
the ad, and therefore youre unlikely to
get the same volume of prospective buyers.
uying a
personalised plateBUYING a personalised plate is more
straightforward than selling one, and
theres money to be made in the long
run, too, as Doherty explains: There is
an investment value. If you buy wisely,
you can end up making a good profit.
To get your hands on one, the first
place to look is the DVLA. It holdsnumerous auctions throughout the year,
where they sell newly published plates,
although these tend to be relevant to the
plate changes for March and September.
For other plates, you can go to auction
sites, dealers or look for private ads.
Of course, youllneed to find the ones
that arerelevant to you andwhatyou
are after, which will be more difficult.
Dealers, on the other hand, offer a
search facility on their websites, so you
can find ones that workwithyourname
or initials. After that,itsup toyou to bid
the price you think the plateis worth.
If youre successful in buyingyourplate of choice, youll need to inform
the DVLA using the V750 certificate
of entitlement or V778 retention
document along with your V5C.
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ewc rs
Visit autoexpress.co.ukfor the latest new cars and drives
MERCEDESB200
B-Classgets a facelift
to keep it competitive
against Active Tourer.
30
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introducebytheendof2017
FIRST UKDRIVE Supermini is stylishand spacious, but not much fun to drive
In such a conservativelystyled sect
r
, the 20
sdesign is bold enoughto really stand out
HYUNDAISmodel line-up is topped
andtailed with brilliance.Welove
the Santa Feand the i10, and now its
time for the restof the range to catch
up.Themission startswith thehugely
importantnew i20supermini, whichhasto challenge thebrilliantVW Polo and
Ford Fiesta, aswell asnewcomers such
as theVauxhall CorsaandMazda 2.
Theall-newmodel is a bigdeparture
from the outgoing i20 in terms of
design, practicality anddesirability
all havebeen improved tohelp
widen itscustomer base andmake
thecara genuine classcontender.
Visually, thenewcomer is very
different from itspredecessor, giving the
i20 a welcome doseof style. In sucha
conservative sector, itsboldenough
to reallystandout, with raked-back
LEDheadlamps, Hyundais trademarkhexagonal grille and a blacked-out
C-pillar the standout features.
Whatsnot sonew istheenginerange.
All of the i20s units havebeencarried
over from itspredecessor, albeitwith
minor efficiency tweaks to bring them in
line with Euro VI emissions regulations.
Wetried the99bhp1.4-litrepetrol
engine, which is capable of returning
51.4mpg nothing towrite home about
when compared to rivals. Next to
thesimilarlypriced60.1mpg Polo
with its89bhp1.2-litrepetrolengine,
the i20 looks tobe ratherbehind the
times,and this is highlighted further
by its 127g/km CO2 figure the
VWisfar cleaner at just107g/km.
Performance is prettymediocre, too.
Unlike turbocharged rivals, you reallyhave to extend the engine toget
anythingout of it, and even then
theres not a great dealonoffer.
You wont findmoreperformance
elsewhere in theengine range,with a
smaller and lesser-powered1.25-litre
petrolanda pair of sluggish diesel
units being your only options. Next year,
a much needed1.0-litre three-cylinder
turbowill arriveandalready it looks
likely tobe the pickof the range.
The ride isalsoa bit ofa mixed bag.
Its generally OK, but a bit bumpy
andoccasionallyuncomfortableat
lower speeds, particularly whentravelling aroundtown. Its betteron
themotorway, butnever feels quite
assettled as thePolo,whichseems
oddconsidering comfort-enhancing
featureswere oneofHyundaisfocal
pointswhen developing thenewmodel.
Dont think that thetrade-off is
nimble handling, either. The steering
isnicelyweighted andresponsive
enough, but its nowhere near as
muchfun asa Fiestas orMazda 2s.
Its notallbad news, though, especially
when it comes tomore practical
matters. Hyundai has deliveredon
its promise of providingclass-leading
interior space, asthe newmodel is
longer, lower andwider than its
predecessor,and isnowthe
largest superminion themarket.
Whether in the front or rear, theres
masses of headroom,while the24mm
thathas beenadded to the width ofthe car means three adults can sit
prettycomfortably in theback.
A 326-litreboot is31 litres larger than
before and one of themostspacious in
itsclass.The cleverpackaging also
means the rearseats can be folded
completely flat, freeingup1,042litres.
Build quality is strong, but, in spite
ofa decentkit count, the lackof
a smart, integrated touchscreenand
navigation system,which supermini
buyershave becomeaccustomed to
andrivalsoffer, couldputpeopleoff.
Hyundai will offer a factory-fit option
for lessthan1,000onPremium andPremiumSEmodelsfromnext year.
As a class first,Hyundai has also
introduceda full-length panoramic
roofon the i20. It doesimpacton
headroom,butgiven theamountof
spaceonoffer, its barelynoticeable.
Hyundai i20
on th [email protected]
@Jonathan_burn
JonJonat
Performance is mediocre
1.4 engine needs to
be worked hard
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29/9231December201429
OtisClay
VW POLO GTI
DoesDSGtransmission
hamper the funfactor
on juniorhothatch?
TESLA MODEL S
Whyopting for entry-
level 60kWhwont
leaveyoushortchanged.
AUDIA1 1.4 TFSI
Turbo engine proves
tobe a goodfitfor
premium supermini.
ELECTRICMPV
Nissanse-NV200
Combi offers space
andeco credentials.
33 35 36 38
Interior ist y ,
with headroom
a real plus, and
rear seats are
very spacious.The 16-inch
alloys make for
an occasionally
bumpy ride
THE new Hyundai i20is a goodcar
in a marketwhere justbeing good
isnt quite enough. Interior room is
itsstrongestsuit, as rear seat and
boot spacearevery impressive,
whilequalityand a strongkit count
also appeal.But rivalsaremore
comfortable, moreengaging to
drive and, crucially, moreefficient.A new,greener 1.0-litre turbo
three-cylinderpetrol engine
willarrive nextyear, andit
cant come soon enough.
PRACTICALITYi20 is one of themost practical superminis around. The
326-litre boot is larger than Ford Focuss,
while wide rear bench can fit three adults
EQUIPMENT Lack of integratedtouchscreen is disappointing, but
one will be offered on Premium and
Premium SE models. Bluetooth and
air-con do come as standard, though
Verdict
Essentials
Hyundai i20Price: 14,325
Engine: 1.4-litre4cylpetrol
Power: 99bhp
Transmission: Six-speedmanual,front-wheeldrive
0-62mph: 11.6 seconds
Top speed: 114mph
Economy: 51.3mpg
CO2: 127g/km
ON SALE Now
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Mercedes B-Class New cars
Essentials
Verdict
nt bumper nd he dlights re
new, plus grille iswider. Diesel isethargic, but dash has quality feel
PRACTICALITYThere are no changes
to the boot space for the facelifted B-Class.
The 486-litre luggage area still eclipses the
Ford C-MAXs 471-litre capacity, and when
you fold the rear seats the Mercedes
load bay expands to 1,545 litres
REAR SEATSSpecify the Easy
Vario package from the options list
and you get 60:40 split-folding rear
seats that slide back and forth,
allowing you to sacrifice legroom
for more boot space and vice-versa
THEtweaks help theB-Class
keep upwith newer rivals. An
evenmore efficientB180 CDI
Eco model isavailable,with
CO2 emissions of 95g/km,
but thisB200CDI isthepick
of therange,with just enoughpower tomakedriving it fun.
Ultimately theB-Class is about
practicality, though, and in that
respect its asgood asever.
MercedesB200CDISportPrice: 25,695
Engine: 2.1-litre4cyl turbodiesel
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Transmission: Seven-speedauto,front-wheeldrive
0-62mph: 9.8 seconds
Top speed: 130mph
Economy: 70.6mpg
CO2: 107g/km
ON SALE Now
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w cars
31December201433
VolkswagenPoloGTIFIRSTDRIVEWe see if DSG auto box detracts from hot hatch fun
WHILE the updatedVolkswagen
PoloGTI isnow available witha
manualbox asdriven in Issue 1,349,heres still a seven-speedDSG auto for
hosewho liketo givetheir left foota rest.
Aswith themanual, power comesfrom
new1.8-litre turbo producing189bhp
nd 320Nmof torque.TheDSGmodel
smarginally slower than themanual;
t trailsby two-tenths from 0-62mph,
aking6.9seconds, although on the
oad youd behard-pressed tonotice.
TheDSG comeswith steeringwheel
paddles, and the transmissiondelivers
quickshiftsin manualmode. Letthe
lectronicsdo thework andtheseven-
peed boxmanages tobe in the right
gear at the right time. At fullthrottle thexhaust emits a distinctiveupshift rasp,
urtherenhancedby theoptionalSport
packwhichhas a special speaker to
pump extra enginenoise into thecabin.
Claimed DSG economy is 47.9mpg,
ompared to47.1mpg for themanual
VWPoloGTI5drDSGPrice: 20,725
Engine: 1.8-litre4cyl turbo
Power: 189bhp
Transmission: Seven-spd twin-clutchauto, front-wheel drive
0-62mph: 6.9 seconds
Top speed: 142mph
Economy: 47.9mpg
CO2: 139g/km
ON SALE Now
STYLING Among the upgrades arethis subtle roofspo l r , a red stripe
across front grille, a more aggressive
front bumper and deeper side sills
WHEELS These 17-inch alloys arestandard, while the XDS+ electronic
diff brakes the inside front wheel to
boost traction and reduce understeer
EQUIPMENT Touchscreen is fit tedas standard, while options include
two-stage adaptive dampers, LED
headlights and a sports button
BYoffering manualandDSG
boxes,plus three and five-door
options, thePoloGTIhas allits
rivalscovered. If youmust have
anautohothatch,theDSGis a far
betteroptionthanRenaultsports
twin-clutch Clio. It delivers rapidgearshifts, andis great touse in
manualmode, although theGTI
lacks that last degreeofdriving
fun tomake it a clear class leader.
car these figures are better than
those for theRenaultsportClio auto,
which returns 44.8mpg and144g/km.In corners, thestandardXDS+
electronic diff gives theGTI fargreater
ability thanmost of itssuperminihot
hatch rivals, with plentyof front-endgrip
andminimal understeer. Theres little
body roll, butwhile thesuspension is
stiff its in nowayuncomfortablewhen
youre taking it easy, and the hot Polo is
asaccomplishedas thebiggerGolf GTI
when it comes to cruisingcomfort.
Aswith themanual car,plentyof
design tweaks help theGTI stand out
from thestandard Polo. Thehoneycomb
grillewithredpinstripes, bigger bumpers
and17-inch alloysare identical to themanuals,while inside theonly change
is a differentgear selector andpaddles
behind thesteering wheel.The tartan
clothandredstitching on thesteering
wheel andgear gaitergive the shrunken
Golf GTI look tomatch itsperformance.
Box delivers slick shifts, and Polo grips
hard in bends; cabin full of GTI touches
Essentials
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TeslaModel S 60kWh New cars
TeslaModelS60kWhFIRST DRIVE Entry-level electric exec still delivers huge 298bhp
PeteGibson
UNTILTeslasModel X arrives next
year, and theall-electric3 Seriesival appears in 2017, the60kWh
ersion of its Model S isthe entry point
nto ownership. At 50,335 after the
Government grant, it costs19,000
ess than the flagship P85+. So,what
does the base Model S missout on?
Well,notmuch. Themain difference
esbeneath its floor, witha lesspowerful
298bhpelectric motor (the flagship
boasts410bhp) anda smaller battery
pack, dropping the range from 310
miles to a still impressive 215miles.
Performance will rival a Porsche
Boxster.You dont even have to fumble
bout with keys or starterbuttons, asheModel S detects your presence and
urns itselfon.Simply selectdrive,
gentlysqueeze thethrottle andtheTesla
wiftly glidesaway. Floor it andyoullget
TeslaModelS60kWhPrice: 50,335 (after5,000
Government grant)
Engine: Electric motor
Power: 298bhp
Transmission: Single-speed,
rear-wheel drive0-62mph: 5.9seconds
Top speed: 120mph
Range: 215 miles
ON SALE Now
PRACTICALITYAs theres notransmission tunnel, the Model S
feels incredibly spacious inside
especially for those in the back
RANGE The 298bhp versionmakes do with a 215-mile electric
range, but in the real world that
figure is more like 160 miles
EQUIPMENT All of the Teslasfunctions are controlled via the huge
17-inch, iPad-style touchscreen that
comes as standard on all models
THEModelSs refinement,
performanceand practicality
always impress. A more forgiving
set-upandaccessiblepricepoint
make this 60kWh version amore
obtainable real-world prospectthanthe flagship.Butonly
withamore comprehensive
recharginginfrastructurewill
it be describedas faultless.
from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds,but it
feels infinitely quicker as theres no
delay whatsoever in thepower delivery.
Perhaps even more impressive is the
Teslas overtakingability. Its perfect
for joining a motorway or passing
dawdling motorists, with the instanthitof torquepropelling youforward.
Ease offand theModel S transforms
itself into an effortlessly compliantand
relaxing cruiser. The60kWh car comes
Well equipped cabin lives up to Model
Ss billing as