Table of contents for 1761 in Auto Express

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk WHILE the ID. Xtreme (left) is a showcase for the future of the ID. line-up, the roll-out of Volkswagen’s electric family continues with the ID.7 saloon. The German firm revealed its forthcoming Tesla Model 3 rival at the Consumer Electronics Show 2023 in Las Vegas, US and confirmed it would use the ID.7 name, but has stopped short of showing the vehicle’s full design. However, VW has outlined some key technical details of this sixth member of the ID. family. Firstly, the ID.7 is targeting a claimed range of 435 miles. The brand says that “efficient aerodynamics help to reduce the drag coefficient” and therefore boost the new car’s range, but it’s not yet known if this figure means that the ID.7 will be equipped with VW’s 77kWh (usable)…

BRITISH customers may yet be offered the same high-performance kit that helped the Porsche Taycan to set a production EV lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The kit, comprising wider Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres and recalibrated suspension, helped a Turbo S set a time of seven minutes, 33 seconds, eclipsing Tesla’s Model S Plaid to become the fastest EV around the circuit. Auto Express has sampled the changes from the passenger seat, and can report that the car changes direction faster and has more grip. However, while the set-up is available in Germany for around £12k, Porsche says that it is “still evaluating” it for other markets.…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● American EV to offer clever use of space and 310-mile range FISKER’S second model in its line-up has been spied in the open. Called the PEAR (Personal Electric Automotive Revolution), the new electric city car was spotted testing recently and will boast some radical features when it’s unveiled fully. With US prices confirmed from $29,900, Fisker is targeting a price of around £25,000 in the UK for the innovative machine. “Use of space on a car this size is going to be key,” company founder Henrik Fisker said. “The features and the car are going to be completely different. The way you get into the trunk – I call it the Houdini trunk, nobody has ever done it that way before.” Fisker stopped short of fully revealing how…

Matt_Robinson@autovia.co.uk @matt_201 VOLKSWAGEN has long been seen as a sensible brand, but around half a century ago, it was just a little too dull for its own good. The once-astonishing popularity of the Beetle had long since started to wane, and the company’s range was looking not just boring, but also outdated, with much of the line-up still using rear-mounted, air-cooled boxer engines. VW was making some steps in the right direction; for instance, the first-generation Passat, which arrived in 1973 with Audi 80-borrowed underpinnings including a longitudinally mounted, water-cooled inline-four engine. It wasn’t until the next year, however, that the firm’s transformation for the future began in earnest. The change in direction wasn’t spearheaded by the Golf, however, as many might think. The first-generation version of the iconic family…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE new GranTurismo Folgore – which means ‘lightning’ in Italian – is a crucial new car for Maserati. Why? Because the allelectric powertrain that sits beneath its elegant new nose, then runs all the way beneath its aluminium floor and stylish new body will – eventually – become the only type of powertrain available in a Maserati, once fossil-fuelled cars have left the building sometime in the next decade. So the brand needs to get it right, no excuses. For the time being, the Folgore will go on sale alongside V6-engined versions of the all-new GranTurismo, so that by 2025 all new Maseratis will be offered with a choice of either electric or V6-petrol propulsion. The version we’re driving here is a late-stage pre-production car with a non-representative dashboard,…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk “The Duster acquits itself well when compared with cars costing half as much again” WHILE new-car prices are rising for all brands, Dacia’s focus on value means its products are more appealing to a broader group of people. With the recently revised Duster starting from a still-low £15,295, despite Dacia adding an extra dash of lifestyle focus, does it still make sense as an inflation-busting new car? Absolutely. The main updates focus on Dacia’s rebrand. It knows its customers and their active lifestyles, so is moving the brand in this direction, and as such, its model range for 2023 receives a fresh look. You’ll first notice Dacia’s new ‘link’ logo, which combines the D and C for a smarter badge, surrounded by fresh grille inserts finished in the same…

Running costs 31.3mpg (on test) £80 fill-up/£165 or 37% tax Practicality Boot capacity 226 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.3 seconds/140mph MODEL TESTED: Toyota GR86 PRICE: £29,995 ENGINE: 2.4-litre 4cyl, 231bhp THE GR86 range is simple – there’s a choice of a manual or an automatic gearbox (the latter is a £2,090 option) and one of six colours. The Ice Silver paint of this test car is £645 extra, which added to a base price of £29,995, brings the total to £30,640. Design & engineering THAT list price really jumps out as being quite cheap for a modern performance car. Once you look through the specs, it seems almost too good to be true. Toyota started the development of the GR86 with its predecessor, the GT86. The R rides on the…

TOYOTA 1st WE crowned the Toyota GR86 our favourite sports car of 2022 (Issue 1,759), and this contest proves exactly why. The chassis is almost flawless; it’s brilliant to drive yet not difficult to live with in the slightest. It’s more than quick enough, it’s backed up by a great warranty and rarity is guaranteed. Then there’s the price; all of this for under 30 grand makes it an absolute bargain. BMW 2nd IN most of the areas which don’t contribute driving thrills – rear-seat space, boot capacity and infotainment tech – the BMW has a clear advantage over the Toyota. Against most competition, it would hold its own from behind the wheel, too. However, against a car so brilliant to drive, the 230i can’t quite keep up. It’s also much more…

Darren_Wilson@autovia.co.uk Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 160/565/1,807 litres CHRISTMAS may well be the time for giving, but this year (unfortunately for me) it was a time for taking, because my time with the Dacia Jogger came to an end. It will be missed. Our seven-seat superhero has just departed, taking with it all the versatility and practicality anyone could ever want over the festive period. Not that we haven’t made the most of it over our six-month loan spell. With my large family, I’ve been able to test the full range of seating combinations. From collecting my new granddaughter from hospital, along with her mum and dad plus their bags and buggies, through to a post-Covid staycation in the Peak District. Moving seven adults isn’t a problem with the Jogger. There…

SAVE 43% ON THE SHOP PRICE After your initial 6 issue trial, your subscription will continue at £28.99 every 13 issues representing a saving of 43% on the shop price. FREE DELIVERY Never miss an issue with every copy delivered straight to your doorstep. FULLY FLEXIBLE You are able to cancel at any time using a dedicated customer portal or by getting in touch. YOUR FREE GIFT Money is tight, make your screenwash go further with a free gift of CarPlan Demon Shot Screenwash Booster. Demon Shot is a new, innovative screenwash booster from CarPlan. Demon Shot can either be diluted with water or used neat to boost your existing screenwash temperature, meaning it is ideal for emergency or routine top ups. One bottle of Demon Shot makes up to…

NEW PRODUCT Boulies Master Series gaming and office chairs Price: £279.99 Contact: boulies.co.uk IF your New Year’s resolution for 2023 was to finally get a purpose-built chair for the home office that could also double up for console driving games, then the latest range from British manufacturer Boulies could help you keep it. Using minimalist colours and finished with top-quality upholstery, the Master Series range looks like it belongs in a home office rather than a teenager’s bedroom. Buyers are able to choose from two materials: Ultraflex PU and a water-repellent fabric. According to Boulies, the Ultraflex artificial leather is durable, soft and comfortable, plus it’s paired with microfibre suede “similar to that used in sports cars”. Perforations also allow the material to breathe. The alternative has a water-repellent coating applied…

Ferrari 1960-65: The Hallowed Years William Huon (Evro Publishing, evropublishing.com) Price: £75 Rating: ONLY a brand with Ferrari’s history could devote a book of this size to just five years’ racing. Casual readers are likely to find the sheer detail a bit of an information overload, but it’s beautifully produced and loaded with great photos that alone probably make this worthwhile for a serious fan. Motor Coaches and Charabancs James Taylor (Shire Library, bloomsbury.com) Price: £8.99 Rating: THIS introduction to coach travel in the UK is brief but engaging. Like other Shire books, it could be an interesting addition for those who want to step away from reading about stunning sports cars and fancy something a bit more utilitarian. But as usual, we got to the end and wished for rather…

CO2 /tax 117-147g/km £155 Running costs 42-51mpg (2.0 Skyactiv-G) £80 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.4 seconds/122mph MAZDA is an unusual company; while it produces cars that look distinctive, are fun to drive, reliable and very well made, it’s not the most visible brand. The firm deserves a higher profile, not least of all because it’s in that semi-premium twilight zone; it’s neither mainstream nor truly premium, much like Volkswagen. But while branding is important to some, for most it’s the ownership experience that really matters, and that’s something that the Mazda 3 seems to have well covered. We ran a Mazda 3 2.0 Skyactiv-X GT Sport for 10,000 miles and loved it, revelling in its user-friendly infotainment system, sharp handling and gearchange, plus those glorious looks. More muscle from the non-turbo…

The new Auto Express free car valuation tool will give you an accurate price based on the latest UK car market data, fast. WHY VALUE YOUR CAR WITH AUTO EXPRESS? EASY, FAST & FREE Input a car registration number, add a few other details, then click through to your valuation. FOR BUYERS & SELLERS Get relevant part exchange, private sale or dealer forecourt prices, depending on your buying or selling status. A PRICE YOU CAN TRUST Prices are updated live from the latest UK car market data for a true guide to any car’s value right now. ENTER YOUR REGISTRATION NOW! Scan with your smartphone to receive an instant valuation…

IN case you hadn’t noticed, it’s already 2023, which means we’re now only seven years away from the most significant and controversial deadline in motoring history. Yup, 2030 is when the UK Government bans the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. Yikes! So if you haven’t already started to clue yourself up on the sort of electric vehicle life you’ll ‘inevitably’ (or maybe not) be forced to soon buy into, now might be a good time to begin. I drove my first pure-EV (a Vauxhall/Bedford van) in 1982, my last one (the strangely appealing Volkswagen ID. Buzz) in December 2022. During the four-decade gap in between, I’ve driven hundreds of other EVs. So I know what it’s like to live with them day to day. Broadly, the vehicles and…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● Petrol, diesel and pure-electric power for larger premium SUV, with different powertrains set to be based on different platforms FOLLOWING BMW’s latest X1 compact crossover growing in size, the German company is readying a new, larger X3 SUV for launch in the next few years that will offer more space and practicality, a smarter cabin filled with more technology and, crucially, a wider choice of powertrains. This decision from BMW to retain combustion-engined options alongside an all-new iX3 EV will mean the new X3 family will be underpinned by two platforms. As our two exclusive images show, in combustion-engined form the X3 will retain BMW’s more conservative approach to styling, with a relatively traditional kidney grille set-up compared with cars in its line-up such as the 4 Series/i4…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk “It pays homage to designs of old, including the Zagato TZ and Junior Zagato models” ITALIAN coachbuilder Zagato has revealed its new custom creation, the Giulia SWB Zagato. It’s based on the hardcore Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm super-saloon, but Zagato says development and production were done entirely in house. The new Giulia SWB Zagato pays homage to designs of old, including the Zagato TZ and Junior Zagato models, with a Kammback-style tail. Almost every body panel has been remodelled and constructed from carbon fibre, which means the SWB should weigh less than the 1,520kg GTAm. The new car’s overall proportions are far removed from those of the Alfa Romeo Giulia saloon on which it’s based, with the Zagato’s swoopy body featuring just two doors compared with the saloon’s four.…

SAFETY targets for detecting stranded vehicles on the Britain’s smart motorways are being missed, according to regulator, the Office of Rail and Road. Data shows that the detection rate on all-lane running smart motorways is as low as 59.6 per cent, with the best of National Highways five regions reaching 79.6 per cent compared with a target of 80 per cent. The findings also show that the aim of detecting stopped vehicles in less than 20 seconds is being missed, with regions’ average times ranging from 43 to 65 seconds, impacting safety.…

RESEARCHERS at the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School are developing an online cognitive testing platform for assessing older-driver safety. The SENSOR study starting this year will look at healthy older people and those with dementia. It is hoped the platform can be used by GPs to support licence renewals following diagnosis of medical conditions that must be notified to the DVLA. “Cognitive changes are very common with dementia, but they also happen with age. We’ve developed tests for how people navigate, and their spatial orientation and awareness,” said Michael Hornberger, professor of applied dementia research. “At the moment assessments are very subjective, and this will help doctors make much better decisions as to whether a driver needs to undergo further assessment if they’re to continue driving safely.” Older…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy THIS time last year, we thought the automotive industry would once again be on the up, having weathered the storms of Covid and component supply. However, the war in Ukraine prolonged this last point even further, and logistical issues meant dealer showrooms weren’t as well stocked as buyers would have hoped. Still, it didn’t stop the unveiling of new models – and 2023 will be no different, with a glut of hotly anticipated fresh models tipped to break cover. We’ve picked out 23 of the best newcomers of 2023, from the biggest and most important SUVs and family models to some special sports cars and performance models that still have petrol power at their heart, be it supported by some form of electrification or not. Of course, electric cars…

Running costs 32.5mpg (on test) £83 fill-up/£520 or 35% tax Practicality Boot capacity 390 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.9 seconds/155mph MODEL TESTED: BMW 230i M Sport PRICE: £40,420 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 242bhp PRICES for the BMW 230i are much higher than its rival here. Before options, the M Sport trim costs £42,420. This test car adds £7,495 of options on top of that, including the M Sport Pro pack (£2,500) with M Sport brakes, 19-inch alloys, a small spoiler, black trim highlights and a Harman Kardon sound system. The Comfort Pack (£1,250) adds a heated steering wheel and electrically adjustable seats, while the Tech Plus Pack (£1,900) includes wireless smartphone charging, a 3D parking assistant and a head-up display. Design & engineering MUCH like the other models in the 2…

STYLING THE GR86 sports a very traditional coupé shape: low, sleek, and with a swooping roofline. It’s compact and fairly modest compared with many other performance cars. In the silver of our test model, you could almost call it subtle. The BMW’s three-box design is more of a two-door saloon than a traditional coupé. It’s certainly the brawnier of this pairing, while the shape offers hints of BMW’s E30 M3. GEARBOXES THE 230i gets an eight-speed auto gearbox as standard. It shifts smoothly enough in everyday driving, but when you’re pushing on, it can take a while to kick down. It’s not as responsive as the best systems of its type when you take control via the steering wheel-mounted paddles, either. The Toyota’s six-speed manual adds a dimension that its…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.8 secs/112mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 510/1,560 litres “There’s a lot to be said for the way the BMW simply blended into family life” WE’RE all looking for ways to save money at the moment, whether that’s switching off unused appliances around the house, changing the way we shop, or walking to work more often. As the saying goes: look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves. I appreciate there’s a certain irony to what I’m saying, given that I’m writing about a £60k+ electric SUV that even on a three-year BMW Finance PCP plan costs the best part of £1,000 per month. But hear me out. While delving deep into the BMW iX3’s infotainment sub-menus, I recently noticed a small…

MINI designer takes time with Cosmos TOP automotive designer Frank Stephenson has entered the world of exclusive timepieces with Cosmos, his first watch collection. Designed with watchmakers Time Concepts, Cosmos “blends expertise in futuristic new-age mobility with a passion for design excellence” and is inspired by space. The watch has a stainless steel case, an original font for the numbers and a silicone strap, while the movement is a Japanese quartz affair. It’s the first in a trilogy of watches inspired by air, sea, and land. The limited-run offerings cost $250 (about £203) from szantotime.com. Wallbox installation offered on Amazon BUYING and installing a Wallbox home EV charger just got easier, because the brand has teamed up with Amazon, so customers can buy their device and arrange fitting on the shopping…

THE tech may date back to the sixties, but there are still enough cars with halogen bulbs to justify the continued arms race to increase light output and safety. In our last H7 test, just one of the single-filament bulbs claimed a 200 per cent increase over a standard version, but now all the top players have a bulb delivering twice the required light at some point within the beam. So which has embraced the latest technology the best? We enlisted the help of Philips’ light tunnel in Aachen, Germany, via Microsoft Teams to find out. With the very limited number of firms capable of operating at the highest level, we also looked at a standard bulb to see how far the tech has come and the compromises needed to…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● One-off concept pumps up the power with 382bhp maximum ● Car tests the waters for future development of ID. line-up AS concept cars go, the Volkswagen ID. Xtreme isn’t as much of a pie-in-the-sky machine as some. For a start, it moves under its own power – which means Auto Express can get behind the wheel. The ID. Xtreme is based on a second-life ID.4 GTX prototype, so there’s an element of sustainability to this project. It’s equipped with a 77kWh battery, and the GTX’s output has been increased from 295bhp to 382bhp – quite a leap, with the rear motor receiving the biggest upgrade. This development drive unit pumps out 275bhp on its own, while the front-mounted 107bhp motor is unchanged. This extra power and only a…

FOLLOWING its announcement earlier this year that it would focus more on luxury models and profit margins, Mercedes is readying an all-new replacement for its A-Class that could be called the EQA saloon. Mercedes CEO Ola Kallenius previously said that “the entry point to the Mercedes brand in the future will be a different one than today”. That was in reference to a new MMA architecture that will underpin a new car launching by 2024, when we’re likely to see this fresh EV model. This early prototype clearly shows a saloon body, and it’s thought that some elements from the firm’s experimental EQXX concept – such as 3D-printed parts – could trickle down in production form. Mercedes’s new MB.OS infotainment should also make its debut.…

AEHRA gives inside line on its new SUV AFTER revealing its SUV’s exterior, new brand AEHRA has unveiled the interior (above), with a full-width screen. In Drive mode, the screen sits lower down, displaying key driving data, while the outer areas show images from the digital wing mirrors. When the SUV is parked, the screen can be set higher, turning the car into “a theatre or office”. A secondary control screen is mounted lower down in the centre of the dash. DVLA reveals reasons for revoking licences IN 2022, the DVLA made almost 700,000 decisions on medical licence renewals, with just over nine per cent (10,935) resulting in licences being revoked. The top reasons for revoking licences were: Visual (10.55 per cent); High-risk offender (8.29 per cent); Diabetes insulin (3.48…

We want to hear your views. Send your questions or opinions to the E-mail address below Contact Tristan Shale-Hester mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC Jeep Avenger FROM: Dave Staniforth I WAS led to believe this was going to cost close to £30,000, not nearer £40,000. An estimated £38,000 price tag puts it as a rival to cars I would consider a class above – the Avenger is looking like a very expensive small SUV. Disappointing and a bad move. FROM: KKaEV I CAN’T help but laugh at the 249-mile WLTP range. That means it probably manages less than 200 miles at motorway speeds, so will only really be useful around town. It’s a shame, because I was hoping for a new, larger battery. Stellantis needs to improve the range of its…

BE prepared for a long wait, because Mk1 Sciroccos are very hard to come by, with few survivors. At the time of writing, we found just one for sale in the whole country, which was described as a “project”. When examples do crop up, they tend to cost more than £10,000. Rust is the biggest enemy, so check any prospective Scirocco pretty much everywhere for tin worm, especially the front and rear wings. The fuel tank filler neck can be a particular problem, because if it succumbs to rust, you could end up with contaminated fuel. The engines are relatively simple and quite robust, but you still want to buy a car that has a full service history. The parts supply is generally decent, helped by how much of the…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn WHILE the likes of Mitsubishi, Nissan and Mercedes have abandoned the pick-up sector in the UK, the Isuzu D-Max is still going strong. It faces competition from the Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and new Volkswagen Amarok (Issue 1,759), but the ace up the D-Max’s sleeve is the sheer variety of models that Isuzu offers. And its show stopper is the Arctic Trucks AT35. Built in conjunction with Icelandic off-road specialist Arctic Trucks, the AT35 is so-called because that’s the diameter of the all-terrain tyres that it rides on. These oversized treads (315/70 on 17-inch black alloys) require a bit of modification to get them to fit, so a Bilstein suspension system is installed. This comprises new springs and dampers, plus a chassis lift that means the AT35 is…

Toyota GR86 Eight-inch multimedia Key features: Apple CarPlay IF you want to find your way around using the GR86’s infotainment system, you’re going to need a smartphone; there’s no built-in navigation in this very basic set-up. Still, it’s easy to connect either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and they’re displayed on an eight-inch screen. It’s a shame that Toyota’s latest infotainment tech, which is slicker and prettier than what’s fitted here, isn’t available. Like the rest of the cabin, the tech is basic, but is good enough. Ahead of the driver, there’s a seven-inch fully digital instrument panel. For the most part, this looks like a regular set of analogue clocks, with a large rev counter front and centre, including trip, fuel and temperature readouts on either side. Engage Track…

NEW: Mazda MX-5 RF 2.0 Exclusive Line PRICE: £32,360 ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 181bhp THE MX-5 is built on the same principles as the GR86, featuring modest power, a low kerbweight, rear-wheel drive, and only the equipment you need. The targa-style RF adds coupé-like security thanks to its retractable hard-top, too. USED: BMW M2 Competition PRICE: £40k (2019/19) ENGINE: 3.0l 6cyl, 404bhp FOR similar money to a lightly-optioned 230i, it’s possible to get your hands on the pinnacle of the previous-generation 2 Series. The M2 is a fabulous machine, although even this brawny coupé can’t match the precision of the GR86.…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk Q What’s needed for tyre swap? AFTER being caught out with old rear tyres and nearly illegal fronts, I plan to rotate the next set. I have a trolley jack, but can you recommend a torque wrench and anything else I might need? Jack Carpenter, E-mail A WE’VE not tested torque wrenches in a while, but those from Halfords have always performed well in the past. A half-inch-drive wrench covering around 30-100lb-ft will be the most useful for other work too. An impact wrench can make the job easier and can be used on other jobs. Our current pick is Draper’s brushless 99251 (above). Q Do short guns hit the spot? I’VE seen videos online of detailers using short trigger guns on their pressure washers. Are…

IT finally looks as though we can all get back to driving in Europe again without the restrictions and bottlenecks that have made it so tricky over the past few years. If you are heading for the ferry port or Eurotunnel terminal, then you need to make sure your documents are in order and your car is legal. If you haven’t driven abroad recently, you might need to check that you have all the kit required to keep you on the right side of the gendarmes while on the other side of the channel. The easiest, cheapest and most convenient way to ensure you are compliant with the rules is to buy a ready-made kit, which has everything you need to stay legal. Ring’s RTC1 kit was previously our Best…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk IT may be a disappointing, below-average rating for the big-selling Corsa, but Vauxhall will at least be pleased that the latest generation of its supermini fared better when it came to owners’ ratings in our Driver Power survey than its key rival, the Ford Fiesta. The Corsa’s biggest plus points focus on its running costs – perhaps thanks to the electric version. It took 15th place in the category in the 2022 survey, and was rated in 10th position for its fuel economy. But there is plenty of negative feedback, too. The worst score is for the lack of child-friendly features, where it is rated in 73rd place. A 69th position for the air-conditioning and ventilation system dragged down the overall rating, as did a 63rd for boot space.…