Table of contents for 1771 in Auto Express

LAMBORGHINI has confirmed that the replacement for its Aventador will feature plug-in hybrid technology that will allow it to produce more than 1,000bhp. The Italian brand’s next offering, due to be revealed in the coming weeks, will use a development of the Aventador’s 6.5-litre V12, now producing 814bhp and 725Nm of torque and featuring a rev limit at a lofty 9,500rpm. That makes it the most powerful V12 in the company’s history. Codenamed LB744, the supercar has a 3.8kWh battery that, along with the V12, is mounted in a ‘monofuselage’ chassis. This is inspired by aeronautics and features a carbon-fibre monocoque and a front structure made from forged composites. The car’s hybrid system includes three electric motors, two on the front axle and one on the rear; the electric motors…

@AllieCrooks ● PHEV powertrain offers 81 electric-only miles on a charge ● Hot AMG models set to use four-cylinder hybrid power HOT on the heels of the second-generation Mercedes GLC revealed last year, comes the swoopy GLC Coupé. The GLC is Mercedes’ most popular model globally and with the previous coupé variant accounting for up to a quarter of its sales, there’s a lot riding on the new car. Mercedes says the new GLC Coupé will hit European markets from July 2023 and, just as with the SUV model last year, the updates have focused on electrification. There are four mild-hybrid diesel options, plus two pure-diesel and two pure-petrol versions. However, Mercedes’ 200 4MATIC petrol engine doesn’t feature here on the GLC SUV, so it’s unlikely we’ll see this entry-level…

REINFORCING its French heritage, DS has launched a new Esprit de Voyage (EdV) trim for its DS 4 and DS 7 models. The brand says the new spec has been inspired by the fashion industry and is “characterised by light interiors, exclusive finishes and technology”. Based on the Rivoli trim level, the DS 4 EdV is priced from £37,330 and features full keyless go, all-round parking sensors and a reversing camera, plus an extended head-up display and matrix LED headlights. The trim is available with DS’s PureTech 130, Blue HDi 130 diesel and E-Tense 225 PHEV powertrains. The DS 7 EdV starts from £50,090 and features a similarly high level of kit. It’s available exclusively with plug-in hybrid power – either the E-Tense 225 drivetrain or the E-Tense 300 4x4. Both…

@AllieCrooks A NEW V12 mid-engined Lamborghini doesn’t come along often. There have only been five models in 57 years, but in 2023 the firm will unveil the sixth and last in the line of flagship supercars to use a V12. It has a hard job replacing the fantastic and hugely popular Aventador, but similar challenges faced all the newcomer’s predecessors and they seemed to have managed just fine. At a sneak preview of the officially codenamed LB744 (see page 14), the firm gave us the keys to the founding father of the mid-engined supercar genre, the Miura. We all know the Miura’s history. The pioneering Italian model was born out of an argument between Ferrucio Lamborghini and the man he set out to beat, Enzo Ferrari. But it’s a tale…

@matt_201 THE Volvo V60 might just be the best-looking estate car money can buy right now. Offering a feeling of restraint as others in the sector get more aggressive-looking, the Swedish machine remains a classically handsome breath of fresh air. However, the V60 turns four years old in 2023 and has some stiff competition in the form of the fresher Mercedes C-Class Estate and BMW 3 Series Touring. So, it’s just as well Volvo has been quietly tinkering in the background. The 2023 V60 T6 Recharge here has two significant upgrades. Firstly, there’s a bigger battery for the plug-in hybrid system, up from 11.6kWh to 18.8kWh. Plus a more recent tweak concerns the infotainment, which features a new Google Android Automotive-based operating system. The bigger battery has seen the PHEV’s…

434 bhp Powertrain 2x e-motor 75kWh Battery/range 331 miles 4.8 secs Performance 135mph 854 litres Seats up/down 2,041 litres MODEL TESTED: Modle Y Dual Motor Long Range PRICE: £52,990 POWERTRAIN: 2x e-motor, 434bhp RECENT price adjustments brought discounts across the Tesla range, and the Long Range model tested here had £5,000 knocked off it. This took the price to £52,990, which undercuts the ID. Buzz by a significant margin. With options, our test car comes to a total of £57,490. Tech highlights UNDER the skin, the Tesla features a similar arrangement to the VW, with a skateboard platform housing the battery and motors. The key difference here is that the Model Y has a second motor up front for four-wheel drive and a combined output of 434bhp – double that…

ALTHOUGH the Tesla is the cheaper car to buy outright, once we tally up our running costs, the difference between the two comes down to just £792 in the Model Y’s favour over the course of three years. That also takes into account the fact that Tesla doesn’t offer any sort of service schedule, claiming that an EV’s low-maintenance motor needs little to no attention in that time. Add the costs of recommended work, which includes a brake fluid check and pollen filter replacement every 24 months, and the gap will shrink even further. Match terms on the PCP deals, and the Model Y is £607 a month – £43 a month less than the VW. Averaging 3.1mi/kWh results in an electricity bill of £3,291 over three years compared with…

NEW PRODUCT Clarke MMA/TIG and MIG welders Price: from £113.98 Contact: machinemart.co.uk IF you’re tackling a restoration or just trying to keep a rusting car safe and on the road, doing your own welding can mean substantial savings, and Clarke has launched four new welders to suit many jobs and budgets. There are three MMA/TIG (manual metal arc/tungsten inert gas) machines delivering 120, 160 and 200 amps and all are lightweight, making them ideal if you need to transport your kit to where you work. The weight-saving comes from using efficient inverters with a high-switching frequency that makes them less bulky than conventional designs. The smallest weighs in at just 4kg. They all also have a built-in fan, which allows for lengthy welding at full power. Priced at £113.98, £149.99 and…

Citroen 2CV: Different Is Everything Malcolm Bobbitt (Amberley Publishing, amberley-books.com) Price: £15.99 Rating: THERE’S lots to like about this little book that condenses the story of the iconic Tin Snail into just 96 pages quite successfully. It covers the famous models and 2CV-based spin-offs, with lots of illustrations and period colour and black-and-white photography. It’s a good starting point to discover the 2CV. How To Vinyl Wrap Cars, Trucks And Motorcycles Tyler Copenhaver-Heath, Eliot Hutchins and Travis Hunt (CarTech, cartechbooks.com) Price: £26.35 Rating: WRAPPING a vehicle doesn’t have to be the preserve of pros, and if you plan to give your car a new look, this is a good place to start. This book cover the basics from start to finish. It’s geared to a US audience, but with the exception…

@johnmcilroy ● All-new EV9 will be flagship for Kia’s range of electric vehicles ● Chunky styling sticks closely to concept from 2021 LA Show KIA has been stretching the limits of its line-up and pricing over the past few years, with the most expensive Sorento to date and then the EV6, a pure-electric model that can break the £60,000 mark. But here’s proof that the Korean brand isn’t finished yet: this new flagship, the EV9, could well smash the £80,000 barrier. The EV9 is designed to be the largest and most expensive zero-emissions vehicle in the Kia range. It’s one of 14 new EVs that the company will launch globally over the next five years, and is the first of nine that will make it into UK showrooms. The new…

● Dacia hints off-road-style hatch could develop into genuine SUV ● Brand is set to expand line-up with Bigster and two new models “We feel there’s space to differentiate them more, so this is something we will investigate between the Stepway and the Duster” THE new-car market moves fast. After 10 years in the UK, Dacia is on a quest to reinvent itself, moving the brand away from its original ‘budget’ image towards ‘value’ – and key to that change will be a range of brand-new models. We’ll see the Romanian brand’s Bigster full-size SUV arrive in 2025, crowning the line-up and allowing the next-generation Duster (set for a 2024 reveal) to grow in size. This will leave a space between the Duster and the brand’s Sandero supermini which, in…

ASTON Martin will announce a refreshed line-up this summer, as well as a new all-electric model, according to company chairman Lawrence Stroll. Speaking on a recent call with investors, the Canadian said: “You will see the cars this summer that are going to take us through our combustion story, our hybrid story and take us through our plans for electrification.” It’s expected that an updated version of the firm’s DB11 GT will be revealed first, given that the car is the oldest model in Aston Martin’s current line-up; we’ve already seen the new car testing (above), and it will be joined by a facelifted version of the Vantage, as well as a revised edition of the DBS super-GT. Aston previously announced it would build an electric SUV and an EV…

THE AC Cars Cobra GT Roadster will be unveiled next month, and the British brand has teased how the model will look and revealed some key specs. The GT Roadster will be based on an all-new chassis that’s said to be light and stiff. It houses a 6.2-litre supercharged V8 engine that will send 654bhp and 780Nm of torque to the rear axle through either a six-speed manual gearbox or a 10-speed automatic. AC says the car will crack the 0-62mph sprint in around 3.4 seconds. A new Advanced Driver Information Centre digital dash will show key info and “fuse analogue instrumentation and digital technology to enhance the driving experience,” according to AC.…

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 Tesla’s baby hatch FROM: Hamish Clark THIS could be ideal for those who live in cities or rarely go on long journeys. On that basis, 200 miles from a charge and a £25,000 price would make this a very attractive option. A new demographic for Tesla to appeal to as well. FROM: George Jeffries I TEST drove a Tesla Model Y when shopping for a new EV, but I just couldn’t get on with it; the Y didn’t feel like a premium EV. If Tesla can offer a cheaper model with similar tech appeal, however, I can see it being extremely popular. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk…

1965 BEGINNING: Development begins. A rolling chassis of the mid-engined supercar is put on display at the Turin Auto Salon and garners a few deposits, despite the lack of bodywork. 1966 SHOW: The Miura goes on display at the Geneva Motor Show, without an engine. 1967 SALES START: The P400 goes on sale with its revolutionary transverse V12 engine. Early models are said to have utilised thinner steel. 1968 EVOLUTION: Lamborghini returns to the Turn Auto Salon with the updated Miura P400S. 1971 TURNING UPTHE HEAT: The SV is launched with more power and minor exterior tweaks, such as the pop-up headlight ‘eyelashes’ being removed.…

@stevefowler Electric motor Power/range 201bhp/260 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.3 seconds/99mph BYD could be one of the biggest firms you’ve never heard of. Before stepping into the automotive world, where last year it sold more than 1.8 million cars (the majority in its native China), it focused on batteries with, apparently, 20 per cent of the world’s smartphones using BYD technology. Being a battery and tech specialist isn’t a bad place to start for a brand bringing an EV to the UK market for the first time, and the Atto 3 isn’t a bad place to start, either. The Atto 3 is a crossover in the mould of the Nissan Qashqai, and about the same size. With prices starting from £36,490 in Active trim, it rivals the Volkswagen ID.3 and…

WINNER Volkswagen ID. Buzz 1st THE ID. Buzz is VW’s most expensive EV, but it’s also the most convincing. In terms of space, comfort and residual values, the VW is miles ahead of its rival here. The pair cost roughly the same to run over three years, too. The performance is undeniably so-so and the cabin ergonomics frustrate, but the VW has bags of character that little else on the road can match. ● Great comfort ● Spacious cabin ● Unique style ● Strong residuals ● Dull handling ● Relatively short range ● Patchy ergonomics ● No clever seating in back INTERESTED? Scan code for information on deals and test drive bookings RUNNER UP Tesla Model Y 2nd IF you look purely at the Model Y’s stats, you might have expected this…

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Lots in store for Audi owners with upgrade AUDI will offer its customers a greater choice of third-party in-car apps with the addition of a native store for its MMI infotainment system. This upgrade requires a hardware module to be loaded into the MMI system and lets owners download a variety of apps for music, navigation, weather and news and productivity. The store upgrade will be available on most Audi models from the A3 upwards from June and will come factory-fitted to all European models after that. Contact your Audi dealer for more information. Bespoke Vredestein tyre for BMW X1 SUV BMW has chosen Vredestein Ultrac summer tyres as original equipment for the latest X1 SUV. Building on an earlier agreement to provide Ultrac tyres for the 2 Series Active…

AUDI’S compact executive model has seen a five-place improvement in the chart since the previous year’s survey, but they won’t be popping corks at Audi HQ when faced with the A4’s 2022 Driver Power new-car survey results. Fourteenth position for driving pleasure and 16th place for the running costs are the only highlights. In fact, there are some real irritations, owners tell us. The practicality and boot space rank 70th, while owners think the Audi should have more standard safety features – it’s placed 74th in this category. Most concerning, though, is the reliability; the A4 could only manage 70th place, despite a relatively low 16.7 per cent of owners reporting issues. WE SAID “Few of the A4’s rivals can compete with its beautifully crafted interior. If you’re happy cruising and…

EV9 will work for Kia despite the price tag FEW makers have enjoyed such a meteoric rise recently as Kia. And it’s no surprise to see the firm push upmarket to rival premium brands. So while Kia raised eyebrows when some versions of its Mk3 Sorento SUV broke the £40,000 mark, its sales success has proven the brand can carry off models with a high price. Kia’s EVs are even more ambitious, with the EV6 GT costing over £60,000. And what about this new EV9? Well, that’ll likely be even pricier, but it’s a hurdle we don’t think will be too high for those after a cutting-edge Kia SUV.…

● Electrified Puma ST has 168bhp ● Seven-speed automatic box FORD is on a big electrification push and the brand’s Ford Performance division is part of it, with the big-selling Puma ST now available with an electrified, mild-hybrid powertrain mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Both are firsts for the Puma ST, which has been manual-only up to now. The engine is the most powerful of Ford’s MHEV-equipped 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost units and features a 48V electrical system and a small, belt-driven starter/generator fed by a compact lithium-ion battery to deliver 168bhp and 248Nm of torque. This results in a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds, 0.7 seconds slower than the more powerful 197bhp 1.5-litre model. This puts it on par with warm SUV rivals such as the DSG-equipped VW T-Roc…

Nissan reveals price of Townstar EV van NISSAN has named its price for the all-electric version of its Townstar van. The successor to the popular E-NV200 will cost from £28,400 (plus VAT) after the Government’s plug-in vehicle grant is applied. The Townstar EV (above) has a 45kWh battery offering up to 183 miles of range (or 269 miles on the urban test cycle), and all versions bar the base model get 80kW DC charging as standard, along with an eight-inch colour infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Driving-test wait more than three months THE average wait time across the UK for a practical driving test is currently 14.2 weeks, the DVSA has confirmed. The national waiting time is classed as the number of weeks until 10 per cent…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

@johnmcilroy Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 522/1,451 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.6 seconds/99mph LEXUS is pushing ahead with electrification, and then some. Toyota’s premium brand will lead the group’s push towards zero-emissions motoring, and its UK division hopes to be one of the first to go completely petrol-free, by 2030. The new RZ has been designed to lead that charge, pushing Lexus into a fresh area of the market where it can attract brand-new buyers (and bring back those who have gone elsewhere in search of greener credentials than hybrid), and nudge annual UK sales from around 15,000 units to more than 20,000. Things look promising enough on paper. The RZ uses the e-TNGA platform for EVs and is 4.8 metres long, so somewhere between the NX and RX models, and…

201 bhp Powertrain 1x e-motor 77kWh Battery/range 255 miles 10.2 secs Performance 90mph 1,121 litres Seats up/down 2,205 litres MODEL TESTED: ID. Buzz SWB Style Pro PRICE: £61,915 POWERTRAIN: 1x electric motor, 77kWh battery, 201bhp THE ID. Buzz starts from £57,115, but our test car is in top-spec Style trim with £7,350 worth of optional extras, so it comes to £71,065. Tech highlights VOLKSWAGEN hasn’t held back with its push towards electrification following the ID.3’s arrival in 2019. Since then, the all-electric range has expanded to include the ID.4 and ID.5 SUVs, and now the ID. Buzz. All of these models ride on the same modular platform known as MEB. One of the benefits of the MEB architecture is that all of the powertrain and battery technology is located in…

ICE ALTERNATIVE Volkswagen Multivan WHILE the ID. Buzz is the most-hyped people mover you can buy right now, there are some other intriguing alternatives. One of the most compelling also hails from the Volkswagen stable. The Multivan is the spiritual successor to the original bus, and it carries the T7 naming designation that runs right back to its early ancestor. Unlike the ID. Buzz, it’s solely offered as a people carrier – the T6.1 Transporter continues as VW’s medium-sized van – but the Multivan scores big on both character and practicality. We brought the two together to see how they compare. Design and engine THE key difference between the pair is that while the ID. Buzz is a full EV, the Multivan comes with a choice of petrol, diesel or…

Practicality Boot (front/rear) 96/100 litres Running costs 34.8mpg (on test)  £67 fill-up THERE were some big questions that needed answering concerning the practical appeal of the Alpine A110 GT when it first joined our fleet. We knew it was one of the great driver’s cars at any price. But what about the ownership experience? The limitations of its diminutive two-seat cabin and its pair of tiny luggage areas? Or the build quality of its partially hand-made, overtly French-feeling interior? Would these elements drive us slightly nuts over the six months we were due to keep our A110 GT, or would the good bits be so good that the bad bits would be forgotten about? And what about the aftersales support when it needed a service? Would that be comparable to…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk HOW TO Deal with a flat battery Get going safely MOST of us have heard the dreaded click as we try to start our car and the engine doesn’t turn. The quick solution is to give the flat battery a helping hand from another car or booster pack. Before you enlist your neighbour or dig out the battery pack, check your car’s handbook, because some makers don’t recommend jump starting. This is due to the potential surge of power from the alternator as it senses a flat battery and tries to charge it. That spike can damage one or more of the dozens of ECUs packed into modern cars. If your car shouldn’t be jump started, the solution is to charge the battery or use something…

IF you are upgrading your car’s infotainment system to have the latest connectivity and improved audio, one feature you might think is worth paying extra for is wireless connection to your smartphone. We don’t just mean Bluetooth, which is fitted to almost all audio products today. High-spec devices such as those fitted in premium cars can run Apple CarPlay and Android Auto without needing a cable. Besides being more convenient, it also makes the installation neater, because you don’t have to run a USB connection wire from the smartphone to the system. In this test we tried two products which will fit any car with a double-DIN slot or adapter. Snooper’s first effort at a multimedia receiver is well specified and keenly priced, but has some flaws. Kenwood’s update of…

CO2 /tax 118-157g/km £30-£220 Running costs 49mpg (Cooper Roadster) £74 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.2 seconds/124mph IT’S fair to say that BMW’s revival of the Mini marque (before it was even dead, strictly speaking), was an inspired move. From the day that the first hatch went on sale in 2001, BMW’s sub-brand hit buyers’ imaginations. The MINI was such a success for BMW that it decided to capitalise on this enthusiasm by expanding the range significantly, with models such as the Clubman and Countryman. They survived, along with the Hatch and Convertible, but two that didn’t make it were built for a relatively short period only: the MINI Mk2-based Coupé and Roadster. Intended to be two-seater sporting editions, the Roadster and Coupé put fun ahead of ultimate practicality, and to great…

@AxleIngram ● Red Bull comfortably ahead ● Aston Martin shockingly quick “The smooth surface and more flowing nature should offer a different challenge from the start-stop Bahrain track” ROUND Two of the 2023 Formula One World Championship takes place this weekend in Saudi Arabia. The 3.8-mile Jeddah Street Circuit has already become notorious in just two seasons for its barriers, inches away from the track and hiding high-speed blind corners. The smooth surface and more flowing nature should give a different challenge to the abrasive tarmac and stop/start nature of the opening race in Bahrain – and teams and fans alike will hope this will offer a chance for rivals to get a little closer to Max Verstappen, who was dominant in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. The reigning champion…

Button set to do battle with NASCAR stars THE 2009 Formula One world champion, Jenson Button, will make his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series later this month. Driving the #15 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang, he will take to the Circuit of the Americas (CotA) on March 26. It’ll be the first of three races this season for the 15-time F1 winner, two on road courses and one on a street circuit. Entries are also confirmed for the Chicago and Indianapolis rounds. The CotA race will also provide useful seat time for Button ahead of his Le Mans 24 Hours campaign, where he will share an adapted NASCAR with Le Mans winner Mike Rockenfeller and seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmy Johnson. However, Button won’t be the only Formula One Champion…

SALES of new diesel vehicles – they pretty much died, right? Er, yes and, er, no. True, the damaging ‘dieselgate’ debacle can be largely blamed for stupidly murdering the diesel car. But there were several others who aided and abetted in the cruel death. Eco-warriors who hailed it as their most-hated fuel were certainly accomplices. As were woeful politicians who financially incentivised (via scrappage schemes etc.) consumers to purchase diesel machines, only to later financially clobber them for doing so. The result of all this is that we’re now expected to unquestionably swallow the line that diesel has had its day. So far in 2023, UK sales of new conventional diesels account for less than five per cent of car registrations. And hybrid diesel cars are purchased in even smaller…