Table of contents for 1840 in Auto Express

WHILE the HS was teased ahead of its Goodwood debut, MG caught festivalgoers on the hop by showcasing a new hard-top version of the Cyberster. The Cyber GTS Concept was shown in static form, but a working prototype made its way up the hillclimb too. MG says the Cyber GTS Concept “explores the further potential for MG creating a new future for a GTS model in the EV era and follows in the footsteps of the Cyberster, which is the world’s first open-top EV two-seater to go into production”. The dynamic model seen at the Festival of Speed was finished in a new British Racing Green and fitted with 19-inch wheels, while the static model was shown with 20-inch wheels. Auto Express understands that there are plans to put the Cyber…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk • Tech shared with Citroen C3 • Up to 198 miles range for EV FIAT has been drip-feeding details about its forthcoming Grande Panda for months, but now we have proper technical info and the first images of its funky interior. The Italian brand confirmed the details as part of its 125th birthday celebrations last week. As expected, the new Panda will share its underpinnings with other models from the Stellantis group, because it will be based on the Smart Car platform. That means it will be available from launch with both full-electric and mild-hybrid powertrain options. Sharing its tech with Auto Express’s 2024 Car of the Year, the Citroen e-C3, means that Fiat’s electric Grande Panda will feature a 44kWh battery that’s capable of delivering a range of…

BRITISH off-road brand Ineos has revealed the first model from its ‘bespoke’ division, Arcane. The Grenadier Detour is a limited-run, hand-finished edition of the rugged 4x4 SUV, and only 200 examples will be made. Buyers will be offered four new paint colours – Magma Red, Whiteout Blue, Squall Green (right) and Storm Force Silver – that will be polished by hand for a finer finish. Alternatively, Detours can be produced in bespoke one-off colours. The Detour gets a new 18-inch alloy wheel design and grille, plus contrast-colour elements such as the front and rear skid plates. The cabin has quilted leather and a cashmere headlining. As with the standard Grenadier, the Detour will be available with either a petrol or diesel BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight-six engine. It carries a hefty premium over…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks Electric motor Power/range 268bhp/385 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.1 seconds/124mph IF you’re wondering why the Polestar 4 is smaller than the Polestar 3, it’s all down to the company’s naming strategy. This follows a chronological system so, being the brand’s fourth car to arrive, this new SUV is called the Polestar 4. The company claims this will be its bestselling model, but it’s significantly more expensive than the Polestar 2. The Single Motor version starts at £59,990, with the Dual Motor model priced from £66,990. The Polestar 4 sits in a segment above the 2, however, and is a rival to the likes of the Porsche Macan EV and its Audi Q6 e-tron sister model. It has a sleeker coupé-SUV profile than those cars, while the SEA platform…

WINNER Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron 1st IT’S a close result between these two in terms of costs, but we’d happily pay the extra and plump for the Q4 e-tron because it’s the more comfortable car to drive. Heavy SUVs aren’t intended to be hustled, so while these cars are designed to look sporty, they’re better seen as relaxing, tech-packed cruisers, and that’s a talent the Q4 has in spades. Combine this with a long everyday driving range and a decent kit list, and it narrowly edges ahead of the BMW here. ● Long range● Comfortable ride● Lots of interior space● User-friendly tech ● Pricey to buy● Steep depreciation● Fiddly steering wheel controls● Standard Q4 costs less INTERESTED? Scan the code for further information RUNNER UP BMW iX2 2nd The BMW…

SAME MONEY BMW iX LOVE or loathe the looks, there’s no arguing with the tech-packed cabin that comes with the iX, and the earliest models are within budget for buyers looking at our two new models. A 71kWh battery is actually smaller than the Q4’s, while the lowest-spec cars have a maximum range of 264 miles, which is behind both cars here. But the cabin is plush and refined, while there’s plenty of technology on board to keep you occupied. ● Comfortable interior● Lots of technology on board ● Big and heavy● Divisive looks SAME MONEY Jaguar I-Pace IF you’re looking for an electric family SUV that is entertaining to drive, then the I-Pace is still worth a look. It delivers sharp handling and a decent ride, too, while the…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk I want a folding electric bike to go in my car. What should I look for? HAVING a bike that fits easily in the boot of your car is a great way to save money and keep fit. You can drive to the outskirts of a town or near a station, park up where it is cheap or free, and then cycle the final few miles. If the bike has electric assistance too, it means you won’t arrive in a sweat. To choose the right electric folding bike for your needs, you’ll first have to set a budget. As always, you pretty much get what you pay for, and it’s worth spending a little extra if you intend to use the bike every day. The size…

AS with all tech, dash cameras are evolving to become smaller, cheaper and better. Two of the big names in dash cams are fighting back against the tide of unfamiliar brands with a new pair of compact and affordable products, which are aimed at the biggest-selling section of the market. First up is Road Angel, with its new Halo Start, which costs a penny less than £100. Thinkware’s £159 Q200 may be more expensive, but the newcomer has a higher resolution, a choice of two power cables and an SD card in the pack. Both cameras are compact enough to be fitted in your car and forgotten about until they are needed after an incident. They are also easy to use, with quick connection to apps. The footage from both…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk A SUPERB second place for quality, and fourth position for reliability aren’t quite enough to give the Mazda CX-5 a category win, but they show how highly owners rate their cars. The exterior styling is popular at 15th, but owners like the interior even more; it earns sixth for style, while the same ranking for luggage space and a 10th for seating versatility point to a strong practical appeal. The CX-5 is also rated 15th for driving pleasure. Safety features score very well too, as do the controls and infotainment system, with a range of top-10 sub-category scores. Finances are a potential disappointment, though, with 29th for economy and 36th for other running costs. WE SAID “With a very punchy and efficient diesel engine or a responsive petrol unit,…

YOU’VE been reading about the brilliance of the F-Type for more than a decade, so you know it’s as good to drive as it is to look at. In four-cylinder form, there’s almost 300bhp on tap, but Jaguar also offered V6 and V8 editions, both supercharged, if you want as much as 567bhp to play with. In four-cylinder form as tested here, the lighter engine improves the Jag’s balance, and although the F-Type has more power than the Supra, it’s heavier. The result is a car that feels more GT than sports car, especially as only an eight-speed auto gearbox was offered. With decent practicality and a cabin filled with high-quality materials, the F-Type is a great car to take long road trips in. When new, the Jag carried a…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Chunky city car gets 44bhp or 64bhp power options and two trims • Prices start at £14,995, with Spring offering a range of 140 miles DACIA is a car company that does things differently, with a razor-sharp focus on ‘the essentials’, a stern resistance to unnecessary frippery, and a staunch dedication to value for money. And now, at last, UK customers can experience those principles being applied to an electric car, in the shape of the new Dacia Spring. On sale already, with first deliveries to British customers expected from October, the Spring has been a bit of a hit in Europe. Since it was first launched in 2021, Dacia has shifted more than 150,000 examples; last year, in fact, the Spring was the third best-selling EV…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks • New model made its debut at Goodwood • Fresh petrol and PHEV powertrains, but prices up by £1k MG marked its 100th birthday at last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed with a radical concept (see panel) and the global debut of its all-new HS SUV. The latest version of the Qashqai-rivalling model will be offered with two new powertrains – a ‘new generation’ petrol and a brand-new plug-in hybrid. Both versions are available to order now, with prices starting at £24,995, which is a £945 increase when compared with the outgoing car. MG says first deliveries will start from the end of July, with the PHEV arriving from the end of September. The HS’s design takes a few pointers from the old car, but there are plenty…

RED Bull Racing has finally unveiled its long-awaited track-day hypercar, the RB17. The new creation has been designed under the watchful eye of the Formula One team’s outgoing technical director Adrian Newey, who was also heavily involved in the Aston Martin Valkyrie. But unlike that car, the RB17 hasn’t been designed with road use in mind. It’s an out-and-out track weapon, complete with a V10 engine that revs to a screaming 15,000rpm and sophisticated active aerodynamics. The 4.5-litre motor serves as a semi-stressed part of the two-seater’s structure, and is aided by a 197bhp electric motor to produce more than 1,184bhp. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed gearbox, and the car can reach a top speed in excess of 217mph. The RB17’s ride height can adjust…

We want to hear your views. Send your questions or opinions to the E-mail address below mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress YOUR VIEWS This week’s letters And they all lived Capri ever after… FROM: David Ray A NICE article about the new Ford Capri (Issue 1,839), but the original wasn’t from 1968, but actually the Consul Capri of 1962 (right). Only around 21,000 were made; it was a coupé version of the Ford Classic saloon, which in turn was a stopgap model before the Mk1 Cortina arrived. I had a 1962 model – it was a great looker and a pleasure to drive. I took my now wife on our first date in that car and we’ve been together now for over 50 years. (The wife, not the car!) Catfished by car adverts…

DURING the eighties and nineties, a raft of companies sprang up across Europe to make a new breed of microcar, now called light quadricycles and officially recognised by EU legislators. They can be driven by children as young as 14, but there are strict limits on power (8bhp), maximum performance (28mph) and weight (425kg, without batteries if an EV), and it’s these rules that have led to the introduction of the electric Citroen Ami, Opel Rocks and soon, their cousin, the Fiat Topolino. As a modern-day microcar, the Ami fits into this group perfectly because it shows how far things have moved on in the past 65 years or so – but it’s not all progress. Compared with any of the classics, the Ami is a breeze to drive with…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives SINCE its introduction three years ago, the Toyota Yaris Cross has been a smash hit across Europe – even by the standards of small SUVs, which generally fly out of showrooms faster than Marvel releases new superhero movies. More than 180,000 examples were sold in 2023 alone, nearly 20,000 of which found homes in the UK. Toyota clearly didn’t want to mess with that success when upgrading the Yaris Cross for 2024, because rather than a wholesale facelift, the Japanese giant has instead focused on a few carefully selected improvements. This is a bold move, especially considering that key rivals such as the Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008 and Ford Puma have had recent overhauls. While the exterior is largely the same as before, all models now feature upgraded…

MODEL TESTED: iX2 xDrive30 M Sport PRICE: £57,445 POWERTRAIN: 2x e-motors, 67kWh battery, 309bhp 309bhp Powertrain 2x e-motors 67kWh Battery/range 268 miles 5.6 seconds Performance 112mph 525 litres Seats up/down 1,400 litres THE first electric X2 is based on the second generation of BMW’s smallest coupé-SUV. There’s just the single M Sport trim level offered, with a choice of two powertrains, and it’s the more powerful xDrive30 we’re testing here. Tech highlights THE original X2 was a body variant of the second-generation X1 compact SUV, and this new model follows the same template. However, while the first X2 had a conservative SUV shape, the new one is more like a shrunken X4, with a lower roofline, longer tail and angular detailing. Under the skin, the X2 uses the company’s UKL2…

SAME CLASS Volvo EC40 THE car formerly known as the C40 follows the same coupé-SUV template as our two rivals here, so you pay a bit extra over the platform-sharing EX40 in exchange for a bit of additional range. At the top of the line-up, the four-wheel-drive Twin Motor Plus has an 82kWh battery for a range of 340 miles, while a total output of 402bhp means there’s a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds, so it’s ahead of its rivals for performance and range. In addition, the EC40 comes with one of the most stylish interiors in the class, while the Google-based infotainment system is relatively user-friendly. ● Stylish and comfortable cabin● Punchy acceleration● Long range ● Not as practical as EX40● Pricier than EX40● Firm ride SAME MONEY Lexus…

A Race with Love and Death Richard Williams (Simon & Schuster, simonandschuster.co.uk) Price: £9.99 Rating: THIS is a compelling biography of British racing driver Richard Seaman, whose relationship with the Mercedes team makes this particularly interesting. Williams avoids simply reducing Seaman to his relationship with Adolf Hitler and goes into much of the surrounding history. Lorries in Britain: The 1980s Carl Johnson (Amberley, amberley-books.com) Price: £15.99 Rating: IT may be a small paperback without much heft to it, but this book has a series of images that’ll hit the nostalgia button of anyone who grew up with these vehicles in the UK in the eighties. The text gives context to the photos, but is far from comprehensive, so any seasoned haulage enthusiasts are unlikely to find much new information. Car…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 9.2 seconds/156mph CO2/tax 104-115g/km £20-£180 Running costs 30-31mpg (GS300h) £95 fill-up GERMAN manufacturers rule the roost when it comes to executive car choices, and for good reason. But if you’re after something a little different, and potentially offering better value for money, it can pay to look a little further afield. A case in point is the Lexus GS, which sold in much smaller numbers than its more obvious German rivals, but don’t let that put you off. Toyota’s sub-brand has turned the luxury and exec segments on their heads since it was launched in 1989. But Lexus has never had the cachet of those German alternatives, which is why its used cars are generally significantly cheaper. That’s despite the fact that the brand regularly leads customer-satisfaction…

IF you’re going to team up with anyone to create a driver’s car, BMW is a good option, and sure enough the ace in the Supra’s pack is its dynamic ability. This is a car that rewards the enthusiast driver, although the standard active suspension doesn’t provide the accomplished ride you might expect. With excellent weight distribution, sharp steering and strong brakes, the Toyota is fun to drive, but the brittle ride spoils things, and so does the cabin, which feels too downmarket for such a costly car. The biggest problem you’ll have with trying to buy a Supra is finding one for sale. They are about, but they’re rare, with four-cylinder cars especially unusual, so you might have to hunt for one. But the cars for sale are mostly…

SO what did the Brit bit of the automotive world learn during the first six months of 2024? Plenty. For starters, the ongoing and so far unwavering message from buyers in Britain is that new cars with familiar petrol-powered engines remained their No.1 choice from January to June. Mind you, they’re also partial to a bit of comparatively affordable, new(ish) tech – hybrids, which sit comfortably in second place because they hit the sweet spot. Don’t they? You have to admit that a single ‘dual-fuel’ car willing and able to run on electric power for short, quiet, low-speed journeys in and around cities, seamlessly followed by petrol-sipping out-of-town runs, offers the best of both worlds. Doesn’t it? As for those generally more expensive pure-electric vehicles, they continue to languish uncomfortably…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram • ‘Saloon’ and estate offered • Petrol, diesel, hybrid options “We wanted to get the emotion of the A5 in the A4 – because we didn’t have a successor for that car” Andreas Gotz A5 project manager THE Audi A4 is dead, replaced by the all-new A5, in keeping with the brand’s revised naming system. The odd number means the A5 will be offered with a choice of combustion engines, including a hotter S5, plus a plug-in hybrid for the first time. While the brand calls the new model a saloon (an Avant estate is also available), the design shifts from a traditional three-box shape to a Sportback-style five-door coupé, with the tailgate hinged at the roof. Boot capacity actually drops from the old A4’s 480 litres to…

Focus ST power for second-gen Nomad BRITISH sports car maker Ariel has unveiled a second generation of its off-road-focused Nomad (above). The new car’s chassis is 60 per cent stiffer than the original’s, and it swaps a 2.0-litre Honda engine for the 2.5-litre turbo petrol from the Ford Focus ST hot hatch. Its output rises to 305bhp as a result, enough to take the 715kg Nomad 2 from 0-60mph in just 3.4 seconds. It’s on sale now, priced from £67,992. All change for DS 4 as hybrid joins the range A NEW powertrain is being added to the DS 4 hatchback, as part of a string of revisions for the second half of 2024. The Hybrid 136 arrives at the same time as Pallas and Etoile trims replace the old…

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 makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls www.check-mot.service.gov.uk…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives COUPE-SUVs are very on-trend right now, appealing to buyers who want something that looks dramatic, yet is still perfectly practical for everyday life. Initially confined to premium brands, the niche has now spread to the mainstream, with Renault’s new flagship, the Rafale SUV, sharing its sleek silhouette with cars like the BMW X4 and Audi Q5 Sportback. But rather than a premium model, we see the Rafale as a direct rival to the latest Peugeot 3008 – which has a similarly rakish profile – or Volkswagen’s Tiguan. You might think that the Rafale looks similar from certain angles to another French coupé-SUV, the Peugeot 408. This is perhaps no coincidence, because the Rafale’s bold and slightly bullish design was overseen by Renault’s new design boss Gilles Vidal, who…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Running costs 38.2mpg (off icial) £96 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 6.6 seconds/155mph THE market for convertibles has never been a major focus for car buyers – but open-topped cars are now even more of a niche purchase. That hasn’t escaped the notice of Mercedes, which has amalgamated its E-Class and C-Class Convertibles into a single model, much as it has done with the equivalent coupés. Say hello to the CLE Cabriolet, which has landed in the UK. The CLE mixes the front end of the E-Class with the rear of the C-Class, and gets its cabin from the latter. It’s being offered with either petrol or diesel power, and we’re trying the most potent of the four-cylinder petrols, the CLE 300. This version has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged…

MODEL TESTED: Q4 Sportback 55 e-tron S line quattro PRICE: £61,700 POWERTRAIN: 2x e-motors, 82kWh battery, 335bhp 335bhp Powertrain 2x e-motors 82kWh Battery/range 323 miles 5.4 seconds Performance 112mph 535 litres Seats up/down 1,460 litres IT’S been three years since the Audi Q4 e-tron first arrived on the scene, and in line with other electric models in the Volkswagen Group line-up, it’s been given an update. We’re testing the more rakish Sportback model here with the most powerful 55 e-tron drivetrain in sporty S line guise, which costs £61,700 – some £4,255 more than the iX2 here, but it does come with more kit. Tech highlights THE Q4 is the most upmarket model within the VW Group to be based on the MEB electric vehicle platform, and it has received…

AS you can see from our charts (left), there’s not much between these two when it comes to overall running costs. One area where the BMW pulls ahead is in terms of finance, and if you stick with the basic car and don’t tick any options boxes, then you can save a decent chunk over the Audi. However, add some extras to match the Q4’s kit list and things close up. Both manufacturers are currently offering deposit contributions to help encourage buyers to get behind the wheel. BMW’s £2,500 bonus looks pretty healthy on its own, until you see that Audi offers a whopping £6,750 off the Q4’s RRP. While the BMW costs less on monthly repayments, the Audi will make up the difference through greater efficiency, if our test…

ELECTRIC COUPE-SUVs It’s a niche within a niche, but these cars aren’t without their appeal “YES, the Q4 Sportback has a bit more boot space than the SUV version, but I’d save my cash and plump for the latter. You won’t have to worry about headroom at all, plus you have a rear wiper, rather than relying on airflow to keep the tailgate glass clean.” “MUCH like John and the Audis, I’d have to pick the iX1 over the iX2 here, but for different reasons. Yes it has a rear wiper, but it also has less awkward looks than iX2. The final clincher is that the iX1 comes in Sport and xLine specs, which will offer a more comfortable ride at a lower price.” “A LOT of people can’t get…

Darren_Wilson@autovia.co.uk “It’s a little bit more work when you first begin, but once your profile is set-up it makes life super-easy”CHRIS FRYER Product Manager OUR MINI Countryman arrived back in May and instantly blew me away with its simplified design and jump in quality. First impressions are key, and the welcoming wink from the headlights as the car unlocks, along with the crystal-clear parking light proudly displaying the simple MINI logo, set the tone. Once inside, the stripped-back cabin oozes class, too, with textured materials that I just want to touch. Perhaps that’s because there is so little else to play with beyond the massive circular infotainment screen. Even my four-year-old grandson has mentioned the unusually tactile interior design, and likes to touch the two-tone door fade (but that might…

Audi S3 gets option of new sports tyres AUDI’S new S3 will be available with the option of Falken’s newest sports tyre – the Azenis RS820. Described by its manufacturer as a ‘super-ultra high-performance tyre’, the RS820 features an asymmetric tread pattern with an improved shoulder design to increase contact with the road and enhance lateral stability. The tyre uses Falken’s Nano Design tech to create a lightweight compound with a low wear rate and long lifespan. The Azenis RS820 will be available in 235/35 R19 size for the Audi S3 Sportback and S3 Saloon. Contact your Audi dealer or visit falkentyre.com for more information. Boulies welcomes you to cheaper seats BOULIES has launched new deals on a huge range of its racing seat-inspired gaming chairs in its Elite, Master…

THE easiest and safest way to dry your car after washing and rinsing it is a blower. These are not cheap or quick, though, so most of us will still rely on a microfibre cloth. But which one? There’s a bewildering array of sizes, weaves and constructions that all claim to be the one that effortlessly lifts away water, leaving your car ready for the next stage of preparing or protecting. And don’t be tempted to skip drying, because you will inevitably be left with water spots that will need removing. To find the towel that will make water spots a thing of the past, we grabbed eight top sellers, waited for the weather to play ball, then got busy with the hose. How we tested them AFTER a run…