Volvo is on a roll with its two in one luxury XC90 T8 SUV. The XC90 is the first model to be built on the firm’s scalable product architecture and using the latest low energy powertrains, the range topping hybrid combines 320bhp turbo-charged four-cylinder 2.0 litre petrol engine with a plug in rechargeable 87bhp electric motor at the rear, so it pushes out a maximum 407bhp and a whopping 640Nm … [Read more...]
Hyundai i20 vision of new prices
Hyundai has announced full pricing and specifications of the refreshed MY16 i20 range, which now includes the i20 Active compact crossover and efficient new 1.0-litre T-GDi engines going on sale from 3 March. The rugged Hyundai i20 Active crossover costs £15,225 OTR, while new 1.0 T-GDi-powered i20 models start from £14,025 Refreshed i20 range sees 100PS 1.4-litre petrol … [Read more...]
City cars take a bashing when sold
Cap reveals that the city car sector was one of the main used car sectors under pressure through 2015. For those motorists who simply want to nip around town without the need to carry multiple passengers, city cars are often seen as a cost-effective alternative to their bigger, fuel-hungry counterparts, but this brings valuation problems. This resulted in a higher overall … [Read more...]
JLR begin on road testing of connected vehicles
Jaguar Land Rover is investing in a 41 mile ‘living laboratory’ project on UK roads to develop new Connected and Autonomous Vehicle technologies. The new CAV test corridor, which includes 41 miles of roads around Coventry and Solihull, will be used to evaluate new systems in real-world driving conditions. The £5.5m ‘UK-CITE’, short for UK Connected Intelligent Transport … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: BMW X5 xDRIVE 40e
With a record year of UK sales behind them in 2015, when they replaced Audi as the best selling premium brand, and their centenary in front of them in 2016, BMW look fully charged to have a good year. First of their new models to be handed to the UK’s motoring media at the start of their centenary year was BMW’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV) production car - the X5 xDrive 40e which is priced from … [Read more...]
Jeep off-road centre opens in Wales
Jeep is further broadening the appeal and accessibility of its award-winning 4x4 vehicles, after agreeing a partnership with specialist off-road driving organisation 4x4 Events UK. The link-up with the events company, which operates off-road driving sites in Abergele, Cheshire and Yorkshire and has plans for two more venues in the UK, will allow more people to experience the … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Renault Captur 110dci
Whether or not Britain stays within the European family one thing is certain, the Renault Captur sits at the head of the table when it comes to the modern Crossovers. It comes in four trim levels and two petrol or two diesel engines but a single five-door body style which has made it the best selling compact crossover in Europe since it was launched in 2013. In the UK, the most popular of … [Read more...]
Newslines 30 January
Vauxhall and Opel will reveal their vision of the future sports car with the GT Concept at this year’s Geneva International Motorshow. Purebred, pared down, yet unashamedly avant-garde, the GT Concept is even shorn of door handles and door mirrors, its breathtaking form clothing a classic front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive chassis that will appeal to driving enthusiasts. Toyota … [Read more...]
New MB SLC from under £30,500
The new Mercedes-Benz SLC will be from £30,495 for the entry-level 200 Sport. The SLC is available in Sport or AMG Line with a choice of four engines. The petrol line-up features a 2.0-litre motor which produces 184hp (SLC 200) or 245hp (SLC 300). The SLC 200 is available as standard with a six-speed manual gearbox (150 g/km of CO2) or the optional 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission … [Read more...]
Spring Classic Tour mapped out from Wales
The route for the 2016 MSA Spring Classic will offer a fabulous weekend of non-competitive motoring over the weekend of 23-24 April, based at the luxurious Celtic Manor Resort hotel, Newport. Organised by International Motor Sports Limited (IMS), this year’s scenic tour for classic cars more than 20 years old will coincide with the annual celebration of classic motoring known as ‘Drive It … [Read more...]