The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is powering sales and jobs. Lord Mayor of London Boris Johnson on a trade mission to Japan unveiled the new Outlander range last week in Tokyo. The headline model and by far the best selling version in the range has been the PHEV plug in petrol/electric hybrid. Following last week’s reveal in Tokyo the UK’s motoring media were able to test drive the new 2016 … [Read more...]
First Drives
Business as usual for the new Audi A4
Whilst the giant VW Group is mired in its ‘dieselgate’ issues, to survive it has to be business as usual for the numerous car brands operating under its umbrella. So it’s business as usual for Audi UK who will be delivering the first of their all-new A4 Saloons to waiting UK customers from 21 November. The A4 Avant estate models will join the line up in January, the AllRoad models next Spring … [Read more...]
New Vauxhall Astra impresses & range to widen next year
The more-for-less new Vauxhall Astra series is coming. The latest seventh-generation hatchback and sports-tourer line up includes new cleaner engines in lighter and roomier bodies, more safety and convenience technology, and a slimmer range at lower prices than the models they supercede. Like the current cars, new Astra will be built at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire after a £140M investment which … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Ford Max out for the better
Using a slightly elongated version of the Focus platform the C-Max mid-sized people carrier models carry over more than the Focus styling. The big difference between the five seater C-Max and its ‘Grand’ seven seater stablemate is the increased seating accommodation and the fact that this larger version has sliding side rear doors for improved access to the second and third row of seats and … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: New Ford S Max
A decade after it was launched and with over 82,000 British sales, the Ford S-Max has been revised, with mixed results. The all-new models from £24,545, are even more sporting in their looks and handling, but don’t have the same composed ride as its predecessor. With the underpinnings of the new Mondeo and the visual front looks of all the latest ‘One Ford’ models plus a better fascia with … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: SsangYong Tivoli
The SsangYong Tivoli SUV now arriving in dealerships is likely to be a game-changer in Britain for the Korean company. Smartly styled both outside and in, with a strong equipment list and selling at a competitive price backed by a good warranty, the five-seat and five-door Tivoli will turn heads and open cheque-books. Up to now, SsangYong has sold quirky cars which did not meet the critical … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: New Jaguar XF bares its claws
In the competitive automotive world time doesn’t stand still and an all-new Jaguar XF saloon 14-model range is with us with prices ranging from £32,300 to £49,945. Jaguar claims the new XF’s running costs are lower, residual values higher and insurance costs also lower than the saloon versions it replaces and its major German premium brand competitor models. The engine line-up is 2.0-litre … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Audi RS3 Sportback
Born restless is the advertising strap-line for Audi’s latest scorching hot five door hatchback – the RS3 five door Sportback with its 2.5-litre, five cylinder, 367HP turbocharged petrol engine, S tronic auto transmission and quattro all-wheel drive. Restless it might claim to be but in fact because five door hatchbacks of this type tend to be used daily for work or family use so they need to … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Ford Mondeo Hybrid
The all-new Ford Mondeo range is huge in the number of models with the price list showed 56 versions with prices starting at £21,095 and ranging up to £33,310. Core versions are either five door hatchbacks or estates with Style, Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X levels of spec depending on the engine chosen and there again there are numerous options from 1.0-litre petrol to 2.0-litre turbodiesel. … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Volvo debut S60 and V60 Cross Country
As model types converge with manufacturers eager for new car sales exploiting every gap in the market so we get more – ‘Crossovers’ mostly with elevated ground clearance. Volvo, the Swedish premium brand owned by the Chinese Geely Automotive group, is not new to such models. They introduced their V70 Cross Country, a crossover between an estate and an SUV in 1997. Two years ago Volvo went … [Read more...]