Renault has made things even easier for customers configuring a new Clio, Captur or Megane online, by simplifying its model names down to three variants: Play, Iconic, and GT Line.

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The idea is to clarify things for befuddled customers by offering a straightforward ‘walk’ through each model range. The step up in price is clearer, and it’s much more obvious what you’re actually getting for your money.

Renault even has a name for it: EasyLife.

For Clio and Captur (the latter now being Renault’s UK best-seller), it means a five-variant model range has been reduced to three; the Megane has been cut right in half, from six to three.

It’s not only trim lines either: engine choices have also been significantly reduced, with just a single petrol or diesel engine offered on each variant – yes, really: choose from a 1.2 TCe 75 petrol or 1.5 dCi 90 diesel on the Clio, the 1.2 TCe 90 petrol or 1.5 dCi 90 diesel on the Captur, and the 1.2 TCe 130 petrol or 1.5 dCi 110 diesel on the Megane.

Here, we run through each new line-up, outlining prices for each model, and what you get as standard.

2018 Renault Clio line-up

Clio Play: from £13,500, a £445 reduction. Standard kit highlights include 16-inch black alloy wheels, air con, Bluetooth with hands free, R&GO smartphone connectivity (so you can use the sat nav on your device), electric heated door mirrors, hands free Keycard and front fog lights.

Clio Iconic: from £14,700, a £254 saving over the Dynamique Nav it replaces. Highlights include 17-inch black alloys, 7.0-inch touchscreen sat nav, rear parking sensors and dark rear glass. Chrome window surrounds are also a giveaway.

Clio GT Line: from £16,250, a £525 reduction over Dynamique S. It has full LED headlights, climate control, 17-inch GT alloys, chrome rear diffuser, side skirts and dark metal door mirrors.

2018 Renault Clio Play TCe 75 4-year PCP offer

• Monthly payments: £179
• Deposit: £179
• Dealer deposit contribution: £1,893
• APR: 4.9%
• Final payment: £4,404

2018 Renault Captur line-up

Captur Play: from £15,300, a £315 reduction. It now offers two-tone exterior paint, plus 16-inch alloys, R&GO connectivity, air con, front and rear electric windows and cruise control.

Captur Iconic: from £16,500, £405 less than the old Dynamique Nav. It adds climate control, 7.0-inch touchscreen sat nav, 17-inch alloys, auto lights and wipers, more interior chrome, leather steering wheel, ivory upholstery and, new for 2018, extra-tint rear glass and rear parking sensors.

Captur GT Line: from £18,300, a hefty £1,755 less than the old Signature X Nav. It has a more rugged look than other Captur, includes EU-wide TomTom Live ‘connected’ sat nav, auto-fold door mirrors, hand-free parking, blind sport warning, reverse-park camera, Android Auto functionality (but not Apple CarPlay), LED headlights and part-leather heated seats.

2018 Renault Captur Play TCe 90 PCP offer

• Monthly payments: £199
• Deposit: £199
• Dealer deposit contribution: £1,864
• APR: 4.9%
• Final payment: £5,543

2018 Renault Megane (and Megane Sport Tourer) line-up

Megane Play: from £17,315, £475 less than Expression+. It includes 16-inch alloys, 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, LED daytime running lights, dual-cone climate control and cruise control.

Megane Iconic: from £18,415, £875 less than outgoing Dynamic Nav. Iconic adds 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, R-LINK2 infotainment with TomTom Live sat nav, auto lights and wipers, rear parking sensors, 7.0-inch TFT instrument cluster, Arkamys 3D sound system.

Megane GT Line: from £20,215, £575 less than the old GT-Line Nav. Adds sports front and rear bumpers, dark chrome door mirrors, sports seats, extra-tint rear glass and a bigger Volvo-style 8.7-inch portrait touchscreen.

2018 Renault Megane Play TCe 130 PCP offer

• Monthly payments: £219
• Deposit: £3,027
• Dealer deposit contribution: £1,000
• APR: 4.9%
• Final payment: £6,904

It was Rolls-Royce customers that demanded Rolls-Royce build an SUV. Now, here it is: the Cullinan, a model the firm says is “the most anticipated car of 2018”. It’s certainly set to be one of the most controversial.

And this is exactly what Rolls-Royce intends. “In the face of increasingly bland SUV designs,” it says, the contemporary and functional design of the Cullinan “gains iconic status”. Design chief Giles Taylor accuses other SUVs of being “homogenous and ubiquitous”. Not for Rolls-Royce, which instead has gone for “convention-challenging design”.

Rolls-Royce clients, reckons Taylor, couldn’t find what they wanted in the SUV market. “Our customers are the new pioneers, and for them, it’s about their sense of adventure and daring in how they live their experiences.” The Cullinan is a car that literally goes anywhere, he says, in “ultimate luxury and style – Rolls-Royce style”. Hence a Rolls SUV.

It’s the many limitations of rivals that Rolls-Royce believes it has answered with the Cullinan. And boy, it’s not shy in pointing them out. “The majority of so-called luxury manufacturers,” it sneers, “are limited to sharing platforms with mass brands for their SUVs, and so introducing unacceptable compromise.

“Rolls-Royce is uncompromising in only using its own architecture across all its motor cars, whatever the sector.” Take that, Bentley, and your Audi Q7- and Volkswagen Touareg-derived Bentayga.

Rivals are two-box designs, points out Rolls; the Cullinan is the sector’s first three-box car, whose extended rear partition separates passengers from the grime and clatter of stuff in the boot, and the chill/heat blast when someone opens it. Hence the glass screen that can be fitted behind rear passengers, creating a Cullinan cocoon.

Amusingly, the Goodwood firm boasts about “a completely new feature never seen before on a series production Rolls-Royce – a tailgate”.

What’s under the gargantuan bonnet? A 6.75-litre V12 twin-turbo, with 563hp and a massive 627lb ft of torque. Such pulling power is not bad for a petrol, particularly as it’s delivered from just 1,600rpm.

It’s the first four-wheel drive Rolls-Royce ever, and with added capability for the air suspension – larger air struts, strengthened drive and prop shafts amongst them – plus a heady 540mm wading depth, it’s off-road ready. Just like original off-road Rolls-Royce pioneer T.E. Lawrence used to do in Arabia.

Rolls-Royce engineering project leader Caroline Krismer picks up the ‘trash-talk the competition’ thread when discussing what lies beneath. “Unlike other car makers, we have not compromised by either retro-engineering an off-road driving system to suit on-road driving or vice versa. We began with a simple principle – to bring the famed Rolls-Royce Magic Carpet Ride to all other terrains possible, while ensuring class-leading on-road behaviour in the SUV sector.”

It’s all enhanced by one button on the centre console, which Rolls calls the ‘Everywhere’ button. Pressing it will “unleash the full gamut of Cullinan’s off-road capability”, no less. Throw in all that engine torque and a ‘Flagbearer’ stereo camera that reads the terrain ahead and proactively adjusts the suspension, for something that sounds like it reckons it can teach the Range Rover a thing or two.

Taylor says the design of the Cullinan is defined by its commanding stance, aided by a long wheelbase and ultra-long bonnet. The bonnet is set higher than the wings for a tougher look, and the side glass is extremely deep. He’s also proud of the ‘fast’ roofline at the rear that falls quickly away into the bootlid. Rear passengers sit slightly behind the rear windows, for a sense of privacy, although not as far back as in a Phantom so as not to spoil their view out. They also sit higher than those in the front.

It’s all been possible because, unlike rivals, Rolls-Royce hasn’t been forced to use “old-fashioned or shared platforms”… nor has it had to compromise with “old-fashioned or shared platforms, the choice of being good either on-road or off-road, and the relentless drive to make SUVs lower and more featureless.

Other, in short, are “blending in and becoming just another car”. Rolls reckons Cullinan’s the counterpoint to that. 

There’s little jewellery on the Cullinan, emphasising the bits it does have, such as the finisher on the bootlid and the ‘Saxon spear’ metal panel on the lower doors. Wheels? Why, 22-inches, of course. They couldn’t possibly be any smaller.

Brilliantly, Rolls-Royce ‘coach’ doors feature, and the Cullinan auto-lowers by 40mm when you open them, to aid entry. The interior design is modern, and rich, and as elegant as other Rolls-Royce; the ambience is more casual and dynamic than the formality of other models.

This is the first Rolls to have split-fold rear seats, extending the boot from 555 litres to 1,930 litres, meaning it’s time for another bit of fighting from the firm: the 2,245mm load length is, it says, longer than “reputed load-luggers such as the Volvo V90 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class or even a Range Rover Vogue Extended Wheelbase”.

We also like the sound of all the heated surfaces in the Cullinan. Yes, heated surfaces: the door armrests, front centre console lid, lower C-pillar, rear side armrests and rear centre armrest are all warmed up when you switch on the heated seats. How’s that for ultimate luxury?

The styling of the Cullinan, we’ll leave up to you (but we will advise waiting until you see it in the metal, in context, before making a final judgement). What’s certain is that this really is a Rolls-Royce like no other, a new entrant in a new sector for it, that’s seen it do things it’s never done before and approach things in an unexplored way.

This is Rolls getting bold and punchy, and we rather like it. Rolls-Royce is going a bit rogue with the roguish Cullinan. Let the fight of the ultra-posh British SUVs commence.

Mini has been on another Mini adventure – to create a one-off Mini Hatch celebrating the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The car will commemorate the wedding on 19 May, and afterwards be publically auctioned off to raise money for The Children’s HIV Association (CHIVA), one of Harry and Meghan’s chosen charities.

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But why has Mini made a special Hatch for the royal couple? Well, said Oliver Heilmer, Mini head of design, because it’s “an iconic British brand with almost 60 years of history in the UK”. Mini wanted to “mark the royal wedding with this special charitable gift”.

Mini Design says the standout features are the bespoke roof graphic, plus exterior and interior trim details that have been 3D-printed and personalised. There’s special embroidery too, ensuring this is a genuine one-off Mini.

Perhaps some elements are a bit cheesy. We can’t see ‘M hearts H’ making it to the official royal wedding car. But that’s the beauty of Mini’s new personalisation service – you can be a bit cheeky and, if you don’t like it, take it off and replace it with something else.

As you can the puddle light that shines when the door is opened: in this one-off, it currently projects ‘Just Married’ onto the ground…

The one-off Mini is painted in Crystal White. It wears a smart set of dark blue matt metallic alloys, and the surrounds for the headlights are also finished in a blue-black clear coat tint.

Other chromework to be given the blue-black tint include the grille and doorhandles. It’s a neat finish – we wonder if it’s coming to future production Minis?

The standout is the roof. It’s a hand-crafted bespoke design that marries the Union Jack and Stars & Stripes flags. The graphics were applied by hand and then painted by hand over several layers – it’s a real work of art, rather than just a simple wrap.

But the Union Jack tail laps aren’t actually a feature just for the Harry and Meghan special – they’re fitted to all new 2018 Mini Hatch and Convertible models.

And inside? Satellite grey leather is used to highlight all the special features within. These include Harry and Meghan’s name printed on the passenger side accent panel, feature graphics incorporated into the door trim strips and the panel behind the steering wheel.  

Mini’s stitched an abstract Union Flag into one head restraint and a Stars & Stripes into the other, and hand-crafted other elements within the bespoke interior. 

It’s perhaps not what you’d see on an official royal wedding car, but we like what Mini’s done here: have a bit of fun and raise a bit of money for charity at the same time. Indeed, a part of us does rather wish that this modern royal couple could drive away from St. George’s Chapel in this custom modern Mini…

Take a look to see how the Mini designed for Harry and Meghan was created, both outside and in…

Volvo is, for the first time, to share real-time safety alert data with another company. OK, that company is Volvo Trucks, but it’s still another step towards all cars becoming connected and talking to one another.

The service will initially start in Sweden and Norway. Volvo trucks fitted with hazard alert systems will be able to communicate with Volvo cars equipped with the Hazard Light Alert system, and vice versa. A UK launch has not been confirmed, but is expected. 

All data will be communicated live, but it will be anonymised and fully secure, stresses Volvo – so the cloud-based system will be GDPR-compliant.

“Sharing real-time safety data based on our connected safety technology can help avoid accidents,” said vice president of Volvo Cars Safety Centre Marlin Ekholm. “The more vehicles we have sharing safety data in real time, the safer our roads become.”

The safety boost in Sweden and Norway is itself expected to be significant. Volvo trucks and cars represent a “considerable portion” of new vehicle sales in both countries; Hazard Light Alert has been standard on all 90 and 60-series cars there since 2016, and is on the new XC40.

Adding Volvo Trucks will “cover more area, identify more potential hazards and boost overall traffic safety”, particularly on blind corners and over the crests of hills. Drivers, said Ekholm, will “virtually ‘see around the corner’ and avoid an accident before it happens.”

And Volvo is open to speaking with other companies about a safety data-share pair-up. “We look forward to establishing further collaborations with other partners who share our commitment to traffic safety.”

Volvo, remember, invented the three-point seatbelt but then, in 1959, opened up the patent to all other vehicle manufacturers. Estimates put the lives subsequently saved at one million and counting. Could its push for real-time safety alerts lead to many more saved lives in the future?

2018 Ford Fiesta ST prices start from an ultra-competitive £18,995, Ford has announced – and the hot new fast Ford is open for ordering now, with first deliveries expected in the summer.

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The sub-£19k starter price is for the ST-1, which still includes modern-day essentials such as air con, 6.5-inch Ford Sync3 touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Recaro sports seats, 17-inch alloys, cruise control and a full Euro NCAP-approved safety pack.

Pricing the new Fiesta ST from under £19,000 makes the new fast Ford appear very competitively positioned alongside its key rivals – none of which can be bought for less than £20,000.

Ford Fiesta ST: starting prices of its rivals

• Mini Hatch Cooper S 3-door: £20,635
• Peugeot 208 GTI 208: £21,185
• Renaultsport Clio 200 Turbo: £20,300
• Vauxhall Corsa VXR: £21,145
• Volkswagen Polo GTI DSG: £21,145

However, the Fiesta ST-2, which costs from £19,995, is likely to prove the most popular new Fiesta ST because of the extra kit included for the £1,000 price premium.

This includes climate control, premium B&O Play sound system, heated Recaro seats, rear privacy glass, an alternative machine-finish 17-inch alloy… and blue front seat belts.

The ST-3 costs £21,495 and sadly loses the blue front seat belts. It does gain larger 18-inch alloys though, plus power-fold door mirrors, auto wipers and auto-dim rear-view mirror, red brake calipers, keyless start, a 4.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a larger 8-inch Sync3 infotainment screen.

Seven colours are available: Race Red, Frozen White, Magnetic (a dark grey), Moondust Silver, Shadow Black, Silver Fox and, unique to the ST, Performance Blue. Race Red is free, the others are optional metallics, priced from £495 (Silver Fox and Performance Blue are £745).

All versions can be ordered with the ST Performance Pack, an £850 option that includes a Quaife limited-slip differential (a fast Fiesta first), Launch Control and ‘performance shift lights’. We at Motoring Research already consider this a must-have…

2018 Ford Fiesta ST: fast facts

Prices

ST-1 3-door: £18,995

ST-2 3-door: £19,995

ST-2 5-door: £20,645

ST-3 3-door: £21,495

ST-3 5-door: £22,145

Specs

Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder Ecoboost

Power: 200hp

Torque: 213lb ft

0-62mph: 6.5 seconds

Top speed: 144mph

Fuel economy: 47.1mpg (combined, NEDC)

CO2: 136g/km

Aston Martin is honouring the 20th anniversary of its original V8 Vantage V600 with an ultra-limited run of 2018 V12 Vantage V600 special editions – which will also mark the end of production of its long-running ‘VH’ sports car platform.

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The original 1998 V600 was a V8 Vantage, but apparently it’s a customer commission that’s led to the contemporary V600s being V12s. They commissioned just 14 cars: seven coupes and seven roadsters.

All have a seven-speed manual gearbox paired with the 600hp naturally-aspirated V12 engine: they’ll also probably be the 6.0-litre V12’s swansong, as its been replaced by a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 in the latest DB11.

The power is unchanged over the 1998 original though – which underlines just what a monstrously powerful car it was for the time. A supercharged version of Aston’s famed V8 engine delivered the firepower.

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Creating a special edition of a car that’s already been replaced is an unusual commission, but such is the flexibility of the Q by Aston Martin bespoke division, it was able to manage it.

Indeed, said Aston Martin vice president and chief creative officer, “this is precisely why we created our ‘Q by Aston Martin – Commission’ service.

“Our customers can create truly bespoke sports cars by personally collaborating with myself and Aston Martin’s design team. The V600 name remains a classic in Aston Martin’s heritage and I’m proud to see it adorn the V12 Vantage V600 once again.”

The new V600s have been given a unique grille and bulging bonnet, revised side strake and a brand new carbon fibre rear diffuser. Centre-lock forged and machined alloy wheels are fitted.

Inside, the interior is decked out in carbon fibre and dark anodised aluminium. The lightweight seats have new trim and the centre armrest is made from hand-crafted saddle leather.

Once the 14 cars have been finished, that’ll be it for the Aston VH platform, which has underpinned everything from the firm since the original DB9 and V8 Vantage. Today’s architecture is several generations on in terms of sophistication, making these V600s retro modern classics straight out the box.

The customer who commissioned the V12 Vantage V600, dubbed ‘Triple V’, has not been named – but they’re not buying all of the cars, which is great news for Aston collectors. Deliveries begin in autumn 2018: pricing and ordering is strictly upon request…

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Jaguar has opened a new hot lap experience at the ‘hellish’ Nürburgring Nordschleife, running a 575hp F-Type SVR and the equally-potent XJR575 to take up to three people on high-speed experiences of the world’s most challenging racetrack.

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The Jaguar Race Taxi experience sees professional drivers become taxi drivers, hammering the cars around the German racetrack and generating cornering forces of up to 1.2g.

Indeed, “our highly experienced professional drivers are veterans of the Nürburgring 24-Hour Race,” said JLR European engineering operations manager Phil Talboys, “making them uniquely qualified to show customers the true potential of these V8 Jaguars”.

With 73 corners and nearly 21km of racetrack to learn like the back of their hand, such experience is reassuring. 

The only proviso is that passengers must be aged 18 or over: although the F-Type will only seat one person, up to three passengers can go out in the XJR575 – and the €199 cost (that’s around £175 at today’s exchange rates) is a cost per lap, not per person.

Book either in person at the track, or in advance via Jaguar’s German website. For 2018, the Jaguar Race Taxi experience will run from now until November.

Jaguar Race Taxi experience

• How much: €199 (around £175)
• How many people: One person (F-Type SVR), three people (XJR575)
• How long: 30 minutes
• What you get: Safety briefing, hot lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, post-lap video footage review
• What you take away: HD video of your lap

Two British-built Honda Civic Type R hot hatches have been delivered to two very special new owners – Toro Rosso F1 drivers Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley. 

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Honda is currently enjoying an F1 resurgence, after its return to the grid suffered three years in the doldrums with McLaren. Freshly partnered up with Red Bull Toro Rosso, the team scored points in its first race together and has consistently been running at the sharp end since.

Now, the team has decided to reward Gasly and Hartley with a company car each. But these are top-line racing drivers. Honda thus hasn’t given them a 93g/km CO2 Civic Diesel each, but instead dropped off a pair of Civic Type Rs for the F1 racers.

Gasly already has his Type R, and the Frenchman reckons he’s “very lucky… I’m excited to try it out on the iconic Route Napoleon in the South of France”. Good man.

New Zealander Hartley gets his own Type R soon – and it will be a return to the Honda Civic road car family for the former Porsche World Endurance Championship racer. “Would you believe, my first ever road car was a 1996 Honda Civic. It’s nice to get the upgrade to the Type R.”

His only gripe: this year’s F1 race calendar is 21 Grand Prix long, so “I won’t get to drive it as much as I’d like”. Which should at least save him a bit on the fuel allowance.

For his part, Gasly proved why he’s a sponsor’s dream. Honda’s PR team was keen to stress the Type R’s 414-litre boot and wide 1,120mm opening. Slickly, the 2016 GP2 champion commented the spacious boot was a boon “for going to the airport with all the luggage I need to carry”.

Very smooth indeed, Pierre…  

Not a Red Bull Toro Rosso F1 driver? Check out our review of affordable Type Rs instead…