The 2017 Renault Zoe electric car does 250 miles on a charge

November 1, 2016

The revised Renault Zoe electric car supermini, which is now on sale in the UK, will now do up to 250 miles on a single charge in range-topping Z.E.40 guise.

The new battery in the Zoe EV boosts power from 22kW to 40kW, significantly increasing the range on the official NEDC test cycle. Storage capacity has almost doubled.

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Renault adds that in real-world driving, the battery will do 186 miles in everyday conditions, and even stretch to 124 miles when it’s extremely cold.

The new battery also offers quick-charge functionality. Renault bundles each Zoe with a free fast-charging wall box, capable of charging a battery from flat to 100% full in less than four hours.

Renault’s curious battery lease scheme has been further tweaked for the 2017 Zoe, with the newer, more straightforward and less divisive outright purchase scheme sitting alongside it. Drivers who cover up to 4,500 miles a year can lease a 22kW battery for £49 a month or the Z.E.40 battery for £59 a month. Other options are available, including an unlimited mileage scheme for the Z.E.40, costing £110 a month.

The new 2017 Zoe range starts at £18,995 for the iExpression Nav R90 22kW, once the government Plug-in Car Grant has been taken off. That’s if you buy the batteries: lease them, and the price falls to £13,995 (lease cars lose the ‘i’ at the start of their name).

The Z.E.40 battery starts at £23,445, or £17,845 if you’re happy to lease the batteries.

How to spot a 2017 Renault Zoe

The new 2017 Zoe looks very similar to the outgoing model. There are three new colours, tweaked alloy wheels and instead of having a blue Renault logo and badging, it’s now chrome.

A posh range-topping Signature Nav trim has been added, with heated leather seats, BOSE stereo, rear parking camera and fancy alloy wheels.

Expression and Dynamique Nav models remain – and even the base Expression gets TomTom sat nav, climate control, Bluetooth and 7in touchscreen. There’s now a Renault Z.E. Connect app that lets you monitor charging remotely. It’s a £75 option.

Renault has also tweaked the model names of its Zoe range. Previously, motors were dubbed R240 or Q210 – that’s either rapid or quick charge, and the range in kilometres.

Now, they’re known as R90 and Q90 – indicating power output in hp rather than range.

The new Renault Zoe range is on sale now. First UK deliveries are expected in January 2017.

2017 Renault Zoe prices – outright purchase

iExpression Nav R90 22kW: £18,995
iDynamique Nav R90 Z.E.40: £23,445
iDynamique Nav Q90 Z.E.40: £24,195
iSignature Nav R90 Z.E.40: £25,495
iSignature Nav Q90 Z.E.40: £26,245

All prices after Plug-in Car Grant

2017 Renault Zoe prices – battery lease

Expression Nav R90 22kW: £13,995
Dynamique Nav R90 Z.E.40: £17,845
Dynamique Nav Q90 Z.E.40: £18,595
Signature Nav R90 Z.E.40: £19,895
Signature Nav Q90 Z.E.40: £20,645

All prices after Plug-in Car Grant

Revealed: the worst places in the UK for car crime

Richard Aucock

October 31, 2016

London, Manchester and Bradford are the worst area in Britain for vandalism, car crime and road safety – with a staggering 1 in 3 Londoners having suffered car vandalism while parked up in their home area.

The figures are from official 2016 police data, claims data and consumer research. More Londoners than any other UK resident have suffered vandalism – 33% of them, in fact. That’s far ahead of Leeds and Glasgow which are placed second. 13% of locals have had a car vandalised there.

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But even this staggering figure doesn’t place the UK capital number one for the highest rate of car crime. That dubious honour goes to Manchester.

A whopping 192 car crimes per 10,000 registered vehicles have been recorded in Manchester – compared to, for example, 48 crimes per 10,000 vehicles in Glasgow, which ranked 10th in the analysis carried out by Rias.

London places ‘only’ third in the car crime rate, with 162 crimes per 10,000 vehicles.

However, while only 7% of residents in Bradford have experienced car vandalism, the roads in the area themselves are far tougher on cars and motorists: 64% think the roads are actually unsafe. More than half of drivers in Bradford say others routinely ignore the speed limits, for example.

Liverpool, in contrast, has the lowest car vandalism rate, and more Liverpudlians perceive their roads to be safe than in any other region of the UK.

Adam Clarke, managing director of Rias (a car insurer for the over 50s) said: “While official data appears to show that some cities have higher vehicle crime rates than others, people should always be mindful of crime in their city and not get complacent even when the crime rate is low.”

His top tops for cutting car crime include:

Never leaving valuables on show to tempt ‘smash and grab’ thieves
Turn your wheels towards the kerb when parking – it will put thieves off as it will take more time to drive away
Make sure your car is actually locked – it’s more common than you think!
Add on some anti-theft measures (don’t forget this when ticking the options boxes on a new car too)

Sunderland safe: Nissan confirms car production will stay in UK

Tim Pitt

October 27, 2016

Nissan has confirmed that car production will continue in Sunderland following the Brexit vote.

The future of the factory appeared in doubt after Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn met with prime minister Theresa May two weeks ago. However, Nissan has now committed to remain the UK, stating that both the next Qashqai and X-Trail will be built in Sunderland.

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The decision will come as a relief to the 7,000 workers at the plant, which is one of the largest employers in the north of England.

Sunderland opened its doors in 1986, and one in three British cars is now built there. Around two million Qashqai crossovers have rolled off the line over the past decade, with 80% of production currently exported.

Carlos Ghosn said: “The support and assurances of the UK government enabled us to decide that the next-generation Qashqai and X-Trail will be produced at Sunderland. I welcome British Prime Minister Theresa May’s commitment to the automotive industry in Britain.”

Mrs May called the decision “excellent news”, while business secretary Greg Clark said it was “proof of the strength of the sector”.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Today’s announcement is good news for UK Automotive and jobs, confirming Britain as a leader in automotive production. To secure this position, however, we need government to provide public assurance to investors that our advantages will be maintained – namely, a competitive business environment, the ability to recruit talent from abroad and the continuation of all the benefits of the single market as we leave the EU.”

Nissan makes the Juke, Qashqai, Note, Leaf and Infiniti Q30 models in Sunderland at present, so the addition of the X-Trail SUV is an unexpected bonus.

Mercedes-Benz X-Class pick-up truck concept: everything you need to know

Andrew Brady

October 27, 2016

Mercedes-Benz has revealed a concept version of its new mid-size X-Class pick-up truck. As the firm’s first truck in this segment, and the world’s first pick-up from a premium brand, it’s a hugely important vehicle for the upmarket car manufacturer – is it special enough to justify a premium price tag?

So why is Mercedes-Benz making a pick-up?

There are Mercedes-Benz vans and trucks and buses, so why not a pick-up wearing the three-pointed star? This is an exalted premium brand that also has supreme brand bandwidth, probably greater than any other in the world.

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Making a pick-up to tap into growing demand seems only natural. Did you know, for example, pick-ups are the best-selling type of car in Australia? 1 in 8 new cars in Argentina is a pick-up? Even in Britain, 1.3% of the new car market is pick-ups, and will thus be a top-four market for the X-Class. There’s a customer base there, alright…

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It’s actually based on a Nissan Navara

The Mercedes-Benz X-Class shares a platform – and a factory in Barcelona – with the Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan. This is through Daimler AG’s relationship with the Renault-Nissan alliance, although the firm is adamant that it offers something a bit different to its more mainstream rivals.

What does the boss say about it?

Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Daimler AG and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “With the Mercedes-Benz pickup, we will close one of the last gaps in our portfolio. Our target: we want to offer customers vehicles matching their specific needs. The X-Class will set new standards in a growing segment.”

One of the final remaining gaps in the brand’s enormous portfolio has at last been filled by the X-Class one-tonne mid-size pick-up – something that actually made Zetche rather emotional at the reveal event. “I hate gaps in the product line-up.”

So who are its target customers?

Mercedes-Benz reckons the X-Class will “bridge the gap between commercial and private, urban and rural”. It’s a pick-up for those who’d rather be driving a posh car, a multi-function all-rounder for those who want car, SUV and van in one, but don’t want to really compromise in any. Builders and landowners are going to love it. Mercedes-Benz also mentions families with active lifestyles and cool adventury-type people, but so do all carmakers when describing new models, so we’ll just throw that in for reference here.

What are its rivals?

In reality, there isn’t really an upmarket pick-up already on sale in the UK – although the Volkswagen Amarok is pretty close. People are increasingly buying pick-ups to do much more than just act as workhorses: Mercedes-Benz aims to cash in on this trend.

What is it like inside?

This is the real draw of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. OK, this is a fancy concept, but the basic design and detailing still look fantastic. All the cues and features from Mercedes’ posh saloons are there, such as the dials, the round air vents, the wood trim. It’s much, much more than simply a rebadged Renault or Nissan. It has the brand’s typical ‘welcome home’ feel, reckons Merc. We’d have to agree there.

Will it pack in the onboard tech?

Given this fancy five-seat interior, the claim Merc’s X-Class will set new standards for onboard tech perhaps won’t surprise you. Mercedes-Benz infotainment will include connected services, remote services, onboard wifi plus a plethora of cameras, radar, ultrasound sensors and assistance systems to keep everyone safe.

What engines does it use?

We don’t yet know exactly which engine it will use, other than that there will be a range-topping V6 diesel. Cue Merc’s lovely 3.0-litre turbodiesel? Lesser models may use 2.5-litre petrol and diesel engines also seen in the Renault Alaskan, plus a cheaper 2.3-litre turbodiesel also seen (whisper it) in Renault vans.

What sort of loads will it lug?

Mercedes-Benz says the payload will exceed 1.1 tonnes. That’s a lot of bags of cement. It will also tow trailers up to 3.5 tonnes. That’s a lot of, er, plant. Or, as Mercedes-Benz prefers, four cubic metres of firewood on the pickup bed and a sail boat trailing behind. Livin’ the dream.

Will it off-road?

Mercedes-Benz is throwing all of its off-road knowledge at the X-Class. Well, it has to justify that name somehow. The fancy V6 range-topper will have 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, with electronic traction control, transfer case with reduction gearbox and not one but two differential locks.

Will it be terrible on-road?

Normally, pick-ups have the sort of suspension normally seen in horse-drawn carts. Not the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. There’s a five-link rear axle and coil springs, plus springs and dampers that have been precisely calibrated, rather than seemingly just bolted on at will like in many other pick-ups. It will steer precisely, corner with agility, ride bumps absorbently, promises the firm. We’ll see.

How much will it cost?

Mercedes-Benz hasn’t released prices for the X-Class – but, despite marketing is as a premium product, it says it will be “positioned in the segment at an attractive price”. Expect it to cost more than the £22,000 Nissan Navara, and close to the £26,000 Volkswagen Amarok. It will be sold through Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle dealers.

Tell me about the white Mercedes-Benz X-Class pick-up concept

There are two versions of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class concept, the first being the blingy Stylish Explorer. This is definitely aimed at urban types, with its metallic white paint, huge 22-inch alloys, and chrome-wrapped LED light strip on the rear. Mercedes says it makes a stylish statement in a sector dominated by rough-and-tough pick-ups.

What about the yellow Mercedes-Benz X-Class pick-up concept?

And then there’s the Powerful Adventurer X-Class, aimed at those who like to chuck a canoe in the back of their truck and head to Snowdonia of a weekend. It features chunky tyres, extra ground clearance and even an electric winch fitted to the front of the truck, just in case the going gets a bit tough.

Is there going to be a hot AMG version?

Mercedes-Benz is keeping tight-lipped about whether there’ll be an AMG version of the X-Class. Marketing and product management chief Christian Pohl, told us with a smile on his face: “Let’s not talk about that today. Let’s leave that for another time.”

When will it go on sale?

Production of the X-Class is due to begin in late 2017, at the Renault-Nissan Alliance plant near Barcelona in Spain. This will be for European cars, which will go on sale in early 2018. Latin American cars will begin production at a Renault plant in Argentina from 2018, arriving to market a little later.

Will it be told in the USA?

You could be forgiven for thinking the X-Class pick-up will be right at home in the States – but Mercedes isn’t planning on selling it there. As a mid-size pick-up, it’s actually a bit small for the USA, where they prefer bigger trucks such as the Ford F350. The mid-size truck sector is actually in decline, so Mercedes is swerving it with the X-Class but “will monitor the situation”.

2017 Skoda Octavia facelift revealed: what’s been changed?

Richard Aucock

October 27, 2016

The Skoda Octavia has been facelifted for the 2017 model year. And this is no mere nip and tuck: the Czech brand has given it an entirely new look for the front end, complete with LED light glitz.

The new twin-headlight design apes that of the larger Superb. The light units have a crystal look, which is super-fancy, and can be equipped with full LED lighting for added Swarovski crystal effect.

Spot the differences? Here’s the new 2017 Skoda Octavia.

And here’s the old 2016 one.

The grille is new and fancier, and the bumper is cleaner. Yes, it gets a chrome strip. It’s been subtly neatened at the rear, and Skoda’s added in some more Simply Clever features within.

You can now have a heated steering wheel on the Octavia, for example. There are folding tables on the front seat backs. Bottle openers that grip bottles so you can open them one-handed. A customisable key that saves each driver’s settings (so if you’re tall, you don’t struggle to get in if your shorter partner’s previously driven it). And, for the estate, the Skoda removable torch makes a comeback.

Infotainment systems are better. All four systems – that’s Swing and Bolero, plus the sat nav-equipped Amundsen and Columbus – have glass capacitive displays that are more responsive to light touches (think smartphone-like). The Columbus’ display is now bigger at 9.2in and you can now get wifi in an Octavia.

You can also have smart safety systems such as autonomous reverse parking if you’re towing a trailer, and a forward assist safety system that predicts what pedestrians might be about to do.

Engines and suspension will remain largely unchanged, as Skoda worked on them a little while back – including the replacement of the 1.2-litre TSI entry-level motor with a smaller but more powerful 1.0-litre TSI.

Sales will begin later this year, for deliveries in early 2017.

New 2017 MINI Countryman revealed: everything you need to know

Richard Aucock

October 26, 2016

The new MINI Countryman is going after the Nissan Qashqai (and responding to the new Audi Q2) with the biggest Mini-badged model in 57 years.

Giving the most-misunderstood modern MINI much more relevance, the new Countryman may carry similar styling but is a far more well-formed model than the previous one – and, surprisingly, it’s on sale TODAY ahead of deliveries beginning in February 2017. Here’s what you need to know.

How big is the new MINI Countryman?

Key to the new MINI Countryman’s potential newfound appeal is the fact it’s grown. A lot. It’s 200mm longer, 30mm wider, has a 75mm longer wheelbase. Instead of being little more than four metres long, it’s now around 4.3 metres in length – a bit longer than the new Audi Q2 and not that far shy of the Nissan Qashqai. “It’s much bigger” say insiders. And it’s this that will make the model relevant.

Where does the new MINI Countryman compete?

MINI says the new Countryman is now a C-segment car. That means it’s a crossover-infused alternative to, say, a Qashqai, or a posh MINI you’d consider instead of a Focus – maybe even instead of a Volkswagen Golf. Something the current model could never claim to be. It seems MINI is no longer shy about going big.

The interior is much more upmarket

A big criticism of the current MINI Countryman is its rather un-premium interior. That’s cured with this one. Materials are higher-quality, there’s more premium-like attention to detail and it will finally feel like the cool sibling of BMW-brand cars, rather than a curiously downmarket one.

It is much roomier inside

The new MINI Countryman is a full five-seater, says the firm. Again, not something the current compromised car could claim to be. There’s 50mm more legroom and the rear seats slide back and forth by a hefty 130mm.

It has a far bigger boot

The boot capacity of the new MINI Countryman is… wait for it… 450 litres. And that’s with the seats up. A Volkswagen Golf? 380 litres. This is a massive increase: it’s 20 litres bigger than a Nissan Qashqai, for heaven’s sake! Fold the 40:20:40 split rear seats and it extends to 1,309 litres. That’s 220 litres up on before. MINI goes practical.

It has a picnic bench

Just to underline the new Countryman’s newfound practicality and crossover-ability, MINI is offering an optional ‘Picnic Bench’. This folds out of the boot and provides a seat for two people. Who needs that Range Rover, anyway?

It looks like the current MINI Countryman…

MINI is famed for its evolutionary styling and, despite the revolution beneath the surface, it’s not changed that with this new Countryman. It’s instead given it more muscle and more crossover kudos – check the form in the front and rear wings. Satin aluminium roof rails are standard, matched by aluminium sill plates to make it look taller. Other metal-look bits pump up the 4×4 elements too.

… And MINI is cool with this

Here’s old (left) and new (right) MINI Countryman. Similar, huh? But how much more presence does the new car have? Second time lucky for the designers?

It can have a central touchscreen

For the first time ever, a MINI has a touchscreen infotainment system. The famous round central display gains prod-ability for a much more contemporary experience. It’s optional – sat nav is standard on all models but usually controlled by the BMW iDrive-style controller by the handbrake – but the 8.8in screen may still become a must-have, just because.

There’s stowage space everywhere

Owners of the current Countryman could, for all MINI’s talk of lifestyley stowage solutions and central sliding rails, never quite find enough suitable places to put their stuff. Fixed here. There’s much more on-board stowage, from front and rear doors that tale 1-litre bottles, to a massive cubby in the centre console, to more cupholders and a space-saving electric parking brake (be gone, impossible-to-use current lever!).

MINI Find Mate helps you find the stuff you’ve lost

All this newfound space makes it far more likely you’ll lose stuff on-board. MINI Find Mate to the rescue: these are tags you can put on bags, keyrings, backpacks and the like. It lets you track exactly where they are in the car – and fire a warning bleep to help you find them on-board.

There’s a lot of standard equipment

All MINI Countryman get a lot of standard kit. The feature list on all includes sat nav, Bluetooth, cruise control, 16-inch alloys autonomous-brake Active Guard and an emergency e-call feature. Cooper S and Cooper SD models add 17-inch alloys and part-leather upholstery. 75% of buyers will take the Chili option pack, which adds climate control, sports seats, LED headlights and user-selectable driving modes, amongst other bits.

It is now MINI Connected

Like BMW Connected, there’s now MINI Connected personal mobility assistant – making the Countryman a MINI that’s fully connected with devices such as the Apple iPhone and Apple Watch. It means there’s an app for communicating with your car (and finding it when you’ve lost it in a car park). The new Countryman syncs with your digital calendar. Will tell you to eat your breakfast more quickly if it spots traffic on your commute.

The new MINI Countryman is faster

The engine range comprises all-turbo motors: the Cooper-branded engines at launch are a 136hp 1.5-litre turbo petrol Cooper, which does 0-62mph in 9.6 seconds, or a 150hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel that does 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds. The Cooper S has a 192hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol for 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds (or 7.2 seconds if you pick the ALL4 all-wheel drive auto), while the 190hp 2.0-litre turbodiesel Cooper SD does 0-62mph in 7.7 seconds or 7.4 seconds as an ALL4.

The new MINI Countryman is greener

MINI says the new Countryman will average up to 64.2mpg and emit as little as 113g/km CO2. Expect future additional models to be greener still.

There is a plug-in hybrid MINI Countryman

If you want even greener, pick the new plug0in hybrid MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4. This has a turbo petrol engine with an electric motor and extended capacity batteries. For a claimed 134.5mpg… combined with 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds. Impressive.

It is better off-road

This is the crossover MINI, so BMW’s made the Countryman more able off-road (well, it is derived from the BMW X1, after all…). The all-wheel drive system, called ALL4, is faster-acting and is electronically linked to the stability control system. Great for plugging through streams… but also perfect for dealing with adverse weather conditions. Take that, UK winter.

It even has an off-road gadget

The Countryman has an off-road gimmick called MINI Country Timer. This monitors what it’s driving over and detects slopes, uneven surfaces, even snow-covered tracks. When things start to get challenging, it flashes up what sort of terrain is below on the central display. The more adverse the surface, the more the MINI icon turns from a ‘street cruiser’ into a MINI monster truck ‘cliff champ’. Yes, really.

It costs from £22,465 and is on sale in the UK now

Prices for the new MINI Countryman start at £22,465: that’s for a 136hp Cooper Countryman petrol. Expect a cheaper One Countryman in time. At launch, there’s also a 150hp Cooper D (from £24,425), a 192hp Cooper S (from £24,710) and a 190hp Cooper SD (from £26,350). You can get ALL4 versions of all of them, plus both manuals and automatics. It’s on sale right now and first deliveries are in February 2017.

Petrolgate: the next big car emissions scandal?

Richard Aucock

October 25, 2016

Petrol cars with sophisticated downsized turbo engines risk introducing a new source of harmful particulates emissions into city centres – potentially creating a new ‘petrolgate’ emissions scandal.

Campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E) says the scandal could be just as serious as the dieselgate crisis that has engulfed Volkswagen. The issue is a similar one: cars producing higher levels of harmful emissions in everyday driving than allowed in the lab-based EU emissions tests.

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Only this time, the emissions are particulate matter, or PMs, rather than nitrogen oxides (NOx).

It’s not cheating that’s the problem. It’s carmakers preferring not to fit petrol car particulate filters, called GPFs – and fitting these filters, alleges T&E, could lead to emissions 100 times lower than cars without one.

The filters cost around €25 per car, claims the organisation. It accuses manufacturers of trying to save a bit of cash rather than fix the problem for good.

By a twist of fate, Volkswagen could be spared its blushes this time around. The carmaker has already committed to fitting GPF petrol particulate filters to all its TSI and TFSI turbo petrol engines in the future.

Some new cars buyers may be more frustrated. Earlier this year, new research revealed 70% of buyers weary of dirty diesel stories would prefer buying one of these downsized petrol cars instead…

What’s behind the petrolgate risk?

2018 exhaust emissions regulations are being introduced to tackle particulate emissions from modern turbo petrol cars. A combination of high engine temperatures, high-pressure injection and the greater loads cars experience in real-world driving means many produce more PM on the road than in lab testing.

The 2018 ‘Read Driving Emissions’ scheme is being designed to prevent this. However, T&E alleges leaked documents it’s seen suggest the EU is watering down the regulations to the benefit of carmakers.

Florent Grelier, clean vehicles engineer at T&E, said: “The EU was warned about the risks of new gasoline engines three years ago. Finally, the regulations are being finalised but in a way that bends to the will of the automotive industry. This is a Petrolgate scandal is in the making.

“Unless the European Commission and governments establish strict test procedures to protect the industry from its own short-sightedness, within a few years we will see continuing high levels of particles killing hundreds of thousands of citizens prematurely.”

Everything you need to know about Lynk & Co

Andrew Brady

October 24, 2016

Unless you’re familiar with the Chinese car market, you can be forgiven for not having heard of Geely. The multinational giant, based in China, does however own a few Western companies that may be on your radar – including Volvo and The London Taxi Company.

Geely is now launching a new car company, Lynk & Co, which it’s hoping will be a major player in the European automotive market.

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The Lynk & Co 01

Lynk & Co has revealed its first model, the Lynk & Co 01 – an upmarket SUV which is set to go on sale in Europe in 2018. It’s based on the same CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) platform as the forthcoming Volvo XC40 SUV, as well as the Volvo V40 hatch and S40 saloon.

More models on their way

The firm says it believes in “simplifying and challenging industry conventions,” with this extending as far as the model’s names. That’s why the first car will be the Lynk & Co 01, the second one Lynk & Co 02, thirdly the Lynk & Co 03… etc.

It hasn’t confirmed exactly what we can expect from subsequent models, but it’s fair to assume they’ll bring along a hatch, saloon and crossover. They’ll probably all be based on the same Volvo CMA platform.

What engines will Lynk & Co use?

Expect a choice of three- and four-cylinder engines derived from Volvo’s line-up. Being a futuristic company, we’ll see a degree of electrification, and – while diesels are apparently being considered – it’s turbo petrols that make up the bulk of sales.

A seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox has been confirmed, while a manual ’box will also be offered.

The design is… different

To successfully launch a new brand, Lynk & Co is taking a bold approach to design. Despite being designed in Gothenburg, it looks very different to Volvo’s range.

“The design brief for Lynk & Co was simple: the cars should stand out from the crowd and appeal to a truly global audience,” says Geely Design Sweden’s head, Andreas Nilsson.

“From a distance, we have a European design approach. Get closer, and you see more and more detail, such as the intricate lights, and the type of grain on the interior leather. A strong wide grille completes the distinctive ‘face’ of the car. We wanted to acknowledge that our users are extremely tech-savvy – a smartphone is an integral part of their lives and our interior design reflects that and feels familiar in the context of new technology.”

We can definitely see an element of Kia Sorento in the design of the 01 and, if you squint, there’s a hint of XC90 at the rear…

It’s hot on in-car connectivity

Like it or not, no futuristic car company is going to survive without more than an element of connectivity. Lynk & Co says its at the core of its brand, with all models permanently online. Each model with come with a large central touchscreen – something Tesla introduced with the Model S in 2012.

“While other car brands are undergoing a digital transformation, Lynk & Co is born digital,” explains chief digital officer David Green.

“The lack of legacy systems and the ability to build solutions in the cloud enable us to depart from the old model of car sales and service to bring the customer seamlessly through an omnichannel platform, with intuitive interaction at every touchpoint – from researching and purchase and all the way through to owning, sharing, servicing and re-selling.”

Lynk & Co’s cloud will be developed in unison with Ericsson with help from Microsoft and Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba to “explore a whole new digital customer infrastructure for the car industry”.

Tell me more about Lynk & Co’s sales platform

Lynk & Co will be bypassing the current – rather old-fashioned – car sales process. Rather than going to a franchised dealer to buy an 01, customers will buy one online or directly from a manufacture-owned showroom.

Prices are fixed – there’s no room for negotiation, says Lynk & Co – but they’ll be ‘highly competitive’. The car manufacturer suggests it could save as much as 25% by avoiding the traditional dealership model and these savings will be passed onto the customer.

Although Lynk & Co isn’t turning its back on traditional ownership just yet – apparently we’re not ready – it will look at offering subscription-based and shared membership services, meaning you won’t necessarily have to buy a car to drive a Lynk & Co vehicle. Instead, you’ll pay a monthly fee and only have access to the car when you need it.

How much will it cost?

So, with all this talk about prices, how much can we expect to pay for a Lynk & Co car? The firm is currently remaining tight-lipped about the price of a new Lynk & Co 01, but some outlets are reporting it’ll start at around £16,000 if you want to buy one outright.

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Volkswagen to fit ‘GPF’ petrol particulate filters from 2017

Richard Aucock

October 23, 2016

The new, ultra-green, post-dieselgate Volkswagen is to roll out a new eco initiative: fitting GPF petrol particulate filters to petrol-engined cars.

The GPFs – that’s gasoline particulate filter – will go on sale from 2017 and eventually be fitted to all TSI and TFSI turbo petrol engines. By 2022, that could total seven million Volkswagen Group engines a year.

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The first engines to get a GPF will be the Volkswagen Tiguan’s 1.4-litre TFSI and the new Audi A5 Coupe’s 2.0-litre TFSI. Other variants will follow as cars and engines are renewed.

Of course, goes the common assumption, petrol engines don’t need particulate filters. That’s technology only those dirty diesels require .

But Volkswagen is on a green crusade, to put right its emissions wrongs. By fitting GPFs to TSI petrol engines, particulates can be cut from their already-low level by a further 90%.

And if you think this is going to cost it a fortune, think of the expense of fitting extensive SCR catalytic converter tech to all diesels – yet that’s what it has committed to do.

Of course, had these expensive exhaust filters been fitted to Volkswagen Group’s US-market models in the first place, the whole dieselgate scandal, and its billions of pounds of costs, could have been avoided…

The Volkswagen GPF commitment is Group-wide, too: models from Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT and Skoda will all get them.

Ford Mustang V8 wins fuel economy challenge!

Richard Aucock

October 21, 2016

A 5.0-litre V8 Ford Mustang has won the 2016 MPG Marathon fuel economy challenge, despite its official fuel consumption being just 20.9mpg.

It won because two days of skilled driving saw that figure improved by a staggering 75 per cent – after 450 miles of careful motoring, the real-world MPG of the Mustang rose to a heady 36.6mpg.

The percentage improvement is the highest ever seen on the MPG Marathon, the UK’s biggest and most high-profile annual fuel economy challenge. The Mustang even bettered a Vauxhall VXR8 Maloo which, at 27.4mpg, posted a ‘mere’ 48.5% improvement over its paltry 18.5mpg official figure.

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This year, a broad range of cars took part, including high-efficiency diesels, high-tech hybrids and hydrogen models, commercial vehicles – and even a Moto Guzzi motorcycle (which achieved 86.9mpg).

Winner of the overall highest fuel economy prize for a conventional car was a Mazda 2 1.6D, which averaged 88.9mpg. That’s an improvement of 5.8mpg over the official average.

Some expected to return over 100mpg in some of the supermini diesels entered. However, this year’s course was described as “the toughest MPG Marathon yet” as organisers aimed to make it as real world, and thus relevant to motorists, as possible. Motorway routes were largely eschewed in favour of cross-country courses, city centre challenges, dual carriageways and suburban passes.

The best overall fuel economy was achieved by a pre-production Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid, which averaged 109.1mpg. However, as the entrants were unable to frequently plug the car in during the 450-mile drive, this figure is actually 61% LESS than the official average: NEDC figures say the Prius should average 282.5mpg.

In other words, even careful driving will see Prius Plug-In Hybrid owners achieve 173mpg less than officially claimed, if they can’t actually plug the car in…

Event organiser, Jerry Ramsdale, said: “The diversity of vehicles in the event this year was tremendous, and showed just what can be achieved by adopting a level of eco-awareness from behind the wheel.

“The achievement of the crew in the Ford Mustang was astonishing – our highest improvement ever in the history of the event – and it shows that even the most potent performance cars can be relatively economical if driven sensibly.”

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