Volkswagen has refreshed the all-electric ID.3 hatchback and ID.4 SUV line-ups, revealing price changes and revised trim structures, while buyers can now specify individual option packs, instead of having to settle for fixed specification cars.
On both ID.3 and ID.4 models, the entry-level City trim level has been renamed Life, while the business and tech equipment levels have been discontinued.
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Changes to the ID.3 price list bring two more versions beneath the £35,000 threshold to qualify for the £2,500 government plug-in automobile grant. Mid-spec ID.3 family pro (using a 58kWh battery and a 143bhp electric motor) and ID.3 family pro performance (the same 58kWh battery but a 201bhp e-motor) have both dropped in price and taken the grant on board. They’re now priced from £31,140 and £32,460 respectively, inclusive of the grant.
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Further up the range, the high-spec ID.3 Max and range-topping tour models both receive a price reduction of £3,800. It means the most expensive member of the line-up – the 340-mile tour pro S model with its 77kWh battery, is now available from £38,800.
The introduction of configurable options packs on both models means there’s a degree of flexibility in regards to equipment for ID.3 and ID.4 buyers for the first time. customers can choose any trim level, and add in the equipment they want.
The Infotainment plus package is £2,200, introducing an augmented reality head-up display on both cars. On the ID.4 it also introduces a larger 12-inch central infotainment display, while the ID.3 hatch sticks with its 10.1-inch unit but gets an upgraded seven speaker sound system.
Other optional packs uniform across both models include sport and sport plus packs for £340 and £1,140 respectively. The sport pack introduces sports suspension and progressive steering, while sport plus introduces adaptive dampers. Similarly, new packs introducing styling elements, enhanced driver assistance and safety technology and comfort features are available to individually specify.
Now check out our reviews of the Volkswagen ID.3 and ID.4…
Ferrari has finally set the world’s motoring press loose in the Ferrari LaFerrari hypercar. It’s the moment car fans have been waiting for because the 950bhp V12 LaFerrari was first revealed at the 2013 Geneva motor Show.
The LaFerrari has the unenviable task not only of carrying the flag as the fastest and many technologically advanced road-going Ferrari ever but also of eclipsing two talented rivals in the most titanic set-to the hypercar segment has ever seen.
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The McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder have already been driven by journalists so the Ferrari LaFerrari arrives with car reviewers well aware of the heights it should scale to be crowned hypercar champ.
Can it rise to the challenge? read on for our definitive round-up of Ferrari LaFerrari review verdicts from the world’s esteemed motoring press…
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Ferrari LaFerrari reviews: full road test verdict
What did the world’s press think of the amazing Ferrari LaFerrari? find out best here.
EVO magazine Ferrari LaFerrari road test:
Leading UK performance car mag and car express sister publication, EVO was among the first titles to get behind the wheel of the mighty Ferrari LaFerrari and a 5-star rating soon followed.
Its reviewer came away pleased by the shining character of the V12 engine:
Jaguar has kept us guessing about whether it would build a high-performance XF Sportbrake, but we now have an emphatic answer. rather than simply building a XFR Sportbrake, Jaguar has skipped straight to XFR-S specification for the most useful model in its range.
Unveiled at the Geneva motor Show, the Sportbrake joins the XFR-S Saloon and XKR-S as the third member of the ballistic R-S family. like its siblings it uses a 542bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 producing 680Nm of torque – enough to rocket it from 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds, 0.2 seconds slower than the XFR-S Saloon, and on to an identical top speed of 186mph, despite weighing around 90kg more.
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Jaguar’s designers have translated the Saloon’s pumped up styling into the Sportbrake’s much more sensible bodystyle, minus the wild rear wing of course. It does get a much smaller roofing system spoiler though, along with a deeper front bumper and front splitter to increase downforce at high speeds. extended and much more sculpted side sills, a deeper rear bumper, 20-inch alloys and a race car-style rear diffuser complete the exterior updates.
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Inside there’s sports seats covered in stitched carbon leather and a sprinkling of R-S badges, but the Sporbrake’s outstanding interior space remains. That implies 60:40 split folding rear seats and a boot that extends to 1,675-litres with the seats down.
Although the XFR-S Sportbrake uses the same basic chassis as the XFR-S Saloon, the rear suspension has been tuned specifically to cope with the extra weight. thanks to stiffer anti-roll bars, firmer springs and dampers and a new front suspension knuckle, overall ride stiffness is up by 30 per cent compared to the standard car. larger tyres, bigger brakes and an electronic differential ought to guarantee it goes, stops and turns just as well as the Saloon.
It won’t be quiet either – the central silencer in the exhaust has removed and replaced with an ‘X-piece’ for a flourishing exhaust note and crackles on the overrun.
Jaguar has also made changes to the standard XF range – introducing a R-Sport model. It gets the looks of a performance model, with a chunky bodykit, but is only available with the 161bhp 2.2-litre diesel engine returning 57.7mpg and 129g/km. purchase books for the new XF models open on April 1, with the XFR-S Sportbrake priced at £82,495. Its closest rivals will be the Audi RS6 Avant and Mercedes E63 AMG Estate.
The range-topping SsangYong Rexton has been given a facelift for 2021 and is available to purchase now in the UK.
SsangYong’s flagship seven-seater SUV has received a significant makeover with a new look grille, front bumper and rear bumper. Elsewhere, existing styling cues have been retained, such as the distinctive ‘hump’ over the rear wheel arch – a design shared with the smaller Tivoli SUV.
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SsangYong has chose to ditch both the six-speed manual and the Mercedes-sourced seven-speed automatic transmission that were provided in the pre-facelift model in favour of a new seven-speed car from Hyundai. This is the only gearbox provided from launch, with no replacement for the old manual option.
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There’s also now only one engine available in the Rexton – a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel. While it’s the same basic engine used in the pre-facelift model, power has risen from 182bhp to 199bhp and torque now stands at 441Nm. 0-62mph is dealt with in 11.9 seconds and the Rexton will achieve 32.9mpg on the WLTP combined cycle.
The Rexton has a part-time four-wheel drive system. This implies power is sent to the rear wheels during normal driving but if the front wheels ought to lose grip then the four-wheel drive system will be engaged.
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SsangYong has removed the entry-level ELX model from the Rexton lineup, replacing it with the new Ventura – which gets 18-inch diamond cut alloy wheels, dual zone climate control and a 12.3-inch digital console. There’s also an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android car connectivity.
Upgrade to the supreme trim level, starting from £40,665, and you’ll get a 9.2-inch HD screen with a Tom Tom sat-nav, a rear-view video camera with 3D 360-degree monitoring and premium leather. Both versions are covered by SsangYong’s seven-year/150,000-mile warranty.
Check out our list of the best SUVs on sale here…
Motorists visiting non-government linked websites are paying triple the price of normal driving license applications processed by the DVLA.
These sites, found as sponsored links in search engines, offer check and send services, amongst other additional extras. According to the DVLA, motorists who use this site will only get back a paper application form that has been filled in for them.
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Theory and practical driving tests booked with the DVLA cost £31 and £62 respectively. The office of fair Trading says the services and costs offered by non-DVLA websites are not illegal, however.
In 2011, fake emails claiming to be from the DVLA were sent to motorists. police verified the senders of these emails as fraudsters attempting to steal personal information for identity fraud.
Driving license applications through the government can be fully completed online and no additional fees are charged during the process. The DVLA urges motorists to apply for their driving licenses through the official gov.uk website.
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Audi has revealed a new naming structure that will come into effect on new cars launching in the coming months, with the whole of the Audi range to be turned over to the fresh nomenclature by summer 2018.
One of the main reasons for the relocation over to the new system is the firm’s impending range of e-tron all-electric models, plus new hybrid cars – the designations will be applied to these cars as well as conventionally powered Audis, bringing the entire range under the same umbrella.
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The names of Audi’s models will remain the same – A1, A3, Q5 and so forth – but variations of these existing models will use two digit numbers representing their power outputs. The two-digit number will appear alongside the existing badges representing Audi’s various engines, such as TFSI, TDI, and the e-tron badge.
The two digit numbers aren’t direct transplants of the car’s power output in any particular measurement. Instead, Audi has chosen a handful of non-related numbers that will apply to certain cars based on their power outputs measured kW.
For instance, all cars with a power output between 81kW and 96 kW (108bhp to 128bhp) will be badged as 30 models. As an example, the entry level A3 1.0 TFSI will become the A3 30 TFSI.
The double-digit system will increase in increments of five, best up to range topping 70 cars with power figures over 400kW (537bhp). High-performance S and RS cars won’t be affected by the change, and will continue using their same names.
The first model to use the new naming system will be the all-new A8 when it arrives later this year. The 3.0-litre TDI model will be known as the A8 50 TDI, with the much more powerful petrol car distinguished by receiving a 55 designation.
Is Audi’s new naming structure a logical step in the best direction, or does it leave you in the dark? tell us your thoughts in the comments.
many things car, driver, tech as well as safety-related have improved beyond recognition as well as expectation in recent years. Generally, development has been ridiculously impressive.
But, some things – lethargy at Highways England, a requirement for much more proactive communication at the DfT, as well as car-loathing at some councils – never change.
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These as well as other specify organisations with ‘authority’ seem to deal with the issue of snow as well as ice-covered roads (and pavements) as terribly today as they did in years past – or worse. Citroen UK agrees. It has taken the unusual step of exposing that from 2017/18 to 2019/20 there was a 29 per cent decrease in the typical number of days councils spent gritting roads.
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Far as well numerous ‘professionals’ who are paid to safeguard as well as serve our frozen highways as well as byways seem invisible, silent as well as inactive when temperatures decrease below zero. Recently, they plummeted to minus 25C, the lowest for 25 years. Yet the sickening sight as well as noise of spinning vehicle tyres, plus cars dangerously bumping into each other on ignored as well as ungritted roads seemed as typical last week as back in 1995. Progress? What progress?
Britain sits in northern Europe. Snow, ice, slush as well as other arctic-like conditions are guaranteed. So why are we so lousy at handling winter season weather?
Mercedes has announced a diesel trade-in scheme for UK customers, offering £2,000 off new Euro 6 compliant diesel cars for owners of older Euro 1 to 4 models when they trade in their vehicles. The scheme will be available until the 31st December 2017, and is a similar move to the one recently revealed by BMW.
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As the trade-in offer is open to any Euro 1 to 4 diesel car, most pre-2005 diesels are covered, as long as the owner trading it in has owned it for at least 6 months and it complies with the correct standards.
Mild and plug-in hybrid cars are eligibile for the £2,000 subsidy alongside any existing government grants. For conventionally powered cars, only new Euro 6 diesel cars are offered with the saving, though. Mercedes sees clean diesel engines as a key part of its immediate future, and has promised rapid rollout of a new modular diesel engine family in response to questions over diesel emissions.
Smart Electric Drive models are also available with cash off, though the bonus offer is smaller at £1,000.
On top of the diesel scheme bonus, customers will be offered compensation for Euro 1 to 3 cars, which will be scrapped when traded after having its value assessed by the retailer. Euro 4 diesel owners will recieve a straight trade-in price.
Alongside Mercedes and BMW, the Volkswagen group is expected to announce a similar scheme for older diesel cars in the coming weeks.
What do you make of Mercedes’ offer to older diesel owners? tell us in the comments…
The number of disabled motorists has fallen by almost 80,000 in two years. figures show a 6 per cent decrease in disabled people getting an exemption from car tax because 2015, with 1.267 million people now registered.
While there is no evidence that any type of one cause is behind the drop, the figures prompted fresh criticism of government reforms to impairment benefits. The data, from the Motability charity, echo other stats that show a autumn in people being eligible to insurance claim personal self-reliance payments (PIP). 59,000 disabled motorists have lost their eligibility for an adapted car because the switch from impairment living allowance (DLA) to PIP in 2013.
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Figures released after a written parliamentary concern from labour MP Peter Dowd show 1,266,523 disabled people got an exemption from car tax as of February this year, compared to 1,345,446 in February 2015. people can insurance claim the exemption if they get the higher rate of the mobility element of either PIP or DLA, or particular benefits for injured armed forces veterans.
Debbie Abrahams, the shadow work as well as pensions secretary, said: “[PIP] has resulted in countless people losing their social safety and security support, with numerous having their Motability vehicles eliminated before their appeals. This has required numerous disabled chauffeurs off the road as well as not able to work, or online full as well as independent lives.”
Kia has announced a new special edition specification, called VR7. It will be available on all Picanto, Rio and the Cee’d models.
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When ordering a car with this new trim, customers are able to chose from a white, black, sliver or red exterior finish and benefit from a discount of up to £1,000 on selected models.
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Interior kit on the new VR7 trim is shared across the range. All models are fitted with air-conditioning, a leather trimmed steering wheel and Bluetooth, plus USB and AUX ports as standard. A selection of exterior features such as alloy wheels, reversing sensors, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, plus electric front and rear windows are fitted depending on model.
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Opt for the Picanto – priced from £8,795 – and engines options include 68bhp and 84bhp versions of the 1.0-litre petrol engine. The larger Rio – £10,495 – comes with either the 84bhp 1.25-litre petrol and 74bhp 1.1-litre diesel engines.
The final using with the new VR7 trim level is the Cee’d range – £13,495 – available with the 98bhp 1.4-litre petrol and 89bhp 1.4-litre diesel motors.
The new specification is available now, with all models benefiting from Kia’s 7 year/100,000 mile warranty.
• Kia Rio review