Author: zqdbe (Page 13 of 17)

Retro, it seems, is big business. Whether you’re talking music, fashion, furniture or cars, we can’t seem to get enough of things that remind us of a time that seems like it wasn’t that long ago.
In this issue we’ve got exclusive news about another retro model. The Renault 4 is set to return, hot on the heels of the reborn Renault 5 that sent the Internet crazy when it was revealed earlier in the year.

New Lotus Eletre SUV breaks cover in this week’s car Express

Not everyone agrees with Renault boss Luca De Meo that reinvention is worthwhile – and, to be honest, not every brand has as numerous cool classics to draw on as Renault – but there’s no denying the appeal that modern interpretations of fantastic original designs have.
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Our passion for all things retro is spilling over into the used car market, too, which we’re celebrating in this issue. The modern classic scene is flourishing best now with prices rising. cars that sold for a few thousand 30 or 40 years ago are going for numerous times that amount today. Ford Sierra Cosworth, anyone? That’ll set you back at least £60,000 for a good one these days.
I’ve even dabbled in that market myself over the past few years, managing to sell my Audi A2 after three years for much more than I paid for it (try doing that with any modern car) and now I’m the happy owner of a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Orvis.
My car’s in an alright condition with below-average mileage, but ideal examples are up available for sale and selling for around three times what I paid.
Life with a classic car isn’t necessarily easy; there’s always a list of jobs that need doing and paying for. but in my case I’ve got a car I’ve always wanted to own and I delight in driving. Sure, it’s going to cost me money to improve and maintain it, but I feel pretty protected in the knowledge that if I ever did want to sell, I’d probably make a bit of cash. With interest rates super-low, a classic car seems like a good – and fun – place to make an investment best now.

Take a look at our top picks for future classics…

The Detroit motor show 2014 brought us a sparkling collection of new metal and automobile express brought you all the news live from the show floor.
We covered every one of Detroit’s big new car unveils, taken a look at the hottest concepts and interviewed the top automotive industry movers and shakers.
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On this page you can get bang up-to-date with all the Detroit motor show 2014 action. Run through the big stories as they happened with our interactive timeline,  get an at-a-glance appraisal of the major Detroit motor show headlines and read our a-to-z of what every major maker was up to at the show. 
• The top ten cars at Detroit 2014 
Detroit motor show 2014: interactive timeline & videos
Scroll along our interactive timeline for all the hot stories from the 2014 Detroit motor Show… 
All our videos from the Detroit motor show 2014:
Click the links below for the top Detroit 2014 news stories of the moment and scroll down the page for our full manufacturer-by-manufacturer round-up…
Detroit motor show 2014: the crucial cars
Toyota FT-1 concept – Toyota has revealed a sensational concept version of its Supra replacement at Detroit 2014 Mercedes C-Class – the all-new Mercedes C-Class compact exec made its world debut at Detroit with BMW’s 3 series in its sights.Kia GT4 Stinger concept –  Kia comes over unexpectedly sporty with the muscular 311bhp GT4 Stinger coupe concept in Detroit Ford Mustang – the new Ford Mustang takes a bow in production form at Detroit and this one will be sold in the UK.BMW M3 saloon and M4 coupe – the current instalment in BMW’s M3 dynasty is here but now the coupe version’s called M4.   Audi Crossover concept – Audi’s crossover design study hints at the look of future road carsLexus RC-F coupe – Lexus hopes to eclipse the BMW M3 with this coupe concept car packing a V8. Volvo XC Concept – the XC concept car from Volvo tells us a lot about the design of the new XC90 SUV.Subaru Impreza WRX STi – the hot Impreza is reborn, expect the normal all-wheel-drive madness and turbocharged boxer engine.
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The huge proliferation of models in recent years has presented dealers with a challenge: how can they display and demonstrate a growing range of cars? and can customers try the car they actually want to buy?
It begs the question whether we really need the narrowest of niches, especially among SUVs. Citroen boss Vincent Cobée doesn’t think so, as he told me this week: “We’ve seen an interesting phenomenon in the last years, with some brands carpet-bombing the markets.

Top 10 best SUVs to purchase 2022

“So you end up with a car every 10 centimetres of length, and a car every three to five centimetres of height. and if you’re really obsessive, you end up with five or six SUVs in length, and then you can deploy them with two or three heights.”
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That’s not the way Citroen plans to do it. “Our view on this is clearly translated by what you saw recently with C4 and C5 X,” Cobée said. “There’s something after SUVs. “There are two reasons for this: not everybody wants a high-stance, boxy car (and there’s a number of cars that are called SUVs, but in reality they are elevated saloons).
“The second thing is, when you look at CO2 compliance and efficiency of distribution, everybody will have to relocation towards an incredibly rationalised line-up. Line-ups with 30, 40 different body types in a showroom might be something of the past.”
That was echoed by new Ford of Britain boss Lisa Brankin. Mondeo is not much longer for this world, but what will be the shape of the future Ford line-up?
“In the olden days it used to be Fiestas, Focuses, Sierras and everything else,” she told me. “Now that has really changed. In the UK, half of all the cars we sell are some kind of SUV.” 
Brankin’s focus is to “put customers at the heart of our business”, so the Ford line-up will evolve, she says. and that customer focus is important. even with fewer niches, I can’t see us being short of choice in showrooms. 
Check out the most recent on Britain’s best selling cars for 2021 here…

The facelifted Lexus CT 200h has been unveiled and it features the firm’s new grille, improved comfort, a new multimedia interface and improved emissions. The new Lexus CT 200h will go on sale in March 2014 from around £22,000.
Up front it features the new Lexus spindle grille design, while F-Sport cars have a mesh effect. There are revised fog-light surrounds while full LED headlamps available on certain models.
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• Lexus CT 200h review
New 16 and 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheel designs have been introduced while at the back the L-shaped reflector housings and black lower centre section give the car a squatter stance on the road.
There’s also a shark-fin ariel for the first time which improves aerodynamics and doesn’t need removing when using a mechanical car wash.
The interior of the CT 200h has also been given a refresh. There’s a new steering wheel matching that in the IS, and part leather gear selector.
A new 4.2-inch TFT screen is available for the instrument binnacle too. This can be linked to the multimedia system and controlled through buttons on the steering wheel.
On European cars, the main screen on the dash is now a fixed tablet type, though Japanese models keep the pop up version of the old CT 200h.

Ferrari will launch its first all-electric car in 2025 following confirmation by the brand’s Chairman and chief executive Officer, John Elkann, in a call to shareholders earlier today. 
Speaking at Ferrari’s annual general Meeting, Elkann said: “We are continuing to execute our electrification strategy in a highly disciplined way. and our interpretation and application of these technologies both in motor sport and in road cars is a huge opportunity to bring the uniqueness and passion of Ferrari to new generations.

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“We are also very excited about our first all-electric Ferrari that we plan to unveil in 2025 and you can be sure this will be everything you dream the engineers and designers at Maranello can imagine for such a landmark in our history.”
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We won’t have to wait that long to see new cars from Ferrari though, as Elkann also confirmed that the brand will “unveil a further three new models in the coming months.”
The Ferrari boss didn’t elaborate on what variants might materialise in the short term, but it’s likely that one could be the ‘Versione Speciale’ of the 812 Superfast that has been spied testing recently. It’s unlikely that Ferrari’s first SUV, codenamed the Purosangue, or thoroughbred, will be among this hat-trick of new cars, however. 
Speaking on Ferrari’s hunt for a new CEO following Louis Camilleri’s departure late last year due to personal reasons, Elkann commented that “We are making good progress towards a short list of very strong candidates who have all the right qualities, including importantly the technological capabilities, to lead our company. 
“The new CEO and the senior management team will share Ferrari’s exciting future with you in 2022, which will also be a year of important new product launches and particularly the Purosangue which is turning out to be something truly special.”
This means we’ll see a production version of the Ferrari off-roader next year at Ferrari’s capital Markets Day.

New 2023 Ferrari hypercar spied for the first time

The brand outlined more plans for its embracing of electrification by reaffirming its commitment to return to sports car racing in 2023.
Talking about Ferrari’s return to Le Mans, Elkann said that, “This presents another opportunity for us to compete at the highest levels, testing the boundaries of technology on the track and then transferring our knowledge to the matchless pedigree and driving experience of a new generation of Ferrari road cars.”
Should Ferrari build an electric car? Does it have any choice? join the debate in the comments…

1. BMW M235i Racing as well as M performance parts revealed
BMW has been hectic with the new 2 Series, exposing new M performance parts for the common model, while likewise announcing a racing version will be used to motorsport teams. The M performance upgrades offered include, a new bodykit, larger alloy wheels, uprated suspensions as well as bigger brakes, which do not effect on emissions or fuel economy. The M235i racing version is strictly for track utilize for motorsport teams as well as is offered for 59,500 Euros. The six-cylinder 3.0-litre engine has likewise been tuned to create 328bhp, up from 316bhp.
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Read more: BMW M235i Racing revealed
2. Four-star Euro NCAP security score for BMW i3
The BMW i3 has been awarded a less-than-perfect four-stars in the current Euro NCAP test results. Being the world’s very first cars and truck to be based around a carbon fibre tub, which improve stamina as well as rigidity, the result increased a few eyebrows. BMW declares stricter testing on pedestrian security hampered the i3 from scoring top marks.
Read more: BMW i3 scores four stars in Euro NCAP test
3. Renault plug-in hybrid for 2014
Renault has exposed it is working on a plug-in hybrid cars and truck that will be able to return 141mpg. The news was revealed by Renault head of research, advanced studies as well as materials Remi Bastien, with a idea arranged for a debut at the Geneva motor show in March next year. Bastien likewise revealed the cars and truck would be ‘Clio-sized’ as well as ‘affordable’.
Read more: Renault plug-in hybrid for 2014
4. Ferrari 458 Niki Lauder revealed
An anonymous client has commissioned a special edition of the Ferrari 458, which pays tribute to F1 legend Niki Lauda. Ferrari’s tailor Made programme enables clients to personalise their cars and trucks with different colour schemes as well as materials. The 458 Niki Lauda is created to mirror the style of the Ferrari F1 cars and truck he raced in the mid-seventies. There’s a white roof, gold alloys as well as a tricolour-racing stripe. Sadly, the cars and truck has no performance upgrades as well as will stay a one-off.
Read more: Ferrari 458 Niki Lauda revealed
5. Lamborghini production ends
Lamborghini has called time on Gallardo supercar after the final design rolled off the brands Sant’Agata production line. In it’s time, 35 variations of the Gallardo have been created ranging from racing versions to special editions only offered in specific markets. next year the successor to the Gallardo will be unveiled, likely to be called the Cabrera.

Read more: Lamborghini Gallardo production ends

A new facelifted Ford Focus has made its debut at the Geneva motor Show. With some changes to the look of the car, as well as upgrades to the in-car technology and interior, this new Ford focus is ready to rival the latest Volkswagen Golf.
We’ve had the chance to sit in the passenger seat to get an idea of what the new car will be like, and put together a Ford focus 2014 ride review.
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It gets a release date of July 2014 and a price likely to be broadly similar to the current Ford Focus, along with familiar trim levels like Edge, Zetec and Titanium.
You might recognise the face of the new Ford Focus: it’s just like that of the new Fiesta and the next Mondeo (is due in November), with the Aston Martin-like grille taking centre stage on Ford’s newest range of models.
• Geneva motor show 2014 on automobile Express
The oversized triangular air intakes on the front bumper of the current focus were a controversial design choice, so they are gone this time around. With elongated foglamps, which help add a bit of visual width, and a chrome trapezoidal five-bar grille, this one looks much classier. The headlights have been redesigned, too, and now have a slimmed-down, a lot more modern look.

The department for deliver has withdrawn plans for a lorry park by the M20, which was meant to simplicity congestion on the motorway when operation stack is enacted.
The organized 150-acre lorry park at Stanford, Kent was questionable from the outset, with regional residents arguing the £250million plan would have an adverse impact on the surrounding countryside. issues were likewise increased that the 3,600 lorries set to utilize the park would boost congestion as well as pollution.
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Campaigners opposing the plans increased over £10,000 as well as mounted a judicial evaluation into the park, which was because of take location in December. However, the DfT‘s statement it was “was no longer defending” this evaluation essentially shelves the Stanford park plans.
Roads priest Jesse Norman stated future plans might still include a lorry park, though: “We understand exactly how seriously the lives of Kent residents as well as the prospects of companies were impacted when operation stack was implemented in 2015”. Norman added that plans to battle operation stack congestion still “include a lorry park.”
What is operation Stack?
Operation stack was very first introduced in 1988 as well as is implemented by Kent authorities as well as the Port of Dover whenever there is disruption to channel crossings either through cross-channel ferries or the channel tunnel. It includes shutting part of the coast-bound side of the M20 in Kent as well as auto parking – or “stacking” – lorries together with it.