Author: zqdbe (Page 7 of 17)

in spite of its predecessor winning this classification last year, the new Skoda Octavia still had its work cut out to insurance claim success here, in a year when a new VW Golf, a new SEAT Leon as well as a revised Ford focus with fresh engines hit the market. however it showed its breadth of capabilities again, as well as that was sufficient to take victory, proving the Octavia’s credentials in a sector full of impressive machinery.
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Key to the Skoda’s success is its improved technology. With upgraded infotainment in addition to more driver-assistance systems – vital to enhance security in a household vehicle – the Octavia has likewise taken a step upmarket in high quality as well as refinement, too.

Skoda Octavia evaluation

It’s still based on the exact same MQB architecture  but, with subtly modified as well as tuned engines to make it more effective as well as quieter, the Octavia drives with the exact same precision as it always has, yet it’s now smoother as well as feels softer.
It smothers bumps like a premium car, offering lots of comfort, as well as while costs have crept up slightly, it’s as affordable as ever on finance, as well as you definitely get plenty for your money.
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Wireless Apple CarPlay is now fitted as basic across the full range, as well as it’s joined by Android Auto, plus a 10.25-inch digital dash screen as well as one of the most responsive touchscreens on the market, with superbly remove graphics.

A research study by automobile data professional CAP has exposed that the expense of taxing some seven-year-old vehicles is now around a third of their overall value.
CAP stated that it believes that the issue stemmed from modifications to automobile exercise task (VED) bands, which were introduced in 2006 to penalise higher CO2 vehicles.
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This indicates that vehicles registered considering that March 23 2006, with emissions between 226 as well as 255g/km now expense £475 to tax.
A 2006 Renault Laguna 3.0 Initiale automobile with 237g/km now costs £475 to tax – nearly 35 per cent of its value – while a 2006 Citroen C5 3.0 special automobile likewise costs £475 to tax, which is a lot more than 33 per cent of its value.
According to CAP, the risk is that such vehicles would swiftly ended up being worthless, in spite of creating fairly low emissions, since older, less cost-effective automobiles tend to be driven less.
CAP has called on the government to lower VED rates for vehicles that autumn into the brackets L as well as M after a specific age in buy to stop a squander of automobiles that do fairly bit damage to the environment. 
A spokesperson for CAP stated that scrapping serviceable vehicles for the benefit of a tax disc “makes a mockery” of environmental taxes, since owners already tend to limit their mileage since the vehicles are fairly uneconomical.
He said: “We are now in the crazy circumstance where completely great vehicles have ended up being uneconomical to own since the expense of taxing them might soon technique half their car’s value.
“This indicates a lot more as well as a lot more vehicles will ended up being unsalable as well as will have to be scrapped long before the end of their beneficial life.”

Jaguar has exposed a new app enabling motorists to pay for their fuel directly from the touchscreen infotainment systems in their vehicles – no requirement to queue in the forecourt shop or utilize a card at the pump.
The app develops part of the 2018 design year updates just exposed for the XE, XF as well as F-Pace SUV, though it will soon be offered across the entire Jaguar as well as Land Rover ranges, on vehicles from 2014 onwards with the InControl apps pack installed.
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• Jaguar updates F-Pace, XE as well as XF with new engines as well as tech
The app has been introduced in tandem with Shell, so it’ll only work on the forecourts at their service stations. However, full UK protection is promised, with a worldwide rollout plotted soon. The app likewise utilizes geolocation data too, to pinpoint the nearest shell station.
Apple Pay as well as Pay friend support the system, with Android automobile compatibility organized for later in 2017. 
Tapping with the display, motorists are asked to input a verification pin as well as a pump number. No paperwork is involved, as receipts are sent by means of email. It may noise pointless for the benefit of walking as much as a kiosk, however Jaguar states the app might are available in helpful for motorists with young kids as it indicates fuel can be gotten without leaving the car.
The app is offered to download now, as well as fuel isn’t the only e-commerce area Jaguar has its eye on. The business states in-car repayment for parking, road tolls or even drive-through restaurants might be used in the future. 
Does Jaguar’s app noise like something you’d get utilize out of? let us understand in the comments.

The Kia Pro_cee’d GT is not even on sale yet however Kia is already planning on expanding its line-up of high performance models if the very first one proves to be a sales success.
Speaking to us during the UK introduce of the new car, a source from within the business revealed to car Express: “We expect the five-door cee’d GT to be the very best seller after it goes on sale next year as pro_cee’d only makes up about 15 per cent of overall cee’d sales behind the SW.”
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Once that vehicle does go on sale early in 2014 as well as if it turns out to be a hit with customers, than the next step ahead will be to introduce the ‘GT’ brand as well as sporty treatment to other big-selling models in Kia’s line-up.
“If whatever goes well as well as it’s got warmly then we might spread the GT badge, as well as perhaps see a GT version of the Rio as well,” our insider said. If it got the eco-friendly light that vehicle would go toe-to-toe with the likes of the new Ford Fiesta ST as well as Peugeot 208 GTi as well as although it most likely would not reach the exact same level of power, if the pricing technique mirrored the pro_cee’d GT than it might undercut them by at least £1,000.
We were told that expanding the GT badge around the variety was much more likely than Kia producing a much more extreme as well as focussed version of the pro_cee’d GT at this stage – although we were told that there is space to boost the amount of performance from the new 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine beyond its present 201bhp output.
Kia freely admit that this relocation would be much more about enhancing the understanding of the brand as well as injecting desirability than shifting much more automobiles – however if the pro_cee’d is anything to go by then Kia might soon be the begin of a hot hatch dynasty to rival the heritage of Ford or Peugeot.

Off-road specialist Bowler has revealed its first project because its acquisition by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) late in 2019,. It’s a new addition – the first to the Bowler line-up because 2016 – that will see the old Defender shape continue in an official capacity.
The model being developed by Bowler goes by the codename CSP 575, and is a high-performance take on the classic Defender 110 that will be produced in limited numbers from 2021. It will be built at Bowler’s Belper headquarters in Derbyshire, and not at an existing JLR site.

Land Rover Defender review

Prices are set to start from around the £200,000 mark and though it will still be a highly-specialist off-road performance vehicle, Bowler says that the new Defender 110 station Wagon ‘road-going’ model that will broaden the appeal of the brand beyond motorsport. To that end, alongside the full roll-cage, the CSP 575 will feature seating for four, and even creature comforts like air conditioning. 
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According to these first official renderings (the car won’t be revealed fully until 2021), The CSP 575 combines the Defender 110’s original silhouette with a Bowler developed high-strength steel chassis. The widened tracks are highlighted by massively flared wheel arches, while power is offered by JLR’s 5.0-litre supercharged V8, here producing 567bhp.
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Beyond the engine, the CSP 575 will integrate even more components developed by JLR’s special car Operations division – the long-standing relationship between Bowler and JLR prior to official tie up last year implies that Bowler’s chassis is already compatible with a lot of the Land Rover parts catalogue. 
“There’s always been a demand from our customer base for something that takes a lot of our knowledge and experience out of the rally environment and out of the desert,” said Bowler general manager Calum McKechnie. “This is an ideal opportunity to take on that demand in something that looks like an renowned Defender station Wagon.”
“Bowler is still an independent entity with its own offices, its own staff, its own rules, its own balance sheet and we very much intend to run it that way,” said JLR special cars Operations boss Michael van der Sande. 

“Callum’s brief is very much to run Bowler as an independent company but with the support of Land Rover when that’s appropriate. and that’s what we are exercising here.”
What do you think of Bowler’s Land Rover Defender plans? let us know in the comments section below…