Topgear News

Diversity was never an Audi strength. Its saloons, estates and conventional sports cars have always been strong, but the second the company’s design team strays from the winning formulae with niche models such as the A2 city runabout or the A6 Allroad, customers turn away.

One sector of the new car market where the firm has been notable by its absence is the SUV class. With the 4×4 boom showing few signs of slowing, bosses have finally decided that now is the time to take the plunge. The Q7 has been a long time coming - but we were first and exclusively behind the wheel to deliver our verdict.

Back in the limelight - that’s where this new Lexus finds itself, and for good reason. The show car is the next-generation LS.

The Mercedes S-Class rival debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show, billed as the LF-Sh. And although the car pictured here is a display model, the real thing is now production-ready, complete with the lower-case letter ‘h’ signifying its clever petrol-electric hybrid motor.

When it goes on sale, the big Lexus should maintain the current model’s class-leading refinement, but also offer improved driving appeal and more spec. It will be sold in standard and long-wheelbase bodystyles; the former will measure 5,015mm, with the extended variant gaining 120mm between the wheels to give limousine-like rear space. Under the bonnet, a hybrid engine will power the all-new flagship LS600h.

It’s small, it’s fast, it’s frugal - and it’s coming to a VW dealer near you. These sensational official pictures reveal Volkswagen’s stunning new sportster

The model has broken all the moulds and become the undisputed star of the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. Capable of an astonishing 100mpg on a clear road, yet still returning 83mpg on the combined cycle, the two-seater is more environmentally friendly than any rival.

But make no mistake - this is no boring eco-car. The 0-62mph sprint takes only 6.3 seconds and the VW will hit an amazing 143mph top speed.

Barely a week goes by without a new diesel model hitting the roads. With rising fuel prices, it has never been so important for car makers to offer an economical engine range.

Renault knows this only too well, and so has just updated its diesel line-up with a series of new powerplants that meet tough Euro IV emissions regulations. Among the revised units is an all-new 2.0 dCi, which debuts in the facelifted Laguna. It will also appear in other Renaults in the range, but for now it’s only available in the family car.

Small convertibles mean large sales volumes these days, but it hasn’t always been that way. It was only four years ago that Peugeot’s 206 CC arrived on the scene with its Mercedes SLK-style electric folding roof. An instant hit, nearly 9,000 found homes in 2004, making it the UK’s favourite cabrio.

Peugeot’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed. Eager to attract the same buyers, Nissan is launching its Micra C+C next month. Aimed at the Vauxhall Tigra, the Sunderland-built car was created with the help of drop-top expert Karmann.

Topgear have now become a dealer for Spax Suspension. Spax, being a brand leader in suspension will be available to buy on our website and also throughout our network of depots nationwide.

Click here to see our price list for Spax Springs and keep coming back as we will soon have Spax Suspension Kits available on the web site too!!

The stars of the first major auto show of the 2006 season may be a basement of “modded” cars, standard-issue models souped up and aimed at a mainstream audience that has exploded in recent years.

The California International Auto Show for the first time in its nine-year history dedicated a separate 140,000-square-foot show floor to car customization, or “modding,” using parts ranging from chrome spinner rims and seatback DVD players to engine turbochargers.

The floor of the Southern California show, running October 5 to October 9, was peppered with “tricked out” Hondas, Nissans, a showcase of low-riders, street racers, and souped-up SUVs during a recent visit.