Friday, October 28th
Audi Q7 FSI
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 4x4 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...........[
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Thursday, October 27th
Sh! Lexus' secret is out
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...........[
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Wednesday, October 26th
Meet VW's 100mpg coupé
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. Called the EcoRacer, the...........[
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Tuesday, October 25th
Renault Laguna 2.0 dCi Dyn
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. Designed to replace the existing 2.2-litre...........[
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Wednesday, October 19th
Nissan Micra C+C Essenza
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. The result is a glass-panelled roof that's a masterpiece of design and engineering...........[
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Monday, October 17th
Spax Springs now available at Topgear
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!...........[
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Wednesday, October 12th
'Modded' cars underground stars of auto show
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...........[
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Tuesday, October 11th
Prices Vit the bill
Suzuki has announced prices for the all-new Grand Vitara. The stylish off-roader boasts permanent four-wheel drive and is available in three or five-door bodystyles. Entry-level 1.6-litre three-doors start at £12,699, while the 2.0-litre five-door manual is priced from £15,499. There's also a four-speed auto available for the bigger engine - the model costs £16,449. (this bulletin was taken from autoexpress.co.uk...........[
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Monday, October 10th
Ferrari expect to have new car running in January
Ferrari aim to have their 2006 Formula One car on track in January, technical director Ross Brawn said on Friday. "The engine has been running in a hybrid car and will continue to run for the next four or five months," he told reporters at the Japanese Grand Prix. "We plan to bring the new car out during January, so it will be earlier than previous cars. The engine probably has the longest lead time of all the parts we need for next year and that's getting updates and revisions as we go along." He said the engine specification would...........[
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Friday, October 7th
Racing Lamborghini Gallardo
After this year’s occasional entry of an "R-GT" Lamborghini Murciélago, 2006 may well see a Gallardo on the tracks. From February 2006 a Gallardo GT3R will start testing for international competition - and a road version will be produced too. Last weekend the first example of the proposed Gallardo GT3R successfully completed a two-day shakedown test in the hands of the newly founded Lambo- Racing customer team. The 4-WD car was developed and built by Reiter Engineering at the customer's request, in time for them to prepare for the start of the 2006 VLN Nordschleife Championship. (this article was taken...........[
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Thursday, October 6th
Showroom car deals
Showroom deals... Saab: free extras worth £1,000 with 9-3 Convertible, 9-3 Sport Saloon and new 9-5 until end of year. The 9-3 Sport Wagon gets £750 worth of accessories. Mazda: save £1,190 on S versions of 2 supermini until 31 December, plus £1,000 on 3 Sakata. TS variants of 5 MPV have free Mitsubishi: Colt 1.1 Mirage has free sunroof and three years' servicing until end of year. Also, save £2,500 and £3,000 on the Shogun Pinin and Outlander.alloys; TS2 offers DVD player. Vauxhall: Astra Sport Hatch 1.4 SXi available with a year's insurance for £99, and can be bought...........[
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Wednesday, October 5th
Impreza hatches out
Finally, Auto Express can officially reveal the future for Subaru! Although we were the first magazine to break the news on bold plans for a hatch to replace the Impreza (issue 853), not until now has the sheer scale of the model's reinvention become apparent. While the hatchback's intro-duction has shocked fans of the marque, it's only part of a radical series of upgrades which are designed to push the firm's best-selling model back to the top of its class. Quite simply, the fresh Impreza is one of the most daring cars of the year - and one which represents...........[
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Tuesday, October 4th
Peugeot 407 Coupé SE HDi
Pride is at stake at Peugeot. Dealers are having a hard time trying to shift the 107 city car and unconventional 1007 supermini-MPV, so the French firm is hoping that this new 407 Coupé will be a hit. And its task isn't made any easier by the fact that the two-door's predecessor looked like an entry-level Ferrari... Auto Express was first behind the wheel of the newcomer to find out if the latest in-house-designed Peugeot coupé can pick up where the Pininfarina-styled 406 version left off. Following in the tracks of the 407 saloon, the lines of the two-door will...........[
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Monday, October 3rd
Citroen C3 HDi 110
Smart, fast and frugal - by offering all three attributes, today's best superminis are minor miracles. And there's such stiff competition that no maker can afford to stand still - which is why Citroen has facelifted its C3. A bold, C4-influenced look has been adopted for the front grille, and it now features a larger chevron badge. At the rear, there are fresh taillamps with clear lenses. Inside, the dashboard boasts a neater design with controls grouped by a silver border on the centre console, although some plastics still feel cheap. Far more significant is the work that has been...........[
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