Ford Fiesta ST200 Hits 143 mph

Today marked the public announcement of the Fiesta ST200. It's to the Fiesta ST what the BMW M4 GTS is to the M4.

With almost ⅔ of all STs being sold in Europe going directly to the UK, there's no doubt that we here are fans of the hot hatch. The ST200's power outputs increases from 180 bhp to 197, with torque figures remaining settled at 290 Nm. This makes it the most powerful Fiesta that Ford has ever produced to date, and there's more. Another 15 bhp and 30 Nm is on tap for up to 15 seconds when required by the driver, and don't be fooled. With a 6.7 second 0-62 mph time, 15 seconds is an age! Top speed is up by 4 mph at 143.

Modifications include an enhanced torque vectoring control and a three-mode electronic stability control. Additionally, the front steering knuckle and rear twist-beam have been modified in order to improve roll-stiffness. The ST200's centre of gravity is 15 mm lower thanks to different spring and damper settings, and there are beefier brakes at the rear. It keeps the same 6-speed manual 'box that the standard ST uses.

The ST200 takes on a new look, too. The unique Storm Grey paint, 17-inch matt black alloy wheels and red brake callipers make it look somewhat more sophisticated as though it means business. Part-leather Recaro seats come part of the package.

With production starting in June, first deliveries of the Ford Fiesta ST200 are expected late in the summer, with pricing of around £20-21,000.

BMW M3 and M4 Competition Package Adds 19 bhp

Under-the-skin improvements for the Competition Package-equipped M3 and M4 include new springs, dampers and anti-roll bars for the adaptive M suspension as well as reconfigured active M dampers and Dynamic Stability Control (DSC). The Comfort, Sport and Sport+ drive modes have also been upgraded to cope with the power upgrades.

Inside, the M3 and M4 Coupé get lightweight M sport seats. Outside, black chrome tailpipes and high-gloss black detailing around the windows, mirrors and grilles from BMW's exclusive Individual paint list set the Competition Package cars aside from their standard counterparts.

The model-specific 20-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels are wrapped in 265/30 R20 tyres at the front and 285/30 R20 tyres at the rear.

While the standard M3 Saloon, M4 Coupé and M4 Convertible produce 425 bhp and 550 Nm, Competition Package models are upgraded to 444 bhp. All shave 0.1 second off their 0-62 mph times, with the hard-tops getting there in 4.0 seconds and the convertible taking 4.3 seconds. Torque figures remain unchanged.

Competition Package on the M3 and M4 Coupé come at a £3,000 premium with both models costing near £60,000. The premium for the M4 Convertible is £2,200 but the convertible model itself is naturally more expensive, coming in at a total of £63,350.

Volvo Uses Three-Cylinder Engines to Save Fuel

The Swedish car maker has only just released two new members of the 90 series, the S90 Saloon and V90 Estate. They join the XC90 and all of which use four-cylinder petrol, diesel and hybrid engines. In fact Volvo exclusively uses 4-cylinder engines right across the range.

Despite this, a 1.5-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine is being tested in a V40 with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Dr Peter Mertens, the boss of research and development at Volvo, says that it will easily get up to 150 bhp although that isn't its limit. He also says that "unless somebody told you, you wouldn't know it's a three-pot", suggesting that the infamous 3-cylinder thrum will no longer be a drawback for many buyers.

It will certainly be used in the next 60 series - S60, V60 and XC60 - although that's not to say it won't make an appearance in the 90 family sometime down the line. In fact, it could be offered as part of a more humble hybrid setup. The four-wheel-drive hybrid will sit below the T8 hybrid that we see today, and could produce in the region of 250 bhp.

Audi's Q7 e-tron Plug-In Hybrid: 700 Nm at £65,000

Audi is well underway with its long-term goal of CO2-neutral mobility. Back in 2012 the A3 Sportback e-tron went on sale here in the UK, but has remained Audi's only hybrid vehicle. Pricing and specifications have been released for the Q7 e-tron quattro and it doesn't disappoint.

The hybrid SUV market is already booming, with the Mercedes GLE 500e 4MATIC and BMW X5 xDrive40e being the most obvious choices. Other options include the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid and the Lexus RX 450h. This only means one thing - the Q7 e-tron quattro needs to be perfect.

Its 34-mile electric-only range is far above the 19 offered by both Mercedes and BMW. All three models use four-wheel-drive systems to deliver the power to the road in the most composed manner possible.

Diesel-powered engines are renowned for their healthy torque figures. In fact, so are electric motors. This means that the V6 diesel-electric combo pushes out 700 Nm, with a side serving of 369 bhp. The Q7 e-tron quattro will get to 62 mph in 6.2 seconds despite returning a claimed 156.9 mpg.

Standard equipment includes LED headlights, satellite navigation and Audi's virtual cockpit. The infotainment system supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, whilst in-car LTE connectivity communicates with a smartphone app to keep you up-to-date with the charging process and interior climate control settings among other things.

Predictive Efficiency Assistant works with the navigation to coach the driver into gaining the most miles out of his or her gallons. This includes advising the driver to ease off the throttle whilst approaching a bend or transitioning into a lower speed-limited road. The Active Cruise Control and traffic sign recognition also play important roles in helping use as little fuel as possible.

Charging the battery takes 4 hours and 45 minutes via the standard cable.

The Audi Q7 e-tron quattro will start at around £65,000 before options, that's a £17,000 premium over the standard Q7. Its main rival is the equally-priced Mercedes GLE 500e (which comes at a £15,000 premium over the standard model). It will be proudly displayed at the Geneva Motor Show with order books opening in May 2016.

Škoda at the Geneva Motor Show

The most important aspect of the VisionS concept is its 6 seats spread across 3 rows. It sits on a 2.79 metre wheelbase (not too dissimilar from the Land Rover Discovery Sport's 2.74 metres). It sits on the scalable MQB platform, meaning that many of its underpinnings are shared with Volkswagen's Tiguan.

This particular car uses a hybrid setup with a total system output of 222 bhp. It's good for 0-62 mph in 7.4 seconds, and Škoda claims it will use 1.9 litres of petrol to cover 62 miles. That's about £2 with current petrol prices. A 30-mile electric-only range and CO2 emissions of 49 g/km are also enticing.

A 154 bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine is paired with a 54 bhp electric motor that's integrated into the 6-speed smooth shifting DSG automatic which drives the front wheels. A further 114 bhp is given by the second electric motor on the rear axle, giving the VisionS what Škoda calls a "smart four-wheel drive" system. Total torque figures for the petrol engine, front and rear electric motors are 250, 220 and 270 Nm respectively.

Introducing the VisionS could either mean that Škoda is hinting at a new SUV to join SEAT's Ateca, a new hybrid powertrain, or both. Even better, both in one!

Also debuting at Geneva will be the Octavia vRS 4x4. Its 182 bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine will make the saloon good for 0-62 mph in 7.6 seconds. It will also achieve a claimed 57.6 mpg and emit 129 g/km of CO2. The vRS 4x4 will also be available in estate guise.

BMW X5 and X6 to Get Touchscreens in 2016

Unofficial sources suggest that BMW will use touchscreen infotainment systems in more than just its 7 Series.

With the latest iDrive 5.0 system, BMW is likely to keep the 10.2-inch widescreen in the X5 and X6 SUVs, with the addition of touchscreen. Mobile phone gestures such as pinching and swiping will be used in the SUVs, but gesture control remains a premium item, exclusive to the 7 Series. The console-mounted iDrive controller will not be made obsolete and will continue to offer an ingenious handwriting input.

It's expected that the update will take place late in the summer season, and other sources suggest that it will be available in every single model. Those being the sDrive25d, xDrive25d, xDrive30d, xDrive40d, xDrive40e, xDrive50i and M50d for the X5, and the xDrive30d, xDrive40d, xDrive50i and M50d for the X6 coupé SUV.

The Great Car Tax Shake-Up of 2017

Before continuing, it's important to note that the following rules will only apply to new cars registered after the 1st of April 2017. Money raised through VED will go towards the maintenance of British roads.

In the first year, car tax will be calculated by CO2 emissions, the same as today. But from the second year onwards, there will be three categories that define how much you will need to pay.

At the moment, new car buyers with CO2 emissions below 130 g/km are benefitting from a first year free of tax, with sub-100 g/km emitters continuing with the free tax.

Current VED

As of April 2017, first year tax is only free to those who purchase all-electric vehicles with zero emissions. This is where the CO2 grouping carries over, although category ranges will differ.

2017 VED

It's year two onwards that causes the most confusion. The three categories are as follows:

1. Zero emission vehicles under £40,000
2. Standard vehicles under £40,000
3. Premium vehicles costing over £40,000

The standard rates for year two and onwards are as follows:

1. Zero emissions - £0
2. Standard vehicles with CO2 emissions of 1 g/km and above - £140
3. Premium cars - any cars costing more than £40,000 - add an extra £310 to the £0 or £140

That makes all-electric cars costing less than £40,000 free to tax in year two, whereas premium electric cars that cost £40,000.01 and above will have a year two rate of £310.

Standard cars under £40,000 will pay a fixed rate of £140 a year, regardless of emissions. But buy a CO2-emitting car that costs over £40,000 and you'll have the hefty annual sum of £140 + £310 (=£450). 

There's another catch, in case this isn't confusing enough! The premium fee disappears after 5 years, which makes any car that costs over £40,000 go back down to £0 (zero emissions) or £140 (emitter) a year.

Let's take a look at some examples:

Category 1 - Nissan LEAF

Year 1 - £0

Year 2 - £0

Year 3 - £0

Year 4 - £0

Year 5 - £0

Year 6 - £0

Year 7 - £0

Year 8 - £0

Year 9 - £0

Year 10 - £0

Total - £0

Category 1 & 3 - Tesla Model S

Year 1 - £0

Year 2 - £310

Year 3 - £310

Year 4 - £310

Year 5 - £310

Year 6 - £310

Year 7 - £0

Year 8 - £0

Year 9 - £0

Year 10 - £0

Total - £1,550

Category 2 - VW Golf 1.4 TSI 125 PS Manual (120 g/km)

Year 1 - £160

Year 2 - £140

Year 3 - £140

Year 4 - £140

Year 5 - £140

Year 6 - £140

Year 7 - £140

Year 8 - £140

Year 9 - £140

Year 10 - £140

Total - £1,420

Category 2 & 3 - Mercedes CLS 400 (167 g/km)

Year 1 - £500

Year 2 - £450

Year 3 - £450

Year 4 - £450

Year 5 - £450

Year 6 - £450

Year 7 - £140

Year 8 - £140

Year 9 - £140

Year 10 - £140

Total - £3,310

Extreme Category 2 & 3 - Bentley Bentayga 6.0 W12 (296 g/km)

Year 1 - £2,000

Year 2 - £450

Year 3 - £450

Year 4 - £450

Year 5 - £450

Year 6 - £450

Year 7 - £140

Year 8 - £140

Year 9 - £140

Year 10 - £140

Total - £4,810

To conclude, any car that is free to tax today will probably not be free if bought new in 2017, unless you're already driving a zero emissions vehicle. In which case, I commend you for your braveness. Additionally, cars that have just started doing well like the Tesla Model S will cost you a lot more in tax than cars that emit significant amounts of CO2. It seems unfair that people who will try and help the environment but want to keep on to their high standards are being penalised.

In order to avoid the somewhat confusing proposed 2017 VED system, you could buy a new 17-plate car any time in March and pay the current road tax figures. But inevitably, the 2017 system will be followed by thousands.

Check the information out for yourself first hand at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-excise-duty/vehicle-excise-duty

Mercedes Paves the Way with an All-New 2.0-Litre Diesel Engine

Mercedes is paving the way for the future of diesel engines with a brand-new 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit that is, as Mercedes claims, “future-proof”. The new RDE (Real Driving Emissions) legislation that’s due to arrive in Europe between 2017-2020 will emphasise a car’s real-world running figures, as opposed to the unachievable ones that we see all too often today.

THE OM 654, therefore, provides the basis for a whole new family of engines that will see an improvement in fuel consumption and emissions. Some of the things that make this new engine so effective include an all-aluminium build, steel pistons, NANOSLIDE® cylinder coating to minimise friction losses and of course weight reduction. The new 2.0-litre engine tips the scales at 168.4 kg - 34.4 kg less than the old 2.1-litre unit.

It will be put to use first in the all-new high-tech E-Class Saloon that’s due in Spring. It’s the E 220d that will be lucky enough to gain such an asset. It pairs the efficient engine with a slick 9-speed torque converter automatic ‘box. Figures come out at 72.4 mpg and 102 g/km which places the premium car into the £20/year tax bracket.

Of course, the Germans do not hold back in flaunting some figures that show its best side, such as the improvement that two decades has brought. Back in 1995, Mercedes’ passenger car average numbers were 30.7 mpg and 230 g/km of CO2. Today mpg has almost doubled to 56.5 and CO2 emissions nearly halved to 125 g/km.

But is the OM 654 as “future-proof” as they hope? Ja, or nein? Ja if you buy it now, but buy it after the 1st of April 2017 and it’s a big fat nein. It will end up costing £140 every single year to tax, that’s an increase of 600%! No doubt it will be cheaper than the old 2.1-litre diesel would be, but it doesn’t bear great news for the buyer.

Next-Generation Renault Scénic Spotted

The next generation of Scénic is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show, marking the model's 20th anniversary. 

It will represent the latest design seen across the Renault range, including the Talisman, Kadjar and 4th generation Mégane. That means a bold face, slender headlights and an slick, modern rear end. 

With new models like the 5th generation Espace getting the latest R-Link 2 touchscreen infotainment system, it's highly likely that it will makes its way into the forthcoming Scénic. 

As it will share the same underpinnings as the new Mégane, the Scénic is bound to share most if not all of its engines. The current generation's lineup includes turbocharged petrol units with outputs from 113 to 217 bhp and turbodiesels that produce between 108 and 128 bhp, but experts expect Renault to shake it up with major tweaks or even brand new engines. 

Spy shots have circulated the Internet showing a heavily camouflaged Scénic on test, but the R-Space concept gives us some sort of an insight. 

Its 21-inch alloy wheels and rear suicide doors remind us that this is a concept, but features like the panoramic glass roof could be carried over. 

The R-Space concept uses a 900cc 3-cylinder petrol engine that produces 108 bhp and 160 Nm. Figures of 76.3 mpg and 95 g/km of CO2 are nothing out of the ordinary by today's terms, though. 

Volvo V90 Estate Leaked Before Release

The S90 that was let loose not too long ago was essentially a realised Concept Coupé turned into a saloon.

Well now it's time for the Concept Estate to stamp its feet and become a reality.

Although it's February the 18th that Volvo had planned to release its V90 Estate, images have found their way out nearly a week early. Unfortunately, that's all that has found its way out.

The inside of the new V90 will look equally as luxurious and modern as the S90's and XC90's, no surprise considering they're all members of the same family. The boot space is expected to be class-leading (if not just behind) if Volvo's estate history is anything to go by.

Being built on the same Scalable Product Architecture as the S90 Saloon, we know that only 4-cylinder engines will be utilised. A plug-in hybrid variant, a.k.a. the T8, will develop around 400 bhp thanks to a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre petrol unit and the help of some electricity.

Seeing as Volvo's performance division Polestar has got its hands on the V60, the V90 is bound to have a similar treatment.

Pagani Huayra + 99 bhp - 150 kg = Huayra BC

So the first question we have is why BC? Why not something a bit sportier? The Italians explain in due course that it stands for Benny Caiola, one of Pagani's first customers.

No more than 20 of these hypercars will be produced, but they have all been sold already. And at an eyewatering price of $2.8 million (just over £1.9 million).

So you would hope that Pagani have pulled out all the stops to justify its hefty pricetag, no? Well the Mercedes-AMG-sourced 6.0-litre bi-turbo V12 engine jumps up to 819 bhp. Torque figures haven't leaked yet, although there's bound to be an increase over the already sufficient 1,000 Nm. The regular Huayra charges to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, so we have good reason to expect a sub-3.0 second time for the BC.

Other than engine modifications, the Italian hypercar has been on a detox and lost 150 kg. The front and rear fenders have been tampered with, with larger air intakes up front, and are joined by aerodynamically designed side skirts. A new rear wing will also provide 500 kg of downforce at 155 mph, aided by active flaps.

BMW M760Li xDrive to Get 6.6-Litre V12 Powerplant

Up until today, the quickest BMW 7 Series has been the 750i, with 444 bhp and 650 Nm delivered by a 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine. Nought to sixty-two is covered in 4.7 seconds. M Performance hasn't tampered with the 7 Series to give us an 'M7'.

But what they have done is announced an M760Li. It gains 148 bhp and 150 Nm, an additional 4 cylinders and another 2.6 litres. The total power output of 592 bhp and 800 Nm as well as all-wheel-drive make it sprint to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds, and on to its limited top speed of 155 mph. Even though it uses stop/start technology and other fuel saving techniques, it only manages to return a claimed 22.4 mpg, emitting 294 g/km of CO2.

It needs two turbochargers, one for each half of the V12, to give it adequate power. But adequate power it does have. Launch Control and an 8-speed automatic transmission help release the full soundtrack of the V12.

Despite being a performance orientated land barge, it doesn't disappoint with equipment. Air suspension, LED lighting, keyless entry and Merino leather trim with Alcantara headlining remind us that the 7 Series is essentially destined to be a chauffeur-driven car. Don't be fooled, though. It's not embarrassed or ashamed to be a performance car, with countless V12 badges inside and out.

The 750i is available from £76,000-£80,000 before options which gives us some sort of indication of the yet-to-be-announced pricing. This will be announced before its late-2016 arrival.

To put the M760Li xDrive into perspective, Audi's S8 Plus quattro gets a tiny-by-comparison 4.0-litre V8. It still, however, succeeds in creating 597 bhp and 750 Nm, making it good for 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds (0.1 s quicker than the M760Li xDrive). It's competitively priced at a smidge under £100,000.

Jaguar's XJR is almost £6,000 cheaper. Its 5.0-litre V8 produces 542 bhp and 680 Nm. It's a fair bit slower to 62 mph, making it in 4.6 seconds.

Lastly, the bonkers Mercedes-AMG S65 uses another V12, this time just 6.0 litres. No less than 621 bhp and 1,000 Nm are produced, but it still takes 4.3 seconds to get to 62 mph. This can be put down to weight. And its price tag of more than £180,000.