Renault Mégane Specifications and Pricing

Our tastebuds have been tickled many a time over the past few months by Renault with the 4th-generation Mégane. Now it's time to see what's on offer in detail.

Standard equipment on Renault's answer to the VW Golf includes adaptive cruise control, active emergency braking, lane departure warning, reach and rake for the steering column, height adjustable driver and passenger seat and Bluetooth.

An electronic parking brake, LED daytime running lights, tinted windows, a 7-inch instrument panel with digital speedometer, all-round electric windows and DAB all make up the first level of trim - Expression+.

Next up is Dynamique Nav, which adds automatic headlights and wipers, traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning, electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, a 7-inch R-Link infotainment system and an upgrade Arkamys sound system.

Dynamique S Nav gains 17-inch diamond-cut alloys, all-round parking sensors, a reversing camera and an 8.7-inch portrait R-Link system.

Signature Nav expands on this with 18-inch diamond-cut alloys, LED headlights and black leather upholstery.

As part of the sports range, the GT-Line Nav gets sportier bodystyling with some honeycomb effects and impressive dark alloy wheels.

Top of the range is the GT Nav. It comes as standard with a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, Launch Control and even four-wheel steering (4Control).

The above trims aren't the be-all and end-all, though. You can pick and choose packages to add features such as parking sensors, or maybe even a panoramic sunroof.

From launch, four engines will be available, all of which turbocharged. A 1.2-litre petrol producing 128 bhp and a 1.5-litre diesel producing 108 bhp will be available in manual and dual-clutch automatic. There's also a 1.6-litre diesel with 128 bhp, which is solely available with a manual gearbox, and a 1.6-litre petrol with 202 bhp stuck with only the dual-clutch auto.

All trims apart from the GT Nav are available with the 1.2 TCe 130 and 1.5 dCi 110. All trims apart from the GT Nav and Expression+ can also be had with the 1.6 dCi 130. The 1.6 205 is reserved for the sporty GT Nav. MPG figures for the diesels range from the late 60s to mid 70s, with petrols sitting between the late 40s and mid 50s. CO2 emissions range from 96 to 134 g/km.

Zafira Tourer Gets a Very Vauxhall-esque Facelift

Around the front, the refreshed Zafira Tourer will gain new headlights not too dissimilar from those we've seen in other facelifts across the Vauxhall range, as well as fully redesigned upper and lower grilles. Horizontal effects such as the chrome bar on the upper grille help give the car the illusion of being wider, essentially giving it more road presence.

Formerly, the Zafira's dashboard was found to be very cluttered with what seemed like hundreds of buttons set below a dashtop-mounted infotainment screen. This screen has now been moved down, set into the dashboard, and taking the place of many buttons. A new instrument cluster and tweaked steering wheel design finish off the interior. The R4.0 IntelliLink infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, however this can be upgraded to the Navi 950 IntelliLink system with satellite navigation.

Despite being a practical 7-seater, sometimes it's just a few passengers that you'll find yourself carrying. That's why the middle seat of the second row can fold away to uncover armrests for the outermost seats, which in turn slide backwards and more towards the centre of the vehicle. This helps give the new Zafira Tourer a more premium feel as opposed to being a utilitarian van 24/7.

It hasn't lost any practicality, though. In 5-seat form, a total of 710 litres of storage space is available. Fold down the middle row and a 1,860-litre cargo area is uncovered at your disposal.

The facelifted Zafira Tourer will be in showrooms this October on '66' plates.

Alfa Romeo Giulia - 2.2-litre Turbodiesel or 2.9-litre V6, Your Choice!

I'm assuming, if you're reading this, that you have eyes. That's why I won't be judging the new Giulia's aesthetics on your behalf - something you're more than capable of doing. In fact, all I will do is present the information that we now know about the long-awaited Alfa Romeo Giulia.

We've already known for a few months that a 2.9-litre Ferrari-inspired V6 will show its face in a performance-orientated Quadrifoglio Verde version. For those unfamiliar with the brand, it's the equivalent to Volkswagen's R Audi's RS and BMW's M. A 0-62 mph time of 3.9 seconds will definitely throw you into the back of your seat, that is until you reach the top speed of 190 mph, all made possible by 510 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque. Although available with a manual transmission across the channel, us Brits are only blessed with an automatic, however it is the highly praised 8-speed ZF 'box.

For most of us though, the 2.2-litre turbodiesel is adequate. Just like many manufacturers these days, Alfa Romeo will offer you this engine in two different states of tuning, 150 or 180 horsepower, with 380 or 450 Nm. That's a substantial amount of power on a compact saloon.

Just like all Alfas, you'll be offered the choice of drive modes: Dynamic, Natural or Advanced Efficiency (D.N.A.). The QV version also gets a Race mode.

An active aero splitter at the front gives the Giulia a drag coefficient rating of 0.32, but can also help provide additional downforce for better grip. Not that you need that with the guzzling V6!

The instrument cluster features a 3.5-inch colour display, or 7-inch display for those who choose to upgrade it, displaying items such as fuel consumption and ideal gear shift points. The 8.8-inch infotainment display, controlled predominantly by a rotary knob, features iOS and Android connectivity, DAB, Bluetooth and satellite navigation. To add to the experience you can specify a 900W 14-speaker 5.1 surround sound system developed by Harman/Kardon.

The Giulia comes with a host of safety equipment including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warning. There's also a choice of 25W or 35W adaptive xenon headlights.

Standrad equipment includes the well-regarded 8-speed automatic transmission, alloy wheels, LED tail lights, dual-zone climate control and cruise control. Mid-spec Giulias will come with part leather upholstery and larger alloy wheels. These two models are available with both versions of the 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine.

The Giulia QV gets a special bodykit, 19-inch alloy wheels, 35W xenon headlights, leather and Alcantara upholstery and other performance-orientated kit.

Full specifications and pricing will follow nearer to the date of sale in September. Being a rival of the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3 Series, we can expect pricing to be in the region of £30,000.

BMW Prepares for the Summer with a some Hot Updates to its Range

The Germans have been channelling a lot of their resources at powertrains recently, with cars such as the 3 Series gaining a higher powered top-of-the-range 3.0-litre straight-six engine in the form of the 340i. Elsewhere in the range, we've seen the introduction of plug-in hybrids, namely the 225xe Active Tourer, 330e Saloon and X5 xDrive40e.

BMW 7 Series

The latest to join the plug-in hybrid lineup will be the 740e and 740Le xDrive. A 2.0-litre turbo-petrol will be used in conjunction with an electric motor to produce 322 bhp.

The claimed range is 29 miles for both models, however the lighter 740e retains the best running costs of 49 g/km of CO2 and 134.5 mpg, with the heavier 740Le xDrive coming in slightly behind with 56 g/km and 113 mpg.

Pricing will be £68,330 and £74,880 respectively for entry-level Exclusive trim which is by no means 'entry-level'. M Sport trim will come at a premium.

BMW M140i and M240i

For many years, the M135i has been the ultimate BMW hot hatch. Later followed the M235i for those who prefer Coupé and Convertible body styles. Now, it's time for a boost.

The 40i suggests an engine power output similar to that of a normal 4.0-litre engine as opposed to the 3.5-litre output of the previous generation. Nevertheless, all models use a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine. Visit the article on BMW's naming system here.

A total of 335 bhp and 500 Nm is made possible thanks to the latest BMW technologies. This means a 0-62 mph sprint time of 4.8 seconds for the M140i and M240i Coupé. You can expect to add another 0.1 s to the time of the M240i Convertible. Opt for the sports automatic transmission and all models will shave off 0.2 s. As usual, the three M performance cars are limited to 155 mph.

MPG figures are in the region of 35-40 for all models, with CO2 figures starting at 163 g/km and peaking just shy of 190. Systems such as Brake Energy Regeneration and stop/start ensure that you get the best possible running costs for a car with so much power.

Pricing for the M140i starts at £31,875, climbing to £35,090 for the M240i Coupé and finally £38,535 for the M240i Convertible.

BMW 1 Series and 2 Series

Along with an improved performance version, BMW has remembered about its regular customers. You can have your 1 Series with the 18i, 20i and 25i engine choices. The 2 Series Coupé and Convertible can be had with 18i, 20i or 28i. The 18i uses a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbo-petrol unit, however it's the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit that we're interested in which forms the basis for the other petrol engines in the lineup.

They all see a minuscule push in power, only 6-7 bhp. That doesn't mean they're slow, with outputs of 182 (20i), 221 (25i) and 249 bhp (30i) respectively.  Fuel consumption also improves, with claimed figures north of 44 mpg.  It's worth noting the change from 28i to 30i for the higher powered engines available in the 2 Series.

Previously the 125i was available with a 6-speed manual transmission, a regular automatic or a sports automatic, but following the roll-out of the new updates an 8-speed sports automatic transmission will come as standard.

Just for good measure, pricing for the above three models starts at £23,980 (1 Series), £26,865 (2 Series Coupé) and £29,830 (2 Series Convertible).

Latest-Generation iDrive Infotainment System

Originally debuted on the 7 Series luxury saloon, the latest generation of BMW's industry-leading iDrive will filter its way down through the range to the entry point to the premium German brand, the 1 Series.

Some features of the latest version are an advanced Bluetooth setup, wireless phone charging and a performance upgrade thanks to an increased RAM.

Upgrades to the Trim Levels

All 3 Series and 4 Series equipped with the M Sport trim will now be available with Black Dakota leather upholstery featuring contrast blue stitching. Venetian Beige Dakota leather with a contrasting black carpet colour also makes its way into the 3 Series and 4 Series range.

X5 and X6 SUVs equipped with the rear-seat entertainment package will feature 10.2-inch displays (as opposed to 9.2 inches) with a higher image quality. BlueRay functionality and HDMI connectivity are also thrown in for good measure.

Are you looking for a hybrid that can carry the family around and still look good? A new M Sport trim will be added to the 225xe Active Tourer for £34,405, and that's before the Government's grant.

Lastly, an M Sport Plus package will be optional on the higher end cars, those being the 5 Series Gran Turismo, X5 and X6. A Harman/Kardon surround sound setup features, as well as sun protection glass, a head-up display and a speed limit display. All models will come with 20-inch M double-spoke light alloy wheels with varying styles.

Rivals

It's important that we don't forget to weigh up the pros and cons of a car when we are considering buying one. That's why I've compiled a list of rivals for the above mentioned cars:

• BMW 740e and 740Le xDrive
• Mercedes S 300 h L (diesel-eletric hybrid) - £74,250
• Mercedes S 400 h L (petrol-electric hybrid) - £72,900
• Mercedes S 500 e L (petrol-electric plug-in hybrid) - £90,165
• BMW M140i
• Audi S3 - £32,330
• Mercedes-AMG A 45 4MATIC - £40,695
• Volkswagen Golf R - £31,185
• Ford Focus - £31,000
• BMW M240i Coupé
• Audi TTS £39,685
• Volkswagen Scirocco R - £32,865
• BMW M240i Convertible
• Audi S3 Cabriolet - £TBC
• Audi TTS Roadster - £41,435
• Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 - £46,360
• BMW 1 Series
• Audi A3
• Mercedes A-Class
• Volkswagen Golf
• BMW 2 Series Coupé
• Audi TT
• Volkswagen Scirocco
• BMW 2 Series Convertible
• Audi A3 Cabriolet
• Audi TT Roadster
• Mercedes SLC
• BMW 3 Series
• Audi A4
• Mercedes C-Class
• Jaguar XE
• Lexus IS
• BMW 4 Series
• Audi A5
• Mercedes C-Class Coupé
• Lexus RC
• BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
• No close rivals
• BMW X5
• Mercedes GLE
• Audi Q7
• Range Rover Sport
• Volvo XC90
• BMW X6
• Mercedes GLE Coupé

UK Auto Forums, the One Stop Shop for Model-Specific Forums

If there's one particular car you're interested about, then you don't want to be reading about all the others! That's why you can head over to UK Auto Forums to find a number of forums specifically set up with one car in mind, whether it be the Kia Niro or Craig's Cars' favourite, the upmarket Audi Q2.

BMW i3 Gains 50% More Range for 2016

The BMW i3 hasn't been around for long, but already it's time for an upgrade. With cars such as the Nissan LEAF already receiving range boosts, it's time for BMW to keep up with the crowd.

The new model has a 94 Ah cell capacity as opposed to the previous 60 Ah model. Its 33 kWh lithium ion battery back will allow it to travel for what BMW claims is 195 miles of everyday driving, including air conditioning or heating usage. The 50% increase in range does not affect the i3's practicality as the batteries are exactly the same size.

Both the electric-only variant and the Range Extender with a built in petrol motor produce 168 bhp and 250 Nm. Thanks to instant and on-demand torque, the EV will sprint to 62 mph in 7.3 seconds, however it will take an extra 0.8 s for the Range Extender to catch up. Nevertheless, 0-12 g/km make them cheap cars to run, and a top speed of 93 mph should suffice.

The 650 cc 2-cylinder petrol engine produces a measly 37 bhp, however it powers the battery as opposed to the wheels. Its 9-litre fuel tank sits at the front of the car, keeping rear seat and boot practicality at their best. This means 260 litres of cargo space, or 1,110 litres with the rear seats folded down. An extra 81 miles can be delivered from a tank, and don't forget this can be filled up time and time again. The EV can be charged in as little as 3 hours, too.

Both models have claimed figures of around the 12 kWh/100km mark in terms of fuel efficiency, however this is difficult to understand. With current diesel and electricity rates, it equates to roughly 470 mpg.

Inside, BMW offers four 'Interior worlds'. Essentially, they're different designs for the trim and upholstery, including Loft, Lodge, Suite and the new Atelier which is standard on the new 94 Ah model. It includes grey cloth upholstery, blue detailing and a black leather steering wheel. No matter which trim you opt for, you can rest assured that BMW has used naturally treated leathers, woods and wools as well as other renewable raw materials.

Pricing for the new BMW i3 94 Ah starts at £27,830* and goes up to £30,980* for the Range Extender Model. As standard, BMW will include an 8-year or 100,000-mile battery warranty.

*including £4,500 OLEV Government grant.

Audi Q2 Brings Youthful Appeal to German Premium Brand

With a flowing roofline giving the Q2 a coupé image, Audi hopes to attract younger customers to the brand. This is further supported by the choice of 12 exterior paints, an optional two-tone roof and coloured dash inserts inside. A choice of 16-19-inch alloys and a pair of striking LED daytime running lights give the Q2 a premium appeal. Inside, you can choose from cloth, leather or Alcantara upholstery.



Audi claims that the seating position is low and sporty, however the Q2 will still boast SUV credentials like great all-round visibility and the ability to tackle most things that 99% of people will throw at it.

Its 20 cm ground clearance makes it good for a touch of mild off-roading, with some good approach and departure angles thanks to short overhangs. Measuring 4.19 m in length, the Q2 is a whole 44 cm shorter than the Lexus NX and even 23 cm shorter than the Mercedes GLA. Similar in height to the GLA, the Q2 is around 15 cm shorter than the Range Rover Evoque.

The all-new Audi Q2 hides a 405-litre boot, which is significantly smaller than the 481-litre boot of the GLA, however the Q2 does belong to a category that is ever so slightly smaller, so this is to be expected. Nevertheless, the Range Rover Evoque only managed to fit a 420-litre boot in its 5-door model.

As standard, the Q2 will feature autonomous emergency braking. Optional safety equipment will include kit like traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist and blind spot monitoring, as well as the now familiar Audi virtual cockpit.

Engine-wise, it's likely that we'll see petrols and diesels stolen from the A1 and A3. The will probably include an entry-level 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol unit with 114 bhp. One of the Volkswagen Group's favourite engines, with 1.4-litre petrol, will also make its way into the Q2. Despite producing an impressive 148 bhp, it's able to shut down 2 of its cylinder to save on fuel. A top-of-the-range 187 bhp 2.0-litre petrol will also be likely.

For fans of diesel, myself included, there will be a 1.6-litre unit as well as two 2.0-litre engines. Power outputs would match those of the petrols - 114, 148 and 187 bhp respectively, but with higher torque figures.



As usual, 6-speed manual transmissions will be available, however a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic is a great alternative. Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system will likely be standard on the top-end models, and optional for the mid-range units.

Audi's ahead of rivals such as the Range Rover Evoque in terms of engines, which only boasts three diesel options. The Lexus NX has a petrol as well as a hybrid, however that's strictly paired to a whiney CVT 'box. Mercedes does do well in comparison, with two diesels, two petrols, a good dose of four-wheel-drive and dual-clutch transmission, and a super-hot AMG GLA 45 variant which boasts a full 376 bhp from a 2.0-litre petrol engine. Audi will follow suit with a warm SQ2 and a hot RS Q2 after the launch of the regular mini-crossover.