Mercedes Bring the Cabriolet Name to the C-Class Range

Just as you'd expect, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Cabriolet follows the same design cues as the Coupé with one exception, the multi-layer electronically-operated acoustic soft-top that replaces the standard metal roof. It will fold up or down at speeds of up to 31 mph, and can be had in black, dark blue, dark red or dark brown.

But enough about that, what about the standard equipment? Mercedes will throw in a reversing camera, a Garmin sat nav, heated seats, Active Park Assist, LED headlights, DAB digital radio, and sports seats finished in mad-made Artico leather. That's what makes up entry-level Sport trim, which is finished off with 17-inch alloy wheels and keyless entry (the latter being available solely on automatic models). And if that's not enough, two convertible specialities are included too - Airscarf will keep your neck warm with heater vents built into the headrests, and Aircap will lessen the effects of the wind in your hair by diverting it over the windshield and above the cabin.

For £1,495, you can upgrade to AMG Line. This adds a black ash wood trim with brushed aluminium detailing, a sports flat-bottomed steering wheel, steel sports pedals, black roof lining, AMG bodystyling and 18-inch alloys. The C-Class Cabriolet finished in AMG Line gets a 15 mm lower suspension setup.

Premium Plus package (£1,695) is only available on automatic models, and adds blind spot monitoring, lane keep assistant, Distronic Plus, Pre-safe Plus and Pre-safe Brake with pedestrian detection for everyone's utmost safety.

Two petrols and two diesels are available. The C 200 and C 300 both make use of a 2.0-litre petrol engine, producing 184 and 245 horsepower. Claimed MPG figures are in the 40s, and both are available with the 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission however the C 200 comes as standard with a 6-speed manual.

When it comes to diesel power, the C 220 d produces 170 horsepower. The 6-speed manual is reserved for rear-wheel-drive models, however the 9G-TRONIC is available on RWD and AWD. There's also a C 250 d with 204 horsepower and a 9G-TRONIC.

If you want something a bit quicker, Mercedes will sell you the AMG C 43 4MATIC. The 3.0-litre bi-turbo V6 produces 367 horsepower and gets to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds through the 9G-TRONIC gearbox. Standard kit for this sizzling soft-top includes 18-inch alloy wheels, an AMG performance exhaust, black mirrors housings, Artico and Dinamica upholstery and the words 'BITURBO 4MATIC' places on the front wings.

Of course, if this isn't fast enough for you, the C 63 will be what you're looking for. The 4.0-litre V8 produces 476 horsepower and 650 Nm, making it good for 0-62 mph in 4.2 seconds. Upgrade this to the C 63 S for an additional 34 horsepower and 50 Nm, shaving 0.1 s off the sprint time.

The Mercedes-AMG C 63 comes with Nappa leather upholstery, "V8 BITURBO" on the front wings and a spoiler lip. The C 63 S adds a Nappa and Dinamica sports steering wheel, 19-inch alloys, an electronic rear limited-slip differential and AMG performance seats which are an option on the C 63 (£1,405).

The boisterous cars cost £65,685 and £72,245, however if you've got £78,295 that you need to spend, put down your deposit on the C 63 S Edition 1 which features unique diamond-stitched Nappa upholstery in black and brown, matt carbon fibre interior trim and bespoke alloy wheels which measure 19 inches up front and 20 inches at the rear.

Don't worry, for £36,200 you can get the entry-level C 200 Sport, just over £4,500 more than the C-Class Coupé.

Vauxhall Mokka X Pricing Announced

If you're in the market for a funky crossover that oozes style, you could have shortlisted the Vauxhall Mokka. If so, I suggest you wait for the Mokka X's arrival in October.

The frugal 1.6-litre turbodiesel produces 110 horsepower, and with a 6-speed manual gearbox it's capable of a claimed 72.4 mpg, emitting 103 g/km. Shame there's no tax-free option, something that Renault already has under its belt with the Captur's dCi 90 and dCi 110 engines.

Entry-level Design Nav models come equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, front fog lights and an 8-inch IntelliLink infotainment system.

Top-of-the-range Elite Nav features luxuries such as leather upholstery and heated front seats and steering wheel.

Engine choices are a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol with 115 horsepower, however it's the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol that really packs a punch with 140 horsepower and some low-down shove. Diesel engines are available too, the 1.6-litre unit can be had with 110 or 136 horsepower.

The 1.6-litre petrol engine is what sets the foundation for each trim level's pricing, which goes like this:

• Design Nav - £17,590
• Active - £19,655
• Elite - £22,155
• Elite Nav - £22,855

An upgrade to the 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will cost you £655 on all trims apart from Design Nav where it comes in at £720.

Upgrade your 1.4 to automatic for £930, or to all-wheel-drive for £1,740 (£1,580 on Design Nav). Upgrade the 1.4 all-wheel-drive to automatic for a further £1,260.

The 1.6 diesel can be had with or without Vauxhall's fuel-saving ecoFLEX technology, on the 110 or 136 horsepower model. Either way, it'll cost you zero, nothing, nada. Make the 1.6 136 an automatic for £1,005 (another £10 for Design Nav), or to manual all-wheel-drive for £1,700.

Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Pricing

The new, latest-generation Zafira Tourer has been officially released and will be in showrooms from October, and the strategy Vauxhall has opted for couldn't be more simple.

Your first point for consideration is whether you want petrol power, or do you prefer diesel? Ok, now that you've decided, it's time to select which engine best suits your needs. Well, that's what usually happens, except Vauxhall has just two engines.

The 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol produces 140 horsepower, and the 2.0-litre turbodiesel produces a respectable 170 horsepower, which means the 1.6-litre turbodiesel of old will not be carried over. All we can do is hope that these two engines will suit everyone's driving needs.

Nevertheless, both are available with manual or automatic transmissions. Choose the 2.0 CDTi with manual transmission and you get stop/start which helps reign in the CO2 emission figure to 129 g/km. You'll be looking at MPG figures in the mid-50s. Slightly disappointing after having considered that the Citroën Grand C4 Picasso has a 110 horsepower diesel engine that promises 74.3 mpg and sub-100 g/km of CO2 making it free to tax. Even the BMW 220d Grand Tourer slips into the CO2 category below the Zafira Tourer, promising over 60 mpg. The Zafira Tourer, in fact, shares similar stats to the 220d xDrive - BMW's four-wheel-drive 7-seater.

Maybe engines are not Vauxhall's strong point in the Zafira Tourer range, but build quality is something that certainly doesn't disappoint, and there's plenty of options to choose from. See below the trim levels' pricing when specified with the 1.4i engine.

• Design - £18,615
• Energy - £21,735
• SRi - £23,280
• SRi Nav - £23,980
• SE - £23,265
• Tech Line - £20,310
• Elite - £24,745
• Elite Nav - £25,445

Should you want to make this a 1.4i with automatic transmission, you can add £1,520. If it's diesel power you're after, add £3,010 to Design, Energy, SE and Tech Line, or £3,075 to SRi, SRi Nav, Elite and Elite Nav. Automatic transmission for your diesel engine will set you back £1,125 on Design, Energy, SE and Tech Line, or £1,060 on SRi, SRi Nav, Elite and Elite Nav.

Entry-level Design comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors and Vauxhall's 7-inch IntelliLink infotainment system which is optionally available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

Top-of-the-range Elite Nav adds the upgraded satellite navigation system as well as 18-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats with leather upholstery, electronic climate control and front fog lights.

Fiat Sees the Introduction of the 500S

Sportier bumpers, side skirts and a rear spoiler all make the Fiat 500S stand out from its regular 500 sister. The Satin Graphite paint applied to the 15-inch alloys, door handles and mirrors among other things is certainly a lot more upmarket than the previous generation of Fiat 500.

Also included as standard on this sporty sibling is a chrome tailpipe, front fog lights, tinted rear windows, black front air intakes and a honeycomb grille. Should you want to upgrade your 500S, 16-inch alloys are a must. Their matt-black diamond finish makes them a great addition, and the £200 price tag isn't too much of a drawback.

Inside, black sports seats and a black roof lining give it a somewhat dark ambience, however this isn't too bad given the overall dimensions of the car. The contrasting door panels and seat edges add a touch of colour to the cabin, and can be finished in blue, white or yellow.

When it comes to technology, a 7-inch TFT display comes as standard in place of a conventional instrument cluster. Another 7-inch display is used for the Uconnect infotainment system which features live services, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, auxiliary input, DAB digital radio and AM/FM. For a further £250, a 3D TomTom satellite navigation can be specified.

Add to that another £300 and Fiat will upgrade the audio system to a brand-new BeatsAudio™ setup. It features 7 speakers with a total output of 440 watts.

Severn airbags, ABS, Electronic Brake Distribution, ESC, Hill Holder and an emergency braking assistance system are all standard safety kit which is great news for a car in this segment of the market, however things like these have become to be the expected norm in recent months.

Don't be fooled by the Fiat 500S's sporty looks, though. It is essentially a Fiat 500, and that's reflected in engine choice. A 69 horsepower 1.2-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine sets good foundations for sales, however it's the 0.9-litre 2-cylinder engine that will be of most interest. The 1.2 or the 85 horsepower 0.9 come as standard with a 5-speed manual transmission, with an optional 5-speed automated manual for those who prefer automatic driving. A 6-speed manual is used, however, for the 105 horsepower 0.9-litre engine. It doesn't matter which engine you choose, claimed MPG figures are above 60 across the range. This is true for the only diesel too, which is said to achieve 83.1 mpg. The 1.3-litre MultiJet II produces 95 horsepower yet emits just 89 g/km of CO2.

Pricing for the Fiat 500S is as follows:

• £12,950 - 1.2-litre petrol engine
• £14,250 - 0.9-litre petrol engine (85 hp)
• £14,730 - 0.9-litre petrol engine (105 hp)
• £15,350 - 1.3-litre diesel engine

The regular Fiat 500 starts at £11,050 for entry-level Pop trim. Make that £11,925 for the mid-range Pop Star and £12,950 for top-end Lounge.

Mercedes E-Class Estate Quickly Joins Saloon

The Mercedes E-Class Estate is now in its sixth generation, having had a complete redesign just a few days ago to fit in line with the all-new E-Class Saloon.

The main reason you would buy an estate over its saloon equivalent is, of course, the boot space. That's why the E-Class manages to squeeze in 670 litres of capacity into a well-shaped area, with the narrowest part, between the wheel arches, being 110 cm. Fold the seats down and you're faced with an 1820-litre cavern. As standard, Mercedes will give you 40:20:40 split folding rear seats - essentially each rear seat will fold down individually. Another standard feature is a clever system that allows you to make the rear seat backs roughly 10 degrees steeper, which frees up a further 30 litres of space in the boot whilst still allowing "full use" of the seats. Electronic switches in the boot make it easy to fold down the rear seats without having to walk around to the back doors.

EASY-PACK is what Mercedes calls its electronically powered tailgate, and guess what, it comes as standard. What doesn't come as standard is the KEYLESS-GO with HANDS-FREE ACCESS which allows you to open the boot with a kicking motion under the rear bumper. Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to why Mercedes capitalises its options and technology, though.

Being an estate, you're likely to be loading the boot up quite a bit. That's why a self-levelling rear air suspension is, yet again, standard kit. All-round AIR BODY CONTROL air suspension is, however, an option. The self-levelling rear air suspension can deal with up to 745 kg in the boot, depending on the model you choose, which is in the region of 10 people's weight. It can also deal with a trailer which can weigh up to 2,100 kg.

Inside, you can have your E-Class Estate similarly specced to the E-Class Saloon. The main feature is what appears to be one long high-res screen taking place of the instrument cluster and infotainment display. In fact, it consists of two 12.3-inch displays that sit behind one long sheet of glass. The driver can control what he or she sees with touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel, the regular touchpad and controller in the centre console which recognises handwriting for the satellite navigation, and the LINGUATRONIC voice recognition.

Mercedes has taken all the steps it could to make the E-Class Estate "one of the quietest estate vehicles" in its class. This has included sealed door handles and door joints, extra sealing on the side windows, and wing mirrors and A-pillars that have been optimised aeroacoustically. If that's not enough, the Acoustic Comfort package can be specified at an additional cost from late 2016, and features an acoustic film in the windscreen and side windows as well as more insulation in the rear footwells and central tunnel.

Active Brake Assist will, in worst case scenarios, apply the brakes autonomously in order to help avoid any collision. DRIVE PILOT, an option, is as near to autonomous driving as we can get today. It's essentially an advanced cruise control that can work at speeds of up to 130 mph. Another cool bit of tech is the Remote Parking Pilot, which allows you to perform tight manoeuvres from outside the vehicle using nothing but your smartphone, similar to what we saw with the latest-generation BMW 7 Series.

So now that we've covered what makes the E-Class Estate different to the Saloon, let's take a quick look at the engines. Unfortunately, there's nothing new. All the Saloon's engines have just been carried over.

A brand-new 2.0-litre diesel engine is set to replace the noisier 2.1-litre unit. That will be found in the E 220 d which boasts a reasonable 191 bhp and 400 Nm. With CO2 emissions of just 109 g/km, the E 220 d will be very good to tax. MPG figures are a claimed 67.3, with a 0-62 mph sprint time of 7.7 seconds which is quick enough for most buyers.

Fancy yourself a more powerful diesel? Mercedes will be releasing the E 350 d in the last quarter of 2016. Its 3.0-litre V6 makes 254 bhp and 620 Nm. MPG figures are a bit lower, at 52.3, with CO2 emissions rising to 140 g/km. A provisional 0-62 mph time has been given to it of 6.2 seconds.

All models come as standard with the 7G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission. Shift times are quicker for the AMG E 43 4MATIC, though. This uses a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine to produce 396 bhp and 520 Nm. It will race to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds and emit a not-so-good 192 g/km. Mercedes claims a combined figure of 33.6 mpg.

Rivals such as the Volvo V90 and Audi A6 Avant offer similar engine choices, with two diesels and a plug-in petrol hybrid for the Volvo and two diesels and a 4.0-litre V8 petrol for the Audi. BMW currently offers the most, however this model has been going the longest and therefore has had time to see the introduction of more engines along its timeline. These include 5 diesels and 3 petrols.

Audi A5 Gets Long Needed Update, but Looks the Same as A3, A4, TT, Q7...

Audi seems to be using the same facelift clinic for its range, and to be perfectly honest, I'm already a bit tired of the design. We've already seen the bold design right across the range from the TT to the A4, right up to the Q7. Well, surprise surprise the A5 has joined the crew.

It's not necessarily all that bad - the A5 has been around since 2007 pretty much unchanged. A stretched wheelbase means more room inside, and combine that with short overhangs and you have yourself a more premium looking car. The singleframe grille extends from the end of the bonnet right down to the bumper and certainly gives the A5 Coupé some presence. A set of LED tail lights come as standard, however it's the optional LED headlights (specifically the high-end Matrix LED headlights) that you want!

Audi's engineers have managed to shave, in some cases, up to 60 kg off the A5 Coupé over its predecessor. That's like removing a teenager from the car. The class-leading drag coefficient of 0.25 will also contribute to saving fuel in the long run. In fact, Audi claims that you'll be able to get up to 17% more performance whilst using up to 22% less fuel. It's a win-win situation, or at least it is on paper.

From launch, Audi will be offering two petrol engines and three diesels with power outputs of between 187-282 bhp. The 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions are available on the 4-cylinder engines as well as the 215 bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel. The 282 bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel gets the special treatment with the 8-speed tiptronic automatic, in fact so does the S5 Coupé.

On the subject of the S5 Coupé, its 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine produces 349 bhp (21 more than before), kicking it to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. The latest quattro all-wheel-drive system with ultra technology will also be available, however only on the 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with manual transmission. This is the system that we saw not too long ago debut on the A4 allroad quattro 2.0 TFSI.

Inside, Audi has used the same technique as it has in its other models - horizontal lines create the illusion of more space, particularly a wider cabin. It's no surprise, then, that the Audi virtual cockpit will become an option in the latest A5 Coupé, a 12.3-inch TFT display that replaces the traditional instrument cluster. Nevertheless, its 1,440x540 pixel resolution makes for great viewing with crisp images. There will even be an 8.3-inch infotainment display available. The standard infotainment makes do with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but step it up and you can get luxuries such as wireless phone charging and a Bang & Olufsen sound system! The 465-litre boot gains 10 litres over the old model, but the 40:20:40 split folding rear seats definitely make it easier loading longer items.

Safety hasn't been completely disregarded. Audi has many technologies to its name, just some of which including active lane assist, pre sense, park assist, cross traffic assist rear, exit warning, collision avoidance assist, turn assist and traffic sign recognition. All of which will be available on the A5 and S5 Coupé.

Enough about how the other half live, how about what's included as standard on the base model A5? You'll be pleased to know that xenon headlights are standard as well as LED tail lights, interior lights and daytime running lights. A 7-inch infotainment display with Bluetooth and USB connectivity are also included. As for safety, pre sense city comes as standard as well as Audi drive select.

Order books will not be opening until the end of summer, with deliveries coming in just before the end of the year. There's no mention of pricing yet, but the current generation starts at £29,190 and goes up to £42,990 for the S5 Coupé.

There are two main rivals that Audi has its eyes on, one of which being the BMW 4 Series with a slightly higher price tag of £30,260. BMW offers a lot more in terms of powertrains, with 4 diesels (418d, 420d, 430d and 435d) and 3 petrols (420i, 430i and 440i). BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive setup is an option on the 420d, 430d and 420i, as well as being standard on the 435d. There's even an M4 to rival a future RS 5 Coupé.

The second rival is the recently launched Mercedes C-Class Coupé with an even higher price tag of £31,585. In terms of engines, there are fewer - 2 diesels (C 220 d and C 250 d) and 2 petrols (C 200 and C 300). All but the C 300 are optionally available with 4MATIC four-wheel-drive. Mercedes will offer you a warm C 43 4MATIC and a bubbling C 63 too.

The S5 Coupé has its eyes firmly set on the C 43 4MATIC (£46,280) which shared its 0-62 mph time of 4.7 seconds. It has nothing to worry about with the 440i (£42,235) though, which is 0.3 s slower.

BMW Celebrates 30 Years of the M3

This year BMW is celebrating 30 years of one of its most iconic cars in its range. The M3, originally released back in 1986, is now in its fifth major reincarnation. It has grown from a 2.3-litre inline-4 to, in its most potent form, a 4.0-litre V8. The current generation uses a 3.0-litre straight-six to produce 431 horsepower and 550 Nm, however Competition Package will grant you access to a further 19 horsepower, bringing to total to a round figure of 450.

It's the Competition Package model that BMW decided to base its special edition on. The M3 30 Jahre Limited Edition features adaptive M suspension, an adaptive M rear differential and seriously striking 20-inch M alloy wheels in an M star spoke design.

Frozen Silver is the colour BMW decided to give the Limited Edition's bodywork and it works a treat. Elegant yet somehow still very aggressive. Black and carbon fibre details can be spotted throughout as well as the words "M3 30 Jahre".

The UK will get just 30 of these cars, and the model's number printed inside on the instrument cluster will remind you of its exclusivity.

A 16-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system will come as standard as well as adaptive LED headlights, a BMW M carbon ceramic braking system, a head-up display, keyless entry, and a speed limit display which you will definitely need in a car that races to 62 mph in just 4.0 seconds.

As well as a 4.0 second sprint time, the BMW M3 30 Jahre Limited Edition will reach a top speed of 155 mph, electronically limited as usual. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is used as standard, and not that it matters, but you can expect in the region of BMW's claimed 34.0 mpg as well as a hefty tax bill of £270 thanks to CO2 emissions of 194 g/km.

If you're quick enough, the limited edition M3 can be yours for £82,675 this summer - a premium of £26,070 over the standard M3 and more than 3 times the price of a standard 3 Series Saloon!