I do love stats which tell a story, and some I’ve come across recently are rather relevant to what is happening in the current used car market. According to some figures from Indicata, petrol engines dominated the list of the fastest-selling used cars for April, accounting for 70% of the top 10 compiled by Indicata. So yes, petrol is the fuel that the used car buyer truly understands – and they remain terrified of diesel. Forecourt sales staff will tell you of the reluctance they encounter when it comes to oil-burners. The models at the top end of the fast sellers list include the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Ford Ecosport and Vauxhall Mokka. The used car market is therefore petrol SUV-shaped at the moment, in particular the dinkier, more compact ones. That inspired me to go super-cheap-car shopping for something similar, but rather more Banger. I may be odd but I’m always looking at Land Rover Freelanders, not least because I can’t help thinking that the new Defender should look like this, but probably won’t. Just £595 gets me into a 2003 1.8 Maasai with an MOT and recent service to its name. A lovely looking three-door. But Land Rover’s marginal reliability is a worry for some, including me, and that might send me into the welcoming, alt-Defender style of a Mitsubishi Shogun Pinin GDi Equippe. It too is from 2003 and is up for just £595. Five doors, spare wheel on the tailgate. Fantastic. Then there’s an old-school Kia Sportage 2.0 XSE, which actually does not look so cool now. Just old. This 2002 with less than 80,000 miles is – guess what? – £595, and the dealer was selling it with a year’s breakdown cover. Then again, there’s a Honda HR-V 1.6, which is way cooler than the latest one. This 2000 example had covered just over 100,000 miles and seemed quite tidy, although they can cause trouble if less than pristine. Quite an old vehicle now but I’d still take the risk. A bright spot in the stats is the BMW 3 Series, which is the only saloon in the top ten. Obviously that is the sort of transport I’d buy, and the bigger the engine the better. There are some cheap 3 Series around. I liked the look of a £500 318i, but really it was a 2001 330i SE saloon with 99,000 miles, 12 months’ MOT, and all for £1900 all in. The gearbox is automatic, which may put some people off, but really, a light blue BMW saloon with a big engine is just about perfect. So there we have it: the fastest-selling used cars are petrols – usually with faux off-road bodies on top. We can save the day, though, by turning towards six-cylinder Bavarian saloons. There is hope. What we almost bought this week Blink and you’ll have missed this large family car when it was new (2005-’07). Shame, since the model was well built and reliable. We found a tidy 2006-reg Eleganza with 57,000 miles on the clock and a new timing belt on the engine. In addition to this 1.8 petrol there was a 2.2 and a trio of diesels, including a 2.4 making a useful 200bhp. Tales from Ruppert’s garage Innocenti Mini, mileage – 6759: Just to let you know that the Italian Mini I bought earlier this year still exists. It failed its MOT in fairly spectacular fashion: the brakes weren’t very good and, of course, there was rust. Loads of it. There’s not enough room here to detail what’s been happening and I may well go away and write a book about the whole experience. For the moment, though, I’ll just stick to the MOT, which it didn’t even need to be subjected to – and that should scare every road user out there. Reader’s ride Dave Bardsley is back: “My previous Bangernomics Kia Sportage failed its MOT and needed a sum in the hundreds and starting with a ‘3’ to pass, so I bought this 2007 Hyundai Tucson for £1795. It’s got 88,000 miles on it and an MOT until next February, so I’m looking forward to some hassle-free motoring. It’s a lot of metal and gizmos for the money, all electric and a split tailgate. It’s even got a remote-controlled radio.” Readers’ questions Question: I’m considering buying my next car at auction. Are there any guarantees or recourse if I buy a dud? Jason Townes, Epsom, Surrey Answer: Choose your auction carefully. Larger operators such as BCA have detailed terms and conditions that outline what you should expect and offer indemnities should a vehicle be incorrectly described. They also guarantee that good title is transferred to the buyer. If a vehicle’s mileage is warranted, then that should be correct. BCA also offers the Assured scheme, an independent multi-point check by the AA to ensure buyers have accurate information relating to the mechanical condition. Remember that it is up to you to check the car’s overall visible condition prior to the sale, as these parts of the car are always sold ‘as seen’. John Evans Question: My Mazda MX-5’s windscreen needs replacing but I’m worried about the accuracy of the driver assist systems, which use sensors mounted on the screen. Colin Gordon, Devizes, Wiltshire
Origin: James Ruppert: why petrol compact SUVs rule the classifieds
petrol
New Audi S8 receives 563bhp mild-hybrid petrol V8
Audi has revealed the flagship of its A8 range – the new S8 – packing a mild-hybrid 563bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and an innovative new suspension system. Unlike the recently revealed S6 and S7, which now make use of diesel engines, the S8 retains the large-capacity petrol V8 shared with Porsche and Bentley. It puts out 563bhp and 590lb ft of torque, although the firm has yet to release performance details beyond a 155mph limited top speed. Audi’s 48V mild-hybrid system is also brought in, featuring a starter alternator and small lithium ion battery to allow coasting and extended stop-start use, boosting efficiency in addition to cylinder deactivation. Another new system is so-called ‘predictive active suspension’. It adds electromechanical actuators to the adaptive air suspension system that can lift or push down each wheel separately, claimed to greatly reduce pitch and roll while allowing comfort levels on a par with the standard A8. To enhance refinement, an active noise cancellation system helps to mask wind and road noise. Rear-wheel steering also features alongside Audi’s sport differential, which transfers torque between the rear wheels during fast cornering and comes as standard. Ventilated carbon-ceramic brakes can be optioned, with up to 21in alloy wheels available to customers. Styling-wise, the S8 features unique detailing on the bumpers, sills and mirror housings and new twin exhaust pipes, while a black styling pack is also available. The A8’s standard ‘comfort customised contour seats’ get a sporty makeover with pneumatically adjustable side bolsters. Active noise cancellation uses the speaker system to mitigate road and wind noise for a more comfortable ride, and the S8 retains all the driver assistance systems found in the A8 for stop-start adaptive cruise control. Car-to-X connected technology can also display traffic light countdown timers in supported cities. Audi has yet to confirm UK pricing, which is expected to approach £100,000 before
Origin: New Audi S8 receives 563bhp mild-hybrid petrol V8
EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time
EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time There are now more public EV charging locations than filling station forecourts New figures from Zap-Map reveal the extent of the UK’s electric vehicle revolution, with the number of public charging locations now surpassing petrol stations for the first time. Data from Zap-Map shows that as of 22 May, there are 8,471 charging locations across the UK, hosting a total of 13,613 charging devices. In contrast, as of the end of April, there are currently only 8,400 petrol stations in the UK, a figure which is continuing to decline. There has been huge growth in the UK public EV charge point market in the past 12 months, with the number of locations increasing 57% in that time. Charging points can now be found across the length and breadth of the country, from the Shetland Islands to the Cornish Riviera, from Giant’s Causeway to the White Cliffs of Dover. The expanding network supports an increasing number of electric vehicles on the road, expanding from only 3,500 cars just six years ago, to more than 210,000 currently. Analysts forecast that by the end of 2022, at east 1 million EVs will be in use in the UK, a figure backed by government policy that looks to electrify all new cars and vans by 2040. Ben Lane, co-founder and CTO at Zap-Map commented: “The public and private sectors are now investing heavily in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure to ensure that there are sufficient charging points to support the growing electric fleet. This month’s milestone reveals of the rapid pace of change already underway as the age of the combustion engine gives way to an all-electric era with vehicles offering both zero-emissions and a better driving experience.” In parallel to the increase in number of charging locations, new technologies are becoming available which offer higher charging rates. Whereas most ‘rapid’ units are rated at 50 kW, enabling a standard EV to be fully charged in 40 minutes, the latest ‘ultra-rapid’ units are capable of up to 350 kW; ready for the next generation of longer-range electric vehicles. References: Public EV charge point location information from Zap-Map’s database, both historical and current, covering the United Kingdom. Petrol station data from Experian Catalist Market Summary Report, April 2019, with historical downward trend highlighted by Statista. Zap-Map at the Fully Charged Show Next Green Car’s sister-company Zap-Map, the UK’s leading EV charge point platform, will be exhibiting at the Fully Charged Show in Silverstone from 7th to 9th June. The team are looking forward to meeting Zap-Map and EV users and will be celebrating the recent securing of investment from Good Energy, which supplies clean power, sourced from its own generation assets as well as from independent UK-based renewable generators. Come and meet us on Stand C54. Image courtesy of
Origin: EV charging sites overtake petrol stations for first time
Government advisors call for 2030 petrol and diesel ban
Laws requiring all new vehicles sold in the UK to have zero emissions should be brought forward from 2040 to as early as 2030, according to a report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). The move would help the UK reduce carbon emissions to nearly zero by 2050, according to the report, which has also called for a substantial investment to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the UK. The CCC says current government plans to require all new cars sold from 2040 onwards to have zero emissions – banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars – are too soft. It believes the rapid development of battery technology means that electric cars will cost the same as combustion-engined vehicles from around 2024/25 onwards, making 2030 a realistic target. But it notes that date could be shifted to 2035 if there is a shortage in the materials required to produce batteries. A 2018 report published by the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee called the government’s initial target date for the new legislation “vague and unambitious”, and criticised the relative unpreparedeness of Britain’s road network for the shift away from conventional fuelling methods. The move is just one emissions-cutting initiative in the ‘Net Zero’ report, which also looks at cutting emissions in areas including home heating, aviation, meat production and domestic waste. Last year, the government confirmed that hybrid vehicles, so long as they were classed as ultra-low-emissions vehicles, would be exempt from the ban on new diesel and petrol vehicles. The CCC report says that the UK can become a global leader in cutting greenhouse gasses. It says that the tighter target can be achieved at no added cost from previous
Origin: Government advisors call for 2030 petrol and diesel ban
Range Rover gains 395bhp Ingenium straight-six petrol
Land Rover has added its new 395bhp Ingenium straight-six petrol engine to the Range Rover. It’s available to order now, priced from £83,655. First introduced on the Range Rover Sport, the new turbocharged Ingenium engines will gradually replace the ageing Ford-sourced supercharged V6s in use across Jaguar and Land Rover’s ranges. The 3.0-litre unit doesn’t abandon the supercharger, though, using an electrically powered version to provide a more instant response before the twin-scroll turbocharger spools up. It also makes use of a 48v mild hybrid system, boosting efficiency by supplying torque to reduce the engine’s workload. In the Range Rover, the engine produces 395bhp and 406 lb ft of torque, making the 2.3-tonne SUV capable of 0-60mph in 5.9sec and a top speed of 140mph. Land Rover quotes a combined economy figure of 30.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 212g/km. Land Rover has also updated the whole Range Rover line-up with new features. These include a smartphone pack featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the ability for the headlights to dim individual LEDs that could reflect back off signposts and ‘Tourist Mode’, which adjusts the headlight beam for driving on the left or right of the
Origin: Range Rover gains 395bhp Ingenium straight-six petrol
New Peugeot 208: reservations open for petrol, diesel and EV models
Peugeot has begun taking reservations for its next-generation 208 supermini, which will be offered with a choice of petrol, diesel and electric power. The 208, which made its public debut at the Geneva motor show following last month’s global reveal, isn’t set to go on sale in the UK until 2020, with order books opening later this summer – but public demand has meant Peugeot is now accepting early reservations. Buyers can pay a refundable £500 deposit to secure their choice of GT Line Puretech 100 petrol with 8-speed automatic, BlueHDi 100 diesel with 6-speed manual, or the electric e-208. They will be contacted once orders begin to confirm their choice, and will be the first to be offered test drives. Around 4cm longer, lower and 30kg lighter than the car it replaces, the new 208 will offer a “more dynamic stance” than the previous one, according to Yann Beurel, the 208’s design manager, who describes its looks as “futuristic and young”. The car is five-door only and based on Peugeot’s new CMP (Common Modular Platform) architecture, which underpins the latest DS 3 Crossback. It will form the basis for the next Vauxhall Corsa now that Vauxhall-Opel has been integrated into the PSA Group. Codenamed P21, the new 208 will offer its three powertrain options “without any compromises”, according to 208 product manager Nicolas Bonnardon. At launch, it will come with a petrol 1.2-litre tuned for 75bhp (with a five-speed manual), 99bhp (six-speed manual) or 128bhp (eight-speed automatic); a 99bhp 1.5-litre diesel (six-speed manual); and a 136bhp electric powertrain. Bonnardon told Autocar that, on the new WLTP legislative drive cycle, the electric 208 will have a range of up to 211 miles thanks to a 50kWh battery, which can be charged to 80% from empty in 30 minutes. All variants are front-wheel drive. Batteries for the electric 208 will sit in an H-section stretching beneath the rear seats, which is where the fuel tank is on internally combusted (ICE) variants, to beneath the front seats. Visually, bar some colouring on the front, the badges and the addition of aerodynamic wheel trims, there will be very little difference between ICE and EV 208s because PSA thinks EVs and plug-in hybrids will become a natural part of each car’s range. “We wondered if customers would want specificity on an EV,” said Beurel. “But they said they ‘didn’t want a flag on the top’ so the frontal intake takes body colour and there’s a blue-green tint on the lion badges.” In the UK, trim levels will be Active, Allure, GT-Line and, exclusive to the EV, GT. On the GT-Line and GT, black wheel-arch extensions are applied because the two versions get a 12mm-wider track than lesser 208s. On the GT-Line, it’s for effect only, but the EV’s powertrain necessitates it because its front axle comes with a wider stance. Wheel sizes are 16in or 17in. Peugeot’s designers, like a lot of companies, would prefer larger, but “in this segment, cost is important”, said Beurel. Inside, the 208 gets an update of Peugeot’s still-controversial i-Cockpit, which features a small steering wheel that tends to sit beneath or, for some drivers, in the line of sight of the instrument pack. Bar the option of a night-vision camera, convenience, driver assist and infotainment systems on offer in the new 208 are the same as in the bigger, more expensive 508. But there’s new equipment in the 208, too, including a neat three-dimensional element to the instrument cluster. Using a reflective screen as in a head-up display, the most important info can be brought to a small screen in front of the main instrument pack. “What’s important is that it’s not entertainment: it’s information,” said Beurel. “It’s spectacular but it’s really useful when driving.” In addition, the EV version of the 208 features pre-heating and cooling via a smartphone app. All 208s include a wrap-around dashboard, with a central 10.0in touchscreen on higher-trim levels and a 7.0in version on lower-trim variants, and all cars get four USB ports. And if the i-Cockpit layout has its critics? “We’ve sold five million cars with the i-Cockpit,” said Beurel, “and customers are telling us that they’re happy with it.” QA with Gilles Vidal, Peugeot design boss What’s the thinking behind the new 208’s design? “Basically, the idea was to make sure we were doing a sexy little hot hatch, in a modern kind of way. If you look at 206, 207, 208 along the years, the generations became more mono-spacey-looking, which was maybe a trend of the 1990s, 2000s. But here we wanted to have this really amazing sexy-looking, four-wheels-in-the-corners cute thing.” Is that why the windscreen has moved rearwards? “Sure. And to achieve this look, you don’t just need the silhouette. You need to have muscle. Not too much, and some shoulder but not too much, and the wheels in each corner, ideally. Hence the idea of having these added-on black pieces.” What’s it like without
Origin: New Peugeot 208: reservations open for petrol, diesel and EV models
New Peugeot 208 reservations open for petrol, diesel and EV models
Peugeot has begun taking reservations for its next-generation 208 supermini, which will be offered with a choice of petrol, diesel and electric power. The 208, which made its public debut at the Geneva motor show following last month’s global reveal, isn’t set to go on sale in the UK until 2020, with order books opening later this summer – but public demand has meant Peugeot is now accepting early reservations. Buyers can pay a refundable £500 deposit to secure their choice of GT Line PureTech 100 petrol with 8-speed automatic, BlueHDi 100 diesel with 6-speed manual, or the electric e-208. They will be contacted once orders begin to confirm their choice, and will be the first to be offered test drives. Around 4cm longer, lower and 30kg lighter than the car it replaces, the new 208 will offer a “more dynamic stance” than the previous one, according to Yann Beurel, the 208’s design manager, who describes its looks as “futuristic and young”. The car is five-door only and based on Peugeot’s new CMP (Common Modular Platform) architecture, which underpins the latest DS 3 Crossback. It will form the basis for the next Vauxhall Corsa now that Vauxhall-Opel has been integrated into the PSA Group. Codenamed P21, the new 208 will offer its three powertrain options “without any compromises”, according to 208 product manager Nicolas Bonnardon. At launch, it will come with a petrol 1.2-litre tuned for 75bhp (with a five-speed manual), 99bhp (six-speed manual) or 128bhp (eight-speed automatic); a 99bhp 1.5-litre diesel (six-speed manual); and a 136bhp electric powertrain. Bonnardon told Autocar that, on the new WLTP legislative drive cycle, the electric 208 will have a range of up to 211 miles thanks to a 50kWh battery, which can be charged to 80% from empty in 30 minutes. All variants are front-wheel drive. Batteries for the electric 208 will sit in an H-section stretching beneath the rear seats, which is where the fuel tank is on internally combusted (ICE) variants, to beneath the front seats. Visually, bar some colouring on the front, the badges and the addition of aerodynamic wheel trims, there will be very little difference between ICE and EV 208s because PSA thinks EVs and plug-in hybrids will become a natural part of each car’s range. “We wondered if customers would want specificity on an EV,” said Beurel. “But they said they ‘didn’t want a flag on the top’ so the frontal intake takes body colour and there’s a blue-green tint on the lion badges.” In the UK, trim levels will be Active, Allure, GT-Line and, exclusive to the EV, GT. On the GT-Line and GT, black wheel-arch extensions are applied because the two versions get a 12mm-wider track than lesser 208s. On the GT-Line, it’s for effect only, but the EV’s powertrain necessitates it because its front axle comes with a wider stance. Wheel sizes are 16in or 17in. Peugeot’s designers, like a lot of companies, would prefer larger, but “in this segment, cost is important”, said Beurel. Inside, the 208 gets an update of Peugeot’s still-controversial i-Cockpit, which features a small steering wheel that tends to sit beneath or, for some drivers, in the line of sight of the instrument pack. Bar the option of a night-vision camera, convenience, driver assist and infotainment systems on offer in the new 208 are the same as in the bigger, more expensive 508. But there’s new equipment in the 208, too, including a neat three-dimensional element to the instrument cluster. Using a reflective screen as in a head-up display, the most important info can be brought to a small screen in front of the main instrument pack. “What’s important is that it’s not entertainment: it’s information,” said Beurel. “It’s spectacular but it’s really useful when driving.” In addition, the EV version of the 208 features pre-heating and cooling via a smartphone app. All 208s include a wrap-around dashboard, with a central 10.0in touchscreen on higher-trim levels and a 7.0in version on lower-trim variants, and all cars get four USB ports. And if the i-Cockpit layout has its critics? “We’ve sold five million cars with the i-Cockpit,” said Beurel, “and customers are telling us that they’re happy with it.” QA with Gilles Vidal, Peugeot design boss What’s the thinking behind the new 208’s design? “Basically, the idea was to make sure we were doing a sexy little hot hatch, in a modern kind of way. If you look at 206, 207, 208 along the years, the generations became more mono-spacey-looking, which was maybe a trend of the 1990s, 2000s. But here we wanted to have this really amazing sexy-looking, four-wheels-in-the-corners cute thing.” Is that why the windscreen has moved rearwards? “Sure. And to achieve this look, you don’t just need the silhouette. You need to have muscle. Not too much, and some shoulder but not too much, and the wheels in each corner, ideally. Hence the idea of having these added-on black pieces.” What’s it like without
Origin: New Peugeot 208 reservations open for petrol, diesel and EV models
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