Time Warp 7,000 mile MG Metro Turbo to go under the hammer at the end of February.

• An incredibly original, low mileage 1984 MG Metro Turbo will be offered at auction by Silverstone Auctions at its Race Retro sale.
• Just two owners from new and only 7,317 miles on the clock, offering a rare opportunity for collectors.
• A pre-sale estimate of £16,000 to £20,000 has been given by the auction house.

A remarkably original 1984 MG Metro Turbo with just 7,317 miles on the clock has been consigned by Silverstone Auctions to its Race Retro Classic Car Sale taking place at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on 25^thand 26^th February.

With just two owners from new, the time-warp, concours winning Metro Turbo is expected to tempt bidders nationwide on auction day, representing a unique opportunity for MG collectors, as well as a potentially lucrative investment prospect, estimated at £16,000 to £20,000. 

“The condition of this MG Metro Turbo can only be described as ‘’,” explains Guy Lees-Milne, general manager, Silverstone Auctions. “Last year we sold a 1989 Peugeot 205 GTI of a similar calibre which soared through its estimate, selling for a new record price of £31,000. This rare, immaculate example is perfectly suited to today’s market.”

This particular car was ordered new by its first owner, Mr H.W Lamont, and supplied by dealer Lex Mead of Bexleyheath as a special factory order. The unique design featured white, colour-coded bodywork with matching painted wiper arms, mirrors, and grille, with a red and grey cloth interior. 

So impressed with the car was the supplying dealer that it persuaded Mr Lamont to delay collecting the car so that it could remain displayed in the showroom. In fact, the colour combination was so successful that it subsequently became standard on the MKII model in early 1985.

Benefitting from input from Lotus Engineering Race Technology, the new Metro Turbo featured a 1275cc engine with a Garrett T3 turbo on a specially designed and cast exhaust manifold, powerful servo assisted brakes using four-pot calipers, ventilated discs up front, stiffer suspension, and also sported a new body kit utilising a front spoiler and four wheel arch extensions, neatly balancing the MG Metro rear spoiler, with Turbo-specific 13" alloy wheels and low-profile tyres.

Maintaining this example in excellent condition, Mr Lamont entered his pride and joy into several shows, winning first prize in car-club Concours d'Elegance events in 2000 and for a second time in 2001.

The car then spent a period in professional storage before being passed onto its second owner after 30 years of single ownership. The car’s equally proud second owner continued to cherish the car for another two years before contacting the specialist auction house.

“We have a superb selection of sportscars and classic cars on offer at the Race Retro sales, and this fun, sporty, modern classic Metro Turbo is a fine example of car ownership and preservation,” continues Lees-Milne. “It's also a fascinating part of British Leyland history which, with hindsight, probably played the pivotal role in 'morphing' the Metro from a 1.1litre shopping car into Leyland's most successful competition car ever.”

The car is offered with its complete history file including full service details with all the MoT certificates and all documentation, and even its original, unused Dunlop wheels and tyres, as the owner wanted to ensure its total originality.

The Third generation Kia Sportage wins used car of the year and best used crossover in prestigious Diesel Car Awards

• Third generation Kia Sportage wins used car of the year and best used crossover in prestigious Diesel Car Awards
• Sportage impressed judges with its timeless design, practicality and generous equipment levels
• Kia’s seven year warranty and award winning approved used car scheme also contributed to the victory

Less than a year after the all-new, fourth generation Kia Sportage was launched and quickly won the 2016 Diesel Car Car of the Year award, the third generation version of this hugely successful SUV has won another prestigious accolade, the 2017 Diesel Car Used Car of the Year award.

The third generation Sportage which was on sale from 2010 to 2016 was a hugely important car for the brand, boosting sales and changing perceptions of customers around the world. In the UK it sold nearly 91,000 units in total, with its final sales year being its most successful.

Much like the current Sportage, the third generation model provided customers with excellent levels of specification across the entire range, striking and distinctive design, a significant level of space, thoughtful practicality, excellent reliability and serious peace of mind, due to the brand’s industry leading seven year warranty. It’s these collective attributes which impressed Diesel Car judges enough to place the Kia Sportage ahead of its worthy second hand car rivals.

Beating more premium rivals, the Sportage also won Best Used Crossover in the awards, due to its frugal 1.7 turbo diesel engine option, engaging handling and highly competitive residual values.

Ian Robertson, Editor and Publisher of Diesel Car Magazine commented on the victory, “The Kia Sportage was a very worthy winner of this years’ used car awards. It has a hugely likeable persona, is great to drive, delivers plenty of space and generous equipment levels, plus it comes with excellent manufacturer benefits such as Kia’s seven year warranty and excellent used car scheme. The Sportage is as good as it gets as a used car buy!”

Paul Philpott, President and Chief Executive of Kia Motors (UK) Limited on receiving the award, “This award means a huge amount to us at Kia, the third generation Sportage was the most significant car in Kia’s recent history. It changed consumer perceptions; it gave us sales success and provided our dealers with a landmark model to develop their business with. We’re incredibly proud to receive this award and honoured to have been recognised at the highest level.”

DS 3 has been awarded ‘Best Small Second-Hand Buy’ for the second consecutive year

DS 3 has been awarded ‘Best Small Second-Hand Buy’ for the second consecutive year in the 2017 Diesel Car Magazine ‘Used Car of the Year’ awards. The supermini is still a favourite among car buyers looking for a stylish vehicle with chic design and strong desirability.

DS 3 has once again been named ‘Best Small Second-Hand Car of the Year’ in the Diesel Car Magazine annual ‘Used Car of the Year’ awards. Preferred by second-hand car buyers due to its stylish design, frugal running costs and strong residual values, DS 3 retained the prestigious title having also won the award last year. 

Announcing this year’s results, Diesel Car Editor Ian Robertson said: ‘Every year there are more and more models to choose from, and the ‘Diesel Used Car of the Year Awards’ is designed to help buyers select the best cars in eight key categories.’

Since launch DS 3 has attracted more than 400,000 customers and is testament to the car’s Parisian-chic look, it refined and attention-to-detail features. 

Customer surveys conducted by the DS brand in Europe* show that some of the main reasons for purchase of a DS 3 are unique and distinctive styling, comfort and technological features.

Mark Blundell, UK Marketing Director - DS Automobiles UK, said: ’We are absolutely delighted to receive this award, as it showcases DS 3’s most important qualities. It is important for the DS brand to be recognised for creating luxury vehicles that have lasting appeal and durability to make them a great long-term investment. 

DS 3 has a certain French je ne sais quoi that charms everyone who has one.’

Every year, Diesel Car appoints an expert panel of judges to examine second-hand examples of cars sold in UK showrooms, drawing up a shortlist of 16 vehicles announced in eight sub-categories. 

DS 3 was crowned winner by the judges in this years’ small car section, assessed as being the best car for all-round ability, residual values, design and fitness for purpose.

*Surveys conducted between 2011 and 2015 in the G10 Europe countries with customers buying new DS 3 and DS 3 Cabrio. Survey panel: 6,000 respondents.

Groupe Renault UK has announced the winners of its annual ‘Auto Express Driver Power – Dealer of Excellence’ award

• Unique industry initiative is in partnership with Auto Express magazine and Driver Power
• 17 Renault franchises awarded coveted ‘Dealer of Excellence’ status
• Award recognises dealerships that far exceed the manufacturer’s customer satisfaction measurements
• Programme contributes to Groupe Renault UK’s increased focus on customer satisfaction

Groupe Renault UK has announced the winners of its annual ‘Auto Express Driver Power – Dealer of Excellence’ award programme that is run in association with Auto Express magazine.

A total of 17 franchises have been awarded the highly coveted ‘Dealer of Excellence’ accolade that recognises the best of the best in the Groupe Renault UK dealer network. 

The successful dealerships were presented with their awards by Paul Flanagan, Managing Director, Groupe Renault UK, at the manufacturer’s national dealer conference held yesterday in Central London.

The winning dealerships were initially nominated for the award after significantly exceeding the high standard set by Groupe Renault UK in its own in-house customer satisfaction measurements. Each nominated dealership was shown to be performing within the top-tier of dealers across eight Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that rate sales and aftersales procedures and service.

Driver Power then sought to independently verify each nominated dealership’s highly-rated levels of care and service by contacting its customers and conducting an in-depth customer satisfaction survey.

The ‘Auto Express Driver Power – Dealer of Excellence’ programme was established in 2015 and is backed by the expertise of more than 15 years of conducting the annual Driver Power survey, the UK’s largest and most comprehensive independent automotive satisfaction study. It forms part of the manufacturer’s drive to position the Renault brand as a leader in terms of customer experience. Following the creation of the initiative was the announcement of Groupe Renault UK’s new Total Customer Experience (TCE) organisation, which integrates Customer Engagement, Customer Support, Product Support and Warranty. The increased emphasis on customer satisfaction also included the creation of a brand new Customer Journey team, which ensures that Renault and Dacia drivers enjoy the very best care throughout their ownership experience.

Congratulating the winning dealerships, Mark Crockett, Total Customer Experience Director, Groupe Renault UK, said: “The winning dealers can feel very proud of their teams’ achievements. Our commitment to improving quality and standards across the board has never been higher, and we established this unique partnership and initiative with Auto Express and Driver Power to offer customers a transparent, independent verification of the customer experience our dealer partners are delivering. Customers of the 17 winning dealers can rest assured that they will receive the very best service and their motoring requirements are in the safest of hands.”

Brian Walters, Director of Research and Insight at Driver Power, said: “For consumers seeking a trustworthy and satisfying sales and service experience, the Dealer of Excellence accreditation is a powerful, independent seal of approval. But consumers aren’t the only ones who benefit from the programme; accredited dealerships benefit from increased customer loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.”

In 2016, Groupe Renault achieved its best ever performance in the Auto Express Driver Power survey for Dealer Aftersales Service Satisfaction, with Renault topping the survey for the first time and Dacia following in second. Across the whole Renault range, customers were on average 94.4 per cent satisfied with their overall aftersales experience at a Renault dealership in the latest survey.

The significant success in customer satisfaction at dealer level follows Renault vehicles posting their best ever results in the Auto Express Driver Power survey, which is determined purely by the feedback of owners and is the UK’s largest automotive customer satisfaction studies. Out of 183 models from 32 brands, the Renault ZOE and Renault Kadjar finished in second and third overall respectively. The all-electric ZOE, Kadjar crossover and previous generation Scénic/Grand Scénic also won the Supermini, Off-road/SUV and MPV categories respectively, while the Clio took third place in the Supermini sector.

Dacia also scored strongly in the annual survey, the manufacturer being voted the fourth best manufacturer overall and the Logan MCV – the UK’s most affordable new estate car – winning the Family Car category.

The exemplary customer service showing also comes at a time when Groupe Renault UK dealerships are exceptionally busy. In 2016 the All-New Renault Mégane and All-New Scénic were launched across the network and Renault UK recorded a five-year high in sales with 85,102 Renault cars being sold and Dacia achieving its best year since launching in the UK with 26,499 sales last year.

The 17 winning dealerships are:

• Bristol Street Motors Gloucester
• Bristol Street Motors Nottingham
• Bristo’s Limited Ipswich
• Harwoods Ryde
• Holden Norwich
• Lifestyle Eastbourne
• Mackie Motors Brechin
• Martins Basingstoke
• Mitchells Garage Lowestoft
• Motorline Ashford
• Renault Bolton
• Renault Cardiff
• Renault Manchester
• Renault Romford
• Renault Wirral
• S.M.C Weybridge
• Smiths of Peterborough

The 2007-2012 model year Honda CR-V picks up another award, this one from DieselCar magazine.

Honda’s reputation for reliability, quality and value for money has seen the brand’s CR-V crossover named Used 4x4 of the Year by leading motoring magazine Diesel Car.

The spacious and superbly equipped compact SUV took the title after a panel of expert judges weighed up the best buys in the secondhand car market as part of the title’s annual Used Car Awards.

Examples of the CR-V built between 2007 and 2012 stood out, beating a raft of much newer competitors and premium brand alternatives to the accolade.

The judges were impressed by the CR-V’s all-round ability, appeal and equipment levels, as well as its value on the used car market and bulletproof record for dependability.

Ian Robertson, Editor and Publisher of Diesel Car, which celebrates its 30^th anniversary next year, said: “The Honda CR-V may be older than many of the cars in this year’s honours list but this is a reflection on how highly we rate it.  It’s incredibly practical and spacious and a real second-hand bargain.”

He added: “Good secondhand 4x4s rarely come cheap, but the Honda CR-V is a steal when you consider the vast amount of kit and the sheer amount of space on offer.”

Phil Webb, Head of Cars at Honda UK said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this award as the ownership experience of our used car customers is incredibly important to us.”

Hundreds of Honda Approved Used Cars are available through the brand’s nationwide network of dealers and can be searched at www.usedcars.honda.co.uk

Buying a quality assured Honda through the brand’s official used car scheme offers additional peace of mind and a range of added benefits including complimentary five-day drive away insurance.

The second generation Skoda Superb takes the best diesel estate at the 2017 DieselCar Magazine awards.

• Second-generation Superb awarded top honours by DieselCar magazine
• Judges praised Superb’s practicality, value and equipment levels
• Tough selection procedure with 16 shortlisted models in every category
• Model has won more than 20 key industry awards

Proving that it’s not just brand new ŠKODAs capable of bringing home the silverware, the second-generation Superb has just been named Best Used Estate Car 2017 by Diesel Car magazine.

The title’s judging panel examined second-hand examples of every car sold in UK showrooms before drawing up a shortlist of 16 vehicles in eight key categories. 

Mainstream and premium models were selected for each category before a final judgment was made. As in previous years, the panel looked for value for money, practicality and low running costs - and found that the second-generation Superb was unrivalled in every key area.

Announcing the 2017 winners, Ian Robertson, DieselCar Editor and Publisher said: “The Superb is about as effective as it gets. It has a an utterly gigantic 633-litre boot and there’s more legroom than most limousines. The ŠKODA delivers plenty of kit for your money and great build quality. Prices from £7,000 make it our used estate car of the year.”

Like its multi-award-winning successor, the second generation Superb Estate remains one of the best all-rounders on the used car market. Launched in 2010, it set new standards for practicality in the estate sector – regularly scooping awards for its spaciousness, ease of use and value for money. Indeed, during its five-year production run, it won more than 20 key UK motor industry awards - including Auto Express Estate Car of the Year on three occasions.

A range of second-generation Superb models, along with a vast range of other ŠKODA models are available through ŠKODA’s Approved Used Car network. All Approved Used ŠKODA models are supplied with 12 months roadside assistance, a multi-point inspection check, 12 months Approved Used warranty on cars up to six years old/72,000 miles and a 30-day/1000 mile exchange.

2016 see's European growth of 6.5% to 15.14 million sales, of whch 25% are SUV/Crossover models.

• European car registration volume at second-highest point since 2007
• The market was boosted by the launch of additional SUVs and higher demand for premium brands
• Volkswagen Golf maintained its position as Europe’s most popular car model

The European car industry boomed in 2016 - with new car registrations for the year totalling 15.14 million units, a 6.5% increase when compared to 2015. 

This is the second highest volume seen since 2007 when total registrations exceeded 16 million units, demonstrating that the market is proving resilient in the face of the geopolitical events of 2016 which have rocked consumer confidence.

The results show that the continuing SUV boom was the overwhelming trend of the year, with registrations growing by 21.4% - increasing from 3.2 million units registered in 2015 to 3.9 million last year. In contrast, the traditional segments grew by just 2.2%.

In fact, European consumer preferences shifted further towards SUVs, and away from hatchbacks, sedans, station wagons and MPVs. SUVs accounted for more than a quarter of total registrations at 25.6%, an increase in market share of 3.1 percentage points when compared to 2015. 

In contrast, MPVs lost 0.9 percentage points, with its market share falling to 9.5%, whilst subcompacts lost 0.8 percentage points and accounted for 21.2% of the market.

In a show of resilience, Volkswagen Group maintained its lead of the market, and despite 2016 being one of its most challenging years ever - the German car maker still managed to increase its registrations by 3.3%. 

The overall market grew by 6.5%, meaning that Volkswagen Group’s market share fell from 24.8% in 2015 to 24.0% last year. This was the highest market share decrease of all car groups. 

In contrast, FCA, Daimler, Renault-Nissan and Tata Group all increased their market share, thanks to their wider SUV ranges and the increase in sales seen in Southern European markets. 

As other manufacturers gain ground, Volkswagen Group will need to work hard to maintain its position as Europe’s leading manufacturer.

EUROPE-29 FULL-YEAR 2016 VOLUME BY COUNTRIES

“2016 was a great year for the industry, with the second highest volume of registrations since 2007. European car registrations have shown good momentum, with 27 out of 29 markets in Europe recording positive growth last year, and 14 of those markets posting double-digit increases. 

I believe car makers are now better prepared to face the challenging times ahead,” said Felipe Munoz, JATO’s Global Automotive Analyst.

TOP SELLING BRANDS

Regarding the performance of brands in 2016, Munoz said “The challenges seen by VW benefitted mainstream brands such as Renault and Fiat.

The premium brands also performed very well, increasing their market share by almost 1 percentage point from 23.0% in 2015 to 23.8% last year.”

TOP SELLING MODELS

The Golf maintained its lead but lost ground in the model ranking. The Opel/Vauxhall Astra, Renault Captur, Fiat Panda, VW Tiguan and Peugeot 2008 also performed well. The highest market share gains were posted by the Hyundai Tucson, Renault Kadjar and Fiat Tipo.

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