AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - Mazda MX-5, the worlds biggest selling roadster takes the Best Roadster title this year.

• The all-new Mazda MX-5 has been named Best Roadster at the 2016 Auto Express New Car Awards.
• Adds to an award tally that includes the 2016 World Car of the Year title.
• The all-new Mazda MX-5 Icon special edition is on sale from 1^st August.

The all-new Mazda MX-5 has once again been recognised by Auto Express in their annual awards. Taking the Best Roadster title at the Auto Express New Car Awards for the second year in succession, the MX-5’s latest accolade adds to an award tally that includes 2016 World Car of the Year, 2016 UK Car of the Year and 2015/16 Japan Car of the Year titles.  

The lightest MX-5 since the iconic original, the all-new Mazda MX-5 is shorter, lower and wider than the car it replaced. With the smallest overhangs and lowest centre of gravity yet, its dynamic proportions and Mazda’s KODO: Soul of Motion styling reflects its focus on driving pleasure in an unmistakably contemporary and dynamic way. 

With perfect 50:50 weight distribution and more technology than ever before, the all-new MX-5 has firmly re-established Mazda’s dominance of the affordable sports car sector.

Featuring Mazda’s award-winning SKYACTIV technology, the all-new MX-5’s ultra-efficient petrol engines and lightweight chassis ensure new levels of performance and economy. 

Agility and driver engagement is unmatched, while at the same time the latest MX-5 meets ever-increasing safety requirements and delivers substantially improved refinement.

Commenting on the MX-5’s success, Auto Express Road Test Editor James Disdale said, “No other car embodies the fun-loving spirit of a roadster better than the Mazda MX-5. 

Combining beautifully balanced rear-wheel drive handling and head-turning looks with an affordable price tag, the Mazda brings wind in the hair thrills to the masses. Yet the MX-5 isn't just for high days and holidays, because its classy cabin, decent practicality and low running costs mean its as comfortable on the daily commute as it is blasting down back roads."

With the one-millionth MX-5 having rolled down the production line on the 22^nd April 2016, the world’s best-selling two-seater sports car continues to win the hearts of drivers across the globe, while the eagerly awaited launch of the all-new Mazda MX-5 RF sees the next chapter of the MX-5 success story about to be written.  

In addition, from the 1^st August the all-new Mazda MX-5 Icon joins Mazda’s award-winning sports car line-up. Based on the 131ps SE-L Nav, it’s the first special edition fourth-generation MX-5 with the 1.5-litre SKYACTIV-G engine.

With a choice of free-of-charge Meteor Grey Mica or Crystal White Pearlescent paint, the £20,995 on-the-road Icon is marked out by its contrasting design cues and enhanced standard equipment. Visually the Icon makes a bold statement with its Soul Red Metallic wing mirrors, rear spoiler, side stripe decals (not pictured) and front skirt. 

The unique look is further boosted by 16-inch Gunmetal alloy wheels, while the increased equipment tally also includes black leather seats, rear parking sensors, dusk-sensing lights and rain-sensing wipers.

Collecting the Auto Express award, Mazda Motors UK Managing Director, Jeremy Thomson said, “We’re thrilled with both the customer and media response to the all-new MX-5. The MX-5 is the definitive example of how our SKYACTIV Technology and KODO design philosophy help us create stylish, spirited and great to drive cars.

This roadster has strengthened the bond between Mazda and its customers for more than a quarter of a century, and since its UK launch in 1990, over 120,000 MX-5s have been sold to British driving fans.”

Adding, “And with a bumper year of MX-5 convertible sales to come, plus with pre-order open for the all-new Mazda MX-5 RF ahead of its arrival in dealerships next year, I’m sure we’ll be attracting even more people to the MX-5 family over the next 12 months."

Toyota's Mighty Land Cruiser gains a new EU6-Compliant engine and new Six Speed auto.

• New Euro 6 174bhp 2.8-litre D-4D engine
• New six-speed automatic transmission, replacing previous five-speed unit
• Improved engine torque delivery plus gains of around nine per cent in fuel economy and reduced CO₂ emissions
• Reintroduction of five-door/seven-seat Land Cruiser Active models
• Revised equipment specifications
• Available to order from 1 July, deliveries from 1 August
• Prices from £35,895 (three-door) and £37,695 (five-door)

Toyota’s mighty Land Cruiser gains a new engine this summer, ensuring the go-anywhere SUV remains one of the finest all-round propositions on the market.

At the same time, equipment specifications have been upgraded and extra models have been added to the line-up.

New 2.8 D-4D engine

The three and five-door Land Cruiser both adopt the new 2.8-litre D-4D unit, which replaces the current 3.0-litre engine. The focus is on improved driveability with better torque delivery, plus lower fuel consumption and reduced CO₂ emissions.

The 2,755cc, 16-valve DOHC engine produces a maximum 174bhp (130kW). Matched with the current six-speed manual transmission, it develops peak torque of 420Nm between 1,400 and 2,400rpm. A new six-speed automatic transmission (replacing the previous five-speed) allows even more pulling power to be delivered, with an extra 30Nm on tap between 1.600 and 2.400rpm.

The new automatic benefits from control systems that help Land Cruiser achieve around a nine per cent improvement in fuel economy and CO₂ emissions. Provisional figures show combined cycle performance at 39.2mpg and 194g/km for the five-door model.

Higher equipment specifications

The introduction of a new powertrain is accompanied by attractive new standard equipment features.

The entry-level Active grade models now come equipped with DAB digital radio for better quality radio reception. The options list has been extended to include Toyota Touch 2 with Go, which adds intuitive and comprehensive navigation functions to the vehicle’s high-resolution, touchscreen-controlled multimedia system (£750).

Customers can also specify leather seats for the vehicle. On three-door models this also includes heated front seats and leather door trims (£1,395); on the five-door Active the package includes power adjustment for the front seats and triple-zone automatic air conditioning (£2,795).

The Icon model also adopts DAB and the more sophisticated Toyota Touch 2 with Go Plus, adding voice command recognition, 3D city mapping and a text-to-speech function. At the top of the range, Land Cruiser Invincible gains the same new features, plus all the elements included in the new optional Safety Pack (details below).

Option packs

Land Cruiser’s new Safety Pack option (for Active and Icon models, £2,635) equips the SUV with a wealth of features to help avoid accidents and support safer driving on and off road. 

They include Adaptive Cruise Control and Pre-Crash Safety system; Lane Change Assist; Rear Cross Traffic Alert; Blind Spot Monitor; and a Multi-Terrain Monitor, which gives a 360-degree view of the vehicle’s immediate surroundings.

A Protection Pack (£595) is offered for all five-door models, adding side mouldings, a rear bumper protection plate and a boot liner.

Extended model range

The introduction of the new engine also heralds an increase in the Land Cruiser model range with the re-introduction of the Active grade five-door/seven-seat version, available, with either manual or automatic transmission. The three-door/five-seat Land Cruiser Active remains in place, exclusive with manual shift.

Performance data (provisional)

Engine	2.8 D-4D
Transmission	6MT		6AT
Body style	3dr	5dr	3dr	5dr
Max. power (bhp/kW)	174/130		174/130
Max. torque (Nm @ rpm)	420 @ 1,400 – 2,400		450 @ 1,600 – 2,400
Max. speed (mph)	109		109
Acceleration 0 – 62mph (sec)	12.1		12.7
Combined cycle fuel consumption (mpg)	38.2	37.7	n/a	39.2
Combined cycle CO2 emissions (g/km)	193	197	n/a	194

Prices and availability

The revised Land Cruiser range will be available to order from 1 July with customer deliveries from 1 August. All models are covered by Toyota’s five-year/100,000-mile new vehicle warranty.

Grade	BODY STYLE	ENGINE & TRANSMISSION	OTR PRICE
Active	Three-door/five-seat	2.8 D-4D 6MT	£35,895
Active	Five-door/seven-seat	2.8 D-4D 6MT	£37,695
Active	Five-door/seven-seat	2.8 D-4D 6AT	£39,295
Icon	Five-door/seven-seat	2.8 D-4D 6AT	£48,395
Invincible	Five-door/seven-seat	2.8 D-4D 6AT	£54,895

Volkswagen release pencil sketch of the sixth generation Transporter.

Ahead of its official world premiere on 15 April 2015, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has revealed a sketch of the sixth-generation Transporter.

When it made its public debut in 1950, few could have predicted the enormous impact the Transporter would have in revolutionising the commercial vehicle market, creating a timeless automotive icon in the process.

Whilst the Transporter has evolved dramatically during that time the philosophy and vision that created the original still holds true.

Getting the job done efficiently and reliably has been at the heart of the Volkswagen philosophy for the past 65 years. Its reputation for rugged reliability has endured over the decades to make the Volkswagen Transporter one of the world’s best-selling light commercial vehicles.

The sixth-generation Transporter will go on sale in the UK later this year.

Biggest Land Rover drawing in the world and three special editions mark the end of an era.

• World’s most iconic vehicle drawn on huge 1km scale on the same beach used to sketch the original design 68 years ago: http://youtu.be/vjZa9LCIgMo 
• Heritage, Adventure and Autobiography Limited Edition Defenders announced
• Solihull production of current Defender due to end in December 2015

Land Rover has gone back to the place where it all began to start a year-long celebration of the iconic Defender. A unique 1km sand drawing at Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey, UK, marks the launch of three exclusive limited edition models and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the Defender story.

As UK production of the current Defender enters its final phase, Land Rover will use 2015 to celebrate its global automotive icon.

Land Rover Vehicle Line Director Nick Rogers explains the significance of recreating one of the world’s most iconic vehicles: “Passion and enthusiasm surround everything we do with Defender, and that will never change. With a history stretching back 68 years, this is a Land Rover that has thrived for decades on its unquestionable capability and iconic shape. I now have the honour of being one of the many enthusiasts at Land Rover committed to creating a fitting successor to the legendary Defender.”

To mark the announcement Land Rover has created the largest sand drawing ever produced in the UK. A Defender outline measuring a staggering 1km across was drawn on the beach at Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey using a fleet of six Land Rovers. The unique image is a tribute to the moment in 1947 when the engineering director of Rover, Maurice Wilks, first sketched the shape for the original Land Rover in the sand of Red Wharf Bay and proposed the idea to his brother Spencer, Rover’s managing director.

“My father met his brother on the beach at Red Wharf Bay and made a drawing in the sand of how he thought the Land Rover could be made,” said Stephen Wilks, son of Maurice. “That was the start of it all, the conception of Land Rover.”

The Wilks family owned land on the Welsh island and Maurice wanted a versatile vehicle that could double as a light tractor and off-roader. His forward-thinking design was christened the ‘Land Rover’, the outline of which we now recognise as the Defender.

Creating the giant piece of temporary artwork at Red Wharf Bay required a fleet of six Land Rovers, each towing an agricultural 12-foot harrow to draw the unmistakable outline of the Defender in the sand. The vehicles chosen for the race against the Anglesey tides chart the evolution of the Defender from its introduction in 1948 to the present day.

A Land Rover Series I, II and III were joined on the beach by a Ninety from the Eighties, a Defender 90 Hard Top and a Defender 110 Station Wagon. The immaculate Series II once belonged to the Wilks family and in memory of the moment originally enacted by their fathers, cousins Stephen and Nick Wilks, the sons of Maurice and Spencer Wilks respectively, were on hand to take part. They helped to draw the continuous 4.52km line – the length of 1,118 Defender 90 Station Wagons – into the sand with just minutes to spare before it was erased by the incoming tide.

The event witnessed the debut of the Defender Celebration Series; three exciting new limited edition models which each celebrate a different element of Defender’s unique history. The Heritage, Adventure and Autobiography Editions are all powered by Land Rover’s proven 2.2-litre diesel engine and are available to order now.

Land Rover is also investigating the possibility of maintaining production of the current Defender at an overseas production facility, after the close of UK manufacturing. Any continuation would see low volume production maintained for sale outside the EU.

Limited Edition Defenders

The three hotly anticipated limited edition Defender models celebrate a different element of the vehicle’s versatile character.

“We wanted to mark the end of Defender production at Solihull with a special edition but coming up with a single identity was impossible, so we developed three very different interpretations of the Defender to reflect its strength and breadth of character,” said Nick Rogers. “Whether our customers want to celebrate Land Rover’s unrivalled off-road heritage, demand the ultimate in terms of design and performance or have a genuine thirst for adventure, there will be a limited edition Defender that will be fit for purpose.”

The exclusive Autobiography Edition promises more performance, luxury and comfort than ever before thanks to its comprehensive equipment list, unique duo-tone paintwork, full Windsor leather upholstery and a power upgrade from 122PS to 150PS. Exclusivity comes as standard as only 80 Defender Autobiography Editions will be available in the UK. It will be produced exclusively as a 90 Station Wagon and priced from £61,845.

The Heritage Edition is inspired by early Land Rover models and mixes nostalgic design cues with modern creature comforts. It will be identified by distinctive Grasmere Green paintwork and a contrasting white roof. A heritage grille and HUE 166 graphics, recalling the registration plate of the first ever pre-production Land Rover nicknamed ‘Huey’, also identify the Heritage model. It hits showrooms from August with production limited to 400 in the UK. Prices will start from  £27,800.

The exciting new Adventure Edition is aimed at Land Rover customers who relish the great outdoors and embrace the Defender’s ‘go anywhere, do anything’ attitude. It comes fitted with additional underbody protection and Goodyear MT/R tyres to boost the Defender’s already class-leading all-terrain capability. Unique decals and a leather-trimmed cabin ensure the Adventure Edition stands out from the Defender crowd. A total of 600 Adventure Editions are available in the UK priced at £43,495 for all versions.

Click here to see the limited edition models revealed as Land Rover creates the biggest sand drawing ever made in the UK: http://youtu.be/vjZa9LCIgMo