Jeep expands its range of Wrangler 4x4 vehicles with the new limited edition, the Rubicon Recon.

Jeep continues to expand its popular range of Wrangler 4x4 vehicles with the introduction of a stunning new limited edition, the Rubicon Recon.

Revealed at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon brings to the most capable production vehicle in the world even greater capability, including more protection from the most severe, rugged off-road terrain. The new special edition model will offer improved 4x4 capability thanks to specific off-road components including a stronger front axle and heavy-duty cast rear differential covers.

Based on the existing Wrangler Rubicon model, the new Recon adds attractive adventure styling to the legendary 4x4 capability and open air freedom, thanks to equipment such as 18-inch Low Gloss Granite Crystal painted aluminium wheels, a black dual top (including both soft and hardtop options), and a dual-vented Power Dome hood with a black-silhouette "Rubicon" decal featuring red accent lettering on both sides. A Trail Rated logo with red accents, a black fuel filler door, and a black hard spare tyre cover complete the package.

A black-and-red theme characterises the inside of the new Wrangler Rubicon Recon. Red accent stitching adorns the standard black leather heated seats with a "Rubicon" embroidered logo. Black vinyl-wrapped front door armrest and console lid with black stitching, red accent netting on front door pockets and the centre console, unique leather-wrapped steering wheel and red accent coloured seatbelts help to distinguish the Recon from the rest of the Wrangler line-up.

The new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon special-edition model comes in two- and four-door specification and is powered by Jeep’s 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine delivering 284 horsepower, matched to the automatic five-speed gearbox. It comes in three exterior colours: Gobi, Bright White, and Granite Crystal.

The new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon will cost £40,505 OTR (two-door) and £42,175 (four-door) when it goes on sale in the UK  from today.

Smart no offers it's entire range with electric drive, all with the government grant.

• fortwo electric drive priced from £16,420 (including OLEV grant)
• Available in three body styles with up to 100-mile range
• On sale now with first customer deliveries due from July 

The smart electric drive range is now on sale, with prices starting from £16,420 for the smart fortwo electric drive (including OLEV grant of £4,500; total price £20,920 excluding grant). 

The forfour electric drive is just £16,915 (£21,415 excluding grant), and the unique fortwo cabriolet electric drive starts at £18,650 (£23,060 excluding grant). This makes smart the only brand that offers all its models with either combustion engines or fully electric drivetrains. 

The smart electric drive features an 81 hp electric motor powering the rear wheels via a single-speed gearbox. The electric drive has a range of up to 100 miles, while its maximum speed is electronically limited to 80 mph to maximise the range. 

The standard 7 kW on-board charger means the smart electric drive can be charged in 2.5 hours using a 16 A charger or just six hours via a standard three-pin household socket (20 per cent to 100 per cent). All models have a top speed of 81 mph and can travel from 0 to 62 mph in 11.5 seconds. 

Specification is based on the well-equipped prime model, which includes heated front seats, cruise control, leather upholstery and 15-inch alloy wheels. Every electric drive model also comes with charging cables for both domestic sockets and public charging stations; rear parking sensors; smart media system with satellite navigation; and an acoustic ambient sound generator. The sound generator creates an artificial engine sound when the vehicle is moving at low speeds to make its presence known to pedestrians and other road users. 

For just £595 customers can add the premium plus equipment line, which includes ambient lighting; centre armrest; LED headlights and tail lights; front fog lamps; automatic lights and wipers; and rear view camera. 

The electric drive design package is available from £595 and adds a tridion cell and mirror caps in electric green; body panels in either black or white with matching grille; 16-inch alloys; and ‘ED’ decals in grey. 

A heated steering wheel, heated rear seats (forfour only) and additional door and cockpit insulation are part of the winter package, which costs £295 on fortwo models and £495 on the forfour. 

Customers can also access the smart control app, which allows the user to view the vehicle’s charging status, and pre-set the climate control via a smartphone.

MG Motors makes an unbeatable offer on the Style+ MG3 supermini, now's the time to buy.

• £189 to drive away today in a brand-new MG3 Style+

A brand new, top of the range MG3 Style+ is now available for an initial deposit of just £189, followed by 60 monthly payments of £189*. The impressive finance offer launched by MG Motor UK is interest free, with no balloon payment at the end of the agreement.

Following the 17-model year re-packaging of the Supermini, the MG3 Style+ features an upgraded interior that now comes with a leather trim as standard. 

The car also has as standard 16” ‘Diamond’ alloy wheels, cruise control, automatic lights and windscreen wipers, as well as reverse parking sensors. Stacked with technology, the Style+ features smartphone integration, Bluetooth audio streaming and a DAB digital radio. 

All MG3 models in the range also come with loads of personalisation options, with graphic packs allowing drivers to customise their MG3 to their own taste and style.

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor UK, said: “As a company, MG produces cars that are versatile enough to suit the needs of everyone. Finance offers like this are an important part of making sure that anyone can drive away in a brand new car that delivers an outstanding driving experience.”

The MG3 Supermini is a great all-rounder, perfect for young drivers with its low insurance group rating and prices starting at just £8,695. The MG3 Style+ is the premium model in the range and was voted a top five Supermini in the Auto Express Driver Power survey.

FLEET WORLD - The Skoda Superb flagship model takes best upper medium car 2017

• ŠKODA flagship crowned Fleet World Best Upper Medium Car 2017
• Superb retains title it first won in 2016
• Judges praise Superb’s practicality and value for money
• Superb SE Technology models designed for business customers

The ŠKODA Superb has added to its incredible list of industry and media accolades with another awards win. Fleet World magazine has awarded ŠKODA’s flagship model its Best Upper Medium car title for the second year in succession – confirming its status as one of the most accomplished all-rounders in the sector.

Commenting on the Superb’s triumph, the Fleet World Honours judging panel concluded: “With its upmarket styling, cavernous interior space and incredible value for money, the Superb punches well above its weight in this segment. 

Factor in some great engine options and it’s impossible to argue with, increasingly taking customers from premium brands and with sales weighted towards higher trim levels.”

Since its launch in 2015, the Superb has won 19 UK automotive industry titles, including Scottish Car of the Year, Auto Express Best Family Car and Estate Car, The Telegraph Best Family Car and What Car? Best Estate Car. 

The Superb has proved to an exceptionally popular choice with fleet operators and company car drivers since its introduction. 

Along with the Yeti and Octavia, the Superb range features a special SE Technology trim grade that has been specifically fine-tuned to meet the demands of fleet drivers and operators. For example, all Superb SE Technology models include Adaptive cruise control (ACC), Amundsen satellite navigation, SmartLink connectivity, Drive mode selection and Alcantara / leather upholstery. The Superb SE Technology GreenLine returns 76.4mpg and emits just 96g/km CO₂, further reducing running costs for business customers.

Superb SE Technology prices start from £22,780 for the hatch and £24,060 for the estate version.

Dacia launches an all new Stepway model based on the popular Logan MCV Estate.

• Following in the tracks of the Sandero, it is now the turn of the Logan MCV to join Dacia’s Stepway family.
• The new Logan MCV Stepway enhances its credentials as a thoroughly modern and generously-proportioned estate car with a distinctly rugged look.
• Playing to its major strength of practicality, the new Logan MCV Stepway carries over all the key qualities of the Logan MCV, from its impressively spacious interior space – including five proper seats – to a 573-litre boot, which is amongst the largest in any segment of the market.
• New limited-edition S.E. Summit versions for each member of the Stepway family and the Duster.
• The brand continues to grow and achieved record sales figures in 2016. In the 44 different markets in which Dacia is active, it sold 584,219 vehicles in total, representing a year-on-year increase of six per cent.

The Stepway family, one of Dacia’s biggest success stories, maintains its growing momentum with the addition of a fifth member to the Dacia range – the new Logan MCV Stepway – following the Sandero, Sandero Stepway, Duster and Logan MCV.

The new Logan MCV Stepway sports an undeniably muscular build, with an assertive personality that draws inspiration from the world of crossover styling, offering first class practicality and vast load space at an extremely competitive price.

The generously proportioned new Logan MCV Stepway carries over all the key qualities of the Logan MCV:

• Impressive interior space, with five proper seats
• A 573-litre boot – amongst the largest in any segment of the automotive market

On the design front, the new Logan MCV Stepway has a distinctly modern edge, including a new lighting signature, new interior updates, additional storage space and upgraded equipment specifications.

Distinctive styling

With its rugged good looks, eye-catching features and generous specification, the new Logan MCV Stepway is clearly a member of the Stepway family.

For easier ingress, its ground clearance has been increased to 174mm – 50mm more than that of the Logan MCV, while its high-up driving position ensures outstanding visibility.

At the front, the new Logan MCV Stepway sports a two-tone bumper as well as a satin-effect chrome skid plate, plus the fitment of fog lights. 

The model similarly incorporates Dacia’s new lighting signature unveiled at last year’s Paris Motor Show and which imbues it with a dynamic and thoroughly contemporary appearance, with headlights that now incorporate LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) in the form of four stacked rectangles. 

This modern design results in a visibly wider look for the front end of the new Logan MCV Stepway.

The front bumper has been modified to exude an elegant yet athletic stance. Like the other models in the Stepway line-up, the new Logan MCV Stepway’s grille mirrors the black elements of the two-tone bumper, with the chrome rectangles rounding off its distinctive style in much the same manner as the Duster. 

Meanwhile, seen from the side, the wheel arches and sills are accentuated by an exclusive trim that emphasises the model’s bold, powerful feel. 

The new Logan MCV Stepway also comes with Dark Metal door mirror housings and Stepway decals on the front doors, along with Dark Metal longitudinal roof bars which further emphasise the model’s estate car lines.

At the rear, the tail lights are picked out in black, while the new Logan MCV Stepway’s two-tone bumper and satin-effect chrome skid plate are characteristic cues of Dacia’s Stepway range.

The new Logan MCV Stepway comes in a choice of two colours at launch – namely the brand’s iconic Azurite Blue and Mink – combined with new, 16-inch Stepway Dark Metal Flexwheel wheels. This smart, economical and attractive system comprises a slotted wheel trim design that fits over a similarly slotted rim.

A modern interior with more features than ever before

Inside the cabin, the new Logan MCV Stepway enjoys a new, more status-enhancing ambience first introduced several months ago in the new Sandero. This can be seen in the satin-effect chrome door releases, while the centre console fascia and air vents are trimmed by similarly-coloured surrounds.

The new Logan MCV Stepway comes with Dacia’s new four-spoke steering wheel – complete with horn push in the centre – in the brand’s Soft Feel finish, making it highly durable, easy on the eye and pleasant to the touch. The steering wheel mounted-controls are now better integrated, resulting in a more user-friendly and comfortable driving experience. In the middle of the wheel, beneath the Dacia logo, the word ‘Stepway’ is picked out in blue.

The upholstery fabric selected for the new Logan MCV Stepway first appeared inside the new Sandero Stepway. These seats feature a 3D weave for a greater sensation of depth, enhanced by top-stitching. The overall effect is an even more dynamic design.

More extensively equipped for enhanced comfort

The new Logan MCV Stepway will be available in Laureate trim only, featuring MediaNav Evolution, rear parking sensors, air conditioning, DAB radio and Hill Start Assist (HSA). Leather upholstery, reverse parking camera and height adjustment package are also available.

The vehicle’s interior features have been conceived to take the strain out of everyday motoring. The door-mounted front and rear electric window switches fall more easily to hand than before. For enhanced comfort, drivers now benefit from a one-touch function and a retractable centre armrest incorporated into the seat. Last but not least, the model is fitted with one-touch direction indicators and a lit glove box.

In addition to the many stowage areas located conveniently throughout the cabin, rear passengers are pampered by a ceiling light and a 12V power supply to connect and charge portable devices.

The new Logan MCV Stepway will be available with a choice of engine and transmission options:

• Petrol: TCe 90 with Stop & Start (S&S) mated to a five-speed manual gearbox (combined cycle fuel consumption: 5.1 litres/100km / CO₂ emissions: 115g/km).
• Diesel: dCi 90 S&S coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox (combined cycle fuel consumption: 3.9 litres/100km / CO₂ emissions: 100g/km).

Dacia continues to break its own sales records

In 2016, in the 44 markets in which Dacia models are sold, the brand achieved sales of some 584,219 units, representing a year-on-year gain of six percent. This positive trend can be seen across all of the regions in which Dacia is active, with no fewer than 28 countries establishing either new market share or new sales records.

The brand’s share of the passenger car and LCV market expanded by 0.1 percentage points to 2.4 percent in Europe, by 0.2 percentage points to 7.9 percent in Eurasia and by 1.1 percentage points to 19.4 percent in the Maghreb region.

• In Europe, Dacia’s sales totalled 415,010 units – a new record and an increase of 10.8 per cent. The Sandero was ranked fourth in the B segment for retail customers, with the Duster second in the C segment for retail customers and the best-selling SUV in the same segment.
• In France, Dacia reported a 12.1 per cent rise in overall sales to 112,111 vehicles, setting a new record as more than 110,529 passenger cars were sold to retail customers. Sales of the Sandero climbed by 24.2 per cent to make it the number two model amongst retail customers in France, with Dacia the fourth-highest selling retail customer brand.
• In its other European markets, Dacia saw its sales increase by 10.4 per cent to 302,899 units. In Italy, the brand posted record sales of 52,272 units – a gain of 11.6 per cent. The brand was similarly successful in the UK, achieving sales of 26,562 (up 1.1 per cent) in a stable, business customer-oriented market. A new record was also established in Poland, as sales rose an impressive 29.3 per cent to 19,275 units.
• In Switzerland, too, the brand enjoyed excellent growth, gaining 0.7 percentage points of market share to attain a new high of 2.2 per cent. This represented Dacia’s best year to-date in the country as it increased its sales by 39.9 per cent to 7,824 units.
• In those Eurasian markets where it has a presence, Dacia has gained 0.2 percentage points to earn a market share of 7.9 per cent, with sales up by 5.8 per cent to a total of 90,926 units. The brand remains the market leader in both Romania and Bulgaria. In the former, Dacia sold 38,861 vehicles in 2016 to claim a 29.6 per cent share of the market. In Turkey, meanwhile, the brand broke new records in terms of both vehicle sales (47,529 units, up 6.3 per cent) and market share (4.8 per cent, up 0.2 percentage points).
• In the Maghreb, Dacia’s market share stands at 19.4 per cent with 66,165 sales in 2016 – an increase of 1.1 per cent. The brand is performing particularly well in Israel, where the first Dacia showroom opened its doors only two years ago and where 4,246 sales – a climb of 65 per cent – provided the brand with a 1.5 per cent share of the market. Dacia continues to lead the way, finally, in terms of vehicle sales in Morocco with a market share of 26.6 per cent, translating into 43,408 vehicle sales in 2016 (up 16.1 per cent).

Over the last 12 years, Dacia has sold more than four million vehicles. Today, the brand stands out as a major player in the automotive market thanks to its clear policy of manufacturing attractive models that provide real value for money for the equipment they pack.

Dacia’s models are built at four different factories on two continents, with plants in Pitesti (Romania), Tangier and Casablanca (Morocco), and Oran (Algeria). The company’s policy is to produce as close as possible to its markets in order to adapt to the different needs of its customers as closely as possible.

In its attractive product range, Dacia is a popular thanks to its active community of followers, with some 3.5 million fans across its various social networks.

TMW - The 2016 mitsubishi Shogun - A tale of two cars in one body, one better than the other.

The 2016 Mitsubishi Shogun is a tale of two cars, firstly the general car then the off road vehicle, the off road car is one that most fail to emulate, it has the power and low down grunt to keep the car going in the most difficult of terrains, the car is set on two wheel drive, but you can easily change that to other wheel combinations upto a full four wheel drive car.

Off road is something that i would like to try out at some point in this car, as i am sure that it would just demolish all styles of driving from deep ruts and deep water to steep inclines/declines and side inclines as well, but that will have to wait to another day and event.

The interior of the car is brilliant, loads of room, and lots of glass so that you never feel like you are hemmed in, unlike similar cars that take fashion over functionality, however, the interior is a great place to be, the great feeling switches and knobs are all damped to make them feel like quality switches, not many can do that, make something out to be better than what it actually is, and the rest of the interior follows suit.

Leather upholstery and leather covered door cards give you the feeling of quality, along with electric movement and heated front seating, you are at least comfortable, well, I say comfortable, you sit on the seats, and not cossetted in them, for a car this expensive, the comfort is a little left wanting, however, i did manage to fall asleep whilst being driven, and i dont do that in every car.

The satellite Navigation is great, once you get it set up, it is precise, direct and instructions are clear and concise, again, i have been in cars that are not that good, so another plus point, the steering wheel has reach and rake, so, along with the electric seats, getting into a position of reasonable comfort for driving is easy.

Once on the highway, things change a little, the 3.2 litre diesel engine struggles, and you have to give yourself plenty of room to pull out of a junction or roundabout, there is some lean on sharp corners, which is more fun than not, the steering is more heavy than not, but it makes for precise driving, rather than the flakey steering that a lot of cars have these days, you can tell where the car is actually going to go, and with some of the over powered cars, that can be difficult.

On the road you will be more than aware of the noise, the big tyres give a lot of road roar, then you have the oversized wing mirrors, again, they cause wind noise, a slight redesign might make that noise less intrusive, but you can not get away from the size of the car, it is a big box, so again, this will cause some wind noise, especially once you get the car upto motorway speeds, at least the radio can drown this out.

The Fuel consumption is one thing you dont talk about, if you can afford to buy one of these, then you should be able to afford the fuel, but for the sake of being open and honest, the claimed fuel consumption is :-

• Urban - 26.9mpg
• Extra Urban - 32.8mpg
• Combined - 30.4mpg

We managed to get, via the cars info, just shy of 28mpg over the course of the 10 days we had the Shogun, added to which the first year taxation of £885 and £500 per year thereafter (for the moment-Tax rates change on 1st April) makes the initial outlay high, but you do know you are getting a really well made, and reliable car, one that can do all you ask of it, both on and off road.

The car is well specified, with lots of toys gadgets to play with, some of the items that come as standard are:-

• Leather Upholstery
• Leather Door Facings
• Electric Sunroof
• Carpet Mats All Round inc Boot
• Premium HD Sat Nav
• DAB Radio
• Stainless Steel Front Door Entry Guards
• Front Power Seats
• Front Heated Seats
• Rear Parking Sensors
• Rear View Camera
• Mood Lighting
• Climate Control
• Bonnet Badge
• Twin USB Ports
• Hidden CD Slot
• LED Daytime Running Lights
• HiD Xenon With Auto Levelling Headlamps

And this is just a small amount of the standard fit items that you will find on this car, however, no amount of toys and gadgets can disguise the fact that this car needs to be updated, its very good, dont get me wrong, but it cant compete with the Range Rover or Discovery, which is  the market the Shogun is competing in.

CONCLUSION

Give the car some more comfy seats, a better cleaner engine, try and reduce wind noise and make it less agricultural, and you will have the perfect car, as it stands, you are getting a very good car, let down by some small defects, is it good enough ? Well, yes, it really is a great car to be in, you feel like your lording it over all and sundry.

it can take all the luggage you could need, and even some really large items can be taken without having to adjust the rear seats, and talking of rear seats, there is acres of room for your passengers, another plus point, keeping the kids or family happy.

The five year/62,500 mile warranty is another plus point, where you get only three years elsewhere you get five here, which shows that they have confidence in the product, you even get a 12 year anti perforation warranty and three year pan european roadside assistance including home start, would i have one, well, if i could afford to pay for fuel then yes i would, it really is a good car, and if they sorted out the other bits and pieces it would become unbeatable.

TMW - The 2016 MG GS - The SUV thats as good as cars far more expensive

2005 was a year that many thousands of people remember for the closure of the once huge conglomerate that was MG-Rover, a few owners later and we have MG Motors UK, the company that builds cars in both China and Thailand, and imports cars to the UK.

The first of these was the MG6, then the MG3, and now the MG GS Crossover, the MG6 was removed from the UK and we are left with two really good cars, and it is one of these cars we have been testing out over the last week, the GS, in top trim level, Exclusive, with the seven speed DCT automatic transmission.

The car looks the part, it is a good looking, well proportioned car, the lines flow from front to rear, and the lighting is well designed to that it fits in with the total design, the doors are well weighted, and shut with a  very solid thunk, nothing tinny or cheap feeling here, you do not need to put too much effort into closing it either. 

Once inside the car you can manoeuvre the seats and steering wheel in a multitude of directions so that you can get comfortable, and once you get into position, everything it near and handy, no stretching for buttons, switchgear or to utilise the very intuitive touchscreen, which is one of the better ones i have come across.

The 1.5 litre TGI engine is really good, it's not the same 1.5 litre powerplant you will find in the MG3 though, this has more "get up and go" and does it go, not 'arf, driving the car along at a steady speed and you really do not notice the seven speed auto change gear, and even with some poke, the gear change is still not that bad at all, the start/stop system assists in keeping the fuel consumption under control and the brands claimed figures of :-

• URBAN - 36.6mpg
• EXTRA URBAN - 53.2mpg
• COMBINED - 45.5mpg

are not that bad for a car in this class and with the weight of the car at 1467kg (Unladen) helps with the fuel consumption too.

There is more than sufficient space in the rear seats  for three adults to sit in comfort, i had the car with five adults and it was still swift, comfortable and a pleasure to drive, there is more than enough glass for you see all around the car, and the larger than expected wing mirrors, which fold in on locking the car, give you a good view of what's behind you at all times.

The boot space is not the biggest in the class, but it does offer enough for most people, and in our car at least, it came with a spare wheel, which these days is very rare, anything to shave a few kilos of the car's weight is something most brands do.

The CO2 of this car is a tad on the high side at 141g/km, and the 55 litre fuel tank will give you a range, if you get the claimed figures, of 644 miles, however, you will be very lucky to achieve this, as most people tend to have a little lead in their right foot.

The car comes with a tonne of kit as standard and this model is equipped with

• 18" Alloy Wheels
• LED Daytime Running Lights]Front Fog Lights
• Leather Sports Seats  
• Lumbar Seat on Drivers Side
• Electrically Adjustable Front Seats
• Leather Steering Wheel with Audio Controls
• Paddle Shift
• iGO Navigation
• DAB Radio
• Auto Air Con
• Bluetooth
• Auto Headlamps
• Auto Wipers
• Cruise Control
• Rear Parking Sensors and Camera
• Electrically Adjustable and heated Door Mirrors
• Stop/Start
• Hill Hold Assist
• Side Step
• Lazy Locking

And many more, so for the total price including options of £22,344.98 you are getting a large well made, well equipped and decent car, the options on this model were 18" Wave black alloy wheels @ £900, black exterior trim @ £199.99 and the leather lux pack @ £249.99.

On the road the car is quiet and grips really well, you can "throw" the car about and you never seen to unsettle it in any way, it keeps up with the traffic, and on the motorway can cruise nicely at 70mph and should you need to overtake it can easily and quickly build up some speed to do this without the worry of it struggling.

Around town and again the car copes well, the gearbox is really intuitive and it seems to always be in the correct gear, when you need it, however, an emergency braking manoeuvre does get the rear end to wiggle a little but nothing that you can not cope will and correct.

The downsides of the car, well, there are a couple, firstly the optional side steps, they are a real pain, trying to get out of the car is nigh on impossible if you want to not rub your legs against them, i know i did every time i got out, and i have ended up with more trousers/jeans to wash this week than normal, and the other issue, the rear view camera and tailgate, the camera gets very dirty very quickly.

This in turn means you can not see what's behind you when you need it most, and the design of the built in handle again means you get really dirty, opening and closing the tailgate, so, thats the only issues.

OVERALL

Well, apart from the optional side steps and the tailgate/camera, this is really a good car, very good for the money, the range stars at £15k and that model comes with some kit as standard, more up to the next and it gets better, and then move it on further to the top of the range and you truly get a car that should be seling in numbers far more than it does already, but that will come in time.

If the car and kit does not do it for you, well, throw in a full five year factory backed warranty, lowish insurance level (16E), and a car that draws looks and comments from others, as this is what happened when i was out and about in the GS, and to be honest, when i am ready to change my own car, i will seriously be looking at this, as i was mightily impressed with the entire package of the car.

You would be wrong to not consider this when you are looking for a brand new car in this class.