The ŠKODA KAROQ: New compact SUV with lots of space and state-of-the-art technology

• ​› Design: modern dynamic SUV design language
• › Powertrains: four new engines, powerful and efficient TSI and TDI 
• › Chassis: state-of-the-art technology, up to five driving modes and special Off-Road mode 
• › Driver assistance systems: extended range for increased safety and comfort 
• › ŠKODA Connect: infotainment with capacitive touch screen in glass design and Care Connect for assistance 
• › Equipment: Full-LED headlights, digital instrument panel 
• › ŠKODA drives SUV campaign forward with the ŠKODA KAROQ 

The ŠKODA KAROQ is a completely new compact SUV from the long-standing Czech brand. The emotive and dynamic design with numerous crystalline elements characterises ŠKODA’s new SUV design language. 

As a true ŠKODA, the ŠKODA KAROQ offers exceptional space, new driver-assistance systems, full LED headlights and – for the first time in a ŠKODA – a digital instrument panel. Five engine variants are available from 85 kW (115 PS) to 140 kW (190 PS), of which four are new. 

Typical of ŠKODA are smart ideas for the brand’s new compact SUV which include features such as the rear-seat VarioFlex system and the virtual pedal for the hands-free opening of the boot. 

Particularly long items can be comfortably transported in the interior of the compact SUV – this is made possible by the folding front passenger seat.

​It is clear from the exterior shape, modified lines and larger dimensions that this is a completely new vehicle. The ŠKODA KAROQ is a sports utility vehicle with character: The emotive and dynamic design with numerous crystalline elements characterises ŠKODA’s new SUV design language.

The compact SUV measures 4,382 mm in length, is 1,841 mm wide, and 1,605 mm high. The increase in size benefits the passengers. The kneeroom is 69 mm. The long wheelbase of 2,638 mm (all-wheel version: 2,630 mm) gives the ŠKODA KAROQ a comfortable stance on the road and provides an indication of the generously proportioned interior.

The ŠKODA brand stands for an exceptional package. This also applies to the new KAROQ. The luggage compartment has a capacity of 521 l with the rear seats in place. With the rear seats folded down, the volume increases to 1,630 l. The VarioFlex system consists of three separate seats, which can be individually adjusted and the seats can also be completely removed – and the SUV is then converted into a van with a maximum load capacity of 1,810 liters.

Segment leader: connectivity solutions

The ŠKODA KAROQ is at the top of its segment with innovative connectivity solutions. The infotainment building blocks come from the second generation of the Group’s Modular Infotainment Matrix, offering state-of-the-art functions, interfaces and equipped with capacitive touch displays. 

The top systems Columbus and Amundsen have a Wi-Fi hotspot. An optional LTE module is available for the Columbus system. The Internet connection is based on today’s fastest mobile radio standard, with which passengers can surf and access email freely with their phones and tablets.

The new mobile online services ŠKODA Connect are divided into two categories: Infotainment online services are used for information and navigation; the CareConnect services for assistance in case of breakdowns and emergencies. 

The Emergency Call button, which will be part of the standard equipment in Europe from 2018, is now available as an optional CareConnect service. Additional online services can be accessed via the ŠKODA Connect app. These can be used to remotely check, configure and find the parking place of your car using a smartphone.

The intelligent capability of pairing a car with a smartphone has reached a new level in the ŠKODA KAROQ. The SmartLink+ platform, compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLinkTM, is available as an option for the basic infotainment system Swing. SmartLink+ comes as standard with higher infotainment systems. The Phonebox with inductive charging couples the smartphone to the roof antenna and simultaneously charges it wirelessly.

Reliable helpers: driver assistance systems

The ŠKODA KAROQ offers a comprehensive range of driver assistance systems. New comfort systems include Park Assist, Lane Assist and Traffic Jam Assist. Blind Spot Detect, Front Assist with predictive pedestrian protection and Emergency Assist serve to increase safety.

Additional driver assistance systems are available for the ŠKODA KAROQ to keep the car at a safe distance from the car ahead, to make it easier for the driver to change and keep in lane, to point out important traffic signs, and to assist when parking.

The freely programmable digital instrument panel is available for the first time in a ŠKODA. In the ŠKODA KAROQ, the cockpit displays can be set to the driver’s individual preferences.

Full-LED headlights with clear-lens optics are available as an option for the ŠKODA KAROQ from the Ambition trim level upwards. In the interior, new LED ambient lighting in the decorative door trims and the dashboard creates a pleasant atmosphere, which can be set to one of ten colours.

Powerful and agile: engines and chassis

The ŠKODA KAROQ offers state-of-the-art technologies for engines. Five engine variants – two petrol and three diesel engines – are on offer. The two petrol engines and two diesels are new in the line-up. 

The displacement ranges are 1.0, 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0 l; the power range is from 85 kW (115 PS) to 140 kW (190 PS). All powertrains feature turbo-charged direct injection units as well as start -stop- technology and brake energy recovery. 

They are extremely efficient and comply with EU 6 regulations. With the exception of the most powerful diesel, all drivetrains can be ordered with a 6-speed manual gearbox or 7-speed DSG. The 2.0 TDI with 140 kW (190 PS) comes as standard with 4×4 drive and 7-speed DSG. The new 1.5 TSI has the special feature of cylinder deactivation.

The ŠKODA KAROQ chassis also sets benchmarks in its segment and demonstrates its quality, even off the beaten track. From the Ambition trim level upwards, Driving Mode Select with the Normal, Sport, Eco, Individual and Snow (4x4) modes is available on request. The Off-Road mode with all-wheel drive improves the driving characteristics on rough terrain.

The Groupe Renault Plant in Tangiers has just produced its 1,000,000th car in 5 years.

• The Tangier plant has produced its millionth vehicle, a Dacia Lodgy.
• The landmark figure is reached in just over five years following the plant’s inauguration in 2012.
• The design of this efficient and eco-friendly plant, which is unrivalled in the automotive industry, is based on two pillars: zero CO2 emissions and zero industrial effluent discharges.

Groupe Renault is proud to celebrate the production of the millionth vehicle at the Renault-Nissan plant in Tangier: a five-seat, Azurite Blue Dacia Lodgy powered by a diesel engine and sold to a customer in Turkey. 

In all, 474,840 Sanderos, 320,078 Dokkers and 193,181 Lodgys have been manufactured in Tangier since the plant’s inauguration in 2012. In addition to covering the Moroccan market, the models built at the factory are exported to more than 73 destinations.

The inauguration of the Tangier plant’s first production line in February 2012, in the presence of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI and Carlos Ghosn, CEO, Groupe Renault, and the launch of a second line in 2013, marked a turning point in Morocco’s automotive sector. Indeed, it was the birth of the biggest car manufacturing plant south of the Mediterranean.

Today, the plant operates in three eight-hour shifts per day, six days a week, with an annual production capacity of 340,000 vehicles. The Renault-Nissan Tangier plant, a main driver of the Moroccan economy, supports Dacia brand growth by exporting the majority of its production. Half of all Dacias are produced in Morocco at either the Tangier plant or at the SOMACA facility in Casablanca.

Groupe Renault implanted in Morocco since 1928 and is the number one manufacturer in the Moroccan market with its two brands, Dacia and Renault. Four vehicles out of 10 sold in Morocco are sold by the Groupe Renault. The Renault plant in Casablanca (SOMACA) has produced Renault models since 1966, and Dacia model since 2005.

As Groupe Renault’s first plant designed to generate zero CO2 emissions and zero industrial effluent discharges, Tangier continues to set an example in the automottive industry today.

A ‘CO2 emissions-free’ design based on two pillars:

• More than 90 percent of needs fulfilled by renewable energies, notably through an innovative biomass heating plant (100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved per year).
• Energy efficiency for optimised consumption performance (energy savings of 45 percent* in the paint shop).

The elimination of industrial effluent discharges through:

• 100 percent recycling of industrial wastewater. A true, closed-loop treatment plant that saves around 900 cubic metres of water per day.
• Controlled consumption of industrial water, through optimized processes. A saving of 70 percent compared to a conventional plant with equivalent capacity.

*Compared to the average across Groupe Renault plants

The Last of the Line storming Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R, Powered by the 6.2 litre V8, it'll be missed !

The new Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R is powered by an evolution of the current GTS’s supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine, producing 595PS (up from 576PS) and 740Nm of torque, making it Vauxhall’s most powerful car in the company’s 114-year history.

Production of the Holden Commodore model, on which the GTS-R is based, comes to an end in Australia this October, when Holden’s manufacturing plant finally closes. Vauxhall – a sister brand to Holden in the GM family – has been importing the VXR8 in various forms since 2007, and sells the car through selected dealerships in its network with full service back up and a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty.

As befits its last-of-line status, the GTS-R-R is no ordinary VXR8 – and in this form it’s exclusive to the UK, too. Sending drive via a limited slip differential to the rear wheels, the GTS-R retains the previous GTS’s clever torque vectoring system, but adds an upgraded braking system with six-piston, monoblock calipers and 410mm discs up front. In addition, the GTS-R wears all-new 20-inch forged alloy rims (ten-inch width at the rear, 9-inch at the front).

Visually, the GTS-R has a fresh face, with a new front fascia, splitter, wings and carbon fibre vents, while at the rear there’s a new-look diffuser, spoiler (with carbon fibre upper), lower panel and quad exhaust outlets with diamond-shaped exhaust tips. Inside, the diamond theme continues in the Alcantara and leather seat trim.

The current supercharged LSA engine has been re-mapped and is fitted with a high-flow air filter to achieve its hike in power.

Just 15 Vauxhall VXR8 GTS-R’s will come to the UK, at an on-the-road price of £74,500.

ENGINE

At the heart of the VXR8 GTS-R is a supercharged LSA V8 (identical to that used in the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1), delivering 595PS. Performance figures back this up, with 60mph arriving in just 4.2 seconds from standstill and a limited top speed of 155mph.

The new GTS-R’s Eaton supercharger has 4-lobe rotors, 9psi boost and 1.9 litres of air per revolution. Unlike a turbocharged car, the Eaton supercharger provides the GTS-R with stronger and more linear performance across its entire rev-range. Other LSA features include:

• Stand-alone water to air charge cooling system
• Separate transmission and differential cooling system
• Water to oil engine cooling system
• Bi-modal air-intake system
• High-flow exhaust manifolds and exhaust system with Bi-modal silencers

Delivering drive to the rear axle is a heavy-duty GM/2F 6-speed automatic transmission with Active Select Function and paddle shift. To optimise its performance at higher operating temperatures, the transmission has its own oil cooler.

A 6-speed manual transmission is also available.

DESIGN

The front-end design of the VXR8 GTS-R has bold graphics and shallow ramp angles that emphasise width and stance. The focal point of the new look is a ‘twin-nostril’ grille and an all-new fascia that helps to deliver both an aggressive look and an air intake surface large enough to cool the LSA V8.

In fact, a total of 130,000 square millimetres of open frontal surface was needed to deliver the cooling required for the new engine – 75 per cent more than the previous LS3-engined car.

At the rear, the VXR8 GTS-R has distinctive LED tail lamps, while the ‘diffuser’ rear fascia houses quad exhaust outlets finished in shadow chrome. A unique body-coloured performance rear spoiler with black accents helps set the GTS-R apart still further.

Inside, the VXR8’s cabin design has undergone a raft of design changes. An upgraded instrument panel with suede-style inserts, a new instrument cluster, gauges, centre console, appliques and door trims combine to deliver a more premium look and feel.

Standard in the VXR8 GTS-R, VXR Performance Seats are wrapped in Alcantara leather trim and feature 8-way electric adjustment and seat heaters for both the driver and front passenger.

DYNAMICS

To cater for the extra performance offered by the LSA engine, the VXR8 GTS-R is fitted Brake Torque Vectoring technology. Brake Torque Vectoring helps reduce understeer by generating a ‘rotational moment’ in the rear axle while the car is under power. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system detects the understeer, applies braking to the inside rear wheel and transfers torque to the outside rear wheel, preventing the front end from washing wide.

The VXR8 GTS-R also receives third-generation Magnetic Ride Control (MRC) with three independent settings: Touring, Sport, performance and Track. Hardware and software improvements combine to deliver greater body control, sharper handling and a significantly more pliant ride quality, compared with the previous model.

Wider tyres also offer drivers more grip. Continental 255/35 R20 (front) and 275/35 R20 (rear) were chosen as standard equipment, due to their exceptional performance in both wet and dry conditions.

To assist drivers in manipulating the various electronic vehicle performance systems, a new Driver Preference Dial has been developed. Located behind the gear lever, the Driver Preference Dial adjusts settings to one of four modes: Touring, Sport, Performance and Track. The vehicle’s ESC, Traction Control, Launch Control (manual transmission only), and Bi-Modal Exhaust, as well as its Brake Torque Vectoring and new Electronic Power Steering, are then adjusted accordingly.

TECHNOLOGY

The VXR8 has now come of age, and features an array of technologies never seen before in this model.

In addition to the Side Blind Zone Alert with Reverse Traffic Alert, Automatic Park Assist, Front and Rear Park Assist, Reversing Camera and Passive Entry/Push Button Start, the GTS-R also picks up a number of additional driver convenience and safety technologies.

Head Up Display is standard and shows a raft of driver information on the windscreen, such as vehicle speed, engine temperature, and even G-forces!

Forward Collision Alert is another technology fitted standard to the GTS-R, and is the first system of its kind to be available in a Vauxhall product. A camera, located above the rear-view mirror scans the road ahead up to 14 times per second. When a crash is predicted, the driver is alerted with an audible tone and a visible alert on the car’s HUD. Anticipating hard braking, the system applies sufficient brake pressure to close the space between the brake pads and discs, thus delivering a quicker brake response time.

Using the same camera technology, the VXR8 GTS-R also has Lane Departure Warning. Designed to combat driver fatigue, a warning indicator and audible sound alerts the driver to any unintentional lane departures.

RANGE, PRICING & EQUIPMENT

• Prices start from £74,500 on-the-road
• Choice of manual and automatic

GTS-R trim includes

• Enhanced Driver Interface
• 8-inch high-resolution, colour touch-screen display
• CD player with USB connection
• Aux-in with integrated iPod support
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Sports high performance front styling
• Projector headlights for greater high beam range plus LED daytime running lights
• 20-inch Blade forged alloy wheels – satin graphite
• Sports LED rear lights
• Superflow performance rear spoiler
• Rear bumper incorporating lo-line sports rear spoiler and quad exhaust outlets with shadow chrome tips
• Continental ContiSport Contact 5P tyres
• Choice of touring, sport, performance and track mode
• Choice of traction control, launch control and bi-modal exhaust
• Steering wheel column with reach and rake adjust
• Brake torque vectoring
• Keyless entry and start
• Ergonomically enhanced side bolsters
• Dual-zone electronic climate control
• VXR Performance seats in Alcantara
• Eight-way electric adjustment of driver and front passenger seat
• Heated front seats
• Leather-covered flat bottomed sports steering wheel with perforated gripping zones
• Steering wheel mounted controls for audio system, trip computer, Bluetooth® and EDI
• Auxiliary gauges displaying oil temperature, oil pressure and boost pressure
• Centre console GTS-R I.D. plate
• Leather-covered gear lever
• Sports pedals
• Premium BOSE audio with nine speakers
• Mobile phone system with Bluetooth

MG Motor UK’s stylish Supermini, the MG3, has reclaimed its top spot as the lowest priced car on the Motability Scheme.

• UK car brand reclaims title as best priced car on scheme 

MG Motor UK’s stylish Supermini, the MG3, has reclaimed its top spot as the lowest priced car on the Motability Scheme, meaning you could drive away a brand-new MG3 Form Sport with DAB radio, cruise control and smartphone integration for just £48.25 a week.

This offer is available to people on the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMC DLA), the Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment (ERMC PIP) or the Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) schemes. 

In addition, the MG3 Form Sport can be leased at a similarly competitive rate for people on the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS).

Priced over a three-year fixed lease agreement, the MG3 costs less than the total mobility allowance, which means the remainder of your allowance will be paid directly to you by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This equates to almost £1,404 in savings over the three-year period, which can be used towards fuel and parking.

The MG3 Form Sport comes packed full of features including a leather sport steering wheel, Bluetooth, 16” alloy-wheels and six speakers as standard. The worry-free lease also includes insurance for two named drivers, servicing, maintenance and full breakdown assistance from the RAC. If adaptations are required, many of these are available at no additional cost too.

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor UK, added: “Nearly two thirds of MG dealerships have a Motability-trained specialist who can provide expert advice to customers and the number is growing. We believe the Motability Scheme is a great initiative and we are proud to once again be in the top spot.”

Awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars by AA Cars, the MG3 was praised for coming with many features other manufacturers would charge for. Economical, with good acceleration and an excellent driving position, there’s a lot to love about the stylish MG3.