Just how much our smartphones rule our lives has been revealed for the first time. Car buyers admit they can like everything about a new model – the styling, price, fuel economy and how it drives – yet will still walk out of the showroom because it won’t connect properly with their beloved mobile phone.

A study*, used by Nissan to understand the importance of developing state-of-the-art infotainment systems in crossovers such as the Qashqai, Juke and X-Trail, reveals:

• 28% of new car buyers prioritise car connectivity over other features, such as fuel efficiency
• 13% would not buy a car that’s not connected to the internet
• 20% would switch to another car brand for better connectivity
• That rises to 41% for drivers who spend more than 20 hours a week in their car

The research has led to significant investment by Nissan to make sure phones integrate seamlessly – vital as demand for data and downloads expands. Leading the European team is Patrick Keenan… known within Nissan as ‘the man with 40 phones’.

Patrick explained: “Today’s new cars have a lifecycle of five or six years before a new version is launched, but a mobile phone will only be on the market for less than two years before it’s replaced. Keeping cars and phones talking to each other is the crux of my job.”

Based at Nissan’s European Technical Centre in Cranfield, UK, Patrick’s desk drawers are packed with dozens of phones, which he uses to develop and fine-tune connectivity. He makes and receives hundreds of test calls a day as he works on future Nissan vehicles.

“My job is to make sure anyone who walks into a Nissan showroom anywhere in Europe doesn’t walk out again because a car they want to buy won’t pair with their phone,” said Patrick.

* McKinsey and Company, Connected Car: Automotive Value Chain Unbound

Coveted tickets to the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival are a great way to spoil dads on Father’s Day, fast approaching on Sunday 19 June.

Moreover, as this summer’s Silverstone Classic (29-31 July) offers unrivalled entertainment for all ages – and a new Family Ticket option – the entire family can join in the high-speed thrills and spills, making what is already an unforgettable Father’s Day gift all the more special.

No matter what his particular interest, any action-loving dad will be blown away by a visit to the dazzling Silverstone Classic for an amazing flat-out trip down memory lane. Across three full days of non-stop entertainment, there will be a glittering array of attractions and activities, headed by a glorious line-up of unmissable races on the famous Silverstone Grand Prix circuit. These feature many of the world’s rarest, most spectacular and valuable racing cars from past golden eras.

Ranging from the evocative racers of the 1930s to the high-tech machines from the 1990s, the stellar race card will deliver some of the most eye-catching grids ever seen in Great Britain covering the history of Formula 1, Le Mans, sports, touring and GT cars.

This year’s line-up includes two thundering showdowns for mighty Can-Am cars plus a major tribute to mark the 40^th anniversary of James Hunt’s F1 world championship-winning campaign in 1976. There will be famous faces, too, with bike heroes Wayne Gardner, ‘Fast’ Freddie Spencer and multiple sidecar world champ Steve Webster joining a host of legendary riders and drivers from past generations all revving up and adding to the superb nostalgia at Silverstone.

As if that isn’t enough to put a huge smile on every dad’s face, there will be more than 10,000 classic cars lovingly exhibited on the infield, ranging from awe-inspiring Ferraris and Maseratis to lovable Morgans and MGs. What’s more this summer several iconic marques including Lamborghini, Porsche and Viper will be putting on huge displays to celebrate important milestones in their histories.

As has become customary, live music will also be a popular feature over the weekend, with crowd-pleasing concerts on the evenings of both Friday (29 July) and Saturday (30 July) maintaining the fabulous event’s ‘Rocking and Racing’ tradition. Chart-toppers The Boomtown Rats will strut their stuff on Friday, while Saturday’s performances are headlined by Reef and The Stranglers. Entry to all these rock concerts is included within the general circuit admission price.

But the entertainment doesn’t stop there. A vintage funfair, aerial displays, three auctions, hot air balloon display, helicopter flights, streetcar shoot-outs, 4×4 passenger experiences, spitfire demonstrations, crazy golf, a huge shopping village, an adrenaline ride zone, Car Clinic shows with Mike Brewer and a live Range Rover restoration, both presented by eBay, as well as giant TV screens showing all the on-track action are all part of the most remarkable show of the year.

“The Silverstone Classic is the biggest and best classic motor racing festival in the world as well as one of Europe’s most entertaining and action-packed car-themed events,” said Nick Wigley, CEO of organisers, Goose Live Events. “There really is something for everyone – that’s why a family day out at the Silverstone Classic is the perfect Father’s Day gift for any dad with even the smallest drop of high-octane fuel in his veins.”

In keeping with the event’s widely acclaimed ‘access all areas’ policy, all tickets include free entrance to both racing paddocks and pit complexes, trackside grandstands and live music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings. Adult admission is from just £42 and considerable savings are on offer for those festival-goers spending the full weekend at Silverstone. This year there’s also a special Family Ticket.

Full details can be found on the official www.silverstoneclassic.com website.

SsangYong has announced the new Tivoli XLV, an extended body model of its already popular Tivoli compact SUV.

“Following rapid growth in the compact SUV market, SsangYong responded in 2015 by launching Tivoli, its first small SUV, and already the company’s most successful new car.  Some 64,000 cars were manufactured and sold around the world last year,” said Paul Williams, CEO of SsangYong Motor UK.

“Tivoli has been praised universally for meeting a number of customer requirements, not least its ability to carry five adults in comfort and with one of the largest boot capacities, while many other cars in the sector are regarded as being a ‘down-size’ too far.

“Now SsangYong has gone a step further by launching an extended car to provide even more carrying capacity and practicality.  This was shown as the XLV Air concept at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt last year, and from the extremely favourable feedback received, took the decision to put the car into production.

“Following its international debut at Geneva, the Tivoli XLV is now being launched in Europe, and arrives in the UK this summer.  Annual sales from the Tivoli platform including XLV are forecast to exceed 100,000 cars this year,” he added.

Sharing the same platform and 2,600mm wheelbase as the Tivoli, the XLV features a lengthened body from behind the C pillar, an increase of 238mm over the standard car, expanding the load capacity to a 720 cubic litres of space.  Meanwhile, the styling cues that distinguish Tivoli are retained, including its harmoniously fused SUV body design, sports coupé look and floating roofline.

Designed to offer a multi-role, multi-function solution to a wide range of customers, Tivoli XLV provides just the versatility needed to meet individual lifestyles: family car for lugging baby buggies and cots for small children, bikes and golf clubs for the sports-minded, and materials or business equipment during the working week.

Passenger safety has been a top priority for this car, and comes with seven airbags including front, side and curtain airbags plus a driver’s knee airbag, multi-function ESP (Electronic Stability Program), Active Rollover Protection, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist and ESS (Emergency Stop Signal), a tyre pressure monitoring system and a warning reminder on all five seat belt positions.

Tivoli XLV is offered with a Euro 6 compliant 1.6 litre diesel engine, and matched with the option of a 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed Aisin automatic, two-wheel drive or 4×4.

SEAT is now able to confirm pricing and specification for its new Ateca First Edition.

Created purely as a one-off launch trim level, exclusivity for the extremely well-specified and striking First Edition is assured, with just 200 examples destined for UK retail buyers.

SEAT has taken its time with its first-ever SUV. So, in an effort to match Ateca to the needs of British buyers as closely as possible, it ran an online ‘lifestyle configurator’ on its website, to seek crowd-sourced information upon which to base an ideal specification.

Smashing its internal forecasts and no doubt testament to the growing buzz surrounding Ateca, over the course of six weeks  close to 13,000 Brits took part in the competition, which included a top prize of an all-expenses paid family trip to Barcelona, SEAT’s home city.

Responding to a series of seven questions about their lifestyles and character, with 192 possible outcomes, the online system then generated an Ateca version to suit their specific needs. The most popular proved to be ‘Horizon Chaser’. Translating it into a UK production car has led to the following items of standard equipment being included: 18-inch bi-colour alloy wheels, satellite-navigation system with an eight-inch touchscreen, Keyless entry (KESSY), electric tailgate with virtual pedal, rear parking sensors with rear view camera, dark-tinted rear windows, black roof rails and window surrounds.

Slotting into the Ateca range above SE and below the flagship XCELLENCE, the high-spec new First Edition offers more than £3,500 of additional equipment over the former, saving customers over £1,100.

The First Edition is available in two engines,1.0 TSI 115PS and 1.6 TDI 115 PS,  and is competitively priced at £21,995 and £24,305 respectively. It comes in a choice of three colours, Nevada White, Rodium Grey and Samoa Orange.

Priced from £17,990, the Ateca range will be available to pre-order from 1^st June 2016, ahead of official showroom launch on 9th September.

Full First Edition details are available at http://www.seat.co.uk/new-cars/new-ateca/first-edition.html.