With more power on tap than even the current iteration of the iconic Golf GTI, Volkswagen is making its most potent Tiguan yet available for order in the UK this month.

The new 240 PS bi-turbo diesel, designated BiTDI, also offers an increase of fully 30 PS over the previous most powerful Tiguan, the 2.0 TSI seen in the preceding generation of the car.

The bi-turbo 240 PS engine is similar to that offered in the current Volkswagen Passat and Passat Alltrack, and boasts a high-performance cylinder head and two-stage turbo charger.  The injection pressure of the common-rail piezo injection system is a mighty 2,500 bar and the engine is capable of generating up to 120 PS per litre.

Mated as standard to Volkswagen’s 4MOTION four-wheel drive system, it endows the new Tiguan with prodigious performance in the mainstream SUV segment.  Capable of reaching 142 mph, where the law permits, the 2.0 BiTDI-equipped Tiguan meanwhile sprints from rest to 62 mph in just 6.5 seconds.

Selective Catalytic Reduction helps to reduce emissions by injecting AdBlue™ into the Tiguan’s exhaust system, thus helping to reduce NOx by converting it into harmless water.  The Volkswagen SUV also includes a Start/Stop system and battery regeneration which, together, contribute to a CO₂ figure of just 167 g/km*.  All the engines in the Tiguan range meet the latest EU6 emissions standard.

As well as the 240 PS bi-turbo engine, the most powerful of the Tiguan’s three petrol engines is also now open for order in the UK.  The 2.0 TSI 180 PS is available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission.  It is also offered as standard with 4MOTION four-wheel drive and offers a top speed of 129 mph, 0-62 mph time of 7.7 seconds and a CO₂ figure of 170 g/km*.

Both new Tiguan engines are exclusively offered with the range-topping SEL or R-Line trims.  The Tiguan SEL packs a technological punch with standard features that include Volkswagen’s Discover Navigation infotainment and satellite navigation system, which includes an eight-inch colour touch-screen.  Adaptive Cruise Control uses radar to govern the distance to the car ahead automatically.  In addition the SEL comes with Active Info Display – a 12.3-inch high-resolution TFT screen located within the binnacle and replacing conventional analogue instruments.  It can be configured to show a variety of information about the car, or even relay the satellite navigation route guidance.

In addition to the features available on the SEL, the Tiguan R-Line carries many unique styling features inside and out.  A roof spoiler is joined by a rear diffuser and a front air intake to highlight the kerb appeal of the car.  The ‘Suzuka’ alloy wheels measure 20-inches and the bumper design is unique to the trim.

On the inside, unique R-Line sill protectors and carpet mats are joined by bespoke ‘Race’ cloth seats feature ‘San Remo’ microfibre, while the front seats also feature the R-Line logo on the headrest.  Stainless steel pedals and a black rooflining complete the look.

The addition of these two new engine options in Tiguan completes the model’s seven-strong powerplant range, which now extends from 1.4 TSI 125 PS to 2.0 BiTDI 240 PS.

The Tiguan SEL 2.0 TSI 180 PS six-speed manual 4MOTION is available to order now from Volkswagen Retailers nationwide priced from £30,540 RRP OTR, while the Tiguan SEL 2.0 BiTDI 240 PS seven-speed DSG 4MOTION costs from £36,450 RRP OTR.  The new engines in R-Line trim cost from £32,855 RRP OTR for the 2.0 TSI 180 PS unit to £38,640 RRP OTR for the 2.0 BiTDI 240 PS.

Jaguar Land Rover has announced its best-ever September UK sales retailing 20,977 vehicles, up 31% on the same period in 2015.

Both brands contributed to the strong performance, delivering their best September sales figures on record. Land Rover, spearheaded by the Range Rover Evoque, sold 14,556 vehicles, up 30%, while Jaguar sold 6,421 vehicles, surpassing the brand’s previous best September in 2004.

Jaguar has retailed 26,366 vehicles in the first nine months of 2016, up 47% on the same period last year while Land Rover has sold 66,978 vehicles, up 16%.

Commenting on the performance, Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK Managing Director said:

“It’s no secret that September is an important month for manufacturers and we are delighted with this result. It shows that not only is Jaguar Land Rover delivering great vehicles, but we are delivering new products that car-buyers want.”

“The Evoque Convertible has added another, desirable string to the bow of the Range Rover Evoque which continues to dominate its segment, retailing 4,657 vehicles, up 142% on September 2015. For Jaguar, the multi-award winning F-PACE continues to capture the imagination of UK buyers, enjoying its best month since launch, with 2,367 leaving UK showrooms.”

The Discovery Sport, Land Rover’s second-fastest selling model of all time, continues to be a sales success with its versatile package resulting in 4,359 retails, up 81% on September 2015. A week after the business unveiled its successor in Paris, with a world-record-setting reveal taking place here in the UK, the current Discovery reported an impressive month of sales. The iconic model retailed 2,542, up 60% on the same period last year.

Claims Management & Adjusting (CMA) has called on Highways England to urgently review the arrangements for clearing debris from UK motorways following a worrying rise in “swerve to avoid” and “tyre blowout” related claims.

Have you noticed more burst tyres, bits of vehicle trim or dead animals on our motorways recently? Part of the explanation is the zero carriageway crossings policy adopted by Highways England in 2011, designed to protect the lives of contractor employees. But CMA says Highways England contractors’ reluctance to incur traffic management costs is exacerbating the danger for road users.

Managing Director of CMA, Philip Swift, said: “We are extremely concerned at the increasing number of cases involving drivers swerving to avoid debris and fear it is only a matter of time before someone gets killed. Highways England contractors are paid a lump sum to provide barrier repairs, gully clearance and litter removal, but the costs associated with closing a carriageway are a disincentive to removing larger items like burst tyres.

“Even if a Highways Agency Traffic Officer (HATO) or contractor does attend, there can be a tendency to kick the problem to the side of the road, and that puts lives at risk from secondary factors. For example, shards from disintegrating debris can cause punctures, which result in collisions. Debris can also impede drainage, leading to standing water, aquaplaning and crashes.

“Safety is the paramount issue here, but there is a financial aspect to it as well. We find ourselves in the crazy situation where Highways England contractors are presenting claims for barrier repairs potentially caused by debris they are responsible for clearing. This irony is often compounded by a debris clearance charge being lumped in with the repair cost and an invoice being presented to either the driver or their insurer. That is frankly astounding given the clearance task has already been paid for by Highways England, yet we see it happening ever more frequently.”

If you think you might have been a victim of this behaviour please contact CMA on 0845 3888 810 or email [email protected]

The popular Black Edition specification reaches the Audi compact SUV as part of a package of range-wide styling and equipment enhancements.

The new top flight Q3 and the sharper, even better equipped versions that sit below it will become available later this month priced from £26,600 OTR, and will reach their first customers towards the end of the year.

As part of the programme of revisions the current Q3 specification structure, starting with SE, moving to S line Navigation and then on to S line plus, has shifted further upwards. At entry level, SE becomes Sport through the addition of SD navigation as standard and through styling enhancements that lend an even more purposeful air, including larger front air vents and a body-coloured front diffuser.

S line Navigation models become S line Edition by gaining standard interior features such as cruise control and the Audi Parking System Plus, and by adopting a new look for the front end, which now incorporates a distinctive horizontal strut spanning its full width, above which are air inlets with more pronounced surrounds and a new diamond-pattern mesh design. They flank a more eyecatching Single Frame grille with a new high gloss finish which is also shared by the air vents.

The main attraction in the range is now the Q3 Black Edition, which stays true to the concept introduced so successfully elsewhere in the Audi range. Replacing the S line plus model, it builds on that version’s already extensive specification with features such as standard metallic paint, privacy glass from the B pillar rearwards and a Bose sound system upgrade, but its key point of differentiation is of course the distinctive black treatment for many of its parts. These start in the cabin with piano black inlays, and continue outside to take in everything from the 19-inch alloy wheels, wheel arch cappings and Single Frame grille surround to the roof rails, rear spoiler and tailpipes, all of which are finished in gloss black.

Taking the spotlight in a series of intriguing “Missing Car” mysteries this autumn and winter, the new SEAT Ateca is set to turn TV viewers into amateur sleuths.

Three different scenarios will be played out week by week in the latest development of SEAT’s sponsorship of ITV’s original mystery drama programming, engaging the audience in an unfolding story and the special qualities of SEAT’s first SUV.

The mini-dramas will unfold in a sequence idents that will appear during transmissions of some of the UK’s top-rated series, including new seasons of Broadchurch, Vera and Endeavour.

Each Missing Car story will start with a SEAT Ateca being left in mysterious circumstances in a location familiar from Broadchurch, Vera and The Level. Gradually clues will be revealed in and around the car, building the mystery and suspense until the final reveal.

A dedicated ITV Drama content hub within www.seat.co.uk will offer more interactive features, interviews and behind-the-scenes stories, plus competitions with weekly prizes, including “money-can’t-buy” exclusives such as a spy weekend in Washington DC, signed scripts or a walk-on part in Vera.

Launched in the UK this month, the new Ateca marks SEAT’s foray into the compact SUV market.

As Kia ascends into the fourth quarter of the year, the Korean car brand continues to offer private customers £1,000 off the purchase of a new car when they choose to take a test drive of selected models of the Kia range between 1 October and 31 December 2016.

Customers who test drive any Kia model before the end of November will also be entered into a draw to win an all-expenses-paid trip Down Under to see the men’s semi-finals of the Australian Open, which Kia Motors has proudly sponsored since 2002. This offer is available on all models, nationwide across Kia’s 188 dealerships.

Quarter four also sees a range of finance offers, with 4.9 per cent APR across the whole range. The best-selling all-new Sportage now sees all grades benefiting from the £500 PCP deposit allowance. Kia’s city car, the Picanto, also has enhanced finance offers, with the ‘SE’ and ‘Sport’ grades now enjoying £700 PCP deposit allowance.

The Kia Sorento comes with the £1,000 test drive saving and a £1,000 PCP deposit contribution. In addition, Caravan Club members buying a Sorento privately through the Kia dealer network continue to benefit from the offer of £500 towards Kia accessories. All grades have all-wheel drive, hill-start assist, trailer stability assist, reversing sensors and can haul between 2,000 and 2,500kg depending on the version, meaning this SUV is a perfect companion for caravanning adventures.

(The Sportage is not included in the test drive offer.)

TomTom has announced the introduction of an On-Street Parking service for drivers on the hunt for that hard to find parking spot. The service will be initially available as a data feed* for 25 cities** in Europe, with additional geo-expansion to follow.

The TomTom On-Street Parking will complement the existing Off-Street Parking (parking garage) information service already available to TomTom customers and licensing customers.

TomTom uses its vast supply of GPS data to determine where drivers are looking for parking places and at what times of the day. With this information, the TomTom On-Street Parking service provides drivers with the probability of finding a parking spot on a street level, as well as the average search-time for a spot.  To further enhance the parking experience, TomTom will also publish pricing and restriction information where available.

The new On-Street Parking service represents another step for TomTom towards the future of driving, where the service could be used by autonomous vehicles to seamlessly find a parking spot and park themselves.

“TomTom On-Street Parking offers drivers peace of mind and a less stressful parking experience, in addition to helping them save time and money,” says Ralf-Peter Schäfer, Head of Traffic and Travel Information at TomTom. “The service also helps reduce congestion in cities and thus lower CO₂ emissions, and enables cities to better understand and manage street parking inventory to improve urban mobility”.

* Data feed will be available for the 25 launch cities before the end of 2016.  TPEG-PKI service for direct delivery of the information to end-user devices will be available at a later date.

** Brussels, Copenhagen, Marseille, Paris, Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Milan, Rome, Turin, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Oslo, Moscow, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Birmingham, London

The new Ignis is a compact crossover designed to offer a stylish exterior along with versatile functionality that is convenient and easy to use.

In addition to its simple and iconic styling, this compact SUV offers the functionality and performance to provide confident driving in a wide variety of conditions. Sales are scheduled to begin in Europe in January 2017, after which the model will also be introduced in other markets.

Support for various smartphone connectivity systems allows the driver to connect a smartphone and access compatible apps on the touch screen display. Inserting SD cards that contain map data also enables the use of the navigation function.

Land Rover has revealed the New Discovery seven-seat SUV by breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest LEGO structure ever built.

The reveal set was made from 5,805,846 individual LEGO bricks, breaking the previous Guinness World Record by 470,646 pieces. Laid end to end, the bricks would stretch for almost 200 miles, or from Tower Bridge in London to Paris.

Long-term Land Rover Discovery owners Bear Grylls, Sir Ben Ainslie and Zara Phillips took part in the dynamic live reveal of Land Rover’s most versatile model around a 13-metre high LEGO version of London’s Tower Bridge.

Gerry McGovern, Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer, said: “New Discovery redefines the large SUV. Land Rover’s design and engineering teams have revolutionised the Discovery DNA to create a highly desirable, extremely versatile and hugely capable premium SUV.”

Everyday ingenuity has been at the heart of the Discovery for the last 27 years, with more than 1.2 million customers to date. The new Discovery is for the digital age.  Technology keeps your family safe, connected and confident on all surfaces, all terrains and in all weathers to ensure your destination is reached.

The fifth-generation model benefits from Land Rover’s strong, safe and light full-size SUV architecture, delivering comfort and adaptability like no other.

Led by the UK’s only LEGO Certified Professional, Duncan Titmarsh, it took five months for expert LEGO Master Builders in the UK to construct the incredible Tower Bridge structure. It was erected in the grounds of Packington Hall, Warwickshire, UK – close to Land Rover’s Solihull plant, where New Discovery will be produced.

As part of the dramatic reveal sequence, British adventurer Bear Grylls appeared in typically exciting fashion by abseiling from the top of the huge Tower Bridge installation, through the open drawbridge and onto the stage beside the New Discovery.

The finale was Land Rover BAR Team Principal Sir Ben Ainslie driving his sailing team through 900mm-deep water under the bridge – demonstrating the unrivalled capability and versatility of Land Rover’s new SUV. Sir Ben towed a LEGO replica of the Land Rover BAR boat, a 186,500-brick meticulous model of the boat that will challenge for next year’s America’s Cup.

The model of Tower Bridge was flanked by two LEGO ‘Discovery Zones’ celebrating 27 years of Land Rover Discovery heritage. An Equestrian Zone, hosted by accomplished rider Zara Phillips, featured a typically British picnic scene made entirely from LEGO bricks. The Bear Grylls Adventure Zone included a LEGO fire and boulders to represent a scene from a typical mountain exploration.

SsangYong Motor Company has unveiled the company’s next all new model at this year’s Paris Motor Show – the LIV-2 large premium SUV concept.

CEO, Johng-sik Choi said: “An all-new large SUV which will be launched next year.  The LIV-2 shown here today is the final concept of our Y400 model, and already at an advanced stage of testing.

“The LIV-2 showcases our luxurious approach to the extremely popular SUV concept, while also applying advanced technologies and high levels of safety.”

The SsangYong LIV-2 – Limitless Interface Vehicle – is a large premium SUV concept, and is the next iteration from the LIV-1 concept exhibited at the Seoul Motor Show in 2013.  It advances the car’s design language and helps communicate the concept of ‘Dignified Motion.’

The car is equipped with advanced safety equipment such as an Autonomous Emergency Braking System (AEBS) which warns the driver when an obstacle such as a car or pedestrian is detected by using radar and laser scanning, as well as a camera sensor positioned at the top of the windscreen.  It also features Traffic Safety Assist (TSA) and High Beam Assistance (HBA), a Lane Departure Warning System, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist and a Traffic Alert System to help protect the rear of the car when reversing out of a parking bay.