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Mercedes have released pricing and specification for the latest AMG model – the GLB 35 4Matic.

The GLB on steroids has a 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol under the bonnet, producing 302bhp and 295lbf.ft – these resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.2 seconds. In terms of economy, the GLB 35 can be expected to get up to 32.5 mpg on the WLTP scale, whilst it emits 171g/km of carbon dioxide.

Helping utilise the engine output is the AMG Speedshift DCT 8G transmission paired to AMG-tuned 4Matic all-wheel drive plus AMG suspension and Adaptive Damping to add further sharpness to the handling.

As with all of the current Mercedes crop, the interior here has plenty of facets it brings to the table. As standard the MBUX multimedia systems, with voice activation, plus a 10.25-inch driver display screen and a central touchscreen of the same size. Augmented reality navigation is also part of the package, as is DAB radio, hard-disk navigation, smartphone integration and wireless charging, too. Only for compatible phones, obviously – the same goes for the Mercedes-Me mobile app. Connected service include a vehicle tracker, parked vehicle locator, remote locking and unlocking and a free 12-month subscription to Tidal music streaming services.

Gismos included in the standard package are smart auto LED headlights, with adaptive highbeam assist; a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch AMG five-twin spoke alloys (obviously in matt black); heated and electronically controlled front seats; a sound system from Burmester and an ambient lighting system with 64 different flavours to choose from.

You get a host of driving aids thrown in, too, as the Driving Assistance package is standard on all AMG GLB 35s. This means you’ll benefit from adaptive cruise, parking assist, active steer assist, an active speed limit assist and clever route-based speed control that slows you down for bends and toll stations. There’s an assist for evasive steering, an active lane aid, blind spot monitoring and an active braking assist.

Surprisingly, the model specific extras list is only a matter of paint. Metallic paint can be added for £595, with six options to choose from. The Patagonia red metallic is another 200 quid on top of that, whilst the exclusive designo mountain grey magno – exclusive to this model – is £1,795.

A Merc dealer will sell you one of these now, with the list price starting at £48,665 OTR and first deliveries are anticipated to take place this summer.

INEOS have announced that it will be broadening its standing partnership with Magna in the production of the upcoming Grenadier.

Magna are already part of the project, with their Magna Powertrain subsidiary responsible for the chassis and suspension development from the get go. The expansion comes with news that Magna Steyr will undertake the series development aspect for the all-new uncompromising 4×4.

Dirk Heilmann, CEO of  INEOS Automotive, is pleased with the development.

‘We are pleased to have Magna, with their long heritage and experience in 4×4 development, with us for the next stage of the journey. With our production plans recently confirmed, we now move into all-important series development and start to set our sights on the start of production.’

This follows the news that the Grenadier will be built at an all-new manufacturing plant in Bridgend, Wales, and that BMW will supply inline six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines to the Grenadier.

The INEOS Grenadier is expected to go into production in 2021.

Land Rover have released a new special edition of the Velar, specifically for the UK, featuring an extended list of features included as standard and a unique look.

Based on the D180 R-Dynamic SE model – a strong sales performer for the Velar – the Black limited edition is equipped with a host of features to elevate it beyond the spec on which it is based.

Among these, you’ll not be surprised that there is the Black Exterior Pack which ensures the exterior trimmings are all shadowed out. It sits on 21″ gloss black alloys and also has privacy glass and a fixed panoramic roof. It may shock you to hear that there are options for the bodywork, however the brightest of the two metallic options is the Eiger Grey, with the more congruous Santorini Black also on the table – both as standard.

Inside you’ll sit upon Ebony Perforated Grained Leather and grip a heated steering wheel, with a complimentary Ebony Morzine Headlining finishing off the specification.

Being based on the R-Dynamic SE, the Black limited edition will have Matrix LED headlights, an interactive driver display, a Meridian surround sound system plus the Park Pack, which brings 360º cameras, sensors and rear traffic monitoring. The D180 powertrain also packs 180bhp, 317lbf.ft and is the most frugal Velar model capable of up to 42mpg.

Available to order now, this suave limited edition is limited to 500 units with the Velar R-Dynamic Black costing from £56,995.

Previewed earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, and now built Subaru’s Global Platform, the all-new fifth generation Forester is on sale in the UK – with the new e-Boxer powertrain. Alongside the fresh motor-assisted propulsion, the Forester also comes with advanced safety technology, a refreshed appearance, X-Mode off-road capabilities which, of course, uses permanent symmetrical all-wheel drive.

Utilising the Global Platform not only means the new Forester is very safe, but it has a 40% stiffer body than its predecessor and is also the reason it has been able to become hybridised. The 2.0-litre horizontally-opposed petrol boxer unit is assisted by an electric motor. A lithium-ion battery is mounted underneath the boot floor, and it allows for full EV driving at speeds below 25mph and can save up to 10% on fuel consumption. An updated Lineartronic gearbox also features, and there are three driving modes: EV, Motor Assisted and Engine driving.

When we briefly tried out the e-Boxer powertrain earlier this year, we found that the gearbox felt suited the powertrain rather well, and not only did it feel better than that in the outgoing model but it remained smooth when changing between driving modes and overall felt more usable.

Whilst EV mode is predominantly for urban surroundings with stop-start traffic, Motor Assisted driving is well-suited to off-road driving. It generates torque earlier in X-Mode and is also useful when towing – the capacity of which is 1,870kg.

Up at cruising speeds, the e-Boxer unit will rely solely on its engine. It will, however, take the opportunity to recharge the battery where possible, so it is always on hand when needed.

Subaru have designed the e-Boxer system with the same attention to detail that they give everything they do. In the symmetrical layout, the electric motor and battery pack are aligned longitudinally. with the heavy motor situated close to the vehicle’s centre of gravity. Other components are placed above the rear axle, meaning the Forester remains planted thanks to its favourable weight distribution.

Along with improved strength, the Global Platform also absorbs more energy in impact, whilst allowing for less intrusive road noise but more responsive steering.

With safety paramount in Subaru’s philosophy, the new Forest comes with EyeSight driver assistance as standard, which uses two cameras to monitor  the road. Monitoring for hazards up to 110 metres ahead, the suite includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, Lane Sway and Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist and to work with the cruise control, Lead Vehicle Start Alert. Rear Vehicle Detection looks out for collisions from the rear with Blind spot Monitoring, Lane Change Assist and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, whilst there is also Reverse Automatic Braking.

Brand new for Subaru is the Driver Monitoring System which debuts in the Forester e-Boxer, alerting the driver to place attention on the road with audile warnings. The system is able to identify when a driver is drowsy, but it will not action warnings when the vehicle is stopped nor when the indicator is on. The system can also be programmed to recognise the faces of up to five drivers and remember and set the positioning of the seat and door mirrors, plus preferences for air conditioning and infotainment settings.

For the Forester e-Boxer, X-Mode has two new settings: Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud for slippery road surfaces and situation where the tyres may become somewhat buried respectively. In X-Mode, Hill Descent Control is also activated.

On the outside, the Forester has got more contoured body panels and prominent wheel arches that display its rugged personality. New alloys are available for both the XE and XE Premium trims. Both have keyless entry, eight-way power adjustable front seats with driver memory function, LED headlights, and 8″ touchscreen with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

XE Premium adds leather seats that are heated front and rear, a heated steering wheel, inbuilt sat-nav, privacy glass, bigger 18″ alloys, a sunroof and a power tailgate.

The new Subaru Forest e-Boxer is in showrooms now, with pricing for the new range starts at £33,995 for an XE model on the road.

We’re living in a time where SUVs rule supreme. And this will certainly be one of the more superlative options out there.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC takes the rather impressive base of the usual GLS with a three-pointed star on the front, and adds new levels of luxury and prestige that few other names muster.

Some of the touches that achieve this are sun blinds for rear passengers (a.k.a. the buyers in this case), top-level sound deadening, standard air suspension and a Maybach driving program that prioritises rear comfort. There are also additonal chrome touches about the exterior, whilst the Maybach insignia sits proudly on the D-pillar. The underguard of the front bumper is also chrome, whilst accents around the edge of the side windows and the rear lights are also finished in the polished metal.

Under the bonnet, the Maybach GLS features a 4.0-litre V8 worthy of 550bhp and 538lbf.ft – a configuration brought into existence for Maybach only.

It features Maybach styled alloys of either 22 or 23″ in diameter, which are exclusively for this model, with the bigger boots featuring a pinstripe design. There are also eight different options of two-tone paint schemes.

Getting in and out of the vehicle is made easier by both a lower ride height and illuminated running boards that appear in a second when the doors are opened.

To ensure maximum comfort for passengers, this version of the GLS is only available with two rows of seating. Outer seats in the rear can be turned, electronically, into recliners, allowing their occupants to stare into the sky through the standard panoramic sunroof. This has an opaque roller too, which again is operated by electronics, as are the massage and climate settings of the seats. The middle seat can be removed altogether and be replaced by a centre console with extendable folding tables and a champagne refrigerator, for those trips that are not for business. But, whether you choose these or not, there will be a MBUX infotainment tablet in the rear as standard.

There are, rather believably, some rather interesting accessories on offer. The most tweaking of which may well be that the Maybach GLS has its own fragrance to be circulated.

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS will be available in the second half of 2020. Whilst there is no word on pricing as of yet, we’ve a feeling it won’t massively effect the decision of potential customers…

Audi have revealed their flagship fast SUV. The RS Q8 is looking to take inspiration from its RS-badged wagon relatives, and cement a place for itself in the world of the super-fast premium SUV-coupé.

And fast it most certainly is.

Under the bonnet, there lies a bi-turb0 4.0-litre V8 with 592bhp and 590lbf.ft – which is available between 2,200 and 4,500rpm – the RS Q8 will go from stationary to 62mph in 3.8-seconds. It will hit double that speed in just 13.7 seconds, too. Which is very useful for a school run indeed. The TFSI 8-cylinder unit will also take the SUV-coupé all the way to a limited 155mph top speed, and thanks to a 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 ignition sequence and a sports exhaust setup it sounds fruity too.

It uses a mild-hybrid system that draws on a 48v electric belt alternator-starter connected to the crankshaft. It recovers up to 12kW of power under deceleration and braking, and between speeds of 34 and 99mph, the engine can coast under deceleration for up to 40 seconds, after which the electric starter motor restarts the engine when the accelerator is applied. The stop/start functionality is also on the table at speeds of up to 13mph whilst a front camera informs the engine to start up when it detects movement from the car in front. Another measure used to keep things as green as possible in appropriate circumstances is cylinder deactivation at higher speeds in conjunction with a pause in fuel injection and closing the intake and exhaust valves.

Regardless of how many cylinders it is running, the engine translates its power to the roads via a quattro permanent all-wheel drive system with an eight-speed tiptronic ‘box the middleman. A central diff splits the power 40:60 with a rear bias, whilst when it detects a loss of traction up to 70-percent can be sent to the axle in need.

The RS Q8 sits on on a five-link front setup whilst rear axles manage longitudinal and lateral forces independently. Largely made of aluminium subframes, the track at the front is 4mm narrower than that of 1,696mm at the back. Coming as standard there is RS specific air-suspension, with settings for circumstances ranging from the track to off-road driving, with a 90mm ride-height range between them.

Also standard is all-wheel steering, with up to 5 degrees of movement in the rears – opposite to the front – at low speed, and 1.5 degrees of mimicry at high speed.

There are eight driver modes, with comfort, auto, dynamic, efficiency, allroad, offroad and the configurable RS1 and RS2 options. The characteristics managed by these settings are engine and transmission behaviour, steering boost, air-suspension, all-wheel steering, engine sound and even the characteristic of the automatic air conditioning.

As standard, 22″ rims adorn the RS Q8, whilst there are 23″ options – both of which allow plenty of room for the 10-inch piston calipers, which work with the 420mm front and 370mm rear internally vented composite brake discs.

A few unique RS signature touches single this out from the regular Q8, such as the RS-specific radiator grille plus several RS trim strips around the vehicle. The wheel arches are wider both front and back, by 10 and 5mm respectively, whilst there is a roof-edge spoiler and an RS-spec rear skirt, diffuser clip and oval exhaust outlets.

The interior has a higher standard specification than Q8 underlings, with leather RS sports seats, aluminium trimmings, black cloth headlining, illuminated door sills, an RS branded leather steering wheel – with quick access RS driver mode button – plus over 30-safety systems and top of the range infotainment  and Wi-Fi hotspot. Driver aids include adaptive cruise control, efficiency assist, lane change warning and 360º parking cameras.

It isn’t all about speed and style though, as the RS Q8 can hold up to 1,755 litres with the seats down and even has a sliding rear bench, so all five seats can be used with 655 litres of boot space.

There are also, being an Audi, Vorsprung and Carbon Black versions available, with yet more kit available, such as a healthy dose of alcantara in the cabin, or heated and ventilated seats with a massage function.

The super fast SUV-coupé will go on sale in Q1 next year, so expect more details on pricing at some point in the interim.

The latest entrant into the high-powered, luxury sports SUV sector has been fully revealed, with Aston Martin taking the covers off the DBX, after recently giving us a sneak preview of its interior and told us the starting price.

Shown in full for the first time in China, the Aston SUV looks distinctively AM from the front, with design cues from the rest of the family, but being an SUV there isn’t too much it can take in terms of its profile.

From the front you’re greeted with an elegantly creased bonnet with twin vents, typical family headlights and that hallmark wide Aston grille below. The first hint that you’re looking at an SUV is spotting the roof rails, but in many ways it looks as though it’s a shooting brake on unbelievably oversized wheels – they are 22″ standards, so they aren’t small…

Moving back, the roofline swoops to a spoiler above the rear window, beneath which there’s a set of very sportily haunched hips. These then merge into a lip spoiler below the rear window, mimicking that of the Vantage coupe, and ultimately creating a double pointed rear-end in side profile. Like the lip, the rear lights maintain a very similar design language to that of the Vantage, as they follow the contours of the bodywork.

As confirmed a few weeks ago, the DBX will have the most powerful V8 in the current Aston range, with 542bhp and 516lbf.ft, meaning that it’s spritely to say the least. This is helped by the fact that the DBX will weigh just 2,245kg, which isn’t as much as a number of its rivals.

The DBX is equipped to be both comfortable off-road, but also as an outright SUV. To help in these stakes, it sits on triple volume air-suspension, which is adaptive, and is paired to a 48v anti-roll system. Ride height can be adjusted by 45mm upwards and 50mm below the standard setting,

Transmission wise, the DBX utilises an automatic nine-speed torque converter ‘box. It is paired to an all-wheel drive system with an active central differentials, and an electric limited slip diff at the rear.

Being an SUV, practicality was fairly high on the DBX’s list of priorities. It’s Aston’s first full-sized five-seater, with 632-litres of boot space and a driving position to stretch from the 5th percentile female proportions to those of the 99th percentile male. The rear seats can fold flat and are split individually in a 40:20:40 ratio whilst the boot lip is narrow across a broad aperture, so this actually is a practical Aston.

Were anybody to take it off-road, then they’ll find it useful to know that at various heights, the DBX can pose 22.2º approach angle, 24.3º departure and 15.1º brake over angles. Although at maximum ride-height they read 25.7º, 27.1º and 18.8º. Standard ride-height gives 190mm ground clearance, but at the highest setting you’ll have 235mm. Wading depth is 500mm, whilst towing capacity is 2.7-tonnes.

Inside, there is a high level of kit and high-quality materials. A handcrafted interior is lit via a full-length panoramic roof, but takes inspiration from a sports car setup in the front, which means there is more knee and leg room for those in the rear.

Seating is plushly upholstered in full-grain leather, with both headlining and electronic sunroof cover available in alcantara. The majority of the swooping dashboard and cabin is kitted out in leather, wood and metal, so not only will the DBX interior look the part it should feel it, too.

Of course there is a 10.25″ touchscreen in the mix, whilst the driver information comes from a 12.3″ TFT display. Apple CarPlay comes as standard on the system, as does a 360º camera system and ambient lighting that offers 64 different shades.

Safety equipment is also present on the DBX, with adaptive cruise, Forward Collision Warning, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Change Warning, Rear Cross Traffic warning, Traffic Sign Recognition, Blind Spot Warning, Door Opening Warning, Emergency call and then the usual ISOFIX fittings, airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners. Pretty well-specced, then.

Several accessory packs are available to enhance the SUVs capability and suitability to family life. These include the Pet Package and a Snow package for those winter ski trips.

So, there it is. all of the ingredients which Aston Martin will make an SUV that does for the marque what the Cayenne has done for Porsche and the Levante for Maserati, the X5 for BMW and so on and so forth. On paper it sounds compelling, it’s looks will be divisive and at £158-grand it is expensive. But it is a very competitive sector, so only time will tell of its success.

After teasing it plenty recently, Ford have pulled the covers off the Mustang Mach-E – their all-new, coupe inspired, all-electric SUV that is as much of an homage as it is a leap towards the future.

The Mach-E takes subtle styling cues from the all-American coupe, but is still very much an SUV, available in rear-wheel drive with a single motor, or four-wheel drive with one for each axle and two different batteries on offer.

Most frugal among the array of choices is the rear-wheel drive model with the extended-range battery, which on WLTP testing can achieve 370-miles on a full charge. The setup with  the extended-range battery with four-wheel drive is targeting 332bhp and 393lbf.ft, whilst the more performance focused Mach-E GT model is aiming for 0-60 in less than five seconds, using 459bhp and 612lbf.ft. With those figures, the target seems well within reach.

Each Mach-E will come with three driving modes to alter the vehicle’s on-road dynamics – Whisper, Engage and Unbridled. These will tailor the steering response, ambient lighting and sounds, too. The driver’s information displays will also be animated differently depending on the driving mode selected.

Four-wheel drive models will come with a 4 all-wheel drive system, which applies torque to the front and rear axles independently as required. ford tested the system in both wet and snowy terrains to ensure the level of stability it provides.

You’ll be able to fit your Mach-E with Brembo Flexira callipers, which are made of aluminium and offer the benefits of a fixed calliper whilst boasting the dimensions of a floating counterpart. On the Mach-E Gt, there will also be MagneRide adaptive suspension, which is said to keep the car pliant to the road in a ride that is both enjoyably sporty and comfortable.

One of the biggest new additions to Ford’s first all-electric model is found in the interior. Much like Tesla dashboards, the Mach-E’s is dominated by a sizeable tablet running the next-generation of Ford’s SYNC infotainment system. Able to accept over the air updates, the new system will evolve and get better over time. It uses double the computing power of SYNC 3, and has wireless compatibility with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and AppLink apps from multiple smartphones and mobile devices.

Built on an all-new architecture, the batteries are housed in the underbody, meaning that there is room for five inside along with luggage space both front and back. Under the hood, which the headlights suggest there would be a throaty V8, there is a 100-litre storage space – which can be drained out. More traditional rear stowage space stands at 420-litres with a full cohort of seating with 1,420 on offer when the rear bench is flat.

The interior is more modern and sleek, with optional speakers floating above the dash like a sound bar and a floating central armrest, but the traditional Mustang double-cowl instrument panel remains in place. There’s a panoramic roof overhead, with a special infrared coating to help keep temperatures down in the summer and warmer in the winter, whilst there is also a layer to protect against UV rays.

Mach-E owners will be able to use their phone as a key, with the accompanying app. You’ll have noticed a lack of door handles, and that’s to help with aerodynamics and increase range. The doors are opened with either a press of a button, or by entering a pin on the keypad on the B-pillar followed by a separate pin on the touchscreen to start the vehicle if your phone is flat.

On the topic of batteries, the Mustang Mach-E will use a 75.5kWh lithium ion battery in standard-range models, with a 98.8kWh version in extended-range guise. These packs comprise of 288 and 376 lithium-ion cells respectively, and are protected by waterproofing and crash protection, with temperatures regulated by an active liquid cooling system.

Ford are offering a Connected Wallbox for the Mach-E, so in comparison to usual domestic sockets, your electric Mustang will be gaining up to 38-miles of charge more per hour – the Ford Home Charge Cable alone will only offer 9-miles. The onboard navigation will also suggest the most logical points on a journey to stop and charge, which at its 150kW charging capacity, the extended-range, all-wheel drive model can add 57-miles within ten minutes. In the standard model, the Mach-E is said to go from 10 to 80% in 38-minutes using a DC fast-charging station.

The Mustang Mach-E is the first all-electric Ford, and it is also the first of 14 electrified models the marque will be putting to market by the end fo 2020. With IONITY, Ford will also be installing 400 charging stations across Europe in the same timeframe.

Initially, the idea of a Mustang SUV is very jarring, however, it doesn’t sound bad at all, does it? Now it just remains to see whether it can hold its own against the plethora of coupe SUVs on the market.

Shortly after details of the powertrain were confirmed, Aston Martin have confirmed the starting price and reveal date for their debut SUV – the DBX. We also get a first look at the interior, too.

But, what we all want to know before the SUV with over five hundred horses is revealed in two weeks – how much does it cost? Well, the RRP has been set at a staggering £158,000. That’s not cheap, for sure, but it sounds even worse when converted to Japanese Yen, as then it is just shy of 23 million. But, you can’t blame Aston for global currencies.

They are accountable, however, for the lavish looking interior – which is set to be very versatile too. Designed to meet the requirements of the 99th percentile male right through to those of the 5th percentile female. It is also said that over six months were spent ensuring the exact position of the driver’s seat within a cabin that prioritises visibility.

Clad from top to bottom in a mixture of premium materials, the first glimpse reveals a spacious cabin, with a suavely housed infotainment system, ergonomic seats and a ginormous panoramic sunroof.

There’s storage beneath the flowing centre console for 1.5-litre water bottles or other valuables, and rear passengers have a raised position thanks to the stadium style seating arrangement.

The full vehicle will be revealed in China on the 20th November, from which point the order books will be opened. Then, perhaps, the roads of Britain won’t be so swamped by Bentaygas and Cullinans…

Mitsubishi have announced 2020 model year upgrades for the petrol version of the seven-seat Outlander, with the new car greener, revamped inside and with a trim option restructure.

All models still have four-wheel drive as standard, as well as seven seats and an automatic transmission, Bluetooth plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, an improved eight-inch touchscreen and a rear-view camera with top-spec models getting a TomTom sat-nav on top.

There has been a redesign of the climate control… controls… which in turn means the whole dashboard has been redesigned. Lumbar support has been added to the driver’s seat whilst those in the back receive more ergonomic padding.

As with other Mitsubishi models, the names of trim levels have changed. The entry level trim is now called Design and will come with 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, keyless entry and start up, electric folding and heated door mirrors, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, dual zone climate and privacy glass.

The Outlander Exceed is the top-speccer, and it adds leather upholstery, electric driver’s seat adjustment, a 360º camera, the built-in TomTom sat-nav, LED headlamps, a heated steering wheel, a power tailgate, rear USB ports, plus safety tech in the form of Blind Spot Warning with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

Now in showrooms, the range starts at £28,085 on the road, with the Exceed model available from £30,385. The Outlander’s first year VED is also down by £325 thanks to its lower emissions.

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