NEWS: Mazda MX-5 'Sport Graphite' Limited Edition

Our staff snapper Neil Denham just went on the launch of the ace new Mazda MX-5 Sport Graphite special. The new £18,495-£23,695 funster ragtop MX-5 with the magic formula of its RWD, 160PS two-litre lump and six-speed slick manual gearbox, offers a fresh face and TomTom sat nav upgrade as standard in the range. And this special of only 500 Sport Graphite model adds 17-inch dark alloy rims, black leather heated seats, Meteor grey roof and black headlamp inserts, as well as a range of "eye-catching" paintwork, like this Zeal Red Mica. See more of Neil's ace images on our Facebook page, and expect a full test in a second Mazda special of Road Magazine in the new year. Meantime, read the last one FREE here.

NEWS: New Alfa Romeo MiTo Hits UK Showrooms: Full Pricing & Tech Specs Here!

The brand new model year Alfa MiTo is now on sale in the UK priced from £14,350 OTR – with highlights including a fresh, revamped interior and a brand new 105hp TwinAir engine, as well as a streamlined model range with new colours and more equipment, including a Uconnect™ five-inch, colour touchscreen infotainment system as standard.
Alfa say that externally the 2014 MiTo benefits from a new, chromed front grille; titanium grey headlamp and tail lamps surrounds; tinted rear windows and a sports rear bumper, as well as a revised colour palette that now includes a new “Matte Magnesio Grey” finish.
Meanwhile, the interior is thoroughly revised with new dashboards, upgraded plastics and a new Uconnect™ five-inch, touch-screen infotainment system with voice recognition, Bluetooth, steering wheel remote controls, USB/Aux ports and optional satellite navigation.
And a comprehensive array of traction, braking and stability control systems is standard on all Alfa MiTo models and these systems, along with steering effort and throttle response, can be adjusted via Alfa Romeo’s trademark ALFA D.N.A. three-mode selectable driving mode system. Where fitted, ALFA SDC adaptive suspension and ALFA TCT transmission settings are also adjustable via the ALFA D.N.A. system.
Additionally, the model line-up has been streamlined with four trim levels now available: Sprint, Distinctive, Sportiva and Quadrifoglio Verde (QV). In addition to the features listed above, all models are equipped with Start& Stop; air conditioning; a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob; electric windows and mirrors; seven airbags; front fog lamps, a rear spoiler and alloy wheels.
Meanwhile, “Distinctive” highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels; cruise control; rear parking sensors and a front centre arm rest, while “Sportiva” includes 18-inch QV sports alloy wheels; a QV steering wheel and hand-brake lever (trimmed in black leather with green stitching); satin-effect exterior highlights and special badges. The high-performance QV adds red, four-piston Brembo brake callipers, SDC active suspension system, bespoke sports seats with uprated upholstery and special QV wing badges.
The MiTo engine range now comprises five turbo-charged engines, all with Start&Stop as standard – three petrol and two diesel units. The 0.9 TwinAir Turbo engine benefits from a 20hp boost in performance – now 105hp – which translates to a 0-62mph time that’s 1.1 seconds faster than the previous 85hp version. Despite the additional performance, the MiTo TwinAir remains impressively efficient, with a combined fuel economy figure of 67.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 99g/km.
The 1.4 TB MultiAir 135hp (available with a manual or the Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission) and the 1.4 TB MultiAir 170hp QV engine complete the petrol line-up, while the diesel range consists of the 1.3 JTDM-2 85hp and the 1.6 JTDM-2 120hp powerplants.
Prices for the 2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo start at £14,350 for the 105hp TwinAir Sprint.
 

Model Year 2014 Alfa MiTo	OTR Price
Alfa MiTo TB TwinAir 105hp Sprint	£14,350
Alfa MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2 85hp Sprint	£14,895
Alfa MiTo TB TwinAir 105hp Distinctive	£15,550
Alfa MiTo 1.4 TB MultiAir 135hp Distinctive	£16,450
Alfa MiTo 1.4 TB MultiAir 135hp Alfa TCT Distinctive	£17,700
Alfa MiTo 1.3 JTDM-2 85hp Distinctive	£16,135
Alfa MiTo 1.6 JTDM-2 120hp Distinctive	£17,300
Alfa MiTo TB TwinAir 105hp Sportiva	£16,300
Alfa MiTo 1.4 TB MultiAir 135hp Sportiva	£17,200
Alfa MiTo 1.6 JTDM-2 120hp Sportiva	£18,050
Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde 170hp	£18,995

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

		875cc TwinAir 105hp		1.4 TB MultiAir 135hp	1.4TB MultiAir 135hp TCT	1.4 TB MultiAir 170hp QV	1.3 JTDM-2 85hp	1.6 JTDM-2 120hp
Cylinders		2 in line		4 in line
Bore x stroke (mm)		80.5 x 86		72 x 84			69.6x82	79.5 x 80.5
Displacement (cc)		875		1368			1248	1598
Compression ratio		10.0:1		9.8:1			16.8:1	16.5:1
Max. power hp @ rpm		105 @5500		135 @5250		170 @5500	85 @3500	120 @3750
Peak torque Nm @ rpm		145 @2000		206 @1750	230 @1750	250 @2500	200 @1500	320 @1750
TRANSMISSION
Drive		Front
Number of Gears		6 + 1R		5+1R	SATC6 + 1R	6+1R	5 + 1R	6+1R
TYRES
Standard version		195/55 R16		205/45 R17		215/45 R18	195/55 R16	205/45 R17
STEERING SYSTEM
Steering diameter kerb-to-kerb (m)		11.25
SUSPENSION
Front MacPherson independent, front traverse trailing arms; dampers with rebound springs; anti-roll bar
Rear torsion beam with C cross-section and high torsional stiffness; slotted bushings with variable stiffness for attaching beam to bodyshell; high-stiffness helical springs; contractive vertical dampers
BRAKES
Front (mm) Ventilated		257 x 22 D, 54mm floating calliper		281 x 26 D, 57mm floating calliper		305 x 28 D, fixed aluminium calliper with 40mm pistons	281 x 26 D, 57mm floating calliper
Rear		Solid 251 x 10 D, 38 mm floating calliper
WEIGHTS - TANK CAPACITY
Fuel tank (lit.)		45
Kerb weight DIN (kg)		1130		1135	1170	1145	1150	1205
PERFORMANCE
Top speed (mph)	114		129		129	136	108	123
Acceleration (driver + 30 kg) 0-62 (s)	11.4		8.4		8.2	7.5	12.9	9.9
FUEL CONSUMPTION - EMISSIONS*
Urban MPG (l/100km)	56.5 (5.0)		38.2 (7.4)		39.8 (7.1)	34.9 (8.1)	64.2 (4.4)	53.3 (5.3)
Extra-urban MPG (l/100km)	74.3 (3.8)		62.8 (4.5)		62.8 (4.5)	58.9 (4.8)	97.4 (2.9)	74.3 (3.8)
Combined MPG (l/100km)	67.3 (4.2)		50.4 (5.6)		51.4 (5.5)	47.1 (6.0)	80.7 (3.5)	64.2 (4.4)
CO2 Emission (g/km)	99		129		126	139	90	114
Start&Stop	Standard

NEWS: Suzuki Swift 4x4 Launched

Suzuki have launched a fun, funky, fresh 4x4 version of their popular Swift model – with permanent 4x4 and a 25mmm raised ride height over stock Swift models – priced from £11,516 for the SZ3 spec and £13,116 for the higher-spec SX4 model and available with VAT free until September 30th.
The new soft-road supermini features a peppy 1.2-litre petrol engine and manual gearbox, five doors and a fully automatic and permanent 4WD system, which weighs just 65kg more than an equivalent 2WD model, impressively. CO2 emissions are also low at only 126g/km.
Suzuki say: "We have a strong global heritage for our 4WD models and now, following sales success in Japan as well as several European Countries including Germany and Switzerland, Suzuki is launching the 4x4 Swift in the UK and it goes on sale this month. It is an ideal choice for customers living in rural areas needing additional mobility or for crossing slippery surfaces during winter without owning a larger and more conventional SUV sized vehicle."
Apart from 4x4 badging and a slightly increased body ride height of 25mm the SZ3 grade appears identical to an equivalent SZ3 five door. The SZ4 model has a more rugged appearance and offers extra protection over rough ground by adding front and rear skid plates, black wheel arch extensions and black side skirts.
This new model has a proven and simple fully automatic and permanent 4-wheel drive system which transfers additional torque to the rear wheels when required via a viscous coupling, further enhancing the already highly acclaimed cornering ability of the Swift.
Thanks to the use of small and lightweight components Swift 4x4 is just 65kg heavier than an equivalent 2WD petrol model and emissions are only 10g/km higher at 126g/km.
Included in Suzuki’s recently extended VAT free offers, the 4WD Swift is priced at £11,516 for SZ3 and £13,116 for the higher specified SZ4 model which now includes power folding door mirrors with integral indicators and Daylight Running Lamps as standard equipment.


We reckon it looks like another great value, fun, quirky, funky looking new car from Suzuki – a possible new era Panda 4x4? And we're begging them to make a pepped-up, hot hatch version – loaded with Suzuki's rally pedigree – like their Swift Sport, only with a turbo! Think mini-WRC: Go on. Go on. Go on! Please Suzuki! 

NEWS: Alfa 4C Geneva Debut

Alfa Romeo's gorgeous, exciting compact, rear-drive, mid-engined, two-seater supercar is set to make its début at the 83rd Geneva Motor Show this year. Alfa says: "The new Alfa Romeo 4C is the result of experience built up with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione model produced in the Maserati plant in Modena and it will be available for purchase in 2013, marking the return of the Italian brand to the United States." It's small – less than 4 metres in length, 200 cm wide, 118 cm high and with a wheelbase of less than 2.4 metres. It will be powered by a new (revised version of the Quadrifoglio Verde version of the Giulietta) 4 cylinder 1750 Turbo Petrol all-aluminium engine, with trick twin scroll turbo and and a revolutionary scavenging control system that gets rid of any turbo lag. It will also have Alfa's TCT twin clutch automatic transmission, with a new Alfa 'DNA' ECU/gearbox mapping selector with a new Race mode. The chassis meanwhile is 100% carbon fibre with load-bearing and structural function, so we can expect it to be light, with a weight to power ratio less than 4 kg/HP.
The 4C name is an acronym – "drawing its inspiration from the brand’s glorious past, projecting the values of technology and emotions into the future. Indeed, it refers to Alfa Romeo’s great sporting tradition: the acronyms 8C and 6C in the 1930s and 1940s distinguished cars – both racing and road – fitted with the powerful ‘eight cylinders’ and the innovative ‘six cylinders’, confirming in its design layout and construction the goal of achieving the power/weight ratio of an authentic supercar, less than 4 kg/HP, yet focusing not merely on the maximum power delivered, but on limiting the weight to guarantee maximum agility and top performance. To this end, the Alfa Romeo 4C uses technologies and materials derived from super sports cars (including the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione) – carbon fibre, aluminium, rear-wheel drive – and technologies from the latest standard models from Alfa Romeo, but updated to enhance the sports appeal of the new car even further. This is demonstrated by the new 1750 Turbo Petrol all-aluminium engine with direct injection, the sophisticated Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission and the Alfa DNA selector with the unprecedented Race mode."
Looking forward to that... you? RWD turbo fun. But is it a supercar, with a 1.8-litre engine? Even with those looks and all the trick carbon, electro goodies? You decide... 

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VIDEO: Fiat Punto Thief TV Commercial

We've also got the re-vamped 2012 Fiat Punto on test in this month's FREE Road Magazine and here's an amusing advert we sadly didn't see in the UK.
Read the FREE Fiat special here: http://issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_32_small

VIDEO: Subaru BRZ vs Toyota GT86

Check out the amazing new Subaru BRZ up against Toyota's GT86 in this comparison test. And you can read all about the two cars in UK specification, and tuned versions FREE in the latest cool issue of Road Magazine at: http://issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_30_small/1

MAGAZINE: Latest FREE Issue of Road Magazine: Mazda Mania!

Open publication - Free publishing - More autocar

This latest FREE issue of www.roadmagazine.co.uk is all dedicated to the Japanese ‘Zoom Zoom’ brand that is Mazda, a manufacturer who aim to make cars that are fun, different and exciting to drive, as well as catering for the family car sector brilliantly. We’ve lined up a variety of Mazdas to road test. We’ve got the big bhp Mazda 3MPS, power leader of the hot hatch market. There’s the legendary MX-5, tested here in Black Edition special specification. And, catering for the urban chic supermini crowd, there’s the Mazda 2, here in 1.5 Sport spec. And finally, there’s the large family-orientated Mazda 6 Sport Estate: A wide selection of cars, to showcase the eclectic nature of Mazda’s range. Are they exciting? Practical? And, more importantly, fun to drive and own? Read on to find out... and do please share this with your friends and family on social media platforms. Thanks, Team Road – Phil & Bonnie Royle of www.roylemedia.co.uk: Print & digital publishing, PR, social media, imagery, video, websites and more. Join and LIKE us on FB at www.facebook.com/roylemedia.

NEWS: Alfa Giulietta Special Offer

Alfa Romeo is running a special discount on its baby Giulietta this September – offering an additional £500 deposit contribution for all new retail purchases. This limited-time offer is available in addition to the £1,000 deposit contribution and 0% finance as well as the five-year warranty and five-year complimentary servicing plan. It is being offered on all Alfa Giulietta models registered before 30 September. With official fuel consumption of up to 64mpg (combined cycle), elegant yet functional five-door Alfa Giulietta, with its signature blend of functionality and coupé looks, is available from £17,760 (OTR), and like the Alfa MiTo, boasts five star Euro NCAP crash safety ratings.
To find out more or to arrange a test drive, please visit www.alfaromeo.co.uk or call 0845 8700147.

MAGAZINE: Road Issue 28: Volvo R-Design Special

Open publication - Free publishing - More c30 t5

In this Volvo R-Design and Polestar special of Road Magazine, we test & report on some seriously hot road and race Volvos: Ballistic 329bhp V60 T6, 250bhp hot hatch C30 T5 & the 215bhp all-conquering XC60 D5. And Ashley Van Dyke follows the K-Pax S60's at the Pirelli World Challenge, Mid-Ohio. Sorted swedes... you bet your last Krona! Please like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/roadmagblog, follow us on Twitter @roadmagazine and share this FREE publication with your friends and family. Thanks, Road Editor, Phil Royle.

NEWS: Toyota GT86 Scores First Motorsport Victory

Toyota’s exciting new GT86 sport coupe has claimed its first UK motorsport victory – winning the third round of the Toyota Sprint Series at Barkston Heath on Sunday 12 August. Driven and prepared by Adrian Smith of Fensport (http://www.fensport.co.uk) in conjunction with Autocar magazine, the car was competing in the Toyota-sponsored event for the first time and duly won both its class and the event overall. It was also a first win for a rear wheel drive car with a normally aspirated engine since the series began in 2007. Fensport boss, Adrian Smith posted the quickest time of 54.55 seconds around the 0.75-mile Lincolnshire course, six hundredths of a second quicker than the second placed, heavily modified Celica GT-Four ST205 of Iain Gard. Third place went to Autocar’s Steve Sutcliffe who co-drove the GT86 with Smith.
The GT86 used a standard 2.0-litre “boxer” engine and unmodified six-speed gearbox. The only changes made to the road car specification were the suspension, wheels and track tyres.  To save weight the interior was stripped out and fitted with a racing seat.
The GT86 was lined up against a range of standard and modified Toyotas, and its winning time demonstrates the rewards drivers can enjoy from the car’s essential qualities of light weight, agility and strong grip – elements that Toyota made priorities in its development programme.
A great deal of preparation took place very quickly by Smith and his team at Fensport to prepare for the event as the GT86 only went on sale this month in the UK.
Smith said: "Driving the GT86 for the first time on track was an absolute joy, the car has responded so well to our modifications and has proved to be a very capable and extremely well handling package. I am really looking forward to further development of the car and hope to repeat our initial success."
With further development planned for the car, Smith hopes to maintain this winning streak at Croft on 16 September and Snetterton on 20 October.  The Toyota Sprint Series is open to all Toyota vehicles, from standard road-going models to highly modified cars, each competing in their own class against the clock on a series of timed runs. For more details visit www.toyotasprint.com.
This win celebrates the start of GT86 participation in motorsport with Toyota (GB) entering a car in this year’s Britcar 24 hour race at Silverstone from the 21 to the 23 September.  The GT86 is available to buy now from Toyota Centres and is priced from £24,995 on the road.
Find out more about the GT86 racer at: http://www.facebook.com/Fensport & look forward to our road test of the GT86 in www.roadmagazine.co.uk Toyota and Lexus special this Autumn.