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: Subaru Forester SUV Award

Subaru’s best-selling model and a personal favourite of Road Magazine, the Forester compact SUV, has won the coveted 2014 Sport / Utility of the Year award from the USA’s influential Motor Trend magazine.
The Forester’s latest accolade makes Subaru the first and only brand to have won three Sport / Utility of the Year awards from Motor Trend, which is read by over 1.1 million people every month. The previous-generation Forester picked up the award in 2009, and the Subaru Outback was also crowned winner in 2010.
The Subaru Forester beat 21 other SUVs to take first place during Motor Trend’s exhaustive testing process, with models graded according to six criteria: Design Advancement, Engineering Excellence, Intended Function, Efficiency, Safety and Value. The new Forester scored highly in all categories.
Motor Trend Editor-in-chief Ed Loh commented: “Smart design, thoughtful engineering, and a compelling performance on-road and off were the keys to the Forester’s win. Our editors were particularly impressed by the powerful yet efficient turbocharged engines, the intelligent and sporty CVT transmission, and the excellent visibility and interior package.  Practical, affordable, efficient and fun-to-drive – the Forester truly ticked every box.”
The new Forester went on sale in the UK in May 2013, and builds upon the model’s reputation as a modern, rugged SUV with improved performance, safety and efficiency and a more spacious and better appointed cabin.
Since the UK launch, sales of the new model have been strong, with particularly high demand for the XT Turbo model which is bucking the market trend for diesel SUV sales, equipped as it is with a 240ps 2.0-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol engine delivering smooth and strong pulling power both on and off-road.
To find out more about the new Subaru Forester and the rest of Subaru’s range of All-Wheel Drive models, visit www.subaru.co.uk.
Or you can wait for our review of the petrol turbo Forester coming here soon!

NEWS: Audi Launch TTS Special to Celebrate Sales Success

The iconic Audi TT has sold an incredible half a million units globally – bravo! And to celebrate, Audi has launched a high performance 272PS Coupé and Roadster TTS special edition, priced from £38,860 OTR and £42,320 respectively here in the UK (where only 120 will be sold). The TTS special comes loaded with £5,665-worth of styling and equipment upgrades for a premium of £2,815 over ‘standard’ TTS equivalents.
Audi says: "The most iconic Audi sports car ever that rapidly shot to stardom at its 1998 debut and has consistently shone ever since has now been delivered to over 500,000 customers Worldwide.
"To mark this milestone for the first generation TT, its acclaimed 2006 successor and the current, significantly revised model, a very special version of the 272PS TTS has just become available in very limited numbers. Priced from £38,860 OTR in Coupé form and £42,320 OTR as a Roadster, the new TTS Limited Edition will be delivered to just 500 customers worldwide, only 120 of which will be UK-based.
"From the word go the TTS competition models set themselves apart through an Audi exclusive paint finish in Nimbus grey for Coupé models and Imola yellow for Roadsters. Both also feature a fixed rear spoiler in the style of the flagship TT RS, and an upgrade from the standard TTS 18-inch five parallel spoke design alloy wheel to a 19-inch five-arm rotor design.
"Inside, special Impulse grey leather upholstery with the famous ‘baseball’ stitching in grey and yellow immediately marks them out, and a ‘1 of 500’ plaque in the door insert underlines their exclusivity. A raft of additional driver aids and entertainment extras also makes them even easier to live with. The list includes the technology package comprising DVD-based satellite navigation, a Bluetooth mobile phone interface and Audi Music Interface (AMI) iPod connection, plus a BOSE sound system upgrade, rear parking sensors, cruise control, light and rain sensors and an interior light package providing targeted illumination of specific areas such as the footwells and interior door handles.
"These features further expand an already comprehensive equipment list which includes exclusive TTS body styling, a quad-tailpipe sports exhaust system, TTS sports suspension with Audi magnetic ride damper control, xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights, electronic climate control, heated front sports seats and matt brushed aluminium inlays.
"The TTS Limited Edition models carry a premium of £2,815 over their ‘standard’ TTS equivalents, and taking into account their additional equipment this equates to a customer saving of around £5,665 compared with specifying the various items individually.
"In the TTS Limited Edition Coupé the 2.0-litre TFSI engine with its 272PS and peak torque of 350Nm is linked to either six-speed manual or six-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmissions. Equipped with the latter, it can touch 62mph from rest after just 5.3 seconds and reach a governed top speed of 155mph, and offers 36.7mpg economy potential with CO2 emissions of 179g/km.
"The production of the 500,000th Audi TT underscores the success of the compact sports car, which debuted as a Coupé in 1998 and as a Roadster the year after. The TT set standards not only for its design purity but also for its technology, which included ‘downsized’ turbocharged engines, quattro all-wheel drive for the high-end models and the six-speed S tronic transmission, which debuted in the range in 2003.
"The second generation model, which followed in 2006, marked the first time that Audi succeeded in reversing the weight spiral. Thanks to its ASF (Audi Space Frame) body, which is made predominantly of aluminium, the new version weighs as much as 90 kilograms less than its predecessor. The low weight enables strong performance with very low fuel consumption. Another Audi innovation was the TT 2.0 TDI quattro: the world’s first premium-segment sports car with a powerful diesel engine and all-wheel drive."

Fancy owning one? See some more images here.

NEWS: RAC Car Sales Website Launched

The RAC has launched a website for car sales – RAC Cars (www.raccars.co.uk) – this week "promising to give consumers a new level of trust, transparency and confidence in the purchase of their next used vehicle." Interesting! 

Created following the acquisition of Netcars.com, RAC Cars offers the motoring public access to quality cars from quality suppliers packaged with its unique 3-2-1 Go! reassurance plan, all of which is included in the price to customers. Every one of the 40,000+ (and growing) number of vehicles on the site come with a minimum of 3 months’ complimentary warranty, 2 months’ RAC Rescue and 1 five-day drive-away insurance plan. The RAC say: "This will allow buyers to enjoy driving their new vehicle with confidence as soon as they purchase."
The RAC Cars proposition was developed in response to extensive research with RAC members and motoring consumers around their concerns when buying a used vehicle. The research* revealed that nearly three-quarters (73%) of men and women fear buying a ‘lemon’ and a similar number (74%) want a warranty in case something goes wrong.
As a result the site will not include any private sales, traders or independent dealers that do not adhere to the 3-2-1 Go system!
As every car on sale comes from franchised or RAC approved dealers, the traditional used car worries around mechanical soundness are significantly reduced because vehicles are prepared to a consistently high standard. In addition, the majority of the stock will be between six months and five years old, and will have been well-maintained with an excellent service history.
A growing number of the cars on the site will be supplied through RAC approved dealers who comply with the 80-point RAC BuySure preparation standard. Going beyond 3-2-1 Go!, RAC BuySure includes a minimum of three months’ RAC warranty, three months’ RAC breakdown cover** and use of the RAC Accident Care service.
RAC Cars chairman Rupert Keane says: "The used car consumer finds the acquisition process fraught with anxiety and mistrust so the RAC’s decision to bring its name and skills to improve this experience is excellent news for anyone looking for reassurance when buying their next used car. That’s why we are positioning RAC Cars as ‘the safer way to buy a used car’ on our website.
"Our members listed quality, peace of mind and outstanding value for money as their top criteria and we aim to offer this. In order to achieve that goal we have to ensure the suppliers on www.raccars.co.uk are of the highest standard possible, their cars are the best available (we won’t stock every vehicle they have) and that there is a reassuring ‘safety blanket’ wrapped around each car. We call it 3-2-1 Go! Used car buyers have been in desperate need of a trusted service like RAC Cars for years. We are the only search engine with seven million driving members that focuses on providing such peace of mind to those acquiring their next vehicle. It’s what you expect from the RAC. It’s the RAC brand promise.”

NEWS: New Škoda Citigo Sport

Škoda's funky city car, the great value, no frills, multi-award-winning Citigo now has a sport model – offering "aggressive, sporty styling inside and out and enhanced equipment," but best of all, lowered sports suspension. It will be available in three and five-door version and comes with the 1.0 MPI 60PS engine, priced from £10,290.00 And the Citigo Sport will be available in three colours; Candy White with red stripes, Tornado Red with black stripes and Deep Black with red stripes, as pictured. 

From the outside, the Citigo SPORT boasts a dynamic look, underlined by black 15-inch ‘Auriga’ design alloy wheels, fog lights, tinted ‘sunset’ windows, sports suspension – which lowers the ride height by 15 mm – and a bespoke styling kit which includes a front and rear spoiler and a rear diffuser. And there's even a jushi racing stripe, contrasting in colour to the respective body, runs from the front to the rear of the car while additional stripes at the rear, on lower door frames and exterior mirrors further enhance the car’s sporty appeal.
Inside, there's black and red sports seats, a three-spoke leather steering wheel with red stitching, leather handbrake and gearstick gaiter with red stitching and matching floor mats. And a two-tone grey and black dashboard and unique grey décor instruments add more interior flair. See images on this here.
One major highlight of the Citigo Sport’s interior is the dashboard-mounted Personal Infotainment Device (PID). This five-inch touch-screen with multi-function technology comes as standard on the Citigo Sport models and includes" Advanced satellite navigation, a Bluetooth hands-free telephone connection, vehicle and trip information, plus a media player which can be synced to an external music device. And there's four additional speakers over standard Citigo models.
The Škoda Citigo Sport is on sale now, priced OTR at £10,290 for the three-door and £10,640 for the five-door 1.0 MPI 60PS.
Since its launch last year, Škoda's Citigo 30,000 customers in Europe have bought into the the fast-growing subcompact segment car (2012 figures alone) – thanks to its funky, user-friendly design, high spec for the price, spacious interior, fun driving characteristics and safety (Citigo has been awarded the top score of five stars in the independent Euro NCAP crash test ratings), including the City Safe Drive, an innovative emergency braking function which activates at speeds below 19 mph (30km/h), using laser sensors. 

We will be featuring the Citigo in Road Magazine very soon in the next Škoda special. Meantime, why not have a look at the last Škoda special we did last year, here?