Auto Express – August 07, 2019

7August2019 15

AstonMartinRapideEEVride NEWS

ON TRACKAstonMartin boss Andy Palmer

wasable to exploit the Rapide E’s604bhp

output on the Stowe Circuit at Silverstone

the waytonextLagonda

news

inbrief

Vauxhall names price

forCorsa supermini

THEnewVauxhallCorsa(above)will

costfrom£15,550,withthefirstcars

duetobedeliveredinJanuary.

Fourtrimsandthreeenginesare

availabletobuyers.Allmodelscome

asstandardwithalloys,aseven-inch

infotainmentsystem,aflat-bottomed

leathersteeringwheel,LEDheadlights

anddaytimerunninglights.Pricesrise

to£25,990foratop-spec1.2petrolcar.

Judges rule on phone

use behind the wheel

DRIVERSmayonlybeconvictedfor

usingamobilephoneiftwo-way

communicationisbeingperformed,

acourthasruled.

Approvingthedecisiontooverturn

theconvictionofamanwhousedhis

phonetofilmbehindthewheel,High

CourtjudgesruledthatSection41Dof

theRoadTrafficAct1988onlyprohibits

driversfromholdingaphoneiftwo-way

communicationistakingplace.

Motoristswhousephonesfornon-

communicationpurposes,however,may

insteadbechargedwithcarelessdriving.

Audi’s electric SUV gets

an entry-level model

AUDIhaslaunchedacheaperversion

ofitspure-electricSUV,thee-tron

quattro(below).Itsitsbeneaththe

e-tron55quattroandusesa71kWh

batteryratherthanthelarger95kWhunit.

Thatmeansalower186-milerangeand

a0-62mphtimethatincreasestoseven

seconds.Itshouldcostfrom£63,000.

Steve’s boyhood crush

still has him swooning

STYLING

Angular cabin design

matches the exterior

look;ventilation and

cruise controls areto

the right of the wheel

Na

th

an

M

or

ga

n

ITwasattheLordMayor’sShowinLondonbackin

thatIfellinlovewiththeLagonda.Thestunning‘Wedge’

designedbyWilliamTowns,eventoday,stilllookslike

nothingelse.Butuntilthisweek,I’dneverdrivenone.

SoitwasafterasleeplessnightthatIheadedto

AstonMartinWorksinNewportPagnelltocollectthe

concours-conditionLagonda,perfectwithitsCheltenham

Beigepaintworkandmagnolialeatherinterior.

Theangulardoorsdon’topenaswideasyou’dthink

(andthere’snotmuchroomintheback),butslipping

behindthesingle-spokewheelwaslikegoingbackto

theseventies,facedwithflushbuttonsonthedash

andLEDreadoutsintheinstrumentbinnacle.

Itselectricswerefamouslyfragile,andsoitproved

withourmodel.TheLagondaseemedtobemakingfuel,

becausethenumbersonthereadoutrose,whilethe

wipersjumpedintoactionwhentheyweren’tneeded.

Butotherthanthat,thecarbehavedperfectlyandwasa

joytodrive,wheresomanymodelsofthateradisappoint.

Thesteeringwashefty–assisted,yetdirectbutwitha

turningcircleofmorethan11metres–andthebrakes

wereamatchformostthingsoftoday.Throttleresponse

wasgood,withthefamous5.3-litreV8enginejustburbling

awaygentlyinthebackgroundandthethree-speedChrysler

Torqueflitegearboxblurringitschangesbeautifully.

Wedidn’tthinkitwouldberighttocheckoutthe

Lagonda’sclaimed8.8-second0-60mphtime,butitfelt

achievable.Mostimpressiveofall,though,wasaridethat

wassublime,cossetingusaswedrovethroughthevillage

ofTowcesteronourwaytoSilverstone.Theysaydon’t

meetyourheroes.Idid,anditdidn’tdisappointonebit.