The Lexus RX has been a huge success, and not least because of the SUV's lasting popularity. But now, the trend is toward more passengers, so Lexus decided to produce a longer version - the hybrid RX L, or long version.

Ford Focus: the long-running bestseller in the mid-range is muscling in on the high-enders. Audi e-tron: an all-electric, full-frontal attack on Tesla’s SUV X. And: the FIA Rallyecross world championship: only the fittest survive.

600 HP cars, four-wheel drive, turbo-charged acceleration of 0-100 km/h in less than 2.5 seconds, spectacular drifts, meter-long jumps, intense battles and sometimes contact. Those are the magic ingredients of the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

More power and better equipment: Opel launched its compact SUV Grandland X with a new engine and top-of-the-range "Ultimate” trim. Its 130kW, 2,0 liter diesel is the most powerful option available. A plug-in hybrid should be rolled out in 2019.

Toyota has given its compact city car a facelift. The Aygo now comes in three trim levels: Aygo X, Aygo x-play und Aygo x-clusiv. The look is sharper, the handling better, and the specs more comprehensive. The small city cruiser is equipped with a 1.0 L three cylinder engine and is the first Aygo available with Toyota Safe Sense and lane departure alert.

After selling a good 16 million Focuses in 20 years, Ford has rolled out the 4th generation, thoroughly redesigned and re-engineered. It has a slew of drivers’ assists a head-up display and cylinder deactivation - very unusual in a 3-cylinder engine, but it works without a hitch.

Audi has unveiled its first all-electric car, a prototype SUV. The E-Tron boasts an extra long range of some 400 kilometers coupled with an extra short charging time. One technological innovation is virtual mirrors embedded inside the doors. And the satnav is e-intelligent: it can guide the driver from one charging station to the next on the route.

Any racecar driver worth their salt in Germany dreams of an afternoon on the legendary Nürburgring circuit. Reporter Klaus Niedzwiez took out a car able to set records on it, but it's just as much fun on a country road.

Now in its late sixties, Spanish car maker Seat is a young company compared to many others. But the firm is proud of its history. And the sporty Cupra models are playing a major part in it.

Sport utility vehicles are notorious gas-guzzlers. Their weight and height make them less fuel-efficient in traffic. One solution Mazda has developed is cylinder deactivation technology. How well does it work?