DRIVE TALKING

What’s hot on the road

FULL BEAMER AHEAD

IT was love at first sight when I saw the BMW 8 Series concept car at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The production version, the first 8 Series since the model was discontinued in 1998, arrives in November, in two versions – the M850i xDrive Coupé M Performance model with a 530hp V8 engine, and the 840d xDrive Coupé with six-cylinder in-line 320hp diesel. The car is available to order now, with prices starting from €125,725. Start saving!

CZECH THIS OUT

THE new Skoda Kodiaq RS, the Czech carmaker’s first high performance SUV, has set the lap record for a seven-seater SUV at the Nürburgring’s legendary 20.8km Nordschleife (North Loop). Rac- ing driver Sabine Schmitz set a time of 9:29.84 in the bi-turbo 240hp diesel model.

VAN-TASTIC MERCEDES

THE Mercedes Sprinter van has been the backbone of many a commercial fleet for decades, and now the latest range has arrived on the market here, priced from €21,950, excluding taxes and charges. For the first time, a frontwheel-drive version is available, and there are six body variants, five wheelbase options, three body heights, five weight classes and three drive configurations (front, rear and 4-wheel drive), with a towing capacity up to 3.5 tonnes. The vans are available to test drive nationwide at nine authorised Mercedes-Benz van dealers.