2013 VW Golf MK 7: Official

Ahead of its public debut at the Paris Motor Show we have the first official photos of the 2013 Volkswagen Golf arrive. The new VW Golf – the MK 7 – was revealed today in Berlin and we’ve got the first official photos ahead of VW’s official release. Looking more sophisticated than the current Golf, the new Golf is underpinned by VW’s MQB Platform – which also underpins the new Audi A3 and SEAT Leon – and comes in at up to 100kg less than the current Golf.

Range Rover Sport desert-bashing exploits now on video

The new Range Rover Sport demolished the Empty Quarter Last month we reported on an adventure for the Range Rover Sport (to add to its recent Pikes Peak jaunt), with Land Rover taking the new Sport off to the Empty Quarter Desert in Saudi Arabia (which also runs through  Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen) to see if they could cross it in a day. The Empty Quarter – the largest sand desert in the world – has endless miles (well, 500 miles) of hostile sand and dunes and temperatures as high as 50C – so it was quite a task. Land Rover enlisted Dakar Rally man Moi Torrallardona to take the driver’s seat and he managed to take the RRS through the Empty quarter in just 10 hours 22 minutes at an average speed of 51.7 mph.

Dacia Sandero Stepway: Price from £7,995

The third Dacia model for the UK – the Dacia Sandero Stepway – a rugged compact crossover based on the Sandero will cost from £7,995. The Sandero Stepway is a rugged compact crossover – with a higher ride height and bolted on chunky bits - based on the very inexpensive Sandero, so you won’t be shocked to learn that the Sandero Stepway is as inexpensive as its hatch sibling – from only £600 more than the equivalent trim Sandero. Dacia has decided that the Sandero Stepway won’t come in completely stripped-out Access trim – unlike the Sandero and Duster SUV – but the entry level will be the Sandero Stepway Ambience, with a better equipped Stepway Lauréate for those who want a few more home comforts.