New launches

July

smart Brabus forfour

THIS is the most powerful smart ever made – bar the ridiculous one-off V6 Roadster Coupe. Tuning firm Brabus has worked its magic on the forfour, coaxing 177bhp from its turbocharged 1.5-litre engine. Outside it looks the part with its bodykit, special alloy wheels and sports exhaust. Top speed is 137mph, while 0-62mph takes 6.9 seconds. But this performance comes at a price – a hefty £17,195.

Volkswagen Passat

SALES in the upper-medium sector may be decreasing, but that hasn’t stopped Volkswagen pulling out all the stops with its latest Passat. Not only does it look effortlessly stylish, it’s also very well built and equipped, is much better to drive than the previous version – and then there’s the price. Many models undercut the equivalent Mondeo and Vectra, and the Passat also scores with very healthy residual value forecasts.