There was nowhere to...

There was nowhere to hide for car makers in March when we published our 2008 Driver Power satisfaction survey results in Issue 1,004.

Based on information supplied by more than 32,000 drivers, the survey continued the Auto Express tradition of naming and shaming the best and worst cars and manufacturers.

And, for the first time ever, we had a repeat winner. SkodaтЂ™s Octavia finished top of the Driver Power 100 for the second year running. However, the biggest shock was the appearance of the Land Rover Discovery 3 in second position overall.

Given that its predecessor earned itself a reputation as being one the most unreliable cars on the road тЂ“ it finished in 92nd this year тЂ“ the upturn in fortunes has been remarkable. The Mercedes E-Class, MG ZT and Lexus IS200 rounded off the Driver Power top five. At the other end of the scale, it was another year to forget for the Peugeot 206.

ItтЂ™s still a popular buy on the used market, but owners told us the French machine was uncomfortable and impractical. Land RoverтЂ™s Freelander, the Fiat Punto and the old-shape Vauxhall Vectra and Ford Ka completed the bottom five. In the manufacturer ratings, Lexus drove off with the win, ahead of Skoda and Honda.

Famous coupé blasts back (Issue 1,002)

In a month when Chancellor Alistair Darling delivered another car-bashing Budget, there seemed precious little to cheer for the British motorist. Thankfully, good news came from Germany, where VW officially unveiled its reborn Scirocco. Auto Express was granted exclusive access to the much anticipated coupé, which proved to be every bit as dramatic in production form as the 2006 Iroc concept car had been.

Pumps tell story of fuel costs (Issue 1,005)

The first clear sign that soaring fuel costs were affecting buying trends emerged in March, when we revealed that UK forecourts sold more diesel than petrol for the first time. Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that 25.5 billion litres of diesel had been dispensed at the pumps, compared to 24 billion litres of petrol. The news came as the average price for a litre of diesel hit a record 114.25 pence.

Car sharing тЂ�revolutionтЂ™ takes off (Issue 1,005)

A national network of car-sharing carriageways moved a step closer in March with the opening of the UKтЂ™s first multiple occupancy lane. We revealed that the 1.7-mile stretch of road linking the M606 from Bradford to the M62 towards Leeds cost ТЈ3.5m to build and claimed to reduce peak-time journeys by eight minutes. However, later in the year the GovernmentтЂ™s proposal to create a multiple occupant lane on a redeveloped stretch of the M1 on the outskirts of London was quietly dropped.

Griffin gets a makeover (Issue 1,002)

Vauxhall proved how serious it was about its upcoming Insignia model with the announcement that it was about to transform its famous badge. We reported that the new-look logo was being introduced in an effort to give the brand a more upmarket feel ahead of the launch of its Vectra replacement. At the same time, Vauxhall confirmed that it was calling time on its famous V-shaped grille тЂ“ announcing that the Insignia would adopt an Opel-style chrome strip instead.

MiTo reveals all (Issue 1,004)

With styling inspired by the gorgeous 8C Competizione, the Alfa Romeo MiTo was never likely to be an ugly duckling тЂ“ and so it proved when the Italian legend revealed the first official images of its newcomer. Although the MINI rival doesnтЂ™t hit UK showrooms until this January, Alfa was keen to stir up enthusiasm among British fans and promised that the Grande Punto-based machine would have an engine and chassis to match its sporty looks. It made its public debut at the British Motor Show in July.

Repossessions on the rise (Issue 1,002)

The phrase тЂ�credit crunchтЂ™ became part of the British vocabulary in March. But while many industry observers looked to the housing market for signs that times were tight, we revealed that motorists with hefty car loans were also in trouble. We reported that debt advisors at the UK Insolvency Helpline had received 10,000 calls in the previous four months from motorists struggling to pay back their car loans. By comparison, 14,285 calls had been received during the first nine months of 2007.

Zagato-bodied GT revealed (Issue 1,002)

The Geneva Motor Show тЂ“ held every March тЂ“ always throws up a handful of special cars, and this year was no different with the appearance of the Bentley Continental GTZ. Created by Italian coachbuilder Zagato, the one-off machine was based on a Continental GT Speed, but featured a bespoke body with a number of classic Zagato design features, such as a dramatic double-bubble roof and rounded tail. Sadly, neither Bentley nor Zagato announced plans to put the stunner into production.

Original title contenders meet again (Issue 1,004)

It was the 50th anniversary of the creation of the British Touring Car Championship in 2008, and to celebrate the landmark, Auto Express reunited the two drivers who duked it out for the first title in 1958. With the help of two rally-prepared Riley saloons, Jack Sears and Tommy Sopwith recreated the famous 1959 title decider at Brands Hatch. Although the speedy pensioners clearly loved the opportunity to drive the cars again, Sopwith confessed: тЂњGetting in and out is a lot harder nowadays!тЂќ

Superb saloon hatches (Issue 1,003)

Skoda proved it was ready to put the boot into the opposition when it revealed its all-new Superb at the Geneva Motor Show. Bosses chose the Swiss expo to show off the SuperbтЂ™s party trick тЂ“ a rear end that could transform from a traditional bootlid to a hatchback tailgate at the touch of a button. Called the TwinDoor, the feature was the first of its kind to reach production, and as we would discover in our road test, it works brilliantly.