November 4, 2026
Renault is aiming to bolster the appeal and values of its historic cars with a new certification for specialist technicians and suppliers, comparable to the Ferrari Classiche and Porsche Classic programmes. Different garages will be recommended for specific models and services. For example, a classic Renault 5 owner would be guided to mechanics particularly well versed in
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Step inside the 03 and on first impression the claim that this is a premium product rings true. Most surfaces above waist level are soft-touch, and the red microsuede material that lines the dashboard and door cards feels plusher than the textured rubber you might ordinarily find there. The seats are upholstered in an unusually
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With a separate chassis and mechanical rather than air springs, the G-Class has always felt a bit like a truck, and now it’s so heavy that it threatens to become one. Its maximum payload is only 415kg, and there’s no option of a towbar. The maximum permitted gross weight is 3500kg, and I think would be perilously
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Best for: Ferrari vibes For a similar price to a well-specified Porsche 718 Cayman, you could demonstrate your confidence by choosing a Lotus Emira instead. Admittedly, with it backed by Geely and powered by Toyota or Mercedes-AMG, the risks are rather lower than with Lotus models of the past. The advantages of track-tuned, road-friendly suspension and lightweight
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If you thought that DS was optimistic in believing it was a rival to premium brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, I wonder what you made of the news that it would in future like to become “the Louis Vuitton of the automotive industry”, rubbing shoulders with Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Let’s take it seriously for a moment. DS design
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There’s no reason why checking battery life on your EV shouldn’t be just as simple as checking the battery life on your phone. But, frustratingly, it’s not. And it’s understandable why that makes people edgy about buying a used EV. The thing to remember is that EV battery longevity is very good these days, and as a rough
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Despite this, I feel a bit lost at times. Corner 11, the penultimate one, is long, sweeping and so wide. Four laps sail by and it’s time for some feedback. “There are probably more good points than I was expecting,” says Vann. Damning with faint praise there, but I’ll let him continue. “Your steering technique
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Entries will soon close for the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars awards 2025. These awards are an initiative run by Autocar in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, celebrating the up-and-coming stars of the British automotive industry. The industry’s top rising stars will be announced at a ceremony on 30 April, and all nominations must be
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There was plentiful room in the Peugeot 208 for four adults. Indeed, it was comfortably commodious by class standards. Even putting three people in the back worked, as long as they weren’t too large and demanding. The front seat was widely adjustable. The boot was fine by class standards, too, and you could spilt and
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Predicting which country US president Donald Trump will target with tariffs next is probably a fool’s errand, but the real fool is one who isn’t fully braced for impact. With that in mind, what is the likely outcome for the British car industry if the US decides to charge companies more for the price of entry?
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Before being named an Autocar Driver of Change, Bergmeier was named an Exceptional Leader by JLR’s Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage Network for her efforts to improve the recruitment, development and progression of black, African and Caribbean women within JLR. More recently, Bergmeier launched the Automotive Women and Allies scheme as a series of events
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Here we’re focusing our attention on neither of those cars but the unassuming 2.5. Don’t be misled by the prosaic name. Screw any suspense: here is one of the sweetest, most neatly conceived restomods we’ve driven in the past year, or any year, which goes some way to taking the sting out of an asking
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Best for: All-round ability Right up until the end of its lifecycle, the old Qashqai stayed doggedly at the sharp end of the sales charts in this class, and so with its new, lighter chassis, more commodious dimensions and much-improved dynamics, you’d expect this new third-generation model to hit the ground running. And for the
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This must too be joined up with the wider policy to road transport taxation. In the most recent budget, VED rates were raised on new internal combustion engined cars while fuel duty was frozen. Throw in the lack of incentives to buy electric cars, and together these three things simply encourage people to stay in
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Ferrari is set to reveal its long-awaited debut electric car on 9 October. In an announcement accompanying the Italian firm’s 2024 financial figures, CEO Benedetto Vigna said Ferrari will “reveal more of our future on 9 October at our Capital Markets Day”. He stopped short of confirming any more details, but said it would be
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Best for: Desirability This biggest Land Rover Defender ought to have been a candidate for the top of this chart, because while it’s expensive, its cleverly configurable interior presents the option of as many as eight seats. Buy a long-wheelbase, five-door Defender 110 and JLR will offer you a choice of five, six or seven passenger seats, while the elongated
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Audi has reversed its new model naming strategy that differentiated combustion-engined models from electric models using odd and even numbers. The move comes after customer and dealer feedback confirmed the new system was causing confusion. Under the original plan, ICE cars, including plug-in hybrids, were assigned the numbers 1, 3, 5 and 7, while EVs were assigned 2, 4, 6 and 8. At
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Work is progressing on a new electric car motor concept that promises to extend the range of EVs without relying so much on larger batteries. In December 2023, we looked at how German start-up Deepdrive and components supplier and tyre maker Continental were creating a revolutionary dual-rotor hub motor combined with an equally advanced ‘dry’
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Kia EV5 Electric equivalent of the Sportage majors on design flair and practicality. Front- and four-wheel-drive models will be available and the rangiest versions will be comfortably capable of more than 300 miles per charge. Prices are expected to start from around £40,000. Everything we know about the Kia EV5 Kia EV6 GT Kia’s 577bhp
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The bigger motor also ditches its predecessor’s hydraulic valve lifters, which, in combination with the other mods, means it can spin more freely – all the way to a screaming 9000rpm redline. Peak power comes in at 8250rpm, so you have to work it quite hard, but how you get up there is your choice: you can
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To nobody’s great surprise, the other day the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 jointly won the 2025 Car of the Year award (the original and still the best of the big international car awards thingies). I haven’t driven the regular model, but I have driven the performance variant and enjoyed it very much. A friend
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The Grande Panda range keeps things simple. Within the two different powertrain options, there are two trim levels. On the electric side, you can get Red or La Prima trim. Red isn’t only offered in red… although it is the standard colour. Standard kit here includes 16in steel wheels, air conditioning, that retractable charging cable,
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Those expecting an answer to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or even the Kia EV6 GT should temper their expectations, because Nissan itself says it doesn’t see the hot Hyundai as a rival. Instead, the Ariya Nismo is pitched at the Volkswagen ID 4 GTX and ID 5 GTX and the dual-motor version of the Kia EV6. Priced at
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Innovative power management software, in the form of active torque vectoring, will also be used to give the “driving dynamic of a lightweight car” and counteract the dynamic penalty of a several-hundred-kilogram weight gain, said Alpine CEO Philippe Krief. The Frenchman, known for his work as an engineer on such acclaimed sports cars as the
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk ratcheted the hyperbole to new levels on the company’s latest earnings call, talking up the earnings potential of new projects like the Optimus robot and Cybercab autonomous car, even as earnings on the core automotive business delivered a “significant” miss on analysts’ expectations. Tesla’s quarterly discussions with business analysts have rarely followed
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The BMW M3 CS Touring has been revealed as an even hotter, track-focused version of the brand’s smaller performance estate, bringing extra power and a significant reduction in weight. By replacing the bonnet, front splitter, front air intakes, side mirror caps and rear diffuser with carbonfibre components, BMW has shed some 15kg from the M3 Touring, bringing
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Flexis – a joint venture between Renault, Volvo Trucks and French logistics firm CMA CGM – has revealed the trio of electric vans that it will bring to market next year. The vans, which should come to the UK before the end of the decade, are part of a €350 million model -range development plan and based
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The UK will not achieve the government’s target of 80% EV sales by 2030 without incentives of some kind being made available to private buyers. That’s according to new Renault UK boss Adam Wood, who said that while the new Renault 5, priced from £22,240, can “break the glass ceiling” of mainstream electric car ownership,
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Read our full long-term report here What’s it like to drive day-to-day? In short, superb. The drive modes really help out with this. For ambling around town, A (advanced efficiency) offers stop/start and a less aggressive throttle mapping. N (natural) adds slightly more aggressive throttle mapping and is supposed to offer a halfway house between
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While these cars will be based on a new platform, separate from the 5’s CMF-BEV structure, it’s likely that the supermini will be able to take advantage of the promised technological developments – chiefly a new battery chemistry that’s claimed to cut costs by up to 50% and support sub-15min charge times in its most
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The Lexus LS, the first car launched by the Japanese brand here 35 years ago, has been dropped from the UK line-up. The decision follows a sustained period of poor sales of the hybrid V6-powered saloon, with 39 sold since the turn of the decade – including just three last year. This means the ES is
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A little over 20 years ago, before speed cameras and carbon emissions and mandatory electronic reminder buzzers all began doing their best to change motoring enthusiasm profoundly for the worse, Honda commissioned some research into the UK’s favourite driving roads. More than 2000 respondents nominated the likes of the A686 out of Penrith, the A69
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It took two British advertising students writing directly to then Nike CEO Philip Knight to draw confirmation of how to pronounce the sports equipment brand’s name properly. In 2014, 50 years after Knight and Bill Bowerman had founded Blue Ribbon Sports, which would in 1971 be renamed Nike (after the Greek god of victory), the
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Audi has revealed the Q6 E-tron Off-Road concept as a hardcore, go-anywhere version of its latest electric SUV. Described as “Quattro redefined”, the bulked-up Q6 E-tron Sportback has been extensively modified for venturing off the Tarmac, with a heavy visual makeover, a massive suspension lift and chunky all-terrain tyres. Full technical details remain to be
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On the Saturday, a burst of well-known warning lights and bongs alerted him to some mysterious malady. It was still upset on the Sunday morning when some unknown turmoil had managed to drain the battery and sound the alarm. Aaron couldn’t get a response from jump leads on the boot-mounted battery. The local mechanic managed
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Just as the D-Max’s diesel engine lends it a certain roughness of dynamic character, there’s likewise some fiddling, stiff-legged crudeness to the D-Max’s on-road ride – more than the best-mannered pick-ups now suffer from. It handles precisely enough, though, and is by no means wayward or unpleasant to drive. There’s a reassuring level of stability whether it be on
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Original Turbos are vanishingly rare and prices for the best examples currently push well past £150,000. “I don’t think the price will be a barrier,” said Cambolive. “As long as it’s fair, as long as the car delivers the power, the efficiency, the technology, the innovation and a very high-quality dimension, I think we’ll find
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The Renault 5 has been named What Car? Car of the Year for 2025. The electric hatchback impressed the judges from Autocar’s sibling title for being comfortable, desirable and “very well priced”. It’s the first Renault to take top honours at the annual ‘motoring Oscars’ since the original Scenic won in 1997 and marks the French brand’s fourth
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Kia PV5 is the centrepiece of a new line-up of electric commercial vehicles Production version of new PV5 will make its UK debut on 29 April at the CV Show Kia will launch its electric van business in the UK on 29 April when the production version of the PV5 makes its national debut at
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A sign of KGM’s ambition to target a different audience with the Actyon can be seen with the interior. While the Torres is offered with entry- and mid-level trims (K30 and K40 in KGM parlance), the Actyon will be offered in the UK in K50 trim only, with the firm’s UK bosses basically suggesting they’ve
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Citroën’s comfort-led positioning of this car makes for a medium-high driving position, something that sits – like the car itself – between hatch and SUV. For some, that will make it too low, for others too high. For the facelift, Citroën has fitted new ‘Advance Comfort’ seats in the C4, which are visually bulging with
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The GWM Ora 03 has been revised with new trim levels that bring significantly lower prices and sporty new GT range-topper. The new Pure variant replaces the Pure+ and is £7000 cheaper, at £24,995. It packs the same 48kWh battery as the Pure+, giving it a 192-mile range, and much of the same kit inside. This includes a 10.25in infotainment touchscreen
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The UK is Polestar’s biggest market, believes Loscheller, partly because it is more agile and adaptable to change than others in Europe. “You can get close the customers here,” he said, “and if you need to change the way things are done, you can do it quickly.” The changes seem to be bearing fruit: in the fourth quarter of last
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Continental displayed the latest version of its biometrics in-car tech at the Consumer Electronics Show. Called the Invisible Biometrics Sensing Display, it aims to improve passive safety for a car’s occupants. Biometrics is the science of recognition using biological characteristics and this system goes further by detecting occupants using a camera and laser projector. The technology
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Welcome to Movers and Shakers, a new Autocar Business feature covering the latest job moves from across the automotive industry. This page will be updated regularly with all the biggest transfers, promotions and departures in the sector, covering everything you need to know. Name: Frank Marotte Company: Dacia Role: Vice-president for marketing, sales and operations Dacia has named Frank
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On a rutted, unsealed gravel road about 200 miles north of Cape Town, South Africa, a very special new Land Rover – the Defender Octa – is doing its thing. It’s been doing it all day, to be honest – over rock, sand, mud and asphalt. But right now, it’s hitting a truly spectacular and unbelievably composed
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I’m not sure if it was the Duke of Richmond’s people who coined the term ‘breakfast club’ for the famous enthusiast gatherings at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, but if it wasn’t, they were certainly the first to recognise and harness the power and popularity of these simple events. These days, they stage four breakfast clubs
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The original Civic was developed at a time when a struggling Honda’s future as a car firm was in doubt after a number of technically innovative vehicles failed to win over buyers. As a result, the firm focused on developing a ‘basic car’. The wheels were pushed to the corners to boost comfort and a 1.1-litre engine
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News that the upcoming Honda Prelude will have fake gearshifts has caused some consternation among enthusiasts in the various bits of the internet where we’re currently scattered. Quite a lot of sceptics, not much wild enthusiasm. In their earlier incarnations, Preludes were among the best affordable driver’s coupés on the market, with high-revving VTEC engines mated
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The first photos of the next-generation Volkswagen T-Roc have been leaked online ahead of its official reveal, which is expected to take place later this year. The pictures, which appear to have been taken from a prototype’s infotainment or instrument screens, reveal it to be a more aggressive-looking proposition than the current T-Roc. It gets
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In a Maybach-fighting scenario, only the vast 7 Series and X7 would be suitable conduits. They would have all the walnut trim an oligarch could wish for, but the detail engineering – which in the past has extended to Alpina recasting BMW engine blocks so that they might take an extra turbo – wouldn’t be
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The Department for Transport (DfT) is failing in its responsibility to care for local roads such that their condition is now a “national embarrassment”. That’s according to a damning new report published by the House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee – the group of MPs responsible for overseeing the value for money and services provided
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Former boss Ingenlath said the 7 was due to arrive in 2027, but Lochscheller gave no details on its intended launch date during his presentation. Polestar is also aiming to have a positive free cash flow by 2027. Notably, Polestar will eventually move all of its models onto a single vehicle architecture, which it says will
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A new plant that will build powertrains for Nissan’s next-generation electric vehicles, including successors to the Leaf, Quashqai and Juke, will be built at its Sunderland site. Operated by Japan Automatic Transmission Company (JATCO), a firm majority owned by Nissan and which already produces transmissions for other car makers including Renault, the new factory will
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The DS 4 will gain an electric option and a new name when it is facelifted this year. Since its 2021 launch, the premium hatch has been the brand’s best-seller in the UK, albeit with just 2303 sales. It has proved more popular in mainland Europe, where it sold 10,405 examples in 2024 alone. The
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The new Aston Martin Vantage Roadster is one of the most powerful drop-top sports cars on sale following an extensive, performance-focused upgrade. With 656bhp and 590lb ft from a reworked version of the existing twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, the new Roadster packs substantially more power than its 505bhp predecessor and has been set up to be
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British businessman Derek Pedley, who is one of five people to already be running an EV on the island, told Autocar that the powertrain’s simplicity will lead to hundreds of EVs being imported within the next five years. His confidence has led him to begin importing a small fleet of electric Minis. He will also
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Renault aims to take the Mk4 from conception to the road in less than two years and has partnered with an unnamed Chinese consultancy in a bid to make the engineering and production processes as efficient as possible. In spite of its low projected list price (which puts it in the realm of the petrol-engined
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The boldly styled concept for the next generation Citroën C5 Aircross is 95% ready for showrooms, and will usher in a raft of distinctive new design cues for the French brand’s electric era. Citroën’s largest car will enter its second generation next year, retaining its characteristic two-box silhouette but being heavily redesigned as it moves
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You could think of it as Ford’s take on the Porsche 911 Dakar or Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato. For some rough-road capability, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has been given a range of rally-themed addenda. It’s based on the Mach-E GT – the 480bhp, dual-motor high-performance version – but it has been given a 20mm suspension lift
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The focus, though, remains on biking. “Romances have blossomed over the years, albeit not as often as you might think,” reveals GBMCC treasurer Stephen Blurton, 60. He’s another BMW man, now on his sixth GS. “It’s about making friends and having a common interest. I’ve travelled 277 miles to come here this weekend; the journey
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“If you can already drive a model car, it’s not a step up, more a step across,” says Orman when I ask how easy the Touring Cars are to drive. “With a Tamiya, you have an electric motor, whereas here you have a clutch to engage. But it’s fundamentally an RC car, so you can
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Do you hate being contacted by phone but feel okay about texting or meeting in person? I’m told this is a thing that affects young people more and is looked down on. But I wonder: is it actually reverting to humans’ natural type? Once we could signal from afar or send written messages or meet in
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Fiat plans to launch an all-new 500 in 2029 and an all-new Panda in 2030, in a commitment to producing city cars in Italy for the foreseeable future. “The plan for Fiat is very clear,” Jean-Philippe Imparato, COO for Europe at Fiat parent company Stellantis, told Autocar at the Brussels motor show. “The 500 will be completed by
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Best for: Character Mini’s evergreen hatchback gained a substantial update in 2024, returning for its fourth generation. Thankfully, it retained its eye-catching, characterful design, but the brand also chose to keep a choice of petrol or electric power. Drivers can choose between Cooper C, Cooper S and John Cooper Works variants. Power starts at 154bhp on
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Dacia will introduce an all-wheel-drive version of the Duster with an electrified back axle by the end of this year. Speaking at Dacia’s press conference at the 2025 Car of the Year final, where the Duster is shortlisted for the award, company CEO Denis Le Vot confirmed a new technological solution for the firm’s all-wheel-drive model. Le
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Porsche is readying another update for the Cayenne – just one year after it launched the most recent overhaul of its big-selling SUV. The company last year confirmed that the combustion-engined version of the Cayenne will remain on sale alongside the upcoming electric model into the 2030s. A prototype has now been spotted testing in
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Fiat’s model range is now slightly confusing because the old car lives on as the Fiat 500 Hybrid (despite being only a mild hybrid). The one you want, however, is the newer electric 500. It might look familiar, but it’s only when you see them side by side that you realise the new electric 500
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The new ‘992.2’ Porsche 911 Carrera S has been revealed with looks modelled on the top-rung Turbo and a healthy power uplift over its predecessor. Sitting above the Carrera T and below the new 911 GTS T-Hybrid, the facelifted Carrera S is claimed to match the performance of the previous GTS. With power from the
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The third Xpeng EV due in the UK – towards the end of 2026 – is the G9, a mid-sized SUV in the vein of the Audi Q6 E-tron and Polestar 3, with up to 543bhp and an official maximum range of 323 miles – plus the ability to add 62 miles of range in
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Stellantis is mending fences in the aftermath of the stormy leadership of Carlos Tavares, which delivered incredible profits but also badly damaged relationships with unions, dealers, politicians and suppliers. “Those are areas where clearly I think we need to build back trust,” Stellantis chief financial officer Doug Ostermann told a banking conference in December. The
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The boss of Kia UK has welcomed the UK government’s new consultation on the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate as the firm seeks clarity over what types of hybrid cars it will be allowed to sell after 2030. According to current legislation, sales of new cars powered purely by internal combustion engines will be banned in 2030,
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The Genesis GV60 has been updated with a sportier look and reworked interior technology. The most prominent changes come on the exterior of the electric SUV. Up front, the vents around the lower grille area have been made more prominent, and the headlights use a new micro-lens array construction. The wheel arches and skirting are now finished in
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Our plan boiled down to a 362-mile round trip, starting from my place near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, as calculated by the algorithmic wizards of Waze. When the whole thing could be plotted today on a digital map in minutes, I fell to wondering how my journalistic ancestor of 1933 would have calculated this same route, and
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Given the challenges of travelling at the height of the Covid pandemic, she made the 1000-mile-plus trek in her beloved Jeep Wrangler. But at a petrol stop shortly after entering Canada, then under strict social-distancing restrictions, the Alabama plates on her car attracted the ire of a man, who verbally abused and shoved her, telling
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The S-Cross may externally look dramatically different from the model it replaced, but save for the more modern infotainment system and a little bit of rubberised material on the dashboard, the interior looks largely as it did in 2013. Back then, we described it as “cheap and cheerful but convenient and credible too”. About 75% of that
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With a limited-run Final Edition special, the Toyota GR Supra is about to depart this earthly realm, nearly six years after it was launched early in 2019 at the Detroit motor show. It doesn’t seem like six years to me, even though Toyota had been talking about building a new Supra since 2012, we saw prototypes
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The number of new cars bought by UK private buyers last year was fewer than in 2020, when the country was in the midst of the Covid pandemic. Around 746,000 cars were sold to private buyers in 2024, some 1000 fewer than five years ago, when car buying was temporarily halted by lockdowns. It was also down 8.7% on
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If you need to tighten your belt this January, then look no further. Save 80% on Autocar and get the next 3 issues for just £1 each. Find out more here. For just £1 an issue, you’ll enjoy the biggest car news stories, in-depth reviews, the most rigorous road tests in the business and fascinating features.
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Some vehicles are at risk of losing company car tax breaks following the 1 January change to the way plug-in hybrid (PHEV) fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions are calculated. These reforms arrive after long-standing criticism that the published fuel economy figures of PHEVs fail to reflect real-world performance, which in turn undermines their contribution to cutting manufacturers’
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The Tesla Model Y will be substantially updated this year with a new look, an interior overhaul and much improved performance figures. The updated version of the EV, which was the world’s best-selling car in 2023, has now been spotted testing in Europe ahead of its imminent showroom arrival on the continent. The SUV’s immense commercial success
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The controller asks: “What kind of speeds do you think you’ll be hitting today?” Lane replies that we’re looking to go 150mph-plus, but it’s met with the immediate sucking of air through teeth. “Lots of standing water today, so make sure you recce properly,” says the controller. It’s not ideal, but our only choice is
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In this week’s Autocar, we finally get behind the wheel of 2024’s most divisive vehicle: the Tesla Cybertruck. Plus, we drive the new Ford Capri in the UK for the first time, and detail everything about Mercedes-Benz’ new CLA which is aiming to set a new benchmark for EV efficiency. Subscribe to Autocar here. News
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Stop press. Road tester likes special-edition Porsche. I hate to be such a cliché, but Porsche does have a habit of nailing this sort of thing. I’m actually not the biggest Porsche fanboy. With its downforce, extra firm suspension and stripped-out interior, the normal 911 GT3 lacks a bit of approachability for me. But the
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That integrity really shines through in every part of the driving experience, but it’s strongest through the car’s uncommonly sophisticated ride and steering, both of which make it a joy to drive on a winding lane, where the electric performance level is likewise supremely well judged. Finding this car nestled in a workshop only 10
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Of course, it would be up to others to see whether profits could be made from small electric cars without production being subsidised by the state. In March, with Europe’s car brands on the back foot, de Meo went on the offensive and decried Europe’s regulations as “objectively favouring premium models”. He called on the authorities
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You don’t have to drive fast to have a good time. Case in point: my outing in the revamped Toyota GR Yaris Evo was the most fun I’ve had in a car this year, and I never even got out of second gear. In my defence, I was on a frozen Finnish lake. That sheet
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Then team strategy on when Cassidy should take his Attack Mode power boost, and how Evans should back up Wehrlein for his team-mate’s benefit, left the pair with glum faces as Jaguar celebrated its first world championship since the Group C sports car days. An odd scene. But what did for Evans in the end
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Meanwhile, Rimell loved the Peugeot e-208 but just couldn’t get on with its i-Cockpit- “so flawed that I’m still surprised it was signed off” – and Scullion quietly admitted that the Giulia QV might not be perfect, after all: “It’s broadly brilliant but it loves throwing up warning lights and draining its battery. It seems
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To drive the Mercedes-AMG G63 is to make quite the statement. It costs £180k, puts out 603bhp and makes enough noise to get you kicked out of the cul-de-sac WhatsApp group. It’s an exercise in excess, a wilful dismssal of the concepts of etiquette and good grace. There are those who will decry the G-Class
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Murray did not offer a timeframe for customer deliveries, but T33 production will begin when all of the T50s have been delivered. “We’re into the 40s now”, he said, leaving just over half of the T50 build run and 25 examples of the T50S to come. All four of GMA’s existing cars – T50, T50
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It fitted the titanium-bladed turbocharger from the proper homologation Evos for the World Rally Championship, a quicker steering rack, improved aero and ‘Tarmac’ suspension settings that put you 10mm closer to the road. The decals were a £700 option in 2001 – just the cherry on top. Contrast that with Citroën’s C4 by Loeb, a
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It’s nice to drive too: quiet, smooth, not quick but sufficiently perky and nimble enough to navigate the multi-storey at Westfield, if a touch unnervingly unstable with it. And slow. Most of all, it’s got universal kerb appeal and a sense of humour – attributes you’d be hard-pressed to attach to the likes of the Dacia
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What gives? Well, the method we’ve been using to adjust the prices is based on a blend of the Bank of England’s modern Consumer Price Index and older Retail Price Index data – measures of the cost of living. But the growth of the UK economy over the decades has increased people’s real income, meaning
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Minutes after a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N been dropped off with me, it was off to a Gatwick Airport car park. I got back late the next night, a bit jaded, and then… two wheels kerbed, brutally so. It happened at opposite corners on a spiral down ramp towards the exit of the car park. The
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28. Porsche’s Active Ride suspension cancels out bumps and leans the car into corners. Why is it offered only on the Taycan and Panamera PHEV? 29. Before George Russell at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix, who was the last driver to be disqualified from a Formula 1 race win? 30. Chinese car maker Hongqi had one
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Once I’ve tightened the shoulder straps down over a Hans device, my range of head movement is extremely limited. There are also large bolsters to the left and right of my head, essential for limiting movement when the cabin is subjected to 10g-plus impacts. One has to rely on peripheral vision for some of the
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MS It’s very hard to get a £15k combustion-engined car at the moment, never mind an EV. RL Credit to Dacia. For that money, I think we would all rather buy something second-hand, but the fact that you can go out and buy a new EV for that, with a warranty… It’s great. And it isn’t some
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The government has invited vehicle manufacturers and EV charging companies to give their views on how to successfully phase out pure-combustion cars by 2030. New transport secretary Heidi Alexander has launched a consultation on the UK’s transition to electric cars, in a bid to “restore clarity for vehicle manufacturers and the charging industry so that
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Retracing the clergyman’s tracks, we clamber over the verge onto sprawling Gott Bay beach – Tiree’s longest, and a full 300m wide at today’s low tide. The mirror finish promised by Hutchison endures, and huge flocks of birds swoop towards their own reflections, undeterred by the Nomad’s visual and aural noise. Thankfully, none tries to nest
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Japanese giants Honda and Nissan have confirmed that they will begin talks to merge their companies into a new automotive powerhouse – that could also include Mitsubishi. Honda and Nissan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to hold discussions over a ‘business integration’ of the two companies in a new joint holding company. They
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Autocar road testers just can’t wait for is Britain’s Best Driver’s Car, or Handling Day for short – a road and track gathering of the most exciting driver’s cars for testing to the limit. Has been since 1989. Back in the ’60s, the equivalent was surely the Foreign Car Test Day, held at Silverstone by Total
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And if you think that lab rats are having all the fun, driving around for sweet treats and getting caned off their tits, maybe they deserve a break. “In a study that wouldn’t be permitted today, [neuroscientist Curt Richter] made rats swim in glass cylinders filled with water, eventually drowning from exhaustion if they weren’t
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Chinese car maker Nio has unveiled the first car from its new Europe-bound Firefly brand that will focus on small budget electric cars. Dubbed the “small smart, high end electric car”, the EV – currently only known as Firefly – is positioned as a rival to the BYD Dolphin and Renault 5 in the growing
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Best for: overall completeness For a couple of years now, Autocar has conducted an annual test of the best-handling, most fun electric cars on sale, and the Cupra Born is the reigning champion, beating rivals such as the MG 4 XPower and Abarth 500e. The Born sits at a compelling nexus of size and usability, weight
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Volkswagen will cut 35,000 jobs over the next five years as part of a comprehensive restructuring plan to save up to €4 billion (£3.4 billion). The decision was announced this evening after the car maker finalised an agreement with its works council. The manufacturer said the plan is designed to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and secure a competitive financial footing as
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The tradition started when I was at university, now far too many years ago for my liking, as a way of energising the long, traffic-clogged drive from Keele in Staffordshire to the West Country in the pre-Christmas gloom. Given the time of year, the journey was livened up with a CD of Christmas music. Well, I say livened up,
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Meanwhile, large models will have a pack of around 100kWh. It’s unclear if different battery options will be offered on each model. As well as extensive use of mega-casting, Honda will use a number of new production techniques designed to increase the platform’s rigidity while reducing weight. That includes expanded use of a system called
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Stellantis says its diesel engine line-up has now been fully validated to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) ‘green diesel’. It also says many of its earlier Euro 5 and Euro 6 diesels are already compatible, and certainly those marked with ‘XTL’ (denoting synthetic fuel made using a ‘something-to-liquids’ process). HVO gives the same performance as
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The reported merger talks between Honda and Nissan could divide the Japanese car-making industry into two powerful entities. Neither Honda nor Nissan has confirmed plans for a merger, first reported on 17 December by the Japanese newspaper Nikkei. However, the pair agreed to work together on software and EVs in August. A merger would create an automotive force
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Most of these behemoths were powered by V8s ranging from 6.0 litres to 8.0 litres. These were the last of their kind, though, owing to the 1973 oil crisis finally catching up with them. Emissions regulations made a mockery of the largest engines – the 1975 Coupe de Ville had an 8.2-litre engine that was
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The new Honda Prelude hybrid coupé will feature a unique simulated gearbox when it is launched in 2026 as part of an effort to ensure it offers driving thrills. The Japanese firm will revive the long-running model after a gap of more than 20 years – and the new version is set to serve as
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Are mainstream BMWs getting sportier, or am I just getting older? I pondered this a little warily the other day, as a road tester accelerating into middle age a little like a hastily parked supermarket grocery delivery van with its handbrake left off. It’s a thought that came to mind after I recently drove a
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The cabin has a nice Scandi ambience and a cool, premium feel, even if it doesn’t feel as opulent as, or have the ‘wow’ factor of, a BMW iX. It still feels high quality and individual in its style. Look closer, however, and there is evidence of some very drastic cost-cutting of the sort that you
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The e-308 takes the third-generation 308’s interior wholesale, the regular hatchback itself having been introduced only in 2021. It has quite a boldly sculpted fascia dominated by a central touchscreen infotainment system, with the car’s primary control layout conforming to Peugeot’s i-Cockpit ergonomic regime (which makes for a small, low-sprouting steering wheel, a high-set digital
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Its body is identical to that of the original model (save for being made from composite materials rather than aluminium) and, to my eyes at least, is the sweet spot of the Cobra dynasty, looking more like the AC Ace on which it was based rather than the MkIII with its Carlos Fandango tyres and
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Some (not me) will be able to cast their minds back to the late 1970s, when TV screens were awash with hit detective shows. You had the great Gordon Jackson starring alongside Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins in The Professionals (which to this day still has one of the best theme tunes), Dennis Waterman was
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The most important new Mercedes model in years is just months away – and we’ve been out for a ride The Austrian ski resort of Hochgurgl is 2150 metres above sea level – roughly equivalent to two Mount Snowdons or nearly three Burj Khalifas. When we visit in early December, temperatures on the exposed, wind-chilled
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Now look, I’m not the sort of person to routinely disparage the mainstream media, because I suppose basically I’m part of it. I’m not a ‘wake up, sheeple’ conspiracy theorist who thinks that the MSM is somehow out to dupe you, increasingly popular grift though that is these days. More than that, I’m deeply suspicious
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Audi will close its Brussels plant after the German car maker was unable to find a buyer. The factory, which will shut 28 February, currently builds the Q8 E-tron electric SUV, again sparking the question that Audi could end its production earlier than planned. Its successor is tipped to be produced in Mexico. “The decision
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It produces 44bhp, which sounds meagre even by city car standards. It doesn’t feel that way around town, though, and at least until you get up beyond 40mph, because you also get 92lb ft of torque at low motor speeds (which, with a single-speed transmission, also means low road speeds). Out of town, it does
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BYD has announced its new Sealion 7 SUV will start from £44,990, undercutting the rival Tesla Model Y by £2000. It’s the brand’s first European model to use the new ‘Evo’ development of the architecture that underpins the existing Atto 3 crossover, Dolphin hatchback and Seal saloon, named e-Platform 3.0. It uses cell-to-body construction (in which battery cells are
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Caterham makes some noises about the plushness of the CSR Twenty’s interior – it has some new materials, more artfully applied, but like the aerodynamics these things are relative. This is still a Seven interior, which means it’s relatively snug and basic. The seats are pleasingly softly finished, there are carpets and the centre console has
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After finalising the purchase of McLaren’s sports car arm, CYVN Holdings can now be talked about in the same breath as Tata Motors, BMW and the Volkswagen Group when listing foreign firms that are investing in blue-chip British automotive brands. Unlike its peers, however, CYVN doesn’t exactly trigger the same name recognition. The deal was
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On this week’s My Week In Cars podcast our hosts Matt Prior and Steve Cropley talk about Autocar’s Britain’s Best Driver’s Car 2024 shootout, the results of which are in the latest issue of Autocar. There’s also good news for people called ‘Bruce Wayne’, while Electrogenic have started offering an electric kit for Mazda MX-5s.
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Holidng a Nürburgring lap record is not just about bragging rights. Each of the 147 corners along the 13-mile course gives car makers unparalleled insight into where their machines work best, and where they must improve on. Manufacturers spend years (if not decades) honing their cars around the Nordschleife in the hope of being crowned maker of
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In a recent rundown of European automotive shares, Swiss bank UBS judged only one car maker’s stock worth buying: Stellantis. Its 2025 outlook was published two days after the announcement that Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares had been ousted – an event that might be seen to have a negative impact on the company. Tavares was instrumental
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Order books have opened for the Peugeot e-408, the new electric version of the brand’s saloon-esque hatchback that rivals the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3. It’s available in two trim levels, with the entry-level Allure car priced from £42,175, while the GT range-topper is £44,945. Its addition means every car in Peugeot’s UK line-up now offers a
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“F1 drivers have so much awareness and mental capacity to know exactly what’s going on, and when extra rules get thrown into the mix, they use the guidelines to get an advantage,” says Herbert. “This whole apex thing: the race is just to get to the apex first.” As for abusing track limits, Herbert admits
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In July 1993, Autocar put its money where its heart was and bought a first-generation Renault Twingo. Because the cute new city car wasn’t on sale in the UK, we had to buy a left-hand-drive example in its native France (price: £6500) and import it. Months of living with it justified our faith in the
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In the end, the car is still confident that it will make it – sometimes with only 5% battery remaining, sometimes with over 10% – so I trust it and go with it. It’s worth saying that there are plenty of rapid chargers, Superchargers included, on this route. I don’t need to play range roulette
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It has come to my attention that the people behind the Funky Cat (Great Wall Motor, who later renamed the Ora EV something much more prosaic) have made something actually funky. This column item is ultimately going to be about cars, so I beg the patience of any reader who will write in when they
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Inside is where the outgoing car is feeling its age, being just a bit plain. The new one addresses that. It still doesn’t feel like an expensive, upmarket car – it’s all hard plastic in here – but it’s a bit more designed and shapely. The exterior has Y shapes as a motif in the
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The number of speeding offences recorded by police forces across England and Wales last year hit an all-time high, according to new data released by the Home Office. A total of 2,324,542 speed-limit breaches were recorded during 2023 – an increase of 10% compared with the year prior and the highest since comparable records began in 2011.
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EVs are currently selling at an average discount of 9.8% Discounting is now slowing after months of cramming electric cars into the UK market The discounts offered on expensive electric cars in an extraordinary year were so enormous that it made cheaper brands look pricey. “Customers were being told ‘you can have a 45-grand car
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The Polestar 3 has gained a single-motor variant with a range of 438 miles between charges. Its rear-mounted drive unit puts out 295bhp and 361lb ft of torque, enabling the electric SUV to complete the 0-62mph sprint in 7.8sec. That’s 2.7sec behind the existing Dual Motor version, which packs 483bhp and 620lb ft, and 3.0sec behind
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But although the new J250-generation Land Cruiser isn’t a radical departure from the J150 before it, there’s still plenty to talk about. The Toyota Land Cruiser range at a glance All Land Cruisers sold in the UK are powered by the familiar 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine from the old Land Cruiser and the current Toyota
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Entries are now open for the Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars awards 2025. These awards are an initiative run by Autocar in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, celebrating the up-and-coming stars of the British automotive industry. The industry’s top rising stars will be announced at a ceremony on 30 April. The top candidates will
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The revamped iX retains the same basics, with a synchronous motor mounted on each axle giving all-wheel-drive. The e-motors are the same units as before, but now offer a bit more power – BMW has yet to give specific outputs – and use new silicon carbide inverters to improve their efficiency. The battery remains the
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Ford won’t restrict sales of its combustion models in order to hit the UK’s emissions targets, even though next year’s more stringent rules will be “even harder” to achieve, the car maker’s UK boss has told Autocar. Lisa Brankin also sent a warning to the UK government that unless incentives arrive as part of the
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While the reinvention risks alienating some of Jaguar’s traditional customers, the firm seems determined it will win over a new clientele of car lovers with £120,000 to spend. With its completely new products, this Gaydon team wants to live up to Enzo Ferrari’s age-old quote about their predecessors’ E-Type being the most beautiful car in
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Best for: Driver involvement The last hurrah for ICE power at Lotus, the Emira certainly has a lot resting on its shoulders. And the good news is that the Norfolk newcomer gets so much right, from its junior exotic looks through to a chassis that maintains the decades-long tradition of Hethel handling greatness. There are some
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The guy who did the extraordinary and stitched together 14 disparate car brands into a single company has announced his resignation. Stellantis is facing its first major financial wobble since it was created in 2021 through the merger of PSA Peugeot-Citroën and FCA Fiat Chrysler but, even so, it’s hard to imagine the company without Carlos
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I’m sure that most of us who love cars happen to have developed that fondness because of one particular car in the family and one core memory hinged around it. I reckon that it usually stems from pretty early – those moments between learning to walk and writing your name – and it very often
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It is what binds them, because they are spookily alike in their free-spirited, loose-limbed way of going down an interesting road. Honestly, such are the similarities they could be three models from the same manufacturer. Alfine Maseo, perhaps? So we have assembled them to celebrate this distinct character. It is a Last Supper, sort of.
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Plenty of councils reported having Jaguar XJs, Volvo S80s, Skoda Superbs and the like (even a Volkswagen Phaeton) permanently on their books, with leasing or purchase costs of up to £10,000 a year. If you haven’t got any money but the bins need emptying and the elderly need looking after, what are you going to
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Transport secretary Louise Haigh has resigned from her post after it emerged she pleaded guilty to a criminal offence for making a false report to police in 2013. Her sudden resignation comes just days after she was involved in meetings with leading car industry figures to discuss concerns around the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. Haigh yesterday
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It’s Black Friday deals week, and you’re in the driving seat. Pay just £3 for three issues of Autocar in whichever format you choose. Get 3 issues of Autocar for £3 here Be the first to read the biggest car news, in-depth reviews and rigorous road tests of new models – all beautifully complemented by
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“The fastest turnaround in the recent history of automotive” read one of the captions on a recent Renault Group video reflecting on the first 1000 days of its ‘Renaulution’ turnaround plan. It’s not hyperbole either: Renault has gone from loss making in 2020 from just under 3 million sales to having an enviable 7.9% operating
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MG doesn’t expect major changes to be made to the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, because this could increase pressure on the UK government to reverse other financial policies, such as farmers’ inheritance tax. Commercial director Guy Pigounakis said the ZEV mandate, a fast-track review of which was confirmed Tuesday by the government, had fundamentally “changed the way cars
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Painted all in black and without the contrasting matt trim elements that JLR has previously suggested will mark out the EV powertrain, the prototype looks all but identical to the ICE Range Rover that has been on sale since 2022. JLR said this shows how the prototype’s “modernist design language stays true to the Range
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Smarter and safer on the road For fleet managers and company car drivers alike, having advanced in-car technology that lends a helping hand on long journeys and an extra set of eyes to keep you safe is paramount. The new Skoda Elroq offers even more state-of-the-art driver and safety systems. Plus, alongside its extensive suite
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The 4WD 7 is also claimed to offer genuine off-road ability, with seven driving modes, approach and departure angles of 21deg and 29deg and a breakover angle of 200mm. A Bosch-developed integrated power braking system can simulate a locking differential. It is priced at £35,065. As with the 5, European market versions of the 7 will feature bespoke suspension
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Vauxhall owner Stellantis has announced plans to close its long-running commercial vehicle factory in Luton, just months after Group bosses threatened closures as part of a battle with the government over its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) targets. The announcement, which puts 1100 jobs at risk, is part of a move to “consolidate” its UK manufacturing footprint
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The interior remains luxuriously trimmed and oh-so comfortable but given the technology advancements elsewhere keeping the exact same interior architecture is a missed opportunity, and the Flying Spur does feel dated in its design next to the newest Mercedes-Benz and BMW premium models. Given the Flying Spur Speed has a good few years of service
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We felt the performance was a little at odds with the slightly sluggish gearbox, though. In the main, it was easy to get along with, but when you asked for more oomph, the eight-speed gearbox was a little slow to respond. The ride was a mixed bag too. The standard car was by no means
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It’s 1.98m across the body but only 4.23m long, with a 2.57m wheelbase. For what it’s worth, I think it looks terrific, just short of caricature, almost as if AC had never stopped developing the Cobra – and crucially, given how many makers of replicas there are, it won’t be mistaken for one of those.
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If you want a Porsche 911 to set a lap record, Jörg Bergmeister is your man What hits you is the spooky matter-of-factness. The unadorned delivery of a stunning observation before moving on indifferently. Very demure, very mindful, very German racing driver. “The thing is,” says Jörg Bergmeister sotto voce, sitting at a side table
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I’ve just spent some minutes talking to Autocar’s road testers about the Alpine A290, the quick version of the new Renault 5 EV. What’s great is that we weren’t talking about where the charge port was or how far it could go or whether the driver assistance systems were infuriating. Instead it was an old-fashioned chat about
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I’ve just spent some minutes talking to Autocar’s road testers about the Alpine A290, the quick version of the new Renault 5 EV. What’s great is that we weren’t talking about where the charge port was or how far it could go or whether the driver assistance systems were infuriating. Instead it was an old-fashioned chat about
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It will take upgrading C-Class owners only seconds to recognise the ‘squircle’-style air vents and rounded transmission tunnel console of their old saloon here. The CLE’s cabin layout, specification and finish are very much, and rather apparently, C-Class-derived. That’s perhaps marginally more likely to disappoint those giving up an old E-Class Coupe for it than
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One benefit of its size in comparison with its competitors is the amount of interior space on offer, and as this is the sort of car you will buy for its size, let’s start there. For rear occupants, the BE11 excels. There is a limousine-like spaciousness back there that is missing in most of its
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Volkswagen will launch heavily updated versions of its ID models from 2026 as part of a significant upgrade to the MEB architecture on which they are based. VW R&D boss Kai Grünitz confirmed the developments to Autocar at the LA motor show, along with the launch of a new ID 2 SUV concept car at
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Inside, the touchscreen commands your attention. At nearly 15in, it dominates the centre console and then some. It also has the novel feature of being able to be tilted at different angles to reveal extra storage at its base and to counter the occasional sunlight reflection these screens are vulnerable to. The resolution of the screen
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Loasby even went so far as to suggest there is potential for the Ioniq 9 to make a dent in the full-bore luxury segment. When asked if he expects even Range Rover owners to be tempted into making the switch, he said: “Absolutely. I could see a big band of people being tempted, and I
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Ford will cut 800 jobs in the UK due to concerns over the “health” of its passenger car business. The move is part of a major cost-cutting programme to axe 4000 jobs in European, with Germany to be the biggest market affected. The Blue Oval said it had incurred “significant” losses in recent years, blaming failings
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Close 2 mins read 20 November 2024 The UK market will hit 2.04 million car sales in 2025, a 3.6% increase on 2024 but 11.6% less than the 2000-2019 average, a leading industry analyst has forecast. Cox Automotive described those figures – its baseline prediction – as “an indication of future sector challenges”. It To access this content please subscribe Already registered?
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The Aceman certainly offers a good deal more practicality than the Mini Cooper; although, by compact crossover standards, that’s no saying much. There’s room for adults in both rows of seats, and a usable boot, as you’d expect from a B-segment SUV (although compared with rivals like the Smart #1, Citroen eC4 and Fiat 600
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While Audi has made an effort to differentiate the A1’s cabin from that of its Volkswagen Polo and Seat Ibiza cousins by employing a slightly more tasteful palette of trim materials and switchgear, that relationship hasn’t been entirely masked. Sure, it might exude more in the way of immediate opulence on first acquaintance, but closer
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The e-set-up is inspired by that of the current Indycars but the motorsport cues don’t end there. Tiny McLaren, which makes fewer than 3000 road cars a year, is simultaneously involved in Formula E, Indy and Formula 1 (where it appears to have kiboshed the Red Bull supremacy). No other manufacturer can currently marshal such
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It’s pleasingly spacious inside, so passengers will be comfortable as they’re driven across whichever terrain is between them and their next stop. From the hot seat, it’s a mass of buttons, switches and things that will get fans of both off-roading and commercial vehicles going. To drive, it’s pretty easy. Its 12-speed ’box can be
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“If you chance upon a new Austin with foreign numberplates, it isn’t really chance at all. For since the war tens of thousands of Austins have gone abroad. Why so? Two reasons mainly. “First, because Austins are very properly known as the dependable cars. Second, because there’s something young and very lively about them.” Those
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What to look for A trickle charger, broken suspension springs, leaky dampers and coolant hoses, wayward panel gaps and bubbling on panel edges Price: from £67,000 to £104,000 British brutes Meet the Brits that pack a punch Prices for this cool-looking, rear-wheel-drive 395bhp V8 super-saloon now span from around £7000 to £15,000. In a head-to-head with
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Warning bongs for speed limit breaches, frequently called wrongly, and bongs accompanying speed limit changes, even though you can (and in fact must) spot them through your windscreen, were particularly annoying and ranged from difficult to nigh-on impossible to switch off. But you and I complained, and Kia listened. In an over-the-air update for the
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HM Revenue and Customs is phasing out annual benefit-in-kind reporting for company cars. The reforms come into effect from 6 April 2026 and, with draft legislation not due until 2025, many fleets are facing short deadlines to comply with those changes. Starting with the 2026/27 tax year, employers must report the value of any workplace
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The Car of the Year shortlist for 2025 is dominated by small electric cars. Among the seven shortlisted models are the Alfa Romeo Junior, Citroën ë-C3, Hyundai Inster and Renault 5. The shortlist is completed by the Cupra Terramar, Dacia Duster and Kia EV3. The winner will be announced at the Brussels motor show on 10 January. Sixty jurors from 23 countries selected seven cars
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The company has not released any pictures of the rear end, but Autocar has previously reported that one of the most shocking design elements of Jaguar’s new-era models will be the absence of a rear windscreen. Instead, there will be a digital rear-view mirror, à la Polestar 4. It is unlikely we will see the
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And Britain’s vanguard stalwarts deserve no less admiration, as our 2018 verdict of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera demonstrates: “This is a big, powerful, elegant, front-engined, 12-cylinder, blood-and-thunder GT alike in concept to so many we’ve known and loved from Aston Martin. “But it’s also such a stunning one to behold, and so stellar to
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Inside is where most of the major changes have taken place, centered on new 13.0in infotainment touchscreen. A cost option on the standard Octavia, this is a major quality-of-life upgrade, especially over the previous car’s outdated display, and immediately adds a more premium finish to the car. The new screen is responsive and clear, with the main functions (such as media
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Buyers who took out car finance deals that would have included non-discretionary dealer commission are set to have longer to complain after a court ruling that deemed the practice unlawful. In what is being compared to the biggest finance scandal since PPI in the middle of the last decade, the Financial Conduct Authority said it
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Meanwhile, a more stringent focus on aerodynamics, in combination with more efficient motors and a new software stack, will boost range by up to 30%, BMW has said. Like today’s BMW 4 Series and BMW 5 Series, the next-generation 3 Series will be sold both with pure-electric and internal-combustion power, with BMW committed to maintaining
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By far the most most important part of any electric car is the battery. It’s also one of the youngest technologies because, while first conceived in the 1800s, the first commercial lithium ion batteries were made by Sony in 1991. And another thing: we hear lots of confusing names for them, but how different are they? For
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Is the Jaguar E-Pace reliable? A well-maintained and regulalry serviced E-Pace should serve as a relaible family wagon, but keep in mind that it is prone to common faults which are widely known (se below). With a strong dealer and service network across the UK, as well a great number of independent specialists, shoudl you
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EX60 to help drive mainstream EV uptake from 2026 The XC60 has long been Volvo’s best-selling model, with Rowan describing it as the “workhorse” of the line-up, so it is notable that Volvo has waited for EV technology to develop before launching an electric equivalent. But that model, the EX60, will arrive in 2026 and Volvo
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The Jaguar F-Pace will be axed globally in early 2026, JLR CEO Adrian Mardell has confirmed, after it was pulled from sale in the UK. Jaguar no longer sells any new cars in its home market and won’t until its all-new four-door electric GT arrives in summer 2026. “We’ve reviewed all of the Jaguar nameplates,” said Mardell.
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The Jowett Javelin was one of the first cars in which I was driven as a very young kid – the third car, I think. It sticks in the memory because one of my parents’ friends had one and was very proud of it, to the point of bothering to explain its finer points to
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A quick note on the manufacturing stuff too: JLR, of course, has production plants at both Halewood and Solihull. The Castle Bromwich facility was, sadly, closed in May this year, but output from all three of JLR’s sites in 2023 was an impressive 238,422 cars. There are also plans under way for new electric models,
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In a car park sits the oldest Porsche in the UK, just the 32nd ever made, worth the best part of £2.7 million. It’s a creamy yellow 356, from 1950, back when Porsches were still made in Gmünd, Austria. It has a brilliantly detailed history, has never been restored, would make a terrific bookend to
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The current Velar is already seven years old, but it is not yet clear whether JLR intends to keep it in production until its replacement arrives. It is the slowest-selling model in the Range Rover family, notching up just 10k sales in the nine months to September of this year, half that of the Evoque
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“It’s taken a while for an opportunity like this to land in our lap,” says Tony Compson, a former marine who served in the Falklands War and is the project’s crew chief. “All our cars are donated but most are manual. That the BRZ is also damaged makes this project especially worthwhile.” Compson is responsible
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The styling of the Polo’s cabin is sufficiently reserved to rob it of much in the way of wow factor, but it is unquestionably a very solidly built, easy-to-use, well-equipped and pleasant small car in which to spend time. As you’d expect from a VW Group product, everything feels solidly integrated, assiduously finished and fitted, and thoroughly
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So its plan involves developing a mobile power pack (a swappable battery) for use by electric motorbikes and ‘mini-EVs’ – likely to mean quadricycles or vehicles that fall under Japan’s kei car rules. “We are aiming to be carbon-neutral as a company by 2050, so we will introduce carbon-neutral technology not only to cars but
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As we all know, the real joy of Christmas is getting your shopping done early so that you can enjoy the good times guilt-free. So, with early birds in mind, we’re offering 54% off a subscription to Autocar if you order by 2 December. Find out more here. Be among the first to read the biggest car
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I’m increasingly fed up with digital gauge clusters. The promise of configurability, of showing you the things you want, almost never materialises. Instead we get zany takes on the speedo that are always the wrong brightness. A nice set of analogue gauges, on the other hand, is often much clearer and projects a sense of
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Close 5 mins read 5 November 2024 Aston Martin is aiming for record annual sales of around 8000 a year as part of new boss Adrian Hallmark’s plan to return the persistently loss-making company to profit. Hallmark, formerly boss of Bentley, told investors he’d undergone “60 days of intense learning” since joining the company at
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Finally, it is treated with sulphuric acid, ammonia and an organic solvent, producing sulphates of copper, cobalt, manganese, nickel and lithium. The copper, manganese and lithium are stored as liquids in huge drums, whereas the cobalt and nickel are crystallised before being recovered and re-used. It will take around “three to four years” to hit
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Suzuki’s president has suggested the brand has no plans to build an electric or hybrid version of the Jimny, given that electrifying the 4×4 “would ruin” it. The car has had a strong following in the UK since its launch in 1970, with its fourth generation – and mini reboot – in 2018 rubber stamping
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There’s a fair bit going on with the RS Q8. Underneath its aggressively enhanced Q8 skin (the legendary Group B S1 quattro is said to have influenced the go-faster add-ons, although you’d be hard pressed to see the similarities) is an upgraded Audi SQ8. Out goes that car’s diesel engine, replaced by the same twin-turbocharged
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“Those of our readers who cannot get to races have left us in no doubt that they resent this whole squabble, and we support their feelings.” Thankfully, the issue was settled with the BBC that August, meaning Hill’s second title victory at the end of the season wouldn’t be missed. By then, the floodgates had
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How will you say 12Cilindri, as in the new Ferrari, if you’re an English speaker? Will you opt for ‘Twelve Cylinders’ or will you give it the full ‘Dodici Cilindri’, perhaps touching your forefingers to your thumbs and chucking in a Dolmio Family accent as you go? I ask because I have a colleague or two who say they will not
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