November 5, 2026
The Ferrari and Aston Martin have neither, yet their drivers need longer to gel with either car. They also lack the Turbo’s seat-of-pants feel, which is akin to a reassuring embrace in the Wild West of 600bhp-plus GTs. So you begin to get stuck into the 911 with some relish. The process starts by rotating
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Some car makers have paused sales in the wake of a UK court judgement that taking commissions on car financing is unlawful. The landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal has thrown banks, dealers and car makers into a state of disarray, given that it effectively bans dealers from profiting on finance deals unless the
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The organiser of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run has announced a new car show presenting landmark models from history of motoring. The St James’s Spectacle is free to attend and will take place on London’s Pall Mall tomorrow, Saturday 2 November, ahead of the London to Brighton Run the following day. It will
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All industry eyes on chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Budget were peeled for an announcement about the desired introduction of incentives to help boost flagging private electric car sales, not that many held out much hope of their introduction. When so many taxes are going up, offering handouts for expensive goods was never going to be a likely outcome
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The Autumn Budget has extended tax incentives for electric company cars until at least April 2030 but put significant rises on the horizon for plug-in hybrids and double-cab pick-up trucks. Company car tax has incentivised low-CO2 vehicles since 2002. The benefit of having a car for personal use has what’s called a taxable value – a percentage
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Ampere has worked with Renault’s EV platform developers to design a new cell-to-pack battery arrangement to compensate for the inherent reduced efficiency of LFP compared with NMC, so the cost reduction won’t be accompanied by any drop in energy output. The company will boost that cost reduction to 50% (compared with today) by 2028, with
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Nissan is in the early stages of developing an electric city car for Europe, twinned with the upcoming Renault Twingo EV. The Japanese firm has begun talks with Alliance partner Renault’s Ampere EV division about the development of an ‘A-segment’ EV based on the Ampr Small platform that underpins the forthcoming Twingo (as well as the larger
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Ian Callum’s self-named design and engineering consultancy has built a second road-legal Jaguar C-X75, described as the “satisfying conclusion” for “the one that got away”. The C-X75, designed by Callum, was unveiled at the 2010 Paris motor show and signed off for production in May 2011. However, it was axed the following year, owing to the global economic
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Chinese car maker Xiaomi has revealed the SU7 Ultra, a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT rival with with Prodrive engineering and 1527bhp on tap. Utilising a tri-motor powertrain, the four-wheel-drive super-EV can hit 62mph in 1.98sec and go all the way to 207mph. It has already become the fastest production four-door saloon to lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Initially
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AC Cars has unveiled an electric version of its Ace roadster that tips the scales at less than 1134kg, making it one of the lightest open-top EVs on sale. The single-motor MG Cyberster weighs 1885kg and the Wiesmann Project Thunderball is said to be just above 1700kg. The combustion-engined Ace, meanwhile, is 1100kg. The Ace Classic Electric uses gearbox maker
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There are just a few days left to get your nominations in for the 2025 Drivers of Change awards, a new initiative held in association with Ennis & Co and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to champion diverse talent in the automotive industry. A returning name with a completely new format and approach, Drivers of
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The V12 is roused only moderately loudly, the car defaulting to its buttoned-down GT running mode to begin with, but it doesn’t remain a moderate for long. Spin the car’s drive mode collar selector around to Sport, and then Sport+, and the car’s presence is widely and unapologetically announced. Aston’s aim was to make this
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I feel compelled to write a few more words on the Jack French garage at the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum, which deserves more than the two paragraphs I could spare in a recent feature, because it feels like such a significant part of British motorsport history. French was one of the founder members of the 750
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Rolls-Royce has brought James Bond nemesis Goldfinger’s Phantom III into the modern era with a special one-off to celebrate 60 years since the iconic film hit cinemas. Created for a UK-based client – and avid Bond fan – as part of a three-and-a-half-year project, the one-of-one and fully driveable Phantom Goldfinger gives today’s Phantom VIII
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A pair of Eagle IMSA GTP sports racers sit wing to wing, surrounded by Formula 1 machinery, while on the other side Saddam Hussein’s Mercedes-Benz 600 ‘Grosser’ nudges up to the De Tomaso Pantera that Elvis Presley shot in a rage about its unreliability. I spend what feels like five minutes but in reality is
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The new Jeep Avenger 4xe, the model line’s new range-topper, has gone on sale in the UK priced from £30,999. At launch, the 4×4 is available in two trims: base Upland and a special The North Face Edition. The latter is priced at £34,999 and limited to 4806 examples. Over the standard car, it gets Summit
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Electric family cars in this £40,000-£60,000 price range have been blurring the lines between more traditional bodystyles and SUVs for a while now. Even those for which a sleeker, lower profile might have been preferred have had to accommodate an underfloor drive battery that displaces the cabin – and consequently, the car’s whole body profile
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Short overhangs, reinforced bumpers, skidplates and body-on-frame construction are said to make the pair “multiuse tools” and “helpful companions”. Scout design chief Chris Benjamin said the brand’s cars “should always enable the customer to do the things they want to do and make their experience easier, better, faster”. Inside, the two cars are said to be “reminiscent of the
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Kia will give the Sportage a chucky visual update, bringing it in line with sibling models such as the Sorento and EV9. The new look of its best seller, with more than 37,000 UK sales this year so far (more than double the Niro in second), was teased by the car maker’s home arm in
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Close 2 mins read 23 October 2024 Incoming European Union import tariff rises mean Volvo is considering shifting supply of its Chinese-built EX30 to non-EU markets, such as the UK, while it readies its Belgium factory to take over local market production early next year. The crossover is currently the third best-selling electric car in Europe
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Morgan will end production of its Plus Six, the higher-powered, six-cylinder version of its two-tier ‘Plus’ range, early next year and replace it with a new flagship that ushers in a fresh design language for the British brand. The Plus Six’s departure will be marked by the Plus Six Pinnacle, which will be limited to
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Like other SLs, and unlike several of its generational forebears, the SL 63 S E Performance comes with a folding cloth roof that can be lowered or raised at lower speeds. Similarly, while older SLs spent decades as strict two-seaters, this one has sprouted occasional back seats, although they’re very small. They’d work as a
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Not only does that mean overheads can be kept to a minimum – it means it’s also even more compelling to spec a higher-level trim. Prefer traditional powertrains? Not to worry. The all-new Superb has petrol, mild-hybrid and diesel engine options, including a high-performance 2.0 TSI that delivers 265 PS and offers all-wheel drive. Sleek
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Andretti is one of the world’s top motorsport firms, has attracted star technical staff, promises to bring along General Motors as its engine supplier and is prepared to stump up the $200 million entry fee – so naturally Formula 1’s response to its application has been ‘jog on’. It’s a situation that has stupefied outsiders,
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Dealers are offering discounts of more than 50% on ex-demonstrator electric cars as they battle slowing demand. The incentives mean that low-mileage examples of EVs such as the Nissan Leaf and Vauxhall Mokka Electric can be bought for less than their nearest petrol-powered equivalents with similar mileage. They are being offered in part to ensure the
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Several energy providers offer EV-focused tariffs of as low as 7p per kWh in the early hours, so you can plug your EV in but set the schedule to charge only during the off-peak time, which might be between 12am and 7am, depending on the supplier. Using a 7kW home charger, that could give close
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Porsche is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 911 GT3 with a round of updates for its track-honed halo model, to bring a new look, extra options and a “more exhilarating” drive. The updated version of the most extreme 911 arrives, priced from £157,300, a quarter of a century after Porsche first used the GT3 name
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And on that bombshell, Amazon’s motoring show has come to an end. Which means there’s no The Grand Tour or Top Gear to watch, nor a clear prospect of either returning, for the first time in yonks. There have been times we’ve been without either show in the past two decades, but this time feels
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The Q6 E-tron’s interior also represents a change of tack for Audi. Most of the physical buttons have gone, and so has the lower screen for controlling the climate and secondary functions that you got in the Q8 E-tron. Instead, they have all been replaced with one big, curved screen that consists of a 11.9in
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In-wheel motors (IWMs) have been around since the world got serious about electric propulsion. GM’s Autonomy of 2002 concept was an FCEV with a skateboard chassis propelled by IWMs. GM had working demonstrators, including a Chevrolet S-10 pick-up with IWMs driving the rear wheels plus a single motor at the front. For the past 15
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All in, the powertrain sends a combined 1184bhp to all four wheels for a claimed 0-62mph in 2.15sec and 0-124mph in just 5.75sec. This trumps both the McLaren W1 and the Mercedes-AMG One. Different modes offer varying power levels, with Hybrid, Performance and Qualify selectable via the eManettino switch on the steering wheel. There is
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The seventh day of April, 1968. One of the worst days of my life, and even after all this time the sadness remains. That day my hero, Jim Clark, died in a Formula 2 accident on the Hockenheim circuit in Germany, when a rear tyre deflated and sent him into the trees at far too
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Best for: variable bodystyles Another van-based MPV, but in this case it’s a full-sized job that’s perfect for the largest of families. Based on VW’s new T7, the Multivan is arguably the most stylish and car-like version to appear in ‘T’ history, which can trace its roots back nearly 80 years. Underpinned by the brand’s
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This week your My Week In Cars hosts Steve Cropley and Matt Prior talk about the all-new AC Cobra, which Prior has driven exclusively, that Morgan has a new managing director, a shift in small used car prices, the Renault Symbioz, Bicester’s final Scramble of 2024 and much more besides, including your correspondence. You can
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Chinese Tesla rival Xpeng will launch in the UK in “less than a handful of months” as it works to expand its line-up to include right-hand drive cars, its co-founder has said. The EV company will launch with its G6 coupé-crossover, a rival to the Tesla Model Y, Brian Gu confirmed to journalists at the
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Both versions use the nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) chemistry and all Insters get a heat pump and 85kW (DC) charging capabilities as standard. Although those specifications place the Inster roughly on a par with its classmates, Hyundai believes that it will stand out for its interior connectivity and on-board technologies. Inside, all versions get a pair of
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Alfa Romeo’s fifth model line will be a large E-segment vehicle to sit at the top of the range. Outgoing CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato confirmed the car would most likely be a SUV, meaning it would rival the likes of the BMW iX and Porsche Cayenne, but he would allow his replacement Santo Ficili to reflect
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Citroën has no plans to restrict sales of combustion cars in order to increase its electric car mix, and will instead aim to create “natural” demand for its EVs. Speaking to Autocar at the Paris motor show, the French brand’s CEO Thierry Koskas said it would be a “shame” to stop or delay sales of
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Aston Martin is set to reveal a DB12 inspired by the classic James Bond film Goldfinger on Monday 14 October. A post made to the British company’s social media accounts appears to show the silhouette of the GT interspersed with a clip from the 1964 film, which prominently featured the Aston Martin DB5. Aston Martin also posted
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Magna Steyr is an unknown outside the industry but has been trusted by some of the world’s most respected car makers Last week, we eulogised the I-Pace, production of which will soon end – in Austria, not the UK. That’s because it’s built for Jaguar by Magna Steyr, a company that is unknown outside the
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If you’re sold on using the numeral 1, as McLaren seemingly is for its fastest car series (F1, P1 and now W1), I wonder what your remaining naming options are. Most of the 1 names are already ‘taken’ one way or another: some by trademark, others just by association (so available but better avoided). There
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But giving my boat the most buoyancy is tucked around the back, in a rather smaller, more ramshackle shed built out of a former war department canteen by an Austin 7 enthusiast and special builder called Jack French. He was a founder of the 750 Motor Club some 75 years ago, and he built a
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Alfa Romeo has given the Tonale an interior makeover as part of its 2025-model-year update. This follows criticism of the firm’s crucial volume crossover for failing to match the fit and finish of rivals such as the Volvo XC40 and BMW X1. Autocar’s road test noted that “primary cabin mouldings feel quite coarse and wobbly in places” and primary features
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Toyota’s motorsport division has agreed a wide-ranging technical partnership with the Haas Formula 1 team – but it insists the deal isn’t a precursor to a full-scale return to grand prix racing. The Japanese manufacturer has secured a deal with the American F1 squad that is intended to help develop young Japanese drivers and Toyota Gazoo Racing
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The electric successor to the Nissan Leaf will feature bi-directional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging available for use by UK customers when it is launched in 2026. Nissan says it is the first car firm to both develop a “breakthrough” on-board two-way charging system and secure the certification needed to offer the vehicle-to-grid charging service – in which
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The death of Ratan Tata, the man whose bravery and vision did more than anyone else to build JLR into the world-class car manufacturer it has become today, will be met by honest, unaffected sadness all around the world. Mr Tata was unique; a quiet and soft-spoken man who sought no glory, yet whose pre-eminence
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AC Cars has revived the Ace, the precursor to the V8-powered Cobra roadster. The new roadster is visually inspired by the original Ace of 1953 but underpinned by all-new mechanicals. It’s based on a new steel tubular frame chassis shod with carbonfibre bodywork, which the company will manufacture itself in the UK. That helps to contribute to
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The Bigster is Dacia’s largest model yet and kick-starts the Romanian brand’s ambitious plans to expand into the ultra-competitive C-segment market. Claimed by Dacia to make the “C-SUV more affordable”, the long-awaited Bigster will sit above the technically-related Duster crossover and is set to arrive next year at a sub-£30,000 price that will undercut key
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Meanwhile, large models will feature a pack offering 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 new platform’s rigidity while reducing weight. That includes expanded use of a system
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The new Tesla Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive has been revealed as the longest-ranged iteration of the electric saloon to date, offering 436 miles per charge. That eclipses its 406-mile Polestar 2 rival, and puts it on par with much pricier premium models, such as the Mercedes-Benz EQS. The new Model 3 is also the
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Alpine won’t fit the upcoming A110 EV with “fake” gearing as Hyundai has with the Ioniq 5 N, nor will it pump the cabin with synthetic engine noise, the French brand’s CEO has said. In the Ioniq 5 N – the first purpose-built electric hot hatch – an artificial gearbox can be operated through paddles, accurately simulating a
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Exceptional night vision isn’t something humans are gifted with. Some of our friends in the animal kingdom, such as deer, are far better at seeing at night. See-in-the-dark tech was used first by the military, before automotive supplier Magna developed its first thermal imaging system in 2003. Called Night Vision, it was introduced in the
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There are active front and rear wings, including the W1’s signature feature of an Active Long Tail rear wing, which extends 300mm rearwards rather than upwards to work with the underfloor and rear diffuser to create extra downforce without adding drag. This function is available on track only. In the aero’s most extreme setting, Race mode,
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Motorists weren’t onboard with the idea of registrations plates when they arrived in the early 1900s Nobody today gives a second thought to their car needing registration plates, but initially this was a very unpopular imposition. In 1900, Autocar opined in reply to an article in the County Council Times: “We cannot understand, except on
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It appeared to be the same methodology used by that 1931 pioneer; for purity’s sake perhaps those 44 shouldn’t be included, but the tally matched Autocar’s. Any harboured hopes of trouble-free research were unceremoniously scuttled by 16 occasions on which the test number skipped hither or thither, not always with subsequent correction. By 17 July
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Demand from private buyers for diesel cars was more than for EVs in September, leading industry bosses to renew calls for urgent government support amid “serious concerns” that a waning electric car market “is putting environmental ambitions at risk”. During the month, private diesel sales increased 17.1% compared with September 2023 – a volume uplift of 1367 cars
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As we found with the Mercedes-AMG C63, the performance gain of hot plug-in hybrids is not so much in the standing-start straight-line acceleration. The Urus SE does 0-62mph in 3.4sec – only 0.1sec quicker than the outgoing Urus S. What the electric assistance does is give this heavily boosted and therefore naturally laggy V8 engine
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It’s easy for high-ranking executives to isolate themselves from more granular public feedback towards their models, but for designers there can be no hiding place. Few of them need to be more in tune with public perception than Ford of Europe design boss Amko Leenarts, who is trying to change so much of what we
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The Inster also gets Hyundai’s full suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including a 360deg parking camera, adaptive cruise control and the Korean brand’s novel blindspot monitoring system, which projects a camera image of your rear quarter view onto the instrument panel as you indicate. Deliveries of the Inster are set to start by next spring.
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Citroën will provide a first look at its future when it unveils an all-new concept car at the upcoming Paris motor show. The French brand said the show car will sit “in a major segment”, suggesting that it’s most likely a B- or C-segment hatchback or SUV – although Citroën has yet to provide further
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7. Volkswagen Golf R 8 Best for: Daily driving Volkswagen’s highly regarded super-Golf, the four-wheel-drive Golf R, has taken a big step forward in this latest form. Unlike 20 years ago, when the V6-engined R32 vied with the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA to be the very hottest of hot hatchbacks that could be bought with a
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Lifting the huge one-piece bonnet not only reveals how far back the engine sits but also exposes the tyres, to make the car look a little racy. The engine hardware is extreme itself: its last outing was in the 812 Competizione and it makes the same 819bhp at 9250rpm, with a 9500rpm redline, although minor
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Stellantis has extended the production pause of the Fiat 500e, due to continued low EV demand. Originally pencilled to last a month to October 13, the pause will now end on November 1. This slump in demand has left the European electric car market “in deep trouble”, Stellantis told trade unions. The brand previously said
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Close 2 mins read 1 October 2024 BYD describes the impact of EU tariffs on imported Chinese EVs as “temporary damage” and anticipates it will be the best-positioned Chinese brand in the coming years thanks to local production plans and a flexible powertrain offering. The brand, which has grown rapidly in Europe over the past two
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French carmaker Alpine has confirmed plans to launch a supercar – and it is expected to be an EV. Currently just named the Future Alpine Supercar, the french brand has not released any further details, bar that it will be developed at a new state-of-the-art research and development centre that will open later this year.
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To start with the basics, the Terramar uses the latest iteration of the MQB Evo platform, which means it’s powered by a range of familiar powertrains. There are three options that don’t need plugging in: a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid four-cylinder with 148bhp driving the front wheels, and a four-wheel-drive 2.0-litre with either 201bhp or 262bhp. Then there’s
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BMW has been on a button-cutting mission with its most recent models and updates. The Z4, however, has been spared and continues to look the same inside as it did when it was launched. This might suggest that it’s dated, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. We have criticised BMW’s recent user interface
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An interesting theory. Badoom-tsh. The new Lotus concept car’s name, Theory 1, makes itself ripe for plays on words, but there are a few common themes that follow show cars and concepts. Some closely preview an upcoming model, existing to get the public – and employees – used to what could be a radical idea
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Fuel efficiency We will continue to produce both track and touring fuel economy test results for every road test: the former simply the result of what the trip computer displays (having been reset before our track benchmarking session), the latter of a roughly 10-mile trip at typical UK motorway speeds around MIRA’s ‘Number 1’ banked
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‘Designer’ family cars like this one sometimes have key practicality compromises when you explore what usable room and convenience they offer – but the Ioniq 5 opens up to reveal really surprising passenger space and very few noticeable penalties for its outward good looks. You sit medium-high in the car, with the steering wheel slightly too
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McLaren has confirmed that the follow-up to the P1 and F1 will be called the W1. The company said the name “celebrates [its] world championship mindset”, with the new car due to be revealed on 6 October – 50 years since McLaren won its first constructors’ title in Formula 1. The W1 comes just over a decade after the P1 arrived
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“Quality must be improved.” That was the message repeated constantly by McLaren CEO Michael Leiters on his arrival in Woking in 2022, and in his first interview with us. It is far from the most exciting topic in the industry yet it’s about as important as it gets: what use is all that thrilling performance
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Autocar has opened nominations for the 2025 Drivers of Change awards, a new initiative held in association with Ennis & Co and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) to champion diverse talent in the automotive industry. A returning name with a completely new format and approach, Drivers of Change is a sibling event to Autocar’s Great
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First EV expected to be built at Halewood is the next Range Rover Velar Close 2 mins read 26 September 2024 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has announced a further £250 million investment in its plant in Halewood, Merseyside, to ready it for the production of new Range Rover models. The plant is being transformed to
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The new Skoda Elroq will be unveiled on 1 October, the brand has announced. It will be the first model to embody the its new Modern Solid design language, with design sketches revealing it bears the ‘Tech-Deck’ Face and fresh logo (with ‘Skoda’ lettering replacing the old emblem). Based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, the Elroq will be Skoda’s third EV to
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Here, the 5008 must deliver on all the buzzwords: spaciousness, practicality, technology and hard-wearing materials. Generally speaking, it delivers on each of those. Let’s start with the third row, where you find two generously sized seats, just enough head room for adults under 6ft tall and a decent amount of leg room if the second row isn’t reclined
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Japanese parts supplier THK will show a radical new electric car concept penned by Nissan GT-R designer Shiro Nakamura at the upcoming Paris motor show. Named the LSR-05, it’s a four-seat coupé-SUV conceived to show off the company’s latest technological developments. The fully functional car is powered by three electric motors: two 125bhp units are mounted in the rear
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4. Ford Explorer 8 Best for: Mix of range and equipment The Ford Explorer might not look particularly inspiring, but our drive revealed that it’s actually a respectable electric SUV with lots going for it. It’s a good thing too, because the model’s launch had been severely delayed. Based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform, the Explorer is
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Is the Toyota Yaris reliable? We’re confident that buying a used Toyota Yaris is a sensible decision from a reliability standpoint, with the Japanese brand known for building robots cars of good quality. In What Car?’s most reliable used cars survey, the Yaris finished seventh overall, and was crowned the winner of the small car
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The decision to forego the multi-powertrain approach and develop a separate iX3 successor seems to have freed up the X3 to focus on excelling as a combustion car – although there is some electrification on offer: a new 30e plug-in hybrid version is on the way, and all other engines are mild hybrids. There are
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Aerodynamics is one of those unseen things that most of us never give much thought to day to day, but it plays a big role in how much energy is needed to push a car along. Drag increases with the square of the velocity or, in plain English, as the speed doubles, the drag quadruples.
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Who has changed: me or the car world? Because I recently saw some video clips of noisy vehicles and instead of thinking ‘phwoar’, as I once would have, I thought ‘ugh’. The first clip was of an Apollo Intensa Emozione hypercar downshifting as it approached a junction. It was a fairly urban junction, which I
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“The moment this deal came up, it was clear we wanted to be in control of what our truck looked like,” says Watson. “What we don’t have is 30 years of experience of designing monster trucks. When we first put pen to paper, we had some really extreme ideas, with big buckets and diggers, but
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What the Seal U may lack in dynamic prowess it should make up for in frugality. It’s a very economical option in practice. On our test drive, utilising a mix of electric and petrol driving, the single-motor Boost model returned an excellent 90mpg overall. Yes, 90mpg. Over our varied test route in the four-wheel-drive model, it
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Ineos has paused production of the Grenadier indefinitely after one of its critical suppliers hit financial difficulties. Ineos Automotive CEO Lynn Calder told Automotive News Europe that it is unlikely to restart until “toward the end of the year or early next year” because the company has run out of a trim piece “that we can’t sell the
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Autocar is providing free access to its digital archive, spanning 129 years of motoring history. Sign up here and you can browse through more than 6200 magazine issues, spanning from 1895 to the present day. We’ve covered everything from the first demonstration of cars in Britain (2 November 1895) to the birth of the BMC
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Close 2 mins read 19 September 2024 Nio has emerged as a possible buyer of the Audi plant in Belgium, as it looks to avoid costly new EU import tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars. An offer will be submitted to Audi parent company the Volkswagen Group by 23 September, Belgian newspaper De Tijd has reported, citing “reliable sources”. Audi has
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MG sibling brand Maxus has revealed a four-wheel-drive electric pick-up truck – the first of its kind available in the UK. Named the eTerron 9, it succeeds the Maxus T90EV, which was the UK’s first electric pick-up but rear-driven only. It’s slightly larger than the Ford Ranger, having been designed for maximal load space, with its rear bed measuring 2.4m long. The rear bulkhead
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If your car supports only a wireless connection – or you don’t want to use a cable – the connection process is slightly more complicated, and the procedure will vary from car to car. Some require you to plug your phone in for the first time, before connecting wirelessly every time afterwards. Others will act
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The biggest change in here over the pre-facelift car comes with regard to the infotainment screen. As standard, you get a 12.0in infotainment display coupled to a 12.3in digital instrument cluster. The infotainment runs Renault’s OpenR Link software which integrates the Google ecosystem. The system is different from Android Auto smartphone mirroring (Renault’s system still
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The new electric Mini John Cooper Works hatchback has been revealed in a Chinese government filing. It gets a single motor that sends 255bhp through its front wheels – up by 40bhp compared with the existing Mini Cooper SE and rival Alpine A290 GTS. The JCW’s kerb weight is listed at 1670kg, an increase of 65kg compared with the
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The government has awarded the Gordon Murray Group (GMG) a share of an £88 million innovation fund to aid development of an ‘ultra-lightweight’ electric car platform. The Windlesham-based firm – named after its founder, Formula 1 engineering legend Gordon Murray – is one of 46 UK companies to land a portion of the fund through the government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre’s Collaborative
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Audi appears to be gearing up for the launch of a hardcore electric off-roader, with a distinctive prototype having been spotted testing at a company facility in Germany. Although based on the upcoming Q6 E-tron Sportback, it’s significantly taller and wider than the regular electric SUV. It appears to have a more aggressive front bumper
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Peugeot has added a plug-in hybrid to the range of powertrains available in the new 3008 SUV. It pairs an updated version of the turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine offered in the previous 3008 with a 123bhp electric motor, which is integrated into a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Combined, they put out 192bhp and 258lb ft of torque.
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Each C-Pod contains a pair of electric motors, driving a pair of contra-rotating propellers with a total of 67bhp. That’s more efficient than a single motor. At higher speeds, the pressure in the flow around a large propeller creates a vacuum that adds noise and inefficiency. There’s also a lot of computing power packed into
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What a month for Land Rover Defender residuals, with the announcement of not one but two restoration-and-modification specials. I also see that we’re deep into territory that I predicted (go me) in 2016, when I thought that within a few years, old Defenders would be rebranded as Defender Classics. I was partly right: it seems to
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Apart from that, the trip over the Atlas mountains was uneventful, if not for the heavy traffic that had churned up the road while carrying equipment to the French atomic research base (a year prior, scientists had tested a nuclear bomb at a still-classified location, releasing four times the energy of the bomb dropped on
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Domagoj Dukec is moving from BMW to Rolls-Royce to take over as director of design from Anders Warming, as part of a dramatic overhaul of the BMW Group’s design operations. Warming has steered Rolls-Royce’s design department for three years, having previously worked under Chris Bangle at BMW and then been appointed chief of design at Mini. Cars
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Former Polestar design boss Maximilian Missoni has joined BMW to lead design for Alpina as it begins life under full BMW ownership. Arriving as part of a wide-reaching shake-up of design teams at the BMW Group, Missoni will also oversee the design of upper mid-size and luxury-class BMW models. Other notable moves at the German firm include
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Production of the Fiat 500e will be paused for a month from 13 September, due to low demand. Fiat parent firm Stellantis said in a statement that the slump in sales is “linked to the deep difficulties experienced in the European [EV] market by all producers”. According to figures from Jato Dynamics, Fiat sold 74,885
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Lego has teamed up with McLaren to create a fully drivable 1:1 scale model of the storied P1 hypercar – and it has just set a lap of the Silverstone circuit with Formula 1 ace Lando Norris at the wheel. Made from more than 342,000 Lego Technic elements, the plastic P1 tips the scales at 1220kg and
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The Jeep Avenger has been given a “mediocre” three-star rating in the latest round of Euro NCAP safety test The small crossover was let down by poor scores for side-impact protection of 10-year-old rear occupants and the responsiveness of its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system. Euro NCAP also criticised its lack of a child presence detection
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Welcome to the new-look Autocar, which has been a labour of love over the past few months for our excellent art editor Sarah Özgül and all the team. Autocar has always been updated sporadically during its 129 years to ensure it remains modern and relevant and, importantly, reflects the fast-paced forward-looking industry and cars we
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In the UK, the new Volkswagen model is sold exclusively in range-topping ID 3 GTX Performance guise with 322bhp and 402lb ft of torque. Even with a kerb weight of 2000kg, that’s sufficient to provide the most powerful Volkswagen ID 3 model yet with a 0-62mph time of 5.7sec and limited 124mph top speed,
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Stil, the Tesla is roomy, refined and very easy to rub along with, while the standard version’s 394 mile range helps reduce anxiety. Any issues? Well, it’s a special order model and only available in left-hand drive. Read our Tesla Model S review 7. Genesis G80 Electrified There’s no doubting Hyundai’s ambition with Genesis, the Korean
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The new Skoda Elroq EV will be the first to embody the Czech brand’s Modern Solid design language when it’s launched later this year. New design sketches show the Volkswagen ID 3-sized electric crossover bearing the brand’s new Tech-Deck Face and fresh logo, with lettering replacing the old emblem. Based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, the Elroq will be Skoda’s second EV to
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The Nissan Ariya Nimso will hit UK roads early next year, bringing sport cars power and fitted with motorsport-derived aero. Based on the Ariya e-4orce, the first EV to get the Nismo treatment – and the first Nismo model since the 370Z – gets tuned throttle dynamics, a Nismo driving mode and a raft of more aggressive
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Volkswagen is planning to launch low-volume specials across its ID range to increase the appeal of its EVs as it did with earlier ICE models. This plan has been previewed by the ID 3 GTX Fire+Ice, an electric reimagining of the car maker’s earlier Golf Fire+Ice. Although this is just a one-off show car based
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Tanoshi’s meets emphasise community and inclusivity – we find out what’s what Anyone who doubts that Cobham Services is the UK’s busiest motorway services wasn’t there on the evening of Saturday 27 July, when the queue of vehicles to get in extended to the very start of the slip roads. No, Taylor Swift hadn’t decided
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“The engine has its two banks of cylinders set at 70 degrees in a common casting,” explained Autocar. “The crankshaft has four throws and the connecting rods of opposite banks run almost side by side, but not quite, the crank pins being themselves canted slightly to allow for the 20-degree offset between the two banks.
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I’m not going to buy it, although I will admit that I’m tempted. Had Steve Cropley not recently bought a nearly new Ford Ranger Raptor, I wonder if I’d have been able to convince him to take a look, because at one stage he was considering getting a vehicle (perhaps a Suzuki X90) to take
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Leeds-based Ginetta has unveiled the Akula, a 600bhp road-going supercar with a 6.4-litre atmospheric V8 and a manual gearbox option. Morphing from the 2019 concept of the same name (meaning ‘shark’ in Russian), the two-seat coupé has an aggressive exterior design that features Le Mans-derived aero while also offering a Ford Puma-surpassing 473-litre boot. Ginetta intends
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Close 4 mins read 6 September 2024 Volvo’s line-up could swell to an “abnormal” number in the coming years as a result of the firm abandoning its target of going electric-only by 2030, according to the firm’s deputy CEO – who insists the firm is “well-placed” to handle that. The Swedish brand pledged in 2021
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Genesis has given its Electrified G80 saloon a hefty update by extending its wheelbase, adding a larger battery and refreshing its interior. The updated model will arrive in the UK, and other global markets, next year, after first launching in the brand’s home market of Korea The first-generation electric saloon arrived in 2021, spawned from
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Power comes from a 2.0-litre engine that makes 150bhp, mated to a 161bhp electric motor, with a total system output of 220bhp (because they don’t both blow maximums at the same time). The previous model made only 121bhp so that’s quite the boost – enough to give the latest car a 0-62mph time of 6.8sec. This
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The cockpit is an overtly 1970s-flavoured affair, trimmed in brown and beige and with all the screens housed in retro lozenge-shaped housings atop a minimalist dashboard. The R17 Electric Restomod x Ora Ito, to use its full name, will make its public debut on Renault’s stand at the Paris motor show next month, where the firm is
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The retro-styled Volkswagen ID Buzz has become the latest model to gain a warmed-up GTX variant. The new £67,435 range-topper arrives with a dual-motor powertrain and sportier-looking exterior. With deliveries set to begin this month, the ID Buzz GTX joins the recently launched Volkswagen ID 3 GTX and ID 7 GTX Tourer in the firm’s
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3. Fiat Panda 100HP 8 Picture a Fiat Panda driver and you’ll probably think of a jolly pensioner on their way to pick up the week’s milk and bread. But your nan’s shopping cart this is not. In true hot hatch tradition, Fiat transplanted the 1.4-litre overhead-cam engine from the then-new Grande Punto into its
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Cupra has taken the covers off the Terramar SUV, which is set to be its final combustion-engined model. Based on the Evo development of the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, the sub-£40k Terramar moves Cupra into the hotly contested C-SUV segment, battling the likes of the BMW X1, Kia Sportage and Volkswagen Tiguan. The Terramar will
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Aston Martin’s engine has been future-proofed, said Long, so it will conform with emission regulations up to 2030, “and then we hope to continue beyond that”, he said, with a roadmap in place to take it into the next decade. Increasingly stringent emissions regulations mean Aston Martin’s largest engine can “only really live now in
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The inside of the Kia EV6 calls up similar conflicting feelings to the outside, mixing hatchback and SUV cues. Getting into the driver’s seat, you drop down, car-like, but you don’t sink down quite as low as you do in, say, a BMW 3 Series saloon or a hot hatchback. At the same time, you
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Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) that underpins the Q5. Its electrical architecture represents a significant upgrade – a complete wiring overhaul and now using five on-board computers – on the old Q5’s MLB Evo platform. That gives Audi more flexibility to offer hybrids with different configurations and opens the door to key future upgrades. It’s understood,
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“The manifolds are undamaged, which is rare, so they’ll sell,” he says confidently. On another stand, Norman Dunford has two Pinto exhausts and a Crossflow one, each from Mk2 Escorts 1600s, plus a carburettor and intake manifold from an Escort RS2000. Another pitch is displaying remanufactured sills and gaskets, seals, wiper blades, spark plugs, lights
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Elements of the German car industry pushed hard last year for ICE cars to be allowed to remain on sale in the EU after 2035 – and they got their way, provided such cars use only carbon-neutral fuels. But that might not be enough, said BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse. Unless the EU accelerates the
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Bentley’s designers have eclectic taste, as we found out when we paid a visit to its top-secret studio viewing area Assume, if you can, the mindset of somebody who spends their days creating new Bentleys. Your mission is to satisfy people who think it’s normal to pay £200,000 plus for a set of wheels but
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BYD has confirmed plans to sell its new Xia MPV in European markets as part of a growing line-up of global export models. Revealed at the 2024 Chengdu motor show, the van-shaped Xia has been conceived as a rival to the likes of the Volkswagen Multivan and Mercedes-Benz V-Class. It has seating for up to
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The Limited is anything but, and all my £2000-pricier Touring adds is 18in rather than 17in wheels, black rather than grey door mirrors, high-beam assistance and an electric tilt-slide sunroof. That last item is a pleasingly retro affair, with a flimsy manually operated cover that reminds me of my dad’s 1986 Rover 820i, but it
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Jaguar electric limousine Autocar exclusively uncovered the news that Jaguar is working on an electric limousine to serve as an indirect replacement to the XJ. Early details suggest it will output more than 450bhp, sprint from 0-62mph in between 3.0sec and 3.8sec, top out at 155mph and offer a range of at least 385 miles.
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Nothing about the 18 April 1924 issue of this magazine seems unusual. On the cover, a colourful painting advertising Wolseley’s new Fourteen touring car. In the leader, a plea for drivers to take extra care in the Easter holiday traffic. In the road test, a new four-cylinder saloon from Vauxhall. The main feature, a preview of
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Close 3 mins read 28 August 2024 Hyundai Motor has become the first global car firm to commit to a broad roll-out of extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) as it looks to bridge the gap to sluggish EV demand. Also known as range-extender cars (REx), EREVs package a large battery and sizeable electric motor alongside a small petrol
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MG’s big-selling ZS crossover returns for a second generation, with a bold new look inside and out, a wide-reaching technological revamp and a sub-£22,000 hybrid option. Redesigned in line with the recently launched HS flagship and 3 supermini, and featuring more upmarket cabin materials and kit, the revived ZS will arrive in the UK in
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5. Honda Civic 8 Our choice: Honda Civic e:HEV Sport Like Toyota with its Corolla, Honda has stuck to the traditional family hatchback template for its latest Civic – and it’s all the better for it. Incredibly, the Japanese machine is in its 11th generation, but it shows no signs of slowing down or resting on
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Aston Martin will reveal the new Vanquish, complete with a thunderous V12, on 2 September. Its next-generation GT flaghship has been confirmed to pack 824bhp and 738lb ft of torque, which are substantial increases of 109bhp and 74lb ft over the outgoing DBS. Those figures are significantly higher even than the run-out Ultimate edition of the DBS and will make the
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Crowning the repositioned Discovery brand will be a new halo model. It is being developed by JLR’s SVO bespoke division, the team responsible for the Defender Octa and Range Rover SV. Like those cars, the Discovery flagship will have its own new bespoke performance nameplate, as part of JLR’s continued push to put distance between
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Production of the marque’s 12-cylinder engine has come to an end – we explain how Crewe made it so smooth One chapter in the story of our love affair with 12-cylinder engines has come to an end with news that Bentley has finally ceased W12 production. Despite this engine being hand-built from 2600 parts, each
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Cost-effective EVs are rare but growing in number. Here are the 10 cheapest on sale in the UK today Electric cars come in all shapes and sizes, and the focus on battery-powered models is sharper than ever. For many drivers looking to make the switch from petrol, price is paramount. If you’re one of them,
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Raw materials go in, racing cars come out. But then, every now and again, something street-legal escapes. The latest escapee is the car before you: the G56 GTR. The feral one. Steve Cropley and I have come to Garforth to catch up with Ginetta boss Lawrence Tomlinson and drive the new car, along with a
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Back then, the F3 schedule was incessant. Senna racked up six victories at Silverstone alone. The Van Diemens and his F3 Ralt are all promised for the Festival. Then we get to the F1 cars. In 1983, Senna was hot stuff for F1 teams. He tested for McLaren, Brabham and most famously Williams, driving an
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I have a dim and distant memory of two Bullseye contestants winning the darts game show’s star prize, which, perhaps or perhaps not unusually, wasn’t a speedboat but a car. As it was surprise-revealed to them (and this is where I wish I could be more confident in my memory, which yesterday couldn’t find my
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This hot-vee V8 has been AMG’s stalwart for a decade, variously appearing in everything from the G-Class luxury off-roader to the workaday C-Class Estate. However, it is perhaps at its most evocative when nestled in the nose of a low-slung coupé with a steam-punk-flavoured, cab-rear silhouette. We will get into the numbers shortly, but they
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Cupra Tavascan: design, specification and performance The Tavascan offers a major premium interior uplift on the smaller Cupra Born and the Cupra Forementor – the firm’s other two bespoke vehicles – with gold trim, flecked lighting and a central ‘spine’ that mirrors the car’s front end. It also comes with the same 15in infotainment touchscreen
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A large, seven-seat SUV is all about the interior, you might argue, given that the genre has effectively replaced MPVs. And Skoda seems to have taken that to heart, because inside, the Kodiaq is a very nice place to be. Practical matters first: the old car was spacious, and an additional 61mm of length makes
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BMW has for the first time overtaken Tesla in the European electric car market. The German brand delivered 14,869 new EVs in Europe last month, 308 more than its American rival. Tesla experienced a slump in Europe in July, with registrations of its Model Y SUV falling by 16% to 9544 and those of its Model 3
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Ford has scrapped its plan to launch a three-row, seven-seat electric SUV next year, warning that the move could cost the company $1.9 billion (£1.5bn). It has been cancelled because it would not have been profitable within the first year of its launch. The company highlighted the increasing cost-consciousness of new electric car buyers, as well
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It’s a push-button start and the Ford unit fires up more with a boom than a rasp, then you almost need only think the Nomad 2 into motion, so smooth and forgiving is the clutch action, quite at odds with the car’s intimidatingly hardcore aura. In a way, the clutch action sets the tone for
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The ID 7 GTX features a four-wheel-drive powertrain. At the rear is the same 282bhp Volkswagen Group APP550 permanent magnet synchronous electric motor as in the standard Pro and Pro S versions. That’s twinned with a new 107bhp asynchronous motor (designated AKA150) mounted on the front axle. The rear motor is the primary drive unit, with the
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Renault makes much of the car’s interior versatility, although in that respect it’s hardly segment-leading. Second-row passenger space is just about appropriate for full-size adults, but is no great selling point in itself. A Skoda Kamiq offers just as much while a Skoda Karoq with optional removable back seats knocks the Symbioz for six on outright
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Dongfeng, one of the four biggest car makers in China, has taken its first steps into Europe with the Nammi Box budget EV. Launched in Switzerland priced from CHF 21,990 (£19,615), the hatchback is positioned as a rival to the Citroen ë-C3, currently one of the cheapest EVs on sale in Europe at £21,035. To keep
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Until recently it was the only one recognised by HPI, which, on receipt of a successful report, would remove a Cat S or N code from a repaired car and move the vehicle to its Condition Inspected register. Autolign also works with local authorities, checking the quality of repaired taxis. In total, it checks around
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Maserati has revealed a track-ready, GT2-inspired version of its MC20 supercar. Compared with the regular MC20, the Maserati GT2 Stradale is 60kg lighter, it gets an extra 11bhp from its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 and it is fitted with a prominent aero kit. This leaves the rear-wheel-drive coupé weighing 1365kg and producing 632bhp at 7500rpm, giving
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I used to think that ‘it’s better than the old one’ was one of the lazier tropes in this business. New reviewers would get steered away from writing things like ‘they’ve improved it’, because if a company had spent a billion quid developing a new car using the latest technology, it would be fairly catastrophic
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This makes it 20% stiffer, owing in part to use of aluminium extrusion – the construction method used by the featherweight Lotus Elise and Alpine A110. Its dry weight of 1715kg can be cut to as little as 1690kg when equipped with the track-focused Alleggerita (‘lightened’) package. Hardware Stopping power comes in the form of
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Maybach has turned its hand to the Mercedes-AMG SL, creating an ultra-luxurious sports convertible to rival the Bentley Continental GTC and Ferrari Roma Spider. Revealed at Monterey Car Week in California, the new Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series is “the sportiest model in the Maybach brand’s history”. Mercedes’ ultra-luxury arm has previously been best known for its exclusive reworkings
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The R retains the same 120kWh battery as its sibling, which was good for as much as 250 miles in the standard Nevera. The Croatian brand has yet to confirm official range figures for the R. Mate Rimac said: “We’re relentlessly tweaking to customers’ desires and many were looking for a car that really emphasised
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But not BMW. It was willing to knock out faster V8 versions of the E39 5-series touring, but nothing more. In its defence, BMW’s M division did make an E39 M5 touring, and by that I mean a single version, for its boss Gerhard Richter. Demand was never seen as strong enough to warrant full
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The sodden A- and B-roads of Snowdonia aren’t ideal for really exercising such a powerful, large car as this. It feels wide, because it is (more than 70mm wider than the standard-series G90-gen 5 Series across the front axle) but it’s surprisingly dextrous-riding, supple and composed over complex surfaces, and feels fully grown up in the
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Is the BMW i3 reliable? Even though the i3 was BMW’s first attempt at an EV, it is a reliable electric car scoring well in What Car’s reliability survey. It scored 91.1% and finished 12th in a field of 20 electric cars, behind the Mini Electric, Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen ID 3. According to the
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First, the important bit – what the California is like inside. It’s immediately obvious that VW has been doing campers for a long time, learning what people actually want instead of just looking at mood boards and guessing. For example, customers reported that they don’t need a large fridge and cooker, so those have been
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The Tucson’s interior was always admirably designed and striking as the exterior, but some key changes were introduced in 2024. It gains a new dashboard, which is much tidier and more practical than the previous setup. There’s a new, passenger-side storage compartment above the glovebox. Other changes include a new centre console design with integrated
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Welcome to episode 14 of the Autocar Business Change Makers Podcast, produced in partnership with car subscription software platform Tomorrow’s Journey. Listen via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Podcasts. Hosted by Chris Kirby, CEO of Tomorrow’s Journey, and Felix Page, news editor at Autocar, each episode explores how some of the UK’s most agile and disruptive companies are dramatically reshaping the automotive
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I make myself as comfortable as I’m likely to be. I’m holding the steering wheel at a similar height as a plate at a buffet, I hit the drive button on the floor and start to pull away. There’s an audible whirr at low speeds that disappears once you’re rolling more convincingly. I think it’s
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Rimac recently launched a robotaxi company called Verne Close 6 mins read 12 August 2024 Optimism about robotaxis has returned to the automotive industry, albeit in a modified form after recent exposure to the harsh realities of creating a fleet of fully autonomous vehicles (AVs). Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said on 6 August that the ride-hailing giant was
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Of all the individual components that make up a car, tyres are among the most complex when it comes to the blend of constituents needed to make them. Traditionally, their sustainability credentials have been questionable to say the least, not just in terms of what goes into them but also the impact they have on
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And this could have further repercussions. If you’re disqualified for 56 days or more (see also the more serious single-offence bans, above) you’ll need to apply for a new licence, and this may even entail retaking your driving test. How will speeding penalties affect my car insurance? Insurers will generally regard drivers who’ve accrued penalty
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I’m pleased to see the Renault Twizy replacement will arrive in the UK, and I’m not a little surprised, given I didn’t think the previous one set the world alight when it was here the first time around. But the Mobilize Duo and a cargo variant called the Bento are set to arrive next year,
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BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has said the European Union’s plan to ban sales of new combustion-engined cars in 2035 is the “wrong approach” and has called for it to accelerate the roll-out of e-fuels. Under the current legislative framework, the EU will ban sales of new non-zero-emission cars in 2035. As well as battery-electric and hydrogen fuel
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David Richards started Prodrive in 1984 We visit Prodrive’s Banbury HQ for the inside line on its creation, rise to racing prominence and what’s next It’s hard to find a definition that adequately covers every part of David Richards’ Prodrive firm – and that’s awkward, as this year it celebrates 40 years of more or
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Flagship 5 Series has turned PHEV and promises to be BMW’s most extreme super-saloon yet The G90-generation BMW M5 is the first M5 to stretch beyond five metres in length. And in terms of width? Compared with the already expansive 5 Series on which BMW’s latest super-saloon is based, the wheel arches are swollen by
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Our first drive of the new C63, with its plug-in hybrid four-cylinder engine, left us more than a little underwhelmed. While the digitally augmented noise it makes is not actively offensive, it’s also in no way a compelling reason to buy the car. Similarly, while the nine-speed automatic gearbox gets the job done, it’s not
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The interior and equipment levels in the GT model are hard to fault and it feels top-notch in quality, bar the odd questionable plastic low down, especially for a car of this class. On first entry to the car, the set-up all feels intuitive, as it should be. The layout is aesthetically pleasing, the 10in infotainment
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Is the Bentley Bentayga reliable? The Bentley Bentayga is a reliable car, but with lower sales volumes its slighty harder to determine where it sits compared to rivals. Broadly speaking, you shouldn’t have any major concerns considering this is a luxury car from a well-known luxury brand, and any issues or recalls on early models will
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Proton is on the verge of a major global export expansion that is set to take it back to the UK market, sources close to its CEO, Li Chunrong, have revealed. The expansion, which is also planned to encompass new right-hand-drive markets throughout Asia and South Africa as well as a return to Australia and New Zealand,
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People often voice concern over the capability of the national grid and distribution network operators (DNOs – the guys who actually deliver power to homes and businesses on a local level) to cope if EV numbers spiral. But what if it worked in reverse, where millions of EVs storing large amounts of power could give
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There are hints to a theme started by the L322 Range Rover of 2002 inside the latest car: a large horizontal slab of dashboard is bisected with vertical elements in marine/yacht-inspired fashion. It’s less obvious these days, partly owing to the 13.1in touchscreen floating in the middle of the dash, but the idea’s still the same:
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Fiat will integrate charging cables into the bodywork of its next generation EVs, beginning with the new Grande Panda next year. In that car, it will be stored behind a panel on the EV’s front fascia, featuring a sprung cable in what Fiat describes as its novel way of “reinventing” charging. Integrating retractable cables into
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Italian EV start-up Aehra has named its first two cars the Impeto SUV and Estasi saloon as it ramps up its efforts to begin production. It has submitted a business plan to Italy’s Ministry of Industry concerning a 207,000sq ft factory at Mosciano Sant’Angelo, in the north-eastern Abruzzo region. The company said it chose the location for its
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Italian EV start-up Aehra has named its first two cars the Impeto SUV and Estasi saloon as it ramps up its efforts to begin production. It has submitted a business plan to Italy’s Ministry of Industry concerning a 207,000sq ft factory at Mosciano Sant’Angelo, in the north-eastern Abruzzo region. The company said it chose the location for its
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Rorty engines, racey styling and reasonable insurance – here are our picks of the best used hot hatches If your interest is piqued by today’s hot hatchbacks such as the Abarth 500e, Mini Cooper SE, or Toyota GR Yaris but you don’t fancy an electric powertrain or a £30,000-plus asking price, we’ve compiled a list
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I have a lot of time for Michael van der Sande, who as Alpine managing director brought the A110 to market and was later in charge of JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations. Plus, anyone who owns an Alfa Romeo SZ is all right in my book. But I have even more time for him since he
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Regardless of any negative experiences, what strikes me most about the car-spotting crowd is its sheer enthusiasm. There’s never a bad day, nor is there a dull moment, because there’s always a new tip to follow or another mews promising hidden treasure. I’m hooked. Three tips for car-spotting rookies 1. Pay attention “Every good car
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The A2 isn’t such a featherweight, but an all-in figure of 895kg (although the diesel engine in our version adds 95kg to this figure) is frankly incredible for a car that will comfortably accommodate four adults and contains a useful 390-litre boot. Once again, aluminium is the vital ingredient in creating this low-mass marvel. The
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Donington-based AC Cars has revealed a coupé version of the venerable Cobra, melding modern technology and production techniques with a historic silhouette. The car is said to draw on the AC 298 coupé that competed in the 1964 Le Mans 24 Hours, taking inspiration from its raked Kamm tail. That car infamously hit 180mph when AC
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Close 4 mins read 2 August 2024 The demise of the middle market has been a trend of the automotive industry over the past decade, as volume brands have attempted to move mostly up (Ford, Peugeot, Volvo) and occasionally down (Citroën) in their positioning to ensure they stand for something more than just pumping out cars
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1. Porsche Cayman 10 Price range: £7000 – £30,000 The Porsche Cayman sits on many an enthusiast’s shopping lists. And for good reason. Here is a modern flat six Porsche coupe that has the engine in a sensible place, meaning you can take liberties that you just can’t in a Porsche 911 of the same vintage.
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Mileage: 19,356 Back to the top Dishonest trip meter exposed, while B mode gets a fair hearing – 10 April A few weeks ago I mentioned my intention to be a bit more scientific about calculating the Corolla’s fuel consumption. Annoyingly, the thing is just too darn fuel efficient, and I still only have a sample
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“GTE and GT LM converged with GT3 – so now we’ve got one focus for GT racing, which helped us make sense out of having the Mustang GT3 – and the same at prototype [level], which has not truly converged in many ways, because there’s still the LMdH formula, or the LMH formula, but at
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The MG HS enters its second generation with a redesign, interior revamp and more technology In its century-long history, MG has launched several cars that changed the face of the company.Cast your mind back to the MG B, deemed by many to be the first ‘modern’ MG, and to the MG F, which revitalised the
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Episode 99 of the Autocar podcast My Week In Cars finds our hosts at the British Motor Museum, sharing an office with a Hart F1 engine and a Triumph Thruxton motorcycle as they talk the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb, Renault’s plan to introduce a replacement for the Renault Twizy, range-extenders, a big crash in Cropley’s trucking
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Welcome to episode 13 of the Autocar Business Change Makers Podcast, produced in partnership with car subscription software platform Tomorrow’s Journey. Listen via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Amazon Podcasts. Hosted by Chris Kirby, CEO of Tomorrow’s Journey, and Felix Page, news editor at Autocar, each episode explores how some of the UK’s most agile and disruptive companies are dramatically reshaping the automotive
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Lotus could push back the launch of its long-awaited Type 135 electric sports car until smaller, lighter batteries become available, so it can be as close in spirit to the Elise as possible. According to the most recent scheduling, the Type 135 was due on sale in 2027 at an estimated price of £75,000 as
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The long-awaited Stonehenge tunnel and Arundel bypass have both been scrapped by new chancellor Rachel Reeves, as some £1 billion of “unfunded” transport pledges due next year are also put on the chopping block. Delivering her maiden speech to the House of Commons, Reeves said the previous government “refused to cancel” the two major projects,
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The revised Octavia comes with a range of five four-cylinder engines: three petrol units and two diesels. At launch, only front-wheel-drive models will be offered, with a high-performance vRS coming later, as well as an all-wheel-drive version. The previous entry-level three-cylinder engine that was offered with the fourth-generation Octavia has been replaced by a 114bhp 1.5-litre
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Mention remote-controlled cars and thoughts immediately turn to the sort many of us have had fun with, like Tamiya or Kyosho. But behind the scenes at the movers and shakers in automotive firms like Continental, engineers might be talking about something quite different: full-size remote-controlled cars. Autonomous vehicle technology is not just about the infamous
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I heard some unexpected mutterings from colleagues about not enjoying the Goodwood Festival of Speed quite as much as normal. I get some of it. How higher hay bales this year have reduced visibility after an errant wheel entered the crowd last year, and that if one wanted to watch an electric SUV drive past,
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The winner of the 2024 Festival of the Unexceptional has been crowned as a pristine 1982 Toyota Hilux, displayed by its owner Mitch Lewis. Originally bought by an elderly lady who used it on a strawberry farm, it accumulated just 10,000 miles before Lewis bought it. During his ownership, Lewis has added just 10,000 miles. Treating it sympathetically
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If there’s one thing you want a Skoda Superb to be, it’s roomy. And rest assured, this one is exactly that. By our measurements, typical rear leg room has increased by 65mm over the outgoing model – already a very spacious car. The flat estate roofline means that head room is generous too, and it
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As with the exterior, the latest Golf leans heavily into its hot hatch history when you climb aboard. Despite the de rigueur addition of multiple TFT screens, you know instantly that you’re sitting inside a GTI. The tartan-checked seat trim is present and correct, as is the red stitching for the chunky three-spoke steering wheel.
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Porsche will continue to offer the Cayenne with combustion and hybrid power beyond 2030, which means the SUV – its most popular model – will enter the next decade offering three separate powertrains. The brand today confirmed it will develop and “further upgrade” the current third-generation Cayenne, which received an extensive mid-life upgrade last year,
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9. Zenvo TSR-S 8 With its wild looks and brain-spinning 1177bhp power output, the Zenvo certainly packs the raw statistics to be considered a true hypercar. Yet it’s the car’s unique tilting rear wing that attracts all the headlines, lifting at either end when cornering to help reduce body roll and boot grip. Either way,
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10. Kia EV6 GT 7 You probably weren’t expecting to find a Kia in this list, but the Korean firm has been on a mission to shift perceptions recently. It started a few years ago with the now defunct Stinger GT-S, an upmarket five-door coupé that packed a thumping V6 engine and expressive rear-wheel drive
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