Self-driving cars mean you could valet park everyday
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…
Winner of 2024 Festival of the Unexceptional revealed
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…
Skoda Octavia Review 2024, Price & Specs
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…
Volkswagen Golf GTI Review 2024, Price & Specs
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…
Toyota warns of “very big challenge” created by ZEV mandate
Thompson declined to provide detail of next year’s strategy but insists he already has a workable plan and he feels “extremely confident about Toyota’s multi-path philosophy” for the future. The company is reported to be planning the launch of five…
Top 10 best hypercars 2024
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…
Kia primes striking petrol hatchback to take on VW Golf
Kia is poised to take on the Volkswagen Golf with a striking new petrol-powered hatchback aimed at global markets – and an eventual European launch could be on the cards. The new Kia K4 will be offered in North America, Asia…
Top 10 best electric sports cars 2024
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…
Autocar magazine 24 July: on sale now
This week in Autocar, we’ve got the lowdown on Ford’s new era of small, cheap cars, pit the new Mini against Abarth’s 500e, and test Lexus’ new hot hatch. News A new range of smaller, more affordable EVs from Ford…
Ex-Ferrari F1 boss moves to Audi ahead of 2026 grid entry
Former Ferrari Formula 1 team boss Mattia Binotto will head up Audi’s F1 project ahead of the team’s inaugural entry in 2026 with Sauber. Sacked by Ferrari at the end of the 2022 campaign after several lukewarm seasons, Binotto – who…
Ferrari CEO: E-fuels are “way forward” for ICE supercars
Ferrari boss Benedetto Vigna believes that environmentally friendly e-fuels and hydrogen powertrains could have a future in its models – and he wants to use motorsport to develop both technologies. Vigna believes carbon-neutral fuel will “become more and more a…
Introducing Low Octane – the Autocar Vodcast
Matt is Autocar’s lead features writer and presenter, is the main face of Autocar’s YouTube channel, presents the My Week In Cars podcast and has written his weekly column, Tester’s Notes, since 2013. Matt is an automotive engineer who has…
New hybrid era at Audi as EV switch takes “longer than we thought”
Audi will expand and upgrade its hybrid offering over the coming years because the transition from combustion cars to EVs will take “longer than initially thought”. The company is sticking to its previously announced goal of having an all-electric model…
CUPRA Born: why it’s a 5-star What Car? electric car
When it comes to picking an all-electric car, you probably have a pretty discerning list of must-haves. Great electric range, rapid charging and impressive day-to-day practicality almost certainly top the list. But on top of that, don’t we all want…
Will electric cars ever be able to go truly off grid?
Recently, I drove the Dacia Spring, a small electric car with a 140-mile range when new (and warm and not on a motorway). Also last week, my munchkins climbed into a 16-year-old small car and drove 140 miles to camp at…
Kia Sorento Review 2024, Price & Specs
Inserting 35mm in the Sorento’s wheelbase liberated yet more passenger space, and any concerns we had about head room in the outgoing model have been dispelled. Width is also unusually generous and such is the expanse between the driver and…
How to build an F1-engined Porsche 911
Traction control is included as a concession to drivability – ”a sort of safety measure” – but “this is a little bit more brutal,” Lanzante says. Although the three Championship cars were not originally in the plan, Lanzante is firm in…
Top 10 best city cars 2024
1. Hyundai i10 8 For some manufacturers, a city car should be a cheap machine, engineered down to a very low price. However, with the Hyundai i10 you get the sense that the brand has applied the same high standards…
Higher prices and limited options push car buyers from new to used
At Platts of Marlow, a Ford retail dealer that will celebrate 100 years in the Berkshire town in 2025, they’re contemplating life without new Blue Oval cars. “Even now, there’s such a limited range of Ford models left to sell,”…
Editor’s letter: Discounts top £20k as car makers race to shift EVs
Average discounts for new electric cars in the UK now exceed those for petrol cars – a watershed moment in the new car market’s race to hit a mandated 22% of sales as electric cars in 2024. The recent half-year…
Smart Roadster comeback on cards as brand expands line-up
Smart is considering an electric revival of the Roadster sports car, which it made from 2002 to 2005, once it has launched a range of more mainstream electric cars. The brand now sells the #1 and #3 SUVs in Europe and…
Top 10 best affordable sports cars 2024
2. Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman 9 Even with its downsized four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, and even as we near its replacement by an all-electric Boxster and Cayman in 2025, the Porsche 718 remains by some distance the most…
Ferrari boss sets ambitious brief for 2025 debut EV
The Ferrari EV will be produced in the firm’s new E-building, which has recently been opened on its Maranello campus. The facility contains an advanced new production line that will come on stream in January 2025. Production there is likely…
Electric Porsche Macan launched from £67,200 with 398-mile range
At 4784mm long, 1938mm wide and 1622mm tall, the new electric Macan is 103mm longer, 15mm wider and a scant 2mm lower than the existing petrol model. The wheelbase is also 86mm longer, at 2893mm. The interior matches that of…
From triumph to tumult: A brief history of Fisker
Nascent electric car maker Fisker has gone bankrupt. That’s a headline from last month – and from a decade ago – because its eponymous founder has suffered the exact same fate twice over. Danish-born Henrik Fisker landed his first design job in…
Top 10 best hot hatchbacks 2024
7. Volkswagen Golf R 8 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…
Top 10 best seven-seat electric cars
3. Volkswagen ID Buzz 8 Volkswagen’s reinvention of the Type 2 campervan for the electric era is a touch larger and more expensive than some would have expected, but it packs plenty of charm and refinement and has a good…
Cropley meets Capri: First ride in Ford’s new headline-busting EV
Onward we sped, and it was a breeze. The car was quiet and quick. It stayed in line (which didn’t please my driver, who’s used to oversteer he can provoke with a big lever to a powerful hydraulic handbrake). We…
Editor’s letter: Chinese brands make a splash at Goodwood
The UK hasn’t had its own official motor show for many years, but in its place the Goodwood Festival of Speed has emerged as the industry’s premier meeting place. While Goodwood is at its core a live event for the…
Porsche 911 S/T Review (2024)
Fire up the S/T and you’re treated to one of the most unmistakable sounds in the world of road cars. It’s the nasal, faintly metallic gargle of Porsche’s atmospheric flat six overlaid with the uneven, snare-drum rasp of a single-…
How can you fix a car when its maker goes out of business?
With somewhat unfortunate timing from our point of view, the Fisker Ocean nipped into Autocar’s 100 Best New Cars list in April, just as its maker ran into terminal financial trouble. A few weeks on, nice though the Ocean is,…
The best cars from the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed
The first bespoke production car to come from former Jaguar designer Ian Callum’s new eponymous outfit, the Skye is an electric Ariel Nomad rival with 247bhp. It’s said to prioritise engagement, promising both a cosseting ride and good steering feel….
Mercedes-AMG GT Pro is 603bhp track-focused super-coupe
Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance car division has boosted its second-generation GT coupé with the new track-focused GT 63 Pro 4Matic+ variant. Unveiled at last week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed ahead of a start to UK sales later this year, the four-wheel-drive coupé receives…
Fiat primes sub-£30k Duster and Puma rivals with ICE and EV power
Fiat will launch a Dacia Duster-rivalling SUV and a Ford Puma-like rakish compact crossover as part of a push towards a new affordable line-up of models. They will follow the recently revealed Fiat Grande Panda supermini and sit alongside the 500…
Polestar Concept BST hints at future motorsport-honed range-topper
Polestar has revealed a stunning new two-seat roadster concept that hints at a future motorsport-honed range-topper and is based on the forthcoming 6. Unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Concept BST is effectively a track-honed reworking of the supercar-baiting 6…
Evoluto 355 is reborn analogue Ferrari with Ian Callum know-how
A restomod based on the Ferrari F355, claimed to be the “antidote” to modern supercars, has been revealed as the first car from British start-up Evoluto Automobili. Key to the Evoluto 355’s appeal is its new bodywork penned by Ian…
Autocar magazine 10 July: on sale now
This week in Autocar, we detail Ferrari’s first electric car, rate Alfa Romeo’s new ‘hot hatch’, and drive the Electrogenic DeLorean DMC-12. News Ferrari’s game-changing first EV promises to be ‘a lot of fun’ as it completes its first round of…
Alfa Romeo Junior Review (2024)
The warmed-up Veloce was revealed a few months ago with an adequate-sounding 237bhp and is now officially rated at an appreciably meatier 278bhp – identical, coincidentally, to the Veloce versions of the Giulia, Stelvio and Tonale. The floor covers a…
Next-generation Citroën C4 to be inspired by radical Oli concept
Citroën CEO Thierry Koskas hailed the platform’s flexibility and confirmed that Citroën would use it to launch larger cars, hinting at plans for a new model between the C3 Aircross and the next-generation C5 Aircross SUV. “We aren’t at all…
Lexus slashes up to £7100 off EV and hybrid line-up
Lexus has slashed thousands of pounds from the prices of most of its line-up. The Japanese brand, which serves as Toyota’s luxury arm, has most notably cut the price of its entry-level electric model, the UX 300e, by up to £7100….
Caterham 360R spawns one-off tribute to military helicopter
Caterham and the Royal Air Force have partnered to build a Seven 360R with components from a retired military helicopter, in order to raise money for charitable causes. The joint project is intended to raise money for injured servicemen and women…
BMW M2 2024 long-term test
And, as regular Autocar readers will know, those engineers have nailed it: the M2 scored four and a half stars in our road test and has topped a group test of old-school, real-driven, manual-shift sports cars. It’s good, then. So…
Porsche’s gamble to race cars using carbon-neutral fuel
Cars competing in this year’s Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup series will run on fuel that Porsche describes as “near carbon-neutral”. The fuel is produced at the Haru Oni plant in Chile and created by synthesising renewable hydrogen made from electrolysis…
Why car buyers will be the ones paying for ZEV fines
What an ingenious idea it was to call an airport car park ‘business parking’, as they do at Heathrow. It’s nearer the terminal than the regular long-stay parking and has small but more frequent shuttles, so it’s more convenient and…
How Lynn Calder took Ineos from tough beginnings to success
Calder believes there is no other car like the Grenadier available and the firm has found a niche, creating “a quality vehicle that people really respect” and one that’s far more sophisticated than a Defender ever was. After a year…
BMW priming futuristic electric sports car
BMW is priming a futuristic two-seat coupé in the vein of the famed i8, which may arrive as part of its incoming Neue Klasse electric car line-up. A new prototype has been spotted testing near the firm’s R&D base in Bavaria….
Last chance saloon: tracing the pop culture heritage of the Jaguar XF
But again, reader, no. There is more gentrification here, too, done rather pleasingly, in the form of The Green Quarter: fancy homes, £399,000 and upwards; roaming security; large play and leisure areas; 1km of canal frontage; 13 acres of park,…
EU tariffs on Chinese electric cars begin today
The EU will apply provisional tariffs to Chinese EVs from today (4 July) while negotiations with the Chinese government continue ahead of an October deadline for making them ‘permanent’. The extra tariffs hit MG owner SAIC particularly hard, after the EU’s law-making…
Speed cameras – how they work in the UK
Many mobile map apps, such as Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze, will tell you where fixed speed cameras and average speed cameras are located as you’re driving. Some apps also report the estimated position of police mobile speed cameras. …
Top 10 best family SUVs 2024
9. Audi Q5 8 It’s hard to pick faults with such a classy and consummate all-rounder as the Audi Q5, although slightly anodyne handling is what will prevent it from really appealing to keener drivers. This shortcoming hasn’t stopped the…
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep. 95)
Episode 95 of the Autocar podcast My Week In Cars finds our resident car hacks Matt Prior and Steve Cropley talking about Meccano, motorcycles, Jet Provosts, air shows and, er, how about some cars? Yes, some cars, and solid state batteries, and…
Volkswagen Golf Review (2024) | Autocar
It’s guilty of one slightly irksome bugbear, a common frustration in modern cars, although oddly one that other Volkswagens we’ve tested in recent years have avoided: the basic lane-keeping system automatically reactivates every time you restart the engine, whether or not you’ve deactivated…
How ‘Covid cars’ are affecting the used car market
Covid may have struck four years ago but car dealers and buyers are being warned of a worrying side effect: cars registered at the time whose equipment level didn’t match their official specification and are now entering the used car…
Volvo takes EX30 off sale as owners refunded over software issues
The Volvo EX30 has been taken off sale while the Swedish brand scrambles to fix serious software issues that has resulted in some owners handing their cars back. These issues, owners have told Autocar, range from screens going black and steering-wheel buttons…
Skoda Elroq prototype review | Autocar
In fact, it’s about the same size as the Ford Explorer. It sits on the same MEB platform too. Overall, it’s about 160mm shorter than the Skoda Enyaq. The reduction comes from reduced overhangs, because the Elroq’s wheelbase is very…
British firm’s ultra-light, rapid-charging EV sports car hits the road
“Our Nyobolt EV demonstrates the efficiency gains facilitated by our fast-charging, longer-life battery technology, enabling capacity to be right-sized while still delivering the required performance.” The firm has worked with Warwick-based design agency Callum – creator of the small and…
Maserati Granturismo and Grancabrio | Autocar
Instead, the T-shaped battery and three motors of the Folgore take up the same space as the engine, driveline and fuel tank do in the four-wheel-drive Trofeo. It’s a similar set-up to the original Mini Electric, even if the battery…
Andreas Mindt's plan to fix Volkswagen's ID crisis
VW’s design boss relishes the challenge of refreshing the brand. We learn what goes into his ‘secret sauce’ In June 1993, Autocar asked a group of students at Coventry University’s School of Transport Design to imagine a modern reinterpretation of…
Suzuki axes Swift Sport and Jimny LCV to make strong start with EVs
Suzuki will axe the Ignis, Jimny LCV, Swace and Swift Sport in the UK in the coming months as the brand gears up to launch its first electric car. It has attributed the decision to the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which forces manufacturers…
Editor’s letter: Legal flip-flopping means car makers can’t make decisions
The impact – and often then despair – surprise regulatory announcements have on those running car companies was laid bare earlier this month by Ford Model E COO Marin Gjaja. While he was in the air from Dearborn to Slovenia for the…
How Marek Reichman will reinvent Aston Martin design (again)
Together, Bez and Reichman and their teams devised an action-packed model plan – and a building plan for Gaydon. Early on they set about devising a high-performance DBS (from what Reichman describes as a “rough-arsed” DB9 concept called Black Betty)…
Hyundai Inster is a 217-mile EV city car priced from £22,000
The Inster also gets Hyundai’s full suite of driver assistance technologies, including a 360deg parking camera and adaptive cruise control. Additionally, it receives the brand’s novel blindspot monitoring system, which projects a camera image of your rear quarter view onto the instrument…
Porsche recalls all Taycan models globally for brake fix
Porsche has issued a recall for all Taycan models worldwide after identifying a braking issue that has affected a small number of cars – but the firm has insisted that the car remains safe to drive. The German manufacturer has noted…
Luca de Meo wins Issigonis trophy at Autocar Awards 2024
Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo has been given Autocar’s most prestigious award, the Issigonis Trophy, in recognition of his efforts in the astounding turnaround of the firm’s fortunes. The trophy, named after Mini inventor Sir Alec Issigonis, is awarded…
New-look Bentley Continental GT swaps W12 for PHEV power
The new Continental GT Speed is the first car to use Bentley’s Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain and ushers in a bold new design language for the electrified era. Evolved from the outgoing car, the new Continental GT has a substantial…
New RS Q8 Performance becomes Audi’s most powerful ICE car
The Audi RS Q8 has received a new range-topping Performance variant, which becomes the brand’s most powerful ICE car yet, with 631bhp from a snarling twin-turbocharged petrol V8. The 39bhp boost over the standard 592bhp RS Q8 means the new…
Kimera K39 unveiled as Lancia 037-inspired Pikes Peak racer
Italian restomod builder Kimera has released the first images of a dramatic new racer called the K39, which it claims to be the first ‘hyper retromod’ in existence. Inspired by the Group 5 Lancia Beta Montecarlo, the K39 is said…
Exclusive: New 2024 Kia Sorento driven – to an active volcano
On the first night inside the volcano, Lidenbrock finds that “the bed was hard, the shelter unsatisfactory”, and later his expedition ends up on a raft in an underground sea, grappling with monsters. Ghastly. When they do eventually emerge from…
Why the Tesla Model Y isn’t really an SUV, but a trendy MPV
Is the Tesla Model Y an SUV? If you were, say, an activist against urban-dwelling 4x4s, would you be inclined to put a narky sticker on the windscreen of one or pop a lentil into one of its tyre valves…
The scrap man keeping the UK’s aging Volvos alive
Coppen reckons the average age of his Volvos is 12 years, but I’ve seen many around the place that are much older. He removes their lights, door mirrors, radios and parcel shelves for storage and resale. “They’re my biggest sellers,” he…
Four-door feud: BMW 5 Series vs Mercedes E-Class
BMW 5 Series vs Mercedes E-Class: Verdict If plug-in hybrids have come of age with regards to their powertrains, then they are still compromised in their packaging and the way they handle their considerable kerb weight. Ultimately, then, both of…
Ferrari gears up for first EV with opening of new E-building
Ferrari has made a significant step towards the launch of its first EV next year with the opening of the new E-building production facility at its factory in Maranello. The new 42,500sqm facility, which was opened in a ceremony attended by Italian president…
Bugatti plots front-engined Type 57 successor as next V16 car
With the Bugatti Tourbillon now entering advanced on-road testing, the company is looking at other models that could use its V16 hybrid drivetrain – and a revival of the stunning Type 57 SC Atlantic is one likely option. Asked if…
‘Stone age’ EV tech depresses used values
Close The car market is moving into a scenario where the remaining combustion-engined models are becoming much more valuable second-hand than their electric equivalents. However, as EV values slide for the 21st consecutive month, a two-tier narrative is emerging in which…
Why BYD is sponsoring Euro 2024
If you’ve watched any of Euro 2024, it will have been impossible to miss the presence of BYD. The Chinese manufacturer has taken a prominent sponsorship of this major football tournament, its adverts and branding covering the 10 stadiums being…
HWA Evo: Mercedes 190E reborn with carbon body and 443bhp V6
German engineering firm HWA has revealed an homage to the iconic Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II, which is built from the ground up and set for sale next year. The original Evo II was driven by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine…
Suzuki Ignis Review (2024) | Autocar
The Ignis seats four adults in surprising comfort; in the back, we’re talking knees free from backrests and heads well clear of the ceiling here. The driver also gets a decent amount of adjustability behind the wheel, and behind you…
Why you need to understand software-defined vehicles
Close Many new terms have entered the automotive lexicon over the past few years with the rise of electrification, some easier to define and understand than others. Software-defined vehicles (SDVs) sits towards the jargon end of the scale, yet it’s a term that…
Lexus to launch Vantage-rivalling V8 supercar with up to 600bhp
Toyota recently announced – alongside allies Mazda and Subaru – plans to “revolutionise” the packaging of the internal combustion engine, doubling down on its belief that ICE technology will continue to play a role for cars in the future, despite…
Is it really worth trying to do major mechanical work yourself?
I’m sure I or a nearby shop have something to convert one to the other. I don’t. The shops don’t. So I go online. A few days pass. Then everything connects. Within three seconds the nut is undone. Per hour…
New world order: Lotus Eletre vs Audi SQ8 E-tron
The truth is, the way the Eletre gets itself down the road isn’t quite as impressive as what it’s like to simply inhabit, and doesn’t feel like what, or how, it’s been made to win you over. But it’s impressive…
UK election: What is each party’s plan for the future of motoring?
“Rebuilding Britain means modernising our transport infrastructure”, states the Labour manifesto, adding that the network has been “plagued by long-promised projects that are never delivered”. It says it will maintain and renew the road network, with a keen eye on potholes…
Jeep Renegade to be reinvented as £20k EV crossover by 2027
Jeep will launch an all-new electric version of its Renegade small SUV globally by 2027, with a starting price of less than £20,000. Jeep will use a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery to bring the cost of the small SUV down, Stellantis CEO…
New Smart #5 electric SUV packs up to 637bhp
The new Smart #5 is not just the brand’s largest model yet, but by far its most powerful, putting out more than 600bhp in its most potent guise. The new Volkswagen ID 4-rivalling crossover was shown in concept form at…
Labour would reinstate 2030 ban on new ICE car sales
The Labour Party has pledged to reintroduce the 2030 ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars if it wins the 4 July general election. The Conservative government last year delayed the end of sales of non-hybridised combustion cars…
BMW M2 boosted to 473bhp in 2 Series facelift
BMW’s M division has ramped up the power and performance of the M2 as part of a series of running changes for the popular sports coupé. Planned for UK sales in August from £63,360, the upgraded 2024 model receives a…
UK “will have to follow” EU on Chinese tariffs
Close The UK “will have to follow” the European Union by imposing additional tariffs on Chinese EV makers, industry executives and watchers have said. However the UK could also exploit the split by encouraging more inward Chinese investment. On Wednesday…
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep. 92)
Episode 92 of the Autocar podcast My Week In Cars finds our resident car hacks Matt Prior and Steve Cropley picking one single car brand to drive forever, talking about the new Mika electric beach buggy, the £180,000 per hour…
Xpeng G6 Review (2024) | Autocar
There are three versions: a Standard range, a single-motor Long Range and a dual-motor Performance. That very closely mirrors the Tesla’s model line-up, and the range figures match, almost mile for mile, those for the equivalent Model Y versions on 20in…
Hyundai Inster: affordable electric city car confirmed for Europe
Hyundai has announced it will reveal a new electric city car called the Inster later this month, with the new model targeting an official range of 220 miles. The firm described the model as an “evolution” of the Casper, a…
Skoda Kodiaq PHEV brings 75-mile electric range for £41,935
Skoda head of design Oliver Stefani said the second-generation SUV has been designed according to the principle of ‘form follows function’, adding: “The design not only emphasises practicality but also enhances the aerodynamics with its dynamic shape.” In fact, the…
The best used electric car bargains to snap up now
2. Tesla Model 3 8 This wouldn’t be a list of electric cars without a Tesla somewhere in the mix. The recent arrival of a facelifted Model 3 has helped soften values for the old car, although in terms of…
David Brown Mini eMastered: the ultimate city car?
What this is, then, is a city runabout for the minted who have other things elsewhere. And on that front, it does exactly what you would want it to. With nearly 100bhp, it has a claimed 0-62mph time of 8.5sec….
Suzuki Swift vs Renault Clio: Finding your perfect Fiesta replacement
By contrast, the Renault exudes an almost premium vibe, thanks to its seemingly higher-grade materials and a smart wraparound dash that’s finished with a natty full-width fabric strip. And although its infotainment touchscreen is a little smaller than the Suzuki’s,…
Is McLaren’s overlapping model range hindering its success?
I just briefly opened LinkedIn to check on responses to a job ad I’d shared, and I scrolled quickly through some posts written in curiously short sentences. Like this. But each a new paragraph too. I noticed a picture of…
What 1980s car-loving celebrities thought of their cars
In 1984, Autocar introduced a new column in which famous people of all kinds would discuss their motoring lives – often with surprising and amusing results. First was actor Rowan Atkinson, who was three years into owning an Aston Martin…
Renault Captur Review (2024) | Autocar
Open the driver’s side door and the relationship between this new Captur and new Clio is immediately recognisable. Like that of its supermini sibling, the compact crossover’s cabin has been thoroughly overhauled. Compared to rivals, this feels one of the…
Editor’s letter: UK car market is growing, these are the trends to watch
Five months into 2024, and the headline figures suggest an increasingly healthy UK car market. The market has enjoyed 22 straight months of growth, albeit total sales are still some 20% short of pre-Covid levels. This year, the overall market…
New Fiat 500 hybrid confirmed for Italy production from 2026
Fiat has confirmed that it will launch a new hybrid 500 in 2026, securing a long-term future for its big-selling petrol-engined city car. The new 500 Ibrida will arrive by early 2026, Fiat said in a statement, meaning it will arrive 18 years…
Alfa Romeo Junior EV brings 250-mile range for £33,895
Imparato added: “Many of Alfa Romeo’s fans still miss the Mito and Giulietta, and now we revamp their stories. Welcome home.” Measuring 4170mm long by 1780mm wide and 1500mm tall, the Junior adopts several bold new design cues but nods back…
Can synthetic fuel replace fossil fuel on a global scale?
Has the decision to abandon combustion engines come too early? After all, synthetic fuel chemistry has been understood for almost as long as cars have been around, and it has the potential to be a viable alternative to what we…
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep. 91)
Episode 91 of the Autocar podcast My Week In Cars finds our resident car hacks Matt Prior and Steve Cropley talking McLarens, an artistic Lotus XI, racing driver Katherine Legge’s fast Indy laps, encouraging you to have your say on…
Volkswagen ID 7 GTX arrives as hot 335bhp range-topper
Volkswagen has continued its run of sporting electric models, with the ID 7 GTX becoming the latest EV to gain a 335bhp range-topper. The ID 7 is the latest EV to wear the German brand’s new sporty badge, following the…
Dacia Spring opens for order from £14,995 or £169pcm on PCP
Dacia has opened orders for the new Spring electric car, launching the compact electric car with a £14,995 price tag and undercutting the UK’s next most expensive EV by around £7000. The Dacia Spring comes close to being the UK’s…
Write-off categories for cars explained
What you need to do when your car is written-off Of course, the insurer and DVLA must be notified that a vehicle has been damaged so that it can assess the damage to determine whether it should be written off, and to…
Geneva motor show axed indefinitely
The Geneva motor show has been axed indefinitely, as organisers have cancelled next year’s edition and pulled future editions. Bosses cited difficult post-pandemic market conditions and “too many uncertainties” currently within the automotive industry having “eroded the attractiveness of major European shows”. President Alexandre…
Sweden’s greatest hits: Exploring the World of Volvo museum
Volvo L248 (1939-1954) Known as the Roundnose, the L248 drew inspiration from American, British and German trucks, and was the first Volvo commercial vehicle to differ significantly from the cars in terms of design. Its 99bhp diesel engine helped it…
Challenger meets Charger: farewell to the V8 Dodge
A Lamborghini Huracán might be the stuff of lottery wins, but everyone can see themselves behind the wheel of a Hellcat. What about the Charger? Nowhere near as immediately appealing as the Challenger, the Charger was always going to be…
When automated driver assistance systems go badly wrong
Recently I was driving through Bakewell town centre. A lorry was coming towards me with ample room for both of us. It was mid-afternoon but wet. As I neared a T-junction, a car approached, clearly preparing, and able, to stop…
VW GTI Clubsport returns to mark Golf’s 50th anniversary
At the back, the Clubsport sports revised 3D-effect taillights and a reworked diffuser with black detailing, plus twin pipes that can be upgraded to an Akrapovic sports exhaust as part of the Race package. Volkswagen has also extended the choice…
Who killed the Geneva motor show?
While Renault and a handful of Chinese brands exhibited in neutral Switzerland this year, the bulk of the European industry sat back. In fact, Fiat even released a whole bunch of Panda concepts the night before the show in what clearly…
Editor’s letter: let’s have more than empty promises in the election
A week into the general election campaign and we await the first real promise – however much of a pinch of salt it should be taken with – to be made about what the automotive industry can expect from a…
Top 10 best 4x4s and off-road cars 2024
1. Land Rover Defender 9 Having switched from a ladder-frame construction to a monocoque, and for plenty of reasons otherwise, this Land Rover Defender is more of a successor than a direct replacement for the old model – and some…
First images of new VW Transporter ahead of September launch
The design of the next-generation Volkswagen Transporter van has been teased, showcasing a thoroughly overhauled design for the brand’s most popular commercial vehicle. Set to be unveiled at the IAA Transportation show in Hanover, Germany, in September, it has already gone on sale in Germany,…
Cadillac goes after Audi and BMW with new Optiq SUV for Europe
Measuring 4820mm long, 2126mm wide (including wingmirrors) and 1644mm tall, the Optiq is a similar size to the Mercedes-Benz EQC. The Optiq’s wheelbase is some 150mm shorter than the Lyriq’s, which “results in a more agile architecture”, according to Cadillac. Its…
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep. 90)
Episode 90 of the Autocar podcast My Week In Cars finds our resident car hacks Matt Prior and Steve Cropley talking about the fact that Steve’s long search for a new car is finally over, a Kia EV9 with a very…
Porsche 911 GTS goes hybrid for 534bhp and blistering track pace
The ZF disc-shaped electric motor is integrated within the front section of the standard eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, generating 54bhp and 111lb ft at up to 7500rpm. Together, the two power sources deliver peak power at 6500rpm and 450lb ft of…
Lancia previews Ypsilon HF hot hatch and confirms rallying return
Lancia will revive the legendary HF badge next year for an electric hot hatch based on the new Ypsilon – and which will also be used for a return to international rallying. The Italian brand has confirmed that it will return to…
BMW 5 Series (2010-2017) Review
As with exterior, the BMW 5 Series’ cabin is all about restraint. Beyond the joystick-style gearlever, there is little here that is likely to offend. The Mercedes E-Class’ dashboard was then dominated by two 12.3in large screens and the virtue of fewer…
The most important British EV maker you’ve never heard of
With its T-shaped nose, the G2 is the more striking Goupil. It’s actually so shaped because the battery sits inside it, whereas in the slightly more conventional-looking G4, it’s slung under the chassis. Both vehicles are front-wheel drive. With a…
Top 10 best company cars
8. Small car – Renault Clio E-TECH Hybrid Techno 9 BiK rate: 24%Monthly BiK tax at 20%: £159Monthly BiK at 40%: £318 Sometimes it pays not to think big when choosing a company car. After all, most business users only…
Self-driving isn’t dead, but the autonomous car might be
In principle, I like the idea of an autonomous car. Not for when I get into a sports car or classic car or climb onto a motorbike and want to enjoy driving and riding, which, amazingly, even on today’s roads,…
The best car shows and events to see this summer
Super Touring Power 2 WHERE Brands Hatch, Kent WHEN 29-30 June WHY Transport yourself back to the BTCC’s golden age The Super Touring era gave us some of the most memorable motorsport moments of all time. Gabriele Tarquini’s dramatic barrel roll, John Cleland…
BMW Skytop previews Z8-inspired, V8-engined GT
The buttresses sit above wide rear haunches that extend towards the rear to visually elongate the new concept. The boot features a distinctive central divider that mirrors the one in the bonnet, and it curves up into a small ducktail…
AA is the first firm to deploy electric recovery vehicles in the UK
The AA has become the first roadside assistance firm to use fully electric vehicles, launching a new fleet of electric vans and trucks to prepare for its transition to net-zero emissions and investigate the use of EVs in “real-life settings”. …
To L3 or not to L3: car makers divided over next autonomy steps
Close Car makers are sharply divided over whether to offer level-three (L3) autonomy as they weigh up the cost versus reward of allowing their cars to take control from the driver for limited periods amid a wider technology race. Right…
Ford E-Transit Custom Review (2024)
The E-Transit being a working tool doesn’t diminish range anxiety – after all you can’t really plug in on a customer’s drive while on a job. A 64kWh battery delivering a WLTP range of 202 miles. If that’s not enough,…
Mercedes SL spawns radical F1-inspired Purespeed speedster
Mercedes-AMG has unveiled the Purespeed concept, a first look at the introductory entry in its upcoming line of limited-volume Mythos models. A prelude to the first car in the range, it is a two-seat speedster based on the SL roadster and swaps a conventional…
Jeep Avenger goes hybrid and AWD with new 4xe
The Jeep Avenger has gained a rugged new 4xe range-topper that features an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain – which brand boss Antonio Filosa promises will “go futher, faster and better off-road” than any rival in its class. The Avenger launched as…
Top 10 best electric company cars
1. Tesla Model 3 Long Range 4 BiK rate: 2%Monthly BiK tax at 20%: £17Monthly BiK at 40%: £33 With falling sales and an unpredictable CEO in Elon Musk, Tesla has been up against over the last six months or…
McLaren unveils Ayrton Senna tributes for Monaco Grand Prix
McLaren has commemorated the 30th anniversary of the death of Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna with a pair of special liveries that will make their debut at this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. The British firm has painted one of its pre-production Senna hypercars…
Range Rover Electric gets Fortescue’s range-boosting battery tech
JLR will use new battery management software in its upcoming electric cars that is claimed by its maker to boost their range, performance and lifespan – without the need for any additional hardware. The software developed by Elysia, the battery…
Used Ford Focus ST 2012-2018 review
We wouldn’t be surprised to find that there’s a rule book when it comes to designing a hot hatchback’s interior. ‘To the engineering team: phone Recaro. Change the steering wheel. Add natty touches, some badges and a few extra dials.’…
Hot Mini John Cooper Works returns with petrol power
The hot new John Cooper Works version of the petrol-powered Mini hatchback has been revealed in camouflaged competition form ahead of its official debut later this year. The overhauled hot hatch is making its first outing at next weekend’s Nürburgring 24…
Saving the most famous shed in motorsport: Ken Tyrrell’s F1 ‘factory’
At the end of 1997, Tyrrell sold his team and F1 entry to the new British American Racing venture – which begat Honda, which begat Brawn GP, which begat Mercedes-AMG, based today out of not one but two much larger…
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster Review (2024)
For the most part, the Quartermaster’s interior is no different from the Grenadier’s, which means panoramic visibility, a low window line, and a sense of space that’s enhanced if roof-mounted ‘safari’ window have been fitted. The Grenadier’s designers have chosen…
It’s harder than ever to know what car makers will do next
I think it has finally happened: I can’t keep up with the car world. Sorry. I just suddenly feel overwhelmed. Where to start? Well, Land Rover announced that it was dropping its straight-six petrol engine from the Defender, which from…
Ford Mustang review | Autocar
With more than ten million sold across a production run stretching more than 60 years, the Ford Mustang had a firm spot in popular culture. Which means almost everyone has their own idea about what they think it should be. …
Honda primes radical saloon to rival Tesla Model 3 by 2030
Each 0 Series car’s technical specifications will be anchored by a range target of more than 300 miles on the US’s EPA test cycle, which is more reflective of real-world conditions than Europe’s WLTP standard. Key to achieving this figure…
Cupra Born VZ Review (2024)
The dynamic changes to the Born VZ – VZ is shorthand for veloz, which translates as fast – are extensive over the standard model on which it is based. On the powertrain side, the rear-mounted motor has had power increased…
First look at new 771bhp Bentley Continental GT PHEV
Bentley has released the first pictures of the next-generation Continental GT, which will pack nearly 800bhp from a new hybrid drivetrain, making it the firm’s most powerful car yet. A heavy revision of today’s third-generation car, it is the first…
Renault shifts self-driving focus from cars to minibuses
Renault acknowledged that the integration of advanced autonomy would make such vehicles more expensive to develop and build than their manually operated counterparts but said these could be offset by not needing a paid driver. Rather, an entire fleet of vehicles…
Nio undercuts Tesla Model Y with £24k Onvo L60 SUV for China
The first model from Nio’s new family-focused EV brand Onvo is a Tesla Model Y-rivalling crossover that majors on practicality and efficiency. Called the L60, it’s due on sale in China from September at a starting price equivalent to just…
First ride in 2025 Volvo EX90 as testing wraps up
There’s a 14.5in central touchscreen and, unlike in the smaller EX30, a fixed digital driver’s information display. Most of the functions are controlled through the touchscreen. The EX30 has copped strong criticism for this, but Ergiturk said the EX90’s system…
Seat Leon update brings 62-mile PHEV and upgraded infotainment
The Seat Leon has been updated with a range of more efficient petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains, as well as upgraded interior technologies. The entry-level 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine has been replaced with an updated version of the larger 1.5-litre…
Mercedes-Benz G-Class Review (2024) | Autocar
The UK now gets a G500, huzzah. Alas, it is not a V8. The only way to get your hands on an eight-cylinder G is to go down the AMG route. The ‘regular’ G-Class, is only available with 3.0-litre inline…
Ferrari engineering boss: Turbocharged V12 “is not in my mind”
Ferrari has invested heavily in making its V12 compliant with new emissions regulations without the need for turbocharging – and the brand is committed to keeping its largest engine breathing freely well into the future. The Ferrari 12Cilindri has been…
Aston Martin Vantage Review (2024)
Our drive was on both road and track, with a good amount of time dedicated to each, and on the road first, which I think is the better way around, giving good opportunity to see which modes suit it best….
How McLaren’s designs will change for the future
Much of Sühlmann’s work since his return has been to develop a new design language, which will be reflected in three external design signatures: two symmetrical elements and a low nose at the front; a long nose, short rear and…
Ultimate GT? 820 miles in 12 hours with the Bentley Continental
It’s not an easy balance to strike, but get it right and what the driver receives is a heady blend of restorative comfort and energising involvement. It’s like listening to Dark Side of the Moon on a £20k hi-fi. Not…
When will cars stop looking so angry?
I wonder if the mock diffuser at the back of the new Kia Picanto will make it look so sporty and fast that it’ll stop it being tailgated on motorways, as is the fate of so many small cars. And…
Alpine reveals hydrogen-combustion sports car with 335bhp
Alpine has unveiled the Alpenglow Hy4, a hydrogen-combustion supercar that will be used to develop the technology for future road and track cars. An evolution of the Alpenglow concept shown two years ago, it tomorrow makes its dynamic debut at Spa-Francorchamps in…
Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 switches four-pot PHEV for 585bhp V8
The upcoming Mercedes-AMG CLE 63 will receive a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine developing up to 585bhp, senior officials at the division’s Mercedes-Benz parent company have confirmed. The decision reverses an earlier plan to give the hot new coupé and…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Review (2024)
Even after years of development, Hyundai’s engineers like using it, and we did too. The ‘engine’ noise itself could use some work – it’s flatly synthetic – and it’s possible in a while we’ll be over it and it’ll all…
Volkswagen will retire GTX name to make way for hot GTI and R EVs
Volkswagen will retire its GTX branding for sporting EVs to make way for its first electric GTI and R models. The GTX badge was first used for warmed-up, range-topping versions of the Volkswagen ID 4 and ID 5 SUVs in…
Ineos: synthetic fuels too expensive to replace petrol and diesel
Ineos Automotive is pessimistic that synthetic fuels can extend the life of the combustion engine, even after the EU decided to allow limited use of the carbon-neutral petrol alternative for new cars after 2035. “At the moment, there’s just not enough synthetic…
Volkswagen Polo could survive with petrol power until 2030
The Volkswagen Polo could be on sale for another five years, having been given a stay of execution by the relaxation of upcoming European emissions legislation. Initial proposals for the Euro 7 emissions regulations, which were due to be introduced…
A classic, remixed: Driving an electric Mercedes SL Pagoda
You will get roughly twice the power, at 300bhp, while torque climbs more modestly to 221lb ft, but it’s enough for 0-62mph in less than 7.0sec if you go for the bigger battery. There’s KW suspension to handle the extra…
Lamborghini Huracan replacement to arrive in August as V8 PHEV
The successor to the Lamborghini Huracán will be launched in August, swapping its trademark naturally aspirated V10 for a plug-in hybrid powertrain. That powertrain will be based around a new V8 that has been engineered in-house, rather than taken wholesale…
New Kia EV3 set for full reveal this month
The Kia EV3, the firm’s smallest bespoke electric car yet, will be revealed later this month – and it has been previewed with a number of teaser images. The new compact electric SUV will first shown in concept form last year,…
Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 cabriolet guns for BMW M440i
The cabriolet has also been given a raft of styling upgrades to match its AMG billing. Its flared front wheel arches accommodate a front track that’s 58mm wider than the standard CLE’s and there is an AMG-specific front grille, deeper…
From the archive: the ill-fated communist car revolution
In the late 1980s, the Eastern bloc’s communist governments realised their countries’ potential for car making and owning and strove to supersede their terrible old smokers with modern metal. “We’ve decided to increase our car production from 1.3m in 1987…
Audi CEO on his biggest challenges: “I’ve never seen anything like it”
Insiders have suggested that Hoffmann’s move was a response to the software issues that delayed the Q6 E-tron, but Döllner says: “We decided to put more emphasis on our Formula 1 project and Oliver Hoffmann is the right person to…
Why the return of Caterham’s Drift Experience is a good thing
After a four-year absence, Caterham has revived its Drift Experience. The clue is in the name to what happens: it’s a day spent learning to drift, in a Caterham. While it’s rear-wheel drive, a Seven isn’t the most natural car…
Winter testing: Pushing a Volvo EX30 to the limit in Swedish Lapland
Plummeting temperatures have a negative effect on an EV’s batteries because when the lithium ions move from anode to cathode, the cold slows the rate at which this can happen, which in turn restricts battery performance. Range testing from our…
What the hell is happening at Tesla?
Close What a difference a year makes. In spring last year, Tesla threw open the doors of its Texas Gigafactory to investors in order to lay out plans for global domination of the automotive industry with sales of 20 million a…
Jeep Grand Cherokee Review (2024)
The plug-in hybrid powertrain in the Grand Cherokee consists of a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine making 270bhp and 295lb ft, two electric motors and a 17.3kWh (15.0kWh usable) battery pack. The main motor is a 134bhp, 195lb ft unit…
Ferrari 12Cilindri revealed as 819bhp GT with screaming V12
However, Fulgenzi says this a consequence of the efforts Ferrari has made to ensure a broad spread of attributes. “We have increased a little bit the weight of the car, because we wanted to create two cars in one: an…
Ferrari 812 replacement to be revealed with V12 power on Friday
“A V8 turbo could make it better in terms of performance. But from an emotional point of view, it’s the best you can have.” The firm has not given any details of the 812’s replacement, but a source at the…
Nine out of ten councils do not plan to increase parking bay sizes
Fewer than 1-in-10 UK councils (8.2%) have plans to increase the size of their parking bays, despite the fact that cars are getting bigger – that’s according to data exclusively obtained by Autocar. Data from a Freedom of Information request…
Newey to finish RB17 hypercar before leaving Red Bull
Asked if the RB17 was the first step towards Red Bull becoming a fully fledged road car manufacturer, Horner said: “It’s the start of a journey. It’s an interesting starting point for us. You can never say ‘never’, but certainly…
Ford boss Lisa Brankin wins top award at Autocar Great Women Awards 2024
All of this year’s outstanding winners are listed below. Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: “Lisa Brankin is deeply impressive as Ford’s UK boss, keeping the brand in the fight for top spots while transitioning it into a new era –…
Ferrari SF90 XX Stradale Review (2024)
Specifically, the XX gets an extra thirty horsepower for its twin-turbo-V8-cum-three-AC-motor hybrid powertrain: seventeen of them courtesy of a new engine piston crown design and higher compression ratio, the other thirteen from a higher-output battery, with the whole powertrain benefitting…
Cupra Leon and Formentor get bespoke new look
Cupra has grafted a new face onto the Formentor and Leon to better distinguish its line-up from that of sibling brand Seat. The new ‘shark-nose’ front end brings the crossover and hatchback/estate into line with the upcoming Terramar SUV and…
Alpine A110 set for sub-tonne, £200k final edition
Alpine is also targeting a kerb weight below 1000kg, giving the new A110 a similar power-to-weight ratio as the Cayman GT4 RS, rated at 348bhp per tonne. Autocar understands Alpine’s ambition is to beat the GT4 RS’s Nürburgring lap time…
Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupé
Does an extra 67bhp and a host of dynamic upgrades give Mercedes’ new two-door the edge over rivals? Serving as an indirect successor to the E53 Coupé, the hot new CLE 53 Coupé wears the AMG badge but isn’t quite a full-bore,…
From the archive: When American cars swapped muscle for MPG
The car industry’s reaction to the UK’s new zero-emission vehicle mandate hasn’t been positive, not least as some makers are unable to comply – and here we can hear echoes from early-1970s America. Americans had become acutely aware of environmental…
(Really) remote charging: Electric Skoda vs the Sahara
I suspect its mechanics have never encountered an EV, so I’m cautious when I turn onto the desert track that leads to the camp. Still, the Enyaq has four-wheel drive and it would be a shame not to use it….
The best cars in life are free… of pointless options
The Clio is also much more pleasant to drive than most big cars. It had been a while since I drove one, and the road testers told me it was the supermini class swot, but I didn’t realise it would…
Jaguar to stay in Formula E after reinvention as premium EV brand
Jaguar will remain in the Formula E World Championship until the end of 2030, saying that it will continue to accelerate its development of its new generation of electric road cars. The British brand has raced in the electric single-seater…
2024 BTCC season preview: meeting the man who makes it happen
The BTCC’s 2024 season will be its 67th As this year’s tin-top championship begins, boss Alan Gow talks new developments on- and off-track Alan Gow, boss of the hugely successful Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship for all but three…
Report: Adrian Newey to leave Red Bull
Red Bull Racing design chief Adrian Newey, whose cars have dominated Formula 1 for decades, is set to leave the team, according to reports. German title Auto Motor und Sport first reported that the 65-year-old has informed Red Bull chiefs…
Toyota unwraps family-focused bZ3X at Beijing motor show
Toyota has unveiled a new electric SUV, dubbed the bZ3X, at the Beijing motor show. A blocky five-seater developed in collaboration with Toyota’s Chinese joint venture partner, GAC, it’s said to prioritise interior space and comfort. Its minimalist interior relegates…
Wild Skoda supercar packs four electric motors and 1073bhp
Skoda has unveiled an outlandish electric single-seater concept for the Playstation racing game Gran Turismo. The Skoda Vision Gran Turismo is a totally unique four-wheel-drive racer, designed to “attract new fans” to the Skoda brand, according to CEO Klaus Zellmer. The digital racer…
Arcfox to Zeekr: Every new car at the 2024 Beijing motor show
Leaked images show the Aceman remains remarkably true to the funky concept we first saw in 2022, and it’s also reassuringly small, being only 192mm longer, 23mm wider and 130mm taller than the Cooper hatchback. Power will come from a single motor at…
Tesla Model 3 Performance is saloon’s most powerful variant yet
The new Tesla Model 3 Performance has been revealed as the saloon’s fastest and most powerful variant yet, with supercar-baiting power and a host of additional equipment. Priced from £59,990 in the UK, the Model 3 Performance produces 453bhp, hitting 0-62mph…
BYD-owned Fangchengbao brings three new cars to Beijing show
Nascent BYD -owned brand Fangchengbao has revealed three radical new cars – the Bao 8, Super 3 and Super 9 – ahead of their public debuts at the Beijing motor show. Fangchengbao was spun off from the Chinese giant in June last…
Vauxhall Grandland reinvented with 435-mile electric option
At the rear, the Vauxhall brand name is spelled out and illuminated as part of the slim wraparound light bar, with Grandland embossed at the bottom of the boot lid, rather than written out in chrome. Inside, the Grandland ditches…
BYD confirms Shark name for first plug-in hybrid pick-up
BYD has confirmed that its first pick-up truck will be called the Shark, ahead of its unveiling at the Beijing motor show. The Chinese giant announced the truck will introduce a new plug-in hybrid powertrain called DMO (dual-mode off-road) that’s said to optimise…
Aston Martin DBX gains touchscreen and goes 707-only
The Aston Martin DBX has gained a touchscreen and is now available exclusively in top-rung 707 guise, dropping the lower-powered 542bhp version of its twin-turbo V8. The move to a one-engine offering comes in response to the success of the…
Goodbye Bentley W12: Last taste of one of Britain’s best engines
Its development was stringent. Tests included 100 hours straight at full throttle and a deep thermal shock test in which it was run at full power to a coolant temperature of 100deg C before being shut down, flushed with -30deg…
Could retro French headlights solve a glaring issue?
I’m pleased to see the government is to look into the issue of headlight brightness and glare – let’s hope they squint a bit – following a recent RAC survey that found a large number of drivers thought dazzling was…
Mercedes-AMG GT hybrid revealed as firm’s quickest car yet
The new plug-in hybrid version of the Mercedes-AMG GT is not just the brand’s quickest-accelerating road car yet, but also one of the fastest cars in production. Arriving just a few months before Porsche is expected to reveal the long-awaited…
Government rules out return of grants for electric cars
“Without any government financial incentive, there’s no reason for the consumer to make the switch.” He was echoed by SMMT CEO Mike Hawes, who said the “government has been keen to assure the UK automotive industry’s competitiveness” but “there is…
Car firms defend PHEVs amid evidence of high CO2 output
Close 6 mins read 19 April 2024 Car makers and their suppliers have defended plug-in hybrid technology after data extracted from cars on the road by the European authorities showed that models on average were emitting more than three times…
Mercedes-Benz CLE
Merc’s amalgamated mid-sized coupé puts richness and refinement ahead of any dynamic cutting edge Picturing a mid-sized Mercedes luxury coupé like the new Mercedes-Benz CLE may not feel like an especially modern thing to do, 2dr coupes being a relatively…
Aion Hyper SSR is Chinese electric hypercar with 1208bhp
Chinese manufacturer GAC has presented the Aion Hyper SSR electric hypercar to Europeans for the first time in Milan. The tri-motor Hyper SSR – short for Super Sport Race – packs some eye-watering performance figures, thanks to a claimed 1208bhp and 8851lb ft of…
UK is most suited country in Europe to mass EV adoption, data shows
Close 3 mins read 17 April 2024 The UK is the most suited market in Europe to the mass-adoption of EVs, especially fleets, according to new data that analysed 1.3 million vehicles across seven countries. In its ‘Taking charge: on…
Audi Q6 e-tron: 6 big things you need to know
It’s all enhanced by the uninterrupted light bar that extends the full width of the rear, connecting the ‘quattro blisters’ on either side of the car to the Audi Q6 e-tron’s amazing-looking active digital OLED rear lights. #5 Even more…
Audi A3 facelift brings new interior and kit for £32,035
The focus of a relatively subtle exterior makeover has been to make the car look more dynamic. There is a revamped, wider hexagonal grille at the front, with the Audi rings now protruding from the top rather than being integrated…