The Original City Slicker: The Smart Car's Journey From Swatch to #2
Smart is re‑launching a two‑seat city car that harks back to the original Fortwo, a concept born from Nicolas Hayek’s 1990s Swatchmobile and the 1994 Mercedes‑Swatch Micro Compact Car (MCC) joint venture. The early prototype combined a 250 cc petrol engine with a lead‑acid battery and was slated for a £3.05 billion (£5.33 billion today) factory investment—roughly $390 million in today’s dollars. After a rocky development path involving Volkswagen and later Mercedes‑Benz, the Smart brand debuted in 1997 and now seeks to revive its ultra‑compact ethos for modern urban markets.
Chinese Brand Aion Will Bring PHEV SUV to UK in 2027
Chinese EV newcomer Aion is set to expand its UK portfolio with a plug‑in hybrid SUV, a rebadged version of GAC's Trumpchi S7, slated for launch in 2027. The brand will first roll out its V electric SUV and UT...
Alpine A390
Alpine unveiled the A390, a five‑seat C‑segment electric fastback that marks the brand’s first tri‑motor, all‑wheel‑drive EV. The GT model tested produces 396 bhp, accelerates to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds, and carries an 89 kWh battery delivering about 220 miles of real‑world range. Priced...
Fiat Grande Panda Electric
The 2026 Fiat Grande Panda Electric, built on Stellantis’s Smart Car platform, re‑enters the UK as a larger super‑mini utility vehicle. It delivers 111 bhp, a 199‑mile WLTP range, and a unique retractable front‑grill charging cable, while offering a stylish interior...
Nascars, Soviet Tractors And... Tigger? Facebook Is a Car Shopping Wonderland
The author describes using Facebook Marketplace as a treasure trove for cheap used cars, from £500 (~$620) clunkers to exotic finds like a former Nascar Chevy and a Roger Clark rally car listed for £80,000 (~$99,000). The platform has overtaken...
Honda CR-Z Meets Prelude: Was Hybrid Coupe Misunderstood?
Honda has reintroduced a hybrid coupe with the 2026 Prelude, filling a niche left vacant since the CR‑Z debuted 16 years ago. The Prelude employs a series‑hybrid layout that pairs a 2.0‑litre Atkinson‑cycle engine with a robust electric motor, delivering...
Up and Atom: Why Ariel Is the Unsung Hero of UK Car Industry
Ariel’s Atom, born from a 1990s design competition, has become the marque’s flagship across four generations. Founder Simon Saunders, a former Coventry University lecturer, built the company by handling everything from design to financing and direct‑to‑consumer sales. Production remains deliberately...
Physical Buttons Poised to Become Key Brand Differentiator
Automakers are re‑embracing tactile buttons and knobs as a way to create distinctive brand experiences, according to design firm NewTerritory. Founder Luke Miles argues that physical controls deliver "human moments" that digital screens can’t replicate, especially as voice and gesture...
Audi Could Hybridise RS3's Five-Pot to Keep It on Sale in Europe
Audi’s 2.5‑litre EA855 five‑cylinder engine, delivering 394 bhp to the RS3 and Cupra Formentor VZ5, now breaches the upcoming Euro 7 emissions rules slated for November 2024. Audi Sport chief Rolf Michl said the company is exploring hybridisation as a way to...
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Alfa Romeo is extending the life of the Giulia through 2027, shelving plans for an all‑electric successor and instead targeting a 2028 model that will offer both combustion and electric power. The 2026 lineup includes a refreshed 2.0‑litre turbo delivering...
Mercedes C-Class EV Interior Revealed with 39.1in Hyperscreen
Mercedes-Benz unveiled the interior of its upcoming C‑Class EV, featuring a 39.1‑inch MBUX Hyperscreen that stretches across the dashboard. The model shares the 800‑volt MB.EA platform with the electric GLC, delivering a claimed range of more than 450 miles. Luxury...
Autocar Great Women 2026: Ford's Lisa Brankin Takes Top Award
Lisa Brankin, Ford’s UK chair and managing director of Ford of Britain and Ireland, was named the overall winner of the Autocar Great Women Awards 2026. The ceremony in Coventry recognized 108 female leaders across 11 automotive categories, with Brankin...
Unsexy yet Vital: Why Tyres Are Worth Obsessing Over
The article argues that tyres, though often overlooked, are crucial to a car’s performance, influencing grip, comfort, noise, fuel economy, acceleration and braking. It highlights how tyre selection offers enthusiasts a chance to act like development engineers, shaping driving dynamics....
Honda Pulls E:Ny1 From UK Market in Great EV Reset
Honda has withdrawn its e:Ny1 electric SUV from the UK after just three years, having sold only 7,122 units. The move leaves the Japanese automaker without any EVs on its UK website, exposing it to the UK’s 33% zero‑emission vehicle...
The Best Family Cars – Driven, Rated and Ranked
The 2026 family‑car roundup shows the segment has broadened beyond traditional MPVs to include estates, SUVs, hatchbacks and electrified models. Editors Keith Jones and Sam Phillips crown the BMW 3 Series Touring as the top choice, praising its dynamic handling and...
Dacia Jogger
The Dacia Jogger received a 2026 facelift that introduces the Hybrid 155 power‑train, cutting 0‑60 mph times to just under nine seconds and boosting combined fuel economy to 61 mpg. Interior upgrades include a 10‑inch touchscreen, new upholstery tones and additional USB‑C ports,...
New Volkswagen ID 3 Brings More Range, Buttons, "True VW" Spirit
Volkswagen has launched the ID 3 Neo, a mid‑life refresh that adds larger battery packs, a longer 391‑mile WLTP range and a fully revised interior packed with tactile buttons. The update also introduces a new front‑end design that will be shared with...
Jensen Interceptor GTX to Be Revealed in Spring with Screaming V8
Jensen International Automotive (JIA) announced the Interceptor GTX, a brand‑new, clean‑sheet British GT slated for a spring reveal. The hand‑built model will feature a bespoke version of the Chevrolet Corvette’s 6.2‑litre V8, delivering around 495 hp, and will sit on a...
Revealed: Rolls-Royce Rethinks Design with £7m Electric Special
Rolls‑Royce unveiled Project Nightingale, a limited‑run electric convertible priced from about £7 million (≈$8.8 million) per unit, marking the debut of its new Coachbuild Collection of 100 ultra‑exclusive cars. The two‑seater draws styling cues from the 1928 17EX Torpedo and features unique...
Forget the Fifth Wheel: How Satellites Changed Road Testing for Good
Modern road‑testing has shifted from cumbersome mechanical rigs to lightweight satellite telemetry, allowing testers to capture 0‑60 mph times to two‑decimal precision for a few hundred pounds (£≈$380). Multi‑GNSS kits like VBox Touch combine GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou, delivering real‑time...
BMW M5 Touring Readied as 708bhp PHEV with 43-Mile Range
BMW is set to launch the seventh‑generation M5 Touring this summer as a plug‑in hybrid, delivering 708 bhp from a twin‑turbo 4.4‑litre V8 paired with an electric motor. The powertrain, borrowed from the XM SUV, is supported by an 18.6 kWh battery...
New Nissan X-Trail Revealed with Hybrid Power and Bold New Look
Nissan unveiled a dramatically restyled X‑Trail SUV, branding it with the E‑Power full‑hybrid badge. The new model, built on the existing CMF‑CD platform, features a bold trapezoidal grille, angular LED lights and sharper body creases. Nissan positions the X‑Trail as...
Toyota RAV4
Toyota’s sixth‑generation RAV4 launches in the UK as a pure plug‑in hybrid, dropping the conventional hybrid entirely and adding a front‑wheel‑drive option. The new model retains its 4.6‑metre footprint but benefits from smarter packaging, a lower centre of gravity and...
New British-Built Nissan Juke Unveiled as Radically Styled EV
Nissan unveiled the third‑generation Juke as its fourth electric vehicle, built at the Sunderland plant on the CMF‑EV platform and slated for spring 2027 launch. The radical Hyper‑Punk‑inspired design is meant to attract new buyers and differentiate the Juke from...
Ford Mustang Designer Kemal Curic Named McLaren Design Boss
Ford Performance Vehicles veteran Kemal Curic has been appointed chief design officer of McLaren Automotive. Curic, who spent 19 years at Ford shaping the Mk3 Focus, the S550 Mustang and recent Lincoln models, will relocate to Woking to lead McLaren’s...
Lepas L6: Jaecoo 7 Sibling Confirmed for UK Launch as PHEV and EV
The Lepas L6, Chery's second UK model, is slated for a late‑year launch as a direct competitor to the Hyundai Kona. It will be available in both plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) and fully electric (EV) configurations, mirroring the 204 bhp powertrain of...
New Denza Z9 GT EV: £100k, 1140bhp Porsche Taycan Rival Tested
Chinese automaker Denza introduced the Z9 GT EV, a ultra‑luxury electric sedan priced around £100,000 (≈$125,000) in the UK and Europe, with lower price points of $68,000‑$75,000 in Australia and $56,000 in China. The car combines three permanent‑magnet motors for...
Can Denza Really Establish Itself as a Luxury Brand?
Denza, the BYD‑owned EV maker, launched its Z9 GT shooting‑brake at a lavish Paris opera house event, signaling its entry into the European luxury market. The Z9 GT is priced around £100,000 (about $125,000) and boasts over 1,100 bhp, positioning it...
New Bentley Bentayga Due 2028 as High-Performance PHEV
Bentley has scrapped its plan to launch five new pure‑electric models by 2030, opting instead to prioritize plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) powertrains. The next‑generation Bentayga SUV, slated for a 2028 debut, will sit on VW Group's PPC platform and launch primarily...
Level-Three Autonomy Falters but China Fear Pushes Car Makers On
BMW and Mercedes have halted development of Level‑3 autonomous driving, citing insufficient consumer demand and high costs. Both firms noted that the technology’s strict operating conditions limited its profitability. Meanwhile, Chinese automakers are rapidly advancing Level‑2‑plus‑plus systems, prompting European manufacturers...
Why Tyre Wear Is the Next Big Emissions Battleground
Tyre wear is emerging as a major source of particulate emissions, prompting regulators to target it under upcoming Euro 7 rules. Continental and Michelin have developed onboard vacuum devices that capture and differentiate tyre‑derived particles from brake and road dust in...
Audi Boss: Concept C Going Ahead Despite Porsche Uncertainty
Audi’s C‑Sport, the production version of the Concept C electric coupé, remains on track for a 2027 launch despite recent turbulence at Porsche. The vehicle, echoing the iconic TT design, will sit on the jointly developed PPE Sport platform. Porsche’s...
Honda Super-N
Honda is set to launch the Super‑N, a compact electric city car, in the UK this July. Priced below £20,000 (about $25,600), it offers a combined range of 128 miles and up to 199 miles on urban cycles, powered by...
Ford Slashes Capri and Explorer Prices by £5000
Ford has cut the prices of its electric SUV siblings, the Explorer and Capri, by roughly £5,000 (about $6,250) after boosting standard equipment and extending range. The rear‑driven 58 kWh Explorer now starts at £35,185 (~$44,000) and the 77 kWh Premium version...
Used Jaguar F-Pace 2016-2024 Review
The review examines the 2016‑2024 used Jaguar F‑Pace, Jaguar’s first true sport‑SUV aimed at boosting the brand’s modest sales volumes. It highlights the model’s engaging handling and spacious cabin but flags a noisy 2.0‑litre diesel, modest 36.7 mpg fuel economy, and...
New Stellantis Design Boss Vows "No Clones" In Effort to Separate Brands
Stellantis has appointed French designer Gilles Vidal as its European design chief, tasking him with ending the “clone” syndrome across its 12‑brand portfolio. Vidal, who returned from a five‑year spell at Renault, wants each marque to develop a distinct visual...
Nissan Micra
Nissan’s sixth‑generation Micra, the K15, arrives as an all‑electric supermini built in Douai, France, and priced at £26,115 (about $32,600) after the UK Electric Car Grant. It rides on Renault’s AMPR Small platform, sharing dimensions, weight and crash‑test data with...
The 1970s Craze that Transformed VW Beetles Into Moving Adverts
In the early 1970s Charles E. Bird launched Beetleboards, turning VW Beetles into mobile billboards for brands like Levi's. Owners received roughly one‑sixth of a car’s $3,000 value—about $480 over two years—in exchange for stickered ads. The model expanded to...
Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric
Mercedes‑Benz’s 2025‑launched CLA Electric, the reigning European Car of the Year, combines an 85 kWh usable battery with an 800 V architecture to claim a WLTP range of 462 mi and peak 320 kW charging. In real‑world testing the midsize sedan delivered 345 mi (4.6 mpkWh)...
Exclusive: McLaren to Reveal Its Future This Summer
McLaren, now owned by Abu Dhabi’s CYVN Holdings after merging with Forseven, will unveil its first new model this summer, marking the first public glimpse of a post‑merger lineup. CYVN has injected roughly $1.9 billion, enabling McLaren to expand beyond two‑seat...
New Lexus ES to Arrive in June From £59,345 – and EV only in UK
Lexus will launch the eighth‑generation ES in the UK this June, offering only the plug‑in hybrid 350e model at a starting price of £59,345 (approximately $74,000). The 350e delivers 221 bhp, a 77 kWh battery and an estimated 329‑mile WLTP range, with...
How New AI Tech Can Predict Potholes Before You Hit Them
ZF unveiled AI Road Sense at CES as part of its Chassis 2.0 strategy, using AI, cameras and lidar to predict road surface conditions up to 25 metres ahead and automatically retune suspension damping. The system runs on ZF's Cubix software and...
Why the Crossplane V8 Is the Ultimate Soul-Soothing Engine
The cross‑plane V8 is celebrated for its low‑frequency rumble and broad torque band, distinguishing it from high‑revving flat‑plane engines. Its uneven firing order creates a heartbeat‑like sound that many find emotionally soothing. Originating with Léon Levavasseur’s 1904 Antoinette V8, the...
Jaecoo 7 Becomes UK's Best-Selling Car in March
Chinese automaker Chery’s Jaecoo 7 became the UK’s best‑selling new car in March, registering 10,064 units and overtaking the Ford Puma, Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage. Launched in the UK only in January 2025, the crossover now sits second in year‑to‑date sales...
Driven: Toyota RAV4 GR Sport – Transformed, but Not How You Think
Toyota’s 2026 RAV4 GR Sport is marketed as the range’s sporty flagship, yet it shares the same plug‑in hybrid powertrain as the standard RAV4 – a 2.5‑litre engine paired with three electric motors and a 20 kWh battery delivering about 75 miles...
How the Bizarre Nissan Primera Paved the Way for the Qashqai
Nissan's final Primera, launched in 2001, featured a bold coupe‑like silhouette and a high‑tech cockpit that included one of the first reversing cameras and extensive electronic kits. Despite these innovations, the model struggled against a consumer shift toward premium German...
At What Point Does a Kia Picanto Become More Fun than a Ferrari?
The author argues that a lightweight city car like the Kia Picanto can be more enjoyable on twisty, low‑speed roads than a high‑priced supercar such as a $500,000 Ferrari. He emphasizes that vehicle mass, not just horsepower, dictates how a...
Lucid Gravity
The Lucid Gravity is a seven‑seat luxury electric SUV that blends supercar performance with a cavernous interior. It produces 827 bhp, accelerates from 0‑62 mph in 3.6 seconds, and offers a WLTP range up to 463 mi with 400 kW fast‑charging, while weighing 2.7 t and...
Mr Muscle, Mineral Water: The Grubby Truth Behind Car Photoshoots
The piece reveals how automotive journalists clean test vehicles for photo shoots using inexpensive products like Mr Muscle and even mineral water, rather than high‑end detailing kits. It points out that a £500 (≈$635) Audi A2’s paint is already far...
How Your Choice of Tyre Can Make or Break Ride Comfort
Tyre choice directly influences a vehicle's ride comfort because tyres act as both spring and damper. Low‑profile, sport‑oriented tyres improve handling but transmit more road harshness, while higher‑profile or run‑flat designs trade precision for a softer feel. Sidewall stiffness, unsprung...