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Jaguar Type 01 to be unveiled tonight

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 09:03:34 +0100

Production version of 1000bhp GT to break cover in US, almost two years after game-changing concept

Jaguar will tonight reveal the Type 01, the hotly anticipated electric GT that begins the British brand’s rebirth.

The wraps will come off the car overnight in New York – and Autocar will be on the ground to bring you everything you need to know about the landmark EV.

It has already revealed the interior of the Type 01, which bears a strong resemblance to the concept car. It's divided into four sections by a central 'spine' and is minimalist in its detailing. It also lacks a rear window; it instead uses a camera similar to that on the Polestar 4.

Speaking at the company's investor day, held on 17 June, JLR chief commercial officer Leonard Hoornik said: “We will launch it in a very, very special way.”

The decision to pick an American location following the concept’s unveiling in Miami last year shows that JLR still believes the US will be a key market for the car, despite the country’s rollback of emissions legislation and the criticism from some commentators over the brand's relaunch.

JLR has previously reiterated its desire to keep Jaguar electric, despite its recent decision to offer hybrid alternatives for its previously EV-only EMA platform, which will underpin replacements for the likes of the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Velar.

“The reason we're saying that is because the kind of performance attributes we want Jaguar to perform against can be delivered only through an electric [drivetrain],” said JLR CEO PB Balaji at the investor day.

The 1000bhp-plus sports saloon, which heralds Jaguar's new era as a maker of luxury EVs, had previously been known as Type 00 after the preceding concept or X900, its internal codename, but was recently confirmed to take the Type 01 name into showrooms.

This is a name with three significant elements, said the company.

The 'Type' prefix emphasises the new car's place in a succession of "legendary predecessors" stretching back to the C-Type racer that won at Le Mans in 1951 and continuing through the D-Type, E-Type and F-Type.

Each of these cars, said Jaguar, was celebrated for blending "an engaging drive with deep reserves of power, plus refinement and composure" - attributes it aims for the new EV to share.

Meanwhile, the '0' represents its zero-emissions powertrain and the '1' "denotes its status as the first Jaguar of a new era".

The Type 01 will come to market in the first half of 2027, breaking a circa 18-month hiatus on new Jaguar production that began with the retirement of the F-Pace SUV in December.

Jaguar is being completely rebranded and repositioned as a more upmarket purveyor of exclusive, luxury-oriented EVs priced well above the relatively mainstream models that made up its most recent rline-up.

Prices for the Type 01 are set to range from around £120,000 to more than £150,000 for high-spec, heavily personalised examples - a window that Jaguar believes pitches itself between more mainstream premium marques like BMW and Mercedes-Benz and top-drawer luxury contenders like Bentley and Aston Martin.

Details on further models to follow have yet to be officially confirmed, but Autocar has previously reported that a large limousine and an SUV are likely to be the next cars to use Jaguar's bespoke new JEA architecture - and now it looks like they could take the Type 02 and Type 03 names into production.

Bold new Renault E-Space Concept previews future electric MPV

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 08:44:29 +0100

"Future-focused vision of the 1980s original" looks to make spacious monobox family cars fashionable again

The new Renault E-Space Concept, set to be revealed in full at next week’s Paris motor show, previews a new electric version of the game-changing MPV.

The bold concept is intended to channel the spirit of the 1984 original, which helped spearhead the popularity of MPV models in the pre-SUV age.

While the Escape is currently in its sixth generation, the current model – which isn’t sold in the UK – has essentially morphed into a large SUV.

Renault said that the new E-Space Concept is designed as “a future-focused vision of the original” and will serve as a “reboot”.

Few details of the E-Space Concept – and no interior pictures – have been revealed ahead of its official unveiling at Paris, but Renault said it's 4700mm long and reflects “a new approach to the design of family cars”.

The exterior images confirm the family resemblance to the original Espace, with a sharply raked front and a squared-off rear to maximise interior space.

Renault claimed that interior will be “generously sized, high-tech and welcoming”.

While Renault has insisted the E-Space is purely a concept, it hinted that it's intended to “explore possible futures” and a production version would fit with the brand’s new Futuready strategy.

While SUVs remain dominant in global sales charts, there has been a resurgence in MPVs as firms electrify their line-ups, skateboard-style EV chassis being well-suited to spacious family vehicles.

The E-Space Concept will be the headline act on a large stand that Renault will have at its home motor show.

The firm has also previewed a new version of its Twingo electric city car, featuring a ‘Twingobay’ panoramic glass roof.

Featuring a 0.7sqm glass roof that filter out 99.9% of UV rays, it's claimed to increase the sense of space in the car for passengers.

Meanwhile, Renault will also showcase the new lithium-iron-phosphate batteries coming to its EVs and display the recently revealed 8 Gordini concept.

Polestar 5 road test: Great but too late

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 08:41:40 +0100

Swedes deliver on six-year-old promise to take on the Porsche Taycan The mainly British-engineered Polestar 5 brings with it a tangible sense of fulfilment that has been rather a long time coming.This five-metre-long electric pseudo-saloon will serve almost like a punctuation mark at the end of what we may look back on, in years to come, as the first era in the history of this still-emerging and maturing, fascinating and alternative, Chinese-controlled but Sweden-based car company.Back in 2020, the year after Polestar introduced its first proper, volume-selling model (the 2 electric liftback), it showed the Precept, a memorable concept previewing a dual-motor, four-door GT flagship.Very quickly then boss Thomas Ingenlath committed to a production version. Some six years (including a significant shareholding restructuring and a new CEO) later and, rather against the odds, that production version has arrived.With UK deliveries of the 5 set to begin this month and in advance of the car’s national press launch, Polestar loaned us a range-topping Performance Launch Edition, and we took it to the regular home of the Autocar road test, Horiba MIRA proving ground in Warwickshire – which also happens to be where much of the car’s engineering work was done – to find out just what kind of flagship Polestar has produced.

New Alpine 'PS1' concept to be revealed at Paris motor show

Tue, 6 Oct 2026 08:00:00 +0100

Projet Spécial 1 will sit outside the remit of Alpine's existing sporting models; could preview supercar or GT

Alpine will reveal the new Projet Spécial 1 – or PS1 – at next week’s Paris motor show.

It said the PS1 codename reflects that the concept sits outside its “everyday” cars – the A290 and A390 – as well as its flagship, the A110.

A teaser image showcases its narrow headlight, illuminated in the colours of the French flag.

This is distinct from the next-generation A110, whose design has been hinted at in the form of a sculpture that will also be displayed in Paris.

It's possible that the PS1 will hint at the look of Alpine's forthcoming rival for the Ferrari SF90, which is due in 2028 with a turbo V6 hybrid powertrain that will combine for an output north of 1000bhp.

Indeed, the teaser picture released by Alpine appears to show the shadowed silhouette of a large rear spoiler.

Equally it could hint at the long-mooted successor to the A310, a four-seat GT that was built between 1971 and 1984.

The image shows the narrow headlight is positioned next to a straight-edged wing, a design cue that was present on the lightweight A310.

As previously reported by Autocar, a new A310 is due to join the Alpine range in two years’ time as a 2+2 rival to the Porsche 911.

BMW M3 EV all but revealed as "natural enemy" of ICE super-saloon

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 13:01:42 +0100

New electric version of super-saloon prioritises driver engagement rather than more power

BMW has all but revealed the electric M3, which bears a strong resemblance to the M Concept Neue Klasse that was unveiled earlier this year.

The German firm has published images of a lightly camouflaged prototype of the production car that is due next year. It retains key cues from the concept including its Le Mans-inspired auxiliary lights and split bumpers that riff on sailboats – but it is also notably more restrained, with a smaller front splitter and rear diffuser.

BMW has yet to officially publish any technical details of the new M3 but, as part of a statement commemorating the production of the millionth example of the super-saloon, it confirmed it will be built in Munich.

BMW M boss Frank van Meel previously confirmed to Autocar that it would have a quad-motor powertrain, but added that the M division will not chase huge power outputs, because “you can’t put that down to the road anyway”.

The full interview with van Meel, as well as designer Michael Scully, can be read below.

BMW M boss: Electric M3 is petrol car's "natural enemy"

BMW is producing its “own natural enemy” in the electric M3, according to M division boss Frank van Meel, who claims buyers of the next-generation M3 will be lured away from the petrol variant by the EV’s superior dynamics.

The M3 EV was previewed by the M Concept Neue Klasse, pictured below. This represents a total transformation of the forthcoming i3 electric saloon, with its muscular design drawing on the M division’s sporting heritage.

But it will also be sold alongside a new combustion-engined generation of the stalwart super-saloon, which was recently caught testing for the first time.

Its turbocharged 3.0-litre straight six has been updated to meet the Euro 7 emissions requirement without any loss of power from the current 503bhp.

Speaking to Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, van Meel said: “Now we are fighting against [ourselves], because with the all-electric M3 we are attacking our best-selling product – the leader in its segment.

“We are also working on a future generation of [petrol] M3, but now we have an internal fight. We are just pushing ourselves with the two different powertrains, and it's a great contest.”

Key to the electric M3’s engineering brief is that it will have four motors – but it won't simply chase headline power and torque outputs, instead using the unusual arrangement to bolster its poise and agility in pursuit of heightened driver engagement.

“It’s not about having even more power,” emphasised van Meel. “At the end of the day, you can’t put that down to the road anyway. You need to have sufficient power at every corner of the car and we are using four electric motors, but you will never use it at the same time.”

The BMW Vision Driving Experience prototype (pictured above), which previewed the technical capabilities of future M cars, had a four-figure power output, but van Meel said drivers “don’t need 1000 horsepower” on the road.

“It’s like a kickboxer. You never kick with two legs. You can have strong arms and strong legs, but you don’t use them all at the same time. And it’s the same with four electric motors.”

The M division is instead looking to unlock the dynamic benefit brought by having four motors controlled by a central computer, referred to as the Heart of Joy.

“It’s insane what you can do with that technology,” said van Meel. “You can bring more agility or stability to the car. You can brake the inner wheels, accelerate the outer ones and can get out of turns in a completely different way. It’s a new era of vehicle dynamics.”

He continued: “Power is nothing without control. Of course you need a lot of power [in a performance car], but you also have to control power. If you just throw out a huge amount, you will just leave four stripes on the Tarmac. In the best case it’s still stable but actually makes no sense.”

Van Meel is confident that the new capabilities brought by the quad-motor powertrain will win over buyers in the battle between the ICE and electric M3s.

He said: “There might be customers who say they want to have a combustion engine because they like the sound or the looks or cannot charge at home. That’s fully okay. But if you're into racing or driving dynamics, you might say the electric one is the best M3.”

Van Meel joked that “in case of doubt, [customers can] buy both” but added that BMW will target both versions of the M3 at the same people and “the customer can decide”.

As previously reported by Autocar, the M3 EV will also offer simulated gearchanges, but that will no longer be paired with a simulated engine note inspired by historic M cars, said van Meel.

“We tried all the different sounds: we had a high-revving V10 from the M5 (pictured above); a high-revving V8 from the M3; we even tried the four-cylinder from the E30. But every sound only made sense for that specific car. If you try to put the sound in another car, the feeling is not right.”

The M division will instead develop a new sound inspired by the electric motors – but this, said van Meel, “shouldn’t be any Captain Kirk spaceship sound, because then you’re not connected”.

He said the dilemma is “philosophical” and that the M division is trying to “move ahead” in replicating the “feeling” and “emotion” of an ICE car, rather than directly copying its character.

More broadly, van Meel said the decision to simulate the power delivery of a combustion engine and gearbox is intended to make driving an electric M3 more intuitive.

“If you’re on the track, you want to know how quick you are. You need to have some pedal feel and ratios that you are comfortable with, so that you automatically know you are driving [for example] 100mph because you are in third gear, because you know the deceleration and acceleration. That’s what you want.

“You can of course copy a gearbox, and it’s already quite emotional. That’s a good idea. But we want more."

Design reinvention

Fundamental to the design of the next M3 is “proportion”, said M division designer Michael Scully, guiding Autocar around the M concept.

“When we look at the new powertrain there are a very different set of considerations packaging-wise, and we have worked very hard to get the proportions to what our customers expect – that very classic two and a half boxes with a very agile, dynamic [stance].

“To find a proportion that works for us is the first order of business, and we have a chance to take it one step further in terms of boldness.”

Scully also hinted at a cleaner, less fussy look for future M cars. “We are reducing them down to really the performance essence of the car. There’s a reductionism which, if done intelligently, means you can get it down to what is truly necessary from a performance standpoint.

“That’s really important in racing, and we’re now approaching it the same way in our production models.”

Scully described the fresh approach as “intelligent reduction”, as “whenever it turns into a decorative area, I don’t think that’s a good thing”.

Asked if that meant a move away from the large grilles and aggressive flares on current M cars, he explained: “Intelligent reduction is important, but it’s also about emphasising functional elements.

“What’s really important is that the elements we do have – from an aerodynamic perspective – is the real stuff, it’s not implied. That’s where the authenticity comes from. Our customers have incredibly educated eyes and they can see if we [jump the shark] on performance.

“It’s also important to embrace the new powertrain. For example, we’ve got four electric motors, one on each corner, so let’s pronounce that. It helps make the cars look muscular and strong but it also pronounces where the powertrain is.”

Scully drew on his experience shaping BMW’s race cars in devising the new M3.

One example of his new, more purposeful approach is the massive double-decker diffuser mounted at the rear of the M Concept Neue Klasse.

This, Scully explained, was inspired by the racing M3s fielded in the GT2 and GT3 classes over the years. Those cars trade a traditional exhaust for side-exit systems, opening up space for a more aggressive rear diffuser, needed to generate downforce on track.

Replicating this design on the road-going M cars of the past wouldn't have been possible, lest drivers or passengers burn their legs on entry or exit after a spirited drive. But when you dispense of an engine in its entirety, and therefore also an exhaust, that frees up room for such an aerodynamic package.

“We don’t have that [exhaust] requirement, so let’s open it up and celebrate the opportunity that we have now,” said Scully.

“We have a double-decker layout for the diffuser with a main [section] and an aerofoil across the bottom. The floating aerofoil helps to manage the flow. With aerodynamics, there’s never one standalone element: it’s always a constellation of things that affect each other.

“For example, that diffuser interacts significantly with the duck-tail spoiler, so that’s a constellation; that’s where a lot of downforce comes.

“I love downforce, because that’s the thing that, from a driving sensation standpoint, allows you to do things which your intuition says you can’t.

"When a car does that, when it enables the driver to experience those things their intuition tells them is impossible, I think we’ve landed in a great space.”

Indeed, prototypes of the next combustion-engined M3 have revealed a smaller rear diffuser than their electric counterparts, owing to the presence of M's signature quad-tip exhaust.

Scully also highlighted the large, deep vent in the concept’s raked bonnet. This is used to cool the four motors’ front-mounted radiator, but such a prominent feature would not have been possible were it not electric.

“Normally you would have a big engine right there and there’s no way you could have those ducts, but here we can,” he said.

Notably, the M concept dispenses with the hook-like side mirrors that have been a fixture of the M3 since the E36 generation.

This, said Scully, is another manifestation of motorsport-inspired design: “M customers over the years have come to know and love the cars for having this hook that points back toward the centreline of the car. But what we discovered was that if we turn the fin vertically, it's actually more efficient and brings small gains.”

Meanwhile, the car’s main-beam lights are mounted low and wide on the M Concept’s flanks. These are inspired by the M Hybrid V8, the BMW hypercar that raced in last month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Meanwhile, the yellow positional lights – previously exclusive to the rare-groove CS versions of the M3 and M5, plus the M4 CSL – reference the headlamp colour cars are mandated to use in the American GTD racing class.

Although the M Concept exploits BMW’s sporting heritage, the company does not currently build an electric race car.

Asked whether there is a dissonance between drawing on ICE cars for the design of an EV, Scully said: “I don’t think it makes it more difficult; it makes it more meaningful.

"I think the reason this car resonates is that people can see we embrace our heritage with motorsport and our ongoing involvement with it and are able to translate it into an electrified future.”

Hyundai Ioniq 3 undercuts key rivals with £18k starting price

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 11:09:35 +0100

Small EV offers up to 308 miles of range and features 441 litres of boot space

Hyundai's new Ioniq 3 EV has gone on sale in the UK priced from just £18,495, thanks to it having been approved for the government's full £3750 Electric Car Grant.

The entry-level Ioniq 3 undercuts the rival Renault 5 Urban Range by a full £3000, and it is £1500 cheaper than the Citroën ë-C3 Urban Range – while outdoing both in the range stakes, being capable of 213 miles between charges.

It does, however, omit key equipment offered on other trims of the Ioniq 3. This includes the high-set instrument screen that was central to the Ioniq 3's new interior design, having been placed to keep drivers' eyes on the road. Instead of using the instrument panel, drivers will have to look over at the central infotainment touchscreen for their speed and odometer readings.

All versions of the Ioniq 3 receive the full government grant, meaning the Long Range model (capable of up to 308 miles) starts at £21,995. Upgrading to Premium trim, which reinstates the instrument screen, starts from £23,695.

Hyundai Ioniq 3: Everything you need to know

The Ioniq 3 has been positioned to rival an array of electric hatches, from the small Renault 5 to the larger Volkswagen ID 3 – and at 4.15m long and 1.51m tall, it sits right between them in size.

Its unusual shape is described by Hyundai as an ‘aero-hatch’, a sleek new form conceived with the goal of maximising aerodynamic efficiency.

This approach has resulted in a raked roofline, similar to that employed by the old Hyundai Veloster, ending with a prominent duck-tail rear spoiler. The rear lip is moulded into the leading edge of the boot, but range-topping N Line cars get an extension for a sportier look. The front end, meanwhile, has been sculpted to have the smallest frontal area possible.

Its efforts have yielded a drag coefficient of 0.26, which is better than the smaller but chunkier Renault 5 (0.29). As a result, the Ioniq 3 is said to be capable of driving 208 miles between charges when fitted with the standard 42.2kWh battery.

Lead exterior designer Manuel Schöttle said Hyundai began with the most efficient shape in aerodynamic terms for the Ioniq 3, but added it was “important to make sure it didn’t look like a soap bar”.

He said it was Hyundai’s first electric car designed in Europe, and it has been shaped according to Hyundai’s new 'Art of Steel' design language.

Yet the radical silhouette also brought several compromises inside the Ioniq 3. For example, the roofline’s rake ate into the boot space, and the small front end combined with the model’s front-wheel-drive configuration meant there was no space for a frunk.

The workaround was to create a large cargo space below the floor, similar to the ‘Gigabox’ in the Ford Puma Gen-E increasing load space from 322 to 441 litres.

The raked design also ate into rear cabin space, so Hyundai carved into the car’s headlining to free up a few millimetres more head room.

The Ioniq 3’s cabin was designed to free the driver of as much distraction as possible. Lead interior designer Victor Andrean said the “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road” philosophy brought a rethink of the dashboard’s layout.

That resulted in a thin new digital instrument panel that is set notably higher than in existing Hyundais; it is paired with a smaller steering wheel, resulting in a similar set-up to Peugeot’s i-Cockpit.

“We place it above the steering wheel, not inside the steering wheel, as in a conventional car,” said Andrean. “That is a huge statement on lifting your eyes and your head up; you are looking a couple degrees higher [when looking at the panel]. This is way closer to the road.”

The Ioniq 3’s 12.9in infotainment screen is also the first to use Hyundai’s new, Android Auto-based Pleos operating system. This will allow new functionality, such as installing apps natively in the car rather than using smartphone mirroring – although that is still included. Positioned below the screen is an array of physical climate control and media switches.

“The tactile feel of buttons is very important, and I think [the European] market really needs that,” said Andrean.

Standard Range cars will use a 145bhp motor, for a 0-62mph time of 9.0sec, while Long Range cars get a more efficient 132bhp variant. The former's charging rate peaks at 119kW while the latter can accept 110kW, giving 10-80% refill times of 29 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively.

It is not yet known whether a hot N version will join the line-up as a rival for the Alpine A290 and Volkswagen ID Polo GTI, although Schöttle said he “always sees potential for something more sporty”.

How Hyundai has reinvented the cupholder

Wary of customers carrying ever-larger flasks, Hyundai has come up with a novel cupholder design that allows for particularly tall receptacles to be stowed in the centre console.

The modular cupholders continue through the lower shelf of the centre console, allowing their size to be changed depending on how large a drink the driver or passenger wishes to carry.

“We had this question from the very start,” said lead interior designer Victor Andrean. “Where do you put your huge Thermos? These days, everyone is walking around with 1.5-litre-plus bottles – I’m one of them.”

Abarth 600e Competizione: 5 things you need to know about the most powerful Abarth ever

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0100

The most potent Abarth in history shows electrification needn’t be the death of fun

Even at an early age, Carlo Abarth was already a winner in the making. Legend has it that at just 11 years old, he wrapped leather belts around the wooden wheels of his scooter so he could go faster and beat the older kids in his neighbourhood.

That insatiable need for speed and innate competitive spirit would go on to carry him to motorsport stardom, winning titles on two and four wheels, and setting a string of records along the way. One of the more unusual being his victory over the Orient Express in an 850-mile race from Vienna to Ostend. On a motorbike. With a sidecar.

But Carlo’s legacy-defining moment came in 1949, when he founded Italy’s most famous tuning house: Abarth. Starting out by fettling Fiats to make them go better, Abarth soon grew into an all-out performance powerhouse, creating some of the most iconic and celebrated sports cars of the past 70 years.

So why are we telling you this now? Well, in the age of electrification, some might argue that the likes of Abarth and its greasy, oil-splattered counterparts are a thing of the past. But that couldn’t be further from the truth – and Abarth’s latest creation proves it.

It’s called the Abarth 600e Competizione, and it’s the most powerful road car the Italian firm has ever created. Developed hand-in-hand with Stellantis Motorsport and packed with a wealth of serious, track-honed hardware, it has one clear purpose: to prove that electrification doesn’t have to dilute driving enjoyment – it can enhance it. And that’s a philosophy we think Carlo Abarth would almost certainly have approved of.

Here are five things you need to know about the Abarth 600e Competizione.

Learn more about the Abarth 600e Competizione

#1 It’s the most powerful Abarth ever built

The history of Abarth is peppered with truly iconic cars. The Abarth Cisitalia 204A, the slippery drop-top that started it all. The Abarth 1000 TC, the giant-killing pocket rocket that dominated the 1000cc European Touring Car scene in the 1960s. The Fiat 131 Abarth Rally, built to replace the legendary Lancia Stratos. And that’s just to name a few.

So to think the new 600e Competizione is more potent than all of them is nothing short of reality-altering.

Powered by a 54kWh battery and 280hp electric motor combination, it can sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.85 seconds – eclipsing any road-going creation that has worn the Scorpion badge before it.

Yet outright power is only half the story. With 345Nm of instant electric torque available the moment you touch the accelerator, the 600e Competizione is engineered to deliver the sort of immediate, breathless response even the most radical petrol performance cars struggle to match.

But there’s more. One of the biggest challenges facing any performance EV is maintaining consistent performance when driven hard – something petrol cars are largely immune from.

To address this, the boffins at Abarth have developed a dedicated battery cooling system featuring a high-capacity coolant pump designed to push back the onset of performance-reducing thermal limitations. Specific cooling calibrations also help optimise performance during the car's sportier driving modes. The result is mind-bending performance time after time.

#2 It was developed with motorsport expertise

Unlike many fast EVs, the 600e Competizione isn’t simply a case of senselessly piling on the power and bolting on a flashier body kit. It was engineered from the ground up with one goal in mind: usable performance.

Developed in partnership with Stellantis Motorsport, it sits on a performance-focused evolution of the group’s electric eCMP platform – aptly named Perfo-eCMP.

According to Abarth, every element of the Competizione’s architecture was analysed and honed by a joint team of engineers, testers and motorsport specialists to create a cohesive driving package. The suspension, for example, receives a dedicated setup designed to maximise both handling precision and stability, while a mechanical Torsen limited-slip differential (more on that shortly) has been calibrated specifically to manage the instant torque delivery of the electric powertrain.

That motorsport influence extends beyond the chassis. The electric motor itself was validated using Formula E test-bench technology, simulating real-world track conditions under controlled laboratory precision.

#3 It gets serious performance hardware

Speaking of the real deal, the 600e Competizione’s specification sheet reads less like that of a fast electric hatchback and more like a purpose-built race car.

Take the differential we mentioned a moment ago. Rather than relying solely on electronic traction systems, Abarth has fitted a mechanical JTEKT Torsen limited-slip unit developed specifically for the unique characteristics of an electric powertrain. It helps channel the motor’s instant torque more effectively, improving traction on corner exit and allowing the car – and driver – to hold its line when driven at the limit.

The braking system is no less serious. Up front sit large 380mm Alcon vented discs clamped by four-piston monoblock calipers. Beyond their obvious stopping power, the larger discs bring improved heat dissipation and greater resistance to fade under repeated hard use – essential in a car capable of reaching the national speed limit in under six seconds.

Then there are the tyres. The Michelin Pilot Sport EVs weren’t chosen simply because they’re sticky. Developed using knowledge gained in the white-hot heat of Formula E racing, they feature a dual-compound construction designed to maximise grip while minimising the compromises often associated with high-performance EV rubber. A softer outer section improves cornering traction, while a polyurethane (also known as foam) insert helps reduce road noise – proof that in that case of the 600e Competizione, performance and everyday usability aren’t mutually exclusive.

#4 Its aggressive styling serves a purpose

The Abarth 600e Competizione isn't a car that fades quietly into the background – nor is it intended to be. From its squat, muscular stance to its striking two-tone livery and razor-sharp edges, it screams its intentions proudly.

Yet beneath the visual drama lies genuine purpose. The widened tracks, lowered ride height and enlarged footprint aren't simply there to create a more imposing silhouette; they're a direct consequence of the performance hardware underneath. Likewise, the rear spoiler, squared-off bumpers and carefully sculpted 'shark nose' front end help manage airflow and improve stability at speed, proving that form and function can still go hand in hand.

Inside, the same philosophy continues. Tactile Alcantara trim and heavily bolstered Sabelt sports seats create a cockpit that feels every bit as focused as the engineering beneath it, giving the Competizione the sense of occasion the most hardcore Abarth in history deserves.

#5 It's still practical enough for everyday life

For all its pulse-raising, breath-quickening, eye-widening performance credentials, the Abarth 600e Competizione hasn’t forgotten that most of its life will be spent far from the asphalt of a racetrack. In fact, at 4.1 metres long, 1.8 metres wide and with a turning circle of just 10.5 metres, this is, above all else, a car designed for the city.

That 54kWh battery will deliver up to 207 miles of range (WLTP) on a full charge – more than enough for a week’s worth of school runs, shopping trips and daily commuting. And when it’s time to recharge, a 100kW DC rapid charger will get the battery from 20% to 80% in as little as 27 minutes, while an 11kW home charger will replenish the battery in less than six hours.

Practicality hasn't been sacrificed at the altar of speed either. The elevated driving position and compact exterior proportions make the Competizione an easy car to live with in town, while a useful 360-litre boot provides enough space for everything from the weekly shop to a weekend's luggage.

Inside, a crisp 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated navigation sits at the heart of the cabin, complemented by wireless smartphone charging, wireless smartphone mirroring and a host of cool digital performance readouts unique to the Abarth experience.

There's plenty of reassurance on the safety front, too. Adaptive cruise control with lane assist, Level 2 assisted driving capability, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, all-round parking sensors and a 180-degree rear-view camera all work behind the scenes to make every journey easier and more relaxing.

Not every feature is designed to make life quieter, though. The 600e Competizione comes with an augmented sound generator that uses an external speaker mounted beneath the rear bumper to project a deep, throaty, petrol engine-like roar as you cruise around town. Trust us, your kids will love it.

And that's perhaps the most impressive thing about the 600e Competizione. Despite being the most powerful and technically advanced road-going Abarth ever created, it remains a genuinely usable everyday performance car. Proof that electrification doesn't have to dilute the Scorpion's spirit – it can simply give it a new way to sting.

Learn more about the Abarth 600e Competizione

First look at new Citroen 2CV ahead of reveal this week

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 09:48:32 +0100

Reborn 'Tin Snail' will be revealed on Sunday evening – and new pictures showcase retro design cues

Citroën has released new images of the reborn 2CV ahead of its unveiling later this week, showcasing its throwback design cues.

One of the stars of next week’s Paris motor show, the new 2CV has been conceived to give “buying power” back to European motorists, according to Citroën chief Xavier Chardon. It will be “a true people’s car designed for real life”, he said.

The new pictures show its dome-shaped headlights, set high on its front wings, as well as deep-set bonnet strakes reminiscent of the extrusions on early 2CVs.

It also has an open air duct between its front wings and bonnet, a cue found on later examples of the famed 'Tin Snail'.

It rides on large steel-style wheels wrapped in Michelin rubber, recalling the tyre firm’s significant involvement in the development of the original.

Autocar exclusively broke the news that Citroën was plotting the 2CV’s revival in January 2025, as part of a bid to tap into opportunity in Europe’s affordable car segment.

It's expected to become the French brand’s entry-level car, bridging the gap between the Ami quadricycle and the conventional C3 supermini.

The 2CV will be an EV and, Chardon said, “will democratise electric mobility”.

To that end, Citroen previously confirmed it will be priced at less than €15,000 (£12,700) and that it has been designed to take advantage of the EU's E-car proposal – a ruleset that would heavily incentivise sales of small EVs built in the EU.

“The future of mobility will not be won by the most complex cars but by the simplest and the most intuitive ones,” Chardon said. “What truly matters is to be relevant.”

The 2CV will be revealed at 6pm on Sunday 11 October.

Which £20k supermini is best? Corsa vs Ibiza vs Swift

Mon, 5 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Few cars are cheerily coloured, cheaply priced or carefree any more. Here are three wonderful three-pedal exceptions

Primary colours feel apt for these cars: three 20-odd-grand, pure-of-heart, petrol manual superminis whose badges are a through-line right back to the '90s heyday of affordable metal. Back when grey wasn't the default choice. I've been looking forward to this one with a fervour usually reserved for a gathering of supercars.

Rewind two decades and my excitement would have seemed sarcastic at best, but it's bred largely by the increasing scarcity of cars like these.

Each year more driving tests are taken for a pure automatic licence (the figure is 26% at present), perhaps partially explaining the rate at which manual options have tumbled out of showroom brochures. But this funky-looking, smartly priced little trio is proudly keeping a very modest dream alive, and at a time when EVs are beginning to virtually mimic their interaction as a selling point.

It's the Seat Ibiza that sparked the idea for this little confab, thanks to its recent second facelift, undergone in an attempt to blip back onto buyers' radars. Yet time moves fast: since photographer Jack packed away his camera gear and I drove home to type these words, the Volkswagen Group's 'Future Plan 2030' appears to have rung the death knell for the Seat brand. Don't tell this perky little Ibiza, though.

Dressed in Hypnotic Yellow, it looks every bit as fab as it did upon launch back in 2017, with its reshaped front grille, slimmed-down headlights and bold hue doing much to make it feel genuinely fresh. Let's not kill its vibe.

There's still a decent gaggle of cars to choose from in assembling rivals. The £20,590 Vauxhall Corsa is here not only for its infectiously optimistic Yes entry trim, but also because it's a mainstay in the UK's top 10 best-sellers, refusing to be bullied by the bunch of burly SUVs around it. It's the most powerful here, tying a 99bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo engine to the only six-speed gearbox of our group for 0-62mph in 11.2sec.

The Ibiza compares well beside it, starting at £21,610 in SE trim (although we have the better-equipped SE Technology here) and latching a 94bhp 1.0-litre turbo triple to a five-speeder for a slightly more rapid 11.0sec claim.

The Suzuki Swift is a firm Autocar favourite and the cheapest here, starting at £16,499 (or £17,599 in this fancier Ultra spec). It mates an 81bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid assistance to a five-speed 'box for 0-62mph in 12.5sec. Most crucially of all, it's the lightest of our trio, weighing just 945kg.

Let's start in yellow. It was a five-speed manual Ibiza - the pretty, Giugiaro-penned Mk2 - on which spent quite a large chunk of my student loan as a teenage runaround. While there's now another 30-odd horsepower and a lot more finesse, it's a real nostalgia trip to be hustling this Mk5 along.

Its engine and transmission aren't an instantly effervescent pairing and its gears are long, but the total control you're given over its trajectory ensures you barrel into corners with more speed and a bigger smile than any automatic Ibiza can elicit. It's good, clean fun.

The gearknob has a traditional round top with a pleasantly rubberised lip and is neat to hold. The shift has a pleasing weight and resistance, although it's very unlikely you'll shuffle it around for the sheer heck of it, because you'll probably banish yourself from its torque band in doing so. It has a light, friendly clutch and a brake pedal more intuitive than that of its DSG equivalent.

Its handling is very neatly balanced, if a little prescriptive, and its ride can get a little crashy with sustained speed on especially bumpy roads.

I do keep attempting to grab sixth gear, though, and anyone genuinely buying into this car for driving thrills would do well to eke out more budget for the £25k, 114bhp Ibiza FR with its extra ratio (and performance). If only Cupra still worked its magic on superminis...

As for the rest of the car? There's reasonable room in the back, even if the cabin feels dim in lieu of its rivals' contrasting coloured accents. At least its mixture of soft-touch materials and harder-wearing door bins feels keenly judged for its asking price. I like its angular door mirrors, too, which trickle down a taste of premium design from a class or two above.

As does the Ibiza's refinement. It can amble along below 3000rpm on a motorway, feeling thoroughly fuss-free to use. Its digital instruments are bigger and bolder than the Corsa's, while the central touchscreen is right-sized, is well placed and allows you to disable the ADAS bongs easily - not that they are overly irritating if left on. You get physical air-con dials and this sub-FR trim doesn't distract you with drive mode options. Simplicity is a virtue in here.

The Corsa is a step up in terms of equipment. It squeezes a heated wheel and seats into its 20-grand price tag and feels surprisingly classy, too, with piano black trim and vibrant striping across the cabin. Even the instruction manual is housed in a twee cloth wallet. For one of the cheapest and most ubiquitous cars on sale in the UK, it doesn't come across as proletarian. Its material choices all feel considered.

Launched in 2019 and having received a sole facelift since, the Corsa now inevitably feels its age, but nowadays that's often a blessing at least as much as a curse. Like in the other two cars here, it gives you physical climate controls and buttons on the steering wheel- not to mention a good old mechanical handbrake.

The steering itself feels loose and baggy after the tauter Ibiza (although you can stiffen it up via a Sport button) and the Corsa demonstrates a softer, less precise swagger down the road - soft enough that taking your left hand from the wheel to shift gear requires a more determined grip with your right. This is a car that can lollop around without full focus. It rides amiably and demonstrates an uplift in performance after the Seat, despite their similar on-paper stats. This will be a nicer motorway hack, its sixth gear and lower cruising revs helping no end.

The shape of its gearknob is undeniably more curious, however, and not especially natural in fun, fast driving, plus it moves more loosely. But the Corsa still possesses all the hallmarks of our earliest days of driving, audibly squealing from its front axle out of junctions and its rear as you tip it committedly into bends. It reacts keenly to a trailed brake, its less precise chassis easier to manipulate once you're more keyed into its behaviour. It's more on its tiptoes after the Ibiza.

More sensible stuff? Its front seats hold you well, but its rear quarters are oddly cramped. The Corsa is the only car here with an electric twin, not to mention a super-spicy variant - the 277bhp GSE elevating this chassis to new heights. Overall it makes a decent fist of being a likeable, easy car to rub along with for not much money. It's typically Vauxhall in being most things to most people-and somewhat inevitably lacks that vital 'want' factor as a result.

Jack ran a heavier, more potent Corsa Hybrid as a long-term test car and craved the simpler, lighter variant we have here. Yet he also ran this latest-gen Swift, launched in 2024, and turns misty-eyed as soon as he sees this blue example.

It's easy to see why. The Swift is immediately a bubblier, bolder car to behold, whether in its aquatic aesthetic or bright and borderline-slapdash interior design, its touchscreen looking much more clumsily integrated than in the other cars. There's even a banjo-strummed jingle as you prod its starter button to life.

The doors shut with a tinny clang and its seats place you taller and more upright than its rivals, priming you for a less dynamic driving experience. Its much slimmer weight (160kg less than the Corsa and a whole 194kg less than the Ibiza) disproves that impression by the first corner. It's more alive than the Ibiza and more accurate than the Corsa.

It also invites interaction. There's a pair of round analogue dials - a traditional tacho from zero to 8000 (even though it redlines at 6000) and a speedo that climbs in neat 20mph increments, each featuring a bold red needle. There's no time wasted in choosing your favourite digital layout here. Nearby you will find a row of buttons for succinctly killing its individual ADAS (and even the ESP), righting one of the few wrongs Jack found in his many thousands of Swift miles.

The gearstick is pleasingly round-edged, with a more compact H pattern than the others, owing to reverse being a simple snick down from fifth. It has a short throw, albeit one not as tight or precise as the Ibiza's, and you hear the rubbery, physical action of its movement.

Yet the least powerful car here doesn't demonstrate a dramatic step down in performance or attitude, its lack of turbocharging more than compensated by its slick mild-hybrid system (which makes the engine stop/start system beautifully smooth) and a sub-tonne kerb weight.

You have to work the Swift's gears hard on an undulating road, but crucially this is the most satisfying engine to rev out here, exhibiting a fun and assertive three-cylinder thrum under load. Although the effect of its brakes is decent, you get pretty poor feel through the pedal, yet this is ultimately a car where such matters border on the trivial. You rarely arrive at a corner needing to shed much speed before turning in.

"The Swift's almost cocking a wheel!" squeals Jack once the cornering shots are done. It seems distinctly Japanese in how it prioritises analogue fun over a misplaced aspiration of luxury, with a spirit similar to the Mazda MX-5 or Toyota GR86. It also seems more single-minded than its Spanish and British rivals, which are ultimately limited in how individual they can be by their well-known group platform-sharing.

It's slightly amusing to use a flat-bottomed steering wheel in an 81bhp Swift, but this is also rather emblematic of a car that isn't taking life too seriously. Yet it can still comfortably accommodate tall adults in its back row while being far and away the most efficient of our trio, both on paper and in reality. The Swift's eloquent active cruise control works surprisingly well, given it's paired to a manual gearbox - a mature piece of tech that genuinely takes the sting out of motorway miles. Suzuki has an enviable track record in the What Car? Reliability Survey, too. The company has nailed the fundamentals while leaving plenty of room for fun.

So, which car wins? If Ford had valiantly kept the Fiesta going, I reckon it could still stroll to victory in a comparison test like this: no member of this trio quite nails its lost blend of fun and frugality. But in our supergroup of household 90s names, Suzuki has clung to the decade's hedonism most authentically. Whether you're buying into a manual supermini in the pursuit of pure value for money or genuine dynamic sparkle, it's the Swift you want most.

Verdict

1st, Suzuki Swift: The lightest and most agile, yet the Swift will seat four adults and beat 60mpg in daily use. More of an all-rounder than you might dare imagine.

2nd, Seat Ibiza: Looks better than ever and handles well too; stiffer than its rivals and more demure inside. A charmer, whatever the future holds for Seat.

3rd, Vauxhall Corsa: The quickest and most mature car here, the Corsa would slip into most lives the easiest. It simply lacks the others' pizzazz.

Feature	SUZUKI SWIFT 1.2 HYBRID ULTRA	SEAT IBIZA 1.0 TSI SE TECHNOLOGY	VAUXHALL CORSA 1.2 TURBO YES
Rating	Four stars out of five	Four stars out of five	Three and a half stars out of five
Price	£16,499 (£17,599 as tested)	£21,610 (£22,880 as tested)	£20,590 (£21,240 as tested)
Engine	3 cyls in line, 1197cc, petrol, plus 12V ISG	3 cyls in line, 999cc, turbocharged, petrol	3 cyls in line, 1199cc, turbocharged, petrol
Power	81bhp at 5700rpm	94bhp at 5000-5500rpm	99bhp at 5000rpm
Torque	83lb ft at 4500rpm	129lb ft at 1600-3500rpm	151lb ft at 1750rpm
Gearbox	5-spd manual, FWD	5-spd manual, FWD	6-spd manual, FWD
Kerb weight	945kg	1139kg	1105kg
0-62mph	12.5sec	11.0sec	11.2sec
Top speed	103mph	118mph	121mph
Economy	64.2mpg	55.4mpg	54.3mpg
CO₂, tax band	99g/km, 25%	115g/km, 29%	117g/km, 29%

Toyota GR Yaris tested: Still great to drive, but that price...

Sun, 4 Oct 2026 12:19:49 +0100

Madcap Yaris continues to evade the emissions noose. Is it still great? The history of the Toyota GR Yaris in the UK car market makes an interesting case study in how extremes of supply and demand can affect the development of a modern performance car.Much anticipated as the first proper Toyota performance car the firm had developed on its own in some 20 years, the GR Yaris arrived on UK roads in 2020. A rare kind of four-wheel-drive, rally-cult, homologation type once popular but not seen from almost any brand in decades, it inspired a glowing reception from reviewers and owners alike – and, pretty soon, a waiting list of more than two years.A tempting entry-level price of just under £30,000 was, no doubt, key. Toyota knew it had to sell 25,000 examples of the car to satisfy homologation requirements for its Yaris World Rally Championship car. But it also knew that, in a European performance car market rapidly shrinking in the face of tightening emissions rules, registering too many of them, in Europe or the UK, would ultimately cost it. And so, with interest the firm described as ʻoverwhelming’, Toyota withdrew the car from sale in the UK in 2022, shortly thereafter managing availability in short releases and special editions.It was probably inevitable, in those circumstances, that the car wouldn’t – couldn’t – remain so affordable. Sure enough, it hasn’t. The GR Yaris re-emerged after its big 2024 revision as a car starting at £44,000, with the end-of-run Ogier and Rovanperä special-edition versions of the pre-facelift model pushing the envelope all the way to a scarcely believable £60,000.So where is it today? And, after so much repositioning and upgrading, does it still represent such a unique and compelling proposition as it did six years ago?

Secret identities and missing parts: F1's most mysterious team

Sun, 4 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100

The Maki team had bold ideas but was beset by intrigue and a lack of experience

In December 1973, Formula 1 midfielder Howden Ganley received a mysterious phone call.

In broken English, someone spoke of a new Formula 1 team arriving from Japan. The New Zealander assumed someone was pranking him, but as the calls continued and the March team for which he was racing struggled for cash, he agreed to meet these mystery men at the Pizzaland in Earl's Court, London.

Introducing themselves as Mr Togo and Mr Yamamoto, they asked him to not only drive their car but also find their people a workshop. Conveniently, he already had one in Slough, Berkshire, inherited from his old team boss, Frank Williams.

"He wasn't really sure that he believed they were really going to appear with an F1 car," Autocar reported in March 1974, "but was sworn to secrecy; so much so that he had to tell [fellow F1 driver] Tim Schenken, with whom he shares a house, the Oriental voices on the telephone were his collaborators in a Chinese restaurant venture!

"Finally, only a few days before the car's press showing, he was left in no doubt: eight mechanics with toolboxes and suitcases arrived from London airport in a taxi fleet. When the crate containing the car arrived, it was short of one or two essential parts - like a gearbox and brakes - but it should be ready to race in a few days' time."

The team was called Maki, and while its F101 was conventional in using a Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engine, a Hewland gearbox, Koni dampers and Firestone tyres, "the body shape and the positioning of the enormous radiators parallel to the curving sides show originality".

Maki Engineering seemingly had no link to any of Japan's blossoming car firms; rather it was an unknown with the stated objective of making "progress in the automotive field" by developing "new powerplants and energy sources for everyday cars". Funding came mainly from a firm called M's Brain, whatever that was; Maki was its boss's surname.

MD Junsuke Fukuoka told us "the design was formulated by a team of engineers who have been working in secret in Tokyo for the past eight months. None has previously worked in F1 and they come from 'all areas of motoring backgrounds'" - but all of them looked very young, and one had to wonder how many of them had read the car regulations...

The F101 didn't arrive for its expected debut in Spain in late April (the fourth grand prix of the year), supposedly because Maki was still waiting for the correct wheels to arrive from Japan, and nor was it present at the following four races.

"We gather that this contender is alive and reasonably well in Slough," wrote Autocar in late June. "Ganley has tested it a number of times, and several modifications have been made, including repositioning the side radiators just ahead of the rear wheels. The first car turned out to be [135kg] overweight, so a lightening programme is in progress."

Or as Ganley put it: "We have been drilling a lot of holes."

After one more no-show, in France, Maki at long last introduced itself to Ferrari, Lotus, Tyrrell, McLaren and co at Brands Hatch in late July.

After missing practice because the F101 still wasn't ready and there were "a few scrutineering problems to iron out", Ganley finally got going in qualifying - and ended it 1.3sec shy of securing a place on the grid.

Next was the fearsome, 14-mile Nürburgring - where on Ganley's first practice lap, "something broke coming out of a fast right-hander. The car careered into a guard rail and the whole front chassis section was knocked off, being bolted and riveted to the centre, not welded. He broke both ankles and damaged a foot but can count himself lucky, considering the state of the car."

In an interview with Motor Sport three decades later, Ganley claimed that Maki had then sued him for his failure to drive at the next race - and that Togo and Yamamoto were false names, taken from the architects of the Pearl Harbour attack. Bizarre... Apparently they also repeatedly told him that Honda was backing Maki without ever showing any evidence.

His seat went to British rookie Tony Trimmer - whom the F101 likewise "nearly killed" during his three DNQs across the 1975 season.

And that was that - until another Japanese team, Kojima, pitched up at the 1976 season finale at Fuji with a suspiciously familiar-looking car and a number of ex-Maki people. It likewise immediately suffered a heavy crash, in the hands of local Masahiro Hasemi, and then wasn't seen again for an entire year, after which it too vanished without trace.

I had a ride in a Rally1 car – this is why they'll be missed

Sat, 3 Oct 2026 14:40:41 +0100

This weekend's Rally Sardinia marks the end of the line for Rally1 – and that's a great shame

For the last four years, the World Rally Championship's top-class has run to Rally1 regulations, featuring spaceframe machines powered by 1.6-litre turbocharged engines – initially with hybrid powertrains. Largely freed from the homologation rules of the World Rally Cars they replaced, Rally1 machines were just about the fastest thing to ever hit a rally stage.

But they were also hugely expensive and so, after just four years, the category is being ditched. This weekend's Rally Sardinia season finale will be the final outing for the Rally1 class, before the new WRC2027 machines – featuring less powerful engines and a spec tubular chassis – come into force. At Goodwood this year I had the chance to ride in a Toyota GR Yaris driven by 18-time WRC event winner Jari-Matti Latvala, for an up-close taste of the new machines.

Riding in the Toyota GR Yaris

In the co-driver seat of the GR Yaris, I can only see a limited amount of the interior - my vision is blocked by the looming wings of the tight bucket seat, while the taught harness prevents me from moving around all that much. The cabin is devoid of almost everything you’d find in the road going car, save for the ghostly outline where the road car’s distinctive dashboard used to be.

It's just as otherworldly from the outside. Leave your glasses at home and it looks just like the road car from thirty feet away, but get up close and the differences are myriad. The car seems impossibly wide thanks to the pumped out arches, and the aero package is just as ridiculous at the rear thanks to the simply gigantic split-level rear wing.

Under the bonnet, the 1.6-litre four-pot is a thing of beauty, sitting deep in the bowels of the chassis with gold heat shielding protecting 3D-printed parts wherever you look. The minimum weight of the car is just 1180kg, and this Yaris has over 365bhp to push that mass along through that regulation five-speed gearbox. The 309bhp-per-tonne power to weight ratio is roughly equal to a BMW M8 Competition.

Anyway, back to the stage. The four pot bursts into life, the high idle sounding more like a chainsaw than a car. This is loud with a capital L - were it not for the helmet intercom, there’s no way I would’ve heard Latvala talking.

“Some bits are very slippery,” the Finn says in what seems like the calmest voice I’ve ever heard. The Hannu Mikola-designed route sits on a bed of concrete covered with a fairly thin layer of loose gravel which has a tendency to wear down over the four days of the Festival of Speed.

With ten seconds to go, things start to happen. Latvala engages the first stage of the anti-lag system, igniting the fuel-air mixture inside the exhaust manifold and starting off a stream of assault rifle-style bangs as the turbo begins to spool up. Five seconds later, the revs rise even higher as we prepare for launch, filling the cabin with one of the single most aggressive noises I’ve ever heard in my life.

To call the launch brutal would be an understatement. All four of the wheels fight for traction on the tarmac as the nose seems to pitch itself skywards and we rocket away from the line. The softly-sprung suspension immediately tips the right-hand side of the car down as we slide through a narrow, hay bale-lined left hander.

We shoot under a thick canopy of leaves on a route that seems scarcely wide enough to fit the car along, the anti-lag popping and banging as we go. The trees feel close enough to touch, but Latvala is unphased, keeping his right foot firmly planted to the floor through the fast sweepers of the first sector.

The grip available on this less-than-ideal surface beggars belief in these quicker turns, and as Latvala slews us sideways through a fast left-hander it seems that understeer is something of a foreign concept to the Yaris. The front end grips like a vice and the rear follows almost as well: more often than not, the car is facing the exit of the corner almost as soon as we enter it.

My instinct is to keep my eyes looking as far down the road as possible, but I force my vision onto the other side of the car to see how on earth Latvala is making this happen. His inputs are hypnotic to watch, his left hand never leaving the alcantara rim of the steering wheel no matter how much lock he has on, whilst his right busies itself with the gearstick and handbrake, and his legs stay eerily still as his feet glue themselves to the pedals.

Looking back out of the windscreen gives my eyes the ability to slightly keep up with what my body is feeling. It’s brutal in every way, and I seem to always be pulled in two directions at once due to the fact that we always seem to be sideways.

We head into a sharp right hander and I feel the rear of the car mount the bank slightly as Latvala uses all of the road and a little bit more. No worries for Latvala as he simply plants the throttle to allow the mechanical differentials front and rear to pull us through, fishtailing a little before we finally straighten up.

The stopping power on tap is astonishing, too. The car’s nose pitches downwards as the calipers clamp the huge 300mm brake discs, slowing us at a rate that would be impressive on tarmac.

I spot a jump approaching and prepare myself, but Latvala doesn’t seem fussed about lifting. We hit it flat and fly for almost 50 feet before the 270mm of suspension travel softly drops us back down to earth. I’ve had worse thumps through my seat hitting potholes at 20mph.

I sit slack-jawed in amazement as we negotiate the final few corners, the turbo chirping away by my feet, and before I know it we’ve crossed the finish line.

This is the last year we’ll see these Rally1 monsters in action, as the WRC shifts to a less extreme formula that’ll see slower, simpler cars fight on the stages for the overall title. As I clamber out of the Yaris in sheer disbelief, I can’t help but feel like that’s a shame, given the utter lunacy of these current cars.

Anyone for mini-Golf? Bag a minter with a used Volkswagen Polo

Sat, 3 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Mk6 Polo is a competent, great-value supermini with a classy big car feel

Fifty years after the Volkswagen Polo arrived in the UK and now in its sixth generation, it remains the default supermini choice if you're looking for a well-made, competent and economical runabout. There are cheaper rivals (we're looking at you, Skoda Fabia) and ones that are more fun (Seat Ibiza), but only the Polo has that reassuring big-car feel.

The Mk6 Polo was launched in 2018 and facelifted in 2021. Thanks to its modular MQB-A0 platform, it's almost as big as the Mk5 Golf. Meanwhile, it looks remarkably similar to the Mk5 Polo, only a tad sharper-suited with pinched LED lights and a fancy double swage line.

With the facelift, the Mk6 got sharper still with the adoption of even sleeker headlights (matrix LEDs on some top-spec versions), a full-width front LED light bar, restyled bumpers and a reprofiled tailgate, plus upgraded infotainment with touch-sensitive panels in place of knobs and buttons inside and a centre airbag. The Polo's evolution into a baby Golf seems almost complete...

Most Polos are powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. If you want to save money, go for one of the atmo units, which produce 64bhp, 74bhp or, in later cars, 79bhp. They're cheap but far from cheerful. For that you need one of the turbo engines, badged TSI. Our pick is the 94bhp 1.0 TSI 95. Like the non-turbo engines, it has a five- rather than six-speed gearbox (the 113bhp 1.0 TSI 115 has six speeds), but it's pretty flexible.

Don't think the Polo is a hoot to drive even with that engine, though. As Autocar reported in its 2018 road test, the car "soothes, reassures, isolates, obliges and protects" but a bag of handling laughs it is not.

Actually, that's not totally true. The 2.0-litre Polo GTI is a lot of fun. It arrived in 2018 with 197bhp and gained seven more horses during the 2021 facelift.

There's also a 1.6-litre diesel Polo in 79bhp or 94bhp flavours. Very few were sold before it was withdrawn from sale in 2021. Expect to get close to 60mpg and to pay around £10,000 for a 79bhp 2019 1.6 TDI SE with 45,000 miles.

The Mk6 Polo is a spacious supermini and considerably roomier than a Ford Fiesta. There's plenty of storage for oddments and larger items. The boot is 355 litres with the seats up and a generous 1125 litres with them folded. Cars in SE trim and above have a useful variable-level boot floor too.

Fit and finish is first-class, so don't expect to hear any rattles or creaks on your test drive. Equipment is decent as well. All trims have air-con, automatic emergency braking, electric front windows and an 8.0in colour touchscreen. Move up to best-selling SE and you will find 15in alloys, electric rear windows and smartphone connectivity.

Beats trim brings a powerful sound system and SEL, which is available with the 1.0 TSI 115 engine only, has front and rear parking sensors, sat-nav and auto wipers. SEL and R-Line, the pseudo-sporty one that's next up, are reasonably rare - and then there's the GTI.

With the 2021 facelift, S and SE trims were folded into a new and enhanced Match trim paired with the 1.0 TSI 95 engine. It's our pick of the later models.

How to get one in your garage

BUYER BEWARE...

ENGINE

Some owners report ignition coil failures on the atmo 1.0 MPI and excessive oil consumption beyond 60,000 miles. The 1.0 TSI and 2.0 TSI units can suffer turbo actuator problems and carbon build-up on the intake ports and valves. Low-mileage cars are especially susceptible. Cars on VW's flexible servicing plan may not have seen fresh engine oil for two years or 18,600 miles.

GEARBOX

The five-speed gearbox can suffer worn selector forks, while linkages may require adjustment. All manuals can suffer leaky slave or master cylinders, which contaminate the clutch. The DSG automatic is a dry-clutch system that can feel jerky from low revs, while a few cars have suffered mechatronic and hydraulic pump issues.

SUSPENSION, BRAKES AND TYRES

Listen for creaky suspension over speed humps. Worn anti-roll bar droplinks will clunk and worn front strut top mounts creak as you turn the wheel when stationary. Light oil misting on dampers is common. Rear brakes tend to wear faster than fronts. Check tyres for irregular wear.

BODY

Anything less than millimetre-precise panel gaps suggests past repairs. Check window rubbers and under handles for overspray.

INTERIOR

The tough interior can disguise high mileage well but worn pedal rubbers and a shiny steering wheel will give the game away. Check your phone can connect. Be sure the rear air vents haven't been kicked and broken. There is a recall for a left-rear seat buckle that may unfasten involuntarily.

ALSO WORTH KNOWING

In the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, the Polo bagged fifth place with a score of 98.5%. However, while few owners reported mechanical issues with their cars, some complained of the Forward Assist system unexpectedly initiating emergency braking on bends. To aid its diagnosis, VW dealers will provide a form for you to complete with details on when and where it happened.

HOW MUCH TO SPEND

£6000-£8499: High-mileage 1.0 TSI 95 SEs up to 2019-reg with about 70,000 miles.

£8500-£9999: Beats, R-Line and SE cars, topping out at 2019-reg with 40,000 miles.

£10,000-£12,999: The sweet spot, where you will find nice, five-year-old mid-mileage SE and Match models.

£13,000-£15,999: Spans lots of three-year-old 1.0 cars with around 20,000 miles.

£16,000-£19,999: Up to 2026-reg 1.0 TSI Match and R-Line (DSGs to 2024-reg), plus 23-reg GTIs with 20,000 miles.

£20,000-£22,499: Lots of nearly new 1.0 Polos, as well as 23-reg GTIs with around 5000 miles.

Crayford returns: Is this £35k Mini the ultimate budget resto-mod?

Sat, 3 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Coachbuilding marque revived for open-sided beach car that brings endless fun for VW Golf money

This is one of those cars whose elevator pitch would be a remarkably straightforward one: it's a car for someone to keep at their holiday home, so they take an old Mini and cut the sides off. And that's about it. That's the explanation. Lobby, please.

This is the Crayford Mojito (Mk2), a restormodded Mini whose modifications are completed partly in Hungerford, Berkshire, but mostly in Rochford, Essex, hence we've come to Southend-on-Sea to have a go in it. Affordable seaside fun meets etc, etc...

If you think you've heard of Crayford before, it might be because a company of that name made Minis into convertibles in the 1970s- those and Triumph TR7 estates - and it put convertible tops on everything from Mercedes-Benz CE Coupés through to Morris Marinas while importing an eight-wheel multi-terrain amphibious vehicle called the Argocat.

The then owner, David McMullan, retired in the 1980s and the name fizzled away, but it has been brought back by Paul Osborn, a lifelong car dealer who ran top-end retailer Chequered Flag International over in Los Angeles. The McMullan family has lent Osborn its approval, pleased to see the name in use again. That they're willing means "there is a connection", says Osborn.

So tell us about the car, Paul. I can see it's a Mini, and... "Basically we've removed the side," he says. That's the 'tl;dr' version of it. Crayford likes to take a classic Mini, ideally not in too shabby condition because restoration is costly and Heritage shells are "too expensive", and then he sets to work with – I'm assuming a bit here – a marker pen and an angle grinder.

Out go a door, the rear window and some of the bodywork beneath it. Added are three new panels - one where the door hinged, a taller sill structure and the angled rear panel. Of what has been taken away, "none of it was load-bearing, so to speak", says Osborn, with some reassurance.

For use in the EU, a rope across the gap is an option, and while this car has lap seatbelts, there's an option to have a bar placed behind the front seats that allows the fitment of a full inertia reel belt. But most owners will, I suspect, run around in the car as it is shown here.

Mechanical changes are slight. "We want to keep it as Mk1 as possible," says Osborn. The engine gets a minor retune for low-end torque rather than power, this car has disc front brakes, and then comes some interior work. Seats are trimmed with "material they use outside on yachts", and the car goes to a company called Flexiteek (also in Essex) to have its synthetic marine flooring put in. A sunroof goes in, sourced from a company in an arid bit of the US and which initially had kittens when it learned its canvas tops were coming to the UK, because they're not exactly watertight. But a few drips from a sunroof in this car are not going to be noticed. Other new bits of trim arrive looking 'fine, good enough', but with original switchgear still around, the Mojito is clearly - and very deliberately - modified to a price point.

Osborn is a car seller, not an idealist. "We're doing a basic version of what [Porsche 911 modifier] Singer is doing," says Osborn, extremely aware people will not pay Singer prices for a Mini. In fact, not enough of them were even paying David Brown prices (around £100,000) for a Mini, so he admits to cutting a few corners here and there to keep conversion time short and the cost as low as is practical.

"I'm interested in being at the price point where people say 'well for that, I'll have one'," says Osborn. People are buying them for their second homes, beach houses or partners and will tool around in it for just a few weeks of the year. Prices, then, start at £35,000, although you could spend £50,000 if you put your mind to it. The one here started life as a 1986 Austin Mini City E or Mayfair (£3447 or £4075 at the time) and as-is would today cost £37,500.

To drive? Well, it's a Mini. Which means it feels incredibly compact by today's standards- at just over 3m long and, even with these wheel arches, I'd guess still under 1.5m wide. The driving position is bent of knee, and you hold the steering wheel like a plate at a buffet. The amount of air one is afforded means it doesn't in any way feel cramped, of course. The weight probably hasn't changed much from its original 650kg-ish, and there's no assistance for anything, so it's incredibly direct and interactive and precise. It rides pretty well too - perhaps it's a bit bouncy in its primary ride but with its secondary ride rounding off edges very deftly for a car of such low weight. It steers nicely, the four-speed gearbox is fun in a long-sticked way and there's a lot of torque (and/or not a lot of weight - probably that, actually). Plus, everyone loves it.

Do you feel exposed? A bit, but predominantly in a nice way, immersed in your seaside surroundings. I wouldn't want to sit on the M1 in one, but people don't: Crayford is making one a month for short, fun town journeys.

Which is where the next step comes in: making this fun car more accessible. "Automatics are tricky," says Osborn. That's because not many Minis of this era were fitted with the £699 optional automatic gearbox that isn't very good anyway, but more and more, drivers aren't used to a manual like this. Osborn sees an electric conversion as an inevitability. "EV is the future for it," he says. "There are people who want one who aren't stick drivers." Plus there's the fact that leaving an old car sitting in a garage for a winter by the sea isn't conducive to it behaving when you return in the spring. Not everyone wants a classic combustion-engined car. Problem is, says Osborn, most of the existing EV conversions "are all £15,000-£25,000 just for the parts", but he adds that this car "doesn't need to have the range and performance of a Tesla".

What he wants - and has found – is "the kit to give us the range and performance of a Moke (the electric Mini Moke-alike that isn't mechanically an original Moke at all], and for under £50,000". A car that can do 50mph and around 80 miles.

Osborn adds that a lot of people "already assume this is electric" anyway.

We'll return to have a go in an electric one once that conversion is complete. In the meantime, I can see how one of the cheapest restomods on the market is also one of the more compelling.

Audi A6 Allroad driven: Executive long-distance motoring reimagined

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 13:00:54 +0100

Return of the jacked-up, black-clad executive estate with six-cylinder power

We’re used to ruggedised versions of estate cars coming and going. Mostly going, it must be said: they had a surge of popularity 15-20 years ago but now most have vanished. Through the years, most of them have been fairly superficial jobs: lift the suspension a bit, paint the bumpers black, offer four-wheel drive if feeling generous, done.

Aside from Dacia, which operates in a slightly different price class, Audi is now the only marque persisting, in the UK at least. It was one of the first on the lifted estate bandwagon with the A6 Allroad Quattro in 2000 and it seems determined to be the last off. Rather than phoning it in, it has gone to town on the new Audi A6 Allroad.

There are the obligatory black bumpers and raised ride height, of course, but it also gets flared wheel arches. The engineers say the widebody isn’t quite the same as that of the upcoming RS6 Avant but, let’s be honest, it looks like a lifted RS6, which is to say pretty great.

Compared with a normal Audi A6 Avant, the Allroad also gets taller and wider tyres (285/35 instead of 255/35 on the 21in wheels) and four-wheel steering.

To really seal the deal, this is the only A6 that you can buy in the UK with a six-cylinder engine, which makes all the difference for a big executive car like this.

It arrives with a 295bhp 3.0-litre diesel V6, and later in the year that will be joined by a 362bhp petrol V6 and a 2.0-litre petrol-engined plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The PHEV is obviously the most sensible choice with company car tax in mind (it should be good for around 60 miles of electric range, depending on spec), but the V6s are what pique our interest.

That’s because BMW won’t sell you a six-cylinder 5 Series in the UK without a plug (even though it offers a 540i and 540d abroad) and Jaguar, Volvo, Maserati and everyone else have long since left the big-engined executive car market. The Allroad’s only direct rival in that respect is the Mercedes-Benz E450d Estate.

Both the V6s use Audi’s MHEV Plus system, which adds a 24bhp electric motor on the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox to provide some assistance as well as low-speed engine-off running.

The petrol is familiar from the S5, while the diesel is the latest version of the long-running V6 TDI, which gets a new intake and gains an electric compressor that gets the boost going before the turbocharger is spooled up, plus various other tweaks to allow it to meet Euro 7 emissions standards.

Even though an equivalent EV would be even quicker, smoother, more responsive and effortless, there’s something oddly beguiling about a big diesel engine in a car like this – a sense of texture, and a sense that you could drag absolutely anything up a mountain. It’s very subjective but pleasing nonetheless.

BMW’s and Mercedes’ straight sixes (the existing Euro 6 versions, at least) are smoother low down, but Audi’s V6 is remarkably keen to rev.

The ability to pootle through town on electricity is neat and the dual-clutch ’box works effectively, even if it isn’t as smooth as a good torque converter would be.

I also had the opportunity to try the PHEV. Outright performance is almost identical, but the inline four sounds like it has to work harder, despite the electrical assistance. It’s perfectly creditable for its kind, but here BMW has the trump card with the straight-six 550e Touring PHEV.

Having tried a German-spec A6 with the petrol V6 a while back, I suspect that engine will be the pick of the range here too, thanks to its power and smoothness.

Despite its raised ride height, the Allroad would also be the pick of the A6 range to drive even if it didn’t get the juicy engines. That’s because it receives air suspension and four-wheel steering as standard.

The engineers aimed for the spread between the drive modes to be quite broad, and that bears out in practice. It’s really rather cosseting in Comfort, while Balanced and Dynamic offer useful steps up in body control.

The 21in wheels can drum a bit over sharp intrusions, but that’s probably inevitable at this size. The standard 19s have a cool, early-2000s throwback design, so the solution is obvious here.

Despite having sought Corsica’s only dual carriageway and pushed the Allroad up to the consciousness-warping speed of 65mph, it’s hard for me to say how quiet it is, but a regular A6 was pretty good in this regard when we road tested it.

What my test route did have plenty of, though, was corners. Although a large, two-tonne estate wouldn’t have been my first choice to re-enact the Tour de Corse, I was impressed by the Allroad.

Variable ratio steering and four-wheel steering is sometimes a recipe for numb feel and nervous responses, but here it feels clean, progressive and very accurate, with the rear steer remaining in the background until it’s time to swivel around a tight hairpin.

The chassis engineer admitted that the 285-section tyres are a bit excessive and more for looks than anything, but they sure do make for big reserves of grip.

Having driven them back to back, I’d say the lighter V6 feels a tad keener than the PHEV. There’s not much in it, though.

Inside, the Allroad is the same as any other A6, which is to say that it’s roomy enough and all the technology works quite well but a lot of the materials aren’t up to the standard we expect from a car that can cost up to £90,000.

Also, UK buyers are being denied the optimum spec, which is the brown leather Contour seats and the round steering wheel, as seen above. The Sport seats that are compulsory in the UK are comfy enough but the Contour seats are on another level, and the round wheel helps alleviate the issue of the top of the instruments being cut off.

The Allroad costs from £69,720 as a diesel or £72,145 as a PHEV. That’s £4000 more than an equivalent A6 Avant, which seems fair for what you get and is a bit cheaper than an equivalent E-Class.

The concept of a big diesel continent-crosser with an 850-mile range and some light off-road capability feels romantic and a bit old-fashioned. It now also comes with a pretty hefty price tag, but the A6 Allroad is a reminder that, when executed well, it can produce a very satisfying and desirable sort of car.

Audi A6 3.0 TDI Allroad
A bit of a throwback, in a good way. Quick, harmonious and practical. Cabin deserves an upgrade, though
Price	£69,720
Engine	V6, 2967cc, turbocharged, diesel, plus 48V ISG and electric motor
Power	295bhp at 3620-3750rpm
Torque	428lb ft at 1500-3620rpm
Gearbox	7-spd dual-clutch automatic, 4WD
Kerb weight	2120kg
0-62mph	5.4sec
Top speed	155mph
Economy	44.1mpg
CO2, tax band	167g/km, 37%
Rivals	Mercedes-Benz E450d, Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 4x4

UK in 'genuine dilemma' over bowing to EU on Chinese car tariffs

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 12:13:26 +0100

The EU has reportedly pressured the UK to tariff Chinese cars in exchange for significant trade benefits

The UK is facing a “genuine dilemma” over whether to impose the same tariffs on Chinese built-EVs as the EU or face the prospect of UK-built cars being locked out of proposed benefits within the bloc.

According to a report in the Financial Times, the UK has been told by the EU that it must apply the additional tariffs, which rise to 45% depending on the car maker; and in return the EU is prepared to treat Nissan, Range Rover and Bentley EVs as ‘Made in Europe’ under the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), which is designed to better protect European industry from hyper-competitive Chinese alternatives.

Right now the UK charges only 10% on the landing price of Chinese EVs, which has helped to turbocharge the market for Chinese cars over the past two years.

The UK car market has been transformed by Chinese firms, which took a 23% share in September. BYD was the second best-selling brand in the month and MG fourth, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The lack of additional tariffs has made the UK by far the largest market for Chinese cars in Europe, accounting for around a quarter of all sales in the region this year.

EVs and PHEVs such as September’s market leader, the Jaecoo 7, have found willing customers looking for electrified models at affordable prices as fuel prices have soared.

China’s unprecedented ability to take market share has hurt sales of many incumbent car makers, including local manufacturers Nissan and Toyota.

“I think there’s a genuine dilemma here,” David Bailey, professor of business economics at the Birmingham Business School, told Autocar. “On one side, the UK has a strong interest in protecting its own automotive manufacturing base. On the other side, tariffs risk raising prices and reducing consumer choice at precisely the point when the UK needs EV adoption to increase.”

Following the report about the EU’s ultimatum, business secretary Jonathan Reynolds called the UK’s position on Chinese EVs “finely balanced”.

Talking at the Labour Party conference at the end of September, Reynolds referenced the UK’s traditional position as an exporter, saying: “Clearly you shouldn’t do anything that risks your export markets, and you always have to take heed of retaliatory action if you put tariffs in place."

Nissan is the local manufacturer most directly affected both by the influx of cheap models in the volume sector, as well the potential loss of business arising from being locked out of ‘Made in Europe’ benefits.

The Japanese company's UK market share fell to 3.1% in September, down from 4.5% the same month the year before.

In response, Nissan is pushing hard for the UK to follow Europe’s lead on tariffs on Chinese car makers.

“I need to treat Europe not as a political entity but a geographical one, so my recommendation and request is to have harmonised policies across Europe,” Nissan Europe boss Max Messina told journalists earlier in September.

Messina said the EU wouldn't want the UK to become a “Trojan horse” by which Chinese cars could enter the continent without incurring additional tariffs.

A similar charge was levelled against the Japanese when they used the UK as a springboard into Europe in the 1970s and 1980s. Then as now, a highly competitive Asian disrupter was accused of exporting its overcapacity after expanding too fast at home.

Car makers operating in the UK have been reluctant to overtly push for extra tariffs on Chinese brands. The SMMT has accepted Chinese brands as members and said there's no push from within its organisation to spark an investigation into any unfair business practices the Chinese might be deploying to destabilise the market.

However, the SMMT is vocal on the need for the UK to be included in the IAA.

“The EU’s Made in Europe proposals would, as drafted, severely damage both the UK and EU automotive industries given the deep integration of our supply chains,” CEO Mike Hawes told Autocar, quoting an annual figure of €5.6 billion in trade being threatened.

Tariffs obviously create an income source, but this is nowhere big enough to compensate, Hawes said, adding: “Tariffs can also bring unintended consequences elsewhere, so any response must be carefully considered.”

As the Chinese market share keeps growing, however, the call for action has grown louder. Without being specific, Messina spoke of the imbalance of costs between the cars Nissan builds in the UK and those from foreign newcomers.

“We need to have a level of competitiveness. We have some competition which is not necessarily paying the same salaries, not paying the same social charges, not paying the same taxes,” he said.

Plenty of hurdles remain, though.

Brexit was supposed to allow the UK to set our own tariffs and strike our own deals. Bowing to the EU's rules for our cars and other industrial products to be essentially branded EU-built begs the question: why not go much further and rejoin the customs union? That would suit the UK’s car makers, not least because it gets rid of the rules-of-origin dilemma about parts sourcing that’s once again looming at the end of this year.

However, this prospect brings its own set of difficult questions for those who fought to take the UK out of the EU's purview.

Bowing to the EU could also scupper chances of attracting Chinese brands to build in the UK, as Nissan is on the cusp of doing with Chery at its under-used plant in Sunderland.

Instead we should use tariffs as a lever, argued Andy Palmer, former Nissan executive and one-time Aston Martin CEO.

“I don’t think we should increase tariffs: it’s inflationary and the consumer pays. But in return we must insist some Chinese [car makers] manufacture in UK,” he told Autocar. “However, the EU will block this by pushing UK outside of the Made in Europe definition, so once again we're boxed in.”

Right now we don’t know what version of the IAA the UK is signing up to. The EU has yet to finalise the protective elements, but as it stands the benefits of building EVs in the EU (including sourcing 70% of parts locally) include being allow to compete for public tenders such as government fleets and qualify for EV purchase grants.

As incentives go, those aren't amazing.

“Public tenders are a very, very small proportion of the European car market and countries like France already exclude Chinese-made cars from EV incentives,” said Patrick Hummel, lead autos analyst at investment bank UBS.

“IAA in the form it was initially proposed would not have a severe impact. If the name of the game now in Europe is protectionism, this instrument would not fulfil that task.”

That goes both for cars built in China and the UK, as it stands.

If car makers and car-making countries make the case strongly enough that the proposals need to be toughened, then the goalposts might be moved. The EU is currently debating whether to tariff Chinese PHEVs to the same level, supported by Volkswagen. Meanwhile, Italy is pushing for tariffs of 80% on Chinese-made vehicles, essentially kicking Chinese car makers out of Europe. All these arguments will be made without the UK at the table.

China would be able to avoid the tariffs by producing locally, which is a big aim of the EU's Made in Europe strategy. However, if the UK applies the same tariffs, there’s nothing then to persuade the Chinese to choose to build cars in the UK, which keeps the same barriers to entry in EU without signing up the customs union.

If the tariffs penalise Chinese vehicles to the extent that sales badly drop, then there are other problems. There could be job losses within the UK’s already large and well-established dealer network for Chinese brands.

The UK might be too far down the track with the Chinese to throw up barriers. Customers generally like the cars and they have smoothed the path of what was a difficult transition to electric power.

There are plenty in the political sphere who will argue for no Chinese cars and no push for electrification, but EV growth is probably now too far advanced for even reversals on emissions legislation to make much difference to EV sales, according to Hummel.

Buyers meanwhile won’t thank politicians for removing such a broad and affordable choice in terms of EVs, PHEVs and hybrids, especially when framed as “the EU made us do it”.

Meanwhile, European car makers, far from distancing themselves from the Chinese are forming partnerships with them to keep pace with EV advancements and demand. Most relevant here are those between JLR and Nissan with Chery and Mini and GWM. The ties that bind could already be too strong.

“If the UK wants to remain an automotive manufacturing country, it probably cannot treat the EV transition and industrial policy as separate questions,” said Bailey. “They are increasingly the same question.”

Jaecoo 7 named UK's best-selling car as Chinese brands take nearly quarter of market

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 10:31:49 +0100

Omoda-Jaecoo brands are "here to stay", says MD, as Chinese marques secure strong footing in UK

The Jaecoo 7 was the UK’s best-selling new car in September – its second month at the top this year – as Chinese brands soared above European competitors.

The SUV previously topped the rankings in March, meaning it was the nation’s most popular model in the two most important months of the year for the new car market. March and September are historically the strongest months for sales because the age identifiers on numberplates change, encouraging buyers into cars whose plates show they are the latest on the roads.

According to preliminary figures released by industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 10,813 examples of the 7 were registered last month. The Tesla Model 3 netted second place, with 9929 registrations, followed by the Ford Puma (6958). The only other Chinese car to feature in the top 10 was the MG HS, in eighth (5444).

Despite having few individual models with large sales, Chinese manufacturers accounted for 23% of the UK market last month. BYD was the second-best-selling brand, with 20,140 registrations, putting it ahead of Kia, which recorded 18,399. Volkswagen took first place, with 25,972.

Meanwhile, several long-established brands experienced significant drops in September. Hyundai's 10,002 registrations represented a fall of 31.9% year on year and Renault's result of 6721 cars was down by 29.7%.

Omoda-Jaecoo managing director Victor Zhang said the twin brands are “here to stay” following their unprecedented rise in the UK. He added that the ambition is now to go from “the fastest-growing brand to a firmly established one”.

Omoda-Jaecoo's parent company, Chery, recently opened an R&D base at the UTAC Millbrook proving ground in Bedfordshire to help it better localise cars for the UK market, focusing on tuning driver assistance systems and chassis.

It is also expanding its parts distribution network with a view to reducing repair times for customers. According to the 2026 What Car? Reliability Survey, nearly two thirds of Jaecoo 7 owners who encountered problems with their cars had to wait more than a week for resolution.

Chery has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Nissan about potentially building its cars at the Japanese firm’s factory in Sunderland – which could include the Jaecoo 7.

September was a strong month for the broader new car market. Overall registrations totalled 350,518, up 12.7% year on year.

Plug-in-hybrid cars posted the sharpest rise in sales, improving by 55.7% to 59,563 – in large part thanks to demand for competitively priced Chinese models such as the Jaecoo 7 and the BYD Seal U.

Registrations of battery-electric cars also rose dramatically, with September's result of 99,199 up by 36.3% on a year before. This, the SMMT said, equates to nearly five EVs registered per minute. It attributed the increase to a greater choice of models in smaller but growing segments – cars such as the Renault 5, Kia EV3 and the forthcoming Volkswagen ID Polo did not exist three years ago – as well as lower prices, helped by the government’s Electric Car Grant scheme.

Although pure-petrol and mild-hybrid cars remain the most popular in the UK, with 131,861 registrations, that result marked a drop of 6.7%. Non-plug-in hybrids fell by 4.2%, to 45,838.

Sales of new diesels, meanwhile, increased by 11.5%, despite the rising cost of the fuel spurred by the US-Iran conflict.

Why Ford's WRC comeback proves its commitment to the UK

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Company's return to top-flight rallying is great news for fans but will also reshape its road cars

Ford’s return to the World Rally Championship in 2028 is great news for rallying fans, especially those of us in Britain – but more importantly it’s also a real statement of intent of the Blue Oval’s wider commitment to the European market.

Let’s deal with the rallying side first: Ford returning as a full manufacturer for the first time since 2012 is a huge boost for the WRC. The current Rally1 cars are spectacular but also hugely costly, which has impacted entrant numbers.

For next year, the new WRC27 rules will allow for machines built around a set tubular chassis, with 1.6-litre turbocharged engines producing around 300bhp. Toyota had been the only full manufacturer to commit and it had been looking like it could be one manufacturer against a handful of privateers, so the addition of Ford instantly adds credibility.

Even though it hasn’t run a manufacturer team for 14 years, Ford is ingrained in rallying history. While surprisingly light on championship successes, it's third in the all-time manufacturer wins list, thanks to celebrated cars such as the Escort, Focus and Fiesta.

The Ford WRC team will be run by the Cumbrian M-Sport operation, which previously ran the firm’s works squad and has continued to campaign Ford models as a privateer team (with technical support from the manufacturer) since then. And with plenty of success: Sébastien Ogier claimed back-to-back titles in an M-Sport Fiesta in 2017 and 2018, with M-Sport also winning the 2017 manufacturers’ title.

So a British squad will be running Ford’s works team at a time when a British event – the new Rally Scotland – is back on the WRC schedule for the first time since 2019. And to top everything, there will be live coverage on the BBC. That’s an amazing boost for long-suffering British rallying fans.

Most importantly, this decision makes so much sense for Ford based on its current strategy – particularly in Europe. Ford’s success in the US has largely been driven in recent years by the success of its off-roaders: its pick-up trucks and the Jeep Wrangler-rivalling Bronco SUV, especially in performance-honed Raptor form.

Ford’s motorsport projects are widespread: as we noted when we gave the firm our Motorsport Award earlier this year, they span 35 categories across the world. And the number of off-road categories in which the firm is involved is growing – very much by design.

The new WRC team will sit alongside Ford’s Dakar Rally project (also run by M-Sport), plus in the US supporting competitors in Pikes Peak (the hillclimb course is now fully paved but still off-road in nature), Baja racing and the King of the Hammers, a mad rally-style event over unbelievably rocky terrain in California. It’s all designed to make Ford "the Porsche of off-road".

When I spoke to Ford CEO Jim Farley earlier this year, he noted the business opportunity: “We have a well-established pyramid for on-road motorsport, especially endurance racing, but there is no such thing in off-road – and off-road is really what pays all the bills now.

“That's why you're seeing Ford invest a lot in Dakar and Pikes Peak, and there's more to do. It's extremely critical for our company strategy, which is to compete on the weekend, take the engineering back into the core company and improve the enthusiast products.

“The core of our retail business are the enthusiasts, which has always been a really bright spot of the company, especially in the UK. But that was never the core of our business, other than when Richard Parry-Jones started to bring steering feel into the core [model range in the 1990s]. And now we're kind of orienting the whole brand around the enthusiast.”

The rationale for that decision was seen when Ford revealed details of its revamped European line-up, which will include a regional Bronco and a range of other "rally-inspired" models that will draw on the firm’s heritage for driving dynamics.

Ford doesn’t strictly compete to sell cars any more: the old ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ mantra is long gone. Motorsport is about brand-building and knowledge-gaining.

The goal is to inject some off-road sporting heritage into every model in its European range, rather than simply developing fast ST or RS variants. Ford is clearly set on drawing the links between its rich off-road competition heritage and its new road cars – and it can learn a lot that it can apply to road cars by working with M-Sport.

Ford has a deep knowledge and respect for its motorsport its heritage (Farley lit up when talking to me about the likes of Roger Clark and Colin McRae), but it’s quite hard to draw a link between old competition cars and new machines. But there are more benefits to having a current competition project that has a definite link to your latest road cars.

And if Ford wants to build a pyramid of off-road motorsport, the top of that surely has to be the WRC, particularly with plans for a US event firming up. But most importantly, this is validation for Ford’s rally-infused European product plan.

So this isn’t just big news for the WRC, it’s also a firm statement of Ford’s commitment to making road cars that enthusiasts will love.

Aston won't launch EV until at least 2033, will keep V8 and V12

Fri, 2 Oct 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Due to uncertain EV demand and changing legislation, the British firm will focus on ICE cars for the rest of the decade

Aston Martin will not launch its first electric car until at least 2033, according to boss Adrian Hallmark, and has a “roadmap” to ensure it can offer cars with V8 and V12 engines until least 2035.

Hallmark joined Aston Martin from Bentley in September 2024 and had previously suggested the firm would launch its first EV by 2030 – which was already a pushback from the 2027 date set by previous management.

However, speaking to select media including Autocar at the launch of Aston’s new Q London showroom in Mayfair (where the firm displayed the new DBX GT), he said that customer demand for EVs and legislation are “changing way faster than any car company can cope with”.

As a result, Aston Martin is facing a “spaghetti junction” of options and is now continually “stress-testing” scenarios for specific markets and regions. Because of that, the firm no longer has a set date for launching its first EV.

“We only need BEVs to be compliant for legislative reasons [in certain markets] just before 2035," said Hallmark. "I’m not going to give an absolute date, because it’s imprecise. It could be 2035, it might be 2033, but it’s in that three-year-window. It’s not 2031.”

Hallmark insisted that Aston Martin “are not BEV deniers but BEV delayers” and so in the period until 2035 (when current UK and EU legislation dictates that all new vehicles sold must be zero-emissions) “we will be predominantly ICE-based”.

Aston has secured a deal with Lucid for access to its EV technology and has a partnership with current engine supplier Mercedes-Benz. But because of that timeline, Hallmark said, the firm could delay major investment in EVs for the next three years.

“We have the deal with Lucid, and the interesting thing is, because we delayed, by the time we activate that deal, the technology that we will get is totally different to what we signed up the original contract for,” said Hallmark. “We're also working with Mercedes-Benz on powertrains and electronic systems [and that partnership] will be deepened.

“Looking at BEVs in the future, even if [we launch our first in] 2033, we've got three years where we can keep looking, keep thinking and keep evaluating different technologies and how they're changing, and the markets and the legislation. And it's only then that we would need to kick off investment. So today we've got very low-level investment, but it’s research and study, not even single-digit millions of investment.”

Major product revamp still incoming

Hallmark acknowledged that it has taken longer to turn around Aston than the 18 months he originally predicted, saying that once he began at the firm, “I found operational things that were worse than I thought”, particularly in terms of costs.

However, he said the key work to address that is done and “Aston now feels like a normal company”.

He acknowledged there's still a production and utilisation imbalance between the firm’s factories in Gaydon (which makes sports cars) and St Athan (SUVs) but said that will be addressed when a new generation of models is introduced in the coming years.

In the build-up to 2035, Hallmark said, Aston Martin will focus on ICE cars, adding: “We have a roadmap to keep the bigger and smaller engines [V8 and V12 respectively] alive and compliant all the way through to the end of that period.”

He reaffirmed that “there would be hybridisation” but “probably not plug-in, because we don’t need it; we don’t need the 200kg penalties”.

He noted that “between 2030 and 2035 everything will be replaced” in the product line-up and “the attributes, performance and quality of the vehicles will take them up a level”.

Hallmark also said that Aston Martin will continue with the Valhalla hypercar, hinting “there might be a derivative of it that has a different roof” and that “we’re investing in the platform so we’ll look to do some exciting low-volume specials with it”.

New 2027 Hyundai Tucson gets bold look and practicality boost

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 22:15:00 +0100

UK-bound fifth-generation SUV gets interior overhaul with large touchscreen and Peugeot-style dashboard

Hyundai has given the Tucson a high-tech makeover as it looks to bat off new Chinese rivals such as the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U – and remain one of the world's best-selling cars.

The new mid-sized SUV was previously unveiled in Korea but the firm has now detailed the shorter variant that is bound for European markets, including the UK.

Hyundai said that improving interior space and practicality was a key consideration in developing the fifth-generation Tucson.

To that end, it's 35mm longer than before, at 4.56m, while the wheelbase has been stretched by 40mm. It's also slightly wider and taller, making it more imposing in the metal.

Boot space is up by 79 litres to 695 litres and the rear seats are split 40:20:40, with the ability to slide 150mm forwards or backwards to improve passenger room or expand cargo capacity as needed.

Up front, the Tucson adopts the arrangement from the new Ioniq 3 electric hatchback, pairing a small, low-set steering wheel with a high-set digital instrument panel – in similar fashion to Peugeot's i-Cockpit.

According to Hyundai's European design chief, Eduardo Ramírez, there was a "long process" of tuning this so that it wouldn't cause frustration for end users.

"We had to challenge the conventional steering wheel shape for the interaction between the driver, the handling and the visibility of the displays," he said.

"The main focus was safety. Every second that you [look down at a conventional instrument binnacle] without looking at the road is many metres that you drive blindly. We had that as a clear priority."

Among the Tuscon’s new features is a different kind of driver attention monitor. Rather than being mounted on the steering column, it's placed on the rear-view mirror, allowing it to watch both the driver and passenger.

This means it now can detect whether someone is sitting in an improper position – such as the front passenger putting their feet up on the dashboard – and whether both are wearing a seatbelt.

Alongside the upgraded attention monitor is a new system that warns you if you’ve left a child unattended in the back seat when you leave the car and lock it, honking the horn as a reminder.

All Tucsons will be powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with varying degrees of electrification and either front- or four-wheel drive.

The pure-petrol model puts out 148bhp. Opting for the hybrid boosts that to 235bhp. The plug-in hybrid meanwhile has 284bhp and an electric-only range of 50 miles.

New to the hybrid is HEV Stay Mode, which uses the 1.6kWh battery’s reserves to power the car’s electronics while the engine is turned off – enabling it, for example, to keep the air conditioning running while you stop briefly at a service station.

The new Tucson will arrive in the UK in March next year. A slight rise from the current starting price of £32,685 is expected.

New Fiat Multiplay to preview cross between SUV and pick-up

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 16:16:50 +0100

New concept car, to be revealed at Paris motor show, will put a fresh spin on Multiplas of the past

Fiat is reinventing the Multipla as a cross between a pick-up truck and an SUV.

The new Multiplay concept will take inspiration from the radical Multipla MPV of 1998 as well as its progenitor, the 600 Multipla of 1956, in showcasing a "new concept of mobility".

It will “combine the open load space and outdoor versatility of a pick-up with the comfort and flexibility of an SUV”, Fiat added, referencing the previous Multiplas' ability to carry a large number of people in a compact package.

The Multiplay will be aimed at prospective ‘lifestyle’ buyers who require a practical family car that can also be packed with leisure equipment for use at the weekend.

A teaser image released by Fiat leaves much to the imagination: it shows only a graphic of the 1998 Multipla intersecting with the 1956 Multipla at their rear ends.

The Multiplay isn't to be confused with the Multiplina, the four-seat quadricycle inspired by the 600 Multipla that the Italian brand showed in a presentation earlier this year.

The new concept will be revealed at the Paris motor show, opening on 12 October.

It will sit alongside the new Grizzly SUV, and it's possible that it's based on that car.

Two years ago, Fiat revealed a similarly conceived pick-up alongside the Fastback SUV concept, which hinted at the design of the Grizzly.

Ford returns to World Rally Championship with factory team in 2028

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 12:30:00 +0100

Autocar's vision for Ford's new WRC contender, launching in 2029

Blue Oval revives WRC works team after a 16-year absence, in partnership with Cumbria's M-Sport

Ford will return to the World Rally Championship with a full factory works team in 2028, 16 years after withdrawing from top-flight rallying.

It will compete in the series as a manufacturer, as it did from 1978 to 2012, in partnership with Cumbria-based M-Sport, which has been running the Ford World Rally Team as a privateer with technical support from Ford.

The return to WRC fills one of very few gaps in Ford's global motorsport coverage. Its participation in Formula 1, the World Endurance Championship, the IMSA Sports Car Championship, the Dakar Rally, Nascar and more makes it one of the best-represented mainstream manufacturers on the global racing scene.

This also comes as Ford channels its rallying heritage in the design and dynamics of a new range of European-market cars, which is set to include successors to the Fiesta and Focus, which played such a pivotal role in Ford's historic rallying success.

Ford said the "performance and technical skills required to compete in WRC will help shape" this new line-up of road cars and reiterated that they will "blend off-road DNA with rally-bred heritage".

Importantly, the company added, building experience in engineering rally cars will help its road cars to "master the perfectly imperfect roads of Europe".

Ford's European boss Jim Baumbick said: "You can't fake it on Europe’s roads, which is why a car’s responsiveness and handling matters. The WRC is the ultimate proving ground for control and driver engagement, and that is the exact spirit and lessons learned we are injecting into our next generation of passenger vehicles.”

Speaking to reporters ahead of the announcement, Baumbick emphasised Ford's ambition to tangibly link its road and rally car development programmes - not just for engineering reasons but also to bolster the enthusiast credentials and characters of its customer models.

"For Ford, we talk about 'rally-bred', but this is not just a marketing buzzword. Our general view, our philosophy, is that we're going to make a promise to our customers to wire in the emotion, the soul, the responsiveness and capability that rally brings, and we need to prove it in the places that matter most," he said.

"What we're intending to do – the mission – is to bring that thrill, that connection that you experience when you see a rally event or vehicles operating in that environment."

Ford Racing boss Mark Rushbrook concurred, pledging that Ford will "take all of our learnings from our latest off-road innovations and go back to the to WRC to win, but also learn to use that as our proving ground to gain even more insights that we can bring into these rally-bred vehicles that our European customers are going to be able to drive every day".

Ford will begin working immediately with M-Sport – which currently runs the Ford Puma Rally1 in the series – before becoming "directly involved" with the programme in 2028.

The WRC team will launch a new racer in 2029, taking design inspiration from one of Ford's new road cars.

The latest set of WRC regulations introduce new flexibility on body style - making saloons, hatchbacks, crossovers and bespoke designs eligible through to 2037, when the ruleset expires.

Toyota is understood to be testing a new two-door coupé, while new privateer outfit Rally One looks to be using the shell of a Porsche Macan SUV.

Ford is developing a new supermini in the vein of the Fiesta for launch in 2028, based on the Renault 5. While that will be exclusively electric, it could still provide the basis for the size and shape of an ICE rally car under the WRC's 'silhouette' rules.

Baumbick refused to be drawn on whether the rally programme would run under the banner of one of Ford's performance sub-brands, such as ST, RS or Raptor, which it already uses in the Dakar and Baja 1000 off-road competitions.

M-Sport has already indicated that it will build a new car for the incoming WRC27 spaceframe regulations.

For next season, the team has been planning to campaign a Ford Fiesta R2 fitted with a new FIA Rally2 WRC Kit, which is intended to allow those racers to compete with the new-generation cars.

Ford cars have won 94 WRC rallies, while the works team has claimed three manufacturer titles.

As an independent team, M-Sport won the 2017 makers' title, while driver Sébastien Ogier won back-to-back drivers' crowns in 2017 and 2018. But M-Sport's last rally win came in 2023 and it has a best finish of fourth this year.

Kia EV4 GT tested: Could less be more in an electric hot hatch?

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Kia's all-electric answer to the VW Golf R prioritises handling fluency with an involving powertrain Kia’s GT performance sub-brand has been guilty of sending some mixed messages in its early years. The Kia Stinger of 2017, referenced as its breakthrough performance offering, was quite a laid-back sports saloon with a dynamic character not unlike that of the car about which we’re now concerned. But the EV6 GT that came along in 2022 was more of a tyre-shredding, 600-horsepower, drift-mode-touting weapon.The missing consistency in the product offering might be about to materialise, however. Because, over the next few months, we are to see GT versions of the EV3 crossover SUV, the EV5 SUV, and this: the Kia EV4 GT electric hot hatchback.This particular part of the market has had small electric hot hatchbacks such as the Alpine A290, and large ones like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N - but, as yet, not a lot in the real heartland of Volkswagen Golf GTI-sized machinery.To be fair, the lack of traditional family-sized electric hot hatches has been due to a near total absence of donor cars. Almost all five-door, five-seat, circa 4.3m-long EVs have been homogenised crossovers, in part because of the need to accommodate the depth of a battery pack. A few years down the line, it's an excuse that is starting to wear a bit thin.But then the Kia EV4 arrived, as arguably the first electric family hatch in the traditional mould. And now Kia has decided to turn it into the first Golf GTI-sized electric hot hatch as well. The Cupra Born, Volkswagen ID 3 and MG 4 are the closest conceptual rivals, but none dip under the 1500mm mark in terms of height (not even the 'little' Alpine), as the EV4 GT does. It feels like a bit of a watershed moment for the performance EV.

New Renault Megane starts at £28k thanks to upgraded EV grant

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Facelifted Megane and bigger Scenic undercut key rivals thanks to £3750 discount from UK government

The updated Renault Scenic and Megane have gone on sale in the UK – and, thanks to it now qualifying for the full £3750 Electric Car Grant, the latter is priced from £28,245.

Both electric crossovers were recently facelifted, gaining new batteries that have boosted their ranges.

The nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) pack in the Scenic has had its capacity bumped up by 2kWh, netting an extra 13 miles of range, for a total of 392.

Meanwhile, the Megane has swapped from a 60kWh NMC battery to a 67kWh pack using lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which has increased its range to 306 miles.

The LFP battery is more sustainable, owing to its production and reduced use of rare-earth metals, helping the Megane qualify for the full £3750 UK government grant, rather than the previous £1500.

It also has an improved peak charging rate of 165kW, cutting the 15-80% refill time by a quarter to 24 minutes.

The big discount means the Megane is now among the more affordable electric family hatchbacks: the Volkswagen ID 3 starts at £31,080 (inclusive of its £1500 grant) and the Vauxhall Astra Electric at £28,495 (also including a £1500 grant).

The Scenic receives the same £3750 grant as the Megane, putting it at £33,245.

That's significantly cheaper than its main competitor, the Tesla Model Y (from £41,990) and brings it closer into line with Chinese challengers such as the Geely EX5 (from £31,990).

BMW X3 M50 gains power boost to 437bhp

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 07:11:14 +0100

Turbocharged straight six upgraded as part of latest revisions to M Performance model

The BMW X3 M50’s straight-six engine will be upgraded to produce 437bhp as part of a series of updates to the SUV that also include the launch of a new motorsport-inspired Black Package.

The 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six mild-hybrid powertrain in the current M Performance version of the Mercedes-Benz GLC rival produces 393bhp but the new version has been remapped to offer an additional 44bhp. That trims the all-wheel-drive M3 X50’s 0-62mph time to 4.4sec.

The X3 M50 has also gained a new Black Package styling option, which, the firm says, takes inspiration from motorsport. Priced in the UK from £81,569, it includes new 22in black alloy wheels, a gloss black finish to the brake calibers and gloss black BMW and M badges.

Inside, the cabin features extensive use of Alcantara, including on the instrument panel and the centre console trim, new M logo stitching on the headrests and blue stitching on the seats. A handful of controls have also been finished with BMW’s Individual 'clarity glass'.

While those styling options will be exclusive to the M50 Black Package, BMW has introduced a number of alterations to the wider X3 line, which will be available on models from December onwards.

A new soft surface will be offered on the area in front of the central infotainment screen, while there is a new stitching pattern for the instrument panel, along with ambient lighting for the centre console and door handles. BMW has also redesigned the glovebox opener.

More substantively, BMW says the four-cylinder engine in the entry-level X3 20 xDrive has been upgraded so that it is complaint with incoming Euro 7 engine regulations.

Revealed: New Aston Martin DBX GT focuses on long-distance luxury

Thu, 1 Oct 2026 00:01:00 +0100

V8-engined SUV gains a plusher new version with softer suspension and more luxurious cabin

Aston Martin is going after Bentley Bentayga buyers with a plush new GT version of its DBX, which aims to provide a more refined and luxurious experience than the standard car.

Said to be "aimed at customers who prefer assured elegance over sporting aggression and demand a higher degree of luxury", the GT is a plusher and more restrained take on the V8 SUV.

It shares the more raucous DBX S's 717bhp, 664lb ft twin-turbocharged engine (and matches its 0-62mph time of 3.3sec) but cloaks that stunning performance in a toned-back body that majors on "quiet luxury and elegance".

In that regard, it more closely resembles the original DBX, which was dropped in 2024 as the more potent DBX 707 became the sole variant. That car has now been superseded by the uprated DBX S, which will sit alongside this new entrant.

With prices set to start at around £207,000, the DBX GT will serve as a direct rival to the similarly conceived Bentley Bentayga - leaving the DBX S to fight the Lamborghini Urus and Ferrari Purosangue.

Chief among its bespoke styling features is a new dual-vaned front grille (in place of the S's aggressive honeycomb visage), which can be had in bright chrome or a dark metal finish.

Meanwhile, its metal side strake motif is finished in bright silver metal rather than black and the lower bodywork is painted to match the bodywork, whereas the S has motorsport-style black splitters and side skirts.

The quad exhaust pipes are arranged horizontally, too, rather than stacked in pairs à la DBX S.

Bespoke 22in wheels – wrapped in all-season tyres "to maximise ride compliance and minimise road noise, and optionally upgraded to 23in items – complete the GT makeover.

Inside, Aston Martin has placed more focus on "craftsmanship and comfort", in line with the GT's more refined billing.

Most obvious among the changes are the seats, which have been reshaped and fitted with a memory foam layer for added support and plushness.

That goes for the outer rear seats, too, which are now pitched as 'individual' chairs like the front seats - although a middle seat for an occasional fifth passenger remains.

The focus on luxury and quality extends to an anodised metal finish for the drive selector and other switchgear – providing what it calls a "jewellery-quality finish" – and a new range of GT-specific multi-colour upholstery options.

The GT's comfort credentials are bolstered by tweaks to the body structure and upgraded sound deadening, to reduce unwanted roaring and rumbling at a cruise, with Aston touting a "13% improvement in 'articulation index'" - essentially how easy it is to have a conversation or a phone call on the move.

The suspension has been softened, too, supposedly making the car more compliant over rough surfaces, while the accelerator pedal response has been remapped for a "greater sense of precision and control".

The exhaust is quieter in Normal mode, too, ensuring the GT can make "discreet progress" - although it can be restored to "full voice" in Sport mode.

Orders are being taken now ahead of customer deliveries beginning towards the end of the year.

BMW priming new 1 Series on Neue Klasse EV platform – plus 'X8' flagship

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:33:02 +0100

Autocar rendering shows what the next-generation 1 Series could look like

Entry-level hatchback and X1 crossover are being lined up for electric hardware from i3 and iX5

BMW has confirmed it will launch a new compact Neue Klasse EV – set to be the next 1 Series – in 2028 and is evaluating a new large SUV to sit above the X7.

The new compact EV, announced as part of a BMW Capital Markets Day event, will be focused on the European market as part of a renewed focus on the high-volume entry-level segment.

While BMW didn't confirm specifics, Autocar has previously reported that the German brand is on track to launch the fifth-generation 1 Series in 2028.

The car will sit on the electric Neue Klasse platform used by the new iX3 and i3, which means that base versions of the 1 Series EV will return to a rear-wheel-drive layout.

As with the i3 and 3 Series, the 'i1' will sit alongside a combustion-engined 1 Series that will adopt the same styling but be technically different.

The new 1 Series will be part of a new regionalised product initiative as BMW looks to address “diverse regional customers preferences”, which will include “significant adjustments” to its drivetrain portfolio for each region.

BMW will also turn Alpina into a standalone brand sitting between itself and its Rolls-Royce luxury marque.

As well as a focus on compact models for Europe as part of that regionalised approach, BMW will shift more SUV production to the US.

It's investigating a new model that will sit above that current X7, which would likely be called the X8, to take on the growing US market for large SUVs.

In China, BMW will expand the number of Neue Klasse models produced there while limiting imports to “the models with the highest margins”.

Like other car makers, BMW will increase the share of locally manufacturer content in its Chinese vehicles, with a particular focus on technology.

This more regionalised portfolio will lead BMW to reduce the number of model variants it offers and to cut some less profitable models.

While the firm hasn’t shared full details, it has confirmed that it won't replace the 2 Series Active Tourer MPV.

During the Capital Markets Day event, BMW outlined several other steps that it will take to boost its “resilience and enhance the competitiveness of its structures”, with a goal of returning to an EBIT margin of 8-10% by early 2027.

Those will include the “systematic” use of AI tools, particularly to speed up its development process and improve its manufacturing efficiency; a new agency sales model; and a reduction in the number of divisions and associated management roles by 20% by the middle of 2027.

Vauxhall ditches flag in bold new griffin logo for 2027

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:00:00 +0100

Simplified version of British brand's historic mascot will make its debut on radical STX concept in Paris

Vauxhall has revealed a bold new version of its griffin emblem ahead of the Paris motor show next month, where it will make its debut on a future-looking concept car.

The "more streamlined and contemporary look" comes as part of an evolution in Vauxhall's design language, which will be previewed by the STX concept on 12 October.

Giving an early glimpse of the STX, Vauxhall has revealed that the new logo will form part of a new-look front end that builds on the 'Vizor' face of its current models.

Described as "even bolder" than the visage of the current cars, this will introduce a distinctive lighting signature made up of thin LED strips that surround the new-look, illuminated logo.

Vauxhall has updated its badge several times in recent years, but this is one of the most significant revisions since the original version of today's griffin and 'V-flag' motif was introduced in the 1950s.

The new logo does away with the flag entirely for the first time in 111 years, as part of a move to a cleaner and simpler look.

The griffin mascot has been redesigned too, assuming a sharper and more minimalist shape in keeping with Vauxhall's new 'bold and pure' styling ethos.

Vauxhall's design boss Mark Adams said: “The griffin emblem is instantly recognisable, with Vauxhalls seen on almost every street in Britain. Having adorned our vehicles in different forms for more than 120 years, we wanted to retain its essential elements while streamlining it for the next generation of electrified vehicles.

"As the griffin is now illuminated on the front of our latest models, this simpler design also makes it clearer and easier to identify."

After making its debut on the STX in a couple of weeks, the new logo will appear on an "all-new Vauxhall production model" in 2027 - possibly the next Corsa Electric.

It will also be used at Vauxhall's dealerships, but the company hasn't given a timeline for all retailers to switch to the new branding.

STX stands for Sports Tourer Experimental, signalling that the Paris concept will show the way forward for Vauxhall estate cars.

More directly, it's thought to preview the look of the next Astra, which will adopt a new bodystyle blending elements of SUV and estate, in response to higher demand for crossovers in the European family car market.

Vauxhall has said that "aerodynamic efficiency is also central" to the STX concept, highlighting its flush body surfacing and "innovative aerodynamic solutions" as headline features.

Chinese tech helps Ford, Vauxhall and Renault save time and money

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 05:00:00 +0100

Chinese tech is for the most part ordinary – but the speed at which it's developed is enviable

Forget technology: what separates the industry’s winners from also-rans now is cost.

Chinese car makers’ willingness to share platforms with their global counterparts illustrates a new global truth: speed and cost are now greater differentiators than tech.

The number of cars from traditional brands underpinned by Chinese tech is set to grow. Mazda already sells two models based on a Changan platform. Next year in Europe we will see a Vauxhall on a Leapmotor platform and the year after a Ford on a Geely platform, while Renault will use the same Geely platform for non-European markets.

The Chinese donors aren’t especially worried about tech secrets spilling out, despite Vauxhall, Ford and Renault building these cars in their own plants, because the technology on its own isn’t especially groundbreaking. Instead, the competitive edge that the likes of Ford and Stellantis are accessing is related to cost and speed to market.

We have seen this already in the way the Chinese build their vehicles. Car makers don’t just share suppliers but parts too. The commonality, the supplier ecosystem and the speed bring the cost of the drivetrain down to the point where they have an immediate advantage over those building cars in the traditional way, which includes asking suppliers for bespoke parts.

Suddenly they have room within their profit margins to add extras like massage seats or a panoramic sunroof – or to price the car to pinch buyers from the segment below.

The additional speed and lower cost does help Chinese companies appear more tech-forward, of course. The faster they bring in that new battery chemistry, charging technology or plug-in hybrid drivetrain, the sharper their edge over their competitors, even if those competitors will have access to the very same tech.

And the cheaper the tech, the more kilowatts of power or kilowatt-hours of battery capacity they can afford to put in.

Brand power still matters too, but only when matched with the best technology. European premium car makers are getting hammered in China right now because they can’t keep up tech-wise. The same is happening elsewhere – Brazil, for example.

With China leading on cost, all car makers now have to think like the Chinese or be eaten. Carefully defended company walls need to be torn down and once-protective moats filled in. Governments, of course, can build their own walls in the form of tariffs and regulations, but that will slow the corporate transition that needs to happen. By the time European brands emerge again from their tariff stronghold, their brand power might be eroded for good.

Range Rover Sport goes electric: £110k EV matches V8 for grunt

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:01:00 +0100

Rapid acceleration, keen dynamics and 374 miles of range for Gaydon's new electric SUV

The Range Rover Sport is now available as a 542bhp EV, with 374 miles of range, from £109,810.

Technically identical to the recently revealed Range Rover Electric, the battery-powered Sport has performance stats that come close to today’s V8-engined SV and promises to match its ICE siblings for “refinement, luxury and all-terrain capability”.

With its BMW M3-beating power output supplemented by a generous torque figure of 627lb ft, the dual-motor SUV can sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.3sec – but Range Rover said that beyond offering straight-line speed, it's also “the most dynamically focused model in the line-up to date”.

That’s partly by virtue of the large 118.5kWh (usable) battery pack – among the biggest of any EV on sale – under the floor, which gives the Sport Electric a lower centre of gravity than the ICE Sport.

But it also touts the “stiffest body structure” in the model line-up and comes equipped with handling-boosting tech including active roll control, adaptive suspension and rear steering.

It has been engineered, said Range Rover, to “offer both engaging road dynamics and genuine breadth of capability”.

The battery is equipped with 800V electricals to enable charging at up to 350kW and is fully sealed to allow the EV to drive through deep water.

The Sport Electric is all but identical to the ICE Sport, marked out only by a subtly different front grille design and bespoke wheels.

It's available to order now ahead of deliveries beginning next year, with the entry-level Dynamic SE coming in at £45k less than the cheapest Range Rover Electric.

It will also be offered in Autobiography and limited-run First Edition trims, but there’s no word on additional powertrain configurations at this stage.

New petrol BMW 3 Series revealed with 437bhp straight-six option

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:01:00 +0100

i3's ICE-powered sibling comes as £45k 320 or feisty, £67k M350; PHEV and estate come next year

BMW has revealed the eighth-generation 3 Series as the petrol-powered sibling to the electric i3, headed by a four-wheel-drive M350 range-topper with 437bhp.

Due to reach the UK in early 2027 after starting production in November, it will be launched as a saloon. A Touring estate variant will follow later next year.

The latest 3 Series retains familiar underpinnings. While the electric i3 is based on BMW's latest Neue Klasse platform, the ICE version continues to use the Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform from the outgoing G20-generation car.

But despite their different foundations, the two cars have been brought close together in terms of exterior styling, interior design and electronic architecture, as BMW looks to more clearly unite its EVs and ICE cars.

At the top of the engine line-up, and priced from £66,785, is the new M350 xDrive, with a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol engine that brings a sizeable increase in output over today's M340i xDrive – developing 437bhp and 428lb ft, up from 369bhp and 369lb ft in its predecessor. The petrol engine itself produces 420bhp and 388lb ft, with a 17bhp electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox providing extra assistance.

This makes the M350 xDrive more powerful than the previous-generation M3 and almost as punchy as the top-rung version of the electric car. The four-wheel-drive i3 50 xDrive develops 463bhp and 476lb ft from its two electric motors, giving it a 26bhp and 48lb ft advantage.

With a lower kerb weight, however, the M350 xDrive is the quicker of the two from 0-62mph, at a claimed 4.1sec versus 4.7sec for the i3 50 xDrive. Its top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.

The M350 uses the latest version of BMW's xDrive four-wheel drive system, with a new Drift Moment function, due to become available during 2027, which can send the engine's power exclusively to the rear wheels.

While the M350 will be the most driver-focused 3 Series – until the arrival of the new, full-fat M3 next year – the rear-wheel-drive 320 (below) is expected to account for the majority of UK sales. Priced from £44,975, it receives a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with mild-hybrid assistance, developing 208bhp and 243lb ft, coupled to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. BMW quotes a 0-62mph time of 7.4sec and a 149mph top speed.

An entry-level 318, developing 154bhp and 184lb ft, is also included in the wider European line-up – as are diesel derivatives, but these are unlikely to return to the UK following their withdrawal in 2024. Plug-in hybrid power will follow in 2027.

The i3 and 3 Series share the same Neue Klasse design language, with the traditional kidney grille and twin headlights incorporated into a broad horizontal graphic, along with flush door handles, traditional cab-back proportions, pronounced rear haunches and slim horizontal rear lights.

The ICE car is 4765mm long (52mm longer than its predecessor), 1850mm wide and 1455mm tall, while its 2880mm wheelbase is 9mm longer than before. The EV is subtly different in proportion: fractionally shorter, but 15mm wider, 25mm taller, and with a slightly longer wheelbase.

Setting it apart from the rest of the line-up, the M350 xDrive gets distinctive yellow daytime running lights, a subtle boot-mounted spoiler and four tailpipes. Buyers wanting a more sporting appearance on lesser models can specify the M Sport package, which brings different bumpers, side skirts and a rear diffuser together with blue M Sport brake callipers. The M Sport Pro package goes further with black mirror caps, a black rear spoiler and red M Sport brakes.

There has also been extensive work on the chassis. The petrol car gets its own front suspension geometry, as well as a retuned five-link rear suspension, increased rear wheel camber, stiffer chassis mountings and revised anti-roll bar mountings.

Adaptive suspension and adaptive M suspension are available as options, both using electronically controlled dampers that continuously vary their response at each wheel.

Fife-cylinder frenzy: Epic Scottish road trip in Cupra's five-pot Formentor

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:55:26 +0100

1800-mile trip to some of Scotland's best roads provides the perfect opportunity to test my VZ5's mettle

Everyone loves a road trip, and I think I might just love them more than most. So when an email flew into my inbox from our sister magazine Classic & Sports Car telling me to pack my bags and head for Scotland, I was ecstatic.

My quest to snap some wonderful classics would see me take in pretty much everywhere from Glasgow to Inverness and most places in between. My weapon of choice? The Cupra Formentor VZ5, obviously.

The 330-mile motorway slog north revealed the Cupra's surprising talent for motorway cruising, with the superbly comfortable bucket seats and the fabulous low-end torque keeping me feeling far fresher than usual on the six-hour trek.

I was determined not to simply sit on the motorway all the way to St Andrews, so I followed a squiggly looking alternative route suggested by the sat-nav. Coming off the M74 at Moffat, I was treated to 40 miles of impossibly quiet driving paradise that twisted and ducked its way through bleak hilltop moors and thick forests of spruce.

As you can doubtless imagine, this is where the VZ5 really came into its own. Maybe I'm just going soft at the ripe old age of 23, but I feel that the full-whack turbo-nutter Cupra mode, with its extremely firm dampers, lead-weight steering and ultra-aggressive gearbox map, is just a little bit too much for any road, let alone the bumpy ones of Scotland, so I had a play around with the individual drive modes.

After some experimentation I found a combination that provided a nice balance, with the dampers just below half stiffness to combat the bumps more effectively (albeit at the cost of body control), the steering and drivetrain set to their more engaging performance modes (one rung below Cupra level) and both the torque splitter and the exhaust flaps set to full McDonald's-car spec for a slightly more rear-driven feel and peak five-cylinder warble respectively.

This turned out to be something of a magical combination that transformed the VZ5 into a machine that made progress with ruthless efficiency. Really, this car is defined by its torque – with 354lb ft, it's got more than a Ferrari F50 – so it's rare that you wring the engine out all the way to the 7000rpm redline; instead, it feels far more natural to simply roll on the throttle until you reach peak power at 5700rpm.

The torque splitter seems simply to delete understeer, and you can really feel the effect it has on throttle as it modulates power to the individual rear wheels to hook the car round tighter turns.

I had a whale of a time on the road to Edinburgh, before sticking everything back into Comfort for the more relaxed final leg to St Andrews and beyond. Cruising credentials were solidified over the next couple of days, as Dundee, Perth and Kinross came and went before I headed to Glasgow.

A rush-hour trip along the hatefully congested M8 did test my patience somewhat, with the strangely inconsistent brake pedal and jerky low-speed behaviour of the DSG dual-clutch automatic box contributing heavily to my state of annoyance as I crawled around Scotland's second city.

With this still fresh in my mind, the next morning I met up with a friend and his 'E91' Alpina D3, and we set our sights on one of the more famous roads in Scotland – the Duke's Pass. Ultra-twisty and with enough crests to make a motocross rider's jaw drop, it really did show the VZ5's frankly stonking ability to disassemble tricky bits of roads. The sheer pulling power out of the low-speed turns was simply unreal, and great fun was had.

My friend turned back at the edge of the Highlands as I settled in for the long drive up to Inverness through some of the most stunning scenery this awesome country has to offer. Certainly a very pretty drive but not a driver's one, owing to the surprisingly straight roads that become choked in the summer by caravans and shockingly driven hire cars.

That is, until I reached the end of Loch Ness and decided to take the less-travelled roads to the south of the water, where I found mile after mile of well-sighted, well-paved and brilliantly technical roads.

Honestly, this was one of the greatest drives of my life, blasting through the mountains and feeling like Walter Röhrl as the five-cylinder screamed away up front.

Then it was over to the fantastic Moray Motor Museum in Elgin before heading back down to Dundee, shooting over mountains along some of Scotland's most oft-praised roads as I ignored the A9 and cut an almost straight line down through the Cairngorms.

I was thankful for the Formentor's tall ride height at times – the twisting roads are punctuated with sharp dips that I suspect have claimed many a front splitter. Anyway, it was just as great a drive as I had hoped it would be.

Finally I turned back towards England, making sure to take in some of my favourite roads in the Borders along the way before the mind-numbing trek back to South Wales. I had covered around 1750 miles by the time I pulled onto my drive. Never let it be said that I don't spend enough time driving our long-termers...