Autocar RSS Feed

The interesting, wild and often obscure treasures of the Saab museum

Sat, 9 May 2026 08:18:33 +0100

Saab may be gone, but its heritage lives on

We shouldn't take the Saab museum for granted.

The Swedish Enforcement Authority seized the entire collection in September 2011 and announced plans to auction it off one car at a time to pay Saab's creditors. Trollhättan (Saab’s home town), defense company Saab AB and the Wallenberg Memorial Trust invested millions of dollars to keep the cars under one roof and save the museum, ensuring future generations can discover the illustrious past of one of the automotive industry’s most respected underdogs.

From the oldest 900 left to a Corvette-powered SUV, here are some of the gems and hidden treasures displayed in the Saab museum:

92 (1950)

Saab made its first series-produced car, the 92, in 1950. It came with a two-cylinder two-stroke engine that sent 25hp to the front wheels through a three-speed manual transmission with a free-wheeling function. Front-wheel drive and a surprisingly aerodynamic design inspired by aviation made the 92 one of the most cutting-edge cars in its segment. The basic design lasted until 1980.

Sonett (1956)

It didn’t take long for Saab to venture into the world of sports cars. Rolf Mellde, one of the firm’s engine developers, built the first Sonett in a barn with help from friends and fellow engineers. Saab planned to make 2000 units and wanted to race the car across Europe but new regulations allowed the firm to compete with a modified production car instead. Saab happily took this more cost-effective route and canned the Sonett project.

The blue example pictured here is the fifth of six Sonetts made. It’s powered by a two-stroke three-cylinder engine tuned to deliver 57hp. Saab notes the production variant would have also offered a less powerful engine for buyers seeking a touring roadster, not an all-out sports car.

Monstret (1959)

Saab’s quest for rally domination led it to fuse a pair of three-cylinder engines to create a two-stroke straight-six. Engineers shoe-horned the 138hp six transversally in an otherwise stock-looking 93. To add context, the 93 sold to regular motorists in 1959 shipped with a 33hp engine.

Monstret (1959)

Saab thoroughly overlooked regulations during the development process. It couldn’t find a competition series willing to give its bonkers prototype a spot on the starting grid so the twin-engined 93 never raced. It must have left quite an impression on the firm’s intrepid test drivers, however, because it earned the nickname Monstret – ‘monster’ in Swedish.

Sonett II (1966)

Saab introduced its first coupe, the Sonett II, in 1966. Engineers followed roughly the same recipe as when they created the original Sonett a decade earlier: they took an existing chassis, installed a high-performance engine and dropped a plastic body over it.

Early on, the Sonett II used a 60hp three-cylinder engine from the Monte Carlo 850. Saab made 258 examples in this configuration before replacing the two-stroke triple with a V4 in 1967.

99 electric van (1976)

In 1976, decades before the term ‘electrification’ became a marketing buzzword in the auto industry, Saab alchemized a humble 99 into a boxy, battery-powered delivery van for Sweden’s postal service. Engineers mounted the battery pack under the passenger compartment. It could be removed for maintenance by using a purpose-built cart. Saab tested the van extensively but never moved forward with plans to mass-produce it.

99 Turbo (1977)

The 99 Turbo played a crucial role in forging Saab’s image as a purveyor of performance cars. Forced induction let the company squeeze 145hp from the 99’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, an impressive statistic during the 1970s. The firm had geopolitics on its side, too. It launched the 99 Turbo in an era when rising fuel prices on both sides of the Atlantic created an unprecedented demand for cars that delivered both performance and fuel economy.

Saab displayed the example in its museum at the 1977 Frankfurt auto show. It wears white pearl lacquer paint and its interior is upholstered in two-tone brown leather, two options never offered on the regular-production car.

900 GLE (1979)

The 99 evolved into the 900, one of Saab’s most popular models, in 1978. Saab extended the front part of the car to obtain more space in the engine bay and lengthened the wheelbase to make the interior roomier. That was just the start of the 900 story. The firm later expanded the line-up with several body styles, including a convertible, and turned the performance dial up by several notches with versions like the SPG and the Aero.

Saab built 908,817 examples of the 900 between 1978 and 1993. The American-spec example pictured wears chassis number 17. It’s the oldest 900 left, according to Saab's archives department, unless there's an earlier one stashed away in a barn in rural Sweden.

96 V4 (1980)

Saab closed a long chapter in its history when it built the last 96 (pictured) on 8 January 1980. The model directly traced its roots to the firm’s first car, the 92 introduced in 1950, though it was more modern in almost every way. Saab built 730,607 examples of the 92, 93 and 96 during an unusually long 30-year production run.

900 Safari (1981)

In the early 1980s, Saab directed buyers seeking ample space for people and gear towards the four-door hatchback variant of the 900. The firm showed no interest in following rivals Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and BMW into the booming station wagon segment so Swedish coachbuilder Nilssons stepped in to fill the gap.

900 Safari (1981)

Nilssons extended the 900’s roof panel and added raked d-pillars to give the Safari a cohesive, well-proportioned design. It looked much sportier than Volvo’s boxy 245. Only a tiny handful of examples were built, including the like-new 1981 example displayed in the Saab museum. Saab finally entered the segment when introduced the 9-5 SportCombi in 1998.

900 Cabriolet (1983)

Saab remembers it considered two options when it started developing the 900 Cabriolet in the early 1980s. The first one was based on the 900 hatchback and fitted with a targa-style roof. The American Sunroof Company designed the second option as a full convertible with a retractable cloth soft top. Saab chose the latter proposal and introduced it as a prototype (pictured) during the 1983 Frankfurt auto show.

EV-1 (1985)

Unveiled in 1985, the 285hp EV-1 explored what the sports car of the future could look like. Saab kept weight in check by building the coupe using then-revolutionary composite materials like carbon fiber. Its designers penned a strikingly aerodynamic silhouette with a greenhouse made of tinted glass. Solar panels embedded in the roof powered the air conditioning system in order to cool the cabin even if the car spent hours parked in the Arizona sun.

Saab built the EV-1 on a 900 Turbo chassis as a technology demonstrator and never seriously considered adding it to its line-up.

9000 Aero (1996)

The 9000 Aero made headlines after breaking cover during the 1992 Paris auto show. It wasn’t just an updated 9000; Saab proudly presented the model as its fastest car ever. Power came from a four-cylinder engine turbocharged to make an autobahn-storming 225hp. Model-specific parts inside and out (including four bucket seats) helped the Aero stand out from lesser 9000s.

9-3 Viggen (1999)

Saab again tried beating the Germans at their own game with the 9-3 Viggen, a high-performance model launched in 1999. Staying true to tradition, Saab fitted the Viggen with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine tuned to deliver 225hp to the front wheels. On paper, it dazzled enthusiasts with its enviable specifications. Behind the wheel, it startled them with an impressive display of understeer.

Saab’s American division suggested Viggen buyers take an intensive driving course on the Road Atlanta track to learn how to safely flirt with the car’s limits. It included the two-day program with every purchase. Only about 30% of buyers took the course.

SVC (1999)

Though it looks like a run-of-the-mill 9-5, the SVC is a high-tech test mule fitted with a supercharged 1.6-liter five-cylinder engine. Its compression ratio is fully adjustable; it’s higher when cruising on the highway for improved fuel economy and lower when the pace picks up on a twisty road to deliver better performance. In 1999, Saab quoted a strong 225hp output and promised diesel-like fuel economy.

Saab could have become one of Autocar’s groundbreakers but its five-cylinder engine never reached mass production. Instead, Nissan’s Infiniti division became the first company to bring variable compression ratio technology to the market with the VC-T engine, which made its way into various Nissans and Infinitis, starting in 2017.

9-2X (2004)

Subaru and Saab briefly cohabitated under the General Motors umbrella. Executives saw a cheap, easy opportunity to leverage Subaru’s extra production capacity in order to give Saab sales a much-needed boost in North America. The 9-2X was little more than an Impreza hatchback with a Saab-esque front end and minor chassis tweaks.

The Linear model used the Impreza’s 165hp 2.5-liter flat-four engine. The top-spec Aero variant benefited from the WRX’s turbocharged, 227hp 2.0-liter four. Both came with Subaru’s winter weather-defeating all-wheel drive system.

Subaru’s plant in Japan made 10,346 examples of the 9-2X alongside the Impreza for the 2005 and 2006 model years. Most of the production run went to the United States but a small handful of cars ended up on the Canadian market. Saab never sold the 9-2X in Europe.

9-7X (2004)

Saab introduced the 9-7X at the 2004 New York auto show in order to surf the SUV wave. The Griffin emblem up front fooled no one; it took only a quick glance to tell the 9-7X was yet another variant of the GMT360 platform that also spawned the Buick Rainier, the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, the GMC Envoy, the Isuzu Ascender, the Oldsmobile Bravada and, oddly, the Chevrolet SSR.

Saab showed a surprising amount of foresight when it launched a sporty Aero variant of the 9-7X powered by a 6.0-liter V8 with 390hp on tap. Other versions of this engine also powered the Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS, the Pontiac GTO and the Chevrolet Corvette. Stuffing a large-displacement American V8 in a big, burly SUV in the midst of a crippling economic downturn was about as productive as opening a Chipotle franchise on the moon. The 9-7X did little to turn around Saab’s fortunes and retired after the 2009 model year.

9-5 (2010)

Saab learned from past mistakes and put a tremendous amount of effort into making the second-generation 9-5 competitive. It shared its platform and many mechanical components with the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia but it wore a brand-specific design. Saab took the 9-5 upmarket by offering features like a head-up display, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

The 9-5 went on sale in June 2010. Sales ended in March 2011 after Saab made 11,280 units.

9-4X (2010)

Saab presented the 9-4X at the 2010 Los Angeles auto show. It shared its platform with the Cadillac SRX but Saab wisely avoided blatant badge-engineering. Though the 9-4X entered a booming segment of America’s new car market, it arrived far too late to save the brand from collapse. Only 814 examples were built in General Motors’ Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, factory before Saab filed for bankruptcy.

9-3 Independence Edition (2011)

Holland-based Spyker optimistically celebrated the one-year anniversary of Saab’s independence from General Motors by releasing a limited-edition 9-3 convertible named Independence Edition. It made 366 examples of the car, one for each day of the year and an additional one to mark the start of the second year. Every Independence Edition came painted in a shade chosen as a tribute to the Dutch flag, according to Spyker, and rode on model-specific alloy wheels.

The 9-3 convertible Independence Edition made its debut on 23 February 2011. Saab filed for bankruptcy on 19 December 2011.

9-3 Retroturbo (2017)

Saab's current owner, National Electric Vehicles Sweden (NEVS), built this one-of-a-kind 9-3 in 2017 to celebrate the 99 Turbo's 40th birthday. Powered by a 260hp turbo four, the 9-3 received throwback badges and a modern interpretation of the emblematic Inca alloy wheel design. Saab's owner NEVS though repeatedly said that this 9-3 won’t reach production, and in any case NEVS itself closed down in 2024.

For more information about the Saab museum, please visit its website:

https://saabcarmuseum.se/en/

The hero cars of the Chevy small block V8

Sat, 9 May 2026 08:18:18 +0100

It’s one of the most famous engines ever made, and one of the longest enduring. Join us for a journey into the world of the Chevy small block V8

More than 100 million Chevrolet small block V8 engines have been built since it was launched in 1954.

And it may have recently hit 65, but it’s far from ready for retirement just yet. Offered in sizes ranging from 265cu in (4.3 litres) up to 400cu in (6.6 litres), it’s been used in just about every form of transport possible.

It might have ceased full production in 2003, but the small block is still being made in small numbers for those who want to enjoy its charms in hot rods and sports cars. Here’s our run-down of the best Chevy small block-powered cars in chronological order:

Chevrolet Bel Air (1955)

This is where it all started for the Chevrolet small block V8 and it’s little wonder the company advertised this car as the ‘Hot One’. The old six-cylinder engines persisted, but newly affluent buyers flocked to specify the V8 motor that first came in 265cu in (4.3-litre) guise and then 283cu in (4.6-litre) forms, with the larger engine appearing in 1957.

These were modest capacity engines by US standards and the 265 motor provided a genteel 162 HP, but this could be upped to 180 HP with the Power Pack option that included a four barrel carburettor. There was also a Super Power Pack to give a further 15 HP.

Chevrolet Task Force (1955)

Chevrolet quickly made its novel small-block V8 available in its new Task Force range of pickup trucks. Starting in 1955, the 265cu in (4.3-litre) V8 was available with a two-barrel carburettor and an output of 145 HP. That figure grew to 155 HP in 1956 and 162 HP the following year.

The engine – which Chevrolet claimed was easier to maintain than V8s made by rivals – complemented one of the most modern trucks available in the United States during the 1950s. Sister company GMC also made the V8 available in its version of the Task Force, called Blue Chip.

Chevrolet Corvette (1955)

The Corvette was launched in 1953 and was notable for being the first production car in the US with a glassfiber body. It really came of age in 1955 when Chevrolet dropped in its all-new 265cu in (4.3-litre) V8 motor to give it the power and performance to match its looks. There was the option of a three-speed manual transmission and together this and the engine instantly knocked 1.5 seconds off the 0-60mph time.

By 1957, Chevy was offering the larger 283cu in (4.6-litre) small block V8 with 287 HP to give it over 1 HP per cubic inch. A four-speed manual transimssion was also introduced at the same time and fuel injection became an option in this year too, making the ’Vette among the first production cars to use this system. A total of 1040 of the 6,339 Corvettes made in 1957 received fuel injection.

Drag car (1956)

Almost as soon as Chevrolet introduced its small block engine, it started to be used in competition. In the USA, that meant drag racing and the small block has been a key pillar of this branch of motorsport ever since. Thanks to its light weight and compact size, the small block was quickly adopted by the likes of Bill ‘Grumpy’ Jenkins and Richard Harrell.

It also helped that Chevrolet saw the performance potential in its new engine and offered factory power upgrades that keen drag racers could fit. In 1961, Chevy engines took 27 out of 53 records in the National Hot Rod Association’s race classes.

Chevrolet Bel Air Impala (1958)

The Impala was an upscale Chevrolet Bel Air model based on the two-door coupe and convertible versions. To help mark out this top of the range car launched to mark the 50th anniversary of Chevrolet being in business, it gained the uprated 188 HP 283cu in (4.6-litre) V8 as standard. This could be increased to 250 HP depending on which packs you chose, while a Turbo-Fire version was added with Ramjet fuel injection.

The Impala proved a huge hit with buyers right from the start and during the first generation’s production life in 1958, it accounted for 15% of all cars built by Chevrolet.

Chevrolet El Camino (1959)

The El Camino was created by Chevrolet to take on the Ford Ranchero and was a huge hit with buyers. It mixed a coupe cabin with the load bay of a pick-up, while under the hood buyers could pick from a plodding straight six or the far more appealing 283cu in (4.6-litre) small block V8. There was also a big block 348cu in (5.7-litre) V8 for those hooked on speed.

The small block motor was ideal for the job as it could haul hay just as effectively as it could haul anything else. With up to 290 HP on tap from a Ramjet fuel injected engine, the El Camino quickly became a performance favorite and knocked its Ford rival into second spot in the sales charts.

Avanti II (1965)

During its convoluted lifetime, the Avanti went from being designed by Raymond Loewy for Studebaker to being a record-breaker at the Bonneville Salt Flats. When Studebaker sold the project in 1964 to the Altman brothers, they resurrected it the following year with Chevrolet small block power and called it the Avanti II.

Each car took about three months to build to order, which put it out of step with most of its mainstream rivals. The brothers kept this luxury car’s flame flickering until selling the company in 1982. It then passed through various owners until its eventual and final demise in 2006.

Chevrolet Nova SS (1966)

Needing a compact sedan model to bolster ailing sales of the rear-engined Corvair, Chevrolet launched the II in 1962 and christened the sporting model Nova. Chevrolet didn’t offer the model with a V8 until it added the 283 to the range during the 1964 model year in order to enter it in the horsepower war that was brewing in America. The firm later made a 327cu in (5.4-litre) small block V8 available. Transmission options included a three-speed auto and a four-speed manual.

However, the Nova developed into a good compact muscle car as the SS model in the later 1960s (1966 model pictured). Big block engines were an option by then, but the sweet spot was 295 HP model with the 350cu in (5.7 litres) small block version complete with uprated suspension.

Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 (1967)

The Camaro was Chevrolet’s retort to the Ford Mustang and started a dynasty that continued to use the small block motor for decades. There were lesser models with six-cylinder engines but the ones everyone wanted had V8s in sizes ranging from 302cu in (5.0 litres) to 396cu in (6.5 litres). The base V8 during the 1967 model year was a 327cu in (5.4-litre) unit rated at 210 HP.

The Z/28 name started as an internal code at Chevrolet for a Special Performance Package with the 302 V8 to homologate the car for stock car racing. This pack came with an uprated engine, twin-pipe exhaust, stiffened suspension, larger wheels and a Positraction differential to deal with the motor’s power. Only 602 Z/28s were sold in 1967, making them highly collectable today and the beginning of a legend.

Pontiac Firebird (1967)

Typifying the ‘Coke’ bottle styling of the period, the first Pontiac Firebird was offered with entry-level six-cylinder engines, but almost all buyers ignored these in favor of the small block V8 choices. Good thing too, as they could pick from 326- (5.3-litre) or 400cu in (6.6-litre) motors. The larger was a rare bird, but the 326 could be had with two- or four barrel carburettors to give 249- or 286 HP.

The Firebird was a fixture in the Pontiac catalog for 25 years and offered buyers a low-cost way into V8 sports car ownership. Throughout its life, the small block V8 remained the most popular engine for this model.

Formula 5000 (1968)

Spiralling costs in single-seater racing prompted the introduction of Formula 5000. Using older single-seater chassis fitted with a 302cu in (5.0-litre) V8, it made for cheap, fast motorsport. Chevrolet small block engines came to dominate as they gave an easy 500 HP and could rev to 8000 RPM.

The series was established in the USA, but spread to other parts of the world. Many famous drivers made their names in F5000, including Mario Andretti, Brian Redman, Jody Scheckter, Al and Bobby Unser.

Chevrolet Blazer K5 (1969)

Pre-dating the Range Rover by a year, the Chevrolet Blazer K5 offered superb off-road ability allied to on-road comfort and plenty of power. This last element came from the small block V8 motor in 307 (5.0-litre) and 350cu in (5.7-litre) forms, as well as a wheezy six-cylinder engine.

Choose the top-line 350 V8 and you had 258 HP on tap and a choice of three-speed auto or four-speed manual transmissions. With the relaxed torque from either V8, the Blazer was ideal for trickling over tough terrain. Successive generations offered more of the same with the small block at its heart until the line ended in 1995.

Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am (1969)

Immortalised in the Smokey and the Bandit films, the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was an uprated version of the standard Firebird coupe. Right from the start, the marker was laid down with the Trans Am being the most powerful model available with 350 HP from a 400cu in (6.5-litre) motor.

Little did buyers know this would be the high point for factory engine power as emissions regulations took hold in the 1970s. However, a rare dealer-fit option could take the engine to 500 HP and unleash the true potential of this motor.

Holden Commodore (1978)

As the Australian outpost of General Motors, Holden was quick to use its parent company’s engines when it launched the Commodore in 1978. The home market was a willing audience for the small block V8 and the Holden-ised version started off as a 253cu in (4.1-litre) unit.

Later in its life, the Commodore’s V8 grew to a much fuller 350cu in (5.7 litres) and this model was a mainstay of Holden’s assault on the Aussie V8 Supercar, previously the Australian Touring Car Championship. This also inspired Holden to launch its HSV performance division.

Supermarine Spitfire replica (1998)

There are plenty of aero-engined cars, but the Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire replica is a car-engined aircraft. The Chevrolet small block V8 in 366cu in (6.0-litre) form is the same as used in the Corvette from the early 2000s and gives a reliable 430 HP in aero form.

If you’re worried the Chevy engine is down on power compared to the original Rolls-Royce Merlin V12’s 1166 HP, Supermarine Aircraft’s machine is a 90% scale replica. It can achieve 220 Knots (253mph) and cruise at 193 Knots while flying at up to 18,000-feet. Sold as a kit, it costs from AUD$165,000 ($114,000) and should take around 1100 hours to build, which sounds like a lot of weekends to us.

Cadillac CTS-V (2004)

Cadillac’s CTS was an executive class rival to the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, so it’s not surprise parent company Chevrolet wanted a performance version to take on the Euro challengers. This gave rise to the CTS-V in 2004 with an LS6 generation of the small block engine borrowed from the Corvette Z06. This 350cu in (5.7-litre) motor was replaced by a 366cu in (6.0-litre) unit in 2006 and both used a six-speed manual transmission.

Starting out with 405 HP, the CTS-V covered 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds and managed 163mph flat out. The third-generation CTS-V (second-generation model pictured) adopted contemporary Corvette motors to become ever faster and peaked with the supercharged 376cu in (6.2-litre) model in 2016. It came with 649 HP to break the 200mph barrier and 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds.

Corvette Z06 (2006)

The Z06 was the ultimate expression of the Corvette sports car when it was launched in 2006. Even so, it retained the familiar pushrod small block engine, albeit in a mighty LS 427cu in (7.0-litre) form and generating 500 HP. That was enough to see this honed Corvette from rest to 60mph in 3.7 seconds and on to 198mph.

Those figures put the Corvette right into heart of contemporary supercar royalty, yet the small block engine made it easy to live with and use daily. It also helped keep the price affordable at $65,800 in the US where it outperformed and outpowered the similarly priced Porsche 911.

The best-looking Fords ever produced

Sat, 9 May 2026 08:17:35 +0100

Double-take cars from the illustrious Blue Oval that fulfilled their brief better than many others

Ford has been a dab hand at building everyday cars to appeal to keen drivers, and it’s also made more than its fair share of cars with good looks.

Here’s our pick of the best-looking Ford models from around the world, arranged in chronological order. And please note we use the phrase ‘best-looking’ and not ‘most beautiful’; here we’re talking about cars that we reckoned that looked great considering the duty the car in question had to do. Many designers can make a low-slung coupe look great – but it’s rather harder for a SUV or family runabout. Climb aboard:

Ford Model T (1908)

The utilitarian simplicity of the Ford Model T that went on sale in 1908 barely changed throughout the car’s long life. Its clean lines established the general layout and style of most cars to come for the next three decades with flowing wings, prominent radiator, and the engine at the front.

Loathe to spend money on unnecessary development, Ford kept the Model T as basic as it could get away with. As a result, the price came actually down during its production life and it helped Ford produce more than 15 million by the time the last T rolled off the line in 1927.

Ford Model A (1927)

The Model A was charged with replacing the Ford Model T, so no pressure, then. Fortunately, the Model A mixed just the right level of affordability with handsome looks and rugged durability – all key elements set out by the earlier Model T.

Produced in multiple countries around the world, the Model A’s appealing lines were applied to a huge variety of body shapes including saloon, convertible, coupe, roadster, pick-up, and station wagon estate. By the time it was replaced by the Model B in 1932, the Model A had posted sales of 4.85 million and firmly entrenched Ford as a global car maker noted for good looking, low-cost cars.

Ford V8 (1932)

The ‘V8’ name was never used by Ford in period for its Model 18, but the name stuck with customers and drivers as it summed up in an instant what engine powered this unadorned, nice looking car. It also went very well with the 221cu in (3.6-litre) V8 ‘Flathead’ motor that made this the world’s first mass production V8-powered car.

A tiny number of V8s were produced in the UK totalling 911 and there was also a V8-40 model with V-shaped radiator grille. A mark of well regarded these cars were in period is they quickly became a staple of the post-war US hot rod and custom scenes.

Ford Model Y (1932)

Taking its styling inspiration from the V8-40 that was due in 1933, Ford in Europe launched the Model Y in 1932 with clean lines and an understatedly sporting V-shaped front grille. There’s wasn’t much sporting about the 933cc straight-four engine, but that didn’t put off 157,668 people choosing the Model Y up to the end of production in 1937.

Most Model Ys were sold as the Tudor saloon which had two doors and the usual flowing wings of this era of car. If you wanted more practicality, there was the Fordor saloon, which was a pun on the ‘four door’ name, but these sold in much smaller numbers than the two-door version.

Ford Pilot (1947)

Always keen to cover as many bases as possible with its range, Ford edged into Alvis, Jaguar and Wolseley territory with its Pilot V8. The name tells you what’s under the bonnet in the form of Ford’s trusty 3.6-litre ‘Flathead’ V8, though only with a modest 85bhp.

More tempting for many buyers would be the more up to date and fuller bodywork of the Pilot. While not all-enveloping and still featuring separate headlights, the side steps running between the front and rear wings were more vestigial nods to the past to allow for a wide body and more cabin space. Pleasingly imposing, the Pilot was also offered as an estate and pick-up.

Ford Custom (1948)

Styled by industrial designer George Walker, the 1949 Ford was a complete break from the pre-war looks from the Blue Oval. The full-width front with enclosed headlights and large central chromed torpedo in the grille were bold and innovative, especially from a volume player.

The 1949 was a risky move by Ford but one that paid off handsomely when it was unveiled in June 1948 at a glamorous event at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City. It won the Fashion Academy Award for its styling and sales flourished as drivers flocked to buy the two- and four-door sedans, coupe, convertible, and station wagon models. All of this helped put Ford’s finances back in the black after the chaos of remodelling the firm for peacetime, and it sold 1,118,762 of the 1949 model.

Ford Zephyr (1950)

Following the lead of Ford in the US, the UK arm of the company came up with the Zephyr in 1950, which shared its clean lines with the more basic Consul and higher spec Zodiac. It was one of the first saloons in the UK to move to the modern full-width front with incorporated grille and headlights, and it gave the Ford a raffish air.

These models were also notable for being the first Ford to use unitary construction rather than a separate chassis. This gave the cars better rigidity, which helped when they were used in competition such as rallying, and offered more cabin space. Ford only offered the saloon, but coachbuilders such as Abbot and Carbodies made estates and convertibles.

Ford F-100 (1953)

Ford first launched the F-Series in 1948, but it was the second-generation model of 1953 that really captured the attention and hearts of US buyers. It’s easy to see why the F-100 caught on and sold more than 100,000 vehicles in each of the three years it was on sale.

The bluff front’s tapered bonnet and chrome grille insert lend a heft to the compact pick-up, while the stepside rear gives it a more truck-like appearance. There was the useful load bed that made this ideal for the booming economy of the US in the 1950s for use in all manner of trades.

Ford Thunderbird (1954)

There were fewer physical manifestations of the booming US economy in the 1950s than the Ford Thunderbird that arrived in 1954. Its swoopy styling was the work of Louis D Crusoe and George Walker, but the name came from another inhouse designer, Alden Giberson, who won a competition to name the car and earned himself a $250 suit for winning.

Intended as a sports car, the Thunderbird looked the part and shared a lot of its styling identity with the Zephyr saloon already on sale in the UK. However, the Thunderbird was more of a luxury cruiser compared to Europe’s Jaguars and MGs. None of this mattered to US drivers, who loved the looks and affordable $2695 starting price. The car ushered in the personal car segment, which was to be a happy and profitable hunting ground for Detroit for the following couple of decades.

Ford Anglia (1959)

The Anglia 105E was a very different car to the one it shared a name with and replaced in 1959. Where its predecessor had ushered in the idea of full-width styling, the 105E was a touch of fins-and-flash thanks to its US-influenced appearance. The distinguishing feature of the Anglia saloon was its reverse angle rear window, which earned the car the nickname of ‘Anglebox’.

This helped the rear screen remain clear and clean when it rained, which was become more important as faster roads opened up in Europe in the 1960s. To further cope with these quicker routes, Ford introduced the 123E version with larger 1197cc engine in 1963 with a top speed of 85mph. Ford sold more than 1 million across all Anglias of this generation.

Ford Consul Capri (1961)

Not the Capri that many will think of when this name is mentioned, Ford first used the title on this two-door coupe in 1961, in Europe. It was clearly inspired by the contemporary Thunderbird from the US and its scaled-down looks successfully offered fins and a pillarless window opening.

A GT version arrived in 1963 with a peppy 1498cc engine to give the Capri decent performance, but this model never took off with UK buyers. By the time Ford took the Capri off sale in 1963, a mere 18,716 had found homes, yet it’s now highly regarded by classic Ford fans.

Ford Galaxie (1963)

The Galaxie name was used as a coverall for Ford’s full-size cars in the early 1960s, but the model introduced in 1964 stands out as a styling high point. To help Ford’s efforts in NASCAR racing at the time, all saloon and coupé models for this year featured a much more sloping rear window to give better aerodynamics.

With power from Ford’s excellent V8 engines, racing success followed in the US and further afield. The Galaxie also proved its worth in the showroom, where the two-door hard-top model became the best-selling Galaxie XL model ever made. Ford also built 50 special lightweight versions of the Galaxie with fibre glass bodywork and tuned 7.0-litre V8 motors for use in drag racing.

Ford Lotus Cortina (1963)

In the same year that Ford launched its pert Cortina saloon, it also scored a bullseye with the Lotus Cortina. In a project spurred on by Ford’s PR mastermind Walter Hayes, the whole point of this performance model was to win on track and on rally stages, which it did with considerable dominance in the hands of drivers such as Jim Clark and Sir John Whitmore.

In showrooms, the Lotus Cortina was just as popular thanks to its clean looks and subtle styling upgrades to set it apart from the humble base models. Most came in white with a green flash down the flank and there were widened steel wheels, quarter bumpers, and Lotus badges. The real change was, of course, under the bonnet where the 1558cc twin-cam engine with 105bhp sat, giving a 108mph top speed. In all, Ford sold 3301 between 1963 and 1966.

Ford GT40 (1964)

Created out of a grudge against Ferrari when Ford’s attempt to buy the Italian firm were thwarted by Enzo Ferrari, the GT40 went on to win Le Mans four times. Its looks were the result of making a car suitable for this event that could sustain high speeds in a race with reliability, and Ford’s Roy Lunn worked with Eric Broadley of Lola to bring this about.

The GT40 name was arrived at due to its styling as the car sat only 40-inches high, while packing a mid-mounted V8 motor. Initially, it looked like Ford had wasted its time and money on the striking GT40 as Ferrari won Le Mans in 1964 and ’65. However, Ford was determined and went on to win the 24 Hours classic four times in a row between 1966 and 1969 with the GT40.

Ford Mustang (1964)

There are many impressive facets to the original Ford Mustang, not least that such a handsome design was developed from a concept to production car in just 18 months. This might explain why the first-generation Mustang retained such clean looks, helping it achieve sales of 100,000 cars after being on sale for only three months.

By the time in the Mustang had been around for 18 months, Ford notched up 1 million sales. This more than vindicated Ford General Manager Lee Iacocca’s faith in the project, which kicked off a dynasty that continues to this day.

Ford Bronco (1965)

Just as the Mustang had done for sports cars in the US, the Ford Bronco did the same for go-anywhere utility machines. This simple, almost box-like shape had just the right amount of detailing to make it stand out and appeal to drivers who wanted a car to commute in, and also one to head into the wilds at the weekend.

By mixing station wagon practicality, four-wheel drive off-road ability, and its own unique looks, the Bronco became the first car to be called a sports utility vehicle. The styling by McKinley Thompson was the direct result of market research by Ford into Jeep and Harvester International owners to find what they wanted from a utility vehicle. This led to three body styles: Roadster open-top, Sports Utility pick-up, and Wagon estate.

PICTURE: 1966 Ford Bronco

Ford Capri (1968)

With a history that spanned 29 years of continuous production across three generations, there’s a Ford Capri to suit all eyes. The original 1968 model leaned heavily on the Mustang for its looks and inspiration, which was backed up with the power of the 3.0-litre V6 engine in top models.

The Mk2 Capri arrived in 1974 with cleaned up lines and a hatchback in place of the original’s boot lid. It was a hit with buyers and saw the model through to the Mk3 that took over in 1978 with its quad headlights and wraparound bumpers. Even if the basic shape was getting old in the 1980s, the Capri still sold and turned heads as the essentials were still spot on.

Ford LTD (1968)

Ford brought in the LTD for the 1965 model year, but it was the second-generation model that pitched up in 1968 that set the tone for this line-up. It was a full-size car, which meant it was 5.7-metres long as a four-door saloon, was the largest car Ford offered in the US at the time.

The distinctive nose of this generation of LTD became even more pronounced with a mid-life update in 1971. At the same time, Ford replaced the rear lights with horizontal tail lights that were then adopted by all US models soon after.

Ford GT70 (1970)

The Ford GT70 was a tempting glimpse of what might have been for Ford if it had gone with this Ercole Spada-styled coupe. Spada already had a large catalogue of Alfa Romeo and Lancia designs to his name, so the GT70 was off to a good start.

Unlike the Capri of the time, the GT70 had a mid-engined layout that gave this two-door sports car a low-slung look, while the pop-up headlights helped emphasise the smooth, squat appearance. In a bid to prove the effectiveness of the GT70 concept, Ford took the car rallying, but this was met with little success and only six GT70 was ever made.

Ford Granada (1972)

Ford replaced the bloated Zephyr and Zodiac with the much trimmer and more stylish (European) Granada in 1972. Base models retained the Consul name until 1975, when they all became Granadas, but each had the same restrained brand of US-influenced exterior design. Still, it was markedly more handsome than the contemporary North American Granada, with which it shared nothing apart from a name.

Alongside the very well balanced appearance of the saloon, Ford also offered the Granada as a vast estate and a two-door coupe. The second generation of Granada squared-off the looks for the 1980s, but the coupe was dropped for this version, and the third generation adopted a smooth wind-tunnel-shaped style.

Ford Escort RS2000 Mk2 (1976)

It might not have been as exotic under the skin as the homologation special RS1800, but the second-generation Ford Escort RS2000 looked much more special. The simple addition of a plastic nose cone with four headlights and a lower air dam instantly lifted this fast Ford to cult status, and it’s stayed there ever since.

The new front end helped with aerodynamics, so this RS2000 could touch 110mph. In 1978, Ford offered a cheaper model with steel wheels, while the Custom version came with a plusher interior. Either way, this RS2000 was a massive sales success.

Ford Fiesta (1976)

Ford had been absent from the small car market since 1967 with the demise of the Anglia, but it made a huge impact when it returned with the Fiesta in 1976. Its clean, sharp lines were just what was needed to surf the European supermini wave, and the Fiesta set about its task with glee and enormous sales.

This was Ford of Europe’s first hatchback model and they made sure the packaging made the most of the two-box exterior. Even so, Ford avoided the Fiesta looking blob-like thanks to the large glass area and front end with a slight reverse angle. Hot hatch versions followed with the XR2 and XR2i that added sporting style with simple black wheelarch extensions, front and rear spoilers, alloy wheels, and stripes.

Ford Mustang (1979)

The ‘Fox body’ Mustang was the third generation of Ford’s perennial sports car and was the longest-lived version, with a production life running from 1979 to 1994. It was the first Mustang to break away from the overall appearance of the original, preferring straight lines to curves and a pointed front end.

The earlier ‘four eyes’ front end with quad headlights gave way to an updated look in 1987 with single-piece headlights. Both have their fanbases and each was sold as a coupe, notchback, or convertible that all sold well and kept the Mustang name alive.

Ford Escort XR3 (1981)

Ford made the radical switch from rear- front-wheel drive with third incarnation of its Escort name. It was also a much more angular design that leant itself well to the quicker versions that inevitably followed soon after. The first of these was the XR3, which stuck with a carburettor-fed 1.6-litre engine rather than the fuel-injected motor of the slightly later XR3i.

Key styling improvements for the XR3 were its black plastic rear spoiler, front air dam, colour coded bumpers, and the all-important ‘cloverleaf’ alloy wheels that told the world you were driving something special; the XR3 remains an archetype of ‘80s Britain.

Ford RS200 (1984)

If it hadn’t been for the banning of Group B rally cars, the Ford RS200 would be much better known. As it is, Ford barely had a chance to use its purpose-designed four-wheel drive car before the entire class was outlawed on safety grounds. However, its looks still stand out today to make it one of the best looking fast Fords and rally cars of its era.

With the engine mounted amidships, the RS200’s front end was low and purposeful, with bug-eye headlights. A full width air intake above the B-pillars fed cold air to the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine, which could generate up to 650bhp, while at the back was a huge integrated spoiler to keep the car stable at high speeds. This found its use when the RS200 became a star of rallycross after its rally career was cut short.

Ford Tickford Capri (1984)

As well as boosting power of the Ford Capri’s 2.8-litre V6 to 205bhp for 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds and a 137mph maximum, Tickford didn’t stint when it came to changing the looks of Ford’s coupe. All but one of these bespoke cars were finished in white, with the other in black, and each required 200 hours of work to finish.

The Tickford Capri retained the original pepperpot alloy wheels, now painted white, but there was deep front air dam and blocked off radiator grille to improve aerodynamics. Wider wheelarches flowed into ground-hugging side skirts, and there was a huge rear spoiler to complete the looks of this hand-finished Capri.

Ford Granada Scorpio (1985)

Following the lead set by the Sierra, Ford introduced its flagbearer model with jelly mould styling in 1985. It might have been quite conventional mechanically, but the looks were divisive as traditional Ford customers took a sharp intake of breath, especially as there was now no saloon but a hatchback in its place.

A four-door saloon was later added and the Scorpio shape soon became accepted as other car makers went down a similar styling path. The Ford offered discreet comfort for mid-ranking company execs, who could also take advantage of a four-wheel drive model and ABS anti-lock brakes when such things were very rare in this class.

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth (1985)

Is there another Ford that is so easily identified by a single styling feature than the Sierra RS Cosworth’s rear wing? Probably not and the wing was there for practical needs rather than the whimsy of a designer or marketing person. It aided downforce at high speed for motorsport, and the limited run RS500 version used an even larger version to continue the model’s dominance in touring car racing.

However, there was much more to the RS Cosworth’s looks than a wing. The front bumper was all new to channel air more cleanly over and around the car, as well as help cool the front brakes. Wheelarch extensions covered the wider wheels, and vents assisted with lowering under-bonnet temperatures generated by the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine. It was all form following function, and it worked to perfection.

Ford Escort RS Cosworth (1992)

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth is more of an Escort shell lowered on to the all-wheel drive platform of the Sapphire RS Cosworth. As such, it’s no surprise this more compact model used some of the cues from its predecessors such as the large rear wing, bonnet vents, and deep front bumper.

New for the Escort RS Cosworth were pumped-up wings to cope with the wider track of the Sierra platform, while at the rear the exhaust now poked out from the lower bumper. It added up to a high performance Ford that more than stood up alongside its illustrious siblings, which helped Ford shift 7000 of them in four years.

Ford Probe (1992)

The first Ford Probe of 1988 was a slightly bland attempt to take on the Honda Prelude in the US. This led to the second generation model that arrived in 1992 with much sleeker styling and a chassis borrowed from the Mazda MX-6. Sales in Europe started in 1993 and the Probe should have become the spiritual successor to the Capri, yet buyers were keener on the rival Vauxhall Calibra even though it didn’t drive as well as the Ford.

This second-generation Probe was styled by Mimi Vandermolen, who was the first female design executive for small cars at Ford. Her instinct had been right to launch the Probe, but it smooth lines were not enough to compete with cars such as the Nissan 200SX, Toyota Celica, and Volkswagen Corrado.

Ford Ka (1996)

Ford’s New Edge design direction had its first production outing with the city car Ka, which was based on the contemporary Fiesta platform and made it very nimble and fun to drive. It was styled by the late Chris Svensson and was quite a shock to the world at a time when Ford’s cars had rounded, conservative looks. Happily, that didn’t stop the Ka from being a runaway sales hit, helped along by keen pricing and a lithe steer.

There was a lot of clever thought in the Ka’s styling, with large bumpers that extended into the wing to make it cheaper to replace them in the event of a bash. The interior carried on with the funky design theme, but perhaps the most important thing about the Ka was it laid the groundwork for the Focus that was to follow.

Ford Puma (1997)

Chris Svensson, working with Ian Callum, was very busy at Ford in the 1990s as he followed up the Ka city car with the Puma coupe. It was a brave move by Ford to create the Puma in the wake of the Probe’s sales flop, but the New Edge styling lent itself perfectly to this compact car.

Based on the Ford Fiesta Mk4 but with a bespoke 1.7-litre engine to begin with, the Puma hit all the right notes as a driver’s car and the styling proved spot on. It looked and felt special yet was affordable and practical, even offering four usable seats. A measure of how right the looks are is they still look fresh today.

Ford Focus Mk1 (1998)

When the all-new Focus lined up against its rivals – the Honda Civic, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf – in 1998, Ford’s new small hatch made everything else look old hat. Here was what the company had been building towards with its New Edge design direction and it was brilliant.

The crisp styling made even the base model desirable and all Focus Mk1s had neat styling touches such as the raised rear lights to protect them from low speed bumps. Other clever ideas were the bonnet release hidden behind the Ford badge and opened using the ignition key for added security. Inside, the defined lines were continued in the shape of the dash and door panels.

Ford GT (2003)

It’s always a risk to revive a revered shape from a company’s history, but Ford pulled it off to perfection with the GT of 2003 – Ford’s 100th birthday present to itself. It was clearly an update of the GT40 from 40 years before, but the new GT addressed issues such as ease of access and cabin space, so this was a supercar that everyone could enjoy so long as they could afford the substantial price.

The job of styling the GT fell to Camilo Pardo under the guidance of J Mays, and the success of the design is proved by the fact it’s impossible to tell this car sits four inches taller than the GT40’s ground-hugging 40-inch roof line. Any concerns about this larger, retro-themed supercar were allayed when it recorded 4038 sales by the time it was discontinued in 2006.

Ford F150 SVT Raptor (2009)

Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) took its inspiration for the Raptor from desert racing trucks. This didn’t extend just to the mechanical side as the F150 Raptor of 2009 looked like it was ready to take on the Baja dunes even when sitting on a suburban drive.

A measure of seriously SVT modified the F150 is the Raptor only uses the base car’s cab and headlights. Everywhere else, from the widened track and huge wheels to the unique wings and dash, the Raptor is a standalone model. It was originally only offered as a two-door model, but Ford relented to customer demand in 2011 with a four-door crew cab version and two subsequent generations of Raptor have followed.

Ford Flex (2009)

The late Peter Horbury showed his usual astute judgement when he styled the original Flex concept for the 2005 Chicago Auto Show. It mixed MPV, estate and SUV elements yet the Flex emerged as its own distinct car that went into production in 2009.

The simplicity of the Flex’s appearance belie how clever it is, using straight lines to ensure maximum cabin space and excellent visibility while also hiding the car’s size. It also has a ‘floating’ roof courtesy of the black-painted pillars. There were also nods to the early ‘woodie wagon’ estates of the 1930’s with horizontal grooves running along the sides and tailgate that helped break up the expanse of bodywork.

Ford Mustang (2014)

It’s a mark of how important the Mustang is to Ford that it warrant not one but three mentions in this list. Each is very different from the others, even if this sixth-generation model has retro styling that harks back to the original 1964 car.

Ford first went down the retro track with the 2005 fifth generation model, but it really nailed the looks with this car that made its debut in late 2013. The influence of that early Mustang is obvious, both inside and out, but it’s not at the expense of a modern feel, and another new touch was the addition of right-hand drive for the first time in a Mustang, helping the model find keen new owners in the Australia, Japan, and the UK among others.

Ford GT (2015)

Following up the Ford GT would be no easy task, but Ford aced it with its Mk2, revealed to the world at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2015. This time power came from a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6, but the attention was really drawn to the luscious and almost impossibly low-slung lines, a design overseen by Chris Svensson, of Ford Ka fame, its flying buttresses perhaps its most dramatic aerodynamic feature.

Ford Focus RS (2016)

There have been three Ford RS generations, but it’s the third of these that arrived in 2016 that grabs out attention here. The 2002 first-gen RS was remarkably subtle in its looks, while the second in the line went possibly too far in the other direction. This makes the 2016 car the sweet spot.

To the casual passer-by, there was nothing much different about the RS, but when you looked closer there were all manner of changes to the styling. A large grille was need to feed the 345bhp engine with air, while the splitter managed the aerodynamics. At the rear, there’s a diffuser and large roof spoiler, and all of these items were there for a practical purpose rather than show. That’s what makes this RS such a good looking car as it’s all about function over form.

Ford Bronco (2021)

Bringing back the Bronco name after a 25-year lay-off was risky enough, but Ford has proved itself to be a master of the retro update. This sixth-generation model takes the 1960s original as it starting point and adds in modern touches such as the headlights and bonded glass. As part of the process of creating this renewed Bronco, Ford even scanned the chief designer’s 1976 original to act as a reference for the dimensions and shape.

The result is a car that looks like its evolved over years rather than being brought back to life after a quarter of a century. Offered as a two- or four-door SUV, the Bronco’s roof can be removed to make it into a convertible and even the doors can be taken off to make it just like the original Roadster version.

Tactility is the new tech: Why buttons are more premium than pixels

Sat, 9 May 2026 08:00:00 +0100

Screens are a constant part of modern life - turning them off will be the new luxury

The Times' thoughtful columnist James Marriott writes - and hopes, I think - that he can imagine a time when social status, rather than bans, will get people off their smartphones.

"Economically at least, smartphone dependency is a sign of low status," he writes - and because humans are finely attuned to the nuances of how people think of us, often considering it more than our health, it will be stigma, being perceived as having to be on one's phone, that gets one off it.

Having a smartphone used to be a sign of prestige, but now everyone has one or is issued something that's a lot like one for the most menial of tasks.

"The higher you are in the economic hierarchy," writes Marriott, "the less likely you are to be fired if you don't leap into action at the prompting of an app."

Are there lessons here for motoring, I wonder? The world of cars is shifting, slowly and slightly, away from heavy screen dependency. But maybe it's perceived status that will tip the balance.

Certainly the novelty of having a big screen in a car has worn off, and while it wasn't always the most prestigious of cars that were fitted with them in the first place, they were thought of as clever. I still remember the first car I tested that was fitted with satellite navigation. In the late 1990s, I think; a Mitsubishi Carisma, for sure. I drove my housemates into London because of the thrill of it. BMW's early iDrive screens - not very easily controlled, granted - caused a stir, too, and Tesla, then Volvo, really popularised them.

That the most luxurious car makers didn't lead the way with big touchscreens is perhaps more down to budget than desire. Mainstream cars have bigger development budgets than niche sports or luxury cars. In the early screen days, Aston Martin was buying systems from Volvo, and Rolls-Royce is still refacing BMW systems (while making sure they're appropriate for its cars' longer lifespans).

But even in those early days, Rolls-Royce and Bentley, to the credit of both, began to see what I think most of us do now: that the ability to be switched off from tech, and from the hectic wider world, is a luxury in itself. A Bentley or a Rolls can hide its screens, because its maker realised its customers want it that way and prefer interacting with real controls, like the organ stops that modulate air through the (metal, gently manoeuvrable) vents. These mechanical systems are cheaper to develop but expensive to make - and feel it.

No screen can replicate that tactility, regardless of how nice the graphics are and especially not now that screens are everywhere. At a certain resolution, there's no way for a prestige manufacturer's screen to look better than anyone else's. Whose looks better, BYD's or BMW's? Honestly couldn't tell you. Could barely care less, in the same way that I don't know which restaurant has the best app for ordering at the table. At the Butchers Arms, I get a conversation from someone who knows what's on, off or particularly nice today. It's added value.

The difficulty car makers face, though, is that nearly all new cars need to have some kind of screen. There's now just too much mandatory technology, too much customer expectation on equipment and too many financial pressures on any series-production car to avoid them. A mainstream manufacturer would have to design, engineer and produce perhaps dozens of different interiors, instead of buying one screen and programming each with a few differing lines of code, to make it feasible. And perhaps it would result in button overload.

Still, there's a trend at the very top of the market to move away from screen overdose. The Bugatti Tourbillon's instrument cluster is to be made by Swiss watchmakers. The new Ferrari Luce attempts to disguise its digital instrument pack behind a real speedo needle and several layers of glass. And if that trickles down, it is, as perhaps with smartphones, luxury and status that will save us from death by screen. 'Yes, my car has dials and buttons, and not just because I wanted them, but because I could afford them.'

Peugeot 106 GTi vs Citroën Saxo VTS: 90s hot hatch showdown

Sat, 9 May 2026 06:00:00 +0100

In the 1990s, soaring insurance costs put paid to affordable hot hatch fun – until this duo arrived

The 1990s wasn’t the friendliest environment for hot hatchbacks. The previous decade had bred some of the genre’s biggest icons, but an epidemic of thefts and spiralling insurance costs began to stifle car makers’ swagger.

The Golf GTI, a pioneer of the formula, was softened in its third generation, while the Escort Cosworth’s irresistibility to more than its paying customers meant Ford’s follow-ups lost their lustre too.

Thankfully, towards the decade’s close, rescue came from a reliable source of inexpensive fun: the French. The cars you see here were not only dinky in size and affordable, but their running costs were also attainable by everyday folk.

The Citroën Saxo VTS was flung to the top of the hot hatch sales charts by its now ludicrous-sounding free insurance deals, which, allied to its slim list price, lured in a younger demographic than that of the new car norm.

The Peugeot 106 GTi was a bit less bargain-bucket in its approach, but it is rumoured to have lowered its premiums another way. While the pair share the same genes, right down to identical four-cylinder engines, there was a minor gulf in their performance figures – chiefly the 106 taking half a second longer to hit 60mph than its non-identical twin.

The internet is awash with speculation about why that was the case, but the pair claim identical gear ratios, quelling any suggestions the Saxo could hit the accelerative benchmark with just one gearchange.

That only throws more weight behind the old wives’ theory that Peugeot started the stopwatch with more ballast on board in order to sandbag its car into a lower insurance group.

Either way, these are both joyously simple devices at their core. Each deploys a 120bhp 1.6-litre 16-valve naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that is allied to a short-stacked five-speed manual gearbox and powering the front wheels bereft of complicated electronics or intelligent differential set-ups to interrupt the process. Their suspension set-ups are a mix of off-the-shelf struts, trailing arms and a torsion bar.

Their exterior designs don’t feel too far from the regular parts locker, either: there are no wider tracks or requisite swelled arches, no muscular bonnet humps or indeed much you would describe as ‘bodykit’.

Their 14in alloys look delightfully restrained now but surely acted as placeholders for 1990s buyers itching to redeem their Demon Tweeks gift card. It’s small wonder cars such as these were quickly modified to the hilt, no doubt tearing those noble insurability claims into tatters.

That does, however, make it ever trickier to hunt down examples that haven’t been tuned, crashed or eaten by corrosion. The pair we have here must be among Britain’s very best remaining examples of each, and they both represent the apples of their respective owner’s eye.

The 1999 106 GTi has joined us from South Wales, where Carl Lampard has kept it for seven years, fully repainting it in its dazzling Sundance Yellow during a restoration to borderline brand- new condition. Everything, down to its official 106 GTi mats, looks as standard as the day it was born.

The 1997 Saxo VTS driven up from the south coast by Zac Jiggins is more demure still, a very early Quartz Silver car lacking even a rear spoiler to hint at any aggression beneath.

He has owned his Citroën for five years, and it arrives in front of photographer Jack’s camera fresh from an engine rebuild to ensure it feels as factory-fit as it looks. Both Carl and Zac appear too young to have lusted after these cars new but, crucially, they’re pouring their time and money into faithfully maintaining their original condition now. A true antithesis to the clientele who could have got their modifying mitts on these cars new.

Two special cars, then, ensuring today isn’t about cutting the same outlandish shapes as Tiff Needell on Autocar’s £15,000 performance mega-test around Rockingham in 2003, when these cars laid waste to some huge names to finish fourth and fifth out of 25 cars. Yep, 25 sub-£15k cars. You can barely get a base-spec Dacia for £15k now.

While the Saxo nipped ahead of the 106 on that occasion, the pair exchanged places in our affections across their six years on sale to hammer home with conviction just how closely related they are beneath their skin.

Yet flick through any period magazine and you will discover they offered quite different driving experiences: the Citroën is more agile, exciting and occasionally wayward, while the Peugeot operates with a mite more professionalism to serve up even greater thrills (at least on the road) with its greater breadth of ability in all conditions.

What united them both were lap times that outgunned more muscular competition: their flyweight physiques, keenly revving engines and hyperactive handling propelled them around racetracks with the startled energy of a fly stuck in a hot room.

Once again, the truth behind their handing differences is argued at length online, but the debate appears to focus on the 106 getting grippier tyres from the factory – and there are plenty of forum anecdotes of both cars exhibiting frenzied (or downright frightening) lift-off oversteer during ownership. Today, we have a grubby British morning to ride their waves of excitement and see how they each stack up almost 30 years after their respective launches.

What they both share is an upright driving position and a cramped, offset pedal box. That you can still heel and toe with such a tiny throttle is a credit to the sharpness and accuracy of the controls beneath your feet. They possess similar steering wheels too, each perfectly proportioned and sited ahead of an attractive set of Jaeger dials with alternative colour schemes.

Cute immobiliser keypad aside, the Saxo cuts a more modern dashboard aesthetic, while the 106 visibly shares vents and controls with Peugeots from a decade before to betray the fact that GTi trim arrived with the 106’s mid-life facelift, while the Saxo was fresh on the market.

I begin in the Peugeot, its hardened four-cylinder soundtrack and vibrant paint ensuring it buzzes down the road like an angry little hornet. Its steering is quick, alert and full of feel, while its modest 107lb ft of torque vastly over-delivers with less than a tonne to propel.

The gearshift is a little notchy and a far cry from the slicker shifts we’ve enjoyed in more modern and sophisticated hatches since, but the GTi is already a delightful palate cleanser that still feels quick enough to be relevant.

True to form, the Saxo is immediately more agile. It points so incisively into corners that you’re almost caught off guard, while the rear wheels lighten with just a hint of a relaxed throttle.

With more aggression, you can sense its bum poised to pivot round at the point the 106 is still working its grip more evenly across all four wheels. This is in mostly dry conditions, but were there more rain, I sense a perkier, perhaps meaner streak, is lurking within the VTS.

Yet it’s probably more addictive as a result, a live wire in which it is hard to resist upping your game while at the wheel. It charges hard even with a polite 5000rpm cap to avoid punishing Zac’s refreshed engine, and it eagerly matches the Peugeot’s enthusiasm.

The Citroën has the smoother, neater gearshift of the pair and feels the more refined and finessed car to operate, despite the potential mischief barely concealed beneath.

Both of them proudly demonstrate the endless benefits of making a car small, light and agile, and while they probably wouldn’t impress the Euro NCAP testers now, each has airbags, ABS and luxuries such as electric windows and power steering to prove they were always value propositions rather than outright cheap.

Each rides well on its 185/55 tyres and is narrow and nimble enough to snick around potholes anyway, negotiating the worst of broken British B-roads in its own inimitable way.

On quicker asphalt they will both buzz away above 3000rpm during a 70mph cruise, and you’d need a strong resolve to daily one now – not least because you’d be exposing an appreciating asset to the grit and grime of a British winter.

The Saxo VTS is the flamboyant extrovert, a car that’s truly got under my skin on these tight Somerset lanes, while the 106 GTi is the more precise and accurate device, though still emboldened with a sense of humour.

It feels like it would make a superior circuit toy, allowing you to bombilate around your local track evening without spending a fortune on fuel and tyres – not to mention doing so while embarrassing quicker and pricier cars in the process, just like this pair of French fancies did in those turn-of-the-century track tests.

Ultimately these saviours of the affordable hot hatch remain enticing for more than simply their valour. I’ll take one of each.

Cupra Raval

Fri, 8 May 2026 19:19:54 +0100

The Volkswagen Group will focus its electric efforts on superminis through 2026; and the Cupra Raval is the first - and most important - of all of them Few could now doubt the status of Cupra as a leading Volkswagen Group brand. It looked like an experiment back in 2018; a punt, even. Now, however, in the UK Cupra has actually outsold Seat (its parent company back when Cupra was ‘just’ a performance arm rather than a brand in its own right) by some three-to-one cars so far in 2026. Basically, Cupra’s no side project for the Volkswagen Group – it’s a core brand that’s growing in appeal.The Cupra Raval is the proof of that. It’s the first (if only by a matter of weeks) to be launched ahead of four new supermini-sized EVs that share the same front-wheel drive MEB+ platform. The Volkswagen ID Polo and ID Cross, and the Skoda Epiq, make up the quartet. But, Toni Gallego, global product marketing manager for Cupra, points out that they will all feel different. The Raval will be extra Cupra-ey not only thanks to the styling, but also due to the fact that “every version of the Raval has 10mm wider tracks than any of its platform siblings, as well as a 15mm lower ride height. Only the VW ID.Polo GTI has the same lower ride height, so the Raval will feel quite different to the others.”Battery options start with a 37kWh LFP battery in the Cupra Raval Origin or V1, which gives a WLTP range of around 186 miles. The bigger 52kWh NMC battery is likely to be the more popular option and delivers range of between 235- and 277 miles depending on which trim and power output you go for.

Car finance scandal payments face big delay due to legal challenges

Fri, 8 May 2026 16:50:02 +0100

Regulator announced in October that some 14 million UK motorists were each entitled to around £700 in payouts

Millions of UK consumers who bought a car on finance are now facing a significant delay to redress payments, after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) admitted legal challenges put the official free-to-access scheme in doubt.

In an update published on Friday 8 May, the regulator admitted there's a scenario in which there is “no scheme”, with consumers instead having to raise individual complaints, possibly through potentially costly court action.

While it couldn't put an exact timeline on the four legal challenges that could result in the scheme’s collapse, the FCA said more would be known by mid-November 2026, at which point lenders would be expected to handle complaints within normal statutory deadlines.

The FCA said: “Complaints cannot be paused indefinitely.”

The regulator added that if the compensation scheme or parts of it are struck down, it may need to consider a revised approach, which could itself face further legal challenges and delays.

When the Motor Finance Redress Scheme was revealed at the end of March, the FCA promised payouts averaging £829 per car that was bought on finance between 2007 and 2024.

The FCA still insists consumers should receive compensation where they lost out through unfair commission arrangements; and said it remains committed to an industry-wide scheme which it believes would deliver redress “as quickly as possible”.

However, four legal challenges have now been launched against the proposed scheme from three finance companies and one consumer group.

The FCA admitted that it's unclear when the legal case will even be heard, admitting that it's “unlikely to be before October”.

The regulator also revealed it's now preparing for the possibility that its entire compensation scheme could fail.

If that happens, consumers may instead need to pursue complaints directly with lenders on an individual basis rather than through a centralised redress programme.

The FCA warned that it's now “prudent” to prepare for a “no scheme” scenario, which would likely result in a more fragmented and lengthy complaints process.

The regulator also acknowledged that a complaint-led system could also mean some affected motorists never receive compensation at all.

In this scenario, the FCA said it would consider using supervisory powers to force lenders to proactively contact affected customers who hadn't submitted complaints.

It also urged consumers who believe they may have been affected by commission arrangements to continue complaining directly to lenders rather than going through claims management firms, which will take a share of any compensation.

Service bills to rise as Iran war drives up engine oil prices by 70%

Fri, 8 May 2026 11:18:24 +0100

Garages tell Autocar that "we will have to raise our prices" as absorbing increased costs is no longer viable

Higher fuel prices as a result of the Iran war aren’t the only challenge facing drivers: garages are now warning that higher engine oil prices mean motorists can also expect higher servicing bills.

Before the start of the war in February, a barrel of Brent crude, the global benchmark for oil prices, cost around $63 (£46). Since the war began, it has ranged from a high of $120 (£88) to $100 (£73) at present.

While current peace negotiations may yet bear fruit, any further easing of the price will take considerable time to work through supply chains.

The most keenly felt impact of higher oil prices on motorists’ wallets has been the rise in the price of fuel, which have climbed by more than 40p per litre in some cases.

While no comparable price indicators exist for engine oil, garages contacted by Autocar said that it too has become more expensive.

The manager of one garage in Hampshire said that before the start of the war, a 200-litre barrel of oil that cost the business £350 now cost it £600, an increase of more than 70%.

“That’s the trade price, so there’s our mark-up to go on top,” he said. “At the moment we’re absorbing the extra cost, but eventually we will have to raise our prices to customers.”

The manager of another garage confirmed it was also paying more for engine oil: “We buy in quantities from one litre to 200 litres and the prices have rocketed. We can’t afford to take the hit so we’ve had to raise our prices as well. However, it’s a balancing act between staying in profit but still attracting customers.”

The shortages and disruptions to oil supplies as a consequence of the Iran war have forced at least one car manufacturer to suspend deliveries of oils to its dealer network and to the wider motor trade.

At the end of March, four weeks after the war started, Trade Parts Specialists (TPS), the Volkswagen Group’s wholly owned official parts supplier, paused supplies of its Quantum and Genuine oils ranges for two days.

A spokesman said: “This was a precautionary approach to validate our UK supply chains and ensure we could continue to supply customers. Since then, oil has been available to both TPS and main dealers.

"Given the current geopolitical climate, our teams are carefully monitoring the situation.”

The manager of an independent garage specialising in Volkswagen Group vehicles said that, coming on top of the increase in the cost of motor oil, the pause in supplies of the manufacturer's recommended oils was "very disruptive".

“I was forced to drive around all the VW dealers I know buying what they could spare of their existing stocks,” they explained. “On top of that, I’m paying 20% more for quality oils for other makes of car and still having to be competitive.

“My advice to anyone whose car is due a service in the next couple of months is have it done now, before garages have to raise their prices and supplies of quality oils are interrupted.”

Autocar also invited oil manufacturer Castrol and supplier Halfords to contribute to this article, but they declined.

How the 'wrong' tyres are sabotaging your car’s MPG

Fri, 8 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

We marvel at thermal efficiency and hybrid tech, yet overlook the basics of tyres

The amount of technology being thrown at cars to make them more energy-efficient almost beggars belief. However, one vital contributor to economy and efficiency that's arguably still overlooked at consumer level is something that no road vehicle can do without: the tyres it runs on.

Rolling resistance is an area of tyre performance that manufacturers are committing considerable resources to. Continental says rolling resistance accounts for 20-30% of a vehicle's fuel consumption and Michelin says a 30% rise in rolling resistance increases fuel consumption by 3-5%.

For EVs, just as with ICE and hybrid cars, the effect of rolling resistance is directly linked to range and the amount of energy consumed. Energy is energy, whether it's carried as liquid or electricity.

Under EU law, rolling resistance is included in the tyre labelling system and reflected in the efficiency rating that each tyre gets. But what makes tackling the energy-sapping problem more complicated is that it doesn't necessarily happen in isolation. For instance, changing the compound is one way to improve rolling resistance but other aspects of the tyre's performance, such as grip, are also affected.

The same is true in other areas of tyre construction, such as the tread design, which impacts both grip and rolling resistance. Continental has said: "Reducing rolling resistance without sacrificing grip is one of the greatest challenges of tyre engineering." In pursuit of that goal, it is working on advanced materials, innovative rubber compounds and optimised tread design - and the same is happening throughout the industry.

Rolling resistance is a 'parasitic loss' because it draws power and energy from a car without contributing anything to moving it. Failure to keep tyres properly inflated is one cause but rolling resistance is also rooted in the design and chemistry of the tyre.

Fillers, carbon black and silicas account for a little under a third of a tyre's compound. The introduction of silicas in the 1990s had a profound effect on stopping distances (a 50% reduction, according to Continental).

Hysteresis, the energy consumed and lost as heat when a tyre flexes on meeting the road surface before recovering its shape, accounts for 85-90% of total rolling resistance. Replacing carbon black with silica reduces heat build-up in the compound and with it energy consumption.

The tyre's construction, flexibility of casings and tread design also play a part and ongoing research into this complex subject should continue to reduce rolling resistance, emissions and running costs even more in the future.

Renault 4 now available with folding cloth roof for £27k

Fri, 8 May 2026 09:00:00 +0100

New Plein Sud variant of EV evokes the open-top option that was available with the original 4 in the 1960s

The Renault 4 is now available in the UK with a folding cloth roof, evoking the option that was available with the original 4 in the 1960s.

Launched almost a year after the standard electric crossover went on sale, the Plein Sud variant (which translates to 'Due South') commands a premium of £1500, being priced from £27,445 (including the full £3750 Electric Car Grant offered by the UK government).

While it isn't a true convertible, with its soft top opening similarly to a traditional glass sunroof, Renault claims its opening is wider (80x92cm) than those offered by rivals and it's therefore unique in its segment.

While the Plein Sud is mechanically unchanged compared to the standard fixed-roof 4, using the same 148bhp front motor and 52kWh battery, the additional weight the roof mechanism brings, as well as the slight dent in aerodynamics caused by the roof, marginally lowers range from 245 to 242 miles.

Other technicals remain the same, including the 420-litre boot capacity and 8.2sec 0-62mph time.

The new variant introduces new safety features (now up to 28) to the 4, as it meets the EU's new GSR2.3 safety standard, which includes a driver fatigue monitoring camera and a new emergency stop system.

The cheapest Plein Sud comes in mid-rung Techno+ trim. This gets 18in diamond-cut alloys, keyless entry, dual-zone climate control, part-leatherette upholstery, a Google-powered 10in central touchscreen, wireless smartphone mirroring, a wireless phone charger, adaptive cruise control and hands-free park assist as standard.

At £29,445 (grant included), Iconic+ trim adds bespoke black wheels, a powered bootlid, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, contrasting yellow interior trimmings and an enhanced suite of driver aids.

The 4 Plein Sud can be ordered from today by 'R-Pass' holders and from 14 May by everyone else.

Vauxhall to launch new SUV developed with Leapmotor

Fri, 8 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Firm vows new model, due in 2028, will blend Chinese technology and European engineering

Vauxhall will launch a new electric SUV that will be co-developed and produced by fast-growing Chinese start-up Leapmotor in less than two years. The move is part of a significant expansion of the partnership between the two firms that will include Leapmotor taking over part of a Stellantis factory in Spain.

The new model is set to be launched in early 2028 and will adopt an as yet unknown name from the firm’s past. It will be around 4.5m long and slot between the Frontera and the Grandland in Vauxhall’s line-up of C-segment SUVs, which also includes the Mokka.

While the SUV will be based on the “core components” of Leapmotor’s electric architecture, Vauxhall-Opel CEO Florian Huettl said engineers from the Anglo-German brand’s Rüsselsheim headquarters will be in charge of the design, on-board experience and chassis engineering. He said “synergy gives us the best of both worlds” of Chinese development speed and European engineering.

“We will use the fastest development processes and sequences that have been developed by Leapmotor that are Chinese, so we can be more digital – and we have a very clear sharing of responsibilities,” said Huettl. “Opel-Vauxhall engineers will lead on everything that relates to drivetrain, steering systems, noise, isolation, packaging, seating, lighting – everything that you know from our brand.”

Huettl declined to say exactly which platform the car will be built on beyond “it will be an evolution of something that exists” but the base is set to be Leapmotor’s existing architecture. That will enable the new vehicle to make extensive use of the Chinese firm’s components. Leapmotor has its own digital architecture and produces around 65% of all of the parts used in its own vehicles, a key reason why it is able to develop cars at comparatively low cost.

Where new SUV fits in Vauxhall's line-up

While Vauxhall already offers three crossovers and SUVs that sit broadly in the C-segment, Huettl said the size of the segment means there is room for another.

He said vehicles of around 4.5m long form “a very popular spot in many markets, including Germany and the UK” that “Vauxhall today has not covered yet”, citing models such as the Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Elroq. He added: “We see this as a vehicle that gives us additional coverage in the segment.”

Huettl wouldn’t give details on where the new EV will sit in terms of price but hinted that “we have been exploring how to make electric mobility affordable, exciting and accessible for our customer base”.

While the new SUV will be built on a production line with Leapmotor models, Huettl said it won’t merely be a badge-engineered version of one, insisting that “we are co-developing a car that will be our own machine using some of their components”.

Huettl added that the firm is “still looking into the best way” of implementing the infotainment, given Vauxhall uses a completely different operating system from Leapmotor. But he said the new model will “feature interface technology that you will see in other Vauxhall products” and, crucially, “we will use buttons”.

Huettl confirmed that the new SUV will take on a name from Vauxhall-Opel’s past. He said: “We like the success of the Frontera, including the name. We have made a decision on the name we use, and we will use the recipe of finding something very suitable in our own history.”

While he wouldn’t confirm what that name will be, sources have hinted that it won’t be Manta.

Deal to give Leapmotor a European production base

Vauxhall-Opel parent firm Stellantis bought a significant stake in Leapmotor in 2023. As part of that deal, the two firms formed Leapmotor International, a joint venture in which Stellantis has a controlling 51% stake, to sell the Chinese brand's vehicles in international markets, including the UK.

As previously reported by Autocar, the two firms have been in talks to expand that partnership and this news marks a significant step. Leapmotor and Stellantis will look to add an extra production line at the Stellantis plant in Zaragoza, Spain, where the Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Lancia Ypsilon are currently produced. The new line will be used for the new Vauxhall SUV as well as the Leapmotor B10. Production of the B10 could begin there this year.

Notably, Leapmotor’s energy division has plans to open a new battery factory in Zaragoza with a capacity of around 100,000 packs per year. This will ensure that much of the new vehicle will be produced in Europe, potentially helping the new model to avoid tariffs and to be eligible for electric car incentives.

Huettl hinted that the new Vauxhall SUV could be the first of several Stellantis vehicles that are developed in partnership with Leapmotor as the deal expands. He said: "We decided to go and explore this opportunity and make the contribution from a product side to the next step of the development of Stellantis and Leapmotor partnership."

He added: “What I hope to gain from this is improving our development speed, and challenging our own methods, while at the same time leveraging the skills that we have and the experience that our engineers have to make sure that all Vauxhall-Opel products that will emerge from this project fulfil all the requirements that we have and that have made our brands what they are. So there will be no compromise whatsoever on the actual features that we need for our customers.”

As part of the expansion of the Stellantis and Leapmotor partnership, ownership of the Stellantis plant in Madrid could also be transferred to Leapmotor in 2028. The Citroën C4 is currently built there, but when its planned production run ends in 2028, it could be replaced by a Leapmotor model.

Ford E-Tourneo Courier

Fri, 8 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Puma-based MPV turns all-electric but aims to retain its usefulness It’s been a tough decade for Ford of Europe, leaving the brand a shadow of its former self. The positive spin that the management has tried to put on the process, you may remember, is that it’s “transitioning into an SUV brand” – a trend that even the firm’s commercial vehicle spin-offs have tried to reflect.Now we check in with the smallest of them. Although its nameplate has roots stretching back to US-market pick-ups of the 1950s, the Courier has only been a part of Ford of Europe’s product catalogue since the early 1990s. The company hit on the idea of making twinned Transit (commercial) and Tourneo (MPV) Courier models in 2014. It used the Ford Puma’s model platform and Romanian production line as the basis for the latest version, which was launched in 2023.In 2025, meanwhile, after the Puma itself had been electrified, it meant the Courier could be, which brings us to our test subject: the Ford e-Tourneo Courier. We tested the equivalent Ecoboost petrol version almost two years ago. So how does this EV version compare?

Volkswagen readying 282bhp ID Polo GTI Clubsport

Fri, 8 May 2026 06:00:00 +0100

New software will also provide electric hot hatch with Hyundai-style 'gearchanges' to boost engagement

Volkswagen is working on an uprated ‘Clubsport’ variant of the new ID Polo GTI, with more power and a system that will simulate the power delivery and gearchanges of its ICE hot hatches.

Autocar first reported that a more focused version of the electric hot hatchback was in the works last year, when it was still known as the ID 2.

Insiders suggested that it would take output from 223bhp to around 282bhp while gaining a fully mechanical limited-slip differential in place of the existing BorgWarner active unit.

Now, speaking to Autocar during a world-exclusive drive of the near-production-ready ID Polo GTI, dynamics chief Florian Umbach has confirmed further details.

“We are working on something," he said. "There is certainly more peak power that we can find from the motor and battery hardware that we have and more torque that the front axle could handle also. There is clear potential.”

Umbach added that Volkswagen is also developing “a similar kind of paddleshift power delivery that the [electric] Hyundai N cars have”.

“This is simply a software thing,” he explained. “It’s all about motor control and an audio soundtrack to match.”

The ID Polo's digital instrument panel can be customised on the fly to mimic that of the Mk1 Golf, and it's possible that the simulated combustion engine and gearbox could likewise imitate the seminal GTI's power delivery.

However, Umbach said: “These are the kinds of things that the executive board will only let us explore if the GTI is a commercial success, of course. If people respond to this car as it is, we can really take it to the next level.”

In keeping with its forebears, the new Clubsport model is also expected to have a more focused chassis set-up, sitting lower than the regular ID Polo GTI, as well as more aggressive styling.

My 90-year-old Hudson was the bootlegger's getaway car of choice

Thu, 7 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Managing to drive his Hudson Terraplanes most days, Ray Smith is very familiar with an old gangster's favourite ride

Sporting whitewall tyres, Ray Smith's cream-coloured 1936 Series 62 Hudson Terraplane convertible-coupé looks every inch the classic American sedan - except it was made in Brentford, west London.

Actually, make that 'assembled', because the cars arrived in the UK from the US in kit form as a way of avoiding import duties.

Smith has two Terraplanes: the one you see here, powered by a 2.7-litre straight-six Power Dome flathead engine, and a black US-spec 3.5 with a body made by Salmons & Sons, a coachworks that, in 1943, was sold and renamed Tickford.

That car was originally owned by artist Rex Whistler. It's parked on Ray's driveway at the moment, but in a painting Whistler did in 1942, two years before he was killed in action in northern France, you can see it parked on the driveway of Daye House in Wiltshire.

Ray's interest in Terraplanes was ignited by the ex-Whistler car. "I was looking at it at an auction and got ready to buy it," he says. "However, I quickly realised the rostrum was topping me up, setting the computer to keep bidding until it reached its reserve, so I pulled out. I rang back a couple of days later to be told they still had the car. I asked them how much they wanted for it and they said £20,000. I offered them £14,000 and got it!"

That was three years ago, time enough for Ray to consider buying his second Terraplane, which he did three weeks ago. "I had to crowbar it out of the seller's hands and it cost me a lot of money. Like the black one, it was restored about 30 years ago but is in great condition," he says.

"It has a fold-out, forwardfacing dickie seat at the back; only five were made with this. When I got it, it hadn't been driven or washed for three or four years but what you don't want to do with an old car is start tinkering with it straight away. Instead, drive it for 200 miles and let it settle itself in before you adjust anything. I've done 150 miles in it and already I can feel it settling down."

For the UK market, the Terraplane's styling, in particular the grille, was toned down. So that the car attracted less road tax, the 2.7 engine was detuned from 80hp to 60hp. Even so, says Ray, the car can still keep up with today's traffic.

"It will do 80mph and cruises comfortably at 60mph. That said, the 3.5-litre engine in my other Terraplane is unrestricted and it accelerates faster. The six-cylinder 2.7- and 3.5-litre engines were better, smoother and more balanced than the more powerful 4.2-litre straight eight but a souped-up 4.2 could do 100mph and 0-60mph in 12 seconds. It's why American bootleggers and gangsters drove Terraplanes," he says.

His 2.7 may roll with the traffic, but in other respects it has some catching up to do: "It has power brakes but not power steering. At least if the brake servo fails, a Bendix cable pulls on the brakes when you push the pedal past a certain point."

Remarkably, Ray's Terraplanes aren't garaged but sit on his driveway ready to be used. "I drive them most days," he says. "I'm a semi-retired tiler and for work I have my 1946 Morris Y-Type van."

The best pick-up trucks - driven, rated and ranked

Thu, 7 May 2026 10:11:58 +0100

With cargo space, versatility and luxury features, pick-up trucks have become great alternatives to cars

Once a prosaic form of transport intended for use as a workhorse, the pick-up truck has now shed its utilitarian image and become a far more desirable offering.

While they remain the dependable and robust vehicles we Brits love, the best pick-ups now offer the same level of kit, quality and refinement as a premium SUV.

Blending 3500kg towing capacities with sophisticated cabins and car-like ride and handling, it’s little wonder they are so popular today.

That said, the landscape has changed significantly since the tax changes brought in last April. Double-cab pick-ups are now classified as cars rather than light commercial vehicles (LCVs), meaning they incur much heavier benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bills than before.

Despite losing the perk of cheaper tax, their appeal still remains, and manufacturers are breathing new life into this segment with new plug-in hybrid and fully electric derivatives to help bring running costs down.

The Ford Ranger is still the class leader, thanks to its competitive price, premium cabin and excellent road manners, but competition is still fierce and there are plenty of pick-ups worthy of your attention.

Keep reading as we share our list of the best on sale in 2026.

New Lexus TZ is a luxury six-seater out to rival the Volvo EX90

Thu, 7 May 2026 10:08:02 +0100

Japanese firm's largest vehicle yet is a 'driving lounge' that majors on space and luxury

Lexus will take on the likes of the Volvo EX90 with the new TZ, a flagship electric six-seat SUV due to reach the UK next year.

Showcasing a new exterior design language, the TZ is the largest Lexus yet and is described by the firm as a "driving lounge", with a focus on offering maximum interior space and a range of luxury features. Unusually, the three-row car will be offered with just six, rather than seven seats.

The TZ measures 5100mm long, 1990mm wide and 1705mm tall, making it slightly larger than the EX90. It has a wheelbase of 3050mm and a storage capacity that ranges from 290 litres with all six seats in place to 2017 litres with the second and third rows folded down.

The powertrain is described as a development of the one featured in the Lexus RZ SUV and the upcoming ES saloon. It features a pair of 224bhp motors to provide all-wheel drive and a maximum system output of 402bhp. Notably, while the two e-axles offer the same output, Lexus says they feature different designs to help maximise interior space. The TZ can achieve 0-62mph in 5.4sec.

Power is drawn from a large, 96kWh lithium ion battery, which will give a range of up to 330 miles. It can charge at speeds of up to 150kW, allowing for a 10-80% top-up in 35 minutes.

The TZ sits on MacPherson struts at the front, with a rear multi-link system that has been developed specifically for the model and is claimed to improve stability. There is also the option of rear-wheel steering.

Unusually for a large SUV, the TZ will be offered with Lexus’s interactive manual drive system, first featured in the RZ 550e F Sport, which simulates an eight-speed manual transmission that can be controlled via paddle shifters. There is also a “rousing simulated engine note soundtrack” and added steering wheel feedback to “add to the multi-sensory experience”.

The exterior styling of the TZ showcases a new design direction for Lexus and is intended to differentiate itself from other SUVs through a ‘provocative simplicity’ concept. The exterior is also honed to improve the aerodynamics and maximise range, with Lexus claiming a drag coefficient of 0.27. The car sits on 20in wheels as standard, with 22in versions optional.

But it’s the ‘driving lounge’ interior that has been the main focus of the car. There are ‘captain’s chairs’ in the second row and Lexus claims the flat floor of the EV allows the third row to be set lower than in a similar combustion-powered vehicle, making them suitable for adults.

A new-look instrument display features an asymmetric 12.3in design display and a 12in central touchscreen. A 21-speaker audio system can be added as an option and features a specific tuning option for the rear seats.

The driver and passenger seats in the front row are a new design and created to be slimmer than usual to further add to the sense of space. The front two rows of seats feature integrated heating and ventilation systems, with optional ottoman-style leg rests, while seat heating is an option for the rear row.

A panoramic roof, the largest yet offered on a Lexus, is standard to further boost an impression of space. Lexus also claims it has conducted extensive work to reduce noise in the cabin, such as installing sound-absorbing materials and thicker glass.

In addition, there is a new comfort mode specifically designed for passengers in the back row. It integrates the dynamic rear-wheel steering, front brake balance and all-wheel-drive system to minimise unnecessary movement of the TZ’s body.

Lexus has confirmed the TZ will reach the UK next year, but pricing and specifications have yet to be decided.

1973: War in the Middle East causes oil crisis in Britain

Thu, 7 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Panic buying created long queues at petrol stations in 1973, even if the US faced bigger problems

Fuel prices have soared these past few months, as most oil tankers have been unable to navigate the Strait of Hormuz while the US and Israel fight Iran and its allies.

What will happen next is anyone's guess - but fairly recent history provides a worrying precedent.

In June 1967, Israel launched a surprise attack on neighbouring Egypt, Jordan and Syria, capturing swathes of territory in just six days. After the ceasefire, Egypt closed the Suez Canal, forcing cargo ships to detour around Africa, increasing import prices for Western nations. Then, in October 1973, Egypt and Syria sought to recapture Israeli-occupied territory, with help from various other Arab nations.

"As we write, the situation in the Middle East is still uncertain, and as we close for press there seems little evidence to suggest which way the war is going," commented Autocar. "But already the rest of the world is being made painfully aware that this time the Arab nations are going to have no compunction about using their 'ultimate weapon' - the withdrawal of oil supplies from anyone they suspect of aiding, or even sympathising with, the Israeli cause.

"Iraq has seized (or nationalised, depending on your viewpoint) two American oil companies operating there. And with both Saudi Arabia and Libya making threatening noises, and the invocation of a jihad by the [religious] leaders, things look black for the future oil supply situation."

The very next day after that was printed, the US approved airlifting a monumental $2.2 billion worth of weaponry to the Israelis - and in response its enemies, led by the Saudis, implemented a total oil embargo on the US and slashed production levels. The price of a barrel quickly quadrupled - at a time when the country had already been suffering rampant inflation and growing such that its energy demand exceeded available supply.

"We must face up to a very stark fact," said US president Richard Nixon in a televised public address. "We are facing up to the most acute energy shortages since World War II. Our supply of petroleum this winter will be at least 10% short of our anticipated demands - and it could fall short by as much as 17%."

In an attempt to minimise the shortfall, his government lowered the interstate speed limit to 55mph and encouraged carpooling, while some states felt compelled to ration petrol, based on licence plates. Hours-long queues became a common sight at forecourts.

Although Britain wasn't under embargo, our government followed suit, reducing the motorway limit to 50mph, making it easier to give colleagues lifts and even issuing petrol ration cards as a precaution. Petrol prices soared from about 8p to 11p per litre (£1.22 in modern money) and forecourt queues formed, particularly in the south-east - but, like the Americans, we were to blame for the turmoil.

"There are adequate supplies of petrol available if people will make limited cuts in their motoring, [and] the panic filling up of tanks, whereby many people have queued for ages and then bought only small quantities of petrol, has created unnecessary problems for filling stations," trade and industry secretary Peter Walker grumbled while announcing those emergency measures in December.

Regrettably, Autocar was unable to comment on these developments, because printers' strikes kept the magazine off the shelves from 15 November to 30 March - industrial action being one of the symptoms afflicting "the sick man of Europe", as Britain was then often called.

Enjoy full access to the complete Autocar archive at the magazineshop.com

The first news item on our return was the removal of the 50mph limit, "which we would have supported as vehemently as we decried the 70 limit - because it was necessary. What's more, drivers almost without exception respected it because it made sense which is more than they're doing now, because it no longer does."

The Yom Kippur War officially ended in May 1974, after which the Arab nations lifted their embargo on the US. However, oil prices didn't start falling back down - in fact, they stayed put. It was a short, sharp crisis that had long-lasting, seismic effects on global politics, national economies and the car industry, particularly in the US.

We can but wonder whether the 2026 crisis will seem so relevant in retrospect to future generations.

Ineos using shared platforms to fast-track new range of smaller 4x4s

Thu, 7 May 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Fusilier was delayed and will be launched "probably by 2028"

Ineos avoids more "ground-up" cars like the Grenadier in bid to cut costs and accelerate expansion

Ineos Automotive has ruled out building another vehicle "from the ground up" after the Grenadier and instead will lean on technology partners to expand its model range with smaller 4x4s, CEO Lynn Calder has said.

The British company will launch the delayed Fusilier range-extender "probably by 2028", Calder told Autocar at a Siemens event looking at the future of the car industry. Two other models are planned after the Fusilier, she added.

The new models won't be based on the Grenadier, which launched the Ineos brand in 2022 and plugged a gap in the market for rugged 4x4s left by the demise of the original Land Rover Defender.

"We're not building any other cars from the ground up, like we have with the Grenadier," said Calder.

"Now for us, it is about technology sharing, and once we have got that set, we will be able to bring more models to market in shorter order."

She added: "We don't plan to change the wheelbase of the Grenadier or do a huge amount more work on the Grenadier platform. So you won't see a short-wheelbase Grenadier, but you will see a smaller 4x4."

Calder didn't expand on which partners Ineos would collaborate with, but the brand held talks with China's Chery to use a range-extender platform from its electrified off-road brand iCar (known as iCaur internationally) for the Fusilier, Autocar reported last year. Ineos didn't comment on the report.

Chinese brands are leading the development of REx technology while also expanding the market for chunky off-roaders inspired by the modern Defender and Mercedes G-Class.

The new iCar V27, for example, packages a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine with a 33kWh battery for a claimed electric range of 124 miles and an overall range of over 600 miles.

Compared with plug-in hybrids, REx platforms shift the bias towards the car's electric capabilities while also giving buyers the certainty of range offered by pure-ICE models. "It's technology that will get us the regulatory benefit but without the inconvenience to our customers, so we can still sell the cars that they actually want to buy," said Calder.

Electrification is one of multiple headwinds against which Ineos has struggled since chemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe announced the brand in 2017.

After initially targeting production in Wales, Ineos pivoted to France, buying the former Smart factory in Hambach, on the German border, from Mercedes.

Hambach has an annual production capacity of 30,000 vehicles, but Ineos has yet to come close to that amid issues including pandemic-related disruption, the temporary loss of its seat supplier Recaro Automotive and increased tariffs on exports to the US imposed last year.

"During our short life, it's more about what hasn't happened," Calder told the audience at the event. "It's been a million times harder than I expected. But what I've learned is that you can't plan for anything; you just have to be extremely agile."

Calder said the company was on a better path after increasing orders by 20% in the first quarter.

"That feels pretty good against the backdrop of a pretty challenging market," she said. "It feels like we are on the road now in the right way with the right car in the right markets."

Ineos doesn't release sales figures but said it has delivered 35,000 vehicles globally since production started in 2022.

Ineos's biggest market for the Grenadier and related products (primarily the Quartermaster double-cab pick-up truck) is the US, with the country now accounting for 65% of sales, despite the hike in import tax from 2.5% to 15% last year.

It aims to avoid that additional tax by producing some models in the US, with a goal to start production there before the end of 2030, said Calder.

Jaguar to announce Type 00 production name next week

Wed, 6 May 2026 13:04:27 +0100

Electric GT is first of British firm's new era vehicles; will be unveiled in September with 1000bhp powertrain

Jaguar will confirm the name of its electric grand tourer early next week, according to a report from Autocar India.

It has to this point been known as the Type 00, the name applied to the dramatic concept car revealed in December 2024, and by its codename, X900. It will, however, carry a different moniker through to production.

The car will mark a total reset for the British brand in both its design and engineering, but it remains to be seen whether it will inherit a historic name – as the previous F-Type followed on from the E-Type – or something new.

The finished car will be revealed in September, Autocar India also reports, with the first customer cars earmarked to hit the road early next year.

The low-slung GT is underpinned by the new Jaguar Electric Architecture, designed specifically for the brand’s new wave of EVs.

As previously reported by Autocar, it is Jaguar’s stiffest car yet – with torsional rigidity of 50,000Nm/deg – and its most aerodynamically efficient, with a drag coefficient of less than 0.25.

A tri-motor powertrain with one unit on the front axle and two at the rear will yield more than 1000bhp as well as 959lb ft of torque. Battery capacity will measure around 120kWh for a range of more than 400 miles, and it will be suspended by two-chamber air springs and adaptive dampers at each corner, riding on 23in wheels as standard – although 21s will be available as an option.

Ford to sell part of Valencia plant to Geely to build new crossover - report

Wed, 6 May 2026 11:47:37 +0100

Incoming EX2 will be the first Geely-badged car built in Europe

Spanish factory has an annual capacity of 300,000 units, but only the Kuga is currently built there

Ford is in talks with Geely over the sale of part of its Valencia plant so the Chinese giant can build Geely-badged cars in Europe for the first time – and it will start with a compact crossover bound for the UK.

The deal, reports Spanish newspaper La Tribuna de Automoción, would have Volvo's parent company take control of the Body 3 assembly hall – the line which previously built the Mondeo, Galaxy and S-Max.

The Valencia plant has an annual capacity of 300,000 cars but, as only the Kuga is now built there, it isn't operating close to that limit.

Such a deal would give Ford's European division a sizeable cash injection at a time when sales are slumping.

The report states that Geely will look to produce cars based on its modular GEA platform, which can accommodate electric or plug-in hybrid power across a range of body sizes.

At first, it would look to build the Galaxy EX2, a Puma-sized electric crossover. This was the best-selling car in China, where it's badged the Galaxy Xingyuan, last year.

Industry sources quoted in the report claim that Geely could also build a Ford model at the plant, based on the GEA platform.

Last year, Ford sources confirmed to Autocar that Valencia would be the home of an incoming new crossover that would indirectly replace the Focus and be sold with hybrid and electric powertrains.

It was said that this new crossover could become one of Ford’s best-selling model lines globally.

Autocar reported at the time that the car was to be built alongside the similarly sized Kuga and was expected to use its C2 platform to avoid the need for costly alterations to the production line. However, this new tie-up with Geely could open the door for it to instead be built on the GEA platform.

Ford has long been keen on utilising partnerships for its European models: the Capri and Explorer use Volkswagen’s MEB platform while two new EVs based on Renault’s Ampr architecture are due before the end of the decade.

For Geely, the Valencia deal would allow it to avoid the EU’s costly 18.8% tariffs on EVs imported from China.

La Tribuna de Automoción reports that the deal between Ford and Geely over the sale of the plant is already “very advanced”, with suppliers in and around the city already being contacted by Geely.

Vauxhall Corsa GSE channels spirit of Nova GSi with 277bhp

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:01:00 +0100

Corsa GSE is said to 'bring the genes of the Nova GSi' – GTE forebear pictured – into the future

Electric hot hatch brings stiffer suspension, limited-slip differential and a series of retro nods

Vauxhall is channelling the spirit of the cult-classic Nova GSi with the new Corsa GSE – the brand's first traditional hot hatch since the VXR was discontinued eight years ago.

Said by its maker to bring "the sporty GSi genes of the Vauxhall Nova into the future", it has nearly twice as much power as the regular Corsa Electric, plus overhauled suspension and significantly more aggressive styling.

The Corsa GSE turns up the wick to take on rivals in a burgeoning class of electric hot hatches. It faces stiff competition from the Alpine A290 and the Mini John Cooper Works Electric as well as the incoming Volkswagen ID Polo GTI – which Autocar has exclusively driven in the UK – plus a gamut of closely related cars from other brands in the Stellantis portfolio, including Abarth and Alfa Romeo.

As with the new GTi version of its Peugeot 208 twin, the Corsa GSE swaps the regular car's 154bhp motor for the 277bhp unit already deployed in the Abarth 600e, Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce and Vauxhall Mokka GSE.

Its top speed is 12mph lower than that of those cars, at 112mph, yet its 5.5sec 0-62mph time is 0.4sec quicker. And because it is a hatchback rather than a crossover, it is notably lighter, at around 1550kg compared with the Mokka GSE's 1596kg.

Power is delivered to the front wheels through a Torsen limited-slip differential and Vauxhall said it has tuned the throttle and brake pedal responses to emphasise the GSE's sportiness. The car also gets reworked axles front and rear, as well as stiffer anti-roll bars and new dampers with hydraulic bump stops.

The suspension sits lower than the regular Corsa's and the new 18in alloy wheels are fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and significant negative camber. Both the weight and feedback of the steering have been increased and the rack is quicker. Stopping power is provided by four-pot Alcon brakes front and rear. Three-spoke alloys hark back to those on the original hot Nova, with a flat-faced design to improve aero performance.

As with the regular Corsa, the GSE features several drive modes that alter the car's character. In its normal setting, it is capped at 228bhp to preserve range. The Eco mode cuts this further - although Vauxhall has yet to confirm to what extent - and limits the top speed to 93mph. Sport mode, said to be designed for track use, uncorks the full 277bhp.

The exterior tweaks that distinguish the Corsa GSE from regular variants are more subtle than with the previous VXR. Indeed, its treatment with black contrasts around its vents and wheel arches echoes the relationship between the early 1990s Nova GSi and its stablemates.

Inside, it is clear that the GSE is a more focused proposition than the standard Corsa, with chunky tartan bucket seats, green seatbelts and an Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel. The pedals, meanwhile, are finished in aluminium.

A range figure has yet to be disclosed, but the Mokka GSE can go 201 miles per charge when fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres - harder than the 4S compound used on the Corsa GSE. However, the Corsa is lighter and more aerodynamically efficient than its high-riding counterpart, suggesting it will return a similar figure.

Pricing has also yet to be confirmed, but the Mokka GSE signals what can be expected: it is £35,495, inclusive of the UK government's £1500 Electric Car Grant. The Corsa is likely to be marginally cheaper.

Autocar understands the Corsa GSE will be followed by a high-performance variant of the larger Astra, which may reprise the same powertrain but in a more family-friendly package. This model will look to capitalise on the gap in the market left by the discontinued Ford Focus ST and Honda Civic Type R, while also trading blows with the Cupra Born VZ and the Kia EV3 GT.

The GSE sub-brand is instrumental in Vauxhall's plan to shed its dowdy Image and cultivate a new, more desirable one. This, it is understood, is because new Chinese competitors majoring on value threaten to steal what has long been one of Vauxhall's main selling points.

"Vauxhall scores highly for rational appeal but not so much the emotional," the brand's new commercial director, Michael Auliar, told Autocar.

Vauxhall-Opel CEO Florian Huetti previously said "sportiness" represents the "next step" for the British and German brands as they look to better differentiate themselves from in-house Stellantis siblings, such as Peugeot and Citroën.

	VAUXHALL CORSA GSE	ALPINE A290 GTS+	MINI JCW ELECTRIC
Price	£35,000 (est)	£34,245	£34,905
Power	277bhp	215bhp	255bhp
Weight	1550kg (est)	1479kg	1725kg
Power to weight	179bhp per tonne (est)	145bhp per tonne	148bhp per tonne
0-62mph	5.5sec	6.4sec	5.9sec

EXCLUSIVE: We're first to drive incoming VW ID Polo GTI

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:01:00 +0100

VW finally finds the courage to put the hallowed letters on an EV – we've had a first taste in a prototype

Volkswagen’s GTI performance sub-brand, for so long a tower of strength for the company, has turned into something of a problem for it over the past decade.

With its GTE and GTX models, Wolfsburg has variously tried to complement, augment or otherwise update those three famous letters, or else just gently steer the idea that they represent in the direction of electrification. So far, gentle steering hasn’t done the trick.

But the tiptoeing and pussyfooting around is finally over. Bolder and more radical decisions have been taken. And, in a gravel car park in the Brecon Beacons, I’m standing next to the proof.

The seventh-generation Polo supermini, due this year, is going electric. Volkswagen is flagging the development loud and clear, by adding an ID prefix to the car’s name (it will do the same with many other familiar models over the next couple of years), but what it’s giving us is pretty plainly a Polo all the same.

It’s part of a more wholesale commitment to making EVs central within the company’s model portfolio, instead of being peripheral or parallel to it. There’s a seriousness about electric mobility here that Volkswagen hasn’t quite shown before.

And the cherry on top of the change in attitude is the first electric GTI model: the ID Polo GTI. Crucially, it’s not a GTX (how the ‘hot’ versions of the ID 3, 4, 5, 7 and Buzz have been badged so far), it’s a GTI – mostly as we have known the idea of one since the Mk1 Golf GTI of 1976.

Range-topping and real-world; desirable but usable; fast and fun but not highly strung or hard to drive. A regular, versatile, everyday car with superpowers, not compromises – and a fully fledged, top-order driver’s car to boot.

The very first ones won’t be with customers in Germany until the final weeks of 2026, with UK deliveries expected in the spring of 2027. So as we stand here, the April sun bathing our mountain idyll in warmth, the development team for the car – led by Volkswagen’s head of driving dynamics, Florian Umbach – is still in the final stages of software tuning.

That team has come to the UK with real intent, however – and not only to join up with Autocar, to make us the first testers in the world to drive the new GTI.

“We know how important the UK market will be to the success of this car,” explains Umbach, “and also how particular, unique and challenging your roads are. This is hot hatchback central. It has been such a defining market for these kinds of cars. So I always had it in mind to bring prototypes here, to be sure they would work well. That’s what today is about.”

Familiar Recipe

Before the driving, Umbach gives me a guided technical tour of the vinyl-covered EV in front of us. Even so thoroughly disguised, it looks much more like a familiar, conventional hatchback than the ID 3 ever has.

This generation of cars, he says, will be all about Volkswagen getting back to its former self, rediscovering its old priorities. “The ID Polo had to just look normal – like a Volkswagen,” says Umbach with a smile. “And so, technically, it has a familiar layout and lots of technologies that you recognise. But it’s still an advanced small car.”

Volkswagen’s internal codename for the new EV platform on which the ID Polo is based (in development since 2021, as you might guess) is MEB21, says Umbach, but it has been rebranded for public consumption as the more catchy-sounding MEB+ platform.

It confers a conventional hot hatchback layout on the GTI: a front-mounted motor driving the front wheels, with strut-type front suspension and a torsion beam at the rear.

“The MEB-generation EVs [the ID 3 etc] taught us that switching to a rear-motor layout means adding weight [in order to engineer in sufficient crash protection] and losing boot space when it comes to compact cars,” explains Umbach.

“By contrast, MEB+ makes the ID Polo lighter, simpler and more efficient. We can carry enough battery capacity here [52kWh usable] to deliver more than 260 miles of WLTP range from the GTI and up to 280 miles from other versions. But having the motor up front allows us to regenerate energy more efficiently and keeps the powertrain packaging tight.”

“I also think front-wheel drive is what hot hatchback drivers expect: it’s the classic template,” adds Umbach.

Although when it came to delivering driving dynamics, his team certainly plundered Volkswagen’s toy cupboard for advanced driveline, steering and suspension systems of the sort that only a big back catalogue of hot hatch wrangling can put at your disposal – and that most of this car’s rivals don’t have.

The ID Polo GTI’s electric power and torque reserves – 223bhp and 214lb ft – find their way to the road via an only slightly modified version of BorgWarner’s VAQ torque-vectoring active front differential, as seen on the Golf GTI Edition 50 (tuned for slightly less overall torque transfer but also to be faster-acting than in the Golf).

It gets 19in wheels as standard, with tyres of up to 235-section, but which sit inside wheel arches that permit an even greater combined wheel and tyre sidewall diameter than the current Golf GTI does (680mm versus 650mm), to the improvement of ride isolation.

Dynamic Chassis Control Plus adaptive dampers are fitted as standard, also to the benefit of ride isolation and comfort. And the GTI gets unique front hubs and steering knuckles compared with the regular ID Polo, which lower the front-axle roll centre, dial in more negative camber at the front wheels and cut the steering ratio from 15:1 down to 14:1.

Progressive (passive variable-rate) steering is standard, the ID Polo’s standard front anti-roll bars have been stiffened and its suspension springs have been shortened (by 15mm in terms of prevailing ride height) and stiffened likewise.

Umbach and his team are particularly proud of the special twist beam rear axle of the ID Polo GTI, with its mountings and bushings cleverly designed to allow some longitudinal ‘ride’ compliance but keep lateral axle location much more closely controlled. “It’s the best twist beam I think we’ve ever made,” he says.

Practical Matters

We duck inside what is a fairly snug cabin yet still fit for four adults, to be met by the familiar cloth disguise that gets pinned to the scuttle and then draped over the dashboard in prototypes like these. It’s there so you can still operate the car without really being able to scrutinise its fixtures and fittings.

The driver’s seat feels small compared with the hot hatchback class norm and doesn’t offer cushion extension in support of longer thighs, but it’s nonetheless quite grippy and comfy, securing your backside well and feeling like somewhere you would be happy to spend plenty of time.

In the back, there’s probably slightly more outright passenger space than a modern supermini typically provides – which is one in the eye for the Alpine A290, Renault 5 and electric Mini Cooper, which are all quite a bit tighter by comparison (and in one case three-door only). Volkswagen is clearly to be taken at its word about its wish to make this a really usable, versatile daily driver. Of course it is.

The disguise leaves a few things uncovered. The fairly small, two-spoke steering wheel, with its flattened-off top and bottom rim sections, is chief among them, which it’s reassuring to find has spokes stuffed with proper buttons rather than ‘brush-by-mistake’ capacitive ones.

At the bottom, what you first take to be simply a decorative GTI badge is actually a drive mode button, one press of which puts the car into its most sporty and demonstrative driving setting.

More widely, you can see enough Dinamica microfibre on the door panels and dash to give the interior a strikingly plush and expensive, performance-flavoured vibe.

Under the central air vents I can just about see a row of physical ventilation controls, so not everything here will depend on the touchscreen infotainment system (another of Volkswagen’s learnings, clearly).

But my favourite discovery is on the digital instrument screen, where a few flicks of the ‘view’ toggle button unearths some retro-styled mock analogue dials styled up to look just like those of the Mk1 Golf GTI, with a faux digital clock between them.

Apparently the retro theme extends to the infotainment touchscreen too, where it adds audio remote controls styled like a cassette tape and a charge meter mimicking a 1980s fuel gauge.

All a bit twee, perhaps, but all undoubtedly good, evocative fun – if you ask this millennial reviewer, at any rate.

Playing Polo

Umbach accompanies me in the front passenger seat as I head out on the road – and my first impressions confirm plenty of trademark GTI dynamic characteristics.

First across the gravel and then onto the Tarmac and up to speed, the ID Polo GTI rides tautly but quietly. It’s firmer-feeling than most compact EVs but not at all jittery or restive, and those adaptive dampers, with their graduated touchscreen adjustability, allow plenty of dynamic versatility.

At its comfiest, the suspension is supple enough to breathe a little with the road surface as it rises and falls, to round the edges off craggy inputs nicely and not to be wearing on the senses.

But at its firmest, it fosters lots of connectedness with what’s underneath you, creates lots of directness and agility and great body control, and provides a strong platform for the driven front wheels to push against.

Even at full tilt, they don’t feel like they’re pushing with an excessive amount of power – just enough to feel energetic and to keep you occupied and engaged in what you’re doing.

They’re certainly pushing hard enough to feed back plenty of tractive forces through the steering, mind you. Otherwise it’s quite pacey but weighted intuitively, with enough centre feel to avoid any kind of nervous, hyperactive sense.

Even the tractive feedback mentioned isn’t traditional torque steer, because nothing in the front axle is being deformed by those drive forces and the car is going precisely where it’s pointed.

Editor-in-chief Steve Cropley once described it to me as ‘wheel fight’, which is much closer to the mark. The ID Polo GTI doesn’t have loads of it under power, rather just enough to make it feel lively and interactive; to make you tighten your grip on the steering rim just a little as you fire it out of a corner or over an uneven surface; and to make you realise that this is a car you can make rotate with your right foot almost as easily as you can with your wrists, and which can come really fast out of hairpin bends without troubling its traction control at all.

Shift paddles behind the steering wheel spokes give you manual control of the energy regeneration, in the usual way.

There’s also some imitation engine noise played by the car’s stereo speakers once you select GTI mode. This comes across as slightly annoying and overcooked, principally because it adds in arbitrary fake gearshifts, which come without any interruption to the actual power delivery. Mercifully, you can use Individual mode instead, where there’s no such fakery.

What are the most impressive things about the drive? I’d say how well matched the car’s performance level seems to be with the capacity of its front axle to create traction.

To put it another way, that this car has no more power than it needs or could use without disengaging its driver and leaning on its electronics to at least some extent. There aren’t many serious performance EVs you can describe like that.

The ID Polo GTI still has more than enough poke to get across the ground quickly, though, and makes you intimately aware of how hard the front contact patches are working – it even feels at times like your fingertips and big toe could almost be wired directly to them, getting the most amount out of them that’s there to be got.

I’ve never driven another Volkswagen Group hot hatch that has received as much dynamic benefit from its VAQ active front differential as this one seems to.

The ID Polo GTI is really absorbing and entertaining at its most forthcoming – but clearly still versatile, rounded, usable and well mannered when the occasion calls.

Sound like a proper GTI? Clearly it is. And if the electric haters aren’t sold on that idea, a drive may very well be all it takes to change their minds.

Aston Martin DB12 S

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:01:00 +0100

New upper-level DB12 'super tourer' gets 20bhp extra, weighs up to 50kg less, and aims for a sportier feel. Aston Martin’s ‘boring but vital’ current business plan, as devised by boss Adrian Hallmark in 2024, is ostensibly to better sweat the company’s assets. To plan smarter. Do more with less, and launch more higher-value ‘special’ derivatives of its series production models, as well as more super-low-volume, ultra-special collectors’ models like the Valour and Victor.Given the state of the company’s share value, you might question how well that plan is working at present. But we have, at least, already seen a top-of-the-line DBX S, a similar-in-philosophy Vantage S, and now this Aston Martin DB12 S: higher-value special derivatives, all. Aston has a history of even-quicker models with ‘S’ badges stretching back to the DB3 S of 1953, but it has never before deployed them as widely or consistently as now. The S version of the first, noughties-era Vanquish was ostensibly a facelift; a reason for dealers to call up Vanquish owners and invite them to part with another five- or six-figure sum. However, the S suffix was used more like it will be from now on within the lineage of the smaller Vantage super sports car; as an addition to the range, and an extension of the territory that these cars can ultimately span, rather than as a mid-life update. So the regular DB12 has survived the introduction of this new addition (just as the equivalent Vantage did last year); and Aston insiders even talk of the opportunity to reappraise the positioning of that base model slightly as a foil to this new, slightly sportier sibling - though it remains to be seen if customers will still want “the lesser one” if they can spend more on an S model with that critical extra bit of reflected glory.

Peugeot e-408

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:01:00 +0100

The electric version of Peugeot’s striking crossbreed is updated for 2026 When the 408 landed in 2022, we were told an electric version of the 4.7m-long liftback-cum-crossover would be just around the corner, but it took its sweet time. It took almost three years of delay before the e-408 arrived, by which point the EMP2-based Citroën twin, the C5-X, had been discontinued.Like the internal combustion Peugeot 408, the electric fastback has been updated as part of Peugeot's ongoing range refresh, benefiting from the same design modifications as its internal combustion counterpart. In 2026, the e-408 has few direct rivals, but as an amalgamation of bodystyles, there are a plethora of indirect models to beat. The Mazda 6e and MG IM5 are more traditionally low-slung liftbacks, the Ford Capri, Smart #3 and Kia EV6 are more obviously crossovers and the Tesla Model 3 saloon is a benchmark for most in the D-segment. How then does it fare against its hatchback, liftback, saloon and crossover rivals? Let’s find out. The Peugeot e-408 range at a glance The e-408 is largely unchanged beneath the metal, retaining a 58kWh battery with a range of 283 miles.Charging speed is rated at 120kW, which is average for the price, but soundly beaten by the Tesla Model 3 and Mercedes CLA, both of which hover closer to 200kW.

Peugeot 408

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:01:00 +0100

Striking French crossbreed aims to tempt people away from SUVs Welcome to the Peugeot 408. But before we delve into what this quite unusual car does well (and less well), a history lesson.Peugeot’s three-digit naming strategy hasn’t changed much in decades. It means certain conventions are well established. For example, models beginning with ‘3’ are always mid-size hatchbacks, whereas those starting with a ‘9’ are top-class endurance racers designed to win Le Mans, such as the wild Peugeot 9X8. However, the number ‘4’ is less predictable, and it has been applied to some of Peugeot’s best-loved and most interesting products.The 1935 402, with its rear-wheel spats, was one of the first family cars to attempt to address aerodynamic concerns, while the sweet little 403 that succeeded it performed a volte-face and dragged the brand’s design language into modernity. It was the first Peugeot to sell in seven-figure numbers. More recently, the 405 stole hearts in Mi16 guise (it was essentially a 205 GTi in saloon uniform) and the 406 that succeeded it included a Pininfarina-penned coupé that was one of the prettiest cars of the 1990s.We therefore shouldn’t be surprised that the 408 takes a somewhat unpredictable form. What exactly is it? “A mix between a saloon and an SUV,” then Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson told Autocar upon its reveal.It was a refreshingly straightforward assessment, but the idea needs no dressing. Notchback crossovers are gaining popularity. They offer the ride height buyers want from SUVs but package it in a less obtuse, more elegant body.Four years after its initial launch, Peugeot has freshened things up to align with its modern design language, following on from the 2008 and 5008 SUVs. So, what's new, and is this still a car you should consider buying in 2026?The range at a glanceModelsPowerHybrid 145143bhpPlug-in Hybrid 240236bhpAs part of the 408's 2026 update, the French fastback gains a simplified engine line-up. The range opens with the mildly electrified Hybrid 145, followed by the Plug-In Hybrid 240. The electric e-408 continues to be offered as well and is reviewed separately here.Trim levels range from Allure to GT, but even entry-level cars offer a high level of equipment.

1000bhp and 'impressive' control: Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe prototype driven

Tue, 5 May 2026 23:01:00 +0100

Super-saloon goes electric with new 800V platform, axial-flux motors and V8 simulation

For something with well over 1000bhp, there's no obvious drama to it at first.

With its stability control system in Sport, the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé prototype goes about its business with calm, measured composure. Exactly what you would expect of a large, fast, electric saloon at moderate pace. There's a deliberate margin of safety in the handling balance, the front end delivering strong grip while the electronics keep everything neat and controlled. It feels fluid and encouragingly agile, the steering cleanly weighted and precise, building confidence quickly.

Out on the tight, technical inner handling circuit at the ATP testing site in Papenburg, that composure proves to be only part of the story.

Back in 2022, AMG first signalled its intention to reinvent its bespoke four-door with an EV successor through a full-sized design study. Since then, the GT XX engineering mule has demonstrated not only the drivetrain's performance but its ability to sustain it too, covering 24,901 miles in just over seven days at an average of more than 186mph. Now I'm behind the wheel of a pre-production prototype for the first time, ahead of the car's unveiling in Los Angeles on 20 May.

The GT XX made up to 1341bhp, but the initial production version, we're told, will offer slightly less. Still more than 1000bhp, though.

Lean on it more assertively in Sport+ mode and its character starts to change. Not so much in a straight line, where it's unquestionably quick, gathering speed in one long, uninterrupted surge, but in the way it responds. It feels less dictated by mass than by how precisely its systems manage the clearly substantial performance.

Select Race, ease back the stability systems and work through AMG's Race Engineer function via three rotary dials on the centre tunnel and the transformation is immediate. Throttle response sharpens, the rear axle becomes more active and the initial layer of restraint falls away. There are nine settings for response, agility and traction. The effect is less about outright capability than delivery. As well as presenting a fixed set of handling characteristics across individual drive modes, the car lets you fine-tune its dynamic character through an additional 729 combinations.

A low centre of gravity and well-judged suspension give it impressive body control. Turn in expecting roll and it stays flat, settling quickly into a composed stance with a precision that belies its size.

The underlying character makes more sense once you understand what this car is. The Mk2 (C590) GT 4-Door Coupé marks a new start for AMG. It isn't the firm's first EV, but it is the first based on the AMG.EA, a platform developed from scratch specifically for performance.

Its drivetrain comprises three axial-flux motors, two at the rear and one up front, working through a single-speed transmission to all four wheels. Drive is managed by AMG's 4Matic+ system, with fully variable torque distribution between each axle, while rear-wheel steering aids agility at lower speeds and stability at higher ones. Developed with British firm Yasa, those compact, disc-shaped motors are smaller and lighter yet also more power-dense and faster-responding than conventional radial-flux units.

Each rear motor is controlled independently, allowing torque to be varied not just front to rear but also across the rear axle, creating a yaw response that you feel directly through the chassis.

Electrical energy comes from a large lithium ion battery mounted within the floor and centre tunnel, with direct liquid cooling at cell level. The system runs on an 800V architecture and so is capable of charging at over 500kW, but more significant is its ability to maintain stable output under sustained load.

It's not just the way it builds speed but how the new GT 4-Door Coupé communicates what it's doing that makes it so impressive. A synthesised sound and feedback system draws on the character of the original GT coupé, adapted for electric drive. As speed builds, the car feeds back through the seat as much as through the controls, a transducer delivering vibrations that rise and fall with throttle load, in the manner of a V8. So it's not simply an acoustic overlay: it recreates the rhythm of an engine in both sound and sensation, linking your inputs more closely to the car's responses.

A synthetic sequential shift function adds another layer of character. Operated via steering wheel-mounted paddles, it mimics shifting through a conventional gearbox. It's artificial but effective, adding a sense of cadence. The effect is reinforced by a centrally mounted rev counter, its needle sweeping in step with the rising and falling vibrations. You don't have to use it: the car can be driven in near-silence. But when engaged, it draws you further into the process.

Only once you begin to explore the chassis more fully does the broader depth of the GT 4-Door Coupé become clear. Through a tightening left-hander, come back onto the throttle and the rear axle sharpens your line, taking some of the load away from the front. Add a little more and its rear end moves progressively, without any sudden breakaway. It's easy to hold and just as easy to gather up again, the car settling quickly and cleanly as you unwind the steering.

On subsequent runs, that adjustability becomes a defining trait. The rear works with you, rather than simply following the front, allowing you to shape the car's attitude with small inputs. It never feels exaggerated; it's usable and engaging.

That sense of control extends to the suspension. The standard Active Ride Control air springs with hydraulically linked dampers provide semi-active roll stabilisation by varying roll stiffness. The result is that strong body control evidence earlier without excessive stiffness.

Even beneath camouflage, the car's proportions reflect the shift to electric power. Lower, wider and longer than the current V8 model, it adopts a drawn silhouette with a long nose section, heavily curved roofline and long tail ending in a subtle, Kamm-style cut-off with active aerodynamic elements.

Inside, the impression is equally strong. The driving position is largely unchanged, retaining the same low, stretched stance, but the environment has evolved. The centre console rises higher between driver and passenger, creating a more defined cockpit, with three rotary controls sitting prominently atop it. There's a tangible analogue feel to many of the controls, the rotary dials providing precise mechanical feedback.

Ahead, a single panel integrates the 10.2in instrument display and 14.0in touchscreen, angled towards the driver, with clear separation of functions - and the passenger's touchscreen doesn't intrude. Rear space is more usable than the roofline suggests, with individual seats and recessed footwells allowing a natural seating position, while a glass roof floods the interior with light.

What emerges here isn't an electric reinterpretation of the original GT 4-Door Coupé but a fundamentally different car - one that places greater emphasis on control, interaction and consistency, while still delivering the sense of occasion expected of an AMG.

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé prototype: verdict

A decisive reset for AMG, combining extreme pace with adjustability, involvement and a new level of feedback for a performance EV.


Price	£200,000
Engine	Three axial-flux electric motors
Power	1100bhp (est)
Torque	900lb ft (est)
Gearbox	1-spd reduction gear, 4WD
Kerb weight	2200kg (est)
0-62mph	2.2sec (est)
Top speed	190mph (est)
Battery	100kWh (est)
Range, economy	na
Rivals	Lotus Emeya 900, Polestar 5 Performance, Porsche Taycan Turbo GT

Leapmotor B03X: First taste of China's cut-price Renault 4 rival

Tue, 5 May 2026 23:01:00 +0100

Small electric crossover brings 121bhp and around 250 miles of range – can it trouble Europe's best?

It seems that you can’t be a mainstream car firm with volume aspirations in 2026 without a small electric SUV in your line-up – and Leapmotor will get in on the act with the B03X later this year.

At 4270mm long, it will rival the Renault 4, Kia EV2 and forthcoming Volkswagen ID Cross, although expect Leapmotor to undercut those established firms on price.

The B03X will essentialy be twinned with the forthcoming Leapmotor B03 hatch, which is set to arrive in the UK in early 2027. The model is named the A10 in China, but has had to be renamed for export markets because Audi has ownership of alphanumeric car titles beginning with A. But given B03X was the development code for the project, it arguably makes more sense anyway.

Regardless of its name, the B03X looks much like you would expect a small Chinese SUV to, albeit with enough neat details to give it a pleasing dash of character – particularly the rear light clusters, which resemble a smiley face. There are also flush door handles, while it rides on 18in alloys. You might notice the fitment of a Lidar sensor on our test car (it's the London taxi-style bump on the roof line), which is because the Chinese-spec A10 offers semi-autonomous driving features. Cost and legislation means that won't reach the UK.

Leapmotor claims the sloping roof line, aero stylings and flush handles all help the aerodynamics – it has a drag coefficienct of 0.26 – in a bid to boost range. Overall, the crossover measures just over 4200mm long, 1800mm wide and 1635mm high, with a wheelbase of just over 2600mm – all firmly in the ballpark for cars in this category.

The interior is similarly functional with some interesting elements. As with most Leapmotor models, the dashboard features a 14.6in touchscreen and a distinct lack of buttons, but the materials are pleasant and there’s plenty of space, which is well used.

It’s quite tall and because of the underfloor battery you sit fairly high up, but that fits this type of car. For a small crossover, the boot is massive, having a big second compartment under the floor similar to the Ford Puma Gen-E’s Gigabox. Also useful is a big storage cubby hidden underneath the rear seats, while the front passenger seat can be folded forward flat to create extra load space.

The B03X and the closely related B03 sit on Leapmotor’s front-driven A platform. It will be offered in the UK with a modest 121bhp motor and a 53kWh battery, giving a range of around 250 miles on the Chinese test cycle. Charging speeds have yet to be disclosed, although Leapmotor claims a 30-80% fill will take 16 minutes.

Underneath, the B03X has a pretty standard suspension set-up for this sort of car, with MacPherson struts up front and a torsion beam at the rear.

We only had a brief time in the B03X on a short test track in Huzhou, China, without long enough to draw any firm conclusions. But it did give a taste of what to expect.

As the claimed 0-62mph time of 10.5sec would suggest, the B03X isn’t a sporty performer, but it’s not that sort of car. The motor is decently responsive, though, and you won't be left struggling when trying to pull away from junctions or merge into traffic.

The steering lacks feel or real engagement, and feels particularly light. That's reflected in the tight 5.1m turning radius, which should make it good for city use. It is easy to place on the road and responsive to inputs. But even flicking through the various drive modes didn't much liven things up.

The ride holds up well over bumps, but there is some body roll when cornering. My short drive didn’t hint that the B03X will match the likes of the Renault 4 or EV2 for refinement behind the wheel, but there’s some charm and innovation that intrigues. Much will depend on cost: UK pricing hasn't been finalised yet, but expect it to undercut rivals, with a starting figure likely somewhere around the £24,000 mark.

Overall, the B03X shows potential with likeable character and some neat design solutions – but it faces a challenge to match the class leaders in the increasingly crowded ranks of small electric crossovers. Still, prived right, this could find favour with buyers.

Nissan to shut production line at Sunderland in cost-saving move

Tue, 5 May 2026 16:20:38 +0100

Japanese manufacturer will also cut 900 jobs across Europe - but confirms roles at Sunderland are safe

Nissan will close one of its two production lines at its Sunderland plant as part of a cost-cutting exercise in which the Japanese firm will eliminate 900 positions in Europe.

Sunderland builds the new electric Leaf, the Juke and the Qashqai, and all will now run down the same line. Nissan confirmed that no jobs at the plant would be lost as a result of the move – but some roles in the UK could go as part of the 900 across Europe.

The closure of the line marks the decline of production numbers at Nissan’s sole European plant. The factory built 273,174 cars last year, down from a high of more than half a million.

Nissan said in a statement that it was taking measures “to create a leaner, more resilient business that adapts quickly to market changes”. Measures under review include the partial closer of its Barcelona parts warehouse and a move to an importer model in Nordic countries.

Nissan is hoping to attract a second car maker to take over line one at Sunderland in the future, with Chinese makers Chery and Dongfeng both linked to production at the site.

The successful sale of line one would preserve jobs and increase production at the company, Nissan said.

The closure of the line is expected to happen in the second half of the year, with line two moving to three shifts to compensate for the loss of capacity.

Former Nissan executive Andy Palmer, who started his career at Sunderland, expressed sadness at the announcement. “Any reduction in capacity is bad news for Nissan and bad news for Sunderland,” he told Autocar.

Like all Japanese manufacturers, Nissan has been hit hard by increased competition in Europe, especially from the Chinese. Its market share in the UK fell to 3.7% in the first four months of 2026, down from 5.6% in 2016.

Chery, meanwhile, had a share of almost 5% through April, thanks to the success of its Jaecoo, Omoda and Chery brands, according to data from the SMMT. MG also beat Nissan at 4%, while BYD was close behind at 3.45%.

Nissan has been slashing costs globally, including shuttering seven plants, as part of a campaign under CEO Ivan Espinosa to restore its fortunes following a £3.8 billion loss in the financial year ending March 2025.

Globally the company has been hit by increased competition in all markets, including China, as well a hike in import tariffs on its exports to the US.

Before the announcement of the closure of line one at Sunderland, the plant had been relatively unaffected by the cuts.

Support from the UK government helped secure it production of the new electric Juke, due to start at the end of the year.

Nissan's new solar tech adds 11 miles of free range every day

Tue, 5 May 2026 15:00:00 +0100

Could solar power end plug-in charging for EVs? Nissan's Sakura solar-charging concept will make production

It was 1955 when General Motors engineer William G Cobb demonstrated the Sunmobile, a 15in-long model car powered by selenium photovoltaic cells - and fascination with fuelling cars using sunlight has endured ever since.

Nissan celebrated Clean Energy Day earlier this year by unveiling a Nissan Ariya equipped with solar panels, which in real-world testing on a sunny day added 14 miles to the EV's range.

The team reckon that in sunny Barcelona the solar Ariya could acquire a daily average of 11 miles. Average year-round boosts are estimated at 6.3 miles for London, 11.7 miles for New Delhi and 13.2 miles for Dubai and it's expected that, in certain situations, drivers could reduce their charging frequency by between 35% and 65%.

Following initial long-distance testing, which included a 963-mile journey between the Netherlands and Spain, Nissan's engineers drew the conclusion that solar integration could reduce a commuter's number of annual visits to charging stations from 23 to eight.

The Ariya project is a collaboration between Nissan and Dutch solar mobility innovator Lightyear, which supplied the nextgen tech used to cover 3.8 square metres of the Ariya's exterior in custom-made polymer and glass panels.

The Ariya isn't the only solar power project that Nissan has underway. At the 2025 Tokyo motor show, it revealed the AoSolar Extender, a cunning photovoltaic system mounted on the roof of an electric Sakura kei car. Rectangular in shape and covering the entire roof, it automatically slides out over the front of the car when it is parked.

Once extended, the panel also doubles as a sunshade over the windscreen, helping to keep the cabin temperature down on hot days. It retracts again when the car is about to be driven off or, in order to prevent damage, when high winds are detected.

The fixed housing for the extendable section is also covered in solar panels, so the system is always generating energy during daylight hours.

Total generation is around 500W, depending on weather conditions, and the unit is designed to minimise drag and integrate with the Sakura's styling when stowed.

The engineering team estimates that the system has the potential to generate enough solar electricity to power the average Sakura for 1860 miles per year.

Analysis of driving data from Sakura owners shows that many travel only relatively short distances on errands or school runs. On that basis, it's estimated that for a significant number of owners, solar-generated power could do away with the need for charging from the grid altogether.

Just another wacky concept? Not at all. Nissan has confirmed the Ao-Solar Extender is planned for production at some point in the future.

New restomod pays tribute to 1995 Audi TTS concept

Tue, 5 May 2026 12:19:29 +0100

Dutch firm Autoforma reinstates cues from radical concept car, including primer-grey paintwork

Dutch firm Autoforma has revealed a tribute to the 1995 Audi TTS – the concept car that previewed the original drop-top TT several years before its launch.

Although the TT made it to production with minimal changes, Autoforma’s new restomod effectively undoes all those tweaks, resetting the small roadster to its original intent.

Key changes include squarer, narrower grilles around the lower section of the front bumper; the reinstatement of vents on the front wings; and the removal of the fabric roof in favour of a hard panel that sits flush with the rear deck. The spoiler that was added to the TT shortly after its 1998 launch has also been removed.

Meanwhile, the suspension has been lowered and its track has been widened, giving a more sporting appearance.

Completing the package is primer-grey paint similar to that on the TTS concept, as well as the baseball-leather interior that was offered as an option on the production car.

The Autoforma TTS was commissioned by Dutch eyewear and interior designer Jos Baijens, who was among the country’s first TT owners in 1998. The firm said Baijens played a key role in "co-designing" the car, creating his ultimate TT.

The creation of Autoforma’s restomod reflects a change in perception of the TT. Although it was an industry disruptor and big seller upon its launch in 1998, it slowly lost its edge through its second and third generations, while buyer demand for small coupés also dropped. That led to its cancellation in 2023. Meanwhile, values of Mk1 TTs remained pitiful for a number of years, owing to high production numbers and a poor image. Yet that has now rebounded, with particularly well-preserved examples now attracting five-figure prices.

Audi last year revealed the Concept C, a first look at the sports car that will spearhead the brand’s reinvention – inspired by the Mk1 TT in both spirit and styling.

Much like its ancestor, it represents an almost complete break from Audi’s recent designs and is set to make it to production largely unchanged.

UK fleets seek partners to navigate electrification challenges

Tue, 5 May 2026 11:32:20 +0100

Incentives for plug-in hybrid and electric cars have pushed fleets to electrify faster than the rest of the market

The UK’s biggest fleets are seeking closer supplier partnerships to navigate a complicated triple whammy of electrification, rising costs and a data influx, according to one of the largest leasing firms.

Dan Carter, head of corporate and international sales at Ayvens UK, told Autocar that it’s “no longer enough to turn up with a product catalogue”, as customers come under pressure to control costs while achieving ever-tougher CO2 reduction goals; now they're seeking partners who understand their business and can help them navigate what’s ahead.

Sustainability strategies and generous tax incentives for plug-in hybrid and electric cars have pushed company car fleets to electrify faster than the rest of the market. Almost half (48%) of all cars leased to fleets are electric, according to the latest figures from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).

However, Carter said that further electrification faces tougher emerging challenges from infrastructure, planning and changing driver behaviour.

That’s unfolding against the backdrop of shifting tax systems and environmental regulations, manufacturer strategies and supply chain disruption, plus a slow market for used EVs, which is suppressing residual values and risks blunting fleet demand for new ones.

Corporate fleets are also facing internal scrutiny of total ownership costs (TCO), which is making artificial intelligence-based optimisation an “essential” tool rather than something nice to have, while dealing with “relentless” compliance pressures and the need to make faster decisions, according to Carter.

“Electrification at scale, cost control and making sense of their data are the big three [challenges]," he said. Procurement is becoming more strategic, more cautious, more evidence-driven as a result. Customers aren't just buying a lease product; they're looking for recommendations they can trust and solutions that actually move the needle operationally and financially.”

Carter explained that Ayvens UK has three priorities focused on supporting corporate fleets, who want to connect their data and technology with the operational reality of their duty cycles.

Building closer relationships will help it understand what fleets are dealing with, as well as what they ask for, he said, stressing a need to build a consultative and data-literate sales and accounts team to guide customers through the ongoing uncertainty while ensuring that Ayvens’ technology investments offer “real value, not just features on a slide”.

Those investments are significant. Ayvens is progressively digitalising and streamlining the entire customer journey while combining expertise from ALD and LeasePlan, which merged to form it in 2023.

Carter added that closer collaboration with fleets and between departments and a focus on actions as well as insights are desirable for customers.

“The merger gave us real scale, and we're building on that,” he said. “We're accelerating digital transformation so customers get insight they can actually act on, not just dashboards. We're focused on practical transition support for fleets, not theoretical sustainability targets. And we're investing in our teams at every level, because none of the technology matters if the people aren't there to help customers use it."

Why I swapped my MX-5 for a Toyota MR2 – and won't look back

Tue, 5 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

After running a Fiat Coupe and MX-5, it was time to give a mid-engined sportster a try

The two previous cars I’ve bought – a Fiat Coupé 20v and a Mk2 Mazda MX-5 – were, to put it politely, howling ruins.

Both were at rock bottom of the value curve on account of being rotters, which meant I ended up paying far more on the upkeep of them than I’d have liked. I soon got frustrated with this extra expense and subsequently got rid.

So when I caught my annual bout of car-buying fever, I decided I’d try to get something a bit nicer this time. Another MX-5 was considered, but I wanted something different.

I thought about a BMW Z3, an MGF or even an MG Midget. What I really wanted was a mid-engined four-cylinder machine with a sub-tonne kerb weight, a small footprint and a removable hard top. But I couldn’t afford a Lotus Elise, so I bought this 2004 Toyota MR2 instead.

After weeks of trawling the classifieds, this one stood out the most: it was in my favourite factory colour, had fewer than 90,000 miles and looked tidy in pictures. And it was even better in real life.

What’s more, seeing how immaculate the seller’s ‘E34’ BMW 5 Series was gave me a sense that it had been looked after.

I knew on the test drive that it was just what I was looking for and I’ve never been happier to part with £3500. It comes with the all-important hard top – ironically, something I’ve yet to take off – and some TTE rallying goodies in the shape of a roll bar and fruity exhaust. I think I’m in love from the off.

Learning and loving mid-engined handling

A drive along the soaking-wet country roads of rural Dorset has really cemented my love of my pint-sized Toyota.

Truth be told, for the first few weeks I was a bit nervous about finding my limits in the MR2: I didn’t have a huge amount of experience of driving mid-engined cars and I’d heard quite a few stories about this little sports car humbling many drivers by spinning them backwards through a hedge.

But many dry drives in my first month of ownership taught me how to respect this joyous roadster. I’d come home from work and have the urge to just slink behind the wheel and head for the hills as fast as its 1.8-litre four-pot would allow me, quickly learning how to adapt my driving to explore the handling characteristics of something with the engine in the wrong place.

That said, I was still a little anxious when it came to wet weather – at least until I joined a group of old friends for a blast around some roads I know like the back of my hand. Keeping up with the pack, I realised that I was more in tune with the dynamics than I had expected.

The engine weighs down the driving wheels nicely, giving great grip in the faster corners, while the limited-slip differential turned low-speed hairpins into minor hero moments.

It has been a long time since I’ve fallen for a car as much as I’ve done with the MR2.

Fresh Avons revitalise tyred Toyota

A little drive up to the Welsh valleys with some colleagues revealed the existence of a slow and irritating puncture on my Toyota MR2, with the tyre becoming almost completely flat by the time I reached our incredibly rural rendezvous point.

The tyre pump from a BMW M3 CS Touring saved the day, letting me limp home and figure out what to do next.

Inspecting all four tyres, I noticed that the tread was, while still legal, worn down fairly significantly. They hadn't had too much depth on them when I bought the car. So naturally I decided it was time to treat my pride and joy to some new shoes.

After much deliberating, I settled on a pair of Avon ZV7s for the rear. I’d driven a few cars shod with them before (it’s the OEM tyre on the Morgan Plus Four, for example) and liked not just their grip but also the progressiveness with which traction fell away at their limit.

The tyre shop from which I bought them kept messing me around with the fitting date, so I had them changed by the brilliant people at AJU Motorsport in Poole.

So far, I'm impressed: traction is great and the manner of breakaway is just as I'd hoped.

New £25k Skoda Epiq to be revealed on 19 May

Tue, 5 May 2026 09:13:29 +0100

Skoda's Fabia-sized electric SUV will pack a big boot and up to 267 miles of range

Skoda's new baby electric SUV, the Epiq, will be revealed in full on Tuesday 19 May.

A near-production design was previously displayed at the Munich motor show, described as a "concrete glimpse" of Skoda's answer to the Renault 4, and it is expected to arrive in showrooms mostly unchanged.

At 4.1m long, the Epiq will be the smallest of Skoda's electric SUVs – sitting underneath the 4.4m Elroq – and effectively the electric equivalent to the Fabia. Yet it will still seat five "comfortably", have a 475-litre boot and offer a range of up to 267 miles.

Based on the same MEB Entry architecture as the other Volkswagen Group small EVs, including the new Volkswagen ID Polo, the Epiq will have a 133bhp motor on the front axle as standard.

A hot vRS version, twinned with the ID Polo GTI, is possible and could ramp that up to 223bhp.

It is described as the first car designed completely according to Skoda's minimalist new Modern Solid design principles - first deployed on the updated Elroq and Enyaq – both inside and out.

To that end, it wears Skoda's new 'Tech Deck' face, T-shaped light signatures, chunky bumpers and a distinctive new shade of 'Cashmere' paint, which contrasts with the grey lower bodywork. The cabin is visually separated from the rest of the car by an accentuated shoulder that Skoda refers to as a 'tornado line'.

The interior, in keeping with Skoda tradition, majors on practicality and everyday usability, with 'Simply Clever' features like bag hooks, fasteners and hidden cubbies dotted throughout.

The touchscreen will be the main control interface, but physical buttons and haptic scrollers feature as part of an emphasis on intuitive utility.

Skoda said the Epiq will be priced to match its petrol-powered counterpart, the Kamiq, which starts at around £25,000.

The Czech firm said "this further underlines Skoda's commitment to meeting the growing demand for sustainable and accessible mobility solutions".

CEO Klaus Zellmer said: “It embodies the essence of Skoda: Modern Solid design, a spacious interior within a compact footprint, user-friendly, intuitive digital interfaces, and Simply Clever details that ensure a seamless experience – and, above all, at an attractive price point.

"With the Epiq, we’re taking another step towards making electric cars a practical and compelling choice for everyday drivers."

Mini priming new John Cooper Works hot hatches after record year

Tue, 5 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

British brand's five-strong model line-up is now complete, but more derivatives are on their way

Mini isn’t planning to further expand its line-up, new boss Jean-Philippe Parain has said, but offering increased options and customisation can help it to continue growing.

The Frenchman, who has previously held senior management roles within the BMW Group, took over at the British brand late last year.

In recent years Mini has renewed its line-up, with fresh versions of the electric Cooper hatchback and Countryman SUV, updates for the three- and five-door petrol Cooper hatchbacks and the new electric Aceman crossover.

Speaking to Autocar at the Beijing motor show, Parain said: "We have the biggest product range we’ve ever had, with five models. For a relatively small brand like Mini, it’s a very large range, and we’re very happy with where we are.”

Parain explained that Mini would instead focusing on broadening its appeal through expanding its range of options and personalisation, along with further derivates – particularly in its John Cooper Works performance line, where there “are still some possibilities”.

He added: “We are pushing John Cooper Works very strongly. We believe in our combustion-engine cars and we achieved an all-time high with John Cooper Works sales last year.”

Mini recently added more options for its models, shifting away from the simplification of such items in its recent model rollout.

“We had some ideas in terms of simplification, but that proved not exactly what the customer wants,” said Parain. “If you look at our configurator, we’ve really reopened the possibility to have single options and to customise and individualise our cars. We’ll play with that to the full, because it’s something really only Mini can do.”

Mini also recently revealed a range of special editions with outside collaborators – and Parain said “there are possibilities to explore there" still.

He noted that Mini’s size limits its offerings in this area but said “we’re really working to improve the diversification of our product offer".

"With customisation there is a profitability aspect, of course, and it’s very Mini to make every Mini unique,” he added.

Parain also said that Mini will try to “really sharpen our Mini-ness”, explaining: “We want to exploit even more our heritage, our Britishness, but in a way that is modern and not cheesy. But it’s a very strong differentiation factor for us.”

Honda Prelude

Tue, 5 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

Affordable sporty coupé returns with an interesting hybrid powertrain and tech from Civic Thanks to the likes of the new Ford Capri, you’d be forgiven for assuming that Honda’s revival of the Prelude after more than 20 years was going to result in a crossover. Fortunately that has not happened, and the fifth interpretation of a nameplate that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2028 is, as every one of its predecessors has been, a front-driven coupé.We have spent a fair bit of time with the new Prelude – enough, certainly, to warm to its charms as a relatively affordable, frugal and usable junior GT. As we will shortly discover, calling this 181bhp, hybrid-powered machine an out-and-out sports car is perhaps a stretch, and there are areas where it can’t live with the similarly priced BMW 2-Series 220i M Sport, but framed correctly there’s plenty to like here, so let’s get into it.

Exclusive: 1200bhp Red Bull RB17 ready to hit the track

Tue, 5 May 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Adrian Newey-designed V10 hypercar has entered its final build phase; 50 to be built by 2028

Red Bull Advanced Technologies has begun final assembly of the first of the 50 Adrian Newey-designed, £5 million RB17 hypercars that it plans to launch next spring and deliver to clients over the following two years.

Circuit testing and development sessions are due to begin "within a few weeks".

In an exclusive meeting with programme chief Rob Gray, the highly experienced Red Bull Formula 1 designer turned RB17 technical director, Autocar viewed the first car's near-complete passenger cell and tail section, plus the Cosworth-designed V10 engine and Xtrac hybrid gearbox that will power it to a 220mph top speed via F1 levels of acceleration.

The new all-carbonfibre hypercar is being built in a gigantic former warehouse on the Red Bull estate in Milton Keynes, which now houses both the purpose-built RB17 facility at one end and Red Bull Racing's new F1 wind tunnel at the other.

A track-only two-seater weighing just 900kg, the RB17 packs 1200bhp in total: 1000bhp from the V10 and 200bhp from an electric drive motor.

It is engineered to be faster around a track than a current F1 car, and recent virtual estimates have proved the matter "on a variety of circuits". Its notional lap time at Spa, for instance, is a second or so quicker than a current F1 car, at around 1min 38sec.

As our new pictures show, the RB17 has changed considerably from the model first shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2024, but its dimensions, proportions and major design elements are unaltered.

Speaking exclusively to Autocar at Red Bull headquarters ahead of a Siemens industry event, Gray wryly described the car as "something Adrian drew when he was bored one year over Christmas".

Very similar in overall dimensions to a current F1 car, the RB17's exterior was mostly decided by the end of 2023, then frozen before Newey left Red Bull to join Aston Martin early in 2025. Among the changes made since its unveiling are slim headlights that add extra definition to its overall shape and refinements to its air scoops and aero surfaces (which include active elements, like on the latest F1 cars), shaped by the all-important findings of aerodynamic testing.

Notably, said Gray, there is now a long spine running down the engine cover, from which the V10's exhaust outlet now sprouts, directing gas to "blow" the underside of the rear wing and increase downforce.

Gray called the feature "Adrian Newey's parting gift, because it was a relatively late addition, which he asked for shortly before leaving, and required much development to cope with the thermal challenges that it presented.

The same seriousness that encompasses the exterior can be seen on the inside too: the race-derived, snug cabin is controlled by "knobs and thumbwheels, not screens", said Gray.

The two-seat layout places the passenger beside but slightly behind the driver in order to provide decent shoulder room while keeping the car's frontal area to a minimum.

Two front-hinged doors swing forward to allow occupants to stand on the seat and "drop into the car, rather than bending around a less convenient gullwing arrangement, which is more usual for cars like this.

The car uses an active suspension system that controls its ride height and provides what Gray called "a nice stable platform", but the body can still develop up to 1700kg of downforce. This has to be curtailed beyond 93mph (using the active aero surfaces), however, to reduce straight line drag and to protect the tyres from overloading.

Although Newey always proposed the RB17 purely as a track-day car, there are now suggestions that Lanzante, the renowned hypercar modifier, will produce a kit of modifications that can convert it for UK road use, via the Individual Vehicle Approval process. The cost of the proposed conversion isn't firm, but estimates vary between £250,000 and £500,000.

Newey continues to follow the progress of the RB17, said Gray, and his relationship with the Red Bull team remains extremely cordial. He has seen the car only in photos since his departure, but Gray hinted that a visit is likely at some point.

In the meantime, "all we have to do is deliver the car Adrian wanted", said Gray, which highlights the continuing closeness of the relationship.

The impressively permanent-looking nature of the RB17 facility, along with the size and capability of the project's creative team, prompts an obvious question: will this group progress to a new project when the currently planned 50 cars have been built around the end of 2028?

"That's a question we don't want to answer just yet," said Gray. "My own view is that I wouldn't be keen to build something faster than this. We have lots of ideas but no commitment."

Europe's van giants forced to adapt under threat from new EV rivals

Tue, 5 May 2026 05:00:00 +0100

Cheap, electric-focused newcomers from Asia are forcing established brands to rethink – and get in on the act

Established van brands are having to adapt as they face threat of a slew new electric-focused rivals from Asia, amid a continued struggle to hit stringent EV sales targets set by the UK government.

Vans are subject to their own version of the zero-emission vehicle mandate, which requires companies to post ever-rising percentage of sales of electric sales versus diesel sales, up to 24% this year.

Demand for electric vans hasn't kept pace, however: just 6673 were sold in the first quarter of this year, equating to just 8.1% of the van market, up from 7.6% for last year.

“At the moment, it's a really tough target,” Ford UK boss Lisa Brankin told Autocar at the Birmingham Commercial Vehicle show on 21 April. “Genuine customer demand for electric commercial vehicles isn't in line with the trajectory.”

Van brands are looking with trepidation at future EV targets as fleets and smaller businesses continue to be much more cautious about electrification than car buyers, despite increased choice.

“We need to face the reality,” Renault UK MD Adam Wood told journalists at the same show. “At the moment, the target of 70% by 2030 doesn't look realistic.”

The UK’s Society of Motor Manfuacturers and Traders (SMMT) is pushing government to urgently review the mandate, especially after a disappointing March in which electric van sales actually decreased from the same period last year.

“We're saying 'bring it forward', because the circumstances when it was conceived were totally different. Industrial energy costs have gone up threefold, for example,” SMMT CEO Mike Hawes told Autocar.

Some of the established van makers are finding the transition easier than others.

Volkswagen leads electric van sales after the first three months of the year, with 1931, to capture a 29% share of the market, largely due to the success of the retro ID Buzz.

Ford is second, with 1792 sales, although the company’s long-held status as the UK’s leading van brand means it's still well behind on its mandate target, at less than 8%.

Stellantis meanwhile has struggled this year to parlay its local production of its compact electric vans at Ellesmere Port into anything approaching success, with its biggest EV van brand, Vauxhall, clocking up just 253 sales so far this year.

Stronger competition is coming from Asian brands in the electric space. Kia is the biggest challenger so far this year, thanks to its new PV5, with 1235 sales in Q1 catapulting it into third place in the electric van chart.

The Korean brand has poured $3 billion of investment into its new global electric van business is rolling out several models: the mid-sized PV7 is due to arrive next year and the large PB9 in 2029.

Kia UK CEO Paul Philpott touted the company's ground-up approach to electric van development, telling Autocar: “I think it's quite difficult to convert a diesel van into an electric van, so I think our products have an advantage."

So far Chinese brands haven't made the same dent in the European van market as they have in the car market, but that looks set to change.

At the Birmingham show, new electric vans from Jaecoo owner Chery, commercial vehicle giant Foton, MG sister brand Maxus and Geely-owned Farizon demonstrated the seriousness of the planned attack on established brands.

The incumbents are in no doubt about the seriousness of the threat. “I think now going forward, we should view new Chinese brands as major competitors for the future,” Philpott said.

The struggles of Maxus demonstrate that being able to tap into low-cost electric supply chains back home doesn’t automatically guarantee success in the UK market. But the Chinese are also quick to learn. For example, Farizon absorbed reaction to its highly specced but expensive SV electric van launched last year to create a smaller version dubbed V7E that starts from £29,000 (excluding VAT and a government EV grant).

“The market is getting quite competitive,” Kate McLaren, Farizon's head of marketing and sales operations in the UK, told Autocar. “So we needed a product that was equally capable versus SV but at a more compelling price point.”

Competition includes the Foton Cavan, which is due later this year with a similar size interior space of 7.1m3 and a 50kWh battery with pricing expected around the same £30k mark. Chery says its van range is coming in 2027 in three different sizes. And Maxus is planning a new e5 model that could prove more relevant than its current vans, which are either too small or expensive in EV form.

What the upstart competitors weren’t expecting was Ford launching its very own Chinese-sourced, low-cost van in the same one-tonne sector. The Transit City, pictured below, made its debut at the Birmingham show, broadening Ford’s Transit range to five models.

“It’s fair to say Transit City was a bit of a surprise,” McLaren said. “It just underlines the need for more capable but more accessible vans in the market.”

The Transit City is a heavily reworked version of a van from Ford’s joint-venture partner in China, JAC, with the requisite crash protection and additional cargo space liberated by making it front-wheel-drive.

Its launch was prompted by customer feedback and the need to stay ahead of the Chinese.

“We can sit back and let them come take our lunch or we can join them and try and combat it,” chief programme engineer Simon Robinson told Autocar.

Like the Farizon and Kia PV5 with which it will do battle, it starts at under £30,000 but still offers a payload of 1600kg and 8.5m3 of load space.

The downside is a relatively short range of 158 miles from a 56kWh battery – but, as the name suggests, it's aimed at urban-based companies.

The price will be compelling compared with the £45,510 asked for the electric version of Ford’s best-selling Transit Custom, which is bigger in footprint but not in load space, thanks to the Transit City’s EV platform.

Ford’s pitch to customers is that the Transit City is a low-cost van from a brand you trust with all the support you need to keep you moving if anything goes wrong – a key moat for established brands that they believe will keep them protected from the push by untried Chinese brands for a while yet.

With cheaper entrants, the government’s maximum £5000 purchase grant and the current cost of fuel, electric vans are overcoming the cost differential to diesel vans.

“I don't think that the adoption is about price [any more], it’s about customer acceptance,” Ford’s Brankin said.

Charging remains a sticking point. For those able to charge from home or a depot and stay within the single-charge range (often well beyond 200 miles in bigger models), electric vans are a no-brainer. But data taken from Ford's electric vans suggests that accounts for only 20% of users, with the rest being forced to use public chargers.

That’s where the economics get screwed up: Ford research (conducted before the Iran war-related price spikes) suggests that driving an EV using public chargers is more expensive than sticking with a diesel.

“The cost of public charging is something that the government needs to look closely at,” said Renault’s Wood. “You can pay up to 90p per kWh for the fastest charging, and that has a real impact, particularly for fleets, in terms of the ownership cost equation.”

On top of that, the downtime associated with charging can also be prohibitive. “The speed of charging is absolutely key,” said Wood.

Renault will address that through the launch of the new Trafic E-Tech in the first quarter of 2027, with an 800V electrical architecture dropping its 10-80% charging time to 20 minutes.

For many van users, switching to an EV remains impossible. But for a growing smaller percentage, the potential savings are looking more and more tempting, especially with diesel prices bumping £2 per litre.

Top electric van brands in the UK in the first three months of 2026. Source: SMMT

Manufacturer	Volume	Share of EV sales
Total	6673
Volkswagen	1931	29%
Ford	1792	27%
Kia	1235	18%
Toyota	444	6.7%
Renault	254	3.8%
Vauxhall	253	3.8%
Maxus	217	3.2%
Mercedes-Benz	163	2.4%
Citroën	104	1.6%
Peugeot	102	1.5%

Small car, big fun: tackling Jersey in a Kia Picanto

Mon, 4 May 2026 15:00:00 +0100

We head across the Channel to explore Jersey's blind bends, historic hillclimbs and coastal causeways

Not many people know this, said someone in the office, but the Kia Picanto is the best-selling car in Jersey.

This is hardly the kind of factoid that stops traffic, even traffic of a verbal kind, but it stuck around in our conversation because it soon became clear that various members of the Autocar community had been to Jersey, driving cars, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

But how – the rest of us wondered – could you possibly enjoy driving in a place where the blanket speed limit is 40mph?

From that, one of those animated but pointless debates ensued. Jersey is only nine miles long and five miles wide, said the supporters. Its permanent population is 100,000, but 500,000 tourists go there every year because it’s endlessly scenic.

The roads are mostly twisty and narrow, and 40mph is often too much. The sceptics (including me) naturally demurred, and though our group discussion soon moved on, the controversy generated a plan: to get the hell over there, find a convenient Kia Picanto, and discover who was right…

We landed at Jersey airport in mid-March, following cheerful warnings from the BA copilot that the runway is shorter than most so the braking during the landing roll would be “a bit more energetic than usual”.

But even from the window of an Airbus A319, you could see that spring had begun, as it hadn’t in the mainland, with advanced greenery on the trees and tentative flowers beginning to sprout from the verges. This was encouraging.

It turned out that my companion for the trip, cameraman Max Edleston, knew Jersey very well, having had a series of fondly remembered childhood holidays there.

He even produced a happy-snap of himself as a teenager at a Jersey viewing point, Noirmont Point, using a camera for the very first time and realising, soon after, that it might present him with a career path. Going there would be one priority.

Straight off the plane, at around midday, we headed for the sunny, sandy south coast and Bel Royal, where Jersey’s solitary Kia dealer – the place from which every one of those top-selling Picantos is delivered – was volunteering to lend us a demonstrator for 48 hours or so.

On the way, we called in at the Jersey War Tunnels, about a kilometre of them bored straight into towering surrounding hillsides by slave labour to house a hospital complex that was never completed. When we arrived, the place was still closed for the season (but about to open); it contains exhibits that “show what wartime life in Jersey was really like”. Terrible, according to many accounts.

Bel Royal Motors, a friendly place owned by the same Le Marquand family for 100 years, is run by an enthusiastic general manager, Simon Mills, who put the kettle on and explained, while we sipped tea, why the Picanto does so well there.

The narrow roads help, he said, and so does the fact that Ford killed the 47-year-old Fiesta back in 2023. But it was also clear to a visitor’s eye that Bel Royal Motors’ innate commercial energy and the Picanto’s excellent price-to-equipment formula – plus the seven-year warranty – meant the little Kia appealed more to Jersey people than even the recently rejuvenated but notably fatter Renault Clio.

That was a surprise, because French influence is everywhere in Jersey, and part of the secret of its better weather is that it nestles close to the French coast in the Gulf of Saint-Malo.

Our car was a top-spec, 600-mile Picanto GT-Line S, in Azure Blue (a £575 option), priced in Jersey at £17,512 and about the same in the rest of the UK. It comes complete with 77bhp 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine, which feels plenty strong enough for the job, even though the stopwatch does it no favours: 0-60mph in 13.1sec.

Still, if you row it along with the endearingly slick five-speed gearbox – a very pleasant form of performance control that is becoming a rarity – you can go as fast as you need, while effortlessly returning 60mpg at Jersey speeds.

As we eased our Picanto off the dealership’s wide apron, there were Picantos used and new surrounding it, with various Sportages nearby (which are Kia’s other big Jersey sellers).

Locals like Mills always know the latest about the tides, and photographers love coastal views: our discussion over tea had established that our first scenic destination needed to be Noirmont Point, Edleston’s old stamping ground: a craggy and exposed southerly headland where the wartime Germans built, again with slave labour, an elaborate array of tunnels, turrets, admin blocks and gun emplacements because this is Jersey’s southernmost point and Hitler was obsessed with turning it into an impregnable fortress.

These days, all this reinforced concrete, made to last 1000 years, looks what it was, like an exercise in craziness. The sun shone warmly and the breeze played about us, but the pervading feeling was about the futility of it all.

Next was a westerly coastal trip of just three or four miles (everything’s down the road in Jersey) to one of the island’s longest coastal roads that runs the length of St Ouen’s Bay on the western side, where we could taste the full 40mph and where the lowering sun lit the flanks of the blue Picanto a treat for photography.

By now, I was clocking other cars: superminis and smaller were very commonplace. Pandas, Ignises, Aygos, 107s and their ilk were prevalent because of the relatively narrow and twisting roads (and especially the blind bends), though there was the usual contingent of drive-to-school SUVs, always to be feared on bends. I was soon finding that I didn’t care at all about being limited to 40mph.

In fact, there were plenty of places where it was allowed but seemed a bit too much. Max being Max, he’d already called the maritime authorities, including the coastguard, to get permission to drive the Picanto onto a long, restricted causeway leading to the stately 1874 La Corbière lighthouse on the island’s south-western extremity.

It stands 119ft above the highest spring tide, is the first-ever British lighthouse built in concrete, has already saved many hundreds of vessels from disaster and is still in action.

However, it also leads land-side tourists into temptation, because the tide moves fast and it’s easy to get cut off when it rises. On our particular late afternoon, the photographically desirable sunset coincided with the threatening high tide: we were pleasantly warned about it by the remarkably helpful authorities, who gave us more credit for a modicum of intelligence than authorities usually do.

Sun set, tide avoided, we repaired to a beachside restaurant (featuring its own Citroën Ami) for a hearty dinner, before rolling into St Helier on the south coast (yep, just a few miles away) to our accommodation.

The next day was a flurry of visits orchestrated by Max, who was determined we’d touch every extremity. First to a St Helier coffee shop that was one of his old haunts (the traffic was busy but not frantic) and then off to the modest northerly place, Ronez Point, where there’s a rather bizarre kart track that’s part of the public road when not in use.

On the mainland, you’d expect such a place to be busy at any time, but it was deserted so we did a couple of stately laps, having a care for Bel Royal’s pristine demo.

By now, I was settling into the Picanto, whose latest restyle I really like, and which was proving to be a sweet and ideal companion.

It’s a good-riding and relatively quiet car with lots of equipment (for me, steering wheel heating is the acid test of equipment depth) and a pervading impression of great materials and impeccable quality. This is one of those cars you just know would be able to serve you for many years.

We’d been tasked by the office to find and photograph two extremely cheesy Jersey icons – some Jersey Royals spuds and some Jersey dairy cows – and on that mission we found one of several hotbeds of Jersey’s busy motorsport scene, the mighty Bouley Bay hillclimb course (public roads again) at Trinity that rises from the coast through the trees to a steep summit. It looks great: if not committed, there are few things I’d rather do than to go back there for the Easter meeting on 21 April.

Miraculously, we found the spuds and cows together in one location just south of Bouley Bay: a roadside stall selling Jersey Royals in large bags (too big for the hand luggage) overlooked by a platoon of the friendliest and prettiest cows going.

Max snapped busily until it dawned on us that a bit more north-easterly coastal touring was necessary – through successions of enticing stopping places before we could say we’d completed the circumnavigation. Then it was time to get back to Bel Royal Motors and to the airport for our late-afternoon flight.

Back at the dealership, Mills had dug out period pictures of some very high-tone 1950s sports cars racing past the corner location of his premises, with spectators using the roof for a grandstand.

One impression that stands out is that on Jersey they love cars and motorsport (the occurrence of Porsches is said to be denser there than anywhere else) whatever that 40mph limit may imply to outsiders.

Max and I came to the conclusion that three-quarters of the time, and especially in a touristic summer, a Porsche would have been a bind for what we were doing.

Carrying bulky camera bags (or any other kind), squeezing into beauty-point car parks and nipping safely along narrow roads around hundreds of blind bends was more a job for our Kia Picanto. It was very close to perfect.

Let’s hope the coming crop of low-priced EVs arrives quickly enough for the Jersey drivers who will need them. Over there, especially, big is not beautiful.

Oddball US car maker AMC is a forgotten hero

Mon, 4 May 2026 11:00:00 +0100

AMC wasn't afraid of unconventional ideas: It held a candle to the Big Three on a shoestring budget

In the early 1970s, the American automotive industry sank into its 'malaise era'.

Cars from this time were widely regarded as, to put it bluntly, crap. Japanese cars rocketed in popularity and it seemed that the floundering 'Big Three' (General Motors, Ford and Chrysler) were incapable of meeting the market's needs. But there was a lesser-known fourth company in Detroit, whose genius and dynamism have been unfairly confined to the annals of history.

American Motors Corporation emerged in 1954 from a merger of Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson. Against the odds for an 'independent' in the US it survived the 1950s, selling small cars to Americans before it was fashionable. In the 1960s it fitted master cylinders, disc brakes and reclining seats as standard before most 'domestics' even offered them as an option.

The Big Three had most of the market sewn up, but AMC played its cards well in other areas. It earned strong sales in hot climates by fitting aircon as standard in some cars (an industry first) and was the industry's largest exporter to France and Germany (the next biggest LHD markets).

In 1970 AMC bought Jeep. The 4x4 specialist was losing money hand over fist, but it was the biggest player in the growing SUV market, and AMC turned it into what it is today by launching the Cherokee in 1983, then the Wrangler in 1986.

Also in 1970 came the Gremlin, the first 'subcompact' made in the US, followed in 1975 by the Pacer, famous for being a bit ugly and having a 5.0-litre V8 in a relatively compact hatchback body. It was marketed as the first wide small car, but of more interest was its spacious and aeroefficient cab-forward design, a novelty in the US.

AMC's thriftiness attracted the attention of Renault, which in 1980 took a controlling stake in the company, by then teetering on the brink of bankruptcy despite its strong line-up. AMC benefited by making and selling the Renault 5 as the imaginatively named Le Car in the US, while Renault was in turn able to sell Jeeps in Europe. Still, profits were minimal, due to the rise of the Japanese, and AMC had to sell its profitable defence division for national security reasons.

Despite all this, clever ideas shone through. The AMC Eagle was arguably the world's first crossover, the Renault 9/11 was successfully re-engineered and marketed as the Alliance, and Jeep sales went from strength to strength. AMC wasn't perfect, but on a shoestring budget it held a candle to the Big Three.

In 1987, as Renault was also suffering, Chrysler agreed to buy AMC - and while Chrysler didn't save AMC, AMC saved Chrysler. Most of the cars that followed were based on the forward-thinking 1988 Eagle Premier. Even the Chrysler 300, which was discontinued only in 2023, could trace its platform ideas back that far. And AMC's hardy straight-six engine was used by Jeep until 2006.

If that's not a successful legacy, I don't know what is.

Better than a BMW? How to score a Mercedes C-Class for £10k

Mon, 4 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

The used Mercedes compact exec saloon or estate makes a fine (and reliable) all-rounder

The Mercedes C-Class has always been up against stiff competition, not least the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

But this generation, the 'W205 C-Class', produced from 2014 to 2021 is more than capable of holding its head high against its contemporaries, and you can now buy one from around £4000.

The W in that codename refers to the saloon but there is also the S205 estate, C205 coupé and A205 convertible. The two-door variants are quite different, so we'll leave them for another time.

This C-Class was the first Merc to adopt the MRA platform, whose extensive use of aluminium helped make it 100kg lighter than the previous model, despite being almost 100mm longer. Mercedes claimed it was the most rigid in its class and we were certainly impressed by its dynamic ability.

We called the steering "breathtaking" and praised the car's plush rolling refinement. If that attribute is important to you, seek out smaller-wheeled, more softly sprung SE or Sport cars to enjoy the ride comfort at its best.

The W205 arrived during a golden era for mile-munching diesels so there are some amazingly abstemious oil-burners. Mercedes claimed 70mpg for the most frugal models, which is optimistic but not completely out of reach at a gentle motorway cruise. The cleanest versions officially emit just 99g/km of CO₂ and are all ULEZ-compliant.

It's not all sunshine and roses, though. The C200d uses a Renault-sourced 134bhp 1.6-litre that is unrefined and a bit slow. The 2.1-litre (168bhp C220d and 201bhp C250d) is livelier yet also very efficient, but it's still rattly and lacking in grunt compared with an equivalent 3 Series. Before the C-Class received its facelift in 2018, the C300h diesel-hybrid was the most efficient and fastest of the bunch. Its batteries rob it of some boot space but it's a great all-rounder if you can live with that trade-off.

On the petrol front, the 158bhp 1.6-litre C180 is a little lethargic, the 181bhp 2.0-litre C200 pleasingly punchy and reasonably efficient, and the C350e plug-in hybrid short on electric range. Leaving aside the monstrous V8-engined C63, there is the semi-sporting, 362bhp V6-powered C43. It's very capable but offers little extra fun over a standard model so a BMW 340i makes a better driver's car.

The interior is stylish and spacious. SE trim feels a bit basic but Sport and AMG Line are well-equipped. The Premium pack ups the ante (panoramic roof, memory front seats) and the Premium Plus pack adds Burmester surround sound and a 360deg camera.

In 2018 the engine line-up was overhauled and a much larger and more modern infotainment system became standard. Power from the 1.6-litre diesel rose to 158bhp and the 2.1-litre was replaced by an all-new 2.0-litre in 191bhp (C220d) and 242bhp (C300d) forms. These 2.0-litre diesels are the pick of the range: they're refined, powerful and economical.

The 1.5-litre petrol with 154bhp (C180) or 184bhp (C200) feels strained. The 254bhp C300 is better, but a little thirsty. The C43 was lifted to 385bhp and the C300e replaced the C350e and took EV range from 19 miles to 34 miles, which the C300de (replacing the C300h) matched.

Choose your powertrain carefully and you're on to a winner here.

What to look out for

Engines: Some 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol models have experienced premature thermostat failure, so keep an eye on the temperature gauge. Replacing it is a difficult job, so expect a large bill. Turbo failure on the 2.0-litre petrol can be a problem as well.

The 2.1-litre diesel is prone to simplex chain tensioner issues, while the plastic inlet manifold can crack and the plastic fuel filter housing can leak. The same issues appear to be cropping up for the 2.0-litre diesel that replaced it, so opt for one with an impeccable service history.

The DPF can get blocked after consecutive short or low-speed drives; a diesel with a very low mileage might not be healthy.

Body: Lots of owners have reported rattling sunroofs and squeaking door seals. General cabin noises are also common unlike in a used BMW 3 Series or Audi A4.

Electrics: The blindspot detection system is known to stop working so test it before you rely on it. The infotainment system can freeze, but not permanently.

Interior: As well as listening out for rattles, inspect the interior trim closely because it has been known to show cracks. Also examine the Artico upholstery on the seats because they sometimes show signs of wear a little too easily.

Also worth knowing

Facelifted cars still command a significant premium and with good reason. The tech, diesel engines and automatic gearbox (a nine-speeder replaced the seven-speeder) are all a step up.

A six-speed manual remained standard on lower-powered cars.

Four-wheel drive is rare but may be worth seeking out in combination with the estate. The wagon has 490 litres of boot space, 35 litres up on the saloon, and came as standard with 40/20/40-split folding seats. The estate sacrifices little in terms of dynamics and isn't much more expensive to buy.

Air suspension was available, but the standard ride is comfortable enough.

How much to spend

£4000-£8999 The C-Class is a familiar choice among minicabbers and cross-country reps, although high mileage shouldn't put you off if the history is good. Note that it's mostly lower-spec models here.

£9000-£11,999 This is where reasonable mileage C220d cars come into play. Keep your eyes peeled and you might spot a C300h.

£12,000-£16,999 We're into decent facelift territory. You'll find some C43s here, too.

£17,000-£34,000 Low-mileage plug-in hybrids are available, and the 300de is an especially good option if you want a powertrain with flexibility. It's probably not worth spending double that on a late C43.

An owner's view

Ian Blackburn: "I recently purchased an approved-used 2020 C220d AMG Line and I'm really enjoying it. It's nice to drive, really efficient - more than 60mpg - and still looks modern. I'm happy I chose a facelifted car as the bigger, 10.3in infotainment screen looks far more up to date. I avoided the newer generation due to its screen-heavy interior and inferior quality and so far I've had no regrets. My only issue is that the seats feel a bit overstuffed: not as comfy as a Merc should be."

1000bhp BMW M3 EV to be priced 'in same ballpark' as petrol twin

Mon, 4 May 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Autocar rendering shows how BMW may make the electric M3 distinct from the i3 on which it is based

Hallowed super-saloon will return as both quad-motor EV and next-generation ICE car, offering buyers "the choice"

The forthcoming electric BMW M3 due in 2027 and the next-generation petrol M3 will be “twins” that will be “in the same ballpark” in terms of price.

The first electric M3 (the exact name of which has yet to be finalised) will be based on the recently revealed i3 and will sit on the new electric Neue Klasse architecture.

Set to feature four electric motors driving each wheel and offer close to 1000bhp, it has already been spied testing extensively.

Despite the arrival of an M3 EV, the ICE M3 will be renewed for a new generation. It will continue to use the CLAR platform of the current 3 Series but will receive a styling makeover in line with BMW’s Neue Klasse design language.

Sylvia Neubauer, BMW M’s sales boss, told Autocar she's convinced that the division’s first production EV will “stay true to BMW M DNA”, adding: “It’s not only about acceleration and power, it’s about drivability, manoeuvrability and that level of trust and connection between the driver, car and road. With a high-performance BEV, you need to be able to trust it every millisecond, and the car is so convincing.”

Asked how she will win over existing BMW M owners who might be sceptical about electric performance cars to make the switch, Neubauer said: “We need to get you into the cars.”

The firm is planning a series of drive tours to allow M owners to sample the EV, and Neubauer added: “Obviously we will not convince 100% out of the petrolhead target group to buy an all electric BMW M3. But out of 100 people that try it, we will be able to convince some. And for everybody else, we will still provide combustion engines.”

Neubauer added that she had no concerns about introducing an electric M3 despite the faltering growth in EV sales, noting that BMW retained significant capability to adjust production to fit demand. “The good news is that from a pricing perspective, that are in the same ballpark,” she added.

Offering the two M3s alongside each other will give customers “the choice”, she said. "There will be functional differences that lead to a different design in some areas of the car, but when you look at them, you will see that they are twins.”

Neubauer said M wouldn’t specifically target different buyers for the petrol and electric M3s, explaining: “Mainly it's a high-performance target group. But within that high-performance target groups, you have those with more progressive all-electric mindsets and the ones that are diehard petrolheads who will stay in an ICE vehicle forever.

“But it's always a BMW M. When we talk about the BMW M3, it’s the M3 no matter the drivetrain. The driving experience must be true, and you decide it you want EV or ICE.”

Into the danger zone: Chasing fighter jets in the Caterham CSR

Sun, 3 May 2026 17:00:00 +0100

We head to the Welsh Mach Loop to see if this final edition is the ultimate four-wheeled fighter jet

I don’t have accurate statistics because none will exist, but bear with. I think anecdotally it’s acknowledged that more than a few pilots subsequently become Caterham drivers, and/or that flying is something many Caterham owners turn to.

There’s something that unites the activities: mechanical interaction, guiding something analogue, feeling the elements, managing mild perils. The Seven club magazine is even called Lowflying.

Where better, then, to take a Caterham than to what has sort of become the glamorous home of low flying in the UK: a set of valleys in Wales colloquially known as the Mach Loop, named after the nearby town of Machynlleth, where British military flyers and their friends practise screeching between the hills.

If this sounds to you like an excuse for machine-mad photographer Jack Harrison and me to stand on a windswept mountainside in the hope of seeing an F-22 scream just a few hundred feet past us then, well… rumbled, I suppose.

But what better Caterham to get there in than this one? It’s a CSR, which was a new dawn for the Kent firm when it first appeared 20 years ago. Wider than a standard Seven, it was a bigger, smoother-riding, more capable and plusher Seven, with a marginally more comfortable interior.

Faster and yet at the same time more relaxed. Better for zooming through the valleys than the harsher-riding Caterhams of old.

I can’t remember the last time I saw one. And if you’re a Caterham fetishist like me, you’ll know one if you see it. A standard Caterham Seven, by which I mean one from the regular range (not the kei car-compliant 170), is 3180mm long by 1470mm wide.

You can optionally ‘large-chassis’ a regular Seven for more room, which takes it out to the size of this CSR, 3360mm long by 1700mm wide, but the CSR has details that make it look different again.

It’s Caterham-esque but somehow not quite so. It has more aerodynamic (these things are relative) front wings and there are more holes in it to let air in and out. And where are the front springs?

They’re inboard, driven by pushrods, and next to those wings (carbonfibre on this test car) are aerodynamically profiled front wishbones.Trying to enhance the aero of a Seven is like fitting secondary glazing to one part of Blenheim Palace and hoping it will reduce the heating bills, but I suppose it all helps a little.

There’s more. At the back, although you can’t see it, it has fully independent double-wishbone suspension rather than the trad Seven’s de Dion rear end. The advantage this suspension gives ride quality is marked, and it helps improve grip and traction too. Not that even this will be able to do much about Wales in winter, given the CSR is on Toyo Proxes R888R tyres – hardly renowned for their performance in such conditions.

Ultimately, though – and this is why you so rarely spot a CSR – British Caterham buyers preferred their Sevens in the more traditional and basic ‘Series 3’ form, without the posher insides and funky outsides.

The CSR continued to be available in mainland Europe because it passes regulations other Sevens never could, but has long since been dropped from the range here.

Until last year, just as its time was up. The CSR went off sale completely and, to mark the demise, Caterham built a 20-off CSR Twenty edition, for sale in the UK only.

When the CSR first arrived, power came from a 260bhp 2.3-litre Ford engine breathed on by Cosworth. Owing to more limited engine availability today, it houses a 210bhp and 150lb ft 2.0-litre Ford Duratec unit, which drives through a five-speed Mazda MX-5 gearbox.

A limited-slip differential is optional but not fitted to our test car because it tends to whine a bit, and because Caterham sees this as a (slightly) more rounded proposition, it went with the quieter option. The CSR comes factory-built only, by the way – with no self-build alternative.

The CSR was always one of the more expensive Sevens but these final-edition CSRs cost – wait for it – from £79,995, more than twice the CSR’s price when it was first launched.

I do wonder if this is Caterham testing the water of what it can do with the range. Over the past few years, it hasn’t been a given that the company makes profits and, with a 170 available from £29,490 (self-build), perhaps Caterham has been thinking some models are too affordable.

Plus this is a bit of history. Caterham makes noises about the plushness of the CSR Twenty’s interior – it has some new materials, more artfully applied, but like the aerodynamics these things are relative. It is still a Seven interior, which means snug and basic.

The seats are pleasingly softly finished, there are carpets and the centre console has a cushiony soft leather finish, with Alcantara highlights around and a numbered plaque. There’s a satin-finish carbon dashboard too.

I find it easy to get comfortable in any Seven but this big-bodied version exists to accommodate the larger driver. If you’re tall or wide, it’s the variant for you. In fact, there’s so much room in the pedal box that with my size-eight feet and small trainers, the pedals are too far apart for easy heel-and-toeing.

The steering wheel is a non-adjustable leather Momo thing, the gearshift throw is perhaps the shortest in production, and the simple dials and toggle switches are pifflingly easy to acquaint yourself with. There’s a heater and a 12V socket, and even though the suspension design takes up more room than older systems, there’s still a boot, mohair-lined. Plus a roof.

I don’t imagine anybody will think that the hood itself is plush. Magazines were complaining about the popper fastenings when I was a kid and the Seven still uses them now.

Today, a Seven’s hood pulls tighter than ones of old and keeps you mercifully dry too, but it’s a bind to put up and down. Note also that the mirrors are attached to the doors and you can’t adjust them when you’re inside the car. Four-point harnesses are standard, with all the safety but faffing they entail.

Still, there’s a heated windscreen to keep misting at bay and you can reach all of the other windows with a cloth to demist those, so it’s not an unpleasant drive from Caterham’s lovely new factory at Dartford towards my overnight halt in mid-west England, even on a rainy winter’s evening.

But because you sit so low, you’ll swear that anything taller than a Nissan Qashqai has its main beams on, given how dazzling headlights are in the mirrors. By the time I reach my overnight base, I’ve decided I’d fit tinted film over them if the car were mine.

The morning is bright and, because days like this are my favourite reason to get out of bed, so is my mood. There’s no guarantee of seeing aircraft in the Mach Loop. You just turn up at a lay-by on the A487, walk up a hill, and hope.

I don’t mind either way. The drive over is pretty much all good back roads. This CSR’s 2.0-litre engine tune is the same as the 420 model’s and is a combo that hasn’t been offered in the CSR chassis before. Continental CSRs were previously running with the 485 model’s higher-revving 225bhp engine.

But if you think that having only 210bhp (at 7600rpm) or 150lb ft (at 6300rpm) is a downgrade, remember this is a car that still weighs only 620kg and it has one of the slickest, sharpest manual gearshifts in production.

Those power and torque figures arrive at high revs, so you need to work the gears, whereupon it’s amazingly urgent. At low revs it’s still responsive and linear, but at one point I leave it in fourth to overtake a truck and a few seconds later realise I should have picked third.

But even with a clear sky (and the roof down), the road isn’t going to dry today and, in these conditions, it doesn’t pay to be too liberal with the throttle because the Seven can and will break traction.

We were extremely complimentary about the ride of the CSR when it first arrived in the mid-2000s and age hasn’t wearied it. It rolls with an absorbance denied other Sevens, though I think the gap is closer than it used to be.

The compliance doesn’t bring with it a paucity of body control. The CSR is bigger than a regular Seven but the sprung masses are still light, so easily controlled.

While it’s bigger and arguably less pure than the smaller Sevens, the Caterham character is still very much intact. If you’d never driven a Seven, you’d be blown away by the lightness and immediacy of a CSR.

How much does an F-15 weigh? The internet says 14,300kg, quite a lot more than a Seven, though it seems to impact its manoeuvrability and speed very little. Jack and I haven’t even finished climbing the muddy, slippery slope when one enters from left of stage.

So close, barely higher than us, vortices trailing from the wingtips. In a moment it has passed, heading down towards Llyn Mwyngil (Tal-y-llyn Lake), before spearing left and out of view.

A road almost follows the route out of the valley, so after watching for a while (a prop-driven Texan T1 trainer and a Phenom T1 jet pass: we are having a good day), we decide to take it too.

Small trainers on, teacup stowed in walking boots, I’m no more than half a mile down the road when an A400M cargo plane appears directly overhead, seen before heard, and arcs its way gently into the distance.

I’m not pretending a Seven is anything like real low flying. But as a cosplay alternative, for kidding yourself there’s an affinity, these are the roads, and this is the car, to do it.

I spent big money on my Mini Cooper S... then a van wrote it off

Sun, 3 May 2026 07:00:00 +0100

A modern classic in the making, the Cooper S is fun, affordable and definitely a keeper

I’ve had my 2005 Mini Cooper S – an ‘R53’ for the chassis code fans – for almost six years now. I didn’t think it would be a keeper when I bought it, but despite quite a few life changes in that time, it still fits very well.

It’s gone from being my only car – a sort of combined daily driver and fun car – to being on standby for when I don’t have a test car, or simply for when I get tired of the assorted tech nonsense in modern cars.

In that time, it’s had the odd bit done to it, mainly on an ad-hoc basis of keeping a cheap car going. Compared with all the brand-new cars I’m exposed to, the 105,000-mile, 19-year-old Mini was starting to feel a bit baggy, so I booked it in to my trusted BMW/Mini specialist, TWG Automotive in Camberley, to go through it with a fine-tooth comb.

The result was an A4 sheet of recommendations, going from the obvious (milky headlights, tired suspension) to the unseen but unsurprising (various oil leaks, a torn intake pipe, rusty front subframe).

R53s are modern classics by now, but there are still too many around for them to be valuable. Any money invested in getting it up to scratch is, well, not an investment. But then I really like the car and would find its combination of smallness, driving fun and long-distance ability hard to replace. Also, I’m a sentimental sucker.

In it for the long haul

I’m rather fond of the Mini and don’t want to be that person who buys a car, runs it into the ground and then dumps it, so I decided to start addressing some of the issues. The garage suggested doing the chassis bits first, because the rusty springs and brake pipes would be needed for the MOT, rather than be just nice-to-haves.

It turns out these R53s are stuck in a kind of purgatory between new cars and classics when it comes to parts supply. BMW is pretty good at supporting them, but for these Minis – similarly to E46 BMWs and the like – a number of parts are no longer available. Add in plenty of rusty bolts and my car ended up spending a good few weeks at the garage.

Serviced, MOT’d and with plenty of new suspension bits, it certainly felt better than before. I love the supercharger whine, quick chassis responses, communicative steering and manual gearbox. But at the same time I have some doubts.

The garage recommended going with OEM Sachs dampers, so that’s what I had them fit. While the car is more composed and less ragged, the ride is still pretty crashy. A modern Mini is firmer but doesn’t clatter over expansion joints like mine.

Should I have gone with an aftermarket upgrade like a Bilstein, or is something else not right? I’m not sure, but I’m not keen on redoing a bunch of stuff, and there is still a list of powertrain-related ills to attend to, like the supercharger service and the engine mounts.

What’s big, orange and headache inducing?

Whose car alarm is that going off? Is that my Mini's? I had better check. And just as I was coming down the stairs, I was greeted by an apologetic Sainsbury's delivery driver who had reversed his van into the side of my car as he was threading it down the narrow lane on which I lived at the time.

After getting the suspension sorted out, the next stage was to get the rusty exhaust replaced and the supercharger serviced, but all of that was put on hold as I dealt with the aftermath of what seemed like a minor incident.

After all, the extent of the damage was an ugly dent and a few mullered but easily replaceable plastic panels. To the driver's credit, he didn't do a runner, but he didn't have his approved accident form with him and was reluctant to give details.

Still, you would imagine that such incidents happen regularly and supermarkets would have a well-oiled protocol for dealing with them. Instead, it took weeks to get hold of Sainsbury's relevant insurance person, who then informed me that they had up to 90 days to 'investigate'.

I didn't have video footage, but I did take a picture of the van with a busted rear light next to my maimed Mini – a pretty open-and-shut case, I should think. I probably could have got my insurance to deal with it but, given that I obviously wasn't at fault and am in the lucky position of having other cars to drive, I let it run its course which ran, and ran, and ran.

Perseverance pays off

After two months and much chasing, Sainsbury's insurance (finally) concluded that, yes, the van driver who hit my parked car was at fault. At that point, they handed it over to my insurance company to deal with the rest.

After a phone call, it was quickly assumed the car would be a write-off, because insurance companies usually can't be bothered to find an economical way to repair older cars. Even more worryingly, they wanted it to be collected by Copart – which runs salvage car auctions – to be inspected.

I pointed out that this would be a massive waste of everyone's time and money compared with a person coming round to look at the car, or me sending over some pictures, but they wouldn't budge.

My experience with Copart wasn't too bad. The guys collecting it with a big car transporter were nice enough. The following week I was called to be told they wanted to declare it a Category S (for structural damage). I argued that a bit of panel damage is not structural, so they listened and changed it to Cat N (non-structural), bumping up the payout slightly.

Just over £2000 promptly appeared in my bank account (I wonder if I can claim Nectar points on that), with the Mini due to be delivered back to me.

As a car reviewer, I get delivered cars quite often, but I've never been as excited as I was for the Mini to return. It came on a multi-car transporter, and in the same condition it left. They even washed it – not very well, but it's the thought that counts.

The wild British supercar that beat the BMW M5 – then vanished

Sun, 3 May 2026 06:00:00 +0100

The mid-engined, four-wheel-drive Panther Solo of 1989 was one of the best supercars never to succeed

During the 1980s and 1990s, the British car industry was littered with ambitious sports car start-ups ready to take on the establishment.

Light on cash but brimming with confidence, these one-person-in-a-shed operations often disappeared as quickly as they had sprung into life. Panther, however, was different.

Originally based in Devon, the firm was started by Robert Jankel in 1972 and became well-known for models such as the quirky Lima and Kallista, which evoked the classic sports cars of the 1930s.

Using humble Vauxhall and Ford mechanicals, these four-wheeled pastiches attracted a loyal following and even the odd famous owner, among them Elton John and Oliver Reed.

However, by 1983, Panther had been bought by ambitious young South Korean businessman Young-chull Kim, and there were plans to build something a little more contemporary.

Featuring a mid-mounted 1.6-litre Ford CVH engine and sleek, targa-topped bodywork, the original Solo was devised as a rival to machines such as the Fiat X1/9. But before it got past the prototype stage, Kim saw the then new Toyota MR2 would do the same job for less, so decided to push the Solo upmarket.

What resulted was one of the best supercars never to succeed. Styled by the Royal College of Art’s Ken Greenley with assistance from March Engineering’s wind tunnel, it was packed with engineering innovation.

For starters, the Ford engine had been upgraded to the 204bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre from the Sierra RS Cosworth, while there was now a bespoke Ferguson four-wheel-drive transmission, making the Solo the only mid-engined all-paw production car in the world at the time.

Then there was the body itself, which featured a pioneering construction of steel spaceframe chassis bonded to an aluminium-honeycomb and impregnated-composite passenger cell that resulted in an incredibly rigid structure.

Then there were novel features, such as revolving headlamps and a 2+2 seating layout. Factor in chassis tuning input from Ford Special Vehicle Engineering supremo Rod Mansfield and the Solo had all the raw ingredients to succeed.

It certainly had the chassis chops to impress. With its stiff structure, grippy four-wheel drive, quick steering and all-independent suspension, the Solo was a delight to drive. Despite relatively modest rubber (195-section at the front, 205 at the rear), the Panther combined sky-high grip with a rare balance and adjustability.

In Autocar's Britain’s Best Driver’s Car contest of 1990 it finished fourth out of 10, ahead of fine-handling high-watermarks such the E34 BMW M5, M100 Lotus Elan and Peugeot 309 GTi.

And our praise didn’t end there. In our road test later that year, we declared: “Forget the narrow tyres, the Solo will outgrip any [Porsche 911] Carrera 4 or [Lotus] Esprit Turbo without raising a sweat. The steering, with an ideal 2.9 turns across the locks, is in such telepathic communication with the road it could make the 911 engineers wonder where they went wrong. You can make it wriggle its hips, or you can powerslide out of right-handers on full left lock and full power. The point is, it's the driver who decides which, not the Solo.”

Of course, you’re expecting a big ‘but’ here, and you're right. While the Cosworth engine did the numbers (0-60mph in 6.8sec and 144mph all out), it was limp and laggy low down, and it sounded agricultural at idle and set fit to explode when extended.

For a car that aimed to stir the soul and lift emotions, the Pinto-derived four-pot’s cement-mixer backbeat was suboptimal. More so when you consider the Solo was priced as a serious supercar.

Ah yes, the money. At a whisker under £40,000 in 1990, the Solo was £3000 more than Esprit SE and £10,000 more than a Renault GTA V6 Turbo. The blue-chip Carrera 4 was £52,000.

Moreover, even those punters who had been willing to fork out the readies weren’t willing to wait. From debut to finished product, the Solo had taken an agonising six years.

Worse still, cashflow problems meant the Solo still wasn’t really ready when production started. Teething problems meant early customer cars were essentially mobile test beds, so in the end fewer than 25 cars were completed before Korean parent company Ssangyong (which had purchased Panther from Kim in 1987) pulled the plug. That not only put an end to the Solo but killed off Panther too.

That wasn’t quite the end of the Solo, however. Shortly before the car was axed, Panther engineers had experimented with both a twin-turbocharged version of the 2.0-litre engine and a blown Rover 3.9-litre V8 - the latter presumably offering a far more suitable soundtrack.

There was one more twitch of the corpse in 1995, when Ssangyong displayed a 3.3-litre V6-powered Solo 3 at that year’s Seoul motor show.

But that was ultimately it for the Solo, a brilliantly single-minded machine from a group of talented engineers determined to take on the establishment.

With a bit more time, money and development, it could have been a contender.