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Tom_Jervis@autovia.co.uk @thomaswjervis Upcoming SUV replaces XC60, sitting between EX40 and EX90 Fresh production method speeds build and boosts safety AN all-electric Volvo EX60 is coming next year as a zero-emissions-only replacement for the hybrid-powered XC60 Recharge, Auto Express can reveal. It’ll be based on a development of the flagship EX90’s EV architecture, with the possibility of batteries measuring up to 100kWh. When it arrives, the Volvo EX60 will slot neatly in between the EX40 and EX90 in Volvo’s growing electric-car line-up. That means it’ll rival the likes of the Audi Q6 e-tron (bottom right), Porsche Macan Electric and Tesla Model Y, as well as new versions of the BMW iX3 and Mercedes EQC. The EX60 will sit on what Head of New Car Programmes and Strategy, Erik Severinson, calls an…

Off-road style for new Nissan X-Trail edition NISSAN is introducing a more rugged version of its X-Trail SUV. Called N-Trek, the new trim level (above) comes with protective plates for the front and rear bumpers, integrated foglamps and new 18-inch wheels. Inside, there are water-resistant, wipe-clean seats, designed so outdoor enthusiasts can jump in without worrying about the upholstery. N-Trek trim will be available on five and seven-seat models. Prices haven’t been announced, but we expect them to start from around £42,000. Aston’s next flagship will have V12 power ASTON Martin has confirmed that its forthcoming flagship, expected to be called Vanquish, will be powered by an updated version of it twin-turbo V12. The 5.2-litre unit will be thoroughly overhauled and feature a strengthened cylinder block and conrods, redesigned cylinder…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk BMW’s latest super-high performance M4 has been revealed, with a new CS model following on from 2022’s CSL. The key difference between the two involves the drivetrain, because this CS – as with the four-door M3 CS launched last year – features the BMW xDrive four-wheel drive system. Not only will this make the CS more usable in slippery conditions, but it should also fix the sometimes-spiky handling traits of the more track-focused CSL. The engine, gearbox and active rear differential are all shared, with a peak power figure of 542bhp and 650Nm of torque, the former a 20bhp increase over the uprated 2024 M4 Competition xDrive. The CS is marginally heavier than the CSL and doesn’t feature the CSL’s unique carbon-fibre bootlid. But it fights back with an…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress YOUR VIEWS This week’s letters Are MINI and Volvo abandoning PHEVs? FROM: Nick Scholes I WAS very interested to read the test between the new MINI Countryman and the Volvo XC40 (Issue 1,828). However, I was shocked that both brands are discontinuing their PHEV models. I question why, especially given the recent drop in EV sales. Pothole problem is a national disgrace FROM: Christopher Church THE pothole problem on our roads is becoming a Health and Safety issue. I find that I’m concentrating so hard to avoid the craters that I’m neglecting other road users. Some roads are that bad that, in my opinion, they should be closed until the surface is sorted. Why do replacement mats come in pairs? FROM: Tony Oakley I’VE used car mats of…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy “There’s enough punch to make the MINI feel nippy, if not hot-hatch quick” MINI recently stretched the reach of its range with its largest-ever model, the new Countryman. But the company is also introducing a fresh generation of its core product, the MINI Cooper – and there’s more pressure than ever on this car to stay true to the ethos of the ‘modern MINI’. The latest version, codenamed J01 in electric form, will be available with this powertrain or a combustion-engined version (F66) with 1.5-litre or 2.0-litre petrol power. But we’re restricted to just the EV for this first taste of the production car. MINI tries hard to maintain the links between its modern three-door model and the original from the sixties – probably harder than it ought…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram Running costs 64.2mpg (official) £55 fill-up THE supermini segment is dwindling. Ford’s Fiesta is no more, and fewer manufacturers are finding reasons to invest funds in small cars – looking to more profitable SUVs (and EVs) instead. But instead of pulling the plug, Suzuki sees this as an opportunity. It estimates that of the 250,000 superminis sold annually in the UK, almost a third either won’t exist at all or won’t have a like-for-like petrol replacement in three years’ time. Hopes are high for the next-generation Swift, then. It has mild-hybrid tech and a choice of manual and automatic gearboxes (and even a 4x4 powertrain), and bosses want to increase sales from around 9,400 units to more than 12k in the next year. Visually, the changes are light…

MODEL TESTED: Scala 1.0 TSI 95PS SE PRICE: £22,105 POWERTRAIN: 1.0-litre 3cyl turbo petrol, 94bhp 94bhp Powertrain 1.0 litre 3cyl 52.5 litres1 Fuel tank £79 fill up 10.8 seconds Performance 119mph 467 litres Seats up/down 1,410 litres WITH the Octavia growing in size and prestige with every generation, Skoda needed a new budget-minded hatchback. First came the Rapid Spaceback in 2013, and this was succeeded by the Scala in 2019. The facelifted version has just been launched, and we’re testing the entry-level SE here, although the car in our pictures is in SE L trim. Tech highlights THE Scala was designed as a budget-minded hatchback from the outset, and to help keep costs down, it uses existing technology from within the Skoda line-up, chiefly from the Fabia supermini. It’s based…

WINNER Skoda Scala 1st IF you’re after a no-nonsense five-seat family hatchback that gets the job done with zero fuss, then the Skoda Scala is a perfect fit. Even in SE trim, it doesn’t feel like a basic model, while the driving experience edges it ahead of the C4 here. The entry-level 1.0 TSI is a little underpowered, so if you can afford the extra, we’d recommend the 115bhp version instead, especially because it comes with a six-speed gearbox. But either way, this is a compact hatch that should deliver low running costs. INTERESTED? Scan the code for further information • Decent kit list• Solid driving manners• Lots of space• Slick gearshift • Average performance• Nondescript styling• Pricey option packs• Needs a six-speed gearbox RUNNER-UP Citroen C4 2nd THERE’S plenty to…

SAME CLASS Ford Focus EVER since the Focus first arrived, it has stood head and shoulders above the rest of the competition when it comes to handling. The same is still the case for the current car, which also benefits from a spacious cabin and a strong range of engines. If you can’t quite stretch to £20,000, then around £15,000 is enough to get a four or five-year-old example with 20,000-30,000 miles on the clock in well equipped ST Line X trim. • Superb handling• Rear-seat space • Modest boot size• So-so automatic gearbox SAME MONEY Skoda Octavia THE Scala is often overlooked in favour of its bigger brother. The Octavia isn’t significantly more expensive to buy, yet has even more interior and boot space, a wider choice of engines,…

Andy_Pringle@autovia.co.uk WHEN I embarked on my time with a Volkswagen ID.3, I said I felt like a learner driver all over again. I’d never run an EV on a long-term basis, so although I reckon I had the theory nailed, I still had a lot of work to do to get through the practical test. So, how did things go? Well, as you can probably tell from the main picture (right), I feel totally confident in chucking away my EV L-plates. And much of the reason for that is thanks to the car rather than any amazing capacity for learning on my part. For someone getting to grips with their first EV, the ID.3 makes those initial steps very easy. For a start, it’s a regular five-door hatchback, and I…

THIS WEEK’S HOT KIT NEW PRODUCT Humax Ecord 7.4kW Home Charger Price: from £599 Contact: humaxcharging.com HUMAX, which is best known for its TV recorders and smart home devices, has entered the electric vehicle home-charging market with the introduction of the Ecord. The launch is part of the South Korean firm’s expansion of its smart EV charging solutions into Europe, initially in the UK, where it will be backed by an extensive customer-support network. The Ecord only comes in black, but has a choice of wall or pedestal mounting. Installation will be provided by a dedicated partner and can be bought alongside the device on the Humax website. The device can be registered via a QR code and set up using a smartphone app. Charging can be activated via a RFID…

Skoda coffee gives fuel for thought SKODA has worked out a new way to fuel motivation at its Czech plants: coffee. Skoda’s Curiosity Fuel coffee is grown, roasted and packed specially for the manufacturer, in a sustainable way on family-owned farms in India and Tanzania. The name was chosen to ‘fuel curiosity’ within Skoda and beyond about sustainable practices, such as using waste coffee-bean husks to tan the leather in the new Octavia and Kodiaq cars. Skoda’s Czech plants use around 25 tonnes of coffee a year. Tyre choice adds up with new calculator ALTHOUGH the industry remains split over whether electric vehicles need specific tyres or ones that work on all cars and are EV ready, Michelin has unveiled a calculator that reveals the range and savings to be…

IT’S easy to run your phone flat when you’re out and about, whether through heavy app usage or lots of calls. Having a power bank means you can be up and running even though you’re away from a conventional charger. And it can be used for other gadgets with a suitable socket. Most banks have conventional USB ports as well as, or instead of, the quicker USB-C ports. There are adaptors available to convert each to the other. Wireless (QI) charging is easier, but generally not quite as quick as using a cable. The capacity (in Ah) is the electronic fuel tank, but more power means more weight and expense. If you have a bank and a device capable of fast charging, the results can be up to three times…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives Five-seat SUV sits between Captur and Austral in Renault line-up Every model has full-hybrid powertrain and Android software RENAULT and Nissan may be Alliance partners, but the gloves are off in a battle between the brands for family-car customers. Meet the French maker’s new Symbioz, a mid-sized SUV that’s aiming to knock the Qashqai off its perch. First scooped by Auto Express back in January (Issue 1,812), the Symbioz is designed to plug the gap in Renault’s range between the Captur small SUV and the larger, more premium Austral. In time, It will also replace the unloved Arkana. The Symbioz sits on a stretched version of the CMF-B platform used by the Captur and Clio. Every model features a full-hybrid powertrain – the same E-Tech hybrid 145 set-up…

THE Rolls-Royce Cullinan has been a big success over its six-year lifespan. But keen to expand its appeal, Rolls-Royce has applied a subtle hand to sharpen the package and create the new Series II. Available to order now in both standard and Black Badge versions, the Cullinan Series II comes with only limited technical changes, beyond a slight retune of its suspension. Instead the refresh focuses on tech upgrades, styling and an even more open approach to its bespoke finishes. Changes start with an exterior that has a new-look front and rear, slimmer headlights, fresh trim elements and a new 23-inch wheel design. The new lights flank a redesigned grille, which is now backlit. The Black Badge version also has its own lower front bumper elements that are larger and…

Chris_rosamond@autovia.co.uk Attitudes to drugs revealed Older drivers also dabbling ALARMING new research suggests that young people are increasingly casual about drug use while driving, with more than a fifth of 17-34-year-olds believing it’s fine to drive after taking Class A drugs. The figure comes from research published by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, and illustrates the existence of a wide generation gap. Fewer than five per cent of drivers aged 50-70 regard the practice of driving while using the most rigorously controlled category of recreational drugs as acceptable. But many will be shocked to hear that even a small cohort of older drivers are apparently prepared to risk the consequences of driving while impaired. Class A drugs are considered by the government and police to be the most dangerous of…

Chris_rosamond@autovia.co.uk VAUXHALL is calling for councils to take more action over local on-street charger provision, saying that candidates in local-authority elections have allowed the issue to fall off the political agenda. Elections took place in 107 local authorities and 11 mayoralties on 2 May, but research carried out on behalf of the car maker suggested that candidates were not focused on poor on-street charging provision for electric cars. The firm, which recently slashed thousands of pounds from the cost of finance deals for its electric vehicles in order to reach ‘price parity’ with petrol models, says that fewer than one in 10 drivers think there are enough on-street charging facilities in their areas. 75 per cent expect councils to be the driving force behind planning new installations, yet Vauxhall’s research…

Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with makers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Financial problems Financial Ombudsman: 0800 023 4567 Safety concerns/recalls www.check-mot.service.gov.uk…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives THE all-new, all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S is due to be unveiled later this year and should arrive on our shores sometime in 2025. Until then, the brand’s flagship here is the fifth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee – which we’ve finally had a chance to drive on (and off) UK roads. Jeep started taking orders for this car in the summer of 2022, which means it already feels a little behind the curve in the premium SUV market. For example, the large amount of glossy piano-black plastic in the cabin doesn’t deliver the intended air of luxury, while the surfaces are easily scratched. The wood trim on the dash catches the eye, however, but in the Grand Cherokee it feels more like a kitchen worktop you’d buy from a DIY…

Tom_Jervis@autovia.co.uk @thomaswjervis LEVI’S, Ray-Ban, Fred Perry and Dr. Martens: they were all designed with prosaic intent, but reaching the height of fashion has seen them ascend to a much more premium position in the market. The same could be said of MINI which, admittedly by way of BMW’s once controversial reinvention in the early 2000s, has gone from groundbreaking small car to premium fashion accessory that brilliantly retains key elements of the original’s charismatic appeal. Along the way, the Mini has found its way into the pages of history, thanks to success in motorsport and an extensive portfolio of famous (sometimes infamous) owners. To celebrate our first drive in the all-new MINI Cooper (page 24), we’ve compiled a list of some of the most iconic Minis and Mini drivers through…

MODEL TESTED: C4 PureTech 100 You! PRICE: £19,720 POWERTRAIN: 1.2-litre 3cyl turbo petrol, 99bhp 99bhp Powertrain 1.2 litre 3cyl 50 litres Fuel tank £75 fill up 10.8 seconds Performance 114mph 380 litres Seats up/down 1,250 litres YOU! is Citroen’s budget-focused trim, which first arrived on the C3 supermini. Now there’s a C4 variant that offers some decent kit at a knock-down price. It starts from less than £20,000, at £19,720, while only a limited number of options are available to bump the price any higher. Tech highlights AS with the Skoda, the Citroen C4 uses a scaled-up supermini platform as its base, in this instance the EMP1 system created by PSA Peugeot Citroen and subsequently used by a wide range of models within the larger Stellantis group. The C4 mirrors…

SAME CLASS Kia Ceed IF you can increase the budget by a couple of grand, then the Ceed is a dependable alternative to our pair of bargain five-doors. The Ceed’s price is justified when you look at the specs; you get a 138bhp 1.5-litre turbo petrol, but there’s more than just the numbers to enjoy here. The Ceed is also great to drive; it has a slightly firmer ride than either of these two but that translates into a car that’s much more enjoyable to use on a twisty road. The weighting of the steering helps here, too. With decent cabin space and Kia’s superb seven-year warranty, it’s a great ownership prospect all round. • Great to drive• Strong performance• Long warranty • Notchy manual gearbox• Dull cabin design• Less…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk ANYONE who has ever shuttled in and out of the front doors plugging and unplugging a 12V compressor into a car’s cigar-lighter socket will appreciate the ease of a cordless inflator. There’s also none of the winding up of a long, often dirty cable, or forcing it into a too-tight cubbyhole. You might therefore be tempted by the latest designs, which make good use of the advances in battery tech to create a package that’s little bigger than a large drinks can. Cordless compressors can be kept in a decent-sized glovebox, boot cubby or spare-wheel well. But there are other factors to take into account before parting with your hard-earned cash. First is the kind of work you need a compressor to do. If it is…

HAVING CCTV watching over your car and driveway allows you to keep an eye on them from anywhere in the world, giving you peace of mind and evidence if the worst happens. Cameras aimed at domestic users now cost less than £100, yet can automatically detect humans and vehicles. They will start recording when they spot activity and send an alert to your smartphone. You can then decide what action to take, even using two-way audio to communicate with the ‘visitors’ – perhaps warning them away. Our long-time favourite CCTV camera made by EZVIZ has been upgraded, this time with better 3K resolution to improve footage quality. It goes head to head on price with the simple-to-fit Stick Up Cam from Ring. Finally, there’s the pricey Google Nest Camera &…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE T-Roc may be one of the funkiest-looking Volkswagens on sale, but the fun stops at the showroom door for owners, who rate the SUV’s ride and handling as the worst in the survey. Its engines and gearboxes are criticised, too, leaving the VW to rely on its practical attributes to appeal. These include strong scores for infotainment, interior storage and child-friendly features, as well as the flexibility of the seating. Safety comes across well, with a seventh-place finish for the number of features fitted, and their ease of activation ranked an impressive third of 75. Running costs are also great, with a 14th for economy and a 10th place for servicing. Overall value is an not-too-shabby 13th. WE SAID “The T-Roc ushered in a new level of design…

WHEN Auto Express speaks up for the motorists it serves and, in turn, car companies listen, learn and alter their ways, positive results can and do occur. Three months ago, there was much talk – but, yet again, very little action – surrounding the tired old promise that pure-electric car prices will drop to the same (or similar) levels as petrol-powered models of similar dimensions and quality. Fed up and frustrated by all the ‘jam tomorrow’ mumblings I’ve heard for years, if not decades, I said (via this column) what had to be said in January: the Corsa is a fine example of a line-up that best enables comparisons between EV and ICE versions. So I mentioned the unpalatable fact that the bog-standard, least expensive but acutely over-priced electric model…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk Available as coupé and Spider £400k, 0-62mph in 2.9 secs “While Ferrari is hesitant to suggest that this is a retro design, there are nods to the 365/4 Daytona” FERRARI might be working on its first EV, but the marque isn’t about to give up on big petrol engines just yet – and here’s the proof. The 12Cilindri is a V12 supercar that’s designed to replace the 812 family with a package that’s both modern and retro, in one fell swoop. Destined to cost somewhere in the region of £400,000, the new ‘dodici-cilindri’ – as the Italians would prefer you to call it – will be available in both coupé and Spider forms from the back end of this year. The new creation’s engine is another take on the…

AUDI has gone pretty punchy on the positioning of its new Q6 e-tron. The firm’s electric SUV has just gone on sale priced from £68,975 – only £825 less than the new Porsche Macan, with which it shares much of its PPE platform and battery technology. That figure is for the quattro Sport model, which brings two charging ports (one on each side), an 11.9-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen, plus heated front and rear seats and three-zone climate control. The faster SQ6 e-tron is also on sale now, priced from £92,950. At the other end of the line-up, a rear-drive Q6 e-tron will arrive later, slashing almost £10k from the car’s entry price.…

MERCEDES-AMG has revealed the CLE 53 Cabriolet, a four-seat replacement for AMG versions of the C-Class and E-Class Cabriolets in one new wide-bodied model. Despite the bespoke bodywork, this isn’t quite a BMW M4 rival, instead making do with a slightly more tame 442bhp six-cylinder petrol engine and four-wheel drive. Key performance figures include a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds when the car is fitted with the AMG Dynamic Package, while there’s an electronically limited top speed of 174mph. However, It’s the chassis that shows more promise, and just like the coupé, the Cabriolet features major upgrades in this area, including a significantly wider track at the front and rear, active dampers, rear-wheel steering and bigger brakes. The Cabriolet’s fabric roof can raise and lower at speeds of up to…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram Multivan-based camper shown Broad model line-up offered THE new Volkswagen California camper has been revealed, and it carries over a number of features from the innovative concept shown last year. It’ll go on sale soon, but prices are still under wraps. Based on the long-wheelbase T7 Multivan, the California is 269mm longer than its predecessor, which was based on the T6 Transporter. It gets a familiar look and a choice of solid or two-tone paint options, but is available in more trims and layouts than ever before. The entry-level Beach comes with a new six-seat layout, but doesn’t offer a bed in the lower cabin. VW refers to this as “a Multivan with a manual pop-up roof”. A new Beach Tour model gets five seats, and the rear…

FOR drivers worried about the time it takes to charge EVs, there’s good news: Polestar and Israeli tech firm Storedot are working on battery tech that lets you charge from 10 to 80 per cent of capacity in just 10 minutes. Storedot says its XFC batteries use silicon-based anode technology instead of conventional graphite anodes. This allows them to “push the boundaries of energy density and charging rates”. A 77kWh battery pack made of XFC cells has been fitted to a Polestar 5, and was successfully charged under test conditions for an experiment at a consistent rate of 310kW, with a peak of 370kW. It won’t be on sale soon, though. The team says a “very special” charge cable was required to take the current, and as such, the tech is…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives IF you were to picture a modern-day rally car, it would probably be a feral, unhinged version of some modest family hatchback, such as the Ford Fiesta or Toyota Yaris – something small and nimble, perfectly suited to dancing around the hills above Monte Carlo or deep in a Scandinavian forest. The exact opposite, then, of a towering two-tonne-plus Land Rover Defender. The team at Bowler clearly have much more active imaginations than the rest of us, and have chiselled the highly capable and very fashionable roadgoing Defender into a competition-worthy rallying weapon. And they’ve done so using the lowest-spec Defender 90 in the range, with the minimal amount of modifications and bespoke parts necessary. Of course, Bowler has all the engineering skill and know-how to pull this…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram “Many drivers will be able to do a great chunk of their weekly commute with zero tailpipe emissions” THIS is the all-new BMW 5 Series, the eighth generation of the brand’s executive saloon. It’s a car that once again will be competing with Germany’s finest, including the latest Mercedes E-Class and an upcoming replacement for the Audi A6. We’ve driven the car in all-electric i5 form already, but this is our first chance to sample the new model, complete with internal-combustion power, in the UK. To be more precise, the 530e features both; this is a plug-in hybrid model that takes aim squarely at the Mercedes E 300 e. Predictably, the 530e boasts some pretty large numbers within its specs. The first is the 19.4kWh battery, which means…

WHILE the Scala’s list price is £2,385 higher than the Citroen’s, Skoda offers a decent £1,250 deposit contribution to tempt buyers onto a PCP. Add in a more competitive APR (5.9 per cent to Citroen’s hefty 11.9 per cent rate) and it’s the Skoda that makes the most financial sense. Find a £2,500 deposit and the Scala costs £304 a month over 36 months, with a 10,000-mile annual limit. The Citroen is £338 a month on the same terms. If you want the more powerful 115bhp 1.0 TSI in the Scala, that still undercuts the Citroen (£328 a month), while SE L trim with the 94bhp engine comes to £332 a month on the same terms. There’s give and take between these two for other costs. The C4 was more…

BUDGET FAMILY HATCHES Cars such as this are built to a price, but these two prove that you don’t need to scrimp on kit to save cash “CITROEN’S take on the C4 is very refreshing; it’s accepted that most buyers don’t pick cars like these for sharp handling, so it instead has gone the other way and delivered great comfort instead. I wish more makers considered ride quality a bigger priority than they currently do.” “IT isn’t just the petrol-powered C4 that’s a bit of a bargain – the e-C4 is among the most keenly priced options in the class, too. Prices start from £32,410 for the You! trim, which benefits from the same soothing C4 road manners, but with a 134bhp e-motor and 50kWh battery.” “IF you don’t quite…

Darren_Wilson@autovia.co.uk I’VE had very few issues with the Auto Express 2023 Car of the Year. In fact I’ve struggled to fill in the ‘We Don’t Like’ panel on the right. For the record, contenders included the alert sounds, bings and bongs that might annoy a few drivers, but they only come with overly aggressive driving or speeding. Also, as the car prepares to return to Hyundai, the predicted range still only reads 245 miles after a full charge. That is some way short of the 319 WLTP figure Hyundai quotes. But the Kona is quite conservative in its estimate, plus I have only been running the car from January to April, so I would expect the figure to be lower now than in the summer. Mind you, the weather doesn’t…

Powered by Gibson Mark Cole (Porter Press, porterpress.co.uk) Price: £40 Rating: GIBSON may be known today for building engines for LMP2 cars, but it has a prolific history dating back to 1981 that includes F1, LMP1 and LMP2, and even road-going cars. This well produced work deals with the firm’s history quite quickly before diving into interesting interviews with key players. MG: A Century on the Road Etienne Psaila (Independently published, amazon.co.uk) Price: £15.10 Rating: WE’VE seen many MG history books and while this one doesn’t exactly do anything new, it devotes some time to the brand’s life under Chinese ownership. It doesn’t have the glossy production values of some books, but does read well and is packed with info. Ride Master: Car Builder Game Available for: iOS, Android Price: Free…

Performance 0-62mph/top speed 5.6 seconds/136mph Running costs 33mpg (VX220 2.2) £52 fill-up CO2/tax 205g/km £345-£415 GREAT driver’s cars tend to be costly to buy and run, but occasionally an exception to this rule comes along, and that’s the case with the Vauxhall VX220. It’s a brilliant model for the driving enthusiast, which is also affordable to buy and own. Produced alongside the Lotus Elise, the Vauxhall VX220 never enjoyed the same cachet as its cousin. Yet not only is the VX220 more usable in some ways, it’s also every bit as exciting to drive. However, the word is out about what a great car the VX220 is, and values have risen accordingly. Before they soar out of reach altogether, investing in a VX220 might be just the ticket for some…

FROM £19,000 1.5 LCV 2022, 12k miles THE Jimny’s ladder-frame chassis means it’s rigid for off-roading, but compromised on the road; the fitment of a low-ratio transfer box shows this was a car created for mud-plugging first and foremost. With its non-turbo 1.5-litre petrol engine and short gearing for peppier acceleration, the Jimny is very busy on the motorway and generally not very refined, while the suspension is bouncy, and not helped by the car’s short wheelbase. If the outside seems utilitarian, the inside is equally so, although it isn’t of poor quality. Practicality is also in short supply; there’s hardly any rear-seat space, and the carrying capacity is lacklustre, even with seats folded flat. Your biggest problem with buying a Jimny will be finding one for sale at a…