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THERE’s plenty to like about the new Lotus Emira. It looks and feels more expensive than it is – inside and out – with a cabin that really impresses. The whole car feels more grown-up than past Lotus products. You might think this puts Lotus in a good place, especially with the company’s plans for the future including the Eletre, a more family-friendly all-electric SUV. But, by all accounts, the Emira we’ve given our verdict on isn’t where the company wants it to be. Lotus tells us that the Emira is an agile, dynamic car that’s true to Lotus’s ethos of lightweight fun. But it’s not. It’s some way short of the driving ability of a Porsche 718 Cayman – which Lotus thinks it will beat hands down. That doesn’t…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk ● First taste of supercharged V6-powered mid-engined sports car ● Marks a step up in quality and performance from British firm THERE’S a lot riding on the Lotus Emira. For starters, it’s the first all-new Lotus in more than a decade. Second, it represents the beginning of a brand-new era for the company, one that features more investment where it counts, which should (if everything goes according to plan) see the return of Lotus to the world’s sports car stage. And its ambition is to come back as a serious player, not just an intriguing but ultimately quaint alternative to the mainstream. Fortunately, the Emira looks well and truly up to the job. In V6 First Edition guise, the Emira costs £75,995 and boasts 400bhp and 420Nm from a…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods ● Mild-hybrid and plug-in tech paired with petrol and diesel engines ● Big-selling SUV’s cabin gets a hi-tech C-Class-inspired makeover MERCEDES remains focused on making the most of electrically assisted combustion power for its second-generation GLC. The model has been the company’s best-selling car globally for the past two years, and the fresh line-up comprises mild-hybrids and three plug-in hybrids. Every version of the new SUV has a nine-speed automatic transmission linked to a 4MATIC four-wheel-drive system, and all use turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines. The 48-volt petrol line-up starts with the GLC 200 4MATIC, developing 201bhp and 320Nm of torque. The GLC 300 4MATIC is a more potent option, with 254bhp and 400Nm. Both have claimed CO2 emissions from 167g/km and fuel economy of 32.2mpg. The diesel line-up…

AFTER a difficult development period, Mercedes-AMG has finally unveiled the production-ready version of its One hypercar (above), powered by an F1-derived hybrid powertrain that produces a total of 1,048bhp for a 0-62mph time of 2.9 seconds and a 218mph top speed. The car’s 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 revs to 11,000rpm and produces 566bhp; it’s supported by four electric motors that deliver four-wheel drive and the rest of that total output. An 8.4kWh battery focuses on performance, but gives the One an all-electric range of 11 miles. Adaptive dampers and active aerodynamics feature, and with the car in its most aggressive setting, the One’s total downforce increases fivefold over the standard road set-up. There are six drive modes on offer, with specific track settings that lower the car’s ride height by 37mm…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● Revised small EV concept ● Production car due in 2025PT AFTER revealing its wild UrbanRebel city car concept at last year’s Munich Motor Show, Cupra has refined the recipe further to provide us with a closer glimpse of what the compact all-electric model will look like when it goes into production in 2025. This second UrbanRebel concept looks much more refined and production-relevant as a result, without losing its sporty intent. The car’s surfacing is still extreme, with two distinct bonnet creases and more sharp lines in profile that give the UrbanRebel a heavily raked, athletic look. At the rear, there’s a smooth-surfaced design, a full-width light bar and large ‘Cupra’ lettering. Cupra sources tell us the UrbanRebel concept’s new look is around 95 per cent representative of…

POLESTAR has revealed a new version of the Tesla Model 3-rivalling Polestar 2, to be positioned as a high-performance, limitedrun variant of the brand’s all-electric model. The new BST Edition 270 is based heavily on the Polestar 2 Experimental concept revealed at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Only 270 will be made, built this summer and on the road this winter. The new model comes as standard with the Performance upgrade that’s available as an over-the-air download on dual-motor versions of the standard Polestar 2. This raises power to 469bhp while increasing maximum torque to 680Nm, although the battery capacity remains at 78kWh. Polestar has yet to issue updated range and performance figures. But the new car’s maximum range will probably drop a little from the 299 miles the…