Table of contents for 1824 in Auto Express

mail@autoexpress.co.uk Priced from £60k-£67k Range of at least 355 miles THE Polestar 4 is about to become the brand’s biggest-selling car, and on the evidence of driving near production-ready prototypes of both versions that will reach the UK, it deserves all the success it gets. The five-seater, which has cutting-edge design elements such as the lack of a rear window, will cost £59,990 in Long Range Single Motor guise or £66,990 in Long Range Dual Motor specification. Both models are powered by a 100kWh battery. The single-motor, rear-drive version produces 268bhp and 343Nm of torque, while the four-wheel-drive model produces 537bhp and 686Nm. Charging times are only respectable, but the range is great on both models; the single-motor version can do 375 miles on a charge and the dual-motor 355…

BENTLEY boss Adrian Hallmark is leaving his role with the luxury brand to become CEO of Aston Martin. In a major coup for the Gaydon marque and its chairman Lawrence Stroll, 61-year-old Hallmark will replace the retiring Amedeo Felisa. He’ll take up his new position no later than 1 October. Hallmark joined Bentley in February 2018, and is widely credited for a huge transformation across the business. Profits have increased tenfold over the past five years, and Hallmark also helped Bentley to capitalise on rising demand for personalisation, greatly increasing the margin on every vehicle produced. He was awarded top spot in the Auto Express Brit List, our rundown of the top British execs in the global car industry, back in 2021. In an Aston Martin statement, Hallmark said, “Like…

THE European Commission is currently investigating whether Chinese car imports benefit unfairly from government subsidies, and de Meo is one of the European industry execs firmly in favour of increasing tariffs on Chinese models sold on the Continent. While his ‘letter to voters’ was more concerned with positive actions the EC should be taking to support its own industry, it refers obliquely to the tariffs issue. “With China ruling and the United States stimulating, Europe needs to invent a hybrid model. This means starting with a defensive approach to ensure that we get off to a good start, before seeking to conquer global markets,” he says. But the case for protectionist tariffs is not universally supported by European car makers, especially those with products made in China, for whom the…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Firm prioritising China & US Rethink on model plans AUDI remains committed to delivering a smaller, cheaper electric car to sit beneath the Q4 e-tron in its line-up, despite a recent rethink on product plans that saw some models pushed back and others axed altogether. Detailed by Auto Express last year, Audi’s plan has been to extend its range only slightly downwards, eschewing successors to the A1 supermini and Q2 small crossover, but creating an indirect successor to the recently updated A3 family hatchback. Under Audi’s current naming structure, this car – previewed here by our exclusive images – would seem most likely to carry the A2 e-tron or Q2 e-tron badge, despite not being directly linked to either of the cars that have used those names before.…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.1 seconds/103mph Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 422/1,088 litres IF the Qashqai helped cement Nissan’s status in the booming family-SUV genre, the Juke undoubtedly did the same for the firm in the B-segment SUV class. The current, second-gen Juke arrived in 2017, but still remains an incredibly popular offering, finishing as the eighth best-selling car in the UK in 2023. Hoping to build on this success, Nissan has updated its little SUV for 2024. Aside from a new selection of alloy wheels and the bold yellow paint, there are no other changes to the exterior. Nissan says the Juke’s style is already “the number-one purchase reason”. The bulk of the changes for 2024 have arrived in the cabin. The first things you notice are the new…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram WHEN the Jeep Avenger was launched last year, it was only offered as an EV in the UK. At the time, there were no plans to add petrol power – despite ICE cars being confirmed for foreign buyers from day one. But as the market matured, and retail appetite for electric cars stagnated, bosses had to reassess. Indeed, Jeep’s head of brand in Europe openly admits how important the “freedom of choice” is to customers, recognising some may “feel not ready yet to join this [electric] evolution”. As such, the Avenger is now offered with an e-Hybrid powertrain. Comprising the familiar Stellantis 1.2-litre PureTech petrol engine mated to a 28bhp electric motor and six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the system also has a 48-volt belt starter for a “smooth…

MODEL TESTED: MG4 EV XPower PRICE: £36,495 POWERTRAIN: 2x e-motors, 429bhp 429bhp Powertrain 2x e-motor 64kWh Battery/range 239 miles 3.7 seconds Performance 124mph 363 litres Seats up/down 1,165 litres WE’RE fans of the standard MG4 because it’s one of the best-value ways to get into electric-vehicle ownership. Does the package still stack up when it’s sprinkled with a bit of hot-hatch magic? At £36,495, it undercuts the Cupra Leon by £4,455. Tech highlights ONE change that MG has made to turn the MG4 into a hot hatch is to more than double its power output. There’s a massive 429bhp on offer, which is a whopping 133bhp more than the Cupra Leon, and is even ahead of the UK’s most powerful petrol hot hatch, the 416bhp Mercedes-AMG A 45 S. However,…

SAME MONEY Smart #1 IF you’re looking for bang for your buck, then the Smart #1 is worth considering. At the top of the range, the Brabus version packs two electric motors to make 428bhp, while a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds is only 0.2 seconds slower than the MG4 XPower’s. A price tag of around £43,500 is £7,000 more than for the MG, but you could argue that you’re getting a higher-quality product in the process. The Smart’s clean exterior design is enhanced by beefier Brabus touches, while the cabin is far more upmarket than anything that MG has to offer. As with the MG, though, the #1 is fast, but no hot hatch in corners. • Stunning acceleration• Spacious cabin• Decent build quality • Wayward chassis• Clunky infotainment•…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk WHEEL alignment, or tracking as it is sometimes known, can make a real difference to the way your car drives. If the vulnerable suspension and steering components have been knocked out of line after a pothole strike or nudged by contact with a kerb, you may notice the car pulling to one side, particularly under braking. You’re also likely feel the car ‘tugging’ as you drive around a corner, or notice that the steering wheel is offset when you are driving along a straight road. As a result, you’re likely to use more fuel than usual and you may find the tyres wearing unevenly after a while. Having the alignment of the wheels adjusted is a simple procedure, which can done at most garages and fast-fit…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THANKS to the arrival of the MG Motors MG5, Jaguar’s I-Pace isn’t the least-appreciated pure-electric model in the 2023 survey. However, it does seem to have disappointed its owners across a wide range of categories. The I-Pace’s best performance is a creditable 16th for its engine and gearbox, but its next-highest score is a so-so 39th for practicality, and it’s downhill from there. Surprisingly, the Jaguar’s ride and handling only warrant 58th, with braking and steering responsiveness letting the side down, according to owners. The worst scores for the British EV are a 74th place for value, followed by 72nd for reliability and 71st for infotainment problems. WE SAID “It remains one of the best electric SUVs money can buy. Few EVs feel as sharp from behind the wheel,…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks EV SUV is likely to have a real-world range of 350-plus miles BMW’s iconic kidney grilles make a welcome return BMW has unveiled a new concept called the Vision Neue Klasse X, and we’re going to see the production version of it on sale in 2025. This SUV concept follows on from the Vision Neue Klasse saloon revealed at last year’s Munich Motor Show, showing the future of BMW’s design and tech focus in an SUV package. The concept’s styling closely aligns with our exclusive images (Issue 1,808) created from a selection of spy shots taken of the disguised production car. Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW design, says, “The BMW Vision Neue Klasse X provides a look ahead to the X models of the Neue Klasse. The…

Further fettling for Ibiza and Arona SEAT has announced plans to give its Ibiza and Arona (above) an additional facelift later this year. The pair received mid-life tweaks back in 2021, but will now get a redesigned front end, new bumpers and LED headlights, and fresh alloy-wheel designs. SEAT boss Wayne Griffiths also claims “improved performance” – although the Spanish brand has not yet revealed details on any changes to the cars’ powertrains. New motor for Sandero Stepway DACIA is adding a new TCe 110 (108bhp) engine to its Sandero Stepway line-up. The range-topping motor will be available on the Extreme version only, with a six-speed manual gearbox. It manages 0-62mph in 10 seconds and is priced from £18,645. The value brand is also introducing a new flagship trim level,…

Chris_rosamond@autovia.co.uk RENAULT’S chief executive, Luca de Meo, has shared an unprecedented ‘letter to Europeans’ ahead of elections for the European Parliament, pleading for politicians to turn away from rules that are hobbling the auto industry, and to concentrate on improving competitiveness. In his letter, De Meo lists a number of “simultaneous challenges” facing Europe’s automotive industry, starting with the need to meet ‘net zero’ by 2035. “No other industry faces an ambition on this scale”, he says. Then there’s the digital revolution that de Meo predicts will mean software accounts for 40 per cent of a car’s value by 2030 – up from 20 per cent today. The Renault boss also takes a big swipe at the eight to 10 new European regulations introduced each year. “Cars are required to…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress YOUR VIEWS This week’s letters Mokka’s indicators aren’t a bright idea FROM: David Irving TODAY I followed a new Vauxhall Mokka. The driver indicated he was about to turn right at an upcoming junction, but when he applied the brakes, the yellow indicator was all but invisible. I can’t believe this design actually complies with the regulations. Set higher threshold for top VED on PHEVs FROM: Bob Jackson I RECENTLY swapped my diesel car for a plug-In hybrid. However, I was disappointed to find out that I will pay an excess on my VED because, with accessories, my car had crept over the £40K threshold. Surely it would be fairer to scrap VED for PHEVs or increase the bar to £50k? EV design needs more joined-up thinking FROM:…

Chris_rosamond@autovia.co.uk LOTS of people are saying there’s a bit of a buzz about the British Rally Championship (BRC) this year, but the Castrol-liveried Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 sounds more like a demented leaf-blower. The car’s little three-cylinder 1.6-litre engine makes an impressive and uproarious 300bhp, thanks to a prodigious level of turbocharging. Its uniquely uneven bellow under acceleration, backed up on the overrun by an outrageous cacophony of all the pops and bangs a petrolhead could dream of, shatters the peace of a spring morning here at the former Monmouthshire summer house of Charles Rolls OBE, co-founder of the world’s greatest luxury car company. It’s now a championship golf course with rally co-driving legend – and former golf pro – Nicky Grist as a senior member, which has a lot…

Ellis_Hyde@autovia.co.uk @EllisDrives Running costs 64.2mpg (official) £54 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 12.5 seconds/103mph THE demise of the Ford Fiesta has left a power vacuum in the supermini class, with lots of makers looking to capitalise. The Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsa have both benefitted from recent facelifts, and a new MG3 is on the way, but the latest arrival is the fourth-generation Suzuki Swift. There are elements of Ford and Nissan in the exterior styling, while the cabin seems to take some inspiration from the current Mazda line-up – which is no bad thing. The biggest change over the old model is the new two-tone dashboard, with a nine-inch touchscreen and a bank of climate controls, both helpfully angled towards the driver. The Suzuki’s material quality certainly isn’t the same…

Dean_Gibson@autovia.co.uk @DeanGbsn Running costs 47.1mpg (official) £65 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.3 seconds/131mph IF you decried the original MINI Countryman for being much bigger than the classic Mini, then you’re really going to hate this latest model. It’s around 300mm longer than the Mk1 Countryman (and about 100mm longer than the Mk2), as well as being 100mm taller, while the car’s proportions have grown to fill out those dimensions to the maximum. However, while it’s not exactly small, it’s still recognisable as a MINI. Some styling touches, such as the Land Rover Defender-esque trim squares on the C-pillars, seem a little unnecessary, but the floating roof, large grille and black wheelarch trim are all familiar cues. It’s inside where the Countryman really ramps up the style. Pull the flush door…

MODEL TESTED: VZ2 Design Edition PRICE: £40,950 POWERTRAIN: 2.0-litre 4cyl, turbo, 296bhp 296bhp Powertrain 2.0 litre 4cyl 40 litres Fuel tank £58 fill up 5.7 seconds Performance 155mph 380 litres Seats up/down 1,301 litres THE Cupra badge started as the identifier for SEAT’s performance models, with the Leon as its challenger in the hot-hatch class. Now the Cupra Leon is its own model, with the 296bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged model leading the range. Tech highlights WITH no electrification, not even a mild-hybrid system, the Cupra Leon is very much a traditional petrol-powered hot hatchback. It’s powered by the Volkswagen Group’s renowned EA888 turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a unit that has seen service for a number of years in sporty models such as the Golf GTI and Golf R, Skoda Octavia vRS and…

OUR chart opposite shows how much cheaper the MG4 XPower is to run than the Cupra Leon. Its lower list price helps to reduce the monthly outgoings, and that’s despite Cupra currently offering zero-per-cent APR finance on the Leon. Electricity costs aren’t as cheap as they once were, but it’ll still cost less to charge the MG4’s battery and cover 10,000 miles than it will to fill the Leon with unleaded over the same distance. Our figures are based on domestic charging, so they will rise if you use public chargepoints, but the Leon’s running costs will also increase if you use super unleaded to unlock the engine’s full potential. While the Cupra is the pricier car to purchase, its buyers are spoiled for choice when it comes to offers…

HOT HATCHES Our experts provide some food for thought it you’re pondering about purchasing a hot hatchback “IF you like the idea of the Cupra Leon, but want lower running costs, then the 245bhp e-Hybrid model might be the one for you. The extra weight of the plug-in powertrain means it’s not quite as focused as the 2.0 TSI, but it’ll be cheaper to run in everyday use.” “IF you need more space than the Cupra Leon has to offer, you can shell out for the estate model instead. As well as the added versatility of a larger boot, it also comes with more power – up from 296bhp to 306bhp – while four-wheel drive is added for greater all-weather ability.” “FOR a car with more than 400bhp, the MG4’s…

Paul_adam@autovia.co.uk Performance 0-62mph/top speed 10.0 seconds/124mph “The Citroen’s styling is definitely a grower. It looks particularly striking in profile” SO, the time has come to say goodbye to our Citroen C4 X and, to tell you the truth, I’m going to miss it quite a bit. Why exactly? Well, for lots of reasons that I’ll go into here, although I’ll admit that it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. When Auto Express originally tested the all-electric e-C4 X back in March last year, we highlighted the extra luggage capacity on offer compared with its C4 hatchback sibling, but were left wondering whether the buying public would really take to the niche styling of a fastback-styled saloon. Our petrol car arrived back in October 2023, and first impressions were a little…

The Spirit of VW Vaughan Grylls (Batsford Books, batsfordbooks.com) Price: £16.99 Rating: THIS whistle-stop tour of VW’s history is presented as 50 fun facts. It’s nicely formatted and gets a fair bit of information across quickly. We also love the cover art. There are a few minor omissions, such as the use of concept photos for production cars – but it’s informative and interesting. Bugatti Blue: Prescott and the Spirit of Bugatti Lance Cole (Pen and Sword Books, pen-and-sword.co.uk) Price: £35 Rating: BUGATTI’S back catalogue makes for amazing photographic subjects, and nowhere is it easier to capture these than at the home of the Bugatti Owners Club at Prescott Hill Climb. The cars are shown static and in motion, and are presented beautifully. Rally Horizon Available for: iOS, Android Price:…

CO2/tax 287g/km £180 Running costs 22mpg (R8 V10 coupé) £120 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.5 seconds/198mph WHEN Audi unveiled the original R8 in 2006, it really set the cat among the pigeons. Here was a car that was ferociously quick and looked sensational, and yet it was as easy to drive as Audi’s more mainstream saloons and hatchbacks. While the original R8 was available with a choice of V8 or V10 engines, the Mk2 car only came with the latter. That meant even the entry-level model could do almost 200mph, with its incredible acceleration made all the more accessible because four-wheel drive was fitted as standard. Now the R8 Mk2 is no more, because after an eight-year production run, it was axed last summer. There will be no direct replacement,…

UNDER normal circumstances, a four-against-one brawl would be nauseatingly unfair, with an inevitable loser – the outnumbered solo defendant. But not in this particular punch-up comprising 12 gruelling rounds/months of battle in 2023. The post-fight scorecard says it all: the sluggish heavyweight quartet representing the car-producing continents of Europe, North America, South America and Africa were comprehensively beaten up by a leaner, meaner, solitary opponent: Asia. Up-to-the-minute annual production numbers prove the point. A total of 68 million cars were built last year and Asia produced the vast majority (almost 47 million). Very much in the minority were the combined efforts of Europe (15m), the Americas (5m), Africa (800,000) and, come to that, every other continent/region/country on the planet. Put another way, in the battle to become the undisputed world…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks Latest MBUX, Offroad Cockpit Active Ride Control for G 63 THE Mercedes G-Class, or G-Wagen, is the second longest-serving name within the maker’s current line-up after the SL, and has had only two significant revisions in its entire 45-year lifetime. Now it’s been given a facelift. The Mk2 G-Class arrived in 2018, and presented Mercedes with a monumental challenge to replicate the old-school charm of the original, while also bringing it bang up to date. It succeeded; the 300,000th G-Class was built in 2017 and the half-million milestone was reached last year. Image is a big reason why the G-Class has become so popular. So for this new model, Mercedes has kept the exterior tweaks to a minimum. There are now four louvres within the grille instead of…

LEARNERS face an average 14-week wait to take a driving test, with queues still above pre-pandemic levels, says AA Driving School. FOI data from the Driving Standards Agency (DVSA) shows 45 per cent of test centres are experiencing similar or worse delays than before Covid, with 245 centres reporting a wait time of more than six weeks. Nearly two-fifths (37 per cent) report wait times of five months or more. The figures were provided four months into a six-month DVSA scheme to provide an extra 150,000 tests by the end of March 2024. AA Driving School says the ongoing delays are “unacceptable”.…

Thomas_jervis@autovia.co.uk NEW data has revealed the true extent of the UK’s pothole problem, with estimates suggesting that fixing our roads would cost an eye-watering £16.3billion – a 16 per cent rise, year on year. Drivers are already well aware of the dire state of UK roads following years of under-investment due to political decisions made around taxation and spending. However, the Asphalt Industry Alliance’s (AIA) latest ALARM report – which takes an in-depth look at funding and local authority spending – reveals there’s now a category-red section of road (one that’s considered to be in the poorest condition) found every 10 miles across the country. The AIA suggests the time it takes before the average road is resurfaced is an incredible 80 years, while its report also says a staggering…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk New dual-motor flagship model has 335bhp More focused look complemented by new paint choices VOLKSWAGEN has revealed the new dual-motor ID. Buzz GTX, the flagship for the funky MPV range. Due to arrive in the latter half of this year, the new variant will be priced above the existing single-motor model, which costs nearly £65,000. The short-wheelbase (SWB) and long-wheelbase (LWB) versions will get different batteries. The SWB comes with the new 79kWh (net) pack from the recently revealed ID.3 GTX and ID.7 GTX models; and while LWB models feature the same electric motors, they up the battery size to 86kWh. Power is very much skewed to the rear, with a new 282bhp motor that produces the bulk of the output, augmented by a less powerful 107bhp unit up…

1. Promote small, affordable European cars Encourage co-operative projects to produce small affordable cars and vans made in Europe 2. Revolutionise last-mile deliveries Encourage manufacturers and logistics firms to co-operate on EV solutions to urban deliveries 3. Accelerate the pace of renewal in car parc Create a central European fund supporting national EV purchase incentive schemes 4. Charging infrastructure and vehicle-to-grid tech Europe to create a strategic plan for its vehicle-charging network to facilitate faster deployment 5. Sovereignty of supply for critical raw materials A Europe-wide organisation to secure supplies of sensitive raw materials from producing countries 6. Boost competitive performance in semiconductors Make a strategic investment in R&D to consolidate the position of the European tech leaders 7. Standardise the software-defined vehicle (SDV) Pooling software developments and defining standards…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m). 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…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks Rainy season calls for snorkels Evans three points behind Neuville THE Safari Rally in Kenya takes place a little earlier in the World Rally Championship calendar this year – March instead of June – which means it falls during the country’s rainy season. With plenty of muddy puddles expected, WRC has allowed teams to fit massive snorkels to their cars – ensuring this year’s Safari Rally will be the most distinctive since its return to the calendar in 2021. So far this year we’ve seen a real surprise package in the shape of Adrien Fourmaux. The Frenchman, who drives for M-Sport Ford, has collected 16 points so far, thanks to a fifth place in Monte Carlo and a third spot in Sweden – making it already a more…

The first round of the 2024 BRC took place last weekend, but you can catch up with all the future rounds. There’ll be a one-hour highlights show broadcast at prime time after each event, repeat broadcasts and an end-of-season round-up. You can also catch up with the action on ITVX. ROUND 1 North West Stages, Preston 22-23 March ROUND 2 Severn Valley Stages, Builth Wells 13 April ROUND 3 Jim Clark Rally, Duns 24-25 May ROUND 4 Grampian Forest Rally, Banchory 9-10 August ROUND 5 Rali Ceredigion, Aberystwyth 30 Aug-1 Sep ROUND 6 Cambrian Rally, Llandudno 26 October…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks Performance 0-62mph/top speed 3.4 seconds/161mph YOU may remember we tested the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N in Korea last year (Issue 1,807), leaving with the impression this “2.2-tonne elephant” could dance. Now it’s time for the second act, as Hyundai’s N circus arrives in Europe – and we couldn’t resist another go in this hugely powerful, tech-laden family EV. The Ioniq 5 N has been compared with a wealth of other performance cars to date. Some suggest it’s not far off an electric Mercedes-AMG A 45 S, while rally legends such as the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru Impreza have been discussed in the same sentence. It’ll also need to beat our current hot-hatch king, the Honda Civic Type R. Some quite esteemed company, then. Hyundai’s hot EV has two…

WINNER 1st Cupra Leon IT’S more expensive to buy and run, but the Cupra Leon offers the kind of performance that’s worthy of the hot-hatch label. There’s lots of power from the turbocharged engine, and the chassis is able to cope with it, too. The Leon is a great all-rounder, and it delivers sharp responses and a level of involvement that mean, while the MG4 will leave it for dead on the straights, the Cupra driver will have more fun trying to play catch-up in the corners. The Spanish contender also feels more like a premium product than the MG. • Engaging handling• Punchy petrol engine• Purposeful looks• Practical cabin • Pricier than MG to run• Fake engine sounds• Frustrating infotainment• Three-year warranty INTERESTED? Scan the code for further information RUNNER…

SAME CLASS Mercedes-AMG A 45 S THERE are few other new cars at the MG4’s price point that will accelerate as quickly, but dip into the classifieds and you can get your hands on a four-year-old example of one of the most exciting hot hatchbacks around. The A 45 wowed us when it burst onto the scene; where its predecessor was fast but ultimately a little flat, the new model was even faster and delivered one of the most thrilling four-wheel-drive chassis around. • As fast as the MG…• …but much more thrilling • Cramped in the rear• High running costs SAME MONEY Tesla Model 3 IF it’s acceleration you’re after, then Tesla still makes the fastest EVs around. Pick a Model 3 Performance, and you get a 456bhp two-motor…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 503/1,678 litres Performance 0-62mph/top speed 4.2 seconds/146mph THE ‘Genesis Difference’ and its five-year ‘Care Plan’ are, allegedly, what separates the Korean luxury brand from other premium car makers. These businesses might ostensibly operate in the same space, but does the public’s perception put them on the same page? That’s a question I’ve wanted to answer ever since I took delivery of our Electrified GV70 late last year. This is a car that, on paper at least, should be piquing the interest of Audi, Mercedes and BMW buyers. Possibly even the odd Porsche owner. And it just so happens that the Higginson family fits that very profile. Our eldest children have been friends since they were born less than a month apart during the first…

New Bentley whisky is a work of art BENTLEY has joined forces with The Macallan to produce a unique single-malt whisky and accompanying display stand. The ultra-rare Scotch is ‘enveloped’ in an aluminium ribbon precision-engineered to Bentley’s standards and paying homage to the bodywork of its cars. The sculpture also features an inlay of oak crafted from one of the casks used while maturing the whisky, and is topped off with Bentley’s Crown Cut Walnut veneer. The drink itself “leads with notes of dark treacle and toffee”, although at £40,000, we’re unlikely to be able to confirm that. Find out more and let us know at themacallan.com. EV tyre wins Kumho a design award KUMHO has won a prestigious International Forum (iF) design award for its ECSTA PS71 EV tyre,…