Table of contents for 1874 in Auto Express

ERNEST Hemingway’s adage that you go bankrupt in two ways – “gradually, then suddenly” – feels very apt after a rocky week for the electric transformation. Some mighty car companies published gloomy financial results, with ongoing electric investments and missed EV sales targets partly to blame. Meanwhile, a survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders claimed that three in five new-car buyers wouldn’t consider an EV even with a government subsidy (see p20), and the Public Accounts Committee shone a light on ‘dark spots’ in the charging infrastructure. Porsche became the latest manufacturer to walk back ambitious targets, having previously suggested four out of five deliveries would be EVs by 2030. CEO Oliver Blume said: “After a strong start, it’s turned out we were ahead of market developments…

BRACE yourselves everyone, because this is the Renault 5 Turbo 3E: a hand-built, mostly carbon-fibre, hot hatch on steroids that packs supercar levels of power and is designed to go sideways, yet amazingly, is totally road legal. It’s the descendent of what were unquestionably the maddest hot hatches the eighties produced: the rally-bred, mid-engined Renault 5 Turbo, and the later Turbo 2. Yes, the new model is an EV, but it has stuck to the same radical formula as the originals by shoving a high-performance, rear-wheel-drive powertrain into a pocket-sized package sporting bonkers bodywork and an equally outrageous interior. In fact, the Turbo 3E shares almost nothing with the new Renault 5 EV or its spicier sister car, the Alpine A290. The styling of the new Turbo 3E is remarkably…

THE number of potholes filled has dropped year-on-year, despite pre-election promises from the Government to repair an additional million annually. Findings from the Asphalt Industry Alliance’s annual ALARM report show that in the 2024/25 financial year, 1.9 million potholes were filled across the UK, down from two million the previous year. When asked whether the Government had broken its promise, a spokesperson said that an additional £1.6 billion investment will “help fix the equivalent of up to seven million extra potholes over the next year.” This is a drop in the ocean, however, with the AIA reporting that the one-off cost to fully repair Britain’s roads now stands at £16.81bn.…

LEXUS could bring its high performance Morizo RR brand to Europe, according to the company’s European boss. Pascal Ruch, vice president of Lexus Europe added the UK could be in prime position to get the products, because the first Morizo RR model, the Lexus LBX (right), is already engineered as a right-hand-drive car for Japan. Meanwhile, Toyota is exploring how to turn its mid-engined Yaris M Concept into a production reality to offer a modern take on the Renault Clio V6 from 2001.…

THE tradition of lightweight British sports cars seemingly does have a place in an all-electric future. New brand Longbow has unveiled a pair of two-seat EVs – the hard-top Roadster and topless Speedster – that both weigh less than one tonne and will be hand-built in the UK. Longbow calls its first creations ‘Featherweight Electric Vehicles’ (FEV), and says development of both cars has been focused on simplifying things, plus driver engagement and relentlessly adding lightness “until all that remains is automotive intoxication”. Longbow says its cars are designed to “represent driving ‘like it used to feel’ with craftsmanship that does not distract or detract from the immediate experience”. The company sees them as spiritual successors to iconic models like the Lotus Elise and Jaguar E-Type. The striking duo sit…

WHETHER the world truly needs a £160k, 626bhp, twin-turbo V8 Defender that can climb mountains as nonchalantly as it can hit 62mph in less than four seconds will forever be a point of contention. But for certain types – those with a lot of money to spend on a particular kind of toy – there is nothing quite like the Land Rover Defender Octa. Not from Mercedes-AMG, not from Porsche, nor even Lamborghini. Not from anyone, anywhere, at any price. As such, the Octa is a vehicle some folk will feel they absolutely must have in order to stay one step ahead (of who or what is less certain). Hence the reason the initial batch of Edition One versions – which cost £15k more than the regular £145,300 model and…

THE new Cupra Terramar slots into the brand’s line-up above the Formentor, and will eventually replace the ageing Ateca, although the two will be sold side-by-side for a while. Prices start from around £37,500 for the new car in V1 trim, while the more powerful 2.0-litre petrol and 1.5 TSI PHEV are both offered with two outputs. Here we’re trying the most powerful model in the line-up, the 268bhp e-Hybrid, in First Edition trim, which throws loads of goodies into the mix. It is a pricey option, coming in at just under £52,000, but it provides an insight into where the Terramar fits into the compact family-SUV sector. Initial impressions are good, because the Terramar looks very smart. Overall, it’s a well proportioned car, with funky LED lights front and…

BEEN browsing for a new car after a few years off and found yourself muttering: “How the hell did new cars get so expensive?!” Your incredulity is spot-on: over the past 10 years, the average list price of a new petrol car has soared from £27,035 to an eye-watering £45,218. That’s up 67 per cent, significantly more than general consumer price inflation and wage growth. DUSTER, GOLF, PUMA: HOW MUCH HAVE NEW CARS RISEN BY? IT’S not just petrol cars. The average retail price of hybrids has also risen, from £30,485 to £44,273 (up 45 per cent) in nine years according to research for Auto Express by expert analysts Cox Automotive, using CAP HPI data. How does this increase play out for the more popular cars in the market? We…

I’VE graciously put my hand up and volunteered to take the key to the Range Rover Sport as a science experiment. As well as the obvious investigation into what it’s like to live with, I’m curious to explore the state of plug-in hybrid technology. Are PHEVs a halfway house to ease people into electric cars, or are they a compromise that leaves you struggling for the efficiency benefits a fully electric powertrain brings? I’ve run such cars in the past, but have been living day-to-day with various electric vehicles for the past few years. In the meantime PHEVs have gained bigger and better batteries, and the 20-ish-mile real-world range of pioneering plug-in hybrids such as the BMW 330e and Mitsubishi Outlander, is now up to a much more useful 50-plus…

THE days of reaching for the glovebox torch only to find the batteries dead and covered in white ‘fur’ are long gone, thanks to rechargeable tech. Not only do the latest lithium-ion batteries retain their charge longer, they can be revived via the car’s 12V or USB socket. LEDs also deliver previously unheard-of levels of light. NightSearcher has just launched a new contender – the Tracker 1000ZM – and we put it up against the four-star, similarly priced Draper Wireless/USB Rechargeable Hand Torch from our 2024 test to assess it. We tried both in the workshop, under a car bonnet and outdoors, plus took into account extras, power modes, protection, runtime and warranty before factoring in price. This pair were very closely matched, but the new NightSearcher is our pick…

THE Mercedes CLA with EQ Technology might just be the most important new EV revealed in 2025, thanks to a groundbreaking range that raises the stakes right across the market. The new CLA250+ leads the way with up to 491 miles on the official cycle, which is truly miles ahead of any rival. The new Mercedes is able to offer this level of electric range thanks to not only a big battery pack, but also a highly efficient e-motor set-up and ultra-slick aerodynamics. However, all this is packaged in a body that doesn’t look quite as revolutionary as you might expect. Mercedes tried a ‘shock and awe’ design strategy with the EQS and EQE EVs, but faced something of a backlash. This time it’s aiming for a ‘hidden in plain…

PORSCHE is developing a new SUV powered by combustion and hybrid engines, as it selectric-only Macan ambitions stall. The firm launched the Macan last year, and delivered 18,274 electric SUVs in the final few months of 2024. But sales of the long-standing petrol and hybrid versions will continue in some markets, including the UK, until production ceases within a couple of years. Afterwards, Porsche will stick to its plan to sell the Macan purely as an electric SUV. But that leaves a gap in the firm’s line-up for a mid-sized SUV running combustion engines, and CEO Oliver Blume has announced a new model to fill that hole. “We will be developing an SUV, a typical Porsche SUV,” Blume said. “The first drawings and concepts are being developed and they’re being…

WE all know how polarising the debate around electric cars can be, with arguments regularly breaking out on social media between the EV evangelists and die-hard petrolheads. Now the AA has produced a study looking into the views of drivers around EVs, and has determined that when we think about electric cars we fall into one of four groups: Rejectors, Doubters, Potentials and Adopters. According to the AA’s research, EV rejectors make up 22 per cent of drivers, who absolutely refuse to consider that they’ll ever be forced to drive an electric car. A further 20 per cent fall into the Doubters category, and feel neutral or unlikely to choose an EV as their next car, and aim to stick with their petrol or diesel choices for as long as…

THE current Mazda CX-5 is due to be replaced soon and we’ve caught the new version testing for the first time. Mazda revealed to Auto Express last year that we can expect a new CX-5 by 2027. But judging from these spy pictures, we might see the new car as soon as late this year. The prototype model we spotted gives us a great look at the new CX-5’s design, although you’d be forgiven for thinking this is a mere facelift, because the proportions and detailing are very familiar. At the front we can spot a thinner headlight arrangement and grille that are more akin to what we’ve seen on the new 6e saloon and CX-6e concept. At the rear there’s a twin-exit exhaust system plus a thin, horizontal light…

THE most powerful Lamborghini ever is in the works, with almost twice the power of today’s 1,001bhp Revuelto – and no combustion engine. Development work on Lambo’s first pure EV is under way, with the high-riding coupé set for launch in 2028. It’ll pack electric pace too, with up to 2,000bhp, according to Oliver Blume, Volkswagen Group CEO and boss of Porsche. Like the 2023 Lanzador concept, the four-seater will be underpinned by the group’s forthcoming SSP architecture. This will be available in “various dimensions”, spanning the entire VW Group portfolio, but this iteration will be developed by its most upmarket brands. “We are planning to have an electric vehicle, with a joint electric parts kit,” Blume told VW’s financial results press conference. “There’s an opportunity for synergies. Lamborghini plans…

THE next-generation BMW iX3 will make its world debut in September at this year’s Munich Motor Show. The all-electric SUV will launch the brand’s hugely important ‘Neue Klasse’ family of cars. Currently in the final stages of testing, the second-generation iX3 (main image) will act as the starting gun for BMW’s plan to introduce “at least six” Neue Klasse models by 2027. The next 3 Series saloon will be among them, and is also being readied for launch next year. We’ve recently spied face lifted versions of the BMW 5 Series and 7 Series testing as well, both sporting Neue Klasse styling cues. These are just two of the astounding 40 new or updated models that the BMW Group as a whole (which also includes MINI and Rolls-Royce) is set…

VOLKSWAGEN has updated its Grand California camper, with more technology and improved warranty cover. The biggest changes come inside, where the Grand Cali gets a new digital dashboard with standard-fit Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The basic central screen now measures 10 inches, and can be upgraded to a 12.9-inch display for an extra cost. In the rear, every version now gets the five-inch portrait touchscreen first seen in the smaller California. There are no exterior visual changes to the two models: the Grand California 600 costs £84,806, while the bulkier 680 starts at £86,800.…

FOR a long time now, Skoda has made the best of the hand it’s been dealt. With components so widely shared within the vast Volkswagen Group, the VW, Cupra, SEAT and even Audi brands are usually given their best shot at any tech – but even among such strongly competing car makers, more often than not it’s Skoda that somehow comes up with the best car of the bunch. In years gone by, that would have been down to the firm trumping its VW Group siblings for value, but now Skoda is beating its supposedly posher brandmates at their own game, too. And with the new Elroq, it looks like the firm’s done it again. This is our first time behind the wheel of the new EV in the UK.…

1 USE AUTO EXPRESS’S BUY A CAR SERVICE YOU can now buy a new car in Auto Express’s online marketplace. It’s powered by Carwow, and you can use it to search for retailers’ best deals on the cars you want to buy. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. 2 BAG A BARGAIN EV UNDER pressure to hit quotas on new electric car sales, manufacturers are offering generous discounts on new EVs. At the time of going to press, we saw some chunky offers on the Cupra Born and Ford Mustang Mach-E – check out Auto Express’s marketplace. 3 BUY A PRE-REGISTERED CAR RETAILERS can pre-register cars in a bid to hit sales targets, triggering a knock to a car’s value and…

Steve Walker MANY buyers aim for the ‘sweet spot’ of cars that are three years old, as they come off company fleets and lease deals at potentially half their price when new, with plenty of life left, and no big bills on the immediate horizon. There are still a few things you need to check before driving home in a fresh set of wheels, however. 1 GET YOUR FINANCES IN ORDER FIRST ANY car is a big investment, so the first thing you will need to do is accurately work out your budget and stick to it. You might have a cash budget available, or need to calculate monthly payments for vehicle finance or a personal loan. 2 KEEP ON TOP OF USED-CAR MARKET PRICES KEEPING an eye on used-car…

MY grandmother’s outrage at a packet of crisps costing ‘five shillings’ in the 1980s always used to make me laugh. But nowadays, a new VW Golf costs roughly the same as five of its eighties predecessors, which isn’t funny at all. It’s nice to drive the latest model from any brand, of course, and we’re not about to try to dissuade anyone who wants to splash out on a new car at any price. But you know what? Over three decades of driving and writing about factory-fresh machinery, there have been plenty of times when I’d have been happy to ‘stop the clock’ on vehicle development, because I couldn’t imagine a particular car being improved to an extent that it would become any more desirable. Examples include BMW’s E46-generation 3…

THE automotive world has seen just how well retro designs have worked to spectacular effect for Fiat and MINI, so Renault has decided “why not?”. The brand hopes that the latest 5 has enough style to remind those of us old enough to remember the distinctive shape the original flaunted. Yet it balances that with a sharp, contemporary body that will attract younger buyers who simply want a striking small car. ENGINES & PERFORMANCE WHICHEVER version of the Renault 5 you choose, it features a single electric motor driving the front wheels. Renault offers buyers a choice of two e-motor outputs, each with its own battery size. The range starts with a 118bhp version with 225Nm of torque; this motor is paired to a 40kWh battery, which returns a claimed…

WHEN testing a car’s outright performance, you often see fuel economy figures tumble. But even when pushing on in the Suzuki Swift, and revving out its modest three-cylinder engine, I struggle to get much less than 40mpg. In fact, most of the time when I’m pootling in town or on long journeys to and from the airport, my real-world figure is close to 60mpg – dropping to around 57mpg during the recent cold spell – which means the Japanese supermini has the Monopoly on fuel economy. Compare this with my colleague, Ellis Hyde, who only a few months ago took custody of the award-winning MG3. He was shocked to find that even despite the MG’s hybrid tech, he was struggling to return more than 50mpg. Putting my GCSE maths to…

NOBODY likes seeing a warning light on their dashboard, and it’s even worse if you don’t know what it means. But most cars keep a record of any malfunction in their onboard computer, and you can interrogate the system if you have a neat bit of equipment known as an OBD reader. OBD stands for On Board Diagnostic, and an OBD reader plugs into a standardised socket to help you find out what fault codes have been raised. DIY readers are more limited than the equivalent professional kit, but they can pay for themselves by pinpointing an engine fault. Most readers can also check the VIN code etched into the car’s electronics – useful for cross-checking a car you’re thinking of buying – and some have the ability to clear…

OWNER VIEWS ON THE UK’S BEST CARS The smallest member of Skoda’s SUV family is a little bigger than its SEAT Arona and Volkswagen T-Cross stablemates, so it’ll come as no surprise that owners’ practicality ratings are generally higher than in other areas. There’s a remarkable fourth place for rear legroom, and the Kamiq manages 27th position for boot space, as well as receiving similar scores for cabin storage (29th) and seat versatility (28th). Satisfaction with economy and servicing costs is high, at fourth and second overall, but owners aren’t so keen on the cost of insurance (37th). However, when we look at the MPG and running costs category as a whole, the Kamiq is rated in fifth place, which is pretty good going. When it comes to the driving…

IN 2021, in what was approximately my 1,300th weekly column for Auto Express, I told our ruling politicians this: if they really wanted drivers to abandon ICE in favour of pricier, pure-electric cars, it was – and still is – essential for them to be financially incentivised, on an immediate and ongoing basis. Later the same year, I offered additional free advice that the easy and colossal ‘profit’ that Governments make on every pricey EV sold to private consumers was – and still is – excessive and unjustifiable. Furthermore, I told our political ‘leaders’ what they apparently didn’t – and still don’t – know: that as they desperately try to turn consumers on to EVs, they’re turning them off, via punitively high Value Added Tax. In 2021, my stated solution…

Chief design officer, Mercedes WE sat down with the Mercedes design supremo to get the lowdown on its latest small car. Q What is the current design philosophy at Mercedes? A Our philosophy is sensual purity, but how do you define that? We do this in multiple ways, starting with the idea of tech and coolness. With design, we need to stage that technology, which is cool. But we also need to ensure a level of timelessness. This doesn’t date – it’s something like a wristwatch that you want to pass down generations, rather than something like a smartwatch you’ll throw away. A German identity is also key. Think about the German Bauhaus – this still looks modern. Reduction is next. A reduction in complexity and emphasising the volumes. Q…

LOTUS UNDER Chinese owner Geely, Lotus is rolling out electric cars, initially hoping to grow to more than 100,000 annual sales. Hit by high tariffs in the US and Europe, its 2024 volume amounted to just 12,000 cars. Its action plan now includes pivoting to range-extender hybrids. VOLVO THE Swedish company has been at the leading edge of drivetrain changes, dropping diesel exactly a year ago. Market forces have also forced it to drop its pledge to sell only electric cars by 2030. Volvo will now extend the life of plug-in hybrids, and 10 per cent of its sales could still be mild-hybrids at the end of this decade. BENTLEY BRITISH luxury car maker Bentley was also gunning to be all-electric by 2030, but has pushed back its end date…

THE AA is campaigning for the reinstatement of hard shoulders to so-called ‘smart motorways’ with all-lane running, following the release of National Highways data that points to some roads having higher ‘killed and seriously injured’ (KSI) accident rates than before the hard shoulder was taken away. All-lane running was introduced on British motorways in 2014 and has been highly controversial ever since, with some drivers fearing the consequences of breaking down on fast-moving, crowded roads with nowhere to escape the traffic. The Department for Transport, under then secretary of state Grant Shapps, introduced an ‘action plan’ in 2020 that was supposed to “raise the bar” on motorway safety. It eliminated ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ motorways where all-lane running was part-time, and included measures to speed up the deployment of radar-based Stopped…

SKODA will reveal a concept car in September that hints at the Octavia-sized electric vehicle it is currently developing. An outline of a family estate-sized car was shown in 2023, and our exclusive image shows how the car could look. However, this model has been pushed back into at least late 2027 because the firm wants to build it on a new platform. The new Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) will also underpin Volkswagen’s future electric Golfsized car, and Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer said the extra abilities make the new tech worth waiting for. “The new platform will give more performance and be more cost-efficient, and will be the platform we are going to put the Octavia on as a battery electric vehicle,” he said, although he refused to confirm if…

DACIA is about to facelift its popular Sandero supermini, which has been seen in disguised form while testing. It sports a more robust look and potential changes under the metal. The most significant design changes are at the front of the car – the bumper looks chunkier and squarer than before, and is similar to the Spring EV’s. There are new headlights as well, and a slimmer front grille with what appears to be a camera underneath. Finally, the upper and lower grille both have a new cubic pattern. Changes to the rear appear to be limited to a fresh set of much slimmer LED tail-lights. The Sandero is currently only available with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 89bhp in pure-petrol TCe 90 form or 99bhp if buyers go for…

JAGUAR’S Type 00 concept has made its dynamic debut on the streets of Paris, sporting a unique matt paint finish called ‘French UltraMarine Blue’. Images of Type 00 in the French capital highlight just how low to the ground it is, as well as showcasing its enormous 23-inch wheels, equally eye-catching ‘butterfly’ doors and slick retracting bootlid. The two-door grand tourer’s rear ‘window’ arrangement slides up and forward to reveal what looks to be a sizable load bay. The mechanism also allows the driver to see behind them; as with the new Polestar 4, there’s no traditional window. The Type 00 is just a concept though, and won’t itself make production. Instead, it shows the new direction of Jaguar, and shares clear design cues with the four-seat, all-electric GT production…

ALMOST half of prospective new car buyers would refuse to switch to an electric vehicle, even if the Government offered a financial incentive to try to tempt them, according to a survey by the UK’s automotive industry trade body. This puts a dent in the Government’s ZEV mandate, under which ever-more EVs must be sold. The start to 2025, at first glance, appeared positive, because EVs accounted for roughly 23 per cent of new car sales in the first couple of months – up from 15.8 per cent the year before. However, this apparent acceleration of interest may be a red herring, because a survey by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) found that numbers aren’t expected to grow much further, with only 23 per cent of prospective…

ABARTH celebrated its 75th anniversary last year, and perhaps at no point in its existence has the brand been through such a pivotal change as it’s experiencing now. While the petrol-powered 595 and 695 are being laid to rest, Abarth has gone all-electric. The Italian firm launched its version of the 500e in 2023, and now it’s unleashing the 600e – its most powerful road car ever. Based on the Fiat 600e, the Abarth sits on the same e-CMP2 platform as other small electric cars from Stellantis such as the Peugeot E-2008 and Vauxhall Mokka Electric, but the Italian company has tweaked the architecture significantly. Apart from the bodywork, the most notable difference between the Abarth and the Fiat is the power. A new electric motor produces 235bhp in the…

PEOPLE talk about quantum computers, but one of the world’s most powerful algorithms is a car lover processing which car to buy. New or used? What budget and bodystyle? Should I swap this premium brand for that more mainstream maker? To assist you, if you’re in that position, we’ve profiled a wide-ranging choice of our favourite new cars, then discovered a comparable used car at a similar price to get you thinking. There’s also advice on how to get the best deal when selling your car, and how to buy a used car. Plus we answer the question of why new car prices have gone up, and how you can still get a great deal. The answer to that is simple: use Auto Express’s online Buy A Car service. Just tell…

CLOCKING CLOCKING involves illegally tampering with the odometer to obscure a car’s true mileage and increase its value. Clues include discrepancies in MoT history and significant wear to the steering wheel and seats. Parts can be replaced though, so it’s vital to check the mileage history on service records and other documents. CLONING CLONED cars have number plates copied from an identical vehicle, to hide the fact a car is stolen, or to rack up fines in the owner’s name. Check that the number plate matches the V5C, which in turn matches the car’s VIN/chassis number. You can usually find the VIN at the base of the windscreen, but on older cars it can be under the bonnet. A vendor unwilling to show you the V5C is a red flag.…

THE 500e was one of the first compact EVs on the market, and as with its petrol-powered namesake, it has plenty of staying power. While cars like the Volkswagen e-up! and Honda e have been dropped completely, the 500 soldiers on against a influx of new rivals, including the similarly priced Renault 5 and Citroen e-C3. ENGINES & PERFORMANCE BUYERS get a choice of two motor and battery combinations, and while neither delivers the exaggerated performance specs that we’re used to in modern EVs, they’re more than up to the job. The range kicks off with a 92bhp motor that will accelerate from 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds. The 116bhp option knocks half a second from that benchmark, and adds 9mph to the top speed – hitting 93mph flat out. Both…

Price: £79 Rating: Contact: carcovershop.co.uk IF you don’t have access to a garage and have to leave your car outside, it will have to face all that the British weather can throw at it. Your pride and joy will also be at risk from bird droppings, tree sap and falling leaves, which will be especially harmful to a convertible’s fabric roof, which can cost thousands to replace. A cover might not be practical for drivers who use their car frequently, but it can provide extra protection if the car will be parked up for longer than a few days. Half covers are an even better compromise, because they protect the vulnerable roof and keep the interior shaded, but are far easier to fit and remove. Car Cover Shop’s half cover is…

AI: the two most overhyped letters in the alphabet right now. Which, given my initials, is a bit of a shame. You’ll find those two letters applied to anything and everything. Whether it’s “AI-enhanced” toasters or toothbrushes, there will always be a marketing team looking to hop onto the bandwagon. Look beyond this, however, and AI has the potential to be transformative in areas such as healthcare, agriculture and transport. But for all its undoubted potential, I’ve yet to see AI write a decent classified car listing. For example, I asked ChatGPT to write an advert for an imaginary 2015 MINI Cooper S Cabrio, in red. It took just seconds to knock out 150 words or so, opening with: “Hit the road in style with this stunning 2015 MINI Cooper…