Table of contents for October 16, 2024 in Autocar

Alpine’s recently confirmed Alpenglow supercar will arrive this decade, CEO Philippe Krief has confirmed – and it could use a hydrogen powertrain. To be developed at the state-of-the-art Hypertech Alpine EV R&D centre that will be opened in France later this year, the supercar will be packed with “new technologies”. This, said Krief, will make it “a front-runner, not only for Alpine but also for the [Renault] Group”. He added: “This is something we’re working on really seriously.” Asked if a hydrogen drivetrain might power it, he said: “Yes, we’re open to it. We’re open to everything for this. As we’ve said, the mainstream is electric, but we don’t close the door on hydrogen. A supercar could be the entrepreneur of searching [for that new] technology.” A supercar would also…

Citroën has refreshed its C4 family hatchback and C4 X saloon, giving the siblings a new look and a revised range of powertrains. The entry-level 99bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine has been dropped, meaning the C4 can no longer be had as a manual. Taking its place is a 99bhp 1.2-litre mild-hybrid petrol with a six-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox. Also available are a 128bhp 1.2-litre petrol, a 134bhp 1.2-litre MHEV, and 134bhp, 223-mile and 154bhp, 260-mile electric powertrains. The styling changes draw on 2022’s Oli concept, with squared-off lighting signatures and Citroën’s new logo.…

INDIAN BUSINESSMAN Ratan Tata, former chairman of JLR owner the Tata Group, has died at the age of 86. The Tata Group confirmed his death on 9 October. “While we will miss his physical presence, he will always live in our hearts and minds,” it said in a statement. “We rededicate ourselves to carrying forward his legacy.” Described as a “titan” of industry and recognised by Tata as a “truly uncommon leader”, Ratan Tata led the huge multinational company from 1990 to 2012, a transformative period of globalisation during which time it took ownership of JLR for £1.15 billion. JLR is still under Tata ownership 16 years later. JLR’s current CEO, Adrian Mardell, paid tribute: “His personal achievements and legacy are unequalled in society, and the mark he leaves on…

Frank-Steffen Walliser is very familiar with EVs, having had Porsche Taycans as company cars for more than a year. He recalls how the weight of the pioneering 918 Spyder supercar, a plug-in hybrid with a 12-mile EV range, attracted critics until they drove it: “I kept telling them that weight is coming but there are ways of dealing with it. Besides, it’s not just batteries that drive weight; safety [tech] does too, and more of that is coming.” Walliser reckons we’re coming to the end of the first great development phase for EVs, but he doesn’t see any quick breakthrough that’s likely to boost energy density. He believes a second phase will begin around 2027, as the first electric Bentley hits the market. “In the second phase, you’ll get bigger…

THE NEW, SECONDgeneration BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé has been revealed with a major design overhaul to give it a more sporting focus. Set to go on sale in March next year, the model is closely related to the new 1 Series and shares that car’s front-drive platform rather than the rear-drive one used for the 2 Series Coupé. Bernhard Blättel, BMW’s product management chief for compact class cars, told Autocar the focus of the redesign was to make the car “more sporting”. He said: “The rear of the previous generation was quite polarising so we completely changed that and we also realigned the roof to give it a better flow.” At the front, there is a revamped kidney grille that, as on the 1 Series, is now positioned below…

Mercedes-Benz is prepared to invest in and develop two different architectures for combustion and electric models for as long as there is demand for both, CEO Ola Källenius has confirmed. Speaking to Autocar, Källenius said that Mercedes had to offer models “without compromise” on equipment levels, space, technology and performance, and the only way to do this was to offer bespoke architectures. He pointed to the next S-Class, due in late 2028, as an example of where this method would be used, as it would be impossible to ensure particularly the right performance levels and interior space by turning ICE cars into EVs and vice versa. “If you don’t believe that the market [will be] 100% electric at that point, you have to have the choice for both,” said Källenius.…

PEUGEOT 508 PSE vs 505 GTI As the French firm calls time on big, fast, combustion four-doors, we look at the last and the first of the line – and connect the dots INSIDE HONDA’S TRANSFORMATION How the famously innovative firm plans to take on rivals in the EV age AUDI S5 Sporty saloon provides our first taste of the A4’s all-new replacement EVERY WEEK DACIA SANDERO STEPWAY We say goodbye to everyone’s favourite budget car JAGUAR E-PACE With new Jaguars almost on hiatus, this compact SUV makes a whole lot of second-hand sense…

AT THE RECENT Nürburgring 24 Hours race, Volkswagen unveiled an updated version of its Golf GTI Clubsport – and it was justified in doing so, having done much of the development work on this more hardcore GTI at the famous track. As before, the familiar ‘EA888’ turbo four makes 296bhp and 295lb ft of torque – 34bhp and 22lb ft more than in the regular Golf GTI. Those numbers were healthy already, so Volkswagen instead focused on further honing the Clubsport’s dynamics – although it did revise the Vehicle Dynamics Manager and create a Nürburgring mode (part of the optional Performance Package). The reworked MacPherson-strut front and four-link rear suspension are said to give a more compliant ride and hold the car 5mm lower to the ground. There’s more front…

It might seem odd to you that a new brand should start off with two totally disparate products. But it begins to make sense when you realise that Leapmotor’s T03 city car enters a class for which there is great demand yet vanishing supply; and that its C10 is pitched right at the world’s best-selling car, the Tesla Model Y, while costing £10k less. Leapmotor execs make much of the young Chinese EV firm’s ‘cell-to-chassis’ design approach, claiming that it improves the battery layout, leaves more space for passengers and increases torsional rigidity (consequently benefiting ride and handling), all while reducing production costs. The one available powertrain combines a rear-mounted 215bhp motor and a 69.9kWh battery, which gives it a range of 262 miles – a huge 111 miles less…

Large, seven-seat SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe have generally superseded people-carrier MPVs in Europe. While some may lament the loss of the clever use of space for which MPVs were known, it takes only one glance at the Santa Fe to see why buyers aren’t looking back. Here stands not a fancy van but something that trades an MPV’s excessive head room for a raised ride height, to give some off-road ability (or its suggestion) and no small degree of road presence. The latter is enhanced by the Santa Fe’s sheer size, which is close to that of a BMW X5 and makes it the biggest car in Hyundai’s UK range (the even larger Palisade is sold in America). Let’s see if it has the cleverness and sophistication to…

Few products are as rare or dazzling as an all-new mid-engined Maserati supercar. In the modern era, there have been just two, which makes it all the more unforgivable that we, the Autocar road test desk, managed to allow the MC20 to slip between our fingers when it first arrived in this country in 2021. Of course, we have driven this car, and extensively so, but it has never seen a weighbridge, a tape measure or the vanishing point of MIRA’s mile straight. Here, we correct that oversight and commit to the record a formal verdict for this V6-fired, carbon-tubbed statement, tested here in recently released, open-air Cielo guise. DESIGN & ENGINEERING PROS Elegant, Maserati-typical aesthetic; mechanical simplicity CONS Notably heavier than claimed; offers no real innovations Nowadays, supercars are…

Engine and powertrain components production in the UK is a part of the automotive industry, and it would be remiss to not give Ford’s Dagenham engine plant credit here for its contribution within the UK. Vehicles and engines have been produced at Dagenham since the first vehicle – an AA truck – rolled off the line in 1931. Vehicle production stopped in 2002, but engine production is still going strong and last year Dagenham celebrated its two-millionth Panther engine. Engine production in the UK is not just about Ford, though. There are nine other makers, including BMW, Nissan, Toyota, Mini and JLR. Engine and powertrain parts production accounts for 8000 jobs in the UK and more than 1.6 million engines were manufactured in 2023.…

How will UK production be affected by electrification? Good question. The big factories in the UK are gearing up for it, if they’re not already set up and producing battery vehicles. Most are being tooled to enable production of ICE, hybrid and EVs. These include Mini’s Cowley plant, which will take over production of the electric Mini next year. JLR has also announced a £250m investment in Halewood for production of the forthcoming four-door electric Jaguar. Let’s not forget that Nissan’s Sunderland factory has been making battery cars besides petrol and hybrid models for many years, but it has been open about its intention to turn Sunderland into an ‘EV hub’ that will produce the battery-electric successors to the Leaf, Juke and Qashqai. We’ve already mentioned Stellantis’s plants at Luton…

7 Major premium and sports car manufacturers 8 Bus and coach manufacturers 4 Commercial vehicle manufacturers 10 Engine manufacturers 4 Mainstream car manufacturers 22 R&D centres 2500+ Suppliers 60+ Specialist car manufacturers 9 Design centres £93 billion UK automotive turnover in 2023 1,903,054 New cars registered in 2023 341,455 LCVs registered in 2023 606,838 Cars exported in 2023 800,000 People employed across wider UK automotive 41,404,589 Vehicles on UK roads in 2023 905,117 Cars built in 2023 120,357 Commercial vehicles built in 2023 1,629,570 Engines built in 2023…

Bag yourself a slice of greatness for less. JOHN EVANS shows you how RANGE ROVER EVOQUE MK1 (2011-18) The compact SUV was an instant hit, which is why today’s classifieds are awash with them at prices starting from £5000. Diesels are economical and Euro 6 from 2015; petrols are smooth and less prone to particulate filter issues. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Any rust is likely to be accident repair-related; DPF problems WE FOUND Range Rover Evoque 2.0 SD4 Autobiography auto, 2017/67, 54,000 miles, £16,495 RANGE ROVER MK3 (2001-12) The Range Rover has been Britain’s unofficial ambassador for more than 50 years. Our favourite is this third-generation version. It was developed by BMW and offers a fine blend of performance, luxury and off-road ability, and prices for this model are fair.…

LOTUS EXIGE S2 (2004-11) Buoyed by the success of the Elise, Lotus followed up with the more powerful Exige two-seat coupé in 2000 and the Exige 2 four years after that. Its 1.8-litre Toyota/Yamaha engine produces from 187bhp in standard form to 256bhp in the supercharged 2011 S. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Unblemished service history, coolant leaks, gearbox wear, signs of tracking, tired body WE FOUND Lotus Exige 190 S2 2006/06, 51,000 miles, £25,000 ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE (2005-17) The baby in Aston Martin’s range when it was launched proved to be one of the brand’s finer offspring, possessed of a charismatic and reliable 4.3-litre V8 (increased to 4.7 litres from 2008), an aluminium body and a well-designed cabin. Prices from just £18,000. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Full service history,…

One of the most widely consequential inventions of all time – the self-propelled carriage – emerged in the mid-1880s from Germany, courtesy of Karl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler, and it was a business deal with the latter that sparked the British automotive industry into existence at an old cotton mill in Coventry. As the 20th century dawned, cars grew steadily in popularity among the monied few – until the 1920s, when truly affordable models started to emerge thanks in no small part to the rapid and vast industrial expansion that the First World War had necessitated. FOR THE MASSES Across the pond American firm Ford was forcing down the cost of its Model T using its novel production methods, and so too was this the case at its factory in…

The Ford Escort Mk1, known as the ‘dog-bone’ Escort to its many admirers for the shape of its grille, is so greatly loved by the car community that it’s hard to believe it only lasted about seven years in production. In that time, however, it spawned some hugely capable versions, not least the Escort Twin Cam, whose auction value today is akin to your phone number. Now, following a remarkable deal between Ford’s Dearborn bosses and an enterprising British company called Boreham Motorworks, it’s making a comeback. A limited number of high-spec, high-performance Escorts are to be built in the UK to deliver what its backers (who include highly experienced ‘Fordies’ who were there at the time) call a “peak analogue driving experience”. Cars will be beautifully built to an…

MILEAGE 2441 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out whether an EV still appeals without the bells and whistles In my last report, I was waiting for a new grille to be delivered to complete the repairs to the e-308 after it had been shunted by a works truck. Happily, the part arrived within a few days. Less happily, I then got another call from the bodyshop, Fleetline in Croydon, to tell me that there was another issue, which would result in a further delay. Prior to the final refit, the radar, camera and daylight-running sensors have to be calibrated, but when the repairers attempted this, they found the sealed units were full of condensation, making the job impossible. Because this was in a different area from the crash damage,…

CUPRA BORN Mileage 7001 Last seen 9.10.24 Much has been said about the VW Group’s touchpad-reliant cabins, and a lot of it negative. I tend to fall on that side of the fence: they adorn the Born’s steering wheel and are so frustrating. It makes changing song, radio station and stereo volume a chore, because they often don’t register my inputs. On the other hand, the drive mode and Cupra mode buttons are very well positioned. JW POLESTAR 2 Mileage 9540 Last seen 2.10.24 I spent some time in the company of Polestar engineers at the recent Car of the Year ‘Tannistest’ in Denmark, where they had brought the new 3 and 4 to sample. The 4 felt like a scaled-up 2, while the 3 is a larger and more…

As a twenty-something back in 1990, Simon Bailey dreamed of owning a Lotus Carlton, Vauxhall’s 176mph supersaloon that raised questions in the Commons and rattled the likes of BMW and Mercedes. A quarter of a century later, he has realised his ambition, although the car on his driveway is not a Vauxhall but its Opel equivalent, the Lotus Omega. It’s a left-hand-drive example from Germany, imported three years ago. Simon saw it advertised when, during a conversation with a mate, he was showing him how expensive Lotus Carltons are. “They were £70,000, £80,000,” recalls Simon. “There was even one with low mileage for £105,000. Then I saw this Opel version for £40,000. I couldn’t believe it. It was a 1992 J-reg with 75,000 miles and advertised with problems. But even…

BMW M5 (E34) 1992, 183,000 miles, £29,950 Like the Lotus Carlton, BMW took the six-pot route. The 315bhp 3.5-litre lump in the M5 loved revs but was durable, as this one suggests. This stunning car has just passed its MOT with no advisories and comes with heaps of history and spares. MASERATI QUATTROPORTE 1998, 1200 miles, £39,995 The slant-nosed Maser was far from anonymous, and this is the pick of the bunch with its Ferrari derived twin-turbo V8. The ad says the car is “perfect”, having never seen rain. It’s as good as new, with just 1200 miles on the clock, and the luxurious cream leather is a welcome bonus. FORD SIERRA RS COSWORTH 1987, 67,000 miles, £69,995 Four-door Sierra and Sierra Sapphire Cosworths are more common, but it’s the…

The Citroën C5 Aircross will be dramatically reinvented for its second generation, as previewed by a new concept car at the Paris motor show. Showcasing a muscular yet slippery design inspired by the unconventional Oli concept of 2022, the C5 Aircross Concept has been conceived with interior space and range efficiency as the main priorities. Citroën said the electric SUV had been “sculpted for efficiency”, resulting in 19 more miles of motorway range than what the current-shape C5 Aircross would achieve if electrically powered. The redesign has also lowered the nose, flattened the rear end and raked the roofline. Other additions include Citroën’s new logo, three-point light signature and uncluttered front and rear ends, in common with the recently launched C3 supermini. Most notably, the rear of the car features…

“Both cars ride on bespoke performance suspension and grippy new tyres” Mini is taking its performance brand into the electric era with hot new John Cooper Works versions of the Cooper and Aceman EVs. Revealed at the Paris motor show, the powered-up JCW duo pack a Volkswagen Golf GTIbaiting 254bhp and 251lb ft from a single motor on the front axle – 39bhp more than the current rangetoppers. That’s enough muscle to send the Cooper from 0-62mph in 5.9sec, while the larger Aceman needs 6.4sec. Each model tops out at 124mph Both cars use the same 49.2kWh (usable) battery as the standard cars. Capable of charging at up to 95kW, it is good for a range of 251 miles in the Cooper and 243 miles in the Aceman. Priced from…

CIVILIAN ARMOURED VEHICLES (CAVs) look nearly identical to the regular cars on which they’re based yet can fend off military-grade attacks. What makes them really extraordinary, though, is how engineers manage to retain the performance and handling needed to outrun baddies, despite all the extra weight. CAVs are offered either by the car’s manufacturer or third-party specialists and used by governments and private civilians in need of the ultimate protection. Two British Standards cover them: PAS 300, which outlines the test methods used for ballistic and blast performance of a vehicle, and PAS 301, which assesses a vehicle’s performance, bearing in mind that some can carry a tonne of armour. CAVs are highly modified to cope with the effect of the extra weight when taking evasive action at speed. Some…

Kia UK has unveiled an electric restomod of the first model it sold, the Pride hatchback, with almost twice as much power as the original. Based on a 1996 Pride LX from the company’s heritage fleet, it has been converted to electric power by Oxfordshire-based firm Electrogenic. The 60bhp 1.3-litre petrol engine has been swapped for a 107bhp electric motor, which remains mated to the original five-speed manual gearbox “to ensure maximum driver engagement”. Kia UK expects the Pride EV to dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in around 8.0sec. The 37-litre fuel tank has been swapped for two 10kWh battery packs – one fitted under the bonnet and the other under the boot floor. The combined 20kWh capacity yields a range of around 120 miles per charge. Inside, it retains its…

MERCEDES-BENZ WILL radically reinvent the V-Class/EQV as it enters its next generation. New images released by the firm show two prototypes that, although heavily camouflaged, reveal key details of the new van-shaped MPV. The roofline is much more rakish than on today’s model, for example, hinting that aerodynamics have been given greater priority as electric power becomes the default choice. Mercedes previously confirmed that the MPV and related Vito van will be moving onto a new bespoke architecture for electric load-carriers, named VAN.EA. VAN.EA is fitted with 800V electricals for much higher rapid-charging speeds. Front- and four-wheel-drive powertrains will be offered, and the longest-legged variants will top 311 miles of range.…

I want to say that AC Cars is back, even though it has never really been away. But thanks to a big cash injection, the storied British marque has a new plan for its classic-shaped cars (watch this space) and, more significantly for this section of the magazine, an all-new model: the Cobra GT Roadster. It’s new but still looks Cobra-ish, no? Like when BMW reinvented the Mini or Fiat revived the 500, it’s an entirely different thing from a familiar shape. It’s bigger, too, of course, because people and components are bigger than they were when the Ace, from which the original Cobra morphed, was launched in 1953. It’s 1.98m across the body but only 4.23m long, with a 2.57m wheelbase. For what it’s worth, I think it looks…

As EVs in so many parts of the new car market finally begin to look that bit more reasonably priced compared with their ICE counterparts, the ones that don’t suddenly become more and more likely to be singled out and shot at. That, for various reasons, and not all of them entirely fair, is the position in which the new Porsche Macan Electric finds itself. The UK is the only European country in which it’s being sold alongside the old ICE Macan, which is likely to make for some problematic (if simplistic) comparisons, when the EV costs a little over £12,000 more. Compared with the new Audi Q6 E-tron, meanwhile (to which it’s closely technically related), the Macan Electric is a little over £7000 more expensive – although, if you…

Nio is a brand that you may have read plenty about on these pages without ever seeing its cars on UK roads. It remains one of the most interesting Chinese brands to arrive in Europe, making a creditable attempt at rivalling the likes of BMW and Volvo with its sleek range of EVs in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, but its British launch is always coming yet never arrives. Nio dead-bats on UK plans, saying only that new markets are under consideration – although it’s notable that the company’s development reach has already extended into the UK with a facility near Oxford labelled the “global R&D centre for performance and advanced concept engineering”. When it does eventually come, the second-generation EL8 SUV (which was introduced last year, replacing…

DIMENSIONS PARKING ACCELERATION BRAKING ACCELERATION IN GEAR CABIN NOISE RUNNING EFFICIENCY WLTP 38.7mpg (combined) Test range 554/485/685 miles (average/touring/everyday) BRAKING ENDURANCE Fade variance 70-0m – stop 1 vs stop 5: 1.6m THE SMALL PRINT Power-to-weight and torque-to-weight figures are calculated using manufacturer’s claimed kerb weight. © 2024, Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Test results may not be reproduced without editor’s written permission. For information on the Santa Fe, contact Hyundai Customer Services, PO Box 200, Brockhurst Crescent, Walsall, WS5 4QZ (0800 981981, hyundai.co.uk).…

DIMENSIONS RUNNING EFFICIENCY WLTP 24.1mpg (combined) Test range 273/523/350 miles (average/touring/everyday) ACCELERATION BRAKING Dry 60-0mph: 2.58sec BRAKING ENDURANCE Fade variance 70-0m – stop 1 vs stop 5: 2.3m MANUFACTURER’S SPECIFICATION MASERATI MC20 CIELO On-the-road price £252,100 Price as tested £322,530 Insurance group 50 ENGINE Installation Mid, longitudinal, RWD Type V6, 3000cc, twin-turbocharged, petrol Bore/stroke 88.0mm/82.0mm Power 621bhp at 7500rpm Torque 538lb ft at 3000-5500rpm Redline 8000rpm Power to weight 403bhp per tonne Torque to weight 349lb ft per tonne Specific output 207bhp per litre GEARBOX Type 8-spd dual-clutch auto RPM in top gear at 70/80mph 1473/1683 CHASSIS & BODY Construction CFRP monocoque Weight/as tested 1540kg/1783kg Wheels 9.0x20in (f), 11.0x20in (r) Tyres 245/35 ZR20 (f), 305/30 ZR20 (r), Bridgestone Potenza Sport SUSPENSION & STEERING Coil springs, adaptive dampers, anti-roll bar Front…

MATT SAUNDERS In the world of the super-rich, reputation is all. Having the best is no good if the rest of the world doesn’t know what having it is likely to mean. It was the reputation of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars that BMW AG variously licensed, reassembled and bought into, at the turn of the 21st century, to bring the company we now know as Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd into life out of the convoluted mess of the sale of Vickers plc. It took an international manufacturing group like BMW, looking from the outside in, to realise what Rolls-Royce could become – and then to perfectly envision its particular take on 1920s, golden-era-style motoring made modern. Could a British firm have done it so well? As it came to pass, German…

MATT PRIOR If you counted the world’s most important cars using the fingers of one hand, the Mini would surely be one of your digits. But while it proved incredibly popular following its 1959 introduction, by the late 1960s the Mini’s designer, Alec Issigonis, was already trying to replace it. The BMC 9X he proposed was an equally clever piece of design and engineering. It was shorter than a Mini yet even roomier and had cheap-to-make, conventional suspension, rather than the Mini’s hydrolastic set-up. Had the 9X made it beyond the prototype stage, it could have ended the Mini as we know it. But instead BMC was absorbed into Leyland and the project was canned, and so the Mini was left to continue, falling further behind the capabilities of new…

ASTON MARTIN Aston Martin celebrated its 110th birthday last year, launched the DB12 and produced 6700 vehicles at its plants at Gaydon and St Athan in Wales. McLAREN The Woking firm produced 2137 cars last year, with strong demand for its new Artura. It continues to lead in Formula 1-derived technologies for the road, as well as in electronics and much more via its McLaren Applied business. CATERHAM Caterham builds around 500 cars a year at its Kent factory and demand for the Seven remains strong at home and abroad. The firm is also looking to the future with its Project V electric coupé. BENTLEY Bentley produced 12,859 cars at Crewe in 2023 – all the more impressive when you consider that it also has to find time to cater…

MINI PACEMAN (2013-16) The Paceman had big ambitions, with hatchbacks, coupés and even SUVs in its crosshairs. Buyers were confused, though, and with sales falling, BMW dropped it after just three years. It’s a heavy car and at its best in Cooper S form. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Missed oil changes, worn brakes, peeling decals WE FOUND Mini Paceman Cooper S, 2014/14, 70,000 miles, £6450 LOTUS ELAN SE (1989-92) With its front-wheel-drive layout, the Elan SE was, in the context of Lotus, almost wilfully perverse. A thrash in the 163bhp turbo version usually won over sceptics. The model returned in S2 form from 1994-95. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Mechanicals are strong but composite body and interior can be tired WE FOUND Lotus Elan 1.6 SE, 1990/H, 86,000 miles, £5975 RANGE…

JAGUAR S-TYPE R (2002-07) Prices for this cool-looking, rear-wheel-drive 395bhp V8 super-saloon now span from around £7000 to £15,000. In a head-to-head with like-minded rivals, Autocar rated it not far behind the E39 BMW M5, the prices of which start where the Jaguar’s leave off. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Rotting sills, supercharger rattles, missed oil changes, hunting transmission, baggy suspension, faulty electrics WE FOUND Jaguar S-Type 4.2 V8 R, 2002/02, 70,000 miles, £8795 TVR GRIFFITH 500 (1993-2002) Prices have risen for this 5.0-litre, 340bhp version of the original hairy-chest express, with the cheapest cars now around £15,000 and the most expensive double that. TVRs have a poor reputation but, fortunately, by now the few Griffs for sale have had most issues sorted. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Electrical problems, mechanical noises…

1955 DAIMLER ONE-OF-OUR LADIES’ MODEL Conceived of indulgence if not sexism, this specially equipped limousine was emblematic of the unwise practices that would result in Daimler’s downfall. 1976 RELIANT ROBIN Stability-challenged three-wheeler “sacrifices a good deal without much obvious gain”, we concluded at the time, with “handling, ride and noise all much worse than average”. 1980 MORRIS ITAL British Leyland couldn’t afford to replace the Marina, that emblem of 1970s misery and malaise, so rebodied it and pretended Italdesign did so. “Promises to be reliable and excellent value,” was our weak smile of a verdict. 1955 BMW ISETTA Bizarrely styled ‘bubble car’, built in Brighton from 1957, has just 245cc and one door, at the front, which could combine with the lack of a reverse gear to prove quite problematic.…

Riversimple, a tiny, individualistic company based in the Welsh Borders, has probably done more in its quiet way to pioneer the next generation of hydrogen-electric zero-emission vehicles than anyone else in this country. From its headquarters in Llandrindod Wells, the company has been producing its two-seater Rasa model for years, and it has put a number of them in the hands of private users, for local use, refuelled – in just three minutes per stop – at Riversimple’s own hydrogen station. Founder Hugo Spowers says Rasa is “for people who want to live lightly on the planet”. Like much of the UK car industry, Riversimple is reaching its own turning point. The company wants to launch a more practical model than the excellent but essentially experimental Rasa, and it wants…

Entrepreneur David Martell learned plenty about running and charging EVs when he founded the Chargemaster network in 2008 then sold it to BP a decade later for £132m. By his own admission he is “no good at doing nothing”, so after that he aimed for another key area of EV growth: home charging. He launched a company called Evios but soon acquired a charger maker of Scandinavian origin called Andersen when he realised future buyers would choose home chargers whose colour, shape, texture and style could match the building that would support it, new or old. Andersen’s Scandinavian design style was unique. Martell started by selling Andersen’s original model, called A2, but has since redesigned the electronics and reduced the dimensions (without changing either the look or the versatility of…

“This is as plush as 5s get, and can go from 0-62mph in 3.9sec” WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if the definitive executive car – a BMW 5 Series – is now electric, albeit in £100k-plus M60 xDrive guise Before this BMW i5 Touring arrived, I’d spent some time looking after a Land Rover Defender. The two are about the same price, at approximately £100,000 – and, no, I don’t know how so many people appear able to afford cars of that value either. But to run them as company cars would be quite the different experience. The Defender came with a 3.0-litre diesel engine, thus attracting a 37% benefit-in-kind tax rating – so an employee would pay tax on nearly £37,000 annually; a 40% taxpayer would be faced…

MILEAGE 11,382 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Can an approved-used Porsche match the ownership experience of a new one? What sort of car should you use as suitable transport for a Bridgerton afternoon tea at a posh London hotel? That’s not something I’d ever pondered before, but my teenage niece was visiting from the US and wanted to treat my mum to dainty sandwiches and cakes inspired by the Netflix show, and it didn’t feel right to stick them on the Tube. Besides, due to the complexity of a family visit after the final cup of Earl Grey was supped, I needed to transport my mum, niece and nephew straight to Somerset, so driving into central London – which I’d normally avoid like, well, watching an episode of Bridgerton – made…

A quarter of a century on from its launch, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI has come to be regarded as the best of the Evo breed, for this is a homologation special that can deliver a turbocharged sucker punch to any undulating B-road like no other rally refugee before it. That alone might be enough of a draw for any buyer on the hunt for a modern classic, but the Evo VI is far more than just stonkingly quick: it comes dripping with rallying pedigree, rarity and performance. Unlike the more radical touring cars of the day, which were largely mechanically unrelated to their road-going counterparts, the differences between road and rally machines were not that significant. So the Evo VI is about as close to a bona fide rally…

2009 NOBLE M600 Tiny Leicester firm breaks the habit of a lifetime in charging more than its established rivals rather than considerably less. However, its new M600 is one of the best-handling and fastest cars we’ve tested since the McLaren F1 – and could be used every day of the year. Price £5170 Engine V8, 4414cc, twin-turbo, petrol Power 650bhp at 6800rpm Torque 604lb ft at 3800rpm Weight 1305kg 0-60mph 3.5sec 0-100mph 6.8sec Top speed 225mph (est) Economy 18mpg (est) 1962 AUSTIN-HEALEY 3000 MKII CONVERTIBLE BMC transforms its US-focused sports car, first introduced in 1952, from a true roadster into a more refined and practical convertible. This ‘BJ7’ variant is as enjoyable to drive as any other, but the new fabric hood mechanism rattles too much. Price £1190 Engine 6…

The Alpine A390 Beta electric crossover concept, unveiled at the Paris motor show, has been conceived as “a bigger A110 for five” that pairs a futuristic fastback design with best-in-class driving dynamics. The concept will spawn a production car in 2025 that will use the Renault Group’s Ampr Medium EV platform (making it a relation of the Renault Megane E-Tech) and be positioned as a rival to the likes of the BMW iX2 and Tesla Model Y. Alpine has benchmarked the crossover against its own four-cylinder sports coupé and claims its trimotor powertrain (one at the front and two at the rear) combines with active torque vectoring to give the “driving dynamic of a lightweight car”. This set-up, confirmed Alpine CEO Philippe Krief, will also be adopted by the upcoming…

THE QUIRKY CITROEN Ami electric quadricycle has been given a new look for its fourth birthday. Revealed at the Paris motor show, the 28mph two-seater has a new “sympathetic and more mature” front end that nods to the face of its spiritual successor, the 2CV, with new grooves on the wings, black ‘eyelids’ on the headlights and a smile-shaped indentation in the middle housing Citroën’s new logo. The lower corners at both ends now have more pronounced edges, too, which Citroën said makes them look more like Lego blocks - and there are new graphic motifs on the side panels and wheel trims that are designed to “appeal to the younger generation”. Citroën said it had sold 65,000 Amis worldwide since 2020, making it “a real social phenomenon”. The new…

MOBILIZE, THE RENAULT Group’s nascent mobility division, has taken the covers off the production version of the Duo, a spiritual successor to the Renault Twizy. Revealed at the Paris motor show, it is an electric quadricycle like the Citroën Ami but it has been designed to provide the creature comforts of a full-size car. For instance, it has Bluetooth and USB-C phone connectivity, air conditioning, a heated seat and an airbag – a more comprehensive kit list than its Ami and Micro Microlino rivals. Despite measuring just 2.43m long and 1.3m wide, it has seating for two, using the same tandem interior layout as the Twizy. Unlike that car, the Duo’s doors – which open Lamborghini-style – feature conventional windows for weather protection. Two versions will be available, homologated to…

New Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser is already visualising a strain of “surprising” future models as he begins his tenure of taking the British firm into the electric age. The 54-year-old German joined Porsche as an engineering intern 29 years ago and rose to be its head of complete vehicle development before moving to Bentley this July. He defines his prevaliing challenges as being to “get electrification right” and to continue growing Bentley along lines begun by his predecessor, Adrian Hallmark, on its path towards self-sustainability. However, as part of this progress, Walliser sees opportunities for making “something more extreme” that emphasises existing Bentley characteristics while also injecting more excitement into the line-up. “You wouldn’t do it immediately,” Walliser told Autocar, wary of accusations that he’s forcing Porsche values onto this…

“It can dispatch 0-62mph in a claimed 4.6sec” AC Cars has revived the Ace, the precursor to the V8 Cobra roadster, as a 300bhp retro roadster. The new two-seater is visually inspired by the original 1953 Ace but is underpinned by all-new mechanicals. It is based on a new steel tubular-frame chassis shod with carbonfibre bodywork, which the company will manufacture itself in the UK. That arrangement helps to keep the kerb weight to 1100kg – not far off the 989kg of the Bristolpowered Ace road tested by Autocar in November 1958 (see box, below). Whereas the original Ace drew power from a range of naturally aspirated straight sixes (first a 2.0-litre unit of AC’s design, then a Bristol 2.0 and finally a modified Ford Zephyr 2.6), the new car…

COVID, SEMICONDUCTOR chip shortages, the cost of living crisis, the threat of fines for failing to sell electric cars when the demand is not there: any one of these feels like a once-in-a-decade shock, yet the fact that these events have all come on top of each other has removed any semblance of normality in the UK new car market. It’s easy to get sucked into short-term challenges, but take a step back and it’s clear the UK market itself has changed dramatically since 2019 and is now much more competitive than ever. New research from Auto Trader reveals that the 2.31 million new car sales in 2019 were split across 50 brands and 455 models. This year, the forecasted 1.98 million sales will be split across 56 brands and…

WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com HAVE WE SEEN PEAK CAR? You gave the Audi Q6 E-tron 3.5 stars (Road Test, 2 October), which is a fairly miserable achievement for an 80-grand Audi, but does it really merit them? If one of your testers is of the opinion that the outgoing Q5 is ‘far superior’ in every way (and doubtless he is not alone in this view), it seems a mite generous. Your summary was admittedly a masterclass in damning with faint praise, but the scenario of a new car being markedly inferior to the one it’s replacing is becoming all too familiar, and the manufacturers – particularly the Volkswagen Group – are getting away with it. Yes, it grudgingly replaced its unusable haptic steering wheel buttons with real switches and illuminated its…

The hottest version of the Mk8 Golf certainly left its mark when it arrived in 2021 with an updated version of Volkswagen’s EA888 turbo four making 316bhp: we described its acceleration as “unrelenting until it has snagged fourth at close to triple figures”. Even so, Volkswagen’s R division hasn’t been resting on its laurels. The result is this ‘Mk8.5’ Golf R, now on sale at £43,895 – £4495 more than the Golf GTI and £1740 more than the Golf GTI Clubsport (see right). The exterior design changes are predictably subtle, comprising a new-look front bumper with larger cooling ducts, a more prominent splitter for added downforce at speed, a larger tailgate-mounted spoiler and a reworked diffuser to better manage the airflow and downforce at the rear. Inside, the changes are…

PORSCHE DESCRIBES THE 4S as the sweet spot in the Macan Electric range. Based on what you might have just read about the entry-level model, there’s good reason to contest that, but this is certainly where the new SUV gets serious both as performance car and technology demonstrator. A little under £6000 separates the 4S from the 4 on price – and for that, you’re given a different, rigidly mounted primary rear motor and a more powerful inverter, which between them account for the relative 108bhp output hike (there’s a slightly shorter transmission ratio at the rear axle as well). You also get lowered coil springs and PASM adaptive dampers as standard, as well as a brake upgrade, aside from some wider equipment lures. But it’s the potential to lavish…

Is that a spring we can detect in Alfa Romeo’s step? After decades of looking like a brand on the brink, it finally appears to be eyeing the future with its head held high, rather than peering through its fingers in a state of panic. And it’s largely down to the arrival of this Junior Elettrica. Sure, an electric B-segment crossover might not be the car that red-blooded Alfisti were holding out for, but it could be the one that delights Turinese bean-counters by putting Alfa back in the black. With its Tonale C-crossover, Giulia saloon and Stelvio SUV, Alfa has about 30% of new car buyers covered, but such is the popularity of small SUVs that its top brass reckon the Junior Elettrica now gives it twice the market…

Developing a carte-blanche supercar to spearhead the revival of a storied brand comes with no small level of expectation. That Maserati has, from a standing start, delivered not only a competitive product but also one quite so individual in its interpretation of ‘supercar-ness’ is an achievement. Yes, the MC20 has flaws. It is expensive relative to rivals and not light enough. But it’s also joyfully light-hearted in dynamic terms, thunderously characterful and versatile enough to use often. For now, it remains a left-field choice, but Maserati should move the MC20 story forward. RIVALS FERRARI 296 GTS From £279,000 PORSCHE 911 S/T From £231,600 McLAREN ARTURA SPIDER From £221,500 4 MC20 CIELO…

It’s all bad news these days, isn’t it? Or it certainly feels like it if you dare to pay attention to global politics. Step away from the doom-mongering, though – Steve Cropley’s feature on p68 will help you with that – and you’ll find good news aplenty when it comes to UK automotive manufacturing. And much of that hinges on the eclectic crew of cars assembled here. These cars play a key role in the success of the UK automotive industry – an industry that was responsible for a turnover of £93 billion in 2023, up from £78bn in 2022, according to the SMMT. In fact, only food production tops the automotive industry for economic value in the UK’s manufacturing sector. So let’s take a closer look at the cars…

RICHARD LANE Lotus has become a lightning rod for the concerns of petrolheads who don’t appreciate grotesquely lardy cars and are sceptical about the ability of an electric motor to replace the thrill of an engine. And fair enough. Three years ago, the heaviest model the British firm made weighed less than 1500kg and the lowest-revving motor spun beyond 7000rpm. Today, two of the company’s three mainline models weigh two and a half tonnes and are pure-electric. It’s quite the volte-face, even by the standards of modern major car firms (the 7000 or so cars that Lotus built in 2023 is not to be sniffed at). The Emira still flies the flag for the old ways, of course, but it won’t forever. So where does it leave Lotus going forward?…

FELIX PAGE Though we still speak in hushed, reverential tones about the likes of the Flying Scotsman and Concorde, it’s the common-or-garden Thameslink that gets us to work, and the humble Airbus A321 that flies us to Tenerife every year. It’s these rather underappreciated mechanical marvels that keep the world spinning, and it is into this category, surely, that we must slot the Qashqai – a car that spearheaded not just a new vehicle segment but arguably a whole automotive epoch too, and it remains as important now as it was at its launch. Though the mid-sized crossover class is Europe’s most popular and fastest-growing, it still feels appropriate to default to describing each car within it as “a Qashqai sort of thing”, which speaks volumes about the towering influence…

STEVE CROPLEY There are almost too many Range Rover positives to squeeze into this miserably small space, but I’ll start with its reputation. This remarkable vehicle’s traditions are 55 years old, yet they’ve never been corrupted or varied by changing managements or design regimes. A Range Rover was and is one of the best-looking, most imposing, most respected vehicles on any road. These are powerful incentives for owning one, even beyond the fact that it’s built right here. Although ownership costs have risen – the entry price is now £100,000, before options – buyers aren’t deterred: human nature being what it is, demand builds desirability. Sales of the ‘full fat’ Range Rover and its Sport sibling comfortably exceed 100,000 units a year, but they’re distributed so widely across the world…

LAND ROVER FREELANDER 2 (2006-15) The second-generation Freelander was well built, powerful, practical and comfortable. It’s good to drive on road and off and has high-tech chassis systems including on-demand four-wheel drive and Terrain Response. Cars from 2012 are the best. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Underside damage and oil and coolant leaks, wonky steering, transmission noises WE FOUND Land Rover Freelander 2.2 TD4 GS, 2013/13, 56,000 miles, £8500 JAGUAR I-PACE (2018-) Used EVs have nosedived in price in recent months, and few have done so more steeply than the handsome, comfortable and tech-rich I-Pace. Four-year-old cars with fewer than 30,000 miles start at £17,000; SE trim is the sweet spot. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Check charge cables are present, that the battery and brakes are in good condition and that…

BENTLEY ARNAGE (1999-2010) New owner Volkswagen’s first stab at a Bentley was a bit wobbly, with the company ditching the car’s modern 4.4-litre BMW V8 in favour of the old Bentley Turbo R’s 6.75. Cabin is a bit plasticky, but a tidy car still cuts a dash. WHAT TO LOOK FOR Full Bentley or specialist service history, correct batteries, galvanic corrosion, weak interior trim WE FOUND Bentley Arnage 4.4 V8, 1998/S, 68,000 miles, £18,999 JAGUAR XJ (2009-19) The XJ’s last hurrah is a stylish and capable saloon worthy of the name and, as a used car, good value. Ride and handling, performance and refinement are top-drawer, and prices begin at just £5000. WHAT TO LOOK FOR DPF issues on diesel cars, six-speed gearbox issues on pre-2012 update cars, sagging suspension,…

There’s a pervading feeling, even among those who reckon they know the automotive scene, that the UK isn’t much good at making cars. Not like the Germans or the French. Or even the Italians. We started the post-war years as the world’s biggest car exporter, even beating the Americans, but have frittered the advantage away over the seven intervening decades. Admittedly there have been hurdles. The competition has become much keener, especially since we did our best to help the German car industry rebuild itself post-WW2 and connect it to a bigger home market than our own. The French rapidly rebuilt as well, driven by its citizens’ greater penchant for buying home-made products than our own. Then the foreign imports started arriving in force. The Americans came in the 1950s…

Back in 2010, Mike Hague-Morgan bought an ailing Grantham-based combustion engine remanufacturing business using money borrowed from his mother’s retirement fund. Since then he has rebuilt the core business, impressively boosting annual turnover 10-fold to £75 million. More importantly, he has developed an EV battery repair and remanufacturing business that will carry the company forward if its ICE business declines – although there are precious few signs of that happening at present. The business, Autocraft Solutions Group, already repairs or remakes around 450 EV batteries a month, and Hague-Morgan believes it will get much bigger. By the early 2030s, he expects there will be a very large fleet of high-mileage EVs primed for resuscitation – and he’s aiming to lower costs to the point where a car whose value has…

MILEAGE 6744 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Lexus has pinned its hopes of UK sales growth on this new compact crossover In conversations about the Lexus brand over the months as a result of running the LBX, it has become clear that few of my peers are aware of Lexus. If they are, it’s the older, large SUVs and saloons that tend to ring a bell, not the marque’s modern-day line-up. The firm clearly has some brand-building to do, because these days it has a full range of SUVs (it’s clinging on to a couple of saloons, too) on offer to cater to public demand. There’s the LBX, the hybrid or electric UX, hybrid or plug-in hybrid NX, electric RZ and hybrid or plug-in hybrid RX. Lexus will be hoping the…

MILEAGE 5554 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if this supermini still deserves to be a staple of British roads A search for a first car for my sister turned up an interesting titbit. I’d gone to look at a Citroën C1 in Bournemouth for her, with the seller flogging it on behalf of his daughter. “She’s just started a new job in Southampton, and you just can’t do that in something this small,” he said. “You need something bigger.” As someone who used to do 500 miles a week in a Fiat 500, this baffled me no end. It wasn’t just a one-off, either. A short trawl of a few model-specific small car Facebook groups revealed a fair few examples of people thinking along the same lines. I…

AN EXPERT’S VIEW MORGAN GIBSON, TORQUE GT “The Evo VI is fairly reliable, particularly in stock form, but the most common issues we see in our workshop include infrequent AYC service, perished rear bushes and worn brakes. A few benefits of importing are being able to find better chassis-condition examples as well as low-mileage cars. In regards to it being a good investment, unfortunately it’s not a simple yes or no answer. There are lots of factors to consider, but the TME is definitely the one to have, despite its higher cost. Service and maintenance parts are readily available and there are lots of upgrade options, particularly with suspension.” BUYER BEWARE… ◼ ENGINE Make sure it’s been regularly serviced: it needs fresh, fully synthetic oil every 4500 miles, AYC fluid…

The Jowett Javelin was one of the first cars in which I was driven as a very young kid – the third car, I think. It sticks in the memory because one of my parents’ friends had one and was very proud of it, to the point of bothering to explain its finer points to a seven-year-old. Unusually for the time, this woman loved cars and knew a lot about them: she was the person who first explained to me what was different about a flat-four engine (the Javelin had an aluminium 1.5-litre unit mounted ahead of the front wheels, driving the rears) compared with the inline fours and sixes contemporary cars had. She also talked about aerodynamics – this car, she reckoned, benefited very much from what we had…