Table of contents for October 22, 2025 in Autocar

Lucid is working on a third model, named the Earth, that will spearhead a wider global push for the US-based car maker, including a UK launch by the end of 2027. The SUV will be the first model underpinned by a new modular platform that will be used to expand Lucid’s range beyond today’s Air saloon and Gravity SUV, launched in 2021 and 2023 respectively. Sales of both are limited to the US, Canada, the Middle East and a small number of European markets. The Earth, a Tesla Model Y rival, is slated to arrive in 2027, initially in the US, followed by a wider range of left-hand-drive markets than Lucid currently occupies. Before the start of 2028, the firm will begin shipping right-hand-drive examples – including to the UK…

Lamborghini will decide imminently whether the Lanzador, revealed in concept form in 2023 and touted as its first EV, will be electric or instead fitted with a plug-in hybrid set-up akin to that used by much of the firm’s existing line-up. The electric Lanzador was due to arrive before the end of the decade, but that has been thrown into question by a slowdown in EV uptake particularly at this level of the market, along with delays in EV development at the Volkswagen Group parent company and in-house sibling Porsche. Talking to Autocar, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said: “With Lanzador, we need to decide whether [it will be] a PHEV or electric in the next few weeks.” While he stopped short of confirming the Italian firm’s decision, he also said:…

Rimac Technology, the Croatian car maker’s stand-alone engineering division, will “build Rimac out from its position as a start-up” by revolutionising the EV world with solid-state batteries, more power-dense packs, high-performance powertrains and more, its chief operating officer, Nurdin Pitarevic, has told Autocar. A company that was spawned from its Rimac namesake in 2022 following the deal with the Volkswagen Group to create Bugatti Rimac, Rimac Technology has been developing EV tech for the Croatian hypercar maker and third-party manufacturers. This has ranged from small hybrid battery systems to full rolling chassis for clients that include everyone from large global manufacturers to low-volume firms. It also develops electronic systems, electric drive units and user-interface components. SOLID STATE IS ON THE WAY In an exclusive Autocar interview, Pitarevic – Rimac Group…

COMBUSTION ENGINE development is still important and the drive for efficiency will continue for as long as engines remain in use – and the new Nissan e-Power system is a case in point. The first vehicle to use the latest, third-generation e-Power system, initially introduced in 2016, is the Qashqai, which began production in the UK in July. Nissan’s e-Power powertrain is a series hybrid system, so the 1.5-litre petrol engine works as a generator to charge the battery rather than driving the wheels. Because of that, the engine doesn’t need to produce transient bursts of power and torque for acceleration. It drives an integral generator to charge the battery, but when driving at high speeds, it can also feed power via the inverter (power electronics) directly to the main…

Current legislation states that personal driverless cars won’t be legal on UK roads until at least the second half of 2027. That date could change, given that ministers earlier this year pushed back the target of 2026. Why, then, are these firms being permitted to test autonomous vehicles (AV) on the busy streets of London? It’s part of an effort by the government to get the UK AV network ready through a new framework that allows “bus- and taxi-like” commercial services, in small fleets, to test on public roads. A separate framework has also allowed Nissan to test autonomous driving. A fleet of Leafs took to both city and rural roads in a project that the firm says has brought autonomous driving “one step closer to reality” in the UK.…

Toyota will headline the Tokyo motor show with a new concept car that previews the future of the Corolla. The Tokyo show concept is a dramatic departure visually from the current car and features what appears to be a charging port flap, suggesting the landmark adoption of a pure-electric powertrain for the 13th generation of one of the world’s best-selling cars. The design of the concept represents a significant move away from the current Corolla, which is now eight years old, with nothing to link the two other than the name. Shown in saloon form, it appears to have been sculpted for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, with a small frontal area, a streamliner-style roofline, flush-fit door handles and a small duck-tail spoiler. The concept’s styling showcases the next step in the…

I enjoy reading your My Car & I features and thought you might be interested in a story of my own. This car has been in our family from new, in 1967. AMC built only 921 Rambler Rogue Convertibles, all in 1967, and mine is right-hand drive, which makes it highly unusual, if not unique, in the UK. My dad Stanley grew up in Kenya and trained as an engineer. My mum Monica, who was from London, persuaded him to leave the wide, open spaces of East Africa and move to smoggy ol’ London town in 1954, because of the Mau Mau uprising. When he arrived, with me and my sister, both very young, he couldn’t find work as an engineer, so he started selling used cars. After a while,…

In an era when some firms are giving up on petrol-powered family hatchbacks – farewell, Ford Focus; au revoir, Audi A1 – here’s something novel: a shiny new one. And not even ‘heavy facelift’ new. This is an entirely new car with new styling and a new nameplate, only the merest hint of electrification and even the option of a manual gearbox. It’s been years since we saw a new model like this – 2019, in fact, when Skoda unveiled the Scala. So for anyone sad about a quite literal loss of Focus, say hello to the new Kia K4. It’s a neat flex: Kia is more advanced than many of its rivals when it comes to electrification but, in this amorphous transition phase, it doesn’t want to lose its…

The 6e is Mazda’s first all-electric saloon, and although it is still several months away from arriving in the UK, the car is already on sale in mainland Europe, where we drove it earlier in the year. Now we’ve had the chance to test it on UK roads, albeit in a left-hand-drive version. Built in partnership with Chinese car maker Changan, the 6e shares its underpinnings with the Deepal SL03. However, Mazda insists its car delivers a distinctly Japanese flavour, with the polished dynamics and driver-focused character the brand is known for. More on that in a moment. Two battery options will be available when the 6e goes on sale in the UK early next year. The line-up will kick off with a 68.8kWh battery offering 298 miles and an…

Unlike the C3 Aircross hybrid (Road Test, p34), you can think of the ë-C3 Aircross as more like an ë-C3 estate. Whereas the hybrid can be had with seven seats, the EV is a strict five-seater and, as such, looks and feels like a stretched version of its supermini sibling, even though it’s officially an SUV. But either way, there is nothing offensive about the design, which is a theme we’ll return to. Seating options aside, it’s all but indistinguishable from the hybrid versions inside. The plastics generally feel and look cheap, but then this is the cheapest electric SUV on the market, priced from £21,595 after the Electric Car Grant. So its fabric dashboard trim, textured seats and plethora of easy-to-use buttons are to be welcomed. Ergonomically, too, it’s…

VOLKSWAGEN XL1 Volkswagen’s diesel-powered plug-in hybrid took a decade to develop and cost the firm £1 billion. Weighing just 795kg and fitted with a super-frugal 800cc engine and tiny electric motor, the XL1 could better 300mpg – but its badly timed launch was overshadowed by the Dieselgate scandal. This is one of just 24 UK cars and has covered only 3300 miles from new. BOWLER DEFENDER CHALLENGE Built for the one-make rally series, the Bowler Defender Challenge is a modified version of a Defender 90 P300. The rally-prepared off-roader retains the standard car’s 296bhp four-cylinder engine but has a ride height increased by 25mm, is equipped with trick Fox-made dampers and features a stripped-out cabin with a full FIA-approved roll-cage. ALPINA B3 GT TOURING Tucked away in a quiet corner…

MILEAGE 8248 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Is this version good enough to be the performance X3? If you’ve ever visited Texas, you won’t have missed a slight obsession with how big it, and everything in it, is. It’s not entirely unwarranted: the state is three times larger than the UK. You definitely notice it if you drive anywhere: my brother lives near Houston, and once on holiday we drove 17 hours to visit New Mexico, which shares a state border with Texas. It makes you realise how lucky we are that LeShuttle makes it easy to drive to multiple European countries relatively easily. So when my 16-year-old niece and 11-year-old nephew visited from Texas recently, keen to travel, I hatched a plan to take them and my mum on a…

VAUXHALL MONARO VXR 2005, 96,000 miles, £14,500 This brawny coupé might not have the svelte looks of the Maserati (left) but its 6.0-litre V8 trumps the Italian for power, with 493bhp. This example looks in good condition too, with a full service history and an MOT until next June. LEXUS LS 600H 2008, 63,000 miles, £12,495 You’ll struggle to find a more opulent mile-munching luxobarge for the same money as this LS 600h. Its hybrid V8 is smooth, the ride is pillowy soft and the build quality inside is first rate. The miles aren’t crazy on this particular one and it’s said to have a solid history. MERCEDES-BENZ ML 350 AMG  SPORT G-TRONIC 2013, 77,000 miles, £11,325 With a gutsy V6 diesel and upmarket, roomy cabin, the ML 350 is an ideal…

Dacia will go after the Skoda Octavia next year with a new rugged estate model that’s petrol-powered, off-road ready and priced at less than £25,000. Due for launch in the coming months, the new model will play a crucial part in Dacia’s expansion into Europe’s most popular car market, the C-segment – which already accounts for a fifth of the firm’s sales, following the introduction of the Bigster SUV this year. A third C-segment model will arrive around a year later. Dacia’s new CEO, Katrin Adt, told Autocar that the success of the Bigster has inspired confidence within the company that the brand can continue to expand within the highly competitive C-segment. “Our main territory currently is the B-segment, but we have also offerings in the A-segment and we have…

SUBARU WILL REVIVE its dormant STI performance brand with two new concept cars – one an electric vehicle and the other powered by an internal combustion engine. A preview image published by Subaru ahead of the upcoming Tokyo motor show reveals that the pair will be hot hatchbacks featuring chunky bodykits and swathes of aero. The EV in particular will introduce a new design language, which Subaru describes as the “spearhead” for its next-generation line-up. Technical details of the EV have yet to be revealed, but the combustion-engined concept – which looks more closely tied to the existing Subaru line-up – will use the firm’s signature boxer engine configuration from the Japan/EU-sold Impreza, along with its symmetrical four-wheel drive system. The two concepts are the strongest hint at a relaunch…

THE JAECOO 8 family SUV will arrive in the UK next year as a rival for the Volkswagen Tayron and Skoda Kodiaq. A spokesperson confirmed the launch of the new model after a few UK dealers published advertisements for it online. The 8 will sit above the existing 5 and 7 SUVs in the Chinese brand’s line-up. UK specifications have yet to be confirmed, but in Australia (another right-hand-drive market) the 8 gets a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 245bhp and 284lb ft of torque. It can be specced with either front- or four-wheel drive and both variants use an eight-speed automatic. Range-topping cars also get adaptive suspension. Inside, there is a 12.3in digital instrument display and a matching infotainment touchscreen. In various global markets, the 8…

Police chiefs and charities have appealed to the government to let them spend cash raised through speed camera fines on road safety measures, rather than it going straight to Treasury coffers, as hundreds of people continue to die on UK roads every year. In 2024, four people were killed each day, and 76 were seriously injured, as a result of highway incidents. Although fatalities dropped by 1% compared with 2023, road safety charities such as RoSPA and the RAC Foundation say that it isn’t enough and that the figures indicate a lack of progress in reducing deaths and injuries. The charities have now teamed up with a number of police forces that have called on the government to use the approximately £100 million a year generated from speed camera fines…

THE VOLKSWAGEN ID 4 and ID 5 are the latest models to be deemed eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG). A discount of £1500 – the lower of the two grant bandings – has been applied to Pure Essential, Pure Match and Pro Essential versions of the electric SUVs. Prices for the respective ranges now start from £35,495. Volkswagen now has three electric cars eligible for the ECG, which applies to some EVs priced below £37,000. Its ID 3 hatchback was added to the scheme in the summer, and that model is now priced from less than £30,000. ECG eligibility is determined using a set of technical and sustainability criteria outlined by the UK government. So far, 38 EVs have been confirmed as eligible, with only the Ford…

This is the first picture of the new MG S6 EV – before you were meant to see it. Images of the new family SUV have surfaced ahead of the car’s official unveiling after the model was included in the most recent group of Euro NCAP crash and safety tests. The S6 bears a strong visual likeness to the smaller S5. Inside, it appears to have a similar digital instrument panel and steering wheel. It will be positioned between the £28,745 S5 and the new £47,995 MG IM6.…

LEXUS IS GEARING up to reinvent its seminal luxury saloon flagship, the LS, as a six-wheeled MPV. Previewing a concept for the Tokyo show, Akio Toyoda, chairman of parent company Toyota, said the LS nameplate would now stand for ‘Luxury Space’ rather than the original ‘Luxury Sedan’ coined at the inception of the Lexus brand in the 1980s. Toyoda said MPVs are “the new luxury shape of the future”, noting that more interior space is the number one priority for buyers of premium cars, so “new packaging is needed”. The eye-catching six-wheel configuration allows for smaller rear wheels and arches, which frees up third-row cabin space. On the viability of building such a radically different new model, Toyoda admitted: “I’m not sure if they can do that yet, but everyone…

GRRR YARIS Toyota’s GR Yaris is a great car, but the price is now a complete rip-off. When it came on sale, it started at sub-£30k. That this latest version is now priced at nearly £49k is beyond belief, as most of these additions are mainly cosmetic and will add little or nothing to the car’s performance. To show how much UK punters are being overcharged by Toyota, it’s worth looking how much the GR Corolla costs in the US: the entry-level price is sub-$40k, or £30k. Admittedly there are sales taxes on top of that, but how can a mechanically similar car cost so much more here in the UK? Ian P Via autocar.co.uk THE PRICE IS RIGHT As a Mk1 GR Yaris owner, I’m happy to see the…

Volvo needs something to help it out of a fiscal rut, but the new ES90 is unlikely to be of much use. Imagine the most commercially questionable product today, given prevailing market sentiments. Right up there alongside an electric hypercar bearing the licensed, little-known branding of a reanimated marque is a premium electric vehicle that is neither a play-it-safe SUV nor a traditional saloon. That Volvo is not even trying to sell the £69,000 ES90 in the US, its largest market, is the cherry on top – the ES90 hails from Chengdu, where Volvo has been making cars since 2013, and massive American tariffs for China-built cars make it a non-starter. Should the very real prospect of tepid sales prejudice us against the idea of ES90? Quite the opposite. A…

If I told you there was a new Bentley Flying Spur with nearly 700bhp and sub-4.0sec 0-60mph potential, you probably wouldn’t expect it to be the soft-pedal, looking-after-the-pennies option. That’s the point. Crewe now has both High Performance and Ultra Performance versions of its V8 plug-in hybrid powertrains, but you really wouldn’t feel short-changed with the former, which powers all ‘core’ and Azure versions of the Flying Spur limo. Go for a model below Azure, Speed or Mulliner billing and you can – just – buy a Flying Spur for less than £200,000. Materially, there is now no significant difference between each version of this car. The High Performance hybrid system produces a bit less power and torque than its marginally less immodestly named sibling, but it uses the same…

Europe’s modal-average, typical new car has for several years now almost certainly been a supermini-based, B-segment SUV. Given the soaring popularity of the likes of the Ford Puma, Nissan Juke, Vauxhall Mokka, Renault Captur and more, it’s remarkable enough that there are any ‘firsts’ left to accomplish in the class. And yet Citroën is laying claim to one with the second-generation C3 Aircross. This new, higher-riding, marginally tougher-looking, stretched version of the C3 is the first car in its segment – a pumped-up supermini segment, let’s not forget – to offer seven seats. It doesn’t do so as standard and yet, still, it becomes a highly unusual prospect among new cars: one to combine a footprint that’s narrowly under 4.4 metres in length with three rows of seating for those…

The ‘profit warning’ is a counterintuitive concept in the modern corporate world. Seems a bit like the idea of a well-signed, buried treasure-related trip hazard, or the threat of sudden and unexpected happiness. But it means the opposite of all that: and, as we now know, even the most ‘bankable’ of automotive brands can be vulnerable to one. Few brands in the automotive industry have flexed quite as much profit-making power since the turn of the 21st century as Porsche. The choppier waters it has hit of late have been attributed to the decline of the Chinese market and the impact of North American tariffs. And it has all been reported – rather a lot – because the idea of a Porsche that isn’t making lorry loads of cash is…

“It’s effortless to drive, live with and park” As I write this, no Range Rover Evoques have emerged from the Halewood production line for more than four weeks, due to the cataclysmic cyber attack on its maker, JLR. I sincerely hope that will no longer be the case by the time you read this, but I wouldn’t be surprised if, having now finished its tenure with us, our Evoque was whisked away into the hands of a customer, perhaps waiting for her or his delayed new car. Having spent a good few months with the Evoque, it’s clear to me why this model is in demand. In fact, even though it was launched in 2017 and sells in significantly smaller numbers now than it did then, its sales have remained…

The Mercedes C-Class has always been up against stiff competition, not least the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. But this generation – the ‘W205’, produced from 2014 to 2021 – is more than capable of holding its head high against its contemporaries, and you can now buy one from around £4000. The W in that codename refers to the saloon but there is also the S205 estate, C205 coupé and A205 convertible. The two-door variants are quite different, so we’ll leave them for another time. This C-Class was the first Merc to adopt the MRA platform, whose extensive use of aluminium helped make it 100kg lighter than the previous model, despite being almost 100mm longer. Mercedes claimed it was the most rigid in its class and we were certainly…

My wife once asked me: if “ you could have any car you want, what would it be? I said I didn’t know but it would probably be green and slightly impractical and that’s what I ended up with!” Steve Rooke still can’t believe he’s the owner of a green Maserati 3200 GT. After all, it’s not like he set out to have one. “I go cycling with a friend who owns a 4200 GT,” he says. “One Sunday, as we set off for another ride, he said to me: ‘I’m going to show you something that might change your life.’ We stopped outside a car dealer, Hardy’s of Hampton Court, and there was this green Maserati. I liked the look of it so back home I checked it would…

The next-generation Dacia Spring Electric will benefit from being an all-new model, with the firm’s sales boss admitting a need to “enhance” its performance while still maintaining a “very accessible price”. The new city car will be based on the electric Renault Twingo and, like that model, be designed and built in Europe. That’s in contrast to the current Spring, which is built in China and was originally designed for emerging global markets and as a result has been criticised for its performance and dynamics. “We need to enhance the product performance, especially the drivability. That needs to be a little bit improved,” said Frank Marotte of the company’s smallest car. Being related to the Twingo, the next-generation version is likely to share that car’s powertrains and chassis set-up –…

BENTLEY HAS REVEALED a trio of special models to mark three significant anniversaries for the storied Crewe-based car manufacturer. In 2025, the T Series celebrates 60 years since its launch, the Turbo R marks 40 years and the Flying Spur will have been in production for 20 years. Created by Bentley’s Mulliner bespoke division, the modern one-offs feature the same colour, trim and “ethos” as the models to which they are paying tribute. 1965 T SERIES The first monocoque Bentley featured a 199bhp 6.2-litre V8. Today, it’s honoured with a special Flying Spur Azure, showcasing the same alloy design, Shell Grey exterior and interior leather trim. 1985 TURBO R The Turbo R, reaching 62mph in 7.0sec, was considered the return of the Blower. Today’s special Flying Spur Speed is somewhat…

Fiat will expand the Panda line-up with a production version of its 2024 Fastback concept. Spotted testing for the first time by Autocar’s spy photographers, it will be the Italian firm’s largest model to date. It will use the same Smart Car underpinnings as the smaller Grande Panda and is therefore likely to be sold with petrol, hybrid and electric power. Fiat has billed it as a successor to both the Europe-market Tipo hatchback and estate and the South American-market SUV-coupé of the same name. Autocar understands it will be called Panda Fastback. An SUV variant, based on the concept revealed at the same time, is also believed to be in development, although it has yet to break cover. The production Fastback is due to be launched next year, given…

Responding to the latest road casualty figures, The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has called for the government’s upcoming National Road Safety Strategy to include the expansion of 20mph zones in residential areas and roads near schools. The previous Conservative government pledged to crack down on what it called anti-driver road schemes, including blanket 20mph speed limits. Last year, Louise Haigh, the current government’s then transport secretary, appeared to support that view when she insisted that 20mph schemes must have the support of local communities and should not be imposed by government. In July last year, Southampton City Council changed the limit from 20mph to 30mph on a number of city centre roads, reversing changes made by the previous Labour council. Councillor Jeremy Moulton, a former Southampton…

Fully self-driving taxis from US firm Waymo will take to the UK’s roads next year as part of a new government-backed pilot scheme that aims to accelerate the rollout of driverless technology across the country. The American ride-hailing service will begin its trials in London using a fleet of specially adapted Jaguar I-Pace SUVs. Waymo already runs driverless taxi services in six US states and has recently expanded into Japan, and its autonomous cars have now driven more than 100 million miles. The news that Waymo is set to expand its operations to the UK follows confirmation in June that taxi firm Uber will also begin trials of driverless vehicles next spring. Uber will work with mapping service Wayve, and it has previously tested a fleet of Ford Mustang Mach-Es.…

“IT WAS A ‘welcome home’ in a way,” says Nicola Dobson, on walking back into Peugeot’s Coventry offices in January, this time as UK managing director. “It was a nice feeling. I know so many people who work within the brand, and it was a very positive response from the team.” Dobson’s experience at Peugeot began in 2000 on the graduate programme. She went on to have eight other roles across the business, including stints as Citroën’s UK marketing director and leading Stellantis UK’s used car operation, culminating in this opportunity. Since Dobson rejoined, Peugeot’s sales are up almost 40% year on year, at just over 70,000 units, and it has sold more cars than any other Stellantis brand in the UK, Vauxhall included. Peugeot is challenging Hyundai, Toyota, Mercedes…

Toyota will officially unveil its long-awaited, V8-powered successor to the Lexus LFA supercar by the end of the year. The supercar had been tipped for a debut at the Tokyo show, following a long preview campaign featuring several iterations of concept car and even a pair of running prototypes at the Festival of Speed – but a countdown on the firm’s website suggests the wraps will finally come off on 5 December. The Aston Martin DB12 rival – now officially called GR GT – will then make its first public appearance at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January.…

FIRST DRIVE FERRARI 296 SPECIALE Track-honed 868bhp two-seater has trick aero, tuned suspension and the potential for 0-62mph in 2.8sec and 124-0mph in 106m. We drive it EXCLUSIVE AUDI CONCEPT C DRIVEN We sample the TT-inspired sports car – with Audi’s CEO riding shotgun FEATURE HOW TO HIT 200MPH IN THE UK What’s it like to drive a McLaren around Silverstone? Will Rimell finds out EVERY WEEK LIVING WITH A… VOLKSWAGEN TAYRON The seven-seat SUV no one has heard of joins our fleet USED GUIDE DACIA SANDERO Once the UK’s cheapest car – and now considerably cheaper…

The new Mercedes CLA is already becoming familiar. We’ve been seeing positive reviews from foreign parts since mid-year and, as you read this, the company is in its fifth week of selling the model in the UK, having been anxious to reduce a very solid backlog of orders – a problem more EV sellers doubtless wish they had. What no one has done until now is report on a CLA drive in this country, where road surfaces are notably different from other countries in Europe. So on the first day of test car availability, we took a single-motor, rear-drive CLA 250+, likely to be the most popular version here, and drove it on familiar roads to see how it fared against rivals. Details of the CLA’s impressive specifications are well…

The eVitara, Suzuki’s first EV, has made it to the UK in production form. We’ve previously driven a prototype at Millbrook, tried the identical Toyota Urban Cruiser in Spain and now we’ve finally done some real miles on UK roads. To recap, Toyota and Suzuki have an agreement to share models and engineering, which has produced Suzuki-badged Toyotas such as the Swace (a Corolla) and the Across (a RAV4) and now Suzuki has led the project to develop a joint small electric SUV. Think Ford Puma Gen-E and Renault 4 territory. It uses an adapted version of the same architecture as Suzuki’s petrol models but with some Toyota bits grafted on. Batteries are LFP – 49 or 61kWh – and, rather unusually for the class, there is a four-wheel-drive version…

There are more than 17,000 rapid and ultra-rapid EV chargers in the UK, across more than 6500 locations. Capable of delivering up to 400kW of power, they’re key to the uptake of electric cars, but what are they like to use? To find out, I visited 10 charging stations – a mix of large ‘hubs’ near major routes and one or two smaller ones, whose operators tend to favour more local sites. I wanted to know how easy the chargers were to use, how suitable the locations were, how easy they were to find – and what state the toilets were in. There were surprises and disappointments… INSTAVOLT Test location Stroud Park, Banbury, Oxfordshire  Charging speed 160kW Cost 87p/kWh Instavolt’s special summer tariff of 54p/kWh (50p for subscribers) was available…

MILEAGE 4225 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Is this new luxury EV as compelling as its spec sheet and unique look suggest? World’s largest Polestar ‘ logo’ might not be quite up there with the ‘Oasis to headline Knebworth’ rumours, but for the inaugural Polestar Festival this was the star both figuratively and literally. A total of 170 metres wide, this particular headliner was made up of no fewer than 180 cars lined up in formation and took three hours of careful positioning. Almost 1000 Polestar owners and their families turned up to mark the fifth anniversary of Polestar’s UK launch, yours truly among them. Held at Bicester Motion, the festival had on-track and off-road passenger rides, live talks on all matters Polestar, displays from its suppliers and partners including the…

AN OWNER’S VIEW IAN BLACKBURN “I recently purchased an approved-used 2020 C220d AMG Line and I’m really enjoying it. It’s nice to drive, really efficient – more than 60mpg – and still looks modern. I’m happy I chose a facelifted car as the bigger, 10.3in infotainment screen looks far more up to date. I avoided the newer generation due to its screen-heavy interior and inferior quality and so far I’ve had no regrets. My only issue is that the seats feel a bit overstuffed: not as comfy as a Merc should be.” BUYER BEWARE… ■ ENGINES Some 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol models have experienced premature thermostat failure, so keep an eye on the temperature gauge. Replacing it is a difficult job, so expect a large bill. Turbo failure on the…

You might have been surprised to read that such a quintessentially American car as Ash Medicks’ Rambler Rogue was ever officially offered in the UK (p20) – but in fact its maker not only sold cars here over many decades but even produced some here too. The story starts way back in 1911, when a London dealer introduced Brits to Hudson cars. Eleven years later, the Detroit manufacturer set up a UK arm to create a nationwide dealership network for its Hudson, Terraplane and Essex brands (that last name apparently chosen to lend an air of old-world sophistication). Four years later, Hudson had a factory built in Chiswick, London – the first in a series of eye-catching industrial buildings that would form the famous ‘Golden Mile’. Autocar first tested a…