Cars

Global Car Culture Since 2008

Not so long ago, resto-mods were almost exclusively reserved for big dollar classics and vintage supercars. But exclusivity no more, just in the last couple of years we’ve seen the JDM space sprout a few of its own resto-mods; the Built By Legends GTR’s and TOM’s Supra just to name a few. That’s where the Prodrive P25 […]

The post Modernising a WRC Legend – The Prodrive P25 appeared first on Speedhunters.

And rightly so, there’s so much to see, visit, do and of course eat, oh and if you happen to be a car guy or gal, then you’re in luck as there’s never been a better time to actually see the car culture in all its glory.  With famed parking areas like Daikoku and Umihotaru […]

The post 8 Cars In 1 Day: A Day With Drivers Lounge appeared first on Speedhunters.

That might sound like a lot, but it manages some 82 million vehicles in some of the world’s most densely populated cities daily. As a country, it should be at a perpetual standstill. Yet, ever since the 1950s, the Japanese have held a tiny little ace up their sleeves… Kei-jidõsha, or ‘kei car’ as it’s […]

The post Kei & Mighty: Exploring Japan’s WAZUKA Microcar Museum appeared first on Speedhunters.

But finally, after the stars recently aligned, I managed to get the cool guys at Car Shop Glow (CSG) to bring their time attacking Mazda to a quiet location away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo’s daily chaos. I can remember the first time I laid eyes on this RX-7 – it was probably […]

The post 10-Year Throwback: For The Love Of Rotary appeared first on Speedhunters.

Corner balancing a car has been one of those things that seemed off-limits to the average automotive DIY enthusiast. You can find a wide range of electronic scales from a speed shop like Summit Racing; however, a ‘decent’ set will set you back at least $1,000, and a higher-quality set will cost double that. You […]

The post Project Rough: DIY Corner Balance Take 2 – With Physics! appeared first on Speedhunters.

Car meets are a rare occurrence in Scandinavia’s cold months, but with the arrival of spring and the clearing of salted roads, enthusiasts begin bringing out their cars. After a long, dark, and freezing winter, not one clear, warm day is wasted. While there are a few well-known spots for gatherings, on Thursday evenings over […]

The post Nifsta Classic Cars: Stockholm’s Summer Delight appeared first on Speedhunters.

I could name a few, but one that stands out is a 21-second clip of a bright yellow MkIV Toyota Supra built by JUN, power-sliding at Tsukuba Circuit. I’m not sure where I first saw it online, but in 2001 – four years before YouTube was a thing – you can bet I risked the prospect […]

The post Who Remembers The JUN Akira Supra? appeared first on Speedhunters.

‘Give a man a body kit, and he’ll look cool for a day. Give him a sheet of raw carbon fibre, and he’ll look cool for a lifetime.’ Masato Nitta lives by this philosophy, and he’s built a one-piece carbon front cowl for his EK9 Honda Civic Type R to prove it. Of course, while this […]

The post From The Garage To The Loop: A Kanjo-Spec Civic Type R appeared first on Speedhunters.

Late last year, I took a whirlwind 36-hour trip from Vancouver, Canada to Los Angeles, USA with my friend Paul, driven by a single mission: to bring our friend Sid’s RWB Porsche 997 on a journey through some of LA’s most iconic roads and spots. It was one of those rare, fast-paced adventures that somehow […]

The post RWB Dreams: A 36-Hour Adventure In LA appeared first on Speedhunters.

None of us are born with these preferences; rather, they are developed and nurtured by our friends, family and social groups. If all your friends love Nissans and drifting, chances are that you’re going to follow a similar path. As your love and passion for one marque flourishes, your dissent for the ‘other side’ grows. Of […]

The post Throwback: A Ford Escort Built To Divide & Conquer appeared first on Speedhunters.

Latest BMW News, Reviews and New Models

MINI is set to delight its drivers with a playful and expressive new feature: “Emoji Mode,” coming soon to all current MINI models equipped with dynamic taillights. Available via a simple over-the-air update starting April...

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MINI is set to delight its drivers with a playful and expressive new feature: “Emoji Mode,” coming soon to all current MINI models equipped with dynamic taillights. Available via a simple over-the-air update starting April 1st, this new function is enabled by Remote Software Upgrade technology, already deployed on over 10 million BMW Group vehicles—no dealer visit required. With the introduction of Emoji Mode, MINI is once again redefining how we connect on the road. Whether it’s a quick thank you, a warm greeting, or even a cheeky flirtation, MINI drivers can now use their taillights to share emojis with fellow road users. The dynamic taillights of the current MINI range are central to this innovation. The new Emoji Mode is especially suited to urban traffic, making it easier than ever to send short, friendly messages to the driver behind. In the first official images, we see the MINI Aceman JCW (J05) cheerfully lighting up its rear lights with a friendly wave, a raised thumbs-up, and several heart gestures—ideal for a bit of playful charm or a small “thank you” for thoughtful driving. Drivers can easily select emojis via the brand’s signature 24-centimeter circular OLED display, where a dedicated menu offers a variety of expressive icons. When braking, the selected emoji lights up alongside the third brake light, and for legal reasons, each emoji appears for no longer than three seconds at a time. To enhance ease of use, MINI’s system also makes three intelligent emoji suggestions based on the driving context, offering real-time mood-matching options for the driver. At launch, only positive and friendly symbols will be available. However, MINI hints that future updates could unlock a wider emotional palette—acknowledging that not every traffic encounter warrants a smile. The brand says the Emoji Mode will remain exclusive to the MINI brand at least until April 1, 2026. Once again, MINI proves that “unreal” doesn’t exist in its vocabulary. First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

BMW of North America has announced its U.S. sales results for the first quarter of 2025, showcasing a positive trajectory for both BMW and MINI brands. The BMW brand experienced a 3.7% increase in sales,...

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BMW of North America has announced its U.S. sales results for the first quarter of 2025, showcasing a positive trajectory for both BMW and MINI brands. The BMW brand experienced a 3.7% increase in sales, delivering 87,615 vehicles compared to 84,475 in the same period last year. MINI also saw a notable rise, with sales climbing 9.5% to 6,976 vehicles from 6,369 in Q1 2024. The introduction of the all-new MINI Countryman and Cooper models contributed to MINI’s sales growth. A significant contributor to BMW’s growth is the surge in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales. In Q1 2025, BMW sold 13,538 BEVs, marking a 26.4% increase over the 10,713 units sold during the same period in 2024. The BMW i4 led this segment with 7,125 units sold—a 57% jump from the previous year’s 4,537 units. The BMW iX also performed well, with sales rising 23.1% to 3,626 units. Conversely, the BMW i5 and i7 experienced slight declines, with sales of 1,899 and 888 units, representing decreases of 15.2% and 10.4%, respectively. The new 2026 BMW iX entered production in March, so the next quarter could see a new rise in iX sales. Sebastian Mackensen, President & CEO of BMW of North America, expressed satisfaction with the quarter’s performance, emphasizing the strength of BMW’s U.S. production network and the appeal of its product lineup. He highlighted that the majority of BMW vehicles sold in the U.S. are also assembled domestically, underscoring the company’s commitment to local manufacturing. Q1 2025 Q1 2024 % Total 2025 Total 2024 % i4 7,125 4,537 57% 7,125 4,537 57% i5 1,899 2,239 -15.2% 1,899 2,239 -15.2% i7 888 991 -10.4% 888 991 -10.4% iX 3,626 2,945 23.1% 3,626 2,945 23.1% 13,538 10,713 26.4% 13,538 10,713 26.4% Q1 2025 Q1 2024 % Total 2025 Total 2024 % BMW passenger cars 43,619 38,701 12.7% 43,619 38,701 12.7% BMW light trucks 43,996 45,774 -3.9% 43,996 45,774 -3.9% Total BMW 87,615 84,475 3.7% 87,615 84,475 3.7% Total MINI 6,976 6,369 9.5% 6,976 6,369 9.5% First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Over the years, BMW’s had a few tricks up its sleeve. With April Fools jokes running for longer longer than some of our readers (and writers!) have been alive, the Bavarian automaker is certainly no...

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Over the years, BMW’s had a few tricks up its sleeve. With April Fools jokes running for longer longer than some of our readers (and writers!) have been alive, the Bavarian automaker is certainly no stranger to whimsy. The latest—the excellent and downright desirable M2 Dakar—is only one of many highlights. But with over 30 years of foolin’, a few stand above. Looking back, here are some of our favorite April Fools jokes from BMW. BMW Optiglass (1995) “You don’t need glasses. You need a BMW,” is the tagline for one of our favorite BMW hoaxes, BMW Optiglass. The automaker “introduced” it in 1995, claiming that “58% of drivers wear or need glasses when driving,” so “3, 5, 7, and 8 Series BMWs can be fitted with Optiglass—the perfect solution for those who suffer from less than 20/20 vision.” The joke went on to state that a switch mounted on the dashboard could change the “refractive index” of the windshield, creating a “lens that suits all drivers.” There was even a memory function that could save selections, accommodating a wide range of drivers! BMW WAIL (1997) “A BMW for the animal kingdom,” indeed. WAIL was a concept—but, more importantly, a joke—BMW ran with that allowed drivers to communicate with nature. The doctors at the Bavarian Institute of Zoology apparently devised a way to generate frequencies outside the human ear’s normal range (20,000+ Hz) as a method of clearing animals from the road by emitting a high-frequency pitch from the vehicle’s Park Distance Control System. WAIL—or the Wildlife Acoustic Information Link—was “available from April 1 on selected models,” but only in the UK. SHEF technology from BMW (2004) Satellite Hypersensitive Electromagnetic Foodration technology, or SHEF, allowed drivers to cook their dinners from their car. Buttons decked out the bezel of the then tiny iDrive screen, emblazoned with words you might feel more comfortable reading in your kitchen rather than car, such as “grill” and “oven.” BMW even touted a camera system that allowed you to monitor your meals progress, and why wouldn’t you with recipe suggestions like “chicken a la M42.” Recipes were on a separate page that the ad redirected to. BMW Uninvents the Wheel (2005) BMW’s 2005 ad in the UK claimed that the EU was banning right-hand drive cars, and that BMW “uninvents the wheel.” Hands free steering was the way to go, the ad claimed, relying on a combination of voice commands and sensors for the car to find its way. BMW claimed that when you entered/exited the UK, driver and passengers could switch sides, which the retractable gauges and pedals would accommodate. In case drivers weren’t yet comfortable, a padded metal bar could be “elicited from the dash” for drivers to lean on. It’s still better than the stupid Tesla yoke. M3 Pickup Truck (2011) Arguably one of the most iconic hoaxes BMW has pulled, because it was, well, real, the M3 pickup was an E92 M3 sporting a targo roof and chopped off at the rear, offering the convenience and style of both open top cruising and an open bed. Claimed to be the “world’s fastest pickup,” and at the time it likely would have been, the M3 Pickup touted up to 450 kg of capacity and 420 horsepower. The ad teased the car as being set up on test drives of the Nürburgring “ahead of its April 1 debut,” cluing in many readers. It concluded with the clarification that the M3 Pickup is, sadly, a one-off. The newest April Fools joke out of Bavaria is already one of my favorites, but we’d love to hear about the ones you think should’ve made the cut in the comments below. First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Just when you thought BMW M had run out of ways to surprise us, they drop a bombshell—a lifted BMW M2 built for the desert. Or at least, that’s what they want us to believe....

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Just when you thought BMW M had run out of ways to surprise us, they drop a bombshell—a lifted BMW M2 built for the desert. Or at least, that’s what they want us to believe. On April Fools’ Day 2025, BMW M unveiled what they called “The Ultimate Off-Road Machine,” the BMW M2 Dakar. It’s bold, rugged, and completely unexpected. And yes, it’s also completely fake. The M2 Dakar was introduced with all the dramatic flair of a serious off-road launch. BMW’s Instagram post declared it was “built for the toughest terrains, ready to tackle any challenge,” and at first glance, it seemed entirely believable. The car features a significantly raised suspension for greater ground clearance, wrapped in massive off-road tires that look ready to dig into sand, gravel, and rocks. Its aggressive bodywork includes extended fenders and a wide-body kit that seems pulled straight from a Dakar Rally special. But the details didn’t stop there. The M2 Dakar was outfitted with full underbody protection stretching into the front bumper, a roof rack loaded with a spare tire and auxiliary navigation lights, and—perhaps the most clever touch—off-road rally lights seamlessly integrated into the kidney grilles. The styling strikes a perfect balance between fantasy and functionality, with just enough realism to leave fans second-guessing whether this might be a real one-off or concept project. In many ways, it’s a tongue-in-cheek response to Porsche’s 911 Dakar and Lamborghini’s Huracán Sterrato—cars that have actually made the jump from supercar to sand slayer. Seeing BMW throw its hat in the imaginary off-road ring with a high-riding M2 is both hilarious and weirdly satisfying. And that’s what makes this April Fools’ joke sting a little. Because let’s be honest: we want this to exist. The M2’s short wheelbase, punchy engine, and agile chassis would make for a wicked rally toy if properly adapted. BMW M’s post even calls it “ready to tackle any challenge,” and judging by the internet’s reaction, the biggest challenge now is convincing BMW to build it. While it’s nothing more than a brilliantly executed prank, the M2 Dakar has ignited something real—enthusiasm. Whether BMW takes that and runs with it remains to be seen. But for now, the M2 Dakar lives only in our hearts, on our feeds, and in the dusty corner of our imaginations where fantasy builds become fan favorites. [Photos: BMW M] First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

In a bold move that blurred the line between fantasy and reality, BMW M Motorsport sent enthusiasts into a frenzy today with the surprise reveal of the BMW M3 Touring GT3 EVO – a machine...

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In a bold move that blurred the line between fantasy and reality, BMW M Motorsport sent enthusiasts into a frenzy today with the surprise reveal of the BMW M3 Touring GT3 EVO – a machine that looks ready to dominate endurance racing… but sadly exists only in our dreams. Shared on BMW M Motorsport’s official social media channels, the vehicle was introduced with a caption that read: “BMW M3 Touring body. GT3 soul. Meet the BMW M3 Touring GT3 EVO – our newest addition to the BMW M Motorsport family. Garage born, track approved and ready to race!” Accompanied by striking images, the M3 Touring GT3 EVO showcased aggressive motorsport styling lifted straight from BMW’s M4 GT3 EVO playbook. The Touring body was widened with a full aero kit, including a massive front splitter, flared fenders, side rocker panels, a track-ready rear diffuser, and of course, the iconic racing wing perched proudly on the tailgate. Completing the illusion was the factory M4 GT3 EVO livery and an enlarged kidney grille optimized for cooling – making the car indistinguishable from its circuit-bred sibling at first glance. A Dream That Might Never Come True For a few fleeting hours, fans dared to believe BMW had built the ultimate unicorn – a wagon fused with full GT3-spec engineering. However, as the date suggests, this was BMW’s annual April Fools’ Day stunt – and perhaps one of its most realistic yet. Despite the tongue-in-cheek nature of the announcement, reactions online were overwhelmingly positive, with fans across the globe calling on BMW to build at least a one-off version of the car. The concept isn’t entirely outlandish. BMW M has previously dabbled in outrageous one-offs and April Fools’ ideas that straddled the line of possibility. Notably, the E92 M3 Pickup Truck – also an April 1 joke – turned out to be a fully functional prototype used for internal logistics at BMW M’s Garching facility. And with the recent success of the BMW M3 Touring (G81), which marked the first-ever M3 wagon to enter production, the idea of a race-ready Touring isn’t as far-fetched as it once seemed. While the M3 Touring GT3 EVO may never see the green flag at Spa or Le Mans, its brief moment in the spotlight is a reminder of the passion and playfulness that still lives at the heart of BMW M. And who knows? With enough interest, perhaps this April Fools’ fantasy could evolve into a very real track weapon. Until then, we’ll keep dreaming—and maybe start taking measurements for a custom build. [Photo: BMW M] View this post on Instagram A post shared by BMW M Motorsport 🏆 (@bmwmmotorsport) First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

It’s been a busy month for BMW at the Nürburgring. The challenging German track nicknamed by Jackie Stewart as “The Green Hell” served as the venue for prototype testing of several models. We’ve talked about...

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It’s been a busy month for BMW at the Nürburgring. The challenging German track nicknamed by Jackie Stewart as “The Green Hell” served as the venue for prototype testing of several models. We’ve talked about the next 3 Series (G50), i3 Sedan (NA0), and the new iX3 (NA5), but there was another car. This unassuming M5 F90 was spotted during industry-pool testing, so this isn’t an enthusiast’s sports sedan. Judging by the Munich plates, it might just be BMW’s own prototype unless it’s being tested by a supplier. Ok, but what makes it interesting? It may look like a standard previous-generation M5 before the facelift, but there’s a subtle change at the rear. The fender extensions indicate it’s a test mule for … something. Obviously, the M5 F90 isn’t coming back, so we’re scratching our heads trying to figure out what’s what. The plot thickens when you consider BMW is already testing the facelifted M5. Although G90 deliveries kicked off only a few months ago, car paparazzi have already caught the LCI with Neue Klasse design cues on camera. This M5 F90 might not necessarily be a test mule for a future product. The engineers could be evaluating specific components that will eventually go (or not) into a road-going model. The extra thickness over the M5’s already bulging fenders makes us think it’s a test mule for an SUV. However, we wouldn’t go as far as to say the next X5 M is hiding underneath the sedan’s body. Curiously, the fender flare seems more pronounced on the driver’s side. It’s always tricky to pinpoint the identity of test mules, especially if they carry the body of a car that BMW no longer makes. Whatever the case, the vehicle clearly has a combustion engine, likely a big V8. The M division has pledged to keep the eight-cylinder alive for the long haul, and we’ve already reported about BMW engineering the new X5, X6, and X7 with V8s. Just about everyone would want an M5 G90 with an S68 that skips the bulky plug-in hybrid setup. However, that ship has long sailed. We’re just glad to see BMW’s relentless efforts to save the V8 in the downsizing era. Hopefully, this mysterious test mule is a sign of an exciting M product currently in the works. Fingers crossed. Video: statesidesupercars / YouTube First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Chris Harris has officially declared war on rear tires—with BMW’s blessing this time. After nearly four months of living with the new BMW M5 (G90) as a daily driver, Harris was finally unleashed at Thruxton...

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Chris Harris has officially declared war on rear tires—with BMW’s blessing this time. After nearly four months of living with the new BMW M5 (G90) as a daily driver, Harris was finally unleashed at Thruxton Circuit, where he could explore the wilder side of M’s 717-horsepower hybrid beast. Until now, BMW UK had asked him not to turn the new M5 into a tire-smoking YouTube spectacle. But all that changed when they handed him not just the keys—but also a fresh set of Michelin Pilot Sport 5 S tires. You know where this is going. The video starts tame enough, with Harris attacking corners in 4WD mode, clearly impressed by how well this 2.5-ton luxury sedan handles serious speed and direction changes. But things take a hard turn—literally—when he engages 2WD mode and completely deactivates DSC. The result? Pure, unfiltered drift chaos. A Tail-Happy Beast Now pushing all 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm of torque) to the rear wheels alone, the M5 transforms into a tail-happy beast. Harris expertly balances the car at the limit, showing that despite its heft, the G90 M5 is ridiculously controllable, even under serious duress. We’re talking fifth-gear drifts at 110 mph, at which point the active M differential starts waving the white flag due to overheating. Even then, Harris shrugs it off stating that he prefers the new G90 M5 to the AMG or Audi RS models. That’s high praise coming from someone who’s thrashed every performance sedan on the planet. His verdict? The G90 BMW M5 is by far the best hybrid sedan he’s ever driven—dynamic, planted, and genuinely fun. And perhaps most surprisingly, tire wear isn’t catastrophic even after 20 minutes of fast laps and a few more minutes of heavy drifting. Yes, there’s plenty of smoky drama, but the car doesn’t shred rubber like a track-only drift missile. First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

The 2025 MotoGP round at the Circuit of the Americas was already shaping up to be a spectacle before a single lap was completed. But few could’ve predicted that the first headline-grabbing moment of the...

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The 2025 MotoGP round at the Circuit of the Americas was already shaping up to be a spectacle before a single lap was completed. But few could’ve predicted that the first headline-grabbing moment of the race wouldn’t come from the grid—or even from a motorcycle. Instead, it came from the official MotoGP safety car, a brand-new G90 BMW M5, which lost control and plowed into the barriers during the warm-up. It all started with Marc Márquez, who threw the pre-race routine into disarray when he suddenly ditched his wet-spec bike on the starting grid and sprinted back to the pits to grab his dry-spec Honda. Within seconds, nearly a third of the grid followed his lead. Race control had little choice but to throw a red flag and call for a full restart. Drifting Gone Wrong But more drama unfolded just moments later, this time courtesy of the support vehicle meant to ensure rider safety. As the new G90 M5 began its demonstration lap, things went sideways—literally—between Turns 14 and 15. According to footage captured by a fan trackside, the car began to oversteer aggressively, holding a slide that, for a brief moment, looked intentional… until it wasn’t. The drift carried into the braking zone for Turn 15, where the driver appeared to lose it completely. The M5 snapped straight and slammed head-on into the barriers. Trackside witnesses reported that the driver may have had the car in 2WD mode—designed for tail-happy fun—but with the surface still damp and the tires likely cold, it may have been a recipe for disaster. Despite the impact, the car managed to limp off under its own power and was later spotted parked near the marshal post at Turn 14. But based on the visible damage, many spectators suspect the car is a total loss. Déjà Vu for BMW? If this feels familiar, it’s because it isn’t the first time a BMW M5 has kissed a MotoGP barrier. In 2017, the previous-gen F90 M5 found itself in a similar incident at the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez—ironically, also under safety car duty. Since 1999, BMW has been the official car supplier for MotoGP, delivering everything from M2s to X5Ms, and even the stunning Z8 roadster used in 2002. This season, BMW brought out the big guns with the M5 Touring and the new hybrid M5 sedan. This week, only one of those cars remained intact. [Photo Credit: Cesar de Oliveira] First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Ferdinand Piëch, the relentless and brilliant patriarch of the Volkswagen Group, is known for putting out some legendary cars and engines. Under his rule, nothing was too ambitious, too complex, or too strange. That era gave...

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Ferdinand Piëch, the relentless and brilliant patriarch of the Volkswagen Group, is known for putting out some legendary cars and engines. Under his rule, nothing was too ambitious, too complex, or too strange. That era gave us the W-8, W-12, and W-16 engines. It birthed a V10 TDI Touareg and almost gave us a Bugatti with an eighteen-cylinder engine. And somewhere in that fever dream of innovation, Piëch quietly commissioned something even more unusual: a W10 engine, stuffed into none other than a BMW M5. The Myth Becomes Reality For years, the “W10 M5” was little more than internet folklore—an automotive Bigfoot. Some believed Volkswagen had built a ten-cylinder W engine. Fewer believed one had ever been installed in a car. But in 2023, The Drive tracked down what appeared to be the last surviving W10 engine. And then in 2025, DriveTribe finally confirmed what many had suspected: the elusive W10 M5 not only exists—it runs. And it rips. According to the dyno, the car makes 480 horsepower at the wheels, translating to roughly 530 hp at the crank. That’s more than the stock E39 M5’s S62 V8, which produced 394 hp, and even outguns the next-gen E60’s screaming S85 V10, rated at 500 hp. Not bad for an experimental motor cobbled together over two decades ago. So… Why? That’s the real question. Why did Volkswagen, of all companies, decide to build a W10 engine and put it in a rival’s car? At the time, VW didn’t have a true performance sedan. The Audi RS6 was still a niche project. The Porsche Panamera wouldn’t arrive until 2009. If they wanted to benchmark their wild new engine, they needed a car with the right balance of chassis dynamics, space, and subtlety. And the E39 BMW M5? That was the standard. It wasn’t just good—it was perfect. It had room under the hood. It handled brilliantly. It flew under the radar. And crucially, it came with a six-speed manual transmission, ideal for development. So VW bought one, dropped in their W10 prototype, and began what must have been the strangest case of corporate espionage-slash-engineering ever attempted. Built with Purpose This wasn’t some hackjob garage swap. Volkswagen reportedly spent €2 million developing the prototype. The W10 itself was essentially two VR5 engines fused together, but unlike traditional VR units, this one featured a lightweight aluminum block. VW even fabricated a bespoke carbon fiber airbox and ran the engine through a standalone ECU. Inside, it’s a different world. The car’s been stripped of driving aids—no ABS, no traction control, no stability system. It has auxiliary gauges and a race-inspired instrument cluster. It smells of fuel and raw exhaust. It’s as raw as any prototype comes. And rumor has it, Ferdinand Piëch drove it to work. Daily. Three Engines, One Car Volkswagen reportedly built three W10s. The one featured in the DriveTribe video lives inside the M5. The second engine, once thought to be lost, surfaced in Germany in 2023 with a VW mechanic who was told the others had been destroyed. The third? It’s now believed to sit in a private collection—still intact, still mysterious. This isn’t the first M5 with a crazy engine from another brand. One of Bavaria’s best-kept secrets is using an M5 E34 Touring as a test mule for the V12 that went into the McLaren F1. Sadly, the M division has refused to show the super wagon in public. Hopefully, BMW Classic will reveal the ultimate E34 one day, unless they’ve scrapped what would’ve been the one family car to rule them all. We like to believe it hides deep in BMW’s warehouse. For Sale—If You Dare The W10 M5 is now up for grabs. The asking price? Around $500,000, roughly the same as a Ferrari Purosangue. It’s an insane number, sure—but then again, when you’re buying a one-off prototype built by VW’s top engineers, handpicked by Piëch himself, you’re not just buying a car. You’re buying a story. [Source: Drivetribe] First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

While most of BMW’s SUVs call Spartanburg, South Carolina home, that’s not the case for any of the electric vehicles. All of BMW’s electric vehicles are assembled in Germany before being imported to the US,...

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While most of BMW’s SUVs call Spartanburg, South Carolina home, that’s not the case for any of the electric vehicles. All of BMW’s electric vehicles are assembled in Germany before being imported to the US, so they’ll all feel the full force of the new tariffs. With a 25 percent tax coming at the ’em, they’ll be significantly more expensive for BMW to import than before. Sadly, it’s more than likely that consumers will bear the brunt of the cost increase. But how much, exactly, can we expect popular BMW EVs like the iX and i4 to rise in the coming weeks? The answer is still unknown but in this exercise, we will assume that some models will increase by 25 percent. BMW i4 Price Increase The current i4 lineup includes three variants: the i4 eDrive40, i4 xDrive40, and i4 M50. The least pricey is the eDrive40, starting at $57,900. Assuming a 5 percent markup from OEM to dealer, invoice is somewhere around $55,005. Hiking that up an additional 25 percent means the barrier to entry for a new i4 becomes $71,651, an increase of $13,751. For the record, that’s also about where the range-topping M50 models start before tariffs go into effect. At the other end of the spectrum, the i4 M50 sees an even more drastic price increase. Its current starting price of $70,700 could swell to somewhere around $87,490. BMW i5 Price Increase Like the i4, the BMW i5 comes in three different flavors. The i5 eDrive40 starts at $67,100, the i5 xDrive40 commands $70,100, and the i5 M60 caps the lineup and starts at $84,100. Assuming, again, the same 5 percent markup from OEM to dealer, the i5 eDrive40 balloons to $83,036. The i5 M60 breaks the six-figure mark with new tariffs in place, ending up with a new base price of $104,074. BMW i7 Price Increase The BMW i7 is already a pretty expensive car, but tariffs will do nothing to alleviate that. Today, you can choose from the $105,700 i7 eDrive50, $124,200 i7 xDrive60, and i7 M70, which commands $168,500. While margins typically grow slightly at this price point, will keep the same 5 percent markup in place for continuity’s sake. Frankly, it’s also only a couple percentage points of difference, which ultimately won’t make a huge mark on the already tremendous price increase. The i7 eDrive50’s new base price is $130,804, or about an entire Miata more expensive in a world before tariffs. The i7 M70 crests $200,000 with a new MSRP of $208,519. BMW iX Price Increase The new-for-2026 (ish) iX now has three trim levels, including a new entry level model, the iX xDrive45. The xDrive45 starts at $75,150 and the mid-level iX xDrive60 starts at $88,500. Let’s start at the top: the iX M70, today, starts at $111,500. After tariffs, the price could go as high as $137,981. The baseline for the iX now becomes two dollars shy of $93,000. While we don’t know exactly where prices will land as the dust has yet to settle, one things for sure: it’s going to get a lot pricier to buy a BMW, electric or otherwise. First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Years after launching the luxobarges, BMW still finds ways to spruce up its largest SUVs. The X5, X6, and X7 are now getting an Individual Edition in select European markets. Buyers get to pick from...

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Years after launching the luxobarges, BMW still finds ways to spruce up its largest SUVs. The X5, X6, and X7 are now getting an Individual Edition in select European markets. Buyers get to pick from no fewer than 49 special colors, including San Marino Blue and Frozen Black. These rarer hues are combined with the M Sport Package and stately 22-inch wheels. BMW throws in an illuminated kidney grille as standard equipment to sweeten the pot. You could argue that one can easily configure an X5, X6, or X7 to look precisely like this. That’s a valid point, but BMW says you’ll save money by opting for the Individual Edition. It can be had in xDrive40i, xDrive30d, xDrive40d, and xDrive50e flavors. Buyers can customize the interiors by choosing the upholstery, including fancier Individual leather. BMW doesn’t say how many vehicles it plans to make, but availability will be limited. The Individual Edition will be produced from April until November 2025. The special X5, X6, and X7 high-end SUVs are available in certain European countries, including Poland and Slovakia. If you’re inspired by the Individual Edition, you can customize one yourself after the special version is gone from the lineup. While BMW is still paying attention to the current-generation SUVs, work is underway on the next-gen models. Leading the pack will be the X5 G65, which was spotted testing a few days ago. The revamped posh family hauler is rumored to enter production in the second half of 2026. The second-generation X7 G67 should follow roughly a year later, with the new X6 G66 to hit the assembly line in the spring of 2028. All three are believed to get the electric treatment while keeping the CLAR platform. Additionally, the premium Bavarian trio will retain the V8 engine. However, it’s unclear whether the next X5, X6, and X7 will have the twin-turbo 4.4-liter powerhouse in Europe due to stricter emissions regulations. Photos: BMW Poland First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

BMW will get the ball rolling on Neue Klasse production near the end of the year with the second-generation iX3. The first EV will be assembled at the company’s new factory in Debrecen, Hungary. The...

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BMW will get the ball rolling on Neue Klasse production near the end of the year with the second-generation iX3. The first EV will be assembled at the company’s new factory in Debrecen, Hungary. The i3 sedan will follow in 2026 at the historic plant in Munich. The first long-wheelbase models built in China for the local market are scheduled to arrive next year. From 2027, the San Luis Potosi site in Mexico will start Neue Klasse production. But what about other factories? Although at least six EVs will be made in Spartanburg, South Carolina, by 2030, BMW hasn’t confirmed these will be part of the Neue Klasse portfolio. Consequently, only the Regensburg site has been confirmed so far to build NK cars beyond the previously announced factories. Meanwhile, the city in eastern Bavaria hosted in 2024 the most prolific factory in the company’s European production network, with volume growing by 43.7% to 342,521 cars. It’s currently gearing up to accommodate the “next model generation.” It has already expanded the body shop to about 40,000 square meters to get there. Additional structural changes to the factory will be implemented this summer during a five-week downtime at the Regensburg factory. It’s part of a €550-million investment to future-proof the BMW plant. Since the first NK model is still a few years away, BMW isn’t willing to disclose its identity yet. However, perhaps we can make an educated guess, considering that 1,400 units of the X1 and X2 are built daily. With that in mind, perhaps the rumored “NB5” iX1 will be made there. Sources close to BMW claim the next-gen electric crossover is scheduled for production in November 2027. However, the combustion-engine X1 “U11” is unlikely to be retired so soon. After all, it’s only been around for three years and will get a Life Cycle Impulse later this decade. Logic tells us that only the current iX1 will be discontinued to make way for its Neue Klasse successor. While today’s iX1 can be had with front-wheel drive, this won’t be the case for its replacement. BMW has already announced that its NK electric models will be either rear- or all-wheel drive. This also means that future MINI EVs will employ an RWD layout. Assuming the future iX1 won’t be made in Regensburg, the only other model we can think of is the unconfirmed i1. However, our money is on the crossover rather than a small hatchback. Photos: BMW First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Fast charging is one of the biggest perks of driving an electric vehicle. But to truly unlock its potential, especially on road trips or during busy days, you need to do more than just plug...

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Fast charging is one of the biggest perks of driving an electric vehicle. But to truly unlock its potential, especially on road trips or during busy days, you need to do more than just plug in. Factors like battery temperature, state of charge, and route planning can make a major difference in charging performance—particularly in models like the BMW i4. And that’s even more important in cold weather. Here’s how to prepare your EV for fast charging to ensure you get the quickest, most efficient charge possible. 1. Use the Built-In Navigation System Before you arrive at a charging station, set it as your destination in your vehicle’s built-in navigation system (not via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto). This is critical because modern electric vehicles like the BMW i4, i5, iX and i7, among others, use this input to precondition the battery—essentially warming it up to the ideal temperature for fast charging. Preconditioning begins automatically when the car knows you’re heading to a high-powered charger. This makes a huge difference in charging speed, especially in colder weather or if the battery hasn’t been under heavy use. You will notice that sometimes it can take more than 30 minutes, during cold weather, for the charging speed to get up to the advertised capacity. 2. Enable Preconditioning Manually (If Available) If your BMW is a newer model with a dedicated preconditioning option in the charging menu, make sure to enable it before you arrive. This gives you more control and guarantees that the battery will be properly warmed up by the time you plug in. Warming up the battery usually takes around 20–25 minutes, so give your vehicle enough time to reach the right temperature en route. 3. Try the “Yo-Yo Method” If Preconditioning Isn’t Available Driving an older EV without built-in preconditioning? You can still prep the battery manually using a technique known among EV owners as the “yo-yo method.” Here’s how: Put the car in B mode (for stronger regenerative braking). On a freeway, accelerate briskly to a comfortable speed, then allow the car to coast and regenerate all the way back down to a lower speed. Repeat this cycle 10 times or more. This rapid acceleration and deceleration warms the battery through increased energy flow, mimicking the effect of a preconditioning system. 4. Understand the Role of State of Charge (SOC) Your battery’s State of Charge (SOC) dramatically affects how fast your car can charge. Here’s the general rule, but of course, it can vary from BMW to BMW, all based on their charging capacity and charging curve: Fastest charging (150 kW+) occurs between 10–30% SOC. Charging speed gradually slows as SOC increases. At 50% SOC or higher, charging rates begin to drop significantly. At 80% or more, charging slows down significantly to protect battery health. So if you’re planning a fast charge, try to arrive with 20% SOC or less for optimal speed. For example, our BMW i4 is getting 200 kW on a 350 kW charger at 20% SOC—an ideal scenario for rapid top-ups. 5. Plan Ahead for Efficiency and Time Savings Combining these techniques—using native navigation, enabling preconditioning, or warming the battery manually—can save you valuable minutes at the charger and extend your range more efficiently. On long trips, this can add up to major time savings and less downtime. First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

If it weren’t for the blue roof light, you might mistake this for a regular BMW X5 M60i. However, this unassuming SUV is a completely different beast, serving as an armored version designed to offer...

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If it weren’t for the blue roof light, you might mistake this for a regular BMW X5 M60i. However, this unassuming SUV is a completely different beast, serving as an armored version designed to offer serious protection. The updated Protection VR6 debuted in 2023 with the styling tweaks from the G05’s mid-cycle facelift. New images from the Czech Republic showcase this luxury fortress on wheels, capable of literally taking a bullet for you. Beneath its familiar design, high-strength steel reinforcements fortify the doors, roof, side frame, and bulkhead. The X5 Protection VR6 also features a self-sealing fuel tank that prevents leaks after being struck by a bullet, while an aluminum splinter guard shields the underbody from explosive attacks. BMW has further enhanced security with an armored partition in the cargo area. Compared to a standard X5, this version also includes heated front sections of the side windows. All that extra protection adds weight, bringing the SUV’s curb weight to a hefty 3,275 kilograms (7,220 pounds). That’s about 930 kg (2,050 lbs) more than a standard X5 M60i. Despite the added mass, it still sprints from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a respectable 5.9 seconds, only 1.6 seconds slower than the unarmored model. However, top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph (210 km/h), down from 155 mph (250 km/h). Fuel efficiency is surprisingly reasonable for such a heavily armored, V8-powered vehicle. BMW estimates city consumption to be 19 liters per 100 kilometers (12.3 miles per gallon). The 83-liter fuel tank remains unchanged from the standard X5 M60i. Inside, it’s a typical G05 affair, albeit with a built-in intercom and special controls ahead of the gear selector to access the unique security features. The Spartanburg-built X5 Protection VR6 isn’t BMW’s only armored offering. The latest 7 Series and electric i7 also come with Protection variants. BMW has a long history of “Security Vehicles,” dating back to the first armored E23 7 Series introduced in 1978. Photos: BMW Czech Republic First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

The BMW iX does a lot of things really well. It’s luxurious, pretty quick, and offers the latest and greatest tech features. Perhaps the most important part of it, however, is its electric powertrain, which...

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The BMW iX does a lot of things really well. It’s luxurious, pretty quick, and offers the latest and greatest tech features. Perhaps the most important part of it, however, is its electric powertrain, which delivers gobs of power with relatively little drama. Not only does the electric powertrain make acceleration a cinch, it also makes the cabin of the BMW iX a nearly serene place to spend your time. As it turns out, the iX is one of the quietest vehicles on the road today. The BMW iX is Supremely Quiet, Matching Much Pricier Rivals Back in 2022 or thereabouts, Car and Driver tested out a 2022 BMW iX xDrive50. With their advanced instrumented testing, they uncovered that the iX registered just 63 dBA of sound while cruising at 70 mph. For reference, a normal conversation takes place around 60 dBA and a dishwasher will introduce you to around 70 dBA. But much more relevant is that the Bentley Bentayga only managed 61 dBA at cruising speed; the Rolls-Royce Cullinan registered 62 dBA. The Bentley costs around double what the iX does ($203,000 or so); the Rolls, roughly $400,000. But it gets even better than that, because we’ve tested the new and improved 2026 BMW iX from inside the cabin. Now, our instrumentation wasn’t as scientific as C&D’s, but we think the results are nonetheless remarkable. Using an iPhone app, we managed to measure the 2026 iX M70 we drove at just 57 dB. Of course, we were also driving the car a bit more slowly—70 km/h (43 mph) as opposed to 70 mph (112 kmh). Furthermore, frequencies will change and distort as the vehicle’s speed changes, and the road surface plays some role in how much noise gets into the cabin. Still, it illustrates just how quiet the cabin of the BMW iX is. Note that despite measuring our in-car noise in dB and C&D relying on dBA, there’s realistically only small differences in the figures as the majority of in-car frequencies occur surrounding 1-4 kHz. Other In-Vehicle dB Comparisons with the iX Being electric, the iX has a natural advantage over the aforementioned Bentley and Rolls-Royce. But it isn’t alone in achieving the 63 dBA number. The Audi e-tron Sportback recorded the same 63 dBA, as did Rolls’ first all-electric affair, the Spectre. Considering the Bentayga and Cullinan tested both utilized a gas engine—a twin-turbo V8 in the Bentley’s case, a twin-turbo 6.7-liter V12 in the Rolls-Royce’s—it really speaks to just how well-insulated these six-figure luxury cruisers have to be. Without trying to muddy the waters too much, as this is already a little bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, we will point out that sources elsewhere have tested the new 7 Series and achieved a measurement of 51.7 dB while cruising at 55 mph (88 kmh). That definitely inches closer to the testing that Car and Driver performed, but surprisingly, the X7 and X5 appear to drive even more quietly. Similar testing reveals 49.2 db and 49.8 dB measurements, respectively. Additional sources: AcousticsToday First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Sales of cars picked up recently partly as buyers rushed to lock in deals before President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on cars and auto parts go into effect.

“Prices are going to shoot up now,” one shopper said. But some dealers said that economic concerns might be keeping people away.

Carmakers are likely to face higher costs regardless of how they respond to President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on cars and auto parts.

The scale of the damage depends on the circumstances of each company’s supply chain.

Fury at Elon Musk emerges as vandalism, protest and buyer’s remorse.

President Trump’s intervention came while Mr. Milton was appealing his conviction on securities and wire fraud charges.

Leaders in both countries warned that tariffs would fan inflation in the United States and upend global supply chains.

The measure, which is intended to bring car factories to the United States, could significantly raise prices for consumers.

The levies could hurt European automakers when the industry is already struggling, especially in Germany, Europe’s biggest economy.

As the billionaire and his allied groups pour more than $20 million into a race for the state’s top court, his car company is suing Wisconsin over a law restricting vehicle sales.

Japanese automakers, initially optimistic about some of President Trump’s policies, are reckoning with potentially devastating U.S. taxes on foreign-made cars.

The city-state, where it costs up to $84,000 just for the right to own a car, is one of the most expensive places to drive. That is by design.

More than 80 Teslas were damaged in Hamilton, Ontario, the police said, amid other acts of vandalism against the company owned by Elon Musk.

The recall of about 46,000 vehicles includes all models that were manufactured from November 2023, when the Cybertruck was first produced, through February.

President Trump’s approach to tariffs has unsettled many corporate leaders who believed he would use the levies as a negotiating tool. As it turns out, he sees them as an end in themselves.

He was know for modifying cars with innovative metal work and paint jobs, and for building vehicles like the Galileo shuttle for the original “Star Trek” series.

President Trump rallied support for Elon Musk’s car company, but there may not be enough conservatives willing to buy electric cars to make up for the Democrats who now shun Teslas.

None have ever won F1’s Australian Grand Prix. The Aussies Oscar Piastri of McLaren and Jack Doohan of Alpine hope to change that.

The Australian city hosted the first race of the year for most of the last three decades before the Covid-19 pandemic. Now it’s back.

Because Formula 1 teams try to hide their capabilities during preseason testing, the first race often shows who is fast and who is not.

Welcome to nirvana for car enthusiasts. You have just entered the online home of the world's oldest car magazine, and the only place on the internet where you can find Autocar's unique mix of up-to-the-minute news, red hot car reviews, conclusive road test verdicts, and a lot more besides.

This week Steve Cropley asks Matt Prior what engine he's carrying in the boot of his car, and why.

On this week's My Week In Cars podcast Matt Prior arrives on the scene with an engine in the boot of his car. Steve Cropley talks the 'spirit of MG' artwork, why you can feel elements of carmakers in someone else's cars, and more besides, including your correspondence.

Make sure you never miss an Autocar podcast. Subscribe to our podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts or via your preferred podcast platform. And if you subscribe, rate and review the pod, we'd really appreciate that too.

It's more raised sports estate than true SUV, so is this Ferrari the market's best tall car to drive? Ah, the Ferrari Purosangue. An SUV. The first Ferrari SUV, no less. But also, according to its maker, absolutely not an SUV. You can see why Ferrari would get a bit cagey about the the semantics. Not too long ago, its CEO swore blind there would never be an SUV from Maranello, and yet the Purosangue – though rakish, V12-fired and as dramatic to behold on the road as any other front-engined Ferrari you care to mention – has four-wheel drive and a raised ride height. It's an SUV, in short, and with it Ferrari finally falls into line with Porsche, Aston Martin, Bentley and even Lamborghini.But don't we roll your eyes at this point. Never mind the 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated engine: the Purosangue also has truly active suspension, with each damper controlled by an electrically powered gear assembly. Such technology (eye-wateringly expensive, word has it) promises to bring about handling poise and accuracy the traditional super-SUV has never before known. This is also a decently practical car, if you can get comfortable with its considerable width. And soul? Well, we're about to find out just how much of that the Purosangue has.

Prices for the updated Long Range Corsa start at £28,900

Revised battery chemistry and motor improve Long Range version to 266 miles between charges

The Long Range version of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric has received an update that increases its range by 14 miles.

Vauxhall attributed the gain to improved cell chemistry in the nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery and revisions to the electric car’s motor reducing energy consumption.

This means the Long Range variant is officially capable of driving 266 miles between charges, compared with 252 miles previously.

For reference, the rival Renault 5 gets 252 miles from a larger 52kWh battery, while the new Hyundai Inster’s 49kWh pack yields 229 miles.

The updated Corsa Electric is also distinguished by the inclusion of vehicle-to-load (V2L) capabilities, meaning the car’s battery can power external devices at up to 3.6kW and 16A.

This is enabled by using the car’s charging cable with a bespoke V2L 'gun' that will be sold by Vauxhall dealers.

Given the Corsa Electric is closely related to the Peugeot e-208, that car is expected to receive the same set of upgrades in the coming months.

Prices for the updated Corsa Electric Long Range will start at £28,900 – £1395 more than the unchanged regular version (134bhp, 221-mile range).

Deliveries will begin in May.

At the same time as introducing the revised Corsa Electric, Vauxhall has increased prices across the rest of the model range.

The regular Corsa Electric in Yes trim has gone up by £675 to £27,505. The regular Design and GS models have increased by £500. And the Long Range GS and both Ultimate models are £725 more than previously.

Citroen finds its value niche within the Stellantis juggernaut with a likeable, practical electric hatchback As the various brands of the Stellantis juggernaut try to find their place and identity, Citroën appears to be morphing into the French Skoda, and the best example of that is the Citroën ë-C4, and its piston-powered equivalent the Citroën C4.Years ago, that Skoda comparison would have been an insult, but it certainly isn’t today. Skoda takes shared mechanicals and manages to make them just that bit easier to use, less pretentious and more practical.The ë-C4 attempts a similar trick, taking the basis of a small car and building a bigger but cheaper one on top. So the ë-C4 has the same e-CMP platform as the Peugeot e-208 and is priced in line with that car, but it’s the size of the Peugeot e-308.Citroën has just given it quite a comprehensive visual update to keep the family resemblance with the Citroen ë-C3, and to keep it fresh in a field with plenty of attractively priced alternatives like the Renault 5 and upcoming Renault 4, as well as the MG4 and Kia EV3.As before, there’s also a slightly weird saloon version of the ë-C4, called ë-C4 X. It’s mechanically identical, so we’ll briefly touch on the differences where relevant.

Range-extender version of Leapmotor's large SUV is likeable but with some concerning foibles "What’s it called? Leapfrog?", says a friend when this Leapmotor C10 REEV is mentioned.But all unknown brands have to start somewhere and Chinese firm Leapmotor’s joint venture with Stellantis - the highly respected automotive firm with 14 marques under its umbrella - is as strong as case as there ever was for it to succeed in the tricky European market.Already on sale here is the budget T03 supermini, which stands up admirably against competitors such as the Dacia Spring. And we’ve previously driven the electric version of this C10, on which there was plenty to applaud even if it didn’t excel compared to some rivals.This C10 REEV is the range-extender electric version of the large SUV, which is an unusual set-up; the Mazda MX-30 REV and Nissan Qashqai e-Power are the only other two models on sale in the UK with some kind of range-extender configuration. There’s plenty of plug-in hybrid rivals in this segment, though, including the Jaecoo 7, BYD Seal U DM-i and MG HS. 

We’ve gathered all the information you need to know to make sense of VED

Our guide answers all your questions about vehicle excise duty, also known as car tax or road tax

One of the most important taxes you must be aware of if you want to drive a car in the UK is vehicle excise duty (VED).

VED is an annual tax paid by all drivers who drive or park their vehicles on public roads. So if you own a car, chances are you’re required to pay it. 

While VED has remained relatively unchanged in principle since its inception in 2001, some big changes have come into effect in 2025 to bring it more up to date. This includes significant changes to electric cars, buying and selling cars and rate increases.

But what exactly is VED? We’ve gathered all the information you need to know to make sense of it all right here. Read on to find out what VED is, which vehicles it covers and how you’re supposed to pay it.

What is VED and how is it calculated?

VED is a tax paid annually by drivers of cars, motorcycles, light goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles that are driven or parked on public roads.

The tax covers the whole of the UK (that’s England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). 

VED was introduced in its current form in 2001 as part of what the government claimed was a push to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the atmosphere. 

Despite often being referred to as ‘road tax’, VED isn't directly used for funding road projects. True road tax was abolished in the 1930s.

According to the House of Commons library, VED brought in £7.4 billion in 2022/23. This figure is predicted to rise to £9.4bn by 2027/28. 

Further changes came in 2020 to increase the appeal of EV ownership. VED was uprated in line with the retail prices index (RPI) for cars, vans, motorcycles and motorcycle trade licences and switched from using the old NEDC emissions testing regime to the current WLTP one.

Changes to VED from April 2025

The VED system received some significant changes in April 2025, with the biggest adjustments applied to EVs. 

EVs were exempt from VED, but no longer. New EVs are now required to pay a first-year rate of £10 and then the standard rate of £195 from the second tax payment onwards. 

Zero-emissions or low-emissions cars registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025 are also priced at the standard rate of £195 to match all other cars on the road. 

New EVs registered on or after 1 April 2025 with a list price of over £40,000 are also required to pay the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) on top of the £195 standard VED rate. This applies every year for the first five years of ownership. 

There are some changes to hybrids, too. The first-year rate of cars that officially emit 1-50g/km of CO2 – mostly plug-in hybrids – has risen from £10 to £110. The rate for cars that emit 51-75g/km of CO2 has risen from £30 to £135. 

How is vehicle excise duty calculated? 

Cars registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed based on their CO2 emissions. 

All cars registered on or after 1 April 2017 incur the same flat rate from the second year and beyond.

Cars with a list price of more than £40,000 also incur the Expensive Car Supplement.

For cars registered before 1 March 2001, the engine size in cubic centimetres (cc) is what’s important. Cars with engines equal to or smaller in capacity than 1549cc (roughly equivalent to 1.5 litres) cost £170 a year, assuming you pay up front for 12 months. Meanwhile, cars with engines larger than 1549cc cost £280 a year.

Tax bands for cars registered from April 2017

In April 2017, the government introduced a new method of taxing certain vehicles, replacing the traditional system, based on CO2, with three new tax bands. These bands are zero, standard and premium. 

Vehicles registered from April 2017 are still required to pay the first-year figure based on their tax emissions (see table below). From the second year onwards, you will pay a standard rate of £195 per year.

New cars with a value (list price) of more than £40,000 land in the premium car tax band from years two to six of registration. You will need to pay £425 per year on top of the £195 standard rate for five years, starting from the second year the car is registered. 

See the table below for full figures for cars registered from April 2017 onwards.

CO2 Emissions (g/km) first year rate Standard rate 0 £10 £195 1-50 £110 £195 51-75 £130 £195 76-90 £270 £195 91-100 £350 £195 101-110 £390 £195 111-130 £440 £195 131-150 £540 £195 151-170 £1360 £195 171-190 £2190 £195 191-225 £3300 £195 226-255 £4680 £195 Over 255 £5490 £195 Tax bands for cars registered from March 2001 and before April 2017

There are 13 bands for cars registered after March 2001 and before April 2017. These are labelled A to M and are based on the emissions output of the vehicle. 

Low-emission cars - those that produce less than 100g/km - will now be charged £20 a year for VED, whereas they were previously exempt. 

Read the table below to see how much tax you’ll pay for cars registered from March 2001 to April 2017. 

VEd band CO2 Emissions Annual rate A >100g/km £20 B 101-110g/km £20 C 111-120g/km £35 D 121-130g/km £165 E 131-140g/km £195 F 141-150g/km £215 G 151-165g/km £265 H 166-175g/km £315 I 176-185g/km £345 J 186-200g/km £395 K 201-225g/km £430 L 226-255g/km £735 M Over 255g/km £760       Is my car exempt from VED?

Some cars are exempt from VED.

Historic vehicles - that’s cars made before 1 January 1983 - are also not required to pay VED, so luckily your Ferrari 250 GTO is safe to drive on the road without further pennies. d

Disabled passenger vehicles also don't have to pay VED. You can also claim a disability exemption if you’re disabled and you drive your car, but this can only be used on one vehicle at a time. 

VED also doesn't apply to mobility vehicles and powered wheelchairs, so long as they have a maximum speed of 8mph on the road and are limited to 4mph on pavements. 

Outside of standard cars, vehicles that are used for agriculture, horticulture and forestry are also exempt. This includes tractors, light agricultural vehicles and ‘limited-use vehicles'. 

Steam vehicles are also exempt – great news for the Doble Model E Owners' Club.

If you own a car but don’t drive it on public roads, you’re also exempt, although you will have to declare it to the DVLA with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN).

Be aware that if you don’t let the DVLA know that you want the car registered as off the roads, you will be liable for road tax even if the car doesn’t move.

Conversely, if you want to take the vehicle back onto public roads, you will need to pay the appropriate amount of VED before you do.

How do I pay for VED?

You can pay your VED in a variety of ways.

To pay online, click here to access the official UK government website. You will need either a credit or debit card, plus one or more of the following documents to hand: 

• The V11 reminder letter that was sent to you when your existing tax was running out
• The car’s V5C registration document, which must be in your name
• The V5C/2 new keeper supplement if you’ve just bought the car
• The ‘last chance’ warning letter sent to you if you’re about to end up on the wrong side of the law for not either paying or declaring a SORN

If you don’t want to pay online, you can pay over the phone by calling 0300 123 4321. Be warned, though, that this line isn't free. You can read about the charges here. 

You can also pay at any post office that can process vehicle tax. You will need to bring one of the following:

• The V11 reminder letter that was sent to you when your existing tax was running out
• The car’s V5C registration document, which must be in your name
• The V5C/2 new keeper supplement if you’ve just bought the car

You may also need your MOT test certificate, valid for the start of the new tax period, and a valid Reduced Pollution Certificate if the vehicle has been modified to cut its emissions.

In Northern Ireland, you will need to bring your insurance certificate or cover note.

It’s important to note that the exact amount due can vary slightly, depending on whether you pay for six months or 12 months and whether you pay all at once or in instalments.

You can see a full breakdown of the charges by going to the DVLA website.

Do I need to display a tax disk?

You no longer need to wait for a tax disc to be sent for display in your vehicle’s window, as the tax disc system was abolished in 2014. 

However, it’s important to note that VED no longer transfers to a new owner when you sell or buy a car. The new owner will need to tax the car afresh before they drive the car.

From hybrid hypercars to high-rise hatchbacks, here's every new model that's set to arrive this year

This year is shaping up to be crucial for the car industry, as major manufacturers battle through what is perhaps the most challenging period they have ever faced.

They will have to grapple with the need to slash their carbon outputs amid slower-than-expected growth in electric car sales without compromising their business through heavy discounts.

Indeed, that slowdown, coupled with an assault of new and cheaper cars from China, has left some of the world's most established makers in the firing line for government-imposed fines for falling short on EV sales.

But despite the turmoil, green shoots look to be sprouting for car lovers.

The future of the driver's car looks to be in safe hands, with the arrival of properly fun EVs like the Alpine A290 hot hatch, as well as various poster-worthy sports and supercars.

And design classics are returning as futuristic EVs: Fiat has reprised the Giugiaro styling of the original Panda of 1980 for the new Grande Panda crossover and Renault has revived both the 4 and the 5.

Meanwhile, many established brands are diversifying into uncharted territory. Dacia is set to launch a Volkswagen Golf-rivalling family hatchback, Kia is vying for a slice of the lucrative van market and the Range Rover is going electric for the first time.

Read on for our A-Z (well, A-Y...) guide to all the new cars set to arrive in 2025.

AC Ace Electric

Quick, quaint and really quite expensive, this reborn ’60s roadster packs 300bhp into a 1134kg shell – and costs more than a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. A four-pot Ace will also be available.

Everything you need to know about the AC Ace Electric

AC Cobra GT

Reborn with aluminium chassis, carbonfibre body and 654bhp V8. 

Read our AC Cobra GT Roadster review

Alfa Romeo Junior Ibrida

Alfa’s small crossover gets a 134bhp 1.2-litre hybrid powertrain and a more ornate grille.

Read our Alfa Romeo Junior review

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

One of the best-handling SUVs around is about to swap from Alfa’s acclaimed Giorgio platform to a new Stellantis structure called STLA Large, which will enable it to offer electric power for the first time while retaining a combustion option. Full details remain under wraps, but the new Dodge Charger, based on the same platform, uses a 3.0-litre straight six encouragingly known as the Hurricane.

Everything we know about the next Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Alfa Romeo Tonale update

SUV gains a revised interior with new centre console, rotary drive selector and reworked display screens.

Everything we know about the Alfa Romeo Tonale update

Alpine A110 Ultime

The sun is setting on the car that proved once and for all that Renault has what it takes to fight Europe’s best. The Ultime is one last crack at the likes of Porsche: a super-light, track-focused special honed by Alpine’s Formula 1 team. Its aero package produces an extra 160kg of downforce compared with the A110 R on which it’s based, and the additional 49bhp required the fitment of a new gearbox. A fitting end for a hero.

Everything we know about the Alpine A110 Ultime

Alpine A290

“The saviour of the hot hatch”, “a modern-day Clio RS 182”, “a proper electric driver’s car – at last!”: everything you’ve read online is true: the hot version of the new Renault 5 is just as quick, engaging and fun as we had hoped, which proves one of our favourite types of car can survive into the EV era.

Read our Alpine A290 review

Alpine A390

Meet the “A110 for five”. Previewed by a concept at the 2024 Paris motor show, the A390 is Alpine's first SUV – and, it hopes, a cash cow to fund its next-generation sports cars. But the French firm claims not to have compromised on driving dynamics, having benchmarked the A390 against the sports car and developed a trick torque-vectoring system for its tri-motor powertrain. A rival for the Porsche Macan Electric, it’s expected to arrive priced north of £60,000.

Everything we know about the Alpine A390

Ariel Nomad 2

Nutter’s choice of off-roaders returns with Ford Focus ST power and 715kg kerb weight. Mind-boggling fun.

Read our Ariel Nomad 2 review

Aston Martin Valhalla

With its front-engined sports cars freshened up and fighting fit, Aston is now turning its attention to launching a mid-engined hypercar to rival the Ferrari SF90 XX and Lamborghini Revuelto. Equipped with an electrified version of Mercedes-AMG’s flat-plane-crank V8, it puts out 1064bhp and should sound pretty biblical – but has a relatively plush cabin and enough EV range for silent running through town. A Valkyrie you can take to the shops, then.

Everything we know about the Aston Martin Valhalla

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante

Drop-top, V12-powered super GT gets soft top but doesn't lose much in the way of pace: it will still hit 60mph from a standstill in 3.3sec and go on to 214mph. It's the stuff of dreams.

Read our Aston Martin Vanquish review

Aston Martin Vantage Roadster

Rowdy sports car drops its top so you can hear its 656bhp V8 with even greater clarity. It's understood to cost around £10k more than the £165k coupé.

Everything we know about the Aston Martin Vantage Roadster

Audi A5 plug-in hybrid

Junior executive saloon gets the PHEV treatment, using a 2.0-litre petrol engine, a single electric motor and a 20.7kWh battery. The set-up puts out a combined 295bhp and allows for 67 miles of electric-only driving. Prices start at £48,950.

Read our Audi A5 and S5 review or find out everything we know about the A5 PHEV

Audi A6

Bigger brother to the A5 was originally meant to be called the A7, but a reversal of that naming policy means it remains an A6. It will be one of the last diesel-powered Audis.

Everything we know about the Audi A6

Audi Q3

Popular mid-sized SUV is set for powertain and styling tweaks, borrowing interior design cues from the larger Q5.

Audi Q6 Sportback E-tron

Coupé roofline beats the range of the regular Q6 E-tron SUV by 15 miles but trades away 15 litres of boot space.

Everything we know about the Audi Q6 Sportback E-tron

Audi RS Q6 E-tron

With nearly 500bhp, the SQ6 E-tron is hardly lethargic, so Audi Sport’s 600bhp-plus RS version of the Porsche Macan Electric twin should be pretty rapid.

Everything we know about the Audi RS Q6 E-tron

Audi RS6 E-tron and RS6 Avant

Audi’s hot RS6 will be back this year, but not as you remember it. Planned to be badged RS6 E-tron, the high-performance model will be offered as an estate or a saloon, the latter bodystyle returning for the first time since 2010. In turn, the combustion-engined RS6 will be renamed the RS7, in keeping with Audi's new naming structure. Expect well above 600bhp and 700lb ft...

Bentley Flying Spur PHEV

New 771bhp plug-in hybrid set-up replaces the W12 and offers 47 miles of electric-only driving.

Read our Bentley Flying Spur Speed review

BMW iX

Mid-life update for this large electric SUV brings a huge range increase, plus new design elements. That grille will remain, though.

Read our BMW iX facelift prototype review

BMW iX3 Neue Klasse

Previewed by the Vision Neue Klasse X, the successor to today’s iX3 will set the tone for BMW’s future electric line-up. Much of that concept’s design will be carried over to the new SUV, such as its fresh kidney grille, new LED headlights and flatter, more imposing silhouette. BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive system is claimed to give an efficiency boost of up to 25% over the brand’s existing EVs, with range bolstered by around 30%.

Everything we know about the next BMW iX3

BMW M2 CS

Weight savings, rear spoiler and aggressive suspension set-up will prime this sports car for track use.

Read our BMW M2 review

BMW M3 Touring CS

Even hotter estate gets 542bhp and carbonfibre goodies, cutting its kerb weight from 1865kg to 1850kg.

Everything we know about the BMW M3 Touring CS

BMW M5 Touring

Hallowed super-estate returns with raunchier styling and a 717bhp plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Read our BMW M5 review

BMW Skytop

Just 50 examples of BMW’s gorgeous convertible concept will be made, possibly carrying the Z8 name.

Everything we know about the BMW Skytop

BYD Atto 2

Competitor for the Vauxhall Frontera Electric and Renault 4 gets a 174bhp motor up front and a 50kWh battery for a range of more than 200 miles. Prices will start at around £27,000.

Read our BYD Atto 2 review

BYD Dolphin Surf

Dacia Spring rival, known in China as the Seagull, is poised to swoop in on the UK’s affordable EV market with a 200-mile range.

Everything we know about the BYD Dolphin Surf

BYD Seal 06 GT

Vital Seal hatchback is set to make a splash against the venerable Cupra Born and Volkswagen ID 3.

Everything we know about the BYD Seal 06 GT

BYD Seal update

Critical tech updates and battery changes look to keep this Tesla Model 3 rival feeling fresh.

Everything we know about the BYD Seal update

BYD Sealion 7

Soft-riding family SUV undercuts the Tesla Model Y at £44,990.

Read our BYD Sealion 7 review

Citroën Ami facelit

UK’s cheapest electric ‘car’ gets a distinctive new look inspired by the 2CV, with round headlights and vent-aping grooves on its flanks. It keeps the same 28mph top speed as before, though.

Everything we know about the Citroën Ami facelift

Citroën C3 Aircross and ë-C3 Aircross

Next-generation C3 Aircross is one of the smallest seven-seaters on sale, measuring just 4.39m long. Taking aim at the Dacia Jogger, it arrives with petrol, mild-hybrid and electric power.

Read our Citroën C3 Aircross or ë-C3 Aircross review

Citroën C4 and C4 X

New look inspired by the Oli concept and a dashboard overhaul for this hatchback, which is now auto-only.

Read our Citroën C4 or C4 X review

Citroën ë-C3 van

New two-seat version of the French brand's entry-level EV is intended to capture the market left behind when the Ford Fiesta van was taken off sale. Prices will start at just £15,035 (excluding VAT).

Everything we know about the Citroën ë-C3 van

Cupra Raval

Forget the World Cup qualifiers: the fiercest international showdown of 2025 could well be when Spain’s Cupra Raval squares up to France’s Renault 5. The Cupra certainly has the readies to take the win: a circa-£25,000 price, a sumptuous interior and a whole array of digital tricks.

Everything we know about the Cupra Raval

Dacia Bigster

Stretched Duster does a pretty good impression of a Land Rover Defender for just £24,995 – undercutting all its rivals apart from the MG HS. Entry-level Expression trim isn't short on kit, either, with a 10.1in infotainment touchscreen, dual-zone air conditioning and 17in alloys, plus more to boot. You can't have a Bigster with seven seats, though.

Read our Dacia Bigster review

Dacia Duster hybrid 4x4

If you want the hardy Duster with four-wheel drive, your only choice at present is to have it with a manual gearbox. That won't remain the case for long, however, because Dacia is looking to introduce another 4x4 variant with an automatic ’box and an electric motor on its rear axle. It's expected to sit above the current mild-hybrid 4x4, which is priced from £23,550.

Everything we know about the new hybrid 4x4 Dacia Duster

Dacia family hatchback

We don’t have a lot to go on here, but Dacia boss Denis Le Vot has confirmed that the Bigster follow-up will wear a totally new bodystyle and have a new name. A Golf-sized hatchback with characteristically chunky styling and an outdoorsy focus seems a safe bet, we reckon.

Everything we know about Dacia's VW Golf rival

Dacia Jogger facelift

Fresh styling for the UK’s cheapest seven-seater, which is also in line for a more potent hybrid engine.

Everything we know about the Dacia Jogger facelift

Denza Bao 5

Toyota Land Cruiser rival gets a 677bhp range-extender powertrain. It's badged as a Fangchengbao (‘formula leopard’) in China but is strongly tipped for a rebranding when it comes to Europe.

Everything we know about Fangchengbao

Denza Z9 GT

Upmarket sub-brand of BYD was originally a joint venture with Mercedes, but the Chinese firm now has full control over its destiny. The first Europe-bound Denza is a 952bhp electric GT.

Everything we know about the Denza Z9 GT

DS No4

DS's plush, high-riding hatchback is due a mid-life update, bringing a new name and electric power.

Everything we know about the DS No4

DS No7

Family SUV has been around since 2017, so a styling and technology refresh beckons.

Read our DS 7 review

DS No8

New flagship is based on the same underpinnings as the Peugeot e-3008 and Vauxhall Grandland but fettled to minimise its aerodynamic drag (and therefore maximise electric range). It's tipped to be priced below £50k in the UK.

Everything we know about the DS No8

Ferrari 12Cilindri

Twelve booming cylinders, a big old snout and a tremendous 819bhp on tap: the Ferrari 12Cilindri is everything a proper GT should be. The centrepiece, of course, is its 6.5-litre V12. Unlike that in the rival Aston Martin Vanquish, it’s naturally aspirated and revs to a screeching 9500rpm. “An engine to die for,” in the words of our Matt Prior.

Read our Ferrari 12Cilindri review

Ferrari F80

F40, F50, Enzo, LaFerrari and now this: a 1184bhp hyper-hybrid with a proper Formula 1-derived V6 and three electric motors. Enjoy, Lewis.

Everything we know about the Ferrari F80

Fiat 500 Ibrida

The petrol-powered 500 lives on! A long-term future was secured for Turin’s big-selling city car with the recent confirmation of this new Ibrida version, due to enter production in November. It's effectively the electric 500e retrofitted with a petrol engine – most likely Stellantis’s ubiquitous 134bhp 1.2-litre mild-hybrid unit. It comes as Fiat struggles to sell the EV, idling its factory.

Everything we know about the Fiat 500 Ibrida

Fiat 500e update

A more capacious battery is part of a mid-life update for the pint-sized Piedmontese. But will it boost sales?

Read our Fiat 500e review

Fiat Grande Panda

Cute new crossover stays true to the Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed original in both styling and spirit, using the same underpinnings as the Citroën C3 to hit a starting price below £22,000.

Read our Fiat Grande Panda Electric review

Fiat Topolino

Meet the 'Ami Superleggera': cubic microcar gets a 1950s design treatment and ditches its doors.

Everything we know about the Fiat Topolino

Firefly hatchback

The first model from Chinese EV giant Nio's new entry-level brand is a Renault 5 rival that's priced from the equivalent of £16k in China. It will almost certainly cost more when it lands here but should still undercut the French EV.

Everything we know about the Firefly hatchback

Ford E-Tourneo Courier

Citroën ë-Berlingo-baiter gets a 134bhp motor and a 43kWh battery for a 179-mile range.

Read our Ford Tourneo Courier review

Ford Mustang GTD

Before you ask, no, it’s not a diesel. That ‘D’ actually stands for 'Daytona', hinting at the track-focused billing of what is the most extreme Pony Car to date. Its 5.2-litre V8 is borrowed from Shelby’s GT500 but has a smaller supercharger pulley plus a modified intake and exhaust to boost it north of 800bhp. It’s also got a dry sump to ensure it isn’t starved of oil on track. There’s just one catch: applications to buy one closed long ago.

Everything we know about the Ford Mustang GTD

Ford Puma Gen-E

The UK’s favourite car plugs in to take on the Peugeot e-2008. As close as we will get to a Fiesta EV – for now, anyway.

Everything we know about the Ford Puma Gen-E

Genesis GV60 facelift

Genesis's sporty electric crossover gets a more aggressive look with new headlights, plus a lightly fettled interior.

Everything we know about the Genesis GV60 facelift

Genesis GV60 Magma

Magma performance arm’s first UK model is set to be a more luxurious take on the riotous (and closely related) Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

Everything we know about the Genesis GV60 Magma

GWM Ora 07

Quirky-looking saloon will follow the Ora 03 (née Funky Cat) into UK showrooms. It will have 402bhp and an expected £35k starting price.

Read our GWM Ora 07 prototype review

Hyundai Ioniq 6

The mid-life update for Hyundai’s drag-busting, Tesla Model 3-rivalling electric saloon will include a refreshed design inspired by the petrol Sonata, plus a bigger battery – and therefore a longer range than the current 338 miles.

Read our Hyundai Ioniq 6 review

Hyundai Ioniq 6 N 

Second albums are always difficult, but sometimes they’re absolutely game-changing. Hyundai will certainly be hoping for a Led Zeppelin II moment with the launch of its second electric sports car. The Ioniq 5 N has completely overturned the misconception that EVs can’t be fun, with its realistic ‘manual gearbox’, genuinely enjoyable ‘engine note’ and scintillating dynamics, so the pressure is on the hot Ioniq 6 to take things one step further. Expect a ludicrous power figure and a rapid 0-62mph time, of course, but no doubt there will be a hefty dose of chassis tweaking and electrickery deployed to ensure this is more than merely a quick car.

Everything we know about the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N

Hyundai Ioniq 9

Previously, we had the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. Now Hyundai’s Ioniq 9 is the final piece of what could be considered the new ‘holy trinity’, this time made up of electric MPVs. Joining the Kia EV9 and Volvo EX90, the Ioniq 9 is a development of the Seven concept shown three years ago. It offers upwards of 350 miles of range and 378bhp. Pricing? From around £90k.

Read our Hyundai Ioniq 9 review

Hyundai Nexo

Hydrogen isn't dead, says Hyundai. A new hydrogen-fuel-cell Nexo EV is on the way, having been previewed by the efficient Initium concept. That brings a range of 404 miles between fill-ups and a little more power too.

Everything we know about the next Hyundai Nexo

Jaecoo 5

Toothy SUV is China’s answer to the Honda HR-V and Hyundai Kona, coming with petrol and electric options.

Jeep Compass

Jeep’s assault on the lucrative compact SUV market will sit above the Avenger and use Stellantis’s STLA Medium platform, which makes it a close relation to the Peugeot 3008 and Vauxhall Grandland. Rivalling the Volvo EC40 and Volkswagen Tiguan, the Compass will be the only car on its platform to be offered with a pure-combustion engine. It is also likely to come with the option of a 134bhp mild-hybrid petrol and a 207bhp electric motor with a 73kWh battery.

Everything we know about the Jeep Compass

Jeep Recon

Jeep’s European push will include this potent off-roader, intended as an electric equivalent to the Wrangler.

Everything we know about the Jeep Recon

Jeep Wagoneer S

This flagship electric SUV will also join Jeep’s UK range, with 592bhp, a 300-mile range and 0-62mph in 3.2sec.

Everything we know about the Jeep Wagoneer S

KGM Actyon

New SUV is a more rakish take on the existing Torres, bringing petrol power and a lower price than many alternatives.

Read our KGM Actyon review

KGM Musso

Brutish EV will be one of the first four-wheel-drive electric pick-up trucks to go on sale in the UK.

Everything we know about the next KGM Musso

KGM Torres Hybrid

This small electrified SUV will be a left-field alternative to cars such as the MG HS and Dacia Duster.

Read our KGM Torres review

Kia EV4

Tesla beware! Kia’s coming for the Model 3 with its new EV4, offered in both hatchback and saloon guises. Both get a single front-mounted motor putting out 201bhp, as well as a choice of 58.3kWh and 81.4kWh batteries. The longest-legged Long Range saloon can manage 397 miles between charges. 

Everything we know about the Kia EV4

Kia EV5

Electric equivalent of the Sportage majors on design flair and practicality. Front- and four-wheel-drive models will be available and the rangiest versions will be comfortably capable of more than 300 miles per charge. Prices are expected to start from around £40k.

Everything we know about the Kia EV5

Kia EV6 GT

Kia’s 577bhp Porsche Taycan chaser has been zhuzhed up with the 641bhp powertrain and simulated gearchanges from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Drift mode stays.

Everything we know about the new Kia EV6 GT

Kia EV9 GT

Got a big family and a lead right foot? You’ll want the EV9 GT, a seven-seat, 2.5-tonne electric SUV that packs a whopping 501bhp. Supercar pace, in other words.

Everything we know about the Kia EV9 GT

Kia K4

A new petrol hatchback in 2025? You betcha. The K4 is tipped to arrive as a replacement for the Ceed, packing a turbocharged 1.6-litre four and putting out 190bhp.

Everything we know about the Kia K4

Kia PV5

Kia has its sights set on the evergreen Ford Transit Custom with the new PV5, its first-ever van. It’s targeting a punchy starting price of just €35k (£29k), undercutting most other electric vans, and there's a seven-seat people-mover too. Could it change the van game for good?

Everything we know about the Kia PV5

Kia Sportage

One of the UK’s best-sellers gets EV9-inspired looks as part of its fifth-generation mid-life facelift to keep it high in the charts. The hybrid powertrain introduces a new ‘Infant’ mode with a smoother power delivery.

Everything we know about the new Kia Sportage

Lamborghini Temerario

Huracán’s replacement gets a 4.0-litre V8 that, combined with three electric motors, puts out a huge 907bhp. But only a small fraction of that is thanks to the motors, which are used to fill the gap in torque delivery left by the fitment of two whopping great turbochargers. The set-up’s good for 0-62mph in 2.7sec and allows for new tricks, such as a drift handling mode inspired by the Huracán Sterrato.

Everything we know about the Lamborghini Temerario

Land Rover Defender Octa

The most powerful and capable Defender yet? A 626bhp V8 suggests so.

Read our Land Rover Defender Octa review

Leapmotor B10

This Renault 5-sized electric hatchback from China made its debut in Paris late last year and a UK launch is on the horizon.

Everything we know about the Leapmotor B10

LEVC L380

Eight-seat MPV, anyone? The L380 is a four-row luxury electric transporter inspired by the world of airline travel, made by the firm behind London's black cab.

Everything we know about the LEVC L380

Lexus LBX Morizo RR

Lexus’s small SUV gets fire in its belly courtesy of the Toyota GR Yaris’s turbocharged 1.6-litre three-cylinder petrol engine.

Read our Lexus LBX Morizo RR review

Lexus RZ update

Lexus's electric flagship will introduce steer-by-wire technology later this year, allowing buyers to swap a traditional steering wheel for a yoke with adaptive ratios. It will also introduce Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-style simulation of a combustion engine with 'gears' operated by paddles behind that yoke.

Everything we know about the Lexus RZ update

Maserati MC20 GT2 Stradale

Track-ready rocket is 60kg lighter than standard – and Maserati’s dearest car yet, at £338k.

Read our Maserati MC20 GT2 Stradale review

Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé

Has the Porsche Taycan had it too good for too long? Mercedes is working on its own lightning-fast four-door, which should outpunch today’s V8-engined AMG GT 4-Door Coupé in just about every respect – except, perhaps, noise. The first full-fat AMG EV will ride on a bespoke platform for electric sports cars and is tipped to pack as much as 1000bhp and 1000lb ft. We’re off to buy shares in Michelin.

Everything we know about the Mercedes-AMG GT 4dr EV

Mercedes-AMG GT Pro

Performance connoisseur’s super-sports GT gets four-wheel drive, four seats and an 805bhp range-topping PHEV powertrain.

Read our Mercedes-AMG GT review

Mercedes-AMG CLE 63

No plug-in hybrid here: instead, this even punchier CLE will get AMG’s traditional 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, along with a host of styling adjustments.

Read our Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 review

Mercedes-Benz CLA

The CLA is the first mainstream Mercedes offered with both combustion and electric power. While the saloon has been dubbed ‘electric first’, it will be available with a new 249bhp electrified engine. The EQ-badged EV, meanwhile, will be the rangiest in the UK, offering a claimed 492 miles of driving between charges. There will also be an AMG version with an active rear spoiler and more than 500bhp.

Everything we know about the Mercedes-Benz CLA and the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45

Mercedes-Maybach SL

“Sportiest” Maybach model yet is a big roadster with a 577bhp V8 and all the bling a dictator could want.

Everything we know about the Mercedes-Maybach SL

MG 4 EV update

Popular hatch is due an interior and tech update to keep it on the pace with rivals such as the Kia EV3.

Read our MG 4 review

MG Cyberster 2+2

Everyone’s getting in on the retro revival act, but we will admit that the MGB GT wasn’t on our 2025 bingo card. Admittedly, the hard-top Cyberster doesn’t look much like its ancestor, but as it’s due to arrive on the B GT’s 60th birthday, you can’t really avoid the comparison.

Everything we know about the MG Cyberster 2+2

MG S5 EV

Based on the 4 EV’s platform, the ES5 replaces the ZS EV. It improves on its lower-riding sibling in several key areas, thoe most notable of which is interior quality.

Read our MG S5 EV review

Mini Convertible

Drop-top versions of the definitive small car get 161bhp and 201bhp petrol engines. Priced from £27k.

Read our Mini Convertible review

Mini John Cooper Works EVs

Mini’s go-faster arm goes electric as hot Aceman and Cooper get 254bhp.

Everything we know about the Mini John Cooper Works EVs

Mini John Cooper Works petrol

Mini's hottest petrol hatches are automatic-only, with racy styling and more muscle.

Everything we know about the petrol Mini John Cooper Works

Mobilize Duo

Spiritual successor to the Renault Twizy goes posh (it has airbags!) to take on the Citroën Ami. There's also a cargo version named the Bento.

Read our Mobilize Duo review

Morgan Midsummer

This finely detailed £200,000 barchetta is a Plus Six that has been reinvigorated by Pininfarina.

Everything we know about the Morgan Midsummer

Morgan Plus Six Pinnacle

Venerable flagship bows out with limited-run, £97k special and 3.0-litre straight six.

Read our Morgan Plus Six review

Morgan Supersport

Plus Six replacement retains the fantastic BMW-sourced straight six and edgier styling, aimed at a younger audience. Prices start at £102k and Morgan expects to build some 200 examples annually.

Everything we know about the Morgan Supersport

Nissan Leaf

It’s a Leaf but not as we know it: the Sunderland-built EV has morphed into a saloon-like crossover for its third generation. It will be revealed in full later this year and offer a range of more than 372 miles. 

Everything we know about the next Nissan Leaf

Nissan Micra

Squint a bit and you can see the Renault 5 links in the new Micra. But while it shares a platform and will be built in France, much of its design and engineering work has been done by Nissan – and in the UK, to boot. We’ve been promised a “sporty urban” car.

Everything we know about the next Nissan Micra

Omoda 7

Essentially a more rugged and boxy reworking of the Omoda 5, the 7 will be sold in the UK with petrol and PHEV powertrains.

Omoda 9

Have there really been nine Omodas already? Of course not: the number just signifies that it’s a big SUV.

Onvo L60

The first model from another Nio-owned EV brand, this time aimed at the likes of Tesla and Polestar. It's claimed to be the most aerodynamically efficient SUV on the market.

Everything we know about the Onvo L60

Peugeot 308 update

Volkswagen Golf rival will receive a styling refresh and doubtless some revived powertrains.

Read our Peugeot 308 review

Peugeot e-408

Unusual high-riding saloon will gain an electric powetrain packing 207bhp and 281 miles of range. Looks identical to the petrol 408, though.

Everything we know about the Peugeot e-408

Polestar 3 single-motor

Polestar’s biggest car drops a motor to gain extra range for a lower price.

Read our Polestar 3 review

Polestar 5

British-engineered electric super-saloon has up to 974bhp and radical new fast-charging tech, so it will be rapid off the mark and at the plug.

Everything we know about the Polestar 5

Porsche 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman

One of the year’s most hotly anticipated arrivals. The next 718 Boxster and Cayman will be electric-only and based on a new platform, with their batteries stacked behind the cabin. Dual motors derived from Formula E are intended to deliver a clever blend of performance and efficiency.

Everything we know about the Porsche 718 twins

Porsche 911 Carrera S

Sitting between the Carrera T and the new GTS T-Hybrid, the latest Carrera S brings 473bhp and a more aggressive look inspired by the wide-hipped Turbo. It's priced from £120k.

Everything we know about the Porsche 911 Carrera S

Porsche 911 Turbo

The second electrified 911 variant will keep its flat six but gain a small electric motor for even more dazzling off-the-line performance.

Range Rover Electric

After years of teasers, spy shots and claims of a stacked order book, it’s finally time for Land Rover to make its first foray into the world of electric cars. This is in some ways a subtle debut, because the new EV has the same looks and underpinnings as its combustion-engined counterparts – but with whisper-quiet propulsion. It’s not just refinement that benefits from going EV, though. JLR claims the Range Rover’s motors allow snappier reactions to any slippage at each wheel, reducing the reaction time of its traction control from 100 milliseconds to a single millisecond. Could this be the most capable Range Rover to date, as well as the most luxurious? We’d count on it.

Everything we know about the Range Rover Electric

Renault 4

It must have been Opposite Day when Renault’s product planners conceived the new 4 and 5, as it's due to arrive in showrooms months after the 5. It's very similar underneath but should offer much more room inside.

Everything we know about the Renault 4

Renault Austral

Range-topping family SUV is in line for a host of updates as part of a facelift in a bid to keep up with rivals.

Read our Renault Austral review

Rolls-Royce Ghost

Likely one of the final Rolls to draw its power from a V12, the Series II Ghost limousine will take some design cues from the Spectre EV.

Everything we know about the new Rolls-Royce Ghost

Rolls-Royce's second EV

The follow-up to the Spectre has been confirmed for this year but little else is known at present. A new Phantom limousine is one possibility.

Everything we know about the new Rolls-Royce EV

Seat Arona facelift

Spanish brand's small crossover will be updated with hybrid power and sharpened looks some eight years after it launched.

Everything we know about the Seat Arona facelift

Seat Ibiza facelift

The popular supermini lives on, receiving the same suit of changes as its Arona sibling. 

Everything we know about the Seat Ibiza facelift

Skoda Elroq vRS

Skoda's second sporty electric car will take the fight to the Abarth 600e and Alpine A290, potentially packing as much as 322bhp. It's due to be revealed imminently.

Everything we know about the new Skoda Elroq vRS

Skoda Enyaq facelift

Skoda's best-selling EV gets a redesign insipired by the Elroq, bringing a small boost in range and an upgraded infotainment screen.

Everything we know about the Skoda Enyaq facelift

Skywell Q

A new name to the UK, this Volkswagen ID 3-rivalling electric hatchback will offer up to 300 miles of range. It follows the BE11 electric crossover.

Everything we know about the Skywell Q

Skywell Skyhome

Tech-heavy, 617bhp electric limo will take on the BMW i7 as the Chinese brand’s third model in the UK.

Everything we know about the Skywell Skyhome

Smart #5

Brand’s largest and most potent car yet will be launched with 366 miles of range and an off-road-inspired special edition with nifty stepladders mounted along its right flank.

Everything we know about the Smart #5

Suzuki eVitara

Suzuki staged the European launch of its first EV on an ice rink, mystifyingly, but the car is self-explanatory: a decent-sized SUV with up to 172bhp, a 250-mile range and a mid-£30k starting price.

Everything we know about the Suzuki eVitara

Tesla 'Model 2'

Long-mooted affordable electric car is still up in the air, but the business case remains. Watch this space (again).

Everything we know about the Tesla 'Model 2'

Tesla Model 3 entry-level

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly hinted at a vastly more affordable car. Model 3 with plastic bumpers and steelies, anyone?

Read our Tesla Model 3 review

Toyota bZ4X facelift

Three years after Toyota's debut EV first hit these shores, it's getting a few tweaks. Those include more efficient motors, boosting its range to 356 miles between charges, as well as a sharper look up front. 

Everything we know about the updated Toyota bZ4X

Toyota C-HR+

Electric counterpart to Toyota's style-focused crossover is also one of the most powerful cars it's ever built, with 338bhp. And, thanks to a 77.0kWh battery pack, it will do 373 miles between charges. 

Everything we know about the Toyota C-HR+

Toyota GR Corolla

Volkswagen Golf R rival packs 300bhp and four-wheel drive and could fill a gap in the Toyota line-up when the GR86 sports car retires.

Everything we know about the Toyota GR Corolla

Toyota Urban Cruiser

Having manufactured the Swace (née Corolla) and Across (RAV4) for Suzuki, it’s Toyota’s turn to receive a gift: its Urban Cruiser is basically a reworked eVitara and will be built by Suzuki in India.

Everything we know about the Toyota Urban Cruiser

Vauxhall Frontera

Fancy your compact budget seven-seater with a British badge? Thankfully, Stellantis's Smart Car platform also underpins a revived Vauxhall Frontera. Prices start at £23,495 for both the petrol and (five-seat-only) electric versions.

Read our Vauxhall Frontera review

Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 50

Volkswagen will reveal a new version of the Golf GTI at this year's Nürburgring 24-hour race, celebrating 50 years of the hot hatch. Following previous convention, it's set to be based on the range-topping GTI Clubsport and will most likely bring a small power uplift plus a few heritage-inspired styling tweaks inside and out.

Everything we know about the 50th anniversary Golf GTI

Volkswagen Tayron

Replacement for the Tiguan Allspace is a seven-seat safe bet. The plug-in hybrid version is limited to five seats, however.

Everything we know about the Volkswagen Tayron

Volvo ES90

For a moment, it seemed as if Volvo might abandon saloons for good, but the ES90 comes as welcome reassurance that it's sticking with the traditional three-box shape. Based on the same underpinnings as the EX90, it will be one of the most computationally advanced cars on the market, capable of handling 500 trillion mathematical operations per second. That should enable advanced infotainment and driver-assistance technologies, according to Volvo.

Everything we know about the Volvo ES90

Volvo XC60

Volvo's best-seller gets a number of tweaks to keep it on pace with rivals: a larger 11.2in infotainment touchscreen, softer dampers (for cars riding on coil springs) and more sumptuous materials inside.

Everything we know about the Volvo XC60 update

Volvo XC90

Electric EX90 inspires a design and tech overhaul for the school-run king as Volvo steps back from its plan to ditch all ICE cars.

Read our Volvo XC90 review

Xpeng G6

Positioned to take on the Tesla Model Y, the G6 is the first EV from upmarket Chinese brand Xpeng to go on sale in the UK.

Read our Xpeng G6 review

Yangwang U8

Tank-turning Chinese SUV brings silly stats and gimmicks galore with 1180bhp, a near-3500kg kerb weight and an equally silly-sounding name.

Read our Yangwang U8 review

Insteroid name is a portmanteau of 'Inster' and 'steroid'

Korean brand's city car gets a makeover with rally-style bodywork and stripped-out interior

Hyundai has reimagined its new Inster small electric car as a futuristic hot hatch with aggressive styling and a stripped-out interior, taking inspiration from video gaming.

Named a portmanteau of 'Inster' and ‘steroid’, the Insteroid follows last year’s RN24 Concept, which was described as a ‘rolling lab’ for future hot Hyundai EVs.

It wears a wide-hipped, box-arched bodykit, a roof scoop and a huge rear wing, mimicking the look of Hyundai’s World Rally Championship machines.

Inside, the Insteroid is stripped out and fitted with deep-set bucket seats, a roll cage and a hydraulic-style handbrake, hinting at the car’s performance intent.

It isn’t strictly business, however: it’s fitted with a bulky ‘Beat House’ sound system, complete with a tube-style amplifier, and there are a number of Space Invader-style aliens placed in view of key touchpoints.

Hyundai has yet to publish technical details for the Insteroid, but the RN24 uses a 641bhp dual-motor set-up borrowed from the Ioniq 5 N. That allows the 1880kg drift car to dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 3.4sec, while its 84kWh battery yields 278 miles of range.

“The Insteroid represents a modern take on the idea of a dream car,” said Eduardo Ramírez, chief designer for Hyundai Europe. “It is designed to inspire and create enthusiasm.”

Although Hyundai officially states the Insteroid is conceptual, its existence (like that of the RN24) suggests there's an appetite within the company to produce a hot version of its smallest EV.

Indeed, Hyundai acknowledges that the “Insteroid is another step in the hot-selling production model’s journey”, following the beefed-up Inster Cross that’s due to arrive in dealers shortly.

Hyundai product planning boss Paolo Gnerro last year told Autocar that further variants of the Inster would be considered “in the life cycle” of the model – but also that any such models would need to be demanded by customers.

Gnerro said: “To be honest, I am a car enthusiast. Whatever comes which is adding a bit more spice, not only in terms of sportiness but in abilities, I like it. [But I am] not the market: the market is king and we need to see what is going to happen."

Damage can cause lithium ion batteries to catch fire

We look at why EV fires are so hard to extinguish, how fire services are handling it and how to minimise risks

As the prominence of electric cars on UK roads rapidly grows, more attention is turning to any potential safety concerns that such new technology presents.

One of the major concerns presented by the introduction of electric cars is the risk of fire - or, rather, the perceived risk of fires involving electric cars.  

Petrol and diesel cars still catch fire (remember the spate of Vauxhall Zafira fires not so long ago?), but given how recently electric vehicles were introduced, they make the news far more often, and sometimes unfairly. 

As the world gets used to this kind of technology and protocols are put in place to safeguard against disasters (for example, ship owners are increasingly being told to protect their vessels against car fires), it's worth getting to grips with the statistics, why these fires command so much attention, how fire crews deal with them and what it means for you.

Are electric car fires common?

EV fires aren't a common occurrence. In fact, data gathered over the last few years suggests EV fires are a lot more rare than internal combustion fires.  

According to the Authority for Social Protection and Preparedness in Sweden, of the average 3400 vehicle fires that occur each year in the country, just 0.4% of them are electric cars, and 1.5% are hybrid cars. 

Per the London Assembly and the Greater London Authority, 2023 saw 493 petrol cars catch fire, compared to 138 diesel cars and just 7 battery electric cars. 

According to Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions, 239 fires recorded in the UK from July 2022 to June 2023 were linked to EVs. While this is an 83% increase year on year, it’s important to note the number has increased along with the increasing presence of EVs on our roads. 

Meanwhile, according to Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, some 1898 fires in the county in 2019 were from petrol and diesel vehicles. Just 54 were from EVs.

Another study by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency found that EVs are 20 times less likely to catch fire than ICE cars.

An additional study by that agency and an American insurer found that just 25 out of 100,000 EVs suffer fire damage.

By comparison, 1530 per 100,000 ICE cars experience fire, and hybrid vehicles suffer a much higher risk of 3475 per 100,000​​​.

Why do electric car fires command so much attention?

Electric car fires draw increased attention for many reasons. Firstly, the technology is new and newsworthy.

That said, the real problem with electric car fires is they're remarkably difficult to extinguish due to their complex chemistry, which utilises a large lithium-ion battery. 

Thermal runaway occurs when an EV battery catches fire, where a battery cell short circuits and warms up to dangerous levels. This can lead to a sort of domino effect, meaning other cells in the battery pack undergo the same process. 

According to Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, over 100 organic chemicals are generated in an electric vehicle fire. Some of the gases are seriously toxic, specifically hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. 

They also burn extremely hot and are difficult to cool. Australia-based EV Firesafe suggests it can take upwards of 10,000 litres of water to extinguish an EV fire. 

Electric car fires are tough to extinguish because it's often difficult to access the battery and get cool water onto the problem cell. You think it’s out, and then it erupts again hours, days or even weeks later.

All this considered, it’s no wonder people are becoming concerned about electric car fires, not least those who have to put them out. 

How fire crews deal with EV fires

Fire services are developing new strategies to deal with electric car fires. 

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, for example, has announced that in the aftermath of any incident, road-traffic collision or fire involving an EV, “one of our attending fire engines will follow the recovery vehicle back to the unloading point at their yard to assist with any fires”. 

It also said it has developed a system that enables fire crews to identify what model of EV is involved in an incident and where its battery and isolation switches are. 

Experts are divided on how best to tackle an EV fire but, generally, immense quantities of water to cool the battery pack (although this won’t prevent fire erupting again), a fire blanket to suppress the flames and breathing equipment for the firefighters to protect them from the toxic vapour cloud is the standard approach. Either that or simply let the blaze burn itself out. 

Attempting to suffocate the fire with inert gases is ineffective because, being a chemical blaze, it doesn't require oxygen. Meanwhile, the surrounding area must be checked for discarded battery cells that could have been propelled from the battery pack by an explosion and might spontaneously ignite later. 

Following containment, the burnt-out EV must be removed and deposited in a compound away from buildings and other vehicles. (Some 25% of scrapyard fires are caused by spent lithium ion batteries.)

More radical steps include immersing the car in water, although not sea water, because chlorine gas could be released.

Does the fire risk mean electric cars are unsafe?

It all sounds quite alarming and a good reason not to buy an electric car, but Paul Christensen, professor of pure and applied electrochemistry at Newcastle University and senior advisor to the National Fire Chiefs Council, is keen to quell fears about EV fire safety, especially given the benefits the technology offers.

“As someone who assisted Nissan during the creation of its battery plant, I would, if I could afford one, have a Nissan Leaf tomorrow,” he says. “We don’t need to be worried about the small incidence of fires involving electric vehicles but we do need to be aware.

"A lithium ion battery stores a huge amount of energy in a very small space. Since 2008, the adoption of such batteries has outstripped our appreciation of their risks. We’re running to catch up, but we will do.”

As part of his campaign to improve EV fire risk awareness among first responders, Christensen has so far presented to 30 of the UK’s 50 fire services, as well as to fire services in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. 

He begins each talk by describing the structure of a lithium ion battery cell. A sliver of aluminium, called the cathode, is coated with a mixed-metal oxide ink.

It’s partnered by a slice of copper coated with graphite called the anode. In between them is a fragile, perforated plastic separator soaked in an organic solvent that contains a small quantity of additives whose identity is, troublingly, known only to the cell manufacturer.

Depending on whether the battery is being charged or discharged, the lithium ions move either from or to the cathode and anode. 

Then the professor gives his audience of firefighters their first shock. Full, a cell contains 4.2V of charge, but even when empty, it still holds 2.5V. A Nissan Leaf has from around 192 cells in 24 modules and a Tesla Model S more than 7000 in 16 modules. That’s a lot of energy when the car’s power indicator says it has none.

Full or ‘empty’, the risk of this energy escaping in an uncontrolled fashion is what some scientists believe leads to ‘thermal runaway’, when heat and gases fuel even higher temperatures and still more gases, including hydrogen and oxygen, in a self-fulfilling loop until the cells begin to burn and burst.

A toxic vapour cloud develops, bringing with it the risk of deflagration. Once thermal runaway has started, no battery management system or circuit breaker can stop it.

“A battery fire can be controlled but it cannot be extinguished,” says Christensen.

He has demonstrated in tests how perforating or otherwise damaging a battery pack, as in a crash, can cause it to catch fire. "If an EV’s battery case is dented, you have to assume it’s dangerous,” he says.

Battery packs have been known to catch fire through overheating and while being charged. More worrying, a battery fire can erupt spontaneously, contamination of even just a single cell during its manufacture being one possible explanation.

“Even the most experienced and careful manufacturers have defective electric cells passing through their very careful quality control systems,” says Christensen. 

A battery flame is like a blowtorch that will quickly ignite anything in its path, which is why Christensen wants councils and other organisations to consider EV safety risks in underground car parks, as well as bus depots where vehicles are parked side by side.

“In Germany, three bus depots have gone up in flames in the past six or so months,” he says. “Tunnels, ferries, car parks, cargo ships transporting EVs – all the places you find electric vehicles should be considered a safety risk and the appropriate steps taken.”

He’s worried about classic cars being converted to run on used lithium ion batteries, too. “Nobody really knows how safe used lithium ion batteries are and no standard test has yet been devised to tell us,” he says.

“Some batteries re-enter the market having been removed in illegal chop shops. How safe are they? There’s a lot of research into lithium ion battery safety, but everyone needs to link up, because right now we’re at the bottom of a very steep learning curve.” 

When all else fails…

For electric cars that are on fire or at risk of being so, the fire service in Copenhagen, Denmark, has developed a truck-mounted vehicle containment solution, pictured above.

The smouldering EV is lowered into the container, which, like a skip, is then hoisted onto a flatbed truck. Nozzles in the floor and sides of the container allow water to be pumped into it. Once full, the container and car are taken to a safe storage area and left, possibly for weeks, until the vehicle is no longer a hazard. All being well, the water is then filtered and treated for safe disposal.

Vauxhall Grandland Electric in Ultimate trim previously cost £40,495 – putting it over the ECS threshold

Average new EV exceeds the threshold triggering an extra £2125 in VED over first six years of its life

Vauxhall has cut the price of the range-topping Ultimate versions of its Astra Sports Tourer and Grandland electric cars to below £40,000.

The move means all of the brand's EVs, bar the van-based Vivaro Life Electric, swerve changes to vehicle excise duty (VED) that would have cost a driver an extra £2125 over the first six years of their car's life.

From 1 April 2025, EV owners will be charged Vehicle Excise Duty (VED, or 'road tax') for the first time, costing the same flat rate of £195 that combustion-engined cars built after 1 April 2025 are charged.

This also means owners of EVs with a list price of more than £40,000 – including the cost of optional extras such as paint – will be hit by the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS).

This is an annual charge of £425 per year for five years after the second year the car is registered, on top of the regular VED charge.

This brings a significant increase in cost over the first six years of an expensive car’s life: the owner of a car under £40,000 will pay £1170 in VED over that period, whereas the owner of one over that limit will pay £3295.

Therefore owners of cars costing more than £40,000 face paying an extra £2125 in tax over the first six years.

According to data from analyst Jato Dynamics, the £40,000 threshold – which was set in 2017 – is £8559 lower than the current average price of an EV.

Industry critics of the ECS argue that because the policy was designed so long ago and before the popularisation of EVs, it no longer reflects what is an ‘expensive car’ in the real world.

“The threshold for the ECS – dubbed the ‘luxury car tax’ when launched – has remained unchanged at £40,000 since it was set eight years ago, when the overall market was 30% larger than today and BEVs barely featured,” said Mike Hawes, chief of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Eurig Druce, acting managing director of Vauxhall, said: “The threshold for the Expensive Car Supplement has remained at £40,000 since inception in 2017, despite subsequent high levels of inflation. If it were to have risen with inflation, it would now be around £52,000. 

“With the average price of an EV in the UK at around £48,000, this new tax means that customers buying some of the more attainable electric cars on the market are now being penalised whilst at the same time we're trying to move as many British motorists to electric as quickly as possible.”

Druce added that “we’d urge the government to reconsider this new measure” to incentivise sales of EVs.

American firm's pioneering electric pick-up truck enters a second era to take the fight to the Tesla Cybertruck Large pick-up trucks dominate the American car sales charts, so it’s little surprise that plenty of firms are pushing to develop electric versions, despite the considerable challenges that come with powering already big, heavy machines with big, heavy batteries.Perhaps more surprising was that the first firm to launch a full-size pick-up in the US market was EV start-up Rivian. It launched the R1T in 2021, several months ahead of industry giant Ford’s F-150 Lightning and when the Tesla Cybertruck seemed more the stuff of Elon Musk’s dystopian fever dreams than an actual production vehicle. Given that it’s an American EV start-up, Rivian is often compared with Tesla. But you only need a cursory glimpse at their respective pick-ups to understand the vast differences between the two firms. While the Cybertruck is unapologetically brash and wilfully confrontational, the R1T is far more conventional and infused with genuine warmth and charm. That reflects their approach: while Musk’s firm delights in disrupting the car industry, Rivian had won plaudits from it. In fact, the Volkswagen Group recently made a major investment in the firm, worth up to £4.6 billion. Key to that deal was the formation of a new joint venture that will develop a new software architecture, based heavily on that used in this R1T, to underpin future Volkswagen Group and Rivian EVs – including the next Volkswagen Golf and the Rivian R2 and R3 crossovers.So what is it about Rivian’s software architecture that has prompted that massive investment from Volkswagen? And, more importantly, is the R1T any good? 

GKN's last UK automotive parts plant closed in 2021

Headwinds including electrification and China are forcing a number of prominent suppliers to restructure

The once-in-a-generation upheaval currently sending shockwaves through Europe’s suppliers has multiple consequences, one of which has been to close the book on a key part of British automotive history. 

Back in January, Dowlais, the parent company of driveshaft specialist GKN Automotive, was sold to American Axle. “This whole sector has been really challenged over the last 18-24 months,” Dowlais CEO Liam Butterworth told Autocar, and selling up will allow the company to “to navigate this structural shift in the industry".

GKN can trace its history back to 1759, when the Dowlais Ironworks Co was established in South Wales. What became Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds and then GKN has reinvented itself multiple times over the centuries, but this last move takes ownership out of British hands for the first time.

“The overall macro in the industry is changing,” Butterworth said on the company’s earnings call on 5 March. “There's a structural change taking place around tariffs, geopolitics, regionalisation, the different requirements from our customers and thus creating a strong headwind for a number of automotive suppliers.”

Last year, European automotive suppliers announced 54,000 job cuts – more than in the Covid years of 2020 and 2021 put together, according to data from the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (Clepa).

Among those numbers are 5550 at Germany’s Bosch, the largest automotive supplier, according to Automotive News's 2024 top 100 parts suppliers list.

Number two on that list, ZF Friedrichshafen, announced it would axe 12,000 jobs in Germany. Meanwhile, Continental is looking to lose 7150 jobs through global restructuring, while Schaeffler has said it wants to cut 4700 across Europe, 2800 of those in Germany.

Germany’s role as the region’s car-building heartland has meant many of the world’s global tier-one super-suppliers growing to vast sizes within its borders, so the country is being disproportionally affected as the pressures of electrification, China and a shrinking car market force restructuring.

Almost 19,000 automotive jobs (including at car companies) were lost last year within Germany, according to research from consultantcy EY. “The German automotive industry is in a massive and comprehensive crisis," EY automotive expert Constantin Gall said. “There has been a massive tightening of the cost screw".

In the UK, the sale of GKN is the biggest evidence of that upheaval to hit the supply industry, but there are job losses too. GKN’s last UK automotive parts plant shut in 2021 and Butterworth said in March that the company would also shut its electric powertrain research centre, established in 2017. 

Meanwhile, new GKN owner American Axle shut its Albion Automotive facility in Glasgow in October and Schaeffler announced in November that it would shut its clutch factory in near Sheffield, citing a reduced demand for clutches globally.

The multi-billion pound parts industry was always going to vulnerable to an industry-wide forensic focus on costs, given their outsize contribution to the average cost of building a car.

“The total cost of an automobile is 85% parts, 10% the plant and 5% logistics,” former Stellantis CEO and rigorous bill-slasher Carlos Tavares said last year. “The double digits in sourcing reduction [costs] are going to come from the 85%. The guy that reaches that first will be the winner.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has in the past derided the legacy car business as “catalogue engineering” for its reliance on supplier giants like Bosch, Continental and others.

The shift to electrification has prompted car companies to promise root-and-branch changes to the way they engineer and build cars, to the detriment of the size of the pie given to suppliers.

For example, Renault under Luca de Meo has promised to slash the number of parts in future models like the Twingo EV from around 2500 per vehicle to 1100.

Car makers are keen to soften some of their own job-reduction requirements by bringing in-house parts that previously might have been outsourced to suppliers.

Electric drive units containing the motor, invertor and transmission are a good example – for example Ford in Halewood and JLR in Wolverhampton.

That cuts the available pool of customers for suppliers. “We've had a number of cases where we've walked away from some contracts because it just doesn't make commercial sense,” GKN’s Butterworth said. “If somebody else wants to pick up a contract that's loss-making, then good luck to them.”

When they do land a decent contract, suppliers are at risk from erroneous volume predictions, especially those made during the optimism of EV growth three or four years ago. 

GKN said its 2024 revenue on the e-drive front was hit by volume decline in four specific model programmes, of which Butterworth singled out the Fiat 500e. “Basically the volumes fell off a cliff in Q1 last year when all of the incentives were stopped, specifically in Germany and Italy, and that dried up demand for that vehicle,” he said.

The sizeable bill to moving to electric is painful but has to be paid, given the gulf in production costs between Europe and China and the danger posed by competition from that direction. “The pressure is probably higher than it's been than I've seen it for quite some time,” Butterworth said.

Much of that burden is being passed onto suppliers, forcing them to make difficult decisions. “That can't come from just reducing prices; it needs to come from taking costs out of the system," said Butterworth. "From smarter material purchasing, lower cost manufacturing footprint and more VAVE [value analysis, value engineering] and looking at smarter cleverer ways of engineering and designing things."

Moving manufacturing to lower-cost eastern Europe or further afield is a favourite cost-cutting method. GKN, for example, moved its Birmingham driveshaft production to Poland. Schaeffler said passenger car clutches made in Sheffield would go to Hungary, while those for tractors will move to India.

Many suppliers are restructuring. For example, Continental will spin off its automotive division in September. “We are fully convinced that companies being focused and fast have a clear advantage in this tough industry environment,” CEO Nikolai Setzer said on a special call to investors in March. “The last years, and in particular right now, are as dynamic as they have ever been.”

Clepa is hoping the European Union will help by slowing down the timeline to move to electric and allow car makers to carry on building technologies with a higher part count. “The EU must embrace a diverse portfolio of sustainable technologies, including plug-in hybrids, range-extenders, hydrogen and renewable fuels,” the lobby group said in a statement that otherwise broadly welcomed the EU's recently proposed automotive Action Plan.

In a recent survey of Clepa members, 42% of respondents said they expected a loss or close to zero profit this year. As Peter Bryntesson, CEO of the Scandinavian automotive parts association FKG, told the Dagens Industri newspaper: "Spring 2025 looks pitch black."

Dual-motor MG 4 shows just what a Chinese-built EV can offer an old-fashioned petrolhead: enormous power for a limited budget Having been sidelined as a concept for some time, the hot hatchback is making something of a comeback.While tightening emissions rules have made petrol-powered hot hatchbacks less and less commercially viable, all-electric alternatives are now emerging. Many - the likes of the Alpine A290, and the recently previewed Peugeot e-208 GTI - are from practiced performance brands, and come with high expectations. Some of these fast electric cars, however, have come right out of the long grass and taken us all by surprise.Which is just what the MG 4 XPower did when it arrived in the UK in the summer of 2023. Back then, the idea of a high-performing, twin-motor, compact electric car wasn’t entirely novel; but one that combined fairly classic hot hatchback proportions with lots of power and speed, and an eyebrow-raisingly affordable price, certainly got our attention.SAIC, the MG brand’s Chinese owners, revived an old MG-Rover name for this dual-motor version of the MG 4 electric hatchback. XPower was used on the regrettably doomed MG XPower SV sports car created just before the financial demise of the UK-operated MG Rover. Interestingly, however, that brand is not used on domestic-market versions of this car, which are rather more enticingly called the MG Mulan Triumph Edition (the commercial rights to the defunct Triumph car brand are actually retained by BMW, after its period of ownership of The Rover Group in the 1990s; which might explain why the car was rebranded for export sales).

Sign up to learn about the huge changes to UK car insurance and how they will affect you

Vehicle testing organisation Thatcham Research's new Vehicle Risk Rating represents the biggest change to the car insurance industry in decades. 

This new rating system, which scores cars from 1-99 across five assessment bands, has been designed to deliver more accurate insurance premiums. It replaces the current Group Ratings that have been in place for more than 25 years, and takes into account performance, damageability, repairability, safety and security.

Ben Townsend, head of automotive at Thatcham Research, Victor Zhang, UK country director at Omoda and Jaecoo, Scott McCammon, head of motor repair at Admiral and Felix Page, deputy editor at Autocar will discuss what this change means for UK car insurance and the car industry as a whole. 

Join our webinar ‘How a fresh approach to gauging risk will make modern cars insurable’ on 8 May at 11:00 to find out more about this industry-changing shift, how the new rating system works, how the vehicles are assessed, and how Thatcham Research can assist manufacturers with the process. 

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From its iconic design to its playful handling, we explain why this all-electric crossover is every bit a proper MINI

There are few cars as iconic as the original Mini. Its compact boxy proportions, beady round headlights, fantastically flared wheelarches and mightily minimalist interior made it a style superstar from the get go. And even today, more than 60 years on, it remains a cornerstone of British culture and an ode to simplicity.

But it wasn’t just its cheeky looks that made it such a smash hit. It was also raucously fun to drive, deceivingly practical, incredibly easy to live with and, above all else, a true expression of individuality in a time when the public mood around self expression was in the midst of a seismic shift.

Now, we already know that the new all-electric MINI Cooper does a superb job of channeling the essence of the original thanks to its zippy electric performance, go-kart handling, paired-back cockpit and modern-retro looks. But what about MINI’s latest creation, the new all-electric MINI Aceman? Can this spacious, angular, tech-packed family SUV really stake a claim to the MINI name? We certainly think so. Here are six reasons why:

Book your all-electric MINI Aceman test drive

#1 It’s mighty fun to drive

MINI’s go-kart-like handling is so legendary that it borders on cliché. That fun factor, the ability to put a smile on your face, whether in the city or on a B-road, is something people have come to expect from MINI. So given the Aceman’s crossover proportions, you might be feeling a little concerned. But, fear not.

“The Aceman has SUV styling but drives more like a five-door version of the MINI hatchback. I found that it doesn’t feel like a big car at all,” says What Car?’s new cars editor, Lawrence Cheung.

Indeed, it feels wonderfully light and agile when compared with its fellow electric rivals. Aided by the low centre of gravity – courtesy of the battery pack – the carefully configured suspension and dampers do a fantastic job of minimising body roll – inspiring confidence through the bends. Flick the wheel, and the nose turns in keenly. It’s the direct, nimble, sharp response that you’d expect from a MINI, and it’s guaranteed to leave you grinning from ear to ear.

While the original Mini was nippy in its own way, the Aceman is operating on another level. With the 215bhp Aceman SE surging from 0-62mph in just 7.1sec, there’s plenty of straightline performance to complement that precise handling. But it’s the way that power is delivered that impresses. The instant torque from the electric motor means acceleration is remarkably responsive, and the car pulls strongly at any speed. Making it easy to nip out at a junction, and effortless to get up to motorway speed on a slip road.

#2 It’s perfect for parking

The classic Mini was a doddle to park. How could it not be with its diminutive footprint? And while no modern car comes close to its dinky dimensions, the Aceman has a few tricks up its sleeve to make multi-storeys a breeze.

The Aceman has very short overhangs at the front and rear, which help keep its proportions typically MINI. Add to that a city-friendly, tight turning circle and you have a car that’s very easy to manoeuvre into – and out of – tight spots. 

Better still, the MINI Aceman comes with front and rear parking sensors and a rear camera as standard, along with the very useful Parking Assistant. Parking not your bag? At the touch of a button, the Aceman can neatly slot itself into a space for you. And if you opt for the optional Parking Assistant Plus via the MINI Connected Store, you can even park the car using your smartphone. So next time someone parks uncomfortably close, rather than posting yourself through an impossible small door opening, you can simply drive the car out of the space using your phone, then get seated comfortably. Perfect.

#3 It’s engineered for space

The classic Mini’s innovative transverse engine and front-wheel-drive layout endowed it with a remarkable amount of passenger space for such a small car. The Aceman – which slots neatly between Cooper and Countryman in terms of size – uses a similarly clever approach to packaging. Its dedicated, low-slung electric platform allowed designers to create a spacious, airy interior, while keeping its dimensions usefully compact.

Up front, there’s plenty of head and leg room – even for drivers and passengers that are six-feet tall. In the rear, there’s space for three adults. The 300-litre boot can be increased to 1005 litres when you fold the real seats, giving you some helpful load carrying flexibility. While the low centre console gives you plenty of handy storage space.

#4 Its clean, minimalist interior

Step inside the Aceman and the first thing you’ll notice is the striking showpiece circular OLED display. A nod to the original Mini’s centrally mounted speedometer, the 9.4in display’s unusual form-factor makes it a world first.

That cutting-edge screen acts as your instrument cluster and houses your infotainment. It also lets you control the majority of Aceman’s features. And in a pleasing dose of MINI nostalgia, there are also some good old tactile switches and buttons.

Underneath the touchscreen you’ll find the MINI toggle bar – home to important and useful controls such as the audio volume, parking brake, start/stop switch, the gear selector, and the MINI Experience Mode toggle. Having those features neatly housed in one place frees up the console to give a clean, uncluttered look and feel to the interior – much like the classic Mini.

The ambience is lifted by MINI’s interesting choice of materials. Innovative two-tone knitted textiles – made from recycled materials – give a soft, premium finish to large parts of the dashboard and doors.

The seats – and retro-cool two-spoke steering wheel – are clad with vescin. That’s MINI’s premium, synthetic vegan leather. It’s soft, supple and looks the part. MINI has used the shift to responsible, sustainable materials as an opportunity to elevate, and individualise, its interior design. And it shows. But it still retains that wonderful air of minimalist simplicity.

#5 Its stand-out exterior design

‘Less complexity, more individuality.’ So says MINI’s head of design, Oliver Heilmer. You can see immediately that the new all-electric Aceman is unmistakably MINI in its design. While it retains the beautiful simplicity of its predecessors, it updates the look with contemporary touches.

Up front, there’s the attention-grabbing octagonal grille framed by the new angular LED headlights. Move around to the side and you’ll immediately notice the geometric wheel arches and the muscular silhouette of its crossover shape. And at the rear, the extended spoiler adds some sporting flair. You’ll spot some more functional design influences too, such as modern flush door handles and aerodynamically sculpted surfaces.

These design flourishes combine to give the Aceman its own distinct character, while still retaining those hallmark MINI design cues.

#6 It’s an expression of individuality

The classic Mini was in itself a statement. A fun-loving, spirited car that oozed individuality. With so many variations available, and many owners customising their car to impart their own style, the classic Mini was its own form of expression.

In much the same way, freedom of expression is also a key pillar of the MINI Aceman. Firstly, there are three styles to choose from – Classic, Exclusive and Sport. Each offers its own distinct styling and personality, with interior design tweaks to the seat upholstery, dashboard and steering wheel among other things. There are exterior styling options too, with a host of colour choices, alloy wheel options, and fun details such as the multitone roof and mirror caps, and even racing stripes.

Then there are the MINI Experience Modes. With a flick of the toggle switch, you can match your MINI to your mood with eight options such as Green, Timeless and Go-Kart. Each mode has its own colour scheme, lighting, style and different sounds.

There’s even a Personal Mode, where you can upload an image from your smartphone and set it as the display background. Rather cleverly, the Aceman then identifies the dominant colours in the pic, and projects them onto the dashboard and adjusts the ambient lighting to match. It’s a whole new level of personalisation.

So there you have it. That’s why we think the new all-electric MINI Aceman is very much a proper MINI. So why not go and experience it for yourself?

Book your all-electric MINI Aceman test drive

Stellantis' premium supermini crossover gets styling and cabin revisions to try to cling on to its premium market positioning It’s now been a decade since the emancipation papers for DS’s breakaway from parent company Citroën were signed but, with the ink well and truly dried, the still relatively unknown French premium brand continues to strive to establish itself as a proper car brand in its own right.A reason many might still see the firm - which, between the DS 4 hatchback, DS 7 mid-sized SUV and DS 9 saloon, now has a fairly fresh four-model line-up - as a wing of its Stellantis stablemate Citroen is that the original DS 3, which sold particularly strongly, came with Citroen badges when it was launched in 2010.Yet a regular supermini is not quite what the DS 3 of today resembles. Instead, at 4118mm long and 1800mm wide, it’s become a fashion-conscious compact crossover fighting with the likes of the Audi Q2, Mini Aceman and Fiat 600 – a break that, its maker no doubt hopes, will help distance it a little from its strategically inconvenient past.The car can be had as an ICE petrol model or as a full EV. This review deals with the former model, while the electric model is dealt with here.

We bring you 10 of the most sensible, well-priced and genuinely fun used cars on the market today

As prices rise and belts are tightened, our search for the best value used cars intensifies.

Of course, value is largely a subjective thing and we were reminded of that recently when a reader called with news of their new Tesla Model 3.

It cost £39,000, a figure that included 15,000 miles of free charging via the company’s Supercharger network, a benefit worth around £2000.

Although the reader understood the market is choked with used Model 3s and, as a result, his new car will depreciate heavily, he loved the prospect of being its first owner.

However, those numbers got us thinking about how you can get a year-old Model 3 with 5000 miles for £29,000 and how the £10,000 the reader would have saved could at, for example, 45p per kWh (about midway between domestic and rapid-charger prices) be sufficient to pay for 122,000 miles of power. 

For balance, we accept this calculation ignores the fact that the reader’s Model 3 is the latest, more efficient and better-equipped version.

The two arguments represent different perspectives on value for money but, for this guide, we will go with ours. As we hope to show, used cars represent real value for money when bought well.

It’s our choice but we are willing to accept that the car you own – the one you chose to buy with your own money after long research and weighing up its pros and cons – offers the most value for money or else why buy it?

We think that the Ford Puma is one of the best value used cars thanks to its strong efficiency and rewarding drive across all specifications. 

But are there any other enthusiast cars out there that are worthy of investment? Read on as we share the best value used cars you can buy today. 

Ford’s popular pick-up truck gets a Baja rally-style performance overhaul – and this time there's a petrol V6 You only need to cast a cursory glance at the Ford Ranger Raptor to know that this isn’t your common or garden pick-up truck. It’s a far different beast to that of the Ranger Wildtrak that has dominated pick-up sales charts in the UK and Europe in recent years. The Raptor is a performance-focused, dune-bashing double-cab vehicle that has the capability of a cross-country rally prerunner (what drivers use for a recce of a course instead of their race truck). This time around, the Raptor has been dialled up a notch and now makes a whole range of noises that are variously louder and distinctively richer than those of its diesel-only predecessor. Indeed, the Raptor package isn’t totally unfamiliar: the enormous F-150 Raptor has been sold in the US for some time and Ford rolled out the first Ranger Raptor in 2019, with the performance off-roader embellished by BG Goodrich tyres, chassis modifications and much more – but it was only available with the 2.0-litre diesel four.Now it makes a more welcoming warble from a new turbo petrol V6, which gives the utilitarian pick-up a totally new and sporting personality that allows it to go very, very fast just about anywhere. So is Ford’s now petrol-powered Raptor a sports car slayer, and where does it fit in the performance truck firmament? Let’s find out. 

New model will help Japanese firm grow its small EV line-up; part of wider restructure between Alliance partners

Nissan has confirmed that it will introduce a new small electric city car based on the Renault Twingo in 2026 – bolstering hopes that the two EVs will be produced in right-hand drive for the UK market.

The deal for the new model comes as part of a wider reorganisation of some of the key aspects of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. 

The Twingo is due to arrive in LHD markets next year, priced from less than €20,000 (£17,000).

It's based on Renault’s Ampr Small EV platform (referred to by Nissan as CMF-BEV), which is also used by the larger Renault 5.

Under the Alliance agreement, Renault is already set to produce a new electric Nissan Micra, based on the 5 and due in 2026, for the Japanese firm.

Nissan's Twingo sibling will sit underneath the Micra and larger Leaf and Juke EVs, both of which will be built at Sunderland, in the brand's future European electric line-up.

No further details of the city car have been released, although Nissan said that it would design the car and that it fitted its “roadmap for reducing development costs and time”.

Reducing the time taken to bring new vehicles to market is a key part of Nissan's revival plan, following its recent financial woes and failed merger with Honda.

Renault boss Luca de Meo has previously said that the prospects of the Twingo being converted for RHD markets could be dependent on a deal with Nissan to produce a sibling model, boosting the economies of scale.

Under the existing Alliance agreement, Renault has taken the lead on developing the Ampr Small/CMF-BEV platform while Nissan has headed development of the Ampr Medium/CMF-EV platform for larger models.

More broadly, the Renault Group and Nissan have agreed to a new Alliance Agreement, in which the "lock-up undertaking" of the cross-shareholding has been reduced from 15% to 10%. 

Meanwhile, Nissan has been released from its commitment to invest in Ampere, the Renault Group’s EV development firm.

Furthermore, the Renault Group is set to acquire the 51% of the pair's Indian joint venture, Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd, that's currently held by Nissan.

That move is part of Renault’s international growth plan to invest in expanding its operations in India and will help Nissan to cut costs as it looks to implement its revival plan.

A new agreement would ensure that ongoing projects between Renault and Nissan in India would continue and the two firms would continue to jointly own their technology and business centre in the country.

Are hydrogen cars viable? We run through all you need to know about this alternative fuel

Go back a decade and hydrogen cars were deemed by many to be the next big thing. However, little progress has been made in bringing them to the mainstream market. 

But there is still hope for the hydrogen car. Toyota, BMW and Hyundai are still investing heavily, meaning we could still see a resurgence in the future. 

But what actually is a hydrogen car and how do they stack up to petrol, diesel and electric cars?

We have all you need to know right here, including the pros and cons of hydrogen cars, plus what the future looks like for the technology. 

What is a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle?

Hydrogen cars, or hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (often shortened to FCEV), are vehicles powered by liquid hydrogen. 

This is stored in a tank at a pressure of 700 bar and then used to generate high-voltage electricity for a small buffer battery, which in turn provides transient power for acceleration.

While many people tout hydrogen as the fuel of the future, the truth is that hydrogen cars have been around for decades. In 1998, Mercedes-Benz produced the first road-legal FCEV with the A-Class-based Necar.

How do hydrogen fuel cell vehicles work?

Hydrogen cars draw their power from a fuel cell stack, where oxygen and hydrogen react to generate electricity, sending energy to an electric motor. This means they drive just like an electric car.

Likewise they produce zero harmful emissions at the tailpipe, making them a much cleaner proposition petrol or diesel cars, at least from the driver’s point of view. 

How do you fill up a hydrogen car?

Hydrogen cars can be refuelled from hydrogen pumps at select filling stations. These look much like regular petrol and diesel pumps.

Refuelling a hydrogen car is a simple task: just open up the fuel filler cap and insert the pump. Typically, refuelling takes about five minutes. 

The hardest part of refuelling a hydrogen car in the UK is finding a filling station. According to UK H2 Mobility, there are now just three available for public motorists in the UK. 

They're based at Hatton Cross in London, Tullos in Aberdeen and the Advanced Manufacturing Park near Sheffield.

Many have been shut down in recent years and plans for new ones haven't come to fruition. 

What's the latest on hydrogen cars?

Progress in the world of hydrogen cars has slowed over the past few years. For an in-depth view of the current state of the hydrogen car industry, read more here. 

Some countries are closing hydrogen fuel stations in rapid numbers: H2 Mobility has shut 22 fuel stations in Germany and Shell has reportedly shut 10 of its 11 hydrogen fuel stations in the US, despite originally having planned to open a further 48. 

That hasn't stopped some car brands from investing hefty sums into the technology, though.

BMW will launch the first of a future hydrogen car line-up in 2028, with the first model based on the BMW X5. The car uses a powertrain co-developed with Toyota.

Hyundai recently revealed the Initium concept, which previews the next-generation Nexo hydrogen car with a modern design.

It takes a single electric motor with 201bhp – 40bhp more than the existing Nexo – and Hyundai is aiming for a range of 404 miles between top-ups. 

The Initium previews a production model that’s due to be unveiled by next summer, but it's unclear if it will ever come to the UK, considering that just 50 Nexos have been sold since the model was launched five years ago.

Toyota is also continuing its investment into a new-generation Mirai saloon, despite not having sold a single new example in the UK in 2024. 

Hydrogen cars available in the UK

Two hydrogen cars were until relatively recently available as new cars in the UK today and some car makers have hydrogen in their plans for production in the future. 

Toyota Mirai

The Toyota Mirai first appeared in 2015 and achieved 10,000 global sales before entering its second generation in 2021.

The latest Mirai is equipped with a fuel stack capable of storing 5.6kg of hydrogen and has a WLTP range of up to 400 miles. 

Despite being heavier and larger than the first-generation car, it takes just 8.7sec to travel from 0-62mph and 25.5sec to hit 100mph. That’s thanks to a powertrain that produces 180bhp and 221lb ft of torque.

However, the Mirai wasn’t cheap when it was launched in 2021. It commanded a price of £64,995 and you can’t currently order one from Toyota.

Read our Toyota Mirai review

Hyundai Nexo

Hyundai has been developing fuel cell technology since the 1990s, and the Nexo is the firm’s first production hydrogen car. 

Priced similarly to the Mirai at £65,995, the Nexo’s powertrain produces 161bhp and 291lb ft. Meanwhile, 0-62mph is completed in 9.6sec. 

The Nexo can store up to 6.33kg of hydrogen, which supplies power to a 1.56kWh battery. It offers a range of around 380 miles, and we were impressed by its solid driving dynamics and rolling refinement. 

There are fewer than 30 Nexos on UK roads today and, like the Mirai, it’s no longer available to order.

Read our Hyundai Nexo review

BMW iX5 Hydrogen

BMW formed a partnership with Toyota based around hydrogen technology and it plans to bring the iX5 Hydrogen to market in some form by 2030. 

With a 396bhp powertrain and 524lb ft of torque, it packs significantly more punch than the Toyota or Hyundai, backed up by its sub-6.0sec sprint from 0-62mph. 

Range stands at around 313 miles and our drive of the car revealed it to be comfortable, capable and almost ready for the road. It certainly paves the way for BMW's entry into the world of hydrogen.

Read our BMW iX5 Hydrogen review

Pros of hydrogen cars

One of the biggest benefits of driving a hydrogen car is that it produces zero harmful emissions from the tailpipe, just small amounts of water.

That means it's a lot more environmentally friendly to drive than a petrol or diesel car and would be welcome in the ever-increasing number of clean air zones popping up around the UK. 

Hydrogen cars are also significantly faster to fill up than electric cars.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet, too. 

Some consider hydrogen cars to be more efficient than other powertrains, as hydrogen power uses between 40-60% of its fuel’s energy with a 50% reduction in fuel consumption. It’s not uncommon to see around 400 miles of travel on a single tank when using hydrogen. 

And unlike with an EV, the range of a hydrogen car isn't impacted by outside temperatures. 

Cons of hydrogen cars

While hydrogen cars can be more efficient and environmentally friendly for the driver, there are some drawbacks.

Emissions from the tailpipe may be zero, but there are significant environmental challenges with producing hydrogen on an industrial scale. 

Producing hydrogen at this level uses a significant amount of fossil fuel. According to tyre giant Pirelli, as much as 10kg of CO2 is produced for every kilogram of hydrogen. 

There are methods of producing hydrogen that use renewable energies, but these are currently far more expensive. For example, Denmark produces hydrogen from wind while Iceland uses geothermal energy to produce it. 

Hydrogen cars are also quite expensive to buy due to their complexity, and the small number of refuelling stations is a significant black mark against this technology.

The future of hydrogen vehicles

Currently, hydrogen cars aren’t quite viable for the broader public. There are simply too few filling stations and the hydrogen itself isn’t yet commercially or environmentally viable to produce en masse. 

But with investment from the UK government aiming to accelerate the implementation of hydrogen vehicles, we could see more car makers turn their efforts to this technology in the coming years. 

One such company hoping to drive the production of hydrogen vehicles is engineering firm WAE, which revealed a platform for them in 2023.

It says the platform features a “cutting-edge" H2 fuel cell system and a liquid-cooled battery pack with up to 576bhp available. 

Elsewhere, Alpine has hinted that its radical hydrogen supercar concept, the Alpenglow, could make production. This injects hydrogen into the cylinders of a V6 combustion engine to reduce emissions.

For the general public, though, it looks like the future of cars in the UK will remain electric unless and until hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and production methods become more viable.

Rowan has stepped down as CEO; in his final major interview he explains the "Darwinian event" facing car makers

Volvo boss Jim Rowan has stepped down from the firm with immediate effect, following three years at the helm of the Swedish car firm.

During his time with Volvo, the former Dyson executive oversaw the launch of the EX30, EX90 and ES90, and has been a key proponent in the company's push towards software-defined vehicles.

He will be replaced by his predecessor, Håkan Samuelsson, who previously led Volvo from 2012 until 2022.

In this interview with Autocar – his final before exiting the firm – he says car makers face a "Darwinian event", and lays out his plan for Volvo to come out on top.

“It’s not win-win. Somebody’s gonna lose”

“If you’re looking for mental stimulation and sleepless nights, then come and join the industry,” says Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan, who did just that three years ago this month when he moved to the automotive world from the tech sector.

Compared with other car company CEOs, he speaks in a way that makes him still seem like an outsider – or perhaps an outlier – because the way Volvo talks so openly and extensively about software stacks, computer chips and processing power remains unique among legacy car manufacturers.

Yet Rowan believes this is where the game is now at for the automotive industry and he cannot comprehend how far behind rivals seem to be in the way they present themselves and talk about electric cars as if they’re a new thing, especially when their companies’ very survival is at stake.

“I’m not an automotive guy. I come from the tech sector and I’m absolutely flabbergasted by the amount of people that still talk about electrification, as if that’s the big thing,” he says. “We know about batteries. We know about embedding the modules. We know about even silicon carbide, which was a big story all of a sudden, but that’s not a new technology. We know about power electronics and so on.”

Instead, says Rowan, the four key things for the automotive industry now are “software, silicon, connectivity and data” – and Volvo is advanced in its development of all of them. But far from this being an attempt by Volvo to reposition itself as a tech company, this tech push is at its core about doubling down on safety and ensuring its cars continue to get ever safer and more lives are saved.

“When I say software, I mean full-stack software,” he says. “You need to be able to write from layer one of the silicon all the way up to the application layer of the car in order to control it properly. There are three companies in the world that have managed to do that: Tesla, Rivian and Volvo. There’s a lot of good car companies but none of them have figured it out. It’s a big deal – and freaking hard to get this done. But we’ve stuck at it.”

This ‘Superset’ tech stack is on the Volvo EX90 and ES90 and it will be adopted by all future Volvos. Moving all of the car’s major hardware and software control functions onto a central system rather than individual ECUs (the archetypal software-defined vehicles we’re increasingly hearing more about) enables more meaningful, consistent and stable over-the-air updates, particularly in the context of active safety technology and how vehicle data from accidents or near misses can be used to help cars avoid these situations in the future.

To handle the data, Volvo has been developing its own cloud architecture, which “most people are not”, says Rowan. This approach allows Volvo to retain control of all its data and make its cars safer remotely. “That’s the big story,” says Rowan, and it’s in contrast to buying an off-the-shelf cloud, “when you get nothing”. Volvo now has the second-biggest data centre in Sweden.

He says: “We run our algorithms inside the cloud architecture and then we push that back into the vehicle so that it makes the vehicle better and stronger and strengthens the algorithms.”

So why is Volvo pushing the tech story so hard? Do customers respond, or need to know?

Rowan says part of it is to drive the value of the company due to this level of advanced, proprietary technology and control of Volvo’s own destiny, but he notes “the stock is not showing that valuation” yet.

For customers, Volvo having remote control “of every node in the car” will enable more features to be added to the car. “People are still figuring out all the different use cases that we can get from that,” says Rowan, but he gives the examples of a dashcam being created out of the sensors and cameras, or an app that lets you check your car and where it’s parked remotely, as code that could be “written in an afternoon”.

“But the biggest thing is going to be around the safety aspects,” he says. “Because we get all that data, we’ll be able to look at the algorithms of all crashes. We’ll really see the crash. We’ll get the tape recording from the car that happened in Wiltshire on a wet Sunday afternoon and see what exactly happened. We’ll interrogate that and say: if we had deployed the airbag in a condition where the light is low and it’s a little bit slippery or whatever three nanoseconds earlier, that saves lives. That becomes meaningful to us as a safety brand. We need to be able to bring all of that alive to customers.”

Originally a mechanical engineering apprentice at Tate & Lyle in his native Scotland, Rowan soon switched into tech and held chief operating officer roles at both BlackBerry and Dyson and was CEO of Dyson from 2017 to 2020.

He succeeded the retiring Håkan Samuelsson, who in his decade in charge successfully lifted Volvo out of the mainstream and into the premium arena, where it could compete with the likes of Audi and Mercedes-Benz. That positioning is unchanged, and Rowan says that while he will continue to burnish Volvo’s traditional mechanical credentials, the job is now one of pushing Volvo’s tech prowess.

“That’s where the industry is going,” he says. “Quite frankly, if you don’t understand that and are not investing in that technology right now, you’re going to be left behind. The Chinese understand this really well.

“That’s why I’m flabbergasted sometimes by a lot of our competitors who still want to push for internal combustion engines. That’s great. They make a lot of money out of it, but they’re missing the point.

“I come from the smartphone industry. I was a BlackBerry guy. There were Nokia guys, Ericsson guys. There were Siemens guys. Philips used to build phones, Alcatel. None of them exist any more because we all thought it was about the RF circuit: how good is your connection?

“It was actually about software. It was about building an ecosystem that made the phone much more than a phone – and they missed it. The two guys who figured that out, Apple and Google, are trillion-dollar companies and the rest of them don’t exist.”

Investing in software is not at the expense of hardware, insists Rowan. “If we can enable that more with software and augment that, we can give a better experience. Look at Apple: I love the hardware. I love the brightness of the screen.

I love the way [an iPhone] works, the way it feels, how they build it. I love the software but, more importantly, I love the whole way the thing comes together. If we can emulate that within the vehicle itself, I think that’s the winning combination.”

Rowan says that the strength of brands means something quite different in the premium market compared with the mainstream, where the decision will nearly always come down to price. Yet “the premiumness of cars in the electric age is still being defined” and old brand values for premium car makers won’t necessarily carry over from the combustion era.

“With internal combustion engines, ‘premium’ is derived by [the likes of] ride quality,” he says. “If that was your brand attribute, you spent a ton of money because you put a big, heavy engine in the front of the car. You want to throw that car through the corners at 120kph [75mph]. You’d spend a lot of money on making a really smooth engine, on a really nice chassis, on suspension.

“Then, bang, all of a sudden there’s a new technology. You take a flat skateboard design and you get a nice low centre of gravity. Now you don’t have to offset this big, heavy engine in the front of the car, so suspension and, to some extent, chassis design becomes far less important. With battery technology, it’s not about the explosiveness and the smoothness of your engine, because you get torque for free. So now, what’s your brand attribute?

“What we’re seeing in China is people are saying: ‘Why would I buy this car when I can get the same acceleration, the same ride and handling for half the price?’”

Rowan says that Volvo’s brand attributes of safety and Scandinavian design won’t change in the electric era, but being a leader in technology allows customers “to come to us for different reasons”.

“That’s one of the big, profound changes that’s happening in the industry,” he says. “If we can augment that [traditional positioning] with better software, then the younger demographic will come to your brand and see a pretty cool car.

“We used to sell cars to accountants, doctors, dentists and lawyers. Now we’re selling a lot of cars to young software engineers, young marketeers, because the brand attributes are reasonably understated, reasonably humble, and especially when they have children, then they care about safety more than anything else.”

A question about the future of estates (according to Rowan, SUVs have taken their place essentially and Volvo cannot and will not enter every market niche as a relatively small company. A range of around eight cars will be enough) prompts a wider response from Rowan about how the industry is in a “Darwinian event” around survival, and who can successfully transition into software-defined vehicles.

“The guys figure this out quicker are going to come out strong, the guys who stick to the knitting,” he says. “There will be people who don’t come out of this and there will be fatalities. The guys with 10-15 brands, that’s going to be super-tough. They’re going to need to pare that back quickly.”

Rowan expects a significant change in around 18 months as brands start to disappear, from legacy car makers and from Chinese upstarts.

“They’re just not all gonna survive,” he says. “There’s not enough business for everybody. A lot of them are not making money already. They’re selling cars at a loss just to keep cash coming in. Eventually, that plays itself out and you’re going to see a thinning out of the multi-brand car companies that are going to need to say: ‘I can’t keep all these brands alive, so I’m going to need to shrink.’

“I don’t think you’re going to see car companies buying car companies. There’s just not enough business for everybody. So those guys will die out. The ones that are left will be much stronger because there’s less competition, and we’re going to be forced to be pretty lean to get through this.

“Everybody’s cutting costs. I don’t think it’s a bad thing for the industry. It’s super-interesting. It’s super-competitive right now. It’s freaking hard. But at the end of the day, if you want to win in the long term, you need to go through this. The only way to take market share in a flat market is to take it from your competitor. So unfortunately, we’re not in a win-win situation. Somebody’s gonna lose.

EVs that can break the 300-mile barrier are growing in number – as are number of those that can crack 400 miles

For many new car buyers, electric cars are often judged by a single factor: their driving range. 

That's because, back when electric cars first entered the mainstream, they really couldn't go far until you would need to recharge their batteries - and finding a charger was a near-impossible task. 

Cast your mind back to 2010: the Nissan Leaf, widely regarded as the world’s first mass-market EV, offered just 100 miles of range and took eight hours to charge from a home socket. 

But EVs have improved massively in a short space of time. Even some of the cheapest electric cars currently on sale will easily deliver double the range of the original Leaf and charge much, much faster.

Thanks to a decade and a half of battery and motor development, some of the longest-range EVs can now match some petrol cars for how far they will go on a ‘tank’.

This list ranks the top 10 longest-range EVs, quoting officially supplied figures from manufacturers.

In real-world use, it’s unlikely that many of these EVs will hit these promised figures consistently – although you might get close if you’re feather-footed, a keen hypermiler or driving in summer. 

The undisputed range champion - that’s the EV with the longest range available in the UK today - is the Mercedes-Benz EQS saloon, which is capable of 481 miles. Which other models make the top 10? Read on to find out.

Can the Czech brand’s re-jigged large SUV remain as one of our favourites? The new Skoda Enyaq is proof that some manufacturers stay true to their core focus, even in the age of the rebrand.Kia and Hyundai have taken the 'reinvention' baton and run a country mile, Mercedes is going to launch 21 new models in just two years, and Jaguar's new look needs no introduction. But Skoda and its cars have always stayed true to their intentions; they're easy to live with, easy on the eye and easy to use.When the previous Enyaq made its first appearance in 2020, it quickly became a car we liked because of its inherent ‘Skoda-ness’. It was affordable, energy-efficient, had decent performance and a cleverly thought-out, good-quality cabin. No surprises, then, that it was one of Europe's best-selling cars in 2024.Many of its competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID 4 have all been updated since, and now Skoda has given the Enyaq some new styling in line with its current design language, an upgrade to the infotainment system and a small boost in range.In light of this, then, let’s find out how it stacks up.The Skoda Enyaq range at a glanceAs before, you can have the Enyaq in regular SUV or coupé guise. Both come with the choice of two battery sizes and three powertrain options. At the entry-level is the Enyaq 60, which comes with a 63kWh lithium ion battery (59kWh usable) good for up to 277 miles of range. The next levels up, the 85 and 85x, use an 82kWh battery (77kWh usable), with electric ranges up to 370 miles and 346 miles respectively.The 85 was originally called the 80, but in 2024 Skoda upgraded the rear motor of it, the 80x and vRS for more power and better efficiency and renamed the first two to 85 and 85x.The entry-level 50, meanwhile, has been discontinued for this generation, owing to a lack of demand.In lieu of trim levels, Skoda offers interior design themes (Loft, Lounge, Lodge, Suite Cognac, Suite Black and Sportline) and a selection of other option packages. UK buyers will not be able to get the 60s in Sportline trim.

The ZR-V is a vertically stretched Civic for the fiercely contested, hybrid-powered family SUV class The Honda ZR-V may not be the best-known Honda model, but it’s made a telling difference to its corporate fortunes.It became one of Honda UK's top three best-selling models in its first full calendar year on sale, 2024, returning the company to the right side of 30,000 annual units for the first time this decade.That’s mostly because it fills a gap in a popular market segment for compact SUVs. And yet it doesn’t do so conventionally, which may be why the Honda badge on its nose seems like such a good fit.The car presents a slightly lower-slung, ‘all-road estate’ type of alternative to the likes of the Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Tiguan and Peugeot 3008, then. It’s a little less boxy-looking, for those who remain on the fence about SUV aesthetics but like their convenience and practicality, and its dynamic priorities are all about comfort, efficiency and ease of use.

Long-running motor show played host to a number of wild concepts like these example from Rinspeed

Traditionally at this time of year, the automotive industry congregates in Geneva for the world’s most important motor show – but to our great sadness, last year’s event was the last there will ever be.

A sad corollary of this is that we won’t get to enjoy our semi-regular laughs at concepts unveiled by Swiss design houses – or should we say mad houses? – Sbarro and Rinspeed.

Italian-born Franco Sbarro began his career as a mechanic, then set up his eponymous firm in 1968 – with zero interest in conventionality.

Sbarro first caught our attention at Geneva in 1973 with the SV1, an attractive sports coupé composed of NSU, Porsche and Volkswagen components – most prominently, two Ro80 rotary engines mounted side by side behind the rear seats!

In 1978, it combined a Fiat four-wheel drive system with a BMW engine in the shell of an “avant-garde cross-country vehicle” – then two years later took this format to a wild extreme, matching a G-Wagen chassis with the 450SE’s V8 engine and adding a third axle.

The Wind Hawk was, unsurprisingly, destined for the Middle East – just like the AMG G63 6x6 that Mercedes itself would produce 35 years later.

That 1980 show also introduced Autocar to Frank Rinderknecht’s Rinspeed, starting fairly sensibly with a small car for disabled drivers featuring a mechanism that hoisted one’s wheelchair out, up and into a roof-mounted box.

Perhaps the coolest thing at the 1982 show was Sbarro’s Super Twelve, a straight-12 hot hatch. Yes, really: the engine was two Kawasaki motorcycle sixes conjoined, making 240bhp. With a tubular chassis and a fibreglass body, it weighed 800kg – resulting in a better power-to-weight ratio than Lamborghini’s Countach.

Two years later, it produced an evolution, the Super Eight, with a Ferrari 308 GTB chassis and V8. This one-off came up for auction in 2024 but fell short of its reserve at $160k.

Enjoy full access to the complete Autocar archive at the magazineshop.com

Sbarro’s next show-stealer was the 1985 Challenge, a supercar of truly bizarre proportions with four-wheel drive, a centrally mounted 5.0-litre Mercedes V8, a retractable windscreen and… inflatable seats.

We actually sampled one of six road-registered examples a decade later. It had lost a pair of cylinders but none of the visual impact, and naturally it was “a disappointment to drive, failing to meet your expectations even in a straight line”.

The 1987 Monster 4x4 was in a similar vein but had an even bigger Mercedes V8 – 6.9 litres – rotating the enormous wheels of a Boeing 747. Rolling resistance be damned.

Rinspeed spent the 1980s mostly creating sensible (well, relatively, that is) tuned versions of Porsches and whatnot, but in 1997 it decided to join in Sbarro’s game, giving us something that “looked like a 1960s front-engined Indycar on acid”.

That engine was a V8 from, er, Hyundai, a supercharger taking its output to a hefty 410bhp, and all while the Mono Ego weighed no more than a tonne.

It produced something similar for the 1998 show, called the Rocket, again using that Korean V8 but with styling more akin to a pre-war Auto Union grand prix racer – although “we won’t go too near the stand, because these cars often disappoint when you get close”.

If they had been unconventional in the 1990s, Sbarro and Rinspeed both really let loose in the 2000s, as exemplified by the latter firm’s millennium duo: a retro hot-rod pick-up truck with an integrated crane, called the Tatooo.com (huh?), and “an odd underwater scooter that looks like it’s from a B-grade Hollywood sci-fi movie”, called the Breathing Observation Bubble.

Aquatic machinery became a bit of a theme for Rinspeed, as shown by 2004’s Splash. Creating “a tidal wave of interest” (ahem), this was a chunky roadster that could hydraulically transform into not merely a boat but a hydrofoil, elevating it 60cm above the water. And fuelled by compressed natural gas for good measure.

Having made “Dick Dastardly’s next car” in 2003 (“good old Franco is still taking the drugs, it seems”, we joked), Sbarro in 2007 created a six-wheeled pick-up truck by adding an electrically driven third axle to the… Citroën C-Crosser. Obviously.

In 2009, Rinspeed presented the iChange (everything new had to be ‘i’ back then, didn’t it?), which could alter its shape depending on how many people were inside – although funnily enough it was “cunningly perched on an elevated stand to keep its shape-shifting qualities hidden from the general public”.

We gave up reporting on this dynamic duo after that, so irrelevant were their creations to the road, but their presence still always raised a smile.

Ssangyong designer Ken Greenley perhaps put it best when he told us in 1999: “I don’t like any of the cars here, but Geneva wouldn’t be Geneva without Sbarro. I’ll give its stand a four out of 10 for being interesting and thought-provoking.”

AGTZ invokes an old car without actually being based on one

Italy’s famous coachbuilders aren’t worried about new technology and changing tastes

"It could be the revival of coachbuilding.” Andrea Zagato, CEO of the company bearing his surname, founded in 1919 by his grandfather, is confident.

Confident that his specialist industry is fit and ready to not only survive the new automotive era but thrive in it: “The art of coachbuilding is 500 years old, while automotive is around 150.

"We’ve already survived all possible technological shifts. I joined the company in the middle of the crisis of the early ’90s, when other coachbuilders were lost. We survived all of this. So why not a change of technology?”

While the romance of automotive coachbuilding was perhaps strongest in its early decades, it stands to win over new audiences a century later, due to two diverging strands: the move to EVs with vastly shared platforms (just look at Ford and Volkswagen buddying up) and the nostalgic response of restomods and their ilk.

Whether on fully digitised or wantonly analogue bases, the need for individual designs and finely crafted bodies may be more crucial than ever.

“We are case designers,” continues Zagato, “so we concentrate on what you see, what you touch. Whatever technology you provide us beneath, it’s not a big change for us.

"There are several converging trends in the automotive industry, and one is the growing demand for exclusivity. There’s also a standardisation of the components, even in internal combustion cars.

"Stellantis is a prime example: for me, the new Lancia Ypsilon is better-looking than the Peugeot 208, but they’re almost the same underneath. The styling might be the deciding factor for buyers.”

Zagato insists that his firm will embrace new technology, rather than fear it. He cites artificial intelligence and 3D stamping as beneficial for its small-scale projects, explaining: “You don’t have to invest thousands of euros in moulds or tooling, because you can quickly build the parts to create one-off and few-off cars. We’re already building many one-offs with 3D stamping.”

“We’re living through a technological challenge created by the war between EVs and ICE cars,” he continues. “If electric motors win, the standardisation in the industry will be maximised. I can see a time when you won’t be keen to own a mass-production car; you will rent, use, share. Design may become the main element of differentiation.

“People are looking for uniqueness and personal expression. This is bringing us to the point that coachbuilding could be truly back soon. I believe restomods are an intermediate step.”

This brings us to the £550,000-plus AGTZ Twin Tail (a collaboration between Zagato and La Squadra, a Polish dealer of collector’s cars), which clothes today’s Alpine A110 in a dramatic skin paying homage to the A220 endurance racer of the ’60s. Two bodystyles are replicated by one car, thanks to an innovatively removable longtail. 

Its modern core means it doesn’t fit the true description of a restomod, says Zagato: “It’s a typical coachbuilding job, using inspiration from the past and telling the iconic story of the A220.

"This is a modernisation of the concept. We have airbags and contemporary safety systems on board. We’ve integrated modern technology with timeless design. This is the difference between us and a restomod.”

Old and new together

Another Italian coachbuilder is making a successful business case for true restomods, though.

Last summer, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera unveiled its Veloce12, which takes an old Ferrari 550 Maranello and endows it with freshened engine, chassis and brake components beneath a reimagined body.

“We believe the market for high-end classic cars has seen a shift in buyers to a new generation of product,” says CEO Markus Tellenbach. “Cars from the ’50s or ’60s struggle a bit with younger buyers, which is where cars from the ’90s come into focus.”

Many of the £600,000-plus Veloce12s have been sold to American buyers. Its status as a restomod is crucial there, as cars not originally approved for US sale can’t legally be imported for unrestricted road use until they’re 25 years old.

“Our concept fits the story of the ’90s analogue car and using a donor means we don’t have to do our own homologation,” confirms Tellenbach.

The 30 buyers are split 50/50 between those supplying their own 550 Maranello donor car and those buying the car purely on sight at Monterey Car Week in California.

“Our youngest customers are in their late thirties – younger than Touring’s historic age,” reveals Tellenbach. “Making a classic design contemporary and fresh resonates with a new audience.”

It seems Touring has tapped into an elusive market frequently chased by mainstream car makers, often in vain.

“We aren’t burdened by the rucksack of being consistent with brand values like an OEM,” says Tellenbach. “For a big, established name, it’s tougher to respect all your usual rules and establish brand recognition while also appealing to younger buyers.”

Yet the Veloce12 isn’t Touring operating at its purest, he adds: “Making 30 cars in two years is quite an efficient programme for us, all thanks to carbonfibre. With hand-built aluminium, you can’t do that.

We love making one-offs or few-offs where the panel-beaters create the car: that’s where our true heart lies. It’s what I want to revive and keep active as a true coachbuilding discipline. Something which fully reflects the craftsmanship that a collector appreciates.

“It’s more likely that we will find another way to reinterpret classic beauty than push the envelope on new construction materials. We aren’t scientists; we’re coachbuilders. If I find a friendly OEM with a 12-cylinder, front-engined car who will shake hands with us, you might see a brand-new Touring [rather than a restomod].

"Maybe today that’s wishful thinking, but tomorrow, who knows? It’s only possible to have access to a brand-new platform when you’re working directly with the company in question.”

One such company is Alfa Romeo, whose historical relationship with Touring helped secure the coachbuilder its contract to build the limited-run 33 Stradale supercar.

“It has to be done in a co-operative way,” says Tellenbach. “We need a friendly relationship, similar to AMG with Mercedes or Alpina with BMW. That direction surely has a great future.”

The companies previously paired up for the gorgeous Disco Volante, a proper coachbuilt ‘case’ atop the 8C Competizione’s platform.

“That was designed by Touring and Alfa Romeo liked it so much they asked us to put their badge on it,” says Tellenbach. “Which is great if you like the story between the two brands, these neighbours in Milan, although it’s probably not typical.

"But we’re building the 33 Stradale with a team split almost 50/50 between the two brands. Our old friendship is revived.”

And what of the relationship between Touring and another of its famous neighbours, Pininfarina, the Veloce12 essentially being the former’s resketching of the latter’s work?

“Some online comments insisted that the original lines shouldn’t be touched,” admits Tellenbach, “but there is no animosity. We have a professional respect for each other’s work."

Their question over dinner at Monterey was: ‘Does it sell?’”

Tailoring and top hats

While Automobili Pininfarina is a branch away from the coachbuilding culture of old (as a sibling company of the original Pininfarina design house), its cars are still subject to the same fastidious buyers, as evidenced by the Battista Targamerica, which was also revealed at Monterey, then handed over to “one of our most important clients” by CEO Paolo Dellachà.

“It’s not what most of our customers want but a few of them,” he says. “They’re asking us if we can develop them something that isn’t just the usual colours, materials and finishing [CMF] bespoke process – they want to go a step further.

"To realise the first open-roof Battista, for instance. The Battista operates in a sphere where the residual value of the car is more bound to its level of exclusivity than its technology.”

Does this represent a chance to return to the coachbuilding roots of Pininfarina that date back to 1930? “I will always be happy to create one-offs and few-offs spun from any of our main models,” answers Dellachà.

“Pininfarina has been doing this very extensively in the past. Of course you have to do it in proportion, in the right measure, to avoid becoming specialised only in that. You need to have a solid platform first. Once you have that, there’s more freedom in terms of creating even more outstanding design.”

One-offs aren’t necessarily the big profit-booster they can be for more mainstream manufacturers’ special vehicle divisions, however, says Dellachà: “They may cost more to the customer, but these unique cars require additional design, engineering and tooling.

"There’s always a homologation process, even for the Targamerica. It’s not just a show-and-display car [a way to bypass the US’s 25-year rule].” Dellachà joined Automobili Pininfarina in 2023, following lengthy stints at Ferrari and Maserati.

“Mostly at those brands, our custom products concerned CMF rather than ‘top hat’ [ie body and interior] modifications,” he says. “Top hat is more of the Pininfarina tradition.

“Such coachbuilding is not limited by the technology of the powertrain. You can do it on ICE, hybrid or electric [bases], and the transformation can go from zero to 100 according to the level of bespoke a customer wants to achieve – and the level of money they wish to invest in the process.

“With a lot of patience and creativity, we can really thrill our buyer with something that’s exciting at all possible levels – and that’s purely working on design, without touching any of the performance.” 

Small batteries and austere power outputs mean the Spring and T03 are best suited to town

The Spring is widely regarded as the value champion but China's Leapmotor is here to fight it – which is better?

Electric cars, and new cars in general, are expensive. You know it, we know it, and even though they prefer to draw your attention to attractive-looking finance deals and the potential savings of electric driving, car makers know it.

Yes, they do appear to be trying to improve things (while protecting their bottom line, of course) but the various innovative ‘mobility solutions’ have proved to be deeply inadequate for most people and cheap ‘cars’ like the Citroën Ami are a case of being careful what you wish for. We want cheap cars, but not like that.

Affordable petrol cars are bad for car makers’ CO2 quotas and, in spite of the demand from customers, are increasingly difficult to make a profit on. Of the five sub-£15,000 cars we gathered together for a group test in 2023, only Dacia’s Sandero remains below that mark today.

The situation might be changing, though. The relentless march of progress means that the platforms aimed at developing markets may now be perceived as more acceptable over here. Meanwhile, battery costs are (slowly) coming down. So if you package a modest number of cheaper cells in one of those cheaper platforms, you might actually end up with a very decent yet affordable electric car.

That recipe has been used for both the Dacia Spring Electric and the Leapmotor T03. Both are available for well under £20,000, can seat four people, are capable of motorway speeds and exceed 140 miles on the combined cycle. On the face of it, Mini and Honda were asking over £30,000 for the same sort of thing not so long ago.

Sounds good, but there is the danger that we’re dealing with the Temu version of the Honda E and Mini Electric here: attractive on paper but horribly compromised in functionality.

Dacia Spring vs Leapmotor T03: Design and engineering

Encouragingly, both manufacturers are reputable enough to dispel such concerns. Dacia’s reputation speaks for itself by now. The Duster, Sandero and Jogger are brilliant examples of all the car you need, nothing you don’t. It’s not that Dacia reduces a car to its bare essentials but, more significantly, it does the essentials so, so well.

The Spring is slightly different. It’s based on the Renault Kwid, which was launched in India in 2015 and gained early infamy for its disastrous crash test results. Since then, it has been updated with better crash structures, airbags, a couple of facelifts and latterly a pack of batteries under the floor. The electric version, which is built in China, is sold as a Renault elsewhere but came to mainland Europe a few years ago as the Dacia Spring.

Last year, it had a major facelift to Dacify it further and turn it into a more cohesive product for the European market – including the UK this time.

If you compare the Spring we have here with the old one, it might as well be an entirely different car. The Y-shaped light signature and cityscape pattern on the lower grille have really turned budget transport into a cool little city car, even if there is still something awkward-looking about its small-wheeled tippy-toe stance. If you peer through the rear wheel arch, you can actually see the torsion beam for the suspension.

We know what a Dacia is, even if it’s actually a Chinese-Indian Renault, but what the hell is a Leapmotor?

Fast-moving start-up, China, high-tech electric mobility, yadda, yadda. You’ve heard that sort of thing before, but what makes us all take notice is that Stellantis has a 21% stake in the company and owns 51% of Leapmotor International, a joint venture set up to increase Leapmotor sales outside of China.

Not only that, but it has started building left-hand-drive T03s in the Fiat plant in Tychy, Poland. In other words, our Franco-Romanian car is made in China, whereas our Chinese car could have been built in Poland, although right-hand-drive ones continue to come out of China.

So Stellantis gives credibility to Leapmotor in the form of brand recognition and a dealer network, but that’s about where the Stellantis involvement ends.

The T03 isn’t a cut-down Vauxhall Corsa: it’s a pure Leapmotor development. There’s a battery under the floor, a motor in the front and, like many Chinese cars, a design that is inoffensive but very derivative. If the front has shades of cross-eyed Smart Forfour, from the back it could be absolutely anything.

Instead, it draws you in by being apparently overspecced in almost every way, at least on paper. At the UK launch, Leapmotor’s PR team weren’t shy about making comparisons with the Dacia Spring and even brought a static Spring to show just how much better equipped the T03 is for the same price. Indeed, in a game of austerity Top Trumps, the Leapmotor wins easily.

It comes in just one spec, and for your £15,995, Leapmotor gives you a 37.3kWh battery, 94bhp and loads of equipment: a fully fledged infotainment system with navigation, adaptive cruise control, blindspot monitoring, a panoramic sunroof and 48kW DC charging.

Meanwhile, at Dacia, the same money will buy you a Spring with the upgraded motor (still only 64bhp), a battery of only 26.8kWh, no fast charging, no centre screen and none of that fancy-pants tech. Our test car is in Extreme trim, which adds an infotainment screen, cruise control and 30kW fast charging but is £1000 more.

In practice, though, these philosophies are emblematic of the different ways that the Chinese and European manufacturers develop their cars. What’s there in the Dacia works well, whereas you’re in for a bit more of a fight with the Leapmotor’s apparent luxury features.

Dacia Spring vs Leapmotor T03: Interior

The interior is a case in point. Inside, the T03 is clearly intended to feel like a ‘proper’ car, with its restrained styling and standard infotainment screen.

It’s unmistakably quite a small space, though, so it can’t help but feel slightly incongruous. There’s none of the sense of fun that small cars, including the Spring, are traditionally quite good at.

Although the Leapmotor’s touchscreen works passably well, it’s not great. It has no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, so you’re reliant on the radio and Bluetooth for media and the built-in system for navigation, which is quite fiddly to programme.

The climate controls are also on the screen, and although they’re permanently displayed in a bar at the bottom, the ‘buttons’ are quite small. Neither of these cars has automatic climate control, so you end up fiddling with the heater and fan speed a lot.

That process is so much easier with the Dacia’s physical knobs and switches. Our test car has the optional touchscreen with phone mirroring, and while the more basic version doesn’t have a centre screen at all, it has an integrated holder for your phone, which does media and navigation pretty well anyway.

Neither of the two has heated seats. That’s frustrating because it can’t be very expensive to fit heating elements to the seats. Given these cars are used primarily for short hops, you end up losing quite a lot of range to the heater when you just want your back to be kept warm.

With all that said, the T03 is far more accommodating than the Spring. Its doors feel much less tinny, the seats have more padding and the driving position is far superior to the Dacia’s.

The Spring makes you feel more like a circus bear in a comedy car. The pedals are too close for comfort and you sit quite high in relation to the controls and the top of the windscreen.

Both are small cars, so rear carrying space is inevitably limited. Surprisingly enough, at 6ft2in I can just about sit behind my own driving position in both, albeit slightly easier in the Leapmotor. That’s despite it being a little shorter in length than the Dacia. The T03 partly has its architecture to thank for that, because it doesn’t need to be able to house a petrol engine in the front for other variants, unlike the Spring. At the same time, it also sacrifices some boot space. Its 210-litre boot is notably tighter than the Dacia’s (308 litres) and has a much narrower opening.

Dacia Spring vs Leapmotor T03: On the road

The Spring makes more of its limited means on the road too. It’s easy to become jaded when it comes to power outputs in electric cars, but when you’re talking double figures, every pony counts. And in this case, the Leapmotor has almost 1.5 times as many of them as the Dacia. 

If this were true for the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the BMW M3, the Mercedes would have 768bhp.

According to the official figures, however, the Spring is only a second slower to 62mph, and subjectively you would struggle to tell the difference. Neither car is quick, but in both cases they have enough performance to keep up with traffic on A- and B-roads. Sure, you’re to the boards quite a lot, but while that’s tiring in a Kia Picanto screaming its little head off, it makes very little difference in an EV whether you use half or all the power.

Where you do feel the lack of go – in both cars – is on the motorway. Make no mistake: these are not quadricycles; they’ll cruise at 70mph if they have to and that makes them all the more versatile. But you can sense they’re not entirely happy doing it. Driving at 60-70mph requires a bit of planning, crosswinds affect them in a way that we’re no longer used to and you feel vulnerable between HGVs or when overtaking the SUVs trundling in the middle lane.

You might expect the Leapmotor to have another trump card here in the form of its adaptive cruise control. But it’s so poorly tuned that you might as well not have it. The way it seems to want to be either accelerating or braking, and struggles to maintain a speed, is just not comfortable. Although you can set it to standard cruise control, you have to be stopped and in Park to do so, which is not very practical on a motorway.

If you plan to do anything more than occasional motorway driving, neither of these cars is going to provide you with much joy, also because their range and charging speeds feel like a throwback to EVs from seven years ago. Still, both will do more than 100 miles on a charge, in winter, which is a good deal more than most people cover on a daily basis.

Again, the Dacia closes the on-paper gap. It may have a 10kWh-smaller battery, but it’s also considerably more efficient. On the same cold day, we achieved 4.2mpkWh from the Spring and just 3.4mpkWh from the T03. The Leapmotor has the longer range, but not by much.

City streets are where these two feel most at home. At only about 1.6m wide and with a turning circle of less than 10m (the Dacia has a manual handbrake if you need it to be tighter still, though maybe not in town), you can thread them through narrow gaps without a care in the world. The Dacia is perhaps marginally easier to place because you can see the edges of the bonnet, but if this is how you’ll use them, there’s very little in it. 

Bigger differences, of quality and character, surface on a country road. Some might see these as city cars, which they are, I suppose. Equally, they would be eminently useful for nipping into town if you live in a rural village with patchy public transport and no cycling infrastructure. You rarely appreciate a narrow car as much as when you’re dodging an oncoming truck on a narrow country lane.

Any sortie in the Leapmotor necessarily starts by turning off about seven different ‘safety’ systems, to save you being driven to distraction by the lane keeping assistance tugging at the steering or the driver monitoring berating you for yawning. It’s impossible to turn them off while driving, too. I find it hard to imagine an engineer or exec driving this car and deciding this is a pleasant enough way to travel. In the Dacia, everything works better in the first place and turning it off is done with a single button.

The Leapmotor unequivocally feels like the more mature car on the open road, though. It’s more planted, more stable, and you can be con dent that it will grip, whereas the Dacia feels flighty because of its loose body control, plastic Linglong EcoMaster tyres and rudimentary damping. The Spring’s rear axle seems to have next to no rebound damping and just slams down into the road a er sharp ridges and sleeping policemen. Both cars possess very light, disconnected steering, though the Dacia has a slightly keener front end, which actually makes it more fun if you’re prepared for the abundance of body roll and lack of grip.

A quick look online shows that acceptably grippy tyres for the Dacia wouldn’t cost very much. Those might swing the balance the other way, but if you had to give one of these cars to an unenthusiastic driver, you would pick the T03 because it has just that fraction more of a safety margin. It used to be a French national sport to coax a clapped-out Citroën 2CV or Renault 4 up a mountain pass at lightning speed, but let’s be honest: not everyone is into that.

To a greater or lesser extent, that is what these two cars feel like: the small cars of yesteryear. They’re quite tinny and not especially luxurious or capable, but they provide basic transport and there is something entertaining about driving them quickly down a country road and catching up all the dawdlers in their much faster cars. And while neither car will top any group tests for safety, you can bet your kneecaps that they’ll protect you better in a crash than a Citroën AX.

Dacia Spring vs Leapmotor T03: Verdict

Appointing a winner is tricky, because the Spring has gradually whittled away the T03’s on-paper advantage. The Dacia unapologetically feels like a small, cheap car. It does it well and with a sense of fun. The Leapmotor tries to be a more serious, big car and succeeds to a point but it also feels more like an appliance and frustrates with some of the underdeveloped ‘luxury’ features. There’s a place for both, but in the absence of outright competence, a small car is better with a sense of humour and the Dacia Spring is the more likeable product. 

Winner: Dacia Spring

Cheery and fun. There’s not much to it, but what little there is works well, except for the tyres.

Second: Leapmotor T03

More of everything, even if not everything is quite up to snuff. The more competent car, but at the cost of charm.

Nearly-new alternatives

The step down in capability from a Renault 5 to a Spring is more of a tumble than the step down from a Megane to a 5. The same is true in the Stellantis family: the step down from an electric Astra to a Corsa is far smaller than from a Corsa to a Leapmotor T03. That automatically leads you to wonder: well, what about a Corsa?

If you really want a newish electric car on a budget, there are lots of facelifted Vauxhall Corsa Electrics for sale online with delivery mileage for the same money as the Spring or the T03. The Renault Zoe has been out of production for almost a year, so you’ll have to accept a higher mileage, but very fresh ones can be had for even less than the Corsa. Or how about an MG 4? Delivery-mileage standard-range cars can be bought for well under £20,000.

Comparing new and used is fraught when you have to take into account older cars and expired warranties, but this is not the case here and becomes more of an existential question.

Rolls-Royce CEO, Chris Brownridge, joins Autocar's editor-at-large, Matt Prior

In this bonus podcast, Autocar's Editor-at-large, Matt Prior, meets the Rolls-Royce CEO, Chris Brownridge. Speaking at the launch of the Spectre Black Badge, Brownridge tells us about Black Badge Rolls-Royces, how many cars Rolls should sell, what it's like working in the luxury sector, and more, including private islands.

Make sure you never miss an Autocar podcast. Subscribe to our podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts or via your preferred podcast platform. And if you subscribe, rate and review the pod, we'd really appreciate that too.

Last Luton-built Vivaro was built at 12:18pm on Friday 28 March 2025

Vauxhall Luton has built its final vehicle, a Vivaro van, bringing to an end 120 years of production at the plant.

The decision to close the historic commercial vehicle factory was announced by Vauxhall owner Stellantis in November 2024. All of the company's UK van production will be moved its site in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Former Stellantis chief Carlos Tavares announced the decision just a few months after he had threatened closures as part of a battle with the UK government over its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

Tavares said the ZEV mandate was “hurting significantly our business model”, because car makers were being forced to sell more EVs yet no incentives were being offered to buyers and the industry was grappling with a downturn in EV interest.

He said that moving all operations to one base would “consolidate” Stellantis's UK manufacturing footprint. He added that this decision would “potentially contribute to greater production efficiency” – something the firm said would also allow it to meet increasingly stringent ZEV mandate targets, which rise to 26% this year.

All of Luton’s machinery will be moved to Ellesmere Port, where more than £50 million will then be spent to upgrade it to take on the extra workload.

The decision to close Luton put 1100 jobs at risk and just a few hundred roles were guaranteed to be moved to Ellesmere Port, Stellantis said. A consultation was launched for affected workers, with those unable to make the move being offered retraining or potentially jobs at neighbouring businesses.

Following November’s announcement, union bosses called on Stellantis to reverse its decision, given that it was made just days before Tavares’s shock resignation.

Unite called the closure decision “one final example of Tavares’s failed strategy” and said it “must be halted as the company embarks on the hunt for a new CEO and a new direction”.

In response, Stellantis committed to “the continuity of the ongoing projects that have been already communicated” under the guidance of chairman John Elkann and an interim executive committee.

Unite argued that until Tavares's successor is appointed (due in the first half of 2025), all previous major decisions should be halted.

Sixth-generation executive saloon and estate ramp up the luxury and tech The new car market is changing faster than ever, but that doesn't mean some things can't say the same - and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a case in point. Despite years of progress, the big German's underlying receipe of quality, comfort, space and refinement remains largely untouched. This 'W214' E-Class is the latest iteration of one of the oldest model lines from one of the oldest car manufacturers. By Mercedes' own count, it's the 10th generation of a largely unbroken lineage going back to 1947.Despite being very keen to refer to its heritage (and why wouldn’t it be?), Mercedes isn’t a particularly nostalgic company. It has come up with radical designs, such as the original A-Class and Smart City Coupé, while its electric cars are really exploiting the aerodynamics and design possibilities that an EV offers. Unlike with the BMW i5 and 5 Series, Mercedes is choosing to keep the electric EQE and combustion-engined E-Class apart. According to the literature, the new E-Class needs to balance tradition with modernity and ‘build a bridge’ between traditional executive saloons and the tech-filled EVs of the future. Plenty of buyers are not ready for their car to be a smartphone on wheels, so that mission could well strike a chord. To find out whether the E-Class might succeed, so far we've tested an E220d and E300e saloon, and both the E220d and E450d estates.The E-Class Estate is of course here to reddress the decline in popularity of the executive wagon, which has been made an endangered species as SUVs have prospered. In the next few years, the breed may even disappear for good, and this is particularly true for versions with torque-rich six-cylinder engines, like the E-Class.We’re already in a last-car-standing scenario, because BMW has, at least in the UK, shunned diesel entirely for the latest raft of 3 and 5 Series models, including the big-booted Touring variants. Aside from the quirky Audi S6 Avant (get it while it’s still here), Audi is also down to only four-piston offerings for TDI derivatives of the A4 and A6 Avant – erstwhile stalwarts of the big-capacity diesel scene.All of which should make the range-topping E-Class diesel, the E450d, appealing to those who want maximum autonomy and effortless pace and opulence. Alongside it on the petrol side of the spectrum, there's the AMG E53: a six-cylinder PHEV. In other regions, there's an E450 petrol as well, but that isn't offered in the UK for the time being - and is unlikely to make an appearance over here any time soon.Apart from the top-rung Exclusive Edition, all trim levels are all AMG Line of some sort, with Advanced, Premium and Premium Plus packs tacked on for the more expensive versions.

Bright paint and more aggressive styling will mark the hot Elroq out

Skoda's second sporty electric car could pack a 322bhp punch to outpace the Abarth 600e

Skoda will reveal the new Elroq vRS next week as the second electric car from its sporting sub-brand - and it's set to be one of the company's most powerful cars yet.

To be unwrapped next Thursday morning (3 April) before a public debut at the Milan Deign Week a few days later, the Skoda Elroq vRS will be the latest entrant into a growing class of sporting electric crossovers, going up against the likes of the Mini Aceman JCW, Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce and Abarth 600e.

The Czech firm has released a preview image that confirms the "most dynamic Elroq model" will be available in the vRS sub-brand's trademark Hyper Green paint and said it will be further marked out from the standard car by a raft of contrasting black trim elements. 

No technical details have been given yet, but the Elroq is closely related to the Volkswagen ID 3 and Cupra Born, so the vRS version is likely to use the same powertrain components as the hot versions of those cars.

The Cupra Born VZ and Volkswagen ID 3 GTX are both equipped with the Volkswagen Group's new 'AP550' motor on the rear axle, providing up to 322bhp. That figure would make the Elroq vRS only very slightly less powerful than the dual-motor, 335bhp Skoda Enyaq vRS.

The rear-driven Born and ID 3 range-toppers can hit 62mph from rest in as little as 5.6sec, and while the slightly taller and longer Elroq is unlikely to quite match that, it could still come in at under 6.0sec to outpace the ICE Skoda Octavia vRS.

The fastest Elroq will be the fourth vRS model in Skoda's line-up, joining similarly conceived range-toppers for the Octavia, Enyaq and Kodiaq.

Skoda hasn't shared any official plans for more fast models beyond the Elroq, but CEO Klaus Zellmer recently told Autocar that vRS will remain an important part of its business.

"This is something that is our DNA," he said of the 24-year-old sub-brand. "We will keep it and you can't neglect that. You cannot get rid of that."

Another possible addition to the portfolio is a warmed-up version of the upcoming Skoda Epiq electric supermini, which would no doubt share its innards with the planned Volkswagen ID 2 GTI.

Lamborghini and Ferrari build cars that exceed 200mph. These can go significantly quicker than that…

Back in the late 1800s, during the dawn of the motorised carriage, the fastest cars in the world - such as Karl Benz's Patent Motorwagen - could achieve a heady 10mph.

On a good day. With a lightweight driver and a favourable wind. Today, nearly 140 years of development has pushed the very fastest cars past the 300mph mark.

The Benz’s brave driver could cover just 4.4 metres per second; while in 2019, with Andy Wallace behind the wheel, the Bugatti Chiron covered 136 metres per second.

It’s a fearsome prospect, and there are only a handful of places on Earth where cars of this calibre can reach their V-max, yet there’s no shortage of car manufacturers vying for top honours.

These include Bugatti, SSC, Hennessey and Koenigsegg, all of which hail from different countries around the world and are looking to become the successors to the current record holder. As a result, many of these cars are also the world's fastest-accelerating cars. 

With that in mind, here are the fastest production road cars by the numbers, judged against manufacturer figures when they were tested on an airfield or a dedicated test track.

Uprated engine and fettled chassis for facelifted junior performance car – and there's still a manual gearbox When the second-generation BMW M2 was launched, it couldn’t escape comparison with the preceding M2 Competition and 1 Series M Coupé, and sure enough, it wasn’t quite as compact, thuggish or lovable.Only two years on, it’s getting a model-year update to bring it in line with the rest of the lower half of BMW’s range. Munich is on a big renewal spree: Series 1 through 4 and the X3 have all been updated in the past year. Some are quite substantial, as with the 2 Series Gran Coupé, but you would be forgiven for not noticing the changes to the 2 Series Coupé, on which the M2 is based.As a reminder, despite sharing most of their model name, those two coupés are mechanically very different. While the four-door is front-wheel drive, the two-door is effectively a shortened 4 Series, making it rear-wheel drive (or four-wheel drive in the case of the M240i xDrive), making a proper M version possible.The exterior changes are minor in the extreme, but there are bigger tweaks to the interior, the engine has gained 20bhp and there have been some more nebulous suspension changes. Can the M2 step out the shadows of its predecessors?The range at a glanceModelsPowerFromM2 Coupé M Steptronic auto473bhp£68,705M2 Coupé manual473bhp£70,630As before, the M2 has an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, and you have to pay extra to get the six-speed manual.For 2025, BMW has significantly expanded the number of available paint colours. There used to be just six, now there are 10. It has also added the option of silver wheels. There are a number of separate options and one big option pack, the M Race Track Pack, which adds the carbonfibre roof and front seats, carbonfibre interior trim and a higher top speed

BMW uses Toyota fuel cells in its fleet of hydrogen iX5 demonstrators

Rough start to the year has brought filling station closures and collapse of commercial vehicle businesses

This year has started very badly for the prospects of hydrogen as a potential future fuel for cars. 

In Germany, hydrogen company H2 Mobility announced at the start of March that it was shutting 22 fuel stations focusing mainly on cars, citing a strategic shift towards goods vehicles. 

In California, meanwhile, Shell is reportedly set to shut 10 of its 11 hydrogen fuel stations, after initially announcing it would open 48. 

The move will compound the woes of US Toyota Mirai owners, who have seen filling stations close across the country and hefy prices for the fuel at those that remain open.

Such were the issues that California-based owners last year sued Toyota because of the difficulty in getting hold of the hydrogen needed to run their fuel cell cars.

Elsewhere, in February, Renault's and Plug Power’s hydrogen van joint venture, Hyvia, when into liquidation, citing the “too-slow evolution of hydrogen mobility ecosystems in Europe and the very significant development costs required for H2 innovation”.

Also exiting the stage in February was controversial hydrogen lorry developer Nikola, which filed for bankruptcy in the US after running out of cash.

In China, sales of hydrogen fuel cell cars cratered. Advocates of the technology as an alternative to battery-powered cars have long pinned hopes on Chinese development but last year just 25 fuel cell cars were sold in the country, down from 469 the year before, according to data from Jato Dynamics.

In Europe last year, sales of the €73,000 Toyota Mirai – the only viable fuel cell car from a mainstream maker available to buy - seemed to have held up, at 717. But closer inspection showed that of that total, 528 were sold in France, which almost directly correlates to the 500 that Toyota said it would make available as shuttles for the Paris Olympics. Zero were sold in the UK.

Those scanning the horizon ahead can’t find much use for hydrogen. Even the promise of HGVs is looking iffy, according to government climate advisers the Climate Change Committee. “We see no role for hydrogen in heating buildings and only a very niche, if any, role in surface transport,” it said in its long-term-vision Seventh Carbon Budget.

The case for investment among automotive suppliers, who right now are focused on cost-cutting across board, is looking very poor indeed. “We see a significant slowdown in terms of investing in hydrogen technology,” Liam Butterworth, CEO of GKN Automotive owner Dowlais, told Autocar. “The industry has moved towards battery-electric vehicles and hydrogen will be unlikely.”

Dowlais last year sold off its hydrogen storage business, GKN Hydrogen, for a “nominal consideration” after losing too much money, company filings show.

Many have held out hope that hydrogen fuel cell vehicles would solve the need to cut emissions while retaining the driving range and refill speed of petrol and diesel cars. 

But the high cost, low power outputs and a refuelling infrastructure that’s been patchy at best have given battery-electric vehicles an almost unassailable lead. “Hydrogen simply does not offer sufficient improvements over batteries, which have far higher power density and capacity,” Bill Russo, CEO of consultant Automobility, wrote in a paper for electric motor specialist Monumo.

Russo cited “the significant levels of investment” that have already gone into battery technology as well as the advantages of having a distributed network of EVs to feed back into the grid.

The potential of hydrogen as an EV alternative still motivates some OEMs, especially in the Far East, with Hyundai, Honda and Toyota promising to continue to work on extending the usability of fuel cell technology. 

Toyota also has a partnership with BMW, which has said it will launch its first hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicle in 2028. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said in October that hydrogen “will play an increasingly important role in decarbonisation”. 

Toyota continues to experiment with hydrogen for motorsport, while Extreme E spin-off Extreme H is persisting with its dedicated hydrogen-powered off-road race series, which is due to start this year.

Stellantis, meanwhile, has said it will continue to offer hydrogen vans for sale, including the Vauxhall Movano Hydrogen in the UK, despite the exit of rival Renault’s H2 van venture.

However, the mainstream prognosis is not good. Unlike battery power, hydrogen vehicles are utterly reliant on a dedicated network of refuelling stations that owners need to be convinced will stay open. But without a pipeline of cars or light vans coming onto the market, investors are unwilling to risk their money on a long-shot bet. Currently, there are just four hydrogen fuelling stations for light vehicles in the UK, according to UK H2 Mobility.

Development of hydrogen planes has also stalled, with Airbus now pushing back the expected viability date for fuel cell aircraft to “later than 2035”, CEO Guillaume Faury said on the company’s 2024 earnings call. “Scaling up the hydrogen ecosystem is challenging and is unfortunately progressing at a slower pace than we had previously anticipated,” he said. Brazil’s Embraer gave a similar timeline.

Hydrogen has had at least as long a development run-up as electric, but the difficulties have proven too tough to overcome. As a fuel for future mass-market cars, hydrogen feels as if it is as good as dead.

Porsche is synonymous with performance and quality, but which is the best from each model group?

Owning a Porsche is quite a boast. But with so many models on sale, how do you choose the best for your driveway? 

Ever since Ferdinand Porsche released the 356 in 1948, the Porsche brand has become synonymous with performance and quality. 

Whether you’re looking for a car to run around a race track, a daily driver or an SUV for school pick-ups, there’s a Porsche that’s tailored to your needs. 

We know the Porsche 911 S/T is an incredible five-star car and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is the ideal track-day toy, but these are our favourites and the best Porsches on sale from each model group.

BMW builds SUVs in Spartanburg, South Carolina, but actual local content is reported to be only around 30%

All cars and light commercial vehicles imported into the US will be hit with a 25% tariff from 2 April

Car makers in the UK and Europe are bracing for what for many will be the biggest financial shock since Covid when the newly announced 25% tariff on cars imported into the US are applied on 2 April.

The tariffs apply to all cars and light commercials imported into the US that aren't covered by the Mexico-US-Canada automotive tariff agreement, significantly raising the cost of doing business in the US.

Firms including Aston Martin, Audi, Bentley, BMW and JLR were relying on healthy sales in the US to balance out crashing demand in China and a weaker European market. 

“It's a perfect storm for the European auto industry,” said David Bailey, professor of business economics at the Birmingham Business School. “UK auto already has a low-volume crisis, with plants operating well below capacity.”

The US is UK’s second largest car export market after the EU, with 101,100 cars shipped in 2024, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The lobbying body called the tariff hike "disappointing".

JLR was by far the largest British automotive exporter to the US, with sales up by 29% to 116,294 cars last year, of which around two thirds were built in the UK.

Ultra-luxury brands including Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren and Rolls-Royce accounted for around 9000 car imports there last year.

JLR chose not to comment on the tariffs except to say it was awaiting further information. The share value of JLR owner Tata Motors dropped 5.6% after the news.

Ineos Automotive stated: "We are outraged that the tariff situation with the US has been neglected by the EU.

"[US] president [Donald] Trump has been very clear on his intention to implement tariffs on the auto industry. He has been asking for fairness and reciprocity and yet European leaders have not come to the table to negotiate a better solution."

The 25% tariff comes on top of the 2.5% duty already paid by car makers importing into the US and is paid on the ‘landing’ price of the car, minus the dealer margin. The tariff will in effect add 15% to the recommended retail price of the car, estimated the bank Bernstein in a note to investors. 

Car makers will have to choose whether to pass on the cost to customers or absorb it and take the hit on margins. Given the size of the tariff compared with the 10% that most analysts had been expecting earlier in the year, most will have no choice but to increase prices.

“We are assessing different scenarios on how to handle it, but it will be finally passed on to the consumer,” Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser said earlier in March after the tariffs had been announced but before the percentage had been revealed. “At the end of the day, the consumer will have to pay it, and this would have an impact on the business, very clearly”.

Trump said the tariffs “addressed a critical threat to US security” and would bring vehicle manufacturing back to the country, creating 2.8 million jobs and growing the economy by $728 billion.

Some car companies have already said they will increase their US manufacturing footprint. Hyundai announced it would invest $21bn (£16.3bn) to increase its vehicle production in the country and develop new technology there, including autonomous driving capability. Audi has said it's in discussion over which models can be localised in the US.

However, JLR is unlikely to build in the US to mitigate the tariffs, according to Ian Henry, head of consultancy AutoAnalysis. “You can’t just do that overnight. They don’t have the supply chain in place and a CKD [completely knocked-down kit] plant would face tariffs on components anyway,” he said.

Car makers also face the problem of not knowing how long the tariffs will remain in place amid a chaotic decision-making process at the White House.

“They could be a negotiating tactic and therefore very short-lived or they might not,” Henry said. “Car makers can ride out temporary turbulence, but if they last for four years, that’s a much more serious issue.”

Even those car makers with plants in the US will face higher costs on the components they import. Trump claimed that of the eight million cars built in the US last year, US-built content amounted to only half the total amount. “Therefore, of the 16 million cars bought by Americans, only 25% of the vehicle content can be categorized as Made in America,” a White House fact sheet published in support of the tariffs stated.

The local content of BMW SUVs made in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is below 30%, according to documentation seen by Henry. BMW imports engines from Europe for fitment into cars assembled in the US facility, which in theory will now be subject to tariffs from 2 April.

The impact on car makers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo exporting from the US into Europe could be amplified by potential retaliatory tariffs from the EU.

“We will now assess this announcement, together with other measures the US is envisaging in the next days,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement. “Tariffs are taxes – bad for businesses, worse for consumers equally in the US and the European Union.”

Bernstein said in a note: “This would impact the SUVs that BMW and Mercedes produce in the US for global markets, like the BMW X5 and X7 and the Mercedes GLE and GLS."

The UK has less room to retaliate and will instead seek to negotiate a carve-out, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has suggested.

“We're not at the moment at a position where we want to do anything to escalate these trade wars,” Rachel Reeves told Sky News. “Trade wars are no good for anyone.”

The financial impact of the tariffs if extended to the end of the year would hit Stellantis worst, knocking back its profit margin by 5.1 percentage points, according to Bernstein analysis.

BMW is set to drop by 2.0 points, Mercedes by 2.2 points and the Volkswagen Group by 1.5 pts. 

All financial predications are pure guesswork, however, given that Trump could backtrack at any moment. As one industry watcher said: “Basically, it’s a mess.”

The least traditional Jeep gets a hybrid off-roader option that impresses on the rough stuff The Jeep Avenger has to us always felt slightly oxymoronic in its conception as a diddy urban crossover from a brand so intrinsically associated with go-anywhere mud-plugging.The Avenger Electric, mildly electrified eHybrid and pure-petrol variants are competent and charming family runarounds but have little of the off-roading ability of the likes of the larger Wrangler and Grand Cherokee.But now the Avenger can follow its forebears and rangemates at least some way off the beaten track with the addition of this new 4xe range-topper, which adds an off-road-flavoured makeover to the eHybrid, along with an electric motor on the rear axle for four-wheel drive. It is, you might say, the Jeepiest version of the least Jeepy Jeep. This is actually the smallest 4x4 Jeep has offered in about three decades, and while it's far removed from the old CJs and Wranglers that went before, there’s a certain whiff of the WW2 original in the Avenger 4xe’s compact footprint and Scrappy-Doo character. “Lemme at 'em!” it yelps, brandishing its beefier bumpers, roof bars, tow hooks and underbody cladding - the telltale cues to its rugged, range-topping billing and the chief differentiators from the standard eHybrid.It's on sale now in the UK in three trim levels, with prices starting from £30,999, ahead of deliveries beginning in May. But is it the new gem of an expansive Avenger line-up? Read on to find out.  

What do you get when you make a Duster bigger? A silly name and a real worry for the likes of Ford and Hyundai So massive is the gravitational pull of the C-SUV – of which the new Dacia Bigster is the latest exponent – that it’s now quicker to list the car makers that don’t compete in the segment it than those that do.You will know the biggest of the mainstream hitters: Ford Kuga, Skoda Kodiaq, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, VW Tiguan, Hyundai Tucson.Automotive household names. Some of these cars are propping up the company that makes them, so insatiable is the appetite for Goldilocks crossovers that aren’t awkwardly big but still offer plenty of space and don’t cost a lot more than £30,000 when you’re sensible with trim.It’s doubtful that any CEOs of the C-SUV incumbents will have been overjoyed to learn that Dacia is now entering the fray with the Bigster. It’s a bit of a silly name, but the decision to make this car was anything but. In terms of design, pricing and drivability, the Renault-owned Romanian brand currently finds itself in a formidable vein of form.The cars are great value but also, thanks to the dash of Germano-Scandi design injected during the brand’s 2021 revamp, quietly desirable too. Last year, the Sandero hatchback was – and was by a country mile – the best-selling car in Europe, with the Duster, its crossover kin, also making the top 10. The Bigster now opens up another potentially successful front for Dacia, and of course it doesn’t deviate from the recipe. Even in the top-spec form tested here, it costs less than £30,000.

President claims new levy on all cars and car parts shipped into US will create "tremendous growth"

“Intense negotiations” are taking place between the UK and the US after president Donald Trump last night announced a new 25% tariff on all cars and car parts imported into the country.

The new levy will come into effect from 2 April and will apply to both finished cars shipped into the country and car parts imported for vehicles assembled there.

Speaking from the Oval Office late on Wednesday, Trump said "this is very exciting", adding: “What we’re going to be doing is a 25% tariff for all cars that are not made in the United States.”

On Thursday morning, UK chancellor Rachel Reeves told Sky News that the tariff risks hitting the UK economy by pushing up inflation. “Trade wars are no good for anyone,” she added.

"We are looking to secure a better trading relationship with the United States," said Reeves. "I recognise that the week ahead is important. There are further talks going on today so let's see where we get to in the next few days.”

The effect on the UK could stunt its economic growth, Office for Budget Responsibility chair Richard Hughes told the BBC. He added that it could hit government spending plans and fuel inflation if prices rose.

While the tariffs are bad news for companies that export foreign-built vehicles to the US, Trump claimed the move would lead to "tremendous growth" for the US automotive industry, adding that it would create more investment for US-based car makers and therefore more jobs.

Around eight million cars were imported into the US last year, around half the total sold in the market. Mexico will be the country hit hardest by the new levy. Car makers with production facilities in Mexico include BMW, Ford, Nissan, Volkswagen and Toyota. The US's other top importers are Canada, Germany, Japan and South Korea.

Trump confirmed that the new laws were "permanent", quashing any notion that they would be reversed. But he stated that "if you build your car in the United States, there is no tariff".

The likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen already have plants in the US, building key models for both the US and other global markets. BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina, for example, builds the X3, X4, X5, X6, X7 and XM. It will be affected, though, because it builds and imports the 3 Series from Mexico for the US market.

Some car firms have announced investment to expand or open new US facilities in recent months in an effort to spread production globally and avoid tariffs. The Hyundai Motor Group, for example, has invested more than £16 billion to increase its vehicle production in the country, including a new steel manufacturing plant.

The news will come as a big blow to the likes of JLR, for which the US is its biggest market with firm recording big increases in Range Rover and Defender sales in recent years. Mini, too, will be hit, given its models are made in the UK and China.

Other car makers targeting the US that don't have factories across the Atlantic include Cupra – although its models could be manufactured at other Volkswagen Group facilities in the US – and Lotus.

However, the move could also affect domestic US car makers and firms that currently manufacture vehicles there. GM, for example, manufactures a number of vehicles and car parts in Canada, China and Mexico that it then imports into the US, and those vehicles and parts would be hit by the tariffs.

The announcement has been dubbed "disappointing" by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Mike Hawes, the trade body's CEO, called for UK and US representatives to "come together immediately and strike a deal that works for all".

He said: "The UK and US auto industries have a long-standing and productive relationship, with US consumers enjoying vehicles built in Britain by some iconic brands, while thousands of UK motorists buy cars made in America.

"Rather than imposing additional tariffs, we should explore ways in which opportunities for both British and American manufacturers can be created as part of a mutually beneficial relationship, benefiting consumers and creating jobs and growth across the Atlantic."

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc will study the latest announcement. It itself launched heavy import tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars last year.

She said: "I deeply regret the US decision to impose tariffs on European automotive exports. 

"As I have said before, tariffs are taxes - bad for businesses, worse for consumers equally in the US and the European Union. 

"The automotive industry is a driver of innovation, competitiveness and high-quality jobs, through deeply integrated supply chains on both sides of the Atlantic.

"The EU will continue to seek negotiated solutions, while safeguarding its economic interests."

This new tariff is the latest in a wave of levies introduced by Trump since he took office for the second time. He said he wants to protect businesses and manufacturers in the US.

Bigster follows the design language introduced with Duster and Sandero

New Bigster SUV is described as closing the first chapter of the brand's regeneration

The second phase of Dacia’s strategy road map will be revealed in November, four years after the company revitalised its brand identity, according to CEO Denis Le Vot.

Le Vot describes the new Bigster SUV as the car that “closes the first chapter” of Dacia’s modern reinvention. That chapter began in 2021 with the third-generation Sandero – the first recipient of Dacia’s new design language – and in time the Jogger seven-seater and the latest Duster were spun off the same platform.

Dacia will elaborate on this new phase after the summer, when “there will be a lot about electricity” as part of parent Renault Group’s new Futurama company strategy.

Within the next two years, Dacia's line-up will be bolstered by a pair of C-segment models and an €18,000 (£15,000) Renault Twingo-twinned city car as part of a significant broadening of the Romanian marque's portfolio.

Development of that electric city car is already well under way and should arrive in the middle of next year, given its rapid, 16-month (69-week) gestation process. Dacia is targeting a 100-week development window for all new cars.

Asked whether Dacia might end up cannibalising Renault’s sales in the C-SUV segment, Le Vot said he was confident that, given the three million such cars sold in Europe every year, there was plenty of space for both brands. 

No other motorsport gets you as close to the action, trackside or in the paddock

I guess it helps that the very first motorsport event I attended in this country upon emigrating was a hillclimb – a short-course speed event for more than 100 disparate cars, all of which were given several chances to set their fastest time of the day.

It struck me immediately as the perfect form of amateur motorsport, since it took entries from new cars and old, road cars and racers, brilliantly skilled drivers and beginners. Everyone had the same chance.

At the time, over 40 years ago, I couldn’t afford a suitable car, but I still quickly discovered an advantage of this sport that endures: as a spectator, you can get close enough to the cars to peer into their engines and cockpits and chat with their drivers – usually their owners.

I acquired my first hillclimbable car, a yellow Caterham Seven Supersprint, in the late 1990s, when my rising competitive urge aligned neatly with another desire: to keep a 17-year-old son, just learning to drive, out of the ditch.

We did our first event together at Prescott, near Cheltenham, enjoying another of hillclimbing’s advantages by double-driving the same car. Since then we’ve had five or six different cars, and most years we’ve done something together.

That first event also taught me that although you may feel exposed to the pitiless scrutiny of experts, nobody judges you.

You will invariably find the person you’ve parked next to is friendly, even if he or she is miles out of your league.

I once parked my £12,000 Lotus Elise S1 next to a bloke with an Indianapolis Lotus single-seater, and he was the most down-to-earth person going.

The venues are nearly always beautiful. I like the short, sharp competition, not being much good at long bouts of concentration.

I also like the pressure to make a perfect run: one slow gearchange off the start and you’ve had it.

What else? Well, hillclimbing is pretty easy on your car: you drive it absolutely flat but not for long, so you don’t get home with ruined tyres and brakes.

Any accident is your own, not the result of some Herbert appearing out of nowhere to knock a corner off your car. And there are loads of road car classes, so trailers aren’t essential.

Just lately, I’ve developed an interest in electric motorsport. Short-course competition is ideal for battery cars, so EV racing is coming – and as much fun as my other kind. Time to embrace it.

New Stellantis UK chief – and interim Vauxhall boss – asks why the brand couldn't be sold outside the UK

Brand snobbery follows Vauxhall around, perhaps best articulated by the suggestion of: ‘Why don’t they just make them Opels?’

It’s true that this badge-swapping relationship is problematic when Opel-Vauxhall is trying to market one brand as German and another as British. I’ve watched a CEO flounder in handling the ‘what about Vauxhall, then?’ follow-up question after waxing lyrical about Opel’s ‘Germanness’.

Yet to suggest Vauxhall should give up 122 years of history is folly. It has its problems, but trying to solve them will be a darn sight simpler than trying to build Opel as a brand in the UK.

Eurig Druce was still in his honeymoon period of leading Stellantis in the UK when Vauxhall’s managing director upped sticks. He has taken temporary charge.

An impressive leader and executive, Druce doesn’t pull punches when saying that Vauxhall must do better, yet in dealing with the ‘Opel question’, he turns it on its head with a suggestion I’ve never heard before: “Why couldn’t Vauxhall be sold elsewhere? There’s no reason for it not to be. There are markets where a British brand would do better than a German one. It’s not the official plan, but why not?”

The short-term goal for all Stellantis UK brands is to beat their 2024 market share (5.83% for Vauxhall). But Vauxhall is a special case, says Druce: “As a home brand, it needs to be the strongest in all areas: profitability, market share. It’s a British brand that manufactures in the UK.”

Druce will also work to “put the belief back into the team” that Vauxhall can be a strong brand – something he believes will be simple, as the brand is being given “the armoury” in a series of new models, such as the Frontera and Grandland.

The belief needs to extend “not just to the Vauxhall team but the [dealers] as well”, but Druce reckons “reengaging with the network won’t be particularly hard” and it’s a case of “putting volume through them”.

Even though there has been a drop in the number of Vauxhall dealers from a peak of 349 in 2013 to about 190 now, area coverage has been largely unaffected. And given that Vauxhall’s market share was 14% at its peak in 2008, there’s obvious room to grow.

When asked if he believes there is some sneering towards the brand from certain areas, Druce says that is “probably true” as they are “honest cars”.

But so what? Druce plans to build on its strengths in the regions and sweat the deep, long-standing relationships that buyers have had with their dealers.

“I’m a rural boy. You buy in your own town: I understand this concept,” says Druce. “There’s loyalty to the brand but loyalty to the dealer too. Dealers have probably interacted with customers numerous times.

“But the new products can also attract new customers. They’re priced attractively and simply, with the EVs the same as the ICE models. That alone makes them stand out.”

Hyper Force concept shown in 2023 hinted at the next iteration of the GT-R

In fresh hint at the GT-R's return, new CEO vows to keep models 'that really represent what Nissan is about'

Incoming Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa has vowed that “driving excitement will always be at the heart” of the firm, hinting that halo cars such as the Z and GT-R will remain a key part of the brand’s future – and be offered worldwide.

The current R35-generation GT-R will finally be discontinued shortly, having been in production since 2007. However, it hasn't been offered in Europe for several years, due to emission regulations. Nor has the Z.

Asked about the importance of performance cars to Nissan, Espinosa said: “Driving excitement will always be at the heart of Nissan. This is what we do.

"There are many, many ways of explaining and showing to the world what this means, starting from the Z, which is affordable and fun to drive, to the GT-R, or even the Patrol [SUV].

“These will remain, for sure. I want to have four or five cars at the top of our portfolio that are really brand-oriented, cars that really represent what Nissan is about and show what the heartbeat of Nissan is. And these cars should go everywhere in the world.

"We keep the dream alive of what driving excitement is for. We will invest in signature Nissan models to deliver strong nameplates. Vehicles are the heartbeat of Nissan – and that includes sports cars, where we have very exciting plans.”

In 2023, Nissan revealed the Hyper Force concept, which previewed an electric GT-R successor, but Espinosa previously told Autocar that such a car had to wait until electric car technology was ready.

Asked if the firm has made any progress on that, Espinosa said the current electrification transition makes things “difficult” but “in a couple years, as the regulations start converging into more electrified powertrains, it might be easier to do this. This is what I will dream of doing.”

New Micra is twinned with the Renault 5 but references the early-2000s K12 Micra

New electric supermini was designed in London and will be built in France, alongside Renault 5

The Nissan Micra will return this year as an electric car twinned with the Renault 5, developed with a focus on the European market.

The fifth generation of the supermini will be one of three new EVs that Nissan will launch in Europe by the end of 2026, along with the new Leaf and an electric Juke.

The first official images of the production version of the Micra show that it retains many of the design cues seen on the motorsport-themed 20-23 concept shown in 2023. 

While the design of the car was led at Nissan’s European design centre in London, the car will be manufactured by Alliance partner Renault in Douai, France, and will share its CMF-BEV platform and technical underpinnings with the 5.

It contains design cues to the K12-generation Micra of 2002, particularly through its round front and rear lights.

Nissan's global design chief, Alfonso Albaisa, said the new Micra was developed alongside the 5 from the start, claiming it represented the closest he has worked with the French firm on a design project.

His London studio had been working on concepts for a small car, and when the deal was agreed with Renault, “it just happened to work out, because we already had studies playing with round headlamps”.

“The beauty was that we were looking at something much cuter, with round, puppy-dog headlights, but the Renault car is a bit of a bulldog," continued Albaisa. 

"So what I love about the Micra is that it has some cute things but the body, shoulders and tyres are huge. The bonnet of the Micra is bigger.

"The Renault has a little more angle, because the original 5 had a bonnet that went down. The previous Micra wan’t that type of wedge car, so the engineers were spectacular, because the front of the car is a minefield to rework, because of all the safety features.”

Nissan has confirmed the Micra will be offered with 40kWh and 52kWh batteries, with the latter giving a claimed maximum range of more than 248 miles.

The Japanese firm hasn't confirmed power outputs, but the standard versions of the 5 currently offer 118bhp and 148bhp. 

François Bailly, Nissan’s European product boss (and soon to take on that role at a global level), said its new EV offers “mobility but also emotion, because Micra is a really strong name in Europe”.

He declined to comment on a target price for the new Micra – the 5 is priced from £22,995 – but told Autocar it will be “our car at the entry point”.

He added: “What’s limiting EV take-up right now is affordability. Transaction price versus household incoming is going in the wrong direction. We need to go back to people being able to afford those cars, and that’s where the Micra comes in.”

Sunderland plant currently builds Qashqai and Juke; new Leaf EV is coming this year

Nissan will soon start building new Leaf and Juke EVs in Sunderland but Qashqai EV delayed due to market uncertainty

Nissan remains committed to the long-term future of its Sunderland factory, with the UK site a key element in its European electrification plans, according to its European planning boss, François Bailly.

The Japanese firm has pumped around £2 billion worth of investment into Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK) to build the next-generation Leaf, Juke and Qashqai EVs, but there had been questions over its future when Nissan recently announced plans to close three factories by the end of 2026 as part of a major cost-cutting initiative.

Asked by Autocar whether the Sunderland plant’s future was safe, Bailly – who will shortly take over from new CEO Ivan Espinonsa as Nissan’s global product boss – said: “Yes, very safe. It’s the jewel of Europe, it’s where so many executives from Japanese manufacturing come, it’s the best-practice plant for us.

“At the same time, the ZEV [zero-emission vehicle] mandate is making life very difficult for us. It’s not a Nissan question, it’s more a UK question: where is ZEV going? Where is the UK market going? That’s for the UK government to answer. But the future of NMUK is core to everything we do.”

Nissan has just revealed the first image of the third-generation Leaf, which will go into production at Sunderland and other global locations later this year.

The Juke EV will arrive next year, with a new teaser image (below) confirming that it will retain the radical styling of the bold Hyper Punk concept shown at the Tokyo motor show in 2023.

But while Nissan is committed to Sunderland eventually producing three electric models, the firm has hinted that the timeline and plans could be changed, due to the slowing growth in demand for EVs among European customers.

“In Europe, the end game is still written [in the regulations] to be carbon zero by 2035,” said Guillaume Cartier, Nissan’s performance officer. “Now the curve, which was linear, is now curving at a rate that is less pronounced than it used to be.

"We still have 10 years, so we need what we call two legs or a dual strategy: what are the cars that we can extend, and what are the technologies that we want to invest in.”

Cartier confirmed that the life of the current ICE Juke would be extended and it would continue to be manufactured at Sunderland alongside the new electric model.

The current Qashqai will soon be upgraded with a new version of Nissan’s e-Power hybrid powertrain that offers greater claimed efficiency and range, but the introduction date of its electric successor – tipped to be around 2028 – has been pushed back.

“We have chosen to delay the Qashqai EV until the time when the market will restart and we see that a bit later,” said Bailly. “It’s a mix of the customer appetite, the regulations and also the technology. What is the best technology for the next Qashqai? That is the TBC.”

New Leaf borrows design cues from the larger Ariya; has been developed with focus on aerodynamics

Third-generation EV is shown in production form, confirming it to be a high-riding family hatchback

The third-generation Nissan Leaf has been shown in production form for the first time ahead of a full launch later this year, confirming its transformation into a crossover.

The Leaf was launched in 2010 as one of the first mass-market electric cars and in its first two generations took a conventional hatchback form, but it has now undergone a major shift to cash in on the trend for higher-riding cars.

It sits on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance's CMF-EV platform, which is currently used by the larger Nissan Ariya, and will be closely twinned with the forthcoming Nissan Juke EV. 

European versions of the Leaf and the Europe-only Juke EV will be produced at Nissan’s Sunderland factory, which is currently undergoing a major expansion.

The new Leaf is marginally shorter than the previous model but has a larger presence, due to its higher stance. It borrows styling cues from the Ariya and has been developed with a focus on aerodynamics – it has a 0.25 drag coefficient – to boost efficiency and range.

While Nissan has yet to give any technical details, European product boss François Bailly said the Leaf would have a range of more than 372 miles, hinting the focus is on “real-world range.”

He added: “How long you can drive on a highway is key for us, which is why you see the beautiful shape with the aerodynamics. For us, it’s about practicality: how long will it take to drive 800km [497 miles], including the time to charge?”

Nissan's global design boss, Alfonso Albaisa, said the new Leaf is “about democratising technology. It’s very modern, simple and nice. We wanted something tailored, handsome, well-proportioned, with a super-tech interior that feels open and cool.”

Bailly added that the Leaf will get Nissan’s latest in-car systems, enabled by its updated Car and Connected Service (CCS) platform, which features a Google-based infotainment system and advanced driver assistance systems.

He said: “It’s all the things that make your life easier.

“We are confident we have something that is unique, and we’re really happy with this car.”

Preview shows how new electric Juke will evolve from radical Hyper Punk concept

Nissan's rival to the Ford Puma Gen-E and Kia EV3 will enter production in the UK next year

The next-generation, electric Nissan Juke has been previewed as the firm ramps up to beginning production at its Sunderland factory next year.

Partly shown behind the freshly unwrapped Mk3 Leaf and new electric Micra (below), the new Juke will be closely linked to the current ICE Juke – alongside which it will be built – but take some influence from last year's radical Hyper Punk concept.

It will follow the Leaf down Nissan's UK production line from next year, and a next-generation, electric Qashqai is due to join them in the coming years - although the firm has delayed that car in light of uncertainties about global EV uptake.

Nissan has previously said it's aiming for the Juke EV to cost around the same as the current ICE Juke, which starts at around £21,000, although it has admitted that's a challenge.

The company has yet to give a precise launch timeline but has confirmed that the lifecycle of the current ICE Juke will be extended and it will be produced alongside the Juke EV. 

Nissan has yet to reveal firm details about the Juke EV, although all three future cars for Sunderland are set to use the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance's CMF-EV platform, which is designed for C- and D-segment EVs.

That suggests the Juke could potentially grow in size slightly: the current ICE Juke uses the CMF-B platform, which is designed for smaller, B-segment cars. 

While no details of the Juke EV's performance have been given, the new Leaf, to which it's closely related, is set to offer a maximum range in excess of 372 miles.

Despite the Juke, Qashqai and Leaf all sharing a platform and being developed and built alongside each other, Nissan Europe's R&D chief, David Moss, previously said they would retain distinct characters, noting that they would feature different wheelbases. 

He added: “As the size of the car grows, you change its ride and handling characteristics, or if it sits in a different segment, you might change the suspension.

“The beauty of developing three EVs [simultaneously] is the first thing you can look at is 'where do we want to commonise and where don’t we?'. It’s all based around customer expectations and values.”

Upgrading to the hot model of a particular car used to mean extra character too – but no longer

Flick through some of our recent road test results and you will notice that we’ve just given 4.5 stars to a sensible electric supermini, the Renault 5, but awarded the supposedly exciting Porsche Macan Turbo Electric and Maserati Granturismo Folgore only 3.5 stars.

Has Autocar lost its sense of fun in old age? Or are all electric cars just boring?

Well, neither, I hope. What it demonstrates is that car makers need to fundamentally rethink the way they approach designing their range-topping performance models.

Things used to be more straightforward: faster equals better. Consider a 1990s BMW 3 Series. The one you want is the full-fat 328i or, if you can afford it, the M3, isn’t it?

The four-cylinder versions are a bit rattly, the lower-rung sixes are still not exactly quick and the M3’s engine has that extra bit of motorsport zing.

With a typical fast EV, you get an extra motor for four-wheel drive and a boatload more power.

But I don’t think those things are especially desirable. Four-wheel drive is great if you need to get up a snowy mountain or need to tow a horsebox out of a field, but with modern traction and stability control systems, it’s not that useful on the road. If your car is so powerful that it needs four-wheel drive on the road, you might simply have too much power.

Speaking of which, our ’90s M3’s engine had a fundamentally different character to the common-or-garden 320i’s, whereas in your 600bhp EV there’s just more of the same.

And it’s not like cheaper models are short of grunt: the basic Macan Electric still has 356bhp, does 0-62mph in 5.7sec and generally has more performance than you can use on the road.

The Macan Turbo Electric in particular just felt like a worse version of the lower-order models. You accept that an M3 is less economical than a 316i, because it has a straight six that revs to 7200rpm and makes a great noise.

Getting less range and higher running costs from the more expensive version of an EV is harder to swallow when you don’t get anything in return.

The solution is that we need to wean ourselves off the cocaine of horsepower and find our fun elsewhere. Renault has the right idea: the Alpine A290 is a bit quicker than the 5, but because a lot of work went into differentiating its chassis, it’s actually more fun, more playful, more engaging.

Same with the Ioniq 5 N: Hyundai turned the comfy, loungy Ioniq 5 into a proper driver’s car. This is partly because its chassis feels completely different and partly because Hyundai dared to think outside the box.

When an electric motor makes no discernible noise of its own, well, you make it sound however you like. And when there’s no physical connection between the two driven axles, the torque split can be almost infinitely variable.

The Ioniq 5 N makes use of the possibilities of electric drive to feel completely like its own thing.

Another development is that EVs are making rear-wheel drive more common again. As it stands, most manufacturers seem too scared by the oversteery, tank-slapping mayhem this could potentially cause to capitalise on the potential for better steering feel and sweeter chassis balance.

The best modern traction control is so sophisticated and able to so precisely administer power from an electric motor that I think there’s a whole world of chassis balance yet to be explored if engineers can resist smothering it with an additional motor.

More artificial and less visceral than little explosions? Perhaps, but if regulation continues on its current path, we’ve got another five years to enjoy new combustion engines.

Let’s savour it – but also use that time to figure out that there’s life beyond power.

The world's most exciting custom motorcycles, from cafe racers to bobbers to scramblers and street trackers.

I flew to L.A. this past spring to talk about a new project between actor Orlando Bloom, Deus Ex Machina’s Michael “Woolie” Woolaway, and BMW Motorrad. I’m not much for Hollywood, but I was wide-eyed about their idea. They’d take an already naked S 1000 R (a bike I’ve spent a summer on and for which I have an affinity) and make it more naked: a high-performance inline-four turned cooler, lighter, and more nimble.

Talks on the new project began when Deus founder Dare Jennings, Woolie, and Orlando met with BMW Motorrad designer Ola Stenegärd and the design crew at the Munich factory in Germany last year. While the rest of the world had caught fire to the stripped-down lines of the R nineT as a starting point, Woolie drew upon his racing background and desire to do something different with the race-inspired S 1000 R.…

I flew to L.A. this past spring to talk about a new project between actor Orlando Bloom, Deus Ex Machina’s Michael “Woolie” Woolaway, and BMW Motorrad. I’m not much for Hollywood, but I was wide-eyed about their idea. They’d take an already naked S 1000 R (a bike I’ve spent a summer on and for which I have an affinity) and make it more naked: a high-performance inline-four turned cooler, lighter, and more nimble. Talks on the new project began when Deus founder Dare Jennings, Woolie, and Orlando met with BMW Motorrad designer Ola Stenegärd and the design crew at the Munich factory in Germany last year. While the rest of the world had caught fire to the stripped-down lines of the R nineT as a starting point, Woolie drew upon his racing background and desire to do something different with the race-inspired S 1000 R. “I quickly realized why not many people want to customize this bike!” laughs Woolie. “There are just a lot of electronics under there. And not a whole lot in terms of raw beauty beneath the plastics. It all had to be addressed.” To find inspiration, Woolie looked to the clean racing lines of the successful AMA Butler & Smith superbikes of his youth. The 999cc, 160hp four cylinder (nick-named “4CYL”) was certainly a challenge. To lighten its appearance, Woolie decided that rather than cover up its modern pedigree, he’d use what he could as functional art –for example, by exposing the Febur radiator out in front. He added new functional architecture in the board-track bars, which cover and secure the tank. Those two simple ideas give you a functional design motif that feels more raw and exposed. Other details included a custom rear sub-frame, custom electrical box, a one-off seat wrapped in black Kushitani waterproof leather with double-diamond-tuck stitching, a round headlight, and a carbon fiber front fender – all giving the bike more classic than factory looks. The stock gauge cluster was retained to manage the electronics, tucked behind the hand-shaped aluminum fairing sitting above the headlight. Artist Ornamental Conifer brought the face of the analog counter to life. Finally, Gilles Tooling machined a custom top clamp and rear sets to apply the finishing touches to this reimagined superbike. “BMW’s ride is phenomenally safe. It holds the road,” said Orlando. “We asked: If a modern (super bike) classic was built, what would it look like? I said, let me take this bike and work with my friends. All roads converged and the timing was right. It was a match made in heaven. This was ballsy in a way for BMW to take this one on.” Spend any time with Orlando and you’ll quickly learn he’s a motorcyclist, appreciating a wide range of bikes in any garage, including his own. The S 1000 R isn’t the first BMW that Woolie has put his touches on for his personal friend. (He had previously restored a 1964 BMW R60 to original condition some years ago as their friendship was developing.) Everyone considers the BMW brand elite. Beyond historical design and performance, the Bavarian brand is now making us care more. “We’ve always been very good at a functional, rational level,” mentions Ola, “but now we’re getting into really emotional bikes.” This article first appeared in issue 20 of Iron & Air Magazine, and is reproduced here under license Words by Brett Houle | Images by Hermann Köpf | deuscustoms.com | bmwmotorcycles.com

Firefighter-turned-custom bike builder Chris Scholtka has a knack for building slick, and somewhat hot-rodded, café racers. This Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 café racer epitomizes his style well—but it was almost built using a very different donor bike.

“It started two years ago when an old friend called me,” Chris tells us. “She had received a big birthday gift from her family—a Honda CX650—and wanted to have it customized by me. We had a plan, but sadly the bike was stolen and we had to start from zero.”

Chris operates under the moniker Motocrew from his workshop in Cottbus, Germany. And considering the slick custom bikes he typically creates, he was secretly relieved that the CX650 and its gawky frame were no longer part of the project.…

Firefighter-turned-custom bike builder Chris Scholtka has a knack for building slick, and somewhat hot-rodded, café racers. This Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 café racer epitomizes his style well—but it was almost built using a very different donor bike. “It started two years ago when an old friend called me,” Chris tells us. “She had received a big birthday gift from her family—a Honda CX650—and wanted to have it customized by me. We had a plan, but sadly the bike was stolen and we had to start from zero.” Chris operates under the moniker Motocrew from his workshop in Cottbus, Germany. And considering the slick custom bikes he typically creates, he was secretly relieved that the CX650 and its gawky frame were no longer part of the project. So he got together with his friend to brainstorm potential replacements. “She wanted an old school-looking café racer and a reliable everyday bike. Because she didn’t have a garage in her hometown, Berlin, and didn’t have the knowledge to get a carburetor bike ready for riding season, it had to be a newer fuel-injected bike.” Triumph’s modern classics quickly rose to the top of the list—until Chris spotted a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 on eBay. “The RE shape is so clean, and building on it is simply fun. Everything is simple and reliable, and the aftermarket is better than I thought.” “She set the color scheme on day one—as much black as possible. But a ‘lil Motocrew design should be worked into it too, of course.” Chris started up front, where he replaced the Continental GT 650’s headlight with an ultra-modern LED unit from Koso. It’s mounted on a custom-made bracket that bolts to the bottom yoke. Flanking the headlight are neat fork shrouds that Chris 3D-printed to buff up the front end, visually. Since the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 comes with clip-on bars out of the box, its top yoke is already devoid of riser mounts. That made Chris’ job easier. With new, more aggressive clip-ons in place, he simply shaved the original ignition barrel mount to accommodate a Motogadget speedo, which came from Crooked Motorcycles as part of a plug-and-play kit. Rather than relocate the ignition, Chris binned it in favor of a keyless setup. The NFC ignition, plus the bar-end turn signals and glassless mirrors, all came from Motogadget. Moving to the bodywork, Chris opted to retain the Continental GT 650’s OEM fuel tank—which isn’t surprising, considering how good it looks. The gas cap was swapped out for a flush-mounted pop-up item. Despite sporting a solo seat and tail bump in stock form, the Enfield didn’t quite have the compact proportions that Chris envisioned. So he removed the original parts, cut and looped the subframe, and fabricated a new rear cowl. A pair of Motogadget LEDs, perched on 3D-printed carbon mounts, act as taillights and turn signals, while the license plate sits lower down. One of the hallmarks of a Motocrew café racer is its stance—and this one’s as purposeful as it gets. Chris lowered the front end by around 20 mm, before swapping the shocks out for custom-built YSS items that are 20 mm longer than stock. He also re-laced the front hub to a second 18” rear rim, so that he could fit tires with matching widths. The Enfield now rolls on 3.5×18” Shinko E270 tires, with a handful of judicious braking upgrades offering improved performance. The chunky vibe of the wheels and slammed forks is echoed in the burly exhausts custom units from Mass that include dB killers and retain the bike’s catalytic convertor. “The most important thing,” Chris adds, “is that it’s all street-legal in Germany!” Finished off in a mix of matte and gloss black (which extends to the engine covers), this Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 café racer continues the Motocrew’s fine tradition of building razor-sharp machines that ooze style. We’ve no doubt that it will help its owner get over the loss of her CX650. Motocrew Instagram | Images by kylefx Editor’s note Regular Speed Read programming will return next week.

Given that the motorcycle industry has been on the ropes the last few years, one of the bravest moves a major marque can make right now is release a niche motorcycle. But that’s exactly what BMW Motorrad has just done… and we’re here for it.

The brand new BMW R 12 G/S—the latest model built on BMW’s updated neo-retro R12 boxer platform—combines vintage aesthetics with a decent measure of off-road capability. It speaks to customers who sit in the middle of a very unique Venn diagram; those who want a classically styled bike, those who like going off-piste, and those willing to spend a premium for the privilege.

This isn’t the first modern classic boxer to bear the G/S moniker.…

Given that the motorcycle industry has been on the ropes the last few years, one of the bravest moves a major marque can make right now is release a niche motorcycle. But that’s exactly what BMW Motorrad has just done… and we’re here for it. The brand new BMW R 12 G/S—the latest model built on BMW’s updated neo-retro R12 boxer platform—combines vintage aesthetics with a decent measure of off-road capability. It speaks to customers who sit in the middle of a very unique Venn diagram; those who want a classically styled bike, those who like going off-piste, and those willing to spend a premium for the privilege. This isn’t the first modern classic boxer to bear the G/S moniker. The previous generation R nineT series included the R nineT Urban G/S—a mostly street-focused bike with aesthetics inspired by the iconic BMW R80G/S. The new BMW R 12 G/S uses the same basic formula, but every aspect of it has been ramped up. Visually, the new R 12 G/S is leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor—which says a lot, because the Urban G/S was rather attractive itself. We’ve spoken before about how the newer R 12’s chassis creates a tidier silhouette than the older nineT’s, and BMW has used this to full effect to transform the base model R 12 into a stylish retro adventure bike. The R 12 G/S hits all the right notes. Its sculpted fuel tank recalls the banana-shaped unit on the R80G/S, flowing neatly into a skinny bench seat. A high fender sits up front, along with a headlight shroud that takes cues from the fairing on the legendary R80G/S Paris Dakar model. The balance of modern and classic design touches is refreshing. Although the bodywork draws on BMW’s history, every part has a contemporary edge to it, as if it was borrowed from a modern enduro bike. There’s LED lighting all around too—from the 5.75” LED headlight with its X-shaped daytime running light, to the taillight tucked into the sleek rear fender. The BMW R 12 G/S hits the mark as a modern interpretation of one of BMW Motorrad’s most historic bikes—but this time, it’s more than just a styling exercise. BMW has subtly tweaked the standard R 12’s steering neck geometry, propped the bike up on longer suspension, and kitted it with a dirt-friendly 21” front wheel. In standard trim, that 21” front wheel is matched to a 17” rear wheel—a popular combination for BMW adventure bikes. Both wheels use BMW’s cross-spoked tubeless design, and the front wheel sports a pair of Brembo calipers with stainless steel hoses. The 45 mm upside-down front forks, and the rear shock and Paralever swingarm, offer up 210 mm and 200 mm of travel respectively. Both ends are adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression. All told the R 12 G/S has a seat height of 860 mm with close to 240 mm [about 9.4”] of ground clearance. It also weighs a slightly porky 228.6 kilos [504 pounds], wet. But it’s when you compare the R 12 G/S to BMW’s flagship adventure bike, the R 1300 GS, that things get interesting. The R 12 G/S is 3.6 percent lighter with a bigger front wheel, a seat that sits 10 mm higher, and only 20 mm less suspension travel. Riders have been clamoring for a retro boxer-powered scrambler with proper off-road chops for years, and the BMW R 12 G/S might just be it. For those that want an even more radical build, BMW offers an optional ‘Enduro’ package [above] too. It swaps the 17” rear wheel for an 18” hoop, and adds beefier foot pegs, higher handlebars, and a taller fairing. In Enduro trim, the R 12 G/S seat sits at 875 mm tall—but with three different seat options, including one that has better passenger accommodations, that number can go up or down. Other optional extras include an adaptive headlight, an ‘Enduro Pro’ riding mode that joins the three settings that come pre-installed, a quick-shifter, and a small digital dash that replaces the classic round unit. ABS, traction control, engine drag torque control, a keyless ignition, and a 12V power socket are all installed out of the box. Like its stablemates, the BMW R 12 G/S is powered by a 1,170 cc air- and oil-cooled boxer motor, good for 109 hp at 7,000 rpm and 115 Nm at 6,500 rpm. Gasses exit via one of the tidiest OEM mufflers that BMW has in their arsenal, with an optional Akrapovič can on offer. Available in three colorways (including a classic white R 80 G/S scheme), the new BMW R 12 G/S base model’s pricing starts at $16,395, with BMW North America’s website reporting an extra $325 for the white version and an extra $845 for the Enduro package. If a desert sand livery with a smorgasbord of parts from BMW’s swanky Option 719 catalog is more your thing, be prepared to shell out a whole lot more. That’s a good chunk of change more than the bike’s only competition—the immensely popular Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE. The BMW R 12 G/S looks like it’ll give the burly Scrambler 1200 a run for its money, but we won’t know until we ride it… and BMW’s marketing material hardly inspires confidence. The bike’s launch video is devoid of any clear riding footage, and almost all of the images we’ve seen are captioned with the dubious inscription “Enhanced with AI.” The writers over at Ride Apart noted the same and reached out to BMW Motorrad, who confirmed that, “In this case, the riding R 12 G/S photos were created using AI tools.” It’s disappointing when you consider that the motorcycle scene isn’t short on talented riders and photographers. But it also means that we won’t know how capable the BMW R 12 G/S truly is until we swing a leg over it ourselves. Source: BMW Motorrad

Bolt Motor Company specializes in lithe custom creations with sharp lines and crisp finishes. Their ethos likely has to do with the fact that they share a workshop with their sister company—the Spanish Formula 3 racing team, Campos Racing.

Of all the marques that pass through Bolt’s doors, we can tell they love tinkering with BMWs the most. Since opening their doors, they’ve peppered us with a steady stream of custom BMWs ranging from mild to wild. This custom BMW R100 sits squarely in the latter camp.

The donor bike, a 1982 R100RT, was first wheeled into Bolt Motor Co.’s workshop with very high mileage and looking more than a little worse for wear. Bolt loves nothing more than restoring rough wrecks into fantastic forms of fantasy, so they happily tore into it.…

Bolt Motor Company specializes in lithe custom creations with sharp lines and crisp finishes. Their ethos likely has to do with the fact that they share a workshop with their sister company—the Spanish Formula 3 racing team, Campos Racing. Of all the marques that pass through Bolt’s doors, we can tell they love tinkering with BMWs the most. Since opening their doors, they’ve peppered us with a steady stream of custom BMWs ranging from mild to wild. This custom BMW R100 sits squarely in the latter camp. The donor bike, a 1982 R100RT, was first wheeled into Bolt Motor Co.’s workshop with very high mileage and looking more than a little worse for wear. Bolt loves nothing more than restoring rough wrecks into fantastic forms of fantasy, so they happily tore into it. The client’s long list of requests included a few standout items. He wanted a scrambler-style build with good handling, and it had to stop like a modern motorcycle. But Bolt was still given the necessary wiggle room to create something unique in their signature style. To cover the handling requirements, a set of fully adjustable Marzocchi forks were bolted to the BMW chassis with CNC-machined yokes, while YSS shocks were fitted to the rear. Brembo supplied the brake discs and calipers, pumping fluids through Goodridge stainless steel braided lines. A short front fender was fabricated, and a custom license plate bracket was slung over the back wheel to tidy up the rear. The factory BMW wheels were simply powder-coated black and wrapped with Shinko Trail Master E705 tires. The rider cockpit is completely new. Neken risers hold a set of Renthal bars in place, which are adorned with a Domino throttle, Biltwell Inc. Kung Fu grips, LED-backlit switches, Nissin levers, and Highsider mirrors. A Motogadget Motoscope Pro sits front and center, powered by a Motogadget mo.unit, which also runs the mo.blaze disc bar end indicators and the tiny LED tail light. A Husqvarna 701 Enduro headlight sits out front, fitted to a handmade flat track-style number board and augmented with an additional LED strip. The stock BMW R100 tank is one of our favorites, so we’re glad to see it was left alone. That said, the outlandish custom paint job splashed onto it is to die for, and we’re amazed the tank still stands out next to the gorgeous candy-red frame. An engraved BMW gas cap adds another touch of modernity to the 43-year-old tank. Moving further rearwards, a suede seat (upholstered by a friend, Llop) sits on top of a custom subframe. The 3D-printed rear cowl can be cleverly removed to make way for a passenger. A set of Tarozzi rear sets and passenger pegs were fitted to improve the riding position. The engine, transmission, and final drive were all stripped and rebuilt from the ground up. The stock Bing carbs remain, but they breathe through new intakes and have been re-jetted to suit the high-flow Turbo Kit exhaust. An oil cooler was fitted at the front of the engine and the ignition was relocated down low on the left-hand side of the frame. The battery sits under the transmission in a custom-made box. Finally, the bike was rewired from scratch to guarantee another 50 years of BMW reliability. Bolt’s custom BMW R100 has all the charms of an old airhead boxer, but it runs, handles, and stops better than ever—just as the client requested. It also looks incredible, and will be turning more than a few heads every time it rolls down the street. Bolt Motor Co. | Facebook | Instagram

Earlier this week, we presented the motorcycles that dominated the competition at the burgeoning Taiwanese custom bike show, Speed and Crafts. One machine in particular stood out—a plucky Honda Dax that took on bikes twice its size while snagging a silver medal in the hotly contested Freestyle class.

The bite-sized Dax needs no introduction. First released in the 70s, before being brought back three years ago as part of Honda’s modern-classic mini-bike range, its pressed steel T-frame is iconic. It’s also a prime candidate for customization.

This show-stopping Honda Dax is the product of a collaboration between JZO Crafts and Kunimoto Hidetoshi. JZO (‘Jie’ to his friends) is the man that Rough Crafts turns to for its fabrication needs. Kunimoto is the founder of Nemoto—a shop specializing in mini-bike parts.…

Earlier this week, we presented the motorcycles that dominated the competition at the burgeoning Taiwanese custom bike show, Speed and Crafts. One machine in particular stood out—a plucky Honda Dax that took on bikes twice its size while snagging a silver medal in the hotly contested Freestyle class. The bite-sized Dax needs no introduction. First released in the 70s, before being brought back three years ago as part of Honda’s modern-classic mini-bike range, its pressed steel T-frame is iconic. It’s also a prime candidate for customization. This show-stopping Honda Dax is the product of a collaboration between JZO Crafts and Kunimoto Hidetoshi. JZO (‘Jie’ to his friends) is the man that Rough Crafts turns to for its fabrication needs. Kunimoto is the founder of Nemoto—a shop specializing in mini-bike parts. At first, the plan was to turn the Dax into a tiny flat tracker—but then Kunimoto chimed in with an idea. “He’s a big fan of air suspension systems,” says Jie, “so he wanted to incorporate that feature. We retained the tracker-inspired appearance, while giving the bike a low and aggressive stance.” Kunimoto’s idea involved upgrading the Dax’s running gear with new air suspension components from RacingBros. A CNC-machined Over Racing swingarm was installed out back, while the wheels were switched for 12” disc items, fitted with Brembo brake calipers and Triforce carbon ceramic discs. The Dax is notably low to the ground when parked, until a remote control activates the air suspension, raising it to a reasonable ride height. It might seem like an unnecessary feature on a bike with a 777 mm seat height—but it’s a cool trick nonetheless. Most of the Dax’s charm comes from the fact that its chassis is effectively also its bodywork. So Jie and Kunimoto focused on tweaking the bike’s fuselage cleverly, rather than modifying it outright. For starters, all of the bits and pieces that make the air suspension work are now packaged inside the body. To get that right, Jie had to figure out where each individual part would fit—and then link them all together. Cutouts near the front of the chassis offer a view of the suspension reservoirs. Jie also fabricated a titanium exhaust system that flows around the engine, into a custom inlet on the right-hand side of the body, through the chassis, and out the back. A handmade aluminum end cap adds a stylish flourish to the tail end of the Dax. The aluminum flat track-style seat is also Jie’s handiwork, but the tasteful leather upholstery was handled by Qi Rui. The whole unit is mounted on a hinge, offering access to the neatly packaged components that hide underneath it. Here you’ll find a custom-built aluminum fuel tank, complete with a pop-up filler cap, and the rest of the exhaust header. A slim LED taillight is embedded in the back of the seat pan, while discreet LED turn signals are mounted to the sides of the bodywork, just forward of where the exhaust exits. The opposite end of the bike wears a one-off aluminum headlight plate, designed with an integrated housing for a punchy Baja Designs LED headlight. LED turn signals flank the new nacelle. The Honda Dax’s cockpit hasn’t gone untouched either. CNC-machined yokes from GTR Manufacturing take center stage, while sporty clip-ons replace the Dax’s mini-ape bars. They’re fitted with Domino grips and aftermarket brake and clutch levers, with CNC-machined switches integrated into the lever clamps. The bike’s new digital dashboard is an aRacer iMode 5 unit, loaded with a custom JZO x Nemoto startup graphic. Elsewhere, Nemoto fitted fork guards, rear-sets, and a rear sprocket character from their catalog. You might be wondering why the Dax sports a clutch lever and shifter peg when its transmission is automatic. That’s because the guys swapped the Dax’s engine (and transmission) for the mill from a new Honda Grom. The engines are the same size—but the Grom unit uses a five-speed manual ‘box. A smattering of dress-up parts—like a CNC-machined dipstick from Mitomo and a clear crankcase cover—add an extra dose of style. But the Dax’s most striking feature is arguably its livery. Expertly executed by OneWay, the paint job uses swathes of grey and blue to complement the polished aluminum sections. Giant Honda wings take up as much space as they can on the back half of the body, with subtle ghost graphics on the tail section where it overlaps the design. Even though there’s a lot going on with the JZO Crafts x Nemoto Honda Dax, it doesn’t feel overly fussy. Instead, it’s low, sleek, and cohesive, offering a fresh take on traditional custom motorcycle genres. That podium finish (and the other awards it raked in at the show) was well deserved. JZO Crafts | Nemoto | Images by Kin Lin

The shelves are crowded, and every bottle vyes for your dollar with flashy labels, rustic imagery and a contrived origin story. For that reason, I always seek out the understated ones; bottles that look like they could have been in circulation when your grandpa was still on the sauce. Maybe you’ll find one of his old favorites.

A project of the 2020 lockdowns, Brain Brew’s Dexter Three Wood straight bourbon is far from that, but its simple label exudes quiet confidence, and Edmund Dexter’s face on the bottle looks fit for a dollar bill. It also came highly recommended by the local liquor store owner, so color me sold.

What’s in a Name The personality behind the spirit is Edmund Dexter, apparently a prolific 1800s bourbon blender who entertained the likes of author Charles Dickens and the future King Edward at his home in Cincinnati — or so the bottle says.…

The shelves are crowded, and every bottle vyes for your dollar with flashy labels, rustic imagery and a contrived origin story. For that reason, I always seek out the understated ones; bottles that look like they could have been in circulation when your grandpa was still on the sauce. Maybe you’ll find one of his old favorites. A project of the 2020 lockdowns, Brain Brew’s Dexter Three Wood straight bourbon is far from that, but its simple label exudes quiet confidence, and Edmund Dexter’s face on the bottle looks fit for a dollar bill. It also came highly recommended by the local liquor store owner, so color me sold. What’s in a Name The personality behind the spirit is Edmund Dexter, apparently a prolific 1800s bourbon blender who entertained the likes of author Charles Dickens and the future King Edward at his home in Cincinnati — or so the bottle says. Despite the namesake, Three Wood doesn’t seem to have any real connection to Dexter besides common roots in Cincinnati. Boneheads like myself may initially mistake it for a fairway reference, but the name Three Wood refers to the three woods used to finish the bourbon — Maple, Cherry and 200-year-old Oak. And they’re used to delightful effect. Nose After a proper pop from the wood cork, you’ll find that Cherry makes a quick appearance, followed by butterscotch, orange, cinnamon and a hint of walnut. A deep breath in your glass will be met with a hint of octane, remember this 100.6 proof. Taste Enjoyed neat, the first thing you’ll pick up on is vanilla followed by lingering Cherry wood. Cherry pairs so well with traditional bourbon flavors, and we’re only aware of certain Makers Mark and Woodford Reserve varieties that utilize it to such strong effect. Butterscotch and honey make a brief appearance midway through, followed by cinnamon and a lengthy outro of wood spice with an endearing burn. At just over 52% ABV and aided by the late-profile flavors, the burn is right on the money. It’s just enough to keep you coming back for more, but strong enough to make you savor the pour. Put simply, save the sodas and garnish for a different spirit, but I do question if the Cherry would benefit from a slight chill. Value Always a blend of price and preference, Dexter Three Wood delivers good value for money at $49. It’s pricier than some of its contemporaries, but the ever-shifting flavor profile and novelty of the Cherry wood merit the extra investment. To sum it up, Three Wood is definitely a worthwhile purchase, and worth keeping around for bourbon brainiacs and relative newcomers as well. Cheers!

Fo Huang has an enviable skill—the ability to take whatever he imagines and turn it into a physical object. Working as NamiXII Design from Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan, he creates everything from furniture and sculptures to trophies. More importantly, he also builds radical 70s-style choppers.

The last time we checked in with Fo, he wowed us with a wildly chopped Yamaha SR400. This time he’s back with an equally bodacious chopper on a very different foundation—a 2022-model Harley-Davidson Low Rider S.

Dyna cultists must have felt cheated when The Motor Co. re-released the Low Rider S on their newer Softail platform. But the truth is, the contemporary Low Rider S is a total hoot to ride. Its 117 ci Milwaukee-Eight engine is a peach, and its chassis is vastly better than that of its predecessor.…

Fo Huang has an enviable skill—the ability to take whatever he imagines and turn it into a physical object. Working as NamiXII Design from Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan, he creates everything from furniture and sculptures to trophies. More importantly, he also builds radical 70s-style choppers. The last time we checked in with Fo, he wowed us with a wildly chopped Yamaha SR400. This time he’s back with an equally bodacious chopper on a very different foundation—a 2022-model Harley-Davidson Low Rider S. Dyna cultists must have felt cheated when The Motor Co. re-released the Low Rider S on their newer Softail platform. But the truth is, the contemporary Low Rider S is a total hoot to ride. Its 117 ci Milwaukee-Eight engine is a peach, and its chassis is vastly better than that of its predecessor. Fo’s latest build takes all that goodness and repackages it as a Frisco-style chopper. “The design also incorporates the owner’s favorite element—lightning,” he adds. Step one was to readjust the Low Rider’s stance. Fo stripped the bike’s upside-down forks, and then extended them by four inches. Then he stripped the paint off the yokes and fork uppers to give them a polished finish instead. The stock wheels were swapped out for a set of stylish forged aluminum hoops from Lyndall, bumping the front wheel up to 21” while retaining the 16” rear wheel size. The wheels sport new Lyndall Gemini brake rotors, plus a pair of Brembo-made front calipers from Harley’s exclusive CVO series. The tires are Bridgestone Battlecruise H50s. There’s a lot more going on with the Low Rider’s front end than just a set of stretched forks. Fo took the OEM front fender, hacked the front half off, and fabricated a finned replacement piece that’s part decoration and part fork brace. Further up, he crafted an elegant aluminum headlight housing that sits flush with the yokes. The actual headlight is an LED unit from Moons MC in Japan, but it’s hidden behind a vintage headlight lens. Kraus Motor risers stand tall behind the headlight, supporting a set of handmade handlebars. The bars wear MX-style grips and Flo Motorsports levers, with discreet LED turn signals mounted below the lever perches. The stock Harley speedo has been relocated to atop the bars via a custom bracket. The Low Rider’s speedo traditionally lives in a large housing on top of the fuel tank, but Fo binned it—along with the tank itself. A slim 17-liter [4.5-gallon] unit was handcrafted to replace it. The new tank, and the generously scooped saddle that follows it, contribute to this chopper’s remarkably compact appearance. But it’s the details that crank the overall design up to eleven. The lightning bolt motif on the tank isn’t just pain—it’s a 3D effect that Fo created by welding metal ridges to the tank, before refining them. Layered over Fo’s sculpting work is a mind-bending blue and purple paint scheme that shifts as light bounces off it. Finer pin-striping details on the fenders tie the design together. Aptly, Fo has nicknamed the bike ‘Purple Haze.’ The pattern on the saddle is equally playful, traversing the upholstery with blue, purple, and white stitching. Out back you’ll find the OEM fender, modified to include a molded housing for a Moons MC taillight. Tiny LED turn signals from Kodlin are mounted to the ends of the fender struts. Other details include color-matched plug leads, and foot pegs and controls from Flo Motorsports. The Harley’s frame is still intact, as is its original belt drive and belt drive cover (Taiwan’s modification laws are rather strict). Fo hasn’t messed with the Harley’s engine either—at least, not too much. It’s been treated to a factory ‘Stage 1’ kit, plus an ECU tune to optimize its performance. The delightfully chunky air cleaner is a one-off, as are the two-into-one exhaust headers, which terminate in a Supertrapp muffler. There’s a lot going on with this Harley-Davidson Low Rider S chopper, yet it still feels remarkably cohesive. Thanks to Fo’s obsessive attention to detail, his sharp eye, and his deft hands, this neo-retro performance chopper is in a class of its own. NamiXII Design Instagram | Images by Weeber Photography (studio) and Raku (details)

As a photographer, I’m always looking for strange and obscure things to shoot. I’d heard about this place in Brooklyn called Jane – a shop that had custom motorcycles, specialty coffee, and apparel – and as a moto enthusiast, I had to check it out. What I found inside was one of the most interesting incarnations of a Ducati I’d ever seen.

It looked like a WWII-era P-51 Mustang fighter plane on two wheels. Bright blocks of colored paint made up the bodywork while it was adorned with intricate details of gold. It was bold, brash, and sexy.

Adam and Alex, the owners of Jane, didn’t have much information beyond the fact that the bike was on consignment for the current owner, who wanted to remain anonymous.…

As a photographer, I’m always looking for strange and obscure things to shoot. I’d heard about this place in Brooklyn called Jane – a shop that had custom motorcycles, specialty coffee, and apparel – and as a moto enthusiast, I had to check it out. What I found inside was one of the most interesting incarnations of a Ducati I’d ever seen. It looked like a WWII-era P-51 Mustang fighter plane on two wheels. Bright blocks of colored paint made up the bodywork while it was adorned with intricate details of gold. It was bold, brash, and sexy. Adam and Alex, the owners of Jane, didn’t have much information beyond the fact that the bike was on consignment for the current owner, who wanted to remain anonymous. As I spent more time there, I finally convinced them to let me take her out. I wanted to shoot some impromptu lifestyle photos, and Alex was kind enough to ride the Ducati for the photos you see here. But the images begged more questions than answers. I sent a few comps out to magazines and blogs curious to see if anyone had any info. No one had seen it before or knew any builders familiar with it. Without any details, publications were also hesitant to do anything with the bike. I was at a dead end. I knew I had something exquisite, but I couldn’t understand it. It was like wandering through the woods and happening upon an Andy Goldsworthy sculpture. How did this thing end up in Brooklyn? No less than three months later, a young kid came into the shop for a cup of coffee and found himself drawn to the mystery Ducati as I was, but for a completely different reason. “My dad built that bike!” Alex called me immediately with the kid’s contact information. After reaching out several times to get a lead on where it came from, I received no response. My encouragement dissipated to disappointment and frustration. Another month passed until the kid came in again for coffee. Alex obtained his email once more and realized the address was off by one letter. I finally reached Henry – the builder’s son – and he gave me the email address for his father’s wife Laura. She then connected me with her husband, and within a few days, he emailed me back confirming that he was indeed the builder of the bike in the photos. His name was Jon Aesoph. His nickname was “Einstein.” When we were finally able to talk, Einstein was matter-of-fact, though he never came off as pretentious. Instead, he was almost aloof to his own abilities. I came to appreciate that he was just a tinkerer in the woods making weird stuff. Motorcycles just happened to be one of them. “I am an artist, who works mainly in drawing and painting. I love machines and try to get them to love me. As much as I appreciate what the manufacturers offer us, I really need to make it my own. I don’t consider myself to be a ‘builder,’ but have always re-imagined any bike I’ve owned, and tried to make it unique for myself.” The mystery Ducati was a SportClassic “S” that Einstein purchased new in the fall of 2009 from Skagit Motor Sports in Mount Vernon, Washington. The “S” meant it came with the front fairing, unlike others in the SportClassic line. Einstein, a retired art teacher living on Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington state, says he only rode it stock for a few months. “I like to get to know a bike pretty well on a daily basis; it helps me choose a direction. I wanted something a bit different, as is my usual modus operandi, and decided to change the tail to a ‘Don Vesco Big Butt’ from Airtech Bodywork. This immediately took the bike back in time. The ‘Big Butt’ suggested a race bike from the ‘50s or ‘60s. The new bodywork was painted the dark Ducati Green, and the stock white racing stripes were continued over the top of it. During this time, I did all the sexy motor things that I could afford, such as open Desmodromic belts, gold anodized grips and clutch/brake controls. “Though the overall seat and tail combination came from Airtech, I needed to re-fabricate portions of it to fit. I lengthened it almost three inches and molded it to fit the tank shape at the forward end. All this consequently required my moving the taillight, which was a quite acceptable round piece, and I put in flexible LED turn signals, which were molded into the sides of the tail. It looked pretty cool to me, and I rode it in that guise for quite a while. “Some months later I was sitting in the shop staring at it (this is an activity that provides endless mirth and confusion for my lovely wife). I decided the large open space at the rear would look better if I moved the exhaust pipes from low on the side to up under the seat, culminating by appearing from out of the box seat. That proved to be a good move; she looked like a piece of history but with an attitude.” In 2011, Einstein’s eyes shifted towards another bike – the BMW S1000RR – prompting the need to move the Ducati from his shop to make room. In order to sell the bike, he needed to make some changes that would appeal to more buyers. “We’ve all seen the stir that café racers have made on our contemporary motorcycling scene, even to the point of manufacturers producing them, lifeless as they are. I decided to again change the tail/seating area on the bike, and chose a Ducati race seat intended for the Ducati MH900e. While I was at it, I decided to do the Italian flag colors on her, with silver being the main accent. Again, pining for the past, I sat down and in one session drew my spraying plan, not following any vintage bike in particular, but desiring a result that would make people want to hug her. There’s something that happens when you decide to spray a separate color around the headlamp. Don’t ask me why, but to me, it makes the bike more accessible, more human. While I was prepping for the spray, and had all the bodywork off, I decided to lengthen the pipes out the rear a full three inches. That move really brought on that badly serious attitude she began to take on.” “I have always loved Ducati’s propensity for drilling holes wherever they can fit them in. They call this ‘lightening,’ but let’s admit it: this is also another great design tactic. I drilled the hell out of everything. Where I could add a hole, I did. Another design tactic I have is to use Caterpillar Yellow a lot. I was on a UH1B in Vietnam, and I loved the markings that usually designated danger in that same yellow. Once I was finished, I put her up for sale, and it sold in two days, to a gentleman in Texas. That was the last I saw of her until my son let me know she had shown up in Brooklyn. Amazing…” Despite a missing block of time in the lifespan of this Ducati, the mystery of its birth was solved. While all of this could live on a spec sheet about upgrades, performance stats, and mechanical specifications, it is really about a photographer, two shop owners, a son, a patient wife, an eccentric builder, and finally, a publisher willing to tell the story. The tale of this single machine – chased from NYC to Whidbey Island through a tangled and intertwined circle – is unraveled, and finally complete. This article first appeared in issue 20 of Iron & Air Magazine, and is reproduced here under license | Words and Images by Stan Evans | stanevansphoto.com | janemotorcycles.com

We’ve cast our net wide this week to bring you four very different motorcycles from four different countries. Portugal offers up a Yamaha XSR700 street scrambler, Canada sends us a tasty Honda CB750 restomod, and Italy shows off the new Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia. Finally, we ogle an as-new 1991 Bimota TESI 1D 904 SR from New York, USA.

Yamaha XSR700 by Unik Edition Deeply embedded in Lisbon’s buzzing custom motorcycle scene, Loek Janssen has a bike for every occasion—including a KTM 450 EXC-F in supermoto trim and a 1981 BMW R100 street scrambler. He’s just added this Yamaha XSR700 to his stable, to make sure all his bases are covered.

Loek’s vision for the XSR was to have a bike he could scoot around the city with daily, and point down the occasional fire road whenever the craving hits.…

We’ve cast our net wide this week to bring you four very different motorcycles from four different countries. Portugal offers up a Yamaha XSR700 street scrambler, Canada sends us a tasty Honda CB750 restomod, and Italy shows off the new Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia. Finally, we ogle an as-new 1991 Bimota TESI 1D 904 SR from New York, USA. Yamaha XSR700 by Unik Edition Deeply embedded in Lisbon’s buzzing custom motorcycle scene, Loek Janssen has a bike for every occasion—including a KTM 450 EXC-F in supermoto trim and a 1981 BMW R100 street scrambler. He’s just added this Yamaha XSR700 to his stable, to make sure all his bases are covered. Loek’s vision for the XSR was to have a bike he could scoot around the city with daily, and point down the occasional fire road whenever the craving hits. Inspiration for the bike’s neo-punk vibe came from Loek’s travels—specifically his time in Tokyo, where he spent many a rainy night sampling food and beer with locals. One of the leading lights of the Portuguese custom scene, Unik Edition, was called in to handle the custom work. Loek picked the XSR700 because it’s fairly uncomplicated for a modern bike, and because it’s a hoot to ride. The idea was to retain its rideability—but nip and tuck it visually. Unik edition fabricated new tank covers for the bike, moving the visual weight forward and creating a more aggressive silhouette. The paint simple paint job is an exact match to a quick drawing that Loek whipped up on his iPad, which was only ever meant to be a rough guide. “First I was mad,” he tells us, “but then they said that they really tried a lot, but my drawing still came out on top!” Several parts from JVB-Moto complement the custom tank. These include the seat and rear fender, head- and taillights, front fork covers, radiator guard, and a bunch of smaller bits that help tidy the bike up. LSL bars adorn the cockpit, fitted with Puig levers, BikeMaster grips, a Yamaha R6 quick-throttle, and Motogadet mo.view mirrors. The full list of parts is exhaustive, but highlights include a K-Tech rear shock, Pirelli Scorpion STR Rally tires, and a titanium exhaust system from Akrapovič. There are no dB killers inside the twin mufflers, but there are electronically operated valves (from Druijff Racing) that help Loek keep his neighbors happy. A Hordpower intake and a Dynojet Power Commander tuner helped Unik eke more performance out of the already peppy XSR700. Loek specced the bike with an ABS on-off switch for off-road shenanigans, along with enduro-style footpegs from JVB-Moto. The sump guard, crash bars, and beefy side stand are SW-Motech parts. “I spent way more than the value I purchased the bike for—like, way more,” Loek admits. “Do I care? No. Do I enjoy the bike? Hell yes.” [Unik Edition | Images by Tiago Almeida] Honda CB750 by Big Dream Motorcycles Boasting the title of ‘The World’s First Superbike,’ the Honda CB750 has enthralled motorcyclists since it hit the scene in 1968. We’ve seen scores of CB750s on these pages—from extreme customs to thoughtful restomods. This 1978 Honda CB750K restomod is the work of Matt Wieckowski at Big Dream Motorcycles in Ontario. Dressed in a well-judged mix of modern and classic parts, it tips its hat to all the CBs that went before it. The CB750 wears the front end from a 1999 Yamaha R6, matched to 17” Excel rims laced to Cognito Moto hubs. Between the forks, brakes, upgraded rear shocks, and sportbike tires, the CB750 now handles a lot better than it did in 78. Matt rebuilt the Honda’s stonking four-cylinder engine with high-compression pistons, and upgraded the ignition to a newer Dyna unit. K&N pod filters replace the air box, while gasses exit via Ripple Rock Racers headers and a Hindle muffler, all made from stainless steel. Matt’s client is a big fan of vintage bikes, so Matt swapped the 1978-model CB750’s fuel tank out for a 1975 item. Older side covers were fitted too, and the bike retains its chunky seat, big fenders, and generous lighting. Matt finished the bike in an elegant white and red scheme, color-matching parts like the headlight ears as a throwback to the days when that was the norm on production Hondas. A smattering of red-anodized hardware ties it all together. [Source] Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia The practice of dressing an existing motorcycle from your catalog in new paint and selling it as a special edition is hardly new. But Ducati does it with more panache than most marques. Case in point; the new Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia looks spectacular. Limited to 163 units, the Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia is essentially a Panigale V4 S with a predominantly blue paint job and a handful of hop-up parts. MotoGP fans will recognize the livery—it’s the same one that Ducati Factory Racing employed at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix in Mugello, where two-time MotoGP world champion, Pecco Bagnaia, and his teammate, Enea Bastianini, finished first and second. The Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia recreates the livery, which was inspired by Italy’s national sports teams, faithfully. Italy’s official ‘Azzurro’ blue dominates the design, complemented by sections of white and traditional Tricolore details. As befitting a race replica, the fairing is splashed with sponsor logos. Underneath the graphics is a mostly ‘regular’ Ducati V4 S—a 216 hp superbike with electronically-adjusted Öhlins suspension and a dry weight of 188 kg [414.5 lbs]. It’s 3 kilos lighter than stock, thanks to the stunning carbon fiber wheels that replace the usual forged hoops. The Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia also gets a monstrous braking upgrade in the form of Brembo’s brand-spanking new Pro+ package. A first for production bikes, it uses two finned 338.5 mm Brembo T-Drive discs, a pair of GP4 Sport Production racing calipers with cooling fins, and carbon fiber air ducts. Other upgrades include a dry clutch, adjustable billet aluminum foot pegs, and Alcantara trim on the seat. Ducati has a host of track-only accessories for the bike too—including a matching kangaroo leather suit that’s exclusively available to Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia owners. Each Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore Italia’s top yoke is adorned with its series number, a silhouette of the Mugello circuit, and Bagnaia’s lap record there. The tank sports the two-time champ’s signature, and each bike is shipped in a personalized wooden crate. If you’re wondering what it costs, don’t bother—all 163 units are already spoken for. [Ducati] 1991 Bimota TESI 1D 904 SR Produced in extremely limited numbers, the 1991 Bimota TESI 1D 904 SR is arguably the bike that put the boutique Italian motorcycle manufacturer on the map. Its fairings and livery were quintessential early-90s Italian design. And when you stripped them off, you’d find a 904 cc Ducati Desmodromic engine wedged between a pair of machined alloy chassis plates, with Bimota’s signature hub-centered steering system poking out the front. Bimota equipped the TESI 1D 904 SR with Marzocchi suspension, Marchesini wheels, and Brembo brakes. The Ducati mill also came with a six-speed transmission and Marelli fuel injection. With clip-ons linked to the hub-center steering system, a bold digital dashboard, and a solo seat with minimal padding, the TESI 1D 904 SR was a true show-stopper. (It was as if Bimota had built the bike that Ducati was too conservative to.) 34 years on, the TESI 1D 904 SR hasn’t lost an ounce of its charm. But owning one is a rare privilege—particularly one as clean as this example. Showing just 1 kilometer on the clock, this particular 1991 Bimota TESI 1D 904 SR has just been sold on Bring a Trailer by Moto Borgotaro—sparking a last-minute bidding war that pushed the final price to a staggering $78,000. [Source]

The brainchild of Rough Crafts frontman Winston Yeh, the Speed and Crafts custom bike show ran for the second time earlier this month. Showcasing the best that Taiwan has to offer, the event brought together a slew of local and international judges to preside over the 47 custom motorcycles present.

Supported by Shoei, Alpinestars, Harley-Davidson, Breitling Taiwan, SYM, and Madness, Speed and Crafts is as much a custom motorcycle championship as it is a bike show. As one of the leading lights of the Taiwanese custom scene, the man has a passion for elevating the culture and spurring his peers on.

While roughly 5,000 visitors crammed through the doors of the SongShan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei’s Xinyi District, Winston and his team of judges had the arduous task of picking the best bikes.…

The brainchild of Rough Crafts frontman Winston Yeh, the Speed and Crafts custom bike show ran for the second time earlier this month. Showcasing the best that Taiwan has to offer, the event brought together a slew of local and international judges to preside over the 47 custom motorcycles present. Supported by Shoei, Alpinestars, Harley-Davidson, Breitling Taiwan, SYM, and Madness, Speed and Crafts is as much a custom motorcycle championship as it is a bike show. As one of the leading lights of the Taiwanese custom scene, the man has a passion for elevating the culture and spurring his peers on. While roughly 5,000 visitors crammed through the doors of the SongShan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei’s Xinyi District, Winston and his team of judges had the arduous task of picking the best bikes. Builders were judged by their peers too—a carry-over from the AMD Championship. Although a total of 36 awards were given out on the day, the main competition was split over three classes—Modified Harley, Freestyle, and Performance. We’ve rounded up the top three finishers in the Modified Harley and Performance classes, and the top five in the Freestyle class. Modified Harley, 3rd: Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide by AX Studio Third place in the Modified Harley class went to AX Studio for this brilliantly old-school Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide. The AX Studio team set out to pair romantic classical details with bobber style, and we think they’ve nailed it. A Sportster tank was mounted on custom brackets to the Dyna frame, with a handcrafted leather seat made by Hoffman. The rear fender is custom and bobbed to suit, with plenty of clearance to cruise with the Bitubo rear shocks. The springer front end is bejeweled with a cast aluminum headlight, Performance Machine calipers, and custom caliper mounts. Kustom Tech levers were bolted to both sides of the bars, which sit proudly in front of the Motogadget motoscope mini embedded in the tank. A custom internal throttle system keeps the bars super clean. The forward controls were made by hand and feature an ingeniously hidden pair of Motogadget mo.blaze indicators. The air filter and the stainless steel exhaust are custom, as is the paint which was laid down by Goblin Paint. It’s a curious mish-mash of styles, but AX Studio has somehow made it work—and we dig it. Modified Harley, 2nd: Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout by Fangster And now for something you don’t often see on Bike EXIF—a raked-out custom Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout, modified by Fangster and exclusively featuring bolt-on components. Starting with a 2016 Softail Breakout, Fangster started by bolting on front fork covers, to which they mounted Highsider turn signals. An LED headlight peeks out from beneath a small cowl, which matches the large muscular tank. An Alcantara seat with blue contrast stitching matches the paint, which extends down the swingarm. The huge rear tire is covered with a rear fender with a fit so tight we don’t even think a credit card could slip in there. The bike wears a short, slash-cut exhaust (it is a Harley Breakout, after all). Modified Harley, 1st: Harley-Davidson Sportster XR1200 by SMF Custom As with most motorcycle shows, the modified Harley-Davidson category is vast and fierce. The Speed and Crafts show is no different, with this stunning Harley Sportster XR1200 by SMF Custom occupying the top step of the podium. Inspired by Pikes Peak hill climb and flat track race bikes, SMF Custom injected some racing style into this street-legal motorcycle. Upside-down forks and a rear shock from Gears Racing, plus alloy Ducati Scrambler wheels, set the stance. The bike wears a custom front numberplate and low-rise bars, while the motoscope pro dash and push buttons come from Motogadget. The aluminum tank, belly pan, and seat were all crafted by hand. The frame escaped serious modification, but a reinforced swingarm and custom five-spoke belt pulley were fitted out back. The footpegs are custom, as are the huge 360 mm front brake discs, squeezed tight by Brembo calipers. The fuel-injected Sporty was treated to a handmade titanium exhaust to unleash a few more ponies. All that was needed in the way of paint was a simple handpainted white stripe on the alloy tank and seat—the perfect finishing touch. Freestyle, 5th: BMW R80 by SMF Custom The BMW R80 is still a popular choice among custom builders—and SMF Custom shows us why. Their minimalist R80 café racer made the top five in Speed and Crafts’ Freestyle class, leaving the shop with two awards from the show. The bulky stock rear end is gone, with a custom cantilevered subframe and seat in its place. The stock wheels were painted gloss black and contrast cut, with the rear wheel converted from drum to disc brake. The perfectly proportioned front and rear fenders are custom. The front end was donated by a Ducati Monster, then lowered. Custom CNC yokes hold the forks in place, while a simple round LED headlight is nestled betwixt them. Clip-on bars are adorned with Motogadget bar end turn signals and grips, and Brembo levers. Other Motogadget parts include a mo.unit brain and a motoscope mini speedometer. The stock tank has been massaged into a more aggressive position and the black paint has been broken up with beautiful gold pin-striping. Rear-sets and a custom stainless steel exhaust round out this classic, tasteful build from SMF Custom. Freestyle, 4th: Suzuki BS125 by ZeroVector Fourth place in the Freestyle Class was awarded to ZeroVector for this custom Suzuki BS125. There isn’t a whole lot of the original BS125 left though, save for its engine—which has been rebuilt, and repackaged in a custom frame. A bespoke swingarm sits out back, with a matching set of 17” Unison wheels wrapped in Dunlop Sportmax Q-Lite tires. The bodywork, which was fabricated in a joint effort with Hide Work, was inspired by the wings and body of a manta ray. Kymco forks do duty up front, with a custom cowl that houses the headlight. The seat is integrated into the tank section, and finished with Alcantara upholstery by ChiRui Leather Custom. Modern handlebars are equipped with Rizoma turn signals, Motogadget switches, and ZeroVector’s own grips and risers. The brake discs are custom parts, while the calipers come from Hartford. The rear-set foot pegs and twin exhausts are, again, from ZeroVector’s catalog. The final result is a surprisingly delicate custom that lends a sense of speed, even while standing still. Freestyle, 3rd: Yamaha Ténéré 700 by Faber Studio x Rough Crafts Third place in the Freestyle Class was awarded to Faber Studio and Rough Crafts for a bike that is missing from the Yamaha factory lineup—a Ténéré 700 flat tracker. Yamaha’s CP2 engine is a real peach, and the crew wanted to showcase this in a lighter, more flickable package. The roller was fitted with a pair of 19” wheels from Roland Sands Design, a set of Öhlins forks, and an Öhlins rear shock, all of which lowered the bike. The bodywork is mostly adapted Yamaha YZ450 stuff, with a handmade fuel tank sitting front and center. Everything is low and skinny, allowing plenty of movement front and back. The Tenere 700 electronics and ignition remain, with everything hidden under the new bodywork. A set of Renthal Fatbars and Beringer controls are mounted on CNC-machined fork clamps, with the lighting supplied by a pair of LED projectors hidden neatly under the radiator. The guys couldn’t decide whether to mount the exhaust high like a dirt bike or low like a flat tracker, so they chose both. The big-bore custom stainless steel headers are capped with Rough Crafts-branded mufflers, which must sound incredible at full tilt. Faber Studio and Rough Crafts’ Yamaha Ténéré 700 flat tracker is long, low, and oh-so mean. (If you like to find out more about it, we featured it previously here.) Freestyle, 2nd: Honda DAX125 by Nemoto and JZO Crafts This pint-sized work of art was built as a collaboration between Nemoto’s Kunimoto Hidetoshi and JZO Crafts. The team took a Honda DAX125 and turned it up to eleven—and then took home second place in the Freestyle Class. Sat atop the Dax’s fuselage is a custom aluminum seat unit, topped with leather upholstery from Qi Rui. It lifts up to reveal an aluminum fuel tank. A titanium exhaust snakes its way through the DAX bodywork, exiting out the back through a handmade ducktail muffler. An Over Racing swingarm is suspended by a custom multi-link suspension system. The bike uses Racing Bros air suspension at both ends—so it sits lower when parked than it does when riding. The Nemoto CNC machine got a workout, as it pumped out the rear-set foot pegs, front fork covers, front fork lower brackets, and the rear sprocket holder. A custom front fairing houses a single Baja LED headlight. Hidden behind it are CNC fork clamps from GTR and a digital instrument panel. The custom paint was laid down by OneWay; another detail that makes this diminutive custom larger than life. (If you’d like to see more, we’ll have a full work-up on this Honda Dax in the coming week.) Freestyle, 1st: Harley-Davidson Sportster by GD Custom This incredible Harley-Davidson Sportster was built by GD Custom—and even if it’s not something you’d typically go for, the skill and craftsmanship required to build such a machine are otherworldly. We could stare at this wild creation for hours. The team at GD Custom wanted to blend brass, leather, cast alloys, and timber details, as a throwback to vintage industrial styles where form followed function. The hardtail Sporty rides on a classic set of spoked wheels with a 21” wheel up front, bouncing away inside the custom girder fork. Cast housings were made for the twin headlights, which sit in front of the custom handlebars. The fuel tank, rear fender, and myriad brackets all appear to be some sort of cast alloy and are expertly made. The Sportster engine sits proudly inside the frame, with neat brass details like the pushrod tubes and air intake. The custom leather seat features an interesting split design where the inside section is sprung but the outside is fixed to the rigid frame—a detail you don’t see too often. The oil tank is ingeniously integrated into the front of the frame, with copper lines running rearward to feed the engine. Every detail on the GD Custom Sportster appears handmade and well-considered. The amount of time and effort that went into the build must be astronomical, so it’s easy to see why it took home the gold. Performance, 3rd: BMW RnineT by Kuo CNC Design Kuo CNC Design took home the bronze trophy in the Performance class with this wild custom BMW R nineT. As their name suggests, they specialize in CNC design—and they’re clearly bloody good at it. Designed around the concept of ‘mechanical soul,’ the Kuo CNC Design R nineT combines mechanical aesthetics with elements of steampunk and anime. Clip-on handlebars, a set of custom fork clamps, and a slew of Motogadget and Magura parts make up the new cockpit area. The bike rolls on a gorgeous set of custom alloy wheels, which look so good you’d think they were genuine BMW accessories. Rear set pegs and a shortened subframe push the rider into an aggressive position, but a new Öhlins rear shock keeps it comfortable. The intake features a pair of forward-facing pod filters, with the engine sucking air through custom titanium intakes and ejecting it via a titanium exhaust with Akrapovič muffler. The rocker covers feature custom engraving, inspired by the crew’s love of anime. The bodywork was painted by hand and is the standout feature of the bike. It’s loud, but it still ties into the other black and red components of the bike in a subtle way. We bet it looks even better riding down a sunny country lane. Performance, 2nd: Ducati Monster 937 by Chun Hsiung Motorbike The runner-up of the Performance class at Speed and Crafts was this Ducati Monster 937, modified by Chun Hsiung Motorbike. The inspiration behind the modifications was the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan STO, a VW Group stablemate of Ducati. The Huracan’s baby blue paint was splashed over the Monster—but Chun chose Ducati red instead of orange for the highlights. A tiny bikini fairing with a Puig windscreen was bolted on above a new set of Öhlins FGRT301 front forks. A set of magnesium M10RS Corse wheels from Marchesini were fitted, while a single-sided swingarm was magically bolted onto the back end, to show off the rear Marchesini hoop in all its glory. Low bars were added, along with some top-shelf Brembo goodies. Chun installed a Spark titanium exhaust too, which ties into the blue bodywork quite well. A dry slipper clutch from STM was also fitted, because it is a Ducati, after all. The upholstery matches the hexagonal pattern found in the Huracan, with a small belly pan fitted down low to tie things together. With all the top-shelf parts and high-performance Ducati vibe (note the sneaky winglets hanging off the bodywork), Chun has injected a healthy dose of Panigale style into the Monster. Performance, 1st: Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR by Eric The winner of the Performance Class category was a talented gentleman named Eric, who modified his personal Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR for the show. Eric wanted to retain a fully compliant road license for his Speed Triple, so he chose evolution over revolution. The key focus was removing the front fairing to make the bike appear visually lighter, with a single round LED headlight mounted in its place. The headlight sits on a custom bracket and is adorned with a Triumph headlight protector. A pair of Kineo tubeless spoked wheels were fitted, and Eric retained the tasteful smattering of Triumph carbon fiber pieces. Almost hidden from view is the gorgeous custom exhaust system. The pie-cut titanium headers snake their way under the bike and terminate in a single Zard muffler. The exhaust runs low, so the passenger pegs were deleted. The rear end was simplified with a tail tidy and the seat was upholstered to Eric’s exemplary taste (kudos for the flash of houndstooth fabric). The bike was then finished in a Triumph Bobber TFC paint scheme, which suits the Speed Triple 1200 RR quite nicely. Sometimes it’s the simple modifications that make the biggest difference. Speed and Crafts | Images by Kazuo Matsumoto (venue) and Weeber Photography (individual bikes)

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1980 Honda Accord LX exterior and interior photos.

Automatic approval, so to speak.

Review, Pricing, and Specs

The Sierra EV has more battery choices than before, an entry-level Elevation trim that brings the base price to $64,495, and a new off-road-focused AT4 model.

Car Design Resources, News and Tutorials

The Chery New Journeo Concept is a futuristic multi-purpose vehicle developed at the Chery Advanced Design Center Europe in Raunheim, Germany and presented at the 2024 Guangzhou Motor Show.

MG Motor UK has confirmed the MGS5 EV, an all-electric SUV debuting this Spring. Built on the modular scalable platform (MSP), it will focus on performance, efficiency, and interior space.

BMW has unveiled the iX, an all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) featuring a redesigned kidney grille, slim LED headlights, and a seamless aerodynamic profile. It is equipped with the latest eDrive technology, and achieves a WLTP range of up to 701 km (435 miles).

The EV4 is designed to broaden the brand’s EV lineup, offering a fresh take on the compact electric segment with a strong focus on design and aerodynamics. The EV4 follows Kia’s Opposites United design philosophy, characterized by sharp lines, bold technical details, and a balance of contrasting elements. Both models feature a distinctive EV Tiger […]

The new training course by CGMasters explains advanced SubD (subdivision surfaces) modeling techniques for creating car 3D models in Blender with high quality surfaces.

Stellantis has launched the new edition of its Drive for Design Contest for US high school students. The deadline is April 12, 2024 and the top prize is an internship at Ram Truck design studio.

Polestar has launched its 2024 Design Contest in collaboration with Hot Wheels tasking designers to take inspiration from the imagination of their youth.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic GTO, Ferrari has announced a series of events in the Italian Dolomites in early October 2024.

Sketch Renders and photos from the design development process of the Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail one-off. Check the article here.

For their newly formed academic partnership, IAAD. and ArtCenter College of Design have launched “9649 Design Talks”. The first event - open to the public - is a talk by Pininfarina Chief Design Office Davide Amantea. The talk takes place Wednesday 6 March in Turin.

Breaking Car News, Scoops & Reviews

The GLA is rumored to be on the chopping block, although Mercedes denied the report

Mercedes is reportedly considering dropping some entry-level models in the United States due to tariffs. A spokesperson for the company denied the report, which suggested the GLA could be on the chopping block. The GLA starts at $43,000 and could shoot up to $53,750 if the company passes on the tariff cost to consumers. The United States is set to slap imported vehicles with a 25% tariff on April 2 and automakers are scrambling to respond. Some appear to be considering drastic changes including dropping some models altogether. According to Bloomberg, Mercedes is considering eliminating some of their most affordable vehicles in America because they would become ‘economically unfeasible’ due to tariffs. A final decision hasn’t been made, but the GLA is said to be on the chopping block. More: Mercedes Teases Next GLA, GLB, And CLA Shooting Brake The crossover starts at $43,000 and is made in Rastatt, Germany. This means the price could increase to $53,750 when tariffs are factored in. It’s also worth noting that Mercedes has already teased the next-generation crossover and the current model isn’t a huge seller. In 2024, Americans only snapped up 19,079 units. It remains unclear what other entry-level models could be on the chopping block, but it will be interesting to see if America will get the new CLA. The redesigned sedan was introduced earlier this month and will be offered with hybrid and electric powertrains. The latter offer up to 349 hp (260 kW / 354 PS) and 380 lb-ft (515 Nm) of torque as well as a WLTP range of up to 492 miles (792 km). The GLB could also presumably be in trouble, but it’s made in Mexico and that could influence things depending on how tariffs are enacted. However, like the GLA, the current model is due for a redesign so an early death in America wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Despite this, a Mercedes spokesperson denied the report in an e-mail to Reuters. In it, they said the Bloomberg story was “without any merit” as “Mercedes-Benz continues to seek sales growth for its highly desirable vehicles.” While the future remains unclear, this wouldn’t be the first time Mercedes has dropped an entry-level vehicle in America. The 2022 model year was the last for the A-Class sedan, which sat at the bottom of the lineup but wasn’t a strong seller.

Soon, habitual speeders won't have the physical ability to speed in their own cars

Virginia is pushing forward a bill that will allow habitual speeders to keep their license. Rather than lose it, they’ll have a speed limiter installed in their car. It’s not the only state considering such a measure, as Washington and New York are, too. Drivers who speed regularly and end up with a suspended license pose a big problem. They often need to drive to get to work or school. At the same time, there’s nothing to physically stop them from driving or from borrowing someone else’s car. Now, the state of Virginia is about to pass a new law enabling them to keep driving legally, but with one caveat: the inability to go over the speed limit. Read: This Town Uses Squiggly Road Lines To Slow Down Drivers If passed, the bill would make Virginia the first state in the country to adopt intelligent speed assistance systems as a legal requirement. The legislation has been winding its way through the state’s halls of power since early January. If signed into law, it will give judges the authority to require repeat speed offenders to install intelligent speed-limiting technology in their vehicles. The system works by syncing with GPS and traffic data to detect the current speed limit—then capping the vehicle’s speed to match it. No more, no less. The bill has already cleared both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly, and while Governor Glenn Youngkin sent it back with one recommended tweak, final approval now looks like a matter of time. The Governor’s Edit Youngkin’s revision doesn’t change much. He’s suggesting that instead of requiring the limiter for a fixed period of two to six months, judges should be able to decide how long the device stays installed based on each case. It’s likely that the Assembly will agree and the bill will soon become law. Interestingly, Virginia is far from the only state considering something like this. Washington State is also considering such an option. In addition, New York State is also considering something it calls the Stop Super Speeders bill. It aims to add intelligent speed limiters to vehicles owned by those who “accrue 11 or more points on their license in a 24-month period, or who receive six speed camera or red-light camera tickets in a year,” says the Gothamist. Speed Limits, Meet Tech Limits Of course, no technology is foolproof. People will almost certainly find ways to work around these systems, whether by hacking, disabling, or simply using someone else’s car. But it’s a new tool in the toolbox for states looking to crack down on repeat offenders, and whether it genuinely reduces crashes or dangerous speeding is something only time (and traffic data) will tell. In the meantime, if you’re tempted to floor it, maybe don’t, especially in Virginia. It might still be the “State for Lovers,” but it’s quickly becoming a state with zero patience for lead feet. Lead image IIHS / Studycorp

The mid-size pickup is now Toyota's third best-selling vehicle

Toyota’s redesigned mid-size truck is flying off dealer lots as sales surged 188.2% in March. The Crown lineup is struggling as the sedan dropped 66.8%, and the Signia is off to a slow start. RAV4 sales fell 8.4%, but a redesigned model was recently spied undergoing testing. The redesigned Toyota Tacoma is a smashing success as sales skyrocketed a staggering 188.2% in March to 23,949 units. The good news doesn’t end there as Tacoma sales are up 177.5% through the first three months of the year. In fact, the Tacoma’s runaway success meant it was Toyota’s third best-selling vehicle last month. It was only beaten by the RAV4 (41,509) and Camry (29,661). Surprisingly, the mid-size pickup even outsold the ever popular Corolla (21,495), which begins at $22,325. Review: 2025 Toyota Tacoma Hybrid Spices Up Winning Ingredients Speaking of sedans, Toyota didn’t have the luck of the leprechauns as the Camry, Corolla, Crown, and Mirai all posted declines. The Crown, in particular, saw sales plummet 66.8%, while not even a single Mirai was bought last month. While the Subaru BRZ got a sales boost, Toyota’s GR86 fell 16% to 1,146 units. The Supra was also down 11.4% to a mere 179 sales. The only bright spot in the car lineup was the Prius, which saw sales jump 77.4%. On the SUV side of the equation, the bZ4X’s price cut appears to have spurred sales as the EV saw a 102.9% jump to 1,678 units. The affordable Corolla Cross saw a 39.8% increase, while the Highlander dropped 52.1%. While it’s probably too early to read into the 4Runner numbers, the Land Cruiser racked up 5,860 sales in March. That’s a promising development, although the Crown Signia is trailing the numbers that used to be generated by the Venza. Speaking of people movers, the Sienna saw a 73.5% jump in sales as 9,033 minivans found a new home last month. In total, Toyota sold 196,240 vehicles in March for a 6.6% increase from last year. However, the company is only up 0.1% for the quarter at 487,226 units. Toyota US Sales Model Mar 25 Mar 24 % Chg 25 YTD 24 YTD % Chg COROLLA 21,495 22,328 -3.7 55,456 60,071 -7.7 SUPRA 179 202 -11.4 421 484 -13.0 GR86 1,146 1,364 -16.0 2,777 2,041 36.1 MIRAI 0 71 -100.0 33 172 -80.8 CROWN 986 2,970 -66.8 2,236 7,685 -70.9 PRIUS 7,258 4,092 77.4 16,653 13,327 25.0 CAMRY 29,661 30,323 -2.2 70,308 78,337 -10.2 BZ4X 1,678 827 102.9 5,610 1,897 195.7 RAV4 41,509 45,340 -8.4 115,402 124,822 -7.5 COROLLA CROSS 10,879 7,781 39.8 24,120 19,028 26.8 CROWN SIGNIA 2,806 0 0 7,908 0 0 VENZA 39 3,348 -98.8 672 7,961 -91.6 HIGHLANDER 5,523 11,538 -52.1 12,017 32,033 -62.5 GRAND HIGHLANDER 10,958 10,077 8.7 25,718 25,136 2.3 4RUNNER 6,980 12,756 -45.2 8,435 33,817 -75.1 SEQUOIA 1,896 2,254 -15.9 5,107 5,958 -14.3 LAND CRUISER 5,860 0 0 15,416 0 0 SIENNA 9,033 5,205 73.5 23,561 16,074 46.6 TACOMA 23,949 8,310 188.2 59,825 21,558 177.5 TUNDRA 14,405 15,337 -6.1 35,550 36,215 -1.8 SWIPE

Volkswagen received the largest fine of $137.7 million, while Mercedes escaped punishment by ratting everyone out

The European Commission has fined automakers for running a recycling cartel that prevented competition. The effort reportedly went on for more than 15 years and an auto association group acted as a “facilitator.” Mercedes turned on their competitors and exposed the scandal, escaping a $37.8 million fine in the process. April is shaping up to be a bad month for automakers as President Trump’s devastating tariffs are slated to go into effect tomorrow. If that wasn’t bad enough, the European Union has fined 15 automakers and the European Automobiles Manufacturers’ Association €458 ($494.1 / £382.6) million for “participating in a long-lasting cartel concerning end-of-life vehicle recycling.” According to the European Commission, 16 automakers and the European Automobiles Manufacturers’ Association “entered into anticompetitive agreements and engaged in concerted practices related to the recycling of end-of-life vehicles.” In particular, the group agreed not to pay car dismantlers for processing vehicles as they believed this was already a “sufficiently profitable business.” More: Mercedes’ New Battery Plant Can Recycle 96% Of Raw Materials On top of that, the companies and organization reportedly “shared commercially sensitive information on their individual agreements with car dismantlers and coordinated their behavior towards dismantlers.” They also reportedly hid recycling information from the public to prevent consumers from considering this when buying a vehicle. These efforts appear to run afoul of Directive 2000/53/EC, which calls for the last owner of an end-of-life vehicle to be able to dispose of it at no cost with a dismantler. If needed, automakers are supposed to foot the bill. The directive also says consumers are required to be informed about the recycling performance of new cars. This coordinated effort reportedly went on for more than 15 years and involved BMW, Ford, Honda, Hyundai / Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Opel, Renault / Nissan, Stellantis, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Tata, General Motors, and Geely also got thrown into the mix as parent companies. As for the European Automobiles Manufacturers’ Association, it reportedly acted as a “facilitator of the cartel” as it “organized numerous meetings and contacts between car manufacturers involved in the cartel.” While Mercedes was an active participant, they ratted out their co-conspirators in exchange for full immunity. The European Commission says this saved them around €35 ($37.8 / £29.2) million in fines. Speaking of leniency, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Suzuki had “lesser involvement” in the scandal, while Renault had “explicitly asked for an exemption from the agreement not to advertise the use of recycled material in new cars.” Stellantis (including Opel), Mitsubishi, and Ford also cooperated with the investigation in exchange for a softer punishment. Volkswagen was the big loser with a €127.7 ($137.7 / £106.7) million fine. They were followed by Renault / Nissan at €81.5 ($87.9 / £68.1) million and Stellantis at €74.9 ($80.8 / £62.6) million. The Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition said, “Today, we have taken firm action against companies that colluded to prevent competition on recycling. These car manufacturers coordinated for over 15 years to avoid paying for recycling services, by agreeing to not compete with each other on advertising the extent to which their cars could be recycled, and by agreeing to remain silent on the recycled materials used in their new cars.” Teresa Ribera added, “We will not tolerate cartels of any kind, and that includes those that suppress customer awareness and demand for more environmental-friendly products.” EU Fines Company Leniency Reduction Fine Mercedes-Benz 100% €0 Stellantis 50% €74 934 000 Mitsubishi 30% €4 150 000 Ford 20% €41 462 000 BMW €24 587 000 Honda €5 040 000 Hyundai / Kia €11 950 000 Jaguar Land Rover / Tata €1 637 000 Mazda €5 006 000 – Of which jointly and severally with Ford €1 034 000 Renault / Nissan €81 461 000 Opel 50% €24 530 000 – Of which jointly and severally with GM €13 659 000 GM solely €17 075 000 Suzuki €5 471 000 Toyota €23 553 000 Volkswagen €127 696 000 Volvo €8 890 000 – Of which jointly and severally with Ford €3 901 000 – Of which jointly and severally with Geely €4 419 000 ACEA €500 000 SWIPE

Overall, GM's Q1 sales rose 16.7 percent year-over-year with 693,363 total deliveries

General Motors is off to a strong 2025 with sharply rising overall sales in the USA. The Colorado leads the way with other big increases from GMC, Hummer, and Buick. Corvette, Blazer, and Terrain are falling behind amid GM’s otherwise strong performance. We’re only three months into the year, but things are already looking strong for General Motors. U.S. sales are up 16.7 percent compared to the same quarter in 2024, rising from 594,233 to 693,363 deliveries. Today, we’re taking a closer look at what’s driving that growth, which models are falling behind, and which ones are gaining serious momentum. Across the board, GM’s core brands are all posting gains, some modest, others unexpectedly strong. Chevrolet, unsurprisingly, leads the charge with 443,564 vehicles sold in Q1, up 13.7 percent from last year. GMC isn’t far behind in terms of momentum, climbing 17.6 percent thanks to solid truck and SUV sales. More: Gas Mustang Sales Crash 32% In Q1 But Mach-E And Bronco Are Killing It Cadillac, which continues to juggle its legacy-luxury image with a push toward EVs, posted a respectable 17.8 percent increase. But the real surprise is Buick, which surged by nearly 40 percent on the strength of freshened crossovers like the Envista and Encore GX. For a brand that’s often an afterthought in GM’s portfolio, Buick’s Q1 performance suggests someone might finally be paying attention. Mid-Size Trucks Make Big Gains Mid-size trucks continue to be a big source of income in the industry. The Chevrolet Colorado is up 73.3 percent so far with 25,856 sales. If it continues that kind of success throughout the year, it’ll be the first time since 2019 that Chevrolet sells more than 100,000 Colorados. The GMC Canyon is doing well too, with a 65.9 percent boost over Q1 2024. Interestingly, GM’s full-size truck segment isn’t as hot across the board. The Silverado Light Duty is down 7.6 percent, while the GMC Sierra equivalent is up 14.4 percent. Both the Sierra and Silverado HD versions are up, though. On the flip side, the Terrain is down 27.1 percent and the Blazer is down 12.6 percent. The Not So Hot In terms of cars that aren’t doing so hot, the Corvette isn’t the worst off. Sure, it’s down 20.8 percent so far, but it’s due for a facelift very soon, so prospective buyers might be waiting for the facelifted version that’ll launch in the near feature. That’s not really the case with everything else struggling under the GM umbrella. The Cadillac Lyriq, for example, is down 25.9 percent year-over-year, as is the CT4 (-30 percent). Finally, there are the outliers that have wild percentage changes. These are cars that are either no longer in production, like the Camaro (-98.4 percent), or ones that are scaling production up, such as the Blazer EV (up 931 percent) and the Silverado EV and GMC Savana, both up over 120 percent when compared to Q1 2024. GM US SALES 2025 Q1 25 Q1 24 Diff. % Enclave 11,067 8,101 36.6% Encore GX 20,408 13,364 52.7% Envision 15,485 13,203 17.3% Envista 14,862 9,662 53.8% Buick Total* 61,822 44,385 39.3% CT4 1,214 1,734 -30.0% CT5 3,981 3,022 31.7% Escalade 12,683 9,135 38.8% Escalade IQ EV 1,956 – – LYRIQ 4,300 5,800 -25.9% OPTIQ 1,716 – – XT4 4,775 4,879 -2.1% XT5 6,353 6,275 1.2% XT6 4,778 4,606 3.7% Cadillac Total* $41,757 $35,451 17.8% Blazer 14,510 16,595 -12.6% Blazer EV 6,187 600 931.2% Bolt EV / EUV 13 7,040 -99.8% BrightDrop 274 256 7.0% Camaro $58 $3,574 -98.4% Colorado 25,856 14,922 73.3% Corvette 6,794 8,576 -20.8% Equinox 71,002 54,185 31.0% Equinox EV 10,329 – – Express 12,371 7,502 64.9% LCF $991 $1,754 -43.5% Malibu 5,369 32,749 -83.6% Silverado HD 47,099 41,916 12.4% Silverado LD 78,199 84,586 -7.6% Silverado MD 2,033 2,424 -16.1% Silverado EV 2,383 1,061 124.6% TOTAL Silverado 129,714 129,987 -0.2% Suburban 13,594 9,684 40.4% Tahoe 29,827 23,324 27.9% Trailblazer 29,323 24,208 21.1% Traverse 28,331 17,475 62.1% Trax 59,021 37,588 57.0% Chevrolet Total 443,564 390,019 13.7% Acadia 13,257 7,674 72.8% Canyon 9,096 5,484 65.9% HUMMER EV 3,479 $1,668.00 108.6% Savana 2,575 1,078 138.9% Sierra HD 24,401 22,374 9.1% Sierra LD 52,891 46,223 14.4% Sierra EV 1,249 – – TOTAL Sierra 78,541 68,597 14.5% Terrain 15,948 21,864 -27.1% Yukon 23,324 $18,013.00 29.5% GMC Total 146,220 124,378 17.6% GM Total 693,363 594,233 16.7% SWIPE

The Legacy may be on death’s door, but deliveries jumped 53.2 percent in March and are up 32 percent year-to-date

Subaru had its best month ever as the company sold 71,478 vehicles last month. That topped the previous record of 70,039 units, which was set in August of 2019. The Forester was the best-seller last month, but Outback sales soared 29.9%. The Solterra might as well have been launched as the Subaru Snooze as it was an overpriced electric vehicle with underwhelming specs. However, the company finally addressed that with a $6,500 price cut for 2025. Consumers appear to have taken notice as Solterra sales jumped 158.7% in March. However, they’re still nothing to get excited about as the company only moved 1,154 units in the United States last month. More: New Subaru And Toyota Electric Compact SUVs Coming In 2026 Putting the EV aside, Subaru’s best-selling vehicle was unsurprisingly the Forester. The recently redesigned crossover saw sales climb 7.3% to 22,570. It was followed by the Crosstrek, which had its best March ever as consumers snapped up 18,169 units for a 25.1% increase. The aging Outback also continues to defy expectations as the all-wheel drive wagon was embraced by 17,539 shoppers. Subaru US Sales Model Mar 25 Mar 24 % Chg Q1 25 Q1 24 % Chg Ascent 4,584 5,174 -11.4% 11,079 12,683 -12.7% BRZ 334 273 22.3% 802 766 4.7% Crosstrek 18,169 14,527 25.1% 43,612 38,405 13.6% Forester 22,570 21,045 7.3% 49,865 48,546 2.7% Impreza 3,049 2,836 7.5% 7,907 7,434 6.4% Legacy 2,540 1,658 53.2% 5,800 4,398 31.9% Outback 17,539 13,501 29.9% 39,934 35,213 13.4% Solterra 1,154 446 158.7% 3,131 1,147 172.9% WRX 1,539 1,837 -16.2% 4,827 4,404 9.6% TOTAL 71,478 61,297 16.6% 166,957 152,996 9.1% SWIPE Interestingly, death hasn’t slowed down the Legacy as sales jumped 53.2%. That’s going out on a high note as production is slated to end this spring. The only losers last month were the ageing Accent and WRX. The crossover fell 11.4% to 4,584 units, while the 271 hp (202 kW / 275 PS) sedan was down 16.2% at 1,539 units. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention the BRZ. Sales jumped 22.3%, but that only resulted in 334 units finding a home. That’s a shame as affordable sports cars should be celebrated. For the month, Subaru of America sold 71,478 vehicles for a 16.6% increase compared to March of 2024. That was their best-ever result as it topped the previous record of 70,039 units, which was set in August of 2019. First quarter sales also climbed 9.1% to 166,957 units. Subaru of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales, Troy Poston, credited the impressive results to outstanding service, safety, and longevity.

This low-mileage Mustang SVT Cobra features rare factory Mystichrome paint with color-shifting effects

Just 495 convertibles were made with the Mystichrome Appearance Package in 2004. Mystichrome paint shifts between blue, green, and purple depending on viewing angle. Powering the SVT Cobra is a supercharged 4.6-liter V8 with 390 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Some cars exist purely to stand out, and the 2004 Mustang SVT Cobra in Mystichrome does just that. This is one of Ford’s most flamboyant paint choices ever, and finding a pristine car finished in this color-shifting paint isn’t easy. But we’ve found one, and it’s a 2004 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible for sale in Virginia with just around 2,500 miles (4,023 km) on the clock. This particular Mustang is one of 495 convertibles equipped with the Mystichrome Appearance Package in 2004 and left Ford’s Dearborn assembly plant on January 15, 2004. The CarFax report reveals it’s had just 2 previous owners and includes a clean Virginia title. Unsurprisingly, it has already attracted plenty of attention, and bidding has already exceeded the MSRP of a brand-new Mustang Dark Horse. Read: First Mustang Dark Horse Up For Sale Again A Year After It Sold For $375,000 As a Cobra, this isn’t your garden-variety Mustang. It features a distinct hood, updated rocker panels, and revised front and rear bumpers. The 17-inch factory wheels are still wrapped in their original tires, which is great for authenticity but less so for road grip. If the next owner plans to actually drive it, a tire shop visit should be high on the to-do list. SVT gave the Cobra a solid set of mechanical upgrades. It comes with Bilstein dampers, independent rear suspension, and Cobra-branded brake calipers. The Mystichrome paint itself is the star of the show, shifting between blue, green, and purple depending on the light. According to the seller, the finish is free of any defects. The interior is also rather special. Most of the surfaces are clad in Dark Charcoal Nudo leather, but there are Mystichrome inserts on the seats and steering wheel. Despite being two decades old, the car has some nice features, including a six-disc CD changer, power-adjustable driver’s seat, keyless entry, and cruise control. Supercharged Style, Old-School Muscle Found under the hood is a supercharged 4.6-liter V8 that produces 390 hp and 390 lb-ft (529 Nm) of torque back in the day. These numbers that may look modest next to today’s fire-breathing muscle cars but are still more than enough to make this thing entertaining on a back road. If this low-mileage, paint-shifting slice of Ford history catches your eye, you can check out the Bring a Trailer listing over here and throw your hat in the ring. Bring a Trailer

On the EV front, Ioniq 6 sales dropped 28 percent but Ioniq 5 posted a 17 percent sales increase

Hyundai posted record US March sales with 87,019 vehicles sold, up 13 percent. The result was aided by surging sales of the Tucson, Santa Fe, and Palisade. Elantra jumped 25 percent to become Hyundai’s second best-selling vehicle in March. Hyundai continues to laugh in the face of the carpocalypse as the Elantra and Sonata both posted gains last month. The former model was so popular, it was the company’s second best-selling vehicle in the United States. Elantra sales soared 25% to hit 14,461 units in March. The Sonata, on the other hand, saw sales climb 1% to 5,706 units. That’s a tad surprising as the Sonata has been a hot commodity and sales are already up 20% year-to-date. More: Hyundai’s Georgia EV Plant Starts Ioniq 9 Production Just In Time For Tariffs Sticking in sedan land, the Ioniq 6 tumbled 28% as sales fell to 1,435. The Ioniq 5 didn’t suffer a similar fate as sales jumped 17% to 3,919 units. Hyundai’s best-selling vehicle last month was the Tucson, which was up 28% to 23,631. The boxy Santa Fe was up 25%, while the aging Palisade is still hanging with the younger crowd thanks to a 20% gain. Hyundai US Sales Vehicle Mar-25 Mar-24 % Chg 25 YTD 24 YTD % Chg Elantra 14,461 11,528 +25% 33,490 26,860 +25% Ioniq 5 3,919 3,361 +17% 8,611 6,822 +26% Ioniq 6 1,435 1,984 -28% 3,318 3,646 -9% Kona 7,024 9,453 -26% 17,018 23,054 -26% Nexo 0 17 -100% 0 51 -100% Palisade 11,742 9,785 +20% 26,235 25,255 +4% Santa Cruz 2,924 3,362 -13% 6,648 8,417 -21% Santa Fe 13,543 10,834 +25% 31,401 26,094 +20% Sonata 5,706 5,664 +1% 15,797 13,164 +20% Tucson 23,631 18,394 +28% 54,973 45,509 +21% Venue 2,634 2,538 +4% 6,063 5,932 +2% SWIPE It wasn’t all good news as Kona sales were off 26% for the month as well as the year. The Santa Cruz also continued to struggle as it only found 2,924 buyers last month, which was a drop of 13%. Overall, Hyundai sold 87,019 vehicles in March for a 13% increase. The company noted it was their best March ever and resulted in the “sixth consecutive month of best-ever total sales.” Hyundai US Sales Mar-25 Mar-24 % Chg 2025 YTD 2024 YTD % Chg Sales 87,019 76,920 +13% 203,554 184,804 +10% SWIPE For the first quarter, Hyundai sold 203,554 vehicles which was a 10% increase from last year and a Q1 record. The company went on to say hybrid sales jumped 68%, while EVs were up slightly at 3%. While tariffs could soon put a damper on things, Hyundai Motor North America CEO Randy Parker said “With the opening of our Georgia Metaplant and a new $21 billion investment, we’re expanding U.S. production, strengthening supply chains, and creating American jobs. Our commitment to innovation and meeting consumer demand remains strong, and we continue to localize production and enhance our supply chain to help manage market conditions.”

The JMEV 01 is a Chinese electric sports car that boasts 429 hp and sprints to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds

Chinese EV sports coupe with 429 hp launches April 15 with a $41,300 starting price. JMEV01 tips scales at 3,009 lbs, significantly lighter than MG Cyberster flagship variant. Distinctive retro design echoes Tesla Roadster and Lancia Stratos styling cues throughout. With a constant stream of electric vehicles pouring out of China , trying to keep track of them all is starting to feel like a full-time job. There’s always something new vying for attention, but every now and then, one stands out from the crowd. One of the more intriguing entries, a lightweight electric sports car that first appeared back in 2022 as the SC-01, is now resurfacing—this time ready for production. Recently rebranded as the JMEV01, the coupe is finally set to hit the Chinese market on April 15, after spending some time under the radar. Visually, it lands somewhere between the Tesla Roadster and a Lancia Stratos, which is no bad thing. Read: The SSC SC-01 Is A $42,000 Chinese Electric Sports Car With 429HP The SC-01 was originally the brainchild of a startup called Small Sports Car (SSC), but it has since found a new identity under the JMEV brand. JMEV itself is part of Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), a Chinese automaker that was once partnered with Renault—at least until the French walked away from the joint venture in 2023. Now, the project is getting financial backing from Xiaomi, as CarnewsChina reports. Welcome to the overlapping Venn diagram that is the Chinese EV industry. Prices for the JMEV01 are expected to start under 300,000 yuan, or roughly $41,300, and the official launch is scheduled for mid-April. At a time when most EVs seem to double as workout equipment for suspension engineers, the JMEV01 represents a welcome change. It’s underpinned by a tubular spaceframe chassis and reportedly tips the scales at just 3,009 lbs (1,365 kg). To put that into perspective, the similarly sized MG Cyberster weighs 4,376 lbs (1,985 kg) in its flagship guise, so JMC has clearly done some clever things to keep the weight down. Range and Performance We don’t yet have specifics on the battery pack’s capacity, but we do know it’s being sourced from CALB and is expected to deliver up to 323 miles (520 km) of range on the CLTC cycle. That energy feeds a pair of electric motors producing a combined 429 hp (320 kW), good for a 0–62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in just 3.9 seconds. The exterior design of the JMEV01 is something to behold. In a world where many EVs look unnecessarily futuristic and are dominated by smooth surfaces and curved lines to aid in aerodynamics, this sports car looks more traditional, and is all the better for it. The front end includes sharp headlights with black surrounds, a large grille and air intakes, and a clamshell-style hood. From the rear three-quarter angle, the Lancia Stratos inspiration becomes impossible to miss. The JMEV01 features a flat decklid, a tidy lip spoiler, circular taillights, and a blacked-out bumper—details that give it the look of a rally icon filtered through Chinese lens. More: China’s Giant Space Solar Station Could Beam Endless Power To EVs And Homes It’s still too early to say whether the JMEV01 will live up to its promise, but on paper, it’s ticking a lot of the right boxes. If nothing else, it’s proof that not every EV coming out of China has to be a 5,000-pound tech pod shaped like a jellybean with lightbars.

The shifter also promises to offer haptic feedback, adding to the driving experience

Ford’s patent shows a simulated shifter made to mimic traditional gear-changing motion in EVs. The system uses actuators and motors to recreate the tactile feedback of an H-pattern gearbox. While Ford patented the system, there’s no guarantee it will enter future production models. For anyone even vaguely familiar with the current landscape, it’s clear that electric vehicles have quietly taken over the sensible side of driving. They’re smooth, quiet, efficient, and for most people, that’s exactly what daily driving should be. But for enthusiasts? Well, the story’s a little different. Most EVs just don’t hit the same nerve as a manual-equipped ICE car screaming through its rev range. Automakers know this too, and they’ve started tinkering. Ford, it seems, is the latest to join the “manual EV” experiment. Toyota has been working on a simulated manual transmission for future EVs since at least 2022, and Hyundai has famously replicated a dual-clutch transmission in the popular Ioniq 5 N. Now, a recently published patent from Ford shows that it, too is developing a fake stick shift designed for EVs. Watch: Toyota’s Six-Speed Manual For EVs Feels Just Like The Real Thing, Say Testers The application, first filed in the US back in September 2023 before being published on March 20, surfaced publicly a couple of weeks ago, catching the attention of Jalopnik. It describes and depicts a shifter that uses several actuators, vertical drive posts, vertical guide posts, and motors to simulate gear shifts. While that all sounds very complex, what it means is that the shifter could be configured to simulate any kind of H-pattern ‘box with different numbers of fake gears. In theory, the setup could also allow for simply sequential up and down shifting. This isn’t just a novelty, either. Ford also mentions the use of haptic feedback to give drivers a more tactile experience. The patent even acknowledges the elephant in the room: EVs just don’t provide the same kind of physical connection that drivers get from combustion-powered cars. As Ford puts it, electric vehicles “lack operator to vehicle physical feedback that is advantageous in conventional motor vehicles.” Will It Ever Hit the Road? Of course, despite Ford making this patent application over 18 months ago, there’s no guarantee it will bring it into production. Adding a fake shifter would only make sense if the EV itself is a sporty model. After all, no one is going to buy an Explorer EV with a stick shift. However, if Ford does decide to eventually launch a true electric Mustang (not like the Mach-E…), or perhaps an electric hot hatch, it could be well-suited to a shifter like this. Until then, it’s likely a clever idea stuck in the theoretical lane.

With an original MSRP of over $2.3 million, it'll be interesting to see what the US market thinks of the electric supercar

Rare Rimac Nevera appears for sale with bidding already past the $1 million mark Original MSRP hovered near $2.3 million though final price may end up much lower. Four electric motors produce 1,813 hp and launch the EV to 60 mph in 1.85 seconds. It’s not every day that a multi-million-dollar electric hypercar pops up for sale in a public auction, but here we are. When your average crossover feels like the automotive equivalent of waiting in line at the DMV, something like a Rimac Nevera is more like flying private through a lightning storm with a jetpack. More: Rimac Nevera Takes On Bugatti Chiron Super Sport And Tesla Model S Plaid Now, super-high-end cars aren’t accessible the way a Dodge Hornet is. They’re so desirable that wait lists often span years, not months. The Rimac Nevera is that sort of car, and while there are some questions about how popular it really is amongst 1-percenters, there’s no doubt that it’s a halo car. It makes over 1,800 horsepower, initially cost more than $2 million, and has looks to kill. Now, we’re about to see how much one goes for on the open market. This particular example is a 2023 model, finished in a striking blue pearlescent paint and outfitted with blue leather upholstery and staggered 20-inch wheels. Like every Nevera, it uses four independent electric motors, each paired with its own gearbox. A 120 kWh battery pack powers the system, delivering a combined output of 1,813 horsepower. Rimac claims it can rocket from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 1.85 seconds and cover the quarter mile in a barely believable 8.6 seconds. Bringing it back to reality, six-piston calipers and electro-hydraulic CCM-R brakes handle stopping duties, while electronically adjustable dampers help keep the ride composed. Beyond the Numbers Photos BaT What really stands out about it, beyond its insane performance, is the attention to detail. Befitting of a seven-figure car, it seems that every centimeter is all but perfect. The carbon fiber weave looks stunning, the door openings are large for easy ingress and egress, and the touch surfaces look like a pleasure to manipulate. The previous owner is associated with the YouTube-famous Triple F Collection. You can watch this same car on their channel. The odometer shows 1,371 miles, and the car comes with its original window sticker indicating a price of €2,136,000 or roughly $2.3 million. The high bid on Bring a Trailer right now is $1,155,000. That said, it wouldn’t be surprising if the car doesn’t sell at auction. Sometimes, a top bid on an auction site like Bring A Trailer just means the buyer has earned the chance to negotiate. If both parties can agree on a final number, it might sell off the platform after the auction ends. Either way, it’s worth keeping an eye on. This is the fastest electric production car in the world, and it’s not every day you get to see one up for grabs—let alone watch people try to name their price. Photos BaT

The upcoming Valhalla rivals Ferrari's F80 and McLaren's W1 while undercutting them significantly in price

Aston Martin’s Valhalla delivers 1,065 hp from a hybrid V8 and three electric motors. It marks the brand’s first series-production mid-engine car and first plug-in hybrid. Only 999 Valhalla units will be made, and most are already spoken for worldwide. Aston Martin has entered the final validation testing phase of its all-new mid-engined Valhalla supercar, revealing that production will start this quarter. Not only can we now see the Valhalla in the real world for the first time, but the company says this will be a legitimate rival to the Ferrari F80 and McLaren W1, despite costing significantly less than both. The new Aston Martin has endured an incredibly long gestation period, first being previewed as a concept at the start of 2019. During this time, it’s undergone a comprehensive redesign, and hybrid supercars like the Lamborghini Revuelto and Ferrari SF90 have hit the market. Now, final testing is being led by three-time Le Mans class winner Darren Turner on the road and at the IDIADA proving ground in Spain. Read: Aston Martin Valhalla Battles Italians With 1,064 HP PHEV V8 The British company has showcased three different pre-production Valhalla models. One is painted in a bright shade of Podium Green with Lime Green accents, while another has a Verdant Jade finish with Gold elements. Final track testing focuses on setting up the steering, active aerodynamics, and braking performance. A New Era of Firsts The Valhalla brings a lineup of firsts for Aston Martin: its first series-production mid-engine supercar, first plug-in hybrid, and first with a usable EV-only range. It also debuts a bespoke 4.0-liter twin-turbo flat-plane crank V8, the most powerful road-going V8 the brand has built. Paired with a new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission housing an integrated e-motor and electronic rear differential, the setup is completed by twin front electric motors that enable torque vectoring and all-wheel drive. According to company boss Adrian Hallmark, the Valhalla sits somewhere between “a regular supercar and a hypercar,” and that’s definitely true when it comes to power. With a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 and three electric motors, it delivers 1,065 hp and 811 lb-ft (1,099 Nm) of torque, more than the Revuelto and SF90, but down on the W1’s 1,258 hp and the F80’s 1,184 hp. Priced to Surprise “The product portfolio [at Aston Martin] is the best we’ve had,” Hallmark told Top Gear. “We’ve got a pure sports car, a great grand tourer, a benchmark V12 product, and probably the most technically advanced hypercar on the road in the form of Valkyrie. And soon to be the most affordable supercar with a mid-engine compared to an F80 or W1. I guess if we’d known that they were coming at those prices seven years ago, [the Valhalla] wouldn’t be £850,000 [$1.1 million] today. But watch this space – it should be good for residual values.” More: McLaren’s W1 Is Their Fastest And Most Powerful Roadcar Ever For context, the 1,258 hp McLaren W1 starts at nearly twice the price of the Valhalla, at $2.1 million before taxes, while Ferrari’s 1,184hp plug-in hybrid F80 comes in at almost three times the cost, starting at $3.9 million. Both models are already sold out. Production will be capped at 999 units, and Aston says around two-thirds have already been allocated. The clock is ticking, but after all these years, the Valhalla is finally looking like it might be worth the wait.

The fastest Taycan in the range can run the quarter mile in an impressive 9.23 seconds

The Taycan Turbo GT Weissach is Motor Trend’s quickest accelerating car ever tested to date The Porsche outpaced the Tesla Model S Plaid, Lucid Air Sapphire, and Ferrari SF90 Stradale It set the fourth-fastest lap time ever on the magazine’s figure-eight handling course. Electric cars are no longer just about efficiency—they’re turning into full-blown performance monsters. Sure, the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra Ultra may have nabbed some bragging rights by edging out the Taycan Turbo GT at a few tracks, but make no mistake: Porsche’s flagship EV is still an absolute weapon. Not only does it offer insane acceleration, but it is equally as impressive in braking and handling, as Motor Trend recently discovered. Read: Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Topples 911 Turbo S At Interlagos F1 Circuit While testing the Taycan Turbo GT in flagship Weissach guise, which ditches the rear seats, Motor Trend recorded an astonishing 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time of 1.89 seconds with its typical one-foot rollout procedure. This works out to be 2.10 seconds without rollout. To put that into context, that 1.89-second sprint is not only 0.05 seconds quicker than the standard Taycan Turbo GT, but it’s also 0.18 seconds ahead of the Tesla Model S Plaid, no small feat. Even the four-door Taycan Turbo GT previously tested by MT outsprinted the Tesla to 60 mph. Faster Than Fast This acceleration places the Porsche ahead of some seriously elite competition. It beats the Ferrari SF90 Stradale Assetto Fiorano’s 2.10-second time and edges out the Lucid Air Sapphire’s 2.16-second figure. In fact, it’s now the fastest-accelerating car MotorTrend has ever tested in its 76-year history. Motor Trend’s quarter-mile time is perhaps even more impressive. The electric Porsche stormed down the drag strip in just 9.23 seconds at 150.1 mph. That only trails the Lucid Air Sapphire that’s set a 9.21-second quarter-mile at 157.1 mph. As the model’s various lap records show, it also handles extraordinarily well and is the quickest sedan tested around the publication’s figure-eight testing course. In the test, the flagship electric Porsche set a time of 21.86 seconds, pulling an average of 1.03g. This is the fourth-quickest time ever recorded, and only a hundredth of a second behind a Chevrolet Corvette Z06 with the Z07 Pack, and was close to the Ferrari 296 GTB and McLaren 765LT. Braking performance is just as impressive. The Taycan Turbo GT Weissach came to a halt from 60 mph in just 93 feet. And when it’s time to recharge, the EV is equally efficient, needing only 19 minutes to go from 5% to 80% using a high-speed charger. At What Cost, Though? The example tested had a sticker price of $233,395. There’s no doubt that’s a lot of money, particularly compared to the $94,900 commanded by the Tesla Model S Plaid, although it’s more affordable than the $250,575 Lucid Air Sapphire.

The ‘real’ Mustang sold fewer than 10,000 units in the first three months of 2025 and was overtaken by its electric crossover brother

Ford registration data for Q1 shows Mustang Mach-E sales grew 21 percent. Sales of gas-powered Mustangs sank by almost 32 percent in the same period. The Bronco, Ranger and F-series were winners; Maverick and Explorer lost out. Remember the outcry from enthusiasts when Ford unveiled the Mach-E in November 2019? They were worried Ford wanted to replace the iconic pony car with an EV but the automaker assured them that wasn’t going to happen. Five and half years later, however, fresh data from Ford shows it’s now the Mach-E that’s the sales winner and the gas-powered car that’s the niche proposition. Are we looking at the end of the road for the ‘real’ Mustang? Ford’s registration figures reveal Mach-E sales grew 21 percent in Q1 2025 versus Q1 2024, the total number of deliveries jumping from 9,589 to 11,607, no doubt helped by incentives and the threat of federal tax credits going away. Still, that’s a healthy gain. While that was happening sales of the classic Mustang slid by 31.6 percent, dropping from 13,707 to 9,377. That means the Mustang EV is now more popular than the gas car, and by a wide margin. Related: Ford Mach-E Sales 62% Up This Year, Mustang Keeps Losing To Itself So modern electric vehicles good, retro-style gas cars bad, right? It’s not quite that simple, because sales of Ford’s F-150 Lightning EV dropped 7.2 percent in Q1 to 7,187 units, and Bronco registrations blew up by 35.4 percent to 32,595 units. The Bronco is now almost as popular as the more affordable Bronco Sport (33,363; up 5.7 percent) and Escape (37,357; up 2.1 percent). Ford’s (combustion) F-series trucks also increased their sales by a whopping 24.5 percent to 190,389, helping Ford truck deliveries boom by 15 percent. But that wasn’t enough to prevent total sales of Ford-branded vehicles dropping 1.2 percent to 477,560 in the first quarter. Lincoln sales, by the way, dropped 4.7 percent to 23,731. It’s said that the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and again and hoping for a different result. And it’s looking like Ford’s new-for-’24 Mustang didn’t really offer anything meaningfully new to help keep interest high. Sure, the $325k GTD is entering new territory, but the regular models didn’t. Should Ford have been more creative with the new 2024 Mustang? Which isn’t to say they’re bad cars. We just drove a Mustang GT and found it great fun. But the sales figures prove buyers are looking elsewhere for their kicks at a time when the Mustang has almost no direct opposition, its Dodge (ICE) and Chevy rivals having both been axed. What do you think is the answer to Ford’s Mustang sales crisis? Is it more power for the base cars, more frugal engines, a four-door coupe or maybe a lifted crossover body? Or should Ford have retired the Mustang at its 50th birthday and focused exclusively on improving the Mach-E and extending its family? Ford sales Q1 2024 vs Q1 2025 2025 Q1 2024 Q1 Diff. % SALES BY PROPULSION Total Electrified Vehicles 73,623 58,644 25.5 Electric Vehicles 22,550 20,223 11.5 Hybrid Vehicles 51,073 38,421 32.9 Internal Combustion 427,668 449,439 -4.8 Total vehicles 501,291 508,083 -1.3 SALES BY TYPE SUVs 201,527 241,891 -16.7 Trucks 290,387 252,485 15.0 Cars 9,377 13,707 -31.6 Total vehicles 501,291 508,083 -1.3 FORD BRAND Bronco Sport 33,363 31,565 5.7 Escape 37,357 36,595 2.1 Bronco 32,595 24,066 35.4 Mustang Mach-E 11,607 9,589 21.0 Edge 2,078 35,157 -94.1 Explorer 47,314 58,465 -19.1 Expedition 13,482 21,560 -37.5 Ford SUVs 177,796 216,997 -18.1 F-Series 190,389 152,943 24.5 Memo: F-150 Lightning (electric) 7,187 7,743 -7.2 Ranger 14,913 1,918 677.5 Maverick 38,015 39,061 -2.7 E-Series 9,679 10,440 -7.3 Transit 34,580 39,890 -13.3 Memo: E-Transit 3,756 2,891 29.9 Transit Connect 0 4,965 -100.0 Heavy Trucks 2,811 3,268 -14.0 Ford Trucks 290,387 252,485 15.0 Mustang 9,377 13,707 -31.6 Ford Cars 9,377 13,707 -31.6 Ford Brand 477,560 483,189 -1.2 LINCOLN BRAND Corsair 6,240 6,286 -0.7 Nautilus 8,664 9,231 -6.1 Aviator 4,769 6,250 -23.7 Navigator 4,058 3,127 29.8 Lincoln SUVs 23,731 24,894 -4,7 Lincoln Brand 23,731 24,894 -4.7 Data: Ford Motor Company SWIPE

Harbinger accuses Canoo’s bankruptcy trustee of skipping a proper appraisal before selling assets to the former CEO

Canoo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy after burning through hundreds of millions in losses. Harbinger alleges the asset sale unfairly benefited Canoo’s CEO without proper valuation. The sale may include trade secrets tied to an ongoing lawsuit between the two firms. It’s not unusual for a flashy EV startup to crash and burn, but Canoo’s spectacular flameout has been anything but clean. After filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in January and halting operations entirely, the company is now tangled in a messy dispute that involves hidden assets, questionable sales tactics, and accusations that its CEO may have gotten a little too good of a deal. Read: Canoo Goes Bust With Less Than $50,000 Left And Millions In Debt Last Friday, electric trucking startup Harbinger filed a formal objection to the sale of Canoo’s assets to its boss, claiming the sale process “unfairly favored Mr. Aquila.” According to the objection, Canoo failed to disclose certain assets acquired from another failed EV startup—Arrival—and the bankruptcy trustee approved Aquila’s purchase without securing an independent appraisal or even marketing the assets to outside buyers. Allegations of Hidden Assets and Insider Deals The situation gets murkier. Harbinger also alleges that Canoo listed some assets that it didn’t actually own for sale. While Harbinger did not specify what these assets were, it says that the access granted to the virtual data room for potential bidders when it considered buying the assets allowed them to make this determination, as first reported by TechCrunch. The sale of Canoo to its CEO also includes a very important clause. Canoo sued Harbinger in 2022, claiming many of its former employees had stolen trade secrets that were used to create Harbinger. This lawsuit is still ongoing, and through the purchase, Aquila will personally benefit from any settlement that Harbinger may have to pay. In the complaint, Harbinger notes that the former boss is buying unidentified ‘trade secrets’ from Canoo, “but Mr. Aquila alone supposedly knows what those trade secrets are.” It adds that “a process where only one bidder – an insider – has the ability to identify the assets offered for sale and their value is not a fair process.” Even before the bankruptcy, Canoo’s financials read like a startup horror story. Since its founding in 2017, the company generated almost no revenue and racked up hundreds of millions in losses. In 2022 alone, Canoo reported a staggering $488 million loss, followed by $303 million in 2023. The first half of 2024 added another $118 million to the bonfire. For comparison, Canoo reported zero revenue in 2022 and just under $900,000 in 2023—a rounding error in the EV world.

The hooded man even left a note telling the Cybertruck’s owner to “replace all tires"

An unidentified individual slashed the Tesla’s tires and smashed the windshield. The vandal left a note reading, ‘Replace all tires. Unsafe to drive.’ Attacks on Tesla models have spiked throughout the United States recently. Even in the age of ubiquitous cameras and smart tech, some people still think a hoodie and a bad attitude are enough to pull off vandalism without consequences. The owner of a vandalized Tesla Cybertruck in Novata, California, is offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a suspect who damaged the pickup. At least two security cameras outside the man’s home caught the vandal in the act, and the local Novata Police Department has launched a formal investigation into the matter. More: Ohio Sheriff Labels Tesla Vandals ‘Fat People Living In Mom’s Basement’ According to police, the suspect—still unidentified—was wearing a hood and face mask when they first appeared at the property around 4:22 a.m., seemingly scouting the area. They returned just over an hour later, at 5:41 a.m., and placed a piece of duct tape over one of the home’s security cameras. However, the individual was filmed by a camera pointing towards the street and one near the front door. These cameras show the vandal walking up the driveway before slashing all four tires. They then threw a large piece of concrete on the windshield, smashing it, before running away from the scene. Showing no signs of guilt, the vandal left a note for the Cybertruck’s owner, reading “Replace all tires. Unsafe to drive.” Photos taken after the incident show the Cybertruck wrapped in a bright, attention-grabbing color, with a windshield visibly cracked by the thrown concrete—a full replacement will be necessary. 🚨Seeking Information: Felony Vandalism to Tesla CyberTruck The Novato Police Department is investigating a felony vandalism that occurred this morning (3/29), to a Tesla CyberTruck parked in a private driveway. Around 4:22AM, the suspect appeared to case the residence before… pic.twitter.com/QMaAdPYUYu — novatopolice (@NovatoPolice) March 29, 2025 Speaking with KTVU, the Cybertruck’s owner, Jason Bedell, said the vandal needs to face the consequences after the attack. Watch: Cybertruck Ripped In Half By A Mercedes Built Like A Tank “To come to my house and plan an attack like that, that person’s dangerous and needs to face consequences for what they’ve done,” he said. “I’m a little [shaken] up right now, and I’m concerned that they may possibly come back, and it’s not a good feeling, having my family here, my young son. All these people who have frustration against the government and Tesla and DOGE are taking it out on the wrong people.” He also voiced frustration about what he sees as misdirected anger toward Tesla owners. “They’re taking it out on their neighbors. They’re taking it out on just working people. Most of these people are Democrats that even bought these EV vehicles,” he added. 🚨 The owner of a Tesla Cybertruck is offering a $25,000 cash reward for any information leading to the suspect's arrest.@NovatoPolice are treating the incident as felony vandalism. The suspect threw a concrete rock at the cybertruck's windshield multiple times, slashed all four… pic.twitter.com/uatF3Nt5wS — Betty Yu (@bett_yu) March 30, 2025

Lifted suspension, reshaped bumper for better approach angle and a roof basket full of spares suit the smallest M car perfectly

BMW has dropped a set of images of an off-road-ready M2 Dakar. The coupe gets extra ground clearance and big rear wheelarch vents. Sadly, the go-anywhere Dakar is just a BMW April Fool’s Day prank. Every year certain automakers like to tease us with April Fool’s Day stories that are often just plain silly. Isuzu entering the fragrance market and Fiat making a 500e “Parmigiano Edition” with a grille that doubles as a cheese grater come to mind. But sometimes the ideas are too damn good to be joked about. The BMW M2 Dakar is one of those. BMW dropped a bunch of images on Instagram today of a lifted M2 coupe on off-road tires and featuring some bodywork mods designed to improve its approach and departure angles. Critics of the stock M2’s design might even say the baby M car looks better without its clumsy standard front bumper. Related: BMW Engineers Built An Electric M2 Prototype To Impress The Board Of Management The front and rear fenders have giant vents cut into them to provide cooling for the brakes in the hot desert playground and there are front and rear skid plates to protect the 473 hp (480 PS) 3.0-liter inline six and limited slip differential. And since no off-road car – especially not one named after one of the world’s toughest rallies – is complete without some spares, the M2 Dakar has a roof basket containing a spare wheel and an emergency fuel can. A decade ago we might have laughed at the absurdity of something like the M2 Dakar, but in the wake of genuine production machines like the Porsche 911 Dakar we can imagine a few people seeing BMW’s Instagram post and thinking it’s the real deal. But sadly, it’s almost certainly not. Image credit: BMW M BMW isn’t the first automaker that’s attempted to prank us with a lifted sports car. Last year, Subaru of New England’s April Fool’s prank was a BRZ Wilderness equipped with symmetrical all-wheel drive. Though come to think of it, BRZ sales are so bad maybe it would have been worth Subaru trying to build a few. Do you think BMW should build and sell an M2 Dakar, or do you think the trend for off-road sports cars is just plain dumb? Leave a comment and let us know. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BMW M GmbH (@bmwm)

A stock, unmolested 1991 Civic Si is a rare sight, which should explain why someone paid S2000 money for it

An unremarkable 1991 Honda Civic Si recently sold for $12,100 on Cars & Bids. There was a flurry of late bidding that drove the price up thousands of dollars. The classic Honda has 191,855 miles on it and was once driven by Doug DeMuro. The Honda Civic has long been the go-to answer for anyone seeking a car that simply works. Endlessly reliable, affordable, and practical, it’s never been flashy, but it’s always there when you need it. Of course, Honda has occasionally dialed things up, most recently with the 315 hp (235 kW / 319 PS) Civic Type R—a hot hatch that’s a lot more than just dependable. However, we’re scratching our heads over this 1991 Civic Si, which sold for $12,100 on Cars&Bids. It has 191,855 miles (308,761 km) on the odometer, and its biggest claim to fame is that it was in a Doug DeMuro video. More: 2025 Honda Civic Si Keeps 6-Speed Manual, Boosts Fun Factor That’s not a stellar pedigree, but the Rio Red hatchback appears to be in remarkable condition given its age and mileage. However, the seller noted the car is far from perfect as there are “some chips, scratches, blemishes, and faded paint.” There’s also a “ding” on the driver’s side as well as some other imperfections. As for what factory equipment the car has, there’s not much besides a power sunroof and 14-inch steel wheels. They’re joined by mud flaps, a rear wiper, and a classic economy car shape. Cars & Bids The interior is about as plain as the exterior, but highlights include two-tone seats and an AM/FM audio system with a cassette player. They’re joined by crank windows as well as manual locks. While the interior looks pretty good, there’s some worn upholstery and trim. Motivation is provided by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 108 hp (81 kW / 110 PS) and 100 lb-ft (135 Nm) of torque. It’s connected to a five-speed manual that sends power to the front wheels. That’s not exactly a thrilling combination, and the seller noted a small oil leak as well as corrosion on the exhaust. Given all of this, it’s surprising to see the car sell for so much money, especially when an S2000 went for $12,750 last August on BaT. However, that S2K had 185,000 miles on it and doesn’t have quite the same retro charm.

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Welcome to the Day after Debrief discussion thread! Now that the dust has settled in Shanghai, it's time to calmly discuss the events of the last race weekend. Hopefully, this will foster more detailed and thoughtful discussion than the immediate post-race thread now that people have had some time to digest and analyze the results. Low-effort comments, such as memes, jokes, and complaints about broadcasters will be deleted. We also discourage superficial comments that contain no analysis or reasoning in this thread (e.g., 'Great race from X!', 'Another terrible weekend for Y!'). submitted by /u/AutoModerator [link] [comments]

Welcome to the r/formula1 Daily Discussion / Q&A thread. This thread is a hub for general discussion and questions about Formula 1, that don't need threads of their own. Are you new to Formula 1? This is the place for you. Ever wondered why it's called a lollipop man? Why the cars don't refuel during pitstops? Or when Mika will be back from his sabbatical? Ask any question you might have here, and the community will answer. Also make sure you check out our guide for new fans, and our FAQ for new fans. Are you a veteran fan, longing for the days of lollipop men, refueling during pitstops, and Mika Häkkinen? This is the place to introduce new fans to your passion and knowledge of the sport. Remember to keep it civil and welcoming! Gatekeeping within the Daily Discussion will subject users to disciplinary action. Have a meta question about the subreddit? Please direct these to the moderators instead. submitted by /u/F1-Bot [link] [comments]

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This man had it all to have a bright career in F1, talent and speed, he won the 1973 Formula Two title with March and for 1974 he was rumoured to be signing with Ferrari, but due to Clay Regazzoni reccomending Niki Lauda to Enzo Ferrari, Jarier didn't get the seat and ended up in the new Shadow team, the team itself wasn't bad, they had a good designer on Tony Southgate and also they were very capable, but the main problem for the team was the poor reliability of the cars. In 1974 he became the leader of the team after the death of Peter Revson, and he was able to get a podium (3rd) on the Monaco Grand Prix. In 1975, he started the season by being on pole on the first two races, it looked promising for Shadow, but he DNS'd on Argentina amd retired in Brazil due to a mechanical failure while standing strong in the lead (27 laps led in the race), while Tom Pryce overshadowed Jarier in race performance, the Frenchman was still a very capable driver, but Shadow's dip in performance during the second half of the 75' and whole 76' season and also Pryce outperforming him left Jarier without a ride for 77. The next season he became the first driver ever for the backmarker German team ATS, where in his debut with them, he finished 6th. But the performance of the team went downards and he jumped from ride to ride, until in 1978 he got the golden chance in quite tragic reasons. Lotus signed him as a last minute replacement for Ronnie Peterson, after the Swede died from injuries suffered in the Italian Grand Prix. Jarier looked strong in his debut with the team on the US West GP, where he was running third before his car broke down. But the saddest moment came in Canada, where he got his third pole in F1 and dominated the whole race for almost 50 laps when his car broke down again and he had to retire, basically his last chance to win a Grand Prix ended there. From then on he got 2 solid seasons with Tyrrell, getting 2 podiums in 1979 and being a consistent point scorer with them. After that, he drove for backmarker team Osella and in his last year in 1983 with Ligier, where he became known as a moving chicane who ignored blue flags as much as he could. Overall, Jarier's career was one of pure bad luck and bad choices, which leaves a very underrated driver, who had massive potential and could have won a few races, but never got the shot to run a full season with a top tier team. submitted by /u/F1_wackyaahhfan [link] [comments]

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