The new Bentley Flying Spur will be revealed next week, powered by the same Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain that made its debut in the new Continental GT Speed. Pairing a 4.0-litre V8 engine with a gearbox-mounted electric motor, it will send 771bhp and 738lb ft of torque to all four wheels. That’s 145bhp more than the… Continue reading New Bentley Flying Spur to be revealed next week as 771bhp PHEV
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
The disastrous Quattroporte that even Maserati didn’t want
Of course, in common with many other expensive marques, both had been severely affected by the sudden 1973 oil crisis making uneconomical cars virtually impossible to sell anywhere. This situation also deprived us of a Rolls-Royce-rivalling Maserati limousine with a bespoke 5.5-litre flat 12, apparently. Wow, imagine! Thankfully for Maserati’s 800 or so employees, work… Continue reading The disastrous Quattroporte that even Maserati didn’t want
New 2025 Audi Q5 goes hybrid-only with 362bhp turbo V6
Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) that underpins the Q5. Its electrical architecture represents a significant upgrade – a complete wiring overhaul and now using five on-board computers – on the old Q5’s MLB Evo platform. That gives Audi more flexibility to offer hybrids with different configurations and opens the door to key future upgrades. It’s understood,… Continue reading New 2025 Audi Q5 goes hybrid-only with 362bhp turbo V6
Welcome to the jumble: we visit the ultimate car parts sale
“The manifolds are undamaged, which is rare, so they’ll sell,” he says confidently. On another stand, Norman Dunford has two Pinto exhausts and a Crossflow one, each from Mk2 Escorts 1600s, plus a carburettor and intake manifold from an Escort RS2000. Another pitch is displaying remanufactured sills and gaskets, seals, wiper blades, spark plugs, lights… Continue reading Welcome to the jumble: we visit the ultimate car parts sale
What do car designers drive to work?
This fine Allegro 1.1-litre has many special features: it is an early model with the legendary Quartic steering wheel, it is a rare three-door, it has been sympathetically restored – and it was owner Dams’s wedding car. An 18-year Bentley man who cites his first big achievement as designing the exterior changes for the Mk2… Continue reading What do car designers drive to work?
Electric cars are good, but we need e-fuels as well
Elements of the German car industry pushed hard last year for ICE cars to be allowed to remain on sale in the EU after 2035 – and they got their way, provided such cars use only carbon-neutral fuels. But that might not be enough, said BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse. Unless the EU accelerates the… Continue reading Electric cars are good, but we need e-fuels as well
BYD goes after Lexus LM with luxury MPV for Europe
BYD has confirmed plans to sell its new Xia MPV in European markets as part of a growing line-up of global export models. Revealed at the 2024 Chengdu motor show, the van-shaped Xia has been conceived as a rival to the likes of the Volkswagen Multivan and Mercedes-Benz V-Class. It has seating for up to… Continue reading BYD goes after Lexus LM with luxury MPV for Europe
BMW brake recall affects Mini Cooper and Countryman deliveries
Mini has partially halted deliveries of its Cooper and Countryman models due to an impending brake system-related recall caused by potentially defective parts. Cars are affected by issues with the integrated braking system, which determines the amount of feel and feedback provided through the brake pedal. The same problem also impacted more than 80,000 BMW and Rolls-Royce models… Continue reading BMW brake recall affects Mini Cooper and Countryman deliveries
Zeekr 7X is large electric SUV heading to Europe in 2025
Chinese brand Zeekr has revealed the 7X, a Volkswagen Touareg-sized premium electric SUV twinned with the rugged Smart #5. It will go on sale in China at the end of September, before heading to other markets – including Europe – by the end of 2025. It follows the Zeekr 001 saloon and Zeekr X crossover EVs, both of… Continue reading Zeekr 7X is large electric SUV heading to Europe in 2025
How simulators are shaping driver assistance technology
Simulators have come a long way from a simple screen, fake steering wheel and set of pedals. Today’s state of the art is the motion simulator that feeds back the same kind of sensations a driver feels in a real car on the road or track. For manufacturers of full-sized driver-in-loop motion simulators such as… Continue reading How simulators are shaping driver assistance technology