The heart-stop moment came on early Friday morning. A source with impeccable connections to Lotus UK told Autocar that the order had come from China to prepare its historic manufacturing facility in Hethel for closure. A second source backed up that bombshell. Lotus was investigating moving sports car production to the US. Separately, the Financial… Continue reading What the Hethel is really going on with Lotus in the UK?
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Volvo owner to launch Geely EV brand in UK
Geely, the Chinese firm that owns LEVC, Lotus, Polestar and Volvo, is launching its eponymous car brand in the UK. The first model bound for UK showrooms will be the Geely EX5, an electric crossover pitched against the Skoda Elroq, Kia EV3 and Renault Megane. UK specifications have yet to be confirmed, but Geely said the EX5… Continue reading Volvo owner to launch Geely EV brand in UK
How Lawrence Stroll shaped Aston Martin’s ‘phenomenal future’
This team was all-British and had been at Silverstone for 31 years,” he says. “I wanted the greatest name for it, and that was Aston Martin. At the time [Aston Martin’s] owner, an Italian private equity firm, was sponsoring Red Bull. I went to them and said I could offer much more than just being… Continue reading How Lawrence Stroll shaped Aston Martin’s ‘phenomenal future’
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep.147)
This week finds Steve Cropley and Matt Prior in the back of Cropley’s Ford Ranger outside Ariel Motor Company as they discuss their respective weekly columns. They talk Ian Callum’s new classic Mini, the Autocar Awards, Steve Rider’s retirement, the Mercedes-Benz X-Class, the stress of having a car MOT tested and much more including your correspondence.… Continue reading My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep.147)
626bhp Range Rover Sport SV permanently added to line-up
The Range Rover Sport SV has been made a permanent member of JLR’s model line-up. The super-SUV arrived in 2024 and was sold in limited numbers as part of Edition One and Edition Two batches. JLR has now added two variants to the Range Rover Sport line-up: a standard SV and a more hardcore SV Black edition. Both are powered… Continue reading 626bhp Range Rover Sport SV permanently added to line-up
Ferrari Amalfi: New name and power boost for redesigned Roma
The new 631bhp Ferrari Amalfi has been unveiled as the firm’s new entry-level model, with more power, overhauled styling and revamped aerodynamics compared with its Roma predecessor. Its underpinnings are shared with the Roma, but Ferrari says it is an all-new model, with nearly every panel changed and the front-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 extensively reworked.… Continue reading Ferrari Amalfi: New name and power boost for redesigned Roma
Ferrari reintroduces physical buttons in interior rethink
Ferrari says it made a mistake by replacing physical buttons with haptic controls on its steering wheels, and it will reverse the decision across its range. The move begins with the Amalfi, which is also fitted with the traditional start/stop button that owners wanted to return. The haptic tech was first introduced in the SF90… Continue reading Ferrari reintroduces physical buttons in interior rethink
New Lancia Delta HF Integrale confirmed for 2026
Lancia will launch a new Delta HF Integrale next year, more than 30 years since production of the legendary hot hatch ended. As before, the Integrale name will adorn the Italian car maker’s top performance models, starting from 2026. Alongside the Delta, the new DS No8-twinned Gamma flagship, also due next year, will feature the logo in… Continue reading New Lancia Delta HF Integrale confirmed for 2026
Volkswagen adds electric variants of Transporter Shuttle and Kombi
Volkswagen has added electric variants of its Transporter Shuttle and Transporter Kombi vans as it expands its commercial EV offerings. The eight-seat Shuttle and the scalable Kombi both draw energy from a 65kWh lithium ion battery, which yields 194 and 196 miles of range respectively. Power is sent to the front wheel wheels via a single 134bhp… Continue reading Volkswagen adds electric variants of Transporter Shuttle and Kombi
Sharp new logo for Bentley ahead of concept car unveiling on 8 July
“They’re quite soft,” Page told Autocar, “and what we’ve related it to, actually, is an owl, in its soft feathers on the bottom. “I like to pick characters or animals to reference things, and what I looked at then was the peregrine falcon, which has a sharper, more edgy wing profile. We’ve taken away the… Continue reading Sharp new logo for Bentley ahead of concept car unveiling on 8 July