Fiat will integrate charging cables into the bodywork of its next generation EVs, beginning with the new Grande Panda next year. In that car, it will be stored behind a panel on the EV’s front fascia, featuring a sprung cable in what Fiat describes as its novel way of “reinventing” charging. Integrating retractable cables into… Continue reading Fiat to integrate charging cables into electric cars
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Peugeot 508 to go off sale in December in EV push
The Peugeot 508 will be axed in December, Autocar can reveal. The French manufacturer attributed the cancellation of the executive saloon and estate to the UK government’s introduction of the zero-emission vehicle mandate. In a statement supplied to Autocar, it said: “We have chosen to focus even further on our electric models in the UK, with… Continue reading Peugeot 508 to go off sale in December in EV push
Aehra names SUV and saloon as it bids for investment in factory
Italian EV start-up Aehra has named its first two cars the Impeto SUV and Estasi saloon as it ramps up its efforts to begin production. It has submitted a business plan to Italy’s Ministry of Industry concerning a 207,000sq ft factory at Mosciano Sant’Angelo, in the north-eastern Abruzzo region. The company said it chose the location for its… Continue reading Aehra names SUV and saloon as it bids for investment in factory
Maserati Quattroporte and Levante axed, ending V8 era
Maserati has retired the Quattroporte saloon and Levante SUV, bringing an end to the Italian firm’s V8 era. The smaller Ghibli saloon left production earlier this year, having been on sale since 2013. All three were based on the M156 platform, developed under Fiat’s ownership of Maserati, and had been built at the Mirafiori factory alongside the new Maserati Granturismo… Continue reading Maserati Quattroporte and Levante axed, ending V8 era
JLR ups spending by £3bn to hedge against slowing EV uptake
JLR has increased its five-year investment plan from £15 billion to £18bn after the slower-than-predicted EV take-up forced it to boost spending on platforms that allow combustion engines as well as electric powertrains. The British firm announced the original £15bn plan last April, detailing spending on new EV platforms, including the mid-sized EMA, which will underpin cars… Continue reading JLR ups spending by £3bn to hedge against slowing EV uptake
Bugatti marks 100 years of the Type 35 racer
Bugatti has marked the centenary of the Type 35, the legendary race car that it campaigned for six years between 1924 and 1930. The Type 35 made its debut at the Lyon Grand Prix on 3 August 1924, having been driven from Bugatti’s Molsheim factory to the city some 300 miles away. At launch, it packed… Continue reading Bugatti marks 100 years of the Type 35 racer
RML previews radical 911 upgrade and carbon-bodied V8 Vantage
RML Group, the British engineering outfit behind a number of successful global motorsport programmes and highly exclusive road cars, will mark its 40th anniversary with four unveilings. RML was founded in 1984 as racing team Ray Mallock Ltd and has since run works motorsport efforts for the likes of Seat, Vauxhall, Aston Martin, Saleen and Chevrolet across multiple… Continue reading RML previews radical 911 upgrade and carbon-bodied V8 Vantage
First look at electric Range Rover Sport coming next year
Under the revised plans, the four Land Rover EVs being launched by 2026 will be the electric Range Rover and Range Rover Sport – both based on the versatile MLA platform that underpins the current combustion models – and two smaller SUVs based on the new EMA platform, thought to be replacements for the Range… Continue reading First look at electric Range Rover Sport coming next year
New Smart #5 electric SUV to be revealed later this month
Smart will reveal the #5 SUV, its largest and most powerful model yet, on 28 August ahead of planned sales in the UK next year. When the wraps come off it at an event in Australia – a market Smart is keen to grow – it will be the first time the brand’s third model has… Continue reading New Smart #5 electric SUV to be revealed later this month
A rookie’s guide to car spotting
Where in the world are you more likely to see a Ferrari than a Ford Fiesta? Outside of Maranello, Dubai or Monaco, I’d suggest that a walk around central London gives you the best odds. It’s why car spotting, the art of going into town and seeing what rare metal passes you by, thrives in… Continue reading A rookie’s guide to car spotting