Dave Partridge bought his Peugeot 106 1.3 Rallye to compete in motorsport events – and then the rules were changed. “I bought it 14 years ago for £450 with the aim of going sprinting and hillclimbing in the up-to-1300cc category,” he says. “I renovated and fitted Bilstein Group N Tarmac suspension to it everything I… Continue reading They told me to scrap my £450 106 Rallye – now it’s worth £12,000
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Peugeot mulls 508 estate successor as alternative to SUVs
Peugeot is mulling a successor to the 508 estate as it looks to once again expand its line-up into segments besides its current hatchback and crossover offering. The 508, Peugeot‘s mid-sized executive offering, was launched in 2010 as a rival to the Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Superb and Volvo S60/V60, and was available as a four-door… Continue reading Peugeot mulls 508 estate successor as alternative to SUVs
Listen: Lotus design director on lightweight philosophy in the EV age
In this week’s bonus episode of the Autocar podcast, Autocar Meets Russell Carr, design director at Lotus. Talking at an event in London to Autocar’s editor-at-large Matt Prior, the pair discuss lightweight design in an electric age, what’s going on at Hethel, and how Lotus fits into a multinational company like Geely. The regular My… Continue reading Listen: Lotus design director on lightweight philosophy in the EV age
Everyday heroes: When ‘normal’ cars sneak into supercar showdowns
Think of Autocar’s annual Britain’s Best Driver’s Car (BBDC) test and your mind will rightly project visions of Porsche 911s, V12-fired Ferraris and scaffold-like lightweights. But once in a blue moon, something entirely ordinary slips into the field. Not even a GTI, ST or anything to that effect, but common-or-garden machinery that lines the nation’s… Continue reading Everyday heroes: When ‘normal’ cars sneak into supercar showdowns
Clio Trophy and MR2: Revisiting two Gen Z gems at 20
While our road testers were rigorously testing the latest metal for Britain’s Best Driver’s Car 2025, photographer Jack Harrison and I decided to mark the occasion in our own way – by reuniting two former BBDC contenders from a very different era. Last year I bought a 2005 Renault Clio 182 Trophy, and have spent… Continue reading Clio Trophy and MR2: Revisiting two Gen Z gems at 20
Renaultsport was the quiet king of hot hatchbacks
Not atypically for a British driving fan, I think the hot hatch is the best type of car you can buy. For getting your dynamic kicks on our narrow B-roads, riddled as they are with crater-sized potholes, you want something that’s highly manoeuvrable, practical, affordable and still exciting to drive. And in my opinion, those… Continue reading Renaultsport was the quiet king of hot hatchbacks
Ferrari Amalfi
The Roma came as a bit of a shock when it was launched. With its minimal detailing, solid-looking front grille and body panels that looked like they were under tension, it was divisive. Some said that it looked like an Aston Martin, others that it lacked aggression. I for one thought it was one of the most… Continue reading Ferrari Amalfi
Looking back at AMG’s quiet 1982 UK debut
The UK arrival of AMG in the autumn of 1982 was low-key. Strattons of Wilmslow, Cheshire, became the sole concessionaire, and Autocar dedicated just 50 words to it, buried in the data section, soberly calling AMG “a German styling and tuning firm who produce customizing and performance modifications for Mercedes-Benz cars”. We had actually already had… Continue reading Looking back at AMG’s quiet 1982 UK debut
Kia PV5
Given it’s shorter than the EV9, the PV5 Passenger is Tardis-like: there’s a ridiculous amount of leg room in both rows and, even with all the seats up, the boot is 1311mm long and has a capacity of 1330 litres. Fold down the rear seats and the capacity is 3615 litres, and there’s a good amoung of storage under… Continue reading Kia PV5
Ford hopes Renault deal can plug its weakness in vans
Ford’s domination of the van sales chart in the UK hides a weakness that it hopes to plug through a new partnership with Renault. News that Renault will build Ford two small electric cars, one a Fiesta replacement, overshadowed the announcement that the two plan to work together on the development of future vans. And of… Continue reading Ford hopes Renault deal can plug its weakness in vans