Less than a mile from the M5 near Bridgwater in Somerset, another piece of the UK’s electric car industry is being prepared. Groundworks close to the village of Puriton have begun, people in hard hats are measuring up and notices are being pinned to signposts warning of changes to rights of way. One month after… Continue reading How Tata’s £4 billion UK battery factory will reshape Somerset
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Genesis and Hyundai merger won’t impact UK sales
Genesis will continue to sell a full range of models through its own-brand dealer network despite an operational merger with parent company Hyundai. Genesis Motor UK will no longer exist as a standalone company from January 2024, as first reported by Car Dealer magazine, its operations being rolled fully into Hyundai Motor UK. However, for customers, there… Continue reading Genesis and Hyundai merger won’t impact UK sales
New 2024 Aston Martin Vantage will be “complete hooligan”
The new Aston Martin Vantage will be given its own obvious character over the DB12 and the DBS replacement as the first Aston Martin to break cover before a slew of new models arrive in the coming months. The Vantage will be styled to be a “complete hooligan” as part of a plan to make it even… Continue reading New 2024 Aston Martin Vantage will be “complete hooligan”
New Porsche Panamera packs more luxury, power and price
The new, third-generation Porsche Panamera is the company’s most luxurious, tech-heavy and expensive saloon yet. Prices will start at £79,500 for V6-engined models and rise to £141,400 for the topend V8 plug-in hybrid, with the line-up going on sale in the UK early in 2024. The new Panamera’s eight-cylinder engine is a heavily updated version… Continue reading New Porsche Panamera packs more luxury, power and price
The Renault sunroof that works like a blind
Before almost every car became available with air conditioning in the UK, sunroofs were the popular, must-have accessory. Apart from helping with ventilation, people like the feeling of open space they give as a kind of halfway house to a convertible, and they’ve remained popular. Traditional mechanical sunroofs have plenty of drawbacks, though, some of… Continue reading The Renault sunroof that works like a blind
Nissan to build new Qashqai and Juke EVs in Sunderland
Nissan expands Sunderland investment The original EV36Zero plan that launched in 2021 featured funding from Nissan, battery production partner Envision AESC and Sunderland City Council. As well as the upgrades to the Nissan plant, the deal included a new Envision AESC battery gigafactory that will have an eventual annual capacity of 30GWh – enough to… Continue reading Nissan to build new Qashqai and Juke EVs in Sunderland
Component shortage fuels rise in car part thefts
As the shortage of replacement car parts continues, there are fears that it is fuelling car crime – and that dealers, garages and body shops could unwittingly buy stolen used parts online. JLR recently admitted that around 10,000 of its cars are awaiting replacement parts, and with the delays running into months, some frustrated customers… Continue reading Component shortage fuels rise in car part thefts
Abt XGT turns Audi R8 into £519k DTM racer for the road
It’s billed as a road-legal racer and not a regular R8 with racing garnish. Therefore it features the same heat management and vehicle diagnostics system as the DTM racer but incorporates some of the features from the regular car, such as the fuelling system, handbrake, central locking and reversing camera. Underneath, it features dual-adjustable suspension, bespoke springs and… Continue reading Abt XGT turns Audi R8 into £519k DTM racer for the road
Editor’s letter: UK EV making looks secure, but who will buy the cars?
For so long, interventions from the UK government into the automotive industry have been scattergun, but suddenly it seems like there’s some kind of strategy to hold everything together. It started with the chancellor’s £2 billion-plus commitment to support zero-emissions investment in the automotive sector over the next five years, as part of a wider £4.5bn… Continue reading Editor’s letter: UK EV making looks secure, but who will buy the cars?
Aston Martin DBS to be replaced by hardcore V12 supercar
Aston Martin is preparing to transform the V12-engined DBS grand tourer into a bonafide supercar that is obviously distinct from its V8-engined Vantage and DB12 siblings. The reinvented DBS will crown a reinvented Aston Martin sports car line-up; the DB11 has already been replaced by the DB12, the Vantage will also soon be heavily reinvented and the… Continue reading Aston Martin DBS to be replaced by hardcore V12 supercar