Stepping out onto a street in China is always an assault on the senses: an ever-shifting cornucopia of unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells. Even in a city as relatively international as Shanghai, a 10-minute walk invariably leaves you feeling exhilarated, unclean and slightly unsettled. So after a three-year break from visiting – a period in… Continue reading Health check: Is China still on track to take over the car world?
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Mini JCW 1to6 special edition is last ever manual Mini
The Mini John Cooper Works 1to6 has been revealed as the brand’s last ever manual car as it pushes forward with automatic gearboxes and electric powertrains. The £39,600 special edition – of which just 999 examples will be made, all in three-door format, 150 of them for the UK – ends 64 years of manual Minis. It has… Continue reading Mini JCW 1to6 special edition is last ever manual Mini
Every PHEV on sale in the UK
Could this be the ultimate plug-in electric vehicle? Certainly it pushes the technology further than most, no surprise when you consider the S-Class’s role as flag-bearer for Mercedes’ future developments. Available only in long-wheelbase guise, it mates a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine to an electric motor, which with 124bhp delivers only modest EV performance, although… Continue reading Every PHEV on sale in the UK
This weekend’s Imola F1 race cancelled as heavy rain floods region
This weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola has been called off due to major flooding, which has reportedly claimed the lives of three locals. The decision follows emergency talks this morning between Formula 1 bosses, the race organisers and notable delegates in the city. In a statement, F1 said it was “not possible” to safely hold the event… Continue reading This weekend’s Imola F1 race cancelled as heavy rain floods region
Meet the MINI line-up: more features; more choice
Some brands are simply synonymous with choice: taking a classic core idea and amplifying it by offering a wealth of new ways to enjoy it. Think Baskin Robbins ice cream and its original 31 flavours. Or the wealth of options available when buying your cup of ‘Morning Joe’ at a Starbucks or a Costa Coffee.… Continue reading Meet the MINI line-up: more features; more choice
Exclusive: New Toyota CEO on the most important job in motoring
It’s a stance made possible by Toyota’s hybrid leadership but is so at odds with the rest of the industry’s focus on BEVs that it risks the brand being irretrievably tarred as a laggard. Then on a personal level, there’s also the small matter of succeeding Toyoda, a larger-than-life character who led the company out… Continue reading Exclusive: New Toyota CEO on the most important job in motoring
Analysis: Why foreign brands are rethinking their approach in China
In 2012, non-Chinese brands produced 18 of China’s top 20 best-selling cars and locked out the top 10. In the first quarter this year, that number had halved, of which just four were in the top 10. Staying relevant in China in the face of ever-improving home-grown competition is a dilemma occupying car makers’ boardrooms in Europe, the… Continue reading Analysis: Why foreign brands are rethinking their approach in China
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep. 36)
Episode 36 of the My Week In Cars podcast finds our resident gearheads Steve Cropley and Matt Prior talking about how to find and help preserve green lanes, the succinct excellence of the industry’s bigwigs, whether doing a craft is as valuable as listening and taking, and discuss much, much more motoring stuff besides, including… Continue reading My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep. 36)
Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II
Whether you’re entering the Phantom by the front or the rear-hinged coach rear door, you open it with a large and tactile stainless steel door handle. Both front and rear doors will now close automatically behind you at the touch of a button (previously, only the Phantom’s rear doors did that). The same motor mechanism doubles as… Continue reading Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II
Updated 2023 Range Rover goes hybrid-only
The Range Rover will be available with only hybrid powertrains from the 2024 model year, which also brings upgraded plug-in hybrids and a new V8 option. A new 215bhp electric motor boosts the 434bhp P440e to 454bhp, while the 503bhp P510e has been uplifted to 542bhp. As such, the two PHEVs are now badged as the… Continue reading Updated 2023 Range Rover goes hybrid-only