The original Mercedes-Benz CLK was in essence a Mercedes C-Class coupé. The CLK GTR, though? Far, far from it. About all they shared were some styling cues, the CLK GTR being a £1.1 million supercar that could go faster than any other, at 200mph, a limited-production special created to homologate the racer that had wiped… Continue reading From the archive: on this day in 1998
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Volkswagen autonomous cars to be mainstream by 2030, says CEO
Volkswagen autonomous cars will be in the mainstream globally by the end of the decade, according to Thomas Schafer, with its commercial vehicles (CV) division leading the charge. Schafer’s comments were made amid the recent news that Argo, the US-based self-driving start-up in which Volkswagen invested more than $2.6bn in 2019 was shutting down. In… Continue reading Volkswagen autonomous cars to be mainstream by 2030, says CEO
Shire-county stalwarts – which cars did we miss?
In the Autocar magazine that went on sale on Wednesday 23rd November we discussed the cars we reckon are symbolic of motoring in Britain’s countryside. As a reminder the cars we listed are: Audi A6 Allroad (pictured above) Skoda Yeti 4×4 Range Rover (Mk1) Mercedes-Benz E-class estate (W124) Jeep Cherokee (XJ) Daihatsu Fourtrak Volkswagen Golf… Continue reading Shire-county stalwarts – which cars did we miss?
New Abarth 500e is brand’s first EV with 152bhp
He added: “You may ask ’why electric?’. Well, basically, performance made us do it: in fact, every change made in the Abarth is about getting the best driving performance. That’s exactly how our founder, Carlo Abarth, always went at it.” As with other Abarth models, the 500e is marked out from its standard Fiat sibling… Continue reading New Abarth 500e is brand’s first EV with 152bhp
Ferrari’s 715bhp V12 Purosangue SUV to start from £313,000
The Purosangue is the most radical Ferrari yet, as the first four-seat four-door model to be graced by the Prancing Horse. Although its proportions and functionality are unprecedented for Ferrari, it has retained some of the brand’s fundamental features, having a front-mid-mounted V12 and being claimed to be “a true sports car”. Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s… Continue reading Ferrari’s 715bhp V12 Purosangue SUV to start from £313,000
Mazda hints at electric MX-5 in revised EV strategy
Christian Schultze, director of research and operations for Mazda Motor Europe, explained in a video published last year: “Based on the different customer needs for individual mobility, the local driving conditions, and the carbon footprint of available fuels and electricity, we aim to offer the best suitable powertrain. “Accordingly, there is no ‘most sustainable’ solution… Continue reading Mazda hints at electric MX-5 in revised EV strategy
New Ford E-Tourneo Custom gets 230-mile electric range
The second row of seats uses a 33/33/33 split with integrated seatbelts, which makes it easier to reconfigure – such as into a rear-facing ‘conference’ layout – according to Ford. The third row uses a less practical 60/40 split. Five Isofix points for child seats are available – three in the second row, and two… Continue reading New Ford E-Tourneo Custom gets 230-mile electric range
ZF opens £70 million EV motor hub in the UK
Automotive component company ZF has completed work on a state-of-the-art technical centre in the UK at a cost of £70 million. The 220,000sq ft site in Shirley, West Midlands, is one of a number of research and development hubs the company has around the world and adds to ZF’s tally of production facilities in the UK. Covid restrictions… Continue reading ZF opens £70 million EV motor hub in the UK
Mazda CX-60 long term test
Money well spent? You would struggle to argue otherwise after a few minutes poking and prodding your way around inside. This is a delightfully well-appointed cockpit with carefully chosen materials, subtle but attractive f lourishes throughout and – praise be – an infotainment interface that’s controlled by a dial and supported by a raft of… Continue reading Mazda CX-60 long term test
Inside the industry: New safety rules make cars more expensive
GSR2: It sounds innocent enough. Even when fully spelled out as General Safety Regulations 2. Or even when explained as a list of 18 safety features that new cars must have in order to comply with regulations arriving in three stages: in 2022, 2024 and 2026. Examples in the initial phase include mandator blindspot-monitoring systems,… Continue reading Inside the industry: New safety rules make cars more expensive