In a rare exclusive interview with Autocar, Maserati CEO Davide Grasso has outlined how the firm has completed a rapid and wide-reaching turnaround programme – going from heavy losses to profitability in less than four years. Appointed as Maserati CEO in July 2019 and made a Stellantis board member in January 2021, Grasso is responsible… Continue reading Exclusive: Maserati boss details plan for ‘benchmark’ margins
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
New Mercedes-Benz EQG specs confirmed as testing ramps up
The front electric motors are mounted low at each side within the axle. The rear electric motors are integrated more inboard within a newly developed de Dion-style rear axle conceived specifically for the EQG and chosen to provide “good traction and flexibility of the suspension”. Each electric motor is able to provide individual drive to each… Continue reading New Mercedes-Benz EQG specs confirmed as testing ramps up
Pod Point braces for 2023 losses as EV deliveries fall
Electric vehicle charger supplier Pod Point expects to make multi-million-pound losses in 2022 and 2023, it has confirmed. In a profit warning statement issued today, it attributed the problem to the supply chain issues restricting the delivery of new plug-in vehicles (PIVs), thereby limiting demand for home charger installations. “The growth of PIVs in the… Continue reading Pod Point braces for 2023 losses as EV deliveries fall
Volkswagen ID 4 GTX 2022 long term test
At over 500mm from the ground, the boot was just too high for her to climb into with a foot out of action, and although there’s ample space back there, the sizeable load lip might cause issues for some drivers. Talking of the boot, it’s worth mentioning that the ID 4 GTX cannot be specified with… Continue reading Volkswagen ID 4 GTX 2022 long term test
New Honda ZR-V details revealed ahead of 2023 UK launch
Honda has confirmed the all-new ZR-V crossover will go on sale in Japan in April 2023, with its arrival in the UK expected late next year. Originally previewed as part of an electrification strategy presentation in March, the ZR-V has been designed with a focus on attracting younger buyers, and as such majors on “sporty… Continue reading New Honda ZR-V details revealed ahead of 2023 UK launch
Praga to reveal radical road-going hypercar this week
Czech engineering company Praga has previewed its new lightweight, carbonfibre-clad, petrol-powered hypercar, which will be its first road-legal offering since the limited-run R1R of 2015. As well as being historically famous for making heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles, tractors, boats, aeroplanes, tanks and karts, Praga has cemented itself as a leading global motorsport outfit in recent years. Its new… Continue reading Praga to reveal radical road-going hypercar this week
Editor’s letter: Semiconductor shortage chips away at the industry
How long will the semiconductor chip shortage crisis last? Depends who you ask. The last public words of Thierry Bolloré in his role as Jaguar Land Rover CEO were to warn that the chip crisis would take years to resolve. Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares said recently he expected normality from the end of 2023. Hyundai has… Continue reading Editor’s letter: Semiconductor shortage chips away at the industry
Greatest road tests ever: Seat Toledo 2.0 GT 16V
Tested 19.4.95 The Toledo GT was a breath of fresh air among too many staid, stick-in-the-mud classmates and good enough to snatch four road test stars. A 2.0-litre twin-cam four-pot petrol engine, lifted from the Mk3 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16v, provided the Toledo GT 16v with 150bhp. That was enough to haul the car from… Continue reading Greatest road tests ever: Seat Toledo 2.0 GT 16V
Can fledgling brand Xpeng succeed in Europe?
Amid the slew of Chinese electric car start-ups that have launched in recent years, Xpeng has undeniably emerged as one of the most interesting. The company, based in the southern megacity of Guangzhou, has caused quite a stir with bullish sales predictions, some genuinely interesting breakthrough tech on the road and, in the air, the… Continue reading Can fledgling brand Xpeng succeed in Europe?
Volvo V90 Cross Country
So what we might once have considered a slightly fringy and left-field model derivative suddenly looks a lot more like the traditional heart and soul of the modern V90 range. Volvo offers two mild-hybrid 2.0-litre petrol engines in the car, with around 250 and 300 horsepower respectively, and one mild-hybrid diesel with around 200 horsepower –… Continue reading Volvo V90 Cross Country