In just a year’s time, DS will become one of the first global car makers to ditch combustion engines entirely and become an electric-only brand. It will spark what’s set to be a huge change in direction for the French firm, an unknown entity among most of the British public, many of whom still see it as… Continue reading DS 3 E-Tense
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
How Autocar voted in Car of the Year 2023
Each jury member, of which I’m one of 58 who voted this year from 22 countries, has 25 points to give. Points must be awarded to at least five cars, and no car can get more than 10 points. The criteria covers most ways you’d typically assess a car, but “technical innovation and value for… Continue reading How Autocar voted in Car of the Year 2023
Tesla slashes UK prices by as much as £8000
Tesla has slashed prices by as much as £8000 in a drastic extension of its sales incentives, having fallen short of Wall Street forecasts in 2022. The discounts affect the Tesla Model 3 saloon and the Tesla Model Y crossover, with the latter being more significantly impacted. The largest reduction has been applied to the Model Y Performance,… Continue reading Tesla slashes UK prices by as much as £8000
Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer estate makes world debut in Brussels
The new Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer has made its world debut at the Brussels motor show ahead of deliveries beginning in summer later this year. The estate version of the reinvented Astra starts from £25,005 in entry-level Design trim, which includes 16in alloy wheels, a 10in touchscreen and 10in instrument cluster, Bluetooth connectivity and wireless smartphone… Continue reading Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer estate makes world debut in Brussels
Mazda MX-30 R-EV revives rotary power with range-boosted PHEV
The Mazda MX-30 crossover has a new powertrain that marks the company’s first use of a rotary engine since the demise of the RX-8 sports coupé in 2012, bolstering the new model’s range and desirability. Revealed at the Brussels motor show and labelled by the Japanese car maker as a “unique series plug-in hybrid”, the MX-30 R-EV partners… Continue reading Mazda MX-30 R-EV revives rotary power with range-boosted PHEV
2023 Nissan GT-R gains new grille and special-edition Nismo variant
The Nissan GT-R has gained the most powerful production GT-R ever built as one of two special-edition models, along with some mild styling tweaks for 2023. Revealed on stage at the Tokyo motor show by Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta, the new GT-R looks largely similar to the previous car, save for a new front grille… Continue reading 2023 Nissan GT-R gains new grille and special-edition Nismo variant
Mercedes-Benz EQE
The EQE’s hidden, motorised door handles usually present themselves automatically as you approach – usually, but not quite always. When they don’t, the necessary fiddling around with the handle’s keyless unlocking sensor, or with the key in the bottom of your pocket, can be a frustration. The action of the release mechanism can be likewise.… Continue reading Mercedes-Benz EQE
Vehicle production unlikely to rebound in 2023
Semiconductor issues will hamper output well into 2023 and probably into 2024. Global production losses in 2021 topped 10 million units, improving to about 3.5 million units in 2022. The competing forces of supply chain issues and lowered expectations will find chip-based losses falling below two million units – a sizable improvement, but not the… Continue reading Vehicle production unlikely to rebound in 2023
BMW M performance EVs to use radical 4WD technology
Testing of the first purely electric BMW sports car is under way, with engineers working to preserve the distinctive dynamic character of an M car in the post-combustion era. BMW revealed the first images of a mysterious EV prototype last year, giving few details but confirming that it was powered by a pioneering quad-motor, four-wheel… Continue reading BMW M performance EVs to use radical 4WD technology
How Porsche will become CO2-neutral by 2030
Porsche is close to a radical reinvention as it prepares to electrify its entire lineup, with four new models – Porsche Macan, Porsche Cayenne, Porsche Boxster and Porsche Cayman – arriving from 2024. These EVs, released along with petrol equivalents, feed into Porsche’s goal of 50% of its sales having electrified powertrains by 2025, with… Continue reading How Porsche will become CO2-neutral by 2030