The Nissan X-Trail series hybrid and Ariya BEV will soon be available with e-4orce AWD in the UK, which adds a second motor (to the rear axle) to give four-wheel drive. In both cars, the front wheels are driven by electric motor only, the difference in powertrains being that the X-Trail is equipped with the… Continue reading Under the skin: what makes the electric motor so efficient?
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Greatest road tests ever: Volkswagen Beetle
Tested 19.5.99 Before the Mini and Fiat 500 were reimagined for the modern age, Volkswagen set about reprising the classic Beetle on top of Mk4 Volkswagen Golf underpinnings. The Concept One car from the 1994 Detroit motor show was faithfully recreated in the new Beetle, with plastic wings and bumpers placed atop the Golf’s front-drive… Continue reading Greatest road tests ever: Volkswagen Beetle
Maserati GranTurismo Folgore
In the V6, the engine is up front, powering the rear wheels. In the EV, there’s one motor at the front with a differential and two at the rear, one for each wheel. Then there’s an 83kWh battery in the transmission tunnel and under the rear seats in a T-shape, an 800V system that can… Continue reading Maserati GranTurismo Folgore
Autocar writers’ cars of 2022: Audi S8
We’re not allowed to pick cars that have already been ‘bagsied’; if we could, you’d already be reading another love letter to the Porsche Cayman. So my second pick – the car that surprised me most in 2022 – is an old-school Audi with a trick up its sleeve. The Audi S8 is in a… Continue reading Autocar writers’ cars of 2022: Audi S8
Autocar-aoke: Our writers’ favourite car songs
From favourite cars to favourite songs, we asked our staffers what’s their top automotive tune and why. You can even listen to the playlist on Spotify. RADIOHEAD – KILLER CARS 1998 This three-minute public service announcement about the dangers of driving complacency rings true even as NCAP-friendly modern cars do their best to avoid all… Continue reading Autocar-aoke: Our writers’ favourite car songs
New Mate SUV is a cargo e-bike designed as a true car alternative
Danish firm Mate has revealed a new SUV that really is a bit different: it’s an electric cargo bike designed to tempt people to out of their four-wheeled SUVs. The e-bike manufacturer claims that the new Mate SUV is a genuine alternative to a car for shorter urban journeys, and is designed to offer a more sustainable alternative to the… Continue reading New Mate SUV is a cargo e-bike designed as a true car alternative
Autocar writers’ cars of 2022: Kia Picanto
By any number of measures, the Kia Picanto shouldn’t even be in my top 10 favourites from 2022, let alone top. It’s not particularly new, or clean, or controversial. I didn’t even have a particularly memorable drive in it, confined as I was to school runs and local roads. But that ignores the simple, joyous… Continue reading Autocar writers’ cars of 2022: Kia Picanto
Our most-watched videos of 2022
There was no shortage of shiny metal on the Autocar YouTube channel over the past 12 months, as we drove everything from modified hot hatches to ultra-luxurious SUVs. Here are some of the highlights. Lotus Emira vs Porsche 718 Cayman GTS [embedded content] We had been wondering how the Lotus Emira would stack up ever since… Continue reading Our most-watched videos of 2022
New 2023 Aion Hyper GT claims aero record
Chinese car maker Aion has revealed its new Hyper GT at the 2022 Guangzhou motor show, claiming a production car record 0.19 drag coefficient for the liftback-style saloon. Set for sale in China by the end of 2023, the electric-powered four-door is set to become the second model in Aion’s newly announced Hyper electric car… Continue reading New 2023 Aion Hyper GT claims aero record
Autocar writers’ cars of 2022: Morgan Super 3
I baulk at the idea of cars having soul or personality, but the Morgan Super 3 has character even standing still. That’s partly from the design, at once traditional and space-age. At the front are three aluminium castings with multiple purposes, helping make this trike compact and light but also beautiful. They mount the suspension and… Continue reading Autocar writers’ cars of 2022: Morgan Super 3