152bhp and sub-£40k? This is my perfect Caterham Seven

You might have heard that Caterham has found a new engine supplier in Horse (decent name, I think), a joint venture between Renault and Geely. Horse engines will go into Caterham’s Academy racing cars (which I have driven) from next year to replace the Ford 1.6-litre Sigma engine, which Ford hasn’t made in years. Caterham… Continue reading 152bhp and sub-£40k? This is my perfect Caterham Seven

When racing got real: The nail-biting early days of British touring cars

Gregory was also a director at Brands Hatch, so the Kent circuit staged a trial run on Boxing Day 1957 – and, this being a success, the host to the first points-scoring BSCC round in early April 1958. Enjoy full access to the complete Autocar archive at the magazineshop.com In cold and dry weather, the… Continue reading When racing got real: The nail-biting early days of British touring cars

Lenders won’t have to pay compensation over car finance deals

Lenders won’t have to pay millions of pounds in compensation to buyers over potentially mis-sold finance deals following a Supreme Court ruling. Announced on Friday afternoon, Lord Robert Reed ruled that buyers weren’t mis-sold finance by dealers chasing high commissions. In his verdict, he said he would also  allow lenders to submit appeals against future cases brought forward by… Continue reading Lenders won’t have to pay compensation over car finance deals

New-look 2025 Honda Civic revealed as orders open at £34k

Honda has given the Civic a new face in a round of mid-life updates for the hybrid hatchback. The company says its Volkswagen Golf rival has been “refined in response to customer feedback”, with the front end reworked for a “more assertive” look. The upper and lower grilles have been sharpened and accentuated by their… Continue reading New-look 2025 Honda Civic revealed as orders open at £34k

JLR CEO Adrian Mardell retires after 35 years at the firm

In a recent interview with Autocar, Mardell revealed that he had driven the new GT and said it was the “most fun I’ve had” in his time as JLR boss. “It was stunning in terms of its speed, its acceleration, its performance, but also how it delivered the power with a real sense of character,” he… Continue reading JLR CEO Adrian Mardell retires after 35 years at the firm

I spent £4k on a Fiat Panda 100HP – but it ended in disaster

Meet the Mean Machine, my old Fiat Panda 100HP. It was my first car and, as it turned out, a bit of a brat. Because it’s a Panda, you might think you can run it on a shoestring, but you’d be dead wrong. It turns out Fiat went a bit mad developing the 100HP, fabricating new parts wherever it… Continue reading I spent £4k on a Fiat Panda 100HP – but it ended in disaster

Car ‘cannibalism’ surges as parts thieves cash in

Thefts of car parking sensors have risen by 300% amid an increase in overall vehicle parts crime across the country, a leading insurer has reported. Admiral Insurance says that last year it recorded 142 claims for stolen parking sensors, compared with 36 claims the previous year, with an additional 104 claims for stolen steering wheels… Continue reading Car ‘cannibalism’ surges as parts thieves cash in

First look: Skoda previews electric Octavia estate concept

Skoda has given a first glimpse of the electric estate car concept that it will reveal at the Munich motor show in September. Named Vision O, the show car will give clues to the next-generation electric Octavia, which is due to arrive by the end of the decade as the first Skoda atop the Volkswagen Group’s… Continue reading First look: Skoda previews electric Octavia estate concept

Chinese disruptors set sights on UK pick-up market

The double-cab pick-up market is heading for a shake-up as new Chinese entrants seek to capitalise on tougher emission standards with electrified versions. The UK market for pick-up trucks has been surprisingly resilient this year, with sales up 10% in the first six months to 20,902 despite an overall slump in light commercial vehicle sales.… Continue reading Chinese disruptors set sights on UK pick-up market

Are things about to go from bad to worse for Tesla?

Tesla can normally rely on positive commentary from its biggest champion in the investment community, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. After the second-quarter results and call featuring CEO Elon Musk, however, the Tesla ‘mega-bull’ was nonplussed. “Almost no detail on outlook. Tesla’s outlook continues to lack any specific targets on revenues or margins,” he wrote… Continue reading Are things about to go from bad to worse for Tesla?