There are many ways of approaching the design of an all-new engine, but taking more than a little inspiration from Ferrari’s Colombo V12 surely has to be one of the best. The naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V12 forthcoming from British classic Ferrari experts GTO Engineering is an echo of the past brought right up to date… Continue reading Under the skin: How Ferrari’s 1960s V12 will be reinvented with today’s tech
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Skoda to follow Enyaq iV Coupé with compact crossover EV
Skoda will expand its electric car line-up in the next few years with a coupé version of the Enyaq iV SUV and a new smaller model that’s set to take the form of a crossover. The Czech firm recently launched the Enyaq as its first bespoke EV on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform. While virtually… Continue reading Skoda to follow Enyaq iV Coupé with compact crossover EV
Tackling the North East 250 in the five-star Porsche Taycan
When I did a windswept, storm-wracked drive around Scotland’s rugged North Coast 500 in a Porsche Boxster T last January, I finished with the casual suggestion that the next time was likely to be in an EV. Which was the original plan here: to retrace steps in a Taycan 4S as an adventurous celebration of… Continue reading Tackling the North East 250 in the five-star Porsche Taycan
New 2021 Lexus NX: firm’s first plug-in hybrid brings 302bhp
Lexus has ushered in the second-generation version of its NX crossover, which has gained a 302bhp plug-in hybrid option along with a bold new cabin design and evolved exterior styling. The latest iteration of Lexus’s best-selling model in Europe arrives shortly after the brand’s announcement that it will ramp up its electrification efforts with 10… Continue reading New 2021 Lexus NX: firm’s first plug-in hybrid brings 302bhp
New Skoda Enyaq iV Sportline 80x is firm’s most potent model
The new Skoda Enyaq iV Sportline brings a lower, stiffer chassis than that of the standard car, and is marked out by styling alterations that preview the upcoming, full-fat vRS model. Priced from £39,900 including grant, the Sportline was initally unveiled with a 201bhp motor on the rear axle giving a 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds and… Continue reading New Skoda Enyaq iV Sportline 80x is firm’s most potent model
Inside the industry: positive motoring trends of the past 18 months
On reflection, not all of the news in the past 18 months was bad – at least not for everyone and everything. Uncovered by data-crunching by Sophus3 and IHS Automotive, here are positives that emerged. * There’s a good chance that historians will determine the pandemic as the catalyst for the EV movement. EV sales… Continue reading Inside the industry: positive motoring trends of the past 18 months
Stock take: Legal groundwork laid for self-driving cars on UK roads
The UK government is developing legislation to permit autonomous cars to drive on public roads, which will address a range of issues such as insurance, liability and cybersecurity and establish a legal framework to govern driverless vehicles. Known as the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act (AEVA), the legislation is spearheaded by the Law Commission (the… Continue reading Stock take: Legal groundwork laid for self-driving cars on UK roads
Under the skin: New SL bodyshell shows the evolution of the species
The forthcoming Mercedes-AMG SL has a clean-sheet bodyshell design aimed at making it as light and rigid as possible using a combination of techniques and materials that have steadily evolved over the years. The first unitary-construction car, where the chassis and body are combined as one entity bearing the load of the powertrain and suspension,… Continue reading Under the skin: New SL bodyshell shows the evolution of the species
New 2022 BMW M2 to be punchier, sharper and sleeker
The second-generation BMW M2 will have even stronger performance and more versatility than the well-received current model when it reaches UK showrooms by the end of 2022, according to insiders. The new version of M division’s smallest model is based on the upcoming third-generation 2 Series Coupé, which has been comprehensively re-engineered with a revised… Continue reading New 2022 BMW M2 to be punchier, sharper and sleeker
Seen it all before: A deja vu-laden visit to Longcross Studios
It’s a tense moment: Keeley Hawes’ character in Finding Alice is parked up in a car, having a heart to heart with her on-screen daughter. Unfortunately, the tension of the scene is broken by yours truly suddenly exclaiming: “See that tree there? That’s where Sutcliffe spun a 16-valve Volkswagen Golf GTI backwards and ended up… Continue reading Seen it all before: A deja vu-laden visit to Longcross Studios