Lexus has made no bones about its commitment to hybrid power, meaning its first full EV is a bit of a half-hearted effort. A fully electric version of the angular UX crossover, it falls short of its similarly priced premium rivals in almost all areas. Its 201bhp motor is short on poke, its 196-mile range falls… Continue reading Which EV to buy? Every electric car on sale
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
2023 Ssangyong Torres: rugged 4×4 coming to UK as EV
Ssangyong has officially revealed the ruggedly styled Torres SUV, which is set to hit UK shores next year as an electric rival for the likes of the Skoda Enyaq and Toyota bZ4X. New images of the rugged SUV have been released on the firm’s Korean social-media channels, showcasing its new Powered by Toughness design direction, with… Continue reading 2023 Ssangyong Torres: rugged 4×4 coming to UK as EV
Racing lines: Toyota sweeps Le Mans for the fifth time
The sheer scale and sense of occasion can never be underestimated at the Le Mans 24 Hours, even in the years the race itself doesn’t quite live up to the hype. The 2022 edition had its moments, combining the usual blend of emotional triumph for some and devastating heartbreak for others. But the bare truth… Continue reading Racing lines: Toyota sweeps Le Mans for the fifth time
New Plasan Wilder is groundbreaking mid-engined armoured vehicle
“Self-driving in the battlefield environment is very different to civilian autonomy,” said Kahn. “The challenges are very different: the vehicle can go anywhere, but there’s no infrastructure, like white lines for guidance.” The Wilder or some of its technology might yet find a place in the British Army, since Plasan is one of several companies… Continue reading New Plasan Wilder is groundbreaking mid-engined armoured vehicle
Greatest road tests ever: Cadillac BLS 2.9 TID Luxury
Tested 19.4.06 Hoping to crack Europe from the inside, GM badge-engineering allowed the distinctive, Trollhättan-built BLS to emerge from understated Saab origins. Although the BLS retained the Saab 9-3’s roofline, windscreen and side windows, the designers did a good job of giving the Cadillac its own identity and its materials beat its Stateside brethren for… Continue reading Greatest road tests ever: Cadillac BLS 2.9 TID Luxury
Under the skin: how BACT uses a hydrogen fuel cell to laptop faster
The maker of the BAC Mono sports car has completed the first stage of a project with hydrogen-powertrain specialist Viritech to develop an electric version of an ultra-lightweight car called the BAC e-Mono. The virtual four-wheel-drive e-Mono weighs in at 704kg, just 149kg more than the conventionally powered BAC Mono-R, yet it still proves to… Continue reading Under the skin: how BACT uses a hydrogen fuel cell to laptop faster
BMW M2 Coupe prototype
“We knew the platform would bring some added size and weight,” explains M Division project dynamics manager Sven Esch, “and we had to decide very early on whether to fight with that weight at every stage, sacrificing many things in order to deliver the lowest figure we could; or to accept and work with it,… Continue reading BMW M2 Coupe prototype
The new torque tech making Audi E-Trons EVs drift
“For now, we have to operate at the limit of what the car itself is capable of,” explains Finke. “The E-tron was built on our MLB Evo model architecture, the same one that the Audi Q7, Audi Q5 and Audi A6 all use, so the chassis and axles simple aren’t designed for greater cross-axle loadings… Continue reading The new torque tech making Audi E-Trons EVs drift
New 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS is 819bhp hybrid convertible
The overall effect of the subtle makeover gives “an extremely compact cabin effortlessly integrated with the wings and flanks”. Aerodynamic efficiency and downforce are on a par, too – with Ferrari engineers taking care to ensure the airflow impact of the wing and buttresses is replicated – and there is still an active rear spoiler… Continue reading New 2022 Ferrari 296 GTS is 819bhp hybrid convertible
Inside Yasa: how a British firm is revolutionising electric cars
For the next couple of Yasa generations, believes Woolmer, the company’s technology will provide a strategic advantage for Mercedes and friends, but eventually (“perhaps by 2040”) it will spread wider. Ultimately, axial-flux technology should be commoditised, he says, but not yet. As for Yasa’s awesome technical progress, Woolmer says that it has reached its fourth… Continue reading Inside Yasa: how a British firm is revolutionising electric cars