Toyota’s umpteenth incarnation of the Corolla is now on sale, mainly in Hybrid form. It’s billed as having an ‘e-CVT’, which at first had our news antennae all a-quiver. In fact, e-CVT is simply another marketing moniker for essentially the same hybrid driveline concept Toyota came up with in the 1990s for the first Prius… Continue reading Under the skin: the latest CVT gearbox technology
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Byton M-Byte SUV gearing up for production
Byton’s chief vehicle engineer is Irishman David Twohig, who formerly worked for the Renault-Nissan Alliance and won the Mundy Award for Engineering at the 2018 Autocar Awards for his work on the Alpine A110. We caught up with Twohig at the Pebble Beach Concours event to find out more about Byton’s ambitious plans. Where is Byton… Continue reading Byton M-Byte SUV gearing up for production
Toyota iQ city car reborn as China-only Singulato iC3 EV
The Toyota iQ city car has been reborn in China, with the rising Singulato firm using it as the basis for a new electric-only iC3 machine that has been launched at the Shanghai motor show. Beijing-based Singulato was founded in 2014 as an EV-only firm, and is gearing up to launch a mid-size iS6 SUV later… Continue reading Toyota iQ city car reborn as China-only Singulato iC3 EV
BAC delivers 100th Mono with unique colour and trim
The 100th example of the BAC Mono supercar has rolled off the company’s production line and been delivered to a car museum in Denmark. But this is no standard Mono. The Mono #100 is finished in British racing green atop visible carbonfibre bodywork. It is the first BAC model to sport such a combination. This particular Mono also comes… Continue reading BAC delivers 100th Mono with unique colour and trim
Production Porsche 911 Speedster heading to New York
Porsche will say farewell to the 991-generation 911 with a limited-production Speedster variant, which will be unveiled at next week’s New York motor show. Previewed by a black and white image of the finished car leaked online by US publications, the Speedster will stay largely faithful to the concept version, bar a change in alloy wheel design. Confirmed for… Continue reading Production Porsche 911 Speedster heading to New York
FCA and Tesla agree deal to beat EU emissions regulations
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has agreed a deal with Tesla to help avoid paying fines for exceeding new European Union emissions limits. FCA, whose brands include Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Jeep and Maserati, will pay for the right to count Tesla’s electric vehicles as part of its fleet, under an ‘open pool’ option allowed by EU regulations.… Continue reading FCA and Tesla agree deal to beat EU emissions regulations
Carlos Ghosn arrested in Japan on fresh misconduct charges
Former Nissan and Renault boss Carlos Ghosn has been re-arrested by prosecutors in Japan on fresh allegations of financial misconduct. The 65-year-old was arrested last November and has been charged with a number of offences relating to his time at Nissan. He was recently released on bail, but he was detained by prosecutors yesterday over fresh… Continue reading Carlos Ghosn arrested in Japan on fresh misconduct charges
Aston boss: cost of autonomy will force mass car firm mergers
The investment needed to develop connected and autonomous vehicles will likely lead to mass consolidation of car companies globally, according to Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer. Speaking at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Connected Car Conference, Palmer said he believes many existing brands will have to form alliances, merge with or sell to… Continue reading Aston boss: cost of autonomy will force mass car firm mergers
How Peugeot boss Jean-Philippe Imparato saved the firm
Egged on by my probing, Imparato talks first about his childhood in southern France as part of an Alfa-loving, motorbike-mad family (“I am more or less Italian. It’s a long story”) and how the focus of his car love changed completely after an encounter with a black Peugeot 205 GTi just as he was lining… Continue reading How Peugeot boss Jean-Philippe Imparato saved the firm
Bugatti Veyron designer moves from BMW to Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce has appointed ex-BMW and Skoda designer Jozef Kabaň as its new head of design, following the departure of Giles Taylor to Chinese firm Hongqi last year. Slovakian Kabaň has a long history in vehicle design, having become one of the Volkswagen Group’s youngest designers aged 20. In 1997, he was awarded a Master of Arts… Continue reading Bugatti Veyron designer moves from BMW to Rolls-Royce