I’m utterly fascinated by history. The intrigue of times past has had me in a chokehold since, well, ever since I can remember. When Autocar decided to digitise its then 125-year archive in 2020, I naturally flung myself into the project. It was more trouble than we ever imagined, but now we have an invaluable… Continue reading I learned my town’s secret motoring past – and you can too
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
New MG 4 Urban brings 147bhp and 201-mile range for £23,495
The MG 4 EV Urban has joined the brand’s UK line-up as a more affordable alternative to the MG 4 EV, priced from £23,495. Although the two electric hatchbacks share a name, they have significant differences in their design and technical make-up. Whereas the existing 4 is rear-wheel-drive, the Urban is front-driven, and its styling is… Continue reading New MG 4 Urban brings 147bhp and 201-mile range for £23,495
Nissan enters the robotaxi wars
With the prospect of autonomous cars for all looming eventually (please form an orderly queue), it’s easy to forget that robot taxis are already on the streets in various locations and have been for a while. Nissan recently announced the launch of an ‘autonomous mobility service pilot programme’, which ends 30 January. The trial will use… Continue reading Nissan enters the robotaxi wars
Porsche names McLaren designer as replacement for Mauer
Porsche has confirmed a major changing of the guard at the top of its design ranks, with Tobias Sühlmann appointed as the new head of design from 1 February. The 46-year-old succeeds Michael Mauer, who is stepping down after more than 21 years in the role – a period that spanned the introduction of the Macan,… Continue reading Porsche names McLaren designer as replacement for Mauer
Entry-level Ford Capri and Explorer get range boost, more power
The entry-level versions of the Ford Capri and Ford Explorer EVs have been updated with new batteries, promising extra range and greater performance. The Standard Range battery has switched from the nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) to lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry. This has boosted the official range of the Capri Standard Range by 45 miles, from 243 to 288, and the… Continue reading Entry-level Ford Capri and Explorer get range boost, more power
BMW i4
The i4 M60 xDrive is seriously fast, but – by the top-level standards of the modern performance EV, at least – not absurdly so. We happened to test it in comparable conditions, and at an almost identical time of year, as the i4 M50 we appraised in 2022. Back then, the i4 M50 (20in wheels, Pirelli P Zeros,… Continue reading BMW i4
Ineos Grenadier
There’s a sense of occasion when you clamber up into the Grenadier’s surprisingly supportive, heated Recaro seats. For one thing, the driving position is magnificently high. In original Defender fashion, your eyeline almost skims the top of the side windows (although, unlike in an old Defender, the sill itself fully invites a resting elbow). On… Continue reading Ineos Grenadier
Electric Mini Countryman gets range boost to 311 miles
The range of the Mini Countryman E has been boosted from 286 miles to 311 miles in a bid to keep pace with longer-legged EV rivals. Key to the improvement is a new silicon-carbide inverter. This reduces how much energy is lost in converting DC from the car’s battery to AC used by its motors and systems,… Continue reading Electric Mini Countryman gets range boost to 311 miles
Volvo considers large hybrid SUV flagship to rival X7 and GLS
Volvo is plotting a flagship three-row hybrid SUV to sit above the XC90 to cater to rising demand for ‘F-segment’ models in the US and China. At just over five metres long, the XC90 is already one of the largest hybrid SUVs on sale in Europe, but Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson has confirmed that “bigger SUVs are… Continue reading Volvo considers large hybrid SUV flagship to rival X7 and GLS
Mercedes-AMG readies ‘extreme’ V8-powered CLE
Mercedes-AMG is preparing to launch a hardcore, 600bhp-plus V8-powered CLE Coupé. The new high-performance CLE is the second model in AMG’s exclusive Mythos series, following the open-top SL 63-based PureSpeed that was launched in 2024. It’s currently undergoing winter testing in prototype form in Sweden and is planned to go into limited production later this… Continue reading Mercedes-AMG readies ‘extreme’ V8-powered CLE