Author: Autocar Magazine UK

We drive Toyota’s overhauled Tesla Model Y fighter

Some paddles have sprouted from the steering wheel to control the regenerative braking. There’s a free-wheeling mode but true one-pedal and adaptive modes remain absent. The by-wire brake pedal is nicely progressive. I was slightly surprised that Toyota tinkered with the dynamics, because I always thought the bZ4X drove quite nicely, albeit in a slightly… Continue reading We drive Toyota’s overhauled Tesla Model Y fighter

Official pics: Electric Mercedes GLC ramps up for September debut

Efficiency is further boosted by a new heat pump, which is not only significantly more effective than the system in use today but also far more compact. This has allowed Mercedes to integrate a 100-litre frunk in addition to a 560-litre rear boot, providing the GLC EV with even greater luggage space than the ICE GLC on… Continue reading Official pics: Electric Mercedes GLC ramps up for September debut

Toyota bZ4X

Whether it’s the Toyota Corolla, RAV4 or C-HR, there is a certain consistency with Toyota interiors, so you know what to expect: not the last word in material richness and a slightly more disjointed design than German manufacturers tend to deliver, but you can count on form-follows-function ergonomics and impeccable build quality. It’s surprising, then,… Continue reading Toyota bZ4X

Is this the most confusing car brand of all time?

What is the most confusing car brand of all time? It’s an intriguing question – and we reckon the answer might well be Talbot. The story started all the way back in 1888, when Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, the 20th Earl of Shrewsbury, founded a London taxi firm with the competitive advantage of using newfangled pneumatic tyres. Eight years… Continue reading Is this the most confusing car brand of all time?

Is this the most confusing car brand of all time?

What is the most confusing car brand of all time? It’s an intriguing question – and we reckon the answer might well be Talbot. The story started all the way back in 1888, when Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, the 20th Earl of Shrewsbury, founded a London taxi firm with the competitive advantage of using newfangled pneumatic tyres. Eight years… Continue reading Is this the most confusing car brand of all time?

Hydrogen car roll-out in UK stalled as just three pumps in operation

The lack of a hydrogen fuelling infrastructure in the UK remains a big stumbling block for the roll-out of hydrogen cars and could lead BMW not to offer its new FCEV here. Right now the UK has just three hydrogen filling stations for cars and only three more in the pipeline, according to data from UK H2 Mobility. … Continue reading Hydrogen car roll-out in UK stalled as just three pumps in operation

Aston Martin Valkyrie LM revealed as Le Mans racer you can buy

Aston Martin has launched the Valkyrie LM as a screaming V12-engined, Le Mans-spec track toy that could be the world’s ultimate automotive plaything.   Unlike the Valkyrie AMR Pro, a track-only version of the Valkyrie road car, the Valkyrie LM is based on Aston’s LMH hypercar that will race at La Sarthe this weekend. That means it draws 697bhp… Continue reading Aston Martin Valkyrie LM revealed as Le Mans racer you can buy

Don’t look back in anger: The wild world of car mags in the 1990s

The answer can be traced to something that became common in media circles at the time, namely ‘lifestyle’. There had been hints of it in car magazines for years, not least through Performance Car columnist Clarkson, who had pioneered a blokey tone that was more akin to the emerging lad culture of Loaded, FHM et… Continue reading Don’t look back in anger: The wild world of car mags in the 1990s

The real ‘Legacy’ of Woodstock: How Subaru cracked liberal America

“It’s a tie-dye sort of place,” says the woman behind the counter of a petrol station cafe in upstate New York when I ask her what Woodstock is like, because it’s nearby and my road trip has no definitive destination. I’d thought it was just a quaint town near the Catskill Mountains, but when she explains,… Continue reading The real ‘Legacy’ of Woodstock: How Subaru cracked liberal America