The DS 4 has been given a heavy update, bringing in a fresh look, a new name and the option of an electric powertrain for the first time. The C-segment hatchback has been the French brand’s best-seller in the UK since its 2021 launch, albeit with just 2300 sales. While it has done much better in Europe,… Continue reading DS No4: new name, fresh face, option of electric power
Author: Autocar Magazine UK
Polestar 5: ‘extreme-fast charging’ GT to star at Munich motor show
“It’s an extremely low car [for an electric car],” said Allen. “Not as low as an internal- combustion-engine car but close, and they don’t have batteries underneath. That has been a particular challenge.” Much of the engineering work on the 5 is being done with future Polestar products in mind. There’s “a lot of scalability”… Continue reading Polestar 5: ‘extreme-fast charging’ GT to star at Munich motor show
Cloth seats and steel wheels cut Peugeot 208’s price to £20k
Peugeot has launched a new version of the 208 that cuts the supermini’s starting price from £24,645 to £19,995. Named the 208 Style, it’s available only with a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that sends 99bhp to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. It’s visually distinguished from its more expensive siblings by a colour-contrasting black grille and steel… Continue reading Cloth seats and steel wheels cut Peugeot 208’s price to £20k
Volvo ’empowers’ China and US divisions in push for localisation
Volvo is moving to a more regionalised business model that will help it better adapt to differing market demands and legislation in Europe, the US and China. Under the stewardship of recently re-appointed CEO Håkan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars will devolve more power to its American and Chinese divisions while “more directly” steering its European operations… Continue reading Volvo ’empowers’ China and US divisions in push for localisation
Volvo CEO: long-range PHEVs could come to Europe
Volvo CEO Håkan Samuelsson believes extended-range plug-in hybrids could play an important role in Europe’s electrification transition, strengthening the possibility of the new XC70 being sold here. The XC70 was previewed last week as a mid-sized PHEV SUV to sit in between the XC60 and XC90, with a claimed electric range of 124 miles – far more… Continue reading Volvo CEO: long-range PHEVs could come to Europe
Freelander due UK return as electrified 4×4 with JLR design
Electric power will also feature heavily thanks to the set-up’s 34kWh battery. In the Omoda 9, this gives a claimed electric range of 93 miles, something the Freelander could even exceed, given its more slippery shape. After the plug-in hybrid, REx and fully electric powertrains will arrive. RExs are the latest spin on hybrid cars, whereby… Continue reading Freelander due UK return as electrified 4×4 with JLR design
Track nights, drifting and lots of screenwash: 2000 miles in an MX-5
Winter is doing the car a huge favour so far. It ’s constantly caked in mud, which hides the paint well. I love filthy cars and will fill these pages in the coming months with the dirtiest MX-5 you may ever see. Other notes? This car is small. Really small. Shorter than the Mk1 MX-5… Continue reading Track nights, drifting and lots of screenwash: 2000 miles in an MX-5
My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep.140)
This week Steve Cropley and Matt Prior return to the store cupboard as they discuss why liberal Americans like Subarus much more than conservatives do, Cropley tells Prior about the brilliance of the Lotus 49, and the pair discuss two vans with seats – the Volkswagen ID Buzz and Vauxhall Combo Life. There’s more, too, including… Continue reading My Week In Cars: New Steve Cropley/Matt Prior podcast (ep.140)
Volkswagen EVs to get new platform, cheaper batteries from 2026
Volkswagen will start moving all of its electric cars onto an updated platform from next year, ushering in a new type of battery chemistry that promises to reduce costs. The Volkswagen ID 2 supermini, due in 2026, will be the first model to use a lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery that will be cheaper than the nickel-manganese-cobalt… Continue reading Volkswagen EVs to get new platform, cheaper batteries from 2026
New VW T-Roc due in August with Prius-style hybrid system
Volkswagen will reveal the second generation of its hugely popular T-Roc in August, which will be the first model to use a new full-hybrid powertrain also bound for the Golf and Tiguan. The next T-Roc, destined to be Volkswagen‘s final all-new model with a combustion powertrain, will be offered with a hybrid powertrain that works similarly… Continue reading New VW T-Roc due in August with Prius-style hybrid system