Exclusive sports car maker McLaren has turned the corner. A huge multi-million pound investment, new management with encouragement for a brand which has uncompromisingly delivered drivers' cars, has now enabled, embraced and enriched the latest hybrid powertrain technology. But, of course, being McLaren it always does things a differently, distinctively - the McLaren way - and the new Artura … [Read more...]
First Drives
Weekend roadtest: GWM Funky Cat 1st Edition
The UK’s electric car revolution is becoming a bloody affair. From initially resisting the new technology on cost grounds including writing off established investments in petrol and diesel engine technology and having to develop hybrid or pure electric powertrains, along with making tens of thousands of workers redundant, manufacturers have struggled to convince buyers into showrooms or on-line … [Read more...]
New chapter opens for Genesis
When I test drove a number of Genesis ‘luxury’ vehicles late last year and in the spring of 2022, the firm was new to the U.K. and at that stage all their cars were petrol or diesel powered as the Genesis name and brand were introduced to British motorists. I was very impressed by the way in which all these models drove and performed, the careful attention paid to clever details and the inherent … [Read more...]
First drive: Suzuki S Cross Full Hybrid
Suzuki has passed another milestone on its road to future mobility with the arrival in UK showrooms of the latest Full Hybrid S Cross SUV. Using the same powertrain from its Vitara stablemate, the S Cross Full Hybrid is a logical development of the mild-hybrid S Cross introduced at the end of 2021. That has been a runaway success for Suzuki despite constraints imposed by this year’s … [Read more...]
First drive special: New generation EVs are charging into showrooms
A whole new cell of cars is being created for our electric future and some of them were lined up at the annual SMMT driving day for motoring writers last week. We have seen hybrid adaptations of some familiar models and they have been joined by pure electric derivatives but these are about to be replaced by a completely new generation from the world’s car-makers. After Tesla broke new ground … [Read more...]
Testing times for industry and writers
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders recently held its annual regional Test Days in the north and south of the country which are always much-liked and useful events on the calendar of many motoring scribes. An annual event that provides new cars galore on offer for motoring writers to road test in the same locality on the same day, always seems a very good idea to me. It also gives the … [Read more...]
First drive: Mazda CX-60 SUV
The new Mazda CX-60 now going on sale is the most powerful model ever from the company. The range-topping SUV is Mazda's first plug-in hybrid and it combines their acclaimed Skyactiv-G 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100 kW electric motor and a 17.8 kWh high-capacity battery. Together these produce 327ps and use an eight-speed automatic transmission to put down power to all four … [Read more...]
First drive: Honda Civic e:HEV Sport
If you’ve ever spent a night sleeping in your car it can be a very disconcerting place to wake up, but that was one of the tests engineers set themselves creating the new Honda Civic e:HEV. Sleeping on the job took on a whole new purpose for them to evaluate the interior and the view out of it after a night’s kip in the car. What is seen when opening the eyes, how relaxing it is and what does … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: BMW 220d M Sport Coupe
To those of a certain age there was only one sporting car, a rear-wheel-drive coupe, and this simple formula mix are the ingredients in the BMW 220d M Sport we have just tested. Front-wheel-drive hot-hatches largely replaced the iconic ideal must-have for enthusiasts but they never replaced the balanced handling and driving satisfaction of a RWD coupe. BMW itself has built some memorable FWD … [Read more...]
First drive: Kia Sportage PHEV
Kia has sharpened its attack on the business sector and introduced a Plug In Hybrid Electrified addition to its Sportage family-friendly range launched just a few months ago. Some models will qualify for a very low 8% for the currnt tax year and lower than most rivals which come with a 12% penalty and total cost of ownership will be lower than other Sportage electrified models. The introduction … [Read more...]
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