Lotus restarts factory tours following £100 million upgrade

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March 28, 2022

The historic Lotus Hethel production facility in Norfolk will reopen for public tours next month.

Factory visits were suspended by Lotus in November 2017, but start again from Monday 4 April.

It follows a £100 million investment at the Hethel site, including a state-of-art factory to build the new Lotus Emira sports car.

A glimpse of Lotus history

Simon Lane, director of Lotus Advanced Performance, said: “Tours of the Hethel site were part of the Lotus story for many years and hugely popular. We get emails and calls every week with people asking about them but, with all the development work on site, it was not appropriate to have the public here. With the Emira now in production, I’m delighted to announce that the time is right to relaunch the factory tours.”

The Emira will be the final petrol-powered sports car to be made by Lotus, before the company embarks on a fully electric future.

Before seeing where the latest model is being made, visitors will be guided through the older sections of the Hethel factory.

A chance to see the famous Hethel test track, used in the development of countless Lotus vehicles, is also included.

Visits to Classic Team Lotus

Tours will be offered from Monday to Thursday each week, with each visit lasting around two hours. Groups will be limited to eight guests, and Lotus notes that no photography is allowed within the factory.

On selected days, enthusiasts can upgrade to an optional Heritage Tour. This includes a visit to Classic Team Lotus, which looks after numerous historic Lotus racing cars.

Tickets for the Lotus Factory Tour are £95 per person, with the combined Factory Tour and Heritage Tour at £140 per person. Each guest will receive a specially designed lanyard and pin badge as a memento.

Bookings can be made now through the Lotus Cars website.

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Extreme Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series is most powerful AMG ever

By

John Redfern

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March 24, 2022

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Mercedes-AMG has revealed its most powerful sports car ever as a birthday present to itself.

The AMG GT Track Series pays a 778hp tribute to AMG founders Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher.

Marking the 55th anniversary of AMG, only 55 examples of the track-only machine will be produced.

Anniversary extravaganza

Similar to the road-going AMG GT Black Series, the new Track Series model includes technology taken from GT3 and GT4 race cars.

It means extensive use of carbon fibre bodywork, along with a dramatic adjustable rear wing and bespoke high-downforce front splitter.

A carbon fibre bonnet includes vents to extract hot air from the engine bay, and generate downforce. At the rear, a double diffuser continues the motorsport connection.

More power for the people

Powering the Track Series is a handbuilt 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. With a race car-derived remap and special fuel injectors, output peaks at 778hp and 627lb ft. Transmitting power to the rear wheels is a Hewland six-speed sequential gearbox.

Adjustable four-way Bilstein suspension dampers allow drivers to tune their perfect track setup.

Motorsport-orientated traction control and ABS brake systems are standard, and offer multiple levels of adjustment.

Exploring track limits

Inside, a carbon fibre driver safety cell fits inside a steel roll cage. There’s even an escape hatch in the roof, just like the AMG GT race car.

The steering wheel has been designed by sim racing experts at Cube Controls, and sits in front of a programmable dashboard.

Owners will get access to exclusive track days, including bespoke training and individual engineer support.

Customers can expect to receive their cars in the second quarter of 2022. Prices for the AMG GT Track Series start at €390,000 (£325,000) before VAT.

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Mercedes-AMG reveals four skateboard-inspired art cars

By

John Redfern

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March 23, 2022

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Mercedes-AMG and British skateboard manufacturer Palace have collaborated on four eye-catching art cars.

The special cars are inspired by major cities around the globe, with bold paint schemes and equally in-your-face interiors.

It marks the second project completed by the two companies, following a motorsport-themed display in 2021.

Metropolis-inspired motoring

The four cars chosen for this latest art car project bring serious horsepower to the party.

Los Angeles is represented by the Mercedes‑AMG SL 63 roadster, with paintwork that fades from yellow to deep red. This is said to capture the idea of a perpetual Californian summer.

A Mercedes‑AMG A 45 S hot hatchback has been inspired by the streets of London, with a large tiger head logo on the bonnet. The vibrant colour scheme inside and out pays homage to the UK’s custom car scene from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Neon yellow and black feature on the Mercedes‑AMG GT 63. The contrasting colours are intended to invoke images of the two sides of the Hudson River in New York City.

Finally, the Mercedes‑AMG G 63 pays tribute to Tokyo. The image of a horse galloping through space comes from Japan’s love of fantasy culture.

Fast fashion collective

The four cars are being used to promote a new fashion collection from Palace Skateboards.

Trousers, hoodies, jackets, T‑shirts, gilets and hats will all form part of the new range. Fans will be able to purchase the new collection from Palace’s four flagship stores, or online.

Combining bold colours and large AMG logos, Palace’s fashion offering will be on sale from Friday 25 March.

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New Maserati Grecale: first official photos of V6, hybrid and electric SUV

By

John Redfern

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March 22, 2022

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Maserati has pulled the wraps off its new Grecale compact SUV.

Named after a north-easterly Mediterranean wind, Maserati says its Porsche Macan rival is the ‘everyday exceptional’ SUV, offering a combination of luxury, performance and interior space.

Along with petrol and hybrid drivetrains, the Grecale will also become Maserati’s first electric car.

An electrified future

The Grecale EV will wear a ‘Folgore’ badge (‘Lightning’ in English). Due for launch in early 2023, it will be powered by a large 105kWh battery and offer up to 590lb ft of instant electric torque.

Until then, Maserati will offer a selection of four-cylinder hybrid drivetrains, plus a twin-turbocharged V6. The latter is reserved for the flagship Trofeo, which musters 530hp, for 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds.

Hybrid models come in 300hp GT or 330hp Modena specifications. All versions of the Grecale have four-wheel drive.

Analogue to digital

Maserati took inspiration from its MC20 supercar when designing the Grecale, notably the concave front grille and curvaceous front wings. Boomerang-shaped taillights are a nod to the Giugiaro-designed 3200 GT coupe.

Inside, the Grecale comes with four digital screens. Along with the instrument panel and dual multimedia touchscreens, even the classic Maserati clock has gone digital.

Upmarket interior options include carbon fibre trim and perforated leather. A premium Sonus Faber 3D audio system delivers up to 1,000W of output.

Made in Italy

UK prices have not been confirmed, but a starting point of around £50,000 looks likely. The Grecale will sit below the larger Levante SUV in Maserati’s range.

Production begins in the second half of 2022 at the Stellantis Cassino Plant, located in Piedimonte San Germano, Italy.

The factory already builds the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio models, both of which share a common platform with the Grecale.

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Pothole damage cost UK drivers £1.7 billion last year

By

John Redfern

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March 22, 2022

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Damage from potholes on UK roads cost drivers around £1.7 billion during the past year.

It marks a 35 percent increase on the £1.2 billion spent in the previous year, and is £500 million more than seen pre-pandemic.

According to Kwik Fit, which compiled the data, it represents the largest amount seen since the company began tracking pothole costs.

Millions of drivers affected

Kwik Fit found that 59 percent of UK drivers had hit at least one pothole a week during the previous year. This was up from 46 percent reported the year previously.

Of those surveyed, 46 percent said road surfaces in their local area had become worse during the last 12 months. Only 16 percent said conditions had improved, with Londoners most likely to say their roads were now better.

Some 13.3 million drivers said their car had suffered pothole damage during the last year. The average individual repair bill came to £132.

Half of all pothole damage suffered was to tyres, followed by wheels (29 percent) and suspension (also 29 percent). One in 10 suffered damage to engine components.

‘Papering over the cracks’

Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit, said: “The total cost of potholes to the nation’s drivers is rising due to a combination of factors – worsening road surfaces, the impact of inflation on individual repair costs and car use getting back to near pre-pandemic levels.

“We all know there are huge demands on public finances at the moment, but the reality is that drivers have been consistently calling for a strategic plan to effectively bring our roads up to scratch for many years. It is not sufficient to just carry out emergency patching of the worst areas – this is always going to be a case of papering over the cracks.”

Kwik Fit encourages drivers to report potholes to their local authority, where it can add to the existing £12 billion backlog of road repair work.

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How a car accident could mean the loss of your personal plate

By

John Redfern

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March 21, 2022

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A personalised number plate could be lost, should your car be written off in an accident.

If classed as a write-off, both the car and personalised plate become the property of the insurance company.

However, a recent survey of car insurance policies found only six percent include cover for personalised plates.

Limited options for personal plate cover

Insurance comparison website GoCompare carried out the analysis of 333 different policies.

Just 19 specifically covered the loss of a personalised number plate when a vehicle is written off. One provider included £1,500 of cover for number plates, with most others covering for £5,000 or more.

In the result of a write-off accident, ownership of a personalised number plate transfers with the car to the insurance company. This means the insurance company can pass the personal plate onto a new owner, or see it scrapped with the car.

The most important advice is to act quickly should your car be deemed a write-off following an accident.

How can I keep my personal number plate?

GoCompare car insurance expert, Ryan Fulthorpe, said: “If your car is written off, you have to arrange for the number to be transferred to another vehicle or retained on a certificate in sufficient time before your claim is settled.”

Drivers also need to let their insurance company know they want to keep the number plate. As Fulthorpe notes: “The insurer will then write a letter of non-interest and send it to the DVLA. As the registered keeper, you will have to pay a retention fee to keep the plate if you don’t have another vehicle to transfer it to.”

To retain a personalised number plate, drivers need to ensure the vehicle has not yet been sold or scrapped by their insurer. The car needs to be available for inspection, and drivers need to follow the DVLA process to place a number plate onto retention.

The process for retaining a number plate on a stolen vehicle is slightly different, explains Fulthorpe. “In the event your car and personalised plate are stolen (and not recovered), you will have to wait six months to get the number plate back and you have to report it stolen to the DVLA. You then have two years and six months to claim it. To reclaim the personalised plate, you also have to prove that the car had a valid MOT and tax at the time of the theft.”

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Revealed: limited edition Aston Martin V12 Vantage is a ‘spectacular finale’

Bentley Mulliner creates one-off Bentayga ‘inspired by outer space’

By

John Redfern

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March 19, 2022

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A unique example of the Bentayga SUV, inspired by outer space, has been ‘launched’ by Bentley.

Personally commissioned by a Bentley customer, the company’s Mulliner department has used bespoke finishes and components throughout the car.

It comes as Bentley has seen demand for personalised vehicles double in the first quarter of 2022.

Heading for orbit

The exterior of the Bentayga Speed has been painted in Cypress, described as being a ‘dark metallic grey with subtle green undertones’. This hue was originally seen on the first-generation Continental GT, released in 2003. Orange Flame detailing is used for a dramatic contrast.

Combined with a gloss carbon fibre styling package, Bentley says inspiration came from ‘comet dust trails racing across the night sky’.

Blackline specification removes any exterior chromework, with black alloy wheels the finishing touch for the outside of the Bentayga.

Faster than a shooting star?

Mulliner has trimmed the Bentayga’s interior with acres of dark upholstery. This is intended to give a ‘dark, night-sky-esque backdrop’ for the colour highlights.

More Orange Flame trim is used, most obviously on the steering wheel and gear lever. Additional tangerine trim can be found surrounding the Galaxy Stone dashboard facias, and as piping on the seats.

Unique black speaker grilles for the Naim audio system include badges that illuminate like stars. Light-up door sill plates depict planets orbiting in a solar system.

No upgrades were made to the Bentayga Speed’s 626hp twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine – and perhaps rightly so.

Demand for personalisation blasts off

Joseph Wierda from Bentley Orlando, where the Bentaya was ordered, said: “The Space Coast in central Florida has long been established as the world’s gateway to explore the universe above, so space travel and exploration were the perfect themes to inspire this unique car. Just as space is limitless, the opportunities for customisation with the Mulliner design team were only limited by our collective imagination.”

Increased demand for personalised Bentley models has seen the Mulliner Design Team complete 100 requests in 2022 alone.

Since being established in 2015, the team has helped create more than 1,000 customised Bentleys.

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Prodrive Hunter is the world’s first all-terrain hypercar

By

John Redfern

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March 17, 2022

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Banbury-based motorsport engineering company Prodrive has revealed what it says is the world’s first all-terrain hypercar.

Developed from the off-roader used by Prodrive in the World Rally-Raid Championship, the Hunter is ready for sand dunes and mountains.

As Prodrive chairman Dave Richards explains: “There are numerous hypercars on the market, however they all need good roads or even race tracks to show their performance.”

The Hunter is aimed at exploring away from regular roads, but doing so with serious speed.

More power than Loeb’s company car

The competition version of the Hunter is currently driven by nine-time World Rally Championship winner, Sébastien Loeb. However, those who buy a Hunter will actually enjoy more horsepower than the French rally star.

Not having to comply with motorsport regulations frees up more performance from the 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine. Peak power is in excess of 600hp, with torque an equally impressive 513lb ft.

Instead of the race model’s sequential gearbox, a six-speed paddle shift will be fitted to the Hunter. Prodrive estimates a 0-62mph time of less than four seconds, with a top speed close to 185mph.

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads!

Double wishbone suspension with twin adjustable dampers offers a considerable 400mm of travel. Six-pot racing brake calipers and vented discs are standard.

The Hunter uses the same steel spaceframe chassis as the Rally-Raid machine, along with an FIA-specification roll cage. However, some comforts have been added for the ‘civilian’ model.

Ian Callum, who designed the original race car, has updated the interior for increased usability. This includes a new centre console, although carbon fibre race seats and harnesses are still retained.

Hypercar performance and pricing

Prodrive’s target market is clear, with Dave Richards noting: “The first development vehicle is currently touring the Middle East where customers are being offered the opportunity of driving the Hunter and confirming their personal specification for production vehicles, to be delivered later this year.”

Given the extreme performance available, the Hunter comes with a suitably extreme price tag.

Buyers will need to find £1.25 million plus local taxes to drive the ultimate off-roader.

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Revealed: limited edition Aston Martin V12 Vantage is a ‘spectacular finale’

By

John Redfern

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March 16, 2022

0

Aston Martin has unveiled what it calls a ‘spectacular finale’ in the new V12 Vantage.

Some fifteen years after the original Vantage RS concept was announced, Aston is calling time on its V12-engined supercar.

However, the British marque has ensured the V12 Vantage goes out with a bang, with more power and performance than ever before.

12 cylinders and 690hp

The 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12, as seen in the larger DB11, endows the Vantage with 690hp and peak torque of 555lb ft. The quoted 0-60mph time is just 3.4 seconds.

An eight-speed paddle-shift auto transmission is geared to allow the Vantage to hit 200mph. A limited-slip differential will help harness all the power sent to the rear wheels.

Carbon fibre has been used extensively for the 40mm wider bodywork, including a huge rear wing that generates 204kg of downforce at maximum speed.

A new exhaust system adds some extra decibels and saves 7.2kg in weight, with carbon ceramic brakes also standard-fit.

Wider, lighter, faster, stronger

Overall, the V12 model has a power-to-weight ratio 20 percent better than the regular V8 Vantage.

Aston Martin has also tuned the Vantage’s adaptive suspension system, fitted extra bracing for greater body stiffness and recalibrated the steering. Buyers can pick lightweight alloy wheels to save a further 8kg over the standard 21-inch rims.

Carbon fibre sports seats are an option for the two-seat interior, helping shave a further 7.3kg from the kerb weight.

Numerous exterior finishes, including exposed carbon fibre, can be specified, with endless options for interior customisation via Aston’s bespoke Q service.

Building cars, selling dreams

The final edition of the V12 Vantage will be limited to 333 cars across the globe. However, unprecedented demand means the special model is already sold out.

Production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2022, with customers receiving their completed cars in the summer.

Marco Mattiacci, chief brand and commercial officer at Aston Martin, said: “At Aston Martin we build cars, but we sell dreams. That is the magic of this brand. Only a select number of customers around the world can buy the V12 Vantage, yet like all our iconic models, its significance extends far beyond its exclusivity.

“What’s more, such is the level of bespoke personalisation available via Q by Aston Martin, even a car as rare as the V12 Vantage can be made to a specification completely unique to its owner”.

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World Car Awards 2022 ‘Top Three’ finalists revealed

By

Richard Aucock

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March 16, 2022

0

The 2022 World Car of the Year will again be a pure electric vehicle as the top three finalists for the prized gong are revealed.

The Ford Mustang Mach-e, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 have come out on top of a 10-car group of finalists and will now battle for the top prize to be presented in New York next month.

The winner will follow on from the 2021 victor, the Volkswagen ID.4 – continuing the reign of EVs in the World Car of the Year category.

Another electric car, the Jaguar I-Pace, scooped the top prize in 2019.

The 2022 winner will be announced at this year’s New York International Auto Show on Wednesday 13 April.

2022 World Car Awards finalists

Finalists for the 2022 awards in five other categories have been announced too.

For the World Electric Vehicle of the Year, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 goes up against the Audi e-tron GT and Mercedes-Benz EQS.

The Audi is also a finalist for World Performance Car, along with the BMW M3 and M4, and Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ.

In the World Urban Car category, the Vauxhall Opel Mokka (and pure electric Mokka-e) take on the hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross and affordable Volkswagen Taigun.

At the other end of the spectrum, World Luxury Car is between the BMW iX, Genesis GV70 and Mercedes-Benz EQS.

The World Car Design of the Year will be decided between the Audi e-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

A jury of 102 automotive writers from 33 countries – including Motoring Research’s Richard Aucock – have conducted endless test drives and several rounds of voting to determine the 2022 World Car Finals.

KPMG tabulates the results and all ballots remain secret until the day of the presentation.

It is the 17th time the World Car Awards have been presented at the New York Auto Show.

“We are proud to be part of the most important automotive awards program on the planet,” said New York Auto Show president, Mark Schienberg.

“We are looking forward to coming back this spring and announcing the winners live at the Auto Show in April.”

World Car Finals 2022

2022 World Car of the Year finalists

Ford Mustang Mach-E
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6

2022 World Electric Vehicle of the Year finalists

Audi e-tron GT
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Mercedes-Benz EQS

2022 World Urban Car finalists

Vauxhall Opel Mokka
Toyota Yaris Cross
Volkswagen Taigun

2022 World Luxury Car finalists

BMW iX
Genesis GV70
Mercedes-Benz EQS

2022 World Performance Car finalists

Audi e-tron GT
BMW M3 / M4
Toyota GR86 / Subaru BRZ

2022 World Car Design of the Year finalists

Audi e-tron GT
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6

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