Morgan has finished building the first example of the most powerful car in its history.
Based upon the discontinued Morgan Plus 8, the limited-edition GTR boasts high performance and racing technology,
Morgan’s motorsport heritage has played an important part in influencing the design of the Plus 8 GTR, too.
Into the deep blue yonder
During the 1990s, Morgan campaigned a Plus 8 race car, affectionately known as ‘Big Blue’. That car inspired the creation of the GTR, with the first example painted in Yas Marina Blue.
The use of a BMW paint colour is fitting, given the Plus 8 GTR features a BMW-sourced 4.8-litre V8 beneath its long bonnet.
This engine has been tuned, and fitted with a ‘cannon-style’ twin-exit exhaust system to extract more performance.
A peak output of 375hp helps the Plus 8 GTR secure the title of Morgan’s most powerful production car ever.
Classic style, modern performance
Production of the Plus 8 GTR was made possible by the availability of rolling chassis from a discontinued external project. All cars will be built from unused and recommissioned chassis and powertrains.
Each of the nine cars will be crafted by hand, with their owners able to work closely with Morgan’s design team. It means each Plus 8 GTR will be tailored to their specific taste, including the option of an automatic or manual gearbox.
All cars feature bespoke bodywork, including a new rear end and resculpted wheelarches. These are made from aluminum, as are the front wings and deep front splitter.
The use of five-spoke centre-lock alloy wheels is also a deliberate nod to Morgan’s racing history.
Race-ready on the inside
The interior is less about wood and leather, and much more about carbon fibre. The hard-top roof features a vent to channel air into the cabin, just like a racing car. Buyers can specify lightweight carbon fibre bucket seats, too.
Special Plus 8 GTR dials will be fitted, along with a plaque denoting the number of each car in the build sequence.
Morgan says the remaining eight cars have all commenced production, despite the project only being announced in February 2021. Several cars are due for completion before the end of this year, with the rest to be finished in the first quarter of 2022.
Owners of new Fiat Ducato and E-Ducato vans will receive a text message if their vehicle is stolen.
Offered as part of the Fiat Professional My Uconnect app, the Theft Assistance feature can detect a potential break-in.
The app also alerts the owner if the van is towed without authorisation, or if the battery is disconnected.
It comes as recent Office for National Statistics figures reveal that more than 92,000 vehicles were stolen in the UK last year. Vans accounted for seven of the top 10 stolen vehicles.
Find My Fiat Ducato
Fiat Professional’s Theft Assistance function will send a text message to the owner, and can also send an email alert. App notifications, or receiving a phone call, can also warn owners of a theft.
Once alerted, a Fiat My Assistance operator will locate the GPS coordinates for the van. This works similarly to the ‘find my phone’ function on modern smartphones, allowing owners to track their van.
Fiat says its latest technology also allows the police to track a stolen van.
When the van stops moving, the engine will automatically be immobilised and the ignition disabled.
Peace of mind for professionals
Richard Chamberlain, managing director of Fiat Professional said: “Knowing a vehicle is stolen roughly every 10 minutes in England and Wales is a cause for concern and an experience that owners will be looking to avoid at all costs.
“This innovative theft assistance technology will undoubtedly give both current and future owners of the Ducato and E-Ducato peace of mind that their van and possessions are in the safest possible hands.”
Theft Assistance is offered as part of the free My Uconnect app, available across the range of Fiat Professional vans. Numerous services can be accessed via an Apple or Android smartphone, or through the van’s own Uconnect multimedia screen.
Crash assistance, roadside assistance and navigation functions are included, too. Owners of the electric E-Ducato can also get support with finding charging devices.
Jenson Button has pushed the new Radford 62-2 to its limits, in the company of a classic Lotus 72. The former F1 world champion drove the sports car on-track, joined by Emerson Fittipaldi’s 1970 racer.
The 62-2 is the first car from reborn British coachbuilder Radford, most famous for the customised Mini de Ville – popular with celebrities in the 1960s.
Radford also built the original Ford GT40 prototype and a shooting brake (estate) version of the ‘James Bond’ Aston Martin DB5.
Black and gold
Today, the Radford name has been resurrected by Button, along with business partners Ant Anstead (of Wheeler Dealers fame), Mark Stubbs and Roger Behle. The mid-engined 62-2 is based on the Lotus Exige, but collaborations with other car brands are already underway.
In John Player Special guise, the 62-2 sports the same black and gold livery as the 72. Power comes from a 600hp supercharged 3.5-litre V6, which drives the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox.
With carbon fibre bodywork and an aluminium chassis, the car weighs less than 1,000kg without fluids.
On the Button
Driving the Radford at Hethel, Lotus’s home test-track in Norfolk, Button achieved 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and 0-124mph in 8.4 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 186mph.
“To finally drive the type 62-2 for the first time was obviously a very special moment, the cockpit already feels like home,” said Button.
“The car felt great, well balanced in high and low-speed corners and it ran faultlessly all day, which is the perfect base for the months of setup tweaking that will follow for me. We want to ensure this car is a pure driver’s car that pays due respect to the DNA of Lotus, but also delivers the luxury of a Radford.”
Simplify, then add lightness
Clive Chapman, son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman, also joined the test session. He said: “Seeing this modern Radford Lotus Type 62-2 in action on the Hethel track today has been really very special.
“The way it has taken the spirit and legacy of the original Type 62, combined it with the iconic JPS livery, and revived it for the modern day sports car enthusiast is an admirable achievement.”
Only 62 examples of the new Radford will be made (12 of the top-spec JPS) and owners are invited to a one-day track event, with driving tuition from Jenson Button himself. First deliveries are due in summer 2022.
The Renault Zoeelectric car has been awarded a zero-star crash-test score by safety organisation Euro NCAP.
It is only the third car in Euro NCAP history to be given a zero-star rating, a dubious honour also held by the Fiat Panda and Fiat Punto.
The poor-performing Zoe scored particularly badly in the side pole test, an assessment that Euro NCAP describes as severe – but one that replicates real-world collisions into trees or telegraph poles.
In the Zoe test, the driver’s head directly impacted the intruding pole, potentially causing serious injury and threat to life.
Surprisingly, the score appears to be so poor because Renault has removed safety features originally fitted to the Zoe.
The pre-facelift version of this model was first tested by Euro NCAP in 2013, when it achieved a glowing five-star rating.
“The adult occupant score of 43 percent for the Zoe is the lowest we have seen in 11 years,” said Thatcham Research executive and Euro NCAP board member, Matthew Avery.
“It is a shame to see Renault threaten a safety pedigree built from the inception of the rating.”
Renault was the first car maker to score a five-star Euro NCAP score back in 2001 with the Laguna 2 – ironically helped by the first fitment of side head airbags, now lacking in the Zoe.
The Zoe also goes without active safety tech, such as lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking, resulting in a dreadful 14 percent rating in the Safety Assist category.
These features are fitted to the Renault Clio, a five-star Euro NCAP car. Euro NCAP points out this model also costs £10,000 less than the Zoe EV.
“Drivers should not have to trade off safety for zero emissions,” the organisation says.
‘Poor and weak’ Dacia
It was an EV double-whammy for the Renault Group too, as value sister-brand Dacia saw its new Spring budget electric car score just one star.
In the Adult Occupant Protection test, it achieved a below-par 49 percent rating through ‘poor and weak protection across several areas… which could result in life-threatening injuries’.
Ironically, this is despite the Spring featuring the full side airbag that has been removed from the Zoe. The Spring also lacks active safety assistance tech, with the company arguing that customers don’t want it.
Euro NCAP disagrees: “An opportunity to exponentially improve safety has been missed – not only for Dacia Spring drivers but also for other road users.”
Euro NCAP highs
Fortunately, other cars tested in the latest round performed much better. The BMW iX electric car, Genesis G70 saloon and GV70 SUV all scored five-star ratings.
The BMW achieved 91 percent for Adult Occupant Protection and the Genesis duo scored 89 percent. They also feature a full suite of active safety tech.
“It’s reassuring to see that some manufacturers are still safeguarding their customers,” said Mr Avery.
“The G70 and GV70 have continued the excellent ratings that Genesis has delivered so far on its vehicles. The BMW iX also performed well, although we have come to expect nothing less from BMW.”
The more affordable Nissan Qashqai and new Skoda Fabia also won five-star ratings, alongside the Mercedes-Benz EQS, which Euro NCAP said was one of the best-performing cars of the year.
Choosing to build an ROV (recreational off-highway vehicle) may seem a strange move for a luxury car brand. However, Lexus says it wants to bring a premium experience to the off-road domain.
More significantly, the ROV Concept demonstrates an all-new hydrogen-burning combustion engine.
Modern hydrogen vehicles, such as the Toyota Mirai, have typically used a fuel-cell design. These generate electricity to provide propulsion, with pure water the only by-product.
However, the ROV Concept features a new 1.0-litre internal combustion engine. This burns hydrogen directly as a fuel source, working just like a traditional engine.
Lexus says this results in almost zero emissions, with only a small amount of oil burned while driving.
Instant throttle response
Using an internal combustion engine does, according to Lexus, produce instant throttle response and a ‘pleasing engine note’.
Despite being a rugged off-roader, the ROV Concept retains design features Lexus owners will be familiar with.
The exterior features the company’s trademark ‘spindle’ grille, with front and rear lights inspired by the latest Lexus design language. The dark bronze paint colour was developed especially for the ROV Concept.
Inside, there’s plenty of carbon fibre trim, along with two well-upholstered sports seats. Lexus says the dashboard follows its ‘Tazuna’ philosophy, with minimal gauges to avoid distracting the driver.
For now, the ROV will remain a concept: an example of what the company can do with hydrogen power.
Spiros Fotinos, head of Lexus Europe, notes that it “fuses our desire to also develop lifestyle-oriented products with our ongoing research into new technologies that contribute to carbon neutrality”.
New research into car insurance renewal prices has revealed the best time for drivers to consider switching policies.
Leaving it until the last minute is likely to result in paying more, but being prepared in advance could deliver considerable savings.
Analysis by Compare the Market has found that switching 20 days before the date of renewal could deliver an average saving of £306.
Be prepared or pay more
Buying a new policy 20 days before renewal would see a typical car insurance premium cost £401. As time runs out, closer to the date of renewal, the quoted price will continue to rise.
Indeed, switching a policy on the date of renewal could result in paying a considerable £707 instead.
Compare the Market found 32 percent of all enquiries were by drivers switching on their renewal date. More than half (58 percent) are slightly more prepared, looking to change a week before their renewal.
However, changing a week before could still cost an average of £506. This results in drivers losing out on a potential £105 saving.
Avoid waiting to switch in 2022
Those with insurance policies renewing soon are likely to pay more. December is typically the most expensive time of the year for car insurance.
An average policy taken out in December would cost £703. Taken out in March, it would cost just £639 instead.
Compare the Market warns against waiting until January 2022, though. New pricing regulations, introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), will take effect to prevent insurers offering better discounts to new customers.
Premiums for those switching could be higher next month, as insurers may increase costs to recoup the difference.
New research has found that more than a fifth (22 percent) of UK motorists are currently ignoring a warning light on their car’s dashboard.
According to estimates by Halfords, this means a staggering 117 million lights are illuminated on vehicles across the country right now.
Almost a third (30 percent) of drivers admit to simply overlooking warning lights. Less than half of drivers are confident of knowing what they mean.
This is despite 18 percent of those surveyed saying they suffered a breakdown by failing to pay attention to an illuminated dashboard light.
No paradise by this dashboard light
Excuses for leaving warning lights lit included drivers not having the time to rectify them. Not believing them to be safety-critical was another key reason.
However, brake system problems accounted for 18 percent of warning lights left on, with 16 percent attributed to airbag faults.
MOT failures or fixed-penalty fines can result from ignoring certain lights.
To help highlight the scale of the problem, Halfords has released a limited-edition Christmas jumper for a special auction.
An illuminating opportunity
Decorated with illuminated warning lights, bids can be placed for the bespoke jumpers until 10 December. All proceeds will be donated to the IAM RoadSmart road safety charity.
Helpfully, each jumper comes with a Halfords guide to explain exactly what every warning light means.
Following the launch of the new jumpers, Tony Greenidge, CEO of IAM RoadSmart, said: “Dashboard warning lights should never be ignored. Not only will they lead to an MOT fail, but they are almost always a pre-warning that something is about to stop working and that you could suddenly be stranded in a very dangerous place.
“The last thing anyone wants over the festive period is a totally avoidable breakdown, so get everything checked before that big trip and your car will be one less thing to stress about during the holidays”
Nissan is to double the size of the solar energy farm at its huge Sunderland factory – and, once complete, it will generate 20 percent of the plant’s needs.
This will be enough to build everyNissan Leafelectric car per year using fully renewable energy.
Pre-pandemic, around 43,000 Leaf EVs were made at Sunderland.
Work on the giant 20MW installation is already underway and it is expected to be complete by May 2022.
It will complement Nissan’s existing solar and wind farms.
“We have been using renewable sources on-site for more than 15 years,” said Nissan Sunderland manufacturing VP Alan Johnson.
“The expansion of our solar farm is an integral part of the Nissan EV36Zero project and the company’s journey to carbon neutrality.”
Sunderland goes green
The Sunderland project is the first of 10 planned by the Japanese giant – to which an initial £1bn has been committed by Nissan, its partners, and Sunderland City Council.
The Nissan EV36Zero project is the firm’s ambition to build a “flagship EV hub creating a world-first EV manufacturing ecosystem”. It will be centred around the Sunderland, UK factory.
The project will bring together electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery production; it will, says the firm, “set a blueprint for the future of the automotive industry”.
It has been praised by UK PM Boris Johnson, who called it “a major vote of confidence in the UK and our highly-skilled workers in the North East.
“Commitments like these exemplify our ability to create hundreds of green jobs and boost British industry, whist also allowing people to travel in an affordable and sustainable way so we can eliminate our contributions to climate change.”
Face mask rules have returned and they are now mandatory again in shops and on public transport as the government responds to the new Omicron coronavirus variant.
Experts agree that face coverings can significantly help reduce the spread of coronavirus there are plenty around that feature links to motorsport and automotive culture.
We have profiled the top motorsport-branded and inspired masks on offer in 2021, along with the teams still keeping us waiting.
McLaren Official Team U-Mask – £35
By far one of the fanciest and most advanced offerings, McLaren pulled out all the stops for this face mask.
It features a replaceable biotech filter element, said to deliver protection equivalent to an FFP3 mask. The filters last for up to 200 hours, with replacements available to order.
This is the same mask worn by Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo during 2021. McLaren is now offering the U-Mask in both orange and dark grey.
McLaren Gulf Team U-Mask – £35
For this year’s Monaco Grand Prix, McLaren used a one-off livery using classic Gulf Oil colours. It seemed to work, propelling Lando Norris to another podium finish.
As part of the Monaco makeover, the team used special Gulf-branded face masks. These are also available to buy from the McLaren store.
Using the same U-Mask design, it has all the benefits of the regular version.
Mercedes-AMG Team Face Mask – £35
The Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team may have dominated on track in 2020, but it took them a long time to get up to speed with offering a face covering.
Made from 100% polyester with a water-repellent finish, the mask can be washed up to 30 times.
Kimi by West Coast Choppers Face Mask – €9.99
Somewhat predictably, Kimi Räikkönen prefers to do his own thing when it comes to wearing a face mask. Instead of the Alfa Romeo version, he wears this special covering from his collection made with West Coast Choppers.
Kimi met Jesse James, the famous founder of the West Coast Chopper brand after winning the 2018 U.S. Grand Prix. This led to a collaboration to produce a wide range of custom motorbike-inspired merchandise, featuring the Finnish driver’s name.
Made with a pocket to house a replaceable filter, this is the mask Kimi can be seen wearing on race weekends.
Alpine F1 Team – £n/a
A change of name for 2021 saw Renault become the new Alpine F1 Team. Promoting the sporty sub-brand from the Renault family makes sense, with Alpine having enjoyed success in endurance racing.
The return of Fernando Alonso is the other major news for 2021, partnering Esteban Ocon.
Alpine does not yet have a branded face mask available from its online store. However, you can order an Alpine bucket hat instead.
Red Bull Racing – £n/a
Red Bull Racing are renowned for producing high-quality team merchandise, but a branded face mask is still not one of the options on sale.
There is plenty of replica teamwear, including a Red Bull Racing team mug, on offer though
AlphaTauri – £n/a
Just like the senior Red Bull Racing team, AlphaTauri does not yet stock an official face mask offering.
As a clothing brand, there are numerous neat merchandise options, should you want to support Pierre Gasly and Yuki Tsunoda during 2021
Scuderia Ferrari – £n/a
The time Michael Schumacher spent at Ferrari saw the famed Italian brand launch a huge array of merchandise. Today, the range is still extensive, but Ferrari face masks have not made it into the online shop.
As an alternative, you can purchase the rear spoiler taken from Ruben Barrichello’s F2004 F1 car. Yours for just £15,000. No word on how well it prevents the spread of viruses though.
Williams Racing Face Covering – £n/a
In the spirit of motorsport evolution, the mask previously offered by Williams Racing is now into a second generation.
The ‘new and improved’ model is said to offer better quality construction, along with an enhanced fit.
It was priced at just £3.00, representing a huge bargain compared to other offerings here… is this why it is currently no longer listed in the team’s online store?
U-Mask Model 2.2 – £36
Although many teams might not be offering official face masks, at the track many of them are using versions of the U-Mask.
Now upgraded to 2.2 specification, it uses a removable and replaceable filter to offer protection.
Formula 1 Face Covering – £10.50
If you cannot bring yourself to pick a team to support, why not opt for the official Formula 1 face covering instead.
Branded with the F1 logo, it comes in a pack of three
Kwik Fit BTCC Face Mask – £6
Formula 1 is not your style? Keep things closer to home with the official face mask of the British Touring Car Championship.
With a two-ply construction, it is said to be both breathable and antibacterial.
Ford Performance Camo Mask – £9.11
Ford has expanded its lifestyle collection to include a trio of face mask coverings. There is a classic blue one, and a neat Mustang-badged version. However, we really like this mask finished in the Ford Performance camouflage design.
Should you really want to coordinate, Ford offers other accessories like a beanie hat, rucksack, and mug in the same design.
This mask should be washable up to 50 times.
M-Sport Flex Face Mask – £18 for two
Not only is this face mask usable for protecting against viruses, M-Sport also points out that it is great for spectating on dusty rally stages, too!
The Cumbria-based motorsport outfit has taken no shortcuts with this mask, which is supplied by Treehouse Health. It is made with HeiQ Viroblock technology, which is said to kill viruses within minutes.
Should you really like the design, and the tech, discounts are available for bulk orders.
Blipshift Pink Pig Mask – $16
Dive deeper into the internet and there are numerous face masks with unofficial brand logos and names on them. However, there are also plenty of impressive coverings that have been inspired by motorsport legends.
This particular face mask, sold by American enthusiast site Blipshift, takes inspiration from the infamous Porsche 917/20 ‘Pink Pig’ racing car.
It is a rather niche reference, so be prepared for questions should you wear it to the supermarket.
The Art of Car 1965 Shelby Daytona GT – $17.99
Another American website, The Art of Car, has a host of face masks that pay homage to road and racing classics.
Even offered in youth sizes, we are quite taken with the Shelby Daytona GT design. It comes with two-layer polyester construction, and can be washed and reused.
Mopar Hemi Face Mask – $15.95
The 426-cubic inch Hemi V8 engine is an American icon, fitted to some of the most legendary muscle cars during the 1970s.
Along with wearing the Hemi logo, this face mask features an activated carbon filter. These filters can be removed and replaced, with the mask supplied with two of them.
Martini Face Mask – $16
California-based Striipe Design has taken on a number of classic motorsport liveries and designs to produce some impressive face masks.
Inspired by, arguably, one of the best racing sponsorship efforts, this mask pays tribute to the Porsches, Lancias, and others that raced with Martini branding.
Volkswagen fans may also be interested in a version inspired by the Interlagos check seat trim found inside many GTI models.
Redbubble Monaco Mask – £13.79
Redbubble offers an online marketplace for independent artists to sell custom-designed items. These range from clothing to mobile phone cases, and also now face masks.
This includes a gigantic choice of two-layer and three-layer face coverings, inspired by motorsport teams and star drivers. However, it should be remembered that many of the products may not be officially endorsed or licensed.
How to choose an effective face mask
The huge growth in the number of face masks available can mean a wide variety in their quality and effectiveness. Such choice makes it important to choose a face mask that suits your level of protection.
Expert research has found that masks with a greater number of layers offer better filtration from particles. More layers have also been found to affect breathability though, which can lead to condensation inside the face mask.
The majority of face masks are designed to prevent the spread of larger droplets, rather than delivering medical-grade protection.
Options like the U-Mask include a removable and replaceable filter element, offering FFP3-level protection for particles.
A further fall in wholesale costs for fuel means retailers must cut petrol and diesel prices this week or face losing ‘all credibility’ with motorists.
The warning from the RAC comes as the motoring organisation reveals the average retailer margin for petrol is 19p a litre, with a 15p margin on diesel.
This means unleaded is currently 12p a litre too expensive, while diesel is overpriced by 10p a litre.
“Ten days ago, we highlighted that petrol was 6p too expensive due to a fall in the wholesale price,” said RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams.
“Sadly, the biggest retailers, who lead the market, have stood strong and taken advantage of their customers by collecting bigger profits on every litre than they traditionally do.”
Omicron sees oil prices fall
The discovery of the Omicron Covid variant saw oil prices fall by $10 a barrel, making wholesale fuel prices even cheaper.
Mr. Williams called the 19p a litre margin “shocking when you consider their average margin pre-Covid was 6p”.
Fuel retailers will resent the RAC’s call, said Mr Williams, but if they don’t cut prices, “we feel they will lose credibility with drivers – although it’s very difficult for motorists to vote with their feet because they have nowhere else to go”.
If cuts don’t materialise this week, added the RAC, the government should step in and scrutinise the sector “as there’s no public body monitoring fuel prices to see if they’re fair.
“It seems as though retailers think they can get away with charging more for fuel because of the public’s general acceptance of rising energy prices”.
Retailers, adds Mr Williams, are very quick to raise prices when wholesale prices go up, which is in contrast to what happens when they fall – the worst ‘rocket and feather’ behaviour.
