The Vauxhall Corsa-e and Mokka-eelectric cars have both received a boost to their driving range, thanks to a number of tweaks to tech and tyres.
The Corsa-e supermini’s electric range has improved from 209 miles to 222 miles, according to the official WLTP test cycle: an improvement of six percent.
The Mokka-e crossover’s range has been upped from 201 miles to 209 miles, a four percent increase.
One further tech upgrade may help the cars’ real-world driving range – particularly in winter weather. Vauxhall says it has improved the efficiency of the heat pump, which both warms and cools the cars’ interiors.
Already more efficient than traditional petrol and diesel car heaters, the latest heat pumps require even less energy from the battery – something that will be especially noticeable in cold weather, when demand on the heat pump is at its highest.
Vauxhall has also fitted ‘A+’ low rolling resistance tyres, in both 16-inch size for the Corsa-e and 17-inch for the Mokka-e.
A new design of transmission reducer, which converts the rotation of the motor into drive for the wheels, helps further boost the range.
Vauxhall is still offering its comprehensive ‘Plug & Go’ EV package for new car buyers. This includes a free home charging unit, eight years’ roadside assistance and battery warranty, three years’ servicing and a six-month subscription to BP Pulse.
The firm adds it will offer an electrified version of every car it sells, and its range will be fully electric by 2028 – “years ahead of the UK government deadline”.
The latest Chevrolet Corvette has scooped a major prize in the prestigious Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) Awards.
As part of the 42nd annual awards ceremony, the eighth-generation Corvette was named Japan’s Performance Car of the Year.
The win saw the mid-engined Chevrolet beat homegrown competition, including the new Toyota GR86 and platform-sharing Subaru BRZ.
On the right side of success
The C8 Chevrolet Corvette is the first version to be produced in right-hand drive. This has allowed it to be marketed across the globe, with Japan one of the key targets for sales.
Chevrolet’s move has seemingly been successful, with the JCOTY panel acknowledging the benefits of right-hand drive. The judges said it had improved the experience of using the Corvette on the road, making it easier for everyday driving.
However, the main star for the JCOTY judges was the Corvette’s 495hp 6.2-litre V8 engine. Being able to accelerate from 0-60mph in less than three seconds, aided by an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, all bolstered the Corvette’s case.
Taking overall top honours as Japan’s Car of the Year was the new Nissan Note. Aimed squarely at the Japanese market, the Note is offered in four distinct versions.
The regular Note is available with Nissan’s electrified e-Power drivetrain, as is the Note Autech Crossover. Alongside them is the luxurious Note Aura, plus a Nismo Note Aura featuring a dramatic GT-R-inspired bodykit.
Voting saw the Nissan Note receive 355 points overall, with the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ in second place.
The JCOTY judges also chose to give the new BMW 4 Series a design award, singling out its bold front grille.
‘Electric cars cost too much’. Well, yes, they are expensive. But too expensive? I’m here to argue they’re not.
Let’s look at a perfect example: the award-winning, best-selling Vauxhall Corsa, which is offered in petrol, diesel and pure electric Corsa-e guises.
Now, you can buy an entry-level Corsa for £17,015, whereas the cheapest Corsa-e is £26,690. There, argument proven: electric Corsa costs £9,675 more than a petrol one. Those handy with numbers will note it’s a 44 percent increment, compounding the point: EVs cost almost half as much again as normal cars.
Although many make it, though, this isn’t quite a fair comparison. For starters, the basic Corsa is an SE Edition. The entry-level Corsa-e is a Griffin, which comes with extra goodies such as LED ambient lighting, heated front seats and steering wheel, bigger 17-inch wheels and a contrast black roof.
More significantly, there’s also the power difference. Your basic Corsa has only 75hp (and no turbo), while the Corsa-e has 136hp (58 percent more oomph, data fans). The cheapest turbocharged Corsa turbo is the 100hp SE Edition; yours for just under £1,000 more (narrowing the EV gap to around £8,500).
Want a 130hp petrol Corsa? You’ll have to spend £23,265 on an SRi Edition – suddenly, that near-£10k difference is right down to £3,425.
You do get an auto gearbox with the SRi Edition 130, as you do by default with the Corsa-e. But you also have to pay for petrol, which is much more expensive than electricity if you charge at home. Convenience that’s denied to the petrol Corsa buyer.
Oh, and as nobody pays cash for new cars, we must look at PCP payments. The basic Corsa SE Edition is yours for £205 a month over four years, with a £2,739 customer deposit that Vauxhall boosts by an extra £1,000.
The Corsa-e SE Premium PCP (oddly there’s no deal listed for the Griffin) is £269 a month, with a £4,408 customer deposit, swelled further by a £2,500 contribution from Vauxhall.
So going electric is £1,669 more expensive up front, then an extra £64 per month. What’s that, the price of a few filling station visits? Which of course, you don’t have to do in the Corsa-e.
Electric cars are more expensive. But nothing like to the extent lazy top-line comparisons suggest. And in terms of finance deals, the Vauxhall figures prove that some EVs are already comparable with petrol cars.
Throw in the fact that electric cars are going to get cheaper still, and the issue of cost disparity may be resolved sooner than many people think.
Do you agree with our calculations? Will your next car be electric? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Deliveries of Nissan’s new range-topping electric SUV, the Ariya, will start in summer 2022, with prices from £41,845.
This places the Ariya in direct competition with cars such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Kia EV6. Pre-ordering through an online configurator is now open.
Nissan has also revealed PCP deals, which start from £629 a month on the best-selling version (for those who can afford the £6,616 deposit).
Nissan says PCP rates are aided by class-leading retained values. The Ariya will hold on to 57 percent of its list price after three years and 30,000 miles, according to industry analyst CAP.
“The Ariya has an attractive, futuristic premium exterior design, and the interior uses excellent materials with good fit and finish,” says CAP.
The Ariya will be offered with two battery sizes, 62kWh and 87kWh. The longest-range model will be capable of 310 miles on a full charge.
Nissan is also selling the Ariya in more efficient two-wheel-drive or grippier e-4orce all-wheel-drive guises.
Trim versions open with Advance; Evolve is mid-grade (and expected to be the best-seller), while Performance is the range-topper.
Performance models feature goodies such as 20-inch alloys, a panoramic sunroof, blue Nappa leather seats, a Bose sound system and a digital head-up display.
Living up to their name, Performance models boast 394hp for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. But even entry-level Advance versions have 217hp.
“We’re taking over a decade of experience in leading the market with electric vehicles, and ensuring our customer-focused expertise and network capability delivers a model that’s as rewarding to own as it is to drive,” said Nissan UK MD Andrew Humberstone.
“We know that UK customers are going to be seriously impressed with the new standards Ariya will bring to the segment in 2022.”
Nissan Ariya prices
Advance 63kWh: £41,845
Evolve 87kWh: £51,090
Evolve 87kWh e-4orce: £53,790
Performance 87kWh e-4orce: £58,440
Nissan Ariya range
Advance 63kWh: 223 miles
Evolve 87kWh: 310 miles
Evolve 87kWh e-4orce: 285 miles
Performance 87kWh e-4orce: 248 miles
Nissan Ariya power and performance
Advance 63kWh: 217hp, 0-62mph in 7.5sec
Evolve 87kWh: 242hp, 0-62mph in 7.6sec
Evolve 87kWh e-4orce: 306hp, 0-62mph in 5.7sec
Performance 87kWh e-4orce: 394hp, 0-62mph in 5.1sec
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.
