New data released by RAC Fuel Watch confirms that UK fuel prices hit record new highs during October 2021.
The price of unleaded petrol rose faster than in any month since 2000, increasing by almost 7.5p per litre. Diesel prices also rocketed by 8p per litre.
At the end of October, petrol prices had reached 144.35p per litre, with diesel up to 147.94p per litre. It makes both fuels some 30p per litre more expensive versus this time last year.
Pumping up the cost
Filling up an average car now costs £16.50 more than it did at the end of October 2020.
Contributing to the high pump prices is a $5 per barrel cost increase in the value of oil. This six percent jump caused the wholesale price of a litre of unleaded to rise by 5p, and diesel by 4.5p.
However, RAC Fuel Watch says the higher prices being paid by UK motorists can be attributed to the ‘big four’ supermarkets.
Typically the source of the cheapest fuel in the UK, supermarket filling stations added an average of 9p per litre to unleaded in October, and 10p to diesel.
Time for retailers to play fair?
Of the major supermarket chains, Asda remained the cheapest overall, with petrol at 140.98p. At 144.37p per litre, Sainsbury’s offered the lowest price for diesel.
Prices at motorway service stations hit a record of 158.6p for petrol, with diesel pushed to an all-time high of 163.08p.
RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “October 2021 set records for all the wrong reasons and was a horrible month for drivers, with both petrol and diesel prices hitting new heights.
“The increases of almost 7.5p being added to a litre of unleaded and more than 8p going on to diesel are some of the highest we’ve seen in the 21 years we’ve been tracking fuel prices.”
In relation to retail price jumps, Williams added that “the profit margin retailers are taking on each litre of petrol is greater now than it used to be prior to the pandemic, which is artificially making forecourt prices higher, particularly as VAT is charged on top.”
Visitors to the 2021 NEC Classic Motor Show have the opportunity to see and bid on five cars from TV star Mike Brewer’s personal collection.
The Wheeler Dealers presenter is offering the vehicles for sale through Silverstone Auctions, with the bidding getting underway on 13 November.
The collection includes a Mini once used by John Cooper and a Citroen driven by Jeremy Clarkson in an episode of The Grand Tour.
“I am sad to see these cars go, but it was time for a change,” said Brewer.
“I want to consolidate my collection. Each car has its own unique story and they all deserve a new home.”
Mike Brewer’s motors
Several of the cars have already featured on TV and one was restored by Brewer himself.
The cars going up for action at the NEC Classic Motor Show are:
1961 Austin Mini Seven
This was part of the Phil Reed collection, an American enthusiast who sadly passed away – and whose sons didn’t share the same enthusiasm for cars. It was they who offered it to Brewer.
1966 Ford Cortina Lotus Mk1
This classic Ermine White and Sherwood Green Ford Cortina Lotus underwent a full restoration in 1999. It took a full eight years and Brewer says “no expense was spared”.
1967 Mini Cooper 1275 S
This mighty Mini was actually used by John Cooper himself. Phil Reed then bought it and shipped it to California in the 1980s – before it was repatriated to the UK when Mike Brewer purchased it more than 40 years later.
1972 Citroen SM 2.7
This four-seat coupe “was in a sorry state a few years ago” before being fully stripped down and restored. It was actually unveiled at the 2018 NEC Classic Motor Show and has since won a concours award at the National Citroen event. Brewer says it will be seen on The Grand Tour “soon”.
2002 Ferrari 360 Spider F1
Mike Brewer says this Ferrari is an “on-the-button example”. Rarely, it’s not bright red, but finished in Tour de France Blue with a beige and blue interior. The “fabulous” car also comes with a “fantastic” history.
Mike Brewer fans who are keen to grab themselves a car with a famous owner should either visit the NEC Classic Motor Show on Saturday 13 November – or register for a Silverstone Auctions account before 1pm that day.
Innovative navigation app What3words can now be used by millions of motorists’ after a deal with the technology giant behind many in-car sat-nav systems.
This will potentially allow motorists to press a button on the steering wheel and, literally, say just three words in order to set their destination.
It also allows addresses to be added simply by typing three words into the infotainment screen.
Harman has added What3words to its Ignite Store, an industry platform that allows car firms to build new tech into their own in-car app stores.
“Traditionally, it has been very challenging for third-party app developers to offer compelling automotive solutions,” said the firm’s Albert Jordan.
“It’s an arduous process with different requirements for every manufacturer. By handling the process work on the back end, Harman Ignite Store enables app providers to easily and seamlessly launch.”
What3words CEO and co-founder Chris Sheldrick said the new partnership will “offer drivers a better, more seamless navigation experience.
“Our addressing technology can now be deployed easily and effectively in millions of vehicles around the world.”
What3words has divided the planet into 57 trillion 3×3 metre squares. Each square has a unique combination of three words, allowing easy navigation with pinpoint accuracy.
It allows navigation to particular points of interest, rather than simply to streets – so specific entrances, parking spots and EV charging points can all be located.
The pumps serve up electricity, not petrol or diesel. There’s a Post Office and a supermarket selling ethical products, rather than fruit machines and fast food. Plush sofas take the place of plastic chairs, and the wi-fi is lightning-fast. Oh, and you can still get a large latte to go. If this is the future of filling stations, I’m right behind it.
Welcome to Gridserve, the ‘world’s first electric forecourt’ on the A131 near Braintree. I’m here to drive the Mazda MX-30 – a stylish electric SUV that costs from £26,045.
There’s plenty to like about the MX-30 – read our review here – but suffice to say its biggest stumbling block is a 124-mile range. Perhaps being based at a charging hub was a wise move.
I arrive at Gridserve and, rather sheepishly, park my petrol-powered VW Golf around the back. Drivers of non-electric cars are also free to use the facilities, I am later told.
The 2.5-acre site offers no less than 24 DC chargers – 12 offering up to 350kW and 12 up to 90kW – plus six AC chargers (up to 22kW) and six Tesla Superchargers. ‘Filling up’ costs a flat rate of 30p per kWh, although the Superchargers have their own independent rates (typically 28p per kWh, says the Tesla website).
Driving the new Mazda MX-30 today – and visiting the Gridserve EV charging hub in Essex.
Here in Braintree, there are 12 350kW chargers. And 150 similar sites are planned across the UK. pic.twitter.com/OOgvVPdKVH
Inside, the food and drinks are upmarket, the toilets are scrupulously clean and the lounge is nicer than my front room. There are also several fully-equipped meeting rooms, available for £16 an hour. With Covid accelerating the change towards flexible, remote working, I expect they’ll be busy.
I take the Mazda for a swift-but-silent drive around the Essex countryside, then plug it back in – a 20 percent to 80 percent charge in 36 minutes, since you ask – and go in search of Sam Clarke, chief vehicle officer at Gridserve.
Sam is a fully-paid-up electric evangelist: “I’ve been driving EVs for almost 20 years,” he tells me. “I started on electric motorbikes, then had a G-Wiz [the dreadful electric quadricycle that once roamed London streets in surprisingly large numbers]. Now we’re a two-car household with two pure battery EVs.”
Having started a business selling electric bikes and scooters in the early 2000s (“I was too early to market”), Sam established a successful all-electric delivery company. He joined Gridserve in 2020, shortly before the Braintree site opened in November.
“Only a small proportion of registered cars and vans on the road are pure battery EVs, but that’s going to change rapidly,” he says. “Infrastructure is the next step – and that’s where we come in.”
Gridserve has big plans. It hopes to open 100 new sites over the next five years, mostly on major roads and motorways. By the end of this year, expect to see Gridserve hubs in Norwich, Gatwick and Uckfield, among other locations.
Sam believes the hub system – having lots of chargers at one location – makes sense for drivers. “You know you’ll be able to plug in, rather than finding the charger in use.”
He also says Gridserve is future-proofed for the next generation of electric cars. “The Porsche Taycan charges at speeds up to 280kW, but we already offer 350kW.”
Inside the Mazda MX-30.
Pillarless doors are inspired by the RX-8, while the felt-like material on the door-tops is made from recycled plastic bottles.
And that’s cork on the centre console. It’s what Mazda started out producing 100 years ago. pic.twitter.com/lHoogqSIPU
Gridserve has also acquired a 25 percent in Electric Highway, which owns 86 percent of the motorway charging network, including the slow-going Ecotricity chargers found at many services. Upgrading these will be part of the deal.
Leasing electric cars is also part of Gridserve’s business model. So you’ll be able to see the newest cars and browse the latest offers while sipping a coffee or waiting for your charge.
“We want to blow away the myths and educate people about EVs,” says Sam. “The market is moving towards a subscription model, so leasing makes sense. Car usage will always be there, but people are less willing to own a depreciating asset.”
In time, potential customers should be able to test-drive new EVs at charging hubs, too. “That’s something we’re looking into. I keep having to remind myself that most people aren’t familiar with electric cars.”
As you’d hope, Gridserve is keen to bolster its green credentials. The electricity it delivers comes from solar farms filled with lithium-ion batteries – similar to those found in most EVs – and is 100 percent sustainable. Braintree, for example, is fed by a solar site in nearby Clayhill.
The company also promises to plant 100 trees for every car leased, at one of its tree-planting projects in Scotland and Borneo.
It all adds up to being “as renewable and zero-emissions as possible,” says Sam. I think we can all get behind that.
New car production in Britain fell 41.5 percent in September 2021 with just over 67,000 cars rolling out of UK factories.
The new car production total has been depressed due to the global semiconductor shortage, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers saying it continues to “plague” the industry.
The cost to suppliers is estimated at more than £2.4 billion – and counting.
However, on the eve of COP26, there is a green-tinged positive, with almost 1 in 3 new British-built cars in September being electrified.
The overall combination of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure electric cars is a new UK record.
So far in 2021, almost 159,000 electrified alternatively-fuelled cars have left UK factories.
“The substantial decline in UK car output in September continues the worrying trend we have seen over the past three months,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
“The industry is continuing to battle the effects of the pandemic with the shortage of semiconductors stalling production.”
Last month was the worst performing September since 1982, and saw the full effect of Honda’s closure of its giant Swindon plant reflected in the figures.
Almost 79 percent of British-built cars were exported to overseas markets in September, although the total of 53k cars was nearly 40 percent down on 2020.
Cars for UK buyers were even badly affected, with barely 14,000 made for British motorists – a decline of 47.4 percent.
1 in 10 automotive firms have already made redundancies due to the lack of semiconductors – and more than half say the situation won’t improve until later in summer next year.
Chevrolet has confirmed the brand-new 2023 Corvette Z06 will be made in right-hand drive.
It marks the first time the high-performance Z06 version of America’s sports car has been offered in a UK-suited configuration.
However, with the latest mid-engined Corvette proving a hit around the world, Chevrolet is keen to maximise the number of markets it sells in.
Motorsport-proven performance
The Z06 name was first used in 1963, and has been employed since 2001 to denote upgraded Corvettes.
For the new 2023 model, Chevrolet has designed a brand-new 5.5-litre ‘LT6’ V8 engine. Producing 670hp and 460lb ft of torque, it is claimed to be the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 ever fitted to a road car.
The LT6 engine also features a flat-plane crank design. This allows it to rev to 8,600rpm, and produce a non-traditional Corvette sound.
Chevrolet has spent two years perfecting the Z06’s exhaust note, including the creation of a ’floating’ quad tailpipe design.
Track-day warrior
Development of the Z06 has been directly influenced by the successful Corvette C8.R race car. The new front bumper is inspired by the C8.R, offering improved cooling and increased downforce, helped by a bespoke splitter.
A standard rear spoiler includes a wickerbill element (as known as a Gurney flap), which can increase downforce to 165.6kg at 186mph. For those who want maximum track performance, an optional Z07 aero package adds a larger front splitter, front dive planes and a gigantic rear wing.
Stretched wheelarches are needed to contain the 345/25 ZR21 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP rear tyres.
Brembo carbon ceramic brakes can be found on the options list, along with carbon fibre wheels. The latter save a considerable 18.6kg in unsprung weight.
Right-hand drive for the world
Inside the Z06, Chevrolet has added extra carbon fibre detailing. The lightweight material features on the steering wheel and gear shift paddles, along with dashboard trim elements.
Like all new Corvettes, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission is standard.
Buyers will be able to pick from both coupe and convertible Z06 models. Chevrolet claims the new Corvette is so stiff that no changes are needed between the two body types.
Models in both right- and left-hand drive will be built at Chevrolet’s Bowling Green facility in Kentucky.
Production of the Corvette Z06 is scheduled to start in summer 2022, with prices to be confirmed nearer the time.
Mini has expanded the range of models that can be specified with its monochrome Shadow Edition package.
Earlier this year, Mini launched the blackout option for the Clubman estate and Countryman SUV.
Now customers can specify it on all Mini vehicles, including the Mini Hatchback, Convertible and battery-powered Electric.
Ready for the blackout?
The Shadow Edition is an exclusive offering for UK customers, but follows a tried-and-tested formula seen on other ‘Black Edition’ cars.
Midnight Black metallic paint is used for most of the exterior, with the roof and mirror caps finished in contrasting silver. Mini Electric models have the roof and wing mirrors painted black instead.
Both the Hatchback and Convertible Shadow Editions are based upon the Sport trim level. This means a black front grille and headlight surrounds, plus a black Mini badge to complete the noir makeover.
Bespoke Shadow Edition graphics can be spotted on the front wing and scuttle panel. Hatchback versions also gain a new logo on the roof.
Heart of darkness
Inside, Piano Black trim is used on the dashboard, with a Shadow Edition badge. The same branding appears on the new sill plates, with Mini adding an anthracite headlining and John Cooper Works sports seats.
Standard specification includes an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, Bluetooth connectivity and LED lights all-round.
Prices start at £22,340 for the three-door Shadow Edition hatchback, with the five-door model costing £23,040. Opting for the Electric costs £35,050 including the Plug-in Car Grant. The Mini Convertible Shadow Edition starts at £25,600.
The new 2022 Range Rover will offer peerless refinement and unmatched capability within a breathtakingly modern design, Land Rover has claimed, as the covers come off its all-new car.
Revealed via a livestream on YouTube, the new Range Rover follows the 50-year DNA of earlier models, but aims to raise luxury to a whole new level – one well clear of Mercedes-Benz and BMW, and more akin to Aston Martin and Bentley.
Offered with a range of engines, including plug-in hybrid EV, plus a pure electric version from 2024, the Range Rover comes in standard or long-wheelbase versions. It also offers four, five or seven seats for the first time.
The PHEV provides an electric driving range of up to 62 miles, and will deliver either 440hp or 510hp.
As well as straight-six turbo petrol engines, there will be a 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo range-topper, sourced from BMW, which produces 530hp for 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.
Orders for the new Range Rover are open now, with prices starting from £94,400.
Pinnacle of luxury
JLR chief creative officer Prof. Gerry McGovern says the fifth-generation Range Rover is “informed by creative intellect and a desire for perfection.
“It doesn’t follow fashion or trend, but a modernist design philosophy… from the impeccable restraint of its exterior to the flawless tranquil sanctuary of its cabin.”
This is the first Range Rover to have power-assisted doors, lightening the load before you even get inside. Land Rover says cabin tech has been designed to ease the cognitive load on the driver, too.
There’s even next-generation active noise cancellation, which plays through the in-car entertainment system’s 35 speakers, including those in the head restraints.
Perfect air quality is guaranteed by Cabin Air Purification Pro, using ‘nanoe X’ technology that is ‘scientifically proven to significantly reduce viruses and bacteria, including SARS-CoV-2 viruses’.
Amazon Alexa voice AI is built in, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The new Range Rover is also going vegan, with premium upholstery that combines Ultrafabrics and a Kvadrat wool blend. This material generates just 25 percent of the CO2 of traditional leather.
Centrepiece of the dashboard is a curved and ‘floating’ 13.1-inch Pivi Pro infotainment screen, providing haptic feedback when users touch it. There’s a new semi-floating 13.7-inch interactive driver display as well.
Sophisticated styling
Features such as an unbroken waistline give the Range Rover a sophisticated look. Cleverly, there are no rubber strips where the edge of the door meets the glass, as the waist finisher is hidden beneath.
The ‘milled from solid’ look results in a drag coefficient of just 0.30 – making this the most aerodynamic luxury SUV in the world.
Other features include ‘hidden until lit’ lighting within the new boat tail-style rear (but Range Rover fans can rest easy: the famous split tailgate is retained).
On-the-road sophistication is promised from air suspension that uses eHorizon navigation data to ‘read the road ahead and prime the suspension to provide perfect responses’.
All new Range Rovers have all-wheel steering, making them more stable at speed and, by creating a turning circle of less than 11 metres, easier to manoeuvre around town.
Owners can also use an app to ‘remote control’ their new Range Rover from the outside. Useful for parking in tight spaces.
As for reliability, Land Rover – which filed 125 patents during development of the new Range Rover – says it will be a ‘new quality benchmark’, thanks to 140,000 hours of computational analysis and a particularly punishing global testing programme.
As with every Range Rover in the past 50 years, the car will be built exclusively at Land Rover’s Solihull plant, now redeveloped as ‘a new, ultra-modern centre for Range Rover production’.
A 2017 Ford GT owned by legendary actor and comedian Tim Allen is currently available for auction.
Listed on the Bring a Trailer website, it becomes the latest celebrity-owned GT to come up for sale.
With a low mileage, choice upgrades and a famous owner, this seems a particularly desirable example of Ford’s flagship supercar.
Michigan icons together
A prolific car collector, Allen has owned vehicles ranging from a classic Ferrari 330 to a Mercedes-Benz 500E. However, having grown up in Michigan, and even worked at General Motors, domestic performance cars have always been part of his passion.
While starring on Home Improvement, Allen entered the 24 Hours of Daytona race in 1997. Although his Saleen Allen Speedlab team only finished in 68th place, it demonstrated Allen’s enthusiasm for power.
Being such a high-profile car fan will have helped Allen secure a second-generation Ford GT. The car was ordered new from Galpin Ford, and was tailored to Allen’s specification.
No need for home improvements
The GT’s carbon fiber bodywork is finished in Ingot Silver paint. Exposed carbon fiber trim can be found on the front splitter, wing mirrors and engine bay louvres. Although paint protection film has been applied, some scuffs are noted on the front end.
The 20-inch wheels are made from carbon fiber, with lightweight titanium wheel nuts. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires help control the power on offer.
Despite his love for hot rodding, Allen has left the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine relatively untouched.
Like fellow celebrity Ford GT owner Jay Leno, Allen has opted for a Heffner titanium exhaust system. This is designed to complement the standard 647 hp output from the GT.
No DIY required
Allen opted for the ‘Dark Energy’ interior package when specifying his GT. This means carbon fiber bucket seats wrapped in Ebony Alcantara, with the same material used for the two-spoke steering wheel.
More Ebony Alcantara appears on the headlining and roof pillars. Matte dark stainless detailing is used on the instrument panel, with the paddles for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission also in black.
Despite all his effort specifying the mid-engined Ford, Allen has driven it just 700 miles. Given the rarity of second-generation GTs, this auction offers the chance to grab one almost like new.
Celebrity GT showdown
Bidding for the Ford GT has already hit seven figures, making for a notable profit on the $487,500 Allen originally paid for it. It remains to be seen just how high it will go.
Earlier this year a 2018 Ford GT owned by IndyCar racer Graham Rahal sold on Bring a Trailer for $1,050,000. Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s own GT reached $910,000, but failed to pass the reserve set.
Potential new owners, and interested observers, will not have to wait long to see the result. The Bring a Trailer auction is due to run until Wednesday 27 October.
Prodrive will become one of the first teams in the world to use sustainable fuels in an FIA championship.
The Oxfordshire-based motorsport specialist has developed its own ECOPower formula in collaboration with Coryton Advanced Fuels.
It will be used in Prodrive’s own Hunter T1+ off-road racer (pictured), which competes in the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies later this year.
Greener off-road racing
An eight-month development programme has created ECOpower, which is intended to show the potential of sustainable fuels. Components are taken from agricultural waste, and also from capturing carbon in the environment.
Prodrive claims this reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent compared with regular unleaded petrol.
David Richards, Prodrive’s chairman, said: “I am a great advocate of motorsport taking the lead in developing, proving and promoting new technologies that can help address climate change.”
No modifications were needed to the engine in the Hunter T1+. An entry into the 2022 Dakar Rally should offer a serious test of the fuel’s performance.
Race for sustainability
It marks the latest move by motorsport teams and organisers to increase environmental sustainability.
Formula 1 has already begun research into using sustainable fuel. New rules to be introduced in 2022 will require teams to use an E10 fuel blend, derived from food waste and biomass.
Bentley revealed a Continental GT3 race car powered by sustainable fuel in April this year. The bewinged racer was entered into the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb to help evaluate biofuels.
Next year will also see the British Touring Car Championship make a move to hybrid powertrains.
