Mini range revised with ‘minimalist’ makeover for 2021

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January 27, 2021

The Mini Hatch, Convertible and Mini Electric have been facelifted for 2021, with a modern ‘reduced’ design and new interior tech.

Mini is also offering a world-first new paint finish called the multitone roof – with each one rolling off the production line claimed to be unique.

The revised line-up is open for ordering now, with prices starting from £16,045 for the Mini 3-Door Hatch. Deliveries are due from the spring.

Mini-malism

It’s actually the third facelift for the latest-generation Mini, which was launched in 2015; the last revision came two years ago.

This time round, it’s much more comprehensive, inspired by the aero-look Mini Electric. The central bar of the radiator grille is body-colour, not black, the chrome slats have disappeared, and there are vertical air inlets on either side to reduce drag (and replace the fog lamps, which are now integrated into the headlights).

For the first time, the round Mini headlights are no longer inset with chrome detailing, to highlight the circular light band that serves as daytime running lights and indicators.

Compared to before, it’s simpler, bolder and less fussy, and really helps modernise the Mini.

Mini also offers matrix LED headlights with four segments that turn on and off to give full-time main beam without dazzling oncoming drivers.

There are three new paint colours, various different alloy wheel choices and a new piano black exterior detail pack – turning door handles, side scuttles, the fuel cap, Mini logos, model lettering and even the exhaust tailpipes gloss black.

The multitone roof is an intriguing new option. It has a paint gradient from San Marino Blue to Pearly Acqua to Jet Black.

Each paint colour is applied one after another in an all-new process called Spray Tech.

“Slight deviations in the colour pattern occur due to changing environmental conditions during the painting process,” says Mini, meaning every multitone roof is “completely unique”.

Inside, all Minis feature an 8.8-inch colour touchscreen and there’s far less chrome. Minor controls have been tidied up, as have the air vents, which are now flush-fit.

There’s also a standard digital instrument display on all Mini models: the 5.0-inch colour display replaces the traditional analogue clocks and further adds to the modernity lift inside.

Under the skin

Mini engines are broadly the same as before. The Mini One has 102hp, the Cooper has 136hp and the Cooper S has 178hp. All engines are now compliant with the latest Euro emissions standards – and every version has a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with an automatic optional.

There’s a new version of optional adaptive suspension, which uses ‘frequency-selective damping’. These constantly adjust within milliseconds and, says Mini, allow the suspension to be as much as 50 percent softer without spoiling the ‘go-kart’ handling.

The Mini Electric gets an electric parking brake as standard, and it’s offered in other versions too – but bizarrely, only if owners choose an automatic gearbox, optional Driving Assistant and at least 17-inch alloys.

2021 Mini prices

Mini 3-Door Hatch: prices from £16,045
Mini 5-Door Hatch: prices from £16,745
Mini Convertible: prices from £20,705
Mini Electric: prices from £27,920

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First McLaren Speedtail sold at auction achieves $3.2 million

By

John Redfern

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January 26, 2021

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The very first example of the McLaren Speedtail to be offered at a public auction made a considerable $3,277,500 (£2,396,00).

Listed for the 22nd annual RM Sotheby’s Arizona auction, the 2020 Speedtail contributed to total sales of $35 million (£25.6 million).

Held at the OTTO car club in Scottsdale, extremely limited amounts of in-person bidding was permitted. However, over half of all auction activity came from online bid, with 90 percent of all lots listed being sold.

One, very, careful owner

One of 106 Speedtails made, chassis number 36 was first delivered to McLaren of Philadelphia last year. Even with an original list price of $2.25 million (£2.1 million), the first owner spent a further $170,000 (£137,711) on options.

Painted in MSO Atlantic Blue, with bespoke pinstripes, the interior of the Speedtail is a combination of tan Aniline leather and carbon trim.

A twin-turbocharged V-8 engine, combined with an electric motor, gives the hybrid Speedtail an output 1,035 hp. Trick aerodynamics allow a potential top speed of 250 mph.

Despite this, the first owner added just 30 miles to the odometer. This is far below the 2,500-mile annual limit, imposed by federal ‘Show and Display’ rules in the United States. These apply due to the Speedtail not being strictly road legal in the USA.

A diverse range of top-selling cars

As impressive as the McLaren’s final price was, it was only the third top-selling car at the RM Sotheby’s sale.

That accolade went to the 1955 Jaguar D-Type, once sold by Bernie Ecclestone of Formula 1 fame. The bright red D-Type achieved a considerable $6,000,000 (£4,380,000) on the auction block.

A 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Tourer by Corsica claimed second place in the most-expensive stakes.

Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s, commented that the “diverse top three” of cars sold proved that “once again that best-of-category, top-quality cars of every era continue to draw significant interest from collectors and bring strong prices.”

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Calls for lower drink-drive limit in England and Wales

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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January 26, 2021

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Drink driving accidents highest since 2010

The UK’s drink-drive limit is no longer adequate and should be reduced in England and Wales. That’s according to a new report by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).

Lowering the drink-drive limit is just one recommendation in the report, titled Drink Driving: Taking Stock, Moving Forward. PACTS is calling for a ‘broader approach’, encompassing improved enforcement, education, health measures and alternative transport provision.

Drink-driving is one of the biggest causes of road casualties, accounting for 13 percent of deaths. In the past decade, 240 people have died every year on the roads when the driver was found to be over the drink-drive limit. Seventeen percent of drink-drive offences are committed by a repeat offender.

The coronavirus pandemic has seen an increase in the number of people with alcohol and mental health issues. This, combined with a fall in the number of people using transport and an increase in road traffic, ‘may lead to increased drink-driving’. PACTS points to a rise in the number of drink-drive deaths in the USA as a reason for the government to monitor the situation in the UK.

It is making the following recommendations:

The introduction of mandatory breath testing powers for the police.
The reduction in enforcement levels to be reversed. Police enforcement has decreased by 63 percent since 2009.
Increased penalties for drivers who combine drink and drugs.
Specialist rehabilitation courses for drivers with mental health and alcohol problems.
A lower drink-drive limit in England and Wales.
Reforming the High Risk Offender Scheme.
The government to pay more attention to drink-driving in alcohol harm and night-time economy policies.

There are strict alcohol limits for drivers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with even stricter limits in Scotland:

Micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath: England, Wales and Northern Ireland (35), Scotland (22)
Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood: England, Wales and Northern Ireland (80), Scotland (50)
Milligrammes per 100 millilitres of urine: England, Wales and Northern Ireland (107), Scotland (67)

Lower drink-drive limit ‘not a magic bullet’

England should lower drink drive limit, scotland says

David Davies, executive director of PACTS, said: “After 10 years of declining levels of enforcement and social media campaigns aimed at young men, it is time for a new, more comprehensive approach to reducing the toll of drink-drive deaths and injuries.

“Drink-driving is often cited as a road safety success story, yet it remains a major killer and progress has ground to a halt since 2010. Not only is better enforcement important, but also the problems of mental health and alcohol dependency need to be recognised.

“The problem is not a simple one of law enforcement. It requires a more comprehensive approach. The legal limit should be reduced in England and Wales, police should be given additional powers to test drivers, the High Risk Offender Scheme should be reformed, rehabilitation courses should be designed for those with mental health and alcohol problems, and the growing danger of combining drink and drugs driving needs to be addressed.

“Scotland introduced a reduced drink drive limit in 2014, in line with most other countries in Europe. It has been accepted by the public; it has not significantly impacted pubs and restaurants or overloaded the police or the courts. Northern Ireland plans to go further, with a zero limit for novice and professional drivers.

A lower limit is not a magic bullet, but government polices to reduce drink driving will lack credibility as long as they avoid this change.”

READ MORE:

Bloodhound Land Speed Record project seeks new owner

By

John Redfern

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January 25, 2021

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The Bloodhound Land Speed Record team is actively seeking a new owner, capable of supporting a world record attempt.

Successfully tested to a speed of 628 mph in South Africa, the team has eyes on exceeding 800 mph with the Bloodhound LSR car.

Rescued from administration in 2018 by Ian Warhurst, the Yorkshire businessman is now putting the Bloodhound project up for sale.

Scrapheap challenge averted

Warhurst, who has acted as Bloodhound LSR’s chief executive, believes he has achieved all he can with personal ownership of the project. Along with saving the British-built and designed car from the scrapheap, he was also able to fund high speed testing in 2019.

Driven by land speed world record holder Andy Green, Bloodhound comfortably broke the 500 mph barrier on a 12-mile long dry lake bed in South Africa.

Since those tests, a new monopropellant rocket, built by Norwegian specialist Nammo, has been installed on Bloodhound.

Initially designed for use by the European Space Agency, the Nammo rocket is typically used to launch small satellites into orbit.

Television superstar

The Bloodhound team believes such power will take the car to more than 800 mph. This would see the existing 763 mph land speed world record, set in October 1997 by Thrust SSC, shattered.

Completing the installation of the Nammo rocket, along with a return to South Africa for the world record attempt in 2022, is anticipated to cost £8 million.

Last year, Bloodhound LSR was featured in a Channel 4 documentary titled Building the World’s Fastest Car, which helped raise the profile of the project.

Such exposure could help raise sponsorship to recoup costs, along with increasing the value of promotional rights associated with a record-breaking run.

“The world needs a good news story”

Covid-19 has complicated matters, causing a planned 2020 record attempt to be shelved. Ian Warhust admits that a global pandemic has also made funding the project much more challenging.

Work is needed to begin imminently, should a world record attempt want to be made this year. Should a buyer not be found, Bloodhound LSR will instead be placed in long-term storage.

Bloodhound LSR driver Andy Green commented: “In my opinion, the Bloodhound team has built the best Land Speed Record Car ever. It made our 628 mph test run look easy! We’re now raring to get to 800 mph+, to showcase this technical marvel and to invite a global audience to join in an incredibly exciting adventure.”

Green added: “After the horrible 2020 pandemic year we have all just experienced, the world needs a good news story, and Bloodhound is ready to deliver it”.

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You can buy the Peter Kay Car Share Fiat 500L

By

Richard Aucock

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January 25, 2021

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The Fiat 500L driven by Peter Kay in BBC comedy Car Share is up for auction – with all funds raised set to go to charity.

Yorkshire car dealer Piccadilly Motors is selling the famous Fiat, through specialist trade platform Dealer Auction.

Traders are being encouraged to “throw away the price guides and bid generously for this piece of comedy history”.

Piccadilly MD Simon Watts originally bought the Car Share Fiat at auction, with the intention of raising money for the firm’s chosen charities.

“Due to the current pandemic and the restrictions we’re under, this has proven to be extremely difficult – therefore I thank Dealer Auction for helping us achieve our goal.”

All money raised will go to the Candlelighters charity, which supports families facing children’s cancer in the Yorkshire region.

The retailer also supports Martin House Hospice, which provides family-led care for children with life-shortening conditions across Yorkshire.

Over more than two decades, Piccadilly has raised more than £150,000 for its chosen charities.

The auction runs until Wednesday 27 January – and the winner will not only get the famous red Fiat, but also the car door that was knocked off in the final series, signed by Peter Kay, Sian Gibson and the crew.

Car Share ran for three series from 2015 and won numerous awards including the National Television Awards’ Best Comedy for three consecutive years.

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MG to expand its dealer network in 2021

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Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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January 25, 2021

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MG will expand its UK network to 130 dealers by the end of the year. This follows 28 new dealers joining the brand in the past 12 months.

Most recently, MG dealers have opened in Milton Keynes, St Albans, Cambridge, Huddersfield, Bradford, Grimsby, Bristol, Hayle, Tunbridge Wells and Croydon. There are now 120 MG dealers in the UK, which comes off the back of a 41 percent increase in registrations in 2020.

New car sales plunged to a 28-year low in 2020 as the industry struggled to cope with the coronavirus pandemic. But there was positive news for the EV sector, with sales reaching over 108,000 units – a 186 percent year-on-year increase.

There are six cars in the MG range, including two all-electric vehicles. The MG ZS EV costs from £25,495 after the government plug-in car grant and offers up to 163 miles of electric range. Richard Aucock reviewed the car in 2019. He said MG “has worked hard to present the UK’s best-value all-inclusive electric car deal.

“And on first evidence, the MG ZS EV is a good enough drive for it to reap the rewards. The target is matching the Nissan Leaf for sales. MG says, unlike Hyundai and Kia, getting enough cars to meet demand won’t be a problem. What are the odds on this becoming Britain’s best-selling electric car? So perfect is MG’s timing, it’s actually not such a crazy thought.”

MG is gearing up for the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars by launching the MG5 EV estate car and MG HS plug-in hybrid. The appealing MG3 supermini and petrol versions of the ZS and HS complete the range.

‘Massively outperforming the market’

MG Motor’s commercial director, Guy Pigounakis, said: “Our dealer network is expanding on the back of a record year in which we saw our market share break the crucial one percent barrier and our sales volumes increase by 41 percent, massively outperforming the market and finishing the year with volumes on a par with some much more established rivals.

“But this doesn’t surprise us. The MG range is perfect for our times – great value cars that are great to drive, packed with technology and backed by a seven-year warranty. MG is also the definitive leader in affordable electric motoring and encapsulates the idea of electric for everyone, something that our dealers – and our customers – can’t get enough of.”

You can read the latest MG new car reviews by clicking this link.

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Lotus confirms new ‘Type 131’ sports cars for later this year

By

Richard Aucock

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January 25, 2021

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A new Lotus sports car will enter production in 2021, the Britis brand has confirmed – and it will herald an entire family of new performance cars.

Codenamed Lotus Type 131, prototype production of the sports car series begins in 2021 from a ‘world-class manufacturing facility’ in Hethel, Norfolk.

More than £100 million is being invested into production of the new sports cars, which will create around 250 new jobs.

“This year will be hugely significant for Lotus,” said CEO Phil Popham, “with new facilities coming on stream, a new sports car entering production and new levels of efficiency and quality that only a new car design and factory can deliver.”

Lotus is also combining two sub-assembly factories into a single central plant in the city of Norwich to support higher volumes.

Its Lotus Engineering consultancy has been relocated to Warwick with a new Advanced Technology Centre opening later in 2021.

Earlier in January, it was confirmed Lotus is to partner with Alpine to make an additional all-electric sports car.

Final year for Elise, Exige and Evora

Lotus has also confirmed 2021 will be the final year of production for the Elise, Exige and Evora sports cars.

It’s planning a series of activities to celebrate the trio, beginning with the Elise, which was revealed in 1995.

The Exige followed in 2000 and the Evora debuted in 2008.

Lotus executive director for engineering Matt Windle said the team of engineers, designers and technicians working on the new sports cars “are acutely aware of the legacy from the Elise, Exige and Evora.

“Indeed, many were around when Elise was being developed.

“Members of our team, old and new, are now busy blending the learnings of the past with the innovations of today and tomorrow, to ensure our future cars truly move the game on but remain firmly committed to Lotus values.”

Lotus says that when production of the trio ceases, a combined total of more than 55,000 will have been built.

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Porsche Panamera sets new Road Atlanta lap record

By

John Redfern

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January 23, 2021

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Porsche has used the latest Panamera Turbo S to claim another production car lap record at the Road Atlanta circuit.

With some 620 hp, the new four-door Panamera managed to lap the twisting 2.54-mile track in 1 minute 31.51 seconds.

This is the third occasion in under two years that the German marque has bested the Southern USA venue.

A home-field advantage?

It is worth noting that Porsche Cars North America is based in nearby Atlanta, Georgia. It makes the famed circuit a prime location for testing new models.

Leh Keen, a Georgia native, was responsible for setting the new lap record. Having won the Grand Am Rolex GT Championship twice behind the wheel of a Porsche, Keen is clearly no slouch.

He was also responsible for setting the production EV lap time at Road Atlanta in 2019, driving a Porsche Taycan Turbo S.

More grip, more luxury

The updated Panamera Turbo S features a twin-turbocharged 4.0-l V8 engine, with 620 hp and 605 lb-ft of torque. Porsche’s eight-speed PDK transmission, rear-axle steering, and carbon ceramic composite brakes all helped with the new lap time.

However, credit also goes to the road-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 ND0 ultra-high performance rubber. Developed at the Nürburgring specifically for the Panamera, the trick Michelins will undoubtedly have aided the big four-door at Road Atlanta.

Speaking about the record run, Keen commented that Porsche engineers have “found a perfect balance” with the revised Panamera.

He added that the “stability gave me a ton of confidence to use every bit of the asphalt and curbs. And yet the car has a completely different and more refined and relaxed character on the highway – an amazing combination.”

Georgia on My Mind

Whilst Leh Keen’s lap time in the 2021 Panamera is impressive, it is still several seconds behind Porsche’s fastest car around Road Atlanta.

In 2019, racing driver and writer Randy Pobst lapped the circuit in 1 minute 24.88 seconds, using a 700 hp Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

Keen will at least have had the benefit of 14-way adjustable leather seats, and a 710-watt Bose Surround Sound system, whilst setting a lap time in the Panamera.

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Custom Tesla Model S CONVERTIBLE revealed

By

John Redfern

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January 22, 2021

0

An Italian design house has designed and built a bespoke Tesla Model S convertible.

Privately commissioned by an Ares Design client, the bright white Model S has undergone a dramatic transformation.

Whilst Tesla has previously sold the Roadster model with a removable roof panel, the pure electric car company does not currently have a convertible in its range.

Chopped and dropped

Making a four-door Model S into a fully functioning convertible is not the work of mere moments.

Ares Design removed the existing roof, and rear doors, turning the Model S into a new two-door design. The front doors were also lengthened, allowing easier access to the rear seats.

Chopping the roof off a car typically means reducing its structural integrity. Ares added extra strengthening beneath the cabin, around the rear seats, and to the side sills to reinforce the Tesla’s body.

Plain White T’s

The crowning glory of the Model S convertible is a folding fabric soft-top. This retracts beneath a custom-made solid tonneau cover, hiding the roof completely when lowered.

A new boot lid has been added to accommodate the folding roof. An Ares Design carbon fibre body kit has been installed, with modified bumpers and side skirts.

The interior has also been given a custom makeover. White hand-stitched leather upholstery has been used for the seats and dashboard panels, incorporating a contrasting orange trim.

‘A pure coachbuilding project’

As a commission by a private client, Ares Design has not revealed the costs involved in the topless transformation.

Such coachbuilding is unlikely to be cheap. A bespoke Tesla Model S Shooting Brake, created by Niels van Roij Design, added £80,000 ($110,000) plus taxes to the price of the base car.

Dany Bahar, former Lotus CEO and Ares Design co-founder, commented that the company’s “Co-create philosophy allows clients to work side by side with our designers and engineers to create their very own bespoke vehicle”.

Bahar also added that the convertible Model S was “a pure coachbuilding project which we very much enjoy doing and seeing the results of our uncompromising standards.”

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Volkswagen Group cuts CO2 emissions 20% – but still misses target

By

Richard Aucock

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January 21, 2021

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The Volkswagen Group cut CO2 emissions from its passenger car range by a whopping 20 percent in 2020 – but this still wasn’t enough to avoid a fine for not meeting its EU-mandated CO2 target.

Average emissions across the VW Group fell to just under 100g/km compared with 2019.

The firm’s target figure was, however, narrowly missed by 0.5 g/km – which means the EU is going to impose fines.

The Financial Times estimates this will cost it around €150 million.

Volkswagen Group includes Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda and Cupra: Bentley and Lamborghini are also part of the Group, but they are measured individually.

Such a large decrease in CO2 emissions was delivered by a significant step-up in electric vehicle production.

In 2019, Volkswagen Group delivered just under 73,000 EVs. Last year, this increased more than fourfold, to 315,400 cars.

Almost one in 10 cars it delivered last year were either plug-in hybrid or pure electric.

“We are making good progress on the road to becoming a CO2-neutral company,” said CEO Herbert Diess.

“We significantly reduced the CO2 emissions of our new vehicle fleet in the EU – the Volkswagen and Audi brands in particular have made a major contribution to achieving this.”

‘Thwarted by the pandemic’

Mr Diess added that Volkswagen Group was “thwarted by the Covid-19 pandemic” in not achieving its CO2 emissions target of 99.3 g/km.

Speaking of missing the target, Volkswagen Sustainability Council member Rebecca Harms said that although it hadn’t been met this year, “Volkswagen is clearly well on its way.

“The key to success will be to give a greater role to smaller, efficient and affordable models in the electrification rollout.”

Volkswagen is expected to achieve its CO2 target in 2021, said Mr Diess, thanks to ever-more electric cars going on sale, including pure electric models from Skoda, Seat and Cupra.

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