GQ Car Awards 2020: the most exciting and exotic cars on sale

February 5, 2020

GQ has announced its 2020 Car Awards winners – and they couldn’t be further from conventional family fare. Trophies this year went to electric cars, hypercars, classic cars, racing cars and, er, Jeremy Clarkson. No ‘biggest boot capacity’ to be found here, although there is a Best Family Car gong…

Celebrating electric

You might think GQ is primarily focused on style, but it has one eye on the future and burgeoning car technology. Electric-focused awards this year include Best Electric Hypercar, Best Four-Door eCar and Best Hybrid Sports Car.

Best Electric Hypercar – Pininfarina Battista

Winning the electric hypercar trophy, and the ‘plug-in piece of art award’, is the Pininfarina Battista. GQ describes it as ‘breathtakingly pretty’, as well as ‘zero emissions, maximum entertainment’. It certainly adds a splash of style and prestige to the very upstart-flavoured EV landscape. We approve, although for us the Lotus Evija would be an equally strong contender.

Best Four-Door eCar – Porsche Taycan

The Best Four-Door eCar award goes to the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. GQ describes it as ‘the EV even Elon Musk would swap his Tesla for’. We reckon Elon might disagree, but 2019 was indeed ‘payback time’ for Porsche. The Taycan is commended for its performance, as well as its practical credentials. It’s ‘intergalactically rapid’ with a ‘high-quality interior’ and ‘peerless ergonomics’.

Best Hybrid Sports Car – Polestar 1

Finally, something with cylinders and a petrol tank: it’s the Best Hybrid Sports Car award. Congratulations to the Polestar 1, Volvo’s super-chic coupe. Its twin-charged four-cylinder engine is good for over 300hp and works in tandem with a further 300hp+ of electric power. With 93 miles of electric range, the Polestar 1 could be the world’s sexiest compromise. The ‘Swede Dreams Are Made of This Award’, then. Quite.

Best Family Car – Volkswagen ID.3

Now the Best Family Car. No bias to the electric segment here, but Volkswagen’s ID.3 takes the cake. The first of many forthcoming ID-badged electric cars from VW, it’s said to be the third chapter of the ‘people’s car’ (with parts one and two being the Beetle and Golf). Big shoes to fill, then. GQ describes the ID.3 as ‘crisply inoffensive’. We’re inclined to agree.

Concept crazy

GQ likes to give out car awards for concepts. To some, they’re vanity projects worth no more than their 15 minutes of motor show fame. But we agree that some should be celebrated.

Best Concept Car – Bentley EXP 100 GT

The Bentley EXP 100 GT, winner of GQ’s Best Concept Car award, is one of the best of recent years. It’s also very significant, indicating what Bentley wants to achieve over the next 15 years – making luxury truly sustainable. If the Mulsanne finds a successor in something that remotely resembles this, all-electric or not, we can rest easy.

Best Off-Road Concept – Audi AI: Trail

At the crazier end of the concept spectrum, here’s the winner of GQ’s Best Off-Road Concept: the Audi AI:Trail. We speculated whether this sort of revolutionary off-roader could suck the wind out of the new Land Rover Defender’s sails. GQ describes it as ‘Audi at its most imaginative’.

2020’s coolest SUVs

The Best All-Rounder and Best Luxury SUV, as decided by GQ, are both British-built, uncharacteristically cool for the segment they occupy, and long-awaited, critical products for their respective brands.

Best All-Rounder – Land Rover Defender

Best All-Rounder is the Land Rover Defender. Due to make a splash (and smash) in James Bond’s No Time To Die in April, it’s also keenly priced and effortlessly cool. Want to show up a Range Rover SVAutobiography for less than half the price? Step into a Defender 110.

Best Luxury SUV – Aston Martin DBX

This award goes to the Aston Martin DBX. If you find the Bentley Bentayga offensive and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan cringey, the DBX is a welcome respite. It’s evidence that Aston is home to the world’s best and cleverest designers, given they’ve got close to designing the first beautiful SUV. Given Aston’s recent stock market suffering, they’ll be hoping it sells like hot cakes.

Dream machines

This is where GQ’s selection gets a little out of control, in the best way. As if a multi-million-pound electric Pininfarina hypercar, or a Bentley from the future, wasn’t crazy in the first place.

Best Hyper GT – McLaren Speedtail

At the ‘affordable’ end of the spectrum is the best hyper GT. That could only go to the three-seater 250mph McLaren Speedtail, as we’re not sure what other cars of the last 12 months could be classified as such. Just 106 will be made, each able to reach 186mph in 12.8 seconds when in ‘Velocity’ mode.

Best Hypercar – Bugatti Centodieci

Best hypercar is a niche selection from GQ, but as you’d expect, oh-so cool. Congratulations to the Bugatti Centodieci: a tribute to the EB110, and the fact that Bugatti turned 110 years old in 2019. Just 10 will be made, at £7 million a pop. GQ says ‘Now That’s How To Celebrate A Birthday’. We couldn’t agree more.

Best Racing Car – Mercedes W10

Best racing car is described as ‘The Lewis Hamilton Company Car Award’ by GQ. Enough of a clue? The winner is the Mercedes W10 EQ Power+. This car follows a long-line of championship-dominating masterful Mercs. The latest Silver Arrow delivered Lewis his sixth driver’s title in 2019.

Best Automotive Icon – Lamborghini Miura

Surely, this is a discussion for the ages, never to be resolved? Maybe, but GQ has had a pop, with what must be a strong contender. ‘The most beautiful car ever?’ asks GQ of the Lamborghini Miura. It’s got to be up there.

Best Car of all Time – Ferrari 250 GTO

If Best Automotive Icon was a difficult thing to discuss, then we might just tap out at Best Car of all Time. GQ’s argument for the Ferrari 250 GTO looks past the £20 million price tag to the wisdom of one of the car world’s coolest characters: Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. He can’t think of anything better he’d do with tens of millions of pounds. “I’d rather have the car, thanks very much”. That’s a compelling argument in itself.

Lifetime Achievement Award – Jeremy Clarkson

Love him or lump him, you’ll struggle to argue that Jeremy Clarkson isn’t still the man when it comes to car commentary. And as for lifetime achievements in motoring? It’s indisputable that he helped popularise our often strange little world. From Top Gear to The Grand Tour, with the Times in between, Clarkson courted controversy and cultivated fame. A worthy winner, by our reckoning.

Electric classic car firm doubles its workforce

February 5, 2020

Lunaz, a company specialising in the restoration and electrification of classic cars, has announced it will double its workforce. Currently, 35 engineers, craftspeople, designers and electric powertrain specialists are employed at the company’s base in Silverstone.

By the end of the year, Lunaz will have twice the number of staff as it responds to a ‘shift towards a requirement for zero-emissions luxury cars’.

Established in 2018, Lunaz has become known for its electric classics, most notably a 1953 Jaguar XK120. Its debut car is now ready for production following a period of testing and proving. The company says the electric XK120 is ‘comparable against the latest electric cars in all conditions’.

The Lunaz XK120 is fitted with an 80kWh battery, generating 375hp and 516lb ft of torque. The twin motors help to propel the Jaguar to 60mph in less than five seconds. Lunaz hasn’t supplied a range figure, but says it is ‘expected to match a new electric car’. It costs £350,000, plus local taxes and import duties.

Meanwhile, a 1961 eight-seat Rolls-Royce Phantom V and a 1956 Rolls-Royce Cloud are nearing completion, while a 1961 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur has also joined the Lunaz collection.

Founder David Lorenz said: “Legislation to reduce carbon emissions through bans on petrol, diesel and hybrid engines is an urgent reality. Lunaz is electrifying the most beautiful classic cars in the world so that they can be driven and enjoyed by future generations.”

‘Vital and urgent engineering’

Managing director and technical lead Jon Hilton added: “At Lunaz we are engaged in vital and urgent engineering. These are the most beautiful and celebrated cars in history. As a collective we are proud to make classics a relevant proposition for the future.”

Last year, the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens (FIVA) said it is unable to promote or support the conversion of classic cars to electric power. Tiddo Bresters, FIVA’s vice president, legislation, said: “It is not, in our opinion, the shape or body style of a vehicle that makes it ‘historic’, but the way in which the entire vehicle has been constructed and manufactured in its original form.

“Hence if any owner, motor engineer or manufacturer chooses to make such conversions to a historic vehicle, FIVA would strongly recommend that any changes are reversible, with all the original components marked and safely stored.

“In this way, the vehicle may – if so desired in the future – be returned to its original state and may once again become a historic vehicle.”

This is unlikely to deter Lunaz or other specialist firms from pressing ahead with electric car conversions, especially given the government’s stance on the future of petrol and diesel in the UK. The ban on new petrol and diesel cars has been brought forward from 2040 to 2035.

World Car Awards 2020 finalists revealed

Richard Aucock

February 5, 2020

World Car Awards jurors have narrowed down a 29-car longlist to 10 finalists in the running for the 2020 World Car of the Year prize.

In a presentation at the Delhi Auto Show, the World Car Finals were launched after the first round of secret voting overseen by KPMG.

Jaguar I-Pace named World Car of the Year 2019

A total of 86 jurors from around the world will now go into another round of voting to decide the top three finalists, and the eventual 2020 World Car of the Year winner.

2020 World Car of the Year finalists

Six brands are represented in the list of finalists for World Car of the Year 2020. Several are listed twice, in some standout performances from certain auto makers.

The full list, in alphabetical order, is:

Hyundai Sonata
Kia Soul EV
Kia Telluride
Range Rover Evoque
Mazda 3
Mazda CX-30
Mercedes-Benz CLA
Mercedes-Benz GLB
Volkswagen Golf
Volkswagen T-Cross

The winner will follow last year’s victor, the Jaguar I-Pace.

Also announced at the Delhi World Car Awards press conference were the top 5 finalists in three other individual categories.

2020 World Urban Car finalists: Kia Soul EV, Mini Electric, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Volkswagen T-Cross
2020 World Luxury Car finalists: BMW X5, BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Porsche 911, Porsche Taycan
2020 World Performance Car finalists: BMW M8, Porsche 718 Spyder/Cayman GT4, Porsche 911, Porsche Taycan, Toyota GR Supra

Every car listed in the individual categories is also eligible for the 2020 World Car Design of the Year award.

This year, famed ex-Jaguar design boss Ian Callum has joined the judging panel, alongside star names such as Gordon Murray, Patrick Le Quement (ex-Renault and Ford) and Tom Matano (ex-Mazda).

The 2020 World Car Design of the Year finalists are: Alpine A110S, Mazda 3, Mazda CX-30, Peugeot 208, Porsche Taycan

The top three in each category will be announced at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday 3 March. The finalists will then be revealed, for the 15th year running, at the 2020 New York International Auto Show on 8 April.

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January 2020 new car sales fall 7.3% as diesel plunge continues

Richard Aucock

February 5, 2020

January 2020 new car registrations fell 7.3 percent as motorists stayed away from showrooms due to an ongoing lack of consumer confidence.

Sales to private buyers were down a hefty 13.9 percent, with fleet sales down a more manageable 2.2 percent.

Diesel cars were particularly badly hit, suffering a massive 36 percent drop in sales.

It’s the 34th monthly decline in a row for new diesel car sales, with a market share in January 2020 of just 19.8 percent.

However, alternatively fuelled vehicle (AFV) sales did increase: hybrids were up 20.6 percent and plug-in hybrids grew 111.1 percent.

Zero-emissions battery electric vehicles rocketed 203.9 percent, taking a 2.7 percent market share.

Overall, AFV cars grabbed a record market share of 11.9 percent in January 2020, compared to 6.8 percent in 2019.

‘Unsettling’ decline

The latest figures come a day after the government brought forward its 2040 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales to 2035 – and included hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the ban.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said: “The new car market is a key driver of the UK’s overall economy, so another month of decline is unsettling.

“Consumer confidence is not returning to the market and will not be helped by government’s decision to add further confusion and instability by moving the goalposts on the end of sale of internal combustion engine cars.

“While ambition is understandable, as we must address climate change and air quality concerns, blanket bans do not help short-term consumer confidence.”

Hawes called on the government to roll out extensive and well-funded fiscal incentives, policies and investment to boost demand.

“We want to deliver air quality and environmental improvements now but need a strong market to do so.”

Top 10 new car registrations: January 2020

1: Ford Fiesta

2: Ford Focus

3: Nissan Qashqai

4: Vauxhall Corsa

5: Volkswagen Golf

6: Mercedes-Benz A-Class

7: Kia Sportage

8: BMW 3 Series

9: Volkswagen Polo

10: Vauxhall Grandland X (pictured above)

New Volkswagen Golf 8 prices start from £23,875

Richard Aucock

February 5, 2020

Ordering is now open for the new Volkswagen Golf 8 with prices starting from £23,875.

The initial launch line-up comprises just two trim variants, Life and Style. R-Line will follow later, as will sporty GTI, GTD, GTE and R versions, and an estate variant.

New Volkswagen Golf 8 revealed: progressive revolution

Engines are capped to four at launch: two petrols, two diesels. Actually, make it one diesel and one petrol, in two power outputs:

1.5 TSI 130
1.5 TSI 150
2.0 TDI 115
2.0 TDI 150

Petrols are initially only offered with a six-speed manual, like the 2.0 TDI 115. The 2.0 TDI 150 only comes with a seven-speed DSG automatic.

Further engine choices on the horizon include a 1.0-litre TSI plus 1.0 eTSI and 1.5 eTSI 48V mild hybrids.

New VW Golf 8: equipment and options

Standard Life trim is expected to be most popular in the UK. As standard, it has 16-inch alloys, automatic LED headlights, all-round parking sensors, auto wipers and 10-colour ambient interior lighting.

Keyless start is included: this can be upgraded to keyless entry for £400.

Inside, all new Golfs have a fully digital cockpit, comprising a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and 10-inch central touchscreen. Discover Pro Navigation is standard.

Volkswagen is the first mainstream brand to include Car2X technology. This allows Golf 8 to communicate with one another – so one Golf can ‘tell’ cars behind about hazards, stationary traffic and other incidents.

Also included is wireless app connect, for wire-free Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (a wireless smartphone charger is included). A three-year subscription to Volkswagen’s We Connect Plus service is standard.

Given this bounty of equipment, what do you get on the Style? Bigger 17-inch alloys, LED ‘plus’ headlights, sports comfort seats and wood inserts on the dashboard.

Three-zone climate control is added, and there’s a further optional upgrade for the headlights, to the VW IQ.Light matrix system, costing £875.

Other options include Dynamic Chassis Control adaptive damping, for £950, and a head-up display for £625.

New Volkswagen Golf 8: 2020 prices

Life

1.5 TSI 130: £23,875

1.5 TSI 150: £24,475

2.0 TDI 115: £24,875

Style

1.5 TSI 130: £25,470

1.5 TSI 150: £26,090

2.0 TDI 115: £26,470

2.0 TDI 150 DSG: £29,170

Fuel prices RISE in January despite FALL in wholesale costs

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

February 5, 2020

Fuel prices went up last month, despite a fall in the wholesale cost of petrol and diesel.

Data from RAC Fuel Watch shows the wholesale price of unleaded fell by 4.3p, while diesel dropped 7.5p across the month. This should, in theory, have led to a reduction at the pumps.

Instead, the average UK price of a litre of petrol is 127.60p – up 0.92p from the start of January. The price of diesel also went up by the same amount, finishing the month at 132.04p.

Refuelling at a supermarket should save you money. The RAC data reveals average prices of 123.69p for unleaded and 128.14p for diesel. At the end January, Asda announced it was cutting fuel price by 3p per litre.

There are regional variations. Filling up is likely to be more expensive in London and the South East, but around 4p cheaper in Northern Ireland.

Overall, it’s now 50p more expensive to fill a 55-litre tank than it was at the start of the year. Petrol is now £70.18, while diesel is £72.62.

‘Rocket and feather’

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “Based on steadily falling wholesale prices, January should have been a good month for drivers at the pumps, but instead they ended up being paying well over the odds. In fact, January was a perfect example of ‘rocket and feather’ pricing where prices go up far faster than they come down.

“Retailers were very quick to protect themselves from a slight jump in the price of oil caused by the tensions between Iran and the US at the start of January by putting up forecourt prices, but when the cost of a barrel dropped back, for some reason, retail prices carried on going up.

“Our biggest retailers – the supermarkets – blatantly resisted passing on the savings they were making to drivers until the RAC publicly called on them to do so on 27 January when RAC Fuel Watch data showed there was scope for a large cut. Two days later a headline-grabbing 3p a litre cut was announced.

“This was clearly good news, but it’s hard to congratulate retailers on doing something they should have done at least a week before. Even since the cut pump prices are still out of kilter with what’s been happening on the wholesale market. As things stand now – despite the cuts – petrol is still 5p too expensive and diesel over 7p too dear.

“We strongly urge retailers of all sizes to play fair with drivers and cut their forecourt prices. Going forwards we call on them to charge prices that more closely mirror drops in the cost they buy fuel in at in the same way they do when prices go up.”

Click here for some handy fuel-saving tips.

F1 world champion Alonso tests the Toyota GR Yaris

Ethan Jupp

February 4, 2020

Double F1 world champion and Le Mans-winner Fernando Alonso has been testing Toyota’s latest high-performance hot hatchback. Alonso gave his opinion on the new Toyota GR Yaris after a few laps of the Estoril circuit in Portugal.

The GR Yaris is a modern-day homologation special, complete with wide wheelarches, more than 250hp and four-wheel drive.

Alonso isn’t just any Le Mans-winner, either. His victory was at the wheel of Toyota’s TSO50 LMP1 car, finally cementing the marque’s name in the history of the famous endurance race.

Incredible Toyota GR Yaris ‘road-going rally car’ revealed

So, what does this pro racer, and perhaps the world’s leading authority on fast Toyotas, think of the Yaris GR?

“This car has the perfect combination of sport and good performance,” Alonso said.

“A very sporty car you can drive every day, exceeding your expectations in every gear change. In every braking point, in every corner, you know it’s a little bit better than you expect.

“Not only the power and the stability, but for me also the brakes, it was a really nice surprise. It is only the first few laps but it is exciting!”

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LMP1 cars and a fast Yaris aren’t Alonso’s only experiences with hot Toyotas. He’s also taken on the Dakar Rally for Toyota Gazoo Racing, making him well-placed to give feedback on a softer-focus rally-inspired car.

The Yaris GR is intended to homologate Toyota’s 2021 World Rally Car, the hope being for a competitive advantage.

With almost completely new bodywork and a new four-wheel-drive system, the cost of development is likely to be enormous. In spite of this, we reported that the price could be lower than you’d think, given Toyota intends to sell more than 15,000 of them.

The cheap alternatives to the ‘world’s best luxury sedan’

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

February 4, 2020

‘Deliveries of world’s best luxury sedan underway.’ Bentley isn’t backward in coming forward as it announces the first customer deliveries of the all-new Flying Spur.

There are two things to pick out from this. First, ‘sedan’ isn’t a word we tend to use to describe four-door saloons. They’re saloons, plain and simple.

Second, that’s quite a claim. Self-proclaiming something to be the ‘world’s best‘ at anything is a little too high street for our tastes. ‘World’s best cup of coffee’, ‘world’s best kebab’ or ‘world’s best fish and chips’ – all fine, if a little hard to substantiate. But ‘world’s best sedan’ – has anybody consulted Rolls-Royce?

‘The all-new Bentley Flying Spur is the ultimate luxury Grand Touring sedan, offering the perfect fusion of performance-orientated agility and exclusive four-door, limousine-style comfort,’ says Bentley.

Notice the use of ‘ultimate luxury’ – Bentley is determined to ram home the ‘world’s best‘ angle. Still, you might expect the ultimate luxury for £168,300.

But what if you haven’t got the equivalent of a mortgage to spend on a luxury saloon? What if you haven’t even got 10 percent of the cash you’d need for an entry-level Flying Spur?

We can’t offer the perfect fusion of anything, but here’s a selection of four-door saloons that are available for less than £1,683. That’s 1 percent of the value of a Flying Spur. And you won’t even have to visit a Bentley dealer or apply any self-tanning lotion.

Toyota Camry V6

The Toyota Camry is one of the world’s most successful saloons. It’s particularly popular in America, where the combination of a smooth engine, ice-cold air conditioning, large cupholders and near-faultless reliability make it the choice of a nation. Or at least those who don’t drive a pick-up. Or an SUV. Or an Accord.

Over here, old versions of the Toyota Camry were more of an acquired taste. Company car drivers like to go around corners and avoid daily visits to the petrol station, which meant the Camry failed to feature on many fleet lists. The only thing faster than the depreciation was the Camry V6’s fuel needle.

Today, the combination of general apathy, crippling fuel economy and the anonymous styling means you can buy a really tidy Camry V6 for £1,000. Others cost even less…

Buy a used Toyota Camry on Auto Trader

Lexus IS 200

If the Lexus LS 400 is the ‘Japanese S-Class’, the IS 200 must be the ‘Japanese 3 Series’. It offers rear-wheel-drive dynamics, a smooth six-cylinder engine, a rather special cabin and some eye-catching dials designed to resemble a chronometer. The rear lights are also rather cool, although they spawned some aftermarket copy-cats of questionable taste.

It’s as nice to drive as a BMW 3 Series, while the build quality is more than a match for its contemporary German rivals. Only the Alan Partridge connection might deter some buyers.

Prices start from £500 for an MOT failure, but £1,000 should secure a serviceable example. A-ha!

Buy a used Lexus IS 200 on Auto Trader

Volvo S80

If you’re someone who hates leaving the comfort of the living room, the Volvo S80 is the car for you. The seats are more nicer than anything you’d find in the DFS sale, while the carpets are sumptuous enough for you to consider driving barefoot. To criticise the S80 for being boring would be missing the point – this car was designed to waft.

Because you’re only paying pennies for your ultimate luxury saloon, we’d recommend the 4.4-litre V8, which is powerful enough to propel the Swedish lounge to 62mph in 6.5 seconds. At least you’ll be feeling relaxed and refreshed as you enter the petrol station for the umpteenth time this week.

Prices start from £1,000, although you won’t find any 3.2 or 4.4-litre models for one percent of the price of a Flying Spur.

Buy a used Volvo S80 on Auto Trader

Chevrolet Epica

There are fewer than 150 Chevrolet Epicas on the roads of Britain. That’s around a quarter of the number of Bentley Flying Spurs, so some degree of exclusivity is guaranteed. Stick that in your machine-polished pipe and smoke it.

You don’t need to tell anyone at the tanning salon that it’s little more than a rebadged Daewoo. Opt for the straight-six petrol engine unless you fancy touring the streets of Knutsford like a low-rent taxi. Get the LT spec, as this adds climate control, rear parking sensors, heated leather seats, auto wipers, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, a CD auto-changer, 17-inch rims and an electric driver’s seat to an already long list of standard equipment.

Prices start from £1,250. Why buy a Flying Spur when you drive something Epica?

Buy a used Chevrolet Epica on Auto Trader

Hyundai Sonata

The Hyundai Sonata is in the news thanks to that Super Bowl ad starring John Krasinski. The new sedan looks kinda cool, but although it’s cheaper than a new Flying Spur, it doesn’t fit our Super Budget. Besides, it’s been a while since the Sonata was available in the UK.

Back at the turn of the millennium, you’d invariably find the Sonata in one of two places: in a garden centre car park or parked on a driveway outside a bungalow in a provincial seaside town. Although there are other engines available, the V6 is the one you want if you’re hoping to fuse some performance-orientated agility.

If you like the feeling of saggy leather and fake wood, the Sonata is more desirable than a new Bentley. Prices start from around £600, which is the cost of a Bentley travel bag. You pays yer money and takes yer choice.

Buy a used Hyundai Sonata on Auto Trader

Not convinced by our left-field and alternative saloons? Auto Trader is awash with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Audi saloons available for 1 percent of the price of a new Flying Spur. Take a look for yourself.

2035 petrol and diesel ban brings ‘challenges and opportunities’

Ethan Jupp

February 4, 2020

Today’s announcement that the 2040 ban on selling new petrol- and diesel-engined cars will be brought forward to 2035 – and will now include hybrids – has been welcomed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.

“We welcome the government’s proposals to bring forward the target for the ending of the sale of IC-engine cars from 2040 to 2035,” said LowCVP MD Andy Eastlake.

“The target will be challenging for industry and drivers, but if we are to meet the 2050 net zero commitment, we must raise our level of ambition in road transport.

“The intent from Government is to give some real clarity on this target and to really gather the widest views before responding in the summer.”

Transition could be sooner if feasible

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In its statement, the government said if the transition to zero-emission car sales was possible sooner, they could bring it forward again.

Eastlake refers to this in his statement, saying “We believe that in this proposal ‘zero means zero’; the desire is for all new cars and vans to emit nothing under all circumstances as soon as feasible”.

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Drivers are currently faced with electric cars that are notably more expensive than internal combustion (ICE) counterparts, plus a charging infrastructure that’s difficult to trust. But LowCVP presents some reasons to believe the 2035 ban is feasible, in spite of these drawbacks.

“A number of challenges, but also opportunities” are presented by the bringing forward of the ban, Eastlake adds.

In terms of price, electric cars could soon be much cheaper. LowCVP cites a fall in battery prices indicating that EVs could achieve price parity with conventional cars within five years.

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It says EVs are already very appealing for many drivers, already offering viable range figures and price points, as well as savings on fuel and tax. The government also cited the surge in EV popularity in its announcement.

“This government’s £1.5bn strategy to make owning an electric vehicle as easy as possible is working – last year alone, a fully electric car was sold every 15 minutes,” said Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps.

“We want to go further than ever before. That’s why we are bringing forward our already ambitious target to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to tackle climate change and reduce emissions.”

‘There’s a big job to be done’

Electric car searches up 78 percent on Auto Trader

Eastlake continues: “There’s a big job to be done; by the manufacturers in switching over production facilities over a short timescale and by organisations like LowCVP and others in making sure drivers, the energy system and key market players are fully prepared for the electric transition.

“This shortened target will heighten ambition and focus minds to meet the challenges ahead.”

What isn’t discussed of course, is the frustration within the car industry about the inclusion of hybrids in the ban, especially after so much has been invested.

This incredible golden 1961 Rolls-Royce was customized by George Barris

John Redfern

February 4, 2020

Hot rodder and customizer George Barris created numerous special cars over the years, but this 1961 Rolls-Royce may be one of his most ostentatious.

Built for actress and Hollywood socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor, the Sedanca de Ville was made to fit with the rest of her extravagant lifestyle.

Forgotten about for two decades, the car is one of the lots appearing this week at the Artcurial Retromobile 2020 sale in Paris, France.

Living the Hollywood dream

Originally born in Budapest, Hungary, Zsa Zsa Gabor first found fame in Vienna, Austria during the 1930s. She would later move to the United States in 1941, going on to star in more than thirty Hollywood movies and countless television shows.

Gabor was also known for being married nine times during her life. This included marriages to George Hilton, founder of the Hilton Hotels empire, and British actor George Sanders.

Her successful acting career, plus a string of lucrative divorces, endowed Gabor with a huge amount of wealth. This included purchasing a gigantic mansion in Bel Air, once owned by Elvis Presley.

With such a flamboyant lifestyle, Gabor’s interests also extended to the finest automobiles available. She was gifted the rare long-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II in 1970, before handing it over to George Barris for customization in 1978.

Barris had established himself as the man to go to for motoring extravagance, having made iconic cars for use on screen. The original Batmobile, the Munster Koach, and the Oldsmobile used in Mannix were all Barris creations.

Chicago-born Barris was also happy to build special cars for celebrities, including John Wayne, Elvis Presley, and Dean Martin. For Zsa Zsa there was clearly only one person to turn to.

All that glitters (really) is gold

The most obvious part of the transformation by Barris is the elaborate golden exterior paint scheme. The two-tone color scheme features pinstriping and other special detailing, including a stylized ‘Zsa Zsa’ inscription on the rear doors.

Barris also had the famed glass-etcher, Robb Rich, add hand-crafted details to the windows of the Rolls, featuring flowers and butterflies. Lift-out panels over the front of the cabin allow open-top driving, with white wall tires and wire wheels adding classic style.

Along with the golden paint, the Rolls-Royce does have genuine 24-carat gold plating on the exterior and interior trim. The large front grille and Spirit of Ecstasy emblem are finished in gold, plus the door handles and licence plate surround.

Inside is just as dramatic and as luxurious as could be expected. Although Gabor was known for driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, the layout of the Sedanca de Ville suggests she was intending to be chauffeured in this car.

Up front is a bench seat finished in brown leather, with the dashboard wearing acres of wood trim. However, the spacious rear cabin has just two exquisitely upholstered seats, with folding tables hiding a hairbrush and comb.

Barris was suitably proud of his finished creation, with the car going on display at the 1978 Auto Expo in Los Angeles.

Holding on to what’s golden

The car would later vanish for more than two decades, eventually being located in a barn in the Netherlands. A sale in 2014 would see the car emerge into the spotlight again, getting it ready for the Artcurial sale this year.

Less than 300 examples of the V-8 Silver Cloud II LWB were produced, meaning examples are rare to begin with. A version customized by an automotive icon, and owned by a Hollywood legend, makes this car even more exclusive.

Artcurial has estimated an auction value of between $89,000 to $155,000 (£67,000 to £117,000) for the Sedanca de Ville. Friday, February 7th will show if someone is willing to commit to the extravagance of this Rolls-Royce.

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