Grey actually boosted its market share thanks to a 5.3 percent increase in sales – a whopping 521,273 new cars were ordered in grey last year, or 1 in 5 of all car sales.
Our preference for grey comes at the expense of silver, reveal the figures from the Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders (SMMT). Silver cars took their lowest total sales for 20 years, with just over 201k sales.
It’s quite the shift away from silver, a colour that’s been in the top three 16 years out of the past 20.
Scotland, however, continued its preference for silver, with the market north of the border placing the colour top overall.
Black and white choice
Looking at individual car categories, buyers made some interesting choices. For supermini drivers, the most popular new car colour was white.
In contrast, for executive and luxury car buyers, the top colour was black.
Diesel and petrol car buyers? They preferred grey – but for electric car customers, their top choice was again white.
The least popular colours (or, if you prefer, the most exclusive) were maroon, cream and pink. Even collectively, they comprised less than 1 percent of all new car sales.
As for blue cars, a colour that was top of the charts 20 years ago, it’s down in fourth place now, taking 16.7 percent of new car sales.
Red dropped again, with a market share of less than 10 percent, and green continues to be well out of favour too, with just 16,718 new cars ordered in the colour.
It seems we want our new cars to be green overall – just not actually painted green.
The hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai was always a technological flagship, but its appearance left a lot to be desired. It was striking, for sure, but far short of appealing. As well as the advancements going on underneath, the 2020 Toyota Mirai has developed a swagger. We went to the Toyota Kenshiki Forum in Amsterdam for the reveal of the near-production version. Kenshiki means ‘insight’ or ‘creating understanding’. With that, we tried a bit of both with the second iteration of Toyota’s fascinating fuel cell flagship.
So why the sudden change? We don’t see the Prius turning into a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe rival anytime soon. It’s because an image problem is the last thing a car trying to sell a concept needs. Indeed, Matt Harris, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Europe, describes the Mirai as Toyota’s vision of “the longer-term future of electrification”. The 10,000 Mirai units sold globally since 2015 doesn’t scream long-term. The Mirai needs to reach further.
So the goal is to make a car that people desire and will enjoy driving. It wants the Mirai to be aspirational, rather than a statement of style martyrdom that the Prius and previous Mirai are so often described as. That it’s a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle isn’t of consequence in this respect. In short, Toyota wants to do for FCEVs, what the Tesla Model S did for conventional EVs – make them desirable and therefore, impossible to ignore. A master-stroke by Toyota, given that the as yet unconfirmed price will inevitably remain steep. This looks much more like a £70,000 car than its predecessor.
“I want customers to say ‘I chose the Mirai not just because it’s an FCEV, but because I simply wanted this car; it just happens to be an FCEV,’“ says the Mirai’s chief engineer, Yoshikazu Tanaka.
Reshaping the Mirai – better looks, longer range and rear-wheel-drive
To the end of facilitating the Mirai’s reinvention, the right platform was needed. Under the skin is the new GA-L platform, which has been designed from the outset to take multiple powertrains, including hydrogen. It’s the largest within the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) family, which will be familiar to those who have had a look under the skin of a Lexus LS. Could we see a luxurious hydrogen-powered Lexus at some point? “It’s entirely possible”, we were told.
The platform is the primary enabler of that arresting shape and facilitates more dynamic driving characteristics. In fact, being a close relation to a Lexus platform, the new Mirai is only the second of two Toyotas in the marque’s current lineup – alongside the Supra – to be rear-wheel-drive. While there were no allusions to Toyota’s FCEV cutting shapes and billowing smoke like a Mercedes-AMG, the new Mirai is said to have “a completely new character” in terms of its driving dynamics.
“We have pursued the goal of making a car that customers will feel they want to drive all the time,” Tanaka says of the car’s driving dynamics.
“A car that has an emotional and attractive design and the kind of dynamic and responsive performance that can bring a smile to the driver’s face.”
The larger platform has also allowed for improving the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain underneath. It employs fourth-generation Toyota hybrid motor and battery technology, alongside its second-generation fuel cells, for which there are now three tanks. The new Mirai’s range should, says Toyota, exceed the first-generation car’s by 30 percent.
Estimates are around the 400-mile mark (650 kilometers), improving on the original’s circa 300-mile range. That’s further than any current or imminent EV, and it can be ‘filled’ in the time it takes to fuel up a petrol car.
On the inside, it’s a tidy thing. You could almost slap a metallic ‘L’ on the wheel in place of the Toyota badge. The instrument panel wraps around the driver, and there’s an impressive crisp 12.3-inch central display. It’s not quite a Lexus LS, but it isn’t just a poshed-up Prius either.
Practically speaking, it’s a lot bigger. The layout of the new fuel cells means it can now seat five people, rather than the four that the previous car could manage. That said, headroom is a bit of a squeeze. The distance between those elegant 20-inch wheels is roughly 200mm less than a Lexus LS, but 140mm more than the outgoing first-generation car. It’s longer but lower – a proportional win afforded by that new platform.
Toyota Mirai – what’s the point?
It’s the burning question around this car that, as conventional battery EVs have proliferated, ought to have become more and more difficult to answer. On the contrary – Toyota’s team of executives and engineers at the Kenshiki forum repeatedly defended its case.
Andrea Carlucci, director of product planning and marketing at Toyota Motor Europe, told us that it’s the essential fourth prong in its electric vehicle offering. Toyota considers itself a leader in the field of automotive electrification, having popularised the hybrid and plug-in hybrid formula. Yet as wholesale electrification remains in its infancy, it wants to cover all basis, explore all technologies and balloon its offering of every kind of EV. It appreciates that certain standards of electrification aren’t affordable at all budget levels, and wants to have offerings along as much of the affordability spectrum as possible.
Conventional hybrids – like the new Yaris hybrid – are affordable. They’re good for urban motorists. They’re an entry point into the world of electrification right now. Plug-ins – like the new RAV-4 PHEV – offer the flexibility of selectable EV motoring and a combustion engine alongside. Full battery-electric vehicles are good for regulated areas, like emission-controlled cities. Finally, cars like the Mirai are designed for those who are carbon-conscious but still want a large aspirational vehicle and have distances to cover.
Its relevance isn’t in its sales, though. Though Toyota expects to sell more this time around, the car’s transformation isn’t intended to turn it into a volume or profit margin darling. The Mirai is a statement by Toyota. It says that this is a company that isn’t chasing the bottom line. It’s a reminder of Toyota’s standing as a pioneer in alternative fuel vehicles. It’s Toyota’s stamp on the fringes of zero-emission technology. It’s Toyota’s flagship, and with this reinvention, no longer in technology alone.
The Bill Plant Driving School has been named National Driving School of the Year at the Intelligent Instructor Awards 2019.
It was one of two awards for the company, with the driving school also scooping the Driver Instructor of the Year award for one of its driving instructors in Scotland.
Three driving schools were up for the national award, with the judges looking for a company that actively supports its pupils and instructors.
Customer service, innovation and effective instruction were other factors taken into consideration.
The T-Rocs available to learner drivers are 1.6 TDI SE models, with the Golfs boasting the same engine but the SE Match trim. There’s a small premium for drivers to receive tuition in the T-Roc.
According to Bill Plant figures, the average learner will spend £1,222.47 on driving lessons, plus an additional £23 for a theory test and £62 for their practical driving test.
Drivers aged 17 and 18 have the highest first-time pass rate of any age group (50 percent overall). Of the 1,266,796 Brits who passed their theory test between April 2018 and March 2019, only 761,791 went on to pass their practical test.
‘Happiness and success’
Tom Hixon, head of instructor support at Bill Plant, said: “We’re thrilled to have won the award for National Driving School of the Year, this is something our driving instructors across the UK can join in with us to celebrate our collective success.
“We’ve made some significant improvements within the business over the last couple of years, with the happiness and success of instructors and pupils at the forefront of everything we do.
“It’s great to have our hard work and achievements recognised – especially when you’re up against such well known competitors – and we’re excited to continue to further enhance the business and take Bill Plant to the next level.”
Around 39 percent of the world’s cars built in 2019 were white. That’s according to a new colour report.
It’s obvious that most people prefer achromatic colours, because black, grey and silver are the next three most popular shades. Combined, they account for another 39 percent of the new car market.
Proof, if proof were needed, that car buyers lack imagination when it comes to their choice of colour.
There is hope that we will see more colour on the road in 2020. Around nine percent of cars are blue – a figure that’s expected to increase this year. Meanwhile, seven percent are red – because red cars are faster, obviously.
White and silver appear to be in decline, although grey is mounting a defence for achromatic colours.
In Europe, nearly every fourth car is painted in a chromatic colour, with blue accounting for 11 percent of sales. Compare and contrast with Asia Pacific, where one in two cars are white.
On the other side of the Atlantic, 77 percent of cars are white, black silver or grey. Interestingly, there’s a shift towards black within the pick-up market, with white (38 percent) and red (11 percent) also proving popular.
“These aren’t your father’s pick-up trucks,” said Paul Czornij, head of design for BASF in North America. “They are luxury machines, and they are adopting the colours you see in the luxury market’s design language.”
Generally speaking, the smaller the car, the more likely it is to be painted in a bright colour. According to BASF, beyond blue and red, brown and beige are starting to emerge, especially in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Predictably, white, grey, black and silver are the predominant colours for SUVs. There’s evidence to suggest that grey could topple white as the most popular car, with its success linked to the growing number of electric cars on the road.
Chiharu Matsuhara, BASF head of design for coatings colour and design in Asia Pacific, said: “Grey plays a considerable role for EVs, with unique effects such as semi opaque and silky colours which add to the futuristic image of new connected technologies, including ride-sharing and autonomous cars.
“New EVs are bringing new values and colour design to the automotive industry as a whole.”
Automotive journalist and star of the BBC’s Top Gear TV showChris Harris has announced the arrival of the latest car to join his collection.
The bright yellow Porsche 911 GT3 Touring appeared on Instagram and Twitter, generating plenty of attention from Top Gear fans and Porsche enthusiasts.
Harris was also quick to mention that he has a history with the 911 Touring, following an accident in a similar car in November 2018.
In the spirit of delivering exciting social media content, I’ve bought a new car. It’s exactly the same as the one I had before, but more yellow. And less crashed. pic.twitter.com/cQku6zawWW
Whilst working on a feature for Top Gear Magazine, Harris was involved in a collision described as “unavoidable” in his own black 911 GT3 Touring.
Driving through Monmouthshire, Harris came around a blind bend to find a pickup truck performing a three-point turn. The collision was inevitable, with Harris and his passenger fortunate not to be injured in the crash.
The dramatic event seemingly did nothing to dent Harris’ enthusiasm for the 500 hp Porsche. The Top Gear man has been left wondering what to replace that original £111,000 GT3 Touring with for almost a year.
Introduced as a subtler version of the bewinged 991.2 911 GT3, the Touring model uses a smaller pop-up rear spoiler to generate rear downforce. All other components remain the same, with a 4.0-litre flat-six engine driving the rear wheels only.
Porsche only allowed the Touring model to be ordered with a six-speed manual transmission, making it similar to the limited-edition 911 R introduced previously.
Finished in Signal Yellow, with silver 20-inch alloy wheels, Harris’ new GT3 Touring is, to our eyes, a superb specification for the car. Chris was also keen to answer questions from various commenters about the lack of a front number plate.
And for the avoidance of doubt, it doesn’t have any number plates yet. It will soon have one on the front, one on the back. Who’d like to see a picture of the last GT3 Touring, and its moment of ceasing to live?
Harris already has an extensive and eclectic collection of cars, ranging from a Citroen 2CV to a ‘homemade’ BMW E34 M5 Touring. Other Harris garage highlights include a Peugeot 205 Rallye, a Range Rover Classic, and a Ferrari 512.
Last year also saw Chris sell his 505 hp Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, with the winning bidder getting the chance to meet Harris and take the car on track with him.
Buying the bright yellow GT3 Touring is perhaps a way for Chris to celebrate the return of Top Gear to TV screens later this month. Sunday 26th January will see the latest series start broadcasting on BBC Two.
Porsche has announced new 2020 GTS versions of the 718 Cayman and Boxster models, with a six-cylinder engine making a notable appearance.
The Stuttgart company had previously moved away from the flat-six engine, deeming turbocharged four-cylinder units more than sufficient.
Seeing the fitment of a 4.0-litre flat-six ‘boxer’ engine, combined with a six-speed manual transmission, is likely to be music to the ears of Porsche purists.
At the heart of the mid-engined 718 Cayman coupe and open-top Boxster is a detuned version of the flat-six found in the range-topping 718 GT4 and Spyder.
Although output falls from 420 hp seen in the GT4, it still remains at an impressive 400 hp with torque unchanged at 310 lb-ft.
A 7,800 rpm rev limit is also marginally lower, but the standard sports exhaust means the 718 GTS models should still have more than sufficient aural excitement.
The figures from Porsche also place the performance of the GTS pairing close to the formidable GT4 version.
0-62 mph is said to take 4.5 seconds in the GTS, 0.1 seconds slower than the GT4, with a top speed of 182 mph.
Given that the 718 GTS models are intended by Porsche to be “great companions for any journey”, we imagine buyers can live with the 6 mph slower top speed compared to the GT4.
Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) sports suspension is fitted as standard, lowering the GTS cars by 20 mm. A mechanical limited-slip differential is also part of the deal, with Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts along for the ride.
Distinguishing the GTS cars from regular 718 models is a Sport Design front bumper with dark detailing used on the air intakes and splitter.
A GTS-specific rear bumper accommodates the twin tailpipes for the sports exhaust system, with darkened front and rear lights also included.
Just in case anyone at the filling station is unsure as to which 718 model you have bought, ‘GTS 4.0’ lettering is applied to the doors.
A set of black 20-inch alloy wheels are included, wearing high-performance tyres. Upgraded brakes with red-painted calipers are standard fitment, with Porsche’s ceramic composite brakes on the options list.
Dark Alcantara material is used extensively throughout the cabin, covering the sports seats, steering wheel, manual gear knob, and roof lining in the Cayman GTS coupe. An optional GTS package can bring carbon fibre trim, and a greater degree of interior colour personalisation.
Despite performance aimed at the road, Porsche has also included the Track Precision App for the new GTS models. This allows drivers to record and replay their performance when using their 718 on a race circuit.
Prices for the new six-cylinder GTS models have increased, with the 718 Cayman now costing from £64,088. Those wanting open-top thrills in the 718 Boxster will need to find £65,949 before the lure of the Porsche options list.
Orders can be placed now, and UK buyers do get the benefit of a tailored driver coaching session at the Silverstone-based Porsche Experience Centre.
A new study has revealed some surprising regional variations in the price of a typical used car. Indeed, you could save thousands of pounds by travelling further afield.
There’s no north-south divide as such, but the research would suggest that heading north could bag you a good deal.
Three of the top five cheapest locations are in Scotland, namely Kilwinning, Kilmarnock and Prestwick. This would suggest Elvis Presley was searching for a great deal on a used car when he stopped by in 1960.
Gloucester and Wellingborough are the other two locations named as being great for cheap used cars.
Conversely, there’s a definite south-east bias when it comes to expensive used cars, with Chelmsford, Chatham and Acton named as places to avoid when hunting for deals.
Orgreave and Winsford are the other two locations named in the ATS Euromaster study.
You could save thousands
Looking for some evidence? The research shows that a BMW 3 Series with 35,000 miles on the clock costs an average of £15,995 in Kirkcaldy. Meanwhile, the same car in Newton-le-Willows could cost £21,600.
Similarly, a 2015 Land Rover Discovery Sport with 38,000 miles on the clock might cost £19,495 in Kirkcaldy, but £22,500 in Chelmsford.
It goes without saying that the more commonplace the car, the greater the chance of finding a good deal. Vendors will be forced into offering discounts if the same car can be secured elsewhere for a lower price. Either that or they’ll have to put up with the car remaining on sale for a longer period of time.
As the UK’s most popular new car, there’s a ready supply of used Ford Fiestas on the market. Finding the right colour, spec and condition should be easy – just be prepared to travel.
The ATS Euromaster research found that Greater London has the greatest number of Fiestas listed at any one time. On average, there will be 200 Fiestas for sale in the area, with Poplar seeing the largest concentration.
The most expensive area for a Fiesta is Billericay in Essex. Alternatively, 30 miles up the road is the town of Layer de la Haye – the cheapest place for a Fiesta.
Lamborghini registered 8,205 new cars in 2019 – and the Urus SUV accounted for 61 percent of sales.
To put that another way, Lamborghini sold nearly 5,000 Urus models last year. That almost equals the company’s entire sales volume in 2018. It’s easy to see why so many companies are keen to expand their SUV portfolio.
Whatever your views on the Urus, the success of the SUV will ensure that Lamborghini is able to continue building wild supercars and crazy hypercars.
Last year represented the ninth successive year of growth and a new sales record for the Italian firm. The company has 165 dealers serving 51 countries, with sales up in the three key regions.
The most significant upturn was in Asia Pacific, where sales rose by 66 percent to 2,162 units. Next up was America, where sales of 2,837 units represented a 45 percent upturn. These figures were dwarfed by the 3,206 sales volume in the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) region, although the increase was a more modest 28 percent.
The United States remains the marque’s biggest market (2,374 units), followed by the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau (770 units). In the UK, 658 new Lamborghinis found homes in 2019.
Not that the Urus can take all of the credit. The Huracan – Lamborghini’s most successful model to date – sold 2,139 units. In 2019, Huracan number 14,022 rolled off the line, surpassing the sales of the Gallardo in just five years. Its predecessor was on sale for a decade.
‘Unprecedented historic highs’
Commenting on the sales figures, Stefano Domenicali, chairman and chief executive officer of Automobili Lamborghini said: “The year 2019 was the most successful in our history. The team delivered another substantial sales increase, taking us to unprecedented historic highs. In only two years we more than doubled our sales numbers, a success that cannot be overrated.
“This clearly proves the power of our brand and the quality and sustainability of our product and commercial strategy. Our Super SUV Urus sold almost 5,000 units, a number that comes close to our total sales volume in 2018. With new content and new technologies, our V10 and V12 super sports cars models retained their market success.
“Simultaneously, we further increased our high brand awareness, especially with the younger generations, having multiplied our following on social media channels to more than 40 million. All this is a real team achievement and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every single Lamborghini team member for their inspiration and dedication to our brand, as well as our shareholder and group for their continued support.”
The RAC attended 20 percent more pothole-related breakdowns in the last quarter of 2019. This is compared to the same period in 2018.
Over the entire year, the RAC was called to 9,200 pothole-related faults, including distorted wheels, broken suspension springs and damaged shock absorbers. These figures coincide with ‘National Pothole Day’, which seeks to highlight the shocking state of UK roads.
For its part, the RAC has created a Pothole Index, which provides a long-term indicator of the state of UK roads. Right now, the indicator is reading 1.7, which means motorists are 1.7 times more likely to experience a pothole-related breakdown than they were in 2006 when the RAC first collected the data.
The RAC is warning that Storm Brendan will kick-start a ‘widespread outbreak of yet more potholes’, with the UK braced for more wind, rain and snow. Put simply: things are going to get worse before they get better.
One pothole-related breakdown an hour
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “We might so far be experiencing a milder but wetter winter than in the last couple of years, but our figures clearly show the problem of potholes has not gone away. Our patrols are still attending on average around one pothole-related breakdown every hour of the day.
“We anticipate the Government will pledge further funds to help cash-strapped councils mend potholes in the March Budget, but such pledges are only chipping away at the problem, and they’re unfortunately not addressing the root cause of why so much of the UK is still characterised by crumbling road surfaces.
“What we need is for central Government to think differently about how councils are funded to maintain the roads under their control. Short-term commitments of cash, while welcome, are not enough on their own – councils need the security of long-term funding so they can plan proper preventative road maintenance.
“A solution to the UK’s long-term pothole problem is possible. From this year, the money raised from vehicle excise duty in England will be ring-fenced to help fund motorways and major A-roads over successive five-year periods. But as yet, there is no similar model for local roads where the vast majority of drivers begin and end their journeys. We believe this could easily be changed by ring-fencing 2p a litre from existing fuel duty revenue to generate £4.7 billion of additional funding over five years.
“Pothole-free roads shouldn’t be a ‘nice to have’ in 2020, drivers should surely be able to expect the vast majority of roads they drive on to be of a good standard, especially given they pay around £40 billion in motoring-related tax every year.”
Morgan has announced a new special edition to mark 70 years of the Plus 4 roadster. Predictably, it’s called the Morgan Plus 4 70th Anniversary Edition.
Just 20 will be built, each with a numbered plaque marking them out as the last steel-chassis Plus 4s made at the factory in Malvern. In future, the Plus 4 will shift to a new bonded aluminium platform, as seen in the new Plus Six.
Our ace wordsmith and top wheelman Tim Pitt is driving the Morgan Plus Six this week, so stay tuned for his review.
Morgan Plus Six on test.
Vital stats: 340hp, 0-60mph in 4.2sec, 38.2mpg and 170g/km.
In the meantime, you’ll need the best part of £61,000 to get your hands on the last-of-the-line Plus 4, but as is often the case with news such as this, you’re already too late. Morgan has taken deposits on every one of the 20 cars it will build.
However, a few late-production Plus 4 and Roadster models remain in the dealer network, so it’s not too late to buy one of these end-of-an-era cars.
The Plus 4 70th Anniversary Edition cars are finished in a Platinum Metallic paint to mark the platinum anniversary. Other features include satin dark grey wire wheels and a motorsport-inspired front valance, plus a black finish for the stone guard, A-pillars and side screens.
On the inside, the 70th Anniversary Edition features bespoke leather, a Ravenwood veneer dashboard, dark grey box weave carpets and a satin black Mota-Lita steering wheel.
Further upgrades include a leather-trimmed steering cowl, heated performance seats, a mohair hood cover, footwell lighting and a commemorative photographic build record.
Morgan has upped the power of Ford 2.0-litre engine to 180hp, which reduces the 0-62mph time from 7.5 seconds to ‘less than seven seconds’. An Aero Racing sports exhaust allows the engine ‘to truly sing’.
Jonathan Wells, Morgan’s head of design, said: “As the design team creating the Plus 4 70th Anniversary Edition, our aim was to create a classic look, yet one that exudes the significance of what it represents. A mix of premium tones, high-quality materials, and exquisite details reflect the essence of the venerable Morgan Plus 4, and provide a fitting tribute to the steel chassis that has formed its backbone since it was launched in 1950.”
