The traditional car handbrake will soon be extinct

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September 17, 2019

Boutique German sports and supercar manufacturer Wiesmann is coming back from the dead for 2020, with a reborn model. The MF5 is coming – and it’s packing a 600hp BMW M5 engine.

Currently going under the codename project Gecko, Wiesmann’s return is unexpected but certainly welcome. Wiesmann was beloved in the mid to late 2000s for combining classic sports car styling, lightweight and sorted dynamics with serious BMW horsepower, It made for a supercar-slaying range of machinery.

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The new model is said to be a ‘pure driver’s car’ and will ride on an all-new platform. It will also be modernised and more luxurious. As above, power will come courtesy of the M5’s engine, as it did during Wiesmann’s last outing.

Instead of the screaming V10, the monstrous 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 from the current M5 will be spinning up the rear wheels. 600hp should do nicely in a car that promises to be lightweight and focused. The car will be hand-built at Wiesmann’s factory in Dulmen, Germany in 2020.

“This last true independent manufacturer of German sports cars is back and has an exciting future to look forward to,” said Roheen Berry.

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“When we set out on this journey we said we wanted to re-engineer an icon and we are on track to do exactly that.”

Wiesmann – M engines in lightweight super sports cars

The new car will continue a rich recent history of M-powered lightweight sports cars. The marque launched the MF3, MF4 and MF5 models in the early, mid and late 2000s. Each ran a BMW M engine: from the E46 M3’s straight six, through the E92 M3’s V8 and the E60 M5’s V10.

Engines that otherwise powered pumped-up executive cars came to life when fitted to a lightweight sports car. This modernised new model with turbo M5 power should prove quite a handful, in the best way. That new TVR will have more of a fight on its hands for the affections of hardcore sports car buyers.

Beating Brexit: supercar maker secures £20 million export deal

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September 17, 2019

Briggs Automotive Company (BAC), which builds the single-seat Mono supercar, is proving there might just be life beyond the EU. The company has secured £20 million of export business to Hong Kong and the United States.

The deal was done with help from the Department of International Trade. In America, the company signed agreements with two dealers: Manhattan Motorcars in New York and Tactical Fleet in Dallas.

In Hong Kong, an existing contract was renegotiated with the region’s distributor. The news comes after the launch of the new, more powerful Mono R in July.

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“These new export wins are a sign of how far we’ve come as a business in recent years and the immense work we’re doing with exports,” said Neill Briggs, director of product development at BAC.

“Our solid export strategy, fantastic team ethic, exemplary product and – of course – invaluable support from the DIT means we have the ultimate recipe for success overseas. We will continue to strive to put British manufacturing on the map for the foreseeable future.”

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“I’m absolutely delighted that DIT has helped BAC to hit the accelerator on its exports,” said Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss MP.

“This is a wonderful example of a UK company that is putting manufacturing and innovation from the Northern Powerhouse on the map.

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“The UK’s heritage in automotive and motorsports is a huge asset, and my department is working to shift our exports up a gear in this exciting and fast moving industry.”

Original 1948 motor show Land Rover brought back to life

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September 16, 2019

The car that introduced Land Rover to the world has been brought back to life. The 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show star has been off the road since the 1960s and lost for decades before it was found in 2016. But Land Rover has now treated this historic vehicle to a ‘sympathetic restoration’.

Land Rover was determined to keep the car original, as seen in 1948, with left-hand drive, a prototype brake setup and alternative all-wheel-drive controls.

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It was stripped back to its individual components and each part was restored and reused if possible, to maintain maximum originality.

Restoring a classic Land Rover

The Dalai Lama once owned this classic Land Rover

“It was important to strike the right balance when restoring the launch Land Rover,” said Calum McKechnie, head of Land Rover Classic.

“While there was a need to replace some parts, we were keen to keep as much of the original vehicle as possible in order to retain the unique characteristics of this 70-year-old model. The team has done an incredible job and the end result is a testament to the unique expertise and tireless passion of the experts at our Classic Works facility.”

So while the front axle, for example, was found to be in a respectable condition, the rear axle wasn’t so clean. To get a feel for the axle’s condition on the inside, the team X-rayed it. They concluded it was strong enough to be restored and reinstalled, rather than replaced.

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The ‘organ stop’ controls for the all-wheel-drive system were also saved. It’s a rare setup that was replaced with a simpler system on production cars.

Even more difficult for the technicians was reproducing this prototype’s unique rear brake setup. It had been removed in a previous life, so they used period drawings to recreate it.

On a technical level, this Series 1 has been brought back to its 1948 Motor Show standard. As a ‘show car’, however, it’s been left a little more rough around the edges. Land Rover wanted to maintain a period patina.

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Some new bodywork was required. Alloy panels, as fitted to early prototype Series 1s, were re-manufactured in the 2mm-thick original specification. These were then painted and aged, to match the worn original panels that didn’t need work.

Technical illustrations helped Land Rover stay true to other quirks. A combination of reference photographs, diagrams and study of other pre-production Series 1s helped the marque recreate this prototype as it was in 1948.

The restored show car debuted on the Land Rover Classic stand at the Goodwood Revival, just days after the long-awaited reveal of the new Defender.

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“Bringing this historically important Land Rover back to life was a huge challenge, given its wear, tear and decay from the elements since the 1960s, but also a real pleasure,” said Michael Bishop, Land Rover Classic build engineer.

“Being able to open up our archive and revisit the original Land Rover engineering programme from over 70 years ago was a great privilege for the whole team.”

Electric cars will simply be called ‘cars’ by 2030

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September 16, 2019

Just 3,147 all-electric cars were registered in the UK last month, giving EVs a relatively small 3.4 percent market share.

As a result, they tend to be referred to as ‘electric cars’, to distinguish them from their petrol and diesel equivalents.

But as the market grows and electric cars become the norm, will we stop using the ‘electric’ tag and adopt a more generalised approach? See also ‘smartphones’ and ‘phones’.

Today we launch our new ad campaign celebrating the electric car. With over 40 models available, the “Electric Car” is now “The Car”. ? ?

Find out everything you need to know about making the switch at https://t.co/PBMlKbsYZb pic.twitter.com/NxUZWT1ayi

— Go Ultra Low (@GoUltraLow) September 16, 2019

New research suggests that by the year 2030, consumers expect ‘electric cars’ to be referred to as ‘cars’, as electrification takes over and traditional engines are cast aside.

Go Ultra Low spoke to 2,000 people aged 18 and over, with 69 percent of the respondents expecting to drop the ‘electric’ tag in just over a decade.

It makes sense: few consumers use the ‘diesel’ or ‘petrol’ tags when discussing cars, so electric cars are almost certain to follow suit.

The sales figures speak for themselves. In August 2018, a mere 659 all-electric cars were registered, far fewer than the 3,125 plug-in hybrid registrations.

A year later, the roles have reversed, with plug-in hybrid registrations dropping to 907 in August 2019 and EVs rising to 3,147.

The normalisation of EVs

Almost half of the respondents who took part in the survey said the visibility of electric cars on the road is a key factor in the normalisation of the technology.

Around a third said seeing their friends and families adopting the technology is part of the process of normalisation.

A quarter of those surveyed said a wider variety of models would increase their purchase consideration. We’re on the cusp of a boom in the number of new electric cars, ranging from affordable city cars to expensive supercars.

The fact that the electric versions of the Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa look almost identical to the petrol and diesel versions could be a turning point for the segment.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen is reporting huge interest in the new ID.3, which has the potential to become the ‘new Golf’ in terms of mass appeal and sales.

‘EVs to be the norm’

Go Ultra Low ambassador Ben Fogle said: “It’s really encouraging to see that people expect EVs to be the norm in just over a decade. Our research shows that as we become more aware of the benefits of owning an electric car, the choice of models available and the rapidly growing charging infrastructure, people are more likely to consider going green and buy an EV.

“Commenting on joining the campaign, Ben added: “More and more people are embracing electric vehicles, but there’s still a job to be done. I’m excited to be on this journey with Go Ultra Low and playing my part in supporting this transition.”

Poppy Welch, head of Go Ultra Low, added: “When we look at the EV market, it is clear we’re on the way towards electric mobility becoming part of everyday life for UK motorists. Electric cars are great to drive, can be very cheap to run and help improve local air quality.

“With, prices moving closer to that of their petrol or diesel counterparts, an expanding chargepoint network and an increasing number of models available, there has never been a better time to consider an EV as your next car.

“As we welcome Ben as our ambassador and a host of new members to the campaign, bringing together government and key players across the EV industry, we’re now better placed than ever to tell the full story of electric car ownership.”

In August, Jaguar launched a campaign to redefine the word ‘car’.

Consumer group wants these cars fixed for FREE

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September 16, 2019

Five cars have been slammed in a new reliability survey, including the Nissan Qashqai, Britain’s most popular crossover.

The Qashqai has the highest breakdown rating of the 276 cars in study by consumer group Which?. It also singled out the Tesla Model S, Seat Alhambra, Ford B-Max and BMW 5 Series Touring for criticism.

Worryingly, motorists are four to five times as likely to experience a flat battery in a Qashqai than in any other car. Twenty percent of Qashqai owners who took part in the survey had to replace a battery in the past 12 months.

Nissan said it changed its battery supplier in 2018, but a separate software issue could result in drained batteries. The company is contacting 35,000 owners, but older cars are not covered by Nissan’s three-year warranty.

This has angered Which?, which wants the cars fixed at no charge to the customer.

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Which? Car editor Lisa Barber said: “Thanks to our in-depth reliability survey, we know these faults are happening. They may not be safety critical, but we still want the manufacturers to take action and recall these cars.

“This will mean information about the faults are public, owners won’t be inconvenienced by them, nor will they have to foot the bill if the issue occurs outside of warranty.”

The Nissan Qashqai isn’t alone. Two-thirds (67 percent) of Tesla Model S reported an issue, making Tesla the company with the highest percentage of faulty cars.

Tesla owners are forced to wait an average of five days for their car to be repaired – three days longer than the average wait time for cars of a similar age.

The biggest issues with the Tesla Model S: the exterior door handles, locks, fuel cap and boot.

Meanwhile, the Seat Alhambra is blighted by suspension and exhaust problems, the Ford B-Max (2012-2017) is affected by transmission woes, and owners of the BMW 5 Series Touring (2010-2017) have experienced suspension issues.

For the survey, Which? gathered information from nearly 44,000 owners about 52,500 cars. Members can use an online tool revealing the most and least reliable cars.

Recovery workers offered smart motorway training

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September 16, 2019

Roadside rescue and recovery operators are to be offered smart motorway training in a bid to improve safety.

The new course – the Smart Motorways Awareness For The Roadside Rescue & Recovery Industry – is the first of its kind and has been developed by Highways England and the Network Training Partnership.

Operators will receive guidance on how to attend breakdowns or collisions on the smart motorway network.

In August, Highways England data revealed that breaking down in a live lane on an all-lane-running smart motorway is 216 percent more dangerous than doing so on a conventional motorway with a hard shoulder.

Earlier this month, we reported that the widow of a man killed on the M1 is suing Highways England, claiming the smart motorway is directly responsible for his death.

The one-day course will cover the working methods that enable recovery operatives to carry out their roles safely. Key principles include:

Operators are NEVER expected to recover a vehicle in a live lane on a smart motorway.
Highways England can close lanes and set speed limits to support recovery operators.
Highways England can allocate traffic officers or call the emergency services to maintain safety.

‘Developed specifically for roadside rescue and recovery drivers’

Colin Stevenson, strategic partnership manager at Highways England, said: “The course has been developed specifically for roadside rescue and recovery drivers who use the motorway network and has been designed to aid practical, relevant training.

“Those completing the course will have a better understanding of the different types of smart motorways and how to formulate a recovery plan incorporating safe working practices when dealing with incidents on smart motorways.”

Chris Hoare, chairman of the Institute of Vehicle Recovery, added: “The Institute of Vehicle Recovery (IVR) has given its backing to the new smart motorways recovery vehicle awareness course, which gives all in the recovery industry a greater awareness of some of the additional considerations when working on a smart motorway.

“IVR’s previous collaborations with HE and other agencies produced the Life on the Edge 7 film and the SURVIVE Safety Rules, both of which are incorporated in the course. This collaborative approach of sharing best practice to deliver clear consistent messages, raises standards and ultimately provides a safer working environment for those operating in the vehicle recovery sector.”

Anyone wishing to enrol on the course should email Highways England.

Abarth 595 Pista is a pumped-up Italian tearaway

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September 14, 2019

Click here to read our guide to car finance, including Personal Contract Hire (PCH).

Anything Ferrari can do, Abarth can do… smaller. And cheaper, too.

While Ferrari’s track-focused 488 Pista might be out of reach to all but a select few, the new Abarth 595 Pista is available for a more attainable price.

The performance-enhanced Abarth is priced from £19,135. Alternatively, if you take the plunge before the end of the month, the 595 Abarth is available on a Personal Contract Hire (PCH) deal for £189 a month after a £3,780 initial rental.

More power and punch

A new, oversized Garrett turbocharger sees the power output increased to 165hp, while the peak torque of 170lb ft is available at 2,250pm. It means that the torque is available at lower rpm, while top power is delivered at maximum revs. Which should result in maximum fun.

The Abarth 595 Pista also gets the excellent Record Monza active exhaust, Koni rear suspension with frequency selective damping, an automated manual five-speed gearbox with shift paddles, 284mm ventilated discs on the front and 240mm discs on the rear.

Inside, the Abarth 595 Pista gets a flat bottom steering wheel and a Sport button to adjust peak torque, steering feel and throttle response. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB digital radio are all standard.

The Pista is one of a number of Abarth 595 models available in the UK, with the range including the standard 145hp version, the 165hp Turismo, the 180hp Competizione and the Esseesse. The range starts from £16,685, rising to £25,485 for the Esseesse.

Taking the Pista

The 595 Pista is designed for younger drivers who want a little extra from the 595, but can’t stretch to one of the top-end models.

Abarth hasn’t said when deliveries will start, but you’ll need to place your order before the end of September to take advantage of the PCH offer.

The Porsche Taycan won’t be profitable until 2023

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September 13, 2019

The Taycan is arguably one of the most important model launches in Porsche’s history. It’s also one of the marque’s most expensive investments. It has pumped more than £5.3billion into the project, including the construction of the factory.

It might surprise you to discover, then, that Porsche doesn’t expect the Taycan to turn a profit until 2023.

This is nothing Porsche wasn’t prepared for – the primary expense is battery production. The marque anticipates that over the coming years, battery costs will take a significant tumble. Speaking with Bloomberg, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said he expected the Taycan to make a “good margin” eventually.

This is part of the reason why Porsche has launched with the expensive Taycan Turbo and Turbo S models. The truth is they’re not that much more expensive to build than lower-end models.

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This is also why Tesla launches it’s highest performing and most expensive variants first. That’s why we’re still waiting for the most affordable Model 3, three years after the standard car’s reveal.

Consider also the high volume of fully-electric hypercars that have been revealed of late. A seven-figure list price can absorb the cost of batteries and motors, however high-performance they may be. In turn, you introduce electric power to the zeitgeist while advancing battery and e motor development. It’s a win-win. Going a bit further down the affordability tree for the Taycan is a bit of a brave pill for Porsche.

The Taycan is the head of an electric revolution, though. A loss-leader it may be, but you don’t build an entirely new factory for the sake of producing one expensive car.

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Porsche has been very open about wanting the next-generation Macan to have an all-electric variant. Likewise, an all-electric 911 can’t be more than ten years away. Porsche is one in an automotive group, too. Technical partners are never far away, which in the case of this electric endeavour, it has found in Audi.

The coming E-Tron GT super saloon will borrow some hard-won and expensive Taycan knowhow. The Taycan treads new ground for Porsche, and treading new ground tends to be expensive. But many more models and variants to come will follow in those footsteps.

In terms of production numbers, the Taycan isn’t expected to outstrip the 911, of which around 35,000 are built every year. As we and Bloomberg have previously reported, the 911 is the most profitable car in the world in terms of numbers made versus profit margins.

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September 13, 2019