Vauxhall is joining the growing range of manufacturers offering a plug-in hybrid electrified car, by announcing the Grandland X Hybrid4 PHEV. The new model goes on sale in the summer. 

The British brand’s first ever plug-in car, it pairs a 200 horsepower 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with TWO electric motors. Combined, these put out 109 horsepower, and are powered by a 13.2 kWh lithium ion battery.

The overall package delivers an impressive combination of 300 horsepower, four-wheel drive traction, 128 mpg and CO2 emissions of 49 g/km.

Vauxhall has fitted an eight-speed automatic gearbox to the engine; this contains one of the two electric motors. The second is mounted in the back, driving the rear wheels, but only ‘on demand’. It doesn’t run when not required, saving power and battery range.

The Grandland X Hybrid4 has a pure electric mode. If the battery is fully charged, it has a range of 30 miles, in ‘electric’ mode. The most efficient mode, however, is ‘hybrid’, which constantly switches between engine and electric drive.

Fast-chargers can be used (if PHEV drivers are not banned from using them, that is…), to rapidly top up the battery. Even using a 7.4 kW wallbox, a full recharge takes less than two hours.

Sat nav is fitted as standard, and includes a mode that can guide drivers to the nearest charging station. Journeys can be planned to include charge stations en route, and Grandland X Hybrid4 owners will benefit from membership of Vauxhall Free2Move Services – opening up 85,000 charging points across Europe.

Vauxhall says the Grandland X Hybrid4 is quickly going to set a trend within its range. By 2024, every car it sells will be electrified – and fully electric cars are also part of this plan, with the first Vauxhall Corsa EV opening for ordering before the year is out.

There’s even going to be a fully electric version of the new Vivaro van, which recently made its world debut at the 2019 CV Show in Birmingham.

Hopefully, the arrival of new models such as the Grandland X Hybrid4 can help turn around a decline in British plug-in hybrid sales: last month, they were down by more than 34 percent. 

The first all-electric Aston Martin has taken to the streets of Monaco for a dynamic debut, demonstrating the quick progress made on the limited-edition model.

Aptly, the Rapide E hit the tarmac ahead of the latest round in the 2018-19 Formula E Championship, proving a neat link between road and race car technology.

Williams Advanced Engineering, the high-tech offshoot of the legendary Williams Formula 1 racing team, has been supplying battery packs for Formula E since the series began.

In fact, Williams has received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise due to its battery technology work, and recently won a contract to supply the first electric touring car series with components.

All charged up

The Oxfordshire-based company has also worked in partnership with Aston Martin on the development of the Rapide E, bringing its battery technology experience to the project.

Replacing the existing the 6.0-litre V12 engine in the regular Aston Martin Rapide, along with the associated ancillaries, has not been the simplest of tasks with bespoke solutions needed.

However, the efforts of both companies have resulted in a battery-powered Aston, which still manages to retain the performance of the petrol-engined original.

Plug in, baby

Featuring a 65kWh battery pack where the V12 engine and gearbox used to reside, the Rapide E has two electric motors driving the rear wheels.

Combined together, the two motors produce a total of 612hp, along with a tyre-shredding 701lb-ft of torque.

With such a level of performance on offer, it perhaps seems right that Aston Martin enlisted the help of Aston Martin works driver, and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Darren Turner to thread the Rapide E between the unforgiving Monaco barriers.

Act now, supplies are running out!

Speaking after his trip around the Monaco circuit, Turner commented: “I’ve had the privilege to join the Aston Martin engineering team at various stages of the car’s development and the performance that’s on offer in Rapide E really is incredible. The car has the kind of torque and punch that you’d expect from an EV, but they’ve really worked hard to retain the dynamic characteristics of what makes an Aston Martin special.”

Due to the bespoke components involved, production of the Rapide E has been limited to just 155 units. Following the official launch at last month’s Shanghai Auto Show demand has been high, but some cars are still available.

Aston has not released pricing for the Rapide E, but does plan to begin production at the new St Athans factory at the end of 2019.

The Duke of Sussex took time out from his busy schedule as a new dad to grab an exclusive look at the new Land Rover Defender. Maybe he was eyeing up potential transport for his wife Meghan and son Archie.

Prince Harry was in the Netherlands for a preview of the Invictus Games, which will take place in The Hague in May 2020. The Duke is a patron of the Invictus Games Foundations, while Jaguar Land Rover has been a partner since the inaugural Games in London in 2014.

The new Defender gets its world premiere later this year, but the Duke was given a tour of a prototype wrapped in Invictus Games-themed camouflage.

Competitors at next year’s event will be among the first people in the world to drive the new Defender when they tackle the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge for the opening medals of the Games.

Last month, Land Rover released a series of teaser shots to mark World Land Rover Day, with the pictures showing short- and long-wheelbase versions in action both on- and off-road.

The prototype fleet has completed almost 750,000 miles of testing across the world, but although the Defender has been designed and developed in Britain, the production base is at a new facility in Slovakia.

Testing and teasing will be complete by the time the Invictus Games get underway in May 2020. Prof Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover CEO, said: “Everyone at Jaguar Land Rover is hugely passionate about the Invictus Games. We are delighted to continue as presenting partner for 2020.

“Having been to the US, Canada and Australia, we are excited to welcome this inspirational event back to Europe. I am so proud the competitors will be among the first people in the world to drive the new Defender when they compete in the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge in The Hague.”

Anyone interested in purchasing a new Defender should register their interest via the Land Rover website. Queue jumping won’t be allowed, unless you happen to be the Duke or Duchess of Sussex.

The Peugeot 3008 has been named New Car of the Year at the Auto Trader New Car Awards. Rather than relying on a judging panel, Auto Trader interviewed 63,000 car owners and asked them to rate their cars across 16 different criteria. Although the 3008 is the nation’s favourite, there are another 18 awards for you to enjoy. Brace yourself, we’re going in…

Most Fun Car to Drive – Mini Hatch

Presumably because the Auto Trader respondents have never taken a new Vauxhall Corsa to a McDonald’s car park and stuck a pair of trays under the back wheels, the Mini Hatch gets the award for the Most Fun Car to Drive. #gokarthandling

Best Car for New Drivers – Volkswagen Golf

Back in the day, a new driver would be happy with a barely legal Ford Fiesta and a Goodmans stereo. But times change, which is why the Volkswagen Golf is named the Best Car for New Drivers.

Best Car for City Drivers – Toyota C-HR

Erin Baker, Auto Trader editorial director, said: “The Toyota C-HR ranked top for its reliability among city drivers, and owners highlighted one of the most important considerations when shopping for a city car – how easy it is to park.” A reversing camera is standard across the range.

Best Car for Families – Seat Ateca

Seat is fortunate that Volvo no longer builds the 240 GLT wagon, because the big Swede – with a roof rack and a tin of travel sweets in the glovebox – is the Best Car for Families. As it is, the Ateca takes the award.

Best Car for Dog Owners – Mazda CX-5

Thanks to its cabin space, safety, how good it is to drive, the availability of a dog guard and the option of a boot mat and bumper protector, the Mazda CX-5 is named the Best Car for Dog Owners. Which is all well and good, but did anybody ask the dogs?

Best Car for Long Distances – Volvo XC60

For us, the Best Car for Long Distances is a chauffeur-driven limo with a fully-stacked fridge and a seat massaging function. We must be in the minority, because the Volvo XC60 grabs the laurels. Erin Baker praised its “very nice interior”.

Best Car Launched in the Last Year – Honda CR-V

Having won this award, Honda UK tweeted: “We are over the moon to have come away with ‘Best Car Launched in the Last Year’ for the incredible #CRV”. The CR-V is Honda’s first advanced hybrid SUV in Europe.

Best Seven-Seater – Skoda Kodiaq

Speaking about the Skoda SUV, Auto Trader’s Erin Baker said: “The Kodiaq ranked highly for ease of making use of all its space and how nice it is to drive.” Which is nice. Nice.

Best Car for Towing: Kia Sportage

Fresh from winning Crossover of the Year at the Honest John Awards, the Kia Sportage has been named Best Car for Towing by Auto Trader. Handy, if you’re lining up a tug-of-war contest against a local Mercedes Unimog.

Best Pick-up – Toyota Hilux

Erin Baker said: “Hilux scored highest for power and durability – crucial for pick-up drivers.” Baker also praised the Toyota’s reliability, styling and off-road capabilities. Mind you, when you offer a trim level called ‘Invincible’, there can be only one winner.

Best Value New Car – Dacia Duster

You can buy a new Dacia Duster for as little as £9,995, so it certainly has price on its side. But there’s more to good value than a low price. Ivan Aistrop, Auto Trader road test editor, said: “No other car company can offer you such a large amount of metal for such an aggressive price.”

Best Green Car – Tesla Model S

No, the Best Green Car isn’t a Porsche 911 GT3 RS in Lizard Green. Instead, the Tesla Model S takes the plaudits. Even with a growing number of electric cars hitting the market, the Model S still manages to capture the public’s imagination like no other EV.

Most Recommended Car – Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Auto Trader added six new categories this year, including ‘Most Recommended Car’. Ian Plummer, Auto Trader director, said: “Revealingly, this year’s results mirror what we’re seeing elsewhere on our marketplace: the growing appetite for SUVs and crossovers.” While this might be the case, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the most recommended car.

Most Loved Car – Mazda MX-5 RF

Here’s another new category for 2019, with the Mazda MX-5 RF named Most Loved Car at the Auto Trader New Car Awards. We wonder if more new awards will be added in 2020. May we suggest ‘Best Car for Goats’, ‘Best Cupholders’ and ‘Infotainment Screen Least Likely to Make You Yearn for Analogue Buttons and Switches’.

Most Reliable Car Brand – Lexus

Lexus is named the Most Reliable Car Brand for the second year running, with Erin Baker saying: “It comes as no surprise that Lexus has been voted as the most reliable car brand.” Just think of all the money Lexus owners save on AA membership.

Car Brand with the Best Features – Jaguar

“Jaguar is the car brand with the features,” said Erin Baker. The company was praised for its connectivity, rear-seat TVs, Meridian audio systems, enhanced security and advanced safety systems. Remember when styling, comfort and performance were Jaguar’s best features?

Best Value Car Brand – Dacia

With many brands pushing further upmarket, Dacia is free to dominate the value end of the market. Offering a range with the cheapest hatchback, estate car and SUV is a good place to start, which is why it is named Best Value Car Brand.

Most Loved Car Brand – Tesla

We finish with Tesla, which is the Most Loved Car Brand. Ian Plummer said: “This is our third annual New Car Awards and 2019 marks a significant leap forward in terms of its scale. Rather than relying on an expert judging panel our winners are determined by the real-world insight from over 63,000 car owners, making them the most accurate industry measure of which brands and models are meeting the genuine needs of today’s car buyers. A huge congratulations are in order for all of this year’s very worthy winners.”

Potential customers registering for the new all-electric Volkswagen ID 3 topped 10,000 within just 24 hours of pre-booking system opening for business.

Interest in the first model from Volkswagen’s ID family of cars was so intense that some IT systems struggled with the pressure.

Volkswagen confirmed that the registration process in some European countries took longer as a result, and that others suffered glitches and interruptions as they tried to sign up.

Race to be first

Key to the demand has been customers clamouring for the special ‘1st’ edition of the ID 3, which is set to be opener for Volkswagen’s new electric range.

Just 30,000 of these cars will be made, with Volkswagen promising that each will feature “high-quality, high-performance equipment” as standard. For UK customers this means larger wheels, a satellite navigation system, voice control, plus interior and exterior upgrades.

Potential buyers in the UK have to submit a £750 deposit to secure a slot for the ID 3 1st special edition. Production of initial customers cars is expected to begin in late 2019, with deliveries taking place from mid-2020.

The ID 3 1st edition is expected to cost around £34,000 for British customers, and will be fitted with Volkswagen’s medium-range battery pack, giving a range of up to 260 miles.

Fully charged factory

Volkswagen also announced that the company has built 200 pre-production examples of the ID 3 already, testing the capabilities of the Zwickau factory.

The company plans to create the “largest and most efficient e-car plant in Europe” at the facility in Saxony, Germany. Up to 1,500 robots will be installed, with the ultimate goal of being able to produce more than 330,000 electric cars each year.

By 2025 Volkswagen aims to offer 20 different electric models, and be selling more than 1 million zero-emissions vehicles each year.  The initial demand for the ID 3 suggests that finding customers should not be a problem.