You might think that Instagram users love to post photos of sports cars and supercars, and for the most part, you’d be right. But according to a study conducted by insurance company Veygo, Instagrammers also enjoy snapping more mainstream models. Veygo looked at the two most popular hashtags for each model and combined them to reach the total number of hashtag mentions. Only cars still in production were considered for the list. The results are presented in reverse order.

25. Volkswagen Golf – 1,266,535 mentions

We suspect the Volkswagen Golf would have appeared further up the list, but Veygo excluded the hashtag #golf as it’s just as likely to be used for the sport. Instead, #vwgolf and #volkswagengolf were used to find the total number of mentions.

24. Audi S3 – 1,311,889 mentions

The Audi S3 has been mentioned 1,311,899 times. Combine this with the 1,263,839 mentions for the Audi A3 and the A3/S3 would have finished in a higher position.

23. BMW M2 – 1,389,175 mentions

Using the hashtags #bmwm2 and #m2, the BMW M2 finishes 23rd. We suspect the result has been skewed by Instagram’s appreciation of the Kent motorway.

22. Mazda MX-5 – 1,411,558 mentions

The Mazda MX-5 has been mentioned 1,411,558 times on Instagram, with Veygo using the hashtags #mazdamx5 and #mx5.

21. Vauxhall Corsa – 1,423,252 mentions

Far be it for us to fire a torpedo through Veygo’s methodology, but the use of the #opelcorsa hashtag might not be the best move when studying the Vauxhall Corsa. On the plus side, the #corsa hashtag is bang on brief.

20. Toyota Corolla – 1,492,653 mentions

Toyota Corolla is flying the flag for mainstream motors, although given the popularity of the car across the globe, perhaps its presence shouldn’t come as a big surprise.

19. Audi A4 – 1,591,794 mentions

Instagram users love the Audi A4, although the world’s appreciation of the road connecting London with Avonmouth might have added a few extra mentions.

18. Honda Civic Type R – 1,834,422 mentions

There can be no doubt about the #civictyper hashtag, but by using #typer, Veygo is failing to acknowledge the existence of the Type R versions of the Integra, Accord and NSX.

17. Porsche 911 – 1,940,424 mentions

Just the one hashtag was used for the Porsche 911, presumably because the #911 hashtag has been used for a number of different reasons.

16. Porsche Carrera – 2,077,459 mentions

We’re not sure why Veygo decided to split the Porsche Carrera from the 911, but it did, so here it is.

15. Mini Cooper – 2,131,312 mentions

Two hashtags have been used here, but while #minicooper is fair game, the #minione is a distinct model line and not related to the Mini Cooper.

14. Lamborghini Huracan – 2,203,050 mentions

The Lamborghini Huracan rocks in with a huge 2,203,050 mentions, with the total calculated using #lamborghinihuracan and #huracan.

13. Chevrolet Silverado – 2,254,244 mentions

This is an interesting one because while the all-conquering Ford F-150 is absent from the list, the Chevrolet Silverado romps home with 2,254,244 mentions.

12. Subaru Impreza – 2,670,309 mentions

We haven’t got a ‘Scooby Doo’ why the Mitsubishi Evo hasn’t made the top 25, but the Subaru Impreza is here with 2,670,309 mentions.

11. BMW M5 – 2,741,911 mentions

We promise to make no mention of the motorway linking the West Midlands with the West Country, but the BMW M5 is one of three BMW Motorsport products to appear in the top half of the table.

10. Audi R8 – 2,900,314 mentions

The Audi R8 is the final car not to break through the three million mark, but it’s clear that Instagram users rate the #R8.

9. Lamborghini Aventador – 3,085,336 mentions

The Aventador is the second and final Lamborghini to make the list, but there’s not a single Ferrari in the top 25. The LaFerrari was the highest ranked Fezza with 975,684 mentions.

8. BMW M4 – 3,432,052 mentions

Instagrammers love the BMW M4, with the #bmwm4 and #m4 hashtags combining to deliver 3,432,052 mentions.

7. Chevrolet Corvette – 3,963,740 mentions

The Corvette has as near-as-makes-no-difference four million mentions on Instagram, with Veygo using the #corvette and #vette hashtags.

6. Chevrolet Camaro – 4,686,969 mentions

But the Corvette is beaten by the Chevrolet Camaro, with the #chevycamaro and #camaro hashtags combining to deliver 4,686,969 mentions.

5. Jeep Wrangler – 5,137,019 mentions

One of two automotive icons in the top five, the Jeep Wrangler goes further than the Land Rover Defender by appearing on this list. Good effort.

4. BMW M3 – 5,817,457 mentions

The M3 is the highest ranked BMW, with 5,817,457 mentions.

3. Nissan GT-R – 7,019,123 mentions

This is a seriously impressive number, with the Nissan GT-R mentioned more than seven million times. But it’s beaten by a more humble Japanese car.

2. Honda Civic – 7,402,365 mentions

It’s the Honda Civic! Blimey.

1. Ford Mustang – 11,947,872 mentions

An automotive icon so famous it is known by its ‘surname’, the Mustang romps home to victory with a massive 12 million mentions.

The Genesis Mint is the premium Hyundai division’s idea of how the all-electric sedan will fit into city life in the 2020s. It is being shown at the 2019 New York Auto Show as a taste of what the first compact Genesis could look like.

Said to ‘respect city life’, Genesis’ Mint concept is a “lightweight runabout [that] reimagines the iconic shape of the city car”. Luc Donckerwolke, chief designer at Hyundai, said it “disconnects the physical dimensions of the vehicle from its positioning as a premium product” and brings the traditional city car bang up to date.

Two doors, two seats, three boxes

The Mint is a two-door, two-seat city car. Despite being a concept, it still wears a sedan-style three-box design, stretching its bodywork right to the corners with super-short overhangs front and rear. It “marries classic proportions with forward-looking, minimalist design,” said Donckerwolke.

Finished in Hunter Green matte paint, the car has front and rear lamps elongated far into the corners, giving it more presence and a better stance. Tricks such as the wraparound light bands also give a bigger-car appearance.

Because it is an electric car, the Mint concept doesn’t need lots of cooling slots at the front. So it is fully sealed off, save for a small opening in the middle to help cool the battery pack.

Genesis calls the detailing along the lower half a ‘G-Matrix’ pattern. This doesn’t only look good, it also helps cool the battery and maintain airflow around the battery floor. The wheels’ design is also an aero shape that draws from the G-Matrix style.

Embrace the empty space

Inside, it will, for two people, feel enormous. The electric drivetrain has allowed Genesis to hollow out the cabin for an expansive feel, helped by glass that contains no unsightly divisions. Like Korean furniture, the lightweight textiles and cognac leather “embrace the empty space”. It is reductive, decluttered and organic.

There’s more G-Matrix patterning inside, with a gunmetal balustrade running across the passenger compartment, and repeating itself in the floor and cargo space. Don’t like the center console? Fold it away and turn the front bench into a couch.

Because it is a modern concept car, it has an oblong steering wheel rather than a boring round one. In the middle is a simple OLED display screen, and surrounding that are six copper ‘Graphic User Interface’ mini-screens. Everything is finished to a very rich and premium standard.

The little two-door Mint doesn’t have a normal trunk at the rear. It’s a concept car, after all, so has dual scissor-style side openings instead. These offer a low load height perfect for kerbside use. Oh, and the trunk isn’t a conventional load bay, but a beautifully tailored parcel shelf.

The megacitycar

Why a city car? Because of the rise of megacities, that’s why. Ever-more people are choosing to live in large cities, and ‘megacities’ – those with populations of 10 million or more – are set to grow in the future.

Many residents will be well-off and seeking new premium cars – but megacities are likely to restrict car usage and insist they are all EVs. Add in the challenges of congestion and the case for an upmarket small electric car is clear. It’s this future that Genesis is preparing for with the Mint.

April 2019 is the 49th anniversary of Earth Month: a non-political movement founded on the principle of creating a better planet. At its heart is the need for a healthier natural, physical, social and cultural environment. With this in mind, we’ve assembled a list of 20 cars that have, in some way, made a difference to the world.

Polestar 2

The Polestar 2 is an all-electric five-door fastback with a targeted range of 500km (310 miles), which puts it at the forefront of the array of next-generation EVs arriving over the next couple of years. But what makes this EV stand out is a recent Compassionate Business Award from vegan charity PETA. It takes three cow hides and 130 chemicals to create the leather interior of an average car, but the Polestar 2 boasts a leather-free interior. “The leather industry is as toxic to the Earth as it is cruel to cows,” PETA director of corporate projects, Yvonne Taylor, told Plant Based News.

Audi E-tron SUV

The Audi E-tron five-door SUV offers a WLTP-certified range of 417km (259 miles) and is available to buy from £71,520 excluding the Government Plug-in Car Grant (PiCG) of £3,500. The fact that leather seats come as standard is sure to upset PETA, but the knowledge that it’s being built at a carbon-neutral factory in Brussels will please environmentalists. The Belgian plant boasts the largest photovoltaic system in Brussels and generates more than 3,000-megawatt hours of electricity per year.

Kia e-Niro

Why have we selected the Kia e-Niro over a host of other all-electric cars? Well, up to 282 miles of electric range is a good start. As is the seven-year warranty. But we also believe that – cliche alert – a new EV shouldn’t cost the earth, so a £32,995 price tag after the PiCG should put this new electric within reach of more people than the expensive Polestar 2 and Audi E-tron SUV.

BMW i3

PETA has created a list of cars with leather-free interiors, either as standard or as an option, and it’s worth a read if you don’t want to perch your bum on a dead animal. Be warned, though, because while some cars might not feature leather seats, the gear knob and steering wheel could be finished in cowhide. Thanks to the availability of ‘Deka’ cloth seats, the BMW i3 makes PETA’s ‘good’ list, but the leather-free M Performance steering wheel contains wool. However, BMW scores points for its use of recycled materials in making the interior.

Fisker eMotion

Fisker unveiled the eMotion at CES 2018, with the Tesla rival promising a range of more than 400 miles, a 160mph top speed and a vegan-friendly interior option. Indeed, the company claims that the Fisker Karma was the first electric vehicle to offer such an option. “When I started Fisker in 2007, my goal was to create the first truly environmental friendly exciting car company. We did many ‘first innovations’, such as the first full length curved solar roof, the first vegan interior option, the first reclaimed interior wood and many more,” said CEO and chairman Henrik Fisker.

Honda Insight

The Honda Insight was the first petrol-electric hybrid to be sold in the UK, beating the Toyota Prius to market by a few weeks. Power was sourced from a three-cylinder 1.0-litre VTEC engine combined with an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA), and as much as 83.1mpg could be achieved on a combined cycle. Its Tomorrow’s World looks were too much for many buyers while the absence of rear seats didn’t exactly help sales.

Toyota Prius

Toyota is credited with popularising the idea of a hybrid vehicle, with Prius becoming a brand generic for the green car. It soon became the darling of greenwashed Hollywood celebrities, while real-world owners appreciated the 57.6mpg and 114g/km CO2 emissions. By the time the Prius arrived in the UK in October 2000, more than 40,000 units had been sold globally.

Tesla

PETA is a Tesla shareholder, which gives it a right to ask questions at the company’s annual meetings. According to the vegan charity, turning animal skins into leather requires 130 different chemicals and exposes people who work in tanneries to these toxins. Leather production also uses up to 15,000 gallons of water per ton of hides. The company stopped offering leather seats in 2017, while vegan-friendly steering wheels are available as an option.

Honda My Earth Dream

In 2007, Honda launched its My Earth Dream campaign with the start of the ‘Earth Dreams’ engine programme. The F1 car wasn’t great – even Honda called the results “patchy – but it was a unique way of promoting environmental consciousness. The RA107 F1 was coated in a large image of the Earth, with sponsors sold a ‘dream’ of being associated with an environmentally friendly approach. Hmmm.

NanoFlowcell

NanoFlowcell has completed 350,000km (217,000 miles) of testing in the Quantino 48Volt flowcell car, saying that the powertrain ran with “absolutely no problems” throughout the duration of the test. Although it’s not designed to be a production vehicle, the Quantino 48Volt demonstrates what could be achieved using flowcell technology, which uses two tanks of external electrolytes pumped over stationary electrodes. The actual range is dependent on the size of the tanks, rather than the size of the device under the bonnet.

Solar Team Eindhoven

“We believe in a future in which life is powered by the sun,” says the team at Solar Team Eindhoven. Since 2012, students at the Eindhoven University of Technology have been working on a series of solar cars, including Stella: the world’s first solar-powered four-seater. Crucially, they have shown that it is possible to charge the battery while driving, creating “little power plants on wheels”.

Bio-Bug

In 2010, Geneco decided to explore the potential of powering a vehicle using poo. The company teamed up with Wessex Water to create the Bio-Bug: “the UK’s first VW Beetle powered by human waste”. After a successful – and no doubt smelly – trial, the team moved on to create the Bio-Bus: the first bus in the UK to be powered by gas derived from food, sewage and commercial liquid waste. The bus travelled 300km on a full tank of gas – an amount of fuel produced by the annual food and sewage waste of just five passengers.

BMW Hydrogen 7

The likes of Toyota, Honda and Hyundai are running with hydrogen technology, but BMW got there first. The Hydrogen 7 was based on the 760Li and just 100 cars were built, each one leased to the great and the good in exchange for publicity. Interestingly, rather than getting its energy from fuel cells, the BMW burned hydrogen to power the 6.0-litre V12 engine.

Honda FCX Clarity

The Honda FCX Clarity was the world’s first production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, but only 200 were built and they were available for lease in the U.S. The latest version (pictured) offers 385 miles of range and takes just three minutes to fill up. We just need the hydrogen network to catch up.

Duke Electric Vehicles Maxwell

The hydrogen-powered Maxwell was created by a team at Duke University for use in the Shell Eco-marathon. In 2018, it set a Guinness World Record for the most fuel-efficient prototype vehicle when it achieved 14,573mpg in Benson, North Carolina.

Volvo Amazon

Earth Month isn’t simply about saving the planet for future generations – it’s making the world a better and safer place for people in the here and now. Which is where Volvo comes in. Its Vision 2020 says that “by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car”, and it recently announced that it is making its safety knowledge available to all. In 1959, Volvo became the first manufacturer to equip its cars with safety belts as standard.

BYD F3DM

In 2009, BYD (Build Your Dreams) launched the world’s first plug-in hybrid. The F3DM was available in the Chinese company’s home market and had an all-electric range of 37 miles and a total petrol-electric range of 300 miles. It wasn’t a big seller, but the Chinese government incentivised sales with subsidies of 50,000 Yuan, while the city of Shenzhen added a further 30,000 Yuan.

Volkswagen XL1

The Volkswagen XL1 was launched as a Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV). Unveiled at the 2011 Qatar Motor Show, the XL1 featured an 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine mated to an electric motor to produce a modest 75hp. But because the car weighed just 795kg, it was reasonably quick and very economical. Up to 313mpg was available on a combined cycle, along with an all-electric range of 50km (31 miles).

General Motors EV1

If you’ve watched the documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car? you’ll know that the GM EV1 was a pioneering electric vehicle and one giant missed opportunity. This was the world’s first mass-produced and purpose-built electric car, with GM leasing it to customers in California and Arizona. Sadly, for reasons that will become clear if you watch the documentary, GM pulled the plug on the project and destroyed most of the cars.

Chevrolet Volt/Vauxhall Ampera

Another product of General Motors that was both ahead of its time and pulled from sale too soon. The Chevrolet Volt – also sold as the Vauxhall/Opel Ampera – was neither a traditional hybrid or a fully electric vehicle. Instead, it used a 1.4-litre petrol engine to keep the batteries topped up, with drive handled by the electric motor.

Ford Performance fans may have to think again about dismissing the turbocharged EcoBoost Mustang, as a new High Performance Package variant has just been announced.

Although peak power is still less than the V8 GT versions, the improved 2.3-litre engine has created what Ford calls “the most powerful four-cylinder sports car” offered by an American manufacturer.

Ford hopes that the High Performance Package will entice track day fans, autocross competitors, and driving enthusiasts to consider the non-V8 option as the car to suit their needs.

Boosting to great expectations

Powering the High Performance Package Mustang is an custom-created version of the EcoBoost engine previously used by the outgoing Ford Focus RS.

Engineers travelled to Ford’s Valencia factory, convincing production managers to build a special 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit, tailored to the Mustang. The result is a power output of 330hp (246kW) combined with 350lb-ft (474Nm) of torque.

That may only be an extra shot of 20hp, but Ford has tuned the engine to deliver power all the way to the redline, along with a greater spread of torque. 0-60mph (0-100km/h) takes around 4.5 seconds, with top speed increased to 155mph (249km/h).

Fully-loaded with extras

A new exhaust system with quad-tailpipes has been tuned to deliver a better sound. High Performance Package cars also get a new black front splitter, blacked-out front grille, extra cooling vents, and a new rear spoiler.

Larger brakes from the V8-powered Mustang GT have been added, along with beefier anti-roll bars, and even a strut brace for the front suspension.

A limited-slip differential is also standard, along with a set of 19-inch alloy wheels. An optional EcoBoost Handling Pack can also be had, bringing stickier Pirelli tyres and uprated suspension dampers to the party.

Grey side mirrors, grey body stripes, and special High Performance Package badging will let everyone know which Mustang you have bought. A numbered plaque for the dashboard serves as a reminder inside, too.

A project of passion and performance

For a global giant like Ford, the creation of the High Performance Package Mustang is special in that it relied upon the personal efforts of a small band of Ford Performance engineers.

Initially conceived as an experiment in slotting a Focus RS EcoBoost engine into a Mustang, the results were seemingly impressive enough for Ford to green-light full production.

In fact, the whole process from initial design to approval took just ten months. This was made easier by to the shortened product development times undertaken by Ford, speeding up the project from skunkworks idea to road-going reality.

A waiting game for enthusiasts

Available on both the EcoBoost Mustang in fastback and convertible body shapes, American buyers will be able to grab the 2.3-litre High Performance Package later in 2019. They will also get to pick between the six-speed manual gearbox, or the ten-speed automatic unit.

Ford has not confirmed prices for the High Performance Package, or whether it will be offered to customers outside the United States.

However, with the Mustang celebrating it’s 55th anniversary in 2019, it would seem rather unfair to deny others the chance to join in the festivities.

The 119th running of North America’s original auto show opens its doors to the press on 17 April, with the organizers promising a display of nearly 1,000 cars under the lights of the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Read on to see what will be grabbing the headlines at NYIAS 2019.

The history of the New York Auto Show

Hyundai Venue

Another auto show, another new compact SUV, this time in the form of the Hyundai Venue. It’s billed as Hyundai’s “smallest and most affordable SUV”, which means it’ll sit below the not-exactly-large Kona in the range. The teaser sketches suggest a three-door body, but this seems as unlikely as the huge alloy wheels also shown on the pre-show drawings. It’s a funky looking thing, and with the Kona priced at less than $20,000, might this come in around the $15,000 mark?

Cadillac CT5

Say hello to the Cadillac CT5 and wave goodbye to the CTS. While every soccer mom and dad from Stockbridge to Boston might be jumping into SUVs, Cadillac has pumped $211 million into GM’s Lansing Grand River facility where the CT5 will be built. The four-door sedan has a future, according to Cadillac. Two engines will be available: a 2.0-liter turbo and a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged unit, each one paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Lincoln Corsair

The Lincoln MKC compact SUV made its debut back in 2013 at the North American International Auto Show, so a replacement is long overdue. It’ll be called the Corsair, but Lincoln is remaining tight-lipped about the specifications. “With the continued strength of Lincoln’s SUVs – from the record-breaking sales of Navigator, strong customer response to the 2019 Nautilus and the arrival of the all-new Aviator in the summer, the introduction of Corsair will further enhance Lincoln’s lineup,” the manufacturer said.

Mercedes-AMG A 35 sedan

The Mercedes-AMG A 35 sedan is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 320 horsepower, which is enough for it to hit 60mph in just 4.7 seconds. It serves as the entry point into the world of AMG: a chance to earn your stripes on the nursery slopes before taking on the black runs further up the ladder. Highlights include a seven-speed transmission, AMG suspension and variable AMG Performance 4Matic all-wheel-drive.

Nissan Performance icons

Forget the new SUVs and performance sedans, Nissan is almost guaranteed to steal the show in New York. “At Nissan, we believe every garage deserves to dream,” the manufacturer said as it released a teaser image of some of its most iconic performance cars. Well, you’re hardly going to let the 50th anniversaries of the Z cars and GT-R pass without a party, are you? Expect fireworks and plenty of shares on social media.

Porsche Speedster

There are rumors Porsche will be  showing off a new Speedster edition. It will be based on the outgoing ‘991’ model, not the new ‘992’, making it a final-edition runout special. The German sports car maker showcased a couple of Speedster concepts in 2018, so don’t be surprised if the production car differs little from the one above…

2019 Honda HR-V

Honda has seven cars rated as top picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). And, in what it believes is an auto show first, it’s bringing an HR-V straight from a crash test to New York 2019. “Media and consumers will be able to see first-hand how the HR-V performed with dramatic, real-world visuals”.

Acura TLX PMC

This is very special: The Acura Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) normally builds NSX. Now it is building Acura sedans, with the TLX PMC a hand-assembled model made up from a raw bodyshell delivered from the Marysville plant. It even has the same ‘nano pigment’ paint job as the NSX. On sale in the summer, it will cost around $50,000.

Audi R8 V10 Decennium

The 2020 Audi R8 has a round of mid-life improvements and a choice of 562 horsepower or 602 horsepower V10 engines. To mark 10 years of R8 production, Audi is building 222 ‘Decennium’ editions: North America is getting the final 50 (numbered 173 to 222), all finished in Mythos Black Metallic with milled 20-inch bronze alloys. Priced at $214,995, see it at NYIAS.

Mercedes-Benz EQC

The all-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC is rumored to be shown in New York as a new ‘EQC Edition 1886’ model. Why 1886? Because that’s when the company invented the car: with this electric SUV, it’s now reinventing it…

Toyota Yaris

The 2020 Toyota Yaris is little more than a rebadged and mildly restyled version of the Mazda 2 and two trims will be offered: LE and XLE. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, a six-speed automatic transmission, a pre-collision safety system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The XLE adds the likes of climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers and LED headlights. Engine and performance figures are unknown, but Toyota is promising 40mpg fuel economy.

Hyundai Sonata facelift

Inspired by the Le Fil Rouge concept of 2018, the new Hyundai Sonata ushers in a new design language and a new coupe-style body for the four-door sedan. It’s also 1.1 inches lower, 1 inch wider and 1.8 inches longer than the outgoing model, improving the stance and the amount of space inside. The cabin has been simplified and looks a notch up from the current Sonata, while the instrument panel is inspired by a stealth aircraft. Fancy.

Ford Escape

Ford has sold more than 4.5 million Escapes, so the launch of the 2020 model is kind of a big deal. A range of powertrains will be available, including a new plug-in hybrid capable of delivering 30+ miles of electric range. A standard hybrid is also available along with a pair of conventional EcoBoost gasoline engines: a 1.5-liter and a 2.0-liter. In a first for Ford in North America, the top-spec Titanium models feature a head-up display. In another first for Ford in this region, the 1.5-liter engine debuts cylinder deactivation, which senses when one cylinder isn’t needed and shuts it down to save fuel.

Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe

“The next generation of the successful model skillfully and intricately combines the sportiness of a coupe with the functionality of an SUV,” says Mercedes-Benz. Can a four-door SUV be a classed as a coupe? Discuss. At launch, the GLC Coupe will be available with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 255 horsepower, with the new car also boasting the latest MBUX multimedia system. It’ll go on sale by late 2019.

Mullen Qiantu K50

The K50 is the result of a collaboration between California-based Mullen Technologies and China’s Qiantu Motors, with the sports car arriving in the U.S. in 2020. Power is sourced from a pair of electric motors – one for each axle – with the companies claiming a peak output of 375 horsepower. The RESS (Rechargeable Energy Storage System) delivers a range of between 230 and 310 miles. Six standard colours are available, plus 19-inch forged aluminum wheels in a choice of two colours. U.S customers can reserve their K50 now.

Genesis EV concept

Genesis has confirmed that it will unveil an electric car in New York, but we don’t know much beyond that. We do know that the first production EV is likely to arrive in 2021 and that future models will be based on bespoke platforms. “When it comes to electric vehicles you have to ask whether you want science fiction or whether you want to conform,” Hyundai Group design boss Luc Donckerwolke told Auto Express.

Subaru Outback

The next-generation Subaru Outback will take a bow in New York, and although the Japanese firm is giving little away, a recent teaser image provided a few hints of its revised styling. There’s a vertical stack of LED daytime running lights in the lower fascia, black alloy wheels, plenty of body armour and what appears to be a cargo rack on the roof. How much of this is optional equipment remains to be seen, but don’t be surprised if Subaru gives the Outback more of an SUV look and feel.

Koenigsegg Jesko

How time flies. One minute Koenigsegg is giving the Jesko its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the next minute it is releasing a statement saying that every build slot has been allocated, with deposits received. That’s 125 hypercars, each one with a price tag of $3 million. Thanks to a 5.0-liter twin-turbocharged engine producing 1,600 horsepower, there’s a good chance this thing will do 300mph.

Mercedes-Benz GLS

No company offers more SUVs than Mercedes-Benz, and the GLS is the largest and most luxurious. The new model boasts a 2.3-inch longer wheelbase than the current GLS (pictured), creating more space for passengers in the second row, while the seats in all three rows are fully electrically adjustable. The E-Active body control system “ensures superior suspension comfort, agile handling and good off-road capabilities”, while safety is provided by the latest driver assistance systems.

Rivian EVs

Since Rivian unveiled the R1T and R1S at last year’s LA Auto Show, Amazon has invested $700 million in the Michigan-based EV company. The company is committed to begin production of its electric truck and SUV in 2020, promising to build “the world’s first electric adventure vehicles”. Both EVs are expected to offer up to 400 miles of range, while boasting a 0-60mph time of three seconds. Rivian is like a rough and tough version of Tesla, then?

Kia SP Signature concept

Kia says that the SP Signature is a production-ready concept that previews a new SUV that’ll arrive later this year. It provides an early look at Kia’s next-generation design language, with LED daytime running lights built into the brand’s ‘tiger nose’ grille. It’s roughly the size of a Hyundai Kona and will sit below the Sportage when it hits the U.S market.

Ford Mustang

We know that Ford will be unveiling a new Mustang variant in New York, but what will it be? Everything points to a new entry-level model, although some sources suggest it will be mid-range Mustang to sit between the 2.3-liter EcoBoost and the 5.0-liter GT. Will it wear the SVO or ST badge? There are so many unknowns, but you can bank on it being one of the stars of the show.

Toyota Highlander

We don’t know a lot about the new Highlander, but a teaser image would suggest that it looks a lot like the outgoing model (pictured), with what appears to be a more Lexus take on the styling. According to Car and Driver, the three-row SUV is likely to be powered by an updated version of Toyota’s 3.5-liter V6 engine, with a hybrid available as an option. You can also expect an improved interior, updated technology and a host of new safety and assistance systems.

Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4Matic

Here’s another entry-level AMG, this time in the form of the CLA 35. The 35 range is designed to take on hot hatches such as the Volkswagen Golf R and Honda Civic Type R – a chance for Mercedes to snare a younger audience and keep them locked into the slightly unhinged world of AMG. Power is sourced from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 302 horsepower, with Mercedes quoting an estimated 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds, which is a touch quicker than the A 35 sedan.

“Hold out your hand, you’ve got yourself a deal.” But maybe Mike Brewer shouldn’t have been so quick to shake hands, as figures from Stratstone reveal that Wheeler Dealers may have missed out on half a million pounds in profit.

In the television series, Mike buys a tired classic then instructs an able mechanic – initially Edd China, but more recently Ant Anstead – to improve the car with the aim of selling it for a profit. On average, the show makes £1,491 per car, but Stratstone says the cars would be worth significantly more in today’s booming classic car market.

The team at Stratstone analysed every show up to the end of series ten and identified how much each car would be worth today. By holding on to all 86 cars, the show would have been £500,000 better off. Ouch.

Fezza is a nice little earner

Mike might be crying into his corn flakes when he finds out the Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 from series six would be worth 361 percent more than the £13,000 he sold it for. Back then, a good 308 GT4 was available for the price of a Ford Mondeo. Sadly, those days are long gone.

In 2009, when series six first aired, Mike bought the Ferrari for £3,750, before spending £11,880 on the restoration job. It sold for £13,000, earning the team a £1,120 profit. Today, that same car would be worth £60,000.

The 308 GT4 is not the only car to leave Mike with bruised shins following a spell of kicking himself. Stratstone has identified the top ten cars from Wheeler Dealers based on what they would be worth now.

Mike Brewer reveals all about new Wheeler Dealers

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Government Road To Zero already behind schedule say experts

Average speed cameras have been installed on the ‘Evo Triangle’, after Denbighshire and Conwy councils received a £500,000 grant from the Welsh Government.

The 21-mile stretch of road is a mecca for car enthusiasts, but a string of fatalities and incidences of dangerous driving have prompted officials to take action.

Four people have been killed on the roads that connect Llyn Brenig, Pentrefoelas and Cerrigydrudion since 2012.

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The Welsh Government made the announcement in October 2018, arguing that “average speed cameras provide the most extensive and continuous enforcement which will make the route less attractive to those intending to exceed the speed limit.”

The ‘Evo Triangle’ – so-called after it was made famous by Evo magazine – is often named on lists of the UK’s best driving roads and is a location used for countless YouTube videos.

Total 911 magazine said the road provides a “welcome chance to experience conditions we dream of as drivers of high-performance sports cars”. Meanwhile, Visordown labelled it a “mythical trio of roads”.

But it doesn’t take long to find headlines that paint the ‘Evo Triangle’ in a different light. In 2017, a couple were killed in a head-on collision, and a motorcyclist died in 2018 after being thrown from his Honda Fireblade and into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

‘Only one part of the answer’

The cameras have been welcomed by local residents and the area’s authorities, with Councillor Brian Jones, Denbighshire’s lead member for highways, planning and sustainable travel, saying: “Introducing road safety measures is only one part of the answer.

“We need people to modify their driving behaviour on our roads, to protect their own safety and that of others.”

Meanwhile, Superintendent Jane Banham, head of specialist operations, North Wales Police said: “We are committed to keeping people safe on the roads, we want people to enjoy the freedom of the road but to do so safely and responsibly.

“All too often we and the other emergency services are called to serious and fatal road traffic collisions across the region.”

It only seems like yesterday when we were joining Clarkson, Hammond and May for the premiere of the third season of The Grand Tour. Now, three months later, series three is drawing to a close, with episode 14 bringing an end to the show in its present format.

Before you settle down to enjoy the last episode, join us for a grand tour of the cars you have been watching, with quotes from the presenters.

Episode 1: Motown Funk

Ford Mustang RTR Spec 3: “This is the Anthony Joshua of muscle cars. Big and brawny, but it has brains as well.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Dodge Challenger SRT Demon: “I have 840 horsepower, a massive supercharger and on the bonnet is the biggest hood scoop ever fitted to a production car… ever. NOISE! Noise in the city.” – Richard Hammond

Hennessey Exorcist Camaro ZL1: “They’ve taken a standard Camaro and they’ve given it 1,000 horsepower. Jesus Christ! I can’t even steer it. It’s idiotic, honestly.” – James May

McLaren Senna: “It stops like it’s run into a wall, it’s pressed into the road by witchcraft, it weighs the same as a bag of whippets, and it has nearly 800 horsepower on tap.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Episodes 2 and 3: Colombia Special

Jeep Wrangler: “It’s gonna be ideal for wildlife photography because it’s four-wheel-drive, so I could use it to track a snow leopard. It’s got a 4.0-litre straight-six, so I could keep up with a diving eagle. And, of course, no roof, fold-down windscreen, so a 360-degree field of fire for my camera.” – Jeremy Clarkson.

Chevrolet C/K Silverado: “It’s a full-size American pick-up that’s been made a bit bigger with a lift kit. Most importantly it’s got a proper big old 7.4-litre V8 up front in a very lazy state of tune, just churning out huge gobbets of grunt.” – Richard Hammond

Fiat Panda 4×4 Sisley: “What you need for serious off-roading is smallness and lightness. That’s what I’ve got. This is a tiny car. It weighs 780 kilograms – a quarter of what Hammond’s stupid monster truck weighs.” – James May

Episode 4: Pick up, Put Downs

“If you need to flee from government forces, you need an Amarok.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Jaguar XE SV Project 8: “How mad would you have to be to spend £150,000 on a car that was designed and built in a glorified shed in the Midlands… in about 18 months? The simple answer is: not mad at all because this car is fan-bleeding tastic.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Episode 5: An Itchy Urus

Lamborghini Urus: “Twitchy and it’s scary! It’s like I’ve been put in charge of all of the world’s physics while I’m in a phone box full of wasps.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Alpine A110: “The original 1960s version was a masterpiece. But for me, this modern reboot doesn’t quite work. Once you stretch modern legislation over 1960s design language, you end up with a sort of slightly lame tribute act.” – James May

Episode 6: Chinese Food for Thought

Mercedes-Benz S600: “If you are a Chinese businessman or business-woman, and you want a car that reflects your status, you can simply pop over to Europe and buy a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.” – James May

BMW 750 iL: “This is the BMW ‘Seven-Hundred-And-Fifty’ IL, as Q called it in the Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Cadillac STS: “This is a Cadillac STS and you can shut up, because this is fitted with one of the best engines of all time: the creamy smooth 4.6-litre Northstar V8.” – Richard Hammond

NIO EP9: “It’s pretty clear that this is no Nissan Leaf. Because a Leaf doesn’t have giant head restraints designed to stop G-forces from snapping your neck during hard cornering.” – Richard Hammond

Episode 7: Well Aged Scotch

BMW M5 v Alpina B5: “The M5 is tauter, more nailed down, more on it, somehow. So on a track, make no mistake, the M5 will pull away. We’re both cats. It’s just that he’s [the M5] is a cheetah and I’m [the B5] is a lion.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Alfa Romeo GTV6: “This car is just heaven. Absolute heaven. Look at it and tell me you can think of another car anywhere on Earth for 10 grand that you’d like more than this.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Fiat X1/9: “Some cars achieve classic status simply because they’re really good. The X1/9 was good when it was designed and built first, and still is today.” – Richard Hammond

Lancia Gamma Coupe: “Rare, interesting, beautiful – those are the criteria by which I think you should judge whether or not a car is a true classic. It has to be at least two of those things to qualify. So let’s have a look at my Lancia. Well, it’s definitely beautiful. It’s a truly superb bit of styling, this. And it’s rare.” – James May

Episode 8: International Buffoons’ Vacation

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk: “Pulling this 700 horsepower 6.2-litre supercharged V8 out of a Dodge Challenger Hellcat into a Jeep off-roader might sound like it makes as much sense as fitting me with Usain Bolt’s legs.” – Richard Hammond

Episode 9: Aston, Astronauts and Angelina’s Children

Aston Martin Vantage: “This is one of those superstar cars that leave a wake of dropped jaws and phone camera flashes.” – Richard Hammond

Citroen C3 Aircross: “Faster than itself at the test track. Strong enough to pull a ship. Big enough for the entire Jolie family and a horse. And better at invading Italy than an elephant.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray: “This is Neil Armstrong’s Corvette. His hands were here. He looked at the instruments like that. He touched that. Neil Armstrong! What an honour” – James May

Episode 10: The Youth Vote

Toyota Yaris GRMN: “Gazoo! It’s nice, it feels taut.” – James May

Ford Fiesta ST: “This is cracking. I love these.” – Richard Hammond

Volkswagen Polo GTI: “Volkswagen invented the hot hatchback and they’re still the best at it.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Lamborghini Countach: “This version of the Countach, the LP500, was launched in 1985, specifically to put the Testarossa back in its box.” – Richard Hammond

Ferrari Testarossa: “The Ferrari Testarossa was excess on wheels. Be it looks, attitude, or even size. It was unquestionably the only car that could star in Miami Vice.” – James May

Episode 11: Sea to Unsalty Sea

Aston Martin DBS: “My Aston has been delivered with Birmingham spec.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Bentley Continental GT: “Does Liberace pop up out of the centre console and play the piano for you?” – James May

BMW M850i: “This is like Elton John’s greatest hits without Your Song or Tiny Dancer on it.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Episode 12: Legends and Luggage

Porsche 917: “Even if you have no interest in motorsport, you’ll most likely recognise this machine because it’s quite possibly the most iconic racing car ever created.” – James May

Lancia Delta Futurista: “It is a bloody brilliant car, this. Yes, I like this.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Lancia Stratos: “If I was going to spurt big lumps of money on an update classic Lancia, I’d spurt them on the most classic Lancia of them all… the Stratos.” – Jeremy Clarkson

Episode 13: Survival of the Fattest

John: “He’s been incredible. Even though we built it in the middle of a field in the dust, it has been unutterably reliable. If you’re going on an expedition and you’re absolutely dependent on your car for your life… get a John.” – James May

Episode 14: Funeral for a Ford

In the final episode of the series, Clarkson, Hammond and May take a look at the history of the medium-sized Ford saloon, starting with the Ford Cortina…

Then the Ford Sierra, before celebrating the life and times of the Ford Mondeo. “The history lesson ends with a touching memorial service to this totem of British life,” says the press material.

Speaking of memorial services, it looks like we’ll need to say on a fond farewell to this Toyota Picnic.

And on that bombshell

And on that bombshell, it’s time to end the gallery. Thanks for the laughs, chaps.

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