The latest high-tech hybrid-electric version of the iconic London taxi, the LEVC TX, has been launched to the German taxi market in Berlin. The British firm is now going to partner up with Volvo Germany to sell and distribute them.

Priced from €59,950 (£52,500), the LEVC electric taxi launch in Germany comes after “huge interest from cities across the country”. The company is targeting both the contract taxi market, and operators of larger street taxis. Mobility service providers are another potential area of business.

The first customers for the new cab will be announced next week.

Boasting an 80-mile pure-electric range and, thanks to the backup petrol generator, a 377-mile total range, the firm believes it will help Germany lessen the risk of missing its 2020 carbon reduction targets.

“Everyone is realising that the goals of the ‘energy transition’ and improvement of air quality can only be achieved if more electric cars drive on German roads,” said LEVC chairman Carl-Peter Forster. “We can help with our TX.”

Although the launch model is offered in traditional German taxi beige, other colours are available, says the firm. It says the traditional beige colour is actually being abandoned by a lot of German cities.

German LEVC TX cabs differ little to British ones, although they are all flat-roofed, with no integrated light, because of regulations. A happy by-product of this re-engineering is the ability to meet demand outside the taxi sector: the firm reports growing demand from transport service providers, who are considering using it for contract and shuttle services.  

A panic button has also been installed, again to meet regulations.

German taxi drivers are in for a treat, said Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVS. “Our TX combines a first-class electric drive with a range extender. This saves taxi drivers up to €440 a month in fuel costs and ensures this electric vehicle is always on the road.”

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You’ve been seduced by the images of the 2019 Suzuki Jimny, now it’s time to understand a little more about next year’s must-have 4×4. Suzuki has released new information on the pint-sized SUV, to provide some substance to go with the undoubted style.

The Jimny can trace its roots back to the LJ10 of 1970: a small, but mighty 4×4 with terrier-like boundless energy and the ability to climb a hill like a mountain goat. Through subsequent revisions and generations, the little Suzuki developed a reputation for dependability and reliability, meaning there’s a lot resting on the square shoulders of the fourth-generation Jimny.

The one-and-only, small, lightweight 4WD vehicle, the Suzuki Jimny, on sale 2019

Read the release here ⏬https://t.co/uT0ScGwkEh pic.twitter.com/U157OnZMW3

— Suzuki Press Office (@SuzukiPress) July 5, 2018

Has it got what it takes to carry the family name into a new decade? Let’s examine the evidence.

Body beautiful

Based on looks alone, the new Jimny is a guaranteed winner. In common with the Ignis, the new Jimny tips its tiny hat to models of old, with elements inherited from Suzuki’s heritage. The round headlights, independent indicators, front grille and rear combination lights are all nods to the past.

There’s a delicious functionality to the design – everything is there to serve a purpose. The Suzuki Jimny doesn’t do needless trinkets or fluff. Take the flat clamshell bonnet, squared body, upright A-pillars and the shape of the driver- and passenger-side windows: all designed to enhance off-road visibility.

The drip rails on the roof edges prevent water ingress into the cabin, while the wheel arch extensions and side sill covers are there to protect the body. The rear lights are located on the bumper to contribute to a wider rear door opening.

Meanwhile, the tailgate-mounted spare wheel is so retro, it’s a wonder it isn’t listening to Showaddywaddy and giving you a call via a GPO 746 telephone. Look at the back of the new Jimny and you have to wonder how Land Rover could get the current Discovery so wrong. 

Interior motives

Inside, the Suzuki Jimny majors on practicality and functionality. The instrument panel and surrounding parts are finished in a scratch- and stain-resistant grained finish, while the dials and switches are designed to be operated in off-road conditions and while wearing gloves.

The large instruments are clear and permanently illuminated to allow for clear viewing when driving in and out of shady conditions. A 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system is fitted to higher trim levels.

In the boot, Jimny owners will find 377 litres of luggage space – 53 litres more than the outgoing model – while the side-mounted square tailgate should make for ease of loading and the carrying of wide loads. Some models will feature plastic-coated rear seats and luggage floor – ideal for wet dogs and muddy boots.

Performance

The old 1.3-litre engine is replaced by a new and lighter 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol unit developing a little over 100hp at 6,000rpm and 96lb ft of torque at 4,00rpm. Two transmissions are available: a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic. Under the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), the manual Jimny emits 178g/km CO2, with the auto higher at 198g/km.

Top speed – as if it really matters in a Suzuki Jimny – is 90mph for the manual and 87mph for the automatic. The acceleration times haven’t been revealed, probably because the tester grew tired of waiting for the Jimny to hit 62mph.

Off-road capability

Jimny loyalists rejoice: the new car inherits much of what made the old car such a willing off-road companion. Ladder frame? Check. Three off-road angles? Check. Three-link rigid axle suspension with coil springs and part-time 4WD with low-range transfer gear? Check.

A new x-member and two additional cross members have been added to increase torsional rigidity, while a 37 degrees approach angle, 28 degrees ramp break-over angle and 49 degrees departure angle will be a boon for off-road drivers.

Safety first

If there’s one thing the Suzuki Jimny desperately needed, it’s a full suite of safety systems. The new Jimny features six airbags, hill hold control, hill descent control, ESP, a pedestrian injury mitigation body, dual sensor brake support, lane departure warning and weaving function alert.

The Jimny is also the first Suzuki to offer a traffic sign recognition system.

When, what and how much?

Predictably, Suzuki hasn’t released any pricing details, but we’d expect prices to start from around £13,000. This is the based on the fact that the Ignis starts from £9,999 and the Vitara from £15,999. That said, the strength of the Japanese yen could push this price up a little.

The 2019 Suzuki Jimny will make its public debut at the 2018 Paris motor show, before going on sale in early 2019. It’s obvious that you will want to buy one, so it all comes down to the choice of colour. Kinetic Yellow and Jungle Green should be popular.

Quick facts

• Length: 3,480mm (3,645mm to spare wheel cover)
• Width: 1,645mm
• Height: 1,725mm
• Wheelbase: 2,250mm
• Seats: 4
• Kerb weight: 1,090kg – 1,135kg
• NEDC Fuel economy (combined): 41.5mpg (manual)/37.7mpg (auto)

Jaguar Land Rover CEO Dr. Ralf Speth has called upon the government to immediately give certainty to business that there will be tariff-free access and frictionless trade with the European Union post-Brexit – or tens of thousands of British jobs could be at stake.

The powerful statement by the boss of Britain’s biggest carmaker makes it clear that a bad Brexit risks sending manufacturing and jobs oversees. The current uncertainty about Britain’s post-Brexit position is already beginning to put future investment in the UK in jeopardy. 

“Jaguar Land Rover’s heart and soul is in the UK,” said Dr. Speth. “However we, and our partners in the supply chain, face an unpredictable future if the Brexit negotiations do not maintain free and frictionless trade with the EU and unrestricted access to the single market. 

“We urgently need greater certainty to continue to invest heavily in the UK and safeguard our suppliers, customers and 40,000 British-based employees.” Add in supply chain jobs, and 300,000 jobs could be threatened.

The firm’s German CEO is clear on the huge impact of a bad Brexit: it would cost the company more than £1.2 billion in profit each year. “As a result, we would have to drastically adjust our spending profile; we have spent around £50 billion in the UK in the past five years – with plans for a further £80 billion more in the next five.

“This would be in jeopardy should we be faced with the wrong outcome.”  

Britain has long been a champion of free trade, he said. If UK automotive is to remain globally competitive, “we must retain tariff and customs-free access to trade and talent with no change to current EU regulations. 

“Electrification and connectivity offer significant economic and productivity opportunities – get Brexit wrong and British people, businesses and broader society lose the chance to lead in smart mobility.”

Jaguar Land Rover has released the powerful statement ahead of the publication of a White Paper outlining the government’s desired post-Brexit trading relationship with the EU. The cabinet is understood to be meeting at the Prime Minister’s country residence, Chequers, on Friday 6 July to finalise and agree upon the final details.

A British new car buyer has just taken delivery of the 200,000^th Volkswagen ‘R’ model, and director of the VW R division, Jost Capito, was on hand to help with the landmark handover.

Keith Williamson is the lucky man: his Golf R was delivered by Robinsons Volkswagen Peterborough, and his enthusiasm for it is validation of the R brand’s success: he’s a serial hot Golf owner and has embraced the R as warmly as the longstanding GTI he also has in his collection.

”I get so much enjoyment from my Golf GTI and the Golf R just lifts that level of driver involvement even higher” said Williamson. “I’m particularly excited about having the Performance Pack on the car. This is another car that won’t be leaving my collection!”

He also has an original Mk4 Golf R32 – which is fitting, as that was the model that launched the Volkswagen R division back in 2002. It was rebranded from Volkswagen Individual to Volkswagen R in 2011, and has developed numerous performance Volkswagens over the years, including four iterations of Golf, the Passat R36, Touareg R50 and Scirocco R.

“Developing and globally retailing 200,000 units in 15 years is a big achievement,” said Capito. “Volkswagen R is a small business that employs around 350 colleagues. Everyone in our company contributes to the success of the company.”

Sven Schuler, director of business development and digitalisation at Volkswagen R, reckons the cars have the spirit of motorsport that’s made fit for road use. “Our vehicles are true Volkswagens with that certain extra something which the Volkswagen series production vehicles do not offer.”

The latest Golf R range has recently suffered a small power drop, from 310hp to 300hp, as part of homologation to the new WLTP fuel economy regulations. The range has also been rationalised down to the five-door DSG variant only: neither manuals nor three-door models sold well enough to justify continuation.

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Volvo Cars has launched a new mobility brand called M. Coming first to Sweden and the U.S. in spring 2019, it is an app-based service that offers on-demand cars and services.

M will, says the firm, therefore expand Volvo from merely being a car manufacturer into a fully-fledged mobility services provider. It is already offering subscriptions to cars through the app-based Care by Volvo service; Volvo M is a further development of this.

Volvo Cars president and chief executive Håkan Samuelsson said it was part of the firm’s answer to a new generation of motorists that don’t want to own cars. “We recognise that urban consumers are rethinking traditional car ownership… we are evolving to become a direct-to-consumer services provider under our new mission ‘Freedom to Move’.”

The Volvo M app is better than today’s services such as Uber or other on-demand mobility solutions, said Bodil Eriksson, CEO of Volvo Car Mobility. “We’re focused on the way people use the cars they own, which sets us apart.

“We aim to provide a real alternative to that experience. It should enable us to live life on our terms, getting things done and maximising precious time. We see the opportunity to offer a premium experience.”

M will also provide Volvo Cars with a new revenue stream. Samuelsson hopes it will become a core part of his strategy to “build more than five million direct customer relationships” by 2025.

Volvo will beta-test M in Stockholm this autumn, he said. It is partnering with car-sharing company Sunfleet in Sweden, which will be fully integrated into M by 2019. Ahead of this, Volvo will reveal more details about the M service, including pricing and other functions.

Volvo M is just the latest example of how the firm is embracing new technology. Building upon Care by Volvo, it recently launched the hottest version of the new S60 only through the app (and it sold out in minutes). Volvo is also the first car company to offer test drives through Amazon Prime – a service so tempting, it recently had to bring it back by popular demand.  

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More than 190,000 Korean-branded cars were sold in Britain last year, making the UK Europe’s largest market for Korea’s Hyundai, Kia and SsangYong car firms.

Even more impressively, Britain is also the third-biggest Asian export market worldwide, second only to China and Japan. Korean cars now take 7.5 percent of the new car market; 10 years ago, it was just 2.5 percent.

Imports of Korean-built cars have rocketed 93 percent over the past decade, to 103,078 models last year. But sales have also grown in the opposite direction, with a four-fold rise in UK production of cars for Korean buyers, to over 20,000 units.

The analysis has been revealed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on the eve of a trade mission to South Korea, which it hopes will reveal opportunities for British brands in the country.

The SMMT is also visiting the Green Car Korea Show, eager to tell attendees that Britain is the largest EU market for plug-in hybrid cars – which brands such as Kia are pushing ever-more heavily in the UK.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “Britain is one of the most important global markets for Korean manufacturers, and vice-versa, with consumers in both countries benefitting from a huge choice of cutting-edge models.

“With the UK’s reputation for world-class engineering, and its position as a test bed for the next generation of connected, autonomous and zero emission vehicles, strengthening our trade links with global automotive leaders such as Korea can only bring mutual success.”

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Top 5 cars from Korean brands in Britain

1: Kia Sportage

2: Hyundai Tucson

3: Hyundai i10

4: Kia Picanto

5: Hyundai i20

Top 5 cars exported from Britain to Korea

1: Mini

2: Land Rover Discovery Sport

3: Land Rover Discovery

4: Range Rover Evoque

5: Jaguar XF

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If we told you someone has a vast car collection comprised exclusively of Volkswagen Golfs, you could be forgiven for thinking he might be a line manager at the Wolfsburg plant with delusions of grandeur.

You’d be forgiven, but also wrong. A gentleman by the name of Josef Juza – a chimney sweep based in Vienna – has amassed 114 examples of the staple VW model and its many derivatives. If you’ve got an image in your mind of a precisely parked legion of anonymous and identical silver hatches, then once again, we must ask you to reassess your preconceptions.

The Golf has, over the course of its seven generations, proven to be one of the most versatile motorcars of the last 40 years. It’s as fantastically useful and malleable in terms of its architecture as the Land Rover Defender, the Ford Transit or indeed the Beetle that it was conceived to replace.

And it’s when you take a look through Josef’s collection that you realise to say “50 Shades of Golf” really would undersell the amount of configurations and applications this humble little best-seller has been at the heart of.

So what’s actually in this collection?

Peruse the snaps and you see the Caddy Pickup, the Corrado and the Jetta Cabriolet – all Golf-based. Fair but not mind-blowing and let’s be real, a bit of a cheat. Then the Mk1 with a sliding door raises an eyebrow, as does the CityStromer (an e-Golf from 1981!) and an airport Bremen. That’s a staircase attached to a Caddy pickup that you’ll find passengers climbing up on the way to their airplane seat… The realisation dawns that the Golf has some decidedly Frankensteinian variations, most of which are accounted for in this collection.

Various camper van configurations, a chocolate box of GTIs and ever-quirkier modified creations round off what is a spectacular testament to this legend of everyman motoring.

It’s no overstatement to say that Josef could probably host a shindig to rival Wörthersee itself.

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