On 19 May 2018, all eyes will be on St George’s Chapel when Prince Harry marries Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle. The newlyweds are expected to embark on a two-mile tour of Windsor by carriage, before arriving at St George’s Hall for the first of two receptions.

But while a carriage sounds romantic, we’re more interested in the cars used to ferry guests to and from the ceremony. Here are some royal wedding cars from around the world.

Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 Volante

Forget Pippa Middleton’s dress, this was the star of William and Kate’s wedding. The happy couple used the Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 Volante – complete with ‘JU5T WED’ rear number plate – to travel from Buckingham Palace to Clarence House. The DB6 was a 21st birthday present from the Queen to Prince Charles, and it was William’s idea to drive his bride away from the official reception in the old Aston.

Rolls-Royce Phantom VI

The Rolls-Royce Phantom VI was presented to the Queen for her Silver Jubilee. The seven-seat Roller features toughened glass and a custom-made silver model of St George slaying a dragon, fitted in place of the Spirit of Ecstasy. It was used by Kate and her father to travel to the church.

Bentley State Limousine

The Bentley State Limousine was presented to the Queen in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of her succession to the throne. It’s based on the Arnage, but Mulliner extended the wheelbase to make more room for passengers in the back, while it’s also wider and taller than a production Arnage, to allow the Queen to enter and exit the vehicle in a dignified manner. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh used the cosmetically-challenged Bentley for William and Kate’s wedding.

Volvo XC90

We continue our royal tour of the world in Sweden, specifically the wedding between Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist in 2015. Guests were chauffeured from airports and hotels to the ceremony in Slottskyrkan in a fleet of Volvo XC90 courtesy cars, each one finished in Luminous Sand paint.

Volvo XC90

Prince Carl Philip is a keen racing driver, having inherited his love of cars from his great-uncle and godfather, Prince Bertil. According to Royal Central, he has been known to drive his cars at such high speeds that his security detail has trouble keeping up. For his wedding to Sofia Hellqvist, Volvo supplied 35 XC90 D5s with special badges to mark the occasion. After the event, the cars were made available for purchase.

Volvo S80 and V70

Volvo has a history of supplying cars to the Swedish royal family. In 2010, guests attending the wedding between Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling travelled in specially-designed S80 and V70 models, each one finished in sparkling white livery.

Volvo S80 and V70

Once again, Volvo marked the occasion with the royal wedding insignia on the side of the cars, which was also found on the leather upholstery, embedded in the numbered headrests. The design – which was approved by the royal couple – was repeated on a number of other details, such as the sill covers.

Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet

Lexus built a unique LS 600h Landaulet with a one-piece transparent polycarbonate roof to serve as the official royal wedding car of Prince Albert of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock. The conversion was carried out by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet, with the project taking more than 2,000 hours to complete. According to Lexus, the roof presented the biggest challenge, being a single piece with no reinforcements or pillars.

Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet

The hybrid powertrain allowed the happy couple to waft along the streets of Monte Carlo in full-electric mode, with zero tailpipe emissions. Prince Albert and his bride sat in the back of the Midnight Blue Lexus, beneath an 8mm thick roof weighing just 26kg.

Lincoln Continental

The Lincoln Continental is more associated with presidential motorcades than wedding days, but the luxo-American car has carried more happy couples than you might think. Back in 1968, a Continental was the choice of transport when the King of Norway arrived at Oslo Cathedral with his future daughter-in-law Sonja Haraldsen. A 1961 Lincoln Continental was also used by Crown Prince Hamzah of Jordan and his bride at their wedding in 2012. The picture shows a Continental adapted for Pope Paul VI, and the Chicago parade vehicle for the Apollo 8, 11, 13 and 15 astronauts. In 2011, it sold at a Bonhams auction for £155,167.

Lincoln Continental

Amazingly, the Norwegian royal family have remained fiercely loyal to the Lincoln Continental. Here, we see the King of Norway returning to the Royal Palace from a parliament visit in 2011. Incidentally, the 1966 Lincoln Continental used for the 1968 royal wedding was used once again when the Crown Prince Haakon married Mette-Marit in 2001.

Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith

It was one of the most high profile events of 1956. In the Monaco sunshine, Hollywood icon Grace Kelly arrived in a Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith to marry Prince Rainier III, before embarking on a tour of Monte Carlo in the open-top car.

Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud

Needless to say, the Prince and Princess of Monaco were showered with gifts from all over the world; “presents from kings and queens, presidents and commoners, movie magnates and millionaires,” reported British Pathé. But this was arguably the best gift of all: a Silver Cloud, presented by Rolls-Royce.

Citroen CX Prestige Landaulet

This Chapron-built CX Prestige Landaulet was unveiled at the 1980 Paris Motor Show and ordered by Citroen for use by VIPs. It was used for the wedding between Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. In 1991, it was sold to a Parisian Citroen dealer and, in 2018, it sold for €95,360 at an Artcurial auction.

Cadillac Series 62

In 1960, King Baudouin married Dona Fabiola de Mora y Aragón in Brussels. The bride drove from the Royal Palace to the Cathedral of St Michael and St Gudula in a 1955 ‘bubble top’ Cadillac Series 62, similar to the car featured here, albeit without the transparent roof.

Fiat 2300 S Coupe

Not strictly a royal wedding car, but a Fiat 2300 S Coupe similar to this was presented to Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and Prince Claus following their wedding in 1966.

Rolls-Royce Silver Spur limo

The Sultan of Brunei is famous for his love of cars, laying claim to a collection worth more than $4 billion. At a cost of $14 million, this custom-built Silver Spur limo is one of the most eye-catching, not to mention expensive, cars in the Sultan’s collection. And, yes, that is 24-carat gold plating. When his son, Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah, married in 2014, he embarked on a five-mile parade across Brunei’s capital.

Rolls-Royce Phantom IV

The former Spanish dictator, Francisco Franco, ordered three armoured Phantom IV models from Rolls-Royce: two limousines and one drophead. The cars are now the property of the Spanish Army and are used for ceremonial purposes, such as the wedding of Princess Infanta Cristina and Inaki Urdangarin in 1997. In 2017, Urdangarin, the king’s brother-in-law, was found guilty of fraud and corruption, and sentenced to six years and three months in jail.

Rolls-Royce Phantom III 40/50hp Enclosed Limousine

In 1949, the Earl of Harewood, the Queen’s cousin and a grandson of King George V, married Miss Marion Stein, an Austrian Jew who had fled to England in 1938. The King and Queen travelled down from Balmoral to attend the ceremony in Mayfair, with Miss Stein and her father arriving in a Rolls-Royce Phantom III 40/50hp Enclosed Limousine, which sold at a Bonhams auction in 2014 for just £25,606.

Rolls-Royce at the Royal Mews

We conclude with a selection of Rolls-Royce motor vehicles parked outside the Royal Mews. Now, it’s over to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to add to the list of cars used for royal weddings.

Read more:

• Phantom to the Opera: an incredible Rolls-Royce road trip
• Royal Flush: Princess Diana’s Audi among royal cars up for auction
• The amazing 10-car garage you could buy for the cost of ONE wedding

Pricing for the new 2018 Suzuki Swift Sport certainly raised eyebrows when it was announced at the car’s international launch in April. The hefty £17,999 was a significant increase on its bargain-priced predecessor.

Since then, Ford has announced its new Fiesta ST – a sportier, faster car boasting 60hp more than the bantamweight Suzuki – will be priced from £18,995, making the Swift Sport seem, on paper, even more optimistically priced.

Now, Suzuki has responded, with a “launch” offer for the new Swift Sport. And we wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes permanent in due course.

It cuts the price of the new 1.4-litre turbo car by £1,500 to £16,499, a level that seems far more sensible for the racy supermini – and while Suzuki’s initial PCP deal of £249 a month (with zero deposit) was rather keener than the on-paper price, it seems this could become even more appealing when the firm announces a revised deal next month.

Suzuki’s promising the PCP will be affordable, with a low deposit. It sounds like the UK importer is going back to the drawing board with the latest Swift Sport.  

This is good news for car buyers because, although it’s not as exciting as the previous car, the new Swift Sport is a better proposition overall – and one that comes with a generous amount of standard equipment including sat nav, LED headlights, climate control, polished 17-inch alloys and smartphone-ready infotainment.

The 140hp 1.4-litre turbo engine also averages 50.4mpg and emits 125g/km, which is more impressive than its meek performance figures: 0-62mph takes 8.1 seconds and the top speed is 130mph.

Ford’s Fiesta ST claims 6.5 seconds and 144mph from its 200hp 1.5-litre turbo (oh, and 47.1mpg, plus 136g/km CO2).

The new Swift Sport goes on sale in the UK from 1 June 2018 and it’s positive news that Suzuki is correcting its original pricing plans, at least for those ordering before the end of June 2018. Here’s now hoping the correction becomes permanent…

Brits buy four times as many used cars as they do new vehicles. The secondhand car market is a hugely important one, which is why there’s always so much interest on the latest sales analysis figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The latest date for 2018 has now been released, with the SMMT chief executive describing it as proof “the UK’s used car sector remains at a very high level… it’s great to see millions of consumers benefiting from some of the latest, safest and cleanest models now filtering into the market.”

There’s even a surprise amongst the figures. While new diesel car sales are very much in the doldrums, the reverse is true for used cars – petrol sales have fallen nearly 10 percent so far in 2018, with diesel used car sales up 2 percent. That reflects the boom in new diesel car sales in recent years… and a similar sales surge has seen 15.9 percent more hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric cars change hands in 2018.

Used car market dips but sales still strong

Almost 5 percent fewer used cars were sold in the first quarter of 2018, a downturn that mirrors the one in the new car market. The SMMT is still eager to stress that this remains the third-highest Q1 for used car sales on record, with more than two million secondhand motors changing hands.

Superminis were the most popular used car, as they have been for what seems like forever, but dual purpose vehicles – that’s SUVs and crossovers – are the fastest-growing used car type. Almost 13 percent more of them changed hands in early 2018, with transactions easily topping the 200,000 mark.

But which are the best-selling used cars in 2018 so far? Here’s our rundown of British secondhand car buyers’ top 10 choices.

10: Audi A3

Audi unveiled the A3 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1996, with the car based on the platform of the Volkswagen Golf Mk4, which followed a year later. Initially available exclusively as a three-door hatchback, today’s A3 is available as a five-door Sportback, four-door saloon, convertible and performance S and RS models. Well over half a million A3s have been sold in the UK, 29,865 of which were snapped up as used cars in the first quarter of 2018.

9: Renault Clio

The first-generation Renault Clio arrived in the UK on 29 March 1991, having already scooped the European Car of the Year award. Since then, more than 13 million Clios have been sold across the world, including 1.2 million in the UK. Some 36,653 used Clios found a new home in the first quarter of the year.

8: Volkswagen Polo

With 38,421 sales, the Volkswagen Polo is slightly more popular than the Clio on the used car market. Earlier this year, the new Polo was named World Urban Car at the World Car Awards, while global sales passed the 17 million mark. In the UK, it has developed a reputation for solidity and reliability, making it a favourite of parents buying a first car for their grown-up offspring.

7: Mini

Many Mini buyers like to personalise their car when buying new, which is a double-edged sword for used car buyers. On the one hand, you can save money as many of the accessories don’t necessarily add to the residual value. On the other hand, you don’t get to personalise the car to your own tastes. That didn’t stop 40,040 used Minis finding new homes in the first quarter.

6: BMW 3 Series

Only the second premium badge and the largest car to appear in the top 10, Britons cannot get enough of the BMW 3 Series. For four decades, the 3 Series has been the default choice for motorists in search of class-leading dynamics, a quality interior and a rock-solid image. First quarter sales: 49,753.

5: Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen design legend, Walter de Silva, once said: “One of the keys to the Golf’s success lies in its continuity. There are a handful of cars with a design that, like the Golf’s has been refined, tweaked and enhanced down the decades and thus become timeless.” He had a point, as highlighted by the fact that 67,033 used Golfs found a new home in the first quarter.

4: Vauxhall Astra

Spoiler alert: the top four is dominated by Vauxhall and Ford. Little wonder, when you consider the new car sales figures and the fact that so many are snapped up by the fleet market. Some 70,533 of you bought a used Astra in the first quarter of 2018.

3: Vauxhall Corsa

Meanwhile, 81,663 used Vauxhall Corsas rolled off the forecourt in the first three months of the year. Vauxhall’s popular supermini celebrates its 25th year on sale in the UK in 2018, with the first Corsa arriving in 1993.

2: Ford Focus

It’s a Ford one-two at the top, with the Focus finishing second with 83,781 used car sales. Last month, Ford unveiled the all-new Focus in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It’s set to go on sale in the summer, with prices starting from £17,930. First quarter sales: 83,781.

1: Ford Fiesta

It’ll come as no surprise to find the Ford Fiesta at the top of the used car pile. Some 92,569 used Fiestas found a new home, which is more than the Polo and Clio combined. Examples of the latest Fiesta are already cropping up on the used car market, with prices starting from as little as £12,000.

Most popular used car colours in 2018

Black has now overtaken silver as Britain’s favourite secondhand car colour. Add in red and the top six colours dominate – four times as many red used cars were sold than the next-best hue, green…

1: Black

2: Silver

3: Blue

4: Grey

5: White

Most popular regions for used car sales in 2018

By far the most popular region for used car transactions is the South East. This reflects the number of people in the region, but also suggests competition for cars is high there. So if you want to bag a bargain, it might be worth making a trip to another region, such as the South West, where cars may sit on forecourts or in the classifieds a little longer…

1: South East (298,653 transactions)

2: North West (220,155 transactions)

3: West Midlands (202,196 transactions)

4: East (196,013 transactions)

5: South West (191,049 transactions)

Volvo and diesel are continuing their ‘conscious uncoupling’, with the new fleet-focused S60 saloon the latest car from the Swedish brand to ditch diesel. Indeed, it’s the first Volvo in decades to be produced without a single diesel engine in its line-up. 

“Our future is electric and we will no longer develop a new generation of diesel engines,” explained Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief exec of Volvo Cars.

“We will phase out cars with only an internal combustion engine, with petrol hybrid versions as a transitional option as we move towards full electrification.

“The new S60 represents the next step in that commitment.”

To be launched imminently, the new S60 will thus offer only Drive-E petrol or a plug-in petrol, with mild hybrid versions following, and battery electric versions possibly coming later. It’s part of what Volvo describes as the most comprehensive electrification strategy in the car industry.

What’s the roadmap? By 2025, Volvo is aiming for full EVs to make up half its global sales. By next year, all new models launched will be diesel-free, and it will disappear entirely from the line-up by the early 2020s.  

Volvo’s had a helping hand in making the S60 its first modern car to be built without a diesel engine, though. It’s to be produced solely in Charleston, South Carolina, at its brand new North American manufacturing facility.

This means every new S60 in the world will be built in the USA – a market that, thanks to the Volkswagen dieselgate scandal, is now one of the most anti-diesel nations in the world…  

• Every new Volvo will be electrified by 2019
• New petrol and diesel cars to be banned by 2040
• Fiat-Chrysler could axe all diesel cars by 2022

Trying to research which new car to buy can be tough at the best of times, especially if your local dealer is a long way away, or you’re not entirely sure what you’re looking for.

Skoda’s solution has been a 12-month trial of online ‘tours’ of its cars through the Live Tour function on its website. Potential buyers have been able to interact directly with ‘product hosts’ via video, and have them explain all the features of the cars. This includes demonstrating how key features work, answering any questions that prospective buyers might have, and also arranging an appointment to view in person.

Following the launch of Live Tours, more than 2,000 have been taken by interested customers, with some 95% rating the experience positively. Not only that, but 38% have followed things up with a test-drive at aSkoda dealership, and 10% have progressed to ordering a new car.

Skoda made use of Live Tour to launch the new Karoq SUV some three months before it appeared in showrooms, with 20% of those who took an early preview placing an order.

Retailers are not being sidelined by this progress, and Skoda is even using the technology to give product demonstrations to dealership staff, and planning to offer bespoke handovers to fleet customers. That the final sale following a Live Tour interaction is still made by a real dealership should mean retailers view this as a positive development, and not a threat.

The Czech brand is currently on a roll, following the most successful April in the company’s history, with more than 107,000 new Skodas delivered to customers worldwide. Tools like Live Tour should help Skoda sustain growth, as 75% of those interacting with the service were new to the brand.

Read more:

• The UK’s most popular plug-in hybrid and electric cars in 2018
• 2018 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid review: demolishing the case for diesel
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV remains Britain’s favourite plug-in

Driving an electric vehicle can have significant mental health benefits and could make you feel calmer, less stressed and happier behind the wheel. That’s according to a study undertaken by LEVC (London EV Company) in conjunction with academics from the University of York, released as part of Mental Health Awareness Week.

In an experiment designed to monitor metal health activity of drivers in both the new LEVX TX electric taxi and the previous diesel model, Dr Duncan Williams subjected four London cabbies to a series of trial drives. The aim: to find out if the quiet cabin of an electric vehicle had an effect on the wellbeing of the hard-working taxi drivers.

The electroencephalogram – or ‘brain cap’ to us non-scientific types – monitored brain activity over a set route through London, providing insight into the differing mental states between drivers of electric and diesel vehicles. The caps do little for your street cred behind the wheel, but they might help lower the stress levels on the streets of the capital.

The results were pretty conclusive, with drivers of the electric vehicles showing a higher level of concentration, particularly when waiting at traffic lights. Heart rates were found to be considerably less variable than in the diesel taxi, while drivers reported increased happiness. Clap along if you feel like happiness is the trurth.

Dr Duncan Williams (no relation to Pharrell) said: “This study proved hugely interesting. The drivers all reported being calmer, less stressed and happier in the electric taxi than in the old diesel model. Traditionally those feelings would correlate with more Alpha brain waves, which are a good indicator of relaxation. But when we looked at the data, the drivers’ showed more Beta brain waves, an indicator of mental activity and attention.

“What does this mean? Well, the study suggests that the quieter driving environment allowed cabbies to be in a more concentrated state of mind. In other words, by removing the noisy diesel engine rumble, they are perhaps freed up to get on with driving in a more focused, but calm way. It’s a fascinating result and, given the movement towards electric commercial vehicles, shows there are even more benefits of going electric than we might have previously thought.”

Clap along if you feel like a taxi with a panoramic roof

As you’d expect, Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVC, was quick to extol the virtues of driving a ‘leccy cab, saying: “Our aim with the TX was to make the world’s most advanced taxi, a vehicle that would not only help reduce urban air pollution but improve comfort and convenience for passengers and drivers across the globe. We are delighted to find we have made a vehicle that is now proven to also make cabbies’ working lives better.”

The all-new TX is powered by an advanced electric powertrain with a small back-up petrol generator, giving a range of up to 377 miles including an all-electric range of 80 miles. The TX also boasts USB ports, on-board wifi, a pananoramic roof and a host of active and passive safety systems.

Read more:

• The UK’s most popular plug-in hybrid and electric cars in 2018
• 2018 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid review: demolishing the case for diesel
• Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV remains Britain’s favourite plug-in