Ferrari is determined not to let its 70th anniversary pass without fanfare. The Prancing Horse is galloping around the world, with a series of events designed to mark 70 years of the world’s favourite supercar brand.
In the UK, Ferrari is the midst of a nationwide tour of the official dealer network, with the London leg the most high profile event since the Goodwood Festival of Speed. We have the photos.
Taking centre stage on its own podium was a limited edition LaFerrari Aperta, which is essentially a LaFerrari with less roof. Power is sourced from the same 6,262cc naturally-aspirated V12 engine, with a 0-62mph time of sub three seconds and a top speed in excess of 217mph.
Star of the show
The London event was organised by luxury dealer group H.R. Owen, which assembled 70 Ferraris to mark the occasion. A total of 200 LaFerrari Apertas will be built, with H.R. Owen advertising one for sale via its website. If you have to ask the price…
Waterloo Place
H.R. Owen’s customer cars lined up on Waterloo Place in a gathering that’s said to be the largest of its kind ever to grace London. It’s not everyday you see 70 Ferraris in one place.
If your name’s not down…
The dealer group pulled a few strings to arrange the closure of one of London’s busiest roads, giving its customers an easy route to Waterloo Place. “The group is forever giving back to its customers,” said Ferrari, as if owning one of its cars isn’t enough.
Red and black
London is famous for its red buses and black cabs, but Waterloo Place played host to a sea of red and black Ferraris. A feast for the eyes of the smartphone generation.
A party with atmosphere
“The Waterloo Place event really got things going in style,” said the dealer group. “We had some truly amazing models lining up for media, members of the public and enthusiasts to see, with a friendly and lively atmosphere that really portrayed what H.R. Owen is all about.”
Ferraris in convoy
Having left Waterloo Place, the Ferraris formed a convoy for a drive out of London and into the countryside.
Ferrari 488 GTB
A Ferrari 488 GTB follows a 488 Spider out of London. The Spider is factory-fresh, having been registered in mid July. Not a bad way to christen your new motor.
Ferrari F430 Spider
As befitting of an event celebrating the heritage of Ferrari, not all of the cars on display were from the current range. The F430 Spider still cuts a mean figure, although bad news was to follow for this driver, when, two days later, the 2007 car failed its MOT.
To Buckinghamshire
The Ferraris made their way, flags and all, to Buckinghamshire, with the crowds and congestion only serving to slow things down. Still, 30 miles in traffic is still 30 miles behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
Hedsor House
The destination: Hedsor House, for champagne, canapes, a BBQ and another opportunity to take some photos.
BMW has confirmed it will build an all-electric version of its popular Mini Hatch in Oxford – despite previous threats that it would shift production to mainland Europe if Britain left the EU.
Production of the electric Mini will start at the firm’s Plant Oxford in 2019, giving buyers the choice of petrol and diesel internal combustion engines as well as a plug-in hybrid and a battery electric vehicle. The electric powertrain, meanwhile, will be built in Bavaria before being shipped to the UK to be fitted to the car.
“BMW Group Plants Dingolfing and Landshut play a leading role within our global production network as the company’s global competence centre for electric mobility,” said BMW’s board member for production, Oliver Zipse.
“Our adaptable production system is innovative and able to react rapidly to changing customer demand. If required, we can increase production of electric drivetrain motor components quickly and efficiently, in line with market developments.”
Essentially, if demand for electric cars escalates as it’s predicted to, it’ll be easy enough to transfer resources from petrol and diesel models if the cars are built in the same factory.
BMW Group says it expects electrified vehicles to account for 15-25% of sales by 2025, but factors such as regulation and the charging infrastructure will influence their success in the near future.
The announcement is good news for the 4,500 workers employed at the manufacturer’s Cowley site in Oxford. Previously, BMW had suggested it might move production of its Mini model elsewhere following Brexit. Speaking to the BBC, a spokesman said BMW “neither sought nor received” any reassurances from the UK government on post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: “This is a huge and totally deserved boost to a world class workforce that has endured a tough few months.
“Around the world and for generations the Mini means made in Britain. With the electric Mini being built in Cowley the tradition continues but with the added bonus that this is one of the important innovations of tomorrow.”
Transporting a family is hard work at the best of times, but trying to do it on a budget is even tougher. Fortuntely, trying to be fiscally responsible doesn’t mean you have to compromise on a new car – as these 12 choices demonstrate.
As one of the cheapest cars on sale in the UK, the Dacia Duster is perfect for embracing automotive austerity. There’s genuine off-road ability and its looks are pleasingly utilitarian, rather than needlessly overstyled. The interior is equally spartan, but it means you can let kids and dogs go wild, and fill the 451 litres of boot space without concern.
The Access model is priced from £9,495, and really is budget motoring: a radio is not even standard. You’ll have to adjust your wing mirrors manually, but at least the windows are operated electrically. Move further up the range and you’ll get sat nav and air conditioning included, but the Duster makes the most sense bought as cheaply as possible.
Dacia Logan MCV Stepway: from £11,495
The regular Dacia Logan MCV is a cheap and cheerful compact estate, but moving up to the Stepway version adds extra glamour with off-road-ready bodywork. Think of this as a very cut-price alternative to the Audi A4 Allroad or Volvo V60 Cross Country. Although with 1,518 litres of boot space with the seats down, the MCV Stepway is actually more practical than those premium machines.
With a starting price of £11,495, the Logan MCV Stepway might seem pricey for a Dacia, but you do gain a more substantial level of specification. Parking sensors, air conditioning and even satellite navigation come as part of the deal in Laureate trim, while there is a choice of petrol or diesel engines.
Suzuki Baleno: from £11,999
Created as a larger alternative for buyers who have outgrown the Swift supermini, the Baleno offers up a decent combination of price and practicality. It’s big on interior space, with plenty of room for those up-front and for rear passengers. The boot can also hold 320 litres of luggage: on par with the bigger Ford Focus.
Suzuki offers a comprehensive standard specification across the Baleno range, with even the £11,999 entry-level SZ3 packed full of features: DAB radio, air conditioning, automatic headlights and even a leather-covered steering wheel are all there. SZ3 trim means you only get the 1.2-litre petrol engine, though. You’ll need to spend an extra £2,000 to get your hands on the superb 1.0-litre turbocharged Boosterjet engine.
Nissan Pulsar: from £13,275
While the Juke and Qashqai crossovers take all the Nissan limelight, the hatchback Pulsar is left in the shadows. This is a conventional family hatch in the truest sense of the word, bringing nothing revolutionary to the segment. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though – especially if you happen to have children with rather long legs.
Yes, the Pulsar has the largest amount of rear legroom in the entire C-segment hatchback class: enough to shame much bigger cars. It’s also competitive in terms of boot space, beating the omnipresent Volkswagen Golf with 385 litres. The cheapest 1.2-litre turbo Visia model includes air conditioning, cruise control, and Bluetooth connectivity, all for the bargain price of £13,275.
Citroën C4 Cactus: from £13,770
Proof that family motoring on a shoestring doesn’t have to be dull, the styling of the C4 Cactus is divisive, but undoubtedly quirky. Yet it is also practical, with the trademark Airbumps helping protect the bodywork from errant car doors and shopping trolleys. Drivers benefit from the commanding view created by the raised ride height, although rear passengers have to contend with windows that only pop open.
Stylish utilitarianism is the name of the game with the C4 Cactus, with a standard touchscreen display controlling almost all functions and cutting the dashboard button count down to virtually zero. Entry-level Touch models are rather sparse on kit, but do at least gain electric front windows, DAB radio, and cruise control as standard. Air conditioning isn’t even optional on Touch trim – worth bearing in mind given those pop-out rear windows.
Suzuki Vitara: from £14,999
Forget the Vitara from the late 1980s and early 1990s. There are no ultra-wide bodykits or rhino-branded spare wheel covers here. Today the Vitara is a family-friendly compact SUV, with a practical interior and a driving experience far more fun than you would ever believe. It might not have the biggest boot, at just 375 litres, but overall space is good for young families.
For a pound less than £15,000, you’ll be getting the Vitara in SZ4 specification. It means you miss out on the touchscreen multimedia system offered higher up the range, but do still get a DAB radio, cruise control, automatic air conditioning, and 16in alloy wheels. SZ4 trim limits engine options to just one: a 1.6-litre petrol with 120hp driving just the front wheels. Best keep your off-roading aspirations to a minimum, then.
Kia Cee’d: from £15,365
The existing Kia Cee’d has been around since 2012, with an all-new version planned for next year. That doesn’t mean you should discount the current Cee’d though, as it still offers a pleasing blend of value and usability, plus good looks. It’s also impossible to rule out the value of the standard seven-year/100,000-mile warranty if you plan on keeping your Cee’d for the long haul.
Kia doesn’t do optional extras, meaning the trim level you pick is all-or-nothing. Entry-level ‘1’ specification comes with air conditioning, dual projector headlights, Bluetooth connectivity and a DAB radio as standard. There’s not even alloy wheels at this basic specification level, while the standard engine is a naturally-aspirated 1.4-litre petrol with 98hp and the potential for a combined 47.1 mpg. Take solace in the handsome styling, and make use of the luggage space that rivals a far costlier Volkswagen Golf.
Fiat 500X: from £15,430
Forget ideas of the tiny Fiat 500 city car. The 500X is a compact crossover based on the Jeep Renegade, but undercutting its American rival by almost £3,000. It’s bigger than it looks in photos, meaning cabin space is capable of making adults feel well accommodated, both front and rear. Boot space of 350 litres is nothing to write home about, but retro styling and the potential for 4WD will always create limitations. The interior does at least feel well made, with added Italian design flair.
Shopping at this price point means buying a 500X in ‘City Look’, which means no off-road bravado. The entry-level ‘Pop’ model brings a choice of 1.6-litre petrol or 1.3-litre diesel engines, with the latter adding £1,585 to the price. Standard specification includes air conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, and a body-coloured dashboard. Plus, can you really put a price on retro charm?
Vauxhall Astra: from £16,535
It’s built in Britain and was the 2016 European Car of the Year, fending off challengers like the Volvo XC90 and Mazda MX-5. Despite all that, the Astra tends not to rate too highly in terms of desirability, which does it something of a disservice. It’s a thoroughly competent family hatchback, provided you can see beyond the inevitable desire for a Volkswagen Golf.
With prices beginning at £16,535, the Astra costs some £1,230 less than the German machine, and is more than £3,000 cheaper than the lowliest Ford Focus. Proof that substantial savings abound if you can park your badge snobbery. The entry-level Design model comes with cruise control, air conditioning, and even Apple CarPlay/Android Auto as standard.
Skoda Octavia Estate: from £18,395
If maximum load space is top of your priorities, say hello to the Octavia Estate. Visually it isn’t the most exciting car, and the use of the Octavia for everything from minicabs to ambulances and unmarked police cars certainly gives a it a blue-collar reputation. However, there’s a reason it gets picked for practical roles, and that’s its gigantic 610 litres of boot space with the rear seats up – swelling to a vast 1,780 litres with them folded flat.
With prices from £18,395, there is something of a compromise to pay for all that internal real estate. Basic ‘S’ trim means a 1.0-litre petrol engine with 115hp, but that’s still enough for the Octavia to achieve 0-62mph in 10.1 seconds and return an official 59mpg. You’ll also get air conditioning, an 8in touchscreen multimedia system, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, DAB radio and 16in alloy wheels as standard.
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer: from £18,685
Previous generations of the Zafira have hardly had the greatest image, but at least the Tourer brings genuine good looks to the MPV party. It’s a full seven-seater, with over 1,800 litres of luggage space with the seats down – and is better to drive than you might imagine. If you can ignore any personal hang-ups about the Vauxhall badge, this may be the answer to your family needs.
As with the Astra, entry-level with the Zafira Tourer means Design trim. However, just like with the smaller hatchback, this is still very generous in terms of standard specification. Air conditioning, front and rear parking sensors, 17in alloy wheels, cruise control and a DAB radio are all part of the kit. A 140hp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine is the cheapest offering, capable of 0-62mph in 9.9 seconds with a combined 44mpg.
SEAT Alhambra: from £25,435
Once upon a time, large MPVs roamed the retail parks and service station car parks of the nation in droves. Today, a big upmarket seven-seater MPV is something you turn to when you need a very particular set of skills. Fortunately, just like Liam Neeson in Taken, the Alhambra is rather good at taking care of your kids, with a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.
It might be the most expensive car here, with prices starting from £25,435, but that comfortably undercuts key competitors like the Ford Galaxy and Volkswagen Sharan. Even with all seven seats in use, there’s still 267 litres of luggage space, while with the rear seats folded flat it becomes a gargantuan 2,297-litre-capacity van. All versions get alloy wheels, climate control and Bluetooth connectivity as standard.
It is the very antithesis of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but that doesn’t make the Festival of the Unexceptional any less interesting. In fact, we’d politely suggest that the cars on display on the manicured lawns of Stowe House have touched the lives of more people than any of the priceless wonders hurtling up the hill in Sussex.
Grab your drip trays as we take a tour of some of the nation’s most brilliantly unexceptional and unexceptionally brilliant cars.
Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 vs Peugeot 205 GTI Mi16: Retro Road Test
Award winners
Some cars are more unexceptional than others. Here we see Richard Holness and his DAF 33, Mark Ashbridge and his Datsun Sunny and Colin Corke alongside his Austin Allegro. The Sunny was named as the most unexceptional car at the show (which is a good thing), the DAF finished second, while the Allegro was named People’s Choice.
Exceptional setting
The Festival of the Unexceptional is open to ‘ordinary’ classic cars and commercial vehicles of the late 60s, 70s and 80s. Exchange the lake for the Goodwood hill and the exhibits for exotic supercars and this could pass as a scene from the Festival of Speed. It’s like a car boot sale, circa 1989.
Stone, Tempra, no pilots
A Fiat 128 estate, Vauxhall Firenza, Austin Montego and a Fiat Tempra: it could only be the Festival of the Unexceptional. There are fewer than 20 Fiat Tempras on the roads of Britain, making it an exceptionally rare sight. Fair play to owner Gavin Bushby for keeping the Tempra legend alive.
Life on Mars
Unexceptional cars of the past are often required to act as props in period movies and television series. Peter Bell’s Renault 12TL made an appearance in the time-travelling drama, Life on Mars.
No More Heroes
Volvo 740, Austin Princess, Mk1 Vauxhall Astra, Peugeot 505 and Renault 12: all once familiar sights, now in serious danger of extinction. We should salute the owners for keeping these mundane heroes alive. Simon Martin, owner of the Volvo, was named best dressed man at the festival.
Ford Sierra
When the Ford Sierra arrived in 1982, its space-age styling was deemed to be too radical for conservative Britain. There were no such issues for the Giugiaro-designed Renault 19, but the pair are overshadowed by the lesser-spotted Clan Crusader.
Visitor car park
More than 2,000 exceptional people descended on Stowe House for the unexceptional display, with the car park no less interesting than the main event. A Fiat Cinquecento, Vauxhall Nova and Nissan Patrol are just three of the highlights.
Italian, French and Dutch
Further along the line we find a Fiat X1/9, Peugeot 406 Coupe and a DAF 55. The Dutch-built car has around 48,000 miles on the clock and is a Deluxe model. Trim levels were far easier to understand in the early 70s. Deluxe = posh. Well, poshish.
Porsche 944
You know you’re at the Festival of the Unexceptional when a Porsche 944 looks overdressed and out of place. The Wolseley Six ‘Landcrab’ looks far more at home, while on the right you’ll find a Beetle, Bluebird and Figaro.
Hillman Avenger
The Hillman Avenger was Britain’s car to take on the world, but very few remain on the road. This 1973 Avenger GLS is owned by Robert Nutter and appears to have caught the eye. Note the vinyl roof: once a must-have car accessory.
Citroen 2CV Beachcomber
The Citroen 2CV was anything but unexceptional, with its simple, low-cost construction helping to mobilise an entire nation following the end of the Second World War. This 1983 Beachcomber special edition is far removed from the 1948 original.
Fiat Panda
Another triumph of construction and packaging, the Fiat Panda is a true Italian great. The original was launched in 1980 but remained in production until 2003. It’s eccezionale, as they say in Italy.
Feast of the Unexceptional
Sponsors Hagerty awarded a prize for the ‘Feast of the Unexceptional’, or best picnic at the event. It was won, not by these ladies in the back of a Land Rover, but John Usher, the owner of an Austin Maestro. His Rubik’s Cube Battenberg cake pink sponge fingers were named as the dish of the day.
Childhood memories
Angus Forsyth, managing director of Hagerty International, said “Our Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates the cars that were the workhorses of their day: the base model saloons, hatchbacks and estates that were sold in their millions between roughly 1968 and 1989, and are now so rare. I just love overhearing enthusiasts at this unique concours d’ordinaire event commenting that they haven’t seen one of those in years, the cars that we all remember from our childhoods.”
2018 Festival of the Unexceptional
The date of the 2018 Festival of the Unexceptional will be announced early next year, but Hagerty has confirmed that it will return for a fifth time. Time to prepare your own unexceptional motor?
When will carmakers learn that putting high-definition new metal alongside the Kodachrome-richness of past heroes is never a good idea? Even after whipping off our rose-tinted spectacles and wiping the haze of nostalgia from our eyes, we can’t help but feel that the BMW 7 Series Edition 40 Jahre is a little overshadowed by its elegant and clean-cut forebear.
The current 7 Series might be the automotive equivalent of the Consumer Electronics Show, with a Las Vegas price tag to match, but it lacks the subtlety and shark-nosed presence of the original. It helps that the E23 was based on the timeless E24 6 Series, launched a year earlier.
To the 7 Series owner who dropped circa £10,000 on BMW’s flagship saloon back in 1977, Laserlight was something held by Luke Skywalker and Gesture Control was something he might have witnessed from the driver of a Cortina with an inferiority complex. Back then, central locking and electric door mirrors were enough to give you bragging rights over the other motorists crawling along the Hammersmith Flyover on a Monday morning.
The BMW 7 Series Edition 40 Jahre will make its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, with a mere 200 units being produced, each one tailored to individual customer desires. For a limited edition 7 Series, it’s a case of for the few, not the many. Standard or long-wheelbase versions will be available, with a complete suite of engines to choose from. However, it may not come to the UK.
Not that you can be too expressive with the colour: buyers can select from Frozen Silver or Petrol Mica, both of which are “applied in a particularly elaborate process”. No under-the-arches bodyshop for the Edition 40 Jahre, then?
The M aerodynamics package, high-gloss Shadow Line and 20-inch V-spoke alloy wheels complete the look, along with the obligatory special edition badges, located on the B-pillars and door sills.
Inside, the 7 Series is swathed in leather, with an Alcantara roof liner and a choice of trim, depending on the upholstery colour. A pair of smoke white ‘comfort cushions’ join the headrests and floor mats in bearing the Edition 40 Jahre logo. You and your fellow passengers – we doubt many owners will actually drive their 7 Series – should be left in no doubt that you’ve splashed the cash on a limited edition.
Back-seat drivers
In fairness, the BMW 7 Series has long been the flagship motor to be enjoyed from the front and the rear. The E23 wasn’t perfect – contemporary reviews criticised its lack of cabin space and build quality – but dynamically it had the edge over its German, British and French rivals. Today, while remaining a car for backseat drivers, the 7 Series is a car to be enjoyed from the front, if only to revel in the jaw-dropping arsenal of tech.
Remote parking, Gesture Control, remote 3D view, laser headlights, adaptive dynamics and lane guidance would seem otherworldly in a world staring slack-jawed at Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Frankly, not even Lucas and Spielberg could have foreseen just how far the 7 Series would travel in 40 years, both figuratively and literally.
So, yes, we should celebrate four decades of the 7er. Check Control system (1977), the first 12-cylinder engine in a German post-war car (1987) and the first integrated sat-nav in a European production model (1994) are just three of the milestones in an impressive journey. But while the 7 Series will continue to premiere the technology of tomorrow, it will forever be overshadowed by Paul Bracq’s elegant masterpiece of yesterday.
The cost of the BMW 7 Series Edition 40 Jahre is yet to be announced, but prices start from £65,300 for the standard saloon, rising to £135,340 for the M760iL xDrive. You can expect to pay a hefty premium when the anniversary edition goes on sale in October.
A man walking home from a night out with friends stumbled across Aston Martin’s headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire – and managed to walk straight into the factory without being stopped by security.
Forty-five-year-old Jason Boon says he found himself in ‘heaven’ when a fault with the factory security system meant he was free to walk around the firm’s futuristic HQ. He then took it a stage further, finding a stash of keys and an unattended DB11 – which he decided to borrow for the journey home.
“The facts of this case are highly unusual,” said record Alastair Smith during Boon’s sentencing at Warwick Crown Court on Friday.
“Having been left by some friends following an argument, you walked towards some buildings. These, it transpired, were the Aston Martin factory where, due to an error in their security system, the doors were opening independently. You were able to go inside to an area where cars were being given final adjustments before sale.
“There was no-one around, and the keys were readily accessible. You drove one of the vehicles around, and the doors of the warehouse opened, allowing you to drive out of the factory and out of the compound.”
Although Boon had previously lived in the United States and driving the left-hand-drive DB11 caused him little difficulty, the car was found to have to have minor damage to its bodywork and wheels when it was rescued from his home five miles away in Southam.
“Had I come to the view that this was a targeted operation to steal a valuable vehicle, you would have been facing a substantial custodial sentence,” added Smith.
Instead, Boon was given 10-month sentence suspended for two years after admitting burglary, aggravated vehicle taking and driving without insurance.
BMW has released a statement rejecting accusations that it colluded with Volkswagen Group and Daimler in a bid to cut costs at the expense of lowering harmful emissions from diesel vehicles.
A report by Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine suggested the three big German car firms have been meeting in private since the 1990s to discuss a range of subjects – from parts prices and suppliers to technology used.
One allegation in the article related to AdBlue, the solution used in modern diesel cars to neutralise emissions. The car manufacturers allegedly agreed to use small AdBlue tanks in their cars in a bid to save money. While larger ones would have done a better job, they would have been more expensive.
“Due to current media reports, the BMW Group considers it has become necessary to make its position regarding recent allegations clear,” said BMW in a statement released over the weekend.
“As a matter of principle: BMW Group vehicles are not manipulated and comply with respective legal requirements. Of course this also applies to diesel vehicles. Confirmation of this is provided by the results of relevant official investigations at the national and international level.
“The BMW Group categorically rejects accusations that Euro 6 diesel vehicles sold by the company do not provide adequate exhaust gas treatment due to AdBlue tanks that are too small.”
It adds that its technology is ‘clearly differentiated’ from that used by other manufacturers, and that there would be no need to recall its Euro 6 vehicles. BMW has said it will issue a voluntary software upgrade for Euro 5 models using “knowledge gained in the field over the last years to realise further improvements in emissions”.
Yet to be convinced that electric cars are the future? EV stalwarts are hoping this unique ‘experience centre’ located in a shopping centre in Milton Keynes could be the encouragement you need to swap your diesel for a plug-in – and we’ve been for a behind-the-scenes look at the showroom which is being described as a “landmark moment”.
The EV experience centre is operated by Chargemaster using Government funds through Milton Keynes’ Go Ultra Low City status. It’s not a pop-up dealership – there’ll be no hard sell, just experts on hand to talk people through electric cars and advise about whether they’ll fit into their lifestyle.
“[There’s] a series of myths people have about electric cars,” transport minister Jesse Norman told Motoring Research during our preview of the EV experience centre.
“They think about whether they might be expensive or whether they’re hard to charge, and how long that takes. An experience centre that actually gives a person the experience of actually sitting behind the wheel or potentially driving it, that just knocks down a whole series of these myths and that makes it much easier to think about buying one.”
The showroom, located in Centre:MK, is multi-brand, displaying cars from partners including Renault, Mitsubishi, Volkswagen, Nissan, BMW and Kia. The experts on hand won’t be on commission and will be able to give independent advice on which – if any – electric car suits a particular person’s needs.
If an electric car won’t fit a person’s lifestyle, they’ll be honest that they’re better suited to a conventional petrol or diesel car – while, although Tesla isn’t a partner, a visitor with a big budget after a long range and high performance will be pointed in the direction of a Tesla dealership.
“With 17 million people a year coming into this particular shopping centre in Milton Keynes, that’s potentially an awful lot of people who are potentially going to be impressed by it,” added Norman.
A range of cars will be parked at nearby charge points, ready to be test driven by anyone considering an electric car. The centre will be happy to let visitors trial a variety of electric cars back to back – something which single-brand dealerships aren’t able to offer. If the customer is seriously interested, they’ll be offered a seven-day test drive for a fee – and if they remain keen after an extended test drive, their details will be passed onto the relevant dealer. If they buy a car, their test drive fee will be refunded.
The centre isn’t just a place for potential EV drivers to visit, either. Like Apple customers will visit an Apple Store for advice and help troubleshooting, experts will be on hand to give current electric car owners on guidance on how to use features of their car as well as how to access charge points around the country.
The AA Trust, a partner of the centre, will also be offering lessons with AA instructors. These will show motorists how to adapt their driving for electric cars, using features such as regenerative braking to reduce wear and get the most range from a charge.
One million electric cars on UK roads by 2022
Speaking ahead of the opening of the centre, Chargemaster chief executive David Martell announced predictions that the number of electric cars on UK roads could hit one million within five years. Allowing for a modest increase in adoption, this projection is based on a growth in electric vehicles of just over 7% of new car registrations.
Around 21,500 plug-in cars (including pure electrics and plug-in hybrids) have been registered so far in 2017 – a change of 14.8% compared to the same time last year.
“We have seen tremendous growth in the uptake of electric cars over the past five years, as they’ve become more competitive in terms of costs, and more practical in terms of range,” said Martell. “The number of EVs on UK roads has increased from fewer than 2,000 in July 2012 to more than 100,000 today. We expect the UK electric vehicle parc to rise to more than one million by the middle 2022, but it could grow to as much as 1.4 million.
“Over the next five years, a significant number of new models will have a range of more than 200 miles, with a lower purchase price than their earlier vehicles. Consumers will also be able to choose from larger range of electric vehicles, from manufacturers including Audi, BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Volvo, as well as significant new models such as the Jaguar I-PACE and Tesla Model 3.”
In May, Chargemaster celebrated the 100,000th plug-in car being registered by driving a fleet of 25 electric vehicles from Greenwich to Milton Keynes.
The most expensive new cars on the market are the most likely to go wrong within three years, a survey by consumer group Which? has found.
As part of its annual Which? car survey, drivers revealed that more than a third (36%) of luxury cars require a trip to the garage within the first three years. That’s despite the average luxury car buyer spending more than £49,000 on their new motor.
The faults are likely to be caused by the complicated technology used in luxury cars – with complex infotainment and sophisticated safety systems likely to cause big bills when out of warranty.
City car drivers, meanwhile, spend the least on their car (£10,108 on average) – but only a quarter go wrong within three years, making them the most reliable cars available.
The survey revealed the most reliable luxury car you can buy is a Tesla Model S, although even this is plagued with faults, scoring only three stars out of five for reliability.
Nearly a third of Model S owners reported issues, most commonly to do with handles or locks for the boot or door. Which? also says it’s heard of issues with seat belts and rainwater seals on the Tesla.
Not that this seems to deter the cars’ owners. “It is quite simply the best car I have ever driven. It is economical, efficient, smooth and effortless to drive,” said one Tesla owner.
Although the latest Jaguar XF has only been out two years, Which? says 42% of owners that took part in its survey have had issues with their car, making it the least reliable luxury car available. One owner said: “A car of its price that leaks water into the door and one of the exterior door seals peels off. [It indicates a] poor quality build.”
As part of the survey, the organisation questioned 44,794 owners about 50,742 cars.
Audi is to retrofit clean diesel software to 850,000 V6 and V8 TDI turbodiesel engines in Europe as part of an initiative “for the future of the diesel engine”. The scheme will be voluntary, and free of charge to owners.
The firm says the new software for EU5 diesels (built from 2009) and EU6 diesels (built from 2014) will help improve real-world emissions, particularly in city centres, to “beyond the current legal requirements”.
Porsche and Volkswagen owners with related V6 and V8 TDI engines will also be offered the retrofit update program.
Audi’s initiative follows a similar scheme announced by Mercedes-Benz earlier this week: this will see three million diesel cars recalled to have a free clean-diesel upgrade.
‘Counteract bans’
Diesel still has a bright future, insists Audi: it thus wants to make sure the engines remain viable, while also improving air quality. But the firm goes further, acknowledging the current anti-diesel mood: “Audi is convinced that this program will counteract possible bans on vehicles with diesel engines.”
It is not yet clear how Audi would achieve this: the 2019 London Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme, for example, imposes charges on EU5 diesels. Might Audi be considering some form of retrospective emissions testing for older vehicles?
Audi also acknowledges it remains under investigation by the German transport ministry, and that these investigations have not yet been concluded. “If those investigations result in further consequences, Audi will of course quickly implement the required technical solutions in the interest of its customers as part of this EU5/EU6 retrofit program.”
Ferrari is determined not to let its 70th anniversary pass without fanfare. The Prancing Horse is galloping around the world, with a series of events designed to mark 70 years of the world’s favourite supercar brand.
Transporting a family is hard work at the best of times, but trying to do it on a budget is even tougher. Fortuntely, trying to be fiscally responsible doesn’t mean you have to compromise on a new car – as these 12 choices demonstrate.
It is the very antithesis of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but that doesn’t make the Festival of the Unexceptional any less interesting. In fact, we’d politely suggest that the cars on display on the manicured lawns of Stowe House have touched the lives of more people than any of the priceless wonders hurtling up the hill in Sussex.
Audi is to retrofit clean diesel software to 850,000 V6 and V8 TDI turbodiesel engines in Europe as part of an initiative “for the future of the diesel engine”. The scheme will be voluntary, and free of charge to owners.