In the same week Volvo announced plans to launch only electrified new cars from 2019-on, Toyota Motor Europe has released sales figures showing how far ahead of everyone it is: already in 2017, 40 percent of its European new car sales are electrified hybrid models.
That’s 208,300 units – already more than one-fifth of the total electrified cars Volvo aims to have built by 2025, in 2017 alone. Restrict things to Western Europe and the richness of the hybrid mix goes up further, to one in two of all new cars sold.
It’s even richer for Lexus. On average, 63 percent of Lexus sold throughout Europe are hybrids… and in Western Europe, the hybrid mix is a whopping 99 percent.
Toyota and Lexus hybrid sales are growing rapidly as well, adds the firm. They’re up 44 percent year-on-year, driven by cars such as the new C-HR crossover: 80 percent of sales are hybrid, says Toyota – it’s Europe’s favourite hybrid Toyota, with 52,400 units sold so far. Meanwhile, Yaris Hybrid sales are up seven percent, and RAV4 Hybrid sales have gone up 75 percent.
“Our sales increased by a remarkable 11 percent,” said Toyota Motor Europe president and CEO Dr Johan van Zyl. “Our hybrid line-up of 15 Toyota and Lexus models, the largest in the automotive sector, drove this double-digit sales increase.”
The best-selling Toyota in Europe so far this year is, by a clear margin, the Yaris, on 108,658 units. Next up is the Toyota C-HR, followed by the Auris and RAV4. Lexus’ best-seller is the NX, on 13,387 units, then the RX. Both the CT 200h and IS range have faded away dramatically though, given both models’ focus on high-volume premium car sectors. Lexus has sold only 3,324 IS models so far in 2017 – despite a recent facelift.
Nestled between the appropriately named Boulevard Andre Citroen and the sprawling 170-acre Aulnay-sous-Bois site, where 8.5 million vehicles rolled off a busy production line, stands a rather anonymous looking building. Within the grey walls sit more than 400 old Citroens, preserved for future generations and maintained by a man in blue overalls.
His name is Yannick Billy and the cars form part of the Conservatoire Citroen: the largest collection of Citroens in the world. For a company with such a proud history, Citroen is reluctant to throw open its doors to the general public. Which only served to make our visit to the house of Citroen all the more special.
Conservatoire Citroen isn’t open to the public, so it cannot be classed as a museum. Instead, entry is via invitation only: not even a sheik armed with two million bucks could rock up and demand entry, said the Citroen UK press man, perhaps flippantly. Indeed, when we turned up at the agreed time, the reception area was cloaked in darkness and nobody was answering the door.
We wandered around to the back door, where we were greeted by Yannick Billy, a long-standing member of the Citroen Heritage team. Our lack of French was matched by Yannick’s lack of English, but eventually we were guided through the workshop – enriched by an intoxicating and evocative blend of oil and petrol – and to the doors to the collection.
A feast for the eyes
As a Citroen fan it’s almost impossible not to be initially overwhelmed by the spectacle of 400 Citroens in one very large room. But even a non-car person would be amazed by the sheer scale of the place. Citroen’s complete history is here, from the Type A to the latest production models and concept cars.
We were given until noon before we’d be shown the door and told to leave. A little over three hours to immerse ourselves in the history of the world’s most innovative and eccentric car brand. So where do you start?
Top gear wheels
You start, much like Andre Citroen, with the Type A. Citroen’s first vehicle was launched in 1919, but the company’s roots date back to 1905, with the creation of Citroen et Cie. Back then, the company manufactured double-helical gear wheels with V-shaped teeth, the design of which inspired the famous Citroen logo.
Andre Citroen had first seen gear wheels such as these during a visit to Poland in 1900, and he returned to Paris where he took out a patent for their design. A factory was built to house the production facilities and soon his gear wheels were being used across the world. Famously, his wheels formed part of the steering system in the Titanic.
Andre Citroen
In 1912, Andre Citroen went to America where he met Henry Ford and marveled at the production facilities used to build the Model T. He returned to Paris with the aim of building a car of his own, but his plans were put on hold by the outbreak of the First World War.
But from adversity came an opportunity. As an officer, Andre Citroen witnessed his army running out of shells, and he approached the government with plans to mass produce them. He won the contract and by the end of the war he had built 23 million shells from a factory in Paris.
Citroen Type A
With the experience gained through the production of gear wheels and shells, not to mention the capital and production facilities, Andre Citroen was well-equipped to build his first motor car. The Type A arrived in 1919 and was, quite simply, a revelation.
Not only was it Citroen’s first car, but it was also the first mass-produced European vehicle. For the first time, motorists could buy a car ‘ready for the road’. Little wonder, then, that Citroen managed to shift 12,000 Type As within the first two years.
Andre Citroen: industrialist and marketeer
But Andre Citroen was more than simply an ace industrialist. He knew the power of promotion, which is why his name was displayed on the Eiffel Tower at night. Once a month he took out a full page advertisement on the back of France’s biggest newspaper, while aircraft were sent into the skies to write the Citroen name in smoke.
In 1926, Citroen opened a new showroom in London’s Piccadilly, reported to be the grandest and most expensive ever built. The interior was clad in marble and the place felt more like a cathedral than a car showroom.
The icons: Citroen Traction Avant
In 1934, Citroen launched the Traction Avant, widely considered to be the godfather of the modern motor car. Three years earlier, Andre Citroen had travelled to the US to visit the Budd Corporation in Philadelphia, where he was shown a front-wheel-drive car featuring a monocoque bodyshell.
He knew that it would be possible to build a shell capable of holding the engine, transmission and suspension together, freeing up space and reducing weight. The Traction Avant was the first mass-produced front-wheel-drive car and it changed automotive production forever. But the cost of development crippled the organisation and Citroen was declared bankrupt in 1934. Seven months later, Andre Citroen died, having lost his health, company and the rights to his name. Michelin Tyres took the reins, with the Traction Avant helping to return the company to profitability.
The icons: Citroen 2CV
In 1935, Citroen started working on the idea of a ‘people’s car’, the so-called TPV, as it was then known. The idea was simple: to create a basic French car for the masses, with Citroen’s chairman, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, describing the design as “a deck-chair under an umbrella”.
Prototypes were built in 1939 and then hidden away during the Second World War, with the French keen for the Nazis not to discover their revolutionary little car. It would arrive at the 1948 Paris Motor Show, with production continuing until 1990, by which time more than 30 different versions had been built.
The icons: Citroen DS
The one other Citroen worthy of the icon tag is the DS. The ‘Goddess’ was unveiled at the 1955 Paris Motor Show and such was the response, 12,000 orders were taken on the first day of the show.
It was the first production car to be equipped with front disc brakes and featured revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension. The car pictured is a DS 21 Pallas, showcasing the restyled front end complete with innovative directional headlights.
The legends: Citroen SM
Take the technology found in the Citroen DS, add a Maserati V6 engine and house them in a streamlined body and this is the result: the delightful Citroen SM.
On the right is an original press car from 1970, built at the start of production. On the left is a later, fuel-injected model. Production was short-lived, partly because of the fuel crisis, partly because of reliability issues, and most certainly as a result of Peugeot’s takeover of Citroen in 1974.
The legends: Citroen GS
Imagine being at the Paris Motor Show in 1970. Not only was the achingly beautiful SM first shown to the public, but Citroen also unveiled the brilliant GS. A year later, the GS scooped the European Car of the Year award, leaving the Volkswagen K70 and Citroen SM to finish second and third, respectively. Oh, what a time to be alive.
The GS was designed to slot between the Ami 8 and the DS in the Citroen range, delivering hydropneumatic technology to the everyman. The air-cooled flat-four engine gave it an evocative soundtrack, but a hatchback wouldn’t arrive until 1979, with the launch of the GSA.
The legends: Citroen CX
The CX had the unenviable task of following the iconic DS, but while it wasn’t a game-changer like its predecessor, it certainly captured the true spirit of Citroen. Unveiled at the 1974 Paris Motor Show, the CX featured a futuristic and achingly cool dashboard, hydropneumatic suspension and a concave rear window.
A facelift was introduced in 1985, as showcased by this stunning GTI of 1989. Earlier, in 1975, the last Citroen DS had rolled off the production line: vehicle number 1,330,755.
The presidential cars: Citroen DS 21
Nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale of this thing. Designed by the Citroen style department, the DS 21 Presidentielle was built by Henri Chapron and was used by Charles de Gaulle and Georges Pompidou.
Its dimensions are: 6.53m length, 2.13m width and 1.60m height. Oh, and it weighs 2,660kg. The gearbox is designed to maintain a speed of 6 to 7km/h for several hours.
The presidential cars: Citroen SM
Unsurprisingly, the Citroen SM Presidentielle of 1972 is far more elegant and less imposing than the car it replaced. Once again, Henri Chapron was tasked with handling the build of two majestic presidential cars.
They were delivered in May 1972, just before Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Paris. Her Majesty was pictured in the back, travelling with Georges Pompidou.
The presidential cars: Citroen DS5
A classic case of ‘they don’t make ‘em like they used to’, this is the Citroen DS5 used by Francois Hollande in 2012.
Today, DS Automobiles has separated from the mother brand.
The concepts: Citroen Project L
The Project L was the final Citroen designed by Robert Opron and was intended to be a replacement for the DS. It features what’s essentially an SM dashboard with a GS steering wheel, and Citroen called for enough space under the bonnet to house Maserati’s V6 engine.
The concepts: Citroen Activa
The Citroen Activa of 1988 featured four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer and active suspension, the latter of which would appear as the Hydractive system in the XM. The original Activa concept could also boast ABS brakes and traction control, both of which were considered to be high-tech at the time.
The concepts: Citroen Eole
This is the Citroen CX-based Eole of 1986, which claimed a drag coefficient of just 0.19Cd, around half that of the CX. Note the covers over the wheels, which are linked to the car’s hydraulics to lift them clear when steering. The design was intended to showcase the estate car of the future.
The concepts: Citroen Karin
The Karin of 1980 presented the idea of a three-seater, with the driver positioned centrally and ahead of the passengers, some 12 years ahead of the McLaren F1. It was designed by Trevor Fiore but never made it beyond the concept stage. Shame.
The crazy stuff: Citroen RE-2
Yes, Citroen really did build a helicopter. It was designed by Charles Marchetti and first took to the skies in 1971. It used an evolution of the rotary engine found in the Citroen GS Birotor, but flew a mere 38 hours before Peugeot pulled the plug on the project. The RE-2 was grounded.
The crazy stuff: Citroen U23
The Citroen U23 was produced between 1935 and 1969. This particular bus was built in 1947 by the Besset facility in Annonay, France. The 18/20-seater was found in Corsica in 2006 and subsequently restored to former glory.
The crazy stuff: Citroen 2CV 007
Remember the Citroen 2CV from the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only? It was powered by an engine from a GS and reinforced with a host of safety features, including a roll cage, reinforced plating and raised suspension. Legendary stunt driver Remy Julienne was the man behind the wheel.
The crazy stuff: Citroen Evo Mobil
Looks a little out of place in these surroundings, doesn’t it? Look again and you’ll see that it was inspired by the design and build of the Traction Avant. Clever, eh? French designer Ora-Ito used an icon of the past to present a vision of the future. Or something.
The racers: Citroen MEP X27
The X27 was the final development of the Citroen-Panhard racecar produced from 1964 to 1975. It competed in the final years of Formule Bleue, which ended in 1975.
The racers: Citroen BX 4TC
The Citroen BX 4TC is one of the least successful rally cars of all-time, managing just three races before Group B was banned in 1986. The project was so disastrous, Citroen attempted to buy back all road-going versions in order to have them destroyed.
The racers: Citroen ZX Rallye Raid
You’re unlikely to see more Citroen ZX Rallye Raid cars in one place. In the 1990s, these were formidable machines, taking no fewer than four Paris-Dakar victories and winning the World Cup for Cross Country Rallies for five consecutive years.
The hot hatches: Citroen ZX 16v
The Citroen ZX 16v is an increasingly rare sight in Britain, with a mere seven registered as being on the road. Thanks to passive rear steering, it’s a genuine delight to drive on a B-road.
The hot hatches: Citroen AX Sport
The Citroen AX was a hugely successful car, with around 2.4 million cars produced over a 10-year period. The AX Sport was introduced in 1987 and was a prelude to the more familiar GT and GTI models.
The hot hatches: Citroen Visa GTI
According to the DVLA, there are just five Citroen Visa GTIs on the roads of Britain. Which is a shame, because the Visa GTI is a genuinely good hot hatch, with powered sourced from the same 1.6-litre engine you’d find in the Peugeot 205 GTI. And quad headlights are cool, right?
The Volkswagen Golf has ended the Ford Fiesta’s long run as the UK’s best-selling car by marginally beating the Ford supermini by just over 200 units in June 2017 – while the new car market itself declined for a third consecutive month: it fell 4.8 percent compared to a year ago.
The Fiesta still managed to score second place in the new car registration charts though, despite currently being on runout: Ford is in the process of launching an all-new Fiesta, which Motoring Research has already driven.
The Ford Focus came in third place, leaving three cars closely matched at the top of the registrations chart, some way clear of the fourth-place Vauxhall Astra.
The Ford Fiesta is still the best-selling car in Britain year-to-date though, with a safety margin of over 19,000 cars ahead of the next-best Ford Focus…
June 2017 ‘stabilises’
Following a significant uplift in new car registrations in early 2017, monthly figures have fallen away sharply. This is because car buyers were bringing their delivery dates forward to dodge the controversial new VED car tax rules.
As the effect of this change fades, the market is starting to fall back in line with forecasts, while SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes says the first half of 2017 is still the second biggest on record.
“Provided consumer and business confidence holds, we expect demand to remain at a similarly high level over the coming months.”
The growth of alternative fuel vehicles continued: they commanded a 4.4 percent market share in June – up 29 percent on 2016. The decline of diesel continued as well, with registrations falling 14.7 percent. Diesel now takes just 42.5 percent of the overall sales mix, compared to 47.5 percent just one year ago.
10,721 alternatively-fuelled cars (models such as EVs and plug-in hybrids) were registered in June, up from 8311 a year ago. This compares to 103,564 diesel cars and 129,169 petrol cars.
Hawes called for more government aid to help the roll-out of more alternative fuel cars. It’s encouraging to see alternatively fuelled vehicles experiencing rapid growth,” he said, “but adoption is still at a relatively low level and more long term incentives are required if this new generation of vehicles is to be a more common sight on British roads.”
UK top 10 best-selling cars: June 2017
1: Volkswagen Golf (8808 cars)
2: Ford Fiesta (8601 cars)
3: Ford Focus (8283 cars)
4: Vauxhall Astra (6977 cars)
5: Mini (6630 cars)
6: Vauxhall Corsa (5739 cars)
7: Nissan Qashqai (5103 cars)
8: Volkswagen Polo (4705 cars)
9: BMW 3 Series (4264 cars)
10: Mercedes-Benz C-Class (4102 cars)
Ford has responded to its lowly two-star Euro NCAP crash safety score for the Mustang sports car by resubmitting an improved model featuring extra safety kit for testing – a move that has earned the Mustang an extra star.
The new three-star Ford Mustang Euro NCAP score comes courtesy of Ford standardising a suite of active safety tech: pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking and a lane-keeping aid.
Ford engineers have also fixed a dangerous fault with the driver’s airbag that saw the dummy’s head still able to strike the steering wheel, despite its deployment.
The improvements came after the Mustang scored just two stars in Euro NCAP testing back in January. This was the first time since back in 2008 that a car had scored just two stars.
UK crash test organisation Thatcham Research says the improved result underlines the sheer power of the Euro NCAP crash test programme: “In just a few months, Ford has responded to improve on the initial low safety rating given to the Mustang,” said Thatcham research director Matthew Avery.
“Our advice to buyers is to always to opt for a Euro NCAP five star car, so a three star Euro NCAP rating is never a cause for celebration. However, Ford’s rapid addition of a suite of standard-fit safety tech and its prompt updates to improve the performance of the airbags and restraints is to be applauded.
“We will continue to apply pressure on carmakers to ensure UK drivers have the safest possible cars.”
Five-star ‘gamechangers’
The latest Euro NCAP crash tests assessed other newly-launched cars as well – and Avery says the five-star new Seat Ibiza has “set a new benchmark in safety for the supermini price-point category”. It has both standard autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and also pedestrian-detecting AEB. “The safety game is now on for carmakers in this category.”
Other five-star cars tested this month include the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Hyundai i30 and Volkswagen Arteon.
Surprisingly, the new Honda Civic only scored a four-star rating. Euro NCAP says this is because the rear passenger dummy’s head recorded a high impact reading through the side curtain airbag.
The new Jaguar E-Pace baby SUV will be revealed next week (13 July) and ahead of the debut, some of the firm’s 150-strong prototype test fleet have been shown in action.
Jaguar says it has been testing the new E-Pace, a rival to the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, for more than two years and its engineers have conducted trials on four continents. It’s all to ensure the new baby Jag SUV hits the ground running, free from faults and gremlins.
This is important: some are suggesting the new E-Pace could in time become Jaguar’s best-selling model.
More Jaguar news on Motoring Research:
New Jaguar E-Pace small SUV teased
Gorillaz app will help you get a job at Jaguar Land Rover
600hp Jaguar XE SV Project 8 is the most powerful Jag ever
Plentiful miles have been conducted at the Nürburgring (engineers have counted more than 400 laps) to nail the handling and help Jaguar achieve its aim of creating a dynamic, entertaining driver’s SUV. But it’s also been driven in -40 degrees C and +48 degrees C during more than 120,000 hours of testing. Over 500 engineers have worked on the Jaguar E-Pace test programme.
“Our team of world class engineers and dynamics specialists have meticulously tuned and developed a true Jaguar,” said Graham Wilkins, Jaguar E-Pace chief product engineer. He says the firm has delivered “a compact performance SUV that is true to Jaguar’s performance DNA”.
Jaguar’s conducted durability as well as dynamics tests. One challenge consisted of driving an E-Pace into the middle of a 0.5m deep pool of water, turning off the engine and opening all the doors. The car was then left for an hour… before being stated back up and driven out.
Watch the video for an early dynamic look at disguised prototype Jaguar E-Pace. Want to see the real thing? Come back at 8pm next Thursday, 13 July, for the car’s full global reveal in London. Motoring Research will be there and bringing you all the action – live.
Volvo has announced every new car it launches from 2019 will feature an electric motor, a move it says heralds the “historic end of cars that have only an internal combustion engine”. Volvo’s commitment will see a range of electrified cars offered, including full EVs as well as hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
The commitment means that in the future, as older cars are phased out, no Volvo car will be sold without an electric motor.
Volvo believes the move will see it offer one of the broadest range of electrified cars in the world. “People increasingly demand electrified cars,” said Hakan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars. “We want to respond to our customers’ current and future needs. You can now pick and choose whichever electrified Volvo you wish.”
The technology will include petrol and diesel-engined plug-in hybrids, advanced 48-volt mild hybrids and full EVs. Volvo Cars will launch five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021: three Volvos and two performance Polestar EVs.
It’s part of Volvo’s previously-stated commitment to have sold 1 million electrified cars by 2025. “When we said it, we meant it,” said Samuelsson. “This is how we are going to do it.”
Volvo believes the announcement is one of the most significant moves yet in the car industry to phase out pure internal combustion engine cars in favour of zero emissions-capable electrified cars. “Electrification is paving the way for a new chapter in automotive history,” says Volvo.
Volvo’s current electrified range includes T8 Twin Engine versions of the S90 and V90, plus XC60 and XC90 SUVs. This tech combines a high-performance 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine with plug-in hybrid tech. It provides around 30 miles’ zero-emissions fully electric running with an extended range under petrol power when the batteries run flat.
Porsche has revealed the new 911 GT2 RS at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – a 700hp 3.8-litre twin-turbo beast that’s the most powerful Porsche road car ever made.
It can do 211mph, 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds, weighs less than 1500kg and, simply, is the most ferocious iteration yet of the world’s most famous sports car.
Porsche already pushed the turbo motor from 580hp to 607hp in the 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series. The GT2 RS adds a ludicrous amount of extra power, so much so that it needs a custom-built seven-speed PDK gearbox that’s strong enough to cope. Porsche is promising a mesmerising sound, even for a turbo engine, thanks to a lightweight titanium exhaust that weighs a hefty 7kg less than the standard system and delivers a noise that’s “without precedent”.
It puts all this power to the ground through steamroller-like 325/30 ZR21 rear tyres (the widest ever fitted to a 911), with 265/35 ZR 20s at the front. Stopping is courtesy of standard Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes and, through the corners, rear axle steering and specially calibrated stability control give it the dynamics to match its crazy power output.
Of course, there’s lots of lightweight stuff: carbon fibre reinforced plastic is used for the front wings (and their vents), door mirrors, air intakes, bonnet and some of the rear end. Meanwhile, Porsche has actually made the roof from magnesium.
You can go further, too. Remember how you could have an optional Weissach package with the 918 Spyder hypercar? You now can with the new GT2 RS. Saving 30kg, it includes yet more carbon fibre reinforced plastic and titanium bits: we’re talking carbon fibre anti-roll bars here, magnesium wheels, a carbon fibre roof – with a body-coloured central stripe on the luggage compartment lid and roof to differentiate the Weissach cars.
Surprisingly, Porsche leaves the Chrono Package on the options list, so you’ll have to pay extra if you want to monitor your lap times. As you undoubtedly will, particularly as the system now includes a lap trigger – with the Porsche Track Precision app and some external timing markers on a course, you can ‘cross the beam’ just like they do in F1. That’s surely a must-have, no?
This is the second special Porsche to have its own watch. Porsche Design has worked with Porsche Motorsport to create the 911 GT2 RS Chronograph – using Porsche Design’s very first clock movement, which took it three years to develop. It includes a motorsport-inspired ‘flyback’ function, that automatically does all the choreography used when timing laps. Again, priorities.
The watch costs €9,450 in Germany. The car? It’s from €285,220, which equates to roughly £251,000 in the UK (and £8,300 for the watch). We’re at Goodwood this weekend to hear more from Porsche bosses about the new 911 GT2 RS.
Mark Webber: “She’s a beast”
Porsche racer Mark Webber helped reveal the new 911 GT2 RS at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. “This is probably the 911 I’ve driven most pre-launch,” he said. “Andreas (Preuninger, Porsche GT boss) got me on board… I’ve already driven it plenty, including at the Nürburgring. Believe me, it’s a beast…”
Apparently, some of Webber’s ex-F1 buddies are already on the phone to him, seeing if he can get them ahead in the waiting list. But it sounds like it’s on Webber’s hit list, too – because of it’s all-round usability. It’s comfortable and usable on public roads,” says Porsche. “Compared to the last GT2 RS, we have civilised it, a little bit.”
Webber picked up on this. “A lot of the GT cars I have in the family… I always take navi and air con.” Not that this has at all softened it, he added. “In general, she’s a thoroughbred, an absolute beast, but you can take it on the road no problem.”
In order to be considered for the award, all cars must be a supermini or city car, have a five-star Euro NCAP rating, CO2 emissions of 120g/km or less, available to purchase used for £5,000 or less, and have a low insurance group rating. So while you can’t drive a Ford Mustang, the Kia Rio is within reach. Oh, you lucky things.
4. Toyota Yaris
The excitement continues with the news that the Toyota Yaris is named as the fourth best safest used car for young drivers. Quentin Willson said: “I’m really pleased that Co-op Insurance is revisiting their safest used car campaign and even more so that they’re focusing on safety on second hand cars for young drivers.”
3. SEAT Mii
According to Co-op Insurance, only 31% of young drivers say they consider safety when choosing a vehicle, while 75% of young drivers don’t know about vital safety devices including ESC (Electronic Stability Control) and AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking). Meanwhile, the SEAT Mii finishes third.
2. Volkswagen Up
Next up is the, ahem, Volkswagen Up. In fact, without wishing to ruin the potential cliffhanger, we can reveal that Volkswagen Group’s city car dominates the top three places. Which means there are no prizes for guessing the car at the top of the class…
1. Skoda Citigo
Yes, it’s the Skoda Citigo. Quentin Willson said: “Generally, first time drivers have less disposable income to spend on first cars and so price does become a priority, but just because they’re buying second hand doesn’t mean that they should compromise on safety.” Truth is, the Up, Mii and Citigo are probably the best city cars money can buy.
Safest used cars for families
But what if you’re all grown up and your first car is a dim and distant memory? Good news: Co-op Insurance and Thatcham Research has created a list of the top 10 safest used cars of 2017. To be considered, all cars must have a five-star Euro NCAP rating, CO2 emissions of 120g/km or less, and be available for £15,000 or less.
10. Volvo V40
Perhaps unsurprisingly, we find a Volvo on the list. The V40 made the headlines in 2012 when it set a new record safety score in the Euro NCAP crash test. The five-door hatchback scored 98% for adult protection, with the V40 praised for its main structure, driver assistance systems and pedestrian safety.
9. Peugeot 308
The Peugeot 308, a former European Car of the Year, was tested back in 2013 when it was awarded the maximum five-star safety rating. It scored particularly well for adult protection (92%) and safety assist (81%). Prices start from around the £7,000 mark.
8. Nissan Qashqai
The Safest Used Car Awards were launched in 2016. Last year, the Nissan Qashqai finished third, but just like the Peugeot 308, it falls five places in 2017. Such is the popularity of the crossover, there’s no shortage of Qashqai models for sale on the used market.
7. Volkswagen Golf
All cars in the Co-op awards were evaluated for crashworthiness, including ratings for adult and pedestrian protection, ESC as standard and the availability of AEB. The Volkswagen Golf is a new entry in the 2017 awards.
6. Volkswagen Touran
Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research, commented: “Autonomous Emergency Braking and Electronic Stability Control are second only to the seatbelt in terms of being life savers. They are critical in preventing the most common crashes that young drivers have.” The Volkswagen Touran finishes sixth.
5. BMW 2 Series Active Tourer
The front-wheel drive 2 Series Active Tourer might upset the BMW purists, but it has done enough to impress the judges. BMW’s first compact MPV was launched in 2014 and used prices sneak below the Co-op’s £15,000 or less criteria.
4. Volkswagen Golf SV
The Volkswagen Golf SV is the more practical version of the Golf hatchback and a replacement for the earlier model: the Golf Plus. In Europe, it is known as the Sportsvan, hence the SV. Not that there’s anything remotely sporty about this Golf, but at least it offers more hat room.
3. Toyota Auris
In third place we find the British-built Toyota Auris. It offers a choice of petrol, diesel and petrol-hybrid powertrains and is available in hatchback and estate body styles. The name is based on the latin word for ‘gold’. Sadly, the Auris could only manage a bronze medal in the Co-op awards…
2. Mazda 3
Without wishing to go all ‘Top of the Pops’, the Mazda 3 climbs three places in the 2017 chart. It’s one of the most underrated cars in the family hatchback segment and as such makes a great used buy. A 2014 model could set you back as little as £7,500.
1. Volvo V40 with safety pack
Wait, haven’t we seen the Volvo V40 already? This time, the family hatchback is fitted with the optional safety pack, cementing its place at the top of the Co-op chart. Quentin Willson didn’t provide a quote about the V40, but if he did he’d probably say “jolly well done, Volvo”.
Rising insurance costs, mounting debts and the cost of lessons are to blame for young people being priced out of driving. That’s according to research commissioned by InsuretheGap, which found that 22% of under 25s cannot afford to learn to drive.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) says that the average cost of a driving lesson in the UK is £24, and you’ll need to factor in the cost of a provisional licence (£34 if you pay online), the theory test (£23), and a practical driving test (£62 weekdays or £75 evenings, weekends and bank holidays).
Assuming you have 10 lessons, that’s a total cost of £359, before you’ve considered the cost of insurance and the actual car. Passing first time could save you time and money.
Young drivers in UK most likely to be distracted by ‘attractive pedestrians’
Car insurance is a further barrier, with the average cost of a policy just under £3,900 for a 17- to 20-year-old driver. Little wonder, then, that an online petition called for car insurance for 18- to 25-year-olds to be capped at £1,200 a year.
InsuretheGap’s survey went on to say that without the support of parents or a bank loan, a quarter of young drivers would be unable to buy a car, and 24% said they would like to buy a car but would be unable to cover the running costs.
“When one in six jobs specifies that the applicant must have a driving licence, this generation are potentially being held back by their lack of wheels,” said Ben Wooltorton, director at InsuretheGap.com.
“The RAC Foundation analysed 847,000 job vacancies last year and found that jobs requiring a valid licence ranged from a zoo worker, a chef, sales consultant, security guard, hairdresser and even gymnastics coach, so we’re not just talking about driving jobs here”.
If you want to go out, don’t buy a car
Meanwhile, a similar study into the cost of motoring conducted by Admiral found that motorists under the age of 25 are having to fork out £3,435 a year to stay behind the wheel. This cost is broken as follows:
Fuel: £1,077
Insurance: £1,014
Maintenance: £558
Vehicle Excise Duty: £411
MOT costs: £375
The research claims that motoring is forcing young drivers to sacrifice social plans to stay on the road. Around two-thirds shelved plans to go shopping, while 60% decided against attending a music festival. Nearly half of under 25s were forced into abandoning holiday plans and smartphone upgrades, while 60% cancelled a romantic date.
Let’s just hope you love your car enough to forgo the opportunity for a candlelit meal with somebody you ‘met’ on Tinder.
Jaguar has unleashed an amazing 600hp 5.0-litre V8 saloon car, the XE SV Project 8, which it says belongs on the track, delivers supercar performance – and is soon to go on sale in limited numbers, each retailing for £149,995.
The latest Jaguar ‘Project’ car developed by the firm’s crack new Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) division in Coventry, the XE SV Project 8 follows on from the limited-to-250 F-Type Project 7. This time, it’s making 300, each capable of hitting 200mph and rushing from 0-60mph in just 3.3 seconds. The company is not exaggerating when it says it’s a four-door supercar.
Why has Jaguar created it? Why, because it can, says SVO director Mark Stanton. More specifically, because it wants to: it’s created a huge buzz within the division’s still-new team, he said. “This is the car we came here to do.” It’s also a car virtually without rival – not even the mighty BMW M4 GTS can live with it, bosses cheerily point out.
The lengths Jaguar has gone to with the engineering are remarkable. Aside from the stupendous power and pace, the chassis has been given a full track-focused makeover, with adjustable ride height and aerodynamics, all-new Carbon Ceramic Braking system, F1-spec silicon nitride ceramic wheel bearings and an oil-cooled active rear electronic differential. Jaguar fits 20-inch forged alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.
But as you can probably tell from the images, the aero upgrades are even more extreme, all done to keep the car stable at 200mph yet with lots of downforce for corners. Only the roof and front doors are unchanged; everything else is new, from 55mm wider rear wings, to new and more flared aluminium rear doors, to carbon fibre front wings that are flared 19mm and have cut-away lower edges. The front bumper is carbon fibre as well, as is the front splitter, as is the bonnet.
The body changes are so extensive, even the headlights have moved forward – an almost unprecedented engineering change, mainly because doing so is very expensive. Jaguar could do it because every relevant panel was changing anyway… and moving the headlights was the only way to fit in those 20-inch Michelin Sport Cup 2 tyres it said were essential to deliver the on-track performance. Literally, it’s a no-compromise car.
Hence the rear wing. Not everyone will like it, say the team, but it’s a must-have, because it defines this car. “With such extensive aero changes at the front, the only way to balance it is with this size of rear wing. It’s thus a fundamental part of this car.” The aero pack delivers a massive 205 percent reduction in weight, and it generates 122kg of downforce at 186mph. “25 percent more than Project 8’s nearest competitor,” Jaguar gleefully points out.
It gets better. You can actually get a two-seater version – yes, an XE Project 8 with opening rear doors, but no rear seats… because a half roll cage has been welded in instead. It’s 12.2kg lighter thanks to carbon fibre racing front seats, complete with harnesses, and Track Pack Project 8s also get a gloss black roof and racing stripe decals. Sadly, North American customers, the Track Pack is not available in the US or Canada: blame homologation regulations…
Track-focused attention to detail stretches inside to the instrument binnacle, which has an Alcantara covering so it doesn’t reflect in the windscreen. There are aluminium gearshift paddles and instead of Jag’s normal rotary gearshifter, the pistol-grip level from the F-Type has been fitted instead.
Colours comprise a basic choice of eight: the normal XE Fuji White, Narvik Black or Caldera Red, plus five SVO Design colours: Valencia Orange, Velocity Blue, Meribel White, Verbier Silver or Corris Grey satin matt. There’s plenty more personalisation options on top and SVO bosses reckon no two Project 8s will look the same.
For the first time, all Project 8 XEs will be built from the ground up at the bespoke JLR Oxford Road site in Coventry – by hand, on a brand new production line. “Project 8 is a great example of what happens when enthusiastic designers, engineers and manufacturing specialists are given the opportunity to create an extreme performance sports car without compromise,” said SVO MD John Edwards.
The Jaguar XE SV Project 8 will make it world dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 30 June; production will begin later this year for what Jaguar design director says “is one of the most extreme vehicles we have ever created, but [which is] still very much a Jaguar”.
In the same week Volvo announced plans to launch only electrified new cars from 2019-on, Toyota Motor Europe has released sales figures showing how far ahead of everyone it is: already in 2017, 40 percent of its European new car sales are electrified hybrid models. 
Nestled between the appropriately named Boulevard Andre Citroen and the sprawling 170-acre Aulnay-sous-Bois site, where 8.5 million vehicles rolled off a busy production line, stands a rather anonymous looking building. Within the grey walls sit more than 400 old Citroens, preserved for future generations and maintained by a man in blue overalls.
The Volkswagen Golf has ended the Ford Fiesta’s long run as the UK’s best-selling car by marginally beating the Ford supermini by just over 200 units in June 2017 – while the new car market itself declined for a third consecutive month: it fell 4.8 percent compared to a year ago.
Ford has responded to its lowly two-star Euro NCAP crash safety score for the Mustang sports car by resubmitting an improved model featuring extra safety kit for testing – a move that has earned the Mustang an extra star.
The new Jaguar E-Pace baby SUV will be revealed next week (13 July) and ahead of the debut, some of the firm’s 150-strong prototype test fleet have been shown in action. 
Volvo has announced every new car it launches from 2019 will feature an electric motor, a move it says heralds the “historic end of cars that have only an internal combustion engine”. Volvo’s commitment will see a range of electrified cars offered, including full EVs as well as hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
Jaguar has unleashed an amazing 600hp 5.0-litre V8 saloon car, the XE SV Project 8, which it says belongs on the track, delivers supercar performance – and is soon to go on sale in limited numbers, each retailing for £149,995.