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)

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• Every new Volvo will be electrified from 2019

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
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• 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. 

Video: Jaguar E-Pace SUV prototype testing

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.

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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.

More EV news on Motoring Research:

• Opinion: Could Polestar and Lotus create an EV supercar?
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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”.

Aston Martin will launch its first all-electric car in 2019 with a zero-emissions version of the Rapide AMR supercar four-door called RapidE. It will be developed and built by F1 legends Williams Advanced Engineering.

A production version of the 2015 RapidE Concept, the first-ever electric Aston Martin will be built in a limited run of 155 cars, all with an electric drivetrain replacing the current car’s 6.0-litre V12 engine.

It will be the first in an upcoming series of low- and zero-emissions Aston Martins planned for launch as part of the firm’s ‘Second Century Plan’ – including the all-new DBX electric SUV that’s to be built in Wales from 2019.

Aston Martin president and CEO Dr Andy Palmer said “we reach another milestone with the confirmation that we are now putting the first all-electric Aston Martin into production”.

He said the car would showcase a sustainable future where the zero-emissions powertrain enhances an Aston’s style and performance, rather than “merely co-existing alongside a new zero-emissions powertain”.

But traditionalists can rest easy for a while yet. “The internal combustion engine has been at the heart of Aston Martin for more than a century, and will continue to be for years to come. RapidE will showcase Aston Martin’s vision, desire and capability to successfully embrace radical change, delivering a new breed of car that stays true to our ethos and delights our customers.”

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Williams Advanced engineering is delighted with the deal. Technical director Paul McNamara said the project “will draw on the extensive battery and EV experience we have accumulated and we are extremely pleased to be supporting this prestigious British company with their future electrification strategy.”

Williams Advanced Engineering is the sole supplier for battery technology to the growing Formula E all-electric racing series; this season, it introduced an advanced development that incorporated everything it had learnt from previous seasons.

The F1 engineering spin-off company also helped Aston Martin develop the original 2015 RapidE concept car.