PSA Group has confirmed it’s buying General Motors’ European brands, Vauxhall and Opel, as part of a €2.2 billion (£1.9 billion) deal.
The French owners of Citroen and Peugeot has revealed this morning that the rumoured sell-off was going ahead, making it the second-largest car firm in Europe (behind Volkswagen Group), with a 17% market share.
“We are proud to join forces with Opel/Vauxhall and are deeply committed to continuing to develop this great company and accelerating its turnaround,” said PSA’s chairman of the managing board, Carlos Tavares.
“We respect all that Opel/Vauxhall’s talented people have achieved as well as the company’s fine brands and strong heritage. We intend to manage PSA and Opel/Vauxhall capitalising on their respective brand identities. Having already created together winning products for the European market, we know that Opel/Vauxhall is the right partner. We see this as a natural extension of our relationship and are eager to take it to the next level.”
Since it emerged that the car companies were in talks on February 14, speculation about the future of Vauxhall’s Luton and Ellesmere Port branches has been rife – with many fearing job losses as PSA attempts to streamline operations.
The company has yet to speak out on the future of the UK factories, which employ around 4,500 people, but Tavares added this morning: “We are confident that the Opel/Vauxhall turnaround will significantly accelerate with our support, while respecting the commitments made by GM to the Opel/Vauxhall employees.”
It’s understood that Ellesmere Port has agreements to make the Vauxhall Astra until 2021, while production of the Vauxhall Vivaro van is contracted to be built in Luton until 2025. It’s rumoured that PSA Group, which is part-owned by the French government, would rather move production to France to avoid the risk of trade tariffs once the UK leaves the EU.
A press conference will be held in Paris later this morning where we’ll find out further information.
The average CO2 emissions produced by new cars fell to a record low of 120.1g/km last year – but the trade body behind the data has issued a stern warning that this could change in 2017 as diesel resentment builds and motorists buy more petrol cars.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has said that the shift towards diesel cars, which emit around 20% less CO2 than the equivalent petrol car on average, is partly responsible for average new car CO2 emissions falling by more than a third since 2000.
While diesel car registrations hit a record high in the UK last year, diesel’s market share fell by 0.8%. And these ‘tremendous’ gains could be wiped out as many drivers look to swap back to petrol models following Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal and increasing NOx pollution levels in urban areas, says the SMMT.
“The automotive industry has some of the most challenging CO2 reduction targets of any sector and continues to deliver reductions as it has for nearly two decades,” said SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes.
The organisation is concerned that new VED (vehicle excise duty – car tax) rules to be introduced on April 1 will wipe out incentives for motorists to buy ultra-low emission vehicles such as electric, hybrid or hydrogen-powered cars.
Under the new system, two thirds (66%) of the alternative fuel vehicles currently eligible for free road tax will be subject to an annual charge of £130. Those with a list price of more than £40,000 will be subject to a further £310 surcharge for the first five years.
Hawes added: “For this positive trend to continue, modern low emission diesels and AFVs such as plug-ins, hydrogen and hybrids must be encouraged with long term incentives. Turning our back on any of these will undermine progress on CO2 targets as well as air quality objectives. The UK has a successful track record in encouraging these new technologies but this must be maintained through a consistent approach to fiscal and other incentives.”
Renault has officially revealed the new Alpine A110 sports car, ahead of its global debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show next week. The new production car is the latest step in the rebirth of the famous Renault-owned Alpine brand.
In pictures: a brief history of Alpine
No technical details are being revealed at this stage, but Renault has confirmed the new Alpine A110 will be constricted fully from aluminium – both the platform and upper body are made from it, for “optimum weight saving and agility”. All part of being an authentic ‘Berlinette’, says the brand.
Alpine A110
More specs will be revealed during the press conference at Geneva, scheduled for 1215h UK time on 7 March, meaning we can for now instead savour the images of Renault’s new sports car rival to the Porsche 718 Cayman and Audi TT. It’s clear from the images this is going to be a compact car; the front end has the classic Alpine face and its curves are a nice mix of modern and traditional: we love how the tail gently falls away, for example, and the wraparound rear screen is neat.
There’s some smart detailing at work. The classic Alpine round driving lamps have been reinterpreted with modern LEDs. The French flag in the rear pillar is cute and, behind it, cooling inlets for the engine reside. Also note the Alpine logo on the front wing and, at the rear, what looks like a substantial diffuser just poking out the bottom of the bumper.
As for its sports car credentials, it’ll be a mid-engined design, with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, so hopes are high. There’s talk of 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds plus the sort of handling you expect from a Porsche rival – expect it to be more driver-focused than a TT, for example. Remember, the crack Renault Sport team will have been working hard on this…
We like the fact Renault has stuck with the traditional A110 name too, harking back to the 1961-1977 original. There was speculation this new car would carry the A120 name, but today’s announcement debunks that: A110 it is.
This car has had something of a complicated birth. It was back in 2012 when Renault first announced it was teaming up with British sports car maker Caterham to co-develop a new model. By 2014, Caterham was out, leaving Alpine to go it alone. In 2016, we saw the Alpine Vision concept, confirming they were making good progress: finally, at Geneva 2017, we’ll get to see the final production car.
The new Range Rover Velar will go on sale later this year, Land Rover has confirmed, slotting into the gap between the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport, and finally giving the British firm a direct rival to the Porsche Macan.
Revealed in a teaser image, the new Range Rover Velar is being described boldly by Land Rover chief design officer Gerry McGovern. “We call the Velar the most avant garde Range Rover,” he says.
“It brings a new dimension of glamour, modernity and elegance to the brand. The Range Rover Velar changes everything.”
Range Rover family
Likely powered by the JLR 2.0-litre turbo petrol and turbodiesel engine range, plus the 3.0-litre supercharged V6 from the F-Type, Land Rover will be determined to give the Velar (pronounced ‘vel-ar’) a sporty on-road drive. Jaguar has proven this can be done with the F-Pace and Solihull will want to make a similar impact.
The teaser shot shows broad shoulders, an aero-tuned roof spoiler and what looks like a diffuser hidden in the rear metal kick plate. Inside, we can see the latest widescreen JLR InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, plus a configurable set of electronic instruments.
The full global debut of the new Range Rover Velar will take place on 1 March; it will later go on show at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.
As for the Velar name, this is a nod to the firm’s heritage. Back in the 1960s, engineers concealed the first 26 Range Rover prototypes by sticking Velar badges on them. It comes from ‘velaris’ in Latin: to veil or cover.
A freedom of information investigation has revealed that 2.5 million vehicles failed their MOTs for illegal tyres last year – while police hit almost 9,000 drivers with fines for defective rubber.
If you’re caught driving with less than 1.6mm of tread, you could face a penalty of up to £2,500 and three points on your licence – per tyre.
Police chief fined £586 for driving police car with bald tyres
The Confused.com investigation found that 10,766 endorsements were handed out for defective tyres in 2016. Multiplying this by the maximum £2,500 penalty, motorists could be risking nearly £27 million in fines for not checking their tyres.
While driving with bald tyres can have a dangerous effect on a car’s handling and stopping distance, especially in the wet, the research also revealed that drivers often aren’t in a rush to get their tyres changed.
Out of those who were found to have illegal tyres, more than a third (34%) did not get their tyres replaced straight away because they didn’t have the time, while almost a quarter (24%) said they couldn’t afford new tyres.
A further quarter (23%) admitted to driving with dangerous tyres because the garage could not fit them in sooner.
Confused.com’s motoring editor, Amanda Stretton, said: “It’s pretty shocking to find out that 2.5 million drivers have failed their MOTs as a result of not checking their tyres regularly.
“We understand that arranging to have your tyres changed seems like a hassle, and we know some drivers are concerned about how big a hole it’s going to burn in their pockets. But motorists need to ask themselves if it’s really worth risking three points on their license and enormous fines of up to £2,500 per tyre.”
The website has launched a new tyre tool that lets drivers compare the cost of tyres.
“Confused.com’s tyre tool helps to lower the cost of buying new tyres by allowing you to compare prices in advance,” added Stretton, “so there are no nasty surprises once you get to the garage. Plus, you can pay on the day and the cost of fitting and disposal of your old tyres is completely included in the price.”
The World Car Awards is the largest automotive awards programme on the planet. Winning World Car of the Year is a big deal for auto manufacturers – so all eyes will be on the just-released list of finalists for the 2017 prize. Here, we’re revealing which 10 cars are in the running to be World Car of the Year 2017.
It’s not just the overall World Car of the Year finalists that we’re revealing here, either. The awards scheme, that’s been established for more than a decade, also includes prizes for World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Urban Car. There’s also a World Car Design of the Year prize.
Here, we’re running through the cars in the running for each award. And so without further ado…
2017 World Car of the Year finalists
Last year, the Mazda MX-5 was awarded the overall World Car of the Year prize. This year, 75 judges from around the world have whittled the longlist down to 10 finalists. In alphabetical order, they are…
Audi A5 / S5 Coupe
The sleek new Audi A5 Coupe has been a bit of a slow-burner, but its elegant, curvaceous lines are now starting to find favour. The high-tech new chassis is excellent and shows off its high-performance side in the 354-horsepower S5.
Audi Q2
This is a new entrant for Audi – a small crossover SUV designed to compete with other tiddler machines such as the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke. Styling is a break from the Audi Q norm, and being based on the A3 hatch means it drives tidily.
Audi Q5
The new Q5 is another Audi that’s had a bit of a slow start. Again though, the stylish look is now winning friends, and the on-road drive is excellent. It makes it three Audis in the running for the World Car of the Year award – and remember, Audi is no stranger to this prize…
Fiat / Abarth 124 Spider
Last year, the Mazda MX-5 roadster won the overall World Car of the Year award. Can the Fiat/Abarth 124 Spider, which is based on the Mazda, do it again? It would cause quite a stir if it could…
Honda Civic
Honda’s 10th generation new Civic has recently been rolled out in hatchback guise, joining the sedan and coupe models already on sale. It’s a big step on from its predecessor – is it enough to earn it a World Car Award gong?
Jaguar F-Pace
The Jaguar F-Pace was a radical new model for the British sports car company – its first-ever SUV. The Ian Callum-designed lines have been very well received and the Jag also drives extremely well. Will you be placing a bet on it winning the World Car of the Year prize?
Mazda CX-9
Last year, Mazda won the World Car of the Year award. For 2017, it returns as a finalist, with the CX-9 large crossover SUV. Testing in LA last year proved its on-road abilities: now it’s up to the judges to decide…
Skoda Kodiaq
It’s safe to say the Skoda Kodiaq seven-seat SUV has been exceptionally well received in Europe. There’s even talk of it now going on sale in the United States. A landmark car from the Czech brand, it would be a very deserving victor.
Toyota C-HR
The most radical Toyota in years, there’s no missing the C-HR on the road. There’s a good car beneath the stylish lines as well – but will its weak engines let it down?
Volkswagen Tiguan
The old Tiguan twisted logic by selling in greater numbers the more it aged. Buyers love it – and they’ll find lots to like with this one, which cures all the grumbles with the old one and more. This could be a stealthy front-runner for the overall World Car of the Year prize…
2017 World Luxury Car
And now to the individual categories for the World Car Awards 2017. The World Luxury Car prize features the best of the best luxo-machines. Last year’s winner was the BMW 7 Series: this year’s shortlist of five features some significant all-new models…
Bentley Bentayga
The first-ever Bentley SUV, the Bentayga remains controversial for some, but initial sales suggest rich buyers can’t get enough of it. Impeccably finished inside and supremely refined, it’s expensive, but you certainly get what you pay for.
BMW 5 Series
Is this the best new BMW there’s been in years? A brilliantly well-conceived machine, the latest 5 is peerless in almost every respect. The fact it’s a relatively attainable luxury car will also find favour with the judges. Certainly, one to watch.
Genesis G90
Hyundai has made its first-ever luxury car, and the Genesis G90 is as significant today as the launch of the original Lexus LS was back in 1989. Thoroughly convincing, it’s a superb luxury car with quality, refinement and the feel-good factor in abundance. This or a Mercedes-Benz S-Class? That’s a serious question.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Like BMW, Mercedes-Benz pushed the boat out in developing the new E-Class. It looks svelte, it’s good to drive and the high-tech interior impresses. Safety standards are also world-class: it’s truly the S-Class of executive cars.
Volvo S90 / V90
Volvo’s transformation continues. First the XC90 SUV, now the S90 sedan and V90 wagon. Both are wholly convincing luxury cars that can finally go eye-to-eye with BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But are they good enough to scoop the World Luxury Car gong?
2017 World Performance Car
The World Performance Car category is always an exciting one. Needless to say, this year’s list of five finalists contains some thrillers – one of them will follow on from last year’s winner, the Audi R8.
Aston Martin DB11
Aston Martin has been reborn and the DB11 is the sports car that will take it into its ‘second century’. All-new from the ground up, it’s an outstanding performer, while Mercedes-Benz-sourced electronics bring the interior bang up to date as well.
Audi R8 Spyder
Can the open-top R8 Spyder follow on from last year’s victor, the Audi R8 coupe? It’s in a strong group of cars but the Spyder is an able machine in its own right. It also looks a million dollars…
Honda / Acura NSX
A long time in development, the Honda / Acura NSX is at last now available. And what a car it is, all high-tech thrills and super-clever abilities. It may not move things on in quite the same way as the original, but it’s nevertheless a significant achievement from Honda.
McLaren 570S
The McLaren 570S is such a thriller, it raises serious questions as to why you should spend extra on the larger 650S. Performance is staggering, the drive is other-worldly and, both outside and in, it looks fantastic. It’s expensive, but you still question how they can sell such an amazing car for so little…
Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman
Two controversial cars, because they replaced six-cylinder engines with four-cylinder turbo motors. But also, two fantastic cars that built upon already-brilliant models and made them even better still. This creates a very interesting conundrum for the World Car Awards judges…
2017 World Green Car
The World Green Car prize is back once again for 2017. Last year, the Toyota Mirai aced it. Who’s in the running this year?
Chevrolet Bolt
In almost every respect, we’d say the Chevrolet Bolt electric car is odds-on to win the World Green Car prize. It has a Tesla-matching range for a decidedly Chevy-level price tag, it looks good and it drives nicely. What’s not to like? The fact you can’t buy a version in Europe’s second-largest new car market, the UK, that’s what…
Honda Clarity Fuel-Cell Car
The hydrogen fuel cell Honda Clarity has been a long time coming but finally it’s on sale in North America. It rolls out in Europe soon too. Is this the future of zero-emissions electric-drive motoring?
Hyundai Ioniq
Hyundai has created a very clever range of green cars with the Ioniq range. Hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full electric are all offered, in the same five-door bodyshell. This keeps costs affordable and ensures eco buyers can choose exactly the right model for their driving style. Will this earn it World Green Car-winning points in 2017?
Tesla Model X
With the Model X, Tesla aims to do in the SUV sector what the Model S has done in the luxury car sector. Proving you can have an all-electric SUV with a long range and supercar performance, it’s another striking model from the cool premium car firm.
Toyota Prius Prime
Last year, the Toyota Mirai fuel cell car won the World Green Car prize. Can its plug-in hybrid sibling, the Prius Prime, do the same in 2017? One thing’s for sure – the styling is certainly finding more friends.
2017 World Urban Car
This is a new category for 2017, introduced because more than half the world’s population lives in towns and cities – a figure that’s set only to grow. Cars must be under 4 metres long and be “safe, quiet, clean, driver-, pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly, comfortable, affordable, flexible and to be capable of reaching motorway speeds”.
BMW i3 (94Ah)
BMW’s ingenious and fantastically clever carbon-fibre i3 has been upgraded with a big new battery. Dubbed 94Ah, the extra capacity gives it a range of almost 200 miles. Is this enough to tip the little i3 over onto car-buyer consideration lists?
Citroen C3
The old Citroen C3 supermini was a dreary and slightly dreadful machine. What a turnaround there’s been with this all-new one. Inspired by the modernist C4 Cactus, it looks delightful and the fresh-faced image carries through into a clean, crisp on-road drive. You can even get onboard tech that takes selfies as you drive – ingenious.
Ford KA+
Another model that’s been transformed. The old Ford Ka was woeful, a pale imitation of the original. Ford has rethought things with this model, which gets five doors for the first time. Derived from the top-notch Fiesta platform once again, it’s well-priced and, while not as radical as the original, is nevertheless a well thought out new city car entrant.
Smart Cabriolet
The Smart Fortwo remains one of the most authentic city cars on sale. Super-short, with a turning circle the equal of a London black cab, this cabriolet model brings open-air satisfaction to the table. Daimler integrity costs money but brings further feel-good reassurance.
Suzuki Ignis
Small car master Suzuki has done it again with the Ignis. A city car infused with crossover styling and even some cues from the original Suzuki Whizzkid, it’s another perfectly-conceived city star that is affordable to buy and well in with a shot of winning the inaugural World Urban Car prize.
2017 World Car Design of the Year
A committee of top car designers has drawn up the shortlist for the 2017 World Car Design of the Year award. Now it’s up to the jurors to select which they think is the finest. Once again, there’s a five-car group to choose from: which will follow the 2016 winner, Mazda’s MX-5?
Audi A5 / S5 Coupe
The designer of this car’s predecessor reckoned it was the most beautiful car he had ever created. Will the World Car Design of the Year judges agree that its successor is also worthy of such high praise?
Jaguar F-Pace
Ian Callum proved that you can make a convincing Jaguar SUV with the F-Pace. It’s classy, cohesive and exciting, and as authentically Jaguar as the F-Type coupe it references in its name. This is why we think it’s in with a good chance of winning.
Mazda CX-9
Mazda has given the SUV sector a subtle dose of sports car excitement with the CX-9. It’s an elegant, understated vehicle, whose crossover looks grow on you, not least because they lack the dumpiness of previous large Mazda crossovers.
Mercedes S-Class Cabriolet
Over the years, large two-door coupe versions of the S-Class saloon have proven unconvincing. Mercedes-Benz finally nailed it with the S-Class Coupe, and now it’s followed it up with the glorious S-Class Cabriolet. Our design experts have ensured it’s one to watch in 2017.
Toyota C-HR
The car design community has rewarded Toyota’s brave styling approach with the radical C-HR by giving it a chance of winning the 2017 World Car Design of the Year award. Like it or loathe it, you can’t deny it’s a blindingly stand-out model from a traditionally conservative company. Will the judges feel this is worthy of a world car design gong? Stay tuned…
The popular Volkswagen Golf has been updated for 2017 – bringing with it new infotainment systems, more comprehensive safety systems, an all-new TSI petrol engine and DSG gearboxes with more gears. Styling has also been tweaked, but you’ll be hard pushed to notice: the most standout visual update is a vivid new metallic yellow colour.
The Volkswagen Golf was the second best-selling car in May
Trailed by Volkswagen for weeks, the revisions to the Golf are detailed but not earth-shattering. It’s the upgraded infotainment systems that the firm’s keenest to stress – every unit in the range is new.
Basic Golfs get a higher-res 6.5in colour touchscreen instead of the old black and white system. The next level up now uses an 8.0in screen, and there’s now an even larger 9.2in ‘Discover Pro’ system with a super-high-res screen and, for the first time in this sector, gesture control.
Spot this new high-end Discover Pro system from its Apple-like full-width glass surface.
On the safety front, traffic jam assist allows the Golf to semi-autonomously drive itself in traffic (so long as you have all the options necessary, including a DSG gearbox). Emergency assist can spot if the driver has blacked out or fallen asleep and, if they don’t respond, will emergency-stop the car. The city emergency braking system also now detects pedestrians as well as other cars.
Those who tow will like the new Golf: it’s the first family hatch to have trailer assist, that semi-autonomously reverses a car hitched to a trailer. Park assist is also more intelligent and offers more driverless functionality.
Volkswagen is very proud of the ignition key now saving settings for individual drivers, including preferred climate control settings, instrument setups and driver’s seat adjustments. The fancy fully-electronic instruments first seen in the Audi TT are now offered in the Golf as well.
From the outside, new Golfs are not immediately apparent. The bumpers have been redesigned, full LED tail lamps are standard and xenon headlights have been junked in favour of full LED units. The front wings are new, there are fresh wheel choices and, inside, new trims and fabrics.
It’s the Golf GTI that’s perhaps the most visually evolved. The red bits in its headlights have been revised, and those units are now standard dual LED lamps. The Golf GTI has more power as well: 230hp as standard, 245hp for the GTI performance.
There’s no mention of the dreaded TDI diesels in the 2017 Golf press kit, but a new 1.5-litre TSI ‘Evo’ engine is highlighted. In regular guise, this engine has 150hp and is fitted with ACT cylinder deactivation so turns into a two-cylinder during light loads. This helps trim fuel consumption to 57.6mpg combined, and CO2 goes down to 110g/km.
A 1.5 TSI Evo Bluemotion has a power chop to 130hp, but CO2 also falls to 104g/km: it averages 61.4mpg. The engine also has a variable geometry turbo – an impressive addition for a petrol car – and runs on a new combustion cycle similar to the eco-focused Miller Cycle. Oh, and when the driver releases the accelerator, the engine shuts down, as part of an extended coasting function. Previously, only hybrids have been able to do this: the real-world economy gains will be significant, promises Volkswagen.
Ageing six-speed DSG gearboxes will also be replaced by seven-speed units, further cutting CO2.
2017 Volkswagen Golf: prices and on-sale date
The Mk7.5 Golf is set to go on sale in March, with prices on average £650 less than its predecessor across the range. That’s despite the higher levels of standard kit, including improved infotainment systems on all models, and LED rear lights.
The entry-level 1.0-litre Golf S 85hp three-door retains its £17,625 starting price – making it cheaper than the entry-level Honda Civic (£18,235) but more expensive than the Ford Focus (£16,445).
Volkswagen’s diesel hot hatch, the Golf GTD, starts at £28,480 – an increase of more than £1,500 over the outgoing model, while the GTI rises to £27,865 (a small rise from £27,495). The flagship Golf R remains at £31,865.
Driving impressions
We’ve driven the 2017 Volkswagen Golf at its European launch event in Majorca, and can confirm the minor changes have secured its place amongst the best in class. The new 1.5-litre TSI engine in particular is a gem, with 150hp on tap and a 130hp Bluemotion version available for extra green credentials (and none of the nastiness associated with VW diesels).
Even combining the 1.4’s replacement with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, it packs a punch and is fun to drive without the ‘thrumminess’ of the three-cylinder 1.0-litre. It’s a really likeable engine that might make some think again about defaulting to a diesel Golf.
The new infotainment system is easy to use, while the minor changes to the Golf’s design mean it stills looks fresh (if not exciting). We even like the new Turmeric Yellow colour…
New Turmeric Yellow colour for the Golf. I like it. I like the new 1.5-litre TSI, too. pic.twitter.com/NUo9j5Vs7j
Electric car sales are growing year-on-year, by double-digit amounts. As concerns over city centre emissions grow, and the threat of penalties for combustion engines grows (diesel cars are particularly vulnerable here), many are now looking at electric vehicles (EVs) in a new light.
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Revealed: the European Car of the Year finalists of 2017
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So is this the year to go electric?
Of course, traditionally, high-tech electric cars have not been cheap. Enter the government’s Plug-in-Car Grant. On electric cars with a range of at least 70 miles, this is worth £4,500 off the recommended retail price (the prices listed here are all pre-Plug-in Car Grant). List prices themselves are also becoming more affordable as sales gain critical mass.
Incremental improvements in battery technology are also stretching the range enough to make them a genuine option for most people. In the early days of EVs, you’d struggle to get 100 miles from a full charge. Now, you can get well over 150 miles from some models, and one real-world choice now claims a 250-mile range. The compromise-free EV is almost here.
In such a fast-growing sector, which are the models you should be looking at? Here, we’ve picked out 10 of the most significant EVs, and ranked them. We’ve also included key specs for driving range, battery size and price. All have their zero-emissions strengths, but some are better than others – particularly when you factor in range and price.
Hyundai Ioniq
Range: 174 miles
Battery size: 28kWh
Price: £28,995 (Premium)
The fresh-faced Hyundai Ioniq is a car available in three flavours: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and full EV. Here, we’re looking at the pure electric Ioniq, which is priced from an affordable £28,995. The claimed range is up to 174 miles, which is more than the class-leading Nissan Leaf. Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty is extended further for the electric bits here – they’re covered for eight years and 125,000 miles.
Renault Zoe
Range: 250 miles
Battery size: 41kWh
Price: £28,695 (i-Dynamique Nav Rapid Charge)
The Renault Zoe is a supermini electric car that’s both brilliant and badly flawed in equal measure. The brilliant bit is the stupendous range of this Z.E.40 model – a new 41kWh battery has stretched it to a Tesla-like 250 miles. But then, Renault has long eradicated the consumer appeal of this with its silly battery hire scheme, meaning you have to fork out £70 a month on top of the list price (or finance cost). The i-branded models cure this by including the battery in the asking price. Trouble is, they mean the asking price of this small EV is the same as the more-family-sized Ioniq EV…
Nissan Leaf
Range: 155 miles
Battery size: 30kWh
Price: £30,290 (Acenta 30kWh)
The first mass-market electric car on sale in Britain is getting on a bit these days, but is a deservedly familiar sight. It was enhanced a little while ago with a larger-capacity 30kWh battery, taking the range up to 155 miles. That’s an improvement on the old 24kWh car, and will give existing owners a nice upgrade come trade-in time. It’s also built in Britain, for patriotic appeal. These days, it’s not the class-leader in terms of range or ability, but it’s still competitive.
BMW i3
Range: 195 miles
Battery size: 33kWh
Price: £32,330 (94Ah)
The ultra-clever BMW i3 looks like nothing else, is made from lightweight carbon fibre and is a Tardis-like car that still drives like a real BMW. Trouble is, it’s perhaps a bit too quirky for some; what works in trendy parts of London might not quite be so appealing in rural Dorset. This 2017 model does have a big new battery, though – taking the range up to nearly 200 miles. And the car’s clever engineering means you stand a decent chance of achieving that, too.
Volkswagen e-Golf
Range: 118 miles
Battery size: 24.2kWh
Price: £31,680
There’s a facelifted Volkswagen e-Golf coming soon, but we’re still recommending this one if you’re able to strike a sharp deal with a retailer. It doesn’t have the biggest battery or the largest range in the family class, but it’s still a Golf, and that counts for a lot. It’s nice to drive and will always sell on for decent money. A few thousand pounds off will solve the issue of that list price, too…
Kia Soul EV
Range: 132 miles
Battery size: 27kWh
Price: £29,995
The quirky Kia Soul EV is an electric car that’s a bit different. Probably too different for many, but early adopters who like to stand out might love it. The range is decent and it’s extremely practical inside for five, while a fulsome level of standard kit means you shouldn’t feel short-changed by the sub-£30k list price.
Tesla Model S 60
Range: 253 miles
Battery size: 60kWh
Price: £65,680 (Model S 60)
We have to include the mighty Tesla Model S here, despite even the basic car costing a whopping £65,000. That’s because it’s a genuine luxury car that’s shaken up the electric car market ever since its launch. The range is long, performance is stupendous and the interior, dominated by that famous touchscreen, is superb. Pity new car buyers no longer get free charges from the ever-growing Supercharger network.
Volkswagen e-Up
Range: 99 miles
Battery size: 18.7kWh
Price: £25,280
Volkswagen has recently facelifted the little e-Up. Frankly, while able, it’s a bit too expensive for what it is: a tiny city car with a sub-100-mile range. The Plug-in Car Grant helps, but it’s still more than £20k – you can get a petrol-engined Up for less than £10k. Despite this, it’s a likeable and able car that drives well and serves as a nice introduction to electric motoring.
Renault Twizy
Range: 62 miles
Battery size: 6.1kWh
Price: £6,895 (Expression)
One of the cheapest cars on sale in Britain is also a fully-electric one. The Twizy is rather compromised, of course: it’s a quadricycle, so doesn’t meet the same standards of refinement (or, as Euro NCAP pointed out, crash safety) as a normal car. The range is also just 62 miles, and it’s so slow, it can’t even clock a 0-60mph time because it can’t reach 60mph. Still, for those who want a cheap electric car runabout they can park anywhere, it’s still worth a look.
Smart ed
Range: 99 miles
Battery size: 17.2kWh
Price: TBC
One of the freshest EVs on the UK new car market is the soon-to-be-launched Smart ed range. Because we don’t yet have prices, we can’t yet fully judge its competitiveness – but the range is looking OK for a city car and the manoeuvrability of the Fortwo two-seater is peerless. There’s now even a Forfour ed for those who need a city-friendly five-door four-seater.
British supercar manufacturer McLaren has announced plans to work with BMW to develop its next generation of powertrains.
In a statement, McLaren said “the project will develop new combustion technology that will deliver a higher output per capacity than currently possible.”
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The new engines will be more efficient, with lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel economy, despite higher headline power figures. The obvious way of doing this is to follow the hybrid route set by the P1.
McLaren has previously revealed that it plans to offer at least half of its cars with hybrid powertrains by 2022.
“This is an exciting project that plays to the strengths of all partners,” said McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt.
“McLaren Automotive has an exceptional reputation for building the world’s finest engines, as showcased by our M838T and its previous category wins in the International Engine of the Year awards.
“We will continue to independently design and build our own engines, and the benefits of this project will help us accelerate the development of our next generation of powertrains, as confirmed in our recently-announced Track22 business plan.”
The collaboration has been supported and part-funded by the UK government through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). In total, the project will cost £28 million, with half of that coming from the APC.
Details of what exactly BMW and McLaren are planning are being kept quiet, but McLaren says it will improve the UK’s development and production capabilities of low-CO2 internal combustion engines.
The project, led by McLaren, will involve its existing engine manufacturing partner, Ricardo, as well as various suppliers including Lentus Composites and Grainger & Worrall.
The University of Bath will also be contributing to the research and development of the future powertrains.
If the current episode of The Grand Tour is anything to go by, Richard Hammond is about to nip out and steal a chainsaw… in a Citroen Saxo VTS.
According to Amazon Prime’s clever X-Ray feature – which provides extra information about what you’re watching on screen – Hammond loves the Saxo VTS so much that, after the show was filmed, he went out and bought one. The lucky so-and-so.
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During ‘Conversation Street’, the presenters were charting the rapid fall in numbers of Citroen’s hot hatch, which had dropped from around 4,500 in 2008 to 491 when the episode was filmed. We’ve just checked the latest figures, and they show that the number on the road has now fallen to 464 –with 946 declared as off the road.
Fabulous, proper and fizzy
“By 2019 they’ll all have gone,” said the ‘Hamster’, which was enough to see him off to the classifieds in an attempt to save the “fabulous, proper, fizzy little hatchback” from extinction. Good man.
That he loves the Citroen Saxo VTS so much should come as no surprise. In his days as a presenter on Men & Motors, Hammond pitched the French tearaway against a Caterham Super 7 Sprint, before driving home in the Citroen.
Weirdly, in a different episode, former radio presenter and drag racer, Dave Lee Travis – aka the ‘Hairy Cornflake’ – proclaimed the Saxo VTS to be “the closest you can get to an old-school GTI”. High praise indeed.
Later, in 2008, Hammond named the Saxo VTS as one of the ‘best second-hand boy-racer bargains’, saying it’s “another belter from Les Francais. The Saxo VTS is virtually a cult car among the young and to see why, you only need to drive one.
“It looks cute, with reasonable performance and good handling.”
This isn’t the first time Richard Hammond has bought a Saxo VTS. In series 18 of Top Gear, he paid £550 for a 1999 model and went racing against Clarkson and May. Sadly, the car’s MOT expired in 2012, so we can only assume that it has gone to the great rallycross track in the sky.
The Price is right
The hot Saxo’s fall from grace is hardly surprising. The Saxo VTS, with its 120hp 1.6-litre 16v engine, developed a bit of an image problem: a kind of hot Nova for a new generation. Lads believed that a Saxo VTS and a pumping stereo was the key to getting a girl undressed.
Citroen didn’t help matters when it asked Katie Price, AKA Jordan, to perch on the bonnet of its four-wheeled bra remover.
It meant that – for all of its qualities as a typically French hot hatch – polite, gentle folk stayed away from the Saxo VTS, allowing it to spiral into the abyss. On the flip-side, this means values are stupidly low, so you needn’t spend more than £1,000 to secure a good one.
Compare and contrast with the values of other French heroes – most notably the Peugeot 205 GTi, Renault 5 GT Turbo and Peugeot 106 Rallye – and the Saxo VTS looks a bit of a bargain. Prices won’t stay this low forever.
Take a leaf out of Hammond’s book: rescue a Citroen Saxo VTS today. You won’t regret it. Just don’t let a girl called Katie sit on the bonnet.
The World Car Awards is the largest automotive awards programme on the planet. Winning World Car of the Year is a big deal for auto manufacturers – so all eyes will be on the just-released list of finalists for the 2017 prize. Here, we’re revealing which 10 cars are in the running to be World Car of the Year 2017.
Electric car sales are growing year-on-year, by double-digit amounts. As concerns over city centre emissions grow, and the threat of penalties for combustion engines grows (diesel cars are particularly vulnerable here), many are now looking at electric vehicles (EVs) in a new light.
