MG Motor’s Chinese owner SAIC has announced it is ending car production at the firm’s Longbridge plant in the West Midlands.
The manufacturer resumed production at the ex-MG Rover factory in 2011, assembling the MG6 and later MG3.
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Although most of the production work was already carried out in China, the cars were assembled at Longbridge and sold with the legendary MG badge.
But now, MG’s owners says the historic plant would “no longer be required”, with the cars produced entirely in China.
The firm says it only expects to make around 25 redundancies, while jobs in sales, marketing and after-sales will remain unaffected.
MG Motor UK’s head of sales and marketing, Matthew Cheyne, told the Birmingham Mail: “With efficiency and flexibility both key to long-term market success, off-shoring vehicle production is a necessary business decision.
“Relocating to state-of-the-art overseas production facilities will allow faster access to product and help to meet ever-increasing customer demand, all while maintaining the highest levels of production quality.
“In addition, improving production scale efficiencies will support ongoing sales growth in the UK market – a key priority.”
The MG brand has struggled in the UK since production restarted under Chinese ownership in 2011.
The company has registered just 2,300 vehicles so far this year – an increase of 350 compared to the same time in 2015, but a long way behind other mainstream manufacturers.
It’s hoping the launch of its new MG GS SUV will help boost sales, while the poor-selling MG6 was recently dropped from the range.
MG enthusiast Malcolm Watson posted on Facebook: “I honestly didn’t believe that SAIC had any interest in keeping MG in the UK or keeping Longbridge going. But I did hope.
“In the end they got what they wanted. Modern engineering, modern designs, and for a pittance. A sad day indeed.”
More than 400 designers, engineers and other staff at the Longbridge SAIC Motor Technical Centre (SMTC) are not affected, the firm says.
All 60 models of the limited edition Caterham Seven Sprint have sold out within just a week – despite a hefty £27,995 price tag.
The Seven Sprint was revealed at this year’s Goodwood Revival and sold out within seven days of going on sale, the manufacturer says.
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Caterham’s chief commercial officer, David Ridley, said: “We have been overwhelmed with the response to the Sprint. We knew of course it was a great product but the reaction we got is unprecedented.”
While it’s not unusual for limited edition models of desirable enthusiast cars to sell out quickly, the British sports car maker says it’s a big deal for the firm.
“In a typical year, we’ll sell around 500 cars meaning that, with the Sprint, we’ve sold more than 10% of our annual sales figure in a week,” explains Ridley. “It’s been the perfect scene-setter to our 60 Years of Seven celebrations.”
The car is powered by the same three-cylinder 80hp Suzuki engine as the entry-level Seven 160.
It features bespoke retro styling harking back to the mid-1960s, such as cream painted wheels and polished hubcaps.
Who better to break the two-wheeled world land speed record than plucky northerner, Guy Martin? The motorbike racer, truck mechanic and TV presenter escaped uninjured this weekend when his Triumph Infor Rocket Streamliner lost control after hitting a patch of damp salt during a 300mph test-run.
Martin has a history of bad luck. He was meant to attempt to break the 376mph world record last year but, in a perhaps unsurprising move, had to bail when he lost control of his BMW motorbike during a race and was catapulted through the air, fracturing vertebrae, his sternum and a number of ribs.
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He was taking part in a test run when the latest incident took place. Regulations state that he must ride the motorcycle at 300mph before being allowed to take on the full land speed record – so the incident will have set the record run back yet again.
In typical Guy Martin fashion, the experience racer commented: “It’s all part the job, boy, isn’t it? Feeling our way. I guess if it was an easy thing to do everyone would have done it by now. So we’ll get a plan sorted and get on with the next go at it as soon as we get the chance.”
Apparently taking it “steady” following his crash last year, Martin successfully reached 198mph during an earlier run.
The crash wasn’t the only hiccup, however. While being towed to the start line, the bike toppled over, causing minor damage. This delayed Martin’s final attempt, which led to him losing control.
Bit slushy at Bonneville..she tipped over being towed out..only a scratch boy. We’re on it today. pic.twitter.com/PBa4B6b4vL
Triumph Motorcycles, who built the bike, put the later incident down to the ‘unpredictable’ surface.
The Infor Rocket Streamliner’s designer, Matt Markstaller, said: “It’s one of the challenges of land speed racing – the salt surface can be so unpredictable. We’ll fully inspect the streamliner and get ready for the next phase of our attempt.”
It might not be that simple. Bad weather as winter arrives could mean that the world record attempt has to be postponed by yet another year.
Uber has deployed a fleet of mapping cars on the capital’s streets in a bid to create its own Google Street View – allowing drivers and users to find the best pick-up and drop-off points as well as the best routes to avoid congestion.
The controversial transportation firm has already been mapping US roads in a similar way to Apple and Tomtom, it says, and is now looking to map London’s streets – with other UK towns and cities to follow in the coming weeks and months.
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Writing in a blog post, Uber’s Brian McClendon, formerly head of maps at Google, said: “Behind every successful Uber ride is a technology many of us take for granted: maps. Mobile maps and GPS allow us to match you with the closest available driver, navigate the fastest path to your destination, and give you an accurate ETA. Accurate maps are at the heart of our service and the backbone of our business.
“Existing maps are a good starting point,” McClendon explains. “But some information isn’t that relevant to Uber, like ocean topography. There are other things we need to know a lot more about, like traffic patterns and precise pick-up and drop-off locations. Moreover, we need to be able to provide a seamless experience in parts of the world where there aren’t detailed maps — or street signs.”
The move could also help Uber’s fleet of driverless cars, which are already being trialled on public roads in Pennsylvania. A fleet of four autonomous Ford Fusions have been giving rides to customers with technicians on-hand to monitor the car’s behaviour and take over when required.
Experts have said that Uber’s ability to crunch huge amounts of data collected from the millions of miles covered by Uber drivers have helped put it ahead of carmakers in the race to launch the driverless car.
“Over the past decade mapping innovation has disrupted industries and changed daily life in ways I couldn’t have imagined when I started,” added McClendon. “That progress will only accelerate in the coming years especially with technologies like self-driving cars. I remain excited by the prospect of how maps can put the world at our fingertips, improve everyday life, impact billions of people and enable innovations we can’t even imagine today.”
Uber is also working with Volvo to launch a new autonomous car based on the same SPA platform as the XC90 and S90.
It’s arguably the best-handling car this side of £30,000 (emphasis on ‘arguably’, MX-5 fans) – but Toyota is giving its GT86 a revamp for 2017, with changes focussed on improving its already excellent chassis rather than cosmetics.
The electronic control systems have been tweaked, resulting in a selectable ‘track’ mode which allows the GT86’s stability and traction control systems to be turned off fully – great news for wannabe drifters.
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“The biggest point I wanted to improve was the car’s responsiveness – on and off acceleration, turning in and turning out, and the speed and naturalness of its reactions,” explained chief designer Tetsuya Tada.
“This has partly come from modifying the dampers and springs, but the biggest point of influence has been in aerodynamics and the way this affects the suspension.”
Additional spot welds have been introduced to the rear to make the car stiffer, while the Showa dampers have been revised for a better combination of handling and comfort.
It’s also got a smaller 362mm diameter three-spoke steering wheel, allowing drivers to wind on lock quicker than you can say ‘dab of oppo’. A fancy new 4.2-inch TFT screen located in the carbonfibre-wrapped instrument binnacle tells you crucial G-force data alongside more mundane info such as how many MPGs you’re getting.
Although cosmetically little has changed, a few minor adjustments have been made to improve the car’s performance. The GT86’s nose section has been revised, with new ‘teeth’ along the bottom edge of the lower grille introduced to aid airflow.
The GT86’s front and rear lights have also been revised with LEDs used for high and low beam. The indicators have been relocated from the front bumper to within the lights themselves.
There’s some new 17-inch alloys, too – ‘slim’, helping out the performance/grip ratio, and you can still buy one with an automatic gearbox if you really want.
The range has been revised so buyers only get a choice of two versions. There’s the entry-level £25,945 GT86, with cruise control, DAB radio and the like – while the £27,095 GT86 Pro comes with heated front seats, leather and Alcantara upholstery, a leather driver’s armrest and a suede-effect finish for the dashboard and door trims. It also gains a matt grey rear spoiler.
Little else has changed – the 2.0-litre ‘boxer’ engine still produces 200hp, meaning it still won’t win any Top Trumps competitions, taking 7.6 seconds to hit 62mph.
Want a new car but don’t want to spend more than £1,500? We’ve assembled a list of budget cars that won’t break the bank. In fact, they cost less than a typical downpayment on a PCP deal. Ever helpful, we’ve selected two cars from each class, kicking off with a pair of bargain MPVs.
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MPV: Vauxhall Zafira
Why you want it: the innovative ‘Flex 7’ seating is brilliant; prices start from £500; it’s based on the Astra, giving it compact dimensions.
Why you don’t: it’s about as cool as a centre crease on a pair of jeans; the rearmost seats are suitable for small children only; it will look and feel very tired.
MPV: SEAT Alhambra
Why you want it: it’s a proper seven-seater, feels like a car to drive; cheaper than the Volkswagen Sharan and Ford Galaxy.
Why you don’t: you might have to live with a few battle scars; not immune to mechanical problems; feeling dated now.
SUV: Subaru Forester
Why you want it: part estate, part SUV; superb on-road manners; great for light off-roading; excellent reliability; flat-four engine.
Why you don’t: not exactly cheap to run; styling is a little oddball for some; may have led a tough life.
SUV: Honda CR-V
Why you want it: two decades on, it retains a strong image; one of the original crossovers; typical Honda reliability; good value for money.
Why you don’t: original CR-V was petrol only; not exactly cheap to run; not a true off-roader.
Estate: Skoda Octavia
Why you want it: massive 580-litre load space; cheaper to buy than a Golf estate; excellent range of engines and specs; people love Skoda dealers.
Why you don’t: more mechanical gremlins than you might think; interior is showing its age; to some, the badge is still a problem, which is their loss.
Estate: Ford Mondeo
Why you want it: brilliant to drive; cavernous boot; cheap to buy; plenty of choice; TDCi engines blend performance with economy.
Why you don’t: that TDCi engine can be troublesome; many will have been run on a budget.
Family hatchback: Volkswagen Golf
Why you want it: it’s a Golf; for this budget you can buy a Mk3 or a Mk4; solid build quality, plenty of choice; excellent interior; strong image.
Why you don’t: not as reliable as the image makes out; Mk3 and Mk4 are stodgy and not that great to drive; image keeps prices relatively high.
Family hatchback: Ford Focus
Why you want it: still looks great today; brilliant to drive; 1.6 and 2.0 Zetec are terrific drivers’ cars; plenty of choice; cheap to run.
Why you don’t: many tired examples out there; lacks the image of the Golf, although this could be a positive.
Supermini: Skoda Fabia
Why you want it: it’s a Volkswagen Polo in a cheaper suit; well built; good range of engines and specs; vRS is a fast and frugal hot hatch.
Why you don’t: dull styling; interior is showing its age; Volkswagen Polo will look better on your driveway, if that kind of thing matters to you.
Supermini: Honda Jazz
Why you want it: innovative and spacious interior; many will have led an easy life; cheap to run; utterly reliable if well maintained.
Why you don’t: people will think you’ve given up on life; pint-size MPV styling; ride is a little unforgiving; incapable of travelling at more than 42mph on a B-road, probably.
City car: Ford Ka
Why you want it: one of the greatest city cars ever built; brilliant fun to drive; cute styling; cheap to buy and run; plenty of choice.
Why you don’t: rust is a menace, rendering some cars beyond economical repair; original 1.3-litre not without issues; dated interior; cheap build, and it shows.
City car: Fiat Panda
Why you want it: a few million Italians can’t be wrong; fun to drive; narrow dimensions make it brilliant in the city; good size cabin; chic styling.
Why you don’t: not the biggest boot in the world; interior might be showing its age; split-folding rear seats aren’t standard.
Sports car: Mazda MX-5
Why you want it: because it’s the definitive affordable sports car; Lotus Elan for a new generation; choice; value for money.
Why you don’t: beware of imports without history; hardly exclusive; rust is a big issue; taller drivers might struggle to get comfortable.
Sports car: MG F
Why you want it: more practical than an MX-5; mid-engined, plenty of choice; far better to drive than it’s given credit for; excellent parts and specialist support.
Why you don’t: sorry, MG owners, but we have to mention head gasket failure; build quality is patchy; you might wish you had bought a Mazda MX-5.
Convertible: Saab 9-3
Why you want it: gilt-edged image; solid build quality; supremely comfortable; Saab’s demise means prices remain depressed; it’s a Saab, so safety is guaranteed.
Why you don’t: not particularly great to drive; lack of specialist support; parts and servicing can be expensive.
Convertible: Peugeot 306
Why you want it: just look at it, the Pininfarina-styled 306 has aged beautifully; surprisingly practical; excellent ride quality; good value for money.
Why you don’t: some of the electrics might not work; interior won’t have aged well; some tatty examples out there.
Saloon: Honda Accord
Why you want it: because it’s probably the most reliable car in the world; even older Accords offer total reliability; many cars will have led an easy life; premium feel.
Why you don’t: high-mileage diesel engines could be troublesome; not the biggest boot in the world; firm ride, especially when on larger alloy wheels.
Saloon: Toyota Avensis
Why you want it: because Colin in accounts drives one.
Why you don’t: because Colin in accounts drives one.
Executive: BMW 5 Series
Why you want it: strong image; superb to drive; has aged beautifully; a range of brilliant engines.
Why you don’t: some quality issues; hold their value extremely well, so prices are relatively high; parts and servicing can be expensive.
Executive: Audi A6
Why you want it: superb build quality; currently the best badge in the business; superb interior; classy styling.
Why you don’t: not as great to drive as a 5 Series; even more sought-after than a 5 Series, so prices are high.
Luxury: BMW 7 Series
Why you want it: because the godfather of Bangernomics, James Ruppert, owned one; you can pretend to be James Bond; sense of genuine luxury; great to look at.
Why you don’t: because you’re not James Bond; you can’t control it via your Sony Ericsson brick-phone; there’s a lot to go wrong.
Luxury: Lexus LS400
Why you want it: it’s a “Japanese Mercedes”, Lynn.
Why you don’t: it’s a “Japanese Mercedes”, Lynn.
Coupe: Ford Puma
Why you want it: one of the best small coupes ever built; it’s based on a Fiesta, so parts and servicing are cheap; Steve McQueen drove one, of sorts; cheap as chips.
Why you don’t: rust; some flaky examples in the classifieds; 1.4 and 1.6 not as good as the 1.7.
Coupe: Vauxhall Calibra
Why you want it: excellent styling; four-seat practicality; on the verge of classic status?
Why you don’t: prices appear to be on the up; it’s a Vauxhall; other 90s coupes are sharper to drive.
Classic: Austin Metro
Why you want it: undervalued part of British motoring history; cheap to buy; excellent starter classic; Princess Diana owned one; full of character.
Why you don’t: rust is a big issue; potential issues with the Hydragas suspension; the looming cloud of head gasket failure; gearbox problems.
Classic: Saab 9000
Why you want it: supremely comfortable; extremely well built, non-turbo versions are very cheap to buy; everyday classic.
Why you don’t: parts can be expensive; non-turbo versions are rather sluggish; not exactly cheap to run.
Volkswagen bosses have said that stage-five autonomous cars are unlikely to happen for a number of years – and confirmed its concept car at this month’s Paris Motor Show will have a steering wheel.
“We are talking about autonomous driving in the future, with the end state of level-five autonomous driving, which might be happening in some years to come,” VW’s sales and marketing chief Jürgen Stackmann told Motoring Research.
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“That’s a vision. That’s a dream that the car will do whatever it wants to do in any environment. But we all know there are several stages to get that far.”
He added that, while stage-five autonomous driving is “a nice vision”, lesser levels of automation, such as self-parking, will be helpful to customers and are more achievable in the near future.
Level five autonomous driving is generally considered to be entirely driverless – with no inputs needed from the driver/passenger, and usually without a steering wheel or the option to take over control if required.
Talking of the Paris concept, Senger added: “You will have manual-driven cars for sure, as the standard option. But the architecture will be qualified for the highest levels of automation.
“That means looking into the steering system… it will be done in a way that all these kinds [of automation] are possible. Obviously, we think that the car will be highly automated, but in the first case, people want to have the driving controls available. So yes, physically connected from the first day.”
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As connected car technology advances, it could easily change how car manufacturers interact with their customers.
“After 27 hours [going along the production line], the car leaves the gate and that was the end of technology updates for those cars,” explains Stackmann. In the future, however, customers will be able to constantly update their cars – something Tesla is already trialling, issuing regular software updates for its models.
“It’s a new wave of thinking,” Stackmann adds. “The customer will actually feel that ‘my car gets better every day’.”
But connected cars bring their own concerns. In the future, your car could learn a great deal about you, from simple stuff such as when and where you go to work, to what music you like to listen to – even when and how often you break speed limits.
Some are concerned about how this data is stored and whether it could be hacked, or even sold to third parties.
“Our plan is focusing more on how we offer mobility services for our customers and not how to sell data,” Senger explains.
“We are very aware that customers of Volkswagen trust the brand. And so we will be very careful when it comes to usage of data and we really differentiate between data sources that are related to vehicle, and which are related to your personal data.
“And then we will be really careful about how we touch this and what we need to do just to enable a service. The planning is not finally done there, but be sure that we want it to be done differently… we want to have a trusting customer.”
Bosses also confirmed that this approach to continually improving the car won’t extend as far as replacing the batteries once newer tech comes available.
“Technically, this is possible,” explains Senger. “Financially, it’s not super-simple. I always compare this to… is it possible to install a newer version of a combustion engine into a conventional car? It is possible, but nobody’s doing it.
“I don’t expect it as a standard business because the financial impact is huge. There may be a game-changer with the second use of batteries, so conceptually we are open to this. But it’s not the core of our plan.”
VW customers urged to ‘think new’ with Paris concept
Almost a year to the day since the Volkswagen ‘dieselgate’ emissions scandal broke, the company has revealed it will be attempting to move on with a ‘think new’ campaign and a Tesla-rivalling electric concept car at this year’s Paris Motor Show.
The new car will be based on the firm’s new ‘MEB’ platform (which also underpinned the Budd-e concept at CES), designed from the ground-up as an electric vehicle, and featuring a floor-mounted battery pack, short front and rear overhangs and a spacious interior.
Teased during a press presentation at the firm’s Wolfsburg HQ, VW chiefs wouldn’t be pressed about the technical aspects of the MEB platform, but suggested it would be used across the entire Volkswagen Group range.
“We will always offer options for our customers and market interests that the MEB is prepared to deliver… from basic needs up to premium needs,” explained Volkswagen’s battery electric vehicles (BEV) boss Christian Senger.
“This is also very understandable when you want to a platform being used by all brands – even the Audi brand… you can imagine what this means,” he hinted.
Bosses suggested the Paris concept would be close to the Golf in size, and will be revolutionary in the same way as the original ‘people’s car’, the Beetle, and the first-generation Golf.
It will have a range of 400km (248 miles), although a ‘scalable’ range of 600km (372 miles) should be possible from other models based on the platform. A slide used in the presentation made no bones about the company targeting ultra-modern Tesla. Its Model X and Model 3 are capable of covering 289 and 215 miles respectively, while the Model S 90D is good for 366 miles.
So far, Volkswagen has sold around 100,000 hybrid and electric cars and is aiming to double its volume every year.
Models such as the e-Golf, which is based on the regular Golf, can be built ‘bumper to bumper’ with the combustion-engined models at the firm’s existing plants. However, it’s not confirmed whether that will be the case for the new electric car.
The firm’s first ground-up electric car, based on this year’s Paris concept, is set to go into production in 2019 ready for deliveries early in 2020.
We will find out more about Volkswagen’s new electric car (and its plans for the future) at this year’s Paris Motor Show, where Motoring Research will be reporting live.
Honda IS Civic. And the current Civic is, admits the firm, not good enough. Enter an all-new one for 2017: the 10th generation car, which represents the single biggest development leap for any Civic generation, ever. Honda means business, people.
Even better news for Britain, the all-new Civic hatch is a UK-built car – and the Swindon factory is the world production hub for the new five-door model. 160,000 or more will annually be built there and sent all around the world, including to North America. So the new Civic hatch is a hugely significant car. And we’ve seen it, and sat in it, and ridden in it: here’s what you need to know.
What’s the big news?
Isn’t the new 2017 Civic far prettier, sportier and stylish? Honda knew today’s upright, gawky model needed to change: the new Civic is thus lower, longer, wider, has a longer wheelbase, shorter overhangs. Visually, it’s a completely different proposition to the current model.
Honda says three keywords were tattooed onto the eyelids of everyone involved with the project: make the new Civic more distinctive, more exciting, more refined. “The last generation lost the essence of Civic,” admits global project leader Mitsuru Kariya. “It was too conservative, and our competitors got better. Civic was under pressure.” This is Honda’s response.
Civic sport
Some previous Civics were sportier than others: Honda wants this one to be the sportiest-looking yet, to move it on from the current car. Taking some of the boldness of today’s Civic Type R, the new model looks the business even in mainstream grades. You’ll spot it coming from a distance: all models feature hockey stick-shaped LED running lights, and full LED lights are available.
Sleeker Civic
Sleek, isn’t it? The new Civic is wider, longer and lower than any of the nine Civics before it, impressively – and a hefty 130mm longer, 30mm wider and 20mm lower than today’s car. Wheels are bigger, overhangs smaller and there’s more than a trace of new NSX supercar in the details and features throughout. Beneath, the platform is 16kg lighter and, more significantly, 52% stiffer, which promises great things for the on-the-road drive.
New engines…
Under the bonnet are two brand new turbo petrol VTEC engines; a 1.0-litre three-cylinder (replacing today’s 1.4) producing 129hp and a 1.5-litre four-cylinder (replacing the current 1.8) producing 182hp – both very punchy power figures indeed. Choose either with a snappy six-speed manual or a CVT automatic that Honda promises us won’t be horrible. A few months after launch, the third Civic engine choice will arrive: an updated version of today’s 120hp 1.6-litre turbodiesel.
… And new chassis
Hidden below the cool twin centre-exit exhausts that sports-grade new Civics get is an all-new suspension setup – that includes, pleasingly, a multi-link rear end. Honda got rid of this expensive suspension type on the current Civic, but has bought it back on the 10th generation car. Not only that, you can also get optional adaptive suspension, which Kariya-san told us he’s very excited about.
Interior revolution
If you thought the outside of the new Civic was a leap on, wait until you step inside. Gone is the low-rent, plasticky feel of today’s model and in comes a cockpit far more premium, upmarket and good quality. It’s a massive step forward for the Civic; sitting within it, you’ll think Germanic and upmarket rather than cheap and not particularly cheerful.
Infotainment upgrade
A semi-freestanding infotainment system is as modern as the current system is unpleasant. The Honda Connect system has a fast new processor, and combines Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality. Below it are good-to-push buttons, a typically-lovely Honda gearshift and, throughout, assembly standards that define precision.
Grown-up toys
The nasty, garish split-screen instrument panel of the current Civic has been ditched for a modern TFT configurable display screen. This looks super-smart and is hooked up to the infotainment system so it can show full-colour mapping right ahead of the driver. It’s considerably more sophisticated and good-looking.
Better driving position
The driving position of the new Civic is much-improved. We sat behind the wheel of a prototype and found the bigger seats much lower and more comfortable, the controls layout more natural, the gearstick positioned in a better place to make best use of its quick-fire nature. The current car feels a bit like an MPV: this one is much more like a sporty, low-slung family hatch, and customers are more likely to find it appealing as a result.
Concept teaser
Honda first teased the new British-built Civic hatch at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, and we’re pleased to discover just how much like it the production model looks. The showroom car IS this car, minus the lime green detailing and matt paint.
From America to England
The new Civic hatch is the third model in the new line to be launched: over in America, the Civic sedan and coupe have already scooped the North American Car of the Year prize. Honda engineered all three in Japan at the same time, pouring huge resources into creating the all-new platform that will help make all three ultra-competitive.
But what about the Type R?
You can’t go too far into discussing a new Honda Civic before the question of a new Type R comes up. Officially, the firm is saying nothing. Unofficially, we’d put good money on a new Type R coming sooner rather than later, perhaps using a further-upgraded version of today’s engine. All the ingredients – the multi-link rear suspension, the adaptive damper technology, the already-stylish looks – are in place to potentially make it truly heroic.
Goodbye, current Civic hatch
The arrival of the new Civic hatch means goodbye to the current ninth generation car. Developed during the global economic crisis, this was a cautious Honda developing a conservative car seemingly on a tight budget. It was worthy but simply wasn’t good enough to take on the best. It’s taught Honda a lesson, alright.
Current Tourer tours on
But the arrival of the new Civic does not mean the end of the current car. It will live on for a few more years in Tourer estate guise: Honda’s huge Swindon factory is flexible enough to allow both cars to coexist on the same line. In time, of course, you’d have to assume a new Civic Tourer would arrive… unless Honda’s decided the limited Euro-centric sales potential of the new car simply doesn’t justify its development?
Hands on: new Honda Civic
We had the chance to have a thorough rummage around the new Civic. And we were impressed. It looks really good, with crisp and distinctive lines dominated by that bold front end. It even looks more premium: Honda’s installed a new paint facility that applies a glossy, shiny clearcoat to give it a more sparking appearance.
Blobby to bold
The current Civic is a pretty blobby thing. The new one has a swooper, more coupe-like rear, enhanced by contoured rear wheelarches and cool wrap-around tail lights. The bold black insets are part of the sport-grade Civic, but all will share the same distinctive lines. Pride of place sit those great centre-exit tailpipes.
Actively safe
Visibility seems better in the new Civic, not least because the front end is lower. The windscreen is much deeper, so you don’t feel so perched when sitting inside it. This more panoramic visibility is a famed feature of the Honda NSX and it’s nice to see the company carry it over to here. It’ll be safe, too: all UK Civics, impressively, get Honda Sensing active safety as standard, a camera- and radar-based system that includes active city braking, active cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
Stowage aplenty
The current Civic is curiously both practical and frustrating. The new one demonstrates much clearer thinking and more intelligent ergonomic planning: the centre console is deep (and has a sliding cover, facilitated by an electronic parking brake), there’s not only space for a smartphone but an integrated wireless phone charger to juice it up, and even the door pockets are more cleverly designed than the current car.
Big boot remains
The current Civic has a massive boot, over 470 litres compared to a Golf’s 380 litres. The new one is bigger still: 478 litres, with a wide opening, flat load bay and, brilliantly, the most ingenious side-retract load bay cover you’ve ever seen. Folded up, it’s tiny: showroom appeal overload.
What next for the new Honda Civic?
So there it is, the new British-built Honda Civic hatch in all its glory. It’s already being shipped over to the United States and, next in the story is the Paris Motor Show public debut of the European one. Sales here will start in Q1 2016, with the diesel arriving later in the year, and we for one can’t wait. The new Civic looks good, feels great and has the mechanical promise to be a huge leap on from today’s car. Do we have a new class front-runner on our hands? The signs are good…
American presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s old Lamborghini has been advertised on eBay with a whopping $460,000 (£347,000) start price – and that’s before the reserve has been met.
Colin McRae’s Metro on eBay for £350,000
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It suggests the seller is making a significant profit on the Lambo, as he reportedly paid $299,000 (£226,000) for it last year.
Classic cars can be a solid investment, however, so don’t let us put you off bidding for the 1997 Diablo VT. Just think, if Trump wins in November, you’ll own the president’s old Lamborghini. Now there’s something that could get you rooting for Trump.
Finished in one-off Le Mans blue, the Diablo VT even features a Trump 2016 decal emblazoned across the tiny rear window.
The controversial right-wing presidential candidate made his millions as a successful businessman, gaining notoriety by appearing on the American version of The Apprentice.
Despite travelling around the world in his own private plane, Trump is a huge petrolhead – with a Rolls-Royce Phantom, McLaren SLR and Maybach in his garage.
Ever fancied building your own Caterham? The British sports cars are still available in do-it-yourself kit form. However, for a slightly easier challenge, how about the new Lego Caterham Seven 620R?
We say ‘slightly’ because the latest Lego kit consists of 770 pieces, including a fully-detailed replica engine, removable nosecose, opening boot and axle stands that allow the wheels to be removed. Should keep you busy on Christmas morning…
Buy a DIY Caterham Seven for £65 a week
Hardcore luxury: Caterham Seven 620S
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The model Seven was suggested to the Lego Ideas platform – where fans can submit proposals for new Lego sets – by Caterham fanatic, Carl Greatrix. Having gained the requisite 10,000 votes, it was then approved for production.
Caterham claims the Lego 620R has a top speed of 6mph, although it admits this figure is “not scientifically proven”. That compares to 155mph in the real 620R, which also hits 60mph in just 2.79 seconds. Eek.
Caterham Chief Commercial Officer, David Ridley, said: “Our army of fans who build their own Caterham Sevens are equally discerning when it comes to the detail and craftsmanship which is central to Caterham, and we worked closely with the Lego team to ensure the model replicated that. It’s really satisfying to know that fans can recreate and build their own 620R with Lego bricks.”
The Caterham Lego 620R is available to buy from October 1st, priced £69. Want a proper 620R instead? That’ll be £49,995.
Want a new car but don’t want to spend more than £1,500? We’ve assembled a list of budget cars that won’t break the bank. In fact, they cost less than a typical downpayment on a PCP deal. Ever helpful, we’ve selected two cars from each class, kicking off with a pair of bargain MPVs.
Honda IS Civic. And the current Civic is, admits the firm, not good enough. Enter an all-new one for 2017: the 10th generation car, which represents the single biggest development leap for any Civic generation, ever. Honda means business, people.
