Vauxhall slashes prices of electric Corsa and Astra

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October 3, 2024

Vauxhall has announced lower prices for the electric Corsa and Astra, slashing up to £4,765 from the cost of certain models.

In a world where seemingly everything has become more expensive, new car price cuts are a real rarity.

The Vauxhall Corsa Electric 50kWh Design model now starts from £29,045, representing a saving of £3,400 compared to the previous price.

Vauxhall has also reduced prices across the rest of the Corsa lineup, with the top-spec Ultimate model now £4,150 cheaper, and the sporty GS version down by £2,850.

Price cuts across the range

The Vauxhall Astra hatchback range has also seen comprehensive price cuts, starting with the Astra Electric Design, which now costs from £34,395 – a £2,850 reduction.

Similarly, the Astra Sports Tourer Electric estate has a new lower starting price of £36,145. The biggest price cut is reserved for the Astra Sports Tourer Ultimate, which has £4,765 shaved from its the list price: now from £40,695.

James Taylor, managing director at Vauxhall, said: “The new pricing structure on Corsa Electric and Astra Electric is the latest in a number of measures we have taken to democratise access to electric vehicles – including becoming the first brand in the UK to offer an electric and petrol hybrid car for the same list price with the new Frontera.”

Vauxhall recently announced new five-year PCP finance deals for electric cars, intended to make monthly payments equivalent to petrol-powered models.

Save money on charging, too

Buyers of new electric Vauxhalls can also benefit from the brand’s range of charging offers.

When buying online, customers can receive a free Octopus Energy Ohme Pro wallbox with installation included, or the option of £675 credit towards public charging.

Opting to buy through a Vauxhall dealership means you can also gain 50,000 Tesco Clubcard points. These can be exchanged for £500 in Clubcard vouchers, or a £1,000 credit with Clubcard Reward Partners.

Finally, new Vauxhall customers get an Octopus Electroverse card. This gives access to more than 750,000 public charging points across the UK and Europe, all paid for via a single account.

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Rolls-Royce Spectre Lunaflair has unique, rainbow-effect paint

By

John Redfern

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October 3, 2024

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A unique example of the electric Rolls-Royce Spectre coupe, with an intriguing celestial theme, has been unveiled.

Commissioned through the Rolls-Royce Bespoke department, the Spectre Lunaflair is inspired by the lunar halo effect.

Created when moonlight passes through ice crystals in high-altitude cirrus clouds, the lunar halo is an ‘ethereal technicolour ring’ that appears around the moon.

The Spectre’s fortunate new owner challenged Rolls-Royce to channel this lunar effect into a custom exterior paint colour.

Fly me to the moon

Motivation for the Spectre Lunaflair came after the owner saw a previous Rolls-Royce Bespoke build: the 2023 Phantom Syntopia. This featured an iridescent Liquid Noir finish, with a mirror-like paint pigment.

More than a year of experimentation was required to perfect the Lunaflair’s new colour, with numerous trials of the optimal paint effects and application required.

The completed paint requires seven layers of lacquer, including a new pearlescent coat infused with fine flakes of magnesium fluoride and aluminium. This leads to a rainbow effect when the Spectre is exposed to bright sunshine.

Martina Starke, head of Bespoke at Rolls-Royce, said: “We are constantly astounded by the diversity of ideas that inform our clients’ Bespoke concepts, which frequently draw inspiration from materials, finishes and themes they see in other commissions.

“Spectre Lunaflair is the perfect example of this, exploring the ethereal beauty of a lunar halo, and sparked by the client after witnessing a paint finish on another Bespoke motor car.”

Dancing in the moonlight

The personalisation extends inside the Spectre Lunaflair, with Navy Blue, White and Peony Pink tones channelling the rainbow effect of the exterior paintwork.

This colour scheme extends across the seats and door panels, while the two-tone steering wheel has a Navy Blue outer and an Arctic White inner side.

Appropriately, for a car inspired by astronomical elements, the Lunaflair comes with Rolls-Royce’s dramatic Starlight Headliner roof lining, which is dotted with fibre optic ‘stars’.

To ensure the Spectre Lunaflair remains unique and exclusive, Rolls-Royce has confirmed that the special paint finish will not be used on another car.

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Skoda reveals new Elroq electric SUV, priced from £31,500

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John Redfern

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October 2, 2024

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The second fully electric Skoda has been revealed. The new Elroq is a compact SUV that majors on affordability.

Making its public debut later this month at the Paris Motor Show, Skoda wants the Elroq to build on the success of its larger Enyaq iV.

As the latest model to use the Volkswagen Group MEB platform, the Elroq is a relative of vehicles ranging from the Cupra Born to the new Ford Capri.

The Elroq also premiers Skoda’s new ‘Modern Solid’ design language, featuring a black ‘Tech Deck Face’ instead of a traditional front grille.

Up to 361 miles of range

Measuring 4.49 metres in length, the Elroq is a similar size to the conventional Skoda Karoq SUV. A kerb weight of 1,949kg means the Elroq is no lightweight, but smooth styling means a low drag coefficient of just 0.26.

The Elroq’s maximum range is 361 miles when equipped with the ’85’ model’s larger 79kWh battery option. The smallest 52kWh battery, found in the Elroq 50, delivers up to 233 miles.

Charging speeds of up to 145kW are supported for the smaller battery, with the 79kWh item compatible with 175kW devices. This means charging from 10 to 80 percent can take less than 30 minutes.

All launch versions of the Elroq are rear-wheel drive, with power outputs ranging from 168hp to 282hp. The latter, combined with the 79kWh battery pack, can accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds.

Packing in plenty of tech

Skoda promises the Elroq will boast class-leading levels of standard equipment. The base SE version comes with LED headlights, LED tail lights and 19-inch alloy wheels as standard. A 13-inch central touchscreen is combined with a digital instrument panel, along with a reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

The Elroq SEL gains a heated two-spoke leather steering wheel, heated front seats, paddles to adjust brake regeneration levels and satellite navigation. Front parking sensors are included, too.

Privacy glass, dark chrome roof rails, keyless entry and adaptive cruise control are fitted to the Elroq Edition.

Finally, topping the range is the Elroq SportLine, with 20-inch black alloy wheels, lowered sports suspension, sports seats and carbon-look interior trim.

Time to Czech the Elroq out

UK prices for the new Skoda EV start at £31,500 for the entry-level Elroq SE 50, which uses the 52kWh battery pack.

At the opposite end of the range, the flagship Elroq SportLine 85 will cost from £41,600.

The Skoda configurator is now live, allowing owners to tailor the compact EV to their own taste. UK orders can be placed from 18 October 2024, with the first deliveries expected in spring 2025.

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Hyundai has now made more than 100 million vehicles

By

John Redfern

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October 2, 2024

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Hyundai has reached a huge production milestone, having built more than 100 million vehicles across the globe.

Leaving the line in Ulsan, South Korea, an Ioniq 5 electric SUV claimed the title of being the 100,000,001st Hyundai to be made.

The new owner of the Ioniq 5 collected the car directly from the factory, and took part in a commemorative handover ceremony.

Record-breaking production speed

Hyundai was founded as an automotive brand in December 1967, meaning it has taken the Korean company less than 57 years to pass the 100 million vehicle mark.

By comparison, it took Volkswagen 60 years after the end of World War II to achieve the same milestone, doing so with a Touran MPV in 2005.

And it took Ford from 1903 until November 1977 to build its 100 millionth vehicle: a Ford Fairmont that left the Mahwah assembly plant in New Jersey.

To further emphasise the speed at which Hyundai has achieved this target, consider that it only surpassed 50 million vehicles in 2013…

Just the beginning

Hyundai began production with only the Ulsan plant, but it now owns 12 manufacturing facilities in 10 different countries worldwide.

Ulsan was responsible for building the Pony, Hyundai’s first mass-market car, and is now a centre for electrification.

Dong Seock Lee, president and head of domestic production at Hyundai Motor Company, said: “Each and every employee at Hyundai Motor has contributed to the accumulation of 100 million units through their hard work and dedication.

“This auspicious occasion is just the first step toward the future era of electrification that Hyundai Motor will lead.”

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New sustainable petrol passes the BTCC racing test

By

John Redfern

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October 1, 2024

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The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is moving closer to switching all competitors on the grid to sustainable petrol.

It follows a recent successful trial with the synthetic, low-emissions fuel during the Silverstone rounds of the 2024 BTCC series.

Daryl DeLeon used the fuel for the complete race weekend in his Duckhams Racing Cupra Leon, racking up 198 miles of competitive driving.

DeLeon finished every session without suffering any fuel-related issues. His pace was also similar to cars running on the regular control championship fuel.

Same performance, lower emissions

The new BTCC race fuel has been developed by Haltermann Carless. Its Hiperflo ECO102 R100 petrol meets FIA requirements to be classed as a sustainable fuel.

Compared to traditional fossil fuels, the sustainable petrol manages to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent when measured on a wheel-to-well basis.

Should the full BTCC grid adopt the sustainable fuel, CO2 emissions from the series would be reduced by 50,000 kg over an entire season.

Crucially, the Haltermann Carless sustainable fuel is intended to be a ‘pure drop-in solution’, requiring no hardware modifications to existing engines.

Looking to a sustainable future

Alan Gow, chief executive of the BTCC, said: “We are delighted with the significant progress we have made with regard to 100 percent sustainable fuel – working closely alongside Haltermann Carless and our teams – with last weekend’s results representing a significant milestone in the project.

“The development work doesn’t stop here, however, as we actively strive to even further improve the efficiency and performance of the sustainable fuel going forward.

“This is an important and essential step for the BTCC as we continue to look to maintain the competitiveness and excitement synonymous with our championship, but in a more sustainable way.”

As a further test, DeLeon will make use of the sustainable fuel again for this weekend’s BTCC finale at Brands Hatch.

The plan is then to make the sustainable option become the default control fuel for the race series in the near future.

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One-in-six UK motorists class their driving skills as ‘bad’

By

John Redfern

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September 30, 2024

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A new study has revealed the truth about how British motorists assess their own driving abilities.

The survey by Isuzu found that almost one-in-six (15 percent) of respondents rated their driving skills as ‘bad’, with 4 percent admitting they are actually a danger on the roads.

Close to four-in-ten (39 percent) said they struggle with parallel parking, whilst just parking in a bay is problematic for 19 percent of those surveyed.

Remembering to turn headlights on when it gets dark troubles 15 percent of motorists, and 7 percent of respondents said they forget to look for pedestrians.

Driver self-assessment

When it comes to locations with the worst drivers, the study highlighted Cardiff as being the capital of poor driving ability in the UK.

More than one-in-three (35 percent) of those surveyed from the Welsh city graded their driving ability as bad, followed by 33 percent of Londoners, and 31 percent of Liverpudlians.

In contrast, no drivers from Stoke-on-Trent believed they were a bad driver, with only 2 percent of motorists from Nottingham willing to believe their abilities were below standard. Inhabitants of Cambridge (3 percent rated bad), and Edinburgh (4 percent) were similarly self-assured.

Leading reasons cited for being a bad driver included there being too many cars on the road, a factor for more than one-third (36 percent) of those surveyed.

Parking spaces being too small (24 percent), being easily distracted (20 percent), and roads being too small (17 percent) were other leading excuses.

A worrying reality

Road rage was a common factor for those surveyed, with more than half (59 percent) saying they had been shouted at or received rude gestures, because of their poor driving.

Almost one-in-five (19 percent) admitted they have friends or family members who refuse to be a passenger in their car, due to poor driving abilities.

George Wallis, Head of Marketing at Isuzu UK, said: “With over 50 million drivers in Great Britain, it is worrying to think that as many as 7.5 million consider themselves bad drivers. It’s clear from the research that UK motorists face many challenges on all journeys, from smaller roads, tight parking bays and even their own vehicle.”

Perhaps the most telling statistic from the survey was that almost two-thirds (62 percent) of respondents simply wish they were better drivers.

Jaguar Land Rover to invest £500m in Merseyside factory

By

John Redfern

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September 27, 2024

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Vehicle production on Merseyside is set to continue, with Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) confirming a major investment in its Halewood plant.

Some £500 million will be spent on the historic facility, with JLR looking to produce electric vehicles alongside existing combustion-engined and hybrid models.

The investment programme will support JLR’s ‘Reimagine’ strategy, which aims for all of its brands to be electrified by 2030.

In addition, the Reimagine plan should help JLR to achieve ‘carbon net zero’ across its supply chain and production operations by 2039.

Investing for the future

Half of the £500 million investment has already been spent on the Halewood site, with more than one million hours of construction work undertaken during the past year.

Extending the facility by 32,364 square metres, the Merseyside factory now features dedicated electric car production lines, which are supported by 750 autonomous robots.

This ‘factory of the future’ will be used to build mid‑sized luxury electric SUVs, making use of JLR’s new Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) platform.

Other work includes the creation of a new body shop capable of producing 500 vehicle bodies every day. The final production line has also been extended from 2.5 miles to 3.7 miles to accommodate battery fitment.

JLR technology transfers

Tailoring the Halewood site to accommodate electric vehicle production has seen build stations extended in length, along with 40 new autonomous mobile robots to assist employees with fitting high‑voltage batteries.

JLR has also delivered high voltage training to more than 1,600 employees at the factory.

Following the end of combustion-powered vehicle production at JLR’s Castle Bromwich site, equipment has been transferred to Halewood.

Some £16 million worth of production technology has now moved to Merseyside, including articulated robots and automated guided vehicles.

A site for ‘world-class luxury EVs‘

Barbara Bergmeier, executive director at JLR, commented: “Halewood will be our first all-electric production facility, and it is a testament to the brilliant efforts by our teams and suppliers who have worked together to equip the plant with the technology needed to deliver our world-class luxury electric vehicles.”

First opened in October 1963 by Ford, the Halewood site was originally used to build the Anglia. This was followed by the Ford Corsair, Escort and Capri, until production shifted to the Jaguar X-Type in 2001.

More recently, Halewood has been responsible for manufacturing the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport.

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Armoured Skoda Kodiaq is resistant to bullets and grenades

By

John Redfern

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September 27, 2024

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A collaboration between Skoda and security experts UTAC Special Vehicles has resulted in a special armoured version of the Kodiaq.

Developed as a joint project, the Kodiaq Armoured is based upon the previous, first-generation SUV, produced from 2017 until earlier this year.

An array of modifications means the Skoda Kodiaq Armoured is fully certified to meet PAS 300 and PAS 301 Civilian Armoured Vehicle standards.

It follows an armoured version of the Skoda Superb Estate, launched in 2018, which has sold more than 500 examples around the world.

Multiple layers of safety

UTAC Special Vehicles has applied extensive modifications to the passenger compartment of the Kodiaq, although the exact details of these have (understandably) been kept secret.

Bullet-resistant glass is used, along with armoured steel protection, allowing the modified Kodiaq to absorb the impacts of bullets and explosions.

Testing for the Kodiaq Armoured saw the Skoda SUV subjected to more than 200 rounds of ammunition. This included attacks from both handguns and assault rifles, with the Kodiaq also evaluated on its ability to protect against grenades and high explosives.

All four wheels of the Kodiaq Armoured are fitted with a tyre retention system. This allows the Skoda to keep driving in the event of a puncture, with the tyre prevented from leaving the rim even when fully deflated.

Unassuming protection

With the additional protection adding to the Kodiaq’s kerb weight, both the suspension and brakes have been upgraded to suit this armoured model.

Buyers can choose from a host of powertrain options, along with all-wheel drive. Offered in five-seat format, the Kodiaq Armoured comes with an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen offering satellite navigation, plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity.

Blue lights and a siren are included, too. In non-armoured form, the Skoda Kodiaq has become a popular choice for emergency services, including various police forces.

A price for the Skoda Kodiaq Armoured has not been provided. However, the previous Superb Armoured started from more than £118,000.

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Mini owners can now play the Uno card game in their car

By

John Redfern

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September 26, 2024

0

Owners of the latest Mini models with an OLED central touchscreen can now enjoy access to one of the world’s most famous card games.

A collaboration between the BMW Group, Mattel and AirConsole means in-car gaming has arrived in new Mini cars and SUVs.

The launch of the AirConsole Games version of Uno for the Mini brand follows a similar roll-out for BMW models last month – after a public debut at the Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany.

Some 500,000 BMW and Mini owners will soon be able to play Uno, as the popular card game is introduced across the range.

Cards in the car

Mini owners with the latest Operating System 9, plus a Mini Connected data package, should have access to the AirConsole Games application. This allows up to four players to connect their smartphones to the central OLED display, making use of a QR code that appears on the screen.

Sensibly, the AirConsole Games application is only available to be used when the car is parked.

“Uno beautifully illustrates the strengths of AirConsole with a game accessible to everyone, a bespoke integration to the car hardware and our phone-controlled gaming experience,” said Anthony Cliquot, CEO of AirConsole.

“Each player can secretly see their own cards on their phone while playing on the infotainment system of the car. This is an experience that would be impossible to achieve using only touchscreen or Bluetooth controls on the infotainment system.”

New in-car entertainment options

In-car gaming continues to be a growing trend with vehicle manufacturers. For example, Tesla now offers owners the ability to play directly through the YouTube application. And buyers of the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, when fitted with the Individualisation Package, are able to play Tetris and Sudoku.

Electrification is likely to further increase the take-up of in-car games, increasing the number of ways to pass the time while charging batteries.

“We continue to increase the value of the overall digital experience for our customers,” said Stephan Durach, senior vice president of the BMW Group Development Connected Company.

“Our partners AirConsole and Mattel are helping make in-car gaming into a new social experience, and I am thrilled to offer a family-favourite game like Uno for this exciting innovation.”

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Americans are going wild for Volkswagen’s special ketchup

By

John Redfern

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September 26, 2024

0

Volkswagen enthusiasts in North America have jumped at the chance to own one of the marque’s most famous European products.

However, this special offering is not a hot hatchback or other limited edition car, but a bottle of ketchup.

Used to accompany the currywurst sausage made by Volkswagen since 1973, more than 500,000kg of the branded sauce is produced and sold each year.

Now, to help celebrate Volkswagen’s 75th anniversary in the United States, fans have been given a chance to try the special ketchup.

The inspiration to import the ketchup came from a story shared by Pennsylvania-based Volkswagen fan, Jamie Orr.

Having visited numerous Volkswagen events in Europe, Orr kept bringing back samples of the famous sauce to the United States to share with friends. His commitment to ketchup saw Volkswagen take notice.

“This year we’re celebrating more than a big anniversary of selling cars,” said Rachael Zaluzec, senior vice president of marketing at Volkswagen of America.

“We’re celebrating stories, memories, passion, and all the fun and unexpected things that make Volkswagen the brand we are today —things like our Gewürz Ketchup Brand condiment.”

Coming to America

Offered through Volkswagen’s DriverGear website, the VW Gewürz Ketchup Brand was made available for free. The initial shipment of sauce was snapped up almost instantly, such is the level of enthusiasm from North American fans.

Volkswagen’s ketchup caused controversy in 2018, when the company chose a new supplier to produce its currywurst sauce.

A change in flavour caused uproar amongst VW employees, where the sauce is offered in canteens at more than 15 different factories.

Those in the United States will get another chance to taste the Volkswagen ketchup next month, when it makes an appearance at the ChainFEST gourmet food event in Los Angeles.

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Price cuts across the range

Save money on charging, too

Fly me to the moon

Dancing in the moonlight

Up to 361 miles of range

Packing in plenty of tech

Time to Czech the Elroq out

Record-breaking production speed

Just the beginning

Same performance, lower emissions

Looking to a sustainable future

Driver self-assessment

A worrying reality

Investing for the future

JLR technology transfers

A site for ‘world-class luxury EVs‘

Multiple layers of safety

Unassuming protection

Cards in the car

New in-car entertainment options

Sharing the special sauce

Coming to America