Month: December 2023

Bugatti has shown off its latest bespoke hypercar, which was a husband’s gift to his wife for her 70th birthday.

The Chiron Super Sport, costing more than £3m and produced in limited numbers, is already a rare car on its own. But one customer had a dream to create a bespoke version based on a highly rare and valuable Bugatti – a one-of-four Type 57 SC Atlantic – she had seen 20 years earlier at the Mullin Automotive Museum in California.

The unnamed customer – based in the US – invited his wife for her 70th birthday to visit Bugatti’s headquarters in Molsheim, France, where she would remember the first time she’d seen the classic car and sit down with Jascha Straub, lead designer at Bugatti’s special ‘Sur Mesure’ division. Over a year, the idea would come to reality, with a host of details created to make this a true ‘one-off’ Bugatti.

Straub said: “During her visit, when we passed a scale model of the Type 57 SC – the very first Atlantic and the exact one she had seen all those years ago – there was an immediate spark of recognition between us that this is the direction we should take.

“The customer’s enthusiasm and active engagement throughout the whole design process were a constant source of inspiration. Her perspective, rooted in a profound respect for Bugatti’s heritage, and driven by a desire to craft an authentic homage, guided us in creating a vehicle that stands at the intersection of history and innovative engineering.”

Painted in the same silver-blue colour as the classic 1930s Bugatti, the modern-day Chiron also features a unique ‘horseshoe’ grille that harks back to the original. Polished five-spoke alloy wheels are also used for the Chiron, along with a range of chrome accents. The underside of the car’s spoiler also features a hand-drawn silhouette of the Atlantic.

The personalisation continues to the interior, with a ‘Gaucho’ leather selected, and a hand-stitched silhouette of the classic car on the door panels and centre console.

The Super Sport is one of the more extreme versions of Bugatti’s Chiron hypercar, and was made following the firm breaking through the 300mph barrier. It features an extended body, with its mighty 8.0-litre W12 engine producing 1,578bhpand enabling a top speed limited to 273mph.

Bugatti says the ‘57 One of One’, as this Chiron is named, will ‘achieve the same iconic status as its predecessor’ in the coming years, but that the customer is currently ‘enjoying her Bugatti driving experience’ on a US grand tour.

The blowing up of an ultra low emission zone (Ulez) camera was “grotesquely irresponsible”, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s spokesman said.

Counter-terror police are leading an investigation after the camera was damaged in an explosion in Sidcup, south-east London, on Wednesday night.

The incident, which is not being treated as terrorism, is believed to have been a “deliberate act”, according to the Metropolitan Police.

A spokesman for Mr Khan said: “This grotesquely irresponsible behaviour puts both lives and property at risk.

“Police are rightly investigating this dangerous and reckless act.”

Mr Khan’s decision to expand the Ulez area to cover the whole of London from August 29 has sparked a surge in vandalism of the scheme’s cameras, which use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to identify vehicles.

People who drive in the Ulez area in a vehicle that does not meet minimum emissions standards are liable for a £12.50 daily fee.

The Metropolitan Police said a “low-sophistication improvised explosive device (IED)” damaged a camera in Willersley Avenue, Sidcup, at around 6.45pm on Wednesday.

No-one was injured but vehicles and a residential property also suffered damage.

The camera, which was installed earlier that day, was cut down around one-and-a-half hours before the explosion.

Detectives are “keeping an open mind as to whether or not there is a connection between the camera being cut down and the planting of the explosive device”, the Metropolitan Police said.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry said: “It is extremely concerning that an explosive device seems to have been deliberately placed in a public place.

“This could have very easily resulted in members of the public being very seriously injured.

“Because of the seriousness of this incident, we are making urgent inquiries to try and identify anyone involved, and officers with specialist expertise and capability from our Counter Terrorism Command are leading the investigation.

“This was an extremely dangerous incident that could have resulted in innocent members of the public being injured or worse.

“If you have any information that could assist our investigation, then I would urge you to get in touch immediately.”

The remains of an IED are being forensically examined and officers are examining CCTV footage from the area.

No arrests have been made.

Police are advising anyone who sees “suspicious activity or a suspicious device on or nearby to a Ulez” camera not to approach it and to call 999 immediately.

Figures released by the Met in November showed nearly 1,000 crimes linked to Ulez cameras being stolen or vandalised have been recorded in the past seven months.

The vast majority of drivers feel safer behind the wheel in a car fitted with advanced safety systems but nearly half would be happy to buy a model without them fitted, a new survey has found.

Advanced Driver Safety Systems (ADAS) are fitted to many of the latest cars on sale and include a variety of different features including active lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring and speed limit recognition. However, more than a third of drivers admitted to deliberately switching off some of these features because they were ‘annoying’.

The survey of 7,125 drivers by What Car? found that 42 per cent of respondents had ADAS technology in their cars. A similar number of people had none of this technology fitted to their cars, while 17 per cent were unsure whether or not their vehicle had ADAS functions.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, said: “While most drivers feel safer with advanced driver assistance technologies in their cars, a significant proportion have switched them off at some point, suggesting these systems often aren’t as user friendly or intuitive as motorists would like.

“With ADAS due to become mandatory in new cars from July 2024, it will be all the more important that safety bodies like Euro NCAP not only make it clear to car buyer’s how effective each manufacturer’s ADAS tech is, but also whether or not it’s frustrating to use.”

While 58 per cent of those with ADAS-equipped cars said that they felt safer with them fitted, just 34 per cent would rule out a car if it wasn’t fitted with them while 47 per cent said that they would be happy to buy a vehicle which didn’t have ADAS if it meant paying less. That figure rose to 66 per cent for drivers who don’t currently own a car with ADAS systems.

The UK has installed its 10,000th rapid electric vehicle charger, according to a leading device mapping provider.

New data from Zapmap suggests that the 10,000th charge point was installed at Sedbergh Leisure Centre in Bradford as part of the GeniePoint network of charging stations. It now means that there are over 10,000 rapid and ultra-rapid charging devices installed across 5,000 locations nationwide.

These high-output chargers are able to top-up an electric vehicle quickly, with some of the speediest devices able to take a compatible EV from 10 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes. The power rating of charge points being installed is increasing, according to Zapmap, with devices of 100kW or more becoming ‘increasingly prevalent’.

At the end of 2020, there were just 788 devices capable of delivering 100kW of power or more in the UK. As of December 2023, this number has risen to 4,504 devices making up 45 per cent of the total number of high-powered devices installed in the UK.

💥The UK has passed the significant milestone of 10,000 high-powered charge points, across 5,000 locations.

⚡️The 10,000th point is a rapid device installed at #Sedbergh Leisure Centre in #Bradford, and is part of the @GeniePointEV network.

See more 👉 https://t.co/5lHcWUdZvz pic.twitter.com/Mb99p0qiwO

— Zapmap (@zap_map) December 7, 2023

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder & COO at Zapmap, said: “Hitting the 10,000 high-powered charging devices mark is really important for electric car drivers across the country. Having surpassed 8,000 rapid and ultra-rapid devices as recently as May 2023, it’s fantastic to see this latest milestone arrive just in time for Christmas.

“The availability of more than 5,000 charging locations with rapid or ultra-rapid chargers spread right across the country, many of which are hubs, will give drivers confidence to drive electric wherever they go during the festive period.”

This milestone doesn’t account for slower devices which can be a better option for longer stops in an electric vehicle. As of November 2023, there were 53,029 individual chargers of all speeds placed at 30,853 locations. Last month, 1,513 new electric chargers were added to Zapmap’s charging database.

As long-term car loans go, they don’t get much better than six months with an Audi RS6.

As my colleagues will testify, I can usually find at least one thing to moan about most cars – but when it comes to this mighty estate I can honestly say I struggle to find a bad word to say about it.

For me, an RS6 is about as perfect as cars can get. You get the practicality of an SUV with a huge boot that swallows pretty much anything you throw at it, but all coupled with excellent driving dynamics, handling and supercar power.

I’ve never been a huge fan of SUVs that seem to dominate the best-selling car charts and have always favoured the humble estate. In fact, were it my own money I was shelling out on a family car, a powerful performance load lugger like this would be top of my list.

What I really love about the Audi is the fact that while it might have 591bhp under the bonnet and the ability to hit 60mph in 3.6 seconds – which, for the record, is faster than a Ferrari 360 – it can still be wonderfully sedate when you want it to be.

When you’ve got a baby in a child seat in the back, and the rest of the family along for the ride, it’s good to know that the RS6 can behave itself with a compliant ride and wafting acceleration rather than always being an unruly racer.

To be honest, I rarely test the car’s potent acceleration for fear of losing my licence. That’s why it sometimes comes as a bit of a surprise quite how much oomph it’s packing when I do need it at a busy junction, or when joining a fast-flowing motorway.

The only time I’m really reminded of the 4.0-litre V8 propelling me around is when I glance down at the average fuel economy. On a recent trip into London, I was achieving a painful 9mpg in traffic. Yes, it made me wince too.

However, on longer journeys – one to Leeds and that same aforementioned trip to London – the Audi has managed to top 30mpg on the motorway. It manages this by shutting off the engine and coasting when it can. That said, I still fill up the 70-litre petrol tank all too frequently at wallet-punishing prices.

However, as a family-friendly car, the RS6 works brilliantly. The child car seat fits onto the ISOFIX points in the back with plenty of space to spare for the front seat passenger, and the cavernous boot has swallowed pushchair and baby accompaniments on many occasions without trouble.

I’ve had a few warning lights illuminate on the dash in recent weeks, but thankfully nothing serious. The first was a low oil level light which meant some urgent addition of some Mobil 1, while the second was low tyre pressures. The latter I put down to the recent cold snap, but I have topped them up nonetheless.

There are lots of other little things to love about the Audi that all add up to make it a great car to live with. The infotainment system is first class with the excellent integration of wireless CarPlay, a real boon.

I’m also a big fan of the memory seats. My better half is roughly half my height. Ok, that might be pushing it, but every time I get in after she’s been driving the RS6, I smack my knees on the steering wheel and head butt the sun visor. Fortunately, the memory seat button puts the seat and steering wheel back into my favoured position swiftly – I just wish it would adjust the rear view mirror too.

The sound system is monumentally good and the haptic feedback touch screens – of which it has two – are great to use and display information clearly. Everything is so intuitive to use that you only really notice how good it is when you try to use a system in another car. Few have lived up to the ease of the Audi.

I was reminded of quite how good the RS6 was during a recent swap into a Bentley Flying Spur test car. While from the same manufacturing stable, I found the Bentley incredibly uncomfortable to drive compared to the Audi and the tech far less simple to use. And despite its far bigger proportions, I would say the RS6 was capable of carrying more.

While the Bentley might have a luxury badge, and cost twice as much as the RS6, I was frankly quite glad to get back in my Audi. And if anything speaks of a long-term test car’s brilliance, it’s that.

Next up for the RS6 is my annual pilgrimage to the Alps. I’ll be adding roof bars, top box and winter tyres for the trip and am nearly as excited about driving it down there as I am for the snow. I’ll report back on how that trip goes next time.

Facts at a glance
Model: Audi RS6
Price as tested: £106,020
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 591bhp
Torque: 800Nm
0-60mph: 3.6 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
MPG: 22.4mpg (combined)
Emissions: 286g/km CO2
Mileage: 12,876

November was another strong month for the new car market, with sales returning to pre-pandemic levels for the first time.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that 156,625 new cars were registered last month – 9.5 per cent more than a year earlier. Fleet registrations continue to drive this growth, with almost 60 per cent of sales being to fleets in November.

But what are the new cars that are proving most popular? Let’s take a look at the 10 best-sellers in November.

1. Ford Puma – 4,298 registrations

After a shaky few years in the new car market, Ford looks to have found its feet once again with the Puma crossover, which was the most popular car in November, with 4,298 registrations. It looks set to become the UK’s most popular car overall for the full year as well.

Now that the Fiesta has been discontinued, the Puma is the obvious choice for Ford buyers looking for the most affordable model from the Blue Oval, with its smart styling and enjoyable driving experience giving plenty of reasons to consider it.

2. Vauxhall Corsa – 4,185

Vauxhall has just introduced a facelifted version of its Corsa, and it’s clear this is having minimal impact on its sales, with this supermini being the second most popular car in November with 4,185 registrations.

The Corsa’s latest refresh gives the car a new front-end design, bringing it in line with the rest of the Vauxhall line-up, along with more technology and in the case of the electric version, a longer range of up to 246 miles.

3. Nissan Qashqai – 4,116

The British-built Nissan Qashqai continues to be a hugely popular choice in the family car segment, with 4,116 examples of this crossover being registered last month. Fleet sales are particularly strong for it, too.

The Qashqai’s mix of style, practicality and generous equipment levels make it one of the best SUVs in its class, while the addition of the e-Power hybrid model makes it a good fit for those looking to make the first step into something electrified.

4. Mini – 3,528

A new generation of Mini might be arriving in 2024, but that’s not stopping sales for the existing version of this well-loved hatchback, which was the fourth most popular car in November, with 3,528 registrations.

Even as the Mini Hatch gets on in terms of age, it remains the most stylish and fun-to-drive car in its class. The Electric version, despite its small range of around 145 miles, continues to sell well too, particularly in urban areas.

5. Ford Kuga – 3,202

Ford had a strong month in November, with two of the five most popular cars coming from the firm. Its larger Kuga SUV had a strong month, with 3,302 registrations.

This Nissan Qashqai rival continues to be a hit with families that value its practical interior and generous equipment levels. Ford also offers both a hybrid and plug-in hybrid on the Kuga, with these two versions being particularly popular.

6. Kia Sportage – 3,045

Kia’s Sportage is now a regular in the list of top 10 cars and continues to help drive this South Korean brand’s growth in the UK. Just over 3,000 Sportages were registered during November, too.

There’s a lot to like about the Sportage, including its modern interior and exterior and impressively spacious interior. The good availability of electrified versions continues to make it a hit, as does Kia’s fantastic seven-year warranty.

7. Vauxhall Mokka – 2,917

Reflective of the sharp increase in small SUVs, Vauxhall’s Mokka has continued to grow in popularity during 2023, with just shy of 3,000 examples registered in November.

The Mokka’s striking design continues to prove popular with buyers, as does its efficient engines and smart interior. There’s also the option of an electric version, while Vauxhall is expected to introduce an updated version in the next few months.

8. MG HS – 2,734

MG is a car firm that continues to grow, with strong sales for pretty much all its cars, including its many electric models. But in November, it was the mid-size HS SUV that proved the most popular, with 2,734 examples being sold.

The key attraction to the HS is its value for money, with a £23,495 starting price significantly undercutting rivals. A recent facelift has helped to freshen up the HS’ styling, while there’s also the option of a plug-in hybrid version.

9. Volkswagen Golf – 2,733

Volkswagen’s Golf is the kind of car that can be mentioned anywhere and instantly imagined. The ever-popular hatch entered its eighth generation in 2020 and, despite being hampered initially by Covid-related shutdowns, has only gone from strength to strength in terms of sales.

Available in a variety of guises including efficient-yet-sporty GTE and out-and-out performance R, the Golf continues to hit the mark for all different types of drivers.

10. Audi A3 – 2,726

Few cars have the all-rounder appeal of the Audi A3, which has been the German firm’s core hatchback for decades now. These days, the A3 is more tech-heavy than ever with loads of great features inside pulled together with Audi’s traditionally strong sense of build quality.

There are loads of engines to choose from with the A3, too, including an efficient plug-in hybrid which can help reduce monthly running costs.

Toyota will enter the large commercial market for the first time with its new Proace Max

The van will arrive in dealerships in 2024 and be available in diesel and pure-electric forms, along with a wide variety of body configurations. Toyota says the electric version will have class-leading range and load-carrying capability.

The new Proace comes through the Japanese manufacturer’s tie-up with Stellantis and is based on a model first launched in 2006, which currently comes in Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and Vauxhall forms. Toyota’s other two Proace vans are also based on Stellantis platforms.

Under the bonnet lies the choice of a 2.2-litre diesel with 138bhp with six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic gearboxes, and a battery electric powertrain.

The electric version is powered by a 268bhp electric motor and a 110kWh battery, giving it a best-in-class electric range of up to 261 miles WLTP tested – that’s more than the recently revealed Renault Master E-Tech Electric and some of the Proace’s Stellantis sister vans. The Proace Max also gets 11kW AC charging and an 80 per cent top-up can be completed in 55 minutes thanks to 150kW DC charging.

Along with a class-leading EV driving range, the Proace also leads the way in load and towing capabilities, says Toyota. It has a 17m2 maximum volume, 1,800kg payload and 2,000kg towing capacity.

The Proace will come in four different sizes based on two wheelbase options, three different lengths and two heights. Specialist Toyota Professional dealerships will also be able to order factory-built variants including tippers, drop-side versions, crew cab models, and chassis cabs.

Two trim levels will be available with top spec versions featuring a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a smartphone app allowing owners to monitor range data and lock and unlock the van.

Toyota has also updated its Proace and Proace City vans with both getting an electric range boost – 217 miles on a full charge for the Proace while the smaller Proace City can now travel up to 201 miles. Both also get a new front-end styling.

Prices for Toyota’s new van range will be announced at a later date.

New car registrations grew by 9.5 per cent in November as figures closed in on reaching pre-pandemic levels.

Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that 156,525 vehicles were registered during the month, down by just 96 units on pre-pandemic 2019’s sales.

Growth was largely pushed through by fleets ‘investing in the latest vehicles’ according to the SMMT, with registrations in this area growing by 25.4 per cent to account for 94,049 vehicles and a 59.4 per cent share of the market as a whole.

Fleets fuel new car market but only four weeks left to fix EV trade challengehttps://t.co/LcV2Ktr7Zl pic.twitter.com/19X440iGtU

— SMMT (@SMMT) December 5, 2023

Private demand, meanwhile, fell by 5.9 per cent to 60,506 registrations, while business uptake dropped by 32.7 per cent to 2,970 units.

The picture for the market overall looks good, however, with year-to-date figures up 18.76 at 1.762 million units as the segment continues recovering steadily over a period of 16 months.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Britain’s new car market continues to recover, fuelled by fleets investing in the latest and greenest new vehicles. With car makers gearing up to meet their responsibilities under new market legislation, and COP28 currently underway, now is the time to take sensible steps that will multiply that economic growth and minimise carbon emissions.”

The SMMT’s figures show that November proved fruitful for both hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles which saw rises of 27.8 and 55.8 to 20,525 and 15,871 units respectively.

New car registrations reach 156,525 – up 9.5% on last November and just -0.1% down on pre-pandemic levels.https://t.co/LcV2Ktr7Zl pic.twitter.com/9v9JCqHYAm

— SMMT (@SMMT) December 5, 2023

Demand for electric vehicles continues to remain largely within the fleet segment, as of the 24,359 new electric vehicles delivered during November 77.4 per cent were taken on by fleets or businesses. Overall battery-electric vehicle sales fell by 17.1 per cent in the month, though the SMMT says that this was ‘atypical’ and put it down to a surge in electric registrations in November 2022 following supply-chain disruption.

Year-to-date figures show that electric vehicle registrations are up 27.5 per cent with a 16.3 per cent market share and the SMMT expects this to rise to 22.3 per cent next year.

Hawes added: “Private EV buyers need incentives in line with those that have so successfully driven business uptake – and workable trade rules that promote rather than penalise the transition.”

The first Tesla Cybertrucks have been delivered to customers, with the futuristic-looking model bringing a range of up to 340 miles and a claimed ability to be completely bulletproof.

Revealed at a customer delivery event where the initial models were handed to their new owners, the Cybertruck was first revealed in prototype form back in November 2019 where it was promised that production would begin.

The first production model was shown in July this year, but is only now that production has commenced in earnest with Tesla boss Elon Musk stating that “I think it’s our best product.”

Tesla claims that the Cybertruck will return up to 340 miles from a single charge, while a top-level tri-motor setup will deliver 845bhp and a 0-60mph time of 2.6 seconds. However, a regular version with ‘just’ 600bhp and two motors instead of three will also be available.

First Cybertruck deliveries in 2 hours! https://t.co/IY2bzUKbUI

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 30, 2023

Equipped with adaptive air suspension the Cybertruck is claimed to be ‘built for any planet’ while 35-inch all-terrain tyres and 17 inches of ground clearance should enable it to tackle larger obstacles. It also features locking differentials for even better capability off-road. All-wheel-steering – which effectively helps to shorten its wheelbase – means that the Cybertruck should have a far smaller turning circle than a typical car of its size.

Its stainless steel exterior helps it to resist corrosion while Tesla says that this material is easy to repair with dents and low-level damage simple to sort. The shatter-resistant glass is said to be able to resist ‘the impact of a baseball at 70mph’, too.

The Cybertruck still remains unavailable to order fully, though customers can place a $100 (£77) deposit in order to reserve a build slot.