One of the firm’s last combustion-powered models gets updated and replaces the First Edition variants.
Lotus has revealed updates to one of its last combustion-powered models, with its Emira sports car.
The Emira first went on sale back in 2022 and rivals cars like the Alpine A110 and Porsche Cayman.
Now, for 2025, Lotus has decided to give the range of its sports car a refresh and has ditched the First Edition trims and moved to a more conventional, Turbo, Turbo SE and V6.
The Emira Turbo features the four-cylinder turbocharged 360bhp engine and eight-speed DCT gearbox. Standard features include 20-inch 10-spoke lightweight alloy wheels, ‘Emira Turbo’ badging, black brake callipers, black leather interior and 12-way electric seats.
The range now consists of Turbo, Turbo SE and V6. (Lotus)
The Turbo SE has increased power, and now packs 400bhp and an extra 50Nm of torque at 430Nm. This model also comes with the Lotus Driver’s Pack as standard which includes sports suspension, uprated cross drilled ventilated, two-piece brake discs with six-piston calipers as well as launch control.
The V6 models come with a limited-slip differential on the manual versions as well as Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres.
Newly appointed president and CEO of Lotus Cars, Dan Balmer, said: “We are thrilled to announce the addition of new variants to the award winning Emira, one of the most successful Lotus models to date. In 2025, the Emira range will extend to meet wider customer needs while retaining the brand’s DNA and driving dynamics Lotus is renowned for.”
Prices are yet to be revealed, but order books will open from the beginning of next year.
With Skoda’s latest one-off 470bhp Superb estate, what other family wagons have been given some extra performance over the years?
The practical family estate car isn’t as popular as it once was. Sadly, due to the rise of SUVs, saloons and estates are now often overlooked by families. However, in the past several manufacturers have given parents the opportunity to drive with some hidden performance if they did choose this option.
These cars are known as ‘sleeper estates’. It essentially means that it’s an estate car with very discrete looks so it blends in anonymously amongst the crowd, but has a large and powerful engine strapped to the front.
This year, Skoda unveiled a one-off example of its popular Superb estate – but with a twist. On the outside it looked nothing more than a practical family wagon, but under its bonnet features a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine from the standard car, but has been completely reworked by specialists at RE Performance.
The company fitted a larger turbocharged and beefier intercooler to make the engine produce 470bhp – a 194bhp power upgrade. The car also features an upgraded exhaust system, four-wheel-drive, sports suspension and uprated sports brakes and six-piston calipers.
Just like a hot hatchback, they offer drawback free motoring in the sense that they are fast and comfortable, but also are great at taking the kids to school, carrying flat-pack furniture and going on holiday.
Here’s a list of estate cars that are packing powerful performance – but you might not have realised on first glance.
Mercedes E55 Estate
The E55 Estate comes with seven seats and 701Nm of torque. (Mercedes)
It may look like a traditional Mercedes E-Class Estate, but the E55 is carrying a very special engine under that anonymous exterior design.
Powering the car is a 5.4-litre supercharged V8 that puts out 475bhp and 701Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 155mph and 0-60mph is dealt with in just 4.1 seconds.
What’s more, the E55 Estate comes with the added benefit of two extra seats – making it a seven-seater.
BMW M5 Touring
The old M5 Touring comes with a 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V10 engine. (BMW)
BMW has just launched a new Touring estate version of its latest M5, but did you know back in the mid to late 00s, the E61 version of the M5 was also offered in an estate format?
Sold in very limited numbers, the car utilises the same 5.0-litre naturally-aspirated V10 power plant as in the saloon car. This gives the car a total power output of up to 514bhp and a top speed of 155mph.
Its boot space also stands at 535 litres or 1,650 litres when the rear bench is folded down – making this family rocketship even more practical than the saloon car that it’s based upon.
Volvo 850R
The 850R is a touring car for the road. (Volvo)
Back in the 1990s, Volvo decided to bring its very successful touring cars onto the road and that is how the Volvo 850R was created.
It looks like an anonymous Volvo brick, but lying beneath that very long bonnet is a 2.3-litre turbocharged inline five engine that produces 246bhp and 350Nm of torque. Not as much as some of the German cars on this list, but back in the day, this was seen as a very quick and capable car that would have anybody fooled out on the road.
Volvo estate cars always have gigantic boot spaces, and the 850R is no exception here. With all the seats up in place, there is a total of 941 litres and with the back seats folded down, that space increases to 1,586 litres.
Mercedes C63 Estate
The C63 comes with V8 power and rear-wheel-drive. (Mercedes)
Just like the bigger E55 Estate, the C63 Estate uses a big engine in a small estate car package.
However, fast forward a few years after the E55 ceased production and Mercedes began to drop supercharging in favour of naturally-aspirated engines, which then led to turbocharging.
The C63 utilises a 6.3-litre naturally-aspirated engine that gives out 451bhp and can do 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds. Its top speed is 155mph and the car is also rear-wheel-drive.
In terms of boot space, the estate version offers up to 485 litres and that expands even further to 1,500 litres when the rear seats are pushed down – making it ideal for those tips runs and trips to Ikea.
Audi S6 Avant
The S6 Avant from 2006 comes with a Lamborghini-derived V10 engine. (Audi)
The final car on this list is from Audi and its S6 Avant that went on sale back in 2006. What makes this car special is the fact that it is the exact definition of a ‘sleeper’. The exterior styling doesn’t look too dissimilar to a standard A6, and yet under the bonnet lives a 5.2-litre V10 engine out of a Lamborghini.
It comes fitted with Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system as well as the engine putting out 429bhp and 539Nm of torque. The car can go onto a top speed of 155mph and can do 0-60mph in just five seconds.
Its boot space stands at 565 litres or 1,660 litres, making it one of the most practical cars on this list.
The GR Supra went on sale in 2019 and this limited edition version will be a send-off model before production seizes.
Toyota Gazoo Racing has revealed the last chapter in the GR Supra’s story with the A90 Final Edition.
The car will have a limited production run of just 300 units worldwide and features a host of extras compared to the standard car.
Under the bonnet, the car will utilise a 3.0-litre straight-six engine but it has been tweaked to make 429bhp, compared to 381bhp on the normal model.
The exterior features matte black wheels, a cooling vent on the bonnet and a ducktail rear spoiler. (Toyota Gazoo Racing)
Toyota has yet to announce the performance figures and whether they will be greater than the regular Supra.
The exterior has received some beefier modifications such as matte black wheels, a ducktail carbon fibre rear spoiler – which is reminiscent of the Supra GT4 racer – front wheel arch flaps to help with aerodynamics and a cooling vent located on the bonnet.
Inside, features carbon fibre bucket seats. (Toyota Gazoo Racing)
Inside, the focused theme continues with the driver’s seat featuring leather and GR-embroidered Alcantara on the carbon fibre bucket seats, red seat belts, Alcantara steering wheel and manual versions come with an Alcantara shift knob.
The GR Supra A90 Final Edition will be available in Japan, Europe and the UK from next year. But, Toyota is yet to announce prices, but it’s expected to cost northwards of £60,000 – which is the price of the standard 3.0-litre car that it replaces.
The firm’s first EV will bring the best off-road capability and will keep its luxurious nature.
Land Rover has unveiled a series of images of its upcoming electric Range Rover being tested in Dubai.
The car itself looks almost identical to the combustion-powered car with a few subtle changes. In typical EV fashion, the front radiator grille has gone and in its place is a smoothed-off front end, while the charging flap is electrically operated and slides left to right to reveal a CCS charging port.
On the face of it, the Range Rover Electric looks almost identical to the petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid models, bringing it closer into line styling-wise as the more ‘traditional’ versions.
This new Electric version will also sit on the same Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) as the standard cars as well.
Further details regarding its battery size, technology and performance are yet to be announced.
The Range Rover Electric will sit on the same platform as the combustion engined examples. (Land Rover)
Thomas Muller, executive director for product engineering, said: “A hot climate is one of the most challenging for any battery-electric vehicle, because of the need to cool the cabin and optimise battery performance at the same time. The additional challenge of driving and sand requires controlled low-speed torque, so our specially developed traction control and thermal management systems work in harmony to ensure power delivery is unaffected.
“Our tests have shown that in this climate, repeatedly driving the equivalent of 100 metres uphill on fine sand, Range Rover Electric matches the performance of its ICE equivalents; in some instances even surpassing them – thanks to the introduction of these new features.”
Prices and further details are yet to be announced, but it’s likely that the Electric Range Rover will carry a premium over the standard car which starts at £104,025.
The automotive industry is undergoing some of the biggest changes, and the ZEV mandate is one of the toughest challenges it has ever faced.
Climate change is one of the most spoken about and important agendas in the political and environmental calendars. One way the UK is hoping to make an impact is by decarbonising our roads.
The UK initially had a plan to ban the sale of new internal-combustion-engined vehicles by the year 2040. This meant that only the sale of electric and hydrogen fuel cell models would be allowed.
However, after numerous changes such as bringing that deadline forward to 2035 and even further still to 2030 – it’s clear that the UK government wants us all to move over to electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles sooner rather than later.
Its latest policy is the ZEV mandate, which was introduced this year. Although we’ve heard this numerous times throughout the automotive industry, what does it actually mean? Will it affect petrol and diesel car sales in the future? And, what can we expect going forward after this year?
In the last week, Ford has announced job cuts of up to 800 employees while Vauxhall has just announced that it will be shuttering its Luton van factory – which will close in April 2025 putting 1,100 jobs at risk.
We’ve answered some of your questions to find out more about what’s going on with Britain’s ZEV mandate.
What is the ZEV mandate?
Firstly, the acronym ‘ZEV’ stands for ‘Zero Emission Vehicle’ and the mandate has been put in place to help speed up the transition to a mass adoption of EVs here in the UK.
Launched this year, the government set a target for every mainstream vehicle manufacturer for their respective sales targets. Every brand must sell at least a 22 per cent share of EVs to comply with the policy and if the firm fails to meet that target, it will be fined up to £15,000 for every vehicle it sells that doesn’t meet the criteria.
Car companies such as Peugeot and Vauxhall now offer an electric variant of every model in their range – giving the two brands a greater advantage in hitting those targets. However, in contrast, Toyota only sells the bZ4x electric SUV, putting it in greater danger of being affected by any large fines.
Will it change as the 2030 combustion date closes in?
Currently, yes. At the moment, the policy states that in 2024, all car manufacturers must meet a 22 per cent of EV sales minimum. However, 2025 will see the target rise even further to 28 per cent and then it jumps to 52 per cent in 2028 and then even further still to 80 per cent by 2030.
By the year 2035, the government wants a 100 per cent battery-electric vehicle fleet on the new car market – meaning that you will no longer be able to purchase a new petrol, diesel, hybrid or even plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Will it affect me buying an internal combustion-engined vehicle?
It could potentially. Sales and demand for EVs this year have been slower than expected and in order for the industry to meet those tough targets from the ZEV mandate, certain car manufacturers have been in talks about limiting the production of their combustion models in favour of offering the consumer the electric alternative in order to boost electric car sales. However, you’ll still be able to buy used petrol and diesel cars.
Are car manufacturers sticking to an all-electric future with the ZEV mandate?
Initially, there were quite a few manufacturers that were committed to ditching fossil fuels and moving down the EV-only route. Car manufacturers such as Volkswagen are still focusing on that pathway, and the recently rebranded firm, Jaguar, is also keeping its promises firm on the ground.
However, other car makers such as Lotus, Bentley and Mercedes have recently announced a slow-down in their future plans with some now delaying their EV-only initiatives and firms such as Lotus now wanting to offer extended-range plug-in hybrid models. Companies such as Ford have delayed their transitions towards an all-electric future due to slow uptake on sales of EVs and poor infrastructure in the UK.
Will I still be able to buy a used internal-combustion engine after the ZEV mandate hits 100 per cent of EV sales?
The simple answer here is, yes you can. The ZEV mandate only affects new vehicle sales, so after 2035 when the government wants us all to ditch our internal-combustion-powered cars for EVs, you will still be able to run your older petrol and diesel car for as long as you want.
The Skoda Kodiaq rival is available to order from today with prices starting from £37,605.
Cupra has revealed that its latest SUV – the Terramar – has gone on sale with prices starting from £37,605.
The Terramar will rival cars such as the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan, and is set to give a little bit more of a sporty driving experience and well as keeping up with Cupra’s performance-focused image.
Under the bonnet, there is a choice of six different engines ranging from a 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol up to a 261bhp four-wheel-drive 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol. There will also be the option of two different plug-in hybrid variants that utilise the same 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit with a choice of either 201bhp or 268bhp.
It will be rivalling the Skoda Kodiaq and Volkswagen Tiguan. (Cupra)
There will be four trim levels to choose from, running from V1, V2, VZ1 and the flagship VZ2. Further standard specifications are yet to be announced at this time.
Marcus Gossen, director of Seat and Cupra UK, said: “We are delighted to announce that Terramar is now available for order in the UK. We thrive on pushing boundaries, and the Terramar is redefining what it means to be a sporty SUV.
“The new model embraces our refreshed design language and all-new plug-in hybrid technology to bring a thrilling combination of design, performance and emotion. I can’t wait to see it on UK roads and to witness the continued success of the brand with our all-new line-up.”
A choice of mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid choices are available. (Cupra)
Order books open today, with the 2.0-litre 201bhp four-wheel-drive model available from January 22 2025. Prices start at £37,605 and rise to £51,790.
The AA Driving School asked drivers whether they would pass the practical driving and theory test if they had to retake it again.
Three-quarters of UK drivers think that a lack of Highway Code knowledge would cause them to fail their driving theory test if they had to retake it today, a AA Driving School survey has found.
The AA asked 10,232 of its members about retaking their practical driving and theory test. It found that 86 per cent of them would be confident in passing the practical test and 58 per cent were confident in passing the theory test.
In comparison with men and women, only 50 per cent of females were confident in passing their theory compared to 62 per cent of males. Compared with the practical, it found that 82 per cent of women were more confident compared to 88 per cent of men.
Additionally, the respondents were asked the most common cause of failing either their theory or practical driving test. Some 75 per cent said that it was a lack of knowledge of the Highway Code, followed by a fifth saying it was their lack of road sign knowledge or rules of the road.
When being asked about the practical driving test, 34 per cent said it would be their nerves that would get to them, but 56 per cent said that they’d picked up too many bad habits since they had passed their test originally.
Camilla Benitz, managing director of AA Driving School, said: “Knowledge of the Highway Code is fundamental to driving and with so many people believing their knowledge isn’t up to dae is really concerning, not just for their ability to pass a theory test but for them being safe on the roads now.
“We know that after people pass their test they tend to slip into bad habits, however, it’s alarming that over half of those who responded thought their bad habits would cause them to fail a test now.”
Sales of EVs have started to dwindle with 94,000 fewer sales than expected, totalling an 18.7 per cent market share, according to SMMT.
Britain’s transition to EVs has started to raise concerns after analysis has shown the ZEV mandate has led to a total of £4 billion worth of discounts for EVs.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) analysed data taken from one of the country’s leading used car marketplaces – Auto Trader. It looked into its EV discounts as well as its own estimated fleet discounts and investigated data from the EV car market data, too. This has resulted in an estimated £4 billion worth of EV discounts to allow manufacturers to hit the ZEV mandate targets. To achieve these ambitious goals, the government needs to urgently review the state of the problem and rethink how the UK is going to move over to electric vehicles.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “We need an urgent review of the automotive market and the regulation intended to drive it. Not because we want to water down any commitments, but because delivery matters more than national targets. The industry is hurting; profitability and viability are in jeopardy and jobs are on the line. When the world changes, so must we. Workable regulation, backed with incentives, will set us up for success and green growth over the next decade.”
The ZEV mandate is a government policy that is in place to help transition the UK into battery electric vehicles (BEVs) by the end of the decade. The current target for 2024 is for all major car manufacturers to sell 22 per cent of electric vehicles from its sales fleet. Next year that will increase to 28 per cent and by 2030 it will be 80 per cent.
If the manufacturer doesn’t hit the target it will be fined £15,000 for every vehicle that it sells that does not comply with the mandate.
Today, the government is reviewing the situation with the ZEV mandate after recent backlash from the industry and Vauxhall announcing yesterday that it will be closing its Luton-based van factory, putting 1,100 jobs at risk. Plus, last week, Ford announced that it would be laying off 800 workers in the UK due to the slow demand in EV sales and production.
To date, a total of 94,000 fewer EVs have been registered this year at 363,000 units compared to 455,200 units in 2023 – creating a 18.7 per cent market share – despite a 30 per cent increase in BEV models entering the market compared to December 2023.
We’ve seen a flood of SUVs making their way over from China, but did you know there are a few on the market that come with petrol or hybrid power?
The new car market is starting to change, and this year we have seen a very steep increase in Chinese car firms making their way over to the UK.
As the industry is focusing more towards decarbonising our roads and looking into a sustainable future, it’s no wonder that a lot of these new brands are producing electric vehicles.
But, even though a majority of Chinese car brands are selling electric SUVs, they also sell a selection of combustion-powered models that are wrapped in a family-friendly package.
We’ve compiled a list of the Chinese SUVs on sale in the UK that come with either petrol or hybrid power.
BYD Seal U DMi
The Seal U DMi is the firm’s first plug-in hybrid to be sold in the UK. (BYD)
BYD began selling cars in the UK just last year, and the Seal U is the first and only model with a plug-in hybrid option.
Known as the Seal U DMi – which stands for ‘Dual Mode Intelligence’ – it comes equipped with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and there is a choice of either an 18.3kWh battery pack, or a larger 26.6kWh unit.
The former can travel up to 49 miles on electric power, and the latter can manage up to 77 miles.
The Seal U also is very practical with lots of interior space and has a premium feeling cabin with lots of standard equipment. It may not be the most dynamic car to drive with a lot of pitching and rolling in the corners, but if you want an efficient and spacious SUV that represents good value for money, then this BYD is well worth a look.
MG HS
The HS is now bigger and offers a plug-in hybrid option. (MG)
Once a pillar of the British automotive industry, MG is now owned by the Chinese and is probably one of the most recognisable marques from all the recent China-based start-ups.
The HS has been around since 2019 and has just been morphed into its second generation – which now offers a petrol and a plug-in hybrid option.
The new car is bigger and more luxurious than the model it replaces and the PHEV can do a claimed 32 miles on electric power alone. With prices starting at under £25,000, the HS also comes with affordability and value for money, as well as featuring a spacious interior and 507 litres of boot space, or 448 litres if you opt for the plug-in version – making this new SUV even more attractive for young families.
Omoda 5
The Omoda 5 represents great value for money. (Omoda)
Omoda is a new Chinese start-up brand, and the 5 is the first model to be launched here on our shores. It features a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that produces a total of 187bhp and comes fitted with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The 5 comes with plenty of space up in the front as well as decent rear legroom. Its interior also features lots of storage space and cubby holes – making it great for young families. Also, prices start at just over £25,000 making it an exceptional value compared to its rivals from Hyundai and Kia.
Jaecoo 7
The 7 is Jaecoo’s first car to be offered here in the UK. (Jaecoo)
One of the latest new SUVs from China is the Jaecoo 7 – which will be a rival to the Omoda 5 and more mainstream models like the Skoda Karoq and Hyundai Tucson.
Available with a choice of either a front- or four-wheel-drive 1.6-litre petrol engine, there is also a front-wheel-drive-only plug-in hybrid variant that gives a claimed 56 miles on electric power alone.
It also comes very well equipped with only one trim level and a host of extras fitted as standard including a panoramic glass roof, a premium eight-speaker Sony audio system, a head-up display and a wireless phone charger.
Prices start at £29,495 and order books are open now with first deliveries arriving in January 2025.
MG ZS
The ZS is one of Britain’s best-selling cars. (MG)
Another MG that makes this list is the HS’ smaller sibling, the ZS. The ZS is one of the most popular small SUVs in the UK and that’s because it represents excellent value for money, while being available with a large amount of standard equipment.
Now, for 2024 the new Hybrid+ version has been revealed and is now on sale for £21,995 – making it one of the cheapest hybrid SUVs on the market. This new car offers more technology, better build quality, plusher interior materials and an updated exterior design.
The Chinese SUV will be competing with the likes of the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson.
The Chinese firm, Jaecoo, has announced prices and specifications for the 7 – its first model in the UK.
The C-Segment SUV will be rivalling cars such as the Ford Kuga and Kia Sportage. Plus, there will be a choice of two different powertrains.
The entry-level unit is a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that develops 145bhp and 275Nm of torque. This model is available with a choice of front or four-wheel-drive.
A plug-in hybrid version will also be available with front-wheel-drive only and will come fitted with the same 1.6-litre as the base car but with the added benefit of an 18.3kWh battery pack that Jaecoo claims can allow the car to travel up to 56 miles on electric power alone.
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On front-wheel-drive cars, there will be a choice of seven different driving modes including sand, mud, snow and off-road settings.
There is only one trim level available and all cars come with a good deal of standard equipment including a 14.8-inch touchscreen, a 10.25-inch LCD instrument panel, a head-up display, a panoramic glass roof, an eight-speaker Sony audio system and a wireless phone charger.
All cars come equipped with a seven-year or 100,000-mile warranty and the 7 scored the maximum five-star safety standard in recent Euro NCAP tests.
Prices start at £29,495 for the front-wheel-drive petrol and rise to £35,065 for the plug-in hybrid. Order books are open now, with deliveries expected to commence in January 2025.
