Author: Jack Evans

First design sketches appear of Skoda’s next generation of race cars.

Skoda has teased its first design sketches of the new Enyaq RS Race Concept.

The Concept is based on the standard Skoda Enyaq VRS Coupe, and also comes as standard with all-wheel-drive like the road car.

However, the outside features a large rear wing to help with downforce and there are a lot more aggressive styling cues like the stuck-out front bumper lips and a sculpted bonnet with grooves. It has a lower and widened chassis, different shock absorbers and 20-inch alloy wheels with low-profile tyres.

Inside, the car will only feature two seats and certain parts of the cabin will be replaced with lighter materials, or be removed altogether to save weight.

The Enyaq RS Race Concept demonstrates Skoda’s contribution to a more sustainable future in motorsport – as well as following the recent reveal of the Vision GT supercar and Fabia RE-X electric.

This week's content published on our #Skoda Storyboard. Here's an overview ⤵️

— Škoda Auto News (@skodaautonews) May 3, 2024

Michal Boleslav, head of Skoda Motorsport said: “Sustainability is a cornerstone of Skoda Motorsport’s strategy. As early as 2021, we ventured into the realm of electric rally cars with the Skoda Fabia RE-X1.”

He added: “The insights and expertise we gained from this have fed into the unique new Skoda Enyaq RS Race.”

The Fabia RE-X1 was built on the same chassis as the Fabia Rally2 Evo and was equipped with an 860-volt electric motor – the Fabia Rally2 runs on fossil-free fuel. The Enyaq is set to complete the line-up of electrified and low carbon racing cars for the marque.

Daniel Petr, Senior Designer at Skoda Auto said: “The Skoda Enyaq RS Race is not a design study that will just remain on paper; it is going to be a real car. It will be lower, wider, lighter and most importantly more dynamic. So, it was clear from the start that the design had to be aggressive with strong racing DNA.”

Further details are yet to be revealed, but we can expect performance figures and specification to be announced later down the line when the project is near complete.

By Cameron Richards

This new model will sit on an extended platform of the current Renault Captur.

Renault has revealed its latest offering in the compact SUV segment with the Symbioz Hybrid.

The car will be a direct rival to the Nissan Qashqai, features a new design and interior, and sits on an extended version of Renault’s CMF-B platform allowing for more space inside the cabin.

Externally, Renault’s latest design language has been adopted into this new SUV with lots of angular and sculpted design cues. The logo is incorporated into the front grille, along with vertical LED daytime running lights – while the rear end is sculpted and has a flat tailgate to give extra room inside.

Inside, depending on what specification you opt for features a dashboard with a soft-touch paint finish or a blue gradient pattern. There is a 10.4-inch vertical touchscreen and a second 10.3-inch display facing the driver.

As standard, all models come with a wireless smartphone charger, two USB-C sockets in the front and a further two located in the rear.

The rear bench can slide over 16cm creating more knee room for passengers – allowing for an extra 221mm of space. Boot space with the seats upright and in their normal position is 492 litres, however, slide the rear seats forward and that increases to 624 litres – while folding them down expands it to 1,582 litres.

There will be three trim levels on offer – Techno, Techno Esprit Alpine and Iconic Esprit Alpine. Final specifications are yet to be revealed.

Under the bonnet features Renault’s latest E-Tech Hybrid technology. The engine is a 1.6-litre four-cylinder that produces 94bhp. There are two electric motors with a 48bhp e-motor and a 24bhp High-voltage starter generator and a 1.2 kWh battery to give the best blend of smoothness and efficiency.

Order books open for the Symbioz in July this year. Prices are yet to be revealed but we expect it to start from under £30,000 when the car goes on sale.

By Cameron Richards

The Commercial version replaces the two-seat Utility Wagon in the Grenadier line-up.

Ineos has released a Commercial version of its rugged Grenadier off-roader to replace the two-seat Utility Wagon.

The Grenadier Commercial features a full-length flat floor and a floor-to-roof cargo barrier behind the front seats.

Unlike the standard car, the Commercial has rear passenger window glass instead of aluminium panels, blacked-out glazing on the 30:70 split rear doors and permanently disabled chassis mounting points to prevent a second row of seats from being added – all features that qualify it for exemption from VAT.

It comes with a cargo capacity of more than 2,000 litres, can tow up to 3.5 tonnes and boasts 5.5 tonnes of winching power.

George Ratcliffe, Commercial Director of Ineos Automotive, said: “Customers in the UK have been asking for this addition to our model line-up since we launched in 2022, so we’re pleased to make this available so quickly.

“The versatility of the Grenadier platform allows this level of modification without any compromise to the driving dynamics or off-road capabilities.”

Underneath features a box-section ladder frame chassis with heavy-duty solid axle beams as well as up to three locking differentials.

The engine is the same as in the standard Grenadier, which is a 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder from BMW, and available in petrol or diesel guise.

The vehicle will be built at Ineos’s Hambach factory in France, which was acquired from Mercedes-Benz in January 2021.

Prices for the Grenadier Commercial start at £51,931 excluding VAT, with order books opening from today.

By Cameron Richards

Very few councils plan to increase the size of their parking bays, despite cars getting bigger.

Fewer than one in 10 councils across the UK plan on increasing the size of their parking bays despite modern cars getting bigger.

That’s according to data collected from 287 local authorities by Autocar, which also found that the most popular cars have grown since 2018, with their lengths going up by 97.7mm on average.

The three cars that have grown the most are the Peugeot 208, which is now 580mm longer than it was six years ago, the Toyota Yaris at 445mm longer and the Mazda 3 at 400mm longer.

The new BMW 7 Series is nearly a foot (0.3m) longer than the outgoing model, meaning it pokes out of most parking spaces in the UK.

Currently, there are five councils that have a maximum length restriction on vehicles, risking fines for their drivers if they don’t park in a space big enough for their car.

Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar Business, said: “We know that cars are getting longer and wider, typically due to ever-stricter crash and safety legislation they must meet, and these figures show too few councils are adapting to this new reality.

“Fewer than one in 10 of them plan to increase the size of their parking bays, and in some regions you run the risk of receiving a fine for parking a car the size of a BMW 7 Series.”

He added: “Space sizes should reflect the UK vehicle parc so that motorists can park without fear of damaging other vehicles or being fined for overstepping a bay.”

Thurrock Council has a maximum car space length of 5,350mm, while Wokingham, South Hams, Broadland and South Norfolk, and Devon all have a cap at 5,000mm.

The Autocar data also found that since 2018 councils across the region have issued more than 357,000 parking fines for cars parked outside marked bays – netting them over £8m.

By Cameron Richards

Cheap and cheerful city car receives a major overhaul with an updated front and improved equipment levels.

Kia has revealed pricing and specifications for its freshly designed Picanto city car.

The Aygo X rival receives a new front end and updated interior, alongside new alloy wheel designs and paint schemes.

As standard, the new Picanto features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an eight-inch touchscreen navigation and multiple USB charging ports.

There will be four different trim levels to choose from, starting with the base ‘2’ specification which gets 14-inch alloy wheels, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors and cloth upholstery and comes in at £15,595.

Sporty GT-Line starts from £16,745 and features a gloss black radiator grille, LED headlights, power folding door mirrors and privacy glass.

Move up to the ‘3’ for an extra £800 at £17,545 and it adds heated front seats and steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, wireless smartphone charger and keyless entry and start.

The top-of-the-line GT-Line S boasts 16-inch alloy wheels, ambient lighting, blind-spot collision warning and forward collision warning.

Under the bonnet is a choice of two different engines. The entry-level 1.0-litre three-cylinder produces 62bhp and is available on every model except the GT-Line S.

A 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 77bhp is available only on the top-spec GT-Line S.

All versions come as standard with a five-speed manual transmission – with the option of a five-speed automatic gearbox available, too.

Prices start at £15,595 for the basic ‘2’ spec with a manual gearbox and rise to £19,145 for the GT-Line S with automatic transmission. The new Picanto is available to order now with deliveries expected in July.

By Cameron Richards

Residents of an East Lothian town can now charge their cars up using an old street cabinet.

The UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure continues to grow and while there are gaps in the allocation of chargers across the country, there are certainly more ways to top up than there ever have been.

BT Group announced last year that it would convert its old on-street cabinets into EV chargers, but how do they work and what sort of impact will they have on the overall network?

Here are a few key questions answered.

How many old BT Group cabinets are being converted to EV chargers?

As of today, a trial begins to see whether the old street BT cabinets will be of use to an EV owner. Currently, 600 charging points will be installed all over the country, with the first being completed today (May 1) in a street in East Lothian, Scotland.

What were the old BT Group cabinets used for originally?

Before they became surplus to requirements, they stored telephone and broadband cables – which means that all their electronic gubbins are already installed inside, which means that they can be easily converted into EV chargers.

Can I charge my car for free?

The first installation will be free to use for residents up until May 31. Users will also have to download an app to allow access to the charging point.

What is the point of upcycling an old broadband cabinet?

The whole point of this experiment is to not only improve the country’s EV infrastructure but to also help on-street charging.

Tom Guy, from BT Group said: “Our research shows 78 per cent of petrol and diesel drivers see not being able to conveniently charge and EV as a key barrier to purchasing one. ”

How many old cabinets could be transformed into EV chargers?

The BT Group looked into how many could be converted and that at the moment, a total of 4,800 street cabinets in Scotland alone could be suitable for the change.

Where is the next location?

As it stands, the pilot is looking at another site in West Yorkshire, though it’s expected that the roll-out will continue throughout the rest of the UK.

Where can I get the App to access the charger?

The Trail app is available to purchase via the App Store or Google Play Store. EV owners can connect their cars to get live updates and battery levels, smart estimated costs, charge times and access to their charge history.

The UK government has a target to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035, and while EV uptake has slowed in recent months, it’s expected that further increases in charging infrastructure – including these BT ones – will help boost interest.

By Cameron Richards

The number plate is currently on retention with the winner of the auction having to pay a minimum fee of £300.

The private registration ‘SW 3’ is due to go up for auction and could become one of the most expensive plates sold via online auction.

The plate reflects one of the UK’s most expensive and prestigious postcodes such as Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Brompton.

It is expected that potential bidders will be located in and around the London area, but also the plate could attract those with the initials ‘S’ and ‘W’.

The reg plate can be transferred to any vehicle in the UK – as it is dateless.

It’s anticipated that it could be in the top five for most expensive plates ever sold with Collecting Cars, the online auction site which is listing the plate.

The top five consist of ‘6 OO’ that sold for £130,000, ‘1 GO’ for £138,000, ‘TOY 5’ FOR £150,000, ‘1 SJ’ for £162,500 and the most expensive yet is ‘Y 6’ £213,000.

Since its launch, the online auction house has sold nearly 60 registrations that have exceeded the value of £50,000 – with a total of 2,300 private plates in general totalling a value of more than £17.6 million.

It is yet to be announced when the auction will be taking place, however, the V778 retention document states that the plate has been off a vehicle for just over three weeks – meaning that the auction could be taking place very soon.

By Cameron Richards

The Dark Knight and Gotham use a 120kWh lithium-ion battery pack and produce 1,926bhp.

Pininfarina has revealed two more bespoke hypercars inspired by DC’s Bruce Wayne, the civilian persona of the superhero Batman.

The Dark Night and Gotham models followed quickly after Pininfarina also previewed another one-off hypercar last month called the Reversario.

The models were developed by Wayne Enterprises – a luxury brand created by Warner Brothers which shares its name with Bruce Wayne’s fictional company.

Both cars are powered by a 120kWh lithium-ion battery pack mated to four electric motors that produce 1,926bhp and can do 0-60mph in less than two seconds.

The Dark Knight model features black Alcantara and black leather upholstery, with a unique black and gold dual-tone stitch contrast. On the exterior, it features ceramic-polished alloys, Nero Profondo gloss paint and a Nero Torino finished roof.

The Gotham incorporates tan leather and stitching as well as bespoke quilting. On the outside, the car features 20-inch front alloy wheels and 21-inch on the rear as well as Argento Vittorio gloss paint and Nero Torino paint for the roof. The brand’s ‘F’ logo is also back-lit and made of brushed and polished aluminium.

Dave Amantea, Chief Design Officer at Automobili Pininfarina said: “Designing an all-electric hypercar inspired by Bruce Wayne is a dream assignment for our team, giving them creative freedom to place themselves into the imagination of someone as iconic as Bruce Wayne. These two exclusive specifications for our two hypercars represent the ultimate vehicles for the man behind the most famous mask in the world.”

There is no mention of how much these two hypercars will set you back, but we expect them to cost more than the standard Pininfarina Battista – which costs £2 million.

By Cameron Richards

The Formentor and Leon have received tweaked styling and new powertrains.

Cupra has revealed updated versions of its Formentor SUV, and Leon hatchback and Sportstourer estate models.

The cars get new exterior styling details, which include the Cupra logo appearing on the bonnets, triangular LED matrix headlights, LED rear lights that incorporate an illuminated Cupra logo.

Inside, the Formentor and Leon receive higher quality materials, a redesigned centre console, an improved virtual cockpit for the driver and a larger 12.9-inch infotainment screen. A new 12-speaker audio system developed in collaboration with Sennheiser mobility is also a standard feature.

Cupra has added a new powertrain to the Formentor and Leon Sportstourer – a 2.0-litre petrol engine that develops 328bhp and sends its power to all four wheels with torque splitter technology. These models also come with greater stopping power thanks to standard Akebono brakes.

There is also a new plug-in hybrid variant that gives 268bhp and can go 62 miles on electric power alone. It’s capable of 50kW DC fast charging, but charging times have not been released yet.

Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Cupra said: “The Cupra Formentor and Leon have both been a driving force in the brand’s success as it expands its footprint around the world. It’s an approach that has been incredibly successful with close to 600,000 cars delivered since the brand’s launch in 2018.”

He added: “The new Cupra Formentor and Leon are pure design obsession. Two models built to provoke strong emotions and that strengthen the extraordinary bond with our tribe. Two models that represent what that small group of believers envisaged Cupra could be just a few years away.”

Prices are yet to be announced for both cars, but an on sale date is expected in the Autumn.

By Cameron Richards

The petrol version of the Torres went on sale in February 2024.

KGM Motors has announced that its new Torres EVX electric SUV is now available in UK showrooms.

The Torres went on sale in February 2024 in petrol form, but now KGM has expanded the range to include an electric version called EVX.

The EVX is powered by a 73.4KwH ‘blade’ battery pack sourced from Chinese carmaker BYD, allowing the EVX to cover a claimed 287 miles on a single charge.

There will be two trim levels on offer, K30 and K40, with the former getting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, DAB radio and TomTom navigation as standard. The K40 adds a 3D 360-degree surround view monitoring system to aid parking.

Externally, the Torres EVX features horizontal LED daytime running lights, wheel arch mouldings and a floating C-Pillar design.

Inside, there is a dual 12.3-inch digital interface, and, like its petrol-powered counterpart, will offer plenty of space for luggage and passengers. Boot space comes to 839 litres with the seats up and 1,662 litres with them down.

Kevin Griffin, managing director of KGM UK said: “Torres EVX is our new electric vehicle innovation. It builds on our advancements and proud SUV heritage by integrating cutting-edge technology, unparalleled safety features, and exceptional performance, representing a significant leap forward in mobility solutions.

The Torres EVX is available to order now with prices starting from £35,080 for the entry-level K30 and rising to £47,495 for the K40.

By Cameron Richards