A Lamborghini Countach “hero car” famously used in a scene in The Wolf of Wall Street where it sustains major damage is heading to auction.

Described as being preserved in its “as-filmed”’ condition, the white supercar is one of the most famous cars to grace the silver screen in recent years.

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the Wolf of Wall Street (2013) follows the story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort – played by Leonardo DiCaprio – who was a highly controversial character on Wall Street during the 1980s and 90s.

One of the most famous scenes in the film involves this particular Lamborghini – a Countach 25th Anniversary Edition, which is one of just 658 ever produced to mark the Italian firm’s quarter of a century as a car maker. Only 12 are believed to have been made in this specification for the US market.

The car is said to star alongside DiCaprio for more than three minutes in the film, and is best known for the scene where Belfort drives the car while severely impaired by the drug Quaaludes. In the film, DiCaprio’s character crawls into the car and then recklessly drives home sustaining various damage on the way.

This Lamborghini was in fact used for the stunts, though Scorsese deemed the damage gathered in the action not to be serious enough, so ordered his crew to inflict more damage to the vehicle to make it appear more ‘wrecked’ in later scenes.

Since appearing in the film, the Countach is said to have been ‘meticulously preserved’ and is now being offered to the public for the first time, directly from one of the original filmmakers.

The Countach is going under the hammer with Bonhams at an auction coinciding with the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 25. It is being sold with an estimate of $1.5m-2m (£1.24m-1.65m).

It will be accompanied by various film memorabilia, including documentation, a Jordan Belfort costume and a director’s chair and clapboard signed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Margot Robbie, who also starred in the film as Naomi Lapaglia, Belfort’s second wife.

A second Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary Edition in a matching specification was also used for filming, though didn’t sustain damage. Interestingly, this car is also heading to auction in New York on December 8 this year with RM Sotheby’s, carrying the same estimate of $1.5m-2m (£1.24m-1.65m).

Toyota has confirmed that it will introduce its new Prius to the UK, U-turning on its previous decision to not launch the model here.

The Prius is one of the firm’s best-known models, and was Toyota’s first hybrid model more than 25 years ago. Today, the majority of the cars the firm sells are powered by a hybrid powertrain, ranging from the compact Yaris through to the large Highlander SUV.

The new fifth-generation Prius was revealed last year, with a radically different design to its predecessor. Becoming sleeker, more premium and more advanced, it gained lots of interest, though Toyota initially said it wouldn’t offer the model here.

At its reveal in November 2022, the firm said: “We have taken the decision not to introduce the new generation Prius in the UK as the new model represents a very different proposition to its predecessor, alongside a clear shift in UK consumer demand towards more SUV style vehicles.”

The firm added it had sold just 563 new Prius models in the UK in its last full year on sale in 2021, compared to 18,000 examples of the C-HR crossover in the same year.

However, Toyota has now told the PA news agency that the model will in fact be sold in the UK, purely in a plug-in hybrid guise.

The Japanese firm did not cite a reason for the change in decision, but it’s expected that the model’s positive reception elsewhere and the continuing rise in demand for hybrid vehicles account for the change of mind. The Prius’ low CO2 emissions, starting from just 11g/km, will also help to lower Toyota’s fleet average, while the fact it’s sold in other right-hand-drive countries, including Ireland, will help make it easier to bring to market in the UK.

Toyota says full details will be announced at a later date, though it’s expected to command more premium pricing closer to £40,000. Sales are likely to begin in early 2024.

Music mogul and TV star Simon Cowell has become one of the first owners of an electric reincarnation of the classic Mini.

Cowell is a well-known petrolhead, owning models from Bugatti, Rolls-Royce and Ferrari over the years, but is switching to electric power for his latest car.

Called the Mini eMastered, it’s made by David Brown Automotive, which heavily customises the classic model and now fits it with a modern electric powertrain. Cowell is one of the first to take delivery of the firm’s latest creation, with the celebrity’s version inspired by James Bond.

The exterior colour combination is inspired by a Lotus Esprit that appeared in the James Bond film ‘A View to a Kill’. Painted in a similar paint colour to the film car, the Mini also features ‘Turbo’ branding and gold alloy wheels.

Cowell’s own Rolls-Royce Phantom provided the inspiration for the interior of the Mini, which comes with white leather upholstery and a walnut dashboard, he described it as a ‘Mini Rolls’.

Cowell originally owned the ‘Remastered’ Mini with a petrol engine, but said it lacked the ‘go-kart feel’, so returned it to David Brown to have an electric powertrain fitted instead.

David Brown Automotive says the car has been ‘built from the ground up over the course of hundreds of hours’.

The Mini uses a small 96bhp electric motor, that allows for a top speed limited to 92mph, while a compact 18.8kWh battery allows for a predicted range of around 110 miles.

Speaking after taking delivery of the electric Mini, Cowell said: “This has always been my dream car. It was on my wish list, one day I wanted to have a classic Mini. Then I read about this company, and I thought, I’ve got to have one of these.

“Of all the cars I’ve had in my life, this is my favourite. This is a keeper. I’ve never really kept cars, I don’t have a collection. I’ve had a lot of cars but I’ve always sold them. This one I will always, always keep.”

No price has been given for Cowell’s particular car, but prices for the Mini eMastered by David Brown Automotive start from £125,000.

A driver has been fined after using double-sided tape to stick a leaf to their car’s number plate to obscure it.

Autumn means there are usually leaves on the road, which can blow onto vehicles. However, one driver took things a step too far by sticking the leaf to the end of their number plate, obscuring one of the digits. The driver had done this on both the front and rear plates.

Surrey Police posted the photos on X, formerly Twitter, showing the leaves firmly attached to the car.

In a post, the force said: “There are times when camouflage is needed and can look good. Leaves attached to your number plate with double-sided tape is neither.”

The motorist in a Toyota Corolla was stopped on the A3 at Guildford yesterday afternoon (October 3). The force said that a fixed penalty notice had been given for the leaves, while they had also been reported for speeding.

Surrey police told the PA news agency that the ‘car was seen to be driven on the A3 Northbound in excess of the speed limit and with the number plate partially covered’.

Perhaps not surprisingly it generates several leaf-based puns in the replies. The Metropolitan Police’s Roads and Transport division commented: “Were you in disb-leaf when you saw this?”

Other replies seemed to suggest that other motorists are using the leaf trick to avoid paying London’s ultra-low emissions zone (ULEZ) charge, which was rolled out across most areas within the end of the M25 at the end of August. If the number plate is partly obscured, it means cameras aren’t able to accurately read the registration and generate penalty notices.

The European Commission has launched an investigation into the subsidies handed to Chinese carmakers by the state, warning of unfair competition against European manufacturers.

There’s a growing emergence of Chinese car firms looking to enter the European market, often being incentivised to do so by the Chinese state. As a result, these electric cars often undercut the price of cars from elsewhere and are set to grow in popularity as a result.

With many European car firms worried about being priced out of the market, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has today (September 13) announced an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric cars.

In her annual State of the European Union address, von der Leyen said: “Global markets are now flooded with cheaper Chinese electric cars. And their price is kept artificially low by huge state subsidies. This is distorting our market, and as we do not accept this distortion from the inside of our market, we do not accept it from the outside.

“So I can announce today that the Commission is launching an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles coming from China. Europe is open to competition, but not for a race to the bottom. We must defend ourselves against unfair practices.”

What the probe will entail remains unclear, however, it could see levies imposed against Chinese electric cars to make the prices more closely aligned with European cars.

Despite the warning, von der Leyen added: “But equally it’s vital to keep open lines of communication and dialogue in China, because there are topics where we can and have to cooperate. De-risk not decouple, this will be my approach with the Chinese leadership at the EU China summit later this year.

The range of Chinese car brands currently operating in Europe is vast, including BYD, GWM Ora, NOP and Xpeng to name just a handful, with many more planned to enter the region in the coming years.

The boss of Peugeot and Vauxhall owner Stellantis, Carlos Tavares, has previously warned of a ‘terrible fight’ with Chinese car firms owing to the ‘significant’ difference in price between models from Europe and those in China.

Two identical British twins are setting off on a 10,000-mile adventure in an electric car from London to Shanghai.

Devon-born Ross and Hugo Turner have undertaken several gruelling challenges including rowing the Atlantic, with the pair being motivated to travel more and adventure following Hugo sustaining a broken neck when he was 17 that led to six months of surgery.

Now, the pair are setting off from Westminster Bridge in London today (September 12) and are using the new electric MG Cyberster as wheels to get to Shanghai, China. It’s MG’s first new sports car in more than two decades, and also the first two-seat electric roadster.

The Turner twins will initially tour the UK in the Cyberster as part of a UK preview event of the car, visiting places such as Loch Lomond, Snowdonia and also MG’s birth place of Oxford.

On October 2, the proper European leg of the event will see them crossing the Channel and visiting countries such as the Netherlands, Slovakia and Spain.

Following the European part of the trip, the pair will be reunited with the electric car (which will be shipped separately) in the Middle East, starting in Jordan, before visiting countries such as Qatar and Oman, before then going into more eastern parts of Asia. This includes India, Thailand and Vietnam before making their way to Shanghai. This is where MG’s parent company SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) is based.

Hugo Turner said: “We’re going to be having to charge this car regularly as we go across the world, so that’s going to give us the perfect opportunity to experience more of the countries, the culture, the people, the foods from the places that we’re going to be travelling through. Cars like this open up adventure, and this is going to be the ultimate one.”

Chinese car maker BYD has announced it will remove the controversial ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering from the majority of its cars in Europe.

Build Your Dreams (BYD) is a Chinese car maker that was introduced to the UK earlier this year. Launching with the Atto 3 crossover, and it will be imminently introducing its Dolphin hatchback, set to become the UK’s most affordable new electric car thanks to a starting price of £25,500.

While its cars have so far been fairly well praised, the rear of BYD’s cars have been emblazoned in large ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering, which executives at the firm have said has proven divisive among both those buying and selling its cars.

Speaking at the launch of BYD’s new Seal saloon, which will be its flagship in the UK when it arrives later in the year, the firm confirmed that the European examples of this EV would not feature this ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering.

Tim Bryant, European customer and experience manager at BYD, said: “European Seals will not feature ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering at the rear. BYD has listened carefully to dealer, journalist and dealer partner feedback during this past year, some in favour of the lettering and others less so.

“We’ve taken the majority viewpoint and utilised the speed and agility of our vertically-integrated supply chain to ensure that all Seals built for Europe will feature a cleaner rear tailgate design featuring discreet BYD lettering.”

The PA news agency understands that China strongly supports the tagline as part of its culture, but the messaging has not been well-received in Europe, with some buyers even being put off buying the cars because of it.

The Atto 3 is expected to follow the Seal in switching to the more subtle branding, though the Dolphin will keep the ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering because it’s integrated into the design of the lights of the model.

Model Jodie Kidd has been electrocuted with over a million volts of lightning in a stunt for a new electric Kia SUV.

Kidd, who is best known for her modelling career but also a massive passion for cars, wore a special chainmail Faraday suit that is able to conduct electricity around her.

Sitting on a raised platform with a special ‘lightning machine’, it is only the suit that served as protection. Kidd was able to control the electricity with her hands and shoot lightning using just her fingertips.

Jodie Kidd said: “Being electrocuted was one of the most petrifying things I’ve ever done – but also such an amazing experience. Not many people can say they have had a million volts through their body and been able to shoot lightning with their fingers!”

The stunt was carried out to mark the launch of Kia’s new electric EV9 SUV – a model specifically designed for families – which will sit at the top of the firm’s line-up of battery-powered models.

Kia has also separately carried out a study looking into how parents are influenced by their children when it comes to EVs, with 26 per cent of the 2,000 adults surveyed saying they have been encouraged by their kids.

Of those that have been spurred on, 36 per cent put it down to their children learning about environmental issues in school, while 35 per cent believe electric cars are cool.

Kidd added: “As a parent, I know exactly how important the environment is to the next generation. I have had many conversations with my son Indio about what we can do to live more sustainably – including buying an electric car.”

A collection of 300 model cars worth around £20,000 is heading to auction next week.

Collected over a period of 20 years, they’ve all come from a single owner who had a specialist interest in classic German motorsport-bred cars. The first model that was purchased was a 1989 BMW M3 ‘Jagermeister’ DTM car, which carries an estimate of £80 and £120.

The collection of cars was amassed by Alan Barrett, who recently passed away and is now being sold by his son Geoff, who said that no family holiday could be complete without purchasing another model for his collection.

Geoff Barrett said: “Dad loved cars and all things mechanical. We have our memories of him and have kept or given away a few of the cars to people that meant something to him. We do not want the collection that he loved so much to gather dust and are hoping that model car enthusiasts will be able to enjoy them just as he did.”

Alongside the collection of model cars at his home in Glasgow, he also bought tractors and Lego versions.

The collection of 300 models are being sold as 180 lots, and are going under the hammer with Special Auction Services, based in Newbury, Berkshire, on July 18.

David Kemp, toy expert at Special Auction Services, said: “One of the fantastic things about Alan’s collection is that it came about from his love of the actual cars themselves and that he was also interested in the mechanics of making these scale models.

“Alan’s collection is one of the most significant 1:18 scale model collections we’ve ever been asked to sell and the lots on offer are sure to appeal to collectors worldwide.”

The combined lots of the model cars are estimated to fetch £20,000.