Author: Tom Wiltshire

The Duchess of Cambridge has just given birth to her third child – and transporting around not two, but three heirs to the throne presents her with a whole new set of problems. Forget etiquette training, royal protocol and diplomacy – the most important issue facing William and Kate is which car they should buy.

The biggest problem is that of child seat law. With three young children, the royal couple need a car that’s capable of accommodating three bulky, high-backed child seats. Astonishingly, there’s nothing on the couple’s current fleet that will do this.

Their daily transport is a Range Rover, which only offers two ISOFIX child seat mounting points – despite its vast size. For special occasions, there are Bentley and Jaguar limos – no better on the child seat front – and Prince William’s two-seat Audi R8 supercar.

With that in mind, we’ve come up with a few different options for the newly enlarged Royal Family – all of which can comfortably accommodate three child seats.

Land Rover Discovery

In the interests of keeping things British, we kick off with a true icon – the Land Rover Discovery. This seven-seat SUV is immensely popular among family buyers, and provides a sufficiently regal air along with bags of room inside.

It’s decent to drive, is offered with a wide array of engines and best of all, is guaranteed not to get bogged down during some bootleg greenlaning around Richmond Park or Sandringham.

Range Rover Sport

Moving up the market but down in size, the Range Rover Sport actually offers more seats than the full-sized Range Rover. It’s also rather leaner and better-looking, but will still fit in beautifully pulling up to any state banquet.

Best of all, it can be had with the incredible 525bhp supercharged V8 engine, making for one of the fastest people-movers on the planet.

Seat Alhambra

If you have three children, at some point you just have to bite the bullet and admit that an MPV makes the most sense. With a cavernous interior, wide-opening doors and three rows of seats, there’s nothing that can swallow up kids and their clobber quite like a people-carrier.

The Alhambra is one of the best of the breed, with trusted VW components, a really premium-feeling interior and good driving manners. It’s also certain to blend in to the background, ideal for Royals who want to remain under the radar.

Citroen Grand C4 Picasso

If the Seat Alhambra blends in, then the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso stands out – for all the right reasons. It’s an MPV that’s genuinely stylish, with bags of gallic flair everywhere from the upside-down ‘face’ to the 3D-effect taillights.

It’s also got one of the best interiors in the business – clever, well-built, roomy and flooded with light. George, Charlotte and the new baby can spend hours gazing through the vast windows or panoramic roof and windscreen combo.

Fiat Doblo

If William and Kate were looking to pinch a penny – after all, the taxpayer does contribute to their motoring costs – then they could do a lot worse than the bargain-basement Fiat Doblo. It’s one of the cheapest ways into three-row motoring.

Unashamedly van-based, the Doblo isn’t exactly pretty – nor is it fast, or premium, or good to drive, or feature-packed… but it’s big, comfy and spacious. And cheap. Very cheap. Try and remember that.

Audi Q7

Other manufacturers besides Land Rover make big seven-seat SUVs. The Audi Q7 is one of the best out there, with room in all three rows for child seats and one of the most premium interiors on sale today.

And if you want discretion, say no more. Provided the couple don’t opt for too much glitz and glamour on the outside of the vehicle, the Q7 is very discreet. Finally, the best bit – Prince William is a huge Audi fan and actually owns one of the firm’s R8 supercars. We can think of few better pairings.

Ford Galaxy

Another big, hefty people-carrier with three rows of seats, the Galaxy’s best feature is its ubiquity – especially in Central London. Favoured by taxi firm Addison Lee, a black Ford Galaxy with heavily tinted windows is almost as common a sight as a black cab.

It’s a comfortable ride with lots of space, though Ford doesn’t offer it in range-topping Vignale trim. That’s a shame, after all, what self-respecting Royal doesn’t like a bit of quilted leather?

Volvo XC90

Sensible, stylish, superbly safe and Swedish, the Volvo XC90 is one of the best SUVs out there and is bound to keep all three of the little princes and princesses safe should the worst happen out there on the roads.

It’s available in planet-friendly Twin Engine hybrid form, too, enabling silent and emission-free motoring around central London.

Vehicle manufacturers have always needed a way to instantly differentiate their products from rivals. While some simply settle for writing their brand names, the majority of manufacturers opt for a logo – often with a meaning behind them which isn’t entirely obvious.

We’ve rounded up ten manufacturers with a subtext behind their logo here.

Audi

Audi’s four interlocking rings date back to the very origin of the company. The early Audi joined forces with three other brands in 1932 – DKW, Horch, and Wanderer – to create Auto Union, and each ring represents an arm of that company. The brand would later revert to simply calling itself Audi.

Hyundai

Glance at it and Hyundai’s logo looks simply like an italicised H. However, it’s intended to symbolise two people shaking hands and making a deal – not the easiest thing to spot!

BMW

BMW’s logo is commonly said to represent a spinning aircraft propeller, but this likely dates back to a 1929 TV ad showing a plane with the logo superimposed on it. The truth is much simpler – the blue and white represent the colours of the Bavarian Free State. At the time it was illegal to use national symbols in a commercial trademark, so the order was reversed.

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi’s deceptively simple three-pointed emblem is actually the combination of two family crests – Yamauchi and Iwasaki. The name also derives from these – Mitsu, which means three, represents the three oak leaves of the Yamauchi family crest, while bishi means water chestnut, as well as rhombus. The overall shape of the logo is also reminiscent of the founder’s first employer – the three-leaf crest of the Tosa clan.

Alfa Romeo

The double-sided Alfa emblem features a red cross on its left side, as the symbol of Milan, and on the right, a snake ‘eating’ a man. This is the symbol of the Visconti family, and dates back to the crusades, when Otone Visconti fought a noble Saracen knight. Beating the knight, he took the symbols from his shield. Alfa Romeo says that the symbol actually shows a man being reborn and renewed from the mouth of the snake, but the flailing arms say otherwise to us.

Ferrari

One of the world’s best-known car logos, the prancing horse emblem first appeared on the plane of WWI pilot Francesco Baracca. Baracca’s mother told Enzo Ferrari that using the horse would bring good luck, and it certainly seems to have done the trick. The yellow background represents the brand’s Modena hometown.

Rolls-Royce

The original ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ is thought to be actress Eleanor Thornton, who modelled for a sculpture called ‘The Whisperer’. When Lord Montagu of Beaulieu requested a custom logo for his Rolls-Royce, this was the inspiration – and it was such a hit that Rolls-Royce commissioned it for all of its cars.

Porsche

Porsche’s logo is fairly simple – the amalgamation of two coats of arms. It takes elements from the Free State of Württemberg in Western Germany as well as its former capital, Stuttgart.

Mercedes

The iconic three-pointed star was created to embody the firm’s desire to establish motorised mastery of the land, sea, and air. That’s right, Mercedes planned for world domination. Scary.

Subaru

Subaru’s six stars represent the Seven Sisters constellation – also known as Pleiades, and called ‘subaru’ in Japanese. They also represent the six companies that merged together to form Subaru’s parent brand – Fuji Heavy Industries.

For every car brand that works, there’s probably fifty that have failed in one way or another. While the likes of Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota continue to this day as multi-billion pound conglomerates, there are hundreds and hundreds of other car brands which no longer exist.

There are a variety of reasons why brands disappear. Some, such as DKW, didn’t really die, but merely became absorbed into the larger Auto Union – a merger of DKW, Horch, Wanderer and Audi, which eventually turned into the modern-day Audi.

Others were killed off by their parent brands. Take Scion or Saturn – hampered by slow sales, and taken out of action by owners Toyota and GM.

Then, of course, there are the manufacturers which simply fade into insignificance – often through bankruptcy, leading them to close up shop and depart forever.

We’ve rounded up a few dead car brands you might not be so familiar with below.

Scion

If you live in the USA, you’re likely to know Scion quite well – but the brand’s lineup is a mystery to European buyers as it was only ever sold Stateside. A sub-brand of Toyota, it was pitched at the total opposite end of the spectrum to Lexus, with youthful verve a key selling point.

However, the boxy design of its first car, the xB, gave it an unfortunate reputation. Those with liver spots and dicky hips adored its high driving position and brilliant visibility. With the rest of Scion’s range consisting of rebadged Toyotas, the brand never achieved the youthful desirability it craved, and after 13 years it folded in 2016.

Autobianchi

Originally a bicycle manufacturer, Bianchi joined forces with Fiat and Pirelli to become ‘Auto’ Bianchi and begin manufacturing cars. Based on Fiat mechanicals, Autobianchis were pitched as luxurious alternatives to workaday fare such as the 500.

Autobianchi continued producing quirky and high-end small cars, culminating in the Y10. However, as parent company Fiat now owned the luxurious Lancia brand, there was little need for Autobianchi. The Y10 was branded as a Lancia outside of Italy, and eventually Autobianchi disappeared altogether in 1996.

Panhard

Panhard et Levassor (later just Panhard) embodied the sense of chasing innovation rather than profit in the way only French brands can. A pioneer of aerodynamics, the 1954 Panhard Dyna was capable of cruising at 70mph with six adults on board using just an 850cc, air-cooled twin-cylinder engine – shaming many 2.0-litre equivalents from other brands.

A selection of other aerodynamic and innovative cars followed, and Panhard experimented with aluminium bodywork, sleeve-type valves, and Panhard Rod suspension which continues to be used to this day. Panhard was sadly absorbed into Citroen in 1967, though the brand does still exist as a manufacturer of military vehicles since 2005.

Matra

Matra was originally a defence specialist, manufacturing missiles and bombs, but moved into car manufacturing with the acquisition of Automobiles Rene Bonnet in 1964. It produced a wide array of quirky vehicles, and can even be credited with creating two whole market sectors in Europe – the crossover, with the Rancho, and the MPV with the Renault-badged Espace.

Most exciting of the bunch were its Bagheera and Murena sports cars, which used an innovative three-across layout to provide some practicality while retaining a sporty look. However, following the discontinuation of the Renault Avantime – designed and built by Matra – the company closed down its automotive arm.

Duesenberg

In the early days of motoring, America had a luxury car brand to rival Rolls-Royce – Duesenberg. The company was run by brothers Fred and Augie Duesenberg, who were impressive engineers but terrible businessmen, and their combination of prize-winning race cars and incredibly high-tech luxury vehicles failed to make any notable profit until it was purchased by E.L. Cord in 1925.

Cord challenged the brothers to build the biggest, fastest, and most expensive car in the world – the Model J. The resulting car was beautiful, high-tech and engineered to near-perfection, but the Great Depression dulled the American public’s lust for luxury vehicles, and the company folded in 1937.

NSU

NSU was primarily a motorcycle manufacturer for the first half of the 20th century, but broke into volume automobile manufacturing with the rear-engined Prinz. It really began to be noticed after 1964, though, when its experiments with Wankel rotary engine tech spawned the Wankelspider – the first production car ever powered by such an engine.

Three years later, the iconic Ro 80 came along, powered by a twin-rotor Wankel engine and with seriously impressive performance. But investment in rotary tech proved costly, sales were slow and the whole project was unsustainable. NSU was absorbed into Auto Union, the parent company of modern-day Audi, in 1969, and its name was never used on a new car again. The last Ro 80 was sold in 1977.

Panther

Based in Surrey, Panther Westwinds was founded in 1972 as a small company producing quirky vehicles based on rather mundane mechanicals. If you’re familiar with Japanese Mitsuoka, you’ll know the type – Panther produced luxurious versions of Triumph Dolomites and retro-styled roadsters based on Vauxhall Viva underpinnings.

It shot to notoriety in 1977 with the Panther 6, an incredible feat of engineering taking the form of a six-wheel, luxury convertible, which the brand claimed could top 200mph. Only two were produced, but both remain in existence – with one selling at Bonham’s Monaco Auction in 2011 for just £36,255 (pictured). Sadly, the company collapsed in 1980, and further attempts to restart it with Korean backing failed.

The world’s first all-electric snow race has taken place, with vehicles ranging from a humble Smart Fortwo Electric Drive to a classy Tesla Model S P85 taking to the hills of Andorra in near-blizzard conditions.

Organised by Eco Grand Prix and with more to come, the races seek to prove to the world that electric vehicles can work in a variety of conditions and be fun at the same time. In addition to this snow stage, races will take place in Calafat, Spain, and Bilster Berg, Germany, with the cars sampling wind and heat in one environment and wet conditions and hill climbing in the other.

The Andorran race was a five-hour endurance circuit, with winning driver Alan Fuertes completing 62 laps within the allotted time at the wheel of a Tesla Model S P85. He was tailed by Pere Soria in a Hyundai Ioniq and Peter and Michael Walser in another Tesla Model S.

Other competitors raced in a wide variety of electric cars, including a BMW i3, Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen eGolf and Smart Fortwo Electric Drive.

Eco Grand Prix co-organiser Rafael de Mestre, who holds the current record for the fastest trip around the world in an electric vehicle, said: “A lot of petrolheads are commenting there will be no fun any more if EVs take over.

Some of the action from an #electricvehicle #EV race, the #EcoGrandPrix, in the snow near blizzard like conditions in #Andorra recently.

This is the first of a series of #EcoGP events which will test EVs to the limit in different environments. https://t.co/CBlG0wPHgG

— World Reach Comms (@WorldReachComms) April 3, 2018

“We at Eco GP are showing that this is a thrilling competitive race series which also encourages people to think about buying EVs. Also, we want to show that EVs can stand up to the toughest tests in harsh conditions.”

De Mestre achieved his own record in 2012, after setting off around the world behind the wheel of a Tesla Roadster. His goal was to achieve the trip in 80 days, as in the famous Jules Verne novel ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ – but fell short of the target, taking 127 days to complete the challenge.

The next Eco GP race will take place in Spain on September 15.

Everybody loves a laugh every now and then, and so it is in the world of cars, with automotive PR departments unable to resist the occasional giggle by sending out a humorous press release for April Fools’ day.

With the stress of major events such as the Geneva and New York motor shows barely out of their memories, car manufacturers often let their hair down and take one of two routes with their joke. Some go for pure ridiculous hilarity, while others take the time and often put in a great deal of effort to make their April Fools’ press release as convincing as possible.

Some past efforts are certainly memorable – who could forget Honda’s emoji number plate, Peugeot’s personalisable car horns, the BMW M3 pickup truck or Mercedes’ AMG Sprinter?

Read on for the best jokes that the UK’s automotive press teams came up with for April Fools 2018.

Seat Arona Copper Edition

We have too many pennies around, says Seat – so why not put them to good use? That’s the thinking behind the new Arona Copper Edition, which adds a coin slot to the compact crossover making it ideal for the penny-pinching petrolhead.

The Spanish manufacturer points to proposals by HM Treasury to scrap the 1p and 2p, which would leave the country with over 15 billion redundant coins. “Seat has found a way to keep these soon-to-be historical artefacts motoring on for years to come,” it says.

MG’s Alpaca-powered crossover

With the pushback against diesel fuel, what alternatives are there to power the millions of cars on British roads? Petrol and electricity are both sound options, but MG thinks it has the answer – alpaca dung.

Daniel Gregorious, head of sales and marketing at MG UK, said: “We look forward to the day when people resign horsepower to the history books and refer to alpaca power. It really packs a punch.”

Honda CR-V Roadster

Honda pulled out all the stops with this one – or rather, it pulled out the angle grinder from the garage and gave it to a team of enthusiastic press officers. Created by slicing off the entire roof at the pillars, what’s perhaps most remarkable is how natural the CR-V looks as a rival to the Range Rover Evoque Convertible.

The team, however, notes that the prototype does suffer from its total lack of a convertible roof, making it somewhat unsuitable for the UK’s two-day summer, while the loss of structural rigidity makes it ‘completely undriveable.’ Shame.

Hyundai’s Cacao Corner

The Hyundai i30 N is a remarkably close rival to the Volkswagen Golf GTI – remarkable as it’s a first effort at a hot hatchback from traditionally staid and sensible Hyundai. How did the team develop such a brilliant car on its first attempt? With Cacao Corner, obviously.

The biodegradable and viscous material of Cacao Corner (located at Hyundai’s test track and paved with just cocoa, butter and milk) enables the brand to capture tyre prints for later analysis. Remnants of the track are, the brand says, responsibly disposed of during Easter.

Aston Martin Project Sparta

Aston Martin’s motorsport division is branching out, fielding a challenger in a sport it’s never attempted before. Codenamed Project Sparta, it’s a radical direction for the company to take – who would have associated Aston Martin with monster truck racing?

Fitted with a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine, it will produce 1,100bhp and go head to head with some of the most famous trucks out there such as Grave Digger, Big Kahuna and Jailbird.

Having a valid MOT is crucial for a car to remain legal on UK roads – but recent research has revealed that millions of drivers each year forget to renew on time, leaving them at risk of a hefty fine.

A survey, commissioned by AA Cars quizzed 21,000 people on their MOT habits and found that when extrapolated the data could mean as many as two million Brits have been late renewing their MOT by a week – while of them, one million forgot to review it for up to a month.

The MOT test is no cakewalk – over a third of cars fail their first MOT test, with dangerous faults sadly common. The AA’s data shows that most drivers with a fault classed as ‘serious’ on their cars were unaware of it before the test.

Vehicle being used without a valid MOT. Expiry was September last year #T3TacOps #checkthedate pic.twitter.com/HWo1Vh8UTo

— Lancs Road Police (@LancsRoadPolice) March 23, 2018

This means that the millions of motorists who forget to renew their MOT certificates could be driving cars with undiagnosed serious faults.

Driving a vehicle without a valid MOT puts a driver at risk of a £100 fixed penalty notice, which could rise to £1,000 if the fine goes to court.

But even having a valid MOT certificate won’t protect you from driving a shed, as being in control of a vehicle with a dangerous fault could land you a fine of up to £2,500, three points on your licence and a potential driving ban, depending on the seriousness of the incident.

Simon Benson, director of motoring services at AA Cars, said: “For drivers across the country, MOT tests should be part and parcel of car ownership – or so we’d have thought. Despite the MOT test being an annual statutory obligation for cars over the age of three, it’s the sort of thing that can easily slip through the cracks.

“It is crucial that drivers book their test in advance – they are not just a routine checkup, but a legal imperative to make sure your car is still fit to be on the road.

“You can get the MOT up to a month early and still keep the same renewal date – so there’s nothing to gain by leaving it to the last minute. Either set your own reminder or sign up to the government’s MOT reminder service – you just need your vehicle registration number, email address and mobile number at the ready.

“It is worth noting that your MOT is a snapshot of time and regular servicing is vital to keep your car in a safe condition all year round.”

Sometimes when all else fails, car design is a case of throwing things at a wall to see what sticks. After all, with such unpredictable customers as ‘the general public’, there’s no telling which innovations will become the next massive hit – and which will simply flounder at the bottom of the sales charts, waiting for the manufacturer to kill them off and let time simply forget them.

Not all innovative cars are commercial flops. In fact, some were very successful indeed, but were so inimitable that it took the rest of the industry years and years to catch up.

We’ve rounded up eight of the most radical and interesting cars below.

Matra-Simca Rancho

Lots of people credit the Nissan Qashqai with inventing the modern crossover segment back in 2006. It certainly popularised it in the UK and Europe, but for the real beginnings of the fastest-growing market sector in the world you need to go back almost three decades further, to the 1977 Matra-Simca Rancho.

What makes a crossover? A car-based platform? Check. Rugged looks and raised ground clearance? Check. A spacious, clever interior? Double check. Pretty much the only thing the Rancho didn’t have was four-wheel drive, a trait that’s filtered down to most of the crossover market today.

Tucker 48

American inventor Preston Tucker had bold ideas about safety, and they’re exemplified in his short-lived and ill-fated Tucker 48. The rear-engined car debuted safety features we take for granted today, such as a padded dashboard, front-end crash protection, and even swivelling headlights to help see around corners.

Tucker even envisioned other ideas, such as magnesium wheels, disk brakes and fuel injection, though these never made it past prototype stage. Ultimately, this innovative vehicle was scuppered by a heavily publicised fraud trial which, while proven baseless, damaged the company’s reputation too far, and it folded.

General Motors EV1

If asked what the first truly usable electric car was, you’d probably think of the Tesla Roadster, or perhaps the mass-market Nissan Leaf. But way back in 1996 General Motors produced a car with an impressive 100-mile range – and wasn’t exactly a slouch, with a featherweight body and 137bhp on tap.

Named the EV1, it was never released commercially. Poor reception led GM to recall all 1,200 prototype models to a facility in Arizona to be crushed. And with the cars, dreams of an all-electric future were crushed, too – with some blaming GM’s very public lack of faith for a general apathy towards electric vehicles in the US that’s only begun to be repaired in the last few years.

Citroen DS

What is there to say about the DS that hasn’t been said already? Here was a luxurious offering from a brand not frightened of innovation – one that broke the mould in every way imaginable, and a few others too. With incredibly sleek and beautiful styling, the DS (pronounced in French as déesse – the word for goddess) debuted features which have yet to be bettered today.

The car’s hydraulic suspension was a masterpiece, suspending occupants in unimaginable comfort at any speed. It set new standards in handling, and as the first car equipped with disc brakes it stopped as quickly as it cornered.

Honda FCX Clarity

Hydrogen is somewhat of a buzzword today, as buyers seek to combine the environmental aspects of a pure electric vehicle with the range and convenience of conventional fuelling. Though outwardly, the Clarity wasn’t exactly exciting, its hydrogen fuel cell’s only tailpipe emission was pure water.

The FCX Clarity’s failure wasn’t because it was a bad car – far from it. However, it was only released to a few buyers in California, and the infrastructure for refuelling simply did not exist to turn it into a mass-market product.

NSU Ro80

The Ro80 was absolutely ahead of its time – the problem is, we haven’t arrived at its time yet. The Ro80’s rotary ‘wankel’ engine was still in its infancy, but the benefits of incredible smoothness, high power-to-weight ratio and simplicity were plain to see.

Unfortunately, the engines also drank fuel and had an alarming habit of eating through vital parts at high speed. Mazda, which licensed use of the technology, persevered through the years, but it had to concede defeat in 2012 with the RX-8. It continues to research the technology though and will bring it to market as a range-extender for an electric vehicle. Could this herald a return?

Cadillac Fleetwood V8-6-4

The 70s and 80s in America were a miserable time for performance cars. Strangling emissions regulations bought on by the 1973 oil crisis meant massive 5.0-litre V8 engines often produced less than 150bhp. Cadillac’s answer was the V8-6-4 – an early example of cylinder deactivation technology.

The idea was that the engine could run on fewer cylinders under light loads, saving fuel and allowing the 6.0-litre V8 to operate as a 4.5-litre V6 or 3.0-litre four-cylinder depending on conditions. In reality, the technology was just too primitive, and owners were often left stranded by the hideously unreliable engines. Many later had them converted to run as standard V8s.

Porsche 959

A glance down the spec sheet of the Porsche 959 reads like a modern supercar rather than one first built in 1986. A twin-turbocharged flat-6 engine produced 444bhp, and was capable of 0-60mph in 3.6 seconds. It could also reach 197mph. Sounds exciting, no?

The 959 also featured four-wheel drive – one of the first outings of this tech on a high-performance vehicle, and one that would set the template for future 4WD Porsches. It had sophisticated aerodynamics, electronic tyre-pressure monitoring, controllable ride height – high-tech features even today, and unheard of on a car of the time. A true pioneer.

What is it?

This is the facelifted and fettled version of the wildly popular Mk3 Mini. Having occupied a position in the UK’s best-selling cars charts on and off for many years, the Mini has a dedicated and choosy fan base who love its pastiche of retro design elements, perky engines and sporty driving dynamics. With a brand-new Volkswagen Polo GTI on sale now, and the latest version of Ford’s Fiesta ST on the way, this high-performance Cooper S model has its work cut out for it.

What’s new?

The only way this new Mini could shout about its British heritage more is if the horn played ‘Jerusalem’. The latest car is absolutely covered in Union Jacks, with the new LED taillights the boldest implementation of this.

The new Mini is covered in Union Flags. This one's also called Alec – I hope Issigonis, but Baldwin would be fun too pic.twitter.com/bjxMKYCQzF

— Tom Wiltshire (@mctreckmeister) March 23, 2018

Elsewhere, changes are relatively small. UK cars now get full LED headlights as standard, with an unbroken ring of LEDs functioning as daytime running lights. Mini’s new, simpler logo features throughout, and inside there are a few tech upgrades. Personalisation has been ramped up, too, with the Mini Yours program giving buyers unprecedented levels of control over what their car looks like.

What’s under the bonnet?

The entry-level 1.2-litre engine has been replaced by a detuned version of the Cooper’s 1.5-litre unit. The rest of the range is identical in power, though fuel economy has improved.

Our Cooper S model produced a hefty 189bhp. Despite the Mini weighing a fairly porky 1,265 kilos, performance is sprightly, with 0-60mph despatched in 6.6 seconds. Top speed sits at 146mph.

The engine has plenty of low-down grunt, but doesn’t encourage you to rev it hard. The best progress is to be made in the mid-range, thanks to that turbocharged torque. All Minis get an excellent six-speed manual ‘box as standard, with rev-match technology in ‘Sport’ mode.

Most automatic models are fitted with a new seven-speed DCT transmission, which is smooth to shift but seemed too happy to change down unnecessarily. Hot JCW and Cooper SD models feature an eight-speed torque converter ‘box instead.

What’s it like to drive?

The Mini sticks to the road like glue in hard cornering – Mini says it handles ‘like a go-kart’ and has been trading on this since the brand was reborn in 2001. It’s fantastically entertaining on a twisty road, and the relatively stiff suspension ensures the car remains flat.

The steering is nicely weighted – albeit slightly too heavy in ‘Sport’ mode, and offers bags of feedback. It’s not a match for really hardcore hot hatches such as the Peugeot 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport, but it walks all over the likes of the Audi S1 or Volkswagen Polo GTI.

That stiff suspension does mean the ride isn’t ideal for longer journeys, though. The Mini doesn’t exactly crash into bumps and potholes – it sort of bounces over them instead, courtesy of its short wheelbase.

How does it look?

Those patriotic taillights are the big talking point – they make the Mini totally unmistakeable, even from a distance, and are bound to be a bit of a Marmite choice. The headlights now feature an unbroken ring of LEDs – a far more premium touch – but elsewhere the Mini retains its cute proportions and retro styling. Whether you prefer this to the more contemporary style of cars such as the Audi A1 is a personal choice, but sales figures definitely come out in the Mini’s favour.

The Mini Yours Personalisation programme allows you to add your own choice of design to the projector lights, indicator repeaters, door sills and dash – our test cars were named after the Royal family, and proudly displayed ‘Phillip’ on the front wings.

What’s it like inside?

The Mini’s interior remains a sticking point, as its retro design hinders usability to a point. It’s characterful, but buttons and switches are scattered about the cabin. The small gauge cluster is hard to read, while the central infotainment display looks a bit lost within its vast surround.

Lighting is another sticking point, with an irritating strip in the centre console and a gaudily lit panel in front of the passenger clashing with the rest of the cabin backlighting.

Space for rear passengers and luggage is poor, but this won’t matter to most buyers – there’s plenty of room in the front, with comfortable and easily adjustable seats. Five-door models fix this to a point, but the Mini really isn’t a great family car.

What’s the spec like?

The new Mini features an improved equipment tally, but buyers should be wary of the extensive options list. As standard the car comes with a 6.5-inch infotainment display, DAB radio, LED lights front and rear, air-conditioning, and remote central locking.

Equipment levels increase with engine spec, but most buyers will opt for the ‘Chili Pack’ of options. This adds rear parking sensors, automatic lights and wipers, different alloy wheels, improved upholstery and sports seats.

Personalisation is vast and varied, and with the Mini Yours Pack, it’s possible to have 12 Union Jacks adorning your car. Please don’t specify all of them, though.

Verdict

The new Mini isn’t a big change over the old car, but it didn’t need to be. The updates help freshen up what’s now a four-year old car, and the result is eye-catching and feels premium. The best part of the Mini – the driving experience – has been left virtually untouched, and while it’s no luxury limo it remains amazing fun on a twisting road and more than accomplished in town. Lower-spec Cooper would be our choice over the somewhat pricey Cooper S, but whatever engine or trim you go for the Mini hatchback is a great small car.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model as tested: Mini Cooper S
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol
Power (bhp): 189
Torque (Nm): 300
Max speed (mph): 146
0-60mph: 6.6 seconds
MPG (combined): 47.1
Emissions (g/km): 138

What is it?

The words Range Rover conjure up images of opulent interiors, intimidating looks and go-anywhere ability. But scrape under the skin, and the engine choices have remained stubbornly powerful, polluting and thirsty.

Enter the plug-in Range Rover hybrid, which gives city-dwellers an alternative to plain old internal combustion. It combines a four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and battery, capable of travelling up to 31 miles on battery power alone – perfect for cross-city jaunts.

This engine sits near the top of the existing model line-up – undercut by both V6 and V8 diesels plus the V6 petrol, but less expensive than the fire-breathing V8 petrol models. It can count the new Bentley Bentayga hybrid and Porsche Cayenne hybrid as rivals.

What’s new?

The biggest change for this model is the powertrain – but more on that later. For 2018 the Range Rover receives some extra glitz aimed at making it feel even more luxurious. There’s a Velar-inspired grille, the tailpipes have been integrated into the rear bumper and there are new lights front and rear.

Inside, nearly every button on the centre console has gone, replaced instead by a dual-touchscreen setup. Where buttons remain, they’re seamlessly integrated into one another, and light-up too.

Thicker windows and noise-cancelling tech aim to make the car even more eerily silent than before, and there are new seats, too.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Range Rover PHEV debuts the brand’s first plug-in hybrid powertrain. It mates a 296bhp, 2.0-litre petrol engine with an 85kW electric motor for a maximum power figure of 399bhp. That’s good for a 0-60mph sprint of 6.4 seconds and a top speed of 137mph – or 85mph if travelling on electricity alone.

Land Rover claims a combined fuel economy figure of 101mpg. The reality is very dependent on how you drive. If you charge the car every night and the majority of your journeys are within the 31-mile electric range, you might hardly need to use the petrol engine. In solo cruising with a discharged battery, though, we achieved a more realistic Range Rover economy figure of 24mpg.

The engine is powerful, with a seamless transition between power sources. Push it hard, though, and the raucous note of the comparatively small engine penetrates the cabin.

What’s it like to drive?

Range Rovers are at their best while ‘wafting’ at high speed on a smooth road – nothing’s changed here. Air suspension irons out the bumps and the vast wheels make mincemeat of minor road irritations.

What’s surprising is how well the Range Rover hides its size – it’s remarkably easy to drive, aided by peerless visibility and accurate steering. However, the heavy hybrid model isn’t quite as responsive as its siblings down a twisting road – the retuned suspension doesn’t hide bumps in the same way, and changes of direction are more ponderous.

It’s ideal in the city, though, where the serene sensation of running on pure electricity makes the Range Rover feel somehow even more luxurious.

How does it look?

The Range Rover is massive, intimidating and unmistakeable, and 2018’s changes only serve to improve this. The Velar-inspired grille and new headlamps are just the right side of glitzy without being vulgar, and a wide array of colours and trims allow for it to blend in everywhere from the country club to the nightclub.

Only some subtle badging marks this out as a hybrid, with the electric charging port concealed very neatly behind the Land Rover badge in the front grille.

What’s it like inside?

Nearly every traditional button has been eliminated from the inside of the latest Range Rover, a move which looks good but takes some getting used to. The twin central touchscreen setup works quite well, with the upper handling media and navigation while the lower takes on driving modes, climate and seat controls. There’s very little to mark it out as a PHEV in here either – though we would have liked a few buttons to save delving into confusing sub-menus to control battery charge and usage.

Everything is incredibly plush, though, and the interior is a true lesson in duality – after all, how many other cars can wade in water 900mm deep while giving you a hot stone massage?

There’s also plenty of room, especially in long-wheelbase models. The battery pack underneath the boot floor does eat into space, though, and the load area beneath the parcel shelf is long and wide but shallow – you still get 802 litres of space to play with, though.

What’s the spec like?

The PHEV powertrain is available across all Range Rover trim levels and even base models are seriously luxurious vehicles – entry-level Vogue models, at £86,965, get a full Windsor leather interior, triple-zone climate control, a fixed panoramic glass roof, 20-inch alloy wheels, and Matrix LED headlights to name but a few choice items.

Step up to £93,465 Vogue SE and the wheels become 21-inchers, the excellent Terrain response system comes as standard and the stereo becomes an excellent Meridian system, while top-spec Autobiography brings executive rear seating, walnut veneer, 24-way electric seats with heating and cooling and a suede headliner for £105,865. It’s rather easy to increase this with a few items from the options list, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are still disappointing omissions. That’s our only gripe, though.

Verdict

The Range Rover has been around for a few years, but this bang up-to-date hybrid drivetrain and fresh interior ensure it feels as good as it ever has. The new hybrid model is an impressive achievement, too, but works best in city conditions – those with regular long trips to accommodate would be best served by one of the diesel engines. Whichever form you buy it in, though, the Range Rover is a serious rival to the best luxury cars out there – and one that makes you feel like a king every time you drive it.

Facts at a glance

Model as tested: Range Rover P400e PHEV
Price: £86,965
Engine: 2.0-litre petrol with electric motor
Power (bhp): 398
Torque (Nm): 640
Max speed (mph): 137
0-60mph: 6.4 seconds
MPG (combined): 101
Emissions (g/km): 64

Few brand names have become such a part of modern life in the UK as Ford. Though it’s an American company, the uniquely tailored British market offerings have led to some truly fantastic cars being adorned with the blue oval – and as a nation, we lap them up.

Ford has barely been out of the best-sellers charts in decades, with the current incumbent – the Fiesta – challenged only once for the monthly title of Britain’s best-selling new car in almost four years.

Other names have gone even further, with the Mondeo family car even coining a whole class of human – ‘Mondeo Man’. You just can’t quite imagine the same happening with ‘i30 Man’ or ‘Meriva Man’ now, can you?

In the year the Mondeo turns 25, we’re rounding up the 25 best-selling UK-market Ford cars ever.

25. Ford Scorpio (31,462 sold)

A replacement for the Granada executive car, the Scorpio enjoyed success among upper-middle management for quite a few years, until a misguided facelift for the second-generation model ruined everything. Generously described as ‘gopping’ by James May, sales of this remarkably accomplished exec plummeted.

24. Ford EcoSport (39,196 sold)

The EcoSport is Ford’s first real foray into the incredibly popular mini-crossover market. It wasn’t the brand’s finest hour, with the car panned at launch for disappointing driving dynamics and an awful interior. Thankfully, the latest model is much, much better.

23. Ford Puma (48,337 sold)

The little Puma was cute, cuddly, and an absolute hoot to drive – especially in high-powered Racing Puma form. The platform it shared with the Fiesta supermini endowed it with brilliant handling, while willing and durable engines were the icing on the cake. A sure-fire future classic.

22. Ford B-Max (54,508 sold)

Ditching the central pillar – or B-pillar – isn’t a new idea, but it made the B-Max unique in its mini-MPV market sector for the five short years it was on sale. It gave this tiny car an incredibly wide door opening, and accessing the rear seats was even easier than in Ford’s larger S-Max or Galaxy MPVs.

21. Ford S-Max (97,660 sold)

The S-Max inherited its platform from the Ford Mondeo, which was already one of the best-driving ‘ordinary’ cars you could buy. This gave it brilliant handling for such a tall, heavy car, and made it an MPV you could buy with your heart as well as your head.

20. Ford Ranger (102,048 sold)

The current Ranger is the best-selling pickup truck on sale in the UK, and takes its cues from the brand’s incredibly successful American market. Sure, it’s no F-150, but it is rugged, dependable, versatile, and suitably stylish.

19. Ford Fusion (110,971 sold)

One of those few real oddball cars, the Fusion was, as the name suggests, a cross between an MPV and a supermini. Best described as a Fiesta on steroids, it was remarkably practical, with a huge boot and enough headroom for a basketball team. Its practical image gave it an unfortunate reputation among the blue-rinse brigade, however, and it never became the lifestyle vehicle Ford would have liked.

18. Ford C-Max (166,788 sold)

As the Renault Scenic dominated sales of the compact MPV market, Ford responded in kind with its own version – the C-Max. Based on the Focus, it gave great handling and good practicality, even spawning a seven-seat version, named the Grand C-Max.

17. Ford Kuga (176,577 sold)

Mid-sized SUVs are big business for car manufacturers, so the Kuga’s launch was inevitable. It’s proved a success since, with a combination of rugged good looks, decent driving dynamics and that coveted high-up driving positon proving irresistible to family buyers.

16. Ford Galaxy (190,054 sold)

The brand’s largest MPV has been around since 1995, and has morphed from a rebadged VW wannabe into a large, premium and very comfortable people-carrier, favoured by taxi drivers across the country.

15. Ford Corsair (310,000 sold)

And so we come to our first classic, the Consul Corsair – later just Corsair. Built between 1963 and 1970, it was essentially a restyled Cortina, and bought some American flair to the brand’s dowdy 1960’s lineup with its Thunderbird-esque styling, inset headlamps and lashings of chrome.

14. Ford Zodiac (383,626 sold)

Zodiac was the name Ford gave to upmarket models of its Zephr luxury saloon – a bit like the brand’s current Vignale lineup. The closest thing the company had to a limousine, it was fitted with a six-cylinder engine and luxury equipment such as a cigar lighter, reversing lights and even an in-cabin clock.

13. Ford Orion (534,295 sold)

A favourite of fleet markets, the Orion was the Escort’s sister car, replacing its practical hatchback with a traditional saloon boot. This move did not readily enamour it to the public, though, with hatchbacks becoming the norm, and once company car buyers moved on the Orion found sales slow.

12. Ford Capri (546,629 sold)

Which little boy growing up in the 70s didn’t want a Ford Capri? Popularising accessible glamour for all who wanted it, the bargain Capri gave those who may otherwise have been stuck with boring hatchbacks or saloons a chance to get into a bona fide coupe for not much more money.

11. Ford Consul (603,715 sold)

Produced in two runs, from 1951 to ’62 and again from ’72 to ’75, the Consul was initially the base model of Ford’s ‘three graces’ line-up – comprising Consul, Zephyr and Zodiac. It was then used again in the ‘70s for base models of the Ford Granada. One of the brand’s first thoroughly modern cars at launch, it enjoyed considerable success.

10. Ford Ka (631,120 sold)

Daft name aside, it’s easy to forget just how brilliant the Ford Ka was. Tiny and marvellously cheap, but with driving dynamics to shame many a hot hatchback and some seriously cute styling, there’s no wonder it became one of the brand’s biggest success stories, remaining in production virtually unchanged from 1996-2008.

9. Ford Granada (783,403 sold)

The Granada was Ford’s largest executive car until 1994. Big, imposing and luxurious, it became known by some as ‘the poor man’s Mercedes’ and offered British buyers an alternative to the Triumphs and Rovers of the day.

8. Ford Zephyr (791,211 sold)

The less luxurious sister car to the Ford Zodiac, the Zephyr didn’t offer the same levels of opulence as that car – but still had vast amounts of space and considerably road presence. Sold not just in the UK but Australia, New Zealand, and southern Africa, the Zephyr is a classic worldwide.

7. Ford Anglia (1,288,956 sold)

We can’t forget the car that soared to fame as Harry Potter’s ill-fated school transport in The Chamber of Secrets, but the Anglia is a great nameplate in its own right. Offering affordable transport to the masses from 1939 until its replacement by the Escort in 1967, the last generation of Anglia also debuted the ‘Kent’ engine – which remained in use in Fords up until 2002.

6. Ford Sierra (1,299,136 sold)

The replacement for the Ford Cortina, the Sierra was one of the first mainstream cars to really employ streamlining. This gave it somewhat challenging looks at first, but a facelift soon fixed matters, and it began to comfortably outsell its main rival, the Vauxhall Cavalier. Cosworth models remain legendary even today.

5. Ford Mondeo (1,445,185 sold)

The Sierra’s replacement just pips it in overall sales – the Mondeo is one of the most well-known cars Ford has ever built, even spawning the phrase ‘Mondeo Man’ – the sort of voter the Labour party appealed to during the 1997 election campaign. Through all generations, the Mondeo has been spacious, dependable, and great to drive.

4. Ford Focus (1,909,701 sold)

Replacing the popular Escort was never going to be an easy feat, but Ford did it with aplomb, creating the sharp-edged Focus. Right from launch, it was known for being utterly fantastic to drive – Ford’s chassis engineers pulled something out of the bag that they’ve been putting in every car since.

3. Ford Escort (4,105,961 sold)

It’s fair to say the Escort went downhill as it aged. While the last generation was a stodgy, ugly thing, early cars were marvels – coveted even today for their sweet chassis’, willing engines and stylish, Detroit-inspired body. Rally and racing versions command unbelievable prices at auction – some change hands for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Worth it? We think so.

2. Ford Cortina (4,350,941 sold)

Ford launched the Cortina at the perfect time, offering just what family and fleet buyers craved, There was plenty of room, it was simple to service, reliable, cheap, and good-looking – while the Italian ‘Cortina’ gave it a certain European flair that was missing from its Consul predecessor.

1. Ford Fiesta (4,498,290 sold)

What can we say about the Fiesta that hasn’t been said already? Through eight generations, numerous facelifts and almost 4.5 million buyers, it’s remained a firm favourite with the UK market since launch in 1977.

Though as the car’s aged it’s become more luxurious, more stylish and more efficient, the overarching philosophy that’s kept the Fiesta as a top seller is how good it is to drive. Whether in firebreathing ST form or humble 1.0-litre, every generation of Fiesta has struck the perfect balance of ride and handling to appeal to UK buyers. With the latest model proving every bit as successful as its predecessors, the legacy looks set to continue going forward.