Category: News

Audi has revealed an updated version of its large seven-seat Q7 SUV, which benefits from a styling redesign and additional safety features and connectivity.

The Q7 is Audi’s largest SUV, and though a new generation is overdue, the German firm is now introducing the second major facelift following its last update in 2019, and initial introduction in 2015.

Audi has aimed to give this latest Q7 a look in line with its more modern models, with a more imposing grille made up of new L-shaped inlays, which is similar to that of the latest Q8 SUV.

There are new LED lights at the front and rear, which feature configurable lighting signatures. Top-spec Q7s feature laser technology with a blue ambient light embedded. Audi says these headlights ‘significantly increase the high beam range’.

The new digital OLED lights also have a proximity feature that can detect when a vehicle approaches the stationary Q7 from behind at a close distance and automatically illuminates every element of the LED lighting.

Three new colours – Sakhir Gold, Ascari Blue and Chilli Red – and a range of new alloy wheel designs are also available.

Audi hasn’t made any significant changes to the Q7’s interior, with the same twin touchscreen layout being used, but third-party apps such as Spotify and Amazon Apps are now directly integrated. The large digital instrument cluster is also now integrated with the various driver assistance systems to display new warnings.

The Q7 will be available from launch with a choice of a 3.0-litre diesel engine available with outputs of 228bhp and 282bhp, along with a 335bhp 3.0-litre petrol unit. A flagship SQ7 performance model also continues to sit at the top of the line-up, using a 500bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that can accelerate this SUV from 0-60mph in just 3.9 seconds.

Like the current model, the new Q7 will be available with a choice of three trim levels – S line, Black Edition and Vorsprung. Prices for the updated Audi Q7 start from £66,605, rising to £111,370 for the flagship SQ7 Vorsprung. It’s set to go on sale in March with first deliveries expected from May.

Tesla boss Elon Musk has said that trade barriers will need to be introduced on Chinese car firms otherwise they will ‘demolish most other car companies’.

Speaking during Tesla’s fourth-quarter and full-year financial results call, Musk said ‘our observations are that Chinese car companies are the most competitive car companies in the world, so I think they will have significant success outside of China depending on what kind of tariffs or trade barriers are established.

He added: “Frankly, I think that if there are not trade barriers established they will pretty much demolish most other car companies in the world.

“They’re extremely good”, added the Tesla boss.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of Chinese car brands arriving on the market in recent years with the vast majority focusing on the production of electric vehicles.

Firms such as BYD have started to have a foothold in the UK, alongside brands such as GWM Ora. Two new brands – Seres and Skywell – have recently been confirmed as new additions to the UK’s automotive scene while Chinese car giant Geely owns more household names such as Volvo, Lotus and Polestar.

Musk added that Tesla didn’t see an ‘obvious opportunity’ in which to partner with Chinese car brands but added that the Californian firm was happy to give ‘any car company’ access to Tesla’s widespread Supercharger network. He also stated that he was “happy to give license for full self-driving and perhaps other technologies which could be helpful in advancing the sustainable energy revolution”.

A rare Land Rover Defender currently owned by actor Rowan Atkinson is heading to auction next month.

Atkinson, who had star roles in Blackadder, Mr. Bean and Johnny English, is known for his love of cars and even owned a highly valuable McLaren F1 that the actor famously crashed twice, before selling it for an estimated £8m in 2015.

Now Atkinson is selling his prized Land Rover Defender Heritage Edition, which was one of the final models to mark the end of the production of the original Defender in 2016.

Paying homage to the original Series I Land Rover, each Heritage Edition is painted in Grasmere Green with a white roof, along with other classic touches and ‘HUE 166’ graphics, which was the number plate assigned to the first production Land Rover back in 1947.

Rowan Atkinson acquired this Defender in 2017, which is one of just 400 Heritage Edition models made, and it’s even rarer still being a long-wheelbase ‘110’ version as most were the shorter ‘90’ versions. It’s covered just 3,800 miles, with Atkinson paying to have an aftermarket tow bar, air conditioning and car alarm fitted.

Nick Whale, chairman of Iconic Auctioneers, says: “Rowan Atkinson is a well-known petrolhead and Land Rover enthusiast, so this vehicle has been cherished and lightly used as part of his personal collection. Always correctly serviced, maintained and professionally stored, it has now covered just 3,800 miles from new.”

The auctioneers have sold several of Atkinson’s cars over the years, with a 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale being sold by the company in February 2023 for £87,750.

The actor’s Land Rover Defender will go under the hammer at the historic motorsport show Race Retro, held at Stoneleigh Park, near Coventry on February 25 and has a guide price of £65,000 to £85,000.

It’s not the only famous Land Rover going under the hammer at the sale, however, as a Defender 110 5.0 V8 Bond Edition, one of just 10 sold in the UK to coincide with the release of the 2021 ‘007’ film No Time To Die, is being sold with an estimate of up to £175,000.

Fewer than a fifth (18%) of drivers think Highway Code changes made two years ago improved safety for pedestrians, a survey suggests.

The poll of 2,500 UK drivers commissioned by the RAC also indicated that 31% think pedestrians face even greater danger at junctions since the amendments.

The Highway Code, which contains advice and rules for people using Britain’s roads, was amended by the Department for Transport (DfT) on January 29 2022 to provide more protection for vulnerable road users.

It stated that traffic turning at junctions should give way when pedestrians are crossing or waiting to cross the road.

Less than a quarter (23%) of respondents to the RAC survey said they always do this, while 19% admitted they do not stop very often and 6% said they never do.

The Government’s latest road casualty statistics show 30% of pedestrian fatalities on Britain’s roads occur at junctions.

Other changes to the Highway Code included the creation of a hierarchy of road users meaning someone driving has more responsibility to watch out for people cycling, walking or riding a horse.

There was also advice for cyclists to make themselves as visible as possible by riding in the centre of lanes on quieter roads, in slower-moving traffic and when approaching junctions.

A report by the Commons Public Accounts Committee in November 2023 warned that messaging around Highway Code changes were not communicated effectively enough to encourage public participation.

The RAC poll also indicated that 37% of drivers aged 17 to 24 think the amendments have made roads safer for vulnerable users, compared with just 13% of those aged 65 and above.

RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “When initially introduced, we welcomed the major Highway Code changes because they were set to make the roads much safer for the most vulnerable users.

“However, two years on, it’s concerning to see there’s still so much uncertainty, with most drivers not stopping for people crossing when they should and therefore many pedestrians seeing no change to their safety at junctions.

“Part of the reason may be that drivers simply don’t know that the changes have been made, least of all the consequences of ignoring them.

“Most drivers probably rarely refer to the Highway Code once they’ve passed their tests, and that’s where the problem could lie.

“We urge motorists to take another close look at the changes – either by visiting the Highway Code or RAC websites, or by picking up a printed copy.

“We’d also urge the Government to make another concerted effort in communicating the changes to all road users.”

A DfT spokesman said: “All road users must feel confident using our roads which is why we made sure the changes to the Highway Code were directly informed by a public consultation with over 20,000 responses.

“To increase awareness of the changes, we have used our Think! campaign to increase awareness and understanding of the changes over the last two years.”

– The RAC’s survey was conducted by research company Online95 in March 2023. It was weighted to be nationally representative.

The London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has confirmed the introduction of a new luxury MPV in the UK in 2026.

LEVC is the firm behind the popular electrified London taxis that are seen across the capital and also makes an electric van called the VN5. The firm, headquartered in Ansty, near Coventry, recently revealed the L380 as a large luxury MPV.

Originally thought to be designed for overseas markets, predominantly China and eastern Asia where vehicles of this type are most popular, LEVC has now announced that a ‘UK market version’ will arrive ‘within the next two years’.

Unlike the firm’s London taxi and electric van, however, it won’t be made in the UK but rather in the city of Yiwu in East China where production of the first prototype models has recently started.

LEVC, which is owned by Chinese automotive group Geely, says the new L380 will ‘accelerate its transition from a high-end taxi manufacturer to a leading provider of e-mobility solutions’. It will be based on the same underpinnings as other cars from the Geely group, such as the new Volvo EM90.

The L380 is based around a new platform and promises a flexible interior that’s available in three, six or eight-seat layouts.

Alex Nan, chief executive of LEVC, said: “The L380 is the first demonstration of the future vision for LEVC, launching the business into an entirely new sector. As with all our products, L380 takes inspiration from the company’s rich history, combined with the vast resources and technical innovation of the Geely Holding Group.

“The start of production for this new model sets us on an exciting new path, bringing advanced zero-emission transportation to more customers than ever before and we look forward to taking customers on this journey.”

LEVC is still tight-lipped on many details with the L380 but says more will follow in the ‘coming months’.

Smart has announced the introduction of an entry-level ‘Pro’ grade to its electric #1 crossover, which brings a big price cut but with no compromise on standard equipment.

The Smart #1 was introduced last year as the first new model from this revived carmaker, which no longer sells the famous dinky ‘Smart cars’ it was known for.

This new ‘Pro’ trim level is now the entry-level grade, and uses a smaller 49kWh battery that allows for a 193-mile range. This compares to the 66kWh battery fitted to all other versions, which come with a 268-mile range. The power output from the rear-mounted electric motor remains the same on both, producing 268bhp and 343Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-60mph time of 6.7 seconds.

In terms of charging, this new Smart #1 model can be charged at up to 130kW DC, with a 10 to 80 per cent top-up taking ‘less than 30 minutes’.

Despite being an entry-level grade, there is still plenty of standard equipment, including a 12.8-inch touchscreen, heated seats and a 360-degree parking camera. You also get adaptive cruise control, a panoramic sunroof and an electric boot.

This new Pro trim costs from £31,950, which is £4,000 cheaper than the longer-range Pro+ version. It’s available to order now, with Smart estimating delivery in just a few weeks.

Smart UK CEO, David Browne, said: “The arrival of the Pro on UK shores completes the #1 line-up, providing an exceptional value proposition for customers who require less range while expecting just as much in the way of style and substance.

“Accompanied by a new series of extremely compelling PCP deals across the #1 range, we’re very excited to see how the public responds to this new offering.”

The British automotive manufacturing sector had a bumper year in 2023, with more than a million made across the UK.

This includes 905,117 cars and 120,357 commercial vehicles, with overall output increasing by 17 per cent compared to 2022, with an especially strong end to the year.

Production of hybrid and electric vehicles also surged by 48 per cent, with almost 350,000 vehicles of this type. But what vehicles are made in the UK, and where? Let’s take a look. .

Aston Martin

Aston Martin is known internationally for being a British sports car maker, and its full line-up of cars are all manufactured in the UK. It operates two plants, one in St Athan, south Wales, where the DBX is built and its main facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire, which makes cars like the Vantage and new DB12 sports cars.

Bentley

Bentley produces all its cars from an impressive factory in Crewe, Cheshire, with its line-up including the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga SUV. The latter accounts for 44 per cent of its full production, in fact. Bentley manufactured 12,859 cars here in the UK last year.

Jaguar

While Jaguar’s sales have fallen in recent years, the majority of the cars it makes are still manufactured here in the UK. It produces its popular F-Pace in Solihull alongside Range Rovers, while the XE and XF saloons, along with the F-Type sports car, are manufactured at Castle Bromwich.

Land Rover

Land Rover accounted for the majority of JLR’s total 238,422 production in 2023, and when combined with Jaguar, is the second largest car producer in Britain. Land Rover makes the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar at Solihull while its smaller Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque are made in Halewood, Merseyside. It’s only the Defender and Discovery that are made outside the UK in Slovakia.

LEVC

The London Electric Vehicle Company might not be as well known as others on this list, but you’ll likely recognise the electrified London black cab that this firm produces. It also makes an electric van known as the VN5, both at a site near Coventry.

Lotus

Though Lotus increasingly manufactures most of its cars outside of the UK – its new Eletre SUV and Emeya saloon are both made in China – it still continues to produce its sports cars here in Britain. The Emira is built in Hethel, Norfolk.

McLaren

McLaren has established itself as a serious supercar competitor in recent years, and it shows just how diverse the UK’s automotive companies can be. All McLarens are made at a state-of-the-art facility in Woking, Surrey, including the 750S and Artura.

Mini

Mini’s factory in Cowley, Oxford, continues to churn out a huge volume of its cars, and last year it manufactured 184,996 vehicles, though this does represent a small decrease on the previous year. Mini produced its renowned Hatch there in 2023 and phased out production of the Clubman last year. It will soon be gearing up ready to manufacture its new Cooper three-door hatchback.

Morgan

Morgan is one of the UK’s smallest carmakers, but shows off a level of craftsmanship and individuality that is lost with mass-production sites. It has a site in Malvern, Worcestershire that makes its range of sports cars.

Nissan

Nissan is by far the biggest car producer in the UK, with a huge 324,893 new cars being produced at its plant in Sunderland in 2023 across three cars – its Qashqai and Juke crossovers, as well as the electric Leaf hatchback. It’s the Qashqai that accounts for by far the greatest chunk of its numbers.

Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce is renowned for its luxury cars, and it continues to lead the way when it comes to personalisation and craftsmanship. It has a site near Chichester, West Sussex, where all its cars is made. Rolls-Royce also started building its first electric car, the Spectre, last year.

Suzuki

Suzuki is one car firm that many will not know produces a car in the UK, though it’s really a rebadged Toyota. Known as the Swace, it’s a hybrid estate car based on the Corolla and is made at a factory in Burnaston, near Derby.

Stellantis

Stellantis includes such a broad range of brands that it’s easier to include in one section. The firm produces vans for Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall at two sites in the UK – one in Luton, and a second in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Toyota

While we’ve acknowledged Toyota already, it’s the firm’s ‘own’ Corolla that accounts for the majority of production at the Derbyshire factory. The firm made 122,193 models there in 2023, including Corollas in both a hatchback and estate car layout.

Proposals to move MOTs to a two-year requirement have been quashed as a government consultation comes to a close.

The consultation, which was launched in January 2023, was introduced to see whether extending the time between MOTs – as well as pushing back the date of a vehicle’s first test after registration – could be feasible.

In all, the government received more than 4,400 responses to the ‘combined consultation and call for evidence about reforms to MOT testing’.

As a result, the MOT test will remain a requirement each year for cars over three years old, while a new car’s first MOT test will still need to be conducted once it reaches three years old, rather than four as proposed.

Roads Minister Guy Opperman said: “We have listened to drivers and industry, and keeping MOTs in their current form shows once again that we are on the side of motorists.

📢"Gov & the auto industry have worked together to ensure the UK has some of the world’s safest roads. The decision to retain the existing MOT system is the right one, helping maintain this proud record"@MikeHawesSMMT on MOT consultation announcement pic.twitter.com/qGEiZU881P

— SMMT (@SMMT) January 25, 2024

“By offering clarity on MOT tests, alongside our recent street works consultation and unprecedented £8.3 billion to resurface roads, we are helping motorists drive with peace of mind and ensuring Britain’s roads continue to be some of the safest in the world.”

The government will also ‘further investigate’ on how to improve the level of monitoring of diesel vehicle emissions through the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) that ‘will include whether testing should do more to ensure that diesel vehicles comply with emissions regulations’.

Simon Williams, RAC head of policy, said: “It’s great news the madcap idea of changing the MOT from every year to every two has finally been consigned to the bin.

“This would have seriously compromised road safety and ended up costing drivers more money rather than less as it was supposed to do, due to dangerous issues going undetected and getting progressively worse. This is why the idea was so widely unpopular with the motoring public in our research.”

The Geneva Motor Show used to be one of Europe’s premier automotive events when it came to new car reveals.

Almost every global car manufacturer would have a stand and new metal to show off, but following a coronavirus-forced hiatus, it’s now returning for the first time in five years on February 26.

This year’s Geneva Motor Show will look considerably different too, as while the event used to take up nearly all of the city’s grand Palexpo exhibition centre, this year it is occupying just two halls.

Just a handful of major firms will be in attendance, and though the organisers claim ‘15 world and European premieres’, this is considerably less than what would have taken place in years gone by.

While organisers behind this year’s event acknowledge that the event is ‘more compact’, it believes it can be ‘as big as we were before covid’.

But which car firms are exhibiting at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, and – more tellingly – who isn’t? Let’s take a look.

Who is attending?

BYD

Chinese car firm BYD is already making quite an impression across the globe, and it will be one of few companies from this corner of the world exhibiting at Geneva. The firm has yet to give any clue of what might be on display, though you can expect its current line-up, along with the upcoming plug-in hybrid ‘Seal U’ SUV to be on display. Given BYD’s fast-paced nature, expect a few more surprises too.

Dacia

Dacia will be making quite an impression in Geneva this year with the budget brand displaying two new cars. There will be the public debut for its new Duster SUV, revealed back in November, but the highlight is the reveal of a new version of its Spring EV. It will be Dacia’s first electric car sold in the UK, and promises to be the most affordable EV on sale.

MG

MG hadn’t been at the Geneva Motor Show, even before the pandemic, but is using this year’s event to reveal its new MG3 – an affordable supermini that rivals the Dacia Sandero. The current car has been on sale for more than a decade, and this updated model is certainly needed. Expect MG to also show off another version of its electric Cyberster sports car to drum up demand ahead of arriving in Europe later in the year.

Lucid

Lucid is one of the more surprising attendees at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, and will be showing off its luxury American electric cars. The Lucid Air saloon is already on sale in select countries around Europe, but the highlight is expected to be Lucid bringing its Gravity SUV to Europe for the first time.

Renault

The most important debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show will be the Renault 5, which makes its eagerly-awaited world debut. Renault is reviving this classic nameplate for its new small EV that promises to bring some innovative features and should prove popular. It’ll certainly be the star of this year’s event.

Who isn’t attending?

The list of those not attending drastically exceeds the list of those that are. In fact, of the 50 manufacturers we asked if they were attending, only four said they were. Compare that to event in 2019, and 36 of these brands all had show stands, with most revealing new cars.

One of the biggest losses is the Volkswagen Group. From Seat to Lamborghini, it used to take up a huge amount of floor space, and even host its own ‘media night’ the evening before the show opened to show off all the new cars from the various brands.

But no VW Group brand will be in attendance in 2024, and the same applies to the huge Stellantis organisation, including Citroen, Peugeot and Vauxhall to name just a few. In a statement from the Stellantis group, it said it had chosen to not attend the Geneva show “given the current challenging scenario in the industry worldwide”.

Even smaller firms like Subaru, Suzuki and Honda all used to have huge presence at Geneva, but again have all decided to miss this year’s event.

Drivers caught speeding between 20mph and 30mph would not receive penalty points under a proposed law tabled in Parliament.

Conservative former minister Kit Malthouse said motorists should instead be required to attend a speed awareness course, with repeat offenders made to do the course again.

Points would still apply to those drivers who do not attend their course, Mr Malthouse said.

The former justice minister argued his proposed reform offers a “more proportionate approach” to 20mph zones and would achieve better road safety.

Most people caught speeding are handed a £100 fine and either penalty points or offered the chance to participate in a retraining course.

Introducing his Road Traffic and Street Works Bill to the Commons, Mr Malthouse said: “I propose that anybody caught speeding between 20mph and 30mph does not receive penalty points, rather they would be required to attend a speed awareness course and repeat offences would require repeat attendance at speed awareness courses.

“I should declare an interest having been myself at a speed awareness course recently, caught doing 24mph on the Embankment unwittingly – along with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“Not at the same time or in the same vehicle, he was also done for a similar offence.

“The rollout of 20mph speed limits across the country has brought benefits in terms of road safety, but it has left many thousands of drivers disproportionately punished for straying over the limit.

“You can receive three penalty points for doing 24mph in a 20mph zone and for doing 57mph in a 50mph zone – (it) seems unfair to many and is in danger of discrediting the system.

“In addition to penalty points and a fine, drivers so punished will also face higher insurance premiums at a time when premiums are rising significantly in any event.

“As it stands it’s possible to lose you driving licence by driving at 24mph four times in three years.”

Mr Malthouse said speed awareness courses are “significantly more effective” in preventing reoffending compared with penalty points and a fine.

He added: “If our objective is to improve road safety, particularly on residential roads, then it would be more effective to put people through repeated courses, perhaps with increasing intensity and time required.

“This would be a more proportionate approach and achieve better road safety. Points would still apply for those who fail to attend courses or indeed who fail their courses.”

The Bill would also see a warning letter sent to a driver for their first moving traffic offence – such as entering a bus lane – in a particular location rather than an immediate fine.

Any roadworks on an A road should not be left unattended at any time, according to the third proposal in the Bill.

Mr Malthouse asked for the Bill to receive a second reading on April 19 although it is unlikely to make progress in its current form unless it receives Government support.

AA president Edmund King said: “All our research suggests that the vast majority of drivers benefit from speed awareness courses and would recommend them to others.

“Getting drivers to slow down is vital but in the move to reduce casualties it is more effective to educate rather than prosecute. It would be a pragmatic step to offer courses to those who contravene 20mph limits.”