Autocar July 13, 2022

THE QUEEN’S speech in May included a transport bill intended, among other things, to improve the provision of badly needed charging points for electric cars. A delay to this bill with the current turmoil in Westminster could push it dangerously close to the timing of a general election, which threatens to send what’s contained within it back to square one. The roll-out of the charging network cannot afford any slowdown, given the government has mandated that new cars must be EVs from 2030. Delays cannot be allowed to happen. More challenges remain. Hybrids can be sold alongside EVs from 2030-2035 but we’re still waiting to hear what the government will class as a hybrid. Fuel duty and prices remain sky-high, pricing many off the roads. New cars remain in short supply, which…

“The new SSP platform will support single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor four-wheel drive” The next Audi A3 is set to become an electric-only model with a maximum range of more than 400 miles and the choice of either standard rear-or optional four-wheel drive, sources at the car maker have revealed. The decision means the popular hatchback and saloon will abandon petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and natural gas power to go up against the Volkswagen ID 3 with a raft of battery and powertrain options and next-generation technology. Scheduled for UK launch in 2027, the fifth-generation A3 will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s new skateboard-style SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) electric architecture – the same structure that is set to make its debut on the upcoming Volkswagen ID 4 saloon currently being developed under…

THE QUEEN’S speech in May included a transport bill intended, among other things, to improve the provision of badly needed charging points for electric cars. A delay to this bill with the current turmoil in Westminster could push it dangerously close to the timing of a general election, which threatens to send what’s contained within it back to square one. The roll-out of the charging network cannot afford any slowdown, given the government has mandated that new cars must be EVs from 2030. Delays cannot be allowed to happen. More challenges remain. Hybrids can be sold alongside EVs from 2030-2035 but we’re still waiting to hear what the government will class as a hybrid. Fuel duty and prices remain sky-high, pricing many off the roads. New cars remain in short…

Despite a lot of the recent fast Audi headline-grabbers all being about the upper echelons of its range, it’s the little ones that stick in the memory. They’re the ones that have zinged and generally been a little less like a sledgehammer when finesse is called for on today’s roads. Audi has form here, with a lineage of small fast cars since the first Audi Quattro. It’s all about accessible power. On the recent launch of the RS3, I had 30 minutes on a mountain pass. We never went over 55mph but it was a pinch-me moment, with the balance and usability making it a near-perfect companion. It’ll be interesting to see whether Audi’s EVs can maintain the sense of the car being your mate rather than your master. Audis are best…

“The new SSP platform will support single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor four-wheel drive” The next Audi A3 is set to become an electric-only model with a maximum range of more than 400 miles and the choice of either standard rear-or optional four-wheel drive, sources at the car maker have revealed. The decision means the popular hatchback and saloon will abandon petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and natural gas power to go up against the Volkswagen ID 3 with a raft of battery and powertrain options and next-generation technology. Scheduled for UK launch in 2027, the fifth-generation A3 will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s new skateboard-style SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) electric architecture – the same structure that is set to make its debut on the upcoming Volkswagen ID 4 saloon currently…

Despite a lot of the recent fast Audi headline-grabbers all being about the upper echelons of its range, it’s the little ones that stick in the memory. They’re the ones that have zinged and generally been a little less like a sledgehammer when finesse is called for on today’s roads. Audi has form here, with a lineage of small fast cars since the first Audi Quattro. It’s all about accessible power. On the recent launch of the RS3, I had 30 minutes on a mountain pass. We never went over 55mph but it was a pinch-me moment, with the balance and usability making it a near-perfect companion. It’ll be interesting to see whether Audi’s EVs can maintain the sense of the car being your mate rather than your master. Audis…