Auto Express 1739

JUST as we were going to press with this issue, I received the heartbreaking news that rally legend Paddy Hopkirk had passed away. Paddy was a true friend of Auto Express. He was a contributor to the magazine some years ago, and he had close ties with many of the businesses that we write about, from accessory makers to the car brand he was most associated with: MINI. More than that, Paddy was my friend. He always made me laugh, and even when I last spoke to him, just a few days before his passing, that trademark sense of humour was still present and correct. Paddy was also a real inspiration to me. Right until his last days, he was working hard, trying to connect people for their benefit, not his, and was…

@matt_201 ● New hot Civic has more than 316bhp but is still front-wheel drive ● It’s already broken the lap record at Suzuka by almost a second HONDA now has a fully electrified line-up in Europe, but it’s not turning its back on performance, because the Japanese brand has revealed an all-new Civic Type R hot hatchback. The new model will almost certainly be Honda’s last-ever pure-combustion hot hatch and, to celebrate, the car’s unveiling neatly coincides with both the 25th anniversary of the Civic Type R and the Civic model line’s 50th birthday. Honda, however, is sticking to its guns in some areas with the new car, because the Type R continues with its front-wheel-drive layout, despite many of the latest hot hatches – such as the Volkswagen Golf R and Mercedes-AMG A 35…

JUST as we were going to press with this issue, I received the heartbreaking news that rally legend Paddy Hopkirk had passed away. Paddy was a true friend of Auto Express. He was a contributor to the magazine some years ago, and he had close ties with many of the businesses that we write about, from accessory makers to the car brand he was most associated with: MINI. More than that, Paddy was my friend. He always made me laugh, and even when I last spoke to him, just a few days before his passing, that trademark sense of humour was still present and correct. Paddy was also a real inspiration to me. Right until his last days, he was working hard, trying to connect people for their benefit, not…

@matt_201 HONDA has a rich history when it comes to hot hatchbacks and other performance models, and we’ve picked out some of the most iconic cars to ever wear the Type R badge, as well as a few other outsiders in the form of the S2000 roadster and NSX sports car. Honda knows how to deliver fun for driving enthusiasts, and the cars below each offered an exciting blend of qualities that often included raucous engines, agile chassis and superb manual gearboxes, so here’s hoping the new Civic Type R follows in this long line of illustrious hot Hondas. “Honda’s best efforts have featured raucous engines, agile chassis and superb gearboxes” CivicType R(FN2) Production years: 2007-2011 Price when new: £18,600 Engine/Power: 2.0-litre 4cyl/197bhp 0-62mph/Top speed: 6.7 seconds/146mph THE FN2 isn’t quite as mad under the skin as its…

@matt_201 ● New hot Civic has more than 316bhp but is still front-wheel drive ● It’s already broken the lap record at Suzuka by almost a second HONDA now has a fully electrified line-up in Europe, but it’s not turning its back on performance, because the Japanese brand has revealed an all-new Civic Type R hot hatchback. The new model will almost certainly be Honda’s last-ever pure-combustion hot hatch and, to celebrate, the car’s unveiling neatly coincides with both the 25th anniversary of the Civic Type R and the Civic model line’s 50th birthday. Honda, however, is sticking to its guns in some areas with the new car, because the Type R continues with its front-wheel-drive layout, despite many of the latest hot hatches – such as the Volkswagen Golf…

@JPBrods ● Signals MINI’s design language ● Production model here in 2024 MINI’s next generation of models will form the brand’s most wide-ranging line-up ever, and a key part of the jigsaw will be a new all-electric compact crossover sharing its underpinnings with the future all-electric MINI Hatch. It’s not due until 2024 but it’s being previewed by this concept: the Aceman. The new model will be slightly smaller than the current Countryman, at just over four metres long, but the fully electric architecture on which the car will be based will maximise packaging to improve space inside. The Aceman will be built in China and two battery sizes and two power outputs could be offered. An entry-level edition will have around 180bhp and a 40kWh battery for a claimed range of around 190 miles,…