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ONE of the next big car companies could be one you’ve never heard of, so how about this: Fisker? Okay, so you may remember the ill-fated Fisker Karma from some years ago. Undeterred by that experience, company founder Henrik Fisker had dusted himself off, come up with another plan, secured substantial backing and will be launching the first model from an all-new Fisker car company in just a few weeks. He’s hired some of the best people in the business to work with him and has just revealed plans to develop two new models at his soon-to-open Fisker Magic Works in the UK (page 17). What makes things different this time around? I caught up with Fisker himself this week to find out. “It’s the products, it’s the company’s philosophy and its…

Steve_Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler “If Cupra wants to muscle in on the upmarket elite, it need look no further than Volvo – a real premium player” THE clamour for car makers to be seen as premium is only matched by the rush to get increasingly sought-after electric cars into showrooms. EVs are in demand and EVs with posh badges mean bigger profits for those who make and market them. That’s partly the thinking behind Spanish upstart Cupra. Once just a tag for hot SEATs, it’s now a brand in its own right, attracting younger buyers with its upmarket positioning and sporty styling. As with everyone else, it’s going fully electric, and the Cupra Born is its first EV. It shares its tech with other members of the Volkswagen Group, starting with the MEB architecture, so there’s no…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy SKODA has made huge strides with its latest Octavia and the all-new Enyaq iV electric SUV, but the brand hasn’t forgotten its flagship saloon and estate, the Superb, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year. Spied testing recently, the Mk4 model will introduce a fresh approach to exterior styling and an all-new cabin when it arrives in 2024. The Superb will still be based on MQB, the VW Group’s modular platform. But as the car caught testing shows, it will get a slight increase in length and wheelbase to help further distance it from the Octavia, which grew for its fourth generation. Expect the Superb’s exterior look, as previewed in our exclusive images, to make use of that extra length, including a slightly longer rear overhang and an almost coupé-like roofline for…

IN a break from tradition, the Superb is being developed alongside the next generation Volkswagen Passat. Indeed, Skoda is leading what appears to be a joint project that will culminate in both cars switching production from Germany for VW and the Czech Republic for Skoda to VW’s factory in Bratislava, Slovakia. “We are developing together with VW,” Schäfer said, “but we have the total project lead for that vehicle. It’s the first time that there has been this sort of clarity. In the [VW] Group we’ve agreed to do that further in future. We want to preserve the individuality of the brand but we can’t afford to all do individual things.” Schäfer confirmed that the factory switch would free up capacity to build more Karoq and Kodiaq SUVs. “It creates space for…

AUDI has added a new model to the R8 line-up in the form of the new R8 V10 performance RWD (Rear Wheel Drive). It’s the new entry point to the R8 sports car range, and it goes on sale this month. Using the R8’s trademark 5.2-litre V10, the R8 V10 performance RWD produces 562bhp, 29bhp more than the outgoing R8 V10. Torque stands at 550Nm. Power is sent to the rear axle via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Audi claims 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds for the coupé and 3.8 seconds for the new R8 V10 performance RWD Spyder. Top speed for the coupé is 204mph and 203mph for the Spyder. Prices for the new R8 range begin from £126,885 for the R8 V10 performance RWD, with the Spyder starting from £135,575.…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @jimmybrods THE all-electric MG ZS EV has been given a huge facelift, with fresh styling and technology plus, crucially, a new, larger battery that unlocks a significant increase in the car’s range. The updated ZS will be on sale in Britain next month, and while prices here haven’t been revealed, potential buyers are being invited to register their interest. Two versions of the updated ZS have been confirmed: a Standard Range model using a 51kWh battery, and a Long Range version with a new 72kWh pack placed under the floor. The two model line-up replaces the old ZS, which was only available with a 44.5kWh battery, and capable of a range of 163 miles under WLTP testing. MG’s 51kWh Standard Range model is capable of 198 miles under WLTP certification, and is due on…