Table of contents for 1878 in Auto Express

RETRO-fitting petrol cars with electric powertrains is nothing new. Stellantis – parent company of Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and others – has done it for years, while the likes of MINI and BMW will offer you countless flavours of their wide-ranging ICE and EV line-up. So in theory, Ford has every reason to pin its hopes on the latest Puma Gen-E (Page 8), a zero-emissions take on one of our favourite small SUVs, and the UK’s best-selling car in 2024. Gone is the thrummy three-cylinder petrol engine, and in its place is a quiet, zippy electric powertrain that should play to the firm’s historical strengths in this part of the market. “IN THEORY, FORD HAS EVERY REASON TO PIN ITS HOPES ON THE LATEST PUMA GEN-E, A ZERO-EMISSIONS TAKE ON THE…

THIS is the all-new Audi A6 saloon, which is set to join its rakish A6 Avant sibling in the coming months. Destined to take on rivals such as the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class, it’ll come with a range of petrol and diesel engines at launch, with a series of plug-in hybrids and a high-performance S6 to follow. The new saloon ushers in an all-new body, which has been designed to be a little more conservative than its streamlined Avant sibling. It’s still pretty efficient in terms of aerodynamics, though, because Audi is quoting an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.23 Cd – equal to that of super-slippery EVs such as the original Tesla Model 3. This will help the A6 achieve some impressive fuel economy figures which, in…

THE new Honda Prelude has finally been revealed in full – including its interior for the first time – as the iconic sports coupé is readied for its return in the first half of 2026. The dashboard borrows a lot from the latest Honda Civic, specifically its nine-inch touchscreen, the physical climate controls beneath and its digital driver’s display. The dash has been simplified, though, while the three-spoke steering wheel design and centre console have been spruced up. There’s also a fetching pair of bucket seats with integrated headrests. It appears that the Prelude will have rear seats, like its chief rivals, the Toyota GR86 and BMW 2 Series, although the Honda’s aggressively sloping rear glass hatchback will probably make them a squeeze. Another difference over the Civic’s interior is…

BOWERS & Wilkins supplies the sound system for the new Aston Martin Vanquish. The British hi-fi maker produces some of the best in-car audio around; we love the detail and power its systems offer in high-end BMWs and Polestars. We’d love to tell you how good it is in the Vanquish, but we have to sheepishly admit that we got a little distracted. The thing is, the second that you settle into the gorgeous surroundings of the Aston’s cabin and prod the big, round starter button, the noise from the glorious V12 makes you lose any urge to switch on the radio. More on that engine later. Following a six-year hiatus, the Vanquish has returned for its third generation to take its place as the flagship of the marque’s GT-car…

IT might not look like it at first glance, but the Supersport is an all-new model from Morgan designed to replace the Plus Six as the firm’s flagship model. Sitting above the Plus Four (and below the limited-run, sold-out Midsummer), the Supersport retains much of the same design and hardware as the Plus Six, although it’s been revamped thoroughly enough to earn that new name, according to the company. At £102,000, the Supersport is even more expensive than the final iteration of the Plus Six, the £96,995 Pinnacle. That price doesn’t include the £2,000 soft-top or £3,000 hard-top, either. And its price tag puts it in the firing line of some tasty opposition, such as a base-level Porsche 911 or a well optioned Lotus Emira. From the outset, the new…

JUST like its Formula One cars, McLaren’s ‘1’ series models have always been at the cutting edge of hypercar design. With the launch of the W1, the brand has presented its new era of ultra-high-performance engineering, using everything learned from the earlier P1 and F1 models. models. Here we take a close look at three classic Brits. POWER TRAINS WHILE 1992’s F1 was modern for the time in terms of chassis and aero tech, the engine was old school. McLaren turned to BMW and engine whisperer Paul Roche to develop a naturally aspirated 618bhp V12. This motor, with a 9,000rpm red line and individual throttle bodies, powered the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and little else. There was no traction control and no stability programme. The P1 moved…

WHAT’S the best British car of all time? The Mini? A Land Rover? Jaguar has made some crackers, and we can’t forget motors from pinnacle manufacturers such as Aston Martin, McLaren, Bentley and Rolls-Royce. Six years after our last ranking, we’ve revisited our Top 50 best British built cars of all time. All the UK’s brands are either foreign-owned or have significant overseas financial backing due to globalisation and the UK’s open economy. But the models listed in our top 50 are united by one key attribute: being made in Britain. That’s why overseas investors Nissan, Ford, Toyota and others have a shot at glory in our Top 50 round-up, too. To rank them, the Auto Express editorial team took a list of 75 key cars and numbered them from one…

IF the Dacia Jogger has a familiar look, that’s because the bodywork from the front doors forward is shared with the Sandero supermini. It uses the same running gear as the hatchback, too, but the Jogger adds a longer wheelbase, a raised roof and extended rear to make space for a seven-seat cabin, with a pair of removable chairs in the boot, so you can choose between taking passengers and maximum cargo capacity. There is a choice of a 1.0 TCe three-cylinder turbo petrol with a manual gearbox or a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric Hybrid auto. Trim levels kick off with the Essential model, which starts at just under £19,000 and only has the 1.0 TCe powertrain. For around £1,200 extra you can upgrade to Expression trim, while top-spec Extreme is…

THE Renault 5 E-Tech is one of the most sought after, hotly anticipated new cars in recent memory. I was completely smitten by the concept model when it was presented in 2021, and have been hanging on every word about this car ever since. So as you can imagine, I’m extremely excited to be living with one for the next few months, and hope to be grinning the entire time. But I was worried that Murphy’s law (anything that could go wrong, would go wrong) might interfere somehow. To ensure no one stole our R5 in transit, or its arrival from France wasn’t delayed, I decided to pick up the car myself from Renault’s incredibly impressive ElectriCity plant, just outside the town of Douai, France – some 260 miles and…

MANY of us will listen to music on headphones at home to avoid upsetting the neighbours. That means your car could be the only sanctuary where you can still pump up the volume. However, many many factory-fit entertainment systems are a little weedy, and upgrading is both complicated and expensive. So we tried an increasingly popular supplemental sound option. An under-seat subwoofer is a self-contained bass unit. It taps into the speaker feed and adds a depth of sound missing from most factory audio set-ups. We tried two best sellers: the KSC-PSW7EQ from Kenwood and In Phase’s USW300. While connoisseurs will appreciate the Kenwood’s slightly better performance, it’s not enough to justify the extra cost over the In Phase subwoofer. Kenwood KSC-PSW7EQ Price: £169.99 Size: 160W Rating: Contact: kenwood-electronics.co.uk WHILE installing…

OWNER VIEWS ON THE UK’S BEST CARS “A brilliant car that drives very well, with every extra I could want at a reasonable price. Great dealer, too!” “I’ve had three other Skodas, and never had an issue. This one has been plagued with annoying errors.” “The heated leather seats are extremely comfortable and supportive, and they have plenty of adjustment.” REPLACING Skoda’s Yeti SUV was a tough job, but the Karoq has also proved to be a crowd pleaser. At eight years old, the Karoq is getting a bit long in the tooth, but it still looks fresh and owners love much of what it offers. Buyers are especially impressed by their cars’ practicality, with boot capacity rated seventh, interior storage coming eighth, and seat flexibility in ninth place. Our…

FEW could have predicted the success the Puma has had for Ford since its arrival in 2019, especially in the UK where it’s been the best-selling car for the past two years. But there’s been a glaring omission from the Puma’s spectrum of appeal, which has arguably made its popularity all the more admirable: there’s been no pure-electric version. Ford has now plugged that gap by introducing the Puma Gen-E. It’s the smallest pure-electric model in Ford’s line-up and, for now at least, is “the final part of the EV range”. Sitting under the Explorer, Capri and Mustang Mach-E, the new Puma Gen-E has some seriously tough competition in the shape of the Kia EV3, Vauxhall Mokka Electric, Peugeot E-2008, Volkswagen ID.3, Volvo EX30 and the new Skoda Elroq, among…

FEARS that US president Trump’s trade and tariff war will lead to worldwide recession continue to dampen global oil prices, with fuel prices expected to fall as a result. Last week, the RAC predicted the price of petrol could fall to 130p a litre, down from 136p before Easter, based on oil trading at approximately $65 (roughly £50) per barrel. Yet analysts’ projections of weakened economies reducing global demand caused the price to slip further, with West Texas Intermediate crude at $60 per barrel and Brent Crude at $63 on 11 April. Typically, oil producers respond to falling prices by cutting production, but recently the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) surprised markets by increasing production. It led some pundits to speculate the Gulf states were responding to US…

THIS is the striking new Mazda EZ-60, a mid-sized all-electric SUV that should be arriving in the UK and Europe in 2026 to rival the Tesla Model Y, Audi Q4 e-tron and Ford Capri. When it does, we expect it will carry a different name – likely CX-6e – in line with the Mazda 6e saloon that was revealed last year. The new model will be revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show later in April, and that’s because this isn’t a purely Japanese-designed and engineered Mazda, but one built in conjunction with Chinese manufacturer Changan. Although it has been designed primarily for the Chinese market, Mazda wants the car to compete globally, too. The EZ-60 certainly has an imposing look. It might be an SUV, but its body is low…

RENAULT has simplified its all-electric Megane and Scenic E-Tech ranges and cut prices, with the models now starting from £32,495 and £37,195 respectively. That marks a reduction of £1,500 to the cheapest Megane E-Tech and of £300 to the Scenic EV, pictured above. On the Megane, the key figures remain the same, with a 217bhp rear-mounted electric motor and a 60kWh battery the only option, offering up to 285 miles of range. Trim levels now kick off with the once mid-spec Techno instead of Evolution, while the Techno Esprit Alpine sits above, from £35,495. A new top-spec trim level, Iconic Esprit Alpine, replaces Iconic, and is available from £36,995. With an emphasis on sporty styling, it comes with 20-inch alloy wheels and a Formula One-style blade on the front end,…

THIS is the new Citroen Holidays, and it wants a slice of the lucrative and largely unexploited manufacturer-converted compact campervan market. Based on the M-length Dispatch van, it’s had its roof lopped off and its innards filled with everything you might need for a weekend away – including the kitchen sink. For what feels like forever, one van maker has had this market segment cornered; the Volkswagen California has been the go-to home away-from-home for more than two decades. But more recently, we’ve seen rivals encroach on this otherwise untapped class: Mercedes was first with the luxurious Marco Polo, before Ford’s Transit Custom-based Nugget arrived more recently. The Holidays trades on value. It is – by some way – the cheapest camper you can buy direct from a manufacturer, with…

THE British car industry is always under the microscope: no surprise when it employs about 800,000 people. But with the spotlight on global trade and the UK’s transition to electric transport, we feel now is the perfect time to take the industry’s pulse. We’ve visited two plants prepping for an EV future, talked strategy with Aston Martin’s new boss, and asked if McLaren’s forthcoming W1 hypercar can top the legendary F1 and P1. The takeaway is that Britain has a thriving car industry and some brilliant brands. And to explore that, we’re counting down our favourite 50 British-built cars. Our number one blends the best of British automotive ingenuity with hipsterish cool – and we’ve immersed ourselves in three generations of this great British icon. “WITH THE SPOTLIGHT ON TRADE…

ADRIAN Mardell, the softly spoken CEO of JLR, epitomises his company. In his first media address in 2023, he admitted “we’ve been quiet over the last two years.” But he added we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that JLR wasn’t “progressing at speed”. The UK’s biggest car company – responsible for about 240,000 jobs directly and in the supply chain – can’t help but make headlines. The social media frenzy around Jaguar’s relaunch as an all-electric luxury car brand reached one billion people. And JLR’s decision to pause US exports after President Trump’s 25 per cent tariff was front page news. The tariff is bad news for JLR. Pre-Covid, the company relied on big Range Rover sales in China for a huge chunk of profits. But given the country’s sluggish…

THE Continental GT is a Speed First Edition and we’re certainly closing fast on Bentley’s Crewe factory. Leafy green hedges pass in a blur and the body feels nicely tied down even when charging over humpback bridges, yet the engine tacho is pinned at zero revs. Witchcraft? The faint electric whine gives up our secret: like all Continental GTs, this is a plug-in hybrid, one easily capable of 60mph without the V8 barking into life. This part-electrified Conti is a mere appetiser for what we’re about to see, as we become the first people outside Bentley to set foot inside its brand-new, three-billion-plus-Euro electrified car factory. Deep in the new campus, engineers are busily installing equipment enabling prototype production of Bentley’s first BEV (battery-electric vehicle), which will start just eight…

AS you’ll have seen on page 62, we’ve crowned the Mini (and MINI) the best British car ever built. By way of celebration, it seemed appropriate to pull together one of the very oldest, original Minis alongside the newest, plus something in between. Side by side, it’s clear that the first modern MINI (the grey R53-generation Cooper S seen in these pictures) put on quite a bit of weight compared with its three-metre-long forebear. It’s bigger in every dimension, and very nearly twice as heavy (635kg versus 1,216kg). Yet both – all, in fact, if you include the 2025 car – are instantly recognisable. That’s just the Mini way. The round headlights, tall and narrow tail-lights, large glasshouse and wheels pushed out into the corners are design cues that transcend…

IN a contest for the new car with the longest name, the Toyota Proace City Verso Electric has to be a front runner. The last bit is moot because the Verso is only sold in the UK as an EV, but Short and Long versions are available that offer five or seven seats in either Icon and Design trims. The Proace City Verso is related to a number of other van-based MPVs. It was facelifted in 2024 with a corporate look designed to ape the Toyota C-HR and bZ4x, but the main body and running gear are shared with the Citroen Berlingo, Vauxhall Combo and Peugeot Rifter from Stellantis. The minor differences between them largely boil down to trims and finishes. ENGINES & PERFORMANCE WHILE there’s no diesel available, we…

THERE are a multitude of lotions and potions on the market designed to clean specific car parts, but an all purpose cleaner, or APC, can take the place of several concoctions. The best will be able to tackle fabrics for the upholstery, carpets and headlining inside the cabin, along with the plastics and vinyl that line other parts of a car’s interior. They should also be able to wipe away years of grime from steering wheels, switches and other parts. For this test we concentrated mainly on the interior cleaning ability of the APCs, but extra points were awarded if they were also labelled for exterior parts of the car. Which jack of all trades mastered our cleaning tests? How we tested WE expect APCs to be able to clean…

DITHERING Donald, his tiresome tariffs and unpredictable U-turns are proving to be calamitously counter-productive. So, deliberately, this is not just another update on him and them. Instead, I’m focusing on the unexpected results of the US President’s here today, gone tomorrow ‘policy’ announcements. Or are they just mumblings from an old bloke who makes stuff up as he goes along? Either way, he at least deserves credit for placing cars, the auto industry and showroom prices at the top of the news agenda – where they should be. Industries don’t come much bigger than this. The world would be a far worse, poorer, less mobile place were it not for firms deep inside, or on the outskirts of the global auto business, that generate trillions of dollars and provide millions…

ROCK-solid evidence of a new version of the Land Rover Defender has now come to light with the first on-road prototypes spotted ahead of a likely reveal next year. This more urban-focused model won’t just be smaller than the existing Defender, it will also get an electric powertrain. The new model is one of six that JLR will launch by 2026, expanding the successful Defender range with a smaller and more accessible version akin to the Discovery and Range Rover Sport models. We asked the company for clarification, but it said: “JLR does not comment on future product programmes or speculation.” However, the pictures reveal much about the direction Land Rover will take with a Defender ‘Sport’, starting with a set of proportions in line with the current Defender’s. These…

DENZA, the premium technology-focused brand owned by Chinese automotive giant BYD, is coming to the UK next year to take on the likes of BMW, Mercedes and even Porsche – and the first weapon in its arsenal will be a shooting brake estate that can deliver nearly 1,000bhp. The hugely powerful Denza Z9GT will be the brand’s first offering to customers in Europe and most likely the UK, too, which to many could seem an odd choice considering most buyers’ preference for SUVs over estate cars these days. Underneath, the Z9GT is based on the e3 platform, and buyers will be able to choose either plug-in hybrid or pure-electric power. Both versions feature three electric motors, with one on the front axle and two at the rear. The tri-motor powertrain…

THE Government has announced a softening of its controversial Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate rules, as well as the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars. The updated mandate will give firms greater flexibility to escape fines, which have also been reduced. The ZEV Mandate was billed as “the most ambitious regulatory framework for the switch to electric vehicles in the world” when it was announced in 2017 by the previous Conservative administration. As its name suggests, the goal behind the ZEV Mandate is to slowly electrify and decarbonise the UK’s roads by forcing manufacturers to build and sell greener vehicles. Since it came into effect in January 2024, car makers have been required by law to meet sales targets for zero-emissions vehicles, such as electric cars, to avoid receiving…

IT feels like a new Chinese brand is launching every week and soon it’ll be the turn of Zeekr, which is planning to bring its models to the UK in 2026. Providing its entry to the hugely popular mid-sized SUV segment will be the all-electric 7X. Our drive marks Zeekr’s fourth birthday. It’s not exactly a start-up because it has Chinese giant Geely behind it, meaning the firm can leverage the latest tech used by Volvo and Polestar. The 7X sits on an SEA platform derivative used by the Polestar 4 and new Smart #5, and is intended as a rival to the Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. The UK line-up is yet to be finalised, but in other markets there is an entry-level Core (single…

EVER had one of those days where everything seems to go wrong, or worse, a year like Queen Elizabeth II’s annus horribilis in 1992? Things are even worse for the UK car industry. It’s suffered a decade of doom since the 2016 Brexit vote made European trade harder and choked off inward investment. Car makers then suffered the shockwaves of Covid-19 lockdowns throttling supply and demand, and the Ukraine war inflating energy costs. Now industry figures are grappling with the impact of a 25 per cent tariff on car exports to the United States. All the while electrifying the cars and vans its factories produce to meet unpredictable consumer demand. Politicians have been pushing them hard, but the UK government has listened by slackening ZEV mandate rules. You could imagine…

GIGA 2 WILL BE 360M LONG–LONGER THAN THE SHARD BUILDING IN LONDON IS HIGH GIGA 2 WILL SUPPORT MORE THAN 1,000 HI-TECH JOBS IN THE REGION GIGA 2 WILL HAVE 350KM OF CABLE LAID–THE EQUIVALENT OF WALKING TWICE AROUND THE M25 GIGA 2 WILL DELIVER AN EIGHT-FOLD INCREASE IN UK ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY PRODUCTION “WITH THE CONSTANT CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION, IT’S HELPFUL THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO BUILD ICE AND HYBRID VEHICLES AS WELL AS ELECTRIC. SO THIS PLANT IS IN A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO DEAL WITH ANY EVENTUALITY”ANDY BRENNAN Nissan new-model manager THE Nissan Leaf was a pioneer of mass market EVs, so an all-new version is a very big deal indeed. But as you approach the Nissan Manufacturing UK (NMUK) site just commencing Leaf trial…

THE trials and tribulations of Aston Martin Lagonda are nothing if not well documented. It has survived no fewer than seven bankruptcies in its 112-year history, and since being sold by Ford for £475million back in 2007, has had five different CEOs – including electric-car godfather Andy Palmer, ex-Mercedes-AMG frontman Tobias Moers and, most recently, the man who turned around the fortunes of another national treasure: Bentley. Adrian Hallmark has been at Aston Martin’s helm since October last year, replacing Italian Amedeo Felisa, who stepped down after just over two years. Hallmark has a big job on his hands, and the weight of expectation from investors (the business has been a listed company since 2018) on his shoulders. To see how he’s settling in, we join Hallmark to chat all…

YOU’VE read our countdown of Britain’s best ever cars, but where are the best places to get up close to many of them? Here’s our guide to a selection of auto-themed museums that make a superb day out for petrolheads. COVENTRY TRANSPORT MUSEUM Adult entry cost: £16.50 (£15 in advance) Contact: transport-museum.com THE Midlands used to be the beating heart of Britain’s car industry, with Coventry a major hub for automotive production. Housing the world’s largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles, this museum has 14 galleries with such gems as Thrust 2 and Thrust SSC, plus masses of cars, commercial vehicles and motorcycles. AT WELL-WILSON MOTOR MUSEUM Adult entry cost: £12 Contact: atwellwilson.org.uk BASED in Wiltshire, Atwell-Wilson has around 100 exhibits, including some motorsport greats such as a couple of…

THE Ford Tourneo Connect sits between the Courier and Custom in Ford’s vanbased MPV line-up. The company has used the Tourneo name to signify its passenger vans since the mid-nineties, but while the Courier and Custom are wholly Ford projects, the Connect is a product of the technical partnership with Volkswagen that also brought us the Explorer and Capri EVs. The Connect uses the same bodyshell as the VW Caddy small van, but it adds a Ford nose that has similarities with the Kuga compact SUV. Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains are offered, all of which are from Volkswagen, while the larger Grand Tourneo version has a longer wheelbase and seven seats. There are Titanium and Active trims, while every Tourneo Connect is front-wheel drive and comes with an…

WHILE charging your battery at home for a few pounds every week is a huge attraction, it’s not the only advantage of an EV. For many, seamless power delivery, a hushed cabin and the easy drive are a big part of the feelgood factor that comes with ‘doing your bit’ and no tailpipe emissions. But previously, despite all the upsides, I wouldn’t have countenanced going EV without the safety net – and major financial incentive – of having a home charger fitted. However, recent developments in public charging, plus the increasingly long-range battery options, are changing my mind. In online forums, it’s easy to find electric car enthusiasts who’ve survived solely on public charging for years. Hats off to them, but I don’t have that sort of commitment. The thing…

JUST like your human passengers, your four-legged friend also deserves to travel in safety and comfort. Fortunately, there are a number of cars on the market that are highly appealing for both people and pooches. Practicality will be a key factor in your decision, but it’s only natural that you’ll also want a model that offers plenty of other qualities, too, given that you’ll be the one driving it. We’ve chosen cars with large, easily accessible boot areas, and prioritised those that are easy to clean and have useful accessories. 1 Skoda Octavia Estate Prices from £28,400 ESTATE cars don’t come much more sensible or suited to almost every use than the Skoda Octavia, and its relative simplicity and durability make it ideal as dog transport, too. While the cabin’s quality is…