Goodwood Festival of Speed 2026 Preview Motoring The Goodwood Festival of Speed will return to Goodwood House this month. Here’s everything you need to know. West Sussex in summer is usually a study in tranquillity, defined by the gentle rustle of leaves in the South Downs and the quiet allure of hidden public gardens. It is a landscape designed for long, languid [...]
Motor finance compensation scheme hanging by a thread amid legal row Banking The City watchdog has told lenders to prepare for the “alternative scenario of no scheme” in the long-running motor finance scandal as another legal showdown brews. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has received four legal challenges including from lenders Volkswagen Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and Crédit Agricole Auto Finance. On the consumer side, the [...]
Motor finance trade body gears up for legal challenge to £9bn redress Banking The motor finance industry’s trade body is mulling lodging a legal battle against the UK financial watchdog‘s £9bn redress scheme. The Finance and Leasing Association (FLA), which counts Santander and the financial arms of BMW and Volkswagen among its members, is reported to be leaning towards challenging the City regulator’s scheme. Members of the body [...]
Carmakers to skirt a crash in £11bn motor finance redress February 18, 2026 UK carmakers are set to curb a hefty hit in the City regulator’s forthcoming redress scheme for the motor finance scandal. Captive lenders, in-house lenders of manufacturers, are to be granted some reprieve by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) after relentless lobbying that the scheme could hamper investment in the UK. The FCA was forced [...]
BMW M3 CS Touring review: A case of sense and sensibility December 1, 2025 Powerful estate cars have traditionally been Audi’s territory, but BMW is fighting back. The first ever M3 Touring was launched in 2022, followed by the larger M5 Touring last year. Now there is a faster, more focused ‘CS’ evolution of the M3 wagon. If you want to outpace Porsches on a circuit, then lug an [...]
BMW i7 review: Flagship luxury saloon suits being electric November 14, 2025 Let’s just gloss over how it looks. Style is subjective, after all. And without wanting to inflame international tensions, I suspect this BMW wasn’t designed with European tastes in mind. Besides, you can’t see that gigantic fake grille when you recline in one of the i7’s heated rear armchairs. Instead, your field of vision is [...]
Motor finance: BMW sets aside over £200m for car mis-selling September 22, 2025 BMW’s UK car finance arm has set aside over £200m to cover a potential hit from the motor finance scandal. The firm joins a batch of British lenders and motor companies, which have been forced to prepare provisions with millions of drivers eligible for compensation. In July, the Supreme Court handed City banks a lukewarm [...]
Rolls-Royce banking on bespoke cars to attract super-rich July 23, 2025 Wealthy buyers seeking to personalise their new Rolls-Royce helped boost the luxury car brand’s profit in 2024 despite falling sales. The Hampshire-based business, which is owned by BMW, said its bespoke service reached a record level last year with a 10 per cent increase on average per car year-on-year. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars added the rise [...]
BMW X3 M50 review: hot family SUV hits the spot June 16, 2025 The X3 has been part of BMW’s range since 2003. That means brand purists have been grumbling about this compact SUV (or ‘SAV’ in BMW-speak) for more than two decades. Clearly, as it launches a new fourth-generation model, BMW feels differently. The X3 consistently ranks as one of the best-selling models in its range. Perhaps [...]
Mini Aceman is an electric SUV with more character than most April 30, 2025 It has been nearly a quarter of a century since BMW revived the Mini. Reinterpreting an icon held close to many hearts is a risky business, as proven by Jaguar’s controversial rebrand and Ford’s attempt to revive the Capri. However, BMW’s Mini is one of the most successful comebacks for a classic name, making the [...]