The new Urus is the world’s fastest SUV and an altogether different type of Lamborghini January 21, 2019 Remember the furore when Porsche launched its go-faster SUV, the Cayenne, in 2003? Po-faced purists were appalled, yet car buyers were enthralled, and BMW, Land Rover et al soon followed suit. Today, the Cayenne’s popularity means Porsche has effectively become an SUV company that also builds sports cars. Rewind to 1986, however, and it was [...]
The Lancia Aurelia Outlaw is a controversial classic modified with hot rod-style roof chop. Tim Pitt drives it January 14, 2019 In the introspective, often impenetrable world of blue-chip classic cars, matching numbers are what matter. Collectors prize originality above all else, be it perfectly preserved patina or a better-than-new restoration. Subjecting a 1950s Italian GT to a hot rod-style roof chop is thus akin to spray-painting a smirk on Botticelli’s Venus. And displaying said car [...]
Porsche 911 GT2 RS review: Ahead of the new model’s arrival, we bid auf wiedersehen to the fastest road-legal Porsche ever January 7, 2019 As you read this, the first examples of the new Porsche 911 are en route to the UK. The eighth-generation 911 (codenamed 992) is the most hotly anticipated sports car of 2019 and, rest assured, you’ll read about it here soon. However, before the ship docks at Dover, disgorging 992s onto every side street in [...]
You’ll soon be able to charge your car at the pub, as long as you stick to the Diet Coke, but London’s electric vehicle infrastructure is still in need of some juice December 18, 2018 One of the country’s leading pub chains has announced it’s planning to roll out electric vehicle charging points to boozers up and down the country. For Londoners, it’s jarring enough to be reminded that pubs outside the M25 even have their own car parks, let alone ones that will soon dispense a fleet of perfectly silent [...]
The Abarth 695 Biposto is a hardcore hot hatch in a pint-sized package December 3, 2018 Born in the back streets of Bologna in 1949, Abarth celebrates its 70th anniversary next year. Its story began when racing team owner Carlo Abarth bought five unsold Cistalia sports cars. These were modified, then rebadged as the Abarth 204 A – thus initiating a tradition of tuning that endures to this day. Abarth’s first [...]
The David Brown Speedback Silverstone Edition is the bespoke alternative to a Bentley. As Tim Pitt discovers, it comes at a price… November 19, 2018 One might assume the David Brown Speedback GT was inspired by the Aston Martin DB5. The styling similarities between these two hand-built, V8-engined British coupes are impossible to ignore. However, the genesis of the Speedback – so we’re told – lies elsewhere, in something far less salubrious. A Peugeot 107, in fact. Our story starts [...]
Melrose waits for GKN takeover to bear fruit as automotive revenues stay flat November 13, 2018 Turnaround investor Melrose said today that it is trading in line with board expectations after buying engineering firm GKN in an £8.1bn hostile takeover earlier this year. The FTSE 100 firm, which specialises in buying and improving underperforming businesses, told investors that GKN offers "an outstanding opportunity for value creation over the medium term". Melrose reported "strong" revenue growth in its [...]
The Volkswagen Polo GTI is a mature hot hatch that hasn’t lost its sense of fun November 5, 2018 Reifnitz is nestled deep in the Austrian Alps, its quiet streets dotted with quaint, hand-painted chalets. Nothing much happens here, apart from one weekend each summer, when the village is invaded by 100,000 Volkswagen fanatics. They come from all over Europe and beyond – filling the mountain air with the aroma of beer, bratwurst and [...]
DEBATE: Given the ethical issues exposed in a recent MIT study, will we ever fully trust autonomous vehicles? November 1, 2018 Given the ethical issues exposed in a recent MIT study, will we ever fully trust autonomous vehicles? Daniel Pitchford, co-founder of AI Business, said YES. There are approximately 1.3m global road deaths each year, and 95 per cent of these are caused by human error. The deaths due to driverless cars currently stand at four. [...]
How much of Route 66 can you see in one weekend? We head to Chicago to find out… October 29, 2018 Route 66, America’s most legendary highway, is a month-long mission for many who attempt to drive the whole thing. It starts in downtown Chicago and ends 2,448 miles later in front of the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles. But what if you only have a weekend to Get Your Kicks on Route 66? With [...]