Motoring News

McLaren: Honda not involved with P13
Insider has revealed that McLaren will continue to develop the P13 on its own, despite a recent deal with Honda for F1 engines McLaren’s deal with Honda to supply its Formula 1 team with engines from 2015 onwards is not expected to have any impact on its road car division, an insider has told Autocar.Drawing a parallel between McLaren’s current F1 deal with Mercedes, and the fact that arrangement bears no relation to the road car division, the source said: “At the moment there is no anticipated impact on the road car division as a result of the Honda deal.”In particular, the source denied that Honda would have any involvement with the McLaren P13, the firm’s next all-new road car and a mooted Porsche 911 Turbo rival.Development of that car, which is thought to use a 450bhp version of McLaren's 3.8-litre V8, is said to be at an “advanced” stage.

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante spied
News 22 May, 2013 Soft-top version of Aston Martin Vanquish is spotted undergoing final handling tests in Germany

Drivers support minimum period for learner drivers
More than eight out of ten drivers support a minimum learning to drive period for new drivers, according to research by Brake and Direct Line.    

Aston Martin Vanquish Volante spied - pictures
Pictures 22 May, 2013

Bentley 4½ Litre Blower review
How does the legend of the Bentley Blower stand up to reality?    read more

Suzuki Burgman 650 Executive review
Is the updated Suzuki Burgman 650 worth almost £9,000?    read more

BMW CAT seven-seater spied
News 22 May, 2013 Seven-seat version of front-wheel drive BMW CAT concept spied

My first time at the Nürburgring
Time for a confession: I've never been to the Nürburgring before. It's sacrilege, I know, to call myself a petrolhead and not have made the pilgrimage to the motoring Mecca that is the Nürburgring.Today though, I get to right that wrong with a lap of the track. Taking me out in a Hyundai Genesis Coupé is professional test driver Daniel Herregods.He's been racing all his life, and has clocked over 12,000 laps of the ’Ring. He's also raced with some of the greatest drivers — Mansell, Prost and Piquet have all shared a grid with him."History has been made here," he says as we pass under the gantry and start our lap, "if a driver can be good here, if a car can be good here, then they can be good anywhere." He's right, and as we round the first few corners Herregods points out scenes of famous crashes and spins at the ’Ring. For a first timer, that doesn't fill me with confidence.But my god this man can drive. We're at the 5km marker before I've caught my breath. Despite being buffeted by what seems like every physical force all at once, Herregods still finds time to talk about his role in Hyundai's development programme here.As part of a €5.5 million investment the manufacturer will now have a permanent presence at the ’Ring, joining a select group of companies w

Hyundai reveals new development facility at the Nürburgring
New test site is key to boosting the appeal of the Hyundai brand; it will also be used to benchmark and test vehicles Hyundai has shown off a new £4.7 million research and development facility being built at the Nürburgring.Joining other manufacturers who have similar facilities on site, Hyundai will use the track to carry out durability testing on all new vehicles. Each new model will be put through 180,000km of road testing — 10,000km of which will be done on the Nürburgring. That's the equivalent of 480 laps.The track, with its 73 corners and average altitude difference of 300 metres, provides the perfect stomping ground for testing new vehicles. Vehicle testing and development manager Axel Honish says the Nürburgring can replicate almost every condition found on European roads. "It's the ideal track; it covers all possible driving situations."It has the characteristics that will give an experienced driver a feel for the performance. The driver can then report where we need to change something, like the balance for example."As other manufacturers do similarly, Hyundai keeps a fleet of its competitors' cars on hand to benchmark its own vehicles. A team of six professional drivers carry out testing on the track, with data then fed though the new research and

Lotus Exige S Roadster details confirmed
The Norfolk-based sports car manufacturer has firmed-up details of its fastest-ever drop-top, which is now available for order Lotus has confirmed details of the 145mph Lotus Exige S roadster, the fastest drop top the Norfolk-based manufacturer has ever built.It will be the first Exige model to be offered with a factory-fitted soft-top roof and shares the same 3.5-litre V6 engine with the Exige S coupé.The unit produces 345bhp at 7000rpm and 295lb ft at 4500rpm, meaning the Exige S roadster — which weighs 10kg less than the coupe at 1166kg — is capable of 0-60mph in 3.8sec and reaches 100mph from a standing start in 8.5sec. Its top speed has been reduced from the coupe’s 170mph to 145mph.A six-speed manual gearbox will be offered as standard, but the Exige S is available with the Norfolk-based firm’s Serial Precision Shift (SPS) paddle-operated automated manual transmission. Fuel economy for the manual gearbox variant is a claimed 28mpg, with CO2 emissions of 236g/km.As with the £52,900 hard-top Exige S, an optional race pack is available and adds track-optimised suspension settings and launch control. There are also two cabin options: one more comfort-oriented and the other more stripped down and sporty.Lotus says the new drop-top, which is now available to order, completes the Exige line-up, alongside the read more

Peugeot to shut R&D plant to cut costs
French carmaker will sell the Meudon property on the outskirts of Paris and will transfer its activities and 660 employees to its other sites

Daimler lining up Aston deal?
News 22 May, 2013 Early talks could lead to Aston Martin using Mercedes engines and electronics

New Mini hatchback spotted
Latest spy shots reveal the new Mini hatchback, which could be officially unveiled later this year Spy shots have revealed the next generation of Mini hatchback being tested on the road with minimal camouflage.Changes to the all-new Mini's styling, compared to the previous generation, include a wide front grille and large headlights with integral daytime running lights. Larger, redesigned rear lights are also apparent.Reputedly, the new third-generation Mini will deliver a substantial leap forwards in terms of quality, performance and handling. It's thought it could be officially unveiled later this year.All existing variants of the Mini will be replaced with versions based on the upcoming model, which is underpinned by BMW's recently developed UKL1 platform.It's rumoured that the new Mini family could extend by up to 11 models; BMW has admitted previously that up to 23 different versions could eventually go into production.As well as the high-performance versions, the new Mini will be offered with a choice of a petrol or diesel three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine. A six-speed manual gearbox will be available, as will an eight-speed automatic transmission.More&n

Fiat 500e first drive
The electric version of the 500 is superb. But you can't have one...

Top Gear magazine: a whole new look! Plus FREE 3D mag!
And Ferrari 458 Spider vs McLaren 12C Spider, hot hatch showdown, F12 vs train, Stig vs Asimo...

BYD launches electric taxi fleet in Hong Kong and London
Chinese manufacturer launches fully electric 'e6' taxis; 50 are set to come to London The first fleet of 45 all-electric BYD e6 taxis have joined the ranks of the Hong Kong Taxi and Public Light Bus Association. Wang Chuan-fu, chairman and president of BYD Company Limited, said: “This not only asserts our green vision for promoting environmental sustainability for a better world, but is also a significant step for us in bringing green transport to benefit all people”. In conjunction with the launch of the electric taxis, BYD and its partner Sime Darby Motors Group are setting up 47 chargers in nine locations, near commonly used car parks, as the first phase in the development and deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure. London's second largest minicab service, greentomatocars, will also be receiving 50 of the new BYD electric minicabs, which will join its existing fleet of 300 cars.It's expected that the electric taxis will be available for use soon. The mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “It is my aim that London's minicabs and taxis will be zero-emission by 2020, which will have a major impact on air quality."Every year the fleet is getting cleaner, making our city an even more attractive place to live, work and visit. Encouraging many more electric vehicles is a key part of this transformation, so it is great news that greentomatocars has committed to operat

Toyota named most valuable motoring brand
Toyota has reclaimed the top spot for car makers in the annual survey of global brands.    read more

Aston Martin made a big impact at the Nürburgring 24 Hours
The famous British marque had a major presence at the endurance race as part of its centenary celebrations, and company boss Ulrich Bez led the way Aston Martin was the big name at last weekend's Nürburgring 24 Hours race – propelled mostly by one man, CEO Ulrich Bez.The fine old British marque is celebrating its 100th birthday and Bez is in his last year as its boss. He decided that part of the celebration would be to do what he had always known Aston Martin must do for ultimate success: take on the German marques in their own backyard, where they spend millions, and if not actually beat them, then deal them a painful punch on the nose.People are sometimes confused into thinking Bez is leading a German takeover of Aston. What he's actually doing is showing this predominantly British-run company how to beat its most potent opposition. After he departs the big job, late this year, this will always be seen as the key contribution of his 13-year reign.At the Nürburgring, we first encountered Bez outside Aston's palatial hospitality suite, glowing with enthusiasm and about to step into the James Bond 'Skyfall' Aston DB5 for a shakedown drive.All kinds of Astons were there. Later in the day, Bez would lead a group of three extra-special Astons: the DBR1 that won the 1000km race in '59 (driven again by the winner back

Mitsubishi Attrage saloon revealed
Next-gen global compact saloon due to go on sale in Thailand in July The Mitsubishi Attrage, a next-generation 'global compact sedan', will go on sale in Thailand in July.The company claims that the Attrage features suitably modern styling, outstanding forward visibility, large door openings, excellent manoeuvrability and a turning circle of just 4.8 metres — all features which are beneficial to a small city car.Reputedly the Mitsubishi's styling helps balance aerodynamics with interior space. Consequently the Attrage, which is based on the Concept G4, is reputed to be the most roomy car in its class while achieving a drag coefficient of 0.29, close to that of the Nissan Leaf.Power comes from a 1.2-litre MIVEC engine which is coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox or an automatic continuously variable transmission. Thanks to the low drag and efficient engine, the Attrage's average fuel economy is claimed to be 62mpg.Mitsubishi also says that Attrage offers reassuring handling, stability and a comfortable ride.Initially the Attrage will be launch

Government commits to 2015 DAB switchover
News 22 May, 2013 Digital radio switchover planned in two years; all new cars must be digitally enabled by then

Watch: motorsport's greatest battles
Racing drivers live life on the very edge. Sometimes their emotions spill over it...

Bringing global appeal to Ford: Raj Nair's dream job
Steve Cropley meets Ford Global Product Development Vice President Raj Nair We’re at Ford’s Lommel test track on the Belgian-Dutch border. Raj Nair is talking animatedly with a group of his engineers, making classic cornering gestures with his hands as they walk towards the glassy, chalet-like cabin the dynamics team maintains for conferences and meetings.It is hidden well away from the admin offices, squeezed between an enormous skidpan called The Black Lake and the now-famous Track Seven handling circuit. Here, every European Ford of the past 20 years has had its steering and handling polished to market-leading levels.A year ago, 48-year-old Nair was appointed to a job that has become iconic both within Ford and beyond. The title is vice president, global product development, which means that, across the 110-year-old group’s worldwide empire, Nair leads the teams that create every new model and takes personal responsibility for making them good. Why does this job matter outside Ford? Because two recent incumbents, Richard Parry-Jones in the ’90s and Derrick Kuzak in the 2000s, brought enormous improvements to the driving quality of traditionally indifferent Fords – and then sold the idea of good dynamics to customers so effectively that Renault, PSA, <

Top 20 depreciation busters
Which new cars lose the least money over three years?    

Vauxhall Cascada v Audi A5: top-down twin test
We pitch Vauxhall's new Cascada convertible against the Audi A5 cabriolet. Which is better? Let’s be honest: when you’re buying a convertible, the importance of how well it drives is nearly always overridden by how good it looks and the kind of statement it makes. So you’d take a rag-top Audi over a similar-sized Vauxhall, wouldn’t you?Perhaps not any more. Vauxhall has given us an intriguing question to answer with its latest soft-top, the sleek and desirable Cascada. It has jumped a class in size over the forgettable Astra TwinTop that preceded it, gaining an attractive new look, a much more premium cabin and higher price as a result. Almost right into Audi A5 cabriolet territory, in other words. So in a class where image is everything, would you still go for that Audi when Vauxhall is offering much of the same for that bit less?To give the Cascada a fair chance, we’re testing an apple against an apple – a model with an already near-range-topping engine/trim combination that has been made plusher (so more Audi-like) with optional extras. The base price of £27,595 of our 16

Vertu Motors unveils acquisition
The car dealership group agrees to pay Co-operative Group Motors £31m cash for a Yorkshire-based business comprising three Land Rover outlets

Chris Harris video: Ford Fiesta ST
Affordable, fast and fun - is the Fiesta ST the new wave hot hatch hero? Harris investigates

Peugeot 208 GTI at N24
Peugeot 208 GTI wins hot-hatch honours at N24 - will it help the road car?

Sir Stirling Moss: PH Meets
An impromptu chat with Sir Stirling reveals memories of the DBR1 at the Nurburgring

Nissan GT-R Gentleman Edition
Lost in translation special mashes banzai performance with old-school gentlemanly trimmings

Ferrari 512BB: Time For Coffee?
A delicious slice of flat-12* Ferrari indulgence to accompany your morning caffeine hit

Aston Martin Rapide S: Review
Is an 80-odd horsepower boost enough to put the rapid into Rapide?

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