The Audi A7 Sportback range of premium four door large coupe models gains a new PHEV plug-in hybrid TFSI e quattro variant to its line-up, writes David Miles. This also heralds the arrival of the Q7 TFSI e quattro, A8 TFSI e quattro and A6 Saloon TFSI e quattro PHEV models plus the Q5 TFSI e quattro has also recently arrived. Together they create a formidable presence in the overall Audi … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: MG ZS Exclusive BEV
From its conception almost a century ago, MG stood out as a performance brand on a shoestring and that simple value endures today with a modern twist. In the 1920s, Morris Garages cars tuned versions of standard family models and today the Chinese-owned MG marque sells family cars but has been one of the first to offer the latest pure electric versions at down to earth prices when compared to … [Read more...]
Opening the throttle for the love of riding and Wales
A keen motorcyclist has turned her love of Wales into a new business and is ready to open the throttle after lockdown. Born and brought up in Yugoslavia, Maja Kenney has always loved travelling and after hitching and cycling across much of Western Europe she came to Britain and set up an office administrations service business in Wales. In 2016 Maja bought her first motorcycle, passed … [Read more...]
Cardiff-led consortium win £44m for CS chip cluster
A Cardiff University-led consortium has won a £43.7m bid to develop a Compound Semiconductor powerhouse in South Wales which will help future automotive, communications and transport systems among other industries. Government funding provided through UK Research and Innovation’s flagship Strength in Places Fund will build a world-leading cluster of excellence in CS technologies bringing economic … [Read more...]
Newslines 2 July
The legendary AC Cobra has been reborn, with two engines. The famous 60s two-seater sports car can be bought for £138,000 with a 230kw electric motor and 150 miles range or a 350bhp 2.3 litre four-cylinder petrol engine for £85,000 when they go on sale towards the end of this year by the 119 year-old British company. Used car prices are rising due to a stock shortage and strong demand. The … [Read more...]
70 years of racing celebrating at Castle Combe on Saturday
On Saturday 4 July Castle Combe Racing Club will stage one of the UK’s first race meetings since the COVID-19 lockdown was enforced in mid-March, writes Ken Davies. Receiving tremendous support from its members, the club has organised an 8-event card of double-header races for Formula Fords, Hot Hatches, Salooncars and GTs, all competing in the club’s four in-house championships, but no … [Read more...]
Wales’ Ineos Grenadier 4×4 unwrapped
This is the new Ineos Grenadier. INEOS Automotive today reveals the exterior design of the Grenadier, its forthcoming, no-nonsense 4x4 vehicle for the world, as another step on the road towards start of production. Heavily influenced by the previous Land Rover Defender loved by Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe, it will be built in a new factory at Brocastle Industrial Estate, Bridgend as … [Read more...]
Warning over cutting corners on driver checks
Transport and logistics companies must not cut corners on new staff hurredly engaged to meet demands as a result of a spike in work with the Coronavirus-19 epidemic. With statistics from LinkedIn revealing that delivery drivers and warehouse workers are among the roles that have received the highest number of applications during the Coronavirus lockdown, global background screening provider, … [Read more...]
South Wales evs’ trial bigger than expected
Applications to join the Electric Nation Vehicle to Grid trial including South Wales suggest that clustering of electric vehicles may already be more common than many people expect. The project aims to demonstrate how V2G technology can provide a solution to potential electricity grid capacity issues as the numbers of EVs increase. Electric Nation - a project of Western Power Distribution … [Read more...]
Covid-19 virus impact being felt as time passes
The true impact of the Covid-19 lockdown and loss of new car production is beginning to be appreciated. UK showrooms closed for over 12 weeks but the factories making cars closed for varying periods of time and this contrasted with other parts of the world where the impact was much less. Although the global automotive industry has been hard hit due to COVID-19, the UK market has suffered … [Read more...]