Car
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BMW M2 Coupe manual review
The straight six’s wonderfully even supply of torque, its excellent response and outright range, and its tuneful, rasping audible character make it a big draw in itself. £65k certainly isn’t over the top for it, not by today’s standards. But in order to really drink in all that engine offers, to tap synaptically into the chassis’s indulgently balanced throttle-on handling, and to have the most meaningful relationship you can with its driven rear axle, the M2’s manual gearbox is a transformative factor. You’ve simply got to have it – for the way it draws you into the driving experience both physically…
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How the Hyundai IONIQ 6’s smart tech transforms electric driving
On the open road, the Intelligent Speed Limit Assist looks ahead to recognise road signs and, when activated, automatically adjusts your speed to suit, while the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist looks out for hazards ahead and can automatically bring your car to a halt if needed. Finally, the Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control uses the Hyundai IONIQ 6’s always-on navigation to anticipate upcoming curves or speed changes, while Lane Following Assist and Lane Keeping Assist keep you on the straight-and-narrow and safely between the white lines. #10 Remote Smart Parking lends a helping hand Once you reach your destination, Hyundai’s remote Smart…
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How Mobileye persuaded Porsche to go hands-free
Possibly the most significant automotive supplier win announced this year was Mobileye signing on Porsche for its Supervision hardware-and-software combination, which will allow hands-off driving from 2025. You might wonder why. A posh assisted-driving system going to a premium manufacturer with annual sales of just over 300,000 is hardly earth-shattering news amid total global car sales of 66 million; and it’s only going into the Macan EV initially. But its significance goes beyond mere numbers. “Supervision we think is a redefinition of premium,” Mobileye founder and CEO Amnon Shashua told Autocar in a recent interview. Given what Mobileye has already achieved in the field of advanced driver…
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Alfa Romeo confirms electric urban SUV is imminent
Alfa Romeo has confirmed the imminent launch of its next car with a social media campaign asking followers to guess the name of “a game-changing Sporty Urban Vehicle”. Autocar understands the model, originally tipped to be called the Brennero, will be a small electric SUV based on the Jeep Avenger. Alfa’s first electric model, it will spearhead the brand’s goal of attracting new buyers to the marque, especially families and females, as it looks to move away from being seen as just a “sporty brand” favoured by middle-aged men. It will be the smallest Alfa launched since the Mito supermini…
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Aston Martin axes mid-engined Ferrari 296 GTB rival
Aston Martin has halted the development of a mainstream mid-engined supercar rivalling the Ferrari 296 GTB to instead focus on limited-run halo models such as the Valkyrie and Valhalla. The marque signalled its intent to compete with the 296 GTB, the McLaren Artura and Lamborghini Huracán with the Vanquish Vision concept in 2019. However, speaking to Autocar at the Monaco Grand Prix, chairman Lawrence stroll said “volume wasn’t important” and that the brand’s focus would instead be profitability and exclusivity; it will not make a “normal” mid-engined car. He added that the Valhalla will be limited to 999 units in its initial…
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Audi E-tron GT 2023 long-term test
In our favour is the fact that I’m genuinely interested in this loping electric GT car, and how exactly the time in its company will pan out. Any cynicism or even ambivalence now would be terminal for our relationship, but that isn’t how we’re going to be starting out. I’m keen. There’s also the fact that this Audi, as I’ve already discovered, is good company. It’s not perfect – it’s damned wide, yet the parking sensors are so sensitive that we’re already deep into wolf-crying territory – but it moves through the world like a mechanical panther. Quiet, sleek, smooth…
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Ligier and Bosch unveil 563bhp hydrogen-combustion race car
Ligier has converted its JS2 race car to use a hydrogen-combustion powertrain as part of a tie-up with Bosch to prove the technology’s place in the future of motorsport. Called the JS2 RH2, it has been unveiled at the Le Mans 24 Hours, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. Based on the standard Ligier JS2 R race car, it uses a 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged Ford ‘Cyclone’ V6 that, Ligier says, delivers a “very high specific output”. Over the standard petrol powertrain, adaptations were made to the ignition and fuel injection system, which promises fuel-efficient combustion with low nitrogen oxide emissions up…
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Toyota GR86 goes back on sale in the UK
The Toyota GR86 has gone back on sale in the UK priced from £32,495, the brand has confirmed. Customers who missed out on the first allocation but remained on the waiting list will be prioritised in this latest wave of allocations “in the spirit of fairness”. Although Toyota has never specified the number of cars originally allocated to the UK in April 2022, it confirmed that the then-£29,995 sports car sold out within 90 minutes of orders opening. At the time, it also advised customers who missed out that the only hope of securing a car would be if any buyers cancelled their order,…
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Ways To Buy A New Car During The Pandemic
The new reality of the western world has caused us to slow down and look for new ways to complete all the mundane tasks necessary to fulfill our day-to-day lives. Like buying groceries and online appliance shopping, the pandemic has made new ways to purchase a vehicle. Here are a few ways to buy a new car during the pandemic: Meritt Thomas Virtual Car Shopping & Buying Services From the comfort of your home, you can view and purchase your next car, with a lot more choices than what is available on a car lot in person. Virtual car buying…
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The Latest Car Trends That Need To Disappear For Good
Trends are an awful ploy of capitalism. An evil plan that we all buy into, one way or another and, we’ve convinced ourselves that we have a good reason. The following are the latest car trends that need to disappear for good because they are wildly unnecessary. Evgeny Tchebotarev Fake Exhausts Systems Cars should either have an exhaust or not. The idea sort of makes sense for hatchbacks created to look like sports cars but performance cars have real exhausts. The new Audi S6 is a diesel engine with an exhaust like it includes V8 petrol and the exhausts are…
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