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Maserati Grecale vs Porsche Macan: 2023 twin test review

It doesn’t matter whether a car maker specialises in luxury vehicles or mass-market machines – pretty much all of them offer an SUV.  Porsche was one of the first performance marques to expand its portfolio with an SUV, and the Cayenne is credited with turning the company’s fortunes around. Maserati’s first SUV was the Levante, but it has now introduced the slightly smaller Grecale, a car that goes head to head with Porsche’s smallest SUV, the Macan. With the latter due to be replaced soon, can the newcomer usurp the master of the hot SUVs?   Maserati Grecale Modena Porsche…

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‘From Formula E to Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 2023 was full of car-related disappointments’

The five weekends of jinxed July hopelessly failed to live up to our car-related expectations. Instead, they were dominated by unprecedented levels of frustration, disappointment and financial losses as events were cancelled, and doors and gates were slammed in our unhappy faces. Credit where it’s due, the Super Touring Power gathering at Brands Hatch on 1 and 2 July got the month off to a reasonable start. It wasn’t a bad warm-up act for the real thing a week later – the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, which I’ll remember for mixed emotions and harsh reality checks. Why? Because it…

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Regions Mortgage Lender Review 2023 – Forbes Advisor

Here are the basic criteria Regions requires mortgage borrowers to meet. Credit Score Regions doesn’t disclose the minimum credit score borrowers need to qualify for any of its mortgage products. The vast majority of borrowers who got a purchase or refinance mortgage from Regions in 2021 had a credit score of at least 720, according to the company’s annual report to shareholders. However, a small percentage of borrowers were able to get loans with a score below 620. As a rule of thumb, we recommend having a good FICO credit score of at least 670. Down Payment Regions offers first-time…

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Alpine A110 R 2023 UK first drive

As night follows day, GT3 follows Porsche 911 and CS follows BMW M3. As great as those standard cars are, it makes sense that there’s also a focused, track-honed version with more aero, carbonfibre panels and sticky tyres for those who want to go chasing lap times. It helps that in the case of the 911 GT3, you get a really special engine thrown in. For the Alpine A110, that kind of progression isn’t as obvious, because it’s almost an anti-track car. With its relatively soft suspension, compact dimensions, light weight and fairly modest power output, it’s a car ostensibly…

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Mercedes-Benz EQT Review (2023) | Autocar

Prices are expected to start at about £48,000, for which you will get the Advanced Plus trim level, including either a yellow or high-gloss black interior theme, chrome detailing, ambient lighting, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, height-adjustable front seats, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. Premium trim adds a number of driver assistance and safety systems, including semi-automatic parking and LED headlights with automatic high beam. Premium Plus then brings sat-nav, keyless go and smart-looking 17in twin-spoke alloy wheels in place of the standard 16in ones. Every EQT gets synthetic leather upholstery plus an upmarket suede-like material on the doors…

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Stellantis: Keep cars for 15 years to cut CO2

Stellantis is aiming to extend the life of its vehicles beyond the current 12-year average now, with 15 years “not crazy” as a new target, its head of circular economy has said. The company – whose stable of 14 brands includes Citroën, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall – is looking to harvest reusable parts from scrapped cars among other initiatives to extend the life of its cars in order to cut its overall CO2 footprint.  If successful, the move “potentially” could impact Stellantis’ new-car sales in Europe, Alison Jones said on a media call with journalists, but the company is eyeing increases in sales in other parts of the…

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Lexus banks on hybrids despite looming 2030 ICE ban

As for the LBX, product manager Bart Eelen told journalists that “over 50% of EV running is what we expect” and its CO2 emissions are likely to be “comfortably below 120g/km”. Tripospitis also pointed to the strong residual values of non-EVs in markets with a high ratio of electrification as reason not to be concerned. He said: “If I give you an example, in Norway, which is the most electrified market in the world, the used car value of non-EVs is very high, although the market is 85% EV already. And that at least tells me that I didn’t understand better…

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Gazoo gives Toyota Prius Le Mans-flavoured makeover

Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division has unveiled an upgraded version of the new Prius hybrid inspired by the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which this week celebrates its centenary. Dubbed the Prius 24h Le Mans Centennial GR Edition, it receives an aggressive bodykit inspired by the Toyota GR010 Hybrid hypercar, the winner of the past two Le Mans races. It features a lightweight carbonfibre bonnet, wide-track suspension and a bespoke set of alloy wheels, claimed by Toyota to provide enhanced performance. The concept is likely to serve as an acid test for a production GR Prius, with the public reaction to it informing the viability of such…

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Aston Martin to showcase electric car plans on 27 June

Each model range will take “10% less than the demand”, which “is leaving money on the table but keeps residuals [values] high” and gives the “luxury experience”. Stroll added: “I’m looking for higher gross margins, not volumes. That’s luxury. “My vision and dream is for Aston Martin to be ultra-luxury wedded with high performance and take marketing and technology from Formula 1.” Before Stroll’s Yew Tree consortium first invested in Aston in 2020 before an eventual takeover, the firm had planned to build up to 20,000 cars per year across its Gaydon and St Athan sites. When asked if he would have…

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New Skoda Kodiaq to be revealed this autumn before 2024 launch

The second generation of the Skoda Kodiaq, the Czech firm’s largest SUV, will be revealed in the autumn before being launched in 2024, with the model gaining electrified powertrains for the first time.  Skoda previewed the car with a series of images showcasing its bodyshell, giving a glimpse of the SUV’s sleeker, more streamlined exterior design.  In addition to an exterior overhaul, the Kodiaq will also get a redesigned interior and a host of new technology. Previously, Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer said: “The second-generation Kodiaq will take safety, technology and versatility to the next level.” The new Kodiaq will once…

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