As we come to the end of another week we look at some of the motoring news which you may have missed starting with the new Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace
The new Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace is on sale now, following an update that has bolstered its technological package, enhanced its design and rationalised its trim line-up, in addition to a raft of other improvements for the seven-seat SUV. The model is available to order today, from £32,135 OTR for the entry-level Life specification.
Among the technological highlights brought by this enhancement are new assistance systems for the model. These include Travel Assist, which allows Level 2 assisted driving at speeds of up to 130 mph (where permitted) supporting the braking, steering and acceleration, and IQ.Light – 1LED Matrix headlights which feature numerous different modes to automatically suit the driving conditions and environment, including settings for motorway, poor weather, reducing glare from signs, and more.
The Tiguan Allspace comes equipped with seven seats as standard for UK customers, and represents family-friendly practicality as a spacious and flexible three-row SUV. Up to 1,755 litres of luggage space is available with the two rear rows of seats folded, or an impressive 700 litres with only the rearmost two seats flat. In addition, the Tiguan Allspace has a number of interior upgrades to bring it in line with the latest generation of its Volkswagen stablemates, including touch panels and sliders for the model’s standard-fit 3-zone climate control, along with controls at the back of the centre console for rear-seat passengers, and a new multifunction leather steering wheel.
The enhanced Tiguan Allspace simplifies the SUV’s price list by providing three well-equipped trim levels, with diverse engines and powertrains offering the breadth of appeal with which Volkswagen has become synonymous. These three trim levels are entry-level Life, comfort-oriented Elegance, and R-Line, which continues its sportier perspective on the Tiguan Allspace formula. Three petrol and two diesel engines offer a range of power outputs between 150 and 245 PS, while 7-speed DSG transmissions are available across the engine options. A 6-speed manual gearbox is offered on the two entry-level, 150 PS powerplants (one 1.5-litre TSI and one 2.0-litre TDI), while four separate derivatives benefit from Volkswagen’s acclaimed 4MOTION all-wheel drive system, including the top model from the petrol and diesel engine ranges, as well as other variants in the Tiguan Allspace family.
Battista hits the open road as it makes dynamic debut in the US
The world’s first pure-electric hyper GT, the Automobili Pininfarina Battista, has made its dynamic debut in production form on the roads of California. As part of a packed programme of events around Monterey Car Week, the Battista’s first road outing marks the beginning of a new chapter in the story of Automobili Pininfarina.
The debut of the production-spec Battista will give US clients a first chance to experience its 1,900 hp performance and to take in its striking Black Exposed Signature Carbon bodywork – exquisitely crafted at Automobili Pininfarina’s manufacturing facility in Cambiano, Italy, and created under the recently announced bespoke personalisation programme.
The exposed bodywork and precision polished Impulso forged aluminium alloy wheels are complemented by an exquisitely tailored interior featuring optional Pilota seats finished in sustainable black leather and quilted Iconica Blu Alcantara upholstery, with Iconica Blu contrast stitching, complemented by the Interior Jewellery Pack finished in brushed aluminium anodised in black.
Kia reveals one-off Soul EV Boardmasters Edition
Kia UK has revealed the Kia Soul EV Boardmasters Edition today, a ‘recycled’ pre-production car saved from the crusher to instead live out its days on the beach.
Reimagined exclusively for surfers, the Soul EV Boardmasters Edition is a special one-off car created to mark the launch of Boardmasters 2021 in Cornwall. Kia UK is the automotive partner for the major surfing and music festival, which takes place across two stunning sites on the Cornish coast. A world-class line-up of music comes to Watergate Bay, while exhilarating surf competitions take place on Fistral Beach, the home of British surfing.
Boardmasters takes place from 11-15 August and Kia will exhibit the Soul EV Boardmasters Edition throughout the event for festival-goers to explore for themselves.
This is the second time Kia UK has rescued a pre-production vehicle from the scrap heap to create something radically different. It follows in the footsteps of the powerful Kia Stinger GT420, which was first revealed in 2019 as a one-off track car.
The Soul EV Boardmasters Edition carves a different course, however, created for a more relaxing pace – and for those who refuse to go round and round in circles, nor be bound by track limits, noise rules, or lap times.
The zero-emissions Soul EV represented the perfect car for the project, and fits closely with the Boardmasters ethos of sustainability and lessening one’s impact on the environment. The donor car’s 64 kWh long-range battery pack and 150 kW (201 bhp) electric motor remain unaltered, but now power a car which features a variety of unique new features and special modifications.
Spin adds e-cargo bikes to its logistics fleet in the UK for more efficient and sustainable operations
Spin, the micromobility unit of Ford Motor Company, has today reaffirmed its commitment to become carbon negative by 2025 by investing in two new e-cargo bike trials in Essex, UK. In Colchester, working with a new local community-based initiative – the Colchester E-Cargo Bike Delivery Project – Spin is trialling an e-cargo bike delivery service to replace and recharge drained e-scooter batteries. In Chelmsford, Spin is kicking off a trial of the UK’s first custom-made, ultra-lightweight vehicle for e-scooter operators, the EAV 2Charge, which Spin co-designed with EAV Transport Solutions to provide greener logistics for e-scooter distribution and battery exchanges.
“Combating climate change is the defining challenge of our time and through our network of partners, including like-minded UK innovators and local businesses, we aim to transform how we operate the logistics side of our business. E-cargo bikes have the potential to deliver faster, cut congestion and improve road safety in urban areas when compared to vans. That’s why we have integrated e-cargo bikes into our daily operations when it comes to replacing batteries and moving around e-scooters to meet local demand as it fluctuates throughout the day,” comments Steve Pyer, UK Country Manager at Spin.
A recent study* in London showed that cargo bikes deliver about 60% faster than vans in urban areas while they also delivered more parcels per hour compared to delivering by vans. By removing vans from the roads, road safety is also expected to improve as vans and heavy goods vehicles were involved in more than 30% of fatal collisions between 2015 and 2017.
Launched earlier this year during lockdown, Colchester E-Cargo Bike Delivery service supports a range of local independent businesses, and now Spin, with a zero-emission delivery service utilising e-cargo bikes.
Through the initial three-month trial Colchester E-Cargo Bike Delivery Project founder Lee Pugh and his team will replace approximately 20-30 low charged batteries a day across Colchester and take them to be charged at various points across the town, while they are running deliveries for other customers with four e-cargo bikes. With this trial, Spin aims to reduce the use of its vans on the road to help mitigate congestion in the local area.
They will also act as Spin’s on-street ambassadors, a new initiative by Spin to inform the public and riders about the scheme. Members of the public are encouraged to ask questions about the Spin trial and the team will also report any anti-social behaviour and re-park or re-distribute e-scooters to minimise complaints.
“We are proud to support like-minded businesses such as Spin, who also want to tackle carbon emissions and create a greener transport system in Essex,” commented Lee Pugh, founder of the E-Cargo Bike Delivery Project. “We’re delighted to be able to contribute towards achieving cleaner air in the town and help educate the local community on why e-scooters need to be part of our future transport system. And on top of that, it keeps us in great shape as each bike weighs about 250 kg when loaded with packages and batteries so it’s a real workout to pedal around.”
Renault adds the Riviera Limited Edition to the 100% electric Zoe E-Tech range
Renault is adding an extra dash of exclusivity and glamour to its multi award-winning Zoe E-Tech range with the announcement of the Riviera Limited Edition.
Based on the top-of-the-range GT Line, which is the best-selling version of the Zoe E-Tech, the Riviera Limited Edition is as attractive as its namesake suggests thanks to unique exterior touches and enhanced equipment. What’s more, with only 300 of the limited edition set to be produced for the UK, it’s certain to be even more sought-after.
The Riviera Limited Edition stands out with the additions of Midnight Blue Metallic I.D paint, all-new 16-inch ‘Seidon’ diamond-cut alloy wheels and painted white body stripes, all of which are exclusive to the new arrival. It is the first time that Metallic I.D paint has been offered as standard on Zoe.
The extensive standard specification of the GT Line is further enhanced in the Riviera Limited Edition with the fitment of hands-free parking, the semi-autonomous parking aid ensuring the 100% electric supermini is even easier to manoeuvre.
Also standard are full LED headlights with LED daytime running lights, 10-inch TFT Driver Information Display with 9.3-inch EASY LINK infotainment system incorporating satellite navigation and smartphone integration, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, automatic air conditioning and part recycled cloth part synthetic leather upholstery.
A comprehensive list of safety and driver assistance features include front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking System (AEBS), Blind Spot Warning, speed limiter and cruise control.
Customers of the Riviera Limited Edition enjoy all the usability of the normal Zoe, with a range of up to 238 miles (WLTP) and its 52kWh battery being able to be charged to 80% in just one hour and ten minutes.
As with the rest of the Zoe E-Tech range, which encompasses Play, Iconic and GT Line versions, the Riviera Limited Edition can be purchased at any official Renault dealership.
The Zoe Riviera Limited Edition is available to order now and is priced at £32,295 OTR after the Plug-in Car Grant.
Zoe models are backed up by Renault’s five-year/100,000-mile warranty, plus an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the EV 50 battery.
Available to order now and priced from £32,295 OTR after the Plug-in Car Grant
Type 62-2 – the first modern coachbuilt Radford revealed
Radford has unveiled the Type 62-2 sportscar at a star-studded event at the Lyon Air Museum in Orange County, California. The Lotus Type 62-2 coachbuilt by Radford (The Type 62-2), the first modern coachbuilt Radford, is limited to just 62 examples worldwide, with each model built precisely to its individual owner’s desired specification – the marque is currently accepting applications for build slots for the ultra-rare coachbuilt car.
Radford was borne out of inspiration by the legendary British coachbuilding company of the same name, which once built cars for a celebrity clientele that included all four of The Beatles. The global company with British heart and soul is co-owned by leading designer Mark Stubbs, broadcaster and motoring specialist Ant Anstead, former FIA Formula OneTM World Champion, Jenson Button and acclaimed business adviser and lawyer Roger Behle.
Radford’s first new model of the modern era is built in a partnership with Lotus. While the mid-engine two-seater coupé takes inspiration from the revered 1960’s Lotus Type 62, it utilises the Hethel marque’s latest technologies to deliver the purest possible driving experience. The Radford Type 62-2 is engineered for an unadulterated mechanical feel, exceptional engagement and uncompromising poise.
The global premiere is the first time the elegant lines of the exterior have been shown, and the highly luxurious interior will be revealed at a future date. The car’s design has been led by preeminent automotive designer Mark Stubbs who has taken the project from a sketch to the production-ready car revealed today. Stubbs’ design for the Type 62-2 evokes the spirit of Lotus and the original Type 62 as a homage to the marque’s illustrious motorsport history. With support from Radford’s engineers, former FIA Formula OneTM World Champion Jenson Button has fine-honed the dynamic response of the Type 62-2 to ensure a superlative driving experience.
Elegant athleticism meets efficiency: Volkswagen to introduce the SUV coupé ID.5 GTX at the IAA
As elegant as a coupé, as strong as an SUV and all-electric to boot: The ID.5 GTX is set to make its international exhibition debut as of 07 September – as a disguised concept at the IAA Munich Motor Show. The first SUV coupé based on the Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) wows with its elegant design and powerful dual motor four-wheel drive. And the ID.5 GTX is fully connected, can receive updates over-the-air and is fitted with Car2X technology.
The ID.5 GTX is the first all-electric powered SUV coupé from Volkswagen. With its fluid lines, the ID.5 GTX is elegant and sporty. Short overhangs and big wheels highlight its strong character.
In the high front, the IQ.Light LED matrix headlights, which generate an intelligently controlled high beam, give the front of the car a likeable look. The light strip that tapers towards the Volkswagen logo has been combined with three powerful, illuminated honeycomb elements on both the driver and passenger side. They complement the signature of the low beam and convey the athletic character even while stationary. The flat sloping A pillars positioned right near the front give the roof line an elegant flow – it stretches low over the body and tapers out in an integrated rear spoiler. At the rear, horizontal lines accentuate the width, with the light strip attracting the most attention. The LED rear lights with a 3D design complete the feeling of luxury.
The abbreviation GTX represents the Volkswagen brand’s new athleticism. It continues the tradition of the successful GTI, GTD and GTE models and transfers it to the world of electric mobility. There is an electric motor on both the front and rear axle of the ID.5 GTX – the dual motor four-wheel drive guarantees strong driving performance, superior traction and sporty handling. The large lithium-ion battery between the axles enables a projected range of up to 497 km2.
When the ID.5 GTX arrives at dealers next year, it will be the second model from the sporty GTX product brand, and will give the ACCELERATE strategy another boost.
Volkswagen aims to become the most popular brand when it comes to sustainable mobility. The goal is to increase the share of all-electric cars in Europe to 70 percent of Volkswagen‘s unit sales by 2030. Volkswagen is aiming to become net carbon neutral by 2050.
New Vauxhall Corsa retains its place as UK’s best selling car
The New Vauxhall Corsa is the UK’s best-selling new car so far this year, according to the latest new car sales and registration figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
26,215 Corsas have been registered in the first seven months of 2021. Vauxhall’s all-electric Corsa-e was also the best-selling all-electric model in its segment, as the brand continues its electric vehicle expansion with the goal of offering an electrified variant across its model line-up by 2024 and to offer only fully electric cars and vans in the UK by 2028.
The Corsa-e has been the best-selling new electric car in the small Battery Electric Vehicle sector this year, with 3,120 registrations in 2021.
