BMW goes touring with its new design concept, Ford’s smallest vehicle will be an MPV, Honda has a bunch of new SUVs coming and a famous radio-controlled car is about to become life-size. All this in the latest Car co uk news.
Lake Como hosts BMW Concept Touring Coupe
This year’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este at Lake Como in Italy again played host to some of the most beautiful and interesting cars from automotive history. It also featured a number of new models, including the traditional concept car section which featured the Hyundai N Vision 74 and the restored Pony Coupe concept of 1974.
While it was a stunning Duesenberg SJ Speedster that took the Best of Show, event sponsor BMW Group always has something new to talk about. This year it was the Concept Touring Coupe, a new interpretation of a shooting brake design that has previously been used for models like the BMW Z3 M Coupe. It’s definitely one of the least offensive designs we have seen from BMW recently, although the side profile proportions do look rather strange. Overall it’s an interesting styling exercise that could well appeal as a limited run, but at this stage BMW insists it’s a one-off.
What isn’t a one-off is the new Ford Tourneo Courier. Petrol versions will go on sale in a few months time, but late in 2024 it will arrive as the fully electric E-Tourneo Courier. The imminent demise of the popular Fiesta will make the Tourneo Courier the smallest model in Ford’s passenger car line-up, a fact that seems wrong somehow. It is what it is though and the electric version will feature seating for five, plenty of lifestyle tech and versatility and a 136hp electric motor.
New Scottish automaker, Munro Vehicles might be in the midst of a legal battle over its designs with Bollinger in the US, but it still found time to launch the pick-up version of its Mk_1 EV. Deliveries are due to start later this year with pricing from £48,885 ex VAT for the utilitarian EV that delivers 375hp and 700Nm of torque and a claimed driving range of over 190 miles from its 82.4kWh battery pack. The payload is 1,050kg and it has a 3,500kg towing capacity but make use of both of these and no doubt it will impact the range somewhat.
If you’re a fan of punchy hot hatches then there’s a special version of the Volkswagen Polo GTI on the way. Built to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Polo GTI Edition 25 will have the same 207hp as regular versions but gain revised sports suspension, an electronic differential lock, LED matrix headlights and of course, a few unique styling elements. 2,500 will be built and full specifications and pricing are yet to be confirmed for the UK.
Volkswagen has also announced updates to its Touareg this week, including improved suspension, new matrix HD headlights and a few design tweaks front and rear to give it a sharper look. There will also be the option of a red illuminated logo, but only in Germany.
Honda held an event recently to reveal a bunch of new models heading to the UK. The main one is the new CR-V, which once was a trendsetter in terms of style and clever versatility. We’re not sure what’s going on with Honda’s design department lately, but the new one is bland and will disappear in a sea of modern SUVs. Available only as hybrid or plug-in hybrid, it is still well equipped with lots of interior space and comfort but where once it set the benchmark, today it is lagging way behind its rivals.
Not content with the CR-V and smaller HR-V, Honda has also added another SUV to sit between them, the ZR-V. Available in the autumn, it’s a 2.0-litre hybrid with mediocre styling, but Honda says it will deliver an exciting drive and lots of practicality.
We’re not done with new Honda models because autumn will also see the launch in the UK of the e:Ny1. We’ve no idea how you are going to tell your friends what your car is called, but it’s a full EV crossover with a 68.8kWh battery and a claimed range of 256 miles. The styling is again nothing to get excited about compared to rivals from Hyundai and Kia, but it’s great to see Honda adding another EV to its line-up for those seeking the brand’s traditional practicality and reliability.
Every car enthusiast knows the famous AC Cobra and now there’s a new one. We’re not talking about another recreation either, but an actual AC Cobra made by AC Cars. The AC Cobra GT Roadster has been revealed, packing up to 663hp from a five litre V8 housed in an aluminium spaceframe chassis with carbon-composite bodywork. 250 will be built and will feature a few modern features including a touchscreen infotainment screen and safety tech.
We have another icon of a very different kind this week. The Little Car Company (TLCC) produces incredible scale electric versions of models like the Baby Bugatti II, Aston Martin DB5 Volante and Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa, but now it is building something very different. Many people grew up building Tamiya radio controlled cars, one of the most popular of which was the Wild One, a buggy that seemed like it do anything.
Instead of building smaller models, TLCC has done the opposite and built a full size version, with the Tamiya Wild One Max Launch Edition due to be officially revealed this summer and deliveries to 100 customers set to start early in 2024. It will feature Maxxis off-road tyres, Brembo disc brakes, Bilstein dampers, four-point safety harnesses and a 5-inch digital screen with waterproof switchgear. Power will come from a 14.4kWh battery pack and it will have a top speed of 60mph. There will even be the option to make it road legal. Yes we are very excited about getting a go in this ultimate grown-up’s toy.
Skoda has launched the coupe version of its Enyaq, the appropriately named Enyaq Coupe, in the UK. Prices start from £44,825 with the four-model range featuring a flagship vRS version that was launched last year and all offering a driving range of up to 345 miles and rapid charging up to 135kW.
Renault has another new SUV on the way, this time one with coupe-like styling which will be called the Rafale. Based on the latest Austral SUV, it will be unveiled at the Paris Air Show on 18 June and will use the brand’s E-Tech hybrid powertrains.
Speaking of unveilings, stay tuned for details on the next Aston Martin DB coupe due for imminent release. There’s a hotter version of the Range Rover Sport coming and we’re intrigued to see what BMW will do with the next generation of its 5 Series when the covers come off in a few days.
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