Articles by Spencer Leech

British car manufacturing took an unprecedented hit in April as a result of several companies shutting down its UK production lines, in an attempt to soften the blow of the UK’s impending split with the European Union (EU).

Following the unveiling of the all-new third-generation BMW 1 Series, which is set to arrive Down Under in the fourth quarter of 2019, the Bavarian brand has revealed a list of M Performance upgrade options.

Rolls-Royce has revealed its limited-edition Wraith Eagle VIII ahead of its public display in Lake Como, Italy, this week.

McLaren has officially outed its new GT, which is set to launch in its homeland before year’s end.

Mini has revealed its updated John Cooper Works (JCW) Clubman and Countryman, which have received a significant lift to performance thanks to a new engine borrowed from the mechanically related BMW X2 M35i.

A leaked event invitation has shed new light on the forthcoming hybrid Ferrari, confirming that the mid-engined electrified supercar will deliver almost 1000hp (735kW) of power, and make its public debut on May 31 in Maranello.Ferrari chief executive officer Louis Camilleri dropped a few details on the electrically assisted car at a financial presentation recently, saying that the vehicle would sit above the 812 Superfast in the brand’s line-up, and will not be “a 488 replacement per se”. A member of the Ferrari Chat forum posted a copy of an invitation to the unveiling event, which sparked speculation that the vehicle – codenamed ‘Big Brother’ – will make use of a V8 engine combined with three electric motors.If the new model indeed employs a three-motor configuration, it will open the door for torque vectoring technology to better manage the 735kW powerplant.Other Ferrari Chat users claim that Big Brother will out-perform the LaFerrari, and will be priced from 600,000 euros ($969,179), however, the Prancing Horse brand has not officially confirmed these details.Earlier this year, Ferrari announced plans to launch five new models in 2019, starting with the already revealed F8 Tributo, which will replace the current 488 GTB. Ferrari has also said that it plans to introduce its first-ever SUV model by 2020, and offer a range of hybrid options in its sportscar line-up by 2021.

Citroen has revealed its new 19_19 Concept ahead of its public debut at the VivaTech technology show in Paris later this week.The fully electric vehicle has been described as a “UFO in the automotive sector”, with a futuristic design that takes inspiration from the aviation field. Earlier this year, Citroen revealed its Ami One Concept which showed the company’s take on future urban mobility.According to the French carmaker, the new 19_19 Concept instead illustrates its vision of extended mobility outside of the city – a notion bolstered by the vehicle’s claimed 800 kilometre range and autonomous driving capability.In theory, the Citroen can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in five seconds before reaching a top speed of 200km/h.A stand-out feature of the 19_19 is its living-room-style cabin, which is suspended with its own bespoke hydraulic suspension system for an ultra-smooth ride.Passengers can enter the 19_19 via a rear-hinged pillar-free door, which gives access to three unique seating options – a soft comfort seat for the driver, a reclining lounge seat for the front passenger, and a “sun-deck-inspired” sofa for rear-seat occupants.Citroen took a minimalistic approach for the dash, with a retractable steering wheel, smooth and flat surfaces, a head-up display and the brand’s Personal Assistant software to handle driver commands using voice recognition.The cabin sits above tall and narrow wheels (255/30R30) positioned squarely at the far corners of the body.Goodyear was called on to develop the wheels, which are said to give the impression of a vehicle moving forward on independent spheres thanks to a “seamless continuity” between the rim and tyre.The exterior features a transparent sculpted double bonnet that is said to channel air towards the windscreen for improved aerodynamics, and the 19_19 carries on the ‘Y’ shape LED light signature previewed on Citroen’s previous concept cars. 

Chinese automotive giant Geely Auto has revealed its new Xing Yue, claiming the title as the world’s first coupe SUV with a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain option.

BMW has revealed that its upcoming M8 Coupe and Convertible will feature a new driver mode display and control system that includes the ability to adjust braking characteristics on the fly.

BMW will launch its X3 M and X4 M in high-spec Competition form as standard, with the mechanically related medium SUVs set to arrive in August at $157,900 plus on-road costs and $164,900, respectively.