Born from an idea spawned by a 32-year-old Austin Maestro, and after four years in the making, the UK’s newest visitor attraction Great British Car Journey has opened its doors.

Making the once ordinary extraordinary, the Great British Car Journey is packed with British marques and models that dominated the roads for nearly a century.

More than 130 vehicles now fill a former wire works factory on the banks of the River Derwent in Ambergate, Derbyshire.

Richard Usher, CEO of Great British Car Journey explained: “Four years ago, when I owned and managed Blyton Circuit, a gentleman approached me asking if I’d like to buy his 1989 Austin Maestro in mint condition with just 10,000 miles on the clock. My first thought was ‘no’, but it then got me thinking about when I last saw an Austin Allegro, Metro, original Mini, or even a Ford Cortina on the road. These were cars that were once on virtually every street in Britain and sold in their millions.”

The seed was planted and Richard, together with four private investors, set about amassing one of the largest privately owned collections of British designed and manufactured cars in the country.

Visitors to Great British Car Journey will be guided round the exhibition with a unique handheld audio device which tells the fascinating story of individual vehicles as well as the development of the UK’s motor industry.

Starting with the Austin Seven in 1922, the Great British Car Journey chronicles car design and production in the UK through to the modern-day McLaren 650S, which has been lent to the attraction by the supercar manufacturer.

Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive said: “Richard and the team have done an amazing job bringing Great British Car Journey to life. I am delighted that McLaren is able to support the exhibition which celebrates Britain’s motoring history from Bruce McLaren’s Austin Seven, where our brand story began, through to modern day supercars such as our 650S.”

The collection of almost 150 cars has been brought together over the last four years. One of the most difficult cars to find for the exhibition was a Vauxhall Chevette. Only a handful of Chevettes in roadworthy condition are thought to exist in the world today, despite around half a million being sold in Britain between 1975 and 1984.

Explaining his vision in more detail, Mr Usher said: “I really wanted the cars to tell a story, so the journey charts the growth of car ownership from Austin’s Seven to the present day.”

“It has a motor show feel with cars grouped in the decades – or chapters – in which they were produced, with period adverts and graphics prominently displayed.

“The vehicles are easily accessible. We want people to smell the old car smell, marvel at the interiors and jog memories of trips in the family car, their first car or back seat fights with their siblings when they were growing up.

“Everyone who has been on the journey, whether a car nut like myself or not, doesn’t fail to have a smile on their face remembering days gone by. Great British Car Journey is the ultimate trip down Memory Lane,” added Richard.

And the cars aren’t purely for looking at; more than 30 of them can be driven.

For an authentic, hands-on trip down Memory Lane 32 cars, including the Maestro that started it all, are available to drive on a private road as part of the Drive Dad’s Car experience.

All the vehicles in both the exhibition and Drive Dad’s Car experience are in working order and fully maintained by Great British Car Journey’s own time-served technician and apprentice. Visitors are welcome to watch them at work in the onsite workshop within the exhibition hall.

“Great British car journey is very much a working attraction. We have a large collection of well-thumbed Haynes manuals which are regularly consulted when we need to locate a bonnet catch or various engine parts to ensure the maintenance of the collection,” added Mr Usher.

Visitors to Great British Car Journey are guided round the exhibition with the handheld audio device while an army of volunteers is on hand to explain the finer details of the vehicles, from hidden petrol caps masquerading as taillights to the split bumper on the Morris Minor and one car once owned by a British music icon.

The London Concours has revealed that this year the event will celebrate one of the all-time great British cars, the Jaguar E-type. In 2021, the E-type celebrates its 60th anniversary, and to celebrate this milestone, nine of the finest E-types ever made will grace the lawns of the Honourable Artillery Company HQ from 8-10 June – including the first ever roadster and the last ever built.

Inspired by Jaguar’s racing D-type which won the Le Mans race three times between 1955 to 1957, the E-type was officially launched in 1961. Originally intended as a racing car, the E-type became a successful road-going sports and grand touring car, which then also distinguished itself in motor racing.

Among the cars on display at the show is one of the earliest Jaguar E-types. ‘1 VHP’ is the first right-hand drive coupé and the only surviving right-hand drive number one chassis car left in the world. Resplendent in its original opalescent dark blue, as it left the factory in 1961 this is one of four ‘outside bonnet’ coupés – and in 2015 the car was used to recreate the original 150mph E-type run. It reached 147mph on a German Autobahn.

Many will also recall the famous ‘77 RW’ numberplate, which belongs to the First production E-type Roadster ever made. This car was famously driven out to Geneva in a dramatic 17-hour overnight run by Jaguar’s then Test and Development Engineer, Norman Dewis to accompany the Fixed Head Coupé ‘9600 HP’ which had created such a demand for press drives that another car was needed. The car is being displayed by permission of Mr M Kilgannon and the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

Also in the class will be stunning examples of each of the E-types many faces, which will include the Jaguar E-type Series 1 Drop Head Coupé, the Series 2 Fixed Head Coupé, the Series 2 Drop Head Coupé and the Series 3 Fixed Head Coupé. Each one has an immaculate history and pedigree and is a true ambassador for the iconic car.

Another significant car on show is the 1961 Jaguar E-type 3.8-litre Fixed Head Coupé, ‘CUT 7’. This car is an ex-Dick Protheroe car modified for competition use. The engine was modified to run D-type specification wide-angle heads and Weber carburettors, and the car also featured uprated brakes and improved suspension.

A highlight of the car’s history was the 1962 Goodwood Tourist Trophy. Protheroe lined up on the grid amongst some of the toughest competition he had faced, including works Ferrari 250 GTOs, Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagatos and factory-run Jaguar E-types. The driver line-up included Innes Ireland, Graham Hill, Roy Salvadori and David Piper, and the Protheroe ‘CUT 7’ pairing finished in an impressive 6th place in the final standings.

Alongside it will sit one of the most striking E-types of all time, a 1963 Jaguar E-type Lightweight – The Lindner Nocker Low Drag car. The only Low-Drag Lightweight that was designed and built by the Jaguar factory. The Lindner Nocker car features the most powerful 3.8-Litre XK engine Jaguar ever built in period, developing 344bhp.

The work was carried out for the car’s owner and renowned German Jaguar importer Peter Lindner, who requested the modification of the car for use at Le Mans. The car sadly claimed Lindner’s life during the 1000km of Paris race in 1974, and spent many years impounded in France. In 2007 the car was subject to one of the most complex vehicle restorations in history by Classic Motor Cars which invested over 5,000 hours removing, flattening and reshaping the body until the car was the exemplary example we see today.

Rounding out the history of the E-type, ‘HDU 555N’ is the last Jaguar E-type ever produced. Now owned by the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust ‘HDU 555N’ is a Series three Drop Head Coupé which was built on 12 June 1974 but not registered until 5 February 1975.

Production of the E-type came to an end in June 1974 with a special run of fifty cars. Forty-nine of these cars were painted black, while the second last car was British Racing Green and was supplied to a well-known private Jaguar collector. All of the fifty cars carried a commemorative plaque, bearing a facsimile of Sir William Lyons’s signature.

These cars are part of a nine-strong line-up of the most significant Jaguar E-types from the car’s colourful 60-year history, which itself is one of eleven classes and features that will grace this year’s London Concours, hosted 8-10 June at the Honourable Artillery Company HQ.

Andrew Evans, London Concours Director, said: “When we think of Iconic cars, they don’t come much more iconic than the Jaguar E-type. The phrase icon is used often in the classic car world, but in the case of the E-type that reputation is thoroughly deserved. As part of the London Concours this year, we are thrilled to welcome nine of the most significant Jaguar E-types to sit among the nearly 100 strong line up of cars. Each of these cars has incredible pedigree and history behind them and are worthy of being chosen as the vehicles which will commemorate the car’s 60th anniversary this year.”

Previously held over two days, the London Concours 2021 shifts to a three-day event to capitalise on visitor demand for more luxury brand content – from jewellery to bespoke suits – and modern supercars. The three days will be a VIP Preview Day, Style Edition and Supercar Day. At the heart of each day will remain the collection of nearly 100 rare and iconic luxury cars of all ages that has quickly cemented London Concours as one of the UK’s top motoring events.

100 years to the day since the first race win for a Bentley, the winning car itself – known as EXP2 – returned to the famous Brooklands Racetrack in Surrey to lead a cavalcade of 3-Litre Bentleys to celebrate the centenary of its victory.

EXP2 is the oldest Bentley in the world, and only the second car ever built by W.O. Bentley’s fledgling company in 1921. EXP2 led a field of 24 3-Litres from across the country, which formed up on the remaining section of the banked Brooklands circuit where Bentley took its first win on 16 May 1921. On that day, the car took victory in the Whitsun Junior Sprint Handicap at the hands of ‘works’ driver Frank Clement, starting a series of race wins for the 3-Litre model that culminated in two victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – Bentley’s first in 1924, driven by Clement and John Duff, and again in 1927. Between those successes, in 1925 Duff also used a 3-Litre to secure a total of 21 world records over the course of 24 hours.

These early victories for the 3-Litre engrained motorsport in the foundations of Bentley, and paved for the way for more than 1,600 3-Litre models to be produced and sold.

The collection of 3-Litres and the event itself was organised by the Bentley Drivers’ Club, whose chairman Richard Parkinson comments: “Motorsport success is a huge part of Bentley’s heritage, as it is for the Bentley Drivers Club. We were therefore determined to mark the centenary of the first Bentley racing win on 16 May 1921 at Brooklands on the very same date this year with the actual car, EXP2 itself, kindly provided by Bentley Motors.

“We will continue as a Club to celebrate ‘100 years of Bentley Racing Success’ at our Annual Silverstone Meeting on 7 August which I am delighted to say Bentley Motors is supporting with a display of significant cars from the Heritage Collection.”

EXP2 – The Oldest Bentley in the World
After founding his company in 1919, it took two years for W.O. Bentley to develop the engine and chassis of his first production model – the 3-Litre, a car that he went on to produce 1,622 examples of between 1921 and 1929. Crucial to that development programme were the Experimentals – or EXPs for short. EXP1 came first, and was the very first car to wear the Bentley badge. EXP2 was next, and while EXP1 was lost to history (and may well have been cannibalised to create the other EXPs), EXP2 has survived for a century as the oldest Bentley in existence.

EXP2 was originally constructed with a plain two-seat body, to serve its function as a development testbed for the engine – incredibly advanced for its time – and chassis. It was later rebodied with dark red bodywork and an aluminium bonnet, crafted by coachbuilders JH Easter of Chagford Street.

It’s first race was only nine days before its first win. At the hands of Frank Clement, it competed at Brooklands on Saturday 7 May 1921 but failed to finish. Whatever gremlins had disturbed that first race were banished by the following weekend, and when the car took to the track again on Monday 16 it came home victorious for the first time.

EXP2 carried on with its split career of development testing and racing for two years, before being sold in September 1923. The car was completely rebuilt to its original specification around 25 years ago, and is now one of the most important members of the Bentley Heritage Collection.

The new BMW 2 Series Coupé is on the final stretch as it heads to the front row of the grid. The final phase of the series development process for the new edition of the BMW 2 Series Coupé has begun with the dynamic testing and tuning of its drive and suspension systems under racetrack conditions. The two-door compact sports car features numerous hallmark ingredients that are unique in the premium compact segment for achieving a sporty and emotional driving experience, which are carefully coordinated during the test drives.

This is what underpins this car’s claim to taking pole position in its class. The unique selling points of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé in the competitive environment include the rear-wheel drive setup, an extremely powerful in-line 6-cylinder engine, the almost 50:50 balanced axle load distribution, an extremely torsionally stiff body and chassis technology consistently designed for agile and dynamic driving behaviour.

The new BMW 2 Series Coupé, which will be manufactured from late summer 2021, is designed for uncompromising sporty driving pleasure. It continues the tradition of the brand’s particularly driver-oriented, compact and powerful two-door models, which have been built since the legendary BMW 2002. In terms of power delivery, traction, cornering dynamics and handling precision, the new BMW 2 Series Coupé meets the needs of particularly discerning customers who are enthusiastic about unadulterated sportiness in a compact premium automobile.

During the development of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé, the test and tuning drives on the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife serve as the ultimate test for wheel suspension, chassis, damping, steering and braking system. In addition, testing on public country roads around Munich and at the BMW Group test site in Maisach ensure that the dynamic driving qualities of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé can also be experienced in everyday traffic and under different road conditions. By extensively testing all drive and chassis systems, the development and test engineers ensure that the engine’s performance characteristics go hand in hand with precisely controllable handling in every situation, fascinating cornering dynamics, optimised traction in all weather and road conditions and perfectly balanced ride comfort. At the same time, the car is fine-tuned to optimise self-steering behaviour and the dynamics when building up lateral acceleration forces. The power transmission to the rear wheels, which is unique in the segment of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé, is ideally suited to sporty, ambitious cornering including easily controllable drift manoeuvres.

The new BMW 2 Series Coupé’s focus on maximum driving dynamics in the segment is embodied particularly by the BMW M version at the top of the model range. The BMW M240i xDrive Coupé top model (fuel consumption combined: 34.45 mpg, combined CO2 emissions: 186 g/km; provisional value according to WLTP) draws its drive torque from an extremely powerful in-line 6-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The drive, which is as spontaneously responsive as it is powerfully thrusty, generates a maximum output of 374 hp and is combined with an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.

The BMW M model puts its power to the road using the intelligent BMW xDrive all-wheel drive system. The system’s rear-wheel oriented design ensures hallmark BMW driving pleasure in conjunction with a power distribution that adapts perfectly to adverse road and weather conditions.

The driving dynamics tests also conducted on the Nürburgring, are ideally suited for refining the interaction of the all-wheel-drive system with the M sports differential in the rear-axle transmission. With a fully variable locking effect generated by an electric motor, the differential aids the new BMW 2 Series Coupé in optimising cornering performance with regard to traction and driving stability. The targeted distribution of power between the rear wheels enables significantly higher lateral acceleration and also a noticeable increase in dynamics when accelerating as you come out of bends.

Regardless of the engine, all model variants of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé benefit from a particularly torsion-resistant body structure. Static torsional stiffness has been increased by around 12 per cent compared to the predecessor model, for example through the use of dynamic driving struts in the rear of the vehicle, which contribute to the exceptionally high agility of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé. In addition, the vehicle concept, which is consistently designed for driving dynamics, offers significantly increased track width at the front and rear axles. This effectively reduces body roll and wheel load fluctuations during sporty cornering.

All model variants of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé are also equipped with stroke-dependent dampers as standard, the fine-tuning of which leads to a noticeably optimised balance between sportiness and ride comfort. They respond sensitively to slight road unevenness and compensate vibrations to optimise comfort.

When driving over large bumps, the movements of the body are controlled by correspondingly higher damper forces. An Adaptive M Chassis is offered as an option for the new BMW 2 Series Coupé. Its electronically controlled dampers offer the option of activating the appropriate mapping for both sporty and comfort-oriented driving.

The new BMW 2 Series Coupé is characterised by effortlessly controllable handling even in highly dynamic driving situations. In addition to the powerful and highly controllable brakes, the precise steering also characterises the handling of the two-door model. In addition to the balanced axle load distribution between the front and rear wheels, the model-specific design of the steering and the particularly high connection stiffness of the support bearings on the front axle contribute to this. Available as an option for the new BMW 2 Series Coupé, Variable Sports Steering combines further optimised precision when steering into bends with reduced steering effort when parking and manoeuvring.

The body design of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé not only reflects the brand’s modern, clear and reduced design language. Only visible at second glance, but immediately noticeable during the high-speed test drives at the Nürburgring, the measures that help optimise the aerodynamic properties of the BMW M car in particular. In addition to a model-specific front spoiler lip, front splitter and air curtains, air deflectors, a tank and a rear axle cover as well as the contours of the air-flow-optimised driving dynamics struts on the underbody ensure that lift on the front axle has been reduced by 50 percent compared to the predecessor model.

TVS Motor Company (TVS), owner of The Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd (Norton), is announcing the appointment of Dr Robert Hentschel as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Vittorio Urciuoli as Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the historic Solihull-based motorcycle brand. The announcement forms the next key phase of the historic marque’s transformation, as it builds on its newly re-established foundations and prepares for the revitalisation of the brand for the future.

Hentschel and Urciuoli will take up their new positions as John Russell steps down from his role as Interim CEO. Dr Robert Hentschel joins Norton from Valmet Automotive Holding GmbH & Co KG, where he has served as Managing Director since 2017. Before that, he headed Ricardo Deutschland and Hentschel System and was also Director of Lotus Engineering. Vittorio Urcioli’s former key roles within the global automotive industry include Director of URVI LTD, Head of Powertrain at Lotus Cars and Project Leader at Ferrari and Aprilia Racing.

Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director of TVS Motors, said: “TVS has created a plan for Norton to transform into the future. The brand will retain its core values which will be interpreted in a modern way for the customers of today and tomorrow. As part of this we are excited to welcome on board a new management team led by Robert to lead this next phase of the journey.

“His passion for customers, brands and the future of mobility will be of immense value to Norton. Vittorio has a tremendous commitment and track record of creating world class products, which is key to the future of the brand. Both of them are strong engineers with pedigree on the world stage. Along with the entire TVS team, I look forward to working together with them for the revitalisation of one of the world’s most storied brands.

“Over the last 12 months, we have ensured that our clear strategy for the transformation of Norton has been delivered with significant improvements to the product and the creation of a world class manufacturing facility in record time. Now, Norton is ready to move to the next phase of its journey.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank John Russell for his accomplished leadership, experienced judgement and clear vision that he has displayed during his time as interim CEO of Norton. Under John’s tenure, with investment and support from TVS, Norton has returned to a firm footing and made marked improvements to engineering and product quality, which will be seen in the updated V4SS that will be launched soon. In addition, we have established a new, state-of-the-art global design, engineering, manufacturing and sales and marketing HQ in Solihull. Thanks to John and many other colleagues’ exceptional endeavour, Norton is poised to move to the next stage of its rebirth and deliver significant growth.”

Shortly after TVS acquired Norton in April 2020, Russell was appointed to stabilise the company and create a platform that now enables Norton to begin making and delivering advanced technology motorcycles worthy of the iconic marque to a growing global customer base.

Dr Robert Hentschel said: “It is an honour to take over the stewardship of Norton at this exciting time in the company’s remarkable 123-year history. To help restore such an iconic and much-loved marque to its rightful place on the global stage is a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity. Under the strategic direction of TVS Motor, Norton has already achieved incredible success which includes being rescued from administration and beginning the rebuilding process. A highly motivated team has been assembled, bringing around 100 new skilled jobs to the region, to which we will be adding more in the future as the business grows. Norton is once again poised to build the finest motorcycles in the world.”

Vittorio Urcioli said: “The Norton name has such a special place in the heart of every motorcycle enthusiast around the globe. Being the first manufacture to win the famous Isle of Man TT race in 1907, no other motorcycle has such an evocative name and superlative history. It’s every engineer’s dream to work for a company of such rich heritage. Now though, our sights are set firmly on the future. With the backing of TVS and the opening of the new state-of-the-art manufacturing process, everything is in place to take Norton to the next stage.”

John Russell, outgoing Interim CEO at Norton Motorcycles said: “I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to guide Norton into a new era, having long admired the historic brand as an icon of British motorcycles. In my time at Norton we have made many improvements including moving the company into a state-of-the-art new headquarters, which came as a result of the investment and support from TVS Motor Company. I wish the new leadership team well and am confident they will take Norton forward to future success.”

Suzuki Motor Corporation has achieved accumulated Japanese domestic mini vehicle sales of 25 million units as of 30 April, 2021.

Since launching the Suzulight, the first ever mass-production mini vehicle in Japan in October 1955, Suzuki has been providing distinctive products that meet customer needs, including mini vehicles such as the Jimny in 1970, the Alto in 1979, and the WagonR in 1993. In recent years, Suzuki has launched the Spacia in 2013, and the Hustler in 2014, achieving accumulated Japanese domestic mini vehicle sales of 25 million units in 65 years and 7 months.

Mini vehicles are favoured by many customers for their economically efficient and easy-to-drive characteristics. They are used as a “practical necessity” for everyday family usage such as commuting, school trips and shopping, as well as a useful work vehicle carrying people and goods of private stores, local workshops and farms.

Additionally, in rural areas where public transportation is difficult to use, mini vehicles have replaced buses and trains and serve a vital transport role in local communities.

Suzuki will continue providing value-packed products that exceed customer expectations.

Just in time for the traditional GTI weekend meet on Lake Wörthersee, which is again unable to take place due to COVID-19, Volkswagen is offering a first peek at the new Polo GTI. The compact sports car is based on the new Polo that was recently presented, and will become the premium version of the product line. This GTI model also represents pure dynamism and expressive design – the success factors of the GTI concept. The official world premiere of the new Polo GTI will take place at the end of June 2021.

“Once a GTI, always a GTI” – that’s how fans of the sporty Volkswagen models with the “magic three letters” continually express their loyalty. GTI – pure fascination and excitement. The success story continues, with the new Polo GTI in the starting blocks. Traditionally, it is the sportiest model in the Polo series. With its high-torque front-wheel drive, dynamically tuned sports chassis and expressive design, it really stands out from the crowd. Moreover, it fulfils the promise of exceptional driving dynamics in combination with exceptional everyday usability.

The legendary GTI meet at Wörthersee Lake
The GTI meet can look back on a long history. GTI fans met for the first time in 1982 in the Austrian municipality of Reifnitz/Maria Wörth. Over the years, the event not only attracted car enthusiasts, but also became a true folk festival under the simple but powerful motto “GTI”. Each event lasts four days, from the Wednesday before Ascension Day to the following weekend.

Subaru Corporation today announced that Subaru’s all-new global battery electric SUV will be named “Solterra” and it is scheduled to go on sale in 2022.

Solterra is Subaru’s all-new, all-electric C-segment-class SUV and it will be the first Subaru vehicle to be built on the battery electric vehicle (BEV) dedicated e-Subaru Global Platform.

The e-Subaru Global platform, which has been jointly-developed by Subaru and Toyota, enables to roll out various types of EVs efficiently by combining multiple modules and components, such as the front, center and rear of a vehicle. While the two companies have brought together their knowledge to create a completely new platform, Subaru have aimed to realize superior passive safety and vehicle stability, which Subaru has always been pursuing, also in this BEV dedicated platform.

Not only the platform, the SUV “ Solterra” has also been jointly-developed by Subaru and Toyota, and wide range of collaboration includes product planning, design and performance evaluation. In this development, the two companies combine their respective strengths, such as Subaru’s long-accumulated all-wheel-drive technology and Toyota’s outstanding vehicle electrification technology, to create a new SUV with attributes that only an all- electric vehicle can offer.

The name “ Solterra” was created by joining the word “Sol” and “Terra”, the Latin words for the “Sun” and the “Earth” respectively. Subaru gave this name to the EV to appreciate mother nature and further advance the form of coexistence with it, together with our customers, and to represent our commitment to deliver traditional Subaru SUV’s go-anywhere capabilities in an all-electric vehicle.

Solterra will be joining the line of Subaru SUVs, Ascent, Outback, Forester and Subaru XV and go on sale by the middle of 2022 in the markets including Japan, the United States, Canada, Europe and China.

Luca de Meo, Renault Brand CEO, and the Renault brand team have participated in the first ever Renault Talk, a brand-new all-digital event during which they discuss their vision of the wider group.

The new direction, unveiled by the team, presents Renault Group as an energy transition leader, at the forefront of the latest technology and services, operating in a more sustainable and responsible manner as part of its ‘Nouvelle Vague’ (New Wave). A people-centric brand, Renault is entering a new era as it delivers enhanced modernity to the European automotive industry.

The ‘Nouvelle Vague’ will turn Renault into a brand focussed on technology, services and clean energy, by engineering smarter everyday vehicles and mobility solutions that are more sustainable. This is in line with the DNA as a company that changed with the times throughout the 20th century with innovative, modern vehicles. In 2021, more than ever, Renault strives to meet market expectations of responsible, carbon-free, safe and scalable mobility solutions that are in line with customer needs.

During Renault Talk #1, Luca de Meo restated the direction set for the brand, at the heart of the Group’s Renaulution plan:

• As industry leader of the energy transition, the Renault brand will be the greenest brand in Europe as of 2030, with nine out of 10 cars on sale being electrified.
• At the forefront of technology and services, the Renault brand is shaping the future of urban mobility, primarily via the ‘Software Republique’. More than 2,000 engineers from five industry-leading companies will bring their shared expertise in cyber security, artificial intelligence, data processing, software, and microelectronics, in order to deliver turnkey mobility solutions for cities and communities.
• The Renault Re-Factory – Europe’s first circular-economy hub – marks a move towards a more sustainable and responsible model, with up to 120,000 vehicles (EV included) recycled or upcycled every year. Nearly 80 per cent of strategic recycled materials will be reused in new batteries. By 2030, Renault will become the world’s best automotive manufacturer when it comes to the percentage of recycled materials in new vehicles.
• Renault is taking its ‘voitures à vivre’ to upper segments: Seven models will be released in the C and D segments by 2025, all of them electrified, with the All-New Arkana marking the beginning of this offensive. The next generation Megane E-TECH Electric, a vehicle that embodies the future of connected and full-electric cars, is also set be launched in the near future. Lastly, ongoing improvements to E-TECH hybrid technology will continue to provide upcoming C- and D-segment vehicles with the very best in efficiency and dynamic driving experiences.
  

NEW ERA, NEW LOGO
Throughout its history, the Renault brand has undergone several changes to its visual identity. But one thing has remained unchanged since 1925: the instantly recognisable Renault diamond, a true brand icon.

The latest version of the Renault logo was created in 1992 before being slightly refreshed and reworked in 2015. As a brand deeply rooted in a modern, international market, this all-new logo brings a more modern and vibrant feel and serves a key purpose of portraying the Renault brand as more relatable and built on people-centric values. A streamlined design without typography or brand signature, the logo is an open-ended shape, reflecting the brand’s openness and transparency.

The new logo was co-designed with Landor & Fitch consultants and will be phased in as of next year on all Renault brand vehicles and throughout the Renault network. By 2024, the whole Renault range will bear the new logo.

During the Renault Talk, Gilles Vidal, Renault Brand Design Director, unveiled an image of the logo as it will appear on the back of the new Megane E-TECH Electric, which will come to market in 2022.

Gilles Vidal also presented two interior visuals that show a revisited and enhanced onboard experience, including:

High-tech onboard systems and the latest, most up-to-date screens
Increased space with more storage compartments for extra comfort and convenience
Redesigned lines, spaces, and materials that embody a new era

ALL-NEW BRAND EXPRESSION
According to Arnaud Belloni, VP of Global Marketing for the Renault brand, the ‘Nouvelle Vague’ is also reflected in the brand’s advertising.

Imbued with a creative and modern edge, they incorporate some of the brand’s most iconic pieces of memorabilia: the Renault Fuego, covers of cult classics like ‘Johnny & Mary’, or the Renault-Gitane cycling jersey featured in a recent advert for the Captur E-TECH Hybrid.

The new brand identity is already an underlying feature of Renault’s advertising campaigns and communications. It will be deployed across the brand’s websites from June.

THE RENAULT E-TECH HYBRID OFFENSIVE
With more than 10 years of experience and almost 400,000 vehicles sold to date, Renault is a leader in the European EV market. Building from its expertise in pure-electric vehicles, Renault has extended its EV range with hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of its core market vehicles.

With more than 150 patents to its name and having leveraged the brand’s experience in Formula One, E-TECH hybrid technology is as unique as it is modular. In both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions, it provides the best in energy efficiency and driving pleasure while also reducing CO2 emissions and fuel consumption.

This revolutionary piece of technology debuted on three of the brand’s core vehicles in 2020 as a way of making the EV experience something for everyone:

• Clio E-TECH Hybrid
• Captur E-TECH Plug-in Hybrid
• Megane Sport Tourer E-TECH Plug-in Hybrid

In 2021, the E-TECH range is set to expand with the release of the All-New Arkana and Captur E-TECH Hybrid, plus the Megane E-TECH Plug-In Hybrid, totalling an electrified range of six E-TECH hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Gilles Le Borgne, EVP, Engineering, Renault Group, has confirmed that the brand is preparing for the future by extending the scope of its E-TECH hybrid technology to future generations.

Upper segments – especially the C-SUV segment – will see the arrival of a brand-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine combined with an electric motor, for a 200hp hybrid vehicle in 2022 and a 280hp in plug-in hybrid four-wheel drive vehicle in 2024.

Establishing a new product takes its own time, more so if we are talking about EVs. When it comes to the MG ZS EV, the connected EV has found many homes in European nations since it entered the continent in 2019. Not only UK, the ZS EV’s sales in the world’s top EV adopting nation – Norway have also been on a strong trajectory.

In April 2021, car sales in leading EV adoption nation Norway comprised of 55% EVs – the best ratio in the world. Including plug-ins, the figure exceeded 80%.

The top selling EVs in Norway during April 2021 (and YTD Jan-April 2021) are:

1. Volkswagen ID.4 – 1,824 (2,684 YTD)
2. Tesla Model 3 – 4 (2,570 YTD)
3. Audi e-tron – 668 (2,450 YTD)
4. Polestar 2 – 469 (1,730 YTD)
5. Nissan LEAF – 313 (1,678 YTD)
6. Mercedes-Benz EQC – 378 (1,591 YTD)
7. MG ZS EV – 187 (1,047 YTD)
8. BMW i3 – 225 (716 YTD)

The sales figures for MG ZS EV which notched 7th position overall in Norway so far this year are consistent across the European region. Similar trends were seen for the ZS EV’s sales in The Netherlands, Iceland, and Denmark alongside other regions. Europe has recently become the largest EV market across the globe. Sales of electric cars in Europe soared 137% year on year to 1.4 million units in 2020.

EV sales jumped 41% to 3 million electric cars in 2020 globally, revealed IEA’s Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2021. The report suggests the cascading economic recessions, triggered by the pandemic did not have much impact on the electric car buyers even as the global automobile market contracted 16% in 2020.

The MG ZS EV turns out to be a truly affordable, family-friendly EV. It is also the first affordable EV to achieve a Five-Star Euro NCAP rating with its comprehensive safety equipment. The ZS EV can zoom from 0-100 kmph in as little as 8.5 seconds. You can further charge it up to 80% in 50 minutes at any of MG’s super-fast charging stations. The carmaker also provides a home charger for free to its customers. The internet-based EV also ensures that you can access MG’s next-gen technology suite i-SMART seamlessly. A panoramic sunroof and PM 2.5 filter further provide delight in the cabin. In India as well, the EV market has doubled in 2020. The MG ZS EV found 1,500 buyers during the financial year April 2020 – March 2021.