Audi A2 e-tron Clocks Up Test Miles

Audi will unveil the new A2 e-tron in autumn 2026, complementing its portfolio with an all-electric entry-level model family in the compact class. The A2 e-tron, manufactured in Ingolstadt, will rejuvenate the Audi model range and broaden access to premium electric mobility.

At the Audi Annual Media Conference, CEO Gernot Döllner announced the A2 e-tron – the brand’s next big step on the road to a consistently electric future. The prototype is undergoing various tests before it premieres in autumn: the camouflaged A2 e-tron is clocking up vital test miles on snow and ice, in the wind tunnel at Audi Technical Development in Ingolstadt, and on public roads.

Cold weather trial in Scandinavia
Icy temperatures, snow-covered roads, and slippery test tracks on a frozen lake: during winter testing in Lapland, the A2 e-tron is showing what it is made of under extreme conditions. The validation process at a secret test site in northern Sweden focuses not only on driving dynamics but also on thermal management and battery performance. The interplay of the electric drive, brake control system, and suspension is adjusted by the minute – for the unmistakable experience of driving an Audi.

Aerodynamic optimisation in the wind tunnel in Ingolstadt
The distinctive roofline lends the A2 e-tron a strong character and is also the reason for its outstanding aerodynamics, which are constantly being tested and optimised in the wind tunnel at Audi Technical Development. With wind speeds of up to 300 kmph, ultra-precise aeroacoustic measurement, and a 235 kmph rolling road, the wind tunnel provides ideal conditions for optimising the airflow characteristics, noise development, and thermal stability of the A2 e-tron.

Road testing in Bavaria’s winding valleys
Inclines, variable road surfaces, and tight bends: the development team is using the diverse conditions of the Altmühl Valley region in Bavaria to test the finely balanced suspension and assistance systems in real road traffic. Here, the A2 e-tron demonstrates its everyday usability.

Production in Ingolstadt
The fully electric A2 e-tron is built at the Audi headquarters in Ingolstadt, underlining the company’s commitment to transforming its plants in Germany and Europe. After more than 20 new models in 2024 and 2025, Audi now has the youngest portfolio among the competition – from the fully electric compact segment to the premium full-size segment. The company will stay on this path in 2026.

Rolls-Royce Celebrates 100 Years of Phantom at Goodwood Revival 2025

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars continues its year-long programme marking the centenary of its pinnacle product, Phantom, at this weekend’s Goodwood Revival.

The centrepiece of the marque’s annual presence at the event will be a display on the Aerodrome Lawn, consisting of five magnificent Phantoms representing key moments and developments in the model’s 100-year history.

PHANTOM I BROUGHAM DE VILLE – ‘THE PHANTOM OF LOVE’
Dating from 1926 – the year after the original New Phantom was launched – this celebrated motor car is one of the finest examples of automotive art and craftsmanship ever created. It was commissioned by Clarence Warren Gasque as a gift for his wife, Maude, an heiress to the Woolworth family fortune, and was both a magnificent monument to his devotion, and an immoderate homage to her passion for 18th Century French history and design. Interior details include bespoke Aubusson tapestries, a hand-painted ceiling with gilded cornices, and a drinks cabinet topped with a French Ormolu clock and a pair of French porcelain vases filled with gilded metal and enamel flowers.

PHANTOM II CONTINENTAL TOURING PARK WARD
The now rare and highly prized Phantom II Continental was the production version of an experimental compact, sporting Phantom II variant produced for Henry Royce’s personal use. It was designed for high-speed touring over long distances on the smooth, straight roads of Europe and one of the few Phantoms of its era in which weight, wind resistance and other performance-related factors were as important as passenger comfort. This example, chassis 92PY, was commissioned by Mr A Y Gowen, an American industrialist who owned 16 Rolls-Royce motor cars during his lifetime. Intended for his travels around Europe, it’s fitted with a sunroof as well as the unique yellow tinted sun visor.

PHANTOM III
This beautiful motor car was originally ordered and delivered to Major Frederick Warren Pearl of Eaton Square, London SW1, in 1937. It passed through a number of hands before being exported to the United States. In 1989 it was repatriated to the UK and acquired by its current owner in 1995, following a comprehensive restoration.

PHANTOM IV LANDAULETTE
Phantom IV is the most exclusive model to bear the Phantom name: just 18 examples were produced between 1950 and 1956 and were offered only to royal families and heads of state. The chassis was 23.5 inches longer than that of the similar Silver Wraith; it was also the only Rolls-Royce to be fitted with a straight 8-cylinder engine. Phantom IV is still used by the British royal family for state occasions.

PHANTOM V
A magnificent and rare Rolls-Royce Phantom V with coachwork by James Young, this elegant PV22 model is finished in its original Midnight Blue. It was ordered by Marks & Spencer in January 1963 for the use of its chairman, Lord Marks, and delivered to him in March 1964. In perfect mechanical order, it has covered just 92,000 documented miles from new.

During the Revival, Phantom will also make regular appearances on the legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit. Four Phantom course cars will run from the assembly area between each race, demonstrating the power, precision and dynamic ability that continue to define Phantom as ‘the best car in the world’ after 100 years.

Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: “No motor car has played such a pivotal role in shaping automotive and cultural history as the Rolls-Royce Phantom. Over eight generations spanning 100 years – a remarkable anniversary we’re honouring throughout 2025 – it has represented the very best in engineering, comfort and personal expression for its owners, and won admirers around the world. Goodwood Revival – on the doorstep of the Home of Rolls-Royce – is the perfect setting in which to celebrate this extraordinary motor car and its continuing legacy, with five of the most distinctive and historically important Phantoms ever created on public display. They vividly illustrate the aesthetic, technical and emotional through-lines that connect the original ‘New Phantom’ created by Henry Royce in 1925 to the highly Bespoke Phantom commissions we bring to life for our clients a century later.”