Latest news with #MattSaunders
Auto Car
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
WATCH: Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge - The Roller that handles
Close This is the £242,945 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge, a Rolls-Royce with some extra edge. It's more subversive, more dynamic car than a traditional Rolls but, the company says, still one that retains the Ghost's core values of comfort and absolute luxury. The Black Badge uses a 'high power' version of Rolls-Royce's 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 making 692bhp (600PS) and 664lb ft (900Nm) which, in our full road test, was enough to propel the Black Badge Ghost to 60mph in 4.5sec and to a standing quarter mile in just 12.7sec at 114.6mph. But numbers are of minor interest when it comes to Rolls-Royces. These cars are about how they feel. So how does the most dynamically adept car the company makes go down the road? Join Road test editor Matt Saunders as he finds out by clicking on the video above.
Auto Car
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
This ELECTRIC car just ripped up Autocar's road test record book - it leaves the McLaren F1 for dust!
The Lotus Evija hypercar - at the time of its announcement, the most powerful road-legal car to enter series production - has set a series of new searing performance benchmarks as part of its full Autocar Road Test. First shown to the world in 2019, with deliveries to customers beginning in 2024, the Evija has swept all before it among yardsticks for acceleration particular to higher speed ranges. It is now the quickest car recorded in Autocar's annals of road test performance figures, which themselves date back more than a century, when measured from standing to 150mph; and to 200mph; and over both a standing quarter-mile and kilometre. Moreover, the margin of its dominance in at least three of those four measurements is monumentally large. 'The Evija's acceleration feels fast, but less exceptionally so through both 60- and 100mph,' said Autocar Road Test Editor Matt Saunders. 'But the extraordinary potency of its four electric motors, combined with the car's improving capacity to put that power down as downforce builds on its body, makes it downright staggering to experience beyond 100mph.' 'From 100- to 150mph, it's almost three seconds faster than any other hypercar we've ever figured; from 150- to 200-, more like five seconds. It can accelerate from 150- to 180mph in the same time (2.7sec) that it takes a BMW M4 CS to get from 60- to 90-.' The Evija becomes only the third road-legal production car that Autocar has tested all the way to 200mph; which it cleared leaving plenty of room for braking within a measured mile. 'We habitually figure cars over a standing kilometre as part of our road test benchmarking, in order that we've always got some safety margin' Saunders continued. 'It's rare, but not unknown, for road-legal cars to be doing more than 180mph at that point. But the Evija went past the kilometre marker at fully 217.4mph, already straining against its electronic speed limiter.' Autocar's landmark ten-page road test of the £2mil, 2013bhp Evija is in the 30th July print issue of Autocar, on newsagents' shelves today, which is also available in digital form here.
Auto Car
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
WATCH: New Range Rover EV prototype on test
Close This is the new electric Range Rover, in still-secret prototype form. And we've driven it off-road. Join Matt Saunders here as he guides you through the new Range Rover EV's technical details, some of which are still to be confirmed. What we can tell you is that it'll have two motors, one at each end, totalling 542bhp. There's a 118kWh battery underneath the car too, which because it's a stressed element helps make this the strongest Range Rover yet built. It may well be the heaviest too, but we'll know more about that when final details are released, ahead of the car's launch this coming autumn. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the sound of silence as this exceptionally quiet EV goes about its off-roading business. Watch the video by clicking above.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
WATCH: New Range Rover EV prototype on test
This is the new electric Range Rover, in still-secret prototype form. And we've driven it off-road. Join Matt Saunders here as he guides you through the new Range Rover EV's technical details, some of which are still to be confirmed. What we can tell you is that it'll have two motors, one at each end, totalling 542bhp. There's a 118kWh battery underneath the car too, which because it's a stressed element helps make this the strongest Range Rover yet built. It may well be the heaviest too, but we'll know more about that when final details are released, ahead of the car's launch this coming autumn. For now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the sound of silence as this exceptionally quiet EV goes about its off-roading business. Watch the video by clicking above. ]]>
Scottish Sun
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Britain's best-selling car brands revealed with ‘devastatingly handsome' Ford STILL topping the charts
BRITAIN'S best-selling car brands have been revealed with the "devastatingly handsome" Ford still at the top. We're over halfway through the year, and Autocar has updated its list of the most popular car brands – with one model jumping up to break into the top five. 5 The Ford Puma remains the best-selling car of the year so far Credit: Getty However, the Ford Puma has retained its top spot despite low sales at the beginning of the year. Last month saw a 1.6 per cent rise in car sales, with a whopping 150,070 vehicles sold in May. There's also been a 25.8 per cent surge in EV sales, adding 32,738 more electric cars to UK roads. Despite the increase in electric motors, there were no Tesla models in the top 10 most bought cars. Here are the most popular cars in 2025 so far. Ford Puma - 21,936 units The Ford Puma remains the best-selling car of the year, just as it was in 2024. It had a slow start to the year, but after three straight months of strong sales, it's climbed back to the top spot. The popular model appeals to drivers with its affordable pricing and range of options, including the sporty Puma ST variant. The upcoming release of the electric Ford Puma Gen-E will help cement its top spot status. 5 The second most popular car sold - the Kia Sportage Credit: Getty Kia Sportage - 19,636 units This SUV is 'fresh, eye-catching and modern,' as described by Autocar. Its designers in Seoul will be thrilled to see the much-loved model hold onto second place for another month running. The Kia Sportage offers mild-hybrid, full-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid options, giving buyers plenty of choice. Built in Europe, the car has a futuristic design which car expert Matt Saunders said caught his imagination. Matt said: 'Not sure if it was aircraft tail fins or T-bone steaks that those air vents reminded me of, but I certainly kept coming back to look at them. 'Sometimes character/full product design can be just that simple.' 5 Nissan Qashqai is the third most popular in the UK Credit: Getty Nissan Qashqai - 17,077 units This Nissan was the most sought-after car in 2022, but has since been leapfrogged by its competitors. Despite a recent dip, it remains a popular choice among drivers thanks to its strong practicality and ongoing appeal. The SUV is so popular that the average Brit is said to always be within 500m of one. The Nissan Qashqai's sales have been boosted by the addition of electrified powertrains in its third generation. 5 A Vauxhall Corsa car, which was the fourth most popular Credit: Getty Vauxhall Corsa - 16,545 units The Vauxhall Corsa has had a rollercoaster ride in annual car sales, hitting number one in 2021 before dropping out of the top 10 in 2024. In response to weak sales, Vauxhall completely redesigned the model. The Corsa now features a sleek, modern design and upgraded technology, giving it a more luxurious feel. The overhaul was an apparent success, with the Corsa now taking the number four spot for the most bought car in the UK. 5 The Nissan Juke overtook the Volkswagen Golf to claim fith spot Nissan Juke – 15,249 units The Nissan Juke is the newest model to climb the ranks, overtaking the Volkswagen Golf in Autocar's updated list of best-selling cars. The small SUV continues to be popular, securing fourth place in 2024. It got a facelift in mid-2023, which also introduced hybrid power for the first time.
