Latest News from Top Gear
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Here's your first look at the new sixth-gen Jeep Cherokee
The famous name is back for 2026 with a new face and a platform Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. Welcome to the new Jeep Cherokee, the sixth generation of a nameplate that stretches back to the early Seventies, revealed here ahead of a full launch later this year. It'll go on sale in 2026. It'll be underpinned by the STLA Large platform shared among other big-boned Stellantis SUVs. That architecture is built to accommodate multiple powertrains, ranging from pure ICE, to hybrid, to full-electric. Jeep hasn't said exactly what'll power the new Cherokee just yet, but there will be... power.
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 review: America's most powerful V8 production car ever Reviews 2025
Yep. Next question. I'm going to need more than that. Let's start with the engine, because it's ridiculous isn't it? Where Aston Martin, McLaren and Ferrari have had to hybridise to cross the mythical barrier into four figure power outputs, Corvette just took the Z06's 5.5-litre V8 and bolted on a pair of turbos. And yee-hah there you have it – 670bhp becomes 1,064bhp. 200bhp extra from each turbo. Mad world. Of course not. The engine is so different it now has an entirely new designation: LT7 rather than LT6. The compression ratio and rev limit has been dropped to aid torque, the conrod fractionally shorter to leave a bigger combustion chamber, the piston head dished out more. The crankshaft has been rebalanced, the heads are new, as is the entire intake and exhaust system. It is – and this is the easy thing to overlook when talking about American V8s – a genuinely exotic powerplant. That also happens to sport a pair of the largest turbos ever fitted to a production car. The 76mm monoscroll blowers are better for peak power and Corvette claims to have largely eliminated lag with valve timing to keep engine cylinder pressure high when you lift off. Another claim to fame: the most powerful production V8 ever made in America. God bless the US of A. Give me more engine facts! The turbos spin at up to 137,000rpm (that's 2,283 rotations per second ) and at that speed the turbo tips are travelling at 1.7 times the speed of sound. The impellers get to two-thirds of the belly temperature of the Space Shuttle on re-entry and so close are the turbos mounted to the exhaust manifold that the air going into them is still on fire. Flat out, the engine demands two gallons of fuel per minute. Expressed another way it downs a pint every 4.5 seconds. Cheers. Maximum torque stands at 828lb ft available anywhere from 3,000-6,000rpm. 0-60mph takes 2.3s, it's through the quarter mile in 9.6s at 150mph and maximum speed – as the boss himself discovered late last year – is 233mph. Correct, all that power and fury is fed through a pair of 345-width Michelin PS4S rear tyres. Or Cup 2Rs, if you spec the ZTK package. This brings grip: both mechanical (the almost-slick, yet still somehow road legal, tyres, plus stiffer springs and bespoke magnetic ride control) and aerodynamic (the whacking great rear wing is balanced with extra aero work at the front). Actual maximum downforce isn't particularly impressive given how massive that rear wing is – just 444kg at 186mph. A GT3 RS produces close to double that number. Look underneath, there's not much of a rear diffuser to pull the back end down. You have to choose your weapon. Want a fast lap and the most fearsome acceleration? Have the ZTK package. Want the 233mph max? You'll need the regular car without the draggy tail. You can also choose between hard top and convertible. The latter adds 45kg, but the former still has a lift-out roof panel. Every ZR1 can be open air, it's just a question of whether you're up for a bit of manual labour. You'd have thought so, but the all-aluminium ZR1 is commendably stiff. Corvette positions the ZR1 as being a little softer than the naturally aspirated Z06, less snatchy at the limit which, let's face it, is just as well when you've got this much power on tap.
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
UK car production falls to its lowest level in 73 years (if you don't count lockdown)
Business SMMT figures show historical low for making cars in Blighty Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading How's business? Last month spelled some pretty rubbish news for UK vehicle production, with April's numbers flagging by a chunky 15.8 per cent. That's the lowest level since 1952, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures – at least if you don't count lockdown. And why would you? That first pandemic measure pretty much entirely halted production. These – believe it or not – are more usual times, and yet 59,203 units (down from 70,319 in 2024) does not a pretty penny make. Advertisement - Page continues below You might like SMMT boss Mike Hawes said: 'With automotive manufacturing experiencing its toughest start to the year since 2009, urgent action is needed to boost domestic demand and our international competitiveness. 'Government has recognised automotive manufacturing's critical role in driving the UK economy, having successfully negotiated improved trading conditions for the sector with the US, EU and India in the space of a month. Advertisement - Page continues below 'To take advantage of these trading opportunities we must secure additional investment which will depend on the competitiveness and confidence that can be provided by a comprehensive and innovative long-term industrial strategy. Get this right and the jobs, economic growth and decarbonisation will flow across the UK." Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
Top Gear
a day ago
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Toyota will build GR Corollas in the UK because of its ‘deep motorsport culture'
Toyota will build GR Corollas in the UK because of its 'deep motorsport culture' No confirmation if we'll be getting any GR Corollas ourselves, mind Skip 6 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 6 Toyota will build the GR Corolla in the UK from 2026 partly to cope with demand, and partly because of our excellent motorsport culture and expertise as the primary reasons. Basically, Toyota reckons we're pretty good at building fast things. The GR Corolla will be manufactured at Toyota's Burnaston plant, near Derby, where the standard Corolla and Corolla Touring Sports models are currently being produced. Makes sense, considering the two cars share a few exterior panels and interior trim. Advertisement - Page continues below Something that certainly isn't shared is the engine: a punchy little 1.6-litre three-pot that also features in the equally punchy (and brilliant) GR Yaris. Which means 300bhp and 295lb ft, enough to chalk off 0-62mph in five seconds. (These GR engines are built in Toyota's Motomachi plant in Japan.) OK, we know what you're thinking: the GR Corolla's being built here, but we can't buy one. Well, Toyota has confirmed future markets and production volume strategy will be clarified over the coming months. And having acknowledged the UK's love for racy things, there's reason enough for us to be optimistic. Optimism that runs to the even racier GR Corollas Toyota's been working on... Advertisement - Page continues below Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Top Gear
a day ago
- Health
- Top Gear
'We can perform open heart surgery on a pavement'
Motorsport TG talks to the medical team behind the Isle of Man TT Skip 10 photos in the image carousel and continue reading The Isle of Man TT. The most dangerous motorsport event in the world. It's tempting to assume the TT, the last bastion of motorcycle road-racing, plays fast and loose with safety. That emergency care here isn't what it could be because, well, there's 37.7 miles of course to cover and with average speeds now over 135mph and 80-90 bikes on circuit at a time, it's just too much to ask. Instead the TT is at the cutting edge of what's medically possible, 'If you look at most circuits, even F1 or Moto GP, they will stabilise [the patient] and evacuate,' said the Isle of Man TT's chief medical officer, Dr Gareth Davies, 'but we are now able to bring the whole hospital, the resuscitation team, the emergency theatre, to the patient's side and stop the dying process at that point.' Advertisement - Page continues below This is revolutionary – and logistically very complex. The trauma team for the TT includes 80 paramedics, doctors, nurses and ambulance technicians, seven fully kitted out BMW X5s, at least two helicopters and several fast response medi-bikes. Photography: Huck Mountain You might like Davies is a consultant in emergency medicine who worked at the Royal London Hospital for 30 years, and was simultaneously the medical director of London Air Ambulance. 'In London we were always 15 minutes behind the point of wounding, whereas here, we're on the scene within two or three minutes. It's a unique bit of medicine, the injuries tend to be very complex so we carry all the equipment necessary to perform major trauma surgery on a pavement, in a field, by a hedgerow, wherever really.' It's not just a matter of reacting fast, but having the support where it's needed. 'We've got a heat map of crashes going back over 100 years, so we know the likely black spots and position the response teams accordingly, but the corner speeds they're now carrying are moving them further down the road, or creating issues in new places. Advertisement - Page continues below 'The rider's safety kit has improved dramatically since I started working on the TT back in 1990, with body airbags, PPE and improved helmet standards, but the appeal and uniqueness of the TT is its intrinsic danger and there's only so much you can do to mitigate against that.' The medical teams are taking some learnings from the race teams. They now use a shadow-board to make sure every piece of equipment is in the right place before they start a procedure, just as a mechanic would with his tools, and use extensive checklists – essential when there are over 100 pieces of equipment in each of the 140 medical bags out around the course. But Davies, together with his deputies Sally Simmons and Paul Hancock, and the rest of the MRMS (Manx Road-racing Medical Services) team are trying to get ahead of the curve and work more on accident prevention. 'This year for the first time every competitor had a full medical before they were allowed to race. Plus we now have a voluntary research programme with the riders that looks at the physicality of the racing, measuring various parameters and monitoring them during the race. 'We're looking at this data to think how long races should be, because we are finding after six laps people are losing a lot of fluid, they're losing grip strength, they're losing concentration.' Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
