Autoesque

Buyers of the new Essenza SCV12 will, quite literally, become members of a very exclusive club. Production of this track-only model is being limited to only forty examples, plus Lamborghini intends to organise a series of ‘arrive and drive’ events at FIA Grade 1 circuits for Essenza owners. In between those outings, the cars can be stored in a purpose-built hanger in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

BMW is going to build just 500 examples of the X7 Dark Shadow Edition, and only ten of them have been allocated to the UK. While that might not seem like many, a starting price of £114,975 should ensure that demand is closely matched to supply.

Jeep will soon join the ranks of manufacturers marketing electrified models in the UK. The Renegade 4xe – a plug-in hybrid – is due to arrive at dealers in September.

Following the release of some teaser sketches a few months ago, Škoda has revealed the finished Slavia concept. This two-door, two-seat roadster – which is based on the Scala compact hatchback – was designed and built by trainees at the Škoda Academy in Mladá Boleslav.

It’s hoped that the British Touring Car Championship will be able to return to normality next season. TOCA, organiser of the series, has just issued the 2021 schedule which comprises the now traditional thirty races.

Last month, Ford introduced the Tourneo Custom Active and Transit Custom Active . Now it’s the turn of the smaller Tourneo Connect people carrier and Transit Connect van to receive the Active treatment.

Ahead of the first deliveries this coming October, Vauxhall has announced prices and specifications for the pure-electric Vivaro-e .

At first glance, the new Zoe Van looks exactly the same as its passenger-carrying counterpart. However, after looking closely, an opaque film covering the rear windows will become evident.

As well as being Nissan’s first pure-electric coupé crossover, the all-new Ariya is the first vehicle to bear the brand’s redesigned logo.

After much anticipation, Ford has finally unveiled the 2021 Bronco family of SUVs. Here are ten things worth knowing about these all-new arrivals:

Jeep’s latest creation could be a strong hint that the Wrangler is about to get an eight-cylinder engine option. Called the Rubicon 392 Concept, it features a 392 cubic-inch (6.4 litre) V8 and numerous chassis modifications.

As its name suggests, the new Aygo JBL Edition features five JBL loudspeakers (including a sub-woofer mounted in the space that’s usually occupied by a spare wheel). While a DAB-capable radio is the only built-in music source, owners can connect their own devices to the car’s x-touch multimedia system via Bluetooth, USB or an aux-in socket.

Suzuki’s new Swift Attitude takes the regular SZ-T model and adds some accessories to create a more purposeful appearance.

Hyundai has confirmed specifications and pricing for its sporty i10 N Line. This new variant – which arrives at dealers later this month – benefits from some cosmetic tweaks, unique suspension components and a more powerful 1.0 litre T-GDi turbocharged petrol engine.

Toyota dealers are probably going to be a bit miffed about Suzuki’s latest model. That’s because the new Across – which arrives in Europe this autumn – is a rebadged RAV4 .

With most car dealers in England reopening during June, registrations have tentatively begun to rise again after a period of enforced stagnation. However, as can be seen from the graph below, 2020’s cumulative total is down by almost a half compared to the same period last year.

When it first appeared in late 2015, the Bentayga was noted for having somewhat challenging looks. A just-revealed comprehensive facelift improves things a great deal.

Ford Performance has launched a trio of accessory packages for the American-specification Ranger pick-up. Created to improve rough-terrain ability, they can be installed on 2019 and 2020 model-year vehicles equipped with four-wheel drive.

When it comes to public bodies spending taxpayers’ money on new vehicles, there’s a compelling argument that says they should purchase locally-built products to support their domestic economy.