However, we felt there was unfinished business. After all, the DBX707 didn’t just get a few suspension upgrades to cope with its monstrous 697bhp 4-litre AMG-derived V8 – Aston claimed it was properly track-focused and a potential Nürburgring record-beater.

Fast forward a few months and Aston Martin is putting its money where its mouth is, by inviting Driving.co.uk to drive the expensive Pirelli tyres off a stock example of the DBX707 on a track – and not just any track, but Anglesey in Wales. An initially wet and windy Anglesey, we’d like to add.

How did the DBX cope? Watch our video review to find out.

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The post Aston Martin DBX707 video review: What’s the world’s fastest luxury SUV like on track? appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

While little can be made out about a potential production model from the video, the roadster appears to have eschewed the folding hard-top roof of the concept in favour of a simpler, lighter fabric covering instead, though some of the more unusual features such as scissor doors, arrow-shaped rear lights and a yoke-style steering wheel remain.

Although the video released by MG may not show much, more can be discerned from the patent images leaked in June (above), which show a well-proportioned roadster, around the same size as a Mazda MX-5, with modern, up-to-date styling.

With MG celebrating its centenary next year, the launch of a two-seat roadster would mark a return to sports car making for the company, which produced its last convertible — the MG TF — at Longbridge in 2011. That car was imported from China in knocked-down form (as parts) for final assembly in the UK, rather than being created from scratch over here.

No details of the electric motor(s) or battery pack have yet been confirmed, but a clue may lie under the skin of the electric MG 4 family hatchback due to be launched later this year, to compete with the likes of the Volkswagen ID.3 and Nissan Leaf.

Based on MG’s new MSP (Modular Scalable Platform) architecture, the MG 4 will be rear-wheel drive only and initially available with battery capacities from 51kWh to 64kWh, which should give it a range of between 220- and 280 miles between charges.

The platform “can be used flexibly in models across different vehicle segments, from hatchbacks to SUVs and sports cars,” the company said, indicating that the architecture could possibly be used in the production version of the Cyberster concept.

What the new car may be called is not yet clear. Following MG’s best-known historic cars, the MGA and MGB, “MGE” might seem the logical moniker for the company’s first electric roadster. However SAIC, MG’s parent company, has registered the name “MGC EV” on the UK’s Intellectual Property Register as well as the “MG Cyber” sub-brand, suggesting that a production model could be called something along the lines of the MG Cyber MGC EV.

The use of the MGC name would follow the ZS in reviving a defunct model name, in this case a six-cylinder version of the MGB.

Built in the late 1960s, the MGC had power boosted to 145bhp but with a 10-second 0-60mph time it was hardly quick, and the heavier engine affected handling so it received mixed reviews. It was liked enough by the Royal Family to be bought as a first car for Prince Charles, however, who took delivery in 1968.

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The post MG teases new convertible electric sports car with scissor doors appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

With the latter in mind, YouTube channel DragTimes has conducted one of the first independent tests of the range-topping Lucid Air Dream Edition Performance version, and recorded a 0-60mph sprint time of 2.88 seconds — only slightly higher than the manufacturer’s claimed figure.

Lucid says that an Air Dream Edition Performance with its 1,111bhp should, on a prepared track surface, be able to complete the 0-60mph dash in 2.42 seconds, as well as running a quarter mile (an American standard) in 9.67 seconds.

The Air Dream Edition employs a 113kWh battery and twin electric motors to send power to its four wheels and, when it comes to acceleration, those wheels are important. The Air records its best acceleration times on 21in diameter rims while maximum range is achieved when running on 19in wheels.

In the video, the journalist Brooks Weisblat took a customer-owned Performance model on the larger wheels to a drag strip and, over three runs, recorded a best 0-60mph time of 2.88 seconds and a hottest quarter mile time of 10.04 seconds.

Neither figure is far off Lucid’s numbers and Weisblat himself says that the company’s claimed figures are potentially achievable.

Lucid is headed by Peter Rawlinson, the engineer who led the development of Tesla’s Model S and who has vowed to beat Tesla on luxury, acceleration, price and range.

By some metrics, Lucid has already achieved that, its high-tech Air model already featuring the longest battery range ever recorded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States at 520 miles.

This is some 25% (or 100 miles) more than that of the Tesla Model S Long Range, despite the Lucid’s battery being just 11% bigger than the Tesla’s — something the company attributes to its knowledge and experience in battery management gained from its involvement with the Atieva Formula E team.

One area in which Tesla still bests Lucid, though, is acceleration. Although Tesla claims a 0-60mph time of 1.98 seconds for its Model S Plaid, the conditions under which such a time can be achieved are so specific as to render it practically irrelevant.

The US publication Motor Trend recorded a time of 2.07 seconds for the Plaid, while Brooks Weisblat on the DragTimes YouTube channel managed 2.01 seconds with a rollout — and a truer time of 2.21 seconds without. The Tesla requires between eight and fifteen minutes to pre-condition its powertrain prior to a hard acceleration run, while the Lucid is ready to go from cold.

In an upcoming episode on DragTimes, Weisblat is planning a head-to-head between the Lucid, Tesla and Porsche’s Taycan Turbo S, which has a claimed 0-60mph time of 2.6 seconds.

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The post Tesla-rivalling Lucid Air with 1,111hp records 2.88sec 0-60mph time appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

The video shows Block and his Hoonigan team visit the closed-to-the-public Audi Tradition headquarters, where a gleaming selection of the German company’s historic competition cars are lined up.

Block, a seasoned rally driver but better known for his extravagant “gymkhana” stunt videos, appears to be surprised that he’s allowed to drive some of the most special rally cars in the Audi heritage fleet.

The video moves to a nearby airfield as apparently the cars are too loud to drive at the Audi Sport facility.

First up is an Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, the final evolution of the legendary Group B rally car. It was campaigned in the 1986 season by Walter Röhrl and Hannu Mikkola, and the example Block gets to drive still has Röhrl’s name on the door.

Despite the history of the car, and its estimated value of well over £1 million, Block dons his characteristic Monster-branded race suit and helmet and is filmed driving it beyond the limits of grip on the concrete roadways surrounding the airfield.

The Quattro’s turbocharged five-cylinder engine has been detuned from its heyday’s estimated 600bhp to around 300bhp so that it can be driven reliably, but that’s still clearly enough to unstick the tyres in Block’s hands. And it sounds great.

Next, Block takes the seat of a plain-looking car that, Audi badges aside, looks nothing like the Audi Quattro. Referred to as the “RS 002”, this is the sole surviving prototype of an aborted next-generation rally project from 1987.

In the mid-eighties, the Group B class rose to fame, with several car manufacturers committing large budgets to developing their vehicles. Power outputs and speed increased rapidly, but the cars were notoriously difficult to drive and crowd control along the rally stages was minimal. The result was many injuries and, following a number of fatalities in the 1986 season, the formula was shut down.

Before Group B was cancelled, work had begun on an even faster and more sophisticated class, referred to as Group S. Though it never came to light, the plan was for high-tech racers uninhibited by the same production car foundations as other rallying formulae. The Audi RS 002 was a prototype for these new rules.

Though the RS 002 shared the Audi Sport Quattro’s five-cylinder engine, it was mounted in the middle of the car, right behind the snug two-seat cockpit. Insiders suggest that close to 700bhp was possible. The chassis was a bespoke design and Audi’s four-wheel-drive system was modified to suit the new layout.

Only three prototypes were ever made, and Block became just the sixth person to test drive the refurbished car that’s usually housed at the Audi Tradition warehouse. It last made a public appearance at the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

It’s obvious from the film that the RS 002 is less unruly to drive than the Audi Sport Quattro, despite flames erupting from the exhaust at times. Block confirms that it’s much better balanced on the track with lots of grip, though he sheepishly admits that he wasn’t allowed do any of his characteristic doughnuts in either car.

To make up for that, Block jumps into a new Audi RS e-tron GT electric car, turns off the traction control and drifts and slides it around the parked-up Sport Quattro in a cloud of smoke.

The video, Published on Block’s YouTube channel, is the first fruit of a new tie-up between the famous driver and Audi. Expect another installation very soon.

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• If you liked reading that Ken Block’s first job with Audi is to drive its one-off 700bhp rally prototype, you might be interested to read Will Dron’s Audi e-tron GT review
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The post Ken Block’s first job with Audi is to drive the 700bhp RS 002 secret rally prototype appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

Clarkson’s voiceover welcomes viewers to the spectacular Scottish scenery and James May states that “this promises to be the most beautiful drive we have ever done,” before the scene changes to a murky, foggy day and the screech of a fan belt as Clarkson negotiates a tight bend.

Classic American cars were chosen for the Scotland trip, called the “Lochdown”, led by Clarkson’s bright blue Continental Mk V, a two-door coupé that was sold from 1977-1979.

Richard Hammond takes the wheel of a green Buick Riviera, another huge American coupé, built from 1971-1973 in the third-generation guise featured on screen.

The third behemoth, driven by James May, is a Cadillac Coupe de Ville from 1976. In the trailer, May says “driving this, I feel like Elvis Presley,” to which Clarkson quips “what, dead on a lavatory?”

As expected, chaos ensues in Scotland. Hammond’s Buick overheats with steam coming out of the engine bay, while Clarkson’s car spins its wheels on small cobblestoned streets it can barely fit down.

The trio then take their wallowing American classics onto the tight and bumpy Knockhill racing circuit before switching to muscle cars.

An aerial shot shows an example of the original Ford Mustang Fastback, resplendent in white with blue racing stripes, in convoy with a stunning orange Chevrolet Camaro SS from the late sixties.

Driven by May and Clarkson, these arrive at an elegant Scottish castle that could easily be mistaken for the Queen’s Balmoral Castle, May suggesting, “I’m not sure we’re blending in terribly well.”

The peace and quiet is then disturbed by Hammond’s big cheeky laugh and the sound of a supercharged V8 engine as he turns up in what looks like a modified version of the Buick Riviera he drives earlier in the show.

Clarkson checks his phone and says “apparently there’s some virus going around so we aren’t allowed to stay at a hotel, even if we can find one.” Unsurprisingly, this means the addition of caravans to the fun.

Hammond wraps his caravan in aluminium foil in an attempt to make it look like the iconic Airstream models, and then proceeds to crash it into the Scottish countryside.

May’s Texan cowboy-like Cadillac tows a small caravan with a black-and-white cow pattern all over it. Later in the trailer, Hammond and Clarkson fill it up with water.

The central challenge of The Grand Tour’s Lochdown trip appears to be building a floating bridge over a loch and driving across it in the large classic cars.

May is first to attempt it, in the big Coupe de Ville, the weight of the car deforming the floating roadway so much that the car becomes stuck.

Clarkson, waiting behind to cross, announces “I have a brilliant idea,” before accelerating hard at the back of the Cadillac.

The trailer ends with May shouting “Clarksonnnnnnnn!”

It’s understood that the trio formed a social bubble to film this episode of The Grand Tour during the coronavirus lockdown and the film crew can be seen wearing face masks at one point in the trailer.

Previewing the official trailer released today, The Grand Tour joined TikTok. Clarkson, Hammond and May got together to announce this in their own middle-aged men way.

The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown will be available on Amazon Prime Video from July 30, 2021.

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This article features affiliate links. We may earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to affect our opinions.

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The post The Grand Tour Scotland trailer lands, with Clarkson, Hammond and May up to their usual tricks appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

In fact, as Trigger Happy TV’s Dom Joly proves in this handy video guide, you could leave it until the very last minute and do all your shopping at the local petrol station.

The film was recorded exclusively for Sunday Times Driving at Christmas in 2013 but Dom’s tips could prove just as useful this year.

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The post Video: Last-minute Christmas presents? Dom Joly has it covered appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

He should have been there a week before. In biblical rain (half a foot an hour was falling at one point) and partly in the dark, the mountain track that has become the defacto benchmark for most new car tests, hosted the Nürburgring 24 Hours.

Imagine (the better known) Le Mans 24 Hours with jumps, blind bends and 100-ft trees for secondary crash barriers. It is more rally stage than race track and, for the 24 Hours, rammed full of cars and drivers of worryingly varied capabilities.

“It is so far from the pits we carry cash for a cab, a rain jacket and an extra mobile phone if we need to call for summon help,” says former F1 driver Tiago Monteiro, whose Formula One career netted a podium for Jordan at the controversial 2005 United States GP, in which teams using Michelin tyres decided not to compete, for safety reasons.

Monteiro normally races a Honda Civic Type-R in the World Touring Car Cup. He used a similar Type-R in an attempt to repeat his class win in the Nürburgring 24 hours. With a fraction of the power and speed of some cars, an outright win would be impossible.

“There is not a big difference between my Civic and the road car,” Monteiro, 44, says as he straps in for the relentless day and night of attrition. “Adding a roll cage is a must of course.”

I was with Monteiro to make a documentary on the gladiatorial world of endurance racing. As a taster, the film you can see on Driving.co.uk gives a flavour of how hellish the racing is. Especially when the heavens open.

Maybe someone can share the film with Daniel Ricciardo…

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The post Green Hell and high water: Behind the scenes with Tiago Monteiro as he races the Nürburging 24 Hours (video) appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

The late-night power shower was caught on CCTV by Geoff Bowen, owner of Parkland’s Car & Dog Wash. And it sounds like the midnight bather will have come away squeaky clean – Bowen told local media that the high pH solution designed to dissolve bird poo and grime would have felt like ‘chilli on the skin’.

Posting the CCTV footage on his company’s Facebook page, Bowen joked, “Thanks for your patronage and hope you make a speedy recovery.”

Credit: Parkland’s Car and Dog Wash via Storyful

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The post Naked Australian caught on CCTV taking shower in a car wash appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

Sammy – hailed as ‘the best unstucker ever’ by dad Michael – was delighted with his efforts, although, if truth be told, he did get a little help from his father.

Mum Krista said she and Michael planned the stunt to give Sammy “a moment to himself where he could feel like a real hero for daddy” as he adjusts to his role as big brother to 10-month-old twin sisters.

“My husband had the idea a while ago to try this and we finally had the chance to give him his moment of glory.”

A giant truck looming behind a tiny child in a toy car doesn’t look like the safest manoeuvre but Krista insisted that every precaution was taken.

“Anyone concerned about the safety of the situation in this video, we had complete control. Our truck was just completely serviced from hood to tailgate and is in perfect mechanical condition … My husband’s foot was on the brake the entire time.”

Still, don’t try this at home…

Credit: Krista Drock via Storyful

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Eighties toy sensation Micro Machines reintroduced

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The post Watch this three year-old ‘tow’ his dad’s truck with ride-on toy appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

The 41-year old driver, who reportedly experience a seizure at the wheel, had his foot stuck on the accelerator pedal. The video shows the wheels of the SUV furiously spinning and churning up incredible amounts of smoke. Observers noted the fact that the SUV was unable to detach from the bus meant that the car was prevented from careering into buildings and pedestrians, potentially injuring or killing in the process.

The dramatic incident took place in Wichita, Kansas, on a busy road in the middle of the day. The squealing tyres can be heard from the beginning of the video, as a couple of people emerge from a white saloon parked in the middle of the road and sprint straight towards the struggling SUV.

Despite the smoke and the spinning wheels, one brave man tries repeatedly to smash the driver’s window. As the green transit bus attached to the car pulls away, the driver seemingly unaware that the car is being dragged along, too. A number of civilians can be seen sprinting behind and trying to signal the bus driver.

Just as someone is about to go at the window with a fire extinguisher, another person gets the door open and the driver is eventually rescued safely. He was treated by paramedics at the scene and walked away with only minor injuries, according to local news reports.

The 51-year old bus driver was unharmed and the bus luckily had no passengers on it.

Rene Steven Brand, a local resident, recorded the incident on her phone, thinking that the scene was the result of a hit and run. She credited the bystander who repeatedly braved the smoke: “I couldn’t believe he kept trying — but so thankful he did.

“He was a complete stranger but he was a hero to everyone that could have been in the path of this vehicle that could have broke [sic] loose at any time.

“It could have caused so much damage — he saved lives for sure.”

In a Facebook post accompanying the footage, she added: “This could have been really bad. Thanks to our everyday heroes among us.”

Brand said she had learned from a couple who were attempting to rescue the driver that he was having a seizure. Police confirmed that the man was thought to have “experienced a medical complication” before hitting the bus on Rock Road at Harry Street at around 12:18pm.

Most states in the US don’t find the driver of a vehicle involved in a collision liable if they suffered from an unforeseen medical emergency that caused the accident. It is not deemed negligent if the medical incident was unforeseen and beyond the driver’s control.

However, some states prohibit or place restrictions on the licence of people who suffer from pre-existing medical conditions, including seizure disorders.

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The post People rush to aid of SUV driver after bus collision appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.