1 HR AGO - BTCC Cosworth Hybrid Toyota Corolla BTCC racer fitted with new Cosworth-developed system completes two-day test at Snetterton The British Touring Car Championship has tested its new hybrid powertrain system for the first time. A Speedworks Motorsport Toyota Corolla fitted with the new Cosworth-developed TOCA Hybrid system, scheduled to be introduced in the 2022 season, ran during the BTCC’s recent two-day test at Snetterton in Norfolk. Development driver Darren Turner drove the machine on both days of the test, running in wet and dry conditions. The hybrid system will be integrated into the championship's existing 2.0-litre turbocharged powertrain, using a 60V gearbox-mounted electric motor. Activating hybrid mode will add around 40bhp to a car’s power output, and the BTCC will use it to replace success ballast, with race winners getting restricted use of the hybrid system. BTCC boss Alan Gow said the test was “an extremely proud moment for everyone involved in the BTCC and the Collapse

3 HRS AGO - Volkswagen Group veteran to leave Cezch firm after five-year stint in charge Skoda boss Bernhard Maier will leave the firm at the end of the month, the latest in a string of moves among senior management in the Volkswagen Group. The 60-year-old has served as the Czech brand’s CEO since November 2015, when he moved over from sister brand Porsche. Under his leadership Skoda has greatly expanded its sales and model line-up with the launch of the Kodiaq, Karoq and Kamiq SUVs. The firm is also gearing up to launch the Enyaq iV, its first electric vehicles based on the VW Group’s MEB platform. No reason for Maier’s departure has been given, or whether he is leaving the Volkswagen Group outright. Maier has served in various roles within the VW Group since joining to run Porsche’s German division in 2001. In a statement, Skoda said a successor would be elected in line with Czech law, and would be announced at the firm’s next board meeting in August. VW Group chairman Herbert Diess said that Collapse

6 HRS AGO - Interim COO Keith Stanton took the wheel of the first production DBX First examples of the firm's crucial SUV roll off the production line at the new St Athan plant, with deliveries starting later this month Production of the new Aston Martin DBX – the beleaguered firm’s first SUV, which will be vital to its long-term future – has begun at the new St Athan factory in Wales. Deliveries of the new model are due to begin later this month. The DBX has been under development since 2015 and is set to become the most important model the British firm has produced. Aston Martin believes that the DBX will account for around half of the company's total sales in the coming years, broadening Aston’s customer base beyond its core sports car market.  The firm’s new St Athan plant, located on the site of an old Ministry of Defence base, was built specifically to house the new DBX production line. It took Aston four years to build the plant, which opened last December, and the first first Collapse

7 HRS AGO - One-off open-top variant of family hatchback will be unveiled later this month Students from Skoda’s Vocational Academy are developing an open-top Spider version of the Scala, which has been named the Slavia in recognition of the Czech brand's origins. Skoda founders Václav Laurin and Václav Klement first began working together 125 years ago, repairing and then selling bicycles under the Slavia name.  The roofless version of the family car will be revealed later this month and will be the seventh concept car produced by students on the Czech firm’s training scheme. Previous machines have included a Kodiaq-based pick-up and a convertible Karoq. First drive: Skoda Mountiaq student pick-up concept The Scala Spider is being developed by a team of 20 apprentices currently training at Skoda’s Mlada Boleslav headquarters, with guidance from design chief Oliver Stefani. Skoda engineers are giving advice to the team while the machine is constructed. The Scala was launched in late 2018 and Collapse

18 HRS AGO - Growing popularity of previously niche brands and changes in powertrain choices are two of the trends in car-buying habits Dramatic changes in buying habits emerged from UK car sales figures for June, the first full month that car retailers have been open post-lockdown. UK new car sales fell 34.9% year on year in June. The figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), announced earlier this week, show a significant improvement over April and May (down 97% and 89% respectively) but are still far from the industry's hoped-for comeback, after being out of action for more than two months. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described June’s new car sales as “not a recovery and barely a restart.” He added: “Many of June’s registrations could be attributed to customers finally being able to collect their pre-pandemic orders, and appetite for significant spending remains questionable.” There were 145,377 new cars sold in June, a decline of 78,044 units over June 2019. For Collapse

1 DAY AGO - British firm is moving its Worcester-based activities closer to home and creating new aluminium production line Lotus will bring together its steel fabrication and lightweight structures departments in a new, purpose-built facility in Norwich, creating up to 125 jobs in the area. While the British brand's steel fabrication arm is located near its headquarters in Hethel, its lightweight structures department is based some 180 miles away in Worcester. Lotus says the new investment “demonstrates its commitment to the region and to Norwich”. The new 12,300-square-metre Hurricane Way factory will produce aluminium chassis structures for the Elise, Evora and Exige sports cars, as well as aluminium components for “other global car companies” - likely Volvo, LEVC and Lynk&Co, which are also owned by Chinese car-making giant Geely. Also taking place in the new building will be the welding and fabrication of steel structures, including subframes and suspension components. The Worcester Collapse

1 DAY AGO - Grenfell proximity threatened Jack's Garage, but now business is recovering A VW restoration business was close to shutting down in the wake of a national tragedy, but has turned its fortunes around It’s a busy day at Jack’s Garage in London’s Notting Hill. On a ramp, a well-worn Mk2 Golf is undergoing an overhaul, a stripped-down Type 2 camper is being reassembled in the bodyshop and the phone is ringing off the hook. There’s nothing to suggest that, just over a year ago, this classic Volkswagen specialist was nearly forced to close in the aftermath of a national tragedy. It’s difficult to ignore the 221ft shell of Grenfell Tower looming overhead. White sheeting now hides the extensive fire damage, but the legacy of what happened here in 2017 is palpable. Joseph Salama, owner of Jack’s Garage for 12 years, explains how his business’s proximity to the site nearly made continued operations untenable in the months after the disaster. “Parts deliveries couldn’t arrive, clients Collapse

1 DAY AGO - Flagship saloon gains improved suspension, more autonomous driving features and a 12.3in touchscreen Lexus has updated its LS flagship saloon, with a focus on improved ride, comfort and enhanced technology. The refreshed fifth-generation saloon goes on sale in Japan later this year and is expected to be offered in the UK, although Lexus has yet to confirm markets outside of Japan. The facelifted LS gains a new Adaptive Variable Suspension system with reduced damping forces, as Lexus seeks to improve upon the LS’s trademark ride quality and refinement. In addition, the engine mounts have been changed and thicker seats added to further reduce vibrations in the cabin. On the inside, the main changes are improved technology, headlined by the addition of a new advanced driver assistance and safety package called Lexus Teammate. This gives the LS more autonomous driving features, allowing it to change lanes and overtake other cars automatically. The system also receives automatic Collapse

1 DAY AGO - Range-extender van promises 58 miles of electric-only running, is priced from £46,500 before government grant of up to £8,000 The London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) has revealed the final production version of its taxi-based VN5 van. The new van, using the same range-extender electric vehicle technology as its TX London taxi, is available to order now for deliveries at the end of 2020 from the company's factory in Ansty, Warwickshire. Priced from £46,500, it will be eligible for the van-specific UK plug-in car grant of up to £8,000.  The VN5 can manage a WLTP-certified electric-only range of up to 58 miles from a 31kWh battery, and has a load area that can swallow two Euro pallets. Claimed carrying capacity is 830kg. The taxi’s bodywork has been adapted to allow a single side-loading door and 60/40 split rear doors for loading.    Combined with the three-cylinder petrol range-extender engine, the VN5's total range will be about 290 miles, and there will be three levels of Collapse