Skoda students have turned this Superb Estate into a bike-carrying pickup truck

Plug-in hybrid Superb becomes a ute with a clever bike rack and a sliding rear door to support pro bike racers
Skoda loves cycling. Of course, the Czech firm started out with Václav Laurin and Václav Klement making bicycles all the way back in 1895, and in slightly more recent times it has been a main partner of the Tour de France for over two decades.
So it's perhaps no surprise this year's concept car produced by the students of the Skoda Academy in Mladá Boleslav is a cyclist's dream support vehicle. Christened the Skoda L&K 130, this is the first Skoda student concept to be based on the Superb Estate, and the kids have turned it into a rad pickup style thing with space for two bikes on the racks in the extendable bed, and another on the roof.

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Times

29 minutes ago

• Times

What war in the Middle East means for your money

The conflict between Israel and Iran is the latest geopolitical shock set to hamper the outlook for the UK economy — and, ultimately, your bank balance. Since the attacks began on June 12, the price of oil has risen to a six-month high. Hopes for interest rate cuts have been dashed, fears of rising inflation have been amplified, and any respite from stock market turmoil appears to have been short-lived. • Read more money advice and tips on investing from our experts This week the prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said: 'I'm always concerned about the effect of international issues on people back at home. You saw with Ukraine the direct impact it had on energy bills. Equally, with this conflict, you can see the effect it's having on the economy, particularly on the price of energy.' From petrol prices to pension pots, here's what you need to know: Iran is the third-largest oil producer among the 12 members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), and there are worries about how a wider regional war could affect the transport of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for about 25 per cent of seaborne crude oil transportation, according to the consultancy Capital Economics. The price of a barrel of Brent crude hit a six-month high of about $78 after Israeli attacks on Iran began, up from about $65 at the start of this month. That is bound to have a knock-on effect on motorists, said David Oxley from Capital Economics: 'A rough rule of thumb is that a $10 rise in the oil price will add about 7p to the price at the pump.' It normally takes about two weeks for oil prices to feed into pump prices, Oxley said. Motorists have, however, had some recent respite from the cost of living crisis as petrol and diesel prices hit their lowest in almost four years. Petrol cost an average of 132p a litre last month, the lowest since July 2021, while diesel was at 138p, the lowest since September 2021, according to the motoring organisation the RAC. While prices are likely to rise, they are not expected to reach the high of March 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine caused the oil price to reach $127 per barrel. The price in sterling peaked in July of that year at more than £100 with pump prices hitting 192p per litre for petrol and 199p per litre for diesel. More than a million homeowners whose fixed deals come to an end this year may have their hopes of further interest rate cuts dashed. The lowest two-year fix was 3.72 per cent last month, but rates are starting to tick up again, according to the property portal Rightmove. The lowest two-year deal is now 3.82 per cent from Lloyds Bank for those with a Club Lloyds account. The lowest five-year fixed rate has gone from 3.78 per cent to 3.88 per cent, also from Lloyds. Lenders had been cutting mortgage rates to compete for business, but changed tack after inflation went from 2.6 per cent for the year to March to 3.5 per cent in April. This makes cuts to the Bank of England base rate less likely — the Bank generally keeps the rate high when inflation is above its target of 2 per cent. The Consumer Prices Index inflation figure for the year to May, released this week, was 3.4 per cent. Uncertainty around President Trump's trade tariffs and conflict in the Middle East has also dampened hopes of further base rate cuts. The Bank held rates at 4.25 per cent this week, which, although a lot higher than the sub 2 per cent rates many mortgage holders will have fixed at three or five years ago, is down from the peak of 5.25 per cent in August last year. Fixed mortgage rates are based on swap rates (the rates at which banks lend to each other, which are in turn based on forecasts of where Bank rate is expected to be in the future), which have edged up over the past week or so, suggesting that mortgage rates could follow. Homeowners who want certainty can lock in a new deal up to six months before theirs ends yet still swap if a cheaper deal comes along. Rising oil prices could also cause other expenses to creep up, particularly if the Iran conflict continues or escalates. Lotanna Emediegwu, an economics lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, said that prolonged conflict could drive up energy bills. The price cap that limits how much suppliers can charge customers on standard variable tariffs will work out at an average bill of £1,720 a year for gas and electricity from July 1 (down 7 per cent from today's cap). At the moment analysts expect the cap to go up 2 to 3 per cent in October, but this could change dramatically. He said: 'Until recently, fuel prices had been rising less than other things, so actually mitigating some inflationary pressures. The recent conflict is expected to reverse this trend. 'The financial repercussions extend beyond immediate energy costs into transportation and logistics. Transport expenses are particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in fuel prices. This affects everything from airline fares to shipping costs for products, ultimately hitting consumer prices.' Before June 12, when Israel launched strikes on Iran, inflation had been expected to rise to 3.5 per cent by the autumn — now it could go further. A sustained $10 per barrel rise in the oil price typically pushes up annual inflation by 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points, according to The Economist, meaning that it could be closer to 3.7 per cent by September. Emediegwu said a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz shipping route could add a further 0.5 to 1 percentage points, which could take it close to 5 per cent. So far the stock market has been fairly resilient to the conflict in the Middle East. The UK's FTSE 100 is down about 0.77 per cent since the turmoil started, while the US's S&P 500 is down about 1.06 per cent. If a sustained conflict leads to an increase in the price of oil, stock valuations may fall — this is because higher oil prices lead to higher inflation, which means interest rates are likely to stay higher for longer, which makes it more expensive for companies to borrow money to grow and often curbs investors' risk appetite. Losers are likely to include airline and travel stocks, as well as so-called growth stocks, which include technology and healthcare companies. Many investors will have exposure to the US 'Magnificent Seven' tech stocks of Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Tesla, Amazon, Meta and Nvidia. These companies are often valued on their future earnings potential, which means their stock price can be volatile if company results or wider economic conditions point towards a slowdown of earnings. The good news is that Iran and Israel are a very limited part of the global stock market, so direct exposure for most UK investors will be immaterial. However, Michael Field from the research firm Morningstar said that the risk is that wider markets get jittery about the potential for the conflict to escalate further. Investors should avoid making any kneejerk changes to their portfolio. Ultimately, while geopolitical tensions may create short-term turmoil, historically markets have been resilient in the long term. Jacob Falkencrone from the investment bank Saxo said: 'As an investor, your greatest tool is a disciplined approach — staying informed, remaining calm and focusing on your long-term investment goals rather than reacting impulsively to temporary shocks.'

Times

29 minutes ago

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A grand design — the watch that captures the spirit of Ferrari

'And this is Alain,' says Amanda Mille, the brand and partnerships director at the company her father, Richard, founded. We are in Paris at the Palais de Tokyo to see the unveiling of Richard Mille's new collaboration with Ferrari. And the Alain who has just been so insouciantly introduced is none other than Alain Prost, racing legend and winner of four Formula 1 world championships. Between 1990 and 1991 the Frenchman was a Ferrari driver, and this is why he is here today, along with a more recent alumnus of the team's school, the Brazilian Felipe Massa, who raced for Scuderia Ferrari from 2006 to 2013. Massa also has the distinction of being the first brand partner to sign up with Richard Mille, back in 2004 when the company was a fledgling business making only about 300 watches a year. He talks fondly of how he agreed to wear a watch as a test driver at a time before Richard Mille had any formal budget for such things. The relationship has endured, and Massa always raced wearing a Richard Mille. The RM 43-01 Tourbillon Split-Seconds Chronograph Ferrari, POA, The luxury Swiss watchmaker launched in 2001 with the aim of crafting thoroughly modern timepieces. A fan of motors and motor racing, Mille described his supertechnical lightweight designs as being like 'a racing machine on the wrist'. His son Alexandre, the company's commercial director, says, 'For my father, this partnership with Ferrari is a dream come true.' Beyond the synergies of quality, technology and innovation that connect the two firms, both are also clearly about passion. Massa puts it well: 'It is a great pleasure to be part of [Richard Mille] history, being part of the family. It is like when you enter Ferrari — you are always a Ferrari driver from the beginning and part of the 'religion'.' The Monegasque Charles Leclerc, who now drives for the team, would surely agree. He has been supported by Richard Mille since 2009, when he was karting. Flavio Manzoni, Ferrari's chief design officer, sees the two brands as natural partners. 'A collaboration like this is as much predicated on similarities in values as it is on the visual similarities between a Ferrari engine or component and the elements in a watch.' The first Richard Mille and Ferrari joint effort, 2022's RM UP-01 Ferrari, is a 1.75mm-thin timepiece, a curious and distinctive design that references dials on a dashboard. But the new launch is more recognisably Richard Mille. The RM 43-01 has the firm's signature barrel shape and skeleton construction. But it is not a piece that has simply been badged with a Ferrari logo: the watchmaker worked closely with Ferrari's Centro Stile in Maranello, near Modena, for three years to express the spirit of the cars in the form of a timepiece. It is the beauty of the RM 43-01 as much as its performance that captures the attention. The oscillating tourbillon compensates for the impact of gravity and the chronograph can measure split times with its two seconds hands, but it is the crafted look and feel — and the echoes of the driving machines — that really set it apart. The clutch wheel of a Ferrari V8 engine inspired the barrel jewel setting, while x-shaped supports combined with screws in gold with hexagonal socket heads reference details on Ferrari crankcases and engine blocks. The pushers, case and indices take styling cues from the geometry of the bodies of Ferrari's SF90 Stradale, Daytona SP3 and 488 Challenge Evo models, while a titanium plate shaped to recall the rear wing of the 499P hypercar is engraved with the firm's famous prancing horse motif. 'In terms of performance, anything that has a technical purpose can also be beautiful,' Manzoni says. 'The concept of functional beauty is something that we really love.' And clearly Richard Mille loves it too.

Reuters

an hour ago

• Reuters

Stade Toulousain through to French Top 14 final

LYON, France, June 20 (Reuters) - Stade Toulousain kept up their bid for a third successive French Top 14 rugby title as they ended the hopes of outsiders Aviron Bayonnais with a 32-25 victory in their semi-final on Friday. Toulouse, despite missing injured talisman Antoine Dupont and fellow French international Peato Mauvaka, were always ahead in the contest with two tries scored in the first half by Romain Ntamack and Paul Graou while fullback Thomas Ramos put over six penalties and two conversions for a match-winning 22-point haul. Joris Segonds struck six penalties for Bayonne, while substitute Lucas Martin scored a consolation try with the final move of the match at the Groupama Stadium and Camille Lopez added the conversion. Ntamack finished off a sweeping move through the middle of the field for the first try in the 12th minute, with lock Thibaud Flament breaking through before popping the ball to wing Juan Cruz Mallia, whose blind behind-his-back pass put the flyhalf over. Graou's 33rd-minute score came after the ball was fed down an advancing Toulouse backline and then whipped back inside for the scrumhalf to easily go over. Basque club Bayonne were playing at this stage of the competition for the first time in 42 years and were only five points behind at halftime. However, Ramos punished their mistakes in the second half with four penalties to put the game beyond them, with their late score offering some consolation. The second semi-final is also at Lyon on Saturday when European champions Bordeaux-Begles take on Toulon. The final will be at the Stade de France in Paris on June 28.