Latest news with #Abarth
Auto Car
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Stellantis opens new parts distribution centre at Ellesmere Port
Close Stellantis UK has opened a new parts distribution centre at its factory in Ellesmere Port that is set to stock some four million components every year. Measuring 60,000 square metres, it employs 234 staff working two shifts, five days a week, and will deliver parts to 19 regional hubs. It will stock components for cars aged up to 10 years old from all Stellantis brands present in the UK: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Leapmotor, Peugeot and Vauxhall. The new warehouse has also gained BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) certification in light of its sustainability measures.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Britain's most stolen cars: We reveal the 100 models targeted most by thieves
Lexus and Abarth owners are being warned to keep a close eye on their motors because their cars are statically most likely to be stolen. Analysis of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data has discovered which brands and models are typically being targeted most by thieves, based on the volume of thefts per cars registered in Britain. While Ford's Fiesta was earlier this year named the nation's most pinched car based on the 4,719 examples reported stolen in 2024, some 69 other models are statistically more at risk, the new data shows. This is because with over 1.5million Fiestas on the road, owners statistically have a one-in-312 chance of falling victim to car crime. The most targeted car, a luxury model from Lexus, however, is statistically far more at threat, with a one-in-30 theft rate based on the number pinched versus total registrations. In fact, Lexus, along with Fiat's sporty division Abarth, is one of the brands most commonly targeted by organised car theft gangs going equipped with advanced technology to pinch the latest high-value models. Scroll to the bottom of this page to see if you car is in the top 100 most targeted motors - and what proportion of examples on the road were nicked in 2024. Analysis of car theft record for 2024 shows which models and brands were targeted most commonly. While Ford has the highest volume if thefts, proportionally its not among the 10 most-pinched marques... Last year on average, 168 cars were pilfered per day by criminals - that's seven every hour. And new analysis of DVLA records by automotive agency Loop found Abarth is the marque most at risk of being taken by thieves. One-in-116 Abarths were stolen in 2024, the data shows, with criminals identifying the sporty version of the Fiat 500 one of the key targets to go after last year. One-in-87 registered were stolen last year, according to the report. But the brand that really came a cropper in 2024 was Lexus. At brand level, one in every 120 Lexus cars registered in Britain were stolen last year. But digging deeper into the list of models most at risk proportionally shows that five of the top 10 targeted vehicles were from the Japanese luxury arm of Toyota. In fact, thefts of the ES 300 premium saloon were so prevalent that owners faced a staggering one-in-30 chance of theirs going missing last year, putting it in first place of models most tempting to car thieves. Last year there were 6,587 ES 300s registered, and 221 thefts recorded, Loop found. And the Japanese brand's RX 450 didn't fare much better. One in ever 39 examples of the popular SUV were taken in 2024 - that's 717 thefts out of 27,837 registered examples in Britain. The other three Lexus models targeted include the LC 500 luxury sports coupe, UX 250 compact SUV and NX 300 mid-sized SUV. These have a one-in-55, one-in-62 and ine-in-75 chance respectively of being stolen, DVLA data shows. This put them sixth, seventh and ninth on the list of 100 most likely to be stolen models. A Lexus spokesman told This is Money: 'For the past few years, there has been an industry-wide issue of vehicle theft of almost epidemic proportion in the UK, affecting the most popular models first. 'Toyota GB has invested millions of pounds in a variety of solutions that help protect cars from theft. These include protective plates, immobilisers, blockers and trackers. 'As a vehicle manufacturer, we can never completely eliminate the risk of vehicle theft and, in order to further reduce the theft risk, we regularly collaborate and share information with insurance associations, police and law enforcement authorities, theft prevention experts and other key stakeholders around the world. 'This enables us to understand new threats and techniques used by thieves and develop more secured systems.' Lexus tells us that it spent more than £10million last year fitting tracking devices - supplied by Tracker - to some UK-registered vehicles. 'Unfortunately, some of those customers were targeted by criminals and their cars were stolen,' the spokesperson explains. 'As a result of the installation of tracking devices, though, a 96 per cent recovery rate was achieved. 'We have subsequently rolled out Tracker installation as an option for buyers of certain models, to help add a level of customer reassurance.' They added: 'Our anti-theft measures form part of a nationwide customer care offering. Owners can contact their local dealer to establish whether or not their model would benefit from additional security devices and to discuss options and fitment.' When it comes to non Lexus models, the Mercedes' GLS Class is also popular with criminals, with a one-in-39 chance of being nicked - 91 thefts were recorded last year out of 3,584 model. This places it in fourth overall. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio was the other model sandwiched between the uber-stealable Lexus cars, with the Italian family SUV in fifth place with a one-in-54 chance of being pinched. The Kia Stinger coupe sits in eight place in the stolen model rankings with a theft proportion rate of of one-in-65. The Abarth 500 took 10th place with a rating of one-in-87, contributing to its overall brand position as the car maker proportionally most likely to be stolen. Outside the top 10, Audi had three placings followed by Mercedes with two. The Alfa Romeo Giulia took 11th with one-in-88 likelihood, followed by Audi's RS5 in 12th with a one-in-96 chance. The Audi RS3 and RS7 were the other models from the German marque that ranked in the top 20; the RS3 has a proportional one-in-105 likelihood of being stolen (16th), while the RS7 had a one-in-110 chance (18th). The Mercedes G-Class (which typically costs over £140,000 new) scored one-in-98 putting it in 14th, while its sibling the GLE Class scored one-in-109 to put it in 17th. The Kia EV6 was the first of only two EV-only models that ranked in the top 20 cars most likely to be stolen, taking home 13th with a theft rate of one-in-98 registered. The Hyundai Ioniq in 15th is the other EV - it also had a one-in-98 chance of going missing. The Maserati Levante and Abarth 595 (a derivative of the Abarth 500) rounded out the list of 20, both scoring a one-in-111 proportional rating. Car brands proportionally most likely to be stolen - is your favourite maker a risky purchase? Overall, behind Abarth and Lexus, Land Rover is the brand most commonly targeted by thieves, with one-in-210 registered cars stolen last term. The British car maker - now owned by Indian giant Tata - has been the focus of the car theft epidemic for the last few years, but statistically owners are less vulnerable that drivers of cars from its premium rival, Lexus. It comes after JLR invested a massive £15million upgrading the security systems of some of its older cars in the last 18 months - and also provided £1million in funding to police at ports to tackle illegal vehicle exports out of Britain. Alex Kefford, head of editorial at Loop, said: 'Last year, the spotlight was on Range Rover as customers struggled to find insurance in the face of soaring theft rates. But when we look at the figures in proportion, we discover that it's Lexus owners that are at a far greater risk of having their car stolen. 'Jaguar Land Rover has taken the issue very seriously, developing a software update for existing vehicles, rolling-out new ultra-wideband keys, and even going as far as to provide funding to police units dedicated to cracking down on organised gangs. 'Now it seems that more brands need to follow their example if they are to reverse this worrying trend.' In fourth place overall was Mitsubishi - a brand that disappeared from the UK in 2021 - with a one in every 298 cars registered stolen last year, slightly ahead of Jaguar with a one-in-318 theft statistic. Placed in fifth and sixth for proportional thefts respectively are luxury marques Maserati - with a one-in-325 pinched - and Mercedes, with owners facing a one-in-381 chance of falling victim to car crime. BMW, Alfa Romeo and Bentley rounded out the top 10, with theft statistics of one-in-381, one-in-388 and one-in-435 respectively. Alex Kefford, Head of Editorial at automotive PR agency loop commented: 'Jaguar Land Rover has taken the issue very seriously, developing a software update for existing vehicles, rolling-out new ultra-wideband keys' Contrastingly Ford, despite being the manufacturer that had the most cars stolen overall last year, is 13th based on proportional theft rates against the volume of registrations. In fact, owners of Ford models will welcome the news that their cars have a risk factor of one-in-460 chance of being nicked. And as you can see from the top 100 stolen cars (listed below), Ford doesn't have a single model in the top 50. Good news finally for Tesla owners: Tesla's are the least likely cars in production to be stolen with just a one-in-7,031 chance of being taken by thieves The cars least likely to be stolen – the ones to own if you want peace of mind Tesla owners finally have some good news because the Elon Musk-created electric cars are the least likely to be stolen, Loop's deep-dive into DVLA data shows. There is just a one-in-7,031 chance of owners of a Tesla opening their curtains in the morning to find an empty driveway. Only 33 thefts were reported for the EV brand last year, with the Model 3 recording as many losses as all other models combined. Once vehicles out of production are included however, Tesla loses the accolade to British brute-manufacturer TVR. Despite nearly 11,000 registered vehicles scattered across the country, only one was reported stolen during the whole of 2024 – a T350. Ferraris also fared well, with owners of the luxury Italian supercars only facing a roughly one-in-4,000 chance of a falling victim to car thieves. Below is the list of 100 cars most likely to be targeted by thieves based on volume of reported stolen models versus the number registered in the UK... 100 CARS MOST LIKELY TO BE STOLEN BASED ON THEFTS VS REGISTRATIONS (2024) Rank Make Model Thefts Registered Proportion stolen 1 LEXUS LEXUS ES 300 221 6,587 1-in-30 2 LEXUS LEXUS RX 450 717 27,837 1-in-39 3 MERCEDES MERCEDES GLS CLASS 91 3,584 1-in-39 4 ALFA ROMEO ALFA ROMEO STELVIO 87 4,734 1-in-54 5 LEXUS LEXUS LC 500 11 601 1-in-55 6 LEXUS LEXUS UX 250 335 20,625 1-in-62 7 KIA KIA STINGER 34 2,226 1-in-65 8 LEXUS LEXUS NX 300 383 28,539 1-in-75 9 ABARTH ABARTH 500 69 6,015 1-in-87 10 ALFA ROMEO ALFA ROMEO GIULIA 95 8,326 1-in-88 11 AUDI AUDI RS5 30 2,887 1-in-96 12 KIA KIA EV6 174 17,006 1-in-98 13 MERCEDES MERCEDES G CLASS 20 1,955 1-in-98 14 HYUNDAI HYUNDAI IONIQ 644 62,979 1-in-98 15 AUDI AUDI RS3 71 7,427 1-in-105 16 MERCEDES MERCEDES GLE CLASS 358 39,093 1-in-109 17 AUDI AUDI RS7 8 882 1-in-110 18 MASERATI MASERATI LEVANTE 30 3,328 1-in-111 19 ABARTH ABARTH 595 192 21,309 1-in-111 20 BMW BMW X6 162 18,053 1-in-111 21 MITSUBISHI MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 635 72,761 1-in-115 22 TOYOTA TOYOTA RAV4 1452 167,095 1-in-115 23 LAND ROVER LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER VELAR 361 46,236 1-in-128 24 AUDI AUDI RSQ3 27 3,569 1-in-132 25 JEEP JEEP WRANGLER 70 9,403 1-in-134 26 AUDI AUDI RSQ8 9 1,289 1-in-143 27 TOYOTA TOYOTA CAMRY 15 2,200 1-in-147 28 LAND ROVER LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT 1032 155,902 1-in-151 29 BMW BMW I8 15 2,309 1-in-154 30 JAGUAR JAGUAR F-PACE 440 70,535 1-in-160 31 JAGUAR JAGUAR XE SERIES 282 45,344 1-in-161 32 MERCEDES MERCEDES GLC CLASS 573 93,894 1-in-164 33 AUDI AUDI SQ5 82 13,446 1-in-164 34 MERCEDES MERCEDES S CLASS 189 32,207 1-in-170 35 AUDI AUDI S5 68 11,618 1-in-171 36 BENTLEY BENTLEY BENTAYGA 25 4,286 1-in-171 37 AUDI AUDI S4 65 11,188 1-in-172 38 TOYOTA TOYOTA C-HR 745 130,964 1-in-176 39 PORSCHE PORSCHE MACAN 266 46,822 1-in-176 40 BMW BMW M4 115 20,365 1-in-177 41 AUDI AUDI S3 220 39,014 1-in-177 42 BMW BMW 7 SERIES 142 25,480 1-in-179 43 JAGUAR JAGUAR F-TYPE 92 16,659 1-in-181 44 BMW BMW M1 184 33,694 1-in-183 45 AUDI AUDI SQ7 23 4,214 1-in-183 46 LAND ROVER LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER EVOQUE 1189 221,953 1-in-187 47 AUDI AUDI Q7 302 57,062 1-in-189 48 LAND ROVER LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 1698 324,059 1-in-191 49 JAGUAR JAGUAR E-PACE 190 36,340 1-in-191 50 BMW BMW X5 613 118,704 1-in-194 51 BMW BMW X4 104 20,344 1-in-196 52 LAND ROVER LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER 586 118,546 1-in-202 53 TOYOTA TOYOTA PRIUS 614 125,006 1-in-204 54 BMW BMW M2 109 23,871 1-in-219 55 FORD FORD ECOSPORT 506 113,411 1-in-224 56 BMW BMW M3 163 36,832 1-in-226 57 TOYOTA TOYOTA ESTIMA 16 3,628 1-in-227 58 BMW BMW 4 SERIES 489 115,798 1-in-237 59 KIA KIA NIRO 514 121,869 1-in-237 60 KIA KIA PROCEED 45 10,737 1-in-239 61 BMW BMW 6 SERIES 102 25,045 1-in-246 62 AUDI AUDI A7 70 18,115 1-in-259 63 AUDI AUDI RS4 29 7,528 1-in-260 64 MERCEDES MERCEDES CLS CLASS 101 26,265 1-in-260 65 BMW BMW M5 34 9,054 1-in-266 66 MERCEDES MERCEDES E CLASS 892 262,110 1-in-294 67 MERCEDES MERCEDES GL CLASS 13 3,836 1-in-295 68 AUDI AUDI R8 14 4,287 1-in-306 69 FORD FORD MUSTANG 44 13,706 1-in-312 70 FORD FORD FIESTA 4719 1,474,134 1-in-312 71 MASERATI MASERATI GHIBLI 12 3,788 1-in-316 72 BMW BMW X7 15 4,760 1-in-317 73 AUDI AUDI S1 9 2,870 1-in-319 74 TOYOTA TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 91 29,806 1-in-328 75 MERCEDES MERCEDES C CLASS 1233 406,102 1-in-329 76 VOLVO VOLVO S90 23 7,884 1-in-343 77 NISSAN NISSAN JUKE 1136 390,844 1-in-344 78 AUDI AUDI Q8 44 15,234 1-in-346 79 BMW BMW 5 SERIES 708 247,846 1-in-350 80 MERCEDES MERCEDES CLA CLASS 287 10,0762 1-in-351 81 AUDI AUDI RS6 18 6,463 1-in-359 82 BENTLEY BENTLEY CONTINENTAL 46 16,565 1-in-360 83 PORSCHE PORSCHE CAYENNE 118 43,041 1-in-365 84 CUPRA CUPRA LEON 29 10,674 1-in-368 85 AUDI AUDI A8 36 13,494 1-in-375 86 VOLVO VOLVO XC90 248 95,933 1-in-387 87 BMW BMW X3 320 124,198 1-in-388 88 DS DS DS4 17 6,668 1-in-392 89 KIA KIA SORENTO 114 44,775 1-in-393 90 LAND ROVER LAND ROVER DEFENDER 147 58,117 1-in-395 91 JAGUAR JAGUAR XF SERIES 252 99,731 1-in-396 92 HYUNDAI HYUNDAI TUCSON 580 234,077 1-in-404 93 HYUNDAI HYUNDAI SANTA FE 106 43,371 1-in-409 94 FORD FORD TOURNEO 99 40,521 1-in-409 95 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET CAPTIVA 15 6,195 1-in-413 96 PORSCHE PORSCHE PANAMERA 22 9,226 1-in-419 97 BMW BMW 3 SERIES 1415 611,302 1-in-432 98 DS DS DS3 87 37,677 1-in-433 99 AUDI AUDI A5 305 134,190 1-in-440 100 BMW BMW 8 SERIES 17 7,758 1-in-456 Source: Loop analysis of DVLA data
The National
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- The National
Infiniti QX80 review: All-new model might be the company's most impressive SUV yet
When I first moved to the UAE, I resisted the lure of the road's giants. My first car was an Abarth 565 Competizione – comically small and endlessly amusing to wedge between hulking SUVs at the mall: a Land Cruiser here, a Patrol there, an Infiniti QX80 once in a while. But a few years in, I get it. The climate can be harsh, the roads wide, and quaint European city cars can often feel like the wrong tool for the job. As I climb into the new Infiniti QX80, I find myself thinking I could probably fit two Abarths in the back of this beast. It's rare for a behemoth to move with grace. But that's exactly what Infiniti has pulled off with the all-new 2025 QX80 – a car that used to feel more like a full-service lift than a luxury SUV: big, functional, inoffensive and by the end, a bit dated. That's all changed. The new QX80 pulls off a clever visual trick: it's still massive, but looks like a regular SUV. The soft, bulbous curves of the old model are gone – as are the sad droopy headlights. In their place: sharp lines, flush surfaces, a dramatically oversized grille, and LED lighting bright enough to guide ships into port. It's as if the QX80 went to an overpriced Swiss clinic and came back with cheekbones and confidence. Inside, the transformation is even more dramatic. The design team clearly spent time in a Range Rover and thought, 'Why not us?' There's open-pore ash wood, quilted semi-aniline leather, and ambient lighting with 64 colour options. Twin 14.3-inch screens handle infotainment and instrumentation, with a third touchscreen dedicated to climate control. It feels immersive without being overwhelming – it's just a very nice place to spend time. But value isn't measured in screen size – it's about how a car makes you feel. And this one makes you feel cared for. The seats are palatial, with bolstering that improves posture and cooling tech that uses biometric data to track your body temperature and adjust airflow accordingly. It's watching you, but in a nurturing way. Even the audio system feels grown up. A 24-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere set-up turns the cabin into a sound studio. The set-up was perfect for enjoying everything from audiobooks to Post Malone on commutes from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. And get this, there's even a new feature called Individual Audio that isolates phone calls to the driver's seat headrest speakers while other passengers can continue listening to music. I tried it and it actually works. Under the bonnet, Infiniti has swapped its old-school V8 for a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6. V8 purists may mourn, but the new engine delivers 450 horsepower and 699Nm of torque – more than enough to make this 2.7 tonne leviathan feel surprisingly light on its feet. It still tows up to 3.8 tonnes – so your boat, horse, or desert caravan is in good hands. But what really matters is the throttle response: there's urgency now, not the moan of a straining engine. The nine-speed automatic gearbox leans towards comfort, not sport. It's built for boulevards, border crossings, and weekends in Oman. On the tech front, the QX80 debuts Infiniti's most advanced driver-assist system yet: ProPilot Assist 2.1, allowing hands-free driving on select roads. It's not quite autonomous, but it's close enough for motorway cruising. The QX80 now comes in four trims: Pure, Luxe, Sensory and the fully loaded Autograph. Only Sensory and Autograph appear available in the UAE. I drove the latter. With the Autograph priced at Dh510,000, it's not cheap, but it feels justified. Yes, it's gunning for the high-spec Land Cruisers and Lexus LX. But more importantly, it makes the rest of Infiniti's line-up look like it's due for a similar glow-up. If they get the treatment the QX80 has, we're in for something special.
Auto Express
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
New MINI John Cooper Works Aceman 2025 review: fun but far from perfect
Fun isn't hard to come by in the John Cooper Works Aceman - but neither are the flaws. The rapid powertrain rarely fails to throw up a giggle, but sharp steering only manages to inject a veneer of agility over what is a very heavy - and rather numb - car for its size. The ride is too firm, and the interior space isn't great for those in the back, but those up front are treated to a cabin that feels more special than its rivals - all the more impressive when the Aceman undercuts those competitors on price. Advertisement - Article continues below This is the MINI John Cooper Works Aceman, the hottest version of the brand's five-door, all-electric challenger. Less than a year ago, the MINI Aceman would've been entering a class all to itself, but the recent arrival of two Stellantis contenders – the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloce and the Abarth 600e Scorpionissima – means that buyers have three distinctive options when it comes to something compact and sporty with a subtle SUV standing. The Aceman's squared-off front end is given a couple of subtle tweaks for the John Cooper Works enhancement; the red, white and black JCW logo sits within a large gloss-black frontage, which extends into the front splitter and around the sides of the car into the wheelarch trims. These surround a unique set of 19-inch alloy wheels, and around the back there's a pronounced spoiler that frames the rear window. More John Cooper Works badging can be found on the boot lid, while a snazzy set of racing stripes add a sporty touch to the bonnet. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Inside, the Aceman's cabin remains a fantastic place to sit – literally, thanks to the supportive part-leather front seats, whose design has been given the JCW treatment with its black and red colour palette. Among the lovely details are the red and black nylon strip that forms the lower spoke of the chunky steering wheel, and the woven fabric dashboard top with red chequered highlights. The latter is picked out even further by the tastefully judged red ambient lighting that catches the textured surface, as well as glowing from under the dash and the doors. In terms of finish and sense of occasion, the Aceman is hard to knock. Advertisement - Article continues below As ever, that round touchscreen looks fantastic, too, but in some ways it's a case of form following function; the on-screen temperature controls are rather fiddly, for example. It's not the only slight ergonomic quirk inside, too, because the central cubby, which is opened by a red nylon strap, is hinged towards the passenger, which makes it a bit awkward for the driver to get to. It's still not a particularly spacious car, either. While the Aceman is more roomy than the standard MINI hatch – and the two rear doors improve access to the back, too – it still has less rear kneeroom than not only the Abarth 600e, but also the smaller Renault 5. A 300-litre boot is reasonable, if not outstanding. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below So it's not a car that buyers should flock to if practicality is at the forefront of their minds, but it does manage to serve up a healthy dose of fun – despite the fact that it's not completely flawless from behind the wheel, either. Fundamentally, it uses the same configuration as the MINI John Cooper Works Electric, which means a 254bhp/340Nm motor drives the front wheels, and is linked to a 54.2kWh battery. That maximum power output is on tap when the driver flicks the little paddle marked 'Boost' behind the steering wheel; this ups the output from 227bhp to that higher figure for 10 seconds, giving the driver the chance to complete that 0-62mph dash in 6.4 seconds. That's half a second behind the three-door JCW, yet it still feels lively in a straight line, in no small part thanks to a steering wheel that wriggles in your hands as the JCW's chassis fights to deploy all of that torque to the road. Advertisement - Article continues below Still, that acceleration figure is half a second behind that of the three-door JCW, and a large part of that comes down to the Aceman's weight. For a car that's less than 4.1 metres long, a 1,820kg kerbweight is pretty significant, and it's something that becomes more obvious when you start to reach the Aceman's limits on the road. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Typical of every current MINI, the Aceman's steering is incredibly responsive, so initially the car feels incredibly keen to dart into corners. However, lean on it through longer turns or ask for a quick direction change, and the Aceman doesn't quite feel as darty as we'd like, or indeed as darty as its Stellantis rivals. Things have improved over the standard models, however; the uprated Hankook tyres and revised suspension geometry make it a more grippy yet more enjoyable car than the rest of the range, but those changes don't improve one of the Aceman's main weaknesses, which is its lifeless steering. For a brand that has produced so many cracking hot hatches over the years, its current line-up's lack of feedback is a bit of a disappointment. The ride also falls into the same category. While not quite as punishingly firm as the three-door JCW, the Aceman is still incredibly hard over bumps. A certain degree of stiffness is necessary to keep that weight in check of course, but on an undulating B-road, it works against it, throwing the Aceman's body from one bump to the next. With more compliance, there's no doubt that it could flow along a road better, and ultimately carry more speed. That extra weight relative to the hatchback has only a minor adverse effect on the car's range, at least officially; WLTP figures state 243 miles between charges, which is significantly up on the official 200-mile range of the Alfa Romeo Junior. Our time behind the wheel wasn't thorough enough to get a fair judgement of real-world range, although with enthusiastic driving, that figure looks like it'll drop closer to 160 miles between top-ups. At 95kW, the charging speeds are bang on the money with its closest rivals. With prices starting at £36,905, however, the Aceman does undercut its Italian rivals, with both the Abarth and the Alfa priced from around £40,000 in their most potent forms. Model: MINI John Cooper Works Aceman Base price: £36,905 Powertrain: 1x e-motor, 54.2kWh battery Transmission: Single-speed, front-wheel drive Power/torque: 254bhp/340Nm 0-62mph: 6.4 seconds Top speed: 124mph Range/charging: 243 miles/95kW (10-80% in 30 minutes) Length/width/height: 4,079/1,754/1,514mm On sale: Now Latest MINI John Cooper Works Aceman deals Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express ? We'll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too . Car Deal of the Day: Super sci-fi Kia EV6 for an exceptional £260 per month Car Deal of the Day: Super sci-fi Kia EV6 for an exceptional £260 per month Our Deal of the Day for 31 May is an extremely attractive price for this extremely capable electric family car Car Deal of the Day: new Omoda 5, with all the kit you might need, for less than £200 per month Car Deal of the Day: new Omoda 5, with all the kit you might need, for less than £200 per month The Omoda 5 is one of the newest arrivals to the family SUV market, and now it's our Deal of the Day for 1 June Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI long term test: premium hatch is a joy to live with Audi A3 Sportback 35 TFSI long term test: premium hatch is a joy to live with First report: premium hatch joins our fleet, and its bright metallic paint has already earned it a nickname Long-term tests 1 Jun 2025
Auto Car
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Ever wanted your Mokka to be a bit more... rally? Say hello to the Vauxhall Mokka GSe Rally
Vauxhall has previewed its the upcoming Mokka GSe with a rally inspired concept. The Mokka GSe Rally prototype is based on the current crossover and features Bilstein rally suspension, a racing gearbox, and a lightweight chassis. According to Vauxhall, the concept is also the world's first rally car currently being developed according to the FIA's new eRally5 regulations, meaning it could potentially be used in global rally series from next year. Underneath, it draws power from the same 54kWh battery as the standard Mokka, and adopts the same 278bhp, 254lb ft single-motor setup from its Abarth 600e Stellantis sibling. While no further technical specs have been given, in the 600e, the same powertrain yield 0-62mph times of 5.9sec. It also, like the 600e, gets limited-slop differential. Visually, underneath the GSe Rally's striking design, it showcases a car that is clearly differentiated in styling terms to the standard Mokka with a front and rear diffs, flared wheel arches and larger alloys. These production-ready features - largely unusual for a concept – point to what we can expect from the upcoming Mokka GSe, a car which was recently teased by Vauxhall/Opel CEO Florian Huettl and which is expected to be revealed in the coming months. The video also announced the sub brand would ditch models with combustion engines such as the previous Astra GSe In addition to the Mokka GSe, Huettl hinted that there will be further news on more electric Vauxhalls. He said: '[GSe] is also a promise that [Vauxhall's] electric future will not be driven by compromise. There is more to come in 2025 – we are just getting started.'
