This is the first official image of the reborn all-electric Citroen 2CV, which will hit European streets in 2028 as part of Stellantis's affordable 'E-Car' project. News that the 1940s icon, which put France on wheels after World War II, was returning drew a round of applause from financial analysts at Stellantis's investor presentation, a sure sign the comeback should trigger huge affection. 

Speaking at the event, Citroen brand CEO Xavier Chardon said: "Icons create emotion. Icons reconnect brands with people, and today one icon is about to return. Yes, the 2CV is back." Stellantis flashed up a shadowy teaser giving away some key design details: the original 2CV's form – with flared wheelarches and a tall, horseshoe-shaped rear – will feature on the all-new model. The high roof will make for a great deal of space in a small package: the 2CV will likely measure less than 4 metres, as Citroen seeks to differentiate it from the C3.

Read more... https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/citroen/365697/new-citroen-2cv-ps13k-electric-city-car-teased-ahead-2028-arrival

We've seen some epic cars in our time, but none quite like this. It’s the all-new Skoda Epiq – the eagerly anticipated, all-electric alternative to the popular Kamiq. Yet not only does it offer more space, more striking looks and the latest tech, it costs slightly less than its petrol-powered counterpart, with prices set to start from only £24,950.

That puts the Epiq slap bang in between two of its biggest rivals, the Renault 4 and Ford Puma Gen-E, and within a few hundred pounds of the Kia EV2 that just launched. However, all those cars receive a Government grant to help bring their price down, whereas the Skoda doesn’t (at least, not yet).

When the Epiq goes on sale in July, it will be available with one powertrain offering up to 272 miles of range and two specifications: SE L and Edition. There’s also going to be a limited First Edition, which gets some eye-catching red-orange details as a nod to the concept model we saw in 2024, and a more athletic-looking SportLine trim will join the line-up eventually as well.

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/skoda/epiq/367111/new-skoda-epiq-small-ev-arrives-dashing-looks-and-tiny-price

Of all the Chinese car makers that have arrived in the UK in the past few years, none has made an impact with buyers quite so deeply as Jaecoo. This style-led brand from manufacturing giant Chery was brought over in tandem with its sister company Omoda in January 2025, and has since exploded in popularity, topped off by the Jaecoo 7 becoming the UK’s biggest-selling car in March.

This sales success has been largely driven by low asking prices, but is also backed up by attractive styling, high levels of standard equipment and a customer-friendly combination of petrol, hybrid and fully electric powertrains to cater for all tastes.

In order to make the most of this momentum, the manufacturer is powering ahead with a pair of new models that will top and tail its range in 2027 – the compact Jaecoo 3 and three-row Jaecoo 9 flagship. The latter, a cut-price rival to the Land Rover Discovery, will be derived from Chery’s global range, but the former will be more European-focused.

Chery Automobile chairman Yin Tongyue told Auto Express: “In China we like very big cars and very small cars, but in Europe and other parts of the world, you like them in between.”

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jaecoo/369614/new-jaecoo-3-has-ford-puma-and-renault-4-its-crosshairs

BYD is rolling out nine-minute-long flash charging, which it believes will smash the final barriers to mass EV adoption. The Chinese tech company plans to roll out 3,000 of the 1,500kW chargers across Europe in 2026, as it moves into infrastructure as well as the supply of EVs and hybrids, as well as premium cars with its new brand Denza.

Will this kill the petrol car, asked Kana Inagaki, the Financial Times’ autos correspondent at its Future of the Car summit in London? “I can not say kill, but [flash charging] can at least compete with the combustion engine,” said BYD’s executive vice president Stella Li with a twinkle in her eye. 

“[When] we make recharging as fast as [petrol] refueling, this will [end] the final barrier for people to jump into electric cars.” She believes this will be a historic moment in EV adoption, a “revolution with the kind of technology we launch in China now and with Denza cars”. 

“Today, people don’t buy electric cars because it's too long for them to charge, there aren’t too many charging stations and, even if you build a lot, they might be occupied because cars are sitting there for 40 minutes, or maybe one hour in the winter.”

“Flash charging technology is more like a gas station,” she continued. “You go there and before you finish your coffee, the charging is finished, and you can move.” Ms Li reckons this will improve the utilisation of chargers by a factor of 30, with throughput soaring.

She claimed flash charging would give EVs sufficient charge in five minutes, or charge to 97 per cent in nine minutes – or 12 in extreme cold. The first BYD with flash charging capability is the second-generation Atto 3 midsize SUV, which packs BYD’s next-generation Blade 2 battery cells. The European launch car for premium brand Denza – the Z9GT, a wannabe Porsche Taycan Gran Turismo – is also compatible with the next-gen chargers. 

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/byd/369579/byd-thinks-flash-charging-will-kill-petrol-cars-its-just-too-polite-say-it

This is the new Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI, the first electric VW deemed worthy of those famous three letters marking out the brand’s performance cars. 

This Polo packs plenty of performance – acceleration comes within a second of the Golf GTI’s 0-62mph benchmark – and emulates its dynamic ability, VW says. That’s because the hot ID. Polo gets an uprated sports chassis packed with go-faster gizmos beneath that beefed-up body, which offers twice the stiffness of the combustion Polo.

The GTI is the pinnacle of the new ID. Polo range, set to start arriving in the UK in early 2027. Unveiled 50 years after the first Golf GTI was born, the ID. Polo packs twice the power and torque of the 1976 icon. Like the original it’s front-wheel drive, with the APP290 electric motor producing 223bhp, and 290Nm of torque. That’s enough grunt to power the e-GTI from standstill to 62mph in 6.8 seconds, compared with the original’s 9.2 seconds. Its 1,540kg kerbweight is about 700kg heavier than that of the Mk1, and it’s 200mm longer.    

Truth be told, the first electric GTI isn’t about insane performance – top speed is just 109mph. And it only musters 15bhp more than the top-spec regular ID. Polo, shares the same NMC battery and only shaves half-a-second off its acceleration run. But it should drive rings around it: Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer told us that driving the first electric GTI was “mind-blowing”. 

Read the full story: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volkswagen/polo/360845/new-volkswagen-id-polo-gti-first-electric-gti-has-finally-arrived
Read our ID. Polo GTI prototype drive: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/volkswagen/polo/369589/volkswagen-id-polo-gti-prototype-review-true-b-road-weapon

Bedford is beautiful on a sunny spring day – and our convoy of five plug-in hybrid SUVs, nose-to-tail over the town bridge spanning the River Ouse, does its bit to preserve the tranquillity. Our testing reveals these hybrids offer between 42 and 68 miles of pure electric motoring, without burning a drop of E10 petrol and generating local emissions, and with the only drivetrain noise the sonorous whine of electric motors. These are civilised civic companions.

Sixteen SUVs started this test to crown Britain’s best PHEV drivetrain and, after four heats over two days of testing, five have made the final showdown. Of them, the Honda CR-V posted the smallest EV range – 42 miles – on our test route through market towns in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire, plus draining stints on the A421 and A1M. But its well calibrated drivetrain beat Japanese rival Toyota’s for driving enjoyment, and the cockpit’s high-quality feel and practicality secured its shortlisting. 

Also present is the BMW X3 30e, a regular on our long-term fleet since September 2025. Its sharp handling elevates it among the contenders – but will its firm suspension upset the applecart by riding like one? The BMW covered 53 miles before calling on its 2.0-litre engine, fewer than Volkswagen’s Tayron managed. The VW’s 1.5-litre four-cylinder has a 500cc deficit over the BMW, but helps post a big economy advantage when the battery goes flat. The Tayron’s efficiency, spaciousness and value for money also helped edge out the sweet-handling Audi Q3 with the same powertrain, although packing an extra 67bhp from its engine.

Verdict

Here's how we rate our top five PHEVs in the final reckoning. Jump to our 16-car megatest rundown to explore the full rankings and range test results. 

5. Range Rover Sport

Outstanding on EV range and disappointing once the battery is flat, the mighty Range Rover Sport was a mixed bag on efficiency but the creamy-smooth driving experience and luxurious cabin go a long way towards justifying the price. 

4. BMW X3

BMW has great PHEV form having been a trail-blazer for the tech over many years, and this shows in the X3’s highly impressive powertrain. Sharp and engaging to drive, the X3 stood out on the road and came within a whisker of breaking into the top three.

3. Honda CR-V

Probably the least enjoyable car to drive in our top five, the CR-V offers extremely clever PHEV technology allowing a smaller battery and less weight. It’s highly efficient, comfortable and well built, qualities that are certain to strike a chord with buyers in the PHEV space. 

2. Volkswagen Tayron

A fine performance from VW’s PHEV. The Tayron is strong on both EV range and hybrid efficiency, the most consistent performer in the test. With 40kW DC charging it’s also quick to top up. This, combined with VW’s interior quality and tech, make it a fine all-round package 

1. MG HS

A massive 68-mile real world EV range – despite six of its rivals having bigger batteries – was always going to make the MG HS hard to beat. There’s plenty of performance when you do need the petrol engine and we managed 46.3mpg on our hybrid test run. Better still, the MG is a Chinese car with the expected value pricing but little compromise in terms of quality or annoying tech. It just works well, the stand-out PHEV on today’s market. 

Read the full test: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/features/369583/bmw-x3-vs-honda-cr-v-vs-vw-tayron-vs-mg-hs-vs-range-rover-sport-top-five-phevs-head

And our 16-1 PHEV megatest rankings... https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-group-tests/369554/phev-megatest-britains-16-favourite-plug-hybrid-systems-tested

North America isn’t exactly known for a preference for ‘stick shifts’ – in fact, just 25 new cars in the USA come with manual transmissions. But one of those is the BMW M3, now including the hot CS variant.

Here in the UK, the M3 CS with an automatic gearbox arrived in saloon form some years ago. And as of last year there was even a CS Touring - something the US or Canada didn’t receive because the standard M3 Touring is homologated there anyway.

However, the North American market is getting its own back with the launch of the M3 CS Handschalter. If the latter part of that name sounds familiar, you might remember the Z4 M40i Handschalter from a few years ago with ‘Handschalter’ denoting the addition of a manual gearbox.

The M3 CS Handschalter comes with a six-speed manual transmission instead of the eight-speed automatic ‘box in the regular M3 CS. Along with the CS’s use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, forged alloy wheels, titanium exhaust and carbon-fibre bucket seats (which remove 34kg themselves), it makes the M3 CS Handschalter the lightest version of the current M3.

Among the other bespoke tweaks for the Handschalter variant of the M3 CS are the tuning of the steering and electronic control settings for the chassis, engine and gearbox. The chassis features new springs and a new rear axle link to lower the M3 CS Handschalter by 6mm compared with the regular M3. Shock absorbers from M4 CSL and auxiliary springs are fitted to the M3 CS Handschalter, too.

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/3-series/369620/new-m3-cs-handschalter-brings-manual-gearbox-hottest-m3-if-youre-america

BMW has set out plans to take its newly acquired Alpina brand into new territory, with the Vision BMW Alpina concept car heralding a new era for a nameplate previously best known in Europe for tuned BMW 3 Series and 5 Series models.

BMW sealed the deal for the Alpina trademark at the beginning of this year, bringing into the fold a previously independent firm with which it’s enjoyed a 60-year knowledge-sharing relationship. But now Alpina has a big job to do for BMW, which is filling the space between the top 7 Series and the start of the Rolls-Royce range, the £150,000-£250,000 arena where the likes of Range Rover and Bentley in particular are carving out success.

“The understated character of Alpine fits into that - we see a large gap between BMW and where Rolls-Royce starts on price,” said Oliver Viellechner, head of BMW Alpine, speaking to Auto Express at an event in London ahead of the Vision BMW Alpina concept car’s unveiling at the 2026 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa D’Este event beside Lake Como in Italy**.**

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/alpina/368633/new-bmw-alpina-vision-concept-sets-out-brands-luxurious-future-path

Feast your eyes on the Ferrari HC25: a “pure, uncompromising roadster” and the new one-off creation by Maranello’s Special Projects division, reserved only for its most passionate and privileged clients. Lucky them. 

Styled by Ferrari’s head of design Flavio Manzoni and his team, the HC25 was apparently intended to bring a “bold, forward-looking perspective” and some echoes of the new Ferrari F80 hypercar to the brand’s mid‑engined, drop-top supercars.

The HC25 has muscularity and voluptuous curves, like many of Ferrari’s latest production cars, but the proportions have been refined to minimise the visual impact of the glazing and to try to lower the shoulder line. 

Meanwhile, the glossy black band that wraps around the mid-section of the HC25 doesn’t just provide a contrast to the matt Moonlight Grey paint or incorporate functional elements such as the air intakes. The arrow-like shape down the side gives the car’s silhouette an added sense of “momentum”, and accentuates the big rear haunches. 

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ferrari/369613/new-ferrari-hc25-v8-powered-drop-top-piece-art

Car buyers are switching on to plug-in hybrids like never before: in 2026, their sales growth has more than doubled that of pure electric cars. But which one should you buy? 

This guide seeks to answer that question. We assembled 16 PHEV drivetrains, from every major car group on the market, in the world’s most popular bodystyle, the SUV. Over three days with consistent temperatures around 16-17 degrees centigrade, we drove them, then drove them some more.

The first part of the route, in pure EV mode, established each car’s electric range with a full battery, and majored on urban driving through Bedford and St Neots, linked by 70mph A-road runs. When every battery was flat, we stopped the cars, zeroed the trip, then headed back. This run included more motorway miles to see what the fuel economy was once the power cell has been exhausted.  

Our testers then crunched the data for all 16 cars, and debated their dynamics, refinement levels and packaging merits, to come up with a final five for a shoot-out on Bedford’s streets and bypasses.     

All told, these drivetrains are available in 59 cars on the UK market alone, so we’re confident in saying that this is the most comprehensive guide yet to the plug-in hybrid market. We hope you find it entertaining – and useful.

Read the full test: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-group-tests/369554/phev-megatest-britains-16-favourite-plug-hybrid-systems-tested

The MINI Rocketman city car is an “exciting project” that is apparently still under consideration, 15 years after the concept was shown at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. MINI’s head of design, Holger Hampf, said his team is “studying volumes” and “trying to see what [MINI] can get into such a small, 3.6-metre car.”

The main hurdle MINI’s designers and engineers need to overcome is today’s necessity for complex advanced driver-assistance systems, plus a desire to meet increasingly stringent safety regulations. Despite its size and assumed lower price point versus the current MINI Cooper, any future Rocketman would not sacrifice the maker’s reputation for high-quality small cars fitted with the latest safety technology.

“You have to be conscious about your surroundings,” Hampf told us. “Everything else around the MINI has grown. Then there’s new regulations in terms of pedestrian safety and sensor technologies.

“People don’t want to miss their ADAS functionality, or cruise control and all of that. That has led to increasing the size a little bit. There is so much technology in these cars compared to the classic Mini, or the Rocketman (concept). 

“So, certainly we're studying these volumes and we're trying to see what [MINI] can get into such a small 3.6-metre car. It’s not easy,” he said. “I’ll leave it at that.”

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mini/88561/mini-rocketman-plan-back-time-right-real-classic-mini-replacement

Jaguar has confirmed its new all-electric grand tourer will be called the Type 01. It’s a name that looks to both the past and the future, according to the marque, something it’s hoping will also be true of the car itself. This is due to be revealed later this year, costing from around £120,000, but before then we’ll see a pre-production prototype with less camouflage during the Monaco Formula E weekend on May 15th.

This official news follows rumours of other monikers that Jaguar was considering, including GT and X900. The latter is still expected to be the car’s internal model code, however Jaguar decided to lean a little deeper into its history with its naming choice, bringing back the ‘Type’ format along with the numbers 0 and 1. These represent the new model’s emissions, and the fact it’s the first of a new generation of cars from the company.

Jaguar also released a new image revealing the Type 01’s badge, saying “the name appears on the strikethrough motif where the bonnet meets the windscreen, with bold and linear graphics”.

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jaguar/gt/365043/jaguar-type-01-name-announced-groundbreaking-controversial-new-electric-gt

Legislators need to focus more on the overall environmental picture than the speed of transition to electric cars, according to a panel of experts speaking in London today. 

**“**As long as we are fundamentally going in the right direction – reducing emissions – the share of electrification and the pace of the shift matters less than the outcome,” Benjamin Grieger, secretary general of the European automotive suppliers’ association CLEPA told the FT Future of the Car Summit. “If the political objective is emission reduction, then the climate doesn't care whether those reductions come via electrification, mobility changes, or renewable fuels. Let the market determine the mix.”

Grieger highlighted the futility of predicting which technology will be dominant in a decade’s time. “Three years ago we were not expecting what we see today, and we cannot know what the picture will look like a decade from now,” he said. “Why should we try to legislate for it? We have a very good instrument for determining what works: the marketplace. Decisions made by consumers – passenger car buyers – and businesses.”

Rather than forcing people into one particular powertrain, Grieger said rulemakers across Europe should design a framework that makes new technologies attractive for consumers. “For electrification, that means affordable, available electricity. The difference between paying a reasonable rate per kilowatt-hour to charge versus very high motorway rates is one of the single strongest factors in consumers' decisions about which technology to use. 

We need to address that,” he declared. “China is doing exactly that: there is no nationwide combustion-engine ban in China, but there is a strong framework – access to raw materials, battery production capacity, cheap electricity – that enables the market to move towards electrification naturally. That is more effective than rules that simply mandate the outcome. Design the framework, set the rules that everyone must respect, ensure the location factors are in place, and let the market work.”

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/369572/our-ev-obsession-holding-back-green-mobility-efficient-hybrids-are-answer

The Jeep Avenger was originally designed and developed to be ‘Europe’s Jeep’, and it’s proven to be a hit, with more than 270,000 buyers to date. Now a heavily updated model is available to order that will be pivotal to the brand’s continued success.

The key exterior differences come at the front, with high-spec Summit models now featuring Matrix LED headlights and an illuminated grille.

All models pick up new wheel designs, available in either 17 inches or 18 inches, while there are two new colour options, including the vibrant Bamboo Green first seen on the larger Compass. 

A more rugged 4XE variant features black design elements up front and unique wheels, emphasising its all-wheel drive layout. It also promises improved approach and departure angles, and an impressive 210mm of ground clearance, turning the otherwise compact urban runaround into a fairly useful off-road companion.

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/jeep/avenger/368961/new-jeep-avenger-facelift-revealed-looks-get-tougher-tech-gets-fancier

As part of its ‘Focus 2030’ initiative, Lotus has announced it’ll launch a new Type 135 supercar in 2028, complete with a hybridised V8 powertrain and mid-engined chassis that it’s claimed will challenge the world’s best. 

Although this feels like a claim we’ve heard before, Lotus seems deadly serious about making this one a reality. The difference this time is that it comes with the backing of a multi-national corporation that sold over three million cars in 2025.

According to the British, but Chinese-owned firm, “This will be an all-new car, featuring a V8 hybrid powertrain, with over 1,000PS. It is expected to be manufactured in Europe, and further details of the car will be announced later this year.”

This also means that Lotus’ Hethel plant in Norfolk could be in store for an expansion, as the brand prepares for an updated Emira coming later this month and, with this news, potential production of this new hybrid-powered supercar, too. The company says, “Design and engineering [will be] rooted in the UK, home of the brand's identity and motorsport expertise, and R&D in China to deliver rapid scale to market.”

Read more: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lotus/357211/new-lotus-esprit-type-135-supercar-get-v8-power-and-rival-ferrari-testarossa