The Steer | October's Motoring News and Highlights

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1. Porsche to design a starship for new Star Wars film 

Porsche and Star Wars producers Lucasfilm have announced their collaboration on a starship design to feature in ‘The Rise of Skywalker’. Is a Millennium Falcon 911 Carrera in the making?

Lucasfilm’s Doug Chiang said they’re bringing together “the exotic film design of a galaxy far, far away and the precision work that goes into developing emotive Porsche sports cars”.

 

 

Porsche’s Chief Designer Michael Mauer added: “Even though they do not seem to share many elements at first glance, both worlds have a similar design philosophy.”

The Force is strong with this one… all will be revealed at the film’s December premiere. 

2. Electric cars to get green number plates 

The Government is proposing electric vehicles with green registration plates. The green badge of honour would allow people to benefit from incentives such as cheaper parking and bus lane access. People will be going green with envy…literally.

Many will argue that there’s still the problem of a lack of charging points and too few low-cost electric models, but the Government believes the scheme will boost electric car sales and help achieve its 2050 target of net zero emissions. 

 

 

3. Cabs and classics go electric

In more electric news (because what isn’t electric at the moment?), the first 100% electric taxi since 1899 has been launched in London.

 

The Dynamo Taxi - image from theguardian.com

The Dynamo Taxi, a converted Nissan e-NV200 Evalia costing £55,495, runs on a battery for about 70 miles, and has been praised by the mayor for improving London’s “filthy air”. 

Another electric conversion comes from Silverstone company Lunaz, electrifying iconic classic cars.

They’re currently developing the 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, the 1956 Rolls-Royce Cloud and the 1953 Jaguar XK120.

 

Lunaz Electric Classic Car Design - image from www.autocar.co.uk

Order books open in November with prices starting from £350,000. Electric has never looked better. 

4. Lamborghini tease new hypercar 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Lamborghini’s motorsport division, Squadra Corse, have teased a picture of their new track-only V12-engine hypercar.  

The mysterious and shadowy image shows the new emerald-green Lambo with razor-sharp edges and a huge rear wing. 

The engine is based on the Aventador’s 6.5 litre and supposedly produces a super 830 brake horsepower, but we’ll have to wait until next year to see the whole car. 

Reports say production will be limited to 40 units. One can always dream… 

5. Most expensive place to run a car revealed 

‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ but Compare The Market research has revealed Manchester as the most expensive place to drive a petrol car in the UK, excluding London. So, if you’re wanting a new car, ‘She’s [probably] Electric’.

 

 

It costs Mancunians £2,808.63 a year to run a petrol car, whereas in Carrick, Ayrshire, it only costs £1,958.72.  

The biggest issue for Mancunians is car insurance at an average of £1,638.51 per annum - £1,000 more expensive than in the cheapest area. 

6. Dyson scraps electric car plans

Vacuum cleaner techs Dyson have cancelled their electric car project. That sucks…

Head of the company, Sir James Dyson, said they had developed a ‘fantastic car’ but are scrapping the plan because the car isn’t ‘commercially viable’. 
Dyson already allocated £550m to developing a testing facility at former RAF Hullavington Airfield, alongside the construction of a brand-new factory in Singapore to build their electric cars. 

 

Dyson are scrapping their electric car project plans - image from carmagazine.co.uk

Dyson released a statement, saying their process to find a buyer has been “unsuccessful so far.”

7. Lookers apprentice wins National Rising Star Award 

Alex Ingram, 20, at Mercedes-Benz of Stoke, has won the Rising Star of the Year Award at the West Midlands round of the National Apprenticeship Awards.
It is the third time in a row that a Lookers apprentice has won a regional round of the award, with Alex set to take part in a public vote for the national final at the end of November.

Good luck, Alex!

 

 

8. New Audi super-site opens

Lookers has celebrated the opening of its new Farnborough Audi site with appearances from classic Audis, including Le Mans winner, the Audi R15 TDI. 
The new centre represents a multi-million investment by Lookers and provides its customers in the South East with a larger facility and a wider choice of Audi, including around 200 used cars on site.