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John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy • Single-seat EV revealed • Design echoes classic 356 PORSCHE led a star-studded line-up at last weekend’s 30th Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking centre-stage with the spectacular Vision 357 Speedster. The dramatic-looking EV is based on the Cayman GT4 e-Performance Prototype – so while specifications are not confirmed, it’s likely to have four-wheel drive and up to 1.073bhp, along with a 65kWh battery. The single-seater includes a shortened windscreen and a two-tone colour scheme that also features ‘75’ graphics to reference the brand’s landmark anniversary this year. The Vision 357 also features a vertical grille pattern at the rear end – a nod to Porsche’s first production car, the 356 – plus 20-inch magnesium wheels and front wing-mounted cameras instead of mirrors. Inside, the entire dashboard is finished…

Vauxhall concept to showcase new style VAUXHALL has issued the first images of its forthcoming concept car, called Experimental (above). The new creation, which will make its debut at the Munich Motor Show in early September, is said to preview an evolution of the British manufacturer’s styling direction. The teaser pictures released so far reveal that the design team, which is led by Mark Adams, is planning to rework the current front grille, known as the Vizor. Maserati V8 goes out on the Ultima high ITALIAN company Maserati has announced two final V8 models, as it prepares to switch to V6 and pure-electric powertrains. The Ghibli 334 Ultima saloon and Levante Ultima SUV are both powered by a twin-turbo V8 producing 564bhp. The Ghibli takes its name from its new…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk • We get an early taste of Land Rover’s new V8-powered SUV • Performance flagship promises 0-60mph in only 3.6 seconds LAND Rover has a new performance flagship – and it’s finally time for us to experience the Range Rover Sport SV for ourselves. As we arrive in the mirrored courtyard inside JLR’s stunning design centre, it’s sitting before us – and while it’s still in disguise, we already know some of the highlights beneath the camouflage. Beyond its 627bhp twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine, the new Range Rover Sport SV gets a unique suspension system compared with other models in the range. This combines the usual air-spring set-up with new hydraulically cross-linked dampers that also do away with the need for traditional anti-roll bars. Further bespoke elements include carbon-fibre…

FORD has revealed an off-road-focused version of its Mustang Mach-E EV – and the company plans to sell it in the UK. The new offering is believed to be based on a regular dual-motor Mach-E, but with a raised ride height and extra underbody cladding to protect it on rough surfaces. Ford’s vice president of Electric Vehicle Programs, Brit Darren Palmer, said the car would “provide our customers with the freedom to venture off the asphalt”.…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk SUVS now account for more than half of all new-car registrations in Europe. That should hardly come as a shock – simply look out your window, and you can be fairly sure the next vehicle to drive past has a bit of extra ride height going on, and quite possibly some plastic cladding around the wheelarches. As for how this has happened, you might point the finger at the Qashqai (see Icon Drives #11, issue 1,775) – a car that blew away even Nissan’s own sales projections, spawned countless imitators and put us on track for the SUV-filled roads of today. But while the Qashqai undoubtedly popularised the idea of a ‘soft-roader’, such cars had already been kicking around for some time. And the first of them was the…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram MERCEDES has given its A-Class a little nip and tuck for 2023. We’ve already sampled the changes to the standard family hatch, but now it’s the turn of the AMG models. Both the A 35 and A 45 S receive a little attention, but it’s the hotter of the two cars that we’re trying here. We reckon that Mercedes struck a great balance between subtlety and menace the first time around, so it’s a good thing that changes to the A 45’s looks are minimal. The headlights have revised LED internals and flank a grille that has been reshaped. Look closely and you’ll see that the traditional three-pointed star above the grille has been replaced by the AMG logo. There are revised lights at the back, too. The…

MODEL TESTED: Hilux 2.8 D-4D GR Sport PRICE: £41,508 POWERTRAIN: 2.8-litre 4cyl diesel, 201bhp 201 bhp Powertrain 2.8-litre 4cyl 80 litres Fuel tank £116 fill up 10.7 seconds Performance 109mph 1,010kg Payload/towing 3,500kg THE current Toyota Hilux is the eighth generation, and it has been available since 2015, although regular facelifts have helped it to maintain its position near the top of the pick-up truck class. A 2.8 D-4D diesel was introduced in 2020, while the GR Sport arrived late last year. This model is auto only and is priced from £41,508. Tech highlights ONE area where the Hilux is showing its age is its proportions. It’s a similar length and height to the Ranger and Amarok, and it’s only 18mm narrower than the Ford, too. However, the Toyota’s width…

THE Ranger, Amarok and Hilux are the pick-up truck class leaders, but while there are fewer contenders in the sector than even five years ago, there are still other alternatives. Nissan and Mitsubishi are no longer present, while Mercedes and Fiat only made fleeting visits to the class, but Isuzu and SsangYong are still going strong, and Chinese brand Maxus now has its own take on the pick-up truck. Here we round up the other models currently available, or you could hold fire until the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster arrives (see Page 10). Isuzu D-Max PRICE FROM: £23,929 POWERTRAIN: 1.9-litre 4cyl diesel, 162bhp ● Well equipped mid-specs ● Long five-year warranty ● Underpowered diesel ● On-road comfort THE D-Max is the only model that Isuzu sells in the UK, and the…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk THE BMW X1 xDrive23i M Sport is heavy on tech; we know that. But if the tech is going to appeal, it needs to work properly – all of it, all of the time – because when it doesn’t, it can undermine your overall trust in the car. When the digital stuff doesn’t do what it claims on the tin, you soon wonder what might go wrong next. I’m not talking here about any of the X1’s fundamentals – in other words, the oily bits. They all work just fine (they all work surprisingly well, in fact). Instead, I’m referring to the two software upgrades the car has invited me to download via the iDrive system since Auto Express took delivery in February this year. The first upgrade went…

Got a query? products@autoexpress.co.uk MANY of us will have experienced the heart-sinking click as we turn the key or, increasingly, press the button to start our car. Often this can be put down to a one-off error such as leaving the lights or ignition on, which means it’s time to dig out the charger to revive the discharged battery. If the battery still has a little life left in it, the engine can be started by a mini jump pack, which will let the charging system bring the battery back to life. Our current pick of these is the MSC Overland 10Ah QC Jump Starter (mobilesolarcharger.co.uk). If you are unsure about applying large amounts of current to today’s cars, with their extensive electronics, it’s time to hook up the charger.…

NEW PRODUCT CarCheckUp Price, single check: £11.93 Price, five checks: £29.88 Salvage auction check: No Rating: Contact: carcheckup.co.uk FROM the moment you arrive on the CarCheckUp home page, it looks less professional and polished than its rival here, with basic design and awkward grammar that don’t inspire confidence. Enter the car registration you want to check and you’ll be offered just one level of service, but there are multi-buy options, ranging from £9.98 for a single check to £24.90 for five. These undercut some well known rivals by a few pence, but cheekily, the CarCheckUp prices don’t include VAT. Once that’s added, it becomes one of the most expensive. The data offered in the report merges the industry-standard Experian data with other sources, but crucially, it does not have the salvage…

Jelly Belly Berry Blue Rating: Price: £4.49 Contact: halfords.co.uk BEST BUY JELLY Belly’s Berry Blue was rated in the top three by all but one tester. The panel praised its sweet smell, which reminded several of jelly beans. Initially it was strong and almost overpowering, but within five days it began to mellow, to the extent that, even with the adjustable vents fully open, the fragrance was gentle and pleasant. We like the pot’s plastic construction, and the rotary vents are easy to operate. The only blot on its copybook is that, while it was still smelling good at the end of our two-week test, the manufacturer says it’ll only last for 30 days. Lynx Gel Can - Black Rating: Price: £4.49 Contact: halfords.co.uk RECOMMENDED IF we were only judging the air…

In association with Search thousands of new and used cars online CO2/tax 102-135g/km £20-£180 Running costs 43-72mpg (E220d) £92.40 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.3 seconds/149mph A NEW Mercedes E-Class is about to hit showrooms, and it’ll be the sixth take on a formula that was launched 30 years ago. The all-conquering W124 arrived in 1985, but it wasn’t sold as the E-Class until 1993; this was the first car to be marketed by Mercedes-Benz under that name. The W124 set the standard in the executive sector, and while things are now a lot more competitive – and the class has shrunk as buyers have moved into SUVs – this is still a model that’s arguably as close to ideal as you can get. Luxurious, refined, safe, well equipped and supremely…

Will homecoming put Tanak back on track? THE World Rally Championship heads to Estonia for round eight of the season. This is a homecoming event for Ford’s Ott Tanak, who will be looking to get his title fight back on track; he has failed to win a race since round two in Sweden, and is sitting fourth in the standings. Toyota has dominated the season so far, and occupies the top three spots in the championship title race after a 1-2-3 finish last time out in Kenya. Kalle Rovanperä (above) aims to repeat his 2022 title success, and currently leads the way on 140 points, 41 clear of Elfyn Evans. Sébastien Ogier, who won in Kenya and is only racing on a part-time basis this year, is in third on…

• EV powertrain replicates feel of petrol power and manual box • Capable of 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and 161mph top speed sean_carson@autovia.co.uk THE Ioniq 5 N is Hyundai’s first performance EV, and the company says this new hot all-electric crossover puts the focus firmly on driving fun. A host of new systems and tech aim to boost driver engagement – something that some brands have struggled to achieve with their hot EVs. With that in mind, Hyundai’s N division has developed a new system, called N e-shift, which replicates the feel of a performance petrol engine and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It’s paired with Hyundai’s N Active Sound+ feature, and together the systems simulate a more conventional combustion-engined powertrain, with N e-shift adjusting the Ioniq 5 N’s torque output…

Alastair_Crooks@autovia.co.uk @AllieCrooks • Revised SUV due in September • £30,000 start price expected RENAULT recently posted strong sales figures for the first six months of 2023, but the French manufacturer has only just started its ‘Renaulution’ transformation process. And here’s the next step in the plan: a facelifted version of its Arkana SUV. Due on sale later this summer, the swoopy crossover gets fresh design features inside and out, along with a revised trim-level structure. The overhaul is intended to help keep it competitive against the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Kia Sportage. The most obvious external tweak at the front end is a new pattern on the grille, which comes in various colours, depending on the trim level. There’s also an updated LED signature in the headlights, and…

Chris_Rosamond@autovia.co.uk NEW rules for public rapid chargepoints should improve user experience and help to end frustration for EV drivers turning up at faulty or inoperative chargers. Fears of queues and facilities that don’t work are fuelling a rapid rise in public concern, with 76 per cent of UK drivers in a YouGov poll published last week saying the country’s network causes charger anxiety – up from 65 per cent last year. New Department for Transport rules aim to address this by mandating 99 per cent reliability, forcing operators to ensure that chargepoints are maintained in a fully functioning condition. The regulations also state that facilities must display clear prices in ‘pence per kiloWatt hour’ (which will be the new, all-encompassing standard replacing ‘pence per minute’ rates), connection fees and set…

THE following provide help with motoring problems. Some services are free, others charge a fee or operate on premium-rate lines (p), while some offer advice for members only (m) Legal AA: 0345 850 1130 (m) RAC: 0330 159 1446 (m) Citizens Advice Consumer helpline: 03454 040506 Local Trading Standards Local Citizens Advice Bureau Used car inspections AA: 0800 056 8040 RAC: 0330 159 0720 Technical advice AA: 0370 142 0002 (m) Driving licences DVLA: 0300 790 6801 Car registration/history HPI: 0113 222 2010 AA: 0800 316 3564 DVLA: 0300 790 6802 RAC: 0808 164 1923 Traffic information AA: 0906 888 4322 RAC: 09003 444999 (p) Problems with dealers The Motor Ombudsman: 0345 241 3008 Consumer Ombudsman: www.consumer-ombudsman.org RMIF: 0845 305 4230 Scottish Motor Trade Assoc. 0131 331 5510 Problems with…

Richard_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ingram ONLY one week after it was officially announced to the world, here we are driving the fastest, most powerful MG ever: the 429bhp MG4 EV XPower. It comes off the back of a hugely successful model launch late last year, with commercial director Guy Pigounakis telling us demand for the MG4 Standard and Long Range cars has been “quite simply overwhelming”. The company has sold more than 14,000 MG4s in the UK, with overall brand sales up 58 per cent year on year. Pigounakis puts much of this success down to MG’s ability to dramatically undercut the competition on price – part of the reason we celebrated the MG4 as our Affordable Electric Car of the Year at the 2023 Auto Express New Car Awards earlier this month…

Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk Electric motor Power/range 150bhp/157 miles Performance 0-62mph/top speed 7.0 seconds/96mph “The playful side is backed up with bespoke tuning for both the chassis and powertrain” FIAT made a great job of reinventing its 500 city car for the electric era. But when it comes to the sporty Abarth version, with no terrier-like turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the bonnet, the question of how to mimic the regular 500e’s success is a tricky one. Noise – or rather, the lack of it – is a major part of this, so Abarth decided to tap into the model’s playful nature and just fake it. As a result, the hot 500e features a sound generator – with one speaker inside and one out – to try to replicate the sometimes flatulent sounds of…

MODEL TESTED: Amarok 3.0 TDI Style PRICE: £45,005 POWERTRAIN: 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, 237bhp 237bhp Powertrain 3.0-litre V6 80 litres Fuel tank £116 fill up 9.0 secs Performance 112mph 1,068kg Payload/towing 3,500kg AFTER a couple of years out of production, the Volkswagen Amarok is back for a second generation. Prices start from £34,055 ex. VAT, and rise to a heady £48,055 for a V6 Aventura model. Here we’re trying the mid-spec Style with the larger diesel option. At £45,005, it costs £546 less than the Ford Ranger Wildtrak. Tech highlights RATHER than going it alone to build the Amarok Mk2, VW joined forces with Ford for this new generation. Ford took the lead on development, but VW’s engineers had input throughout. From the outside, unique detailing helps to differentiate both models.…

RANGER vs AMAROK WINNER Ford Ranger 1st THE Amarok’s competitive financial package means that this is an extremely close contest, but it’s not quite enough for it to surpass the well equipped Ranger here. Adding Comfort suspension to the mid-range Wildtrak is another key to its victory, and helps the Ranger do a hugely credible job as a family-friendly work vehicle that won’t leave passengers unsettled. Both trucks deliver great performance from their V6 diesels, too. ● Well equipped for the price● Strong V6 diesel ● VW has better aftersales● V6 is quite thirsty RANGER vs HILUX WINNER Ford Ranger 1st WHILE it’s not quite as refined as the V6, the 2.0 litre makes up for it with lower running costs. There’s no compromise in terms of kit if you…

BUYING a used car can be stressful. Besides looking for dents and oil leaks, there are hidden factors that could be more costly or even result in the car being taken away from you. A data report – known almost universally by the brand name HPI Check – is the most effective way to uncover a car’s true history. Besides investigations into whether the vehicle has been written off by an insurance company, it will also tell you if the model is stolen, has finance owing on it or has had a registration-number change. There are now a host of providers available, all claiming to be the best on the market. Our choice in the past few tests has been TotalCarCheck, but new rival CarCheckUp has arrived to challenge it.…

WHETHER you want to make a car smell like new, or simply mask some unpleasant underlying whiffs, such as wet dog or spilt milk, a car air freshener can be the best bet. There’s no doubt they are hugely popular and sell in their hundreds of thousands each year. But which is the one for your car? An increasing number of motorists are moving away from the rear-view mirror or vent-mounted designs we’ve tested in the past to spill-proof tins designed to fit in cup-holders. So we gathered 10 of the biggest sellers to see which comes up smelling of roses. BEAUTY is in the nose of the beholder, so we asked eight people to smell our air fresheners and describe the aromas before ranking them best to worst. We…

In association with Search thousands of new and used cars online “When Fiat entered the sports-car sector, it was a shrewd move to team up with the market leader” EVER since the Mazda MX-5 arrived more than 30 years ago, it has dominated the sports-car market, with rival car manufacturers barely getting a look in. But although we Brits used to buy lots of open-topped two-seaters, appetites have changed, and cheap sports cars are now nothing like as popular as they once were. When Fiat decided to enter this sector in 2016, it made a shrewd move by teaming up with the market leader. As a result, its 124 Spider shared much with the Mazda MX-5, but unfortunately Fiat didn’t enjoy Mazda’s success. And the Abarth 124 Spider sold in…

Technical advisor to N division Executive technical advisor to Hyundai’s N division gives us the inside line on brand’s first hot EV. Q Where was the real focus during development of the Ioniq 5 N? A “This car is not about the numbers; driving fun is the most important thing. N e-shift will make the car slower, but we don’t care. It’s about how you interact with the car. We make you believe you are in a gear in an ICE car. Lots of manufacturers talk about numbers, but we talk about fun.” Q But on the subject of numbers, how much does the Ioniq 5 N weigh? A “Well, with the battery and the new cooling set-up, plus some of the car’s other neat features, it’s only a little…

FERRARI creates a lucrative line in bespoke one-offs for its favourite customers, and the Italian marque has just revealed its latest unique creation: the KC23. The brand says the car is “designed for non-competitive track use” and is based on the 488 GT3 Evo racer. The interior is stripped out, with exposed carbon fibre, a full roll cage and a brace of bucket seats. Exterior tweaks include a light bar at the front, new bonnet vents and wheels, plus a huge, removable rear wing. The 488’s twin-turbo V8 produces up to 690bhp, but it is restricted to 600bhp in race trim. It’s not clear exactly what spec Ferrari has used in the KC23, which is likely to have cost its commissioning owner several million euros.…

THE new Jeep Avenger is to be offered with petrol power in the UK, after a surprise U-turn by the brand. At the car’s original launch, Jeep stated that the Avenger would be electric only in virtually all markets. The model is still being promoted as “100 per cent electric” on Jeep’s UK website. However, the company has now confirmed rumours that 1.2-litre PureTech petrol editions of the Avenger will be offered to UK customers soon. A spokesperson told us: “With high interest levels, as well as certain corporate fleets wishing to run both EV and ICE [petrol], this powertrain will come to the UK.”…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk @AutoExpress HOT TOPIC Final Ford Fiesta FROM: Stan Golebiewski I WILL not be surprised if we see a return of the Fiesta in five or 10 years’ time, because not everyone can afford an SUV at £25k-plus. And perhaps they don’t even want to buy something so uninteresting. FROM: Darren Walker SMALL cars attract thin margins, so they have to be stacked high and sold in huge volume in order to be profitable. When the demand is no longer there for this business model to be viable, the car is done. Join the debate at www.autoexpress.co.uk “Dropping Focus and Fiesta is a huge mistake. Ford will never get these customers back.”Will HB “So to replace a Fiesta, it’s a jacked-up Fiesta – the Puma – at a jacked-up price.”Kevin…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk THE news broke earlier this year that Bentley’s now-iconic W12 engine’s days were numbered, with production set to end in April 2024. So to celebrate this incredible piece of engineering, the British brand has released this limited-edition Flying Spur Speed Edition 12. There are plenty of unique design features to mark out this model, although they are certainly subtle. These include Edition 12 badging, treadplates on the door sills, seat embroidery, a special inlay on the dash that highlights the 12 cylinders’ firing order, plus a numbered engine plaque. All Edition 12s come with Bentley’s Blackline exterior pack, black 22-inch Speed alloy wheels and contrasting silver brake calipers. Our car’s Opalite paint finish is a new option for this model. Put down the £231,200 (before options) you’ll need for…

MODELS TESTED: Ranger 2.0 EcoBlue & 3.0 EcoBlue Wildtraks PRICES: £40,221/£44,721 POWERTRAINS: 2.0l 4cyl, 201bhp/3.0l V6, 237bhp 201/237bhp Powertrains 2.0 4cyl/3.0 V6 80 litres Fuel tank £116 fill up 9.0/10.5 secs Performance 112mph 1,041/1,059kg Payload/towing 3,500kg WE’RE doing something a bit different with the Ranger here. The new model is available with four-cylinder or V6 diesel power, so we’re looking at it with both powertrain options in mid-spec Wildtrak guise. They cost £40,221 and £44,721 respectively, so both undercut their V6 and four cylinder-powered rivals here. Tech highlights THE latest Ford Ranger (as well as the Amarok) uses a platform that has been heavily reworked from its predecessor’s. Engineers have widened the track front and rear as much as possible, and as well as making space for a V6 diesel,…

VOLKSWAGEN’S five-year service, warranty and recovery package saves hundreds in costs. Limited availability also means residual values are strong, with the 3.0 Style tested here set to retain 62 per cent of its value after three years. That contributes to its competitive PCP rates, while the Ranger has stronger residuals as a 2.0-litre model, at 57.8 per cent, compared with 54.1 per cent for the V6. The Ranger is more competitive if you take out a hire plan, while prices between the Ranger and Hilux are close. The Ford is well worth the minimal extra outlay for a more modern and comfortable truck.…

John_McIlroy@autovia.co.uk @johnmcilroy Running costs Official range/tax 260 miles/£0 Practicality Boot (seats up/down) 440/1,338 litres I WAS always more of a KerPlunk devotee as a youth – when I wasn’t playing my part in Ludo sessions that frequently caused family Armageddon – but right now, I’m enjoying a good old game of Guess Who?, with the latest addition to the Auto Express fleet at the heart of it. Say hello to, er… yeah, the blue one! Okay, so it is, of course, the BYD Atto 3, a new compact SUV that picked up a couple of commendations in our New Car Awards (Issue 1,787), and a vehicle that could well be an extremely thin end of an extremely thick wedge when it comes to the Chinese brand’s plans for the UK…

Expanded trial for VW California dreamers VOLKSWAGEN Commercial Vehicles has extended the Try Before You Buy scheme to its California 6.1 campervan (above). Customers who are interested in purchasing either the California 6.1 or its smaller sibling, the Caddy California, will be able to try them out on a seven-day trial, allowing them to explore the UK at their own pace and see if the van is right for them. The cost – £999 for the California and £499 for the Caddy California – is refunded if the customer then goes ahead with an order. The scheme also includes the all-electric ID. Buzz and ID. Buzz Cargo. To find out more, visit your local VW Commercial Vehicles dealer or vwfsrentacar.co.uk. Choose your favourite tunes for charity AUTOMOTIVE industry charity Ben…

Cars of the Rootes Group Graham Robson (Veloce Publishing, veloce.co.uk) Price: £40 Rating: A REFERENCE book containing details of every car from each Rootes Group brand. Most entries are quite brief, and it’s also a shame that it’s not printed in colour, but as a Veloce ‘period reprint’ from 1989, it’s probably more of a faithful reproduction. Still, as an update this would have been greatly appreciated. For Flux Sake Ian Flux (Evro Publishing, evropublishing.com) Price: £25 Rating: AN autobiography of the colourful Ian Flux, who enjoyed plenty of championship success in his half century on track. With a foreword by Tiff Needell, Flux is an amusing writer who’s lived a seriously interesting life, racing in everything from karts and touring cars to the TVR Tuscan Challenge. His story will…

mail@autoexpress.co.uk IN our 2023 survey, the Subaru XV endures something of a roller-coaster ride, clocking up a first place overall for safety and 73rd for its powertrains – two places from rock bottom. The XV is also rated at 69th for both value and running costs, but those positions are offset by a sixth place for its interior and 11th for infotainment. Poor scores for engine noise account for the Subaru’s low powertrain placing, but more encouragingly, rear legroom and all-round visibility both make it into the top 10, while 19th for ride quality is pretty good, too. The Japanese crossover also earns two second places for the number and function of its safety features. WE SAY “The Subaru XV is a capable off-roader and it comes with plenty of…

Alex_Ingram@autovia.co.uk @AxleIngram ● Ricciardo to race for Alpha Tauri ● New Gulf livery for Williams IT hasn’t been long since a record-breaking 480,000 fans packed into Silverstone over the British Grand Prix weekend. But between a race that saw Max Verstappen increase his stranglehold on the 2023 Formula One World Championship, and this weekend’s Hungarian GP, there’s certainly plenty to unpack. The biggest story to emerge during the two-week gap comes from the Red Bull empire, where Daniel Ricciardo is set to make a sensational comeback to the sport’s frontline. After a difficult couple of seasons with McLaren, Ricciardo took a year out from racing. He assumed a reserve-driver role with the Red Bull squad, with which he originally picked up seven of his eight GP victories. Following solid work on…

BEING a fiercely loyal buyer who never strays from the traditional firms you’ve always done business with is great for them and their fat profits. But is your devotion the best thing for you and your finances? I doubt it. Rarely do businesses acknowledge, appreciate and reciprocate loyalty. The big banks perfectly prove the point. They’re closing many of their High Street branches and ATM machines. And in doing so, they have nothing but contempt for account holders who’ve stuck with them for years, sometimes decades. And when was the last time a car insurer, vehicle manufacturer, new-car showroom, garage workshop, oil giant or public charging company properly thanked you or, better still, offered you a meaningful loyalty bonus? For regular buyers who remain staunchly devoted to certain sellers of…