Innholdsfortegnelse for October 18, 2023 i Autocar

The Kia EV5 will come to the UK in 2025, where it will be sold alongside the petrol-engined Sportage as a family SUV to rival the likes of the Ford Explorer. The third model in Kia’s bespoke E-GMP line-up was first shown at the Chengdu motor show in April, when it was described as a car designed primarily for China. But Kia has now confirmed that it will be sold in other global markets – including the UK, with prices expected to start at around £40,000. The EV5 uses a modified version of the Hyundai Motor Group’s modular E-GMP platform that underpins all of Kia’s bespoke EV models. Unlike the 800V system used on the EV6 and EV9, though, the EV5 will use a 400V architecture, which will reduce costs…

VOLKSWAGEN HAS TAKEN the Up off sale in the UK, 12 years after launching it, as the German manufacturer prepares to end production of the city car for good. The Up remains available from dealer stock in the UK, but customers are no longer able to configure a new one. Volkswagen told Autocar that its factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, will cease production of the Up for all markets at some point this quarter. The Up arrived in 2011 as one of the cheapest cars on sale, from £8256, although its starting price later increased to more than £15,000. It has been offered with a variety of powertrains over the years, arriving with an atmo three-cylinder petrol engine producing up to 72bhp, before a facelift in 2016 added a turbocharger for…

SWINDON POWERTRAIN, the innovative producer of everything from Hyundai’s championship-winning BTCC engines to its own E-Classic electrified Mini, has come up with a fourvalve cylinder head upgrade for air-cooled Porsche engines. Specifically, the M64 Cylinder Head Kit is designed to fit and be completely compatible with the M64 engine, which graces the 964-and 993-generation 911s. Having two inlet and two exhaust valves rather than one of each increases valve seat area, allowing more air into the engine at higher revs without compromising the speed of air entering, and exhaust leaving at low revs. What that means for a naturally aspirated engine is good torque at low revs with the ability to rev higher and therefore develop much more power at the top end. Swindon’s new heads open up the breathing…

THERE HAS BEEN a great deal of fuss about the Geneva Qatar motor show (see p42), not least due to concerns about human rights in the Arabian nation. But there were also practices at the old European motor shows that made anyone with certain sensibilities wince. Stand staff employed to model in front of the cars were ‘graded’ according to their looks. The top ‘A’s were usually snapped up by the Italian manufacturers, who were always willing to pay the extra, while the ‘D’s would be booked for the budget brands or exhibitors showing off widgets and carwash mechanisms. One of the ruthless agents who classified the hostesses got a nasty shock at one Geneva show, though. She approached a young woman on an Asian car brand’s stand, handed her…

I’ve decided that no punishment is too great for those who exit a roundabout without signalling to those around them. Three times in the past few weeks, I’ve been waiting for a car on approach from my right, which has then taken the exit before it reached me without indicating, leaving me waiting, deflated, dejected. Quietly furious. Now, I’m a generous, forgiving sort of bloke, but really this is beyond the pale. And I’m also a bit squeamish, so if somebody else could do the fingernail-pulling, that would be grand. There’s a phrase about somebody not ‘lifting a finger’ to help a fellow citizen. Here’s the literal illustration of it. Their finger remains unpoised, their stalk untapped. If only they would glance right as they exit, they might see my…

Progress is impossible without change, or so they say. For the hottest Mercedes-Benz GLC, this means forgoing its muchloved twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine for a mesmerisingly complex plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Launched in the new C63 earlier this year, this matches an updated version of the A45’s 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine with a rearmounted 400V electric motor to give the new GLC 63 S E Performance 671bhp and 752lb ft of torque – figures that not only place it at the top of its class but also 69bhp and 236lb ft ahead of the old GLC 63 S. It’s also a significant 256bhp and 383lb ft more than the new GLC 43, which uses the same M139 engine but in a lower state of tune and with only mild-hybrid electrification.…

Since its original launch in 1982, the Corsa has been a firm favourite among drivers: more than 14.5 million have been sold worldwide. And this love is still apparent as the supermini makes up 40% of Vauxhall-Opel’s total sales. For today’s sixth generation, Vauxhall electrified it and markets it as an easy entry into the EV world, a car that looks, feels and – to all intents – drives like a combustion car, just bar the obvious. When it was launched in March 2020 (as the Corsa-e), it soon topped the electric charts month after month. But a new wave of EVs have since gained popularity, knocking the Corsa off its perch. The MG 4 EV (from £27,000), for instance, makes the £32,000 Corsa look very pricey. Vauxhall is having…

When Mercedes-Benz held the international launch of its new, second-generation GLC Coupé, it presented journalists with a selection of cars that were fitted with air suspension, four-wheel steering and a sixcylinder diesel engine, none of which were to be offered in the UK. Now it has touched down over here in a more representative spec: a 220d AMG Line Premium Plus. Unsurprisingly, given that the main difference is its more swoopy roofline, the GLC Coupé is rather similar to the standard GLC SUV – which is to say pretty good but far from inspirational. On its standard sport springs, it handles surprisingly keenly, with confidence-inspiring steering and a satisfying neutral balance. With no air suspension, the flipside is that the ride is slightly choppy over bigger bumps – never harsh,…

Topped this year by Renault Group boss Luca de Meo, Autocar’s Power List 100 details the achievements of all the major movers and shakers in the global automotive industry. It ranks the 100 most influential figures, based on the following criteria: global reach and influence, spending power, share of voice, technological influence, future growth potential and market capitalisation. The top 10 are ranked, with the other 90 names grouped into categories including executives from more traditional car makers to the rising powerhouses from China and the latest technology and mobility companies. The big shift and focus this year? Unsurprisingly, the growing influence of China, especially as it becomes clear just what advantage a state-guided battery strategy confers on its car makers. As such, 20% of our top 10 powerbrokers this…

MODEL TESTED TROFEO Price £102,480 • Power 523bhp • Torque 457lb ft • 0-60mph 3.6sec • 30-70mph in 4th 4.6sec • Fuel economy 20.8mpg • CO2 emissions 254g/km • 70-0mph 45.0m When the PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merged into Stellantis, it was hard to see how so many brands could survive under the same umbrella. It still is, but as all of them were given 10 years to prove their worth, no hard decisions have been made yet. Already, some brands are making bigger moves than others. We have seen a few concepts from Lancia but no actual cars, and DS has yet to fully convince us that its products are more than diamond-encrusted Citroëns. A surprising early mover has been Maserati, from which we have seen a brand-new…

MILEAGE 1989 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Peugeot can refresh the family car market with an innovative mash-up When we had a plug-in hybrid Peugeot 408 in for a road test the other week, I took it for a spin to compare with my pure-petrol 408 – and what surprised me wasn’t how different they felt but how similar. The Obsession Blue car was in the same range-topping GT spec as my Elixir Red one, meaning it had the same sporty look, Alcantara and leatherette interior trim and every piece of equipment possible. I love the look of the 19in Graphite alloy wheels on my car, but the 20in Monolithe set on the PHEV are yet more eye-catching, looking like motion blur even when static. So as I…

I feel compelled to respond to John Evans’ 27 September article about advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Safety experts feel that they have done a good job getting ADAS fitted to vehicles but are expressing concerns that drivers aren’t using them. Of course they aren’t, because these systems aren’t good enough and are very annoying. Even Autocar’s road testers say the same. The lane keeping assistance system in my Mercedes-Benz A180 is a nightmare. If I go over a bad patch of road or touch a white line (not going over it), it slams on the brakes and vibrates the steering column. I don’t agree that this is a safety measure, because it’s dangerous, especially if someone is tailgating me, so I now always turn it off before the start…

An owner’s view PETER FAIRBAIRN “I’ve owned my XKR convertible for 15 years. It was registered in 2000 but has done only 56,000 miles. Before every MOT, I have it inspected, especially for signs of corrosion. The rear subframe on these cars is known for rusting badly and is difficult and expensive to replace. Recently it had an occasional misfire, which I traced to the airflow meter. One of the hydraulic roof pipes began to leak, which is a common problem, but I’ve since replaced them all. Driving it carefully, I get around 23mpg.” Buyer beware… ENGINE Engines up to the year 2000 (VINs 001036 to 042775) featured Nikasil bore liners, which corroded. Engines replaced by Jaguar are identified by a tag on the block. Post-2000 engines have cast-iron liners.…

“Revisions to the GTI’s chassis will come in pursuit of keener dynamics and enhanced rolling refinement” The Golf GTI is being prepared for one final outing with petrol power as Volkswagen starts laying the groundwork for the hallowed performance badge’s electric future. After VW revealed the striking ID GTI concept as a near preview of its first EV hot hatch, based on the upcoming ID 2, its petrol forebear is gearing up for upgrades that look set to bring more power alongside dramatic technological advances and a wide-reaching interior rethink. Due to be revealed early next year as part of the facelifted Golf line-up, the ‘Mk8.5’ GTI is tipped to stick with purecombustion power, even as Volkswagen ushers in new mild-hybrid and longer-range plug-in hybrid versions of the standard Golf.…

LAMBORGHINI WILL COMMIT to an electric supercar only once decisions have been made about the future of synthetic fuels. CEO Stephan Winkelmann told Autocar the firm “can afford to leave the door open for a few years yet” on the need for a battery-powered sports car, having already revealed the Lanzador electric SUV for 2028. “Synthetic-fuelled sports cars would be an easier leap for us but we have to wait and see what the legislators decide about them, and whether we can get global agreement on their viability,” said Winkelmann. “We are a global company, so it’s no good if they are only allowed in one area. They have to be real, and flying everywhere. “The plan is for our everyday cars [the Urus SUV and Lanzador GT] to both…

The Skoda Enyaq will enter its second generation in 2028 as the Czech brand’s first car to use the Volkswagen Group’s new SSP electric car platform. Speaking to Autocar at the unveiling of the new Kodiaq, Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer confirmed that Skoda will start using the SSP platform – set to eventually underpin 80% of VW Group cars – towards the end of the decade, with the Mk2 Enyaq the first to make the switch from the current MEB platform. Skoda’s first SSP car will arrive in 2028 or 2029, he revealed, at around the same time as Volkswagen uses the architecture for an electric successor to the Golf. “This is when the Enyaq – which, by the way, will be built in Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic…

Euro 7 (EU7) was planned to be the next round of pollution regulations for new cars sold within the European Union. Although little detail was previously known publicly about the parameters, a number of manufacturers had expressed deep concern about not only being able to meet the new regulations but also the July 2025 target date for their introduction. A number of them had also predicted that the proposals would kill off smaller and cheaper combustion cars well ahead of the EU’s 2035 cut-off date for the sale of new ICE vehicles. It was also argued that the huge financial cost in terms of engine development was a demand too far when car makers were investing billions into electrification. The European industry’s position was backed up by a number of…

The Geneva motor show will return next year in a slimmed-down revamped format that will keep “the car at the centre”, according to its organisers. The historic Swiss event – traditionally the biggest for the European industry – hasn’t run since 2019, due to the pandemic and following “uncertainties in the global economy”. Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) recently staged its first event since 2019 with a new Geneva-branded spin-off event in Qatar (see p42). That’s planned to be a biennial event, while the main Geneva show will as before run every year. The 2024 show is scheduled for 25 February to 3 March, and GIMS CEO Sandro Mesquita has told Autocar “there’s no doubt at all” that it will go ahead. “It’s important to say it’s confirmed,” he added.…

MONDAY My London roost, where I stay several days a week, is buried inside the Ultra Low Emission Zone, within sight of the congestion charge zone and surrounded (choked, you might say) by 20mph limits. So surely the perfect car for short-haul journeys would be the extremely compact, all-electric, ultra-cheap Citroën Ami? Thinking this, I borrowed one and looked forward to finding out. Previous Ami forays had been accompanied by distractions such as negotiating other cars in Stellantis’s Coventry car park and doing flat-out (29mph) circuits of the Eiffel Tower for the camera. But the sheer funk of this car (or quadricycle, officially) and my love of other crazy Citroëns set a high bar. The Ami failed to reach it, sadly. It makes handy short-haul transport, no doubt, but pleasure…

wonder what people who know and care nothing about cars think when they see an Ariel Atom pass by. Especially an Atom 4R, the latest incarnation of the Somerset firm’s road-and trackfocused lightweight sports car. Ariel only makes a few dozen Atoms per year, so does its fame register with those who live outside motordom and outside the larger Crewkerne area? Do they think somebody has stuck wings on a go-kart? The large wings on our 4R are optional, as on the regular Atom 4, but the pods on either side of the complex, stiff, lattice chassis are standard. They’re necessary to provide additional cooling for the 2.0-litre Honda turbo four when it’s upped from 350bhp to 400bhp. The pod on the left homes an additional engine radiator, increasing engine…

Hyundai’s new Kona has arrived in the UK and is available in petrol, hybrid and electric forms, with the third likely to take up the majority of sales. There are two EV variants: one with a 48.4kWh battery and, tested here, one with a 65.4kWh battery. The former has a 154bhp motor driving its front wheels, the latter a 215bhp motor doing the same. Its lab-tested WLTP range is a maximum of 319 miles, although at the typical efficiency of 3.9mpkWh, think of it as more like 265 miles. It can charge at rates of up to 101kW, although we haven’t been able to test how well it reaches or maintains that. Hyundai’s EVs (and sister brand Kia’s, which are closely related beneath) are generally pretty consistent to figures in…

Do not adjust your eyes: this is indeed a Toyota Prius. You can’t buy it, though. When the Mk5 model was revealed late last year, Toyota UK said it wasn’t going to take it, because it had sold just 563 Priuses in 2021, compared with nearly 18,000 C-HR crossovers. Uber drivers are being pointed in the direction of the Corolla estate. But surely more people would be inclined to buy the Prius now that it’s sleek and sporty, rakish in profile and really rather desirable? The proportions are very different from before: it’s 50mm lower, 46mm shorter and 22mm wider, while its wheelbase is 50mm longer. There is a regular hybrid, but in Europe it will come only as a plug-in hybrid. This mixes a 2.0-litre petrol engine with two…

We had left the main group and were heading west. Fast. Somewhere on the border of Nevada and California, late of Las Vegas, heading for Death Valley. It was one of those roads you get in this part of the world: bullet-straight to the horizon, then a crest, then… In our case, a state trooper coming the other way. So we’re in California, after all. I felt – how can I put this? – something of a tightening somewhere a chap would not want to be feeling such a thing, a primeval instinct to put distance between danger and your chances of fulfilling your biological obligation to the next generation. Nor was I comforted by the fact that he was not at the side of the road with a speed…

MILEAGE 5363 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Lexus’s famed attention to detail makes up for the modest range Sitting on a sofa in a small underground car park transformed into a kind of living room was a pretty weird way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. Being escorted to said car park past an array of dumped (or stored, as they said) Burberry sewing machines (the legendary fashion brand’s creation studio stood next door) really added to the weirdness. But then in the world of Lexus, this seemed quite apt. This is a firm that takes ordinary (here in the form of Toyota cars), spruces it up and sells for a premium. This preview event for the LBX was my first encounter with the Japanese premium marque’s new entry-level…

COMPARISON Hyundai i20 N vs Tolman Peugeot 205 GTi Hyundai’s little cracker is one of our favourite modern hot hatches – so we’re introducing it to a very special restomod DRIVEN Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid New range-topper adds electric boost to V8 for 729bhp INSIGHT Rolls-Royce goes electric How Goodwood is being transformed for the new Spectre EVERY WEEK Ash Sutton What makes the BTCC’s new fourtime champ so good? We find out Nissan Note Little MPV is a footnote in Nissan’s history but an intriguing used buy SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p62…

A road test in any other magazine might well be a short, subjective summary of a new car produced under almost any circumstances, but the Autocar road test is different. Specific, rigorous and detailed, it’s the closest examination we can give of any new model. It appears over at least eight pages and is close to 50 man-hours in the making every week. Most of what the road test process entails is designed to be strictly repeatable and fair. We benchmark standing-start and in-gear acceleration at a purpose-built test facility every week. We carry out both subjective and objective handling tests on both road and track, on the latter up to and beyond the limit of grip, so as to fully assess stability, drivability and limit handling appeal. And while…

Kia will launch a major expansion of its bespoke EV line-up with four smaller models over the next three years – a rakish new saloon, an urban crossover, a practical family SUV and a European-focused city car with a target price of around £25,000. The four new models join the existing EV6 and flagship EV9 in a dramatic expansion of the Korean firm’s line-up as it pushes to reach 1.6 million EV sales annually by 2030. Kia held its first EV Day event in Seoul, South Korea, recently, where it revealed the production version of the forthcoming EV5 family SUV (see p8), along with two new concept models: an EV3 crossover that sits between the Soul EV and Niro EV in terms of size; and a new EV4 saloon that…

The next-generation Citroën C3 will arrive early next year as the spiritual successor to the 2CV, having been developed to bring electric driving to the masses. The all-new ë-C3 will cost just €23,300 (£20,100) at launch, comfortably undercutting all but the cheapest Chinese alternatives. Citroën insiders told Autocar they believe it to be the most affordable “proper” electric car on the market, noting that it’s a full-size five-seater, unlike the rival Dacia Spring Electric. Key to achieving such keen pricing was the use of the costeffective Smart Car platform, which was originally reserved for the separate ‘CC21’ C3 sold in India and Latin America. Although the new Europebound C3 was conceived as an EV, this platform can support a combustion powertrain if there is sufficient demand (as was the case…

THE RELAXING OF Euro 7 emissions regulations could enable the petrol-powered Skoda Fabia supermini to survive well into the second half of the decade. Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer previously said it would “not be possible” to keep the Fabia on sale beyond 2025 if the emissions rules were signed off in their initial format, but with the European Commission likely to water down the proposals to reduce the cost burden on manufacturers, the Fabia could be given a reprieve – and perhaps even return for another generation. Under the new proposals (see p14), passenger cars would still be subject to the current Euro 6 standards, thereby substantially reducing the cost of compliance. Zellmer hailed the potential move as “more realistic”, and while he “wouldn’t say they have saved” the Fabia,…

1 Perhaps the most consequential change is the requirement for an EU7 car to have data recording and the ability to send data from the car to the authorities. Today’s on-board diagnostic systems will be repurposed to “monitor and control the emission behaviour of the vehicles on a continuous basis via an onboard monitoring system”. The new on-board monitor will also be capable of sending information about exhaust emissions and emissions failures ‘off-board’. The new EU7 laws add that “when exhaust emissions are significantly exceeded, harmonised methods will be used to induce timely repairs within 2000km, without preventing vehicles from completing an ongoing trip to avoid road safety issues”. Devices communicating off-board vehicle-generated data will be used for the purpose of periodic roadworthiness tests and technical roadside inspection over the air.…

CHINESE PREMIUM BRAND Exeed aims to expand into the UK within the next two years, following Chery stablemates Jaecoo and Omoda. It currently offers four combustion-engined SUVs, which are set to gain plug-in hybrid powertrains in the near future, and recently revealed two electric cars: the Exlantix E03, a sleek, BMW i5-sized saloon, and the Exlantix E0Y, an Audi Q8 E-tron-comparable SUV. A third EV is on the way. Speaking to Autocar at the Qatar motor show, Exeed chief engineer Peter Martin – previously of JLR – confirmed plans to enter nine European markets, including the UK, within the next 24 months, with a powertrain offering to “suit demand in each market”. Martin said that Exeed wouldn’t be positioned as a budget brand but would still focus on offering better…

The day after Max Verstappen wrapped up his third consecutive Formula 1 world title in the sprint race before the Qatar Grand Prix, the British Touring Car Championship’s equivalent force wrote his own special chapter of history at Brands Hatch. Ash Sutton hasn’t been quite as dominant as Verstappen in 2023, but in the context of how competitive and unpredictable the BTCC usually is, his feats represent a parallel match for Red Bull’s phenomenon. FOR THE RECORD Sutton arrived at Brands with a comfy 45-point advantage over the only driver who could beat him to the BTCC crown, reigning champion Tom Ingram. It would take one hell of a twist for him to lose it from there, and he’s too clinical, too complete a racing driver to falter. Sure enough,…

When one of Britain’s bestsellers gets updated, people tend to take note – but we’re not talking about a Nissan Qashqai or Vauxhall Corsa here, because for the past two years, the charts have been topped by a van, namely the Ford Transit Custom. More than a decade after its launch, the mid-sized model in the Transit range has had a complete makeover, in readiness for a host of future updates that will include a revised hybrid and an e-Transit EV. Diesel vans – still predicted to be the go-to option – lead the charge, with a choice of multiple body sizes. Double-cab vans and the Tourneo passenger version will follow later. The Custom has been lightened by 100kg and stretched by 200mm in the wheelbase, both in order to…

Honda set out confidently with its first battery-electric car, the likeable E, but now that it’s taking a second swing, it’s being more sensible. The new e:Ny1 is a compact SUV, which is a much more commercially transformative prospect for Honda’s European sales volumes than a very range-limited supermini. Roughly the same size as the hybrid HR-V, it has a single electric motor for front-wheel drive – and this is our first taste of it on UK roads. Honda is being quite bold with the pricing of the e:Ny1, and it’s not immediately clear where it delivers the value to justify what it’s asking. To begin with, while it has reasonable, adult-appropriate space in both rows, the Fisker Ocean, Nissan Ariya, Skoda Enyaq iV and Tesla Model Y all offer…

Luca de Meo, Renault Group boss for the past two and a half years, doesn’t do false modesty. And his there’s little reason why he should. Renault recently posted a record half-year profit, yet less than three years ago, in the half-year that coincided with de Meo’s arrival in the middle of 2020, it recorded an earthquakebomb €8 billion loss – the equivalent of going backwards at €40 million a day. It was described at the time as the greatest financial disaster in Renault’s 125-year history. De Meo’s 2020 appointment had been the culmination of lots of speculation and searching, during which many of the industry’s wisest heads fell to wondering if Renault could ever be saved. But it could, and it was. With an inner circle of trusted colleagues,…

The very concept of the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar is outlandish, bordering on absurd. Yet here we are, with a show being staged in a blissfully air-conditioned convention centre in the heart of a gleaming modern city rising from the flat, scorched desert on a small Arabian peninsula, some 3000 miles from the foothills of the Swiss Alps in which Geneva is nestled. Then again, it doesn’t sound so outlandish when you consider what Qatar has achieved in recent years, enabled by the vast fortune that it has accrued from its rich deposits of oil and natural gas. After all, this country with a population of just 2.7 million people (about the same as Greater Manchester) staged the Fifa World Cup in 2022 and now has a 10-year contract…

Blind date Thanks for publishing my follow-up letter in your 20 September issue. While I wouldn’t normally follow up again, I was interested to read the DVLA’s response. If the DVLA doesn’t capture a manufacturing date, why is a ‘year of manufacture’ given by its enquiry service? That makes no sense. The government’s review of the DVLA in 2014 highlighted that its “key purpose is to ensure that complete and accurate registers of drivers and vehicles are held and that the registers are made as accessible and as flexible as possible to those who have the right to use them”. I can’t see how this key purpose is achieved if incorrect dates are shown via its public enquiry service. Either the DVLA should store and display the correct date or…

‘New Jag on test. We’re first to drive the sensational new XK8!’ trumpeted the cover of Autocar’s 2 October 1996 issue. We weren’t pulling our punches – even without reading the test, readers knew where we stood on the new coupé, successor to the XJS. Apart from some concerns about interior build quality (both the driver’s door trim panel and plastic gearlever surround in our pre-production test car came loose and two other cars we tried emitted a buzz from their dashboards), we could find little to criticise and much to praise. It was launched at the Geneva motor show in coupé form, with the convertible following shortly after. Power was provided by a new, all-aluminium, 4.0-litre, 32-valve, quad-cam V8 producing 290bhp and 290lb ft of torque, with much of…

“HERE – FOR THE first time – is a car specially designed to appeal to the woman who has very definite ideas about the car she wants her husband to buy,” read an ad in 1955. “While to all outward appearances this special One-O-Four is entirely suitable for everyday business use, [it also has many] luxury features carrying a strong feminine appeal.” Today, of course, most women would find the idea of a car maker aiming to woo them with a special set of maps, rugs, a picnic set and an in-dash vanity case containing Max Factor cosmetics insulting. Indeed, in motoring, as in most aspects of life, it has been a long struggle to eliminate chauvinism. It was actually a woman, Bertha Benz (the wife of Karl), who undertook…

German car brands are among the most desirable in the world. But if you had to name a dozen, you would probably run out of steam before you were even halfway there. However, over the years, there has been a raft of firms that have tried and failed, many before the war and quite a few in the period just after it. These are just some of those that didn’t make it. Borgward 1924-1961 If you wanted a premium German car in the 1950s, Borgward was the place to go, with its stylish saloons, coupés and estates, most notably the Isabella shown above. Indeed, at one time, it was Germany’s third-largest car maker by unit volume. Carl Borgward started making cars under his own name in 1924, but in the…