Isack Hadjar has kept his podium result at the Monaco Grand Prix after no further action was taken following a post-race investigation for an alleged red flag infringement.

The event got off to a difficult start for Red Bull, with Max Verstappen retiring at the end of the first lap following an issue on his car – and it would also prove to be a tough afternoon for Hadjar, who revealed after the chequered flag that he had been experiencing “massive driveability issues” from early on in the event.

However, following a frenetic race that featured a red flag in the latter stages, Hadjar crossed the line in fourth and was promoted into third due to Alpine’s Pierre Gasly receiving two time five-second penalties up ahead for speeding in the pit lane.

The result looked to have given Hadjar his first podium as a Red Bull driver – but this appeared in jeopardy when it was confirmed that he would be investigated after the race for an alleged red flag infringement, with a Technical Delegate’s Report stating: “During the suspension of the Race, mechanics of the Oracle Red Bull Racing Team were working on car number 6, performing operations not permitted by Article B5.14.4.a. at 16:55.

“When queried about their works, they stopped working and reverted the car to its previous state without replacing any part.”

Hadjar and a team representative were subsequently required to report to the stewards, but it was later confirmed after the hearing that no further action would be taken.

A document released afterwards said: “The team were reported as attempting to change spark plugs/coils but did not proceed with the change and the car started in the same condition as it arrived in the pits, therefore no further action is taken.”

Hadjar had earlier spoken immediately after the race of his joy at bouncing back from the challenges that he had faced during the weekend in Monte Carlo.

“[At the] restart, I felt like I had a good start and suddenly I had a hope, and I lost two places but I knew that the car ahead had a penalty,” he explained.

“But I had limited power and I never had to send it that much in my life through the corners to stay within five seconds of Pierre. It’s an outstanding weekend considering how it started in FP1, and I had no confidence to get back up, but we did it so I’m happy.”

Lotus have launched a new version of the Emira, called the 420 Sport.

Using horsepower as a name is a move Lotus has used before with the Evora, so it’s no surprise that the 420 makes 420ps, using the 4-cylinder AMG unit. This gives it 15 more hp than the Turbo SE, the previous most-powerful 4-cylinder Emira. It also gets the lightweight handling pack as standard, bringing the weight down by 25kg. All of this means the 420 can get to 60 in 3.9 seconds.

Lotus have also made many revisions in the name of cooling, tweaking the lower air vents and adding some on the front wings, all in the name of better track day performance. Lotus also wanted to catch more air for the cabin, too, and now offers all trims of the Emira with a removable hard top.

Pricing starts at £105,900, £16,000 more than the turbo SE and will be available in August of this year.

The ninth-generation Hilux pickup truck has been unveiled, with a fresh design and an electrified version.

Toyota have focused on bringing the Hilux up to date with modern technology in and out, both for off-road and on-road use. This also includes a move to all-electric power steering across the Hilux range, and the current Toyota “Safety Sense” active safety equipment.

The Diesel range starts with the Active, which comes with the aforementioned active safety features and starts at £42,845, and tops out at £54,095 with the Invincible X, which comes with 18-inch alloy wheels and a JBL sound system as standard.

The electric variants come in the Icon and Invincible trims, being around the £55,000 mark, including the £5000 electric grant.

More details are to be revealed in the following weeks, with deliveries starting in June for the BEV and the hybrid in July.

Ford has announced a renewed push in the European market, with a focus on both making fleet management more integrated with Ford for commercial buyers, as well as unveiling 5 new cars for the European market.

The charge is led by a new version of the Bronco designed for Europe, being described as a multi-energy compact SUV. This will likely become the smallest offering in the Bronco range, and will introduce the brand to Europe for the first time.

Ford is also going back into the supermini space, with a new all-electric supermini, filling the void left by the cancellation of the Fiesta. This will most likely be built around the Renault 5 architecture in a partnership with Renault, and will likely be released in 2028. There is also going to be a small all-electric SUV, which is speculated to be based on the Renault 4, similar in execution to the Fiesta successor.

There are also two new crossovers in their own range. Ford says these will be “rally bred” with their race-to-road design, and will be hybrids.

Ford has also made a plea to the EU to focus on PHEVs and range-extended electric vehicles before making the switch to fully electric vehicles, stating, “We don't build vehicles to meet regulatory mandates; we build them for people.”

A source told The Sun newspaper: “BBC bosses are keen to revive Top Gear because they have never filled the space it left behind and so many viewers hanker after a motoring show. And it’s not just in Britain that the programme is much loved, it is a brand in its own right and watched by millions around the globe. Which is why it wasn’t just important to satisfy the needs of petrolheads, but also, specifically, fans of Top Gear. They’ll be thrilled to hear it is returning.”

Meanwhile, Prime Video have revealed the presenters of the new series of The Grand Tour; celebrated trainspotter and secret petrolhead Francis Bourgeois, alongside James Engelsman and Thomas Holland, the acclaimed creators of the YouTube phenomenon Throttle House.

Together, the trio will front a six-part, globe-trotting series, tackling motoring’s most pressing, and delightfully absurd, questions across some of the world’s most challenging terrains.

Two years after Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May drove off into the Botswana sunset for the final time, The Grand Tour roars back with a new series packed with big adventure, big horsepower, and big laughs - from crossing the Angolan desert in track cars to exploring Malaysia’s vibrant car culture, before heading to California to test cutting-edge America’s latest and greatest performance cars.

The new series of The Grand Tour, produced by Studio Lambert, honours the show’s legacy while driving it into a new era. Francis Bourgeois said: “The saying ‘big shoes to fill’ spring to mind. Well, in this case it’ll be like Mo Farah running in Size 14 wellies — it’ll be a little awkward at first, perhaps blister inducing but will overall be an interesting watch.”

James Engelsman said: “I’ve worked with Thomas for almost a decade making car films. Who knew that all this time, the one ingredient that was missing was a Francis Bourgeois? Let the car adventures commence.”

Thomas Holland said: “When I first heard they were rebooting The Grand Tour and replacing Clarkson Hammond and May, I said “only a moron would take that job.”

Tara Erer, Head of UK & Northern Europe Originals said: “The Grand Tour is Prime Video’s most watched unscripted UK Original series globally, so finding the right successors was no small feat - but we’ve absolutely struck gold. We’re beyond excited to pass the keys to Thomas, James, and Francis, three standout talents who emerged from an extensive search. Each bringing distinctive talents and energy that will propel the series into exciting new territory while capturing the spirit of adventure and camaraderie of this beloved franchise.”

Mr. Wilman said: “We are properly happy to hand over the baton to Thomas, James and Francis, because quite simply - they are doing it right. Not only do they have passion and knowledge, but more importantly they are in no way cardboard cutouts of the old three. They have a delightful chemistry that’s all of their own making.”

Tim Harcourt, Chief Creative Officer, Studio Lambert said: “The Grand Tour has humour and a pure love of cars at its heart. It’s been a delight to find and film a brilliant new trio who take these values across the world from Angola and Malaysia to California and Didcot Parkway.”

With millions of subscribers, the Throttle House duo, Thomas and James, have built a global following with their irreverent, witty approach to reviewing new and old cars. Thomas, an automotive journalist and amateur race car driver based in Canada specializes in high-performance vehicles, while James brings an enthusiast’s eye and unique individual taste; famously exemplified by his Toyota Century Limousine built for Japanese royalty.

Francis Bourgeois may be the world’s most famous trainspotter, with a social media audience of almost six million, but he’s also a qualified mechanical engineer with experience at Rolls-Royce. His profound technical knowledge and ability to identify a car’s make solely by the sound of its engine bring a unique, infectious energy to the team.

More details will be announced in due course.

Those are re-assuring-ily traditional hot hatch statistics, echoed 20 years ago by the likes of the Focus ST and Leon Cupra R, and Volkswagen are adamant that this is a “pure GTI in all areas”.

And as far as the exterior goes I have to agree with them. The styling improvements are subtle and classically hot hatch. The lower front grill has been enlarged and made bigger, the side skirts have been creased and now wear a GTI emblem, and the whole car sits on 19inch alloy wheels The front grille also features two vertical painted slats, that VW say are reminiscent of motorsport tow hooks.

The rear also gets a more aggressive, with all of the curves of the standard I.D Polos lower valance exaggerated, integrating the rear reflectors to almost look like flattened exhaust pipes.

The traditional hot hatch theme also carries on inside, with VW going heavily in on the GTI legacy, with an option for a MK1 golf GTI gauge cluster and using retro icons for the multimedia system.

Power comes from a 52kWh battery, which gives the GTI a range of 263 miles, and can do 0-60 in a brisk 6.8 seconds. It tops out at 108mph, which is within the ballpark of the originals Golf GTi’s 113mph top speed. It seems Volkswagen wanted to bring the small hot hatch formula to the EV space, and I’m excited to see how these will be on the road.

The orderbooks are opening this autumn for Germany, where it will start from around £34,000.

As efficiency and emissions legislations get ever tighter manufactures are forced to come up with innovative solutions, and BMW have just shown off their latest one, dubbed “M Ignite”. M Ignite uses a pre chamber to reduce the chance of knocking and make the combustion more efficient.

The system still has a conventional ignition system, now mounted off to the side of the combustion chamber, however in the top of the cylinder head there is a secondary chamber with small openings, that allow the air fuel mixture to be forced into the chamber under compression. At the top of the chamber is a second sparkplug that ignites the mixture in the pre-chamber, which forces the flame out of the openings into the main combustion chamber, causing a higher combustion rate.

The normal spark plug is still used primarily in lower load and lower RPM applications, with the chambered sparkplug firing sequentially, in a similar fashion to Alfa Romeo’s Twin Spark engines of the 1990s. At Higher RPM and load conditions the pre-chamber takes over.

BMW says this will reduce exhaust gas temperature and reduce the likelihood of knocking. BMW taking advantage of this by increasing the compression ratio on the revised S58, as well as fitting it with variable turbine turbos.

M3s and M4s from July of this year will come with the revised S58, and the M2 will get the engine in august

.

Proposals for further evolutionary changes to the 2026 regulations have been agreed in principle following an online meeting, convened by F1’s governing body the FIA and attended by Team Principals, Formula One Management and power unit manufacturer representatives.

Friday’s meeting began with a review of the recently agreed rule refinements introduced at last weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.

“These measures, designed to improve safety and reduce excessive harvesting, were deemed to have delivered improved competition and represent a positive step in the continued refinement of the 2026 framework,” read a statement issued by the FIA following the meeting.

The FIA also reported that “no material issues or safety concerns” had been noted following the introduction of these refinements.

“Further evaluation of the Miami package is ongoing with a view to the introduction of further adjustments at future events,” continued the FIA’s statement.

“These include improved start-safety revisions and measures to improve safety under wet conditions. These will be communicated to teams once defined.

“Turning to the longer-term refinement of the regulations, it was agreed in principle to introduce evolutionary changes to the rules regarding hardware components, making competition safer, fairer and more intuitive for drivers and teams.

“The measures agreed in principle today for 2027 would see a nominal increase in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) power by ~50kW alongside a fuel-flow increase and a nominal reduction of the Energy Recovery System (ERS) deployment power by ~50kW.”

Further detailed discussion in technical groups, comprising teams and power unit manufacturers, will take place before the final package is decided.

The final proposals presented during Friday’s meeting were developed through a series of consultations between the FIA and multi-stakeholders, including input from F1 drivers, over the past few weeks.

The next step in the process will be to formally present the next set of evolutionary changes, once refined, for a World Motor Sport Council e-vote, and once the power unit manufacturers have voted on the package.

Kimi Antonelli has clinched pole position for the Miami Grand Prix in style, setting a magnificent lap to edge out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to the honour.

The Mercedes driver was consistently towards the top of the times throughout Qualifying and, although he couldn’t improve on his final lap, an earlier effort proved to be unbeatable as he ended the session on a time of 1m 27.798s.

Verstappen looked close to pipping Antonelli to pole position at the last second with rapid sectors at the Miami International Autodrome, but he ultimately lost out by just over a tenth and will line up on the front row ahead of Leclerc.

Lando Norris recovered from a boost issue to take P4 on the grid, with both he and his McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri – who placed seventh – coming close to being knocked out early on. George Russell secured a frustrating P5 ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, with Franco Colapinto, Isack Hadjar and Pierre Gasly rounding out the top-10.

Qualifying Results available on formula1.com

Nico Hulkenberg bounced back from his DNS in the Sprint to qualify P11 for Audi ahead of Liam Lawson and Ollie Bearman, who outperformed his Haas team mate as Esteban Ocon claimed P15.

Carlos Sainz was sandwiched between the Haas duo in P14 as both Williams drivers progressed to Q2, although Alex Albon was heard expressing his frustration over the radio as his effort was only good enough for P16.

Arvid Lindblad was the driver who came closest to scraping into Q2, which would have forced a shock exit for Piastri who set all of his Q1 laps on used tyres, but the Racing Bulls rookie couldn’t quite find enough improvement.

He qualified ahead of the Aston Martin pair of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll while Cadillac, in their first home event, ended up in P20 and P21 with Valtteri Bottas leading Sergio Perez. Last up was Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto, who made it onto the track with just a few minutes to go and failed to match his competitors’ pace before a brake fire forced him to abandon the car.

Breaking the convention of the 3 row SUV, Lexus lifted the covers on the TZ, a 6 seater Luxury SUV with a new exterior design language, and Lexus describes as a “driving lounge”

The focus of the TZ is the is interior space, and there’s a lot of it, 2017 litres in fact with the second and third rows folded down. It is slightly larger than the Volvo EX90 it competes with, being 5.1m long and 1.9m wide, and despite its boxy looks Lexus claim a drag of coefficient of 0.27, less than a GR86.

The interior utilizes 2 captain style chairs, over having the conventional second row bench, which gives a more luxurious experience to middle row passengers. The flat floor also allows the rear seats to be more spacious and accommodate adults. the front features a digital dashboard and a 21 inch touchscreen central display.

The power comes from two electric motors producing a total of 402hp. Based on the system from the new ES, but modified to make more room in the cabin, it has 96kwh of battery power to get a quoted 330 miles of range. It also gets the Lexus manual driving experience, with sounds and gear changes meant to simulate an automatic gearbox.

Lexus have not given any pricing information, but has confirmed it will come to the UK in 2027.

Mclaren have unveiled their new hyper car, the MCL-HY, marking their return to the endurance racing in the form of the WEC. Mclaren’s decision was pushed forward by the idea of winning the triple crown, after being the only manufacture to win the Indianapolis 500, the F1 drivers championship and lemans.

The MCL HY Uses a turbocharged 2.9L V6, combined with a hybrid system to make the regulated 707hp. It also hits the minimum weight of 1030kg, and is being tested throughout 2026. Its return in 2027 marks Mclaren’s first top class le mans outing in 30 years since retiring the F1 GTR, and their first bespoke hyper car built purely to tackle lemans

Mclaren are also launching an arrive and drive customer programme along side, culminating in the MCL-HY GTR. The GTR loses the hybrid system, and while we haven’t got a confirmed weight figure for the savings, we do know that the V6 is wound up to 730hp to make up for it. GTR owners also benefit in getting a 2 year driving programme, with professional instructors to 6 events across the world.

Deliveries of the GTR start towards the end of 2027.

Ford has went back to the Nürburgring swinging, and with a new variant of the GTD set a lap time of 6:40.835, smashing Chevrolets 6:49.275 by over 8 seconds, and lays claim to the fastest American production car on the ring.

To achieve this Ford have tinkered extensively with the original GTD to further the platforms potential. Ford haven’t given many specific details but they have said hat they have fettled with the engine to make more than the 815hp of the standard GTD (no figure quoted), reduced weight, improved the aerodynamics and put improved tyres on the car.

Ford’s diet for the GTD included swapping to magnesium wheels, carbon bucket seats and have refined the damper control system, and in terms of aerodynamics they have made changes to the rear wing, added new front canards and have mounted aero discs on the rear wheels to reduce drag.

Now the run completed is listed as a pre-production/prototype class run officially by the Nürburgring, however both the corvette ZR1 and ZR1X are also in the same class, simply because none of them are homologated for the German market, as required for production car runs, the biggest questions about the legitimacy of the runs are surrounding the availability of the Competition and the Tyres used.

Ford are re-opening the orderbooks for the GTD and have said the record setting Competition will have a serialized limited run, with exact figures yet to be released. There is also questioning around the vagueness of the tyre improvements, some speculating that they are using slicks or DOT approved semi-slick tyres, however there is no evidence to support this yet.

For now however, the ball is in Chevrolets court, and I don’t think they are going to take it lying down.

In 1992 McLaren Unveiled the McLaren F1, a car that quickly became heralded as the ultimate road car. It was a greatest hits of everything a car could be. Conceived by Gordon Murray, who had just finished up dominating formula one with his 1988 MP4/4, it was powered by a bespoke BMW Motorsports V12 that could deliver over 600hp at its 7,500rpm redline. It utilized a carbon fibre monocoque, technology that had only been introduced into formula one a decade earlier. It would go on to hit a top recorded speed of 243 mph, a speed that it would take Bugatti over a decade to topple. It was sensational as a road car, but the question on everyone’s mind was how would it fair as a race car?

The F1 used race car technology, but only in the context to build the best road car that could be, it still had air conditioning, a 6 CD changer and was designed to be as useable as a Honda NSX on the street, provided you had a big enough wallet that parking £550,000 (in 1993 money) outside a Tesco’s didn’t fill you with a sense of constant dread.

Gordon Murray was quite adamant of this fact, to which he didn’t want the F1 to be influenced by any racing regulation whatsoever. He was given a once in a lifetime opportunity to build an money no object show of what a road car could be, and as such did not entertain the idea of the F1 being used in any form of motorsports. In his eyes, it would compromise the vision of what he set out to do. Even after development of the road car finished Murray had little interest in developing a racing version of the car, despite the clear potential in the chassis.

Photograph by Martin Lee

However 1994 saw the founding of the BPR GT global series, a racing series based around road going production chassis. With the demise of the world sports car championship, it was widely adopted and many established teams enquired about taking the McLaren F1 straight to GT1 class racing and eventually Murray was convinced to allow McLaren to start preparing Chassis to run in the 1995 season.

An unlabelled chassis that was destined to become car 019 was taken from production and was dubbed 01R, and was then to become the prototype for the McLaren GTR project. The cars first step was to go on a diet, with all of the creature comforts that made the F1 so usable being removed in the interest of saving weight. the car was then given carbon ceramic brakes as well as new cooling ducts to keep them from overheating over the long endurance races, using up space that was taken for the side storage bins previously.

Photograph by Stephen Hynds

A fixed large rear wing, simple side skirts and a slightly redesigned front bumper with more cooling rounded out the performance upgrades that were deemed necessary for the GTR to compete. It still had its standard gearbox and standard engine (with removed catalytic converters and mufflers). The only further changes were for regulation, with a roll cage and an airflow restrictor reigning the engine in to 592hp (600PS as the regulations required). The prototype completed 24 hours of testing at Magny-Cours, before McLaren handed the torch over to privateer teams.

The McLaren F1 GTR immediately became a dominant force in the GT world series, winning 1-2-3 at the season opener. F1 GTRs would continue to score podiums all the way through to may, with two 1-2-3-4-5 finishes in the early season before summer. Various updates the the GTR was made during this time, most notably a dry sump gearbox fitted to try and help keep the clutches alive if the F1 was to be entered into a longer race.

Photograph by Martin Lee

BPR GT took a break during the month of June, where all eyes were on the 24 hours of Le Mans. McLaren saw the potential of racing the car at lemans, as another facet of racing they could go into and as a place to cement the legacy of the McLaren F1 not only as a performance car, but one that could endure a gruelling 2,500 miles at full tilt.

Of the teams racing in Le mans, 4 were already racing F1s in BPR, with one new comer. David Price Racing, with a second team dubbed DPR west, BBA Competition and Gulf Racing had all been competing previously with the F1 GTR, Kokusai Kaihatsu Racing was a new team financially backed by a Japanese slot machine manufacture (Kokusai Kaihatsu), and was run by Lanzante, a British company who prepared historic cars and had recently moved into the world of motor racing. They were having limited success in the 1995 BPR season with their GT3 class 911 turbo, and had ordered a McLaren F1 GTR to race in BPR and the 24 hours of Le Mans.

Photograph by Martin Lee

McLaren had 7 customer cars built at this point, however a bad wreck in Spain meant that chassis 08R had to sub in for 03R at gulf racing, meaning that Kokusai Kaihatsu did not have a car to run. It was then decided that 01R, the tired development car used for the GTR project, which was never itself meant to compete, would be loaned to them for the 24 hours of Le Mans. Despite conjecture from other teams, McLaren promised that the 01R car would have no more factory support than the other customer cars.

The grid at Le Mans saw the McLarens be represented in GT1 class, which was poised to be significantly slower than the WSC open top prototypes, and McLaren were only aiming to be first in class, with main competition being the Ferrari F40 LMs, which proved to be a tough opponent in qualifying.

Photograph by Martin Lee

As the race began it became clear that on a good day the WSC cars were the class to win, while the GT1 F1s could just about get along side on a straight the lightweight high downforce prototypes would trounce them in the corners. Despite that the spirits in McLaren garages were high, the cars were running well and looked to be a class winner, with the David Price Racing cars looking like the favourites. It wasn’t all without issues, as the delicate road car gearbox started to spell trouble for the BBA Competition car, which had to pull in after just 7 laps.

Within the hour rain had started to pour down on the track and wrecked havoc on the racing. The Ultralight WSC cars didn’t have enough weight to keep the rear end of the cars in check, meanwhile the laggy F40 turbos proved very tricky to keep control of on corner exits. Many also got caught out being on slicks when the rain got properly wet and cars started to drop out of contention all together. At 8pm Mario Andretti, Piloting the only WSC still ahead of the McLarens, spun into the wall. The 30 minute time loss was enough to put 3 McLarens ahead, the DPR West team leading the way.

Photograph by Martin Lee

As they went into the night the Ueno car started to gain significant time on the leading DPR cars ahead, with JJ Lehto driving the car through the pouring conditions. His driving put a huge dent in the gap but the DPR F1s were still the favourites to win. By this point in the night, the GTRs had been going longer than they ever had in previous races, and there was no knowledge of how the cars would hold up at full racing speed going into the second half of the race. The first major mechanical issue struck the DPR West car, at around 4am the clutch failed. It was turned around within 70 minutes but while the car was still warming up John Nielsen out braked himself and took the team out of the race.

Photograph by Martin Lee

The remaining DPR car lead the charge as dawn broke over the track, however the win was no longer as clear cut, with Ueno’s F1 catching, JJ Lehto still pushing the car faster through the event. Eventually the DPR car spun out, pitting both cars within contention of the title, with pitstops become crucial to the race outcome. Meanwhile the Courage Porsche of Mario Andretti had start to close in and make up time on both McLarens, threatening to beat both of them to the line. A botched Pitstop by KK Racing wasted 4 minutes and sent the car back out on the wrong tyres, seeming to hand the over the victory to DPR.

However at 2pm clutch problems befall the second DPR car, and despite some ingenuity to get it fired up on the starter, the car falls well out of contention for the win. The Ueno F1 took the lead, and after continuing to push on to keep out of the Jaws of the Courage Porsche, finished the race in first place.

Photograph by Martin Lee

Out of all of the cars to win Le Mans, the McLaren’s 01R, being hastily brought together with a team that had no prior experience racing the F1 sits as one of the greatest underdog stories of all time. It was the last road developed car to win Le Mans outright.

Photograph by Yannick Leclercq

The prototype, never intended to race at all was brought back to McLaren’s technology centre where it has resided ever since, meanwhile Motokazu Sayama (who runs the Ueno Clinic) was sold a road going F1 painted in matching black metallic and grey. McLaren Built 5 F1 LMs to commemorate the 5 finishing cars, and returned the next 2 years with the F1 to Le Mans. They were never able to replicate the same success however, as Porsche had developed the 911 GT1, a car seemingly designed to spite the F1s GT1 dominance, and set the new pace for the GT1 class of car.

Oh and what does the Ueno Clinic do you may ask? They specialize in STD treatment and Cosmetic surgery of…. man bits.

Photograph by youkeys

Thanks for reading.

In the pursuit of the “pebble-smooth” aesthetic, the modern electric vehicle has slowly shed the protrusions of the past. From the wind tunnels of Shanghai to the design studios of Silicon Valley, the door handle—once a sturdy, mechanical handshake between man and machine—has been reimagined as a vanishing act. Retractable, flush-mounted, and electronically actuated, these handles were sold to us as the ultimate synthesis of aerodynamic efficiency and futuristic minimalism.

However, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in China has issued a sharp corrective to this design trajectory. In a move that sends shockwaves through the global automotive supply chain, China has become the first major market to effectively ban concealed door handles on new vehicles. The new safety standards announced February 2nd, 2026, mandate that all vehicles must possess a physical, mechanical means of operation that is accessible even in the event of a total power failure.

For the automotive industry, the concealed handle was never merely about vanity; it was a response to the unforgiving physics of range. In the world of EVs, where a few points of drag coefficient can translate into precious miles of battery life, the “flush” handle was an easy win. By tucking the hardware into the door skin, manufacturers could smooth out the turbulent air flowing along the vehicle’s flanks. But as regulators in Beijing have noted, what is good for the wind tunnel is not always good for the road.

The move follows a series of harrowing reports involving EVs in high-speed collisions. In several instances, rescuers and bystanders found themselves clawing at smooth, unresponsive doors as electronic systems failed and flush handles remained stubbornly retracted. When a car is on fire or submerged, the “user experience” of a door handle ceases to be a matter of ergonomics and becomes a matter of survival.

This regulatory pivot addresses a mounting “usability bug” that has plagued the modern EV era. The digital handshake, whether it be a motorized pop-out of a handle as one approaches with a key fob or a handle with a particular push point, is a delightful bit of theater until it isn’t. In freezing rain, these mechanisms can ice over; in a low-battery state, they can hesitate. By requiring a mechanical override, the MIIT is reasserting a fundamental design principle: safety should never be contingent on the hopeful infallibility of software or the lack of ions.

Perhaps most significant is the explicit requirement for mechanical door releases on the interior of the vehicle. For years, designers have replaced internal latches with buttons, relegating the mechanical release to an obscure, “emergency only” lever, not generally visible to the operator, or tucked behind a plastic panel a passenger would know nothing about. The new mandate brings these controls back into the light. It acknowledges that in a moment of panic, a passenger should not have to recall a sub-menu or hunt for a hidden tab. They should simply be able to pull.

To some, this might feel like a regression, a bureaucratic thumb on the scale of progress, but for those who value the “human” in Human-Machine Interface (HMI), it is a welcome return to form. A door handle is a functional promise. It is the most basic point of contact we have with a vehicle, and its primary job is to open. By prioritizing the tactile over the digital, China is ensuring that the cars of the future remain as easy to exit as they are to admire.

For manufacturers like Tesla, BYD, and Nio, the design language of the next five years just gained a new, mandatory accent. For the rest of us, It’s a reminder that while we can optimize a car for the wind, we must ultimately build it for the people inside.

Max Verstappen will start the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from pole position, the Red Bull driver setting a stunning lap in Q3 to hold off the challenge of McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

While Piastri and George Russell had led the way in Q1 and Q2 respectively, Verstappen laid down a gauntlet during the opening runs of the top-10 shootout, the Dutchman going quickest before improving with his final effort to post a scintillating 1m 22.207s lap.

Both McLarens attempted to claim top spot on their final efforts, but Norris had to settle for second after clocking a lap 0.201s slower. Piastri, meanwhile, took third place as the top three prepare to battle for the World Championship on Sunday.

Russell ended the session in fourth for Mercedes, while Charles Leclerc claimed fifth and Fernando Alonso took a solid sixth in the Aston Martin. Gabriel Bortoleto put in a good drive for Kick Sauber in seventh, with Haas’ Esteban Ocon, the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda – in his final Qualifying for Red Bull – completing the top 10.

QUALIFYING RESULTS AVAILABLE ON F1.COM

Despite strong pace through the weekend so far, Haas’ Ollie Bearman missed the cut for Q2 – as did Carlos Sainz, the Williams man ending up in P12 one week on from his podium in Qatar.

Liam Lawson followed in 13th for Racing Bulls, while Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli departed Q2 in 14th place – the Italian having reported struggles with the rear of his car – ahead of the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in 15th.

The big story from Q1 was another early exit for Lewis Hamilton, the Ferrari driver finding himself down in P16 just hours after a crash into the barriers during third practice. There was also disappointment for Williams’ Alex Albon, who will line up one spot behind in P17.

A good showing for Nico Hulkenberg on Friday did not follow through come Qualifying, with the Kick Sauber man winding up in 18th, while the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto brought up the rear in 19th and 20th respectively.

Post-race, the rearmost skid wear on both McLaren MCL39 machines was found to be below the minimum 9mm thickness by technical delegates on inspection.

The matter was referred to the stewards, who subsequently disqualified both cars from the official result, with Norris having finished second and Piastri fourth.

As a result, race winner Max Verstappen has made a significant gain with regards to the 2025 Drivers’ Championship, as the Red Bull man now sits level on points with Oscar Piastri on 366. Lando Norris is 24 points ahead on 390 at the top of the standings with just two rounds of the season to go.

Confirming the disqualifications of the McLaren pair, the stewards’ document stated that the skid blocks on both cars were “measured and found to be below the minimum thickness of 9mm specified under Article 3.5.9 of the Technical Regulations.”

It continued: “The rear skids were re-measured in the presence of the Stewards and the three McLaren representatives, and those measurements confirmed that the skids did not comply with the regulations. The relevant measurements were even lower than those measured originally by the Technical Delegate.”

It was also confirmed that McLaren had argued “mitigating circumstances existed in that there was additional and unexpected porpoising at this event, limited opportunity to test due to the weather on Day 1, and shortened practice sessions.”

While the stewards dismissed this, they added “the FIA noted that it strongly held the view that the breach was unintentional and that there was not a deliberate attempt to circumvent the regulations”.

McLaren are not the first team to fall foul of skid block infringements this season, with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg also disqualified from the Chinese and Bahrain Grands Prix respectively for similar transgressions.

With two Grands Prix and one Sprint remaining, there are 58 points on offer over the next two weekends to determine the outcome of the 2025 title.

Norris had started on pole for the 50-lap race in Las Vegas and aggressively moved over on Verstappen off the line before running wide at Turn 1 and slipping to third.

Eventually recovering to second, Norris dropped back drastically in the final laps as he was told to lift and coast by his team over a possible fuel concern.

“I don’t know what the issues were. The team just told me there were some problems and they were telling me to back off. So that’s something I’ll go and speak to them about in a bit,” said Norris post-race and prior to the disqualification.

Piastri, meanwhile, had recovered from dropping to P7 on the opening lap after contact with Liam Lawson into Turn 1, finishing fifth on-the-road but initially moving up a position as Kimi Antonelli was handed a five-second penalty for a false start.

“I think first lap was eventful to say the least and then a couple of mistakes after that which didn’t help,” said Piastri post-race prior to the stewards’ decision.

“The team did a really good job in getting our race back on track with strategy, so that was probably the highlight of the race.

“Got stuck behind Kimi, got close on one lap and I lost all grip when I tried to get alongside and I couldn’t get close enough again. That made life pretty tough but a bit of a feeling of more on the table.”

Crappy storms are ruining everyone’s fun in SoCal, with photoshoots and touge runs in gnarly tuner cars sidelined by a level of rain that was last accompanied by an ark. But there it is, our little 2025 Acura ADX A-Spec loaner, ready to tackle the weekend with confidence and deliver some semblance of peace amidst the chaos in the clouds.

That’s right. We’re actually reviewing a practical consumer product with a PRND shifter that isn’t some niche sports car with an H-pattern. How blasphemous. But even the most dedicated enthusiasts could use a coddling daily, and this Acura ADX just might deliver without sucking the life out of them.

Not a bad goal to strive for. But is it enough in this crowded market, stuffed with participants with similar resumes written in different fonts?

A (Sort-Of) Integra On Stilts

The Acura ADX launched for 2025 as an entry-level crossover, forming a two-pronged spear alongside the Integra on which it’s based to attract a more youthful audience. Like how the Integra is a tidied-up Civic, the ADX is a Honda HR-V fresh out of finishing school, complete with a sharp, slightly fastback roofline, optional all-wheel drive, and a big ol’ mean mug up front.

Specs:

MSRP: $35,000 base, $38,000 A-Spec, $42,000 A-Spec Advance, ($46,890 as-tested)

Powertrain: 1.5L turbocharged inline-four// CVT

Horsepower: 190 horsepower @ 6,000 RPM

Torque: 179 pound-feet @ 1,700 RPM

Seating Capacity: 5

Cargo Volume: 24.4 cubic feet (rear seats up), 55.1 cubic feet (rear seats down)

MPG: 25 city, 30 highway, 27 combined, 27.1 observed

Curb Weight: approx. 3,570 pounds

Base front-drive ADXs ring the bell at $35,000. The $42,000 A-Spec Advance trim adds a killer 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system, Google integration, leather and suede upholstery, and a heated steering wheel versus the base A-Spec’s $38,000 sticker. A mild ground-effects kit adds a few hundred dollars per piece, while all-wheel drive is a $2,000 option on all trims, bringing our loaded Lunar Gray A-Spec Advance with all-wheel drive to nearly $47,000.

While less than the current national average for new car costs (a hair over $50,000), our as-tested price lines it up dangerously close to larger, more powerful offerings from BMW and Genesis. However, you can easily save thousands by ditching the ground-effects kit and the Advance level, turning the ADX into a relative bargain as far as luxury crossovers go. For reference, a BMW X1 currently starts at $42,800.

Standard A-Spec equipment includes a panoramic glass roof, heated and ventilated seats, and a thin veil of sportiness via black 19-inch wheels wrapped in Continental all-seasons and a sport-tuned Machperson front and multilink rear suspension. Motivation comes from a 190-horsepower version of the 1.5-liter VTEC-equipped turbo-four from its Integra sibling, as well as a myriad of Honda products.

What’s Hot?

• Athletic enough to entertain

• Great ride-handling balance

• Excellent infotainment aided by physical switches

• Refreshingly clear visibility

• Spacious, comfortable seating

• Bargain pricing

Cali Cruisin’ For The Whole Family

Upon departing LAX and heading for the stormy coast, the ADX proved to be a capable yet inoffensive commuter. It may not wear a roundel or three-pointed star, yet it makes the most out of its economy ute underpinnings.

NVH is hushed, and ride quality is controlled despite the A-Spec’s sport-tuned suspension and 19-inch rollers. It’s a tad firm but never really stiff, let alone harsh. Sharp bumps just have a bit of a rounded edge to them, while the dampers smartly absorb LA’s spine-shattering potholes with grace.

The A-Spec’s trade-off is a splash of dynamism. This near-3,600-pound crossover wafts around bends confidently with accurate steering that’s well-weighted in all drive modes. Perhaps that’s to be expected in something with a marginally shorter wheelbase than a BMW X1, Lexus NX, or Audi Q3. There’s plenty of grip for bullying traffic on freeway interchanges, and I found myself diving into intersections with more excitement than I should have and being rewarded with controlled, predictable body motions. The combination of well-suited Continental all-seasons and all-wheel drive meant traction was never an issue amidst this weekend’s downpour, too. I call that capable, while families will call it safe.

I certainly enjoy my time in Sport mode and the ADX’s customizable Individual mode, pretending it wears a Type-S badge instead. It’s no Type-S substitute, but it’s more fun to drive than most buyers ever need it to be. Bless! If only it rocked a variant of Acura’s trick Super Handling All-Wheel Drive, which it doesn’t. Boo.

The heated and cooled front seats are plenty comfortable for anyone who still takes issue with the ride. The panoramic glass roof is incredible for bringing light and airiness into an ergonomic cabin that anyone can settle into in minutes, and the thin A-pillars and expansive glass provide stellar visibility. Rear cargo space is ample enough for a few large duffles or a couple of roller bags, but know that it trails some rivals by just a few cubic feet with the rear seats up or down.

Although the interior layout is nearly the same, the average buyer may be hard-pressed to believe this shares close ties with the Honda Civic and HR-V. Panels are snapped tight, and cheaper materials are at least gussied up to look more presentable and sidelined away from common touch points. Acura ensured you mainly notice the spacious greenhouse and those wonderful seats, upholstered in a creamy Orchid and accented with blue suede.

The interior tech is a breeze, thanks to smartphone-quick touch response, Google Maps integration atop of wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and physical switchgear for the home screen, audio, and climate controls. Trend-followers will call the latter a “dated” choice, but buttons over haptic touch broaden the ADX’s appeal to more drivers, and they actuate with a satisfyingly firm solidity.

The back-up and surround view cameras are among the clearest I’ve seen, while the ADX’s small-ish footprint and front and rear parking sensors ensure that you have to be legitimately trying to hit something. Lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise manage their inputs smoothly and elegantly, which unfortunately can’t be said about the refinement of the start-stop system.

What’s Not?

• Could be a tad sportier

• Could have a smidge more power

• Could be more efficient

• Interior styling is too similar to its Honda counterpart

• Sluggish stop-start

• Not the most opulent or tech-laden luxury crossover

It’s a bit rough at times and takes a half beat longer to fire up, prompting me to always turn it off and reminding me of the humble origins of what’s under the hood. It’s tuned just smooth enough to fit into the segment, and its comparatively meager output is plenty for zipping through traffic. Just don’t expect to win against BMWs or the Genesis GV70 2.5T. Max torque comes on early at 1,700 rpm, but with only 190 ponies and 179 pound-feet on tap, it’s a far cry from ever making us forget more muscular peers.

At least a well-programmed CVT aids this modest honey of a powertrain. Yes, a CVT. And it’s good. Fight me. It does a remarkable enough impression of a seven-speed auto, both at low speeds and high, and is unexpectedly responsive in Sport when you hop on the metal shift paddles for wannabe NSX action. There’s still the faintest whiff of CVT-ness, which is fine when the trade-off is an average of 27.1 mpg over three days of mixed driving. EPA highway estimates are 30 mpg, but the light-footed can easily manage 35 mpg.

A Better Honda Or A Cut-rate Luxury Crossover

Okay, you could find this level of equipment downmarket in a loaded RAV4. Sure. But you’ll miss out on the superior quality and styling, and its infotainment isn’t as nice. The Germans are far more athletic, but nickel and dime you for every option, from heated seats to driving assists, and those sick of touchscreens, scroll knobs, or their styling may be dissuaded. The ADX welcomes these outliers with open arms.

It’s got all the comfort, tech, and space a 21st-century yuppie or budding family could want for an agreeable price, given what’s in its gift basket, even at lower rungs of its spec sheet ladder. Its Civic underpinnings aren’t much to nitpick, and being blessed with its genes with a dose of Acura’s aura births an entry-level luxury crossover that’s sporty enough to satisfy some enthusiasts in search of a warrantied errand runner. The last say in compact luxury crossovers? Perhaps not. But let’s be glad Acura even has a say in it at all.

Mid-life crisis cars. Boomers and Gen X have Corvettes and the Porsche 911. Millennials have (insert any JDM hero car here) and, uh, also the 911. Meanwhile, many Gen Zers are barely passing the quarter-life marker, let alone their mid-life. But a quarter-life crisis car seems to be what’s trending, and it appears that the 987.1 Porsche Cayman and Cayman S are earning their moment in the spotlight.

Great! A Porsche for the masses made even more accessible by the march of time and more desirable by the perceived sterility of new car tech. Younger enthusiasts can cross-shop between a mildly used Toyota GR86 or something bearing that hallowed German crest, still complete with a naturally-aspirated mill and rear-wheel drive bolted to an honest-to-goodness manual transmission.

But are they diamonds in the rough these days? Nothing a blast into Nevada’s twisties in a friend’s 2007 Cayman S can’t answer.

Remembering The “Poor Man’s Porsche”

The 987-generation Porsche Cayman debuted in 2005 for the 2006 model year as the sportier hardtop companion to the entry-level Boxster. Together, they served as a gateway drug for the Stuttgart marque. Early 987.1 variants, such as the one featured here, owned by longtime friend and former contributor Derek Sanders, ran from 2006 to 2008. From there, it was refreshed with a smidge more power and the then-new PDK dual-clutch as the 987.2 from 2009 to 2012

It, along with its Boxter twin, was equally praised and dismissed as a “Poor Man’s Porsche” for bringing mid-engined dynamics to a sub-supercar price bracket. However, it was often accused of being sandbagged in terms of performance and dynamics by Porsche as an alleged means to protect the 911. So came the infamous “Cayman complex,” as some auto journos referred to.

Specs:

Current Values: $30,000 to $45,000 (based on mileage, spec, and condition)

Powertrain: 3.4L flat-six // 6-speed manual

Horsepower: 295 horsepower @ 6,250 RPM

Torque: 251 pound-feet @ 4,400 RPM

Seating Capacity: 2

Cargo Volume: 14.0 cubic feet

MPG: 20 city, 28 highway, 23 combined

Curb Weight: approx. 3,120 pounds

All 987 Caymans wielded the “M97” flat-six, with Sanders’ 987.1 Cayman S displacing 3.4 liters to produce 295 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 251 pound-feet at 4,400 rpm through a traditional three-pedal arrangement. It’s a healthy bump from the base 987.1’s 2.7-liter version and its 245 horsepower, still a healthy number for motivating roughly 3,120 pounds.

Later 987.2 variants traded the optional Tiptronic automatic for one of the first iterations of Porsche’s world-class PDK dual-clutch, paving the way for later high-performance automatics. Power also increased to 265 horsepower in base cars, thanks to a larger 2.9-liter engine, and 320 horsepower in the S, which still displaced 3.4 liters.

A Mid-Engined Daily Driver

Like most Porsches of the era, they proved to be generally reliable-ish aside from the usual suspects in Porscheville. The IMS bearing ought to be sorted out sooner rather than later, if the one you’re eyeing hasn’t had it done already. The M97s may also suffer from bore scoring, with S models often suffering more than base cars due to higher stresses, poorer tolerances, and reutilizing the same cooling systems as the 2.7.

“Why, yes, I wanted the engine that bore scores more,” Sanders declared, instilling much confidence before a half-day’s drive far away from any Porsche service center.

Starting with a jaunt through Vegas’ suburban grid highlighted the Cayman’s unexpected knack for mundanity. Plush seats, usable cupholders and storage cubbies, and generous storage from the trunk and frunk can genuinely make this someone’s only car if they hate playing DD for their friends. It enabled Sanders to cover thousands of miles over tens of hours without issue during his grand tour from Boise to Salt Lake City to Las Vegas and back.

Most impressive is how it manages such a composed ride, at least with this car’s refurbished non-PASM suspension, unfazed by tattered asphalt despite the short wheelbase and this example’s larger 996-esque wheels. The ride works in conjunction with commendable sound deadening and a rock-solid interior devoid of creaks after 77,000 miles to deliver a quiet ride for the discerning luxury buyer—or irresponsible 20-something-year-old circa 2025.

Still A Porsche At Its Core Many Years Later

Soon, the lil’ Porsche and I departed the valley and ascended into the lush mountains for some exercise on their asphalt ribbons. I leaned a little more on the throttle pedal, dove into corners with more fervor, and learned that a two-decade-old Porsche can still Porsche, which I frankly should’ve expected. It’s not like journos were singing its praises that hard. Were they?

“Perhaps due to its mid-engine layout and slightly rearward weight distribution, the Cayman S felt more stable and balanced during severe braking,” Car and Driver’s Tony Quiroga stated in a shootout with the BMW Z4 M. “Steering is similarly reassuring, direct, and communicative.”

“In the Cayman S, Porsche has conceived and delivered a superb driving instrument, MotorTrend’s Matt Stone praises in an in-period first drive review. “It combines precision, balance, gusto, style, and what we’re sure will be impressive test-track performance. It’s silly fun to drive; a hot-looking partner you’ll enjoy on your first date and never tire of.”

“It’s a blessedly small two-seater,” freelance writer Peter Nelson remarks in his recent review and Hagerty Car Profile of a stock Cayman S. “The current (not for long) 982-gen 718 Cayman is considered small by modern standards, but the 987 is smaller still, and truly feels like a toy to toss around. Yet it also feels confident enough to carve responsibly through a twisty mountain road, which can’t be said for a lot of modern enthusiast chassis.”

Oh. So they were. And they seem to have been onto something.

The hydraulic steering is plenty sharp but not darty and exhibits appreciable feedback through its appropriately-sized wheel, despite the Michelin Alpin winter rubber. I can only imagine the sensations with proper summer tires. Sanders insists it’s a world of difference, with the steering coming to life further. It also has a decent amount of heft, without feeling needlessly so or artificially weighted.

Brakes, small in appearance, are A1 in performance. Four-piston front calipers provide great bite, a firm pedal, and friendly modulation. “Friendly” also goes for chassis tuning that juggles luxury product and bona fide sports car impeccably, even with this car’s lack of the optional PASM adaptive suspension. What makes for a comfortable ride also lends to excellent body control and a resistance to bad asphalt. It simply shrugs off bumps and holds its line without much fear of jostling or punishment from understeer or oversteer.

Bore scoring, be damned. The M97 powertrain is a sweetheart, as well. The addictively slick manual gearbox, paired with a light clutch and its questionably long pedal travel, routes 295 horsepower from an engine that’s as wonderful as the internet’s many prophecies have foretold regarding Porsche flat-sixes. The potency, reigned in by traction afforded by its wide rear tires and mid-engined layout, enabled the big-wig mags to clock 0-to-60 in 4.8 seconds and quarter-mile times of 13.3 at 107 mph in its day. There’s plenty of midrange torque and a deliciously progressive powerband that never relents as you edge nearer to the 7,000-rpm limit.

In short, Porsche flat-sixes rule.

The Cayman S proved to be a driver’s delight, indeed. However, I’m unconvinced that its efforts are enough to scratch the itch in everyone. It’s very close. But not quite there. I can’t help but think it could’ve been a little lighter. A little faster. A little more reactive to inputs and communicative to the driver. Porsche thought so, too, hence the later R model or later generations’ GTS and GT4. Unfortunately, those occupy higher price brackets on the used market, leaving us with something that arguably compromises just a smidge too much, so it can be a palatable everyday sports car.

Is Being “Still A Porsche” Enough?

For instance, without any factory sports exhaust or aftermarket option, the amazing flat-six is too shy to properly sing its wonderful song. The tone is there, but the volume is way down. An apparent fix is a humorously named “GT4 RS mod,” which is simply removing the insulated engine cover and introducing a whirlwind of flat-six clatter and metallic induction honk, but also more annoyingly agricultural engine and drivetrain noises.

The powertrain also feels neutered by long gearing that leans towards bahnstorming and larger racetracks rather than backroads and more technical circuits. And, while a featherweight today at a tick over 3,120 pounds, it’s not as light as expected for something so small and mechanically simple. It’ll still easily outmaneuver most present-day performance cars, for sure. But today’s Miata and GR86/BRZ twins, close rivals in terms of value and driving ethos, may beg to differ.

To those searching for something with the ability to pull double duty as your canyon carver and 9-to-5 runner, the Cayman hits the nail on the head. Just know its limitations and prepare for modifications should you yearn for much more, of which there’s plenty to choose from. And I mean plenty. Tuners can, fortunately, still have their field day with one of these and build their own home-brewed GT4 fighter, should they please.

A Modern Classic That’s Worth Another Look

The 987.1 Cayman S greatly impresses and leaves me craving something extra at the same time, as though the R, GTS, or GT4 would’ve fully fulfilled a promise I thought had been made. Maybe the love surrounding these as values came down instilled expectations I shouldn’t have placed on a car whose mission statement was never to appeal to the mega-hardcore, such as me. Or maybe the Cayman complex is real, after all.

I’ve learned that these are not perfect one-to-one Lotus alternatives. It will never be your bargain-bin Ferrari F430 or Lamborghini Gallardo. But then, you shouldn’t treat them as such. To its target buyers then and its current buyers now, that’s a-okay.

The combination of everyday refinement and unflappable dynamics blends into a product that appeals to a broad spectrum of drivers. It’s a strong alternative to the Mustangs, C7 Corvettes, and GR86s that older Gen Z and younger Millennials have been snagging, one that’s definitely worth a hard look should a quarter-life crisis beckon for you to reinvigorate your garage with a little more flavor.

“Oh, here’s a word of warning,” co-founder of TVR Garage Andi Hughes prods me as we set off in his 2001 TVR Tuscan Speed Six S demonstrator. “There’s no ABS. No traction control. No stability control. No safety systems to help you out. It’s nearly 400 horsepower pushing 2,400 pounds, and it will bite you if you let it. If ya bend it, ya buy it.”

Gotcha. Very cool. Absolutely no pressure as I pull onto a busy public side street in what is one of six Tuscans in the States at the time of writing, and–

W-Wait a minute. We have what in the States now?

We Have TVRs Now!?

The 25-year import rule, yo! Griffiths, Cerberas, and the first run of Tuscans have been allowed to grace American backroads for some time, and this example is reportedly one of six Tuscans in the United States. This 2001 model came by way of Hughes’ business TVR Garage, co-founded with childhood friend Gavin Bristow. It’s the very car featured in Jay Leno’s Garage, allowed into the country under special exemptions for testing.

A minor history lesson, first.

Trevor Wilkinson founded TVR in 1947, originally as Trevcar Motors, before renaming the company after himself with the three-letter moniker. The company fell into the great care of Martin Lilley in 1965. Its sports cars garnered plenty of affection throughout the next few decades, but nowhere near as much as they did throughout the 90s and 2000s after Peter Wheeler took the helm in 1981. Cars of the Wheeler era, including the Tuscan, were crafted in his image, from driving dynamics and in-house engines to the styling.

Specs:

Current Values: N/A; as-tested valued at $149,000

Powertrain: 4.0L inline-six // 5-speed manual

Horsepower: 390 horsepower @ 7,000 RPM

Torque: 310 pound-feet @ 5,250 RPM

Seating Capacity: 2

Cargo Volume: 9.7 cubic feet

MPG: N/A

Curb Weight: approx. 2,425 pounds

Spiritual successor to the original Tuscan of the late 1960s, the Tuscan Speed Six’s recipe is a fairly simple, front-engined, rear-wheel drive, five-speed manual sports car. The engine is almost entirely behind the front axle, making it front mid-engined and setting the Tuscan up to be a spectacular handler, especially when tipping the scales at a Miata-like 2,425 pounds.

Brakes are by AP Racing. Suspension on this particular example features upgraded Bilstein shocks but is otherwise stock. Tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S measuring 235-wide up front and 245-wide out back, mounted over the original 18-inch wheels that complement the swooping body lines oh-so well.

Under Wheeler’s direction, the company gradually shifted from Triumph and Ford engines to Rover V8s and eventually engines of its own design. Tuscans utilize a range of aluminum-block, individual throttle body-equipped, 24-valve inline-sixes from TVR’s “Speed Six” lineup. Living in an age when engines are passed around manufacturers like the village bicycles makes you greatly appreciate niche brands that can craft their own.

In base 3.6-liter form, the Speed Six made 350 horsepower and 290 pound-feet, but S models like Hughe’s were amped up with 4.0-liter mills that produced 390 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 310 pound-feet at 5,250 rpm. Later iterations made slightly more, with 400 horsepower and 315 pound-feet prior to the “Mark II” facelift’s revisions. Other S model exclusives include subtle badging, a front lip spoiler, and a Gurney flap-like rear spoiler.

The Strangest Grand Tourer

“It can be a kitten when you want, but a lion when you let it be,” Hughes comments, referring to the Tuscan’s lesser-known knack for coddling its drivers rather than killing them when you’re just puttering around.

There’s no bad temperament over bumpy roads, thanks to its fresh Bilsteins. There’s working AC and a single-DIN stereo nestled within the handy dashboard shelf. The trunk is even ample enough to hold the targa roof, and the space behind your head makes an excellent shelf for large backpacks.

It was a treat to discover how lovely a grand tourer it can be when cruising in fifth gear, with plenty of visibility and almost no wind buffeting with the windows down. Prospective buyers just have to live with everything else, which can be… strange.

If you’ve never watched Top Gear, I invite you to figure out the doors. Go ahead. I’ll wait. While you’re at it, know that the window and HVAC controls are on the rounded center console, and the two-piece hood doesn’t fully open without tools. Only the front half is easily accessible and only as a service hatch for fluids. Be mindful that fuel capacity is only 56 liters or roughly 14.8 US gallons. Oh, and the shift linkage is awfully close to where the exhaust is routed. I wondered why the gear lever was warmer than all the other metalwork inside the cabin.

But it is what it is. Quirky comes with the territory, making it easy to forget that TVRs were primarily honed to be fun, fast, and, most importantly, pure driver’s cars.

“A Lion When You Let It Be”

“From the extraordinary styling and steampunk brass instrument binnacle (complete with in-house-made LCD display) to the snorting four-liter Speed Six engine, the Tuscan was a car that seduced and adrenalized you in equal measure,” Evo’s Antony Ingram praised in a 2024 retrospective after sampling a facelifted Tuscan 2.

“This is not a precision tool, though it was and still is successfully campaigned in many an amateur race series,” Richard Hammond remarked in a 2012 test of a modified Tuscan for Top Gear. “It’s about the experience, more than the absolute results. It simply feels great, perched towards the back of a big, British sports car, complete with authentically British straight-six acoustic accompaniment.”

“This car has many strengths—its mind-warping curves redefine the notion of automobile-as-art and the hefty gearbox is an utter joy to use—but it’s the quality of the steering that really defines the driving experience…” Dan Bevis commented on a small blog on ClassicCarsForSale. “These aren’t machines for people who want an easy time; they’re for those who want their effort to be rewarded, who accept that you get out what you put in. You need to be constantly on edge, worrying about the car—that’s part of the allure.”

Color me intrigued.

Drop a gear or two via that satisfyingly precise shifter to keep the Speed Six above 4,000 rpm, and it wakes right the hell up. The upswept tailpipes and individual throttle bodies duet a feral song as you approach the 7,000-rpm crescendo, crackling and popping with an intoxicating overrun as you lift. God save natural aspiration, because the engine’s metallic zing is so unlike anything today this side of a 911 GT3.

The bottom-hinge pedals are spaced smartly enough to still be comfortable, at least with a size 10 shoe, yet remain easy to operate hastily when I get a little restless. However, the bottom-hinge clutch was a bit of a learning curve. Just a bit. The throttle pedal’s throw is abnormally long compared to modern cars, but that equates to controllable power delivery. Important stuff when wielding 390 horsepower without safety assists. Even so, the engine is still reactive enough to make downshift blips a breeze and forward momentum a thrill.

The brake pedal is reassuringly firm, actuating the AP Racing kit with confidence without catapulting you through the windshield. Our dash across the desert was far from the brake’s limits, but I suspect they’re plenty resilient on track or on tighter roads. We hardly stressed the chassis, either, which I knew was yearning to dive bomb hairpins and sail over undulating B-roads with more aggression than I was willing to give it.

I, indeed, could not buy it if I bent it.

Modern summer tires, Bilstein shocks, and a weight figure that embarrasses many present-day sports cars create a machine that pounces into corners without a second thought. Direction changes are like second nature, and the power steering, one of the few assisted controls, is communicative and appropriately light while gradually building heft as you load it up in a way only cars of this era seem to manage.

Is there cannibalism among cats? Because, as it turns out, this lion could slaughter any Jaguar on an asphalt ribbon.

Gone But Far From Forgotten

The TVR Tuscan Speed Six S walks many fine lines. How well you believe it does so depends on your tolerance for weirdness and its unwillingness to babysit the inexperienced. It’s an unexpected road trip hero, with more comfort, space, and visibility than anticipated. Yet, it still achieves its objective of wowing the lead-footed, excitedly tugging at its leash while reminding you through its intoxicating power and feedback that you’d better play along well, or it’ll knock you on your ass.

Pardon the Gen Z degenerate in me, but dare I say it’s truly the automotive equivalent of the drop-dead gorgeous goth mommy that can and will spit in your drink if you aggravate her in the slightest? Sadistic? A little. Honest, at least? Sure. A proper driver’s car? Without a doubt. And I’m desperately in love. While the oddball British marque and its sports cars may be gone, it sure as hell won’t be forgotten.

Lando Norris surged to a stunning pole position in Qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix, the Briton leading the way from the Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton while McLaren team mate Oscar Piastri ended the session back in eighth.

After setting the pace in Q2, it looked like Norris had a challenge on his hands in the top 10 shootout when Leclerc grabbed provisional pole during the opening runs. But the 25-year-old was in commanding form for his second lap, pumping in a 1m 15.586s to go 0.262s quicker than Leclerc’s final effort.

Hamilton added to a solid outing for Ferrari by taking P3, followed by Mercedes’ George Russell in P4 and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen in P5. The other Silver Arrows machine of Kimi Antonelli, meanwhile, claimed P6 from Williams’ Carlos Sainz, though the Spaniard will take a five-place grid drop following a penalty last time out in Austin.

It looked to be another tricky session for Piastri, with the Australian nearly eight-tenths adrift of his team mate in eighth place, while Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar and Haas’ Ollie Bearman completed the top 10.

Qualifying results on F1.com

Yuki Tsunoda just missed the cut for Q3 by 0.014s, putting the Red Bull driver out of the session in P11. Also eliminated in the second segment were Haas’ Esteban Ocon in P12 and the Kick Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg in P13.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso followed in 14th, while Liam Lawson failed to set a representative time for Racing Bulls, leaving him in 15th.

Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto was pushed out of Q1 in P16, followed by the Williams of Alex Albon in P17 and Alpine’s Pierre Gasly in P18.

Lance Stroll claimed 19th for Aston Martin after aborting his final effort, while the other Alpine of Franco Colapinto rounded out the order in 20th place.

KEY QUOTE

“I’m happy to be back on pole, it’s actually been quite a long time,” said Norris. “A good feeling. The lap? I don’t know. It was one of those laps where you don’t really know what happened, it felt decent but when I crossed the line and saw 1m 15.5s, I was very pleasantly surprised.

“I’ve been feeling good all weekend, especially from today, FP3, Q1, Q2, Q3. I got a little bit nervous of the Ferraris in Q3 at the end, but I pulled it out when it mattered and I’m happy because of that.”