electric

Electric BMW i8 named Car of the Year

ELECTRIC supercar the BMW i8 has been crowned UK Car of the Year for 2015. The stylish four-seater beat off serious opposition from the likes of Porsche and Jaguar to take the Performance Car category before landing the overall vote too.

Audi A3 Sportback e-tron road test report and review

AS premium class back-markers in the modern race to introduce electric models – great rivals BMW and Mercedes are already switched on – Audi will start to catch up in the New Year with the addition of this peppy plug-in hybrid version to their top-selling A3 range.

It marries the brand’s existing 150 PS 1.4 turbo petrol engine to a new 102 PS electric motor, sitting alongside it under the bonnet and energised remotely from a special high-voltage, lithium-ion battery pack in the floor under the rear bench seat. Housing that, plus the car’s normal 12v battery in that area has reduced boot volume by 100 litres, while adding 125 kg to the kerb weight, without drastically affecting the handling.

Gadgets & Accessories

Ring rechargeable tyre inflator – handy gadget that keeps you pumped up and fully charged

Quad Lock review – A clever and secure solution for when you need to mount your phone… anywhere!

Snuggy review: Cosy camping accessories for those chilly evenings

Michelin Tyre Pressure Monitoring System – a must-have for bikers

TomTom sat nav is still a ‘must-have’ for bikers with a sense of adventure and a love of touring

Motorbikes

Ducati Multistrada V4 S road test review

Ducati celebrates best ever June as sales boom

Five on Tour – We tackle the North Coast 500 – mostly on two wheels!

Ducati’s ventilated fabric jackets for summer motorcycle riding

Quad Lock review – A clever and secure solution for when you need to mount your phone… anywhere!