Author: Robin Roberts

Enthusiasts of the winged-wonder-cars thought Bentley was mad to add an SUV to its luxury saloon, convertible and coupe line up but, of course, this is no ordinary SUV. Top end rivals have gone down the performance route but Bentley has brought sophistication with speed, comfort with capability and created what can truly be described as a Grand Tourer. If you have the wherewithal, the Bentley Bentayga Speed could be filled with bags and fuel, pointed towards the Mediterranean sun and the miles would roll by without stress or strain. Following the 18th Century Grand Tour of Europe so beloved…

The Honda Civic made in Britain has been a cornerstone of the Japanese company, but times are changing. They will be exiting their Swindon factory in 2021 after 36-years as the company realigns its manufacturing and concentrates on fuller utilization of its home plants. But that decision does not dent the appeal of the latest Civic hatchback, arguably the best so far. Engineers have retuned the suspension to make it more agile and the designers have given it a facelift both inside and out while the technical team has now fitted it with their latest and improved Honda Sensing combined…

INEOS Automotive has announced an expansion of its partnership with global mobility technology company, Magna.  Its subsidiary, Magna Powertrain, has been responsible for chassis and suspension development since the inception of the project. It will now be joined by Magna Steyr, which will undertake the series development phase of the forthcoming Grenadier. Dirk Heilmann, Chief Executive Officer of INEOS Automotive, confirmed, “The transition from concept to series development is a major landmark in the evolution of the Grenadier. “We are pleased to have Magna, with their long heritage and experience in 4×4 development, with us for the next stage of…

This refreshed and revised mid-sized model has an appeal with its restrained but attractive styling, purposeful fittings and ultra-efficient powertrains. Oh and a growing list of awards, particularly with a “family” cachet to them. Perhaps, not surprisingly, its economy has won praise from those canny Scottish motoring journalists north of the border and at the other extreme in mega-rich Dubai in November it was voted “Supreme Winner” at the 2019 Women’s World Car of the Year awards. Could any awards offer a wider contrast? Certainly, no other car this year has achieved this unusual duo celebration. Which just goes to…

Aston Martin Lagonda this morning opened its new £250M manufacturing facility at St Athan. The new Aston Martin DBX SUV will be a pivotal model for the company and firmly put Wales on the map for motor manufacturing, some 260 guests were told today at the official opening of the luxury brand’s new factory at St Athan, near Cardiff. First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Mark Drakeford AM joined Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group CEO, Dr Andy Palmer at a ceremony after three-years of intense development and conversion from RAF Superhangers into one of the world’s most modern luxury…

The plan to meet the future challenges is being developed by the Welsh Government and Economy Minister Ken Skates will host an Automotive Summit at Hensol Castle, Miskin later today. It will be a partnership between industry, academia and government and will focus efforts on future-proofing Wales’ manufacturing capability. The plan will identify the steps needed to develop a resilient, advanced manufacturing sector and a workforce with strong, up to date skills to deliver the products and technologies for a connected and sustainable economy. The detailed plan is expected to be published in April 2020. The summit at Hensol Castle…

At first you may not see a similarity between San Francisco and Barry, South Wales but I’ve found a connection, they are both good places to test the Ford Mustang GT. With its burbling 5.0V8 underfoot a roadtest takes on a new aural significance and the town’s steeply sloping streets horizontally split by connecting roads really test the suspension  and the torque under the hood, sorry bonnet. The Mustang is available as Fastback coupe or convertible, both with four seats and 290ps, 317ps  and 440ps 2.3 4cyl engine and 416ps or 450ps 5.0V8 petrol engines, with six speed manual or…

Car sales have been built on the sheer variety of models available over the years and the expression ‘horses for courses’ explains the global success of the Skoda Superb, writes Robin Roberts. The first Superb models appeared 85 years ago and the modern models launched in 2001 as the Skoda flagship series and they have stayed at the top ever since. It’s easy to understand why when you look at the very recently restyled and refitted range now bursting with engineering and everyday technology from a comparatively cheap £24,655. The range of estate and hatchback models is truly enormous. There…

The first Aston Martin DBX five-seat SUV will roll off new production lines in South Wales in Spring 2020, writes Robin Roberts. Breaking new ground for the 106-year-old luxury British marque, the DBX was unveiled simultaneously in the Beijing, China motor show and in the £250M St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan assembly plant today. The DBX marks a significant step for Aston Martin as the first to be built outside its home plant of Gaydon, Warwickshire and the fourth model in the company’s Second Century Plan, conceived and implemented by AML president Dr Andy Palmer.  Dr Palmer said of the newcomer, “I…

The Citroen C5 Aircross replaces the smaller C4 and was designed, engineered and is marketed as a more sophisticated model for today’s market and that seems to have clicked with buyers. Just six months after its UK launch the C5 Aircross passed 50,000 unit sales, a remarkable achievement in a tough British market. In September 2019 when the British market contracted 2.5% over the first nine months, Citroen saw registrations improve 2.6% and 98% of models ordered were the higher two specification levels which helped the C5 Aircross to become Citroen’s second best seller in Britain. There are about a…