Motoring News – Stories That Caught Our Eye

SKODA SUPERB

One of my favourite family cars has just been updated. Acres of space, a sleek yet familiar new look, should tempt some to abandon their SUVs in favour of something that will deliver more rewards behind the wheel.

A full review will appear in 2024, but in the meantime, here are some highlights:

Fourth generation of Škoda ICE flagship will be available as a hatch and estate
Building on proven strengths: further design refinements incorporate Škoda’s updated design language and include the new LED Matrix beam headlights with 40 percent more light output
Commitment to customer centricity: a new and even more intuitive interior concept with Škoda Smart Dials, an uncluttered design and sustainable materials
More efficient powertrains: three petrol engines, two diesels and an improved plug-in hybrid with an electric range of more than 62 miles (100 km), plus a mild hybrid for the first time ever
Improved safety: many new, innovative and enhanced safety and assistance systems

DACIA SANDERO – THE AFFORDABLE OPTION

Already one of the best value cars that the UK has ever seen, the Dacia Sandero is now an even better buy after Dacia’s latest offers mean it can be purchased from only £166 per month on a 6.9% APR Representative Personal Contract Purchase Plan.

Available now until 3rd January 2024, the offers span the entire Sandero and Sandero Stepway range.

All versions are available via the 48-month, 6.9% APR Representative PCP offer, while Expression and Extreme versions also come with the bonus of a value-enhancing £500 deposit contribution.

What’s more, the most affordable PCP deal sees Sandero customers enjoy the benefits of driving a bi-fuel as well as the robust quality that Dacia is famed for. Following a deposit of £1,923 and then a monthly payment of £166*, car buyers can get behind the wheel of the well-equipped Essential TCe 100 Bi-Fuel with its advanced dual petrol/LPG drivetrain.

The more adventurous and rugged Sandero Stepway can be experienced via the same PCP deal with a £3,811 deposit for £1691 per month, giving customers a cost-effective route into the flagship Extreme TCe 100 Bi-Fuel model. Alternatively, for a deposit of £2,281 and a monthly cost of £1802, customers of the Essential version can choose between the Bi-Fuel powertrain or the frugal, turbocharged TCe 90 petrol engine.

The 6.9% APR Representative PCP offer also provides the option for customers to significantly lower their initial outlay with the availability of matched deposit and monthly payments. For example, the Sandero Essential TCe 100 Bi-Fuel can be had for £2083 per month following a £208 deposit.

Additionally, both the multi award-winning Sandero and Sandero Stepway are available via 6.9% APR Representative Hire Purchase packages over the same 48-month duration. Again, Expression and Extreme variants also come with a £500 deposit contribution.

MUNRO Ramps Up Production Of Its Utility EV

I was able to see Munro’s Utility EV at Harrogate’s Fully Charged Show this summer. It’s an intriguing concept and one that is now set to become a reality.

The team behind it aim to deliver something very different, a truck for those looking for an electrically powered workhorse.

Munro Vehicles completes its first pre-production model, the all-electric Series-M 4x4 Utility (hard top), just ten months after revealing the prototype MK_1 to the world in December 2022
First model, a Signal White Utility, benefits from customer feedback-led innovations, which apply equally to the Munro Series-M Truck (open-bed), also now in production
Significant moment in British automotive history as Munro marks a return to light vehicle mass production in Scotland since the closure of the Linwood car plant in 1981
Pre-production rollout marks next step in Munro’s strategic vision to build 2500 vehicles per year and create an additional 300 jobs in Scotland by 2027 to support global sales
Strong two-year customer order book
Full suite of safety features, including airbags, ABS brakes, stability, and traction control
LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery pack provides greater durability and a faster 30-minute 130kW DC rapid charging time
Rugged, durable, and engineered for 50 years of service with routine maintenance and planned refurbishment; zero-tailpipe emissions – optimum off-road performance
Munro named as finalist in the Fully Charged awards for Best innovative EV Manufacturer