Mini E: ultimate electric hot hatch? Full road test // Jonny Smith CarPervert

Published 2nd March 2020. The Mini E - or Mini Cooper se to be precise - is Mini's first mass produced electric car. They did make a batch of experimental Mini One EVs in 2009, and whilst they had excellent performance the batteries took up the whole back seat area. 10 years later the latest UK-built British icon has been gifted the electric powertrain of its BMW i3 cousin and a few minor trim tweaks to provide a quicker 0-62 than its Honda e arch rival, as well the Peugeot e208, revised VW e-Up! and Renault Zoe. With a WLTP range of 145 miles, however, is it enough to be a convincing purchase against the other electric hatches in this sub £30,000 supermini class? Testing the new leccy Mini in the real world is vital, so I drove it on a suitably Mini adventure from Oxfordshire to Swindon to meet up with a classic Austin Rover Mini that can be ordered with fully electric conversion. The Swind-E is the product of Swindon Powertrain, a company who balance hyper e-bike manufacture with BTCC touring car engine building, and soon an off-shelf e-axle electric motor conversion kit to purchase. I will be driving the Swind-E in detail on another episode of CarPervert, as well as a full factory tour of Swindon Powertrain, who in their 50 year lifespan have been involved in F1, WRC and even the forthcoming Lotus Evija EV hypercar project. Thank you for watching. If you haven't already, click the bell icon to alert you when the next CarPervert video lands. Filmed by Mark Taylor-Hankins and Nick Poole. Edited by Mark Taylor-Hankins @inksharkman

Accreditation Link: https://youtu.be/dyswzcDCjxE

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Morgan Plus 8 - XCAR
  • Many people moan about Britain's lack of car industry -- they do so without realising we have a pretty impressive one. We build all manner of cars for manufacturers from all over the world. The naysayers' problem is the lack of 'British' brands; e.g. Rover and the like. There are a few left, though. One such example is Morgan. At their small (for a car company) factory in Malvern, Morgan creates some truly stunning cars. Using traditional techniques and materials fused with modern technology, Morgan's motors may look stately, but by God they pack a punch. The Plus 8 we had the pleasure of driving is a wonderful example of how judging a car by its looks may not be a wise choice. You see, the new Plus 8 isn't like the old Plus 8 at all... The new car runs on a bonded aluminium chassis; it looks angrier than the old car; it's got a bigger, noisier V8 with plenty of power on tap. It's light, so once you realise how heavy your right foot really is you're shot off into the distance with a cacophonous growl from its hearty BMW-sourced V8. The noise gets under your skin, as does the drive. Your arse teeters over the rear wheels while you crane your neck to see the fronts. This long wheelbase has two wonderful side effects -- 1) it handles like an old school sports car should and 2) you have plenty of time to spot, encourage, play with and correct oversteer. Yes, the Plus 8 has some flaws -- its roof (and doors) may be removable, but while you're covered the fabric can get caught in the window. Not an issue when it's dry, but when the sky has a wee you wind up very soggy. It drinks a fair bit, too, but that's to be expected from a big 'ol V8. Oh yeah, it also costs more than £85,000. That's quite a bit of penga, especially when you remember just how much Porsche 911 you can get for that much. However, while you may get lots of 911 for £85k, you also remember there are lots more Porsche 911s on the road than there have ever been Morgans. The noise, the drive, drama and exclusivity of the Plus 8 make it a very special thing. It's a fusion of old and new, like a Heston Blumenthal hot pot. It's the type of car you wouldn't only glance back at when you leave it in a car park, but stare longingly at. If you ever get the chance to drive one, do take it.
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Morgan Plus Six 2023 | Plus In Depth
  • Published: 2nd March 2023. Welcome to the Morgan Plus Six featuring a range of updates and enhancements for 2023. Watch as presenter and Morgan owner, Alex Goy, talks you through the latest features, comprehensively detailing what's new and what to expect from the latest iteration of our most dynamically capable sports car yet. Discover more about the Plus Six at www.morgan-motor.com/plus/plus-six Configure your Plus Six at configure.morgan-motor.com/plussix
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