Sam Sheehan
- Motoring and Lifestyle Editor, cinch
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Articles by Sam Sheehan
Xpeng L03
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1,169hp Mercedes-AMG GT SUV guns for Cayenne Turbo
For those who thought the divisive design of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe wasn’t quite bold enough, may we introduce you to its taller sibling - the new GT SUV. Sharing the same F1-derived electric hardware with the 800-volt EV we met back in May, Affalterbach’s first dedicated SUV (i.e. without a Mercedes equivalent) gets as much as 1,169hp.
1,169hp Mercedes-AMG GT gunning for Cayenne Turbo
For those who thought the divisive design of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe wasn’t quite bold enough, allow us to introduce you to its taller sibling - the new GT SUV. Sharing the same F1-derived electric hardware with the 800-volt architecure we met back in May, Affalterbach’s first dedicated SUV (i.e. without a Mercedes equivalent) gets as much as 1,169hp.
2027 Zenos E10 r2 | PH Review
If the monstrously fast E10 rZ prototype we drove last year sounds too terrifying for your liking, rest assured the reborn Zenos brand is launching a less extreme take on its road-legal track car. Swapping out the highly strung turbocharged Volvo 2.0-litre for a more relaxed 2.3 EcoBoost four banger, the E10 r2 has a comparatively modest 280hp per tonne, meaning it’s less likely to pull your skin off your face with a 0-62mph time of 3.8 seconds.
Lamborghini Urus SE Performante | PH Review
What do you get when you combine the hardcore chassis and track-focused aero of the Urus Performante with Lamborghini’s electrified SE powertrain? Not an SE Perfomante, it turns out, as the car that supersedes the old Performante is much more than just a blend of two existing Uruses.
Lamborghini Urus Performante review: Brashest Lambo gets more thrilling AND more sensible
Close Lamborghini has combined the Urus SE's plug-in hybrid powertrain with its latest motorsport learnings to create the new Urus SE Performante, an 800bhp super-SUV that benefits not only from grip-boosting aerodynamics but also new physics-fighting chassis technology. Blending twin-turbocharged V8 power with an electric motor and new dual-chamber air suspension, the SE Performante has more explosive power and better body control than the old, purely petrol-powered Performante.
Lamborghini Urus Performante: Leaner, meaner and more sensible
Close Lamborghini has combined the Urus SE's plug-in hybrid powertrain with its latest motorsport learnings to create the new Urus SE Performante, an 800bhp super-SUV that benefits not only from grip-boosting aerodynamics but also new physics-fighting chassis technology. Blending twin-turbocharged V8 power with an electric motor and new dual-chamber air suspension, the SE Performante has more explosive power and better body control than the old, purely petrol-powered Performante.
Can China's next-gen AI SUV rival Europe's best?
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2026 Kia EV4 GT | PH Review
For those who want the artificial DCT engagement of Hyundai’s electric N cars without the brash wheels and wings of its 5 and 6, sister brand Kia has launched its first performance take on the EV4 hatchback. The EV4 GT borrows the engine- and gearbox-simulating tech of its sister brand's hotrods (as well as the existing Kia GTs) and blends it into a more discreet package, promising a more rounded character for added comfort and extra range.
2026 BMW iX3 40 | UK Review
Its genuinely impressive range aside, the 50 xDrive we tested back in March seemed overly fidgety on its 22-inch M Sport rims. Little wonder perhaps, given its kerbweight - but the car's front end left something to be desired, too. Assuming what you desire is the sense of a real connection to lean into. That didn't prevent it from being a rapid, practical and (vaguely) handsome machine with a plus-400-mile range worthy of standout applause.
Wild Atlantic Way | PH Dream Drives
The Wild Atlantic Way is a 1,550-mile ribbon of tarmac that, despite being far less well known, could give Scotland’s North Coast 500 a run for its money. The Emerald Isle’s westerly route joins up a series of winding roads from the dramatic tip of Malin Head in County Donegal to the leafy landscape of Kinsale in County Cork. With several towns and even full-sized cities like Galway, Limerick and Cork to visit on the way, it offers something for the rural and urban explorers alike.
VW ID.3 GTI arrives with new handling focus
While the Volkswagen ID.3 GTX has always been decent enough at getting you from A to B, it’s never been particularly exciting to drive while doing it. Or not sufficiently so for us, anyway. But this, the new ID.3 GTI, is here to inject more than just a welcome dose of style into the prospect of a five-door EV. It comes with the promise of more agility thanks to a raft of chassis tweaks and more time between charges thanks to a bump in efficiency enabled by its MEB+ evolution.
Volkswagen channels XL1 for EV hatchback capable of 9mpkWh
Close Volkswagen has channelled the spirit of the 313mpg XL1 hypermiler for a new long-range EV concept that will influence future production cars - and it has already set a new benchmark for efficiency. Based on the same MEB+ architecture as the new ID Polo, the Mission Efficiency prototype has achieved a new high for efficiency, having clocked 8.27mpkWh over a 794-mile drive from Wolfsburg to Vienna – and up to 9.02mpkWh discounting the energy lost while charging.
Geely goes after BYD with 1800kW electric car chargers
Volvo and Polestar owner Geely is working on 1800kW-capable EV battery chargers that could make their way to Britain in just a few years, enabling five-minute charge times that could surpass BYD’s incoming Flash Chargers. Speaking to Autocar at the launch of its new EX2 electric hatchback, Michael Yang, MD of the Chinese group’s eponymous Geely brand in the UK, said the first component, completely solid-state batteries, were “just a few months away” in China.
New Polestar 4 SUV is more practical and £2k cheaper than coupe
Polestar is looking to build on the success of its best-selling model by adding more space and cutting its price. The new SUV version of the Polestar 4 gains a bigger boot, updated interior tech and a reinstated rear window in a bid to take on rivals such as the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric – and a starting price of £54,750 makes it £2000 cheaper than its sleeker sibling.
Vauxhall Corsa GSE tested: hot EV is a wolf in sheep's clothing
Close Find Vauxhall Corsa GSE tested: hot EV is a wolf in sheep's clothing deals Other Services Sell your car 84% get more money with Verdict Model tested: Rating: 8 Wolf in sheep’s clothing that makes rivals look lukewarm.
2026 Volvo EX60 P10 AWD Plus | UK Review
While the P10 version of Volvo’s new EX60 isn’t the headline-grabbing P12 promising over 500 miles of range, it could be the most popular version of the BMW iX3 rival. With 510hp and a still-impressive 410 miles of on-paper range, it’s a fast, rangey and discreet alternative to the mostly German rivals. And from £56,860 it’s not only priced alongside the XC60 PHEV, it’s also bang on the money as far as squaring up to the electric competition is concerned.
Extreme new Lamborghini Revuelto SV storms in with 1051bhp
The new Revuelto SV brings even more firepower to Lamborghini's PHEV hypercar, and is the "essence of Lamborghini's DNA", according to CEO Stephan Winkelmann. Taking inspiration from its GT3 race cars, Lamborghini has transformed the Revuelto into its fifth Super Veloce model with a long list of upgrades that boost mechanical grip and downforce in addition to the extra power.
2026 Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo | PH Review
While your average buyer of luxury 2+2 convertibles probably isn’t the type to be counting the pennies, the idea that the Maserati GranCabrio Trofeo can claim to be £20k cheaper than a Mercedes-AMG SL 63 and £50k less than a Aston DB12 Volante does tend to linger. And with the same twin-turbocharged Nettuno V6 under the bonnet as the GranTurismo producing the same improved 590hp output, the updated soft-top has more than just relative affordability going for it.
2026 Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo | PH Review
I’m going to go out on a limb and say most people always appreciated the look of the GranTurismo Trofeo - but precious few of us would choose one over the 2+2 alternatives. The competition is tough to beat, after all - and Maserati knows this.
2026 Maserati Grecale Modena V6 | PH Review
If you want a sharp handling SUV with a six-cylinder engine producing around 400hp, the outgoing Macan GTS really is bang on the money. It’s why they sold so well despite being conspicuously long in the tooth. And with ‘Model unavailable to order’ now blocking the entire lineup on the Porsche configurator, Maserati has chosen arguably the perfect time to carve itself a slice of the pie by de-tuning its Grecale Trofeo to offer disappointed Macan buyer's a plan B.
2026 Lotus Emira 420 Sport | PH Review
Spend just 30 seconds driving an Emira on the road and you’ll know you're in a sports car that can turn heads like something worth three times the price. It looks fantastic. But from behind the wheel, the four-cylinder Emira has never felt that exotic. Brisk and brilliant in the chassis, yes, but compared to the more tuneful Cayman GTS is was adjacent to in price, it lacked the special something that its pricier V6 sibling has in spades.
2026 Gunther Werks F-26 | PH Review
If 330hp was enough to earn the original rear-drive 911 Turbo the nickname of Widowmaker, what do we call a 1,067hp Gunther Werks F-26? Forget sending you home in a box, as the speedo nudges 170mph before the braking point into Woodcote, this rear-drive turbocharged monster feels like it could send you into orbit. But you expect rocket ship straight-line performance from a four-figure output.
Toyota fuel cell prototype set for Dakar Rally
Toyota will endeavour to bring water to the desert next year when it fields a fuel cell-powered Hilux in the Future Mission 1000 class of the Dakar Rally.
2026 Denza Z Racing | PH Review
The headline figure accompanying China’s latest electric rocket ship, the new Denza Z, is not its 1,604hp output. Nor is it a (sort of) 1.96-second 0-62 time. It is, in fact, a 10-97 per cent ‘Flash Charge’ time of nine minutes. Using 1,500kW charging tech developed by BYD - the parent company of Denza - the new Z can be zapped with a near full-load of kilowatts in little more time than it takes to fill up your car with petrol and pay at the kiosk.
US market driving combustion Alpine A110 decision
Good news A110 fans. Alpine’s planned US market entry is making the chances of a petrol-powered A110 successor more likely, with brand CEO Philippe Krief again confirming that the APP platform can be modified to accommodate engines. The much-slower take-up of EVs in the US, where they represent just five per cent of market share, means only offering an electric A110 there would likely hold back (read: practically kill) the prospects of sales success. Who’d have thunk it?
New Denza Bao 5 arrives in UK with 544hp
BYD premium brand Denza has arrived. If you're attending FOS this weekend, you will hardly be able to miss that fact, so large is the manufacturer's on-site footprint. Its headliner will be the supercar-ish Denza Z (more on that soon enough), but that model is a niche-filler by definition. Its other contender is aimed at the nation's soft underbelly; specifically where the likes of the Land Rover Defender and Toyota Land Cruiser do spectacular, queue-forming business.
New McLaren 788HS is 'extraordinary finale'
McLaren has revealed its most extreme Super Series model, the 788HS and confirmed that it will be an ‘extraordinary finale’ to the range that first launched in 2017. Not only does the 788hp, 1,265kg-dry GT3-inspired newcomer supersede the 765LT as the top Super Series dog, it also provides a bookend for McLaren Automotive, which was purchased by Abu Dhabi firm CYVN Holdings in 2025 and is set for a full range revamp in 2028.
2026 Porsche 911 GT3 S/C | PH Review
While making the first roof-off GT3 clearly hasn’t provoked the kind of controversy that greeted an all-electric Ferrari, Porsche GT fans still have reason to be concerned. Applying the GT3 formula to a Cabriolet body has seen some PHers suggest that it might harm the credibility of the entire Porsche GT lineup. It is, of course, for good reason that never before have both a GT3 flat-six and chassis setup been offered in an open-top 911 bodyshell.
The Start of Act Three
Press enter or click to view image in full size I, like so many other Celtics fans this week, have been having a bit of a meltdown since news broke on Monday that they Celtics had been put in the trade executive cuck chair by the Miami Heat and the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis is heading to South Beach and, while I personally believe this trade will have disastrous long term outcomes for the Heat, it is undoubtedly a calamity for the Celtics and left them with their proverbial dick in the hand.
2026 Porsche Taycan E-Shift | PH Review
You’d imagine Porsche will be hoping the option of a new E-Shift simulated gearbox will give Taycan sales the boost they so desperately need. As you may have heard, customer demand has halved in recent years, which, given it remains a great car to drive, is more than a little concerning for a brand rolling out yet more EVs. Clearly the four-seater needs something to grab people’s attention at a time when interest in high-end electric cars has tapered more quickly than English World Cup optimism.
2026 Alpine A390 GTS | PH Review
You won’t need me to tell you that French hot hatches go down very well in the UK. Spend only a few minutes surfing the PH forums, classifieds and auctions and the evidence of this piles up like pain au chocolat in a patisserie window. Recent sales figures suggest the love affair remains strong as ever, with 2,452 examples of Alpine’s A290 selling on these shores in Q1 alone, securing Britain the top spot when it comes to the brand’s biggest markets away from home.
Leapmotor B05
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Leapmotor B05: China's VW Golf rival is here - and I've driven it | Autocar
Close Verdict Model tested: Rating: Handsome looks, comfy ride and decent range create a likeable EV hatch.
BMW M3 sticks with 'perfect combustion principle'
Barely more than two years ago, the prospect of BMW M continuing to offer manual gearboxes, let alone developing new petrol engines to go with them, felt like a PH pipe dream. But having spoken to the M division’s boss over the weekend, it’s clear these things and more are back on the table.
Apollo Intensa Emozione vs. Gumpert Apollo
If you’re lucky enough to have a seven-figure sum to spend on a V12 track car, firstly, can I have some? And secondly, what do you go for? Obviously, the stunning Aston Martin Valkyrie and GMA T.50 should both make the cut, and it would be silly to leave the Pagani Huayra R Evo and Ferrari FXX K Evo off your shortlist, too. But what about the Apollo Intensa Emozione?
All-new VW ID Polo GTI revealed with 226hp
Fun and functionality. That’s what the best hot VWs have always been about. Since the introduction of MEB models via the ID.3 in 2020, however, the German brand appeared to lose its way. Mellow handling and annoying, touch-sensitive interior buttons made models like the ID.3 GTX hard to like. Certainly they felt a world away from the spot-on blend of performance and practicality that the likes of the Mk7.5 Golf GTI offered.
E1 Cayenne lives up to Porsche Classic status
Haters gonna hate, but there are surely more than a few people looking at the original Cayenne in the classifieds now thinking, 'hmm, that's a lot of car for two and a half grand', who were among the first to break out the barge poles in 2002. And who can blame them? Like all of its older models, the E1 Cayenne received Porsche Classic status on its 20th birthday, meaning everything from regular consumable parts to modernising upgrades are listed in the Classic Genuine Parts Catalogue.
2026 Toyota GR Corolla | UK Review
While anyone who read Mike’s review of the GR Corolla back in 2023 will be well aware of how brilliant it is to drive, the fact it’s not sold in Britain has become even more confounding when you consider that’s now built here. Or to put a finer point on it, the GR Corollas (and normal Corollas, for that matter) headed to the US and Canada are built here; those sold in Japan and beyond are still being made at the Motomachi plant in Aichi.
Future Porsche EVs in frame for Hyundai-like simulated gearboxes
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Future Porsche EVs in frame for Hyundai-like simulated gearboxes
Future electric Porsche sports cars could be fitted with simulated gearboxes because they can boost the “fun” of driving an EV, the boss of the firm’s GT division has told Autocar. Andreas Preuninger said that when he drove the electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, the level of realism provided by its simulated ’box was “very impressive” and his “biggest takeaway” of driving the 601bhp EV.
2026 Cupra Born VZ | PH Review
The Cupra Born VZ has previously enjoyed something of a privileged position in the electric hot hatch segment - in the sense that it was impressively early to market, and didn't face many rivals. Well, all that's changed recently, and things are going to get busier still as manufacturers seize upon the idea that small, comparatively affordable EVs are the way forward. Hence the timeliness of this mid-life update.
Porsche 911 GT3 gets £200k convertible option
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Porsche 911 GT3 gets £200k convertible option
Porsche has launched a drop-top version of the 911 GT3 for the first time – and the firm’s bosses claim it handles identically to the fixed-roofed version. Called the 911 GT3 S/C, the new cabriolet is effectively the seventh iteration of the 911 Speedster, but instead of being a limited-run model like that line of cars, the £200,500 GT3 S/C will be a permanent fixture in the line-up alongside the GT3 coupé.
Audi RS6 GT and A110 GTS - the perfect couple?
What do the Audi RS6 Avant and Alpine A110 have in common? Not much. But that’s a good thing. When it comes to ideal two-car garages, opposites attract. And when it comes to these particular cars, you’re looking at the end of the line. Both are due to be succeeded by electrified replacements in the very near future. In the next RS6, its V8 will be hybridised; in the A110, to begin with at least, there will be nothing but battery. The GT and GTS respectively represent the end of an era.
2026 Renault Twingo E-Tech | PH Review
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. That’s apparently the thinking behind Renault’s decision to utilise its Chinese connections during the development of its new Twingo E-Tech.
2026 Porsche Cayenne Turbo Electric | PH Review
If the 500-mile-capable BMW iX3 is arguably the first EV to offer real-world usability on par with a petrol equivalent, the new Porsche Cayenne Electric is the first one capable of luring performance SUV fans away from big capacity alternatives. There’s so much more to this car than a frankly ludicrous 1,156hp peak output and predictably monstrous levels of mechanical grip that you don’t need to be an executive with a Cayenne Electric on the company car list to see the appeal.
New MG hybrids to get e-turbos and 'noise-cancelling' motors
Next-generation MG hybrids will feature innovative new technologies including electric turbochargers and a motor claimed to eliminate nearly all engine vibration. It’s possible that the new Hybrid+ system - which is being developed at the Chinese brand’s recently opened Frankfurt engineering centre - could initially be offered in the incoming MG S9 PHEV.
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 6 N | PH Review
While it’s clearly not for everyone, few would dispute the idea that Hyundai’s ballistic Ioniq 5 N prioritises fun. But the 6 N? It arrives with a slightly different brief, promising to be a more rounded super-EV, no less capable of family duties than it is of fast stints on the track.
2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive M Sport Pro | UK Review
As the first of 40 new models to come out by 2030 using Neue Klasse underpinnings, there really is no understating the significance of the all-new BMW iX3. If the car is a hit, it might elevate the manufacturer to the top of European EV sales charts and buy the brand sufficient emissions breathing room to ensure the survival of combustion engines elsewhere in the lineup.
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