+++ Back in 2001, ASTON MARTIN dropped a V12 bomb atop the GT car segment. The Vanquish made its debut and established a new benchmark as a brilliant Super GT. Fast forward to today, and Aston Martin looks back on 25 years of the Vanquish nameplate. These cars have always had V12 power, serious presence and gorgeous body lines.
And today, the current Vanquish delivers on everything its predecessors promised. When the V12 Vanquish launched in 2001, it was a revelatory event. This car signified Aston Martin’s move into the modern era as it was the final model built at the older Newport Pagnell headquarters. Yet it featured then-fresh tech like drive-by-wire throttle control. Aston Martin stuffed its 6.0-liter V12 into the engine bay. Output was rated at around 470 horsepower, and the gearbox was a paddle-shifted automated manual. In 2004, the Vanquish S arrived with a significant power bump, up to 530 hp. Aston Martin refined and updated the styling when it reintroduced the Vanquish for the 2012 model year. There are lines taken from the wild One-77 while the body panels are constructed from carbon fiber. Power is now way up compared to the prior version, with output rated at 575 hp and 640 Nm of torque. The best upgrade, however, was the move to a ZF transaxle. This unlocked higher top speeds, quicker 0-100 kph blasts and major improvements in overall ride quality. Aston Martin launched the current Vanquish in 2024. The car takes the design language from its predecessors and translates it for the modern day. You have the familiar grille made larger to allow for greater airflow, while the hood strakes flow towards the nose. Power now arrives via a twin-turbocharged 5.2-liter V12. The output is truly immense: 835 hp and 1.000 Nm of torque. The current Vanquish is very nearly a supercar just wearing a bespoke suit. When it first launched, the current Vanquish was the fastest Aston Martin series production car ever built. The top speed was listed at 343 kph.
Aston Martin historian Steve Waddingham says, “Look up the word ‘vanquish,’ and you will find it has, in my opinion, one of the best dictionary definitions in the English language. Terms such as ‘conquer’ and ‘overwhelm’ pop up as synonyms and that, broadly speaking, is what the first Aston Martin to bear the now legendary name set out to do; both in terms of its competitors, and in the hearts and minds of buyers”. +++
+++ Last July, the Volkswagen Group announced it would delay launching CUPRA in the United States. It was supposed to arrive by 2030 with a range of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure gas cars, but “ongoing challenges” and “evolving market dynamics” forced the automaker to postpone those plans. It hasn’t outright canceled them, though. In an interview, Cecilia Taieb, Cupra’s global head of communications, said: “We are putting on hold when we are going to be there”. She didn’t provide a timeline as to when that could happen, but the brand is still eager to enter the American market. Cupra’s CEO, Markus Haupt, told it will reevaluate entering the US “when things stabilize a little bit” in the geopolitical sphere. In the meantime, it is working to expand its presence in the Middle East. Its US expansion is something the brand “can use in the future”. Cupra got as far as announcing in early 2025 that it would open as many as 20 showrooms. A few months later, it announced it would postpone its launch in the United States. +++
+++ DENZA has released the first image of its new flagship sports car ahead of its unveiling at this summer’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Part of a tie-up with long-time James Bond actor Daniel Craig, it shows the production-ready coupé largely remains faithful to the Z concept from last year’s Shanghai motor show. It’s expected to serve as the crown atop the Chinese premium brand’s line-up when launched in Europe, positioned above the Z9 GT shooting brake, D9 MPV and B5 SUV. Technical details of the Z remain thin on the ground, but Denza said it has steer-by-wire technology, magnetorheological suspension and a driver-focused, tech-heavy cockpit that majors on advanced technology. Features likely to be carried over from the Z9 GT include the ability to ‘crab walk’ and ’tank turn’, and it’s possible the Z could take that car’s tri-motor electric powertrain and ramp up output beyond its 968 hp. Shortly after the concept’s unveiling, prototypes of the production car were spotted at the Nürburgring, sparking speculation that a lap record attempt and possibly a European launch were on the cards.
BYD executive vice-president Stella Li previously confirmed that it will come to Europe. Asked if the Z could play an important role as a brand-building halo model for Denza in Europe, Li replied: “We’d like to invite you to Goodwood”, before confirming the car would be displayed there in July and then head to showrooms. The concept is called the Z, but Li said the final name for the production car remains “confidential” and could be different. It will play an important role in cementing Denza’s premium and performance credentials in Europe, with Li touting the brand’s emphasis on technical capability as an edge over established marques. “If you think about other brands, when they launch a new premium car, they just make the engine more powerful and the interior design more emotional; there is no fundamental revolution”, she said. By contrast, Li touted the Z9’s ability to tank-turn, drift, drive semi-autonomously, accelerate from 0-100 kph in 2.7 seconds and ‘flash charge’ at super-high speed as testament to Denza’s technical superiority, which will be a key marketing pillar for the brand. “This is using technology to really redefine elegance”, she said. “For an emotional connection, this is what we have. We will make people say ’this is the car I really want to try’ “. +++
+++ LAMBORGHINI has never had a massive lineup, but in only the past few years, the range has grown. It’s been nearly a decade since the automaker added the Urus, its first high-powered SUV, and now the company’s CEO wants another type of product in the portfolio: a Grand Touring car. In an interview, Stephan Winkelmann, Lambo’s head honcho, said, “What is missing is a grand touring car. A two-door 2+2”. Winkelmann said he’s not interested in adding another SUV or even a sedan to the Lamborghini lineup. The brand’s first electric vehicle, the Lanzador, was supposed to be a 2-door 2+2 grand tourer, but the automaker reportedly canceled it. That said, the Lanzador could still swap its EV powertrain for a hybrid one instead. Last year, Winkelmann suggested that the Lanzador might ditch its electric powertrain in favor of a plug-in hybrid due to changing market conditions. At the time, he said it was “still very open” as to which powertrain the car would get. That decision has now been made (Presumably the same as Bentley and Porsche are using), and the hybrid version should join the Lamborghini line-up before the end of the decade. +++
+++ MAZDA already has a robust lineup of SUVs, from the compact CX-30 all the way up to the 3-row CX-80. One thing the Japanese automaker doesn’t have? An off-roader, or more accurately, a soft-roader akin to some of its competitors. That said, the company isn’t ruling out the idea entirely. In an interview, Koichiro Yamaguchi, program manager for the CX-5, acknowledged that Mazda lacks a truly rugged SUV. That said, he did say that the company is open to exploring the concept if there’s enough customer interest. “I like to monitor customer feedback very carefully”, Yamaguchi said. “We want to hear from customers and listen closely to what the market is asking for”. While that’s far from a confirmation that a rugged CX-5 is in development, it does show Mazda is at least considering the possibility. Yamaguchi also noted that the CX-5’s advanced all-wheel-drive system would be a perfect fit for a more off-road-oriented model. A ruggedized CX-5 would fit right in with today’s competition. These models aren’t hardcore off-roaders, of course. Most come with extra cladding, slight suspension lifts, and a few off-road-focused accessories to enhance their look and light-duty capability. Still, a similar variant for the CX-5 could broaden its appeal without straying far from its strengths. Not that Mazda needs the help. The company sold more than 136.000 CX-5s in 2025, a 1.7 percent increase over the previous year. Since its debut in 2011, over 5 million units have been sold, making it Mazda’s most successful SUV to date. +++
+++ The official debut of the VOLKSWAGEN ID.CROSS , the German automaker’s new small SUV, is getting closer, with its launch set for fall 2026. So far, we’ve only seen it as a concept; last week, it appeared in near-production form, but (following a now well-established Volkswagen Group practice) still wearing camouflage. This model is an important piece of Wolfsburg’s EV strategy and slots into the subcompact (B-segment) SUV category, one of the most popular segments in Europe. Here’s everything I know so far.
The Volkswagen ID.Cross is essentially the electric counterpart to the T-Cross and has similar dimensions. The big difference is the platform: the ID.Cross is built on MEB+, like the ID.Polo and the Group’s upcoming small EVs, which gives it generous interior space. The Volkswagen ID.Cross interior hasn’t been fully revealed yet, but I already know quite a bit: the instrument cluster is digital, measures 10.3 inches, and can also display a “retro” layout inspired by the first Golf from the 1980s. In the center, there’s a 12.9 inch touchscreen for infotainment and all the small SUV’s functions, running new software. In short, it’s largely what we’ve already seen on the ID.Polo. From a technical standpoint, the Volkswagen ID.Cross is based on the MEB+ platform, which (unlike the MEB used by the ID.3, which will be renamed ID.3 Neo with its facelift) features a front-wheel-drive layout as standard. The main component is the APP290 electric motor offered in 3 power outputs: 116 horsepower, 136 hp, and 212 hp, paired with 37 or 52 kWh battery packs. The smaller one uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistry and is rated for 294 km of range; the larger pack uses nickel-manganese-cobalt cells with higher energy density and a claimed range of up to 440 km on a charge. As for charging, DC fast charging tops out at 105.0 kilowatts (90.0 kilowatts for the LFP) with charging times between 24 and 27 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent. Vehicle-to-Load is also included, allowing external devices to be powered with a maximum output of 3.6 kW. As mentioned, the Volkswagen ID.Cross will arrive in Europe in the fall with a starting price around €29.000 in the Netherlands and in 3 trims: Trend, Life and Style. The Trend trim will include 90 kW DC fast charging as standard, while Life adds 18 inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control and adaptive cruise control. Style brings Matrix headlights, a front led light bar, 3D taillights, illuminated Volkswagen logos, unique interior customization and Keyless Access. Among the driver-assistance systems, a new generation of Travel Assist will debut, called “Connected Travel Assist”. It can use data from other vehicles and detect traffic lights and stop signs, automatically applying the brakes when needed. +++
+++ VOLVO has converted its smallest car, the EX30, into a load-hauling van, and it can be had with the passenger version’s 429 hp dual-motor powertrain. Named the EX30 Cargo, it has been designed for business use and is available exclusively through Volvo UK’s fleet sales channels, rather than at dealers.
It loses the regular EX30’s rear seats in favour of a flat-floored cargo bay, which also brings unique door cards and panelling through the compartment to maximise load space. To that end, its cargo capacity is improved to 1.000 litres, up from 318 litres in a normal EX30 with its seats up, and it can carry up to 390 kg at a time.
The rear doors open wider than on a regular EX30 to allow easier access to its cargo bay and there are a range of attachment points for securing smaller loads. The rear windows are tinted to help hide the cargo from the outside too. The Cargo conversion can be applied to the EX30 in a choice of 3 trims: Core, Plus and the high-riding Cross Country Plus, and 4 powertrains, with outputs ranging from 150 bhp to 429 hp. The latter output gives the passenger version a 0-100 kph time of 3.6 seconds, so the van should also have the pace to trouble thoroughbred sports cars. “While we are best known for our passenger vehicles, we recognise that business owners and fleets also want the quality, safety and technology that Volvo is renowned for in a compact commercial vehicle too, which is why we created the extremely practical EX30 Cargo”, said Jack Munford, Volvo UK’s head of fleet. +++