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Design Essay: BMW i – Setting the industry agenda for the next decade

Many have already dismissed BMW i as a radical experiment too far ahead of its time, but looking beyond the glossy carbon fiber facade reveals three ways it will change the automotive landscape during the next decade: 1. Re-define the EV category Despite Tesla, Nissan, GM, Renault and Toyota all operating in the EV space, global sales in 2012 totaled just 54,000. Many put this down to high-cost and range anxiety, but another key factor is nearly always overlooked.

Vauxhall Ampera price cut by £3,500

The Vauxhall Ampera (pictured) drops in price by £3500 Although we still feel the range-extender is the right way for car makers to go to get the car buying public to accept EVs, the range-extender Vauxhall Ampera has not exactly been a runaway success. Despite Vauxhall offering potential Ampera buyers the option of trying it for 30 days and handing it back if they don’t like it, the Ampera has failed miserably to sell in any sort of volume. So, with new competition on the way from the range-extender BMW i3, Vauxhall are taking drastic action to try and tempt buyers in to the Ampera and are slashing prices by £3,500.

Lexus CT 200h F Sport arrives in the UK. Starts at £27,850.

Lexus CT 200h F Sport arrives in the UK It’s been a whole year since the Lexus CT 200h F-Sport hoved in to view with its add-on sporty bits and bobs, and now it’s finally arrived in the UK. In case you didn’t read the headline properly – or the original story – the CT 200h F-Sport isn’t a fire-breathing ‘F’ version of the Lexus take on the Prius, but is instead a ‘sportified’ version, with add on bits and a tweaked suspension. But despite the lack of extra horses, the CT 200h F-Sport does go part of the way to addressing the problems of the CT 200h.