CAR TALK
CHEVY’S ELECTRIC OFFERING
Chevrolet’s extended range EV Volt will cost £28,545 (including £5,000 government grant) when it arrives in early 2012. Thanks to its E-REV powertrain, the car has an electric-only range of 50 miles after which an on-board generator kicks in to prevent the battery going flat. This means you could commute using electric power only during the week then head off out of London for the weekend without worrying about running out of juice.
ELECTRIC SUPER-POWER
Europe’s fastest electric vehicle, the Bluebird Electric, will be on show at London’s green motor festival EcoVelocity. The car will be driven by land speed record breaker Don Wales (grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE) and will be on show in the Green Supercar Paddock. The event takes place between 8-11 September at Battersea Power Station and visitors will be able to test drive the latest low-carbon cars and motorcycles.
CABRIOLET IS BACK – AND BETTER
Can you believe it’s been nine years since VW last sold a Golf Cabriolet? Well now it’s back with a retro fabric roof, just like the original. Priced from £20,720, the two-door, four-seater comes with a choice of three engines – 1.2-litre (105 PS) and 1.4-litre (160 PS) petrol options and a 1.6-litre diesel (105 PS). And thanks to the fabric roof there’s 250 litres of available boot space even with the roof down.