CONFIDENTIAL

GOSSIP | RUMOURS | TRENDS

THE FORTHCOMING Jaguar F-type-based Lister Thunder has been renamed the LFP-666 to fit the firm’s new naming strategy. Rather than being named in honour of the Beast, the number refers to the 666bhp produced by the car’s supercharged 5.0-litre V8. Just 99 examples of the LFP-666 will be offered.

DESIGN ELEMENTS OF the upcoming Mini Electric production car will ensure it stands out from the firm’s ‘standard’ offerings, according to design chief Oliver Heilmer. These include the wheels and grille, likely to be carried over from the concept version. But Heilmer said such styling elements might not feature on future Mini EVS: “In five or six years, we might not need these differentiators because it will be another standard Mini.”

PORSCHE UK BOSS Alexander Pollich has acknowledged the role of rival Tesla in moving the electric market forward. He said: “It has been the pioneer and it has set a big challenge. At Porsche, we are planning to rise to that challenge, not just with our car [the Taycan] but in providing owners with the full 360-degree view to allow seamless ownership, including creating a supercharger network.”

THE PRODUCTION version of Skoda’s Vision E will not look nearly as rugged as the Kodiaq, its SUV sibling. “It is purposefully not boxy,” said Skoda designer Karl Neuman, who wanted to show the car’s ‘fluidity’ yet keep the practicality associated with SUVS.