Category Archives: NEW CARS

NEW CARS

Dacia Turns the Page: Fresh Faces, Hybrid Muscle, and a Glimpse Into the Affordable EV Future

The best-selling car in Europe just got a shot of espresso. Dacia, the Romanian brand long celebrated for its no-nonsense value and rugged simplicity, has unveiled a refreshed lineup that makes its family of budget heroes more appealing than ever. The Sandero, Jogger, and Logan arrive with bold styling updates, smarter interiors, and powertrains that push the brand deeper into the hybrid and dual-fuel era — while the Spring EV and an eye-catching concept called Hipster hint at where Dacia’s electric future is heading.

A Sharper Look, a Smarter Cabin

At first glance, the facelifted Sandero, Jogger, and Logan wear a cleaner, more modern face. The new LED headlights adopt a striking inverted “T” signature — think Scandinavian minimalism meets Balkan toughness — while a subtly reshaped grille gives the trio a broader, more planted stance.

Inside, the upgrade feels surprisingly upscale for Dacia territory. The central touchscreen grows from 8 to 10 inches, bringing the infotainment game closer to mainstream European rivals. There’s even wireless phone charging — a first for these models — and higher-quality textiles, including durable denim-inspired upholstery in a new Amber Yellow interior color scheme.

Bigster Tech, Bigger Ambitions

The biggest change, however, lies beneath the hood. Dacia’s new Hybrid 155 powertrain — borrowed from the upcoming Bigster SUV — mates a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with two electric motors for a total of 155 horsepower. It’s the most powerful drivetrain ever fitted to a Sandero, promising brisker acceleration and lower fuel consumption without abandoning Dacia’s pragmatic DNA.

For those who prefer their savings at the pump, the new Eco-G 120 dual-fuel engine is an equally intriguing proposition. The 1.2-liter unit runs on both gasoline and LPG, cranking out 120 horsepower — a healthy bump over the outgoing model — and, for the first time, pairs with a 6-speed automatic transmission complete with paddle shifters. Thanks to a larger 49.6-liter LPG tank, total range now stretches up to a remarkable 1,590 kilometers between fill-ups.

Even the entry-level TCe engine gets a bump from 90 to 100 hp, keeping things lively for budget-conscious buyers.

Safety, Smarts, and Substance

Dacia’s latest models also take a meaningful leap in safety tech. The suite now includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist detection — features that were once unthinkable in Dacia’s bargain-bin past. It’s another sign that the brand is growing up without losing its cost-conscious roots.

Spring Recharged: A Better, Bolder EV

Dacia’s pint-sized EV, the Spring, has quietly become a European success story, moving nearly 180,000 units since 2021. Now, it gets its most comprehensive update yet.

Underneath, there’s a brand-new 24.3 kWh LFP battery — a first for the Renault Group — promising up to 225 kilometers of range and improved longevity. A more balanced chassis layout and new suspension tuning make it feel less like a city-only runabout and more like a confident urban commuter.

Charging speed also sees a welcome boost: a 40 kW fast charger (up from 30 kW) now juices the battery from 20 to 80 percent in just 29 minutes, while the standard 7 kW AC option remains.

The Spring’s tiny electric motors are gone, replaced by stronger 70- and 100-hp versions. The 70-hp Essential and Expression trims now deliver 20 percent more torque, while the 100-hp Extreme trim sprints from 0–100 km/h in 6.9 seconds — not bad for a car that barely tips the scales at one metric ton.

Inside, the EV adds a 7-inch digital instrument cluster as standard, with a larger 10.1-inch infotainment screen available optionally. Handling gets sharper, too, thanks to a new anti-roll bar and upgraded dampers.

Hipster Concept: The Future of Frugal

Then there’s the Dacia Hipster, a tiny electric concept that might just redefine what “cheap and cheerful” means in the next decade. At only 3.0 meters long, 1.55 wide, and 1.52 high, it’s shorter than a Fiat 500 but cleverly packaged to seat four adults.

Its interior oozes minimalist creativity: vertical glass surfaces make the cabin feel airy, while the front seats form a single bench in a retro nod to classic compacts. Instead of a bulky infotainment system, your smartphone becomes the car’s brain, functioning as the key, screen, and even sound system via a detachable speaker.

The YouClip system — 11 customizable mounts for accessories — reinforces Dacia’s “make it your way” philosophy. And the luggage space? A surprisingly flexible 70 to 500 liters, enough for a washing machine when the seats fold down.

Built with sustainable Starkle plastic (20% recycled content) and weighing 20% less than the Spring, the Hipster uses a 65-hp electric motor tuned for short urban hops. For most drivers, Dacia claims it’ll need charging only twice a week. Production isn’t confirmed yet, but the brand admits it’s “thinking about it if conditions are favorable.”

Dacia 2.0

With this wave of updates, Dacia is quietly transforming from Europe’s bargain basement brand into one of its smartest value propositions. The new Sandero Hybrid 155 brings real hybrid performance to the masses, the Eco-G 120 extends range anxiety into oblivion, and the Spring EV finally feels like a credible daily driver.

And if the cheeky little Hipster is any indication, the future of affordable motoring in Europe looks not just cheap — but clever, sustainable, and oddly cool.

Source: Dacia

NEW CARS

Encor Series 1: A Modern Resurrection of the Lotus Esprit

Half a century after the debut of the original Lotus Esprit, a new player wants to bring the wedge-shaped icon back to life. A company called Encor has announced that it will unveil the Encor Series 1 in November, a reborn Esprit that blends heritage with heavy-hitting modern tech—and a price tag that makes Ferrari’s configurator look like discount shopping.

A Familiar Shape, Reinvented

The Encor Series 1 takes its design cues from the Lotus Esprit Series 1 of 1976, Giorgetto Giugiaro’s angular masterpiece that turned up in The Spy Who Loved Me. But Encor isn’t starting from scratch. Instead, each car will begin life as a Lotus Esprit V8 Series 4, the last and most powerful generation of the model. From there, the donor is stripped to its bones and rebuilt with obsessive attention to detail.

Out goes the original fiberglass, in comes a full carbon-fiber body. Encor says the panels are computer-modeled for “millimeter precision” and optimized aerodynamics. The Series 1 will retain the Esprit’s trademark pop-up headlights, now modernized and flanked by extra LED lighting. The result should look like a greatest-hits Esprit remix—retro in silhouette, cutting-edge in execution.

A Heart Rebuilt for Today

Powering the reborn Esprit is a thoroughly reengineered version of the original car’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V8. Encor promises significant improvements in both performance and day-to-day usability, though horsepower figures haven’t been disclosed. Considering the donor Esprit V8 made 350 hp back in the late ’90s, expect a healthy bump closer to today’s supercar territory.

Inside: Bond Never Had It This Good

Forget the cramped, minimalist cabins of old. The Encor Series 1’s interior will be swathed in leather, Alcantara, and machined aluminum, with an emphasis on craftsmanship. But modern luxuries aren’t forgotten—Apple CarPlay, a 360-degree camera system, and a contemporary climate control unit will make the Esprit a far more livable machine than its famously finicky predecessor.

A Dream Team of Talent

Backing Encor’s project is a team of former engineers and craftsmen from some of the biggest names in the business: Pagani, Koenigsegg, Aston Martin, Porsche, and Lotus. Among them are specialists who worked on the Lotus Emira and the bespoke personalization programs at Q by Aston Martin and Lotus Advanced Performance. In other words, this isn’t just a tuner job—it’s a boutique coachbuilt revival with pedigree.

The Price of Nostalgia

Exclusivity won’t come cheap. The starting price is £430,000 (about $540,000 at today’s rates), and that figure excludes taxes, options, and even the donor Esprit V8 itself. In other words, you’ll need to source your own Esprit before Encor even begins its rebuild.

Why It Matters

The Lotus Esprit has long been a cult favorite—quirky, flawed, and brilliant in equal measure. By marrying the DNA of the Esprit with carbon fiber, modern electronics, and hand-built craftsmanship, Encor hopes to give the legend a second life. Whether the market is ready for a half-million-dollar boutique Esprit revival is another question. But for diehard fans of wedge-shaped nostalgia with modern-day reliability, the Encor Series 1 might just be the ultimate reborn Bond car.

Source: Encor

NEW CARS

2026 Polestar 3 Gets More Power, Faster Charging, and Up to 635 km of Range

Polestar is polishing its flagship EV SUV for the upcoming model year, and the updates go deeper than a new badge or a subtle tweak to the headlights. The Swedish brand’s three-row electric hauler, which shares its bones with the Volvo EX90, now packs more power across the lineup, a quicker-charging 800-volt system, and efficiency-minded software that helps it stretch range past 600 kilometers.

From 400 Volts to 800

The big news is the switch from the old 400-volt architecture to a cutting-edge 800-volt system. That’s not just a bragging point—real-world charging times should shrink dramatically. In Dual Motor trim, the 106.0-kWh pack can now handle up to 350-kilowatt charging, good enough to take the battery from 10 to 80 percent in just 22 minutes. Even the entry-level 92.0-kWh Rear Motor model isn’t left behind; it can gulp electrons at 310 kilowatts.

Powertrain Choices: One, Two, or Two Turned Up to Eleven

Polestar now offers the 3 in three distinct flavors:

  • Rear Motor – A single-motor, rear-drive setup with 333 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque. That’s up from 299 hp, and enough to push the SUV to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. Range clocks in at 604 kilometers (WLTP).
  • Dual Motor – Adding a front motor brings total output to 544 hp and 740 lb-ft, slashing the 0–100 km/h sprint to 4.7 seconds. It’s also the champ of the lineup when it comes to range, managing up to 635 kilometers per charge. To save juice, the system can decouple the front motor during low-demand cruising.
  • Performance – The wild one. Two motors working in concert for a stout 680 hp and 870 lb-ft. This version hurls the Polestar 3 to 100 km/h in under four seconds, yet still manages up to 593 kilometers of range.

Efficiency Meets Muscle

Despite the power hike, Polestar has clearly aimed to balance outright performance with long-haul usability. The brand claims that careful thermal management and the motor-shutoff strategy in Dual Motor and Performance trims play a big role in keeping range competitive, even with the uprated output.

Looking Ahead

The refreshed Polestar 3 is set to arrive next year, and while pricing hasn’t been announced yet, expect it to sit above today’s version thanks to its upgraded hardware and positioning. With rivals like the BMW iX and Tesla Model X in its sights, the Polestar 3 finally looks ready to deliver both the power and practicality luxury EV buyers demand.

Source: Polestar