Tag Archives: UK

News

Fiat Grande Panda UK Launch Slips to March 2026 as LHD Demand Surges

Fiat’s retro-styled Grande Panda was supposed to be the brand’s comeback kid—a cheerful, upright supermini with just enough rugged attitude to remind everyone why the original Panda became a cult icon. But UK buyers will have to sit tight a little longer. A lot longer, actually.

Originally slated for UK delivery in April 2025, the Grande Panda has now been pushed back nearly a full year, with customer cars not expected until March 2026. The culprit? Not software gremlins, not factory shutdowns—just plain old demand. Except it’s not British demand.

According to Fiat, left-hand-drive markets across Europe are snapping up the little crossover so quickly that production capacity for right-hand-drive models has been squeezed. A company spokesperson told Autocar that the car is enjoying “significant demand” on the continent, forcing the planned UK production start to slide.

It’s a frustrating turn for British customers who watched the mechanically related Citroën C3 roll into showrooms right on schedule back in April. Many were updated on the Panda delay through a direct email from Fiat, confirming that deliveries are now pushed almost 11 months beyond the initial target.

A Sales Bright Spot for Fiat

The bottleneck is a headache for UK buyers, but for Fiat, the Grande Panda is shaping up to be the right car at exactly the right moment. After retiring the petrol-powered 500 in August 2024—a move expected to ding overall volume—the brand has actually managed to climb in EU sales. Between January and October 2025, Fiat registered 21,291 cars, up from 17,630 in the same stretch of 2024.

That growth suggests the Grande Panda hasn’t just cushioned the loss of the old 500—it’s pulling more weight than the brand expected. The configurator in the UK has been live for months, and Fiat has already tweaked the trim walk, replacing the base Red model with a new Pop grade to simplify the range.

Powertrains and Pricing

When it finally arrives, the Grande Panda will offer two flavors:

  • a hybrid, starting at £18,995
  • an electric model, from £20,995

Both sit in the sweet spot of the affordable small-car market—a segment rapidly shrinking as costs climb and rivals go premium or go home.

A Hint of Ruggedness to Come

Fiat isn’t stopping there. A chunkier 4×4-inspired version is on the table, previewed by a concept shown to media in May. If greenlit, it’s expected to pair the existing hybrid system with a modest electric motor on the rear axle, giving the Panda part-time all-wheel drive for slippery situations. Production hasn’t been confirmed, but insiders expect it to land before the end of 2026.

For now, though, UK shoppers are left watching European drivers enjoy a car that was supposed to bring some spark back to Fiat’s British showrooms. The Grande Panda still looks like one of the most promising affordable cars headed this way—but patience, it seems, will be a required option.

Source: Autocar

News

UK Government Poised to Supercharge EV Grant as Demand Surges Past Expectations

Just a few months after launching the Electric Car Grant (ECG), the UK government is already preparing to pump in significantly more cash—because drivers are devouring the funds far faster than expected.

Since the ECG’s introduction in July, the Department for Transport says more than 35,000 buyers have claimed the grant. Even at the scheme’s baseline £1,500 discount, that’s £52.5 million already gone. And that’s the minimum figure: certain models, including the Ford Puma Gen-E, qualify for a beefier £3,750 “Band 1” incentive, pushing the total payout even higher.

That early spending spree represents more than 8% of the original £650 million pot—burned through in just a couple of months. At this pace, the grant’s war chest could be empty by late 2027 or early 2028, well ahead of the original March 2029 projection. And that estimate doesn’t even account for rising EV demand, which every major market analyst expects to continue climbing.

To keep the momentum going, the government is now expected to inject a massive £1.3 billion into the scheme—effectively tripling its staying power. Insiders say this move may soften the political blow of the long-rumoured pay-per-mile road tax announcement anticipated in Wednesday’s Budget.

What’s less clear is how the government wants this money to work. Will it simply allow more buyers to benefit under the current rules? Or is the Treasury considering a broader overhaul—perhaps by raising the price cap to allow more models to qualify? If the additional £1.3 billion were spent entirely at the lower £1,500 rate, the ECG could theoretically support more than 371,000 vehicles.

Industry voices are already weighing in. Delvin Lane, CEO of charging-network operator InstaVolt, praised the move:
“It’s great to see the Government stepping up investment in electric vehicles and charging. These signals genuinely move the market, and we’re already seeing the impact on driver confidence.”

But not everyone believes money alone is the key. Tanya Sinclair, CEO of the advocacy group Electric Vehicles UK, points to the need for policy consistency:
“Not every incentive needs to be fiscal. The government’s priority should now be a joined-up approach to vehicle taxation and incentives that give drivers confidence.”

The takeaway? Demand for EVs in the UK is rising sharply, and consumers are voting with their wallets faster than Westminster anticipated. The upcoming Budget will reveal whether the government intends to merely keep pace—or attempt to steer the EV market’s next phase with a broader set of policy tools.

Either way, with charging networks growing, consumer interest rising, and incentives set to expand, the UK’s electric transition looks ready for another surge.

Source: Auto Express

News

MG Pauses the Next-Gen MG 4 EV for the UK—A Facelift Is Coming Instead

MG Motor UK is hitting the brakes on the fully redesigned, second-generation MG 4 EV—at least for now. Instead, the brand will double down on what’s already working, rolling out a comprehensive facelift of the current MG 4, a car that’s become one of Britain’s quiet electric success stories.

The move marks a rare split in strategy between the UK arm of the SAIC-owned brand and its home market. China already received the all-new MG 4 back in March, riding on a next-generation EV platform and switching from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive. It’s 100mm longer, sports a Cyberster-inspired design, and packs a more modern cabin aligned with the newer S5 EV crossover. On paper, it looks like a clean-sheet sequel.

And when that Chinese-market design passed through European approval channels, it seemed like a sure thing the UK would get it. That’s usually how the playbook goes.

But MG Motor UK boss David Allison says the company is sticking with the original MG 4 for now—just giving it a proper refresh rather than swapping it for the new generation. “The 4 is now our oldest car, so it’s due a facelift, which will happen relatively soon,” he told Autocar.

Why the hesitation? Because the current MG 4 hasn’t just been successful—it’s been a smash hit. The rear-drive hatchback has carved out a loyal following by blending value, sharp dynamics, and usable range in a package that undercuts most competitors. In other words, the formula isn’t broken here, so MG isn’t rushing to fix it.

Meanwhile, the story is very different in China. There, the domestic-market 4 hasn’t had the same staying power, prompting SAIC to fast-track the next-generation model. “They have changed the car quite quickly,” Allison said, contrasting the two markets.

That doesn’t mean the UK will never see the newer platform. Allison confirmed that MG UK is positioned to adopt the next-gen architecture when it aligns with future model cycles: “It’s the next-generation platform, so for the next evolution or the next generation of EVs, that’s the platform we would get.”

As for timing? That’s still up in the air. “If it’s decided and we think there is an opportunity for that kind of car, we will certainly take it,” he added.

For now, MG loyalists can expect a refreshed version of one of the UK’s best-value EVs rather than a ground-up redesign. And given how well the MG 4 has resonated here, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The UK market gets stability—and a car that’s already proven itself—while MG buys time to roll out the next generation when the moment is right.

Source: Autocar