As the year heads on towards the colder months, the month of September typically offers a final glimpse of summer coinciding the SMMT regional test days. With the latter giving members a final chance to get together to test some cars ahead of our New Year Honours awards.
As usual, the SGMW members have been as busy as ever throughout the month, and there’s a newcomer making their first appearance in these hallowed pages along with plenty of social hilarity.
Read on for the highlights of what the SGMW got up to in September 2024.
SGMW Car Launch Watch: Reborn special editions, the never ending XC90, and much horsepower
Kickstarting September was a familiar face, the ‘new’ Volvo XC90, a model that’s been around for nearly a decade and is now on it’s third facelift. Meanwhile in other facelift news, a few younger cars got an update too, with revised versions of the Kia EV6, Audi Q5, and the Honda HR-V all breaking cover last month.
In cars that are actually new, there was plenty of news as well. The new Nissan Patrol is worthy of a mention, mainly because it has a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine which we won’t get in the UK. In fast car news, the wild Ginetta Akula also made its debut last month, a model that produces ‘only’ 600bhp.
Not to be outdone, Hennessey well and truly won the power figures battle for September with the new Venom F5-M Roadster; a ridiculous hypercar that produces 1,817bhp. Not only is it rather powerful, it also allows owners to row their own gears as it gets a manual gearbox along with a removable roof panel. Yikes.
Lastly, we have to mention the Volkswagen ID.3 Fire+Ice. If you’re not familiar with this nameplate, you’ll need to head back to Germany in 1990, when it was first used on a special edition purple Golf Mk2. Is it cool? Possibly, but not as cool as the brand’s mid-90s special edition naming strategy that involved rock bands such as the Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. Something we’d like to see VW do with the ID.3. After all, an all-black ‘ID.3 AC/DC Special Edition’ would win all the plaudits from us for both the name and the colour scheme.
SGMW Test Drives Watch: Affordable new cars show their talents while a new era of expensive cars begins
The month started substantially with the reviews of the new Volvo EX90, a car that has quietly ushered in the era of the six-figure Volvo. What a time to be alive.
There was also Bentley, who decided to launch the new Continental GT and Flying Spur in Switzerland—as we didn’t expect them to launch it in Birmingham after all. Journos also got to drive the new Ferrari 12Cilindri, a model that starts at £336,500 before options.
In the world of cars that don’t cost six-figures, the new Dacia Duster proves that cheap can still be very good, while the facelifted Citroen C5 Aircross scored well enough with reviewers stating it didn’t really fix the issues with the old car.
Finally, the updated Volkswagen Golf was deemed less annoying to live with, but still not really at the top of its class. While the new Kia EV3 fared far better, with testers full of praise for its design and packaging, lauding it as a model that’s a big step forward for the brand.
2024 Kia Drive Day:
Last month, the SGMW were hosted by the Kia UK team for a drive day and an overnight stay at the Vineyard Hotel in Newbury. There was a strong turnout for the day, which resulted in over 1,000 miles being driven on the brand’s newest models, which included the EV9 and Niro, as well as facelifted versions of the Sorento and Picanto.
To read the full report, go here.
Southern Group SMMT Test Day South:
Ahead of the group’s New Year Honours awards, members descended on the SMMT Test Day South to take in some test drives. There was also a new venue, with the event being held at Thruxton Circuit, and a new test route.
A varied array of brands had their latest models available to test on the day, including Lotus, Maserati, Ford, MG, and newcomers BYD.
You can read the full report here.
SGMW web watch:
I loved driving my ‘dream’ 1977 Ford Capri, but the hysteria over the new EV version is unjustified – Jim McGill
In coupe-related news, Jim McGill muses over why he loved the old Capri and why people need to be calmer about the new one.
Read the full story on The Scotsman here
Volkswagen Golf GTI 2024 review: The end of an era – Tim Pitt
It’s true, the new Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf GTI will be the last one. Tim Pitt drives the new model to see if it goes out on a high.
Read the full review on City A.M. here
Maxus Unveils eTerron 9 Electric Pickup but Low Payload Limits Commercial Appeal – Phil Huff
Maxus has unveiled the latest contender in the electric pickup market – a model packed with innovative features – including seats that fold flat to create a sleeping area. Phil Huff runs through the details for Professional Pickup.
Read the Professional Pickup Article here
10 Terrible Versions Of Amazing Cars – Phill Tromans
In order to create an amazing car, there’s a chance there may have been a few terrible ones along the way. VW Golf Mk4 anyone? Phill Tromans runs through his picks for the worst versions of great cars.
Read the Car Throttle article here
How Does The Ferrari 550 Maranello Hold Up Almost 30 Years Later? – Trinity Francis
The Ferrari 550 Maranello is heralded as one of the greatest models ever to come out of Modena. But how does it stack up three decades later? Trinity Francis puts one to the test to find out.
SGMW Social Watch:
Chris Rees spots a street-parked Dallara Stradale. ‘Senza tetto, senza parabrezza, nessun problema’ (No roof, no windscreen, no problem) as they say in Italy.
Tim Pitt drives a very brown Bentley Continental GT to the mountains before stopping to take a picture.
Most of us like to chill with a coffee and a bacon sarnie on a Saturday morning. Not Trinity Francis, though, who wakes up to drive single seater race cars.
