The Gassing Station

The new BMW i3 has landed. Can it hold its own against the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Electric? Time to find out.

Sam’s also driven the new electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, while this week’s buying challenge aims to find a car for grandma with a PH-y twist.

🏎️ Sell your car on PistonHeads auctions: https://www.pistonheads.com/sell/auctions

Chapters:
0:00 intro
0:25 Yangwang record
7:20 BMW i3 review
29:23 Cars for grandma challenge
48:44 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door review

TOPICS:
Yangwang top speed record: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/electric-vehicles/yangwang-u9-extreme-goes-ludicrous-speed/51874
BMW i3 review: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-driven/2027-bmw-i3-50-xdrive-m-sport-ph-review/51889
Car shopping for grandma: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=255&t=2152614
Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door review: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-driven/mercedes-amg-gt-4-door-coupe-ph-review/51869 

Sam’s Cars:
Dacia Spring https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21096438
Renault Clio E-Tech https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20624009
Mercedes CLK230 Cab https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20144643

Cam’s Cars: 
Mazda MX-30: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20987092
Suzuki Ignis: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20947325 
Golf GTI: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21089946

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You’ll know him as the man who walked away from a crash that left him lying unconscious on the tarmac during the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix, but there’s more to Martin Donnelly’s astonishing career than that fateful day at Jerez. Born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Donnelly was taken under the wing of Eddie Jordan early in his career, rising up the ranks through Formula 3 and Formula 3000 before landing a seat in Formula 1. He’d race for Arrows at the tail end of 1989 before landing a full-time drive with Lotus in the glorious-sounding but woefully-slow Type 102, which was powered by a Lamborghini V12. His career would come to a grinding halt at that year’s Spanish Grand Prix in a crash so shocking it would service as the basis for 2024’s F1 movie. With a book on the way, Donnelly joins us on The Gassing Station to talk about everything from vomiting in his race helmet on the way to victory in Macau to receiving gift baskets from his new best mate Brad Pitt.🏎️ Sell your car on PistonHeads auctions: https://www.pistonheads.com/sell/auctionsCHAPTERS:0:00 Intro0:44 Is Martin a car enthusiast?6:11 Thoughts on modern F112:58 How Martin got into racing19:0 Working with Eddie Jordan27:25 Winning Macau with a hangover38:14 Formula 3000 with EJ49:00 Group C1:02:59 That crash in Jerez1:06:17 The call from Lewis Hamilton…FOLLOW US: 🗣 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pistonheads 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pistonheads 🐦 X: https://twitter.com/pistonheads

It may not look all that different to the old car, but the last combustion-only Mercedes C-Class has been heavily updated for 2027. But is it enough to take on the BMW’s overhauled 3 Series?Both combustion versions start on an even footing, as they’re actually based on their predecessor’s platforms while the EV alternatives get their very own architecture. But that’s where the similarities end, as the new 3 Series gets all-new looks, an all-new interior and, crucially, a straight-six at the top of the range. The Mercedes, meanwhile, still resembles the car that came before, but it’s been refined to the nth degree. Can it take on the might from Munich? Sam Sheehan’s driven it to find out. Meanwhile, one PHer is looking for a seven seater for £6,000 (though we’ve upped the budget to £7k because it sounds better) and there’s the small matter of a flying Tesla Roadster that took the internet by storm for all of five minutes. Chapters:0:00 Intro00:17 Fleet update11:30 2027 Mercedes-Benz C-Class review (the combustion one)34:19 7 seaters for £7,00051:28 so the Tesla Roadster can fly…TOPICS:Mercedes-Benz C-Class review: 7 seaters for £7k (ish): https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=255&t=2150928 Tesla Roadster: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/electric-vehicles/of-course-the-new-tesla-roadster-can-fly/51794 CARS:Cam:Audi Q7: www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20218912Mercedes GL: www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20932855 Seat Alhambra: www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20841265 Sam:One-owner Disco 3, 79k miles https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21009787One-owner 39k miles (!) Ford S-Max https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20961310BMW X5 40d https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21079846FOLLOW US: 🗣 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pistonheads 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pistonheads 🐦 X: https://twitter.com/pistonheads

Both production versions are now out, and the public reaction could not be more different. Which ultra-controversial luxury EV did it best?

You’d think if anyone could pull off an EV, it’d be Ferrari. A company that has been knocking out hit after hit for decades, and enlisted the help of Sir Jony Ive, designer of the iPhone and many other earth-shattering Apple products, to pen the looks. But after a seismic rebrand that garnered the world’s attention and split enthusiasts right down the middle, Jaguar’s new Type-01 electric car looks to have actually won over some of the naysayers, while the Ferrari Luce remains just as controversial now as it did during its unveiling back in May. We’ve seen both in the metal here at PistonHeads, and we have some opinions…

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
5:38 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door SUV
11:14 Jaguar Type-01 vs Ferrari Luce
36:30 £40k fast SUV challenge
51:13 Has PH been won over by the Type-01 and Luce?

TOPICS:
Jaguar Type-01: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-britishcars/production-jaguar-type-01-is-officially-here/51759
Ferrari Luce: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/blog/seeing-things-in-a-different-luce--ph-footnote/51748 
Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door SUV: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/electric-vehicles/new-1169hp-mercedes-amg-gt-gunning-for-cayenne/51799 
£40k fast SUV challenge: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=255&t=2151036

CARS:
Cam’s Mercedes-AMG GLE 63: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21185503
Cam’s Alfa Romeo Stelvio: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20936327
Cam’s Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20830443 

Sam’s: Audi RS Q3: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20899282 
Sam’s Porsche Macan GTS: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20997318
Sam’s Bentley W12: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21064426

You can’t blame Renault for doing a good job with the R5, nor can you blame them for following it up with the R4, the Turbo 3E and rebooted Twingo. But now everyone wants a piece of the action, and it’s getting a bit much…

For instance, this year’s Paris Motor Show, Peugeot unveiled an electric e-T16 to preview the next e-208 and, presumably, go up against the aforementioned Turbo 3E, alongside a revived, all-electric version of the RCZ. Vauxhall, meanwhile, showed off its retro-style STX Concept in all its bread van glory, while Citroen has finally brought back the 2CV as an ‘affordable’ electric car. Even Alpine’s going all retro again with its A310 2+2 concept. At least Alfa Romeo is going against the grain with its Cuorerosso packing a fresh look at V6 power. Granted, there have been no stinkers from a busy Paris show so far, but are we getting tired of all these retro EVs? 

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:18 Elfyn Evans is a WRC champion at last!
8:23 Paris Motor Show highlights
38:44 Sports cars for all budgets 
56:50 Have we had enough of these retro EVs?

TOPICS:
Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-italian-cars/alfa-back-in-v6-business-with-stunning-cuorerosso/51777
Citroen electric 2CV: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/electric-vehicles/citroen-confirms-new-electric-2-cv-for-2028/51773
Alpine A310 concept: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-eurocars/alpine-resurrects-major-icon-with-a310-vision/51778
Peugeot e-t16: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/electric-vehicles/wild-816hp-e-t16-hints-at-hot-peugeot-future/51775
Vauxhall STX Concept: https://www.pistonheads.com/news/electric-vehicles/striking-stx-concept-previews-vauxhall-ev-future/51772
Best sports cars for very specific circumstances: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=255&t=2151581 

CARS:
Cam’s TVR Tuscan S: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20655256
Cam’s BMW M3: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21177841 
Cam’s Alfa Romeo GTV: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20552046 

Sam’s Honda NSX: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/17885318 
Sam’s Renaultsport Megane R26.R: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20814199
Sam’s Toyota MR2: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/21031780 

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