![URBAN OUTWITTERS URBAN OUTWITTERS](https://cdn.magzter.com/1422869468/1727756216/articles/YQAjTHHnX1728369457454/URBAN-OUTWITTERS.jpg)
Friends, the death of the city car has not been greatly exaggerated. In the past couple of years Ford, Vauxhall, VW, Skoda, Seat, Peugeot, Renault - heck, even Smart - have all exited the scene.
The reasons aren't complicated. Tiny cars demand carefully managed prices to maintain their wafer thin margins - they're not routinely specced up with forged carbon dashboards, shag pile leather and 37 speakers. That was manageable until legislation demanded anti-collision radar, drowsiness sensors, lane keep assist and had to withstand the same crash test as a three tonne ubertruck.
Then there's the propulsion. Trying to profitably package a useful electric drivetrain into a city runabout is like expecting a Jack Russell to romp the Grand National.
So, we end up in a bizarre world where governments smile upon a plug-in hybrid Lamborghini Urus (800bhp, 2.5 tonnes, offishully 80odd g/km, guv) but Suzuki's soon to bin off the charming, wieldy 1.2-litre Ignis which emits less CO₂ than a flatulent gerbil. It seems as the mainstream city car goes extinct, it's being reinvented as a boutiquey electrified plaything. Here's three iconic micro machines, reimagined for the 21st century. Two paying homage, and one that's every inch the Swinging Sixties icon with a heart transplant.
That's the Mini Cooper van - a rare 1962 'flatroof' example. This particular one is liveried up as an exact replica of the original race team spares van of the Cooper Car Company, and it's been kindly loaned to us by Mike Cooper. Yes, that Cooper. Son of John himself, father of the mid-engined racing car. The name on all the go-faster Minis.
And so's this one, appropriately. It generates a meaty 135bhp, which is enough to chirrup the front tyres and really gee up your bullion heists, all thanks to an electric powertrain you can bolt in at home between breakfast and elevenses.
This e-conversion is the work of Oxfordshire based Electrogenic.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2024-Ausgabe von BBC Top Gear UK.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 2024-Ausgabe von BBC Top Gear UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
![ELECTROMECHANIC ELECTROMECHANIC](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/ejfNl-Vos1732779808546/ELECTROMECHANIC.jpg)
ELECTROMECHANIC
Meet the electric restomod that you can create at home it's so easy you can do the conversion in a day, apparently
![ALL THE SMALL THINGS ALL THE SMALL THINGS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/9iLngZKy_1732779387349/ALL-THE-SMALL-THINGS.jpg)
ALL THE SMALL THINGS
Word is there's no such thing as a decent, small, simple, reasonably priced car these days. Allow TopGear to investigate
![VOLKSWAGEN ID.BUZZ 7-SEAT VOLKSWAGEN ID.BUZZ 7-SEAT](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/1FLIiKpxF1732779241757/VOLKSWAGEN-IDBUZZ-7SEAT.jpg)
VOLKSWAGEN ID.BUZZ 7-SEAT
Volkswagen’s new seven seater ID.Buzz is now the family mover it always should have been
![BMW M5 BMW M5](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/bB7oDzHVK1732778881519/BMW-M5.jpg)
BMW M5
TO THE POINT: THE NEW BMW M5 IS AN excellent car. It's very fast, confident, endlessly configurable and now offers a not inconsequential 40ish miles of electric-only running for happy tax returns.
![VAUXHALL GRANDLAND vs FORD EXPLORER VAUXHALL GRANDLAND vs FORD EXPLORER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/IlSoa1S201732778372602/VAUXHALL-GRANDLAND-VS-FORD-EXPLORER.jpg)
VAUXHALL GRANDLAND vs FORD EXPLORER
These two brands have been the 'pile it high, sell it cheap' kings of the UK market for decades, but their new core models take a very different tack...
![CAR OF THE YEAR - 5 STAR CAR OF THE YEAR - 5 STAR](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/9TL0L_COA1732777634294/CAR-OF-THE-YEAR-5-STAR.jpg)
CAR OF THE YEAR - 5 STAR
Yep, Renault's retro-chic new supermini with an optional wicker baguette holder Scoops the grand prix...
![MEANWHILE... IN THE FUTURE MEANWHILE... IN THE FUTURE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/4T1UIH6XO1732777165601/MEANWHILE-IN-THE-FUTURE.jpg)
MEANWHILE... IN THE FUTURE
Catching rockets with chopsticks isn't the only autonomous tech going on in Elon Musk's world...
![KING OF THE HILLS KING OF THE HILLS](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/LemPljR6e1732776576076/KING-OF-THE-HILLS.jpg)
KING OF THE HILLS
You wait for one 800+bhp super GT, then two rock up at once. It's the Aston/Ferrari showdown we've all been waiting for...
![PACKAGE PACKAGE](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/WJ70orf_n1732774933549/PACKAGE.jpg)
PACKAGE
What better way to test the Hyundai Santa Fe's SUV-ness than hand delivering TopGear magazine to each and every subscriber in... New Zealand?
![MYTH BUSTER MYTH BUSTER](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/8824/1909909/849dC7fUh1732774838565/MYTH-BUSTER.jpg)
MYTH BUSTER
\"THE GOLF GTI WAS THE OG HOT HATCH\"