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It has been a long time coming. Genesis as a brand, I mean. We know why it exists: premium means profit. Manufacturers of ordinary cars look at the space that Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz occupy with envious eyes. And it was as long ago as 2004 that Hyundai first developed posh car aspirations of its own. It took until 2008 for it to happen, with a car badged Hyundai Genesis, the second generation of which came to the UK from 2015, in right-hand drive and small numbers. Small, because while sales of the original Hyundai model in the US were good enough to prompt the establishment of the name as a brand in its own right, we’re a bit sniffy about that sort of thing in Europe. Lexus was launched 31 years ago with a car – the LS400 – that did things unlike any other luxury saloon. And yet three decades later, its sales in the UK of posh Toyotas hover between 10,000 and 15,000 cars a year. Mercedes sells nearly five times that many A-Classes alone, because it’s easier to go downmarket than up. Ford’s Vignale models will show that. Likewise DS. Infiniti gave up entirely. But, well, look: the Genesis brand is going to do well in the US, in China and likely elsewhere. Genesis and Hyundai have design, engineering and development centres in South Korea, the US and Europe, so it’s a global range. Even if it doesn’t do huge numbers in Europe, we’ll contribute a bit. This, then, is a GV70. G for Genesis, V for Versatile, billed in some markets as a ‘premium urban SUV’, but it’s quite a big car here. It’s 4.7 metres long, which puts it at the same length as a BMW 3 Series, while prices start from £40,000. This one, a Luxury Line, starts at £42,820, but this test car sits at £50,620 including options. And although there are electrified Genesis models around or coming, this one, curiously, is launched as a petrol or diesel only. This one’s a diesel. It goes up against, in terms of volume, a big player. With the GV70, Genesis isn’t trying to find a niche from where nobody else operates (I mean, good luck to it if it could these days), but instead it’s just a few quid and a few centimetres away from a BMW X3 or Mercedes-Benz GLC. Or, as we’ve chosen for these pages, an Audi Q5, a car that sold so many in its first iteration that it surprised even its own maker. It’s a car that in China sometimes outsold the US and Europe combined. It’s a global car – and one we like – so it fits the bill. And at this money, you get very similar positioning, power and performance to those of the Genesis. The Genesis’s 2.2-litre diesel makes 207bhp while the Q5, facelifted late last year, is a 40 TDI, a £45,235 S line with options taking it to £54,465. Its 2.0-litre makes 201bhp, but its response is augmented slightly at low revs with a 12V mild-hybrid starter-generator that chips in while the turbo is spooling. Both cars are four-wheel drive and have longitudinally mounted engines, but the Genesis is predominantly rear-wheel drive, via an eight-speed torque-converter automatic, with the front axle occasionally receiving torque when needed. The Audi’s lengthways engine orientation, meanwhile, is a red herring – plenty of cars on this platform are front-driven only. Via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, this is a ‘mostly front-drive but sometimes thinking about the rear’ kind of car. If you want to get a feel for how important – or otherwise – Europe is in Genesis terms, take a look at the design. That big, chrome-laden smiling grille, the up-and-over chrome stripes and a waistband falling towards what one colleague unkindly compared to a Ssangyong Rodius rear. I don’t mind it, but subtle Euro-chic it isn’t. Open the door and it’s the same. Genesis has gone to a great effort to make the GV70 feel plush: there are only tiny areas of black plastic, a dearth of brittle plastics and instead an array of plum and grey leather and satin metallics. In places – the steering wheel, for one – it’s weird, but it’s very clean, and I mean it as a compliment when I say there’s a touch of concept car about it. Besides, maybe the fact that it feels less ‘Euro’ matters less than it once would have. But Mercedes is swaying away from trad materials and today’s proliferation of electronics and user interfaces are generally world-friendly: you’ll look at the same screen wherever on the planet you buy your gadgets. With the leather and a big soft-tone screen, this is more American golf club luxe; it doesn’t have the ambience of an appliance. The Audi is more conservative, more conventionally European in feel. More black. More austere. More precise. Most customers won’t be accustomed to lots of other Volkswagen Group products, but if you are, this is yet another one out of the big VW playbook. There are soft-feel plastics on the door tops and dash, and tight and consistent finishes. But there’s a point in the cabin – generally where that big metallic strip lies – below which the plastics turn harder and more scratchy.

Chinese EV maker Nio has confirmed its new ET7 saloon will arrive on the German market in late 2022, following the imminent arrival of the ES8 SUV, and has hinted at the potential for production in Europe. The ES8 is now on sale in Norway and will soon be available in Germany, where Nio has deemed EV demand sufficient to make a market launch viable, but the brand has yet to confirm a date for its UK launch, which it has previously suggested is highly likely. The ET7 is a Tesla Model S rival with a claimed maximum range of 620 miles (on the Chinese NEDC cycle) from its largest, 150kWh battery and a twin-motor powertrain pumping out 644bhp and 627lb ft for a 0-62mph time of 3.9sec. It also features a raft of advanced driver assistance features that, the company says, enable autonomous driving.The car has already entered trial production at Nio's Hefei plant ahead of Chinese deliveries starting in early 2022, but speaking to German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung recently, chairman William Li said "very high" interest from German customers has prompted the firm to commit to a European roll-out next year.Not only that, but comments from Li in the same interview suggest the firm could cement its market position in Europe by building cars in the region. He said: "I believe if we have a lot of sales in the European market, we can also explore the other possibilities to work with other supply chain partners. "I understand that in Europe, there is manufacturing capacity. We can also explore the possibility to work together with other OEMs and to discuss joint manufacturing with them." The company has not named any potential production partners but this announcement, notably, follows Li's recent investment into Lotus Technology. Lotus said its new partnership with Nio could pave the way for both companies to "explore opportunities for mutually beneficial industrial co-operation". However, given Lotus's European production operations are centred in Norfolk and Nio has yet to launch its cars in the UK, it remains unclear how Lotus could assist in this regard.

The new Monster represents all the essence of Ducati in the lightest, most compact and essential form possible. You can already guess it from the name: Monster, nothing else. The design of the new Monster is exactly what you might expect from the sport naked par excellence, but in an even more cutting-edge and modern guise. Slinky yet aggressive curves. Classic details with a modern twist. A design that aims to offer pure Monster-style emotion. A real concentration of style, sport and fun that will make you want to get rid of the superfluous and focus only on what counts, sheer riding pleasure. You can be sure to improve as a rider, experience intense emotions and enjoy yourself every time you climb on board. MONSTER AR EXPERIENCE Discover the new Monster in Augmented Reality You only need a smartphone to visualize the new Ducati Monster in 1:1 scale wherever you like it. PLAY WITH AUGMENTED REALITY The new Monster is LIGHTWEIGHT COMPACT SLEEK SPORTY AND FUN Lightweight and compact. Agile and sleek. The chassis is an aluminium front frame and contributes to to maintaining the dry weight at just 166 kg. And lightness is key to achieving a bike that is easy to ride, handle, whilst being fast and above all fun.

Kia has previewed the European version of its new Sportage SUV in a series of sketches ahead of the production model’s full unveiling on Wednesday, 1 September. The new Sportage, which arrives in its fifth generation, will feature a dedicated design specifically aimed at European tastes for the first time in its history. The model will be developed on a new architecture, with a focus on drive and handling for the Continent, although it will be broadly technically similar to the model destined for other global markets, which was revealed earlier this year. Sketch images show the Sportage with a new, larger front grille, with striking headlights and a redesigned rear, a sports spoiler and prominent exhausts. The model is seen with black used for the roof, C-pillar design and other exterior styling. It appears to feature a more compact profile than the previously revealed Sportage for improved agility and performance, which, the firm says, will be ideal for European roads. The new Kia logo is also present on the model and Kia says the Sportage will feature updated technology and improved powertains. “Kia’s new design language – Opposites United – is at the heart of the Sportage, influencing every aspect of its appearance and character,” Kia said. “Its design builds on the theme ‘Bold for Nature’ and pays homage to nature’s perfection and simplicity whilst connecting with the brand’s new design direction. The sketches hint at a sporty, assertive and pioneering SUV.” The new Sportage will be revealed on 1 September through the firm’s own media channels, before a public debut at the Munich motor show and pricing and specification details are announced later this year. Sales of the po[CENSORED]r model will begin at a later date.

14 years. That's when the Nissan GT-R first graced the motoring world. Here we are in 2021, still celebrating Nissan's continued production of its enduring supercar. Now, it comes with a colorful twist in the form of the 2021 GT-R T-spec. As mentioned in the headline, this latest special-edition GT-R will be available in Millennium Jade. Skyline fans know it was last used on the R34 GT-R V-Spec II Nür, one of the rarest GT-Rs of them all. The color has never been offered in North America, but it's now one of two choices for the new T-Spec. Midnight Purple is the second color choice, which Nissan says is a "modern interpretation" of two previous purples – Midnight Opal from another special-edition GT-R released in 2014, and Midnight Purple III from the old Skyline R34 V-Spec. What else does the GT-R T-spec have to offer? Think of it as a tamer GT-R Track Edition without the suspension upgrades. You get the Track's wider front fenders and carbon-fiber rear spoiler. Rays forged aluminum wheels finished in gold sit at the corners, with carbon-ceramic brakes behind them. Brake air guides from the GT-R Nismo are also part of the package, and of course, you can't have a special-edition GT-R without body-colored mirrors, black hood ducts, and plenty of T-spec badging inside and out. Speaking of inside, you'll find a new Mori Green interior color with plenty of leather, suede, and Alcantara.

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Boys: Watching Movie WOW WHAT A COOL ACTION HE IS PEROFRMING! GIRLS:WATCHING MOVIE WOW WHAT A NICE DRESS I WILL BUY ON MY COUSIN WEDDING! WRITER: @AspecT