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Edd China starts work on a 1962 Alvis in “Workshop Diaries” episode 4

“Edd China’s Workshop Diaries” has already seen the former “Wheeler Dealers” host tackle a Volkswagen T5 van and a Land Rover Range Rover, but for the fourth episode he’s starting a new project: a 1962 Alvis TD21.

With the Range Rover giving him some issues, China decided to put it aside temporarily and shift focus to the Alvis. One of many defunct British automakers, Alvis dates back to 1919 and has since built a cult following with its sports cars and race cars. The company stopped making cars in 1967, but a continuation-car program was announced in 2019.

This TD21 was originally owned by a Royal Navy rear admiral (typical of the Alvis owner demographic, according to China), but now has a long list of issues. China decided to start with the headlights, which randomly refused to work.

Edd China works on a 1962 Alvis TD21

Figuring out the problem required removing the headlight switch from the dashboard, and to do that, China first looked at a brand-new replacement switch for clues. There weren’t any useful clues to be found, unfortunately, so China ended up popping off the dashboard’s walnut fascia and digging around in the nest of wires behind it.

Replacing the headlight switch solved the problem, but China also noted that one of the secondary lights was having some issues. He’s saving that for a future episode.

China also continued telling the story of setting a Guinness World Record for world’s fastest electric ice cream van, begun in the previous episode. This time, he covers removing the diesel engine from a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in preparation for the electric conversion, as well as sourcing the motor. He wanted to use that motor with the stock Mercedes transmission, so he scanned the two parts in order to design a custom adapter. Watch the full video to see how he did it.

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April 25, 2021
This Week’s Top Photos: 2021 Shanghai auto show edition

This week’s Auto Shanghai 2021 was the first major auto show to be held since the pandemic hit, and it didn’t disappoint. But it wasn’t the established automakers that stormed the show. Rather, it was China’s domestic brands which put their mark on their home show for the first time.

Case in point was a new hypercar from luxury brand Hongqi. The hypercar is called the S9, and it features a V-8-based plug-in hybrid powertrain good for 1,400 hp. Just 99 examples are expected to be built.

Hongqi L-Concept – 2021 Shanghai auto show

Hongqi also used the Shanghai auto show to present a flagship concept. Called the Hongqi L-Concept, the show car is a striking sedan with a fastback profile, suicide-style doors, and we’re told even hanging mood lighting with crystal elements.

2021 Zeekr 001 – 2021 Shanghai auto show

Zeekr (Ji Ke in China), Geely’s new brand designed to target Tesla with sporty cars packed with the latest in vehicle technology, showed its first product. That first product was a handsome hot hatch with over 500 hp on tap.

2022 Xpeng P5 – 2021 Shanghai auto show

Xpeng presented the P5 in Shanghai, a small electric sedan with world-first self-driving technology. The P5 is the first production vehicle fitted with lidar, a technology that enables it to sense a much wider environment than if it relied on radar and camera systems alone.

Hengchi 1 – 2021 Shanghai auto show

A cashed-up electric-vehicle startup by the name of Hengchi unveiled a total of nine vehicles, one of which was a Tesla Model S rival. Hengchi, which plans to start production of its first model in 2022, is the parent company of NEVS, the company that tried to save Saab.

MG Cyberster concept – 2021 Shanghai auto show

MG isn’t a Chinese brand, but its parent company, SAIC, is one of the country’s biggest automakers. In Shanghai, MG unveiled a striking concept that teases a rival to electric sports cars like the Tesla Roadster.

Audi A6 E-Tron concept

But what about non-Chinese automakers? Audi surprised everyone with its stunning A6 E-Tron Concept. The stunning electric sedan is one of 20 EVs Audi plans to have in its lineup by 2025, and we should see it on sale in 2023.

Toyota BZ4X concept – 2021 Shanghai auto show

And finally, Toyota used the show to preview its first volume EV, also with a thinly veiled concept. It’s called the BZ4X, and its production counterpart should be at dealerships in 2022.

There was much more in Shanghai. As always, you’ll find our complete coverage over at our dedicated hub.

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April 24, 2021
Prince’s car collection, Lincoln Zephyr Reflection, 2022 Porsche 911 GT3: The Week In Reverse

We looked at Prince’s car collection, Lincoln previewed its future, and we drove the 2022 Porsche 911 GT3. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

This week marked the fifth anniversary of pop star Prince’s death. When the artist died at the age of 57 his garage contained 18 vehicles. This week we took a look at the ones that either stood out or were the most surprising.

The Lincoln Zephyr Reflection was unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2021. While the gorgeous sedan won’t come to the U.S., its design gives a good indication of where the brand is headed designwise. The Zephyr Reflection previews a production model bound for the Chinese market later this year.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 73 4-Door Coupe was spied wearing minimal camouflage. The 800-plus-hp super hatch will be a plug-in hybrid serving as a range-topper in the GT 4-Door Coupe lineup. Expect it to debut officially later this year.

Cadillac’s done with gas-powered cars. The brand’s North American boss, Rory Harvey, said every new vehicle the luxury automaker introduces going forward will be electric, and that will start with the 2023 Lyriq.

We drove the 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 and found it’s the best 911 yet. The new front suspension has done wonders for the car’s power delivery, especially when exiting a corner, and the steering feel is spot on.

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April 23, 2021