Are flying cars and fully self-driving tech closer than we think?

In this episode of Kickin’ Tyres, Adam and Tim compare two very different trips—one to XPENG’s cutting-edge facilities in China, and the other to Marseille for a first drive of the new Peugeot E-408.

Adam shares his experience witnessing a real flying “land aircraft carrier” in action, alongside a deep dive into XPENG’s VLA 2.0 full self-driving system—put to the test on the chaotic streets of Beijing.

Meanwhile, Tim reports back from France with driving impressions of Peugeot’s latest electrified fastback, and a look at how European brands are responding to increasing competition.

The discussion turns to the rapid rise of Chinese manufacturers like Chery, BYD, and AION—and whether legacy carmakers should be worried.

Also in this episode, Milan Design Week brings another new brand into focus, while conversations around tech, pricing, and quality challenge long-held perceptions of Chinese-built cars.

Topics include:

• XPENG flying car (land aircraft carrier) demo
• VLA 2.0 full self-driving experience in Beijing
• Peugeot E-408 first drive in Marseille
• Inside Auto Show China 2026
• The rise of Chinese car brands in the UK
• Chery’s expanding brand lineup (Omoda, Jaecoo, Lepas)
• Milan Design Week and the launch of Lepas
• Are Chinese EVs outperforming European rivals?
  

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Can electric SUVs now rival the very best petrol-powered luxury cars?

In this episode of Kickin’ Tyres, Adam and Tim recap a hectic run of three car launches in three days, including first drives of the MY26 Polestar 3, and a comparison with the Bentley Bentayga Speed.

They explore whether high-performance EVs are finally delivering on their promise, or if traditional luxury SUVs still hold the edge.

Also in this episode, the long-awaited return of the Honda Prelude raises questions about the future of sporty coupes, while Chinese brands like AION and Chery continue their rapid push into the UK market.

Looking ahead to upcoming trips to China and Milan Design Week, the discussion turns to new technology, emerging brands, and where the global car industry is heading next.

Topics include:

• Polestar 3 Dual Motor vs Dual Motor Performance
• Bentley Bentayga Speed driving impressions
• Honda Prelude revival
• AION V and Chery TIGGO 4 CSH overview
• The rise of Chinese EV brands in the UK
• Why SUVs continue to dominate the market

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Are Chinese electric cars taking over? In the debut episode of Kickin' Tyres, motoring journalists Adam Gray and Tim Barnes-Clay cut through the marketing spin to bring you the truth about the latest automotive launches.

From the tech-heavy MG Tech Day in Frankfurt to "hooning" the new Changan Deepal S05 on a UK airfield, we break down what these new brands mean for British drivers. We aren't tied to any brands or dealerships, so everything we discuss is straight from the horse's mouth with zero brand bias.

In this episode, we cover:

• MG’s Solid State Breakthrough: Is the 95% solid-state battery a game-changer for range anxiety or just clever PR?
• The 100-Year Hybrid: Why experts believe hybrids—especially plug-ins—will be around for a century to come.
• Changan Deepal S05 Review: How a brand established in 1862 is using a Birmingham R&D team to tailor Chinese SUVs for pothole-ridden UK roads.
• The "Excuse Bin": Who won (and who failed) the high-stakes emergency braking challenge at the Changan launch?
• Exclusive Interview: Featuring clips from MG’s Global Design Chief, Jozef Kaban, on the future of automotive design.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Welcome to Kickin' Tyres
(05:20) MG’s Solid State Battery Tech
(15:45) Interview: MG Design Chief Jozef Kaban
(28:10) Driving the Changan Deepal S05
(35:30) Why Hybrids aren't dying
(48:15) The Emergency Braking Challenge
(55:00) Coming up: Bentley Bentayga & Ranger MSRT

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"It’s a sore subject—I don’t want to talk about it." Welcome to the official teaser for Kickin’ Tyres, the brand-new motoring podcast hosted by veteran journalists Adam Gray and Tim Barnes-Clay.

In this teaser, we dive into the irony of our name—starting with Adam’s encounter with a pothole the size of a "trench" and Tim’s harrowing story of hitting a diesel spill on a 995cc motorbike. We discuss why the sun-drenched roads of the Algarve are surprisingly similar to the pothole-ridden lanes of Britain, and why, despite the bent alloys, we wouldn’t change this job for the world.

• The Algarve vs. The UK: Comparing road quality (and the lack thereof).
• The Irony of "Kickin' Tyres": Adam’s recent battle with a "trench-sized" pothole.
• A Close Call: Tim shares a frightening experience on a roundabout.
• The Hosts: Meet the duo bringing decades of automotive journalism to your ears.

The full podcast launches in the next couple of weeks! Make sure to subscribe and follow us so you don't miss the first official episode. We’ll be available on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

JOIN THE SHOW: Have a motoring story that beats ours? Or want to join us as a guest? Drop us an email—we’d love to have you on!

#KickinTyres #MotoringPodcast #CarJournalism #RoadStories #NewPodcast #TimBarnesClay #AdamGray #PotholeBritain