To be known as the BMW i3 it will be fully electric and have a range of more than 500 miles on a single charge.

In this instalment of Drive Time, John previews the exciting all-electric BMW i3, which is being produced at the company’s Munich plant, and discovers the extended range version of the Nissan Micra now qualifies for the full UK EV grant.

A brand new BMW 3 Series has been announced as the second Neue Klasse model in the German brand’s portfolio.

To be known as the BMW i3 it will be fully electric and have a range of more than 500 miles on a single charge.

BMW says it will have precise handling thanks to a ‘superbrain’ system that will be responsible for all driving functions.

The BMW i3 launches with the 50 xDrive model variant, which is powered by two electric motors which drive the front and rear axle to develop a combined system output of 469 hp and 645 Nm of torque.

It can be charged at speeds of up to 400kW at an 800-volt DC charging station to drastically reduce charging times.

The result is up to 250 miles in just 10 minutes.

This capability is enabled by sixth-generation BMW eDrive technology, which teams highly efficient electric motors, 800-volt technology and new high-voltage batteries with energy-dense cylindrical cells.

READ MORE: JOHN MURDOCH’S DRIVE TIME: We take a look at the latest Hyundai Tucson SUV and discover how Audi plans to launch all-electric

Instantly recognisable as a 3 Series, the BMW i3 offers a modern interpretation of the hallmark BMW Saloon design with its new silhouette.

Reduced to the essentials, its design is characterised by a long wheelbase with short overhangs, precise lines and a sloping roofline.

Inside, there is a sporty and contemporary cockpit which is optimised around the driver.

Positioned front and centre is the BMW Panoramic iDrive, which consists of four key components – the BMW Panoramic Vision display, the optional BMW 3D Head-Up Display, the driver-oriented Central Display and the new multi-function steering wheel – helping drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

Drivers will be able to customise the interior and exterior of their BMW i3 with different trim levels, including M Sport, following its success within the UK market.

The front-end is sculpted in a sporty shark-nose design and centred around a reimagined horizontal kidney grille, where twin headlights merge with an innovative light signature.

The side profile features pronounced wheel arches, retractable flush door handles that extend automatically, and bold lines that flow to the rear where there’s a refreshed BMW roundel.

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The new BMW i3 will be built at the home of BMW Group, Plant Munich, which has been producing premium vehicles for over a century.

Over the last four years, the production plant has seen significant modernisation with the construction of a new body shop, cutting-edge assembly facility and logistics space.

Production will commence in August 2026, with first UK customer deliveries expected in late autumn.

A year later, Munich’s production portfolio will switch to fully electric vehicles of the Neue Klasse.

Further information, including UK pricing and detailed model specifications will follow nearer the launch date.

Meanwhile, long range versions of the all-new Nissan Micra now qualify for the full £3750 UK Electric Car Grant thanks to a new Europe-sourced battery.

The Micra 52kWh – which is built at the ElectriCity car production hub in northern France – will be priced from £23,245 with the higher Electric Car Grant applied.

First UK customer deliveries of the new city car are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, with Nissan confirming that both existing and future customer orders for the Micra 52kWh will qualify for the full EV discount.

Micra 40kWh versions also continue to qualify for the lower £1,500 Electric Car Grant.

James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, said: “Our new battery supplier means our longer-range Micra 52kWh now qualifies for the full £3750 Electric Car Grant, ensuring great value for money for our customers.

“It also means that both of our new model launches so far this year – Micra and Leaf – are available with the maximum EV grant discount, demonstrating Nissan’s continued leadership in providing accessible and exciting electric cars for people keen to switch to zero emission motoring.”

As a compact city car with over six million units sold globally, the new, sixth-generation electric Micra marks a bold step forward for Nissan’s electrification strategy.

Combining affordability, innovation and everyday practicality, the Micra also features advanced in-car technology including Google Built-in and the NissanConnect Services app.

Available with two battery options, the range starts with a 40kWh model capable of up to 196 miles on a single charge.

READ MORE: JOHN MURDOCH’S DRIVE TIME: We examine two new SUV models – the MG MGS9 and Dacia’s Striker SUV

This model qualifies for the lower £1500 Electric Car Grant and is priced from £21,495.

The longer-range Micra 52kWh model can travel up to 257 miles on a single charge and is priced from £23,245 including the higher £3750 Electric Car Grant.

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A British intern had to have a double amputation after a Michelin-star chef drove over his legs with an SUV.

Joe Claridge, 39, suffered life-changing injuries after the chef Nick Bril ran over his legs following a staff party in Antwerp, Belgium.

Mr Claridge, a sous chef, was interning for Bril, who runs a two-star restaurant, when the catastrophic crash happened on January 8, 2024.

It unfolded when Bril backed his Land Rover Defender before driving it forward, going over Mr Claridge who lay on the ground outside The Jane, the luxury eatery owned by the high-profile Dutch chef.

The intern suffered catastrophic injuries and was in a coma for 50 days before having both of his legs amputated, the Sun reports.

While the court deemed the crash was an accident, prosecutors accused the chef of not acting quickly enough in the aftermath.

The emergency services were allegedly only alerted after a jogger urged Bril to call for help at about 6am.

The prosecutors said: ‘Without the jogger, he would probably have gotten back into the car and driven away.’

Bril was accused of being unusually silent at the scene when paramedics tried to find out what had happened.

The judge found that his ‘knowing and wilful’ silence with the emergency services amounted to a kind of hit-and-run.

He was found guilty of leaving the scene and failing to report what had happened, and cleared of deliberately driving over Mr Claridge.

The judges said he could ‘not have foreseen the accident and did not intend the consequences.’

Bril, who admitted wrongdoing at the trial, said he can ‘only imagine how the last few years have unfolded’ for Mr Claridge.

The chef was given a 12-month suspended sentence and a four-month driving ban.

Mr Claridge, who has a young son, has reportedly moved to the island of Jersey with his family following the accident, where he spent a week in hospital in December, unable to attend an earlier court hearing.

His lawyer said he and his family have moved to an adapted house on the island, according to the Belgian outlet Het Laatste Nieuws.

Compensation to Mr Claridge was first set at a symbolic €1 (£0.87), with the full amount due to be set at a later date.

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Hans Hamilton wanted to ‘do the right thing’ but was left with ‘physical pain and trauma’

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A man tried to help a crash victim on a busy road, only to get viciously attacked by them.

Hans Hamilton suffered a brain bleed and broken ribs during the incident saying he was ‘just trying to do the right thing’.

He was treated in hospital and set up a GoFundMe page to help cover medical expenses and car repairs. The incident occurred when Hamilton was driving north of the 429 Expressway in Florida on Monday (March 30).

Taking place near Walt Disney World in Orlando, Hamilton came across a white vehicle that had smashed into a guard rail on the median. Video obtained by News 6 shows the driver stumbling out of the Lexus and collapsing on the grass.

MirrorUS reports that when Hamilton pulled over to help, the man appeared motionless. He then stood up and jumped on the hood of Hamilton’s Tesla and broke the windshield.

Later the man, identified by police as 44-year-old Daniel Coman, pushed Hamilton to the ground and repeatedly hit him on his head and body while on top of him. Hamilton managed to free himself after 30 seconds of beating and started hitting the man in the throat to stop him, he told News 6.

He then walked away as Coman lay on the ground the video shows. Coman also tried to fight a deputy from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who soon arrived at the scene, according to an arrest report.

According to the report, Coman approached in an “aggressive fighting manner” and “began swinging his left hand as if he was going to strike” the deputy. Coman was arrested with the help of Hamilton and charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, assault on a law enforcement officer, battery, and criminal mischief.

Coman was involved in a separate hit-and-run crash about two miles south, police later found. He is also the suspect in a “criminal mischief incident” that occurred earlier that morning, the affidavit states.

The report doesn’t disclose additional details. Hamilton was rushed to the hospital and was treated for a brain bleed, a concussion, multiple contusions and four broken ribs, according to a GoFundMe page that he launched to help cover medical expenses and car repairs.

“The physical pain and trauma from that day have been overwhelming, and the emotional toll has been just as heavy,” he wrote, adding that he only ever wanted to help the stranger and “do the right thing.”

Coman, who remains locked up at the Orange County Jail on April 2, was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday. However he didn’t appear because he was hospitalized for an unknown reason.

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Moises Caicedo says he is committed to Chelsea but has not ruled out a move to Real Madrid later in his career.

A turbulent few weeks at Stamford Bridge have rocked the Blues who lost four games on the bounce heading into the international break, crashing out of the Champions League in the process.

Enzo Fernandez added to those woes in a series of interviews where he left his long-term future in west London in real doubt.

Liam Rosenior confirmed on Friday the Argentina international has been sidelined for the next two games for ‘crossing the line’ – a decision that prompted a furious response from Fernandez’s agent who also revealed other options away from Chelsea will be explored this summer if contract talks don’t mend fences.

Marc Cucurella is another Chelsea star to have raised doubts over his future, admitting it would be difficult to turn down a move to Barcelona if the Catalan giants were to come calling.

Caicedo initially took a very different approach, insisting his focus is on becoming a ‘Chelsea legend’ in an interview last week.

In a subsequent chat with AS, the Ecuador international reiterated he is focused on Chelsea for now but was less committed on his long-term future when asked if he can see himself playing in Real Madrid’s famous white shirt one day.

‘You never know in football, don’t you think?’ Caicedo said.

‘I have a contract with Chelsea now. The truth is, I haven’t honestly thought about another club, about leaving London, but well, in the end, you never know in football.

‘All I want is to enjoy myself. I have a contract and I want to keep playing as long as God allows. After that, we’ll see what happens. I have a contract, but we’ll see what the future holds. Let’s see what surprises await us.’

Caicedo’s midfield partner Fernandez slammed the club’s decision to part ways with Enzo Maresca in January in one of the interviews he gave to Argentine media.

Caicedo admitted transitioning under Rosenior has been ‘difficult’ and ‘a bit of a struggle’ but is confident there are ‘great things’ ahead for the club.

‘Yes, it’s a little difficult because we were with a coach we were used to playing with, with his style,’ Caicedo said.

‘But now we have Rosenior with us. It’s been a bit of a struggle to adapt, it’s true, but I know it’s just a matter of time to get used to something new. Sometimes you adapt faster, sometimes it takes a little longer.

‘Anyway. I think the whole team is going through a tough time right now, yes. We have to keep going, we have to try to get through this, the season, because we have a lot of great things ahead of us.’

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A spokesperson for Kabul’s governor has said at least eight people have died

An earthquake had hit parts of northern and eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan, the Associated Press reports.

The spokesperson for Kabul’s governor said at least eight people are dead. The region is highly seismically active, and quakes have caused thousands of deaths in recent years.

Friday’s earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 5.8, had an epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountain range, about 93 miles east of the Afghan city of Kunduz, according to the Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre and the United States Geological Survey.

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Hafizullah Basharat, a spokesman for the Kabul governor, said eight people were killed and a child was injured when a house collapsed on the outskirts of the capital. He said all were members of the same family.

With the epicentre at a depth of more than 180km, the quake was felt across a wide swathe of Afghanistan and Pakistan.It was felt in the areas of Islamabad, Peshawar, Chitral, Swat and Shangla, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

Afghanistan’s Health Ministry spokesman Sharafat Zaman said Kabul and provincial health authorities had been put on alert.

Last August, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck a remote, mountainous part of eastern Afghanistan killed more than 2,200 people, levelling villages and trapping people under rubble.

Most casualties were in the province of Kunar, where people typically live in wood and mud-brick houses along steep valleys.

In November, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the province of Samangan in northern Afghanistan, killing at last 27 people and injuring more than 950.

It also damaged historical sites, including Afghanistan’s famous Blue Mosque in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, and the Bagh-e-Jahan Nama Palace in Khulm.

On October 7 2023, a 6.3 magnitude quake followed by strong aftershocks in western Afghanistan killed thousands of people.

Peel Land has submitted plans for the 30,000 square metre development, next to the existing Logistics North site and to the south east of junction 4, on the border between Bolton and Salford.

Peel said the land has been earmarked for employment opportunities suitable for logistics, manufacturing and supply chain businesses.

It could create more than 100 construction related jobs, 380 on site once the development is operational and a further 140 through the supply chain.

The site could, say Peel, potentially boost the town’s economy by over £20 million per year.

Bolton Council will rule on the application in the future.

A plan of the proposed site with the M61 junction at the top of the image.

Should it be approved, Peel said the scheme would ‘unlock new jobs across a range of skills and roles’.

It said the scheme will create over 100 construction related jobs, 380 on site once the development is operational and a further 140 through the supply chain.

A spokesperson for Peel Land said: “The scheme sits within the NorthFold growth corridor between Bolton and Wigan which has been identified by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as a key location for employment and economic growth.

“The junction 4 south east scheme is a significant opportunity to bring jobs and investment to the local area and help address a shortage of sites for economic development.”

The developer said the site is considered to be ‘grey belt’ under the Government’s 2024 policy, which was introduced to allow some green belt sites to be developed, to boost economic growth.

A new access road will be created onto the A6 Salford Road close to junction 4 of the M61.

The planning submission follows a pre-application public consultation with site neighbours and local councillors.

The submission follows a pre-application public consultation with site neighbours and local councillors with feedback being incorporated into the plans.

Bolton Council confirmed h that an Environmental Impact Assessment was not required for this submission. A decision is expected within 13 weeks.

For Tiger Woods, another arrest on charges of driving under the influence has put golf on hold.

There will be no chance of a return to the Masters next week. No Ryder Cup captaincy in 2027. Golf is being pushed to the side while Woods seeks treatment following his crash a week ago in Florida.

Authorities say Woods had pain pills in his pocket and showed signs of impairment following the crash — his fourth since 2009.

Here’s what to know about the events of the past week:

Shortly after the crash, body camera footage shows Woods telling a deputy, “I was just talking to the president.”

It wasn’t clear if Woods was referring to President Donald Trump, whose former daughter-in-law, Vanessa Trump, is dating Woods. Trump said on the day of the golfer’s arrest that he considers Woods a close friend.

The White House did not say whether Trump spoke to Woods that day.

The footage released Thursday also shows that Woods appeared to be astonished as he was handcuffed. In a video from the back of a patrol car, he could be seen hiccupping, yawning and nodding off while handcuffed during the ride to jail.

Pleading not guilty after being released from jail

Woods was released from jail on bail hours after the crash and pleaded not guilty on Tuesday.

He took a breath test that showed no signs of alcohol but declined to submit to a urine test, according to the sheriff’s office. His refusal can be prosecuted under Florida law. A legal expert told the AP that lab results aren’t needed to build a DUI case against Woods.

Stepping away from golf to seek treatment outside the U.S.

Woods announced in social media posts on Tuesday that he was putting golf on hold to “prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”

A Florida judge approved his request to leave the country to seek treatment.

Woods’ attorney said the golfer would begin “comprehensive inpatient treatment” and that it needed to take place outside the U.S. to protect his privacy.

Missing the Masters for a second straight year

Woods has not played an official event since the 2024 British Open, but he remains one of golf’s most influential figures.

While it was unlikely he would be in shape for this year’s Masters before the crash, he said just days earlier that he had hopes of playing even though his body doesn’t recover like it once did.

Woods also won’t be joining Masters chairman Fred Ridley to celebrate the opening of a refurbished municipal course that involved Woods, or for the prestigious Masters Club dinner for champions.

On Wednesday, Woods formally turned down the Ryder Cup captaincy for 2027.

Ethan Towers, 27, and John Watson, 28, were described by a judge as “dangerous and a risk to the public” at Cambridge Crown Court before being jailed for life

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Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment following the rape of a baby on five separate occasions last summer.

Ethan Towers, 27, and John Watson, 28, were branded “dangerous and a risk to the public” by a judge before receiving their sentences.

Cambridge Crown Court was told how Towers, from St Ives, Cambridgeshire, carried out five rapes against the infant while Watson, from Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, encouraged the abuse.

Judge Mark Bishop noted that the “youth of the baby was extreme”. Towers received a minimum term of 12 years and five months, while Watson was handed 13 years and four months on Wednesday (April 1).

The court heard that Towers had sent indecent images of children to Watson. Watson, who was already subject to a sexual harm prevention order due to previous convictions, had also exchanged explicit images with another child under the age of 16.

Towers pleaded guilty to five counts of rape, while Watson admitted two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The 28 year old further pleaded guilty to multiple offences relating to indecent images of children and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

Alongside their life sentences, both men were issued with restraining orders and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228, reports the Express.

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The judge read aloud a victim statement from the infant’s mother in court, in which she described how the ordeal had left her feeling “more isolated and fearful than ever”. A victim impact statement from a child who had been contacted by both men via social media was also read aloud by the judge.

The young victim expressed feeling “set free” following the convictions of Towers and Watson.

The judge stated he was “satisfied” that both men were “dangerous and a risk to the public”. Cambridgeshire Police confirmed it had referred the matter to the relevant safeguarding authorities.

ROME (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will personally carry the wooden cross through all 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on his first Good Friday as pontiff, marking the first time in decades that a pope carries the cross to every station.

“I think it will be an important sign because of what the pope represents, a spiritual leader in the world today, and for this voice, that everyone wants to hear, that says Christ still suffers,” Leo told reporters this week outside of the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo. “I carry all of this suffering in my prayer.”

John Paul II carried the cross for the entire procession from his first Good Friday as pontiff in 1979 until his hip surgery in 1995, when he carried it just part of the way, according to AP reports at the time.

For the first two years of his papacy, Benedict XVI carried the cross for the first station inside the Colosseum, then followed other bearers in the procession that ends on a platform on the Palatine Hill.

Pope Francis never carried the cross, but participated in the procession until his health worsened. He died after a long illness last year on Easter Monday, which fell on April 21.

Pope John Paul II was just 58 when he became pope, and was known as a hiker and outdoorsman. His two successors were in their late 70s when they began their papacies, and Francis was missing part of a lung due to a pulmonary infection as a young man.

At 70, Leo is physically fit and an avid tennis player and swimmer. Before becoming pope, Leo would work out regularly at a gym near the Vatican, with a plan befitting a man in his early 50s, according to his former trainer.

Crowds are expected to gather outside of the Colosseum for the Way of the Cross, which commemorates the final hours of Jesus’ life, from his death sentence to taking up the cross to his crucifixion, death and burial. The procession ends outside the Colosseum atop the Palatine Hill.

The meditations, which are read aloud at each station, were composed by the Rev. Francesco Patton, who was custos (or custodian) of the Holy Land 2016-25, charged, among other things, with looking after sacred sites

“The Way of the Cross is not intended for those who lead a pristinely pious or abstractly recollected life,” Patton wrote in his introduction. “Instead, it is the exercise of one who knows that faith, hope and charity must be incarnated in the real world.”

On Holy Saturday, the pontiff will preside over Easter vigil rites at St. Peter’s Square and lead Roman Catholics into Christianity’s most joyous celebration marking Christ’s resurrection.

On Easter Sunday, the pope will celebrate an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before delivering his Easter message and offer the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing to the city (of Rome) and the world.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for information after a moped was stolen from a York city centre car park earlier this week.

The theft took place from Esplanade Car Park in West Esplanade between 12:30pm and 7:30pm on Wednesday (April 1).

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The moped is a black Kymco Agility 50 with the registration number CE69 OYM; it was fitted with a black top box at the time of the theft.

“If you have any information regarding this theft or if you see or believe you have seen this vehicle since it was stolen, then we would like to hear from you,” said a spokesperson for the force.

If you have any information, you can contact North Yorkshire Police by calling 101, send information through the online reporting tool, or you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote job reference number 12260058104 when providing information.