Motoring

Curious Questions: Who made the first proper car journey?

The man who invented the very first motor car didn't think it would be able to survive a long-distance car journey. Luckily, his wife had more faith, as Martin Fone discovered when he investigated the tale of Bertha Benz.

Where I work: Michael Bryden, Rolls-Royce bespoke designer

11 hauntingly beautiful pictures of dogs in cars from one of the most unusual and touching books of the year

A fascination with dogs and cars has prompted photographer Martin Usborne to produce a beautiful, unusual and gently haunting book.

Is it time for Londoners to stop owning cars?

Country Life's Rosie Paterson loved the freedom her first car offered her, and clung on to it even when moving to London. But when she waved goodbye, she ended up wondering if she'd really needed it after all.

Grabbing a slice of mid-winter sunshine, with golf, biking and a Ford Puma

Yes, a short break to the sun at this time of year is an indulgence — but it's one which will do wonders for your state of mind, says Toby Keel.

Toyota Supra: An invitation to a very special club, where fast and furious is the order of business

Banning sale of fossil fuel cars from 2035 is the right thing to do — but countryside pressures could keep the diesel pumping for decades after that

The future of cars is electric — can ONLY be electric, eventually — but the timetable for us to switch over could take a lot longer than you might think. We take a look at the ramifications of the government's 2035 deadline for banning the sale of diesel and petrol-powered automobiles.

Why automobile-inspired interiors are creeping into the family home

Furniture designers still have much to learn from the automotive industry.

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan: Audacious, outrageous, stupendous and luxurious

Charles Rangeley Wilson tries out Rolls-Royce's new SUV and declares it to be the best of all the cars he's reviewed for Country Life, winning out over the other Rolls models for 'sheer chutzpah'.

Caterham 360R: The whiff of nostalgia in a modern car which reminds us what driving is meant to be

Who needs sat nav and fancy stereos when you've piloting a lightweight rocket? Not me, says James Fisher, after a long weekend behind the wheel of a Caterham Seven.

The absurd driving aids of the modern car that are, at best, annoying — and at worst, downright dangerous

Our motoring guru Charles Rangeley-Wilson laments the growing number of cars’ automated features–from lane assist to emergency braking and too-sensitive boot-closing devices–that drive him mad.

How a mix of new-look cars and old favourites saw Rolls-Royce buck the trend of the British car industry

Rolls-Royce smashed its car sales record in 2019, and with Bentley also doing well it seems that better times are ahead for the British motoring industry.

Nigel Havers: Driving through France in a car like a panther, picking up delicious wine — and taking the dog, too

Eschewing a cheap flight in favour of a good old-fashioned driving holiday, Nigel Havers embarks on a wine trip to France, accompanied by his wife George and their poodle, Charley.

Country Life's very own White Van Man: 'It’s my fifth and, thus, I’ve called it Van Cinq'

Kit Hesketh-Harvey would be lost without his Ford Transit — but that doesn't mean there aren't a few metaphorical potholes to avoid.

Volvo V90 Cross Country review: 'You have to be in something far more costly and exotic to find a rival experience'

The Volvo V90 Cross Country is a refreshingly different 4x4 estate–more comfortable and longer legged than its teutonic rivals, it’s just as foxy to look at, even if you can’t lower the suspension.

The Jaguar I-Pace: 'If I had a spare £65,000, I’d buy one tomorrow. It really is that good'

That Jaguar’s all-electric I-Pace is the 2019 World Car of the Year comes as no surprise to Mark Hedges.

The new Bentley Flying Spur: 'Ladies and gentleman, this is one bloody good car'

The launch of a new Bentley is always cause for celebration among those who love motor cars — and the New Flying Spur had our motoring correspondent purring like the car's 6-litre W12 engine.

The BMW X5: A smorgasbord of digital razzmatazz, the grip of a spider and the acceleration of a scalded feline

The new BMW X5 is a strong contender for the (fictional) best-of-all-worlds award – apart from the monstrous gearstick. Charles Rangeley-Wilson took one out for a spin.

The quest for the ultimate all-round car: Happy on or off-road, stylish and comfortable

In a car nut's ideal world you'd have a fleet of different cars for different jobs — even different moods — but the practicalities of keeping such a fleet rule it out for most of us. Charles Rangeley-Wilson is on the lookout for a car to do it everything.