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March 2026 Page 29 AD SALES 01204 478812 MOTORING QUICK CROSSWORD ANSWERS: ACROSS: 1 Masonry, 5 Hairy, 9 Amend, 10 Uganda, 11 Honshu, 12 Tenner, 13 Moa, 14 Piles, 16 Elate, 18 Ida, 20 Asylum, 22 Noodle, 24 Barrel, 25 Leery, 26 Otter, 27 Wrestle. DOWN: 2 Alamo, 3 Oversee, 4 Radium, 6 Again, 7 Red Meat, 8 Quota, 15 Instant, 17 Lioness, 18 Imply, 19 Angler, 21 Large, 23 Loyal. BMW has welcomed the new year with outstanding success at the 2026 What Car? Awards. The all-new BMW iX3 was named overall Car of the Year after topping the Premium Elec- tric SUV category. And BMWalso went on to collect four additional accolades across a variety of categories. The BMW M3 Touring was celebrated as three-time Perfor- mance Car of the Year, while the BMW 4 Series was announced as What Car? Coupé of choice for the sixth consecutive year. BMW continued to lead the Luxury Car VAUXHALL has announced it will be launching the new Corsa GSE – a high-perfor- mance, top-of-the-range ver- sion of Britain’s best-selling small car, bringing motor- sport-inspired excitement to the everyday drive. Following the successful release of Mokka GSE, Vauxhall is expanding its all-electric GSE performance range with the Corsa GSE, which will be available to order later this year. As with Mokka GSE, the fastest electric vehicle Vauxhall has ever made, Corsa GSE will be based on the current serial production generation and will build on the technical expertise and engineer- ing DNA of its Mokka GSE Rally motorsport counterpart. Eurig Druce, Vauxhall man- aging director and Stellantis UK group managing director, said: “The GSE badge has already proven a great success with the Mokka GSE – now Vauxhall is bringing that electrifying high-performance to Corsa. “The Corsa GSE will combine small and agile practicality with thrilling, pure electric, motor- sport-inspired power and dynamics. “Vauxhall has a proud heritage of hot hatches, and we’re excited to now offer customers those same thrills but combined with the electrifying performance and zero emissions in use of these new GSE models.” Consistently ranked the UK’s top-selling small car, the Vauxhall Corsa GSE is set to become the next in line to an impressive pedigree of Vauxhall hot hatches that includes the likes of the Nova GTE, Nova GSi, Corsa GSi, and Corsa VXR. In 1993, the first Vauxhall Corsa was launched in Britain, offering the perfect everyday prac- tical car. It was the GSi derivative where the Corsa found fame as a ‘pocket rocket’. Powered by a 16-valve, dou- ble-overhead cam 1.6-litre pet- rol engine producing 105bhp at 6,000rpm, the GSi would sprint to 60mph in 9.2 seconds, and on to a 121mph top speed. In 2023, Vauxhall introduced its new GSE (Grand Sport Elec- tric) performance sub-brand, with plug-in hybrid versions of the Astra, Astra Sports Tourer, and Grandland. Now fully electric, with the Mokka GSE, the first of the new era of high-performance models, the Corsa GSE will be inspired by the same electric rally engineering roots that have made Mokka GSE a success. The ADAC GSE Rally Cup – the world’s first electric one-make European rally championship – has proven the excitement and robust performance of electric motorsport since it began in 2021. Vauxhall will be returning to motorsport for the 2026 season, where it will field a full works entry with the all-electric Mokka GSE Rally driven by talented young British driver, Ioan Lloyd. Further information on the new Corsa GSE will be announced in due course. Corsa gets a power surge BMW shows its class category as the BMWX7 succeeded the BMW i7 in securing the 2026 accolade. Rounding off a triumphant night, the BMW X3 attained this year’s Safety Award. Since its unveiling last year, the trailblazing BMW iX3 has garnered widespread acclaim. The BMW iX3 thoroughly impressed judges, topping the Premium Electric SUV category before collecting the headline award. Handing over the trophy, Steve Huntingford, Editor of What Car? said: “The premium electric SUV market is one of the most hotly contested, yet in so many respects the BMW iX3 offers a step change in capability. “It combines a huge range with ultra- rapid charging; its new ‘brain’ improves everything from the infotainment sys- tem to safety; and despite being one of the most enjoyable SUVs of any kind to drive, it’s also very comfortable. In short, it’s a truly great car.”