6:59 am, July 28, 2026
Mercedes-AMG bids farewell to A45
Mercedes-AMG is calling time on its performance A45 with a run-out Final Edition model.
Launched in 2022, the latest-generation A45 broke new ground in terms of performance, with much of this centred around its engine which arrived as the most powerful four-cylinder ever put into series production.
The new Final Edition car brings a ‘mountain grey’ exterior paint with chrome door handles, finished with matte black 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a cross-spoke design. The yellow AMG logos on the centre caps are unique to the Final Edition, too.
Shop price inflation slows amid warnings of pressures
Shop price inflation slowed in July in positive news for households, but growing pressures remain on the horizon, the industry has warned.
Shop prices are now 0.9% higher than a year ago, down from June’s 1.2%, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-NIQ figures.
Inflation on products other than food also fell to 0.2% from June’s 0.6%.
While food price inflation also fell to 2.2% from 2.4% a month earlier, fresh food inflation rose to 3.1% from June’s 2.8% in June.
Volkswagen’s ID. Polo hits the road priced from £23,945
Volkswagen has launched its new ID. Polo in the UK, bringing its electric hatchback to market with a starting price of £23,945.
Available to order this Thursday (July 30), the new ID. Polo is the latest vehicle to join Volkswagen’s electric car line-up, bringing with it two battery options and a range of up to 281 miles.
Initially, the ID. Polo will be launched in high-specification Life and Style Launch Edition with a starting price of £25,555, before ‘standard’ models go on sale in September with a lower entry price.
The markets
The FTSE 100 closed higher in London on Monday as investors welcomed a temporary pause in hostilities between the US and Iran, which helped drive the oil price sharply lower.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 45.52 points, 0.4%, at 10,781.75. The FTSE 250 ended up 96.61 points, 0.4%, at 23,898.10, while the AIM All-Share closed down 1.29 points, 0.2%, at 771.69.
In the Middle East, the US held fire at the weekend after 13 days of attacks on sites in Iran, and Donald Trump’s UN envoy said the US president was ‘giving talks some space’.
Vodafone sheds 1,200 jobs in Europe
Vodafone Group has said it cut 1,200 jobs across Europe in recent months as the telecoms giant aims to strip two billion euros (£1.71 billion) from its costs in the next four years.
It came as shareholders in the company approved a pay package worth £10 million for boss Margherita Della Valle.
Vodafone said its cost-saving initiatives had helped deliver the reduction in roles across Europe and in its shared operations in the three months to the end of June.
It did not specify how many UK jobs have been affected.
Monday on Car Dealer
Sinclair Motor Group says 2025 was toughest year since Covid as profits slump 38%
Sinclair Motor Group has reported a 38% in profits after describing 2025 as its toughest year since before Covid, but says it expects a return to stronger trading in 2026.
Mercedes-Benz to proceed to Dieselgate damages trial alone in London this November
Fresh £545m Pinewood takeover offer opposed by shareholder over ‘unprecedented’ deal clause
Pinewood.AI’s proposed £545m takeover by US private equity firm Ridgeview Partners has hit opposition from a major shareholder over what it describes as an ‘unprecedented’ deal clause.
Chinese brands to take 50% market share in the ‘not too distant future’, says Geely boss
Geely’s UK sales director believes Chinese brands could capture 50% of the new car market in the ‘not too distant future’ as the manufacturer says it is already ahead of its ambitious sales targets for 2026.
Dealers say customers increasingly expect used cars to ‘perform like new’
A new survey suggests dealers are increasingly facing unrealistic customer expectations, with many buyers expecting used cars to perform like new and attempting to reject vehicles before faults can be investigated.
The weather
Hot and humid weather is expected across southern England through Wednesday, with temperatures remaining warm overnight before cooler air arrives later in the week.
Conditions are set to become fresher on Thursday, with plenty of sunshine expected into Friday and Saturday, although the odd shower remains possible.