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Alastair Crooks

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews. Days off are also car-related for Alastair, regularly attending car shows and track days.

Alastair says…

“As a Staff Writer for Auto Express I speak with leading figures in the automotive industry and see what changes are in store for the future. It’s fascinating to see how different firms are planning ahead, especially with the switch to electric cars. I also get the opportunity to test the latest cars, which is always a real honour. The unique benefit of working for Auto Express is our strength in depth, we cover everything from vans to supercars!”

Alastair’s main areas of expertise

  • News writing
  • Reviews
  • Feature writing 
  • Social media

Alastair Crooks Q&A 

Q: What was your first car?

A: “My first car was a Mk1 Ford Focus. It was a Zetec model with a 99bhp, 1.6-litre petrol under the bonnet. It wasn’t fast by any means but it felt solid enough and had a great balance to it. I’d like to think my skills behind the wheel have improved since I parted with my Focus so I’d love to revisit it again to see if the driving experience still holds up.”

Q: What is your dream car? 

A: “I won’t ever give a straightforward answer to this question because it’s purely mood dependent. I simply have to drive an E46 M3 at some point to see if it lives up to the hype (although the same could be said of every JDM icon from the 1990s), but I also love estates and the king of the genre is undoubtedly the V10 M5 Touring.” 

“Away from BMWs, I drove a Ferrari 458 many years ago and that is a car that’s always stuck with me. The Speciale version would probably do me just fine.”

Q: If you could change one thing about cars, driving or the car industry today what would it be?

A: “Whenever I come back from driving in Europe I’m always reminded that UK roads are atrocious. I’m not just talking about poor driving etiquette but rather actual road surfaces simply inadequate for cars. Oh, and if fuel prices could come down a bit as well that would be nice.”

Social media and e-mail 

e-mail: alastair.crooks@carwow.co.uk

New Audi TT RS Coupe iconic edition revealed with £87,650 price tag
Audi TT RS Coupe iconic edition - front

New Audi TT RS Coupe iconic edition revealed with £87,650 price tag

Production of the new Audi TT RS Coupe iconic edition will be limited to just 100 units
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New 2022 Kia Soul EV facelift launches from £32,795
Kia Soul EV - blue front

New 2022 Kia Soul EV facelift launches from £32,795

Kia has revised its all-electric small SUV, adding a new powertrain and changing the exterior design
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Mercedes GLC - front

New 2022 Mercedes GLC: pricing, powertrains and specs

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The Citroen Oli concept is a £22,000 cardboard car of the future
Citroen Ami - AEX front

The Citroen Oli concept is a £22,000 cardboard car of the future

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New Lamborghini Urus S arrives as Performante's hot SUV understudy

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29 Sep 2022
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Ferrari SP51 1

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28 Sep 2022
Citroen Berlingo 2CV Fourgonnette revives classic 2CV van style
Citroen Berlingo 2CV Fourgonnette front

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Ford Focus ST Track Pack launched
ford focus st track pack

Ford Focus ST Track Pack launched

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26 Sep 2022
Mercedes teases first all-electric virtual show car
Mercedes all-electric virtual show car

Mercedes teases first all-electric virtual show car

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26 Sep 2022
New ultra-limited Brabus P 900 Rocket Edition launched with 888bhp
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New ultra-limited Brabus P 900 Rocket Edition launched with 888bhp

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26 Sep 2022
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New Skoda Vision GT is digital single-seater sports car concept
Skoda Vision GT - front

New Skoda Vision GT is digital single-seater sports car concept

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21 Sep 2022
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New Caterham Super Seven 600 and 2000 launched

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Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo: prices, powertrains and range

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20 Sep 2022
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Mercedes GLC 300 de - front tracking

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15 Sep 2022
New Subaru Crosstrek: XV SUV gets a new name and facelift
Subaru Crosstrek - front static

New Subaru Crosstrek: XV SUV gets a new name and facelift

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15 Sep 2022
Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6: six-wheeled super truck unveiled
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Hennessey VelociRaptor 6x6: six-wheeled super truck unveiled

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14 Sep 2022
New Land Rover Defender 75th Limited Edition available now from £86k
Land Rover Defender 110 75th Anniversary Edition - front

New Land Rover Defender 75th Limited Edition available now from £86k

The new special edition Land Rover Defender can be had in 90 or 110 guises
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13 Sep 2022
New Volvo XC40 Recharge Single Motor 2022 review
Volvo XC40 Recharge - front

New Volvo XC40 Recharge Single Motor 2022 review

The XC40 Recharge Single Motor goes to show just how quickly both the SUV and pure-electric segments evolve
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13 Sep 2022
Pagani Utopia unveiled as supercar brand’s third car
Pagani Utopia - front

Pagani Utopia unveiled as supercar brand’s third car

The Utopia is both more powerful and lighter than the outgoing Pagani Huayra
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12 Sep 2022
New Volvo nameplates suggest all-electric range plans
Volvo badge

New Volvo nameplates suggest all-electric range plans

Volvo files trademarks for new car names which could point to the structure of its new all-electric model range
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12 Sep 2022
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VW ID. Xtreme Concept - front static

New Volkswagen ID. Xtreme Concept could preview off-road ID.4

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12 Sep 2022
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Mercedes and Rivian logos

Mercedes and Rivian announce electric van partnership

The move will see EV-maker Rivian and Mercedes co-produce large electric vans
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8 Sep 2022
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New Jeep Wagoneer S electric SUV to target BMW iX and Audi e-tron
Jeep Wagoneer S - front

New Jeep Wagoneer S electric SUV to target BMW iX and Audi e-tron

Jeep claims the all-electric Wagoneer S will come with 400 miles of range
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8 Sep 2022
New pure-electric Jeep Recon to launch in 2025
Jeep Recon - front

New pure-electric Jeep Recon to launch in 2025

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8 Sep 2022
Hardcore KTM X-BOW GT-XR road-legal track car revealed
KTM X-BOW GT-XR - tracking

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New Mercedes GLC 2022 review
Mercedes GLC - front

New Mercedes GLC 2022 review

The new Mercedes GLC is an improvement in almost every area, but is it good enough to compete with the very best in the mid-size premium SUV class
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New 2022 Ford Ranger available to order from £47,220
Ford Ranger - front

New 2022 Ford Ranger available to order from £47,220

The latest Ford Ranger pick-up can be had with a new V6 powertrain
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2 Sep 2022
New range-topping Citroen My Ami Tonic revealed with £8,695 price tag
Citroen My Ami Tonic - front action

New range-topping Citroen My Ami Tonic revealed with £8,695 price tag

A new top-spec Citroen Ami has been unveiled with an even funkier exterior
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2 Sep 2022
New 2022 Citroen C5 Aircross gets £26,930 starting price
Citroen C5 Aircross

New 2022 Citroen C5 Aircross gets £26,930 starting price

Citroen C5 Aircross prices have been tweaked, but the SUV retains the same powertrains and trim levels
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31 Aug 2022
New Smart #1 Brabus is a 422bhp all-electric family SUV
Smart Brabus 1 - front

New Smart #1 Brabus is a 422bhp all-electric family SUV

The hot Brabus variant of the all-electric Smart #1 also offers a sporty exterior makeover
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26 Aug 2022
Numbers of Koenigsegg CC850s increase to 70 due to high demand
Koenigsegg CC850 - front

Numbers of Koenigsegg CC850s increase to 70 due to high demand

The CC850 is a homage to the Koenigsegg CC8S from 2002 with a manual and automatic gearbox
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26 Aug 2022
Tesla Model Y lineup expands with Rear-Wheel Drive version
Tesla Model Y - front static

Tesla Model Y lineup expands with Rear-Wheel Drive version

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26 Aug 2022