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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 Brabus 930 fuses opulence and performance for 917bhp of autobahn eating limousine
Brabus 930 - front

New Brabus 930 fuses opulence and performance for 917bhp of autobahn eating limousine

Brabus has cooked up a Mercedes S-Class with 917bhp and looks to match
News
13 Mar 2024
New SEAT Arona FR Limited Edition aims to sound as good as it looks
SEAT Arona FR Limited Edition - side static

New SEAT Arona FR Limited Edition aims to sound as good as it looks

Bespoke styling and an uprated sound system should help the FR Limited Edition stand out
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13 Mar 2024
New quad-motor BMW i4 M spy shots remind us the EV super saloon is coming
New BMW i4 M Quad motor - front

New quad-motor BMW i4 M spy shots remind us the EV super saloon is coming

BMW is working on an EV with supercar-beating performance and four-door practicality
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13 Mar 2024
New Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster Chassis Cab is a “blank canvas” for business and leisure
Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster chassis cab - front

New Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster Chassis Cab is a “blank canvas” for business and leisure

Ineos looks to have turned its retro-inspired off-roader into a real workhorse
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13 Mar 2024
New BMW M2 CS to be the ultimate compact performance BMW
BMW M2 CS

New BMW M2 CS to be the ultimate compact performance BMW

The BMW M2 is set to gain a more potent CS variant and it’s going to be something special.
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12 Mar 2024
Volkswagen ID.4 review
Volkswagen ID.4 - front

Volkswagen ID.4 review

The Volkswagen ID.4 will appeal to EV buyers with a focus on family practicality and a decent range
In-depth reviews
8 Mar 2024
New Audi Q6 e-tron will launch on 18 March, ready to take on Porsche’s Macan EV
Audi Q6 E-tron - teaser

New Audi Q6 e-tron will launch on 18 March, ready to take on Porsche’s Macan EV

The Q6 e-tron will represent a new era of electrification for Audi with the brand’s first use of an advanced EV platform
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7 Mar 2024
Volkswagen Passat PHEV 2024 review: the most versatile estate VW has ever made
Volkswagen Passat PHEV - front action

Volkswagen Passat PHEV 2024 review: the most versatile estate VW has ever made

Pricing will be key, but for now the plug-in hybrid Volkswagen Passat is an impressive all-round car
Road tests
5 Mar 2024
New Rivian R2 info surfaces as US firm’s third all-electric model gets ready for launch
Rivian R2 teaser - rear

New Rivian R2 info surfaces as US firm’s third all-electric model gets ready for launch

An online post appears to have leaked some information on the electric SUV ahead of its 7 March unveiling
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5 Mar 2024
Touchscreen backlash? Euro NCAP says physical buttons will be “incentivised” in car safety tests
Audi A7 Sportback - infotainment screen

Touchscreen backlash? Euro NCAP says physical buttons will be “incentivised” in car safety tests

Car makers have been advised not to have important car functions on touchscreens
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5 Mar 2024
New car registrations hit 20-year high in February after 19 months of growth
DVLA V5C document and car keys

New car registrations hit 20-year high in February after 19 months of growth

The UK car market sees continuous growth despite the rapid diesel decline. EV sales to private buyers are up 21% year-on-year
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5 Mar 2024
New Mercedes EQV 2024 review: electric V-Class is classy but expensive
Mercedes EQV - front action

New Mercedes EQV 2024 review: electric V-Class is classy but expensive

The updated Mercedes EQV offers a competitive range and is good to drive, but it all comes at a cost
Road tests
4 Mar 2024
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New Mercedes V-Class 2024 review: popular MPV gets welcome tech upgrade
Mercedes V-Class - front action

New Mercedes V-Class 2024 review: popular MPV gets welcome tech upgrade

The Mercedes V-Class has been updated to keep it competitive against new premium MPV rivals
Road tests
4 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: £260 per month for Hyundai’s Tucson, our favourite mid-size SUV
Kia Sportage vs Hyundai Tucson - Hyundai Tucson front

Car Deal of the Day: £260 per month for Hyundai’s Tucson, our favourite mid-size SUV

The Hyundai Tucson might be all the car you could ever need and at £260 per month it’s our Deal of the Day for Monday 4 March
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4 Mar 2024
New Range Rover Velar replacement spotted: electric coupe-SUV struts its stuff
Range Rover Velar replacement EV - front

New Range Rover Velar replacement spotted: electric coupe-SUV struts its stuff

This is the first time we’ve spotted a possible all-electric Velar replacement in action
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4 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: Nissan Leaf is a proper family EV for £185 per month
Nissan Leaf - front

Car Deal of the Day: Nissan Leaf is a proper family EV for £185 per month

Well-built, practical and refined are all great reasons to get a Nissan Leaf - our Deal of the Day from 1 March
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1 Mar 2024
BMW Isetta-inspired Microlino EV coming to the UK, and we’ve driven it!
Microlino Lite - Geneva front

BMW Isetta-inspired Microlino EV coming to the UK, and we’ve driven it!

The tiny Microlino and the new Microlino Lite electric cars have been given the green light for UK sales
News
1 Mar 2024
New BMW i5 Flow Nostokana is the latest on a long line of BMW ‘Art Cars’
BMW i5 Nostokan art car - BMW 525i and BMW i5

New BMW i5 Flow Nostokana is the latest on a long line of BMW ‘Art Cars’

The new car is a tribute to the 1991 BMW Art Car by Esther Mahlangu
News
1 Mar 2024
Porsche 718 Boxster EV on track for 2025 reveal
Porsche Boxster 718 EV - front

Porsche 718 Boxster EV on track for 2025 reveal

The all-electric Porsche sports car has been spotted with less camouflage
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1 Mar 2024
Toyota Proace and Proace City van updates arrive with prices from under £24,000
2024 Toyota Proace - front

Toyota Proace and Proace City van updates arrive with prices from under £24,000

Toyota’s whole light commercial van range has been facelifted for 2024 and the Proace van is the latest beneficiary
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1 Mar 2024
New £20m Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is the ultimate in opulence
Rolls Royce Arcadia - front static

New £20m Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail is the ultimate in opulence

Arcadia is the third model in Rolls-Royce’s exclusive Droptail commission, and it doesn’t come cheap
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29 Feb 2024
New Tata Gigafactory all set for Somerset: Britain’s biggest battery plant to create 4,000 jobs
Natarajan Chandrasekaran and Rishi Sunak looking at a model factory

New Tata Gigafactory all set for Somerset: Britain’s biggest battery plant to create 4,000 jobs

A “multi-billion-pound” battery manufacturing hub will be built near Bridgewater, Somerset
News
28 Feb 2024
New Alfa Romeo Milano tests its mettle ahead of April 2024 launch
2024 Alfa Romeo Milano - front

New Alfa Romeo Milano tests its mettle ahead of April 2024 launch

Alfa’s new small SUV with come with petrol and fully-electric power
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27 Feb 2024
New IM L6 is coming to the UK and gunning for the Tesla Model 3
IM L6 - front

New IM L6 is coming to the UK and gunning for the Tesla Model 3

The Chinese electric saloon will come with almost 500 miles of range
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26 Feb 2024
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Tiny Silence S04 aims to make a noise in the “nano car” segment
Silence 04 - front

Tiny Silence S04 aims to make a noise in the “nano car” segment

The dinky S04 has seating for two and will do 92 miles on a charge
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26 Feb 2024
Fiat ‘Mega-Panda’ leads surprise concept car blitz that uncovers bold future model plans
Fiat concept city car

Fiat ‘Mega-Panda’ leads surprise concept car blitz that uncovers bold future model plans

Four other all-electric concept car models were revealed with wild styling
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26 Feb 2024
New Jeep Avenger 4xe will bring some off-road bite to Jeep's baby
Jeep Avenger RXE

New Jeep Avenger 4xe will bring some off-road bite to Jeep's baby

Jeep’s 4xe mild-hybrid system finally brings 4x4 capability to brand’s smallest SUV
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26 Feb 2024
Car Deal of the Day: make Morgan Plus Four ownership a reality with new half-now, half-later offer
Morgan Plus Four - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: make Morgan Plus Four ownership a reality with new half-now, half-later offer

Thanks to Morgan’s ‘Advance Payment Plan’ the Plus Four looks more tempting than ever - making it our Deal of the Day for 23 February
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23 Feb 2024
New Vauxhall Corsa Yes Edition is one of the UK’s cheapest EVs
Vauxhall Corsa Electric Yes Edition - front

New Vauxhall Corsa Yes Edition is one of the UK’s cheapest EVs

The new Corsa Yes Edition will be available to order online only from 17 April, taking styling cues from sporty GS
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23 Feb 2024
Hyundai i20 N Line returns to supermini range
2024 Hyundai i20 N Line - front static

Hyundai i20 N Line returns to supermini range

The i20 was facelifted in 2023 without the sporty N Line derivative
News
23 Feb 2024
New Volkswagen T-Roc spotted: this could be the firm’s final petrol car
New Volkswagen T-Roc - front

New Volkswagen T-Roc spotted: this could be the firm’s final petrol car

The next-generation T-Roc looks set to be the last new Volkswagen model offered with petrol power in Europe
News
22 Feb 2024
Tesla Cybertruck rust issues addressed by Tesla engineer
Tesla Cybertruck - front

Tesla Cybertruck rust issues addressed by Tesla engineer

A Tesla Cybertruck engineer has said that rust appearing on the all-electric truck is merely loose surface-level particles
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22 Feb 2024
Zagato AGTZ Twin Tail harks back to the Alpine 220’s motorsport heyday
Zagato AGTZ Twin Tail (blue) - front 3/4 static

Zagato AGTZ Twin Tail harks back to the Alpine 220’s motorsport heyday

Zagato’s latest creation is based on an Alpine A110 and costs well over half a million pounds
News
22 Feb 2024
New Mercedes CLE Cabriolet goes on sale in the UK: summer starts here!
Mercedes CLE Cabriolet - front

New Mercedes CLE Cabriolet goes on sale in the UK: summer starts here!

The drop-top executive arrives with diesel and petrol power
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21 Feb 2024