London, 23 February 2026
Today marks the close of London Fashion Week (LFW) 2026, and OMODA UK’s most high-profile brand moment yet in the UK. As Principal Partner of this year’s LFW and in recognition of its wider relationship with the British Fashion Council (BFC), OMODA UK spent the week making its presence felt across the capital, establishing the OMODA 7 as the mode of transport of choice for fashion’s most discerning figures, and a design statement that belongs squarely in the world of contemporary style.

Alongside OMODA UK’s LFW activation was a campaign that did what the best fashion statements always aim to do: turn heads. ‘I’m Not a Supermodel, But This Car Is’ was a confident, viral campaign that flipped the convention of automotive advertising on its head. Rather than placing a human at the centre of the story, it positioned the OMODA 7 as an undisputed showstopper of the season.

Fronted by model Denise Ohnona, who often gets mistaken for one of the UK’s most famous and iconic supermodels of the 21^st Century, OMODA UK’s campaign unfolded through a series of photo and video content in which the OMODA 7 was styled, lit and presented with the same admiration afforded to the world’s most famous faces. Denise’s role was knowing and playful, which added the human presence precisely to remind people that the real star isn’t a ‘face’ as expected, but the OMODA 7 itself.

High-impact digital billboards at The Outernet ran during LFW, designed to make tourists and passers-by do a double-take before directing them to the website imnotasupermodel.com, tying people back to the brand and the car. The messaging reflected the OMODA 7’s confident design language and its ambition to challenge expectations, both in automotive, fashion and culture.

Throughout the wider London Fashion Week spectacle, a fleet of OMODA 7s provided VIP transport for designers, models and senior industry figures across London. From backstage arrivals to after-show departures, the OMODA 7 was woven into the fabric of LFW, not only as a sponsor but as a genuine participant in fashion’s most important week, making it the mode of choice in the industry.

Inside the official BFC NEWGEN space at 180 Strand, OMODA UK created the ‘OMODA Lounge’, which displayed an immersive environment inspired by the brand’s “Art in Motion” design philosophy. In collaboration with FOUNDATION FM, the female-led radio station championing underground music, art and culture, the space hosted live DJ broadcasts and served as a meeting point for designers, artists and tastemakers throughout the week. It was a physical expression of what OMODA represents: a brand that understands the space where design, technology and culture converge.

Victor Zhang, UK Country Director, OMODA UK, said: “For OMODA UK, London Fashion Week represented a perfect meeting point between design, creativity and technology, values that are already central to everything we stand for as a brand. The word ‘MODA’ is not incidental to our name; it is our intent. We believe a car can be as culturally relevant and as aesthetically compelling as high fashion, and the OMODA 7 is our most powerful proof of that yet. 

“The ‘I’m Not a Supermodel, But This Car Is’ campaign reflected our confidence in the OMODA 7 as a fashion-forward SUV that belongs in contemporary British culture. We close London Fashion Week 2026 with the OMODA 7 firmly established as the most stylish new arrival of the season.”

The connection is more than symbolic. Embedded in the brand’s very identity, “MODA”, derived from the word for “fashion”, speaks to OMODA’s founding belief that a car can be as fashion-forward, as expressive, and as culturally relevant as anything on a runway. The OMODA 7 is that belief made real as a bold, stylish and technology-forward mid-size SUV that doesn’t just keep pace with modern taste but rather sets the benchmark.

Positioned between the compact OMODA 5 and the flagship OMODA 9, the OMODA 7 represents a significant step in the brand’s UK portfolio. Available in Knight and Noble specification grades, it is offered with either a 1.6-litre TGi petrol engine or OMODA’s Super Hybrid System, which delivers over 700 miles of total range, including up to 56 miles of EV-only driving, with fast charging and Vehicle-to-Load capability.

Inside, eco-leather finishes, dual digital displays, SONY audio and wireless smartphone connectivity come as standard. The OMODA 7 is also the first UK-delivered OMODA model to feature an in-built fragrance system, which adds an innovative sensory dimension to the cabin, setting a new benchmark for interior experience in this segment.

The OMODA 7 will arrive in UK dealerships from March 2026, priced from £29,915 OTR* for the petrol variant and from £32,000 OTR* for the SHS. All models are supported by a comprehensive 7-year/100,000-mile vehicle warranty, an 8-year/100,000-mile battery warranty for SHS variants, and RAC Home Start as standard for the lifetime of the warranty.**

* All prices quoted are correct at time of writing
** Subject to servicing within the OMODA&JAECOO network, in line with the maintenance schedule

London, UK (30^th September 2025): Nissan van line-up has had their impressive safety credentials re-confirmed by Euro NCAP, after the organisation recently changed the way in which it ranks LCVs.

The compact and versatile Nissan Townstar – and the Interstar, Nissan’s largest LCV – have both been awarded the maximum five stars under the new system. Both vehicles are available with ICE or all-electric powertrains.

Meanwhile, the medium-sized Primastar achieved a strong four-star rating. All three vehicles have been re-assessed by Euro NCAP this year.

The star ratings replace the ‘medal’ grading method employed by Euro NCAP until recently, under which vans were allocated rankings such as bronze, silver and gold. Star ratings are already used in a wide variety of automotive settings, with a five-star rating indicating the peak of success.

The Nissan LCV team is naturally delighted that its trio of vans are ranked so highly. In fact, the new Euro NCAP scoring system meant a step up for Townstar, which advanced from its former gold status – just below platinum and equivalent to four stars – to five-star billing.

These ratings are testament to Nissan’s commitment to safety, particularly as since 2023, Euro NCAP has applied more rigorous assessment protocols to commercial vans than those used in previous years.

Statistics published by Euro NCAP provide a fascinating insight into just how safe Nissan’s LCVs really are – thanks to an advanced suite of technologies installed as standard across all grades. For safe driving, Townstar scored 79 per cent; Interstar 73 per cent and Primastar 68 per cent.

Assessed for crash avoidance, Interstar was scored at 76 per cent; Townstar achieved 74 per cent and Primastar achieved 61 per cent. All three achieved an impressive 80 per cent in the post-crash safety category.

There were a number of factors that helped Townstar advance to its new five-star status. The van won particular praise for its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system which detects other vehicles and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Euro NCAP noted: ‘‘Performance is excellent when approaching a stationary or slower-moving car, with collisions avoided in almost all test scenarios. The system performs equally well whether the target vehicle is straight in front of it or offset to one side.’’

Townstar’s Lane Departure Warning System also won praise, ‘‘performing well in all tests’’.

Euro NCAP said Primastar ‘‘represents a good choice for those seeking a safe commercial van’’ and that Interstar’s five-star rating was ‘‘well-deserved’’.

Euro NCAP’s current criteria for commercial van ratings focus on advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and place special emphasis on vulnerable road users, including pedestrians out and about at night, and cyclists.

Reaffirming Nissan’s commitment to quality and reassurance, every Nissan LCV is covered by a five-year or 100,000-mile warranty. The comprehensive package includes bumper-to-bumper protection and roadside assistance for a full five years – providing comprehensive cover for extra peace of mind.

Francesco Russiello, LCV Category Manager at Nissan said: ‘‘The outstanding performance of our Light Commercial Vehicle range across all safety categories demonstrates our clear commitment and dedication to improving passenger and road safety.

‘‘Nissan is at the forefront when it comes to the advanced suite of technologies that are standard on all grades of our LCVs, identifying potential dangers and helping the driver to avoid an accident.

‘‘The information provided by Euro NCAP’s thorough testing and rating programme is crucial for consumers to truly understand the various safety technologies we have introduced across our vehicles as standard. It’s great to see our efforts recognised in this way, but more importantly, it’s hugely reassuring for our customers.’’

Subaru UK & Ireland is delighted to announce that ‘The Subaru Cocoon’ garden has won a host of top awards at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival, the world’s largest annual flower show. The innovative Show Garden was awarded ‘Best Show Garden’ and the highly coveted Tudor Rose Award, a prestigious accolade that recognises exceptional show gardens. The ‘Subaru Cocoon’ show garden also took home the ‘Best Construction (Show Garden)’ award and the RHS Environmental Innovation Award.

Once covering 20% of Britain, these lush, biodiverse Rainforest ecosystems have now dwindled to less than 1%, making them one of the UK’s most threatened habitats. The Subaru Cocoon’s powerful conservation message, combined with its innovative sustainable design, captivated judges, leading to this remarkable recognition, placing it among the most successful gardens in the festival’s history.

The show garden is a collaboration between Subaru UK & Ireland and the Mike McMahon Studio, and was inspired by the UK and Ireland’s rapidly vanishing temperate rainforests. The resulting space is a sculptural sensory refuge that creates a calming environment, drawing attention to this quiet, yet vital crisis.

Lorraine Bishton, Managing Director at Subaru UK & Ireland, said: “We are thrilled The Subaru Cocoon garden has received outstanding levels of recognition, as it supports our aim of showcasing both the beauty and fragility of our native rainforests, and the need to safeguard these ecologically rich, but threatened habitats.

We would like to thank our partner, Mike McMahon Studio, whose vision and commitment to excellence has proved instrumental to this activation. They have created a garden which beautifully articulates Subaru’s commitment to protection and sustainability, along with a profound appreciation of the natural world – values we know our customers share.

Following the festival, I’m looking forward to seeing the Subaru Cocoon further evolve as it is repurposed to provide an enduring legacy with the inspirational charity Horatio’s Garden.”

Mike McMahon and Jewsly Mathews of Mike McMahon Studio, added: “We are overjoyed and humbled to receive a Gold Medal, Best Show Garden, Environmental Innovation Award, Best Construction Award and the coveted Tudor Rose Award at the 2025 RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. With our Subaru Cocoon, we sought to capture the quiet majesty of the temperate rainforest and illuminate the urgent need to protect these precious, life-giving ecosystems. This recognition is a testament to the power of gardens to stir hearts, spark change, and celebrate the profound beauty of our living world.”

Award-Winning Sustainable Innovation

The show garden features a striking curved Jali wall – a perforated architectural screen that honours co-designer Jewlsy Mathews’ South Indian heritage – made from 4,500 innovative Kenoteq K-Briqs manufactured from over 95% recycled construction waste. The revolutionary building materials emit 95% less carbon than traditional fired bricks, with the Jali wall doubling as a super-sized ‘insect hotel’ supporting microhabitats across the site.

By using sustainable bricks, the garden project diverted 9.45 tonnes of construction waste from landfill and saved 1,972 kg of CO₂ emissions – equivalent to the amount of CO₂ 80 mature trees would absorb over a full year. This innovative approach to biodiversity follows Mike McMahon Studio’s RHS Chelsea Gold Medal-winning garden in 2024.

In lieu of a traditional walled garden door, a reflective water threshold leads into a cool, immersive landscape of texture and shadow, with cantilevered fallen tree trunks planted with native epiphytes. The planting scheme features exclusively native species from the UK and Ireland, including thirteen species of fern, Silver Birch, and Scots Pine, structured in forest-like layers to celebrate the rich biodiversity of Britain’s temperate rainforests.

The Cocoon garden reflects Subaru’s commitment to sustainability, care, and considered movement – values shared across both brand and show garden. Just as Subaru supports responsible exploration through electric innovation with the zero-tailpipe emission, all-wheel-drive Subaru Solterra, the garden offers a place of refuge that treads lightly on the land.

As part of Subaru’s commitment to sustainability, the award-winning garden will be given a second life after the festival, with plans to repurpose it with the Horatio’s Garden charity, ensuring the installation continues to inspire and provide a place to nurture the wellbeing of people beyond the event.

For more information on the Subaru range, including the all-electric Solterra, visit www.subaru.co.uk

DENZA, the premium technology-oriented automotive brand of the BYD Group, is making its official public debut in the UK at the popular Goodwood Festival of Speed. DENZA will showcase its elegant European design influences, sophisticated materials and cutting-edge innovations like Super DM hybrid with a selection of models on show, including the Z9GT Grand Tourer and the B5 premium SUV.

As part of the build-up to starting sales at the beginning of 2026, DENZA will also explain how it leverages the immense research and development resources of the world’s largest new-energy vehicle manufacturer to deliver breakthrough dynamics and performance.

DENZA’s presence at Goodwood is being led by the advanced Z9GT, a model that brings many unique features to the premium market and offers customers the choice of either a pure-electric powertrain or the colossal range of a Super DM plug-in hybrid configuration. The Z9GT will use DENZA’s Goodwood stand to demonstrate the unique capabilities of its e³ Platform, performing Compass U-Turns and showing how precision control, torque control and supreme steering enable easier parking manoeuvres in tight situations.

DENZA’s presence will be completed by the D9, an MPV that mixes sustainable powertrains with a cabin honed to deliver business-class comfort, and the B5, a premium SUV that will bring the appeal of an off-road focus to the range.

Executive Vice President of BYD Stella Li commented: “We’re thrilled to be introducing DENZA to UK customers, especially at the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed. This is a brand that has always had its roots in European design in particular, and we’re confident that British car enthusiasts will find inspiration in how DENZA blends that influence with our sophisticated technologies, the finest craftsmanship and, for the first time in this segment, a true focus on efficient, sustainable new-energy powertrains.”

European influence from the outset – how DENZA has evolved
DENZA was founded in 2010 as a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, allowing a unique blend of European design and luxury experience with Chinese expertise in electrification. Those European genes continue to run through the core of DENZA’s products today, for while DENZA is now wholly owned by BYD, its design direction is guided by the renowned German designer Wolfgang Egger. And of course, it is supported more than ever by the colossal development department at BYD, with more than 120,000 engineers working constantly on innovative technologies that enhance the user experience.

Every letter of the DENZA name itself relates to a key attribute of the brand’s values. D stands for Diverse, referring to the wide range of abilities that will be covered by the vehicle line-up; E refers to Elegance, referencing the timeless design and comfortable dynamics and cabins of DENZA models. N stands for Novel, reflecting the unique features introduced by DENZA vehicles, while Z is Zenith, thanks to the peak sophistication delivered by the bespoke e³ Platform and a ground-up dedication to new-energy technologies. And A equates to Aspirational, acknowledging DENZA’s positioning in the premium segment, with desirable design, quality and materials.

Timeless elegance of design meets cutting-edge technology
Aesthetically, the DENZA brand combines elegant finesse and premium craftsmanship to create a strong sense of resilience, safety and power, while offering exceptional refinement and aerodynamic efficiency. The inspiration for the vehicles’ clean, understated surfaces is silk – a fabric that is luxurious both to the eye and the touch.

Design Director Wolfgang Egger said: “There are some rules in design, just as in architecture. Every line, every graphic, every surface must have a relationship together and make sense. True lines enhance the beauty of the sculpture, and this is what we have worked towards with DENZA design.”

He added: “In the case of silk, it is an inspiration in many ways. Take a sculpture, or a vehicle like the DENZA Z9GT, and cover it in silk. Then take the same item and cover it with cotton, and you’ll notice a big difference. You know what happens: the silk falls naturally and covers the body but still shows, under the surface, the beauty of what is already there.”

This design ethos delivers confident, fluid lines that epitomise precision at every touchpoint, while successfully exploiting the DENZA-specific platform beneath to ensure proportions that appeal to the eye and maximise cabin packaging for a supremely comfortable passenger experience.

With BYD as the parent brand, advanced technology and smart connected experiences are core characteristics of DENZA. The interior of DENZA models exudes a high-tech ambience, with a signature large touchscreen at the centre of the console and wraparound cockpit, as well as rear multimedia screens for passenger infotainment and premium sound systems.

Powered by the sophisticated e³ Platform
At the heart of the Z9GT lies the e³ Platform, created specifically for the DENZA brand. It brings a number of world-first and class-leading functions, based on four core technologies: three-motor independent drive, rear-wheel dual-motor independent steering, Vehicle Motion Control and Cell-to-Body (CTB) battery-body integration.

This all-encompassing solution means vehicles with the e³ Platform have abilities that are unique to the premium segment: the turning circle of a European city car in an E-segment model, crab-walking functionality for narrow streets with obstacles, and world-beating reaction times that bring higher levels of dynamic involvement and safety.

“The launch of Phantom VI marked a significant chapter in the Rolls-Royce story; it would go on to become the marque’s final model offered as a rolling chassis, ending a line unbroken since 1904. However, the coachbuilding era ended in suitably magnificent style with Phantom VI. Launched in 1968, just 374 were built in a production cycle that extended over two decades; however, the 1980s can be regarded as its true heyday – only six examples were completed after 1990. The last fully coachbuilt Rolls-Royce, Phantom VI had coachwork by H. J. Mulliner Park Ward, then a wholly in-house operation; the best-known commissions were likely those built for the Royal fleet, which remain in service today. It would be more than 20 years before coachbuilt motor cars of comparable quality and detail would become available, when Rolls-Royce began its modern-day coachbuilding operation at Goodwood with ‘Sweptail’ in 2017. This was followed by the announcement of a dedicated department within Rolls-Royce named Coachbuild, and the unveiling of Boat Tail in 2021, then Droptail in 2023. Phantom VI is thus an important marker in the Rolls-Royce story, as both the swansong of traditional coachbuilding, and a model for the new generation that would follow.”
Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

From its foundation in 1904, Rolls-Royce built rolling chassis, upon which clients commissioned coachwork from an independent coachbuilder. The marque produced its first complete monocoque cars in the 1960s, but continued to offer rolling chassis until the 1980s.

Phantom VI was the last Rolls-Royce to be made available in this form. In line with standard Rolls-Royce practice, established by Sir Henry Royce himself, Phantom VI was born out of the upgrades and enhancements to its predecessor, Phantom V. The accumulated improvements reached the point where Rolls-Royce engineers judged it sufficiently evolved to be worthy of a new designation.

Even so, Phantom VI already felt like something of an anachronism. Phantom V clients had been able to choose coachwork from four great names: H. J. Mulliner, Park Ward, Hoopers and James Young. By 1961, the latter two had closed their doors, while Rolls-Royce had acquired and amalgamated the other two to create its own in-house coachbuilder, known as H. J. Mulliner Park Ward, which would provide the bodies for virtually all Phantom VI motor cars.

Like all Rolls-Royce models, Phantom VI underwent various changes during its lifecycle, including a more powerful 6.75-litre V8 engine and a modern three-speed automatic gearbox to replace the original four-speed version inherited from the Silver Cloud era. It also had specially engineered brakes, which used the Silver Shadow-style high-pressure hydraulics to operate rams connected to twin master cylinders; the brake drums were designed for improved heat dissipation and more efficient linings.

Changes in safety legislation required front-hinged doors with burst-proof locks, flush interior door handles and a steering column that would collapse upon impact. New crash-testing protocols also meant the prototype Phantom VI chassis, PRH1500, suffered the indignity of being driven into a 100-tonne concrete block at 30mph (48km/h) – a test it passed so effortlessly it was subsequently rebuilt and is still in service as a courtesy car at a Swiss hotel to this day.

Although coachbuilding was by now a niche offer even for Rolls-Royce, Phantom VI provided a fitting ‘last hurrah’ for this longstanding traditional craft. The seven ‘Special Limousines’, codenamed ‘Alpha’, for example, were superficially similar to other Phantom VIs; but close examination revealed wider, chrome-plated window trims and 16” wheels with tyres inflated to 90psi. These modifications were required to accommodate the 5mm thick glass and 7mm of armour plating that rendered the rear passenger compartment both bullet and bomb-proof. No such provision was made for the luckless chauffeur, however.

Phantom VI was also the last truly coachbuilt Rolls-Royce to offer both Sedanca de Ville and Landaulette coachwork. The Landaulette was available opening either to the B-pillar or over the rear seat, the latter variant being the choice of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Her daughter, HM Queen Elizabeth II, owned two Phantom VIs. The first, codenamed ‘Oil Barrel’, had its roof height raised by 13cm (5″) and a Perspex rear cupola that could be quickly covered by a two-piece, black-painted aluminium dome when the occupants required privacy. The second, delivered for the Royal fleet in July 1987, was codenamed ‘Lady Norfolk’ and had a standard roof height. Both remain in service at the Royal Mews today.

Increasing difficulty in obtaining minor chassis and coachwork components manufactured in the Silver Cloud era finally put paid to Phantom VI production. The last iteration commissioned by a client was delivered in May 1991; its 117 bespoke features included a solid silver fruit bowl to sit atop the cabinet behind the division, kept in place by concealed magnets.

In its 23-year lifecycle, just 374 Phantom VIs were built. The very last example to be completed was a Landaulette finished in black over red, with red leather in the front and red velvet in the rear compartment. Rolls-Royce had originally intended to retain the car itself, but recessionary pressures finally persuaded the company to part with it in 1993.

Phantom VI was the last Rolls-Royce model with traditional coachbuilt bodywork. It represented both the pinnacle and the swansong of the traditional coachbuilder’s art, with a purity of line and finesse of detail unequalled until Rolls-Royce embarked on its contemporary coachbuilding renaissance at Goodwood, with ‘Sweptail’, more than two decades later.