Bygone Hillsborough

he Hillsborough and Owlerton History Group have been awarded a grant of £40,180 to allow them to research, develop and preserve the social history of the area in the 1930s and 1940s.

The two-year project – which took nearly 18 months to develop – was inspired following the chance discovery of four cinefilms from the era that provide a fascinating insight into the area in the period.

The films underpin the new project and provide a rare glimpse into life in the interwar and post-war period.

Knowledge from the films will form the basis for further research into local history and industry as part of the project. Volunteers will also be recruited to record stories from people that can still remember the area in the preWW2/post-WW2 period.

Local schools will be involved in the project which is aiming to bring the area’s fascinating social heritage to a far wider audience.

Jenny Morton, chair of the group, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded this grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The content of the four cinefilms have opened the door to this fascinating period - this award will truly allow us to bring it back to life and create a legacy for future generations.”

The project will culminate in an exhibition and publishing of two books.

Helen Featherstone, Director, England,

North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we are thrilled to support the Hillsborough and Owlerton History Group to explore and preserve local history.

“The amazing discovery of the films provide a rare and valuable resource, and it is great to think this project will build on that to bring the social heritage of Hillsborough to life for local communities.”

The Hillsborough and Owlerton History Group is a friendly local history group who meet at 7.30 pm on the third Thursday of every month (except December which is the second Thursday) at Hillsborough Trinity Methodist Church, Middlewood Road S6 4HE. There is a entry fee of £3 for visitors, free to visitors who become members (annual membership fee of £2). Visit hillsboroughhistory.co.uk to find out more.

Cars for living

A highly connected and innovative SUV for the modern, electrified world, the allnew Renault Austral E-Tech full hybrid forms part of the company’s ‘cars for living’ trajectory, enhancing its already strong focus on electrified cars.

The car features the latest, more powerful, and more efficient version of the E-Tech full hybrid powertrain. It marries its new, efficient drivetrain with an innovative, user-focused cockpit and a range of advanced technologies – from cutting-edge Google connectivity to an array of driver, safety and parking systems as standard – all packaged in a new, sporty SUV design that follows Gilles Vidal’s (Renault Director of Design) new vision.

All models are powered by a new 200hp petrol hybrid powertrain with a 400V 1.7kWh lithium-ion battery.

THE LATEST ADDITION FROM RENAULT IS HIGHLY CONNECTED, WRITES RICHARD ABBEY.

New look and added technology

The Audi A6 and Audi A7 model lines have been brought into the updated Audi UK portfolio for the 2024 model year. In addition to newly designed trim lines with newlook front and rear designs, the luxury-class models now feature bold interior and exterior colours, new wheel designs, and upgraded standard equipment.

The A6 and A7 model lines now comprise three trim levels - Sport, S line, and Black Edition – and improved standard specification. Matrix LED headlights with dynamic front and rear indicators, electric seats with memory driver function, Audi phone box light, Audi App store and camera-based traffic sign recognition is now standard across every model.

The updated Audi A6 models are available to order now, starting at £43,965 for the Saloon and £46,115 for the Avant. The Audi A7 starts at £56,385 (OTR).

The SUV that shines

Volkswagen is upgrading the third generation of the Touareg with extensive improvements: the suspension as well as the display and operating concept of the fullsize SUV have been revised, and the front and rear design have been sharpened.

Particularly striking features are the newly developed HD LED matrix headlights at the front and the LED taillights, which are realised as a light strip.

The new Touareg will be launched in five powertrain versions. In addition to a turbocharged petrol engine4, there is a choice of two turbodiesel engines and two plug-in hybrids. All highly efficient engines are paired as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and the 4MOTION permanent all-wheel drive.

The Touareg R eHybrid is the top-of-the-range model of the product line with the most powerful drive system: a V6 petrol engine plus electric motor with a system output of 340 kW (462 PS).

Limited edition

CUPRA UK has introduced the limited edition CUPRA Formentor VZN, offering bespoke styling options over the VZ3 trim.

Available to order now, priced from £48,270 OTR, it is available exclusively with the 2.0 TSI 310PS DSG-auto 4Drive powertrain.

The Formentor VZN trim features 19-inch sport black alloys in a matte finish, matte black grille, cladding, and mirror covers, Dinamica bucket seats and black chrome CUPRA lettering, visually making it the sportiest and most dynamic Formentor in the range.

In addition, the Formentor VZN comes equipped with the premium Beats Audio sound system, a top view camera and a panoramic sunroof, offering a richer driver and passenger experience with superior comfort.

It will be available in two different colours - Midnight Black and Mountain Green (exclusive to VZN).