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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

BMW M2 ‘track day package’ spotted on the Nurburgring
BMW M2 Track Pack - front 3/4

BMW M2 ‘track day package’ spotted on the Nurburgring

The track day package will be for BMW M2 owners looking to add some spice to their performance coupes
News
18 Jul 2025
Major new Cupra show car to uncover brand’s future design vision
Cupra badge

Major new Cupra show car to uncover brand’s future design vision

The show car could well point towards Cupra’s upcoming flagship SUV
News
18 Jul 2025
New GAC AION V and AION UT are China’s latest UK EV arrivals
GAC Aion UT - front 3/4

New GAC AION V and AION UT are China’s latest UK EV arrivals

Two new models from GAC are coming in 2026 with the potential for more to follow
News
18 Jul 2025
Vauxhall Grandland review
Vauxhall Grandland - main image

Vauxhall Grandland review

The Vauxhall Grandland is a practical and attractively priced family SUV, but it’s not particularly interesting to drive
In-depth reviews
17 Jul 2025
Honda Civic Type R Ultimate Edition: Goodwood reveal and first drive
Honda Civic Type R Ultimate Edition - front tracking up the Goodwood hill

Honda Civic Type R Ultimate Edition: Goodwood reveal and first drive

The Ultimate Edition is the final Civic Type R - we have a go to see if it’s a worthy send-off
News
17 Jul 2025
New Tesla Model Y L six-seater leaked in China
Tesla Model Y leaked - front 3/4 from patent office

New Tesla Model Y L six-seater leaked in China

The long-wheelbase Model Y hasn’t been confirmed for the UK market yet
News
17 Jul 2025
BMW M5 Neue Klasse testing heats up at the Nurburgring
BMW M5 Facelift - front cornering

BMW M5 Neue Klasse testing heats up at the Nurburgring

The BMW 5 Series and hot M5 have been spotted with a new look inspired by Neue Klasse
News
17 Jul 2025

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New Kia EV4 Fastback arrives to take on Polestar and Tesla
Kia EV4 Fastback - front

New Kia EV4 Fastback arrives to take on Polestar and Tesla

Joining the EV4 hatch is the new Fastback variant, which trades a bit of range for style
News
17 Jul 2025
Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition pays homage to the Clio Williams
Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition - front

Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition pays homage to the Clio Williams

The Renault 5 Monte Carlo Edition has been created by Dutch company Re-volve and is limited to just 25 units
News
16 Jul 2025
New Poer pick-up truck will actually be good, says GWM
GWM Poer - front end teaser

New Poer pick-up truck will actually be good, says GWM

The GWM subbrand will focus on more utilitarian vehicles
News
16 Jul 2025
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Alpine’s big plan for a super-SUV to rival the Porsche Cayenne
Alpine A390 - front static

Alpine’s big plan for a super-SUV to rival the Porsche Cayenne

The French sports car brand could be working on a huge E-segment electric SUV
News
16 Jul 2025
Super-luxury Renault Rafale is the French president's new trump card
Presidential Renault Rafale - front static

Super-luxury Renault Rafale is the French president's new trump card

The Rafale was chosen to showcase ‘French excellence and art de vivre’
News
16 Jul 2025
Electric Honda Civic Type R still on the table: performance brand's EV future
Honda Civic Type R - front static

Electric Honda Civic Type R still on the table: performance brand's EV future

After some of the best naturally-aspirated performance engines in history, Honda’s Type R division could be looking to go electric
News
14 Jul 2025
Skoda Enyaq Cargo becomes Czech company's first electric van with £1,800 conversion
Skoda Enyaq Cargo - front 3/4

Skoda Enyaq Cargo becomes Czech company's first electric van with £1,800 conversion

The Enyaq has proven itself to be a family-friendly electric SUV, now its taking to the commercial sector
News
14 Jul 2025
Polestar 4 review
Polestar 4 - main image

Polestar 4 review

Polestar is treading its own path in the EV world, and the Polestar 4 is a perfect example of this
In-depth reviews
14 Jul 2025
Dacia Bigster review
Dacia Bigster - main image

Dacia Bigster review

The Dacia Bigster is what it says it is – a big Duster. But that’s far from being a bad thing
In-depth reviews
14 Jul 2025
New Honda Prelude prototype review: sporty, stylish and fun
Honda Prelude at Goodwood Festival of Speed - front cornering

New Honda Prelude prototype review: sporty, stylish and fun

Honda’s coupe is back and our first track drive in a near-production prototype gives reasons for optimism
Road tests
14 Jul 2025
KGM Actyon K50 long-term test: practical SUV proves both thirsty and bouncy
KGM Actyon K50 long-term - header with laptop

KGM Actyon K50 long-term test: practical SUV proves both thirsty and bouncy

Second fleetwatch: sat-nav woes and refinement issues take the shine off this spacious family car
Long-term tests
14 Jul 2025
Honda Super EV makes UK debut as quirky concept takes to Goodwood
Honda Super EV - front

Honda Super EV makes UK debut as quirky concept takes to Goodwood

The Super EV concept could be the replacement for the Honda e
News
11 Jul 2025
MG Cyber X could go on sale within two years as spiritual successor to Suzuki Jimny
MG Cyber X - front 3/4 Goodwood

MG Cyber X could go on sale within two years as spiritual successor to Suzuki Jimny

The chunky SUV could bring people to the brand who would otherwise never buy an MG, according to the UK planning boss
News
10 Jul 2025
New MG IM6 is a £48k all-electric SUV designed to topple the Tesla Model Y
MG IM6 - Goodwood front

New MG IM6 is a £48k all-electric SUV designed to topple the Tesla Model Y

The electric MG IM6 is set to have hypercar levels of power
News
10 Jul 2025
New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range
MG IM5 - Goodwood front

New MG IM5 has the Tesla Model 3 beaten on price and range

The all-electric IM5 brings new technology and design to the MG line-up
News
10 Jul 2025
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Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is coming to the UK: 646bhp hybrid on sale this year
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed - front cornering

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray is coming to the UK: 646bhp hybrid on sale this year

The electrified all-wheel drive Corvette E-Ray will be produced in right-hand drive guise
News
10 Jul 2025
Punchy but practical Mercedes-AMG CLA Shooting Brake EV spotted testing
Mercedes-AMG CLA Shooting Brake - front 3/4

Punchy but practical Mercedes-AMG CLA Shooting Brake EV spotted testing

It’s the first time we’ve seen the electric CLA in its more spacious bodystyle
News
9 Jul 2025
Ford Puma Gen-E review
Ford Puma Gen-E - front

Ford Puma Gen-E review

Despite being fun to drive and surprisingly practical, the Ford Puma Gen-E feels a little late to the game in terms of electric ability
In-depth reviews
9 Jul 2025
New Range Rover SV Black is a 606bhp luxury SUV with an attitude
Range Rover SV Black - front

New Range Rover SV Black is a 606bhp luxury SUV with an attitude

The Range Rover SV Black is for those who want a 606bhp V8 combined with stealth
News
8 Jul 2025
Major UK road upgrades approved: five projects get £92 billion Government funding
Smart motorway

Major UK road upgrades approved: five projects get £92 billion Government funding

Quicker journeys should help kick-start economic growth, according to the Government
News
8 Jul 2025
£150,000 Ineos Grenadier looks ready for anything with portal axles
INEOS Grenadier Trialmaster X LETECH - front pair static

£150,000 Ineos Grenadier looks ready for anything with portal axles

Look out Land Rover! Ineos has asked Letech to make the ultimate off-roader
News
8 Jul 2025
Say au revoir to hotels with the Renault Master Ahorn Camp campervan
Renault Master Ahorn Camp campervans - front

Say au revoir to hotels with the Renault Master Ahorn Camp campervan

The official Renault Master motorhome and camper conversion will go on sale just in time to catch the end of summer
News
8 Jul 2025
Mercedes G 580 with EQ Technology review
Mercedes G 580 with EQ Technology - front tracking

Mercedes G 580 with EQ Technology review

The iconic G Wagen is now available with electric power, but it’s about as efficient as its boxy appearance suggests
In-depth reviews
8 Jul 2025
Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports
MST Ford Escort - front 3/4

Ford Escort Mexico gets new lease of life with MST Sports

While not officially Fords, the MST Mk1 and Mk2 Sports should drive as sharply as they look
News
7 Jul 2025
Three car garage: Jaguar I-Pace, Land Rover Discovery and Skoda Octavia award winners, all for £45k
Three-car garage - 45,000

Three car garage: Jaguar I-Pace, Land Rover Discovery and Skoda Octavia award winners, all for £45k

A Jaguar I-Pace, Land Rover Discovery and Skoda Octavia are a fantastic group of former Car of the Year winners
Features
7 Jul 2025
New Mercedes C-Class updates aim to edge it ahead of BMW 3 Series and Audi A5
Mercedes C-Class - front 3/4

New Mercedes C-Class updates aim to edge it ahead of BMW 3 Series and Audi A5

The executive saloon’s mid-life update can’t come soon enough with BMW and Audi recently launching fresh rivals
News
7 Jul 2025
Buying a left-hand drive car in the UK? It's not as silly as it sounds
Opinion - left-hand-drive cars

Buying a left-hand drive car in the UK? It's not as silly as it sounds

Alastair Crooks gives his expert insight on what to do if you’re considering buying a left-hand-drive car in the UK
Opinion
7 Jul 2025