Innholdsfortegnelse for October 30, 2019 i Autocar

A DECADE AGO, Nissan was one of the industry’s brightest stars. It almost single-handedly started the crossover boom with its Qashqai and quickly followed that success with the smaller Juke. It was also pioneering with electric cars, beating all-comers to market by several years with the Leaf. Even better, all three were being built in the UK, as Nissan established its Sunderland facility as the country’s biggest car factory. How quickly things change. Nissan’s global sales have slumped as rivals have replicated and often bettered its crossover formula. Sunderland is to lose its night shift, although jobs are not expected to be lost. And there has been no real leadership for almost a year, since powerful boss Carlos Ghosn was removed in a scandal that continues to engulf the company,…

TOYOTA WILL UNVEIL a vehicle powered by solid-state batteries at the 2020 Olympics, the firm’s chief technology officer, Shigeki Terashi, has revealed. The tech – which promises longer range from smaller and potentially cheaper battery packs that recharge faster – will not reach mass production until the middle of the next decade, Terashi added. That timeline still puts Toyota at the forefront of solid-state battery tech. The car is expected to be a one-off prototype that will form some part of the opening or closing Olympic ceremony.…

NISSAN REVEALED AN electric crossover concept at the Tokyo motor show that previews a new production model due within the next two years. The Ariya Concept is 4.6m long and 1.92m wide – similar to the Nissan X-Trail – yet the roofline is a good 100mm lower than that car. The firm claims it is signalling “a dawn of a new era for Nissan as it embarks to redefine its brand philosophy for the next evolutionary phase of the automobile”. Autocar understands that a production version is due to follow imminently, possibly before the end of next year – the long-mooted ‘Leaf SUV’, in effect. The fact that the concept has been shown with conventional door handles and wing mirrors suggests serious production intent. “When Nissan gives a car a…

The electric MX-30 spearheads a new electrification strategy for Mazda that will usher in regular hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants of existing models, as well as more EVs developed as a result of Mazda’s EV tie-up with Toyota and tech firm Denso. Mazda has yet to confirm when its next electrified model will arrive, but a plug-in hybrid is expected within the next 18 months. It’s likely to be a high-volume model such as the 3, in order to achieve new European emissions targets for 2021. Although the MX-30, which was unveiled at the Tokyo show, is a stand-alone electric model, there are no firm plans to create a separate range of EVs. Ikuo Maeda, design and brand boss, said: “Some manufacturers are creating a separate brand for EVs, but…

THE SECOND-GENERATION Subaru Levorg has been displayed at the Tokyo show ahead of its launch next year. The new four-wheel-drive estate is built on the Subaru Global Platform architecture and was shown in Tokyo with a newly developed 1.8-litre turbocharged engine. Subaru claims the machine has been developed using a “grand touring philosophy”, with a focus on comfort and safety, and offers a “truly pleasing driving experience”. The Levorg Prototype, which showcases the most recent iteration of the firm’s ‘Dynamic x Solid’ design language, is fitted with the latest version of Subaru’s direct-injection boxer powerplant. The engine has been developed to showcase lean-burn technology, which, Subaru claims, balances acceleration and strong torque with environmental performance. The firm has yet to reveal any performance figures. The new Levorg uses a full…

DESIGN ELEMENTS OF the retro-styled Suzuki Waku SPO, a ‘customisable’ plug-in hybrid concept unveiled at the Tokyo motor show, could be used in the firm’s future models. One of three new concepts unveiled by the Japanese firm in Tokyo, the Waku SPO is an A-segment compact car, intended for shared use by a family. It features design elements that can be switched for personal preference, such as the ability to turn from an estate-style car to a coupé. Designer Takafumi Ogiso told Autocar that it hadn’t been decided which of the car’s style features could make future production models, but hinted that the headlights and mirrors were under consideration. The car gets its name from the concept of ‘Waku Waku’, a Japanese term that means excitement in English. Suzuki also…

The first and most luxurious of the PSA Group’s upcoming quartet of electric superminis shows they’ll be major players in an exciting and emerging sector. Drive 50 yards in DS’s new baby electric soft-roader – the first premium battery SUV in the B-segment, as company people repeat ad nauseam – and you’ll instantly get why the PSA Group chose DS, its smallest-selling marque, to be first with a concept it intends eventually to sell across its four brands: Peugeot, Citroën, Vauxhall and DS. In a nutshell, it is because of what the press blurb succinctly calls ‘the silence inside’. Purveyors of pure-electric cars have learned many lessons since they started selling in earnest and one of the biggest has been the unexpectedly strong buyer appeal of the silence, smoothness and…

MODEL TESTED 118i M SPORT Price £27,230 • Power 138bhp • Torque 162lb ft • 0-60mph 8.2sec • 30-70mph in fourth 11.5sec • Fuel economy 37.0mpg • CO2 emissions 114g/km • 70-0mph 46.6m BMW’s determination to make rear-wheel drive work in the ‘compact premium’ hatchback segment goes back even further than two generations of the 1 Series – the latest version of which is our road test focus this week. Further, some would say, than the foundation of the compact premium class itself. In 1993, three years before the original Audi A3 and four ahead of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, BMW gave us the 3 Series Compact – its first hatchback of any kind for almost two decades – and teased keen drivers with the idealism of rear-wheel-drive handling in a modern…

There’s a distinct and appealing sense of directional keenness about this latest 1 Series that becomes apparent almost immediately on the hill route’s snaking Tarmac. While the loss of a rear-driven architecture might dampen the BMW’s appeal in the eyes of some, it still feels like one of the more dynamically capable and expressive hatchbacks in its class when driven hard. It might not change direction with the frenetic sort of immediacy that defines the Minis with which it shares a platform, but there’s still a confident sense of purpose about those quick-witted directional shifts that lets you know you’re in control of a sporting product. Front-end grip isn’t huge enough to surpass every expectation, but the ability to adjust your line with a minor (or major) lift of the…

At just after 4.00am on 11 June 1964, an immaculately dressed racing driver climbed aboard an AC Cobra Coupé racing car and headed out of the Blue Boar services on the M1 motorway. His name was Jack Sears and among his claims to fame were already to have become the first British Saloon Car champion and being team-mate to Jim Clark. He’s connected to Autocar too, his friendship with then sports editor and soon-to-be-editor Peter Garnier such that Jack was already godfather to Garnier’s young son, Mark. In the early morning light, he accelerated smoothly up through the gears. He was there to discover the car’s top speed – not for fun, but crucially to make sure the car was stable and properly geared to race at Le Mans just…

The organisers think it’s too exclusively French, but I rather liked the vibe of the Alpine Elf Cup, a one-make race series for Alpine A110s. It turns a little bit of whatever race circuit it visits into a part of France. By the end of a weekend at Silverstone, I’d remembered how to shrug resignedly and say “j’ai fini douzième” in a convincing accent. Practically a native. Maybe this is how it feels to be French during Le Mans, only with nobody throwing a bottle of piss into a passing TVR because its driver wouldn’t do a burn-out. But the organisers of this pan-European race series would like more entrants from different parts of Europe. A British team, a German or a Spanish or Italian team, perhaps, to match the…

QUESTION In reviews, a tester will say ‘the smaller 16in wheels give a better ride than the larger 17 or 18in wheels’. Why do smaller wheels, seemingly for all cars, give a better ride? Keith Hill, via email ANSWER To avoid making the speedometer wildly inaccurate, when the wheel size changes so must the rolling diameter of the tyre. So a smaller tyre has a deeper and more compliant sidewall and vice versa. It’s why, for a good handling and ride compromise, the mid-size wheel is often best. However, it’s not always the case since there are so many other variables at play, not to mention the quality of the car’s suspension. JE QUESTION How much money do electric cars lose and what is their real-world range? I would expect…

Chrysler 300C SRT-8 £6000 Here’s a rare 300C: the SRT, powered by a 6.1-litre V8 producing 425bhp and 420lb ft for 0-62mph in 5.0sec on its way to 168mph. We know what you’re thinking: fine in a straight line but show it some curves… In fact, the portly 1965kg SRT sits 13mm lower than standard 300Cs and is kept in check by special Bilstein dampers and uprated anti-roll bars. The wheels are 20in forged aluminium. And the handling is pleasingly tidy. If it gets out of shape, Brembo brakes are standing by to bail you out. Then there’s the exhaust note, which invites you to turn around and do the whole thing again. Inside are comfortable sports seats and a premium sound system. Don’t expect the premium ambience of a…

“It will go on sale next year with new mild-hybrid engine options and a raft of digital technology” Volkswagen has revealed the eighth-generation Golf, claiming that its evolutionary exterior styling hides the biggest technical leap in the history of the model. The latest version of the long-running family car – which was first launched in 1974, with more than 35 million sold since – will go on sale next year in five-door form only with new mild-hybrid engine options and a raft of new digital technology. The new Golf was launched at VW’s Wolfsburg headquarters, with an initial reveal at this year’s Frankfurt motor show postponed so the firm could focus attention on its new ID 3 electric hatch. But while the ID 3 represents the next generation of Volkswagen,…

Nissan is plotting successors to both its 370Z and GT-R sports cars and is open to electrification and outside collaborations in their creation. Speaking at the Tokyo show, Nissan product planning boss Ivan Espinosa said the two sports cars are “at the heart of Nissan and we are actively looking at and working on them”. Espinosa also said we “can expect something soon” on both models, which have been on sale in their current forms for a decade or more. When asked about the potential for the 370Z’s successor to go electric, Espinosa said it is something Nissan is “discussing all the time”. However, he questioned whether traditional sports car buyers are ready to go electric. Speaking more generally, Espinosa said he was open to conversations with other car makers…

YAMAHA HAS SUSPENDED all car projects indefinitely, having concluded that it would struggle to deliver a unique selling point for any of the vehicles it developed in collaboration with Gordon Murray Design. The firm showed two car concepts at the Tokyo motor show in 2013 and 2015, the Motiv and the Sports Ride Concept. Both were based around Murray’s iStream manufacturing system. The Sports Ride stood out in particular for using carbonfibre in its construction, promising huge rigidity and an impressive power-to-weight ratio for the car. Exact details were not revealed, but it was rumoured to have weighed less than 900kg. Although McLaren F1 designer Murray had said the iStream system could be employed profitably for production volumes of between 1000 and 350,000 cars, Yamaha spokesman Naoto Horie said at…

SO FAR MANUFACTURERS have relied on three main materials to reduce weight. High-strength steels, which you can use less of; aluminium alloys, which are lighter than steel, and carbonfibre, which is lighter than both of the other two. Now there’s another kid in town called aluminium matrix composite. AMCs are not new but breakthroughs in their development are making them more suitable for automotive applications, especially in EVs. AMCs are a combination of aluminium alloy mixed with either particles or long or short fibres. The concept is not unlike carbonfibre-reinforced plastic, except the plastic resin is replaced by aluminium. The material can be 50% stiffer and almost 300% stronger than carbonfibre, can withstand severe damage and is stronger than the average steel at half the weight. It conducts heat well…

The forthcoming new Audi RS3 hot hatch has been spied testing for the first time. The new machine is set to be powered by the five-cylinder, 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol unit used in the latest RS Q3. It produces 394bhp in that model, which would only be topped in the hot-hatch class by the 416bhp Mercedes-AMG A45 S. The car spotted testing sports a number of upgrades from previously seen prototype versions of the standard A3, due to be revealed at the Geneva show in March next year, including ventilated brake discs and large exhaust pipes.…

FREE SEALEY TOOL KIT WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TODAY ▪ COMPREHENSIVE RANGE ▪ KIT HOLDS A SELECTION OF TOOLS ▪ SOFT GRIP HANDLES ▪ SUPPLIED WITHIN THE STORAGE CASE WORTH £45 SUBSCRIBE TO AUTOCAR For 124 years, Autocar has been dedicated to sharing with you our love of cars every week. You can turn your support of Autocar into access to an even more exclusive club by subscribing. Every Wednesday you’ll be first to read the magazine packed with news, reviews, insightful features, star columnists, used car buying advice and our expanded data section. You’ll also receive regular free supplements and gain access to exclusive benefits (see below). There has never been a more interesting or significant time for the car industry and we’d love for you to join us on…

Renault’s Captur is Europe’s bestselling B-SUV – that’s small crossover to you and me – and its sales are still growing despite the passing of its sixth birthday and the creakiness of its 15-year-old Modus MPV-sourced platform. On the road, that age shows, so the fact that this new Captur is built on Renault’s CMF-B platform, also used for the latest Clio, is good news. Early next year, it will also be offered with an ingenious plug-in hybrid option. For now, mainstream powertrains include three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The new Captur is a little bigger (the greatest growth benefiting rear leg room), it’s considerably stiffer and it provides a wide range of driver assistance systems. But the essential Captur formula remains unchanged. The cabin is where the…

VERDICT BMW has hardly ambushed its competitors with this third-gen 1 Series. However, by refocusing on what really motivates premium hatchback buyers and picking the best mechanical layout for a car with strength across the disciplines, it has given the VW Golf rival a better chance of commercial success than it ever has before. While a design overhaul was inevitable, it’s a shame Munich didn’t hit on a more distinctive look for the car. It’s a shame, too, that a bit more of the material class of the 3 and 5 Series couldn’t be reproduced. But while you might think it a greater shame still that BMW has settled for only an marginally more athletic, agile-feeling take on the front-driven compact five-door norm, we’d wager that owners won’t be among…

CHRYSLER IMPERIAL CROWN CONVERTIBLE While few people will have the budget, the patience or the sheer quantity of parking to own a slab of classic Americana, everyone should experience a car from the US’s 1960s golden era at least once. My personal nomination would be the Chrysler Imperial, both because the ultra-lux model was more technically advanced than contemporary Cadillacs and Lincolns with torsion bar front suspension, and more specifically because my friend Kirk has just purchased a spectacular ’65 Imperial Crown Convertible and let me have a go during a recent trip to Michigan. Steering is comically vague, performance is leisurely despite a 7.2-litre V8 under the vast bonnet and handling is relaxed. But nothing has more presence or feels more effortless at a respectful pace. There’s just the…

He bought it before we did Yes, it’s that 8000-mile Ford Capri LS you highlighted in Buy It Before We Do back in the 25 January issue and I can confirm there was every inch the rust debated in the subsequent blogs. But just look at her now! Substantial body restoration and a full repaint in original Pine Green by Glasgow-based Hub Classic Cars have transformed this ridiculously low-mileage Ford into what you see here. As you can imagine, the cost to me has beenen considerable – but c’est la vie! I thought you might like to publish the photos as encouragement to others who dismissed a car like this through the judgment of others and the ill-informed. A rust bucket then… a green goddess now! And an 8000-mile green…

MILEAGE 20,777 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if this newest twist on the Range Rover formula is worthy of the badge – and its price There’s more than just a different colour to the Velar pictured above compared with the one you’ve been seeing on these pages in recent weeks. With the clock on this story ticking down, the miles racking up in record time on that V6 diesel and our desire to explore the breadth of the Velar’s range, the oil-burning Velar is now back with Land Rover. More on that next time, but in its place, and quickly racking up miles of its own (though that 20k odometer reading above applies to the departed V6 diesel, as this new Velar’s appearance here is a one-off), is this…

MILEAGE 104, 456 PORSCHE CAYENNE Days away from the MOT and I have sort of given it my unprofessional once over. I will tempt fate by saying that it isn’t going to fail on anything especially obvious. The tyres seem fine, there are no brake issues and, best of all, there is a lack of warning lights. I also told the garage to give it a little light service. Last year it went to a specialist and has only had light usage since, so I think an oil and filter is all that’s required. Let’s hope I’m right. If not, it will be an expensive visit to the garage. What fun.…

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Golf R was how quickly it began appearing on the roads in serious numbers following its launch in 2014. Of course, the cheapest version, the three-door manual, cost only around £4000 more than the cheapest GTI (£30,000 compared with £26,000) and, remember, this is the age of the PCP when such differences translate to only a few extra pounds on the monthly payment. But VW was also pushing the new model hard with incentives. The result is that today, used Golf Rs are almost as plentiful as used GTIs, with prices starting at around £11,000 for a high-miler. However, from £14,500 is where solid 14-reg cars with 50,000 miles begin. There are manuals and three-doors in the mix but the vast majority are…

VOLVO 343 DL Those with long enough memories will recall placing Volvo’s 300-series of hatchbacks and saloons in the ‘dull but worthy’ box. However, those who drove the cars will also recall their lively but balanced driving manners thanks to a rear-drive set-up with transaxle. The cable linkage for the four-speed gearchange was a bit stretchy but otherwise there was little to criticise, the model being extremely tough and well built. And here’s proof in the shape of a 1981-reg one that went under the hammer for £3024. Fresh from its one lady owner and with just 19,000 miles, it looks like new.…

If you weren’t around when the Peter Stevens-designed Esprit Turbo landed in 1987, you won’t know what a splash it made. There’d been Esprits before it, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and very good looking they were too, but the Stevens car had even more presence and a timeless, aero-inspired look that, 30 years later, has lost none of its freshness and appeal. A past neighbour of mine had a brand-new Turbo in Calypso Red with cream leather. In the quiet market town where I lived, its arrival was front page news, at least in our local rag’s motoring section. Put one on your driveway today and it’s likely to provoke the same reaction, at least among the neighbours. And if they laugh up their sleeves about the car’s modest 2.2-litre…

The dramatic Lexus LF-30 Electrified concept car was unveiled at the Tokyo motor show as an overtly design-led insight into how its electric car future will look in 2030, as well as showcasing some of the autonomous and technical functions being developed by the firm. Among the more expressive design flourishes are the roof-mounted doors and dramatically short front and rear overhangs. It is, however, based on a new electric platform that will underpin Lexus and Toyota EVs from around 2022, which underlines its more immediate relevance. As such, elements of the LF-30 do have clear production potential. Its dimensions are close to those of the Jaguar I-Pace, albeit marginally exaggerated, and it is fitted with a solid-state 110kWh battery that can charge at 150kW and offer a range of…

TOYOTA REVEALED THE e-Racer concept at Tokyo. The two-seater is designed to re-emphasise the firm’s belief that a future of electric and autonomous cars will still have room for driving enthusiasts. No technical details of the car were released, but it is believed to be a concept in the truest sense rather than a pointer to a production model. Show visitors are able to simulate driving it around a famous race circuit of their choosing.…

Honda’s European arm has unveiled its new-generation hybrid Jazz, including a rugged Crosstar variant, and outlined a faster schedule for the electrification of its mainstream cars in Europe. Katsushi Inoue, president and COO of Honda Motor Europe, announced that the company’s plans to hybridise nearly all of its European line-up by 2025 have been pulled forward to the end of 2022. Six electrified models will be launched over the next two years, starting with the Jazz and Honda E battery-electric city car next year. All the models will use new e-Technology branding. They will be joined between 2021 and 2022 by four other new models, one of which will be another battery-electric vehicle, possibly a compact SUV. It’s also expected that one of the new models will be a heavily…

The drumbeat of enthusiasm for hydrogen as a road fuel has grown steadily louder this year, despite a general industry-wide acceptance that EVs will become the mainstream in most cases. This culminated in Toyota’s huge investment in the recently revealed Mk2 Mirai. A substantial overhaul has transformed an oddity built in small numbers into a stridently confident saloon that will raise Toyota’s global ambitions for hydrogen next year. The new Mirai will join the Hyundai Nexo SUV on the admittedly short list of commercially available cars powered by zero-emissions fuel cells, but others are in the pipeline. Mercedes could yet import its GLC F-Cell SUV to the UK and Toyota’s fuel-cell partner, BMW, will roll out a hydrogen X5 in 2022. The PSA Group has said it will launch a…

This is not A110 v2.0. Alpine chief vehicle engineer Jean-Pascal Dauce – not so much the new David Twohig as the original, since he worked on the A110 project in the concept design phase when it was still a joint venture with Caterham and then returned to Renault’s motorsport department only to be brought back when his successor departed – is very clear about that. “We have had the S planned from the earliest stages of the project,” he explains, “because we knew that a part of the Alpine customer base would want more from the car. More power, more speed, more grip and precision, and better track suitability. It’s as simple as that. We’re not answering any criticisms of the car with this version or addressing what we consider…

Few cars divide opinions quite like the BMW X6. But whatever you think about it, there’s no denying its success. Since its 2008 launch, more than 446,000 have been produced – and global demand for the big BMW continues to grow. For its 2020 model year, the X6 sports an evolutionary design, with a new interpretation of BMW’s signature grille, a broad-shouldered body, heavily curved roofline and an arguably sleeker-looking rear end. Heading the petrol line-up is the X6 M50i driven here, with a turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8 developing 523bhp and 553lb ft. It’s joined by the 335bhp petrol xDrive40i, 394bhp diesel M50d and 261bhp diesel xDrive30d. All come with an eight-speed automatic and electronically controlled four-wheel drive, plus a rear differential lock on the X6 M50i. The interior, largely…

1 FORD FOCUS 1.5 ECOBOOST 180 ST-LINE X Still the sweetest-handling family hatchback by some margin. Three-pot motor is a peach, too. Cabin could be nicer. 2 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1.5 TSI EVO R-LINE DSG Supremely well-rounded, if not quite as dynamically interesting as the Focus. Plush, practical and impressively refined. 3 SEAT IBIZA 1.5 TSI EVO FR DSG Packs the same slick engine as the Golf, but doesn’t major quite as strongly on interior quality. Handles keenly, if not quite as sharply as the Focus. 4 BMW 118i M SPORT AUTO A far stronger competitor than its predecessor, but not quite as convincingly conceived as class best. Engine could be smoother, but performance is impressive. 5 MAZDA 2.0 SKYACTIV-G 3 GT SPORT TECH Steers sweetly and is attractively finished inside…

“Wow!” A wide, gently curving beam of bright white light erupts across the nose of the car. At its ends, the light thickens and intensifies to echo another pair of lights that floats beneath. It’s a little otherworldly. Are we looking at the future? Perhaps. These illuminations are performed by the Nexo, Hyundai’s second production fuel-cell car, lighting up at night with a key fob’s click. Most car manufacturers – Toyota, Mercedes and Honda excepted – are miles from even offering their first hydrogen-fuelled production car, never mind a second. Hyundai’s first showroom fuel-cell car was a converted iX35 SUV. The Nexo travels a whole lot further – literally, in terms of range and stack life – by sporting a bespoke and rather stylish design. In daylight, its looks aren’t…

Ralf Speth likes talking about the future. It’s no surprise, given the challenges he has faced in the recent past. It can’t be much fun for Jaguar Land Rover’s CEO to keep raking over the ashes of a recent £3.6 billion financial loss that triggered cuts of 4500 jobs, something he took very personally. From his early days, looking forward has always been an important part of Speth’s make-up. At BMW, where he began a 20-year engineering career in 1980, it was a given among his generation that you embraced new technology and watched it lift the brand image while generating impressive sales. BMW was a very happy place for a young engineer to be. Let it not be forgotten, either, that for most of his nine years at the…

FEATURE ‘Restomods’ road trip We explore the latest craze – cars with a classic body but modern underpinnings – with a road trip in three stunning examples FEATURE British classics We take a step back in time at a car-hire business with a difference NEW CAR GUIDE The best new-car deals Just what will your monthly budget get you into? We reveal all EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Mazda 3 One of the most interesting family hatches in years gets the treatment USED BUYING GUIDE Land Rover Discovery 2 Just how risky a used buy is it? A lot less of one, after reading this LONG-TERM TEST Volkswagen Touareg The big VW shares underpinnings with a Bentley. But how good is it? SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p24…

MILEAGE 7002 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Is the world’s best-selling SUV still as comfy, refined, spacious and dynamically competent in hybrid form? Where did the summer go? It’s a Sunday morning in October. The rain is hammering down outside. I’m not complaining. This is my favourite mountain-biking weather. It’s also my favourite time to be smug about driving an SUV. After collating a sack full of gloves, pads, helmets, spare clothes and the blandest cereal bars that even hamsters would refuse, it’s time to chuck my cycling kit into the CR-V Hybrid. Handy levers in the boot make it easy to fold the seats down from the rear, opening up a vast and flat load space. Those familiar with quick-release mechanisms will know how easy it is to take modern…

Jaguar XJ40 Stuart Dodman is pleased as punch with his Jaguar and quite right too: “Here is my pride and joy, my XJ40 3.2 in Morocco Red. I’ve had this car for a year now and have spent little on upkeep (apart from polish, wax, Back to Black etc). As I am semi-retired, I don’t really need a car so can afford a motor that would be too expensive as a daily runner. I was lucky the previous owner wax-oiled the underside so there’s no rust. My Jag (love saying that!) feels very special to drive and I turn more heads than vastly more expensive cars do.” SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO ✉ james@bangernomics.com AND READERS' QUESTIONS TO ✉ autocar@haymarket.com…

Citroën C4 Cactus Price £5500 Citroën fans had had little to get excited about, but that all changed when the C4 Cactus came out in 2014. Novel Airbump protectors, sporty crossover looks, door straps… They were the sort of touches the market had been hoping for from Citroën, but it took the quirky Cactus to deliver them. Today, it’s a fairly disposable thing, with prices for tired ones on the floor, but find a decent example like our featured 2015/65-reg 1.2 PureTech Feel with 44,000 miles for £5500 and it could be sought after once the survivors have thinned out.…

An expert’s view PAUL CLUGSTON, UK SPORTS CARS “I’ve driven and sold hundreds of Esprits and love the model. Assuming it’s been looked after, the car is perfectly reliable, with 100,000-plus miles easily achievable. However, at that mileage, the suspension and braking system will need an overhaul. I’m wary of cars with rebuilt engines because the engine is rarely as smooth as it was. You need to keep an eye on its oil consumption, too. Check you’re comfortable with the steering. Power steering only became standard in 1994. My favourite Esprits are the S4, S4 S and GT3.” Buyer beware ▪ ENGINE Check the 6000-mile service intervals have been followed and that either main dealers or specialists have serviced the car since knowledge of torque settings and general adjustments is…