Innholdsfortegnelse for December 11, 2019 i Autocar

NOT ALL CHANGES in the automotive industry have been for the better, as the unnecessary demise of the likes of city cars and diesel shows. Inaccurately advised legislators don’t help, doing their best to take the joy out of driving, even on our increasingly busy but under-resourced roads. So you’d be forgiven for thinking that the world was conspiring against those who seek only the chance to have simple fun and pleasure with cars, and a choice of what to buy. But this is Autocar, and we love cars as much as you do - and know that they combine joy, interest and enthusiasm like nothing else. This special issue, where we diversify our coverage even more into the world of cars, is hopefully a reinforcement of the pleasure that…

“It’s powered by a bespoke naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V12 producing about 650bhp” Gordon Murray plans to unveil a production-spec version of his revolutionary T50 ground-effect ‘fan car’ in May. The £2.3 million ‘analogue’ hypercar, to be built at Murray’s new Dunsfold factory, will move immediately after launch into a prototype build and development phase, before production build-up begins during 2021. The first of the planned 125 cars – 100 road cars and 25 purely for the track – will reach its new owner at the beginning of 2022 and production will continue for a year. Under a deal just announced, the T50’s all-important aerodynamics package is being developed with the assistance of the Silverstone-based Racing Point Formula 1 team, formerly Force India. Access to the team’s moving-floor wind tunnel, plus…

LIKE MANY START-UPS, fledgling Swedish brand Uniti aims to disrupt the automotive industry. Not just with the One, a three-seat electric car engineered and (initially) set to be built in the UK, but further into the future, with a business model aimed at selling the car to companies as a mobility service for its employees rather than to individual customers. We speak to the firm’s CEO, Australian-born Lewis Horne, to gain an insight into his outfit’s plans and the man himself. You don’t see yourself as a car enthusiast, but you’re CEO of a car company. How did you end up here? “I’m not a car guy. I’m a technology generalist. I’m pretty inspired by all of the stuff that is happening and all of the different people working to…

The calls for the UK to gain its own ‘gigafactory’ to make batteries for electric cars have grown so loud over the past couple of years that it even became an election issue. Both the Conservatives and Labour have pledged to fund gigafactories, with Labour going so far as to promise £2 billion to finance half the cost of three gigafactories, to be located in south Wales, Stoke and Swindon. The Conservatives, meanwhile, promised “a gigafactory” without costing it. Whatever the outcome of the election, it’s clear the UK car industry will depend on being able to source batteries locally and soon. “Within a year, most car producers and battery manufacturers will make their decisions about where in Europe the next generation of gigafactories will be built. Without urgent action,…

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Not so long ago, if you wanted an everyday car with good performance, excellent fuel economy and even better ergonomics, you bought a turbo diesel Volkswagen Golf. British roads overflowed with these cars, whose dullness, it seemed at the time, was the reasonable price to pay for vice-free motoring in many other respects. But we all know what happened next and lately the pick of the Golf’s engine line-up has been the 1.5-litre TSI – a smooth-spinning, downsized petrol that, for the eighth-generation car, has also been fitted with 48V mild-hybrid tech. It’s unlikely any diesel-propelled Golf will ever again enjoy such popularity, but the Mk8 version is nevertheless here and, according to VW’s engineers, TDI diesel power is now even cleaner than the equivalent petrol. That’s because a new…

MARK TISSHAW A whirlwind 48 hours in Detroit in mid-summer saw Steve Cropley and I meet every single top Ford executive to hear about their plans for the future of the Blue Oval. It was insight and access Steve shared in his comprehensive eight-page feature, which I hope you enjoyed. Yet there was one character we didn’t include in the piece: Bill. Bill, a former narcotics cop, was not only our driver but also our armed guard. “I couldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to you,” said Bill, surprised at why we thought it was newsworthy to even ask why he was carrying a gun. Bill kept a close eye, with sightlines at all times – presumably just in case we asked the wrong question and a Ford exec took…

If you love cars, the future doesn’t look like it’s going to be much fun. After the Christmas turkey and crackers, it really does seem as though they want to take all our enjoyment away. It might be fairly academic, but full control of an autocar by its driver is what this magazine was founded on. The great seasonal news is that if Father Christmas gives you something it can’t be taken away. Ever. As the RSPCA is always telling us, a dog is for life, not just for Christmas. So here’s a selection of oversized, inappropriate automotive hounds to keep you entertained for all eternity – and each comes with a mighty engine, big wheels and a huge personality. Merry Christmas. VAUXHALL VXR8 6.0 2008, 100,000 MILES, £13,995 This…

VERDICT What’s so refreshing and exciting about spending time with Fastrac Two is not just the machine itself, but also meeting the engineers who arrive with it, who designed it, who put it together and who run it. JCB has put a small, talented and young team in charge of the projectin a similar fashion to the way Lamborghini put brilliant young engineers, designers and test drivers in charge of developing the Miura. And beyond the headlines and the JCBWFT hashtags and the TV programme and even the record itself, their experience matters most. Because although JCB knows that creating the world’s fastest tractor has benefit to it as a marketing tool, it also has massive merit as a technical exercise, and in the world of agricultural and construction equipment,…

GOING FOR GOLD If crystal glass isn’t exclusive enough, how about making car parts from gold? That’s what McLaren did when it created the F1 back in 1992. Borrowing concepts from its grand prix cars, it finished the heat shield for the F1’s V12 engine with gold foil. That wasn’t just to show off: gold is excellent at absorbing heat. GOING BEYOND GOLD But if gold still isn’t exclusive enough, how about ruthenium? It’s an ultra-rare precious metal from the platinum group, with only a limited amount produced. It’s used to craft the ‘gallery’ of the ultra-luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom Gentleman’s Edition, created by the British firm’s Bespoke arm. BENTLEY’S 4800-YEAR-OLD INTERIOR Bentley teamed up with the Fenland Black Oak Project charity, which is creating a 13-metre table out of a…

“I asked about ‘ruggine’ – that’s Italian for ‘rust’” Happy birthday, Mini. How could I possibly celebrate? I did toy with the idea of driving my Mini Cooper to Izmir, now in Turkey and the birthplace of Sir Alec Issigonis. Alternatively I could hack out another Mini book and cash in on the anniversary. I really fancied the idea of buying an original Mini and not being charged extortionate ‘classic’ car tax, as it’s an expensive business. If I was going to get another Mini it would have to be different from my Cooper. A Moke would be fun but not cheap, but I could make a business case for any commercial. Otherwise, real-world money buys a dreary ’90s Mayfair. So I would have to look further afield for a…

Taking reprieve from a festive fug of fortified wines and gin, it was the Victorian ruling class that struck upon the idea of a Christmas hamper: an annual gift of seasonal goodies for its servants. Things are a little less formal in the Autocar office these days, but master of the house Tisshaw has nonetheless tasked me with sourcing a cache of yuletide treats for the team this year. Hamper champs Fortnum & Mason charge up to £6000 for filled baskets, but we reckon we can build our own for considerably less than that, even accounting for the overheads of a nation-wide road trip. And so it is that photographer Max Edleston and I set off from Edinburgh driving an everyday hero that ticks all of our mission’s boxes: a…

“Could you jump a bit higher, please?” asked snapper Luc Lacey to driver Richard Lane ahead of this spectacular Bowler jump shot. Not happy with Richard’s first attempt, Luc could have no complaints about the second – more concerted – effort. You can see why Wales is so popular with our photographers after looking at the trio of photos to the left. Olgun Kordal said it was worth getting dust in his eyes for the low-down Lamborghini tracking shot, and worth ruining a pair of Converse plimsolls for the equally stunning shot of the gorgeous Alfaholics GTA-R (you wore Converse in Wales, in November, Olgun?). “I love the contrast of the greenery with the ribbon of Tarmac running through it,” says Max Edleston of his shot of the spectacular Great…

Seven world titles, 91 race victories, 68 pole positions: these are just highlights of the magnificent achievements of Michael Schumacher’s time in Formula 1. Today – despite the here-and-now fashionability of Lewis Hamilton’s achievements – he still stands by many measures as being the greatest racing driver of all time. Beyond the statistics, Schumacher could electrify a grand prix even when the odds were against him. The soaking wet 1996 Spanish Grand Prix is widely regarded as his greatest race, so superior was he as he scythed up from sixth after a poor start to ease effortlessly away from everyone at a rate of two to three seconds a lap. Then there was the 1995 Belgian Grand Prix, where he started 16th and made title rival Damon Hill look decidedly…

1 What animal will you find on the badge of a Gordon Keeble? 2 What was the name of Karl Benz’s wife? 3 Which WW1 flying ace inspired Enzo Ferrari to use the prancing horse emblem? 4 In which town and country were Porsches first built? 5 Which two drivers put the equal greatest number of years between their first and last Le Mans wins? 6 What do the two-cylinder 500cc of a Fiat 126 and the 4.5-litre V12 that powered Ferrari to its first grand prix win in 1951 have in common? 7 Who founded Alfa-Romeo? Clue: it was not Nicola Romeo. 8 What do the three points on the Mercedes-Benz star represent? 9 What was the make and name of the first mainstream production radial tyre and on…

MILEAGE 83,752 BMW 320 At a time when most people are rightly squirrelling away their classics for winter, I’m digging in to make mine ready for a busy few days. Luckily it was simple enough for an idiot like me to do and make it tick over just a tad faster at 900rpm: I just took the air filter off, which was simple enough. Now it’s not as hard to start as it has been. What I have learned is that I can’t rush the Baby Shark. It’s the one car I own that needs a good old-fashioned warming up. If I get stranded, I’ll let you know.…

As this is written, Renault showrooms across the land are being emptied of their few remaining unregistered, old-model Capturs as the all-new version pushes at the gates. In fact, you can order the new Captur now for delivery in February. Still, here we’re interested in its predecessor, a model that did a sterling job in helping to establish the market for small SUVs when it was launched in 2013. Such was its popularity that in 2016 the Captur was Europe’s best-selling small SUV. When it first landed, reviewers complained about its poor ride on scarred roads, a tendency to lean heavily in corners, lacklustre performance and uncommunicative steering. To the model’s fast-growing army of admirers, however, these were mere technicalities. Instead they focused on its plus points: stylish looks (especially…

RANGE ROVER 4.0 HSE AUTO The P38 Rangie of 1994-2002 still looks reasonably fresh, and to think it was the successor to the original launched back in 1970. Here’s one we saw pass through auction recently: a 2001-reg 4.0 HSE with 74,500 miles. It made £3282. Good Mk1s make much more but we’d have been happy with this P38 with its 4.0-litre V8, leather trim and electric sunroof. This engine is a safer bet than the 4.6 (it has cylinder liner problems), although both can suffer with dodgy cooling systems. We’d have checked that this example was sitting nice and level, too.…

“The E-tron GT will be offered with the same three powertrain choices as traditional Audis” Audi Sport is ramping up its electrification offensive under new management, and will next year introduce the RS branding to a battery-powered model in the form of the production E-tron GT saloon. The sister model to the Porsche Taycan, set to be offered in regular, S and high-performance RS trims throughout its existence, is also likely to be joined by an RS version of Audi’s recently revealed E-tron Sportback. A number of plug-in hybrid RS models are also on the cards, while a new E-tron version of the current-generation R8 is tipped to appear next year as a prelude to a possible all-electric R8 replacement in a few years’ time. The plan for the Audi…

Aerodynamic downforce is a great thing to have when you need it, explains Gordon Murray, and that’s principally between 60mph and 100mph, the point at which your car benefits most from greatly enhanced cornering adhesion. It would be nice to have downforce that works lower down, too, but passive aero gadgetry doesn’t provide it. When going faster, you could often do with less aero effect. “Aerodynamic load rises as the square of speed,” Murray says, “and so does drag. Which means many cars with serious performance use up their suspension travel at high speed, which is about the last thing you need. You can reduce it with expensive, bulky variable rate complexity, but who wants that?” All of which, in a nutshell, makes the case for the T50’s brand of…

Morgan will next year end production of its models built on a simple steel ladder-frame chassis, a system it introduced 83 years ago with its first four-wheeled model, called the 4/4. In recognition of modern customers’ need for greater road ability, even in traditional sports cars, the company plans to replace the outgoing models – the 4/4, Plus 4 and Roadster – with “a range of models” that will utilise versions of the light and rigid CX-generation chassis it introduced with the Plus Six early this year. “We recognise a need for a more resolved core product that meets both our customers’ needs and future legislative requirements,” said Morgan CEO Steve Morris. “The advanced engineering of the new platform is a vital underpinning for the next generation of Morgan sports…

DIESEL ENGINES ARE more economical than petrol engines, which still haven’t caught up despite advances like direct injection. So what exactly is the difference between petrol and diesel engines and how do diesels work? First off, diesel and petrol both come from the same source, crude oil. They’re both hydrocarbon liquid fuels, but diesel does have different properties from petrol. Diesel is more dense than petrol and contains about 15% more energy by volume. That means, litre for litre, you literally get more bangs for your buck. But that’s not the whole story. Diesel engines are still far more efficient than petrol engines at converting fuel to mechanical energy. In fact, including the energy advantage of the fuel itself, diesels are up to 40% more efficient at doing that. Both…

Mercedes-Benz, by its own admission, was late in joining the SUV coupé ranks. Instead, it preferred to sit back and take a wait-and-see approach as its more progressive premium-brand rivals led the way into what has, for better or worse, become an indispensable part of any large-scale luxury car maker’s line-up. But after tasting initial sales success at the more profitable end of its line-up with the first-generation GLE Coupé, it has wasted little time in launching this new, second-generation model, which has both more resolved exterior styling and greater interior luxury than its predecessor, launched in 2015. The new GLE Coupé is aimed directly at the likes of the Audi Q8, BMW X6 and Porsche Cayenne Coupé. Unlike the model it replaces, though, it is not merely a rebodied…

The latest addition to Audi Sport’s growing stable of RS models is part of a dual-pronged attack on the market for small performance SUVs. While the RS Q3 should appease those wanting a little extra head room for rear passengers, the Sportback earns extra style points with its sloping rear end and 45mm-lower roofline. Looks aside, the two are mechanically identical, with the same firecracker turbo five-pot as the first-generation RS Q3. Power and torque have been boosted to a healthy 395bhp and 354lb ft, enough to hit 62mph from a standing start in 4.5sec with help from quattro permanent all-wheel drive. It makes for the kind of explosively potent performance that we expect of any car with an RS badge, with power delivery more nuanced than the single large…

If you have a Christmas tree, take a glimpse under it. There are presents there, right? They’re difficult to miss, since they’re probably wrapped in bright, shiny paper. Despite that, you probably think you know what some of them are – but you won’t know for sure until you pull the wrapping paper off on 25 December. There probably isn’t an Aston Martin DBX under your tree (unless you have a very big tree), but you may well have spent time admiring a wrapped-up version of the car, trying to work out what it looked like underneath its mildly confusing covering. But if Sam Holgate did his job, you didn’t actually know until the SUV was launched last month. When not designing machines such as the latest Vantage, Holgate is…

MODEL TESTED FASTRAC TWO WORLD’S FASTEST TRACTOR Power 1016bhp • Torque 1770lb ft • Weight 4876kg • 0-60mph 9.9sec • 30-70mph 7.4sec • Fuel consumption 5mpg Six months ago, this tractor did not exist. JCB had just set a new land speed record in a Fastrac tractor, an impressive 103mph. But, as you may have seen on Channel 4 recently, the JCB team and their nominated driver, Guy Martin, didn’t think that was fast enough. So JCB went away and didn’t just set about upgrading the tractor that has set the July record but built an entirely one, from the ground up. So now there are two very quick JCBs. In late October, this, the Fastrac Two, set a new world record for a modified tractor, at 135.191mph over a…

1 JCB FASTRAC TWO WFT Based on the 8000-series Fastrac, it’s the best and, in fact, only way to do 150mph in a tractor at the moment. Exquisitely built, and hard to run. It’s like an F1 team and car, only made much, much bigger. 2 ALLIS CHALMERS D19 Ohio father and daughter tractor pull race veterans hit 108mph in their vintage Allis. They told farms.com “they’ll be waiting” if anybody else comes along and goes faster. 3 LEBLANC TRACK-TOR Some motoring programme’s ‘tractor’, with a 500-horsepower 5.7-litre Chevrolet engine. Not entirely clear how much tractor there is beneath the orange paint. Currently SORNed. 4 JCB FASTRAC 8330 The world’s fastest production tractor can pull 10 tonnes across a field and yet is still fully suspended, comfortable and as capable…

Please join me for an enthusiasts’ day out in which we make a small tour of some of my favourite establishments. Editor Mark Tisshaw has given me a free hand to go where I want in what I want. This is going to be a day escaping from all talk of connectivity, fast charging and autonomy and from testing bland and dull-to-drive Korean and Volkswagen Group SUVs and crossovers, all of which have snuck into my professional life uninvited. I’ve chosen something very much the opposite of a Volkswagen T-Cross: a brand-new Chevrolet Camaro, supplied by Ian Allan Motors down the road in Virginia Water. Ian Allan is the only official GM dealer in the UK and is the establishment that lent us a Corvette in which I had a…

Peeling back the wrapping paper on Christmas morning to reveal the famous twin-star Tamiya logo is a thrill that has set the hearts of millions racing. Tamiya was the first company to make radio-controlled models that were easy to assemble but a world away from being simplistic. For countless thousands it ignited an enduring love of cars and machines and sparked a worldwide cult following. Since the 1960s, Tamiya has made its name through the quality of its static plastic and radio control (R/C) scale kits and, most of all, the ingenuity that goes into their design and the detail in them. The R/C cars and buggies that so many grew up with have intricate chassis and drivelines, with wishbone suspension, dampers, differentials and interchangeable gear ratios (a bit) like…

“I love the Ariel and it had been a while since I drove one. So I pitched up too” This year, Triumph launched a new version of its Scrambler motorcycle. It’s a 1200cc twin and is almost as ruggedly handsome as the bloke riding it here, a former off-road champion called Matt Reed who runs the Triumph Adventure Riding Experience in Wales. Triumph was going to take the bike to Matt to shoot some promotional video in a deserted forest and, well, the short of it is that I love the Ariel Nomad and it had been a while since I last drove one. So I pitched up too. So there we were, in Wales, with Reed on the motorcycle and me in the Nomad, and between us we came…

Our resident artist Ben Summerell-Youde has been busy again previewing the cars of the future – or, in some cases, the cars of his own mind. Starting at the bottom, this rally raid-style Peugeot 208 sadly will remain the stuff of Ben’s dreams. “As soon as the new 208 pictures landed I wanted to create a 208 GTi, but the factory yellow paint just shouted 405 Dakar to me,” says Ben, who rates the 208 as the supermini segment’s best looker. White wheels and a body kit were the order of the day for the sporty Honda E, too. “I got a bit carried away, which is fine, because no one actually has to build what I come up with.” The Maserati Alfieri is destined for production, however, and we…

While Formula 1, the British Touring Car Championship and the World Rally Championship take the sport’s limelight, they account for barely 40 of the 30,000 UK competition licence holders. Largely flying under the radar, a huge amount of competitive motorsport takes place every weekend of the year. In truth, the 2019 season has been a mixed affair. External pressures weigh heavily on the sport and participants’ ability to commit time and money to it remains a major factor. The groundswell of opinion against fossil fuels, noise, safety and litigation concerns, a shortage of volunteer officials and even Brexit uncertainty have all impacted the sport to some extent. Yet it is far from all gloom and doom and grass-roots motorsport continues to deliver fun and enjoyment to thousands of people. The…

THE B-ROAD B-EAUTY AWARD For the most fun car to drive WINNER FORD FIESTA ST HIGHLY COMMENDED MINI COOPER S, McLAREN 720S The Fiesta ST has long been our hot hatch of choice, and this latest version doesn’t disappoint. As news editor Lawrence Allan notes: “It might have been one of the cheapest cars on our fleet but, for sheer British B-road entertainment, nothing – not even the McLaren 720S – beats it.” Road test editor Matt Saunders called the Fiesta “the best pound-for-pound hot hatchback there is”, admitting that “I’d take one over a Focus ST, frankly”. Editor-in-chief Steve Cropley admitted he nearly plumped for the Fiesta but was swayed by our Mini Cooper S “because I felt confident slinging it about in extreme situations”. The McLaren 720S may…

BMW 530i Huge thanks to Andrew, who did that rare thing and shared one of those difficult moments we all have from time to time: selling a car. Still, the money stops us getting too emotional. “Waved goodbye to our 530i this week, after seven years and 60k miles,” he says. “It cost just £800 in depreciation. Reliable, cheap and easy to service and repair, it will be fondly remembered for years. Bought for long-distance holiday travel. It’s off to Poland for a new life, so it’s not just big diesels they’re importing.”…

Toyota Yaris 1.8 GRMN Price £17,995 Never mind hybrid this and EV that, we’ll look back on this period as the age of forced induction, which is why the Yaris GRMN is so interesting. It takes a slightly different route, eschewing a turbo for a supercharger – which means it thrives on revs and sounds fantastic. It looks good, too, with its race-inspired styling. Sadly, engine and bodykit can’t disguise its slightly off-the-pace handling, but 10 years from now that small detail may not trouble enthusiasts keen to bag the few remaining examples of the 80 GRMNs that landed here.…

Even in these uncertain times, one thing’s for sure: an air-cooled Porsche 911 will always be desirable. The last of them was the ‘993’ launched in 1993. It was replaced in 1998 by the 996, the first of the current generation of liquid-cooled 911s. The fact that this new model wasn’t universally well received only served to boost the 993’s appeal. Besides its traditional air-cooled 3.6-litre flat-six engine, what also excited folk was the 993’s wonderful build quality and its multi-link rear suspension, which (mostly) fixed those infamous handling jitters. Today, prices start at around £30,000 for high-mileage, two-wheel-drive Carrera 2 cabriolets – the second version, following the C2 coupé, to be launched. Most have the four-speed Tiptronic automatic gearbox. Be warned, though: the cabrio tended to be bought by…

“A crossover focus is likely for the new Aygo, with a raised ride height increasingly desirable” Toyota is hoping to capitalise on other manufacturers giving up on the city car segment with a new generation of the Aygo – and it could adopt SUV-inspired styling cues. Speaking to Autocar at the recent reveal of the new Toyota Yaris, executive vice-president of Toyota Europe Matt Harrison said the current Aygo is a “profitable business equation for us” – a statement that cannot be applied to rivals from the Volkswagen Group and the PSA Group. “We have an awful lot of equity in Aygo,” Harrison said. “We’re selling 100,000 a year. It’s got a personality all of its own so it gives to the brand rather than takes away. It’s the most…

BMW has received “very positive” feedback to its radical shift in styling for certain models including the X7, according to product boss Peter Henrich. Henrich told Autocar that he was “convinced” this bold styling direction under design boss Adrian van Hooydonk was the right way to go, and that customer data showed it was being well received. “This is crucial for success,” said Henrich. “BMW customers are demanding. They want to express something and are not afraid of vehicles with strong characters. They are looking for it. So we have decided to focus even more on strong characters and bold design. “The design team with Adrian van Hooydonk do an excellent job in designing and defining that character. The feedback received has been very positive. When first shown the X7,…

Mercedes-Benz’s AMG performance car division is not holding back in launching a go-faster version of the second-generation GLE Coupé. From the outset of UK sales next spring, this new sporting GLE 53 Coupé model will sit alongside the standard 350d and 400d diesels and diesel-electric 350de in a four-strong initial line-up. The successor to the earlier GLE 43 Coupé has been conceived to rival the likes of the Audi SQ8, BMW X6 M50i and Porsche Cayenne S Coupé, providing a stepping stone to the range-topping GLE 63 Coupé that was revealed at the recent Los Angeles motor show. The GLE 53 is the latest model to receive AMG’s mild-hybrid drivetrain, which was initially launched in the CLS 53 back in 2018. It employs a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine…

Just make sure you’re at the Beckford Arms by 9am, said Saunders, our organiser, not sounding excessively Christmassy. Truth be told, 9am did seem a touch early for something billed as a convivial pub lunch where a group of road-testing mates would embrace the Christmas spirit, especially as said Georgian public house is a good two hours from the office in wildest Wiltshire. Of course, we knew the real reason for the early start. The one thing about gatherings of drivers and cars – from which words and photographs will be extracted – is that they begin in an early, time-eating frenzy of car arranging and cleaning, followed by an extended bout of camera action and then some more arranging and shooting after that, just to be sure. Then will…

‘We gotta come up with another plan. They got a tank.’ They certainly have and I’m driving it across the killing fields at Tanks-Alot, a tank driving experience and training centre. It’s the Chieftain tank from the action flick Fast & Furious 6 that inspires the famous line as it burst from a container in a convoy that moments earlier had been brought to a crashing halt by a steel cable stretched across a highway. Dramatic stuff, and now here it is in a muddy field near Brackley, Northamptonshire, being driven rather less dramatically by me, concerned for the safety of Max, Autocar’s photographer, out there knee deep in mud somewhere in my blind spot. Make that ‘blind area’. Seated low at the nose of the tank beneath its 120mm…

JCB offers two base ranges of Fastrac tractor, the 4000 and 8000. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Fastrac Two record tractor is based on the higher-spec 8000 unit. The 8000 is the world’s fastest production tractor, with a top speed of 43mph. Chief among the differences is that the WFT uses JCB’s own engine, the 672 unit, which it puts in its own vehicles and sells to others (and is used in the 328mph Dieselmax land speed record car). The standard Fastrac 8000, though, uses an 8.4-litre engine from Finnish engine maker AGCO Power and it develops up to 349bhp and 1062lb ft. On a regular Fastrac, that torque goes to all four wheels via a two-range continuously variable transmission – low speed up to 25mph when pulling, the higher speed from…

When the glassworks in the small Swedish town of Kosta was founded, its owners didn’t foresee it would one day make gear selectors. It was 1742, after all, when demand for car parts was somewhat limited. Yet 277 years later, Kosta’s hot shop is an unlikely hotspot for the production of Volvo gear selectors. Not regular gear selectors, of course: Orrefors Crystal Eye units are handmade from crystal glass, forged and shaped using tools and techniques that are near identical to those employed in the 18th century. They’re beautiful, terribly fancy and, of course, entirely unnecessary: swapping a regular selector for a glass one doesn’t improve the shift times of an XC90 Inscription at all. But they’re increasingly popular and Volvo is widening their availability in its range. “I loved…

GRILLE If you want to compete with the German premium brands, an enormous, slightly gauche grille is a must-have. Santa’s grille features a digital display, allowing the sleigh to communicate with other vehicles – flying cars, autonomous drone taxis, perhaps – to warn of danger or traffic jams. Although we can’t imagine the latter would be much of an issue for Mr Claus. HEADLIGHTS The snowflake headlights use the latest digital matrix technology, recently revealed on Audi’s E-tron Sportback. The lights feature 1.3 million micromirrors that can be tilted up to 5000 times per second. Their party trick is that they’re capable of projecting films, but, more importantly for Santa’s busy night, the headlights project a ‘light carpet’ to keep one on course. DETACHABLE SCOOTER The buzz phrase of present…

WHAT’S THE BEST 4X4 PICK-UP TRUCK? Want to know which is the best 4x4 pick-up truck? Check here for a not entirely objective set of tests, although some do include pulling a Unimog. McLAREN F1 vs P1 vs SENNA To get a McLaren F1 on a circuit is a special occasion. To line one up alongside both a P1 and a Senna is remarkable. One of our favourite videos ever. RESTOMODS: ALFAHOLICS GTA-R 290, JIA INTERCEPTOR R, TUTHILL PORSCHE 911 Old cars get given new leases of life thanks to creative people and some fabulous, if pricey, engineering. GREATEST PORSCHE GTS CAYMAN GT4 MEETS 911 GT2 RS AND GT3 RS What’s the best car in Porsche’s series of GT-badged cars? Is it 2, 3 or 4? We endeavoured to find…

Bravo to Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Aston Martin for filling our concept car podium this year, each chosen by our in-house designer Ben Summerell-Youde. “It’s good to see a concept that doesn’t just have wider arches and some knobbly tyres,” says Ben of the Audi AI-Trail. “Silent, battery powered off-roading appeals far more than plug-in sports cars.” Ben feels the Mercedes EQS really shows how electric propulsion can benefit proportions. “I hope the new S-Class isn’t too dissimilar.” There’s not an electric motor to be seen on the Vanquish concept, Aston’s preview of a mid-engined supercar. “It looks fresh, and has a better visual balance to it than the Valhalla,” the latter car the Vanquish’s big brother.…

Silver spoon or tainted chalice? Blessing or curse? These are the searching questions every son of a famous father poses to his soul at some stage, mostly when inevitable comparisons with Daddy are aired, or when Junior knows he’s fallen well short of the expectations that come with the family name. This year Mick Schumacher has cause to ruminate: he has been competing in Formula 2 for Prema, a team with an illustrious history in the series. From 20 starts, the 20-year-old son of seven-time F1 world champion Michael scored top 10 finishes on eight occasions, including claiming a maiden win in the sprint race in Hungary. On the flipside, the 2018 European Formula 3 champion failed to score 12 times, a tally that includes five retirements, mainly through errors.…

More smoke on Bristol ban If I were to win a large amount on the lottery, I would be able to buy many of the expensive cars that are mentioned in this week’s Autocar (27 November), starting off with the Mulliner open-top two-seater with W12 power and 626bhp. Next would be the Audi RS Q8, with 591bhp. This would be followed by the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S, which produces 603bhp. Then Audi’s RS6, with a V8 and 3993cc. Finally, I would buy the Bentley Mulsanne, with its 530bhp 6.25-litre V8. The only reason for these purchases? It would allow me to drive into Bristol next year and not upset the diesel-banning council, even though each one of those cars will produce three times more emissions than my current 2.0-litre diesel…

QUESTION I see scrappage allowances have made a comeback. Are they good value for money?David Barnes, Sheffield ANSWER If your old car really is on its last legs then perhaps there’s some value in them, although all you’re getting is the discount you’d have got on the new car had you pushed for it. If your old car is still in rude health we’d recommend selling it yourself beforehand, then getting the maximum discount on the new car. Better still, buy a pre-reg model: you’ll find that if you go through an online seller you’ll save an average of around £2600 compared with the price, including scrappage allowance, of the equivalent new model. JE QUESTION I’ve recently become interested in fuel cell cars. A new vehicle is beyond my budget…

“It’s worth spending more for a well-cared-for C6 to avoid coming to grief.” Not our words but those of the top techs at Wolsey House Motors, a Citroën specialist and purveyor of fine examples of the sumptuous C6 of 2006-12. So with their advice ringing in our ears, we’ve ignored the 90,000-mile 2006-reg 2.7 HDi V6 Exclusive we found offered at £2750, passed quickly by the gaggle of similar motors huddled around £3500 and instead stopped for a closer look at this £5995 example. It’s a 2009 car, so a little younger than the rest, with a reasonable 80,000 miles. Better still, the trade seller has gone to the trouble of listing every service, including mileage, date carried out and type (major or minor). ‘First to see will buy!’ is…

An expert’s view PAUL O’REILLY, GENERAL MANAGER, ASHGOOD “We’ve sold six 993s in the past four weeks, from a £30,000 C2 Tiptronic to a £300,000 Turbo S. The prices of some versions have softened, though. We’ve just sold a left-hand-drive 3.8 RS for £200,000; a couple of years ago, we got 15% more for the same car. It’s all about numbers: the fewer there are, the more they’re worth. There were only 23 right-hand-drive Turbo Ss and some will have been written off. If you’ve got the money, there’s a 993 for you whether it’s a coupé, cabriolet, automatic, turbo or race-inspired.” Buyer beware ▪ ENGINE Oil must be kept at the right level and changed every 12,000 miles. Check after a test drive. Also, check the oil temp gauge:…

No one produces as thorough a judgement on a new car as Autocar. As well as acceleration, braking, fuel economy and noise tests, we carry out benchmark limit-handling tests, setting lap times if appropriate. But we don’t just drive at the track, essential as it is for finding the limits of performance. We also drive on a wide range of roads. Where we have tested more than one model in a range, the rating is for the range overall. Where a model within the range meets our coveted five-star standard, it is highlighted in yellow. » 30-70MPH Indicates overtaking ability through the gears. » 50-70MPH Recorded in top gear (*kickdown with an automatic) and demonstrates flexibility. » FUEL ECONOMY Figures quoted are the average and touring fuel economy as tested.…