Innholdsfortegnelse for February 26, 2020 i Autocar

IT’S EASY TO be turned off by ‘cars’ like the new self-drivers spawned from Jaguar Land Rover’s Project Vector (p14), a secret start-up-style project now made public. Yet don’t view them as a threat to our future love of driving. They are transport, designed to move people and goods around in controlled environments (airports, factories, ‘final mile’ deliveries, some public transport) in a safe, efficient and smart way. They are not designed as personal cars for you and me to drive and use ourselves. If anything, they enhance cars as we know them today, by allowing them to be even more idealised, used in more ideal conditions. On autonomous cars, the industry is significantly dialling back its vision for them and its description of what one actually is. A pod…

The Polestar Precept is an electric, four-door grand tourer that previews the design of future Polestar models as well as highlighting the Swedish company’s plans for sustainable materials and advanced digital technology. To be revealed at the Geneva motor show, the Precept is said to signify an important milestone for Polestar as a standalone brand (away from parent company Volvo) and reflect its values of “pure, progressive and performance”. The Polestar 1, a limited-run plug-in hybrid coupé (see p38), and the Polestar 2, an electric fastback for the mass market, will shortly be followed by an electric SUV, the Polestar 3. The Precept, however, gives a broader hint at Polestar’s future design direction. The 1 and 2 were heavily guided by Volvo design, while the Precept is intended to demonstrate…

DS HAS REVEALED a new range-topping executive saloon targeted directly at the Audi A4. The DS 9, set to make its global debut at the Geneva motor show, is based on the PSA Group’s EMP2 platform and closely related to the Peugeot 508. Codenamed X83, the 9 is the third new-era model for the PSA Group’s premium arm following the 3 Crossback and 7 Crossback SUVs. It will be built exclusively in China, the market expected to take the majority of sales, and exported around the world from there. The range of powertrains will include three plug-in hybrids. The range-topper is a four-wheel-drive E-Tense model that mixes a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor in the eight-speed automatic gearbox to drive the front wheels and uses a further…

Seat’s recently hived-off performance brand Cupra has expanded its line-up with the Cupra Leon. Based on the Mk4 Seat Leon that was revealed last month, it’s the first fully Cupra-branded Leon, following a line of Seat Leon Cupra models that stretches back to 1999. It will be available as a five-door hatchback and an estate with a selection of petrol engines and, in a first for Cupra, a plugin hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. The Cupra Leon e-Hybrid combines a 148bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine ne with a 113bhp electric motor or and 13kWh battery pack for a total 242bhp and 295lb ft of torque. It will be capable of a WLTP-tested 37 miles of electric-only range and official CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km. The conventional Cupra Leon features the Volkswagen…

The next R could be another SUV, believes Jost Capito. “I can see a place for a Tiguan R,” he said. “We’ve seen the good things that can be achieved with the T-Roc, but this would be a different kind of car – more of an everyday model, like the Touareg.” However, although R is looking to grow in the coming years, a Polo R is unlikely. “The Golf R will remain the entry point for now,” Capito said. “A Polo R just doesn’t make sense. For starters, there’s no four-wheel drive option, so we’d have to look at a way of engineering the existing car to take the increase in power. When you do that, the cost rises, and that means it would cost the same to buy as…

Electric cars don’t just sound different on the outside; the lack of a combustion engine makes their cabins far quieter, too, and this has prompted car sound designers to rethink the noises featured inside. “Cars in the electric age are quiet,” said Indra-Lena Kögler, who is in charge of developing the interior noise of Volkswagen’s EVs. “And quiet surroundings make it easier for every tone to have an effect.” Quiet, but not silent. “We don’t want silence,” she said. “What we’re after is calm.” That has led to the redesigning of several of the noises produced by the ID 3, such as the indicator. “Originally, this sound had to overcome engine noise, which is why it is so striking,” said VW Group design boss Klaus Bischoff. “But that’s not necessary…

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You won’t ever be able to buy the Renegade eAWD BEV, but the technology it uses will appear in at least six new hybrid and electric vehicles set to be released this year, including its production-ready relation, the Jeep Renegade PHEV. With development of electrified vehicles absorbing manufacturers’ profits like sponges, a standardised, compact, off-the-shelf power-and-transmission system such as that used in this Renegade is the solution. Well, at least according to GKN, the British company best known for its driveshafts and, more recently, its Twinster torque vectoring system. This was first utilised by the most recent Ford Focus RS and then by the Mk2 Range Rover Evoque; the next-gen Focus RS is rumoured to use the latest version, called the eTwinster. It’s a similar system, with tweaks and different…

Driving the Superb iV up to the limit of grip reveals it to be the large, fairly soft and inert but still dynamically competent saloon car that you expect a Superb to be. Much as the car only performs with any gusto if you get deep into the accelerator travel, so you only reach its lateral limits after plenty of wheel twirling and with reasonable body roll in evidence. Grip remains pretty well balanced under cornering load and the chassis tolerates being hurried meekly enough. Its electronics leave only the briefest snatches of wheelspin and steering corruption to let you know you’re approaching the car’s mechanical thesholds. Hurrying it isn’t rewarding or fun, though; and the car’s shortage of dynamic poise over and above what you’d expect of a very…

The news out of Whitehall earlier this month seemed very much like the death sentence for the internal combustion engine that so many of us have been dreading, didn’t it? And with it there also came a numbering of days for all sorts of vehicle that it’s hard to imagine being powered in any other way. Well, maybe not. Things can change, after all, and where government policy is concerned, they usually do. But if prime minister Johnson’s new car electrification plan for 2035, or perhaps 2032, sticks, it’s likely to accelerate a global move towards ever more ambitious sustainability legislation, as the AK47 of public opinion gets aimed ever more squarely at the undeserving temple of the traditional piston-engined automobile. When the shots are finally heard, we must simply…

“As an innovation, no mass-produced car launched in the past 20 years can get near it” Just over 20 years ago, me and the missus started a family, which was something of a shock to the system for a number of different reasons. One of which was that I, a motoring journalist, would have to spend my own money on a car. Oh, the horror of it. By then, I’d already spent 10 years in this business doling out advice to others concerning what they should buy, without once ever practising what I preached. Like the rest of my colleagues, I just drove test cars. But that wouldn’t work any longer, because even if I could keep up the supply of cars, I could hardly guarantee they’d all be big…

“The stunt car is an absolute beast, with a driving experience at odds with the staid styling” Even by Silverstone’s high standards of specialness, this Valentine’s Day was pretty remarkable. Out on the main circuit the new Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 car was making its moving debut, the W11 snarling and stuttering its way around the track as Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton put it through its paces, a smattering of VIPs standing trackside and with drones buzzing overhead to capture footage. Ordinarily I’d have been looking for a vantage point, but the cars on the junior Stowe Circuit – now Aston Martin’s high-performance test track – proved to be even more compelling. To celebrate its involvement in the forthcoming James Bond film No Time To Die, Aston Martin had assembled…

COMPARISON Supermini mega-test: can the Ford Fiesta be toppled? This is the year of the new supermini, with the likes of the Clio, 208 and Corsa all being launched. Which of the nine cars will come out on top? SPECIAL ISSUE Geneva motor show Pictures and details of all the star cars, including the new Golf GTI FEATURE On the scrap heap We follow the process of scrapping a car from start to finish EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Mercedes-AMG A45 S Now this £50k hot hatch is a verified giant-killer, it must face our road test FIRST DRIVE Mini Electric We’ve driven the Oxford-built EV in Miami; now it’s back on home soil USED BUYING GUIDE Mk1 Ford Focus RS How to own an example of Ford’s legendary comeback hot…

MILEAGE 5946 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see whether the latest Superb can cut it as an object of not only supreme practicality but also luxury Our Superb has been with us only six weeks, yet it has already settled into the kind of rhythm of service that makes very short work of the everyday. I’ve taken to describing it as being like a great cup of tea: it’s entirely ordinary but also entirely perfect in its own way, and it has a habit of making the apparently unbearable seem, well… just fine. As I’ve been coming to appreciate, this car is both comfortable and comforting to use in a much bigger way than encompasses just its function. It eases the pain of a 5am start and a 150-mile schlep…

Volvo V70 Huge thanks to Craig for sharing this with us and making a fabulous case for buying the sort of cars we love. “I’m 28,” he says, “and have spent the past decade in small cars and hot hatches on PCP contracts. They were trouble-free but costly and constantly upgrading meant I never owned the car I had. “A recent change of circumstances prompted a rethink: out with my Abarth 595 Competizione and in with something bigger, comfortable and automatic. I came across a five-cylinder diesel automatic Volvo V70 with just 160,000 miles on the clock for £1000. “Driving around with heated seats on, dual-zone climate control, the 10-speaker CD stereo playing and the sunroof open, I can’t help feeling I have had a good win on the used…

The first series-production Lotus for 12 years will feature a design heavily inspired by the Evija hypercar and a newly developed, hybridised V6 powertrain. Expected to be shown in the first half of next year before going on sale in the following months, the new Lotus will revive the format of the Esprit as a Ferrari-baiting super sports car with a price set in the low six figures. Like that iconic model, it will be intended to retain the Norfolk brand’s celebrated driving dynamics while offering increased everyday usability and refinement over existing models. “The new Lotus will revive the format of the Esprit as a Ferrari-baiting super sports car” The car, which may or may not use the Esprit name, will serve to bridge the gap between Lotus’s existing…

AMG HAS GIVEN the new Mercedes-Benz GLA compact crossover 416bhp in its most powerful form. The second-generation GLA is the third model to use Affalterbach’s ‘M139’ 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, the most potent four-cylinder unit in series production, after the A-Class and CLA. Like its MFA2-underpinned relations, the new GLA 45 makes 382bhp in its standard form, while the top-rung 45 S gets an extra 33bhp, making it the most powerful compact crossover on sale. The sprint from 0-62mph takes 4.4sec, with the S shaving 0.1sec off that time. The S also loses the speed limiter, raising top speed from 155 to 168mph. All of this is put to the road using the same variable four-wheel drive system and eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as the GLA’s siblings. The AMG models can…

Honda has used the mid-life update of its Civic Type R hot hatchback to introduce two new variants: a low-volume, lighter track special and a more subtle version of the existing model. Available to order in the coming months alongside the updated Type R, the new Sport Line variant offers “more discreet styling and a more refined ride” for those who find the standard model too lairy. The most significant external alteration is the removal of the big rear wing in favour of a lower, more subtle one, but there’s also an exclusive design of 19in alloy wheels wrapped in softer-sidewall Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, plus additional soundproofing in the boot and tailgate to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. The visual drama is dialled down inside, too, courtesy of…

THE EXPANSION OF the DS range is set to continue with an all-new DS 4 and DS 4 Crossback, and the first prototype has now been spotted testing. Tipped to go on sale in 2021, the second-generation C-segment car will be the next core model from the PSA Group’s premium brand after a new saloon, set to be unveiled at the Geneva show (above). As announced in 2017, DS is targeting six models to be on sale by 2023. Autocar understands the new 4 line-up will reflect that of the previous-generation car, which was taken off sale in 2018. That means there will be a traditional hatchback version to rival the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and a jacked-up model with crossover styling cues to go up against the Mercedes-Benz GLA. The model…

LAST YEAR, 92% of new cars sold in Europe were Euro NCAP-rated, and 75% of those tested carried a five-star rating. Euro NCAP safety ratings are largely responsible for the remarkable progress that has been made in occupant safety and now the safety of vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians, too. Hop into any car from the 1970s or earlier and it becomes clear just how much things have improved. Flimsy structures did little to prevent intrusion into the passenger space in the event of a crash and restraints were fairly rudimentary. When someone at the site of a road traffic incident today says “it’s a miracle they survived,” it isn’t. It’s down to the extraordinary science and engineering that goes into making modern cars safer. As well…

Engineers including Sir Alec Issigonis, who once reinvented the Mini Moke as an Arctic exploration device using dual 848cc engines with interconnected throttle cabling, have discovered that two combustion engines in one car is rarely worth the trouble. Electric motors are proving to be much better suited to this approach, though. They’re easier to package, control and maintain than oily powerplants and offer crushing performance potential when teamed up, which is why spec-sheet headliners such as the Tesla Model S and Porsche Taycan have one dedicated motor for each axle. Independent drive units can also maximise traction or divide their efforts so that neither strays too often from its window of efficiency and therefore saps precious range. And as manufacturers are rapidly learning, control of individual axles can, if your…

MODEL TESTED 1.4 TSI iV 218PS SE L Price £34,755 • Power 215bhp • Torque 295lb ft • 0-60mph 7.3sec • 30-70mph in fourth 9.0sec • Fuel economy 45.0mpg • CO2 emissions 35g/km • 70-0mph 48m Skoda will give us no fewer than 10 new electrified models between now and 2022, and it starts here, with the Superb iV plug-in hybrid. Along with every other manufacturer that sells cars in Europe, the marque finds itself facing the imminent introduction of severe fines linked to average fleet emissions. This electrification strategy therefore has more to do with economics than altruism, but the application of Skoda’s utilitarian thinking to the type of cars that have traditionally struggled with the concept of ‘utility’ nevertheless sounds like good news to us at Autocar. In the…

VERDICT The Superb iV is a proud moment for Skoda and a promising sign of things to come from its fledgling line-up of electrified cars. And although it shares much of its architecture with the Passat GTE, its ardent commitment to normality and utility over and above any sporting pretence certainly has its merits. In this context, the powertrain’s lack of character becomes a bit tougher to criticise, and its ability to wrap usable performance and efficiency up in a refined and impressively smooth package is all the more admirable. The same goes for its sensible handling and laid-back ride quality; for the savings in company car tax that it will offer over and above a traditional diesel saloon; and for the fuel savings that it’ll deliver if used properly…

The DB5’s role in No Time To Die was mostly shot in Matera, Italy, the spectacular rock-hewn city being the backdrop for an extended chase sequence involving the Aston and a pursuing pack of bad guys driving cars as diverse as a 1990s Maserati Quattroporte and an early-2000s Lancia Thesis. Former British rally champion Mark Higgins is the lead stunt driver, having worked on three previous James Bond films and today one of the acknowledged experts of action-packed precision driving. Not that he had to do any on the day I visited the set, most of which featured the DB5’s bulletproofing being tested after the villains have him cornered. Despite this, Higgins was still ready to go at all times – and wearing carefully applied dots on his face to…

FINAL REPORT MILEAGE 17,984 WHY WE RAN IT To see if this funky new van-based MPV could recapture the practicality, flexibility and simplicity of the original There was never going to be a good time to hand back the keys to our Berlingo, was there? This humble MPV or, as Citroën likes to call it, leisure activity vehicle has slotted into my life more smoothly than any other long-term test car I can remember. And not just because of how easily it swallows the numerous flight cases and camera bags that I need to lug up and down the country for my job. Over the course of almost 18,000 miles, it has shattered my preconceptions of van-based people carriers and proved just how car-like the driving experience can be when…

Mercedes-AMG C63 Estate £16,995 Trips to the tip will never be the same again with one of our five hot estates, starting with this, the Mercedes-AMG C63. It’s the W204-series model produced from 2008 to 2015 and powered by a 451bhp 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8. A neighbour of mine has run a 2011-reg example for the past few years. His facelifted model has 50,000 miles on the clock, and it growls sonorously when he does the school run. It’s a good basis for a buying guide. The firm suspension and 19in wheels have weakened the interior a touch so that it creaks a little over bumps. He has to keep his eye on the oil: up to two litres between services isn’t uncommon. With a heavy right foot, fuel economy…

Smart Roadster Price £3495 In truth, it’s already a classic but appreciated by only a small circle of clued-up folk who buy into its titchy, albeit turbocharged, 698cc three-cylinder engine. It produces 81bhp, which is fine for a car weighing 790kg. Rust? Forget it: the body panels are plastic and its Tridion safety cell is galvanised (that said, black ones are showing early signs of tin worm). Rain leaks are a problem, though, so beware any car that has been parked outside for any length of time. Our example is a one-owner, 2005-reg with 40k miles and a good service history.…

It was intended as a development mule for the Mk4 Golf R32, but the Beetle RSI was such a hit that it went into production, albeit limited to 250 copies. That was in 2001. Today, used ones start at around £40,000. It’s an intriguing mix of curvy styling underpinned by Mk4 mechanicals and Haldex four-wheel drive running gear and powered by a 3.2-litre V6 producing 221bhp. There’s no vase. That’s right: the much-mocked receptacle on the dashboard is absent from the RSI. No such luck with its more run-of-the-mill stablemates, although browsing the classifieds, it’s interesting to see how few sellers risk trying to seduce buyers with a cheap plastic flower. The thing is, it does pigeonhole the model, which is a shame, because the Beetle is a smile-inducing, reliable…

The Volkswagen Caddy has entered its fifth generation, with more space than its forebear and a raft of new technology. Sitting atop the same MQB platform as the new Golf, the Caddy will be available in panel van, MPV and camper van guises and can be specified with one of three diesel engines or a turbocharged petrol. The new-look small van also gains an overhauled infotainment system with a permanent internet connection and 19 driver assistance functions as standard.…

Volkswagen has pulled the wraps off its new fast flagship, the Touareg R. In keeping with the high-performance R sub-brand’s recent commitment to electrification, the new SUV uses a plug-in hybrid drivetrain to deliver 456bhp and can travel for up to 30 miles in electric-only mode. Performance figures have yet to be confirmed, but expect the 0-62mph sprint to take around 5.0sec and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. Autocar was shown around the Touareg R by the head of R division, Jost Capito, who revealed why Volkswagen had opted to make the model a plug-in hybrid rather than use the more powerful mild-hybrid V8 from sibling brand Audi’s recently launched RS Q8. “The Touareg is the perfect car for the step into electrification,” explained Capito. “The engines from…

“People expect the same noise from an electric vehicle, but that makes no sense” Noise, or specifically the lack of it, is one of the most notable differences between combustion-engined and electric vehicles (EVs). And while many claim that silent electric cars will make roads and cities quieter and calmer, you can easily find sensational headlines warning that ‘dangerously quiet’ EVs are ‘silent killers’ that pose a risk to inattentive pedestrians. Predictably, neither extreme is entirely accurate. Not least because, contrary to the hopes of some and the fears of others, EVs aren’t silent. They’re not allowed to be. But they do give manufacturers the chance to decide exactly what they want their cars to sound like. Following research that showed silent EVs could pose a risk to pedestrians, cyclists…

Renault has done well out of the modern love affair with the compact crossover. It got in early, in 2013, with the Captur, and has made plenty of hay since. Would you believe that car outsold the Nissan Juke in Europe by almost five to one in 2019? It has been the continent’s class favourite for several years, proving that smart looks and good value are more than half the battle concerning sales success. The second-generation Captur has just landed in the UK and, echoing the theme of its supermini sibling, the Clio, it’s a slightly larger and classier reinterpretation of what went before. And so Renault’s blend of curvaceous good looks with straightforwardly labelled value for money will likely continue to be its chief lure. Yet there’s more than…

1 BMW 330e SE It’s more expensive and less practical than the Superb but it remains our pick of the current crop of ‘affordable’ PHEVs, even in entry-level specification. 2 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT GTE A dash more sporting appeal than the Skoda, but not the driver’s car that VW makes it out to be. A smooth operator nonetheless. 3 SKODA SUPERB 1.4 TSI iV SE L Superb’s value positioning really hits home in this company. Refined, comfortable and roomy – although not that fun to drive. The pragmatist’s choice. 4 VOLVO S60 T8 TWIN ENGINE AWD More performance than anything else here, but still not the sweetest to drive. Shows how quickly things can get pricey. 5 MERCEDES-BENZ C300de SPORT EDITION We’ve yet to drive it in the UK, but this diesel-electric Merc has…

The view forwards is pure Fangio. A single pane of laminated glass set in an aluminium frame through which I can see a narrow bonnet and exposed wire wheels. My hands are on a wood-framed steering wheel with four alloy spokes and a stubby gearlever is to the right of my leg. White-faced instruments sit in an aluminium panel. It’s very simple. Although I’m in a single-seater, there’s plenty of elbow room. I could do with the pedals being a bit closer, but unfortunately the seat isn’t adjustable because this car has been set up for its owner, not a guest driver. I first saw this car last summer at a Vintage Sports Car Club meeting at Brands Hatch, where it was parked in a line of kit cars outside…

I had always imagined the 275 Trophy-R was the high point of the really hot Renault Mégane model series. I’m not sure why but I remembered it as the high watermark. With its coupé-ish appearance and rock-rigid body, it seemed as modern as today’s Mégane does, but with less than 300bhp, it retained the delicacy of old hot hatchbacks. It’s also the only one I drove at the Nürburgring, the track that has made this series of special Renault Sport Méganes famous, because each of the trio set a new lap record for a front-driven production car. That’s not any guarantee of greatness, of course, but it helped here, and I always felt that the 275 Trophy-R was the standout among a series of standout cars. Today, though, will tell.…

Two’s better than one John Evans’ good article on the Mk2 Golf GTI (Used Buying Guide, 5 February) correctly notes that it lives in the shadow of the Mk1. Perhaps, but I’m a 50-something-year-old GTI fan and have no interest in a Mk1. Among Volkswagen enthusiasts, the Mk1 (under-braked and with the older chassis) was and remains nowhere near as sought after as the Mk2. Even in the 1980s, the Mk1 was comfortably eclipsed by the Mk2 (faster, better brakes and better handling – and we preferred the four-headlamp styling). You only have to check out the ‘yuppie’ car adverts of the era to realise the Mk2 was also the GTI with the wider social impact. It may be that traditional ‘Vee-Dubbers’ will always prefer a classic Golf in its…

MILEAGE 3289 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Plug-in 330e will overtake 320d as the biggest-selling 3 Series. We’ll find out if it can match the diesel’s all-round appeal The company car tax benefits of plug-in hybrids like the BMW 330e are such that instances of them being returned with the charging cables in the boot still in the Cellophane wrapper still occur, admits BMW. But that is becoming a rarer occurrence, and in my entry for understatement of the year, you need to be charging your plug-in hybrid to get the most out of it. You could just drive it and never charge it, but then you’d be struggling to get 35mpg from a 2.0-litre petrol 3 Series with a load of extra weight you’re making no use of, plus a…

MILEAGE 84,061 BMW 320 The Baby Shark is rather filthy at the moment. Not only does it need a clean, but I think the nearside sill is looking a bit red, too. However, there is the outstanding issue of the piece of body trim that separated itself from the shark-shaped one. Well, here it is, bent back a bit, so it doesn’t poke my eye out every time I go into the garage. A new part from Germany is €40 (roughly £34) plus postage. I have decided to tease mine back into shape. This may be the last time you see it, if and when I make a hash of it.…

After 42 years of staring at its reflection in the mirror, the Jaguar XJ cracked the glass and went its own way in 2010. The X351 iteration is a fastback rather than a three-box saloon – a practical as well as luxurious car designed to compete head on with rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes, rather than rest on fading laurels. There are standard and long-wheelbase versions, motorway expresses with efficient 3.0-litre diesel engines, Tarmac shredders with supercharged 5.0-litre petrol V8s, versions with just the essentials and others groaning under the weight of folding tables. Prices range from £6000 for early high-mile diesels to £50,000 for the last, 2019-reg dealer demos. Although production ended in July 2019, you can still pick up unregistered XJs, too, at prices approaching £84,000, before…

JAGUAR XKR 4.2 Billed by the auction house as an Aston Martin DB7 for half the money, this 79,000-mile, 2004-reg XKR reached £7600. It was a well-maintained example with 11 stamps in the book, the last job being new discs and pads. These cars are not rare, of course, and you can buy earlier 4.0-litre versions with more than 100,000 miles for just £4000. However, tidy, lower-mileage 2004-reg 4.2s like our auction example generally start at around £10,000, so someone, probably a trader, had a good day. Incidentally, it was fitted with the standard 18in wheels rather than anything larger so should have been comfortable as well as quick.…

An expert’s view RICHARD DUNCAN, OWNER, RD GARAGE SERVICES “The Beetle is a tough car inside and out, but too many are neglected. Oil and filter changes are essential to prevent problems such as oil sludging in the sump and to keep belt tensioners well lubricated. The engine bay is cramped, making even checking or changing the battery more of a chore than it needs to be. And some parts are becoming hard to track down. I’m thinking especially of convertibles. Meanwhile, we’re seeing more Beetles failing their MOT for things like airbag lights. My favourite is the 3.2 RSI [pictured above], but the V5 is fun and nothing like as rare.” Buyer beware… ▪ ENGINE Make sure the timing belt and water pump have been replaced every 60,000 miles…