Innholdsfortegnelse for March 11, 2020 i Autocar

In the absence of the Geneva motor show, Steve Cropley got on the phone to Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Källenius for an update on what will be a testing couple of years for the brand. One of your rivals has said that profitable electric vehicles will start with electric SUVs. Is that how you see it? “We have made a very clear decision that modern luxury is going to be all electric. So we’re really just talking about how fast we can get there. We are ramping up our electrified ranges very quickly. The cost structures of these cars are higher than we’ve been used to, so many of our early models will focus on the upper segments. But as the numbers move from the tens of thousands to the hundreds…

Porsche has no immediate desire to contribute to the emerging array of electric hypercars with four-figure power outputs, according to the company’s design chief. Talking to Autocar, Michael Mauer expressed that he has other ideas about what is important for enthusiasts. He said: “I think now it’s so challenging, with the weight of batteries, to find the best compromise of performance, drivability and lower weight. “These hypercars are not only heavy, but they’re also very much driven by aerodynamics, so they end up looking very similar. There’s also the fact that the engine [power and character] isn’t a big deal any more [with EVs], and therefore I would love to do something different. “What I personally find very challenging is not to have another hypercar with 2000bhp, but for the…

THE ALL-NEW Vauxhall Mokka X has been seen for the first time with production-previewing bodywork. Expected to be revealed in the summer before deliveries commence later this year, the second-generation crossover is based on the PSA Group’s new CMP platform, as used by its sibling, the Peugeot 2008. This means the new Mokka X will offer petrol, diesel and battery-electric powertrains. Turbocharged three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol units of various outputs will be joined by a 1.5-litre diesel, while the EV should use a 136bhp motor and a 50kWh battery for an official range approaching 200 miles. The prototype, spied winter testing with minimal disguise, has a lower and wider stance than its upright predecessor, while its front end clearly takes inspiration from the Vauxhall GT X concept of 2018.…

The declining influence of the traditional motor show is again being hotly discussed following the cancellation of the Geneva event, just four days before it was due to be staged, due to the threat of the coronavirus. Manufacturers were last week investigating whether they could recover any of the substantial costs they had already paid to unveil cars at Geneva, with some privately angry that the show’s organisers had waited so long before making the final call. One large car maker, who wished to remain anonymous, put its total bill at ¤6 million (£5.2m), very little of which was recoverable. “We’ll probably have to eat it,” a source at the company said, adding that organisers “should have pulled the trigger sooner”. One bone of contention among manufacturers was that the…

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The BMW X5 M50i is perhaps all the car you and I are ever likely to need. It’s roomy, well equipped, rapid enough to outrun all but the most focused of sports cars and compliant enough to be used every day. And if its CO2 credentials are a concern, there’s always the X5 M50d. Still, there remain those with the necessary financial means who will always seek even greater exclusivity. It is this small group of customers that M division is aiming at with this, the new, third-generation X5 M. As with the latest X6 M, featured last week, the 2020 X5 M is available in two distinct forms. Both run the same twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8 from the M5. But while the standard model sold in other countries has…

One of the first things you appreciate on track in the RS6 is the reduced need to consider its width compared with fast road driving. But even without oncoming traffic to contend with, the Audi still feels really quite large on Millbrook’s Hill Route. That said, its four-wheel steering gives it surprising agility through tighter corners such as T2, but this doesn’t come at the expense of perceived stability. Grip levels are tremendous and, although you’re aware of its mass during quick, twistier sections of track, body control remains steadfast. This affords the car the ability to carry impressive speed through corners, although you never really shake the feeling that it’s more precise, grippy and assured than out-and-out fun. The RS6’s steering is mute but predictable and makes you comfortable…

Driving the North Coast 500 in the winter was meant to be an adventure, but perhaps not quite as adventurous as this could turn out to be. We arrive in Inverness with the far north of Scotland under a severe weather warning and conditions bad enough to have earned a name. This is going to be the Porsche Boxster T versus Storm Brendan. I’ve never really held with the idea that driving for fun is a seasonal activity, or understood why so many interesting cars get tucked up for the winter. Many of my most memorable journeys have involved miserable weather, introducing another challenge to those of car and road. The minimalist Boxster T is particularly well suited to such an austere adventure, combining almost all of the Boxster’s chassis-sharpening…

So this is budget week, when the government’s tested by the push and pull of competing demands before being passed through the washing machine of political expediency. As this is written, we don’t know what chancellor Rishi Sunak’s red box contains but we know his boss, Boris Johnson, wants to spend large while, behind the scenes, he has an international climate change summit to plan for. Call us paranoid but these two things make us fearful for motorists because experience has taught us that to politicians on a mission, the humble car is both income generator and whipping boy. This being so, and the government’s fiscal plans already laid, we humbly present Autocar’s motoring manifesto for the real world. If, amid the taxing and the green waving, it reminds the…

Coronavirus disruption The Australian Grand Prix was set to go ahead as scheduled this weekend as Autocar closed for press, despite the coronavirus outbreak causing chaos for the motorsport calendar. The opening rounds of the MotoGP season, in Qatar and Thailand, have both been postponed, due to travel restrictions implemented by the governments of those countries, along with several rounds of Japan’s highest-profile national championships. With one of the biggest coronavirus outbreaks outside China in northern Italy, Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto said he wanted reassurances that his staff would be allowed into Australia before travelling there for F1’s first grand prix of the season. The Chinese GP has already been postponed. Solberg to star in sprint Former world champion Petter Solberg will drive Richard Burns’ 2000 Rally GB-winning Subaru…

QUESTION I am a 77-year-young petrolhead but now want to switch to an electric car. A used one would be a good starting point before I commit to the one I really want. What can you suggest for £10,000? Bernard Brignall, via email ANSWER If you’re just testing the water, go with a car you can resell easily, such as a Renault Zoe. We found a one-owner 2016-reg Expression Nav with 20,000 miles and the improved R240 motor for £9250. It has a range of 80-110 miles; not a lot by current standards but, if your driving’s local and you can charge at home, decent enough. You have to lease the battery (it’s around £50 a month), but at least it’s guaranteed and it’s transferable to the next owner. JE…

Honda Accord Type R £4500 Remember when Honda made interesting cars? It still does (NSX, Civic Type R, E…), but its critics are convinced the firm stopped doing so years ago when models such as the Accord Type R were sparkly new. Which is why people still get a bit hot under the collar about them. We found a very tidy-looking 2002-reg with 120,000 miles for £4500. That’s about top money for one of these but, with so few good ones left, that’s understandable. This is a facelift version (slatted grille, red ‘H’ badge and, if they hadn’t been changed, black tailpipes). It comes with a fresh cambelt and tons of workshop receipts as evidence of regular maintenance. The seller claims it has always been garaged but we guess he’s…

Vauxhall Ampera 1.4i VVT Electron Price £7995 It may have arrived with a fanfare and departed with a whimper, but the Ampera, a range-extender with a 71bhp electric motor-generator and an 85bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine, was a bold move on GM’s part. The electric-only range was 25-50 miles. When that was exhausted, there was up to 310 miles of range available from the petrol engine driving the wheels via the generator to ensure the battery also received a trickle charge. If that ran dry, there was a further four miles of get-you-home reserve charge in the battery. Clever stuff.…

Sooner or later, most car manufacturers decide to let their engineers play on a race track to show the world what they can make. Most recently, Kia did it with the Stinger GT S, and back in 2008, Lexus did it with the IS F. Coming from a brand lauded for its super-refined and reliable hybrid saloons, the IS F’s arrival was a pleasant surprise. Here was a car pitched to take on rivals such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes C63 AMG and it wielded a big and unusual stick in the form of a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre petrol V8 producing 417bhp. Drive was sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox with flappy paddles, a lock-up mechanism from second gear upwards for faster shifts and an…

“The J-Pace will have a luxurious interior and avant-garde styling” Jaguar Land Rover is set to establish itself as one of the world’s leading makers of electric vehicles by converting its historic Castle Bromwich plant into a specialist EV production centre. According to sources, three new pure-electric models will be rolling off the production lines by the end of next year to join the existing electric Jaguar I-Pace in showrooms. The move is part of a major £1 billion investment in both Castle Bromwich and JLR’s factory in Solihull. Both are set to be massively overhauled in preparation for the British manufacturer’s new Modular Longitudinal Architecture (MLA) platform. Despite relatively poor sales last year (the company sold 161,601 units, down 10% on the 2018), Jaguar is also getting a significant…

FIAT BOSS OLIVIER François has said the electric platform developed for the new 500 will be used for multiple future models across Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) brands. The new-generation 500 is built on an all-electric architecture and is a key part of FCA’s plan for Fiat to focus on the city and family car markets. Fiat is working on a production version of last year’s Centoventi concept – likely to take the Panda name – that will use the same platform. That model is due in 2021, and François hinted that more cars could follow. “When you invest in a new platform – and this is an all-new platform developed for electric cars and only electric cars – you don’t do it for just one car,” he said. “With one…

The 257bhp Toyota GR Yaris will be priced from £29,995 when it goes on sale in the UK later this year. It will be offered in two specifications, including a £33,495 Circuit Pack model that has two Torsen limited-slip differentials. Unlike cheaper rivals, such as the Ford Fiesta ST, the GR Yaris features a great deal of bespoke engineering and a different bodystyle from the regular Yaris. Full UK specs will be announced later this year and customer deliveries are planned for November.…

THE GEMERA IS Koenigsegg’s first grand tourer, offering new-to-the-brand levels of practicality and an innovative plug-in hybrid powertrain that makes 1700bhp and 2580lb ft. Claimed to seat four adults in comfort with ample room for luggage, courtesy of a 3m-long wheelbase, the new ‘mega GT’ promises new-found refinement but also, thanks to features including four-wheel torque vectoring and four-wheel steering, rewarding dynamics. The Gemera’s front axle is powered by a twin-turbcharged 2.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that puts out 600bhp. Nicknamed the Tiny Friendly Giant, it uses Koenigsegg’s new free-valve technology, which replaces a camshaft with computer-controlled actuators for the valves. It combines with a 400bhp electric motor mounted on the crankshaft and a 500bhp motor for each rear wheel. Like its Regera hypercar relation, the Gemera uses Koenigsegg’s direct drive…

Peugeot could bring back the GTi badge on a future high-performance version of the 208, with the firm’s boss scotching rumours that the sub-brand has been ditched entirely. CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato said that although the GTi badge will always be associated with internal-combustion-engined (ICE) cars, it “remained important” to Peugeot. The firm has recently introduced the Peugeot Sport Engineered (PSE) badge on a hot plug-in hybrid version of the 508, a nameplate that’s set to be used on further performance Peugeot models. The exception to that, though, would be the 208 and possibly then even only for the UK market. “In the UK, GTi has a real sense,” said Imparato. “We are working on what could be the GTi of the future. If one car has it [a GTi badge],…

Aston Martin put new investor and executive chairman Lawrence Stroll front and centre of the reveal of the V12 Speedster. We sit down with CEO Andy Palmer to see how Stroll’s expertise (and money) will help revive Aston’s fortunes. Lawrence Stroll talks about reducing inventories and rebalancing the company. What will the practical effects be? “Lawrence has been the Canadian Ferrari importer a long time so he understands the Ferrari model very well. We expect in future to make materially fewer sports cars, but to make every one of them solidly profitable. We built 5800 sports cars for wholesale last year. We’ll do fewer in 2020.” Can you be more specific about numbers? “Not possible, I’m afraid. There will be a delay while we get stock out of the system.…

IT’S BEEN SAID that we’ve been on the road to autonomous cars for several years now, because what we know as advanced driver assistance systems, such as autonomous emergency braking, lane keeping, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control with stop-start, are all building blocks of the autonomous car. Hyundai-Kia’s new ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Connected Shift System is another example of that, although the group isn’t the first to the party with this kind of technology. The idea of CSS, as we’ll call it, is that it’s predictive, selecting gears to suit traffic conditions up ahead. In effect it does pretty much what an efficient driving course would teach a human driver to do, looking and thinking ahead to control speed, be in the right gear and avoid…

Plug-in hybrids such as this new Volvo XC40 are a curious breed, but you can see why car makers keep churning them out. The EU’s strict new CO2 targets come into effect this year, and PHEVs are a sure-fire way of reining in manufacturers’ fleet average emissions figures. And, of course, they make for a good stepping stone between regular internal combustion-engined cars and pure EVs. But if we’re to believe that every new car sold from 2035 (or perhaps 2032) will have to be emissions-free, it’s tricky to ignore the feeling that they’re being developed and promoted at great expense in the knowledge they’ll soon be obsolete. Anyway, you can see why the concept might appeal in the here and now. With its 81bhp electric motor and 10.7kWh battery,…

MODEL TESTED CARBON BLACK Price £100,650 • Power 591bhp • Torque 590lb ft • 0-60mph 3.3sec • 30-70mph in fourth 4.6sec • Fuel economy 19.5mpg • CO2 emissions 268g/km • 70-0mph 43.9m Still nobody does the uncompromisingly large, uncompromisingly fast and supremely usable performance estate car quite like Audi. Even now, with the concept so familiar that we’re at risk of taking its continued existence entirely for granted, with imitators closing in by degrees, and with almost as much in-house competition for the subject of this week’s road test to contend with as exists outside of the showroom. It’s funny to think, then, that the biggest, quickest and most desirable of all of the wickedly purposeful but deliciously understated wagons to which Audi puts its name – the RS6 Avant –…

VERDICT Audi Sport’s flagship super-estate is now even more devastatingly fast, remorselessly purposeful and more incredible-looking than it ever has been. But while the RS6’s altogether more hawkish appearance might hint at a heightened capacity for engaging its driver, this impression isn’t fully in sync with the way it drives. The RS6’s unflappable all-weather traction leaves you in awe of its ability to cover ground, but its tight-lipped steering still doesn’t do as much to really involve you in the process as rivals might. Meanwhile, the disparity between the slightly muted audible character of its V8 and the volcanic straight-line performance it affords can be puzzling. The BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63 S are both more thrilling devices for different reasons, although only the latter comes in estate form. But…

BEACH-RIDDLED COASTLINES, Tolkienesque terrain and charming waypoints linked by fantastic roads. For the most part, the North Coast 500 is all of those things. But its runaway popularity, in the summer months at least, means roads used to hosting more cows than cars have become busy with drivers, riders (both pedal and petrol-powered), caravanners and campers, each with different paces and priorities. And that’s not all: single-track stretches regularly cork the bottle, some of the roads and landscapes are pretty ordinary and the route is arguably too long. But fret not, for there are countless undiscovered circuits for you to enjoy. Here are our favourites, each paired with the perfect set of wheels. Scottish Borders 55 LOTUS EVORA GT410 SPORT Few relish their daily commute, but the familiarity of a…

I was about to write that you wouldn’t believe how good the animations made by a small company called Realtime are – but the fact is you would. That’s the point of them. “Good CG is like a good sports referee,” says Paul McSweeney, Realtime’s client services director. “You don’t notice it. You have to believe it straight away.” Realtime is one of those small companies that keep the big industrial wheels turning, specialists whose name rarely gets attached to finished products because they supply, often confidentially, work that slips seamlessly into somebody else’s. Realtime’s work – CGI animation and visual effects predominantly for TV and film, gaming and the car industry – is so immersive that, having watched it online, I showed up to Realtime’s converted barns, surrounded by…

Back in February 2006, I stood in a bitterly cold car park at Chepstow races, waiting to speak to the driver of a Nissan Micra. When he arrived at the finish of the Wyedean Forest Rally, Elfyn Evans was as communicative as you’d expect a nervous 17-year-old who’d just finished his first rally to be. Much as I tried, he didn’t say much that made for exciting reading in my report for Motorsport News. To say Evans has transformed from then to standing atop the Rally Sweden victory podium recently would be an understatement. Mind you, the Evans who dominated the second round of this year’s World Rally Championship in a Toyota Yaris WRC looks transformed even from last year. And he’s transformed into a true WRC title contender. Evans’…

Formula 1 returns this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, the first of 21 races – or 22 depending on a new date for the coronavirus-hit Chinese GP – that will play out around the world over the course of the next eight and a half months. Rules stability before the downforce-impaired revolution that is coming for 2021 should, in theory, deliver more of the same as last year: close racing, but another inevitable Lewis Hamilton/Mercedes double, as the 35-year-old chases Michael Schumacher’s records of 91 wins and seven titles. But… in F1 you never know. David Coulthard, veteran of Williams, McLaren and Red Bull, says as much. Now an increasingly polished broadcaster on Channel 4’s excellent coverage, he has been around too long to take anything for granted. Autocar…

No likey no lighty I recently wrote to Highways England because I was concerned about the stretches of non-working lighting on the M1 near London – one of the busiest motorways in the country. I was really surprised by the reply I receiveded from its contractors: “The lighting on the M1 between Junctions 3 and 6A has been permanently switched off as part of the TA49. The TA49 is a set of standards that Highways England has complied with since 2016. It provides a methodology that we use to establish justification for replacing lighting equipment that has come to the end of its life. We undertake a careful assessment of the lighting and its location, taking into account accidents, traffic statistics and energy usage. It was agreed after assessment that…

MILEAGE 3780 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if the magic touch Volvo has with its premium SUVs translates to this compact executive saloon Fashion is a fickle business. Take family default choice, with almost every self-respecting driveway up and down the land featuring a variation on the theme. SUVs were the niche option. Today the roles are reversed, and choosing a four-door puts you among the few, not the many. This point was neatly highlighted on a recent long weekend away, when our S60 was joined by a Land Rover Discovery Sport, which is arguably the standard bearer for the family-friendly SUV. It’s not hard to see why cars like the Landie have become such a hit. On paper these bigger, taller machines appear far more amenable to…

MILEAGE 8 4, 3 3 2 BMW 320 I’ve piled on a good few miles, but the starting shenanigans are getting worse. Even using the car regularly doesn’t seem to help much. It’s an old car, so just twisting the ignition and going isn’t an option. Part of me wants to stick a fuel injection system on it and be done with it. Once running, it’s not a problem, and I never feel after a few hundred miles that it won’t ever start again. Last year, I went to a BMW specialist who, I thought, quoted something fairly absurd for their expertise. I think I need another chat with them.…

A Range Rover may be expensive, but think how many cars you’re getting: hatchback, estate, off-roader, tow car, luxury car, workhorse… The list goes on. Some might say its list of mechanical and electrical faults goes on, too. Which is why buying the cheapest Rangie you can find isn’t a good idea. Instead, aim high and buy from a respected dealer that has inspected the car thoroughly and is prepared to put a quality warranty on it. Then borrow it for 24 hours and give it a proper workout, watching for glitches such as the oil service warning light and a creaky infotainment system and taking a note of its fuel economy. It’s the Mk4 Range Rover we’re talking about here, launched in 2013 and still going strong, as it…

MERCEDES IS SET to dramatically reduce its model line-up and platform and powertrain options as it seeks to reduce complexity and optimise profit. Markus Schäfer, the firm’s R&D boss, said the drive came as a result of its focus on electric vehicles and will result in cutting everything from car lines to single components used in its products. “We are reviewing our product portfolio, especially as we announced so many pure EVs,” he said. “Knowing the complexity after the growth in the last couple of years means we are definitely reviewing our current line-up. The idea is to streamline – taking car variants out, but also platforms, powertrains and components.” Mercedes currently has 45 models, but Schäfer didn’t say how many it would axe. He referenced models such as the…

An all-electric 911 won’t be produced before 2030 at the earliest, according to Porsche sports car line director Frank-Steffen Walliser. “The 911 will be the last Porsche to become electric,” he told Autocar, “coming hopefully after my retirement, so I’m not responsible any more and no one can blame me… I will fight to let the 911 keep its gasoline engine.” Walliser also pulled back on suggestions that a hybrid version of the 911 is close by, despite the 992-generation platform having been designed to allow such a powertrain. “It’s really difficult to do with the 911 and the way it’s packaged,” he said. “We want to keep it as a 2+2, we want to keep decent trunk space and we don’t want to destroy the shape of the 911.…

BUGATTI HAS REVEALED a new handling-focused special version of the Chiron. Called the Pur Sport, it features visual as well as mechanical revisions and is described by boss Stephan Winkelmann as “geared even more towards agility and dynamic cornering” in response to customer demand. A redesigned body brings a large splitter, a new diffuser and a 1.9m-wide fixed rear spoiler to boost downforce. The removal of the usual hydraulic wing system, plus the fitment of a 3D-printed titanium exhaust and new magnesium wheels (wrapped in even stickier bespoke Michelin tyres), contribute to a total weight saving of 50kg. A notably stiffer chassis and adaptive damper set-up is claimed to retain the same levels of comfort, while a new Sport+ driving mode slackens the stability control for “more skilled cornering experts”.…

Slightly pricier but no perkier. That’s the short version of what has been done to Volkswagen’s smallest hot hatchback, the Up GTI, for 2020. The overall appeal of the car hasn’t been altered, though; it’s mostly just been preserved. After its launch in 2018, the hot Up attracted a long waiting list, which VW struggled to satisfy with a limited right-hand-drive allocation. That, combined with the WLTP emissions deadline, meant the old car was taken off sale in April last year. Now that it’s come back, it’s one of the first VWs to get the firm’s redesigned brand logo. Otherwise, the car is exactly as it was outwardly, with double side stripes, 17in alloys, black mirror caps and that impish black bi-plane spoiler being the distinguishing features. It has just…

1 ALPINA B5 BITURBO TOURING More of a focus on luxury and comfort than inherent track capability but still a hugely entertaining and effective super-estate. Superb. 2 MERCEDES-AMG E63 S 4MATIC+ PREMIUM PLUS ESTATE Harder and sharper than the Alpina – and more powerful, too. Not as easy to live with, mind. 3 AUDI RS6 AVANT CARBON BLACK A phenomenal all-rounder. It doesn’t engage quite like an Alpina or AMG but is still devastatingly quick. 4 PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO S E-HYBRID SPORT TURISMO Hugely powerful, hugely expensive and, well, huge in general. Quick, but weighty. Electric mode handy in town. 5 VOLVO V60 T8 TWIN ENGINE POLESTAR ENGINEERED Nowhere near the other cars here in terms of raw pace, but still sweet to drive. Looks far cheaper in this company,…

Ariel Atom 4 spaceframe I suppose it’s a bit of a cop-out picking a whole spaceframe as a car part, but that’s what I’m doing. The bronze-welded tubular steel spaceframe of the Ariel Atom 4 really is a work of rare genius. Not only does it define the totally inimitable look of the car from without, but it’s also the filter through which so much of your enjoyment of the car is delivered when you’re within. You can see the front wishbones bobbing away through it; the brake caliper and brake lines, too, running to the beautiful milled-from-billet nearside front wheel hub. You can worship and adore the expensive Eibach pushrod suspension bolted to it; even poke your right elbow through it when you need a bit of extra leverage…

“What does everyone in the UK make of Jaguar Land Rover being company?” This is a question that was asked a few times on my trip to India, and my reply was always the same: “It’s not something that anyone really thinks about or is bothered by, to be honest.” British car companies have always enjoyed their best days under foreign ownership and, given that history, the fact that JLR is foreign-owned (as are Bentley, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Lotus, Aston Martin and now even Morgan) hardly even registers. While an Indian conglomerate owning JLR was a headline back in 2008, it’s still considered as British as Tetley tea. Tata has been a very good owner for JLR. Despite the troubles of the past couple of years, the overall story since the…

FEATURE ’Vette owners on the mid-engined C8 Colin Goodwin takes the new Corvette C8 to an owner’s club meet in Las Vegas — and ponders just how good Chevrolet’s first mid-engined sports car is INVESTIGATION Car theft in 2020 Our state of the nation look at car crime and how it affects you COMPARISON The Alpine trio The A110 is brilliant – but which of these three twists on the formula is best? EVERY WEEK FIRST DRIVE Vauxhall Corsa-e We’ve driven the petrol car. Now we try the all-electric version ROAD TEST Renault Captur The Clio has impressed, so what of the small SUV it has spawned? SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p22…

MILEAGE 10,777 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Because a plug-in hybrid diesel seems like the best of both worlds. But can reality live up to the theory? You have probably noticed it has been a trifle damp Welsh borders, where I live. But the Benz has been pretty oblivious to most of it, its Pirelli Sottozero tyres cutting through the water as if it were parting the Red Sea. Until one day the family and I found ourselves on the outskirts of Hereford shortly after the Wye had breached its banks. A major roundabout to the north of the city was entirely underwater. But we had a long drive to the north of England ahead and I couldn’t face the prospect of turning around. I watched a few lorries wade through,…

Renault Twingo Chris has an inspiring story for us all about a truly wonderful purchase. “Yesterday, I flew from Glasgow to Berlin to realise a long-held (and modest) dream of owning a Mk1 Twingo. I now own this 1998 Liberty special edition, complete with foldy roof and air-con. “I got up at 5am to get a shot at the Brandenburg Gate, then did 400-plus miles to Amsterdam for the ferry to Newcastle, never missing a beat. I think I might now have the only Mk1 Twingo in Scotland. Is there a more fun way to spend €1500 [£1280]? I don’t think so.”…

AUDI S4 4.2 V8 TRACK CAR Release your inner Mattias Ekström with this S4 track car. The 2003-reg 4.2 V8, with 100,000 miles on the clock, made £8480 at auction. As well as its boy-racer carbonfibre rear spoiler and front splitter, it has more grown-up mods, including fully adjustable, rose-jointed upper and lower camber control arms, Powerflex racing bushes, a stage two remap with full stainless steel exhaust and even a gel racing battery behind the passenger seat. That’s the front passenger seat, by the way: there are no rear seats. This S4 isn’t road legal, so the owner’s next day out will be a trailer sale.…

An owner’s view JACK JORDAN “It’s a rare and breathtaking car, the IS F. Mine is a 2008-reg with 59,000 miles. The gearbox is quick to change and the engine’s power is intoxicating. It’s a Lexus so very reliable apart from the well-documented water pump problem that affected earlier cars. Mine was changed without fuss under warranty. And that’s another thing about running a Lexus: the dealers. It doesn’t matter how old your Lexus is: they’re always attentive and quick to resolve any problems and their rates are reasonable. With enthusiastic driving, the IS F will get through brakes and rear tyres, but it’s a performance car, so what do you expect?” Buyer beware… ▪ ENGINE The V8 is strong and capable of power upgrades, especially if you abide by…