Innholdsfortegnelse for August 25, 2021 i Autocar

Nissan has revealed the production version of the new Z sports car, which features a 400bhp twin-turbo V6 powerplant and new retro-infused design. Previewed in September last year by the Z Proto, the new Toyota Supra rival will be the seventh generation of the Japanese firm’s Z-car line, following the 370Z. It will go on sale in the US next year, but due to what Nissan has previously referred to as “a shrinking European sports car market and specific regulations on emissions”, it won’t be offered in the UK or Europe. The rear-wheel-drive Z switches from the 3.7-litre V6 of the 370Z to a new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, also used in the Infiniti Q60 coupé. As well as delivering 68bhp more power than the 370Z’s engine, the new unit produces…

Land Rover is pushing ahead with development of the third-generation Range Rover Sport before its expected debut in the second half of next year – and has already begun testing the range-topping SVR version. The latest iteration of the Porsche Cayenne-rivalling SUV has been seen testing on several occasions, but the large brakes and four tailpipes spotted on the latest camouflaged mule reveal it as the high-performance version. The new Range Rover Sport will be crucial to Land Rover’s plan to push the Range Rover model line further upmarket as it seeks to differentiate its vehicle families to boost sales. Our spy shots of the SVR prototype reveal that the Range Rover Sport shape has undergone a subtle evolution from that of the current car. It is expected to take…

THE GOVERNMENT WILL invest £26.2 million into a BMW UK research project to develop an electric car battery that can offer a similar driving range to internal combustion engines as part of a funding scheme into green automotive technology totalling £91.7 million. The BMW-UK-BEV scheme, based at Mini’s Oxford plant, is one of four projects that will receive government and industry funding through an Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) programme to develop new low-carbon technology. The APC is backed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which said the four projects chosen are developing innovations that will “address motorists’ concerns about adopting electric vehicles by cutting charge times and boosting driving range”. Project Celeritas will receive £9.7m to create ultra-fast-charging batteries for electric and fuel-cell hybrid vehicles that it…

SHAVING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS of unsprung weight from a car has a real effect on its handling, roadholding, braking performance, steering and agility. Unsprung weight means just that: the weight in a car that isn’t supported by the suspension springs. A large chunk of that on any car is the wheels and tyres, especially if they’re larger sizes. Bentley’s bespoke division, Mulliner, has developed a carbonfibxre Bentayga wheel that, at 22in in diameter, is said to be the largest composite wheel anywhere. The weight saving is a substantial 6kg per wheel – a reduction from 17.4kg for the aluminium alloy original to 11.4kg. Making large-diameter carbonfibre wheels for big, high-performance cars is no mean feat, and Bentley’s engineers have been working on the project together with its supplier, Italian specialist Bucci…

In one aspect, this car feels rushed through and barely considered. Seriously, Kia, how many minutes did it take you to settle on ‘EV6’ for the first in a series of bespoke electric vehicles? No messing around creating a sub-brand like ID, EQ or Ioniq here, just does-what-it-says-on-the-tin, calling-a-spade-a-spade simplicity. Now, the Korean manufacturer insists that it chose this name precisely due to its simplicity, because it didn’t want to add any further confusion to the already complex terminology surrounding electric cars. Which makes sense. Clearly, it has instead devoted its time to the really important stuff. In every regard bar the name, the EV6 feels like the result of extensive consideration, planning, research and development. Which it is because, as the first Kia built on the Hyundai Motor Group’s…

The Hyundai i30 Fastback N has always felt a little more relaxed than its raucous hatchback sibling. Subtle but significant differences in the software and suspension settings has given it a more rounded, mature and sophisticated character. Now Hyundai has introduced a raft of upgrades and tweaks to both the hatchback and Fastback versions of the i30 N, including revisions to the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine to increase both power and torque to 276bhp and 289lb ft. The higher-spec Performance version remains the sole choice for UK buyers of both models. There’s also a new gearbox: an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, which we recently sampled in the revised hatchback. In the Fastback, it’s excellently tuned to the powertrain, making well-timed changes that give easy access to the expanded output. It operates with…

“ They first demonstrated that an EV could be practical, usable, desirable, versatile and uniquely rewarding to own ” The used car scene is never better than when it’s putting temptingly within your reach a car that you had imagined would be unattainable, or bringing viability to a vision for personal or family transport that might otherwise have remained a pipe dream. It’s doing that all the time, of course, right across the full spectrum of the car market – which is why we love it. But right now, and perhaps more significantly than anywhere else, it’s doing it with the electric family cars that, a few years ago, first demonstrated how an EV could be practical, usable, desirable, versatile and uniquely rewarding to own. The subset of cars we’re…

2017 PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN VS 2021 ALPINE A110S FELIX PAGE The entry point into the modern-era Porsche line-up is this: the four-cylinder 718 Cayman. Purists bemoan the absence of a flat-six growl, but it’s up there with the best of them dynamically, and you will note this particularly well-specced example has a manual gearbox. JACK WARRICK Usually I would say you can’t go wrong with a 718, but yours is pipped to the post by a new Alpine A110 S. It turns more precisely, is quicker to 62mph and won’t depreciate as quickly. FP Did you miss what I said about the manual gearbox? In all seriousness, though, this Cayman is an argument in favour of depreciation: just over £40,000 for a bona fide Porker versus almost £60,000 for a…

Thierry Neuville claimed a home victory on the recent Ypres Rally, the World Rally Championship’s first visit to Belgium. Neuville’s Hyundai team-mate, Irishman Craig Breen, was second in his i20 N, while points leader Sébastien Ogier came fifth for Toyota. Mercedes’ de Vries wins Formula E title Mercedes racer Nyck de Vries claimed the 2020/21 FIA Formula E World Championship title despite a fraught time in the final two races in Berlin. The Dutchman failed to score in the first race, but his path to the title was eased after title rivals Mitch Evans, Edoardo Mortara and Jake Dennis all hit trouble early in the season finale. Audi driver Lucas di Grassi and Venturi’s Norman Nato won the meeting’s two races. Turkington completes WSR’s BTCC century BMW 330i M Sport…

Mick Schumacher is preparing for his first Belgian Grand Prix this weekend. Thirty years ago, so was his father, at the same age of 22. Michael Schumacher made his first F1 start for Jordan in 1991 as substitute for Bertrand Gachot, who had been imprisoned. Schumacher qualified seventh at Spa, then made a controversial switch to Benetton, for which a year later back at Spa-Francorchamps he scored the first of his 91 wins. He won the title for Benetton in 1994 and 1995, then five more for Ferrari from 2000 to 2004. Mick doesn’t need to worry about all that, but he’s bound to spare a thought for his dad as he lines up his Haas this weekend.…

2005 SAN MARINO GP Alonso proved he was title material as he held off Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari for lap after lap to win, despite being down on power, in what can be seen as a changing of the generational guard. 2012 EUROPEAN GP In front of a compatriot crowd, Alonso went on a charge and pulled off some great overtakes (never mind a little luck) to win from a lowly 11th at the overtaking-limited Valencia street circuit. 2013 SPANISH GP Bravely overtaking his rivals and correctly deciding his own strategy, Alonso won at home again from fifth place on the grid at the even less opportune Circuit de Catalunya. 2005 BRAZILIAN GP The world rested on the shoulders of 24-year-old Alonso at Interlagos, as he had to stay in reach…

TWIN TEST Alpina B8 vs Mercedes-AMG GT 4dr Coupé “Incredibly special” is how we recently described Alpina’s latest BMW-based creation. But is it special enough to topple Mercedes-AMG’s class leader? We find out FEATURE Future classics What cars of today will be remembered as classics in 50 years? We make our picks DEEP DIVE McMurtry Spéirling We meet the developers of this innovative singleseat electric fan car EVERY WEEK FIRST DRIVE Genesis GV70 Our first taste of this BMW X3 rival from the nascent luxury brand ROAD TEST Aston Vantage F1 Edition An overhaul of the V8 sports car brings with it an even sharper focus SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p16…

CHANGEOVER REPORT WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To evaluate Netflix-style subscription services as a way of ‘buying’ a new car Only days after we first ordered our fleet’s XC60 T8 Recharge using the Care by Volvo subscription service, a shiny new facelifted version was announced. This kind of issue is one that car buyers constantly face: just when is the right time to buy a new car, to ensure that it’s as ‘new’ for as long as possible? You might be pretty narked if you had just locked into a three-or four-year PCP or lease deal and a new version was announced almost immediately afterwards. But with Care by Volvo, you’re only ever on three months’ notice to either cancel the deal or switch to a new model. So soon after…

QUESTION For the past six weeks, every DVSA driving test centre has had slots available each week, but not Basildon. Why? Paul Newman, via email ANSWER A DVSA spokesman said Basildon is regularly adding more tests but that all centres are struggling with higher demand. To reduce delays, it’s recruiting extra examiners and offering weekend testing. DVSA CEO Loveday Ryder added: “We’re doing all we can to provide as many tests as possible. Learners will be keen to take their test, but with more than half of candidates failing and demand extremely high, they should do so only when they’re sure they can pass. This will help avoid a lengthy wait for a retest and help by not adding to the backlog.” JE QUESTION We have an 88,000-mile 2005 BMW…

Mercedes-Benz SL 320 £14,995 Few cars say you’ve made it quite like a Mercedes-Benz SL and, curiously, the older the model is, the stronger that impression. A cynic might say that’s because only the wealthy can afford the repair bills it will present. True, our pick, the R129 generation of 1989-2001, can empty your wallet in a blink. Those who rush to buy one with their eyes closed soon find themselves battling rust (hotspots are the boot floor and front wheel arches), tired suspension and sundry electrical faults (which are often traced to the wiring loom, because it can suffer water damage). Find a cherished SL, however, and it should be no more troublesome or expensive to run than any comparable premium car. Our find, a 320 from 2001, has…

A road test in any other magazine might well be a short, subjective summary of a new car produced under almost any circumstances, but the Autocar road test is different. Specific, rigorous and detailed, it’s the closest examination we can give of any new model. It appears over at least eight pages and is close to 50 man-hours in the making every week. Most of what the road test process entails is designed to be strictly repeatable and fair. We benchmark standing-start and in-gear acceleration at a purpose-built test facility every week. We carry out both subjective and objective handling tests on both road and track, on the latter up to and beyond the limit of grip, so as to fully assess stability, drivability and limit handling appeal. And while…

DRIVING THROUGH LONDON is never less than murder, and even the encircling M25 is often similar. So it was more than a century ago, but the avoiding routes that Autocar suggested in 1910 speak volumes of the capital’s rapid and colossal sprawl in the early 20th century and especially after WW2. Our primary north-south route suggestion went from St Albans in Hertfordshire down to Enfield, farther south to Edmonton, then on to the Woolwich Ferry and cutting through Bromley to Croydon. Our alternative for the northern part went straight down to Barnet (rather than across to Enfield), to Tottenham, then eastwards into Leytonstone, Ilford and Woolwich. At its closest to the heart of city, that’s now 11 miles inside the M25. It’s sobering to think of so many country communities…

Alpine’s reinvention as an electric performance brand will kick off in 2024 with the arrival of the R5 hot hatch, which will also play a key role in showcasing the Renault Group’s EV technology. The new Alpine R5 will be launched alongside the revived Renault 5 EV, which will replace the Zoe as the French firm’s entry-level electric hatch. The R5 will be the first of three fully electric Alpine models that will spearhead the brand’s transformation from offering just the A110 sports car into what Renault bosses have called a ‘mini Ferrari’, with a line-up of EV-only premium models and responsibility for the group’s motorsport projects. Alpine will be a stand-alone brand with a distinct model line-up, but bosses are aiming to build strong links between it and the…

GENESIS HAS VOWED that its newly unveiled GV60, the firm’s first bespoke electric car, will offer a “totally new experience” in the premium market. The new crossover is based on the Hyundai Motor Group’s advanced E-GMP architecture for EVs, which is also used by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and upcoming Kia EV6 (driven, p18). It features an 800V electrical architecture, allowing for ultra-rapid 350kW charging, and can host both single- and dual-motor powertrains with a range of battery sizes. The GV60 will sit below the GV70 and GV80 in Genesis’s SUV line-up and will be the brand’s second EV in Europe, following the electric version of the G80 saloon. The GV60 showcases a new evolution of Genesis’s design language, with the ‘Two Lines’ lights at either side of a flush…

THE FIRST CHEVROLET Corvette to feature a hybrid powertrain has also been spied testing at the Nürburgring in Germany. Based on the new C8-generation American sports car and set to be called the Corvette E-Ray, it is reported to combine a 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine with two electric motors – one mounted on each axle – and a small drive battery. The total outputs of the system will reportedly be around 570bhp and 476lb ft. Due to the hybrid set-up, the Corvette E-Ray will also be the first Corvette with four-wheel drive. The Corvette E-Ray will feature a wider track than the regular Corvette, which it will share with the track-focused Z06 variant that is due to be launched next year with a tuned 5.5-litre V8. While the Corvette E-Ray…

Supercar maker Zenvo is working on a hybrid successor to its 1177bhp TSR-S that will arrive within the next two years and will be key to plans to dramatically grow its production output. The Danish company was founded in 2004, initially producing the 1089bhp ST1. Having built just 15 examples of that car between 2009 and 2016, it followed up with the TS1 GT and then the track-only TSR. The TSR-S, which made its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed recently, is a road-legal version of the latter. Each Zenvo model costs up to £1.3 million. The TSR-S is powered by a twin-supercharged 5.8-litre V8, which allows for a 0-62mph sprint in 2.8sec and a top speed of 202mph. The supercar also features active aerodynamics, including Zenvo’s unique…

While the measures being taken to decarbonise road transport in the coming years have been covered in great detail, less media attention has been paid on how to decarbonise roads themselves. Highways England recently released a report outlining its approach to lowering emissions in the future. In essence, the government agency wants its own operational emissions (for instance, from road lighting, signage and its vehicle fleet) to be net zero by 2030 and road construction and maintenance to be net zero a decade later. The latter target is likely to be a challenge to achieve, given that the construction of roads is reliant on materials such as concrete, steel and asphalt and there aren’t any zero-carbon options currently available. Even the Climate Change Committee, a nongovernmental public body, has suggested…

Skoda seems to have been handed the mammoth responsibility of developing upcoming small electric cars not only for its own brand but also for Volkswagen (ID 1, ID 2) and Seat (‘Acandra’), but it isn’t neglecting the original crew. This is the new and much-changed Fabia, which straight away looks quite a handsome car in light of its lowly and unchanged status as the wallet-friendly supermini in Skoda’s line-up. It’s available to order next month from around £15,500 (about £19k as tested), with first deliveries due in November, and will rival the likes of the Peugeot 208, Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris – all of them impressive in their own ways. While the competition in this class is fierce, the fourth Fabia since the model’s inception in 1999…

There’s a fantastic Eddie Izzard sketch in which he sends up the committee deciding what the singer Arnold Dorsey should be called (Engelbert Humperdinck, as it turns out). Imagine what options Ford went through to get to Nugget… The Nugget is Ford’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz V-Class Marco Polo and the Volkswagen California. All share van underpinnings with clever folding roofs: in the case of the Ford, it’s a Transit Custom L1 underneath. It uses a 2.0-litre diesel engine to drive its front wheels, through a six-speed manual gearbox in 128bhp form or a six-speed automatic if you want it with 182bhp, as tested here. It isn’t quite as quiet as the Marco Polo’s diesel engine, but it’s punchy enough; and with the auto ’box, this is an easy van…

FORD FIESTA ST-3 PERFORMANCE PACK More fun-loving and playful than the Hyundai but just as quick. The styling is also less likely to offend, although the cabin’s dull. HYUNDAI i20 N Feels grown-up but also quite naughty right from the get-go. It’s more polished than the i30 N and comes with a sense of seriousness we very much like. MAZDA MX-5 1.5 Not as sharp or quick as either the Fiesta ST or the i20 N but more easy-going and in possession of a superbly accessible rear-drive chassis. VOLKSWAGEN POLO GTI It’s due an update, but expect that to only improve existing strengths, namely composure and refinement. Blunt limit handling weakens its case. MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS When it comes to quick Minis, more can be less, and so it…

Fast estates remain the ultimate family cars, and Mercedes-Benz has tuned into that by promoting its V6 C-Class as an AMG. At £35,000, it’s an attractive used buy. Or should you just play it safe with a new Skoda Octavia vRS? These kinds of cars are so tempting second-hand. Sure, something like this new Octavia vRS competently combines practicality, a factory warranty and reasonable running costs with a dash of driver engagement, but the used market offers so many tantalising alternatives, making you wonder how much more driver’s car you can hide in that sensible body. Thoughts quickly start to wander to the Audi RS4 Avant, BMW M5 Touring and Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake… No, no, let’s get back to the real world, because those highly strung engines could swiftly lead…

AUTOCAR DRIVERS OF CHANGE For more information and to enter, visit autocar.co.uk/driversofchange Find us on Twitter @AutocarDoC and AutocarDofC. Terms and conditions apply. What are the likely trends in automotive technology, digital and retail over the next few decades? In the mid-term at least, battery EVs looks set to dominate, but nobody really knows how sustainable propulsion will pan out in the long term. A lot depends on what happens on a wider scale than just automotive. For example, if hydrogen is adopted widely for domestic and industrial heating and as a fuel for larger vehicles, aviation, trains and shipping powered by fuel cells or hydrogen internal combustion engines, it’s hard to imagine it won’t, as has long been predicted, end up in cars as well. Many engineers and scientists…

Single-model and single-make championships dominate Britain’s club and national racing these days. Series for cars such as the Caterham Seven, Mazda MX-5, Citroën C1 and Mini are among the most accessible, affordable and popular of all. The key to their success is usually carefully controlled rules and similar or identical cars, which ensures a pretty level playing field and a natural cap on competitor spending. Yet some buck the trend, and the Morgan Challenge is a fine example of an inclusive and enduring single-make series. First run in 1985, it spans a huge range of cars, in terms of age and engine size, yet it consistently delivers close racing and a great atmosphere. In laying claim to be the most successful and long-running one-make sports car series, the Morgan Challenge…

Monterey classics 17 October 1981 THE PEBBLE BEACH Concours d’Elegance and The Quail Gathering are the best-known elements of Car Week in the Californian city of Monterey, but several other events are also held, including the Motorsports Reunion at the famous Laguna Seca Raceway. This race meeting was first held in 1974, and when we visited seven years later, it was already “the premier event of its kind in the world, drawing some of the very best classic racing cars from not only North America but also Europe, Australia and Japan”. Tradition was for each meeting to be dedicated to a marque, and this time it was Briggs Cunningham, who was key in establishing Americans as a force to be reckoned with in European sports car racing, serially entering his…

WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com Better down under My Volkswagen experience in Oz, more particularly my local dealer here in Newcastle, has been a bit different than that of Stuart Haines of Kent (Your Views, 28 July). My 2015 Golf Alltrack had a thermostat go at least four months out of warranty, but the dealer went into bat and I ended up only about A$200 out of pocket, as opposed to A$1450. We also had both keys fail over the period of a year and again some haggling between Volkswagen HQ, the dealer and me got them replaced, as opposed to several hundred dollars each. Servicing is pricey, but my loyalty has been bought: this is my fifth Golf since 2007. The easiest one for driving trips from Newcastle to Canberra was…

It has been a huge success, this Peugeot 5008, since its launch in 2017 – and no wonder. For starters, it’s unusually stylish for a large SUV, especially one boasting seven seats. In essence, it’s a lightly stretched version of the firm’s fiveseat 3008. Added to that, it’s almost certainly among the most practical. Bought used, it’s now great value, too. Of course, it needs more than just good looks and practicality to succeed, and the 5008 makes a good stab at delivering all the essentials. There’s a good range of engines, for one. Petrols can be had with a 128bhp 1.2litre engine or a 163bhp 1.6litre unit, while diesels are served by a 1.6litre engine with 99bhp or 118bhp and a 2.0litre version with 148bhp or 178bhp. Later cars…

LEXUS IS 300 SPORTCROSS AUTO We’ve seen some outrageous hammer prices recently (how about £46,250 for a 1987 Toyota Corolla AE86 GT?), but this rare Lexus IS 300 Sportcross shows you can still find the occasional bargain. A 2002 car, it has done 55,000 miles, has a full Lexus service history and is in A1 condition. It sold for £5800, which is still strong for a near-20-year-old estate but better value than the £5000 one dealer wants for his tired 90,000-miler. In fact, given the risks associated with buying at auction, there’s nothing safer to bid on than a cherished Lexus.…

Inevitably, anything from Seat will find itself compared with its Volkswagen contemporary and so it is with this, the Seat Leon Cupra Mk2, whose closest VW relative is the brilliant Golf GTI Mk5. Both share the same platform and when new were on sale at the same time, although the Leon endured a little longer. They’re each powered by a 2.0-litre engine, albeit a 237bhp TFSI in the Leon and a 197bhp FSI in the Golf. No prizes for guessing which is the faster, the Leon dispatching 0-62mph in 6.4sec and the Golf 7.4sec. In fact, the Cupra’s strong performance has it reaching for the coat-tails of the Mk5 Golf R32, whose 3.2-litre V6 produces 247bhp. However, in all other respects, that model is very different from the Cupra and…

Cupra Born Seat’s premium spin-off brand will produce one of the first hot hatches based on the VW Group’s MEB platform, also used for the VW ID 3. The range-topping version of its forthcoming Cupra Born will deliver 231bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.6sec and the firm has focused on tuning the chassis, steering and Dynamic Chassis Control to aid handling and performance. Mini Electric JCW Mini has already previewed a hot John Cooper Works version of its Electric hatch with the one-off Pacesetter, which serves as the Formula E safety car. That model will be followed by a slightly less extreme series-production version that is due early next year. Although power details have not been revealed, the goal is to reinforce Mini’s performance heritage in the build-up to…

HOW’S THIS FOR achievement? Anna Nicholson holds a master’s in chemical engineering and is an engineer at Nissan’s Sunderland plant – and just happens to be a world-class shot putter. The 35-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, is currently in Tokyo for the Paralympics and will compete in the F35 shot put on 2 September. GAEL BUZYN, THE boss of Audi’s Malibu design studio, says his experience of creating the Skysphere has convinced him that digital design is the way to go. Audi’s Malibu office is entirely digital and Buzyn didn’t see the Skysphere concept in material form until it was nearly finished. “It was even better than I imagined,” he said. VW DEVELOPMENT boss Thomas Ulbrich is leading the firm’s next over-the-air software updates for its ID models – and…

Land Rover has introduced a new Ultimate edition of the current Range Rover Sport SVR that features a raft of personalisation options developed by its SV Bespoke division. The Range Rover Sport SVR Ultimate has a number of new styling details, including new lettering on the bonnet and boot, carbonfibre bonnet vents, 22in alloy wheels and black brake calipers. Buyers can choose from a range of exclusive colour combinations developed by SV Bespoke, including new exterior paint colours with flakes of solid glass mixed in. The roof, mirror caps, front grille and other details are finished in contrasting black on all cars. There will be a range of further personalisation options available. The new special edition retains the Range Rover Sport SVR’s 567bhp 5.0-litre supercharged petrol V8 engine. Prices start…

MONDAY You would expect Jaguar’s big boss, Thierry Bolloré, to sound confident about the latest version of his battery-powered flagship, the I-Pace. But I wasn’t prepared for the new excellence of the electric SUV when it arrived at my place last week after Bolloré suggested in a recent interview that I should try the updated model. Until now, the battery Jag has seemed flawed: handsome and good to drive but unable to get within 80 miles of its claimed 292-mile cruising range. But Jaguar’s electricians have been working overtime: during a week’s test, I repeatedly established that 275 miles is easy and that you can squeeze out 292 in current weather conditions. That changes the whole proposition. TUESDAY Fantastic news arrives from the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, just off…

The EQS isn’t just Mercedes-Benz’s first all-in, no-holds-barred EV, and this drive isn’t just another look at the all-new, electrified S-Class – although both would be reason enough to be excited. As has long been the case with the brand’s flagship, it’s also a first taste of the technology that will shape all future Mercedes for the next decade or so. Here, we’re driving it in the UK for the first time, but with the caveat that it’s still in late-stage prototype form. The first thing you need with the EQS is an open mind, because there’s a fair degree of brain resetting needed once you’ve approached it, paused as its door pops open on sensing your approach and sat in its gloriously luxurious driving seat. Is that for real?…

MODEL TESTED i20 N Price £24,995 Power 201bhp Torque 203lb ft 0-60mph 6.1sec 30-70mph in fourth 8.0sec Fuel economy 29.0mpg CO2 emissions 158g/km 70-0mph 43.6m The hot supermini class – heartland of the ‘pocket rocket’ – moves in cycles of domination. For years, the Clios from Dieppe were untouchable, as Renault Sport perfected an unapologetic approach. In the mid-noughties, the Mini Cooper S, Suzuki Swift Sport and Ford Fiesta ST were all likeable alternatives, but if you were buying one of these cars for pure driving pleasure, it had to be the French one. But with the fourth coming of the RS Clio in 2012, the magic had ebbed away, not least because the model was now automatic only. Ford, whose quick Fiestas of the post-millennium era had been fun…

Owners might find that it’s worth signing up for the odd track day with their i20 N. In many ways, this car really comes alive in its handling when you remove the constraints of the public road and can push what is an exceptionally composed chassis right up to and over the limit of adhesion. Still, that takes some doing, even on Millbrook’s Hill Route. Pirelli P Zero tyres offer up plenty of grip against the i20 N’s relatively low kerb weight, and the quality of the high-speed damping gives the car’s back axle very good composure. Rather than lurid lift-off oversteer, the Hyundai instead rewards the confident driver who is willing to punt the car’s centre of gravity forward on turn-in into medium-speed corners before quickly getting back on…

Another smorgasbord of second-hand seducement awaits over the following 14 pages. Guard your wallets closely, dear reader, as we assemble a host of inviting new cars, each a partner to its opposite number from the used market, and then decide, in turn, whether our money would go on the showroom-fresh new car or the extra-value, nicely run-in used equivalent. This new-versus-used special is different because, for the first time, one of our featured used bargains is an electric car. Which means two of them aren’t, of course. We will be stopping in to ponder the prospect of a daily-driven affordable fast estate, as road tester Illya Verpraet takes you through the relative merits of a new Skoda Octavia vRS and a used Mercedes-AMG C43. With the help of editor-at-large Matt…

I know. There are two cars here that, on the face of it, don’t have a huge amount in common, bar the fact they’re designed for drivers. One, a new Toyota GR Yaris, is a hot supermini; the other, a 2007 Audi R8, is a supercar. One seats four people, the other just two. One has its engine in the front, the other in its middle. Conceptually, practically and from a packaging point of view, they’re as diverse as the market gets. City-sized hatchback to supercar is as broad as they come. But there’s more that links them than just that: at 14 years apart, they now meet on price. One, for example, came from the unlikeliest of sources. It’s a four-wheel-drive rocket ship that just so happens to be…

The reality of La Sarthe Handsome and lovingly made the Bensport La Sarthe may be, but I fear its creator, Bob Perry, is letting his imagination run awry if he believes a Bentley R-Type-based car would have won Le Mans in 1952, 1953 or 1954 (‘The car that never was’, 28 July). At that time, the winning cars – the Mercedes-Benz W194, Jaguar C-Type and Ferrari 375 Plus – were all comparatively more powerful, more aerodynamic or lighter than his creation. Even in 1952, the year when the Bentley might have been most competitive, a sixth and engine and the low power of its IOE straight six. place seems more likely, given its heavy chassis Despite being detuned for reliability during the 24-hour race, the SOHC 3.0-litre Mercedes made more…

MILEAGE 18,168 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if PHEV power and eight seats give van greater lifestyle appeal Given that its wheels are turned entirely by an electric motor, the Tourneo can’t half make a racket at times. If the petrol engine has been working particularly hard to keep the battery topped up while on the move (after a long stretch of motorway driving, say), the radiator fan kicks into high gear to cool things down. It sounded like a leaf-blower while I parked up on my quiet residential street the other evening. The wind and road noise don’t really bother me (both are present, although not to excessive levels, considering the van’s profile), but on the bumpy and poorly surfaced roads near my house, the creaks and…

MILEAGE 85,401 BMW 320 At the time of typing, I should have had all the exhaust boxes for the Baby Shark but the online tracking app says it is still on its way to me from Poland. Now it seems to be ‘out for delivery’. Hold on, is that the doorbell? Yep, I’ve got a great big parcel that seems to have some welded metal tubes in it and cost me £79.99 all in. It’s late on a Friday, but I still have the time to load up the Lorry and deliver it to my local garage so they can attach it to the Baby Shark. Let’s hope it fits. I will find out soon enough……

MAZDA MX-5 1.5 SE-L £1541 deposit, £257 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year Fun is the MX-5’s top priority and, as any driving enthusiast will know, it delivers. Its light, nimble handling is bound to put a smile on your face, despite its non-supersonic straightl-ine performance. The model is, of course, rather affordable, too. TOYOTA GR SUPRA 2.0 PRO £3745 deposit, £624 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year While the six-cylinder version soaks up all the attention, the 2.0-litre Supra is there for those wanting to spend a little less yet still enjoy many of its traits. Sure, it’s not as ballistic as its pricier counterpart, but it remains a properly enjoyable sports car. BMW Z4 sDRIVE20i SPORT £2209 deposit, £368 per month, 48 months, 8000…

Toyota iQ 1.0 VVT-i £3995 There’s no question that the iQ will struggle to scale the heights of its Aston Martin Cygnet sibling, examples of which now cost north of £30,000. Even so, the titchy Toyota is sure to become somewhat sought after, since it’s a cracking little thing with a surprisingly roomy and well-executed cabin, impressive refinement and low emissions. Wide and with its wheels pushed right out to the corners, it looks good, too. Prices go from as little as £1000 to as much as £8995. We’ve gone mid-table with a tidy 42,000-miler from 2011 for £3995.…

An expert’s view PETE EVANS, TC GARAGE “We’re VW Group specialists and do everything from routine servicing to performance upgrades. I’m passionate about the Leon Cupra. I’ve been working on this model since it was released in 2006 and never encountered any serious issues. The Cupra’s 2.0 TFSI engine is bulletproof and very tunable. It’s fitted with a K04 turbo that has its recirculation valve externally mounted for better cooling. On the Leon FR and Golf GTI, which use a K03 turbo, the valve is mounted on the turbo and suffers from heat failure. My favourite Mk2 Cupra is the K1 special edition. It has an awesome bodykit and a cool centre exhaust. I’d love to have owned one.” Buyer beware… ▪ ENGINE Carbon deposits in the inlet ports cause…

One of the lovely things about an old Land Rover is that it fits in anywhere: shopping, the school run, a photoshoot, the opera, a farm, a fashion show… From the Alps to Kensington, you won’t look out of place in a Defender. Like an original Mini, it’s an automotive lowest common denominator: it divides into any company. However, Defenders do look particularly at home in the British countryside. Which is why I took mine on a short break touring around Yorkshire, as pictured above. Nice, yes? Yes. We had fun. Mostly. Fast forward a few hours from that photograph and, well, it’s a complicated story, but let’s just say that an administrative error and a minor emergency mean I have to spend the night in the car. In some…