Innholdsfortegnelse for July 19, 2023 i Autocar

McLaren will look to extend its range beyond its core mid-engined supercar models, but not before 2028. Speaking to Autocar at Goodwood, McLaren CEO Michael Leiters said the firm’s immediate priorities were to complete a reorganisation and recapitalisation of the company “to bring the company on the right road to profitability” when asked how plans for a long-rumoured crossover model were progressing. “If we are on the right road for profitability, we will think about extension across all segments,” he added. “We call it ‘shared performance’. Shared performance could be everything that has more than two doors and/or more than two seats. “This is something we will think about later. We didn’t make a decision on that. It’s definitely a business opportunity for us, but I don’t see that in…

FERRARI’S GOODWOOD reworking of its indomitable 488 GT3 track car, designed for an exacting collector and with several cues that could point to future production models. Called the KC23, it is powered by the GT3 car’s screaming twin-turbo V8. purpose-built cockpit and track-spec chassis set-up but has been redesigned outside with a raft of striking features. The KC23 sports LaFerraristyle butterfly doors, and at the push of a button it goes, according to Ferrari, “from angel to devil car” as the ride height lowers and several body panels reposition themselves dramatically to aid airflow. There is a huge fixed rear wing borrowed from the racer, but this can be removed for a more subtle look when desired. More likely to directly influence upcoming Ferrari models, though, are the distinctive wraparound…

Anew family of powerful and compact 800V motors, high-efficiency reduction gearboxes and intelligent suspension dampers are poised to improve dramatically the performance of the next generation of EVs. In development by ZF, one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers, the technology appears first in the eagerly awaited Lotus Eletre but is also vitally important to the future of the company as the industry pivots away from combustion engines. ZF’s new EVSys800 motor is said to establish a new torque density benchmark of 70Nm/kg, which is 30% better than existing designs. “This motor is very lightweight, at 80kg, and compact, yet the peak rated power is 300kW [402bhp],” according to Otmar Scharrer, ZF’s head of electric mobility. Some of the components are being simulated in a technology demonstrator based on a…

“Despite larger dimensions and a heavily reworked drivetrain, it still feels like a GT” No model reflects the ascendancy of Mercedes-AMG in recent years quite as well as the GT. Launched in 2014 as a successor to the SLS, the classically proportioned V8 coupé and roadster has established itself as a true rival to the Porsche 911 and many others in the supercar ranks. Against a backdrop of new electric models, it is an AMG car from the old school – one that, by remaining true to many of the brand’s traditional values, resonates strongly with enthusiasts. But ever since AMG confirmed that the upcoming, C192-generation version would be twinned with the latest SL, there has been an endless stream of speculation about the new car. Would the 2023 follow-up…

It’s no surprise to me to see how good the Morgan Super 3 looks on the dreamy, sun-dappled roads of California. What car wouldn’t look good there? But there’s something about the 3’s retro-futuristic appearance that particularly suits the place. It looks more at home there, I think, than in a Cotswold village. And last week Morgan announced that its three-wheeled vehicle is to make a return to sale in the US, with the latest model federalised there, like its predecessor, by the application of a few discreet reflectors and by moving the headlights inboard – thus making it look even more spidery. Morgan has certainly taken deft advantage of the fact that trikes are subject to different regulations than four-wheelers, but still, for a small car maker to send…

“If you are here for the devastating power, you won’t be disappointed” Like the sound of last week’s Tesla Model S Plaid but don’t have £113,000 lying around? Well, the new MG 4 XPower has quite a similar vibe to it, offering staggering performance for the money in an otherwise very practical and sensible package. SAIC, MG’s owner, has revived an old MG-Rover name for the dualmotor version of the MG 4 electric hatchback. The XPower is propelled by a 201bhp motor on the front axle and a 228bhp one on the rear axle, for a total of 429bhp. The result is 0-62mph in 3.8sec. That’s faster than a Volkswagen Golf R, but while the hot Golf has long since smashed through the £40,000 barrier, the MG can be had…

The Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 SUV is aimed firmly at the BMW iX M60 and Audi SQ8 E-tron. Unlike the lesser EQE 43 (which uses an upgraded version of the EQE 350’s drivetrain), this fast SUV is powered by AMG’s largely bespoke 400V electric system, with specially developed motors front and rear. Those motors are mated to a 90.6kWh lithium ion battery that delivers up to 292 miles of range and can be charged at up to 170kW. They provide a combined 617bhp and 701lb ft, with 677bhp and 738lb ft available with the AMG Dynamic Plus pack (which our test car had). The front-mounted motor can be disengaged on light throttle loads to save energy and reduce mechanical drive losses. Further energy-saving measures include a new heat pump requiring less…

Way up there, hidden in the clouds, is a toll gate. Playing a straight numbers game, we should be gliding up to the barrier well before sunset and enjoying a märzen in the hotel bar shortly after. But in reality? Hmm. As any EV owner knows, converting the remaining driving range promised by the car’s computer into mileage you’ll actually put under the wheels is more art than science. Upfront EV owners will also tell you that the second of those figures is almost always the inferior one. Halfway into our journey, what I’m struggling to forecast is the magnitude of the discrepancy, and on this occasion it really does matter. If less than 20 miles, we’re fine; if more, not fine. As for why we don’t just take our…

MODEL TESTED E-TECH ICONIC ESPRIT ALPINE Price £39,495 Power 196bhp Torque na 0-60mph 8.5sec 30-70mph 6.9sec Fuel economy 44.8mpg CO2 emissions 110g/km 70-0mph 47.9m After Carlos Ghosn was arrested in 2018, there were doubts about whether the alliance he masterminded between Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi would survive. So far it has, but it’s necessitated a major reboot. That’s resulted in shares becoming more equitably divided, as well as a plan for each brand to focus on the segments and regions it is strong in, and for the others to benefit from that expertise. But those plans were only rubberstamped earlier this year, following a period of looser collaboration. One of the products emerging from that transitional era is the new Renault Austral. While it shares its CMF-CD platform with the Nissan…

“So far, my overall fuel consumption is around 50% better than I’d get from a V8” FIRST REPORT WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if this new V6 hybrid can match the power and refinement of Bentley’s W12 and V8 petrol powertrains It’s always a great moment when a Bentley arrives in the Autocar household. It alters behaviour. People start positioning themselves to drive it and the list of aspirants grows. It swells further if potential drivers hear that this Bentley is a V6-powered plug-in hybrid, equal in performance to a V8 but much more economical if you religiously charge its 18kWh battery when opportunities present. The queue has been shorter this time, because the plug-in hybrid in question is a Flying Spur limousine, whose 5.3m length means it won’t…

Bargains binned I’ve read with great concern about car makers turning to the so-called agency model, which takes away any negotiation or discounting (can you even ask for a free set of car mats under the agency model?), which seems to result in them fixing a price (and then stating that they’re making more money per car – I’m guessing because the price of the car is inflated). Price fixing basically takes away any competition between garages. Before, you could play one dealer against another to get the best deal for yourself. Now you must pay a fixed amount if you want a car, no matter where you go. The agency model therefore doesn’t benefit customers, only the manufacturers. I don’t understand how this practice is allowed under the Competition…

Ten years since it was launched, the Alfa Romeo 4C still turns heads, still quickens pulses, still provokes debate. In the intervening years, the Alpine A110 has arrived and proved that it’s possible to have as much fun but be comfortable, too. Yet it doesn’t pluck the heartstrings in the same way, at least if your ticker is stamped ‘Alfa Romeo’. Production of the 4C ran from 2013 to 2020, and today there are only about 475 examples in the UK. For some years, few used ones came to market, but just recently more have begun to emerge. As this was written, around 20 were being offered at prices starting from £44,000. That compares with £35,000 two years ago. Proving that Alfisti prefer to drive their cars than salt them…

In a move certain to set the pulses of Triumph lovers racing, a London-based design house has launched an all-new electric two-seater sports concept that not only carries the famous British marque’s badge but also does so with the express permission of BMW, which owns the rights to the name today. The TR25, which has an arrestingly simple and extremely modern shape, is the work of a secretive London-based automotive design house called Makkina. The concept sets out to show that cars in the electric era can offer simple fun, just as they did in Triumph’s heyday. It uses the chassis, battery and major running gear of BMW’s all-electric, rear-drive i3s commuter car that appeared in 2013 and went out of production last year. However, the concept’s shape is intended…

LAMBORGHINI IS HEADING to the world of top-flight endurance racing with a hybrid hypercar that features strong design and technological links to its road car line-up. The SC63, which was named for the year Lamborghini was founded, was unwrapped in Sussex by Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann and technical boss Rouven Mohr. It will race in the World Endurance Championship and the IMSA American sports car championship from next year. One car will race in each series, and both will take on Toyota, Ferrari, Porsche and Glickenhaus at the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours next June. Based on a chassis supplied by Ligier, one of four available architectures for the Hypercar class, the SC63 is described as representing the core pillars of Lamborghini: hybrid, aerodynamics and design. The hybrid drivetrain, which…

INEOS HAS GIVEN its Grenadier 4x4 a new treatment in an attempt to take a share of the top-end private pick-up truck market. The open-backed variant, dubbed Quartermaster, is 305mm longer than the SUV, giving a load bay measuring 1564mm long and 1619mm wide – big enough to accommodate a standard Euro pallet. The load bay also has a 400W power take-off and four tie-down rings, while the open tailgate can support up to 225kg. Priced from £66,125, the Quartermaster’s payload and towing capacities match those of the diesel-powered five-seat Station Wagon, at up to 850kg (less than the tonne needed to qualify as a commercial vehicle) and 3500kg respectively, and it retains the five-seat cabin. Power comes courtesy of the same BMW-supplied 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol and diesel engines used…

EASY TURN ZF’s Easy Turn multi-link front axle, which has been three years in development, features a unique lower suspension arm and kingpin and is capable of more than 80deg of steering angle, compared with the typical 45deg. In a BMW i3, the turning circle is cut from 10m to 6.8m; combined with rear-wheel steering that drops to 5.7m. The effect is startling: the i3 seemingly moves sideways in a turn, pivoting around the rear wheels, black cab-style. In a large saloon or SUV, the increase in manoeuvrability could be stark. Front driveshafts can’t accommodate the extreme lock, so it’s RWD only. OEMs are interested, with two more years of engineering needed for production. SMART CHASSIS SENSOR A sensor on the lower ball joint measures the precise deflection of the…

MANAGERS AT CAR companies often joke that the PR department does nothing more than read magazines and swill champagne, but during a crisis, everyone in the business will watch in awe as the press office leaps into action. With the reputation of the brand at stake, they temporarily get to order everyone around and tell them what to say. The big boss will clear their diary, marketing staff will wait to post statements on websites and dealers will expect updates on what to do and say. The words those PR people use will be very carefully chosen to avoid panic. There are ‘potential issues’ but never ‘problems’. They will always say ‘safety is our first priority’. And the golden rule is that there are no ‘fires’. After a series of…

TUESDAY One of the joys of the UK countryside is discovering roads you didn’t know were there, in places you’d swear you know well. I spent a happy morning punting the all-electric Abarth 500e on a prepared route between Caffeine & Machine (off the Fosse Way at Ettington) and Cheltenham (my nearest big town), yet some of the roads were so obscure I’m not even sure I’d be able to find them again. The car was quick, cheerful and cheeky, although given Abarth’s decent UK market (second only to Italy), I’d have liked engineers to do some UK-focused damper development. On all but prime surfaces, the 500e’s ride was choppy. One source of fascination was the car’s synthesised exhaust, whose bubbling burble at idle I enjoyed. The sound rises with…

Something clearly changed at Audi Sport headquarters during the genesis of the current Audi RS6 Avant. Maybe some collective light bulb moment occurred over midnight oil and schnapps. Whatever the cause, it was evidently better understood than it ever had been what people really want from a fast estate car – and how far the design and dynamic mission statement of this iconic, do-it-all, any-weather driver’s car could be pushed as a result. The blistered wheel arches, foursquare stance, voracious-looking grille and menacing rear diffuser of the current car, launched in 2019, told you as much. It had been realised that while RS6 buyers may feel they need space, versatility and Audi-brand on-board technology, they want something that feels much less tempered by everyday practicality. Something a little wild and…

Despite the first-generation UX 300e being Lexus’s best-seller last year, it was no poster child for the electric age. A meagre range was combined with a disappointing infotainment system and a lack of driving involvement. For 2023, however, Lexus has listened. Battery capacity has been increased by 18.5kWh to 72.8kWh, increasing the claimed range from 196 to 274 miles and beating the Cupra Born. We are treated to a bigger infotainment screen (as seen on the larger RX) on higher specifications, and a stylistic nip and tuck has resulted in changes that require a surgeon’s eye to spot. Tweaked suspension has also been introduced for a better drive. On test is the range-topping Takumi edition, which starts at £57,095. The line-up opens with the standard 300e, priced from £47,495, while…

MILEAGE 5891 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if the new electric Niro is the Volkswagen Golf of the EV world One of the best things about working for Autocar is getting to read all the magazine stories several days early as we proofread the pages. While reading our road test of the new Kia Soul EV (5 July), I raised an eyebrow and then a smile as our testers recalled the surprising level of dynamism that car had, something it shared with the closely related Niro EV. I must admit, the reference to the Niro EV’s level of dynamism caught me out a bit and through doing so many urban commuting miles mixed with lengthy motorway schleps, I hadn’t gone in search of this driving pleasure. So after reading…

I bought an MG 4 EV in March, having read the universal praise that was heaped on it by the press. I’m entirely happy with the automotive side, but in day-to-day motoring its software is the source of considerable irritation. A few of the points I’ve found: the lane keeping aid and front collision control often intrude; the sat-nav’s space bar doubles as the language-changing button (how often would one need to use that?); the unintelligible phrase ‘speed too high, AVM close’ appears every time I’m at a junction and even when stationary; ‘please respect the surrounding environment’ appears on the touchscreen; irritating bongs accompany almost every action; the odometer isn’t permanently visible; the refresh rate of the screen is far too slow and often a command requires two or…

An owner’s view AMON O’HARA “I’ve owned my 16-reg 4C Spider for two years, during which time I’ve had the timing belt changed (£1200) by Alfa Workshop. I’ve also had the suspension geometry adjusted by the same guys, but to be honest I prefer the factory set-up, when the car felt like a bloodhound sniffing the road. I’ve had a stage-one power upgrade to 280bhp, too, but the standard 237bhp is quick enough. I’ve also had paint protection film put on the nose. Yellow is a silly colour, but it’s a silly car! Fortunately, it’s reliable too.” Buyer beware… ENGINE It’s proving to be reliable, even past 70,000 hard-driven miles. With the quiet, standard exhaust fitted, you can at least hear all is well with the turbo, pulley tensioner and…

Fabulous first F1 victory for Ferrari FERRARI IS ALONE in having raced in every Formula 1 season since the first and has won more championship grands prix than any other constructor, at 242. The first victory came 72 years ago in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, its 375 at last beating the Alfa Romeo 158/159 that had utterly dominated through 1950 and the first four races of 1951. The weekend had started very promisingly, with little-known 27-year-old José Froilán González becoming the first man to lap the old bomber airfield at more than 100mph and consequently taking pole position by a full second. Alfa’s Felice Bonetto stole the lead from the second row at the start, but González got back in front on lap two. Meanwhile, Juan Manuel Fangio…

Hyundai has kick-started the electrification of its performance division with the highly anticipated Ioniq 5 N, a track-honed hot hatch with a “race car DNA”. The aggressively styled reworking of the Ioniq 5 is the first electric Hyundai to undergo an extensive reconfiguration by the firm’s N division, the team behind the acclaimed i20 N and i30 N. The new EV “electrifies the passion of driving”, according to N’s technical boss, Tyrone Johnson, best known for being the brains behind the venerable final-generation Ford Focus RS. It sits on the same E-GMP electric architecture as the standard model but gets a larger, 84kWh battery, a bespoke all-wheel-drive powertrain and a suite of technological additions to “meld the driver with the car”. Now developing 600bhp and 545lb ft of torque as…

CATERHAM EV7 Experimental prototype uses a 322bhp motor and 38kWh battery supplied by Swindon Powertrain. It weighs just 700kg and can charge at up to 150kW. LOTUS EMIRA 2.0 Entry-level version of Hethel’s new roadster brings an AMG-sourced four-cylinder engine with 360bhp and 317lb ft, and it costs £77,795. MASERATI GHIBLI 334 ULTIMA Swansong to Modena’s exec saloon and the finale for its hallowed 564bhp twin-turbo V8 has a Ferrari 296 GTB-beating 207mph top speed. McMURTRY SPEIRLING PURE Goodwood hillclimb record holder enters production as a £1 million track toy, complete with ground-sucking fan for 2000kg of downforce. SINGER DLS Outrageous carbonfibrebodied creation is a highly exclusive, 690bhp tribute to the legendary Porsche 935/4 endurance racer. Price? If you have to ask……

CHINESE manufacturer GAC, in conjunction with Toyota, has made headlines again by announcing it has successfully run a car engine on carbon-free ammonia. But if the idea of burning something usually associated with fertiliser and cleaning products seems far-fetched, a closer look reveals that it’s not as daft as it sounds. Research into the use of ammonia as a fossil-fuel substitute has been going on for almost as long as the car has been around, for both petrol and diesel engines. It powered buses in Belgium during World War II and the US military looked at its use in the 1960s. Why does it work? A look at its chemical formula, NH3, gives the game away. Each molecule of ammonia contains one atom of nitrogen and three of hydrogen, making…

The UK’s electric vehicle rapid-charging network will be required to have a 99% reliability rate and offer real-time status updates under new laws set to be introduced over the coming months. The new Public Charge Point regulations, published in draft form, are intended to improve the charging experience for EV owners. Ministers hope the new regulations, which were first announced before a public consultation last year, will eradicate range anxiety and create a “world-class” charging grid. Under the new regulations, charging firms could be fined up to £10,000 for each unit that fails to comply with the requirements. The new rules set a minimum standard for public charge reliability of 99%, putting an emphasis on firms to ensure that units are durable and capable of constant use. At the same…

LAND-O! That was the signature chant of the Silverstone faithful when Lando Norris took centre stage at the British Grand Prix as a surprise best bet for home glory. Surprise, because McLaren has at times been woeful this season. Yet following a technical upgrade introduced earlier this month at the Austrian GP, Norris and his rookie teammate Oscar Piastri suddenly found themselves driving a “rocket ship”, as Lewis Hamilton put it, around Silverstone’s fast sweeps. You remember ‘Mansell mania’. This was the ‘Lando love-in’. NORRIS: HE’S A ‘MEGA’ A battle of Britain revved up what had become something of a stalemate grand prix. Hamilton had been reduced to scrabbling for minor points in a Mercedes still lacking its cutting edge, yet a well-timed switch to soft Pirellis during a safety…

This is more like it. Not ridiculously fast, but small, chuckable, responsive and slightly bouncy in a puppyish way. Yep, unlike the MG 4 XPower (p24), this feels more like an electric hot hatch all right. But is it a good one, and does it work on UK roads? Based on the electric Fiat 500, which is a surprisingly fun car in its own right, Abarth’s 500e follows the classic recipe – a bit more power and grip, stiffer springs, sportier styling, and sports seats and lashings of Alcantara inside. The extra power, shorter gearing and stickier tyres do hurt the range noticeably. The standard Fiat 500 is (very optimistically) rated for 199 miles. For the Abarth, that drops to 164 in the base hatchback and 150 in the Convertible…

Any rational car buyer would consider £63,285 a ludicrous amount of money to pay for a family hatchback, even one with 416bhp. Wouldn’t they? The – deep breath – Mercedes-AMG A45 S 4Matic+ Plus is not a hot hatchback in the classic mould; this is not an affordable small car that has had an injection of performance to become great fun to drive despite its relatively humble mechanicals. No, the A45 is just as serious a driver’s car as a BMW M3 or a Porsche Cayman – it just comes wrapped in a compact, usable package. And on roads that aren’t getting any wider, that’s actually quite compelling. It’s why we gave it four and a half stars when we road tested it three years ago, and most of what…

MILEAGE 10,502 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT What lessons can be learned from this most old-school of current offerings? I bet the post seemed great before email was invented. A local library must have seemed the font of all knowledge before the internet arrived. And landlines probably seemed useful before you could take your phone around with you. Just like my Toyota Land Cruiser seemed an understandable purchase before I tried a modern Land Rover Defender. When we had a Defender 110 D300 in recently, I made sure to have a go in it, because the big Brit is probably the closest rival to my Toyota, being a 5m-long, five-door 4x4 with a plush interior, a torquey, large-capacity diesel motor, marketleading off-road capability and a pretty eye-watering price: £67,255 for the…

ROAD TRIP Around Ireland in a Picanto Kia’s smallest car isn’t just for the city: Matt Prior takes the plucky Picanto on an epic Irish road trip DRIVEN Dacia Spring Electric Europe’s cheapest electric car is coming here. We find out how good it is on UK roads FEATURE Inside Donkervoort Behind the scenes at the Dutch sports car firm whose motto is ‘no compromise’ EVERY WEEK FIRST DRIVE Audi Q6 E-tron We get a tantalising early taste of Audi’s new Mercedes EQE SUV rival ROAD TEST Mercedes-AMG SL 63 The V8 roadster impressed on our first drive. Now for the ultimate test SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p22…

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…

Ah, the 1980s: big hair, shoulder pads, Ronnie and Maggie, and some amazing cars that often caught the zeitgeist. While we could have happily filled this page with Ferrari F40s and Porsche 959s, we thought it would be more fun to feature the cars that were reasonably aspired to by everyone. Peugeot 205 GTi For the 205 GTi, a tuned engine in a lightweight package with understated bodywork resulted in large success. In 1984, the hot supermini was powered by a lively 1.6-litre 104bhp engine, but in 1986 it was revised up to 115bhp. In the same year, a muscular but somewhat lazier-feeling 1.9-litre option arrived with 126bhp. Because of the car’s mere 875kg weight, 0-62mph was dealt with in just under 8.0sec and 127mph was achievable. A finely tuned…