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“MANY UK DRIVERS TOOK THEIR FIRST MOTORING STEPS IN A FIESTA, AND THE VARIETY OF MODELS MEANS THERE’S A VERSION FOR EVERYONE” AE 40TH birthday party is normally a pretty big affair, so it’s no surprise to find Ford has pulled out all the stops to celebrate four decades of its Fiesta supermini. In fact, it has gone as far as to launch an all-new version, which promises to set new standards for refinement, technology and upmarket appeal, while retaining the old car’s value and sparkling driving dynamics. We’ve got into the party spirit by bringing the newcomer face-to-face with its illustrious ancestors. Earlier this month we headed to Ford’s Go Further event to get under the skin of the exciting new supermini, before hitting the road in the models…

Audi TT RS Roadster Price: £53,550 Engine: 2.5-litre 5cyl turbo, 395bhp 0-60mph: 3.6 seconds Test economy: 23.0mpg/5.1mpl CO2: 189g/km Annual road tax: £270 Porsche 718 Boxster S Price: £51,105 Engine: 2.5-litre flat-four turbo, 345bhp 0-60mph: 4.8 seconds Test economy: 23.9mpg/5.3mpl CO2: 184g/km Annual road tax: £230 Testers’ notes Even though it's come towards the end of the year, this is one of the biggest road test battles of 2016. New versions of the Audi and Porsche have been released this year, and while we still rate the Boxster very highly, in the switch to a turbocharged engine there's no denying it’s lost a bit of its character. In contrast, the Audi’s unit has it by the bucket load.” AE IT’S been an unsettled year in many ways, with political shake-ups…

MODEL TESTED: Audi TT RS Roadster PRICE: £53,550 ENGINE: 2.5-litre 5cyl, 395bhp THE RS is the flagship of the TT range, and this £53,550 Roadster version is also the priciest model in the compact sports car line-up. But it boasts junior supercar pace, so even at this level, it could well be something of a bargain. We find out whether the performance matches the price. DESIGN & ENGINEERING THE TT RS uses the versatile VW Group MQB chassis that underpins everything from the next Volkswagen Polo to the seven-seat Skoda Kodiaq SUV. But don’t think the chassis tech is compromised, because Audi’s engineers have had a hand in the joint project to ensure it’s capable of delivering the sports car thrills the brand’s RS badge warrants. As a result the…

MODEL TESTED: Porsche 718 Boxster S PRICE: £51,105 ENGINE: 2.5-litre flat-four, 345bhp AS part of the updates to the Boxster and Cayman range, Porsche flipped its pricing structure, so the convertible is now the more expensive model. The 718 Boxster S we test here in manual guise costs £51,105 – not far off the TT RS Roadster. So which is the better sports car? score 4.2 DESIGN & ENGINEERING THE 718 Boxster is based on the same platform as its predecessor, but receives some significant upgrades, not least under the bonnet. Out went the old flat-six and in its place a 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four has been fitted for the S to improve efficiency. Suspension components ‘inspired’ by the scintillating Cayman GT4 have been added, plus the S gets bigger brakes…

AUDI TT RS ROADSTER score 4.2 Virtual Cockpit Standard Key features: Widescreen nav, CarPlay AUDI revolutionised infotainment with its Virtual Cockpit, which made its debut on the TT. It’s standard on the RS, with the 12.3-inch widescreen display doubling as the dials and multimedia system. Sat-nav is included, so there are multiple views to either prioritise the map screen or the rev counter and speedo – or a large, sporty rev counter in the middle of the screen. You can control the infotainment set-up from the steering wheel buttons or the touch-sensitive rotary wheel and buttons on the transmission tunnel. The menu system takes a bit of getting used to, but once you’re familiar with the layout it’s easy to switch between the various displays. Audi’s smartphone interface adds Apple…

DRIVES Sizzling 345bhp Ford Focus RS gets 2016 off to a flier THE Ford Focus RS was one of 2016’s most eagerly anticipated new cars, and we didn’t have to wait long for our first taste on European roads. The mega hatch didn’t disappoint when it arrived in January, thrilling chief reviewer James Disdale as soon as he took the wheel. He described Ford’s stunner as “hard to fault”, with “blistering performance” and “acrobatic handling”. A quick glance at the spec sheet reveals a 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo engine with 345bhp – enough power to worry many sports car rivals. The RS proved devastatingly quick on our first drive – it has an official 0-62mph time of just 4.7 seconds – and delivered grippy four-wheel-drive handling to bring a smile to…