Innholdsfortegnelse for 7/12/2016 i Autocar

The Kia GT, the Korean brand’s first sports saloon, has received an early debut after a photograph of it in the factory was leaked onto the internet. The GT, codenamed CK and also known as K8 in its home market, is understood to be due to make its official public debut at the Detroit motor show next month. It is the strongest statement yet that Kia is serious about making sporty, keen-handling cars that appeal to enthusiasts. The picture reveals much of the styling of the new saloon, which is one of four or more prototypes visible in the same shot, including sharp-looking headlights, a rakish roofline and large, eye-catching alloys. The car takes influence from the Kia GT concept of 2011 in its overall shape and what’s visible of…

DIGITAL MAPPING COMPANY Here is set to take the next step towards fully connected cars with its plans to beam hazard, traffic and parking information into Audi, BMW and Mercedes models fitted with its sat-nav maps. Here’s Advanced Driver Assistance System, which is due to be launched early next year, will use existing sensors and cameras in cars to collate information on traffic flow, heavy braking from ABS systems and hazard warning light use. Data will be combined with GPS information and fed back to warn drivers of incidents and conditions ahead. Here says it will also direct drivers to parking bays by recording available spaces. “These are real-time services that we believe can make a difference to road safety and congestion,” said Here CEO Edzard Overbeek. Companies such as…

Kia’s new compact SUV, due to sit below the Sportage and Sorento, could take one of two forms, according to Gregory Guillaume, the firm’s European design chief. One would be a raised version of the Rio, the other something bespoke with its own name and look. He suggested the latter is more likely. “We need a vehicle like that,” he said. “We made our name in Europe with SUVs, so it’s a logical step.” Kia has also axed the three-door bodystyle from the new Rio range, with the same fate likely for the Picanto and Cee’d. “It’s a trend we’re noticing in all segments,” said Guillaume.…

Ford will begin testing autonomous cars on European roads next year as the next step in its pledge to make self-driving vehicles available to millions of people. With its self-driving car development programme running in the US, Ford is turning its attention to the challenge of making autonomous cars work across European boundaries. Ford’s ambition is to be a global leader in connectivity, mobility and autonomous cars. Earlier this year it announced its intention to have a “high-volume, fully autonomous vehicle in commercial operation in 2021 in a ride hailing or ride sharing service”. Ford expects that the car used for that service in five years will be capable of level four autonomy, which is classified as ‘high automation’ on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) scale and is one…

A facelifted BMW i3 range is set to gain a sporty new range-topping model when it arrives towards the end of next year. The i3S, as it is expected to be called, will offer improved straight-line performance along with a more sporting character than the regular i3, making it the first proper electric hot hatch. It will get an uprated version of the current i3’s rear-mounted electric motor, which produces 168bhp and 184lb ft, trimming that car’s 7.3sec 0-62mph time and edging it towards the realms of models such as the Ford Fiesta ST. Elsewhere, the facelifted i3 will get an increased battery range that is expected to surpass 200 miles for the first time.…

Just about every car maker is throwing its hat into the small crossover ring at the moment, but few are more experienced at making them than Suzuki. At just 3.7m long, 1.69m wide and 1.6m tall, this all-new Ignis is a rival for city cars such as the Fiat 500 and Vauxhall Adam on size. But given its flared arches, bluff nose, jacked-up stance and optional Allgrip all-wheel drive, it’s very much a small SUV. There’s just one engine option: Suzuki’s 89bhp naturally aspirated 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol unit. The only variation is the option of a mild hybrid unit (previously seen in the Baleno) that uses a belt-driven integrated starter/generator and a second lithium ion battery to assist the e ngine during warm starts and acceleration. The result is slightly…

MODEL TESTED COUPE Price £51,800 Power 394bhp Torque 354lb ft 0-60mph 3.6sec 30-70mph in fourth 6.5sec Fuel economy 26.6mpg CO2 emissions 192g/km 70-0mph 43.6m Skidpan 1.13g The original Audi TT RS, launched in 2009, came with a big mechanical lure under its bonnet. Ingolstadt hadn’t built a five-cylinder engine since it retired the epic, Porsche-fettled 2.2-litre unit used in the fondly remembered RS2 Avant. But Audi instead referenced an even bigger legend: the Ur-Quattro of the 1980s, a name custom-built to generate a fizz in anyone old enough to recall the heroics of Group B rallying – or young enough to have watched the highlights on YouTube. The all-new 2.5-litre in-line five cooked up for the TT lived up to the billing, producing 335bhp and the kind of rasping, evocative…

“It was BMW’s first big 4x4 and truly as good to drive as its saloon counterparts” I’m a pilot, so I absolutely have to get to work every day. It isn’t an option to get snowed in,” says Olly Bloxham, 32. That explains why he doesn’t rely only on his X5’s all-wheel drive system but has also taken the wise step of fitting winter tyres. With the 4.4-litre V8 fitted, the X5 drinks about as much fuel as an Airbus A380, although Paul reckons it’s still cheaper than a hire purchase deal on a “fairly average” new car. Hearing that V8 throbbing away, we’d be hard pressed to argue. The E53-generation X5 was BMW’s first big 4x4, as well as the only one at the time that was truly as…

“It has the usefulness of a Volvo estate and go-anywhere ability of an off-roader” So you want four-wheel drive and a spot of ground clearance but you don’t want an SUV. You’re not alone, which is why Volvo first built the V70 Cross Country in the 1990s. That car’s successor, the XC70, is now available for well within our budget and delivers the automotive equivalent of a pair of yeti boots and an inch-thick jacket. It’s warm, cosseting and endlessly comfortable – ideal for crunching the miles and then making it up a muddy driveway when you get there. XC70s are also vast inside, which is one reason why Tim Hussey, 48, bought his. “We’ve got a big dog, a giant breed, and we needed something we could get her…

It’s no secret that buyers go 4x4 crazy as the winter months approach. But there is another way of winter-proofing your driving that saves you the hassle of buying a new car: fit your current motor with winter tyres. In colder climates, winter tyres are seen as a necessity. In Austria, for example, they’re mandatory between November and April. But because our winters are warmer and winter tyres are most effective below 7deg C, they’ve never really caught on here. Winter tyres have one notable advantage over four-wheel drive in snow and ice: they allow you to slow down more effectively. Four-wheel drive may enhance traction when you’re pulling away, but it makes no difference at all when you’re braking, whereas winter tyres bite all the time. There are, however,…

IN NOVEMBER LAST year, Morven Fraser was attending the Autocar-Courland Next Generation Award finals, standing in front of senior figures from the motoring industry and waiting for the winner’s name to be called out, wishing it to be hers. Skip to November this year and, after scooping the 2015 award, she’s sitting in a ‘virtual cave’ at the end of a stint spent working on futuristic concepts for Jaguar Land Rover and looking back on her prize of six work placements at leading car makers. It has been an incredible journey for the University of Glasgow student, who has spent the past month with JLR’s research department. “I’ve been designing a user trial for a real-life car problem with one of JLR’s projects,” Morven explains. “I’ve had to design the…

“There’s nothing like a bit of used car jeopardy to add a frisson of excitement to a commute” “Welcome to the fold,” said the editor on my first day. “Here’s your first task: find us a used car for our long-term test fleet.” “Right you are,” I said. It seemed like a great idea. As used car editor, running a used long-termer makes perfect sense. I’ll get to live with and own a car without all the high-tech bells and whistles and lengthy new-car warranties that we motoring journos are used to. Used cars are, quite frankly, where it’s at. And any accusation that I’m only saying that because of my job title will be roundly refuted. But what to get? At first, the imagination ran amok. There are quite…

A RUN FROM London to West Sussex and back via lanes liberally sprinkled with leaves, mud and other low-friction substances provided a timely reminder that there are more benefits to having four-wheel drive on a car like the 3 Series than just extra traction under acceleration. Our 320d xDrive felt rock-solid and surefooted, but whether it was more rock-solid and surefooted than a rear-drive 320d would have been is hard to say without a back-to-back comparison. It certainly inspired confidence, which can only be good. The 320d’s xDrive system divides drive 40/60% front to rear under normal conditions but can send 100% of drive to either axle if needed. Hard acceleration on a slippery surface is interesting; there’s a tiny bit of slip (unlike that of my Land Rover Discovery…

Mark Baker is back again, and quite rightly so, this time with a Rover 825 SLi. “I bought the car from a friend in the trade for £50, with only 34,000 genuine miles,” says Mark. “It was an early KV6 and it had a new engine under warranty at 2000 miles. It came with all the paperwork and I ran it for 18 months, only spending money on a couple of services and two MOTs, both of which it passed. Even though it was a 2.5 V6 automatic, I could get just over 30mpg on a motorway run. I loved driving it; it had a very special feeling. I replaced it with a normalish Toyota iQ.” SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO james@bangernomics.com…

Picking up a used car bargain can often mean making a call on maybe a couple of small problems – niggles you can either live with or sort out relatively cheaply. But whether you’re reading a classified advert for the first time or looking through the documents after the test drive, keep your eyes peeled for a few red flags that should probably have you running a mile. THE ADVERT Beware of the cat As you probably know, if a car has sustained enough damage for the insurance company to declare it to be beyond economical repair, it’s then classified as a write-off. Cars labelled as Category D or Category C write-offs, the two least severe categories, can be – and often are – repaired and returned to the road.…

McLaren P1 From £866,000 McLaren set out to build the best driver’s car in the world and has come ridiculously close. A 903bhp go-kart. Porsche 918 Spyder From £674,000 Only in this category do five stars not guarantee the class lead. The 918 feels built to rule, too. A mind-boggler. LaFerrari From £950,000 No UK drive means its amazing numbers can’t be veri›ied — but our ›irst look suggests its reputation is deserved. Bugatti Veyron From £1.15 million A waning obsession with petrol power taken to its extreme limit. There are better cars — but none quicker. Pagani Huayra From £1.4 million Last century’s idea of a hypercar. Staggering in almost every way — not least its looks. As exclusive as it gets.…

“The new range will be crowned by a 247bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol version with all-wheel drive” Vauxhall is looking to steal sales from executive saloons such as the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class with its plush new Insignia Grand Sport hatchback. The Insignia Grand Sport is a new name for this second-generation Insignia, which is seen here for the first time ahead of its Geneva show debut in March and UK deliveries in June. The new range will be crowned by a 247bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol version with all-wheel drive. The five-seat, five-door Insignia Grand Sport is based on an all-new and modular General Motors platform called Epsilon 2 (or E2 for short) that allows the car to be up to 175kg lighter than the model it replaces, despite…

Health body NICE wants a rethink on speed bumps to cut pollution and save lives Speed bumps in their current guise could be abolished after a health group linked the traffic-calming measures to 25,000 deaths a year caused by pollution as a result of frequent acceleration and deceleration. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is calling for a redesign of current speed bumps to ensure vehicles do not need to sharply decelerate and then accelerate. The move to smoother-flowing traffic would have the effect of cutting air pollution in urban areas. NICE placed a large emphasis on the importance of driving smoothly to reduce air pollution in its report, and it targeted buses and lorries as the vehicles with the greatest need to avoid sharp accelerations and…

VAUXHALL-OPEL CONTINUES to plan the production of the rear-wheel-drive GT concept, unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March, and believes it has two more years to make a decision before the design loses its appeal. Vauxhall-Opel chairman Karl-Thomas Neumann said: “It’s a car we all love and the public love, so we really want to build it. The question is what the right approach is, so we are studying different directions we could follow.” The two main possibilities are to create a ‘parts bins’ rear-wheel drive platform or to borrow an off-the-shelf platform. A rear drive platform is essential if the GT is to retain the concept’s proportions in production. Neumann said: “The platform is a complication.” However, Neumann appeared to rule out the chances of parent company General…

fuel economy, rather than fitting downsized turbocharged engines that perform well in official tests but which are less impressive in real-world use. Until now it has not worked to develop plug-in technology, but Mazda R&D chief Kiyoshi Fujiwara has confirmed the firm will now have to launch a plug-in hybrid “in or after 2021”. The reason he cited was “severe, tougher CO2 regulations”. MAZDA WILL HAVE to launch its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in around five years’ time to meet stricter CO2 regulations, despite the firm’s desire to see internal combustion engine technology continue to develop. Mazda has focused on improving current internal combustion engine technology and giving its cars ‘right-sized’ engines for better real-world He also confirmed mild hybrid Mazdas with 48V sub-systems were also in development to…

THE VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON is set to make its debut at the Geneva motor show next March as a replacement for the discontinued CC. The swoopy four-door’s design is inspired by that of last year’s Sport Coupé GTE concept. It is based on a stretched version of VW’s MQB platform and measures 50mm longer overall than the CC. As a result, the Arteon offers more leg room for second-row passengers than the CC and will have a boot that can take up to 1700 litres of luggage when the back seats are folded down. Pitched as a rival for the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé, the Arteon will be powered by a familiar range of turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The most potent petrol unit will produce 276bhp, suggesting it’s…

You may never have seen a G37 coupé, a quietly handsome model of surprising V6 potency. It’s one of the rarer Infinitis in the UK, but then that applies to all of them, bar the new Q30 and QX30. The Q60 that replaces it may face a similar fate, although it, too, deserves a wider audience. It certainly has the content to attract buyers of compact, classy and smoothly swift coupés. The competition is pretty fearsome, though, coming from the BMW 4 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupé and a renewed Audi A5. The Q60 is propelled by either a 205bhp 2.0-litre turbo or a 400bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. The 2.0 powers the rear wheels only, whereas the V6 tested here propels all four wheels. Both Q60s get a drive selector, with…

This second-generation TT RS stands ready to surprise just about anyone. It feels like the response of a company that’s defended a popular car for decades against claims that the TT has all the style and none of the substance to be taken seriously by really keen drivers. It feels that way because you simply have to take any sports car with an engine this strong, capable of genuine supercar-baiting pace, very seriously indeed. But for all its knockout performance, the TT RS remains a TT at heart – and that makes it a fast Audi of a well-worn recipe. Sensationally grippy and secure, direct but isolating and yet much more effective than effervescent, it’s a car made for an owner with a particular set of needs – one who…

Slippery surfaces, treacherous weather, road salt and seemingly eternal darkness… getting around on the UK’s roads in winter is never a particularly joyous experience. No wonder so many people turn to the reassurance of four-wheel drive to get them through it all. And with used car prices as they are today, that isn’t as expensive an option as you might think. We’ve brought together five used cars that prove you can easily find a flavoursome four-wheel-drive for just £5000. And, as our quintet shows, choosing all-wheel drive at this price no longer means that you have to plump for a big, ponderous SU V. Even the largest car here, the BMW X5, drives more like a sports saloon, and the Mk1 Audi TT marries four-wheel drive with a sharp suit.…

“CR-Vs rarely go wrong, although it’s better to stick with petrol versions” You might not think of the Honda CR-V as a car to light the flame of passion within its owners, but you’d be wrong. As it turns out, there are plenty of CR-V owners who are so enamoured with their cars that they have become true evangelists. Dave Rees, 61, is one of them. He traded up to his CR-V from an HR-V, originally bought because he needed to get up the steep hill outside his house in the worst of the winter snow and ice. “We went for Hondas because of the reputation Honda has for reliability,” he told us. “Both the HR-V and the CR-V – and the Jazz my wife owns – have been solid.…

Clips, conduits and clamps, ducts, sound dampers and seals – these are just some of the myriad parts that locate, cement, energise and cool the clusters of components that make up the unseen innards of your car. In a Bentley Bentayga, there are more than 90 electronic control units secreted within, besides the powertrain, the air suspension and its anti-roll systems and a cooling pack that can cope with a W12 and four fat wheels threshing through sand in 40deg C temperatures. In a designer s world, these components are the car’s ‘B-side’, the flipside of the panels that clothe it to provide a visual character. Designing the A-side is challenging enough. A car’s shape does much to determine its likely success, which is why the design process is invested…

“A high of 56.4mpg without trying too hard tells you we’ve spent little time at the pumps” The inevitable question came a few weeks into my ownership of the Mazda 3 Fastback. I was driving a group of friends out of London and we were discussing the car. One of the group, a former Mazda 3 hatchback owner, was impressed with its looks. Another its fuel economy. But the third piped up: “Yes, but what’s the point of it?” It’s a tricky question. Cars like the 3 Fastback aren’t popular choices in the UK and you’ll have to venture into continental Europe to find such models in great numbers. And yet Mazda sees enough business for the car in the UK to keep it here – and, indeed, into the…

We’re getting the measure of living with the Mog. My own understanding can be summarised in two journeys: one a back-roads thrash from the works at Malvern Link to my place in Gloucestershire, the other bringing the car back to London. After our first 1000 miles, the car needed its routine shakedown service. As you’d expect of a vehicle with just two big, oddly firing cylinders, it vibrates a bit, so Morgan likes to do a (free) spanner check. Our car had several issues: some rattles, an inert instrument light and a gremlin with the turn indicators. We also decided the pedals needed to be a notch further from the driver to accommodate our surfeit of tall drivers. Shorties could use a cushion. When I went to collect the car…

Join the Evo-lution Here’s a Mitsubishi from a time when they made our pulses run a bit quicker: an Evo X FQ-300 SST. This 45,000-mile example recently benefited from new Brembo brake pads and discs. It has also got Recaro seats, xenon headlights, a stainless steel exhaust and 18in alloys, plus upgraded Rockford Fosgate sounds. And all that for £14,995. A maligned Murano with a potent V6 You don’t see many of these around, mainly because Nissan didn’t sell very many of them in the first place. Some may think the Murano is ugly, or maybe the big V6 petrol engine is a drawback, but at least here you get sort of an off-road Z-car. This 112,000-miler, for which the seller is asking £3790, has all the spec you would…

“Magnetic ride suspension failures make the standard set-up the smarter choice” The mid-noughties were a golden age for Audi. In 2006 we had the B7 RS4, followed a year later by this, the R8. The model was an immediate hit thanks to its low weight, rear mid-mounted 4.2-litre V8 and rear-biased quattro driveline. And, of course, the feeling that because it was bas ed on the Gallardo, it was a kind of Mondeo man’s Lamborghini: useable, reliable and great to drive. Today, with used R8s starting within £5000 of the most expensive Mondeo Vignale, that impression is almost a reality. But banish thoughts of sales reps and Ecoboost engines, because what we have in the two-seat R8 is bags of Technik and extremely rapid Vorsprung. How about 0-62mph in 4.6sec…

Mercedes-Benz S-Class From £66,000 Opulent, advanced, incredibly re›ined: the S-Class is the classic limo, expertly realised and utterly persuasive. Range Rover From £73,000 Whether outside the Dorchester or atop Ben Nevis, the Rangie shrouds you in an invincible sense of expense. Tesla Model S From £59,900 Superior range doesn’t just make it a standout electric car; it’s also one of the best luxury options around. BMW 7 Series From £64,000 Rules the roost on in-car entertainment and diesel powertrain sophistication — but otherwise too bland. Jaguar XJ From £56,000 No other ›irm is currently mixing sportiness and aloofness with the skill of Jaguar. It makes the XJ a rare blend.…

PIECHA GT-RSR | EARLY 2017 German tuning firm Piecha has ramped up the already stonking Mercedes-AMG GT S from 503bhp to 604bhp and 479lb ft to 620lb ft. Piecha has also added an array of aerodynamic body parts, including a large carbonfibre spoiler and its own suspension. Price£210,000 (est) DECEMBER 2016 Aston Martin Vanquish S, Lamborghini Centenario, Mini Clubman JCW, Tesla Model X JANUARY 2017 Bentley Bentayga Diesel, Bugatti Chiron, Citroën C3, Dacia Duster update, Logan MCV update, Sandero update, Sandero Stepway update, Hennessey Mustang HPE800, Hyundai i10 update, Mazda MX-5 RF, Peugeot 3008, Renault Twingo GT, Zoe update, Skoda Octavia update, Skoda Kodiaq, Suzuki Ignis, Toyota C-HR, Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Volkswagen Golf update FEBRUARY 2017 BMW 5 Series, Ford Ecosport update, Kia Rio, Land Rover Discovery, Mini Countryman, Peugeot…

FURTHER CLUES TO the final look of the new Toyota Supra have emerged after a test car was spotted with production bodywork for the first time. The Supra is part of a joint programme with the BMW Z5 and previous Supra test cars have had the same bumpers as the Z5. However, the latest images of the Supra show a more prominent front bumper with three grille openings, and the outline of its horizontal tail-lights can also be seen. The look is a toned-down version of the FT-1 concept, with a coupé body. It marks a distinct difference from the Z5, which is a soft-top roadster. Sharing the same platform, following the announcement of an extended partnership between Toyota and BMW, the Supra is expected to arrive in 2018, shortly…

Rolls-Royce has hinted at the design of its Cullinan SUV with the first images of a prototype in production bodywork. Rolls-Royce doesn’t describe the car as an SUV but instead calls it an “all-terrain, high-sided vehicle”. The ‘Cullinan’ tag is a codename and Rolls-Royce remains tight-lipped on the production name it will take for its launch in 2018. The model will be the first four-wheel-drive Rolls-Royce and sits on new all-aluminium underpinnings. A tweaked 6.8-litre Phantom-derived V12 is likely to feature, but Rolls-Royce has also toyed with diesel and hybrid powertrains. Diesel was scrapped on refinement grounds.…

Porsche has taken charge of the Volkswagen Group’s electric vehicle rapid charging programme and is teaming up with BMW, Ford and Daimler to provide a Europe-wide network of fast chargers. The network will standardise the Combined Charging System (CCS) across the four automotive giants. However, the likes of Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, and Citroën still use the alternative ChaDeMo system. Porsche’s goal is for the CCS system to become the only EV charging system in use. Porsche chief executive Oliver Blume said: “There is agreement that all car manufacturers in the future will use the same standard.” Porsche’s upcoming Mission E electric car, which is due to go on sale in 2020, is said to be the trigger for the strategy within the Volkswagen Group, although the four groups that have…

The 1.0-litre three-cylinder Ford Ecoboost engine is to be offered with fuel-saving cylinder deactivation technology that will enable it to operate as a two-cylinder unit. Similar technology is already seen on many petrol engines with four cylinders or more, but Ford claims this is the first time it has been engineered into a three-cylinder engine. Some manufacturers have dismissed the idea, citing refinement as one of the main issues, but Ford hasn’t been deterred. Cylinder deactivation will stop fuel delivery and valve operation for cylinder number one under conditions where full engine power is not needed, such as when cruising with a light load on the engine. The technology can disengage or re-engage the cylinder in 14 milliseconds and operates at speeds of up to 4500rpm. Ford’s engineers predict that…

“The new 5 Series is vastly more mature in terms of comfort and refinement than before” The new BMW 5 Series has an enviable reputation and a heavy weight of expectation to live up to. BMW’s midrange model has now racked up more than eight million sales – including 2.2 million sales for its direct predecessor, codenamed F10 and introduced in 2009. But with competition such as the latest Audi A6, Jaguar XF and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, this new, seventh-generation model, codenamed G30, will have to be at the top of its game to continue the success story. The latest 5 Series is both lighter and more aerodynamic than before. With a range of heavily upgraded engines, it is also faster and more economical than its predecessor. However, the main focus…

Alight, rear-wheel-drive, rear-engined hatchback with forced induction sounds like the perfect recipe for an engaging city car, no? Well, that’s what we hoped when the latest generation of the Twingo was unveiled at the 2014 Geneva motor show. Unfortunately, the car felt closer in character to a Renault Dauphine than an R5 Turbo. The steering was vague, straight-line performance was modest and that innovative and potentially playful chassis was set up for safe and predictable understeer. Two years on, though, Renault has handed the Twingo to the people at Renault Sport, with the resulting new Twingo GT hoping to emulate the success of the previous-generation Twingo RS 133. The RS team have fettled rather than replaced. The strongest motor in the current line-up, a turbocharged 898cc triple, has been treated…

“Having a sturdy winter hack need not mean compromising on style” Having a sturdy winter hack need not mean compromising on style, as demonstrated by the Audi TT. Your £5000 will get you a coupé or a soft-top roadster equipped with Audi’s Haldex-based quattro all-wheel drive system, which can quickly shuffle torque between axles, according to where grip is needed. Your head will say to go for the entry-level 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which delivers its 180bhp in a smooth, unfussy fashion. But then you’ll see that for the same money, you could get a more exciting 220bhp version or, better still, a 3.2-litre V6 with 247bhp. You might then rationalise that, despite its inevitably higher mileage (think 70,000-plus, compared with 50,000 miles or so in a 180bhp car at…

“Basic but also quite brilliant, the Jimny certainly has an appeal all of its own” With our £5000 budget stretching as far as a 2010 model, the Jimny is the youngest in this five-car group, and it also has the youngest owner in 12-year-old Lucy Robberts. Her father, Nick, who delivered the car to our photo studio, explains the thinking behind their purchase: “It’s a project for her to learn about fixing cars. We wanted something she could fit in and drive, but also that could go off road. Finding a place for young kids to drive isn’t easy, but if I take her to a field, she can get some experience legally.” That includes if said field is wet, covered in snow or, indeed, has a lake to wade…

RADIATOR GRILLE You might think that designing a radiator grille for any car, Bentley included, would be relatively simple. It needs to ingest air, of course, and in this case its traditional decorative mesh is framed by a body-coloured shell bearing the winged Bentley badge. But there’s a lot more to a grille than the harvesting of air for cooling and boldly announcing the car’s identity. There is, as Nick Game, Bentley’s functional manager for bumper systems, explains, “legislation input”, namely regulation R127, which defines pedestrian protection requirements for the head and legs of adults and children. “Certain zones must comply,” he says. “We take the digital surface, define the zone layout test area [the impact areas of bumper and bonnet] and find the hard points. It affects many components,…

“I wanted to be a ighter pilot, but I was too tall” Sitting on a bucket seat with a substantial-looking rollcage behind him, Ari Vatanen looks to be in his natural element. But this isn’t a return to front-line competition. Instead, it’s a drive in the most extreme road-going car yet to wear a BMW badge. And after a 30-mile blast across rain-sodden roads near his home in Provence, the M4 GTS has created a strong first impression. “It’s a beast, an absolute beast,” Vatanen says in his soft Finnish accent. “When I think of how hard you had to work in cars with 300bhp, even 200bhp, it’s amazing how far things have come.” Vatanen is now a BMW brand ambassador in France, which is excuse enough for me to…

Reading Andrew Frankel’s Ferrari F12 tdf story (‘Handle with Care’, 16 November), it occurred to me that he did well to ‘rescue’ an apparent plan for an enjoyable fair-weather drive that had been thwarted by the inclement weather. However, initially of greater concern to me was the ‘tdf’ suffix to the car’s name. Imagine my initial horror at the possibility of these letters being short for ‘turbo diesel’, and ‘Finesse’, being a special-edition moniker borrowed from Ford following its use of the name on the Fiesta. It was reassuring to read that tdf simply refers to ‘Tour de France’… Gary Duke Manchester WIN Letter of the week wins this ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £58.95…

It’s a predictable but worthy test for the Ateca: how practical is it for loading up gear? Holidays are on hold thanks to a new house purchase, so instead the Seat been used to transport all manner of furniture. So far, and in separate trips, I’ve fitted a ladder and painting detritus, a dressing table, a small dining table and an Ikea flatpack wardrobe in there – although the latter was a little precarious, to say the least. There have also been many trips to the tip. Ultimately, the Ateca has been a fine companion. The boot’s wide aperture makes the putting in and taking out of items both small and large incredibly easy. The lip left in the boot floor after folding the rear seats made life tricky, because…

No doubt you’ll be reading stories from proper classic car owners as they axle-stand their vehicles off the ground and wrap them in cotton wool for the next few months. I’m too lazy to do that. I also live in an area that is a throwback to a simpler, health and safety-free time, the most notable result of which is an absence of road salt. We are not worthy of it in Norfolk, apparently. Consequently, I may not do epic 15-mile round trips, but I will be using the Cooper through the winter just because. Also, if you don’t use classics, they sulk.…

An expert’s view SAM HOWELL, PRESTIGE CARS KENT “R8s are are quick, easy to drive, reliable and reasonably cheap to run. We sold one recently with a £1000 annual servicing and warranty package. That’s good value for a supercar. We’ll buy any age, any mileage, any spec. The V8 is really strong. We’ve just bought a V10 Spyder. The engine sounds glorious, but I reckon that’s its only advantage over the V8. It’s certainly no quicker in the real world. An early V8 manual is the best buy and a future classic.” Buyer beware • ENGINES Generally bulletproof, but a few V8s suffered bottom-end bearing failure. Listen for noises. Oil lines to cooler, at rear left, can rust through. Beware cars with extended two-year/19k-mile service history; annual services best. Faulty…

Ariel Nomad From £36,000 If there were simply a list of our ›ive favourite cars, the Nomad might just top it. A revelation and a riot. Morgan 3 Wheeler From £31,000 The eccentric, characterful and deftly brilliant Morgan is a three-wheeled testament to English creativity Caterham Seven From £31,000 The sweet spot in the revised range, its remapped 2.0 Duratec providing just the right level of performance. Ariel Atom 3.5R From £64,000 Everything learnt by Ariel during the past decade has been poured into this update. It shows. Sublime. Zenos E10 From £24,995 The latest in a line of British mid-engined marvels. Earns its stripes immediately. Expect a dedicated following.…