Innholdsfortegnelse for 04/01/2017 i Autocar

How have you been able to improve your existing cars? “The cars are much better screwed together now. It took us time to fine tune the Evora, and the same with the Exige, and the improvements will filter down. It’s very important not to have squeaks or rattles, and we’re improving the attention to detail through the whole design process.” Is this about removing excuses for people not to buy a Lotus? “Absolutely. The quality is great nowadays. The cars feel so much better put together, more handmade with an attention to detail. We want to make high-quality cars that beat everything else [to drive] on a normal road.” How have you funded these improvements? “We did this out of our own cashflow. The whole team understands the focus. We’re…

Bosch has demonstrated an advanced concept car with voice control technology that can understand casual conversation, allowing drivers to speak naturally to control the car, house appliances and other connected devices. Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the so-called human machine interface (HMI) responds to significantly more words and sentences than current voice systems, allowing passengers to issue commands in more natural spoken word. Janine Schlink, one of the concept’s leading designers, said: “You can ask your car to shut the windows at home or show you a recipe for dinner tonight.” HMI is one of several technolog ies on the concept that Bosch says are likely to make production by 2025. Schlink said the HMI system links to the car’s autonomous drive functions and is charged…

MERCEDES-AMG WILL launch a coupé version of the upcoming GT C Roadster in the spring. The GT C coupé will use the uprated, 547bhp twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 from the more powerful of the two roadster models. That means it’s 44bhp more powerful than the GT S and 30bhp less than the GT R. It will be lighter than the roadster, so it should accelerate from 0-62mph in less then the soft-top’s 3.7sec. Pricing will slightly undercut that of the GT C Roadster, which costs £138,565. The model recently spotted testing (right) is an Edition 50, which will be launched this year to celebrate AMG’s 50th birthday. It will come with extra standard kit and bespoke trim.…

BUILDING A BRAND such a Seat — which has its roots in value-for-money vehicles — into something that becomes synonymous with being good value for the (high) quality on offer is a job that requires long-range thinking. One of the most important considerations is what the vehicle will look like in five or even 10 years’ time. Producing vehicles that have aged poorly after five years and then sit at the side of the road for another five years is a good way to prevent your brand image from improving. That’s why, in 2014, PSA Group boss Carlos Tavares declared future cars would be designed to be “as new after three years” as part of a plan to improve residual values. Seat’s approach is not much different but, it’d argue,…

The GLC Coupé is a niche within a niche within a niche. It’s the sleeker-looking crossover version of the GLC SUV, which itself is an off-road-orientated iteration of the C-Class saloon. Its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, meanwhile, is part of the cod-AMG ‘43’ range of Affalterbachlite powerplants engineered but not built at the famous factory of Mercedes’ in-house tuning division. So depending on your perspective, you can see it as a car that neatly cherry-picks the juiciest components from all the conceptual forms it represents – the style of a coupé, the practicality of an estate, the all-terrain ability of an SUV and the response of a sports car – or just a collection of disparate ideas, all lobbed at the wall in the hope that at least some of them…

The Sandero’s jaw-dropping value will always make it worthy of consideration The Dacia Sandero has stoically remained the entry-level point to the new car market since its launch in 2013, and bargain hunters can continue to rejoice: even with some upgrades for this year, it remains the cheapest new car you can buy in the UK. The facelifted model includes reworked front and rear styling, LED daytime running lights, more equipment inside and a new engine, which slots into the bottom of the range as the entry-level option. The 73bhp, naturally aspirated 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol unit is marginally quicker and more fuel efficient than the four-cylinder 1.2 it replaces. It joins the line-up alongside the existing – and more powerful – turbocharged 0.9-litre petrol triple and the 1.4-litre diesel. Spec…

SUVs may be the biggest thing on the road at the moment (in both senses), but the BMW 5 Series sells in such numbers that it remains BMW’s most profitable model. We’ve already driven the new one and what a lovely thing it is, improved in every area from before. Munich’s main focus has been on equipping the 5 Series with the latest technology, both inside and out. It has also adopted the firm’s modular CLAR platform, introduced first on the 7 Series, which is stronger and lighter than before, to the benefit of handling and fuel economy. Inside, the 5 Series’ slight growth means better rear room, helped by a reshaped rear bench with a properly defined central seat. One of the strongest non-mechanical suits of BMWs in recent…

At last — after 14 years of the old model — there’s a new Continental GT, a model that shares its MSB underpinnings with the Panamera. Bentley’s core model was revolutionary when it was launched, but it has fallen behind these days. Expect a racier new look with better proportions yet still the timeless appeal that the original Conti GT exudes. Powertrains will include the all-new 600bhp W12 that’s making its debut in the Bentayga and an updated 4.0-litre petrol V8. There will also be a petrol V6 plug-in hybrid, which will use the set-up that develops 410bhp in today’s Porsche Cayenne plug-in hybrid. Bentley is unlikely to offer a diesel V8 option in the Continental. The handling of all models should be improved by the significant weight reductions planned.…

MERCEDES-BENZ X-CLASS SEPTEMBER Mercedes claims its new pick-up, the new X-Class, is more than a reskinned Nissan Navara and Renault Alaskan, both of which it will be built alongside. Mercedes commercial vehicle boss Volker Mornhinweg said the firm was aiming for “crisp handling” and “a lot of work” had gone into refinement. MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ALL TERRAIN JULY CABRIOLET SEPTEMBER COUPE APRIL The E-Class range is set to gain three new additions in 2017. The Coupé has the greatest significance, bringing with it a more conservative design approach. The Cabriolet will be spun off that model, and the All Terrain is effectively a version of the E-Class Estate with a rugged Audi Allroad-style treatment. MERCEDESBENZ GLA APRIL Minor tweaks for the GLA will bring it in line with the A-Class. Expect…

HONDA CIVIC TYPE R SEPTEMBER Aiming for a ’Ring lap record, the front-drive Type R will go on sale much earlier in the Civic’s lifecycle than it has in the past. HONDA CR-V DECEMBER Volvo XC60 rival gets all-new platform and is now available with turbo engines. HYUNDAI i10 JANUARY Minor facelift for the city car adds a 7.0in infotainment touchscreen. ISUZU D-MAX FEBRUARY Facelifted pick-up truck should be more refined, in line with rivals’ improvements. JAGUAR XF SPORTBRAKE JULY XF estate arrives after a Geneva show debut. Now, where’s the SVR version? KIA NIRO PHEV AUGUST Regular hybrid’s launch to be followed by a more frugal plug-in version. KIA PICANTO APRIL All-new city car to ditch three-door version and boost interior quality.…

WE’VE DRIVEN IT Like many of us this month, the Peugeot 3008 has hit the gym. The popular people-carrier has been transformed into an SUV, but does the driving experience live up to its trendy looks? It sure does. The 1.6 turbo petrol model has a smooth engine that pleasantly complements its stable handling, well-controlled body and soft, largely comfortable ride. Its luxurious, modern interior is even more impressive. Material quality is hugely improved, as is the infotainment system, and an excellent 12.3in digital instrument display is standard. All the seats are comfy and there’s plenty of room.…

The original Discovery, which is 28 years old, has long been at the heart of the Land Rover brand, giving ordinary car buyers a (relatively) affordable car that could be a tough but comfortable, family-oriented off-roader. Now in its fifth generation, this new model gets an altogether less rugged appearance as part of a push upmarket, with a design that’s arguably no longer as distinctive as it once was. Looks aren’t everything, though, and Land Rover promises that the Discovery will be no less capable on rock-strewn paths than its predecessor, and our recent early drive of a prototype in Scotland confirmed that. Despite being bigger inside and out, it’s faster, lighter and more efficient than its predecessor. A bonded aluminium monocoque replaces the heavy old ladder chassis and allows…

We’ve been waiting for the resurgence of the Alpine brand for a long time now. Renault, its owner, has done little with it since 1995, despite coming close to reviving it in 2008 before the credit crunch hit and killed off that idea. There have been a few concepts since — the Mégane-racer-based Alpine A110-50 and the Alpine Celebration at Le Mans — but, realistically, all of Alpine’s heritage dates from before 1995. That history includes sales of more than 30,000 road cars and more than 100 race cars produced. So, finally, the time is here for a proper revival. This new model, heavily based on the Alpine Vision concept revealed early last year, is a pure sports car inspired by previous gems such as the A110 and A160. Rumoured…

Pasted on the transmission tunnel inside Jonny Smith’s Flux Capacitor is a clipping from the 1976 Autocar road test of the Enfield 8000 EV. It reads: “Naturally, with a kerb weight of just a little under 1 ton and only 8bhp to propel it, the Enfield is no candidate for the drag strips.” Even the safest assumptions can be risky in this business. On 16 July last year the 800bhp Flux Capacitor, named after the device that powers Dr Emmett Brown’s DeLorean time machine in Back to the Future, became the fastest street-legal electric vehicle in the world, covering Santa Pod Raceway’s quarter mile in 9.86sec with a terminal speed of 121mph. At 1725mm, the Enfield’s wheelbase is shorter than its owner stands tall, and the car looks like something…

A hybrid crossover promises an ideal mix of practicality and low running costs One of my favourite cars to live with has been a Nissan Qashqai. For six months in 2013-2014, I was the keeper of this most practical of crossovers. And I loved it. The Qashqai did everything we asked of it, and more, without once batting an eyelid. It was almost perfect – but what would such a package be like with a hybrid powertrain instead of the torquey diesel engines favoured by UK buyers? Surely, it would be the ideal combination of practicality and low running costs? Well, I’ve got the chance to find out with this Kia Niro. This is new territory for Kia. For years, it has watched the slow uptake of hybrid and electric…

IF YOUNGSTERS DISMISS the Jazz as an old person’s car, I dread to think what they’d make of the CVT version, the transmission of which is about as highly regarded by the motoring press as a fart in a lift. And yet a large proportion of Jazz sales are of the automatic version. With that in mind, and in the interests of providing good consumer advice, I decided to borrow one from Honda to compare it with our six-speed manual long-termer. I must confess that I have never shared the view that there is something masculine or sporty or even vaguely mechanically efficient about the old-fashioned manual gearbox and its accompanying clutch pedal. It being 2017, I would no more expect to find a manual gearbox in any civilised car…

“At 7500rpm, it’s developing a modest 153lb ft; at 8300rpm, peak power of 237bhp” When most sports car engines are shutting up shop, the Honda S2000’s is opening for business. At around 6000rpm, the VTEC variable valve timing system swaps cam lobes to allow the F20C engine to fill its lungs. At 7500rpm, it’s developing a modest 153lb ft torque; at 8300rpm, peak power of 237bhp, good for 0-62mph in 6.2sec. Finally, at 9000rpm, the shutters come down. Impressive figures but, given the engine’s otherwise relative inactivity at lower revs, also the reason Honda’s roadster dwells in the shadows of more accessible rivals. But if you hanker after the kind of engineering on which Honda’s reputation was built, the S2000 is worth a peek. Prices start at around £5000 for…

“Lotus recognises the benefits an SUV can have in boosting profits” Lotus boss Jean-Marc Gales believes there is a gap in the market for a “lightweight, good-handling SUV” as he plots the revitalised sports car maker’s future model plans. Gales has confirmed that the first Lotus to appear in a next-generation line-up will be a replacement for the Elise in 2020, followed soon after by its more hardcore Exige sibling. A new Evora will complete the new range of sports cars by 2022. By this point, Lotus’s SUV may well be ready for production as a fourth model line, with the Norfolk-based company joining the likes of Porsche, Jaguar, Maserati, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and Bentley in recognising the benefits an SUV can have in boosting profitability. Gales told Autocar…

“Audi is experimenting with drones to transport lightweight parts such as steering wheels” Audi is teaming artificial intelligence with the power of ‘big data’ in a drive to introduce more flexible and 20% more efficient modular assembly factories. Among the innovations that Audi is working on are self-driving carts to move parts around its factories, drones to carry lightweight components, new, ‘human-robot’ production line tools and live data analysis to speed up pressing operations and the despatch of finished cars. “Artificial intelligence marks the birth of an exciting new world of work in the factory,” said Audi production boss Hubert Waltl. “We are digitally merging fragmented processes and thinking beyond the assembly line of today.” The most radical change, if it happens, will be to replace the production line with…

McLaren’s 650S replacement, due to be unveiled in March, will feature dihedral doors that extend into the roof, like those on the iconic F1. A new monocoque, called Monocage II, uses a T-bar-shaped roof structure that allows for the extended dihedral doors, along with a wider entrance and lower sills in order to improve access. Codenamed P14, the 650S replacement is said to weigh 1283kg — 18kg less than the current car — largely thanks to the new “ultra-lightweight” and “immensely rigid” carbonfibre monocoque. McLaren says the structure also gives a lower centre of gravity. McLaren boss Mike Flewitt said: “This is the first time we have replaced a product family. The new Super Series will be a revolutionary leap forwards, both for our brand and the supercar segment.”…

“The back axle shares the torque distribution when the DSC system deems it appropriate” The axe has fallen on a number of Mini’s other oddball ideas (so long, Paceman), so it’s a surprise that the Clubman, the breadvan-aping larger cousin of the hatchback, is still clinging on, given that its shallow pool of buyers is presumably drawn from those dissatisfied with the regular five-door’s boot and apparently unmoved by the taller Countryman. Yet here we are with another variant, and the costliest there is. One suspects the number of Clubman buyers interested in a 228bhp, all-wheel-drive version will be minuscule, but the John Cooper Works (JCW) model is here regardless, starting at £29,345 for the six-speed manual version. As with the hatchback and convertible JCWs, the higher output comes courtesy…

Finding ‘white space’ between the glut of compact crossovers currently on the market has become a preoccupation for many car manufacturers of late. Toyota, though, seems to have found some for the C-HR, an all-new model intended to replace a number of five-door offerings in the firm’s international line-up. The disparate nature of its predecessors (which include conventional hatchbacks as well as a short-lived, oddball mini-MPV, the Urban Cruiser) helps to explain some of the thinking behind the model’s mixed-up looks, designed to combine coupé, hatchback and crossover influences. This approach could hardly be claimed as novel – crossing over conventional vehicle norms being what ‘crossovers’ were always intended to do – and yet, on first inspection, the C-HR seems to do it with more conviction than most. Just as…

WE’VE DRIVEN IT It’s a weird one, the Civic. It has a cool cult following among youths in America but has only ever been seen as a quirky choice in Blighty. Either way, this new one hasn’t changed too much. It’s slightly bigger and more conservative inside, but its essence remains. It just should be more competitive in the market. The petrol engines are two downsized turbocharged VTEC units: 1.0 and 1.5 litres with 127bhp to 180bhp. The 118bhp 1.6 i-DTEC diesel is carried over from the old model. The 1.5 petrol engine offers significantly better performance and driveability than the current, normally aspirated lumps, and there’s refinement and roundedness to the dynamic character that should suit the car’s existing customer base nicely. Unfortunately, it’s no sportier than before, even…

Alfa Romeo has a complicated relationship with those who love the brand and want to see it prosper. For decades, we’ve watched this great, historic company struggle to get its footing, coming perilously close to falling flat on its face at times as it has created often pretty cars that have otherwise lacked the character promised by the Alfa badge. This time, though, prosperity might just be around the corner, thanks to a new SUV called the Stelvio. It’s the second new-generation Alfa after the Giulia saloon (deliveries of which have finally now started) and the one with the greatest sales and profit potential. The Stelvio, if it’s a success, is the precursor to a potential nine-car assault over the next five years that will include a BMW 5 Series…

WE’VE DRIVEN IT This well-built but unspectacular SUV is Audi’s best-selling car, to such a degree that Audi has built an entire factory in Mexico just to manufacture the new model coming this year. Engines include a 2.0-litre diesel with 187bhp and a 2.0-litre petrol unit with 249bhp, plus a range-topping 282bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel due soon after launch. The new Q5 has so much going for it: it’s quiet, comfortable, lovely to sit in and unlikely to cost you too much to run, thanks to competitive fuel economy and emissions and probable strong residual values. Anyone who buys one will do so for one or all of those reasons and not be disappointed with what is a very impressively engineered car. But it’s not much fun to drive, which…

This is the second model in Aston’s ‘second century’ plan after the acclaimed DB11. The all-new sports car will be the replacement for today’s Vantage and it will feature a design heavily inspired by the DB10 created for the James Bond film Spectre. It should be much sportier in nature than its predecessor, too. Aston boss Andy Palmer has described it as “Aston’s race car, the weekend warrior, a track car — much edgier”. ASTON’S GRAND PLAN The DB11 grand tourer has been out for only a few months, but it has been met with great acclaim (we love it) and sales success should follow. It’s one of five new Aston models planned by 2020, spanning three distinct model lines and forming part of a plan to build 7000 cars…

Who doesn’t love a Golf? And Volkswagen knows it. Despite all the VW drama of late, it has had very little impact on the popularity of its ubiquitous hatchback. So VW has taken the evolutionary route with the design of the facelifted version, on sale this spring. The eighth-generation Golf will arrive in 2019, with VW boss Herbert Diess recently describing it to Autocar as “very innovative, a major milestone and with more traditional drivetrains” (as opposed to its planned line-up of electric vehicles). In the meantime, this update will tide customers over, with an upgraded interior and a new 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine. There’s also a focus on technology and connectivity, with gesture control, an updated app system to integrate Apple CarPlay and more, and safety systems such as…

How quickly things progress. This time last year we showed you the F-Pace — Jaguar’s first SUV. Now the I-Pace has come to the fore and looks set to jolt Jaguar’s electric revolution into life when it is revealed in production form late this year. When the concept version of Jaguar’s first EV was launched at the SUV-heavy Los Angeles motor show in November, it was a show-stealer from the moment the covers came off. We expect the I-Pace to go on sale in 2018, and if the reaction to the F-Pace is anything to go by, it’ll be a hit. The I-Pace will be a direct rival to the Tesla Model X, with a 90kWh battery pack providing the necessary punch. Sure, it’s a concept for now, but Jaguar’s…

I was encouraged by the positive noises from Opel-Vauxhall’s Karl-Thomas Neumann, expressing his hope that a production car derived from the GT concept could yet appear (News, 7 December). It is great to see such passion from the engineering and design teams. To make it happen, they ideally need a willing and cash-rich partner, and surely there is only one: SAIC. It already has close ties with GM, and it seems a no-brainer for these two strategic partners to deliver a lightweight rear-wheel drive platform that would underpin an MG as well as the Opel, Vauxha l l and maybe a baby sister to the mighty Corvette. SAIC has recently shut the assembly lines at Longbridge. Perhaps a new sports car venture justifies a bespoke low-volume assembly plant. The UK…

The Tivoli does a fine impression of the multitude of other small SUVs on the market, with its sharp but chunky styling, a slightly raised height and large wheels. It’s standard fodder for the current craze in the motor industry. This means that the Tivoli had a lot to live up to. It needed, in short, to be many things to many people, offering substance to go with its style and flexibility in spades. The small SUV segment is as diverse as it is competitive, and right from the off the Tivoli manages to stand out with its low pricing. It’s not a segment that’s renowned for outstanding cars – even Ford slipped up here with the Ecosport – so Ssangyong had an opportunity to take the market by storm…

The last time the Octavia featured in these pages, I was singing its praises as a consummate all-rounder. And since then it has set about proving my point. First, snapper Will Williams nabbed it for a weekend in Cornwall, a trip from which he returned with a washing machine lodged firmly in the Skoda’s sizeable boot. Will reports that the Skoda was the perfect tool for the trip: fuel economy was distinctly respectable, the automatic gearbox made the inevitable traffic jams a breeze and, of course, the vRS’s gutsy diesel pulled well even with a domestic appliance sequestered within. It was the weekend after Will’s return, though, that really highlighted just what a fantastic jack of all trades the Skoda can be. Sunday morning was one of those crisp late…

An expert’s view TOM GANNON, TGM “I’ve been racing and working on Hondas since 1991. The engines are really well engineered, the S2000’s especially. It’s designed for high revs and a long life. Standard mods don’t yield much, so we go the forced induction route with a supercharger. An HKS or Rotrex supercharger will increase power to around 360-380bhp and torque to 250lb ft. It spans 3000rpm to 9000rpm, making the car much more driveable. The kit costs around £4500 to £5000 supplied and fitted. We also recommend a brake, suspension and clutch upgrade.” Buyer beware… • ENGINE Oil and filter (5W40 fully synthetic) every 9k miles or once a year. When the engine is hot, listen for timing chain tensioner rattle. It can fail at around 75k miles. •…

1 McLaren 570S From £143,000 A supercar-slayer for a new age. Blisteringly fast and exciting, with handling appeal far in advance of its price. 2 Porsche 911 Turbo S From £142,000 Still rules the everyday-use, any-occasion sporting ranks. Practical, easy-going and monstrously quick. 3 BMW i8 From £104,500 If BMW’s plug-in hybrid is what the future of the sports car looks like, we welcome it. Visually, its a knockout. 4 Audi R8 V10 Plus From £134,500 Massive grip and pace, with an engine ready to drown out the apocalypse. Less sweet-handling than the Mk1. 5 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S From £138,000 Soulful, sultry Brit is part sports car, part GT. Wonderful engine, with simple, engaging, old-school handling.…

THE CRUCIAL NEW Volvo XC60 is undergoing cold-weather trials in Sweden ahead of its arrival later this year. The current iteration of the mid-sized SUV has been on sale since 2008, but it remains one of Volvo’s best-selling cars. The XC60 is the third model to undergo wholesale reinvention since Volvo was acquired by Geely, following the successful new XC90 and the S90/V90. Under Geely, Volvo is on a mission to reinvent itself as a true luxury brand and dramatically increase its global sales to 800,000 per year by 2020 — an upswing of almost 300,000 units compared with its current performance. The second-generation XC60’s success is key to that mission, and Volvo is hoping the car’s new platform, improved efficiency and more sophisticated looks and technology will further enhance…

“Virtual reality allows many fit issues to be worked out three years before production” Seat has revealed a raft of new quality control technologies to ensure that its cars are not only more trouble-free when they leave the factory but they also continue to look well made and well finished after a decade on the roads. The Spanish company, which posted profits of £115 million in the first nine months of 2016 (some 11 times greater than in the same period in 2015), opened up its research and development facilities to Autocar last month. The laboratories are based inside Seat’s big Martorell facility, which is situated to the north of Barcelona and builds the Seat Leon, Ibiza and new Ateca SUV. The facility has also been building the Audi Q3…

“The peppy engine pulls remarkably well and has a linear power band” When you scan the spec and see that the Volkswagen Up GTI is powered by a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine producing a meagre (by the standards of this illustrious performance brand today) 114bhp, you might wonder if this baby GTI is a cynical marketing exercise to add a bit of vim to the Up range. But even before you get behind the wheel or chat to the wide-eyed engineers working on the project, VW has a pretty convincing counterargument through a comparison with the first-generation Golf GTI. Demonstrating once again how safety needs have caused modern cars to grow, the Up GTI is, in fact, not far removed from the old Golf: the Up’s 3600mm of length plays 3705mm,…

Did you watch Formula 1 in 2016? A now-retired German called Rosberg won the title over this other fella, Lewis Hamilton, despite being widely acknowledged as not quite as talented. Why? Because he was consistently good. Audi used to struggle to beat its rivals but has upped its game in recent times, slowly chipping away to hone its new models. Its offerings are still rarely the sharpest to drive but are consistently turning into all-round winning packages. The second-generation Q5 is altogether sharper than its predecessor, from the use of Audi’s latest design language through to the engineering underpinning it. Slightly bigger than before and packing a lot of new technology, it has nonetheless shed 90kg thanks to the use of aluminium in the front suspension mountings, front crash structure,…

The Panamera range will get another six models as production is ramped up following the new car’s introduction late last year. Included is a pair of entry-level models: the rear-wheel-drive Panamera (£66,386) and four-wheel-drive Panamera 4 (£69,412). They are joined by a quartet of long-wheelbase four-wheel-drive models: 4 Executive (£76,034), 4 E-Hybrid Executive (£84,838), 4S Executive (£98,672) and Turbo Executive (£122,480). The first batch of Panameras are reaching the UK now, with the Turbo the highlight. It’s plusher inside but has the same grip and pace that made the original model so great to drive. It’s phenomenally quick and generates levels of lateral acceleration seemingly impossible for such a large car.…

AMG may just be the world’s most successful enthusiast sports car brand right now. Once known as a slightly esoteric tuning company, AMG has benefited from a sustained period of investment by its owner, Mercedes-Benz, to the point where it’s likely to have pushed through 80,000 sales in 2016. It’s hard to find any other performance brand with this volume of sales — Porsche excepted — now spread across 48 models, with more to come. There is no surer sign of confidence oozing out of AMG than the announcement of a headline-grabbing hypercar, due in 2018, with the unique proposition of a 1000bhp road-legal hybrid powertrain said to be lifted straight out of the Formula 1 car. Today, AMG’s success is built on two pillars: the performance versions of mainstream…

Chiron’s quad-turbo W16 engine produces 185bhp per litre. With 8.0 litres in total, the final figure stands at 1479bhp. That’s 492bhp more than the Veyron. It has 1179lb ft in total, to give 591lb ft per tonne. That dwarfs even the Ferrari 488 GTB, with a ‘measly’ 211lb ft per tonne from its twin-turbo 3.9-litre V8. It can drink 7.4 single-shot glasses of petrol a second, just beating the consumption rate of an 18-year-old in Magaluf. Flat out, it can empty its 100-litre tank in 9min. Despite its 1995kg weight, the Chiron can cover 0-62mph in under 2.5sec, surge past 124mph four seconds later and hit 186mph in under 13.6sec. The average Chiron owner also has 64 other cars, three helicopters, three jets and a yacht. They will drive their…

‘Made in China’ is a phrase you seem to see written on most goods nowadays, but the faraway People’s Republic has yet to conquer one of the most visible markets of all: the European car market. Geely, owner of Volvo, is looking to change that with a new brand, Lynk&Co, the 01 being the first mainstream Chinese car to go on sale in Europe. It will be launched in China in 2017, with European sales following in 2018. This 01 is claimed to be the most ‘connected’ car yet, being continuously connected to the internet, and owners will be able to control, monitor and lease their cars with their smartphones. Based on the soon-to-be-launched Volvo XC40, the 01 will have a range of engines from Volvo’s family of 2.0-litre fours…

Harder, better, faster, stronger. Aston’s range-topping GT gets more power, sportier suspension and some new trims in one last round of changes before a 2018 replacement. Its reworked 5.9-litre V12 gets 595bhp, 27bhp more than the outgoing car. Torque remains at 465lb ft. Available in coupé and convertible Volante bodystyles, it looks much the same as before but with new carbonfibre aerodynamic features such as a revised front splitter and rear diffuser.…

The Ford Fiesta supermini is the car that just won’t go away, topping UK sales charts for what seems like a billion years. (In reality, it’s eight.) And this new model not only promises more of the same, but it also introduces the Fiesta Active, a crossover-style trim level, and a luxury Vignale spec, both tapping into growing parts of the car market. You’d be forgiven for noticing little difference between the previous generation and this new one, with Ford executives choosing to play it safe — and you can understand why. But the interior has been overhauled, the ride and handling are claimed to be even better than now and there’s a more efficient version of Ford’s popular 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine. Still, the early signs suggest that it will…

Audi S5 Our expert testers pore over every detail of the range-topping A5 derivative Alfa Giulia vs rivals Acid test for Italian exec saloon as it faces Jaguar XE and BMW 3 Series Porsche Macan Turbo Performance Package enhances an already potent SUV Off road all the way Across the width of Britain in a Mercedes G-Class — without taking to the public road SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p34…

With just over 1200 miles on the clock, the Mustang should be fully run in now, but you might be disappointed to learn that it’s not getting a caning. That’s partly because I believe in mechanical sympathy but also to do with the engine’s characteristics. Despite the capacity, it revs freely enough to the 6500rpm red line, but the huge reserves of torque on tap lower down are more fun to exploit. With so much torque, rear-wheel drive and a 53/47% front/rear weight distribution, the V8 Mustang is a little more nose-heavy than some. Add to that the fact that Ford clearly didn’t want to ruin things with over-zealous traction control and it’s possible to get the tail out without trying too hard. Day-to-day driving on a variety of rural…

Practical and potent Audi estate So what’s the next thing we should all be rushing out to buy before everyone else does? Well, that could be an almost unnecessarily fast Audi RS6 in load-carrying Avant shape. This 86,000-mile example from 2003 has had a cambelt, water pump and all the proper servicing done — all of which makes the £10,500 asking price seem pretty reasonable. Compact Citroën cracks the Code The stubby little C2 is an overlooked but charming thing, and here in VTR trim it makes a refreshing change from the more obvious pocket rockets. This 68,000-mile limited-edition Code example from 2007 isn’t exactly hot in performance terms but seems cheap at a very particular £1621, comes from a main dealer and has a whole heap of interesting extras,…

“The chassis lets you know what you can get away with” It’s a horrible cliché to describe a Honda VTEC engine at full chat as ‘shrieking’ or ‘screaming’. It’s also wrong. This isn’t a fearful yelp, it’s a shout – drawn out and filled with rage. A Honda S2000, approaching that mind-boggling 9000rpm red line with its throttle fully open, sounds angry. What is it angry about? Perhaps you aren’t driving it hard enough. It’s no secret that the S2000 loves to be thrashed. But while some love its on-off power delivery, others can’t bear the fact that there’s all the torque of a strimmer lower down. Actually, that’s not fair. While the S2000 doesn’t feel as balls-out quick low down as it does at higher revs, there’s still enough…

1 Volkswagen Up From £8800 VW’s city car is no revolution, just a trademarked effort to beat its rivals on ›inish, re›inement and economy. 2 Hyundai i10 From £8700 The latest i10 prioritises maturity over its former liveliness, but the re›ined result is still a ›irst-rate city car. 3 Suzuki Celerio From £7000 Pleasing to drive, cheap to buy and decent to sit in, the Celerio is a no-nonsense option — and very likeable for it. 4 Fiat Panda From £9400 The Panda may not have quite kept pace with its rivals, but it still sells robust, practical charm better than most. 5 Vauxhall Viva From £8000 A derivative and charisma-free take on the modern city car but not devoid of usability or space. Cabin is decent, too.…

1 Ford Fiesta ST From £17,000 Given the long wait, this could have been a huge anti-climax. It isn’t. Firm ride aside, it’s brilliant. And cheap. 2 Mini Cooper S From £19,000 Came a hair’s breadth from toppling the ST. Arguably the more well-rounded option but not quite as much fun. 4 Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy From £22,000 Massively improved with additional grunt and a sterner chassis. The old Renault Sport magic returns. 4 Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport From £22,000 Easy to live with, easy to enjoy and quick in a straight line, the 208 is the best GTi Peugeot has built in a decade. 5 Audi S1 From £25,000 There’s no denying its raucous attitude, although its price limits the appeal. Easily the most entertaining S-badged…