Innholdsfortegnelse for 27/12/2017 i Autocar

Audi design boss Marc Lichte is eager for the brand to produce a luxury coupé to rival the upcoming BMW 8 Series, but does not believe that market demand is currently strong enough to justify such a model. When asked about Audi’s lack of presence in the segment, Lichte said: “I love the shape of a two-door coupé, but it is also true that the [sales] volumes [for them] are much lower than for four-doors. In the future, who knows? We have many ideas in this direction.” The luxury coupés sector has enjoyed a resurgence with the forthcoming 8 Series, which will go head to head with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé, as well as the new Polestar 1, which will be the first model from Volvo’s new performance sub-brand. Audi…

MAZDA’S NEW SKYACTIV-X engine, which combines the spark ignition combustion of a petrol engine with the compression ignition of a diesel, “will be 20-30% more economical” than an equivalent 2.0 litre, according to the firm’s powertrain manager Eiji Nakai. That’s significantly better than the 14% Autocar achieved in a real-world test with a Mazda prototype, but there’s more development to come before the engine is launched in 2019. The Spark Controlled Compression Ignition engine will cost somewhere between the price of a conventional petrol and a diesel, said Nakai. A number of manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz and General Motors, have been developing compression ignition petrol engines, but Mazda believes it will be first to market. Several breakthroughs were required to enable the engine to switch from the 14.7:1 air-to-fuel mixture of…

“Land Rover’s market share has overtaken Renault and Peugeot. It’s sixth or seventh by sales revenues” The total number of new car registrations in 2017 is expected to be just over 2.5 million, down 5% on the record year of 2016. Given the current economic and political uncertainty, that is a fairly encouraging result, although a further fall of 5% is expected in 2018. From then on, the industry expects the market to stabilise at around 2.4 million registrations per year. Long-term forecasts, meanwhile, are less clear and hinge on the results of Brexit. ALFA ROMEO 2016 market share: 0.18%2017 market share: 0.20% Alfa Romeo has been drinking in the last chance saloon for so long that the place is running dry. The Stelvio is Alfa’s last shot: if that…

This new Ecosport may seem broadly similar to the model it replaces, but it’ll need to have been thoroughly reworked to capitalise on the vast sales potential of the supermini-SUV segment. Indeed, the opening gambit of our road test verdict on the original, put through its paces in 2014, read: “It’s been a long time since a new Ford was as bad as the Ecosport.” It wasn’t a judgment we enjoyed delivering, but the interior felt cheap and, when it came to handling and ride, the car was beset with severe problems. Flat-footed while at the same time lacking grip, its chassis was criminally under-damped, falling well below the often industry-leading standards set by the brand. Ford unsurprisingly sees this as something of a fresh start. The cartoonish looks remain,…

Toyota C-HR “Avant-garde crossover gets everything right – apart from the engine” Power 121bhp Torque na 0-60mph 11.6sec 30-70mph (kickdown) 7.3sec Ave test mpg 48.9 Audi S5 “Broad-batted sports coupé does everything but get its claws into you” Power 349bhp Torque 369lb ft 0-60mph 4.9sec 30-70mph 4.4sec Ave test economy 26.2mpg Peugeot 3008 “In challenging company, the 3008 promises more than it delivers” Power 118bhp Torque 221lb ft 0-60mph 12.0sec 30-70mph 12.1sec Ave test economy 41.6mpg Renault Grand Scenic “Big on showroom appeal but lacks the polish of its main rivals” Power 129bhp Torque 236lb ft 0-60mph 11.4sec 30-70mph 11.3sec Ave test economy 47.3mpg…

Christmas is a time when countless could-be engineering geniuses will spit dummies with excitement when they unwrap their first model car kits. Rumour has it that senior contributing writer Andrew Frankel reacted in a similar vein back in March when he was graced with the sight of his own adult-sized building kit: one completely dismantled Ariel Nomad. More than just giving Frankel a chance to peer at the gubbins of the most fun off-roader on sale, his visit to Ariel’s Somerset base revealed how a low-volume producer of sports cars and motorcycles has dodged the financial ruin of rivals to become a globally respected brand. Against a backdrop of Brexit uncertainty, it was a welcome British success story. As was our scoop that confirmed McLaren’s heavily rumoured three-seat F1 successor.…

Bentley Bentayga Diesel “The most controversial Bentley ever made cleans up. What death of diesel?” Power 429bhp Torque 664lb ft 0-60mph 5.2sec 30-70mph 4.6sec Ave test economy 29.6mpg Land Rover Discovery TD6 HSE Luxury “Divisive looks can’t spoil such a staggeringly capable SUV. Small flaws deny it full marks” Power 254bhp Torque 443lb ft 0-60mph 8.7sec 30-70mph 8.7sec Ave test economy 26.3mpg Honda Civic 1.5 i-VTEC Turbo Sport Plus “It’s all change for the Civic and not just in looks. If only it were more fun in non-Type R form” Power 180bhp Torque 177lb ft 0-60mph 7.8sec 30-70mph 7.0sec Ave test economy 38.9mpg Nissan Micra “The most improved supermini of recent years. Reinvention pushes it near the top of the class” Power 89bhp Torque 103lb ft 0-60mph 12.1sec 30-70mph 11.7sec…

The clue to what Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division does is in the title: it makes special vehicles. And so it was a privilege to spend an evening in June at SVO’s Coventry workshop, taking a sneak peak at the XE SV Project 8 – the quickest, most powerful and, frankly, most bonkers Jaguar yet. Project 8, essentially an XE crossbred with an Aussie V8 Supercar and a Group B rally car, produced 592bhp and sported a 200mph top speed. Although my trip only involved seeing the car silent and static in the SVO workshop for the sake of writing our 28 June cover story, I still felt pretty lucky. And then… I got back to work and discovered that used car editor Alex Robbins had driven a…

Volvo XC60 D4 R-Design AWD “The right product at the right time but lacking the right dynamic finish” Power 188bhp Torque 295 lb ft 0-60mph 8.9sec 30-70mph 8.8sec Ave test economy 39.6mpg Honda Clarity FCV “Honda’s innovative spirit makes a fuel cell future seem more realistic” Power 174bhp Torque 221lb ft 0-60mph 9.0sec 30-70mph 8.3sec Ave test economy 50.6mpg Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI SE Technology “Grown-up supermini shows its rivals how it’s done (in most respects)” Power 94bhp Torque 129lb ft 0-60mph 10.0sec 30-70mph 10.0sec Ave test economy 44.9mpg Mini Countryman Cooper S E ALL4 “Plug-in Mini struggles defiantly but in vain against a difficult brief” Power 221bhp Torque 284lb ft 0-60mph 6.7sec 30-70mph 6.2sec Ave test economy 42.1mpg…

September brought huge news stories, as well as the Frankfurt motor show. What got tongues wagging the most was the unveiling of TVR’s comeback car and the announcement that it would resurrect a legendary name for the marque: Griffith. The 480bhp £90,000 supercar-baiter will kick-start TVR’s resurgence and made big waves in the car world. Then at Frankfurt, Mercedes-AMG revealed the Project One – its Formula 1-engined supercar, which absolutely towered over everything else at this year’s show. Well, almost everything. Something of a surprise hit came from Honda, with its Urban EV – a retro-styled, moderate-range electric car that seemed to capture the hearts and minds of the public and motoring press alike, particularly with its promise of entering production in just two short years. In non-Frankfurt news, we…

BMW 330e iPerformance M Sport “Adept execution of electrification creates an appealing all-rounder” Power 249bhp Torque 310lb ft 0-60mph 6.3sec 30-70mph 5.7sec Ave test economy 40.6mpg Lamborghini Huracán Performante “Breathtaking track makeover brings it close to greatness” Power 630bhp Torque 442lb ft 0-60mph 2.9sec 30-70mph 2.0sec Ave test economy 16.9mpg Lexus LC500 “As soulful as it is stunning, but a much better sports car than GT” Power 471bhp Torque 398lb ft 0-60mph 5.2sec 30-70mph 4.2sec Ave test economy 27.1mpg Honda Civic Type R GT “A sheer delight for enthusiast drivers and their bank balances” Power 316bhp Torque 295lb ft 0-60mph 5.7sec 30-70mph 4.4sec Ave test economy 28.7mpg…

Well, this is odd. We only have two issues to talk about in December. But – and far be it from me to honk the Autocar trumpet – the issues in question are usually our favourite ones of the year. One of them (6 December, honk!) features Britain’s Best Driver’s Car, our annual ‘Handling Day’, in which we name the best sports car of 2017. The other is the Christmas Double Issue (13/20 December, honk! honk!), which has, well, bloomin’ everything, from a steam train to watching an F1 race at Murray Walker’s house. With him, I mean. We didn’t just sneak in while he was out. First things first, though, and that Handling Day. Whenever a Porsche with the letters ‘GT’ in its name turns up, you know everything…

Mercedes design chief Gorden Wagener says “the time of creases is definitely over”. So too, then, is my desire for a CLS (News, 6 December). It’s the blandest-looking Mercedes for a decade. The next A-Class also looks like it has been plucked from the same dreary jelly mould, which is a pity because Mercs were getting really good-looking for a while there. The current C- and S-Class coupés have abundant ‘creases’, which give them a pinched-waist, Coke-bottle style that makes them look cool. And conspicuously not a slab-sided, lardy mess. This impression is startlingly underlined by turning the page of your 6 December mag to be met with the BMW i8 Roadster, which is replete with creases, folds, cuts and swathes and looks sublime. Maybe it’s just me, but if…

MILEAGE 2376 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see what UK buyers are missing by not being sold new cars with factory-fitted – and fuel-sipping – LPG tanks How topical: the government used last month’s budget to remove the fuel duty escalator for LPG-powered cars. The presence of this escalator, no matter how small an impact it would make on the cost of a litre of LPG if enacted, has been highlighted by manufacturers as a reason why they don’t offer the cars with factory-fitted LPG tanks they supply to mainland Europe (in left-hand drive) in right-hand drive for UK buyers, citing uncertainty around the fuel’s price. Will anything change? We’ll have one final report on our Sandero coming soon where we’ll round up the state of the LPG nation in…

Finding my way into the BMW 320si was easier than I expected. That sounds ridiculous, I know – after all, its door handles are self-evident – but such is the ‘those who know’ nature of this car that I half-expected access to be gained by the initiated only, by means of a secret sequence of taps on the door, or a password whispered through the kidney grilles. A secret handshake with the door mirror, perhaps. But no. In fact, there’s very little to give away what makes the 320si so special; that little ‘s’ in its badge means this version of the 3 Series is the one that features a hand-built petrol 2.0-litre four-pot, honed, fettled and then detuned, and installed here in order to homologate it for use in…

An expert’s view ROSS HEATH, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, TIBURON AUTOMOTIVE “I was part of the team that helped conceive and engineer the Coupé. The brief was for a car that was good-looking, well equipped and affordable, and the model was all these. The 2.0-litre is the best and most drivable. The 1.6 is underpowered but easier to insure. The 2.7 V6 was hit hard by the road tax rises from 2007 and is the least appealing. All are well equipped. They’re reliable, too, if well maintained Unfortunately, being so cheap, they attract people who can’t afford to have them serviced. Find a good cheap one, spend a couple of thousand pounds uprating the suspension, brakes and power, and you’ll have a top-value sports car that still turns heads.” Buyer beware……

“The C-Class will receive new engines with added performance” Mercedes-Benz is preparing to launch a facelifted version of its fourth-generation C-Class as part of an extensive range of new and revised models in 2018. The reworked C-Class will lock horns with a new BMW 3 Series and upgraded Audi A4 in a renewed battle for executive class supremacy. It is set to make its premiere in saloon and estate body styles at the Geneva motor show in March, with coupé and cabriolet versions to follow at the New York motor show in April. All four are planned for UK deliveries from July. The C-Class will receive new-generation turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines – all with added performance and reduced emissions. The reworked model will also be offered with…

NISSAN EUROPE’S SALES and marketing boss says the firm isn’t worried by the influx of rivals into the electric vehicle market, pointing to the continued popularity of the Qashqai as proof that it can hold the lead in a market it entered first. Nissan’s Leaf was launched in 2010 and is the world’s bestselling pure-electric car but will face tough competition in coming years with most major manufacturers launching battery-powered machines. However, Philippe Saillard told Autocar that the ongoing success of the Qashqai in the face of the rapid proliferation of SUV rivals was proof that Nissan could hold its ground against the competition. “We invented the crossover concept with the Murano in the USA and the Qashqai in Europe,” said Saillard. “We created a segment that is killing the…

THE NEXT GENERATION of McLaren sportscars, which will arrive from 2019, will use hybrid powertrains and have autonomous driving capability. The core models, the first of which will be a replacement for the 570S, will be based on a new structure that will be an evolution of the current Monocell II architecture. Following the successor to the 570S – which sits upon the lowest ‘Sports Series’ tier on McLaren’s model ladder – each subsequent replacement will use a hybrid powertrain. Given the 720S was launched this year, that Super Series model won’t be hybridised until 2022. “Hybrid design is part of the next platform – it is designed-in from day one rather than having to adapt an existing chassis,” said boss Mike Flewitt. He confirmed that a hybrid powertrain will…

When Porsche first launched a hybrid version of its flagship Panamera saloon, the move seemed token, the sort of gesture that gives you permission to go right on making ‘straight’ petrol V8s. And the cars were rather apologetic in the way they drove, too. Life’s different now. Six months ago, the company heavily revised its Panamera range, improving the powertrains and dropping a selection of plug-in hybrids into a model range now topped by the Turbo S E-Hybrid we test here. Since then, demand has soared: sales of hybrid variants now amount to well over 50% of the Panamera’s UK volume. The question is: how does a contemporary Panamera hybrid go? The statistics are encouraging. In electric mode (a 14kWh battery feeds a 134bhp electric motor), you get acceptable round-town…

You’ve got to hand it to Hyundai: at a time when the hot hatch segment is simmering to a competitive frenzy the likes of which we’ve rarely before witnessed, it decides to wade into the maelstrom for the very first time. Volkswagen’s Golf GTI is the most finessed and compelling it has ever been; Seat has the financial proposition nailed with its now enormously powerful iterations of the Leon Cupra; we’ve just witnessed the introduction of the best Honda Civic Type R in decades; and with the upcoming Mégane, Renault Sport is aiming to follow on from arguably the most finely honed performance car in its illustrious history. And those are merely the front-driven cars. So why now, Hyundai? Hot hatches, after all, are not volume sellers integral to the…

AERO I’ve no idea how the ‘forged composite’ lacquered carbonfibre on the Lamborghini Huracán Performante is made – and, by the way, I don’t want to know either. But it’s gorgeous. Bigger aerofoils just mean you get more of it to gawp at, so let’s go large. MS ENGINE As four-cylinder turbos go, I reckon the Honda Civic Type R’s is brilliant – but not brilliant enough to outshine the new Porsche 911 GT3’s atmospheric flat six, which feels like it might lift your head clean off your shoulders with noise alone above 8000rpm. Wouldn’t mind giving it some of the 720S’s torque, mind you. MS SEATS The new Audi A8’s front seats have six different massage programs, their heaters have three settings and you can make the cushions warmer…

With the Christmas holidays a distant memory, February can be a miserable slog of cold, wet and gloom. Not that you’ll find us complaining about a spot of inclement weather: after all, what better excuse to indulge in a spot of muddy off-roading? We did that several times in February, and in some very different machines. Andrew Frankel had the most comfortable experience, showcasing the Bentley Bentayga Diesel by wafting it through a river and over several other off-road obstacles. Why? Well, because it’s an all-wheel-drive, off-road-capable Bentley. Frankly, it would be daft not to. At the other end of the SUV prestige scale, Matt Prior took to the lanes in the no-frills Suzuki Ignis. And what that car gave up in luxury, comfort and absolute off-road ability, it made…

I seldom cease to be amazed by our own Ben Summerell-Youde, who, when he isn’t being our picture editor or isn’t fixing his Volkswagen Type 25 Syncro – by far the coolest car currently owned by an Autocar staffer – he creates fabulous car renderings. Or ‘Benderings’, as we like to know them here. Some are from scratch, because he be a proper car designer, y’know. Others are predictions of what an upcoming model will look like, based on what little knowledge we’ve gleaned up to that point. And looking back at the cover of the 10 May 2017 issue, and then at the Bentley Continental GT as it arrived several months later, it seems that Ben was bang on form yet again. Sometimes an ‘Autocar image’ and accompanying text…

Vauxhall Crossland X 1.2T 130 Elite “Typically practical and well-priced, but Vauxhall can do better” Power 128bhp Torque 170lb ft 0-60mph 9.8sec 30-70mph 10.3sec Ave test economy 39.9mpg Mercedes E400 Coupé 4Matic AMG Line “Priced, sized, equipped and trimmed well, but not perfect” Power 328bhp Torque 354lb ft 0-60mph 5.6sec 30-70mph 4.9sec Ave test economy 29.6mpg Audi SQ5 “Audi’s mid-sized performance SUV bites off more than it can chew” Power 349bhp Torque 369lb ft 0-60mph 5.5sec 30-70mph 5.0sec Ave test economy 26.6mpg Mazda CX-5 2.2D 150 Sport Nav 2WD “Still moderately left of field but not likeable in greater proportions” Power 148bhp Torque 280lb ft 0-60mph 9.4sec 30-70mph 9.1sec Ave test economy 43.3mpg…

Remembering August immediately leads me – and, I’d wager, many of my colleagues – to recall a small circuit in south Wales, and a couple of days in the company of one of this year’s outstanding performance cars. The Honda Civic Type R was crowned Autocar’s Best Affordable Driver’s Car of 2017 over a couple of days at Llandow circuit, west of Cardiff, and then after an extra day’s testing out on the roads of the Rhondda valley. It rose above the respective challenges of rival hot hatchbacks with greater pedigree, more power, more driven axles, greater pace and more rarefied price positioning, and in doing so it gave us road test types genuine cause for surprise and celebration. Honda beat Ford, Peugeot, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-AMG and others – and…

Audi RS3 Saloon “Maintains all of the RS3’s talents, as well as its weaknesses. Mighty engine, flawed dynamics” Power 394bhp Torque 354lb ft 0-60mph 4.0sec 30-70mph 3.5sec Ave test economy 28.7mpg Hyundai i30 Tourer 1.4 T-GDI PremiumSE “A growing threat to the stalwarts of the estate clan. But it’s got no soul” Power 138bhp Torque 178lb ft 0-60mph 9.5sec 30-70mph 9.7sec Ave test economy 39.2mpg Renault Koleos DCI 175 Signature 4X4 X-Tronic “Bit noisy, bit jiggly, bit disappointing on the inside” Power 175bhp Torque 280lb ft 0-60mph 9.8sec 30-70mph 10.1sec Ave test economy 33.6mpg Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 BITDI 240 R-LINE 4Motion “Signifies VW’s shift from neutral to emotional” Power 237bhp Torque 369lb ft 0-60mph 6.5sec 30-70mph 6.2sec Ave test economy 38.8mpg…

November might have been the year’s busiest, most varied and most interesting month for first drive verdicts. We brought you first impressions of cars as different as the new Suzuki Swift Sport (“a car of pleasingly rude verve”, according to Richard Bremner), the production-spec Nissan Leaf EV (“not just a formidable electric vehicle but a thoroughly decent car full stop”, wrote Jimi Beckwith), the Volvo XC40 (“retains plenty of the ‘U’ in SUV, and I rather like it for that”, said Matt Prior) and the Bentley Continental GT (“they’d like this car to be perceived as, simply, great to drive, and it’s getting darned close” – also Prior). The month’s most important verdict, however, was probably the one Prior delivered on the Jaguar E-Pace, which brought its maker’s SUV model…

MOST EXPENSIVE McLAREN 720S £208,600 CHEAPEST SUZUKI SWIFT 1.0T £14,499 MOST POWERFUL McLAREN 720S 710bhp LEAST POWERFUL NISSAN MICRA IG-T 90 89bhp LARGEST ENGINE LAMBORGHINI HURACAN PERFORMANTE 5204cc SMALLEST ENGINE NISSAN MICRA IG-T 90 898cc FASTEST 0-60MPH McLAREN 720S, LAMBORGHINI HURACAN PERFORMANTE 2.9sec SLOWEST 0-60MPH SMART FORFOUR ED 13.2sec HIGHEST POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO McLAREN 720S 500bhp per tonne MOST TORQUE BENTLEY BENTAYGA DIESEL 664lb ft HIGHEST SPECIFIC OUTPUT McLAREN 720S 178bhp per litre FASTEST DRY HANDLING LAP LAMBORGHINI HURACAN PERFORMANTE 1min 5.3sec ALL-TIME TOP 5 FASTEST WET HANDLING LAP BENTLEY BENTAYGA D 1min 8.3sec ALL-TIME TOP 5 HEAVIEST BENTLEY BENTAYGA DIESEL 2645kg LIGHTEST WESTFIELD SPORT 250 670kg TOTAL PRICE £2,402,322 AVE PRICE £49,027 % WITH FORCED INDUCTION 88…

SPECIAL FEATURE The definitive guide to the cars worth waiting for All you need to know about each and every new car due in the next 12 months – and there are more than 150 of them INTERVIEW Chris Bangle The maverick car designer is back. He tells us about life after BMW FIRST DRIVE New Lexus LS Japan’s most luxurious car is back. Andrew Frankel drives it ROAD TEST Alfa Romeo Stelvio It’s the ‘difficult second album’ for Alfa. Is the Stelvio another Giulia? USED BUYING GUIDE Get a BMW M135i from £12.5k Find out how to buy BMW’s modern-day compact rear-drive hero FIRST DRIVE Mercedes X-Class Now Merc wants to conquer the pickup truck world. We rate its first model SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p30…

MILEAGE 5050 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Charm, usability and simplicity are the C3’s trump cards. We’re finding out how it plays them IT HAS TAKEN me a while to test the C3’s in-built dashcam, largely because I’d written it off as a gimmick. But alongside the fun aspect of Citroën’s ConnectedCam, which is marketed as a way of sharing your journey with friends via social media, there’s another purpose: safety. The RAC reckons three million UK drivers now own a dashcam and 69% of people surveyed thought that having one would be useful if an accident occurred. The ConnectedCam records a 90sec video either side of an impact that the C3 is involved with. In theory, the footage could help with an insurance claim. So how does it work? The…

Bentley Continental GT £23,925 Quite remarkable, isn’t it, that you can now buy a used Bentley Continental GT for less than £25,000? Well, we think so anyway. Granted, they aren’t the best driver’s cars in the world, but a Continental GT’s interior is one of the finest places to be, and letting this car waft you from place to place is an experience that feels way more costly than its price tag might suggest. Make sure you buy a car with a full service history from either a dealer or a specialist (this 50,000-mile, 2005 example we found is one such car), and bear in mind that running costs will still be those of the £110,000 car that the big Bentley was when it was launched in 2003. Ford Focus…

Audi is ditching the ‘Russian doll’ design philosophy it has become synonymous with in order to give upcoming models more defined looks. Like its German rivals Mercedes and BMW, the Ingolstadt car maker’s designers have in recent years employed a technique of consistency across the bulk of its line-up. However, since the launch of the Q2, model designs have become more varied. “This [repetition] design process was used to make Audis more recognisable in newer and emerging markets like China,” explained the company’s chief executive, Rupert Stadler. “Now we are well known in China, we can begin to change this philosophy and give each car its own look.” Design boss Marc Lichte added: “We recognise that there is a place for more differentiation now. Since our cars are in production…

Jeep will follow the launch of the new Wrangler with an all-new Cherokee, its first pick-up and the return of the Grand Wagoneer by 2020, by which point the firm will also offer a plug-in hybrid version of every model in its range. The US brand is the world’s largest SUV maker and is using the launch of its most iconic model, the Wrangler – replaced for the first time since 2006 – as a springboard for further growth towards annual sales of two million, up from 1.4m in 2016. Speaking to Autocar during the Wrangler’s launch at the recent Los Angeles motor show, Jeep boss Mike Manley confirmed the new models due in the next three years, with the period beyond 2020 likely to include the firm’s first electric…

FAST PLUG-IN HYBRIDS AND ELECTRIC CARS VW already has the electric e-Golf and e-Up, as well as Golf and Passat GTE plug-in hybrids, and it is developing the range further. Current hybrids are fitted with a seven-speed DSG transmission with built-in 60bhp electric motor/ generator. Engineers are also working on a ‘GTI’ prototype, called the Golf GTE Performance, where software changes boost acceleration in electric-only mode up to an unlimited speed if the battery is sufficiently charged. An all-new seven-speed DSG transmission, waiting to enter production, can also support full-hybrid drives. PETROL TECHNOLOGY GETS A BOOST The new 128bhp 1.5-litre TSI evo petrol engine is a rework of the existing engine employing advanced and expensive technology to improve fuel economy and emissions. The engine is the first volume-production petrol engine…

The Audi RS4 Avant exists in a rare sphere of fast compact executive estates that comprises only it and the Mercedes-AMG C63 wagon. There’s no BMW M3 estate and, as yet, no sign of an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio with a square back, either. So if you want a fast, smallish dog-carrier, at £60k or so, here you are. Now in its fourth generation, the RS4 also leaves the C63 as the only V8-powered car in this class. Like the RS5 of last year, the new RS4’s engine has been downsized to a 444bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, having disposed of the previous-generation car’s charismatic, naturally aspirated V8. It drives through an eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, to all four wheels, in a body given a bit more chunkiness and cooling and…

Hyundai has big plans and hopes for its N performance brand, so a 3.5-star rating for the i30 N will probably come as a disappointment to the management. It shouldn’t. A 3.5-star car is, after all, ‘a good car’ by our reckoning. And this is one with some clear shortcomings, but its biggest failing is that the commitment evident in its mechanical make-up wasn’t quite matched to the expert chassis tuning it deserved. This is nonetheless a fast, involving and likable driver’s car – and that it offers so much speed, focus and usability for so little outlay is sure to endear it to really keen drivers still further. Among comparable performance cars available for £30,000 and below, we’ve ranked the car in our top five contenders and above the…

As is customary here at Autocar, 2017 began with a comprehensive menu of the new metal set to grace the magazine’s pages over the coming year. And we should take a moment to appreciate the delights duly promised. In store was a new, more athletic Bentley Continental GT, so too a variant of the Mercedes-AMG GT that could – cue raised eyebrows – go up against Porsche’s 911 GT3 RS. The big names kept flowing: Ferrari F12 replacement, Honda Civic Type R, Porsche Panamera, Land Rover Discovery, Lamborghini Aventador S, Lexus LC (you know, the one billed as a ‘people’s LFA’), a reincarnated Alpine… Readers were also given the heads up on Bugatti’s 261mph Chiron, and further down the food chain – but of arguably no less significance – was…

Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel “A multi-talented sporting GT with an unmatched range of abilities” Power 416bhp Torque 627lb ft 0-60mph 3.8sec 30-70mph 4.9sec Ave test economy 31.6 mpg Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet Expensive AMG drop-top is a truly special hardcore treat” Power 503bhp Torque 516lb ft 0-60mph 4.6sec 30-70mph 3.4sec Ave test economy 21.1mpg Tesla Model X 90D “High-rise EV strains under the SUV brief but still feels like a history-maker” Power 416bhp Torque 487lb ft 0-60mph 4.7sec 30-70mph 2.8sec Ave test economy 611Wh/mile Mini Countryman Cooper D “Likeable, practical and keen-handling but short on refinement” Power 148bhp Torque 243lb ft 0-60mph 9.0sec 30-70mph 8.4sec Ave test economy 41.9mpg…

Perhaps I’m biased but, for me, April was the best motoring month of 2017 – if purely for the variety and gravity of the cars we saw and drove. Take the Porsche 911 GT3, for instance: it’s one of a single-figure club of cars to receive five-star verdicts at the hands of our testers. Taking notes from the hugely impressive 911 R, 911 Cup and GT3 RS, Porsche sprinkled just the right amount of magic dust – including the availability of a manual gearbox – to create a truly ferocious driver’s car. And that was just the start of the big hitters. The Elemental RP1 was also put to the test in April and shot to the top of our track car rankings, beating the Vuhl 05, KTM X-Bow and…

uly got off to a flying start with the reveal of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, a car with 690bhp – from just 3.8 litres. We instantly fell in love though we were yet to drive it. “Everything Porsche does is wrapped in a complete, rounded package and honed to guarantee drivability alongside absurd pace,” wrote Matt Prior. “But there’s space for Porsche to let its hair down. Let’s hope it takes it.” We weren’t disappointed. Autocar also delivered an exclusive scoop on the McLaren P15 – “the most extreme car in its history”? Unlike the BP23 hyper-GT we uncovered in March, our story on the P15 revealed that it would be a back-to-basics, pure combustion-engined track-focused monster with around 800bhp, since named Senna. The next-generation Bentley Continental GT also…

Perhaps only May (Porsche 911 GT3, McLaren 720S and Mercedes-AMG GT R, lest we forget) matches October for outright petrol-headed indulgence. Certainly, as a road tester, it was quite a month, commencing with a plug-in hybrid BMW 3 Series of appealing versatility and moving swiftly on to a supercar with a decidedly hypercar-esque turn of pace, a Japanese GT that melded concept car looks with a juicy old-school powertrain and, finally, a hot hatch that was arguably better than any of those cars. We’ll start with the Honda Civic Type R, because of what it represents. For a touch over £30,000, you can’t go much faster, and certainly not with the same level of practicality and gratification. Its chassis was unexpectedly adjustable, its engine wonderfully potent and its single-mindedness refreshing.…

It’s good-looking, handles well and has accurate steering and a decent interior”: an Autocar road tester describing the Hyundai Coupé SIII 2.0 in 2007. A five-star car, then? Alas, no. He criticised the engine for being unwilling to rev but what really got his goat was the price: £17,236. Fortunately, the used car market has the answer to that little problem, as ‘One we found’ (right) shows. The 2007-reg Coupé 2.0 SIII in question is being offered for £2200 and, let’s face it, the seller is likely to accept £2000. That’s a bargain, even if Hyundai’s Click To Buy valuation service gives it an auction price of £1100. It’s a bargain because an SIII is still a good-looking car with a stack of kit, including leather, air-con, a sunroof and…

Land Rover Discovery Sport From £32,400 Seven seats, lots of space, ine on-road handling and Land Rover’s usual off-road capability — plus new-found desirability. Jaguar F-Pace From £34,200 Credible irst SUV effort handles like a proper Jaguar. Deserves a better engine than the entry-level diesel. Skoda Kodiaq From £23,000 Does wonders for the Skoda brand, and brings seven-seater functionality to a new audience. Not as great to drive as some. BMW X3 From £31,300 A close match for the Land Rover in terms of practicality and dynamism but with better engines and equipment levels. Volvo XC60 From £31,300 Refreshing design now made more competitive by Volvo’s recent engine revolution. Not quite as spacious as some…

AUDI A6 | APRIL 2018 Audi’s fifth-gen rival to the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class is due to inherit the same level of self-driving technology as its big brother, the A8. The so-called Traffic Jam Pilot system can take over the driving at speeds of up to 37mph. Price £34,000 (est). JANUARY 2018 Alpina D5 S, Bentley Continental GT, Ford Fiesta Active, Hyundai i30 N, i30 Fastback, Jaguar E-Pace, Jeep Compass (below), Kia Picanto X-Line, Stinger, Sorento update, Land Rover Discovery SVX, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport updates, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport PHEVs, Lexus LS, Maserati Ghibli update, Mercedes-Benz S-Class update, Peugeot 5008 Porsche 911 Carrera T, 911 GT3 Touring, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Seat Arona, Skoda Karoq, Vauxhall Grandland X, Volkswagen Golf SV update, Polo FEBRUARY Audi…