Innholdsfortegnelse for November 27, 2019 i Autocar

WITH SUV SALES still soaring, car manufacturers are continuing to roll out new versions in all shapes and sizes. Indeed, the covers were whipped off several at last week’s Los Angeles motor show. But don’t forget that other types of car remain hugely popular, including superminis. And it has been a long time since the competition in that segment has been so fierce. The Ford Fiesta, perennially among the UK’s best-sellers, has long been the class benchmark. But it has been narrowly eclipsed as an all-round package by the Seat Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo and, as this week’s road test reveals from page 36, the new Renault Clio is right up there as well. The competition is getting tougher, too, with the new Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa, among other…

Seat has expanded its mobility programme with the reveal of a new e-Scooter electric bike, set to go on sale next year with a UK launch under consideration. It’s the first move into two-wheeled transport for the maker, which also unveiled a two-seat electric quadricycle, called the Minimo, in the spring. The e-Scooter uses a 7kW motor, offering roughly the same power as a 125cc bike, a top speed of 62mph and a 71-mile range. The battery can be removed for charging anywhere in the home.…

THE RM19 IS the latest evolution of the mid-engined Racing Midships sports car that Hyundai’s N division is developing. Originally conceived as a test bed for the performance N division, the car is now scheduled for production in 2021, acting as both a flagship for the N sub-brand and a ‘halo’ model for Hyundai. “The RM platform is a versatile engineering test bed, allowing effective evaluation of various powertrains and performance levels, all on normal roads and environments,” R&D boss Albert Biermann said. “Throughout the evolution of the RM series, our engineers have gained tremendous hands-on knowledge of high-performance vehicle dynamics with various front-to-rear weight distributions coupled with the effects of a fully weighted, high-strength body structure on vehicle performance.” The showroom version will differ significantly from this Veloster-based mule,…

BUGATTI BOSS STEPHAN Winkelmann believes the internal combustion engine will remain the pinnacle of the automotive world for at least the next decade, until legislation forces even his firm towards electrification. An electrified Bugatti would be “the best in the market”, said Winkelmann at the LA show. “[Until that day] I see the internal combustion engine as having a considerable future.” He also poured cold water on the suggestion of an imminent decision on a second model line for Bugatti, claiming the brand first “needed the full support and the decision of the Volkswagen Group supervisory board”. He added: “I hope it will happen and we will speak then. The VW Group has a lot on its plate with developing electrification.” Bugatti announced in LA it will offset its carbon…

MERCEDES-BENZ HAS extended its Maybach line-up with the unveiling of a plush new 550bhp flagship version of the GLS at the Guangzhou motor show in China. The Maybach GLS 600 is scheduled for UK delivery in the first half of 2020 as a rival for the Bentley Bentayga and Range Rover. It features a series of unique styling cues, a mild-hybrid drivetrain and an upgraded interior. Taking many of the styling elements of the Maybach S-Class, it gets details such as a vertical louvre chrome grille, optional two-tone exterior paint and electrically extending running boards. The 5202mm-long model also gets an upgraded interior with nappa leather and unique trim elements. Options include reclining and massaging rear seats and a fridge. The model is available with just one engine at launch:…

Seldom does Autocar give plaudits at the start of an appraisal but, in the case of the new Vauxhall Corsa, we can make an exception. When the PSA Group (owner of Peugeot, Citroën and DS) bought Vauxhall-Opel from General Motors (GM) for £1.9 billion in 2017, the fifth-generation Corsa was on the cusp of validation testing after years of development. In engineering terms, the project wasn’t quite done and dusted but was close to it. A decision was nevertheless made to throw out GM’s underpinnings and instead start afresh with PSA’s modular CMP platform, which can also be found beneath the new Peugeot 208. Why? Because not only would PSA have had to licence the old hardware from GM at some expense but also its own equivalent is simply a…

The premium SUV market is an increasingly crowded one, but that hasn’t stopped Mercedes-Benz from adding yet another high-riding, off-road-flavoured model to its line-up (its eighth, to be precise) in the form of the GLB. As the ‘B’ part of its name suggests, this can be considered a rough-and-tumble version of the B-Class, meaning there’s more than a touch of MPV to this SUV. How much? Well, like the recently refreshed Land Rover Discovery Sport, the GLB seats seven. And unlike its GLC and GLE big brothers, but like the smaller GLA, this latest addition is available in both two and four-wheel-drive guises. Okay, so what have we got? Externally, the GLB looks a little like a shrunken GLS, which means it’s an upright and boxy presence on the road.…

VERDICT If this fifth-generation Clio had swaggered in with a chic look and a deft blend of ride and handling only, it might have been more like the car that long-time fans of the Clio, and of French superminis in general, expected. However, it wouldn’t have been nearly as well equipped to make real commercial progress for its maker as the classy and complete effort that Renault has actually turned out. Where other brands have stuck their heads in the sand, Renault has correctly observed the emerging trends in this class. It has gone to considerable effort to drive up the perceived quality, refinement, drivability and handling composure of its supermini institution to what we might call ‘big car’ levels. And it has succeeded in making it very competitive with…

It’s doubtful Ferrari would consider allowing deposit holders for even the SF90 Stradale to drive an actual Scuderia F1 car, but Mahindra ownership means Pininfarina can offer something to similar effect. Admittedly, a first-generation Formula E car with the wick turned down to hot-hatch power levels poses somewhat less of a health and safety headache for event planners than a 900bhp hybrid F1 missile, but it’s still a rare chance to drive an FIA single-seater at the top of its particular tree. So how does it feel? Surprisingly pure, in short. There’s no power steering, traction control or anti-lock brakes, and with so little steering lock and road-spec tyres easily overwhelmed by the torque, the cars are primed to spin. It’s a characteristic exacerbated by the lack of powertrain noise.…

Citroën has sensationally laid the blame for its withdrawal from the World Rally Championship on Sébastien Ogier following his decision to switch to Toyota. The six-time consecutive champion rejoined Citroën for 2019, but had a tempestuous season as Toyota’s Ott Tänak beat him to the title. The move to axe the programme was expected, but it was thought the PSA Group’s focus on its Formula E attack with DS and forthcoming Peugeot sports car return would be blamed. Instead, the firm said that “without Sébastien Ogier and without any first-class driver available to fight for a world title, Citroën takes the decision to withdraw”. CEO Linda Jackson added: “We obviously have not wished this situation, but could not imagine 2020 without Sébastien.” Rally Australia cancelled Rally Australia, which was set…

Since Liberty Media officially took control of Formula 1 from Bernie Ecclestone in January 2017, the mantra has always been ‘judge us not on what you see now but on what happens in 2021 and beyond’. That date was significant for the simple reason that the current Concorde Agreement – the covenant by which F1 is run – expires at the end of 2020, after which all bets were off in terms of the regulations, governance and finances of the sport. In the interim, there was only a limited opportunity for the new management to have a major influence on the direction F1 was taking. It was still in the slipstream of the Ecclestone era. There have been endless discussions during the past couple of seasons about what that new…

Simon gets it. Greg gets it. I get it, but I’m not sure Max, the photographer, gets it. Too young, I reckon. I’m talking about that feeling of nostalgia triggered by the sight of old die-cast model cars by Corgi, Dinky and Matchbox. I’m surrounded by them here in the Collectors Old Toy Shop in Halifax, owned by Simon Haley, 54. He’s joined by Greg Brooke, 62, a customer and collector who has been coming to the shop for 27 years. “I had one of those and one of those – and one of those!” I, a 59-year-old, can’t help exclaiming as I peer at the shelves and glass cabinets filled with row upon row of the exquisite diecast cars, many of the most valuable ones still in their boxes.…

MILEAGE 317 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if reborn MG’s poster child is as easy to live with as the established names in the class Not one but two swaps this week, as the combustion-engined ZS left us and photographer Olgun Kordal handed me the keys to its electric replacement. It was decided that forcing a snapper to register with public charging networks and still head between remote shoot locations with ample time to spare for electric top-ups constituted cruel and unusual punishment, so I’m picking up MG reporting duties from here on. Not that I’ll have an entirely easy ride, as I have no means with which to charge its 44.5kWh battery at home, but a modest 25-mile daily round-trip commute means a visit to the office car…

Fiat Stilo 1.6 estate Here’s Julian from Balance Motorsport again, because we couldn’t resist his other banger: “It’s a 2003 Fiat Stilo 1.6 estate with electric multi-element glass roof. I paid £800 for it in 2012, have covered 70,000 miles and spent less than £1000 in running costs. The ‘sky window’s’ closure and opening and all other electrics work. The paintwork is pretty terrible now but I think I will get an LPG conversion and a respray. I’ve fallen for its immense practicality and it’s an underrated drive – much better than a Mk4 Volkswagen Golf.” SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO ✉ james@bangernomics.com AND READERS' QUESTIONS TO ✉ autocar@haymarket.com…

Lotus Evora S Price £34,990 Lotus’s mid-engined 2+2 was criticised for being a touch pricey at launch. Interior quality got the wagging finger, too. However, a blast down a favourite road is usually enough to dispel these concerns. The Toyota-sourced 3.6-litre V6 performs well, the car handles precisely and the ride quality is second to none. The supercharged S version (it produces 345bhp for 0-62mph in 4.6sec) with Sport pack and Sport gearbox launched in 2010 is our pick for future classic potential. We found a 2012-reg with 31,000 miles for £34,990.…

Civic Renaissance Experimental is the accepted definition of CRX, the name of Honda’s compact coupé that ran for three generations spanning 1984 to 1998. It’s the Mk2 version that’s under the microscope here. The little 2+2 lasted all too briefly from 1988 to 1991 but made the sort of impression that today sees the best cars command prices approaching £20,000. An example is the immaculate CRX with just 15,000 miles on the clock that made £19,000 at auction recently. Such motors are rare, of course (in fact, with only around 150 CRXs remaining on the roads, the model is rare, full stop). Instead, good, well-cared-for examples with highish mileages can be bought privately for around £6000. Or try your luck at the auctions where, recently, the same figure bagged a…

“It will be powered by Bentley’s W12 engine and produce at least 626bhp and 664lb ft” Bentley is readying an ultra-exclusive model created by its coachbuilding division, Mulliner, and described by insiders as the “ultimate open-cockpit sports tourer”. The model is expected to cost upwards of £1.5 million and will take cues from the EXP 100 GT concept, revealed in July for Bentley’s centenary. As well as echoing the concept’s exterior design, it is likely to use innovative and sustainable materials showcased by the EXP 100 GT – for example, the 5500-year-old naturally felled riverwood. Bentley is hoping the special model will give a nod to its past – the Mulliner division dates from the 1800s – while also demonstrating its future direction, as seen in the EXP 100 GT.…

ITALIAN LUXURY EV manufacturer Automobili Pininfarina has announced plans to launch two new models that will compete with Lamborghini and Bentley. Both will be high-end models but at a fraction of the £2 million price of the 1900bhp Battista hypercar (see p44). The first is described as a luxury utility vehicle (LUV). Its appearance will be heavily influenced by clean, sensuous designs from Pininfarina’s back catalogue. It will be the first more mainstream model to fulfil CEO Michael Perschke’s ambition to take on the world’s luxury car manufacturers. The LUV will be followed by another model, both cars making their debuts before 2025. The pair will share the same EV platform co-developed with Bosch and Bentley and be made in a new facility in Italy. The brand plans to offer…

Tesla has stunned the pick-up truck world with the unveiling of its Cybertruck, the US brand’s long-anticipated first foray into the popular full-sized truck market. The all-electric Cybertruck is the same length (5.87m) as traditional competitors, but that’s where the similarities end. For starters, it features a radical wedge-shaped design that’s unlike anything seen before and, Tesla CEO Elon Musk insists, it isn’t far from production readiness. The Cybertruck’s promised specification is equally stunning. Three powertrain options will be offered, with one, two and three electric motors. The single-motor rear-drive-only version is said to do 0-60mph in 6.5sec, with no quoted battery size but a claimed range of 250 miles. It can also tow 3400kg and has a 1360kg payload. This model is said to cost from $39,900 (roughly £31,000)…

PETROL DIRECT INJECTION (also known as gasoline direct injection, or GDI) is fast becoming the car manufacturer’s best friend. It gives better fuel economy and lower CO2 while improving low-end torque but, like most things, it’s not perfect. GDI engines generate more particulates in number (PN) and mass (PM) than a conventional port-injected engine. One way to fix that is with higher-pressure fuel injection systems. Current GDI systems work at 200 bar but an industry first from Delphi Technologies is a 350-bar system. Delphi, Magneti Marelli and Bosch are all working on future 500-bar systems as well. First, though: what is it about GDI engines that makes them generate more particulates than a conventional port-injected ones? The fuel is identical, so what’s the difference? The traditional method injects a metered…

The forthcoming BMW i4 saloon will feature a 523bhp fully electric powertrain and a range of around 373 miles. The new model is due to go into production in 2021 along with the conventionally powered 4 Series, and BMW says it will “herald a new era of driving pleasure”. The power output is intended to mirror the performance of a V8, and BMW claims a 0-62mph time of around four seconds. The 80kWh battery can be charged at up to 150kW.…

Get used to this: the launch of a new Audi Sport model. The performance arm of Audi is on a quest to double its sales over the next few years, with more models, many of them SUV shaped, and more markets in which to sell them. Audi Sport is hardly small now. A couple of decades ago as Quattro GmbH, it was the maker of a very small number of interesting, all-weather, fast, four-wheel-drive performance cars for those in the know. Now, the range even before this expansion already runs into double figures, with the gravity moving away from fast estates and into super-SUVs. Yet if there is a centre of the Audi Sport brand, it is with this, the RS6. Bespoke R8 aside, it has always felt like the…

You might wonder what ‘Polestar’ actually stands for these days. Admittedly, it’s not obvious. On one hand, Polestar is a stand-alone subsidiary performance brand of Volvo – one currently readying itself to release the 600bhp Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid (see p32), with its three electric motors and an exterior design that combines art deco and Bauhaus, only remixed from the future. Here, you can ignore that Polestar because on the other hand, there’s Polestar Engineered. This trim level represents an even more serious take on the range-topping T8 Twin Engine versions of the S60 saloon and V60 estate, though that terminology is somewhat understating matters. Software tweaks might liberate only 20bhp or so from the 380bhp T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain (transverse 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo for the front axle, with an…

1 SEAT IBIZA 1.0 TSI 95 SE TECHNOLOGY Spanish supermini remains our class favourite for the way it blends snappy handling and impressive refinement. 2 VOLKSWAGEN POLO 1.0 TSI 95 BEATS Very refined and suitably upmarket, if not the most engaging supermini to drive. Still a smart pick in a tough segment. 3 RENAULT CLIO TCE 100 ICONIC Latest Clio knocks the Fiesta down the ranks. The French supermini is not quite as sharp as the Ford but would be easier to live with in the real world. 4 FORD FIESTA 1.0 ECOBOOST TITANIUM On handling alone, the Fiesta is our pick of the supermini range. Average ride refinement is the price you’ll pay, though. 5 MINI ONE CLASSIC 3DR Firm ride, but Mini makes up for this with appealing…

At some as-yet-unannounced time in the not too distant future, a period of time best measured in months rather than years, Bentley will announce that the Mulsanne is finally being put out to pasture. By then it will have been around for 10 years and what Bentley plans to do for a flagship model next is not something to which I am privy. And I’ll miss the Mulsanne. When it came out, I wasn’t so sure about it. To me it looked slightly odd, an uncertain step after the majesty of all those Arnages and Turbo Rs. As the first top-of-the-range Bentley titan to be paid for entirely by Volkswagen money, I guess I was expecting something a little more bold. Yet I know no other car that has settled…

Steve Jobs is taunting me from the grave. I’ve thrown a lot of money his way over the years, starting with his Apple Mac computer through to a G4 Powerbook, MacBook Air and several iPads. And then there is, of course, his range of field telephones. I’ve had a few iPhones, starting with the first one. As with all Apple products, it’s a battle to get years of use out of them before they write themselves off by being out of date. My G4 Powerbook works perfectly well but can’t run the modern OS and therefore can’t support programs. My iPhone 5 I’ve had for a long time but I fear it is near the end. Apple would no doubt like me to buy its new iPhone 11 Pro. It…

In defence of diesel I’d like to be the first to congratulate Mark Tisshaw on a very well written Comment on the proposed diesel ban in Bristol (13 November). I live locally to this city and so we’ve been watching this on the news with total amazement. When will people learn that we rely on this very efficient fuel to do just about everything we require in our lives? Delivering goods to shops, powering fire engines, ambulances, post vans, emergency (hospital) generators, construction equipment, military vehicles, all the world’s sea-going vessels… the list goes on! When we get a suitable fuel as efficient as diesel, I’m sure we’ll change, but that is still a long way off. A ban will only push prices up and more people will buy inefficient…

FINAL REPORT MILEAGE 20,899 WHY WE RAN IT To see if this newest twist on the Range Rover formula is worthy of the badge – and its price Still I can’t put my finger on it: just what is it about the Range Rover Velar that makes people want to find fault with it on first acquaintance? It’s a strange one because, having racked up 10,000 miles quicker than in any other car, I’ve found it to be the most modern and one of the most likeable SUVs of any size or type on the market. Our ‘Why we ran it’ statement, above, is a polite way of putting what that initial perception of the Velar seems to boil down to: that it isn’t a real Land Rover and is…

Ferrari F355 Berlinetta F1 £71,750 It has been a tough year for certain classic exotics, including some Ferraris such as the F355 of 1995-99. At one recent auction, three of the five F355s offered for sale failed to find buyers. The two that did were a 1997 Spider manual with 25,000 miles that made £72,000 and a 1996 Berlinetta manual with 16,000 miles and some sought-after options that fetched £92,000. It’s hard to say why the remaining three failed to sell but the pair that did had been refurbished and were finished in bright colours. Both were also manuals and had low mileage. So what future for this 1999-reg Berlinetta F1 that we found for £71,750? Being finished in Rosso Red with contrasting cream leather interior, it’s off to a…

An owner’s view MATT BUCKNALL “I bought my CRX 1.6 two years ago. The previous owner, its second, had owned it for 24 years and stuck it in a garage for 10 of them. He Waxoyled the underside and looked after it really well. Today, it’s got a few small rust patches that are typical for the model, but nothing serious such as bubbling on the wings. When you see that, you know that on the other side rust has really taken a hold. Replacement trim is very hard to find now but mechanical bits, filters and gaskets are easy enough. As long as you look after it, a good CRX is very reliable. Prices are only going one way so buy now – you won’t regret it!” Buyer beware…

No one produces as thorough a judgement on a new car as Autocar. As well as acceleration, braking, fuel economy and noise tests, we carry out benchmark limit-handling tests, setting lap times if appropriate. But we don’t just drive at the track, essential as it is for finding the limits of performance. We also drive on a wide range of roads. Where we have tested more than one model in a range, the rating is for the range overall. Where a model within the range meets our coveted five-star standard, it is highlighted in yellow. » 30-70MPH Indicates overtaking ability through the gears. » 50-70MPH Recorded in top gear (*kickdown with an automatic) and demonstrates flexibility. » FUEL ECONOMY Figures quoted are the average and touring fuel economy as tested.…

KARMA’S SC2 CONCEPT car unveiled at the LA motor show has been created with production intent and will be built should there be demand. Speaking to Autocar at the reveal, lead engineer Ben Marquart said that all the technology in the SC2 was feasible and was an update of hardware found in the California-based marque’s Revero GT and GTS models. The four-wheel-drive concept produces a combined 1085bhp and Marquart said these were “real numbers”. The electric drive tech is said to be similar to that used by Rimac, and allows for precise individual control of each wheel. Karma claims a 0-60mph time of less than two seconds and a range of around 350 miles from a 120kWh battery. Carbon-ceramic brakes, motorsport-inspired pushrod suspension, a torque-vectoring gearbox and an ultrasonic dynamic…

MERCEDES-AMG HAS ALSO revealed its new performance SUV flagship, the GLS 63, at the LA show. Joining the new Maybach version (see p16), which was revealed separately in China, the GLS 63 features the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with mild-hybrid tech as the hot GLE (above). As a result, it has 603bhp, with AMG claiming up to 627lb ft. That’s enough to take the 2.6-tonne seven-seater from rest to 62mph in 4.2sec and on to a top speed of up to 174mph if you opt for the AMG Driver’s Package. The fully variable all-wheel-drive system allows up to 100% of power to come through the rear axle, while multi-mode AMG air suspension with a unique tune for the GLS features three-mode adaptive damping. The flagship SUV benefits from a similar…

THE VISION T is effectively a preview of Hyundai’s next Tucson, which will appear in the second half of next year and is likely to be offered with the plug-in hybrid option that this concept is said to have. The model on the LA show stand was just that: a model, with no interior and no drivetrain beyond a slave electric motor. However, apart from being the seventh in Hyundai’s new series of ‘sensuously sporty’ models, the Vision T carries plenty of visual interest, not least a set of so-called parametric grille shutters. Hyundai has built the shutters into the grille itself and the airflow volume is altered depending on whether the car is running on electric, hybrid or combustion power. Distinctive lighting is another feature, and although the production…

MASERATI HAS STARTED testing the powertrain for its new sports car, due to be unveiled next year, on public roads in a test mule. The firm has released a series of shots of a camouflaged machine, appearing to share elements with the Alfa Romeo 4C, leaving its Modena factory. It says the machine is being used to house a “new powertrain entirely developed and built by Maserati”. The Alfieri concept of 2018 was a front-engined 2+2 coupé, whereas the test mule appears to be a mid-engined two-seater. Although that raises the prospect of the 2020 sports car being an entirely new concept, it’s also possible the car’s engine mounting is simply to test the powertrain’s performance. Maserati has given no details of the powertrain, but said earlier this year that…

LEXUS’S FIRST ELECTRIC production car, the UX 300e, will go on sale in the UK in 2021. The model was revealed at the Guangzhou motor show in China. The electric version of the UX crossover, understood to be based on the electric Toyota C-HR that’s offered in China, features a 201bhp, 221lb ft front-mounted electric motor. Power comes from a 54.3kWh underfloor battery, which enables a claimed range of around 250 miles and charging at up to 50kW. The styling of the regular UX has been largely retained, the only additions being new aerodynamically influenced wheels and the charging port located on the rear pillar where the fuel filler usually is. The 300e features multiple drive modes to manage the powertrain, with paddle shifters to control regenerative braking modes. Lexus…

Israel’s car market is tiny, with just 271,321 sold last year, and the country has absolutely no car industry of its own. Yet the Israeli city of Tel Aviv is fast becoming an automotive hotspot, with major manufacturers racing to establish a presence there. Their interest lies in Tel Aviv’s thriving start-up scene, which is developing both software and hardware that can be applied to the car industry: a notable example is navigation app Waze. Of more than 6000 start-ups in Israel (a number second only to Silicon Valley), around 640 are working on automotive projects – and more are working on technology that could ultimately be applied to the industry. With electrification, autonomy and other developments forcing car makers to look to the tech world for help, there is…

At a glance, and a cursory one at that, it would be easy to dismiss the Polestar 1 as simply a two-door Volvo S90. But there’s more to it than that. Much more. In fact, as m’colleague Mr Matt Prior discovered when he drove one a few months back, it’s arguably one of the most interesting cars of the year. Yet that example was a prototype, quirks and all, whereas the one you see here is the finished article – one of the 1500 that will be hand-built over the next three years. So what’s it like? Well, before we get to that, it’s probably worth a little recap, because there’s quite a lot to talk about with the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1, which blazes the trail for Volvo’s fledgling…

MODEL TESTED TCE 100 ICONIC • Price £16,295 • Power 99bhp • Torque 118lb ft • 0-60mph 11.6sec • 30-70mph in fourth 19.1sec • Fuel economy 46.0mpg • CO2 emissions 99g/km • 70-0mph 60.4m What do you think is the best-selling supermini in Europe? Here in the UK, if we want maturity in a manageably proportioned package, we tend to look to the Volkswagen Polo. And if we want something genuinely good to drive, of late it is the Ford Fiesta, which is nothing short of a sales phenomenon and easily the class dynamic benchmark. But it wasn’t always so. Renault’s track record for delivering hatchbacks that are fun and characterful despite puny horsepower figures stretches back decades and only recently has it been knocked out of the limelight. And then…

In this age of always-on electronic stability control and grip-at-all-costs chassis tuning, mid-range superminis like this Clio gradually seem to go backwards, in some ways, for driver appeal. In other ways, though, and up to the point that most drivers might seek to enjoy them, they’re hugely competent, secure and impressive. The Clio’s handling over-delivers for steering response and handling agility to begin with. Even on modest 16in wheels and on a damp day on Millbrook’s Hill Route, it turned in more keenly than the old Clio might have and had good body control under extremes of lateral load. Traction was strong enough to use all of the engine’s torque on the way out of bends without troubling the ESP too much and to carry plenty of speed. When the…

When was the last time you failed to wrap your head around an unbelievable performance statistic? Or have you become so accustomed to reading silly numbers that it’s now rare for anything to make you stop and think? Personally, not since discovering the McLaren F1 could hit 60mph in 3.2sec – a surreal time recorded by this magazine in 1994 – have I struggled for words. That was, at least, until 37-year-old German engineer Réne Wollmann explained that the Battista – yet another eye-wateringly expensive entry on the rapidly lengthening ‘hypercar’ roster, with deliveries due in 2020 – will almost halve the legendary McLaren’s sprint time courtesy of 1900bhp and 1700lb ft from four electric motors. Admittedly, an FIA World Rallycross Championship Audi A1 will do the same, but this…

It features some of the most spectacular modern single-seat racing cars, the cleverest driver aids and fabulous competition, yet the British Hillclimb Championship remains an underrated gem. The basic ethos of hillclimbing has changed little since it started in the early 20th century: to drive a car as fast as possible up a defined hill. Of course, the hills are now surfaced and mainly on private land rather than public gravel roads, where it all started over 115 years ago. However, closed public roads are still used for competition in Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands. These days, state-of the-art hillclimb single-seaters are purpose-built projectiles rather than the recycled circuit racers that used to be the norm. They’re capable of reaching 60mph from a standing start in little more than…

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DRIVEN All-new Volkswagen Golf It’s the eighth generation of Europe’s favourite family hatch. So what’s changed and what’s stayed the same? We deliver the big verdict FEATURE Mini to Legoland The 10-millionth Mini heads to the spiritual home of all things small FEATURE Inside Japan’s car industry An in-depth look at how Japanese car makers are facing the future EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST MG ZS EV MG’s best-seller gains a keenly priced all-electric variant. We rate it USED BUYING GUIDE BMW M6 Incredible 5.0 V10 didn’t only feature in the M5, it powered this super-coupé too FIRST DRIVE Peugeot 2008 We’ve been impressed with the 208 – now we test its small SUV sibling SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p58…

MILEAGE 8425 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see whether the modern-day Jimny is as worthy as its iconic predecessor Some cars are objectively terrible yet you can’t help loving them: think the previous-generation Land Rover Defender or Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. For the past couple of months, I’ve been living with another boxy off-roader – albeit far smaller – that, I’m convinced, falls into the same category. Where to start? Not on the motorway, that’s for sure. If you’re happy to amble along the nation’s motorways in the slow lane, presuming there is no rain or high winds, then you’ll be fine in the Jimny. But find yourself doing 70mph in the fast lane as a gust of wind passes across the M25 and you’ll be gripping the steering wheel for dear…

MILEAGE 104,718 PORSCHE CAYENNE So we had the full dealership experience at Porsche Cambridge, which was nice. Being caught in an accident-related snarl-up meant I was an hour late, but they were super-professional and booked the Flying Pig in for the recall work. There was free wi-fi and coffee and it was all done and dusted in an hour. They did have a list of extra things they’d love to have done: there were fault codes that would cost a lot of money to look into further and they think the front discs will need seeing to at the next serious service. Nothing we can’t live with.…

Hagrid on wheels is how Autocar’s testers describe this generation of the Audi Q7. It’s hard to disagree, Audi’s once top-of-the-range SUV being big but not beautiful. Capable, too, thanks to its standard-fit, four-wheel-drive system, eight-speed automatic gearbox, air suspension and seven seats. And if you can equate having lots of standard comfort features to being likeable, then the Q7 is, again, a lot like Hagrid. But enough references to bearded giants because the Q7 stands tall and strong enough on its own four alloy wheels (a choice of 19in or 21in, depending on trim). What’s more, it comes to the luxury SUV market offering a unique blend of peerless build quality, restrained but classy styling, decent road manners and stump-pulling diesel power, which, in the 4.2 TDI version, amounts…

TOYOTA MR2 Toyota’s mid-engined two-seater was like a bolt from the blue when it first arrived in 1984. Buyers fell for its mix of compact sporty looks, light weight (it was still very strong, though), kart-like handling and revvy 127bhp 1.6-litre motor with fuel injection and variable intakes. A short-throw five-speed manual gearbox was fitted as standard. Also standard was the way ‘Toyota’ was reflected on the rear window. Very cool. Production of the Mk1 ended in 1989 but a very tidy one registered as late as 1990 made £3640 at auction recently. Elsewhere, one dealer is advertising a “near-perfect” 1988 automatic with 49,000 miles for £6985.…