Innholdsfortegnelse for September 30, 2020 i Autocar

Peugeot’s new Sport Engineered division has unveiled the 508 PSE as the brand’s most powerful production car yet. As the first in a line of hybridised performance models to be sold under the PSE banner, the hot new 508 acts as a “technological showcase”. It also arrives as Peugeot gears up to make its landmark return to top-flight motorsport with a Le Mans Hypercar entry in 2022. The 508 PSE production car is available in both saloon and estate guises and holds predominantly true to the aggressively styled concept of the 2019 Geneva motor show. Its bright-green exterior accents and brake calipers are a nod to its electrified underpinnings and – together with bespoke 20in performance alloy wheels, aerodynamically enhancing front winglets, a gloss-black diffuser and black contrasting trim details…

Polestar will put its Precept concept into production – and brand boss Thomas Ingenlath has said that the positive public reaction to the electric grand tourer was a key influence on the decision. The four-door concept was unveiled earlier this year as a showcase for the ambitions of Volvo’s new sporting sibling brand, both in terms of its design and its use of innovative sustainable materials. These include flax-based composites that cut weight by up to 50% and achieve a reduction in plastic weight of up to 80%. The Precept’s interior also uses materials such as recycled PET bottles, reclaimed fishing nets and recycled cork vinyl. Ingenlath said the Precept will be made at a new facility in China, which Polestar claims will be carbon-neutral and use innovative technologies to…

Dacia’s Sandero and Sandero Stepway superminis have entered their next generation with a new platform, an updated design and revised engines. The Romanian-produced Sandero, one of Europe’s most affordable and best-selling cars, has been redesigned to offer “more modernity, roominess and versatility”. Along with revamped front- and rear-end styling featuring new Y-shaped LED signatures, the hatchback’s roofline has been lowered by 1cm, its track widened and its wheels made to sit flush with their arches. The ruggedly styled Stepway variant sits 41mm higher than the standard car, courtesy of its larger tyres, and features off-road-inspired styling elements including flared wheel arches, roof bars, plastic body cladding and body-coloured skidplates at its front and rear ends. Dacia has also overhauled its Logan saloon, but that won’t be sold in the UK.…

Renault’s tiny Alpine brand is likely to undergo significant expansion, despite the mass-market French car firm making significant cutbacks in the wake of the global pandemic. Even though Alpine sold just 4400 examples of its aluminium mid-engined A110 sports car in 2019, a leaked internal memo suggests that new Renault boss Luca de Meo wants the Alpine line-up to expand and even move into a “series of small electric cars”. The memo, reported by Bloomberg, referred to Alpine as having a “Porsche 911 programme”, something that could develop into the brand rolling out a wider range of high-performance variants and limited editions, similar to the way that has characterised the 911 over decades. With lightness at the core of the A110, it seems unlikely that future variants will get engines…

Polestar, Volvo’s EV spin-off brand, has detailed the lifetime climate impact of its new 2 fastback – claiming it’s “spearheading a movement for transparency throughout the automotive industry”. As well as detailing the energy and CO2 produced in the manufacture of the 2 compared with a petrol-engined Volvo XC40, Polestar said it is planning to reveal more about the wider environmental impact of building electric vehicles. Company boss Thomas Ingenlath said: “Car manufacturers have not been clear in the past with consumers on the environmental impact of their products. That’s not good enough. We need to be honest, even if it makes for uncomfortable reading.” The firm’s analysis showed the 2 has a lower environmental impact over its lifetime than a petrol-engined XC40, but it also stated that “going green…

This latest addition to MG’s range is important for two reasons: primarily because it’s the first electric estate car to go on sale in Europe and second because it will be key in helping the brand to hit its target of 50% plug-in sales in 2021. MG expects 50% of all 5s it sells to go to fleet buyers, with its 0% BIK rating giving it a considerable edge over its non-electric contemporaries, and highlights its 578-litre boot and practical rear seats as incentives for families on a budget to make the landmark shift to electric transport. The 5’s appeal is threatened on first sight by its awkward stance and inelegant lines, adorned with chrome embellishments that err towards being excessive and unnecessary. Things aren’t much prettier inside, where lacklustre…

It’s always so tempting, whenever Kia launches a new model, to contemplate just how far this manufacturer of cheap and occasionally not-so-cheerful cars has come over the years. From design and general appeal points of view, it’s light years ahead of where it once was. And with the launch of its new fourth-generation Sorento SUV, things are getting better still. This handsome brute represents quite a step change from the previous Sorento. Not only is it the first model to sit on Kia’s latest mid-size SUV platform, but also it’s available with a hybrid powertrain for the first time and there will be a plug-in hybrid launched later this year. The hybrid tested here mates Kia’s 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a 59bhp electric motor that draws its energy…

MODEL TESTED GT LINE Price £32,915* • Power 134bhp • Torque 192lb ft • 0-60mph 9.5sec • 30-70mph in fourth na • Fuel economy 3.2mpkWh • CO2 emissions 0g/km • 70-0mph 57.5m (damp) Having been the meekest of bit-part players in the emerging electric car market until only a couple of years ago, the PSA Group has lately shown itself to be very serious indeed about a battery-powered future. It recently announced its first dedicated EV-only model architecture, the eVMP, which is due to sire its first production car within three years. Until then, the roll-out of what we might think of as the group’s advance wave of compact electric vehicles continues. From the DS 3 Crossback E-Tense to the Vauxhall Corsa-e, we’ve seen and tested several of its members already.…

VERDICT While it clearly had the potential to appeal to a wider audience than most electric cars, the Peugeot e-2008 feels a bit held back by the one-size-fits-all EV strategy adopted by the PSA Group. If there had been greater modularity about Peugeot’s new battery-electric-car toolkit and it could have lavished just 10% or 20% more power and range on this car, it would have given the product planners at Kia, Hyundai, Volkswagen and elsewhere a great deal of pause for thought. As it is, an average real-world range of just under 150 miles and performance that barely escapes the ordinary makes the e-2008 just a little too easy to dismiss. The rest of the package certainly deserved better, because this car is practical, comfortable and dynamically decent enough to…

Toyota scores a third at Le Mans Toyota won a third consecutive Le Mans 24 Hours the weekend before last. The TS050 Hybrid of Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Brendon Hartley dominated after a turbo unit failure cost the sister car of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López seven laps. It was the final Le Mans for the TS050 before the top LMP1 class is replaced by the new Le Mans Hypercar class next year. Another win for United The United Autosports squad owned by McLaren racing boss Zak Brown won in second-tier LMP2, with an Oreca-Gibson driven by Paul di Resta, Filipe Albuquerque and Phil Hanson. Aston dominates GTE Aston Martin scored a double victory at Le Mans, thanks to its Vantage GTE. The works car of…

CHANGEOVER REPORT WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Renault’s latest supermini duo can unseat the Ford Fiesta as the UK’s favourite small car, petrol or otherwise When you find yourself really clicking with a car, the day you have to hand back the keys seems to come around that much faster. This has proven doubly true for me with the latest Clio, which has slotted so seamlessly into my life, even if the effects of lockdown meant it accrued relatively few miles. I chalk this up partly to matching the typical supermini owner profile: young(ish), with a small family, modest budget and fairly short commute. Or, at the moment, no commute at all. The kind of driver who appreciates how easy a small car is to park (particularly with…

MILEAGE 3488 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT Is it good enough to be considered a credible flagship fast Ford hatchback? This is the report where I talk about the reasons you might deploy to explain to a significant other why dropping 30 grand on a Ford Focus is, in fact, and perhaps despite some purely superficial evidence to the contrary, an idea touched by genius. Phrases not to mention during this conversation include ‘limited-slip differential’, ‘more torque than the Focus RS’ and ‘exquisite lift-off oversteer’. Instead, we’ll take it London, droning down the 50mph speed limit formerly known as the M4, park it in a ridiculously cramped underground car park and then take two hours to do three miles. Forget it being quicker to walk. On my journey from the West…

Jeep Grand Cherokee A huge thanks to Sérgio in Portugal, who sent me this: “Here’s my latest banger toy. This one is a late-1999 WJ and not the most capable; it has no differential lock nor four-wheel drive, and it’s not really high enough. The transfer case needs work (chain replacement) but the seller was terrified of the repairs it might need, so I got it for €4000 [£3660] – half what it’s worth – with 103,000 miles. It’s already LPG-converted and mostly just needed sensors and relays. The paint is shedding its clear coat, too. Loads of fun as a daily, though.”…

Volkswagen Golf VR6 £9995 Looking back, the third-generation Volkswagen Golf pales in comparison with its formidable Mk1 and Mk2 predecessors. As a result, the sporty VR6 range-topper has never enjoyed quite the same cult status as those iconic GTI models. It seems, though, that the often overlooked hot hatchback’s time in the limelight has arrived, with this low-mileage 1997 example asking a cool £9995. And why not? The 2.8-litre six-cylinder engine in its snout gave the Golf 172bhp to play with, making it good for 0-62mph in 7.4sec, and fewer than 500 standard UK examples remain on the road, so it’s a rare sight these days.…

You would have to have a pretty stony demeanour not to feel at least some affection for the second-generation Fiat Panda. Representing a huge leap forwards in terms of styling, technology and drivability over its iconic forebear (which, if you can believe it, was still being made right up until 2003), the Panda was, in its various guises, an off-roader, a city runaround and a hot hatch. More importantly, the whole model range was and remains wonderfully accessible – and not just in terms of the seating. Just £500 these days gets you into a 2005 base-spec car with the naturally aspirated 53bhp 1.1-litre engine, or you could splurge £2000 on the fan-favourite 4x4 model. Even the cleanest examples of the 100HP hot hatch, which offers more dynamic thrills than…

“A limited-slip differential works alongside a torque-vectoring system to minimise understeer” Ford has bolstered its line-up of performance models with the addition of the Puma ST, the brand’s first European-market SUV to gain a dedicated performance range-topper. Priced from £28,495 and available to order now, the hot Puma is the fourth entry into the ST range in Europe, joining similarly conceived versions of the Focus hatchback, Focus estate and Fiesta supermini, and is significantly reworked from the standard Puma that went on sale earlier this year. The mild-hybrid 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine has been swapped out for the 1.5-litre turbo unit used in the Fiesta ST. This engine’s power output is unchanged, at 197bhp – 46bhp more than is made by the most potent Puma currently available. However, torque…

Volkswagen has unveiled the ID 4 and said that the new SUV represents a “milestone” as the first model in its electric ID range that will be offered globally. The new car will go on sale in Europe later this year and, unlike the recently launched ID 3 hatchback, will also be built and sold in China and the US. Volkswagen is aiming to sell 1.5 million electric cars per year by 2025 and estimates that the ID 4 will account for a third of that total. Based on the same MEB electric platform used for the ID 3, the ID 4 will eventually be offered in both rear- and four-wheel-drive forms, with four different power outputs and two choices of battery capacity. A range-topping hot ID 4 GTX with…

AUDI HAS INTRODUCED a new Sportback variant of the Q5 that has a more coupé-style profile than the standard SUV as well as a raft of bespoke design features. Aside from the new-look silhouette, the front end receives a different grille with a honeycomb-style design – which Audi claims brings it into line with its S performance models – and unique air intakes in the lower bumper. At the side, the lower body line has been pulled up to make the car appear visually longer, and a set of 21in Sportback-specific alloy wheels have been added as an option. The OLED rear lights, which protrude slightly further than on the standard car to increase the Sportback’s overall length by 7mm, offer three different light signatures and they illuminate automatically if…

RENAULT WILL BRING its Arkana to Western Europe next year in response to continued demand for SUVs. The coupé-SUV sits on the brand’s new CMF-B platform, as used by the Clio and Captur, and uses a range of electrified petrol engines, including a 1.6-litre hybrid and a pair of 1.3-litre turbo units featuring 12V mild-hybrid technology. UK deliveries are due to begin in September 2021, with pricing due nearer that time. Although coupé-styled, the Arkana features an SUV-like ground clearance of 190mm, plus rugged front and rear skidplates and wheel arches. Inside, it has a dashboard featuring a 4.2in, 7.0in or 10.2in digital instrument display beside a 7.0in or 9.3in infotainment touchscreen. Boot capacity is 513 litres, although this is reduced to 438 litres on the full hybrid. Like its…

THE NEW BMW 4 SERIES Convertible features a switch to a folding soft-top and has gained a new 369bhp four-wheel-drive range-topper. The drop-top four-seater is the latest addition to the second-generation 4 Series range, following the launch of the Coupé and hot M4 variant, and shares the same controversial front-end styling that features an enlarged kidney grille. First UK deliveries are due in March next year, with prices starting from £45,195. Whereas the previous convertible 4 Series used a folding hard-top, the new version features a cloth roof. It’s the first compact executive BMW convertible to do so since the E46-generation 3 Series Convertible ended production in 2006. That brings it in line with the latest 2 Series and 8 Series convertibles and matches the rival Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz…

Volkswagen said production of both its ID 3 and new ID 4 electric cars is effectively carbon-neutral, because of a huge investment in its Zwickau factory, where both models are made. The German plant is powered entirely by hydroelectric, wind and solar power, heating from the on-site powerplant is provided by natural gas and VW said it has minimised energy consumption in key areas. But there’s a difference between ‘carbon-neutral’ production and ‘zero-carbon’ production, and VW notes that with the ID 3 and ID 4, it “compensates for unavoidable emissions through climate protection projects”. As with the Polestar 2, the lifetime carbon footprint of VW’s ID models depends on where the power comes from to charge them, with the firm claiming they’re ‘net-CO2-neutral’ if powered entirely by renewable energy.…

This latest Special Series McLaren ‘Longtail’ model, the new 765LT, comes at what feels like a pivotal time. With the firm due to start making its own carbonfibre chassis tubs very soon, and almost ready to usher in plug-in hybrid powertrain technology for its series-production models, it feels as if a new, second era is about to start for the Woking-based company – assuming the ship can survive the long, dark night before the dawn. Before all that, though, McLaren Automotive has given us something of an explosive celebration of its current era; a yardstick, if you like, by which we might measure just how far it has developed in its first decade of continuous car production. The 765LT is the third instalment in the firm’s modern Longtail lineage. It’s…

It’s an obvious move – one we’ve often discussed here at Autocar – yet it has still taken Volkswagen almost 13 years to bring the dynamic appeal of its R performance car division to the Tiguan line-up. There have been R styling lines for the Tiguan, of course. But with a 316bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol, used by the Golf R and T-Roc R, a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and 4Motion four-wheel drive with torque vectoring on the rear axle, the new Tiguan R is easily the most powerful and technically advanced variant of VW’s best-selling SUV yet. Visual differentiation from the rest of the facelifted Mk2 Tiguan line-up includes a uniquely styled front bumper and other exterior elements featuring design cues similar to those seen on other R models. The…

Lexus has refreshed the LC ‘concept car made real’ and is now offering its Porsche 911 rival with a folding canvas roof, which is expected to prove more popular than the elegant fixed-head. The basic 2+2 layout is the same as that of the coupé introduced in 2017. Either a naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 with an unchanged 457bhp or a less powerful 3.5-litre V6 hybrid motor drives the rear wheels alone. In the case of Sport+ specification tested here (add £5850 to the £90,775 base price of the V8), Lexus also fits a Torsen rear differential to aid the Michelin Super Sport tyres, which replace the unloved old run-flats but are wrapped around the same unmissable 21in forged alloys. Downstream of the engine, the transmission still has no fewer than…

1 KIA E-NIRO 3 The best-value family EV there is. It offers great range, plenty of space and a commendable drive, and all at the right price. 2 NISSAN LEAF E+ N-TEC A bigger battery and price cut puts Nissan’s EV back in at the class’s sharp end. Its charging maximum is just 50kW, though. 3 KIA SOUL EV FIRST EDITION Looks a tad pricey until the model range is fleshed out a bit but has alternative style, while its range and usability provide substance. 4 PEUGEOT E-2008 GT LINE Lacks the performance and range to cut it with the best of the field but is desirable and dynamically competent enough. 5 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC 39KWH PREMIUM You get the smaller-batteried version for e-2008 money, and it’s much the poorer Kona EV.…

Andrew spins a superb yarn but also, I have to say, an unsurprising one. The cars you’ve just read about are mid-engined Porsches. Of course they are going to be fabulous to drive when boiled down to basic dynamics. And yet not everyone has £70,000 to hand, so what exactly is the ‘feelgood factor’ that the 718 Caymans deliver so squarely, and where can you find it further down the food chain? First, the ‘what’. Feelgood factor can be defined as either the broader automotive experience or something specific within it that makes you smile, outwardly or otherwise. It’s literally that simple. This could be the endearing demeanour of a certain car (Citroën 2CV, Honda E) or it might be sentimental (your parents’ old BMW 323i, now yours), but today…

Whenever we enthusiasts talk about special cars, we seem to concentrate first on what it is and what it costs. Only after we’ve found and financed the car of our dreams do we come to the biggest question of all: what on earth made us buy this machine in the first place? Naked, long-held desire is the major driver, of course, but where does that come from? For the dozen or so people who run Bell Sport & Classic – a kind of outer-London nirvana for buyers and lovers of the world’s greatest cars – the answer has always been obvious. People buy special cars for the life experiences they provide: great driving, supremely enjoyable travel to destinations that suit cars of this type, plus the chance to mix with…

A brand-new rallying demonstration event, the Historic Rally Festival, is to go ahead as planned next month, giving British rally fans a rare chance to see some cars in action this season. For fully six months now, spectators at rallies haven’t been permitted. Even though a few relatively low-key events have run since motorsport resumed after the lockdown in July, all have prohibited the public. And excepting rallies due to run at race circuits this winter, the situation is unlikely to change much before next spring at the earliest. That makes the Historic Rally Festival, running in the grounds of the 1000-acre Weston Park in Shropshire, a rare event in the current climate because pre-booked spectators are welcome. The event on Sunday 25 October will also break new ground by…

Is it just me, or has Skoda simply become one of the more aesthetically pleasing brands on the market? This started with the Superb, with the latest version being its most elegant; in fact, swap the badges and you would be hard pressed to pull it out of an Audi and Mercedes ensemble. That brings me to what’s arguably the most attractive Skoda and possibly the most attractive electric SUV yet: the Enyaq iV. Seeing the first picture published in Autocar, I took a double take, just in case it was an ‘Autocar image’. But I was delighted to discover that it really was real. Mainstream EVs have been a little space-age, and while I understand the need to differentiate, the Enyaq has pulled off a masterstroke in remaining modern,…

MILEAGE 3041 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if the magic touch of Volvo’s SUV translates to this compact saloon An amber tortoise (or turtle – I’m not that hot on reptile taxonomy): that’s what first alerted me to the fact that our S60 was having a hybrid hiccup. That and the ‘reduced power message’ that flashed up next to our low-speed orange friend. At almost the same moment, there was a small shudder through the driveline as the electric motor shut down and the petrol engine fired into life. Up until this point, I had been quietly cruising around the M25 on a wave of pure electricity at a gantry-controlled 60mph, still with a comfortable 11 miles of battery range and not a care in the world. Now,…

QUESTION A law firm sent me a message saying I could get £10k back for my 2009 Clio, because Renault breached emissions regulations. Is this a scam? David Symonds, East London ANSWER In June, law firm Harcus Parker claimed up to 1.3 million Nissan and Renault cars built between 2009 and 2018 could be fitted with defeat devices, but Renault told us: “All Groupe Renault vehicles are, and always have been, type-approved in accordance with the laws and regulations for all the countries in which they are sold and aren’t fitted with defeat devices.” If the allegation is proved true, compensation may be in order, but this is a private case that could go on for months, and its outcome isn’t certain. FP QUESTION I’m considering a Renault Zoe as…

Muscle car fans in this country have always been starved of America’s finest V8-powered tyreshredders. Our narrow roads, pricey petrol and grumpy neighbours make these lairy, loud and loutish cars a pain to run, so few people have taken the trouble to import them. Happily, however, that means the examples on offer in our classifieds are usually well cared for and appealingly specified and represent fantastic value relative to comparable European and Japanese machinery. Take the Chevrolet Corvette, for example. We’ll soon be able to order it in right-hand drive for the first time in its 67-year history, but if you can’t wait or don’t have £80,000-plus to spend, it’s older versions you’ll want. We found a one-owner, 2009 C6 Corvette with just 35,500 miles, blemish-free bodywork and a load…

TESLA IS WORKING on a new generation of electric vehicle battery that will provide five times more energy yet cost half as much as existing technology. Company boss Elon Musk said the new battery system, which uses larger cylindrical cells and will be produced in-house, will enable Tesla to launch an “affordable” $25,000 (£19,500) electric car, although he said “serious high-volume production” of it would not be possible until 2022. Tesla has been aiming to produce a battery costing $100 (£77) per kWh, down from around £115-150 per kWh today. The firm is now developing batteries that use continuous cylindrical cells, as opposed to the ‘tabs’ of today. The spiral design makes them cheaper to produce and, Tesla says, enables them to offer five times the energy, 16% more range…

A 1959 ADVERT for the new Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II carried the line: “What makes Rolls-Royce the best car in the world?” Apparently, the answer given by a Rolls-Royce engineer was: “There is really no magic about it – it is merely patient attention to detail.” If the unique front suspension design of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost is any guide, that philosophy is still alive and well more than 60 years later. Rolls-Royce engineers named their new design Planar Suspension, reflecting the feeling that the Ghost is riding on a flat plane. It goes much further than that, though, by tackling the subtle nuances of ride quality that sometimes even the best of premium cars struggle to get right. Ride quality is split into two categories, primary and secondary, which…

Changes have come to AMG’s E63, which we’re testing in estate form – because if you’re going to go big German powerhouse, you might as well go full wagon. A mild exterior makeover includes a new grille, which reduces drag and therefore also wind noise at the front, flatter tail-lights and a reshaped rear bumper and diffuser. New alloy wheel designs complete the outside. Inside comes Mercedes’ latest infotainment system, losing the old rotary wheel and gaining a touchpad on the centre console, plus a new steering wheel with double-stacked horizontal spokes featuring many haptic controls (so, given the central screen is touch-sensitive, there can be up to three ways to adjust one thing). The engine line-up is unchanged, with a base version of the 4.0-litre V8 that we don’t…

You can imagine the engineers at Honda scratching their heads after the meeting with the marketing department. The Civic Type R is still setting the standard and bossing the hot (hyper?) hatch sector but it’s knocking on for three years old and the suits are demanding a mid-life refresh. As a result, the tweaks for the 2020 version are subtle to say the least. There’s a 13%-larger front grille to improve cooling and minor changes to the front and rear bumpers. For those who can’t stomach the Type R’s aggressive look, there will also be a Sportline trim in January next year, with deleted rear wing, smaller 19in alloys and sombre black seat trim. More obvious on the move are the new two-piece ‘floating’ front brake discs that add more…

We all know that there are Porsches and then there are Porsches. One lot are SUVs, big saloons and electric powerhouses, most (but not all) of which we greatly admire; the others are sports cars to which we have far more emotional connection. But even the sports cars sub-divide into those designed by Porsche itself and those that are the work of its Weissach-based Motorsport department. You will know their names: GT2, GT3 and their Mr Hyde RS alter-egos, GT4 and Spyder. And here’s the thing: however good a standard 911 or 718 may be, it’s always a given that, when it comes to the ultimate driving experience, none can come close to a Motorsport car. Except one just did. Porsche’s decision to remove the unworthy turbocharged 2.5-litre flat four…

Earlier this year, for Autocar, I toured Coventry in the company of Damien Kimberley, an authority on the city’s motoring history. Together we recorded the locations of long-dead car manufacturers great and small. It was a fascinating day but one tinged with regret that the city no longer justifies its once-proud moniker, the Detroit of Europe. The story prompted Ian Flynn, inward investment manager at Invest in Warwickshire, to get in touch. Flynn is automotive, advanced engineering and manufacturing lead at this organisation that encourages enterprise in the region. His message was simple: “While many will be unaware of the detail of the past, equally there’s much happening here now that’s unknown to most people. Come and see for yourself.” In fact, barely a week goes by that Autocar doesn’t…

Maserati’s grand five-year product plan was revealed at brain-scrambling speed in a dizzying series of slides. There were new products and bold promises, headlined by a 200mph sports car, a sub-brand for electric motors and a small SUV. It was all hugely ambitious, with bosses vowing to boost sales, add prestige and generally return the brand to greatness. Skip forward to today and little of that product plan, announced at the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Capital Markets Day event in 2018, survives. Neither the sports car, the Alfieri, nor the EV powertrain line, Maserati Blue, ever materialised. In the intervening 24 months, new management has swept in at both FCA and Maserati. A new five-year product plan has been developed for Maserati, and that plan was recently revealed to the world…

When Zak Brown landed in cold and draughty England 30-odd years ago with dreams of becoming a racing driver, he was driven by his deep passion for motorsport rather than anything that really counted – such as a budget, for instance. Nevertheless, the Californian booked himself into a week-long course at Donington Park’s Jim Russell racing school and struck up what turned out to be a defining friendship with his instructor, established racer and Yorkshireman Richard Dean. To Dean’s surprise, Brown refused to leave at the end of the course and ended up sleeping on his sister’s sofa. The guy meant business. The only problem was that it turned out Brown didn’t have what it took to become a professional racing driver. So he changed tack, built up a sports…

COMPARISON Fast Ford face-off Focus ST or Mustang Bullitt: which of these two fastest Fords is best? Andrew Frankel referees INTERVIEW Jenson Button 2009 F1 world champion tells us why he’s now a GT team owner DRIVEN Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Black Series don’t come along often, and when they do… EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Honda Jazz It has always been safe and solid, but is there now added excitement? FIRST DRIVE Mazda MX-30 Mazda’s first electric car intrigues, but there are questions over range SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p64…

MILEAGE 84,635 BMW 320 I apologise for yet another ‘charging battery’ image. The tax-free garage has been penned in for a bit, because there has been scaffolding up and new parking arrangements. This has meant my strict rotation policy when it comes to driving the Baby Shark has been thrown out of kilter. Therefore trickle-charging is on the menu for the least-used vehicles that are currently boxed in. As well as keeping on top of the batteries, the rather modern Golf has been booked in for a service and there are MOT tests to be arranged on the Minis. It’s all go here.…

All this electrification talk may seem like a recent development, but it’s been going on for years. Take the current Mercedes C-Class, which has had up-to-the-minute hybrid and plug-in hybrid alternatives in both petrol and diesel forms throughout its run that used buyers can now take advantage of for as little as £9000. The diesel engine range starts with a 136bhp 1.6-litre in the C200d that has enough poke for most, but the 170bhp 2.1-litre C220d feels a little livelier and comes close to matching the smaller engine for economy and CO2 emissions. The thirstier 204bhp 2.1-litre C250d, while admirably brisk, is harder to recommend, as is the later 245bhp 2.0-litre C300d. Petrol cars kick off with the 156bhp 1.6-litre C180. Then there’s a 184bhp 2.0-litre C200, which is a…

BUGATTI TYPE 59 SPORTS A good deal of money changed hands at London’s Concours of Elegance classic car auction earlier this month, and a large portion of it went on this: a genuine Bugatti Type 59 grand prix racer from 1934. Its unmolested appearance, successful motorsport history and interesting provenance (it was once owned by King Leopold III of Belgium) caused quite a stir when it rolled on to the block, and its £9.535 million sale price made it the most expensive Bugatti yet sold at auction.…

An owner’s view DARYLL DUIKER “I still think that Abarth should have taken the 100HP to make a really fast hot hatch. A 1.4-litre turbo engine would have been awesome, as the atmo unit it has now is fun but, in my opinion, not powerful enough. That’s my dislike, but my likes include traffic-light sprints, the sound (I’ve got an Akrapovic exhaust with a custom backbox) and the go-kart handling. The six-speed gearbox usually needs an overhaul after 100,000 miles, but there’s nothing else to worry about.” Buyer beware… ■ ENGINE Fully Integrated Robotised Engine (Fire) petrols – from the entry 1.1-litre unit up to the 16V 1.4-litre range-topper – are frugal, easy to maintain and punchier than you might think. Head gasket failure is a possibility across the range,…