Innholdsfortegnelse for August 4, 2021 i Autocar

Koa wood veneer The dashboard is finished with an open-pore Koa wood veneer, which, in order to improve sustainability, is finished with just three layers of lacquer, using 90% less lacquer than traditional high-gloss veneers. That also means the natural wood surface can be felt. Koa wood is sourced from sustainably managed forests in Hawaii, and Bentley says that it plants three trees for every one it fells. Lambswool tweed The cabin features several panels made from British wool, which has been used to create a bespoke yarn for Bentley. It is the first production use of the fabric in a vehicle and showcases efforts the firm is making to use sustainable wool more widely in vehicles, including development of a fabric made from a mix of wool and recycled…

Meanwhile, in Britain, EV conversion specialist Electrogenic has revealed its own one-off take on a French classic: the Citroën DS. The DS Électronique swaps its four-cylinder petrol engine for a 120bhp electric motor, which is powered by a 48.5kWh battery, giving around 140 miles of range. Only the absence of exhaust pipes gives away the car’s revised mechanicals, with even the original manual gearbox and ‘self-levelling’ hydropneumatic suspension being retained.…

LITHIUM ION BATTERIES have been around for a long time, but it’s becoming clear that changes in their chemistry and a rethink of the way they’re incorporated into cars will yield major improvements. Volvo’s first-generation battery uses dual layers of standardised modules. The nickel content of the cathode (the nickel-based positive electrode) has been raised and the reliance on cobalt reduced; and work is ongoing to improve the anode (the graphite-based negative electrode) by adding silicon to improve energy density. Volvo hopes these improvements will give its second-generation battery, due in 2024, an energy density significantly above 700Wh per litre. The next step will bring more new materials into play up to pure-lithium anodes – the holy grail in terms of lithium ion battery development. That has so far proved…

Is this the car to save Subaru in the UK? After a disastrous performance in 2020 in which its sales dived 68%, the Japanese firm is clearly looking towards the sixth-generation Outback to steady its operations and provide it with some renewed momentum here. With the adoption of Subaru’s all-new Global Platform (as used by the Forester SUV, making it marginally longer and wider), the changing of every exterior panel and a newly designed interior featuring more contemporary digital functions, Subaru is quietly confident that the new raised estate will provide it with the impetus to at least get it back on a level footing. At the heart of the new Outback is a heavily reworked version of its predecessor’s naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder boxer petrol engine, making 167bhp and…

Volume-brand saloons like the Mazda 6 may no longer be in favour but, because those firms that continue to sell them are having to work that bit harder for their business these days, some of them are becoming really quite tempting value for money. The new Kuro Edition of the 6 illustrates this phenomenon nicely. It uses the middle-sitting of three available petrol engines and is based on the middle-of-three Sport equipment level. It was never in danger of becoming an overpriced irrelevance, then, and it bundles in special paintwork and unique styling tweaks internally and externally for a price that still looks pretty cheap. If you don’t like grey cars on black glossy wheels with black body trim, you might as well read no further, because that’s the only…

The Quattroporte Trofeo has some likeable qualities but, given its notable failings and shortcomings, it’s hard to take seriously priced next to its significantly more enticing German-and British-built rivals, and harder still to recommend. The car has competitive outright performance and a fine engine, as well as limo-level occupant space. In all other respects, though, it is either uncompetitive with class standards or downright poor. It rides fairly comfortably but with questionable refinement; it handles with little or none of the extra agility, purpose or engagement expected of a performance derivative; and for cabin quality, on-board technology and control ergonomics, it falls way short of expectations of any luxury car with a six-figure price. The Trofeo feels like a performance derivative done to deliver a short-term boost to this ageing…

Here’s a question you’ve probably pondered quite a few times before, but it’s one that rewards revisiting. If you can have only one car to do it all, from sticking a smile on your face to shuffling down to the shops and everything in between, what would you choose? For many of us, the quick answer is a fast estate. Melding family-friendly versatility with a ferocious turn of speed, these hot holdalls are the ultimate all-rounders, as comfortable playing the back-road warrior as they are packing in the odd wardrobe or two. In recent years, souped-up SUVs have stolen some of their thunder, but these lightning-quick load-luggers are experiencing a resurgence. This is especially true at the top end of the price and performance pecking order, where a trio of…

I have lived in my estate for 21 years, but while I barely know my neighbours (tip: never get too friendly; it makes complaining about their noise easier), I do know what they drive. When I first moved in, next door but one had a 911. A few years later, the couple behind them got a Ferrari F355 that they eventually sold to fund a new kitchen. Another had a Mercedes C63 AMG estate, a former Mercedes World skidpan demonstrator that sounded like Brian Blessed at full chat. I guarantee, if you look around, you’ll see equally interesting cars where you live. You might want to know how their owners came by them. I certainly wanted to know how my neighbours came by theirs when, almost overnight, the number of…

Malcolm Wilson has been there, seen it and done it all in a rally career spanning more than 40 years. This is a man who rallied through the fabled Group B era, has represented Ford in the World Rally Championship in one shape or form through three decades and experienced the buzz (and stress) of running both Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz in the same team. So what does he really think about his sport’s embrace of hybrid technology from 2022? Wilson is hard to impress. He is from Cumbria, after all. Has it genuinely, honestly got his juices flowing? “Honestly, yeah,” he replies with a smile. “After I went to spectate up in our forest during testing, I was excited, absolutely. There’s no question that it’s rallying’s biggest revolution……

ON SALE 11 AUGUST SPECIAL FEATURE 100 new cars: what’s coming when We run down the most exciting new cars that are due to be launched before the end of 2022, revealing what to buy and when to buy it FEATURE Lada Niva The final edition of a car that has been on sale since 1977 is here. We head off road FIRST DRIVE Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA Stirring super-saloon with yet more power and a sharper focus arrives in the UK EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Porsche 911 GT3 Its predecessor was a five-star car, now the 992 gets the full eight pages MOTORSPORT Fernando Alonso We catch up with the F1 legend on how his return to the sport is going SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p38…

BMW 128ti MILEAGE 9433 LAST SEEN 14.7.21 To me, the heart of any hot hatch is rarely its engine. It should be an enabling device to allow the chassis to shine. But the BMW’s is merely adequate in this regard, with one of the lowest power outputs of its competitor set. It also has a slight low-rev part-throttle boom that can be mildly irritating. It’s better when you give it the beans, staying smooth and sharp up to the redline. AF Mini Convertible MILEAGE 3572 LAST SEEN 28.7.21 As a lover of both roofless driving and hot weather, I’ve been making the absolute most of the Mini lately. Somehow I’ve avoided being caught in the rain or getting bombed by a bird, but I have had one intruder: a dopey…

Thanks to regular reader Anthony who is showing us and even inviting us to buy his Audi S6 in Nogaro Blue, with silver silk nappa leather and Alcantara trim. He says: “I bought it blind from specialist Fontain Audi in 2006. It’s in very good condition, with Audi dealer and specialist history and all clean MOTs. The mileage is 126,000. This colour is very rare, and I believe there are only two or three left. I’m told it will be collectible – what do you think? I’m not aware of any faults, but it is a 20-year-old car! I’m looking for £4250.” SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO james@bangernomics.com AND READERS' QUESTIONS TO autocar@haymarket.com…

HYUNDAI IONIQ 38KWH ELECTRIC PREMIUM £1619 deposit, £269 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year You can have an Ioniq as a hybrid or a PHEV, too, but this is the electric-only model. It is quiet, has a 194-mile range and is practical. The looks aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but the comfort and, in Premium trim, the kit list are. NISSAN LEAF 40KWH ACENTA £1299 deposit, £219 per month, 48 months, 10,000 miles per year The Leaf doesn’t fall far from the tree, so they say, and if the first-gen model showed the family driver with limited pockets how to go electric motoring, this second-gen version does the same, only more so. It’s refined, good to drive and practical. RENAULT ZOE R110 50KWH ICONIC £1792 deposit, £293 per…

Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205 £8250 Built so that Toyota could contest the World Rally Championship from 1987, the Celica GT-Four came in three flavours: ST165, ST185 and, from 1994-1999, ST205. The ST205 was well equipped, like its less potent predecessors, but more focused thanks to features such as a lightweight aluminium bonnet and Toyota’s Super Strut suspension, which offered finer steering. There are a few around, starting at about £3000 for project cars and rising to £17,000 for tidy Japanese imports. Our find is an unmodified 1995 import with 112,000 miles.…

An expert’s view JULIAN ANDERSON, JMA CARS “The Rover 75 is just a more comfortable version of the 75-based MG ZT. The 75’s suspension and seats are softer, there’s more sound-proofing and it sits a little higher. It’s a lovely model, with lots of good-quality chrome trim. Most parts are still available, but although almost 250,000 cars rolled off the production line, they’re becoming scarce as breakers plunder them for their catalytic converters, which fetch good money. My favourite is a 2.5 V6 auto. I have a mate with a Bentley GT, a Jaguar S-Type and a 75. His favourite is the 75. It says all you need to know.” Buyer beware… ■ ENGINE The 1.8 and V6 engines have timing belts, which must be changed at 60,000 and 90,000…

Recently I rode the BMW R 1250 GS motorbike that featured in Steve Cropley’s 30 June column, partly because he was so impressed by it. I’ve read great things about GS models over the years and wondered how good the tech-heavy, archetypal adventure bike had become. Cropley rides more bikes than me, as do bike reviewers (obviously), and it took about five seconds on the GS for that to show. The lower seat height, on what I had always considered to be a bigger bike than my old Honda Africa Twin, was a pleasant surprise at a standstill. But as I tottered out of our office car park on it, I thought: “I don’t like this.” My feet felt too low. The bars were too wide. The ergonomics were all…

29 May 1931 BUGATTI HAS BEEN considering adding a second model line for a long time and told us last year that, if it were to, the firm would create a more practical performance car. This certainly wouldn’t break tradition, as shown by our 1931 drive in a straight-eight Type 46 with Weymann saloon coachwork. “Its tractability of an extreme order, coupled with performance at the other end of the range, is remarkable,” our tester reported. “The big saloon controls as one would expect Bugatti’s fastest models to control, is rock-steady on corners taken really fast and can be steered literally to an inch. “In spite of the stability, it doesn’t ride hard at low speeds. “Altogether, this is a most remarkable motor car, highly satisfying in the easy, purposeful…

“Its platform can house up to three electric motors with a combined output of 800bhp” The seventh-generation BMW 5 Series will bow out after seven years in mid-2023 and its successor will be radically transformed, both technologically and stylistically, as part of BMW’s transition to a maker of electric cars. Most notably, the 5 Series will follow its X3 and 4 Series siblings in being offered with a choice of pure-combustion, hybrid and full-electric powertrains in line with BMW’s ambition to sell seven million plug-in hybrid and pure-electric vehicles by the end of 2030. By the time the new 5 Series goes on sale in 2023, the BMW Group will offer 12 fully electric vehicles globally, including EV versions of the X1 crossover and 7 Series (see separate story, overleaf),…

Bentley will launch the new Flying Spur Hybrid with a limited-edition model that incorporates a number of special features developed from the EXP 100 concept car, designed to showcase the brand’s commitment to new sustainable materials. The recently revealed version of the four-door grand tourer follows the Bentayga Hybrid as the firm’s second plug-in model and is a key step on the Crewe firm’s path to becoming an EV-only brand by 2030 as part of its Beyond 100 strategy. The new Flying Spur Hybrid Odyssean Edition will be limited to around 300 units and serve as the launch version of the new model. It will command a premium of roughly 20% over the standard model’s expected £160,000 price. The special edition will feature the standard powertrain from the new hybrid,…

SKODA REGISTERED THE Elroq name earlier this year, but when asked if it will adorn the firm’s upcoming compact EV, company boss Thomas Schäfer chuckled. “I don’t know. I’m not convinced,” he said. He went on to say: “The naming is the last step and we probably won’t decide in the next 12 months.” Here’s hoping for the revival of the Estelle… WE COULDN’T HELP noticing the new, series-produced Aston Martin Valhalla is set to be on sale for only two years. Does that mean it will already be outdated by 2025? “Not at all,” said CEO Tobias Moers. “But we have a cycle plan and something else will have come along by then.” Intriguing. NEW KID ON the block Genesis is hoping its digitalled-but-still-personable retail model will give it…

Kia’s quirky Soul EV will remain on sale alongside the e-Niro, even as the brand ushers in its new EV-badged family of bespoke electric cars. Boss Paul Philpott told Autocar: “We’ve seen really good demand for Soul EV over the last three months and in fact we’re now looking for more supply, so there’s no plan to delete it from our range.” He acknowledged that it has “always been a bit of a Marmite car” with a “polarising” design, but that it generates positive feedback and loyal custom. He expects that Kia will sell 1000-1200 examples in the UK in 2021, around a tenth of its e-Niro sales.…

Last month, the British government’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it was investigating the long-term exclusive deals between EV charging point provider Electric Highway (recently sold by Ecotricity to Gridserve) and motorway service station operators Extra, Moto and Roadchef. When you exclude Tesla’s Supercharger network, Electric Highway accounts for 80% of all motorway service station charging points in this the UK, and the CMA’s concern is that the lack of competition could mean less provision, less choice and higher prices over the coming years. With new petrol and diesel vehicles set to be banned from sale in 2030 and hybrids due to suffer the same fate five years later, questions are being raised over the readiness of the UK’s charging network to support the mass switchover. A few…

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY High time, I thought, to clock the progress of the ubiquitous Ford Focus, still a UK top-seller. As you know, this model’s life started in 1997 at a level of such distinction that every other rival – and there were a dozen – had to improve or die. We’re into the third generation now, and the Focus doesn’t have the margin it once did, probably because its maker’s eye is now on full European electrification by 2030. Yet it’s still terrific. My car was the 125bhp 1.0-litre ST-Line mild hybrid, with six-speed manual ’box and blessed twist-knob controls for hi-fi and ventilation. Despite what still seems an unfeasibly tiny engine, it feels like it could carry you effortlessly around the world, delivering 50mpg. I’m pleased to see…

Porsche never knowingly misses a chance for a special edition, although this 25th-anniversary version of the Boxster carries plenty of extra special significance. Its inspiration is taken from the original Boxster concept of 1993, a car credited with starting the turnaround of the company that has become the dominant sports car (and SUV maker) of today. The Boxster production car then went on sale in 1996, in case you thought Porsche had misplaced its abacus. The Boxster 25 Years is based on the five-star 718 Boxster GTS 4.0, which is a fine place to start. So fine, in fact, that the changes to this model, limited to 1250 units globally, are solely cosmetic – not that this does anything to dent the appeal of what’s a really nicely specified car.…

As the flagship of Volkswagen’s ID 3 armada, the new Pro S Tour invites buyers to ask a big question: how much are you prepared to pay for extra range? Housed in the flat floor of the family hatchback is a substantial 77kWh battery (the largest of three available in the ID 3), giving it a hefty official range of 336 miles. That’s a substantial and useful increase on the 217 and 263 miles provided by the 45kWh and 58kWh batteries but, predictably, it comes at a cost. The cheapest 45kWh ID 3 will cost you £29,620; by contrast, the Pro S Tour costs £41,400, in part because it sits well above the threshold for the government’s £2500 EV grant. To be clear, that extra cost isn’t all down to…

BENTLEY FLYING SPUR V8 The ruling exotic sporting limousine of the moment. If you’re spending six figures anyway, right now this is how. ALPINA B7 BI-TURBO AWD Quattroporte’s closest notional rival has it beaten on just about every front. It’s rapid, refined, desirable and equally rare, too. PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO S E-HYBRID It makes a pretty good case for a V8-engined, electrified, ultra-modern pseudo-limo. So fast. AUDI S8 VORSPRUNG Range-topping A8 comes laden with technology and brims with class. Not nearly as soulful as the Maserati; still a better car. MERCEDES-BENZ S500 L AMG LINE 4MATIC AMG 63 or Maybach S might have ranked higher (we’ve yet to drive them). This one doesn’t do badly.…

AUDI RS6 AVANT (C6) In many respects the maddest RS6 of them all, thanks to what is essentially a twin-turbocharged version of the Lamborghini Gallardo’s 5.0-litre V10. It unsurprisingly has a voracious appetite for unleaded but delivers a stonking 571bhp and has a high-octane soundtrack to match. One we found A three-owner car with a fully stamped history and 100,000 miles for £16,995. Do you feel lucky? MERCEDES-BENZ E63 AMG ESTATE (W212) For the ultimate AMG V8 experience, seek out one of the rare early W212-generation cars with a popping and crackling naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8. Delivering 520bhp and revving to nearly 8000rpm, it’s one of the internal-combustion greats. One we found A 2010 car with 67,000 miles and mainly Benz dealer stamps in the book looks good value at…

MAUREEN HODGSON Owns Nissan Primera 1.8 Active, 2000, 63,000 miles Cars don’t have to be icons, muscle cars or track weapons to inspire affection. Take my next-door neighbour’s Nissan Primera. It may be old, with a dated interior and some discreet body repairs, but to Maureen it is a loyal companion without compare. “My husband bought it on my advice,” she says. “I liked the servicing package Nissan was offering and I must say, ever since, I have found the dealers to be very helpful.” Maureen has enjoyed some great drives in the Primera, most notably to North Wales and Cornwall: “She’s a delight to drive and very comfortable, and when I ask her to go, she really flies!”…

“Petrol is changing,” according to the government, and many of us will need to pay attention. It’s all about E numbers: never mind which chemicals are in your packet of Angel Delight, it’s the ingredients keeping your car going that you need to know, and the new concoction is called E10. Here’s the E-based backstory. In order to make conventional fuels less bad, it was decided to blend in some renewable content such as biodiesel and ethanol. This is nothing new: it has been going on with petrol and diesel in the UK for the past 10 years. Apparently, blending renewable fuels in this way has contributed to a CO2 emissions reduction equal to taking more than a million cars off the road. The labelling has never been terribly clear,…

Formula E bosses to close loophole The second Formula E race in London ended in controversy after Audi’s Lucas di Grassi jumped from eighth to first by making a pit stop during a safety car period, gaining due to the short pit lane. The Brazilian was penalised for not fully stopping when he pitted and was eventually excluded for failing to serve his drive-through penalty. The FIA is now planning to close the ‘loophole’ that allows drivers to pit when the safety car is deployed. Mercedes FE drivers linked to Williams F1 Mercedes-EQ Formula E racers Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck de Vries have been linked with a move to the Williams Formula 1 team to replace George Russell if he secures a 2022 seat at the Mercedes-AMG team beside Sir…

A member of France’s golden generation of 1970s racing drivers, Jean-Pierre Jaussaud, who died recently aged 84, was a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner. He made 13 starts at the great race between 1966 and 1983, winning for the first time in 1978, when he partnered future Formula 1 ace Didier Pironi in the dominant Alpine-Renault A442B. But it was his second win in 1980 that really cemented his place in French motorsport legend. He and national hero Jean Rondeau prevailed over the Porsche 908 of Jacky Ickx and Reinhold Joest to claim a unique place in Le Mans history, as Rondeau became the first and so far only man to win in a car bearing his own name. Jaussaud also raced single-seaters, including in Formula 1, contesting a…

WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com Dad’s taxi Andrew Frankel’s recent tale about the BMW 128ti university taxi (Our Cars, 7 July) brought back warm memories. As a single parent with no need for a large car, I downsized from an Audi A4 3.0 to an Audi TT 3.2 in the late 2000s. However, university called for my daughter. Andrew’s description of the quantity of chattels and goods that girls can accumulate brought a wry smile to my face. I had been (and continue to be) a long-standing customer of Huddersfield Audi. When the deal for the TT was almost done, I suddenly realised the taxi dilemma. My solution? At the end of each term, I dropped the TT off at the dealership on a Friday and collected an A6 Avant demonstrator. I then…

FINAL REPORT MILEAGE 12,938 WHY WE RAN IT To find out if this plug-in hybrid can eclipse its higher-profile donor model More than 10,000 miles ago, when our time with the Across began, I’ll admit that I didn’t know quite what this long-term test might hold. I’ve reported on SUVs on these pages before; plug-in hybrids, too, as well as several other cars of a comparable price. So this one should have been more of a known quantity for me, but there was something about the confluence of all those factors – on a Suzuki – that threw me. Now that the test has finished, and I’ve gradually driven my way through the mystery and quirkiness of the Across, it’s the way that this car deals with the everyday routine…

QUESTION I have a damaged back and my new Volkswagen T-Cross is causing me pain in my right arm. I’ve looked at rejecting it but apparently my reason isn’t valid. Is this correct? Thomas Dutton, via email ANSWER We asked Ian Ferguson, founder of rejectmycar.com, for his advice. He said: “Rejection would depend on whether Thomas made the dealer aware of a health concern and whether they took action to avoid his discomfort. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 does consider fitness for purpose, so it’s possible that he could leverage something with a medical opinion. The dealer should probably be more sympathetic and take steps to retain him, though.” JE QUESTION Can I get an electric motor for my 2010 Volkswagen Golf, and if so, would conversion be justifiable given…

Our round-up of interesting cars rising in price by increments of £5000 starts with this 1998 Peugeot 106 GTi, with an entirely reasonable 81,000 miles. Its service history starts well but peters out in 2005. From 2012, it was spoiled rotten. Remarkably, it has had no fewer than three timing belt changes. It’s had some welding under the front wheel arches, too. Supposedly, it’s rust-free. On that point, it’s a shame that the underside has been undersealed, since we would liked to have seen it in its exposed state. The interior is described as immaculate, with seats that haven’t aged at all. The 205 GTi is the Peugeot hot hatch that everyone remembers, but the 106 GTi, launched in 1996, was great too. It weighed 950kg, but its 1.6-litre twin-cam…

ECONOMY EXPLAINED Between the various figures produced on the old-style NEDC, transitional NEDC Correlated and new-style WLTP laboratory emissions and fuel economy tests, it has become tricky to compare manufacturers’ claimed efficiency on the latest new cars. When you see a fuel economy and CO2 figure reference elsewhere, it’s often without explanation. So, to provide as fair and clear a basis for comparison as possible, you’ll only ever read WLTP combined fuel economy and CO2 figures in Autocar’s first drive reviews, features and comparison tests – and on these data pages. Those are the aggregated results of four lab tests carried out across as many different cruising speed ranges – although they’re sometimes expressed as a range rather than as one specific figure to show the different results recorded by…

BMW will also go after Mercedes-Benz’s new EQS EV flagship with an electric variant of the new-generation 7 Series, due in 2022. As with the 5 Series EV, the ‘i7’ will sit atop the same architecture as the pure-combustion and PHEV variants and has already been confirmed as “the top, most powerful 7 Series” by BMW boss Oliver Zipse. This implies that the V12-engined M760Li range-topper will be retired at the conclusion of the current car’s life cycle, bringing to an end 45 years of 12-cylinder 7 Series production. Zipse’s comment suggests the i7 will arrive with a maximum power output of around 600bhp, which in turn means it is likely to be offered with the same twin-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain as the hot M60 version of the new iX SUV.…

VOLKSWAGEN’S FIRST European-market SUV-coupé is the Taigo, a rakish-roofed crossover that is closely related to the Polo and the T-Cross. The Taigo has already been on sale for a year as the Nivus in South America and it arrives on our shores largely unchanged, save for a series of tweaks aimed at bringing it into line with the brand’s range here. European-market models will be built at Pamplona in Spain, alongside its MQB-A0 platform-sharing siblings. At 4266mm long, 1494mm tall and 1757mm wide, the Taigo is comparable in size to the big-selling Nissan Juke, while its 2566mm wheelbase almost exactly matches that of the Polo and T-Cross. Key differentiators over the T-Cross include a roofline that slopes down towards a subtle spoiler at the rear, a new-look front end with…

Kia is readying a dramatically restyled, second-generation version of its popular Niro crossover for a launch in 2022, featuring heavy design influence from 2019’s outlandish HabaNiro concept. Destined for a reveal later this year, the Mk2 Niro will retain its hybrid, plug-in hybrid and pure-electric powertrains, but it will be set apart from today’s model by its more overtly SUV-inspired silhouette and overhauled interior. The new Niro will arrive soon after the EV6 electric flagship and Sportage SUV as the latest in a series of boldly designed models forging a new image for the South Korean brand. Whereas the EV6 uses the new E-GMP electrical architecture with 800V capacity and vehicle-to-load charging functionality, the electric variant of the Niro will have an updated version of the current car’s hardware. The…

FRENCH-AMERICAN FIRM Légende Automobiles has revealed a three-door Renault 5 Turbo restomod with a carbonfibre body and modern technology, describing it as “the best possible version of the B-segment icon”. It’s driven by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s said to produce more than 400bhp, sending its reserves to the rear axle through a manual transmission. Defining styling features of the car include 17in rear wheels, 16in front wheels, LED headlights and an integrated rear wing. The model also features double-wishbone suspension arms, which makes the Turbo 3 wider than its Turbo 1 and 2 predecessors, and the firm says it now handles more capably as a result. Racing seats with harnesses feature, along with an embroidered fabric dashboard incorporating a modern digital driver display, dual-zone climate control switches and a…

Tesla 740 locations (15.9%) The Supercharger network has always been exclusive to Tesla cars, but Tesla said recently that all EVs will be welcome soon. That will be a big boost if it happens. BP Pulse 718 locations (15.4%) Formed when oil and gas giant BP acquired charger maker Chargemaster and its Polar network, BP Pulse’s devices offer up to 150kW. Prices start from 16p per kWh for members. Instavolt 576 locations (12.4%) Instavolt has a network spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales, and its fastest chargers deliver rates of up to 125kW. It charges a flat rate of 40p per kWh. ChargePlace Scotland 437 locations (9.4%) This network is owned and developed by the Scottish government. Users must order an access card that costs £20 per year. Thereafter, up…

Plenty of Lamborghinis have proved their ability to perform on track. Indeed, both the Huracán Performante and the Aventador SVJ are previous holders of the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record for a production car. But the Huracán STO marks a new direction for the supercar maker, as the first derivative that Lamborghini has designed around a brief of regular circuit use. It’s targeting the same part of the market as the McLaren 765LT and Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series. STO stands for Super Trofeo Omolagata (Italian for homologation), as a fair amount of its go-faster technology is drawn from the car used in the Super Trofeo one-make racing series. The STO isn’t as fast around a circuit as its slick-shod sister, but our first drive on the Vallelunga track near Rome proved…

The new Nissan Qashqai has succeeded in offering appealing affordable transport for families, but does the SUV’s appeal wane when you specify it to the maximum, where it costs almost £40,000? Here, it’s driven by a 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine that is good for 156bhp and is electrified by a 12V starter-generator, which recovers energy that would otherwise go to waste and then redeploys it at low speeds. This mild-hybrid powertrain is weak below 1500-2000rpm, and foot-to-floor acceleration feels delayed, although it should nevertheless be powerful enough for most buyers, with a 0-62mph time of 9.5sec. The CVT gearbox is laggy, but it works acceptably with the engine to help provide good mid-range ability. Push harder, mind you, and the engine almost runs out of puff. The optional four-wheel drive…

MODEL TESTED TROFEO Price £128,100 Power 572bhp Torque 538lb ft 0-60mph 4.2sec 30-70mph in 4th 5.5sec Fuel economy 20.3mpg CO2 emissions 276-282g/km 70-0mph 45.2m Maserati has been guilty of mixed messaging lately about the kind of car maker it wants to be. With the memory of the Ferrari Enzo-based MC12 hypercar still fresh in our minds at the end of the noughties, it elected to spread its wings as a luxury brand. Once a kind of sharp-suited Italian answer to the BMW M5, the Quattroporte became an S-Class-fighting limousine. The Ghibli, which many will remember as a 1990s coupé (possibly even as a stylish 1960s GT), became a mid-sized executive saloon with all of the mechanical necessities to take on Mercedes, BMW and Audi – and one of them was quite…

The Quattroporte Trofeo just about tolerated fast circuit driving, sticking with a quick pace around the MIRA Dunlop circuit for five laps or so before overheating its tyres and brakes, but it wasn’t at home there and certainly didn’t reveal reserves of grip, chassis balance or driver reward that had been hitherto hidden on the road. The car’s body control problems become more obvious at the limit. It rolls in quite pronounced fashion and pitches hard under braking. The car stays stable at least, understeer marking the margins of the chassis’ capabilities both on turn-in and mid-corner, with oversteer presenting quite suddenly under power later. The steering yields little useful information. However, the electronic stability controls are effective and unintrusive, so the car can be perfectly benign when driven to…

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“The 911 feels light and wieldy, its dampers in perfect control of its mass over crests” Autocar has form with the idea that underpins this trip. Back in the 1990s, Colin Goodwin wrote a memorable story about driving across France using minor roads that shared their numbers with Porsche models, an approach that led him to several exceptional bits of Tarmac. The idea lodged in my head and I often thought of it when passing British roads that shared their numbers with famous models. Never more so than on my semi-frequent journeys along the A90 in Scotland and passing the turn-off for the A911. Could this be the start for a similarly numerically appropriate road trip? The other impetus for this story came when Porsche put one of the ageless…

There’s surely no better way to honour the memory of a racing figure than to restore his most famous cars and demonstrate them at major events. That’s just what brothers Andrew and Stephen Hepworth have done to celebrate their father, David, who died in 1992 at the age of 52. And they’re doing it in style with, notably, his one-off Hepworth FF hillclimb car and his mighty BRM P154 Can-Am sports car. In June 1971, David carved himself a place in hillclimbing history by becoming the first driver to complete Shelsley Walsh in less than 30 seconds. It was a fearless 29.92sec ascent in the brutish 5.0-litre Chevrolet V8-powered Hepworth, which was effectively a Formula 5000 car with Ferguson four-wheel drive. David’s passion for big-engined cars was obvious from the…

IRELAND IS HOME to just one international race track: Mondello Park, near Dublin. But its best-known venue is probably the Dundrod road circuit, just west of Belfast. Running over 7.4 narrow miles with 25 turns in the green countryside, replete with stone walls, trees and telegraph poles, the course is extremely fast and dicey. We attended its opening in summer 1950, seeing the 10-lap Ulster Handicap open race and the 15-lap Ulster Trophy for Formula 1 cars. The handicap ratings proved optimistic and race day was “miserably damp and misty”, so limit man HH Cowzer had a good shot at victory in his Riley Tourer, starting two laps ahead of scratch man Anthony Powys-Lybbe in his 1930s Alfa Romeo grand prix car. “He had the unenviable task of ploughing his…

I have to state my love of cars, with 45 years of Autocar sharing space with two V8 classics in my garage and a car history that includes supercharged V8s, GTIs, V6s, straight sixes etc. However, to suggest that not taking action over the effect that ICE vehicles are having on our planet is the real folly (Your Views, 14 July). Devastated by floods, Germany and Belgium are experiencing what it will mean for our world – not some far-away developing country that we all conveniently forget about until it hits the news again. Climate change is now, and ignoring it won’t make it go away. We can argue about the nature of actions that the British government takes (and I have absolutely no faith in the current one), but…

CHANGEOVER REPORT WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if the Mk8 Golf GTI remains the world’s most rounded hot hatch As the tartan teaser image in the previous issue hinted, we’ve switched our Volkswagen Golf long-termer for a newer model. Our trusty, dependable and very yellow 1.5 eTSI has been swapped for a red and somewhat more raucous GTI version. Which, as I’m sure you will agree, seems like a pretty good trade. Our time with the eTSI in entry-level Life trim (albeit with a significant number of option boxes ticked) was all about judging how well the newest Golf performs as the sort of general, all-round family transport that it has been renowned for being over eight generations. The answer, somewhat predictably, is really rather well. Touchscreen aside,…

Here’s the thing. No sooner have you replaced a windscreen than fate conspires to chuck another stone and seriously chip the new one. Well, that’s the update I received the other day from the Golf’s regular driver. Not only that, but also the car is suggesting that it will soon need an oil change. Meanwhile, the Baby Shark was dropped off for an MOT test three days ago and I’ve heard nowt back. I’m far too scared to ring for an update. Mind you, I did say “no worries”, as I have other Lorries, Henries and adorable Italians to use.…

Your eyes, by which you go astray, it warns in the Bible. You see, the thing about small and chunky SUVs is that while some of them look good enough to eat, not all of them are much cop when it comes to the driving experience. The T-Cross, however, is not only a rugged and handsome devil but it’s also sufficiently capable on the road to win the hearts of even the most hardened of car enthusiasts. For starters, engine options are sensible but more than sufficient. The T-Cross has a 1.0-litre petrol engine in 94bhp and 114bhp flavours, along with a 148bhp 1.5 that’s available with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox only. There’s also a 94bhp 1.6-litre diesel option. There are five trim levels, starting with S, which has…

When new, the Project 8 would have set you back at least £150,000. Only 199 of the 592bhp super-saloons were produced, yet some are still awaiting homes. For example, a Jaguar dealer is advertising a 2020 pre-registered example with 10 miles on the clock for £148,000. Elsewhere, dealer prices for older, slightly higher-mileage cars start at £100,000. They make this 5000-mile 2018 example that went for £85,000 look a relative bargain, especially since it has the factory-fitted track pack with a roll-cage but no rear seats (which, as an option, cost no less than £10,500).…

As editor of Classic FM magazine during the noughties, I ran a Rover 75 2.5 V6 Connoisseur auto for six months. The plan was to visit various cities in the spirit of a drive-time radio show, listening to classical music and reviewing CDs (remember those?). It all seems very Alan Partridge now, but the 75 was actually the perfect choice. Its hushed cabin, refined powertrain and rich, full-toned music system provided the perfect listening environment as your editor adjusted the soft leather seats, calibrated the climate control and admired, where conditions permitted, the car’s polished walnut trim. I think of those days when, looking through the used car classifieds, my eyes alight on the pages of Rover 75s at prices ranging from £500 to £3500. What bargains and what a…