Innholdsfortegnelse for September 15, 2021 i Autocar

Volkswagen boss Ralf Brandstätter has estimated that the production ID Life will net similar profits to today’s combustion-engined Polo when it arrives in 2025. “We see that we’ve achieved the cost position by scaling up the MEB platform and creating the cell format, which is also part of the cost story,” he told Autocar at the unveiling of the concept. “We’re convinced that we have achieved a cost position which allows us to sell profitable EV cars at a price point beginning at €20,000. “The ID 3 begins at €30,000, so this is a huge step to offer e-mobility for all, which is our slogan, our DNA.” Volkswagen’s new ‘unified cell’ battery design will be instrumental in keeping the cost of its entry-level EVs down and will eventually be used…

BMW HAS REVEALED the road-ready iX5 Hydrogen at the Munich motor show, paving the way for a more widespread introduction of fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology by the end of the decade. Although essentially a production version of 2019’s X5-based i Hydrogen Next, the iX5 Hydrogen won’t be offered for conventional sale. Instead, customers will take part in a live trial to study how the technology is used, similar to what BMW did a decade ago with the original Mini E before launching its first battery-electric vehicle (BEV). BMW’s hydrogen boss, Jürgen Guldner, said the German firm is “convinced that a second energy carrier will be needed in the future” and that hydrogen is that technology. It is not in competition with BEVs, said Guldner, but instead is a…

DACIA WILL KEEP its cars cheap by making them as simple as possible, even under the mounting pressure of environmental and safety legislation. Speaking to Autocar at the Munich motor show launch of the new Jogger – set to be the market’s cheapest seven-seater – product boss Andreea Guinea explained that the average Dacia customer “doesn’t want to spend much money on a car”. “They might appreciate the design of a car,” she elaborated, “but they don’t go into overspending.” This is partly why no plug-in hybrid version of the Jogger is planned: it simply wouldn’t be cost-effective. “Customers aren’t ready to pay” for such systems, said Guinea. The same ethos extends to the car’s functional interior and exterior design, she explained: “They don’t go for features that aren’t useful.…

The rally-honed Subaru WRX has been reborn for 2022 with a new platform, overhauled interior and heavily upgraded chassis – but it still uses a turbocharged boxer engine and offers a manual gearbox. The fifth-generation WRX, which since 2015 has been marketed separately from the Impreza on which it is based, arrives three years after its predecessor was pulled from the UK. And, like its closely related BRZ sibling, it will not be sold in the UK. Subaru’s UK managing director, John Hurtig, told Autocar last year this decision was taken to allow the brand to focus on its more mainstream SUV line-up. “[The WRX] was a performance car, a rally car,” said Hurtig. “It was a good era in UK. But it’s history. It’s a long time ago now.…

An extraordinary new transglobal exploration vehicle called the Fering FP1, a “green” 4x4 built for expeditions as extreme and diverse as crossing the Antarctic and penetrating uncharted Amazon rainforest, is under development at a secret facility in Surrey. Designed to traverse pristine environments without leaving a heavy footprint, the FP1 is being built by a crack team of British engineers. They originally came together to build some of the world’s greatest hypercars but believe they now have a better mission to “create something really useful”. Their company, named Fering (believed to be an old English word for companion), comprises around 20 people, including entrepreneurs, engineers, designers and even an expedition logistics expert. The FP1 has been in development for about 18 months, with design sketching having begun in earnest around…

As a combination of post-lockdown demand and unspent savings sends the prices of modern classics skywards, an investment platform has emerged that makes the possibility of owning and benefiting from the most desirable cars a reality for people who are unable to afford an entire vehicle. Launched in October last year, The Car Crowd is about to bring its fifth car, a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 3dr, to market. The company is offering 1000 shares in it to investors at £59 each, giving the 1980s icon a market valuation of £59,000. The two-owner Ford, which was registered in 1986 and has done only 40,000 miles, is in original but immaculate condition. With the help of an expert in the model, The Car Crowd viewed 16 examples before deciding to buy…

When the second-generation 308 was launched in 2013, it spearheaded Peugeot’s design reinvention with a bold new look. But in the relentless world of the family hatchback, what then appeared progressive now seems a bit dated. Even beyond the styling, while the 308 was thoroughly decent, it had the misfortune to exist in a class with not one but two household-name default options – the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf – and didn’t really stand out as a compelling alternative. Still, it did seem to renew Peugeot’s design swagger, helped by the PSA Group’s efforts to really differentiate the brand from Citroën after years of quasi-badge engineering moved both into the mushy middle of the road. The likes of the 3008 SUV took the design of the 308 and pushed…

Bentley’s aim for the Continental GT Speed was that it be as refined, luxurious, comfortable and usable as any grand tourer – and also that it be the most agile and dynamic Continental GT yet built. That was quite the ask, but then this car is quite the technological departure, being the first Conti with four-wheel steering and the first with an electronically controlled limitedslip differential, plus getting its air suspension, active anti-roll bars and four-wheel drive adapted for even greater body control and handling. The Speed gets 22in wheels as standard, their size being necessary in order for Bentley to offer (as an option) the biggest carbon-ceramic brakes available on any car: 440mm discs and 10-piston calipers up front that look ready to stop a bullet train. We were…

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Contrary to appearances, what you’re looking at is not an original short-wheelbase Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder. If it were, it would be one of around 56 cars ever made and, depending on condition and provenance, worth upwards of £15 million. It is in fact a brand-new car created by Ferrari experts GTO Engineering. Externally, it is apparently indistinguishable from the original. Internally? Well, that’s rather up to you. Because so long as you don’t mind a two-year wait, GTO will supply you with a California Spyder Revival for around one-20th of the price of the real thing: £750,000. And it will be almost exactly the same under the skin, too: the same kind of 3.0-litre V12 engine, the same four-speed gearbox. If, however, you’ve come over all Oliver Twist…

When I climb in a car, it should be a happy place. After all, it has our comfiest seats, has our best hi-fi and is our most climate-controlled area. My new Jaguar I-Pace is filled with light oyster leather and a glass roof. It’s just a lovely place to be and remarked on as such by friends. My wife’s 2016 Tesla Model S also has a ‘happy’ interior, in light grey with a panoramic roof. She’s looking for a replacement, but the new Model S is a year away. We therefore went to talk to Audi about the beautiful new E-tron GT. “Can we have a nice light interior?” “No,” was the response. “All ours are dark or black.” We toured the showroom feeling depressed by every car we sat…

MILEAGE 10,959 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if this hot rod Boxster can sustain its appeal with day-to-day use How clichéd it is to bring up the Boxster’s gearing, but at some point you have to address it. The issue many people have is that the gears for this car are too ‘long’ for road use, and that’s particularly true of second. With its six-speed manual ’box, the GTS 4.0 does 10.7mph per 1000rpm in second and 83mph at the 7800rpm redline. For third, it’s 115mph. Fourth is 144mph. All big speeds. So big, in fact, that to enjoy the full range of this lovely naturally aspirated engine, even if only in the first real driving gear after pulling away, you’re venturing into the crosshairs of plod. Is…

Fashion-conscious families after an affordable seven-seat SUV could do a lot worse than check out the popular Skoda Kodiaq. Since its launch in 2017, it has established itself as ideal transport for families on a tight budget, blending punch with economy and generous space with decent running costs. Most buyers so far have opted for the 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel, which is gutsy enough to haul around seven people with little drama and more economical (on paper) when fitted with the DSG automatic gearbox than it is when specified as a six-speed manual. For those who need a little extra poke, the 2.0 TDI 190 packs 188bhp. There are some petrol options, too, beginning with the entry-level 123bhp 1.4 TSI 125, which actually copes reasonably well in a vehicle this big.…

Who doesn’t dream of buying a nice Ferrari at auction for a snip? Whether £33,750 was a snip for this 89,000-mile 1976 308 GT4 is a question best left to Ferrari experts, but £50,000 is the model’s typical starting price. This one’s mileage might have counted against it, along with its black paint – except that few GT4s are in resale red with a cream interior. Historically, the 308 GT4 has always been viewed as an entry-level Ferrari, since it was originally badged as a Dino. Whatever the explanation, this car was a nice example with regular shutlines and a good service history.…

I have fond memories of the Nissan Patrol from when, as editor of Practical Caravan in the late 1990s, I used one to haul various large tourers (an insider’s term for a caravan) around the UK. Since the Patrol goes all the way back to 1951, to be clear, mine was the Mk5 version, codenamed Y61, which was on sale in the UK from 1998 to 2009, being facelifted in 2005. It’s the Y61 to me and Nissan insiders, but to the wider public it’s the Patrol GR. Whatever you call it, it’s a tank-like 4x4 with a traditional ladder-frame chassis, a cavernous seven-seat interior and all the four-wheel-drive trickery that you could wish for. Its 2.8-litre diesel engine is a smooth, torquey six-pot with an intercooler. Stir the gears…

Dacia says that it’s going to keep being a budget car brand and resist calls to fit more expensive and sophisticated active safety kit (p11). Fine. The firm was criticised when the Sandero was given only two stars in Euro NCAP’s safety test because it doesn’t come with a more advanced emergency braking (AEB) system. Adding cameras to its forward-facing radar would enhance its AEB for a higher mark – but these aren’t mandatory. Dacia was thus accused of putting money before safety. To which the answer is: well, of course it is. The Sandero is the cheapest new car on sale, and adding safety kit that isn’t mandated would be expensive. The cost of such equipment is one of the reasons why the Peugeot 2008 was given a ‘dual’…

“The Volkswagen Group aims to build around 500,000 MEB Entry EVs per year at Seat’s factory” Volkswagen has pledged that the Mini-rivalling production version of its new ID Life crossover concept will go on sale in 2025 featuring some “radical” new concepts – and will gain a GTX-branded performance variant. Revealed at the Munich motor show, the ID Life previews the first car that will be built on the specially adapted MEB Entry version of the Volkswagen Group’s EV platform, likely to be called the ID 2. The firm has said it will be priced from €20,000 (£17,000) to €25,000 (£21,500). The MEB Entry platform will also be used for forthcoming EVs from Cupra (previewed by the Urban Rebel concept) and Skoda, with the Volkswagen Group aiming to build around…

As well as confirming a GTX performance version of the ID Life at the Munich motor show, Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter told Autocar that a four-wheel-drive hot version of the ID 3 has been approved for production. The ID 3 GTX will serve as the production version of the ID X concept that was quietly revealed by Brandstätter on business networking website LinkedIn earlier this year. That concept packs 329bhp from its dual-motor powertrain for a 0-62mph time of 5.3sec, but it remains to be seen if the production car will instead use the ID 4 GTX’s 295bhp set-up. It is also unclear whether the Golf R-aping Drift Mode will make production. Brandstätter admitted that “more performance means less range” but said that each of the standard ID 3’s 45kWh,…

REPLY WHAT YOU will to BMW’s tweets, but it won’t hurt design boss Domagoj Dukec’s feelings. “We’re used to getting at first a lot of reactions,” he said of the social media storm following the reveal of the i Vision Circular concept. “But we’ve already proven with previous concepts, such as the i3, that anything we do has real thinking behind it. When we did our first SUV, people said ‘what is this bulls**t?’, but now everyone is doing SUVs.” WHY DID THE Renault Group have to create an entirely new division in Mobilize? CEO Luca de Meo revealed that it did so to make it easier for other companies to co-operate, be it sharing technology or jointly investing in development projects. “There will be a lot of opportunities, and…

THE CUPRA URBAN Rebel concept is “very close” to the look of the series-production car that will follow it in 2025, despite its outlandish styling. That’s according to Cupra boss Wayne Griffiths, who said that if you take the rear wing off the race-ready concept, you’re essentially left with the styling of the sporting brand’s upcoming entry-level model. The Urban Rebel is based on the Volkswagen Group’s new MEB Entry platform for low-cost EVs. Its fellow show star, the Volkswagen ID Life, uses the same architecture. The resulting production cars will be built at Seat’s Martorell factory alongside Audi and Skoda models. Griffiths said Cupra “likes to provoke” with its design and the Urban Rebel is its latest “deliberate statement” that it’s a brand with a difference, pitched at the…

E-LEGEND DISPLAYED ITS Audi Quattro S1-inspired EL1 at the Munich motor show, but the German EV start-up is already working on its next project – a model that will share both the EL1’s mechanical architecture and inspiration from rallying’s Group B era. The EL1’s carbonfibre chassis, suspension and electric powertrain have been engineered as an integral unit, explained Marcus Holzinger, E-Legend’s chairman and chief designer. This means that other bodywork can easily be integrated with it, the architecture being flexible enough to allow for slightly different wheelbases. “With the EL1, we’re interpreting the Audi, but it could be something else in the future. This is just the starting point,” Holzinger told Autocar. Group B gives no shortage of potential inspiration. Holzinger cited the Lancia Delta S4, Lancia 037 and Ford…

Even after eight successful sales years in the UK, through two versions, the Dacia Duster still doesn’t have a direct rival. Frankly, this Romanian SUV is so damned affordable that others simply can’t match it, or would rather not try. Prices start at a still-remarkable £13,995, especially given the very deep equipment spec of even the Essential entry model. Despite the sales success, Renault Group management has decided that it’s time for the current model to be freshened with new styling elements inside and out and some new technology, although they have taken great care to preserve everything that has brought the success up to now. The biggest development is a new top-end powertrain, a TCe 150 petrol engine paired with a six-speed dualclutch gearbox and front-wheel drive. Performance is…

MODEL TESTED 3.0D LUXURY 5-SEATER Price £62,415 Power 274bhp Torque 434lb ft 0-60mph 6.7sec 30-70mph in 4th 7.9sec Fuel economy 32.0mpg CO2 emissions 220-231g/km 70-0mph 44.3m Lexus, Infiniti, DS, Jaguar, Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Cadillac – all have tried over the past couple of decades to steal a slice of the lucrative ‘premium’ new car market from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Some have failed, others have failed miserably and some are clinging on. Volvo might be the only one to offer a true alternative, thanks to a generous helping of design appeal and an early start on electrification. So what hope does Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury offshoot, have? First of all, it has the force of Hyundai and Kia behind it, whose models have evolved rapidly from bargainbasement offerings to cars that…

It is now less than a decade until sales of pure internal combustion engines cease in the UK and the wholesale adoption of electrification marches forward. Still seems like a long way off, doesn’t it? Yet while nearly 10 years is a decent chunk of time for us, for car makers that 2030 date will be on them in the space of a single model cycle – the blink of an eye in automotive terms. It means that the switchover to EVs is gathering pace quicker than you might think, with the result that, like the internet in the late 1990s, battery-engined vehicles will appear to segue from novelty to necessity almost overnight. More importantly, it’s at the more ‘affordable’ end of the market that the fastest changes are now…

GTO Engineering’s California Spyder Revival is actually the third car in the Revival range, which began in 2008 when the company produced its first replica of the Ferrari Testa Rossa. More recently, it started producing new versions of the fabled 250 SWB, one of which I drove. It’s very much the same deal as the California Spyder: visually indistinguishable from the outside but built to, within reason, any mechanical specification the customer can afford. So accurate are these cars that they are entitled to hold a document from the FIA that certifies that the car is to the same specification as the original and is therefore entitled to enter historic racing. However, just being eligible does not always guarantee an invitation. But you can see the appeal: to race a…

Dutch dream at Zandvoort Max Verstappen said it was an “incredible feeling” to win his home grand prix in front of 70,000 fans, including the king of the Netherlands. The Red Bull driver dominated the first Dutch Grand Prix since 1985 to reclaim the points lead from runner-up Sir Lewis Hamilton. Retiring Räikkönen contracts coronavirus Kimi Räikkönen was forced to sit out Formula 1’s return to Zandvoort after testing positive for Covid-19. Alfa Romeo reserve Robert Kubica stood in for him, finishing 15th in his first F1 outing since 2019. Russell replaces Bottas at Mercedes for 2022 Mercedes-AMG F1 racer Valtteri Bottas will move to Alfa Romeo next season, with young Brit George Russell taking his place alongside Hamilton. Williams will replace its star driver with Alex Albon, who this…

When F1 enthusiasts talk about Brazilian triple champions, Ayrton Senna dominates. The other one, Nelson Piquet, is unfairly overlooked when discussion turns to history’s greats. It has been nearly 40 years since Piquet won his first title, as Carlos Reutemann faltered in the final race to lose by a point. He then became the first turbo-powered champion in 1983, before leaving for Williams to beat team-mate Nigel Mansell to the 1987 crown. He took fewer poles and wins, but critics should remember he overcame serious crash injuries and won the team’s respect for his development work, belying his playboy reputation.…

COMPARISON Jaguar XE vs Audi S3 and BMW M235i Sales success still deserts the excellent XE. Why? We rate it against the latest junior performance saloons from Audi and BMW INTERVIEW Miles Nürnberger Dacia’s design boss made the unlikely switch from Aston Martin. We meet him FEATURE British Motor Heritage Steve Cropley visits the fascinating firm keeping our native classics on the road EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Alpina B8 Gran Coupé Will this big, luxurious saloon blow us away again with its all-round ability? FIRST DRIVE Caterham Seven Lightweight If they weren’t already light enough, this special Seven is a mere 430kg SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p34…

MILEAGE 4402 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To find out if the Mk8 Golf GTI remains the world’s most rounded hot hatch Don’t you just hate when you’re about to set off on a journey, plug the route into Google Maps and are met with dark red lines of traffic, warnings of massive delays and the sinking feeling your trip is going to take far longer than planned? I certainly used to – but in recent months, that has changed, because it turns out the Volkswagen Golf GTI has somewhat warped my perception of things. That’s largely because Google always likes to offer an alternative route and, well, if you’re driving a GTI, that can be very good news. I’ve had two experiences of that recently. First, I had cause to…

MILEAGE 85,506 BMW 320 Great news this week: the Baby Shark is back home. I had to get on my pushbike to collect her, which shows my level of commitment and hopefully my fitness. I was expecting the garage to suggest that my Poland-sourced exhaust pipe didn’t fit, but obviously it did. The car passed its MOT test, although the certificate went missing, so I must check out any advisories. I know I can do that online, but paper is real; I believe what I read on that. As well as a fluid change, the offside front track-rod end and offside front lower arm were replaced, which does seem to have sharpened things up a bit.…

Renault Clio RS 182 Trophy £16,000 Peugeot 205 GTi, watch out! That French upstart, the Clio RS 182 Trophy, is catching up, at least price-wise. A 2005 example with 41,000 miles achieved £16,000 at auction recently. Not to be confused with the 182, the 182 Trophy was the sporty Mk2 Clio’s last hurrah in 2005. It cost £1000 more, the extra money getting you Sachs dampers, a lower ride height, lower Recaro seats and a Clio V6-style rear wing. Performance, however, went unchanged. Fewer than 500 made it to these shores and all were quickly snapped up.…

An expert’s view ZAC DOWEN, NISSAN 4x4 OWNERS CLUB “I grew up in a family of Land Rover enthusiasts but, having seen the grief they suffered, I decided to buy Japanese. I had a Nissan Terrano for a time, then changed it for a Patrol. It was a far better off-roader straight out of the box, with solid live axles front and rear and a centre differential lock. I prefer the 2.8-litre engine to the later 3.0-litre, which isn’t so reliable. In fact, one of my two Patrols was a 3.0-litre until I changed its engine – that’s how much I prefer it! The Patrol is a fine, well-made utilitarian vehicle that’s fit for purpose. It has motorsport pedigree, too, having competed successfully in the Paris-Dakar Rally.” Buyer beware… ■ENGINE…

“The key attributes behind hydrogen’s appeal include its capacity for long ranges and short refuelling times” Hyundai intends its second-generation Nexo to be a much more mainstream proposition than today’s car as it embarks on a landmark drive to “popularise” hydrogen as an alternative fuel by 2040. Due in 2023, the SUV will use Hyundai’s new 100kW hydrogen fuel cell stack – the third evolution of the Korean company’s hardware, the original having appeared in the pioneering ix35 Fuel Cell from 2013. Some 30% smaller than the current stack to facilitate use in a wider variety of market segments, the new stack is designed to offer significantly enhanced durability over its predecessors. Hyundai estimates the current Nexo’s powertrain is capable of 5000 hours or 100,000 miles of use; the new…

The Mini Urbanaut concept, which only recently went from digital rendering to physical show car, could enter series production from 2026 if the brand can meet the technical challenges of bringing such a radical vehicle to life. A production version of the Urbanaut would provide Mini with a highly flexible rival to the forthcoming Volkswagen ID Buzz and Mercedes-Benz EQT electric MPVs. The concept, which was displayed at the Munich motor show last week, is 4.5 metres long and was designed to show how flexible the interior of a semi-autonomous, flat-floored EV can be. Mini design boss Oliver Heilmer told Autocar that conversations inside the BMW Group have shifted from him having to explain the purpose of the concept to discussions about how to make it a reality. “With what…

After showing the Urban Rebel, Cupra lifted the lid on a new design for its Extreme E off-road racer that hints at the styling of its Tavascan electric SUV, due in 2024. The Tavascan Extreme E Concept features a 54kWh battery pack and can crack 0-62mph in 4.0sec, but the production car is set to use the same battery and motors as the closely related Volkswagen ID 4. The Tavascan won’t get the motorsport elements of this latest concept, but Cupra R&D boss Werner Tietz has previously vowed that it will look “more or less exactly like the show car” that was unveiled in 2019.…

Lotus’s new GT4 competition-spec Emira “marks the start of an exciting new era in performance GT racing”. The Emira GT4 has been shown in a bespoke green-and-black livery and is powered by the same Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre V6 engine as the standard car, producing around 400bhp. The dynamics have been improved and weight has been reduced by 145kg, to 1260kg. Raceoriented additions extend to an aero-focused bodykit, FIA-compliant roll-cage, six-point harness and fire extinguisher. A limited number of GT4 models will be built in time for the 2022 racing season, with production increasing in line with global demand.…

A POTENTIAL NEW battery chemistry called sodium ion has emerged as an electrode technology that may deliver the same energy density as today’s lithium ion EV batteries but without the shaky environmental credentials, questions over long-term availability and high cost. The technology is being researched at the Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg and uses a new type of graphene to store one of the world’s most abundant and low-cost metal ions, sodium. As a main ingredient of sea water and the stuff we sprinkle on our fish and chips, for instance, sodium isn’t expensive and could reduce the need for rare raw materials. Long before lithium ion batteries became a thing and even longer before they became remotely viable as EV batteries, the search was on for an alternative…

MONDAY There’a serious choice to be made here. The Alpine A110 that I’ve just given back and the Porsche 718 Boxster still on the premises failed to cross over last week, so I photographed them separately as identically as my phone could manage. The trouble is that every time I think about which of these sports cars I would choose, I reach a different conclusion. Actually, part of me doesn’t want to reach a conclusion at all: one of the worst aspects of the ubiquitous car magazine ‘comparo’ is that one car gets labelled a loser. The more you think, the more different the pair seem. The Alpine feels smaller, more agile, more delicate and more throttle-responsive, with a ride that’s comfortable in more places than the Porsche’s. The Porsche…

If nothing else tells you this is an Audi from a previous generation, then the relative lack of technology will. No touchscreen, no hybrid assistance, just a good old turbo four in a crossover suit. Nothing about this facelift has altered that. In an increasingly crowded market for hot crossovers, the SQ2 now has its work cut out, the Hyundai Kona N just the latest to join the fray. The bodywork surgery is minor. The grille is slightly lower and the front bumper has had a minor reworking, but even with pictures of the old and new SQ2 next to each, it’s a struggle to tell which is which. The rear bumper has been slightly revised but again it’s small details. Inside, there are new door cards. Yes, you read…

LAND ROVER DISCOVERY D300 S Comfortable, spacious, capable off road and improved by a recent facelift. Basic spec wants for quite a few options. AUDI Q7 50 TDI SPORT A comfortable, impeccably refined luxury SUV with a strong range of engines and an appealing cabin. Very well equipped as standard, too. BMW X5 xDRIVE30d xLINE The more dynamic choice in the segment but at the cost of a busy ride. Excellent engines and the iDrive infotainment system add to the appeal. MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 300d 4MATIC AMG LINE Supremely comfortable, with a flashy but functional interior. Genesis money buys you only a four-cylinder mild hybrid. GENESIS GV80 3.0D LUXURY 5-SEATER Strong diesel engine, pleasant interior and impressive tech are slightly marred by the unsettled ride. Well equipped as standard.…

Whatever happened to the two-door estate, the three-box saloon and, for that matter, the landaulet? Such odd questions will keep you awake at night if you have anorak tendencies. Manufacturers seem to invent niches just for the hell of it these days, while bodystyles come and go and marketing wonks go on about lettered market segments. However, before everything on wheels becomes a SUV, let’s stop and take stock of where we are. Which model types are now dead, are dying, are on life support or have simply been renamed? ESTATES, ROADSTERS, COUPES AND TWO-DOOR 4x4s Lots of models are starting to wane in popularity because of changes to buyer demographics and fashion. Estates are gradually being replaced by SUVs, but this is over the long term. Roadsters are accounting…

More than any other branch of domestic motorsport, forest rallying has suffered dreadfully from the pandemic. While circuit racing was back up and running by July 2020 and resumed again in April after the second UK-wide lockdown, forest rallying didn’t return until this summer. From February 2020 until July 2021, there was not one significant forest rally in England or Wales. Even though racing was go at the beginning of April, albeit behind closed doors, the issues of controlling fans meant no major gravel rally ran until July. Some of the reasons behind the ongoing delays to resuming rallying were led by the government’s travel and gathering rules. There was also an acknowledgement that a lack of overseas travel has pushed more people into the UK’s forests for recreation. But…

NOW WE CALL them ‘pay drivers’; earlier they were ‘gentlemen racers’. These terms are usually put-downs, but they also describe some who, although born well heeled, deserved to be present on talent alone. One such man was Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh of Siam, fondly known as Bira – a nickname given to him at Eton, where he had studied sculpture. We looked back on his career after he died on 23 December 1985 aged 71. “Bira turned to racing in March 1935 with a stripped Riley Imp and soon bought an MG K3 Magnette. Later in the season, he bought the first of a famous succession of ERAs: Romulus, Remus and Hanuman. “After second places at Dieppe and Berne, he began 1936 with the ERA, the MG and an Ulster…

WRITE TO autocar@haymarket.com Converted can’t preach Despite being in favour of the shift to electric cars, I can’t fathom why anyone would take a classic car and remove the engine (its very heart and soul) to replace it with a battery and an electric motor (News, 18 August). Aston Workshop’s Dave Cummings listed the benefits as “reliability, usability and environmental responsibility”. I concede that an electric powertrain is potentially more reliable, but more usable? How? And then there’s the inevitable green claim: the environmental impact of making the battery and the motor and then doing the conversion will create a carbon footprint far in excess of what the car would have had. Andrew Montague Via email Pleasing the crowd I’d like to endorse James Attwood’s comments on variety being the…

Mini Convertible MILEAGE 4310 LAST SEEN 1.9.21 Visibility isn’t especially a strength of the Mini hatchback, due to fairly chunky A-pillars, but it’s reasonable. Not so in the Convertible, because when the roof is in place, it creates massive fabric surfaces where the C-pillars would usually be, rendering your over-the-shoulder views quite terrible. At least when you lower the side windows, the B-pillars (well, black glass joiners) disappear. KC Ford Tourneo Custom MILEAGE 19,533 LAST SEEN 25.8.21 I’m packing for a week in Wales: two humans, two mountain bikes, two surfboards, climbing gear, cooking equipment and a double mattress. Thanks to the adjustability of the seating, I can just about squeeze it all in without even a bike or roof rack. I can’t see myself not wanting a van after…

QUESTION My 2014 Citroën DS3 1.6 e-HDi incurs zero road tax. However, it will incur London’s ULEZ charge from October. Has there been some mistake? Paula Stevens, via email ANSWER You won’t be the only person confused by the fact that their VED-exempt car is apparently too dirty to enter London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone. It comes down to which emissions regulations your car meets. To avoid the ULEZ fee, diesels must meet the Euro 6 standard. This imposed a huge reduction in NOx emissions and was introduced on new models in September 2014 and on existing new cars a year later. Unfortunately, your DS3 is only Euro 5. JE QUESTION I recently got stuck behind an elderly driver who insisted on 40mph in a 60mph zone. Is it illegal…

Late September is a good time to buy a convertible. Demand slows and so prices soften, yet there’s still ample opportunity to drop the hood and enjoy some sunshine. Among the best buys is a Mk2 Mazda MX-5. Prices start at less than £1000 for runners, but we’ve been drawn to a privately advertised 2003 example for £4995. That’s big money for an 18-year-old Mk2, but on the upside it has done only 58,000 miles and is apparently free of rust. Being a Nevada edition, it has front foglights and heated leather seats, too. Still, we will admit that there are a few MX-5s around that almost fit the same description at lower prices. What’s the appeal of this one? Simply, the seller is not only a dyed-in-the-wool MX-5 enthusiast…

FOLLOWING JAMES RUPPERT’S circus of extinct and endangered car bodystyles (p48), shown above is one that we can safely say will forever remain unique – and that we remain incapable of labelling. This novel car was coachbuilt for an Antwerp gentleman in 1909 by John Norman Ltd of Cardiff atop an omnibus chassis (from Darracq-Serpollet of London) that we suspect was steam-powered. “The inside is filled up with card tables etc and finished in leather,” we reported. Further investigation suggests that these tables were of mahogany, the roof was of bird’seye maple and the seating capacity was 26, despite the car not being intended for commercial use. “To enable the car to be sent by rail, the top boxes are removable and the backrests fold down.” Perhaps some lucky Belgian…