Innholdsfortegnelse for September 22, 2021 i Autocar

PORSCHE DESIGN CHIEF Michael Mauer has hinted that he has already conceived how the design of a future electric 911 could work, but insisted such a model is unlikely to appear before 2030. The Stuttgart firm has long played down talk of an electric version of the classic 2+2, insisting it would be the last Porsche model to go electric due to the emotions attached to its petrol engine and the extra weight of a battery-electric model. When asked about the challenges of producing an electric version similar to the rear-engined 911, Mauer said: “The silhouette of today’s 911 is so iconic, and that has to stay. We’ve proved over the years that the new 911 is always a 911 – but it’s a new one. “Listening to the engineers…

MERCEDES-BENZ HAS priced up its new EQS luxury EV in preparation for customer deliveries getting under way later this year. The entry-level AMG Line car, priced from £99,995, comes as standard with 20in alloy wheels, 4.5deg rear axle steering, a panoramic sunroof and heated seats in both rows. AMG Line Premium asks an extra £7000 and has 21in multi-spoke alloys, a 360deg camera, an advanced driver aid package and a Burmester sound system. From AMG Line Premium trim upwards, customers can specify the 1410mm Hyperscreen device – a one-piece curved screen across the width of the dashboard – for £7995. Another £7000 bumps up the spec to either AMG Line Premium Plus or Luxury and £120,995 bags the fully loaded EQS 450+ Exclusive Luxury with heated and ventilated ‘multi-contour’ massage…

THE CITROEN AMI quadricycle has after much deliberation been confirmed for a UK launch next year, with 12,000 prospective customers already having declared an interest. The decision marks a significant U-turn for the French brand. The Ami was not originally intended for sale in Britain, but following a positive reception from eager buyers and having been championed by the firm’s managing director, Eurig Druce, it has been given the go-ahead. “The response to Ami has been overwhelming, and the momentum has built up to a point we can’t say no,” said Druce. “It’s not just a vehicle with a following, either; the Ami embodies one view we have of future transport, around affordability and usability. Selling it here gets those values across in a way that no marketing campaign ever…

AUTOCAR HAS LEARNED further details about the forthcoming Polestar 3 from company CEO Thomas Ingenlath, after a previously released image of the SUV under a sheet gave strong clues about its size and positioning. Ingenlath confirmed that the new car will have two rows of seats rather than three – despite the sales bonanza currently being enjoyed by three-row SUVs in the US, where it will be built. “I’ve got nothing against three rows per se,” he said, “but the second we did that, you guys would be asking what was the differentiation to the [Volvo] XC90.” The successor to today’s XC90, as previewed by the Concept Recharge earlier this year, will share its EV-only platform with its Polestar sibling, but it is expected to have a less overtly sporting…

It’s hard to choose a Caterham, although browsing the firm’s configurator is one of life’s simple pleasures. Once, they’d post you a price list, you ticked some boxes and then sent it back with a cheque. These days the hours lost to it are the same but more interactive. The choice has just become more complicated. Caterhams mostly look the same, but there are always a bunch of different models in the range, and they change them often to keep interest up. Sevens are a bit like classic Land Rovers: you could have more than one even though ultimately they all do the same thing. Eventually you’ll get drawn to your ideal version. Most of us have got one. I used to own mine. This time is noteworthy because Caterham…

The Porsche Taycan range expansion continues with the introduction of the 4S Cross Turismo, the not-quite Turbo version of Porsche’s big EV estate with off-roady cladding. I’m not sure you’d actually off-road in the £88,270 4S, but it has a ski chalet vibe to it. Mechanical specifics are similar to other Taycans’. This is a near-fivemetre-long car and the door mirrors make it more than 2.1m wide. The estate bodywork doesn’t create the biggest load carrier – the hatch is raked and the 446-1171-litre boot has a relatively narrow opening – but it is a hatch and has additional head room for rear passengers over the four-door so is nicely versatile. Front occupants remain well served, too. The driving position is spot on, feel and perceived quality are high. All…

Price £134,950 Power 613bhp Torque 590lb ft 0-60mph 3.5sec 30-70mph in fourth 4.4sec Fuel economy 22.1mpg CO2 emissions 270g/km 70-0mph 44.5m The four-door performance ‘coupé’ is not a modern phenomenon. Lagonda has historical form with the idea and concepts such as the Ferrari Pinin of 1980, which Enzo himself is said to have particularly liked, show that even the most storied marques have experimented. However, the format has in recent times really taken off, with Porsche, Audi, Mercedes, Aston Martin, BMW, Volkswagen and even Hyundai (what, you forgot about the i30 N Fastback?) all trying their hands, albeit with varying degrees of success. The Panamera has bolstered Porsche’s bottom line since its arrival in 2009, but other cars have struggled to find much volume. After all, these models ask a…

Although Alpina began in motorsport, and has been credited with bringing about the 3.0 CSL that dominated touring car racing in the 1970s, the road cars are developed very much for, yes, the road, and in Buchloe they make very few bones about that. It was a surprise, therefore, that the B8 set a faster lap time on MIRA’s dry handling circuit than the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4-Door Coupé managed two years ago. Although really fast and ever secure, the B8 isn’t blessed with the last word in chassis balance or body control, which makes it feel a little out of its depth at the very limit of grip. That said, you would never get anywhere near this level of commitment on the road, and on the wet circuit the…

Llandow circuit in South Wales at 9am. Cars start to trickle in. Owners gather around each other’s vehicles to chat. Some unload their car from a trailer. Some start to fit a spare set of wheels with track tyres. Others fiddle with the adjustable suspension to put it in its track setting. It’s a very common start to a track day at one of the UK’s motorsport venues. Except there are no engines to be warmed, no oil levels to be checked and no V8s coughing into life. In fact, the only noise these cars emit is a faint hum. That’s because this is the UK’s first EV-only track day. It’s the brainchild of John Chambers, who runs Tevo Solutions, a business catering to suspension upgrades for Teslas (see separate…

Toto touts rule change to tempt the VW Group Mercedes-AMG team boss Toto Wolff has said the squad could be prepared to drop the MGU-H (motor generator heat) hybrid element from future Formula 1 technical regulations if it helps secure a commitment to enter F1 from the Volkswagen Group. The VW Group has been linked with a deal to supply Red Bull but is reportedly wary of having to develop the specialised MGU-H unit. Brawn bigs up Monza sprint race action F1 boss Ross Brawn has defended the sprint race qualifying format after the Italian GP. He said the Saturday sprint provided “plenty of action”, despite a largely processional race that was criticised by fans and drivers. Rovanperä romps to Acropolis win Toyota Yaris WRC star Kalle Rovanperä scored his…

IN THE 1920s, it was quite common for hillclimbs and sprint trials to be held on open public roads, with the local police’s permission. As cars became faster, we expressed concern over this state of affairs, and in 1925 it came to a head. A large crowd gathered at the side of the Kop Hill Climb; a Bugatti left the course and broke a spectator’s leg The Royal Automobile Club promptly announced a ban on permits for sporting events on public roads. We then asked various involved parties for their opinions. AC Cars boss Selwyn Francis Edge said: “It is not in the interest of the motor movement that hillclimbs should be stopped. What we want our ruling body to be is a builder, not a dynamiter.” Vauxhall’s Percy Kidner…

EVs aren’t the only answer There I was feeling down in the dumps about the demise of proper motoring and was eve contemplating cancelling my subscription to this fine publication, because every week more and more pages are being filled with soulless battery-electric vehicles (BEV). Then I read Steve Cropley urging politicians to focus on targets and not how to meet them and that there are alternatives atives to BEV (My Week in Cars, 4 August). Hallelujah! I’m no dinosaur: I know things must change for the sake of the planet. However, while the world’s governments seem to think that because Volkswagen was very naughty a few years ago and the sun shines out of [Tesla boss] Elon Musk’s nonexistent tailpipe, BEV is the future, I say it’s only part…

MILEAGE 2763 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To discover if this revamped crossover can excite in a congested class n a summer of mixed emotions with the Mokka, Vauxhall’s latest take on the small crossover has impressed with its style, long-distance comfort and kit levels. Practicality comes next. I really do like the Mokka, but this is where the model loses some marks. Front head and leg room are both excellent when driving, although I do find myself bashing my left leg against the side of the centre console. I have more than enough space when travelling alone, but a trip to the south coast with two passengers highlighted the unremarkable boot space. The new Mokka’s 350-litre boot is a similar size to that of its predecessor, and it’s by no…

Our survey of mid-price, mid-size SUVs kicks off with a Hyundai Tucson. It lacks the badge cachet of the others here, but we reckon you might forgive it when you hear that it still has nine months of its original warranty remaining. When a 12-month used car warranty that’s far less comprehensive is liable to cost around £400, that’s a valuable bonus and a real source of comfort. This 2018 car has had one previous owner and done 39,000 miles. It’s a pre-2018-facelift model but still an attractive thing. It’s also safe and well equipped, thanks to features including AEB, hill-start assistance, parking sensors, trailer stability control, heated seats and dual-zone climate control. In short, this Tucson is comfortable, practical, reliable and easy to live with. When you’re spending the…

Is there a better rear than the Saab 9-5’s? Clamping eyes on it is to be reminded how much we car lovers lost when it was pulled a decade ago as Saab went bust. The 9-5 came in for some harsh criticism at its launch in 2010 (testers bemoaned its pattery ride, wallowy handling and poor noise isolation), but all that’s forgotten when you see one today. The fact is it has future classic written all over it, for three reasons: it was Saab’s last hurrah, a defiant finger at a General Motors prepared to let it go; it’s handsome, beautifully made and classy; and it’s vanishingly rare. As an aside, it’s also roomy, well equipped and well built. There was also a 9-5 estate, but the UK only received…

GOT A STORY? Email our news editor felix.page@haymarket.com The next-generation Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster, due in 2022, are set to adopt a bespoke electric sports car platform designed to mimic the current combustion cars’ mid-engined characters and which could go on to underpin future Audi and Lamborghini models. Using a novel battery arrangement referred to as the ‘e-core’ layout, Porsche’s entry-level sports EVs will offer as low a seating position and centre of gravity as possible, in line with their dynamic billing. The Stuttgart firm recently revealed the Mission R concept, which officially previews a potential one-make racer and also strongly hints at styling details and dimensions of the as-yet-unannounced electric Cayman and Boxster. Porsche has admitted that the Mission R reflects work being done in parallel in the…

The perennially popular Ford Fiesta has been restyled and updated as part of a mid-life facelift aimed at keeping it near the top of the B-segment sales chart. Revealed before customer deliveries start in early 2022, the rejuvenated supermini will be priced from £16,670 in its entry-level form – a very small increase over the current car. The visual refresh is centred on the front end, where the 2022 car is distinguished from its predecessor by way of slimmer headlights (now LED as standard or optionally matrix LED) and a markedly different grille design, which varies slightly according to specification. The bonnet has been reshaped as well, to give a higher nose profile, while the Blue Oval emblem has been moved from the bonnet’s leading edge to the grille, which…

WHAT DOES SEAT and Cupra boss Wayne Griffiths drive when he’s not in his company car? “I’ve got a Mk1 1966 Jaguar E-Type convertible in red,” the Brit told us proudly, showing us a picture on his phone. We would, too, if we lived near the Spanish coast. “EVERYBODY LOVES TO steer cars, to have fun, but sometimes it’s boring.” Bluntly put, perhaps, but Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter is keen to extol the benefits of self-driving tech. “In the future, you can decide what you want to do with the additional quality time we are giving our customers,” he said, suggesting traffic jams could soon provide extra chances to work or relax. HYUNDAI WANTS TO make hydrogen fuel cell vehicles more affordable, but they’re already far cheaper than they used…

Polestar is advancing with plans to put its new Precept grand tourer into production by 2025 – and it has now confirmed that the development of the new car will be led from a dedicated R&D facility at the MIRA Technology Park in the UK. Polestar already employs around 250 engineers at the site and that number is set to double as the Precept is readied for production. Described by company insiders as a rival for the Porsche Taycan, the production version of the Precept will share the concept’s design as a low-slung four-door coupé. It will ultimately be built in a new, carbon-neutral Chinese plant, with the suggestion that deliveries could begin as soon as 2023. Despite the widespread move towards SUVs and crossovers, Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath insists…

WHAT’S THE NEXT big thing in reducing automotive CO2? Actually, there are lots of things, but one will be the production of hydrogen green steel (H2GS), a new method of steel making that has the potential to produce CO2-free steel. First off the blocks with an H2GS pilot plant is SSAB, a Swedish steel maker backed by Mercedes-Benz, which has taken an equity stake in the company. Steel is an essential material but manufacturing it generates huge amounts of CO2, with one estimate ranking it as being responsible for 6%-7% of global greenhouse emissions. The process of smelting the basis of steel, pig iron, from iron ore yields more than 1.7 tonnes of CO2 for every single tonne of finished steel produced. Where does the CO2 come from? Not just…

It’s now more than a decade since Porsche introduced its latest extra-special 911 derivative, the GTS – although you might wonder whether many besides those who actually bought and sold them really noticed at the time. There were modern GTS models before the 997-generation 911, of course, so it’s a complicated equation to contemplate. But is the 911 GTS really ‘a thing’ yet? We anticipate and expect a new 911 GT3, don’t we? Just as we do a Turbo, or even a whole new 911 model-generation debut. But a 911 GTS? It’s just a sort of mid-range trim level, surely? Well, perhaps it won’t seem that way for very much longer, because Porsche has set about this new 992-gen 911 GTS with a good deal more intent than it did…

While some car makers are predicting the demise of the estate, Peugeot seems quite fond of them. There’s the sleek 508 SW, and the firm even produces an SW-branded version of its Metropolis scooter (albeit with an extra front wheel, rather than a big boot). So there was no doubt the new 308 hatch would gain an SW variant. Actually, Peugeot would prefer you didn’t use the term ‘variant’: it has pushed to give the SW its own identity, with a completely separate, and very elegant, rear design from the C-pillar back. Stretching the car by 269mm (the wheelbase is 57mm longer) has allowed Peugeot to increase the rear load bed to 1026mm, with a capacity of 608 litres for the petrol version tested here. (The PHEV model’s boot is…

VERDICT Any top-billing Alpina should be nothing less than an exhibition when it comes to performance and capability, and the B8 Gran Coupé doesn’t disappoint. The scope of this car’s straight-line performance borders on what you’d get from the very latest supercars, but the nature of the delivery could hardly be better suited to the task of propelling an opulent four-door GT. It’s also an exceptionally assured car, stable in the extreme and confidence-inspiring in all weathers. When you underline all this with Alpina’s palpable detail engineering and an interior that, while perhaps a little unimaginative, wants very little for material richness, the resulting product is certainly worthy of the term ‘flagship’. Our only real reservation concerns this car’s ability to entertain. It is, after all, an elegant GT-type car…

The Jaguar XE is a car that has always deserved greater showroom success than it has achieved. With the latest updated version, its maker has thrown caution – and, apparently, quite a lot of profit margin – to the wind, by taking the most direct route imaginable to commercial headway. Having made some revisions to the car’s interior and equipment specification, Gaydon slashed more than £4000 off the price of an entrylevel diesel XE earlier this year, while at the same time giving the car a 20bhp power hike. A 201bhp, rear-wheel-drive XE S D200 automatic thus became cheaper at list price (which is now only a whisker above £30,000) than a whole heap of cars you simply wouldn’t expect to compare it with. Is a 2.0-litre diesel Volkswagen Golf…

Having photos of your treasured modified classic car, kit car or racing car is fine as far as it goes, but imagine if 1:64-scale die-cast models were made of it that the whole world could collect and marvel at. That’s the idea behind Hot Wheels Legends, a global competition launched by toy company Mattel, which owns Hot Wheels, to find the garage-build car that most embodies the brand’s values of performance, authenticity and ‘garage spirit’. Entrants must submit a video of their car to Hot Wheels before 1 October. The UK winner, who will be announced on 14 October, will go head to head with others from around the globe before the overall winner’s wheels are released in Hot Wheels’ 2022 range. “From an imposing stance, full of presence, vivid…

When British Touring Car Championship front-runner Tom Ingram announced he was leaving Speedworks Motorsport back in December, there was widespread surprise among fans of the series. Ingram had joined the team for his BTCC debut in 2014, and the partnership progressed from being a solid midfield outfit to front-running force across seven seasons together. Differing commercial requirements between team and driver left Ingram to consider his options for this year, but he was understandably a driver in demand given his success on track over recent seasons. In the end, a multi-year deal was signed with ExcelR8 Motorsport. These relative newcomers to touring car racing joined the grid for the first time as recently as 2019. The Suffolk-based outfit had shown glimpses of potential in 2020 after bringing the Hyundai name…

SPECIAL FEATURE Bond is back What better way to celebrate the return of 007 than by testing his Aston DB5, gadgets and all? Plus, we reveal the worst Bond cars DRIVEN COMPARISON BMW iX Forget the looks, what is it like to drive? Our first test of BMW’s new technology flagship Mustang v Camaro The age-old battle rekindled with these current-generation souped-up specials EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Renault Mégane E_Tech Plug-in hybrid technology arrives in Renault’s family hatchback USED BUYING GUIDE Ford Escort XR3i Revel in some ’80s hot hatch nostalgia with this fast Ford icon SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p54…

Have you seen the prices of Citroën 2CVs lately? Based on a quick survey, they range from £9995 to £21,400. They make this 1987 example with 66,000 miles that went under the hammer for £8100 look a bargain. It still had its original floor (many 2CVs have been fitted with a replacement that’s galvanised) but had been treated to new kingpins and a new stainless-steel exhaust system. Inside, it also had a new dashboard and new seat covers. Assuming (and it’s a big assumption) that it was up to scratch elsewhere, then someone had a good day at the auctions. FUTURE CLASSIC Toyota Mirai £23,995 Toyota’s first hydrogen-fuelled production car may look set for BBC Radio 4’s Museum of Curiosity, but such are the increasingly positive noises being made about…

An expert’s view CHRIS PERRETT, FINCHLEY SAAB “We were a Saab dealer, and I’m still a huge fan of the cars. The 9-5 was impressive straight out of the box and, despite its GM underpinnings, very Saab-like: imposing, safe and comfy. Saab engineers were proud and independent. I remember one telling me how a GM representative had said he didn’t recognise the 9-5’s sat-nav; he was told they weren’t happy with it so had redesigned it! We still see 9-5s regularly for servicing. They have their issues but are generally reliable. Getting hold of parts is becoming an issue, but the people at Saab Parts work hard to get us what we need.” Buyer beware… ◼ ENGINE On high-mileage 2.0-litre diesels, an ominous rattle could be the dual-mass flywheel shaking,…

Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée has shed new light on his plans to significantly expand the French brand’s global footprint while tangibly differentiating it from the other 13 manufacturers that now form part of the Stellantis portfolio. Speaking ahead of the unveiling of the so-named New C3, a rugged and affordable supermini that will spearhead the company’s expansion into the crucial Indian and Latin American markets, Cobée stressed Citroën’s commitment to accessibility and utility as a defining characteristic of its strategy. “I don’t believe in the race to add more equipment, to add more range, to add, ultimately, more weight,” he said. “I want us to build cars with courage, that suit a need and have a militant focus on continuing to provide the freedom of mobility – and that includes…

LOTUS HAS DETAILED the lightweight ‘E-Sports’ architecture that will underpin its forthcoming allelectric sports car in 2026. The E-Sports platform is claimed to be 32% lighter than the structure used for the Emira and is described as the “blueprint” for Lotus’s performance EVs. It has been developed by the dedicated Project LEVA (Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture) programme launched last October, partly financed by the governmentbacked Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator fund. As well as forming the basis for the 2026 two-seater, codenamed Type 135, the E-Sports platform will be offered to third-party clients through the Lotus Engineering consultancy division. They are likely to include Alpine, which is sharing development of the Type 135 and creating its own all-electric successor to the A110. The batteries, ranging from 66.4kWh to 99.6kWh in…

Twelve months ago, most people wouldn’t have heard of semiconductors. But now they dominate the topic of conversation for car makers, with the global shortage affecting factory production at most car firms. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, just as the car world was trying to bounce back from the effects of the pandemic. Autocar Business Live recently ran a webinar on the topic, with guests Mike Hawes, CEO of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and Ian Henry, an industry analyst and owner of AutoAnalysis. Why are semiconductors so important to car manufacturers? MH “It’s almost getting to the stage of what doesn’t it do. The obvious thing is what a driver will see, in terms of the infotainment and what’s behind that. But beneath the…

SATURDAY Fun at Hampton Court Palace for the Concours of Elegance, where looking at great cars in the open air provided a simple form of freedom we haven’t experienced in a while. One highlight was running into Lotus MD Matt Windle, who was there all day, chatting to potential customers. Given the rigours of running an all-action company like Lotus, I found it impressive that the boss was donating his Saturday to us punters. A couple of enticing-looking Emiras fed my current preoccupation with £60,000 semiexotics, although it did strike me that Lotus will have to talk fast to excuse its car’s 1405kg kerb weight against the Alpine A110’s 1123kg. Later, on the back of the gas bill, I worked out that to match the 292bhp Légende GT’s power-to-weight ratio,…

Fellow students of car manufacturer price lists will have noticed how widely Ford has started applying the ‘Edition’ label to its various models of late. Suddenly everything’s an ‘Edition’ of something – even a boggo Zetec. In that context, if I had just developed an extra-special Focus ST hot hatch, I might choose another name for it than, say, Focus ST Edition. Then again, being the only Focus derivative in the catalogue that didn’t have an ‘Edition’ after its name, perhaps the poor thing was feeling left out. This car sounds like it ought to be a stickers-and-stripes exercise, but it isn’t. It’s a five-door ST hatchback that only comes in Azura Blue with a black roof and black mirror caps. It has an identical engine and drivetrain to any…

It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, given the way the wind is blowing, but apparently the Ford Kuga is the most electrified line-up for a single nameplate within Ford. Quite what that makes the all-electric Mustang Mach-E is anyone’s guess, but you get the gist: the Kuga is heartland Ford now, so electrification is key. This is the mild-hybrid version, joining regular ICE variants, as well as the plug-in and ‘traditional’ hybrid models. It runs a 48V system and a beefed-up motor-generator. Designed to optimise the engine’s torque curve, it helps out in engine-off running as you coast towards traffic lights. Smoother start/stop is another bonus. Here, it’s attached to a 2.0-litre diesel, giving 148bhp and 273lb ft, with a combined figure of 55.4mpg. On a long,…

MERCEDES-AMG GT 63 S 4-DOOR COUPE 4MATIC+ Phenomenal four-door take on the GT coupé has oodles of character and several layers to its dynamic personality. ALPINA B8 GRAN COUPE Slick performer shows finesse in almost everything it does. Not as engaging as the AMG on a charge, but perhaps more lovable over the longer term. PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO S Outrageously quick and secure, but more sports car than GT in its DNA and therefore not quite as laid back as we’d want it to be at times. Mighty, though. BMW M8 GRAN COUPE COMPETITION Hardcore, given its touring role, and that holds it back. There’s not enough distance between it and the sublime M5 Competition. AUDI RS7 SPORTBACK Sweeter than its predecessor but still lacking some verve compared with the…

It’s one thing designing a 1160bhp V12-powered hypercar that will only ever be sold in strictly limited numbers, and quite another to be responsible for the styling of what is now Europe’s best-selling car – especially when the former will cost around 280 times that of the latter. Never would the two be mentioned in the same sentence, let alone fettled by the same hands, surely? Step forward, Miles Nürnberger, the well-travelled Brit who has just departed his leading role in Aston Martin’s design team – a position in which he oversaw the styling of the Valkyrie among other headline-hitting machines – to join… Dacia. As career moves go, it’s up there with Jeremy Clarkson becoming a farmer or George W Bush taking up painting – not what you’d expect,…

Formula 1 this weekend heads to the unloved Sochi for the Russian Grand Prix, and while the former Winter Olympics venue is the least inspiring on the calendar, all eyes will be fixed on what happens next between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. At Monza, these two immovable objects once again collided, crashing out together as they did at Silverstone. It was at a lower speed this time, but only the ‘halo’ safety bars over Hamilton’s cockpit saved him from a serious head injury or even payment of the ultimate price. The stakes are always high in motorsport, but when respect between two adversaries becomes too brittle, the consequences can all too easily spiral into deadly realms. WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE At Silverstone, the stewards placed the blame for the…

In Formula 1, Kimi is finis, with the recent announcement that Räikkönen will retire at the end of this season. Typically, he says he won’t miss it. But listen between the sound bites and he isn’t ruling out a return to rallying, in which he drove with Citroën from 2010 to 2011. On both those occasions, he ended up 10th in the championship. How good was Räikkönen at rallying? The short answer is very good; the results never told the full story. With more time in the car, he could have been right up there. But I would say that, because I was Räikkönen’s PR at the time, a role described by some people as being like that of head butcher at the Vegan Society. Except the reality was very…

Zero interest When Autocar has electric vehicles on its cover, how are sales compared with when it has the latest exciting internal-combustion car? I hypothesise that they’re much lower. The reason is that most people don’t want an EV. It will be a distress purchase, like the day you need a stairlift to get you up the stairs at home. This is the first time in human history I can think of when governments are going to force people to buy a very significant asset they don’t want. I think governments really want us to ‘rebel’ and not buy a car at all. I’m fortunate to live in a place where I can walk to good shops or to a metro to take me further afield, including to two different…

Few hot hatches match the Ford Fiesta ST for fun. This latest iteration, launched in 2018, refines the juvenile thrills of the model’s heralded predecessor and gains a heightened level of performance, not to mention a significant improvement in fuel efficiency, interior quality and comfort. Under the bonnet, a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine is your only option. It is fantastic, mind you. With three cylinders and the ability to run on only two when full power isn’t a priority, it’s wonderfully economical, officially achieving a combined 40.4mpg. More important, power is plentiful. The Fiesta ST has 197bhp on tap, which is sent to the front wheels via a joyfully slick sixspeed manual gearbox. There is no automatic available. The ST will do 0-60mph in 6.5sec and go on to a…

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…

Celebrity make-up artist and retailer of high-end cosmetics Charlotte Tilbury has caused a minor stir in the tabloids for saying that her husband never sees her without make-up. After the daily grind running her cosmetics empire, Tilbury says that late of an evening she’ll take off the day’s slap and do some skin care before applying eyeliner and mascara – her “bedroom eye” – before hitting the sack. I’m sure many among you, dear reader, do the same? Some newspaper commentators are shocked by Tilbury’s admission. They’re disappointed about the apparently antiquated attitude, which, Tilbury says, “keeps the magic alive” in her marriage. To which I say: well, is it really so surprising? Make-up seller extols the virtues of always wearing make-up? What’s she meant to say? “I know how…