1 CAR - UK - Issue - 732 - July - 2023

IN PARIS,
STYLE IS NOT AN OPTION.

IT’S STANDARD.
NEW DS 7
PARISIAN SAVOIR-FAIRE
DSautomobiles.co.uk
– FUEL CONSUMPTION AND CO2 FIGURES FOR NEW DS 7: MPG L/100KM: COMBINED
48.7/5.8 TO 250/1.1, CO2 EMISSIONS: 106 - 26 G/KM. ELECTRIC ONLY RANGE UP TO 43 MILES (WLTP).
The fuel consumption or electric range achieved, and CO2 produced, in real world conditions will depend upon a number of factors including, but not limited
to: the accessories fitted (pre and post registration); the starting charge of the battery (PHEV only); variations in weather; driving styles and vehicle load.
The plug-in hybrid range requires mains electricity for charging. The WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure) is used to measure fuel
consumption, electric range and CO2 figures. Figures shown are for comparison purposes and should only be compared to the fuel consumption, electric range
and CO2 values of other cars tested to the same technical standard. The figures displayed for the plug-in hybrid range were obtained using a combination of
battery power and fuel. Information correct at time of going to print. Images shown for illustration purposes only. Some features may be standard or optional
extras available at additional cost depending on specification. Visit www.dsautomobiles.co.uk for further details.
A car is you need range and you need options.
A hybrid Panamera running on eFuel
(page 94) is just the ticket, with the added
absolute, bonus that it doesn’t merely run on pow-
er-dense liquid petroleum. Instead it rather CAR
giddying more impressively harnesses the power of
the stuff to produce the most incredible
Digital
Edition
autonomy. physics, whether you’re effortlessly surging
up a gradient so fierce the trucks have all but
It is freedom stopped or careening through great tarmac

arcs faster than the (very fast) wind. Love CAR? Then get more of what you love
And on the sublime roads of the Picos and with a Digital Edition Membership. Not only
does that bring access to the new issue 48
A wise man once told me I wasn’t a motorcy- Spanish Pyrenees, on which I spent a week
hours before news-stand sales, you’ll also
cle junkie, as I claimed to be, but a grip recently, the autonomy of a combustion en- get bonus content including our Members’
junkie. That, he intoned, was the nub of it. gine and easy-to-access fuel is just as life-af- newsletter and extra stories not found in the
The style, the power, the noise and the firming. You top up your tank, you fire up print magazine. On 30 June, for example,
near-instant responses of a good motorcycle the engine and you go. Serpentine coast you'll be able to read our Hyundai Ioniq 6
Giant Test – is Korea’s streamliner the car to
– less than half the weight of even a Cater- roads hundreds of feet above the shimmer- finally dethrone Tesla’s Model 3?
ham, remember, and only twice that of your ing Atlantic, outrageously scenic mountain
squishy organic form – all contributed to passes of a thousand curves and ar-
the violent majesty of the riding experience. row-straight throttle-fests across sun-dap-
But it was banking the thing hard into a pled plains – they’re all yours.
turn, the tyres rolling onto their edges yet And closer to home, that giddying free-
holding this cataclysm-in-waiting safely on- dom has manifested itself in the form of a
line and clear of the fast-scrolling tarmac 2015 diesel BlueMotion Golf. After a pain-
that was the magic. fully frustrating stint as a car-less graduate,
And this month I was reminded that our eldest bought the VW approved used. It
while the style, the power, the noise and the is gorgeously comfortable, a joy to drive (let’s
responses of a good car all contribute to the not get into what it does better than the
richness of the driving experience, it’s the Mk8…) and it is more than 500 miles of
freedom that’s the real magic. The absolute self-determination made manifest. And it is
VIP Membership Get even closer to the
and giddying autonomy that comes with his. Whether it’s a spontaneous pint in action with a VIP Membership, for £8.99 a
having a vehicle at your disposal, the means town, a blast cross-country for a game of month. Benefits include:
to fuel it and the time to roam. five-a-side or a weekend in distant Liver-
Chilean Patagonia has such an abun- pool, suddenly anything is possible – no Best of CAR Access to our digital
collections, republishing features from the
dance of renewable wind and solar power hassle, no asking for lifts, no waiting for
best writers of the past 60 years.
the sums suggest you’re better off building a public transport, no compromise. Just mi-
renewable-fuel plant there (and shipping raculous, joyous freedom. VIP Live VIP Membership unlocks an
the resulting synthetic methanol) than in Enjoy the issue. invitation to our VIP Live events. July’s online
Europe, even though it’s the European mar- webinar will focus on M division and the M2,
with M’s head of engineering Dirk Hacker.
ket you’re looking to supply. In Chile an EV
wouldn’t work beyond the cities, and nor
would a petrol or diesel car with a small
tank. Out of town there is no charging in-
frastructure, the road network’s patchy and Ben
the distribution of filling stations has been
dictated not by cars and motorbikes with
Miller
poxy little tanks but by trucks. Out there Editor
For more information go to:

greatmagazines.co.uk/car
JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 3

ISSUE 732 | J U LY 2 0 2 3
Living the supercar-on-

sand dream with the
Lamborghini Sterrato
Membership from
just £4.99 a month
GET MEMBER- ONLY EXCLUSIVE
BONUS CONTENT AND REWARDS
SEE P72 OR VISIT WWW.CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK/MEMBERSHIP
Insider
6 In the Spotlight: the new DB12 finds
Aston Martin playing to its traditional
strengths with the DB11’s successor
12 Scoop: Skoda is keeping faith with the
estate, and hanging on to some engines
14 How Cupra achieved lift-off, while Seat
has struggled. Coincidence? No
15 Inked In: Renault’s Laurens van den Acker
16 Four new and future cars, including
BMW’s Z4 shooting brake concept
18 Inquisition: Jeep boss Christian Meunier
20 Watches: four new watches turning
familiar ideas on their head
18
52
Meet
the man 2023’s hottest new estates: hybrid
bringing
Jeep into AMG C63 vs Audi RS4 vs BMW M3
the EV age
Tech
22 Caterham investigates life beyond
engines: can the spirit of the Seven be
transferred to a battery-electric roadster?
24 How old Audi e-Tron batteries are
powering auto rickshaws
26 Does It Work? Genesis tech that can
unlock your car by scanning your face
First Drives 74 A century of engineering

genius and human heroics 104 A 5-series, but electric:
inside the new BMW i5
28 300-Mile Test: Abarth’s riff on the electric
Fiat 500, tested in town and country
36 Porsche Cayenne: new look, new cabin 74 100 years of Le Mans endurance racing,
tech and new engine line-up summed up in nine era-defining cars,
from the Bentley Boys to the diesel age
38 Jeep Wrangler 4xe: plug-in hybrid aiming and now the new hybrid hypercar era
to offer Jeep’s full off-road capability
94 Exploring Chile in a Porsche Panamera
40 Mini Electric Convertible: special-edition using locally produced synthetic fuel.
soft-top at a very special price Interesting oddity or saviour of the car?
42 BYD Seal: China’s stylish, sophisticated 104 What is the BMW i5 and why does it
rival to the Tesla Model 3 matter so much? The all-new electric
5-series previewed
Our Cars
118 God save the king of the performance
SUVs, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR. Plus we
bid farewell to our BMW iX M60, Cupra
Born and Lamborghini Huracan
28 Abarth works its mini
magic on Fiat’s electric 500 94 It’s fun to stay at the
Porsche eFuels plant in Chile
Opinion The big reads

44 Letters: in praise of established car 52 Giant Test: Mercedes-AMG C63
makers; doubts about the BMW XM and Estate vs BMW M3 Touring vs Audi
RS4 Competition Avant: the hot estate
Dacia; more detail on used EVs, please showdown
48 Gavin Green: hail the Lamborghini V12
50 Mark Walton: is JLR overthinking it?
64 Lamborghini Sterrato: on and off road
in the high-riding Huracan
118 It may not look like a Jaguar
sports car, but how’s it drive?

CARS I PEOPLE I SCOOPS I MOTORSPORT I ANALYSIS – THE MONTH ACCORDING TO CAR
Most digital
Aston ever.
Thankfully, it
doesn’t show
6 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

I N T H E S P OT L I G H T
THE
FUTURE
CAN WAIT
Aston stays in its comfort zone
with the DB12. By Tim Pollard

There will be some who welcome the Martin can keep up with the big boys Body’s had a Mercedes-AMG unit recently
new Aston Martin DB12 with open – and if it even wants to. slight nip and dropped from the C63, and benefits
tuck; Volante
arms: here is a new sports car bereft The new DB12 arrives at an inter- will follow from the scrapping of earlier diktats
of complex hybrid technology, shorn esting crossroads: a sports car redo- inked in Stuttgart that insisted the
of electric motors and heavy battery lent of yesteryear, awaiting the full British application could not stretch
cells to neuter the driving experi- force of legislative and societal the parameters of power.
ence. There’s a gloriously back-to-ba- change that is rewiring the genre. Here the twin-turbo lump pro-
sics quality to its spec sheet – one CAR is given early access to the new duces a brawny 590lb ft of torque (up
that doesn’t require a fiendish new GT weeks ahead of its world debut, a third on the outgoing DB11) all the
lexicon to understand, and won’t and when we step into a secure loca- way from 2750 to 6000rpm, the same
hold fear for drivers who just want a tion in Bedfordshire all doubts dis- revs where you’ll find the maximum
car with visceral character and no solve away. In front of us lies a classi- power output of 671bhp.
electro artifice. cal British coupe, whose lines are As those numbers suggest, the
Others may look at the lack of mellowed by the light dancing across DB12 will be no slouch: 62mph is dis-
electrification with horror and ask molten Aluminite Silver paintwork. patched in 3.6sec and top speed is
how on Earth in 2023 Aston Martin It’s a striking car, at once echoing rated at 202mph. That extra perfor-
can viably launch a new model with a the DB11 it replaces, yet crisper, taut- mance is credited to larger-diameter
twin-turbocharged V8 listed as its er. A fresh face greets us, dominated turbos, reprofiled cams and other
only power source. New hybrids are by swollen LED headlamps and an detailed tuning to the AMG engine.
coming from the likes of Porsche and even bigger Aston grille whose Although there is space for the V12, it
Bentley in 2024, with full electric stretched visage feeds radiators hun- will not be fitted this time. There is
sports cars to follow, yet Gaydon’s gry for cooling air. Aston claims a 56 also room for hybridisation, and en-
principle eco concession with the per cent increase in the surface area gineering sources confirm that op-
change from DB11 to DB12 is its deci- of open apertures, necessary to man- tion is being explored.
sion to drop the V12. Doubters may age the thermal needs of a seriously The V8 sits far back in the engine
wonder if small, independent Aston thuggish 4.0-litre V8. It’s the bay, qualifying for front-mid status,
THE DB12 IS A TAD

SMALLER THAN ITS
PREDECESSOR IN A
WELCOME REVERSAL
OF THE 2023 NORM

Insider
says Aston. The platform is largely

carried across, repeating the bonded
and extruded aluminium technolo-
gy in which Gaydon has built up so T H E D E B AT E : A S T O N M A R T I N ’ S W A R D R O B E
much expertise. There’s additional
bracing and stronger bulkheads
throughout and the company claims
a seven per cent boost to torsional ri- ‘We needed to make
gidity as a result – all the better for
body integrity, ride and handling. our interiors as sexy
as our exteriors’
You may not notice immediately,
but the new £185k DB12 is actually a
tad smaller than its predecessor. A
rare, and welcome, reversal of the
norms of 2023. It’s shorter and nar- TP: ‘Aston Martins have hard to inject character into,
rower, thanks to more compact long had a dramatic design though. What’s the Aston
frameless door mirrors, but much of appeal – outside at least. approach to touchscreens?’
the package is identical to the DB11, But the interiors felt like
whose fundamental architecture it they’d fallen off the pace MN: ‘The brief was
recycles. Boot capacity is a decent 262 long ago…’ cleanliness and simplicity
litres, while the rear +2 seating is best of use. It’s all about how
described as vestigial. MN: ‘We took a key we layer technology in TIM
Aluminium construction is wel- decision three years ago the car: for instance, we POLLARD
come, but the 1685kg mass hardly to rethink our approach definitely didn’t want to CAR’s group
qualifies the DB12 as a true light- to interior design and put heating controls on a digital editorial
weight (especially since it’s quoted ⊲ technology. You’re right: we touchscreen. There are director
were up there for exterior certain functions drivers
design, but we did not have just need to do instantly.
the resources or capabilities We wanted to remove the
to get the interiors as good piss-off factors.
WATCH as they needed to be. It had ‘You wouldn’t believe
THE VIDEO! become a pain point for us.’ the conversations we had
about whether to keep
GET CAR’S TP: ‘How did you fix that?’ the physical electric seat
DIGITAL EDITION. controls, for instance. Late
SEE PAGE 72 MN: ‘It was a conscious in the day, we decided to
decision to invest. We keep them.’ MILES
tripled the team and went NURNBERGER
hiring the best UI [user TP: ‘What was your brief for Director of
interface] and UX [user the exterior?’ design at Aston
experience] designers Martin Lagonda
we could. The trend for MN: ‘Aston Martin is the
more digital touchpoints in pre-eminent ultra-luxury
interiors started a decade performance brand. We
ago, but in the past five wanted to improve the
years the pace of change stance, to make the DB12
became more rapid.’ more classical, more
imposing. We are getting
TP: ‘Digital touchpoints are back to our roots.’
Prize for most
Aston looking
car ever goes
to the DB12

ASTON HAS
STRUGGLED WITH
DIGITAL, BUT THE
NEW INTERIOR
SEES THE BIGGEST
CHANGE OF ALL
dry, without 100 or so kilos of fuels fully locked in milliseconds and the
and lubricants). Drive is again sent to stability control is reprogrammed for
the rear transaxle, the eight-speed faster, less perceptible interventions.
automatic slung out back for a weight Aston Martin knows how to make
distribution of 48 per cent front, 52 sports cars handle deftly and the evi-
per cent rear. dence points to the DB12 having the
Expect a dynamic leap forwards, dynamic chops to keep that reputa-
as Aston Martin has overhauled the tion intact. Where it has struggled in
front wishbones and multi-link rear recent years as a solo player is in the
suspension with new Bilstein DTX digital sphere. Anyone who’s grap-
adaptive dampers whose bandwidth T H E R I VA L pled with the hand-me-down Volvo
has increased fivefold. Result? Wider and Mercedes infotainment systems
parameters of comfort and sporti- in recent Astons will know that cut-
ness with a choice of GT, Sport, Bentley also ting-edge cabin controls are damned
hard to pull off. The interior plays
drops its 12-pot
Sport+, Wet and Individual modes.
In fact, so improved are the DB12’s witness to the biggest change of all.
abilities, according to Aston Martin, Out go dated Merc Comand sys-
that it says the car transcends tradi- In concept and execution, you don’t need tems in favour of Aston Martin’s first
tional grand tourer status to become to look further afield than Crewe to find the in-house set-up. We’ve had a quick
‘the world’s first super tourer’. Lofty most direct rival for the new DB12. But if play and can confirm that the user
ambition hiding behind an empty you thought plumping for the Continental experience, logic and design are sim-
marketing catchphrase, perhaps, but GT would be your route to 12-cylinder ple and effective. Most welcome of all
the new damping, the world debut of power now that Aston’s gone V8 only… is how they’ve layered the tech unob-
Michelin’s quieter Pilot Sport 5 tyres sorry, but Bentley has confirmed it’s trusively in the background: the
and Aston’s first active rear differen- dropping the W12. Like Aston’s V12, it’s screen is a modest 10.25 inches in di-
tial suggest an overhaul of the car’s a victim of emissions regulations. In both ameter, so it doesn’t overpower the
dynamic priorities. cases, the lighter, more compact V8s have leather-bound luxury of the cabin.
The diff can switch from open to all the power you could want. The touchscreen is claimed to offer

Insider
B LO O D L I N E
75 YEARS OF
DB MAJESTY
The backbone of the Aston Martin
range has provided some corkers
Aston Martin 2 Litre Sports

(1948-1950)
A delicate 90bhp sports car emerged post-war when Da-
vid Brown took the reins at Aston. Although not wearing a
DB badge, it was later dubbed DB1 when replaced by DB2
in 1950. Just 15 were manufactured.
the sharpest definition on the mar- DB12 balances

ket with a 1970-pixel resolution and classic layout
and leather
30-millisecond response time. Wise- trim with more
ly, Aston Martin has stuck with digital cabin
physical controls for ventilation and tech and neat
new lights Aston Martin DB5 (1963-1965)
most minor switchgear. Arguably one of the most famous cars ever made, thanks
Hand in hand with the new tech to the James Bond films, the DB5 set the template for
stack come cutting-edge digital ser- heartland Astons. Note the relationship between grille,
vices and an app. The DB12 is the first headlights and bonnet – triangulating a facial DNA whose
connected Aston Martin, offering genetic code is intact on the latest DB12.
convenience functions that are very
familiar to owners of most non-As-
ton luxury cars: trip data, diagnos-
tics, car tracking and over-the-air
updates. It’s a significant step for-
wards for Gaydon.
On paper, the DB12 carries the
right mix of engineering and elec-
tronic innovation to keep Aston
Martin achingly desirable and com-
petitive in a field that’s still dominat-
ed by dynamic appeal, but changing Aston Martin DB11 (2016-2023)
fast. It’ll still sell on its gorgeous style The outgoing DB11 has served for seven years as a
and its character, while the specs grand tourer in coupe or Volante body styles. Notable
suggest a fine dynamic pedigree. for ushering in the era of Mercedes-AMG engines and
That they’ve cleverly chiselled away infotainment, the 4.0-litre V8 arrived in 2017 pegged to
at the reasons not to buy could be 503bhp. This contractual power cap has been rescinded.
what seals the deal.

T H E S C O O P
SKODA’S DOUBLE TEAM MODERN SOLID
ESTATE
Given Skoda’s sales success That’s the name of Skoda’s
in Eastern Europe, which lags new design philosophy, first
behind on EVs, it isn’t letting previewed by the Vision 7S
SURVIVES
go of combustion engines concept (pictured). All future
yet. A new-generation Superb Skodas, battery-electric or
AS AN EV
will be revealed this year, still otherwise, will be inspired by its
propelled by petrol, diesel design and wear its ‘Tech Deck
or PHEV power. But Skoda’s Face’. Skoda designer Franck
EV roll-out includes this new Le Gall tells CAR: ‘We want you
It won’t be all SUVs in estate, a Karoq replacement
and VW ID. 2 sibling by 2026.
to recognise what’s coming
towards you.’
Skoda’s electric future, as
the big estate is destined
to make the transition.
Hurrah. By Jake Groves
MEB ALL THE WAY THE WISH LIST

All of Skoda’s announced new ‘We’re aiming for 600 litres
EVs (including the production of boot space,’ says Skoda
version of the Vision 7S) will use boss Klaus Zellmer of the
FACTFILE MEB+, an upgraded version of future estate. Elsewhere, it’s
the VW Group’s EV platform. all about lowering the price of
P OWE RTR A I N
MEB+ includes new ‘unit-cell’ future EVs; ‘we want to now
82kWh (est) battery,
battery packs, with up to 435 see prices on the level below
twin e-motors,
Illustration: Avarvarii
miles of e-range and 200kW €40,000 because it’ll attract
all-wheel drive
charging. Skoda is already new clientele.’ Skoda will start
CHASSIS
using the vRS badge on EVs, so with introducing smaller battery
Steel monocoque
a new vRS wagon may happen. sizes in the Enyaq crossover.
DU E
2026 (est)
Electric line-up
will include
roomy estate…
and maybe a
vRS badge

EV
exclusive
tyre
Harness the potential

of your electric vehicle
FIND OUT MORE
www.hankooktire.com/uk
Insider
B E H I N D T H E H E A D L I N E S
WHO STOLE
SEAT’S FAMILY
JEWELS? CUPRA
It may be the fastest-growing brand in Europe,
but Cupra’s success is at the expense of Seat
‘When we set off with Cupra I was ageing, with no signs of replacement.
one of the few believers in a dream Put the MÓ mobility range to one
that many thought was impossible,’ side and the last ‘new’ Seats launched
says Cupra CEO Wayne Griffiths on were the mild Arona and Ibiza
stage at the global reveal of the new facelifts in 2022.
Tavascan SUV. ‘Now I’m proud to By contrast, new Cupras just keep
stand here and say I’m just one of the coming. You have to scroll to 2026 to
tribe. One of us.’ reach the end of Cupra’s current road
This is the sixth time he’s men- map; after the Tavascan (below)
tioned a tribe or used the phrase ‘one comes the Raval (the production ver-
of us’ in the last five minutes. One sion of the UrbanRebel concept) and
word he hasn’t used much, however, the hybrid Terramar, with the
is Seat. While Cupra basks in the wild-looking electric DarkRebel
limelight, parent company Seat is in sports car potentially following.
the shadows. For all Cupra’s talk of being ‘rebels
Cupra has put 300,000 cars on the with a cause’, in truth they’re com-
road in five years. ‘In 2022 we deliv- bining the power of the VW Group
ered 150,000 Cupras, a new record, with brutal business decisions, like
almost doubling sales against the switching focus from Seat to Cupra.
previous year,’ says Griffiths; ‘46,000 Semiconductor shortages forced
cars delivered in the first quarter, up the company’s hand, causing it to di-
83 per cent from last year.’ vert resources to its more profitable
In March 2023, Cu- premium brand. ‘We
pra delivered more decided to prioritise
than 20,000 cars. Not CUPRA HAS Cupra and that unfor-
content with being the BECOME THE tunately had a negative
fastest growing brand BEATING effect on Seat,’ Grif-
in Europe, it’s expand- HEART OF fiths admits. CEO of both Griffiths sees the relationship as
ing Down Under, with SEAT AS IT ‘Our total volume is Seat and
Cupra, Wayne
symbiotic: ‘Cupra will help Seat, it
an eye on North Amer- RETOOLS FOR reduced because of the Griffiths says will give it a future with electric cars
ica too. Compare that THE ELECTRIC lack of semiconduc- he’s optimistic
about both
from 2025 onwards. Cupra allowed
to MG, another EV-fo- AGE tors, but we must stay us to electrify Seat as a company
cused brand with a profitable as a compa- much earlier than I would have ever
clean-slate approach, ny. We made that deci- dreamed of.’
and it looks even more sion to protect Cupra; It’s a view shared by JATO’s Mu-
impressive. MG, now one of the fast- you can’t launch a new brand and noz. ‘I see Cupra as Seat 2.0, or what
est growing brands in the UK, sold a then not deliver.’ Seat is becoming in this new era of
comparatively modest 57,506 units Seat says the order books are tem- EVs,’ he says. Cupra has become the
globally in 2022, and in a cheaper, less porarily closed so as not to disap- beating heart of Seat, giving the larg-
profitable part of the market. point potential customers, but they’ll er company the mandate and cash to
‘Seat as a brand has always strug- reopen soon when things improve. retool and adapt for the electric age.
gled to find a relevant identity within The CEO says: ‘Not only is Munoz adds: ‘Cupra is the future
VW,’ says industry data provider Cupra growing expo- of Seat, when it is about cars. Mobili-
JATO’s senior analyst Felipe Munoz. nentially, Seat is ty solutions are a different story, and
‘Based on the sales figures, it’s prov- also coming back this is where Seat’s future as a brand
ing to be the right thing to do.’ to where it was at could be.’
Meanwhile Seat’s model range is a strong rate.’ CURTIS MOLDRICH

I N K E D I N
My career in
three sketches
LAURENS VAN DEN ACKER
Renault chief design officer
▲
FAVOURITE DESIGN DETAIL
THE RENAULT DIAMOND
‘We had to find a new design direction.
It started with the DeZir concept, and we
brought pride back in the brand by putting
a big logo upright and centre.’
▲
MOST IMPORTANT CAR
RENAULT CLIO 4
‘It was linked to the DeZir concept car. It
put us on a positive and successful wave
Doubling down on the weirdness where design helped the company turn
the corner.’
Amid booming sales, Cupra keeps taking risks
Nothing conveys Cupra’s bold MEB+ platform). ‘We would
attitude than the DarkRebel only show things that could be
concept (below). Revealed technically feasible, but you also
in virtual form alongside the need financial feasibility,’ he
Tavascan SUV, it’s a shooting- warns after the presentation, and
brake/coupe that displays cautions that it would be aimed
Cupra’s design DNA in its most at a relatively niche market; even
experimental form. The cab has more so in the case of a potential
been pushed rearwards, the open-top version. However, in
interior has a biomechanical the electric world, there aren’t ▲
spine-like structure, and both the that many competitors there…’ LATEST DESIGN
front and rear feature extreme RENAULT CLIO MK5 FACELIFT
aero details. ‘Some elements like the lighting signature
CEO Griffiths isn’t ruling out will make their way to the new Scenic and
a production car (most likely potentially on other cars, but always with
using the VW Group’s SSP or a twist.’

Insider
T H E D E B R I E F
HAVE IT YOUR WAY

After something sporty? You’ve got some options this month. By Jake Groves
THE SOCIAL MEDIA ANTAGONISER THE NEW DAWN PREACHER

Love the looks, or hate them? The internet can’t decide After years of middling anonymity, having returned to the
about the new BMW Concept Touring Coupe. It’s a hardtop UK with its budget-minded combustion-engined cars, MG
Z4, apeing the zany Z3 M Coupe from the new millennium, now has its confidence back. First the excellent MG 4, and
complete with a bougie tan leather interior and Alpina-like now a return to MG’s heartland with the Cyberster. Expect a
wheels. BMW’s head of brand design, Domagoj Dukec, is choice of battery sizes (64 and 77kWh), a max range of 330
gauging interest for a limited production run miles and a version capable of a sub-4.0sec 0-62mph time.
NEED TO KNOW NEED TO KNOW
What is it? A resurrected ‘clown shoe’ I Tech specs Potent What is it? MG’s electric roadster I Tech specs Single and dual-
straight-six, opulent leather from Poltrona Frau and a matching motor versions, butterfly doors I Aimed at? Getting MG back
luggage set from Schedoni I Aimed at? Poking the Twitter to doing what it does best I When can I get one? Launches
bear, again I When can I get one? Maybe from 2025 properly in 2024 from around £50k
THE CRASH DIET PROMOTER THE BUTTONED-UP CAGE FIGHTER

As if Porsche’s 718 Boxster wasn’t already light, stylish and Want luxury and brutal performance in a single car? JLR is
focused… After 2019’s 718 Boxster Spyder, here comes convinced this is it: the new Range Rover Sport SV. It’s the
the RS. It’s 40kg lighter than the regular Spyder, while most powerful Range Rover-badged car ever, with 626bhp
power and acceleration figures are identical to the hardtop and 553lb ft on tap, good for a 3.6sec 0-62mph sprint and
Cayman GT4 RS. Like the Cayman, there are air inlets by a top speed of 180mph. Too much? Relax with the new
the headrests. Whoosh. ‘Body and Soul’ seat with pulsating ‘wellness’ programmes.
NEED TO KNOW NEED TO KNOW
What is it? Porsche’s angriest 718 Boxster I Tech specs 911 What is it? The hottest Rangie Sport I Tech specs BMW-
GT3 engine, manually-operated roof, 5kg lighter than a derived twin-turbo engine, optional 23-inch carbon wheels
Cayman GT4 RS I Aimed at? Pushing the limits of droptop and ceramic brakes I Aimed at? Those with ‘BO55’ private
Porsches I When can I get one? Now, from £125,499 plates I When can I get one? Order now, from around £169k

CHRISTIAN
MEUNIER
JEEP
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
and ‘saw an opportunity’ – look how

T H E C A R I N Q U I S I T I O N well it’s done since. Then a long stint
at Nissan, even becoming global
‘I’M THE GUARDIAN

head of Infiniti. ‘They wanted me to
fix Infiniti in Europe, but I was too
OF THE BRAND’
late,’ he says. ‘I did my best, but I had
to close it, because the guy before me
didn’t want to – it’s not nice having to
clean up the shit that was done.’
Since 2019, though, Meunier has
The passionate boss who’s If you could list the criteria needed in
a boss tasked with making a business
been global head of Jeep (at FCA to
start with, then keeping his position
turned Jeep’s fortunes like Jeep excel, Christian Meunier under Stellantis ownership). We’ve
around is all in on electric. ticks every box. Experienced, affable, spent time with him on the Europe-
By Jake Groves
future-thinking and truly passionate an launch of the Jeep Avenger and
about the brand. Grand Cherokee, enjoying the sunset
Joining the car industry in the ear- on the Costa del Sol after a day of
Illustration: Chris Rathbone
ly ’90s, French-born Meunier started driving the new EV. He’s animated
at Ford, rising through the ranks via and enthusiastic, keen to get our
Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz. He feedback and, naturally, he’s proud of
introduced the G-Class to North his and his team’s work in electrify-
America as he was such a big fan of it ing Jeep – a brand that many would

Insider
‘AVENGER IS THE neers are embracing the tech; the THE CAR CURVEBALLS
JUMP-START – white and blue ‘Magneto’ show car is
THE EVS THAT an all-electric Wrangler that’s been
COME NEXT WILL improved with a new version for
three years running. And Meunier
Six questions
REALLY CHANGE
THE PERSPECTIVE
backs it up with promises of so-
lar-powered EV chargers at various
only we
OF THE BRAND’ points in the American wilderness.
So what follows the Avenger? Me-
would ask
think a difficult fit with the digital unier says: ‘Avenger is going to be the
future, as it’s so steeped in utilitarian jump-start, creating new interest in Tell us about your first car…
heritage. the brand. But the EVs we’re bringing ‘I borrowed my sister’s Beetle
The Avenger – which on paper in the next two years – the Wagoneer to start with, but then bought
could seem to be the most un-Jeep S and Recon – is what’s really going a very, very old Peugeot 104 in
car the brand has ever made – is still to change the perspective.’ bad condition. But it was my car!
brimming with that classic Jeep They’re very different, but both Bought it for 1000 francs, drove
charm, and Meunier is thrilled to use the Stellantis-wide STLA Large it around 20,000km, then sold it
know how much we like it. ‘It’s a platform. The Recon is ‘a cousin of for the same price!’
challenge to do that in a platform the Wrangler’, according to Meunier,
that’s not ours,’ he says. ‘We have all offering plenty of off-road capability What achievement makes
of these elements of the [Stellantis in a more sophisticated zero-emis- you most proud?
e-CMP] platform given to us for free, sions package. The sleek and futuris- ‘What we’ve done on
but we’ve enhanced it, you know? In- tic Wagoneer S promises a 3.5sec electrification with Jeep. FCA
vested in that Jeep-ness and taken it 0-62mph time and 400 miles on a was so behind on it, and now
to another level.’ charge. ‘It’s amazing to know these the Wrangler is the number one
And then there’s the plug-in hybrid two babies are based on the same PHEV in America.’
Wrangler – an electrified 4x4 so platform,’ smiles Meunier, ‘but it’s a
tough yet user-friendly and fun to day-and-night difference – one is a What’s the best thing you’ve
drive off-road. It’s the USA’s best-sell- rocket and the other is a brick on ever done in a car?
ing plug-in hybrid vehicle. wheels!’ ‘It has to be the Rubicon Trail.
Meunier doesn’t want Jeep to get The next task is convincing the I’ve done a lot of crazy things
stuck in the mud. ‘I hate the word hardcore. Jeep has one of the most in my life, but that place is
modernising. It’s not about that at passionate enthusiast cultures in the magical.’
all; it’s about bringing the brand into car world, with Wrangler owners re-
the future and making it relevant. ligiously waving to each other. Some Tell us about a time you’ve
I’m not here to reinvent the brand, enthusiasts are, admits Meunier, ap- screwed up…
but I am the guardian of it, so I want palled by the idea of an electric Jeep. ‘My marriage. Across my career,
to make sure that everyone around ‘But the moment I offer them to test I’ve had positions all over
the world who works for Jeep, from drive it, they love it. It takes a second, the world, meaning regularly
engineering, manufacturing, com- but electric power makes driving off- moving to another country. I
munications and salespeople, that road easier, more precise. love my work, but I didn’t pay
they all have the same understand- ‘Have I done this alone? Absolutely enough attention to my wife or
ing of where Jeep is right now. not. But I’ve had this vision and I’ve my kids. It’s a good lesson for us
‘Electrification is this new compo- pushed it. It’s a big wave that is com- executives: be careful with that.’
nent that we need to push forward, ing and leading in SUV electrifica-
and Jeep cannot be completely asleep tion is our goal, to the point that I Supercar or classic?
on the matter.’ think we’re already there. With ‘My perfect garage would be a
You only have to look at the con- Recon and Wagoneer S, I have no Jeep Wrangler and a Porsche
cept cars revealed at the annual East- doubt we’ll take a strong leading po- 911. And I already have a
er Safari to know that Jeep’s engi- sition in the SUV world.’ Wrangler 4xe!’
Wagoneer S Company curveball:

and Recon hint
at the future How many times
has Jeep hosted the
Easter Safari?
‘54, no… 56!’ [2023’s event
was its 57th run]

Insider
WATC H E S
TWISTS OF
THE WRIST
Familiar inspiration handled in
an unfamiliar way.
By Ben Oliver
The watch industry is definitely guilty both of
overdoing retro design, and taking inspiration
too often from the same limited bunch of
sources: chiefly motorsport, aviation and diving.
But occasionally the watch makers pick a slightly
more leftfield starting point from one of those
over-exploited fields, and an unusual and
good-looking watch results. Three such watches
have been released recently, at a wide range of
prices but all worthy of your consideration.
Accutron Astronaut
£2809
Accutron’s Astronaut – in which a tiny
tuning fork vibrates at exactly 300Hz,
turning the hands with near-perfect
accuracy and emitting a quiet hum
– was used by actual astronauts
on Mercury missions, and was also
issued to the test pilots who flew the
experimental X-15 rocket plane. It’s
just been reissued, but sadly with a
conventional automatic movement.
accutronwatch.com
Breitling Navitimer Autodromo Group C

B01 Boeing 747 £455
£7550
Having built his watch brand around
This is a homage to the Boeing 747, elegant watches inspired mainly
the ‘Queen of the Skies’, which ended by Italian cars of the ’50s and ’60s,
production recently after 55 years. Bradley Price proved he could ‘do’
Given that the Breitling Navitimer on the ’80s too with a range inspired by
which it’s based was designed for Group B rallying. Now he’s turned his
professional pilots, it’s likely that many attention to the Group C sportcars of
of the 747 watches being made will go the ’80s, like the Porsche 962 and
to people who want to mark the fact Sauber C9. The result is unlike any
they actually flew one. he’s made before – and cheaper too.
breitling.com autodromo.com

THE INNOVATIONS TRANSFORMING OUR DRIVING WORLD
I N D ETA I L
CATERHAM’S EV
EXPERIMENT
How can the much-loved lightweights go electric?
Caterham’s called in the experts. By Jake Groves

The future has mounted a pincer-movement assault on Swindon’s
Caterham. But the British manufacturer of superlight grounding in
motorsport
road and track cars has come out fighting. engines has
Like every car maker, it’s staring down the barrel of a evolved into
EV expertise
ban on selling new cars with internal-combustion engines
(ICE). But unlike most manufacturers, it has always relied
on outside suppliers for its engines. And those manufac-
turers are busy culling their engine ranges, or modifying
them to meet stricter emissions regulations to the point
where they may not fit in a Seven any more.
Loyal Caterham customers have made it clear they
want the cars to keep their old-school character. Cater-
ham reckons it has no choice but to explore its EV options.
Heresy!
No one understands better than Caterham CEO Bob
Laishley how controversial electrification sounds. He ad-
mits: ‘Rather than having people knocking on the door
asking for an EV Seven, we’ve got a queue of people knock-
ing on the door saying “Please don’t stop making ICE cars”.
But I think, ultimately, we’ll either be forced into it by leg-
islation, or forced into it by the fact that we won’t be able to
buy engines any more.
‘There is the potential that we won’t be able to sell ICE
cars in certain markets because they’ll be banned, and if
that’s a market that we sell a huge volume of cars in, then
we need to find an alternative.’
Caterham stresses that an EV Seven is only in the inves-
tigative phase, but it’s taking the task seriously by partner- LOYAL CUSTOMERS WANT ENGINES,
ing with Swindon Powertrain. Swindon cut its teeth in BUT CATERHAM RECKONS IT HAS NO
motorsport, but has developed considerable EV expertise. CHOICE BUT TO EXPLORE EV OPTIONS
EV SEVEN: THE STATS Designers and engineers at Swindon Powertrain

scanned every millimetre of the Seven so it could be ren-
dered as a CAD (computer-aided design) file. Then they
started figuring out how best to create a car that kept the
Caterham spirit, but with a battery pack and electric mo-
tor. The ‘skateboard’ layout widely used in mainstream
EVs wouldn’t work with the low-slung Seven. So instead
the Swindon team have been investigating a battery pack
that sits in the nose and between the seats. It’s a 51kWh
(gross, 40kWh usable) pack with 150kW fast charging.
John Bond, commercial manager at Swindon Power-
train, says the battery modules are of their own design.
Like a
skateboard ‘The batteries themselves will be immersed in dielectric
but flipped 90º [an electric insulator that can be used as a coolant, among
other properties], which we think is industry-leading.’
The overall aim has been to ‘We’re not aiming for 0-60mph Laishley and his team are laser-focused on ensuring a
create a battery-electric Seven in 1.8 seconds or whatever,’ says battery-electric Seven preserves the Caterham DNA. But
that’s equivalent in performance CEO Bob Laishley. By avoiding as well as converting the faithful, he also sees it as an op-
to the range-topping Seven the temptation to go for the sky- portunity to attract new buyers.
485 sold in Europe and Japan. high performance electric motors Naturally, the biggest engineering focus is weight. Ca-
A 51kWh battery pack has been can provide, Caterham can keep terhams are famed for their bantamweight construction
painstakingly engineered by the hardware relatively small, and immense power-to-weight ratios – and Laishley flatly
Swindon Powertrain, and now light and manageable. says the brand will ‘never launch a one-tonne Seven.’ But
the team are working to pair it Another aim is to maintain the the battery pack, according to the Swindon Engineering
with their own 240bhp e-motor Seven’s track-ready handling and team, needn’t be a millstone. ‘We’re confident we can
on the rear axle. The EV Seven durability. ‘If you’ve got an hour- bring it to 700kg total – approximately only 70kg extra,
sprints to 62mph in around four long trackday session, we want the rough weight of an additional passenger on board.’
seconds and tops out at 130mph, you to be able to be on track for If Caterham can prove an EV doesn’t have to be heavy,
with power delivery designed to 20 minutes, stop and charge for inert or compromised in its design, then the roles will be
match the acceleration curve of 15 minutes, then use it for the reversed and it will be other car makers coming to Cater-
the benchmark combustion car. last 20 minutes of that hour.’ ham for help in making EVs that appeal to enthusiasts.

C AR E X PL A I N S
SECOND-LIFE
BATTERIES
Where does a battery go once
it’s too tired to keep powering
an EV? By Jake Groves
It’s a big question, and it’s only going to become bigger:

what happens to your electric car’s battery when its per-
formance starts to dim? One rather labour-intensive an-
swer is to break the pack down to its raw elements and
build a new one. Another much more environmentally
friendly way of redeploying it is to split the cells up and use
them for other purposes, giving them a second life.
Car makers have been investigating, piloting and imple-
menting second-life batteries for years. Renault and BMW
both have agreements to provide well-used EV batteries to
power-storage providers. Nissan uses Leaf batteries to run
solar street lights in Japan, intended to provide light dur-
ing blackouts caused by natural disasters. The wider Re-
nault-Nissan Alliance worked with the Mobility House – a
business that develops energy-storage and vehicle-to-grid
tech – to create what was then the world’s largest energy
storage system beneath Amsterdam’s Johan Cruijff Arena.
Audi is the latest maker to get involved. It’s worked with
Nunam, an energy-storage company operating in Germa- orated to create three electric rickshaws, built by trainees RS version
ny and India, to use batteries from old e-Tron prototype at the Audi plant in Neckarsulm in Germany. Because seems unlikely.
Quattro variant
test vehicles for its projects – most of which are designed rickshaws don’t travel far or fast, they demand much less completely
to help out in areas where households struggle to get relia- from a battery than an e-Tron does. impossible
ble access to electricity. ‘More than 1.5 billion people are in While the rickshaw is a wacky project, it demonstrates
energy poverty, and close to a billion have no electricity at how batteries can be used again. Next on the agenda?
all,’ says Nunam co-founder Prodip Chatterjee. Streamlining and fully commercialising the process –
As well as energy storage, Audi and Nunam have collab- there’ll be plenty more old batteries, after all…
AUDI’S E-RICKSHAW UP CLOSE
▲ ▲ ▲
GOODBYE STINKY TWO-STROKE… …HELLO E-TRON MODULES THE SECOND LIFE BEGINS
These Thai rickshaws went into service Battery modules from e-Trons, giving The trio of three-wheelers given an
in 1979. ‘We placed an electric motor 10kWh, are placed below the driver’s e-Tron injection by Audi trainees will be
on the back axle,’ says Audi’s Joachim seat. The rickshaw takes 22 seconds handed to non-profit organisations in
Wloka. ‘But the drum brakes are to reach 28mph. It feels quicker than India, complete with a solar-powered
original, so it’ll stop like it’s from 1979!’ that at the helm… charger and energy-storage system.

Let’s start your winter adventure
The road to your new car starts here
The UK’s No.1 Funder for Prestige, Sports & Classic Cars
“Not only was the process very easy and efficient, my account manager managed
to find me a finance deal with an APR well below what anyone else could offer
and even managed to get me some cash back on my part-ex vehicle.”
CUSTO M E R R EVIEW | T RUST PI LOT | 2 3 NOVEM BER 202 2
5 out of 5 CALL U S TO DAY FOR YO UR F RE E F IN AN CE QUOTE
oraclefinance.co.uk 0330 838 7462

WE ARE A CREDIT BROKER AND NOT A LENDER. This means we act independently through a wide range of lenders to offer a broad and competitive choice of products
and solutions. Oracle Asset Finance is not affiliated to any motor manufacturer. Oracle Finance and Oracle Car Finance are trading names of Oracle Asset Finance Limited.
Oracle Asset Finance Limited (CRN. 05564813) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for the sale of consumer credit.
(Financial Services Register No. 662576). For more information, please visit oraclefinance.co.uk.
UNLOCK WITH YOUR MUG
HOW IT WORKS
▲
BUILD YOUR PROFILE
You’ll need to register your
fingerprint with the car before
D O E S IT WO R K ? you can use your face to unlock
UNLOCK YOUR CAR

the GV60. Other drivers can be
granted access via smartphone.
BY LOOKING AT IT
Face Connect tech can unlock the Genesis GV60 by
scanning your face. No key required. By Jake Groves
Genesis is claiming a world first: using your rea as well as the UK and it can sometimes
face to unlock your car. With the recent up- take a few tries for it to register your face.
date for the GV60 EV, it’s introduced Face We noticed that the camera struggles with
Connect – essentially a facial recognition harsh sunlight, with the camera’s light ring
program hooked up to the car’s security sys- flashing red to tell us it had failed, so per- ▲
tems. It goes beyond familiar keyless entry haps it’s best for that initial scan to be done SCAN YOUR FACE
systems by not requiring you to even have a when sheltered from the elements. To unlock the car, look into the
key or paired phone in your pocket, and it’s To use Face Connect, tap the keyless entry small camera on the B-pillar. White
standard equipment on all GV60s. touchpad on the GV60’s flush door handles light means it’s processing, red
Of course, biometric security isn’t any- to activate the camera, then look into the means it’s failed and green means
thing new. The tech is applied to loads of lens. When it recognises you, the light ring you’re in. Say cheese!
smartphones these days, and car makers in- glows green and the door handles will pop
cluding Mercedes-Benz use facial recogni- out. Then, you switch on the ignition using
tion inside the cabin to load a driver’s profile the fingerprint pad on the centre console. Be
(and corresponding settings) into the info- patient with it, though; the sensor some-
tainment system on entry. Others use times didn’t like our fingerprint and blocked
eye-tracking to monitor attentiveness. But ignition for a minute (or three).
Genesis says it’s the first to use facial recog- It’s a handy system in a pinch if you’ve lost
nition to unlock a car from the outside. your key but, most likely, you’ll just wonder
Essentially, the tech involves a camera whether you’ll be stranded on the way home
built into the driver’s-side B-pillar that’s if the camera fails to recognise you. Or,
connected directly to the car’s infotain- more pertinently, you’ll wonder how this is
ment. It only works if you have set up your remotely better than standard keyless entry.
driver profile (which should be done when
you get the car to unlock all of its features), ▲
and you’re expected to pair your fingerprint.
DOES IT WORK? START WITH YOUR FINGER
Next comes the facial recognition regis- Not really. It feels like tech for tech’s After unlocking your car with your
tration. It’s wise to place your hands on the sake. It’s temperamental in our tests, face, you use your fingerprint to
beltline, arms outstretched, to get the right and takes longer and requires more switch it on and drive away. Unlike
distance from the camera as it scans your steps than regular keyless entry. A a keyless entry system, you don’t
face to memory. We’ve tried the tech in Ko- solution to a problem already fixed. need to be carrying the key.

SUPERSTORES
NATIONWIDE
WHERE QUALITY COSTS LESS
• CREATE THE PERFECT FITTED GARAGE / WORKSHOP • HEAVY DUTY, PROFESSIONAL PACKAGES - CHOICE OF 10 • ALL UNITS ALSO AVAILABLE SINGLY FOR CUSTOM BUILD
SAVE
£312INC.VAT
PRICE CUT
PACKAGE A
NOW ONLY
£
3478.80
inc.VAT
Modular design – build
your own by adding
Gas struts to
hold top cabinet
High quality, stylish,
black and grey
A choice of Top quality super smooth
stainless steel ball bearing drawer runners
Lockable
floor cabinets
Corner units
in stock
WAS £3790.80 inc.VAT units as required doors open powder coated finish or wooden
worktops
PRICE CUT SAVE

SAVE PACKAGE D £193
£216 NOW ONLY SAVE INC.VAT
INC.VAT £
1654 inc.VAT .80 £144 INC.VAT
PRICE CUT WAS £1798.80 inc.VAT
PACKAGE C
NOW ONLY
£
2242.80
inc.VAT
WAS £2458.80 inc.VAT
PRICE CUT
HUGE CHOICE OF TOOL CHESTS/CABINETS PACKAGE E
NOW ONLY
£
1917.60
inc.VAT
WAS £2110.80 inc.VAT
OPTIONAL WORKTOPS
CUSTOMER
38mm Wood
PICTURES
Thick
FLOOR Stainless
TILES IN 463mm
STOCK Deep Steel
3 EASY WAYS NEW HUGE

TO BUY... 488 PAGE
CATALOGUE
PAY Monthly CHOICE
OF HAND
SUPERSTORES
NATIONWIDE GET YOUR Over 12, 24, 36, 48 TOOLS
ONLINE FREE COPY! & 60 months
IN-STORE 5 MIN
www.machinemart.co.uk From only £300
PHONE minimum spend* APPLICATION!
0844 880 1265
TELESALES ONLINE
17.9% Rep. APR
0115 956 5555 www.machinemart.co.uk
33266 Calls to the catalogue request number above (0844 880 1265) cost 7p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge. For security reasons, calls may be monitored. All prices correct
*
at time of going to press. We reserve the right to change products and prices at any time. All offers subject to availability, E&OE. Terms & conditions apply see machinemart.co.uk/finance for more details
CHOOSE FROM OVER 21,000 PRODUCTS ONLINE AT machinemart.co.uk

ABARTH 500e
Scorpio rising
Old looks and new tech meet in the Abarth version
of the electric Fiat 500 – but can it deliver on its
bite-size hot-hatch promise?
Words James Dennison Photography Olgun Kordal

The
300-mile
test
NEW CAR MEETS REAL WORLD

More than just
a city car, but
does it work as
a hot hatch?

First drives 300 mile test
t’s just after 9am in the sleepy commune of

Balocco, northern Italy, and a throaty
four-cylinder engine sound has just shat-
tered the peace. It’s not unusual in these
parts; the Stellantis test track next door
means various performance cars will often
be seen and heard ambling their way
through, but this time something’s different.
An Abarth 500e rolls up to the lights, its glowing Acid
Green paint popping against the dark red brickwork of the
clock tower behind. It’s an EV based on the Fiat 500e, yet
rather than emit a discreet whine or hum, it’s rumbling
and gargling at idle. It sounds for all the world like some-
one has recorded the engine noise from an Abarth 695 and
played it through a giant speaker that’s pinned to the un-
derside of the 500e. And that’s because they have…
From the outside, it’s loud and distinctive. As loud as the
petrol Abarth for sure. Inside, it’s recognisable but more
muffled, like a pillow thrown over a portable speaker
playing a track you’ve heard countless times. I know this,
because the sound of that Monza exhaust system is my
early warning sign that my better half is approaching in
her Modena Yellow 595.
This time, though, I’m at the wheel and the 500e’s sat-
nav is set to the Aosta valley and the numerous switch-
backs within. Novelty value aside, I’m far more interested
in whether this rolling highlighter can deliver a proper
overall hot-hatch experience, rather than just mimic a
single layer of it.
First, though, a short autostrada blast west along the A4
awaits. Straight and true save for a few kinks to change
course, it connects Trieste in the east to Turin in the west A stop outside the charming Bikers Bar at Lake Viverone Interior
and is a largely unremarkable stretch of tarmac. However, allows the Abarth to soak up attention from locals and us relatively
subdued,
it’s clear inside the first 10 minutes that the 500e is an in- to refuel on a giant tomato and mozzarella panini. You with modern
finitely nicer car to spend time in than the 695. could paint almost any car this colour and garner atten- infotainment
For starters, the driving position isn’t comparable to tion, yet the Abarth’s lines and detailing are spot on. Part
that of a 1980s school bus and there is – rejoice – a place to of this is down to the stellar job from Fiat’s designers on
put your left leg. Also, the infotainment system is crisp the basic shape, but there are also flourishes such as the
and packed with functionality (it’s actually the same one white diffuser and Abarth logo penetrated by a lightning
as is used in the Maserati MC20), plus the ride quality bolt. Even the leather handle to move the seats forwards
won’t put your local chiropractor in Armani suits. It’s firm stands out in electric blue, breaking up the otherwise
but not brittle, and composed enough to belie the car’s tiny neutral interior.
wheelbase. Unfortunately, such details aren’t enough to stop us
Naturally, the dimensions have grown a little in every getting a ticking off from the Carabinieri for parking on
direction from the 695, but it’s still a positively compact the pavement. When in Italy…? I keep that thought to my-
footprint that measures up over half-a-metre shorter than self and I’m spared an argument I’d almost certainly lose.
a VW Golf hatchback. And while it’s hard to make a car of Duly chastised, we set off north towards the E25 and the
these proportions pretty, to these eyes Abarth’s designers Piedmont mountains ahead.
have done an admirable job ensuring it stands out from its Set against the dark green and greys of the six-lane
Fiat sibling. motorway, our tiny spark of luminous green is as visible ⊲
Pick-up: 0 miles 22 miles 57 miles

It looked bright in The mudproof Driving position
the pictures but I'm and waterproof far better than the
not prepared for Sound Actuator 595/695: lower,
this. Other shades under-car speaker with more legroom
include Poison Blue, is convincing at low and better steering
Adrenaline Red, speeds. And it’s very wheel adjustment.
Venom Black and loud judging by the Backrest’s still fiddly,
Antidote White. looks I’m getting. though.

Trackfor
Rest is idle
where
left
the RS
foot comes
a welcome
alive andto the
addition
makesinterior
classy sense
A little too well

behaved, even
in Scorpion
Track mode
Electric eels?
Yum. Electric
scorpions?
Maybe not

The Abarth version has

lost none of the Fiat 500e’s
talents in an urban setting,
like its tight turning circle
on the landscape as a bloated firefly in the night sky. Next

to the numerous Pandas, Puntos and Fiat vans, its smooth,
bulbous form could easily resemble the personal trans-
port of an alien race, its Martian pilot picking their way
along these seemingly endless asphalt strands cutting
through the inviting valley, sound-effect camouflage
function set to ‘Combustion Engine Mode’ in order to
blend in with those around.
Here’s hoping, however, that ET and co have figured out
a way to make lithium batteries last longer than 164 miles.
That’s the figure that Abarth claims you’ll get out of 500e
and it’s partly due to it sharing the same battery capacity
(42kWh) as the less powerful Fiat equivalent – 87kW mo-
tor vs the Abarth’s 113.7kWh.
Cue a splash-and-dash pitstop at the Brissogne Ionity
chargers before an assault on the mountains now arched
high above our little green car. My heart lifts as I see that
all six chargers are vacant and working – too many times into view and signals our route off the autostrada and into Slightly bigger
I’ve been stung by the parlous state of the UK network. the small town of Aymaville. It’s one of those pleasant but than petrol
equivalent, but
Plug it in, open the app and double click for Apple Pay. It’s generic mountain enclaves that blurs the lines between still tiny
that simple. Bravo Ionity. France, Switzerland and Italy, and its narrow streets and
Although in truth this is charging overkill akin to plug- 90º turnings bring the 500e back into my good books.
ging your laptop into a wind turbine. The charger is rated The Abarth version has lost none of the Fiat 500e’s tal-
to 350kW, whereas the Abarth can take a maximum of ents in an urban setting. A mega-tight turning circle with
85kW, going from zero to 80 per cent charge in around 35 minimal overhangs makes up for my temperamental
minutes; 17 euros later we detach the cable with a healthy sense of direction, plus the instant delivery of the torque is
92 per cent state of charge, ready for a short motorway run invaluable at nipping out from roundabouts. Plus there’s a
before the mountain road. surprising degree of confidence to be gained from the idea
As I join the slip road, however, I feel a pang of regret. I that every other driver will absolutely have seen and heard
had meant to turn the Sound Generator off and now we’re you at least 10 seconds before you arrive on the scene.
rolling it’s too late – it can only be done by delving into the Clock ticking, we push out of town and get on to the
menus when stationary. Hard acceleration gets us up to SR47, a winding ribbon of road that leads all the way up to
speed and the engine noise follows suit, yet when I settle the famous Lillaz waterfalls. The road is smooth and rela-
into a cruise it’s not quite right. The sound is still there tively quiet, and it’s tempting to head to the top for the
humming away – almost like I’m stuck in third gear when view, but instead we hang a sharp left and find ourselves
I should be in fifth. And therein lies a fundamental issue on an unmarked road that could double for the Col de Tu-
with trying to apply engine sound from a powertrain with rini. Packed with switchbacks and technical ribbons of
a five-speed gearbox to a single-speed transmission. Like a barely used tarmac, it’s the perfect place for a small, agile
CVT, there’s a mismatch between sound and road speed. hot hatch to come alive.
Mercifully, the droning buzz of pre-recorded sound Zipping up the first phase of the incline, I activate
continues for only a few more minutes before the large Scorpion Track mode for the first time. One of three avail-
green sign with ALT STAZIONE in white lettering hoves able presets (alongside Scorpion Street and Turismo) it’s ⊲
98 miles 149 miles 186 miles

Have a brief go at Ionity charger is fab, Sound Actuator’s
sitting in the rear but expensive. Its novelty has
– makes a Ryanair 350kW charging faded. Needs
seat feel like the speed is overkill for re-programming so
back of an S-Class. the 500e, yet the it doesn’t feel like I’m
Best reserved for simplicity of use and constantly revving
small kids or people payment deserves the nuts off it at
you strongly dislike. credit. motorway speeds.

the only one that does away with the one-pedal driving
that otherwise cannot be switched off. Useful in the city, WATCH
not so much on back roads. Free from the roll- THE VIDEO!
ing-through-treacle effect of regen braking, we scythe
past a small group of Italian soldiers on training drills. A GET CAR’S
few break rank to glance at the Abarth as it flies by, smiles DIGITAL EDITION.
flickering across their camo’d faces – all the face paint in SEE PAGE 72
the world wouldn’t help them if they rocked up to battle in
the 500e.
At least they’d get there quickly. Most of the figures on
the 500e are comparable to the 595/695 – 152bhp, 173lb ft
torque, 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds – yet from 12 to 62mph it’s
considerably quicker. No gearchanges, just plenty of front-
wheel-drive traction and a smooth pull that carries on
higher than you’d expect of an EV. In fact, Abarth claims
the 500e to be a second quicker around the Balocco test
track than a 695. That’s impressive, given that the 500e is
around 350kg heavier than its petrol equivalent and – for
context – 45kg more than the larger Mini Electric.
Abarth claims that the car’s dedicated EV platform
brings performance advantages over ICE models, such as
the lower centre of gravity, longer wheelbase and wider
track. However, as I send it into a series of switchbacks it’s
not exhibiting classic hot-hatch behaviour.
Abarth has sharpened up the shock absorber rates and
steering as well as upgrading the springs, brakes and tyres,
yet there’s no getting away from this car’s mass when you
begin to increase your pace. The road with no name
throws together sequence after sequence of punishing
▲ technical hairpins with little room to catch your breath or
PLUS correct your mistakes. But then there’s never a sense that
Tiny footprint meets the 500e is going to do anything more wayward than un-
eye-catching looks dersteer wide.
and performance;
cabin comfort way The underlying balance isn’t too dissimilar to a 695 in
ahead of petrol that rotation from the rear is disappointingly hard to
Abarths come by, but everything else simply feels more laden.
Abarth’s done a decent job at hiding the weight in most
MINUS driving scenarios and it’s only when pushed close to its
▼
Pricey for a junior limit that it really becomes apparent. But if you can’t enjoy
hot hatch; weight driving a car like this at 110 per cent then when can you
dents handling; enjoy it? Like many performance EVs its point-to-point
Sound Actuator pace isn’t in doubt, but the reluctance to loosen its tie and
needs work
engage with the driver is a contradiction in a car that oth-
erwise has a prominent sense of humour.
A LT E R N AT I V E S Our mountain road ends at another tiny commune
⊳⊲ shrouded in the clouds now hanging low in the warm ear-
ly evening air. An espresso at the town’s only bar beckons,
but the Abarth needs more charge and then a blast back to
Balocco.
We’ve taken the 500e through and out of its comfort
zone and, like so many Abarths before it, it’s flawed but
Honda E
Similarly standout likeable. Customers may buy into its synthesised
looks and rear drive, soundtrack and luminescent looks, but the EV status
but range is poor comes at a price: £34,195 to be exact – around £11k more
than an Abarth 595. As a vibrant EV there’s a lot to like, but
for those craving a bite-size hot hatch with an exhaust as
loud as its looks, the far cheaper internal-combustion di-
nosaurs still do it better.
Mini Electric Next month:

Bigger and cheaper
than the Abarth, but ASTON MARTIN DB12
with a smaller range V8-POWERED SUPER COUPE

It’s gained around 350kg,
and there’s no ignoring
that when you begin to
increase your pace
PRICE POWERTRAIN PERFORMANCE WEIGHT EFFICIENCY ON SALE R AT I N G

£34,195 42.2kWh battery, 152bhp, 173lb ft, 1410kg 3.65 miles per Now ★★★★★
113.7kW e-motor, 7.0sec 0-62mph, kWh, electric
Data front-wheel drive 96mph range 164 miles,
0g/km CO2

First drives
P O R S C H E C AY E N N E
Happy compromise
Updated PHEV looks more different than it actually is. No bad thing
You can rely on Porsche for many things:
dynamic brilliance, driver focus and an en-
gineering-led philosophy, for instance. And
then there’s the characteristic that’s most THE FIRST HOUR
relevant here: not messing with success. 2 minutes
There are changes to the revised Cayenne Why install a
line-up, but they’re not so big as the chunki- massive grab
handle exactly
er design might lead you to expect. It’s all where the driver’s
evolutionary. And it’s all done very well. thigh belongs?
This update to the third-generation Cay-
6 minutes
enne improves both the standard steel and The hybrid can
optional air suspension, introduces further Bigger air intakes and more straight lines do up to 84mph
improved HD LED matrix headlights and in e-mode. Fancy
redesigns the cockpit for easier use and im- and on to a maximum speed of 158mph. watching that
charge level melt?
proved connectivity. Its styling changes will While the difference in fuel consumption
spread through the Porsche range. between the entry V6 (26.2mpg) and the V8 27 minutes
Although a fully electric all-new Cayenne (22.8mpg) is small, the E-Hybrid is in theory When the battery is
empty, the engine’s
is due in 2025, what you see here is designed able to offer almost 190mpg. But, as ever thirst shows its true
to meet EU7 emissions regulations and sol- with official figures for plug-in hybrids, that colours
dier on as parallel offering into the next would involve a lot of plugging in as well as a
decade. Available in coupe form as well as steady driving style that would make a non- 37 minutes
The biggest leap
the more luggage-friendly SUV shape, it still sense of having a fine V6 at your disposal. ahead? The new
shares its DNA with the Audi Q7/Q8, Bent- At £67,400, the base model looks tempt- multi-talented
ley Bentayga and VW Touareg. ing compared with the heavier E-Hybrid at dampers and the
equally advanced
Like the Taycan, the updated Cayenne is £76,800 and the £80,800 S, but of course air springs
available with a full-size passenger-side in- there may be tax and social acceptance rea-
fotainment monitor. To clear the centre sons why you’d go for the hybrid. And it real- 50 minutes
Sensational build
stack, the dwarfish toggle-type gear selector ly isn’t one bit bad. quality, but at a
is now positioned high up in the dashboard The acceleration off the mark virtually price… for instance
between the curved 12.6-inch instrument matches the V8 S, and quite surprisingly the £7536 for a special
panel and the 12.3-inch main display. 265kg weight penalty incurred by the sec- paint job
The tweaked engine line-up gives (for ond drivetrain does not really show as the
now, at least) a choice of three models which speed climbs.
are puzzlingly close in performance. The Roll, yaw and pitch are kept well in check
3.0-litre V6 fitted to the base version delivers by the new dual-valve PASM dampers,
349bhp, a gain of 13bhp over the outgoing which control compression and rebound in-
vintage. While the top speed is a virtually dividually, thereby making the pricey ex-
unchanged 154mph, the optional launch tra-cost dual-chamber air springs less es-
control takes half a second out of the sential than before.
0-62mph acceleration time, now a spirited GEORG KACHER ▲
5.7sec. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, with PLUS
468bhp, does the job in 5.0sec and will cli- First verdict More competent
all-round
max at 170mph. And in the middle is our
test car, the E-Hybrid, which gets 464bhp The facelifted version of the already very
MINUS
from its 3.0-litre V6 and e-motor. As long as capable Cayenne has progress written ▼
the battery is sufficiently charged, the SUV all over it – in relatively small letters But not a
can beam you from zero to 62mph in 4.9sec ★★★★★ game-changer
PRICE POWERTRAIN PERFORMANCE WEIGHT EFFICIENCY ON SALE

£76,800 25.9kWh battery, 464bhp @ 5400rpm, 2425kg 156.9-188.3mpg, Now
(E-Hybrid) 2995cc V6, e-motor, 480lb ft @ 1400rpm, electric range
Data eight-speed auto, 4.9sec 0-62mph, 41-46 miles,
all-wheel drive 158mph 33-42g/km CO2

WATCH
THE VIDEO!
GET CAR’S
DIGITAL EDITION.
SEE PAGE 72
The hybrid’s acceleration

off the mark virtually
matches the V8-engined S
Still a joy to
drive; weight
disappears on
the move

First drives
JEEP WRANGLER 4XE
Hell’s frozen over

So let’s explore the underworld with this most unlikely of PHEVs
We live in a topsy-turvy world. Ford F-150
and Hummer EVs are out in the wild.
The Renault 5 and Alpine’s A110 are going
electric. There are hybrid Porsche 911s com- THE FIRST HOUR
ing. And there’s a Jeep Wrangler PHEV. 1 minute
For Jeep, it’s a formula that’s already PHEV is only
working. In the US, the Wrangler 4xe (which available as a four-
door, which isn't the
is only available as a four-door) is the coolest look but is
best-selling plug-in hybrid vehicle. In Eu- the most practical
rope, half of all Wranglers sold are the 4xe.
3 minutes
In fact, in some markets like Germany, it’s Interior is still as
the only variant the brand sells, from Powertrain management kept very simple utilitarian as always
€80,000 (around £70,500) for a Sahara or
€82,000 (around £72,000) for a tougher Ru- polluting the local area as much, and the in- 12 minutes
You can still
bicon model. But it’s not available in the UK, stant, low-down torque is a boon. unbolt the doors
or indeed any other right-hand-drive mar- Our test confirms that it’s very easy to and fold down
kets; Jeep says demand would not be high make progress on a tough off-road trail. the windscreen.
Apparently not
enough to justify the re-engineering. That additional power can be helpful when everyone thinks
Even so, we thought it was worth seeing climbing steep terrain, and the regenerative this is the best
what all the fuss is about, not least because braking can act like a hill descent control (as thing ever
there’s a long history of enthusiasts import- well as the 4xe’s actual HDC). E-power al-
39 minutes
ing Wranglers (and other Americana) when lows very precise throttle inputs – crucial Exploring the brake
they’ve not been offered in right-hand drive. for ensuring as little wheel slip as possible – regen settings.
The Wrangler 4xe’s powertrain – a turbo- and your entire endeavour has the backing Useful on the road,
but even more so
charged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol en- track of a ghostly wail as the e-motor does for control off it
gine, an e-motor and a 17.3kWh battery pack its job. The battery is mounted high enough
in combination, developing a total of 375bhp to not to be a detriment to the 4×4’s off-road 52 minutes
Back on the road,
– makes it the most powerful Wrangler this capabilities, and the Rubicon still has its it’s all a bit crude
side of the wild V8-powered Rubicon 392. front and rear locking differentials and de- and wayward.
Jeep claims the Wrangler 4xe is capable of 28 tachable front roll bar for extra articulation. So, still a proper
miles of e-range (in the Rubicon spec that In classic Wrangler fashion, though, it’s Wrangler then...
we’ve tested) and a full charge on a 7kW not a refined on-road cruiser. The engine
wallbox is over with in three hours. sounds rough when it wakes up and, par-
Despite the significant engineering dif- ticularly in Rubicon spec with knobbly off-
ferences, Jeep boasts it’s the most capable road tyres, the steering is soggy and vague
PHEV ever, and is very keen to point out on tarmac, and it’s bouncy at speed.
that the 4xe is still as much of a Wrangler as Even so, it’s still charming. Utilitarian ▲
any other variant. Every 4xe model has blue and ham-fisted to drive it may be, but add- PLUS
trimmings and a separate cap on the front ing e-power only enhances the experience. Same Wrangler
left wing for the charger cable. Inside, the JAKE GROVES capability and
funkiness, but
only differences you’ll spot are the trio of cleaner
buttons for you to manage the powertrain First verdict MINUS
(electric, hybrid and ‘e-save’) and some new
▼
graphs on the usable infotainment screen. The best current version of Jeep’s icon.
Heavy; crude
While the e-range isn’t massive, Jeep Still as fun-loving and capable as ever, on-road; no plans
highlights the upsides of electricity as a now just that little bit greener for right-hand
source of off-road propulsion: you’re not ★★★★★ drive
Black cap on
PRICE POWERTRAIN PERFORMANCE WEIGHT EFFICIENCY ON SALE the front wing
£72,000 (in 17.3kWh battery, 1995cc 375bhp @ 5250rpm, 2409kg 68.8mpg, Now (but is your only
Germany) four-cyl plus e-motor, 295lb ft @ 3000rpm, 28-mile e-range, not in UK) clear clue this
Data PHEV, eight-speed 6.4sec 0-62mph, 94g/km CO2 Jeep plugs in
auto, all-wheel drive 97mph

Jeep boasts this is the
most capable plug-in
hybrid ever, and
every bit a Wrangler

It doesn’t handle as well as
the hardtop, and both are
trounced by petrol Minis

First drives
MINI ELECTRIC CONVERTIBLE
Gone with the wind

The old electric Mini gets a limited-edition droptop version
Mini showcased a convertible version of its
Electric hatch a year ago. What followed
was a torrent of screaming requests from
interested buyers, demanding a production THE FIRST HOUR
version. And here it is. 3 minutes
But we suspect some of those potential Looking for exterior
buyers will be put off by even the quickest differences over
the hardtop EV,
inspection of the finished product. aside from the
The production run is a mere 999 exam- roof. There’s some
ples long, of which just 150 will make it to badges
the UK, where it costs £52,500. Bear in mind
5 minutes
that the next-generation Mini hatch will Nice enough. But £52,500 worth of nice? Looking for interior
enter production later this year – and a con- differences. Um…
vertible version of that is expected to arrive ble experience in many ways. The motor
10 minutes
in 2025. That may not bother wealthy, style- produces 181bhp and 199lb ft of torque, so it’s The roof itself
led buyers who intend to use it as a city run- quick in a straight line. Mash the throttle blocks your rear
about, but it should bother anyone keen to into the carpet and it’ll surge forwards with view, whether it’s
up or down
get a good-value car that will serve them relentless intent until running into its elec-
well for many years. tronic buffers at 93mph. The steering wheel 19 minutes
The soft-top roof means the lower body squirms around in your hands in the same It’s quick off the
needs extra bracing, resulting in a total way as a hot hatch with a limited-slip differ- line, like a lot of EVs
weight increase of 105kg over the electric ential, which is quite fun. And you can 38 minutes
hatch. The 0-62mph time is almost a second slingshot out of corners faster than you can And it wobbles, like
slower, and it can’t go as far between charg- in the petrol convertible. a lot of convertibles
ing stops. Mini says it’ll do 124 miles (com- However, the droptop EV doesn’t handle
pared to the hatchback’s 145 miles), but we anywhere near as well as the hardtop, de-
reckon that’ll fall below 100 miles in winter. spite the extra bracing – and both are
It’s identical inside to the range-topping trounced by the petrol models.
Mini Electric Resolute Edition hatch, which The convertible is noticeably softer than
costs £17,000 less. In the world of petrol the hardtop Mini Electric. And while that’ll
Minis, the premium you pay for a converti- no doubt suit its intended role as a posh
ble over a hatch is around £3k, not £17k. Londoner’s posing pouch, it leaves little to
Roof aside, the only major visible external excite keen drivers.
difference is a ‘one of 999’ badge for the front The steering is heavy and direct, like the
wing. Inside, Mini didn’t change the stand- hatchback, and gives little feedback through
ard EV’s digital gauge cluster, which is a the wheel. Couple that with the sterility of
problem because its frosted glass screen be- the electric motor and you’re left with a
comes completely opaque in the sun. When rather antiseptic driving experience. It’s like ▲
you have the roof down, you can’t see it. playing a sim racer, not driving a real car. PLUS
The convertible roof is frustrating. LUKE WILKINSON Rapid power
Whether you have it up or down, you can’t delivery; pose
value; rarity
see very well out of the back. Leave it erected First verdict
and the tiny rear window gives you a key-
hole view of the cars following. Fold it away Mini can do so much better than this MINUS
▼
and the bundle of fabric perched on the rear over-priced and under-developed Price; handling;
is tall enough to obscure a tank. end-of-life special edition restricted rear
It’s a Mini, so driving it is still a pleasura- ★★★★★ view

Sun, sand, sea £52,500 28.9kWh (net) 181bhp, 199lb ft, 1470kg 3.6 miles per Now (limited
and a nagging battery, e-motor, 8.2sec 0-62mph, kWh, 124-mile edition)
range anxiety Data front-wheel drive 93mph range, 0g/km
CO2

Getting a car in weeks, rather
than the months it takes to
get many rivals, will seal the
deal for some buyers
Above-average
performance
and equipment
levels, wrapped
in generic looks

First drives
BYD SEAL
All killer, no filler

BYD’s saloon is like a compilation of everyone else’s greatest EV bits
It’s easy to be patronising towards Chinese
brands attempting to crack Europe, but
BYD isn’t some bit player. Though the name,
which stands for Build Your Dreams, would THE FIRST HOUR
look more at home on a Dunelm 1 minute
crushed-velvet throw pillow than it does on Can’t help but think
the back of a car, it’s one of the largest pro- the Seal would look
better without the
ducers of EVs in the world, and sold 1.9 mil- ‘Build Your Dreams’
lion cars in 2022. Tesla sold 1.3m. badge on the back
The Seal – also a terrible name, though
arguably no worse than ‘Puma’ or ‘Panda’ – 10 minutes
We spot a camera
will be the firm’s third electric car released BYD’s gimmick is a touchscreen that rotates in the headlining.
in the UK in 2023, after the Atto 3 SUV (on It’s so passengers
sale now) and the Dolphin hatchback (com- rate enough, and the torque vectoring of the can film TikToks,
and upload them
ing in September). all-wheel-drive model means it can put up via the infotainment
BYD produces everything – including the with some savage direction changes.
lithium-iron phosphate battery. It also The dragstrip threw up no surprises – the 30 minutes
A journalist with
makes its own semiconductors, so it’s large- novelty of a quick EV wears off rapidly – but a bit less meat on
ly immune to the supply-chain issues that the repeatability aspect was impressive. A his bones does
push many rival EVs’ lead times into months Model 3 will only handle a few full-bore 0-62mph in 3.6sec
or years. You should be able to get a Seal just launches before overheating and turning
42 minutes
a few weeks after ordering it, which could down the power, but the Seal kept dispatch- Finally stop playing
seal the deal for some buyers. ing 3.8sec 0-62s for several hours, coping with the rotating
Appearance-wise the Seal’s a compilation with the ham-fisted treatment of Irish, touchscreen,
and leave it in
of cover versions. There are hints of Porsche French and UK journalists. landscape
Taycan about the headlights, shades of The interior’s spacious, with a low floor
Hyundai Ioniq 6 in the roofline. Under the thanks to a thin battery pack. The full- 60 minutes
skin, the Seal will be available either as a length glass roof is a nice touch, and there’s Time to try the
in-car karaoke.
rear-wheel-drive single-motor version with ample room for four six-footers. Shame Seriously…
308bhp and a 0-62mph sprint of 5.9 seconds, about the narrow boot opening, though the
or with all-wheel drive, dual motors, 523bhp 53-litre frunk is useful for cable storage.
and a 3.8sec 0-62mph time. It also feels suitably premium, aside from
Both use an 82kWh battery; they return some dodgy translations and labyrinthine
354 and 323 miles respectively on the WLTP menu systems in the infotainment. ▲
cycle. Those figures all compare very fa- Pricing has yet to be announced but we’d PLUS
vourably with the Ioniq 6 as well as the Tesla estimate around £40,000 for the RWD Competitive
range and
Model 3. The Seal charges at a maximum of model, rising to around £48k for the AWD performance;
150kW, and all models get a heat pump to car, undercutting a Model 3 and slapping on should be good
boost efficiency, especially in winter. the kitchen sink as standard equipment. value; loaded
BYD wouldn’t let us out on the road in a TOM WILTSHIRE with kit
Seal just yet. Instead, it presented a slalom MINUS
▼
course and a dragstrip – so take our driving First verdict Cringeworthy
impressions with that caveat. Based on this
limited information, though, the Seal drives Looks good, has all the right numbers. If name; some tech
is gimmicky; we
well. It handles tidily, albeit without the re- it drives properly on UK roads, and the don’t know how it
finement or communication of a BMW i4. It pricing is right, BYD is on to a winner handles on-road
corners flat, the steering’s weighty and accu- ★★★★★ yet

£48k (est) 82kWh battery, twin 523bhp, 670lb ft, 1900kg (est) 323-mile range, Late 2023
e-motors, all-wheel 3.8sec 0-62mph, 3.9miles per
Data drive 112mph kWh, 0g/km
CO2

SPONSORED BY
M2 vs X M + TH E O LD G UA R D W I LL R I S E AGA I N + J I M N Y !
Pulling your Lego must also take some of the blame.

Highly amused to read Ben Barry’s On the subject of manufacturers
Letter comments re BMW Lego Technic seeming to be blinded by technology,
of the styling in his M2 drive in the May is- the Lamborghini Revuelto that you
sue. Prior to reading this, I had been appear to be so excited about reads
month ranting to my car-mad son that most like it’s been built with a view to be-
current BMWs look like they’ve es- ing more powerful and quicker, rath-
caped from Minecraft. er than more relevant to any planet
I’ve been enjoying the mag for I’m familiar with. But maybe I'm just
more than 40 years… keep it up. jealous.
Simon Cooke Ben Bell
Can do better Flaw enforcement

Your reviewers both alluded to the Loved Nicholas Binns’ comment
Nuanced curious situation BMW is in, where
the M2 and XM (both driven in the
about Renault’s lack of build quality
(Letters, May). But there are plenty of
enthusiasm May issue) are heavy and complicat-
ed and expensive (and on the ugly
horror stories about cars from other
manufacturers.
I very much enjoyed Ben Barry’s drive of the side), but it feels to me that you could I had a two-tone Austin Montego
new BMW M2 in the May issue. He acknowl- have gone in a lot harder. on loan for a couple of months once
edges that it is far from perfect, and that you BMW at its best has taken a much when it was nearly new. It drove real-
need to have your wits about you to make good smarter approach to technology ly well but one day while I was open-
use of the manual gearbox, but doesn’t let any than this, using it in the service of ing the manual sunroof the handle
of that stand in the way of a genuine apprecia- the driving experience, rather than snapped off in my hand. And on an-
tion. It was all the more striking because he piling it on like AMG tends to, just other occasion, just before it was due
clearly approached it conscious that it’s more because it can. to go back to the dealer, we filled the
expensive and heavier than he thinks an M2 And for BMW to be doing this boot with rubbish to take to the mu-
should be, but it won him over. with naturally aspirated and hybrid nicipal tip only for the lock to jam.
That’s the sort of thing that’s kept me com- cars seems doubly daft. We’re going We couldn’t get the lid open, and
ing back to CAR over the decades – a grown-up, to have to get used to the weight of sheepishly returned the car to the
nuanced appreciation of the complexities of EVs, but the M2 and XM seem to be dealer with a boot full of rubbish.
the world, combined with a youthful enthusi- EV-heavy despite not being EVs. I have had a string of German cars
asm for the good things in life. The M8 that also appeared in that recently, all five to eight years old –
Mal Williams issue, in the Used Car Stars story, none of them very reliable. I asked
might well be the model that began our local German independent ga-
It’s always tricky to balance heart and the trend, although generations of X5 rage which car or brand would he
head, especially when you bear in mind
that some people take our advice very
seriously and could spend massive sums Revuelto: we
get it, it’s fast
influenced by our views. So you bet we
work hard to get the nuances right. And
Ben Barry is better at this than just about
anyone (in our view). CO

recommend, and as we gazed over
his parking bays full of German cars
ready for repairs he said ‘None’,
which was a worry.
Steve Middleton
On the brink
The more I read about buying and
living with EVs, the less ready I feel to
make the leap. Although the overall
tone of your May issue’s Used Car
Stars cover story was very positive
about EVs, in almost every case I
found myself picking the combus-
tion choice within each group. They
just seem like they’re better value,
better to drive and easier to get on
with.
The worry, of course, is that there
will come a point when ownership of
a combustion car becomes a liability,
and I won’t spot that moment until
it’s too late. Although if all I’m lum-
bered with is a Suzuki Jimny, I can E and Abarth: that is normally expected from CAR? ward, a few facts should be remem-
probably live with that, and doubtless future classics? Very disappointing. bered.
Any chance?
a farmer somewhere will be happy to Jon Banks The established companies make
take it off my hands. But a used Hon- money, and manage their portfolios
da E in a couple of years? That seems We wanted to present a snapshot in the most pragmatic way given the
quite a shaky prospect. to illustrate the breadth of prevailing legislation coupled with
Jay Fish attractive options currently the need to provide shareholder val-
available. Depth was inevitably ue. Most are and have been research-
And the rest? the casualty. But head to our ing multiple solutions for many years
I’m a long-time subscriber. Sadly the website for detailed road test of because they are very open-minded
petrol vs electric article in the May all these cars, and in many cases organisations; in fact, if there was
issue was one of the most frustrating long-term tests too. CO one example of a car company with a
I’ve read in a long time. I appreci- closed mind it is, ironically, Tesla.
ate getting real-world advice on the ’Bring it on Consider this: if Tesla had to create
cars I may be interested in getting Fantastic job by writer Ben Barry and a combustion engine to power a vehi-
next, and this cover story was right photographer Alex Tapley at the cle, without engaging with engine
up my street as someone weighing Sebring endurance race in the May consultants, it would probably take
up the pros and cons of going for a issue. The sort of glorious reportage two decades, maybe three, to get to a
nearly new electric car next time. – well informed, enthusiastic, and point where the established car
But the articles were so short and paying attention to the crowd as well makers are now. In contrast, the es-
lightweight, they told us nothing as the racers – that Brock Yates used tablished makers have absolutely
new – all I learned about the e-208 to do so well in the ’60s. flown out of the blocks with EVs.
for example was its 0-60 time. And for a fleeting moment I This is because – and I am sorry if I
Where was the real analysis of Sebring: we thought I understood the new Hy- trample on a few sensibilities here –
driving and living with these cars did it justice percar rules, thanks to Ben’s lucid batteries and electric motors are
summary. But then it slipped out of massively easier to engineer than en-
my grasp again. gines, transmissions, and emissions
Liam Haynes equipment. ⊲
Confused by the rules? Yes, us

too. But the history of endurance
Have your say:
racing shows that the rules VIA EMAIL
CAR@bauermedia.co.uk
change all the time anyway, so a
new set will be along soon. CO VIA TWITTER
@CARmagazine
On the shoulders of giants
A word in support of the legacy car VIA FACEBOOK
facebook.com/CARmagazine
makers. While it might be on trend
to call them dinosaurs for not em- VIA POST
bracing the EV with the same evan- CAR, Media House, Lynch Wood,
gelical zeal as Silicon Valley would Peterborough, PE2 6EA
have us believe is the only way for-

Opinion
This is borne out by the fact that some emergency braking and accel-
very many new boutique EV compa- eration on the straight, which was
nies have sprung into being over the really informative and demonstrated
last five years or so, whereas it has that under heavy (brake) loading the
been virtually impossible to create a car was still able to be steered into
brand new ICE-based car company another lane.
of any size since, say, 1980. Sadly, it’s Next up was the skid pan and ice
also shown by the ongoing reduction hill where I really improved my over-
in head count in the existing OEMs’ steering abilities. Finally we went
powertrain engineering depart- back to the track where, following
ments. the racing line and expert instruc-
If Tesla is ahead in EVs that’s be- tion from Simon, I progressively
cause it started first (helped by Lo- went quicker and quicker up to a
tus), not because of any inherent ge- point where I was catching other cars
nius. Dieselgate then handed Tesla Reader Ivan whether I should swap it for a Jogger. on track. Overtaking was controlled,
its success because this was when the Scully: in his Happy days and always done with mutual re-
new happy
anti-ICE bandwagon really got going. place Ryan Fone spect, but highlighted that listening
For a long time Tesla only made to good advice could quickly bring
money by selling zero-emissions Or not noticeable benefits.
credits to legacy car makers. Since Please give the Dacia worship a rest. My only negative issue was the ini-
Dieselgate, the proposed ban of the I’ve test driven a Sandero, and it just tial booking of the event. It took days
ICE has accelerated their business. wasn’t very good. I’m pretty to get through to someone.
But remember that Tesla has yet to open-minded, but the combination Ivan Scully
replace a single vehicle line (always of slow performance, cheap-feeling
difficult); it also seems to not under- plastics and uncomfortable seats There’s no mystery
stand that its chaotic pricing policies (even on a 15-mile drive) made it a Gavin Green ties himself in elegant
are destroying the secondhand val- definite no from me, and made me knots in trying to position accurately
ues of EVs; and mind-scrambling di- question your wisdom. the Peugeot 408, Kia EV6 and Cupra
versions like Musk’s running of Lee Abbott Formentor. Let me solve this puzzle
Twitter is alienating the early-adop- for you, Gavin: they all look like the
ter heartland. Learning can be fun Toyota C-HR. Not, I admit, a car that
James Turner I was given a day at the Porsche Expe- looms very large in CAR’s world, but
rience Centre at Silverstone as a it’s a huge seller and I’m pretty sure
Dust brother birthday present. It was, in a word, you will have seen plenty of them
I’m completely on board with CAR’s amazing. I have done trackday expe- about.
evolution into a Dacia Duster fan- riences before but never at the Por- You’re welcome.
zine. I’m not quite old enough to re- sche centre. David Payne
call the magazine’s very earliest days, I knew I was on to a winner when
when Minis and other small cars my instructor asked me what I want- Geography in motion
were to the fore. But I was a regular ed to get out of the day. Initially it I enjoyed Gavin Green’s test report of
reader in the late ’80s and early ’90s took me aback but then I thought the Peugeot 408 vs rivals in the May
when relatively modest vehicles like about it and expressed my wish to
the Fiat Uno were taken very serious- actually learn something. Usually
ly, and there was endless harking trackdays are about going pedal-to-
back to old Alfas by George Bishop. the-metal flat-out and out of control
Your embrace of the Dacia ethos with absolutely no focus on the skill
seems like a welcome return of this side of it.
spirit. Tesla Model My instructor, Simon, was fantas-
3: given an
Needless to say, I own a Duster. My easy run by the tic. When we first went out on track
biggest worry at the moment is competition we were took it easy, starting with
5 MOST READ STORIES ON

CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK
1 New Porsche Macan EV
to go on sale in 2024
2 Tesla Model 3
review 2023
3 Tesla Model Y vs BMW

iX1 vs Mercedes EQB
4 Volvo EX30: smaller EV

crossover confirmed
5 MG Cyberster: full story of

£50k electric roadster

Subscription hotline
01858 438884 or visit
CAR magazine,
Media House, Lynch Wood,
Peterborough PE2 6EA
Tel 01733 468000
Email CAR@bauermedia.co.uk
or visit us at
www.carmagazine.co.uk
Display advertising
01733 366312
Classified advertising
01733 366310
EDITORIAL
Editor
Ben Miller
Group editor
Phil McNamara
Production editor
Colin Overland
Deputy news editor
Jake Groves
edition but some location details 408 and chums: What is used in the vast majority of New cars editor
bugged me so I did some checking. somewhere tyres? Synthetic rubber, which is Alan Taylor-Jones
or other in Group digital editorial director
Both Holmfirth – setting for Last England made of oil! Tim Pollard
of the Summer Wine – and the Hunts- Millions of car tyres are made each Digital editor
Curtis Moldrich
man Inn lie outside the Peak District. year, so any percentage increase in
Art director
And I would not class myself as an consumption is a big deal. And let’s Mal Bailey
expert on poetry but I thought not even think about the effect on Editors-at-large
Chris Chilton, Mark Walton,
Wordsworth was famous for setting the environment caused by their dis- Ben Barry, Ben Pulman
his poems in the Lake District. posal. I work in the oil industry and I Contributor-in-chief
Jeff Simpson feel more confident than ever that I’ll Gavin Green
European editor
retire in the same industry. It seems Georg Kacher
We’ll let you have Holmfirth, and that rumours of the end of oil are Contributing editors
grudgingly the Huntsman – grossly exaggerated. Ben Oliver, Ben Whitworth,
Anthony ffrench-Constant,
although it’s right on the border Scott Chesney Steve Moody, Sam Smith
– but we’re not wrong about F1 correspondent
Tom Clarkson
Wordsworth. Yes, he spent much
Office manager
more time in the Lakes, but did INSTANT RE ACTIONS VIA FACEBOOK Leise Enright
produce some of his work in the
Peaks. CO
MG CYBERSTER Production controller
Andrew Stafford
ADVERTISING
Tyred and emotional Commercial director
Leaving aside the central debate as to Kelly Millis
Digital commercial director
whether or not an EV is greener over Jim Burton
its life than a combustion vehicle Key account manager
(rare minerals for batteries, an Dan Chapman
Account manager
alarming return to coal-fired elec- Claire Meade-Gore
tricity generation) – one thing struck Regional sales
me when reading the May issue: Graham Roby
If the quality is right, it’s an impressive
consumables, especially tyres and achievement. And it sounds like the PUBLISHING
brakes, must wear out quicker. In an performance has been got by escalation – Publisher
EV landscape when any car is heavier Rachael Beesley
weight, power, weight, up and up. I imagine a Marketing manager
like-for-like than a combustion kind of ‘Audi A8’ experience when B-road Sarah Norman
equivalent, and the BMW XM is a blasting. Direct marketing manager
frankly ridiculous 2785kg (10 per cent Julie Spires
JEREMY NEWMAN
Direct marketing executive
or so heavier than an AMG G63) and Raheema Rahim
even the more run-of-the-mill Lexus Made by the Chinese State... MD, automotive group
RX is 2240kg. Every piece on driving Niall Clarkson
ROB LIGHTBODY Chief financial officer
an EV mentions weight, usually in Lisa Hayden
reference to its detrimental effect on …cos UK can’t run a business properly. CEO, Bauer Publishing UK
ride and handling. Chris Duncan
IVELIN STANCHEV President, Bauer Global Publishing
If we assume that a driver will Jan Wachtel
drive in the same style whatever they It’s no MX-5 with that much weight and lack of a
pilot – that a lead boot remains lead- proper engine!
en whether the motor is petrol or RODERICK FIELD
electric – then we can assume that
tyre wear in particular will increase.
SUBSCRIPTIONS To ensure you don’t miss an issue visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk. To contact us about subscription orders, renewals, missing issues or any other subscription queries, please email bauer@subscription.co.uk or call our UK number 01858 438884, or overseas call +44 1858
438884. To manage your account online visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/solo BACK ISSUES To order call our UK number 01858 438884, or overseas call +44 1858 438884 COMMERCIAL REPRINTS If you require multiple reprints of a feature, tel +44 (0)20 7295 5470 SYNDICATING CAR
CONTENT syndication@bauermedia.co.uk PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION © CAR ISSN 0008-5987. Printed in the UK by Walstead. Distributed by Frontline Ltd, Park House, 117 Park Road, Peterborough PE1 2TR, 01733 555161. International distribution by Seymour International Ltd, 86 Newman
Street, London W1T 3EX, +44 20 7396 8000. Published 12 times a year by H BAUER PUBLISHING Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DT © All material published remains the copyright of H Bauer Publishing. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part
without the written permission of the publisher. CAR can’t accept responsibility for unsolicited material COMPLAINTS H Bauer Publishing is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve concerns quickly. 47
Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www.bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. FINANCIAL REGULATION H Bauer Publishing is authorised and regulated by the FCA (ref no 845898).
THIS ISSUE ON SALE 7 June 2023 NEXT ISSUE ON SALE 12 July 2023
‘It had never been
out in the wet
before, but that
Lamborghini
gave me one of
the finest drives
of my life’
s we welcome a new (and

probably the last) V12
mid-engine Lamborghini, it’s
appropriate to revisit the first.
That was the Lamborghini Miura,
and it may well be the most beautiful
sports car ever made, as well as one of the
most advanced.
Unveiled by sports-car-making newbie and tractor magnate Fer- car, more driver-focused and far less ostentatious.
ruccio Lamborghini at the Geneva motor show (remember them?) in By the time the Countach hit the road, Ferruccio Lamborghini
1966, it was the first production supercar to use a rear mid-mounted was out, his company hit hard by 1973’s oil and financial crises. It
engine. Technically, it was ahead of anything Ferrari, Aston Martin, went through various (often unsatisfactory) owners before entering
Jaguar or Porsche was producing. Jaguar was still on the Series 1 the comforting embrace of the Volkswagen Group in 1998. (Ferruc-
E-Type, Aston Martin had the hefty DB6, and Ferrari was still two cio told CAR in 1985 he regretted selling. He was then running a
years from launching the front-engined Daytona. These old war- vineyard near Lake Trasimeno in Umbria. He died in 1993 aged 76.)
horses were outclassed by Lamborghini’s agile new pony. The Miura Ferruccio also had his showy side, and one of the legacies of the
also looked a whole generation newer, a work of genius from Marcel- Miura was its kaleidoscopic colour palette. The Miura was offered in
lo Gandini at Bertone. exuberant yellow, lime green, bright orange, vivid blues and, of
I was lucky enough to drive an SV – the last and best Miura version course, Italian blood red.
– in late 1985. It’s the single car I most wanted to drive. It remains one I have had many memorable drives in V12 Lamborghinis since, one
of my all-time favourite sports cars, a stand-out example from the of which I recently shared at a CAR VIP online event. It was at Nardo
greatest era of car design, the ’50s and ’60s. in Italy in late 2010, driving an Aventador prototype.
Owner Hew Dundas was generous with his time and with the As the car was still secret and Lamborghini feared scoop pho-
car’s mileage. I drove it from Loughborough to North Wales where tographers spying, we drove it at night. On the banked Nardo speed
we had an overnight stop in Criccieth. The car park wasn’t covered bowl, we also drove it very fast. Lamborghini test driver Giovanni,
and Hew feared rain and leaks. The hotel manager gave us some bin our convoy leader, was soon doing an indicated 200mph (at night!)
bags to shroud the windscreen and engine louvres. Like many Mi- and fellow UK journalist Steve, self and a Yank called Frank obedi-
uras, this one had led a sheltered life. ‘It’s probably never been wet ently followed, 100 metres or so apart, headlamps blazing.
before,’ said Hew. Next day I drove it energetically on mountain Suddenly Steve yelled over the squawky-talkie that he’d hit some-
roads on the roof of Wales, one of the finest drives of my life. thing. We stopped and Giovanni examined the underside of the car
I loved the Miura’s smallness, its lightness for a V12 – 1300kg – and with a torch. ‘You hit a fox,’ said Giovanni, a bit too matter-of-factly.
its lowness (its roof was two inches closer to the ground than a Lotus Of the poor animal, there was no sign. ‘You’re lucky it wasn’t a deer.
Esprit). I loved the engine’s power, smoothness and music; the car’s We sometimes see them here.’
agility, its balance and its breathtaking style. The only major bugbear We all felt like driving more gingerly after that. But as Giovanni
Illustration: Peter Strain
was the ponderous gearchange, for which Miuras were renowned. Its continued to lead the convoy at speed, anything less than flat-out in a
transverse engine had a Mini-like in-sump gearbox. This may have new V12 Lamborghini just wasn’t possible.
helped packaging, but it didn’t do the shift any favours.
I preferred the Miura to the Countach that replaced it in 1974 and Hew Dundas’ Miura SV was later owned by Jamiroquai singer Jay Kay.
became the poster Lamborghini supercar. The Miura was a purer Former CAR editor Gavin Green’s more of a Brand New Heavies man

Car or van,
work or play
Take a five-minute pitstop.

Compare insurance with
T&Cs apply. See website for details. Authorised and regulat- Representative of Vast Visibility Limited, 8 Princes Parade,
ed by the Financial Conduct Authority. Mustard.co.uk is a Liverpool, L3 1DL, which is authorised and regulated by the
trading name of the H Bauer Publishing Limited Partnership Financial Conduct Authority under Firm Reference Number
which for general insurance distribution is an Appointed 566973. You can check these details on the FCA Register.
‘Don’t worry
about small
details like
making sense.
Because it’s all
going to be okay
at JLR’
House of Brands. This is what it’s

come to. The rugged, lightweight
4x4 that conquered the world in the
1950s has become… a House of Brands.
Down-to-earth Land Rover has been
squeezed to the margins and corporate gob-
bledegook has now taken over.
Jaguar Land Rover designer Gerry McGov-
ern – or Chief Creative Officer, Professor Gerry McGovern OBE as he the barman to call him… Anyway, Gerry couldn’t help but eavesdrop
prefers to be known – would no doubt tell me I’m a dinosaur. The on a conversation. Two ordinary blokes – working-class types, not
future, he says, is JLR’s big Reimagine strategy – or Reimagine Mod- your ideal JLR House of Brands customer – were talking cars. ‘I’ve
ern Luxury By Design to give it its full title. Land Rover will become just bought a Range Rover,’ said one. ‘Really?’ said his ordinary, work-
an overarching Trust Mark (a what?). JLR is a house of four brands: ing-class mate. ‘I’ve been thinking about buying a Defender.’
Range Rover, Discovery, Defender and Jaguar. With Defender now a Then it struck him! Range Rover! Defender! Who needs that
brand in its own right, it’s not clear what the Defender model will be dreadful green oval Land Rover badge, when everyone just refers to
called. Perhaps the Defender Defender? the cars by their model names!
Fortunately, Chief Creative Officer, Professor Gerry McGovern So I imagine Gerry pitched his big idea to the JLR board, saying:
OBE is here to clear everything up: ‘Our ultimate ambition is to build ‘Why be limited to two brands, when we could have five! Instead of
truly emotionally engaging experiences for our clients.’ just Jaguar and Land Rover we could have Jaguar! Defender! Discov-
Eh? ery! Range! AND ROVER!!!’
Because apparently Reimagine will transform the business with a After the board pointed out that Rover had actually already existed
‘value creation approach’. in the past and it hadn’t ended well, they settled on four brands, living
Eh? happily ever after in a house. Of brands.
Look, don’t worry about small details like… you know… MAKING I hope they know what they’re doing. Imagine a customer turning
SENSE. Because it’s all going to be okay! JLR, thankfully, is guided by up at his local JLR dealership…
‘our Planet Regenerate, Engage for Good and Responsible Business ‘Hello. I’m interested in buying a Land Rover.’
programmes’. Phew! ‘Sorry sir, we don’t sell our customers Land Rovers any more! Our
Eh? goal is to deliver emotionally engaging experiences for our clients.’
Planet Regenerate. Anyone would think JLR is planning to invest ‘Eh?’
£15 billion in reusable bamboo straws, rather than cars powered by ‘But I can sell you the latest Defender Defender.’
lithium batteries. The indigenous people of Chile – the world’s sec- ‘Eh?’
ond largest supplier of lithium – face water shortages because their ‘In fact there’s a new limited edition, released to celebrate 75 years
supply has been used up pumping brine into lurid turquoise lithium of rich history since the birth of our company back in 1948! It’s called
pools. They’ll be so reassured to hear that JLR will ‘deliver a new the Defender Defender Land Rover Edition and it has a special green
Illustration: Peter Strain
benchmark in environmental, societal and community impact’. oval Trust Mark!’

The whole thing is so bizarre. You know what I think happened ‘Eh?’
here? I picture Gerry down his local boozer, propping up the bar,
drinking his usual pint of Snakebite. He’s a regular, our Gez! Or Editor-at-large Mark Walton loves Land Rovers – dig out his May 2018
Chief Creative Officer, Professor Gerry McGovern OBE as he prefers story about the restoration of the original 1948 Amsterdam show car

MERCEDES-AMG C63 I BMW M3 I AUDI RS4

Giant
test
THE DEFINITIVE VERDICT
Hot estate warfare recommences as AMG’s radically

revised C63 meets the first ever BMW M3 Touring
and the Competition version of Audi’s RS4 Avant
Words Georg Kacher Photography Charlie Magee

Giant test: Mercedes-AMG C63 vs rivals
ust a few hours into our four-day

test, the frowning and chin-rubbing
is in full effect. No, it’s not just you.
Yes, I found that too. Maybe we
should go for another loop through
those hills, just to make sure…
The reason for our collective
perplexity? The estate version of the All too often
all-new Mercedes-AMG C63, the overlooked,
one that’s ditched the V8 in favour undeservedly
of a hybridised 2.0-litre four. Some
months ahead of the Merc’s arrival
in the UK, we’ve put it up against brands are again battling it out, even though the estate car – by
its two natural foes. The BMW now an almost exclusively European phenomenon – has over
is the first ever M3 Touring. The Audi is the limited-edition time come under strong pressure from crossovers and SUVs
Performance version of the RS4 Avant. offered by a much wider variety of manufacturers. In addition,
And it soon becomes apparent that there are some pretty these beefed-up, tailgate-equipped family cars are facing
serious questions to be answered. Not just the obvious – which increasingly stiff opposition from potent EVs like the Porsche
is best? – but also some puzzlers around what exactly these Taycan Sport Turismo, the imminent full-electric BMW i5 M60
cars are for, how versatile they really are, and how they fit into Touring and the Audi A6 e-Tron Avant due in 2024.
a world that seems to be abandoning estate bodies and high- The new C63 S Estate – like the future E63 AMG and next
performance petrol engines. year’s M5 Touring – boasts a performance hybrid drivetrain
When Mercedes revealed the details of the new C63 last year, designed to combine the best of all worlds: massive power and
there was a lot of concern about the technical specification. torque as well as unrivalled efficiency. The other two entrants
Chiefly, the sheer amount of it; it’s an exceptionally complex are more conventional, and less powerful. While the Audi is
powertrain. And there was also the not unrelated question equipped with a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 good for 444bhp and
of its weight – well over 2000kg. Had Mercedes-AMG made a 443lb ft, the 3.0-litre straight-six installed in the M3 Touring is
strategic mistake in trying to throw so much technology at a rated at 503bhp and 479lb ft. The hybridised AMG effort easily
mid-sized estate? eclipses both rivals with a massive combined 670bhp and 752lb
First impressions are reassuring: when catapulting off the line ft. No contest? Wait and see.
fully charged, the C63 is a formidable weapon, launch control or Before we pull out the scorecards, let us zero the mindsets,
not. Equally impressive is the massive in-gear thrust, the bullet- clear the memory chips and start assessing the entrants from
like throttle action in Race mode, the seamless go-go-go urge, scratch. Why? Because at least two of the three cars differ
the brutally explosive power even beyond 125mph, and the long, substantially from driving experiences gathered in the past,
strong legs on an empty German highway. because the spec sheets never tell the full story, and because the
In isolation, this big-number performance is pretty impressive. freshly discovered nuances, detail improvements and the sum of
But how much of the time do you want to be driving like the the updates could easily alter the final verdict.
world is a drag strip? And how well does the Merc fulfil all the Point in case is the Audi. When did we last have a go in
other functions required of a performance estate – functions the RS4 Avant? That was back in 2019. It was quick, refined,
performed admirably well by its rivals, and by the old C63. quite comfy and built like a rock, but it tended to give under
BMW invented the high-performance estate car in 1992 pressure. Hampered by too much bodyroll, an irritatingly
with the 335bhp M5 Touring, which was closely followed by the leisurely transmission, softish brakes lacking confidence,
268bhp 1993 Mercedes-AMG E36 Estate and the 1994 311bhp Audi pre-programmed driving modes stacked too close together
RS2 Avant, a joint effort with Porsche. Thirty years down the and oddly indifferent handling, it was merely a fast yet not
road, having seen off various rivals, the three German premium particularly special estate.
In contrast, our third encounter with the M3 Touring in only
four months helps cement the previous assessments. It’s best to
Estate body avoid the fancy carbonfibre seats unless you are lean of stature
on a muscular and physically fit enough to elegantly mount and dismount
tech-fest of a
powertrain from the thinly padded, positively unheated and unventilated
buckets which squeeze the thighs together like a clamp and
bracket the torso to the car with near-zero tolerance.
We’re keen to have another try at figuring out why BMW gives
the driver two settings for steering response and brake action.
In Sport, you’d better put on asbestos gloves to avoid getting
singed by the ultra-sharp rack-and-pinion set-up. The same
goes for the brakes, which are quite grabby in Comfort only to
become hyper-reactive in Sport – fine for hardcore track driving,
unnecessarily arrhythmic on busy public roads.
And then the C63. The new model is a shock to the system
in more ways than one: a totally different experience in ⊲

How much help
do you want
from xDrive?
It’s up to you
Georg forgot
to wear his
carbonfibre
pullover

This, not the
sausages, is
why we’re here
Hot estates
now very
much a German
thing again

THE HYBRID C63 IS NOT A Touring also gets recalibrated springs and dampers.
Like the M saloon and coupe, the BMW estate invites you to
PLANET SAVER BUT A LUXURY personalise engine, transmission, dampers, brakes, steering and
ESTATE WITH F1 TECHNOLOGY exhaust in three steps. For road use, we lock the engine in Sport,
leave the rest in Comfort and dial in the second-fastest shift
speed – that’s about as dynamic as you want. Why not go for
terms of speed, sound, steering, stopping, set-up… The even more emotional superfast gearchanges? Because they tend
C63 S E Performance is no longer a smaller E63; the hybrid to break the flow, just as the shock absorbers are stretching the
metamorphosis turns it into a different animal altogether. friendship in Sport before terminating it in Sport Plus.
There are now two connected drivetrains sharing the propulsion Properly warmed up, the front tyres turn in presto and
duties and a bulging battery pack riding on top of the rear stick as if guided by an invisible induction loop in the road.
e-motor assembly which adds several hundred kilos of weight. What follows is an object lesson in the exact opposite of still
While the standard rear-wheel steering enhances the life painting. With the tarmac as your canvas, the chassis as
manoeuvrability, the new eight-stage drift mode disconnects your easel, the steering as the brush, and the throttle picking
the front axle on demand. Is this spectral blue Benz an over- and choosing different colours from that infinitely generous ⊲
engineered jack-of-all-trades or a breakthrough over-achiever
capable of ticking all the right boxes?
For four days in a row, we have to flip coins because everybody
wants to drive the Mercedes as it’s the newest car, and the most
powerful here. In fact the C63 delivers its peak output only as
long as the e-boosted max energy flow lasts, a soberingly brief
10 seconds. That’s of course still plenty to help you accelerate in
the advertised 3.4sec from zero to 62mph but not quite enough
for the long back straight of a race circuit, for an extended top-
speed autobahn stint or even for two consecutive flat-out high-
speed overtaking manoeuvres.
The massive 2115kg kerbweight is certainly no help here,
nor is the stressed 476bhp 2.0-litre four, which despairs of
simultaneously charging the 6.1kWh PHEV battery and setting
all four wheels on fire.
The C63 can cover at most eight emissions-free miles, which
emphasises that it’s not a planet-saver but, according to its
Merc boot
maker, a luxurious estate car crammed with F1 technology. squeezed
That includes an electrically-assisted extra-large turbocharger by hybrid
fed by a 400-volt system, a 201bhp e-motor which makes short hardware
distances shrink like a zoom lens, and a second gear which kicks
in with a vengeance before the e-motor starts yet another climb
up the rev ladder.
The only electric energy packs fitted to the Audi and the BMW
are the starter batteries. Don’t think of the M3 as a 3-series
Touring stuffed with M4 genes; it’s more of an M4 transformed
into an extensively redesigned and re-engineered estate. It’s
44mm wider than the base model up front and 38mm more
voluptuous in the back, while the body incorporates numerous
reinforcement panels, crossbeams and stiffening joints. The
changes drive the kerbweight up to a feisty 1865kg, so the
▼
PR E - F LI G HT B R I E F I N G I M E RC E D E S -A M G C63 S E PE R FO R M A N C E
⊲ Why is it here? ⊲ Any clever stuff? miles emissions-free. You get

Because the last one beat So much stuff. The eight driving modes, four
both M3 and RS4 on its longitudinally mounted recuperation modes, a boost
launch and this one is both engine alone makes 476bhp mode, drift mode and
new and an intriguing roll of and gets an electrically rear-steer. It’s a lot of stuff.
the dice from Mercedes-AMG assisted turbo so it can be
as it shifts from the big V8 both huge and lag-free. But ⊲ Which version is this?
that made the C63’s name to this is also a plug-in hybrid They’re all S models these
the world’s most powerful with a 6.1kWh battery behind days. The estate adds some
four-cylinder engine. At least the rear seats, plus an outputs at 670bhp and 752lb practicality over the saloon
it’s still hand-assembled in e-motor and two-speed ft (but that peak drops by – though it’s a smallest-on-
Affalterbach to the one-man- gearbox for the rear axle. It 94bhp after a 10-second test 324 litres because of the
one-engine ethos. (Luca introduces all-wheel drive boost). There’s also the hybrid packaging (and also
Profetto built our test car’s.) and adds 201bhp, with total promise of around eight porkiest at 2115kg).

AMG C63
quicker than
M3 in short
bursts
Looks like the

Vorsprung
version, but
gains trick tech

Vents give M3
a visual lift over
other Tourings ONCE UNDERSTEER-PRONE,
THE AUDI HAS EVOLVED INTO A
SHARP AND SWIFT APEX CHASER
sleeved, adrenalin-pumping, Sunday-morning tarmac-peelers.
With its immense torque, the C63 quickly establishes itself as
the undisputed king of your favourite series of hooligan corners,
but because of that narrow 10-second overboost window, it may
not be not be the fastest cross country.
And there are other factors also blunting the Swabian sword.
Because of the weight penalty, the tyres heat up quite quickly,
grip decreases accordingly early in the game, and as soon as
understeer starts setting in you need more and more space
to light up the rears for the slide that eventually follows. It’s a
vicious circle, even though the power-saving cooling system
could hardly be more elaborate, and despite the eerily aggressive
palette, every grand g-force-empowered gesture may qualify as recharging algorithm. Worst of all is the lack of consistency. You
a fleeting work of art. never really know how fierce the kick in the butt is going to be,
Before model year 2023, the RS4 would have featured exactly nor how long it will last.
nowhere in this contest. But the advent of the limited-run The AMG effort picks up bonus points for the – relatively
Competition version puts the oldest car in the group back in speaking – cushiest ride, most comfortable seats, fastest
contention. It brings manually adjustable coilover suspension 0-125mph acceleration time, tightest turning circle, largest
(RS Sport Suspension Pro, if you must), a 10mm lower ride height, cabin, arrow-straight stability and the total absence of any
tweaked diff, new exhaust, less sound insulation and a higher kind of turbo lag. The drift mode, which can be accessed via
top speed. It’s a relatively straightforward DIY job to increase the shift paddles in Race and Master settings with ESP switched
the suspension stiffness by up to 15 per cent. Compression and off, automatically deactivates front-wheel drive and directs all
rebound can be fine-tuned manually with a pair of simple tools that twist action to the rear 275/35ZR20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S
in 13 and 16 steps respectively, but the difference between the tyres, which yell for help from the word go.
front and rear axle must never exceed nine clicks to retain a safe The downsides include the oddly fluctuating power and
handling balance. Only a gimmick? Absolutely not. torque delivery, and the on-test fuel economy of 19.1mpg isn’t
Although the Competition does not include the RS3’s Torque much to be proud of for a newly developed hybrid. (Our test
Splitter and its tail-happy Torque Rear mode, which sends up to figures for the M3 and RS are equally poor, at 19.9 and 18.8mpg
50 per cent of the grunt to the outer rear wheel, the new set-up respectively.)
developed with the specialist supplier KW completely converts One surprise of this shootout is the contenders’ very similar
the car’s character. real-life pace, defying the vastly different factory data. Take
What used to be a softish, understeer-prone estate car has the RS4, which burns through the 0-62mph sprint in a hand-
evolved into a sharp and swift apex chaser capable of building stopped 3.7sec (against an official 3.9sec) thanks to the brutally
up oodles more grip while remaining flat, fast and composed at pre-loaded launch control, whereas we clock the M3 at 3.3sec
all times, especially when running on grippy tyres. (beating the brochure by 0.3sec) while the C63 comes in as
Seems that under the regime of the CTO Oliver Hoffmann promised at 3.4sec.
and his new Audi Sport deputies Oliver Grams and Rolf Michl, These results emphasise that the stopwatch is not the key
the go-faster division is finally back on track. decider. What makes the difference and eventually crowns the
So… all three contenders are shaping up as great long- winner is the sum of core and fringe talents, with all sorts of
distance mile-eaters, fully certified B-road champs and shirt- emotional incidentals mixed in. The latter category includes ⊲
▼
PR E - F LI G HT B R I E F I N G I B M W M3 CO M PETITI O N TO U R I N G
⊲ Why is it here? meisters and no bad thing Not so much as mild-hybrid

Long the benchmark, briefly either. The 3.0-litre twin- assistance though.
iffy, the BMW M3 is back on turbo straight-six is more
form. It won earlier CAR progressive and tuneful than ⊲ Which version is this?
group tests (against RS4, its rather diesely forbear and The Touring is BMW’s first
Giulia QF and previous C63) gets more power too, but this five-door load-lugging M3
as a saloon and we’ve time it’s hooked up to an after previous dabbles with
previously suggested the eight-speed auto as big-booted M5s. Unlike the
Touring could be your dream standard, where before you M3 saloon and M4 coupe, it
one-car garage. could choose between lunacy if you dip into the comes only in all-wheel drive,
six-speed manual or on-screen set-up menu, all but like its UK siblings all
⊲ Any clever stuff? seven-speed dual-clutch while carrying the most stuff Tourings are in Competition
It’s evolution rather than auto. Secure all-wheel drive on test (500 litres seats up, spec – meaning 503bhp and
revolution from the M can flick to full rear-drive 1510 litres with them folded). 479lb ft to play with.

ONE SURPRISE IS VERY SIMILAR

REAL-LIFE PACE, DEFYING THE
VASTLY DIFFERENT DATA
ease of use, street cred and distinct delights such as the M1/M2
buttons in the BMW, the Audi's truly sensational brakes and the
telemetrics-centric PlayStation cockpit of the Mercedes.
The clock is ticking. We’re coming close to decision time,
which will be reached at the end of a final 150-mile loop from
Optional BMW the outskirts of Munich to the foothills of the Austrian Alps.
seats suit the It does not matter how often you swap seats – the M3 is at first
slimmer figure
always an acquired taste before it gets you firmly hooked five or
10 miles later. Especially in combination with this car’s optional
race seats, the BMW feels a touch too firm, stiff, direct, abrupt,
binary. The hyper-reactive brakes bite like Jaws, the springs
and dampers are uncompromisingly short-fused at low speed,
steering and throttle respond with guillotine-like promptness
– no grey areas here.
Usher in more revs, build up more speed, get more temperature
into the tyres, and the Touring will as a matter of course lead
you into its broad and deep comfort zone where compliance
never fades even as the individual faculties are rolling out their
envelopes in a united quest for the limit.
By now we are going at nine tenths and that initial edginess
has long merged with a confidence-building flow buffered by a
Not the latest small but comforting margin for error or exuberance.
generation of
Audi cabin tech And believe it or not, the Audi is still looming large in the
mirror of the BMW. On the brakes, it even briefly pulls alongside
the M3. With the transmission in Sport and the drive mode in
Dynamic, the RS4 conducts the subjectively fastest up- and
downshifts. At the same time, the looser rear end masterminded
by the revised differential keeps triggering entertaining lift-off-
then-turn-in weight transfers.
The overall set-up is still quite relaxed and neutral, and
the clever torque vectoring keeps the tyres cool so that they
maintain their strong grip even when the driver is in a hurry.
Very little drama, awesome pace, total control – that’s the key
message conveyed by the RS4 Avant. This multi-talented beast
works equally well in Sport and Manual, its torque curve peaks
earlier than that of the BMW, the 180mph maximum speed
Very much edges both rivals by a whisker. At the same time, the car from
the latest Ingolstadt is the most homogeneous daily driver and a fabulous
generation of
Merc cabin tech all-rounder. Which makes for some interesting discussions as
we end the chin-stroking and announce our verdict… ⊲
▼
PR E - F LI G HT B R I E F I N G I AU D I R S 4 CO M PETITI O N AVA NT
⊲ Why is it here? ⊲ Any clever stuff? diff and 20-inch alloys with
RS4 was once king of the Clever? No. Compelling? stickier P Zero Corsa tyres.
mid-sized fast estates and Absolutely. RS4’s powertrain It’s a very effective polish.
still commands a devoted remains a 2.9-litre twin-turbo
following today. It lagged V6 with an unchanged ⊲ Which version is this?
behind the M3 and previous 444bhp and 443lb ft but the All RS4 are Avants these
C63 in our last group test, eight-speed auto’s shifts days (the RS5 Sportback
and is now near the end of its have been recalibrated for a coupe/saloon is closest to an
life, but Audi is giving it a little little extra punch, and you RS4 saloon). We’re testing
boost in the form of the get an RS sports exhaust for and saving eight kilos. the Competition, but you can
Competition. Like this car’s a fruitier sort of noise. There’s You also get fixed- rather still order the base Audi RS4
fetching pastel grey? Us too. a reduction in sound than variable-rate steering, Avant, the Carbon Black or,
All 75 UK-bound cars are insulation at the front spanner-adjustable coilover for near-Competition money,
Sebring Crystal Black. bulkhead, adding more noise suspension, a retuned rear the all-the-toys Vorsprung.

Estates for dogs;
all-wheel drive
for bad weather…
we have neither
BMW can
teach the
Merc a thing
or two about
engagement

AMG C63 vs RIVALS THE DETAILS

MERCEDES-AMG BMW M3 AUDI
C63 ESTATE TOURING RS4 AVANT
AFFORDABILIT Y
WE SAY... £90,000 (est – UK price not yet £86,570 (£93,990 as tested £84,600 (£84,600 as tested)
All expensive to announced) with options) Representative PCP £1052 (47
buy and expensive Representative PCP n/a (too Representative PCP £1695 (48 payments); £18k deposit; 10,000
to run soon) payments); £15k deposit; 10,000 miles per year; 10.0%
Typical approved used value miles per year, 12.9% Typical approved used value
£50k (previous-generation C63 Typical approved used value £72k (Carbon Black edition,
S Estate, 20,000 miles, 68-plate) £100k (1500 miles, 72-plate) 6000 miles, 72-plate)
POWERTRAIN
WE SAY... Engine 1991c 16v turbocharged Engine 2993cc 24v twin-turbo Engine 2894cc 24v twin-
BMW and Audi four-cylinder six-cyl, 6.1kW battery, e-motor turbocharged V6
evolve; Merc goes Transmission Nine-speed Transmission Eight-speed Transmission Eight-speed
full spaceship automatic, all-wheel drive automatic, all-wheel drive automatic, all-wheel drive
PERFORMANCE
WE SAY... Power 670bhp @ 750rpm Power 503bhp @ 6250rpm Power 444bhp @ 5700rpm
C63’s big bhp Torque 752lb ft @ 5250rpm Torque 479lb ft @ 2750rpm Torque 443b ft @ 2000rpm
advantage dulled Top speed 169mph Top speed 174mph Top speed 180mph
by hundreds of 0-62mph 3.4sec 0-62mph 3.6sec 0-62mph 3.9sec
extra kilos
B O D Y/ C H A S S I S
WE SAY... Structure Steel, aluminium Structure Steel, aluminium Structure Steel, aluminium
Audi might be on Weight 2115kg Weight 1865kg Weight 1729kg
coilovers, but it’s
the most compliant Suspension Double Suspension MacPherson Suspension Multi-link
on test wishbones front and rear strut front, multi-link rear front and rear
Length/width/height Length/width/height Length/width/height
4842/1900/1474mm 4801/1903/1446mm 4782/1866/1404mm
Boot capacity 324 litres Boot capacity 500-1510 litres Boot capacity 495/1495 litres
EFFICIENCY
WE SAY... Fuel capacity 70 litres Fuel capacity 59 litres Fuel capacity 58 litres
When real world Official economy 40.9mpg Official economy 27.2mpg Official economy 28.2mpg
and WLTP fantasy
collide Tested economy 19.1mpg Tested economy 19.9mpg Tested economy 18.8mpg
Official range 630 miles Official range 353-363 miles Official range 360 miles
Tested range 294 miles Tested range 258 miles Tested range 240 miles
Emissions 156g/km CO2 Emissions 229-235g/km CO2 Emissions 227g/km CO2

WATCH
THE VIDEO!
GET CAR’S
DIGITAL EDITION.
SEE PAGE 72
Close on
price, close on
performance,
but emotionally
distinct
FINAL RECKONING work at the rejuvenated Sport division, the RS4

Avant is – getting towards the end of its life – a 1st
IT’S ABOUT
very good car again, just like the MkI version was BMW M3
in 1999.
In this company, the Audi is the proverbial The Touring produces a
USING THE
underdog-overachiever, the most smiles-per-mile few extra happy
24/7 workhorse, a totally forgiving and practical hormones neither rival
hardcore plaything. can muster
TECH WELL
But, on the downside, it is the oldest design here ★★★★★
by a long shot, its interface is handicapped by the
smallest display and the least intuitive controls,
it lacks not only advanced assistance systems but
also latest-generation headlights.
2nd
AUDI RS4
But after the RS3 Performance Edition and the
The Audi storms back
The most power, unreal forward thrust, ultimate run-out R8 V10 GT, the RS4 Avant is again proof
into our affections: best
digitalisation, some silent-running ability – what that the co-ordinates of Audi’s go-faster satellite
soundtrack, best brakes,
could possible deny the Mercedes the win? Answer: are back on target.
best overall balance
a list of flaws longer than that litany of virtues. Another win then for BMW, but only by a
For instance, the inadequate boot capacity, short head, and the smallest change of priority or ★★★★★
compromised by the hybrid hardware sitting perspective may make the victory look like a dead
above the rear axle. And then there’s the weight,
which affects everything – ride, handling, braking,
economy… What’s really at fault here is the basic
heat. The M3 Touring is NOT the best fast family
holdall, nor is it a sufficiently sophisticated long-
distance grand tourer, or a suitable commuter car
3rd
MERCEDES-AMG C63
concept, which may have looked irresistible on for impatient execs. It is, however, the ultimate
While the weight of the
paper when Mercedes was deciding how to ease driving machine for enjoying familiar back roads,
battery stifles the
AMG into electrification, but simply does not cut for showing that pesky 911 where the hammer
handling, the drivetrain
it on the road. hangs when the first raindrops start falling, and
misses the efficiency
Awarding the gold medal to the Audi would give for exploring a whole bunch of different limits
goal by a wide margin
none of our test team a difficult time explaining Even more so than the Audi, the BMW invites its
the decision. Thanks to the expert transformation driver to become one with the machine. ★★★★★

D O N E
A N D

Lamborghini Sterrato driven
D U S T E D
End of the Huracan… and

the beginning of a fresh
strain of glorious madness
from Lamborghini
Words Ben Barry Photography Charlie Magee

Wider track
means carbon
wheelarch
extensions
Actual
adventure
ahoy
his has all the hallmarks of an accident. I’ve accelerated
hard down a straight at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway in the
Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato, but rather than braking hard
for the following left-hand turn, I’ve missed the apex completely
and find myself bounding off track into Californian desert.
Dust whips up like a sandstorm in my mirrors, threatening
to envelop me the second I get stuck axles-deep in sand. But the
Sterrato – literally ‘dirt road’ in Italian – isn’t fazed. Neither
is co-driver/instructor Giacomo Barri. ‘In! Accelerate! Go!’ he
shouts over the V10.
To be fair, much has been done to ensure I’m neither having
an accident nor getting stuck. The Sterrato’s suspension is
raised 44mm, the tracks widened 30mm front and 34mm rear
then shrouded in chunky carbonfibre arches, and its belly
gets a little extra protection courtesy of an aluminium front
undertray, beefier side sills and tougher rear diffuser.
There are even 19-inch Bridgestone Dueler tyres a bit
like an Ineos Grenadier’s, plus a compass and inclinometer
infotainment graphics and a new Rally mode to replace the
usual Corsa race setting – it tweaks things like the powertrain,
torque vectoring by braking and damping so you can slide about
on the loose stuff.
It’s a Huracan splitting the difference between an Audi
Allroad and Ariel Nomad. Closer to home? Sant’Agata’s answer
to the Porsche 911 Dakar.
Now, you could argue that I’m merely a journalist whooping
and bashing my way over desert scrub in someone else’s very
expensive supercar (guilty), but also more problematically
for Lamborghini, you might think the Sterrato completely
pointless. That was my instinct when I first saw it.
But in creating a Lamborghini that can make like a Safari
rally car, Lamborghini has created something far more relevant
– an all-wheel-drive supercar arguably better suited to the vast
majority of drivers.
The market seems to agree – the initial run of 1063 was
increased to 1499 units, all of which are now sold out, with the
£232,820 base price typically bumped £40k-£50k with options
that include our car’s graphics and spotlights. The fact that
this is officially the final Huracan and the last non-hybrid
Lamborghini won’t have hurt demand either. (Insiders will not
confirm this is the final V10 but CAR’s own intel says a twin-
turbo V8 plug-in hybrid comes next.)
The Sterrato back story is pleasingly spontaneous, if it’s
Options list true. Apparently it was born from testing the then-new Urus
includes
roof rack on a sandy rally stage at the Nardo proving ground. Design
boss Mitja Borkert says he dropped in to experience how the ⊲

I T ’ S A N A L L- W H E E L- D R I V E
SUPERCAR BETTER SUITED
TO MOST DRIVERS
Why stop
at the kerb?
Sterrato
handles any
line you take

Still a Huracan
inside, just one
that’s slightly
higher up
Underbody
protection fully
functional, and
fully funky
Sideways on
the road, on
the track and
on the rough

THE STE E RING WHE E L SLIPS

THROUGH MY HANDS WITH
A H U L A - H O O P F LU I D I T Y
high-performance SUV drove, had a ball, then over dinner talk

turned to how much fun a Huracan might be on the same stage.
Eureka. ‘I called my guys immediately that night, and the next
day I said we need to start sketching,’ enthuses Borkert.
The design team produced a one-third scale model in
an Alitalia livery redolent of the Lancia Stratos rally car;
the engineering department requisitioned an old Huracan
Performante durability hack to build a prototype and began
having a riotous old time.
Four laps in and I’m starting to find my rhythm at Chuckwalla.
The tyres cut into the loose surface with surprising efficacy, so
I can brake later and find more traction than I guessed, and
there’s a blissful mid-engined balance as I flick left and right
through more technical sandy sections.
Perhaps most striking is how controlled the body feels, even
when the wheels are being battered about remorselessly and
take a few especially wince-inducing hits – I initially tense up Titanium
fearing ever-amplifying deflections and the mother of all tank- rollcage
slappers, but instead the rebound damping smooths it all over signals serious
intent
and the steering wheel slips through my hands with a kind of
hula-hoop fluidity, the normal bite of asphalt replaced by the
intuitive dance of managing weight transfer. I loosen my grip,
guiding and feeling the car, relaxing into its languid movements. W H AT N E X T F O R S T E R R AT O?
All the while there’s that V10 engine behind, its 8600rpm
stretch providing almost endless options to adjust the balance, Could Urus be next for the Sterrato treatment?
whether it’s three sharp blips to tip the nose into a turn and Design boss Mitja Borkert admits Lamborghini has
tweak the attitude, or a long progressive squeeze to settle it into looked into it but ‘couldn’t do everything’. Here’s us,
the fast stuff as I click from second to – blam! – third gear. God then, making it easier in six simple verb-first steps…
that feels good.
Performance of 602bhp and 413lb ft matches the entry-level 1 Add tougher bolt-on wheelarches to shroud the
Evo RWD, while the weight edges up 48kg over an Evo AWD at wider track and generally look more purposeful
1470kg dry. The engine is actually the V10 in its top-spec STO
trim, titanium valves and all, but the roof snorkel reduces the 2 Raise and soften off the suspension for more
power output; it was deemed necessary after conventional side- on-road comfort and better off-road ability
mounted air intakes kept clogging with dirt during testing.
Issues? My helmeted head bashes repeatedly on the Huracan’s 3 Offer a graphics pack and rally-style spotlights
low-flying cant rail; the suspension hardware isn’t actually
strengthened; and the Sterrato sticks with carbon-ceramic 4 Fit slightly smaller wheels wrapped in chunky
brakes, because that’s what the rest of the Huracan range uses, Bridgestone Dueler rubber
but they’re hugely expensive to replace and not really suited to
the grainy abrasion inherent in off-road use. New technical boss 5 Treat the interior to an alcantara makeover, then
Rouven Mohr admits there could be issues if you repeatedly add more off-roady graphics and Rally drive mode
venture into the dunes but counters that ‘our surface treatment
is very durable’. 6 Enter the Dakar Rally in something that looks
Given it works so well off-road, the Huracan Sterrato is a bit similar
surprisingly effective on track. ‘The idea wasn’t to make the
Huracan an off-road car – it was to preserve as much of the
supercar feeling on asphalt but transfer this idea to low-grip 5
surfaces,’ explains Mohr.
His team experimented with ride height increases in 5mm 3
increments before hitting on 44mm as the sweet spot, then 1
reduced spring stiffness by 25 per cent. Rather than stiffening the
anti-roll bars – which is normal on a compact high-performance
SUV – Mohr’s team then chose to actively allow pitching and 4 2
rolling. The adaptive dampers even soften a little under braking
– especially in Rally mode – to encourage more weight transfer.
‘It gives freedom to really put more load on the front axle, ⊲

More usable
on the road,
despite
appearances in that direction; a more usable sort of GT bent so you don’t
need to crawl quite as hesitatingly over speed bumps or tiptoe
into faster compressions or worry about dropping a wheel off
the road if you want to pull into a gravel layby. So, yes, RWD,
Tecnica or STO will be more incisive, but I’d probably use a
Sterrato more often.
Only the carbon-ceramic brakes jar, because they’re over-
sensitive for those little comfort dabs at the pedal when you’re
on an unfamiliar road. Perhaps another reason conventional
stoppers would’ve been a better fit.
Of course mellow is a relative term when it comes to
Lamborghini, so don’t go thinking all the fun’s been knocked
out of it – the steering that impressed on track still feels alert,
it hooks and settles into corners even when you lean on it quite
hard in the tighter Sport damping mode and the V10 remains
as vital and tuneful as ever with its slurpy induction sucks, a
mournful midrange on throttle/percussive thunderclaps off it,
and the all-consuming fire of its top end. (Insiders note a slight
to help the car bite and turn for really precise behaviour,’ says difference in sound; I can’t tell.)
Mohr. The wider track, meanwhile, helps calm lateral weight The caveat is that while our road route gives us a good flavour
transfer during direction changes. Did they bring in rally people of the Sterrato’s dynamics, it isn’t the best chance to really
from the old VW Polo WRC programme? ‘No, but some people dig into them as you might on a British B-road or European
on the team have rally experience,’ says Mohr. mountain pass – crushingly low speed limits, tourists and police
The tyres are the final link in the chain and clearly radically all hinder that. But I’m confident to say it feels good enough in
different from any other Dueler rubber, no matter the shared most driving to be highly entertaining.
name. ‘We needed a tyre that could survive After a couple of hours of enjoying Joshua
some laps on track, find traction on gravel Tree, we drop the Sterrato off in Palm
but still have quite a high stiffness of the IT’S MUCH Springs with its gridded street layout and
rubber blocks for precision,’ says Mohr. SLOWER, OF single-storey Art Moderne homes built in
‘It had to look sexy too – some of the
profile blocks on the side are not needed for
COURSE , BUT the Sonoran desert. It’s both an hour or so
and a million miles from the dust and the
function and could destroy some precision,’ I T ’ S A L OA D O F dirt of Chuckwalla, but the Lamborghini
he admits. FUN TO TOSS feels equally at home and reinforces the
The big trade is top speed, with the
Sterrato’s limited to 162mph, way down
ABOUT feeling that far from being pointless, this is
a surprisingly rounded supercar.
from the usual 200mph-plus. It’s the slowest The rally stuff is a bit of red herring, kind
current Lamborghini flat out. of like an Aventador SVJ’s Nürburgring lap
If you drive a Sterrato like a regular Huracan on track, you’ll be time – it’s a showcase of what the Sterrato can do, but it’s not
going off-road even when you don’t want to. But I’m impressed representative of what most owners will do. But in this case,
how well it copes with the part of our test loop that involves developing the Huracan for such an extreme purpose actually
the actual Chuckwalla circuit. There’s more bodyroll and the makes it more fit for purpose on the road.
limits are lower than with a regular Huracan, as you’d expect, The Sterrato represents an unexpected plot-twist in the
so it’s very mobile. But the inevitable slides are progressive and Huracan’s final days, but a very welcome one all the same.
intuitive to manage and it soaks up kerb-bashing too. It’s much
slower, of course, but it’s a load of fun to toss about.
Particularly surprising is how alert the steering still feels
as I flick the Sterrato through a slalom – there’s clearly some
reduction in ultimate precision, but it remains punchy and the
chassis does a solid job of not unravelling when jinked side-to-
side. No mushy indecision here.
But it’s when I venture out of Chuckwalla and into Joshua
Tree National Park that it really clicks. I take Highway 10 west,
then north up Pinto Basin Road. Sun sears down, 20-foot-
high boulders lie like giant walnut husks at the roadside and
heat haze knocks the definition from the mountain ranges in
the distance. The landscape is bleached monotone and starkly
inhospitable yet beautifully dreamy all at the same time.
Driving the Sterrato here reveals a mellower character over
other Huracans. The ride is highly compliant, it steers very
nicely and somehow even road noise is well suppressed given Noisier? Not
the Bridgestone’s chunky tread blocks – the noise only gets really, to the
delight of your
amplified over really coarse sections. neighbours
This is not the full Alpine A110 treatment, but it’s a step

WATCH
THE VIDEO!
GET CAR’S
DIGITAL EDITION.
SEE PAGE 72
LAMBORGHINI HURACAN STERRATO

P R I C E £232,820
P O W E R T R A I N 5204cc 40v V10, seven-
speed automated manual, all-wheel drive
P E R F O R M A N C E 602bhp @ 8000rpm,
413lb ft @ 6500rpm, 3.4sec 0-62mph, 162mph
E F F I C I E N C Y 19.0mpg, 337g/km CO2
W E I G H T 1470kg (dry)
O N S A L E Now (sold out)
★★★★★

FIRE UP DIGITAL EDITION
MEMBERSHIP
YOUR £4.50/month
Includes:
PASSION Digital Edition access

via Members-only app
and website access
Past Edition archive
Members-only rewards,
Choose from one of our three new CAR discounts, and prizes
Memberships to read all our magazine content Monthly Editor e-newsletter
however you choose. All Memberships Selected audio articles
include access to our Members-only app
and website featuring first drives, fearless
verdicts, exclusive interviews and stunning
photography, with early access to the latest
issue and our Past Editions archive.
Additionally, if you choose a Print + Digital
Edition Membership or CAR VIP Membership,
you’ll also get 12 Print Editions to your door, plus
CAR VIP comes with a host of other benefits too.
‘It’s the car enthusiast’s essential

modern motoring read’
OR SCAN
HERE
ORDER NOW
01858 438 884 and quote EIBB‡
PRINT + DIGITAL
EDITION
MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP
£6.00/month £8.99/month
Includes: + Invitations to exclusive
live online events† with
+ 12 Print Editions delivered
free to your door
our Editorial team,
and special guests
Digital Edition access + Exclusive access to Best of
CAR archive features from
and website access the best writers on the best
cars from the last 60 years
+ Keycare SmartFob Bluetooth
key tracking device*;
discounts, and prizes complete with recovery and
assistance to retrieve your
Monthly Editor e-newsletter keys quickly if lost or stolen
Selected audio articles 12 Print Editions delivered
free to your door
Digital Edition access
and website access
discounts, and prizes
Monthly Editor e-newsletter
Selected audio articles
Terms & Conditions: Offer ends 11 July 2023. The CAR VIP Membership is currently available to purchase in the UK only. *Your CAR branded Keycare SmartFob,
and further details on how to set it up, will be sent to you in the post within 28 working days. If ordering a CAR VIP Membership as a gift for someone else, the
Keycare SmartFob will be sent directly to the recipient of the gift. Please note – you will only receive one Keycare SmartFob for the duration of your Membership. †
Details of the live online events will be communicated via email closer to the time of the events. ‡ For 01 numbers, calls from landlines are typically charged up
to 16p per minute (approximately). Call costs from mobiles vary according to the calling plan chosen. If you call an 01/02 number outside of any inclusive minutes,
they can cost between 3p and 65p per minute (approximately). Please refer to Ofcom.org.uk for updated pricing. Operating hours are Mon-Fri 8am-9.30pm and Sat
8am-4pm.
100 years of Le Mans
It’s been thrilling,

deadly, innovative
and occasionally
awol. But it’s
never been dull
Photography John Wycherley

Bentley was the most successful pre-war marque at Le Mans, and its
‘Bentley Boys’ team of drivers the most triumphant and charismatic.
They included the man who became financial backer and chairman
BRINGING
of Bentley in 1926, Woolf Barnato – with three wins, the most suc-
cessful pre-war driver – and my own favourite of the Bentley Boys,
Glen Kidston.
A BIT OF
He was the wealthiest (even richer than Barnato), the most dare-
devil (among a fearless band of brothers) and won Le Mans in 1930,
EXCITEMENT
with Barnato. After numerous near misses in aeroplane, motorcycle,
speedboat, battleship and submarine accidents, his de Havilland
TO PEACETIME
Puss Moth crashed in a dust storm over the Drakensberg mountains
on the return leg of a record-breaking flight from the UK to South
Africa. He died aged just 32, a year after his Le Mans triumph.
Barnato and Kidston won in a Bentley Speed Six, surely the big-
gest, heaviest and highest car ever to win Le Mans. ‘Old Number
The legend of the Bentley Boys is born Three’ (pictured) was a team car that raced in 1930 and was mechani-
BENTLEY SPEED SIX

E N G I N E 6.6-litre straight-six, 200bhp
T R A N S M I S S I O N Four-speed
manual, unsynchronised
L AY O U T Front-engined,
rear-wheel drive
C O N S T R U C T I O N Steel with
open-cockpit ash body, rexine
and aluminium skin
W E I G H T 2000kg (est)
L A P T I M E 7min 21sec (outright
fastest in 1929 race)

cally identical to ‘Old Number One’ which won both in ’29 (when Bentley had a new supercharged car of its own: the Blower.
‘Tim’ Birkin was Barnato’s co-driver) and again in 1930. Six Bentleys entered: three Speed Sixes and three Blowers. The
The Speed Six was the most successful pre-war racing Bentley and Bentley strategy was clear: the Blowers were faster than the Speed
company founder WO Bentley’s favourite. More high-performance Sixes but more fragile. Led by ‘Tim’ Birkin, they would race the SSK
GT than sports car, it was fast, reliable and tough: Ettore Bugatti early on and break it. It worked. Caracciola was out by 2.30am, the
called it the world’s fastest truck. Powered by a 6.6-litre straight-six, Blowers – job done – didn’t last much longer, and the Barnato/Kid-
it was a development of the 1926 6½-litre Bentley: racing versions ston Speed Six cruised to its second Le Mans victory.
had a shorter wheelbase and developed 200bhp. Bentley’s fifth win, and its fourth in succession, was to be Bentley’s
The Speed Six’s first Le Mans win, in ’29, was Bentley’s most domi- last Le Mans entry for 71 years. The company was in grave financial
nant: Barnato and Birkin held the top spot from start to finish and trouble, to be rescued by rival Rolls-Royce in late 1931.
led home three 4½-litre Bentleys (Kidston and Jack Dunfee were But that is not the end of the Speed Six story. Twelve new ‘continu-
second). The first non-Bentley (an American Stutz), back in fifth, was ation’ Speed Sixes are to be built, following the ‘continuation’ Blower
21 laps behind the winning Speed Six. (see CAR August 2021). ‘Old Number Three’ has supplied much of the
The 1930 victory was much harder fought. Bentley faced the might design detail for the faithful facsimile. The magic lives on, as Le
of Mercedes-Benz, and its factory-entered supercharged SSK driven Mans heads beyond 100 years.
by Rudolf Caracciola, Germany’s greatest pre-war driver. To respond, GAVIN GREEN
And did
those feet
in ancient
times? Yes
LE MANS
BEFORE WW2
Le Mans is the world’s oldest surviving endurance
race, the world’s toughest and the most famous.
It began in 1923 and, in the pre-war period, was
dominated by three marques – Alfa Romeo (four
wins), Bugatti (twice winners, pictured below) and
Bentley (five-times victors). Le Mans made these
names famous and their halos still shine bright,
in part due to their victories at the La Sarthe race.
Other winning manufacturers, including the first
(Chenard-Walcker) and Lorraine-Dietrich (1925),
have quietly passed into car-making obscurity.
It began, and largely remains, a test of endurance
and reliability, rather than of speed. Although then,
as now, the fastest cars very often won.
In the pre-war days, this race for sports cars (with
at least two seats) was held on public roads around
Le Mans and, in the early days, ran through the
town itself. It was held every year from 1923 to the
outbreak of World War Two. The exception
was in 1936, when it was cancelled
for a reason that will sound
familiar to those who visit
France today: widespread
strikes.

RISING FROM THE ASHES

Jaguar’s post-WW2 golden age – triumphant over some formidable opposition
If Jaguar’s bleakest hour is now, then its golden era was the ’50s. The brakes. In essence, the C-Type used most of the running gear of the
company’s cars were admired for their engineering prowess and delectable XK120 roadster but clothed in a lighter, more aerodynamic
their air-cleaving beauty. They were also highly successful, both in body. (The XK120 was renowned for its appalling drum brakes: disc
the showroom and on the track. brakes didn’t come to series-production Jaguar sports cars until the
In addition, they were hailed at home as British sporting stars, XK150 in 1957.)
largely due to their domination of Le Mans. Jaguar won five times in The D-Type that replaced it was a more serious racing machine.
the ’50s, mirroring fellow Brit Bentley’s achievement 30 years or so Still road legal, it prefaced the era of sports prototype racers that
earlier. And in those days – unlike today – winning Le Mans was would dominate Le Mans in the ’60s and beyond. It used the familiar
front-page news. I remember former CAR columnist Phil Llewellin straight-six XK engine, as found on roadgoing Jaguar sports cars and
telling me how, as a boy, he’d listen to Raymond Baxter’s Le Mans saloons, and Jaguar’s now familiar racing disc brakes. But its struc-
commentary on BBC radio throughout the night, avidly following ture was radically different.
the Jaguars. The D-Type used an innovative central monocoque tub, made
The C-Type, based on the iconic XK120, would win first in 1951 and mostly from sheets of aluminium alloy. Another aircraft influence
then again in 1953, when Jaguar pioneered the use of four-wheel disc was its slippery aero body, including big vertical stabiliser.
1950S: THE
SPOILS OF WAR
Can there possibly be an upside to a world
war? Only, perhaps, that it fast-tracks
engineering. Thus, after the horrors of
1939-1945, the racing cars that returned to
Le Mans were far more technically advanced
than the behemoths that typically won there
in the ’20s and ’30s.
Much had been learnt in aircraft design
(far more than had been learnt in car design)
and this would inform every sports racer
that won in the late ’40s and ’50s. They were
lighter (helped by advances in materials)
and far more aerodynamic; big leaps would
also be made in engines, tyres, brakes and
lighting, so important at Le Mans.
Ferrari won the first post-war Le Mans, in
1949 (below), and would win again in ’54 and
’58. But the dominant manufacturer of the
’50s would be Jaguar. That included a win
in 1955, when motor racing would witness
a day that echoed the horrors of war: 84
people were killed in the deadliest accident
in motor racing history.

Straight-six
engine served Ivor Bueb and
Jag on road Mike Hawthorn
and track woz ’ere in 1956
The D-Type made its debut at Le Mans in 1954 and quickly showed history. Mercedes withdrew and Jaguar went on to a joyless win.
its potential. But for problems with fuel starvation it probably would A D-Type would win again in 1956. (Our photographic car was one
have won. In the end, it came second, less than a lap behind the win- of the 1956 works entries, finishing sixth.) In 1957, a classic Jaguar vs
ning Ferrari 375. Its aerodynamic superiority, though, was evident: Ferrari vs Maserati vs Aston Martin vs Porsche race was in prospect,
its maximum speed down the Mulsanne straight was over 172mph and 250,000 spectators gathered. In the end, it was a Jaguar walkover:
compared with the winning (and significantly more powerful) V12 1-2-3-4-6. The D-Types utterly dominated, a fitting finale for Jaguar’s
Ferrari’s 160mph. For 1955, it got a longer nose for superior aerody- greatest racing car and an inspiration for all Jaguar sports cars for the
namics. It was dicing for the lead with the rival Mercedes 300SLR next 60 years. Our photographic car was one of the 1956 works entries,
when one of the Mercedes team cars, driven by Pierre Levegh, setting the fastest lap en route to finishing sixth
crashed into the crowd. It was the worst accident in motor racing GAVIN GREEN
JAGUAR D-TYPE ‘LONG NOSE’

E N G I N E 3.4-litre straight-six,
263.5bhp, 266lb ft
T R A N S M I S S I O N Four-speed
manual
L AY O U T Front-engined,
rear-wheel drive
C O N S T R U C T I O N Steel with
aluminium monocoque
open-cockpit body
L A P T I M E 4min 20sec
(outright fastest in 1956 race)

HENRY’S REVENGE
Spurned by Ferrari, Ford beat Enzo at his own game
The Ford GT40 is so iconic they even made a Hollywood movie out without really thinking about the context: Broadley had
about it. Starring Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby and Christian unveiled his Lola Mk6 at the start of 1963, and it entered Le
Bale as driver Ken Miles, the 2019 film Le Mans ’66 told the story Mans that year, retiring with mechanical failure. With its alloy
of Ford’s attempt to buy Ferrari in 1963, and how Henry Ford II monocoque and mid-engined layout, the Lola Mk6 was cutting
blew his lid when negotiations with Enzo fell through. In a fit of edge in its day – that year, 1963, was the first time a mid-engined
pique, ‘Hank The Deuce’ (as Ford II was known) committed the sports cars had ever won Le Mans (Ferrari’s new 250P). And by
US giant to beating the Italians at their own game. Ford went on using the 4.2-litre Ford V8 as a stressed member, the Mk6 was
to win Le Mans in 1966, ’67, ’68 and ’69. Thus the GT40 legend five years ahead of the Lotus 49 (which made that construction
was born, the story arc is complete, roll the credits. method famous). All from a tiny workshop in Bromley.
It’s a shame the film only touched on – but really didn’t After buying Lola’s design, Ford created a new division called
celebrate – the creation story of the car. Because away from the Ford Advanced Vehicles (FAV), based on an industrial estate
stetsons and the scenes in Detroit boardrooms, the GT40 was in Slough. It hired former Aston Martin team manager John
actually a terribly British affair. Ford turned to Eric Broadley, Wyer to head the operation, and the car was developed not at
founder of Lola Cars, to kickstart its Le Mans programme Los Angeles airport, as the film might have you believe, but
by buying up his Mk6 design. Nowadays we trot this history at Goodwood, where the team regularly tested with drivers
1960S: THE
TIPPING POINT
The 1960s were the years when Le Mans
emerged from the past to become the
race we know today. That decade saw the
shift from old front-engined cars like the
Aston Martin DBR1 and Ferrari 250 GTO to
modern mid-engined designs like the GT40
and Porsche 917. It saw average speeds
rocket from 150mph to over 220mph. The
Ford chicane was introduced before the pit
straight in 1968, to slow the cars down, and
armco was added in 1969. That’s also the
year Jacky Ickx (pictured) made a protest
against the classic ‘Le Mans start’. He felt the
drivers sprinting to their cars compromised
safety, because they weren’t properly belted
as they sped away. Indeed, British driver
John Woolfe crashed fatally on the
first lap, his seatbelts undone. Ickx,
on the other hand, walked calmly to
his car, did up his seatbelts and was
the last to get away. He won the
race, and the Le Mans start was
banned for 1970.

Mid-engined
Fords a select
band: this and
the RS200
Cabin details
returned in
21st century
GT supercars
including Graham Hill and Bruce McLaren. would have no doubt turned to Ford’s big block 7.0-litre engine
And FAV was a British success story. It’s true, by the end of the next, just as Shelby did – the ‘427’ V8 had already proved itself in
car’s second season, Wyer hadn’t even got a GT40 to the finish, NASCAR and Can-Am racing. And Wyer himself was certainly
never mind won Le Mans. Ford ran out of patience and handed capable of winning Le Mans. When engine size was limited to
the project over to the Shelby and Holman Moody teams, who 5.0 litres for 1968, Wyer – with Gulf sponsorship – took MkI
built the big 7.0-litre MkII cars that finished 1-2-3 in 1966. GT40s back to Le Mans and won in 1968 and 1969 (giving him a
But it’s interesting to speculate what would happened if Wyer hat-trick of wins, after his 1959 Aston Martin victory).
had been given more time. Early Mk1 cars, like the 1965 example So let’s celebrate the GT40, not as an American dream, but as
you see here, were underpowered. Chassis 1017, driven by the a British engineering marvel. If they make a sequel to Le Mans
likes of Jochen Rindt, Richard Attwood and Chris Amon, was ’66, I hope they call it Once Upon a Time in Slough.
built by FAV with a ‘289’ (4.7-litre) V8. But Wyer’s engineers MARK WALTON
FORD GT40 MKI

E N G I N E 4.7-litre V8, 380bhp
T R A N S M I S S I O N Five-speed manual
L AY O U T Mid-engined, rear-wheel drive
C O N S T R U C T I O N Steel monocoque
with closed-cockpit composite body
W E I G H T 910kg
(qualifying in 1966)

ITʼS COMING HOME

How a French car won Le Mans for the first time since 1950, helped by Graham Hill
If you’re a conspiracy theorist, the story goes like this: it’s 1971, So the story goes, if you’re a conspiracy theorist… And if you’re
and the Commission Sportive Internationale, motorsport’s not? Well, then it’s all a load of codswallop.
Paris-based governing body, decides it’s been too long since a In reality, the CSI did reduce engine size to 3.0 litres for
home-grown French team won Le Mans. National pride had 1972, and this did hit Porsche and Ferrari; but the change was
been dented by the dominance of the Americans (Ford) and driven by a desire to align sports cars with F1 to benefit from
Germans (Porsche), so the CSI comes up with a cunning plan: it the proliferation of 3.0-litre engines in the top-tier single-seater
bans 5.0-litre engines and limits capacity to just 3.0 litres. None category. And while it’s also true that Ferrari didn’t contest the
of the rival factory teams have a suitable engine ready for 1972… 1972 Le Mans because it knew its F1-derived V12 wouldn’t last
but a French manufacturer does! the distance, the Italians won every other round that season –
Matra, recent winner of the F1 title with Ken Tyrrell and 10 out of 11 races – with its 312PB. So its 3.0-litre engine wasn’t
Jackie Stewart, has a 3.0-litre V12 that has been running at Le too shabby.
Mans since 1968! And so, in 1972, the French fairytale comes No, Matra’s 1972 win came because the French team threw the
true – Ferrari and Porsche withdraw, and a Gallic Blue Matra kitchen sink at Le Mans. In 1972, Matra took four cars and over
MS670 wins the race to the delight of the partisan crowds! 120 engineers to the event, and its MS670 was built on six years
1970S: POWER
TO THE PEOPLE
Le Mans in the 1970s belonged to
Porsche, which took its first outright
Le Mans win in 1970. The legendary
917 (below) won again in 1971, before a
change to the engine rules saw the flat-12
banned for 1972. However, Porsche came
back with its 936 to win twice more in
1976 and 1977, and then – remarkably
– in the 1979 race, when the factory
prototypes retired and it was a 911-based
Porsche 935 that took the chequered
flag, one of those once-in-a-generation
upsets that Le Mans is so good at.
But the decade was also about
privateers. The 3.0-litre engine rule,
introduced in 1972, brought F1’s
ubiquitous Ford Cosworth DFV engine
into endurance racing, and it livened
up the Le Mans grids just as it had in
Formula 1. Tiny outfits like de Cadenet
and Rondeau were made competitive
by this off-the-shelf ‘crate’ engine, and
in 1975 DFV engines finished 1-2-3, with
the Gulf-sponsored Mirage-Cosworth
winning the race.

of hard Le Mans graft. The team was also deeply patriotic and
passionate. Four-time Le Mans winner Henri Pescarolo recalled
years later: ‘We were ready to kill ourselves for the team.’
The desire for some true-blue French success didn’t get in
the way of driver selection, however. In 1972 Pescarolo found
himself sharing the MS670 with double F1 champion Graham
Hill, a decision the Frenchman resisted at first. ‘Le Mans is so
different from F1. I said “What if it’s raining in the night, or
there’s fog in the morning, do you think he will be prepared to
take risks?”’
However, in a race dogged by bad weather, Pescarolo saw Simca left
Hill’s class. ‘He was bloody quick, of course,’ the Frenchman the car world
said. ‘When I looked at his lap times during the night, and in the in 1978, then
Matra in 2003
rain, I thought, “Okay, I can sleep now.”’
And so the pair won the 1972 race in a triumphant Matra
1-2, making Graham Hill the first and so far only driver to win
motorsport’s “Triple Crown”, with victories in Monaco, the Indy
500 and Le Mans.
It also made this Matra MS670 a very special car. When it
came up for sale recently, Pescarolo was horrified, describing it
as ‘a monument of world and French motorsport’ that needed
protecting. That didn’t stop it selling for over £6 million – a
price that reflected both its significance, and the allure of that
screaming 3.0-litre V12.
MARK WALTON
Rules still
demanded
cockpit room
for two
MATRA-SIMCA MS670B
E N G I N E 3.0-litre V12, 450bhp
C O N S T R U C T I O N Aluminium
monocoque with
open-cockpit fibreglass body
W E I G H T 678kg

PORSCHE 962
E N G I N E 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six,
760bhp+, 518lb ft+
C O N S T R U C T I O N Aluminium
monocoque with
closed-cockpit carbon-kevlar body

NEVER HAS SO MUCH BEEN
ACHIEVED BY SO FEW…
Porsche reinvented the endurance racer in double-quick time
With 19 outright victories, Porsche is the most successful manufac- Aero

turer at Le Mans, and the 956 (and its 962 evolution) its most domi- optimised
nant racecar. It was also a car developed in record time by only a for Le Mans
small team – 956 engineers used to say the name was shorthand for 9
months, 5 men, 6 cylinders.
New Group C regulations provided the catalyst. Drafted in sum-
mer 1980 (and officially announced autumn 1981), the rules were lib-
eral so long as the engineers kept within the mandated dimensions, a
800kg minimum weight and strict fuel-efficiency limits – initially 60
litres per 100km at 1000km races, using a 100-litre tank.
Overseen by Norbert Singer, the 956 project introduced Porsche’s
first aluminium monocoque and embraced ground-effect aerody-
namics pioneered in F1. Although the 956’s wider body and covered
wheels necessitated a radically different aerodynamic execution to
single-seaters, the principle was identical – the 956 was sucked to the
ground the harder the drivers pushed. Stuck aced
Everything was new bar a 2.65-litre twin-turbo flat-six that pro- qualifying
duced around 620bhp and carried over from the previous 936. Yet the in 1988
956 placed second on its debut at Silverstone in May 1982 – and that
only because the winning Lancia competed to previous Group 6 reg-
ulations with no obligation for fuel efficiency.
The next month Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell initiated Porsche’s six-
year Le Mans winning streak, leading an all-Porsche podium, and
Porsche was so dominant in 1983 that it took out a tongue-in-cheek
‘No one’s perfect’ advert – ninth-placed Sauber had prevented a top-
10 clean sweep. Hans-Joachim Stuck, Bell and Al Holbert book-end-
ed the run in ’86 and ’87.
Stuck signed for Porsche in late ’84. ‘The 956 was the best car I
had… You didn’t have to worry about engine or gearbox failure, you
could 100 per cent concentrate on driving. The combination of
horsepower, aerodynamic downforce and tyre width, this was the
mixture that made this car so unique – you had immense downforce
from the ground effect and corner speeds you couldn’t normally 1980S: THE
achieve. I had to change all my driving style and force myself to do it.’ AGE OF GROUP C
When Stateside IMSA regulations compelled Porsche to introduce The 1980s were really the story of Group C regulations,
the somewhat handicapped 962 from 1984 (it was heavier, with an introduced for 1982 to replace Group 6 prototypes like
air-cooled single-turbo engine and longer wheelbase that placed a the 936 as well as Group 5 silhouette racers including the
driver’s feet further back in the chassis), it still dominated. And it was Porsche 935 ‘Moby Dick’ (pictured). It was also the story of
the same story in Europe a year later, with the introduction of the Porsche, which was both the first maker to sign up to Group
twin-turbo 962C. The car pictured here, 962-010, is the final factory C and the most successful manufacturer of the era.
A fuel-efficiency formula sounded as unlikely to set
car, built specifically to win Le Mans 1988 with Bell, Klaus Ludwig
pulses racing back then as Formula E today, but it allowed
and Stuck helming – the latter’s 3min 15.640sec qualifying time be- engineers to pursue diverse solutions with a common goal
ing some three seconds clear of the second-placed (yep) 962. – Porsche fielded turbo flat-sixes, the Tom Walkinshaw-run
A surefire win was squandered when Ludwig somehow ran out of Jaguar XJRs that won in ’88 and ’90 had naturally aspirated
fuel and managed to sputter back to the pits, ultimately on the start- V12s, and the 1989-winning Sauber C9 used Mercedes
er motor – but having incredibly regained the lead, a blocked fuel fil- twin-turbo V8 power.
ter caused three additional pitstops. Stuck put in a heroic final stint Today Group C is remembered as a golden era when
in the wet but was ultimately unable to close up to the leading Jaguar Lancia, Toyota, Nissan and Mazda joined Porsche, Jaguar
XJR-9 that limped home in fourth gear. and Sauber-Mercedes on the grid,
Porsche has won Le Mans five times since, but it has never since albeit one with a generally
predictable outcome.
dominated an era as it did Group C in the 1980s.
BEN BARRY

Our story starts in 1988, when McLaren hatched a plan to build the
F1 road car – but it wasn’t until 1994 that production started in ear-
nest. During that gestation, sportscar racing fell apart. The FIA in-
troduced a ‘3.5-litre’ category that mirrored Formula 1, but the grid at
ENTER Le Mans in 1991 had to be bolstered with old Group C cars, and the
World Sportscar Championship – a mainstay since 1953 – was shut-
GORDON
tered at the end of ’92.
Now, at least, Le Mans could set its own rules to ensure a packed
MURRAY
grid. But new rules meant new loopholes, which led Jochen Dauer to
convert a 962 for road use. Norbert Singer, the legendary engineer
who played a part in Porsche’s first 16 overall Le Mans victories, ex-
plains: ‘At first Porsche declined, but when McLaren offered the F1
Its success didn’t last long, but with Formula 1 technology, three seats, a luggage compartment and
the McLaren F1 cast a long shadow road approval, they took a 962 and converted it into a road car with a
body from Dauer. He was able to compete at Le Mans for just one
over the 1990s and beyond year, 1994 – and we won the race.’

In the same year, the upstart BPR Global GT Series kicked off to fill The resultant CLK GTR, though absent from Le Mans in 1997,
the FIA’s self-inflicted void. It was effectively a private gentlemen’s pipped McLaren to that year’s new FIA GT Championship.
series, and one such gentleman – Ray Bellm – convinced Ron Dennis In response, Porsche reworked the 911 GT1 with a bespoke carbon
to turn the F1 into a race car. Never designed for racing, but designed chassis for 1998, and come Le Mans it plus a gaggle of bespoke
exactly like a race car by Gordon Murray, the F1 GTR creamed the Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota and Panoz racers – with little relation to
BPR in ’95 and went on to finish first, third, fourth and fifth on its Le any series-production road cars – pushed McLaren outside the top
Mans debut. 20 in qualifying. The arms race left McLaren behind as Porsche fin-
The F1’s dominance inspired Porsche once more. It mated the ished 1-2, while Mercedes’ dominance in 1998’s FIA GT Champion-
front of a 911 to the rear of a 962, and the mid-engined 911 GT1 was ship caused the series to fold the GT1 category.
born. This mutant managed second and third in ’96, behind an odd- Which was ironic, as this unleashed a field of wild new prototypes
ball Porsche prototype. But in 1997 the 911 could only manage fifth, for Le Mans in 1999. Whereupon Mercedes’ purpose-built CLR
as new ‘Longtail’ McLarens came second and third, only one lap be- backflipped into an actual field. The Saturday evening flight was the
hind’s Porsche’s ageing prototype. third of the week for Merc, who immediately withdrew their remain-
McLaren also influenced Mercedes who, while waiting for their ing car. The delectable BMW V12 LMR won, and newcomers Audi
own carbon chassis to be ready, had discreetly acquired an F1 GTR, finished third…
fitted their own engine, adapted the bodywork, and gone testing. BEN PULMAN
MCLAREN F1 GTR ‘LONGTAIL’

E N G I N E 6.0-litre V12, 600bhp, 506lb ft
T R A N S M I S S I O N Six-speed
sequential
C O N S T R U C T I O N Carbonfibre
monocoque with closed-cockpit
carbonfibre body
W E I G H T 915kg
(qualifying in 1997)
1990S: ALMOST
ANYTHING GOES
The 1990s start with the Mulsanne gaining
two chicanes and Sauber-Mercedes pulling
out of the race. Forget being dominant in the
World Sportscar Championship, Le Mans
was a non-championship round and thus
of no interest. Open goal duly missed, Tom
Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) brought home its
XJR-12 for Jaguar’s last Le Mans victory.
In 1991, Mazda’s old Group C 787B was
allowed to run without ballast, as Mercedes,
Porsche and Jaguar were hampered by
hundreds of extra kilos. It was the first
outright win for a Japanese manufacturer,
and probably the first time fuel economy
was a Wankel engine’s trump card.
Peugeot – the only team to do things prop-
erly and race a new ‘3.5L’ car in 1991 – was
rewarded with wins in ’92 and
’93, which led to its team boss
getting poached. (Fourteen
World Championships with
Ferrari and three terms as
FIA president would be
how life for Jean Todt
[right] panned out.) The
rest of the decade
was dominated by
the McLaren F1,
everyone else’s
desire to beat it, the
subsequent collapse of
GT1 racing, and the rebirth
of the prototype era.

BENTLEY SPEED 8
E N G I N E 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8,
600bhp, 590lb ft
sequential paddleshift
C O N S T R U C T I O N Carbonfibre and
aluminium honeycomb monocoque with
closed-cockpit carbonfibre body
W E I G H T 905kg
EXCEPTION PROVES THE RULE

The spirit of the Bentley Boys was reactivated in a rare interruption of Audi’s reign
Bentley and Le Mans go together like Pimm’s and lemonade, with The EXP Speed 8 did not waltz in and win – third in 2001, fourth in
the British brand’s early wins writing a creation myth of sorts, 2002, both times trailing works Audis by big margins – but the truth
whereby well-heeled ‘Bentley Boys’ get in all manner of scrapes and was it needed more work.
still give Johnny Foreigner a bloody nose. Driver Guy Smith was pivotal to its reinvention for 2003, where it
By the time the EXP Speed 8 debuted in 2001, it had been a while – became both more usable as well as faster, partly thanks to a more
73 years to be precise. But Bentley was newly acquired by the flexible, driveable engine that grew to 4.0 litres.
Volkswagen Group, and a fifth Le Mans win must’ve seemed – and The Speed 8 – the EXP prefix now dropped – was vastly improved
indeed was – a highly appealing target. and duly qualified on pole and won Le Mans 2003. ‘We had a great
Not only would victory reaffirm Bentley’s legacy at a time of up- run with very little time in the pits,’ Smith recalls. ‘I was a British
heaval, it would also spotlight Bentley’s engineering endurance and driver in a British car, and when we won, the feeling was fantastic.’
sporting prowess as it prepared to launch its most sporting road car Smith partnered Rinaldo Capello and Tom Kristensen in a year
in years – the Continental GT. when the only R8s entered were customer cars. Already a multiple
German ownership and the fact that newly minted Team Bentley winner, including three back-to-back in the R8, Kristensen is quick
had previously been involved in the Audi R8C (as Audi Sport UK) led to scotch suspicion that the Audis stood aside. ‘We won against fierce
to another, less desirable myth – that the Speed 8 was simply a re- competition from several privateer Audis at Le Mans – the key was
worked R8C. In fact, only the 3.6-litre turbo V8 engine was common. doing quadruple stints,’ is his take. ‘The Bentley was fast straight

2000S: CHANGE,
CHANGE BACK
No manufacturer – not even Porsche
– has dominated a decade like Audi
dominated the 2000s, with its 2000 to
2009 winning streak interrupted only by
Bentley and Peugeot (and Audi recom-
menced winning in the next decade).
LMP cars were initially divided into
open-cockpit 675 and 900 classes
(the minimum weight in kilos) with
closed-cockpit LMPGT cars an alter-
native. In 2004 that became the LMP1
(previously LMP900 and LMPGT) and
LMP2 (LMP675) classes which endured
right through to today’s Hypercar era.
The 2000s also brought us diesel
motorsport, a perhaps unappealing if
seemingly perfect match for European
road-car trends that also brought
unstressed endurance and fuel efficien-
cy that was so beneficial at Le Mans.
Audi’s R10 TDI packed a huge V12
turbodiesel and won at the first time of
asking in 2006, making Le Mans history
in the process.
In fact, only Peugeot’s 908 HDi FAP
could challenge Audi in the diesel era,
taking overall honours in 2009.
away, good under braking, but it was very stiff at first, particularly the
front axle, quite aero-peaky, and its Achilles’ heel was rear tyre wear.’
It also had an extremely cramped cabin – Smith invited me to
jump behind the wheel of the winning number 7 when I interviewed
him at Pyms Lane, and I thought I’d squeezed in some scale model.
Kristensen confirms it wasn’t the most appealing working environ-
ment.
‘I preferred an open cockpit,’ he says. ‘There was a lot of distortion
in the Bentley’s windscreen, and it was like a greenhouse inside,
sometimes over 50ºC – but the Speed 8 was the most classic and ele-
gant car I ever drove.’
When the Speed 8 took a 1-2 in 2003, it was a show of force like the
old days. And then, just like 1930, Bentley was gone. Today’s LMDh Bentley was
regulations provide a cost-effective path back to the top but those enclosed, to
Bentley Boys look likely to have time on their hands for a while yet. Kristensen’s
chagrin
BEN BARRY

VIVE LA FRANCE (BRIEFLY)
Audi and Peugeot pushed diesel to its peak… but soon Toyota was racing itself
The 24 Hours of Le Mans doesn’t divide flawlessly into decades, so driver, drove for Peugeot that year and adored the 908 HDi: ‘It was
allow us to indulge you in the era of diesel, as these racing oddities the first car I’d ever driven that was relatively close to Formula 1 per-
dominated from the mid 2000s until Porsche finally broke the formance. The power was really silky smooth. Loads of torque, way
chokehold in 2015 and ushered in the petrol-hybrid age. more than an F1 car. You felt you could be in any gear, it didn’t really
Fast, reliable, economical (at least for a racing engine) and with matter, it was just going to pull. It was just an absolute joy to drive.
road cars to sell on a Monday, it’s easy to see why Audi – and then Something totally different, with huge downforce. I loved it.’
Peugeot – went diesel. They were like otherworldly spaceships on Le Mans didn’t work out, though, as in its push to stay ahead of
track too, gliding around La Sarthe accompanied by little more than Audi, Peugeot’s new engines failed. Davidson went on to join Toyota
a futuristic whoosh. in 2012, and raced with them through 2017, winning the FIA World
First out of the blocks was the Audi R10 TDI, which won at Le Endurance Championship title in 2014, but it’s the 908 he looks back
Mans on its debut in 2006. The 5.5-litre V12 delivered around 650bhp, most fondly on: ‘If I could choose one car from my whole career that
more than 800lb ft, covered over 4000 miles in practice, qualifying suited my driving style the most, a car that every time I got in I could
and the race, and was surprisingly clean, as Ralf Jüttner, team direc- dominate, feel brilliant in and deliver great lap times, it would be the
tor of Audi Sport Team Joest, recalls: ‘Ulrich Baretzky, head of race 2010 car.’
engine development, walked up to the winning car with paper nap- The race went Audi’s way with a 1-2-3, with all three R15s breaking
kins in his hands. He wiped the inside of the tailpipes and afterwards the distance and average speed records Porsche had held since 1971. It
the napkins were as pristine-white as before.’ was quite a statement for the prowess of diesel, but things soon un-
Peugeot joined the fray in 2007, with an equally large V12, but de- ravelled. Peugeot pulled the plug on its racing programme in January
spite out-qualifying Audi that year and the next, its cars faltered in 2012, inspired by PSA Peugeot Citroën needing to save €800m and
the races. Third time round Peugeot came good, with pole and a 1-2 shed 6000 jobs. And while Audi would win in 2011, ’12, ’13 and ’14, it
finish, besting Audi’s new 5.5-litre V10 R15 – and 2010 looked to be too quit in late 2016, the Dieselgate scandal seeing it switch to
better still, as Peugeot locked out the top four spots in qualifying. PR-friendly Formula E. Diesel was dead at Le Mans.
Anthony Davidson, ex-Formula 1 racer and now Mercedes F1 sim BEN PULMAN

Diesel the
only link to
roadgoing
Peugeots
2010S: THE
ROAD TO HYBRID
The ACO announced new hybrid regulations in
2010, but Peugeot quit before its new 90X could
ever race.
Enter Toyota, early. Having planned to compete
at select events through 2012, ahead of a full
season in 2013, hurried meetings with the FIA
saw the Japanese manufacturer take one for
motorsport and fill the French void. But the results
were disappointing, with both cars out at Le Mans
before the halfway point.
The hybrid regulations finally came to the fore in V12 engine
2014, with Toyota (naturally aspirated V8, above), wanted a
Porsche (turbo’d V4) and eventual winners Audi lot of air,
(turbodiesel V6) all lining up with vastly different and quickly
powertrains. Even more promising was 2015, with
Nissan fielding its innovative GT-R LM Nismo – but
it never raced again after an embarrassing debut.
Porsche won that year, and for the next two, but as
costs spiralled to an estimated £200m annually, it
switched to Formula E.
That left Toyota all alone, and while some
grumble that its first (and subsequent) wins
came against meagre opposition, it kept top-tier
prototype endurance racing afloat in the latter half
of the decade.
PEUGEOT 908 HDI

E N G I N E 5.5-litre twin-turbo V12 diesel,
700bhp+, 900lb ft+
carbonfibre body

PORSCHE 963
E N G I N E 4.6-litre twin-turbo V8 and
hybrid system, limited to 671bhp
T R A N S M I S S I O N Seven-speed
carbonfibre body
W E I G H T 1030kg
L A P T I M E All eyes on Le Mans,
10-11 June…
HY as in
Hypercar,
specifically
LMDh
GAME ON
Toyota’s kept the event afloat for years – but now it’s got a fight on its hands
The last time Porsche returned to the Le Mans top flight, in 2014 The 963 name subtly but neatly sums up Porsche’s expectations,
with the 919, it’d been absent 15 years. When it abruptly withdrew with the newcomer intended to pick up where the 962 left off. That’s
just a few years later, leaving the Toyotas to largely circulate alone at no mean feat given the 962 clinched endurance racing wins at Le
the close of the hybrid LMP1 era, I asked Timo Bernhard how much Mans, Sebring and Daytona in both 1986 and ’87. It was an unprece-
pressure the team had felt ahead of that comeback. dented achievement and one impossible for the 919 to replicate given
‘The myth of Porsche at Le Mans started generations earlier and it didn’t race Stateside.
set the bar so high,’ said Bernhard, who’d not only won Le Mans in New regulations ensure that’s once again a realistic target.
the 919, but helped develop it from the outset, ‘so in the modern era Dubbed Le Mans Hypercar (LMH), the category includes both Le
we had to have the same kind of success – there was pressure from us Mans Hypercars and Le Mans Daytona Prototypes (LMDh). Both
and also outside.’ are eligible for the World Endurance Championship (and with it Le
History shows the 919 delivered big time, and there’s been a far Mans) and US-based IMSA series thanks to the governing bodies’
smaller time lag to the new hybrid 963’s debut this year. Pressure on, joined-up thinking.
then, for a team headed by new Porsche motorsport boss Thomas Porsche was first to sign up to LMDh. It’s a more affordable solu-
Laudenbach, who took over from Fritz Enzinger in October 2021. tion than a bespoke LMH car that allows makers to use ‘spec’ chassis,
Porsche hasn’t gone it alone this time, however. It’s developed the gearbox and hybrid components, then differentiate each racecar
963 in conjunction with US outfit Penske in a programme that covers with – most notably – unique bodywork and engines.
not just works cars as per the 919, but factory-supported customers ‘In the areas that are most important to us, we’re independent,’ is
teams too – the car pictured is run by Jota. how Laudenbach squares it. In fact, the 963’s engine introduces a

2020S: RETURN
OF THE BIG GUNS
2020 began as close to a sure thing as
you can get at Le Mans – with Toyota the
only LMP1 works team and duly winning.
Porsche and Audi had long gone, costs were
offputting, interest in the top class dwindling.
But first official news of a reinvigorated
WEC had come at Le Mans 2018, where a
more affordable petrol-electric Le Mans
pleasing circularity to the story – Porsche enjoyed success with Pen- Hypercar class was announced to replace
ske between 1998 and 2013 when the two campaigned the RS Spyder, LMP1. Initially road-based designs such as
an LMP2 racer with a V8 engine. the Aston Martin Valkyrie were envisaged.
In fact, Laudenbach was responsible for the RS Spyder’s V8, which Glickenhaus threw its hat in the ring.
reappeared in roadgoing tune in the 918 Spyder and now drives the Gradually the road-car link faded, and in
rear wheels of the 963, albeit much modified to run twin turbos and 2021 the FIA announced the convergence
of its LMH class with the US-based IMSA
renewable fuel.
LMDh class, with both classes restricted
Whether the 963 can emulate the 962’s success remains to be seen, by a 671bhp maximum output and 1030kg
especially given its initially less-than-perfect results, but if anyone minimum weight. They would be further kept
can pull it off, the most successful team in Le Mans history can. No in check by Balance of Performance – a first
pressure, lads. for top-tier Le Mans racers.
BEN BARRY The new era was quietly ushered in for
a still Covid-affected Le Mans 2021, but
Our thanks to… hots up for the 100th celebrations in 2023
Rebecca Wassell for the Bentley Speed Six, Jaguar Daimler Heritage with Ferrari, Porsche, Cadillac and Vanwall
Trust for the D-Type, Jean-François Decaux for the Ford GT40, Henry joining Peugeot and Toyota. BMW (pictured),
Pearman at historicgroupc.com for the Porsche 962, Shaun Lynn for Lamborghini and Alpine follow for 2024.
the Bentley Speed 8, BBM Sport for the Peugeot 908, Jota for the
Porsche 963, and to McLaren, Porsche, Peugeot and Bentley

eFuel adventure

T H E
F I R S T
G A L L O N
Every drop of fuel CAR has ever burnt liberated

the carbon of long-dead plants. Until now. This is
our first tank of renewably brewed eFuel, and it
might just save the combustion engine
Words Ben Miller Photography Olgun Kordal

eFuel adventure
The fuel now in the bowels of this Panamera is synthetic and re-
newably brewed, not derived from crude oil. The carbon we’ll pump
into the atmosphere was scrubbed from it not long ago, meaning
hundreds of miles of twin-turbo V8 indulgence with almost com-
plete carbon neutrality; this from a car with 690bhp, 642lb ft and a
3.2sec 0-62mph time. Plus we’ve a full battery, for 30-ish miles of
electric-only range and an e-top speed of 87mph.
A twist of the Porsche’s drive mode selector brings up Sport, the V8
thuds into life and we trundle out of the Haru Oni facility and out to
the main road. We turn right and, because we can, we run this
sledgehammer powertrain to the redline through second and third
gears. Electro-chemical violence this brutal never gets boring.
So far, so normal. If this revolution were televised there’d be pre-
cious little to see. Porsche’s eFuel goes in like petrol, smells like petrol,
probably tastes like petrol and it drives like petrol. Chemically it is
petrol. But it was brewed just outside the Chilean city of Punta Are-
nas, whereas every single litre of the stuff I’ve ever put to the sword
previously owed its existence to organic matter, to time and to pres-
sure – long-dead life turned transformative power-in-waiting in liq-
uid form.
The Haru Oni plant – the fruit of a collaboration between several
parties, notably Porsche, HIF, a global eFuels company, and energy
atagonia is, frankly, a bit much. So affectingly vast and unspoiled is giant ExxonMobil – produced its first drops of fuel late last year.
this elemental landscape of infinite steppe and big sky that you find Weeks later Porsche R&D chief Michael Steiner filled a 911 and
yourself questioning its plausibility. It’s as if the prow of our speeding promptly tipped it into what was almost certainly the world’s first
orange Panamera might at any moment tear into painted canvas and near-carbon-neutral drift by a combustion-engined car. In doing so,
shatter the illusion, Truman Show-style. Steiner obviously burnt that fuel, releasing carbon. But the point is
The UK doesn’t really do wide open spaces. By contrast Chilean he drove a 911 with almost no net atmospheric carbon increase.
Patagonia sprawls with uncluttered majesty. The emptiness stretch- Which is huge news. Huge news for the circa 1.3 billion vehicles yet to
es to a distant mountain backdrop that, with its solemn peaks go electric, huge news when even Porsche, no electrification slouch,
wreathed in candyfloss cloud, is so spectacular as to appear unreal – acknowledges that 20 per cent of its new car sales in 2030 will still be
more green-screen CGI construct than raw geography. Were we in a piston-engined, and huge news for carbon-emitting transport sec-
darkened edit room, I’d be leaning over and urging James Cameron tors, like shipping and aviation, for which the electrification maths
to take things back a notch: ‘Jim, mate, sometimes less is more.’ just doesn’t add up.
The wind and sun that assault my already tender face feel real, as Huge news for us, too. We’ve managed to snaffle enough to fill a
does the stony ground beneath my now-damp feet. But time and Porsche and point it at the wild majesty of Chilean Patagonia. Be-
again I’m struggling to process the views, from raging waterfalls cas- cause when you’re contemplating this planet’s fragility, there’s no
cading into lakes of dazzling sapphire to the patches of sunlight that finer example of its incomparable beauty than this windswept corner
race across these lake-studded plains, transforming the colour pal- of South America.
ette from muted and drab to vital and vivid as they fly. Deep into three-digit speeds, two-lane highway disappearing ⊲
With time you begin to accept it. Getting out of the car helps;
trading your turbocharged and hybrid-boosted isolation chamber
for wind, water and the alarming proximity of some spectacular Porsche’s eFuel smells like petrol,
wildlife: vultures, pumas and the last of the llama-like guanaco. A probably tastes like petrol, and
few hours ago, in sprawling Santiago, the natural world was absent
bar a ‘living wall’ outside the airport’s international terminal. Here,
drives like petrol. But it’s brewed,
that’s inverted. Here, humanity clings on by its fingernails, wind- not based on organic matter
swept and humbled and unable to muster anything resembling per-
manence. And yet we just found the most advanced petrol station on
the planet: Porsche’s synthetic-fuel test plant.
The fuel hose feels like any other, though the digital read-out is on
the handle, not the pump, and there’s nothing to pay. Just as well.
Right now – and likely for a few years to come – CAR’s budget
wouldn’t stretch to more than a couple of litres of this stuff. There
are no other pumps or customers, just a few technicians in hard hats
and rigger boots. And with no shop, the odds of picking up a Snickers
Duo appear slim. Shame. After three flights in two days, I’m peckish.
Overhead, the 66ft blades of a Siemens wind turbine move silently,
casting surreal and fast-moving shadows across a facility that feels
part moon base, part Bond set. The read-out hits 80 litres and, with
our range-topping Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid fuelled, it’s decision
time: cruise away under electric power (appropriate given this place Horses? We
pulses with the stuff, whether it’s being used to split water or, in time, have 690 of
them, running
scrub carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) or revel in the solid, per- on eFuel
cussive majesty of the V8, for once almost without carbon guilt.

Hard hat versus
flying turbine
blade? No
contest, surely
Roads will be
great if/when
they’re ever
finished

Guanaco
spotted more
often in Chile
than Panamera
If the Andes run the

wind changes length of Chile
you’ll be and beyond
stuck like that
Contrasting
paths to the
eco future
meet

eFuel adventure
3.2sec
0-62mph
capability
handy at times
beneath its copper nose hand over fist, the Panamera couldn’t be wheel overhead, wingtips spread like feathered hands working the
happier. The taut air suspension, with the damping knocked back to thermals.
its softest setting, has the cushioning compliance to make big mile- I check the driving data and find myself at once appalled and reas-
ages easy. I’m low in the Porsche’s locked-in driving position, sured by our 21.9mpg economy: appalled because we’re hosing this
plugged-in as snugly as any other component, be it the V8, the vintage-Mouton Rothschild-expensive liquid at a furious rate; and
near-undetectable twin-clutch transmission or the battery pack, and reassured that the Panamera would be no more economical nor reli-
the Panamera’s effortless performance is both liberating and intoxi- able nor bombastically rapid were it running on unleaded.
cating. Where the intrepid cyclists grind into the headwind, battling This, of course, is eFuel’s most compelling argument. That it is,
for every inch, toiling against fatigue and discomfort and the mo- once created, a like-for-like petrol substitute. No hardware or soft-
rale-sapping vulnerability that comes with being a tiny slow-moving ware changes are required, it keeps for months, if not years, and it’s
mark on this, one of this planet’s biggest and most spectacular of equally happy being atomised by a Holley carburettor as it is by a
canvases, the Porsche feels all-powerful. I am comfortable, I am safe Magneti Marelli fuel-injection system. The same ‘as you were’ ease
and progress – be it for one mile or a thousand – is ridiculously, fall- applies to infrastructure, too. We’ve spent more than a century
ing-off-a-log easy… So long as I can get fuel. working on the easy distribution of petrol, and with eFuel none of
We’re heading north, making for Puerto that hard-won know-how or physical infra-
Natales and the Torres del Paine national structure need be tossed in the skip.
park, a spectacular distillation of the region’s We’re hosing this Hence Haru Oni, the test plant on whose
eye-candy geography lodged between Argen- expensive liquid at a product we’re currently thudding north like a
tina’s desert steppe and Chile’s sub-polar for-
ests. The road is mostly straight, it is
furious rate, but the spray-wreathed comet. It’s a $74 million,
5.7-hectare Porsche R&D outpost an awful
well-maintained and it is, by and large, ours. Panamera would be long way from Stuttgart, and the most visible
There is nothing to hold us back, no traffic no more economical element of an initiative into which some $100
to heed and no impediment to letting the car, were it running on million has been pumped to date. Why here?
my mood and the road find their rhythm. For its abundant renewable wind energy. The
Where the road does gently slalom left and unleaded breeze is an unerringly reliable 75mph
right in great three-dimensional arcs, the through the summer months, and it allows
Porsche’s humourless body control and limpet grip leave your adre- the turbine to run at optimum efficiency four times more frequently
nal glands on idle even as the tarmac switches from sun-baked grip than would be the case in Europe.
to rain-slicked and glassy. The science is simple so long as you stay well out of the detail. Via
Capricious weather systems like slate grey towers of murk scud renewable energy you gather your raw ingredients: carbon dioxide
across the plains, dimming the light, rattling rain against roadside scrubbed from the atmosphere (that’s the plan but the technology’s
windows and opening-up with monsoon-like intensity before mov- in its infancy; for now Haru Oni is using carbon dioxide from the
ing on again. Even the Porsche’s ordinarily unimpeachable isolation fermentation of corn); and hydrogen, from the electrolysis of water
can’t keep weather this violent at arm’s length, the side glass seals (the liberated oxygen is simply vented). You then combine the two to
blustering and the roar of the broad all-weather Pirelli P7 Cinturatos create synthetic methanol, itself a valuable commodity (as produc-
battling past layer upon layer of expertly laid insulation. Where we tion is scaled up, the methanol/eFuel production split will be tweaked
do come up behind lone pick-ups, roaring trucks and tourist 4x4s, to meet demand and maximise profitability) and one easily shipped
the Panamera’s twin-engined might sees us past them with all the or piped using existing infrastructure.
efficiency and more than a little of the grace of the condors that At Haru Oni, the methanol then passes into a large windowless ⊲

Scruffy dogs
(and writers)
native to
everywhere
THE FUTURE,
PA T A G O N I A
How the Haru Oni facility turns
wind and water into fuel
1
THE TURBINE: ‘A GIFT FROM
MOTHER NATURE’
Additives – not all of them carbon A Siemens installation, the
neutral – can push the octane turbine’s blade pitch can be
rating high enough for a 911 GT3 adjusted to keep power
generation in the sweet spot.
Just as very occasionally there’s
not enough wind here,
building housing ExxonMobil’s methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) pro- sometimes there’s also too
cessor. Here, in a bewildering system of tanks, pipework and control much. But the turbine runs at a
systems of unknowable complexity, yet more wind-turbine power is mighty 6000 full-power hours
deployed turning the methanol, which comprises an unhelpful 36 per year (8760 hours), versus
per cent water on arrival, into 93 octane petrol. Additives (not all of maybe 2000 for a turbine in
which are carbon neutral, hence Porsche’s ‘almost carbon neutral’ Stuttgart.
caveat) can then push that higher – high enough for your 911 GT3;
high enough for motorsport.
And high enough for a very dirty semi-electric Panamera. Ours is
running just fine as the once-distant mountains creep closer, the
curves begin to tighten and the tarmac… well, the tarmac kind of
ends. Just as HIF and Porsche are busy scaling up their eFuel pro-
gramme, so it becomes clear the highway network is Chile is still a
work in progress. Unmetalled roads proliferate, their chameleonic
surfaces shifting from smooth and silty to viciously corrugated, as do
extensive road-building programmes you must drive around, gazing
at the smooth and rapid tarmac they’re so close to opening. Petrol
stations are strung out nearly a full tank apart.
It’s a curious feeling, setting the Panamera’s air suspension to its
2
highest setting, gritting your teeth and launching a luxury saloon at CARBON CAPTURE:
dirt roads the likes of a Huracan Sterrato or Ariel Nomad would rel- WATCH THIS SPACE
ish. The Panamera wasn’t designed for this and, via wince-inducing This concrete base will mount
clonks and bangs atop a rumbling bass line of structural disgruntle- the carbon-capture equipment
ment, it’s making that abundantly clear. from Global Thermostat, which
As ever, a bit of speed helps. Too slow and there’s time to savour should be online by late 2023. It
every violent wheel deflection. Pick up the pace and, though the 21- will process huge quantities of
inch wheels hammer up and down still, you begin to float over the air, scrubbing carbon dioxide
worst of it, the Pirellis battling both to stay unpunctured and to keep using elements that eventually
become saturated and are
this hybrid heavyweight out of the freshly-dozered earth banks.
replaced.
Even here, way out of context, you have to admire Porsche’s four-
door four-seater for what it is – an impressively brand-authentic limo
that manages to inject just enough character and performance clout
into the mix to salve most of the innate contradiction in the very no-
tion of sporty luxury saloon. Helping is the fact that this is infinitely
more spectacular than your average farm track, the road carved and
blasted through the landscape with a keen eye for a view, a constant
radius and a bit of positive camber. Through the tighter sections the
Panamera gets a chance to do its thing, riding the turns with a hint of
confidence-boosting rear-biased four-wheel drive.
Our average speed may have tumbled but the driving challenge is
no less absorbing, skittering around the worst of the road damage ⊲

eFuel adventure
5
THE MTG SHED: TURNING
METHANOL INTO GASOLINE
This is ExxonMobil’s baby. The
crude e-methanol is 36 per cent
water, reduced to four per cent
using heat in a fractioning tank.
Next up is a fluid-bed reactor:
the catalyst is moved within the
reactor, increasing efficiency
versus a fixed-bed reactor. This
intimate contact of methanol and
catalyst produces raw gasoline.
That’s then refined in a splitter
tower, creating heavy and light
gasoline, which is finally mixed
to create 93-octane eFuel.
4
MAKING THE METHANOL
In this unit hydrogen and carbon
dioxide are mixed at a 3:1 ratio
and pressurised within a reactor.
Contact with a catalyst creates
synthetic methanol, though it’s
36 per cent water – of every 10
litres of methanol, a less-than-
useful 3.6 litres is water. This is a
key area for improvement as
Porsche and HIF further develop
the technology.
3
ELECTROLYSIS:
HYDROGEN FROM WATER
The electrolyser features a stack
of 250 cells and two channels
through which the water passes.
On contact with the anodes and
cathodes you get hydrogen and
oxygen. The water can be
drinking water or ground source.
The use of renewable wind
energy does make for variations
in power, so the plant uses a
PEM-type electrolytic stack
better able to cope with this. At
the moment the plant produces
e-methanol more quickly than
the MTG can process it because
the electrolyser was an ‘off the
shelf’ unit, saving time, and not
engineered specifically for this
operation.

and, where a front wheel drops into a flooded rut, getting on the see this as an important additional measure.’
wipers immediately to try to clear the inevitable tidal wave. Where When you learn Marcos is an engine guy, one who worked on the
we course down mountainsides via a string of low-grip hairpins, 911 Turbo’s wondrous flat-six (and on the Audi TT RS’s potent blown
you’d go so far as to say this is fun – just so long as you can put the five in a previous job), it makes perfect sense. Of course there’s an en-
mechanical suffering out of your mind. gine guy running this programme, and not just because engine peo-
The all-electric, all-road Taycan Cross Turismo would be ideal on ple would naturally want to extend the life of the flat-six, not to
these roads, but that would only work with a big upgrade to the mention ensuring every classic flat-six out there can run in the future
charging infrastructure. And that leads us to one of the primary without stigma. Engine people also work logically, solving old prob-
criticisms of eFuels – that they’re innately inefficient. Some 40-50 per lems with new ideas and looking to every detail for marginal gains,
cent of the wind-turbine-generated energy is lost creating the syn- from less viscous oil to (imminently on the 911’s flat-six) hybrid
thetic fuel. Essentially, had we simply used the Haru Oni turbine to boosting. And logic told Marques that the fuel – the energy carrier, as
charge a Taycan this morning, we’d be able to go hundreds of miles he calls it – was the problem, not the combustion engine itself.
further on the same amount of electricity. And that's before you fac- And it’s looking like Porsche – like other car makers, not least Fer-
tor in the superior efficiency of electric motors. rari – is making headway in convincing legislators to think the same
Porsche acknowledges this. It sees this initiative as part of the way. In March it was reported that the European Union is working
solution, not an alternative way to rapidly decarbonise the transport on draft plans to exclude eFuelled cars from the engine ban.
sector. As Porsche eFuels project manager Marcos Marques puts it, What made the difference? ‘What we try to do is to give informa-
‘This is not a black and white issue, and we don’t believe electrification and options, and to discuss the opportunities regarding eFuels
tion alone is enough to achieve net zero.’ and CO2 impact, and I think this helped to maybe change some
And R&D boss Steiner says: ‘Some think this [eFuel] could minds in the European Parliament, though we did not talk directly
damage e-mobility. We don’t think so. From our point of view we are to politicians,’ explains eFuels team leader Karl Dums. ‘I don’t know
really credible. Our main stream and our huge investments go into the real reason they changed their minds, especially so late. But in
e-mobility. But to be faster, to be CO2-neutral by 2030, we need the end, we are happy that this happened. Now we need the regula-
additional measures. We cannot wait, even being as fast as Porsche, tion in detail. There is no written text right now where you can read
until the whole world and the billion of cars we see on the roads will in detail how exactly this exemption will be realised…’
be substituted by electric cars. We see this not as a competition; we One challenge is a requirement that cars permitted to run on

eFuel adventure
eFuels mustn’t ever use traditional petrol. Dums says: ‘This is one of newable energy. As long as we need a lot of fossil fuel to produce
the things which has to be clarified, but we have 12 years now [before electric energy, it would be a shame to use renewable energy to pro-
the 2035 ban] to find solutions. Perhaps it’s based on communication duce hydrogen and eFuel in Germany for example instead of just
between the petrol station and the car. We do this already on the substituting coal-based electric energy. This is not as efficient. The
electric side, with communication between the charging unit and best use for renewable energy in Europe is just put it in the grid.’
the car. You can imagine the same thing between a fuel pump and With scale comes the promise of affordability. Right now, the
the car itself, so the pump recognises the car, a failsafe system.’ stuff’s so eye-wateringly expensive Porsche flat refuses to give a cost
But Porsche is thinking bigger regardless – much bigger. Three in- per litre. But come 2027 the target is $2. And right now, with the
dustrial-scale plants are planned, kicking off with one in Texas. Panamera once more on tarmac and racing a spectacular sunset to
Construction is scheduled to begin next year, and the new sites get back before dark, that feels like a price worth paying. This section
should begin to come online in 2027. Outputs will be of a different of road careens through foothills heading south, dropping elevation
order of magnitude. The beer-mat maths for Texas shows six million like a diving falcon and snaking between box-fresh guardrails like a
tonnes of captured carbon per year and 700 million litres of fuel – Gran Turismo road circuit fever dream.
sufficient, Porsche says, for a million petrol-engined cars to run car- In Sport Plus, with the dampers and roll bars wound up to ‘merci-
bon-neutral. A plant in Tasmania promises the same output on a less’ and the stability control set to ‘forgiving’, the Panamera’s barely
similar timescale, and the Chile test plant will give way to a far bigger credible cross-country speed is almost too much: too much for my
site powered by a 300-megawatt field of wind turbines. now weary brain; too much for the nav system, which can’t stay on
The Texas plant will sell eFuel into California, the South American top of the plummeting journey time and ETA; and certainly too
plant into Europe and the Tasmanian facility into Asia. Wait, what? much for the all-season rubber, which howls mid-corner like a ’70s
The South American plant will sell eFuel into Europe? How can that TV cop car on afterburners.
make sense? The Panamera’s no 911 GT3. But this is driving at its immersive
Michael Steiner explains the thinking: ‘We compared two really best nonetheless, an all-consuming and multi-sensorial experience
good German spots but we have by a factor of four more electricity that, for now at least, remains more affecting and rewarding than
from one wind turbine in Chile compared to Germany. And in terms the hit even the best EVs can deliver. Driving fun shouldn’t shape the
of CO2 footprint the energy source is more important than the CO2 globe’s personal transport energy agenda. But it’d be a happy acci-
released by shipping. Plus we have plans to get shipping based on re- dent if it survives as a by-product.
On a string of low-grip hairpins

you’d go so far as to say this is fun,
if you can put the mechanical
suffering out of your mind
That’s a lot of
nature, not all
of it keen to be
mastered

BMW i5 preview
things you
need to know
about the
BMW i5
The all-electric member of the new 5-series family
has to be a lot of things to a lot of people
Words Ben Barry

Front and rear
styling teams
are on the
same page
he 5-series is the keystone for modern BMW. Back in the

early ’70s it introduced the ‘series’ hierarchy, three-digit
names grounded in engine displacement and standard-
ised the (previously used) ‘i’ suffix for fuel injection, sta-
ples that remain ingrained in our collective subcon-
scious like automotive grammar. And for most of the
intervening years the 5-series has bridged the gap be-
tween the 3- and 7-series in name, size and dynamic character.
Now, after five decades of mostly cautious evolution and 10 million
sales, the eighth-generation G60 5-series leaps forward with the intro-
duction of the electric i5 (it’s an ‘i’ prefix for electric these days), which
makes its production debut this October.
Naturally petrols (with the ‘i’ suffix intact), diesels and hybrids return
but it’s a sign of the times that the 520d, for so long a fleet hero, is unlike-
ly to be sold in the UK, despite its availability elsewhere. That leaves the
520i as the entry-level model (yours for £49,850, a circa £3.7k hike over
the outgoing model). Meanwhile it’s the zero-emissions i5 that gives
CAR our first taste behind the wheel in prototype form.
After a day driving and interviewing experts, here are five things we
learned about the i5 and the new 5-series family more widely…

BMW i5 preview
rear, with a more pronounced taper to the bootlid – it feels quite dif-
ferent from the last coupe of 5-series, even if there is an echo in the
original E12 5-series silhouette.
The sleeker three-box profile contributes to a pretty incredible
drag coefficient of 0.22-0.23Cd across all 5-series models, helping
drivers get the most from whichever fuel source they’re using, as do
the optional Air Performance wheels, active kidney-grille control
and a smooth underbody (itself helped by the big flat battery in the
case of the i5). Touring versions will also follow from spring 2024.
D E S I G N Either way there’s no extra luggage space at the front for engineless
i5s. Happily, though, interior space is identical across the line-up,
while luggage space drops only 30 litres for the i5 at 490 litres com-
It’s a sleeker pared to the 520 litres offered by every other 5-series (itself 10 litres
less than before; blame the sloping rear).
For the i5, visual differentiation from other 5-series models is less
kind of 5-series pronounced than with other twinned BMW i models, except the
i7/7-series, which take the same check-for-exhaust-pipes approach as
the i5/5-series.
Three trim levels are offered for the UK: M Sport features 18-inch
If BMW’s ever-enlarging kidney grilles sent you scurrying to the alloys (19s for the i5 and plug-ins), adaptive LED headlights, Harman
cupboard, it’s safe to come out again now. This is a more cautious Kardon audio, sports seats and vegan black ‘Veganza’ leather-like
kind of evolution for the heartland 5-series, with what insiders de- trim with alcantara (merino leather is optional), while M Sport Pro
scribe as a ‘clear, reduced design language and athletic proportions’. highlights include 20-inch alloys, extended shadowline trim and a
Its dimensions have grown in every direction, most notably with flashy illuminated grille.
an increased length of 5056mm (+93mm) but also an increase in M Performance trim sits at the top of the range and is reserved for
width (+35mm ) and height (+24mm). There’s a 20mm stretch to the the M60, at least at first. It includes electric memory seats, four-zone
wheelbase too. climate control and anthracite headlining.
And remember the previous model already felt pretty big. Inside, the theory is very much 7-series with a more driver-centric
Besides the size and detail touches including ‘flat’ tail lights and feel than the 7’s more passive, loungey sort of ambience. It feels a very
the classic Hofmeister kink highlighted by an embossed ‘5’, the most large car up front, and while six-footers don’t have acres of space to sit
obvious point of difference from the previous model comes at the behind themselves, it is sufficiently roomy to get comfy. ⊲

R E A L -TI M E
DYNAMISM
Adaptive dampers are no
longer controlled by
predictive mathematical
ENERGY models, but on-the-fly
AGNOSTIC calculations using data from
Petrols and diesels with 48v steering, acceleration etc.
mild-hybrid tech and plug-in
hybrids are again offered,
but electric i5 is a first;
eDrive 40 is 335bhp and
rear-wheel drive, M60 has
590bhp and all-wheel drive.
BAT TE RY
BRACING
i5 gets additional bracing to
connect front and rear of car
to the lithium-ion battery, so
the battery becomes an
integral part of the structure.
ries is very high-volume, so this approach gives us the flexibility to react

very quickly if there is a change in the market,’ explains project leader
Andreas Holzinger.
Two electric versions are confirmed so far, using 400-volt architec-
ture. The i5 eDrive 40 (£73,200) is a rear-drive model with a single
335bhp electric motor and a likely range of 293-364 miles.
The i5 M60 xDrive (£96,840) upgrades to four-wheel drive with
E N G I N E E R I N G twin e-motors and its 590bhp is punchy like a Porsche Taycan GTS.
The M60’s range on the WLTP test cycle is expected to be 273-333 miles.
In both cases a model-specific lithium-ion battery pack with a usable
BMW’s hedging 82.3kWh can be charged at up to 205kW, while a Max Range mode of-
fers a limp-home safety net to boost range by 15-25 per cent. Handy
when that charger you banked on pulls a sickie.
its bets BMW’s dynamic target for all 5-series is to offer much of the sporti-
ness of a 3-series with much of the comfort of a 7-series, and the engi-
neers are adamant the i5 will provide at least as good a driving experi-
Like a Ford Model T without the punchline, you can have any 5-series ence as its combustion-engined siblings. ‘If you want to get the 5-series,
you like. That’s because BMW continues to not only offer many col- you will get the 5-series – it doesn’t matter if it’s electric or not,’ sums up
ours besides black, but to also spread-bet when it comes to powertrains, Holzinger.
just like the i4, iX3 and i7 (and unlike Mercedes with its EQE and The familiar CLAR underpinnings are common to all 5-series, with
E-Class ranges). double-wishbone coil-sprung front suspension and a five-link rear (air
So this summer, petrol and diesel mild hybrids and plug-in hybrid springs for the i5 and all Touring versions, coils for combustion sa-
5-series, all with eight-speed autos, start running down the same Din- loons), and from there you have a choice of three suspension set-ups.
golfing line as the all-electric (one-speed) i5. M suspension with fixed dampers is the entry level, while Adaptive
‘Nobody really knows what will happen in the future and the 5-se- Professional suspension is the mid-spec option and can be combined

BMW i5 preview
TRIED AND TRUE
CLAR platform continues
with double-wishbone
coil-spring front suspension
and a five-link rear – air for
i5s and estates, coils for
5-series saloons.
T E C H N O L O G Y
Autonomous
tech makes a leap
CHASSIS CHOICE
Options include rear-wheel
steering that turns in either
direction by up to 2.5º and
active anti-roll bars that Sensors for
adapt to different speeds everything.
and surfaces. ‘Nice new
haircut, Ben’
with optional rear-wheel steering (Integral Active Steering, in BMW- While the rush to full driverless cars has gone a bit quiet,
speak). The latter turns at up to 2.5º, which is apparently the sweet spot many brilliant minds are working on the interim stages,
for not making the car feel like a forklift while leaving decent room for including Daniela Kern, who talks us through the i5’s
luggage space and a 285-section tyre on 21-inch alloys (18s, 19s and 20s innovations while we – sometimes – drive.
are also available). She explains key self-driving enablers include 5G
Adaptive M Professional is the most advanced chassis and is fitted to comms, an eight-megapixel camera, and radar with
the M60 as standard, combining rear-wheel-steer wizardry with active 300-metre horizontal and vertical recognition.
roll stabilisation (aka active anti-roll bars with 48-volt electric motors). Automated Lane Change with eye activation is a
BMW’s used all the tech before, but never before combined them. world-first, but there’s familiar hands-off driving, active
A new vertical dynamic manager is the icing on the cake, network- cruise with traffic-light recognition and remote-control
ing various parameters together for optimal ride quality and handling. parking among 40-plus systems from the 7-series.
High-strength steels for much of the body combine with alumini- How does hands-off and feet-off driving feel to
um doors and tailgates, putting the 520i at 1725kg (a 115kg increase over someone who never uses cruise control? Impressive, if
its smaller predecessor), while the i5 eDrive 40 gets a BMI red alert at at times frustrating. The usual issue of lane positioning
2130kg. There’s a silver lining, though, because the i5’s battery enhanc- persists, with sensors always placing the car bang in the
es the dynamic experience, according to Daniel Mögele, and not only middle even if I’d leave space for filtering motorbikes.
because it places weight low and between the axles. ‘We integrate the i5 There are also issues around judging the gap to traffic
battery pack as the core of our driving dynamic concept, so we mount and anticipating what other drivers will do – I often allow
the front axle carrier to the battery with shear plates, and the rear axle my stopping distance to decrease slightly when moving
carrier with a strut system.’ out to overtake, where BMW’s system cuts my speed
The result – as I experience first hand – is a big car with a rigid plat- just as I want to change lanes. I get tripped up and
form that responds to steering inputs as one connected whole. boxed in by cars approaching from behind as a result.
The e-motors are familiar BMW fifth-generation hardware, con- I watch a car joining our autoroute from a slip road
trolled with the same kind of seamlessly integrated slip control logic as and guess the van in the slow lane will change lanes to
the latest 1-series and i4 – clever tech that juggles grip and slip so deftly give it space – normally I’d speed up or slow down to
I can’t feel it working on fast, neat laps in the M60. work around that, where the BMW is caught out.
Looking in the mirror to change lanes does work (you
Designed look, it indicates, steers, the lot), though the system did
for EV or ICE
with minimal activate once when I didn’t intend it to – though
changes perfectly safely. Rather than reducing my workload, I felt
like Stephen Hawking with a greatly reduced intellect.
My favourite feature was being able to safely release
the steering wheel for extended periods. My hands are
the first thing to ache on a long journey, so shaking
them out is welcome respite. Plus the switchover is
seamless. Nice. ⊲

D R I V I N G
It’s a real
all-rounder
A road loop from BMW’s Miramas test centre near Marseille is my first feels plenty quick enough too, despite a so-so power-to-weight ratio, and
stint behind the wheel in a prototype eDrive 40. The interior is almost as when I pull a paddleshifter labelled Boost and mash the throttle, a circa
heavily camouflaged as the exterior, but there’s still a good sense of the 10 per cent/10sec power-up kicks in a bit like an energetic downshift.
driving environment – notably the driver’s seat is surprisingly low-set Back at the test track I hop in the M60 (think more M550i than full
given the lithium-ion battery under the floor, hinting at a sporting fla- M5). Versus the eDrive 40 there’s a 255bhp bump to 590bhp, all-wheel
vour in an otherwise wide, roomy and lengthy 7-series sort of space that drive, plus an uprated chassis with increased camber front and rear and
mentally prepares you for comfort and refinement. Adaptive M Professional suspension with active roll stabilisation.
That’s just how the i5 feels at lower speeds – running Adaptive Profes- I follow Martin Höpfinger, a BMW Driving Experience specialist pi-
sional suspension and 20-inch Pirelli P Zero tyres, the ride is isolated and loting an M4 on the Miramas handling circuit – fast and narrow, with a
well controlled, the steering accurate and so free of kickback that it’s as mix of flicks, long corners and a little fiddly bit that feels like we’ve got
pure as it is numb, and speed ebbs and flows naturally as I squeeze and lost on an access road. It’s a real challenge and Martin isn’t hanging
release the throttle (though selecting B to increase regen is jarring). about, but the M60 predatorily hooks on to the M4’s quad exhausts
Braking slips into the background in the way these things do when (which weirdly dominate my car’s soundtrack). Performance is of course
they’re nicely calibrated. much stronger than an eDrive 40 but the natural build of acceleration is
The sense that this is a big, heavy car pervades, so it’s surprising when a common thread. I’m struck by the M60’s stability, agility and balance
the i5 snaps to attention in Sport mode. Front-end bite is high, body con- that’s seemingly at odds with a car this big.
trol strong, so the i5 feels far more settled than expected when roller- Back off the throttle in mid- to high-speed corners or brake hard and
coastered into faster corners, and when I carve harder through mid- there’s very little weight transfer or bodyroll, so it’s a very consistent, sta-
speed flicks, the rear-wheel steering’s contribution becomes very ble feeling that minimises corrective inputs and leaves little fear in ex-
obvious. Not unnaturally obvious, mind, because it’s deftly integrated, ploring dynamic limits. There is just enough adjustability to tighten
but there’s agility here like a significantly smaller car. your cornering line by lifting the throttle, and while we couldn’t disable
With huge grip, centred weight distribution and nicely controlled the ESC we can say the chassis is extremely progressive and the elec-
suspension movements, striking up a fast flow is easy. The eDrive 40 tronics largely unintrusive, even when provoked.

BMW i5 preview
Just one
question: who
needs an i7 or
7-series now?
The way the M60 deals with lower-speed corners is borderline surre-
al. There’s mighty purchase at the front end, then a pronounced rear-
wheel steering effect to arc you through the corner – no sooner have you
turned in than you can pick up the throttle again, meaning minimum
cornering speeds are high. Despite feeding in early throttle with steering
lock still applied in an all-wheel-drive car, I don’t notice any steering cor-
ruption or traction control interference.
We lap at what engineer Daniel Mögele – nightmarishly confined to
the rear due to the front passenger seat being full of computer equipment
– confirms are ‘peak g-force values’ but I have capacity enough to chat
with him. Credit the i5’s unflappable handling for that (and Mögele’s
battle-hardened stomach). Even big bumps are shrugged off – there’s a
little humpback on another part of the Miramas track that violently
kicks up the M4’s inside rear wheel as driving ace Martin Höpfinger
leads us over it. Instinctively I brace but the i5 deals calmly with the shock
vertical input, then compresses and gradually releases its suspension
with the finesse of a rally car. It just never seems to get ragged.
When I do a gentle road loop in another M60 on Michelin Primacy
tyres, the ride seems mellower even than the eDrive 40 – no doubt there’s
It’s big, and active roll stabilisation magic. Overall, though, I’m impressed, and when
could offer project leader Andreas Holzinger asks what I’d change, I say only that I’d
more feel, but prefer more tactility. Not insignificant, no, but I was highly content be-
drives well
hind the wheel. ⊲

BMW i5 preview
Not many
buttons; way
too many
functions
BMW’s Curved Display debuted on the i4 and returns with familiar

12.3-inch and 14.9-inch screens running back-to-back behind a com-
mon glass surface. Live Cockpit Plus with cloud-based nav is stand-
ard, and Live Cockpit Professional upgrades to head-up display and
Augmented View (eg putting graphic turn arrows on a camera image
of the road ahead).
The i5 gets the reworked 8.5 operating logic just like the 7-series,
with a focus on improved usability and eight ‘QuickSelect’ widgets to
make the most frequently used features easier to access without dip-
ping into sub-menus. There are also games, courtesy of a tie-up with
AirConsole, so you can positively relish those charger queues.
I N F O T A I N M E N T We didn’t get an opportunity to test all that out on our camou-
flaged drive, but we were a little confounded by the various modes.
The Curved
‘Personal’ mode is unnecessarily perplexing, rather than a bespoke
combination of damper/steering/powertrain settings, Efficiency
and Sport are a return to logical form, but directly alongside them are
Display evolves Expressive, Relax and Digital Art – modes that are all about the am-
bience and nothing to do with driving. This all needs sorting pronto.
The verdict
dynamic finesse is the bigger surprise as
well as the bigger gain versus the
previous model.
BMW engineers wanted to combine The M60 absolutely monstered the
much of the comfort of the 7-series with test track and really it was its sheer size
the sportiness of the 3-series, and there’s rather than any lack of ability that proved
no question they’ve nailed that. But it limiting on fun minor roads. I can’t wish
feels very much 7-series with a more that away, but I would like more tactility
sporting bent, rather than 3-series with to give more feedback about the i5’s
extra comfort – certainly in the i5 we’ve inherent dynamic abilities at any speed.
sampled so far. Otherwise, though, the i5 and 5-series
The sophistication of this kind of car generally promises to be a very complete
you’d probably guess at, and there is an car in production form. We’ll be able to
impressive uplift in comfort, but the say for sure come early autumn.

Aftermarket To advertise with the Car brand, print, social and digital, please call Claire Meade-Gore 01733 979448
Poor lighting can spoil a great car

The job isn’t finished until the lighting is sorted!
These replica PL700s They have been designed

are the best quality and developed to work
7” headlights in the with either LED or
world and they will halogen bulbs. They
fit almost all models cost from £199.00 +VAT
of classic cars. per pair and come with a
5 yr money-back
guarantee.
We design unique LED bulbs and special parts to make your classic brighter, safer,
more efficient and more usable. You will not find our products anywhere else.
BC L 1
BCL 1
High power stop & tail Full kits to equip early cars High power headlight
LED light upgrades - with safe and invisible orange upgrades even for pos
even for early cars. indicators and brighter lights. earth cars.
Money-back guarantee
BCL 1
Fully dimmable dash lighting Brighter, safer and sharper Discreet LED DRL kits
in pos & neg and in a wide indicators, even for “problem” for classics inc warm
range of colours to suit your cars. white - be seen & safe
car.
0121 773 7000
www.bettercarlighting.co.uk enquiries@bettercarlighting.co.uk
60% of the energy used to produce

paper and paper packaging in Europe
comes from renewable sources.
Discover the story of paper

www.lovepaper.org
Source: Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), 2018
CEPI represents 92% of European pulp and paper production
Love Paper is a registered trademark for Two Sides Ltd. Registered in the UK, U.S. and other countries and used with permission.
Car M
ag
C A R WA R R A N T Y Reade azine
6 mon rs get
ths FR
Use c EE!*
o de CA
R12
Get the UKs best

combination of price
& cover today!
Prices starting at £30 a month
MotorEasy warranties cover sudden mechanical and

electrical failures, with parts, labour and diagnostics
covered up to the value of the vehicle. Get a quote today
Plus, we’ll give you a FREE Digital Garage to store documents,
get handy reminders and loads of fantastic offers!
Go to motoreasy.com to get a quote or request a call back
*Only eligible on warranty plans of 12 months and over. Not available on monthly warranty plans. See over 9,600 reviews on
Aftermarket To advertise with the Car brand, print, social and digital, please call Claire Meade-Gore 01733 979448
The car cover people
We supply a range of high quality indoor and

outdoor car covers. Our standard-fit range
includes our bestselling Super Soft Stretch
covers.
If you would prefer something bespoke, we

also offer custom-made covers that are fully
tailored to the shape of the car.
T: 01938 561717
E: sales@classicadditions.co.uk
Reader discount code: CA-CAR
www.classicadditions.co.uk *Discount applies to standard fit covers & accessories only
PROTECT & PRESERVE

WITH A TAILORED INDOOR & CAR ROEADER:
C UNT
OUTDOOR COVER DIS
- 2 023
CAR
For over 40 years, we have been the market leader in
supplying innovative solutions in car protection.
British designed and manufactured we are proud of our

heritage and it shows in the unrivalled quality of our
Indoor and Outdoor covers.
For more details on our product range, please visit our
website.
T: 01943 864 646

E: info@specialisedcovers.com
W: specialisedcovers.com
INSURANCE
FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL
Keys in the ignition. Hear it roar.
Each car a different melody, a unique mix of throttle,
turbo, temerity. Cars that purr like yours need an
insurance policy that sings in the same key.
Call our UK team on 0800 198 3111

adrianflux.co.uk
Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Trustpilot rating checked on 13th March 2023
to be onfident in Scan
to find
out
more.
Get cover with
The UK’s Best Used Car Warranty.
Unlimited Repairs
Roadside Assistan e & Re overy
Car Hire & Onward Travel
Giving you the onfiden e to buy used.

www.warrantywise.co.uk/carmag | Terms and conditions apply. Accurate at the time of printing.
H E LLO JAGUAR F - PACE SVR & DS 4 + GOODBYE B MW iX M 60,
CUPR A BORN & L AM BORG H I N I HUR ACAN E VO

Turned
up to 11 Hello
How will those electric future Jags live

up to this wild V8 SUV? By Ben Barry
to ‘amplify the core characteris-

tics’ of the F-Pace.
Nothing’s changed since we
last group-tested the SVR, but it
had just had a significant re-
fresh in 2021 that turned up
Jaguar F-Pace SVR
those characteristics a little
Month 1
more as part of a model-wide
The story so far facelift – one awkwardly intro-
duced just after Thierry Bolloré
The other JLR SVR
+ Looks; chassis; performance;
arrived as JLR boss and an-
practicality; infotainment nounced a switch to a
- Fuel economy from ageing if pure-electric Jaguar line-up be-
charismatic engine ginning in 2025.
Much of the facelift concerns
Logbook detail changes to the mechani-
Price £85,180 (£87,940 as tested) cal specification, including aer-
Performance 5000cc odynamic tweaks to reduce lift
supercharged V8, 542bhp,
4.0sec 0-62mph, 178mph and cut drag, some new suspen-
Efficiency 23.5mpg (official), sion hardware, retuned damp-
18.9mpg (tested), 274g/km C02 ers and e-diff, plus a new steer-
Energy cost 35.3p per mile Miles
this month 151 Total miles 1705
ing rack.
The venerable/old 5.0-litre
supercharged V8 makes the
A couple of years ago I ranked same thrusty 542bhp as it al-
the Jaguar F-Pace SVR first ways has in the F-Pace SVR, but
against three highly impressive there’s now an extra 15lb ft for
German rivals – the Porsche 516lb ft all told thanks to a more
Cayenne Coupe GTS, Audi RS robust torque converter bor-
Q8 and BMW X6 M. It was the rowed from the limited-run SE
blend of comparatively good XV Project 8 saloon. This also
value, rollicking V8 perfor- helps drop the 0-62mph run
mance, engaging chassis dy- three tenths to a barely believa-
namics and daily usability wot ble (until you pin the throttle)
swung it. 4.0 seconds simply because it’s
‘The vast majority of in-mar- no longer torque-limited in the
ket CAR readers will gel with first of its eight gears.
the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, no mat- I’m not going to dig into driv-
ter usage,’ I wrote in the verdict. ing impressions too much here
Now it’s time to find out how but – spoiler alert – this is a very
those strengths translate on my fast SUV.
own daily drive as the SVR joins The most noticeable and ar-
CAR’s long-term fleet. guably most crucial change for
To quote Michael van der the tech-savvy buyers in this
Sande (the ex-Aston Martin, market is the new Pivi Pro info-
Harley-Davidson, Tesla and Al- tainment system, most obvi-
pine man who succeeded Jon ously with an 11.4-inch curved-
A sports car, Edwards as boss of JLR’s Special glass touchscreen that’s
Alex Tapley
but taller, and

with more seats Vehicle Operations division positioned above rotary climate
back in 2018), the SVR’s brief is dials with built-in digital ⊲

h
THE SMART CHOICE

F-Pace SVR is mechanically related to
the Range Rover Sport SVR, another
product of the SVO steroid lab. But it’s
not such a common sight, and – fairly
or otherwise – has less of a thuggish
TOO MUCH? NEVER! reputation. It’s also loads cheaper. MORE STUFF PLEASE
The 5.0-litre V8 is given its head by It’s pretty special as it
the SVO team, whose brief is very comes out of the box, but that doesn’t
much focused on performance mean our optional extras aren’t all
without compromise, in a way BMW’s improvements, especially the seats
M division and AMG aren’t always and audio upgrade.
these days.
It’s that time of

day when BB likes
to get out and
admire his car
displays and perched on a more

rakish centre console. Less ob-
Rover Sport SVR is currently in
a brief between-model-genera-
Let’s hope we get better than the
viously this all necessitated an tions limbo. 13mpg we saw from an SVR on a
entirely new electrical architec-
ture that Jaguar dubs EVA 2.0.
Our test car is not a box fresh
example. It arrives on the CAR
test a couple of years ago
All in, it’s a pretty compre- fleet following a stint on Jag-
hensive fettle and a worthwhile uar’s press fleet – including a optional extras. The big-ticket (£420), a head-up display (£830),
upgrade over the pre-facelift strong-showing in our M3 items are performance seats in and a fixed panoramic roof
model. Touring feature in the March Ebony semi-aniline leather (£1275). That’s pushed the base
But the F-Pace is also an in- 2023 issue, where I found its (£1100) and a head-up display price up £6090 to £85,180, but
teresting alternative to the steering more feelsome and its (£830). It all pushes the £85,180 also reduces our car’s as-tested
Range Rover Sport SVR – SVO’s engine more charismatic than base price to £87,940 if you price £1440 to £87,940 all in.
best-selling model – for a few the brilliant but at times sterile wanted to buy this car now. It’s barely done a tank at the
reasons. Most notably the Jag BMW – though it’s barely into a Interestingly, though, Jaguar time of writing, so it’s too early
uses highly comparable hard- four-figure mileage and looks has had price rejig since this to make a definitive call on
ware in a package that’s circa indistinguishable from new. F-Pace was built. Previously kit mpg, but let’s just hope I get
£40k more affordable, isn’t sad- The spec, then. Santorini that was optional is now stand- nearer the official 23.5mpg than
dled with a thuggish reputation Black paintwork is a pleasingly ard, including 22-inch alloys the 13.0mpg we saw on that –
(partly because you hardly see under-the-radar choice if – like (previously £900 – 21-inch rims admittedly highly enthusiastic
them, let alone see F-Pace own- me – you somehow feel more were standard), gloss black ex- – test a couple of years ago.
ers road-raging, though 50 used self-conscious driving a terior trim for everything from Fuel economy aside, though,
examples on Auto Trader sug- high-performance SUV than a the badging to the bonnet vents I’m looking forward to the next
gests they’ve sold pretty well), supercar. To the pretty high (which used to be £1250), Merid- few months behind the wheel.
and also because the Range spec Jaguar has added £2760 of ian surround-sound audio @IamBenBarry

Our Cars
None of your 5 a day Voyage of

One unfortunate by-product of living with an EV: way too much discovery
stodgy eating. By Colin Overland
4 B L I N D PA N I C
3 HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT
Our Ioniq 5 has built-in retractable
blinds for the windows in the rear Temperature in the low single digits,
doors. Unfortunately, it also has a mist and intermittent rain requiring 2 S U P E R S I Z E T H AT C H A R G E
Blitz-spec blackout curtain that regular wiper use, and lots of bends: The spread of chargers in McDonald’s
magically appears on the rear all these Peak District traits clobber car parks makes sense. The fast-food
screen after just a few hours of your range. Or, more positively, they restaurants are located on busy
driving on grimy roads. highlight how comfortable, composed routes, so you don’t have to go
I’d happily lose all the and easy to control the Ioniq is. looking for them, and the rapid
fancy tech in favour throughput of customers means you
of a rear wiper. 3 shouldn’t have to wait long. This
2
Instavolt in Barnsley got me from 33
to 81 per cent in 32 minutes.
5 OH, THE GLAMOUR 4

After checking out a temptingly
priced Citroën C5 estate in 5 Hyundai Ioniq 5
Burton, I have the day’s second 6 Namsan Edition
top-notch public charging 77.4kWh RWD
experience. This time a useful Month 2
30 to 80 per cent in 55 minutes
The story so far
in the no man’s land between
Asda, TK Max and Iceland. New edition of game-changingly
stylish Hyundai EV, with high
spec and big battery
1 + Roomy, techy and user-friendly
inside
- Getting a feel for how to extract
more range
Logbook
Price £54,150 (£54,150 as tested)
Performance 77.4kWh battery,
e-motor, 225bhp, 7.3sec
0-62mph, 114mph Efficiency
3.45 miles per kWh (official), 3.3
miles per kWh (tested), 0g/km
1 WE’RE ALL INDIVIDUALS CO2 Range 295 miles (official),
239 miles (tested) Energy cost
6 W H AT W A S T H AT On a grey day in Peterborough, even a 10.3p per mile Miles this month
bold design like the Ioniq 5 can look 772 Total miles 1353
R E S TA U R A N T C A L L E D A G A I N ?
Can’t think of its name just now, but this like just another car in a row of EVs
cheap and cheerful Chinese restaurant and hybrids on the office chargers.
proved hard to resist. I’m going
to need some bigger trousers. JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 121
A G IFT FO R T H E
‘KNOW-IT-ALL’
t h is father’s day
A magazine Subscription is an excellent gift

for the ‘knowledge enthusiast’ in your family.
It will fuel their passion and keep them
up-to-date with the latest news so they
can becoming real ‘know-it-alls’.
Choose from over 30 titles 6 PRINT EDITIONS

FOR ONLY £14.99*
SCAN
greatmagazines.co.uk/dad & SHOP
or call 01858 438884 and quote code FDA3
Terms and Conditions: *£14.99 price is for the first 6 issues on monthly magazines and is £19.99 on weekly magazines for 20 issues. Trial offers are only available on recurring payment and will
automatically step up to a monthly price after the initial trial period. Offer applies to selected magazines only on a Print Editions Subscription. UK only. See WWW.GREATMAGAZINES.CO.UK/DAD for
our complete range of magazine subscriptions and prices. Offers are available until 18th June 2023. Your subscription will start with the next available issue. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per
minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on the location in the UK. You may get free
calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). Calls may be
monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/terms
Our Cars
doors too, my toddling son nice leather of the middle row,

mesmerised that they slide at plus decent carpet that runs all
the touch of a button, and our the way through to the front
daughter feeling very grown-up footwells – and that’s just not as
because she can open and close practical as the newfound van
them herself. lover in me wants.
If you think this way, you’re
immediately a part of a big
Volkswagen community, where
every Multivan, California,
Caravelle and Transporter
Just think of owner waves when you’re out
everything on the road, the ones with the
you could fit in brighter paint jobs most vigor-
there… Volkswagen
ously. Which makes up for oth-
ers looking puzzled or appalled Multivan
Month 3
Boxy is best
when our terracotta and silver
bus rolls into any car park. The story so far
I do want more, though. The
Got kids? Go van. By Ben Pulman Multivan has such potential, I VW helps the MPV live on,
masquerading as a van
can see why a vast aftermarket + Warm weather = better EV
The Multivan and I are in a nice work from home and barely go world exists for VW vans. I can range
little groove. We’ve settled on a anywhere that doesn’t involve a see ours a little lower, with - But big trips = worse mpg
five-seat configuration, which school run, birthday party or chunkier tyres to deal with the
in turn furnishes us with a boot playground, boxy is best. awful roads in our locale, yet Logbook
so big we took luggage plus two Why bother trying to com- what I truly desire is a high-sid- Price £59,035 (£63,979 as
prams on a recent week-long promise with a car? You never ed plastic boot liner. tested) Performance 1395cc
trek to see grandparents – and need even consider that you The space is vast with the turbocharged four-cyl, plus
85kW e-motor and 13kWh
we didn’t even breach the win- might not have space to pack third row out, but what that ex- battery, PHEV, 218bhp, 9.0sec
dow line. something, while loading in the poses is the lack of a rugged 0-62mph, 120mph Efficiency
I know, I know, you think I’ve little ones through the vast rear barrier keeping your jagged, 156.9mpg (official), 47.6mpg
(tested), 41g/km CO2 Energy
conceded defeat and children doors is a doddle. The kids are pointed and oily luggage at bay. cost 15.4p per mile Miles this
run my life. They do. When you still smitten with the electric In the Multivan there’s only the month 911 Total miles 6164
Out of
became more confusing checked a box hidden in the
when I tried to do it again as settings, and the second is
we pulled away, and nothing that you have to be in Apple
touch happened. Had I imagined
the whole thing?
CarPlay or Android Auto
mode. I hadn’t seen any of
Embarrassing. No, I hadn’t. It turns this in the handbook, but I’ve
Mazda CX-60 2.5 By Chris Chilton out that system does offer
touchscreen functionality
since discovered Mazda UK
does mention it in one of a
Homura
but only in some conditions. series of how-to videos. Next
Month 6
I was moaning to my The first is that the CX has to month I’m hoping to discover
The story so far passenger about the CX-60’s be stationary, unless you’ve a V12 engine in the glovebox.
media system and 12.3-inch
We’ve finally got the magic
touch, after months of ignorance screen as we waited at traffic
about this feature lights when it happened.
+ Discovered touchscreen ‘The scroll wheel is great,
operation but it’s just incredible that
- Only works when stationary it’s not also a touchscreen,’ I
said, stabbing at the display,
Logbook
only to be left flabbergasted
Price £48,170 (£52,020 as tested) when the track that had just
Performance 2488cc four-
cylinder plus e-motor, 17.8kWh begun playing on Spotify
battery, PHEV, 323bhp, 5.8sec skipped to the next.
0-62mph, 124mph Efficiency Making that kind of
188.3mpg (official), 34.5mpg discovery after more than All those
(tested), 33g/km CO2 Energy unanswered
cost 20.0p per mile Miles this 12,000 miles knocked me
calls, explained
month 2884 Total miles 13,007 sideways, but things only

How to reboot a legacy
Goodbye As the big names transition from engines to electric, some
are making a better job of it than others. By Ben Oliver
The transition from engines dynamics. A younger brand if BMW is working through
to an electric future is the like Hyundai or Kia is freer new ideas in almost every
most significant some car to reinvent itself. And the area all at once – the means
makers will undergo in a process is harder still if you of propulsion, the looks,
century or more of trading. It have a ‘performance’ division the operating system – and
is not like throwing a switch. created to build internal- losing much sense of what
It’s a process. There will be combustion engines that makes this a BMW beyond
BMW iX M60 hesitancy, false starts and were intoxicatingly good to the blue-and-white roundel
Month 5 thinking aloud expressed in use. What should BMW’s M on the steering wheel.
The story so far the form of cars we can buy division do in the electric Some of these changes are
now and will still be driving age? Does it even bother less than successful. The new
A good and interesting car, but is long after their makers have continuing when cooking OS8 operating system which
it a great BMW?
+ Massive power; good looks had a rethink and moved on. electric cars offer more made its debut on this car
- Price; operating system That doesn’t make them straight-line acceleration feels like something designed
bad cars: they may have the than we can ever really use? at a desk but not tested
very best tech available at You’ve probably guessed on the move, lacking the
Logbook the time. But they might also by now that the BMW iX reductive simplicity of the
Price £116,000 (£120,000 as lack some of the confidence, M60 which I was fortunate best of its rivals. The ride and
tested) Performance 105kWh consistency and singularity enough to run for a few the accuracy of the handling
battery, twin e-motors, 611bhp, of purpose that marks the months feels like one of are excellent, but at the
3.8sec 0-62mph, 155mph those transitional cars. expense of any involvement
Efficiency 2.8 miles per kWh
very best new models.
(claimed), 2.6 miles per kWh That transition is harder A really good car, still: or sense of what the car’s
(tested), 0g/km CO2 Range 348 and will be longer for titanically fast, good-looking physical masses are doing.
miles (official), 250 miles (tested) marques like BMW, which (to my eyes at least), hugely One tester who drove my iX
Energy cost 13.1p per mile Miles
this month 1150 Total miles once had such distinctive refined and with a novel, emerged impressed with its
8662 design, engineering and original cabin. But it feels as performance and omni-

Our Cars
Pricey Ford
meets very
pricey BMW,
with interesting
results
At 76 grand the Mustang is 350kg less weight to carry.

But can you really make
eye-watering for a Ford, but feels a meaningful comparisons
a lot closer to the EV sweet spot between cars costing 76 and
120 grand? Motoring hacks
like me have long thought in
competence, but saying that iX for the Ford Mustang quite siloed ways about what
we need a new word for such Mach-E GT, and it’s makes a fair comparison, Ford Mustang
Mach-E GT
conveyances because they’re instructive to see how Ford testing obvious rivals of
Month 2
no longer cars. After months is working its way through very similar types and prices
driving it, I’m not sure what the same transition as BMW. against each other. But I The story so far
qualifies this as an M car, Their prices may be very wonder if we need to be freer
Downgrade in price from the iX,
other than its 611bhp. different, but they both raise in the comparisons, because but an upgrade in involvement
And it feels like the law questioning eyebrows; Ford that’s what buyers are doing + Sync system; good balance of
of diminishing returns is stretching our notions as cars converge. performance and range
kicks in harder and earlier of how much we’ll pay for I liked the iX, and I love - Pricey; not the best Mach-E?
with electric cars. There’s a bright orange hatchback driving the Mustang. But
less difference between the from a mainstream brand if given a free choice of the Logbook
drivetrains in cars at wildly it provides the performance three EVs I’ve run recently, I Price £74,540 (£76,420 as
different prices, so design, and range it thinks we want. think I’d choose to have the tested) Performance 99kWh
battery, twin e-motors, 480bhp,
image, perceived quality and At 76 grand the Mustang is £56,000 Kia EV6 back.w 3.7sec 0-62mph, 124mph
software have a lot more eye-watering for a Ford, but Efficiency 3.1 miles per kWh
Count the cost
heavy lifting to do. I’m not it feels a lot closer to the EV claimed, 2.4 (tested), 0g/km
sure they’re quite pulling sweet spot than the £120,000 Cost new £120,000 Part CO2 Range 310 miles (claimed),
exchange £87,665 Cost per mile 190 miles (tested) Energy cost
their weight here. BMW, and still offers 487bhp, 13.1p Cost per mile including 13.9p per mile Miles this month
I’ve now swapped the a 3.7sec 0-62 time and has depreciation £3.86 880 Total miles 6295

Seeing diamonds
Hello They’re everywhere on our new long-term test car –
but will it sparkle in other ways? By Jake Groves
Time for a bit of extra savoir faire EMP2 platform, it’s roughly the tech and matrix LED head-
in my life. That’s what DS boss same size (going up against the lights. But also no heated seats;
Béatrice Foucher once told me A-Class, 1-series etc) and quite a on a £44k car?
the French brand excelled at lot of the same Stellantis The biggest difference is the
providing in a way most other switchgear is used, including a way it’s powered. The Peugeot
car makers couldn’t. A touch of starter button that needs an had a buzzy 1.2-litre triple, but
finesse. A spritz of fashion. An oddly long prod, and what looks my new DS is a plug-in hybrid. DS 4 Rivoli
opportunity to, in the words of like a blunt cheese grater for a While I get my charges in the E-Tense 225
RuPaul, bring it to the runway. gear selector. It also has similar- office car park for free, I’ll be Month 1
And, on first impressions, ly good infotainment. using the average unit cost of
what a fashion-forward car the But it doesn’t feel like a 308 electricity and factoring that in The story so far
new DS 4 is. There are angles clone from the driver’s seat. to my energy cost figures in or- Time for Jake to plug in with
and diamond motifs… EVERY- You’re greeted by the heady der to at least give a rough idea DS’s posh hatch
WHERE. The bedazzled grille smell of real leather every time of how much it would be to + Comfy seats; sharp looks
is flanked by daytime running you climb inside, and you sink charge from home. - Getting used to the quirks
light patterns that look like cy- into the generously padded yet After only a week or so at the
berpunk sideburns, chrome supportive seat as it moves into wheel, charging at the office Logbook
door handles pop out to greet position. DS-specific quirks in- every weekday, that fag-packet Price £43,650 (£44,545 as
you as you approach, and light clude a small touch panel on the maths comes out to a similar tested) Performance 1598cc
four-cyl plus e-motor, 12.4kWh
prisms out of the chromed rear centre console with no obvious energy cost to my old 308, and battery, PHEV, 222bhp, 7.7sec
clusters like a piece of art. function. Still, this high-ish Ri- fuel economy in the mid-40s. 0-62mph, 145mph Efficiency
Fundamentally, this DS 4 has voli spec has a good amount of I’ll be curious to see where that 176.6-235.4mpg (official),
an awful lot in common with kit: wireless Android Auto and goes in future months as I get a 46.6mpg (tested), 27-35g/km
Alex Tapley
CO2 Energy cost 17.7p per mile
the Peugeot 308 that’s just left Apple CarPlay, a big head-up feel for the hybrid system. Miles this month 666 Total
my possession. It uses the same display, slick driver-assistance @_jakegroves miles 945
A lot of Stellantis
switchgear is used,
but it doesn’t feel like
a 308 clone to drive
Think the
outside’s fancy?
It’s got nothing
on the cabin

Our Cars
Stick to the day ‘Apologies. This Luxury, the

job, Citroën charge is on us’ Volvo way
No Our Cars story these days is Being a creature of habit, I’ve In his recent group test of the Tesla
complete without an app. Citroën’s is… developed a mental network of go- Y, BMW iX1 and Mercedes EQB,
patchy. It’s a faff to set up, and has an to public chargers. Mostly, Ionity Anthony ffrench-Constant asked a
interface seemingly modelled on my have what I need. The chargers are very pertinent question: how do you
kids’ tidying up: things are just stuffed powerful and the app’s slick, making define luxury? It’s incredibly difficult
in random places. for efficient pitstops. On the outbound to pin down, in the automotive world
Initially, I didn’t realise I could leg of a recent mission to Goodwood, as much as anywhere.
remote charge because activation was all was as it should be – a rapid top-up I’d argue that the key is the sense
in a hidden ‘Services’ sub-menu, but in the time it takes to buy a Starbucks. of on-the-move safety and security;
once you get over that it works fine. But coming home, nada: neither the insulation and seclusion from the
Collection of data is scandalously app nor the QR code method could world outside; intelligent technology
uneven (it missed about 1200 of my persuade any of the three chargers working unobtrusively; and
miles this month!), which doesn’t I tried to power up. I didn’t hold out understated style. In short, everything
help keep tabs on economy. And the much hope as I dialled the hotline, but that helps you get from where you are
presentation of exported data is an I should have had more faith. Gabriella to where you need to be with minimal
unusable mess. answered promptly, explained they stress and maximum ease. Which is
Next time an executive tells me were experiencing a network-wide why I’m confident the XC40 would
Stellantis is a tech company, my glitch and remotely fired up my have wiped the floor with those rivals,
rebuttal might start with the My charger, telling me the bill would be because I think it fully embodies
Citroën app. on them. Of such stuff loyalty is made. modern automotive luxury.
PHIL McNAMARA BEN MILLER BEN WHITWORTH
Citroën C5 X Hybrid Audi e-Tron GT Volvo XC40 Twin AWD

225 Shine Plus Month 6 Ultimate
Month 4 Month 4
The story so far
The story so far The more affordable of Audi’s two-car
The story so far
Comfy, big hybrid is super-refined – unlike e-Tron GT range Swedish in-the-metal definition of
its app + Style; speed; colour; badge; range; intelligent luxury
+ Electric range improving refinement + Makes every journey an effortless and
- Max charging is 7kW AC - There are cheaper and more efficient EVs. relaxed pleasure
But this is an outrageously good car, and - Nothing negative really worth mentioning,
we’re up to 245 miles per charge except the eye-watering asking price
Logbook Logbook Logbook

Price £40,210 (tested £43,310) Price £83,285 (£93,575 as tested) Price £60,300 (£61,550 as tested)
Performance 1598cc four-cylinder plus Performance 93.4kWh battery, e-motor, Performance 78kWh battery, 408bhp,
e-motor, 12.4kWh battery, PHEV, 222bhp, 523bhp, 5.4sec 0-62mph, 152.2mph 4.9sec 0-62mph, 112mph Efficiency 3.4
7.9sec 0-62mph, 145mph Efficiency Efficiency 2.89-2.93 miles per kWh (official), miles per kWh (official), 2.5 miles per kWh
186.2mpg (official), 70.5mpg (tested), 30g/ 2.6 (tested) Range 286 miles (official), 228 (tested), 0g/km CO2 Range 270 miles
km CO2 Energy cost 10.0p a mile Miles this miles (tested) Energy cost 12.0p per mile (official), 195 (tested) Energy cost 13.0p per
month 1659 Total miles 11,018 Miles this month 1423 Total miles 5775 mile Miles this month 931 Total miles 3016

Inspecting the
Goodbye
post-Huracan damage
The end of an era: we look back at five months of Lambo life. By Tim Pollard
As our high-revving, volt-dodg- And yet it’s hard not to ior supercar into the best of its
ing Lamborghini Huracan su- mourn the passing of an engine breed. Nothing failed or went
percar was taken away on a as charismatic as our Evo’s old- wrong in our long-term test.
low-loader, a sense of loss and school V10. Everything worked first time,
poignancy descended. Not just This is a car utterly defined every time, and the Evo’s usabil-
Lamborghini a sadness that this car has gone, by its motor. From the theatrics ity meant we drove it daily,
Huracan Evo but a feeling that there will be of its missile-style safety-catch come rain or shine, on long
Month 5 few opportunities for experi- starter button to the booming journeys and short.
encing anything like this ever crescendo of its 8000rpm red- It’s not exactly a practical car
The story so far again, even in CAR’s privileged line, the V10 dominates pro- – the cabin is lacking in odd-
Our five-month fairytale living position, as the world pivots ceedings. The involvement of ment space – but we managed
the Lamborghini dream comes away from fossil fuels. electronics is very much in the to squeeze enough clobber in
to an end
Amid the gloom, it’s worth background; there’s no radar for all journeys. Even awkward
+ Drama and V10 fireworks, but
also remarkable usability remembering how the car in- cruise control or silly lane-keep longer items, such as hockey
- Subtle it ain’t: Huracan’s dustry has over the decades re- assist. It’s just you, two pedals, a sticks, rested on the ledge be-
no shrinking violet (whatever peatedly proven its ability to pair of paddles and a deliciously hind the headrests. Special
colour it’s painted) meet changes in legislation and tactile alcantara steering wheel. mention to the surprisingly
technology head-on. I don’t be- It’s as traditional a supercar as good visibility and excellent ax-
Logbook lieve for a minute that Lam- you could wish for in 2023 (save, le-lift system, which meant we
borghinis will suddenly become maybe, a click-clack, open-gate could scramble over even the
Price £198,787 (£260,167 as less thrilling as electrification manual ’box). gnarliest speed bumps with
tested) Performance 5204cc
V10, 631bhp, 2.9sec 0-62mph, becomes a bigger part of the The Huracan’s party trick is nary a scrape. It’s a must-have
202mph Efficiency 20.6mpg mix. We’ve already seen the hy- the modern presentation of this £3252 option.
(official), 21.2mpg (tested) brid Revuelto, and next year we age-old recipe. Over the past Our example would cost
332g/km CO2 Energy cost
36.8p per mile Miles this get the Huracan successor, not decade, Sant’Agata has polished £1200 a month on PCP, spread
month 1237 Total miles 6801 to mention the Urus PHEV. and buffed and honed this jun- over three years at a 9.5 per cent

Our Cars
Chalk and cheese

wedge: Kodiaq
meets Elite
Sum of its parts

No more, no less. By Mark Walton
The 160-mile journey the car park begged the
from my home in Lin- question: is the Kodiaq
colnshire down to Good- vRS really an ‘enthusiast’s
wood is so bad, my record car’? I mean, it has the
worst time is a but- right elements: the GTI
tock-numbing five hours. engine, the four-wheel
Whichever route I take, drive, the fiery red paint
London is in the way. and 20-inch alloys… but
That doesn’t prevent Goodwood car parks are
Hard to argue
that it’s cheap me from making the pil- always a treasure trove of
to run; but grimage three times a supercars and classics,
worth it if you year for the big motor- and parked alongside an
can afford it
sport events there, start- early-’80s Lotus Elite, the
ing with the springtime Skoda seemed very, very
Members’ Meeting. boring in comparison.
The Evo’s usability meant we Droning along the motor-
way and then cutting
Okay, it may be unfair
comparing a modern SUV
drove it daily, come rain or shine, cross-country over the to a cheese-wedge Lotus,
on long journeys and short South Downs, the Skoda
once again proved it’s at
but that moment
summed up my feelings
home on any kind of road, for the vRS: it’s missing
APR after a £25,000 deposit. Whatever the numbers say, especially a fast swooping something, something
The pricey Pirelli P Zero tyres I’ll remember our time with the A-road that shows off its hazy and abstract but re-
still had plenty of grip left at the Huracan for its sense of brash, body control and pace. ally important, called
end of our tenure. outrageous fun. What’s burned However, arriving in ‘character’.
The big expense was fuel: we into my grey matter most of all
slurped super unleaded at the is its brutal acceleration, the Skoda Kodiaq vRS 2.0
rate of a gallon every 21.2 miles delicate handling and slingshot TSI 245ps DSG 4x4
(ahead of the claimed 20.6mpg), all-wheel-drive traction, and Month 9
adding up to £1252 over 3395 that bassy orchestral celebra-
miles. Yet as diesels dwindle tion of noise at the top end. It’s The story so far
and we see more family cars re- been a privilege to enjoy one A trip to Goodwood prompts some musing
vert to petrol, I’m mindful that last dance with the devil – an + Motorways, A-roads, B-roads… the Skoda is very
many more humble vehicles extended running with the capable on a long journey
have fuel consumption in the bulls before they’re neutered. - It is struggling to win over heart as well as the mind
mid-20s. While hardly a para- @TimPollardCars
gon of parsimony, the Lambo is Logbook
Count the cost
surprisingly frugal for its ilk. A Price £47,690 (£52,585 as tested) Performance 1984cc
loaded Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in Cost new £260,167 Part turbocharged four-cylinder, 242bhp, 6.6sec 0-62mph,
exchange £208,873 Cost per 144mph Efficiency 31.7mpg (official), 29.6mpg (tested),
managed no better than 23mpg mile 36.8p Cost per mile 202g/km CO2 Energy cost 22.7p per mile Miles this
on my Easter ski trip. including depreciation £7.73 month 623 Total miles 10,215

Our Cars
An ID. 3 done
Olgun Kordal
right, especially
on the outside
Living up to its looks

Goodbye First impressions say stylish, sporty and modern. Eight
months on, turns out we were right. By Curtis Moldrich
First the bad. The Cupra’s VW But the engaging dynamics B-road. It’s a car you can
Group interior is the worst were the biggest surprise. It squeeze the performance out
thing about it. It looks and feels took just a few corners to un- of, and for all its technology and
premium, but in use it’s badly derstand the Born’s limitations; weight it’s extremely good fun
flawed. The volume controls its brakes are wooden com- to push.
are impossible to use in low pared with those of the Leon Falling into the ‘neither good
light and the climate control that I was driving before the nor bad’ category is the range:
takes far too many swipes and Born, its weight clearly appar- rarely an issue, though during
Cupra Born
prods to access. At least the ent in the braking phase and the winter months the aston- 77kWh 230PS V3
touchscreen is big. corners, plus you sit ‘on’ the car ishing effect of cold weather Month 8
The haptic ‘buttons’ on the rather than ‘in’ it. And where meant it was down by 30 per The story so far
steering wheel are hit and miss the Leon’s turbo four could cent, or around 90 miles. Sever-
too – I never got the hang of us- slingshot you at all speeds, the al times that meant the differ- Cupra’s first pure EV, here in its
most powerful form
ing them. And the rear win- Born’s firework-like accelera- ence between a simple journey + Classy and roomy; rapid;
dows require you to press tion fizzles out after 40mph. and one with charging stops. distinct from VW ID EVs
‘REAR’ before using the same But embrace these limita- It’s a rewarding car to live - It’s not quite the hot hatch I’d
switches as the front windows. tions, touch the edge of what with. Not an electric hot hatch, like it to be
This ‘feature’ has somehow not the Cupra Born can do – and but something else, and some-
been dropped on the otherwise you have a car that’s far more thing arguably more fun. Logbook
improved ID. 7 cabin. Wolfs- enjoyable than it should be. @Khurtizz Price £41,975 (£42,460 as tested)
burg, we need answers! Steering is quick and sharp, and Performance 77kWh battery,
e-motor, 228bhp, 7.0sec
Now onto the good. This is a when combined with instant Count the cost 0-62mph, 99mph Efficiency
fine-looking car, quite unlike torque and rear-wheel drive, 3.5-3.9 miles per kWh (official),
anything else on the road, with the result is a car that you can Cost new £42,460 Part 3.2 (tested), 0g/km CO2 Range
exchange £35,026 Cost per mile 340 miles (official), 233 (tested)
interesting views from just wrestle and throw around on a 7.6p Cost per mile including Energy cost 7.6p per mile Miles
about every angle. trip to the shops as well as any depreciation £1.17 this month 359 Total 6901

GAP INSURANCE
Get back the full

GAP INSURANCE
price you paid

for your car
uol-vѴb Ѵ;-v
£99 for 2 years
Save
15%
use co
de CA
R 15
omĽ|];|1- ]_|v_ou|0 o ubmv u;uvr- o |ķ

bm|_;; ;m|o=- ub|;o@ou|_;[Ĵ
check-circle Ɣv|-u ;=-t|ou-|;71o ;u
check-circle "- ; r|oƕƔѷ-]-bmv|l-bm7;-Ѵ;urub1;v
check-circle buv||o1o ;u r|oŬƐķƏƏƏbm; 1;vv
check-circle Ѵ vķ ;ĽѴѴ]b ; o -FREE Digital Garage to store documents,
];|_-m7 u;lbm7;uv-m7Ѵo-7vo==-m|-vঞ1o@;uvĴ
Get a quote today and save 15%
See over 9,600 reviews on
CAR WARRANTY | GAP INSURANCE | COSMETIC REPAIR INSURANCE | ALLOY WHEEL INSURANCE | BREAKDOWN | MOT | SERVICING
MotorEasy Ltd, Company No. 08423198 and MotorEasy Services Ltd, Company No. 10109424 are registered in the UK at Staverton Court, Staverton, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. GL51 0UX
o|ou -v |7bv-mm|uo7 1;urrobm|;7!;ru;v;m|-ঞ ;o=o|ou;-v ";u b1;v|7ķ _b1_bv- |_oubv;7-m7u;] Ѵ-|;70 |_; bm-m1b-Ѵom7 1| |_oub| ķ!;]bv|;uo ƕƓƕѶƖƏ

1 CAR - UK - Issue - 732 - July - 2023

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

1 CAR - UK - Issue - 732 - July - 2023

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1 CAR - UK - Issue - 732 - July - 2023

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IN PARIS,

STYLE IS NOT AN OPTION.

It is freedom stopped or careening through great tarmac

For more information go to:

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 3

Living the supercar-on-

First Drives 74 A century of engineering

Opinion The big reads

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 5

6 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 7

THE DB12 IS A TAD

8 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

says Aston. The platform is largely

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 9

10 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

Aston Martin 2 Litre Sports

the sharpest definition on the mar- DB12 balances

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 11

SKODA’S DOUBLE TEAM MODERN SOLID

MEB ALL THE WAY THE WISH LIST

12 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

Harness the potential

FIND OUT MORE

14 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 15

HAVE IT YOUR WAY

THE SOCIAL MEDIA ANTAGONISER THE NEW DAWN PREACHER

THE CRASH DIET PROMOTER THE BUTTONED-UP CAGE FIGHTER

16 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

and ‘saw an opportunity’ – look how

‘I’M THE GUARDIAN

18 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

Wagoneer S Company curveball:

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 19

Breitling Navitimer Autodromo Group C

20 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

22 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

EV SEVEN: THE STATS Designers and engineers at Swindon Powertrain

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 23

It’s a big question, and it’s only going to become bigger:

AUDI’S E-RICKSHAW UP CLOSE

24 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

The road to your new car starts here

5 out of 5 CALL U S TO DAY FOR YO UR F RE E F IN AN CE QUOTE

oracleﬁnance.co.uk 0330 838 7462

UNLOCK YOUR CAR

26 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

WHERE QUALITY COSTS LESS

PRICE CUT SAVE

3 EASY WAYS NEW HUGE

CHOOSE FROM OVER 21,000 PRODUCTS ONLINE AT machinemart.co.uk

28 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

JULY 2023 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 29

30 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JULY 2023

t’s just after 9am in the sleepy commune of

Pick-up: 0 miles 22 miles 57 miles