Autocar RSS Feed

Jeep Avenger Electric

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Jeeps entry-level EV is goes under the knife for a mid-life refresh. Does it take it to the top of the class? There were those that were sceptical there could be such a thing as a small Jeep, and an electrically powered two-wheel-drive one at that. Yet the Avenger has proved a runaway European hit for the American brand, and its mix of rugged looks, easy-going character and efficient running costs have attracted a a whole new demographicTo maintain interest in its big seller, Jeep has treated the model to a mid-life update that keeps things fresh without diluting the winning formula. Subtly revised looks and an interior that has been sprinkled with some enhanced premium appeal are the most obvious changes, while tweaks to the EV versions' innards run to the addition of V2L capability.The visual updates also include the petrol, hybrid and 4x4 versions, which you can read about here. However, for this review we’ll concentrate on the all-electric model, which is perhaps one of the most important new models the firm has launched in a whileFor starters, the Avenger broke new ground in terms of footprint. Discount the original Willys, which dates from 1940, and the Avenger is the most compact Jeep yet conceived. (The 61bhp hero of World War II is about an arm’s length shorter.)You should also know that behind the signature seven-slot grille, the short overhangs and the bevelled proportions, the Avenger has about as much in common with the beloved Jeep Wrangler as it does the Vauxhall Corsa, with which this pint-sized new Jeep shares a platform.Given all of the above, it's only natural to wonder whether this is a real Jeep at all.So long as the Avenger achieves its aim, Stellantis, parent company to Jeep and 13 other makes, won’t care what the purists think. This car was tasked with redefining Jeep in Europe and invigorating limp sales figures propped up only by lingering popularity in Italy. When it was launched the brand's bosses claimed it was “the right car at the right time” – and sales figures that run to 280,000 and counting (across all powertrains, although 60% of those sold are electrified) proves they were right.Mining such a popular sector presents the Jeep with no shortage of rivals, of course. Ford, Renault, Smart and a host of good-value Chinese and South Korean brands now swim in the compact crossover pool. And that's before you consider closely related rivals from the same Stellantis stable, such as the Fiat 600e and Peugeot e2008.For now there are three trim levels: Summit, Skyview and 85th Anniversary (which celebrates the brand's, erm, 85th birthday), with prices for the latter starting at just over £33,000 before any Government plug-in grants are taken into consideration.

Jeep Avenger

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 10:47:06 +0100

As well as an EV, Jeep's baby ius available as a modest petrol manual, an electrified petrol auto and a 4WD hybrid off-roader Having attracted more than 280,000 customers since its launch in 2023, the Avenger has been far and away Jeep’s biggest European hit. Right-sized for the continent and with rugged styling, decent driving dynamics and wide choice of powertrains, it’s not hard to understand why it has found so many willing buyers.So in order to maintain interest in its big seller, Jeep has treated it to a mid-life update that keeps things fresh without diluting the winning formula. Subtly revised looks and an interior that has been sprinkled with some enhanced premium appeal are the most obvious changes, while under the skin there have been some tweaks aimed at improving reliability and, in the all-wheel drive 4xe’s case, adding some extra off-road capability. As before, the Avenger is available in four main trim levels (Longitude, Altitude, Summit and Skyview), plus there’s the option of a limited-run version that celebrates the firm’s 85th anniversary (it’s called, erm, the 85th Anniversary). Not all the prices for the facelifted model have yet been revealed, but expect it to start from somewhere around £26,000 –slightly more than the admittedly less trendy Peugeot 2008 with which it shares its underpinnings.The entry-level powertrains is a revised turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol; the same engine can be paired with a mild hybrid assistance and six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox for an expected uplift in price of around £1,000. Finally, the fully electric Avenger, with its 249-mile range, starts at around £30,000 (before you take into account the Government’s plug-in grant), and that car is reviewed separately here.For buyers wanting to head off the beaten track there is also the Wrangler-imitating 4xe, which gets all-wheel drive by way of a second electric motor on the rear axle – along with a Scrappy-Doo character from its raised ride height, beefier bumpers, roof bars, tow hooks and underbody cladding. The 4xe model range features Upland and Overland trims, as well as that 85th Anniversary birthday special. Not all pricing has been announced, but expect to pay around £33,000 for the privilege of all-paw traction.

20 cars that aren't as good as you think

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 22:16:27 +0100

Overrated is a strong word - we wouldn't want you to think any of these aren't much good, but they do have overlooked flaws

It’s not a lemon list, more a herd of sacred cows about which the world thinks of in one way yet the reality can be slightly different.

All – or, at least, most – of these cars have some mega plus-points, but they also have reputations that are a bit larger than life. We take a look at some, and explain why those reputations can be over the top:

Land Rover Series I (1948)

The lovable Land Rover is hailed, quite rightly, as the grandfather of all civilian off-roaders, and how these very early vehicles can still perform in the rough is impressive – were you to submit your Series I to some farm life. ‘Dual-purpose’ is where the concept falls down.

Land Rover Series I (1948)

While there’s no disputing it can, legally, be driven on tarmac, the experience is one that should be kept as short as possible in the best interests of your spine, teeth, joints and nerves as the leaf springs, chassis girders and hefty, turning axles make their jarring progress. Think of it as not really a car, and keep to the fields, and you’ll be fine.

Volkswagen ‘Beetle’ (1950)

That a cheap, 1930s economy car design should survive on sale for some 60 years, and sell 21 million examples, is of course a phenomenon. It is, though, one celebrated today by people who would find a Beetle an appalling prospect, as it certainly did not set the pattern for the modern car. The rear-engined layout, and weight bias, is not the most forgiving.

Volkswagen ‘Beetle’ (1950)

And by the mid 1960s – the Beetle’s heyday, especially in the US – the flimsy structure, complete absence of safety systems, and poor brakes was anachronistic in the extreme. “But it’s so reliable,” people said; or were they getting confused with the ease with which you could work on it? Yes, there’s charm, but the Golf couldn’t come along soon enough…

MGB (1962)

Here’s another car whose venerability, like the Beetle’s, has given it an aura that usually makes it immune to proper analysis. Introduced in 1962, it had monocoque construction and solid performance with all the inconveniences – sweaty cockpit, heavy steering, leaky hood, rust traps aplenty – that a sports car owner was expected to overlook.

MGB (1962)

British Leyland decided not to bother replacing the car, especially as most of its rivals were discontinued so that by the B’s demise in 1980, this living antique was the default sports car option. That’s why it led the classic car boom, until the Mazda MX-5 came along and proved that, yes, wind-in-the-hair for two could actually be done really, really well…

Buick Riviera (1963)

General Motors styling boss Bill Mitchell, like his predecessor Harley Earl, had this fixation that a home-grown roadster for the US highway should be something vast and imposing, while the late 1930s Lincoln Continental which evolved into the Continental II of 1956 had an enormity that no-one from Europe would consider remotely sporty.

Buick Riviera (1963)

So when Mitchell conceived his “American Ferrari” in the 1963 Buick Riviera, it became a skyscraper to Italy’s bell tower. It was an enormous hardtop coupé with a 6.6-litre V8 engine, admittedly beautifully styled, but a turnpike cruiser and not a sports car. It wafted along like a bed at the Beverly Hills Hotel, with vague steering and even vaguer brakes. Rolling sculpture for sure, but no Ferrari.

Alfa Romeo Alfasud (1971)

For about three years in the 1970s, the Alfasud Ti was the most exhilarating small car on the planet. Its grip, handling, verve and sheer joie de vivre wowed everybody who tried it. Then the Volkswagen Golf GTi arrived, and the Ti slunk into its shadow. The Ti, like all Alfasuds, is a classic case of a critically-acclaimed car that was often a disastrous prospect for actual ownership.

Alfa Romeo Alfasud (1971)

The magazine road-tester would have it for a week and then reluctantly hand it back, having raved about the way it drove. But then the beguiled buyer would watch the car disintegrate and corrode often mere months after taking delivery. You just didn’t get any of that with the Golf.

Bristol 412 (1976)

Rolls-Royce money was required to purchase this targa-topped Bristol in 1975, along with the turbocharged Beaufighter edition of five years later. The separate chassis traced its roots back to the 1940s, although no doubt the car was still pretty capable, being fast, riding well and having a perhaps unexpectedly competent level of road manners.

Bristol 412 (1976)

Unlike a Rolls, though, or even an Aston Martin, with their handbuilt engines, you were getting in the Bristol a V8 power unit from a Canadian truck and – apart from a gleaming walnut dashboard and plump leather seats – parts from other cars that were somehow thrown into the mix in a haphazard way. The eccentric coteries of Bristol owners loved them, but connoisseurs quite rightly tended to head off towards the Porsche 928.

Lancia Gamma (1976)

As one of Pininfarina’s most acclaimed production car designs, the Lancia Gamma Coupé is a familiar 1970s high spot on the car enthusiast’s timeline. Its saloon counterpart was and remains utterly overshadowed by it. Technically, it became an extension of the Lancia Flavia in using an all-aluminium, four-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine driving the front wheels.

At a time when six cylinders denoted cachet in this market sector, it was a perplexing choice to go for a large, 2.5-litre four.

Lancia Gamma (1976)

Buyers had to balance an excellent pure driving experience on every front, five-speed manual gearbox and terrific roadholding included, with design flaws that included engine cambelt issues and worrying vibrations, and grave concern at patchy quality. Executive car owners also liked automatics but Lancia refused to offer one until 1983… Potentially it was a great car, but a poor product.

Rover 3500 SD1 (1977)

Every British car enthusiast loves the beefy, five-door Rover with its V8 engine and Ferrari Daytona nose. It could almost be the law that you have to. Yet in the race to perfect the luxury sports saloon, it was BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and possibly even Saab that set the pace.

It wasn’t just that the SD1 swapped its P6 predecessor’s racecar-like rear suspension for an old-fashioned live axle.

Rover 3500 SD1 (1977)

It was that Rover’s workers consistently failed to deliver a quality job to those company bosses and city lawyers who were rooting for the marque. The German models were better cars overall, and spent more time with their owners’ gravel than on the ramp in the workshop. Only the British police were forced to stick with it for reasons of patriotism.

Delorean (1981)

Is the Tesla Cybertruck going to be the Delorean of the 21st century? Quite apart from the fact that they both share hugely impractical stainless steel panels, seasoned industry watchers can sense a similar syndrome of pointless reinvention propelled by the hubris of an industry maverick. John Z De Lorean set out to teach the car industry a lesson by producing his idea of an ethical sports car, but it was a disaster.

Delorean (1981)

The car wove together a Lotus chassis, a Renault engine and gullwing doors that were not to be trusted; it had a short run of fame, and once it had sunk Porsche could get on and dominate the 1980s.

Ford Sierra (1982)

The car that replaced the Ford Cortina in 1982 among the then hugely important fleet buyers had quite a task on its hands: to offer radical modernity and dependable familiarity at the same time. So while a great big fuss was made of its aerodynamic lines, underneath it was all old-school rear-wheel drive and Cortina-style Pinto engines.

Ford Sierra (1982)

And while by no means awful to use, the Sierra hardly impressed, the later Cosworth-engined and turbocharged 4x4 excepted. Its new feature, a lift-back tailgate, also got a lukewarm reception, obliging Ford to add a four-door Sapphire to the range in 1987 that toned down the infamous “jelly-mould” profile. And while all this was going on, Vauxhall and Opel’s acclaimed, front-wheel drive Cavalier simply leapt ahead in the fleet sales charts.

Cadillac Allanté (1987)

This two-seater Cadillac was the product, so they liked to boast, of ‘the longest production line in the world’. That meant that the bodies were constructed by Pininfarina in Italy and flown to the States for assembly in an ‘air-bridge’ operation in expensively-modified Boeings 747s – all of which was, really, of no tangible benefit to any buyer, and extremely costly.

Cadillac Allanté (1987)

The two-seater styling was also by Pininfarina, but was pretty unmemorable, with none of the character of the open-top Merc SL or Jaguar XJS. Introduced in 1987, the final cars in 1993 at least came with Caddy’s excellent Northstar V8 engine.

Daihatsu Sportrak (1989)

The Sportrak, or Feroza as it was alternatively known, was a very good choice for thrifty mud-plugging in the early 1990s – the sort of thing every country estate manager would want, with four-wheel drive and a reasonable 1.6-litre engine from the Daihatsu Applause which, while not able to make it go like the clappers, was perfectly adequate. Along with the contemporary Suzuki Vitara, the Sportrak was the first compact sport-utility vehicle.

Daihatsu Sportrak (1989)

Yet history is sometimes unkind to pioneers. Just five years after the Sportrak’s launch, along came the Toyota RAV4 and re-set the benchmark. The key difference? The RAV4 had a monocoque structure and was genuinely as capable on-road as off it; the Sportrak had a ladder frame chassis that the Romans would have recognised, and so would always be tiresome on the open road.

Pontiac Le Mans (1988)

This nameplate gave the world some interesting muscle cars in the late ‘60s, but by 1988, not so much. If ever you were swayed to buy a car based on the allure of its name then this has to be the nadir; an ageing Opel/Vauxhall Astra, built for maximum cheapness in South Korea by Daewoo, and sold across the USA as an entry-level Pontiac.

Pontiac Le Mans (1988)

All the emphasis was on the bargain-basement nature of the offering, but any compact offering from Honda or Toyota would surely have been better, and a lot less plasticky.

Buick Park Avenue (1992)

Something went quite awry between the unveiling of the 1989 Buick Park Avenue Essence concept car and the 1991 production Park Avenue. The former hinted at a dynamic new image for large US cars, but when the latter arrived it was little more than the usual softly-sprung sedan with its formerly rectilinear corners shaved off.

The 3.8-litre V6 engine wasn’t half-bad, especially in supercharged Ultra guise, but this was not a car to hurl around enthusiastically because its bench front seat was unsupportive and its ride soft and wallowy.

Buick Park Avenue (1992)

A column gearchange and mediocre refinement meant it fell well short of any BMW or Lexus standards, and yet this car was actually exported to Europe as some kind of totem of American prestige. Ultra-kitsch value today, mind, assuming you could dig one up.

Bristol Fighter T (2004)

A car boasting some massive claims – such as 1012bhp in twin-turbo form, 225mph top speed, and a 0-60mph figure of 3.5sec – that seemed at definite odds with the world’s smallest and least well-capitalised ‘supercar’ maker.

Gullwing doors were another feature that you’d rather have, if at all, engineered by Mercedes-Benz rather than some bloke in a West of England shed.

Bristol Fighter T (2004)

Actually, the Fighter T barely existed as a production car, although about a dozen standard Fighters were made, all with Dodge Viper V10 engines. And were the aerodynamics at all credible? Everything else so ridiculously rapid tends to need spoilers and air dams to tether them safely down, but maybe Bristol was taking its aircraft heritage seriously, and aiming high?

Honda S2000 (1999)

The 1990s and early 2000s was somewhat of a golden era for two-seater sports cars, and this Honda should have gleamed the brightest, especially with its 2.0-litre engine being one of the most powerful non-turbo units ever installed to a road car – a scarcely believable 240bhp dished out at a screaming 8300rpm.

Unfortunately, in the hands of the most experienced drivers, the overall recipe was deemed to be not quite right, despite all the attention on getting a 50:50 weight balance.

Honda S2000 (1999)

Flaws include unresponsive electric power steering, an awkward driving position, and a frightening tendency to snap oversteer that would catch you out alarmingly. In its favour are a fantastic six-speed gearbox, drop-dead gorgeous looks, and classic status today, but a lot more brilliance was expected from the home of the NSX.

Volkswagen Phaeton (2002)

The Phaeton was intended as a limousine for the shy but rich individual who didn’t want to lord it in a Bentley, but in fact this car only came to life precisely because it shared its 6.0-litre W12 underpinnings with the Bentley Flying Spur.

The Phaeton itself was the pet project of VW’s scary chieftain Ferdinand Piëch, anxious to give Volkswagen the range-topper he felt it deserved – and it was said, to keep his Audi guys on their toes - but the reception for it was lukewarm.

Volkswagen Phaeton (2002)

Fantastic machine, but overrated for its subtlety next to the Bentley, and very much unwanted today by comparison. If Angela Merkel had designed a luxury car, it would probably have turned out like this.

Bugatti Veyron (2005)

The top 10 most powerful cars on sale in the year the mid-engined French supercar was launched started at No10 with the 612bhp Porsche Carrera GT or Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG and culminated at the No1 with the 987bhp Veyron. The Bugatti could also manage 253mph, making the quad-turbo, W16-engined two-seater the world’s fastest car.

Bugatti Veyron (2005)

But was it really, really worth all the mountains of extra dosh for a car that – in the real world – had power and velocity that no-one could actually use? It was also 2.0 metres wide, making it one of the most cumbersome of city-drivers, and there were 10 radiators to keep topped up. And it was extremely expensive to both buy and operate.

Subaru Impreza STI WRX hatch (2008)

The raw performance largely remained from the old days, with 300bhp and prodigious, four-wheel drive grip as the 2.5-litre boxer engine rocketed the car to 60mph in 4.8sec. But no matter what the marketing and statistics relayed, the character had been lost in Subaru’s quest to broaden its hardcore Impreza’s appeal and align it with Germany’s performance best-sellers.

Subaru Impreza STI WRX hatch (2008)

The familiar three-box shape, with its giant rear aerofoil, was gone, and in its place came a blander-than-bland five door hatchback. Then, Subaru’s cost-cutting team combed through the interior, making it as cheap and coarse as they could. It seemed like a shameful way to treat an icon…

Toyota GT86 (2012)

The 2.0-litre two-plus-two seater was designed to get back to basics with its rear-wheel drive and skinny tyres, and you did indeed get quite a basic car. And not necessarily in a good way: inside, it was claustrophobic and cheaply finished. Oversteer was the major characteristic of the handling – okay for some weekend drifting on a disused airfield, possibly a liability on rain-soaked public roads.

Toyota GT86 (2012)

And there was a distinct lack of torque right in the middle of the rev range, which kind of put the kybosh on spirited everyday driving. None of it had to be this way, as Mazda’s all-round excellent MX-5 continued to demonstrate. The new GR86 takes the GT86 recipe and improves it.

The 1980s cars that you've (probably) forgotten about

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:36:19 +0100

The 1980s bear similar parallels with today, so perhaps it's time for us to remember the cars everyone seems to have forgotten

Wars, high fuel prices and rampant inflation.

Ring any bells? Well there was also plenty of this in the 1980s as well, which is why in this feature we’re celebrating the cars from that decade – or cars from slightly earlier that made their name in the decade – that you may have completely forgotten:

Subaru BRAT (1977)

You might not have heard of it, but Ronald Reagan owned one for 20 years on his Californian ranch. This rugged, harebrained, poundshop Lancia-lookalike was sold by the Japanese giant from 1977-1994 and attracted clientele you’d expect to see in a Mercedes S-Class. With 100,000 examples sold over its life, the Brat was Marketed in America as ‘Fun on Wheels’. Later versions used a gutsy turbocharged 1.8 and proved so popular it cemented Subaru’s reputation for reliability and set the company up for major success in the US in the past couple of decades.

Plymouth Sapporo (1978)

Business ventures constantly give customers an offer they can’t refuse. Mitsubishi’s contract with Chrysler birthed a car that appeared to offer it all, from extravagant options to economy that impresses by today’s standards. You got bucket seats with lumbar support, tinted glass and power-adjustable mirrors. Naming the others would simply take up too much room.

On top of the features, it promised a 40mpg thirst and performance to keep most of the 70,000 buyers entertained. Why, then, was it forgotten? The relationship between the two companies changed, and Mitsubishi began selling the Conquest; the new offer customers couldn’t refuse.

Midas Bronze (1978)

Harold Dermott’s Midas outfit could so easily have become a world-beater in the affordable sports car market. However, a devastating factory fire in 1989 put paid to that and the company folded shortly afterwards in 1989 despite huge acclaim for its compact cars.

The Bronze was launched in 1978 with a glassfibre monocoque body and was the first car with this construction to pass contemporary crash tests. With neat styling by Richard Oakes and aerodynamic design input from Gordon Murray, the later Gold was just getting into its sales stride when that fire destroyed all of the tooling. In all, 500 Bronze and Gold models were produced and they are slowly gaining recognition for their ground-breaking design.

Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 (1979)

Alfa Romeo’s plans to introduce the 6 in 1973 derailed when the oil crisis made the idea of driving a big, fuel-thirsty sedan unpalatable to all but the wealthiest European motorists. Executives consigned the project to the automotive attic until the late 1970s, when the oil market had seemingly settled. Alfa Romeo made several changes before launching production but the first 6 that drove off the line already looked dated.

The carburetted, 2.5-liter V6 was a real gem of an engine but its high fuel consumption raised eyebrows even in 1979. 1983 brought styling revisions (pictured), Bosch fuel-injection and an available turbodiesel but the improvements were too little, too late. 6 production ended in 1987 after Alfa Romeo built approximately 12,000 units.

Buick Century Turbo Coupe (1979)

How do you attract young buyers? If a book existed detailing the answer, Buick read it cover to cover. Their Century Turbo was an impressive offering produced by the same company making the Indianapolis 500 pace car. Talk about motorsport pedigree. The Turbo Coupe used a 175bhp 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 which had around as much torque as the then Corvette. With looks not dissimilar to a Saab 900, Buick boasted ‘European-influenced’ styling. But it simply wasn’t enough to lure young buyers and after two years of production and less than 2000 sold, it was dropped.

Stevens Cipher (1980)

When almost everyone else was abandoning the sports car market amid fears the USA would legislate them out of existence, Professor Anthony Stevens came up with the superb Cipher. Light and compact, it used a simple chassis, glassfibre body and 850cc Reliant engine. Autocar’s Steve Cropley praised it when he drove one, and the Cipher helped inspire the Mazda MX-5.

Despite all of this, Stevens could not raise the funds to take the Cipher into production and only seven were ever completed. It’s the UK car industry’s loss the Cipher didn’t get the backing it deserved as was the right car at the right time.

Chevrolet Citation X-11 (1980)

The X-11 was, to Chevrolet, what Polestar is to Volvo. It didn’t set out to become the ultra-rare brother of the ordinary Chevrolet Citation, but with 20,000 X-11’s sold out of 1.54 million ordinary Citation’s, that’s exactly what happened. The X-11 was a performance offering which featured a fizzy 2.8-litre V6 and a bulge in the bonnet to exercise its sporting credentials. As a result, the X-11 drove Chevrolet to racing championships in competitions held in 1982 and 1984.

Dodge Mirada (1980)

Nothing says 80s chic like the Mirada – born for the V8 engine and adorning whitewall tyres. This car was ideal as a comfortable motorway cruiser, but developed to have a sporting edge. This would become its main problem, with customers disappointed in its performance and poor driving manners for a vehicle with such sporting intentions. Just 52,000 were sold over three years, a piffling amount compared with rivals, and the car was dropped. Still, it lives on as a lesson in tasteful American motoring.

AMC Eagle Kammback (1981)

Automotive niches inspire some of the oddest creations. The Reliant Robin. The Mercedes R63. And in America, the AMC Eagle Kammback - a niche within a niche. It was a compact car with an interchangeable four-wheel drive system. The owner, typically a first-time buyer or a fleet driver, had to stop at the side of the road to switch between its four and rear wheel drive modes. These days, to get an interchangeable drivetrain you have to buy a BMW M5. However, it wasn’t enough and sales diminished after just one year, despite being 34,000 strong in year one. Like every other niche, it’s only interesting once it’s gone.

Jeep CJ-8 (1981)

The Jeep CJ-8 was a CJ-7 with 10 additional inches of sheet metal between the axles. It retained the CJ-7’s legendary off-road capacity, but it was unique in its segment because it was more of a leisure-oriented model than a workhorse. Jeep didn’t replace the CJ-8 until it introduced the Unlimited variant of the TJ-series Wrangler in 2004, and it returned to the pickup class with the Wrangler-based Gladiator in 2019.

Ford EXP (1982)

It was just about to be axed from production, but engineers stepped in to save its life. The Ford EXP was introduced in 1982 as a sportier alternative to the Escort, albeit with a more intricate design that seemed to be missing a front grille. Despite 225,000 being sold, the cult following from the EXP’s life wasn’t found on the road, but in the factory. At the end of the first version’s life, workers took a new Escort, restyled it and showed it to their approving boss. The resultant EXP lived on in the Escort family, saved by its human family.

Lincoln Continental Turbodiesel (1983)

Although the Continental is one of Lincoln’s best-known models, the European-flavoured diesel-powered variant is remembered as an obscure footnote in the nameplate’s decades-long history. Mercedes-Benz sold every diesel it imported into the United States, much to Lincoln’s annoyance, and even some it didn’t bring – the grey market was booming in the early 1980s. Cadillac had jumped on the diesel bandwagon, too, though its models were not nearly as successful. Decision-makers decided the best way to keep customers in the fold was to offer the diesel engine they were leaving to find.

For the 1984 model year, Continental buyers could choose between a 4.9-litre, 140bhp V8 and a 2.4-liter turbodiesel straight-six built by BMW and tuned to 115bhp; it was the same unit that powered the 524td. Lincoln charged $1235 (around $3100 today) for the German engine. As it turned out, Mercedes-Benz buyers didn’t want a Lincoln and Lincoln buyers didn’t want a diesel. The option disappeared after 1985.

Isuzu Impulse (1983)

Cutesy but slender. Powerful but delicate. None of these are words anyone would associate with an Isuzu. But judging by the marketing campaign that read “It screams when you step on it” with a dark, moonlit background denoted something of menacing proportions. Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro and bearing suspension developed by Lotus, the Suzuki was far ahead of its time.

Perhaps too ahead of its time, as those eye-catching looks and delicate personality weren’t enough to secure its success. Even in its best year, Isuzu only just managed to sell 40,000 and the Impulse was dropped after 6 years.

Marcos Mantula (1983)

Every Marcos is a rare machine, but most have achieved a small but loyal and vocal following. However, the Mantula and its Mantara and Mantaray derivatives are too easily ignored. That’s a shame when they offer much of the thrills of contemporary TVRs, helped by using the same Rover V8 engine for propulsion. Offered in fully-built or kit form, the Mantula never quite shook off those kit car connotations for some potential buyers, even though the body, chassis and running gear were all very well made. Marcos made 289 Mantulas, so they do still appear for sale and deserve fair consideration for the performance and driving enjoyment they offer.

Zimmer Quicksilver (1984)

Paul Zimmer set up the Zimmer Motorcars Corporation in 1978, to build luxury cars. His first model was the neo-classic Golden Spirit, but in 1984 the Pontiac Fiero-based Quicksilver came along. Each second-hand Fiero chassis was stretched by 16 inches, on to which a glassfiber bodyshell was bolted, while the interior was spruced up with leather and wood. Production ran until 1988.

UMM Alter (1984)

Two versions of this car would eventually come to market, in 1984 and 1986 respectively. Both variants of the Alter were near-perfect embodiments of function-over-form design, with drivers given as much space as possible. Durability, however, was the Alter II’s claim to fame, even finishing the 1989 Paris-Dakar rally. UMM also sold civilian-friendly variants of the Alter II (including some with bright, beach-friendly decals on both sides) but they remained too basic for their own good, even compared to a Lada Niva. Most examples consequently ended up in the hands of government agencies – one was even turned into a Popemobile when Pope John Paul II visited Portugal in 1992.

Pontiac Sunbird (1984)

The story of the Sunbird is one of adaptation. The first generation car was dreary and sales weren’t much better. But when the Sunbird GT was introduced, all was transformed. It had a turbocharger and sporty styling cues worthy of the GT badge. Following the addition of a convertible, sales more than doubled in the first year. The final car even had a 3.0-litre V6. But the bestseller was a 165bhp 2.0-litre four cylinder, a formula that proved so successful it wasn’t changed for three years – a record for Pontiac’s laws of evolution.

Chrysler Laser (1984)

Did you love the 80s? If not, here’s some convincing. The Chrysler Laser was marketed with retro-purple sunsets and had digital dials that looked as wackily trapezoidal as its air vents. It was clearly a car that looked to the future for inspiration, and its competitors. Its 0-62 time matched the likes of Porsche’s 944 and Nissan’s 300ZX Turbo, all while delivering 35mpg. And if that wasn’t enough, the Laser used a turbo boost gauge so its 150,000-strong customer base could regulate its turbo pressures.

Dodge Omni GLH (1984)

Believe it or not, ‘GLH’ doesn’t refer to this car’s mechanics, or its history. It simply means “Goes Like Hell”. With development overseen by Carol Shelby, this should come as no surprise. What does surprise is the fact that only 13,000 GLH’s were sold. The performance of these cars, particularly the Turbo variant, was impressive even by today’s standards. The Turbo managed 0-62 in 7.5 seconds, just one second slower than a new Volkswagen Golf GTI. And it wasn’t even the quickest one. The Omni GLHS was as quick as a new GTI, whose acronym aptly stood for “Goes Like Hell, Shelby”.

MVS Venturi (1984)

Although it looks similar to the Renault Alpine A610, the MVS 260 and its Atlantique 300 sister were entirely independent products. Built by Manufacture de Voitures de Sport, they did use the Renault V6 engine in 260- and 302 hp forms but the motor was mid-mounted in the MVS. Performance was strong, but the MVS never made the Ferrari-rivalling impact the firm hoped for, even in its native France. The 260 was made from 1984 to 1994, then superseded by the Atlantique that lasted until 2000. While quick, the handling wasn’t in the same league as that of a Porsche 911, which cost almost exactly the same as the MVS.

Pontiac Fiero (1984)

The Fiero was the most European of American sports cars. Under its rust-proof body law a mid-mounted 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine with drive sent to the back wheels. Unfortunately, the European similarities all but end there. Cost saving meant the Fiero didn’t drive as well as it could, and issues with oil leaking onto the exhaust manifold meant cars caught alight, prompting a recall.

Pontiac spent $30 million trying to save the Fiero for the second generation, but it was too late. Sales halved between 1986 and 1987, and the wannabe Lotus was axed after 370,000 units produced.

CXA CX (1985)

Citroën unceremoniously left the American market in 1974 and hasn’t returned since. Although the NHTSA regulated hydropneumatically-suspended cars like the CX (pictured) out of the United States, Dutch businessmen Andre Pol and Malcolm Langman gave the model a chance to shine when they formed CX Automotive (CXA) in the early 1980s. Their team carried out numerous modifications (like installing side-marker lights and sealed-beam headlights) to make Citroën’s flagship compliant with American regulations.

Upmarket features like real wood trim were sometimes added as well. The cost of buying a CX, modifying it and shipping it to America was extremely high so CXA charged about $30,000 (around $73,000 today) for a legal, homologated model in the United States. It sold a handful of examples and turned its attention to the XM when CX production finally ended in 1991.

Volvo 780 (1985)

Volvo renewed its ties with Italian coachbuilder Bertone to transform the 760 into a coupe named 780. Unveiled at the 1985 Geneva motor show, its proportions were easier on the eyes than the 262C’s and it was not available with a vinyl top. It wore sharp, sporty lines that fit in well with the rest of the Volvo range and fell in line with what buyers expected in that era.

Inside, leather and wood trim helped it live up to its flagship positioning. It stood proud as one of the most exotic cars ever released by Volvo. Globally, engine options included a V6, a turbodiesel and a turbocharged four-cylinder. Historians disagree about the number of 780s built; Volvo pegs the total output at 8518 cars but some claim the accurate number lies in the vicinity of 10,000 units. Regardless, 780 production ended in 1990 and it wasn’t replaced until the first-generation C70 – which Bertone played no part in – arrived in 1996.

Naylor TF (1985)

Naylor had built an enviable reputation for high quality restorations of classic MGs, so the idea of building its own MG TF with modern engine, gearbox and electrics seemed like a good idea. There was no faulting the high standards of the Naylor TF, though choosing a 78 hp British Leyland O-Series engine and four-speed manual gearbox didn’t inspire many buyers. The real problem for Naylor, however, was cost as the TF was offered for £14,950 when a Toyota MR2 was cheaper, better to drive and more practical. Not even a test drive from Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher could drum up enough patriotic support to boost sales beyond 100 cars in total.

Merkur XR4Ti (1985)

Ford believed selling the Sierra XR4i in America would help it fend off competition from brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. It chose to market the car under a new brand called Merkur, a name presumably chosen because it sounded more German. The US-spec model received a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine instead of a V6, which explains the “T” in its name. Too esoteric, the XR4Ti retired in in 1989 after Ford imported about 42,000 examples from Germany. The bigger Merkur Scorpio suffered the same fate.

Daihatsu Cuore Avanzato TR-XX R4 (1985)

When the world was going crazy for roadgoing versions of World Rally Championship cars like the Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru Impreza, Daihatsu offered its take on the theme: the Cuore Avanzato TR-XX R4. However, it was more a product of the fertile Kei car market in Japan than stage victories in the WRC.

The tiny Cuore came with four-wheel drive and a turbocharged engine like its more illustrious compatriot, but with 659cc on hand it was somewhat less powerful. The four-cylinder engine corralled 64bhp to offer 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and, if you were determined, it could hit 101mph. Doesn’t sound much but the way the Cuore had to be driven hard made it a surprisingly entertaining and unusual way to brighten any journey.

UVA F33 (1986)

The UVA Fugitive F33 Can-Am was born out of the earlier F30 that set the template for this minimalist vehicle with mid-mounted Rover V8 engine. Pre-dating the likes of the Ariel Atom by more than a decade, the F33 had some bare bones bodywork over a chassis inspired by UVA’s off-road sand rail buggies. The result was supercar pace when it was unveiled in 1986. However, even the Ferrari Testarossa-style side intakes and rapid performance were not enough to convince more than 12 people to part with their cash for this slice of 1980s excess.

Suzuki Samurai (1986)

The idea that these cars were inherently unstable sits in the minds of everyone born after its launch. It’s so engrained it could actually be considered local legend. Unfortunately, it resulted in a turbulent lifespan for the Samurai in the United States. Sitting as a cheaper alternative to the Jeep Wrangler, the Samurai was designed to appeal to younger drivers who looked for fun and off-road competence. True enough, around 200,000 examples were sold over its life. However, after a lawsuit against the magazine who wrote about the car’s instability, sales became as allegedly unstable as the car.

BMW Z1 (1988)

For a car that sold 8000 units in period, the BMW Z1 loiters in the shadows of BMW history. At its launch in 1988, it was expensive – more than twice the price of a contemporary 325i Sport on which it was based – but many were drawn in by its sleek looks and trademark drop-down doors. The intervening years have witnesses the Z1 being somewhat overshadowed by its Z3M and Z4M descendants, not helped by the Z1’s slightly unfair reputation for stodgy handling and mild performance. Even so, it has a small but dedicated following to compensate for its overlooked stature.

Chevrolet Beretta GTU (1988)

Ever wondered what an American version of the MK1 Golf GTI would be like? Wonder no further. The Beretta GTU was borne out of Chevrolet’s recent racing success, and used a 130bhp 2.8-litre V6 capable of reaching 60mph in 9.2 seconds, just two tenths of a second off a Golf GTI.

What set the Beretta apart was its departure from other sporty versions of normal cars. Chevrolet didn’t simply fit a bodykit, they fettled with the suspension and fitted performance tyres. What’s more, it was understated in the way it portrayed its GTU heritage. Much like the Golf GTI.

Buick Reatta (1988)

Offered as a coupe and as a convertible, the Reatta sat at the very top of the Buick lineup in the late 1980s. It was built largely by hand in a special facility located in Lansing, Michigan, and it was a relatively advanced car for its era. Buyers could order 16-way adjustable seats, automatic headlights and even a touch screen, though the forward-thinking feature was phased out before the end of production. Buick built nearly 22,000 examples of the Reatta between 1988 and 1991. It was hardly a success; executives predicted they could sell about 20,000 cars annually. Having learned its lesson, Buick hasn’t sold a two-seater model since.

Daihatsu Rocky (1988)

This compact SUV was also known as the Rugger in Japan and Fourtrack in the UK. While it worked reasonably well in its home market and UK, it was far too small for America where they expect their SUVs to be big boned. Nor did the engine line-up impress: four-cylinder engines that couldn’t quite crack 100bhp, delivering predictably lethargic performance. Handling was awful too, and generally did nothing for the company’s image stateside; it withdrew from the US altogether in 1992.

Chrysler TC by Maserati (1988)

Chrysler and Maserati parent company De Tomaso agreed to jointly build a sports car in the mid-1980s. The idea was brilliant on paper: Chrysler would leverage the prestige associated with the Maserati name to build a flagship model capable of taking on some of the finest two-doors on the American market. Production was delayed as the TC would be assembled in Milan, however engine options included a 2.2-litre four-cylinder with a Cosworth-designed 16-valve head and a V6 from Mitsubishi. Chrysler pulled the plug on the project after importing about 7300 cars to America. In hindsight, using a true Maserati engine could have prolonged the TC’s life.

Lexus ES (first generation,1989)

Toyota initially envisioned the original Lexus LS as its flagship model. Executives decided it deserved its own brand after looking at the results of market research, especially in the United States, but they didn’t want it to stand on its own so they Lexus-ified a Camry into the ES, and to give its dealers a larger sales volume. It made its debut alongside the LS at the 1989 Detroit motor show and it was positioned as a smaller, cheaper alternative to the LS. Lexus began selling the ES in September 1989, a month after it received the first 1000 examples of the LS. Both models were popular and the newly-minted firm had logged 16,000 sales by the end of 1989. The second-generation ES arrived in 1991 with a Lexus-specific design inside and out.

Bertone Freeclimber (1989)

The 4x4 segment underwent a profound transformation during the 1980s. Models like the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Land Rover’s Range Rover that were once purchased as tools had become a status symbol. Bertone saw this transformation as an opportunity.

It took a Daihatsu Rocky, gave it a much nicer interior, made a handful of design tweaks and, significantly, replaced the original engine with smoother, more powerful BMW units. It sold its creation as the Freeclimber starting in 1989. Bertone made about 2800 units of the original Freeclimber between 1989 and 1992. This number wasn’t stellar but it was high enough to warrant the development of a second-generation model based on the updated version of the Rocky. Sales of the Freeclimber II (pictured) started in 1992 and Bertone built an additional 2800 units until 1995, when it canceled the model to free up production capacity for other projects.

LaForza 5-litre (1989)

Introduced in 1989, the LaForza 5-litre looked familiar to anyone who had taken a trip to Italy in the late 1980s. It was based on the Rayton-Fissore Magnum built on Iveco bones for the Italian military, police and Carabinieri. Tom Tjaarda (1934-2017) designed the Magnum, which looked a little like a Fiat Uno on steroids, and was asked to turn it into a luxurious SUV positioned as an alternative to the Range Rover.

The 5-litre was powered by a 4.9-litre V8 provided by Ford and a four-speed automatic transmission that spun the four wheels. It offered a posh cabin with leather upholstery and real wood trim. It sold well at first, especially in California, but early cars were plagued by various problems that took their toll on the firm’s American division. It filed for bankruptcy in 1990 and made a comeback after Saudi Arabia-based Badrahn Enterprises purchased its assets (and started distributing the 5-litre in its home country).

Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible (1989)

Buyers met the Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible with a collective “wait, what?” followed by a “why?” when it broke cover in 1989. As its name clearly implies, it was a Dakota trucklet with a manual soft top, though the “Sport” part of the moniker was highly debatable. It didn’t exist for long, and it never spawned competition from Ford or Chevrolet, but it remains one of the most unique pickups in the 1980s. Could this have been the predecessor to the Range Rover Evoque Convertible?

Vegantune Evante Mk2 (1990)

Updating the original 1960s Lotus Elan worked brilliantly for Mazda, but it proved a harder task for Vegantune boss George Robinson when he set up Evante. Based around a backbone chassis very similar to the Elan’s, the Evante Mk2 was powered by a Vegantune 1.7-litre engine built around a Ford block with 142bhp. Performance was better than the original Lotus’ and so was build quality. What did for the Evante was launching a pricey two-seater that looked like a classic Lotus at the height of the early ‘90s recession.

Few showed interest and even less coughed up the money, so Evante only ever produced six of these hand-built machines in Mk2 form; the company was sold to another firm called Fleur De Lys which then produced 12 further cars, powered by Ford Zetec engines. There is an active owners club for the car who are apparently in close touch.

Cadillac Cimarron (1982)

The tale of the Cimarron reads as one of half-heartedness. Introduced in 1982 it was a product of pressure. Cadillac, concerned about overseas manufacturers stealing sales, insisted GM give them a car to develop using an existing platform. The problem was, they had just one year to do it.

The solution was to fully spec-up the Chevrolet Cavalier, rebadge it, and market it as “The Cimarron by Cadillac” for a $4000 premium. Despite selling a steady 20,000 cars per year, customers saw through this poor disguise and sales of the Cimarron slowly burned to the ground after 6 years.

PICTURE: 1983 model

Genesis eGV70: the luxury SUV that has to be your next company car

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0100

Comfort, performance and low running costs – company car and salary sacrifice drivers really can have it all

Did you know that almost half of the UK’s business-leased cars are battery electric? It’s easy to see why. Electric vehicles offer unrivalled refinement, enhanced performance and the latest and greatest in-car tech, all at a fraction of the monthly cost of petrol or diesel alternatives thanks to ultra-low Benefit-in-Kind rates and generally cheaper running costs.

But while all electric cars share some key characteristics, not all are born equal. Some excel when it comes to long-distance comfort but underdeliver on driving fun. Others offer great range and impressive charging capabilities but lack everyday practicality. And some, like the Genesis Electrified GV70, manage to pull everything together into one ultra-luxurious, breathtakingly quick, family-friendly package.

Launched in 2025, the Electrified GV70 took the good foundations of the petrol-powered GV70 luxury SUV (launched in 2022) and reinvented them with Genesis’ state-of-the-art electric vehicle technology. It’s also recently been updated based on customer feedback, tens of thousands of development kilometres and close collaboration between the carmaker’s engineering teams in South Korea and Germany, so it’s even better aligned with the demands of European drivers.

Offered in a choice of three generously appointed trim levels, with comprehensive exterior and interior upgrades and an extended range of up to 298 miles (WLTP), the Electrified GV70 has also stepped up its appeal for executive company car and salary sacrifice drivers. Here’s why we think it deserves a closer look.

Learn more about Genesis Electrified GV70

Standout styling, refreshed and refined

Why follow the crowd? The Electrified GV70 stands out from the usual group of executive SUVs with a uniquely sharp and opulent Korean design language, and styling that was subtly enhanced as part of the recent updates.

It retains most of the visual impact that’s already made it a popular part of the Genesis range. Refreshed models are marked out by redesigned front and bumpers, with new Micro Lens Array LED technology projecting a bright, precise beam from its distinctive dual-line headlights. The electronically operated charging port is discreetly hidden within the G-Matrix Crest grille, and it’s now heated for easier opening when it’s icy outside.

Individuality is key, including choice of three well-equipped specifications and a colour palette comprising 10 solid, metallic, pearl and matte paint finishes. Dynamic and Luxury trims feature a new 20-inch wheel design, while aerodynamic 19-inch rims are fitted to the Pure model. They’re one element of a streamlining package fitted across the range, including grille flaps that automatically open and close for better cooling or aerodynamics, and a full-length underbody fairing to manage airflow beneath the car. That’s great news for stretching the range, and for high-speed refinement too.

Space for work – and play

Fleet vehicles need to be a jack of all trades, with strong demands for a versatile interior space that can also deliver long-distance comfort. Genesis has made sure drivers won’t feel short-changed on either front.

Cabin updates are more pronounced than the exterior changes. There’s a much wider use of soft materials throughout, gently illuminated with soothing ambient lighting, and a new 27-inch panoramic display screen across the top of the dashboard. Genesis offers a choice of black, grey or white leather and wool interiors, each with brushed aluminium accents and using sustainably sourced materials such as yarns from processed plastic bottles and waste fishing nets.

Despite setting a high bar in standard spec, there are plenty of options to dial in extra luxury. The Comfort Pack adds 18-way adjustable seating with individual air cells that support better posture and keep you comfortable on long journeys, alongside Genesis’ Ergo Motion technology with massage functions to help minimise fatigue. Both are linked into new Mood Curator function, with four modes – Vitality, Delight, Care and Comfort – that combine music, scents and interior lighting to elevate the driving experience.

However, the Electrified GV70 can work just as hard hauling family or balancing work life. All versions are equipped with a powered tailgate for easy access to a versatile 503-litre loadspace. There’s room for five adults on board, with a panoramic sunroof on Luxury (optional on the Dynamic trim) to amplify that sense of space, and a towing capacity of up to 1800kg, which is enough to pull a large caravan.

Fold the rear seats and it’ll carry a massive 1678 litres, plus additional storage up front for the charging cables, while the optional Digital Centre Mirror uses an external camera to give a clear view even when rear visibility is blocked.

And it’s not just heavy loads that the Electric GV70 can help out with. Vehicle-to-Load technology (now standard across the range)* turns your car into a mobile energy source outputting up to 3.7kW for charging e-bikes, power camping gear or run large appliances – all with zero tailpipe emissions.

Clever, connected technology

The Electrified GV70 doesn’t just provide a comfortable way to get tomeetings. It’s a well-equipped mobile office, designed to integrate seamlessly into your working life.

Its digital centrepiece is the new 27-inch connected Integrated Cockpit, combining the driver information and infotainment screens into a single panoramic display. It’s an intuitive and feature-rich system, controlled by touch, voice or the large rotary dial on the centre console and putting useful data exactly where the driver needs it. Dynamic and Luxury versions can even project navigation instructions onto the windscreen to make directions easier to follow.

That system is underpinned by a fast on-board data connection, underpinning a range of useful features for drivers. Genesis Connected Services integrates with Google and Apple calendars to download appointments on the move, and enables remote vehicle status checks including downloading individual journeys to check and improve on their driving efficiency. It’s quick enough to bring streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+ and YouTube into the cabin, enhanced by an optional 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system with Dolby Atmos immersive sound.

Accessing it is clever, too. Digital Key 2 enables drivers to unlock the Electrified GV70 using a smartphone, while Fingerprint Authentication recognises who is behind the wheel and automatically configures the car to their preferences on startup. Both are standard across the range.

Longer range and fast charging capability

Genesis can lay claim to having some of the best EV hardware on the market, which means the Electrified GV70 makes good use of newly extended electric range.

All versions now use a larger capacity 84kWh battery pack covering of up to 298 miles (WLTP) on a full charge, or 287 miles for models fitted with 20-inch wheels. However, where Genesis really has rivals beat is with its advanced 800-volt charging infrastructure – 400 being the industry norm – which offers significantly faster charging speeds.

Plugged into a 350kW ultra-fast charger – there are 13,000 of these in the UK, according to the latest Zap-Map data – and it’ll restore the range from 10% to 80% in just 19 minutes. That’s more than 200 miles of range, and it’ll even automatically pre-warm the cells if the navigation system is routed to a charging point. It’s also fast enough to be worth plugging in during an ad-hoc rest stop, as it’ll gain around 100 miles in the time it takes to have a short comfort break.

To conserve energy, Genesis includes an efficient heat pump for the battery and cabin as standard, while the powertrain intelligently switches to two-wheel drive when it doesn’t need dual-motor traction. The Electrified GV70 also enables drivers to select from three levels of regenerative braking, the sharpest of which can slow the car without touching the brake pedal, and a separate mode that can adjust it automatically based on the road and traffic conditions ahead. All steps towards ensuring nothing is wasted.

An engaging drive

A generous range is just as well, because Genesis has re-engineered the Electrified GV70’s chassis for the best possible blend of driver engagement and comfort.

The bodyshell is designed to be as stiff and light as possible. Widespread use of structural aluminium saves 41kg, while the battery is packaged between the front and rear wheels to push the centre of gravity as close to the ground as possible, offering an impressively agile drive.

For the updated version, that’s enhanced by a re-worked suspension setup, including new hydro bushings that help reduce road vibrations, and electronic power steering calibrated to offer precise responses and weighted to inspire confidence when manoeuvring at high speeds.

The performance justifies that work, with motors at the front and rear axles, producing a combined 483bhp using the thumb-activated Boost Mode on the steering wheel. That’s enough to give this luxurious SUV a supercar-like turn of pace; 62mph in 4.4 seconds from rest and stress-free overtaking, supported by all-wheel drive with clever torque vectoring technology that channels the power to the wheels with the most grip, even while cornering.

The update dials this up a notch, adding Virtual Gearshift Technology which simulates the feeling of shifting through gears, selected using paddles on the steering wheel and accompanied by a choice of three artificial engine noises, to give a more engaging experience behind the wheel. Who says driving for work has to be a chore?

Genuine SUV capability – on and off road

Another string to the Electrified GV70’s bow is a suite of assistance technologies that helps it adapt to whatever road conditions are ahead – even if they’re off the beaten path.

Great for boring motorway drives, Smart Cruise Control is standard and maintains a safe distance from other traffic, while optional Highway Driving Assist 2 expands that capability to lane positioning. And if automation is high on your priority list, you’ll love Remote Smart Parking Assist 2, which can manoeuvre in and out of spaces with nobody at the wheel – it’s standard on Dynamic and Luxury trims.

All trim levels include Genesis’s electronically controlled suspension, which uses a forward-facing camera to spot bumps in the road and adjusts damping to suit. The flagship Luxury version takes this up a notch, including active noise cancellation that intelligently uses the audio system to cancel out fatigue-inducing hum from the road.

If conditions are a little trickier, the dual-motor drivetrain has specific e-TERRAIN modes for Snow, Sand and Mud, enhanced by a new AI-powered Auto Terrain system which automatically switches to the most appropriate settings. Crosswind Stability Control is also included as standard, detecting side winds and intervening with gentle adjustments to the brakes and steering to keep the car in its lane.

And, with a full package of the latest active and passive safety features – including a front centre airbag that stops occupants colliding with each other in the event of a side impact, the Electrified GV70 scored a full five stars from Euro NCAP. Perfect protection for work and family-moving duties.

It’s good for business

Here’s where the real perks kick in. The UK Government is all in on electric vehicles, with plans to reach a 100% zero-emission new car and van market by 2035 – so there are plenty of great financial reasons for drivers and businesses to make the switch.

With 0g/km rated CO2 emissions, all Electrified GV70s fall into the lowest 4% company car tax bracket and enjoy significantly lower bills than equivalent plug-in hybrid or conventionally powered SUVs. The entry-level Pure version comes in at just £87.50 Benefit-in-Kind for a 40% income taxpayer per month, while their employer can enjoy ultra-low Class 1A National Insurance Contributions and 100% tax relief for buying or leasing the car.

Salary sacrifice sweetens the deal further. Because payments are taken from your gross salary before tax and National Insurance contributions are deducted, drivers can make significant savings versus a traditional personal lease – bringing a premium electric car like Electrified GV70 within easier financial reach on a predictable monthly budget.

It’s cost-effective to run, too, using between 7p and 8p of electricity per mile when charged at home (around half the cost of a large diesel engine) falling to 2p per mile if drivers have a home energy tariff with discounted overnight rates. It’s hardly surprising that drivers, and their employers, are rushing to making the switch.

Learn more about Genesis Electrified GV70

*Requires adaptor; sold as accessory

Fake noise vs real V12s: Goodwood highlights performance EV problem

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:08:26 +0100

Can you beat the majesty of a highly strung V10 or V12 engine? Festival of Speed showed much remains to be decided

Given it’s the closest thing Britain now has to a motor show, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is a chance to gauge the state of the car industry, and the displays laid out on the Duke of Richmond’s lawn this year represented a microcosm of the changes it’s undergoing.

We saw established firms leaning ever further into their heritage beside the ever-growing confidence of the Chinese; the sheer size of BYD’s stand sent quite a message, and there was also a substantial presence from the likes of MG and Lepas.

It was also fascinating how firms such as Mercedes-AMG and Alpine used Goodwood to showcase new EVs, such as the AMG GT 4-Door Coupé, CLA 45 and next-generation A110. Winning over the Festival’s enthusiast audience will be key to making EVs appeal as more than mere rational appliances.

How best to do that? For the new CLA 45, AMG has bet on a rorty, synthesised engine sound. At Goodwood Steffen Jastrow, the car’s chief engineer, enthused about the details to achieve this, such as shakers built into the seats that give physical feedback to match the sound and even how they programmed the digital rev counter dial to wobbly slightly. “It’s about making the driving experience more immersive,” he said. “It’s just really, really fun.”

But not everyone is convinced. Talking to Alpine boss Philippe Krief about the new A110, it was obvious that he isn’t a fan of fake combustion noise. “We have to find something,” he said, “but not necessarily to reproduce [engine noise]. It’s a new sound.”

A huge appeal of Goodwood is to stand beside the hillclimb and listen to some magnificent petrol engines roar past. There's still a majesty to a highly strung V10 or V12 Formula 1 engine at full roar or the deep rumble of a Le Mans-winning V8. It’s part of the full sensory experience that creates emotion around cars. And that’s the challenge: an artificial noise will never replace that.

That’s not to say there isn’t a place for it: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N has shown that such noise can help make electric vehicles more engaging to drive. But ultimately they won’t succeed simply by being high-tech imitations of petrol versions.

Progress for performance EVs will come when they are judged on their own abilities, not how similar to a combustion car they are.

Toyota bZ4X Touring

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0100

Forgettable electric Toyota gets an outdoorsy sibling with a likable functional agenda There’s something slightly curious going on with the new estate version of Toyota’s mid-sized EV: the Toyota bZ4X Touring.This higher-riding, rugged-looking wagon derivative can now be considered ‘even more crossover’ than the normal car, I suppose. It’s part hatchback, part SUV; part off-roader, part urban sprawler; part jacked-up hatchback, part estate car. Part Toyota, part Subaru…This is, of course, Toyota’s sister car for the Subaru E-Outback. It effectively broadens out the bZ4X offering by being the only derivative (in the UK showroom range, at least) that can be had with twin-motor four-wheel drive.But, unlike in the Subaru, you can have it with simpler, cheaper, single-motor front wheel drive instead if you prefer; which gets you a more efficient car with a WLTP Combined lab-test range of 367 miles - the longest of any bZ4X you can buy.

Petrol Porsche Macan retiring this month – two years before successor's launch

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:04:04 +0100

ICE version of SUV bows out, two years after end of EU sales and two years before it's replaced

Porsche will end production of the ICE Macan at the end of July, bringing the curtain down on one of the firm’s best-selling models two years before the launch of its petrol-powered successor.

This retirement follows Porsche's acknowledgement that it underestimated continuing demand for the 11-year-old SUV, having originally expected buyers to migrate to the all-new Macan Electric.

In an interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung earlier this year, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume admitted Porsche had "got it wrong" with the Macan, saying the product planning at the time had been based on market conditions that had since changed.

Recently released global sales figures illustrate the scale of that miscalculation. During the first six months of 2026, Porsche delivered 35,315 Macans worldwide. Of those, 19,695 were petrol and 15,620 were electric.

When the Macan Electric was conceived, Porsche expected it to replace the ICE Macan with little interruption to sales. Instead, slowing growth in EV demand in a number of key markets has prompted the company to reassess its strategy.

The result is an unusual situation in which one of Porsche's most successful nameplates will disappear from global production before development of a direct successor – heavily related to the new Audi Q5 and codenamed M1 – is completed.

The Macan has played a pivotal role in Porsche's expansion since its introduction in 2014. Together with the larger Cayenne, it transformed the company's sales mix and profitability, becoming one of its strongest-selling models in Europe, North America and China. Losing it, even temporarily, creates a significant gap in Porsche's line-up at a time when demand for premium ICE SUVs remains high.

The withdrawal has taken place in stages. Porsche first ended sales of the petrol Macan in the EU after deciding not to update the ageing model to comply with the new General Safety Regulations (GSR2).

Meeting the legislation's cybersecurity requirements would have required a comprehensive redesign of the car's ageing electronic architecture among other changes, an investment Porsche concluded could not be justified.

The end of production this month extends that decision to every remaining global market.

However, Porsche has taken steps to cushion the sales impact by producing additional stocks of the ICE car. Those stocks are expected to keep it on sale well into 2027 in markets such as the US, Porsche's largest, softening the effect of the production gap until the new ICE Macan arrives.

The best-selling American cars of all time

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:02:45 +0100

We take a look at the cars that topped the sales charts in the US over the decades

From the clanging of the assembly line to the roar on the highway, American automakers have been pioneering the automobile industry for well over a century.

These companies have not only sculpted the nation's economic landscape but have also significantly influenced global automotive trends. We've decided to take a look at some of their biggest success stories with a list of the best-selling American-made automobiles of all time.

This list not only celebrates the impressive sales figures but also the features, innovations, and consumer preferences that have driven the success of these cars. We’ve listed the 30 highest-selling models, in ascending order of the total number of sales over their lifetime:

#30: Jeep Cherokee XJ (2,884,000)

This 4x4 SUV was produced across a single generation from 1983 to 2001, and continued to be manufactured internationally all the way up to 2014. The XJ was the first non-military 4x4 vehicle to utilize a unibody construction, making it both lighter and tougher.

Consumers loved the Cherokee XJ for its versatility both off-road and on. It is credited with kicking off the SUV craze, eventually replacing the role of the station wagon as the car of choice for suburban families.

#29: Mercury Cougar (3,078,000)

Throughout its history, Mercury was known for making upmarket versions of existing Ford vehicles, and the Cougar is no different. It was originally the counterpart to the incredibly popular Mustang in 1967, and was set apart from the Ford by its sleek and sophisticated looks as well as hidden headlights.

The Cougar’s success didn’t just ride on the back of its Ford counterpart’s popularity, however. It successfully changed with the times, becoming a more luxurious vehicle as time went on, until the model was finally put to bed in 2002, after eight model generations.

#28: Buick Electra (3,170,000)

The Electra was Buick’s flagship sedan throughout its six-generation run from 1959 to 1990. This top-line model was chock-full of deluxe features and was available in a variety of body styles.

What made the Electra so popular was its luxury features that rivaled more expensive models from the brand’s sibling Cadillac. According to GM, the nameplate will see a revival as an EV in the near future.

#27: Pontiac Bonneville (3,460,000)

Built from 1957 to 2005, the Bonneville was most popular as a full-size sedan. At its start, it was the largest and most expensive Pontiac on offer.

The Bonneville changed drastically over 10 generations. Over time, it became known as Pontiac’s most reliable family car, and became a favorite for its full line of body styles.

#26: Plymouth Fury (3,680,000)

The Fury was built to compete with more popular luxury cars like the Chevrolet Impala and Ford LTD and was in production from 1955 to 1989. It had an admirable level of performance and was popular among government/fleet vehicles during its final years.

The Plymouth Fury was also well-known in popular culture, especially as the titular demonic car in Stephen King’s best-selling 1983 novel, Christine, made into a film the same year. It was also promoted by a young Betty White.

#25: Cadillac DeVille (3,870,000)

The DeVille was a nameplate used by Cadillac from 1958 to 2006, over eight generations. While the original coupe was the lowest-priced of the brand’s models at the time, it still had a plethora of standard luxury features as befitted a Cadillac.

The luxury car was frequently in the limelight as it was used by celebrities and political figures, solidifying its place as a status symbol. While the DeVille name was retired in 2006, the model line continued in a new generation as the DTS, with Cadillac adopting more European-inspired nomenclature.

#24: Ford Focus (3,882,358)

This compact car was introduced in 1998 and has been in production since, though US sales ended in 2019. Much like its predecessor, the Ford Escort, the Focus was designed to be sold globally— a large part of why it has been so successful.

The Focus continues to be sought after as an affordable, reliable, compact family car. However, it also has some hot hatch versions on offer, including the ST and the RS, which have been used in rally sports.

#23: Buick Special (3,890,000)

This entry-level Buick was introduced way back in 1936 and lived on until 1969. It remained a consistently good-looking model over the decades and over many body styles, whether it was as a coupe, sedan, or station wagon.

The Special was known for introducing the Buick V6 in the 1960s, an engine that became a GM mainstay all the way until 2006. The car’s reliable powertrain, as well as great styling and comfort in an affordable package made the Special a popular model.

#22: Chevrolet Cruze (4,302,000)

This compact car has been in production since 2008. Chevrolet aimed to give shoppers a good mix of what they were after with the Cruze, balancing safety and fun, as well as versatility and affordability.

After the company’s Chapter 11 restructuring in 2009, GM hedged their bets on a car that would perform well globally. The Cruze hit the market at just the right time, as consumers were looking for more inexpensive and fuel-efficient models. US production ended in 2019, though the model continues elsewhere.

#21: Ford Thunderbird (4,438,000)

The legendary T-Bird was produced by Ford across 11 generations, from 1955 to 2005, with a brief hiatus from 1997 to 2002. This vehicle introduced a new market segment to the US: that of the personal luxury car.

While the Thunderbird placed its emphasis on comfort and convenience, early models still had powerful V8 engines under the hood. The car’s cultural significance grew through its frequent appearances in pop culture.

#20: Chevrolet Caprice (4,630,000)

This full-sized car was produced in North America from 1965 to 1996, although continued to exist through GM’s Australian subsidiary as the Holden Caprice. The Caprice is yet another American pop culture icon, and also won Motor Trend’s Car of the Year twice, in 1977 and 1991.

Early models were among the largest cars ever built by Chevy. Sales were especially strong in the 1960s and early 1970s, when full-sized vehicles were in high demand.

#19: Pontiac Grand Am (4,667,000)

Much like the earlier Ford Thunderbird, the Pontiac Grand Am helped bring a new market segment to America: the luxury performance coupe. This was achieved by incorporating both luxury car and sports car features, a common combination on imports, but largely absent on American-made cars of the era.

The Grand Am hit on the right formula and became Pontiac’s highest-selling car. Later models were especially successful, as they were known for bringing sporty aspects to the affordable compact car. First built in 1973, the model ended in 2005.

#18: Ford Model A (4,858,000)

The successor to Ford’s eminent Model T was produced for just six years, from 1927 to 1932. During this time, the Model A was available in an incredibly diverse selection of body styles, from a sports coupe to a truck and everything in between.

The Model A brought a number of innovations, including the first instance of safety glass windshields, as well as the standard set of driver controls we know today. Like its predecessor, the Model A became an incredible market success for Ford.

#17: Ford LTD (5,530,000)

In production from 1965 to 1986, the LTD was originally the highest trim option on the Galaxie before becoming its own model range. The LTD was the largest and most deluxe car offered by Ford for most of its life.

What made the LTD popular was the options and features it had that were normally found only on more expensive Lincoln and Mercury models. The car was essentially a Ford body with a plush Mercury interior.

#16: Chevrolet Camaro (5,594,000)

First on sale in 1966, the Camaro is set to be discontinued after the 2024 model year and its sixth model generation, although Chevy has hinted that it is likely to return in a different form. The much-loved Camaro embodies the style and performance that is the epitome of American muscle cars.

The Camaro was originally rush-released to compete with very popular Ford Mustang. When asked about the meaning behind the name, Chevy’s answer was “a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.”

#15: Buick LeSabre (6,000,000)

The LeSabre was a full-size car offered by Buick from 1959 to 2005. It provided a comfortable ride, modest performance, as well as surprisingly good handling for its size.

During its long production run, the LeSabre was Buick’s most popular car. In fact, the car was America’s best-selling full-size car in 2005 - the same year it finally got the ax. Eight model generations were produced.

#14: Chevrolet Cavalier (6,434,000)

Taking a similar approach to the North American Ford Escort released two years prior, the Cavalier was GM’s first “world car.” It was intended to perform well domestically and also be easily rebadged by GM’s myriad of overseas subsidiaries.

This Cavalier was in production from 1982 to 2005, although it was sold as a fourth generation exclusively in China until 2021. Chevy’s front-wheel-drive compact car performed exceptionally well against Japanese imports in the 1980s, a time when compacts were in high demand.

#13: Ford Ranger (7,683,000)

The Ranger is Ford’s close rival to the Chevrolet S-10 and Colorado models. The fourth generation was reintroduced for North America in 2019, although it had been previously in production in the US from 1983 to 2012.

Rangers are known for being both reliable and easy to service. They’re also popular for their powerful engines and impressive off-road performance.

#12: Ford E-Series (8,200,000)

Also known as the Econoline, the E-Series is Ford’s range of full-size vans introduced in 1961. The van was replaced by the Ford Transit in 2015 and only the chassis of the E-Series remains in production.

What makes the Econoline so popular is the sheer amount of versatility available on the platform. It can be configured as a passenger or cargo version, and the chassis can accommodate everything from ambulances to ice cream trucks and more.

#11: Ford Taurus (8,404,000)

Six generations of Taurus were produced by Ford from 1986 to 2019. The robust and reliable Taurus platform replaced the long-running Crown Victoria as Ford’s Police Interceptor Sedan in 2013.

The Taurus brought a number of innovations, including the statistical process control model for Ford production. This new method of efficient quality control ensured that the Taurus met the needs of the buying public.

#10: Ford Explorer (8,936,000)

This four-door SUV was a replacement for the two-door Bronco II and was first introduced in 1991. Much like the Taurus, the Ford Explorer has been adapted for police use as a replacement for the Ford Crown Victoria.

With its comfort, cargo space, and reliable engines, the Explorer is the best-selling American SUV. It hit upon the right formula to achieve this, continually bringing more standard features to the SUV class, which had once been very barebones and utilitarian. It’s currently in its sixth generation.

#9: Oldsmobile 88 (9,647,000)

Produced from 1949 to 1999, this full-sized car was at one point Oldsmobile’s most profitable automobile. It is even considered by some to be the first muscle car, although this statement may get you into a heated debate with a nearby gearhead.

During its early years, the 88 was one of the best performing American cars. Its light weight and advanced overhead-valve high-compression V8 engine made it a hit with buyers that had a real need for speed.

#8: Ford Mustang (10,200,000)

The iconic Mustang spawned the pony car craze and gave rise to many competitors— a few of whom are also on this list. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently Ford’s longest-running nameplate.

In order to keep costs low, Ford designed the Mustang to use components from existing Ford vehicles, chiefly the Falcon compact. 400,000 were sold in the first year, with 22,000 sales on the first day alone.

#7: Chevrolet Malibu (11,300,000)

This mid-sized car evokes the name of a city on the sunny California coast. First introduced in 1965, the Malibu remains in production today, although it faced a hiatus from 1983 to 1997.

The Malibu is known for its spacious interior and quiet, comfortable ride. It continues to perform well despite the shrinking market share of sedans in favor of SUVs, with a strong year-on-year sales increase in 2022.

#6: Oldsmobile Cutlass (11,900,000)

First introduced in 1961, the Oldsmobile Cutlass was the most popular car in America by 1977, selling 632,742 units that year. It was eventually phased out in 1999, but not before leaving a lasting impact on the automotive world and becoming Oldsmobile’s most successful model.

The Cutlass was popular due to its distinct styling and luxury features. A number of variations were spawned, including the Cutlass Supreme, the 4-4-2, and the Hurst/Olds. Six generations have been made.

#5: RAM Pickup (12,135,000)

This full-size pickup truck has been in production since 1980, originally as a “Dodge Ram” before RAM became a standalone brand. The RAM Pickup has a reputation for a smooth, comfortable ride, reliable powertrain, and spacious interior.

This pickup has been named Motor Trend Magazine’s Truck of the Year a total of eight times. The current fifth-generation model has the distinct honor of winning the award three times— the first truck in history to do so.

#4: Chevrolet Silverado (14,075,000)

The Silverado is available as a full-size truck, chassis cab truck, or medium-duty truck. It was originally a top-trim level of the Chevrolet C/K truck introduced in 1975, before becoming its own model in 1999, which remains in production today.

Along with the Sierra, its GMC-branded sibling, the Silverado is a great all-around truck. Consumers love it for its wide range of configurations, as well as great performance both off-road and on.

#3: Ford Model T (15,000,000)

The Model T was the first mass-produced automobile, and made car-travel readily available for the middle-class. Its assembly line production enabled Ford to sell the Model T at a much lower price than had been possible before.

By the early 1920s, half of all the cars in the world were Fords. Henry Ford and his son Edsel personally drove the 15-millionth Model T out of the factory on May 25, 1927, marking the car’s last day of production before it was succeeded by the Model A.

#2: Chevrolet Impala (16,700,000)

The Impala was Chevy’s popular flagship car during its long production run. It was built from 1957 to 2020, although production of the Impala took a break from 1986 to 1994, and again from 1997 to 1999.

The Impala was the first car to use the “SS” designation, making it a pioneer in the muscle car craze of the 60s and 70s. Over its ten-generation run, the Impala won numerous awards and attracted a huge audience.

#1: Ford F-Series (40,000,000+)

Blowing this list out of the water, the Ford F-Series is the best-selling American-made automobile of all time. This truck has been in continuous production since 1948, and the 40 millionth truck rolled off the assembly line in January 2022.

The F-Series was the first truck to be built on its own dedicated platform, unlike previous trucks that had been built on existing car platforms. The F-150 is the most popular member of the family, and is popular for its versatility, reliability, and “Built Ford Tough” durability; it’s currently built in four locations in the US. An all-electric F-150 derivative named Lightning went on sale in 2021.

The 1980s cars that you've (probably) forgotten about

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 07:02:22 +0100

The 1980s bear similar parallels with today, so perhaps it's time for us to remember the cars everyone seems to have forgotten

Wars, high fuel prices and rampant inflation.

Subaru BRAT (1977)

Plymouth Sapporo (1978)

Midas Bronze (1978)

Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 (1979)

Buick Century Turbo Coupe (1979)

Stevens Cipher (1980)

Chevrolet Citation X-11 (1980)

Dodge Mirada (1980)

AMC Eagle Kammback (1981)

Jeep CJ-8 (1981)

Ford EXP (1982)

Lincoln Continental Turbodiesel (1983)

Isuzu Impulse (1983)

Marcos Mantula (1983)

Zimmer Quicksilver (1984)

UMM Alter (1984)

Pontiac Sunbird (1984)

Chrysler Laser (1984)

Dodge Omni GLH (1984)

MVS Venturi (1984)

Pontiac Fiero (1984)

Pontiac spent $30 million trying to save the Fiero for the second generation, but it was too late. Sales halved between 1986 and 1987, and the wannabe Lotus was axed after 370,000 units produced.

CXA CX (1985)

Volvo 780 (1985)

Naylor TF (1985)

Merkur XR4Ti (1985)

Daihatsu Cuore Avanzato TR-XX R4 (1985)

UVA F33 (1986)

Suzuki Samurai (1986)

BMW Z1 (1988)

Chevrolet Beretta GTU (1988)

Buick Reatta (1988)

Daihatsu Rocky (1988)

Chrysler TC by Maserati (1988)

Lexus ES (first generation,1989)

Bertone Freeclimber (1989)

LaForza 5-litre (1989)

Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible (1989)

Vegantune Evante Mk2 (1990)

Cadillac Cimarron (1982)

PICTURE: 1983 model

Audi Q3 used buying guide: £10,000 for a more practical A3?

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0100

Audi's Q3 is more than an elevated A3, especially in Mk2 guise from £10k

There's no guaranteed recipe for success in today's fiercely competitive car world, but taking a best-selling model and raising its ride height is a fairly safe bet - as Audi showed in 2011 when it launched the A3-based Q3, now one of its most popular models.

With the compact SUV recently entering its third generation, this is a good time to consider the appeal of the Mk2 - which represents the opportunity to bag a practical, plush, modern- looking Audi from only £10,000.

At just under 4.5m long, it's a little larger in footprint than an A3 and so a little roomier. To drive, it's pretty similar: the ride is fine, if a bit wooden over rougher stretches, while the controls are easy to use and the refinement is strong.

Audi interiors were for a long time among the best in the business and the Q3 shines in this regard, benefiting from a still-modern- feeling infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, physical ventilation controls and a level of tactile quality and solidity of feel that a Mercedes GLA and BMW X1 can't quite match. A clear and configurable set of digital instruments came as standard.

However, while crossovers are often usefully square and glassy to aid manoeuvrability, the Q3 has big pillars that create big blindspots, which are made worse in the sloped-back Sportback version, with its really limited rear visibility. Note that parking sensors aren't standard on lower-spec models.

The seats are comfortable for long journeys, especially if you go for Sport trim or above because you get sports seats with more adjustment for the bolsters and lumbar support. Second-row space is only average, so taller adults won't find the back seats especially comfortable - particularly in the Sportback - but growing teenagers are unlikely to complain. A sliding rear bench allows for boot space of 530-675 litres with the backrest up, or up to 1525 litres with it folded down.

The Sportback has slightly less, as does the plug-in hybrid with its battery in the boot. For a while, Audi used a confusing model badging system featuring numbers that didn't relate to power output. The range consists of the 35 TFSI, 40 TFSI, 45 TFSI, 35 TDI, 40 TDI and 45 TFSIe - and the bigger the number, the more powerful the engine.

The 35 TFSI is the most common and has a 1.5-litre petrol that will do 40mpg but sounds a bit resistant under acceleration, while the larger 2.0-litre petrols above it are thirsty.

The TDI diesels are rarer but should be good for 50mpg on a run. The 242bhp TFSIe PHEV is little more expensive and has a real- world electric range of 25 miles.

The 1.5-litre has either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch auto (DCT), while the 2.0-litre petrols are DCT only. The 40 is front-drive, with Quattro four- wheel drive as an option, and all 45s have Quattro. The 35 diesel can be had as a manual or seven-speed DCT with front-drive or Quattro.

In a class as crowded as the premium mid-sized crossover's, it can be hard to identify a real standout flag flyer - a default choice like a VW Golf, for example. The Q3 may not have the same sort of everyman appeal, but for do-it- all dependability and all-round practicality, you will struggle to find anything better for the money.

What to look out for

Engine: All Q3s are fitted with a cambelt. There's no mileage interval for changing it, but Audi recommends replacing it every five years, at a cost of £600.

Gearbox: Manuals are susceptible to clutch judder. Garages might try to get you to change the dual-mass flywheel (£1000-plus) but check the forums for cheaper solutions.

Suspension: Many owners have reported a frustrating clunking from the front suspension at low speeds. It's especially noticeable when turning or going over speed bumps. The cause has not yet been identified, but poorly fitted components, premature wear and insufficient lubrication commonly appear on the shortlist of potential reasons.

Build quality: Rattles around the cabin have been reported by some owners, particularly a buzzing sound in the passenger footwell/door area due to a known issue with the fuel line, which is often fixed under warranty but can return.

Sunroof: Leaks are common. Cleaning the drains at regular intervals can help. A special tool for this is available online.

Also worth knowing

All Q3 models are ULEZ-compliant. Insurance groups begin at a reasonable 21 but rise as high as 40 for the hot RS Q3.

As for tax, most Q3s are £195 each year. However, those younger than five years old and with a list price of more than £40,000 (you would be surprised how many cars in S Line trim and above fit this bill) will be £620 per year until their fifth birthday. On the flip side, some will still be less than three years (and 60,000 miles) old so will be covered by Audi's standard warranty. An extended warranty can be purchased for older models, should you want it.

Trim levels range from the basic-looking Technik (halogen headlights, 17in alloys, cruise control and climate control) to Sport (18in alloys, LED headlights, a power tailgate, acoustic glazing and electric mirrors), S Line (19in alloys, sports suspension, LED tail-lights and a bodykit), Black Edition (dark optics and wheels) and Edition 1, replaced by Vorsprung, which are both loaded with every extra and command a premium due to desirable features such as an upgraded sound system and opening panoramic sunroof.

How much to spend

£10,000-£14,999 Early high-mileage heroes and less desirable lower-spec cars.

£15,000-£19,999 Reasonable sub-70,000-milers, S Line versions, and Quattros and automatics.

£20,000-£29,999 Where you will find most Mk2 Q3s, notably two- and three-year-old cars with 10,000-40,000 miles in good specs, including Vorsprung.

£30,000-£50,000 RS Q3s and late, nearly new high-spec cars.

An owner's view

David Sloane "I bought my approved-used Q3 in 2021 because my wife wanted a higher-riding car as she got older. We like the interior usability and practicality, and the performance from the 2.0-litre petrol. However, the economy is surprisingly poor for a modern engine - I get 30-35mpg - and the gearbox is frustratingly dim-witted. Reliability-wise, it's been mostly perfect except for a leak from the sunroof and some rattles from the plastics."

What happened to coupés? Mercedes CLE vs BMW i4 vs Audi Q5

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:00:00 +0100

Coupé is a word few car makers use these days, but its spirit is alive and well in Germany. Sort of...

The coupé market was bustling 25 years ago.

Ford, Peugeot and Volvo were among the raft of mainstream names doing a roaring trade in handsome two-door cars at accessible prices. And in very lurid colours. Today, the picture looks decidedly different and not merely because the trio we have here are all painted various shades of grey.

A headcount outside of the sub-£100k sports car market amounts to just five cars following the trad coupé recipe - one of which is the fairly specialised Lotus Emira. Honda launched its cool, intriguing new Prelude just as the Audi TT, Porsche Cayman and a pair of GR-badged Toyotas fumbled out the door. Ford still sells the Mustang, but arguably only BMW and Mercedes-Benz remain dogged believers in a bodystyle that was once the party piece of any range.

Assembling three plush German coupés together used to be a doddle, but you must now employ a faster, looser definition of the word to do so. The Mercedes-Benz CLE is our test control: a traditional two-door, four-seat coupé of convincing style and versatility. Prices kick off at a reasonably friendly £48,195 and the line-up offers a choice of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains, culminating in AMG's six-cylinder 442bhp CLE 53. It's the more mainstream fourpot 309bhp CLE 300e PHEV we have here.

The CLE can take some responsibility for the shrinking of the coupé market because it replaced both the C-Class and E-Class Coupés in one fell swoop in 2023. Though its size matches the latter, its look and feel align more closely with the former and it doesn't - more's the pity - offer the opportunity to drop all four windows and roll along with a pillarless breeze like a classic Benz 'coop'.

BMW's two-door range is twice the size of Mercedes' thanks to the existence of both a 2 and 4 Series Coupé. Yikes. Each is also available in four-door Gran Coupé form. Whether a car with back doors truly warrants the c-word is a debate easily concluded in the presence of the subgenre's modern genesis, the bold and beguiling Mercedes-Benz CLS. So rather than aim a two-door 4 Series directly at the CLE, we've chosen its Gran Coupé sibling, available in both petrol and electric form and represented here in the latter's tempting base spec. This 282bhp i4 eDrive35 starts at £51,370, though the range soars past £70,000 in 593bhp M60 trim.

There's no traditional Audi coupé to neatly join our trio but the brand is on its comeback trail: a production version of the bold Concept C is set to follow the stark Nuvolari supercar into production as the next chapter in its new design era. For now, its only offer of a slinkier roof and more stylish swagger is with its Sportback SUVs. Y'know the ones: crossover height and dimensions but less roomy and costing more money. Sounds like a swizz, right? Yet these things are everywhere - even Skoda has one - and in an electrified era chasing aero efficiency to its nth degree, cars like this may finally hold a kernel of credibility for enthusiasts.

This Q5 Sportback is surely among the least offensive of the bunch too, with its relatively compact dimensions and much subtler looks than many brands' spin on the concept. Prices begin at £54,860 and, like the Merc, it offers petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power. We've got the 201bhp, 295lb ft 2.0-litre TDI here to give us not only three distinct shapes but also a diverse array of propulsion methods.

I go for the CLE first. It drips with the sort of glamour that big Benz coupés have always had, however curiously its full-width (but not fully lit) bar sits on that curvaceous rear. Climb inside and the glitz initially follows. Its frameless window drops an inch as you tug the handle and the wraparound wood of its upper dashboard sets the tone for a cockpit rather than a mere cabin. Less premium is the shovelling of most major functions into the touchscreen (far from a Mercedes-exclusive gripe, of course) and the awkward, overly sensitive controls on its steering wheel spokes.

The materials are broadly rich, though, and comfort is clearly the top priority here. Anyone under six feet tall can cocoon themselves in the back with reasonable comfort, enjoying an air vent and cupholder each. The seatbacks are also split 40/20/40 to help carry longer loads. This PHEV variant loses almost a third of the boot space of a pure-petrol or diesel CLE to accommodate the battery for its electric motor, but otherwise it demonstrates all the hallmarks of a car that will slip easily into everyday life.

The 300e also differs from its CLE rangemates with a taller, plusher suspension set-up, presumably to counter its chunkier weight. The result is a car that rides with real composure over wide roads and long distances. On slower, more rutted surfaces, there's a fiddlier sensation to its progress, albeit one that's broadly typical of big-wheeled cars hauling a battery around.

It balances ride and handling well overall, though, even if it never truly keys you into the surface of a more enthralling road, partly because it's always a touch too languid in its reactions to fully earn your trust. It will exhibit its rear-driven balance with greater commitment, but it's simply not what the car's about. It's soft and aloof - traits that feel very agreeable in a long-haul coupé.

The powertrain wants for a bit of inspiration. It surely exists for company car tax purposes and will be most satisfying when it's frequently plugged in and you're getting close to achieving its enormous EV range, which is 70 miles, according to Mercedes. It's a heavy vehicle to be driving around using just a 127bhp motor but the hushed progress feels right on-brand. If you can't charge at home or won't benefit from its potential tax breaks, I've a feeling the 60mpg CLE 220d is a better shout, though what would truly elevate the CLE's potential is a proper engine.

The hybridised six-cylinder of the AMG CLE 53 is a belter, and the V8 in the often-spied and inbound CLE 63 Mythos even more so. But what I really crave is a transplant of the 362bhp straight-six diesel from the wonderful E450d into this svelter, sportier body. What a car that might be.

BMW used to offer a diesel M440d Coupé and Gran Coupé, but its options are now purely petrol or electric. The i4 is only offered with back doors but there's no denying this bodyshell is a hit: the 4 Series Gran Coupé was launched in 2014 and now outsells the traditional coupé and cabriolet combined. It's a five-seater with a large hatchback, though its windows are still frameless and there's enough coupé ambience to live up to its billing.

Which, yes, is a polite way of saying its slim rear apertures lead occupants to berths with little more head room than in the CLE, though the i4 has more flexible leg room plus charging, vents and cupholders for two and a cramped middle seat when needed (with a chunky transmission tunnel that signals this platform's ICE roots).

Fabric trim and manual seat adjustment betray this as the base trim level. There's also no Hans Zimmer-led Iconic Sounds (it's optional below the dual-motor i4 M60), nor even keyless entry. It all combines to yield a sense that this '35' model exists to highlight the greater spec, battery and performance of an eDrive40, though it also feels delightfully averse to nonsense in here, swerving the frustrating gloss black control panels of the other two. Too many of its controls are squirrelled away within the screen, but anything that's not in there at least gets a real button. The wraparound instruments and central screen are wonderfully hi-def too.

What I don't once crave is more speed, and even in base, 35 form, the i4 has enough zip to demonstrate the urgency of electrification without overwhelming you. Which is rather a lovely space to dwell in the modern EV landscape. There's more than enough torque for the rear axle to be getting along with, that's for sure. Loosen the shackles of its DSC and you quickly pick up tyre squeal as it claws for traction over bumpier surfaces. It clearly has a lot of weight to manage and it's not a car that knuckles down with a bit of speed and commitment.

Nor is it inert or short on fun. It's just a car that - in lieu of proper dieting measures or more focused damping - doesn't possess the same natural agility of countless others wearing the same propeller badge and tricolour detailing. It's a lovely thing to rub along with, mind, and its quiet progress seems to whisper 'coupé' just as convincingly as a swept roofline.

Which brings us to the Q5. While the Sportback badge dates back to 2004, it took Audi another 15 years to apply the treatment to an SUV and join a trend seemingly kick-started by the first BMW X6 of 2008. Fix your eyes on its rear quarter window and its impression of a coupé ain't half bad, but pan your vision back to read its whole side profile and the impression quickly fades.

At least the roofline dips after the rear headrests, so it doesn't bin any of the stock Q5's usability, and its boot volume falls by only five litres with the back row in place. There are fun technical fabrics inside too, helping to lift the greyscale aesthetic in here. You naturally sit high beside these very indirect rivals - no matter how vigorously you ratchet the seat base down, and doing that rather misses the point of why people buy these. So I raise myself back up and instead relish the higher vantage point it affords on a great stretch of road. It's an underrated element of the misunderstood old Juke Nismo - a hill I'm very willing to die on.

The Q5 acquits itself well in the handling department too. It's built on the Volkswagen Group's latest PPC platform yet exhibits some of the innate keenness of previous MQB-based products. Its Quattro system isn't shy and you won't mistake this for a purely front-driven car - a big compliment to the neutral and trustworthy attitude it brings to corners. Sure, it's no performance SUV in disguise, but it punches well above its modest power-to-weight ratio in a straight line and can carry much of that speed without fuss.

Its 20in wheels are the largest of this test trio (the Merc has 19s, the BMW 18s) and while they audibly thump around, the ride is broadly good, assisted by the £1725 adaptive air suspension of this test car. Its calming atmosphere is supplemented by mild-hybrid tech (in the form of a 48V starter-generator), which puts in an impressive shift, softening the car's manners in traffic to imbue you with a lovely zen in everyday driving. The overwhelming sensation is of diesel still being relevant - even if you might ultimately save a bit of money to relish the higher revs of a base Q5 petrol 2.0 TSI, which offers a matching 201bhp output.

Nice car, then, if evidently the least coupé-like of our group. In fairness, it's never explicitly billed as such, though Audi left us hand-tied given nothing in its current line-up directly rivals a CLE or 4 Series. Nominally picking a winner from the other two is tricky, not least because neither the BMW nor Mercedes is perfect.

I'd love the i4 as an everyday car, with its rear-driven strut and useful mix of poshness and pragmatism inside, but the CLE exudes more glam, rides with less fuss and drives no less keenly than the countless Merc two-doors that have preceded its existence. It sticks closely enough to its respective script to claim a narrow win. What we wouldn't give for a resurgence of the coupé market around it next time, though.

Why buy a Mazda MX-5 when you can have an Abarth 124 instead?

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0100

Take an MX-5, inject a little bit of Italian flair and you get the 124, though there are some downsides...

After a few minutes of talking to Carlo Dore, owner of a 2018-reg Abarth 124 Spider automatic, I'm glad I sold my 2018 Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport.

He says that it and the technically related 124 can suffer failure of the so-called spherical bushes in their rear hubs, one hub per corner. There are multiple bushes in each hub and it takes only the failure of one, usually detected at the MOT test if any clonking noises haven't already been heard, to render the entire hub unfit for purpose. Replacement OEM bushes alone are unavailable and so the entire hub assembly must be purchased.

Carlo mentioned that people are paying up to £3000 for the supply and fitting of new rear hubs. That sounded high to me so I checked with a Mazda dealer, who quoted £2406 - less but still scary. The price was made up of £1686 for the parts plus £720 for four hours' labour fitting them. So now you know.

Back to Carlo's Abarth and, as always with this model, I was keen to know why, besides being of Italian heritage, he bought it over an MX-5. "It's prettier," he said. "It's more exclusive too, while the black bonnet reminds me of Abarth's racing colours. I'd have preferred a red car but my wife liked the white. She also liked the six-speed automatic gearbox...

"It's a nimble car and even more responsive in Sport mode." Aside from the styling, the Abarth differs from the MX-5 in having a Fiat 1.4-litre Multiair turbo engine, uprated to 168bhp, which gives the MX-5's brilliant chassis a good workout. The model has a Record Monza sports exhaust too, with a distinctive raspy note.

Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential and Bilstein dampers (there's a diff on 2.0-litre MX-5s and Bilsteins on Sport versions) complete the mechanical picture. Although the interior architecture is the same in both models, the Abarth has Alcantara upholstery and dedicated Abarth sports seats. Carlo bought his Spider in 2022 with 13,500 miles on the clock. It's now done 30,000 and he has experienced no issues with it. "It's been trouble-free but I've been told the spherical bushes can start failing after 30,000 miles, so I'm on my guard," he says.

He's also on his guard for accidental breakages. Things like body panels and lights are unique to the 124 Spider, and because relatively few cars were produced and for such a short period (2016-19), replacements can be tricky to source. This also has an impact on insurance premiums. "Mechanical parts and anything shared with Mazda are fine, I understand, but headlights, wings and other parts are hard to get hold of and can take a long time to come through," he says. "It's why insurance companies will write off 124s quite readily, rather than repairing them."

For the second time, Carlo invites me to inspect the aluminium plaque mounted between the seats. I can't see the fuss but on closer inspection realise it depicts an exploded view of the car above the legend 'Vettura No.207', which translates as Car No.207, and a Union Jack. "I like that touch," he says. "It makes the car feel even more special."

Driving a Ferrari 296 Speciale into the chaos of the Le Mans parade

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0100

From handing out high-fives to revving an 870bhp Ferrari: part motoring spectacle, part sensory overload

It's the Friday afternoon of race week in Le Mans. The town centre municipal car park is filling up with vehicles you won't see here every day.

Pre-war Citroëns, post-war American land yachts, one-off concept cars, chrome-covered road-hog motorcycles, supercars, movie tribute cars and more. It's a joyously assorted mix.

Then there are the pick-up trucks – lots of pick-up trucks, actually – necessary for reasons that will soon become apparent. Something is about to happen that, every year, fuels the fevered race fan's enthusiasm for this famous, century-old endurance epic: La Grande Parade des Pilotes des 24 Heures du Mans.

And this year, I will be taking part. I'm among a bunch of British motoring journalists who've driven to La Sarthe in a cavalcade of Ferrari supercars. We've been invited to join the parade to add the colour and excitement of these cars to the sum total of the occasion's drama.

How could we say no? Nobody will have a clue who the drivers are, of course, but as long as we look like we're enjoying ourselves, perhaps that won't matter too much. So here we are, waiting as the start-line car park slowly fills. I must admit that when they asked if we'd drive in the Le Mans parade, I assumed it would be on the race circuit. But here, they bring the race to the town.

The motorsport celebrities and grandees are arriving and the race drivers are filtering in after their various briefings and meetings have been completed at the circuit a few miles away. Jacky Ickx's sunglasses are proving about as effective a disguise as they normally are and he can't move for the queue of selfie hunters mobbing him at every turn. He might be the only person in the world who is less recognisable when he's not wearing his aviators.

The influencers are out in force, posing in front of this and that, and live streaming their feigned enthusiasm for just about everything to their digital faithful. Some local classic car and sports car owners have clearly been invited by their dealers to run their machinery, and quaff champagne in the VIP area as they wait for the procession to start.

But that's very much what this will be: a procession – done so the fans can get up close with the drivers as they pass – rather than any kind of demo run. The parade route is no more than a mile long and is lined with barriers, running out of the car park, emerging in front of the town's imposing Saint Julien cathedral, and then winding its way through some tight left and right turns along the narrow, sprawling city streets.

It runs directly past several popular bars, restaurants and cafes, which seem to be the prime viewing areas, but pretty much every foot of barrier is occupied by a spectator who's on the hunt for a souvenir or memento.

Imagine the Goodwood Festival of Speed done without the speed – but with more music and free stuff – using your local town's shopping centre, bus station and pedestrianised areas as its backdrop.

There is one race fan who's getting a massive cow bell autographed, for reasons best known to himself. Then I notice a kid who's made a basketball hoop out of cardboard and is collecting quite the haul. This is where Le Mans worshipped meets its worshipful – and, clearly, there's a toll to be paid.

As we wait to run, the occasion builds. A DJ is blasting out dance music from the back of a Maxus flatbed for the benefit of the fans. But he's competing with a roving free-form jazz saxophonist, who's connected to his own PA system and doing his best to entertain the moneyed VIP car club set. Then there are dance troupes and mascots in bear suits. Spider-Man, The Predator and the cast of Transformers are all here too.

The cars that you might expect to be in attendance, however – the track racers – are not. But those that have come are as special as they are unexpected. This is France, so the Citroën Méharis are mandatory inclusions. Some are original but there's a bright pink electromod as well.

They're ideal because race drivers can hang out of them, waving, throwing out freebies, firing off their T-shirt cannons and whipping up the mood to a frenzy. But there's a 1959 Ford Galaxie convertible about the size of a French local-area département that looks made for the task as well.

There's the Genesis Box Buggy concept, which is a little like a golf cart with superpowers (castor-style wheels, each with an in-wheel electric motor, and four-wheel steering). And then there are the pick-up trucks, whose flatbeds are ideal for loading with a crew of three endurance racing drivers, and enough bouncy balls, flags, caps and cuddly toys to keep any baying mob happy.

We wait for all of the race teams to get called and then they crawl through the course. And then come the motorbikes, and the vintage cars, and the movie cars. (One of them is a Cadillac Sentinel made to look like the Ectomobile from Ghostbusters, except it's been made, perhaps ironically, out of a hearse rather than the correct Miller-Meteor ambulance conversion.)

By the time it's our turn, it's gone 7pm – and we fully expect the masses to have dispersed for the most part. Hell, no. The barriers are still packed as I approach the start line in a Ferrari 296 Speciale Aperta. Even though they've already seen so much, the crowd's reception is enthusiastic, demanding – and well mannered.

“Monsieur, monsieur! Bruit, bruit, bruit, s'il vous plaît!” “Please, my English friend – make some music for us!” “Come on! Where's the V8?!” (Everyone's a critic.)

“Rev the nuts off it!” (That one in a decidedly Estuary English accent.) The last of those requests seems very much to be what we're here to do.

So, proceeding quite a lot more slowly than walking pace, I let the Speciale's hybrid powertrain run in Performance mode, creeping forwards mostly, but double-paddling into neutral every 20 metres or so in order to rev it up and satisfy the crowd's appetite for exhaust theatrics.

The car's V6 is a bit meek-sounding compared with the V12 motors of the 12Cilindris ahead and behind, but it seems to be doing the trick anyway.

The instinct for mechanical sympathy leads me to try to content a few groups of onlookers with a cycle of the car's folding roof. They're not having it – not for a minute. “Gas, gas! Noise, noise!” they shout. So that's what they get.

It's all going very well. The high fives are flowing, the marshals are smiling and everybody's waving and cheering. The course is too narrow for any other showboating, I'm relieved to find, and the rate of progress prohibitive. It would be like trying a burnout upstairs on a Channel Tunnel train – only with far more witnesses to see it all go wrong.

So we carry on smiling, waving, honking, revving and generally getting carried away with all the entirely unwarranted adulation, until about 200 metres from the end of the course – when the car decides it's had enough.

The combination of lots of revs at near-stationary speeds, with no cooling, has overheated something, and it unceremoniously shuts down. And so the first 296 Speciale that many will see in the raw becomes the first they see being pushed (although, very shortly, it won't require more than a few minutes to cool down, and a booster pack on the 12V electrics, to restore it to health).

It was almost certainly my fault. A few metres earlier, a lad who couldn't have been older than seven or eight had asked for my ‘casquette’ (my baseball cap) – itself a souvenir of a trip to Le Mans I made more than a decade ago – and I'd refused to throw it over. The parade gods clearly saw fit to punish me for being ungenerous. Next time, I'll know to bring spares.

Carrera, Turbo S, GT3... making sense of the 911 line-up

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0100

There are 21 different flavours of Porsche 911, and buying the 'wrong' one is easier than you might think...

A colleague asks me if I can explain exactly where the GT3 sits in the 911 range, because I've said it's the best driver's version, but doesn't Porsche do a GT2 as its hardcore variant?

I explain that it did, and it was kinda like a GT3 but with a Turbo engine, but you can't buy one at the moment; and that there is, or was, actually also a GT3 RS, but you can't get that right now either; and that is, or was, the genuine hardcore version, because it has, or had, focused suspension and a zingy, naturally aspirated engine that is, or was, the real treat in the line-up.

But now he's asking about the GT3 Touring and I'm trying to explain that, yes, while that's also a GT3, you can have your GT3 with wings, albeit not RS-level huge wings, or without, and that's the Touring, which is a bit more relaxed as a road car.

And now I think my colleague is going away even more confused than before, but so am I. Am I sure you can't buy a GT3 RS now? I thought not, but it appears on the configurator.

There's something about the modern 911 that I would call unique, except it reminds me too much of how I also view the old Land Rover Defender.

Neither model range is that broad, because all old Landies are old tough 4x4s and all new 911s are great sports cars, yet there's a specificity to each variant, a breadth across the range, that means they can do quite different jobs.

I have an old Defender, for example, which is a 2005, Td5 (five-cylinder turbo diesel) 90 Station Wagon with six seats. And for the past 13 years it has done honest work as a tow car, family car, utility car and family pet.

But even though I don't consider myself a Land Rover diehard and I'm not blind to its faults, I could have several more old Landies and find a distinct role for each, in which one wouldn't step on the toes of another: a plush-finished 90 tow car, a 110 pick-up for carrying building materials or firewood and a 130, maybe a converted old army ambulance, as an overlanding camper - plus a lifted 90 with no roof for local giggles. See, one model but a dozen different varieties.

The modern 911 is the same. Could one deliver a pithy, few-word verdict summing up what each different 911 does or what it's for, wondered our associate editor after hearing the aforementioned conversation with colleague? I could have a go, but there may be just too many new 911 varieties for this.

On the Porsche UK website there are 21 different flavours of it. I certainly haven't driven all of them and there are some I know too little about to say for sure. But let me have a crack at some of the notable ones.

Carrera (£110k, 389bhp) joyful entry-level model. All the 911 you could need.

Carrera T (£122k, 389bhp): a bit sportier and manual. Probably better?

Carrera S (£126k, 473bhp): a bit faster. Carrera 4S (£133k, 473bhp): as S but for when it rains.

Carrera GTS (£144k, 534bhp): the latest Turbo engine turned down; less agile than Carrera.

Carrera 4 GTS (£150k, 473bhp): as above but for rain.

Cabriolet versions of all of the above: as above but for sun.

Targa versions of two of the above four-wheel-drive variants: for half-sun?

Turbo S (£205k, 701bhp): hypercar performance in a daily sports car.

Turbo S Cabriolet: as above for sun.

No, there isn't a Turbo S Targa.

GT3 (£165k, 503bhp): world's best driver's car.

GT3 with Touring Package (£165k, 503bhp): same but without wings.

GT3 S/C (£206k, 503bhp): same but for sunny roads.

GT3 RS (£192k, 518bhp): bigger wings and more zing, for track use.

Spirit 70: psychedelic GTS Cabriolet.

Now, these are all 911s and they're all great, but some are greater than others and I do think there's a possibility of buying the 'wrong' one for your use case, in a way that wouldn't happen if you bought, I don't know, the wrong Vauxhall Grandland. And if none is quite right, I suppose you could always buy a Porsche Boxster or Cayman. But which one? Well...

Denza Z driven: First taste of China's £173k, 1584bhp 911 rival

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 09:00:00 +0100

How do you beat the best-known sports car with an EV? A Chiron-baiting power output is a good start...

Disorder would seem to be the main risk for BYD’s new premium brand Denza. Lack of cohesion, if you prefer. With a bluff, ladder-frame off-roader, a large seven-seat MPV, and a sleek executive shooting brake in it already, the firm’s product portfolio could, before long, look more like an odd sock drawer than a unified family of desirable electrified cars.

A focal point to gather attention around should certainly help address this; a true ‘hero model’. Enter the Denza Z sports car. Could this be the car to really grab the attention of the European public, and make us interested in ‘the Denza story’?

Well, it looks like a clever cross between a sports car, supercar and sleek grand tourer. It comes with a tri-motor, all-electric powertrain with suitably heroic performance potential. And, on price, it’s going right after the most revered sports car in the world. Taking notice now? Thought you might be.

Denza’s senior product planners and engineers make no bones about the fact that it was a certain Porsche they had in their sights when designing and engineering this 4.8-metre ‘2+2’-seater halo model. They don’t mean the Taycan.

Sure, it’s electric; and that’ll make it about as likely to be chosen by some sports car regulars as a seafood salad that’s been out in the sun for too long. But it’s the obvious choice for Denza; because BYD has some of the best battery, motor and charging technology in the world, develops most of it in-house, and quite understandably wants a way to show it off.

Of course, you could easily mistake this for a car with even greater performance ambitions. The motor layout certainly suggests so. The Z is powered by a pair of 456bhp permanent magnet motors at the rear axle (driving a wheel each ‘asymmetrically’), and a 671bhp one that drives the front. Peak power is therefore 1584bhp - which is well in advance of the ‘megawatt’ threshold that defined the very first electric hypercars (Rimac Concept One, Nio EP9). You might also have clocked that it's even several bhp more than the Bugatti Chiron Supersport.

Under the Italianate bodywork (for which we can credit BYD Design Director Wolfgang Egger; Alfa Romeo 8C, etc) sits BYD’s ‘e3’ (pronounced ‘E Cube’) platform, however - shared with the larger Denza Z9 GT shooting brake.

That means the car has a unitary chassis ‘gigacasting’ (like a 911) rather than a monocoque ‘tub’ (like a supercar). The chassis makes room for one of BYD’s second-generation LFP ‘blade’ battery packs, worth 76kWh, within it; which works as a stressed part of it, and contributes to impressive torsional rigidity - albeit perhaps not the kind of low kerbweight you might expect of a sports car (2250kg).

Denza will offer three versions: Coupe, convertible Spider, and track-ready Racing (a special edition, engineered ostensibly to win the Nordschliefe lap record for production EVs back from the Manthey-kit Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, will also be made, but in very small numbers). They are priced from £142,900, £159,900 and £172,900, respectively, putting the Z squarely in Carrera 4 GTS territory (for want of a more technically similar reference point) and making this comfortably the most expensive car China has yet put on our shores.

In advance of the car’s public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this week, Denza graciously afforded us one flying lap of Goodwood circuit as a preliminary test; with an instructor in the passenger seat making sure we didn’t exceed its ‘recommended speed limit’, or experiment with the drive modes.

For that lap, we did at least get the Racing version, which uses steel coil suspension in replacement of the air springs of other models; magnetorheological dampers, too; and will be available with proper circuit-appropriate semi-slick tyres (although ours didn’t have those).

The test didn’t include much time for detailed impressions of the cabin. The driver’s seat felt quite softly padded, and a little short on purposeful support for a track-intended model. For a sports car, it could have been lower-set. The wider cabin contents looked and felt a little plasticky, in some places, given what you might expect for a six-figure price tag; but nothing was particularly, conspicuously cheap.

After a warm-up lap, Goodwood circuit gives you only four or five places where you can open the accelerator wide; which isn’t many when you’ve got nearly 1600 horsepower to account for. I’m not fully convinced that the Denza Z felt quite that powerful.

The car has surprisingly progressive power delivery, seemingly feeding torque through gradually. To me, it didn’t quite seem to have that really titanic, super-linear throttle feel of other 1000bhp+ EVs I’ve tested -despite working up a very rapid head of steam in any case. This may have been because the car's road tyres couldn't transmit the necessary traction on track, and the car's governing electronics were dampening its responses.

By sports car standards, the Z also seemed to lack a little bit of simple agility and willingness to change direction, perhaps on account of its heft. The car’s tri-motor powertrain felt a little reigned in and closely governed by its electronics. It didn’t seem able to rotate the car with power, or add much directional impetus to the car’s handling; in the default driving mode in which we were able to test it, at least.

This wasn’t the most promising start from BYD’s bold electric sports car, then. The Denza Z clearly has much to reveal yet. This first 'test' was hardly a test at all, obliged as we were to take the opportunity and learn what we could. Had we been able simply to drive without so much oversight and interference, and experiment just a little more, we might well have unearthed a great deal more than a rather staid, perfunctory top-level dynamic character.

For what we could discover and what it's worth at this stage - which isn't much - the Denza Z doesn’t seem to be the most forthcoming, appetising, accessibly entertaining driver’s car. Here’s hoping we find evidence later that it has an agenda for more than just outright speed.

Denza Z Racing

Verdict: BYD’s premium-brand 911 chaser has all the firepower it needs, but may lack some simple, accessible dynamic entertainment factor and sporting verve

Specification	Details
Price	£172,900
Engine	3 x AC synchronous, permanent magnet motors (1 x front; 2 x rear)
Power	1584bhp
Torque	915lb ft
Gearbox	Single-speed reduction ratio, per motor
Kerb Weight	2250kg
0-62mph	1.96sec
Top Speed	217mph
Battery	76kWh
Range and economy	236 miles, tbc
CO2 and BIK tax band	0g/km, 4%
Key rivals	Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, Maserati Granturismo Folgore

Alpine to Zenvo: the 28 new cars you must see at Festival of Speed

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:15:08 +0100

Join us for a tour of all the (very) hot new metal making its debut at Goodwood

The 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed is under way (9-12 July), and it's an absolute bumper year for one of the highlights in the motoring calendar.

Some of the world’s most anticipated new cars have descended on West Sussex, offering a first chance to see them up close – and in action.

Among the highlights are the Toyota GR GT, the Alpine A110 Future – a test mule giving an initial glimpse at the sports car’s electric reinvention – and Gordon Murray's dramatic S1 LM, along with plenty of others.

Read on for our guide to all the highlights and new cars at this year’s Festival of Speed, or you can watch Matt Prior's video below:

Alpine A110 Future

This is your first glimpse at the next-generation Alpine A110, which is making the landmark switch to electric power. Although it wears similar bodywork to the outgoing petrol A110, it's underpinned by the new EV’s platform, hinting at big changes. Just check out those wide wheel arches.

Everything you need to know about the Alpine A110 Future

Audi Nuvolari

Audi's new flagship is a limited-run 987bhp hybrid supercar – and its striking design will influence the brand's less extreme models to come. It's powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 and three electric motors, and it features active aerodynamics. Just 499 will be built.

Everything we know about the Audi Nuvolari

Auto Union Lucca

We’ll forgive you any confusion over this car’s inclusion among all the new metal here, but it is technically brand new. This is Audi Tradition’s faithful recreation of a racer built by Auto Union, its precursor. Back in 1935, it was the world’s fastest road car, managing 203mph on a section of the Italian Autostrada near the city of Lucca. Sure, it’s not quite the 301mph done by the Campbell-Railton Blue Bird in September 1935, but that was on the Bonneville salt flats, not a road. This is your chance to witness a slice of V16-powered history.

Bentley Flying Spur facelift

Bentley’s luxury limousine has a fresh face, moving away from the long-established quad-headlight design in favour of two lights. The high-performance S variant returns, powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 and a single electric motor for 671bhp.

Everything you need to know about the new Bentley Flying Spur

Bentley Supersports

The manifestation of Bentley’s push to create what CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser calls “more extreme” cars, the Supersports is a dramatically modified version of the Continental GT. It's the first rear-driven Continental of the modern era, and it ditches the hybrid hardware found in other GTs in favour of an unassisted twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8. It puts out 657bhp and, at just under 2000kg, is the lightest Bentley since 1940.

Everything you need to know about the Bentley Supersports

BYD Shark

This new Ford Ranger rival is looking to take a bite out of the UK's pick-up market, offering a plug-in-hybrid powertrain with nearly 60 miles of electric-only range.

Everything we know about the BYD Shark

Denza Bao 5

Denza's attempt to rival the Land Rover Defender melds classical body-on-frame construction with an advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain. It's due in the UK this year.

Read our Denza Bao 5 review

Denza Z

BYD’s first crack at a supercar – for its Denza premium brand – packs a huge 1582bhp. It's claimed to be capable of hitting 62mph in less than 2.0sec and brings new technologies such as steer-by-wire.

Everything you need to know about the Denza Z

Gordon Murray Automotive

Gordon Murray’s eponymous supercar firm is hosting several debuts at the Festival of Speed. Headlining the group are the S1 LM and Le Mans GTR, a pair of dramatic limited-run models inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR. It is also showing a road-ready prototype of the T33 Spider and the track-focused T50.S Niki Lauda.

Gunther Werks F-26

This reimagining of the Slantnose Porsche 911 will vie for class victory in the Goodwood hillclimb – and given that it has 1067bhp, we wouldn't bet against it.

Everything we know about the Gunther Werks F-26

Hennessey Venom F5-M

Texas-based Hennessey is showing the F5-M, claimed to be the world’s most powerful car with a manual gearbox. That bragging right is thanks to a 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V8 kicking out a huge 2031bhp.

Honda Prelude HRC Concept

Honda’s new coupé has already snatched many headlines, but the question of whether it will be getting a more hardcore Type R variant looms large. The HRC (Honda Racing Corporation) Concept could be a first hint at such a development, with an aggressive aerodynamic package aimed at track use.

Read our Honda Prelude review

Hyundai Ioniq 3

Hyundai says its new rival for the Renault 5 is not a hatchback but an 'aero-hatch' – sculpted to maximise its range without a big battery. It's certainly striking and, with prices to start in the mid-£20,000s, could be everywhere before long.

Everything we know about the Hyundai Ioniq 3

Jaguar Type 01

The one we're waiting for with bated breath. The Type 01 will be running up the Goodwood hillclimb in camouflaged form, leaving much – beyond its rakish silhouette – to the imagination. All will be revealed in October.

Everything we know about the Jaguar Type 01

Lamborghini Urus SE Performante

Lamborghini's hottest SUV yet, the Urus SE Performante packs 800bhp and 737lb ft – as well as an aerodynamic overhaul that gives it even wilder looks.

Everything we know about the Lamborghini Urus SE Performante

Land Rover Defender Vertex

This new version of the Defender brings a slight twist on the retro-futuristic SUV's styling. It's pitched at the top end of the range and is said to be aimed at city-dwelling drivers.

Everything we know about the Land Rover Defender Vertex

Lexus LFA Concept

Lexus has reprised the name of its legendary supercar for this hint at a new halo car – and this time it will be electric. It's possible that a production version could be Toyota’s first car powered by a solid-state battery, given the firm has previously claimed the technology will be ready in around two years.

Everything you need to know about the Lexus LFA Concept

McLaren 788HS

The time has come for McLaren's signature V8 supercar to enter retirement. The 788HS is the swansong for the family started with the 720S, bringing an aggressive aerodynamics package and 777bhp. Just 200 will be built – 100 coupés and 100 Spiders – meaning the Festival of Speed might just be your best chance to catch a glimpse of it in action.

Everything you need to know about the McLaren 788HSz

Mercedes-AMG CLA 45

Mercedes-AMG is hoping its newest hot saloon will convince hot hatch buyers to make the switch to an EV. The CLA 45 packs 671bhp (thanks to three motors) and simulates the behaviour of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine in its predecessor – even popping and banging on the overrun.

Everything we know about the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45

MG Go concept

The Metro returns? The MG Go may look like a hot hatch, but it's actually our first look at the '2' EV coming next year to rival the Renault 5.

Everything we know about the MG Go

MG Cyber concept

Squint, and this new SUV looks a little like a Ferrari Purosangue… The new Cyber concept points the way for MG's future design direction as the brand pushes further upmarket.

Everything we know about the MG Cyber concept

Mini x Vagabund Countryman

They might look a little frivolous, but these two festival-inspired show cars could hint at the look of a forthcoming off-road variant of the Countryman, with chunky arches, roof racks and lots of ground clearance.

Red Bull RB17

Red Bull's mad hypercar, designed by Adrian Newey, will take to the Goodwood hillclimb for the first time. With a Cosworth V10, you're likely to hear it well before you see it…

Everything we know about the Red Bull RB17

Renault 5 Turbo 3E

A legend returns, this time as one of the maddest EVs yet produced. The 5 Turbo 3E is inspired by the rally-bred 5 Turbo of the 1980s but has two in-wheel motors mounted on its rear axle for a combined 533bhp. Should that prove insufficient to ruin the tyres, there’s also a hydraulic handbrake. It will be running up the Goodwood hillclimb, presumably trailed by a plume of smoke.

Read our first ride report about the Renault 5 Turbo 3E

Ruf B8

This wild new prototype is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.8-litre flat eight, claimed to develop more than 986bhp and 737lb ft. Neither Ruf nor any other company has yet used such an engine for a performance car.

Everything we know about the Ruf B8

Toyota GR GT

Toyota is chasing the likes of the Aston Martin Vantage and Mercedes-AMG GT with its own V8-powered, rear-driven supercar. The Festival of Speed is your first chance to see it in action on UK soil ahead of its market launch next year.

Everything we know about the Toyota GR GT

Zenvo Aurora

Here's your first look at the production-ready version of Danish firm Zenvo's mad new hypercar, propelled by a bespoke 6.6-litre V12 with four turbochargers. That's matched with an electric motor for a huge output of 1850bhp.

Everything we know about the Zenvo Aurora

Photos: The world's strangest car collection

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:08:51 +0100

It may belong to an oil sheikh, but there's no room for supercars in this particular collection. We pay it a visit

You're looking at the world's largest SUV.

In the lower half it's an Oshkosh M1075, an all-terrain 10-wheeler truck more usually deployed by the US Army. On top however it's a Jeep Wrangler, while overall power comes from a 15.2-litre Caterpillar diesel, good for 600 hp. It's a cool 10.8 metres long (35 feet) and 3.2 metres (10 feet) high. Oh, and it has headlights from a Ford F-Series Super Duty and rear lights from a Dodge Dart, as you do.

The owner of this intriguing confection is none other than Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan - and he's no ordinary billionaire. As a high-profile member of the United Arab Emirates royal family, the man known as the Rainbow Sheikh once paid to have a series of canals that spelled out his first name carved into an island located off the Abu Dhabi coast.

But this vast SUV (called the Dhabiyan) is far from his only car. Indeed, it's just the latest in a long line of vehicles in his personal collection that also doubles as the country’s national car museum and Autocar paid it a visit.

Considering the sheikh's net worth is in the vicinity of $20 billion (£15 billion), you might expect a building full of rare, powerful supercars. However, there are none to be found and the museum is all the more fascinating to visit because of it. It’s an eclectic collection of oddities peppered by stellar examples of 1980s tuning. Join us for a virtual tour of one of the most mystifying car collections in the world:

The giant Land Rover

The Emirates National Auto Museum is located in a pyramid-shaped building that’s about an hour away from central Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. After leaving the city, getting there is a matter of following the long, straight roads that cross the desert. You know you’ve arrived when you see a mammoth replica of a Land Rover Series 3 that effortlessly dwarfs a Nissan Patrol.

The giant Jeep

The second house-sized car parked outside of the museum is a replica of a Willys Jeep complete with a shovel and an axe mounted on the driver’s side of the body. It rarely moves but it’s drivable from a seat hidden behind the grille. At 21ft tall it's four times bigger than an actual Willys and it's certified by Guinness as the largest Jeep replica in the world.

Mercedes-Benz W116 monster truck

The Rainbow Sheikh has a soft spot for odd, obscure and underappreciated vehicles and he frequently makes his wildest dreams a reality. This is evident before you walk in: there is a Mercedes-Benz W116 turned into a monster truck parked in front of the museum. It was developed and built to be used but it hasn’t turned a wheel in quite some time.

Mercedes-Benz R107 SL

Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan’s fascination with the colors of the rainbow earned him the nickname Rainbow Sheikh. Many of the cars in his collection consequently wear rainbow accents, including this R107-generation Mercedes-Benz SL. Every part that’s chromed on a standard SL has been gold-plated on this example and the flag ports indicate it was driven in parades.

Mercedes-Benz 500SEC by Styling Garage

Hamburg-based tuner Styling Garage converted this 1983 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC into a tuner’s dream come true during the 1980s. The modifications included widening the wheel arches, adding custom bumpers on both ends and installing a pair of gullwing doors.

Riding with a falcon

The modifications made to the Mercedes-Benz 500 SEC by Styling Garage continue inside with an AMG steering wheel painted white, re-upholstered seats and a new-look dashboard fitted with gold accents. The finishing touch is a falcon-shaped shift lever sculpted from a solid block of wood.

Mercedes-Benz 600

Mercedes-Benz designed the 600 limousine to carry the world’s wealthiest individuals so it’s no surprise to see one in the Rainbow Sheikh’s collection. The list of famous 600 owners includes David Bowie, Elvis Presley, Coco Chanel, Josip Broz Tito, Leonid Brezhnev, Mao Zedong and Saddam Hussein.

Made in 1977, this short-wheelbase example is in immaculate condition inside and out.

Mercedes-Benz V123

The V123 was the factory-produced long-wheelbase version of the Mercedes-Benz W123. Some were converted into hearses and ambulances by coachbuilders like Binz while others – including the Sheikh’s – were sold to private buyers as limousines. Don’t let the SUV-like ground clearance fool you; it shouldn’t ride higher than a regular W123 but it’s propped up by sturdy pieces of wood.

Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL

We told you the Sheikh likes the colors of the rainbow. Used for parades and special events, this Mercedes-Benz W126 received a multi-colored paint job in addition to a wider rear track and a pair of side exhaust pipes. Note that the interior matches the exterior; the dashboard is orange, the front seats are yellow, the rear seats are green and the parcel shelf is blue.

The rainbow Mercedes-Benz 500 SELs

The Rainbow Sheikh ordered seven new Mercedes-Benz W126s for his wedding and asked that each one be painted in one of the colors of the rainbow with matching upholstery inside. Paint aside, the seven cars are identical. All of them are V8-powered 500 SEL models made in 1983 and each one gained a rifle rack in the cargo compartment.

Mercedes-Benz 1001 SEL

Mercedes-Benz never made a car named 1001 SEL; tuner Gemballa did. Starting with a 500 SEL, the firm added gold trim, alloy wheels plus lavish interior appointments like wall-to-wall leather upholstery, a television and privacy curtains. Other tuners performed similar modifications and the cost of the build sometimes matched the price of the donor vehicle.

Why 1001? It’s not, as the name implies, because the car has a 10-litre engine. Most historians agree that a customer who ordered a tuned 500 SEL concluded the final product was twice as good as what he could get through Mercedes and declared it a 1000 SEL. This led to several variations of the nameplate including 5000 SEL and even 100000 SEL – complete with a matching emblem out back.

Citroën DS

The Citroën DS – a staple in just about every car museum around the world – stands out as one of the few French cars in the Rainbow Sheikh’s collection. He chose a later, fuel-injected model and parked it next to a Traction Avant, its predecessor.

Teilhol Tangara

Rare even in its home country of France, the Teilhol Tangara was a Citroën 2CV-based beach car designed to pick up where the Mehari left off. It was introduced in 1987, the same year Mehari production ended, and it came with a 2CV-sourced 602cc flat-twin engine. The example in the Sheikh’s collection is one of the very few fitted with four-wheel drive.

Teilhol equipped later examples of the Tangara with a four-cylinder engine borrowed from the AX. Production ended when the firm filed for bankruptcy in early 1990.

Fiat 500

The stickers on this Fiat 500 indicate it spent the bulk of its life in Treviso, an Italian town located a stone’s throw from Venice. Peeking inside the car reveals it was originally painted in an uncommon shade of orange. We don’t know when it joined the Sheikh’s collection but it likely received the rainbow treatment after disembarking in the United Arab Emirates.

Volkswagen Beetle dune buggy

This Volkswagen Beetle was transformed into a dune buggy in the United Arab Emirates. It lost its four fenders, its running boards and its original lights during the conversion and it gained massive tyres. The end result looks markedly different than the dune buggies made in the US and in the UK.

Mini Moke

The Sheikh has several variations of the Mini in his collection and none are rainbow-themed. This Moke is in near-new condition as evidenced by the plastic wrappers still on the seats. The yellow headlight bulbs suggest it was sold new on the French market. The collection also includes an Italian-built, Innocenti-badged Mini Cooper, a late-model Rover Mini Convertible and a first-generation BMW Mini.

Erad Junior

French minicar manufacturer Erad released the Junior in 1988. Much smaller than a Smart ForTwo, the Junior was a voiturette that motorists could drive without a regular driver’s licence. Erad fitted it with headlights from a Peugeot 205 in order to keep costs in check yet it went through the trouble of making the windshield, the roof and the doors into a single unit that could be removed to go topless.

Erad made a handful of examples of the Junior. Very few examples remain and the Sheikh’s is likely the only one lucky enough to live in a museum.

Premier Padmini

In 1954, Premier began assembling Fiat’s 1100 and Topolino models from complete knock-down (CKD) kits for the Indian market. The Topolino was ill-suited to Indian roads but the 1100 sold so well that local production of its successor, the 1100D, started in 1967. Premier acquired a license to build the 1100D and the necessary tooling from Fiat in 1973 and continued making it with only minor changes until 2000. Known as the Padmini from 1974 on, it was hugely popular among taxi drivers.

Premier Padmini convertible

Doggedly determined to keep the Padmini in production for as long as possible, Premier released an updated model named S1 in 1996. It received a new-look design with an updated grille and mechanical modifications like a more powerful engine that shifted through a Nissan-sourced transmission with a floor-mounted gear selector.

This left-hand drive S1 has been alchemized into a convertible and a sticker on its back end suggests it spent time in Dubai before joining the Emirates museum.

Honda N600

The N is the car that put Honda on the map. It went on sale in 1967 as the N360 with – as its name implies – a 360cc two-cylinder engine. Honda stuffed a bigger, 600cc twin behind the grille to export the model to the United States and Europe. Though small and underpowered, the N360 and the N600 paved the way for more successful models like the Civic and the Accord.

Subaru 360

Every member of the Subaru line-up traces its roots back to the homely 360. Developed to comply with Japan’s kei car regulations, the 360 got its name from the 360cc, two-cylinder engine mounted behind the passenger compartment. It’s one of the models that helped put Japan on wheels.

The 360 went on sale in its home country in 1958. 10 years later, entrepreneur Malcom Bricklin founded Subaru of America to begin importing the 360 to the US. It was exempt from safety standards due to its low weight but Consumer Reports nonetheless dubbed it ‘the most unsafe car on the American market.’ It sold relatively well considering it was classified as a death trap and advertised as being cheap and ugly. The Sheikh's 360 came from California.

Daihatsu Midget II

The Daihatsu Midget II is small and narrow even by Japanese standards. Introduced in 1996 to compete in the kei car segment, it offered buyers a long list of options including one- and two-seater configurations, four-wheel drive and an automatic transmission. The driver sits right over the three-cylinder engine, a packaging solution that helped Daihatsu design a pickup that fits in the back of a Ford F-150.

Toyota Crown

Export documents taped to the rear window of this 1971 Toyota Crown Super Deluxe reveal it originated in Belgium. It’s peppered by small battle scars (including superficial rust in the wheel arches and a bent front bumper) which indicate it was used regularly for most of its life.

Nissan Cedric

This 1999 Nissan Cedric looks like it has never been driven. When new, it appealed to buyers seeking a large, four-door model with a sizable dose of classicism. It’s a left-hand drive example so it wasn’t originally delivered in Japan but the path it followed to reach the Sheikh’s collection is an enigma.

Datsun 280ZX

There are several Japanese sports cars in the museum, including this well-preserved Datsun 280ZX. The NACA duct identifies it as one of the last examples built while the leather upholstery suggests it’s a high-spec model. It was imported from the US.

Endurance

This puzzling roadster is called Endurance. It’s a two-seater that was built in Japan in 1998, and it’s likely based on an existing car, but additional information about it seems completely lost to history. Providing information about the cars on display is not one of the Emirates museum’s strong points.

Ford Crown Victoria

In 2021, there are probably more examples of the Ford Crown Victoria registered in the Gulf countries than in New York City. The Sheikh owns two of the nicest ones around. The first (pictured) is a taxi from the Los Angeles area; the second served as a highway patrol car.

Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

This third-generation Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is one of several American muscle cars in the museum. Equipped with T-tops, it’s original and in like-new condition; odds are it was shipped from the US. The Chevrolet Nova behind it was modified into a drag racer, showing another facet of muscle car culture.

Scaled-up Dodge Power Wagon

Trucks and SUVs are well represented in the Sheikh’s museum. The most impressive one is undoubtedly this gigantic replica of a Dodge Power Wagon, a model commonly seen in the United Arab Emirates desert during the 1950s. It’s big enough to park a full-size, 1980s Chevrolet pickup under yet it runs and drives.

Willys Jeep

The dust on this Willys Jeep reveals it hasn’t moved for a while. It’s parked along with other American cars (including an AMC Pacer and a Checker Marathon) on a row of the museum that’s mostly empty. The Sheikh still has space to expand his collection.

Willys-Overland Jeepster

The Jeepster is the black sheep of the Jeep family. It was released by Willys-Overland in 1948 as a more road-focused alternative to the CJ-2. It took the form of a convertible available exclusively with rear-wheel drive. It never caught on and production ended in 1950. The example in the Sheikh’s museum still wears historical vehicle plates issued in California. The Jeep Station Wagon parked next to it came from the Golden State, too.

Jeep Grand Wagoneer

This late-model Jeep Grand Wagoneer is parked next to its successor, the first-generation Grand Cherokee. It’s the ultimate evolution of the model that many historians call the first luxury SUV. The Grand Wagoneer rusted well and clean ones like the Sheikh’s sky-rocketed in value during the 2010s.

The Dodge Ram Suburban that never was

This 1995 Ram 2500 pickup was converted into the Chevrolet Suburban-fighting SUV Dodge refused to build during the 1990s. This transformation was rare but not unheard of in America during the 1990s. The museum didn’t provide information about who performed the conversion and when.

Retro-styled Ford F-250

Another enigmatic conversion in the Sheikh’s museum is this 2010 Ford F-250. It was modified to look like a 1966 F-Series by a private company in the United Arab Emirates. The grille and the headlights are from the 1960s but they’re mounted on custom-made sheet metal. The step-side cargo box looks custom-made, too.

Land Rover Series III

Toyota is the preferred off-roader brand in the Gulf countries, not Land Rover, but the Sheikh doesn’t discriminate when it comes to 4x4s. His collection includes several Land Rovers including a V8-powered 110 and a 1972 Series III pickup (pictured).

Toyota Land Cruiser

Referred to in the museum as a Toyota Jeep, this short-wheelbase Land Cruiser is ready to tackle the desert. It’s equipped to receive a soft top and its windshield folds down to provide the full open-air motoring experience. The basic design dates to 1984 but this example was made in 1999.

Nissan Patrol

Nissan’s Patrol stands out as one of the most popular SUVs in the United Arab Emirates. This is a long-wheelbase, fourth-generation model surrounded by the Sheikh’s beloved rainbow stripe. It’s shiny and dent-free so it was likely used for parades rather than for desert exploration.

Suzuki Jimny

Many motorists in the Gulf countries prefer to drive big, powerful SUVs like the Nissan Patrol, the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Chevrolet Suburban. The Suzuki Jimny isn’t one but its off-road prowess is difficult to argue against. Every generation of the tiny SUV is represented in the museum, including the first-generation example pictured here, but the Sheikh hasn’t gotten his hands on the newest model – yet.

Suzuki Jimny

Suzuki never offered the third-generation Jimny with a fold-down windscreen. The modification was done by a private company in the United Arab Emirates. The Jimny also lost its top and its doors while gaining a tow bar attached to the front end.

Zamyad Z24

The Zamyad Z24 is a Nissan Junior pickup manufactured under license in Tehran, Iran. Nissan released the third-generation Junior in 1970 and it stopped building the model in 1982 but Zamyad still manufactures it in 2021. The Sheikh’s is a late-model example fitted with fuel injection.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The highly-detailed custom paint job worn by this Mercedes-Benz G-Class is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s also equipped with a central tire inflation system, dual air horns, a fold-down bull bar and a rack for fuel cans out back. Unlike many cars in the Sheikh’s collection, this one looks like it has spent a considerable amount of time off the beaten track.

The best cars ever made by Ford

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:08:46 +0100

A company whose illustrious history is just as important as some of its cars - here are a few examples

The Ford Motor Company was founded in Detroit over 120 years ago, on 16 June 1903.

Within five years, it had hit the jackpot, creating the most important, and for a long time the best-selling, car in history. Today, it remains one of the largest manufacturers in the world, and one that has ingrained itself into the culture of countries other than America like few other foreign firms.

This would not have been possible if it hadn’t produced a long series of great models. The definition of ‘great’ is fluid – we’re using it here to describe cars which might not have excelled in all areas, but which at least pushed Ford forward in one way or another.

Among many other possibilities, we’re listing 50, in order of when they first went on sale. Models produced by Ford-owned brands such as Lincoln or Mercury are not included, before you ask…

Ford Model A (1903)

The main requirement of any manufacturer’s first car is that it should be successful enough to allow the company to create a second. The Model A was short-lived, remaining in production for only a year, but it at least fulfilled that requirement.

It bore a close resemblance to the contemporary Cadillac Model A, which is perhaps not surprising since Cadillac was a reorganisation of the second company founded by Henry Ford (1863-1947), which was itself a reorganisation of his first. The main difference between the two cars was that while the Cadillac was powered by a 1.6-litre single-cylinder engine, the Ford had a 1.7-litre twin.

Ford Model T (1908)

Technological advance and the rapid growth of the US auto industry combined to ensure that none of the earliest Fords remained on sale for more than a couple of years. In contrast, the Model T was available all the way through from 1908 to 1927, and ended up far cheaper than it was on the day it was launched.

Since it was the first car built using interchangeable parts on a moving assembly line, Ford was able to build it in enormous numbers. The exact figure is disputed, but it’s generally agreed to have been at least 15 million. This remained a record until it was beaten by the Volkswagen Beetle in 1972, 45 years after the last Model T left the factory.

Ford Model A (1927)

The Model T was replaced - arguably far later than it should have been - by the second Ford known as Model A. Far more modern than the car it replaced, it survived for only four years.

This might sound unimpressive, but during that short period Ford built nearly 4.9 million examples, with a bewildering variety of body styles. The T might have hit the big numbers overall, but the A easily exceeded it in terms of annual production. Even by 21st-century standards, Ford built Model As at a phenomenal rate.

Ford Model Y (1932)

Model T production began in Manchester in England in 1911, but by the early 1930s the British side of the operation was in serious trouble. In desperate need of a car which was cheap both to buy and to tax, it created the Model Y, which in its most basic form retailed for just £100 – a record low for a UK four-seater.

Fortunately for Ford, it was a huge success, accounting for 40% of sales in the 8hp class. It was also built in other countries, including Germany, where it was named Köln (Cologne) because that’s where those versions were produced.

Ford Model 18 (1932)

As we’ll see, full-size American Fords were often grouped together and referred to collectively by the name of the model year in which they were first produced. This happened first in 1932, but in this case we’re concentrating on the Model 18.

It’s a significant car because it marked the debut of a 3.6-litre V8 engine known, because of its configuration (the valves were alongside the cylinders rather than above them), as the Flathead, though the European term is sidevalve. V8s weren’t new at the time, but the fact that you could have one in a relatively inexpensive car certainly was.

1937 Ford

The 1937 Ford range consisted of cars which were far more streamlined than those launched five years earlier. This was dictated partly by fashion, but Ford avoided Chrysler’s mistake (with its radical 1934 Airflow) of making these vehicles look so outlandish that customers shied away from them.

The Flathead V8 engine had become so successful that Ford now offered nothing else. The only change was that a smaller, cheaper and of course less powerful 2.2-litre derivative was now available in addition to the 3.6.

(PICTURE: Model 78 Deluxe Phaeton)

1941 Ford

As with so many other cars of the period, production of the 1941 Ford was interrupted by the Second World War. How successful it would have been otherwise is impossible to say, but it was certainly a big advance over the ‘37 range, with a stiffer frame, a longer wheelbase, a wider body and far more space for passengers and luggage.

The Flathead V8 was retained, of course, but the 2.2-litre version was abandoned in favour of a new 3.7-litre straight-six, the first Ford engine of that design for several decades.

(PICTURE: Super DeLuxe Sedan)

Ford F-Series (1948)

Ford realised at an early stage that it could profitably exploit the truck market, but until the Second World War all its vehicles of this type were derived from passenger cars. The first-generation F-Series, also known as the Bonus-Built, was different. It was designed from the start as a truck, and came in many forms, with a tremendous variety of gross vehicle weight ratings. It established a long running model-line that reliably sells even in the worst of times.

1949 Ford

The 1949 Fords were the first of the company’s models to feature ponton styling, which consisted of a three-box shape (at least in the case of the saloons) and a relatively flat hood line. Model names, which varied according to the body style, included Tudor, Custom, Fordor, Victoria and, in the cases of the station wagon, Country Squire.

The ’49 was the first all-new model from the Big Three following the Second World War, and they sold like hot cakes. As with the ‘41 Ford, the engines on offer were a 3.9-litre version of the Flathead V8 and a 3.7-litre straight-six.

(PICTURE: Custom Convertible)

1952 Ford

Three years can be a long time in car design. The 1952 Fords were far more adventurously styled than their immediate predecessors, though the basic idea of producing essentially the same vehicle with many different body styles (including two coupe utilities built in Australia) remained the same.

Right from the start, the 1952 range included a new 3.5-litre overhead-valve straight-six known as the Mileage Maker. Ford persevered with the by now ageing Flathead for a couple of years before replacing it with a new V8 (also with overhead valves) called the Y-Block.

(PICTURE: Crestline Victoria)

Ford Thunderbird (1954)

Ford produced eleven generations of Thunderbird for more than half a century, though with a four-year gap between the last two. The original model was the only two-seat roadster in the line built during the 20th century, and was powered by 4.8- and 5.1-litre versions of the Y-Block V8.

Not quite as sporty as it looked, and therefore not really a rival to the slightly earlier Chevrolet Corvette, this Thunderbird was nevertheless reasonably popular, achieving around 50,000 sales in three years. Ford, however, felt it could do better, and came up with a plan to make the second T-bird more successful than the first – and help firmly establish the ‘personal car’ concept in the US market.

1955 Ford

Full-size Ford styling took another leap forward in 1955. The cars were even more visually exciting than they had been three years before, and almost unrecognisable from the ones sold at the end of the previous decade. The range-topping trim level was the first Ford to be called Fairlane, and was available with six body styles all on its own.

Mechanically, not much had changed. The Mileage Maker straight-six and the Y-Block V8 were still offered, though the latter was now available with capacities of 4.5 and 4.8 litres.

(PICTURE: Fairline Crown Victoria)

Ford Thunderbird (1957)

Few cars sharing the same name and produced with no interval between them can have been as outstandingly different as the first and second Thunderbirds. The new model was much larger, could seat four people rather than just two, had very different styling (which led to it being nicknamed Squarebird) and was available as either a convertible, as before, or a coupe.

There was more power, too, thanks to a 5.8-litre version of Ford’s new FE V8, and later an even larger 7.0-litre MEL unit of the same layout. The combined effect of all the changes was phenomenal. Although it lasted for only three years, the same as the original Thunderbird, this one achieved four times as many sales, at just short of 200,000.

Ford Taunus (1957)

Ford of Germany produced cars named Taunus for six decades. One of the most notable versions was the P2, built in saloon, estate and convertible forms from 1957 to 1960, during which period it actually outsold the second-generation Thunderbird despite operating in a far smaller market.

By the rather sober standards of German Fords during this period, the P2 featured flamboyant styling which led to it being nicknamed Barocktaunus (baroque Taunus). The P3 which followed was one of the first cars ever sold with lozenge-shaped headlights, but apart from that its styling was so restrained that it became known as the Badewanne (bathtub).

1957 Ford

The full-size Fords produced in the 1957 to 1959 model years were absolutely of their time – longer and lower than the ‘55s and with even more brash body designs. But styling was only part of the story. The chassis frame was up to a foot wider than before, so the occupants were surrounded by it rather than sitting on top of it, and Ford lost no time in emphasising the additional safety this provided.

Customers had a choice of the Mileage Maker straight-six, V8 Y-Block and V8 FE engines, the last of these measuring as much as 5.8 litres. Those willing to pay more could have what Ford called ‘power assists’ – servo brakes, power steering, electric windows and four-way powered front seat adjustment. American buyers liked all this so much that Ford became the best-selling brand in the US, removing Chevrolet from a position it had held since 1935.

(PICTURE: Fairlane 500 Victoria Hardtop Coupe)

Ford Anglia (1959)

Of the four Anglias produced by Ford of Britain, the one introduced in 1959 was the most distinctive. This was mostly because of its shape, created by Elmwood Engel (1917-1986), who caused quite a stir by giving the new model a reverse-rake rear window, though for practical reasons this was used only for the saloon version and not the estate.

That feature didn’t survive the car, but its engine very much did. This was the first members of the Kent family, initially measuring 997cc and with its inlet and exhaust ports on the same side. Much larger Kents, with crossflow cylinder heads, would follow, and the engine would also become the basis for the overhead-camshaft Lotus Twin Cam and Cosworth BD series.

Ford Galaxie (1959)

The Galaxie started out as the most expensive car in the 1959 Ford range, and became independent in the following model year. The first-generation Galaxies were available with several engines, the most dramatic being the 7.0-litre FE V8, and despite their lack of presence on the UK market they became popular, and very successful, in British saloon car racing.

The Galaxie name was used for intimidatingly large Fords for a decade and a half before being phased out after the 1974 model year.

Ford Cortina (1962)

The odd-looking Consul Classic of 1961 was a long way from being Ford of Britain’s finest achievement, but fortunately it was followed almost immediately by the first-generation Cortina, introduced late the following year.

The Cortina was only on the market for four years, but demand was so high that Ford was able to build over a million saloons and estates, all with either 1.2- or 1.5-litre versions of the pre-crossflow Kent engine. Excitingly, the 1.5-litre GT introduced in April 1963 had an output of 78bhp, but it wasn’t the most powerful Cortina for long.

Lotus Cortina (1963)

Launched only a few months after the base model, the Lotus Cortina immediately became the most desirable of them all. As its name suggested, it was developed by Lotus, and featured that company’s Twin Cam engine, which was essentially a 1.5-litre pre-crossflow Kent with a double overhead camshaft cylinder head and had made its debut just a year before in the Elan.

It still had only two valves per cylinder, which now seems like a missed trick, but it produced an impressive 105bhp in standard form. It also responded very well to tuning, which led to great success in both circuit racing and rallying.

Ford Mustang (1964)

One of several possible definitions of a pony car is that it is a small, high-performance coupe or convertible designed and built in North America. The first of them is generally agreed to be the first-generation Mustang, which made its debut halfway through the 1964 model year – and quickly became a sales phenomenon.

Mustangs of this period could be powered by a straight-six engine, but the favoured unit was a V8. This could be a Windsor or a Cleveland or, for the really powerful models, an FE. The Boss 302 used briefly in 1969 and 1970 was a combination of two of these, consisting of the bottom half of a Windsor with the more free-flowing cylinder heads of the Cleveland (which wasn’t yet in full-scale production at the time) mounted on top.

Ford GT40 (1964)

Although it was sold as a road car (an exciting prospect), the GT40’s purpose was to compete successfully – or, in other words, to beat Ferrari – in endurance sports car racing. Powered by a mid-mounted 7.0-litre FE V8 engine, this incredibly low-slung supercar, named after its height in inches, did exactly what it was supposed to, winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1966 and 1967.

After that, a new rule was introduced, prohibiting the use of any engine with a capacity of over 5.0 litres. Ford responded by switching to the 4.9-litre Windsor V8, and won at Le Mans again in 1968 and 1969.

Ford Bronco (1965)

The Bronco was Ford’s first SUV, and was also available as a pickup truck and, briefly, as a roadster. To begin with, the only power source was a straight-six, but a V8 was soon added to the range. Sales peaked at just short of 26,000 in 1974, but quickly faded after that in the face of increasing competition from other manufacturers, and a much larger Bronco took the place of the original model in 1977.

Despite this, the original Bronco had nestled into the affections of North American motorists. A sixth version introduced in 2021, a quarter of a century after the demise of the fifth, was deliberately made to resemble its most distant ancestor.

Ford Transit (1965)

The Transit name was first used for a commercial vehicle developed by Ford of Germany and launched in the mid 1950s, but it’s generally accepted that the current line dates back to the British version which made its debut in October 1965. The most common engine type was a V4, which was so short and fitted so snugly under the bonnet that Transits with inline-four or V6 engines required nose extensions.

A 1977 facelift included a longer nose which could accommodate any engine Ford considered appropriate. While this is sometimes referred to as the Transit Mark II, a completely new model was not considered necessary until 1986, more than two decades after the launch of the original.

Ford Escort (1968)

The last Anglia was replaced by what is generally regarded as the first Escort (if you conveniently forget a not particularly successful estate car produced from 1955 to 1961). Unlike the car it followed, the Escort didn’t have a reverse-rake rear window, but it was appropriately smart and modern-looking for its time.

Available as a saloon, an estate and a van, it was mostly powered by the Kent engine (now with a crossflow cylinder head), but the Twin Cam had the Lotus-developed unit of the same name and the RS2000 used a 2.0-litre Pinto. Both were used to great effect in motorsport, though an even more potent engine would soon put them firmly in the shade.

Ford Corcel (1968)

Ford of Brazil inherited the Corcel project as a result of buying Willys-Overland’s local operation. In the 1960s, Willys built Renaults in the region, and had developed what became the Corcel using the technology of the Renault 12, which was not yet on sale anywhere in the world.

Although Ford did not create the Corcel, it did develop it during its production life, and almost completely redesigned it in 1977. Thanks to Ford’s efforts, the car remained on the market for nearly two decades, finally being discontinued in 1986.

Ford Capri (1969)

‘The car you always promised yourself’, as Ford called it, looked more exciting than it really was in most cases. Under the skin, it was basically a second-generation Cortina, but the exciting coupe bodywork made it seem like rather more than that.

Ford offered a tremendous variety of engines, from the 1.3-litre Kent to the 3.0-litre Essex V6. South African customers who wanted even more performance than the Essex could provide had the extra option of the Capri Perana, which was developed by Basil Green Motors of Johannesburg and used the 5.0-litre Windsor V8.

Ford Torino Talladega (1969)

The Torino Talladega was a very short-lived derivative of the Torino muscle car, produced only in early 1969. It was based on the SportsRoof fastback bodyshell, which had the most efficient rear-end aerodynamics in the range. Ford created a special nose for it to reduce aerodynamic drag still further.

The whole point of the exercise was to make the car competitive in NASCAR racing, for which Ford built only just enough examples to qualify. Along with the contemporary – and more or less identical – Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II, the Talladega was one of the four Aero Warriors designed for this purpose. They were extremely effective, so inevitably (because this sort of thing happens a lot in motorsport) they were first hobbled by the authorities and later banned altogether.

Ford Escort RS1600 (1970)

Beyond question, the RS1600 was the ultimate Mk1 Escort. Manufactured by Ford Advanced Vehicles Operation in Essex, it was powered by the Cosworth BDA engine, which in broad terms was the bottom end of a 1.6-litre crossflow Kent with a 16-valve twin overhead cam cylinder head on top.

As standard, the BDA produced 120bhp, but that figure barely hints at its full potential. In modified form, the RS1600 became Ford’s mainstay in rallying, and was also exceptionally successful in circuit racing.

Ford Granada (1972)

The (European) Granada Mk1 arrived in 1972, and this muscular machine was offered with the usual array of engine options, including Essex V6s in 2.5- and 3.0-litre guises, later replaced by more powerful Cologne V6s. The model continues for two generations, with a major facelift in 1981, which also birthed the 2.8i Ghia Executive – the car that ruled the company car park, and one that every business person would aspire to in that distant age before German brands owned this space.

Ford Capri RS3100 (1973)

For reasons too complicated to go into here, it was important to Ford’s success in Touring Car racing that it should have a production car whose engine capacity exceeded 3.0 litres. Excluding the 5.0-litre Perana, which didn’t count, the beefiest Capri was powered by the Essex V6, which fell slightly short. Ford got round this by simply increasing the bore slightly, which took the capacity to just under 3.1 litres.

This allowed Ford to fit its racing Capris with the 3.4-litre Cosworth GA engine, which was to the Essex what the BDA was to the Kent. The road-going version, called RS3100, was produced in very small numbers, and is now highly prized as much for its rarity as for its performance.

Ford F-150 (1975)

Although the F-Series line began back in 1948, as previously mentioned, the F-150 nameplate used today first appeared in 1975, during the sixth generation. The F-150 of that time was similar to the F-100, but had a slightly higher Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of just over 6000lb (2727kg).

This made it more practical than the F-100. Crucially, it also meant that the F-150 did not need to have a catalytic convertor or run on unleaded petrol. The combination of factors made the F-150 an instant hit, as it has remained ever since, though no longer for the same reasons.

Ford Escort (1975)

While the original Escort was entirely the work of Ford of Britain, the Mk2 was a joint venture with Ford of Germany. Despite this, there was almost no mechanical difference between the two cars, though the later model looked very different, and had more rear legroom and larger windows.

In 1976, the Escort was the most-registered car in the UK – partly, it has to be said, because the Cortina was in the middle of a transition from Mk3 to Mk4, but still. As with the Mk1, there were mildly sporty versions such as the RS2000 and the Mexico, along with an absolute fire-breather whose story is just a single click away.

Ford Escort RS1800 (1975)

The Mk2 equivalent of the RS1600 had a similar Cosworth BD series engine, this time measuring 1.8 litres in standard form but capable of being taken out to 2.0 litres. The intention, of course, was to maintain Ford’s success in rallying. Sure enough, Björn Waldegård (1943-2014), who won the inaugural World Rally Championship for Drivers in 1979, drove an RS1800 in most of the events that season. Ari Vatanen (born 1952) did the same two years later, after production of the Mk2 had ended.

Nearly half a century after it was introduced, the RS1800 is still regarded as one of the most exciting rally cars ever made. Many examples are competing today, several of them based on brand new bodyshells.

Ford Fiesta (1976)

Ford was a late entry into the European supermini class, already populated by the Fiat 127, Renault 5 and such, but the Fiesta was triumphant when it finally arrived. The first Ford with a transversely mounted engine driving the front wheels, it looked fabulous, had a reliable power source, and was efficiently spacious for its size.

The engine, known as Valencia, was actually an adapted Kent, offered initially in 957cc and 1117cc forms, then as a 1.3-litre and eventually, in the XR2 (pictured), as a 1.6. One major consequence of the Fiesta was that generations of young people would first learn to drive on – and inevitably also come to own early in their lives – a Ford.

Ford Ranger (1982)

The first Ford-badged compact pickup truck sold in North America was the Courier, which was to all intents and purposes a second-generation Mazda B-Series. While this worked well for both companies, providing extra revenue for Mazda and a straightforward entry into a new market sector for Ford, the latter soon decided it was time to create a small truck of its own.

The resulting first-generation Ranger bore some resemblance to the contemporary F-Series, but it was far smaller. Despite strong competition from the Chevrolet S-10 and its corporate cousin, the GMC S-15, the Ranger was a success, and remained on sale for a full decade before being replaced by a new version which looked very different but was mechanically similar.

Ford Sierra (1982)

Retaining rear-wheel drive for a medium-sized European family car in the early 1980s did not suggest forward thinking, but the main public objections to the Sierra on its introduction were that it looked (or was said to look) like a jelly mould and it wasn’t called Cortina.

The fuss soon abated, and the Sierra quickly became a common sight on roads across Europe. As usual, the choice of engines was very wide, and you could have a hatchback, an estate or a three-box saloon, though the latter was called Sapphire. There were even four-wheel drive versions.

Ford RS200 (1984)

Ford was one of the few rallying manufacturers of the Group B era to take advantage of the fact that a car didn’t have to resemble a mainstream model as long as you built a few hundred examples of it for road use. The mid-engined, fibreglass-bodied RS200 therefore looked nothing like any other Ford model, and was designed from the ground up for competition use.

There’s no doubt that it had a great deal of potential, but it was used in World Championship events only in 1986, achieving a best result of third in Sweden. This should have been a development year, but Group B was cancelled at the end of the season, and so was Ford’s project. RS200s subsequently competed with great success in rallycross and at the Pikes Peak hillclimb, but that wasn’t quite the same thing.

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth (1985)

The ‘Cossie’, as it’s affectionately known, had a 2.0-litre engine with a Cosworth twin-cam 16-valve cylinder head and a turbocharger. A later derivative called the RS500 (pictured), launched in 1987, produced roughly the same power in standard form, but could be tuned far higher within international motorsport regulations – figures of over 600bhp were eventually achieved.

RS Cosworths were the dominant cars in Touring Car racing for several years. With the abandonment of Group B, they were also used for rallying with some success, though at world level they were never going to be able to keep up with the four-wheel drive opposition.

Ford Explorer (1990)

Like the preceding Bronco II, the Explorer was an SUV based on the underpinnings of the first-generation Ranger pickup truck, but it was considerably larger and, unlike the Bronco II, available in five-door as well as three-door form.

Powered only by the 4.0-litre pushrod Cologne V6 engine, the first-generation Explorer had rear-wheel drive as standard, though four-wheel drive was also available. Public enthusiasm was high – the vehicle found well over 200,000 buyers in almost every year before it was replaced in 1995.

Ford Mondeo (1993)

The Mondeo was the first medium-sized European Ford with front-wheel drive. Launched only 11 years after the Sierra, it felt like something from a completely different era, not least because it was an excellent driver’s car even in its most basic form.

Only the third Ford in three decades to win the Europe-based Car of the Year award, it was available as a saloon, a hatchback and an estate, and with engines ranging from a 1.6-litre four-cylinder to a 2.5-litre V6. With a smaller engine line-up and just one body style, the same car was later reworked for North American markets, where it was sold as the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

Ford Galaxy (1995)

Completely unrelated to the much earlier Galaxie (though the names sounded identical), the Galaxy was, by European standards, a very large MPV. A little like the Corcel, it wasn’t entirely a Ford project, though Ford had more input to the design this time round.

In fact, the Galaxy was a joint venture between Ford and the Volkswagen Group. Essentially the same vehicle was also sold as the VW Sharan and the Seat Alhambra. The tie-up lasted for only one generation – the second Galaxy, launched in 2006, was entirely Ford’s work.

Ford Focus (1998)

Ever since the adoption of front-wheel drive in 1980, all generations of Escort had been criticised for not being as good as they should be in one way or another. The last version’s 1998 successor, by contrast, was immediately hailed as one of the best medium-sized cars on the market. The New Edge styling was smart and modern, and the clever ‘control blade’ rear suspension was enormously effective.

The Focus was available as a hatchback, an estate and a not particularly pretty saloon. Petrol engines ranged in size from 1.4 to 2.0 litres. The original TDDi 1.8-litre diesel engine was disappointing, so the TDCi which replaced it in 2001 came as a welcome relief.

Ford Focus RS (2001)

Ford did its best to compare the first Focus RS to its World Rally version, but there was very little connection between the two. Despite that, the RS was a very effective hot hatch, slightly spoiled by torque steer which was blamed – quite wrongly – on the limited slip differential. (The problem was due to the front suspension design, which was revised for the second-generation car.)

A much later Focus RS would have four-wheel drive, but this one didn’t. A journalist who asked why this was the case at the media launch received two contradictory replies within ten seconds. “It doesn’t need it,” said a PR person, as PR people do. “We couldn’t afford it,” said an engineer, as engineers do.

Ford GT (2004)

35 years after the last GT40 was built, Ford launched a successor model called the GT, as part of the company’s 100th birthday celebrations. Like the car which inspired it, it was a two-seater with a mid-mounted V8 engine, in this case a supercharged version of the 5.4-litre Modular unit. In a reverse of the earlier procedure, it was created specifically as a road-going model, though racing derivatives were also made.

This GT was produced for only two years. Another, fitted with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6, made its debut in 2016.

Ford Mustang (2004)

Ford applied what has become known as retro-futurism to the fifth-generation Mustang, giving it the character of the original 1960s version without actually making it look the same. The Mustang now looked once more like a muscle car, which had not been the case since 1979.

Mustangs of this era were available with V6 engines, but the most common layout was of course the V8. The supercharged 5.8-litre unit of this type fitted to the 2013 Shelby GT500 produced 662bhp, and gave the car a claimed top speed of over 200mph.

Ford Fiesta (2008)

The contrast between the last Escort and the first Focus was echoed ten years later when Ford introduced a new Fiesta. It was far better than its predecessor, and quickly became the most popular car sold in the UK; it topped the charts without interruption from 2009 until it ended in 2017. Its chassis was so good Ford carried it over to the following generation – and that car remains a class-leader in drivability; sad to say this quintessential small modern Ford will die shortly.

Ford Ranger (2011)

For many years, the Ranger name was used for quite distinct pickup trucks sold either in or outside North America. That changed in 2011, when a global Ranger was launched. Developed by Ford of Australia, it surpassed all previous versions in several areas including refinement and safety. On the latter point, it became the first ever pickup to be given the maximum five-star rating by Euro NCAP.

Despite its global nature, the new Ranger was not sold in the US or Canada for several years, but this was resolved when it became available in both countries in the 2019 model year.

Ford Focus RS (2015)

The third (and almost certainly final) Focus RS was the first with four-wheel drive, and therefore easily capable of coping with the 345bhp produced by its turbocharged 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine in standard form. Nor was there a problem if the car happened to be fitted with the Mountune performance package, which raised the output to 375bhp without invalidating the factory warranty.

By way of electronic trickery, Ford was able to offer a drift mode, for owners who liked that sort of thing, and launch control, though in independent testing the latter made very little difference to the car’s already tremendous ability to leap away from a standing start.

Ford F-Series Lightning (2022)

The F-Series success story was extended still further when the fourteenth-generation model arrived in the 2021 model year. Highlights included the introduction of the F-150 Lightning, the first all-electric model in the history of the range. As the world goes electric, this is surely an important milestone.

With the help of this latest version, the F-Series was the best-selling truck in the US for the 46th consecutive year by the end of 2022, and the best-selling vehicle of any kind for the 41st. Strictly speaking, the rival full-size mainstream pickups produced by General Motors are slightly more popular, but they are divided into the mechanically identical but differently badged Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, neither of which individually outsells the Ford.

The longest-living car engines

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:04:54 +0100

Tried and trusted engines can survive in production for decades – often far longer than the cars in which they’re fitted. These are the longest survivors

The engine world as we know it is changing.

The advent of electrification means that the days of us being able to worship legendary engines in the future may well just not happen. The industry is yet to make legends of any of the raft of new electric motors now being installed in the wave of electric vehicles, and we can’t see that changing anytime soon. Time, then, to salute the units of the past and present that have character, class – and lived a long time. Here are the longest running of the lot:

Opel CIH: 1965-1995 (30 years)

The Opel CIH from General Motors’ (GM) European arm was a highly flexible series of engines that featured four or six cylinders, with sizes ranging from 1.5-litres up to 3.6-litres. The most well-known cars fitted with Opel’s Cam In Head engine were the Ascona, Kadett and Manta (pictured).

The CIH actually made its debut in the second-generation Rekord, and was still being used in 1995 in the Isuzu MU SUV, sold in the UK as the Vauxhall Frontera.

Opel CIH: 1965-1995 (30 years)

USED IN:

CHEVROLET 1700, DAEWOO Royale, HOLDEN: Sunbird, Torana, ISUZU MU. OPEL: Ascona, GT, Kadett (pictured), Manta, Olympia, Omega, Rekord, Ranger, Saehan Rekord, VAUXHALL: Carlton, Vauxhall Cavalier, Vauxhall Frontera.

Ford Modular V8: 1990-present (36 years & counting)

Ford has been downsizing its petrol engines for a long time now, especially around its EcoBoost units. So it’s easy to forget that Ford’s V8 has been around for well over three decades now. Finished in cast iron but with weight-saving aluminum-alloy heads and pistons, its size ranges from 4.6-litre to 5.8-litre; there was even a V10 6.8-litre version used mainly in the Super Duty F-Series. Highly adaptable, the engine has also powered 240mph supercars, with the engine cranked out to 817 hp. Today it’s built at Ford’s plant in Windsor, Ontario.

Ford Modular V8: 1990-present (36 years & counting)

USED IN:

FORD F-Series, E-Series, Expedition, Mustang, Crown Victoria, Thunderbird, Falcon, MERCURY Grand Marquis, Cougar, Mountaineer, Marauder, LINCOLN Mark VIII, Town Car, Navigator, Continental, Aviator, ROVER 75 V8, MARCOS Mantis, PANOZ Esperante, MG X-Power SV, ZT 260, QVALE Mangusta, KOENIGSEGG CC8, CCR (pictured), INVICTA S1.

Rover V8: 1967-2004 (37 years)

This all-aluminum engine was based on the Buick 215 (born in 1960), used in both Buicks and Pontiacs. General Motors abandoned it for reasons of expense and unreliability, then sold it to Rover, which redesigned it and made it much more dependable.

With an excellent combination of power, torque and light weight, it featured in Rovers (like the SD1 3500, pictured), Land Rovers, MGs, Morgans and TVRs. Starting life as a 3.5-litre, it ended its days as a 4.6-litre, as fitted to the Range Rover.

Rover V8: 1967-2004 (37 years)

EXCLUDING ITS GM DAYS, IT WAS USED IN:

GINETTA G33, LAND ROVER: Series II, 110/130, Defender, Discovery, Range Rover (pictured), LEYLAND P76, MGB GT V8, MG RV8, MORGAN Plus 8, ROVER: P5, P6, SD1, TRIUMPH TR8. TVR: 350i, Chimaera, Griffith, V8S.

AMC Straight Six: 1964-2006 (42 years)

American Motors Corporation first put its new inline six-cylinder engine into a special version of the 1964 Rambler called the Typhoon. In 4.0-litre form it was one of the best features of the first Jeep Cherokee (pictured), and was still being fitted to the Wrangler as late as 2006.

AMC Straight Six: 1964-2006 (42 years)

USED IN:

AMC: Concord, Eagle, Gremlin, Hornet, Javelin, Matador, Pacer, Rebel, Spirit. JEEP: CJ, Cherokee, Comanche, Commando, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler (pictured), Wagoneer, PARS KHODRO: Arya, Shahin, RAMBLER: Ambassador, American, Marlin, Rebel, Typhoon, RENAULT Rambler.

Citroën 2CV: 1948-1990 (42 years)

Citroën’s air-cooled two-cylinder, ranging in size from 375cc to 602cc, lasted the entire life of the 2CV, which might have begun nine years earlier if war hadn’t got in the way. The engine was also used in the Ami, Dyane and Mehari. A 652cc development of it later appeared in the Visa.

Citroën 2CV: 1948-1990 (42 years)

USED IN:

CITROËN: 2CV (pictured), Acadiane, Ami, Bijou, Dyane, Mehari.

Ferrari Colombo V12: 1947-1989 (42 years)

Shortly after World War 2, Enzo Ferrari (pictured center) asked engineer Gioacchino Colombo what he would do with a 1500cc engine. Colombo replied that “Maserati has four cylinders, the British have six, Alfa Romeo has eight, so we should have 12.” Enzo entirely agreed, and Colombo’s resulting brilliant V12 was at the heart of a great many 20th-century Ferraris.

Ferrari Colombo V12: 1947-1989 (42 years)

It appeared in the very first Ferrari-badged car, the 1.5-litre 125 S sports racer, and stayed around (after decades of development and an increase in size to 4.9-litres) until production of the 412 grand tourer came to an end in 1989.

USED IN:

FERRARI: 125 S, 250 (pictured), 275, 330, 365, 400, 412, Daytona, Superamerica.

Jaguar XK: 1949-1992 (43 years)

The six-cylinder XK became available to the public when the XK120 (pictured) went into full-scale production in 1950, and for two decades after that it was the only engine fitted to any Jaguar. Born as a 3.4-litre, it went as small as a 2.4-litre and as large as 4.2-litres.

Jaguar XK: 1949-1992 (43 years)

Its swansong was its appearance in the Daimler DS420 limousine (pictured).

USED IN:

DAIMLER: DS420, Sovereign, JAGUAR: 240, 3.4-litre, 420, S-Type (1960s), E-Type, Mark 2, Mark 7, Mark 8, XJ6, XK120, XK140, XK150, XK SS, PANTHER: De Ville, Panther J72.

Renault Cléon-Fonte: 1962-2004 (42 years)

Named after a factory in Normandy and the French word for cast iron, the Cléon-Fonte appeared in 1962 in the Caravelle sports car (as an 845cc), the Estafette van and the 8 sedan (pictured), the latter being the first vehicle specifically designed to use it. Its last appearance was in a Dacia, by which time it had been enlarged to as much as 1.6 litres.

Renault Cléon-Fonte: 1962-2004 (42 years)

USED IN:

Alpine A110, DACIA: 1100, 1300/1310, DAF: 55, 66, RENAULT: 4, 5 (sold as Le Car in USA, pictured), 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 18, 19, Caravelle, Estafette, Fuego, Twingo, VOLVO: 343/345, 66.

Alfa Romeo Twin Cam: 1954-1997 (43 years)

This twin overhead-camshaft engine was used for more than four decades in front-engined, rear-wheel drive Alfas, from the 1.3-litre Giulietta (pictured) to the 164 eight-valve 2.0-litre Twin Spark which went out of production in 1997. 16-valve Twin Sparks were based on a later engine designed by Fiat.

Alfa Romeo Twin Cam: 1954-1997 (43 years)

USED IN:

ALFA ROMEO: 155, 164 (pictured), 1750, 1750 Berlina, 2000, 2000 Berlina, 75, 90, Alfetta, Giulia, Giulietta, Gran Sport Quattroruote, GTA, GTV, Romeo, Spider (1966-1994).

Ford Kent: 1959-2002 (43 years)

The Kent name is used for an engine which first appeared in the British Ford Anglia (pictured - a model today most famous for its appearances in the Harry Potter movies); it was updated with a crossflow cylinder head in 1967. Later versions for front-wheel drive cars are known as Valencia. Lotus and Cosworth used the Kent as a basis for high-performance engines including the Twin Cam and the BDA.

Ford Kent: 1959-2002 (43 years)

USED IN:

CATERHAM Seven, FORD: Anglia, Capri, Consul Classic, Consul Capri, Corsair, Cortina, Escort, Fiesta, Ka (pictured), Orion, Prefect 107E, LOTUS: Elan, Seven, MARCOS GT, MORGAN 4/4, TVR: 1600M, Grantura, Vixen.

Fiat 100 Series: 1955-2001 (46 years)

The first engine fitted to the rear of any Fiat was the 100 Series, which made its debut in 633cc form in the 600 (pictured) of 1955. Available in many sizes from then on, up to 1055cc, it just made it into the 21st century before Fiat withdrew it from the Panda range early in 2001.

Fiat 100 Series: 1955-2001 (46 years)

USED IN:

ABARTH Spyder 210 A, AUTOBIANCHI A112, FIAT: 127, 600, 850, 900T, Cinquecento, Panda (pictured), Seicento, Uno, FIAT-ABARTH: 750, 850, 1000, OT, GIANNINI: 1000, LOMBARDI Grand Prix, NECKAR Jagst, OTAS Grand Prix 820, SEAT: 127, 133, 600, 800, 850, Ibiza Mk1, Marbella, Panda, YUGO 45, ZASTAVA: 600/750/850, Koral.

Buick V6: 1962-2009 (47 years)

This became the first V6 to power a volume-produced American car when it was fitted to the Buick Special (pictured), as a 3.2-litre. Manufacturing rights were briefly held by Kaiser-Jeep until GM bought them back. The last car among many in the GM empire to use it was the first-generation Buick LaCrosse, which went out of production in 2009, by which time the engine was a 3.8-litre.

Buick V6: 1962-2009 (47 years)

USED IN:

BUICK: Century, Electra, LaCrosse (pictured), LeSabre, Regal, Riviera, Skyhawk, Skylark, Special, CADILLAC: DeVille, Seville, CHEVROLET: Camaro, El Camino, Impala, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Monza, HOLDEN: Caprice, Commodore, JEEP: CJ, Jeepster Commando, OLDSMOBILE: 98, Achieva, Cutlass Ciera, Cutlass Supreme, Delta 88, Omega, Starfire, Toronado, PONTIAC: Bonneville, Firebird, Grand Am, Grand Prix, LeMans, Sunbird, Ventura.

BMC A-Series: 1951-2000 (49 years)

From the first Austin A30 to the last classic Mini, the A-Series and the highly developed but technically similar A-Plus were used in a bewildering variety of mass-market British cars. It was also a cheap and usually reliable power source for many low-volume sports cars, kitcars and home-built specials. Originally 803cc in size offering just 28 hp, it maxed out as a 1275cc with 95 hp of output, powering the MG Metro Turbo.

BMC A-Series: 1951-2000 (49 years)

USED IN:

AUSTIN: 1100/1300, A30, A35, A40, Allegro, Austin-Healey Sprite, Metro, INNOCENTI: Mini, Regent, Spyder, MG: 1100/1300, Midget, Mini: Mini (pictured), Cord, Jem, Marcos, Moke, MORRIS: 1100/1300, Minor, RILEY: Elf, Kestrel 1300, VANDEN PLAS Princess 1100/1300, WOLSELEY: 1100/1300, Hornet.

Ford Windsor V8: 1961-present (65 years & counting)

The Windsor is a medium-sized V8 fitted initially to the fourth-generation Fairlane (pictured) and later to many other Fords, as well as the Sunbeam Tiger and AC Cobra. Last placed in the Ford Explorer in 2001, it’s no longer used for any production car, but Ford will still sell you a new ‘crate’ engine to do with as you will.

The Windsor began life as a 3.6-litre, but got as large as 5.8-litres in the ‘351W’. Among many other cars, this version was fitted to the Ford LTD Crown Victoria in 1982-1991 – but only for police departments.

Ford Windsor V8: 1961-present (65 years & counting)

USED IN:

AC Cobra (pictured), CONTINENTAL: Mark 6 (pictured), Mark 7, FORD: Bronco, Country Squire, Econoline, Elite, Explorer, E-Series, F-Series, Fairlane, Fairmont, Falcon, Falcon Ranchero, Galaxie, Granada (North America), GT40, LTD, LTD Crown Victoria, Mustang, Thunderbird, Torino, LINCOLN: Continental, Mark 7, Town Car, Versailles, MERCURY: Colony Park, Cougar, Cyclone, Grand Marquis, Marquis, Meteor, Monarch, Montego, Mountaineer, Zephyr, SALEEN: S7, SHELBY GT350, SUNBEAM Tiger.

Rolls-Royce L-Series: 1959-2020 (61 years)

The L-Series is Britain’s longest-lived engine, and Rolls-Royce’s second V8. It made its debut in the Silver Cloud II (pictured) and Phantom V and the Bentley S2, though BMW-owned Rolls-Royce no longer has the rights to use it.

It started life as a 6.2-litre, with 188 hp, but died in the Bentley Mulsanne, which left production in 2020.

Rolls-Royce L-Series: 1959-2020 (61 years)

At the end fitted with twin-turbochargers, as a 6.75-litre in the Mulsanne Speed (pictured) it delivered 530bhp and a thunderous 190mph top speed. The engine had its last day of production on 1 June 2020, and was fitted to the final Mulsanne, a 6.75 Edition by Mulliner special edition, of which just 30 were produced. It marks the end of an era: 36,000 or so L-Series engines were produced, with perhaps a majority of these still in existence in some form today.

The Mulsanne will probably be replaced as the flagship of Bentley’s range with, we believe, an ultra-posh variant of the Bentayga SUV, probably powered by the W12 engine developed by parent Volkswagen.

USED IN:

BENTLEY: Arnage, Azure, Brooklands, Continental (pre-2003), Eight, Mulsanne, S2, S3, T-Series, Turbo, ROLLS-ROYCE: Camargue, Corniche, Phantom V and VI, Silver Spirit, Silver Spur, Silver Cloud II and III, Silver Shadow.

Chevrolet Small Block: 1955-present (71 years & counting)

The Small Block V8 was first used as a 4.3-litre in the Chevrolet Corvette (’58 model pictured) and the much larger Bel Air sedan in 1955, and appeared in many GM cars and trucks after that. Like the Ford Windsor, it is available nowadays from GM only as a ‘crate’ engine, available to buy to keep an older car going. Total production is believed to be well over 100 million.

Chevrolet Small Block: 1955-present (71 years & counting)

USED IN:

ACADIAN, BEAUMONT, BUICK Roadmaster, CADILLAC: Brougham, Escalade, Fleetwood, Fleetwood Sixty Special (pictured), CHECKER Marathon, Taxi, CHEVROLET: Bel Air, Camaro, Caprice, Chevelle, Corvette, El Camino, Express, Impala, Monte Carlo, Monza, Nova, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC: Carryall, Savana, Sierra, Suburban, Yukon, GORDON KEEBLE, HUMMER H1, ISO: Grifo, Lele, OLDSMOBILE: Custom Cruiser, Omega, Starfire, PONTIAC: Bonneville, Firebird, Grand LeMans, Grand Prix, Parisienne, Sunbird, Ventura.

Volkswagen Type 1: 1938-2003 (65 years)

The Type 1 was the air-cooled flat-four cylinder engine designed for the original Volkswagen (nicknamed the Beetle though it was never officially called that) and used for many years in other small VWs.

It first appeared in 1938 as 985cc (with output of 24 hp) and did not stop being built until Mexican production of the Beetle ended in 2003.

PICTURE: 1303 GSR engine.

Volkswagen Type 1: 1938-2003 (65 years)

By this late period (pictured) time the engine was a 1.6-litre, with fuel-injection, delivering 51 hp. Apart from its engine’s record, the car itself also holds the record for the longest ‘single-shape’ production run car so far produced.

USED IN:

VOLKSWAGEN: 1500/1600, 411/412, Karmann Ghia, Type 1 (Beetle), Type 2 (Kombi/Microbus/Transporter).

The best German cars ever made

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 08:04:38 +0100

Germany is famous as the home of some of the world's great car makers. We look at some of the cars they've built that we think are the best

Germany is one of the most prolific car-building nations in the world.

This in turn gives it a brilliant back catalogue of all types of car. Here, we choose the best Germany has to offer from the present and past, arranged in alphabetical order:

Alpina B3

There has been an Alpina B3 for every generation of BMW 3 Series, with the tuning firm adding more than a sprinkle of extra performance. It all started with the B3 2.7 based on the E30 3 Series and since then these bespoke models have offered a subtle, fast alternative BMW’s own M3 models.

Where Alpina has often found favour with buyers has been its ability to upgrade the 3 Series where BMW has not. Anyone who disappointed by the lack of an M3 Touring would soon find Alpina only too happy to build them a B3 Touring.

Audi Quattro

This is the car that Audi has based its entire modern brand on. It created not just the name but the legend of the Quattro all-wheel drive system thanks to the company’s desire to go rallying. The original idea for the four-wheel drive layout came from a military truck, but it was quickly refined to become a world-beater on stage and road.

The Quattro 20v survived in production until 1991, long after it was supposed to have been phased out, but demand from UK buyers saw it carry on. It’s also considered the best of the bunch to drive.

Audi R8

Like the original TT, Audi took a concept car and turned it into a production reality with the R8. Its genesis was the Le Mans concept and the road car looked little changed. Its dramatic style put Audi right into contention with the Porsche 911 for title of most practical supercar as the first 4.2-litre V8 was and is very easy to live with and handling that flatters even very average drivers.

The R8 V10 shares its engine with the Lamborghini Gallardo and Huracan. Audi also briefly offered the R8 e-tron all-electric version in 2015, but fewer than 100 were produced.

Audi TT

It did not matter that the first Audi TT was based on the humble Mk4 Volkswagen Golf platform - here was a car that outdid rivals from BMW, Mercedes and Porsche in the style stakes. Waiting lists were long for the first TT coupe, which went on sale in late 1998. Even a recall for an optional rear spoiler to be added, which solved a potential high speed instability concern, could not dampen buyers’ enthusiasm.

Four-wheel drive was standard on the 225bhp models and an option with the 180bhp version. A 3.2-litre V6 arrived in 2003, but a 225 Coupe is the one to have as the first TT becomes collectible.

Bitter SC

Erich Bitter started his company in 1969 to offer bespoke cars based on Opel platforms and running gear. The firm really hit its stride with the handsome SC, offered in saloon, coupe and convertible forms. Initially, the 180bhp Opel 3.0-litre engine was a bit underwhelming, but a tuned 3.5-litre unit with 210bhp solved this and delivered 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds and 140mph.

Sales of the SC went on at a trickle between 1979 and 1989, with 458 made in total and some even had a Ferguson four-wheel drive system fitted.

BMW 2002

The 1502 and 1602 introduced the world to small BMW saloons, but it was the 2002 that set the template for those that followed, notably the 3 Series. With 100bhp, the 2.0-litre engine of the 2002 gave it a top speed of more than 100mph when most rivals struggled the nudge 90mph.

Then BMW introduced the 2002tii with 130bhp, fuel injection and 120mph. That was then topped by the rare Turbo, offering a heady 170bhp and tail-happy handling.

BMW E30 M3

Not just one of the best cars from Germany, BMW’s first M3 helped to define the 1980s as a decade. It came with blistered wheelarches, low stance and was a bespoke model with a completely different rear window angle to the standard 3 Series two-door model. Originally BMW planned 5000 cars to qualify for the European Touring Car Championship, but demand dictated a final tally of 17,184 E30 M3s.

The Sport Evolution was the ultimate E30 M3, complete with a 238bhp 2.5-litre engine and only 600 built.

BMW 5 Series

BMW’s stalwart 5 Series made its debut in 1972 with the four-cylinder versions of the E12 generation, followed a year later by the six-pot models. However, it’s the fourth generation E39 that is the definitive 5 Series. Unbeaten in almost every magazine comparison test, the E39 offered something for every middle manager form the entry-point 520i to the supreme M5. A sales hit for BMW, up to 250,000 E39s were made in a year and sales totalled almost 1.5 million.

Borgward Isabella

The Borgward Isabella could be considered Germany’s answer to the Lancia Aurelia as it was pretty, cleverly engineered and good to drive. The saloon Isabella, named after company founder Carl Borgward’s wife, arrived in 1954with a 1.5-litre engine featuring an alloy cylinder head. It was joined by the coupe a year later, along with a very rare cabriolet.

Not common outside of Germany, Borgward still sold 202,862 Isabellas during a seven-year production run.

Ford Capri

The Ford Capri has Anglo-German roots, being built in both the UK and Germany as Europe’s answer to the Mustang in the US. It was a runaway success, with more almost 1.9 million sold altogether across three generations. The most powerful early models used the Essex V6 engine, which took its name from the county where it was born in the UK, but European buyers were offered a Cologne V6 in 2.0- and 2.3-litre capacities.

Ford then used the German-made Cologne V6 as the basis of the RS2600 in 1971 to homologate the Capri for racing in the European Touring Car Championship.

Ford Puma

Ford nailed it when the Cologne-built Puma coupe was launched in 1997. There may have been Fiesta underpinnings, but they delivered superb handling and a zingy 1.7-litre engine added to the fun. This motor was built with help from Yamaha, which designed the cylinder head, which gave the motor its free-revving nature and 123bhp.

The Puma Racing’s engine had an extra 30bhp at 153bhp, bulging wheelarches, and handling developed by Ford’s racing department.

Ford Sierra

While anything with ‘Cosworth’ in the name garners instant attention, it’s easy to overlook the mainstream Ford Sierra. Its smooth styling and hatchback were radical departures from the Cortina’s, though underneath the mechanical similarities were much more obvious. Wagon, saloon, hot hatch, and four-wheel drive models were all added to the line-up to give a sales total of 3.44 million.

The Sierra was styled by Patrick Le Quément, who went on to shape the Renaults Twingo, Megane, Vel Satis, and Avantime.

Melkus

It’s a credit to company founder Heinz Melkus that he managed to build any of his sleek RS1000 coupes under the communist dictatorship of East Germany. Using the three-cylinder 1.0-litre two-stroke engine from a Wartburg, the firm managed to build 101 RS1000s, and it also made a Formula Junior single-seater using the same mechanical base.

Melkus ended production in 1986, but the company was reformed by Heinz’s son Peter in 2006 to offer the RS2000 between 2009 and 2012.

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

The ubiquity of the first Mercedes A-Class during its on-sale life masks how important this car was. It was the German firm’s first move into the small hatch sector up against the might of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. Yet the A-Class found considerable success, selling 1.4 million cars in its seven-year run.

The sandwich floor design made the A-Class very safe in a collision, directing the engine under the passenger compartment to protect occupants’ feet and legs.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

At one point, the E-Class accounted for one in every five Mercedes sold worldwide. It remains a hugely important model, but it was never more emblematic of the company than in its late 1980s W124 form. Its build quality and reliability are still legendary and explain why so many of this generation E-Class are still in daily use around the world.

Mercedes also offered a handsome coupe and convertible based on the W124 platform, setting a trend that continues to this day for sleeker E-Class variants.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The go-to luxury car for decades, the Mercedes S-Class has been with us since 1965, giving captains of industry somewhere comfortable to relax. Mercedes has offered long-wheelbase SEL versions of the S-Class since the start, recognising that many owners prefer to enjoy their car from the back seat.

For those customers keener on driving the S-Class, Mercedes originally filled that gap with the 300SEL 6.3 that could cover 0-60mph in 5.7 seconds and hit 141mph. This was in 1967, making it the forerunner of modern AMG versions. PHOTO: Latest generation model

Mercedes-Benz SL

You could pick any era of Mercedes SL and make the case for it as one of Germany’s finest cars. The 1971 R107 model makes an especially compelling argument, but we’d counter with the R230 of 2001 as peak SL. Its looks have not aged, it remains great to drive and the SL55 AMG is as fast as you’ll ever need from a car. Add in the folding metal roof and it’s a superb convertible and coupe.

The SL65 AMG Black Series of 2008 used a 661bhp twin-turbo V12 engine, weighed 250kg less than an SL600, and had its top speed electronically limited to 199mph. A new generation SL has just been unveiled, and we should see it on the road in 2022.

NSU Ro80

The NSU Ro80 was made Car of the Year in the 1968, largely due to its forward-thinking styling and use of a twin-rotor Wankel rotary engine. It was undoubtedly a clever car that could cruise smoothly at high speeds. Sadly, that engine proved unreliable and only 37,204 Ro80s were made over its 11-year life before Volkswagen pulled down the shutters on the NSU name.

Modern technology has solved the rotor tip wear of the Wankel engine, making the Ro80 a desirable classic. Imperfect certainly, but we call the car great because of what it tried to do.

Opel Manta

Opel was quick to respond to Ford’s Capri with its Manta coupe, a car that also looked to US muscle cars for its style. The first-generation model, the Manta A, was good, but the B version that followed was great. Better looking, more spacious and, crucially, fine handling. It made full use of its 110bhp in 2.0-litre GT/E form and it outlasted the Capri to carry on till 1988, by which time 603,000 of them had been built.

Opel created the Manta 400 Group B rally car in 1983. Its rear-drive platform was outdated from the moment it arrived against all-wheel drive rivals, but it still put in strong performances on tarmac events.

Opel Monza

Vauxhall’s Senator was a fine alternative to the Ford Granada, while its handsome Opel Monza sibling had the filed to itself by the late 1970s for affordable mainstream large coupes. At its best in 3.0-litre GS/E form with 180bhp, the Monza could crack 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds and top 120mph. The GS/E was also notable for its digital dash display.

Porsche 356

The first 49 Porsche 356s were built in Gmünd, Austria, but this tiny sports car is forever associated with Germany and creator Ferry Porsche. With modest power outputs in most models, the 356 relied on it light weight, aerodynamics and superb handling to beat the opposition. Success in the US gave the company stability and the 356 set the design layout for the 911 that succeeded it.

The 356 continued in production alongside the 911 into 1965 as some buyers still wanted the earlier car’s looks and smaller engine.

Porsche 911

Has a car ever been more intrinsically linked to the firm that makes it? It’s impossible to think of Porsche without the 911’s influence. It’s been around since 1964 with a silhouette that ‘s unchanged, even if the car’s size and power outputs have grown considerably. For some, the air-cooled models will always be the 911s to have, but the water-cooled 996 brought the 911 into the modern age.

Production of water-cooled 911s far exceeds that of air-cooled models, with 443,134 of the earlier models made compared to more than 600,000 of the later cars made from 1998.

Porsche 928

Had Porsche carried through with its plan to replace the 911 with the 928, the company would look very different now. Fortunately, the 928 was launched alongside the 911 as a grand touring luxury coupe, and it fulfilled this role perfectly. A 4.5-litre V8 with 240bhp offered 150mph cruising and the engine grew in capacity and power throughout its life to remain competitive.

The end of the line 928 GTS had a 5.4-litre motor producing 345bhp and Porsche also built a Clubsport model for those who wanted a 928 with sharper handling.

Porsche Boxster

Porsche faced tough times in the mid-1990s and the Boxster was its route out of the financial mire. It did this by tempting in new, younger buyers with the mid-engined roadster that had just enough performance to thrill without intimidating these customers. The plan worked, helped by the Boxster and new 996 generation of 911 sharing everything from the windscreen forward.

Demand for the Boxster was so great that from 1997 Porsche used a second factory in Finland run by Valmet.

Ruf CTR

Mention the name ‘Yellowbird’ and any petrol-fuelled enthusiast will know exactly which car and video you’re talking about. The Ruf CTR was made famous by a film of the bright yellow company demonstrator bullying its way around the Nürburgring. It instantly created a legend and cemented Ruf as a serious tuning company.

The original CTR had a 3.4-litre, 463bhp turbocharged engine, but it was based on the 3.2-litre Carrera rather than the 911 Turbo. This was because the 3.2 base was lighter and more aerodynamic. PICTURE: 2020 revival model

Smart Fortwo

The Smart Fortwo was a bubble car for modern times, addressing the need for a more compact, efficient city car. Its party trick was being able to park nose in to the kerb as it was as long as most cars were wide. Early Smarts were powered by a 599cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine, which resulted in 0-60mph in a leisurely 17.2 seconds.

The plastic body panels of the Fortwo were designed to be easily swapped so owners could change the car’s colour whenever they fancied, though the idea never took off.

Trabant

Trabant launched its first car in 1957 as a car for the people of East Germany, though the usual wait to get hold of one was around 10 years. If it wasn’t for Trabant having a state monopoly on new car sales during the communist era, few would have wanted this poorly made machine with its wheezy two-stroke, two-cylinder engine.

However, the Trabant was ingenious in one respect – and thus deserves a place in this story - as the body panels were made from Duroplast, a plastic made from recycled cotton waste.

Volkswagen Beetle

Not just a German, the German car. Originally intended as the car of the people for Hitler’s Germany and designed before the Second World War but barely produced before the war interrupted, it was the British Army that got production of the Volkswagen Beetle properly up and running in 1946. These early cars had just 25bhp, but the VW proved durable and easy to keep running.

The final VW Beetle of this original design rolled off the line in Mexico in 2003, after some 21.5 million cars had been produced.

Volkswagen Golf

A default choice for many drivers, it’s easy to see why when the Volkswagen Golf has consistently evolved to meet the needs and desires of a broad band of drivers. Whether it’s simple family transport, hot hatch, convertible, or high performance you’re after, the Golf does it and does it very well.

The first Golf Cabriolet remained in production until 1993 due to the prohibitive cost of turning the Mk2 hatch into a drop-top. VW in South Africa also carried on building the Mk1 Golf, called the Citi Golf, all the way through to 2009.

Volkswagen Polo

It may not have replaced the Beetle, but the Volkswagen Polo finally offered something thoroughly modern in the company’s range when it arrived in 1975. Neat Bertone styling with a hatchback, roomy cabin, and safe handling made it a very Germanic rival to the Renault 5 and Ford Fiesta.

The second-generation Polo was launched as a small estate in 1981, nicknamed ‘breadvan’, while the hatch model was called Coupé when it arrived in 1983.

Volkswagen Scirocco

The Golf GTI might get much of the attention, but Volkswagen already had a sporty, front-drive car in its ranks two years before the hot hatch. This was the Scirocco coupe that used the same 110bhp 1.6-litre engine, though the Scirocco was fractionally quicker off the mark with 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds to the GTI’s 8.7.

The first Scirocco was styled by Giugiaro, while the second generation’s looks were penned in-house to free up more rear headroom.

MPs mull new 20mph default speed limit for England

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 10:16:24 +0100

Politicians will discuss whether England could follow Wales in changing 30mph roads to 20mph

MPs will consider reducing the default speed limit in England to 20mph in a bid to reduce road casualties.

The Transport Committee is meeting to discuss whether lower speed limits could be imposed as part of the government's road safety strategy - and whether England should adopt the same default 20mph limit as Wales.

MPs will quiz an expert panel in a session next Wednesday, including Transport for London's chief safety, health and environment officer and the former chair of the Welsh government's 20mph task force.

Wales reduced its default limit on restricted roads – making up around 35% of the country's road network – from 30mph to 20mph in 2023.

Despite earlier consultations suggesting almost half of motorists supported a reduced urban limit and government-backed research suggesting it could save 100 lives over a decade and avoid 14,000 casualties, the move prompted significant backlash.

Anti-20mph campaigners formed the largest petition in the Welsh parliament's history, with nearly half a million signatures, in the wake of the roll-out.

The Welsh Conservative Party has also been a vocal opponent of the Labour policy, which cost £32 million to implement, and – they say – cost the Welsh economy up to £9 billion.

The Tories had pledged to scrap the 20mph limit if they had won the 2024 general election.

However, recent data suggests the change is beginning to have a positive impact on Wales: serious or fatal collisions fell by 19% in 2024, while casualties on 30/20mph roads dropped by more than a quarter.

A recent study found cutting the limit by 10mph added just two minutes to the average journey time in Wales.

Ministers will consider all of this as they evaluate the best means of achieving a targeted 65% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on UK roads by 2035.

This latest session on the subject will have "witnesses discuss whether the strategy’s commitments on speed are sufficient to support its casualty reduction targets".

These witnesses, the Transport Select Committee said, "could be pressed on whether England should follow Wales and move towards 20mph as the default national speed limit on roads".

20mph zones are already prevalent in cities and towns across England, particularly in London, where more than half of roads are subject to the reduced limit.

Recent data from the European Transport Safety Council suggests that the proliferation of 20mph zones across London between 1989 and 2013 led to a "sharp fall" in road injuries and deaths.

Total collisions in the city fell by 35% over the period, the body said, casualties were down 36% and there was a 75% reduction in children being killed on the road.

DS No8

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0100

Could this be an all-electric, high-rise Citroën DS for the 21st century? May 2026 was a significant month for the Stellantis automotive group. Most pertinently it brought the announcement of the entity’s ‘Fastlane’ plan: more than £50 billion of investment funding, to be stretched across the whole of the global business. Sounds good, right? Not necessarily.Exactly how that might have been bad news for any of the brands that it will touch upon may not be immediately obvious; but, at the same time, the Stellantis management also announced a new three-tier hierarchy of the group’s brands. Those tiers haven’t, for the time being, ‘cut’ any of the marques altogether. But they now recognise four primarily important ‘global’ Stellantis brands, namely Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot and Ram; five second-tier ‘regional’ brands, which are Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge and Opel; and, finally, the rest. That leaves the maker of this road test’s subject – the DS Automobiles Nº8 – with an ignominious clarity about the inferiority of its position relative to its sibling brands. It is to be a third-tier ‘speciality’ brand, one managed directly by Citroën. Will narrower international horizons and wing-clipped plans for growth follow? We can only wait to find out.It was only September last year when DS was telling us of its renewed plans to better establish itself among Europe’s premium elite, after a conspicuously quiet few years. The Nº8 – DS’s new flagship all-electric crossover, intended to give it greater credibility in among rivals from the likes of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Polestar – was shown off as the great catalyst for that effort. It has now arrived to brave the full scrutiny of the road test microscope.

New Lexus LFA aims to win over EV sceptics with V10 feel

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 04:00:00 +0100

Lexus is aiming for the new LFA to feel like its predecessor behind the wheel – without howling V10 sound

Lexus plans for its electric LFA hypercar to feel authentically like its legendary predecessor to drive - but that doesn't mean simply faking its howling V10 engine note.

Making its dynamic debut in prototype form at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the new LFA is effectively the EV twin of Toyota's V8-engined GR GT supercar.

Precise technical details remain under wraps, but it's understood to be the first production Lexus to use solid-state batteries (SSB), which are vastly more energy-dense than today's liquid-chemistry packs.

Built around the same lightweight aluminium architecture as the GR GT, the LFA is similar in silhouette but much less aggressive and overtly race-influenced in its styling - which concept designer Shogo Kasamatsu said is testament to the influence of the ICE original.

"The LFA itself was a very humble design, very artistic, and based on its true function," he explained, highlighting the relatively minimalist and subtle look of the new car, relative to its Toyota sibling.

Kasamatsu added that the rationale behind the design was to "express the message, rather than our overall design language", so the concept didn't necessarily need to look like Lexus's current production cars.

He said the design is "almost" indicative of the final production car, which is "almost finished" ahead of a planned launch next year.

Its primary raison d'être, according to Kasamatsu, is to "challenge" established conventions around performance EVs. "Many people don't believe that battery [power] is exciting right now," he said. "This is a huge challenge."

Yukihiro Yukita, general manager of the LFA programme, concurred, admitting that lack of demand for high-priced sporting EVs is "our biggest challenge".

However, he added, Lexus wants to be a "leader" in convincing supercar drivers to make the jump from ICE to EV power, and an authentic driving experience will be key to achieving that.

"What I get from the market is that a BEV is fake," he said, "because we imitate the sound [of an ICE] – but that's not something we want to do."

Yukita said that rather than simply mimic the sound of an engine or the feel of a gearbox, Lexus wants LFA drivers to "feel like they are driving with an engine".

He acknowledged that one of the primary "demerits" of an EV, aside from the inherent added weight, is that "we lose the sound or the vibration, which gives a big impact to the five senses of the driver."

But on the other hand, he continued, an EV sports car can leverage the increased responsiveness and linearity of electric motors, which "we cannot get from an engine".

Plus, engineers are able to "eliminate all those sounds or vibrations that are not useful", which means "we can reset to zero and then discuss what we want to create in redesigning the sound or vibrations, which can have a good impact on the five senses".

Yukita acknowledged the efficacy of Hyundai's and Porsche's synthesised EV powertrains but said: "We're not just wanting to replicate the sound of the engine: we want to redesign the sound itself."

Gunther Werks F-26: 1067bhp 911 bids for Goodwood hill record

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 16:56:01 +0100

Race-honed, £1.2m recreation of a Porsche legend will go for gold in the hillclimb shootout this week

Californian Porsche tuner Gunther Weeks will bid for class victory on the Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb this week with a 1000bhp-plus reimagining of the iconic Porsche 911 Slantnose.

Project F-26 – numbered for the amount of examples that will be built, at around £1.2 million apiece – is a fighter jet-inspired recreation of the distinctive 935 Slantnose of the 1970s, based on the 993-generation 911.

It's powered by a twin-turbocharged (but still traditionally air-cooled) Mezger 4.0-litre flat six, co-developed with a racing firm to produce a colossal 1067bhp – a little more than the Ferrari 849 Testarossa, for reference – and some 750lb ft of torque.

Sent through a six-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential to the rear axle, those outrageous reserves should be good for true supercar performance figures, given the carbon-bodied F-26 weighs only 1225kg dry - less than a Lotus Emira.

Gunther Works is hoping it will take the fastest time in its class when it runs up the hill at the Sussex festival next weekend, with ex-Formula 1 and Nascar driver Scott Speed at the helm.

The company will field the F-26 in the production road car category, the fastest of which at 2025's event was the Koenigsegg Sadair's Spear, which ascended the 1.16-mile climb in just 47.14sec.

The outright hillclimb record is still held by Gloucestershire-based McMurtry, whose 1000bhp electric fan car, the Spéirling, went from bottom to top in 39.08sec in 2023 - a record that's unlikely to be broken for some time.

"Like a vegan burger": AMG's EV exhaust is very nearly the real thing

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 13:50:59 +0100

Mercedes has moved the engine fakery game on with seat shakers and simulated pops and bangs

The arrival of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N was a landmark moment for electric performance cars. There’s a distinct split between those from before it and its virtual gearbox and those that came after.

The new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 is only the latest to jump on the trend after the Porsche Taycan and Honda Super-N, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more in the years – even months – to come.

AMG’s people are aware that it’s a little bit frivolous and that the emergence of such technology is perhaps a fad rather than a long-term trend. But they also argue that it’s also a bit of fun – and what’s the point of a car like this if not to have fun?

After a brief hands-on with the CLA in a studio, I’m inclined to agree.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Autocar (@autocar_official)

To recap, in case you're unfamiliar, the EV replicates the turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the old CLA 45. Mercedes brought in staff from the music industry to bolster its authenticity: 13 microphones were mounted both inside and outside an A45 S (powered by the same engine) to record more than 1600 clips covering all manner of driving scenarios.

The EV starts in utter silence, but clicking the drive mode dial into S+ fires it into life in a flash. It’s certainly loud enough to wake the neighbours, so I'm glad there's a quieter setting.

The seat shakers give you a nice little rumble in the small of your back as you stab at the pedal and watch the revs rise and fall, and it's enough to recapture a hint of the viscerality that is often missing from sporting EVs.

The revs themselves seem to ebb and flow quicker here than in the petrol A45 S that I drove a couple of winters ago, as if to replicate a car with a lightweight flywheel.

I can see how such a system would really bolster engagement if you were out for a blast – although final judgement on that front will have to wait until we've driven the CLA.

There are perhaps a couple of points of improvement.

I’d like a little rumble through the steering wheel, or maybe even the dashboard, to give a greater sense of the underlying power here.

And there’s still a sense of digitisation about its sound signature – although it’s better in person than on camera. It reminds me of my first time trying a McPlant vegan burger: certainly enjoyable and close to the genuine article, but I’m not 100% sure that we’ve beaten the original just yet.

It would also be nice to start the CLA with the ‘engine’ activated. Starting in complete silence loses a bit of the theatre of stepping into a blue-blooded performance car, prodding the starter and relishing in the boom of combustion power that is so instructive of its intent.

Hear it for yourself by watching the video above.

New Mercedes-AMG CLA is 671bhp EV – with pops and bangs

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 13:04:21 +0100

CLA 45 goes electric with supercar-baiting pace, choice of saloon or estate and 416-mile range

Mercedes-AMG is aiming to convert hot hatch buyers to electric power with the new CLA 45, which brings supercar-baiting performance, advanced torque-vectoring technology and an ICE-aping exhaust note that even pops and bangs.

Available as both a saloon and a Shooting Brake estate, the first electric 45 model is substantially different under the skin from the regular CLA. It combines three axial flux motors developed by Oxfordshire firm Yasa with the larger, 94kWh battery from the forthcoming C-Class Electric and an aggressive design overhaul aimed at improving downforce without compromising range.

The tri-motor set-up - with two drive units on the rear axle and one up front - has a maximum output of 671bhp through all four wheels. The rear motors alone can combine to offer the full output, however: power is limited by the maxmimum throughput of the battery, and future updates could unlock more. This also enables a tyre-shredding drift mode.

The front motor engages only when extra traction is required, such as when setting a hot lap or driving in adverse conditions.

The generous reserves mean the 2.3-tonne saloon can hit 62mph from rest in 3.0sec (3.2sec for the Shooting Brake). That makes it quicker off the mark than many of AMG's most hardcore models, including the SLS AMG Black Series (3.6sec), and almost as quick as the F1-engined AMG One, which took 2.9 sec. The CLA 45 goes on to a top speed of 155mph, or 168mph when fitted with the optional AMG Dynamic Plus pack.

Acceleration is slowed slightly if the 'AMGForce' simulated engine and gearbox are engaged. This system replicates the sound and power delivery of the outgoing 45 models 'M139' turbocharged four-cylinder - the world's most powerful of its configuration in series production - and runs it through a synthesised eight-speed gearbox.

Vibrating motors are fitted in the front seats to ape the rumble of the petrol engine in the occupants backs, and the sound can be heard both inside and outside the car, with pops and crackles on the overrun. It has both quiet and loud modes, and Mercedes says the latter rivals aftermarket exhaust systems for audible impact.

The system engages when the S+ drive mode is selected, but it is disabled in the track-focused Race mode to maximise the car's outright pace.

AMG has also developed a predictive battery management system that maximises performance over the course of a fast lap by adapting power outputs based on where maximum performance is most needed: deploying full power around the entirety of a longer track would raise battery temperatures and force the car to limit its output, paring it back through bends reduces the heat and allows maximum thrust to be delivered for the length of a long straight, such as the Nordschleife's Döttinger Höhe.

Braking is performed primarily by the electric motors, which can supply up to 300kW to the battery. The hydraulic system has also been upgraded, with 390mm ventilated discs and six-piston calipers up front, and 350mm ventilated discs with single piston calipers at the rear.

Completing the dynamic overhaul is a wider track, which stretches the CLA by 24mm horizontally compared with the standard car, plus adaptive dampers and an active rear spoiler.

The rear spoiler and more aggressive stance clearly differentiate the car from the regular CLA, but further stylistic tweaks include the optional replacement of the front light bar with a new air duct, giving a more purposeful look. It rides on 19in alloy wheels as standard, although 20s will also be offered, and at the rear end is the largest diffuser yet fitted to an AMG hot hatch.

In the Eco, Comfort and Sport drive modes, the spoiler is reclined until 90mph in order to reduce drag and preserve range, but it is permanently raised in S+ and Race. Its position can be overridden using the steering wheel controls.

The CLA 45 saloon is claimed to be capable of covering 416 miles between charges, while the Shooting Brake manages 398 miles. This is thanks in part to not only the large battery but also a system that disconnects the front motor when it is not needed, which reduces energy waste from friction. In the normal drive modes it is disconnected up to 100mph or until additional traction is required at the front axle, at which point it engages within one millisecond.

A heat pump is also included as standard. When using the CLA's built-in sat-nav, this automatically pre-heats or cools the battery before reaching a planned charging stop to maximise the charge rate accepted by the car. This allows it to take 330kW, allowing a 10-80% refill in 22 minutes - or, according to Mercedes, the equivalent of 168 miles of range in 10 minutes.

Inside, the CLA's sporting overhaul comprises standard-fit bucket seats with thick bolsters, new finishes for the centre console and seatbelts and an AMG-specific steering wheel with drive mode dials. Notably, it also swaps the rear-seat bench for two individual rear chairs, making it strictly a four-seater.

Deliveries of the CLA 45 will begin next year. Prices have yet to be confirmed but are expected to top £70,000, given the previous petrol-powered car started just below that mark. Its closest competitor will be the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, priced from £65,800.

DS No7

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 13:00:11 +0100

France’s Audi aspirant rejuvenates and fully electrifies its best-seller Typically when a new car arrives, its predecessor is deemed old news and mentioned in passing at best. Yet the media launch of the DS N°7 involved the screening of an emotional video montage of its DS 7 predecessor, its stint as Emmanuel Macron’s presidential limo among the highlights.The 7 did a mighty job for DS, contributing 50% of the French brand’s sales for much of its life and selling more than 200,000 units across eight years.Its replacement raids Stellantis’s STLA Medium locker to offer both hybrid and fully electric power (badged E-Tense), with a starting point of £38,290 – a very gentle climb over the outgoing car.

MG Go hot hatch previews Renault 5 rival for 2027

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 11:02:35 +0100

The MG 2 will launch next year inspired by this Goodwood concept car designed in Britain

The new MG Go concept car is the first preview of the new MG 2 supermini, which will arrive in 2027 as a rival to the likes of the Renault 5 and Mini Cooper.

It has been unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed alongside another MG concept, a plush SUV called the MG Cyber.

The production version of the Go will be positioned as a fun, fashionable model rather than a budget offering and marks the latest entry into a new segment by the Chinese brand, as its growth and expansion continues.

There are few technical details on the Go other than the fact that it's electric and around four metres in length, making it smaller than the current MG 3 and similar in size and proportions to the Renault 5.

The concept is a hot hatch in its styling, with a bodykit, big wheels and a diffuser among its sporty touches, but in shape and spirit it gives a close look at the production model that will follow, MG design boss Jozef Kaban confirmed to Autocar.

He added that it was effectively the production model "dressed for Goodwood", but the concession to sportiness didn't extend to making it overly low or close to the ground, because MG wanted to show off the production intent.

Kaban said the Go references sporting models from MG's past, like the B, but is very much forward-looking and not a retro remake.

He hopes the car becomes "iconic" for the brand as it continues its development, saying: "There will be lots of emotion with this car and you will feel that MG is moving again."

MG Motor UK's product director, David Allison, said the fashionable supermini part of the market is one that MG has "long wanted to get into" and it would bring new customers to the brand who wouldn't otherwise have considered it.

"I genuinely think we can sell this car to people who probably wouldn't look at one of our current cars, due to the strength of the look and design," said Allison, adding that the 2 will be able to more than hold its own against other fashion-focused small cars.

The model has been designed at MG's London design centre and been engineered very much with European and British buyers in mind.

That British angle will be pushed forward by MG but not necessarily in Britain itself, said Allison: "It sounds odd, but in some ways the British angle is more a thing in other countries than it might be here. In certain parts of the world, the Indian market for example, the British heritage is huge. So it's important for different reasons in different countries."

Wild new Ruf supercar packs 1000bhp flat-eight boxer engine

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 11:00:41 +0100

Legendary Porsche fettler adds a pair of cylinders to 911's flat six for monstrous power – and noise

Storied Porsche tuner Ruf has taken to the Goodwood Festival of Speed to show off a wild new prototype supercar with a flat-eight boxer engine.

Known as the B8, the mule is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.8-litre horizontally opposed lump at its rear - the same format as the 911 has always used – but with two extra cylinders.

Ruf claims it develops more than 986bhp and 737lb ft of torque - far more than the six-cylinder CTR3 on which the new car is based.

Ruf refers to the prototype internally as the Erprober ('tester'), which is reflective of the fact that it is "not yet a production model but serves as a dedicated testbed for technologies that will shape a future Ruf model".

The German company said that all its cars begin life "long before the world sees them", so it's likely that work on a production-ready flat-eight car is well advanced.

Ruf noted that neither it nor any other company has deployed such an engine "in this form" and said the prototype's appearance at Goodwood was "a new chapter in automotive history".

The test mule itself gives few clues to the eventual production model, being largely identical to the CTR3 on which it is based but extended by 100mm to accommodate the longer engine block.

The engine sends its generous reserves to the back axle through a six-speed manual gearbox, but Ruf hasn't said whether this configuration will carry through to the final car.

Of special note is the B8's striking livery, which features a distinctive graphic in Blossom Yellow - a shade inspired by Ruf's best-known model, the Nurbürgring-slaying CTR Yellowbird.

Porsche itself has experimented with this unusual engine arrangement in the past, creating a concept for a 918 Spyder successor called the 904 (below), which would have used a 5.0-litre flat eight producing around 750bhp and 738lb ft.

The concept was created in 2016 but never evolved into a production car and was only made public in recent years as part of an exhibition of unseen Porsche show cars.

MG plug-in hybrids will switch to semi-solid-state batteries in 2027

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Chinese manufacturer's SolidCore technology will be used not only for EVs but also PHEVs like the next ZS

MG will equip its next-generation plug-in hybrids with semi-solid-state battery technology from 2027.

The new technology, announced earlier this year, will come first to the MG 4 EV Urban hatchback, and it has now been confirmed that it will then be used in PHEVs - first the next-generation MG ZS in 2027, then the MG HS and MG S9.

In time, MG's semi-solid-state battery technology, called SolidCore, will become the Chinese manufacturer's predominant battery technology as it continues to develop full solid-state batteries for the future.

The benefits of semi-solid-state, according to MG's lead scientist, Li Zheng, are better range, faster charging, better performance in cold weather and, in the case of PHEVs, better low-speed, high-speed and uphill performance.

Essentially, it makes the battery's performance more consistent and more stable across a wider range of driving and climatic conditions, and in the case of PHEVs allows them to use a smaller combustion engine.

These future MG PHEVs will be badged 'Plug-in Hybrid +' and will be offered in two different forms: a 1.1-litre model with 98bhp and 129lb ft in small cars like the ZS and a 1.5-litre version with 161bhp and 188lb ft in larger cars like the HS and S9.

Also included in the new system is a new hybrid transmission that allows for EV-like efficiency in how the drivetrain operates.

Meanwhile, much development on the engines to reduce friction and improve combustion has allowed the smaller drivetrain to operate at more than 42% thermal efficiency and the larger one at more than 43% - far above historical standards (in the low-mid-30s).

The powertrains are also said to run quieter - some five decibels than current MG PHEVs - and achieve better performance both off the line and in-gear.

Fei Jibing, MG's chief engineer for powertrain control, also detailed a new hybrid powertrain, badged 'Hybrid +', that will appear first on model-year updates for the MG 3 and ZS later this year.

This features the new transmission from the PHEVs and a larger 3.6kWh battery.

Jibing confirmed that MG would continue to develop hybrid and PHEV technology alongside EVs, with the goals of improving efficiency, boosting performance and making them quieter.

MG Motor UK's product boss, David Allison, told Autocar that more than 90% of MG's sales are hybrids, PHEVs and EVs, and while the brand offers pure-ICE vehicles with manual transmissions, "nobody really buys it".

"People are now into the efficiency and that electrified feeling, particularly in the urban area that you get with a hybrid car, and that's what people want," said Allison.

Even so, MG remains committed to offering a full range of powertrains, he confirmed.

Allison also revealed plans for MG's assisted driving technology to be made less intrusive and more reliable, as he said the "jury is still out" on the usefulness of such technologies to customers.

This includes new automated parking functions and improved lane-keeping assistance technologies before MG introduces its first 'Navigate on Autopilot' limited self-driving technology, on highways from late 2027 and in urban areas from 2028.

MG Cyber: plush SUV concept shows brand’s future style

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0100

Rakish new electric crossover will make production – but won't necessarily be sold to UK drivers

The bold new MG Cyber concept serves as a showcase for the Chinese company’s future design direction and will evolve into its flagship EV.

A Goodwood Festival of Speed star, the Cyber is electric and close to five metres in length - and described by MG design boss Jozef Kaban as a "dream car" for the brand.

The Cyber will perform a similar role on the premium and aspirational side as the MG Cyberster roadster has done on the sporting side for MG.

For now it's only an exterior styling exercise, with an interior to follow in time, but it will make production in the future.

It will possibly be badged as a model from upmarket brand IM in some markets, but it might not necessarily be sold here, UK product director David Allison revealed.

"As a global brand that sells in 100 countries around the world in huge volumes, there are cars that are sold in other markets around the world, as well as China, that we don't necessarily take," he said.

"It may be that we do end up taking something like that, but [for now] it's a concept car that conveys a vision and design direction that we want to go down."

The Cyber was displayed at Goodwood alongside the new MG Go, a hot hatch concept that previews the upcoming MG 2 supermini.

While the production 2 is coming next year, the production version of the Cyber is further off – but its design ethos and approach will be felt across the MG range as Kaban looks to make his mark on the brand after two years in the role.

Asked of the Cyber was his statement of intent for MG, Kaban replied: "You could say that.” But he added that it was also the result of the brand listening to its customers and responding to the changing market demands.

"There's no one answer," he said. "Every brand is looking for the right one for them. For us, this is how we see our next steps, and we will see what the customer appetite is."

Exclusive pictures: Denza Z Coupé revealed as 1582bhp hypercar

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 10:33:42 +0100

Tech-laden flagship for BYD premium brand brings huge power output for 0-62mph sprint time of 2.25sec

BYD's premium brand, Denza, has pulled the wraps of the coupé version of its new Z electric hypercar.

Underpinned by a new development of the e3 platform that's also employed by the Z9 GT, it has three electric motors that combine for a huge 1582bhp and 915lb ft of torque.

This allows the Z Coupé to hit 62mph from rest in a claimed 2.25sec; the Z Spider that was revealed at the Beijing motor show takes 2.3sec. The Racing variant (pictured below), fitted with a large rear wing and semi-slick tyres, cuts that to 1.96sec.

The Coupé and Spider top out at 186mph, while the Racing can hit 217mph.

A 'Special Edition' is also in the works, bringing more than 1973bhp and cutting the 0-62mph time to less than 1.7sec. This derivative is also claimed to bring more advanced battery cooling for track use.

All versions of the Z are fitted with magnetorehological suspension: the fluid inside the dampers contains metal filaments that mean it can change its viscosity in milliseconds, repsonding to magnetics controlled by the car's chassis computer. This means it can make rapid adjustments to damping based on the condition of the Tarmac underfoot.

The Coupé and Spider ride on air springs, while the track-focused Racing uses traditional metal coils. All versions are stopped by carbon-ceramic brake discs with six-piston calipers up front and four-pots at the rear.

They also share a 76kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery for ranges of 254 miles in the Coupé, 248 miles in the Spider and 236 in the Racing. Rather than being a traditional pack comprising several modules, the cells in the Z are mounted directly to the chassis, boosting torsional rigitdity.

This packs BYD's 'Flash' charging technology, allowing a 10-97% refill in just nine minutes on a suitably fast (1500kW) connection. BYD plans to install 300 such chargers in the UK by the end of the year.

The Z weighs 2230kg in Coupé form, rising to 2250kg for the Racing and 2300kg for the Spider.

The Z gets BYD's first steer-by-wire systme, in which there isn't a traditional steering rack but instead an electronic connection.

Inside, it features an 8.9in digital instrument panel and a 12.8in infotainment touchscreen.

There's also a simulated engine sound, Denza said, but we don't yet know whether it has opted for a virtual gearbox system as pioneered by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and since replicated by the Porsche Taycan E-Shift and Honda Super-N.

Denza has yet to confirm pricing but, given the Z's positioning as its flagship, it's expected to start well into six figures. It previously said the Z9 GT shooting brake would start around £100,000.

The Z serves as a statement of intent for BYD's premium brand, taking the fight to the likes of Porsche, Polestar and Mercedes-Benz on all fronts.

Pricing starts at £142,900 for the Coupé, £159,900 for the Spider and £172,900 for the Racing.

It remains to be seen whether it will spark demand for electric supercars, but it could provide a 'halo' effect in bringing attention to a challenger brand in an incredibly competitive segment.

Alpine boss: Electric A110 will be 'even better' than petrol car

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 10:31:16 +0100

Sports EV will be revealed in full next year, with Alpine boss promising better performance and interior

Alpine boss Philippe Krief has vowed that the second-generation, fully electric A110 sports car will be better to drive than its fabled predecessor in every aspect.

The two-seater is due to be revealed in full next year, but the French firm has shown a first glimpse with the A110 Future running up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

That machine is a development car, featuring the new Alpine Performance Platform (APP) and electric powertrain underneath bodywork based on the petrol A110, which recently went out of production.

Alpine has developed the APP from scratch for the new A110, forgoing the underfloor battery typically used in an EV for two smaller packs at each end of this chassis. This allows the car to sit lower and balances the weight distribution.

Krief said that the new A110 is marginally longer and wider than its predecessor but shares an identical length-to-height ratio.

Asked by Autocar what the new A110 must achieve, Krief said: “First of all, it has to be a sports car. In terms of shape, the car is an A110. In terms of product, it has to perform as a sports car should, so it must be fun to drive.”

Krief said the firm’s development brief was to “beat the [current] A110 in all areas that made it a success, such as the feeling of lightness. The new platform allows us to develop a perfect integration between mechanics and electronics.”

He noted that around 95% of the components on the car are new and not shared within the wider Renault Group.

He also cited the development brief to ensure the EV could lap a circuit at “maximum speed and maximum lateral acceleration” for at least 20 minutes.

He added: “This will make the car at least as good as the currently one – and I do believe it will be even better in terms of this kind of performance.”

Alpine has yet reveal the design of the new car, but Krief says that it will “keep the family feeling of A110 but will be even more futuristic – so it will be better than the current A110.”

Krief said a particular focus had gone on developing the interior – one area where the A110 has been criticised in the past, due to common parts shared with other Renault Group cars – to give it an “extreme sports car feel”.

He continued: “The current A110 is an extraordinary sports car, but the cockpit is not that extraordinary. We’ve done huge, huge work in order to have a timeless cockpit – not one where you will find a lot of screens but something very intuitive, where the driver is at the centre.”

Another key aspect for the next A110 will be increasing the number of personalisation options, which will be key for the firm in achieving higher margins as it pushes to win over more premium buyers and expand its sales.

Krief added that the APP is forecast to last for at least two generations of A110 and noted that “in the middle of those two generations will be a special extreme version”.

The A110 EV will be launched as a classic two-seat coupé but will also be offered as a 2+2, and there will be cabriolet versions of both models.

Alpine has recently launched the A390 crossover alongside the A290 hot hatch as part of its bold expansion, and Krief said that the plan was to continue growing.

Asked how big he wanted the firm to become, Krief said “we are more on the Ferrari side in terms of volume than on the Porsche side”, suggesting a goal to sell around 15,000 cars year.

But he added: “We are not Ferrari, of course, and we are not aiming to be Porsche: we aim more to be more niche than Porsche, because we want to preserve the exclusivity and the profitability for our models.”

BYD Denza Bao 5

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 10:30:00 +0100

Chinese car-making colossus BYD has come and had a go. Is its Defender-fighting tough guy hard enough? You might not feel like you know Denza - the new ‘technologically-oriented’ premium brand of burgeoning Chinese car-making powerhouse BYD - very well at present. But if you’re headed to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, you might just end the weekend feeling like you know it quite a lot better than you used to. That’s because Denza has erected the biggest Goodwood show stand in ‘FOS’ history to mark its emergence in the European market in 2026. And taking centre stage on that stand is the Denza Bao 5: a tough-looking, mid-sized, capability-centred SUV which is one of the brand’s introductory models.This car is set to use plug-in hybrid power, a bespoke offroading-orientated model platform, hardcore active hydraulic suspension and more to prove that Denza can be considered alongside marques like Land Rover, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Jeep and others. Can be taken seriously as a maker of the most capable off-roaders in the world. Evidently, it’s aiming to do it uncompromisingly, from a standing start, to make up for lost time.But has it bitten off more than it can chew?

New McLaren 788HS marks end of the line for 750S family

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 07:45:00 +0100

McLaren's signature V8 supercar bows out after a decade as wild, Formula 1-inspired special edition

McLaren’s signature V8 supercar is bowing out with the new 788HS, a track-focused machine built by its Special Operations (MSO) division.

It's the final chapter in the lineage that started with the 720S in 2017, then continued through the 765LT (which finished second in Autocar’s 2020 Britain’s Best Driver’s Car contest) and the 750S of 2024.

The 'High Sport' also represents the start of a new age for the Woking-based manufacturer, which merged with British start-up Forseven in April 2025.

McLaren's focus has thus far been on stabilising its position by clearing debts and working to improve production quality, but it's due to detail its future plans in the coming months.

The swansong 788HS represents a total overhaul of the 750S, bringing additional power, an aggressive aerodynamics package and a reworked chassis.

The headline figures are outputs of 777bhp and 590lb ft from its twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, making it the most powerful derivative of McLaren’s mid-engined supercar (the 765LT had 755bhp).

That is thanks in part to new forged pistons and a new exhaust system with four tailpipes. The latter, McLaren claims, provides greater “intensity” up to the 8500rpm rev limit.

The engine mounts, meanwhile, have been fettled to send more feel through to the cabin.

Meanwhile, new carbonfibre bodywork helps to cut dry weight to 1265kg, down from 1277kg in the 750S.

Together with the additional output, this enables the 788HS to hit 62mph from rest in 2.8sec (matching the 765LT). It reaches 124mph in 7.0sec and goes on to a top speed of 205mph.

The aerodynamic package also brings a significant increase in downforce. It comprises a new front splitter, an active rear spoiler and a chunky rear diffuser said to take inspiration from Formula 1 – which alone brings a 10% improvement in downforce over the 765LT.

The suspension set-up has been modified, resulting in the 788HS sitting 5mm lower than the base 750S. McLaren claims it will deliver improved body control and responsiveness.

Stopping power is improved by new carbon-ceramic discs inspired by those fitted to the Senna hypercar, matched with six-pot aluminium calipers mounted up front.

These are also said to provide more feel through the pedal and greater consistency in repeated hard use, such as on track.

The 788HS will be offered in both coupé and spider form. A total of 200 will be built, split evenly between bodystyles.

Prices start at £450,000 – a significant premium over the £250,000 750S – but will be highly variable, depending on how a buyer chooses to specify their car.

Options include omitting paint in favour of a raw carbonfibre finish.

19 interesting French luxury barges

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 07:14:11 +0100

Looking back at France's greatest luxury saloon hits and misses

Before the second world war, French companies built many of the world’s most luxurious cars.

Prestigious names like Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye and Salmson thrived in their home country and abroad. Profitably making luxury saloons became much more difficult after the war.

Petrol was rationed, the French economy was slow and the government began collecting a stiff tax on what it classified as non-essential goods. The class didn’t experience a true revival until the 1960s.

From the lame to the great, join us as we look at the luxury saloons made b French carmakers between 1960 and around 2020:

Renault Rambler (1962)

The Fregate occupied the top spot in the Renault range during much of the 1950s. Its ponton design made it considerably more modern-looking than the Citroen Traction Avant, one of its main rivals. The tables suddenly turned when the avant-garde DS made its global debut at the 1955 Paris motor show.

Renault had to fire back. Instead of developing an executive saloon from scratch, it did a deal with American Motors Corporation (AMC) to build and distribute the Rambler in Europe. The firm received the Rambler in kit form and assembled it in Haren, Belgium. The European-spec model came with a 3.2-litre straight-six engine that made 129bhp in its initial state of tune.

The Rambler sold poorly even in France, where it was generally too expensive to buy, register and run. And, in hindsight, many buyers never warmed up to its decidedly American design. President Charles de Gaulle allegedly turned down an armoured Rambler as his official car.

Renault 16 (1965)

It didn’t take long for Renault to realise the Rambler wasn't going to succeed. Executives asked talented designer Gaston Juchet to draw a new luxury car whose design would resonate with buyers in Europe. He ditched the three-box silhouette and adopted a two-box look with a practical hatch in lieu of a flat boot lid. The sheet metal hid an innovative front-wheel drive layout already seen on Renault’s 3, 4 and Estafette models.

The coupe and saloon variants of the 16 designers experimented with in the early 1960s never made the transition to production. The model nonetheless received luxurious features like an automatic transmission, fuel injection plus power-operated door locks and front windows to cement its position at the top of the Renault range, especially after the Rambler was quietly dropped in 1967.

Renault hoped to replace the 16 with the 20 and position the 30 a notch above. Both models made their debut in 1975 but the 16 remained on sale until 1980. Over 1.8 million examples were built and the model was sold in dozens of countries, including the United States.

Monica 560 (1972)

In the late 1960s, a few years after Facel Vega disappeared, a French industrialist named Jean Tastevin embarked on an endeavour to build an ultra-luxurious saloon capable of beating Jaguar, Maserati and Mercedes-Benz. Former Formula One driver Chris Lawrence helped design the car, which Tastevin ultimately named Monica after his wife Monique and 560 to denote the engine’s displacement.

The public first saw the Monica 560 during the 1972 Paris motor show and the production model made its debut a year later at the same event. Early prototypes looked like an overgrown Panhard CD and used a Ted Martin-designed V8. The production model received a contemporary-looking, wedge-shaped body and a 5.6-litre V8 from Chrysler.

The 560, like the Citroen SM, was born at the wrong time. The 1973 oil embargo caused demand for large, uneconomical saloons to collapse. The French government also announced and enforced strict speed limits that further discouraged motorists from buying a fast car. Tastevin nonetheless moved forward with the project and assertively priced the 560 in the same bracket as the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Production started in 1974 and ended a year later. Most historians agree Tastevin built no more than 17 regular-production models, though some argue the real number is much lower.

Citroen SM Opera (1972)

Monica wasn’t the only company ambitiously trying to propel France back to the ultra-luxury car segment. After making a pair of Citroen SM-based cabriolet limousines for the French government, coachbuilder Henri Chapron explored the possibility of building a four-door model with a closed roof. He presented the car – which he called SM Opera – at the 1972 Paris motor show.

The SM Opera found only eight buyers during its short production run, which ended shortly after Citroen stopped making the SM in 1975. The example pictured here traded hands at an auction in 2009 for nearly €200,000.

Citroen CX (1974)

Citroen introduced the CX right before the DS celebrated its 20th birthday. It should have used a 160hp triple-rotor Wankel as its top engine but fuel economy and reliability concerns forced Citroen to cancel those plans at the last minute. The company had access to several V6 engines (including the one in the SM and, later, the Peugeot-Renault-Volvo unit) but the CX’s engine bay was too small for one.

The CX nonetheless enjoyed a long, illustrious career. It spawned several variants including a spacious estate, a long-wheelbase limousine with a cigarette lighter in each rear door panel and surprisingly sporty GTi-badged versions. Chinese officials nearly selected it as their large car of choice during the 1980s but they allegedly back-pedaled after examining the hydropneumatic suspension. The contract instead went to the Volkswagen Santana.

Renault 30 (1975)

Renault, arch nemesis Peugeot and Volvo formed an unlikely alliance to develop a V8 engine in the early 1970s. In 1973, after the first oil crisis, they wisely decided launching a car with an eight-cylinder under the bonnet would steer them towards financial disaster and chopped off two cylinders to make a V6 instead.

The 30 introduced the PRV engine to the Renault family when it made its debut in 1975. Period road-testers criticized its excessive fuel consumption but praised its handling and its comfort. Visually, the 30 stood out from the 20 (which came with a four-cylinder engine) with its four round headlights instead of two rectangular units. Renault struggled to sell the 30 as well as it hoped. Some blamed the design. The 30 received a turbodiesel engine in 1982 and retired the following year.

Peugeot 604 (1975)

By launching the 604, Peugeot returned to a class it left when it phased out the 601 in 1935. The saloon shared its V6 engine with the Renault 30 and insiders say the two companies tacitly agreed not to step on each other’s toes. Gaston Juchet gave the 30 a two-box silhouette with a large hatch; Pininfarina penned an angular, three-box body for the 604, which Peugeot aimed at motorists stepping out of a Mercedes-Benz.

The 604 focused on comfort above all. Buyers seeking a fully-loaded model could spend extra on niceties like air conditioning, an automatic transmission and leather upholstery. Still, the 604 sold at a glacial pace. Peugeot stopped making it in November 1985, but dealers didn’t sell the last of the new cars they had in stock until July 1987.

Talbot Tagora (1980)

In 1976, Chrysler assigned its Rootes division the task of developing a range-topping saloon for the European market. The design brief called for a traditional three-box model with an engine bay big enough to swallow a straight-six. The model – called C9 internally – was nearly ready for production when Chrysler began showing signs of imminent collapse. It decided to sell its European division.

The French government pressured Peugeot into buying it to save Simca and the thousands of jobs at stake. Peugeot closed the deal in 1978, two years after reluctantly absorbing Citroen in similar conditions, and quickly resurrected the Talbot name to replace Simca. No one at Peugeot wanted the Tagora; executives understandably feared it would overlap with the 604. Decision-makers nonetheless chose to move forward with the project because it was nearly ready for production. Engineers fitted it with the 505’s running gear in a bid to reap the benefits of economies of scale.

Peugeot dealers had little desire to sell Talbot models and buyers had no idea what a Talbot was. Annual Tagora production dropped to 2624 examples in 1982 and Peugeot stopped making the model in 1983.

Renault 25 (1983)

Renault executives envisioned the 25 as a world-class car that would propel the firm back into the luxury car segment. The 604 and the CX were getting old and the Germans were within reach; this was Renault’s chance to shine. Designers and engineers working on the project were given a generous budget to ensure they created a modern, safe car that drove at least as well as the competition.

It all came together nicely – on paper. In reality, cost-cutting measures created reliability problems that plagued early cars. Renault boss Raymond Levy did little to mute the chatter when he publicly revealed his personal 25 broke down on a monthly basis. Visual and mechanical improvements made in 1988 managed to salvage the car’s career.

Peugeot 605 (1989)

The 605 helped usher Peugeot into the era of in-car electronics. It was an expensive but essential move for a firm serious about competing against German brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Peugeot initially offered the 605 with petrol-powered four- and six-cylinder engines. Period road testers praised its handling, its comfort and its luxurious interior. Buyers did, too, but the magic faded when they began experiencing issues with the car. Rushed to the market, the 605 suffered from a small galaxy of electrical problems that sent early cars back to the garage on a regular basis.

Peugeot issued several recalls and managed to fix the problems by the 1993 model year but the damage was done. Reliability woes had completely decimated the saloon’s reputation. Peugeot predicted it could sell 500,000 examples of the 605 over a 10-year period. It stopped making the car in 1999 after producing about 250,000 units.

Citroen XM (1989)

Flagship saloons from Citroen don’t come around very often. The brand introduced the all-new XM in 1989, a full 15 years after the CX made its debut. The Bertone-styled design made the XM one of the most futuristic-looking new cars in Europe when it arrived on the market. The sheet metal hid a new version of Citroen’s hydropneumatic suspension and a 13th window added to protect the occupants from wind when the hatch was open. The XM beat the Mercedes-Benz SL and the Ford Fiesta to win the coveted car of the year award in 1990.

The XM shared numerous components with the Peugeot 605 – and it suffered from the same electrical problems. Citroen tried cutting costs during the production process, components failed and early owners often found themselves with the suspension stuck in sport mode, without A/C, with broken windscreen wiper motors or with failing taillights.

Citroen made the XM appreciably more reliable starting in 1993 and fixed early cars for free but the model struggled to recover from the bad publicity. It nonetheless remained in production until 2000.

Renault Safrane (1992)

Rumours claiming Renault would hastily replace the 25 before the end of the 1980s allegedly motivated Peugeot and Citroen to rush the 605 and the XM to the market. They were false; the Safrane didn’t make its debut until 1992. Visually, it broke most ties with its predecessor inside and out.

Like its rivals, Renault wanted the Safrane to encroach on the Germans’ turf. To that end, it launched a range-topping model named Biturbo with a 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V6. It sent its 268bhp output to the four wheels through a five-speed manual transmission.

Renault phased out the Biturbo in 1996 after making about 800 examples. The Safrane remained at the top of the company’s range until 2002.

Peugeot 607 (1999)

Peugeot built the 607 on an improved version of the 605’s platform. Introduced in 1999, its career almost got off to an atrocious start when French journalists driving pre-production models labelled its handling as catastrophic. Photos of a 607 going around a cone on two wheels started appearing on magazine covers across Europe. Peugeot averted a major crisis by making changes to the suspension and fitting different tyres to the car before the first examples reached showrooms.

Peugeot made 168,875 examples of the 607 between 2000 and 2010. It didn’t sell as well as the 605, of which about 250,000 examples were made, but it fared considerably better than the Citroen C6 and the Renault Vel Satis.

Renault Avantime (2001)

Renault surprised the public at the 1999 Geneva motor show with a segment-defying concept car named Avantime. Some speculated it merely previewed the fourth-generation Espace. It did, but it also signaled the arrival of a production model that made its debut at the 1999 Frankfurt motor show.

The opinion-splitting design set the Avantime apart from other luxury coupes. It wasn’t an autobahn stormer; it was a périphérique cruiser. Renault asked Matra to start production in early 2000 but pushed back the launch several times to solve problems that came up during the development process. Notably, its doors required dual hinges because they measured 140cm in length and weighed over 50kg.

Launched too late, too expensive and badly built, the Avantime stumbled and never got back up. Matra made the last of 8557 Avantimes in early 2003 after a production run that lasted only 16 months. It closed its factory shortly after, laying off 2500 workers, and hasn’t made a car since. The Avantime started its career with a botched launch and ended it with an industrial fiasco yet it has managed to make inroads into the collector car world today.

Renault Vel Satis (2002)

With the Vel Satis, Renault wanted to offer buyers a different alternative to a typical luxury saloon. It certainly didn’t look like one; it received a tall, almost people carrier-like silhouette and, for better or worse, it looked like nothing else on the road at the time. Well, almost.

Renault originally planned to release the Avantime about two years before the Vel Satis but as mentioned the project was delayed. The two cars therefore arrived on the market at almost the same time. Dealers reported prospective buyers didn’t understand which one was positioned as Renault’s true flagship. Renault wholly over-estimated the degree of design boldness motorists shopping in that class were willing to accept.

Vel Satis production ended in 2009 after Renault sold a little over 62,000 examples of the car. In comparison, the more conventional Safrane found around 310,000 buyers during a production run that only lasted a year longer.

Citroen C6 (2005)

The XM died without an immediate successor. Many feared Citroen had thrown in the luxury-class towel until the C6 made its debut at the 2005 Geneva motor show. It borrowed many styling cues from the striking C6 Lignage concept introduced at the 1999 edition of the Geneva show and, consequently, paid tribute to the CX with its aerodynamic lines and concave rear window. Inside, it boasted a luxurious cabin with high-tech equipment like a head-up display and a lane-departure warning system.

Citroen hoped to sell approximately 30,000 examples of the C6 annually, a figure that, if attained, would have put the model about on par with the XM in terms of sales. Annual production peaked in 2007 at 7600 cars and Citroen quietly axed the model in 2012 after selling under 23,500 cars in total. The C6 died without an immediate successor, too.

Citroen DS5 (2011)

Citroen previewed the DS5 by showing a concept car named C-Sportlounge at the 2005 Frankfurt motor show. Its design evolved during the long transition from a concept to a production model but its overall proportions stayed roughly the same. The DS5 became Citroen’s flagship after the C6’s demise. It shared its platform with Peugeot’s 3008 and 5008 models, meaning it couldn’t receive a V6 engine. Citroen instead offered full-fat variants with a 200hp diesel-electric hybrid powertrain.

Like its smaller siblings, the DS5 turned in its Citroen emblems in 2015 when DS became a standalone brand. Aesthetic tweaks (including a redesigned grille) accompanied the new name. Though comfortable and practical, the DS5 never convinced luxury car buyers. Production ended in May 2018.

Renault Latitude (2010)

The Latitude emerged from the dubious same train of thought that created the Renault Rambler. Rather than replacing the Vel Satis with an in-house design, the firm affixed its emblem onto the SM5 built by South Korean partner Samsung, which had briefly entered the car business. The Latitude completely missed the mark in Europe, where its lacklustre design and uninspiring interior did little to lure buyers into showrooms.

Renault stopped selling the Latitude in 2015. We’re not sure anyone noticed.

Citroen C6 (2016)

The C6 nameplate returned for the third time in 2016 on the boot lid of a large saloon made and sold exclusively in China. While stand-out style gave Citroen’s previous flagship models a generous dose of allure, this version of the C6 wears an anonymous design that, with a different front end, could pass as anything from a Peugeot to a Vauxhall to a Hyundai.

That’s because it wasn’t designed by Citroen - it was a badge-engineered version of the Dongfeng Fengshen A9.

If you enjoyed this story, please click the Follow button above to see more like it from Autocar

Photo Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en

The 80s cars that we idolised

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 07:13:16 +0100

The 80s was a time of great music, quirky fashion and some downright brilliant cars - prepare for nostalgia

Big hair, shoulder pads, Ronnie & Maggie… and some amazing cars that often caught the zeitgeist.

Here’s the selection that we think firmly holds the hero car medal from the memorable decade that was the 1980s:

Porsche 944

The 924 was an important car in Porsche’s yesteryear with the company selling over 150,000 cars between 1976 and 1986 - an admirable figure for what was a small firm at that time. It was well-built and an affordable way into Porsche ownership without having to fork out for the flagship 911. In 1982, Porsche’s fourth model came to the market, the 944, and although there were visual similarities to the 924, it had more business-like mannerisms and was a more driver-focused machine.

Porsche offered it in an array of guises such as the 944 2.5, 944 S, 944 2.7, 944 S2 and S2 cabriolet, and the range-topping Turbo. All cars got pop-up headlights, a rear glass lid with a black spoiler, body-coloured bumpers and a 2+2 layout. Throughout its production run between 1982 and 1991, Porsche trumped the 924’s sales figures by selling 173,238 944s.

BMW M3 E30

Before the times of twin-turbocharged six-cylinder cars with a superfluity of onboard tech, M3s of old were basic, but fast, 2+2 coupes. The E30 M3 had a 200bhp 2.3-litre four-cylinder tied to a dog-leg five-speed transmission that drove power to the rear wheels. And, while it isn’t considered fast by modern standards, it could crack the 0-62mph dash in 7.0sec and climb to 146mph; it also weighed just 1200kg which meant easy and fast cornering.

Setting it aside from its regular siblings, was the go faster M division bodywork. It was covered in M3 badging, muscular rear arches engulfed the 16in cross-spoke alloys and a prominent rear spoiler completed the racer look. The E30 M3 developed a large cult following with its design alone and remains on many petrolheads’ bucket lists today.

Audi Quattro

Like with many songs or movies, there are few words needed to identify some of the world’s most famous cars. In 1976, Audi engineers decided to stick a four-wheel drive layout in a family car, but the idea was met with resistance as most off-roaders were industrial and robust. The engineers, however, continued the Quattro project which became a Frankenstein between the body of an Audi 80 and the drivetrain from a Volkswagen Iltis 4x4 military vehicle.

This led to the famous mud-throwing Audi Quattro rally car winning 23 world championships, and the road-going Audi Quattro. While the sleek Ferrari 308GTB of the same era could achieve the 0-62mph sprint in 6.5sec, the boxy production Quattro was timed at just 6.3sec.

Peugeot 205 GTi

Amidst a generation of Porsche 928s and Jaguar XJR-S, the 205 GTi would still be classed by people today as one of the top cars of the 1980s. A tuned engine in a lightweight package with understated bodywork resulted in large success. In 1984, the 205 GTi was powered by a 1.6-litre 103bhp powerplant but just two years later in 1986, the 1.6-litre was revised and the power was upped to 113bhp.

In the same year, the winning 1.9-litre GTi was launched with a punchy 128bhp. Because of its 875kg weight, 0-62mph was dealt with in just under 8sec and 127mph was achievable. Its finely tuned chassis allowed it to duck and dive around corners and even entice lift-off oversteer on some occasions. The 205 GTi was a perfect reminder that you didn’t need a lot of visual aero to have fun, whichever side of the 1.6 v 1.9 debate you’re on.

Renault 5 GT Turbo

Amid the fame of the Mk1 Golf GTi and Peugeot 205 GTi, the GT Turbo was getting ready to strike. The 115bhp GT Turbo had the 205 GTi 1.6 outgunned, and with the amount of tunability on offer, a lot of cars ended up in the wrong hands and were written off. A 1986 TV ad showed Griff Rhys Jones barreling up the Santa Pad drag strip to show off its performance where it achieved 0-62mph in 7.5sec, which meant it also outperformed the 205 1.9GTi and the Mk2 Golf GTI 8v.

The price of a new Renault 5 GT Turbo in 1985 was £7000 (around £20,000 today), making it £1445 cheaper than the equivalent 205 GTi 1.9 that was released a year later.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Our list of heroic cars wouldn’t be complete without the Golf GTI Mk2. Although there were faster and more appealing cars, the Golf GTI still had the small, fun hot hatchback heritage behind it. After the Mk1 GTI’s success, Volkswagen gave us the Mk2 GTI which retained the iconic twin-headlight look but it had more bulbous bodywork and a choice between a 1.8-litre 8v or 16v engine.

Although the Mk2 GTI was 10% heavier than the Mk1, the 112bhp from the 8v was enough to shove all of its 950kgs along smoothly. The introduction of the 139bhp 16v was Volkswagen’s answer to Ford and Vauxhall closing the gap in performance and it pushed the Mk2 into top-tier hot hatch territory.

Ford Escort RS Turbo

If a model was lucky enough to have Ford’s RS badging, it meant it had made it into the company’s most driver-focused road car range. The Escort RS Turbo was one of the quickest hot hatchbacks of its era thanks to the turbocharged 132bhp that lived under the bonnet, and it was the first front-wheel drive car to get a limited-slip differential.

Inside, there were front Recaro seats with blue stitching to match the RS decals on the outside. What then propelled the car’s popularity even more, was that Princess Diana obtained one; her car – the only one ever built in black - sold in 2022 for £722,500.

RUF CTR Yellow Bird

In 1987, Ruf released their promo video of a driver wearing no helmet, or gloves, in the new Ruf CTR Yellow Bird and lapping the Nurburgring in just 8.05mins. And, while cars like the Ferrari 288 GTO and Lamborghini Countach could both reach 190mph, the CTR Yellow Bird could sail past the Italians with its 211mph top speed.

These numbers were achieved due to the twin-turbo 3.4-litre that sat at the rear which produced 463bhp; this was also aided by its 1150kg weight. Only 29 cars were ever produced.

Ferrari F40

The F40 was built to celebrate the firm’s 40th anniversary, and out of all the Ferraris produced over the years, it still holds the gauntlet for one of the world’s most influential supercars. Power comes from a twin-turbocharged V8, positioned behind the front seats; it produces 478bhp at 7000rpm and the F40 weighed just a touch more than a hot hatchback from the same-era.

All 478bhp was fed through the rear wheels and a five-speed manual gearbox, allowing the F40 to propel itself to 62mph from a standstill in 4.1sec and onto 201mph if given enough room. F40s sold for £193,000 when released in 1987, today prices sit at around £1 million.

Porsche 959

What once held the crown for the fastest production car in 1986 with its 190mph-plus top speed, is now an automotive icon. The 959 was ahead of its time with its four-wheel drive system, variable torque split and adaptive damping technology, combined with its use of space-age materials such as Nomex and Kevlar. Its 2.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six produced 444bhp and could smash the 0-62mph sprint in 3.7sec.

In its production run from 1987 to 1988, only 292 examples were made with one being written off on its way to auction where it still sold for £388,988 ($467,500). A well-cherished car that accrued 16,660 miles since 1987 sold for £1.1m in 2021 at auction.

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

Although the Sierra RS Cosworth was produced to push Ford back to the front of the touring car racing championship, it ended up becoming homologated road car that would contend with some of the world’s finest supercars. A turbocharged 2.0-litre engine sat upfront and fed 204bhp through a limited-slip differential to the rear wheels which meant 0-62mph in 6.2sec and a 143mph top speed. The Sierra RS sat on 15in multi-spoke alloy wheels, it had a signature whale-tail spoiler, bloated bodywork and bonnet vents to disperse any warm air.

By 1987, Ford wanted to improve the Sierra RS and the rules around racing allowed for this, as long as 500 road cars were built; with this, Ford introduced the more powerful RS500. This was later followed by the more civilized Sapphire Cosworth, which was produced in Genk, Belgium.

Fiat Panda

Fiat would see over 4.5 million Pandas produced in its 1980 to 2003 production stint. Originally, the Panda was meant to be nicknamed ‘Rustica’ but was called Panda in the 11th hour and it was intended to be a low-cost production car that was frugal for the public. Although it was originally supplied with a four-cylinder 903cc engine, the Panda range would grow as the years moved forward when various special editions became available such as the Panda Habitat and the Panda Italia 90 which was in celebration of the 1990 FIFA World Cup that Italy hosted.

Cars came equipped with four-speed manual transmissions, but these were changed to five-speeds in 1983. One trim level that had great public admiration was the 4x4 variant which was capable due to the Panda’s lightweight body.

Lancia Delta Integrale

While the Delta Integrale could be driven daily, it would be a special event to drive. The interior had boxy plastic, its 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four rumbled through the cabin and the eight-dial analogue dashboard showed everything from the revs to the turbo boost pressure. HF variants were originally released in 1983 and turbocharged HF four-wheel drive cars followed in 1986.

The early HF Integrale 8v had 182bhp, permanent four-wheel drive and a five-speed manual gearbox and while some cars made it to the UK, they were left-hand drive only. This later changed in 1989 when a newer 197bhp car was released with right-hand drive. In 1980, the Delta won European Car of the Year and from 1987-1992, the Delta 8v rally car brought six World Rally wins in a row.

Saab 900 Turbo

Back in the day, some cars might have had fuel injection or four-wheel drive badging, but there were few that had Turbo badges. The 900 Turbo was released in 1978 with sleek bodywork, a fastback appearance, 602 litres of boot space and 145bhp. This was then revised in 1985 with an improved 16v engine which offered 175bhp, allowing for a 0-62mph dash of just 6.9sec; even by today's standards this isn’t considered slow.

Cars from 1981 had a three-speed automatic transmission and later cars had Automatic Performance Control which allowed different fuel grades to be used without any engine damage. And, in 1983, Saab introduced asbestos-free brakes which was an industry first. In its 20-year production, 908,817 900s were manufactured, around a quarter of which were turbos.

Toyota MR2

In 1989, Autocar attended a race track for the day and tested a plethora of fast cars in an attempt to find ‘Britain’s Best Handling Car’. Those on the list were the Ferrari 328 GTB, Lancia Delta Integrale, Porsche 944 S2, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and the Toyota MR2. And, while the Porsche 944 was crowned victorious, it had a difficult time shaking the MR2 to the chequered flag. Toyota had opted to build a fuel-sipping sportscar amid the 1970s oil crises – the Toyota MR2.

The Mk1 MR2 had a 122bhp 1.6-litre engine that would rev to 7600rpm, engine speeds that only Ferraris had seen. It had Toyota AE86-esque front-end styling with its pop-up headlights, and around the back were Ferrari-like C-Pillars and bonnet vents.

Lancia 037 Stradale

Audi’s Quattro was dominating the World Rally with Walter Rohrl at the wheel in 1982. But just one year later, Lancia would snatch back the title with a two-wheel drive car, famously known as the 037. Till this day, it remains the only two-wheel drive to hold the record of beating a four-wheel drive car in rally history.

Just 207 homologated examples were built using reinforced glassfibre kevlar, allowing the 037 to weigh just 1170kg. A mid-mounted supercharged 2.0-litre engine produced 255bhp while the rally variants were closer to 325bhp. In 2019, a 037 Group B rally car sold for just over £1m.

Lamborghini Jalpa

The Jalpa was Lamborghini’s entry-level car, competing against the Ferrari 308 and Porsche 911 SC and was based on Lamborghini’s Silhouette which flopped with only 53 units ever being sold. During the 70s Lamborghini tried and failed to win a supply contract with the US Army with its Cheetah military vehicle; things began to look unpromising for the firm. In the late 70s, the order to rework the Silhouette was then given, which would see the birth of the 1980’s Jalpa.

With over 400 Jalpas finding homes, Lamborghini was quickly saved from their financial crisis and the money was then used to update the Countach line. In 1988, Jalpa production was seized as Lamborghini wasn’t selling enough.

Honda CRX

Although there were more aesthetically pleasing cars of the era, the CRX was Honda’s idea to give the consumer all they could need: a small minimalistic car with two seats and decent fuel economy. When released in 1984, it came with a 1.3-litre 58bhp engine in economy guise, a sportier 1.5-litre was also released with 76bhp and was available with both a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic. A 2+2 variant was later introduced in 1988 which also saw the introduction of the 148bhp 1.6-litre VTEC with its 8200rpm redline.

The 100bhp variant was praised for its mix of both performance and economy as it could deliver up to 50mpg, which was rather uncommon. Honda’s CRX would see three generations and gain a large cult following for years to come, ending with the Del Sol model with its interesting electric convertible roof in the 90s.

Lotus Elan M100

It’s a well-known fact that the Elise is Lotus’s most popular car, whilst the Esprit had James Bond at the helm which increased its popularity. The original Elan, however, was a well-balanced rear-wheel drive machine. When Britain's answer to Mazda’s MX-5 came along in 1989, the M100 Elan, people sniffed at its oddball styling and front-wheel drive layout and while the MX-5 sold over 400,000 units, Lotus only had a 4700 production volume for the Elan M100.

When previously tested by Autocar, it was said to be “the quickest point-to-point car available”, and thanks to its rigid chassis and minimal roll through the corners, it behaved more like a rear-wheel drive car, minus the unpredictability.

Ford RS200

While the rally-bred RS200 fell short of success during the WRC, the road cars that Ford had built were looking near-identical to the rally versions. This meant that the large fog lights, air intakes, ducktail spoiler and mid-engine all remained.

Inside, the rally heritage continued with the deep bucket seats, raised transmission tunnel and a surplus of gauges. Road cars developed 246bhp from the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine which meant the RS200 could rocket to 62mph in just over 5sec; rally cars produced 444bhp. In 2019, a 1988 RS200 sold for £292,500 at Silverstone Auctions.

Toyota Supra Mk3

We’ve seen five generations of Supra so far - the MK4 being amidst the most popular cars to ever emerge from Japan, with the Mk3 hiding in its shadow. The rather advanced rear-wheel drive four-seat coupe was launched in 1986 and seized production in 1993.

Choices of engines were vast and included a 3.0-litre naturally aspirated and turbocharged variant which could get the Supra to 62mph from rest in just 6.1sec. Although Supras of old were based on the Celica, the Mk3 was the first Supra to break away from the Celica family tree and stand on its own two feet.

BMW Z1

BMW’s Z series cars, the Z3, Z4 and Z8, all have a large following and both the Z3 and Z4 have been the go-to sports car for many. And, it all started with the Z1. Released in 1989, its praised innovative design meant that the doors retracted vertically down inside the car with the help of electric motors, and although illegal in some countries, it saw many people driving with the doors retracted.

The Z1’s bodywork could be undone by a few bolts and changed in just 40min if you had a change of heart concerning your original colour choice. Due to the manufacturing costs involved, the Z1 saw a small two-year production stint where only 8000 cars were produced.

Chevrolet Corvette

With the C3 Corvette having a more muscle car-like design, chunky tyres, long bonnet, and in some instances, a side-exit exhaust, the C4 was the first in the Corvette line-up to change the game and challenge the Porsche 928 in both performance and looks. When released in 1983, Chevrolet boldly claimed that the C4 Corvette could out-corner any European sportscar, generating 0.95g while cornering, thanks to its uni-directional tyres developed by Goodyear.

Initially, the C4 was launched with a 205bhp 5.7-litre powerplant, this was then updated in 1985 to produce between 230 and 250bhp and in 1990 the desired ZR-1 was released with 375bhp.

Ferrari 288 GTO

Those three letters, GTO, stand for Gran Turismo Omologato and have not only been seen on the 288 but also the 250 GTO – a car that was considered one of Ferrari’s greatest cars. The 288 GTO was designed as a homologation requirement for the Group B circuit racing series, which required 200 road variants of the car to be produced before it could enter.

But unfortunately, various driver deaths and accidents would cause the event’s popularity to plummet. Launched in 1984, the 288 GTO had a twin-turbocharged 2.8-litre V8 that produced 400bhp and would barrel on to 189mph. 272 Ferrari GTOs were ever built and one sold at auction in 2017 for £1.8m.

Toyota Corolla AE86

Today, the AE86 is massively popular with the drift community, thanks to its low weight (970kg), 50:50 weight distribution and the 125bhp from the naturally aspirated 7800rpm 1.6-litre twin-cam, which was enough to send it sideways.

Aside from drifting, the AE86 snapped the trophy from the hands of the Mercedes 190E Cosworth and BMW E30 M3 in the European Touring Car Championship and it later found success in the British Touring Car Championship. Cars today usually fetch over £20,000 in exemplary condition.

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R

Quite commonly known as ‘Godzilla’, the R32 GT-R earned its title from the Australians after it dominated the national racing scene in Japan between 1989 and 1993, winning all of the 79 races it participated in. In celebration of its winnings, the GT-R was given a special V-Spec edition (V standing for victory) and cars were given 17in alloys, Brembo brakes and a refined four-wheel drive system.

The twin-turbocharged 2.6-litre straight-six produced 276bhp and became increasingly popular globally because of its 1000bhp – plus tuning potential. Throughout the years, the R32 GT-R cult following grew larger with the car being featured in videogames such as Gran Turismo alongside various popular Japanese automotive cartoons.

Ferrari Testarossa

Battling the Countach for a spot on a child's bedroom wall in the 80s was the Testarossa. Released in 1984 with production ending in 1991, it saw two model revisions: the 512 TR, also available in a Spider form, and the F512 M. The original Testarossa was built not only to nip at the heels of Lamborghini but to provide Ferrari customers with a wider and bigger car than the Berlinetta Boxer supercars.

Underneath, it shared the same 4.9-litre flat-12 heart, which produced 390bhp, giving a 180mph top speed. From the pointed nose, fluted side intakes and the mismatched A pillar wing mirror, the Testarossa remains one of the world’s most attractive cars in automotive history.

Ford Capri

Today, the Ford Capri is one of the most sought-after classic cars with concourse examples fetching as high as £44,000. After the Mustang’s success in the US in 1964, the German and British Ford divisions wanted to create a smaller-but-similar car for Europe. The Capri project, known as Project Colt, began in 1965 where gubbins from the Cortina were used such as the floorpan and suspension. Over the years, the model range expanded with attractive guises and the Capri became an increasingly popular coupe, eventually branching out to South Africa, America and Australia.

By 1977, Ford began work on a Capri II update - cars received sleeker bodywork tracing back to its Mustang beginnings, and a choice of more powerful engines such as a 160bhp 2.8-litre and a flagship X-pack 185bhp 3.0-litre V6. The Capri would go on to sell nearly 1.9m units over its entire production run.

Mercedes-Benz 190E

There are 2926 of Mercedes’ once vastly popular 190E still on Britain's roads today. During its 1982 to 1993 production run, almost 2 million cars were sold globally. When launched, there was a mix of both petrol and diesel engines available with the petrol variants starting with a naturally aspirated 90bhp 2.0-litre and stretching up to the more powerful 2.3 and 2.5-litre 16v Cosworth units; the E stood for Einspritzung (fuel injection).

In 1984, Ayrton Senna won the Nurburgring Race of Champions in the 235bhp 190E 2.3-16 Evolution against 19 other drivers.

BMW M5

From 5.0-litre V10s to twin-turbo V8s, the M5 started in life as a redesigned E28 535i with various mechanical changes such as an updated engine that was once used in the M1 sports car. The E28 M5 never did snatch the headlines, but it placed a firm benchmark and gave us the super saloon M5 of today.

Launched in 1984, the M5’s 3.0-litre straight-six M88 powerplant produced 278bhp, which was more than an equivalent Ferrari 328 of the same era, allowing it to launch to 62mph in 6.2sec and if given enough space, it would see 151mph. Only 2191 M5s were produced from 1984 to 1988.

Alfa Romeo GTV6

Alfa produced the first GTV in 1973, based on their Alfetta saloon, which would target the Ford Capri and Datsun 240Z. In the early 1980s, the GTV was gifted a facelift which saw Alfa shoehorn a 2.5-litre V6 from the 6 saloon shifting the opposition and firmly putting the Mazda RX-7 and Porsche 924 in its sights. In its short production life from just 1981 to 1987, Alfa made about 22,000 GTV-6s - about a third of the coupe’s sales, with less than 5000 making it overseas to the US.

What hastened its popularity was when James Bond drove one with vigor around the streets of rural Germany in 1983’s Octopussy.

Volvo 240

Volvo’s 240 wasn’t fast, nor did it excel at handling, but one thing they did well was survival. Its brick-like physique, large boot and solidity gave those who were looking at a Saab 900 food for thought. Cars that were marketed as the 144 had a four-cylinder engine whereas 164 variants had an extended frontend to accommodate a larger six-cylinder.

The 240 was the first car in the world to be fitted with a catalytic converter and an oxygen sensor. During its 19-year production, Volvo built over 2.8m 240s.

Bentley Turbo R

In the 80s, defence firm Vickers owned Bentley and they were ready to drop the marque as Rolls-Royce was more enticing. Bentley then released its “sporty” Mulsanne Turbo to put a good deal of distance between it and Rolls, featuring a 6.75-litre V8 and a Garrett T3 blower. And although it was released as a sporty alternative, it cornered rather poorly. Bentley then revised the car by reworking the suspension and gave it Turbo R badging (R standing for road-holding).

In 1988, it received a facelift and was given four circular headlamps which created a look that became famous. In 1982, Bentley had only contributed 1.6% to sales, but by 1990 the Turbo R had pushed the brand’s contribution to 50%.

Lamborghini Countach

Revealed in 1971, the Countach would see five different forms with almost 2000 being built in a 16-year period, today Lamborghini’s dramatic supercar is just over 50 years old. The name Countach has no direct translation but is instead used as an exclamation of amazement. Although it was already striking, in 1978 it was time for a refresh and LP400S was released. It had a heavily modified chassis, better air-con and various aerodynamic tweaks.

When Ferrari astonished the world with the Testarossa, Lamborghini responded with the Countach QV which had 461bhp. By 1988, the Countach was given a final hurrah. The last iteration celebrated Lamborghini’s 25th birthday where buyers were given redesigned bumpers and rear scoops, extra cooling vents and the option of a large rear wing – only 657 examples were made.

Lexus LS400

While the luxury car market lay in the hands of both Mercedes and BMW during the 80s, Japan hit the bullseye with their production start in 1989, the Lexus LS400, and although the brand was new, it was snug by having the backing of Toyota. Under the bonnet was a 4.0-litre V8, producing 241bhp, that fed power through the rear wheels and it was mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox.

The car was defined as “faultless” to many motoring magazines because of its calm ride quality, and Lexus put in the utmost effort to receive positive feedback; the prop shaft was designed to give zero vibration and the wipers could change their angle at higher speeds to reduce noise.

Overall, the LS400 boasted a 58dB reduction over its BMW 735i and Mercedes 420SE rivals. Its development involved 60 designers, 1400 engineers, 2300 technicians and 200 support staff to ensure their first flagship model succeeded.

Citroen BX

What was once Britain's best-selling diesel car for several years in a row, now has only 255 registered examples left in the UK today. Designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone, the BX was regarded as the family car that saved Citroen from bankruptcy as it went on to sell 2.5m units worldwide. Officially launched in 1982, with a UK launch following the year after, the BX was sold with both a 1.4-litre or 1.6-litre engine.

It was praised for its economy and low running costs thanks to the lightweight plastic panels used for the bonnet, bumpers and boot lid. While earlier cars had a drum speedometer and a strip rev counter, these were swapped out in 1986 for more modern equipment.

Lotus Esprit Turbo

After the success of the submersible James Bond Esprit in 1977, Lotus was brought in once again to supply 007’s transportation for the 1981 film Your Eyes Only, in which it would see a pair of skis mounted to the back to complete the Cortina ski resort scene. While the Esprit Turbo had supercar-sculpted bodywork, the 2.2-litre engine produced a modest 215bhp which made it a bit lower than that of its rivals, the Porsche 944 Turbo and Ferrari 328.

Like a true Lotus, however, the car weighed just 1147kg; this allowed for, what was then, supercar performance with 0-62mph in sub-5sec and a 154mph top speed – if the conditions were right. Lotus made a total of 10,675 Esprits over a 28-year period, 2274 of those were Turbos.

Renault GTA Turbo

The GTA is the chisel-nosed supercar that time, somewhat, forgot. In France, the GTA was known as the Alpine A610, but this was changed for the UK market.

Under the sleek glassfibre bodywork was a steel backbone chassis which kept the car at 1140kg. Buyers could either have a 158bhp 2.9-litre or a 197bhp 2.5-litre Turbo, both of which were mounted at the rear – in 1991 a 247bhp 3.0-litre was released. Only 649 derivatives of the GTA were made between 1984 and 1991.

TVR Tasmin

Also known to many in Britain as the TVR wedge, the Tasmin was released in 1980 and showcased just how TVR was performing. A 160bhp 2.8-litre V6 engine from the Capri hid under its iconic stooping bonnet which was enough to propel its 1074kg weight to 62mph from a standstill in 7.8sec. The Tasmin was the first TVR that was offered with an automatic transmission.

Its glassfibre body sat on top of a tubular space-frame chassis which was powdercoated in a bid to fight off corrosion. In 1983, the 350i V8 arrived which was followed by the 390SE in 1984 and the 420SE and SEAC in 1986. The 420SE produced 325bhp and was quickly named the ‘widowmaker’.

Vauxhall Carlton GSi 3000

Before the Lotus Carlton, Vauxhall’s hero was the straight-edged Carlton 3000 GSi. While BMW and Mercedes owned the market for fast saloon cars, the Carlton was the car that showed those German marques that things didn’t stop with them.

The GSi had a 3.0-litre 12v straight-six that produced 177bhp allowing the rear-wheel drive to hit 62mph in 8sec; this wasn’t quite enough, so the car was revised in 1989 and was given a further 12 valves, pushing the new 24-valve GSi 3000 to just north of 200bhp.

The best cars that were only built once

Thu, 9 Jul 2026 06:47:31 +0100

Building one-off vehicles is a hugely expensive exercise, but car makers build more of them than you might realise

In the early days of the car, when they were hand-made and based on a separate chassis, it was easy to build one-offs.

But the advent of monocoque construction made it much harder to construct a unique car, which is why it's now such a costly business. But every so often a car maker will unveil a road-going machine that's unique, either as a customer commission, a marketing exercise or it could simply be as the basis for a production model which never sees the light of day. Sometimes it's a shame that only the one was made – but sometimes it's not such a bad thing:

Peugeot 404 (1966)

Starting out with a 404 cabriolet, Peugeot created a diesel-engined record breaker with a fixed narrow roof and just 69bhp. It ran for 72 hours at Montlhéry, breaking 22 speed records in the process, three of them all-new.

Ford Supervan 1 (1971)

When the Transit Supervan made its public debut at the Easter race meeting at Thruxton in April 1971, Ford could never have predicted just what an icon this ludicrous machine would become. The bodyshell was a standard Transit Mk1, but it hid a rather barmy secret; this delivery van was based on the chassis of a Ford GT40, complete with mid-mounted 5.0-litre V8.

Ford Supervan 1 (1971)

With 435bhp on tap, the Supervan's performance was shattering. We clocked a 0-100mph time of just 21.6 seconds when we drove it at Ford Motorsport's Boreham airfield. We also saw 102mph on the clock – in second gear! It was reckoned that the top speed was 168mph, but Supervan's aerodynamics were so poor that it would have been a frightening experience. Sadly, Supervan 1 was scrapped in the 1970s.

Fiat 130 Familiare (1971)

When business tycoon Gianni Agnelli (1921-2003) owned Fiat he could have whatever cars he wanted and a whole raft of one-offs were built for him. Among them was a five-door estate based on the ultra-luxurious Fiat 130 saloon, with its 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine rated at 165bhp.

Fiat 130 Familiare (1971)

The Agnelli family actually had four of these ultra-practical estate cars made, each one differing in detail. The boss got one with a roof rack and wickerwork down the flanks; that car was known as the Villa d'Este and is now in private hands. The one shown here was originally owned by Umberto Agnelli (Gianni's younger brother) and is now owned by FCA; it's in the company's heritage collection in Italy.

Aston Martin Bulldog (1980)

When Aston Martin developed the incredibly futuristic mid-engined Bulldog, there was talk of building up to 25 of the Williams Towns-designed machines. With electrically operated gullwing doors, a twin-turbo V8 cranking out 700bhp and the most dramatic proportions imaginable, it’s likely the necessary buyers could have been found.

Aston Martin Bulldog (1980)

With a verified near-200mph top speed, this would have been the world’s fastest production road car without doubt. But with all of the development work done, Aston Martin changed hands and the new owners didn’t feel this was the way forward for a quintessentially English car maker. So the sole Bulldog built was sold instead; it still survives and has recently completed a total nut-and-bolt restoration.

With that under its belt, it finally cracked the 200mph barrier at a former airbase in Scotland in June 2023.

Twin-engined Volkswagen Scirocco (1983)

With Audi busy conquering rally stages the world over, with its incredible Quattro, Volkswagen wanted a piece of the four-wheel drive action so it came up with this – a Scirocco with a 1791cc four-pot engine at each end. Thus equipped there was a healthy 360bhp available to give a 180mph top speed and 0-62mph in just 4.5 seconds. VW built two of these Sciroccos; one for testing and one for show use.

Twin-engined Volkswagen Scirocco (1983)

Having already created a twin-engined Scirocco earlier in the year, in late 1983 Volkswagen unveiled a sequel, with boxy wheelarches and a different mechanical spec. This time each engine displaced 1781cc and put out 141bhp, and instead of two manual gearboxes with a common linkage, there was a pair of three-speed automatic transmissions. VW developed the twin-engined Scirocco to a point where production could have been feasible, but just the one example was made.

Ford Supervan 2 (1984)

Whereas the original Supervan used a genuine steel Transit bodyshell, its successor featured a glassfibre shell that was seven tenths of the size of the production vehicle. This time the running gear was from Ford's still-born C100 endurance racer, which meant there was a 590bhp 3.9-litre Cosworth DFL V8, which was capable of taking Supervan 2 all the way up to 176mph, which it was timed doing at the Silverstone circuit.

Lancia Trevi Bimotore (1984)

When Lancia needed to come up with a successor to its rally-winning 037 in 1984, it had to feature four-wheel drive if it was going to be competitive. Its initial (rather bizarre) solution was the Trevi BiMotore which was fitted with a pair of turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder twin-cam engines. Although the car was fast and very effective, it was overweight due to having twice the mechanicals and the rear engine had a tendency to overheat.

Lancia Trevi Bimotore (1984)

The two engines were not mechanically coupled, only the two gearboxes were connected so that they could be operated by a single lever, with just one pedal to activate the two clutches. The two accelerators were controlled by a rudimentary electronic system that determined the delay in supplying power to the rear axle. The dashboard had two rev counters, the second of which replaced the speedometer, and two central gauges indicated the water temperature and oil pressure of each engine.

Porsche 928-4 (1984)

A direct ancestor to the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo, the 928-4 was a regular Porsche 928 S from the B-pillars forward. But the back end of the car was completely replaced with a hatchback, and to give those in the second row some more leg room the wheelbase was also stretched by 250mm.

Porsche 928-4 (1984)

Presented to Ferry Porsche in September 1984, to mark his birthday, the 928-4 also featured projector headlights in place of the usual pop-up items, while there was also green-tinted glass and a unique leather interior finished in green. The car now sits in Porsche's museum in Stuttgart.

Porsche 928 H50 (1987)

Three years after Porsche built its 928 shooting brake, it finished this five-door estate, although the rear doors were so small that they were classed as half doors. Which probably makes the car a four-door estate. Even though the car was finished in 1987, it wasn't seen publicly until the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours; the car was axed because Porsche couldn't make it rigid enough.

Porsche 928 H50 (1987)

Whereas the shooting brake had been based on a Porsche 928 S, the H50 used the 928 S4 as its basis. That meant power came from a 5.0-litre V8 instead of the earlier 4.7-litre unit. Tuned to produce 330bhp the H50 would have been swift, but it would have handled poorly with that lack of stiffness.

Lotec C1000 (1991)

With a whole raft of supercars set to enter the market in the early 1990s, one oil sheikh decided he just had to own something nobody else could ever have, so he commissioned Mercedes to build a one-off hypercar. The German company in turn asked supercar specialist Lotec to come up with something suitably swift; the C1000 was the result.

Lotec C1000 (1991)

In the middle was a twin-turbo Mercedes 5.6-litre V8 developing a claimed 1000bhp – hence the car’s name. Top speed was allegedly 268mph, but this was never independently verified. However, with a race-spec chassis and carbon-fibre bodyshell, it was more high-tech than the name suggested.

Ford Supervan 3 (1995)

When Ford decided to build a third iteration of its Supervan it took Supervan 2 and converted it to the latest exterior design of the Transit. That meant a new nose, the latest doors and an all-new paint scheme. However, the previous engine was swapped for a Cosworth HB F1 V8 engine rated at 650bhp to give a top speed close to 200mph.

Ford Supervan 3 (1995)

Supervan 3 is the only one of the three to have survived. The F1 V8 was ditched in the 1990s though, as it was too valuable and needed too much maintenance. The vehicle languished in a warehouse for years, then in 2004 it was brought out of storage to generate some publicity for Ford. The Cosworth-tuned 24-valve V6 that had been fitted years before was fitted with a supercharger for some extra grunt and since then Supervan 3 has been brought out regularly at events across the UK.

Renault Espace F1 (1995)

Taking a leaf out of Ford's book, to mark a decade of Espace production Renault mated one of its people-carriers with the chassis and running gear of a 1993 Williams-Renault FW15C F1 car. The result was an MPV that wasn't much good at carrying people (although there were still four seats), but it was pretty good at burning rubber. With around 800bhp available the F1 could do 0-120mph in 6.9 seconds and topped out at 194mph, so it was ideal for the school run.

TVR Speed 12 (1996)

Shown as Project 7/12 at the 1996 Birmingham motor show, this mad TVR was intended to become the world’s fastest road car thanks to a 7.7-litre V12 pushing out anything up to a claimed 880bhp. Originally envisaged as a GT1 racer which could also be adapted for the road, the project was renamed the Speed 12 in 1998.

TVR Speed 12 (1996)

Race regulations shifted and TVR boss Peter Wheeler reckoned the car was simply too fast for the road. With a kerb weight of 1000kg and the right gearing, 240mph was supposedly possible; Wheeler didn’t want to sell such a beast to drivers who couldn’t handle the power, so the project bit the dust.

Rover 25 Art Car (2002)

With MG Rover getting up to nonsense such as this. It's not hard to see why the company went to the wall. In 2002 the British car maker teamed up with young fashion designer Matthew Williamson to create a 25 with some pizzazz, to tie in with London Fashion Week. With its various shades of pink the car was certainly not for shrinking violets.

Rover 25 Art Car (2002)

If the Rover 25's exterior was not especially easy on the eye, you'd probably need counselling after being exposed to the interior for too long. With its ornately patterned carpets and door trim inserts, plus lashings of neon pink, the 25's cabin would have overwhelmed Barbara Cartland, never mind the young women who MG Rover was trying to target at the time.

Maybach Exelero (2005)

While it looks like a refugee from a Batman film, the Exelero was never designed for a starring role on the silver screen. Instead it was designed as a mobile test bed for high-speed tyres, bankrolled by German tyre maker Fulda and based on the platform of the Maybach 57 limousine.

Maybach Exelero (2005)

This wasn’t the first time that Fulda had teamed up with the Maybach marque, nor was it the first time that the tyre maker had built a vehicle specially for the purpose of demonstrating its tyres. Back in 1938, Fulda had paid for a one-off Maybach SW38, to enable high-speed tyre testing on Germany’s autobahns.

Volkswagen Golf GTi W12-650 (2007)

Once in a while Volkswagen does do something completely crazy, and for the 2007 Worthersee festival, the company slotted its largest engine into one of its smallest cars to come up with something utterly bonkers. Worthersee is the world’s largest annual celebration of the Golf GTi, so it was fitting that VW should use its then-current hot Golf as the basis for a show car that gave the punters a fresh perspective on this most staid of car makers.

Volkswagen Golf GTi W12-650 (2007)

Mounted in the middle of the Golf GTi W12-650 was a 6.0-litre W12 engine with a couple of turbochargers strapped on to boost peak power to 641bhp. The bespoke drivetrain needed some accommodating, so VW widened the Golf by 160mm and fitted 19-inch alloys with 295-section tyres – which no doubt had their work cut out trying to harness the power. The car was claimed to be capable of 202mph along with 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds.

Ferrari SP1 (2008)

In 2008 Ferrari unveiled its first official unique car, from its Special Projects division. Called the SP1 (Special Project #1) and built for Japanese collector Junichiro Hiramatsu, the SP1 was based on the F430 and it carried that car's glasshouse and pillars over, but with all new panelling made of carbon fibre. The design was based on Leonardo Fioravanti's 1998 F100 concept; he designed the SP1 too.

Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta (2009)

Just a year after the SP1 was unveiled, Ferrari unwrapped its next unique commission. This time it was based on the 599GTB, the lucky buyer was American Edward Walson and the inspiration came from the 1968 Ferrari-based Golden Roadster that starred in the 1968 cult film Histoires Extraordinaires.

Ferrari Superamerica 45 (2011)

The third in Ferrari's Special Projects series, the Superamerica 45 was based on a 599GTB and commissioned by serial Ferrari owner Peter Kalikow. The car took its name from the fact that it was built to mark 45 years of Ferrari ownership for Kalikow; its most intriguing feature was a carbon fibre rotating hard top which incoporated the rear screen. The Superamerica was finished in Blu Antille paintwork, to go with Kalikow's 1961 400 Superamerica – the design of which inspired the new car.

McLaren X-1 (2012)

In 2012 McLaren unveiled a unique rebodied 12C at The Quail, part of the Monterey Historics week – and it's never been seen since. Mechanically identical to the car that sired it and using the 12C's monocoque, the X-1 featured entirely new outer panelling made of carbon fibre and aluminium, with even the lights and wheels made specially.

Lamborghini Aventador J (2012)

Commissioned by Lambo boss Stefan Winkelmann just six weeks before the opening of the Geneva motor show where it was making its debut, the Lamborghini Aventador J featured almost entirely new bodywork and was claimed to be the lowest car ever to leave the Sant’Agata factory. By the time the Aventador J was unveiled it had been sold to a prolific Lamborghini buyer, for more than €2m.

Ferrari SP12 EC (2012)

Perhaps the best-known of the various official one-off Ferraris, partly because of its celebrity owner, the rock star Eric Clapton, the SP12 EC's design was inspired by the 512 Boxer's. However, there were just eight cylinders rather than 12, as the SP12 was based on the 458 Italia.

Lamborghini Egoista (2013)

Lamborghini marked its 50th birthday by creating what was surely one of the most outrageously styled cars ever made. The Egoista (Italian for ‘selfish’) was a single-seater with a 592bhp 5.2-litre V10; much of its design (inside and out) was inspired by aviation design and construction. As a result, the cabin was more like the cockpit of a fighter jet, swathed in carbonfibre and aluminium. This car wasn't for a wealthy collector though; Lamborghini made the Egoista for its own museum.

Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTi (2013)

For the 2013 GTi Festival at Lake Worthersee, held in Austria, created a 496bhp Golf called the Design Vision GTi, 15mm shorter than the regular production GTi, but 57mm lower and a massive 71mm wider.

Volkswagen Golf Design Vision GTi (2013)

Fitted with ceramic brakes and unique 20-inch alloys, the styling was turned up to the max for that ultimate menacing look. The Design Vision GTi was no sheep in wolf’s clothing though, as in the nose there was a turbocharged 3.0 V6 TSI engine that could put out a stonking 413lb ft of torque, most of it from just 2000rpm. Channelled to all four wheels via a DSG transmission, the car could get to 62mph in just 3.9 seconds.

Ferrari F12 TRS (2014)

The F12 TRS was the first Ferrari Special Projects model to be based on the F12 Berlinetta, with completely bespoke bodywork inspired by the 1957 250 Testa Rossa. Strictly speaking this isn't a one-off though, as the person who commissioned it had a second one built, with modified styling and chrome paintwork. This second car features a different nose, rear diffuser and headlights.

Ferrari SP America (2014)

American Ferrari enthusiast Danny Wegman stumped up the necessary cash for this one, which was based on the Ferrari F12. With a design inspired by that of the ultra-collectible 250 GTO, the SP America got all-new bodywork with round tail lights. The mechanicals were left standard, which meant a 740bhp 6.3-litre V12 was in the nose.

Ferrari SP FFX (2014)

Ferrari Special Projects had a busy year in 2014, with no fewer than three unique cars being unveiled. The SP FFX was commissioned by Japanese collector Shin Okamato and while it was based on a Ferrari FF you would never guess, with the sharply cut away bodywork at the back so it looked more like a restyled F12 Berlinetta.

Ferrari SP 275 RW Competizione (2016)

Yet another F12-based one-off, the SP 275 RW Competizione was commissioned by American dentist Rick Workman, who paid $3-4m to pay for his unique machine. Inspired by the 275 GTB/C Speciale that won its class at Le Mans in 1965, the SP 275 RW used the mechanicals of the F12tdf, which meant a rather handy 769bhp was on tap; the 20-inch wheels were unique to this car.

Ferrari 458 MM Speciale (2016)

Not many official Ferrari one-offs were commissioned by British Prancing Horse fans, but the 458 MM Speciale was. Based on a 458 Speciale, a completely new set of panels were constructed of aluminium and carbon fibre. This one-off was inspired by the 288 GTO, with its wrap-around windscreen; the paintwork was pearlescent white while the interior was swathed in dark brown leather.

Kia Sorento Ski Gondola (2016)

The Specialty Equipment Market Association has been going since the early 1960s and in recent years it has become a must-see event for petrolheads the world over. Held every autumn in Las Vegas, car makers have embraced the annual SEMA bash with such enthusiasm that cars like the Kia Sorento Ski Gondola aren't the most outrageous confections on display.

Kia Sorento Ski Gondola (2016)

While the Ski Gondola was left standard from an engine and transmission perspective, the rest of the running gear was given a serious makeover, with self-levelling rubber tracks fitted for the Kia to cope with the most tricky arctic terrain imaginable.

Ferrari SP38 Deborah (2018)

Revealed at Villa d’Este in 2018, the SP38 happened thanks to the cash and enthusiasm of Swiss collector Ronnie Kessel whose start point was a 488 GTB, reworked with a design inspired by the F40. The SP38 Deborah name apparently refers to the bespoke shade of red paintwork – although if you can work out the reference you're doing better than us.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail (2017)

An unnamed owner paid many millions of pounds for this to be built, and when we introduced it to our readers the message boards went into overdrive with readers telling us how much they hated the design. But love it or loathe it, the Sweptail harks back to the glory days of coachbuilding, which is what Rolls-Royce should be all about.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail (2017)

The Sweptail was based on the Rolls-Royce Phantom VII, complete with 6.75-litre V12 engine. The one-off car took four years to design and build, and it featured the largest ever iteration of Rolls-Royce's iconic Pantheon grille. Despite its generous proportions, the Sweptail was fitted with just two seats – and presumably had the boot space of a Luton van.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire (2019)

When Bugatti revealed its La Voiture Noire at the 2019 Geneva salon the company claimed that it was the world's most expensive new car, with a price tag of £12m. You couldn't buy it though; it was commissioned by an unnamed marque enthusiast with very deep pockets, at one time rumoured to be Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, though he has denied this.

Bugatti La Voiture Noire (2019)

While it was the 1500bhp Chiron that provided the basis for La Voiture Noire, it was the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic that provided the inspiration – and specifically the car originally owned by Jean Bugatti. That car was lost during World War 2, never to be seen again; we suspect that now this car has been seen very publicly on one occasion, it won't get too many airings from now on.

KGM Musso Rhino

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 15:07:11 +0100

Korean brand’s new diesel pick-up truck takes the fight to the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux The pick-up truck market has become somewhat predictable of late. If you want a refined, comfortable load-lugger, you buy a Ford Ranger or a Volkswagen Amarok; if you want something more utilitarian and robust, there’s the Toyota Hilux or an Isuzu D-Max. But if you want to save money, desire a payload-worth of standard kit and require strong pulling power, the new KGM Musso Rhino makes a strong case for itself. It becomes the flagship pick-up from KGM (formerly Ssangyong), sitting above the Musso Rebel and Musso Saracen that have been on sale since 2018 and the more lifestyle-focused new Musso EV.You can still buy the old diesel models, and KGM is about to offer a two-seat conversion to help lower BIK tax costs, but the Rebel and Saracen will eventually be phased out. The Rhino forms the design and technological blueprint for the range moving forward. So, does the Rhino have enough pulling power and all-round appeal to make it a sensible choice for those who need a rugged, easy-going workhorse? Let's find out.

KGM Musso EV: Korea's new lifestyle-focused pick-up driven

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 15:02:14 +0100

Revitalised brand brings car-like refinement and tiny tax bills to the pick-up segment with new electric 4x4

While pitching its new Musso Rhino as a traditional workhorse, KGM is venturing into new territory with its all-new Musso EV, an electric four-wheel-drive pick-up truck.

This is a very niche segment: it has only the Maxus eTerron9 and Isuzu D-Max EV for company, although the pool of electric pick-ups is set to expand with the arrival of the Toyota Hilux Electric.

Unlike the Rhino, with its body-on-frame construction, the Musso EV borrows its platform from an electric car, the KGM Torres EVX.

Compared with the high-riding Rhino, then, the EV looks more SUV-like, with a noticeably lower ride height and longer wheelbase.

It has a sleeker, cab-back stance and its styling is more aligned with KGM's range of SUVs rather than the Rhino’s more rugged aesthetic.

The Musso EV is powered by a 80.6kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery that’s good enough for up to 236 miles of range.

On a very short drive around Oxfordshire, it returned 2.6mpkWh, which means it should cover more than 200 miles in real-world conditions.

While its real-world range isn’t outstanding, the Musso can still travel much further on a charge than the Hilux Electric (159 miles) and a D-Max (163 miles).

Hook the Musso EV up to a rapid charger and a 10-80% boost should take no longer than 36 minutes, or 10 hours if you plug it into an 11kW home wallbox charger.

Plus, like Kia EVs, the Musso features vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, allowing you to turn the car into a giant charging station for small electrical appliances, such as a kettle.

The dual-motor powertrain makes 234bhp and 250lb ft of torque for a 0-62mph time of 8.0sec. While that sounds fairly sedate, it’s more sprightly than the diesel-engined Rhino.

And while performance tails off fairly quickly, it has more than enough pace for nipping into gaps in traffic and motorway slip roads.

The choppy ride that afflicts the Rhino isn’t present here either. The EV may feel more floaty, but it’s more comfortable – although the low-speed ride can be quite brittle.

The Musso EV has also inherited the interior design of its SUV siblings, and overall it’s more interesting and colourful than the Rhino’s durable cabin.

It feels modern and upmarket, with good use of soft-touch materials on the dash and doors, so you could argue that it's a more pleasant place to cover miles than the Rhino.

The copper trim on the dash and the ambient lightning certainly help give it a premium vibe.

I didn’t get to play around with the 12.3in central touchscreen much, but I got the feeling that it suffered from the same latency issues at the Rhino. It’s easy enough to navigate around but not particularly sharp or responsive.

That said, it does come with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which you will probably use more often than KGM's own software.

And, like in the Rhino, you can swipe down on the main touchscreen menu to access the shortcut buttons to turn off the overzealous ADAS.

Rear accommodation is more generous than in the diesel truck. Even though the bench is perched, head room is plentiful. Even with the seat fixed to my driving position, I had bucket loads of leg room back there.

I also preferred the Musso EV’s backrest, which was slightly more reclined than that in the Rhino, allowing me to find a more comfortable position.

While it’s quicker and more comfortable than the Rhino, the EV doesn’t have the load-lugging credentials to make it a viable farmhand or workhorse. It can carry only up to 690kg on its back and, while it can tow up to 2300kg, it's some way off the 3500kg hauling ability of the diesel.

Given that ICE double-cab pick-ups have lost their BIK tax-busting benefits, the Musso EV presents itself as a tax-efficient alternative. With the BIK rate at 4%, you could pay as little as £30 a month to run it as a company car.

And because it qualifies for the government’s £5000 Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG), the Musso EV now costs from £39,995, making it substantially cheaper than the D-Max EV (£59,995) and eTerron9 (£54,696).

It may not be your archetypal cargo carrier, but the Musso EV is a credible alternative to an electric SUV.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly who it's for but, considering that it can travel much further than rivals and costs less than the Maxus, adventurous, lifestyle-focused drivers might like the idea of an electric 4x4 with a usable load bed and a decent range.

KGM Musso EV

Verdict: Comfortable, brisk and with tempting tax breaks, the Musso EV is a credible lifestyle truck, but compromised towing and carrying ability dents its appeal.

Specification	Details
Price	£39,995 (ex VAT, including £5,000 Plug-in Van Grant)
Engine	Permanent magnet synchronous motor x2
Power	234bhp
Torque	250 lb ft
Gearbox	1-speed reduction gear, AWD
Kerb Weight	2360 kg
0-62mph	8.0sec
Top Speed	110mph
Battery	80.6kWh
Range and economy	236 miles, 2.5 mpkWh
CO2 and BIK tax band	0g/km, 4%
Key rivals	Maxus eTerron 9, Isuzu D-Max EV

BYD Shark pick-up lands in UK with 430bhp and 56-mile EV range

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 12:45:00 +0100

Ford Ranger PHEV rival brings Golf GTI performance, 4x4 credentials, long electric range - but not VAT relief

BYD is entering the UK commercial vehicle market with the Shark, a plug-in hybrid pick-up truck that has sports car performance and nearly 60 miles of electric-only range.

This will be the UK's second PHEV pick-up, following the petrol-electric version of the best-selling Ford Ranger - which it resoundingly beats in several key metrics on paper.

The Shark gets a combined 430bhp from its 'Super Hybrid' drivetrain, which features a four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor on each axle for four-wheel drive.

That's 153bhp more than the Ford and means the Chinese pick-up can outpace a Volkswagen Golf GTI from 0-62mph, completing the sprint in just 5.7sec.

Meanwhile, a substantial 32.2kWh underfloor battery supplies enough juice for a claimed 56 miles of EV range – more than double that of the Ranger – and can be fast-charged at speeds of up to 55kW.

Like BYD's PHEV cars, the Shark can run as either a parallel hybrid, with the engine and motors working in tandem to drive the car, or as a series hybrid, wherein the engine simply charges the battery.

BYD said the Shark's performance credentials are "far in advance of what can be achieved by traditional diesel pick-ups", highlighting its torque output of 479lb ft, WLTP-certified combined efficiency of nearly 81mpg, 2500kg towing capacity and 1200-litre load bay.

It also comes with vehicle-to-load charging functionality so can be used to run power tools and other site equipment.

As for off-road prowess, the Shark has approach and departure angles of 31deg and 19.3deg, four-wheel drive, hill descent control and a suite of driving modes including Sand, Mud, Snow and Gravel.

However, crucially, the Shark is rated to carry only 790kg in its bed, meaning it falls short of the 1000kg needed to officially qualify as a commercial vehicle, unlike the Ranger PHEV, so will not be eligible for VAT exemption for business buyers. BYD's prices start at £47,290, which is roughly in line with the Ford, but the latter would represent a 20% saving for business buyers on that basis.

The Shark will be launched in just one trim level, with faux leather seats (heated and ventilated in the front), a 10.25in digital instrument panel, a 15.6in touchscreen with smartphone mirroring, a wireless phone charger and a 360deg camera among the standard equipment.

Customer deliveries will start towards the end of the year.

Original BMW i3 is still the future - and my dream sub-£10k family EV

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0100

The arrival of an infant means I must find efficient, family-friendly transport – but it must also have soul

I'm on the hunt for new wheels: something nimble and efficient but with a bit of soul. It takes me back 10 years, when I was on a similar quest.

Commuting from London to Northampton in my Mk1 Focus RS, the drudgery of the M1 did not sit well with the fuel bills. The eventual solution was an original Honda Insight; a safer bet would have been to lease a Volkswagen Up, but the little aluminium two-seater from Tochigi, where it was built alongside the NSX, was irresistibly more interesting.

Once I'd learned how to screw maximum efficiency from its three-cylinder powertrain, it cost me just £3.20 each way - less than a coffee shop cappuccino. I shed a tear two years ago when I sold it, in fine fettle despite 200,000 miles on the clock, not because I'm a skinflint but because it was such a singularly lovable and wholly undemanding machine.

The brief this time round is only slightly different in that I need rear seats, courtesy of a screaming infant crash-landing into my life. And it needs to be friendly and straightforward enough to drive for my wife (her words). There exist a great many sensible and worthy options, but they are, in the main, unspeakably drab. I therefore find myself drawn to the BMW i3.

I have always had something of a soft spot for BMW's electric curtain-raiser, whose name is today applied to a more capable but more ordinary machine. When I was an editorial underling I was sent to Munich to report on the i3's development story, and I found myself sitting next to design chief Adrian van Hooydonk and a few of the engineers one evening, eating schnitzel in a cosy backstreet restaurant.

What struck me was how utterly committed they were to this vision of an optimised city car, how they had a raw excitement for the idea, palpably more so than with the supercar-styled i8. Their energy was tempered only by the certain knowledge that the production-spec i3 wouldn't get the McLaren Senna-style glass doors - a wonderful touch for judging kerbs when parking - or the front bench seat that was devised so you could shuffle across with ease if your parking spot slammed your offside tight against a wall.

These were the only meaningful punches BMW pulled with the showroom model, which today still feels totally contemporary.

The excitement in Munich, back in 2012, stemmed from the fact that the car's creators had been let off the leash in a way that is unusual and, it could be argued, hasn't happened since. The most radical approach since the i3 is probably Renault's unfolding reinvention of its classics - the new 5 looks superb and the Twingo is just sensational. But those cars don't have a turning circle almost the match of a black cab, or a carbonfibre tub strong enough to permit coach doors. Bluntly, they do nothing of engineering interest, either real or conceptual.

As well as the intellectual buy-in of the people tasked with developing the i3, there was also an element of broader philanthropic purpose they surely felt. In the US, the Washington state facility that produced carbonfibre for the tub operated purely on local hydroelectric power, while juice for the Leipzig production plant, where each car spent only 20 hours in build, was generated by wind on-site.

The exterior panels were deliberately numerous, such that city-speed dings meant only localised repairs would be needed. BMW reckoned accident repair costs would be 40% lower than for conventional cars such as the 1 Series, with benefits not only to owners' wallets but also in terms of the reduction of material wastage. Sell several hundred thousand cars, as BMW did between 2013 and 2022, and that really makes a difference.

Against this backdrop the i3 is also a decent thing to drive. The steering has an almost hydraulic-feeling life about it and forward visibility is tremendous, underscoring the sense of narrowness for which owners are grateful in town.

BMW also offered a range of interiors, including the punchy 1970s-like Lodge trim, with its brown weave and leather against a wood dash insert. You feel like you're sitting in with Fleetwood Mac during a recording session.

The i3 is a car of quiet but monumental character, which is why I'm willing to overlook the paltry real-world range, which amounts to only 150 miles even if you opt for the larger post-2018 battery.

That and the slightly shonky springing. In 2014, a speed bump in Tufnell Park caught me by surprise and, hitting it at perhaps 25mph, one of the first i3s in the country covered the next 20 yards with never more than one of its skinny tyres in contact with the road. Or so it felt. Ride quality is even worse with the sportier i3s, which is a shame, because its stance is welcome.

And yet those of us who consider a lack of soul to be a worse crime than simply being a bit crap will gladly put up with the drawbacks. And owning one of the finest city cars ever made, not to mention one of the bravest projects in modern automotive, for less than £10k? Hard to complain.

Company car, cash allowance or salary sacrifice – which is best?

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0100

If you need a car for your job, there are a few ways your employer can help. Which one is right for you?

Businesses have offered company cars to job-need drivers (and as a perk to retain staff) for decades. They are owned or leased by the employer, but also available for drivers to use outside work hours, just like a privately owned car.

What are the advantages of a company car?

You’re unlikely to get any unexpected bills. Employers pay for the car (or lease it), most of the running costs – so there’s no insurance, servicing or replacement to worry about, while company car tax is a predictable monthly outlay.

You’ll usually get a new car every three or four years and, provided it’s in good condition at the end of that contract, you can just hand it over without stumping up any extra cash.

It can also be an incredibly cheap way to drive a new car. Company car tax has incentivised low-CO2 vehicles for almost 25 years, and there are some ultra-low rates for vehicles emitting 50g/km or less, which covers most plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and all electric vehicles (EVs). If your lifestyle suits a plug-in, then your monthly tax bill will be significantly lower than the cost of buying or leasing the same vehicle privately.

What are the disadvantages of a company car?

As your employer is footing the bill, they’re in control. Company car choice lists are often banded by pay grade, with caps on list prices, CO2 emissions and in some cases restricted manufacturers and access to optional extras. That means you might not get the car you really want, or the features you really need.

Salary Sacrifice

Salary sacrifice schemes are a grey area between company cars and leasing privately. They enable you lease a car through your employer, typically including servicing, maintenance and breakdown cover. However, unlike a company car, they’ll deduct the cost of the monthly lease from your pre-tax salary.

What are the advantages of salary sacrifice?

Unlike a cash allowance, salary sacrifice lets you access your employee’s buying power and discounts, which can reduce the monthly outlay. Some suppliers are also offering a choice of used vehicles for drivers with lower budgets.

The savings are even bigger if you can live with an EV or PHEV. If you choose a car rated at 75g/km CO2 or less, you’ll pay Benefit-in-Kind on the vehicle’s ‘taxable value’ (an emissions-weighted share of its list price) instead of the cost of the monthly lease (which is typically a much larger amount). That’s usually less tax than you’d pay on the income you’re using to pay for the car.

Ultra-low BiK rates for vehicles under 51g/km CO2, and an influx of cheaper new EVs, have fuelled a renaissance in salary sacrifice recently. The UK’s combined fleet of salary sacrifice vehicles more than doubled in 2025 (to 226,000 vehicles), while 98% of new deliveries are EV (77%), PHEV (19%) or hybrid (2%), according to British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA).

What are the disadvantages of salary sacrifice?

Although salary sacrifice extends some of the perks of a company car to employees who wouldn’t normally be eligible, you won’t get as much choice as you would buying or leasing privately.

Monthly payments can’t take your remaining salary below the national minimum wage, there’s no option to buy it outright at the end of the contract, and you’ll have to hand the car back if you leave the company.

The tax system also effectively works as a CO2 cap. If you opt for a car emitting more than 75g/km CO2 – and that covers everything you can’t plug in – you’ll either pay Benefit-in-Kind on either the taxable value, or the monthly lease costs, and it’s whichever of those is the higher figure. Even if your employer lets you select something thirsty (and plenty won’t), the tax costs could make it cheaper to buy or lease something privately.

Cash Allowances

Some employers will let drivers opt out of a company car scheme and take a cash allowance instead. It’s a salary top-up that you can use to buy or lease a car privately.

What are the advantages of cash allowances?

As a private buyer, you are not restricted by your company car policy. HMRC treats the money as extra wages, so you’ll pay income tax (typically at 20% or 40%) and national insurance contributions to receive it, but the car is yours. That means you can choose what you want, replace it whenever you like, and take it with you if you leave.

Cash allowances have found a niche among drivers with a job need for a vehicle that would be taxed heavily under the Benefit-in-Kind system – such as an MPV for large families, or a diesel for towing.

What are the disadvantages of cash allowances?

By opting out of the company car scheme, you are responsible for adequate work-use insurance, keeping it roadworthy and maintained properly and staying within mileage limits if it’s leased or financed.

The 80s cars that we idolised

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 06:25:24 +0100

The 80s was a time of great music, quirky fashion and some downright brilliant cars - prepare for nostalgia

Big hair, shoulder pads, Ronnie & Maggie… and some amazing cars that often caught the zeitgeist.

Here’s the selection that we think firmly holds the hero car medal from the memorable decade that was the 1980s:

Porsche 944

BMW M3 E30

Audi Quattro

Peugeot 205 GTi

Renault 5 GT Turbo

The price of a new Renault 5 GT Turbo in 1985 was £7000 (around £20,000 today), making it £1445 cheaper than the equivalent 205 GTi 1.9 that was released a year later.

Volkswagen Golf GTI

Ford Escort RS Turbo

RUF CTR Yellow Bird

These numbers were achieved due to the twin-turbo 3.4-litre that sat at the rear which produced 463bhp; this was also aided by its 1150kg weight. Only 29 cars were ever produced.

Ferrari F40

Porsche 959

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

Fiat Panda

Lancia Delta Integrale

Saab 900 Turbo

Toyota MR2

Lancia 037 Stradale

Lamborghini Jalpa

Honda CRX

Lotus Elan M100

Ford RS200

Toyota Supra Mk3

BMW Z1

Chevrolet Corvette

Initially, the C4 was launched with a 205bhp 5.7-litre powerplant, this was then updated in 1985 to produce between 230 and 250bhp and in 1990 the desired ZR-1 was released with 375bhp.

Ferrari 288 GTO

Toyota Corolla AE86

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R

Ferrari Testarossa

Ford Capri

Mercedes-Benz 190E

In 1984, Ayrton Senna won the Nurburgring Race of Champions in the 235bhp 190E 2.3-16 Evolution against 19 other drivers.

BMW M5

Alfa Romeo GTV6

What hastened its popularity was when James Bond drove one with vigor around the streets of rural Germany in 1983’s Octopussy.

Volvo 240

The 240 was the first car in the world to be fitted with a catalytic converter and an oxygen sensor. During its 19-year production, Volvo built over 2.8m 240s.

Bentley Turbo R

Lamborghini Countach

Lexus LS400

Citroen BX

Lotus Esprit Turbo

Renault GTA Turbo

The GTA is the chisel-nosed supercar that time, somewhat, forgot. In France, the GTA was known as the Alpine A610, but this was changed for the UK market.

TVR Tasmin

Vauxhall Carlton GSi 3000

Full reveal: Dacia Striker SUV-estate to start under £25k in UK

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0100

Rugged, high-riding Octavia rival promises to be the best-value option in its class

Dacia has fully revealed its new petrol-powered Striker crossover and said the Skoda Octavia rival will start from less than £25,000 when it hits the UK in the coming months.

The Striker is a high-riding, 4x4-influenced model that, says Dacia, combines “the qualities of an SUV, estate car and saloon”.

It is Dacia’s second C-segment model after the closely related Bigster SUV. It will be joined by a similarly sized third model – the shape of which has yet to be revealed – in 2027.

Its launch follows a highly successful first two years on sale for the Bigster, which became Europe’s best-selling C-segment SUV in the second half of 2025.

Dacia design director David Durand said the Striker, which has similar dimensions to the Bigster, will provide a “new and complementary response to current automotive expectations”.

The 4.62m-long Striker will “deliver the best value for money in the segment”, said Dacia. Standard equipment on the sub-£25k entry car includes a 10.1in touchscreen, smartphone mirroring, digital gauges, a rearview camera and electric windows all round.

Mid-rung Expression, likely to be around £26k, adds alloy wheels, dual-zone air-con, auto-hold handbrake, electric wing mirrors and USB charging ports in the rear.

Two range-topping trims, Extreme and Journey, are expected to be priced from around £27k. Extreme trim is designed for “the great outdoors”, with washable upholstery and rubber mats. Journey trim targets families with kit such as auto bootlid opening, connected nav and six-speaker surround sound.

The Striker will be offered with two full-hybrid powertrains.

The entry-level Hybrid 155 uses a 1.8-litre four with an EV motor in the gearbox and a 48V starter-generator to send 153bhp to the front wheels.

The range-topping 150 Hybrid has a 1.2-litre engine driving the fronts and an EV motor at the rear to give a combined 148bhp and part-time four-wheel drive. Aiding its off-roading credentials are a suite of drive modes – including Snow, Mud, Sand and Off Road – and a dedicated hill descent control function.

Dacia will offer the Striker with a huge array of add-ons from its burgeoning accessories programme.

£12k SUVs, £2bn profits: Why Chery's margins are triple the VW Group's

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 05:00:00 +0100

Modular T1X platform helps Chery to build cars at low cost

Chinese firms are often accused of making losses but some, such as BYD and Chery, are generating huge margins

A common refrain about the Chinese car industry is that its firms don’t make money. For rivals, it would be comforting to know that phenomenal market-share growth among Chinese brands isn’t sustainable.

For some, including electric-focused start-ups like Nio and Xpeng, that’s true. But it’s not true for the big companies, such as BYD and Chery, that are inflicting real pain on the European volume makers.

Take Chery, the largest Chinese car maker in the UK based on May sales, with a bigger market share than Ford and the Renault Group. Chery posted profits last year equivalent to just over £2 billion, with a net profit margin of 6.5%. For context, the Volkswagen Group’s profit margin was 2.1%.

Chery’s first-quarter profits were equivalent to just under £500 million, which suggests a similar overall profit figure this year.

What’s remarkable, though, is that Chery managed this on an average selling price per car last year of £12,705, based on total revenue divided by sales volume. This is from sales of mostly SUVs from the Chery brand, Jaecoo, Omoda and Chery’s other, more Chinese-focused brands.

That will be a frightening figure for established brands. First, it shows just how determined Chery is to grow market share globally. Indeed, Chery said in its annual report that selling and distribution expenses rose almost a third last year to the equivalent of £1.2bn due partly to an increase in “advertisement and marketing expenses”, including discounts.

But it also shows how cheaply Chery can build cars. Today, much of its output comes from the modular T1X platform and its supply chain is low-cost.

That £12,705 average selling price compares with the equivalent of £30,754 for the Volkswagen Group last year, illustrating the challenge for Europe’s firms, with their higher cost base.

Yes, subsidies reduced the figure, with Chery noting the receipt of help equivalent to £174m last year.

Chinese profits are under pressure. Building EVs and PHEVs are lower-margin and Chery posted gross margins (ie product costs) for its so-called new energy vehicles of 8.8% for the year versus 15% for ICE vehicles. BYD profits halved in the first quarter of this year on heavy discounting in China.

But the financials show that China can’t be beaten in a price war. It would be crazy to try.

Fiat mulls hot Abarth Topolino in bid to lure younger buyers

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 04:00:00 +0100

Autocar rendering shows how the Topolino could be made more sporting

More aggressive version of the cute quadricycle could boost standing with under-17s

Fiat is considering launching a hot Abarth version of the Topolino quadricycle in order to boost interest among younger buyers.

The tiny two-seater is part of a wider push by the Italian firm into micromobility designed to increase uptake among younger drivers.

The Topolino is classified as an L6 quadricycle, which means in countries such as France and Italy it can be driven legally on the road by 14-year-olds (although in the UK a full driving licence is required).

Despite that, the average age of a Topolino buyer is in their mid-40s, and a priority is reducing that.

To that end, Fiat has recently launched a new Topolino Sport in Italy (pictured below). This features new exterior colours with racing stripes, a black interior and a removable Bluetooth speaker called the Monsterlino.

Fiat is aiming to add more Topolino variants in the future, and CEO Olivier François described a potential Abarth version as “a dream", adding: “We’re working on it and it may come. It would be a total hit.”

Because the L6 quadricycle regulations limit power and top speed, an Abarth Topolino is unlikely to offer extra performance, but it could gain bespoke styling elements.

Asked by Autocar about the prospects for an Abarth Topolino, Fiat’s European chief, Gaetano Thorel, said: “We want to make an Abarth feeling for the Topolino, because we are still trying to boost selling it to young people.

“It’s amazing: Topolino is the most successful quadricycle in Italy, and if we’re being honest we still don’t catch the heart of 16- and 17-year-olds. I want to gain their hearts, which is why we now have Topolino Sport. An Abarth Topolino could be another solution.”

Asked why young people hadn't taken to the Topolino, Thorel said: “Rome is the city of microcars, but parents buy 14-year-olds the little Ligier, because four wheels are better than two, so they feel safe. It’s like a status thing: the Ligier feels more sporty with the [50cc petrol] engine and the sound and so on, while the Topolino is more gentle.”

Updated Land Rover Defender brings urban-focused Vertex edition

Wed, 8 Jul 2026 00:01:00 +0100

City-slicking Defender Vertex brings a fresh look for the 4x4, as old 'AJ' V8 retires and hardcore Octa loses 93bhp

The Land Rover Defender has gained a new urban-focused specification as part of a wide-reaching mid-life update.

Named Defender Vertex, it is positioned alongside the second-from-top X trim and brings a fresh look for the six-year-old SUV.

It introduces a notably larger front grille, body-coloured skirts and cladding and a subtle roof spoiler – though the spoiler can be added to other Defender models through the optional Extender Exterior pack. It comes with 22in diamond-cut alloys as standard, but a 20in design will also be available.

Mark Cameron, brand director for Defender, said the trim brings "a new character that expands the appeal" of the model, in being more overtly focused on buyers who use it for daily life rather than strictly off-roading.

It is priced from £92,635 in short-wheelbase 90 form, £97,125 as a 110 and £104,440 as a 130.

Aside from the new trim, the Defender 110 has gained a six-seat interior configuration with three rows of two seats, including 'captain's' chairs in the second row that offer thicker bolstering and can be reclined.

The new set-up is claimed to provide greater leg room for passengers in the back, while the removal of the second row's middle-seat squab opens up extra luggage space between those seats.

Supercharged V8 gone; Octa loses 93bhp

JLR has overhauled the Defender's engine line-up, retiring the venerable 'AJ' supercharged petrol V8 and slashing the output of the Dakar-inspired Octa's 4.4-litre V8.

The Octa's BMW-supplied unit now puts out 533bhp, down from the previous 626bhp – though torque is unchanged at 553lb ft. This has lengthened its 0-60mph time from 3.8sec to 4.2sec. JLR told Autocar the engine has been reworked to meet the stricter Euro6e-bis emissions standard.

Although power is down, the firm promises greater sensory appeal thanks to a reworked exhaust manifold that is said to provide a "truer V8 sound".

Meanwhile, the P380 mild hybrid – a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol straight six – has been added to the Defender line-up. It makes 375bhp and 405lb ft.

The other engine options are unchanged, with a range of smaller petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrids on offer.

Porsche 911 GT3 S/C rated: a convertible, yet still an epic driver's car

Tue, 7 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0100

GT3 S/C is a convertible version of a world-beating sports car, and could be the one to have

This might seem like a niche within a niche, but here is the Porsche 911 GT3 S/C, in short a 911 GT3 cabriolet, so an open version of one of Porsche's keenest driver's cars. If you think that's an odd thing, what with cabrios typically being floppier and therefore less good than coupés, you're not alone.

"The number one talking point is 'why?'," admits the boss of Porsche's GT division, Andreas Preuninger. Yet the S/C (Sports Convertible) is actually the answer to a simple question: what would the nicest 911 be like if you were going to use it only on the road?

Not a track-focused GT, then, but one optimised for use on your favourite empty roads of a balmy summer's evening; a car containing all of the goodness of a GT3 Touring and the same mechanical interaction but with added soundtrack, given that noise is "one of the top three reasons people say they buy [a Porsche GT]", says Preuninger.

Previous owners of Speedsters and Spyders with their fiddly manual hoods have loved that but told Porsche they would accept 10kg of added weight for the convenience of an electric folding roof. Here, they've got it. And the initial order bank suggests "we should have done it earlier".

A typical convertible is, of course, heavier and more flexible (in the bad way) than the average coupé. In the 911's case, it's about 74kg heavier, only around 30kg of which is in the hood, because this roof, coming from the Turbo S, has a large degree of magnesium in its mechanism.

The GT division is a bit surprised that Porsche didn't shout more about it when it was launched, given how light that is. The remainder of the weight is in the body-in-white, which is strengthened to retain as much torsional rigidity as possible (around 27kN/deg). The task was, then, to find 75kg to take out elsewhere, with the aim of having the S/C no heavier than a GT3 coupé could be.

To that end, it gets as standard the coupé's Lightweight Package, comprising magnesium rather than aluminium centre-lock wheels, which save 9.1kg, plus carbon-ceramic brakes, which save another 20.3kg. Carbonfibre front wings and doors, which came on the brilliant 911 S/T but which aren't offered on the GT3 Touring, come in too. You can tell them by their different sculpting. And the cabriolet gets the GT3's carbonfibre bonnet, plus some carbonfibre suspension components out of the coupe's Weissach Package.

Then the rear seats are deleted, and it's available with a manual gearbox only, so the S/C comes in, fully fuelled and with washer fluid topped up, we're told, at 1497kg. That's a wee bit heavier than a manual GT3 (1462kg), but if we're talking a car with PDK dual-clutch auto or a couple of options or a tuba left on the back seats, we're in the realms of no discernible difference.

The weight distribution is changed a little, of course. And however stiff the shell of a cabriolet, it's not a coupé. But Porsche's clear implication is that the S/C is just as good to drive as the GT3, and Preuninger thinks that if you were blindfolded (he doesn't recommend it), you would be pushed to tell the difference.

But Porsche’s clear implication is that the S/C is just as good to drive as the GT3, and Preuninger thinks that if you were blindfolded (he doesn’t recommend it), you would be pushed to tell the difference. "It's not a convertible with some GT parts," he says. "It's a GT car with another bodyshell."

The mechanical hardware, then, is the same as the coupé's. It has the same 4.0-litre flat-six engine, naturally aspirated, revving to 9000rpm and generating 503bhp at 8500rpm and peak torque of 332lb ft at 6250rpm. It's dry-sumped, with titanium conrods, individual throttle bodies and more.

It drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, there being no PDK option because that would make it around 30kg heavier and because "it's a driver's car, so one has to have as many points of interaction with the car as possible". Almost two-thirds of GT3 Touring buyers opt for a manual, so they think that will be fine.

The suspension is unchanged from the GT3 Touring too – not just tweaked to make it feel as much like that car as possible but actually the same. "We considered this would be a big role in development," says Preuninger, "but we didn't have to do anything." Softening it off, which was their initial thought, took too much precision away, so they went back to the base settings: "It's not a miracle, because it's not heavier than a standard GT3 Touring. We always came back to the baseline."

The S/C costs £206,245 on the road, which, by the time you work out what the options would cost on a coupé, leaves it as a similar value proposition to the coupé. And it's not strictly limited in production number: it will just comprise part of the GT3 line-up, at least until the car is forced off sale by the fact it won't meet the Euro 7 emissions rules due to apply from November next year.

What is for now exclusive to the S/C is a Street Style Package, involving some rather elaborate decorative touches for £24,110. So what's the S/C like? Lovely, perhaps inevitably.

The lightweight sports seats do seat you quite upright, which makes for a pretty focused driving position, before a round steering wheel and a set of digital instruments that puts the rev counter front and centre (you can customise it so that 9000rpm is at 12 o'clock if you like). You need to twist a key-like lever rather than press a button to start it, which I also like (it's more intuitive if you stall on a circuit was the GT thinking). The pedals are positive and the gearshift is short of throw.

Because of the engine's quick response, it's possible to be a little clumsy with shifting, but such is the linearity of it that it's easy and satisfying to get it right. That the engine and gearbox combo is already a large part of what’s so enjoyable about a GT3, having no roof on the matter amplifies the appeal. Forest areas or tunnels where sounds reverberate become real joys. And there’s a wind deflector that reduces buffeting to just about nothing.

The rest of the GT3 dynamic experience is all but there too. The steering is keen, the body is tightly contained (there's two stage-damping; the softer, Sport, is best on the road), agility is high and that keyed-in feel, where you know exactly what the car is going to do, is absolutely present.

With a gap of several months since I last drove a coupé, and in unfamiliar territory, I wondered if it was cognitive distortion telling me that the S/C didn't feel quite the same as a coupé.

But on reflection I do think you can discern a difference, that while it's no less agile overall, some weight balance has shifted rearward, and that there's less uncompromising solidity and fingertip-tactile steering precision than in a coupé (with a roll-cage, particularly). In a road car, though, that's not necessarily a bad thing: any shoulder-height body movement communicates to you that things are happening.

Or I might be imagining it. That I couldn't say for sure tells you how much a GT3 the S/C feels. As Preuninger said, it's not a cabriolet trying to be one, it's the real thing with added air and sound.

Porsche 911 GT3 S/C

Verdict: A soft-roofed version of one of the greatest driver's cars on Earth. Can you tell much difference? There's a negligible loss of fun even if you can.

Technical Specification
Price	£206,245
Engine	6 cyls horizontally opposed, 3996cc, petrol
Power	503bhp at 8500rpm
Torque	332lb ft at 6250rpm
Gearbox	6-spd manual, RWD
Kerb weight	1497kg
0-62mph	3.9sec
Top speed	194mph
Economy	20.6mpg
CO2, tax band	310g/km, 37%
Rivals	Aston Martin Vantage Roadster, Ferrari 296 GTS, Mercedes-AMG SL 53