Table of contents for 1809 in Auto Express

AMID the E-mails and letters I get from readers, the cost of new cars is a recurring theme. They – like so many other things – are getting more and more expensive. As much as all costs have risen in recent years, cars now come with more and more kit as standard – some demanded by consumers, some by legislators – and then there’s the added cost of electrification. There’s also the march of mainstream brands and newcomers towards the premium end of the market, where the margins (and profits) are much greater. Becoming premium is not the work of a moment, though. Plenty of brands have tried and failed, while others continue the struggle. Infiniti is one that has been and gone, while Genesis is rapidly heading towards a…

FEW car makers have more illustrious hot hatch heritage than Peugeot, and it’s one that an innovative Swiss dealer is leaning on with a new special edition. The Garages-Hotz dealership group in Switzerland has created its own retro Peugeot 208 Rallye. The car features design elements made famous on the 205, 106 and 306 Rallye models. On sale now, the special supermini costs 24,500 Swiss Francs – or around £22,000. After a whirlwind of interest, Auto Express contacted Peugeot UK, with the maker seemingly keen to replicate something in the future: “We’re delighted for the positive reaction and are always proud to celebrate the icons in our rich heritage,” a spokesperson told us. “We are looking to see what can be done again in this regard.” Based on a 208…

Running costs 48.7mpg (official) £60 fill-up Performance 0-62mph/top speed 8.4 seconds/124mph SINCE the car was launched in the UK and Europe four years ago, Volkswagen has sold more than 1.2 million T-Crosses. Keen to build on the popularity of its compact SUV, the company has revealed a facelifted version – and we’ve been given an early chance to drive one on European roads. The market for small SUVs remains as competitive as ever. The Skoda Kamiq was also updated earlier this year, while rivals for the VW now span everything from the hybrid Toyota Yaris Cross and Renault Captur, to the Peugeot 2008 and big-selling Ford Puma. There’s no denying the T-Cross has a tough job to stand out in its field. VW has set about making the new car…

SPECIAL THANKS TO: bravoauto and Andrew Parker “Peugeot still looks back on the 205 proudly and draws on it to inspire its latest superminis” IN the early eighties, the supermini class underwent something of a revolution. Ford’s second-generation Fiesta, the Vauxhall Nova and the Nissan Micra all hit UK dealers within a year or two of one another, transforming the small-car landscape. But there was one car that blew all of those away when it came to ability, desirability and choice. Until 1984, Peugeot was a brand best known for producing chunky, bulletproof saloon cars, but it desperately needed a replacement for its ageing 104 hatchback. The result was the 205 – a supermini which set the standard that all other small cars would have to live up to for…

HANG up the bunting and put the candles on the cake, because the Kia Sportage turned 30 this year. What started life as an odd-looking ‘soft-roader’ in 1993 is now a head-turning tech-fest on wheels, one of Britain’s best-selling cars and Kia’s most popular model ever. More than seven million have been sold worldwide, including nearly 400,000 in the UK alone. The Sportage’s success has certainly been helped by the unwavering rise in popularity of SUVs, but regardless, this Kia is now a fundamental part of the motoring landscape in the UK. Its evolution also maps the change in consumer taste and demand, as well as the manufacturer’s growth as a brand in a relatively short space of time. What better way to illustrate the enormous progress of the Sportage…

WHILE Kia sold twice as many Mk2 Sportages as Mk1s in the UK, this third-generation model was the car that finally propelled the brand into the big league. Its handsome and modern look certainly helped the Mk3 stand out against rivals such as the Ford Kuga, Honda CR-V and popular Nissan Qashqai, with this being the first iteration to feature Kia’s trademark ‘Tiger’s Nose’ grille. However, one compromise we noticed during our drive was that the new, sloped rear windscreen, along with small windows all round, restricted visibility to the back. A small price to pay for the extra injection of style perhaps? “From behind the wheel the Mk3 feels more mature and composed than its predecessors” There is more to like about the Mk3 than the pretty face, though.…

SOME car manufacturers have a model whose reputation is so strong that it becomes synonymous with the brand. Its abilities come to define what that marque is all about, and it sets the template for every car in the firm’s line-up. Vauxhall has the Astra, and Volkswagen the Golf. But for Skoda, the Octavia has an even greater meaning. Yes, it’s the brand’s torch-bearer – the car which displays the qualities that help it to stand out among its rivals. But it was also the model that marked a rebirth for the Czech company. For years Skoda was viewed as a cheap and not-so-cheerful manufacturer, but following a takeover by the Volkswagen Group, its reputation was transformed. This year, the Octavia celebrated its 25th birthday of the modern era (pre-Volkswagen…

BY the time that the Mk3 Octavia arrived, it was clear that Skoda had really settled on a formula. Plenty of changes under the skin were made possible by an all-new platform, and while the ultimate ethos was much the same, the end result was a car that became slightly more competent in every area. Released in 2012, the Mk3 benefitted from the VW Group’s MQB modular platform that formed the basis of cars as disparate as the VW Touran and the Audi TT. The Octavia was one of the first vehicles to use this tech, and compared with the car it replaced, it allowed for a big boost in strength and lightness. Like-for-like, roughly 100kg was trimmed from the chassis alone compared with its predecessor’s. MQB also accommodated the…

SEVENTY five years is a significant anniversary on its own, but for Porsche it’s twinned with 60 years of the brand’s most iconic car, the 911, and the firm has been in suitably celebratory form. For this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed Porsche raided its own museum, showing off a collection of some of its most significant models – from the very first, 356 number 1, to the most recent iterations of the 911, with which that initial car shares some familial DNA. As well as celebrating the past and present, the company chose Goodwood to reveal a glimpse of its future, with its Vision 357 Speedster. As ever, this offers more than a reverential nod to Porsche’s history and purist, sporting driving appeal – the latter something that’s always…

Engine Turbocharged 6cyl boxer Capacity 2.85 litres Power 590bhp Top speed 211mph IN the mid-seventies there was growing momentum in the production-car-based racing categories of Groups 4 and 5, and Porsche had been experimenting with turbocharging to compete within them. The 911 Turbo of 1974 was actually a homologation model to allow the brand to race forced-induction cars, with the most extreme representation of that being the 935. Engineered by Norbert Singer, the 935 initially used a 590bhp, 2.8-litre, turbocharged engine, which thanks to a multiplier equivalency ratio defined by the motorsport regulators, allowed the 935 to race in the ‘up to 4.0-litre’ engine-capacity category. That meant its race weight would be 970kg – and because the 935 was built lighter, this allowed Porsche to ballast the car as necessary…

MODEL TESTED: RS 4 Avant Competition quattro PRICE: £84,600 POWERTRAIN: 2.9-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol, 444bhp THE Audi RS 4 Avant Competition is an extremely rare car in the UK, with only 75 units being sold, all in Mythos Black and all with an identical specification. It costs £84,600, which adds £16,010 to the price of the basic RS 4. Tech highlights TO lift the performance of an already-focused car, Audi has worked on the suspension, cabin insulation and transmission software. The Competition replaces the standard RS 4’s adaptive dampers with mechanically adjustable coilover suspension. You can set the ride height, compression and rebound, but more importantly, the damping is of a very high quality whatever the set-up. The spring rates themselves are higher and therefore firmer, and work with stiffer…

Audi RS 4 Competition VS BMW M3 Touring THE tight Llandow Circuit in South Wales was well suited to the RS 4 Competition’s sticky tyres and four-wheel drive system. Thanks to a lighter kerbweight, the Audi’s low-speed agility and superb traction made up for its deficiency in straight-line speed. Without long corners, Audi’s typical understeer-led balance didn’t hamper it, and the brakes were strong. However, the track didn’t feel like a natural habitat for the Audi, and it wasn’t as much fun to drive hard. GIVEN more space, the M3 Touring would have outpaced the RS 4 Competition, but within Llandow’s tight confines, the BMW’s extra mass was its downfall. When pushed hard, the BMW’s heavier body would often need a split second to settle before we were able to get…

Merc-AMG GLC 63 DUE Spring 2024 PRICE £100,000+ (est) FAST estates cars are becoming an endangered species, but the high-performance SUV is quickly filling that niche. The next one due is from AMG, which is doubling down on its plug-in offensive by placing its 681bhp petrol-electric hybrid powertrain into the medium-sized GLC SUV. It shares all of its key powertrain elements with the C63 S E-Performance opposite, and the taller SUV spin-off is expected to take up a larger proportion of sales when it arrives next year. As with the C-Class, it’ll comfortably weigh more than two tonnes and cost significantly more than £100,000, too.…

Alfa Romeo Tonale PICTURE editor Dawn Grant has a new addition to the family, a beautiful granddaughter, and she was only too happy to go and help look after her for a few days. Having seen some friends’ child seats and noticed how bulky they can be, she was a little nervous about swapping her daughter’s child seat into the Alfa, but there were no problems with the BeSafe iZi Go Modular X2 i-Size. The base comes separately and easily slotted into the Isofix points, with both visual and audible indicators to show it was fitted correctly. It’s not too bulky either, and as the baby gets older, you can adjust the base’s position to increase the legroom. The seat, which covers from birth to roughly 12 months, clips in…

YOUR SUBSCRIPTION OFFER: SAVE 39% OFF THE SHOP PRICE After your initial 6 issue trial, your subscription will continue at £32.99 every 13 issues representing a saving of 39% on the shop price. FREE DELIVERY Never miss an issue with every copy delivered straight to your doorstep. FULLY FLEXIBLE You are able to cancel at any time using a dedicated customer portal or by getting in touch. YOUR FREE AUTOGLYM RAPID AQUA WAX KIT Rapid Aqua Wax is the best kept secret in car care. Our carnauba based wax can be applied directly to a wet vehicle straight after washing, giving you a stunning hard wax finish in just a fraction of the time. It can be used to protect all exterior surfaces including paint, plastic, rubber and glass leaving…

FIRST TEST VAX ONEPWR SpotWash Home Cordless Price: £249 Contact: vax.co.uk Rating: IF you’ve ever had your carpets or upholstery cleaned at home, you’ll know how machines such as this new Vax work. A mixture of fluid and water is sprayed onto the fabric, and this is then sucked up by a vacuum, taking the dirt with it. We’ve previously been impressed with Vax’s cleaners and this model adds to the convenience by removing the power cord. The Vax uses two modes to get around the inevitable compromises of battery-powered tools. When cleaning large, lightly soiled areas, the standard mode will give you around 25 minutes of running. On tougher stains and deep-pile carpets, you can switch to boost, for 25 per cent more suction power. This cuts the run time to…

THERE comes a point where I find myself laughing – not in amusement, but in admiration. We’ve been joined by Jascha Straub, who heads up Bugatti’s Sur Mesure personalisation division. It’s his job to fine-tune models for the brand’s clients – a process that has pretty much become the norm for the remaining W16 models – but he is also a one-time member of Bugatti’s exterior design team. And boy, does he like to draw. He’s rather good at it, too – and as someone who would struggle to draw a recognisable profile pic of pretty much anything, I find the level of skill on display jaw-dropping. I’ve been asked to request a model, so I’ve suggested a Type 41 Royale, the stunning 6.4-metrelong classic with a history of smashing…

“Modern hot hatches are faster, but none has this amount of interaction, character and feedback” THE 205 was offered with a range of petrol engines starting off with 45bhp, and a couple of cutting-edge 1.8 diesel units. However, here we’re driving the 205 in its hottest form, the 1.9 GTI – an immaculate example kindly loaned to us by its owner, Andrew. It’s at its most striking like this; chunky wheelarch extensions were fitted to house a wider track and 15-inch wheels, while the look was completed with subtle red pinstriping. More modest versions were available in five-door form, and a cabriolet – designed with input from Pininfarina – offered open-top thrills. But it was more than a pretty face. Although the car is just 3.7 metres long, its cabin…

THE original Kia Sportage landed on UK shores in 1995, with the Toyota RAV4 and Suzuki Vitara among its compact 4x4 rivals. It used a body-on-frame construction, as found under much more hardcore off-roaders, although it sat on the same platform as the lesser-known Mazda Bongo van. Mazda also made the 2.0-litre petrol engine in every Mk1 Sportage sold here. It could be paired with a four-speed auto or five-speed manual ’box, such as the one we drove, plus selectable 4WD. The Mk1 doesn’t hide its roots well, because the engine emits a similar roar to an old Ford Transit when pulling away, while the steering wheel is angled upwards towards your face. And yet, despite its utilitarian, hard-working nature, driving this early model requires surprising delicacy, especially when it…

BY this point in time, both the Kia brand and the Sportage had found their groove, and as such the Mk4 felt more like a refinement of what came before than a new and wholly different car. UK sales doubled once again, and in 2018 the five millionth example rolled off the line in Slovakia, where the model has been built since 2007. This is not to say the Mk4 didn’t show noticeable improvements over the Mk3, with interior quality taking a big step up. The cabin design itself wasn’t especially jaw-dropping, but the array of physical buttons and dials impressed. What dates it most is the central infotainment touchscreen – oddly, more so than the Mk3’s basic set-up – but visibility is better, plus the rear feels more spacious…

IN the late nineties, the family-car market was dominated by the brilliant new Ford Focus and the Mk4 Volkswagen Golf – cars which, in both instances, took a quantum leap forward relative to the abilities of their predecessors. The pair set so many standards for the segment that it made direct competition almost impossible. So how was Skoda to stand out in the class with such strong contenders? There were two areas in which that duo was merely good rather than spectacular, giving an opportunity to capitalise: value for money, and space. With that in mind, Skoda had a very strong base from which to start, because the Octavia would adopt a version of the PQ34 platform that the Golf (and the posher Audi A3) had already used so effectively.…

A NEW decade ushered in the fourth generation of the Octavia, and it brought along one of the most dramatic changes. The exterior is significantly sleeker, with a wide nose and slim headlights lending the Octavia an appearance that doesn’t look out of place from some more premium brands. But the biggest step up is inside. The swooping panel across the centre of the dash, housing the large infotainment screen above it with the ventilation and its controls below, looks far more contemporary. New technology for this generation includes a head-up display, while LED lights and cruise control are standard even on the most basic SE trim. The quality feels fantastic – gone are the days where the Octavia was a budget alternative to its family car rivals. Now, it’s…

Engine 4cyl boxer Capacity 1.1 litres Power 35bhp Top speed 84mph WHERE to start when talking about significant Porsches? Right at the beginning, with the brand’s first prototype sports car, the 356/1, or 356 nr.1 Roadster. It’s rare to see such an important model outside the firm’s museum, and while Goodwood certainly isn’t a stranger to historically momentous cars, 356/1 really is the genesis for Porsche as a producer of road machinery. Every street or track model since is able to trace its roots to this very car. Ferdinand Porsche had, in the pre-war years, designed and built cars, prototypes and racers for clients, most notably being commissioned during the thirties to engineer the Volkswagen Beetle. This would influence Porsche’s own road car, laying the rear-mounted, flat-engined foundations that define…

“A technical tour de force that demonstrated Porsche’s incredible engineering talent and capability” Engine Twin-turbo 6cyl boxer Capacity 2.85 litres Power 450bhp Top speed 197mph PORSCHE’S super-911 in the eighties would bring ground-breaking technological innovations to create a machine with race-car levels of performance mixed with road-car civility and usability. The company’s relentless pursuit of that goal would mean the project overran dramatically, with the 959 not being delivered to customers until 1987, and at a cost of 420,000 Deutsch Marks (around £140,000 at the time). With each 959 reputedly costing over 1 million Deutsch Marks to develop, Porsche’s then-research and development board member Helmuth Bott is said to have described the car as “the most expensive promotional giveaway in Porsche history”. What made the 959 so costly to develop…

MODEL TESTED: BMW M3 Competition Touring xDrive PRICE: £86,570 POWERTRAIN: 3.0-litre 6cyl twin-turbo petrol, 503bhp THE M3 has never been more exciting to drive, and thanks to the option of four-wheel drive and this Touring bodystyle, there’s plenty of variety in the line-up, too. At £86,570, the M3 Touring is priced very closely to the Audi, but you’ll need to tick some costly option boxes to get the high-end toys. Tech highlights UNDER the bonnet of the M3 Touring is BMW’s S58 twin-turbocharged, 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine producing 503bhp and 750Nm of torque. It features lots of hi-tech features, such as 3D-printed internals within the cylinder heads and forged aluminium conrods and pistons. This is connected to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a rear-biased four-wheel drive system, with the further…

NEW PRODUCT Equipment4Garages AMGO E4G 430-P/HP parking lifts Price: from £2,394 plus max £405 delivery Contact: equipment4garages.com IF you have more cars than garage bays, Equipment4Garages has a couple of new solutions to double the available space. Although the two new four-post lifts are CE-approved, meeting commercial service lift standard EN1493, they have been specifically designed for domestic garages and have a small footprint. The smaller P model measures 2,409mm wide and 3,877mm long, excluding the ramps. There’s 2,167mm between the posts and it has 1,872mm maximum lift with 1,773mm clearance underneath. It weighs 700kg. The larger HP is 4,150mm long and 2,509mm wide with 2,167mm between the posts. Maximum height underneath is 2,102mm and it weighs 763kg. Both lifts have a 3,000kg lifting capacity. The pair are constructed to workshop-use…

“We liked sets that hit the right level of difficulty for their target groups. No one likes falling off all the time, but just sitting at full pelt is boring” BUDDING racers have long enjoyed slot car sets because they’re a great way to get high-octane driving excitement in your living room. There is a wide variety of choices to suit all ages and abilities. Indeed, they range from hi-tech and high-end sets for serious aficionados all the way down to inexpensive and downsized versions aimed at children. We’ve tested six options here, and concentrated more on the lower end of the market, because big, pricey slot car set-ups deliver plenty of fun, but often lend themselves more to semi-permanent installation than regular play. PRODUCT GROUP TEST 6|12|2023 Every week,…

“More than six decades after it arrived, the E-Type still turns heads like few other classic cars” THE F-Type is set to be axed in 2024, ending 75 years of continuous sports car production, according to Jaguar. We’d suggest that the XJS was more of a grand tourer than a sports car, but regardless, Jaguar is about to give up on a segment in which it has offered some great contenders. It was a decade ago that the F-Type was introduced, and to mark the occasion we pitched the contemporary model against its most glamorous forebear, an E-Type in 4.2-litre Series 1 form. More than 60 years after it arrived, the E-Type still manages to turn heads like few other classic cars. But the model from the swinging sixties is heavily…

EASILY one of the most recognisable cars ever to hit the road, the E-Type is deserving of the ‘icon’ tag and it represents a relative bargain for what you get in terms of performance and looks; you’d pay a lot more for a contemporary Aston Martin or Ferrari. The Series 2 is a bit more affordable than this Series 1 and they’re more usable, too, while the significantly larger V12-powered Series 3 (from 1971) was more of a grand tourer than a sports car. Predictably, the E-Type is fun up to a point. The looks and soundtrack can only go so far towards compensating for the heavy steering and clutch, ineffective brakes and lack of grip, which is why most owners see them as a car for occasional use. Although…

THE UK car industry is enjoying an investment bonanza, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures reveal. The trade body calculates £20bn has been invested in 2023 – more than in the previous seven years – while output surged by 31 per cent in October. The new production figures, along with a series of significant funding announcements, “signpost a bright 2024 for the UK automotive sector,” SMMT president Mike Hawes said last week. He added: “Government and industry are committing billions to transform the industry for a decarbonised future,” pointing to the former’s £2bn commitment to supporting advanced automotive manufacturing, as well as new investment-friendly tax rules. However, the SMMT has again warned that UK-EU ‘rules of origin’ legislation on where batteries are sourced could bring tariffs on EVs…

THE winners of the annual DrivingElectric Awards have been announced, with the game-changing Kia EV9 (right) taking top honours in a revamped format for 2024. The awards were split into three classes focusing on the value, family and premium segments, and the SUV was lauded for its roomy interior, tech and rapid charging. The judges said, “The EV9 alters the electric landscape, offering huge space and a premium feel at a sub-premium price. No EV offers this practicality for the money.” Other models recognised in the 2024 Awards included the BYD Dolphin, named Best Value Electric Car, and the new Tesla Model 3, which took the title of Best Family Electric Car. The Mercedes eCitan, Nissan Townstar and Renault Kangoo shared DrivingElectric’s Best Electric Van award. Using Driver Power data…

THE World Endurance Championship (WEC) sees a new manufacturer and a star driver joining the series in 2024. McLaren is entering the LMGT3 class – which replaces the LM GT Am category – with the 720S GT3 Evo, and the works cars will be run by United Autosports, the team founded by McLaren CEO Zak Brown. The cars will wear the numbers 59 – the number of the McLaren that won on its debut at Le Mans – and 95, the year of that win. Elsewhere, nine-time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi joins the WEC full time as part of the Team WRT squad. He will pilot a BMW M4 GT3 in the series, having raced the same car in Europe this year. “It is the next step for me…

IT says a lot about how much 205 values have shot up in recent years that, in order to buy a GTI like the car on the previous page, it’ll cost you similar cash to this three-year-old 208, loaned to us by bravoauto and, at the time of writing, on sale for £13,567. The newer car has a huge list of standard tech, much of which had barely been imagined when the 205 was released; LED headlights, DAB radio and a digital instrument panel that even houses a G-meter are all standard. But with Peugeot pitching the 208 as the posh option in the class, such tech is a necessity. Multi-coloured ambient lighting can’t prevent this car’s cabin from feeling dark, though – and not just because of the lack…

WHILE the Mk1 was laid to rest in 2003, its successor didn’t arrive until 2005. It was worth the wait, though, because the second-generation Sportage came with big improvements, the most significant being it was no longer based on a van. With Hyundai having taken part-ownership of Kia in 1998, the soft-roader was able to borrow the platform and other parts from the Tucson SUV. The engine range expanded, too, with UK buyers offered 2.0-litre four-cylinder or 2.7-litre V6 petrols, plus diesel power in the form of a 2.0-litre CRDi four-cylinder. In addition, the Mk2 was the first version to be offered with front-wheel drive as the Sportage started to become the family-focused car we know it as today. More obvious proof of that, which we noticed after hopping from…

ALL this brings us neatly to the current, fifth-generation Kia Sportage. We’ve driven and praised the latest model many times already, but what surprises us now, having spent time in each of its predecessors, is the characteristics that have been passed down through the generations. For one thing, every cabin has a similar spacious quality, and ergonomics have clearly remained a priority. We’ve also noticed that, aside from the unnecessarily soft ride in the Mk2, the Kia continues to balance comfort, body control and stability particularly well, with later models adding lighter steering into the mix to help with manoeuvrability – an ideal combination for a family SUV, even if it means some rivals feel more sporty to drive. Where the Mk5 differentiates itself is with its futuristic looks and…

THE 2004 Geneva Motor show was the venue for the release of the second-generation Octavia, and the big stage was fitting for the debut of a model that went on to sell 2.5 million units over its life. The reason why it proved to be so successful was that it maximised many of the original car’s strengths, yet moved the game well into the next millennium. Among the improvements were a host of design refinements on the outside. The front bumper was neatly integrated into the sleek nose design and the radiator grille had a more modern trapezoidal shape. Smaller details, such as the indicator side repeaters now integrated into the door mirrors, cleaned up the car’s profile and added a hint of sophistication. From a technical point of view,…

IF releasing an all-new model under new ownership wasn’t ambitious enough already, Skoda also tried its hand at creating a performance sub-brand. The manufacturer did have some motorsport heritage to fall back on: as recently as 1996, Skoda finished a remarkable third in the RAC Rally, with legendary driver Stig Blomquist at the wheel of a Felicia Kit Car, replaced the following year by – you guessed it – the Octavia itself. Mk1 vRS THE vRS branding was applied to the Octavia first. Sharing its tech with the VW Group once again had its advantages, and in this instance, it was the availability of some potent powertrains. The Octavia had the 1.8-litre, 20-valve turbo petrol unit that was used in everything from the Golf GTI to the Audi TT. In…

“Even the current 911 Turbo would have to try very hard to match this acceleration, and it would never get close to the 240mph-plus top speed” Engine 12cyl boxer Capacity 4.5 litres Power 580bhp Top speed 240mph-plus I SQUEEZE into the 917’s tight seat, lying more than sitting, my neck canted over to the left as the door is shut with an insubstantial click and the top of my helmet brushes the thin door skin. I’m alone among 50,000 people congregated at Goodwood, elated and utterly terrified in equal measure. I wonder how someone who, 27 years previously, first came to see cars such as this at the Festival of Speed, is now faced with actually driving one of them up the hill. There’s silence before the flat-12 engine fires…

Engine Twin-turbo 6cyl boxer Capacity 3.6 litres Power 450bhp Top speed 186mph THE last of the air-cooled cars, the 993 was also the last of the line for a 911 structure that could trace its origins back to the sixties. British designer Tony Hatter was responsible for the 993’s shapely form, giving it styling that was the most radical departure yet for the evergreen 911. It would also underline the influence of the eighties’ 959, the nineties’ Turbo S not only coming with twin turbos – parallel here, as opposed to the 959’s sequential units – but also exploiting its 959-matching 450bhp output via a four-wheel drive system. Those in the know will spot the ‘punctured’ air intakes in the rear wheelarches. These were just one of the numerous revisions…

HIGH-performance estates have always been hugely appealing, thanks to their accessible performance, fine quality and – to those in the know – a seriously high level of cool. But times are changing, and as the German big three of Audi Sport, BMW M and Mercedes-AMG readjust to new tastes and regulations, so the lines between them have never been so blurred. This is perhaps best illustrated in the mid-size fast-estate class, a sector that was once ruled by Audi and occasionally threatened by AMG, but is now commanded by BMW M and its brilliant M3 Competition Touring. As a retort, Audi has revealed its own Competition model, a more focused version of the existing RS 4 Avant. As it stands, the regular Audi simply couldn’t compete with the BMW, so…

Audi RS 4 Avant VS BMW M3 Touring MMI | Key features: G-force monitor THE 10.1-inch MMI touchscreen gets a few functions specific to the RS 4. These include an RS menu that allows the driver to monitor the temperature of a variety of vehicle components, including the engine, gearbox and quattro sport differential. It can also display the tyre pressures, record maximum G force, and show how the torque is being transferred between the front and rear wheels. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital dashboard also has a couple of RS-specific readouts, including the ‘landing strip’ style rev counter in which two columns illuminate upwards as engine speed rises. That aside, you get the same slick system from any other A4. Loading times are fairly quick and the menu structure logical, although it…

Jeep Avenger NORMALLY, fleet cars pass like ships in the night, but one of our latest arrivals, a Jeep Avenger, turned up a couple of days before the BYD Atto 3 was due to depart. That allowed the custodian of both vehicles, editor-at-large John McIlroy, to put them side by side for a quick comparison. His first thoughts? The Jeep’s interior design is better resolved, and although its tech isn’t quite as snappy as the Atto 3’s, the interface is clearer and easier to use. The Avenger does feel smaller, though, particularly in the rear – so John is curious to see how it stacks up on family outings with his wife and son, and the accompanying clutter. He’s already impressed with the Jeep’s ride and refinement, though. It feels…

ALTHOUGH the F-Type came with a V8 engine option, we reckoned that the supercharged V6 was the sweet spot in the range, with its 375bhp power output giving a 171mph top speed and 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds. In 2013, we reckoned it was one of the best sports cars on sale and the past decade hasn’t diminished our feelings. The infotainment was dated at launch and it’s even more so now, but the exhaust noise, taut chassis and gorgeous looks more than compensate, and the F-Type has proved to be pretty tough so far. When we tested the F-Type in 2013, it was priced at a little less than £80,000, which put it on a par with the Series 1 E-Type. Since then, E-Type values have risen then dropped again,…

HOW OUR GUIDE WORKS PERFORMANCE: This is the manufacturer’s claimed acceleration time for a car, and is measured from 0-60mph or 0-62mph (0-100km/h), in seconds. ECONOMY/EMISSIONS/RANGE: Combined WLTP economy in miles per gallon, emissions in grams per kilometre of CO2 and maximum claimed range for EVs. Figures are achieved in the latest WLTP tests, but will vary according to equipment and are unlikely to be representative of everyday efficiency. INSURANCE: Group rating as quoted by the Association of British Insurers. WARRANTY: Next to each manufacturer’s name is the basic warranty period in months and miles for the mechanicals, corrosion and paintwork. EVs and hybrids will have dedicated battery cover. LIST PRICE: This is the on-the-road figure and includes VAT, delivery to dealer, the first 12 months’ of emissions-based road tax,…