BBC Top Gear

FERRARI PUROSANGUE WHAT IS IT? The Prancing Horse’s answer to the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX. It’s a 4WD Ferrari with a front mounted V12 pumping out 715bhp and 528lb ft through an eight-speed double-clutch box, capable of 0–62mph in 3.3 seconds and more than 190mph. WHAT’S THE BIG TALKING POINT? The Purosangue is not short of controversy. Apparently it’s the first four-door/four-seater to occupy a new niche that definitely isn’t an SUV. Nope. No way. Ahem... PUB AMMO It has parts adapted from the GTC4 and SF90, as well as the 812 Competitzione. TF MINI WHAT IS IT? Mini: The Next Generation. Still in both petrol and EV formats, with the petrol ones built in Oxford and the electric versions born in China. Pics of a prototype were leaked in late 2021, this is our artist’s take on those. WHAT’S THE BIG TALKING POINT? The new platform is a joint venture deal between BMW and Chinese manufacturer GWM. PUB AMMO The new Mini is based on the same platform as the Funky Cat. It’s a Mini in a Cat costume. TF

SANDPORSCHE911DAKAR STORMER Not content with ripping up racetracks in your 911? Then you want this... WORDS ROWAN HORNCASTLE PORSCHE 911 DAKAR Wanna play a game? Have a guess at how many models of Porsche 911 are now available. Wrong. There are currently 25. Twenty five! That’s two dozen and one different flavours of the iconic arse-engined sports car that encompass the worlds of hard top, soft top, Targa, turbocharging, softcore T, hardcore bewinged RS and middling GTS. After all that you’d think that the blades on Porsche’s niche-cutting machine were blunt. But you’d be wrong – yes, it’s found yet another hole in the market to plug: the off-road market. Yippee! Ladies and gentlemen, lovers and haters, with great pleasure we give you the 911 Dakar – a jacked-up 911 that believes driving 100 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

doesn’t have to end when the tarmac does. The recipe is simple: making this the slowest Porsche 911 for decades. But it gets there a high-riding armour-clad version of the 992 GTS. That means a quickly as 0–62mph takes just 3.5 seconds. 473bhp 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat-six at the back, four-wheel drive, and an eight-speed PDK gearbox... all raised 50mm higher off the Porschephiles will know 911s have quite a history of rallying ground than usual, while a lift system at both axles can extend off-road, which is the heritage thread that’s led to the Dakar name the Dakar a further 30mm for “ambitious off-roading”. – inspired by the Paris–Dakar rally which Porsche conquered in the Eighties, first with 911s and later the 959. All of which were slathered Where the GTS has supplied the mechanical hardware, the in the iconic Rothman’s livery which you can pay homage to via an super sporty 911 GT3 has donated its carbon-fibre bonnet, bucket £18k Rally Heritage paintjob. The options don’t end there as there’s seats and roll cage to the off-road cause. also a powered roof-rack with integrated spotlights that can be loaded up with sand ladders, fuel cans, possibly your own beer fridge. But to make sure you’ve got plenty of grip on mud, sand, snow and every loose surface in-between, knobbly Pirelli Scorpion tyres Only 2,500 911 Dakars will be produced for a hefty €222,000 are fitted as standard. Being so knobbly and aggressive, the Dakar’s each. No doubt they’re all accounted for now, but we’re just top speed is limited to a mere 149mph to stop them bursting – praying they’re used for their intended purpose.

WORDS PAUL HORRELL, PETER RAWLINS, OLLIE KEW PHOTOGRAPHY OLGUN KORDAL, MARK RICCIONI WHAT BU There’s no question the new Volkswagen ID.Buzz looks the 102 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

VW ID.BUZZ ’S THE ZZ? part, but what about the rest? Time for a thorough investigation... T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 103

VW ID.BUZZ IS IT A GOOD EV? two tonnes. The Volkswagen is half a tonne more, and it casts a very big, very square shadow. Pushing that through the air vs TESLA MODEL Y has a penalty. With us the VW did about 2.6 miles per kWh on a motorway in 10°C weather. The Tesla is narrower in the cabin, Say camper van and people think VW. Say EV and it’s lower and more hawk shaped and was good for 3.3mpkWh at the Tesla: the Hoover or the Biro of electric vehicles. I’m not same speed. That means a range of 200 miles for the VW and just talking about range and charging here, but also about the nearly 250 for the Tesla, though both would go further in mixed other stuff that electric power enables: packaging, comfort, driving. This isn’t just about aero drag – the Model Y is also a bit dynamics. With the ID.Buzz, all this reflects its origin in a more energy efficient than VW’s crossover, the ID.4. conservative 85-year-old German car company struggling with software. The Tesla too reflects its origin, in a radical Ignore the efficiency readouts and the Model Y can be also 19-year-old California-born tech company that has struggled famously quick. Free of wheelspin you’re at 62mph in the low to come to terms with car manufacture and ergonomics. fives. The VW absorbs double that time. The Tesla still feels lively The Model Y is basically a tall Model 3, which means it’s low on the motorway, but in the VW you need ambitious anticipation in drag and comparatively light. This AWD long range one has a to join a gap in outside lane traffic. Both have well modulated 75kWh usable battery and two motors, and still it squeaks under accelerator mapping so they’re graciously smooth to operate. In a broad brush sense, the Tesla has cornering to match its power. Its steering is quick in ratio, but well damped, so you won’t be twitchy, and the well mannered body roll rate helps too. Next to the candy coloured Buzz, the Tesla looks positively last century 104 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

VW ID.BUZZ But it’s oddly joyless. Blame steering with no feel or engagement. VW’s interior is bright and Yet the suspension is far firmer and harsher than it needs to be, cheery – helps soothe the so it bangs and hops along. It’s a sporty SUV that isn’t. Tesla pain of its infotainment foibles should have recognised it’ll mostly be driven rather less furiously. The Volkswagen soothes away all fury. OK, its T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 105 steering is numb but it bids you enjoy the landscape not stress the tyres, riding on lovely supple suspension. Despite its car platform, the ID.Buzz is packaged as a van. It’s a box. The windscreen is way ahead of you, your shins are near vertical and you sit tall – going eye to eye in your flower power EV with the compensators in their snorting AMG G63s. But your raised seat is mounted on a crude frame that steals legroom from the people behind. So the lower Tesla has more room for five people’s legs. The Model Y shows some amazing packaging nous actually, including of course the frunk/froot. The VW’s calm and happy nature offsets the frustration of using its screen system. The latest version is better organised – the energy computer now sits permanently in the driver’s screen. But the touchscreen is still horribly laggy. The Tesla’s screen reacts instantly, and its graphics are sharply rendered in ultra cool monotone. I’m sure it looked terrific in the test lab. Yet it is absolutely diabolical to use in a moving car. There’s nowhere to rest your hand. The maps show light grey roads on a slightly less light grey background. Frequently used and urgently needed functions demand scuba-deep menu diving. But it’s great at finding you a Supercharger. Lately Tesla has also opened a few of those to civilians who have the Tesla app, and that’s also trouble free, so we did a side by side test on 150kW Superchargers. Starting around 20 per cent on a cool evening, both the VW and the Tesla accepted around 145kW, and still 100kW past 50 per cent. Impressive. The Tesla is faster and more efficient, but its driving experience is oddly hard to warm to. The VW relaxes you, because of the drive and the joyous design and habitability. I’d choose it. Tesla has always been a cult. The Buzz will be too, if for very different reasons. PH “THE VW IS HALF A TONNE MORE, AND CASTS A VERY BIG, SQUARE SHADOW”

RACING GAMES COMING IN 2023 Top five causes of thumb strain coming this year FORZA MOTORSPORT While Forza Horizon has been partying across the planet, this nuts-and-bolts rework of Forza Motorsport is the result of half a decade’s work. Should be good, then TEST DRIVE UNLIMITED SOLAR CROWN The original online open-world racer returns, this time in Hong Kong as you compete to secure the titular Solar Crown, which we’re hoping is an actual shiny hat DISNEY SPEEDSTORM Disney’s answer to Mario Kart plumbs from the megacorp’s library of characters. If you’ve ever wanted to fire a missile at Mickey Mouse from a moving vehicle, now’s the time PACIFIC DRIVE Not a racing game, but a survival horror affair that has you customising and driving a modified station wagon through a surreal, supernatural Pacific Northwest WRECKREATION A sequel to Dangerous Driving, this game adds a 400km sandbox to build your own circuits. The most fun you’ve had since your mum gave all your Hot Wheels track away

VW ID.BUZZ Wonder how many people have blindly followed their satnav up here, then... The search for parking IS IT A FITTING at Glastonbury starts REPLACEMENT earlier each year FOR THE ORIGINAL? vs eDUB CLASSIC T2 “Guys, I’m struggling a bit,” comes the call over the radio from the 1972 Volkswagen Type 2, nicknamed ‘Solbrit’, that’s just rolled to a stop halfway up the hill ahead. Uh oh. This part of our ID.Buzz test could be over before it’s even begun. We’re on the Wrynose Pass in the Lake District, headed towards the Hardknott Pass, one of the gnarliest and steepest roads in the UK. We wanted to face the Buzz off against its 20th century predecessor, by means of a hillclimb – no small task, with the Type 2’s original rear-mounted, air-cooled engine renowned for overheating when tackling even the slightest of gradients. Looks like its living up to its reputation. But hold your horses, because at the wheel is Kit Lacey, founder of classic vehicle electrification company eDub Services. And the Type 2 he’s driving is no ordinary Type 2, having had a full heart transplant – and now running on electrons. Here we’ve got the top spec conversion kit with 53kWh battery, 93bhp electric motor, and 150ish-mile range, priced from £64,999. Cheap it isn’t. Kit’s concerned because the constant start/stopping for photos is causing the electric motor’s temperature to spike. Fortunately, he’s brought his laptop along and wirelessly tweaks the settings so the fan switches on at a lower temperature. We roll back to level ground, get a good run up, and the challenge is back on. Until we bump into traffic headed in the opposite direction, halfway up the even steeper climb to the summit of the Wrynose Pass. Though the temperature is now stable, Kit’s lost all momentum. He tweaks the eDub’s settings to maximise the power output, floors it, and finally makes it up and over. I’m following in the Buzz (77kWh/204bhp/258-mile range), where it’s fair to say that it’s breezing it so far. But it doesn’t come cheap either – the as-tested price of £65,465 makes it almost like-for-like with the eDub. T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 107

Everything you need to live off-grid, apart from plugging in to the National Grid The ID.Buzz wants to claim the Kombi crown, but we can see right through it It’s not hard to see that VW has clearly riffed on the Type 2’s Seven, count em, seats in the image with the Buzz, from the wraparound windscreen to the Volvo – you’ll have to wait for sliding side doors and fake cooling vents, but quirky styling apart the LWB Buzz to get that it’s there that the similarities really end. While the ID.Buzz is currently little more than a glorified MPV, the Type 2 offers endless customisation options, with this one previously modified by its owner and fully roadtrip equipped. It’s a stark comparison. The Hardknott Pass – and its 30 per cent inclines – soon looms into view. Kit waits to check the route is clear and then starts the ascent, before I set off in pursuit. The lofty driving position and light steering lends itself to the rutted single track road, and while the Buzz feels slightly cumbersome, you just have to trust your instincts, ignore the constant beeping from the proximity sensors, and go for it. Several twists and turns later, and we make it up and over the summit too. A “completed it, mate” moment for both the ID.Buzz and the eDub then. On the return journey I jump at the opportunity to swap. The Type 2 is far more involving to drive, the heavy steering all in the shoulders and the brake pedal quite frankly a cramp risk, but there’s no denying the new electric gubbins have transformed the drive. The accelerator pedal is perkier compared with the progressive feel of the ID.Buzz, and its 0–62mph acceleration is swift enough. Where to spend your £65k? There’s no denying the ID.Buzz’s quirkiness, and as a funky family runabout it’s got plenty of charm, but for an adventure like this the eDub feels the more authentic. Electric drive has given the Type 2 a new lease of life, improving on many of the original’s flaws, and secured its future in our new battery powered world. The Buzz isn’t quite a tailor- made replacement just yet, but I suspect its time will come. PR 108 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

VW ID.BUZZ IS IT PRACTICAL FAMILY TRANSPORT? vs VOLVO XC90 If the ID.Buzz is to succeed as more than just a Pixar-faced simply easier to tumble, and the view outward marginally With thanks to Willen Lake, Milton Keynes’ watersports and activity park novelty act propping up VW’s maligned ID range, then it superior. Plus the XC90 offers either a 1,007-litre boot, or needs to succeed not just as a credible EV and a £60,000 item, two child-only rearmost seats, and still squeezes in a clever but as a family car. And the quintessential active outdoorsy pop-up luggage divider to prevent the organic quinoa mushing family lifestyle vehicle is, without a shadow of a doubt, the into the desiccated squid. The ID.Buzz’s (admittedly vast) split Volvo XC90. It’s the least objectionable large premium SUV. level boot floor is less versatile, and the extended overhang It’s 276 per cent less ‘powerfully built company director’ than a seven-seater version that’ll make better use of this cavern BMW X5. You might consider giving way to one as it indicates to is perhaps a year away. Up front the XC90 is ageing, but its depart Waitrose. It outwardly projects its mission – to look after 12-year-old touchscreen (which mistakenly contains the heater your family, not sneer at other people’s. The Buzz is even more controls) is both less laggy and more intuitive than the very best doe-eyed, and you’d imagine it’s also much better packaged. VW can build you right now. It argues back that cubbies are the No bonnet to park, a taller tailgate – and a lower floor, freed real currency in this market, with huge door bins and more of even the Volvo’s vanishing off-road pretensions. Except, charging ports, suspending any threat the family might have on contact with the real world, the Buzz doesn’t emphatically to talk to each other on the slog back from Calais. Volvo is hand the ageing Volvo its P45. It too has a raised floor, because about to supplement its XC90 range with the £100k EX90. But VW of the underslung batteries, so the legroom isn’t generous. True, shouldn’t presume this is a natural changing of the home guard sliding rear doors are invaluable in a car park, but once aboard moment. The Buzz is a fab piece of exterior design, but not the the Volvo’s more clearly annotated seat fold mechanisms are Swiss Family Robinson army knife we’d hoped it was – yet. OK T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 109

THE HOT LIST 2023 ALPINE A110R WHAT IS IT? It’s the Porsche RS treatment applied to France’s premier lightweight mid-engined sports car. So that’s less weight (a 34kg reduction thanks to carbon wheels and panels, less soundproofing and slender seats), 29kg more downforce and more grip thanks to stickier tyres. But no more power... WHAT’S THE BIG TALKING POINT? Probably the price: just shy of £90,000 for the standard A110R and almost £130k for the 32 signed Fernando Alonso editions (just as he’s departed the Alpine team for Aston. Awkward). PUB AMMO You don’t actually get any more power in the A110R: the 1.8-litre turbo four-pot remains pegged at 300bhp. But with a kerbweight of just 1,082kg, performance ought to give a Porsche Cayman GT4 or Lotus Emira a proper headache. Also remember: this is a last dance for Alpine with petrol, before the electric SUV and joint venture EV with Lotus arrive... OK DACIA DUSTER WHAT IS IT? Dacia’s gamble to keep its plucky 4x4 an honest bargain basement 4x4. The next Duster won’t be another crossover, more ‘rugged mini-Defender’. WHAT’S THE BIG TALKING POINT? Expect a chunky aesthetic with elements of the Bigster concept, and Dacia’s first Renault-derived hybrid drivetrain underneath. PUB AMMO Dacia is one of the few brands not ranting about going fully electric. Low demand from diehard customers and associated costs mean Dacia may be one of the last carmakers to embrace the plug. OK 110 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

TESLA CYBERTRUCK WHAT IS IT? Three years since its reveal on stage, Tesla’s all-electric and curve-allergic pickup truck is promised to be in production by the end of this year. WHAT’S THE BIG TALKING POINT? Since the road-going pyramid’s unveil, Tesla’s hope to be the first EV truck on the huge US market has been gazumped by Rivian with its R1T pickup, and Ford with its F-150 Lightning. PUB AMMO There are already over 1.5 million preorders in the bank, each yearning for a range of up to 500 miles, a 0–60 time of 2.9secs and a 6.4-tonne towing capacity. That’s serious talk. OK WHAT’S Busy times ahead... needs to begin in earnest, while the NEXT Even if the Cybertruck does emerge flagship new Roadster – revealed in 2016 ELON? without the usual Tesla production with fanfare of 0–60 in 1.9secs and a delays (and quality control mayhem) rocket-propelled optional booster WILL THE MUSKMAN in 2023, there’s a lot on its controversial (really) is still nowhere to be seen. A CONTINUE HIS boss’s plate, notwithstanding his recent much rumoured $25k city car good for SPREE? Twitter takeover and other interests like 250 miles of range is also supposedly in SpaceX and Boring Company tunnelling. development. As is a humanoid robot. Makes you wonder how Elon finds the Construction of the Semi truck time to tweet. OK (claiming a 500-mile range fully loaded)

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BECAUSE THEY DON’T MAKE ’EM LIKE THEY USED TO HEADLINER DELTA BRAVO The Lancia Delta is without question rallying royalty... but there’s always room for improvement. Just ask Juha Kankkunen WORDS GREG POT TS PHOTOGRAPHY LAT T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 113

“JUHA KANKKUNEN HAS DRIVEN EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD OF GRAVEL AND SNOW” “So Juha, that 1987 title winning season. running of Rally Finland. But it’s Lancia we’re here to talk What stands out to you from that year?” about, hence the rather short-lived recap of that season. TG is chatting to four-time World Rally Immediately after his second title win, Juha made the champion and genuine hero Juha Kankkunen, switch to Toyota for ’88 and ’89, but he would return to who at 63 years of age shows no sign of slowing drive the ever-developing Delta for three more seasons down. He won his first WRC title at the wheel from 1990–1992. of the Peugeot 205 T16 Evo 2 as the fearsome Group B era was brought to an abrupt end in 1986, then followed that “Group B cars were physically very hard to drive,” says up a year later with a second title in the Group A-spec Kankkunen in what may just be the understatement of the Lancia Delta HF Integrale. year. “The 205 T16 was somewhere between 500bhp and “I can’t remember it,” he replies in a typically Finnish 700bhp, and the weight was around 960kg. When I first fashion. “I won in the UK and I think the Olympus Rally drove the Delta after that, it was like going from a 500cc in America, but it was a long time ago.” motorbike to a moped. There was no power – maybe When you see what he was doing with the Delta in the 280bhp–300bhp – and the handling was whatever.” images on these pages, it’s a wonder he’s not reliving the memories every time he shuts his eyes. Still, Kankkunen Hardly the most glowing review for the car that would has driven everything in the world of gravel and snow, deliver the laid back Finn yet another world championship starting out in his father’s Ford Escort ice racer in the in 1991, but then he does admit that the Group A cars were Seventies before competing for the final time at the 2010 quick to develop into proper rally machinery. “By the beginning of the Nineties the Group A cars were fast. They very quickly became good rally cars to drive. 114 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

A road-going restomod The Maturo garage is Delta? With the backing of part dream factory, Kankkunen? Oh go on then part time machine Everything improved – the engines became more powerful, gearboxes got better, suspension developed and the brakes were stronger. Comparing a 1987 car and a 1992 car is like comparing a Volkswagen Beetle from 1959 and a Porsche 911 Turbo from today.” And despite the underwhelming first impressions, he also has a whole lot of love for the Delta: “It was very reliable. It was strong. That was probably the best thing about the Delta, and as I understood from the mechanics and engineers it was quite easy to service too. “The suspension maybe wasn’t the best, but in those days there wasn’t a better set-up available. If you could fit modern suspension to that car it would’ve been incredible.” And luckily enough for us, that’s exactly where Juha’s new job comes in, although we can’t remember seeing the advert for this one in the local paper... These days Kankkunen still tests and advises on modern rally cars (after forays into the diverse worlds of politics and luxury real estate), but in his latest role T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 115

Too late for last Christmas, but we all know what’s on the wishlist next time Brakes are naturally FIA homologated / Only 10 Stradales will ever be built / Familiar exterior, but re-engineered mechanicals / Squidgy seats are buttock friendly “MATURO CARS IS A DUTCH FIRM CREATED BY AMATEUR RALLY DRIVER MARCO GEERATZ” 116 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

he will have final sign-off on a project that should be destinations will be Juha’s doorstep, because who better rather close to his heart – a road-going restomod Delta to sign off on the way a dream Delta drives? known as the Maturo Stradale. It may also help that, although he has a vast wealth We might need some background because it’s unlikely of experience and a storied competition history with the you’ll have heard of the folks behind this exciting project. brand, it’s not like Juha is emotionally attached to Lancia Maturo Competition Cars is a Dutch firm created by as some of us are. When we ask if he was disappointed at its amateur rally driver Marco Geeratz and his former decision to leave the sport of rallying in 1992, Kankkunen mechanic (and the man who used to sell him rally cars) responds plainly. “No. Not really. That was their decision.” Frank van Ganzewinkel. They’ve been in the game for a while, building and servicing all manner of classic rally He simply went back to Toyota the following season cars, but focus has now switched to Delta Integrales. and won yet another title at the first time of asking. Just another day at the office. Yep. Want a boxy, four-wheel-drive Italian hatchback that goes like stink and makes all manner of turbo noises CLASSIC in the process? You now need to head to the Netherlands. £130,000+ Maturo offers three different routes into Delta Maturo’s entry level offering takes an original Evo or ownership. There’s the Classic (essentially a restored Evo II, replaces all of the known problem parts and and slightly improved Delta HF Integrale Evo or Evo II), gives it a slight power bump to 230bhp so that it drives as the Rally (a Delta built up to full Group A rally standards you always imagined it would. Although you can spend but with sympathetically upgraded parts for improved safety, reliability and performance) and finally the more for greater restoration and even more grunt aforementioned Stradale. RALLY Just 10 Stradales will ever be built, with the basic premise being to take the underpinnings of Maturo’s £215,000–£260,000 modernised Group A rally car and cloak it in a full The bread and butter of Maturo is building Group A-spec carbon-fibre body that looks like a cleaner, meaner Evo. Delta rally cars for those that want the old-school look with modernised performance and reliability. Pick standard “We changed as little as we could from the rally car Brembos and a non-bespoke gearbox and it might only cost to make the Stradale usable as a daily driver,” Geeratz you £215k, but prices can rise to a cool quarter of a million tells TG. “It’s a very manual car. There’s no support – no ABS or traction control. STRADALE “The background of our company is a mechanical £326,000 one, and we know the rally car inside out. We’ve rallied Just four carbon-bodied Stradales will be built each year it, we’ve broken it and we’ve then improved it. by Maturo’s team of 10 engineers. Each one will be road legal with a stunning interior and the underpinnings of a “We started by acquiring an original Group A car – the car that Kankkunen won the Olympus Rally in – and we Group A rally car. Oh, and every completed customer re-engineered all of the original Abarth parts. Because car will be signed off by Kankkunen himself those parts are either massively expensive or worn out and unreliable. For example, the gearbox housing always breaks at a certain point – we can see it from the original parts because they’re always welded. So without changing the external design we know to strengthen it at certain points. “Over the past few years we have developed or redeveloped around 2,000 parts.” This isn’t just a case of slotting in a crate engine and fitting a nice interior then, it’s a proper rally spec Delta HF Integrale with numberplates. The engine is the original twin-cam 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit, but it’s fully rebuilt with a revised intake, new camshafts, lighter valves, a new cylinder head and forged pistons. Then there’s the turbo, which typifies the approach to the whole car by sitting in its original Garrett T3 housing but with all-new internals that help it to spin up faster and reduce lag. The result is nearly 400bhp being sent through a rebuilt five-speed manual gearbox and upgraded diffs to all four wheels. The brakes are FIA homologated, the suspension incorporates four-way adjustable dampers and there’s a hydraulic handbrake for Kankkunen-spec hairpin skids. Maturo hopes to have the prototype that you see on these pages up and running soon, and one of its first T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 117

TOP FIVE STRANGE SEATING CONFIGURATIONS STOUT SCARAB The precursor to many boring MPVs, the Scarab was intended to be an office on wheels with a swivelling second row of seats CONCEPTS THAT TIME FORGOT FIAT MULTIPLA MAZDA MX-81, 1981 Our Car of the Year in T he long history of the concept car is one 2000 (we’re not joking), the that is wrapped up tightly with a sort of lights and crazy interior. The steering wheel Multipla featured three seats I MAG ES: ALL STAR glow-up by association, the idea that a was replaced by a tracked belt running around in the back row and three brand can boost its fusty image by punting the instrument panel. seats in the front out a crazy looking bag of bits at a motor show and wowing the crowds. Wildly impractical, then, and showing SUBARU off a bold new look for Mazda, but one that BRAT Take Mazda, for instance. The company wouldn’t actually see its way through to had worked with esteemed Italian styling house any production car. Correction: any Mazda The Brat featured two rear- Bertone throughout the Sixties to inject a bit of production car. You might sense a certain sort facing jump seats in its pickup Latin flair into its cars and steal a march on its of familiarity about the MX-81, a recognition that fellow Japanese rivals. The 1963 Mazda Familia you can’t quite put your finger on. Like you’re at bed so that Subaru could was styled by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro, who the supermarket and you see someone who classify it as a passenger went off to work for Ghia, while the relationship gets the same bus as you in the morning. car and dodge paying tax between Bertone and Mazda blossomed. You see, compare the MX-81 with the 1979 MATRA But was Mazda cool? Not an easy case to Volvo Tundra concept and you’ll perhaps see BAGHEERA argue there. The company gave Bertone a some similarities. And that car, of course, was Yes the McLaren F1 also blank sheet commission to create its first ever turned down by Volvo but readily taken in by did three seats, but the concept car in 1981, the nattily named MX-81. Citroen and turned into the iconic blocky BX Bagheera beat it to the punch The MX part stood for ‘Mazda experimental’, in 1982 – by way of Japan, as it turns out. – although it did lack the a moniker that the company says is only given central driving position to its “most challenging” cars, and the MX-5. The ultimate insult of the MX-81 concept The exterior wasn’t too challenging for Mazda, being passed by in favour of more glamorous GEELY given that it was all Bertone’s work. The styling European rivals was finally turned into a GE was draped over the underpinnings of the fifth touching story of redemption and renewal generation of Giugiaro’s original Mazda in recent years. Though the car not go into In 2009, Geely showed off the masterpiece, although the Familia had by production and was left abandoned in a suspiciously Phantom-like GE now been rebadged as the 323. dark corner of a storage facility at Mazda’s concept. Rolls-Royce lawyers headquarters, on a glorious day in 2020 it was The grand introduction of Mazda’s first rediscovered and restored, then punted out ensured it never reached concept was made at that year’s Tokyo Motor – over the internet this time – to give the firm’s production. Shame Show, striking with its huge windows, pop-up image a bit of a boost. Everything comes around again eventually. Sam Burnett 118 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

R I C C I ’ S G A R A G ERgeepttoinrgt3h0oMtuanrdk’esrFtehreracroilmlaercahgaaninic..i.s “I AM HOPELESS WITH MECHANICALS. I GO FROM SCREWDRIVER TO HAMMER IN ROUGHLY HALF A TURN” O ne of the problems with owning extremely Zircotec is one of the longest-running Graphite finish which not only reduces surface specialist cars is that they require extremely brands for thermal management, but its temperature by up to 33 per cent, but also specialist maintenance. And the problem expertise goes way beyond the silly world of boasts a safe operating temperature right with extremely specialist maintenance is it racecars. The company has actually been up to 900°C. The four exhaust tips have requires an extremely specialist attitude from around since the Seventies; initially tasked for the same thermal benefits but come finished an extremely specific mechanic. creating heat barriers in the nuclear industry in Performance Solid Black for the simple before hitting motorsport in 1994. But the reason that it looks bloody cool. But, if That person is not and never will be me. I firm’s coatings are used in agriculture, aviation 900°C isn’t quite enough for you, then am hopeless with mechanicals and my patience and even EV batteries and vehicles. Zircotec’s Performance White will see goes from Philips screwdriver to hammer and you all the way to 1,400°C. chisel in roughly half a turn. The goals I set The Ferrari 360 is one of its simpler jobs, from a car are also slightly different to what it but it’s still a mindboggling process that takes “One thing we’re seeing a lot more of actually needs. And nobody knows that more around 10 working days. Each part is inspected is the use of our ZircoFlex heat shielding,” than Paul at ICS Motorsport. and masked up before the surface prep and grit I’m told by Gareth Roberts from Zircotec. blasting can begin. After this, the initial plasma “We can add these to just about any system, Paul does things properly. His main spray begins with a metallic bonding coat – and this technology is capable of reducing battle with the Ferrari isn’t stubborn bolts essential for the ceramic top coat (also plasma surface temperatures up to 85 per cent while or wiring, it’s me. I enjoy making noise, being sprayed) to bond properly. Get all this right, being applied to heat sources up to 1,000°C. an idiot and putting cars in situations they and the coloured paint finish is added before Aside from the temperature benefit, these were never designed for. Paul? His focus is oven curing and final inspection. help aid exhaust emissions and engine speed and safety. So, when it came to changing performance too.” the exhaust for something a bit spicier, his For the two exhaust manifolds and decat thought wasn’t Instagram stories... it was pipes, I’ve opted for Zircotec’s Performance One of the benefits not listed on the thermal management. Zircotec website is the happiness these Much thermal management coatings bring to people like Paul at ICS Those two words aren’t exactly clickbait. here. At least that’s what Motorsport. For once I’ve brought him a But they are important, especially when Mark’s been told solution rather than a headache, and that can mucking about with a 22-year-old racecar only be a good thing while the Ferrari is in that now has numberplates. many pieces. Especially as I might have just booked it on a track day in a few weeks’ time Its last owner did at least try with some which he knows nothing about. Mark Riccioni heat wrap. Albeit not brilliantly because parts were coming undone and actually causing a Internationally renowned photographer Mark has fire hazard as opposed to suppressing heat. been working with TG for many, many years. When Needless to say, Paul wasn’t keen on this for not taking photos he’s buying inappropriate cars. the new exhaust. In fact, his exact words were Here he shares his addiction with the world “get it coated or it’s not going on”. T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 119

PROGRESS REPORT (2022)VW GOLF ALLTRACK vs VW GOLF COUNTRY (1990) Two rounds of Golf designed to get you out of the rough. Does either one make par? IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT MKII GOLF? corners, but it’s planted and assured. Don’t get us wrong, it feels WORDS: SAM BURNETT PHOTOGRAPHY: JONNY FLEETWOOD Does look a bit funny, doesn’t it? Can’t quite put our finger on it... like 1990, but it’d be easy to live with day to day. You lost a bit of WITH THANKS TO: LLOYD TULLOCH FOR THE LOAN OF HIS VOLKSWAGEN GOLF COUNTRY This second-gen Golf was the car that cemented the concept of boot from the standard Golf and the beefed up subframe means a solidly built, smooth-talking family hatch. It was built from 1986 there’s not actually any more ground clearance, but otherwise this to 1992 with around 6.3m trundling out the factory. The company’s is a premonition of everything people would come to enjoy about engineers liked to show off and amuse themselves occasionally. SUVs. It’s apparently decent off-road, but we didn’t try it out. Like The GTI proved the Golf could perform on the road, and this model, most 4x4 drivers then. the Country, was an outlandish 4x4 spun off the first AWD- equipped Golf (the Syncro) that could do the business off-road. WHAT’S THAT SENSIBLE LOOKING THING NEXT TO IT? Almost missed the MkVIII Golf range’s “charismatic all-rounder” HOW DID VOLKSWAGEN MAKE IT? over there. It’s got electronic AWD to help with dodgy conditions, VW actually let the clever folks at Puch in Austria have their wicked 15mm extra ride height and fancy bodywork to make it look cooler. way with the MkII Golf – the company that built the Mercedes-Benz Can’t hold a candle to the Country, which has a similar effect to a G-Wagen and came up with the muddy bits for the MkI Panda 4x4 supercar rumbling down the road. We quite like the latest Golf way back when. Less than 8,000 were made, mostly popular in estate, though, visually the most successful version yet. the Alpine reaches of central Europe. This one is rare, and mostly original, apart from the bits that aren’t. The 97bhp 1.8-litre engine’s HAS VOLKSWAGEN LOST SOME OF ITS FUN? cylinders were bored out for some extra performance when the The Alltrack doesn’t have the same Frankenstein’s runabout feel current owner rebuilt the engine, the rear drums swapped for disc as the Country, but it does have heated seats and Apple CarPlay. brakes (sensible move) and there’s a better radio. We won’t revisit VW’s touchscreen woes here, but being inside a Golf feels very different today. You can’t even imagine the IT’S SO TALL, MUST BE A CRAZY DRIVE RIGHT? company squirrelling a cheeky little game away somewhere in To our great surprise, it’s actually a solid drive. You’d expect the the infotainment, let alone allowing engineers to go crazy with Country to lean over like a half-inflated bouncy castle through a limited run skunkworks-style model. Shame, really. 120 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

12-CYLINDER GERMAN BARGES BMW 760Li LESS (2004) THAN £6K Price now £5,750 Harris says We may not have thought it in period, but the Bangle-era 7-Series REMEMBERING can now be considered a relatively RETRO GAMING THE CLASSICS good looking BMW. Plus, the mega 760 can now be bought for less than half the price of a Dacia Sandero. #46 AUDI A8L 6.0 QUATTRO LESS QUARANTINE (2005) THAN £7K PC, 1994 Price now £6,995 There have been plenty of games that offered you the opportunity Harris says Want the VW Group’s to ply your trade as a humble cabbie, Crazy Taxi for example, or the Grand Theft Auto series, for those people who don’t fancy doing gloriously brawny W12 engine but in a any of the hundreds of more interesting activities in that game. None of those games, however, ask you to somehow scratch out package that’s more discreet than a a living ferrying passengers around in a sealed off, psychopath riddled prison city in the distant, dystopian future. And you thought Bentley Conti, and more reliable than a being an Uber driver on a Friday night was a thankless job. VW Phaeton? This mega-spec, 444bhp Quarantine was a, usually quite literal, collision between Crazy Taxi and iconic first person shooter game Doom, which long wheelbase A8 is your answer. had debuted only a year beforehand. The floaty handling of the game was explained away by the fact that your vehicle was MERCEDES-BENZ S600 L LESS actually a hovercar and your task was to pick up your fares and (2000) THAN deposit them with all their limbs intact at their chosen destination. £8K This was an objective made slightly more complicated by the fact Price now £8,000 that every other road user and pedestrian was attempting to murder you. To aid you in your survival, your yellow cab was Harris says Now to complete the positively festooned with military grade ordnance, most notably a giant, roof mounted chain gun of the variety you’d more commonly German barge trio with an S-Class. see dangling beneath an Apache helicopter. This W220 S600 has just 81k miles on the Played almost entirely for laughs, the game was spectacularly violent and naturally any pedestrians unfortunate enough to clock and has had a full engine strip wander in front of your taxi would end up splashed across your windscreen. If you had a particularly troublesome fare, you could down before being put up for sale. simply tap the E button on the keyboard to eject them from the car. Quarantine imagined a world where being a taxi driver was Shame about the shabby paintwork. a brutal, dangerous profession, where every fare involved taking your life in your hands, but it’s still probably better than picking bits of sick out the back seat at the end of your shift... Mike Channell Honest Harris' Bargain Corner T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 121

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TOPGEAR ’S LONG-TERM CARS. TESTED & VERIFIED T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 123

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Renault Megane E-Tech HELLO £39,495 OTR/£40,445 as tested/£715pcm WHY IT’S HERE To prove our love of hatches in the face of a crossover-mad world DRIVER Paul Horrell A YEAR IS A LONG TIME IN ELECTRIC CARS. RENAULT HAS TAKEN ITS with this very spec of Megane, and greatly preferred the Megane’s control time in moving the steering wheel and pedals over to our side of the dash, interface and rather preferred the drive too. For those things I’m happy to so although I loved the electric Megane when I drove it a year ago, will I enjoy being in the Renault and very occasionally break a journey for 15 love it now? Only time will tell... minutes to add the 17kWh by which my battery is undersized versus his. The car sitting in my street is a Megane E-Tech EV60 Optimum Charge Besides, a smaller battery means a lighter car. I’ve come out of a Techno. E-Tech is simply Renault’s way of saying it’s electric, to distinguish Volkswagen ID.4 with the 77kWh battery and the Renault establishes from the old petrol Megane. (Oh, hang on, E-Tech is also Renault’s word for a more enjoyably vivid connection between driver and road. hybrid, and there was a hybrid old Megane by the same name... hmm.) EV60 means it has the 60kWh battery and 217bhp motor. Optimum Charge means SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF it can ingest AC up to 22kW three-phase. Techno is the middle spec and I can report that it’s well stuffed with gear. The car I’m in has one £950 extra – its Electric motor, 60kWh Lovely interior, sharp paint. But apart from that there are no options fitted and none are available. battery, FWD, 217bhp to drive, quiet. So far, 3.9 miles per kWh, 280 miles so good... I had quite a bit of trouble connecting the Renault remote-charging app on my phone to the car. That always happens. Why do manufacturers 0–62mph in 7.4secs, 100mph BAD STUFF all pretend they can do reliable car connectivity when they can’t? The difference here is Renault’s call centre was fantastically helpful. 1,708kg Long motorway trips will very much depend No long trips so far, so I can’t say anything about efficiency. Early MILEAGE: 2,596 OUR MPKWH: 3.0 on charger availability. non-definitive indications are that range won’t be far above 210 miles in winter. My friend Tom Ford has come into a Cupra Born (see opposite) with a bigger, 77kWh battery. Last year I drove that very spec of Born side by side 124 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

Cupra Born HELLO £43,735 OTR/£45,100 as tested/£490pcm WHY IT’S HERE Can the Born succeed where other VW product fails? DRIVER Tom Ford THIS MONTH, I HAVE MAINLY BEEN DRIVING A CUPRA BORN 77KWH and an augmented head-up display, and the V3 gets smart 20s, electric absolutely everywhere, revelling in an electric car that delivers a few seats with pneumatic massage function and a couple of other bits. more than 270 miles of range even in cool temperatures. Honestly, it’s a gamechanger. Big range just means more convenience – when you’re We’ve got granite grey Dinamica bucket seats (a no cost option), and the attached to a powerful public charger the fast charge sweet spot from Rayleigh Red metallic paint for £565, as well as Tech Pack L for £720. There 10–80 per cent is bigger; you add more miles in less time. I’ve tested isn’t a huge amount of options to choose from, but you can get an efficiency EVs with better range, but never quite realised how much difference increasing heat pump for £970, or a Beats stereo for 470-odd quid. There’s actually living with one would make. a load to talk about already but I’m told that I’ve already run out of spa... Back to the matter at hand; this is a Cupra Born 77kWh V3 e-Boost. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF So the Cuprised sibling to VW’s ID.3. As the name might suggest, we’ve got 77kWh of usable space in the battery, RWD, four seats and a motor Electric motor, 82kWh First impressions are excellent. that produces 228bhp/229lb ft. That equates to 0–62mph in seven seconds battery, RWD, 228bhp I drove it 1,000 miles in less than (the lighter 58kWh Born is actually quicker), a 99mph top speed and 3.9 miles per kWh, 341 miles a week. 341 miles of official WLTP range. But that’s a pie in the sky number – you’ll see 270 in the real world. 0–62mph in 7.0secs, 99mph BAD STUFF As far as the spec goes, V3 is the top model. The base spec (V1) is 1,946kg Second impressions reveal actually fine, featuring 18in alloys, LED headlights and tail-lights, the same difficulties with the user size MMI screen (12in) with 5.3in driver display, bucket seats in recycled MILEAGE: 2,366 OUR MPKWH: 3.4 interface. Disappointing. yarn, a rearview cam, aircon and a load of online gear and advanced driver assist systems. The V2 gets rear tints, 19in alloys, heated seats and wheel T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 125

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE BMW iX GOODBYE £94,000 OTR/£115,670 as tested/£2,259 pcm WHY IT’S HERE This is BMW’s techno flagship, what’s it like to live with? DRIVER Jason Barlow BMW CEO OLIVER ZIPSE RECENTLY TOLD ME THERE IS NO SUCH THING On which point, no one I showed the car to could get their head around as a future-oriented design without controversy. True and, personally, I like its £116k cost (including £17k worth of options, which is more, in fact, than seeing this car cut a swathe through a sea of grey conformity on the M25. I recently paid for a year-old Dacia Duster. Let that sink in...). But let’s keep it in context. This is a top flight consumer good. That’s the subjective bit. Objectively, there’s no question that the xDrive 50’s 105.2kWh battery pretty much erases range anxiety. The best Luxury cars are meant to cosset and repel the world, and even against I saw on a full charge, in the height of 2022’s sticky summer, was 360 miles, the likes of the Merc EQS and Range Rover, I think the iX does this better although that’s dropped to 288 now it’s cold. It’s also impressively efficient – and more intriguingly – than anything. It’s an idiosyncratic masterpiece. for a big machine: I averaged between 2.9 and 3.2mpkWh, pretty much bang on BMW’s claims. On my 7kW home charger, it took 14 or 15 hours SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF to replenish; a decent top-up is about 50 minutes on a 100kW rapid charger. Twin electric motors, 4WD, Design (yes, really), interior BMW has also nailed the HMI, and even having the climate control on 105.2kWh battery, 516bhp functionality and quality, a touchscreen is tolerable here. The switchgear on the steering wheel is 2.9 miles per kWh, 380 miles range, refinement. fiddly, though, and the profusion of sensors can make reversing stressful. The iX can park itself; maybe it resents being denied the opportunity. 0–62mph in 4.6secs, 125mph BAD STUFF There’s surely no debate about the cockpit’s configuration: with that elegant curved screen and the fantastic seats, there’s no better car interior 2,510kg Lacks bootspace despite available. The frameless glass kinda irritated me, especially with my son’s its size, expensive. habit of slamming the passenger door shut (he never grasped the soft close MILEAGE: 8,050 OUR MPKWH: 3.0 concept). And you may want to hold off on the crystal switchgear, one example from the extensive and expensive options/configurator list. 126 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

HONDA CIVIC CIVIC Audi S3 Sportback NUGGETS REPORT 2 HELLO Nice to get 50-ish mpg out £32,995/£33,820/£410 of a car this size without £39,045 (£47,370 for Vorsprung ed.)/£49,030 as tested/£794 pcm WHY IT’S HERE having to try too hard WHY IT’S HERE Maybe the best family The central touchscreen Fast Audis are consistently inconsistent – is the S3 a hit or miss? hatch – just as everyone does feel like a bit of stops buying hatches an afterthought DRIVER DRIVER Hybrid is the only powertrain Ollie Kew choice on offer. Unless you Vijay Pattni go for the Type R, that is HERE’S A MACRO DEMONSTRATION OF THE CURRENT CAR AVAILABILITY crisis. Having been suitably bowled over earlier in 2022 by the sensational SPOILER ALERT, BUT THIS IS A new Audi RS3, we arranged to spend some time living with one. But because Audi now sells the RS3 in the USA, and only one factory builds fabulously unfussy and tranquil car. the 400bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine it requires, RS3s were already few Despite the presence of quite a lot and far between before the semiconductor asteroid impacted Planet Car. of powertrain hiding underneath the cleaner aesthetic, it is as easy as As a result, the TGG RS3 first slipped to summer 2023, and then to not cars can get. Get in, press the start coming at all, because demand in the superhatch-mad UK is off the dial. button, hit go. Simple. Bereft, we asked if Audi might let us live with another flavour of the There’s no sense of the enormity current A3, which is why my winter will be spent in the quattro-secure of mechanical complexity whirring embrace of an S3 Sportback Vorsprung Edition. This basically ticks all away underneath while you make of the options boxes on your behalf, jacking the price from sub-£40k to serene, peaceful progress, but it’s beyond £47k. Standard S3s go for £650 on finance – this is almost £800, in important to understand just how return for a sunroof, B&O hi-fi, dubious wheels, cleverer headlights, electric complex the eHEV set-up is. seats and adaptive suspension. This S3 is very nearly last-gen RS3 money. There’s an engine – a new There is but one optional extra left to apply: £575 for British Gas 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol – and under the van blue paintwork, which puts paid to any hope the S3 would blend rear seats sits a 1.05kWh lithium- into grey autumnal Britain like Audi S cars of old. It’s all mesh, creases, ion battery pack. Then comes a glinting exhaust tips and LED-encrusted menace. Expensive car wants pair of e-motors – one that acts people to know it’s expensive. a generator, and one that directly powers the front wheels. Time was that the Audi A3 was the only ‘premium’ badged hatchback around, but BMW’s 1-Series and the Merc A-Class have long since caught Now, you can’t actually isolate on, and the A3 can no longer just trade on aspirational brand value – it any one particular source because needs to be a really good hatchback, a miniature exec saloon and in this the computers figure it out for you. case, half of an Audi RS6. And make us forget the RS3 exists. Off we go... If you’re on a motorway, the engine is the primary source. If in town, the battery takes the hit. If the battery is low, hybrid charges and powers the car. There’s brake regen, of course... Complex, very. To use? An absolute doddle. SPECIFICATION The Civic’s fancy powertrain SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF tech sounds complicated, but 1993cc 4cyl turbo hybrid, 1984cc 4cyl turbo, 306bhp, A rapid quattro car FWD, 181bhp, 232lb ft the car is very easy to use 295lb ft, 7spd DCT, AWD just in time for winter. 56.5mpg, 114g/km CO2 34.4mpg, 187g/km CO2 0–62mph in 8.1secs, 112mph BAD STUFF 0–62mph in 4.8sec, 155mph 1,533kg The days of subtle Audi 1,500kg S cars are over – this one MILEAGE: 4,404 OUR MPG: 45.8 is fully in yer face. MILEAGE: 92 OUR MPG: 31.4 T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 127

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Alpine A110S the driver and a flashy leather box between the seats that you can only physically get anything in and out of if you’re kneeling on the seat. REPORT 5 Moving on... £620 on the Sabelt seats. Do it, they’re superb. Then £60,645 OTR/£71,689 as tested/£749 pcm £1,430 on microfibre for the wheel, roof lining, console and dash? I’m a sucker for the sporty touch, but you can have the wheel by itself for £90. WHY IT’S HERE Last one inside: the £552 Focal hi-fi. The sound all comes from the front so it’s unbalanced, but there’s more bass than you expect. It’s not awful. Does the concept of a lightweight dissolve on contact with Real Life? Outside, £660 is wasted on the diamond cut 18s. They come black as DRIVER standard. The only free paint colour is white, the best ones (Alpine Blue and this Fire Orange) are £1,656. Don’t bother with the £640 Michelin Ollie Marriage Cup 2 tyres. The standard PS4s are utterly brilliant. Last one: the Aero Pack, which costs £4,650 for a carbon rear spoiler and front splitter and WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT VALUE AND OPTIONS. BECAUSE IN MY HEAD claims to add 80kg of pressure at the back, 61kg at the front. At what the Alpine is a sub-£50,000 car. And it is. If you don’t stick any options speed, Alpine doesn’t say. But the A110 isn’t about downforce, it doesn’t on you can have one for £49,900. About £650 a month. But an S, with need this and it doesn’t improve the looks. It also adds drag and reduces an extra 50bhp, is £10k more. And this one is another £10k more than fuel economy. In other words, spend £3,398 on options for your Alpine that. And at £70,000, the A110 does not look great value when the rather than £11,182. There you go, just saved you eight grand. alternative is a Porsche Cayman GT4. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF But say you do still want the Alpine. Firstly, congratulations for choosing efficiency and intelligent engineering. Every time I slide 1798cc 4cyl turbo, RWD, I can save you a lot on down into the A110 it makes me feel good. It’s tiny and light, not 296bhp, 250lb ft your Alpine A110... many resources went into its construction, it’s diligent with its fuel, 42.2mpg, 153g/km CO2 easy on its tyres and brakes and, what’s more, it starts interesting 0–62mph in 4.2secs, 155mph BAD STUFF conversations with people – often about how it contrasts with electric cars, all of which are heavy with huge resources invested in their 1,119kg Just as well, have you construction. The unseen carbon impact. seen what this one is MILEAGE: 9,507 OUR MPG: 33.2 specced to?! By now I’m sure I’m preaching to the converted, so let’s look at what you should and shouldn’t have. First up, £480 for parking sensors and rear camera. You probably need that – visibility out the letterbox rear window is dismal. Now, £468 for folding wing mirrors and a photochromic cabin mirror. Don’t do it, waste of time. Just not quite as much of a waste as another £468 splurged on the Storage Pack – which is a cargo net behind 128 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

ALPINE DS 9 DACIA JOGGER NUGGETS REPORT 6 REPORT 6 Centre storage box is quilted. Still doesn’t make it any £46,100 OTR/£50,415 as tested/£686 pcm £18,745/£19,640/£313 more accessible WHY IT’S HERE WHY IT’S HERE Focal sound system is... OK. Could be much better, but that Can a luxury French car cut it against its established rivals? Can the cheapest MPV cut would’ve added more weight the TopGear mustard? DRIVER Microfibre steering wheel is DRIVER the tactile touch you really Peter Rawlins want. Great driving position Sam Philip TIME FOR OUR DS 9 TO STEP OUT OF THE SHADOWS AND INTO THE Michelin Cup 2s are making limelight, by way of a head-to-head against one of its fancy French FOR THOSE OF US OLD ENOUGH TO me nervous as winter arrives. luxo-barge predecessors: the Citroen XM. remember when you could buy a Switch coming soon! Regular readers may recall long-term owner Esther’s very first family estate and two-bedroom flat report where she highlighted the DS 9’s Active Scan suspension, a for a tenner, and still have change camera controlled damping system that adjusts each wheel independently for a bag of pear drops, 16 grand according to imperfections in the road for improved comfort. But the might still sound a lot for a Dacia. DS 9 is far from the first French saloon to claim a clever suspension system, with Citroen having much history in this department. But 16k for a seven-seat MPV is, in today’s inflationary climate, Enter the Citroen XM stage right. Launched in 1989 and in production stonkingly affordable. Cheaper than until the turn of the century, it featured self levelling, electronically any new Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa or controlled hydropneumatic suspension that promised – and when it Peugeot 208. All very much smaller, worked, delivered – an exceptionally smooth ride. So what better way and less likely to get appreciative to see how the DS 9’s tech-focused suspension system fares, than up nods from the grizzled veterans against the XM’s old school mechanical approach? of your local recycling facility. First things first was seeing if we could get hold of an XM, a To find out how they make it so call duly answered by Rob Draper of the excellent Citroen Car Club (relatively) cheap, I had a chat with (citroencarclub.org.uk) with his well used but much loved early 1990 Stanislas de Sury, Dacia’s product example. Meet point agreed, photographer booked, and we were on. performance lead for Jogger, who pointed out a few of the car’s money It was a day of firsts for me, having never driven the DS 9 or the saving hacks (check out the full Citroen XM before, but allow me to puncture the suspense: both were report on topgear.com). commendably comfortable. Different – the DS 9 cuts through the air with its clever suspension ironing out any bumps and ruts where the XM floats One person’s ‘elegant simplicity’ along absorbing any imperfections – but both equally impressively in their is another’s ‘stingy corner cutting’, own way. Want more? Visit topgear.com to read the full progress report. but I love all this stuff. Yes, a money no object supercar that explores the SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF outer limits of exotic materials and tech wizardry is all very impressive, 1598cc, 4cyl turbo + e-motor, Face to face with its but there’s arguably as much FWD, 222bhp, 266lb ft grandfather, the DS 9 ingenuity in delivering such a lot 176.0mpg, 35g/km CO2 doesn’t let us down. of car to such a cost-limited brief. 0–62mph in 8.3secs, 149mph Pricier isn’t always cleverer. BAD STUFF 1,839kg SPECIFICATION Whisper it, but the XM MILEAGE: 9,200 OUR MPG: 43.2 was arguably the more 999cc, 3cyl turbo, FWD, enjoyable to drive. 109bhp, 148lb ft 48.7mpg, 130g/km CO2 0–62mph in 11.2secs, 130mph 1,205kg MILEAGE: 8,240 OUR MPG: 40.4 T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 129

Volvo XC40 Recharge BMW M8 HELLO REPORT 2 WHAT WERE THEY THINKING? £45,750/£48,085/£761 £129,750/£150,050/£3,272 This month: WHY IT’S HERE WHY IT’S HERE the XC40’s digital dash Is Volvo’s electrified crossover as good as a Can the most powerful M car be a bespoke EV from Polestar? proper luxury car? Jack Rix I’m all for Scandi DRIVER DRIVER minimalism, but whoever designed Jack Rix Rowan Horncastle the XC40 Recharge’s digital dash is just RH: FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS WE’RE GOING interested in the joys and frustrations it brings. taking the mick. You Plus, it’s a refreshingly simple spec. get a remaining to be hopping between these two: a Volvo XC40 JR: Tell me about it. There’s no front parking battery percentage, Recharge and BMW M8 Competition. Which sensors, keyless entry or wireless CarPlay. The but no predicted might be the ultimate below-the-radar, two-car only options are that off-gold paint (£585) and range, which means garage of performance and practicality. tailored wool upholstery (£1,750). you’re never quite JR: Yep, these two may be the perfect pairing RH: Simple powertrain too – it has the smaller sure if you’re going to as they counter each other’s failings. The XC40 ‘Core’ single motor and a 67kWh battery, with make your destination is small, soft riding and very urban friendly. Plus, 228bhp powering the front wheels. It’s not rapid on battery power it has a claimed 263-mile range – not sure we’ll – 0–62mph is served up in 7.5secs – but the or on the back of a see that though. Meanwhile the BMW is big, firm instant torque makes it feel quicker than it is. recovery truck, and and difficult around town. And it runs on this JR: Not as rapid as the BMW. This is a 616bhp, therefore in a constant innovative liquid energy source called ‘petrol’. 558lb ft missile, and with 4WD looks like it’ll be state of stress. Yes, RH: They’re perfect for us, well, except you have a winter weapon, too. It comes at a price though you can click a ‘Range children – good luck getting the kids in the back – £129,750 is a lot. Assistant’ app on of the BMW. However, you do have home EV RH: Well, the Volvo isn’t exactly cheap – £45k is a the central screen charging for the Volvo – mine is sporadic and lot for a family car. Anyway, Volvo has some cachet and it’ll give you a shared. So I guess I’ll live in the BMW, then? for safe, reliable cars – and now it’s gone electric. best and worst case JR: Don’t be so quick to dismiss the Volvo. What’s not to love? I guess it’s my job to find out. range scenario and I’ve now lived with a string of electric cars and JR: I agree, it’s the BMW that has more to prove a median estimate, I guarantee the inconvenience of charging is out of this duo. Is a 600+bhp super coupe socially plus the range uptick less than you expect, although it does require acceptable now? Can the BMW decide whether it if you engage ‘Range organisation and thinking ahead. wants to be a performance car or wafty coupe Optimiser’ mode RH: To be fair, I am excited about the Volvo. with limitless torque? All will be revealed... (which dials back the Having never lived with a full-fat EV I am aircon a bit), but you can’t look at that and VOLVO XC40 SPEC BMW M8 SPEC your map on Apple CarPlay at the same Electric motor, 67kWh battery, FWD, 228bhp 4,395cc 8cyl twin-turbo, AWD, 616bhp, 553lb ft time. It’s lunacy. To be 3.5 miles per kWh, 263 miles 24.8mpg, 260g/km CO2 fair, the range on the 0–62mph in 7.5secs, 99mph 0–62mph in 3.2secs, 155mph XC40 isn’t fantastic 1,955kg 1,975kg – a lot less than 200 miles real-world in the MILEAGE: 340 OUR MPKWH: 2.5 MILEAGE: 3,546 OUR MPG: 20.6 winter – so perhaps it’s a ploy to shield us from the truth. 130 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

Jaguar E-Pace GOODBYE £47,290 OTR/£53,730 as tested/£734 pcm WHY IT’S HERE It’s the stepping stone to Jaguar’s all-electric future DRIVER Charlie Rose THERE’S LITTLE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT WITH OUR SPORTY E-PACE. YES, I’m not suggesting Jag goes and stuffs a V12 in an E-Pace, but given our spec comes in at a rather costly £54k and unsurprisingly from a JLR it is pursuing an all-electric model range by 2030, it’s now or never to product there were a couple of build quality niggles. Namely the rear follow through with its so-called “Reimagine strategy” to turn the wiper unfastening itself and a suspicious rattle developing from the brand into a luxury EV maker, because there’s little else to turn to. underside of the car. However overall, it looks good, offers a decent 30ish miles of electric-only range and has been a comfortable place to I for one want to see Jaguar return to its glory days, but until then, waft around town in. I can only hope that selling SUVs such as this one can keep it afloat long enough to weather the storm. Other than that, well, it’s another small SUV in an extremely crowded segment. What makes the E-Pace stand out? Is it the badge? SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF Perhaps it used to be, but now Jaguar seems to be losing its identity. Its lineup consists of three SUVs, two saloons with dwindling sales and a 1498cc, 3cyl turbo + e-motor, Plug-in hybrid tech works sports car that’s being killed off in 2024... AWD, 305bhp, 398lb ft seamlessly and shows 141.0mpg, 44g/km CO2 promise for future models. I get it, SUVs are important for sales, we only have ourselves to 0–62mph in 6.5secs, 134mph blame for that because we can’t stop buying them. But let’s take a step BAD STUFF back in time to 1972 when SUVs weren’t so popular, the year the XJ12 2,098kg was released. At the time it was the fastest production four-seater Disappointing build quality available and featured the world’s first mass produced V12. Fuel MILEAGE: 8,727 OUR MPG: 48.0 issues. And where’s the economy was laughable, but it was praised for its refinement, ride momentum for Jag’s quality and was much more keenly priced than its competition. The electric push? same can’t be said for many modern Jags, and therein lies the problem. T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 131

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Bentley Bentayga GOODBYE £157,800 OTR/£198,790 as tested/£1,700pcm WHY IT’S HERE Does downsizing and plugging in a big, luxurious SUV actually work? DRIVER Rowan Horncastle IF YOU ASKED ME SIX MONTHS AGO WHAT I’D BE WEARING FOR ONE OF It’s safe to say I’ve had a few questioning smirks when I’ve told people I’m part of a sustainability movement by driving the Bentayga. A 27-ish my last drives in our Bentley Bentayga, I’m pretty sure “beekeeper’s suit” e-mile range isn’t an easy sell, either. But the thought of a fully electric would only come out of my mouth if I was remarkably drunk. But there Bentayga excites me greatly. The original helped the explosion of luxury I was – sober – in a beekeeper’s suit around the various arterial roads of SUVs and it’s the car consumers want. EVs are what legislators tell us we the Bentley factory, home of cars with the Flying B for the past 76 years. need. So therefore it should be the perfect blend for success – 2030 will be here in no time at all. But it’s time to wave our Bentayga goodbye. Why? Well, before the big blue Bentayga went back for good, I wanted to see aspects of Bentley’s Beyond 100 sustainability plan with my own SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF two eyes. Next year, every Bentley will be available as a plug-in hybrid. By 2030 all Bentleys will be EVs, the W12 and V8s consigned to history. 2995cc turbocharged V6, Hybridisation modernises And my inbox has been filled with endless press releases that there’s AWD, 443bhp, 516lb ft the Bentley experience and been a lot of work at the factory to clean up the act of making some of 86.0mpg, 79g/km CO2 gets you some eco points. the world’s most luxurious cars, so I wanted to see it for myself. And 0–62mph in 5.5secs, 158mph getting in a beekeeper’s suit was part of it. BAD STUFF 2,626kg Back in 2019 local beekeeper and founder of Buckley’s Bees Emma No matter how you cut it, a Buckley and her dad installed two hives with 120,000 British Apis MILEAGE: 4,238 OUR MPG: 27.7 hybrid 2.6-tonne luxury SUV Mellifera honeybees at the site. “Bees are vital for pollination, a crucial isn’t going to save the world. process for the food we eat,” Emma says. Since then 11 more hives have been installed in order to increase biodiversity, pollinate wildflowers and produce thousands of jars of honey for Bentley staff and VIP visitors to chuck over their granola and yoghurt in the morning. 132 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

EXHAUST BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO TESLA From greatest hits to lowest moments, everything you ever wanted to know... and a fair bit you didn’t WORDS SAM BURNE T T, OLL IE KE W, GREG POT TS T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 133

GO TO IMAGES: MANUFACTURER TOPGEAR.COM FOR MORE MIND-BLOWING MANUFACTURER GUIDES What’s Tesla and when did it start making cars? Elon Musk did not found Tesla. How about that? badge until the Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster carmaker Daimler taking a 10 per cent stake, In fact, Tesla was founded on 1 July 2003 in Palo arrived in 2008. Tesla’s first bespoke car, the the US Dept of Energy lending money and Musk’s Alto, California by engineers Martin Eberhard Model S saloon, finally went into production one-man hype machine ensuring the firm’s stock and Marc Tarpenning. The former was Tesla’s in summer 2012. listing went well in 2010. first chairman and CEO, with Musk coming onboard as chairman in 2004 along with a Eberhard was sacked by the board in 2007, Recent years have been more stable – the boatload of cash he made inventing PayPal. with two further CEOs unable to stem the flow company has a reasonable range of decent cars, of money going in the wrong direction. Elon even if new product is taking a little while to Tesla didn’t build its first car in 2003, though, Musk took over as CEO in October 2008, and reach the market and the firm managed its first or in 2004. In fact, no new car wore the Tesla pulled off a string of cash-based coups with four straight quarters of profit in 2019/20. 134 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

EXHAUST Tesla’s greatest hits 01 02 03 Tesla Model 3 Tesla Model Y Tesla Model X The first Model 3 rolled off Tesla’s production Based on the Model 3 but with a much more The Model X really is bonkers. A seven-seat, lines in July 2017, the first truly accessible Tesla practical hatchback set-up, the Y arrived in available to ordinary buyers at a decent price. early 2020 in the United States but didn’t reach zero emission family car that comes with The car passed a million sales in 2021 (the first dancing ‘Falcon Wing’ doors and 1,020bhp UK shores until 2022. We haven’t got the in Plaid form. The latter does 0–60mph in a electric car to do so) and is officially the seven-seat option yet either, but that hasn’t staggering 2.5secs (with a US rolling start) but bestselling EV in the world. stopped buyers from snapping the Y right up. is still officially rated for a 333-mile range. 04 05 06 Tesla Model S Plaid Tesla Model S Shooting Brake Tesla Roadster (MkI) Elon unveiled the Plaid in 2021, claiming it was Tesla is yet to target the estate car Tesla’s story begins with the original Roadster, the “quickest production car ever”. Mate Rimac market, but a number of aftermarket based on the Lotus Elise and indeed built by Lotus might disagree, but a sub-2.0secs 0–60mph solutions have appeared over the years. minus the powertrain. It was the first production Brit firm QWest was first to the punch, but EV to use lithium-ion batteries and its 200-mile time and 200mph top speed from three this version by Niels van Roij Design in the range is still impressive. There was also some mild e-motors producing 1,006bhp is not to be Netherlands is the best we’ve seen so far. controversy after its appearance on TG telly. sniffed at. All this for a mere £120k. 07 08 09 Tesla Roadster (MkII) Tesla Cybertruck Tesla Semi And now we arrive at a section we’d like Next up, the slab-sided Cybertruck. Tesla Stop laughing at the name. The Semi is to title ‘Unfulfilled promises’. First up is the started taking deposits for its madcap pickup Tesla’s concerted attempt to change the world next-gen Roadster, which we first saw renders in 2019, but we’re still waiting. Smashing the of trucking. Pepsi is getting the first batch of of back in 2017. If it does ever arrive it’ll be armoured window at the live launch event proved production models, which will have a range of mighty quick, with claims of 0–60mph in to be a decent indication of how the journey to over 500 miles and can be charged at 1,000kW less than 1.9 seconds and range over 600 miles. if you can plug straight into a power station. production would pan out. T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 135

What’s the cheapest car FACTOID that Tesla builds... and what’s the most expensive? Where does the name Tesla come There aren’t really any cheap Teslas, but the RWD That’ll be around £120k for the Model S Plaid from, you might version of the Model 3 saloon still offers 305 miles with its 396-mile range and sub-2.0secs 0–60mph. of range for £48,490. Fiddle around with the be wondering. finance pages and you could get it on your drive A blue cross sale bargain next to the new Why is the world’s (or near your house at least) for £600 a month Roadster, which will cost around $250k whenever favourite EV maker with a reasonably modest initial payment. it arrives. We’ve been promised a 600-mile range not Musk Motors? and 0–60mph between 1.1 and 2.1secs depending Well, it’s a tribute With the exchange rate the way it is, Tesla on who you listen to and whether the test involves to the 19th century will only tell you what you’re paying for one of its the classic US ‘one-foot rollout’, which gives a Serbian-American pricier built to order models once it’s been built. 300mm headstart before the stopwatch starts. inventor Nikola Tesla, who developed an induction motor that ran on a new electrical system he’d designed: alternating current. This could be produced by the ‘Tesla coil’ transformer circuit he developed in 1891. What is Tesla’s fastest car? The fastest car that out 1,006bhp between steering wheel. It’s a brand fastest Tesla is the Roadster Tesla builds (among a them, for a (US measured) new model, mind – UK that was launched into space roster of already fairly perky 0–60mph time of 1.99secs deliveries are expected right via one of Elon Musk’s side machines) is the Model S and on to a top speed of about now, despite the car hustles back in 2018. It’s on Plaid, which offers a brain 200mph. Which is all frankly having been launched way a large trajectory around the scrambling amount of terrifying from a car that back in June 2021. sun and at the time of writing performance from its three weighs over two tonnes and was heading away from Earth electric motors. They pump doesn’t even have a full Speaking of launch, the at around 10,500mph. other car that qualifies as the 136 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

NOTABLE EXHAUST PEOPLE WhWerheeraerearTe sMlainsibsubiultilat,nadnhdow Martin Eberhard how mmaannyy adroeesoitldbauiyldeaary?ear? Original chairman and CEO was the visionary 936,172 behind Tesla idea Tesla’s main facility since 2010 has been its ex-GM Fremont factory in California, which employs more than 10,000 Marc Tarpenning Engineer and entrepreneur people assembling the Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model cofounded the company with Y. Its batteries are made in a vast facility known as the Eberhard, was first CFO ‘Gigafactory’ in Nevada. Batteries are sent by train from the Gigafactory to Fremont. Since 2019, Tesla has built Model 3s Elon Musk Controversial billionaire has and Model Ys at a facility in Shanghai, and a new factory managed to take Tesla to the opened in mid-2022 in Berlin assembles Model Ys for the European market. The firm’s long documented production top of the automotive tree woes seem to be over – Tesla delivered 936,172 cars in 2021, an increase of almost 90 per cent on the previous year. This was also the year that the Model 3 became the first EV to shift a million units. What’s the best concept that Tesla has made? Robyn Denholm Tesla doesn’t really do out-and-out concept cars. it actually goes into production. The Model S Aussie businesswoman Its production models exhibit plenty of features was one such vehicle, and the latest example is became Tesla chair in 2014 others will stick on their concepts, then bin for the Cybertruck. The angular steel body is like after Elon had to step back production – like the Model 3’s button free nothing we’ve ever seen, but Tesla insists it will interior, or the Model X’s doors. However, Tesla meet the required safety regs. It won’t be sold in Jay Clayton does have a habit of revealing a car, then making the UK, but we’re watching with interest to see Tough head of the US plenty of tweaks in the intervening years before how much of it makes it through... regulatory body SEC clipped Musk’s wings back in 2018 T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 137

What was Tesla’s What was Tesla’s best moment? worst moment? Once it managed to actually build its first cars, Tesla’s rise to automotive We’ve got a limited word count here, so we should probably make an effort industry prominence has been impressively meteoric. There have been to tease apart Tesla’s growing pains from the mistakes of its enigmatic and plenty of high points – the opening of the Gigafactory in Nevada, the haphazard boss, Elon Musk. Musk has, on plenty of occasions, rather let Model S outselling the Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Audi A8 his company down with poor choices of expression on social media, to put together in the USA back in 2014... the extent that US regulators mandated certain tweets of his get checked by lawyers before being sent. Perhaps its most triumphant moment was the reveal of the Model 3 at Fremont on 31 March 2016. The scene was one of total hysteria – like For Tesla, its darkest hour was probably what Musk called “production Beatlemania for cars. Within 24 hours of opening orders, 180,000 deposits hell” following the reveal of the Model 3. Tesla massively misjudged how had been taken. After two days, this had risen to 273,000 orders, and the quickly it could ramp up production, aiming to make 5,000 cars a week by list kept climbing, past 373,000 in May 2016. The first 30 cars were delivered the end of 2017, but in fact building 2,425 in the last three months of 2017. by the end of July 2017, but the Model 3 now holds the record for the fastest A tent was put up outside the factory in a desperate attempt to extend the selling car of all time, a record previously held by the Citroen DS, which production line, but the Model 3 didn’t start to ship in substantial numbers took 80,000 orders in the 10 days after its reveal at the 1955 Paris show. until the end of 2018, with many buyers complaining of quality issues. 138 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

What was Tesla’s EXHAUST biggest surprise? LOGO In many ways the fact that Tesla is still around is a surprise in itself – EVOLUTION even just a few short years ago it wasn’t necessarily guaranteed. Its failure wouldn’t have had anything to do with the swivel-eyed internet conspiracy 2003 theories, it’s just really tough to start a brand new car company. Tesla logo was originally Perhaps Tesla’s most surprising moment was the test launch of SpaceX’s designed to appear on a partially reusable Falcon Heavy rocket in 2018, which featured Elon Musk’s shield that would sit on the personal Tesla Roadster as payload. Let’s hope he remembered to SORN it, firm’s cars. Swiftly ditched or whatever they do in America. 2009 Beside the Apollo mission buggies left by NASA on the moon, it’s the only human driven car in space. And it’s never coming home. It’s carrying Blocky stylised company a mannequin wearing a pressurised spacesuit who’s been called ‘StarMan’, name looks like a sci-fi film and the stereo has been set to play David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ into the logo that was put together endless void for all eternity. Or until the battery gives out. on a cheap calculator 2017 Musk said in 2017 the T-shaped logo is meant to be a cross-section of an AC motor segment 2022 Latest version of the company mark is a bit blockier, a bit more stylised. Nice in chrome T O P G E A R . C O M › F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 139

EXHAUST What’s the most Tesla car in the back catalogue? Tesla Model S / 2012–present The Roadster was Tesla’s first car on sale, but What set the Model S apart from previous Percentage game that one was sort of cheating because Lotus efforts at electric vehicles was that it didn’t ask Tesla reckons the battery did all the hard work, building Elises without for too many compromises from drivers to run will be at 70 per cent after the engines in and sending them over to the car – performance was the sort of thing eight years, so expect America. The Model S came out in 2012 (it you’d show off to your friends, range was range figures to be rather wasn’t available in the UK until 2014 mind) impressive, the car was a reasonably fancy less than when new and immediately set about upsetting the five-seat saloon and Tesla immediately set about establishment as it challenged some of the addressing the issue of charging infrastructure perceived industry norms. Some of them, like by creating its own network of rapid charging interior design and packaging, were entirely stations that buyers could – gasp – use for free. due a bit of a challenge, but others, such as build quality and customer service, could have The Model S has also been the car that’s been left as they were. Tesla under Elon Musk’s showed the evolution of Tesla over time. It’s careful guidance has always been a disrupter, been available on the market for 10 years or so, though, even if what it was disrupting was its with constant changes made during that time. own customers’ commutes. A visual refresh in 2021 sharpened things up, but Tesla has pioneered the sort of ‘over the air’ WORDS SAM BURNETT PHOTOGRAPHY MANUFACTURER Brake check Lots of regen means the brakes might have been neglected – they’ll need checking for warping or seizing 140 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

updates that most new cars now seem to offer Tesla can do, it’s a mark of the technological Power of recall as a matter of course. It was all a bit new and advantage that the firm managed to gain over There have been a terrifying not very long ago. In Tesla’s case its opposition that even now the Model S looks number of Model S recalls these over the air changes have been able to be like a solid proposition. Mainly because a central over the years for various more far reaching thanks to the way that almost part of the strategy has always been wanging in parts – check all those every feature of its cars has been shifted to the as much battery as the engineers could fit in – have been carried out gigantic central touchscreen or delegated to 60kWh on the first versions has expanded to the multi-use buttons on the steering wheel. 100kWh on the latest cars that are on sale. It’s a subtle change in the automotive industry, Remember that back in the day a Nissan moving from hardware maker to software Leaf came with a 24kWh battery. provider, and not a change that many have been able to make either quickly or successfully. Of course you do hear the odd mention of small fit and finish issues with a new Tesla, but Indeed, most electric cars seem to date quite surely that means with the early cars getting quickly once they’re on sale as others arrive on on for a decade old that other drivers will have the market with bigger batteries and better taken the hit on sorting out those things? An range. It’s not just the remote updates that 8-year-old Model S could be the best Model S. Next month: Land Rover

CITY CARS SUPERMINIS FAMILY HATCHBACKS These small cars are perfect for urban life, You drive mostly around town, with occasional A good electric family hatch needs decent but the trade-off is a much lower range need for longer distances? Try these for size range without compromising interior space 1. HONDA e 1. PEUGEOT e-208 1. RENAULT MEGANE E-TECH PRICE: £36,920–£38,120 RANGE: Up to 136 miles PRICE: £30,195–£34,345 RANGE: Up to 232 miles PRICE: £35,995–£39,995 RANGE: Up to 292 miles This TG favourite has retro styling and a brilliant The e-208 is competent and stylish, but ultimately Renault hopes to bring a bit of va va voom (French interior, but it’s a smidge expensive and the range you’ll fall into one of two camps: outraged about the for increased car sales) to its electric line-up with this isn’t great. Somehow we can’t help but love it... tiny steering wheel or you don’t understand the fuss. larger electric Megane. Early signs are promising. 2. FIAT 500 2. MINI ELECTRIC 2. HYUNDAI IONIQ 5 PRICE: £30,645–£36,645 RANGE: Up to 199 miles PRICE: £31,000–£35,050 RANGE: Up to 145 miles PRICE: £41,650–£56,095 RANGE: Up to 315 miles The latest version of the 500 offers sharper looks, The electric version of the home-grown favourite Hyundai’s newest addition is much bigger than it good value and decent range – and a parcel shelf squeezes the BMW i3’s powertrain into a familiar looks in pics, but comes with solid range, loads of full of soft toys shouldn’t hurt the battery too much. package. Range not massive, but the car’s still fun. space and a host of life-enhancing touches inside. 3. VW e-UP 3. RENAULT ZOE 3. MG4 PRICE: From £24,085 RANGE: 159 miles PRICE: £29,995–£31,995 RANGE: Up to 239 miles PRICE: £25,995–£31,495 RANGE: Up to 281 miles It’s always been one of the finest city cars out there, They grow up so fast, don’t they? The Zoe’s not long Oh, MG – what’s this delightful looking new electric but you’ve got to be sure you could cope with all of turned eight, but a recent refresh has given the car hatch? The company’s previous EVs have been very the Yorkshire-accented jokes that plague the e-Up. a boost. Make sure you get one with rapid charging. sensible buys, now we know that it means business. 4. SMART EQ FORTWO 4. VAUXHALL CORSA ELECTRIC 4. POLESTAR 2 PRICE: £22,225–£25,795 RANGE: 80 miles PRICE: £31,000–£33,735 RANGE: Up to 209 miles PRICE: £43,150–£49,550 RANGE: Up to 341 miles Yes, range is terrible, but as city cars go the Fortwo A Peugeot e-208 in a Vauxhall suit – now the EV’s Undercover Volvo offers Scandinavian attention to remains a brilliant package that works well within the gone fully mainstream. The one to buy if you don’t detail paired with a level of build quality that would confines of the city. Just don’t go further than that... want anyone to notice you’ve taken the plunge. shame a number of much more expensive cars. FOR ALL THE FACTS, STATS AND IN-DEPTH REVIEWS FOR EVERY NEW CAR ON SALE GO TO TOPGEAR.COM/REVIEWS

READY TO MAKE THE SWITCH? WE SEPARATE WHAT’S HOT FROM WHAT’S NOT COMPACT SUVS FAMILY CARS PREMIUM SUVS Small, but perfectly formed. These cars are a Slightly larger electric cars that are designed Go big or go home, we say. Wafting along perfect second motor or teeny family wagon to cope with everything you can throw at them in style is perfect for an electric powertrain 1. KIA NIRO 1. SKODA ENYAQ 1. BMW iX PRICE: £36,745–£43,145 RANGE: Up to 285 miles PRICE: £38,970–£51,765 RANGE: Up to 336 miles PRICE: £69,905–£116,905 RANGE: Up to 369 miles The old Niro was already a decent buy, but the new As usual, Skoda offers a down-to-earth and slightly A lovely cabin and it’s not too bad to drive – which is version improves everywhere and is alright to look cheaper alternative to whatever Volkswagen is great, because inside the BMW iX is one of the few at too. Great family entry point into electric motoring. pumping out. To great effect, as it turns out... places where you don’t have to look at the outside. 2. PEUGEOT e-2008 2. VOLKSWAGEN ID.BUZZ 2. JAGUAR I-PACE PRICE: £33,700–£37,650 RANGE: Up to 212 miles PRICE: £57,115–£61,915 RANGE: Up to 258 miles PRICE: £66,350–£75,400 RANGE: Up to 286 miles Our electric car of the year comes with an imposing Wait, when did Peugeots become so desirable heritage, but it’s a solid family wagon that shows off The I-Pace is the electric vehicle you’ll want to again? The e-2008 is surprisingly fun to drive and a different side to Volkswagen’s electric platform. show off to your neighbours. If they’ll listen to you. offers a chic interior with lots of nifty touches. Decent range, solid performance and great looks. 3. HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC 3. TESLA MODEL Y 3. AUDI E-TRON PRICE: £30,450–£37,900 RANGE: Up to 300 miles PRICE: £51,990–£67,990 RANGE: Up to 331 miles PRICE: £62,785–£95,685 RANGE: Up to 252 miles A Model 3 with more headroom and a seven-seat The Kona is highly specced, offers a solid slug option. Latest Tesla gets usual blend of innovative Audi’s effort is the safest premium bet if you’re of range and looks pretty sharp too. Good value, disruption and occasionally iffy build quality. worried about switching, but overall it’s a fairly good range and good looking. What’s not to like? conventional EV, just with cameras for mirrors. 4. VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE 4. FORD MUSTANG MACH-E 4. BMW iX3 PRICE: £45,755–£61,055 RANGE: Up to 258 miles PRICE: £50,830–£74,540 RANGE: Up to 372 miles PRICE: £62,865–£65,865 RANGE: Up to 285 miles ‘Normal’ XC40 is a peach, and electric version adds The Mach-E isn’t really a Mustang at all, or a men’s Slightly stealthier than some of BMW’s more Polestar 2 powertrain to great effect. Expensive, but razor, but it looks pretty good. It’s definitely a Ford aesthetically challenging EVs, this car is essentially you won’t have to explain to everyone what it is. though, so relentless competence is guaranteed. an electric translation of the bestselling X3 SUV. FOR ALL THE FACTS, STATS AND IN-DEPTH REVIEWS FOR EVERY NEW CAR ON SALE GO TO TOPGEAR.COM/REVIEWS

PERFORMANCE EVs SPECIAL MENTIONS “I’VE BOUGHT ONE! WHAT NOW?” For when money’s no object and the sky’s The EVs that have caught our eye, for all the the limit on car performance right reasons. Who said they aren’t cool? You have a home charge point. Don’t you? Well, get 1. RIMAC NEVERA BEST FOR BEING SENSIBLE one. There’s a grant, so it’ll cost you less than £500. If PRICE: £1.7m RANGE: 340 miles Ssh, don’t tell anyone but we quite like the look of you don’t have a driveway, the newly facelifted MG5 EV – and believe it or not to get an overnight or all- Brain-scrambling performance from the Croatian it’s the only electric estate car that you can buy at day recharge check zap- entry, and £1.7m might be a lot, but it’s a bargain next the moment. Time to smash the crossoverarchy... map.com for posts near to the Pininfarina Battista that nicked its underpinnings. home or work that give between 5kW and 7kW. 2. PORSCHE TAYCAN SPORT TURISMO BEST FOR BIG FAMILIES Always make sure that you know in advance the PRICE: £73,650–£140,080 RANGE: Up to 306 miles Good news for big families – the new Ford e-Tourneo supplier for the post you Custom is an eight-seater EV with 230 miles of range want to use, and register The Sport Turismo version of the Taycan takes from its 74kWh battery. Even better, if you’re a big on its app or get its nothing away in terms of the car’s impressive familiy with a caravan, it’ll tow up to 2,000kg behind it. dedicated RFID card. performance, adds sleek rear that looks great. Rapid (DC) chargers, 3. TESLA MODEL 3 PERFORMANCE BEST FOR OUTDRAGGING LEWIS at a slightly higher price, are best used for long trips, PRICE: £61,490 RANGE: 352 miles Pininfarina has started delivering its Battista hypercar like you’d stop for fuel. to customers fortunate enough to stump up the £2m They take roughly as long Ignore all of the Tesla hype and what you’re left with asking price. Excitingly, it can can apparently outdrag as filling with petrol and is a solid car with impressive performance. Tesla’s an F1 car off the line with its 0–120mph time of 4.49secs. having a full English. charge network means it isn’t just for early adopters. In winter, keep plugged 4. BMW i4 M50 BEST FOR WINNING TOP TRUMPS in until you drive away, as pre-warming the battery PRICE: £65,795 RANGE: 315 miles US firm Drako Motors has revealed its bonkers new and cabin increases range. Dragon SUV, which has 2,000bhp on tap from four When possible, choose In case you were worried that BMW’s M division was e-motors, apparently. It’s not that quick, though, heated/cooled seats over going to drop the ball in our glorious new electric because it’s not getting anywhere until 2026. cabin heating and aircon. future, along comes a brilliant i4 to calm our fears. Try to drop your motorway speed by 10mph: it’ll hugely increase range, getting you there far more quickly if it avoids a recharging stop. FOR ALL THE FACTS, STATS AND IN-DEPTH REVIEWS FOR EVERY NEW CAR ON SALE GO TO TOPGEAR.COM/REVIEWS

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TG’S BIG BAFFLED BY ELECTRIC CAR JARGON? YOUR GUIDE TO DECODING THE FUTURE IS HERE EV Volts, amps plug. Fast or level 2 refers accurate than the old NEDC Supercapacitor and watts to the wall mounted AC standard, but still optimistic. Let’s start with a simple one. charging boxes you can Supercapacitors can charge EV means electric vehicle, as We’re going to go full science install in your house or office, Regen and discharge more quickly opposed to one powered by teacher on you and use an which go up to 7.4kW on than regular batteries – good petrol, diesel, used chip oil, analogy. Imagine a river: the normal 240V single phase Shorthand for ‘regenerative for bursts of speed – and can Chanel No 5 or magic. volts are how fast the river AC, or 22kW on industrial braking’. Electric motors work tolerate more charge and flows, the amps are how three phase. Rapid or level 3 by using electricity and discharge cycles, but they’re BEV much water is flowing, and is the high-power, DC supply, magnets to spin a shaft. So, still not as energy dense as the watts are how easily it’ll this is the sort you’ll find at if you were to spin it manually, batteries, so you’re unlikely People in the car industry like carry you downstream. motorway services and say, by coasting, you will then to see them as direct battery to use this one. It stands for dedicated charging areas. generate electricity, because replacements. More likely battery electric vehicle, as kW generators are basically to supplement a petrol opposed to, say, an FCEV CHAdeMO motors operating the engine’s performance. (fuel cell electric vehicle) Logical, metric countries use opposite way. See Lamborghini Sián. that’s powered by hydrogen. kilowatt to measure power CHAdeMO is not the result We just call them EVs. from petrol and diesel of a cat walking across a Range CCZ engines. For the rest of us a keyboard. It’s basically the ICE kilowatt is 1,000 watts, and is fast charging standard How far you’ll get in your car The congestion charge the most common measure Japan came up with. from the amount of energy zone that covers central The internal combustion of power in an EV. A kilowatt Competing standards you put into it. So, it’s been London. From 7am to 6pm engine. Confusingly, ICE is equal to about 1.34bhp. include CCS and Tesla fuel from a tank for most of on weekdays, or 12pm-6pm can also stand for in-car Superchargers, which all your life, now it’s a battery. at weekends and on bank entertainment (ie the stereo, kWh look reaaaaally similar. holidays it’ll cost you £15 to touchscreen and so on). Range anxiety drive in this zone. But, with Stands for kilowatt hours and CCS a zero emission car you can PHEV can cut two ways – how much The fear of being very far fill out a form and pay a one- power you’ve used (which The DC charger you’ll most from home, on a dark and off £10 for an exemption that Plug-in hybrid electric a utilities bill does), or how likely use across the UK and cold night, without enough lasts a year. vehicle, or a hybrid with a much capacity there is in a Europe. Works in everything power to make it to a bigger battery that you can battery. For instance, a Tesla from a Tesla to a VW. charging station. In the ULEZ plug in to charge, giving you Model S has 100kWh of short term, the solution is a short, say 20-mile, electric- capacity, of which you’ll Supercharging more rapid charge stations, The CCZ is there to ease only range. Amazing tax- be able to use about 90, in the long term, better traffic; London’s Ultra Low dodging mpg figures in the because fully depleting If it looks like a CCS charger energy density and more Emissons Zone is to ease official tests, not so amazing a battery is a great way and works like a CCS charger, efficient cars should ease pollution. The ULEZ is in effect in real life... unless you plug in to ruin it forever. it could very well be a Tesla our furrowed brows. every hour of every day, and every night and use the car Supercharger. But you can’t will rain down with great exclusively for short trips. AC and DC use it unless you’re in a Tesla. Li-ion vengeance and furious application of a £12.50 MHEV AC stands for alternating mpkWh A contraction of lithium-ion, charge if you drive into current, and DC stands for which refers to the chemical the zone in a petrol car The mild hybrid EV, or MHEV, Batman comics... er, wait... Not content with the unholy make-up of a typical battery that doesn’t meet Euro 4 the very bottom rung of the direct current. AC’s better for union of litres of petrol and pack. The 12V brick used to standards or a diesel car electrified vehicle ladder. A long-distance transmission, pints of milk, the UK’s uneasy start your petrol powered car that doesn’t meet Euro 6 small electric motor assists because it can easily be blend of metric and Rees- is a lead-acid battery, but standards. The good news the engine, but doesn’t have transformed (to higher Mogg leaves us measuring lithium-ion is now the global is that full EVs are exempt. enough gumption to push the voltage, lower current, EV economy in miles per norm for powering new EVs. car on its own. MHEVs usually so fewer heat losses). kilowatt hour. So, if you have FCEV manage a fuel saving of Transforming DC power 50 usable kWh, and run at Solid-state about 10 per cent compared is a faff but, because DC 4.0mpkWh, you’ll do 200 miles battery Fuel cell electric vehicles, like with a pure petrol car. charging stations can be as before you’re stranded. the Toyota Mirai. Separating big as they need to be, they The next big step in battery hydrogen and oxygen takes REX can employ high-voltage W LT P tech – holds more energy a lot of energy, but reuniting power, giant transformers than an equivalent-sized them in just the right way Refers to range extenders, and rectifiers and get huge Stands for Worldwide li-ion battery, or the same releases energy. You can or small internal combustion power – up to 350kW. Harmonised Light Vehicle amount of energy but in burn hydrogen, but in a engines used as generators Test Procedure. A way to test a smaller and lighter pack. hydrogen fuel cell you to recharge EV batteries on Slow, fast and new cars to see how much They’re easier to cool, too, generate electricity to drive the move. The engine can be rapid charging fuel, or energy, they use, how which means you can charge an electric motor. It’s also run at its most efficient rpm, much greenhouse gas they them quicker before they get easier to move H2 over long converting fuel to electricity, Slow or level 1 charging is expel, and how far they get too hot. At least five years distances than electricity. which is fed to the motors when you use a regular wall on one tank/charge. More until any come to market. that supply the motive force. FOR ALL THE FACTS AND STATS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY CAR ON SALE IN THE UK GO TO TOPGEAR.COM/REVIEWS

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