BBC Top Gear

HOT HATCHES T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 101

Just lovely isn’t it? Winter sun caressing Snowdonia hillsides, a us smiled patronisingly, turned away and muttered “yeah right”. soft relief of highlights easing into shadow. Veils of mist in the There was no history. Yet it was just bang on, first time out. valleys. Higher up, a crunchy dusting of snow, the foliage wearing Again, it had gone through its basic hatch’s engineering end to a cutting iridescence of hoar frost. In short a perfect day to set off end, and was so confident that it even gave it a five-year warranty up a footpath, clear the mind and lift the spirits. Not so great for that covers track driving. Now it’s facelifted, and adds a performance trying to tease out the dynamic differences between five brilliant biased eight-speed DCT option, fitted here, plus usefully more cars whose abundant power meets slippy roads through the inadequate torque, and some extremely light forged wheels. Oh and it’s a mediation of wide summer tyres. So for this morning we’ll enjoy the Hunnnn-day now, if you please. scenery and let the photography happen. The proper driving is for this afternoon and tomorrow, at lower altitudes. I can barely wait to The other cars lined up in our Welsh convoy don’t quite fit squeeze open the throttles. the hot hatch template. VW will still sell you a 245bhp Golf GTI, but the 329bhp Honda costs a slightly scary £47,000. So we stepped Reports of the hot hatch’s death have been exaggerated. The up to four-wheel-driven Golf R. This is a special low-numbers 20th departure of Ford and Renault could easily have struck the species a anniversary limited edition, which lifts power to 333bhp, and adds mortal blow, but the new Civic Type R absolutely sticks to the genre’s real carbon fibre on the dash as if to emphasise how fake the carbon rules: front-drive, manual, four-cylinder turbo. You always know that fibre is elsewhere in the cabin. The 20th edition has the Performance Honda’s Type R badge means a lot more than just a hatch given the Pack too. That derestricts top speed to 168mph, and adds drift once-over with little more than extra power and harder suspension. mode software to the torque-vectoring rear halfshaft clutches. (Oh and red seatbelts, which we all know are worth a second a mile.) Mind you we once had a Golf R with the pack as a long-term test car, To list completely the depth and detail of engineering changes in at the same time as a Cupra Leon 4Drive estate (longer wheelbase, an R versus a standard Civic would take until we’d all grown old. no vectoring) and I have to say that back to back on the road, the Let’s just call it honourably obsessive. difference was mighty hard to discern. So any Type R arrives to near-bursting anticipation. Whereas when The GR Yaris, cheapest car here, is even more special than the Hyundai said it was working on a hot hatch version of the i30, most of Honda. For that reason its £36k looks a bargain, once you can look past the dash and back seat – low rent even for a supermini. The GR attracted a cult reputation, and you soon see why. It’s a Yaris only in name and dashboard. The bodyshell is basically bespoke: lightweight metals, carbon-fibre roof, muscly arches and aerodynamically hunched silhouette. The engine, a rather exotically specified ultra-lightweight 1.6 three-cylinder turbo, is wholly unique. Even the platform isn’t what it seems. The GR is about as much Yaris as a Cosworth was Escort. What’s it doing beside a sophisticated six-cylinder BMW coupe? Most people would be staggered that the M240i xDrive’s base price is £3,000 less than a Civic’s. Even as tested – with a grippier wheelset, adaptive dampers, HUD, full driver assist, high-end sound and more – it still scrapes under the big five-oh. Beyond the Civic Type R it bestows you another litre of engine, two more cylinders and two more driven wheels. But it’s a not-hatch, and lacks that do-it-all basket of talents that have made hot hatches a thing for knocking on 50 years. Still if you don’t need to put a wardrobe in the boot, it’s an amazingly refined quick car. Especially if you’ve got out of the Toyota. 102 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

The Type R looking utterly HOT HATCHES resplendent in ‘TopGear Car of the Year’ blue “REPORTS OF THE HOT HATCH’S DEATH HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED” At this point in the day everyone is wishing they were on a 4x4 group test T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 103

HOT HATCHES “THE M240i IS A GORGEOUS MECHANISM, AND ITS PERFORMANCE FIGURES BEAT THE REST” It’s a shortened 440, not an overheated Yaris. You feel its engineering busy with the steering. This is xDrive pretending it’s RWD. On these in the thud of the closing door, the leathery soft wrapping of the steely greasy roads most of us thought the Sport mode was for advanced firm interior, the brilliant infotainment. students only, and dialled that switch back. Start the six-cylinder and it hums like a Welsh male voice choir The Golf is another piece of sensible German engineering. VW’s warming up in the distance. Give it the goading and its note hardens two-litre sends it to 62mph like the clappers, taking advantage of as it sings and zings. It’s a gorgeous mechanism, and its performance all-wheel traction and the uninterrupted shifts of its DSG auto figures beat the rest. You’re never caught out because the strength is transmission. The Honda, which has similar power, feels faster beyond so evenly spread across the rev range and the auto box so attentive. say 40mph, but from rest and out of slow corners the VW fusslessly But because the torque is seldom absent, you feel its presence the less. scoots ahead. The Golf shows no torque steer, and until you yobbishly The performance is ridiculously easy to come by, yet strangely lob it around a tight bend while Drift mode is engaged, its attitude is uninvolving. Should I be saying this? It’s not it, it’s me. neutral. The engine note is a little ordinary, unless it’s in the sporty modes, in which case it’s augmented – though not too cartoonishly. The BMW’s steering is autobahn-proof, responding quite slowly Some of our testers called the Golf boring. I’m not so sure; the more I around the straight ahead. Then it ramps up its action some degrees drove it the more it opened up to me its subtle lines of communication. off centre. You soon calibrate yourself, but against the perma-sharper Managing to do that, while being so resistant to other unruliness, is action of some of the hatches, it slightly muffles the excitement. The quite a feat, and it makes this a rather wonderful bad weather machine. steering is heavily damped too, masking your feel for the front tyres. It’s also, as you’d predict, the car for the long trip home, with its comfy Which isn’t what I wanted when pushing it into the salty corners. seats and subdued road noise and fabulous headlights. That wellbeing Sport mode sends extra torque to the rear tyres, and if you’re too soon lasts precisely until you accidentally brush your hand against those on the throttle out of a greasy bend they’ll spike outward. In that same confounding steering wheel touch sensors. (Don’t tell me to get used setting, the traction control sits back and lets it happen, so you’re kept 104 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

We hardly saw any cars coming the other way all day. Funny that to them: I’ve just finished big mileage in a long-term test ID.4 so equipped and they still drive me bloody bananas.) So to the very opposite among four-wheel-drive hatches, the Yaris. Let’s get its drawbacks out there shall we. A cramped rear seat, hilariously tiny boot, too small fuel tank, hard plastic trim, loud in all things except the tinny stereo. Still, what a thing. It absolutely bursts with fitness for purpose, which purpose being to rattle down tricky tight roads like a hungry ferret. It changes direction as soon as you think it, and as determinedly as you can imagine. The grip and traction it finds, even in the wet and mud, is amazing. These are the benefits of its lightness – notably less than the 2WD Hyundai and Honda, and 400kg under the BMW. The thrummy, chattery engine is a bit meek til the turbo wakes up at 3,000-odd, and then the noise and the shove slam you like the seventh wave. The ride’s mighty firm at low speed, though once you get moving it breathes a bit, like rally cars do. Even so, it’s short and you sit high, so there’s lots of sensation of pitch and rock. You’re manically working the gears to keep the engine on song. But despite all the noise and frantic action, it’s faithful. There’s none of the front-drivers’ torque steer, and the brakes are fantastic. Stick it in Sport mode and it has more of a rear torque bias, so you can send T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 105

HOT HATCHES the back out, but it does it more gracefully than the BMW. Mostly Anyway, throttle control is another high point. This is a though, it just grips. This car is all about a rocket thrust exit to bends. Honda don’t forget. You get strong surge right around the dial, from a prompt pick-up in the twos so you’re never stranded, to The Honda is a different proposition, even in the first few yards. a caffeinated rush to seven with a sound pitched to match. The At last a Civic’s cabin has a properly orderly set of instruments and short-throw gearshift is a legend, and the brakes endlessly solid infotainment, and a decent air of quality. It’s roomy too. You’re and exact. It makes the Civic a joy whether you’re just stroking it sitting down low, the seats locking you into the heart of the along briskly or have the space, a track likely, to really go for it. machine. As soon as you move your fingertips the sharpness of its steering strikes you, yet without pointless nervousness at big speed. At £10k cheaper even with the DCT, the Hyundai would need a miracle to be anything other than a pale imitation of the Honda. Compared with the Yaris, on bucking back roads the Civic’s wide While it doesn’t quite walk on water, it gets close. It’s definitely track, long wheelbase and low seat give you a surprisingly calm scrappier when the surface is bumpy, fighting the torque left and platform to work from. And on any kind of smooth road you can aim right. There’s a little more squidge in its steering and brakes, and it just-so. Through open bends the chassis is just peachy, moving a little less acceleration. A little. Honestly if you value correct progressively beneath as you guide it around. That said, there’s only this car, it’s a standout, because it still has character. It has a so much even the bespoke front suspension linkages can do with all more rough hewn bumptious character than the Honda, but it’s that power via the front wheels. When you’re tracing cambers, still a life affirming driving tool. On day two it was the i30N that longitudinal ridges and uneven grip it does fight you more than the was under me as we curled southward on the big wide roads that 4WD cars, even when you soften off the adaptive damper setting. run southward from Dolgellau across the heart of Wales. The So you might have to ease the throttle coming out of those bends. M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › TOPGEAR.COM

“THE CIVIC’S SHORT- Honda has best driving THROW GEARSHIFT position with its low, well bolstered seats IS A LEGEND, AND THE BRAKES Yaris somewhat cheap ENDLESSLY SOLID feeling, but fantastically legible analogue dials AND EXACT” BMW oozes German build quality, iDrive control system a touch above VW plenty comfortable, let down by infotainment and steering controls Hyundai nails the tech and hardware balance. Common sense galore T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 107

HOT HATCHES All calm on the surface, but underneath a frenzy of aircon controls and touchscreens BMW gets a taste of its own medicine. Still, only a fool breaks the two-second rule 108 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

Massive rear wing detracts drama from the real star item – a rear wiper This is actually a detuned lawnmower engine, but no one has noticed so far T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 109

“I WAS ALL SET TO GIVE THE YARIS THE WIN UNTIL A LAST STROP IN THE CIVIC” 110 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

HOT HATCHES £/as tested: TOYOTA HYUNDAI HONDA BMW VW GOLF R GR YARIS i30N CIVIC TYPE R M240i xDrive 20 YEARS Engine: Power: £32,110/ £34,595/ £46,995/ £44,820/ £48,095/ Torque: £36,610 £36,570 £46,995 £49,770 £50,922 Transmission: 1618cc, 3cyl turbo 1998cc, 4cyl turbo 1996cc, 4cyl turbo 2998cc, 6cyl turbo 1984cc, 4cyl turbo 0–62mph: 261bhp @ 6,500rpm 280bhp @ 5,500rpm 329bhp @ 6,500rpm 374bhp @ 5,500rpm 333bhp @ 5,600rpm 265lb ft @ 289lb ft @ 310lb ft @ 369lb ft @ 310lb ft @ Top speed: 3,000–4,600rpm 2,100–4,700rpm 2,200rpm 1,900–5,000rpm 2,100–5,500rpm Kerbweight: 6spd man, 4WD 8spd DCT, FWD 6spd man, FWD 8spd auto, 4WD 7spd DCT, 4WD 5.4secs 5.4secs 5.4secs 4.3secs 4.6secs CO2: 143mph 155mph 172mph 155mph 168mph Economy: 1,310kg 1,535kg 1,429 kg 1,690kg 1,480kg 186g/km 191g/km 186g/km 199g/km 175g/km 34.3mpg 33.6mpg 34.4mpg 32.4mpg 36.2mpg Score: 9 89 8 8 10 10 10 10 10 T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 111

SUBSCRIPTION & RECEIVE A PAIR OF BASSLINE TWS WIRELESS EARBUDS! Save 35% when you subscribe to BBC TopGear magazine, paying just £21.50 every six issues and we’ll also send you a pair of Bassline TWS Wireless earbuds worth £49.99! BASSLINE TWS WIRELESS EARBUDS WORTH As well as saving 35% on your BBC TopGear magazine subscription, you can choose either a black or white pair of Bluetooth-enabled Bassline TWS wireless earbuds. Enjoy incredible sound through touch sensitive control, with 20 hours total play, secure fit, simple connection and a compact charging case. GREAT REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE Pay just £21.50 every six issues, saving 35% on the usual shop price Britain’s bestselling car magazine delivered direct to your door Unique and collectable covers – only seen by our subscribers Money-back guarantee – you can cancel at any time buysubscriptions.com/TGSP323 03330 162 130 and quote TGSP323** ** This offer is open to UK delivery addresses only and is subject to availability. Offer ends 8 March 2023. You will pay £21.50 every six issues – saving 35% on the usual shop price. All savings are calculated as a rounded percentage of the full shop price. The Bassline earbuds are subject to availability and while stocks last; we reserve the right to fulfil all subsequent orders with a product of equal value. Please allow up to four weeks for delivery. Should the magazine order change in frequency, we will honour the number of issues and not the term of the subscription. We reserve the right to reject or cancel subscriptions at any point if the customer has previously cancelled their subscription during the trial period for that magazine or any other magazine in the Immediate Media portfolio. 12 issues: £66 / Europe and Republic of Ireland: €104 / Rest of the World: $149 / USA and Canada: US$138 / Australia and New Zealand: A$163. **UK calls will cost the same as other standard fixed line numbers (starting 01 or 02) and are included as part of any inclusive or free minutes allowances (if offered by your phone tariff). Outside of free call packages, call charges from mobile phones will cost between 3p and 55p per minute. Please visit buysubscriptions.com/contact for customer service opening hours.

HEADLINER SOURCE CODE This is the Vision 357, a GT4 RS-based retake on the 356... and Porsche’s 75th birthday present to itself WORDS JASON BARLOW PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN WYCHERLEY T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 113

“THE 2018 RENNDIENST CONCEPT – IT IDEA OF A PORSCHE PEOPLE CARRIER. Porsche must have registered the number Group design boss) Michael Mauer is clear about how 357 but has never used it. Until now. This is this works in Weissach. “Would it be better to have a the Vision 357, the latest in a long line of clean sheet and not have any restrictions? No. History Porsche concepts, this one powerfully gives us orientation... I’d compare it to a compass. It also invoking the memory of the 356/1 Roadster. gives you a brand that stands for certain values. It would That, fact fans, was the first production car be stupid not to build on this, but you have to find the to bear the Porsche name, the model that kick-started right balance between tradition and innovation, the whole adventure on 8 June 1948, 75 years ago. otherwise you won’t be successful in the future.” So what is it? It’s primarily Porsche’s birthday present to itself as this important year gets under way. Vision 357 There are a few other important things to note here. is a mercifully compact, beautifully proportioned little Peel away that impressively disciplined body and you’ll coupe that swerves the retro thing by taking modish find the chassis and powertrain of the 718 Cayman GT4 design tropes like reductionism and stirring in some RS, including its magnificent 4.0-litre, 493bhp, six-cylinder emotive historic references. Kind of old and new at the engine. Given that Porsche made 77 units of its 911 GT2 same time and yet neither. Or, as Porsche says, “It’s a RS-based 935 Moby Dick homage back in 2019, we don’t look back at the conceptual journey to the future.” Huh? think it’s lunacy to suggest that this one could be headed If you’ve seen the book Porsche Unseen, you’ll in the same direction. Porsche has also reissued images of already know that the company’s design team are also the 2018 Renndienst concept – it means ‘race support’ – knowledgeable historians. Design head (and new VW which you may remember played with the idea of a Porsche people carrier and the ‘spatial experience’. It had a central 114 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

MEANS ‘RACE SUPPORT’ – PLAYED WITH THE STOP TOYING WITH US AND JUST BUILD IT” Headlight perforations echo driving seat. Now it’s presented here towing the Vision 357. round lamps on the 356, also Stop toying with us and just build them. double as a cheese grater “It’s not even really a concept,” Mauer continues. “We were thinking about the 75 years, what the first car was, and then we thought, let’s do something where you could see the connection to the 356 without being too retro. Then we decided to do it on the combustion platform. We had a lot of freedom but the proportions are very close to reality. When we do concepts they have a pretty realistic base, we don’t do them simply for the sake of doing something. So yes, it would be possible.” Mauer says another part of the Vision 357 creative process was to envisage the sort of car Ferry Porsche might have liked. They’ve been here before. In 1989, the company created an 80th birthday present for Ferry based on the 964-era 911, called the Panamericana. It was engineered by future Aston Martin boss Ulrich Bez, its design overseen by Harm Lagaay, and still looks pretty way out today. There were twin air vents on the engine cover that nodded to the T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 115

“THE VISION 357 IS AS WELL INFORMED A REIMAGINING AS YOU’D EXPECT” Leather straps on 356, quick release catches here / No mod cons in 356, just the smell of leather and danger / Confirmation the 357 runs on dino juice / Big downforce at the front, less so at the rear The 1951 356 SL: one of the super light coupes designed for racing – 45bhp, but 635kg 116 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

356, but as the Panamericana name implied, this thing was are air intakes behind the side windows, with ‘air’ decals a quasi dune buggy. The link now is much more explicit. fixed to them. Porsche nerds will know the company’s rich history in graphics – ever looked at a 908 Bergspyder from Ferry, of course, was the man behind the original 356, above? – and as well as the ‘75’ decals, there’s an ‘e-fuel’ and is credited with activating Porsche as we’ve come to one on the fuel filler flap, and dinosaur decals on the air know it. Not that the main movers and shakers had been intakes in front of the rear wheels. slack before that. His father, Ferdinand Porsche Sr, is one of the greatest automotive engineers of all time. “There was an option to do an EV but we thought In fact, he was instrumental in a handful of the most combustion was cooler,” Mauer says. “And as this might significant cars ever made, including the first petrol- be the last combustion engine we do, one of the designers electric hybrid, 1901’s Lohner-Porsche, the Mercedes did a dinosaur sketch which we turned into a decal.” SSK, the epic Auto Union racing cars, and of course the KdF-Wagen that became the Volkswagen Beetle. That’s Mauer admits that the Vision 357 happened quickly, a whole other, vast story, with the murkiest of roots, but coming together in barely a year. By going to the source let’s just say it fell to Ferry Porsche to pick up the pieces rather than, say, another famous Porsche still in postwar. Initially, the company fixed cars and made water production, they’ve also avoided prompting speculation pumps and lathes. Then Ferry did a deal with former about what an all-new 911 might look like. Although stand Juventus footballer turned racing driver and entrepreneur by for another birthday present later in 2023. Piero Dusio to build the Porsche Type 360 Cisitalia single seater. Gorgeous and advanced, that was the first car to “Compared to other companies, we have a more open wear the Porsche badge, but the project stalled. mindset and a CEO who gives us budget and doesn’t know what he’s going to get at the end of the year,” Mauer says. Still barred from returning to Stuttgart, Ferry set up in “Everything is possible. We’re given the freedom without Gmünd, Austria and got to work on what would become the constraints to think about new concepts, to explore ways 356. That was previewed by the 356/1, considered by some we might develop our design language. On this car I would to be an outlier because its air-cooled, flat-four 1.1-litre is refer to the headlights and tail-lights. We always want to mid- rather than rear-engined, as the 356 would soon be. integrate elements, and new technology might enable But the shape is there, this most recognisable of design something like this.” typologies set by long-term Porsche associate, Erwin Komenda, who had joined Ferdinand Sr’s newly established Like we said, just build it... design office in 1931. Komenda was the man who designed the Beetle, and had been formulating the 356 since 1946. Ceramic exhausts, titanium finisher, “I saw that if you had enough power in a small car, it unobtainium concept car? is nicer to drive than if you have a big car which is also overpowered,” Ferry Porsche said in a 1972 interview. It took two years to sell 50 cars, but by 1965, when the 356 ceased production, more than 76,000 had been made. The Vision 357 is as well informed a reimagining as you’d expect. The passenger compartment is narrow and sits inboard, while the windscreen – split on early examples of the original – wraps around the A-pillars so that the glass area resembles a visor. The shoulders are broad, the car less over-bodied than the slightly cuddly 356. There are no door handles; a patterned array of light points by the side windows conceal openers. The original’s engine cooling vents are referenced in the grille pattern in the rear, which run the full length of the car, and the tail-lights are almost invisible until lit. At the front is a discreet four-point light similar to the motif used by Porsche in its production cars. The 20in wheels are made of magnesium, and use aero efficient carbon-fibre hubcaps with central locks. Racing inspiration is manifest in the jointless bonnet which uses quick-release mechanisms, with threaded rods for the front spoiler. The sills are made of natural fibre reinforced plastic (NFRP), as previously used on the Mission R concept, which partly consists of flax. The exhaust has bluish toned titanium trim but the pipe itself is ceramic. Cameras replace traditional door mirrors. As on the Cayman GT4 RS, there T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 117

TOP FIVE FRIENDLY LOOKING CARS CONCEPTS THAT TIME FORGOT DAIHATSU I MAG ES: ALL STAR COPEN VW ECORACER, 2005 Designed to meet kei car 118 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M regs in Japan, the first-gen Copen arrived complete with a folding hard-top roof and a cartoon smile AUSTIN-HEALEY SPRITE Affectionately known as the ‘frogeye’, the MkI Sprite, built between 1958 and 1961, has one of the most recognisable faces ever FIAT PANDA Look at its chubby cheeks! It’s impossible to get road rage with a Panda driver, which is lucky given how they’re often driven in Italy MAZDA MX-5 With its pop-up headlights and soft surfaces, the original NA MX-5 was another bit of friendly Japanese design RENAULT TWINGO MkI We really do need a return to the age of non-aggressive small cars, don’t we? Imagine how happy a city full of MkI Twingos would be...

R4xe4poharts3l1eMdator.k..’sthseeacorcmhpfolertea odpopgo-fsriiteendly “I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M GOING TO DO WITH THIS Z31, OTHER THAN USE IT AS SOFT PLAY FOR MY DAUGHTER” I have a theory that my border collie Mark’s new off-road 300ZX translated stickers down the side of it. Bonus is powered by an Eighties Atari games not quite so off-roady as points awarded for a spare tyre cover with an console. And not in a way which requires 8-bit drawing of some rocky terrain too. forceps and an emergency vet; but rather he he was hoping it would be appears to have no memory or save function. A few days ago, the perfect solution turned to be a Shogun made after 1995, you’re either up. But this wasn’t a Pajero or Land Cruiser. It Because despite going out every morning very enthusiastic about selling caravans or you was a six-cylinder Nissan, just not an Arab- for the past 11 years, at 6:45am a master reset ram-raid cash machines at the weekend. spec Patrol being driven on two wheels. It is is performed wiping all his previous memory. two-wheel drive however, and it’s from the And, while rebooting, woof.exe is then executed What about something German or closer to Eighties. Yup, I’ve bought the famous off- continually until we finally leave the house. home? I haven’t started a towing business since roading Nissan Z31 300ZX. the weight limits changed so a VW Touareg is out Putting him in the car and driving the question. And my cholesterol is far too stable I had every intention of starting 2023 somewhere new doesn’t fix the error either. to own an early Range Rover currently. different from other years, mainly because I However, the rumble of my E63 at 2,100rpm now own 10 cars and only three actually work. does at least cause him to lay down for a bit, No, it has to be Japanese. It has to be from But this is the danger of forced time off over and that allows me to go hunting for dog-spec the Eighties and it has to have a load of badly Christmas, once the festivities are over it is 4x4s being used out in the wild. The best spot bloody boring. And with my internet cookies so far being a MkI Mitsubishi Pajero. firmly set to JDM, project and cheap it was only a matter of time until the inevitable happened. Having had no prior experience of any Japanese 4x4, I thought this Pajero was the best I have no idea what I’m going to do with this thing I’d ever clapped eyes on and immediately Z31 either, other than use it as a velour-covered vowed to own one. So, for the duration of soft play for my daughter. I can’t even pretend it Christmas, my search history revolved around was a planned purchase. It can’t even be driven this or an 80 series Land Cruiser. And as much because it lacks a clutch master cylinder. as I’d love a 60 or 70 series, it appears hipsters have ruined values on the 60s and global More annoying than that is the fact I still conflict the 70s. really want a MkI Pajero Wagon. So, if anyone reading this happens to own one – and has There’s something uniquely cool about this always dreamt of a Z31 project with no clutch era of JDM 4x4. But it’s also a very fine line to – it’s a niche request but please get in contact. tread. For example, a three-door Pajero – unless I beg of you. Mark Riccioni an Evolution – looks like the kind of car a youth worker converts into a Zombie Apocalypse Internationally renowned photographer Mark has Vehicle despite living in the middle of Bedford. been working with TG for many, many years. When As for the five-door Wagon, well if that happens not taking photos he’s buying inappropriate cars. Here he shares his addiction with the world T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 119

PROGRESS REPORT (2010) PORSCHE GT3 RS vs PORSCHE GT3 RS (2022) The new GT3 RS is the most extreme 911 ever. Time to see if its great grandfather has gone soft TWO 911s WITH BIG WINGS AND STICKERS. THAT’S PROGRESS? stubby little six-speed gearlever and admire the roll cage filling the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, in the 992, you’re confronted with Don’t judge a car by its decal package. Admittedly, the 2010 997.2 a high, wide, complicated dash you have to peer over like a dog Generation GT3 RS possesses a 3.8-litre flat-six with 444bhp that looking for scraps at a dinner table. There’s no gearstick to revs to 8,500rpm while the 2022 equivalent, the 992 GT3 RS, has a waggle either, just PDK shift paddles that snap satisfyingly. 4.0-litre nat-asp flat-six revving to 9,000rpm and produces 518bhp. The newer car is also nearly 100kg heavier. So, not much progress PEOPLE SAY THE 997.2 GT3 RS WAS PEAK RS. IS IT? you’d think. But you’d be wrong. In the 12-year gap between these two, Porsche has managed to carve 44secs out of its ’Ring time. Forums argue that the 4.0 may be the pinnacle, but the 3.8-litre is 98 per cent there and far more attainable in the pricey world POINT TAKEN. BUT HOW’S IT GOT SO MUCH FASTER? of Porsche attainability. It’s paired perfectly with a hefty, meaty clutch, graunchy but self-assured gearbox and telepathic Well, they both stick steadfastly to Porsche’s GT division’s rulebook steering. You can then use the roll and supple, well damped of using motorsport as the guiding light for hardcore road cars; suspension to lean on the wide, thick, sticky Michelin rubber with RSes being harder and faster versions of the already hard to maximise the weight and traction over the back axle to throw and fast GT3s. The 992 has just been refined, honed and made yourself out a corner and at the horizon to the sound of 8,500rpm. a lot more complicated. Especially when it comes to the aero department. You might have noticed the wing but there are also HANG ON, SO IS THE 992 THE RIGHT KIND OF PROGRESS? countless flicks and underfloor tunnels to gift the 992 860kg of downforce at 177mph. The 997.2 develops half that at 186mph. Depends what you’re looking for. If you live for the stopwatch and are a track day fan, hell yes. But it isn’t as usable, having lost its THAT ALL SOUNDS A BIT SERIOUS frunk in favour of a racecar radiator, and having had its spring rates wound up, it won’t favour a B-road. The 997 is a joy on the A car with DRS and track suspension normally is. Which makes road and where it once was a wide car now it’s suitably slender the 997 refreshing. It’s remarkably approachable when put next and narrow compared to the squat prop-like 992. Either way, to the 992. Yes, it’s serious, but simpler. A lot simpler. The steering both cars are going to go down in Porsche history as legends. wheel is clutter free, allowing you to relax as you waggle the WORDS: ROWAN HORNCASTLE 120 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

DROP-TOP BMWS BMW Z3 LESS (1998) THAN £2K #47 REMEMBERING RIDGE RACER RETRO GAMING THE CLASSICS ARCADE/PLAYSTATION, 1993 BMW 328i LESS Careening into arcades in 1993, Ridge Racer had everything: brightly (1999) THAN coloured 3D polygons, silky smooth motion and at least one bona £5K fide ridge on which to race. Usually found parked cheek by jowl with Sega’s Daytona USA machine, these two spectacular racing games BMW M3 LESS vied for your precious pocket money throughout the Nineties. (2004) THAN £10K Of the two, Ridge Racer was arguably the more shallow experience, with a more simplistic handling model and, at least in this first incarnation, no multiplayer. If you were a 10-year-old who could barely reach the pedals in the arcade cabinet though, this meant it was far easier to pick up and play. A mere stab of the brake pedal and yank of the wheel would initiate an enormous, tyre-torturing slide. The only bigger drift is continental drift. While there was only a single circuit to master in this first game, with a couple of layouts, the track was a highly compressed roadtrip that took in a densely packed metropolis, a dramatic canyon suspension bridge and an idyllic beachside resort. Two years later, the PlayStation release of the game was a respectable conversion, earning Ridge a whole new legion of fans. It probably helped that the notoriously awful Sega Saturn version of Daytona, which arrived around the same time, was about as faithful as a Love Island contestant. Neither of these were the ideal way to play Ridge Racer, though. That honour went to the vanishingly rare Ridge Racer Full Scale arcade machine, which allowed you to play the game on an enormous 10-foot screen from behind the wheel of a full-sized Mazda MX-5, complete with working ignition key and gauges. Apparently one of those set-ups would have cost you around £150,000 back in 1993, close to twice that in today’s money. And then you’d have to work out how to fit it through the front door... Mike Channell Bargain Corner T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 121

BRAND NEW! ON SALE NOW! AVAILABLE AT

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

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Citroen C5 X Hybrid HELLO £40,155 OTR/£42,985 as tested/£705pcm WHY IT’S HERE Has the world finally come round to a non-sporty large French car? DRIVER Jason Barlow THE C5 X MAY BE CHANNELLING ELEMENTS OF THE CX, XM AND THE the average driver’s daily mileage (but adds 304kg to the base car’s weight). Fuel economy, emissions and BiK are all obviously optimised in this late, almost entirely unlamented C6, but it’s also trying something different. configuration, but we’ll see how it goes in reality. As ever. It’s not an estate, a crossover or an SUV, but has shoved all three in a giant, car-sized blender. However, this sort of cross-pollination can be problematic: Ours is the top spec Shine Plus. In contrast to recent German lifers, there none of the BMW 5-Series GT, Vauxhall Signum or Audi A6 Allroad set the are only a few options: I could live without the black bi-tone roof (£350) and charts aflame, and the Volvo V90 Cross Country remains a minority player. panoramic roof (£1,300), but reckon the memory foam massage seats (£800) are worth the outlay. Set the controls for maximum waft. The C5 X goes further. Its difference extends to a rejection of any overt sportiness: design, comfort, and onboard wellbeing are its key characteristics. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF This probably isn’t as nuts as it sounds, for while these might not be particularly disruptive, they’re also resonant in 2023. I no longer drive 1598cc 4cyl hybrid, FWD, Unusual design, comfortable everywhere on the doorhandles, and most of us spend most of the time 222bhp, 184lb ft ride and interior. ensnared in traffic or wondering if we need to take out a mortgage to pay for a 186mpg, 30g/km CO2 tank of fuel. I go to the gym and theoretically have a lifestyle, but my back also 0–62mph in 7.9secs, 145mph BAD STUFF hurts. A large, softly sprung Citroen that isn’t an SUV sounds very tempting. 1,826kg The jury’s out on how useful A hybrid one, too. The C5 X is available powered by the group’s familiar the hybrid tech really is, 128bhp, 1.2-litre Puretech three-cylinder or the 178bhp 1.6-litre four. TG’s MILEAGE: 5,780 OUR MPG: 40.3 HMI is imperfect. is the 225 e-EAT8 PHEV, which adds a 109bhp electric motor to that engine for a total power output of 222bhp. There’s a 12.4kWh battery pack in the boot which charges in about 90 minutes on a domestic 7.4kW wallbox. Citroen claims an electric range of 37 miles fully charged, more than enough to handle 124 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

Mazda CX-60 HELLO £49,520 OTR/£53,270 as tested/£649pcm WHY IT’S HERE Can Mazda join the large/luxe SUV party? DRIVER Andy Franklin SO HERE IS MAZDA’S FIRST PLUG-IN HYBRID. AN ODD SENTENCE TO Inside the Seventies-style beige, maple and chrome interior are plenty of buttons, which we’re happy about. I’m interested to see how the light write in 2023 given how popular electrification is across the car industry. interior copes when it has three kids thrown at it. Is the Japanese carmaker dragging its heels or just waiting to get it right? I’ve got high hopes for this car now I’ve seen it in the flesh – the pics There’s one area where there’s no messing around, and that’s targeting don’t do it justice. It’s massive, stylish and certainly more premium than BMW. The CX-60 clearly has its eye on taking some of the market away previous Mazdas. But... and it’s a big but, something isn’t right so it’s from the BMW X3. If it was based just on looks alone, Mazda would be having to go back to Mazda. Oh dear. More on that next month. winning. I hope the driving experience lives up to the same level. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF Under the bonnet there’s a four-pot naturally aspirated 2.5-litre engine, 173bhp e-motor and a 17.8kWh battery that give a combined power output 2488cc 4cyl plug-in hybrid, The exterior design is very of 323bhp and manage 0–62mph in 5.8secs and and a claimed 39 miles of AWD, 323bhp, 369lb ft sleek and the dashboard battery range. There’s three trim levels to choose from: Exclusive-Line, 188.3mpg, 33g/km CO2 has actual buttons on it. Homura and Takumi. We’ve opted for the latter in stylish Platinum Quartz. 0–62mph in 5.8secs, 124mph Takumi means ‘artisan’ in Japanese, fitting for TG’s creative director. It’s BAD STUFF almost Bentley and Range Rover like inside. Prices start at £42,990 but this 2,146kg one is £49,520 on the road, with 20in black metallic alloys and a 12-speaker The engine is quite noisy Bose surround sound set-up. With the added extras on our car, which MILEAGE: 3,411 OUR MPG: 33.2 and screams too much. includes the fancy paint (£650), convenience pack (£1k), driver assistance pack (£1k) and panoramic sunroof (£1k), the total is £53,270. We’ll aim to try the Exclusive-Line at some point to see if it was really worth going for the range-topper. And we’ll throw in a BMW for fun too. T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 125

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Dacia Jogger GOODBYE £18,745 OTR/£19,640 as tested/£313 pcm WHY IT’S HERE Can the cheapest MPV cut the TopGear mustard? DRIVER Sam Philip SEVEN MONTHS INTO JOGGER CUSTODIANSHIP, AND I’VE BARELY So, as it leaves us, here’s my grand departing thought: the Jogger might be the best car I’ve driven in a decade. Not the fastest, obviously. discussed the way it drives. Because it’s anonymously dull and acceptable, Not the most exciting. Not even the most practical and comfortable right? In fact, no. To drive, the Jogger is actually rather better than that. for a family and all their kit. But in terms of utterly nailing its brief – Might seem an insane thing to say about a seven-seat boxy MPV, but it’s to offer an absolute mass of unpretentious space and practicality for bordering on... fun? very sensible money – I can’t think of a better brief-nailer, as it were. Genuinely. Despite its small-shipping-container dimensions, when Top car. Top work, Dacia. the Jogger’s presented with a decent stretch of road, and an absence of bilious children in the back seat, it squirrels along with surprising SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF enthusiasm, at least by people carrier standards. 999cc 3cyl turbo, FWD, The Jogger’s been a family It’s just another thing I’ll miss about the big brown beast, as its time 109bhp, 148lb ft favourite. My kids are bereft on the TG fleet has come to an end. I am genuinely bereft. I love a 600 48.7mpg, 130g/km CO2 to see it go. horsepower German ur-estate as much as the next Mantafahrer, but I’d 0–62mph in 11.2secs, 130mph quite happily have bimbled around in this Jogger for the next decade BAD STUFF or so. In fact, I asked Dacia if I could buy it off them rather than hand 1,205kg it back, but annoyingly the residuals were so solid that the asking price Those bereft kids. Still, was just a little strong for me. MILEAGE: 9,025 OUR MPG: 40.9 important for them to learn that all good things must pass. Frankly I’m gutted. If you can see past the low Euro NCAP figure – and as I’ve explained elsewhere, there are plenty of reasons to, at the very least, dig a little deeper than the headline one-star score – this is a huge amount of honest, useful car for the cash. 126 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

ALPINE A110S WHAT WERE Vauxhall Astra THEY THINKING? REPORT 6 HELLO This month: £60,645/£71,689/£749 weather- £28,710 OTR/£29,310 as tested/£409 pcm WHY IT’S HERE unproofed tech WHY IT’S HERE Does the concept of a Ollie Kew Does the sharp-suited new Astra prove you don’t need that SUV? lightweight dissolve on Ah, a quattro-drive contact with Real Life? Audi. The ultimate, DRIVER unflappable winter DRIVER weapon, surely? Well, Sam Philip not if you’d like any Ollie Marriage driver assistance REALISED SOMETHING THE OTHER DAY. IN TWO DECADES OF DRIVING technology, it seems. IT’S ALWAYS FUN TO UNPICK Certain cars’ tech and owning cars of varying decrepitude/sensibleness, I’ve never genuinely seems to suffer more considered purchasing a Vauxhall. Maybe it’s me rather than the cars, little stories with cars. This one than others when it but I’ve never found Vauxhalls have nailed the sensible-yet-interesting concerns the £552 Focal hi-fi. gets grimy: Teslas conundrum with the same regularity as, say, Ford. are hopeless despite Speaker cones (the part that all the ‘drives itself’ But with Ford apparently scarpering out of the regular hatchback vibrates to make the noise) are schtick, and the VW segment as fast as its spangly new crossovers will carry it, that leaves a neat normally made of plastic, paper, Group is also pretty space for Vauxhall – with its recently rediscovered sense of style – to fill. aluminium or manmade Aramid susceptible. Every fibres (often used in body armour). journey in the S3 And on the face of it, the new Astra looks just the ticket. For starters, it is A few years ago Focal started using at the moment is a proper, trad hatchback: no pretensions at crossoveriness or sportful utility flax. Flax is made from the stalks of begun with multiple here, just a classic, regular-roofline five-door. This is a good thing. linseed (treated another way it’s bongs warning me the what we know as linen). parking sensors, radar It also looks, to these eyes at least, pretty tidy. I’m not sure the ‘Vulcan cruise control, matrix Grey’ paint of our test car (£600) shows off the Astra’s sharp lines to quite There are several advantages beam headlights the same effect as the lovely ‘Electric Yellow’ signature colour (£700), but with this, some environmental, and anti-collision does lend it a faintly DeLorean design vibe from some angles. some technical: rigidity and auto braking are all damping. Both are crucial to out of action due to Which, again, is a good thing. We’re hardly in a golden era for hatch accurate sound reproduction as grotty sensors. Has design right now – the Focus and Leon have gone frumpier than they once you need to minimise unwanted cold weather testing were, the Golf looks like... a Golf – so it’s good to see Vauxhall (and sister vibrations. Flax excels in this. Yes, really not nipped this brand Peugeot) flying the flag for a bit of styling vim in the segment. Focal sandwiches it with skinny in the bud yet? That’s layers of fibreglass, but the result thousands of pounds Without putting too much weight on the Astra’s smartly creased is as well damped as Kevlar or worth of optional tech shoulders, it feels this car (not BP22 EXJ specifically) has a responsibility aluminium and half the weight rendered obsolete greater than merely elbowing Vauxhall towards the top of the C-segment of full fibreglass. And less weight by some dirty salt. hatchback class. Instead, in the face of an SUV/crossover onslaught, it feels means less energy to make them Self-driving cars this like something of a referendum on the future of the humble hatchback itself. move, and less inertia to make decade? Don’t bet TG likes a humble hatchback. Don’t let us down, Astra... them stop moving. on it. In other words, they accelerate SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF and brake well and they’re efficient – a nice parallel with the car itself. 1199cc 3cyl turbo, FWD, Arrived with a couple of 128bhp, 169lb ft thousand miles on the clock, SPECIFICATION 50.4mpg, 127g/km CO2 so no need to run it in. 0–62mph in 9.7secs, 130mph 1798cc 4cyl turbo, RWD, BAD STUFF 296bhp, 250lb ft 1,296g Vulcan Grey paint shows up all 42.2mpg, 153g/km CO2 MILEAGE: 2,550 OUR MPG: 42.3 the mucky wintery road salt. Gonna be tough to keep clean. 0–62mph in 4.2secs, 155mph 1,119kg MILEAGE: 11,349 OUR MPG: 32.3 T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 127

WHAT ELSE WE’RE RUNNING REPORT 2 RENAULT MEGANE E-TECH REPORT 2 Honda Civic CUPRA BORN REPORT 3 REPORT 2 £32,995 OTR/£33,820 as tested/£410 pcm AUDI S3 WHY IT’S HERE 128 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M Maybe the best family hatch – just as everyone stops buying hatches DRIVER Vijay Pattni THE HONDA CIVIC eHEV IS ANNOYING. AROUND 90 MILES INTO A 250- mile journey up to the Lake District, it begins to rain. Barring the odd maniac who uses the grubby weather as an excuse to deploy more of their excessively powered car’s excessive power (yes, don’t say it, we know), the rest of the motorway instinctively slows down. Grubby’s the right word. It’s the sort of rain that smears rather than runs, and we slow increasingly in the Honda because the wipers are having a hard time clearing the sludge from the windscreen. It gets harder to see. Fortuitously, a service station beckons, so we make a quick pitstop to a) refresh the dire state of our sweet inventory and b) top up the washer fluid. We pull up to an empty space. The bonnet is popped. Anticipation builds. And then... I am entirely flummoxed. I think I know my way round an engine bay (having buried myself in many old ones attempting to fix various mechanical ailments over the years), but for the life of me I cannot find the washer fluid reservoir. A full five minutes passes, which is longer than it sounds when you have a) increasingly darkening skies above and b) an increasingly whiny golden retriever who now needs to be let out for another investigation of the car park. Finally, something catches my eye. There’s a small blue cap poking surreptitiously from the (also blue) front wing. Relief swells, we reinsert the retriever, buy more sweets just in case, and are off again. So why annoying, then? Because on a 250-mile drive, that’s the only complaint, and when the only complaint is “I’m too stupid to find the washer fluid reservoir”, it’s amplified. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF 1993cc 4cyl turbo hybrid, It’s comfortable, good looking, FWD, 181bhp, 232lb ft spacious, well built and 56.5mpg, 114g/km CO2 friendly to drive. 0–62mph in 8.1secs, 112mph BAD STUFF 1,533kg Put the washer reservoir MILEAGE: 5,461 OUR MPG: 47.2 somewhere we can find it, please Honda?

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Volkswagen Multivan HELLO £59,545 OTR/£65,521 as tested/£665pcm WHY IT’S HERE Is this the SUV antidote you never knew you needed? DRIVER Peter Rawlins THE VW MULTIVAN’S ARRIVAL TO THE TOPGEAR GARAGE COULDN’T spend a week with one and it isn’t hard to see why, with the Multivan simply taking the hassle out of every journey. Particularly so heading have been better timed for me, the day before I was due to head to home, when the five-hour journey predictably ended up taking seven. Cornwall for a Christmas getaway – mum, brothers, partners, dog and all our luggage in tow. Hardly the gentlest of introductions, then. For a trip like this, it’s hard to argue against the Multivan. It proved the perfect companion over the course of nearly 850 miles, as easy to Despite its name, the Multivan is actually not a van, instead sharing drive as anything else out there while also impressively comfortable, the same platform as its VW car counterparts. Ours is the plug-in hybrid spacious and practical. Now let’s see how it copes with day to day life. and mates a 1.4-litre petrol engine with 114bhp e-motor and 13kWh battery, for a combined total of 215bhp and up to 31 miles of e-range. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF First up was the 276-mile journey there. It’s an easy thing to drive 1395cc 4cyl turbo + e-motor, Good to look at, drive, and thanks to light steering and well weighted pedals, although there is a fair FWD, 215bhp, 184lb ft be in. The ideal companion amount of road noise at higher speeds. Not enough to deter my not-quite- 156.9mpg, 41g/km CO2 for any staycation. finished-for-Christmas-yet passengers from making conference calls 0–62mph in 9.0secs, 119mph along the way, mind. “It’s like a spaceship,” they agreed, praising the BAD STUFF armchair-like seating, individual climate controls, USB ports on every 2,243kg row and height adjustable centre console complete with cupholders Irritatingly rattly centre console, and fold out tables. It feels far better thought out than the ID.Buzz. MILEAGE: 14,689 OUR MPG: 38.6 unwieldy bootlid, usual VW infotainment gripes. Over the next five days, we did a further 300 miles travelling around Cornwall, where it quickly became apparent just how popular VW vans are round these parts. Caddys, Californias, Caravelles – they’re everywhere, which meant the Multivan got plenty of attention. But T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 129

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE Volvo XC40 Recharge REPORT 2 £45,750 OTR/£48,085 as tested/£761pcm WHY IT’S HERE Is this electrified crossover as good as a bespoke EV from Polestar? DRIVER Jack Rix WHEN IT CAME TO DIVVYING UP THE M8 AND XC40 FOR CHRISTMAS from the outside world. At first I recoiled from the overly aggressive regen mode, but now I’m a big fan – you can feather out some of the ferocity by it was inevitable that papa here was going to end up with the sensible, not lifting off completely, but it brings you to a complete stop when you beige Volvo, while Rowan – being young and child-free – was destined to need to. Proper one-pedal driving. But there are signs all over that this is zing about in the Beemer. And I’m OK with that; for haulage of family and an ageing car, and an EV retrofit on a combustion engine platform. The sacks of presents, plus round trips to my parents and the in-laws it was just lack of a flat floor across the front, the lack of a front trunk, that range, as a Volvo should be – rock solid, quietly capable and every journey, except the absence of wireless CarPlay. for two screaming over-sugared children, was stress free. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF This could have been so different, because if I’m honest the range of the XC40 is way off the pace. I saw a 160-mile estimated range from a full Electric motor, 67kWh Floor the Volvo in the wet and charge one averagely chilly morning – over 100 miles down on the WLTP battery, FWD, 228bhp you’ll spin the fronts, but why? figure. For a premium, near-£50k SUV, that’s not enough. 3.5 miles per kWh, 263 miles Save that for the RWD version. 0–62mph in 7.5secs, 99mph Volvo knows this because as I type an updated XC40 Recharge has BAD STUFF been announced. The big news is the single motor version is now rear- not 1,955kg front-drive like ours. And despite the battery staying at 67kWh, improved The key looks and feels nice efficiency means WLTP range jumps to 286 miles, which is a bit more like MILEAGE: 837 OUR MPKWH: 2.5 enough, but having tiny buttons it. More interesting than that is a new long range, single motor version with along the edge is a crap idea. a more powerful 248bhp motor and a bigger 82kWh battery for a claimed range of 320 miles, which finally feels like the numbers this car deserves. Because range aside the driving experience is really nicely judged – well damped suspension and steering, armchair comfortable seats, a cocoon 130 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

BMW M8 REPORT 3 £129,750 OTR/£150,050 as tested/£3,272pcm WHY IT’S HERE Can the most powerful M car be a proper luxury car? DRIVER Rowan Horncastle EVER SINCE THE M8 COMPETITION ARRIVED IN THE TGG THREE MONTHS But having just returned from two weeks driving on African washboard roads with only archaic leaf springs (laminated sheets of steel stapled ago, everyone who has driven it has struggled to work out if it’s more of a together and damped with half an old pogo stick as a shock absorber) performance car or luxury car because it’s trying to do both. At the same to ease the ride, the 8-Series feels softer than ever thanks to some airy time. And three months in... we still can’t work out which one it’s better at. suspension sophistication. Yes, it’s still jiggly but boy it’s better than cart springs that Buckaroo you over a speed bump. It also looks better than One major factor that sways the pendulum firmly to the sportier end ever (I’m really starting to dig the design) and feels more luxurious. of the spectrum is the ride. Yes, the M8 has adaptive air suspension and electronically controlled dampers as standard, but don’t let that fool you SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF into thinking it’s as soft and cosseting as a lazily filled lilo. Even in its most supple ‘Comfort’ setting the ride is firm and at times fidgety; not 1798cc 4cyl turbo, RWD, The M8’s menacing looks and helped by those big, beautiful 20-inch Competition wheels. One of 296bhp, 250lb ft sporty luxo charm are slowly which was recently snagged in a width restrictor. But more on that 42.2mpg, 153g/km CO2 winning us over. another time… after I’ve stopped lashing myself with chains. 0–62mph in 4.2secs, 155mph BAD STUFF See, being a big, long barge, the folks at M have worked hard to make 1,119kg the car as agile as possible. So they’ve stiffened it up to make it sporty. Even with 4WD, 553lb ft of But to do so they’ve added a few metallic corsets to make sure its 1,975kg MILEAGE: 3,900 OUR MPG: 21.0 torque arriving at 1,800rpm muffin top doesn’t fall out. Compared to a standard 8-Series, there’s during a cold snap is quite... M-specific forged links, improved rigidity in the anti-roll bars, the front end wheelspinny. has increased torsional strength courtesy of a tower-to-bulkhead strut and an exceptionally rigid shear panel. More than that, there’s a full-on steel X-brace and an aluminium transverse strut. Long story short: it’s stiff. T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 131

GO TO TOPGEAR.COM FOR EXTENDED TG GARAGE REPORTS, AND TO EXPLORE THE ARCHIVE DS 9 GOODBYE £46,100 OTR/£50,415 as tested/£686 pcm WHY IT’S HERE Can a luxury French car cut it against its established rivals? DRIVER Esther Neve TALKING TO STRANGERS IN SUPERMARKET CAR PARKS HAS BECOME Yes, there’s a touchscreen, but also actual buttons for shortcuts, hurrah. Point three: practicality. Yes, really. OK, so a huge box will not fit in the pretty standard for me since I began working at TG. [Oo-er! ed] New boot, but the space available is massive if your load is the right shape. motors attract car people as surely as moths are drawn to a flame. My Point four: coolness. No one had a bad word to say regards the DS’s looks most recent encounter was with a father and son interested in whether or interior design. Enough said. the DS would be a good replacement for the dad’s company Mercedes. They both loved the way the DS looked, the uniqueness of the offering However, whether buying one with your money is a wise move is and the fact the 9 remains pleasingly rare. They were in no doubt at all debatable. Lease one happily, buy one with caution. that the DS was more than equal to the Mercedes they had just jumped out of – a resounding endorsement that answers our question above. SPECIFICATION GOOD STUFF I share their joy regarding the DS 9. And if you’re choosing it as a 1598cc 4cyl turbo + e-motor, Comfortable and luxurious, company car, then happily you’re not even remotely worried about the FWD, 222bhp, 266lb ft great, wafty ride and very elephant in the room regards large luxury French saloons... depreciation. 176.0mpg, 35g/km CO2 relaxing to drive. Frighteningly, CAP says the DS 9 can expect to retain approximately 0–62mph in 8.3secs, 149mph 30–40 per cent of its original value after two and a half to three years BAD STUFF (and that’s only if you’re covering 10,000 or under miles per annum)... 1,839kg one to lease rather than buy, we would suggest. Bootspace slightly MILEAGE: 11,238 OUR MPG: 44.7 compromised due to saloon Presuming you’re still keen, let’s celebrate the DS’s many successes shape, depreciation. during its time in our care. Point one: its amazingly smooth and wafty ride. The road reading technology that talks to the suspension is pure gold. Point two: ease of use. Everything is easily to hand and usable. 132 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

BECAUSE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO LAND ROVER 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 MARRIAGE, GREG POT TS T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 133

GO TO IMAGES: MANUFACTURER TOPGEAR.COM FOR MORE MIND-BLOWING MANUFACTURER GUIDES What is Land Rover and when did it start making cars? Soon after WW2, two brothers who worked at in North Wales, and launched the first Land company in its own right, although it still sat Rover identified the need for a rugged vehicle for Rover in 1948. Those first cars came in any under the voluminous British Leyland umbrella. agricultural use. Luckily they were in a position colour you wanted, as long it was a fetching to make this happen, since Maurice Wilks was army surplus green. When that company was broken up and chief designer at the firm and his brother privatised in 1988 LR remained with the Rover Spencer was managing director. Land Rover was purely a model name for the Group, which was sold to BMW in 1994. The next 30 years, and it wasn’t until the 1958 Series Germans split the company off further, selling Influenced by the Willys jeep, they built II that the Series I was retrofitted with a proper Land Rover to Ford in 2001. Jaguar and Land a prototype in 1947 (which itself used Willys name. Surprisingly it was 1978 before the Rover were then parcelled off together to Indian underpinnings) at Maurice’s farm on Anglesey profitable Land Rover became a separate manufacturer Tata Motors in 2008. 134 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

EXHAUST Land Rover’s greatest hits 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 135

that Land Rover builds... and FACTOID what’s the most expensive? The first pre-prod The Land Rover brand has moved itself inexorably The fancy pants new Range Rover is the most Range Rovers built upmarket in recent years to try and lift itself above expensive car the company sells, with the SV for testing the new the fray, but you can get yourself into one for less model starting at £171,575. For that you get a car out were actually than you might think. The Evoque range starts bespoke bodykit, 22in wheels, posh seats, air at £34,010 for the base model, which comes with suspension and 13.1in rear seat entertainment badged Velars. LED headlights, a 10in infotainment touchscreen, screens to keep whoever is in the back amused. The team putting heated front seats and smartphone integration. If you’re still not happy, Land Rover’s Special everything together Likewise, the cheapest Discovery Sport is a mere Vehicle Operations division will help you realise needed to throw the £400 more than that. your Range Rover dream in return for much cash. spy snappers hiding in the bushes off the scent, but they could only choose from the selection of letters that make up Alvis and Rover. The Spanish verb velar means to mask or veil, and the subterfuge even went so far as registering a company in London to throw people off the scent. What is Land Rover’s fastest car? Speed is not really a key makes a sound that can be Land Rover currently is toughest event is the attribute. But then in 2015 heard across entire the new Range Rover Sport Paris-Dakar race, which along came the Range Rover mountainsides. Particularly Autobiography PHEV, which first ran back in 1979. And Sport SVR, powered by a those around the does 0–62mph in 5.4secs and what was the car that won it? supercharged 5.0-litre V8 Nürburgring, where the car on to 150mph. That’s right, a Range Rover. with 542bhp (recently lapped in 8mins 14secs. Having said that, we’ll ignore enhanced to develop 567bhp). There’s another way of the fact it was driven and run It’s capable of 174mph and That model is no longer looking at speed though – by a French team. on sale, though, so the fastest competition. Rallying’s 136 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

NOTABLE EXHAUST PEOPLE Where are Land Rovers built and Maurice Wilks how many are sold a year? Rover’s chief engineer inspired by Willys jeep to 269,120 create the Land Rover Land Rover’s spiritual home is in Solihull, West Midlands, Spencer Wilks birthplace of Jasper Carrott and Richard Hammond. The Rover MD (and Maurice’s firm still builds the Range Rover, RR Sport and Velar at its brother) signed off on the original factory location, while the Discovery Sport and Land Rover marque in 1947 Evoque are put together at Halewood in Merseyside at a Ford-owned facility. Those last two are also manufactured Spen King at plants in Brazil, India and China. The Discovery and new Brains behind Range Rover Defender are made at a plant in Slovakia that opened in 2018. was Rover’s chief engineer Land Rover sold 269,120 cars in 2022, down a whopping 19.6 per cent on the previous year and well below the firm’s 2016 of new vehicle projects high of 435,000 sales. The Defender was the only model to increase its year-on-year sales, overtaking the Evoque as most popular model. What’s the best concept that Land Rover has made? Ratan Tata The only reasonable answer here is the Range V8 and designed to tackle the Porsche Cayenne. Indian billionaire has Stormer concept, which was shown at the 2004 There was no doubt it would make production provided the stability and Detroit motor show. It previewed the Range in some guise, nor that it would fundamentally cash that LR has needed Rover Sport, which launched a year later, but give Land Rover a new, more dynamic avenue also heralded the beginning of Land Rover’s of attack. The finished article didn’t have three Gerry McGovern expansion into new territory. The rakish doors and it wasn’t quite as sporty, but the Current chief designer has three-door SUV was powered by a 370bhp marker had been set. defined company’s modern era with new money appeal T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 137

What was Land Rover’s What was Land Rover’s best moment? worst moment? It’s rare that a carmaker can get involved with an event it becomes so We don’t want to be too on the nose here, but Land Rover has actually had intrinsically linked with that it might as well have come up with the idea in a rough ride in recent years. Sales have slumped amid the perfect storm of the first place. But the Camel Trophy, an exploration event that started in Brexit uncertainty, a downturn in demand in China (that companies like 1980, began using Jeeps but switched to Land Rovers after a year and stuck Jaguar Land Rover and McLaren had really started to rely on) and the with them until the camels called it a day in 2000 after 20 years. slump in diesel sales. Throw in the need for a nimble pivot to electric propulsion and the lack of spare cash for R&D and the writing is on the The extreme test saw cars driving through the jungles of Borneo, wall. Or at least it’s being written. surviving in Siberia or the Australian outback, or tackling the Amazon rainforest. A competition at heart, as a marketing tool for Land Rover it did In 2018 JLR cut 1,500 jobs, in early 2019 a further 5,000 from its UK more than anything else to establish the firm’s reputation for ruggedness. workforce and in 2021 announced thousands more. Even worse, CEO Thierry Bolloré – a big hire from Renault – quit at the end of 2022 after After the Camel Trophy had run its course, Land Rover set up a similar just two years in the job. It’s telling that the interim CEO is the company contest, called the G4 Challenge, which ran for the next decade. The 2003 accountant, but where next? Seems like the best thing would be for Tata winner, a Belgian fighter pilot called Rudi Thoelen, rejected the first prize to sell up... hey, Stellantis hasn’t bought anything this week. of a brand new Range Rover and got two Defenders. 138 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

What was Land Rover’s EXHAUST biggest surprise? LOGO We all know that Land Rover invented the premium SUV as we know it EVOLUTION when it came up with the fancy new Range Rover in 1969... but it might come as a surprise to find out that parent company Rover almost invented 1948 the SUV a full 20 years earlier. Land Rover was just a Rover engineer Gordon Bashford came up with all sorts of crazy ideas model name until someone over the years – he worked on the original Series I, Rover SD1 and Range Rover, but around 1951 he came up with an idea for a Land Rover-based realised it was actually rear-drive family wagon that looks to our modern eyes like an SUV. making money The Road Rover was sleeker and less utilitarian than the 4x4, but the 1968 company had greater priorities for research and development time (like gas turbine engines). The project was almost given a green light in 1958, but “Just put the words ‘Land’ was canned at the last minute. Fortunately the whole idea was kept on the and ‘Rover’ in a shape back burner long enough to turn into the Range Rover by the mid-Sixties. and put it on a badge. Don’t call me again” 1978 Scandal in the late Seventies as the LR badge went green to match owners’ wellies 1986 The latest logo has been around so long that the chrome effect is fashionable again T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 139

EXHAUST What’s the most Land Rover car in the back catalogue? Land Rover 90/110 / 1983–1990 Like a British television show, the original Land wheelbases in inches, but not renamed 229 and Rust in piece Rover could only manage three series before it 279 for the metric markets – were launched a These are notoriously bowed out gracefully to be replaced by a reboot year apart. The 110 made its debut at the 1983 poor at staying together with fresher switchgear that would polarise the Geneva Motor Show, and marked the first – a good seller will talk hardcore fans. You know, the same people who time that Land Rovers started to be marketed through what’s been confuse poor build quality with character. as a lifestyle-oriented family vehicle. In fact done and what’s next marketing the car at all was a bit of a novelty. The new Defender might make people even Jaunty colours were added to the paint selection more furious, but it’s the logical extrusion of the and you could spec your Land Rover with air car’s story that started post-WW2 in extreme conditioning and a radio cassette. utility and has gradually added comfort and convenience to cater for the softer demands of Those things, bad as they were, weren’t what modern buyers. There’s no desire to drive a car made the faithful furious, however. Among the that’s been to war, but if it can get you to the heresies visited upon the off-roading world in shops when it snows then that’s marvellous. 1983 were the introduction of a single-pane windscreen, optional power steering, front The new 90 and 110 models of Land Rover disc brakes, a five-speed syncromesh gearbox, – so called because of the length of their Hand on heart Try and be sensible when buying your Land Rover. You’ll lose all sense as soon as you see it, but stay strong WORDS SAM BURNETT PHOTOGRAPHY MANUFACTURER 140 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

coil sprung suspension that replaced the Series increased to 2.5 litres to improve power output. Eyes wide open III’s agricultural leaf spring set-up, a full-width There was still the option of Rover’s thirsty First-time Land Roverer? plastic grille and – gasp – wheelarches. 3.5-litre V8 too, if you were so inclined. There Make sure you know was intense competition from the likes of what you’re getting in The Land Rover’s off-road prowess was Toyota’s Land Cruiser at this point, too, so to – this isn’t like other improved by these new-fangled inclusions, Land Rover ended up bolting a turbocharger cars... to drive or own however – the lockable centre diff provided onto its diesel motor along with some other permanent four-wheel-drive capability along modifications by 1986 – initial reliability was a with high and low ratio gearboxes, the coil disaster though, so the upgrades kept coming. suspension allowed for improved wheel travel and greater ground clearance too. The interior It wasn’t until 1989 and the Land Rover might have been made comfortable (by the Discovery’s arrival that the company bigwigs standards of the previous car, let’s not go crazy), thought they ought to come up with a proper but it could still be rinsed out with a hose after name for the 90/110, at which point it became a particularly lairy wilderness sesh. the Defender. But to own an original 90 or 110 is to have got onboard before the Defender The older 2.25-litre petrol and diesel engines became famous – it’s the hipster choice. were given a makeover too, with capacity Next month: Seat

CITY CARS SUPERMINIS HATCHBACKS These small cars are perfect for urban life, You drive mostly around town, with occasional A good electric hatch needs decent range but the trade-off is a much lower range need for longer distances? Try these for size 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. MG4 PRICE: £30,645–£36,645 RANGE: Up to 199 miles PRICE: £31,000–£35,050 RANGE: Up to 145 miles PRICE: £25,995–£31,495 RANGE: Up to 281 miles The latest version of the 500 offers sharper looks, The electric version of the home-grown favourite Oh, MG – what’s this delightful looking new electric good value and decent range – and a parcel shelf squeezes the BMW i3’s powertrain into a familiar hatch? The company’s previous EVs have been very full of soft toys shouldn’t hurt the battery too much. package. Range not massive, but the car’s still fun. sensible buys, now we know that it means business. 3. CITROEN AMI 3. RENAULT ZOE 3. HYUNDAI IONIQ 5 PRICE: £7,695–£8,695 RANGE: 47 miles PRICE: £29,995–£31,995 RANGE: Up to 239 miles PRICE: £41,650–£56,095 RANGE: Up to 315 miles Say hello to your little French friend. The pared back They grow up so fast, don’t they? The Zoe’s not long Hyundai’s futuristic hatch is much bigger than it looks Ami is the perfect car for the city streets, as long as turned eight, but a recent refresh has given the car in pics, but comes with solid range, loads of space you don’t have ambitions to go further than that. a boost. Make sure you get one with rapid charging. and a host of life-enhancing touches inside. 4. SMART EQ FORTWO 4. VAUXHALL CORSA ELECTRIC 4. CUPRA BORN PRICE: £22,225–£25,795 RANGE: 80 miles PRICE: £31,000–£33,735 RANGE: Up to 209 miles PRICE: £36,475–£43,735 RANGE: Up to 343 miles Yes, range is terrible, but as city cars go the Fortwo A Peugeot e-208 in a Vauxhall suit – now the EV’s The Born offers a sporty flavour of VW’s small EV remains a brilliant package and works well in the gone fully mainstream. The one to buy if you don’t hatch set-up (see also Enyaq). Check out our current city. It’s just not quite as cool as Citroen’s effort... want anyone to notice you’ve taken the plunge. long-termer in the Garage section of the magazine. 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 CROSSOVERS LARGE CROSSOVERS FAMILY CARS Small, but perfectly formed. These cars are a Slightly larger electric cars that are designed These cars need to meet tough demands – perfect second motor or teeny family wagon to cope with everything you can throw at them plenty of space, a solid image and low costs 1. POLESTAR 2 1. SKODA ENYAQ 1. VOLKSWAGEN ID.BUZZ PRICE: £43,150–£49,550 RANGE: Up to 341 miles PRICE: £38,970–£51,765 RANGE: Up to 336 miles PRICE: £57,115–£61,915 RANGE: Up to 258 miles Undercover Volvo offers Scandinavian attention to As usual, Skoda offers a down-to-earth and slightly Our electric car of the year comes with an imposing detail paired with a level of build quality that would cheaper alternative to whatever Volkswagen is heritage, but it’s a solid family wagon that shows off shame a number of much more expensive cars. pumping out. To great effect, as it turns out... a different side to Volkswagen’s electric platform. 2. KIA NIRO 2. TESLA MODEL Y 2. BMW iX PRICE: £36,745–£43,145 RANGE: Up to 285 miles PRICE: £51,990–£67,990 RANGE: Up to 331 miles PRICE: £69,905–£116,905 RANGE: Up to 369 miles The old Niro was already a decent buy, but the new A Model 3 with more headroom and a seven-seat A lovely cabin and it’s not too bad to drive – which is version improves everywhere and is alright to look option. Latest Tesla gets usual blend of innovative great, because inside the BMW iX is one of the few at too. Great family entry point into electric motoring. disruption and occasionally iffy build quality. places where you don’t have to look at the outside. 3. PEUGEOT e-2008 3. KIA EV6 3. BMW iX3 PRICE: £33,700–£37,650 RANGE: Up to 212 miles PRICE: £45,245–£57,145 RANGE: Up to 328 miles PRICE: £62,865–£65,865 RANGE: Up to 285 miles Wait, when did Peugeots become so desirable The EV6 is based on the same Hyundai Group Slightly stealthier than some of BMW’s more, er, again? The e-2008 is surprisingly fun to drive and platform as the Ioniq 5, but they’re very different aesthetically challenging EVs, this car is essentially offers a chic interior with lots of nifty touches. propositions. The EV6 is stylish and fun, we like it. an electric translation of the bestselling X3 SUV. 4. HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC 4. FORD MUSTANG MACH-E 4. AUDI Q8 E-TRON PRICE: £30,450–£37,900 RANGE: Up to 300 miles PRICE: £50,830–£74,540 RANGE: Up to 372 miles PRICE: £67,080–£114,500 RANGE: Up to 343 miles The Kona is highly specced, offers a solid slug The Mach-E isn’t really a Mustang at all, or a men’s Audi’s flagship e-SUV wears its electricness lightly, of range and looks pretty sharp too. Good value, razor, but it looks pretty good. It’s definitely a Ford it’s a great option if you’re new to EVs. Just have a good range and good looking. What’s not to like? though, so relentless competence is guaranteed. look at those digital mirrors to see if you like them... 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 FAST CHARGING one. There’s a grant, so it’ll cost you less than £500. If PRICE: £1.7m RANGE: 340 miles Porsche’s Taycan is still the rapid charging daddy with you don’t have a driveway, a 270kW charging capacity. There aren’t many plugs to get an overnight or all- Brain-scrambling performance from the Croatian around that are capable of providing that, although day recharge check zap- entry, and £1.7m might be a lot, but it’s a bargain next Gridserve has one in Essex that’ll manage 360kW. 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 family 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 CATCHING CRIMINALS at a slightly higher price, are best used for long trips, PRICE: £61,490 RANGE: 352 miles Gives a new meaning to police charges, but sadly like you’d stop for fuel. the fuzz won’t be chasing down car crims in this AC They take roughly as long Ignore all of the Tesla hype and what you’re left with Schnitzer-kitted BMW i4 – it’s a one-off for a German as filling with petrol and is a solid car with impressive performance. Tesla’s government campaign to promote safe tuning. having a full English. charge network means it isn’t just for early adopters. In winter, keep plugged 4. BMW i4 M50 BEST FOR MOVING SOFT DRINKS in until you drive away, as pre-warming the battery PRICE: £65,795 RANGE: 315 miles Well, who would have thought it, eh? The Tesla Semi and cabin increases range. finally on the road in the USA a mere three years after it When possible, choose In case you were worried that BMW’s M division was was promised. The first models off the line have been heated/cooled seats over going to drop the ball in our glorious new electric given to sugary pop behemoth PepsiCo. 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

Power to the People. Home and workplace electric vehicle chargers • Quick Nationwide Installation • Impartial Advice • Choice of EV chargers • Finance Available • First-Class Customer Service • OZEV Approved T: 03333 44 96 99 | E: [email protected] www.wepoweryourcar.com

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 street chargers and the standard, but still optimistic. Let’s start with a simple one. boxes you can install in your Supercapacitors can charge EV means electric vehicle, as We’re going to go full science house or office, which go up Regen and discharge more quickly opposed to one powered by teacher on you and use an to 7.4kW on normal 240V than regular batteries – good petrol, diesel, used chip oil, analogy. Imagine a river: the single phase AC, or 22kW on Shorthand for ‘regenerative for bursts of speed – and can Chanel No 5 or magic. volts are how fast the river industrial three phase. Rapid braking’. Electric motors work tolerate more charge and flows, the amps are how or level 3 is the high power by using electricity and discharge cycles, but they’re BEV much water is flowing, and DC supply, the sort you’ll find magnets to spin a shaft. So, still not as energy dense as the watts are how easily it’ll at motorway services and if you were to spin it manually, batteries, so you’re unlikely People in the car industry like carry you downstream. dedicated charging areas, say, by coasting, you will then to see them as direct battery to use this one. It stands for from 50kW up to 360kW. 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 the 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

VEHICLE THEFT IS RISING IMMOBILISE YOUR VEHICLE WITH CAN-PHANTOM KEY UK INSTALLERS Stirlingshire DH Automotive 01324 819239 Lincolnshire KeyWizard 07779 112233 07455 160735 CD Automotive 01842 750216 Glasgow CTH Auto Services 07891 531033 Norfolk Automech Midlands 07817 101293 Logan Vehicle 0191 432 8869 H Track 07854 442608 Lanarkshire Services 0800 074 6116 Derbyshire C&T Locksmiths 0121 783 0442 Team Valley MOT 07791 179663 Staffordshire / King Kustomz 01162 984777 Tyne and Wear and Service Centre 07826 523376 Black Country Dash Installs 07773 335154 Teeside / Driveshield Installations 0161 429 6705 Birmingham Lock & Key Auto Centre 01296 596021 County Durham 07546 328463 SJC Automotive 07919 408475 West Yorkshire 125 Coding Leicestershire Lancashire Car Secure South Wales Greater Bedfordshire / Manchester Westfield Tru Trak Buckinghamshire Cheshire Hertfordshire SK Security Systems UNIQUE IMMOBILISER TECHNOLOGY IAWPNEOPBLPSYSPITTOOERANTLOULUNIRETIRESSFOR DEVELOPED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE UK FIT IT KEEP IT

Men's Lifestyle MARKET PLACE - 0207 150 5216 Insurance & Finance INSURANCE FOR THE R egis trations INDIVIDUAL Policies can include: Your car doesn’t just get you from ‘A’ to ‘B’. It gets you to socials, work, Breakdown cover sporting events. Which is why choosing an insurance provider you Cover to drive other vehicles can trust is so important. With over 45 years’ experience providing Limited mileage discounts bespoke policies, Adrian Flux helps keep you safe through life’s many Total loss protection journeys. Plus, did you know we’ve helped save our customers an average of 26% on their car insurance?* Track Days & Events Call our UK team today on 0344 728 0096 adrianflux.co.uk Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Trustpilot rating checked on 4th October 2022. *Based on customer premium data from 2021 Car Sales Lifestyle Tuning & Styling Products & Services 148 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M

MARKET PLACE - 0207 150 5216 Men's Lifestyle F1RST MOTORS brings sincerity and originality to all customers by providing Insurance & Finance them with the most exotic and luxury cars available on the market. The best showroom in the world Registrations Track Days & Events Car Sales Lifestyle f1rstmotors.com Products & Services Tuning & Styling T O P G E A R . C O M › M A R C H 2 0 2 3 149

Men's Lifestyle MARKET PLACE - 0207 150 5216 Insurance & Finance Registrations Track Days & Events Car Sales Become Your Own Boss with Start your own mobile A Fresh Car Franchise car valeting franchise today! Lifestyle Tuning & Styling Products & Services Start your own mobile paintwork repairs business with a franchise opportunity that guarantees income on month 1 Be your own boss Option of being 100% funded by a government funding scheme We help find you customers ENQUIRE WITH US NOW! Contact [email protected] or visit www.freshcarvaleting.com for more information! 150 M A R C H 2 0 2 3 › T O P G E A R . C O M