Autocar lunchbox: Lotus revives the wedge, BMW fronts up and more
We round up our hottest stories, pictures and videos for you to devour in your lunch break
It’s everyone’s favourite part of the working day, lunchtime, and you’re no doubt craving a hefty dose of car-related content.
So we’ve revived our Autocar Lunchbox feature to bring you our favourite videos, stories, photos, quotes and more, all in one place.
Here are today’s picks:
*HOT NEWS*
*Light the grille*
The next generation of BMW’s 4 Series coupe will feature broadly similar styling to last year’s bold Concept 4 Series, as evidenced by a recently spotted prototype that bears gaping upright kidney grilles, as opposed to the previous car’s horizontally aligned items. Critics have lamented Munich’s recent trend towards massive front air intakes, but BMW product boss Peter Henrich is ‘convinced’ that a bold approach is the way to go.
*New BMW 4 Series coupe gets bold kidney grille*
*VIDEO OF THE DAY*
*Pick-up mega test*
Does your job require you to traverse tough terrain and lug large loads? Sounds like you need a good ol’-fashioned pick up truck, and we subjected five of the UK’s most popular to an arduous off-road battle in our favourite abandoned quarry. But we didn’t call it a day after picking our winner, putting it up against a real icon of mud-plugging to see if it really deserves the crown.
*PHOTO OF THE DAY*
*Telling porkies*
Our Toyota Corolla long-termer has lots of handy storage units, which is part of the reason it makes such a faultless family runabout. But the car’s custodian, James Attwood, recently discovered that the car’s cavernous cubbies also made it very easy for someone to hide pork pie and sweet wrappers after a long day on the road. The culprit is still at large.
*Toyota Corolla 2020 long-term review*
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*QUOTE OF THE DAY*
“A Range Rover may be expensive, but think how many cars you’re getting: hatchback, estate, off-roader, tow car, luxury car, workhorse…”
In today’s nearly-new buying guide, we’re taking a look at a British SUV that’s truly fit for a queen. Solihull’s luxury off-roader has always placed an emphasis on well-roundedness, and the fact you can buy a clean example of the current car for as little as £33,000 only serves to enhance its appeal.
*Nearly-new buying guide: Range Rover Mk4*
*FROM THE ARCHIVE*
*The rotary connection*
Mazda doesn’t currently build a car with a rotary wankel engine, the quirky 1.3-litre RX-8 having gone out of production in 2012, but plans are afoot to reintroduce the technology on a bold new sports car and a range of unique hybrid powertrains. We took a look back to 1968, when Autocar found the firm’s first rotary-engined sports car, the charming 110S, to be quick in a straight line and a true Porsche contender in the corners.
*Throwback Thursday: 1968 Mazda 110S first drive*
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*POPULAR OPINION*
*Norfolk’s supercar*
Rumours of the Lotus Esprit’s imminent rebirth have been circulating for decades now, but now it looks as if Hethel is finally gearing up to launch a mid-engined supercar with a wedge-shaped body and genuine grand touring credentials. Lawrence Allan thinks the new car doesn’t even need to use the Esprit name: “It doesn't take away from the fact that this could finally be a Lotus that demands few everyday compromises, and one that baits Ferrari for a fraction of the price.”
*Opinion: Why the Lotus Esprit revival makes sense*