Autocar Lunchbox: 1992 BMW E1 driven, world's worst traffic jam 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 *
*Can’t touch this… *
The industry trend for shifting as many controls as possible onto touchscreens might be halted at Honda. The upcoming Jazz supermini has reversed its predecessor’s onscreen climate controls for physical dials and buttons. Apparently customer feedback was the primary reason for making the switch, according to the Jazz project leader.
*Honda bucks industry trend by removing touchscreen controls *
*VIDEO OF THE DAY *
Few small cars can handle mud-plugging off-road antics quite like the Suzuki Jimny, and we’ve got two of ‘em. The all-new Jimny met its ancestor, the Suzuki SJ 410, for a look back across half a century of progress. Is the forebear able to keep up with the latest model through a tricky woodland obstacle course? Watch on to find out:
*PHOTO OF THE DAY*
Blue skies, an open road and an open-roof sports car: it’s the kind of scene we’re all dreaming about right now. And with a long-rumoured TVR revival still on the cars, what better car to do it in than a Griffith? We’ve been reminiscing about the 500, the 5.0-litre ultimate Griffith that made 340bhp and an incredible sound.
*TVR Griffith: revisiting an all-time classic British sports car *
*QUOTE OF THE DAY *
“A four-lane road? Try six or seven cars wide using the space, with bikes weaving in-between. And typically then at least one car or bike coming the wrong way towards you. Oh, and if you’re driving at night, don’t expect them to have any lights on.”
Getting behind the wheel of a Tata Harrier, the flagship SUV of the company that owns Jaguar Land Rover, wasn’t quite as straightforward as Mark Tisshaw was expecting. His journey through Mumbai was eye-opening for all the wrong reasons.
*Passage through India: Negotiating Mumbai in a Tata Harrier *
*FROM THE ARCHIVE *
An electric BMW hatchback capable of 155 miles of electric range. No, we’re not talking about the i3, but the E1 - a smartly packaged concept car we got to drive back in 1991. The E1 had a 45bhp electric motor and 19kWh battery but weighed an impressive 900kg thanks partly to custom-built light alloy wheels. Impressive stuff for the early 1990s, don’t you agree?
*Throwback Thursday 1992: BMW E1 first drive *
*POPULAR OPINION *
People might claim to be experts in a particular field, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be wrong. Matt Prior’s recent encounter with an automotive executive who thinks hydrogen is a dead technology shows that while you may speak with conviction, there’s almost always an opposing view. Try telling that to Toyota, whose second-generation Mirai is already turning heads toward the alternative fuel thanks to a stunning design.
*Matt Prior: The experts can't agree about cars or coronavirus *