Autocar Lunchbox: End of an era for Ferrari and Ford, Smart's lifeline 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*
The future of Smart is far more promising than it once was, according to Mercedes R&D boss Markus Schäfer, as the EV brand establishes itself as a joint venture between Daimler and Geely.
The deal, completed in January, includes production of Smart vehicles in China. The brand will remain focused on electric, urban-centric cars, with an SUV set to join the range by 2022.
*Mercedes: Smart's future is bright thanks to Geely deal*
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*VIDEO OF THE DAY*
The BMW M8 Competition could sit in the goldilocks zone between straight-talking sports cars, like the Porsche 911, and traditional grand tourers like the Bentley Continental GT.
To find out, we grouped the three together: the M8 Competition coupe, with its 4.4-litre twin turbocharged V8, the Bentley, with its 4.0-litre twin turbo V8, and the Porsche, with its 3.0-litre flat six (and twin turbos).
*PHOTO OF THE DAY*
The split-personality Huracán Evo Spyder is surprisingly easy company but capable of the truly spectacular when you get it on the right road. We did exactly that with Lamborghini's latest arrival, and found it to be a thoroughly worthy contender for drop-top supercar supremacy.
*Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder 2020 UK review*
*QUOTE OF THE DAY*
“In order to get the best possible results in this sport, it’s vital for all parties to work in perfect harmony. The team and I have realised that there is no longer a common desire to stay together beyond the end of this season.”
The end of an era? Sebastian Vettel has confirmed that he and Scuderia Ferrari will part company after the 2020 Formula 1 season, and is yet to confirm whether he will seek a seat with another team. Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo are the new favourites to race for Ferrari in 2021, but where does that leave everyone else? Full details below.
*Vettel to leave Ferrari F1 team at end of 2020*
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*FROM THE ARCHIVE*
“Unleaded fuel is now an inevitability – sooner or later, we will all be filling our cars with it,” Autocar wrote in its 11 January 1989 issue.
“For environmentalists – indeed, anyone even mildly green-conscious – the widespread use of unleaded cannot come enough.”
So why did we move away from leaded petrol, and what were the implications? We look back to 1989 for the answers.
*Throwback Thursday 1989: the switchover to unleaded petrol*
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*POPULAR OPINION*
As Ford pulls the plug on the Focus RS hot hatch, our columnist pays homage to the pocket rocket and considers whether, despite its flaws, the flagship Focus was always in a class of its own.
*Matt Prior: Farewell Focus RS, my bold friend*