Autocar magazine 9 September - on sale now
This week: New Mercedes S-Class revealed, E-Type-inspired Eagle Lightweight GT driven, the future of the supercar and much more
The new Mercedes S-Class has finally been revealed.
Described as the most technically advanced car that Mercedes-Benz has ever placed into series production, Merc’s latest luxo barge promises to take the fight to Audi and BMW, and Autocar has all the details.
Pick up a copy of this week’s mag to get all the key info, including engines, technology and timelines - in short, everything we know about the luxury A8-baiter.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
Volkswagen has unveiled the latest Golf Estate and its high-riding Alltrack 4x4 variant, with the former gaining a roomier interior and the latter getting extra ground clearance for even more rugged performance.
Peugeot has also been making moves. The 5008 SUV has been given a new look, enhanced technology and a streamlined trim hierarchy. The Audi Q2 SUV gets a mid-life update as well, and Vauxhall has released new details about its all-new Mokka.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a severe impact on many car-makers, and unfortunately, Jaguar Land Rover is no different. Although bosses have confirmed the existence of an electric Range Rover - so a streak of sunshine there - they have also said that it and the upcoming electric Jaguar XJ have been delayed due to Covid-19-induced spending cuts. There’s brighter news for the Land Rover Defender, which gets its first plug-in hybrid variant.
Fans of Volvo’s classic P1800 also have some good news in the pipe. Geely’s motorsport arm, Cyan Racing, has revived the 1960s coupé as an uprated restomod. Expect to pay plenty for the model, but then again, it does have 414bhp…
In the Autocar Business section, we ask whether there’s a place for hydrogen in the car industry? Simple question, but a not so simple answer, perhaps. Finally, Jim Holder ponders the paradox that is the Aston Martin Cygnet. So, it was panned by critics when it went off sale in 2013, but it’s since held its value. Was it the right concept, just executed at the wrong time?
-Reviews-
Volkswagen has bold plans for its new and very crucial ID 4 electric SUV. Is the car capable of achieving them? We drive a prototype to find out if VW’s bold ambitions are warranted and whether the Tesla Model Y should be worried.
Then, we take a step back into the 1960s, well, sort of, with Eagle’s new Lightweight GT. Based on the iconic Jaguar E-Type, this does more than look the part, with motorsport-inspired upgrades including Ohlins dampers.
Meanwhile, we examine whether rivals should be worried about the new Jeep Renegade 4xe. Where this plug-in hybrid goes, other Jeeps will follow… The Audi A5 Coupe then impresses with cool technology, while the all-electric E-Tron Sportback gets driven on UK roads for the first time.
The X7 is not a BMW for which enthusiasts readily fall but, having now subjected the top-billing X7 M50i to the Autocar road test, we don’t imagine owners will care.
-Features-
Take a V8, add three electric motors and what do you get? You get 986bhp in the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. Which makes us wonder what innovations in hybrid and electric powertrains mean for the future of the modern supercar. Andrew Frankel shares his thoughts.
Following his recent advice to new Mercedes CEO Tobias Moers, Steve Cropley pens another open letter - this time to JLR’s new boss Thierry Bolloré, to give his view on what to do with the company.
Finally, we round up the lap times of the fastest production cars in the world - or at least those we’ve benchmarked on MIRA’s dry handling circuit. Autocar has been testing here for more than 15 years, so there’s plenty of data to drool over.
Opinions
Steve Cropley kicks off his week with a reflection on the shock termination of Lotus and Williams Advanced Engineering’s technical partnership. Then, he pays a visit to outgoing JLR CEO Ralf Speth, where he can’t resist angling for one last fragment of news. Meanwhile, Matt Prior laments the world’s obsession with big, heavy cars that hog space and lack agility relative to lighter peers.
-Deals-
Bye finance, buy used. A succinct framing of James Ruppert’s latest used cars column. In the used buying guide, meanwhile, you don’t have to be mad to buy a British luxury car built in the 1980s - especially not if it's an XJ40-generation Jaguar XJ. Finally, we show you how to buy a newer Jaguar: the XF Sportbrake. Since 2016, the Mk2 has been a fine alternative to an SUV.
-Where to buy-
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