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Everything you need to know about cars this week: 12 Jul '20
The latest on the Lotus Evija, plus a new limited-edition Lambo and we drive the finished Polestar 2
Quicker than a Chiron? The latest on the Lotus Evija
"So, 0-62mph? For Lotus, the game has moved on. Its claim of 0-124mph in under six seconds is ridiculous, but Ferrari’s SF90 (6.7secs) is in that ballpark, and it actually lags fractionally behind the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport (5.9secs). But from there upwards nothing road legal can touch it. The Bugatti takes another 6.5secs to reach 186mph. The Evija gets there from 124mph in less than half that time. Three seconds flat to do 200-300kmh, nine seconds in total from 0-186mph."
Advertisement - Page continues belowAston Martin’s gadget-packed £3.3m DB5 is complete
"If you need a recap, Aston’s continuation DB5 is basically a brand-new replica of the DB5 that appeared in Goldfinger, and Aston is going to great lengths – working alongside Bond production company EON – to ensure it has a full suite of gadgets."
The Skoda Octavia vRS comes in petrol, diesel or hybrid flavour
"Don’t want a plug-in hybrid? We have good news – Skoda has today confirmed it will sell you a vRS with a conventional petrol or diesel engine. The former gets the ubiquitous VW Group 2.0-litre turbo, which makes the exact same 242bhp as the hybrid."
Advertisement - Page continues belowDarth Vader* might help you lap a Rimac C_Two like a pro
"Rimac’s incoming C_Two – an electric hypercar with 1,887bhp and the ability to go from 0-62mph in 1.97s – will quite literally talk to you. Tell you what it needs. How to best explore its limits. Perhaps one day, it’ll laugh at other primitive hyperthings that merely coach their drivers using a variety of tyre squeals and smoke signals. It will pity them."
Ford Fiesta ST Mountune m235 review: 232bhp Fiesta tested
"The m235 kit doesn’t totally transform the ST – it’s not night-and-day different – but you certainly notice the extra pace. This is a prodigiously, amusingly quick car that pulls cleanly and doggedly through each of its six forward gears. It feels meaningfully brawnier than stock, with enough low-down shove that you could easily leave in third and still make rapid progress cross-country."
Review: Skoda Octavia Estate
"Not as much fun as a Focus Estate, but more comfortable, practical and very well thought out. Looks the part, too."
This is Morgan’s last ever steel chassis
"Most cars are replaced after six or seven years. Occasionally, the chassis that underpins them will continue for another generation or two. But Morgan’s definition of ‘another generation or two’ is predictably different to everyone else’s."
Advertisement - Page continues belowThis is the new Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept
"Interesting looking thing, isn’t it? Audi says that this is 90 per cent similar to what the production car will look like – only the door handles (of which there are currently none), the bumpers and the wheels will change. That means the chunky wheel arches are here to stay, as is the slightly odd-looking spoiler protruding from the chopped roof. Marks out of ten?"
Review: Polestar 2
"One of the most complete electric cars money can buy. Superb build quality, and decent to drive."
Advertisement - Page continues belowSurprise! The new Mercedes S-Class has a massive touchscreen
"Yep – the new S-Class is going to be a veritable tech fest, with a gigantic 12.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system at its core. And no physical climate controls, because it’s 2020 and apparently those aren’t allowed anymore."
Fernando Alonso is returning to Formula 1
"It’s official – Fernando Alonso is returning to Formula 1 in 2021. He’s replacing Daniel Ricciardo at Renault, the same team with which the now 39-year-old Spaniard won two World Championships in 2005 and 2006."
The Seat El-Born is now an electric Cupra hot hatch
"Welcome, internet, to the brave new world of the electric hot hatchback. This is the Cupra El-Born, and it’s exciting for a couple of reasons. One, it’s the first hot hatch spun from the Volkswagen ID.3’s platform. You’d expect plenty of others will follow. Two, it’s proof the Cupra line up is going to be about so much more than SUVs."
Say hello to the Lamborghini Sián Roadster
"Want some headlines? Course you do. The Sián Roadster is technically the same as the standard car, meaning it uses the same 6.5-litre nat-asp V12 as the Aventador, but uprated to 774bhp at a screaming 8,500 rpm. Said V12 is augmented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, which uses a small electric motor incorporated into the gearbox. As well giving a 33bhp power boost – taking the Sián Roadster up to 807bhp – it means the hypercar can reverse and manoeuvre its way around a car park without the engine running."
America is getting a 250bhp turbocharged Mazda 3
"The company’s US division will soon start offering the 3 with a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making a handy 250bhp and 320lb ft – 73bhp better off and with almost twice as much torque as the most powerful 3 we get here in the UK. Sounds interesting. Especially with standard all-wheel drive."
The 10 best cars to take to a drive-in movie
"What better way to swan past all the traditional problems of cinemas and neatly swerve the new, faintly titanic problem of social distancing in a room full of people than loading up the car with an ice box full of goodies and reclining in the insulated, private sphere of your pride and joy? Well, that’s easy – if your pride and joy also happens to be one of these 10 cars."
Review: Eagle Lightweight GT
"It’s sublime, a rolling sculpture that stays with you for a very long time afterwards"
How cool is this safari spec Nissan GT-R?
"Classic Youngtimers has fitted new suspension too, so the R35 gets 12cm more ground clearance than standard. Oh, and the 3.8-litre V6 has been fettled to produce 600bhp. Lovely."
Mercedes GLB 220d driven: roomy seven-seat baby Benz SUV tested
"The odd-proportioned boxy styling is definitely riffing on Mercedes’ luxury army tank, but the GLB isn’t in fact just another jumped-up shopping hatch that’s donned some plastic wheelarches to fool school run dads into a Touching The Void mindset. It’s a less cynical, more useful bit of kit. "
Toyota is building brand-new parts for the 2000GT
"Sadly only 337 2000GTs were ever built, so keeping them on the road is priority number one for Toyota. The new parts – which seem to be transmission and differential-related for now – will be distributed worldwide by Toyota dealers, although you’ll have to prove you own a 2000GT before they let you buy anything."
Rolls-Royce’s new special edition is too confusing for our tiny minds
"Just 50 examples of the Kryptos Collection will be built and running through the car is an encrypted cipher that hides a series of messages for the owner to uncover. Check out that pattern underneath the Spirit of Ecstasy and on the headrests – that’s a secret code known only to Rolls’ CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös and the designer responsible for this whole creation - Katrin Lehmann."
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