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Everything you need to know about cars this week: 12 Jan '20
Aston announces V12-engined Speedster, Ghosn talks, and much new tech from CES
Japan’s version of Goodwood Revival is awesome
"It’s like Revival, just with less tweed and more pit lane Tai chi. The cars are also more Japanese-centric. But like Revival, they’re next-level awesome and thrashed within an inch of their lives in competitive, noisy racing that leaves all six of your senses tingling."
Advertisement - Page continues belowPorsche 991 production has finally ended
"It’s a notable occasion for an array of reasons. Firstly, the 992 has been in production a year, so that’s quite some overlap between the two. Secondly, the 991 will likely be viewed as quite a transformative chapter in 911 history."
Your Suzuki Jimny can now look like a Ford Bronco
"Remember the catchily named Japanese tuner Dream Automotive Design and Development? It emerged in the 1980s, but more recently shot to our attention by turning new Suzuki Jimnys into baby versions of the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Class."
Advertisement - Page continues belowAston Martin’s flying car looks suspiciously like a helicopter
"Remember when Aston Martin told us about its vision for an electric inter-city personal aircraft? Well… this isn’t it. It isn’t strictly an Aston Martin, in fact. This is a helicopter."
The McLaren Speedtail produces 1,055bhp
"At exactly the moment everyone was wrapping their last few presents and heading down to the pub to see in Christmas, it announced some very startling numbers for its Speedtail hypercar. We don’t understand the logic either."
New year, new mag: TG’s exclusive McLaren Speedtail review
"What’s the best way to begin a new decade? A fresh gym membership? Dry January? Pah, what you really want is the best spot on the sofa and a copy of the brand spanking new January edition of Top Gear Magazine. "
Lamborghini's rear-drive Huracan has a new name
"Based on the Huracan EVO facelift, the RWD is 30bhp healthier than its forebear with a 602bhp total. Still from an entirely turbo-free 5.2-litre engine, you’ll be delighted to know, so all of that power arrives at a doubtless incredible sounding 8,000rpm."
Advertisement - Page continues belowSony has built an electric, autonomous car
"Sony – maker of PlayStations, cameras and other general geekery – has decided to build a car. Surprised? We were too."
The Volkswagen Grand California, fully tested
"This is the VW Grand California. There’s absolutely no point doing a conventional road test with it, because all you need to know is that it’s as topply and ponderous to drive as it is to look at."
Advertisement - Page continues belowThe Cullinan is the fastest-selling Rolls-Royce in history
"Rolls-Royce has told us that its Cullinan, a ‘car’ you will undoubtedly have Opinions on (Mr Harris certainly does), has become the fastest-selling Rolls-Royce motor car in history. That’s… that’s a biggie."
Max Verstappen is staying at Red Bull 'til 2023
"Last month, we brought you Eddie Jordan’s assertion that Lewis Hamilton will move to Ferrari in 2021. Well, one piece of news that helps catalyse that has been confirmed today: Max Verstappen is staying with Red Bull until 2023."
The Mercedes Vision AVTR is definitely not the next S-Class
"In perhaps the unlikeliest partnership since Land Rover’s design boss teamed up with a swimwear company to release a waterproof three-piece suit, Mercedes has jumped into bed with the folks behind 2009’s Avatar and its many forthcoming sequels."
Toyota is building an actual city
"But what exactly, we hear you cry, is the point? Toyota says Woven City will be a 'living laboratory' populated by more than 2,000 people, many of whom will be scientists, engineers and researchers who will use it to 'test and develop technologies such as autonomy, robotics, personal mobility, smart homes and artificial intelligence in a real-world environment'."
Carlos Ghosn makes first public appearance after fleeing Japan
"Ghosn wouldn’t reveal exactly how he fled Japan, but instead spoke at length about the allegations facing him, and the treatment he says he was subjected to in Japan which he said included 130 days in solitary confinement."
This swoopy thing is the Chrysler Airflow Vision Concept
"Impossible wheel design? Check. Full-length light bar? Check. Buttonless, screen filled interior? Check. Welcome to Concept Car Bingo, and of course, the Chrysler Airflow Vision Concept."
Aston Martin is building a 700bhp V12 Speedster
"Aston Martin is making a new car. Unsurprising, given that it’s a carmaker, but specifically here it is making a roofless car in the mould of an old speedster. With a socking great V12 underneath. To avoid any confusion, this new car will be called the Aston Martin V12 Speedster."
Nissan's high-performance twin-motor EV drivetrain is coming
"Developed for maximum stability and smoothness, Nissan says the new setup borrows know-how from the all-wheel drive systems fitted to the GT-R and Patrol SUV."
The Artega Karo-Isetta is a modern-day Bubble Car remake
"The Karo-Isetta can reach 56mph and has a claimed range of over 120 miles – not bad for something designed with the tightest of European city centres in mind. It also now has LED headlights and indicators, as well as a charging socket at the rear in the style of the old Isetta fuel filler cap."
Renntech will boost your AMG A45 S to almost 600bhp
"To squeeze that amount of power from the baby Merc’s 2.0-litre four-pot, there’s an ECU tune, a modified turbocharger and new exhaust system. We’d imagine it also requires plenty of faith in the A45’s eight-speed gearbox and all-wheel drive system."
Renault's new hybrid tech uses Formula 1 expertise
"Renault is close to launching a super-novel hybrid system called E-Tech, developed with engineers from the Formula One power team. It will come as a normal hybrid in the Clio and a plug-in version in the Captur."
This is the maddest Lamborghini you'll see all year
"Turned into a rat rod by French tuning house Danton Art Kustoms in 2018 – to celebrate the Espada’s 50th birthday – it demonstrates a slight departure from the standard car’s languid, classy approach to grand touring. This car will not grand tour."
The Volkswagen Up GTI is now BACK (and more expensive)
"The new Volkswagen Up GTI (or up! as VW insists on badging it) will now cost you just under £16k! That’s roughly a two-grand price hike since we last saw it, but VW is trumpeting the return of its baby hot hatch (which briefly went off sale towards the end of last year) with many exclamation marks, so everything’s all fine!"
Gallery: these are the safest cars you can currently buy
"Cars are getting safer. Of the 55 cars Euro NCAP crashed last year, 41 were judged safe enough to earn the top five-star rating, meaning that a), Euro NCAP needs to rationalise its scoring system and b), if you’re in the market for a brand-new car, when it comes to safety you can’t really go far wrong."
Top Gear’s Top 9: weird ways to change gear edition
"See, instead of paddleshifters, Porsche fitted clicky buttons on each side of the steering wheel. Push either, and the gearbox changed up a gear. Pull either one back, and the gearbox dropped a gear. Apart from letting a driver change gear manually while driving one-handed, the system appeared to offer no real benefit, and everyone found it thoroughly confusing."
Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered review: a 400bhp sports saloon?
"Sure, it looks just like any other Volvo S60 – that is to say, handsome and understated – but unlike any other Volvo S60 it has a very fancy set of toys. Four of them, in fact. Four dampers from Ohlins, which offer up 22 different levels of, well, damping."
The Toyota GR Yaris is a 257bhp rally-rep hot hatch
"Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s motorsport arm, developed the drivetrain to be as light as possible. While 1,280kg is still a big chunk of supermini, it’s impressive for something driving all four wheels, and the GR Yaris will still give hot hatches from the class above a bloody nose."
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