Autocar magazine 30 October preview

Autumn is officially here, which means several things: the clocks have gone back, inclement weather is sending the transport network into meltdown and Christmas adverts are taking over the mainstream media.

Most importantly, though, it’s the time of year when Autocar embarks on its annual quest to determine Britain’s Best Driver’s Car.

The concept is simple: our five judges gather together some of the most exhilarating cars currently on sale, drive them on road and thrash them on track and, through a process of elimination, determine which of them offers the best blend of power, poise and that unexplainable x-factor that distinguishes Britain’s Best Driver’s Car from the also-rans.

So can the tried-and-trusted Ariel Atom eclipse Radical’s brand new Radical RXC coupé? Does the Ford Fiesta ST have sufficient pluck to out-smart the more powerful Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and last year’s winner, the Toyota GT86? And what will triumph in the heavy-hitting duel between Porsche’s 911 GT3 and Ferrari F12?

The answers to those questions, plus a host of statistics and behind-the-scenes revelations, are contained in our 21-page Britain’s Best Driver’s Car special in this week’s issue, dated 30 October 2013.

Elsewhere in the issue, the Suzuki S-Cross is subjected to the in-depth scrutiny from our expert road test team, and we assess Caterham’s new entry-level Seven, the 160.

It is said that all good things must come to an end, and this week we bid farewell to the McLaren 12C that’s been part of our lives for one glorious summer. Our final report determines whether Woking’s supercar proved to be usable on a day-to-day basis.

Our Used Buying Guide serves up hints and tips on acquiring an Audi S3, a car we admired when it first came onto the market in 2006. More than half a decade on, it now represents a very good (if slightly pricey) second-hand purchase, which can be found for £10,500.

Autocar magazine is available through all good newsagents, and available to download from Zinio and the Apple iTunes store.

You can also buy one-off copies of Autocar magazine from Newsstand, delivered to your door the morning after.