This week’s Autocar, dated 7 August 2013, includes a star-spangled line-up of British heavy metal, the likes of which you’ll usually only find at a rock festival in a muddy field somewhere in the Midlands.
Warming things up is an update on the oft-rumoured Jaguar crossover. Autocar has learned that the potentially money-spinning model has been given the green light by JLR bigwigs. There are hopes that it could do for Jag what the Evoque has done for Land Rover, changing perceptions of the company and selling in substantial volumes. There’s also news of another secret Jaguar that’s under consideration.
Second on the bill is a drive in the unhinged Jaguar F-type Project 7. Effectively a ‘skunkworks’ development car, it points the way towards an Jaguar extreme F-type R model that is set to arrive towards the end of the year.
Next, Matt Prior gets physical with the mighty, Aussie-bred Vauxhall VXR8. Although it may not feel as sophisticated as German rivals such as the BMW M5, it is an absolute belter to drive and doesn’t want for power or attitude.
Then, the headlining act, and they literally do not come much bigger than this: a full road test of the Bentley Flying Spur. Our team of road testers offers the most thorough assessment of the lavish £140k limo – and not just from the rear seat, from where most well heeled owners prefer to be ferried about.
Also in the issue, we lift the lid on the secrets of security driving, and the skills the police use to capture suspects who are desperately attempting to drive their way to freedom. (Warning: trying these techniques on the M40 during rush hour is generally frowned upon.)
Dutch supercar maker Spyker has been back in the news recently after announcing plans for a new compact sportscar, the B6 Venator, at the Geneva motor show. We catch up with company boss Victor Muller to find out where Spyker has been for the past couple of years and hear his vision for the future.
It has been an exciting week for our long-term fleet. We’ve added a second used car to the line-up, one that is as equally distinctive as James Ruppert’s ‘Shed Seven’ BMW 7-series. We now have a 2005 Land Rover Defender 90 in XS trim that is in Matt Prior’s ownership. This week’s issue also has the latest developments in the lives of our McLaren 12C, Ford Fiesta ST and Renault Clio.
Our used buying guide provides a host of hints and tips for acquiring a Mk5 Volkswagen Golf for as little as £2500, while James Ruppert sheds some light on the best second-hand small cars on the market.
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.
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