This week, Steve Sutcliffe pits the most talked-about car of the moment – the new Porsche 911 Turbo – against the McLaren MP4-12C, to ascertain just how good the new car from Stuttgart is. As readers will discover, he finds the 911 Turbo to be supremely quick, but not necessarily desirable.
With the Frankfurt motor show now just weeks away, the news pages are jam-packed with new car reveals, including the incredible Peugeot 208 FE concept, which achieves 0-62mph in 8.0sec but emits just 49g/km of CO2 thanks to its Le Mans-derived technology. We also reveal the Volkswagen Golf R-baiting Peugeot 308 R, extreme Ferrari 458 Speciale and European-spec Kia Soul. One further major reveal must remain under embargo for now.
Other news highlights include a new shot of the Jaguar SUV undergoing testing, giving the first indications of its dimensions, plus first details on the new Seat Ibiza Cupra, and official details on the Cadillac Elmiraj.
Our first drives and tests section is equally packed, and headed by two equally intriguing but ultimately very different cars. We sample the new Tesla Model S in the UK for the first time, learning how it can rival the BMW 7-series and Audi A8 for sales in the US, and also put the BMW M3-rivalling Alpina B3 turbo through its paces in the full road test.
First drives this week also include the Range Rover Hybrid, Audi S3 Sportback, Porsche 911 Turbo and Skoda Rapid Spaceback, while updates from our long-term test fleet cover our most recent arrival, a used Mazda MX-5, the Range Rover Evoque, Dacia Sandero and Caterham 7.
The tempting but tricky Alfa Romeo 164 is the subject of our used buying guide, where we reveal how it's possible to get a reliable bargain for relatively little outlay. Meanwhile, James Ruppert ponders the joys of owning a Mercedes G-wagen and Lewis Kingston weighs up whether it’s best to spend £23,000 on a new Skoda Octavia vRS or a used and greatly depreciated Lexus IS-F.
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.
Add your comment