32

‘The EQB looks a little like a shrunken G Class in a space suit’

THIS WEEK

Issue 6515 | Volume 312 | No 8

NEWS

Volkswagen ID 4 saloon Liftback to take on Model 3 4 Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro Track-only hypercar 8 Morgan’s bright future New boss reveals strategy 10 Small Mercs under threat CEO ponders their future 12 Ineos Grenadier Radical UK dealership plan revealed 14

TESTED

BMW XM Think of it as an ‘X8’ on M division steroids 24 Lucid Air E-Class-sized £131k saloon – with 1111bhp 28 Volkswagen Multivan 2.0 TSI New-generation MPV 30 Volkswagen Polo GTI Big engine for hot supermini 31 Voyah Free BMW iX3 rival from new premium brand 31 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4Matic ROAD TEST 32

FEATURES Snow drift Sideways on ice in an Audi EV, for science 42 Yasa, I can boogie The UK firm Merc has just bought 48 Old taxis never die Weird new lives for old black cabs 52 Jaguar XJ220 Landmark supercar reappraised 54

OUR CARS Land Rover Defender Living with it: the final verdict 62 Skoda Kodiaq Time to give it a serious lifestyle test 64 Ford Puma ST How to have fun on a city ring road 65

EVERY WEEK Jesse Crosse Heart of glass: recycling windscreens 11 Matt Prior You might be surprised who owns an Imp 13 Jim Holder Are the Ford Fiesta’s days numbered? 17 Steve Cropley An emotional evening at our awards 19 Damien Smith Tony Brooks remembered; WSeries 20 Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits 22 Autocar Archive Access 125 years of issues for free 40 Your Views Write-offs ; GR86 sell-out; Euro NCAP 58 On this day Cars for the economic downturn, in 1972 61 Slideshow The greatest supercars they never made 82

DEALS

James Ruppert A6; Astra Twintop; C2; Mk1 Punto 66 Cult hero Why the Citroën C6 is a collector’s item 68 As good as new The Audi Q2 is now a half-price hero 70 Take it or leave it Fiesta ST200; Conti; Stelvio; Golf 71 New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos 72 Road test index Track down that road test here 81

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IMAGE

WATCH OUT, TESLA: VW PLOTS MODEL 3 RIVAL 4

WE UNPICK EV TECH THAT LETS YOU DO THIS 42

XJ220 IN 2022: JAG’S SUPERCAR REVISITED 54

COVER STORY

❝FIND YOURSELF THE SPACE AND THERE IS A RARE DRIVING EXPERIENCE TO BE HAD HERE❞

ANDREW FRANKEL DRIVES THE VERY XJ220 WE ROAD TESTED (AND CRASHED) IN 1993 54

COMMENT

HOW UK TECH IS DRIVING THE EV REVOLUTION

ONE PERCEIVED issue with EVs is that with very similar batteries and motors, the cars will all be essentially the same, with only power outputs and range to separate them. That puts more pressure on designers than engineers to help buyers distinguish one model from another. One UK company, Yasa, is already proving otherwise. Its revolutionary technology, which makes electric motors not only lighter and more powerful but also more effi cient, has already been adopted by Ferrari and Koenigsegg, but so quickly is it advancing its technology that it has now been snapped up for exclusive use by Mercedes, as we detail this week on p48.

In this rapidly changing automotive landscape, it is vital that the UK develops skills in new areas such as electric motors, batteries and software if it is to retain its hard-fought and long-standing position and reputation as a maker of truly desirable and innovative cars. The best cars and automotive technology developed in Britain have always had an extra special something, and companies such as Yasa, spearheaded by the genius Tim Woolmer (remember the name), show that this should long continue. Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com

@mtisshaw

BMW’S 643BHP PLUG IN HYBRID XM DRIVEN 24

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