COMMENT

NEW PETROL CARS ARE STILL STIRRING THE SOUL

It ’s a big week for new EVs with our first drive of the new Ford Capri (p24) and Mini Aceman (p32), both of which are likely to be fruitful for their makers.

But despite these important models, it ’s great to see firms still committed to exciting combustion cars. Without giving away everything, road test editor Matt Saunders describes the new V12 Aston Martin Vanquish (p20) as having “titanic pace, rawness and savagery”. Meanwhile, road tester Illya Verpraet muses the merits of the latest BMW M5 (p28), which, yes, does have electric aid but still uses a 4.4-litre twinturbo V8 to generate a staggering 717bhp. Then there’s the slightly more sensible, revised Audi RS3 (p27), which associate editor James Attwood calls a “vibrant and rapid hot hatch”.

These are all standout cars in their own right, but collectively – alongside the fascinating triple test of a Maserati MC20, Alpine A110 and Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (p42) – what strikes me is that we progressive petrolheads are perhaps exactly where we had hoped to be.

There are increasing numbers of EVs – largely because legislation has dictated that is the way to address environmental concerns – but we still have these thrilling, combustion-engined cars in the mix for those who want them. Could we ask for more at this stage?

Rachel Burgess, magazine editor rachel.burgess@haymarket.com

Meanwhile, online…

autocar.co.uk

Audi Q6 E-tron Sportback The Sportback version of the Audi Q6 E-tron could be the closest we’ll get to an electric TT. Felix Page explains why.

Forgotten American cars Churchill said history was written by the victors, and judging by this list, he was right. If you know all 40, you are a proper car geek.

Old and new ’Mogs driven We’re edging into winter, but instead of cosying up by the fi re and eating soup, we’re driving Unimogs. Watch Matt Prior here.

20 ASTON MARTIN’S V12 VANQUISH RATED

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Issue 6643 | Volume 322 | No 8

NEWSVolvo ES90 leads new-tech EV blitz 4 Last rites read for 911 GT3’s atmo six 8 Incentives boost EV sales in Europe 10 Jaguar builds ‘new’ E-Types 12 Merc: recycling won’t end mining 14 FIRST DRIVES Aston Martin Vanquish 20 Ford Capri 24 Audi RS3 27 BMW M5 28 Mini Aceman 32 ROAD TEST Porsche Taycan Turbo S 34 FEATURESA110vs Giulia QV vs MC20 42 Tax benefits of EVs explored 50 McLaren P1 tech secrets (in Lego) 54 LONG-TERMERSMG 4 Trophy Extended Range 56 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 58 COLUMNSJesseCrosse 11 Mark Tisshaw 13 Steve Cropley 15 Matt Prior 16 Damien Smith 17 Testing, testing 41 Why I love… 74 EVERY WEEK Your Views 18 Lost in the archive 65 Road test results 67 USED CARS Peugeot 3008 buying guide 60 My car & I 62 Caught in the classifieds 63

28 FIRST DRIVE: MIGHTY PLUG-IN BMW M5

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