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FIRST FOR NEWS AND REVIEWS EVERY WEEK How to get Autocar magazine amid Covid-19 With more need than ever for engaging, entertaining magazines, we plan to ensure that Autocar will continue to be published in print every Wednesday. You should continue to find copies in supermarkets and other shops each week, so you can grab the latest issue while doing your essential food shopping. We have also prepared some special offers for both print and digital subscriptions to Autocar, so you can continue to receive every issue without leaving your home. For all our best subscription offers, visit themagazineshop.com To receive six print issues for £6, or a six-issue print and digital bundle for £8.50, visit themagazineshop.com/aca/easms20c Autocar is available digitally on: ● Apple’s App Store ● Exact Editions ● Google Play Store ● Readly ● Zinio Simply search for ‘Autocar magazine’ on your device. Date: 29.Jan 2021 13:34:07 DRIVEN BMW’S BRILLIANT HOT HATCH FIRST FOR NEWS AND REVIEW FIRST FOR NEWS AND REVIEWS EVERY WEEK FIRST FOR NEWS AND REVIEWS EVERY WEEK EXCLUSIVE Est. Est.1895|autocar.co.uk|3February2021 t. 1895|autocar.co.uk|3 February 2021 It’s theGolfGTI’sworstnightmare LOTUS LOTUSREINVENTED NO MORE FALSE DAWNS 2SPORTSCARS, 1SUVThey’regoingafterPorsche We remain committed to bringing you the best motoring magazine every week, to help keep you entertained at this difficult time. 3 F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 | C u p r a F o r m e n t o r The Esprit is back! Radical lightweight EV New Macan rival tweight EV rival NEW CUPRA ROAD TEST IMAGE TVR SAGARIS BUYING GUIDE AnSUVyou’ll lovedriving Pricey, risky…and a riot SOS: JAGUAR NEEDS SAVING TESLA REWRITES THE RULES (AGAIN) SECRET ASTONS CA CARSOF THEOTHERQBRANCH 3 –10 February 2021 £3.80
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71 ‘I seriously wondered if I was using more power to heat it than to move it’ THIS WEEK Issue 6449 | Volume 307 | No 7 NEWS Audi E-tron GT Taycan EV sibling has up to 637bhp 6 DS 4 French alternative to posh hatches and SUVs 10 Mercedes-Benz C-Class We ride in the all-new Mk5 12 EVs face eco scrutiny How green are they in reality? 14 Supercars feel the heat Demand wanes, prices fall 16 TESTED Vauxhall Mokka Reinvented and now with EV option 22 Audi E-tron S Sportback Hot three-motor drivetrain 27 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Revamped for 2021 29 MK Indy RX-5 Turbo MX-5-based DIY light roadster 29 Range Rover Evoque P300e ROAD TEST 30 FEATURES BMW 128ti vs rivals Focus ST, Mégane RS square up 40 World view Winners and losers of the 2020 chaos 46 Farewell, Elise Andrew Frankel delivers the eulogy 50 Mixed grille BMW designers on bold new front look 56 Phil Hanson Britain’s rising star in sports car racing 65 OUR CARS Volkswagen Golf Newcomer faces high expectations 70 Mercedes-Benz EQC EV life in the cold light of day 71 Ford Puma Now that’s a really good feature, isn’t it? 73 EVERY WEEK Jesse Crosse Century-old tech finally comes good 15 Jim Holder UK public charging network in the dock 17 Steve Cropley Name suggestions for new Lotuses 19 Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits 38 Damien Smith Tom Ingram on BTCC bid and rivals 62 Motorsport round-up F1, Daytona 24hr, touring cars 63 Your Views Grid concerns, brakes, BMW 4 Series 68 Matt Prior Toyota GT86, 10-car fantasy garage 90 DEALS James Ruppert Sell the MPV: it’s time to be selfish 74 As good as new Latest-shape Audi A8, from £26k 77 Spied in the classifieds XJ220, 928, Clio Williams 78 Used buying guide Ferrari Mondial T for Golf money 80 New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos 82 Road test index Track down that road test here 89 Autocar, ISSN number 1355-8293 (USPS 25185), is published weekly by Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. The US annual subscription price is $199.78. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Autocar, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent. Autocar is published by Haymarket Automotive, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, TW1 3SP, UK, haymarketgroup.com Tel +44 (0)20 8267 5000 Autocar magazine is also published in China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. Autocar is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think we haven’t met those standards and want to make a complaint, contact autocar@haymarket.com. For more information, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk Haymarket is certified by BSI to environmental standard ISO14001 and energy management standard ISO50001 PEFC Certified This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources www.pefc.co.uk TROUBLE FINDING AUTOCAR? If you struggle to find a copy of Autocar in your local retailer or area, please send an email to connor.chappell@flgroup.co.uk who will investigate the problem for you. Autocar is a member of the organising committee of Car Of The Year caroftheyear.org BMW 128ti vs FOCUS ST, MEGANE RS 300 40 VAUXHALL MOKKA E: FIRST DRIVE VERDICT 22 RANGE ROVER EVOQUE PHEV: FULL ROAD TEST 30 COVER STORY ❝RETRO ISN’T NECESSARY. WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIRE BUT NOT WORSHIP THE ASHES❞ BMW DESIGN BOSS ADRIAN VAN HOOYDONK EXPLAINS HIS VISION FOR THE FUTURE 56 AUDI E TRON GT: FULL DETAILS OF HOT EV 6 COMMENT GOOD NEWS STORIES LIFTING THE GLOOM LAST YEAR WAS largely calamitous for new car sales around the world. Yet amid the gloom, there were success stories, as our comprehensive global sales analysis reveals (p46). Stars of the past year include the Land Rover Defender, which confounded any critics of its styling by making a strong start after its rebirth; Bentley, which posted a global sales record despite factory lockdowns; and the Porsche 718 and 911 sports cars, sales of which rose year on year. Who said the sports car was dead? And who can stop Tesla? Sales there were up by over a third to reach record levels once more, with the result that last week even Tesla boss Elon Musk admitted buyers should steer clear of its cars while it ramps up production to avoid any quality control issues (wow!). Perhaps most notable of all was last week’s confirmation that Volvo had the best-selling second half to any year in its history in 2020. The brand has known nothing but success since it was taken over by Geely a decade ago and that success shows no sign of slowing. At this rate, Volvo will soon smash through the annual one million sales barrier, a threefold increase over its 2009 performance. Perhaps best of all, it has shown that chasing the German big three of Audi, BMW and MercedesBenz can produce a great car business as well as great cars. Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com @mtisshaw NEVER NEVER MISS AN ISSUE Subscribe p38 10 FEBRUARY 2021 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5

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71

‘I seriously wondered if I was using more power to heat it than to move it’

THIS WEEK

Issue 6449 | Volume 307 | No 7

NEWS

Audi E-tron GT Taycan EV sibling has up to 637bhp 6 DS 4 French alternative to posh hatches and SUVs 10 Mercedes-Benz C-Class We ride in the all-new Mk5 12 EVs face eco scrutiny How green are they in reality? 14 Supercars feel the heat Demand wanes, prices fall 16

TESTED

Vauxhall Mokka Reinvented and now with EV option 22 Audi E-tron S Sportback Hot three-motor drivetrain 27 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Revamped for 2021 29 MK Indy RX-5 Turbo MX-5-based DIY light roadster 29 Range Rover Evoque P300e ROAD TEST 30

FEATURES BMW 128ti vs rivals Focus ST, Mégane RS square up 40 World view Winners and losers of the 2020 chaos 46 Farewell, Elise Andrew Frankel delivers the eulogy 50 Mixed grille BMW designers on bold new front look 56 Phil Hanson Britain’s rising star in sports car racing 65

OUR CARS Volkswagen Golf Newcomer faces high expectations 70 Mercedes-Benz EQC EV life in the cold light of day 71 Ford Puma Now that’s a really good feature, isn’t it? 73

EVERY WEEK Jesse Crosse Century-old tech finally comes good 15 Jim Holder UK public charging network in the dock 17 Steve Cropley Name suggestions for new Lotuses 19 Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits 38 Damien Smith Tom Ingram on BTCC bid and rivals 62 Motorsport round-up F1, Daytona 24hr, touring cars 63 Your Views Grid concerns, brakes, BMW 4 Series 68 Matt Prior Toyota GT86, 10-car fantasy garage 90

DEALS

James Ruppert Sell the MPV: it’s time to be selfish 74 As good as new Latest-shape Audi A8, from £26k 77 Spied in the classifieds XJ220, 928, Clio Williams 78 Used buying guide Ferrari Mondial T for Golf money 80 New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos 82 Road test index Track down that road test here 89

Autocar, ISSN number 1355-8293 (USPS 25185), is published weekly by Haymarket Media Group, Bridge

House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. The US annual subscription price is $199.78. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd

Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Autocar, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Subscription records are maintained at Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road,

Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent. Autocar is published by Haymarket Automotive, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham, Middlesex,

TW1 3SP, UK, haymarketgroup.com Tel +44 (0)20 8267 5000 Autocar magazine is also published in China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea,

Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.

Autocar is a member of the Independent Press Standards

Organisation (IPSO). We abide by the Editors’ Code of

Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think we haven’t met those standards and want to make a complaint, contact autocar@haymarket.com. For more information, contact

IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

Haymarket is certified by BSI to environmental standard

ISO14001 and energy management standard

ISO50001

PEFC Certified

This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources www.pefc.co.uk

TROUBLE FINDING

AUTOCAR? If you struggle to find a copy of Autocar in your local retailer or area, please send an email to connor.chappell@flgroup.co.uk who will investigate the problem for you.

Autocar is a member of the organising committee of Car Of The Year caroftheyear.org

BMW 128ti vs FOCUS ST, MEGANE RS 300 40

VAUXHALL MOKKA E: FIRST DRIVE VERDICT 22

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE PHEV: FULL ROAD TEST 30

COVER STORY

❝RETRO ISN’T NECESSARY. WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIRE BUT NOT WORSHIP THE ASHES❞

BMW DESIGN BOSS ADRIAN VAN HOOYDONK EXPLAINS HIS VISION FOR THE FUTURE 56

AUDI E TRON GT: FULL DETAILS OF HOT EV 6

COMMENT

GOOD NEWS STORIES LIFTING THE GLOOM

LAST YEAR WAS largely calamitous for new car sales around the world. Yet amid the gloom, there were success stories, as our comprehensive global sales analysis reveals (p46).

Stars of the past year include the Land Rover Defender, which confounded any critics of its styling by making a strong start after its rebirth; Bentley, which posted a global sales record despite factory lockdowns; and the Porsche 718 and 911 sports cars, sales of which rose year on year. Who said the sports car was dead?

And who can stop Tesla? Sales there were up by over a third to reach record levels once more, with the result that last week even Tesla boss Elon Musk admitted buyers should steer clear of its cars while it ramps up production to avoid any quality control issues (wow!).

Perhaps most notable of all was last week’s confirmation that Volvo had the best-selling second half to any year in its history in 2020. The brand has known nothing but success since it was taken over by Geely a decade ago and that success shows no sign of slowing.

At this rate, Volvo will soon smash through the annual one million sales barrier, a threefold increase over its 2009 performance. Perhaps best of all, it has shown that chasing the German big three of Audi, BMW and MercedesBenz can produce a great car business as well as great cars.

Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com

@mtisshaw

NEVER

NEVER MISS AN

ISSUE Subscribe p38

10 FEBRUARY 2021 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5

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