Porsche has laid claim to another record with its 700hp 911 GT2 RS, notching up the fastest production car lap around the Road Atlanta circuit.
Covering the twisting 2.54-mile course in just 1min 24.88sec, the 911 shaved almost 1.7 seconds from the previous record.
This time of 1min 26.54sec was recorded by a Dodge Viper ACR in 2015, as part of an incredible 13 fastest laps achieved by the V10-powered supercar.
We imagine Porsche will be rather pleased with the result, given its North American headquarters are located just 60 miles from Road Atlanta.
Racing driver and writer Randy Pobst was responsible for wrestling the GT2 RS to its latest lap record.
Pobst clearly has form with the car, using it to set new production lap records at both Laguna Seca and Willow Springs International Raceway in 2018.
To validate the authenticity of the lap times, Pobst shared driving duties with professional racing driver David Donohue. The son of motorsport legend Mark Donohue, David has taken time-attack wins for Porsche at the annual Pikes Peak hill climb event.
Powered by a 3.8-litre turbocharged flat-six engine, the GT2 RS was the most powerful road-going Porsche 911 when first introduced in 2017.
A seven-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox is standard, and allows a top speed of 211mph, plus 0-62mph in just 2.8 seconds.
Last year, a modified version of the 911 GT2 RS reclaimed the production lap record at the Nürburgring.
Although now officially out of production, Porsche has had to temporarily restart building the GT2 RS. The unexpected move came following the sinking of a ship carrying four of the £250,000 cars to customers in South America.
The news that the EU will be making speed limiters in new cars mandatory from 2022 has been grabbing the headlines. This is, however, just the tip of the regulatory iceberg. We break down all the mandated changes you can expect to see on brand new cars from 2022 (and all new cars from 2024), including those much-discussed speed limiters…
Speed limiters
Yes, we open with the infamous speed limiters: technology that can read limits and automatically slow the car down as appropriate. Yes, they will come to the UK in spite of Brexit, and no, they won’t be hard limiters. You’ll be able to switch the system off or push through the limiter with a hard press of the accelerator. At least at first. More strict applications could follow in the future.
Automatic emergency braking
This technology is already available in a lot of new cars, either as standard or a cost-option. From 2022, it will be standard fitment on all cars. Automatic emergency braking, or AEB, can brake for you in emergency situations, such as a pedestrian walking out into the road or when a car ahead suddenly slows.
Alcohol interlock installation facilitation
This will prevent drivers from operating a vehicle if they’re over the drink-drive limit. For previous offenders, this could involve breathalysers being installed in their cars so that they can be tested before every drive.
Drowsiness detection
This is a bit more conventional. Some cars, particularly more technologically advanced and upmarket models, have had drowsiness detection for years. It’s become more commonplace of late on lower-end models but as of 2024, all new cars will have it as standard. If you start nodding off behind the wheel, your car is going to notice, and warn you accordingly.
Distraction recognition
Similar to drowsiness detection, distraction detection will monitor if your attention starts moving to things other than driving. No more using your phone on the sly behind the wheel, for example.
Lane-keeping assist
Again, another technology that’s already quite prolific on modern cars. Lane-keeping assist ‘sees’ when you’re straying from your lane, or the direction of the road, and adjusts the steering to keep you on track. Some installations of this system are quite invasive. We hope they’re a bit more refined by the time they’re mandatory in 2024…
Event data recorder
Not unlike a black box in a commercial aircraft, this sort of tech could record every single piece of information about a car from the moments leading up to and during an accident. That means speed, brake pressure, system functions and everything else you can think of. Useful in courts for insurance purposes, among other things.
Direct vision
This mostly pertains to HGVs and buses. New models must have bigger windscreens and side windows for an improved field of vision. This will help drivers see cyclists, pedestrians and other road users much easier. It could literally be a lifesaver for vulnerable road users.
Emergency stop signal
It’s not entirely clear what this entails, though many cars have a form of signalling for a rapid slowdown. At present, if you slam on your brakes, your hazard warning lights flash to warn drivers behind you. It’s a courtesy that’s been made an automatic feature. We imagine the emergency stop signal will be an extension of this.
Head impact zone enlargement
In the name of pedestrian safety, the size and safety of your windscreen glass are going to change on new cars. In theory, new cars and vans after 2022 will have windscreens that offer greater protection in impacts, for when airbags are insufficient. We’re sure car designers may have thoughts on the possible implications of this…
Improved pole side protection
Cars and vans will also have to improve pole side protection. This is the scenario during an NCAP safety test where a car is moved at speed side-on towards a concrete pole, with the impact being more or less in the middle of the car. It is an extremely severe test of vehicle crash-worthiness: making the regulations even stricter could prove challenging to vehicle manufacturers.
Improved seatbelts and occupant protection
This does what it says on the tin. We all use seatbelts and, from 2022 in new cars, they’re set to get better, with the aim of further of improving full-width frontal safety.
Reversing cameras and parking assistance
Yes, reversing cameras as well as parking sensors will be becoming mandatory for all new road vehicles sold after 2024. These systems have been available as options on many cars for some time. Reversing cameras have been mandatory in the United States for some time now.
Tyre pressure monitoring system
Many cars come with this feature but from 2024, all new and heavier vehicles need to come with such systems fitted as standard. That’s vans, trucks and buses, as well as cars.
Vulnerable road user detection and warning
Trucks and buses, as well as being required to have a better field of vision, will also be required to have a vulnerable road user detection system. That could mean cameras, sensors, anything to spot pedestrians, cyclists or otherwise, and alert the operator of the vehicle, thus improving road safety for those outside of vehicles.
“The arrival of the Tesla Model 3 marks the beginning of the long-awaited take off of pure electric cars in the Western hemisphere.” That’s the verdict of JATO, as it releases its latest set of European sales figures.
The Model 3 arrived in Europe in late January – and it’s not yet available in some markets – but the Tesla has had an extraordinary start, cementing itself as Europe’s best-selling EV.
A total of 3,630 Models 3s were registered in the first full month on the market, as the latest Tesla leapfrogged the likes of the Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf and BMW i3.
Interestingly, the Model 3 also finished top of JATO’s premium mid-size saloon chart, ahead of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. Of course, the novelty factor plays a part in its early success, so it will be interesting to see if it can maintain this early momentum.
Dream of ‘SUV-isation’
“Its long-term success in the coming months will depend on how fast its European rivals react and bring their own midsize electric cars to the market. We already saw the Polestar 2 in Geneva, but it won’t arrive before 2020,” said JATO’s Felipe Munoz.
“Considering this, the Model 3’s priority will be to compete with the electric SUVs like the Jaguar I-Pace, Audi E-Tron and the upcoming Mercedes EQC. The EV market is not exempt from the ‘SUV-isation’ of the industry.
“Although SUVs are slightly more expensive, the trend now indicates that the hot-selling vehicles in the world are not sedans, but their SUV rivals.”
“We’ve seen too many examples of cars being stolen in seconds from driveways,” said Thatcham Research chief technical officer Richard Billyeald.
Any vehicle tested in the new Thatcham Research Security Rating that has a vulnerable keyless start system “will automatically not achieve the best rating”.
New cars slammed for keyless car theft
In March 2020, Thatcham Research tested seven new cars and assessed them for vehicle security both with and without factoring in keyless entry weaknesses.
All seven cars were rated ‘good’ or better when keyless systems weren’t factored in.
However, the DS3 Crossback, Mazda 3, Toyota RAV4 and Volvo S60 (pictured below) were all downgraded to ‘poor’ once keyless entry and start vulnerabilities were included.
The BMW 7 Series, BMW X7 and Porsche 911 all scored ‘superior’ ratings both before and after their keyless entry performance was assessed.
The tests come as new figures show theft claims are running at their highest rate since 2012. “These figures demonstrate why the automotive industry must move to secure keyless entry and start systems,” said Thatcham Research chief technical officer Richard Billyeald.
Motion sensor fobs
The BMW and Porsche models kept their superior ratings because their keyfobs are equipped with motion sensing technology. After a short period of not being moved, the keyfob goes into ‘sleep’ mode.
This means car thieves with a ‘relay attack’ kit can’t boost the communication range of the fob and enter the vehicle.
“We’re seeing solutions applied to some cars; let’s see them applied to all.”
How to prevent keyless car theft
Motoring Research has written about how to prevent keyless car theft. Thatcham’s Billyeald reiterated some of our advice, saying that “owners can protect their fob with a faraday shielding pouch”.
Some fobs can also be turned off overnight, such as the Mazda 3 assessed in the latest round of tests.
But as keyless systems are often optional, “buyers need to understand that they could raise the theft risk profile of their new car by ticking that box”.
To be certain of preventing keyless car theft, it seems, means not having a keyless entry system in the first place…
Laurenz Gerger, adviser to the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said he hoped the latest security results will encourage both manufactures and motorists to take action against “the growing issue of keyless car crime.
“Thatcham’s ratings show that, for many vehicles, there’s still a long way to go to reduce the £1.2 million that is currently paid out every day for all car thefts.”
Mike Hawes, chief executive of automotive industry trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said: “Vehicle manufacturers are continually investing and developing new security features – including motion sensing key fobs and other technologies – to try and stay one step ahead of criminals, which is an ongoing and extremely costly battle.
“There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution and brands will have their own individual strategies to combat vehicle theft with lead-times to engineer, test and source new countermeasures varying across the industry.
“Ultimately, however, technology can only do so much and this is why industry continues to call for action to prevent the open sale of devices used by criminals to steal cars.”
New sleep mode helps fight keyless car theft
In late 2019, six newly introduced models gained ‘superior’ ratings. These are the Audi A6 Allroad, BMW 1 Series, BMW 8 Series, BMW X6, Ford Puma and Volkswagen Passat.
The Audi, BMW, Ford and Volkswagen all improve their security rating by being available with ‘sleeping’ motion-sensitive key fobs.
A ‘sleeping’ key fob only activates when it senses movement. Previously, keys constantly emitted a signal, allowing hackers to ‘hijack’ this to unlock and start cars. A ‘sleeping key’ left in your house shouldn’t fall prey to hackers.
“The models rated from Audi, BMW, Ford and Volkswagen not only have strong all-round security but have also made motion sensor enabled fobs available as standard when buyers opt for keyless entry and start,” said Richard Billyeald, chief technical officer at Thatcham Research.
“It’s positive news for consumers that carmakers, in increasing measure, are making this fix available.”
‘A fundamental security flaw remains’
However, what isn’t known is exactly how long it takes a key you’ve put down to go into ‘sleep mode’.
“We advise consumers to check how long it takes before the sleep mode on their keyless fob is engaged. Some fobs go to sleep in one or two minutes, others in 15 or even as long as 30 minutes.”
For those without fobs that have this update, or if you’re still worried, there are a number of other options. A ‘Faraday pouch’ has a similar effect, making sure the signal can’t get out.
Stolen in seconds: keyless new cars that fail security tests
While this ‘fix’ is rolling out now, there are a lot of cars still at risk. Even the sleeping key is described as more of a short-term fix, given the time it takes to enter ‘sleep mode’.
“The motion sensor fob is a good short-term option,” said Billyeald, “but the goal for carmakers must be to design out the vulnerability entirely. Until then, a fundamental security flaw remains.”
New Security Rating test launched
Thatcham Research launched the new Security Rating test in March 2019. Shortly after, it upgraded a car it originally slammed as ‘Poor’ in its new vehicle security test after the manufacturer provided ‘clarification’ to the British testing agency.
The Porsche Macan, was boosted up to a top-ranking ‘Superior’ score, thanks to new information from Porsche Cars GB around the specification of a motion sensor function on the key fob.
However, a seventh car, the Suzuki Jimny, remains damned as ‘Unacceptable’ in the 2019 Thatcham Research Security Rating though – despite NOT having a keyless entry system.
“We are pleased to be able to rate the Porsche Macan as having ‘Superior’ security following clarification from Porsche Cars GB,” said Thatcham’s chief technical officer Richard Billyeald.
Thatcham Research Security Rating
The categories in Thatcham’s new vehicle theft test are Superior, Good, Basic, Poor and Unacceptable.
Car (2019 model year)
Security Rating
Audi e-tron
Superior
Ford Mondeo
Poor
Hyundai Nexo
Poor
Jaguar XE
Superior
Kia Proceed
Poor
Lexus UX
Poor
Mercedes-Benz B-Class
Superior
Porsche Macan
Superior (updated from Poor on 26 March 2019)
Range Rover Evoque
Superior
Suzuki Jimny
Unacceptable
Toyota Corolla
Poor
Every car in the first round of tests was assessed with a keyless go system, even if it was optional. Ironically, said Billyeald, most of the cars that received a ‘Poor’ rating would have achieved at least a ‘Good’ score had their keyless entry systems not been susceptible to the Relay Attack.
Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz were, in contrast, praised by Thatcham. Their keyless entry systems either have the latest, more secure wireless technology, or use key fobs that go to sleep when idle. “This demonstrates that there are solutions and fixes to the problem.”
‘Signpost to thieves’
The SMMT has responded by arguing Thatcham’s new consumer guidance system has been developed in isolation – and is at odds with the organisations’ own insurance classification.
“It does not compare like with like,” said Hawes, “it confuses rather than simplifies a very complex issue and will not help consumers”.
Worryingly, argued Hawes, the new system could actually give a signpost to thieves that could increase the risk of targeted criminal activity.
“This is not the rigorous professional approach to evaluation that industry has come to expect from Thatcham.”
McLaren’s Senna supercar has been recreated in Lego – and the result is genuinely jaw-dropping.
The 1:1 scale model consists of 467,854 bricks and took a team of 42 Lego specialists nearly 5,000 hours to assemble. Compare that to the 300 hours McLaren needs to hand-build the real thing.
At 1,700kg, the Lego Senna is also 500kg heavier than the flyweight original.
Open the dihedral doors and you’ll discover an interior with genuine Senna hardware, including the steering wheel, pedals and carbon fibre driving seat. The badges and Pirelli tyres are also pukka McLaren parts.
The lights and infotainment both work, while pushing the start button in the roof simulates the sound of an 800hp V8 erupting to life.
The car’s Victory Grey with orange exterior colour scheme replicates the 219-piece, Lego Speed Championsedition Senna model, which is already on sale.
This is the second full-size McLaren made from Lego; the first was a 720S, built two years ago. However, the Senna uses nearly twice as many bricks.
Fans of Lego and McLaren will be able to see the model at various events this summer, including the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
We’ll leave the final word to MR’s Richard Aucock, who drove the Senna in 2018:
Hours after driving it, my hands were still shaking. I couldn’t sleep that night through thinking about it. I had wondered how McLaren could justify calling a car ‘Senna’. Now I knew. And I don’t think any car will feel quite the same again.
It’s Britain’s longest numbered road – and arguably its most famous – but the A1 just got a little bigger, thanks to the completion of works that are part of the £1.5 billion project to upgrade the A14 in Cambridgeshire.
Yesterday, Highways England finished work on widening 3.5 miles of the A1, with drivers free to enjoy three lanes of fresh asphalt and a 70mph speed limit. Highways England says it will benefit 31,000 drivers who use the stretch of road every day.
The A14 Cambridgeshire to Huntingdon project is the country’s biggest road upgrade and is now more than halfway through construction. The work is expected to be completed and the road fully opened by the end of 2020.
Highways England executive director for major projects and capital portfolio management Peter Mumford said: “Today is a great step forward for people living, working and driving in and around Cambridgeshire as we open the first section of this ground-breaking road upgrade.
“The A14 sets the standard for how Highways England is delivering the first class infrastructure that the country needs to be successful, and it is great to see this new section of the A1 opening for traffic. It is just a taste of the huge benefits that the A14 upgrade will bring.”
The A14 meets the A1 at Brampton in Cambridgeshire, and Highways England has widened it from two lanes to three in both directions between Alconbury and Buckden, and built a redesigned junction at Brampton Hut.
Up on the A1
At 410 miles, the A1 is Britain’s longest road, connecting London to Edinburgh, and it has been the subject of books and television programmes, as well as being celebrated in song by rock band Jethro Tull.
While Ian Anderson didn’t provide a comment about this latest news, Councillor Ian Bates, Cambridgeshire County Council’s chairman of the economy and environment committee, said: “This is more great news for the residents and drivers of Cambridgeshire and another milestone achievement.
“These improvements to the A1, between Alconbury and Buckden, will provide a smooth link into the A14, avoiding the Brampton Hut roundabout, and improve journey times.”
Mercedes-Benz has announced a competition which seeks new and innovative gaming experiences to revolutionise in-car entertainment.
With the onward move towards autonomous vehicles, Mercedes-Benz is looking at how to entertain passengers, and now drivers, with nothing to do. Seemingly just playing Candy Crush or Angry Birds on your phone is not going to be enough in the self-driving future.
Instead, Mercedes wants developers to create ideas which will completely immerse players in games, and even make use of the vehicle itself to add to the engagement.
Push start to play
For instance, who hasn’t got behind the wheel of a stationary car and imagined themselves driving in some kind of race?
Employees at Mercedes-Benz clearly have, as they used the new CLA to demonstrate the idea of networked electronics and immersive gaming at the recent Mobile World Congress.
The CLA featured an installation of the game SuperTuxKart, which could be viewed on the in-car display screens. More impressively, players could actually control and play the game using the steering wheel and pedals to navigate.
Ready, Player One?
Mercedes-Benz wants developers to go even further though. Suggestions including use the air conditioning to simulate slipstream effects, or using ambient lighting to change the mood and atmosphere.
The company also wants ideas that could be applied to more than just cars. Bus passengers could play a cooperative challenge game on their journey via smartphone apps, with the idea that a regular commute can “become a journey into another world”.
Open from the 22nd March to 16th May 2019, gamers, students, and designers all invited to submit their ideas via the In-Car Gaming Challenge website.
Winners will receive tickets to eSports events, cash prizes, and the ultimate opportunity to have their idea made into a real game.
In Ferrari’s words, the P80/C is a “Hero Car”. An “absolutely unique” car inspired by two greats from Ferrari’s past: the 330 P3/P4 and the Dino 206 S. And we do mean unique – this is a very special Ferrari one-off indeed.
It was built at the behest of a Ferrari client – “a great connoisseur of the Ferrari world” – who wanted a modern sports prototype that tipped its hat to the two models of old.
Work began in 2015, making the P80/C project the longest in the history of bespoke Ferraris. As a track-only car, Ferrari was free to push the boundaries further than had it been designed for road use, but we suspect the client had rather exacting requirements. The process involved introducing features to “guarantee a captivating marriage of style, technical prowess and aerodynamics,” says Ferrari.
The 488 GT3 racer was chosen as the donor, not only for its performance, but also for its longer wheelbase, which allowed greater freedom. This is immediately evident from the front, with the P80/C boasting a sharp, wedge-like design, complete with a menacing front splitter.
Ferrari says the aerodynamics are inspired by the T-wing that appeared on its F1 cars in 2017. This, combined with a host of other tweaks, means that aerodynamic efficiency is up by five percent over the 488 GT3. The paint, in case you were wondering, is Rosso Vero.
Other highlights include the headlights, which are reminiscent of the air intake housings in the grille of the 330 P3/P4, and the visor-effect cockpit – a nod to the Dino and the 250 LM Berlinettas.
At the rear, Ferrari has used more trickery to create taillights that have the look of air vents, while the rear fascia leaves the running gear entirely visible. A view like this just shouldn’t be legal in this politically-correct day and age.
“At the client’s request, the car was designed with a dual soul: a racing set-up, which includes quite a showy carbon-fibre wing and 18” single-nut wheels, and an exhibition package complete with 21” wheels but devoid of aerodynamic appendages, to highlight the purity of its forms,” says Ferrari.
The interior is similar to the 488 GT3 donor car, albeit with a roll cage integrated into the bodywork, redesigned side sections of the dashboard and carbon-fibre door panels.
Ferrari hasn’t divulged the performance figures – or indeed the price tag – but we suspect everything will fall into the ‘extreme’ category. A four-year project that pushes the boundaries of the world’s most famous supercar company won’t come cheap.
Keep an eye open for it on the private race tracks of the world. In the meantime, check out these photos of yet another Ferrari you’ll never be able to buy.
The announcement was made on the 60th anniversary of the three-point safety belt – one of Volvo’s gifts to the automotive world – which it says has saved more than a million lives globally.
In launching Project E.V.A. – that’s ‘Equal Vehicles for All’ – Volvo says it intends to share 60 years of safety research to make motoring safer for everyone.
“We have data on tens of thousands of real-life accidents, to help ensure our cars are as safe as they can be for what happens in real traffic,” said Lotta Jakobsson, professor and senior technical specialist at the Volvo Cars Safety Centre.
“This means our cars are developed with the aim to protect all people, regardless of gender, height, shape or weight, beyond the ‘average person’ represented by crash test dummies.”
Volvo’s accident research team has been collecting data since the 1970s to better understand what happens during a collision. The team has gathered and analysed data from more than 40,000 cars and 70,000 passengers, which has led to the development of many of the safety systems we take for granted.
For example, Volvo discovered that women are at higher risk of whiplash than men. This influenced the design of Volvo’s Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which combines a robust head restraint with a clever seat design to protect the head and spine. Crucially, there’s no longer a difference in whiplash risk between men and women.
Volvo even developed the world’s first average-sized pregnant crash test dummy to study how the occupant moves and how the safety belt and airbag affect the woman and foetus. Safety isn’t sexy, but you could lose a couple of hours discovering how much Volvo has done to improve road safety.
As Volvo’s co-founder Gustaf Larson once said: “Cars are driven by people. The guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo therefore is, and must remain, safety,”
It’s difficult naming cars. Once you’ve established nobody else has nicked a name for themselves, you have to check it sounds right in other languages, how well it searches online and indeed whether it’s a match to the car in question. ‘Ferrari Kangoo’ simply won’t do.
It’s no wonder some carmakers default to an assortment of numbers and letters. MP4-12C, anyone? We’ve collated a list of the coolest place names borrowed for cars.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Humble beginnings, with Hyundai’s breakout SUV. The Santa Fe takes its name from the capital city of the American state of New Mexico, but don’t be fooled. This is no semi-exotic pseudo-Latino runaround. The Santa Fe is as pedestrian and boring as a Hyundai SUV ought to be. Albeit, in later variations, a very capable one.
Ford Cortina
It’s one of the most famous car names in Britain, but the Cortina wasn’t always destined to be named after an Italian ski resort. It started life as Project Archbishop and could have been called Consul-225 or Caprino, until somebody realised the latter is a slang word for goat dung. Naming it after the host of the 1956 Winter Olympics was a stroke of genius, as it injected a little glamour into an otherwise humble saloon car. Fortunately, Ford didn’t use the 1960 games as inspiration: the Ford Squaw Valley doesn’t have the same effect.
Austin Montego
By the mid-80s, more and more people were experiencing air travel for the first time, with falling prices, the birth of package holidays and Judith Chalmers asking ‘Wish you were here?’ the main driving forces behind the change. Austin-Rover attempted to cash-in on the nation’s new horizons by naming its rather humdrum four-door saloon after a famous Jamaican tourist destination.
Alfa Romeo Montreal
Is this the most beautiful car ever to be named after an international exposition? The Alfa Romeo Montreal was originally shown as a styling exercise at Expo 67 in Montreal, before being launched as a production model in 1970. The original plan was for the world exposition to be held in Moscow. Had that been the case, we believe Alfa would have looked elsewhere for a name…
Bentley Mulsanne
Bentley has strong links with the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, so the fact that it chose to name a car after one of the most famous straights in the world came as no surprise. Safety concerns led to the installation of two chicanes installed in time for the 1990 race, but the Mulsanne Straight remains a formidable test of speed and bravery.
Dodge Charger Daytona
The first official NASCAR race took place at Daytona Beach in 1948, so it was only a matter of time before a car was named in its honour. The Dodge Charger Daytona is arguably the most famous, but others will point to the Ferrari 365 GTB/4, although it was never officially called ‘Daytona’. We also need to give an honourable mention to the Dodge Daytona of the 80s and early 90s.
Austin Cambridge
There’s something quite ‘Brexit’ about the British car industry’s approach to model naming in the 50s and 60s. Austin rolled out the Hereford, Somerset, Westminster and Cambridge…
Daewoo Le Mans
The most ironic name in automotive history, or proof that somebody at Daewoo had a sense of humour? The Le Mans was based on the old Mk2 Astra, not the first car you’d associate with the famous 24-hour race.
Zastava Florida
You have to admire their optimism. When the Zastava Florida – or Yugo Sana, Yugo Florida and Yugo Miami – was launched in the late 80s, the East European car industry was finding its feet. The Skoda Favorit was the most successful of the new cars to emerge from the east. But in naming its five-door hatchback after the ‘Sunshine State’, Zastava was getting ideas above its station.
Ferrari California
We conclude, as promised, with the Ferrari California. Up until 2017 it was Ferrari’s ‘entry-level’ drop top, before it was replaced by the Portofino. Sticking with the tradition of place names, Portofino trades out the American west coast for sunny Italian shores.
Porsche has laid claim to another record with its 700hp 911 GT2 RS, notching up the fastest production car lap around the Road Atlanta circuit.
Racing driver and writer Randy Pobst was responsible for wrestling the GT2 RS to its latest lap record.
Powered by a 3.8-litre turbocharged flat-six engine, the GT2 RS was the most powerful road-going Porsche 911 when first introduced in 2017.
For instance, who hasn’t got behind the wheel of a stationary car and imagined themselves driving in some kind of race?
Mercedes-Benz wants developers to go even further though. Suggestions including use the air conditioning to 
