The upcoming Projekt Grenadier ‘back-to-basics’ 4×4 inspired by the original Series 1 Land Rover will use BMW turbo petrol and diesel engines, parent company Ineos Automotive has confirmed.
A division of chemical giant Ineos, the new car company is promising “no-frills utilitarianism, compete purity of purpose, unquestionable authenticity and ultimate engineering integrity”.
But one part that won’t be back-to-basics is its engines; BMW’s TwinPower Turbo range of motors, as seen in cars such as the 3 Series and new Z4, are to be used.
“This technology partnership is a very significant milestone for Projekt Grenadier,” said Ineos Automotive CEO Dirk Heilmann.
“We are delighted BMW Group will supply engines for our new off-roader. Its reputation of a maker of extremely reliable, high performance engines that offer total durability, efficiency and quality is second to one.
“Simply put, it builds the best engines in the world.”
Described as new from the ground up and built on an all-new architecture, the Ineos Projekt Grenadier is currently being engineered in Germany by tech partner MBtech. A supplementary division in London has grown to 50 people, including commercial, finance, supply chain, HR and IT staff.
The firm plans to sell it around the world, with Africa and Australasia joining Europe and the U.S., and the working 4×4 supporting “a varied mix of customers”. Other inspirations for the project include the Willys Jeep and J40 Toyota Land Cruiser.
Ineos is owned by Britain’s richest man, Jim Ratcliffe. The car is expected to be revealed later in 2020 before production commences in 2021. Ineos Automotive is currently crowdsourcing a name for the new 4×4.
It is hoped the new model may be built in the UK; previously, Ratcliffe had considered Ford’s Bridgend engine plant, and there has also been speculation the firm could take over Honda’s Swindon facility.
Ratcliffe is described as an “admirer” of the original Land Rover Defender. Projekt Grenadier was born out of a desire to develop a spiritual replacement for it when production of the Defender ceased in 2016.
If you fancy a little more power from your Ford Fiesta ST, Mountune has the answer. Its new M225 upgrade sees the peak power increased from 200hp to 225hp, reducing the 0-60mph time from 6.5 seconds to “below the 6-second mark”.
But that’s not all, because Mountune has also unveiled an MTune Smartflash app, which allows users to install and update vehicle calibrations from their smartphone.
Using nothing but the app and a supplied Bluetooth OBD interface, Fiesta ST owners can tweak the car to their needs as well as updating their vehicle to the latest calibrations directly from Mountune.
The pack includes the OBD adapter, MTune Smartflash app, three calibrations (Performance, Stock and Anti-Theft), high-flow induction kit, Mountune badge and zip-up shell cars. It costs £662.50, or £479.16 for owners who have already upgraded their induction kit.
Switch modes in just two minutes
“Smartflash makes it incredibly easy for our customers to switch between vehicle calibrations in as little as two minutes, just using their phone,” said David Moore, director of Mountune Performance.
“It adds a new level of convenience and functionality to our packages and embodies our forward-thinking approach to vehicle performance upgrades. The new Fiesta ST is the perfect platform to launch this DIY-friendly, pioneering technology. No laptop, no wires, no handsets – no problem!”
The Fiesta ST’s peak power is boosted to 225hp, while torque is increased from 213lb ft to 250lb ft, with Mountune claiming that with the upgrade, the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo engine delivers torque earlier and across the rev range.
In Performance mode, the Fiesta ST M225 delivers a more aggressive launch control strategy and enhanced audible exhaust output in Sport and Track modes. Stock mode returns the Fiesta to its standard configuration, while Anti-Theft fully immobilises the vehicle.
“With M225 and our innovative new Smartflash system, owners can safely increase the performance of the Fiesta ST with unprecedented ease,” added David.
“With that almost instantaneous delivery of torque the ST really comes alive, but you also have peace of mind in knowing that this is an engineered upgrade. As with all Mountune packages, the M225 has undergone extensive performance and durability testing with all safety parameters retained.
“This is not just the best upgrade for the Fiesta ST, it is also the most robust.”
‘The faster you drive, the better you drive’
We have little doubt that the Mountune upgrade will add another layer of enjoyment to the Fiesta ST. Of the standard car, our man Richard Aucock said: “You can perhaps by now tell we think the Fiesta ST is a class act.
“It sounds a bit like a Porsche 911 and drives even more like one, exuding immense depth and connoisseur’s breeding. The faster you drive, the better you drive, the more it gives back – while doing all the regular Ford Fiesta stuff like being compact in town, easy to handle and comfortable to drive daily.
“The new Ford Fiesta ST really is that good. Five stars? You bet. After this first drive, if we could give it six, we would…”
Time to give the Mountune upgrade a spin, Richard? We can think of 225 reasons why this might be a good idea.
The Model Y, Tesla’s fourth model and the car that completes its ‘S3XY’ range, has finally been revealed. Here’s all the info you need.
The Model Y’s styling
Firstly, yes, this is an all-new car. Despite very much resembling the Model 3, the Y is a crossover model that seems to combine a jacked-up Model X crossover shape with the smaller dimensions and styling tropes of the Model 3 saloon.
It’s around 15 percent bigger than the Model 3, but shares as many as 75 percent of its components. The Y makes clear Tesla’s twinning of saloons and crossovers. The Y is to the 3 what the X is to the S.
Inside the Tesla Model Y
It’s more of the same on the inside, too. Save for the slightly more commanding driving position, you’d be hard pressed to get in a Model Y and tell it apart from a Model 3.
The big 15-inch display is a direct lift from the small saloon, and the rest of the cabin looks equally minimalist. The well-known Autopilot system carries over, along with a host of new Tesla features.
An expansive all-glass roof should give the Model Y an airy feeling inside. And what it also has over the Model 3 is seating for seven.
Model Y range and performance
Powertrains carry over from the Model 3, too. There will be a ‘cheap’ lower-range version that’s capable of 230 miles and will cost around £30,000, but that won’t arrive for another two years.
The dual-motor and Performance models are capable of 280 miles, while the rear-wheel-drive long-range model will manage 300 miles. These cars will do 135mph and 130mph, and hit 60mph in 4.8 seconds and 5.5 seconds respectively.
The Performance version is just that: a top speed of 150mph, with 60mph arriving in an impressive 3.5 seconds along the way. While the middling models will cost around £40,000 by our estimation, the Performance will likely be £50,000 or more.
When can I buy one?
This is always the big ‘but’ with Tesla. We see a car, then hear all these figures and promises from Elon Musk. Then we find out just how long it’s going to take. We still don’t have the Model 3 in the UK, more than two years after it was revealed.
What about the Model Y? In theory, it shouldn’t take as long. Given that it shares up to three-quarters of its constitution with the Model 3, the Y should come easier.
The cars arriving the soonest are the 280-mile Performance and dual-motor models, as well as the 300-mile long-range version. They’re due in the autumn of next year for Americans. The short range model will follow in the spring of 2021. For the UK? We’ll have to wait until 2022 before we can buy a right-hand-drive Model Y.
Do Teslas take too long to reach the UK?
That we have to wait so long for Teslas is a bit of a shame. The Model Y, with its seven seats, more affordable price and (at the moment) impressive range figures could do well here in the UK. It’s the Tesla that perhaps best appeals to us at the moment.
By the time it arrives in 2022, the likes of the all-electric Porsche Macan will already be here, potentially with much better range – if not an affordable price.
The Parking Act 2019 is a government initiative to better regulate the private parking industry. It has now received Royal Assent and passed into law.
As well as establishing a new single code of practice to ensure easier-to-understand regulations when it comes to private parking, the act should better enable motorists to challenge unfair tickets.
A new independent appeals service has been established. If private firms break its to-be-determined code of practice, they could lose their powers to obtain information from the government, in order to send out fines.
The act follows work the government has already done to curb private parking firms’ powers, including bans on clamping, towing and ‘over-zealous parking enforcement by councils and parking wardens’.
Industry stakeholders and motoring groups, including the AA and the RAC, will collaborate with the government in the coming months to establish and ratify the code of practice.
“Motorists will warmly welcome this new Act,” said Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC.
“For too long, some unscrupulous private parking operators have made drivers’ lives a misery with some questionable practices, which sent levels of trust in the sector plummeting.
“The code will create more consistent standards across the board, which should eliminate dubious practices and create a single, independent appeals process.
“The RAC has long called for changes to the way the private parking sector is regulated and this new code will undoubtedly make the lives of drivers easier.”
Koenigsegg doesn’t do ordinary. Almost everything about the recently unveiled Jesko hypercar is extraordinary, right down to its ‘dihedral synchro-helix doors’. The Swedish company has re-engineered the system to allow for a better opening angle and improved protection from high kerbs. We’re using the Jesko as an excuse to look at some of our favourite crazy door mechanisms. It’s not an open and shut case – you might have some other favourites of your own.
Koenigsegg Agera RS
The doors on the Jesko are a development of the dihedral synchro-helix party pieces found on the Koenigsegg Agera RS. The system opens the door outwards and upwards in one smooth, sweeping motion. It uses up less external horizontal space than a traditional door and less vertical space than a gullwing or scissor door. The hinge might be heavier than traditional door hinge, but the weight is offset by the fact that the doors are as light as a feather.
Cadillac Ciel
Cadillac has been teasing us with delightful concepts for years, only to see to it that hardly any of them make production. One such example is the stunning Ciel concept of 2011: a four-door convertible that was “the ultimate open-air expression of American luxury”. At the back you’ll find a pair of large rear-hinged doors, providing access to a pair of individual bucket seats.
Autozam AZ-1
Had we been asked to prepare a list of our favourite kei cars, the Autozam AZ-1 would be somewhere near the top. The tiny lovechild of Suzuki and Mazda featured a pair of gullwing doors, delivering as much kerb appeal as a Mercedes 300 SL, a Gumpert Apollo or a DeLorean DMC-12.
Saab Aero-X
Named by Jalopnik as ‘the greatest Saab that never was’, the Saab Aero-X concept was about as close as the Swedish car company came to emulating its airborne roots. The aircraft-style cockpit canopy was forged from a single piece that lifted up and forwards using hydraulics and a solitary hinge. Sadly, the concept never got off the ground.
Kaiser Darrin
The elegant Kaiser Darrin of the 1950s was an American sports car that launched around the same time as the Chevrolet Corvette. But while the ’Vette went on to become one of America’s most successful and iconic cars, the Darrin’s lasting legacy is a pair of sliding doors that ‘disappeared’ into the front wings. They weren’t perfect – the rollers were ineffective and the door opening was too small – but they gave the pretty Darrin a standout feature.
BMW Z1
BMW resurrected the sliding doors recipe in the 1980s, but while the doors in the Darrin slid vertically, the Z1’s dropped down into the car’s body. The sliding doors gave the Z1 a unique selling point, not least because you could legally drive with the doors open, meaning it was possible to reach out and touch the asphalt if you so wished. It was still a pain to get in and out of, but the BMW ‘Gwyneth Paltrow’ remains one of the coolest sports cars of the modern era.
Maserati Birdcage 75th
Beneath the sensuous and sumptuous lines of the Pininfarina-designed Birdcage 75th lies the beating heart of a Maserati MC12 supercar. The central cell is divided into two parts: a transparent upper section and a structural aerodynamic ‘sideskirt’. The 2005 concept looks sublime from any angle, but the way in which the bubble canopy removes itself from the lower section simply adds to the theatre.
BMW Isetta
The BMW Isetta – originally launched by Iso of Italy in 1953 – featured a single door at the front, designed specifically for use at the drive-thru cauliflower stall.
Mazda RX-8
Speak to anybody who has ever clambered into the back of a two-door coupe and they’ll tell you that it’s about as easy as posting John Prescott through a letterbox. Mazda’s answer to this perennial problem was to add a pair of ‘suicide’ rear doors to the RX-8. Former Deputy Prime Ministers might struggle to get in there, but junior cabinet ministers should be fine.
Ford B-Max
“My dog Fudge loved to jump in, trot through and out the other side – and he’s no whippet, let me tell you. You could easily lug a mountain bike or something big from Ikea: just open up the side and fold all the seats flat.” Not our words, Carol. The words of celebrity chef James Martin, who reviewed the Ford B-Max in 2013.
Messerschmitt KR 200
The Messerschmitt KR 200 – or Kabinenroller – featured a canopy door mounted on the side of the vehicle. This gave it the look of a coffin. Which is rather apt, because some people wouldn’t be seen dead in this bobsleigh on wheels. We, on the other hand, think it’s adorable.
Renault Avantime
There was nothing inherently wrong with the Renault Avantime, it’s just that the world wasn’t ready for a ‘Grand Touring GT Coupe’. The 1.4-metre length door provided access to both the front and the rear, but was so wide, Renault had to develop a double-kinematic hinge system, designed to reduce the swing of the furthest edge of the door.
Yo-Auto Yo-Mobile
Yo-Mobile might sound the like the name of a company you’d turn to for a smartphone contract, but it’s actually a 2011 concept built by Russian carmaker Yo-Auto. The concept was rather forward thinking in terms of looking back – it used digital cameras in place of door mirrors – but on reflection, the sliding doors were its chief party trick. The doors cut through the body like Edward Scissorhands through Lurpak.
Rezvani Beast Alpha
Rezvani Motors is a California-based supercar manufacturer founded by the Iranian-American entrepreneur Ferris Rezvani. When Ferris isn’t taking a day off, he’s creating some extreme and reasonably priced cars, including the Beast Alpha with its trademark ‘SideWinder doors’. With 500hp and a 0-60mph time of 3.5 seconds, this SideWinder won’t be sleeping tonight.
Alfa Romeo Pandion
Google ‘Pandion’ and you’ll discover that it’s the name of a legendary king of Athens and a genus of birds of prey. It’s also the name of a Bertone concept designed to mark Alfa Romeo’s 100th anniversary. The scissor doors were three metres in length and hinged over the rear wheels. When closed, the huge expanse of glass within the doors lent the Pandion some motor show glamour. When open, the doors stood 3.6 metres high, delivering pure theatre.
Holden Hurricane
In 1969, few cars could rock you quite like the Holden Hurricane. This wizard from Oz was so futuristic, it would be many years before its arsenal of tech would make it into mainstream models. Rather brilliantly, its automatic air conditioning system was called Comfortron, but its pièce de résistance was its canopy, which rose along with the seats to make it easier to enter and exit the cabin. Strewth, mate.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
The gullwing doors might be the trademark feature of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, but they weren’t designed with Hollywood glamour in mind. The spaceframe delivered maximum rigidity and weighed just 50kg, but it was incompatible with conventional doors. The solution: a pair of upswinging gullwing doors. A problem was sorted and an icon was born.
Ford Evos
If you wait long enough, there’s every chance that the Ford Evos will transform itself into a humanoid-type robot. The 2011 concept was pure Transformers, featuring not two but for gullwing doors. Eat your heart out, Tesla Model X.
Lincoln Mk VIII concept
The Lincoln Mk VIII concept with the ‘disappearing doors’ is the stuff of internet legend. At the time of writing, the YouTube video from which our screengrab was taken is approaching 18 million views, making it more famous than Justin Bieber’s kitten. Or something. We’re not sure if Bieber has a cat, but we do know that a rolling door that ‘disappears’ beneath the car is very, very cool.
Toyota Sera
Rumour has it that McLaren design chief Gordon Murray borrowed his neighbour’s Toyota Sera back in 1990 and reverse-engineered the design as the basis for the doors in the McLaren F1. We also understand the butterfly doors are a little like a supermodel wife. They both require high maintenance.
Bond Bug
The name’s Bond. Bond Bug. It’s essentially a Reliant Regal that disappeared to a festival one summer, smoked some marijuana, and returned wearing hippy clothing. The upper part of the body tilted forward for entry and exit, but some road testers thought the novelty would soon wear off. “This is all right for the first half dozen times but then it becomes rather a bore, and the physical effort required to open the top is appreciable, despite the assistance of the damper. Add to this the fact that if it’s raining, the seats get wet every time you climb in, and you’ll wonder about the practicality of such a system,” said Motor in 1970.
Smart Crossblade
The Smart Crossblade was way too cool for doors. Instead, the automotive rollerskate featured a pair of steel safety blades. A roof wasn’t part of the package, but that didn’t stop Robbie Williams snapping up the first Crossblade sold. We guess he was entertained by the radical roadster.
Renault Nepta
If you love the idea of sneaking a peek at your V6 engine every time you get into the car, the Renault Nepta is your automotive nirvana. The motor-driven gullwing doors opened to reveal the cabin and the engine, which was cocooned in its own chamber. “We thought the symbolism of the motorcar is linked to the engine. So, we thought ‘wouldn’t it be great if these large doors could open to reveal the engine as if it were a jewel presented in a display case?’” said Patrick Le Quément, then Renault’s vice president of corporate design.
Bristol Fighter
We love Bristols, especially the Fighter with its pair of gullwing doors. If only Bristol had spent the same amount of time and effort perfecting its press photos.
Renault DeZir
Nearly a decade on, the Renault DeZir concept remains breathtakingly gorgeous. The designers couldn’t decide which way to mount the doors, so they opted for both. Well, why not? There are hints of Audi R8 and McLaren from this angle – if only the electric concept had made it into production.
Peugeot EX1
What you can’t see from this overhead photo of the Peugeot EX1 electric concept car are the rear-hinged doors. Rather ingeniously, each door contained a bucket seat, so you sat down before entering the car. If Peugeot built theme park rides…
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
The Alfa Romeo Stradale: when form meets function. This was the first production vehicle to feature dihedral doors with side windows that cut into the shape of the roof. We doubt you’ll see anything prettier today, unless you’re walking through a field of irises with Eva Green, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and watching a hummingbird in flight.
Ford GT40
Doors would be a problem in a car as low as the Ford GT40, especially when you have Le Mans starts to consider. The solution was to fit a pair of gullwing doors that cut deep into the roofline. Clever, although helmet bashing was a problem when you lowered the doors.
Ferrari Modulo
In truth, the Ferrari Modulo shouldn’t feature in this gallery, because it didn’t have a door. Instead, the canopy slid forward over the car’s nose, giving the 1970 concept a straight outta space vibe.
Volvo S60 Concept
“The unique rear parallelogram doors offer a spectacular show when they are opened and shut. Door opening is initiated by pressing on a button and the movement starts off in the traditional way. In the next phase, the forward section also swings out away from the car’s body and the door glides parallel with the side of the car until it reaches its end position by the rear wheel.” Volvo’s description of the doors of the S60 Concept makes us wish they had made it into the production version.
The cost of buying an electric car will match conventional petrol or diesel models by 2025, say experts at Auto Trader.
This “tipping point” will see electric vehicle (EV) sales equal and then overtake internal combustion-engined (ICE) rivals. By 2030, the majority of new cars will be battery-powered.
More than 99% of UK journeys are within the range capability of today’s EVs. However, upfront cost remains a stumbling block for many. A new Renault Zoe costs £21,920, while an equivalent Clio diesel starts from £15,695.
Equally, the average price of a second-hand EV on Auto Trader is £17,744. That compares with £10,550 and £14,390 for used petrol and diesel cars respectively.
Ian Plummer, Manufacturer and Agency Director at Auto Trader, says EV prices will tumble over the next six years. He highlights Volkswagen’s innovative MEB platform – used for the ID Buggy concept, pictured above – as one example of how costs will be slashed. MEB is due to underpin a whole range of electric cars.
Perceptions are changing apace, too. A year ago, just 25 percent of Auto Trader customers said they’d consider an alternative-fuel vehicle (hybrid or electric). Now, that figure is 71 percent.
The key to mass adoption of electric cars, says Plummer, is collaboration: between car manufacturers, governments, energy companies, infrastructure providers and telecoms firms.
French motorists caught drink-driving can choose to have a breathalyser machine installed in their car, following a successful year-long trial in seven French departments.
The ignition breathalyser will not allow the car to be started until the driver has passed a breathalyser test similar to the type used by the police. If the driver has been drinking, the engine will not start.
A second blow will be required between five and 30 minutes later, to ensure they have remained below the drink-drive limit and to avoid the chances of the driver asking somebody else to take the test.
The devices, known as EADs (ethylotest anti-démarrage), have been compulsory on French buses since 2015, and Dr Philippe Lauwick, president of the health committee at the National Council for Road Safety, said the new test was a “very useful tool in the fight against repeat offending”.
Drivers will be given the opportunity to have their driving licence suspended if they’re opposed to the idea of having a breathalyser installed in their vehicle. The offending motorist must pay for the device, which costs more than €1,000 and has to remain in the vehicle for five years.
Socially acceptable
According to The Local, drink-driving is seen as socially acceptable in France, but it caused the deaths of 1,035 people in 2017. Last year, there were 3,259 deaths on the country’s roads – down from 3,448 in the previous year.
Pierre Chasseray, the head of the French motorists group, ’40 Million Motorists’, told The Local: “In contrast to the UK, drink-driving is not yet socially unacceptable in France.”
You are allowed a maximum of 0.5mg/ml of alcohol per litre of blood, with drivers caught with between 0.5mg/ml and 0.8mg/ml likely to receive a fine of at least €135. Driving with more than 0.8mg/ml can lead to a two-year prison sentence, a three-year driving ban or the installation of an EAD, and a fine of up to €4,500.
Ford Performance took a slightly different approach to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day for 2019.
Forget the usual downtown parades or pints of Guinness. Instead, Ford’s ‘go-fast’ department opted for a dramatic drifting stunt on a clover leaf interchange.
Sensibly, the road in Fort Worth, Texas was closed to the public, allowing drifting maestro Vaughn Gittin Jr. to do his thing.
Given that Gittin Jr. became the first person ever to drift the entire length of the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit, a simple highway junction should have been a walk in the park.
The 38-year-old Formula Drift racer used the same 900 horsepower Ford Mustang RTR machine that he drove in last year’s German extravaganza.
Although here it has fittingly been turned green for the special event, along with a lucky four-leaf clover hanging from the rear view mirror.
The green LED lights illuminating the smoke from the tortured rear rubber is also a neat touch.
For those feeling inspired by Vaughn’s latest escapade, they can attempt to recreate it virtually with the latest updates for the Xbox One Forza Motorsport series.
Both Forza Motorsport 7 and Forza Horizon 4 recently gained a trio of Ford Mustang RTR drift machines. The only challenge is to find a suitable four-leaf clover to cause havoc on in the game.
Mountune is dealer-sanctioned Ford tuning company, happy to turn your hot hatch into a Porsche-bothering beast. And now, racing-style gearboxes are on the menu.
Owners of Mk2 Focus models (primarily the ST and RS) as well as some Volvos, can buy a new Quaife QKE45Z sequential transmission to add a touch of rally magic to their modern classic.
The gear set retains the original bell housing, so it shouldn’t be too expensive an upgrade. Changes include a strengthened outer casing, a custom breather as well as, obviously, the gears themselves and shifter. The gears are also thicker for added strength. You can get Geartronic ignition cut for flat-shifting, too…
Anything with the Ford M66 transmission can be upgraded, including more powerful Mk2 Focus models, as well as some Volvo C30, S40, V50, S60, C70 and V70 cars. For everything other than a Ford Focus RS, Mountune recommends you get a limited-slip diff for good measure. The RS came with one out of the box.
“We are excited to bring Mk2 Focus owners the quick and consistent Quaife sequential gearbox they’ve always wanted, available exclusively through Mountune,” said David Moore, director of Mountune Performance.
“It provides a great performance upgrade over the standard manual shifter and feels extremely engaging as a driver. It’s always exciting to provide our customers with the opportunity to transform and enhance the way their cars drive, and this is no exception.”
It’s a comfort to us that a company as ‘official’ as Mountune is still looking at older cars.
Could we see it take on ‘Singer’ style classic fast Ford builds in the future? Now, wouldn’t that be something…
Cars that were manufactured in 2019 are now officially 20 years old. By some definitions, including that of many UK insurers, turning 20 is the point at which a car becomes a classic. But what are the nation’s favourite modern classics?
The Bull Market: experts reveal the best classics to buy now
Based on this definition, online car parts supplier Euro Car Parts canvassed the UK public for its favourite modern classics from 1999. Marques from Aston Martin to Ford appear in the top 10, as voted for by 2,000 motorists.
Topping the list is the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage. Though beautiful and the first home for Aston Martin’s to-be seminal V12 engine, the DB7 Vantage felt like an old car when it was new.
Its cabin space and build quality were more befitting a car from 1979, not 1999. Indeed, the DB7’s underpinnings owe much to the Jaguar XJS that hails from the 1970s.
Nevertheless, the DB7’s beauty and the legend of that V12 transcends its foibles, especially in the context of nostalgia. It’s the top modern classic of the people, with 10 percent giving it their vote.
The next few picks vary wildly in where they sat in the car market at the time. From Porsche 911 to Vauxhall Astra, and Land Rover Discovery II to Ford Focus… Guesses on placings? No, the 996 isn’t second place.
That honour goes to the original Focus (six percent), and rightly so. Even today, the first Focus is lauded as one of Ford’s greatest modern era creations, which subsequent generations never quite lived up to. It still looks handsome and modern today and remains a first class drive.
The Discovery follows in third, with five percent of the vote. The Disco is 30 this year, having debuted in 1989. The Disco II kept the looks but made the more rugged Rangie alternative a bit more luxurious, if not more reliable…
The 996 follows with five percent of votes (just getting pipped by the Disco) and is considered one of the worst 911s ever. In the grand scheme of things, that still makes it a pretty desirable machine. In fifth place… any guesses?
Nope, you’re wrong. It’s the quite unremarkable fourth-generation Vauxhall Astra. We’ve very little to say of this car, but four percent of voters clearly remember it fondly. It’s very much a car of the people, then.
The last five of the top 10, in order, are the first-generation Audi S3, sixth-generation Honda Accord, the first Audi TT Roadster, the Mercedes CLK and the BMW Z3 M Roadster.
Out of that cohort, the BMW and the Audi are probably the most interesting and are arguably the best buys for keeping your money safe.
As for other cars that were voted into the survey below the top 10: the Alfa Romeo Spider, Bentley Arnage, Honda S2000, Lotus Elise and TVR Chimaera are the unsurprising names that crop up. The Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Rover 25 are less easy to justify…
The upcoming Projekt Grenadier ‘back-to-basics’ 4×4 inspired by the original Series 1 Land Rover will use BMW turbo petrol and diesel engines, parent company Ineos Automotive has confirmed.
We have little doubt that the Mountune upgrade will add another layer of enjoyment to the Fiesta ST. 
Koenigsegg doesn’t do ordinary. Almost everything about the recently unveiled Jesko hypercar is extraordinary, right down to its ‘dihedral synchro-helix doors’. The Swedish company has re-engineered the system to allow for a better opening angle and improved protection from high kerbs. We’re using the 
