Born in 1938, Marcello Gandini is one of the world’s best car designers, responsible for penning some of the most eye-catching, dramatic and important cars of the 20th century. Here, we take a look at some of his greatest hits. Prepare to be left slack-jawed by the man’s genius.

Lamborghini Miura

When Lamborghini unveiled the 400 TP rolling chassis at the 1965 Turin Auto Show, it was faced with a queue of potential customers armed with open wallets, and a number of coachbuilders hoping to create the body. Ferruccio Lamborghini turned to Bertone, with chassis developer Gian Paolo Dallara tasked with working with stylist Marcello Gandini. But is the Miura really Gandini’s baby?

Gandini replaced Giugiaro at Bertone and is credited as being the godfather of the Miura. Lamborghini’s own website is conclusive on the matter, saying: “He took over from his contemporary Giorgetti Giugiaro at Bertone, designing the most popular Italian sports vehicles in 60s and 70s, including the famous Lamborghini Miura and Countach. Giugiaro would beg to differ, and in a 1996 interview with Classic & Sports Car magazine, he claimed: “Gandini took my sketches and finished the car – 70 percent of the design is mine.”

But Gandini blames Giugiaro for allowing doubts to linger for five decades. In a 2009 interview with Automotive News Europe, he said bluntly: “I did the Miura – and I did it alone – in just three months. Any alleged influence by [Giorgetto] Giugiaro in that car is simply not true. This misinterpretation of history first surfaced when the car was unveiled in 1966.”

Alfa Romeo Carabo

The Alfa Romeo Carabo is a classic Gandini design. Unveiled in 1968, it championed the wedge shape at a time when sports cars featured smooth and flowing bodies. Stick the Carabo alongside a Miura, Toyota 2000GT or Jaguar E-Type and it’ll look like a car from another century, let alone the next decade. Chalk, meet cheese (wedge).

The shocked onlookers in attendance at the Porte de Versailles in Paris would not have known it at the time, but the experimental concept previewed the future of car design. It’s hard to believe that it was based on the voluptuous and alluring Alfa Romeo Tipo 33.

According to a Bertone press release, the Carabo was “a bold but aesthetically and functionally valid vision of the sporty car of the future. And the use of new materials and novel construction techniques means that this concept car was something more than just an exercise in styling.”

Lamborghini Marzal

None other than LJK Setright described the Lamborghini Marzal as “perhaps the most extravagant piece of virtuoso styling to have come out of Europe since the war.” Road & Track agreed, labelling it “so fresh that everything else looks old fashioned.”

Strong praise indeed, but it’s not hard to see why the Marzal was, and remains, held in such high regard. The glazed gullwing doors are a standout feature, although Ferruccio Lamborghini famously objected to the design, complaining that they would “offer no privacy: a lady’s leg would be there for all to see.”

But there could be no such complaints about the rest of the car, including that mad louvred rear window. Sadly, the Marzal remained a one-off creation, and was sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction in 2011 for €1,512,000. Fortunately, its design inspired the styling of the next car on our list…

Lamborghini Espada

“Styling, of course, is always a personal matter, but you could call the Espada a classic of the sixties and a Bertone masterpiece not so much because of its sleek beauty but because of the extraordinary space utilisation contained within the low shape. At 104 inches its wheelbase is two inches shorter than the [Ferrari] GT/4s; it is shorter overall too, but nearly three inches wider and five inches lower.

“And yet it contains quite a deal more interior room – it is a full four-seater rather than a 2+2 and as such has unique attraction among the supercars.” The words of the esteemed motoring journalist, Mel Nichols, writing in Car, May 1974.

The Espada was created to satisfy Ferruccio Lamborghini’s desire to have a genuine four-seater GT car in his lineup, and the fact that it remained in production for a decade is testament to Gandini’s eye for design. That said, the Espada went through a series of changes before bowing out in 1978.

Autobianchi Runabout

If the Autobianchi Runabout looks familiar, it’s probably because you spent your formative years kneeling down in your living room, smashing a Matchbox Speed Kings version into the skirting boards. The Bertone concept was first shown at the 1969 Turin Motor Show and used the engine from a Fiat 128.

The design was inspired by the racing powerboats of the 1960s, most notably the shape of the body and the windscreen, while the car is loaded with neat details, such as the headlights mounted on the rollbar.

According to Bertone: “The Runabout is an invitation to fun, stress-free travelling, evoking the sheer joy of driving in places where traffic is no more than a distant memory.” Places like your parents’ living room, then?

Fiat X1/9

While the Runabout remained a one-off concept, it inspired one of the most successful sports cars of the 1970s. The Fiat X1/9 was the replacement for the Giugiaro-designed 850 Spider and it made its debut in November 1972.

Bertone handled the production of the bodies, which were shipped to Lingotto to enable Fiat to fit the engine and running gear. The influence of the Runabout is clear, albeit with added stiffness and safety protection to comply with American crash legislation.

Fiat was never shy of playing the ‘baby Ferrari’ card in its promotional messages. A press ad of 1983 said: “This 1498cc mid-engine machine is a design by Bertone, the same people who created the Ferrari GT4. Like the GT4, Fiat’s X1/9 looks, feels and drives like a true Italian sports car.”

Alfa Romeo Montreal

Fate is a wonderful thing. This extraordinarily handsome Alfa Romeo was unveiled in concept form at Expo 67, before going on show as a production car in 1970. In 1967, the World Fair was held in Montreal, presenting Alfa with an evocative name for its V8 sports car. A year earlier, it would been Munich, while a year later it would have been San Antonio. Neither name has quite the same appeal as Montreal.

Location-inspired name aside, the Alfa Romeo Montreal is unquestionably one of Gandini’s finest achievements. Highlights include the slotted eyelid shutters over the headlights and the sliding shutters within the rear quarter panels.

Disputes in Milan meant that the Montreal didn’t arrive on these shores until 1972, a full 12 months behind schedule, but the delay did little to dilute the appetite for Alfa’s masterpiece.

Lancia Stratos HF Zero

In 2011, the one-off Lancia Stratos HF Zero sold for €761,600 at RM Sotheby’s Villa D’este auction. Officially, the car was labelled “Stratos HF”, but Nuccio Bertone wanted to call it “Stratolimite”, or “limit of the stratosphere”. After time, it would become known by its internal nickname of “Zero”.

There’s so much for the eyes to take in, like the ultrathin row of headlights backlit by ten 55w bulbs, or the flip-up windscreen, which you’d expect to open up to reveal the Pink Panther staring back at you.

At the back, you’ll find a pair of exhausts protruding out alongside the gearbox case, along with a rear light strip containing no fewer than 84 tiny bulbs. It looks and feels like a flight of fancy, and yet it influenced the design of one of the greatest sports cars of the 20th century.

Lancia Stratos

The Lancia Stratos: a star of the road and track. From the outset, the Stratos was designed to build on the competition success of the Lancia Fulvia. Gandini worked alongside Sandro Munari (rally driver) and Cesare Fiorio (team boss), to develop a car in time for the 1974 season.

The result was a car with incredibly small dimensions, allowing it to corner with unbelievable speed and poise. In his book, Marcello Gandini: Maestro of Design, Gautam Sen suggests that Gandini looked at the wheelbase of the car’s two closest competitors as the starting point: the Alpine A110 and Porsche 911.

Once again, the Autobianchi Runabout is evident in the design, but the Stratos stands alone as a true great. Successful on the track and superbly packaged, yet its beauty appears to lie in its simplicity. A candidate for Gandini’s finest hour? Given that he worked on the body, chassis and the packaging, we think so.

BMW 5 Series (E12)

The BMW 5 Series was the replacement for the long-running New Class (or Neue Klasse) of saloons dating back to the Michelotti-designed 1500 of 1961. Gandini’s 5 Series – internal code E12 – was a monumental leap forward, both in terms of how it looked and how it behaved on the road.

Bertone had worked with BMW since 1960 and first presented proposals for the new saloon in the late 60s. This was the all-new medium-size BMW for more than a decade and its launch coincided with Munich hosting the Olympic Games.

Lamborghini Urraco

Lamborghini’s brief to Bertone and Gandini was simple: to design a cost-effective four-seater GT to cope with the oil crisis of the 1970s. The result was the Urraco, powered by a 2.5-litre V8, which was increased in size to 3.0 litres in 1974.

At the time, the Italian manufacturers were jockeying for position, keen to grab a slice of the junior supercar market. Ferrari had the Dino 308 GT4 (more on this in a moment), while Maserati had the Merak. All offered engines with less than 3.0 litres, but were of a similar size to their more powerful siblings.

Of the three, the Urraco is the least conservative from a styling perspective, but is certainly less wild than Gandini’s other creations.

Dino 308 GT4

How do you follow a car like the 246 GT? The answer, if your name is Marcello Gandini, is the Dino 308 GT4, which found itself up against one of his other creations: the Lamborghini Urraco.

No surprise, then, that the 308 GT4 doesn’t look too dissimilar to the Urraco, albeit with a little less flair and muscle. Cruelly, and without a thought for political correctness, Car claimed that its rear end looked “fiddly and unattractive, rather like a woman with a narrow, pinched backside.”

Things were different in the 70s, lad. But to our eyes at least, the 308 GT4 has aged better than donkey jackets, flares and hostess trolleys.

Lamborghini Countach

“Once again, designer Marcello Gandini managed to draw a fascinating, unconventional car that left everyone speechless,” says Lamborghini. We’re not going to wade into the debate over Gandini’s role in the design of the Miura – we don’t fancy a discussion with his lawyers – but there’s little doubt that the Countach is more Gandini than its predecessor.

Gandini said that he wanted people to be astonished when they first laid eyes on the car. Little wonder, then, that Lamborghini chose the Countach name, which is a Piedmontese expletive for “wow”.

The Countach is everything a supercar should be: otherworldly, impractical, inaccessible and prime bedroom-wall poster material.

Maserati Khamsin

Unveiled at the 1972 Turin Motor Show, the Maserati Khamsin was a radical departure from the Indy, which was first shown in 1969. It would be another two years before the Khamsin made production, but it was still available in 1982.

Its beautiful lines are matched by a surprising level of practicality, which extends to the spare wheel, which is located underneath the front grille. Other nods to common sense include the safety glass housing the rear light clusters, and the rubber inserts within the bumpers.

Renault 5 Turbo

We have to credit Marc Deschamps for the overall design of the Renault 5 Turbo, but the back end was the work of Marcello Gandini.

This low-mileage example sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction in 2017 for €89,600.

Citroen BX

The Citroen BX has its roots in the Gandini-designed Volvo Tundra concept of 1979. It shared its platform with the Volvo 343 and featured pop-up headlights, a digital dashboard and a Renault-sourced 1.4-litre engine. Sadly, Volvo canned the project and the Tundra never made it to production.

But the Tundra lived to fight another day, as Citroen asked Gandini to use elements from the concept in the design of the BX.

The great man even appeared in a television advert for the BX, in which he walks past a Countach as the narrator asks: “What does the Lamborghini designer drive to Lamborghini?” The answer, of course, was a Citroen BX.

Renault 5 Supercinq

Renault left it very late before launching the second-generation Renault 5, or Supercinq. The hugely successful R5 had enjoyed 12 years of continuous production before Renault unveiled the Supercinq in 1984, by which time it was jostling for position with a plethora of chic superminis.

Marcello Gandini succeeded in staying true to the original’s cheeky charm, while giving the new car a more 80s vibe. Underneath, the Renault 5 was entirely new, but the fresh design enabled the Supercinq to live on until the the middle of the 1990s.

Maserati Shamal

The Maserati Shamal was a comprehensive overhaul of the Biturbo and the final car to be launched in the 80s. The styling was classic Gandini, complete with a pair of Countach-inspired rear wheelarches.

The interior was similarly exotic, but Maserati managed to shift just 369 examples of this 326hp supercar-tamer. That’s 369 people who know a good pair of arches when they see them.

Lamborghini Diablo

With the success of the Countach, it was pretty obvious that Marcello Gandini would be contacted to work on its replacement. Lamborghini started working on the Diablo project in 1985, but it would be five years before it made its first public appearance.

The lineage was clear to see, although the Diablo was smoother and more rounded than the Countach, an approach far more in keeping with the trends of the time. Interestingly, although Gandini penned the original design, certain elements were changed following Chrysler’s takeover of Lamborghini in 1987.

Cizeta-Moroder V16T

Marcello Gandini’s vision for the Lamborghini Diablo lived on in the Cizeta V16T: the supercar penned by the Italian before Chrysler waded in with its soft-focus lens and smoothing iron. It’s dramatic, OTT, and has more in common with the Countach than the Diablo.

The 6.0-litre V12 supercar was built in Modena by a team of ex-Lamborghini employees, headed up by Claudio Zampolli, Giorgio Moroder and Marcello Gandini. The company had plans to build 100 cars per year, but when Moroder walked away from the project, taking his money with him, the project was doomed to failure. As a result, only nine Cizetas were built.

Bugatti EB110

In 1991, exactly 110 years after the birth of Ettore Bugatti, the company launched the EB110. The supercar featured a quad-turbocharged V12 engine, permanent four-wheel drive and the world’s first carbon fibre chassis. The body, as you might have guessed, was designed by Gandini.

According to The Economic Times, the great man lives in a 17th century villa, located in the foothills of the mountains near Turin. In an interview with Car & Driver, Gandini was asked if he would have done anything differently. “As with most people, many,” was his response.

We doubt that would include the Lancia Stratos and the Countach’s rear wheelarch.

Read more:

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What’s the best car currently on sale in the UK? A car that you’d enjoy owning with low running costs, excellent practicality and a disinclination to go wrong? Auto Express magazine has asked owners to rate their cars in a wide range of areas, compiling a list of the best cars to own and live with.

Each car is given a percentage score, which is based on the average rating given by owners across 31 subject areas in nine different categories. As you’ll see, they’re all pretty close…

20: Toyota Auris

Score: 91.67%

It’s no surprise to see a Toyota feature here. Toyota and its sister brand Lexus regularly perform well in the Driver Power survey. They rarely go wrong, and owners really like them. The Auris is due to be replaced, yet it still ranks highly. It scores well for its engine and gearbox, being let down slightly by its interior and comfort.

19: Mazda CX-5

Score: 91.82%

The Mazda CX-5 SUV looks great, is practical and is fun to drive. While owners generally like their CX-5s, some are disappointed with its fuel economy and running costs.

18: Volkswagen Golf

Score: 91.86%

The world loves a Vauxhall Golf. The ever-popular Mk7 Golf was given a facelift last year, which seems to have gone down well with owners. Like the CX-5, buyers would like to see better MPG, while practicality and space can also be a downside.

17: Kia Sportage

Score: 91.87%

You only need to look around on UK roads to see how successful the latest Sportage has been for Kia. Buyers think it looks good, while also rating its infotainment and in-car connectivity highly. Downsides? That’ll be the fuel economy and running costs. We spot a theme here.

16: Nissan Juke

Score: 91.98%

The Nissan Juke might have been around a long time, but owners love the crossover. It scores particularly highly for its exterior design, safety features and in-car infotainment. Impressively, only two percent of Juke owners responding to the survey have experienced any faults.

15: Nissan Micra

Score: 92.04%

The latest Nissan Micra is a huge improvement over its predecessor, and that’s reflected in the Driver Power results. It scores well across the board, with owners only slightly concerned with its running costs and reliability. Nearly one in five have reported issues with their Micras.

14: Toyota C-HR

Score: 92.08%

You’ll love or hate the C-HRs appearance, but owners are unanimous: they think it looks great. They also rate its ride and handling, but aren’t so sure about the interior or infotainment. Worryingly, 29 percent report faults.

13: Mazda MX-5

Score: 92.12%

With a 97.5 percent satisfaction rating for ride and handling, Mazda’s MX-5 scores the highest individual category rating in the survey. Buyers love their MX-5s, with it only being let down for its interior, comfort and practicality. No surprises there for anyone who’s driven one.

12: Honda CR-V

Score: 92.15%

We saw the new Honda CR-V at Geneva Motor Show. The outgoing model might have been around since 2012, but it still pleases owners. It excels in most categories, only being let down in areas where it’s beginning to show its age, such as infotainment and safety features.

11: Lexus IS

Score: 92.19%

Like the Honda CR-V, Lexus IS owners are frustrated by the car’s dated technology. Fortunately, it scores well across most other categories, including its engine and running costs. Impressively, only 3.6 percent of owners report issues.

10: Skoda Octavia

Score: 92.45%

No one’s going to be excited by the Skoda Octavia’s aesthetics, but that doesn’t stop it edging into the Driver Power top 10. Owners really like the Octavia, rating its reliability, engine and running costs highly.

9: Honda Civic

Score: 92.50%

This is the first time the new Honda Civic has appeared in the Driver Power survey, coming in ninth place. Surprisingly, reliability appears to be an issue, with nearly one in 10 owners reporting issues – mainly with electronics.

8: Toyota Verso

Score: 92.83%

Launched in 2009, the Toyota Verso is the oldest car to appear in the Driver Power top 20. Only really being let down by its exterior design (and, to an extent, its engine and gearbox), the Verso scores extremely well across the board.

7: Kia Sorento

Score: 92.85%

There’s no fewer than three Kias in the top 20, proving the Korean firm continues to sell likeable, good-value vehicles. The latest Sorento achieves a 92.85 percent overall rating, with buyers particularly liking its practicality and build quality. Despite that, nearly a quarter have reported niggles.

6: Lexus NX

Score: 92.90%

The Lexus NX is the best built car currently on sale in the UK, according to owners. If it wasn’t let down by its infotainment and running costs, the NX would be in the running for number one spot.

5: Lexus RX

Score: 92.99%

The NX is pipped to the top five by the bigger Lexus RX. Surprisingly, the RX doesn’t score as highly as the NX for its build quality, but owners appreciate its infotainment system, keen engine and upmarket interior.

4: Toyota Prius

Score: 93.04%

If you’re after a reliable car, it’s generally a good idea to look at what taxi drivers choose to spend their money on. The hybrid Toyota Prius is rated for its fuel economy – unsurprisingly – as well as its running costs and safety features. Owners would like a bit more practicality.

3: Alfa Romeo Giulia

Score: 93.06%

We’re into the top three now, and we’re a trifle surprised to see the Alfa Romeo Giulia appear here. It’s pipped rivals such as the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, and if it scored better for reliability it’d be in an even stronger position. Incredibly, more than 40 percent of owners have reported faults – with electrics the most likely to go wrong.

2: Kia Niro

Score: 93.07%

The final Kia to appear here just misses out on the number-one spot. Named by the survey as the most satisfying small SUV to own, Niro owners report that they like its user-friendly stereo and touchscreen infotainment system. They hybrid powertrain is a bit of a let-down, unfortunately.

1: Peugeot 3008

Score: 93.88%

To number one… and the most satisfying new car to own is the Peugeot 3008, according to the Driver Power survey. If you’ve sat in its cabin you’ll understand why owners love the comfort on offer, while reliability is also excellent. It scores highly for safety – reflecting its five-star Euro NCAP safety rating – while only the engine and running costs are a slight disappointment.

Read more:

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The growing pressures throughout the European car industry have been highlighted by March 2018 new car registration figures that show the first March fall in four years. 5.3 percent fewer cars were sold across Europe than in 2017.

• Europe’s best-selling cars of 2017

The biggest decline was, of course, in the UK, where March registrations plunged 15.7 percent. But the big markets of Italy and Germany were also down, by 5.8 percent and 3.4 percent respectively.

The only large markets to grow were France and Spain, by 2.2 percent and 2.1 percent.

Despite the declines, European new car registrations are still marginally up in 2018, but the market remains under pressure – which is being felt particularly acutely by some big-name brands. Ford is down 15.7 percent across Europe in the first three months of 2018, and Nissan is down 11 percent.

Opel/Vauxhall has been amalgamated into the PSA Group, so its 11 percent decline has been hidden in the figures. This is why PSA Group’s overall figures are up a hefty 65.9 percent – and, thanks to a strong performance by Peugeot and Citroen, it would be even better, if its new acquisition from GM hadn’t declined…

Jaguar Land Rover has recorded a worrying 16.5 percent thus far in 2018, with Jaguar down 10.9 percent and Land Rover an alarming 19.2 percent: that’s around 10,000 fewer high-value Land Rovers delivered in Europe so far this year.

Other premium brands are weathering the storm a little better. Audi is down 3.1 percent, BMW is down 2.8 percent and Mercedes-Benz is actually up marginally, by 1 percent.

The region’s biggest car brand is also outperforming the market. Volkswagen Group sales so far in 2018 are up 5.4 percent, to almost 1 million cars – helped by a strong performance at Seat and Skoda, and the improving fortunes of the Volkswagen brand itself.

Aston Martin first used the DBS name back in 1967. It revived it in 2007. Now, for 2018, it’s back for a third time – adorning a car Aston describes as a range-topping super-GT.   

It’s not just any old DBS, either. It’s an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, the famed moniker of Italian styling house Touring. It designed the Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and original DB6; Touring’s famed ‘superlight’ branding is now back on the bonnet of an Aston Martin.

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And although the Gaydon firm isn’t saying much at this stage, needless to say the new DBS Superleggera will offer just that – a generous helping of superlight tech. It will also have “the highest levels of performance, craftmanship and design”.

Aston Martin chief creative officer Marek Reichman said: “When you hear the name DBS Superleggera, you know what it is. It’s the definitive Aston Martin Super GT.

“It’s an icon, a statement and this one will be no different. We’ve pushed the boundaries of performance and design to give this car a distinct character and ensure it’s worthy of the heritage and weight that this name carries.”

Reichman’s focus on the word ‘super GT’ is significant: it suggest Aston Martin has new plans for the future Vanquish, which to date has been its top-line GT car. Some are suggesting it could even become a mid-engined supercar in the future.

Before it went out of business in 1966, Aston worked frequently with Milan’s Touring. Aston intended it to produce the replacement for the DB6, but only two prototypes were finished before it went bust. Aston designer William Towns used these as the basis for the new car – the DBS.

The original DBS is notable for being the last Aston Martin developed under the control of then Aston Martin company owner David Brown – he of ‘DB’ fame.

We’ll find out more about the new DBS Superleggera in the second quarter of 2018, confirms Aston.

Global car sales data has confirmed the Ford Mustang is the best-selling coupe in the world, for the third straight year. In 2017, Ford sold 125,809 Mustangs in 146 different countries worldwide. 

Analyst IHS Markit has compiled the data, which it says captures around 95 percent of all car sales across the globe. No other sports coupe on the planet comes close. 

• 2018 Ford Mustang first drive: there’s still nothing quite like it

The 2017 total means Ford has sold a staggering 418,000 examples of the current Mustang since it was launched in 2015. The latest car is the first truly global Mustang in the car’s five-decade history, and is proving to be a runaway success. 

“The world is falling in love with the Mustang,” said Erich Merkle, a sales analyst at Ford. 

According to Ford’s own sales data, 81,866 Mustangs were sold in North America last year. In other words, one in three Mustang registrations was an export car, with particularly strong markets including China. With sales of 7,125 last year, the Mustang was the best-selling coupe there, too. 

Making the Mustang global means more sales are being made to women. “Sports cars have traditionally skewed towards male buyers in the United States,” says Ford, but “Ford research shows a 10 percent gain in women buying Mustang in the last five years”. 

Of course, Ford sells the Mustang in two flavours, the 2.3-litre four-cylinder Ecoboost and the full-fat 5.0-litre V8. Which version sells best globally?

Why, the 5.0-litre V8 Mustang GT, of course…

Suzuki has announced its new Swift Sport will cost £17,999 when it goes on sale later this year.

That puts the warm hatch close to Fiesta ST territory – and considerably more expensive than the Volkswagen Up GTI, which starts at £13,750.

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The firm says the Swift Sport’s higher-than-expected price tag is down its extensive standard kit, including metallic paint, Apple CarPlay and lane-assist.

Suzuki has fitted a new 1.4-litre turbo engine to the Swift Sport, which produces 138hp, an increase of just 4hp over the old model. It does, however, have significantly more torque, and a sub-1,000kg kerbweight helps it to an 8.1-second 0-62mph dash (a 115hp Up GTI does it in 8.8 seconds). 

Comment: why is the new Suzuki Swift Sport so expensive?

The old Swift Sport was fantastically good fun – and, at around £15k even for a well-stocked five-door with sat nav, a real steal. Settle for a basic one and you’d pay just £13,749. Then the VW Up GTI came along, and showed just what can be done for the money.

A headline-grabbing £13,750 entry-level price tag really put the cat amongst the pigeons, particularly as Volkswagen backed it up with a stonking £139 a month finance deal – great for those who have the necessary £3.5k to put down as a deposit (VW even chucks in an extra £500 sweetener).

Suzuki’s answer, we thought, would be to give us the perfect counterpoint to the Up GTI. More equipment, more power, more space – all, surely, for a price still under £16k. It could have continued the trend of the old one and been the hot hatch bargain of the year.

Yet Andrew, who’s on the launch as I type, has just reported back. Suzuki’s going to sell it for £17,999. Excuse me? £18k? Isn’t that the same price as a Mini Cooper five-door? Can’t you get a 205hp Corsa VXR, which will go from 0-62mph fully 1.5 seconds faster, for just £2k more? A 200hp VW Polo GTI, with DSG, a 2.0-litre Golf GTI engine and a fair bit more kudos, for £21k?

Suzuki will point to the all-inclusive standard spec. The four-year, zero-deposit, £249 a month PCP deal (although, I note, you can get a Mini Cooper five-door for £279 a month over four years, with £279 deposit…). And the fact, I’m sure, that it’s competitive with rivals.

But the bald facts are a massive price hike for a car that still only has 138hp. Nearly hot hatch money for what remains, on paper, a warm hatch pocket rocket. I think it’s simply too much. I look forward to the the car arriving in the UK, when I can ask Suzuki just why the Swift Sport is now so expensive.

Richard Aucock

Although resale values are yet to be confirmed, it’s aiming for a £249 a month PCP deal over four years – significantly, with zero deposit.

Suzuki’s sold 11,500 Swift Sports since it went on sale in 2005, and is aiming to sell 1,500 of the new model a year. Initially aiming to satisfy demand from existing owners, the manufacturer will move onto conquest sales in fleet and retail markets.

The new Swift Sport goes on sale in June.

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If you’re looking for holiday inspiration, may we suggest a visit to Los Angeles this summer? The Petersen Automotive Museum is hosting The Porsche Effect, an exhibition celebrating 70 years of Porsche sports cars. Here are some of the many highlights.

Porsche Type 64

The Type 64 was designed to compete in the 1939 Berlin to Rome race, but the outbreak of the Second World War meant that the event never took place and the project was short-lived. It was based on the Volkswagen Beetle but powered by an air-cooled 1.5-litre engine, while the aerodynamic aluminium shell provided the blueprint for future Porsche models.

Porsche 906 Carrera 6

The 906 Carrera 6 was a development of the 904, featuring a lightweight fibreglass body, gull-wing doors and one-piece plexiglass engine cover. It made its debut at the Daytona 24-hour race in 1966, securing a sixth place finish and a class victory. At the 1966 Le Mans – the race famous for Ford’s 1-2-3 victory – the 906 took the following four places, a remarkable performance for a 2.0-litre flat-six sports car racing against the 7.0-litre V8 GT40s.

Porsche 914-6 GT

The 914-6 GT is a rare beast, listed in the 1971 Porsche catalogue as a Group 4 racer, with fewer than 50 leaving the factory. Power was sourced from a highly-tuned 2.0-litre engine developing around 210hp, which seemed woefully inadequate at the 1970 Le Mans. But this didn’t stop the 914-6 GT securing a fantastic sixth place finish, courtesy of Claude Ballot-Léna and Guy Chasseuil.

Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder

In 1973, Porsche launched the final version of the 917 Spyder: the 917/30. To kids growing up in the 70s, this was the daddy, with its 5.4-litre flat-12 engine developing a reported 1,100hp. One of the primary sponsors was the American sales organisation, ‘Porsche + Audi’, hence the decals.

Porsche 910

It looks similar to the 906, but the Porsche 910 is distinguishable thanks to its smaller 13-inch wheels, front-hinged doors, and a removable roof to allow for open or closed racing. Speaking about the exhibition, Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, said: “When the Petersen Museum first suggested we work together on what has become “The Porsche Effect,” I immediately saw the mutual benefits to both. We are looking forward to sharing the story of Porsche through rare and seldom seen artifacts and display elements, in addition to some of the most iconic cars of all time.”

Porsche 904 Carrera GTS

The Porsche 904 – or Carrera GTS – was designed to be a fairly simple and low-cost car that could be built and sold in sufficient numbers for homologation purposes. Although it was built to go racing, the first 904 to come to Britain was driven by Richard ‘Dickie’ Stoop to go shopping. Porsche built far more than the 100 required for homologation purposes, with most sold in the USA.

Porsche Jägermeister 962

“At the Petersen, we always seek out compelling new ways to engage our guests and pique their interests,” said Executive Director Terry L. Karges. “Because Porsche is so embedded in the Southern California landscape, we were thrilled to partner with the legendary automaker to create an experience that is truly remarkable and dedicated to the many Porsche lovers in the Southland.”

Porsche 935 K3

This was the actual Le Mans-winning Porsche Kremer Racing 935 K3 driven by Klaus Ludwig, Don Whittington and Bill Whittington in 1979. Actor Paul Newman finished second in a Dick Barbour Racing Porsche 935, while Kremer completed the top three in another 935. The K3 is owned by Petersen founding chairman, Bruce Meyer.

Porsche 928 H50

What you’re looking at is the godfather of the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo: a four-seat, four-door Porsche 928. The H50 concept of 1987 is powered by a 330hp V8 engine, which is enough to propel this practical 928 to a top speed of 168mph. Sadly, after 5,000 miles of testing, the Porsche engineers decided that it lacked the required structural rigidity and it was pushed to the back of the factory.

Porsche 550/1500 RS Spyder

The majority of 550 Spyders were used for competition purposes, so to find such an original and unmodified example is a rare treat. In 2016, this 1956 example sold for a world record £4.6m at the Bonhams Goodwood Revival Auction. James Knight, the auctioneer on the day, said: “The car attracted much attention from bidders, with increments rising by hundreds of thousands until the gavel finally fell to achieve £4,593,500. The car is so original, that you could travel back in time 60 years and find it in much the same condition. It’s exactly how a 550 would have looked, smelt and felt like when James Dean famously purchased his example back in 1955.” Dean’s was perhaps the most famous of the 550s; he called his car the ‘Little B*stard’.”

Steve McQueen’s Porsche 356 Speedster

Speaking of Steve McQueen… this is his old Porsche 356 Speedster. In the 1960s, he sold the car to Bruce Meyer, but purchased the Porsche again just seven years later. Meyer regrets selling the Speedster, saying: “Steve called me and wanted to buy it back. We were friends, we’d done some motorcycle racing together. So I sold it back to him. His son Chad owns it today. “

Porsche 918 Spyder

Bringing things right up-to-date, the 918 Spyder features a V8 engine and two electric motors delivering a combined 887hp. It’s enough to propel the four-wheel drive hybrid to 62mph in just 2.6 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 214mph. Amazingly, it’ll top 93mph in electric mode.

Porsche 911 Targa Sportomatic

Another rarity: the Porsche 911 Targa Sportomatic features a vacuum system and torque converter, which means that the driver is able to select their own gears without using a clutch pedal. Owners Alan and Lisa Grant are incredibly lucky to own this classic boulevard cruiser.

Porsche 997 RSR Flying Lizard Art Car

This Porsche 997 GT3 RSR showcases Flying Lizard’s livery for the 2011 Le Mans race. “The livery commemorates the heritage of Porsche at Le Mans, starting with drivers Hans Hermann and Richard Attwood, who secured the first overall victory for Porsche in 1970,” said Jennifer Hart, Flying Lizard’s vice president of marketing.

Porsche 911 GT1

Another treat: a road-legal Porsche 911 GT1 alongside its race-going sibling. The race version made its competition debut at Le Mans in 1996, where it finished second and third overall, winning the GT1 class in the process. A total of 25 ‘Strassenversion’ GT1s were built for homologation purposes, each one powered by a 3.2-litre flat-six, twin-turbocharged engine.

Porsche Continental

The 356 Continental was the brainchild of Max Hoffman, the North American importer of Porsche cars. The idea was to shift stock of the ageing 356, with Porsche using the tried and tested method of adding many extras to the standard car. But Ford wasn’t happy with the choice of name, and when the courts ruled in favour of the Blue Oval, the Continental name was dropped.

Porsche 924 Carrera GTS

The Porsche 924 Carrera GTS is distinguishable from the Carrera GT thanks to the perspex headlight covers and an intercooler in front of the engine, rather than on top of it. A mere 59 were built, making it one of the rarest and most coveted of Porsche models. It was 59kg lighter than the GT, although the Clubsport and GTR models were lighter still.

McLaren TAG-Porsche

This is the 1987 McLaren TAG-Porsche, as raced by Alain Prost. The Frenchman finished fourth in the 1987 drivers’ championship, winning a total of three races. In total, the TAG-Porsche engine propelled McLaren to 25 Grand Prix victories.

Porsche 911 Singer

Perfection.

Porsche 968 Turbo RS

Just four 968 Turbo RS models were built, making it one of the rarest Porsche cars ever produced. With 337hp and 369lb ft of torque on tap, the Turbo RS wasn’t lacking in punch, offering an ability to hit a 911-troubling top speed of 175mph.

The vault

You’ll find the vault deep beneath the Petersen Automotive Museum, which is available for tours as a bolt-on to the general admission ticket. On the basis of this photo alone, it’s worth booking ahead.

The Porsche Effect

The Porsche Effect exhibition is in residence until 27 January 2019. You can find the Petersen Automotive Museum at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. View the slideshow below for more Porsche photos.

Read more:

• 2018 Porsche 911 GT3 review: the best supercar on sale
• This early Porsche 928 is a glorious celebration of 40 years of the model
• Official: Porsche Le Mans racer is faster than an F1 car

It’s not just expensive premium cars that offer smartphone apps, allowing you to remotely check on the vehicle’s status (and locate it when you lose it in a car park). All new VW Ups and Polos now come with the Volkswagen Connect connectivity system – for free.

The UK’s second-largest car brand is giving away its DataPlug connected car plug-in gadget on all Up city cars and Polo superminis. It enables owners to download the free Volkswagen Connect app and access a wealth of information about their cars. 

It works in a similar way to the pricey built-in Car-Net system found on high-end examples of the Golf, Tiguan and Arteon. Owners (or their dealers) plug a dongle into the car’s OBD socket, then pair it to the app on their smartphone via Bluetooth. 

They then have seven new tools, which they can use to interact with the car even when they’re not inside it: 

• Trips – data about every trip, including miles driven
• Fuel Monitor – blends fuel consumption and fuel cost to work out the cost of every journey
• Driving Style – how smooth is your driving? It’ll give you tips if it thinks you could be smoother
• My Volkswagen – check fuel level, distance to next service and so on
• Service Partner – alerts drivers when a service is due, and can book it in if you add a preferred dealer. If a warning light illuminates, you can set it so the dealer calls you to explain it
• Assistance Call – direct access to Volkswagen Customer Service or breakdown recovery
• Parking Space – the location of the car is precisely recorded at the end of every journey: never lose your car again!

It’s not just Up and Polo owners that are getting a free DataPlug, either. If you buy any approved used car from Volkswagen via the Das WeltAuto scheme, they’ll get one too – as will anyone taking their car in for routine servicing. 

Indeed, anyone who owns a Volkswagen built since 2008 can head over to their local retailer and get a free DataPlug. That’s how keen Volkswagen is to get its vehicle fleet connected up.

The firm expects customers to be similarly keen: 300,000 DataPlugs are expected to be handed out this year alone. 

See more of what Volkswagen Connect can do here. Really though, unless you’re worried about being tracked via an app (it’s your data, says VW, and it’s fully secure so nobody can hack it), it’s surely a matter of ‘what are you waiting for’?