Autocar magazine 24 May: on sale now
In Autocar this week...
BMW launches the new 5 Series, Abarth 500e put through its paces and we find out the best car on sale
This week in Autocar, we’ve got all you need to know about the new BMW 5 Series, drive the Abarth 500e and find out what could be the best car on sale today.
*News*
BMW has launched the all-important new 5 Series with a four-wheel-drive, 493bhp i5 crowning the range. Before it lands on UK tarmac in October, we have all you need to know about this all-encompassing goliath of the exec saloon class.
Vauxhall, meanwhile, has just given the Corsa a facelift, complete with the firm’s Vizor front grille and more efficient electric and hybrid powertrains.
We also reveal more about Caterham’s plan for a Seven EV at Goodwood and explore the fallout after Tesla ceased production of its right-hand drive Model S and Model X.
*Reviews*
Our editor, Mark Tisshaw, visits Italy to test the Abarth 500e to find out if Fiat’s performance division has succeeded in making a truly involving electric hot hatch.
Another nascent Chinese EV maker has arrived in Europe with the Xpeng G9 and P7 - James Attwood visits Amsterdam to find out if they offer deja vu or something new.
We get behind the wheel of the facelifted Volkswagen ID 3 to find out if the electric hatchback represents an improvement in both user-friendliness and driving manners.
For road test 5625, we’ve got the Mercedes A200 - do power and efficiency gains make it any more desirable?
*Features*
We’re off to the Brecon Beacons with a cavalcade of saloons that would put even the most powerful heads of state to shame. Testing the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Range Rover, Bentley Flying Spur, BMW i7 and Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud we find out which one makes for the best-riding car on sale today.
Geely’s significant investment in Lotus has included building a leviathan of a production plant in China that will bring its new-age cars to life - Mike Duff takes a tour of the £1.2 billion facility.
Meanwhile, with new and used prices tumbling, electric car ownership looks more and more like an appealing prospect for motorists - John Evans analyses the maturing second-hand market for EVs.
*Opinion*
Matt Prior wonders if we have reached ‘peak car’ by delving into some of the best machines on offer today, from the Volkswagen Golf to the Ferrari 296 GTB.
Steve Cropley becomes conflicted about his previous musings on the MG Cyberster, becomes infatuated with a 1983 Citroën Acadiane and bids a disheartened farewell to Bentley’s W12 engine.
*Used*
Will the Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 or 2.5-16 make for a good used purchase? We think so, but it’s not cheap. Join us as we assess its credibilities on the second hand market and how to bag a tidy used one.
*Where to Buy*
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