Autocar magazine 15 May: on sale now
This week in Autocar...
Aston Martin's Defender rival scooped, electric G-Class driven, and our verdict on Aston's new Vantage
This week in Autocar, we scoop Aston Martin's upcoming rival to the Land Rover Defender, drive the greatest Mercedes G-Class there has ever been, and deliver our verdict on the new Aston Martin Vantage.
*News*
Aston Martin is targeting the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Class with a luxurious new super 4x4 - we've got all the info on its platform, where it will be built and how many will be built.
Seat, meanwhile, is set to live on in the future despite concern that it was going to be axed, positioned with a lower-cost electric car sitting below the Cupra range.
Over at Goodwood, Rolls-Royce is set begin a new era as it expands its factory in Sussex, which will enable it to offer substantially more personalisation on every car it builds.
We also cover the new Volvo EX90, China's cut-throat new car market, and plummeting used EV values.
*Reviews*
The new Aston Martin Vantage unequivocally shows where Aston is heading because it’s sportier, more powerful and more expensive. But a key question remains: is it any good?
Mercedes has electrified the G-Class, giving it a motor for each wheel and a big 124kWh battery - is it an affront to the G's lineage?
Meanwhile, the G63 AMG has been treated to more power thanks to the addition of hybrid technology - we drive it in France to find out if it's still a proper AMG.
We're also driving the diesel variant of the new G-Class, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, and for road test 5674, we've got the Smart #3.
*Features*
The emerging force of the Chinese car market is largely the product of the omnipotent Geely. Our editor Mark Tisshaw heads east to sample the best it has to offer.
Cars have got bigger, heavier and more expensive in the electric era. Helpfully, a faithful recreation of the old Mini reverses two of those trends. Matt Prior drives it.
Audi is a past master of slick electric SUVs while Lotus is a class rookie. Can the new Eletre compete alongside the SQ8 E-tron? We put them head-to-head.
*Opinion*
Matt Prior realises that he can't keep up with the pace of the car world after finding out that the next Rimac is unlikely to be an EV.
Steve Cropley, meanwhile, riffs on the amphibious TVR Scamander, learns about a small and individualistic car collection, and longs for a day when electric car chargers are as well advertised as petrol pumps.
*Used*
The 'F10' generation BMW 5 Series is a benchmark executive saloon, so surely it should make a fantastic used buy? John Evans reports.