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‘It’s a diva that just happens to sound like Janis Joplin’
THIS WEEK
Issue 6509 | Volume 312 | No 2
NEWS
Rolls-Royce Spectre Luxury EV coupé due next year 6 Nissan sports cars Reports of death exaggerated 10 BMW Alpina B4 It’s quicker than an M4Competition 12 Lotus saloon 2023 Taycan rival to nudge 600bhp 14 JLR’s SVO division MD explains where its future lies 16 Concern over EV switch Makers seek clarity in UK 18
TESTED
Maserati Grecale Trofeo SUV with a supercar heart 24 BMW i7 Early access to EV version of new 7 Series 28 Bizzarrini 5300 GT Revival 1965 GT racer returns 30 Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae Mighty swansong 31 Genesis GV60 Kia EV6 tech twin guns for Q4 E-tron 32 Porsche Macan T GTS-lite; plus updated Ford Fiesta 33 Mercedes-Benz S580e L ROAD TEST 34
FEATURES Dacia Sandero road trip Globetrotting epic – in UK 42 Cost of motoring Analysis of what’s rising and why 48 MG’s renaissance How the brand got its mojo back 52 Lotus lifestyle EVs Inside the UK HQ creating them 54
OUR CARS Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV sets out stall 62 Peugeot 508 PSE Fresh perspective in a busy week 63 Audi Q4 E-tron Sportback Range anxiety is history 64 Land Rover Defender Its size is not an issue. Really 65
EVERY WEEK Jesse Crosse What to do with tired old EV batteries? 13 Matt Prior Makers that choose who buys their cars 15 Jim Holder Let’s cut CO2 yet make more plush SUVs19 Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits 20 Steve Cropley Robocabs; Ineos Grenadier critique 21 Damien Smith Cottage industry that keeps F1 racing 22 Your Views Polestar’s O2; VWGroup infotainment 58 On this day Urban electric car subscription – in 1901 61 Slideshow Icons that survived decades in production82
DEALS
James Ruppert Mazda 6; Soul; Infiniti G37 Coupé 66 Cult hero Naughty noughties Maser Quattroporte 68 As good as new Latest-shape Nissan Micra, £8500 70 Take it or leave it Fiat Coupé; Stinger; Range Rover 71 New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos 72 Road test index Track down that road test here 81
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DACIA SANDERO: 800 MILES, NO REFUELLING 42
MOTORING BILLS: THE ONLY WAY IS UP 48
NEW MERCEDES BENZ S CLASS: ROAD TEST 34
COVER STORY
❝IT LACKS BOTH THE DYNAMIC POLISH OF THE MACAN AND ITS HEWN FROM SOLID INTEGRITY❞
MASERATI’S PUSH FOR PROSPERITY BEGINS WEAKLY, TO JAMES DISDALE’S DISMAY 24
COMMENT
NO END TO THE DRIVING COST CRUNCH IN SIGHT
WE’RE ALL FEELING the pinch from the rising costs of not only the cars we buy but also the fuel to run them. As our alarming investigation reveals (p48), no aspect of motoring is immune from sharply rising costs.
A recent measure from the Treasury designed to ease the burden was a 5p cut in fuel duty. But as this was applied to wholesale costs, rather than the end user, the predictable outcome is that fuel prices haven’t fallen that much (more profits being creamed off the public? Surely not), and the volatility in oil prices has the potential to nullify any benefits before they reach us. The RAC has argued that a cut in fuel VAT would be more effective, as a measure that could immediately be passed onto consumers by retailers at the point of sale. This sounds a much better solution, but given that the chancellor has already patted himself on the back by filling ‘his’ Kia Rio with £30.01 of not-any-cheaper petrol in a toe-curling PR stunt, don’t count on it.
Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight of the current cost crunch. We’re fortunate that cars are as frugal and generally as reliable as they’ve ever been and can only hope that market forces, if not government intervention, will stabilise the price of cars and the cost of keeping them on the road.
IMAGE
Mark Tisshaw Editor mark.tisshaw@haymarket.com
@mtisshaw
ROLLS ROYCE SPECTRE: DETAILS OF EV COUPE 6
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