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‘Extra features include black alloys, a rear-view camera, heated seats and even two pairs of tartan-trim socks’

THIS WEEK

Issue 6531 | Volume 313 | No 11

NEWS

Toyota bZ saloon New EV to take on Tesla’s Model 3 4 BMW M2 CS Hardcore track-focused 473bhp coupé 6 Bugatti shelves SUV New owner puts plans on hold 8 Williams supercars New EV platform for niche firms 10 Car software failures Are drivers being put at risk? 12 Aston Martin’s future Three top execs give insights 14 New role for Canada EV firms eye its raw materials 16

TESTED

Range Rover Sport Verdict on crucial new-gen SUV 24 Range Rover P510e Is this PHEV the one to have? 29 Volkswagen ID Buzz Microbus reinvented as an EV 30 Mercedes-Benz GLC Fresh tech for new Mk3 model 34 Ford Grand Tourneo Connect VW-twinned MPV 36 Vauxhall Corsa-e New special; plus Peugeot e-2008 37 Kia Niro EV 3 ROAD TEST 38

FEATURES BAC Mono R Road-legal single-seater vs real life 48 He scoots, he scores E-scooter that thinks it’s a car 52 Hyundai N one-offs 670bhp H2 drift car, sleek BEV 54

OUR CARS BMW iX Luxury electric SUV flagship makes debut 62 Cupra Born Practicality to the fore for sporty EV 63 Volkswagen ID 4 GTX How does it compare to ID 5? 64 Ford Mustang Mach-E Quirky tech solutions rated 65

EVERY WEEK Jesse Crosse Should we skip this light fandango? 13 Jim Holder Record profits versus cost of living crisis 15 Matt Prior £725k Escort RS Turbo; Model T camper 17 Steve Cropley Austin Seven sampled; a close shave 19 Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits 20 Damien Smith The Classic at Silverstone; BTCC 22 Your Views Driver ‘assist’ systems; CVTs; campers 58 On this day 1974: Citroën SM; Audi’s first supermini 61 Autocar Archive Access 125 years of issues for free 66 Slideshow So these car are closely related? Really?! 82

DEALS

As good as new Smart way to get a Jaguar F-Type 68 James Ruppert Cars to beat the cost of living crisis 69 Cult hero Smart Roadster: £2k mid-engined fun 70 New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenvo 72 Road test index Track down that road test here 81

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FIRST DRIVE OF THE VOLKSWAGEN ID BUZZ 30

HARDCORE BAC MONO R MEETS EVERYDAY LIFE 48

WE DRIVE HYUNDAI’S PERFORMANCE FUTURE 54

COVER STORY

❝IF YOU’RE SOLD ON THOSE LOOKS, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE WAY IT DRIVES TO PUT YOU OFF❞

HAPPY CAMPERS: MARK TISSHAW GIVES HIS VERDICT AFTER DRIVING THE VW ID BUZZ 30

ALL NEW RANGE ROVER SPORT: FIRST DRIVE 24

COMMENT

VW’S ID BUZZ AUGURS WELL FOR THE EV ERA

AS EDITOR MARK Tisshaw writes on p30, it’s hard not to smile at VW’s modern-day reinvention of its iconic camper, this time called the ID Buzz. In a world where the generic nature of electric vehicles – same platform, same batteries, same electric motors – multiplied across countless vehicles can sometimes, just sometimes, leave us feeling cold, the ID Buzz shows the positive side of what this new era of electrification can do. There have been four attempts at a new microvan in the past two decades, which is a bit sorry given VW’s heft. The only reason this one is justifiable is because it’s electric and shares all those aforementioned attributes with other MEB-based VW Group models. How refreshing to have an all-new car that makes us feel excited, optimistic, yet isn’t that which we typically attribute to fun driving: a V10-powered, probably out-of-reach sports car. Admittedly, the Buzz won’t set the world alight with its dynamism, but it’s more than commendable. Hopefully, there’s more where this came from, particularly at VW. Its new boss Thomas Schäfer has told Autocar he aims to make “VW loved again”. A couple more models of this ilk and you’ll be on your way. (So long as the software issues, p12, are addressed…)

Rachel Burgess Magazine editor rachel.burgess@haymarket.com

@theburgeword

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