Your first look at the next Hyundai i20

Friends, Romans, pensioners, lend us your ears. This is your first look at the next Hyundai i20, South Korea's answer to the Fiesta, Corsa and Clio.

Actually, it's not quite your first look at the next Hyundai i20. It's your first look at how the next Hyundai i20 might look if it existed in Cartoon Superhero world.

Even so, we suspect the rest of the car world may be eyeing these two renders warily.

As Hyundai, and sister firm Kia, have made great strides into European markets in the few years, the i20 - first introduced in 2007 - hasn't quite put the frighteners on the competition the same degree as the i10 and i30.

But Hyundai reckons this all-new version - due for official unveil at the Paris show in October, and likely going on sale in the UK in early 2015 - will shove the South Koreans to the front of arguably the most hotly contested sector in the UK.

"The long hood and generous shape create a powerful stance for New Generation i20," promises the marketing spiel, somehow managing to make a practical supermini sound like a brand of isotonic drink. "The body sides are sculpted yet the overall architecture is clear and simple."

So there you go. We're also promised a ‘bold new interpretation' of Hyundai's trademark hexagonal grille, a wraparound rear window and darkened C-pillar. Oh, and ‘a unique treatment for the lamp clusters'. We suspect DeathLasers.

Reckon this one could be a looker? And isn't about time you got in on the hot hatch game, Hyundai?

Meet Dunlop's racecar of the future

If you culled the collective consciousness of Top Gear to dream up the perfect racing machine, you'd likely end up with a space-framed monster packing a 20,000rpm V12 and the mother of all rear wings. Oh, and an instant self-destruct button on hearing the phrase ‘for sure'.

Thankfully, Dunlop did not cull the collective consciousness of Top Gear to dream up the images above, which offer a hint at the tyre firm's vision of the racecar of the future.

Pooling the opinions of motorsport enthusiasts, the ideas were then handed over to GP and Le Mans racecar designer Sergio Rinland (designer for Williams, Brabham, Sauber and Bennetton), who set about sketching the perfect racing machine of the future.

And it's incredible. The Future Race Car features four electric motors (one in each wheel), powered by a small hydrogen fuel cell generator and an even smaller lithium ion battery acting as a power buffer.

Why a power buffer? Because batteries are heavy, and the FRC, we're told, would feature an induction charging pad. The racing circuit would then be electrified, meaning the cars wouldn't ever require batteries, instead drawing their power from the trick track surface. Would certainly make Martin Brundle's pre-race grid walk interesting...

Then there's the active aero that changes the shape of the body thanks to piezoelectric materials in the laminate. This allows the FRC to reduce drag on the straights, increase downforce in corners, and automatically turn the radio off when you know what you are doing and don't need to be told all the time etc etc.

The tyres have in-built sensors that send data to the suspension, power and brakes, with the rubber capable to shifting shape at different points in the lap: cornering, accelerating along straights and braking.

And as for the brakes... well, there aren't any. Instead, stopping force comes courtesy thanks to energy recovery systems.

"You would like maximum performance from minimum use of resources," Sergio tells us in the video below. Which sounds great, though at this point we'd like to point out the FRC is NOT REAL. And likely won't ever be, sadly. Still, if it ever does make it to reality, we'd love to see it square up to Adrian Newey's Red Bull X2014...

First drive: Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

What’s this?

This is the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, complete with that all-new pyrotechnic 707bhp supercharged V8. This is not just the most powerful Challenger ever made, it’s also now the most powerful muscle car you can buy – sweeping aside the 662bhp Shelby GT500 – and offers the most horsepower per dollar ($85 per nag) of any car on sale in the US. Just to contextualize it, in the rank order of most powerful production cars on sale in the world, this Hellcat sits just above the Lamborghini Aventador and just below the Ferrari F12. 

What’s new other than that engine?

Plenty. The tightened up exterior design so it now reflects the original 1971 car more faithfully. New interiors also borrow heavily from the Seventies car’s features. There’s an eight-speed automatic – in place of the old six-speeder – better instruments and electronics across the range, including all the latest anti-crash stuff, revised three-mode electric power steering and a host of other nice details like an active exhaust.

So it’s more of a refresh than a redesign?

Kind of, but it’s a very thorough one. Challenger sales have been up every year for the last five years, so it wouldn’t make sense to change it dramatically. But there have been some substantial changes, particularly towards the top end of the model line up. There are now eight trim levels that range from the humble SXT on the 305bhp V6-engined cars all the way to the hellacious Hellcat.

How can I spot the Hellcat?

It’s not badged as anything more than the SRT model now – the engine name isn’t on the car anywhere, which seems like a trick missed. The only visual tells are the air intake where the left drivers lamp should be, the supercharged badge on the wing, and its ability to disappear in a cloud of fire and brimstone in an instant. Also note that there are now two SRT models in the range – beneath the Hellcat is the SRT 392 HEMI Scat Pack Shaker. 

The what? 

The Scat Pack (stop sniggering at the back) is a collection of go faster goodies that lift the performance by up to 113bhp and 65lb-ft, add an active exhaust, upgraded suspension and better brakes among a long list of detailed upgrades. So you want it if you can get it. The Shaker bit refers to the air cleaner poking out of the bonnet. It allows the engine to breathe more deeply, and make more power, so you want that, too. They are quite a bit cheaper than the Hellcat-equipped cars, and not a whole lot slower. 

But doesn’t a 707bhp Challenger make the 640bhp Viper a bit redundant?

Not really. The Challenger is a proper four seater and the Viper is a cramped two-seater coupe that will still demolish the Hellcat, even in a straight line. Completely different products for different purposes. 

OK, that’s the company line – what’s the reality? 

You’re right. Company insiders hinted that the Viper is being completely rethought. Now that Fiat and Chrysler are one company, all technology is being shared across the company – including Ferrari’s for the first time – which opens the door to a possible hybrid Viper. That car could use the Hellcat engine and add an electric motor giving the Dodge supercar over 900bhp. The company is also researching possible four-wheel drive systems for the car, which wouldn’t appear for a couple of years yet… 

Back to this 707bhp brute. We want to know how it handles all that power… 

It drives much better than you’d think a car weighing over 2,000kg could and should. Unlike the nervy Shelby GT500, it doesn’t ever feel like it’s going to flick you off the road or track if you don’t concentrate 100 per cent. Its attitude is fully – and hilariously – adjustable on the gas almost as much as with the wheel. But it never feels anything other than neutral and on your side, which allows you to enjoy all the performance on offer. It also stays remarkably composed when braking or cornering heavily, so you can indulge your right foot without getting into too much bother. It might look like the ’71 car, but it handles like a modern muscle car should. 

What about on the drag strip?

It’s much the same. With a simple launch control set up, you can smoke the tyres at will and rattle off sub 12-second quarter miles (sub 11-seconds on drag radials) with as much effort as treading on an insect. There’s plenty of suitable smoke and drama outside the car. And plenty of timers and graphics inside the car to let you know how you’re cooking.

And on the road?

On the road, the lack of chassis mushiness remains alongside a new, more plush and hushed cabin. It’s comfortable and fun to drive at regular road speeds, the (hydraulic on the Hellcat only) steering and eight-speed auto box – the first time the hi-torque version of the TorqueFlite box has been used – being the standout features here. The six-speed manual (borrowed from the Viper) is also on offer for traditionalists. It’s big, comfortable, raw enough to be fun, refined enough to live with, makes a great noise and looks the part. 

So should I buy one?

There will come a day in the not too distant future when we can’t drive V8s anymore. Particularly V8s like the Hellcat. So don’t miss your chance to drive one of the best – run, don’t walk, to your dealer now.

BMW has built a self-drifting car

Earlier this year in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, BMW showcased a pair of cars with, seemingly, only one aim in mind: to irritate the Stig. This is not advisable.

They've done this with a 2-Series Coupe and a 6-Series Gran Coupe, wearing the very latest autonomous technology designed to bring us one step closer to a driverless future. And also to get massively slidey and sideways.

It's a new element of BMW's ActiveAssist tech, which uses 360-degree radar, ultrasound, lidar (laser radar, not radar that detects liars, sadly) and camera detectors dotted around the car to bring the vehicle back into line during "demanding" driving situations. Normally, a car's reaction to changing situations is anchored around the brakes, but BMW's system brings in the steering too. This prototype can sail through a high-speed slalom run, run round a marked-out circular course, manage lane changes and even maintain big lairy drifts.

The system prevents understeer and oversteer too, and can even react to sudden hydroplaning. In fact, the latest-gen ActiveAssist has already covered over 9,000 miles of testing, including a run between Munich and Nuremberg where it accelerated, braked and overtook slower traffic without any driver intervention, while keeping pace with traffic at speeds of up to 81mph.

It also follows on from BMW's 2009 Track Trainer project, which showcased the ideal line around the Nürburging, and later Laguna Seca, Zandvoort, Valencia, Hockenheimring and Lausitzring.

Research is still ongoing, and we'll likely see several more test BMWs later this year with near-production-ready autonomous technology - which, as TG's Paul Horrell explained here, is coming your way soon. But is this what we really want? An automated, self-drifting BMW? We sense our automated, self-drifting automaton may not be impressed.

And here are eleven reasons why you should fear the rise of the autonomous car.

Meet Renault's new R.S 01 racer

Last month, Renault Sport Technologies made a brave, bold announcement: it would build a brand new RS Trophy show car to compete in the World Series by Renault.

Today, we learn its name: it's called the R.S 01. Oh, and it'll have more than 500bhp.

Interest sufficiently piqued? Good. We've only been given a few key details, but they are Good Details. The chassis is a carbon monocoque, built by Dallara, while that monster engine will be a Nismo unit making that headline power output.

There's also a seven-speed sequential gearbox suppled by Sadev, driving the rear wheels, and specific rubber, too; Michelin has been tasked with developing a bespoke tyre package for the R.S 01.

RST tell us this track pony will weigh just 1100kg, which means a solid power-to-weight ratio of just under 500bhp per tonne. No word on a 0-62mph time, but expect it to be quick enough to make you reconsider your life choices.

The full unveil - with all the details and proper pics (not the shady teaser above) - will be at the Moscow Motor Show on 27 August. Put it in your diary.

Five BMW M235i Coupes go drifting

Clearly not to be outdone by that pesky Toyota GT86 and its ability to smoke its tyres at will, BMW has released footage of what it calls the ‘Driftmob'.

Taking the ‘flashmob' innovation to the automotive sphere takes guts. And skill. And tyres. Something these five BMW M235i Coupe drivers have in abundance, because they took five red Coupes and drifted around a Cape Town roundabout.

Obviously, BMW had to close off the road, but the spectators had no idea what was to happen. The whole film was shot by one of the guys behind The Fast and the Furious, too.

Have a watch above. Does that sate your appetite for sideways? If not, read our review of the M235i Coupe here.

Fastest ever Range Rover laps the ‘Ring

In the accompanying video at the bottom of this page, Jaguar Land Rover's chief vehicle engineer Mike Cross wanted one simple question answered. "Could a Range Rover behave like a performance car at the circuit they call the Green Hell?" he posed.

Admittedly, the question is a bit like asking whether Blenheim Palace could behave like Usain Bolt at the 100m, but the stats speak for themselves: the RR SVR lapped the Nürburgring in eight minutes and 14 seconds. The fastest time ever set for a production SUV, no less.

For a big, fat, luxury Range Rover, that's really quite indecently fast. Faster than an old Cayman S. Faster than the Lexus IS-F. Faster than an old BMW M3, Jaguar XKR and many, many other performance machines. It's also - if you believe in one standardised time (which there isn't, really), it's one second off a Merc C63 AMG.

This speed is made possible thanks to the top-spec version of that rather lovely 5.0-litre supercharged V8 JLR builds. In the RR SVR, it produces 542bhp - the same as the Jaguar F-Type Coupe R - and, we assume, the same 502lb ft of torque.

Land Rover tell us they've not only made it fast, but pointy, too, honing the handling characteristics of the SVR at the ‘Ring, "because the undulating circuit's challenging layout represents the ultimate test for high performance vehicles".

The results, we're told, are ‘spectacular', though LR assures us the SVR hasn't compromised its all-terrain ability or comfort, and it features the same 850mm wading depth as other RR Sports.

We'll have some more news on it in a couple of weeks, before it hits showrooms next year. Tell us, is this the kind of car you want to see Land Rover building?

Watch a 13-year-old rallyist scare someone stupid

Let us introduce you to a potential future WRC champion, Kalle Rovanperä. We say ‘potential', because he's only 13.

But despite Kalle's tender years, he can thrash a Citroen C2 rally car through the woods so fast it reduces fully-grown adults to trembling, screaming wrecks.

Considering most kids Kalle's age struggle to hold down a paper round, his epic car control clearly shows that he's ahead of the game. But he does have a couple of things in his favour. One, he's Finnish - a natural indication of other-worldly driving ability. Two, his Dad is WRC winner Harri Rovanperä. This means Kalle is cooler than you, and his Dad is cooler than yours too.

Rovanperä Senior raced from 1993 until 2006, piloting cars ranging from Ford Escort Cosworths to Seat Ibiza GTis.

Kalle has been flinging himself through Finland's vast snowy forests since he was eight, in all manner of rally-prepped machines: Toyota Starlets, Ford Fiesta S2000s, and a Citroen C2, as can be seen in this video.

As we found out when James met Mika Häkkinen, the Finnish have a thing called ‘Sisu'. We reckon Kalle has a lot of these.

We're not sure who's riding shotgun with Kalle, but as he initiates full Full Banzai Rally Mode, she's reduced to a fleshy ball of screams and tears.

It's a drive that earns Kalle his greatest title yet: a place in TopGear.com's Scariest Passenger Rides Ever gallery. Check it out here. 

New Jaguar saloon aims for 75mpg

Good news for fans of fuel-efficient small British saloons: the upcoming XE is aiming to become the most economical Jaguar in history. Wait, come back!

Look, we know it's not a 986bhp track-spec P1, but this is important nonetheless. Jag's upcoming BMW 3-Series rival - is claiming fuel economy of over 75mpg. In anyone's books, that's a lot.

We're told this frugality comes courtesy of extensive use of aluminium. In fact, Jaguar has invented a new aluminium alloy: RC5754 - which is definitely not a shape-shifting killer robot - uses highly recycled aluminium in its construction.

Like the XJ, XK and F-Type, the new XE will use ‘exceptionally stiff bonded and riveted aluminium structure' (75 per cent of the new XE's base is made from aloominum). Jaguar is targeting not only 75mpg, but also an official CO2 figure of under 100g/km.

Lack of weight isn't only good for economy but will also, says Jaguar, help the XE endear itself to the helmsman fraternity. "It will be the true driver's car in the segment," claims Jag. Them's fighting words.

What else do we know about the new baby Jag? That it'll take its front suspension from the F-Type with XFR levels of stiffness, will feature an integral link rear setup, latest-gen electric power steering, ‘all surface progress control' (think advanced traction control), and the new ‘Ingenium' range of engines around 80kg lighter than today's units.

The Ingenium building block is a modular 500cc cylinder, allowing Jag to scale up or down. We know the range will include a 2.0-litre diesel.

"We are on target to deliver a vehicle that dynamically outperforms our rivals," says Jaguar's chief engineer Mike Cross.

The global ‘star-studded' premiere is on 8 September. Watch this space.

Fiat reveals 500L Vans concept

This car started life as a Fiat 500L. After it was driven off the Fiat production line, it was then driven through a Vans store, in preparation for a debut at the Vans US Open of Surfing last weekend. This event took place at Huntington Beach, which is in California.

If you are a consumer of Vans footwear, you will notice many Vans footwear-inspired details around this 500L. Many logos. A ‘waffle sole' pattern on the pedals. Some ‘checkerboard' patterning on the roof.

There is also a two-tone paint scheme, 18in matt black wheels and a roof rack with a double decker surfboard carrier. Because surfing.

We have literally no words left to describe this Fiat 500L, so will simply pose this question: is this the weirdest car company tie in? We've corralled together some of the worst offenders here. Take a deep breath, and then wade in below...

The ten weirdest car company tie-ins

Here comes the McLaren P1 GTR

Last month McLaren confirmed it will build a track-only variant of the ballistic P1. In essence, Ron Dennis unfurled his carbon fibre quill, and wrote a letter to all 375 owners of the ‘normal' P1 wondering if they'd be interested in a yet-faster race version of the hyper-hybrid. And the owners said, ‘Do bears defecate in arboreal regions? Get a wriggle on!'

So here it is, is the first official design rendering of the McLaren P1 GTR. The chaps from Woking will be taking a full design concept to Pebble Beach's Concours d'Elegance next month. Don't worry, we'll be there.

From the initial sketch, it seems the ‘hardcore' brief wasn't taken too lightly. There's a one-piece fixed wing, wider track and double-barrel bazooka exhausts. Oh yes.

As we've only seen the car in render form so far, performance figures remain unconfirmed. What we do know is that it's aiming for a 1,000PS output (986bhp, a gain of 83bhp over the current model), though it's not clear if that's from electrical enhancement or simply turning the wick up further on the twin turbo 3.8-litre V8.

The aerodynamics will also be enhanced to deliver more downforce, and the GTR will feature ‘race-proven' slicks.

Considering the standard P1 is capable of pulling 2.15 lateral g and batting past 60mph and 100mph in 2.5sec and 5.0sec respectively, just how much faster will the GTR be? Could 2.0sec to 60mph be possible? Sub-4.5sec to 100mph? We'll just have to wait and see.

Fancy one? Well, you're only eligible if you've got a road-going P1. So if you've been down the pub telling your mates you put off buying the normal P1 because you're waiting for a faster one, that one won't rub.

You'll also need a lot of money - £1.98 million to be precise. Which is a pretty hefty increase on the £866,000 charged for the ‘boggo' P1.

For that money you'll also be enrolled in McLaren's P1 GTR program, which includes track days at current Formula One circuits around the world, as well as advice and consultations with important McLaren people and access to the F1 team's fabled racing simulators.

The limited run of P1 GTRs will go into production when the 375th and final P1 drops off the line. That'll be in June 2015, exactly two decades after McLaren's victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a McLaren F1 GTR.

Wouldn't that make rather convenient timing for a McLaren return to Le Mans? It's not like they don't have skills, expertise or hybrid hardware to compete...

Nissan prepares the Note Nismo

Nismo, Nissan's official tuning arm, has announced that it will build a sporty, modified version of its Note mini-MPV. It's called the Note Nismo.

Yep, you can brush aside you GT-R Nismo and 370Z Nismo; now the game's all about mini-MPVs. Nissan has confirmed that this little speed-merchant will be available in two grades, the Note Nismo and the Note Nismo S.

It's been built to celebrate Nismo's 30th anniversary, and will feature a "specially tuned engine" with a five-speed manual gearbox, providing a "fruitful supply of low-end torque". We are crossing all fingers and toes that this specially tuned engine is the GT-R's twin-turbo V6. We appreciate just how unlikely this is, but whatever.

The body has been reinforced, and you'll notice it features a new front bumper, side sills and rear bumper, a roof spoiler, different alloy wheels, sports seats inside and Nismo's signature white and red colour scheme.

"The development concept of this model was to build a car that makes you want to keep driving," explains Nismo product chief, Hiroshi Tamura, "no matter where your destination may be. Nismo is confident that the Note Nismo will enhance your driving experience."

So, that just happened. It'll only be available in Japan, mind, and will go on sale later this year. It's certainly no 1100bhp Qashqai R...

It's Aston's Lagonda super saloon

Aston Martin has announced it will revive the ‘Lagonda' badge for a limited run of an exclusive new super saloon.

The as-yet unnamed Aston Martin Lagonda four-door supercar will hit production early next year, and promises to be "the fastest of fast cars", though at present, it's only being offered exclusively for the Middle East. Blame ‘market demand', or something.

Though Aston is being coy with the details, we're told the car will sit on the firm's ageing VH chassis architecture - on which all current Aston Martins are based - and will take design inspiration from the boxy, wedge-shaped Lagonda of 1976. That's right, the company has decided to use the 1970s as design inspiration.

There will be carbon fibre in the body panels, hand-built by Aston Martin's Gaydon workforce, and while no powertrain details have been given, you'd be safe to assume the firm's new 565bhp V12 - seen in the Vanquish and V12 Vantage S - will be front and centre. Makes a good noise, that engine. No word on 0-60mph either, but you can expect a similar time to Aston's other four-door supercar, the Rapide S, which does it in 4.9 seconds.

Purchase is through invitation only, however, and the price will be "commensurate with the car's exclusivity". So ‘a lot', then.

"The new model, like its exclusive siblings the One-77 and V12 Zagato, has been created as a piece of exceptional automotive art," explains Aston design boss Marek Reichmann.

"It has been designed and developed entirely in keeping with the spirit and ethos of previous Lagonda super saloons - notably the William Towns Lagonda - and as a tribute to this car it proudly bears the Lagonda nameplate," he added.

Don't forget, Aston revived the Lagonda badge a few years back, causing quite a bit of a stir at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show with the SUV concept, itself presented as an opportunity to open up new markets worldwide.

Have a look at the pic above and let us know what you think. The 1970s are coming back.

This is the facelifted Porsche Cayenne

It's been four years since the not-so-hippoesque second-generation Porsche Cayenne was released. But in that time the competition has upped its game with the introduction of the new Range Rover Sport and BMW X5, forcing the surgeons in Stuttgart to book the SUV in for some time in theatre.

The result is this, the facelifted Cayenne. Think of it as Gen 2.5.

The facelift is far from drastic. There's a new, more sculpted bonnet, a fresh, more slatty bumper to force air into important places, and redesigned headlights to make sure the Cayenne doesn't look out of place in a family photograph next to the new 918 hypercar and mid-sized Macan.

At the rear, things now look a bit chunkier, the exhausts have a new design and the boot handle is (a) flush to the tailgate and (b) redundant, as an electronic automatic opening/closing boot is now standard.

Inside you now get a new steering wheel with shift paddles from the 918, redesigned back seats that promise more comfort, and can now be spec'd with ventilation. Good for those who suffer from Sweaty Back Syndrome.

All five models in the Cayenne range get engine tweaks for more power and less fuel. They range from borderline inconsequential changes in the Cayenne S Diesel, where its turbocharged 4.2-litre V8 diesel engine gains an extra 3bhp, to the Turbo that's had its turbocharged 4.8-litre V8 boosted with 20bhp (512bhp) and an extra 37lb ft of torque (553lb ft).

The bigger news for you engine fans is that the 4.8-litre V8 direct injection petrol engine in the Cayenne S has been a cruel victim of the era of downsizing. It's been binned, replaced for Cayenne duty by Porsche's new twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre V6 from the Macan Turbo.

Most significantly, the Cayenne Hybrid is now an E-Hybrid. It's the first plug-in SUV on the market, and Porsche's third in its portfolio. Electric power has been doubled from 47bhp in the old Hybrid to 95bhp here, so you now have a total of 416hp and 435lb ft on tap.

That should get you from with 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and onto 151mph. Porsche claims official figures of 83mpg and 79g/km (though official figures don't really work for plug-in hybrids), and some 22 miles purely on electric power at up to 77mph.

Prices start at £50k for the basic Cayenne Diesel and rise to £94k for the Turbo. This, or little brother Macan?

Is Seat planning a roadster?

The former design boss of Lamborghini, Luc Donckerwolke, has admitted to TopGear.com that Seat should build a two-seat roadster to rival the Mazda MX-5.

Speaking at an anniversary event celebrating 30 years of the Seat Ibiza, Donckerwolke - who himself penned the fourth generation Ibiza, not to mention the Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo - noted that senior figures in the Spanish company ‘is dreaming about it'.

"From a designer's point of view, we all believe this car will bring the image that Seat needs, and it would be a fitting car," Donckerwolke told us. "We're the first ones to want it, but the problem, as you know, is the business case. But we're all thinking about it. I did a concept when I was chief designer here at Seat, and I think Alejandro [Mesonero-Romanos, current Seat design chief] should do one too."

Seat has form with roadster design studies. In 1999, Seat built the ‘Formula' concept, a mid-engined two-seater. Then came the Tango concept, penned by de Silva, and more recently we saw the two-seat Ibiza Cupster Concept, built for Worthersee.

"It's exactly the sort of car Seat should be doing, and there's not a single one of us [former Seat designers] who hasn't done a concept version," Donckerwolke added.

(On a side note, Donckerwolke also reckons Lambo should resurrect the Espada, too. "I can definitely see another one," he said, "the old one was like an Italian Rolls-Royce. I think there's space for it today.")

Walter de Silva, who penned the Seat Tango roadster concept in 2001 and was responsible for the first ever Ibiza, agrees with Donkerwolke. De Silva has also designed the likes of the Audi R8, Audi TT, Lamborghini Egoista and Miura concept, so knows a thing or two about racy design.

"The question about a Seat Spider in our Group is always open," de Silva told us. "And if you think about it, the market isn't really growing either. The only offer you have at the moment is the Mazda MX-5.

"Tell me, if you have to buy a roadster that's not too expensive and doesn't land you in the premium or luxury segments, what competitors are there? So the question for us is always open."

De Silva noted that today's young generation seem less interested in design than in connectivity, but still feels there's room for a proper sports car in the market. "What you talk about is a traditional Spider. Why not? For me, I'd love to have a Spider. But as you know, it's difficult for Seat in this moment."

Perhaps one for the future, then. Right now, of course, Seat is gearing up for the upcoming new fifth-gen Ibiza - more on that later - along with a new SUV. Yes, that's right, Seat will build an SUV.

Announced a few months back, Seat boss Jürgen Stackmann confirmed that everything was on track for the SUV's 2016 launch.

"Our design phase for the SUV is close to being finished," he told TG.com, "and it will be a design you will expect from Seat. We're working now towards the industrialisation of the car, making sure that the business promise for the company can be fulfilled."

Not only that, but there could be a potential Leon ST Cupra - a hot, small, fast estate - too. "This is clearly in reach," Stackmann admitted to us. "It's an idea that could work, and one that you can see actually happening, but right now the next step for Leon is the X-Perience." That's the high-riding, soft-roading Leon.

There's definitely a buzz about Barcelona right now, not least because Seat is enjoying a sales renaissance, with the Leon selling as much as Ibiza for the first time. "That's a new experience for us," Stackmann said.

So, a light, cheap Seat roadster. Would you?

First UK drive: Chevy Camaro Z/28

The Z/28. That's the sportier version of the Camaro, right?

It is, but you might not be aware just how much sportier it is. This is hardcore. There's no carpet in the boot. Air con is an option. As standard it comes with just a single solitary speaker. The flip side of this is that it has gained some go-faster tech. This good ol' boy even has carbon ceramic brakes.

Like a proper European performance car?

Well, the brakes are from Italy (Brembo), the seats are British (Recaro), the new lighter pistons are German (Mahle) and the titanium conrods hail from Austria (Pankl). Surely this sort of thing could get Chevrolet reported for un-American activities? You have to admit these inclusions seem to jar with a car that's more Clint Eastwood than Roger Moore. But we need to be modern about this - Chevy has just gone shopping for the best parts to suit its most riotous driver's car. All in, it's claimed to be 136kg lighter than the standard model.

That's what I call a diet.

I can't think of a car that's been through a more radical weight loss program - although it wasn't exactly starting from a lean base point. Still, 1733kg is commendably light for a car that's 16 feet long, 6 feet 5 inches wide and sports a 7.0-litre naturally aspirated engine in the nose. Surprisingly, this isn't the most potent Camaro - that's the supercharged 6.2-litre 580bhp ZL1 - but it is the most track ready.

It has 505bhp and 481lb ft at 4800rpm, while 0-60mph is claimed to take 4.0 secs and top speed is 190mph. I'm not completely convinced it would hit those numbers - well, if the tyres were well warmed and you were at the end of a drag strip you might have a shout with the acceleration, but it would need to be many times the length of a quarter-mile strip to get all the way to 190mph.

Tell me about the tyres.

They are totally daft, Pirelli Trofeo Rs that are - allegedly - road legal, but they're about as heavily treaded as a billiard ball. Chevy proudly claims that the fronts are "the widest front tyre on any production car". I wasn't aware that fitting 305-width Trofeo R tyres at either end of the front axle, thus creating a comedy barbell, was something to boast about. In fact, if the 500 miles I've driven on the road in it are anything to go by, then Chevy actually intended the appalling tramlining, brutal ride and puckering aquaplaning.

So why has Chevy fitted them?

Because while spindly front tyres are all very well if your engine is in the middle of the car and your name is Lotus or Ferrari, you're only going to get terminal understeer if those tyres are then pressed into the road by a V8 of steamship proportions. What these fat Trofeos do, once warm and dry, is give the Z/28 some proper front end bite. And it really does bite. The grip is amazing, the steering fast, the nose accurate. Up to a point. Cross the line and you'll discover it breaks away rather abruptly and suddenly you're fighting it as the chassis bucks, the tyres twitch and bounce and it suddenly feels every one of its 1733 kilos. It also tends to let go at the back first - there's not even a boot carpet to weigh it down, remember - and it's not the steadiest, happiest car when drifting. It does drift though.

I noticed from the pictures.

Yep, we took it to Dunsfold in the company of a Nissan GT-R and BMW M6 (see video) and found that 481lb ft will have that effect, especially when channeled through a ridiculously tight rear diff and manual gearbox. The transmission is a bit of a highlight actually - it might not have a light, flicky shift, but it's meaty, short-throw and feels like it can cope with whatever the V8 can throw at it. It also has an alcantara gearknob. And an alcantara steering wheel. And dash trim, too. It's not a bad cabin, actually, and you view the road ahead over a prairie-sized bonnet through a windscreen that's a foot high and six wide. It's not short on charisma, the Z/28.

And driving it on the road?

I wouldn't. In fact, you mustn't. Especially if it rained a week ago. The ride is utterly miserable and once you experience what those tyres do when they encounter a tramline or a camber or - heaven forbid - a trace of dampness, well let's just say it's not going to be an experience you'll forget in a hurry. Chiefly because of the insurance claim.

What's the engine like?

What do you expect from a 7.0-litre naturally aspirated V8? Imagine that and you're there. Actually, you're not there because the lighter pistons and conrods help the massive capacity lump feel perkier than you might expect. It's a flesh-and-blood engine, rumbles and bellows wonderfully, is always predictable, builds to a thunderous crescendo and delivers enough performance.

Enough? I should hope so too.

Personally I reckon it could use more. 800bhp ought to do it. It's not that the chassis could handle it, more that the car deserves it. It feels like that would be appropriate. And amusing.

The brakes would never cope...

I think they would, actually. In fact, the brakes are one of the best things about the Z/28. The power and feel through the pedal is superb. Apparently it can pull 1.5g under braking. Americans love a stat. But even so, I'm sure that Chevy appreciates the Camaro isn't just about speed - a Porsche 911 GT3 is 12 seconds faster around the Nurburgring, and on much less aggressive tyres. And the tyres do dominate the drive, giving the handling a sharp, unsettling edge.

But the overall experience? That's plain wonderful. You hammer forwards, the engine pounding and trumpeting, the traction immense, the whole car alive and throaty. No matter how old you are or how sniffy about its track credentials, there's something captivating about the Z/28. I think you've got to admire a company that's been so single-minded about turning such a huge car into a track special. The results are both terrible and wonderful.

Exclusive first drive: Ariel Atom 3.5R

What is it?

It’s the new Atom 3.5R, a sharper, track-focused edition of Somerset’s supercharged lightweight. And possibly the fastest real-world Ariel Atom ever built.

What, faster than that ridiculous 500bhp V8?

Perhaps so. Though this 3.5R gives away 150bhp to Captain Slow’s favourite Atom, the chaps at Ariel say it’s actually quicker around all but the longest, straightest circuits, the even torque spread of its ‘charged four-cylinder giving it the advantage out of corners over the superbike-derived V8, which makes all its power at the top of its (very long) rev range.

You want some figures? The 3.5 R will do 0-60mph in around 2.5 seconds, 0-100mph in under six. Serious.

We saw the 310bhp Atom 3.5 a couple of years back, right? What’s new about the R?

About 40bhp, for starters. The 3.5R makes a round 350bhp, that extra power achieved by Ariel turning up the boost on the 2.0-litre four-cylinder’s supercharger from 7.5 to 11psi.

In place of the 3.5’s manual transmission (cribbed, like the engine, from Honda’s last Civic Type R), there’s a close-ratio, rally-spec Sadev six-speed sequential box, operated by wheel-mounted paddleshifts. New side pods (bodywork! Almost!) provide cooling to the engine and transmission, while the 3.5R gets fresh adjustable dampers all round, Ohlins TTX units with in-line internal reservoirs. In-line internal reservoirs, apparently, are a good thing.

So what’s it like?

Pretty pedestrian, in truth.

Really?

Not really. ‘Fast’ doesn’t even begin to describe the furious, screaming, mass-free manner in which the 3.5R gathers speed. Neither does ‘rapid’, ‘warp speed’ or ‘oh dear, I appear to have left my face behind’.

On the TG test track, it took me several laps not to discover the outer limits of the 3.5R’s performance, but simply to wrap my brain around what the ruddy hell was going on. This Atom is such a furious assault on the senses that you spend the first few full-bore bursts of acceleration caught in a strange emotional limbo, simultaneously cackling in delight and whimpering in terror, unable to process the maelstrom of speed and noise and horizon and bees piling straight into your face.

And the gearbox! That sequential transmission fires changes faster than you can think, the merest microblip in power before the next gear hooks up and batters you through the scenery once again. And, better still, each downshift is accompanied by an absurd, ground-shaking crack from the Atom’s exhaust, a double-barrelled shotgun blast that’ll have birds scattering from trees five miles distant.

Code brown?

Actually, once you’ve finally convinced your brain that it’s not trapped in some terrifying, localised apocalypse, the 3.5R isn’t actually all that scary.

There’s none of the on-the-limit twitchiness that afflicted early Atoms – a function, say the Ariel guys, of tyre technology as much as anything else. Whichever way, this 3.5R is surprising approachable and entirely manageable, cornering neutrally rather than flicking into snappy oversteer at the first opportunity. It’s a car that tells you what’s going on at every corner – hell, you can basically see every corner – one that lets you go faster than you ever thought you could.

And if you’re not driving like a bee-faced loon?

Despite the mad, supercharged engine, despite the race-grade sequential box, when you’re taking it slowly this Atom is as docile and easy-going as an anaesthetized puppy. Honest. There’s no low-speed jitteriness, there’s a broad spread of torque throughout the rev range, and even the crunching changes of the straight-cut transmission can be ironed out with a quick dip of the clutch.

So it’s not too much for the road, then?

No, it’s clearly far too much for the road. If you want an Atom for weekend B-road blasts, we’d recommend sticking with the standard 3.5, which offers all the face-reconfiguring fastness you could ever realistically harness. This is a car for those who want to embarrass pretty much everything short of a McLaren P1 around a racetrack.

That said, provided you took things easy, you could certainly drive the 3.5R from home to track without sustaining a massive accident. We might advise leaving it in the garage on icy mornings, however.

I want to embarrass pretty much everything short of a McLaren P1 around a racetrack. Should I have this, or an Atom 500?

This. Not least because all 25 Atom 500s are already sold, and even if you could lay your hands on a newish one, you’d probably have to pay around £140,000 for the privilege.

The 3.5R starts at £54,000. Though this might look expensive against the £38,000 you’ll pay for the ‘standard’ 3.5, it’s a veritable bargain for something capable of so utterly rearranging both your face and perception of speed. Even 14 years after launch, the Atom remains one of the great motoring experiences.

10/10

World exclusive: Top Gear drives a Formula E car

The man who race engineered Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso is currently fiddling in the vicinity of my gentleman’s area. A lower quality gentleman’s area than he’s previously known, for sure, but as the Formula E is a single-seater, the safety procedure is necessarily top drawer. Which is a polite way of saying that I may never walk in a straight line again. 

Will it be worth it? Well, we’re mighty excited by Formula E, the long anticipated all-electric race series, due to kick off in September in Beijing. It’s being touted as the future of motor racing, but as this year’s brave new F1 era continues to court controversy with its muted soundtrack and emphasis on efficiency, can we really learn to love a series that makes no real noise at all? Today, TG.com brings you a world exclusive first drive of the car, so we’ll be a step closer to answering that key question.

The signs are promising, not least because some of motorsport’s biggest guns are involved. Dallara has engineered the carbon/aluminium chassis, McLaren's electronics division is supplying the powertrain and control electronics, the 200kW batteries are from Williams F1’s advanced engineering department, and the sequential gearbox is from Hewland. Renault is tasked with safely integrating the whole lot, while Michelin has developed a new type of all-weather treaded tyre. Spark, a sister company to the ART GP2 and F3 outfit, has spent the past two years designing and developing the car. And the whole thing is presided over by Alejandro Agag, a former politician turned motorsport entrepreneur who has more fingers in pies than he actually has fingers and Ginsters have pies. 

Formula E has set up camp in Donington which, while not exactly Silicon Valley, now has a dedicated cell bravely – and swiftly – carving out a significant new sporting era. The teams will all be based there, when they’re not zipping between some of the world’s most exciting cities to race on new street circuits. Including Punta del Este in Uruguay, whose national football side you may be vaguely aware of. 

Earlier this week, too, former F1 driver Jarno Trulli confirmed that he’s bought his own team, and will line up in TrulliGP alongside other big names such as Bruno Senna, Jaime Alguersuari, Franck Montagny, and Karun Chandhok, driving for the likes of Andretti Autosport, Alain Prost, Virgin, and Audi Sport ABT. This is racing aimed at the so-called smartphone generation, and they’ll even be able to tweet extra energy to their favourite driver during a race. 

Right now, however, the teams are just taking delivery of their chassis’, many of which are currently sitting in front of me in Formula E’s central hangar. Behind them sits the main development car, currently being pored over by a man from McLaren, two men from Williams, and Theo Gouzin from Spark, the guy who took the car from a white paper proposal to reality, and who has engineered Romain Grosjean, Adrian Sutil and some guy called Sebastian Vettel. To the right of them, a handful of battery packs are waiting for installation. They look huge, each weigh around 320kg, including their own cooling gubbins, and serve as an instant reminder that this really is frontier stuff. 

‘The car is fully developed, so hopefully we will have no more headaches,’ Theo tells me. ‘But packaging the battery has been demanding. The Williams guys have a lot of experience in this area, with their own KERS and the work they did on the Jaguar CX-75. They pushed us on some of the areas, so there have been several iterations along the way. The goal of the championship is really to involve more people in this technology, to progress battery tech, make them lighter and more efficient.’ 

The electric motor and inverter are from McLaren’s P1, but upgraded in the Formula E as they’re the sole motive power source rather than part of a bigger hybrid powertrain. In essence, there’s the battery, a governing ECU, the motor, and the inverter, which takes a torque request from the ECU and gets the motor spinning. The inverter sits on top of the motor – they’re surprisingly compact compared to the battery pack – and each has its own cooling system, the McLaren supplied bits on the left-hand side, the Williams part on the right. Peak power is around 276bhp, top speed limited to 150mph, and the car can hit 62mph in under three seconds. 

‘McLaren has learnt a lot from this project,’ says race engineer Anthony Jaconelli. ‘It’s a simpler process if you’re using a smaller motor and you’re not trying to get a lot out of it. But this is a powerful competition installation, so it’s working much harder. The Formula E has a direct drive to the gearbox, so we’ve worked hard to improve low speed driveability via a mix of hardware and software tweaks. We need to speed the motor up and slow it down in order to get the drive through the gearbox, and getting it to react at those sorts of speeds is very impressive.’

I scratch my head. Is it as complicated as it looks and sounds? 

‘Yes,’ says Anthony, bluntly. 

As is getting comfortable in the tub. Although the Formula E generates less downforce than an F3 car – the FIA didn’t want the teams spending big money chasing incremental aero improvements – the brief was to create a proper, full-blooded single-seater. It certainly feels like one. With the belts having dispatched my gonads to different postcodes, the helmet and HANS device in place (it’s test driver and Audi Le Mans runner-up Lucas di Grassi’s, complete with Las Vegas LEDs – thanks Lucas), and the protective cockpit sides in place, it’s initially very claustrophobic. There’s an additional element here: electricity. The car’s battery pack is encased in a carbon sandwich, and there’s a triple layer safety system. But a green light ahead of me will go red if it all fails, and if it does I have to climb out across the nosecone and jump down. Keep one foot in the car and one on the ground, and I will literally be toast. 

Here we go, then. The wheel has a flickering LED display, monitoring all the usual parameters. Beneath it sit a series of rotary knobs, the most important of which remaps the ECU to serve up full qualifying power of around 276bhp, or the race mode’s 200bhp. I opt for that, until I’ve got used to things. The car weighs about 890kg with me on-board, so it should be quick enough, especially around Donington. 

At least it’s dry. I had a massive moment through Craner Curves in the wet the last time I was here. But the Formula E is immediately amazingly easy to drive. No need to worry about getting temperature into the tyres, of course, although left-foot braking is always a bit of an issue at first. No need, either, to worry about getting into a big aero zone, given the relative lack of downforce. Just push the accelerator and hang on. 

It’s fantastic. The chassis is great, and it’s clear that on a dry track you’d have to be really going some to overwhelm those Michelins. McLaren’s efforts on the driveability are apparent, and it just goes and goes without any sort of glitch. 

Do you miss the sensation of pistons in cylinders, and frantic internal combustion? Not as much as you’d think. The Formula E actually emits a perceptible sci-fi whir, and the rush of air around the open cockpit and tyre roar fill in the sonic gaps. Half a dozen laps in, I realise how much more there is in this thing, and what a hugely promising basis for a new type of racing it provides. In truth, it could probably use more power, which will come as the teams get to grips with the technology. The FIA apparently wanted the tyres to last a whole season, but there’s probably a bit too much grip there. Slippery new street circuits that have never ‘rubbered-up’ and a load of race-hungry ex-F1 drivers should see to that. 

Even the Formula E guys don’t know exactly how the series is going to play out. There are known unknowns, and unknown unknowns, as politicians like to say. But one thing everyone involved is agreed on is that motor racing is about entertainment. Round One is in Beijing on 13th September. We’re officially excited.

Pictures: Matt Howell

First drive: Mercedes S63 AMG Coupe

What is it?

It's the Mercedes S-Class Coupe 63 AMG 4MATIC - a snappy title, we're sure you'll agree. And as you can see from the pics, it's a two-door coupe based on the luxurious S-Class saloon.

But unlike the previous coupe version of the S-Class, the CL, Merc has tried a bit harder to distinguish between the two and four-door versions for this generation. As such, and in addition to the obvious external styling alterations, the coupe gets a unique interior treatment with a floating dash effect, different exhaust, shorter wheelbase and new suspension settings.

Exact prices haven't been released yet, but expect to pay a £5,000 premium over the saloon, which makes this 63 AMG version worth about £125,000. Other engines will be available - an S500, as well as the monstrous V12 65 AMG - but there are no plans for a diesel. Coupe customers just aren't the sorts of people who are worried about fuel economy apparently.

As this one is an AMG, presumably the engine is excellent?

Exactly. It's the 5.5-litre bi-turbo V8 producing 577bhp and 664lb ft. And because we're in a 4MATIC four-wheel drive version (sadly only available in left-hand drive), traction isn't an issue. 0-62mph takes just 3.9 seconds. In something weighing over two tonnes, that is one hell of a figure. And like all AMGs, the acceleration never really tails off. Or certainly not at legal speeds.

The strength and flexibility of the engine is incredible - to give you an idea how relaxed it can be, and how long the gearing is, the transmission wouldn't let us select top gear at 50mph. This is where the Coupe really scores - able to waft along, but also provide continent-crushing speeds.

Yes, yes. But does it sound like an AMG?

Very much so, thanks to the unique exhaust we mentioned above. The V8 rumbles away in the distance - loud enough to be noticed, not so loud to be crude. Plus, it parps (in a nice way) on up and down shifts, so it's a much more emotional experience than the saloon. You feel like you're driving a more enthusiastic car.

Does it drive differently to the saloon?

Yes. The suspension has been lowered by 10mm and stiffened as well, but don't panic as it's still a comfortable thing on the whole. It's just that there's a fraction more rumble through the chassis than the saloon. But the trade off in handling is worth it. The Coupe corners with more poise and the body control is spot-on - the two-door isn't necessarily any quicker over a B-road, but you don't have to hustle it as much. The car feels more effortless through the corners, and the clever suspension isn't working as hard to keep it on the straight and narrow.

It feels lighter - strange, because it actually weighs 15kg more than the saloon. And Merc has got yet another technical innovation that makes the Coupe handle even better - Active Body Control (standard on rear-wheel drive AMGs). This is a system that reacts to steering input and actively ‘tips' the Coupe into a corner, like a motorbike. It's a slight tip - you won't be getting your knee down anytime soon.

Gimmick?

Not at all. The car really carves through bends so you can carry much more speed than you'd think possible. Weirdly, we found we had to alter our driving style. Normally, you'd tip an S into a corner with a certain amount of steering angle to take account of the body rolling away from the bend. But with ABC, you don't need to use as much steering input, and can wind the lock off earlier - it makes you a smoother driver. Honestly, a revelation.

Are there any weaknesses?

Just one - the gearbox. It's still Merc's seven-speed automatic and it's starting to feel dated now. It clunks occasionally, and it's too easy to wrong-foot it. Merc must be aware it's an issue, as a nine-speed auto will be dropped into the S500 Coupe later on this year.For the time being, though, the AMG continues with the seven-speeder, which is a pity.

Admittedly, it doesn't hamper the car too much, and to a certain extent we're nit-picking, but when the rest of the Coupe is so excellent, it is a let down.

Anything else I should know?

This is just one small part of an ever-expanding S-Class family. We've already had the short and long wheelbase versions, and we know there's a dictator-friendly Pullman coming, complete with armour-plating.

Speaking to Mercedes people on the launch, it's clear there's also a convertible due sometime soon. Oligarchs have never had it so good.

So should I bother?

Definitely. If you're in the market for a Bentley Continental GT, then certainly take a look at this - unlike the CL, this is now a proper rival for the Conti, and a serious statement car. Plus, it also makes sense as an AMG. Don't get us wrong - the saloon S63 is a great car, but the whole AMG-power-mated-with-coupe-driving is a much happier fit. The package makes sense as a complete entity. Quite simply, it's a master-class.

9/10

Photography: Tom Salt

First drive: Mercedes S-Class hybrid

What's that?

'That' is the future. Or at least, a step towards it. It's a diesel-electric hybrid S-Class Mercedes.

See, a few months ago at the Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz's boss of large cars, Dr Uwe Ernstberger, told TopGear.com that "a complete electric [S-Class] will be done in the future". That goal is currently limited by battery technology.

Mercedes, therefore, wants to take it step by step, which is where this hybrid S comes in. Or the S300 Blue Tec Hybrid L, to give it its full name.

It features the same drivetrain as the E300 Hybrid we tested a couple of years ago. Underneath there's a 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, with a small electric motor sandwiched between engine and seven-speed gearbox, driving the rear wheels.

Wait, what? There's a four-cylinder diesel in the biggest car Mercedes-Benz makes?

Before we get to the thorny issue of a four-pot diesel in the car upon which Mercedes-Benz's reputation is built, perhaps some numbers would be more beneficial.

The diesel engine produces 201bhp and 367lb ft of torque, while the little electric motor adds another 27bhp and 192lb ft of torque. And in a car weighing 2035kg, it's nothing short of a miracle that the S300 can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 7.6 seconds and cruise to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

I'm frothing with blind rage at the very thought of this car. Calm me down with some economy and efficiency numbers.

Here's the witchcraft: this big, luxurious Mercedes barge will emit just 120g/km of CO2 and a claimed 61.4mpg, making it the most frugal and environmentally friendly S-Class Merc currently builds.

Impressive.

It is. For such a large car to cost only £30 a year in road tax, and offer a claimed range of 944 miles is, frankly, incredible by any measure. The reality is, of course, a bit less fantastic: during our test run - taking in a healthy mix of motorway and town routes - we only managed 44.1mpg. Which is still hardly shabby.

That's superb. But do S-Class buyers really care about fuel economy and emissions?

Perhaps not, but focusing for the moment just on the mechanics of the thing, it's mightily impressive, if not quite as unstressed as we'd hoped. That four-cylinder diesel engine is the weak point here; it's too gruff and loud for something that cossets and cocoons you as an S-Class.

That's not to say it's ear-splittingly intrusive. It's just that it should have been quieter, because you're in an S-Class. If the battery has charge, the S300 will glide off on electric power alone up to around 10mph before the engine kicks in, at which point you'll hear it. There's good isolation from the vibration of the four-pot, but you can still hear it. And under hard acceleration, the engine makes its presence felt just a little too much for a car that prides itself on huge comfort and magnificent refinement.

The S300 will seamlessly transition between engine and electric motor neatly, though - much quicker than the earlier E300 Hybrid we tested - and automatically turn off the engine when you're coasting, running on battery juice alone. It's a neat trick.

Pace is never an issue - you're never going to be drag racing an S-Class anyway - and it's got good shove up and down the range. It feels punchy rather than thunderous, but in day-to-day situations you're never left wanting. The usual S-Class handling nuances - light steering, benchmark ride comfort - are all present and correct too. It's a fabulous thing to waft around in.

So what should I do? The figures are impressive, but the world will know I've bought Merc's biggest car with one of its smallest, noisiest engines.

That's the key. There's also the price of the thing. This car weighs in at £72k (our test car tipped the scales at over £100k with options!), while the S350 V6 diesel - faster, more powerful, more torque, around 50mpg if you're careful - starts at £62k, or £66k for the long wheelbase version (which is the only wheelbase available for the S300). There's nothing hugely wrong with this S300, and it's a fine effort. We just wish the engine was more refined. And a V8.

7/10

Want more S-Class? Click here for TG.com's history on Merc's luxury barge

First drive: the Audi A3 e-tron

What's that?

It's a step into the future of Audi. It's the A3 e-tron, the first production plug-in petrol-electric hybrid from the Four Rings To Rule Them All that promises your wallet some much needed relief. It even reckons on tickling the parts of your inner Stig other hybrids just can't reach.

How so?

The A3 e-tron gets Audi's 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, shifted six centimetres to the right (if you're looking at the engine compartment from dead ahead) compared to a regular A3. We'll come back to that shortly.

That engine features a lightweight aluminium crankcase and a tightly packaged intercooler with a high performance coolant pump, and weighs just 100kg. It produces a nice, round 150bhp and 185lb ft of torque, and that's just the start.

Why is it shifted right? So Audi can squeeze in the components required for an electric motor, which brings yet more power. The motor itself is bolted on behind the dual-mass flywheel, along with a new six-speed S-tronic dual clutch gearbox, all driving the front wheels.

This little motor weighs 34kg, powered by a battery pack located underneath the rear seat bench for better weight distribution. It produces 99bhp and 243lb ft of torque, contributing to the e-tron's total system output of 204bhp and 258lb ft of torque.

I'm intrigued. Feed me some statistics.

Gladly. The A3 e-tron go from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 137.9mph. Not too shabby at all.

This is the part you start talking about ‘cakes' and ‘having' and ‘eating', right?

Quite. Audi claims the e-tron returns a CO2 equivalent of just 35g/km - meaning it's road-tax free - and theoretical fuel consumption of 188mpg.

Wow.

Get that in the real world and we'll eat our fat-free rice cakes through our noses. But what you will get is a lovely, premium hybrid hatchback that doesn't shout your eco-warrior status, but quietly goes about its business. And it is quiet.

The e-tron always starts off in EV mode - unless it's too cold outside or the battery is low - which means silent acceleration. And it's a wonderfully satisfying way of floating around. The e-tron works electrically right up to 81mph, which means that as long as you've got good charge, you can surf the lovely instant torque all day long. Well, for 30-odd miles, anyway.

And with that well damped interior, refinement is superb. You can also set it to ‘hybrid hold' mode, which means it'll use the engine and save the battery energy; the idea being you do motorway journeys on petrol power, city schlepping on electricity. Simples.

What about charging it?

Coasting, brake energy regen, or a simple plug. Just unhook the four rings logo on the grille, and plug in: from an industrial power outlet, it'll take two hours, or three hours and 45 minutes from a household plug. There are some smart displays inside that show the flow of power, how much charge is left and your driving stats.

And when you want to go Maximum Stig?

There's a hybrid mode which combines petrol and electric for full power, seamless bringing in the 1.4-litre four-pot, which has been fitted with coated piston rings and bearings to aid with cold starts while on the move.

The power band is narrow, but as a package it's more than swift enough for your moderately proportioned helmsman with an eye on his wallet.

You feel the extra weight though: the electrical system adds 125kg to the A3 Sportback, meaning a kerbweight of 1540kg. Compare that to the 2.0-litre TDI A3 Sportback's weight of just 1320kg (thanks, lightweight MQB chassis!). In isolation the e-tron still feels really good to punt around in - though still lacking any steering feel - but the whole thing feels a little bloated compared to a regular A3.

Tell me about range.

Audi says the 8.8kWh battery is enough to power you for a solid 31 miles. On a not-very-representative test loop, we managed a four-hour trip with 69 per cent of that run on electricity, the other 31 per cent on fuel. That's some 51 miles on battery. Which is good.

So should I buy one?

Tricky question, because UK pricing - including the government grant for electric vehicles - puts the A3 e-tron at £29,950 on the road. Which is more than a BMW i3, but then that's a different, more shoutily ‘eco' proposition.

This e-tron is certainly a more attractive car than say, a Prius, and comes with the familiarity of a standard A3 with mega efficiency. It's an expensive initial outlay, yes, but actually good fun and frugal too. A diesel is a lot cheaper, but then so's a bus pass.

First drive: new VW Scirocco R

A new Scirocco R?

So Volkswagen says, though the update amounts to revised head- and tail-lights, new bumpers, a bit more standard kit, and some engine tweakery to liberate some more power.

How much more power?

15bhp over the outgoing Scirocco R. The Scirocco does without the full-beans 296bhp engine of its Golf R sibling, the coupe making do with just 276bhp. That's enough, in the manual car, for a 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds, or 5.5 seconds if you opt for DSG.

It's also driving just the front wheels in the Scirocco - rather than all four wheels in the Golf - which does mean you're paying more for less, even if the Scirocco offers more standard equipment, including nav, leather and 'Dynamic Chassis Control' - which you'd be best advised to always leave in the Normal mode.

So it's Robin to the Golf R's Batman?

In terms of sales, unquestionably. The Scirocco might find more buyers in the UK than any other market, but the R makes up a tiny fraction of them. Even less so in manual form, which is a shame, as it's the most fun of the range-toppers.

Choose the DSG and there's the opportunity to paddle away at the wheel swapping cogs, but you're better bucking convention and work out that left leg and hand and opt for a manual. It allows the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit to better demonstrate its stupendous mid-range grunt.

That, allied to an engine note that hoodwinks you into the belief there's something with a greater cylinder count powering it makes for some fun, though eager performance aside the Scirocco R's pretty sister status isn't really backed up with anything deeper or more meaningful than improved visual appeal.

How does it stack up against its rivals?

The R arrived in a time before BMW's M235i and Toyota's GT86, cars that delight in far greater measure than the R. They're here now, and that makes the R's job a lot tougher. Throw Peugeot's curveball RCZ R into the game and it's even more difficult to make a convincing case for the pretty Scirocco.

But then the R's always managed to find buyers who revel in its huge capability, even if it's rarely exploited. Do so and it's difficult not to smirk at the mighty pace that's achievable, though you'll quickly realise the risk in licence points isn't balanced by unbridled reward. Fast but sensible.

Same as it ever was, then?

Pretty much. There are zero surprises from the Scirocco R update: it's fast and capable, if lacking in real thrills behind the wheel. All beautifully built as ever, but then you knew that. All apart from the digital clock in the new dash-top dials that is, its red numbers jarring with a look that's more Seventies bedside clock than premium motoring.

Given the Scirocco nameplate is now in its fortieth year, that's looking increasingly apt, but we can't help but wish the R celebrated its mid-life crisis in slightly more spectacular fashion.