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Autocar magazine 16 February 2022: on sale now



This week: Ferrari SUV detailed, Ford Bronco driven in UK, Audi Quattro vs E-tron and more

Ferrari is just months away from introducing one of the most important models it has yet produced, the Purosangue.

The firm’s first high-riding model will take on classic front-mid-engined proportions and a squat, coupé-esque silhouette, which will make it a ‘Ferrari utility vehicle’, rather than a conventional SUV. 

We have more details on the upcoming model, only in this week’s issue of Autocar.

News

Elsewhere Mercedes-AMG reveals the EQE 43 and EQE 53, its pair of Porsche Taycan-rivalling electric saloons. With up to 677bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of as little as 3.3sec, they also give the German firm some muscle to rival Tesla’s well-established Model S Performance. Polestar also gives us a tour of one of its UK development facilities to preview the Polestar 5 - the firm’s first model not based on an existing Volvo platform.

After officially revealing the GV60 electric crossover last year, Genesis has now detailed the model’s European specification ahead of its launch here later in 2022.

We also run down the surprisingly extensive list of upcoming Porsche 911 derivatives expected over the coming year, including an off-road-ready Safari (or possibly Dakar) edition.

Then in the business section, we speak to Jules Tilstone, managing director of DS Automobiles in the UK, about the firm’s plan to double sales in 2022 with the help of the new DS 4 premium hatchback and DS 9 executive saloon. There’s also grounds for optimism as a chip crisis recovery appears to be on the horizon.

Reviews

When Ford resurrected the Bronco name for its latest US-only off-roader, the firm had no plans to bring it to the UK. But that didn’t stop importer Clive Sutton from doing what Dearborn won’t - and now we’ve driven a Bronco on UK roads for the first time.

We also try the upcoming Vauxhall Astra in production guise for the first time. The hatchback was looking promising after an early test mule taster, but is it still looking like a winner now it has been signed off for customers?

The facelifted Audi A8, Jaguar F-Type convertible and Citroen C3 also get the first drive treatment. Then it’s the turn of the plug-in hybrid Jeep Compass 4xe to enter the Autocar road test.

Features

Audi’s Quattro four-wheel drive system is synonymous with the brand, and its legacy rests on the shoulders of the models that bear its name. How does the latest, the electric E-tron GT, stack up to the original Audi Quattro? We fired up the five-pot to find out.

Then it’s off to France to see how Ineos has transformed a factory that previously built Smart cars into a production line for its considerably larger Grenadier off-road SUV.

Euro NCAP’s crash tests have revolutionised vehicle safety, with around 35 new models put through the wringer each year - but what’s actually involved? We visit the Thatcham test facility with an appetite for destruction.

Finally, this weekend sees the return of Extreme E, the electric off-road race series with one eye on conservation. After a successful first season, it’s looking less like an eccentric outlier in the gas-guzzling world of motorsport than a glimpse at its sustainable future. We reveal what to expect in 2022.

Opinions

What will be crowned Car of the Year 2022? It’s almost certain to be an EV, Matt Prior argues, as six of the seven models shortlisted are electric - despite our man making a strong case for the Maserati MC20 sports car, which most certainly isn’t, and didn’t make the cut. We run through the finalists.

Elsewhere, Steve Cropley has been collating feedback on his innovative electric sports car concept, the Backfire. Were Autocar in the position to launch such an EV, we’d already have a sizable order book.

Deals

In the market for a wonderfully huge and useful saloon? The Skoda Superb is an executive barge you can be proud to own, and putting one on your driveway won’t break the bank either, as our second-hand car expert reveals.

Another VW Group model becomes our latest cult hero this week: the mid-engined Audi R8 is an easy-to-use modern classic, with used prices starting at a tempting £32,000 and only likely to rise in years to come. Our buying guide can help. 

Where to buy

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https://www.autocar.co.uk/magazine