CAR UK

Every month CAR interviews the stars of motorsport, demystifies the latest in-car technology and shares our writers’ passion for car culture and car design. Discover the world’s newest and most exciting cars: join us to drive everything from supercars and hot hatches to family cars.

Welcome • The idea that new cars are boring is nonsense

How to design a vehicle in 40 seconds

How F1 fell in love with this swamp

Postcards from Munich

Audi’s hard reset is more than skin deep

Fake gearbox, real thrills: ePDK is coming

China’s secret EV weapon: proper dealers

BMW joins the Defender gold rush

The golden rule for 2026: be less Musk

Why some cars just love nagging

Sledgehammer of the gods • The fastest and most expensive Mustang ever is enough to make even a Porsche 911 GT3 RS look a bit sensible

It’s all just so EV • New hatchback is another very impressive electric Kia

Nice to have the choice • As good as a Renault 5 in all the ways you can measure

Aston’s cuckoo • Arrival of the superior S at the same price spells trouble for the 707 version of Aston’s SUV

Opinion • MAX VERSTAPPEN + RETURN OF THE PRELUDE + E-MACAN

CAR

‘Disputes with the car industry were inevitable when GBU listed half of all new cars as boring’

‘Porsche sunroofs caused more cabin buffeting than a total windscreen failure in a 747’

STOP THE WORLD CLOCK • We’d be happy if progress ceased with Porsche’s new hybrid-free 911 Carrera S. Same with the Lotus Emira and BMW’s manual M3? Let’s find out

ENJOY 6 ISSUES FOR JUST £19.99 • TREAT YOURSELF OR THE PETROLHEAD IN YOUR LIFE TO A CAR SUBSCRIPTION

THE LAWNMOWER MAN • The enigmatic designer responsible for today’s elegant Mazdas favours heavy machinery, natural materials and human creativity over AI and digital shortcuts

PARTY LIKE IT’S 1999 • Smart goes back to its roots with a proper two-seat city

ONE WORD: SPECIALE • The last Speciale, the 458, might be the best car Maranello’s ever built. The new one may change that

FIVE IS FINALLY ALIVE • Flat out in Polestar’s hotly anticipated Porsche Taycan rival

THE MURRAY REMIX • Gordon Murray has another crack at the McLaren F1 LM

BOOK, COVER ETC. • Ugly? Yes. Clever? Also yes

FIESTA? WHO? • Renault’s next-gen Clio carries the torch of supermini greatness

MINTY FRESH • VW’s next EV gets a familiar name, and the first electric GTI will follow

RENAULT RIFFS ON THE PAST – AGAIN • It’s the Twingo’s turn for retro reinvention

M-PROVING ON PERFECTION • M2 gets CS’d for sharper handling and pace

FROM CHINA WITH LOVE • Jaguar Land Rover leans on Chery to kickstart Freelander as a new electric brand

BULL STEAM AHEAD • A droptop version of Lambo’s latest leads a new-car onslaught from the in-form Italians

THE MAGIC NUMBER • Hyundai’s smallest Ioniq yet will look properly wild

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM • Lancia’s little red mascot is no longer endangered

AN ELECTRIFYING PERFORMANCE • We hitch a ride in the fastest production Porsche 911 yet

WORTH THE WEIGHT • Light, responsive, good range and handsome – Alpine’s electric A110 is big on promise

NEUE KLASSE, OLD MAGIC • The all-electric 3 – if BMW gets this wrong then we should all just pack up and go home

BETS, HEDGED • Originally EV-only, now with combustion options, too – phew

TESTAROSSA RETURNS! (KIND OF) • Ferrari’s plug-in hybrid SF90 is gone, replaced by the similar but different 849 Testarossa. Can it cash the cheques its legendary name so generously writes?

Not retro. Just good • The Scenic may have an old name but it’s pure 2025...