Month: May 2019

Summer is nearly here, and with it brings longer days, warmer evenings and (sometimes in the UK) slightly drier weather. Fortunately enough, there’s a wide variety of cars currently on the market which make the most of the summertime weather – and we’ve picked out some of the best.

So drop the roof, put the sunglasses on and head out – these are some of the ideal cars for summer on sale today.

BMW Z4

The previous generation Z4 went down a storm with buyers, and now there’s an all-new one. With it brings a sharper interior, a more engaging driving experience and – unlike the metal-roofed car it replaces – a canvas hood.

We’d argue that the new dials on the Z4 are a drawback – they’re complicated and difficult to read – but elsewhere the BMW ticks the boxes. It’s also just as much fun with the roof down as it is up, so it’s ideal for the changeable British weather.

Suzuki Jimny

With the British summer somewhat unpredictable, a sunny day out to the forest could soon become a very wet and muddy one — and that’s where the Suzuki Jimny’s off-road capability comes in handy.

Its ability to go anywhere can make a nice, dry summer green laning session fun — and easy to manage should the weather turn. It’s also a dead cool thing to look at, and will fit in well at any hip seaside day out.

Mazda MX-5

Mazda’s MX-5 epitomises value-for-money yet good-fun motoring. The latest version is one of the best to drive yet, and since it’s been around a little while now, a new one doesn’t have to cost the earth.

There’s also the RF (Retractable Fastback) version available, which incorporates a folding metal hardtop. It gives you a little more protection from the elements if things do go south.

Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler is one of the least road-focused cars on this list – but it’s no less ideal for summertime driving. Why, I hear you ask? Well, the latest generation of Wrangler incorporates a feature which was well-loved on the car it replaces, and that’s the removable roof.

It means you can transform the Wrangler from a full-on hardtop into a pseudo-convertible, with as much open-air space as you could possibly want.

Ford Mustang convertible

Ask anyone for their dream American road trip car, and we’d be willing to put money on them replying with a convertible Ford Mustang. Fortunately though, you don’t have to fly Stateside to enjoy this pony these days, with Ford selling the muscle car in droves here in the UK too. It still packs the same style and choice of a raucous V8 engine as it does in its homeland, only here with the ability to drive it through Derby if you so wish.

Ariel Atom

Buying a track-focus, spartan sports car is quite the commitment. After all, in the winter, autumn and spring months, the weather is rarely dry or warm enough to really make the most of it.

But, if you’re willing to wait for the summer, those three or four days of sunshine just make result in the best driving experience of your life if you choose to invest in an Ariel Atom. It’s a car that will leave you exposed to the elements, but also delivers an incredibly engaging drive. On a dry, clear road, it’s hard to think of a better car.

Caterham 420

The Caterham Seven is a car which follows in a similar vein to the Ariel, albeit with a smidgen more creature comforts. The one we’d opt for is the 420; it uses a 2.0-litre petrol engine and gives the Seven supercar-beating performance, but it’s not as razor-edged as the more powerful 620.

You can also have it with heated seats, which may go against Caterham’s lightweight philosophy, but will no doubt be a welcome feature when there’s a nip in the summertime air.

Hyundai i30N Fastback

Hyundai left Volkswagen reeling after it revealed its Golf GTI-rivalling i30N hatchback. Now, it’s expanding on things with the i30N Fastback – a four-door version of the performance hatch. We’d argue it’s one of the best handling cars of its type, and it’ll swallow up any b-road you can throw in its direction.

But it’s practical too, with a big boot and plenty of interior space. A car for all occasions, you could say, but it’ll make a summer’s day that little bit sweeter.

McLaren 720S Spider

If you’re looking for a big-budget, high-performance drop top, few can compare to the McLaren 720S Spider. The coupe is already a stunning assault on the senses, but chop the roof off and that turns up to 11 thanks to unfiltered engine to that ballistic V8 just behind your head.

What makes the 720S so appealing, though, is just how useable it is every day. Despite the fact it has over 700bhp fed to the rear wheels and a cockpit slung so low you feel like your backside is scraping along the tarmac, it rides nicely and is easy to drive as most normal hatchbacks.

Flick to sport or track mode, though, and it comes alive, meaning you can leave everything in your dust on that country road while still enjoying the sun on your skin.

Moving drivers into electric cars is seen as an increasingly high priority among lawmakers, and with new hurdles such as London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, which charges drivers of more polluting vehicles to enter the capital, now might be the ideal time to become an EV driver.

The Government offers a grant to encourage motorists into low-emission vehicles. To be eligible, the car must emit no morethan 50g/km CO2, and have the ability to travel at least 112km (70 miles) without producing any emissions at all. The grant covers up to £3,500 of the purchase price of a new electric car.

With more electric options than ever before on our forecourts, we’ve taken the list of eligible cars and narrowed it down to the cream of the crop.

All prices listed below include the Government discount.

Audi E-tron

One of the biggest compliments an electric car can receive is that it feels ‘normal’, and that is certainly the case with the E-tron, which is visually and dynamically very similar to Audi’s ‘Q’ range of SUVs.

With a starting price of £71,520, the £3,500 saving looks slightly paltry, but the E-tron offers a viable alternative to comparable premium SUVs thanks to its look, space and range of up to 241 miles.

Tesla Model S

The Model S has been on the market for some time now, and is arguably one of the more proven entities in the electric car sphere as a result.

In Tesla’s Long Range powertrain spec, it is capable of a claimed 370 miles, though this figure will go down if you opt for the most performance-centric version of this luxury saloon. With the ‘Ludicrous Mode’ performance pack, the car can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 2.4 seconds.

The Tesla Model S is on the expensive side, however, with a starting price of £72,550.

Hyundai Kona Electric

If you are interested in the compact SUV/crossover market, then the all-electric version of Hyundai’s Kona is certainly worth considering.

Priced from £27,250, the Kona is one of the more attainable ways into electric car ownership. It also benefits from Hyundai’s five-year, unlimited mileage warranty scheme, and – if you opt for the 64kWh version – a range of 279 miles. 

Nissan Leaf

Perhaps the most popular of the electric cars on the market today, the second-generation Leaf went on sale last year, and marks a notable step-up over its predecessor.

With a range of 168 miles – or 239 in E+ spec – the Leaf is easily usable day to day so long as you don’t have to cover a higher than average number of motorway miles.

Without the grant, the Leaf starts at £31,495, but with the government grant applied, this drops to £27,995.

BMW i3s

The standard i3 is an ideal car for urban commutes and errands, and the i3s builds on that with sporting style and more power.

Delivering the equivalent of 180bhp, and available from £34,170, the i3s is capable of a 160-mile electric range.

Kia e-Niro

After a rather basic first attempt at fully-electric cars with the Soul EV, Kia has shown its true abilities with the e-Niro crossover.

A 282-mile electric range and some impressive practicality help make the e-Niro highly usable, and it also benefits from Kia’s famous seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

With the government grant applied, the e-Niro is available from £32,995.

Jaguar I-Pace

Jaguar’s first all-electric SUV has been well received, winning the 2019 World Car of the Year award and being regarded as one of the better electric cars on the market today. It’s capable of some impressive performance too, with a 0-60mph time of 4.5 seconds.

With an electric range of up to 292 miles, it should be more than capable of completing all but the longest of journeys.

Starting at £64,495, it also seems like good value compared with its key rival, the Tesla Model X.

Tesla Model X

Tesla’s first SUV, the Model X, is available from £75,700 and is capable of 0-60mph in 4.6 seconds, and will go on to a top speed of 155mph.

With an estimated 230-mile range, the Model X is slightly down on its rival from Jaguar, while also being more expensive. However, many buyers of Tesla products are invested in the brand’s image, and will likely not be concerned with this detail.

Renault Zoe

The Renault Zoe is one of the cheapest entry points into EV ownership, with a starting price of just £17,720 with the government grant applied.

The Zoe’s performance is by no means staggering, but it does more than enough to satisfy the needs of your average town or city driver.

With a driving range of 186 miles and the ability to re-charge the battery in one hour and 40 minutes using a fast charger, the Zoe is certainly able enough for short-distance commuters. 

Smart EQ ForTwo

The diminutive Smart is one of the more compact cars on the market, and will rarely leave the city or town it calls home, so producing an electric version makes perfect sense.

It is only capable of a 70-mile range, but the ForTwo is not a car for long journeys anyway, so if you’re in the market for the petrol version, the EQ may also suit your needs.

The EQ is available from £17,695 as a coupe, while the cabriolet version starts at £19,835.

Many people throughout the UK currently finance their car. It’s a simple way of ensuring you get a new car, and means you’re behind the wheel of something without the elevated running and maintenance costs you may associate with an older car.

However, there are several different ways to finance a car. Let’s take a look at those options and what they mean for you.

There are four main ways to finance a car, which we’ll outline below…

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP)

PCP finance lets you get your hands on a new car for an initial deposit and a series of monthly payments. You don’t own the car come the end of the agreement, though you do have the option of buying it outright in return for a final – or ‘balloon’ – payment.

The amount you pay monthly will depend on the size of your deposit, the cost of the car, the interest rate offered and how much the dealer expects to be able to sell the vehicle for at the end of the agreement.

Hire Purchase (HP)

Hire Purchase finance differs somewhat to a PCP deal. After you’ve put down a deposit, a finance company will loan you the money for the rest of the car’s worth. You’ll then pay this back in monthly instalments.

In contrast to PCP, there’s no large final payment to pay because once you’ve paid off the sum of the agreement, you’ll own the car.

Leasing (Personal Contract Hire)

Leasing a car is a little like taking out a long-term car rental. You’ll pay a sum initially, followed by monthly payments. Once the payment term is over (and you’ll agree this with the dealer), you won’t own the car, nor will you be able to purchase it via a final payment.

You’ll also have to stipulate how many miles you’ll cover, as well as the amount you’ll pay each month. When it comes to the deposit, this is more rigid than with other finance plans – it’s usually determined by adding together three, six or nine months’ worth of payments.

Bank loan

The more traditional finance option, getting a regular bank loan, could make getting the keys to a brand new car a little easier compared with PCP or lease deals. It will also mean that you’ll own the car outright from the start, so you could sell it when you wanted to without having to pay charges for leaving a finance agreement.

However, the onus is on you to shop around and get the best deal – different banks will, of course, offer different rates so it’s down to the individual to investigate different options.

What is it?

After years of will-they-won’t-they rumours, concept cars, teaser images, prototypes spied at the Nurburgring and sheer hope of enthusiasts, the new Toyota Supra is finally here. And that headline isn’t deceiving you – we’ve driven it.

Calling this car the most anticipated vehicle of the decade wouldn’t be an overstatement. After all, this is the revival of a hugely-loved sports car that last saw the light of day in 2002. However, it isn’t without its controversy, with this Supra co-developed with BMW — news of which hasn’t been received well in some corners of the motoring world. Does the car live up to the hype though, or is not so Supra after all? We find out…

What’s new?

Some will call this a BMW in drag, and there is some merit to this claim. Under its Toyota-designed skin is the same platform as the BMW Z4, with the 3.0-litre engine brewed from the German pot rather than being whipped up in Japan.

There’s even a hint of BMW inside too, with the switchgear and the infotainment system lifted from its parts bin to be used here (though, this is no bad thing…). Don’t write it off as a Z4 clone just yet though, as Toyota says it has brought its heart and soul to the formula.

What’s under the bonnet?

That BMW powerplant is the same you’ll find in any ‘40i’ denoted vehicle it offers, though it does conform to the six-cylinder formula every Supra to date has boasted. The 3.0-litre, straight-six sends 335bhp and 500Nm of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox (sorry, no manuals here), with the result a 0-60mph time of 4.1 seconds and a limited 155mph top speed. In terms of efficiency, Toyota claims it will return 34.5mpg while emitting 170g/km in CO2 emissions.

The powertrain’s reputation as crisp and smooth unit is again proven here, with consistent power delivery across the rev range, and there’s barely a hint of turbo lag here. That said, the ZF gearbox can be a little bit hesitant at lower speeds, and there’s far too much in the way of artificial engine noise.

What’s it like to drive?

Toyota has claimed this Supra boasts a ‘Golden Ratio’ in terms of length to width, and that having almost box-like proportions allows the car to be one the best-handing on the market. Thankfully, this proves true.

It skips and prances along back roads with the poise and balance of a ballet dancer, feeding sensations from the road to the driver’s backside and fingertips in a way very few modern mainstream cars can manage. Its steering is sublimely well-judged, and the car does a great job of hiding its relatively high 1,815kg kerb weight.

Better still, it proves to be comfortable and refined when used on longer runs too. There’s a real sense you could effortlessly cover 200 miles of motorway in this — something many sports cars couldn’t claim.

How does it look?

The classic sports car formula is represented in the Toyota Supra’s design. Its long bonnet, short rear overhangs and low-slung cockpit hark back to an era of British classics in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It does bring a modern twist to that formula though, with angular taillight design, air vents everywhere and a front fascia that looks lifted from a UFO spaceship. It is undoubtedly a head turner, though from some angles the spacecraft design details come across as awkward.

Big day. pic.twitter.com/FLvx0sBZnG

— Ryan Hirons (@RyHirons) May 14, 2019

If it was our money, we’d be spec’ing the Supra in yellow, which really brings the cars’ sharp details to life.

What’s it like inside?

We’ll swing back to the BMW partnership here, which is hard to ignore once sat in the car. All of its controls, dials and even the iDrive infotainment system are lifted from the German firm’s parts collection. This is far from a bad thing, as it’s much higher quality than anything Toyota produces at the moment, though it does falter in terms of character.

There’s no escaping the lack of space either. Of course, low-slung sports cars are never going to be the most capacious of machines but the Supra’s cabin feels particularly tight — and may prove a struggle to get comfortable in for taller drivers. In terms of boot capacity, it boasts a respectable 290 litres.

What’s the spec like?

Pricing for the Toyota Supra begins at £52,695, putting it above key rivals in the Alpine A110 and Porsche 718 Cayman. That said, it does come with a fairly comprehensive list of kit.

I'll take my Supra in yellow pic.twitter.com/kJY1zQ4kHc

— Ryan Hirons (@RyHirons) May 14, 2019

Luxury items include 19-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise, keyless entry, a digital instrument cruise, adaptive LED headlights and the BMW iDrive-based infotainment system displayed on an 8.8-inch screen. ‘Pro’ grade builds further on this with black leather upholstery, a 12-speaker JBL sound system, wireless phone charging and a head-up display. Toyota reckons this will be the big seller in the UK, with a £54,000 list price.

It’s arguably a high starting price, though it clearly hasn’t put customers off so far — with all 300 examples destined for the UK in 2019 already accounted for.

Verdict

Doubts over the success of the Toyota Supra aren’t short in number. Having the legendary ‘A80’ Mk4’s boots to fill has put a lot of expectation on its shoulders, and many are skeptical over the BMW connection.

However, the new Supra is surely set to create its own legacy. It delivers its own unique driving experience that is one of the best delivered by any modern sports car, and co-development with BMW has served the car well in all the right areas.

That said, there’s definitely a feeling its engine could take a little more power onboard, plus a manual gearbox and a better exhaust note while we’re on that topic…

Facts at a glance
Model: Toyota Supra
Price: £52,695
Engine: 3.0-litre straight-six
Power (bhp): 335
Torque (Nm): 500
Max speed (mph): 155
0-60mph: 4.1 seconds
MPG: 34.5
Emissions (g/km): 170

Rolls-Royce, one of the world’s most famous luxury car makers, turns 115 this year. Over that time, it has created some of the most iconic vehicles of all time and all have featured the same attention to detail and all-British craftsmanship.

It was in 1904 that Charles Rolls and Henry Royce met up in Manchester and agreed to form an all-new car manufacturer. 115 years on, it’s one of the top luxury car makers in the world.

But which are the best cars it has created? We’ve picked out seven of the best from Rolls-Royce.

Phantom VII

It would be hard to make this list without mentioning the Phantom. Often seen as the first in a new wave of Rolls-Royce cars, the Phantom was the opening offering from the company after being purchased by BMW.

It featured next-level degrees of luxury, and it was powerful, too. Though many gawked at the prospect of a BMW-owned Rolls-Royce, the partnership revealed that it could be a fruitful one.

Silver Shadow

The Silver Shadow is undeniably Rolls-Royce. Big, wafty and hard to miss, it looks luxurious even by today’s standards. Back in the 1960s it was like nothing else, and that’s one of the reasons why it proved quite so popular.

Beloved by movie stars and musicians, the Silver Shadow was available with one of two V8 engine choices – producing up to 189bhp. Not much power in modern times, but more than enough for the sixties.

Silver Wraith

The Silver Wraith was the first car to come out of Rolls-Royce after the Second World War. It was designed to replace the Wraith as the smaller car in the firm’s range, because post-war austerity might see a big, luxurious car frowned upon.

Naturally, this being a Rolls-Royce, small and austere are relative terms. Under the bonnet sat a 4.2-litre straight-six cylinder engine that had been destined for the Bentley Mark V, a project that was cancelled when war broke out.

It was one of the last Rolls-Royces to be offered in chassis-only form.

Corniche

The classy Corniche had a troubled start to life, again caused by the Second World War. The name was first applied to a prototype based on the Bentley Mark V, and undertook extensive testing before being blown up at the onset of war while waiting at Dieppe docks to return to England.

The name was eventually revived in 1971, and was applied to an elegant two-door coupe and convertible. The long bonnet wasn’t just a design feature but a requirement to hold Rolls’ standard 6.75-litre V8. Just 1,306 were made at the company’s London factory, Mulliner Park Ward.

Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe

If the Phantom is the formal Rolls for being chauffeured between business meetings, the Drophead Coupe is designed for the casual weekend away. Designed to feel much more informal, and to be the kind of car you want to drive rather than be driven in, the drop-top is the perfect companion for a relaxed countryside drive in summer.

While Rolls-Royces are better known for silently cruising across town, with the roof down you get a better hint of the massive 6.75-litre V12 engine, which has a refined yet angry note that hints at the 435bhp it can deploy.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Some might call it sacrilege, but for Rolls-Royce the Cullinan is a money-spinning no-brainer. The brand’s first SUV has received mixed review for its styling, but there’s no denying that it’s worthy of the Spirit of Ecstasy badging once you’re inside.

Plenty of space, lots of performance on tap, and the kind of sumptuously smooth ride you expect from the world’s leading luxury marque. The fact you can also recline on some of the finest leather out there, and even sip champagne that’s been chilled in a fridge in the back, is just the icing on the cake.

Dawn Black Badge

Rolls-Royce customers have a reputation for preferring to let someone else do the driving, but in the Black Badge models, Goodwood’s finest have created something that’s catered to those who want to drive.

Chief among the changes is a tidy power hike that gives the Dawn 593bhp, which is supercar performance in something that’s more like the drawing room of an exclusive country club than a car. There are also black details throughout, including the Spirit of Ecstasy on the bonnet.

Rolls-Royce Sweptail

In recent years, Rolls-Royce has upped its personalisation game, and now its bespoke, one-off models capture the imagination. If you have enough money, almost any idea is fair game, as evidenced by the Sweptail model revealed in 2017.

Based on the Phantom, it was commissioned by an unnamed person who worked directly with the design team over four years. The front looks very similar to the standard Phantom, but the rear has an elegant sweeping design inspired by 1930s Rolls-Royces. A neat touch inside is an automated system that deploys a bottle of champagne at the touch of a button.

Efficiency. It’s a bit of a buzzword at the moment, with manufacturers all pitching against one another to make their cars as clean and as efficient as possible.

However, there are ways to drive more efficiently too, without having to buy a new car. A few simple tips and tricks are all it takes to help save fuel, and help save the environment too.

Prepare your car for the journey
Remove roof racks, top boxes – and make sure your tyres are correctly inflated

Realistically you should be checking your car before you set off anyway, but giving your vehicle a once-over can help when it comes to efficiency. The tyres are the crucial part of this. Ensuring that they’re inflated to the right pressure makes a world of difference with regards to fuel economy, as well as helping during cornering. It increases wet-braking efficiency, too.

If your car has a roof rack or top box then make sure these are removed (providing you’re not planning on using it, of course), and plan out your journey beforehand – motorways and A roads are routes where you can achieve a more consistent speed, therefore using less fuel.

Watch acceleration and braking
Smooth pressure on throttle and brakes make for more efficient progress

Smooth acceleration and braking is crucial being efficient. Hard on the gas and the engine has to work hard too, in turn increasing consumption and emissions. Bringing the car to a slow and steady stop helps too.

Not only that, but it’ll reduce the wear and tear on components on your car – so everybody wins.

Turn off unused electronics
Additional systems, like air conditioning, drain power and reduce efficiency

Electronic systems sap energy from a car, so switching them off helps drastically when it comes to overall fuel consumption and efficiency. Air conditioning is a particularly energy-heavy system so if you can, switch it off.

Stick to the speed limit
Keeping to speed limits reduce engine revs, and lower consumption

Speed limits are there for safety reason, but they help when it comes to overall vehicle efficiency too. Keeping to the limits leaves your car at lower revs (in most vehicles) and it’ll protect your licence too!

Avoid driving when possible
Taking alternative means of transport is the ultimate way of helping efficiency

It sounds simple, but avoiding driving and taking alternative forms of transport is the only way to really optimise your efficiency. Cycling, walking or taking public transport lowers emissions, and can sometimes be cheaper or quicker than getting behind the wheel, too.

When it comes to the great names in motoring, there’s just a handful that can truly take place on the pantheon of legends.

There’s the prestigious Ferrari nameplate that anyone on the planet recognises, the symbol of Americana in the Ford Mustang and the immediate impression of luxury that comes after hearing ‘Mercedes-Benz’.

Up among the best though is a real beast from the east. Think four circular taillights, fire-breathing straight-six engines and supercar-scaring performance. If you hadn’t guessed it, or haven’t read the headline, we are, of course, talking about the Nissan GT-R.

‘Godzilla’ (as the model is now affectionally called) is celebrating 50 years since its inception. Though now it’s seen as a big, brash sports car — its origins are rather humbler. Let’s take a look at where it came from.

1969 — the birth of an icon

A little-known fact about the Nissan Skyline is that it was once, and to this day remains, very much a humble family saloon car. Originally conceived in 1957 as the Prince Skyline before the firm merged with Nissan in 1966, the car was in its third generation by 1969.

At the time, Nissan was finding moderate success on the racetrack with its R380 sports car racer, and wanted to showcase some of this motorsport pedigree in its road-going machines. Thus, the Skyline 2000 GT-R was born.

Sitting underneath its sleek bodywork was a 2.0-litre inline-six engine, sending 160bhp to the rear wheels via a five-speed gearbox. It was pretty spartan in its approach to performance — with a basic interior compromising of little more than bucket seats and a three-spoke steering wheel, though the addition of a limited-slip differential and disc brakes up front put it, mechanically speaking, at the cutting edge for its time.

Just 1,945 examples of the ‘Hakosuka’ Skyline (the nickname taken from the Japanese word ‘hako’ for box, and ‘suka’ — used as an abbreviation of Skyline) were produced between 1969 and 1972 — though popularity led to a successor…

1973 — a difficult second album

Though the Skyline 2000 GT-R had previously been sold as both a saloon and coupe, the second-generation model moved exclusively to a two-door style when it arrived in 1973. Though using the same ‘S20’ six-cylinder engine and five-speed gearbox, the car was enhanced with all-round disc brakes, a sophisticated semi-trailing ring arm setup and improved aerodynamic additions.

The ‘Kenmeri’ Skyline — later applied to the car after a popular advert for the car involving two young characters named Ken and Mary — improved on the ‘Hakosuka’ in every way except for the crucial one. Sales.

With an oil crisis hitting the globe, the second 2000 GT-R never took off — resulting in just a year of production, and 197 units produced. It would mark the start of a 16-year absence for the GT-R.

1989 — awakening a sleeping giant

By 1989, Nissan was struggling on the race track. Its Group A Skyline GTS-R racer was uncompetitive in its class, with the likes of BMW’s E30 M3 and Ford’s Sierra RS500 dominating the global stage. The Japanese firm wanted to be back on top, but it was clear its current, and ageing, racer wouldn’t be the one to make that happen.

It went to the drawing board with the mindset of producing a car that could dominate Group A racing — but nobody surely could’ve predicted what was to come.

The R32 Skyline was born, and sitting at the very top of the bunch was the return of the GT-R. While its predecessors were famed for their spartan approach, it was the incredible levels of technology the R32 packed that would ultimately shoot it to fame.

Under the bonnet sat the legendary RB26 — a 2.6-litre, twin-turbocharged straight-six engine, sending its power via an incredibly trick all-wheel-drive setup. The slickly-named ATTESA ET-S system was the most sophisticated of its kind at the time, designed specifically for motorsport use.

Though it added weight, unbelievable levels of traction allowed the racing version of the car to effortlessly dump in excess of 600bhp to the tarmac below it — allowing it to obliterate the competition. It won all 29 races of the 1989 Japanese Touring Car Championship and held the title from that year right up to 1993 — while making its name on the global stage thanks to consecutive Bathurst 1,000Km wins in Australia in 1991 and 1992, plus victory at the 1991 Spa 24 Hours. It’s this racing success that led to it gaining the nickname ‘Godzilla’.

The road car was no slouch either. It had the same tech as the racer, although power was officially rated at 276bhp as a result of a gentleman’s agreement in Japan that saw manufacturers limit performance to this at maximum — though, in reality, it produced in excess of 300bhp. With countless variations and special editions, the R32 GT-R had well and truly announced the return of a legend — and over 40,000 examples had sold by the time production came to a halt in 1994.

1995 — hitting new heights

Though the R32 had re-established an icon, it was beginning to age and Group A racing had just come to an end — resulting in an end to the GT-R’s dominance on the track.

The success of the production model meant Nissan was keen for a replacement though, resulting in the R33. It may have taken on a radically-different look – growing in size and having notably more aggressive aero — but under the skin, things were pretty similar.

Its RB26 engine carried over practically unchanged — save for a strengthened oil pump drive collar — and the ATTESA ET-S system was here yet again, though with the addition of an active limited slip differential on V-Spec units.

The result was a car that was again monumental to drive at the limit — but in the eyes of many, it wasn’t enough improvement over the R32. Many lambasted it for its extra 100kg of weight without a real boost in power, resulting in the car being somewhat unloved in comparison.

Nissan wanted to enter Le Mans with the R33 and to do it needed to homologate a race car for entry. So, it did exactly that with the GT-R LM — and we mean ¬¬a, with only one built. This single rear-driven machine is now hidden away in a warehouse in Japan owned by the firm and boasts a race car-esque bodykit.

By now, the GT-R had risen from being a Japanese-special to reaching global fame — resulting in the R33 becoming the first of the breed to be officially imported to the UK, albeit in very limited numbers. That said, the nameplate was about to reach arguably its most iconic phase…

1999 — fast, furious, and heading for greatness

For a certain generation of car enthusiasts, there are two things that have likely played a role in their petrolhead status — PlayStation classic ¬¬Gran Turismo¬ and the blockbuster film series The Fast and The Furious¬.

Though the two are remarkably different — one claiming to be ‘The Real Driving Simulator’ and the other shamelessly an over-the-top action film series — they both have one big thing in common. The iconic Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R.

This was the Skyline GT-R in its ultimate form. The RB26 engine had been refined and tweaked to its peak point — officially still producing 276bhp, though realistically that output was a lot closer to 400bhp than 300bhp. Furthermore, the ATTESA E-TS system had been perfected, and in ultra-desirable V-Spec form had an ultra-grippy Pro system.

Though special on its own, it was its appearance in Gran Turismo 2 and 2 Fast 2 Furious that shot the powerhouse to global legendary status. In the PlayStation game, it was a cheap, powerful base for players to obtain early on before fitting with an array of go-faster bits to dominate almost everything else in the game. As for the film, it was the ride of choice for undercover cop Brian O’Connor, played by the late Paul Walker, for the iconic opening race — seeing O’Connor take victory in the silver and blue, nitrous injected beast, but not without jumping across an opening drawbridge in the process.

These two platforms paved the way for many a young enthusiast, and with the R34 at the helm of both, it’s no surprise to see its global admiration today.

Following the R34’s end of production, Nissan made the decision to spin the Skyline name off into a new, luxury-focused model, signalling the end of the GT-R nameplate again. For now…

2007 — the supercar killer

By now, the Japanese sports car bubble had burst. The Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evolution had arguably reached a peak, while the Toyota Supra and Mazda RX-7 had long been dormant. It seemed like the days of screeching, turbocharged monsters from the Far East were over — until Nissan came along again.

In 2007, it unveiled the long-anticipated GT-R, the first of an entirely new model. It was no longer just a Skyline, rather a powerhouse designed to create an all-new legacy — and it did just that.

Doing away with the RB26, Nissan utilised a 3.8-litre ‘VR38’ V6 engine, producing 474bhp in its base form now the 276bhp ‘gentleman’s agreement’ had been swept under the rug. It was sent through a hugely advanced version of the Skyline’s ATTESA system. This translated into mind-boggling performance, with a sub-4-second 0-60mph time — though more impressive was its circa. £50k price tag, hugely undercutting the Ferrari F430, Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8 of which it was faster than all. Better yet, it was the first GT-R to be sold globally.

This was now a real supercar killer out of the box and quickly gained a reputation in the aftermarket community for its performance potential — with tuners able to take the car well beyond 1,000bhp. Godzilla had returned.

Though the GT-Rs before it saw only a short amount of time in production, the most recent GT-R reached a decade on the market by 2017. It amazingly remains on sale today too, 12 years on from its introduction. Nissan even teamed with Italian design house Italdesign to create a limited-run 50th-anniversary model that features bespoke bodywork on top of the proven R35 running gear.

2019 — a hybrid powerhouse?

Though the R35’s days don’t quite yet seem to have an end, rumours of a replacement model have begun. Its shoes to fill are without a doubt huge, but Nissan has done it before so it’s hard to argue against it doing it again.

It’s likely hybridisation will play a huge role here, taking performance to a whole new level — hopefully with a trademark straight-six engine to create a real monster on the road and the track. Whatever form it takes, it’s clear the GT-R nameplate isn’t going away anytime soon. Here’s to 50 more years…

Leaked information suggests a sale of struggling Jaguar Land Rover to French automotive group PSA could be imminent.

It is understood a “post-sale integration document”, which outlines the benefits of the two companies joining forces, is already in circulation and the firms are exploring the detail of cost saving benefits after a tie-up.

A spokesman for PSA – owner of Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Vauxhall – told the Press Association that the firm was in “no hurry” to make acquisitions and could “stand alone”.

However, despite denying the rumour, spokesman Pierre-Olivier Salmon added: “We are generating the cashflow necessary to pay for our future. If an opportunity comes, like Opel (Vauxhall), we will consider it.”

PSA chairman Carlos Tavares has made no secret of his desire to either merge or acquire struggling UK-based luxury car manufacturer JLR.

During an interview with Autocar India in April, he said he believed it would be good for PSA to have a luxury brand and that the company was “considering all opportunities”.

Both companies have denied the latest rumours, but sources inside JLR have told the Press Association that despite public statements, “things are moving quickly behind closed doors”.

One insider, who has seen the integration paperwork, said: “To have a document like this in circulation at the two firms points to the fact things are very far down the line with either a sale or acquisition.

“Just look at how close the two firms are in the UK – the two head offices in Coventry and Gaydon are just 25 miles apart and both firms make cars in the UK. There are plenty of ways the two companies could save money by working together.”

Automotive industry expert Professor David Bailey of the Birmingham Business School believes the tie-up could be a good fit for both brands.

He said: “PSA said last month it was interested in acquiring JLR but [its owner] Tata publicly ruled out a sale. Tata shareholders’ patience may be wearing thin, though, given recent JLR losses. A partial sale may be an option.

The 80s. In car-terms, it was a time of big arches, wide bodykits and out-there decals. It was also a period which saw the launch of the hot hatch, and also some of the greatest supercars we’ve ever seen.

Nowadays, these icons still get the heart of many a petrolhead beating a little quicker. Fortunately enough, 80s cars can be found on a decent budget – £15,000, in our case. Let’s see what’s out there.

Ford Capri MK3

There are few ‘everyday’ 80s cars quite as iconic as the boxy Ford Capri. The third-generation model in particular (as it was the one built during the 80s) brought a slice of Americana to UK streets.

It was an affordable way to get into a muscle car-style two-door, and decent examples can be fetched for under £15,000 too – though prices are climbing every day.

Mitsubishi Starion

The market for Japanese sports cars of the 80s and 90s is skyrocketing right now as nostalgia begins to hit millennials with money to burn. Though the likes of a Toyota Corolla AE86 or Nissan’s Z-Cars were once available for pennies, rising prices have seen them exceed £20k and skyrocket above that for the tidiest of examples.

That said, some sports machines from the Far East have managed to slip under the radar, for now at least, and the Mitsubishi Starion is one of those. Though it had all the typical 80s boxy styling and boasts of affordable performance, stronger lust for the likes of the Ford Capri, Toyota Supra and other sports coupes of the era has seen the Starion often overlooked. Though examples rarely come up for sale, this does mean that when they do they can be had for a relatively reasonable fee of around £10k for clean examples — and it’s likely that’s only heading up.

Peugeot 205 GTI

The dinky little Peugeot 205 GTI was one of the first proper examples of a small, French hot hatch. It was initially offered with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, which was later bumped up to a more powerful 1.9-litre – but this was a car more about cornering than outright pace.

Prices are surging upwards on these though, so while examples can be found for under £15,000, we’d advise to get your hands on one now, if you can.

BMW E30 3 Series

Boxy and almost perfectly proportioned, the E30 BMW 3 Series is surely one of the most iconic cars of the 1980s. Built with a variety of different engines, from small-capacity petrols to fire-breathing units in the high-end M3, the E30 3 Series really was all things to all people.

Now we’ll be the first to admit that you’re unlikely to find an M3 for our £15,000 budget, but you’ll easily bag yourself a good example of a lower-powered model.

Volkswagen Golf GTI MK2

The original MK1 Golf GTI was a tough act to follow, but somehow Volkswagen managed to do just that with the MK2. A little bit larger, but no less engaging, the MK2 was a firecracker to drive – and most people wished that Volkswagen hadn’t changed the formula so much with the MK3.

Prices for these are rising, so get your hands on one while they’re under our budget.

Renault 5

Renault has always been pretty adept at making small city cars, and the Renault 5 hit the nail on the head yet again. Light and nimble yet efficient, the 5 has gone down as one of the all-time small car classics. It did spawn performance versions – the Renault 5 Turbo was a particular highlight – but unfortunately these far exceed our £15,000 budget now.

You’ll be able to pick up a regular model for within our price ceiling, though watch out for rust – the 5s are incredibly susceptible to it.

Porsche 944

“It’s not a real Porsche”, many purists would scream — but they are wrong. Ok, so the 944 never quite hit the heights of the 911, but it certainly offers an engaging driving experience while looking monumentally cool. Its lack of popularity has seen values plummet though, meaning a well looked after example can be comfortably had for under £15k.

Mercedes-Benz SL

Mercedes SL models have, throughout their lifespan, been some of the prettiest models the German manufacturer produced. The late 80s drop-top was arguably one of its most brash thanks to square, blocky styling and a real ‘look at me’ attitude.

Mini

It’s hard not to call the Mini anything but iconic, isn’t it? Small but undoubtedly characterful, the Mini represents urban mobility at its very best. By the 80s the Mini had evolved, but still kept true to its dinky roots.

Again, like many cars on this list, prices are rising – so we’d advise to grab one while you can.

Mazda MX-5

Introduced in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 only just sneaks into this category — but it’s a worthy inclusion. The widely-loved sports car nailed the low weight, low power, maximum fun formula since day one, going on to carve itself out as a legend.

Though older tidy models are much harder to come by today thanks to notorious rust problems, the fact they’re easy to modify and that many have simply been crashed, they still remain fairly reasonable value — with the best examples still not quite at the £10k mark yet. This is another case of a car only appreciating though, and quickly at that, so it might be best to jump on the wagon while it’s still just about in town.

Car security is an issue which affects all motorists. Various tips and tricks can help ensure your vehicle is as safe as possible, whether you’re parking it on the drive or on the street.

A recent poll of 2,079 UK car owners has revealed that one in five motorists don’t use any security precautions on their car, while 43 per cent don’t even pull the door handle to check that it’s locked.

The research, revealed by Halfords, also showed that 42 per cent of people leave car ownership documents in their car, and 43 per cent don’t attempt to hide their keys at home.

However, security expert Michael Fraser has presented some tips on how to make sure a car is a safe as possible – and ways to deter thieves from even attempting to access your vehicle.

Keep your car tidy

Making sure your car isn’t strewn with belongings is a sure-fire way of making your car less attractive to thieves. Remove valuables from the vehicle, and make sure that there’s nothing to catch the eye of passers-by.

It’s also a good idea to remove loose change from any cubbies or bins throughout the car, too.

Use dash cams with motion sensors

Dash cams have come on in leaps and bounds in recent years – and they’ve fallen in price too. Fitting one means you’ve got an eye on the car at all times, and most are activated by motion, too.

It means that should a thief approach your car and attempt to gain entry, the camera will spring into life and record anything that could happen.

Turn your wheels into the kerb

Turning a car’s wheels towards the kerb may sound like a recipe for damaged wheels, but it’s actually a simple and very effective way of stopping a thief. It means that should they access the car – and are able to start it, too – they’ll have to perform a manoeuvre in order to get away from the kerb.

It takes two seconds to do, but could slow down a thief’s escape considerably.

Don’t rely on factory-fitted systems

Though factory-fitted security systems are an initial line of defence for most vehicles, they’re sometimes not enough to stop intruders. Extra processes can make things even safer.

A wheel lock, for instance, provides an instant deterrent for thieves and proves to those looking inside the car that some extra protection has been fitted.

Keep your keys safe

Your car’s keys are easy to snatch in a break-in, and with new ‘keyless entry’ technology, easy to intercept signals from, too. To make things safer, it’s best to place them in an RFID wallet, which blocks the signals sent from the keys and prevents thieves from intercepting and using them to access a vehicle remotely.

Just make sure it’s locked

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But just checking that your car is actually locked can make a difference. A quick pull of the handle could make all the difference – and it only takes a second, too.