Month: June 2019

Every car owner fears picking up dings and damage — and it can seem like it’s an unavoidable hazard.

There are steps you can take to help prevent the threat of a new door ding, a kerbed alloy or a scuffed bumper after a trip to the shop, though. Here are our tips…

Lower kerbside mirror when parallel parking

It doesn’t matter how good you are at parking, one day, you’re bound to kerb a wheel if you parallel park on a regular basis.

That said, it’s an issue that is easily avoidable with a simple little trick. If you’re concerned about dinging your alloys, lower the kerbside mirror as you approach to see exactly where your rear wheel is, allowing you to position yourself close without causing damage.

Park in quieter areas of car parks

Car parks are a haven for attracting door dings and scuffs caused by other careless drivers, but they’re an unavoidable hazard in most cases. If you don’t mind walking a little further to your destination, try parking in quieter areas of a car park — in effect reducing chances of a ding.

If busy, park as central as possible in a bay

That said, we’ve all been there before — it’s a Saturday afternoon, you’ve forgotten to buy food in for tea and the supermarket car park is full to the brim. There’s no choice but to park in between two cars, and you look over to see the one next to you covered in scuffs and dings, indicating the sign of an owner that isn’t interested in keeping their car pristine.

Parking as central as possible in a bay creates an equal distance to cars either side of yours. It’s not the ideal scenario, but it’s better than laying over to one side of the bay and putting your pride and joy at risk of being knocked by someone in a rusty MPV.

Invest in alloy wheel protectors

Coming back to kerbing. If lowering your mirrors isn’t enough to cull your fear of damaging your car’s wheels, invest in some alloy wheel protectors. These low-cost covers are easily available and a doddle to apply — adding a protective layer over the rim to prevent the underlying metal being damaged. Think of them like a phone case, only for your alloys.

Open doors carefully

It may be easy to blame other people for dings and damage to your car, but it’s just as possible you could cause them yourself if you’re not careful. One culprit is careless door opening — slamming them into other cars or obstacles nearby. Take an extra moment to gently open them, allowing for better control and not a sudden burst open that may fling them into something nearby. If it’s windy outside, be careful too – a sudden gust of breeze can easily catch an open door and potentially cause it to hit an obstacle.

Fold mirrors in when parked

Wing mirrors are a part of a car that are one of the most susceptible to damage. A passing car could easily knock them while your vehicle is parked up, so it’s always a good idea to take the extra seconds to fold road-side mirrors in once you’ve left your car. Better still, many modern cars come with self-folding mirrors — putting your mind at ease.

What is it?

The Bentley Continental GT has long been the default choice in the luxurious grand tourer segment. And while the top-notch W12 has been retained on the new Conti, we haven’t yet seen a V8 option carried over from the older car to the new.

That’s until now. Bentley has introduced a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine into the Continental, promising a reduction in overall weight without any decrease in outright performance. The W12 is still available, mind you.

We’ve headed out to California to see what it’s like, and whether it changes the Continental GT experience.

What’s new?

As mentioned, the biggest difference here is that engine. We’ll get to it in closer detail further down, but for now the major changes elsewhere are subtle. There are V8 badges on the car’s flanks, while Bentley’s Dynamic ride which is standard-fit on the W12 is now an optional extra.

It’s packed with safety tech, such as active lane assist and traffic jam assist, while retaining that all-important sense of occasion that you get with all Bentleys. The interior is hand-finished, and a new revolving infotainment screen adds a sense of theatre to the cabin. But, as with the engine, we’ll get to that in a minute.

Driving the new Bentley Continental GT V8 in California today. And that’s all I’m allowed to tell you. pic.twitter.com/FlXeUawGxc

— Jack Evans (@jackrober) June 24, 2019

What’s under the bonnet?

Under the Bentley’s long, sweeping bonnet is where the biggest change lies. The new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces 542bhp and a hefty 770Nm of torque. It means that the Continental GT is good for a 0-60mph dash in 3.9 seconds, as well as a 198mph top speed. They’re impressive figures for what is still a large car.

It’s down to the placement of the turbochargers inside the ‘V’ of the engine for better response, as well as the car’s all-wheel-drive system which helps with traction. Power is, incidentally, sent to these four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

The engine has been placed further back than before to help with the car’s balance, while three-chamber air springs deliver the best possible ride, as well as also giving the driver the ability to firm them up for more ‘spirited’ driving.

What’s it like to drive?

Look at the Continental GT and, upon first impressions, you’d argue that its sheer size would be a limiting factor. In truth, around town its bulk does obstruct you slightly, with that long bonnet and low-slung driving position meaning low-speed manoeuvres take a little more effort. It’s what you’d expect from a car of this type, though.

But it’s with increased speed where the Bentley manages to disguise its size so well. Turn-in is brilliantly sharp, and thanks to both the wealth of torque at your disposal and the all-wheel-drive system you can pin the throttle at the corner’s exit and find it dragging itself out with brutish force. Even sharper corners feel no match for it, and then when you’re done seeing where its limits lie, it’ll settle down to a cruise in typical Bentley fashion.

It’s when you pick up the pace that things change elsewhere too. The V8 is almost fighter plane-loud in its aural assault on your ears, bellowing and crackling – it’s brilliantly full of character.

How does it look?

The new Continental GT is a well-rounded advancement on the older car in terms of looks. It’s impressive, that’s for sure, and during our time in California it caused many a head to turn and smartphone snap. The bold front headlights sit either side of a now even larger front grille, while sharp cuts help keep things interesting on the flanks.

In our eyes, the rear of the car is the weakest point. The oval lights seem at odds with the shape of the car. But looks are, of course, subjective.

What’s it like inside?

The interior of the Continental GT has been superbly finished, with high-quality leather meeting metal vents and glossy trim pieces. Ergonomically it’s spot on too, with plenty of adjustment for the driver via the seat and steering wheel.

Does it feel worth of its £148,000 base price? For sure. There are plenty of knurled controls, and the buttons have a solid feeling to them too.

Our only real issue comes from the passenger’s seat. There’s no real padding on the side closest to the driver, and a lack of grab handle near the gearstick (as you’ll find on a variety of sports cars) or in the traditional position above the window means your legs can quite often bash into the main tunnel when cornering hard. It’s a small niggle, we’ll admit, but it’s a niggle all the same.

What’s the spec like?

The biggest change to the latest generation of Continental GT is the inclusion of a 12.3-inch central touchscreen. It houses satellite navigation, media functions and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity too. The infotainment was a weak point for the older Continental, but this is a far better system, thanks to an easy to navigate layout and responsive screen.

And if that wasn’t enough, it rotates. Press a button and the screen turns to reveal a set of analogue dials or do without completely and leave a clean piece of wood trim there instead. It allows you to de-clutter the cabin, and it works well. It’s a little pricey, however; tick the box, and you’ll find an additional £4,770 on the car’s price.

Verdict

The Continental GT is, as the name suggests, a grand tourer first and foremost. But this V8 version goes further than that. The weight shed by swapping the W12 out for the V8 gives it genuine agility in the corners, while the engine’s refinement means it’s still got that cross-country ability you want from a car of this type.

Though many would see the W12 as the ‘top’ engine and therefore the go-to option, we’d argue the opposite is the case. The V8 transforms the Continental GT experience, and means that should you want to exploit a twisty, technical road you can. It broadens the GT’s abilities considerably, which is why the Continental GT V8 is, in our eyes, the one to go for.

Facts at a glance

Model as tested: Bentley Continental GT V8
Price: £148,100
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Max speed: 198mph
0-60mph: 3.9 seconds
MPG: TBC
Emissions: TBC

What is it?

Outright luxury is something that Bentley knows a thing or two about, and what could be more luxurious than a four-seater, V8-powered convertible? As its name suggests, that’s where the new Continental GT V8 Convertible chimes in. It benefits from the new 4.0-litre twin-turbocharger powertrain, but now in a drop-top package rather than the standard coupe.

But does lopping the roof of detract from the overall experience? We’ve jetted off to California to find out.

What’s new?

As with the Coupe, one of the biggest changes here is the engine. Though we’ve already got a W12-powered Continental GT Convertible available in the UK, this is the first time that it’s been available with a smaller, yet no-less-potent V8 powertrain.

Then, of course, there’s the roof. Able to quickly give everyone inside the car an open-air experience, it’s fabric and constructed with typical Bentley attention to detail. Elsewhere, there are a smattering of V8-bespoke touches to help distinguish it against the W12 version.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Continental GT V8 Convertible is powered by, you guessed it, a V8 engine. It’s a twin-turbocharged unit, pushing out 542bhp and 770Nm of torque. Power is sent to the road via all four wheels and an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It’s only slightly slower than the hardtop in its race to 60mph – four seconds dead instead of 3.9 – but it’ll still hit the same 198mph top speed.

It gets three-chamber air suspension from the off, though Bentley’s 48V active anti-roll bar is now an optional extra – you get it thrown in as standard on the W12 car.

What’s it like to drive?

One of the biggest issues for a convertible is weight – pure and simple. The motor required to lift and fold a roof – as well as put it back together again – has to add bulk, and this can often have a considerable effect on the way the car drives.

But though the Convertible is accompanied by an additional 150kg over the Coupe, it’s very hard to tell. It manages its heft through the bends just as well as the hardtop, while the V8’s urgency feels no less sharp than in the Coupe. And, ideally for a soft top, the GT does cruising effortlessly well, with its well-sorted suspension and dynamic ride (fitted to our test car) helping to isolate almost all the lumps and bumps in the road away from the cabin.

How does it look?

Convertibles can occasionally look a little awkward compared to their Coupe stablemates, but fortunately, this isn’t the case with the Continental GT Convertible. Roof up or down, it’s a pretty looking thing, with sleek lines and well-judged proportions resulting in a car which just looks ‘right’ out on the road.

That fabric roof is available in one of seven colours too, and takes just 19 seconds to raise or lower at speeds of up to 30mph, meaning you’ve got more than enough time to get the roof in place at the lights should rain appear.

As we mentioned with the Coupe, the rear is where the design is weakest, in our eyes. That said, our test car, finished in stunning ‘Barnato’ green, was drawing the attention of passers-by here, there and everywhere.

What’s it like inside?

The interior of the Bentley Continental GT Convertible is almost ridiculously well finished. Each section feels as though all manner of care and attention has been lavished upon it but, importantly for a car like this, it’s still ergonomically sound. The quilted leather seats feel waxy and high quality, while the polished metal air vents and traditional organ stop controls give the cabin a properly luxurious edge.

We’d like the gearshift paddles to be a little larger, however; they are a key contact point on the GT, and one which keener drivers will frequently engage with – so why can’t they be more of an event, rather than stubby and plastic-feeling?

What’s the spec like?

The specification list on the Conti GT Convertible is exhaustive, with that new 12.3-inch touchscreen setup dominating the list of available tech. As we found on the Coupe, it’s a big step up over previous systems, and now feels like it lives up the car’s list price.

Our car also came with heaters in the headrest (less relevant for summertime California, but likely to be a well-received feature in winter time Cheltenham), as well as seats which were both heated and ventilated. A heads-up display is thrown in too, and it’s clear and easy to read.

It’s worth noting that boot space is affected in the Convertible, down to 235 litres in contrast to the 385 litres you’ll find in the Coupe. It’s because of the folding roof mechanism.

Verdict

The Bentley Continental GT Convertible does everything you could want a big, luxurious drop-top to do. It’s comfortable, refined and, more than anything, it feels special. Throw in its ability to devour corners just as easily as it does long stretches of motorway, and you have yourself a potent package. Though it will command a premium of around £15,000 over the coupe, it’s likely that once owners have the roof down and the wind in their hair, that increase won’t matter in the slightest.

Facts at a glance

Model: Continental GT V8 Convertible
Price: £163,700
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power (bhp): 542
Torque (Nm): 770
Max speed (mph): 198
0-60mph: 3.9 seconds
MPG: TBC
Emissions (g/km): TBC

Britain loves a hot hatch, there’s no denying that. Combining practicality with performance, these little runarounds have been a favourite on these shores ever since the Mk1 Volkswagen Golf GTI arrived in the ‘70s.

The problem with modern hot hatches though is they’re getting faster, more complex and also more expensive — leaving a gap in the market for more affordable yet fun cars. Step in the ‘warm’ hatch — a segment that’s quickly growing with joyous but not financially ruinous machines. We take a look at what’s on the market…

Suzuki Swift Sport

Now in its third generation, the Suzuki Swift Sport might be the closest thing that comes to a full-blown hot hatch in the ‘warm’ segment. With a characterful turbocharged 1.4-litre engine pushing out 138bhp while linked to a snappy gearbox and mounted in a 975kg chassis, the Japanese machine delivers a thrilling driving experience while remaining incredibly capable as a daily machine.

Ford Fiesta ST-Line

Ford’s Fiesta ST is, in most circles of the motoring world, considered to be the best hot hatch on the market – and fortunately some of that fizz flows through to its softer sibling. The Fiesta ST-Line boasts a delightful chassis powered by zippy EcoBoost engines, resulting in a truly fun car. It’s not hard to see why the Fiesta consistently tops the UK best-selling chart.

Hyundai i30 N Line

Hyundai shocked the world when the i30 N was introduced, as its first attempt at a hot hatch instantly became one of the best on the market. It’s no surprise then that it wanted to capture some of that spirit in its more mainstream offerings — and that’s what the i30 N Line aims to achieve. Fitted with racier suspension, grippier tyres and more aggressive bodywork, it brings life into the regular car without compromising on usability.

Kia Ceed GT

Kia doesn’t make a full-on hot hatch, with the Ceed GT coming as close to the mark as any of the firm’s offerings. That’s not to say the figures don’t make for interesting reading — after all, it chucks out a touch over 200bhp. The chassis is fairly lively too, and it looks dead cool.

Volkswagen Up! GTI

Anything from Volkswagen with a GTI badge slapped on is sure to be a hit (well, maybe except the MkIV Golf), and that’s certainly the case with the Up! GTI. Its 1.0-litre turbocharged engine knocks out 113bhp which, in a car of this size, feels three times as much — with a chassis that’s as excitable as a puppy meeting its new family for the first time.

Toyota Yaris GR Sport

The limited-run, skunkworks Toyota Yaris GRMN was one of the Japanese firm’s finest modern creations — and it has tried to capture some of that limited-edition car’s magic in the Yaris Hybrid. Granted, its electrified and economical powertrain is a far cry from the full-blown car’s Lotus-tuned supercharged 1.8-litre powerhouse, but an enhanced chassis does allow for some fun. With suspension and tyres directly taken from the GRMN, it’s a lively thing indeed.

Abarth 595

What’s a hot hatch if not an arrogant, shouty little thing trying to prove that, yes, it is a supercar? That’s the box the Abarth 595 ticks — albeit with performance levels that make it just shy of a proper performance hatchback. That said, it looks cool, comes with stickers, drives like a joy and has one of the best sounding exhaust notes this side of a Lamborghini. What’s not to love?

At last, the warm weather is here. Time to put away the parkas, jumpers and Christmas decorations (we know some of you still have those fairy lights up) and crack out the shorts, ice cream and aftersun.

Though the stunning sunshine and baking heat is something we all love, it can have a detrimental effect on your car if you’re not careful. We’ve picked out the ways the sun can alter your car, and how you can combat them…

High cabin temperatures

Leaving your car sat in the baking heat is an instant recipe for an uncomfortable drive next time you hop in. Not only will the upholstery get hot, but most surfaces you touch — particularly metals — could be scorching too.

Though we wouldn’t advise leaving a car window open all day, we would suggest finding ways to shield the cabin from the heat. You can invest in a specially-designed heat shield to cover the windscreen, or go a bit DIY and drape some towels over the seats, steering wheels and gear stick. Alternatively, keep your car in the shade if possible.

Affect battery health

When it comes to driving in the winter, many experts will tell you to check your battery is in full working order. While this is great advice, it’s also often overlooked when preparing a car for summer.

An increase in temperatures can alter the chemicals in the battery and cause it to be less effective. On top of that, it’s under extra stress from working the air conditioning harder, opening and closing windows, the sunroof and, if you’re fortunate enough to have a convertible, hardtop folding roofs.

Check its voltage with a multimeter, with 12.6 volts often seen as a minimum reading for a healthy battery. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this yourself, seek the help of an expert. If your source of power is in poor shape, it’s worth swapping out before the baking heat arrives.

Increase overheating risk

Higher temperatures naturally mean the fluids in your car will operate at a higher temperature, increasing the risk of an engine overheating. Though this shouldn’t be a problem on well-maintained modern cars in the UK, older vehicles (we’re looking at you, classic British sports cars) are more prone to this. Check your levels of fluids are all good, and that your car has been serviced in good time too.

Alter tyre performance

Rubber is prone to attracting heat, so your tyres are likely to feel the effects of a sunny day. In extreme conditions, it’s possible tyres can bulge or crack in the baking sun — though it’s unlikely the UK will hit temperatures for that to be a widespread concern. We’d advise checking tyre pressures and to keep them well-kept at manufacturer guidelines.

Overwork air con

As touched upon under the batteries section, your air conditioning system is likely to be overworked in the summer months. This means more strain on the unit as a whole causing wear, resulting in a less-effective cooling solution. Many garages offer an air con checking service, where they can regas the system if necessary to bring it back to factory-fresh operating levels.

Ford has revived the Puma name for its new crossover, which majors on practicality and efficient powertrains.

While the badge is more commonly associated with the firm’s small sports car from the turn of the century, it has been commandeered here for a model that aims to tap into the lucrative small family crossover market.

It will get Ford’s new mild-hybrid powertrain, which utilises a small battery and electric motor to take over ancillary functions at low speeds and assist the internal combustion engine to improve efficiency.

It will be available on the 123bhp and 153bhp 1.0-litre petrol engines, with Ford claiming the electric motor improves efficiency by around nine per cent.

A 123bhp version of the 1.0-litre engine will also be available without the mild-hybrid set-up, while a diesel powertrain and seven-speed automatic transmission will join the line-up after launch.

Practicality is high on the agenda of the Puma, which features a clever “MegaBox” luggage compartment in the bottom of the boot, which helps increase boot space to a class-leading 456 litres. Ford says the load area can accommodate two bags of golf clubs standing upright.

The Puma’s styling is described as “a new chapter in Ford’s design identity”, with high-mounted headlights and a sloping roofline at the rear. It has been launched in ST-Line trim, which is available with 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels, a sporty body kit and functional roof spoiler.

Inside, there’s plenty of technology on offer, including a wireless charging pad, an infotainment system with touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and an optional 10-speaker B&O sound system.

Vehicles fitted with the automatic gearbox have access to an advanced cruise control system, with other safety technologies including local hazard information, parking aids and pre-collision assists also available.

Stuart Rowley, president of Ford Europe, said: “We believe Puma is going to really resonate with drivers in Europe.

“We’ve gone to every length to give customers the flexibility they want, and the best-looking car they’ve ever owned.”

The Ford Puma will go on sale at the end of 2019 with pricing to be revealed closer to that time.

Dramatic footage of an in-car fire at the Donington Park race circuit has emerged online.

Racing driver Calum Lockie was leading a race behind the wheel of a £340,000 recreation of the iconic Shelby Daytona Coupe earlier this month, when smoke started billowing from behind his seat. The heat was coming from the car’s differential, which was rapidly overheating.

Lockie, a veteran of the Le Mans 24 Hours and a former British GT Champion, told the Press Association that a lap before the video started, he’d noticed some puffs of smoke inside the car.

He said: “I thought to myself that Donington is hard on brakes, so they’re probably getting a bit hot; I’ll ease off the braking for a minute and see if that helps.”

Shortly afterwards, a safety car was deployed on circuit because of a stopped car on the track. While Lockie believed it was a chance for the car to cool down, he was soon proven wrong.

Heavy smoke quickly became flames, and the racer broke with convention to overtake the safety car and drive at full speed back to the pit lane as fire licked around him.

Lockie explained the incident in greater detail: “Because of the speed reduction [behind the safety car], the air flow was much reduced. Very quickly it became a great cloud of smoke, and then suddenly flames appeared about a foot from my right shoulder, and I thought ‘ah’.

“It was a choice of pulling over at a marshals post or making it back to the pits. The marshals do a great job, but the resources at their posts are limited. So, if it’s a persistent fire in a difficult to access place, they’re at risk. Parking on grass in that situation is another interesting one, potentially.”

The driver elected to “zoom back to the pits”, where the better-equipped marshals, fire tender and Lockie’s team could extinguish the flames.

“I went by and signalled to the safety car; by the time I got to the final chicane everything had heated up, and there really wasn’t much braking left”, he said.

The fire truck stationed at pit entry put out the fire, and the car has already been repaired ahead of a race in France this weekend, just three weeks on from the incident.

Once the fire was put out and the car was examined, it was discovered that a tooth from the car’s gearbox had chipped away and became lodged in the differential’s oil pump. This caused the differential to overheat, which started a fire and eventually caused the fuel tank to burn through and leak.

Race officials commended Lockie rather than reprimanding him for his actions. Fortunately, he was unharmed aside from “coughing the next day, because I did breathe in some fumes”.

Remarkably, Lockie took part in two further races in other cars that day, finishing third overall and first in class in his final race.

What’s in a name? Well, when it comes to cars, quite a lot actually.

Most machines on the market now may get pretty generic numerical names or boring alphabetic assignments (we’re looking at you, Mercedes A Class), but sometimes, a manufacturer really pulls a special moniker out of the bag. It’s usually these cars that are most fondly remembered, and for good reason.

We’ve picked 10 of the coolest car names of the century so far…

Aston Martin Valhalla

Norse mythology is a goldmine for nameplates, and Aston Martin is the latest to stick its hands in that bag.

Valhalla was a great hall, ruled over by the god Odin, where those slain in battle would ascend to in the afterlife. It’s considered a huge honour to fall in battle in Nordic folklore, so this was a place for heroes.

Aston Martin will be hoping to harness those connotations of strength and power into its upcoming new hypercar. Technical details haven’t been revealed but, with a name so cool, it could have a 0.9-litre 90bhp three-cylinder engine and still be one of the most exciting things on the road.

McLaren Senna

As far as racing legends go, they don’t get much bigger than Ayrton Senna. The late Brazilian driver won three Formula One World Championships with McLaren, as well as 41 grand prix wins during a career that was sadly cut short in 1994 following a mid-race crash at the San Marino GP that ended his life.

To name a car after such a great racer would be a bold move, but it’s one McLaren made — and the car it adorns is pretty special. The McLaren Senna is a road-going powerhouse that could eat anything else with a licence plate for breakfast around a track, while looking monumentally cool at the same time. We’d like to think Ayrton himself would approve.

Ford Ranger Raptor

Raptor is a cool name, no matter what its applied to. Be it an F-22 Raptor fighter jet, a vicious and quick velociraptor or even the alternative name of a bird of prey, it’s one that immediately raises the hairs on anyone’s back.

Ford knows this, and as a result uses the badging to denote its most brutal and fast trucks — namely on variants of the F-150 and the Ranger, with the latter available in the UK.

The Ranger Raptor is a car built to take on sand dunes at full pelt, kitted out with an assortment of off-road gear that makes the prospect of driving over Kilimanjaro as daunting as a cruise through Kiddiminster. (Ok, don’t actually try taking on Kilimanjaro in it, but you get the point).

Dodge Charger Hellcat

Dodge was already on to a nameplate winner with the Charger, but somehow the American firm managed to go a step further with its more brutal variant of the muscle car.

Step in the Hellcat — a fire-breathing 697bhp supercharged monster that’s as angry as a feline dunked in bath water. Naturally, it takes its name from an American fighter plane used in World War II, and one that was considered hugely successful at that.

Ferrari 812 Superfast

The old ‘it does what it says on the tin’ saying very much applies here. Capable of 0-60mph in under three seconds before reaching a 211mph top speed, the Ferrari 812 Superfast is definitely that.

It also sounds like it was named by a 10-year-old, and that’s surely what a hypercar should make you feel like again, right? Without the rockets, wings and being a Transformer that your imagination may have created at that age, mind.

Lamborghini Huracan

There are two layers of coolness to Lamborghini’s entry-level supercar’s nameplate. First — Huracan is Spanish for hurricane, appropriate for a car with a screaming naturally-aspirated V10 engine that’s ready to rock every street it heads down.

Even better than that though, the Huracan is actually named after a fighting bull from the 19th century that was known in its heyday as a courageous animal with a strong sense of attack.

Jeep Gladiator

A gladiator was an armed combatant in the Roman Empire, whose sole purpose was to use their strength and will to fight, for the purpose of entertaining the wealthy. Though the practice was somewhat questionable, these fighters gained admiration from the masses.

Now, Jeep is capturing some of those powerful connotations with its new off-road pick-up truck — the Gladiator. This rugged machine is built to tackle anything thrown its way, mainly in an effort to entertain those behind the wheel more than anything.

Hennessey Venom GT

Hennessey came to bite the established hypercar competition when it introduced its Venom GT back in 2011. This Lotus-based American Frankenstein set a Guinness World Record for the fastest accelerating car to 300km/h (186mph) with a 13.63 sprint, as well reaching an incredible 265.7mph top speed — though this wasn’t officially recorded for the record books.

It’s appropriate then, that its name comes from a natural poison — striking fear to those in its wake. Rather than rodents that say, a snake might go for, though, the Venom came for the blood of Bugatti, Koenigsegg and the like.

Kia Stinger

Considering Kia is a firm that named ones of its cars Cee’d (yes, the apostrophe was a part of its name), it’s hard to believe it came up with something as cool as the Stinger.

Well, it did — and it applied it to right car too. This BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class rival came to sting the opposition, offering striking looks, cutting-edge technology and a seriously potent machine in the twin-turbocharged V6 GT S.

Bristol Fighter

British firms have produced two separate machines dubbed the Bristol Fighter — the first a WW1 reconnaissance plane, favoured for its agility, and the second a very little-known sports car.

Powered by the same V10 found in the Dodge Viper, the Fighter was a true powerhouse, sending over 500bhp (in 2004!) through its rear wheels, allowing it to hit 0-60mph in a claimed four seconds before reaching 210mph. Bristol said it had plans to produce a version with over 1,000bhp in a bid to hit 270mph, but it never came to fruition.

The SUV has proved itself to be the car for the 21^stcentury motorist, vanquishing the popularity of traditional MPVs and saloons. It doesn’t matter if it can’t actually go off-road; so long as it looks remotely rugged and has a high driving position, it’s going to sell.

However, these cars have often been referred to as gas guzzlers for a reason, and the ever-stricter emissions regulations can make continuing to produce these vehicles a tricky task. As such, manufacturers are increasingly turning to combining electric motors with petrol and diesel engines to improve fuel economy.

With vastly improved fuel economy and impressive performance, these are the hybrid SUVs you should consider.

Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine

The T8 badge denotes the flagship variant of a Volvo model. In years past, it would also point to a V8 engine under the bonnet, but this is no longer the case.

Today, the T8 is a ‘Twin Engine’ car, with a 2.0-litre paired to plug-in hybrid electric motors. It can go from 0 to 60mph in under six seconds, and Volvo claims it can achieve 83.1mpg.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV has been the most popular hybrid SUV of all over the past few years, and that’s understandable, as it not only looks the part and performs well, but it also represents good value compared with other plug-in hybrids.

Its claimed fuel economy is seriously impressive too, at 139.7mpg. Of course, this economy can only be found in the real world if you’re going to regularly take in journeys above the electric motor’s 35-mile pure electric range.

Range Rover P400e PHEV

This is one of the more luxurious choices on the list.

With an already-impressive 296bhp four-cylinder turbo engine paired with an electric motor for the best part of 400bhp, the P400e certainly has the performance for any given job, and a claimed 85.1mpg is also promising.

It accelerates from 0-60mph in just 6.4 seconds, which is a lot of speed for a lot of metal.

Toyota RAV4

Toyota has long been a pioneer of hybrid cars, courtesy of models such as the Prius. As such, it’s little surprise that it is among the first to convert one of its mainstream models into a pure hybrid.

The RAV4 is now only available in the UK with an electric motor and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which produce upwards of 220bhp as a combined unit.

It claims 62.8mpg, and real world testing in the motoring press has actually proved that figure to be exceptionally close to the car’s true economy.

Lexus RX 450h

With claimed fuel economy of just 37.1mpg, the RX 450h is fairly thirsty compared to some on this list, though this claimed figure is arguably one of the more realistic you will find on the market.

It features a 3.5-litre V6 with almost 310bhp on-tap, and is a solid, kinder-to-budget alternative to some of the more luxurious cars on this list.

Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid

Perhaps the most dynamic SUV on the market, from a brand that has long been pushing the electric agenda; it’s fair to say that the hybrid Cayenne was anything but a surprise.

Based on the entry level 335bhp 3.0-litre V6, the addition of electrification means over 450bhp in total and a claimed economy figure of 83.2mpg.

In the Cayenne range, the hybrid is only out-gunned by the ballistic 542bhp Turbo.

Mini Countryman S E ALL4

Even the more compact end of the SUV scale is becoming more and more hybrid friendly.

Mini’s hybrid Countryman is among the most impressive of them, with surprising off-road ability for a car bearing the badge famed for small superminis.

The car offers 220bhp, and claims 134mpg of fuel economy, though this is of course unlikely in most real-world driving scenarios.

Bentley Bentayga Hybrid

When it comes to luxury, few can beat Bentley, and it’s clear that the British marque is going to be gunning for the Range Rover PHEV’s ‘most luxurious hybrid SUV’ crown with this car.

The upcoming hybrid version of the Bentayga will feature a petrol V6 engine paired with electric motors, and given Bentley’s ties to brands such as Porsche and Audi through Volkswagen Group, we can expect this model to feel proven right out of the box.

For BMW aficionados, the 3 Series Touring is something of a legend. To outsiders it might seem like just another estate, but over the years it has built a reputation as the thinking man’s 3 Series, packing style and practicality into a great-to-drive package.

What’s more, while you might expect the birth of such a model to come from boring business people poring over sales statistics to decide whether a load-lugging version of the popular saloon would be a good idea, its story starts in a much more interesting way…

E30

BMW bosses had not planned to offer an estate version of the second-generation 3 Series because no rival models did, and none offered enough practicality for the 3 Series to be left behind. However, a prototype engineer called Max Reisböck was getting frustrated at the lack of space in the saloon for his family.

He bought a wrecked saloon and set about creating a wagon version in just six months. Friends encouraged him to show the BMW board, and they loved it so much they asked to keep the prototype to study it. Within three years, a production model was on the market.

Over 100,000 were sold, with both petrol and diesel, and rear- and all-wheel drive options.

E36

Following the warm reception of the previous generation, BMW knew it was on to a winner with the 3 Series estate. The E30 might not have been a huge sales success, but it showed there was appetite for the body shape, and it was simply ahead of its time.

With the 1990s and the third-generation 3 Series, BMW’s rivals had caught on. Both Audi and Mercedes-Benz now offered estates, so the E36 had to be good.

Fortunately, it was. Unlike huge modern estates, the E36 was more like a big hatchback, offering lightweight construction and a focus on being fun for the driver. Many enthusiasts consider the wagon to be the best-looking body style for the E36, even over the coupe and convertible versions.

E46

Arguably the prettiest generation of 3 Series, the Touring was a given now that it had established itself as a market leader. Now well-established, BMW considered creating a high-performance version.

The M3, one of the most iconic and best-loved performance cars of the past few decades, had only been offered in saloon and coupe form, but BMW built a prototype M3 Touring to see if everything would fit together.

It was so far advanced that journalists were invited to drive it, pitched as a PR exercise but almost certainly to also gauge customer interest. Sadly, despite a seemingly positive reception, the E46 M3 Touring never made production.

E91

Based on the E90 saloon that debuted in 2005, the E91 was not the biggest or most practical estate at its price point. However, it still earned admiration and drew customers, thanks in part to BMW’s class-leading chassis dynamics, and the prestige of the badge.

While the E46 was once considered for the M3 treatment, there was never any true, well-founded speculation for the E91. However, the twin-turbo 3.0-litre engine in the 335i delivered 306bhp, and could accelerate from 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds.

Not enough for you? Fortunately, BMW tuning experts Alpina made an estate variant of its B3, which is the closest thing you can get to a factory-built M3 Touring.

F31

By time the F31 generation Touring came into being, it wasn’t lacking competition from within its own model range.

Not only was the saloon version on the market, but there was also the newly-introduced 3 Series Gran Turismo, as well as the coupe and convertible variants, marketed as the 4 Series. The 3 Series Touring was a little closer to some less premium rivals in the practicality stakes, but was still not the most practical estate out there.

G20

The newly-revealed estate version of the current 3 Series is unlikely to provide many surprises. It will drive superbly and be a little down on space relative to some rivals, while still managing to be one of the best estate options out there courtesy of its other abilities.

Of course, the speculation for an M3 variant is bubbling under as always, but it seems unlikely; of course, keeping your fingers crossed won’t hurt!