A flagship new Range Rover Velar has been revealed, packing a powerful supercharged engine.

The SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition features a 5.0-litre V8 engine with 542bhp and 680Nm of torque, which combine to push the Velar from 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds before hitting a top speed of 170mph.

The car also benefits from upgraded brakes and suspension to ensure that the Velar rides and comes to a stop just as effectively as it accelerates.

Rawdon Glover, managing director, Jaguar Land Rover UK, said: “The Range Rover Velar strikes a perfect balance between go-anywhere practicality, dynamic performance and relaxing comfort. By enhancing the luxury and dynamic characteristics even further we have created the pinnacle of the Velar range.”

Enhanced by Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations department, the Velar has been overhauled in order to offer a more dynamic drive than its more conventionally-powered stablemates. Even the all-wheel-drive system has been recalibrated in order for it to better deploy the engine’s power.

Exterior changes have been applied to the Velar too. A new front bumper houses larger air intakes, while a revised rear bumper and new quad exhaust finishers can be found at the rear. New lightweight 21-inch alloy wheels sit on all four corners.

Inside, you’ll find perforated and quilted seats with 20-way adjustability, fitted alongside a sports steering wheel and aluminium gear shift paddles.

Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover, said: “Our continued evolution is driven by a relentless focus on creating highly desirable vehicles our customers will love for life. The new Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition amplifies the highly desirable nature of the 2018 World Car Design winner by introducing a compelling combination of heightened performance and luxury.”

The new Range Rover Velar SVAutobiography Dynamic Edition is priced from £86,120.

Windscreen washer fluid is far from exciting, but it’s one of the most crucial components in running a safe car at this time of year.

Without it, visibility in a car would be seriously compromised once dirt and road debris begins to build up on the move — particularly once the gritters come out — and you can even be handed a fine for driving without it.

It may seem simple, but there’s a lot to know about washer fluid. Here’s our guide to why you need it and how to refill it.

What does windscreen washer fluid do?

As the name suggests, windscreen washer fluid exists to keep your windscreen clean. It sits in a small container located in the engine bay and is sprayed onto the car through jets which are usually mounted on the bonnet or built into wiper arms.

It’s most commonly activated by pushing a stalk behind the steering wheel. Some cars with rear wipers also have nozzles to spray the rear window.

What options are available?

There are two main types of washer fluid available — concentrated or ready-mixed. The former tends to be purely washer solution and is designed to be mixed with water by the user before putting it into the car.

This brings with it the advantage of the fluid in bottle lasting longer and also the ability to vary percentage of solution to water. It’s recommended that you use a strong mix of solution, if not solely washer fluid, over the winter months. This is because water can freeze in the pipes when temperatures drop below zero.

Ready-mixed is pretty self-explanatory — eliminating the need to add water yourself. This makes it handy for a quick on-the-go top up of fluid, but you’re likely to go through the bottle quicker this way.

Some solutions are also designed to work at temperatures well below zero, but as it gets lower the cost tends to increase. In the UK, fluid that can operate to -10c is all most motorists will ever need.

Can I use water?

Using water in place of washer fluid is entirely possible but it’s not recommended. Water doesn’t clear dirt as effectively as dedicated solutions and is more susceptible to freezing in the colder months.

Will my car fail an MOT test without washer fluid?

While your car won’t be failed on an MOT test for having a low volume of washer fluid, it could be at risk of failing as a result of poor windscreen clearance.

If fluid is low, the washer jets may be deemed to not be working properly and that could result in the vehicle failing its MOT. It’s worth topping up the fluid ahead of an MOT to avoid a simple but costly error.

Can I be fined for driving without it?

Although the probability of being pulled over by a police officer to check if your windscreen washer level is low, being found without it while your car is being checked for anything else could land you with a fine.

According to Section 34 (6) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, “every wiper and washer fitted in accordance with this regulation shall at all times while a vehicle is being used on a road be maintained in efficient working order and be properly adjusted.”

How to change windscreen washer fluid

Open the bonnet

Changing washer fluid is a very simple task. First, hop into your car and locate the latch for opening the bonnet. If you’re not sure where to look then consult your owner’s manual. However, it’s often placed below the steering wheel or near the passenger-side glovebox.

Locate the washer bottle

The washer bottle, which holds the windscreen fluid, is often marked out with a light blue cap with an embossed image of water spraying. Most will simply lift open or use a screw cap.

Pour it in

This part is simple, simply place the opening of the bottle above the opened cap and begin to pour the solution in until full —most cars will have a fill-to line on the neck of the bottle. If you’re concerned about spillage, consider using a funnel.

Test the jets

It’s worth checking everything is in working order now, before setting off again. Activate the jets how you would normally via the washer stalk. If the fluid is spraying onto the windscreen and clearing dirt, then all is good. If not, there could be a problem in the bottle itself or with the spray nozzles.

On a small farm in East Hertfordshire lies Dowsetts Classic Cars. To all intents and purposes, it looks, well, just like a farm. Behind the shutters, though, and past the barns is a veritable treasure trove of motoring.

Founded by Ant Anstead, Dowsetts designs and builds bespoke vehicles that evoke the spirit of classic sports cars.

It’s here that the Comet is built. Dowsetts’ latest venture is a two-seater grand tourer built in the image of iconic classic sports cars.

And in keeping with that image, it’s little surprise that the Comet looks like a 1960s car brought into the modern age. The long, flowing lines are an example of classic coachbuilding, but the body hides modern brakes and a complete sport exhaust system.

Then there’s the engine. It’s a tried-and-tested General Motors LS3 crate V8, which here produces close to 430bhp. That’s quite a lot, considering the car weighs in at just over 1,500kg.

In fact, Dowsett claims that the Comet will manage the 0-60mph dash in just 3.9 seconds, and flat out it’ll exceed the 150mph mark. Customers can choose individual specifications and mechanical differences, but the car we got up and close with used a manual gearbox driving the rear wheels only.

Inside, you’ll find a raft of high-quality materials; the seats and headlining have been quilted, and everything feels impressively hand-finished. Seating is a little tight for those over six foot, however. There’s polished metal used throughout, and a highlight is the gloriously thin-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel – it’s something you just don’t find on modern cars. The cabin feels expensive, but it is fitted to an expensive car – the Comet costs from £140,000 before you’ve added any specific touches.

We only managed a very short drive in the car, but it was enough to get some initial impressions. The V8 under the bonnet is immediately characterful from start-up, burbling away at low speeds. It feels punchy, but the throttle isn’t intimidatingly sharp, either.

The ride is good too. The area we’re driving on is pretty agricultural to say the least, but the Comet manages to iron out the worst of it. Having power steering also makes low-speed turns a little bit easier.

However, it’s a compact thing. Despite the long front overhang, it isn’t intimidating to move around, and the wealth of torque available means that it can be driven at low speeds quite easily.

Before long, our time with the car is up. It’s an attractive package, the Comet. Good look, elegant craftsmanship and a whopping great V8 combine to make a car which feels like a vehicle of yesteryear brought up-to-date. It’s an experience from start to finish, even before the engine has roared into life, one which will appeal to those with a love of classic sports cars just as much as with petrolheads who have a penchant for cutting-edge metal.

What is it?

Nissan’s keen to point out that it’s listened to the feedback its customers gave it on the latest Micra. Although the car’s only been out for two years, customers criticised the engines – calling them underpowered and bemoaning the lack of an automatic gearbox.

So, this early-life upgrade addresses those complaints and gives the popular supermini a new edge – essential in such a crowded and talented marketplace, where best-sellers such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Polo dominate.

What’s new?

This isn’t a facelift, and so 2019 Micras don’t look any different to their predecessors on the outside. The changes come under the bonnet, where Nissan’s fitted a pair of new 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines to replace the ageing – and not particularly good – 0.9-litre unit. They offer 99bhp and 116bhp, and the former can be mated to an automatic gearbox, which is a first on this generation of Micra.

Nissan’s also introduced a new ‘sporty’ trim level. Called N-Sport, it’s available exclusively with the higher-powered engine and aims to take the fight to the Ford Fiesta ST-Line and Volkswagen Polo R-Line. Finally, there’s a new NissanConnect infotainment system – a vital upgrade.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Micra still offers the basic 1.0-litre non-turbocharged petrol engine and 1.5-litre diesel engines as before, but the big talk is on the two new 1.0-litre turbos.

The higher-powered unit is fitted with the Micra’s first six-speed manual gearbox, and offers comparable performance to most of its main rivals. However, for all Nissan’s claims of it being a ‘warm hatch’ the tinny sound, rubbery gearbox and reluctant power delivery mean it’s far from a thrill.

Far more pleasant is the new 99bhp unit, which revs cleanly albeit with an alarming turbine-style whirr. It can be had with an adequate five-speed manual or a CVT automatic. Surprisingly, we’d actually recommend choosing the auto – it’s one of the best of its breed, and manages to resist the urge to send the revs spiralling at the merest mention of throttle input.

What’s it like to drive?

The higher-powered engine comes complete with 17-inch alloy wheels, a quicker steering rack and lowered sports suspension. It makes the Micra more agile than the likes of the VW Polo, and it’s certainly easy to fling about city streets. It can’t hold a candle to the Ford Fiesta on the handling front, however.

Lower-powered models with the standard suspension do tend to lean through the bends but the payoff is a very forgiving ride – the Micra is one comfortable supermini. We weren’t able to test the limits of its ability too much on our soaking wet Portuguese test route, but the levels of grip and response from the steering were easily up there with the rest of its competitors.

How does it look?

There’s little news on this front – the only exterior changes for the 2019 Micra are some new trim combinations and the addition of LED front fog lights on certain grades. N-Sport models lower the ride and add niceties such as 17-inch alloy wheels, a chrome exhaust tip and N-Sport badging – but the makeover is far milder than that of a Fiesta ST-Line. Perhaps that’s because the N-Sport doesn’t have a true halo hot hatch’s looks from which to draw inspiration, as Ford and VW do with the Fiesta ST and Polo GTI.

Overall though, the Micra remains a fairly handsome and sharply styled supermini – and it remains one of the most personalisable on the market, with customers able to choose trim finishes for various exterior elements including the wheels, mirror caps and side mouldings.

What’s it like inside?

The Micra’s interior is generally one of the car’s strong points. Although space inside is only really average for the class, the sharply designed dashboard and lashings of interesting material choices – plus the sheer level of personalisation on offer – ensure there’s something to appeal to almost everyone.

The headline upgrade, though, has to be the new NissanConnect infotainment system. It now offers live services, but crucial for attracting younger buyers it also brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It’s a big improvement over the old system, with greater responsiveness and a clear, easy-to-operate menu system – although the inbuilt sat nav can be a little dim-witted.

What’s the spec like?

The new N-Sport trim is based on the mid-spec Acenta, so rather than dazzling with lots of equipment it offers a sporty look and mid-range specification. Still, sports seats, keyless entry, fog lights, carbon-fibre finishes for the door mirrors and alloy wheels plus rear privacy glass add to an already generous roster of climate control, cruise control, all-round electric windows and the aforementioned NissanConnect infotainment system.

Automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warning are standard across the range, as are automatic headlights.

Verdict

These new engines are a vast improvement over the old 0.9-litre – and they definitely make the Micra worth further consideration. In fact, this updated model feels like the car that the Micra should have been at launch. It’s some way off the class best when it comes to driving dynamics, but now offers the same excellent economy, good levels of equipment and sharp looks as it did before, just without the poor engine to hold it back. The Xtronic automatic, meanwhile, could be one of the best non-electric inner-city cars you can buy.

Model as tested: Nissan Micra N-Sport
Price as tested: £19,005
Engine: 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder
Power: 116bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Max speed: 121mph
0-60mph: 9.9 seconds
MPG: 56.5
Emissions: 114g/km

Car design could become a lot more driver-focused, thanks to a new tool being tested by Ford.

The American firm is experimenting with Gravity Sketch – British-built 3D virtual reality (VR) technology that lets the designers get up close and personal with their creations.

Wearing a VR headset and using hand-held motion controllers, they can navigate an open space and get a 360-degree view of the car they are creating – allowing them to produce a design around themselves. Ford says having the ability to see all angles will result in more ‘human-centric’ models being created.

It also believes the design process could be shortened, eliminating the need to turn a 2D sketch into a 3D model.

Michael Smith, design manager at Ford, said: “Jumping right into 3D gives us a 360-degree view of a vehicle as it is being created. This application has the potential to help ensure we are delivering the very best vehicle designs for our customers.

“It moves the entire process into the world of virtual reality, giving us greater options for reviewing more models in the 3D environment to create the best possible vehicles.”

Oluwaseyi Sosanya, Gravity Sketch chief executive and co-founder, said: “Our collaboration with Ford designers has enabled us to get immersed in their creative process and discover ways to help fine-tune this application to better suit their needs.”

SUVs. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they’re here to stay – and have been one of the fastest-growing market segments for several years now. Encompassing everything from tiny crossovers to the very largest of luxury off-roaders, this segment has gone from being small-time fare to containing some of the most profitable cars on sale.

But how exactly did the modern SUV come to be? We’ve leafed through the history books and found seven of the cars that – at least in Europe – helped push the crossover into the mainstream.

Matra Rancho

The Matra Rancho’s achievement list reads like the specification of any modern crossover. Rugged styling, a car-derived platform, greater practicality than its hatchback sibling and an awkward name? All present and correct.

However, the Rancho came out in 1977 – years before SUVs became viable as family transport. It was pretty popular on the continent, but their nature as a work vehicle and the unlovable nature of its quirky styling means not too many survive.

Jensen FF

Sure, a gorgeous 2+2 grand tourer may not immediately occupy the same space in your head as a humble mumsy-bus, but the FF had one important distinction – four-wheel-drive. In fact, it was the first proper road car fitted with a 4WD system, as previous models had all been unashamed off-roaders.

The concept of fitting 4WD to a car that has no intention of ever leaving tarmac is one that’s been successfully applied to a huge number of SUVs and crossovers since.

Nissan Qashqai

The Qashqai wasn’t the first SUV, or even the first hatchback-based crossover, but it marked a step-change in manufacturer strategy. Nissan was the first brand to realise that the future of family transport lay in these jacked-up vehicles, and so it didn’t bother to replace its Almera when it reached the end of its life – concentrating solely on the Qashqai.

It’s definitely a strategy that’s worked – the car has been sold in its thousands since its launch in 2007, and remains one of Europe’s best-sellers.

Toyota RAV4

In 1996, Toyota released the RAV4, and with it came the acknowledgement by manufacturers that their rugged off-roaders were mainly used by families rather than farmers. The name RAV4 actually stands for Recreational Active Vehicle with 4WD – showing that this car was better suited to a camping holiday than tackling the deepest, darkest wilderness.

By giving buyers what they wanted – chunky styling, a modicum of off-road ability and raised ground clearance but without the associated lack of finesse on tarmac – Toyota created a wildly popular SUV that’s still a global best-seller.

Range Rover

Land Rover was known only for one model until the release of the Range Rover – it was rugged, tough, and a nightmare as soon as it got onto a paved road. But the Range Rover was different, adding luxury features, coil springs and a sense of imperious superiority for everybody who drove one.

The Range Rover’s only become more luxurious as time has gone on, and easily ranks as one of the world’s top luxury SUVs today.

Volvo XC90

Big families spent the early 2000s gravitating towards MPVs, but these family buses weren’t exactly stylish. That’s why big families with a little more cash to splash preferred the SUV – and Volvo capitalised on this by releasing the XC90, which offered the versatility of the former and the style of the latter.

It also concentrated heavily on safety, and it’s recently been claimed that not a single person in the UK has died in an XC90 since its 2003 launch. That’s a big deal for a kid-carrier, and one that’s cemented the XC90 as a popular choice for the safety-conscious.

Porsche Cayenne

Porsche was the first sports car manufacturer to acknowledge the SUV-shaped elephant in the room. It realised that by releasing a Porsche SUV, the resulting profits could be used to further development for its iconic sports car line.

That has left Porsche with two distinct lines of products – its SUVs pay the bills while its class-leading sports cars keep the brand’s image alive. Neither could exist as well as it does without the other, and it’s a sort of partnership that many brands have emulated since.

Convertible ownership in the UK brings its challenges. Sure, it’s wonderful for the handful of sunny days we see in August — but with the weather so temperamental for the rest of the year, a slow-acting roof can be the difference between a soaking and staying totally dry, or even missing a brief catch of the rays.

While the obvious solution may seem to be to opt for a manual closing roof, many can be difficult or even impossible to close on the move. That said, speed can be everything with an electrically operated alternative — so we’ve listed the quickest power-folding roofs on sale today…

BMW i8 Roadster — 15 seconds

It took a while for BMW to finally bring the i8 Roadster into production, but it still manages to look light years ahead of rivals in its segment. And what better way to enjoy it than with the roof down? With a 15 second opening and closing time, the roof even has the speed to match the i8’s performance.

Audi A5 Cabriolet — 15 seconds

Audi’s A5 Cabriolet may be one of the more mundane soft-tops on our list, but that doesn’t stop it from qualifying in roof-lowering times. Fifteen seconds is on the slower end of the scale here, but it’s still quick enough to avoid getting soaked in a rain shower.

Ferrari Portofino — 14 seconds

Folding hard-tops often have a tougher job than fabric roofs, with a difficult origami involved in fitting a bulky metal roof into a small compartment at the rear. They’re also pretty weighty compared to a fabric roof too, leading them to be slower. Despite this, the Ferrari Portofino manages to retract its canopy in just 14 seconds, at speeds of up to 25mph. Not bad for a supposed ‘budget’ Ferrari. Oh, did we mention it’ll also do nearly 200mph?

Aston Martin DB11 Volante — 14 seconds

Aston Martin’s convertible cars are, if anything, even better-looking than their hard-roofed counterparts – and the DB11 Volante is no exception. It’s truly gorgeous roof up or down. Luckily, you won’t have to worry about switching between the two – folding and unfolding the eight-layer fabric roof takes just 14 seconds, at speeds of up to 31mph. No drama if it starts raining while you’re boulevard cruising, then.

Mazda MX-5 RF — 13 seconds

The Mazda MX-5 has long been one of — if not the — most popular convertibles to make it to the UK. It’s perhaps surprising the Japanese took them until 2016 to introduce a folding hard-top variant of the car, but it arrived with sharp looks and a respectable folding time of 13 seconds. That said, it is hindered slightly by only being to operate at speeds up to 6mph.

Porsche 911 Cabriolet — 12 seconds

The old Porsche 911 Cabriolet didn’t exactly have a slow power-folding roof — registering a 13 second time — but the latest version has still managed to improve on it. With a 12 second open/shut time, the 992 911 is perfect for going fast while rapidly taking advantage of sunshine bursts.

Jaguar F-Type Convertible — 12 seconds

The Jaguar F-Type Convertible does well in the roof closing and raising race, with its time of 12 seconds close to the top of our list here. It’s also a pretty car with the roof up or down, meaning you don’t have to compromise on style with either configuration.

Audi TT Roadster — 10 seconds

The Audi TT Roadster has been one of the go-to premium drop-tops for some time now, and its roof operating time of 10 seconds is yet another reason to choose it. Available with a variety of engines, the TT Roadster is a convertible you can use every day – and it looks good, too.

Porsche 718 Boxster — 9 seconds

The Boxster may sit underneath the 911 in the Porsche range, but it at least has one thing over its bigger brother — roof speed. In just nine seconds, the roof of the Boxster can be opened or closed. Who needs more horsepower, anyway?

Ford Mustang Convertible — 7 seconds

Topping the list of fastest convertibles might be the car everyone thinks of when it comes to capturing the sun in a real drop-top cruiser — the Mustang Convertible. While driving it on a summer’s day in California might mean the roof will never have to go up, it’s handy to know it’ll only take seven seconds to do so if you’re heading around Hull on a patchy day.

Take a look down the specification list for any modern car – particularly larger luxury models – and the range of equipment, both standard and optional, can be very confusing. What’s better – bi-xenon headlights or Matrix LED? Are heated washer nozzles more important than a heated steering wheel? And why should you want to adjust your seat bolsters?

Despite this confusing mess, there are some car options that always jump out at us – and that we’d always choose if they were available. Here are our picks for the optional extras you should really consider adding to your next car purchase.

Adaptive cruise control

A fully-autonomous future may be some while away yet, but adaptive cruise control offers a taste of what’s to come in a driverless world.

Offered by pretty much every manufacturer, adaptive cruise control builds on the traditional cruise systems many may be familiar with by bringing an array of sensors that allows a car to monitor surrounding traffic and adjust its speed accordingly. High-end versions of the tech even include speed limit recognition that can automatically detect when to bring the car to legal limits — perfect for those multiple hundreds of motorway miles trips.

Heated seats and steering wheel

There’s not much worse than hopping into a freezing car on a cold winter’s morning. With sub-zero temperatures overnight, the cabin of your car has probably felt the heat — well, the opposite of that really — and that can make you feel like the Christmas turkey tucked in the freezer a week before the big day.

With heating elements in the seats and steering wheel though, you can soon get back to a cosy temperature and relax for the drive ahead without having to stick the air conditioning on 28 degrees and full blast fans.

LED headlights

We all want to see where we’re going, right? Well, every car obviously has headlights… but not all headlights are created equal. Far above lowly halogen, projector or even xenon units sits the noble LED headlight. These systems are super-bright but can be aimed really accurately to avoid dazzling other drivers.

The smartest systems are capable of blanking out certain portions of their lighting grids, providing main beam across the road with a dark section that tracks oncoming traffic. That’s not even mentioning how their razor-edge appearance can enhance the look of your car. Clever stuff.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

Smartphone connectivity is all the rage, and there’s no simpler way to do it than through either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. These two systems are very similar, and just involve plugging a compatible smartphone into your car’s infotainment system. From there, you’re able to interact with your phone’s functions via a bespoke interface – one that’s easy to use on the move.

With the penalty for using your phone behind the wheel a steep fine and several points on your licence, systems like this which allow you to use your phone as navigator and media player all in one without taking your concentration off the road are more and more important.

Upgraded speakers

If you’re anything like us, listening to music in the car is a big part of each day – and so it makes sense that upgrading the sound system should be one of your first moves. Now, 18-year-olds know all about the wonder that a pair of Halfords drivers and a flashy head unit can bring to a 53-plate Fiesta, but in brand new cars, it’s not quite so simple. For that reason, many manufacturers now offer brand-name stereo systems as an upgrade.

Different manufacturers use different systems – Peugeot, for example, offers a FOCAL audio system on its 508, while BMW goes for Harman Kardon. The Bang & Olufsen systems fitted to high-end Audis are definitely worth their cash, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a Land Rover without several hundred watts of Meridian in the interior. Regardless of name, there’s no doubt that an upgraded sound system is the ideal optional extra for audiophiles everywhere and one well worth speccing.

Bolster adjustment

No two people are the same size, and that means manufacturers have to design car seats for all types of bodies. The result can often be something that doesn’t quite feel secure or is perhaps too tight to be in.

Tick the option for bolster adjustment though and that worry can soon go. With the ability to bring them in closer to the driver, or further away if you’d prefer, this basic but clever technology can make the difference between an annoying car and a comfortable one.

Dual-zone climate control

Nothing makes a long journey go by quicker than harmony between passengers. Sitting there while your front passenger is in a strop with you is genuinely very unpleasant – and if they’re too cold or too hot, then it’s sadly very likely that they will be pretty irate.

That’s where dual-zone climate control comes in. It allows both the driver and front passenger to set their own temperature on the climate control, allowing the passenger to bask in a balmy 22 degrees while the driver chills out in an 18 degree Arctic breeze. More sophisticated systems are available that allow the rear passengers to choose their own temperatures, too – but we think they can lump it. There has to be benefits to riding up front, right?

Heated windscreen

It’s a cold February morning. You’ve woken up a little later than usual, and there’s the mad rush to get to work. Having quickly washed, brushed your teeth and thrown a makeshift outfit on you race to the car in the hope of clocking in on time — only your car windscreen is frozen over, and it needs clearing.

You foresaw this when buying your latest car though, and as you hop in to the seat, you fire up the heated windscreen. After a couple of minutes of setting up a playlist for the journey and waiting for the cabin to warm up a bit, your windscreen is de-iced and the view out is clear as day. No standing with a scraper and spray needed, you’re all good to go. You make it to work on time. You’re thankful for ticking the heated windscreen option box.

Reversing camera

A lack of rear visibility is a common problem in newer cars. You can blame safety regulations for that – with crash tests necessitating thick rear pillars and bulky rear doors, both of which conspire to produce narrow rear windows and not much of a view back. This isn’t such a big problem when you’re on the move, where side mirrors tend to do the job – but when reversing, not knowing what’s directly behind you can spell disaster.

That’s where reversing cameras come in. Quite simply, they activate when the car’s placed into reverse gear and give a clear view of the area immediately behind the car. Most also offer some guidelines, to make parking a cinch. Though 360-degree camera systems are also great, we wouldn’t necessarily spend the extra on them – but plain old reversing cameras are worth every penny.

Sunroof

While many of us would love to own a convertible, it’s just not a practical option for the vast majority. Sure, that one week of sun we get in the UK would be ideal for driving a Mazda MX-5 but then that also has the boot capacity of a kitchen drawer.

That’s where the sunroof comes in — bringing a sense of open-top driving to any car. Open it up to bring in a little bit of fresh air on those wonderful July days, without the reduced refinement and lack of practicality many dedicated convertibles bring with them. There also great for bringing some light in the cabin when shut, too.

Back in the late 1940s, several people decided that a nearby airfield – known as RAF Silverstone – would be ideal for a little bit of impromptu motor-racing. It was bare-bones to begin with, but since that time the circuit has gone on to become the home of British motorsport – and the host of the British Formula 1 Grand Prix to boot.

And though those intrepid racers may have had to dodge sheep, and poor road surfaces, they never had to deal with an icy surface framed by solid, deep snowbanks. At least we’re pretty sure they didn’t.

But recently some clever people in Sweden thought that an all-ice version of the UK’s most famous circuit may be a good thing. Which is why, every year, they carve a replica version of Silverstone into a frozen lake in Arjeplog. Completely to scale.

In fact, it’s not the only track to be carved out of the otherwise desolate area. Here, you can lap the Nurburgring GP circuit, Yas Marina and even Paul Ricard – all framed by snow banks and maintained almost as fastidiously as the real thing. Oh, and for those hoping to see a car sinking ever-so-slowly into the icy depths, you’re going to be disappointed – the ice is almost a metre thick.

And speaking of cars, we should probably discuss our vehicle for this particular adventure. It’s Skoda’s latest Kodiaq vRS, a 237bhp, hotter version of the Czech brand’s popular SUV. Yes, we’ll admit it may not be the best suited car to conventional track driving, but out in -24 degrees with limited traction, the car’s four-wheel-drive system and suite of driving modes make this car a more sensible circuit option.

Before we traded swapped Northamptonshire for somewhere more Nordic, we set a lap time around the real-life Silverstone for comparison. The Kodiaq did admirably well; the brakes managed several laps without cooking, and the punchy diesel engine did an excellent job of bringing the car up to speed in a decent enough time. One of the standout aspects was the body control; the vRS comes fitted with adaptive chassis control, and it managed to keep the Kodiaq far flatter in the corners than you’d expect, particularly given its near-1,900kg kerb weight.

We set a lap time (though we’re not going to disclose it just yet), and readied to try the whole thing again on a slightly less grippy surface.

As we arrived at Lake Uddjaur, the temperature was reading a balmy -27c. It was so cold, in fact, that there was ice forming on the inside of the windows. Needless to say, it was ‘big coat’ weather.

We got a feel for the conditions with a series of handling courses; driving on ice and snow is always an odd sensation to begin with, particularly when you’re piloting a car fitted with tyre studs, like our Kodiaq was. There’s a lot of traction to begin with, and it’s only once you slowly enter a corner that the rear begins to rotate around you – though the ESP systems in the vRS did a good job of keeping the car on the straight and narrow.

Last Friday I drove the Kodiaq vRS around Silverstone circuit. Today, we’re driving it around a Silverstone carved into a frozen lake. Also, look at this sunrise! pic.twitter.com/qdymCpoqSm

— Jack Evans (@jackrober) January 15, 2019

Warm-up sessions complete, it was time to take to the Silverstone Circuit.

With a lack of visual references, and no grandstands, barriers or curbs to give you an indication of where you actually are, the first few laps are a little disconcerting. The corners sweep up unannounced, and Hangar Straight feels almost unbelievably long – we were still able to hit well over 100mph before needing to stamp on the anchors.

However before long we start knitting bends together, using the natural rotation of the car to guide you around the corner before leaning on the Kodiaq’s four-wheel-drive system to propel you on the low-friction surface. The ice is etched with grooves to give the tyres a little more to grab on, but it’s still perilously slippery – trying to walk on it is a tricky task, let alone drive on it.

And then, just like that, it was time to come in. My tarmac Silverstone time was 2:59 (I don’t claim to be a racing driver), while my icy circuit took a little longer at 4:27. Though it did require a little more time to travel around the frozen version of Britain’s most famous race track, it’s the one I’d pick to go around again; sure, clipping the same apexes as Lewis Hamilton has done before has its charm, but going sideways around them on snow and ice? That takes some beating.

As the winter months draw in, performance cars are traditionally hurried into garages, storage units and lock-ups to protect them from the elements.

However, there are a few cars on the market today that needn’t be mollycoddled and can genuinely take whatever the winter can throw at them. Here, we’ve picked out 10 performance cars that you can use throughout winter come rain, shine, sleet or snow.

Audi RS6 Performance

This one’s a bit of a no-brainer. Powered by a turbocharged V8 engine packing 596bhp, it’ll crack 60mph in under four seconds.

However, don’t think you’ll be spiralling off into a hedge when things get slippy, as the RS6 uses Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel-drive system, allowing it to find grip no matter how treacherous the conditions. Add to this the RS6’s genuinely practical bodystyle and its better – though not brilliant – fuel economy, and you’ve got an ideal winter wagon.

Range Rover Sport SVR

Of course, anything with a Range Rover badge on the bonnet is already laden with go-anywhere potential, but the Sport SVR adds to this with a tremendous amount of performance.

A supercharged 5.0-litre sends 542bhp to all four wheels, though you still get Range Rover’s Terrain Response off-road system – meaning all that power can be put to good use in all conditions. This does all come at a cost, particularly in fuel economy –22mpg to be exact.

Mercedes-AMG E63S

You’d think that a powerful Mercedes-AMG vehicle would be rear-wheel-drive, and therefore a nightmare on slippery roads. However, the latest E63 has a trick up its sleeve – all-wheel-drive.

This means that it’s far from a handful when the roads get greasy, though there’s still a 4.0-litre V8 to keep things interesting. On top of that, the E63S – available as either a saloon or estate – is impressively practical, with a decent boot and plenty of rear legroom too.

Ariel Nomad

Okay, we understand that you’ll probably need to get quite wrapped up when driving the Ariel Nomad in colder weather, but its all-round usability and incredible performance will more than make up for it.

A 2.4-litre Honda-sourced engine sends drive to all four wheels, while suspension with a huge amount of travel allows the Nomad to handle anything that is thrown at it. A tubular framework also means you’ll look like nothing else on the road.

Ferrari GTC4 Lusso

Available with either a turbocharged V8 or naturally-aspirated V12 engine, the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso is the best option if you’re looking for a car with a prancing horse on the front that can be used in all weathers.

Thankfully, the GTC4 Lusso utilises a clever electronic all-wheel-drive system, meaning that it’ll be able to tackle snow and ice like no other Ferrari can – yet it’ll do so in supreme luxury, as you’d expect with a car from Maranello.

Bentley Bentayga

Yes, it’s quite an ostentatious choice, but you simply cannot fault the way Bentley’s Bentayga can cover ground, be it on- or off-road. It features an opulent interior which, save for a noticeable few switches borrowed from parent company Audi, feels bespoke and well-made.

Of course, it has a lot of performance to offer too. With a turbocharged W12 powering this affair, it’ll hit 60mph in just four seconds before topping out at 187mph.

Volkswagen Golf R

Though the Volkswagen Golf R may not carry the same badge prestige as other cars on this list, it can more than keep its head held high when it comes to performance. The R’s turbocharged petrol engine gives it enough shove to out-drag a lot of current supercars.

Whereas the two-wheel-drive GTI would be spinning its front wheels in poor conditions, the R’s all-wheel-drive system means the fun doesn’t have to stop when the weather turns sour.

BMW M5

Though traditionally rear-wheel-drive, the latest incarnation of the M5 uses complex all-wheel-drive technology to give it huge amounts of traction, while a 4.4-litre V8 means you’ll be able to exploit the system to its fullest at all times.

You are able to lock that system to rear-wheel-drive only, but for the vast majority of the time it’s best left powering all four wheels – particularly in the winter months when traction is king.

Subaru WRX Final Edition

There are few cars with as much all-weather pedigree as the Subaru WRX. With rally history engrained in its make-up, it’s been designed to be able to travel very quickly over the toughest of surfaces and in the worse conditions.

A four-wheel-drive system, as well as rally-inspired suspension, makes the WRX Final Edition hugely capable in all weathers, while large Brembo brakes can effectively bring the whole thing to a stop.

Ford Focus RS

The Ford Focus RS has already made a name for itself as one of the most accomplished hot hatches on sale today, packing a lot of performance into a usable and practical layout. However, it’s also got four-wheel-drive, and this means that it’ll be ideal for tackling the elements in.

When you strip away the performance, you’re left with a genuine five-seater hatchback, so you’ll still be able to bring your friends along and save them from the cold.