YEARBOOK 2011

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The 2011 Autocar yearbook starts here

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New Mercedes-Benz SL revealed

We ride in the all-new Porsche Boxster

‘In the future, track day cars could be the only path left to motoring nirvana’ Steve Sutcliffe p42

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50 First drive: new Fiat Panda

THIS WEEK

You wait ages for a bus…

NEWS Mercedes-Benz SL Sixth-generation roadster 10 BMW6-series Gran CoupéA7 rival revealed 14 Bentley’s newV8Engine set for Detroit unveil 17 GT-R Track PackNissan turns up GT-R’s wick 19 Smart For-us Concept previews next Forfour 21 Analysis Can luxury Chinese cars sell in Europe? 23

TESTED Kia Optima 1.7D Slick, good-looking saloon 32 Audi A5Sportback 2.0 TDINow seats five 35 Toyota Prius+ Frugal seven-seat hybrid MPV 37 Kia Soul 1.6 GDI Facelift adds entertainment 39 Vauxhal Astra 1.7 CDTi Ecoflex Good to drive 39 NewBusforLondonROADTEST 60

FEATURES Track day car of the year Extreme shootout 42 Fiat Panda Fiat’s crucial new city car driven 50 Ford’s secret design studio Trend-spotters 56 Porsche Boxster We ride in all-new roadster 68 Interview: Alex Zanardi F1 to the Olympics 72 Yearbook 2011 Autocar’s road test annual 84

EVERYWEEK Hilton Holloway All change in the showrooms 19 Steve Cropley Another week, another year 24 Steve Sutcliffe From the sublime to the 3-series 26 Alan HenryMoments in a year of motorsport 28 Mail What’s so special about the VWUp? 134

EXTRA

Buyingusednews

JamesRuppert

Buyingused

Ourcars

Buyingnew

NewcarsA-Z

Roadtestresults

Carsforsale

RichardBremner

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24 Steve Cropley’s year in cars

Christmas road test: we drive the New Bus for London

Used buying guide: Rolls-Royce Phantom

14/21 DECEMBER 2011 WWW.AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5