40

BMW’s new 3-series takes on four other £30k real-world heroes

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

8

Full details: new Range Rover Evoque drop-top

12

First pictures: Audi’s new A3 hatchback

‘Forget the sixth-gen M5: the mighty M550d xDrive is now the ultimate 5-series model’ Greg Kable, p30

50 Under the skin of the Mazda Takeri

THIS WEEK

NEWS Range Rover Evoque cabrio Dramatic drop-top 8 Renault Clio 4 Supermini gets “emotional” 12 Audi A3 New premium hatch: official pics 12 Jaguar XF Sportbrake Hot AWD version too 14 Citroën DS4 Racing Hot hatch with 256bhp 17 BMW M135i New 1-series mega-hatch 18 Triumph revival BMW applies for trademark 21 New Volvo V40 Bold five-door hatch revealed 24 Spotlight Ford B-Max’s easy-access doors 28

TESTED BMW M550d xDrive Tri-turbo diesel monster 30 Merc SLK250 CDI Diesel power for roadster 35 VW Passat Alltrack Estate gets 4x4 treatment 37 VW Beetle1.4 TSI Sport Warmed-up Bug 39 Mercedes-Benz B200 CDI ROAD TEST 58

FEATURES Group test Best car in the real world named 40 Mazda Takeri Next Mazda 6’s eco drive 50 Army rally raiders They’re disabled and fast 54

OUR CARS Lotus Evora S 2+2 Brit sports car joins fleet 68 Jaguar XF Gremlins and snow try to upset it 71 Suzuki Swift Sport Cruising ability revealed 73

EVERY WEEK Steve Cropley Finally becoming a BMW fan 23 Steve Sutcliffe What it takes to be best in class 25 Alan Henry A night out with Moss and Head 27 Mail Diesels have finally come of age 66 Colin Goodwin Open letter to Lotus’s boss 67

DEALS

Used buying guide Corvette C6

74

Used car bargains Cheap 4x4 pick-ups 78 New car deals Savings on outgoing 911 81 New cars A-Z New models rated 82 Road test results Autocar’s data archive 99 Concept to completion Nissan Pivo 114

74

58 Road test: Mercedes B200 CDI

54

Disabled servicemen take Goodwin on a wild ride

Used buying guide: Corvette C6

29 FEBRUARY 2012 WWW.AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5