Table of contents for May 2022 in Wheels

AFTER A DECADE and a half, America’s favourite vehicle is set to return to Australia around the middle of 2023. Just after the turn of the century, Ford Australia imported right-hand drive F250 and F350 trucks, with the initial expectation of a run of 1000 vehicles. Between 2001 and 2007, each year’s sales were well over that. Now, it’s the F150’s turn. With one drivetrain option, two spec levels, 3.5 litres of EcoBoostV6, and 4.5 tonnes of braked towing capacity, the numbers attached to the F-150 seem sure to impress. That 3.5-litre V6, force-fed by two turbochargers and mated to a 10-speed torque-converter automatic, makes a capable 298kW and 678Nm in its US spec, its extra half-a-litre over the TTV6 in the Ranger Raptor (with 292kW/583Nm) clearly doing some heavy…

No MPS A revitalised performance division has been effectively ruled out once again by Mazda Australia, despite the brand’s rich sporting heritage and passionate enthusiast base. Recent patents have rekindled rumours of more performance-focussed models – yet Mazda Australia says rear-wheel drive and strong outputs will be enough to appeal to appeal to keen drivers. “I think our performance equation will jump with CX-60; the plug-in hybrid’s got 234kW and is a rapid machine,” said Alastair Doak, Mazda Australia’s marketing manager. “If we do step up with even more performance than we’re offering currently, then I think we’ll be doing okay, and we’ll have RWD architecture again as well, which will set us apart.” EV ARMY The former deputy chief of the Royal Australian Air Force has flagged a move…

WHEN THE W204-generation C63 AMG arrived in Australia in sedan and wagon forms in 2008, it put AMG properly on the map. Packing a 336kW 6208cc M156 V8 – with a stump-pulling 600Nm of torque – this was a bad-ass Benz that shredded rear tyres at will, punched holes through time and had a raucous soundtrack that tore the heads of beers when blasting past the pub. At the wheel, the sound made the punch utterly addictive, the throttle a volume switch that meant the C63 could be heard coming from blocks away, its blast sending a shockwave that echoed long after it had left the scene in a mysterious haze of smoke… Yet it wouldn’t quite topple the king: the BMW M3. Riding on a platform of proven racing…

Model Ineos Grenadier Wagon Engine 2993cc 6cyl, dohc, 24v, turbo Max power 210kW @5500rpm Max torque 450Nm @1400-5000rpm Transmission 8-speed automatic Weight 2500kg (estimate) 0-100km/h 10.0sec (estimate) Economy 10.5L/100km (estimate) Price From $98,000 (estimate) On sale Q4 2022 THE ALL-NEW Ineos Grenadier might look like a love letter to an old Land Rover Defender 110, but a brief off-road drive suggests the Grenadier has more than a touch of Land Cruiser about it. The live-axle coil-sprung Grenadier is a confident and comfortable off-roader that feels, at first acquaintance, to be as solid and unstoppable as Toyota’s benchmark 4x4s. You could call the Ineos Grenadier a passion project. Land Rover Defender enthusiast Jim Ratcliffe wasn’t happy when JLR finally stopped production of the classic off-roader in 2016, ending a 68-year run.…

LIKE LEXUS and Infiniti before it, the Genesis brand is following the proven path of a pragmatic alternative to the big German luxury brands. It’s a daunting task to take on these heavyweights but cars like the GV70 indicate that success is certainly attainable. The GV70 is an exclusive architecture, not shared with any other Hyundai family members. Importantly, the chassis is engineered as a longitudinal engine, rear-wheel drive configuration, although it is all-wheel drive. From an exterior design perspective, it has the traditional rear-wheel drive characteristic of long dash-to-axle proportion; this translates into a long bonnet-to-body ratio, providing a subtle suggestion of potency. It is actually quite a handsome vehicle with its swoopy roofline and really nice stance. The signature diagonal grille mesh is executed well, much better than the…

“Decent oiler; nicely paired with a torque-converter auto”CURT DUPRIEZ IT’S A BARRAGE of Hyundais at COTY this year, though none comes with the same level of commercial criticality as the Tucson mid-sized SUV. Competing in the country’s most popular vehicle segment after utes, the Tucson is a big-volume player that jostles with the likes of the Toyota RAV4, Mazda CX-5, Subaru Forester, and its stablemate in this very field, the Kia Sportage. The fourth-generation Hyundai Tucson follows its predecessor with myriad variants, yet choosing one for COTY wasn’t that tricky. First, picking the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel over the two petrol drivetrain alternatives was a no-brainer: the base 2.0-litre petrol is underpowered and the 1.6-litre turbo is hobbled by a recalcitrant dual-clutch auto. Second, the $45,000 Elite trim grade is a mid-spec model…

“Much improved, yet still stumbles in a few unexpected areas”DYLAN CAMPBELL LEXUS’S ORIGINAL NX may have become the brand’s best-selling model, yet the mid-sized luxury SUV disappointed in key areas including ride quality and refinement. This presented plenty of opportunity for its successor to spring positive surprises at Car of the Year, with expectations raised by a new platform shared with the excellent Toyota RAV4. The first surprise was the variant provided by Lexus. With the timing of the NX’s local launch – just a week before our test program – necessitating a wildcard entry, the model put forward was an NX350 rather than the anticipated NX350h hybrid that is expected to be the most popular with buyers. (Or perhaps, plucked from the top of the range, Lexus’s first-ever plug-in…

“I like how it drives but interior is oddly disappointing in places”DYLAN CAMPBELL FEW CARS were as eagerly anticipated at COTY 2022 as the Polestar 2. And after three days of granular exploration at the proving ground, fewer still divided opinion quite so strongly. After all, there’s a lot to unpack here. Once the ‘go fast’ department of Volvo, Polestar has since unplugged itself from Gothenburg and gone out on its own as a premium EV player. Australia missed out on Polestar’s first standalone model, the sleek and striking Polestar 1, but it was left-hand drive only and made in limited numbers. That makes the Polestar 2 our first taste of the reinvented Swedish brand and, as it arrived Down Under just weeks before testing began, COTY was the judging panel’s…

“BRZ is as fun as cars get, and they’ve made it about 10 percent more fun again”DYLAN CAMPBELL THE SUBARU BRZ’s reputation precedes it. Here’s a car that, in its previous generation, was as decorated as a war hero, including recognition as the 2012 Wheels Car of the Year, which it claimed alongside congenital twin, the Toyota 86. Now in its second incarnation, the Japanese sports car is returning to the battlefield firmly holding onto its principles, offering a modern interpretation of affordable, lightweight, front-engined, rear-drive, coupe fun. But is it modern enough? While the boost to power and torque from a larger capacity flat-four engine is welcome, the new 2.4-litre boxer unit is thirstier than the 2.0-litre. An updated cabin now features a large central touchscreen and cup holders…

BMW’s FIRST ELECTRIC car went all the way at the 2014 Wheels Car of the Year, and arguably proved to be a hatchback ahead of its time. The German brand’s second battery vehicle effort, the iX, arrived at COTY 2022 with hopes of replicating that achievement while enjoying a more opportune existence. Such is its newness to market, the iX was another of the field’s untested wildcards. The variant made available for testing was the entry-grade xDrive40 in a Sport guise that adds a bodykit, performance brakes and 22-inch wheels. A mid-range xDrive50 featuring a larger battery and more powerful electric motors is also offered initially, with a range-topping M60 arriving later in 2022 as the first ever electric M car. As a big SUV similar in size to the…

HOPES DON’T COME much higher than for the new, fifth-generation W206 Mercedes-Benz C-Class which, after several delays, could have driven off the boat and straight to our Car of the Year testing. Its timing was such that we didn’t have the opportunity to consider which variant would best represent the range, so we included both currently available – the C200 and C300, powered by turbo four-cylinder engines. We’d have to figure it out as we went. And the bookies would be right placing narrow odds for this car. As the most popular Mercedes-Benz model of the last decade, nearly 60,000 examples of the previous generation W205 C-Class sold in Australia alone. No pressure, then. From the get-go, having done the judges’ walkarounds, ogling the muscular power domes on the bonnet,…

MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER EXCEED Price as tested $48,490 (+ORC) This month 529km @9.9L/100km Overall 529km @9.9L/100km IF YOU WERE to list the factors that drove people to buy the old, third generation Mitsubishi Outlander, we doubt ‘desirability’ would feature near the top. Value and a fuss-free ownership experience, plus the security of a long warranty, would likely be the primary (and very worthwhile) attractions. So why am I so captivated by how this all-new fourth-gen model looks? I find myself turning back for a quick glance every time I park it and, honestly, if I was the kind of person to let out a low whistle of appreciation, I’d have done just that when it arrived in the Wheels garage. I know design is subjective, but to my eyes, the new…

IT’S HARD TO imagine any snootier car owners than those of Rolls-Royce, but in fact, that’s just the beginning. Within those Roller ranks there’s another world of sub-snobbery, separating Derby from Crewe build, coachbuilt from ‘production’ body, left-from right-hand drive, which rock star parked it in a swimming pool, and who knows what else. A major divider lies at the Silver Cloud model, of which some 13,000 were built across three series from 1955-’65. The Cloud (and sister Bentley S) was the last of the traditional, separate-chassis Rolls-Royces and the first to be fitted with series-produced, in-house bodies. The Cloud’s replacement in 1965 with the full monocoque-bodied Silver Shadow would deal a crippling blow to traditional British coachbuilding. No less significant was the replacement, with the Silver Cloud Series II in…

THE AGE OF exciting Toyotas continues, and the hot-hatch world is on notice. The Corolla is headed here to join the GR fold with Yaris, 86 and Supra as enthusiast-focused cars from Aichi Prefecture. Wheels scooped the GR Corolla in our November 2021 issue, relying on information from Toyota sources, accompanied by images created by our in-house artist. The official unveiling of the car reveals that only a few details in that November report were revised during the final stages of development. Though its Australian specification is yet to be fully finalised, the data sheet for its Japanese-market version provides the framework for an angry hot hatch that’ll properly take the fight to sharp front-drivers and hi-po AWD rivals alike. As reported, the GR Corolla is powered by the same…

DUE Q3 KIA NIRO Kia Aus has confirmed hybrid, PHEV, and EV Niros will arrive early in Q3, with the PHEV pairing a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 11.1kWh battery for a 65km EV range. Niro EV retains its 64kWh battery pack and 150kW electric motor, but claimed driving range has increased from 455km to 463km. Local pricing TBC closer to launch, but expect about $50K and $70K for PHEV and EV respectively. DUE Q3 SKODA FABIA MONTE CARLO Skoda will initially only bring the high-spec Monte Carlo Edition 150 variant to Australia, with further grades to follow. Powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four making 110kW and 250Nm, the Fabia will be offered exclusively with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission driving the front wheels. DUE Q4 HONDA CIVIC e:HEV…

Model Audi A3 40 TFSI Quattro S line Engine 1984cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power 140kW @4200-6000rpm Max torque 320Nm @1500-4100rpm Transmission 7-speed dual-clutch Weight 1460kg 0-100km/h 7.0sec (claimed) Economy 6.6L/100km (claimed) Price $56,000 On sale Now AUDI’S A3 has come a long way. From the small but handsome first-generation model that launched hatchbacks into premium territory in the late 1990s, the range has evolved through three generations, growing in size, performance, technology and choice with each iteration. And that trend is showing no sign of deviation with the introduction of the fourth-gen A3, which has just arrived. As with the previous version, the 2022 model is offered as either the Sportback five-door, or the four-door sedan, powered by a choice of two petrol engines. There’s no diesel or…

MOMENTS OF unanimity among the COTY judges are cause for celebration, whether that be scorn for the previous night’s motel accommodation or high praise for the snot-block from the local bakery. In the new, 11th generation Honda Civic’s case, it was gushing adoration for a sparkling chassis that you simply didn’t want to stop driving. “Gives a glimpse at how good the new Type R will be,” said Alex, a sentiment echoed by all other judges. Indeed, it’s perhaps damning the new Civic with faint praise in getting excited for what it could be, but not yet is. So far, only one variant has arrived in Australia – the VTi LX – loaded to the gunwales with standard equipment. And this is a much better Honda Civic. Its handsome exterior…

IF YOUR IDEA of family planning is to spurn any and all form of contraception, there’s hope beyond buying a 12-seater Toyota Hiace with a solid rear axle and leaf springs. You could buy a Kia Carnival. Bringing back memories of the 2003 Honda Odyssey – low and wide, and launched with a scandalous advertising campaign that wouldn’t fly 20 years later – resident designer Ferlazzo said it best as the judges perused the new fourth-generation Carnival at the start of its COTY bid: “As close as you can get to a ‘sexy people mover’ … if that’s possible.” Kia’s bold eight-seater is 5.1 metres long – 40mm more than the outgoing model, 30mm of that in the rear overhang – but where the old Honda Odyssey blurred the lines between…

FROM THE OUTSET, Mazda’s electric foray looked like it would have a tough time convincing the judges it deserved to be there. Not only does the MX-30 E35 have a relatively short range rated at 224km on WLTP (but more like 180km in the real world) and modest performance, it also comes at an eye-watering price of $65,490. Compared with some other EVs on the market and even a couple in our fleet this year, the unorthodox Mazda’s value equation appears impossible to solve. And yet, the quirky crossover started to melt a frosty reception early on with some irresistibly charming features. As only the third model in Mazda’s history to wear the MX badge, its first pure-electric coupe-profiled crossover certainly deserves to be labelled ‘Mazda Experimental’ but has it…

“Has clearly had a lot of development on unsealed roads”DANIEL GARDNER WE ALL WANTED to love the Subaru Outback, and how couldn’t you? Few cars outside of Falcon and Commodore are regarded by Australians as affectionately, with more than 150,000 Outbacks finding local homes since 1996. For sure, it would have been a popular COTY winner. But it was not to be. It’s not to say the Outback isn’t a fine car. Being built on Subaru’s new Global Platform means the Outback is future-proofed with hybrid and electric capability. Neither powertrains of that ilk are available yet, with Subaru instead offering a lone 2.5-litre naturally aspirated boxer-four with a CVT, doing away with the petrol and diesel boxer sixes of the previous generation. Things have stepped up inside, a new 11.6-inch…

BIG SURPRISES are not uncommon during Car of the Year, but with a near-5.0 metre length and eight seats, the Hyundai Palisade was exactly that in the most literal sense … and many more. Big boxes were filled with big ticks from the outset and the value in Hyundai’s flagship SUV was easy to see before a single turn of its 20-inch wheels. Space is in abundance, yet despite the cavernous cabin and plenty of volume to play with, Hyundai has wasted none. Throw a can of drink into the Palisade from the outside and there’s a greater chance of it landing in one of its 16 cup holders than hitting the floor, while the space is well utilised for people, too. In the front row, buttocks are treated to…

WITH AN EXPANDING array of global accolades being notched into its belt, the Ioniq 5 looked strong on the pre-event form guide. And its fortunes only became stronger, on merit of performance, once COTY got underway. Its landmark status, for spearheading the electric Ioniq sub-brand and as the first model spun off its maker’s dedicated E-GMP platform, brought ample COTY equity, in terms of both innovation and technology. It’s an originator, set to spurn, at most recent count, some 17 new models across the Hyundai/Genesis fold by 2030 at an estimated investment of A$22 billion. Then there’s Ioniq 5’s inimitable design, one that’s as commanding as it is utterly distinctive. Brave and downright ballsy, though, was Hyundai’s decision to prescribe an oversized hatchback form, rather than a safer and oh-so-predictable…

HYUNDAI i30 N DCT Price as tested $52,000 (+ORC) This month 2716km @7.33L/100km Overall 6720km @9.67L/100km A WHILE AGO, I was driving home in our i30 N DCT long-termer, windows down, when I stopped at the lights. “Ooh,” enthused a tattooed bloke sitting in a black Hyundai i30 N a lane over, “I love it in Engine Red.” Turns out, he was a salesperson for a Hyundai dealer. As the lights turned green and we started rolling, he shouted he’d “converted” five Mercedes-AMG A35 customers into i30 Ns. A curious comment, given an A35, with its all-wheel drive package and $78,900 price, is some way out of the Hyundai’s league. This stuck with me until weeks later when Hyundai invited me to the 2021 N Festival at Winton Raceway. Needing…

KIA SPORTAGE GT-LINE Price as tested $55,510 (incl. paint; D/A) This month 432km @7.8L/100km Overall 2913km @8.3L/100km THESE DAYS, there’s a significant divide among car brands when it comes to the look and feel of their infotainment suites. Some work to keep the investment down, mindful that (probably) most buyers are rarely going to use the main interface, so prevalent is Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Indeed, many car reviews gloss over the infotainment factor, noting simply that the popular phone mirroring systems are onboard before moving on to ‘more important’ aspects of the car. Others – in this case, our new 2022 Sportage – treat infotainment as a critical piece of the overall package, knowing buyers have come to expect a stylish, speedy and simple interface on every screen…

AFTER MONTHS, EVEN years of having the “next thrilling chapter in the Subaru WRX STI story” dangled before us, to have a modern motoring icon cut down so abruptly is a shock. And the WRX STI is – was – an icon, no question. In 1998, Australia got its first proper look at the WRX STi (lower case i back then). Compared to the WRX, the STi copped forged pistons for its turbocharged 2.0-litre EJ flat-four, the turbo itself was ceramic coated, there were upgraded valves, and an STi-specific ECU. Instead of the WRX’s 160kW and 290Nm, the STi made 206kW/353Nm. Like some Japanese cars with ‘206kW’ (lookin’ at you, R32 GT-R) the STi was rumoured to make a nudge more. Attached to that tougher engine was a five-speed (versus…

IT’S FAIR TO say Colin Chapman would struggle to come to terms with the Lotus Eletre. ‘Simplify, and add lightness’ was the Lotus founder’s mantra. The Eletre is neither simple, nor light. Nevertheless, this electric-powered SUV is perhaps the most significant Lotus in the history of the British sports-car manufacturer. And not because of what it isn’t. But because of what it portends. The Eletre marks a key step in Lotus’s transition to becoming a full line electric vehicle manufacturer by 2030. And, along with the new Emira coupe – the last internal combustion engine Lotus ever – it will spearhead the iconic brand’s rebirth in markets around the globe. The Eletre will go on sale in Europe, the UK and China in 2023, and is scheduled be rolled out…

NISSAN’S electrification road will be different from the route chosen by most other car makers. It plans to by pass the plug-in hybrid phase, counting instead on its new e-Power hybrid technology to bridge the ICE to EV transition. The strategy was revealed at a recent event Nissan in Spain designed to showcase its past, present and future commitment to electrification. The objective is clear: mainstream mass-market models powered by solid-state batteries. Nissan aims to begin low-volume production of solid-state cells at a pilot plant in Japan in 2024, scaling up to mass production for its world-wide manufacturing network by 2028. In the meantime, Nissan will rely on e-Power to induce drivers to take a first step in the direction of total electrification. Especially in markets like Australia, where EVs…

Keep it tight (no more than 200 words) and do include your suburb if via email: wheels@wheelsmag.com.au You can also have your say on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (search for Wheels Australia) “Richard didn’t say much, but I reckon I could hear him smiling from the back seat” STEP BACK IN TIME I REALLY LOVED Richard Ferlazzo’s walk down memory lane in his column regarding insights into Holden’s early design history. I was once on a Holden launch with Richard, and as with most well-ran Holden launches, there was always a Holden person riding along to answer key questions about the product, or anything at all really. They were so accommodating with their knowledge and experience; really great people. The subject got around to classic-car design, Holden being the focal…

WHEELS CAR of the Year isn’t fun. At least, it’s not supposed to be. Nor is the Australian Automotive Research Centre proving ground – “doubleay-ah-cee” – some amusement park. Secluded and sprawling, this secure venue drips protocol, hi-viz formal wear, clipboards, furrowed brows and science. An ideal base camp, then, for the world’s longest continually run motoring gong to use and abuse as a first-round chopping block. As a shared facility, privacy is tantamount. The old Fight Club rules apply: what happens at AARC stays in AARC. Pointing a camera towards anything that moves – military equipment; camouflaged prototypes – risks sending Wheels and sister title 4x4 Australia, axle-deep its own awards event, promptly packing. One car journalist with an iPhone could be considered risky business. The Wheels Army numbers 31:…

YOU MAY BE wondering, how relevant is an indulgent $300K luxury sedan to COTY in 2022? Well, this award is all about recognising automotive excellence and it’s fair to say that Mercedes-Benz’s flagship has always been synonymous with that ethos. Cars like this are ostensibly Research and Development test beds, and eventually we are all beneficiaries from the expensive exploration process, as the technology filters down to mainstream cars. As expected, the S-Class presents beautifully, both inside and out. Slightly larger in every dimension than its predecessor, it certainly has road presence. But in today’s landscape of oversized SUVs, it doesn’t stand out as ostentatious. Indeed, since we also had the chic C-Class in the mix, the recurring observation from the judges was the obvious Russian-doll similarity. There is a quiet…

WHEN OUR SKODA wagon turned up in a nondescript silver exterior colour with accessory roof racks fitted, I couldn’t help but feel that we had borrowed a VW employee’s company car for the week. I do hope they weren’t planning a trip to IKEA that weekend. But once you look more closely at the design, you really start to appreciate the technology and the quality of the execution. The Octavia wagon is one of very few alternatives to the ubiquitous mid-sized SUV. Whilst it doesn’t display the robust image of an SUV, it remains a stylish offering, in a classic way. Essentially a different version of the sister Golf variant, Skoda does a good job of consolidating its own design language. As Dan noted, “Octavia nicely redresses the difference between VW…

“Dynamics feel familiar, but powertrain is in another dimension”DYLAN CAMPBELL ONE IN TEN (million) LandCruisers were sold in Australia in its seven-decade history. So while in some respects the new-generation 300 Series, cut from conventional cloth as a replacement for its 14-year-old LC200 forebear, might appear a COTY outlier of sorts, its nameplate whets local motoring appetites quite unlike many of its COTY competitors here. The new LC300, here in middling VX spec, sticks unapologetically to a tried-and-true mould. Meddling with its go-anywhere, lug-anything mettle wrapped in luxury’s lap would be risky business for Toyota. LandCruiser’s headline shake-up, though, is its powertrain. Every judge remarked on the polished, refined and fitting marriage of the new, characterful 3.3-litre diesel six and slick 10-speed automatic. With 227kW and 700Nm, it’s amply fit and…

ALL-ROUND GOODNESS. By amalgamating virtues in design and execution while barely putting a tyre wrong, Volkswagen’s 48-year-young Golf nameplate has risen to COTY’s top spot three times in the event’s storied history. And by largely sticking to its well-worn and inimitable formula, the new Mk8 appeared well-armed to scale the competitive heap as generations one (1976), six (2009) and seven (2013) had previously. The Life, repositioned as entry grade for MY22 at $34,250, flies the Golf torch into the latest COTY battle as the value-laden variant and perhaps Wolfsburg’s iconic small hatchback in its purest concept. Runs on the board in the lead-up saw the Life dispatching the popular Mazda 3 and Hyundai i30 in a three-way comparison (Wheels, January ’22). Further, the base grade would, in 2021, draw deeper…

“Rocketship acceleration in a swoopy crossover body”RICHARD FERLAZZO IT’S BEEN A year of key releases for the Korean marque that brought three quality contenders to the 2022 fray. But its first ground-up electric vehicle, the EV6, is the genuine landmark model of the trio and one that could well redefine the Kia brand from hereon in. Not only is the EV6 Kia’s forward-thinking technical statement minted as an unabashed halo model. It goes further, demonstrating newfound levels of premiumness, build quality, refinement and luxury the brand has, to date, only hinted at. Importantly, the electric newcomer’s core DNA promises to spearhead 11 new models moving forward, some undoubtedly more affordable and accessible, some more elaborate. New beginnings, then. But the EV6’s masterfully well-rounded showing at this year’s event bodes for…

SUBARU OUTBACK TOURING Price as tested $47,790 (+ORC) This month 991km @9.8L/100km Overall 2936km @9.3L/100km A AFTER five months with the Outback Touring in the shed, I’m starting to see the damn things everywhere. No matter if we’re in the city, ’burbs or bush, the Scientist and I are getting conspiratorial nods from new-model Outback owners on what feels like an hourly basis. Maybe Aussies are getting the message that a high-riding wagon can be a more practical and enjoyable option than the ubiquitous SUV? This is, of course, the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon in full effect – otherwise known as frequency illusion. The theory goes like this: now that I’m interested in Subaru Outbacks, my brain is devoting more of my attention to spotting them. And each time I clock one,…

ALFA ROMEO – BMW YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S GUIDE WHAT IT IT ALL MEANS PRICE Recommended retail figure at time of publication (asterisk indicates driveaway price) ENGINE TYPE L, in-line; V, vee; F, flat. Number of cylinders. T, turbo; S, supercharged; D, diesel; H, hybrid; E, electric SIZE Litres or kWh POWER kW TORQUE Nm TRANSMISSION M, manual; A, auto; D, dual-clutch; C, CVT WEIGHT Kerb, kg 0-100 km/h, acceleration in seconds (Wheels as-tested figures in italics) FUEL CONS Consumption in litres, or kWh, per 100km RON Octane of fuel required, as numbered, or D for diesel RESALE percent, 3-year resale in Glass’s ISSUE TESTED month/year DRIVE A, all-wheel; F, front; R, rear. Any figure in bold is our own estimate. BMW – FORD YOUR COMPLETE NEW CAR BUYER’S…