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2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante review: A breath of fresh air
It was, I suppose, a moment of clarity. Unless you are a motoring journalist this will sound ridiculous, but in the road-testing game you can get so caught up in…
2023 Audi R8 review: the last stand
Audi’s ageing usable supercar is pricey but the R8 is still a performer
For now, enjoy the roar of the R8’s V10 while you can because its successor will be near silent
Now in the swansong of its life, the Audi R8 is still posing questions for those who seek to better its blend of everyday usability and outrageous point to point pace. And this ‘entry level’ rear-drive model is a case in point.
True, some aspects raise an eyebrow – the price, scruffy interior and anaemia-inducing fuel consumption – but otherwise it has aged well. The V10 remains one of the most viscerally thrilling motors to be found in any car, and anyone who says they’d want more performance on the public road is not seeing straight. It steers beautifully and has such a benign chassis balance up to and beyond its limits, which means at speeds you’ll almost certainly never manage on said public road, I can see little argument for spending extra on the more powerful all-wheel-drive version unless you want a heavier, less well-balanced car. I don’t.
It’s a shame that it’s destined for the chop because to me and with the only possible exception of the charming but far more rough and ready Aston Martin Vantage, the R8 is the only car that has convincingly answered the question of what usable supercar to buy for those who don’t want, or fancy a change from, a Porsche 911. I expect its successor will be all-electric, far faster, massively heavier and technologically bang up to date. But if it provides even half the fun of this car, I’ll be very impressed and not a little surprised. AF
Audi R8 RWD
Price £131,725
Engine 5.2 litres, 10 cylinders, petrol
Power 562bhp
Torque 406lb ft
Weight 1590kg
Power to weight 353bhp per tonne
Transmission Eight-speed double clutch, rear-wheel drive 0-60mph 3.7sec
Top speed 204mph
Economy 21.9mpg
CO2 295g/km
Verdict Credible 911 alternative.
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2024 Renault Scenic review: At last — a fun electric car
In this spot last month I reviewed the new electric Peugeot 3008 and now, hot on its heels, comes its deadliest rival, domestic or otherwise. As regulars will be aware,…
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2024 Range Rover Evoque Autobiography review: Growing old gracefully
If you look at the Land Rover LRX concept from 2008 and this Range Rover Evoque, you’ll be left in no doubt what a debt the latter owes the former.…
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2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre review: the spirit of e-cstasy
Back in 2011 Rolls-Royce announced that it had made an electric car. Just one, mind, to canvass the views of current and prospective customers and those of a small number…
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Aston Martin poaches superstar Bentley boss. Will Stroll let him lead?
I’m always quite nervous when it comes writing about industry stories, largely because I think they are of far greater interest to nosey hacks like me who know some of…
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Pitiful line-up shows how Geneva Motor Show has shrivelled — does it matter?
Five years ago, missing the Geneva Motor Show was virtually unthinkable for any major car manufacturer. This year’s list of exhibitors is embarrassingly full of largely unknown brands. Andrew Frankel looks behind the staggering demise
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Peak car: Why it’s all been downhill since ‘ultimate’ model in 2010
Searching for the pinnacle of motor car production, Andrew Frankel winds the clock back 14 years to ‘peak car’. We just didn’t know this was as good as it was ever going to get
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A Ferrari hypercar & Renault’s pocket rocket: new cars worth waiting for in 2024
The electric revolution is set to continue in 2024, with a new MG roadster, Porsche’s battery-powered Macan, and Renault’s fun-focused 5. But the combustion engine will continue roaring too, says Andrew Frankel, thanks to supercar makers and a rare BMW M5 Touring
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The new car stars of 2023 that brightened a humdrum year
It was a year dominated by new electric car launches — too many of which were lacklustre. But among the cars that over-promised and underdelivered, Andrew Frankel found some gems — both battery- and petrol-powered
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2024 Volvo EX30 review: Great engineering with a fundamental flaw
This is the most important new Volvo in years. Decades possibly. At least to Volvo. The EX30 is Volvo’s first crack at the compact crossover EV market, a sector that…
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Electric car boom is slowing for one reason: they aren’t good enough
The car industry is ploughing billions of pounds into electric cars but sales declined among private buyers in September. Andrew Frankel puts his finger on the problem
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2023 Jaguar F-Pace SVR review: The cat’s whiskers
Remember Jaguar? Time was when it was the pride of the nation, and even in more recent times it’s made some fine cars among a few frankly undeniable clunkers. When…