Evo

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS MY sad duty to inform you that Alpine has confirmed that the A110 has entered its final year of production. A direct replacement won’t be forthcoming. The A110 has been a remarkable achievement. Not only for how it drives, although this is something we have praised highly and at every opportunity since our first time behind its wheel, back when it was still in development (and as we said at the time, still requiring quite a bit more development). Indeed, it was at this stage we got our first inkling of just how seriously Alpine was taking the project. Traditionally, early access to an as-yet-unlaunched car is for context rather than to provide genuine feedback for the engineering team to act upon. Not so with…

WE’RE NOT USUALLY STOKED FOR convertible versions of supercars, chiefly because they’re generally heavier and less stiff but also because travelling at high speeds in open-top cars is often plain uncomfortable. However, the Spider version of Ferrari’s 12 Cilindri might just be the one to have. If you’ve followed coverage of the berlinetta 12 Cilindri, you probably know why. Ferrari worked hard to bring the model to market without hybridisation, keeping all 819bhp of the naturally aspirated, 6.5-litre V12 intact while being fully compliant with global emission and noise regulations. A laudable achievement. Yet despite being named in celebration of its wonderful engine, the result is a bit Roosevelt, that’s to say ‘speak softly and carry a big stick’, because the closed 12 Cilindri doesn’t have much of a voice.…

BMW M HAS BEEN ON A ROLL IN RECENT YEARS. THE latest M2, M3/4 and M5 have all proven to be excellent driver’s cars despite increasing pressure on the segment, resulting in them becoming familiar sights on our roads. Should the M division’s creations be too common for your liking, however, Alpina has long offered a selection of more exclusive and curated alternatives. The latest to join the line-up is the B3 GT Touring, a model designed for those who can’t quite see themselves in BMW’s M3 Touring. It is also the last Alpina B3 before BMW assumes full control of the brand, which it acquired in 2022. On first impressions, the B3 GT is an entirely different proposition to the M3. Granted, it’s still a highly tuned 3-series estate,…

NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS BELOW 3000rpm. There’s a mild surge forwards and a hollow blare from the exhaust, but it’s all very manageable. Then at 3750rpm it sounds like something’s punched a hole in the intake. The blare hardens into a harsh, metallic snarl, the power builds and the rev needle sweeps around in a frenzy, shooting into the red paint and past the last number on the tacho, where it really shouldn’t be. Your surroundings tell you you’re in an MX-5, but no normal MX-5 feels this intense, frantic and just plain exciting. That’s because this MX-5 is a PL R300, built by Gloucester-based specialists Performance Link. As the hunger for revs might suggest, it’s been fitted with a VTEC Honda K-series motor as part of an in-house, drive-in conversion…

‘WE HAD CUSTOMERS WHO DID SAFARI tours with us and said, “We want the coolest car possible for this, and we don’t care what it costs,”’ says Jan Kalmar, founder of Kalmar Automotive. ‘That’s how the 7-97 RS-R came about.’ The cost is indeed quite a lot – around half a million pounds – but having driven the RS-R on an ice track in northern Finland, we can confirm that it delivers a lot of fun, too. Think the essential analogue driving dynamics of a classic 911 mixed with the huge roll angles and grin factor of an Ariel Nomad. Is there room for another Porsche restomod company to squeeze in next to the likes of Singer, Tuthill and Theon? Kalmar thinks so. The Danish firm was founded in 2018,…

IT SEEMED ALMOST SACRILEGIOUS, BUT when it came to the Continental GT, we always preferred it with a V8. Bentley’s W12 engine was an icon and a class-leading powerhouse, but the V8’s plentiful outputs and significant weight saving made it the way to go if the driving experience was the main priority. The Flying Spur was a different matter, though. With low-down torque and refinement key, the W12 seemed a better fit for Bentley’s flagship saloon. But with that 12-cylinder now dead, an electrified V8 has taken its place, and this time fewer cylinders doesn’t mean a reduction in performance or a detrimental impact on the experience. The only significant visual difference between the outgoing W12 Flying Spur and this hybrid V8 version is the adoption of a new diamond-pattern…