Autocar Lunchbox: Italy's hot new trio, finding motoring's golden year and more
We round up our hottest stories, pictures and videos for you to devour in your lunch break
It’s everyone’s favourite part of the working day, lunchtime, and you’re no doubt craving a hefty dose of car-related content.
So we’ve revived our Autocar Lunchbox feature to bring you our favourite videos, stories, photos, quotes and more all in one place. Here are today’s picks:
*HOT NEWS*
Alfa Romeo’s range-topping Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models have received a series of enhancements for the 2020 model year.
Mirroring some of the changes recently made to the regular versions of the saloon and SUV, the high-performance pair benefit from technology, design and safety upgrades to bring them into line with more recently introduced rivals, such as the facelifted Mercedes-AMG C63 and new BMW X3 M.
*Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio upgraded for 2020*
*VIDEO OF THE DAY*
Two questions today, then: which car is faster and which car is more fun on this hot hatch track test?
Is it the new Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, the touring-car inspired version of VW’s archetypal hot Golf, or is it the current benchmark big hatch, the Honda Civic Type R, which brings more than 300bhp to the track via its front wheels?
It's a tough test, but one that we had a lot of fun conducting.
*PHOTO OF THE DAY*
If the rear end of a new Lamborghini convertible doesn't make you crave a post-lockdown B-road blast, nothing will. This is the new Spyder version of the Huracan Evo RWD, and although the roof mechanism adds more than 100kg to the raging bull's kerbweight, it'll still crack 200mph. Get all the details below.
*New Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD Spyder revealed*
*QUOTE OF THE DAY*
"You get the sense that the Enyaq iV’s appeal will come from just how conventional it makes the concept of the electric car feel."
Cars like the seriously quick Tesla Model S and ludicrous Porsche Taycan have laid the groundwork for a mass shift towards electric vehicles, but now it's time for more everyday brands like Skoda to get in on the action. The Czech brand's approach to new models has always been pragmatism over all else, so does a prototype of the new Enyaq SUV impress on our first drive?
*First drive: 2021 Skoda Enyaq iV 80 prototype review*
*FROM THE ARCHIVE*
Today's trip through the archives takes us back to 2018... when we were taking a look back to 1994. Could this possibly have been the greatest year on record for new car launches? Our definitive group test saw Peugeot take on Ferrari, Porsche, TVR and Honda for class honours. Read about the eclectic showdown below.
*The best year for new cars? Driving 1994's greatest models*
*POPULAR OPINION*
Aston Martin will enter Formula 1 in 2021, but why? On the face of it, the plan to invest in what’s by far the most expensive form of motorsport is hard to square with the gathering flow of dreadful financial news that has gushed from the company in the past year.
Damien Smith analyses motorsport's latest shake-up.
*Racing lines: Why Aston Martin is strolling into F1*