Friday Fix: Autocar's best of the week
We round up this week's hottest stories, pictures and videos for you to devour in your Friday lunch break
As the working week draws to a close, you no doubt want to catch up with everything that has happened in the world of motoring over the past few days.
So we’re bringing you our favourite videos, stories, photos and quotes of the week all in one place. Here are today’s picks:
*HOT NEWS*
After a 24-year hiatus, the Bronco nameplate returns as Ford resurrects its rugged SUV family to take on the Jeep Wrangler. Retro-inspired looks, focused 4x4 drivetrains and a selection of Ecoboost engines aim to appeal to the huge US appetite for off-roading, while a more road-focused Bronco Sport targets the Jeep Compass with a more comfort-oriented interior.
Ford currently only has plans to sell the Bronco in North America, but public reaction has been hugely positive. Could we see an about-face and the Bronco head to this side of the Atlantic? We've got all the details:
*New Ford Bronco: revived Jeep Wrangler rival revealed*
*VIDEO OF THE WEEK*
Look out Tesla: the American EV pioneer has largely had the premium electric saloon market to itself, with German rivals largely focusing on SUVs, but that changes this year. Polestar's debut electric effort, the Polestar 2, follows the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1 as a more accessible, practical saloon that can manage 292 miles on a single charge. 402bhp and a 0-62mph time of just 4.7sec means it's no slouch, either. Matt Saunders drives one for the first time on UK roads to see how it stacks up to the Tesla Model 3.
*PHOTO OF THE WEEK*
The incredible performance, the astonishingly good looks, the astronomical price: there are many aspects of the McLaren Speedtail that impress, but the iconic central driving position is one that will never fail to raise a smile. Woking's £2.1m hybrid hyper-GT has been labelled the "spiritual successor" to the legendary F1, but now we've driven one on public roads for the first time, it's clear the Speedtail is something even more inspiring.
*2020 McLaren Speedtail first drive review*
*QUOTE OF THE WEEK*
"There’s so much going on in the Nomad R that its performance feels brutal. Apparently, it can do 0-60mph in 2.9sec. Gearshifts come so fast, and so loudly, and the whine behind you is so vocally like a race or rally car’s that it’s almost overwhelming.”
Matt Prior's first experience of Ariel's Nomad R, the limited-run, maximum-fun spaceframe off-roader built to tackle Tarmac rally stages. A sequential six-speed gearbox and 335bhp supercharged Honda engine give prodigious performance, making driving one more akin to a supermoto motorbike than a sports car.
*2020 Ariel Nomad R first drive review*
*FROM THE ARCHIVE*
In the 1890s, doctors were making the difficult decision whether to continue home visits by horse and cart, or upgrade to the latest innovation: the motor car. Autocar's pages at the time were filled with adverts pitching dedicated doctor's cars, and the letters section sparked discussion amongst MDs. One even did the maths, and concluded after initial expense, a car made a lot more sense.
*From the archive: Should doctors swap horse for car?*
*POPULAR OPINION*
Was the recently culled Renault Koleos a victim of Britain's beer culture? The SUV may be the acceptable face of big cars in countries where they drink more wine, but seemingly our love of the hops corellates to a love of saloon and estate cars as well.
Confused? Matt Prior explains:
*Matt Prior: How wine killed the Renault Koleos*