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    There are several great reasons to treat yourself to   this week’s issue of Autocar , among them our 5500th road test, which just so happened to be on the   Audi S3 Sportback . Not the greatest hot hatchback, it’s fair to say; as you might well already have read. Nor, perhaps, is it even an anniversary worth celebrating. But if only to mark it, I spent a morning in our archive of old issues earlier this week jumping back in time 1000 tests at a time just to see what I would find. We’re a weekly magazine and always have been, and these days, we generally publish one full road test per issue. Stands to reason that road test number 4500 should have appeared about 20 years ago, then. Back then, we were well into the habit of numbering our weekly big instrumented tests (thank heavens), and so on 4 July 2001, our 4500th road test subject was... the Rover 75 Tourer. We tested the 2.5-litre V6 version, all 175bhp and 1570kg of it. Performance from the KV6 ...

    What are the uninitiated to make of the   updated 2022 Hyundai Kona   in   new N Line trim ? The subcompact SUV's distinctive exterior is kind of cute,   kind of funky   and chunky, but not necessarily everyone's cup of tea. As an N Line offering, it's supposed to be sportier, and its size and fifth door have led some to consider the Kona to be something of a compact/subcompact hatchback instead of a small crossover SUV. The 2022 Kona N Line features the range's more powerful 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and our test vehicle has all-wheel drive. As for the N Line designation, that's a reference to the brand's "N" vehicles, like  the Veloster N ,  the Elantra N , and, yes,  the  Kona N , with N Line being a sort of stepping stone between the regular versions and the frenetic, high-performance full-N models. Those include the Elantra N Line, Sonata N Line, ...

     As for range, the EPA says a 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ can do 350 miles on a single full charge (just 10 more than an EQS580). We put more than 200 miles on our test car during a week of parking it outside overnight in cold weather without charging, after starting with an almost-full battery pack (with about 300-some miles of range showing) and never once worried we'd run out of juice. Each night the battery would lose some range (again, we didn't plug it in). At the end of the week, a 38-minute charge from nearly empty to 80 percent on a 150-kW Electrify America charger brought the EQS450+'s range to a displayed 321 miles. Doing a little back-of-napkin math—presuming that 80 percent reading was exactly accurate—that translates to 401 miles of range on a full charge, quite a bit more than the EPA's seemingly conservative estimate. The EQS, by the way, is capable of up to 200-kW charging speeds.

  Both versions are powered by a variation of the electrified 3.0-litre V6 that powers the Q7 60 TFSI e, with the 335bhp petrol motor assisted by an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic gearbox.  In the 55 TFSIe, available from £73,860, the system produces a combined 376bhp and 443lb ft, while the Competition 60 TFSIe bumps the price up to £85,750 for boosts of 80bhp and 73lb ft. The 55 TFSIe is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 5.8sec and the more potent model in 5.4sec. Both top out at an electronically limited 149mph. In both forms, the Q8 plug-in hybrid can travel a WLTP-certified 28 miles on electric power alone and achieve between 97 and 100mpg on the WLTP combined cycle while emitting between 65 and 66g/km of CO2.  Two driving modes are available: EV, which leaves the petrol V6 engine dormant, and Hybrid, which automatically switches between the electric and combustion motors as appropriate. The Q8's MMI infotainme...

  Sutton Bespoke, the aftermarket division of premium car dealer Clive Sutton, is hoping to attract high-end private hire operators with a luxury take on the LEVC TX. Called the Sutton VIP Class LEVC, the model is based on the Coventry-built range-extender electric taxi that has been plying city streets since 2017. However, its functional cabin has been completely overhauled. The hard-wearing plastic trim has been replaced with an extensive use of Sandalwood leather and Alcantara throughout. Rubber floormats have been junked in favour of thick-pile carpet, while hand-crafted wood veneers adorn the doors. A number of other tech upgrades are included. The stereo has been upgraded, a TV tuner with Apple TV has been installed and there's even the option of a fitted Sony PlayStation 4 games console. Rearmost passengers also receive a new centre armrest hiding a fridge mounted behind the seats. A retractable screen separates the driver and passenger compartment for increas...

    Although based on the familiar form of the   Volvo XC40   crossover,   Volvo ’s first full EV shares its core mechanical layout with the   Polestar 2 . As launched in all-wheel-drive P8 form, it uses a pair of 201bhp electric motors, one driving each axle, for a combined system output of 402bhp. Power is drawn from a 78kWh battery pack that can give up to 260 miles of range under the WLTP protocol and is mounted under the floor. Using 150kW DC fast charging, it will be possible to replenish the battery from empty to 80% charge in 40 minutes. As with the Audi E-tron, the intention here has clearly been to offer buyers coming from the company’s internal-combustion models a familiar experience. Beyond some very subtle badging, the only obvious visual difference from other XC40s is the Recharge P8’s lack of a conventional radiator grille, which has been replaced by a body-coloured cover. The cabin is similarly familiar, with a redesigned digi...

    Have you ever wondered how we produce some of the fantastic photography that accompanies  MotorTrend 's written words? In short, automotive photographers will put their bodies on the line and shove themselves into and out of just about any opening in order to get the best possible shot. If we're lucky, we use a vehicle with a cushy ride and a hatch to hang out of as we shoot car-to-car—those pretty, in-motion action shots you see all over  MT  stories. Most of the time, our bodies end up sticking halfway out the side window, feet hooked to any willing crevice, core muscles clenched and arms taut. (Yes, we use harnesses.) We can use nearly any vehicle to capture those bread-and-butter  car-to-car photos , but there are usually plenty of compromises to be made. That's why the  MT  photo team was so eager to give the Arcimoto Cameo prototype— an Arcimoto FUV  made more camera- and photographer-friendly with an open-air rear-facing seat—a go ...