Road Tests: Proof that some do build ’em like they used to

The top-spec factory Fiesta promises to be a driving delight for those who like hot hatch thrills, but does its power deficit compared to key rivals hold it back? Our man finds out We all know by now what the ST badge stands for – a fast Ford that’s not quite as focused as an [...]

While the first generation Range Rover Sport was a weighty impostor sat on a Discovery chassis, this new model is based on its aluminium big brother. In SDV6 format, the Sport badge suddenly makes sense Standing next to the Range Rover Sport SDV6, it remains a big thing. We all know that this second gen [...]

Potentially going to drive a CLA45 AMG, our man was instead shovelled into a CLA220 CDI AMG Sport – and wasn’t impressed by what he found Permit me to begin with some caveats. It’s not the Mercedes PR team’s fault that the 355bhp CLA45 AMG couldn’t make it to the wilds of West Yorkshire, and [...]

The Renaultsport Clio has grown up – no longer normally aspirated, now it’s a turbocharged, twin-clutch-equipped ultra-modern. But has it lost something in the translation? “Press the RS button for Race, and have the gearbox in manual,” said the man from Renault as I took the Clio’s slim keycard off him. I smiled back; clearly, he [...]

It might be only be an M Sport version, but this 4-Series is so good that our man worries for the full-fat M4’s future BMWs: time was when I could quote you any E-number you cared to choose, and would bore poor souls senseless with the evolution of a particular model series. However, in recent [...]

The Jag XFR has never quite lit our fire here at Dep-O, but can the extreme XFR-S version redeem that? Many moons ago, I once drove a Jaguar XFR. It was a brand new model then, the supercharged, screaming version of the stylish XF, a car which in normal trim was winning editorial plaudits left, [...]

There’s nothing about the Camaro that’s 21st century – this is classic muscle car entertainment, and it’s all the better for it I’ve got to get through this review of the Chevrolet Camaro 6.2 V8 without mentioning two words in conjunction – one of them is the antonym of ‘young’, and the other is a [...]

Dep-O drives the first ever long wheelbase XJ to roll out of the West Midlands and finds that cruising is much better than caning It’s a little hard for me to write this review. Not because the car in question – a long wheelbase XJ12 formerly owned by the Queen Mother – isn’t something to [...]