3 HRS AGO - The i8 wasn't perfect, but deserved a better run than it got The BMW i8 was an inspired car ahead of its time, says Andrew Frankel, yet it ends its life without being replaced and will be classified as a failure. Why? I first drove a BMW i8 in 2014. And when I was done, seeking to compare it to anything else that might remotely be considered a rival, I sat down and wrote: “It is the odd one out only because it is so demonstrably far ahead of its time. Others will react and may well do an even better job than the far from flawless i8, but for now it has the field to itself and its every success will be deserved.” Well, I got that wrong. Others didn’t react. It was then and remains today the only car of its kind. Truly, I don’t think it occurred to me that it might fail, but fail it has: the fact that BMW has chosen not to replace it tells you that. As does losing half its value in its first year. It takes a lot to make me sad at a car’s passing: these things we think we love are, Collapse

8 HRS AGO - Statistics from 28 brands show that operating profits plummeted before the coronavirus outbreak took hold Official data from 28 mainstream vehicle manufacturers shows that operating profits fell by 11% across the sector in 2019.  A report by Felipe Muñoz from industry analyst firm Jato Dynamics shows that, despite a slight increase in revenue to €1.87tn (£1.64tn) across the board, operational profits dipped to €86.38bn (£75.75bn) last year, down from 2018’s €96.71 (£84.81bn).  The report also reveals the massive differences in operating margins between brands. Ferrari recorded a 23.2% operating margin last year, with each of the 10,131 cars it sold making more than €86,000 (£75,500). For context, Muñoz calculates that Ferrari makes as much profit from one car as BMW does from 50, Renault 122 and Nissan 926.  The overall profit drop is attributed primarily to legislative changes in China, which accounts for a significant 29% of worldwide vehicle sales, including the roll-out of Collapse

12 HRS AGO - This unique rally-prepared Ferrari 308 packs 450bhp and weighs just 970kg, so can it be tamed? That there are Ferrari racing cars is a surprise to no one. That Ferrari makes road cars is equally unshocking. A Ferrari rally car, though? That’s a different matter. This Ferrari 308 GTB is not any old rally car, either, but one built to Group B regulations – the early 1980s fire-breathing formula that led to rally cars becoming so fast and so dangerous that it changed the face of the sport for ever. Officially, this was never a Ferrari project. Italian race team Michelotto built around a dozen 308s to Group 4 regs in the late 1970s. When Group B arrived, Michelotto figured any rules that spawned a Lancia Stratos would suit a contemporary mid-engined Ferrari, too, so the team built four 308s to compete in the European and Italian rally championships, with one of the cars winning the latter in 1982. In the UK, engineering company owner, race car preparer and Ferrari specialist Tony Collapse

15 HRS AGO - Can a plug-in hybrid 3 Series be as easy to live with as the 320d? We have six months to find out Why we’re running it: Plug-in 330e will overtake 320d as the biggest-selling 3 Series. We’ll find out if it can match the diesel’s all-round appeal Month 2 - Month 1 - Specs Life with a BMW 330e: Month 2 Our plug-in hybrid saloon is great to drive but tricky to operate - 25 March 2020 So what is it actually like to drive? You’ll forgive me for only getting to answer this question now, in the third meaty report on the 330e. So rarely has a car needed so much scene-setting and prep, first to find out if it can actually be used as its maker intended, and second to learn how to use it yourself. Clearly this is nothing like the simple-to-use familiarity of having a 320d… Charging points installed, hybrid tech learned and company car tax bill calculated, and it’s onto living with the car. And for the most part, it won’t surprise you to learn that the 330e is proving much like any other 3 Collapse

18 HRS AGO - Retro-styled take on the entry-level 270 offers bespoke body design and distinctive engine note Caterham has revealed the new Super Seven 1600 as a retro-inspired take on its flagship open-wheel sports car.  Available to order now, the new model draws on the British brand’s heritage, as did the limited-run Sprint and Super Sprint models from 2016 and 2017. Unlike those cars, though, it is a permanent addition to the Caterham line-up. The Super Seven 1600 is powered by the same 1.6-litre Ford Sigma engine as the brand’s entry-level 270 model, meaning it can crack the 0-62mph sprint in around five seconds and hit a top speed of 122mph.  Mechanical changes are limited to the addition of DCOE throttle body injectors - said to provide a "distinctive growl" reminiscent of 1970s rally cars - and chrome-finished K&N air filters, which complement the car’s retro-inspired styling.  The new arrival - available in standard and wider SV form - retains the Seven's familiar silhouette but can be Collapse

1 DAY AGO - Jarvis piloted his Mazda to second at Sebring in January Jarvis piloted his Mazda to second at Sebring in January Our world may be on hold, but imagine the release of energy when real life can start again. It’s a warm thought to cling to, even if we have no clue when that time might come. In terms of motorsport (insignificant, I know, but always a welcome distraction from real life, even in the best of times), you have to wonder how likely it now is that international racing will be scratched from the rest of 2020. Once lockdown ends, exactly when will overseas travel be allowed? Weeks? Or months? The immediate future has never been foggier. A world turned upside down Oliver Jarvis is among the minority of drivers to have actually raced this year, along with those competing in Formula E. The sports car specialist saw action at the Daytona 24 Hours in January, where he took pole position in his Joest-run Mazda prototype and finished second in the race, and then travelled directly Collapse

1 DAY AGO - Jules loves the F40, even though it's a tricky car to wrap We take a look into the world of 'invisible' self-healing wrap protection Not many good things came out of the Vietnam War, but one was a way of protecting Bell ‘Huey’ rotor blades from shrapnel and operating debris with a protective wrap invented by 3M. Without that innovation, I would not be sharing space in a climate-controlled clean room with a Ferrari F40.  I’m at Jules Sturgess Automotive to investigate just how the dark art of protective wrapping is achieved. Please note this is ‘protective’, not the usual subtle camo wrappage favoured by Premier League halfwits. We are in the invisible paint protection business and directors Ruth Blomiley and Jules Sturgess are here to make sure that I fully understand what goes on.  Obviously, I am rather transfixed by the F40, and Jules reckons that if this was any other car, he might be at the end of his tether by now. “The Ferrari F40 is a childhood dream. Just taking it off Collapse

1 DAY AGO - 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 Polestar preview Polestar’s pivotal third model will be a performance SUV that takes heavy styling inspiration from the recently revealed Precept concept. Head of design Max Missoni told Autocar that, although a production version of the Precept has not been confirmed, it will have an influence on the Polestar 3, which is expected to arrive in 2021. Should the Tesla Model X be worried? 2021 Polestar 3 to be performance SUV with Precept influence VIDEO OF THE DAY Type approval The new 2020 Jaguar F-Type coupe has arrived. Big news? This facelifted Jaguar F-Type no longer comes with a V6 option, so the Collapse

1 DAY AGO - All 400 UK examples of electric city car sold out less than two months after its introduction Skoda’s first electric production car, the Citigo-e iV, has been temporarily removed from sale after all UK examples sold out in less than two months. Roughly 400 units of the Bratislava-built electric city car were allocated to the UK market and they began arriving in dealerships in late January. By mid-March, all had been sold.  The Citigo has now been removed from Skoda’s online configurator, but a company spokesman said it would be made available again when Skoda restarts production in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.  “We had lofty expectations for the car and customer demand was exceptionally high. As a result, it sold out quicker than expected,” the spokesman added.  The Citigo is the only model to be withdrawn from sale. Higher-volume models such as the Fabia, Octavia and Superb remain available to order. Skoda’s Bratislava plant has been closed since 16 March and a date for Collapse