Description
The magazine is in good condition. It is a complete copy but shows moderate signs of age and wear, corner creases, or light surface wear. The photos show the exact item you will receive. Please review all pictures for full condition details. Combined shipping is available. Each issue ships in a protective plastic sleeve.
Table of Contents
COVER STORY
‘The BMW 3-series Compact is a snob’s car: a cut-price come-on for the gullible punter’
32 BMW GETS SHOWN THE BACK DOOR
Richard Bremner wonders if the BMW 316i COMPACT is the real thing, and (on page 36) Roger Bell pitches it against the GOLF GTi and PEUGEOT’s 306XSi
REGULARS
5 UP FRONT
Our reaction to your reactions to the new-look magazine, plus Bremner gives us a shock
6 ORACLE
Insight, scoops, news, opinion and analysis — all neatly sorted into a monthly digest for petrolheads everywhere. This issue: the AUSTIN-HEALEY badge is to be dusted off, exciting news from FERRARI, the future of the MIN1, plus a look at MERCEDES’ VISION A small car
51 SIR!
Some un-minced words on our re-design, and some praise, too
57 COLUMNS
Words of wit and wisdom from the fab four: Setright, Bulgim, Kitman and May
136 INSIDE LINE
Italians had reason to rejoice in July — a Ferrari won the German Grand Prix. Nigel Roebuck celebrates the horse that had gone lame
152 IN GEAR
A great motorbike, an F1 game, and something for an accident-addicted daughter
184 STAB IN THE BACK
Peter Dron thinks that the Eurotunnel is a pipe-nightmare
TESTS AND FEATURES
44 CIRCUIT TRAINING
Just how fit is Michael Schumacher? Russell Bulgin dons his Reebok to find out
66 TWICE THE DRIVE
Kacher drives the new PORSCHE CARRERA 4. He likes it? You bet, even more than the Carrera 2
76 AND ABOUT TIME, TOO
After years of building small-car suckers, Volkswagen has re-discovered the Polo. Not great, but a whole lot better
82 BABY, BABY, WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO?
Setright on how the car makers, including some of the best, have fallen in love with compromised cars
88 GIANT TEST
Small cars for little money: FIAT Cinquecento SX, Lada, Dacia Samara 1.5 GL, SKODA FAVORIT LX, Rover Metro, and many fight it out at the cheap end
98 THE GREAT BRITISH TAKEAWAY
Britain is a holding pen for stolen luxury cars; James May uproots them
102 MERCEDES C36 AMG
Horrell liked the C-class so much the first time, he drove it — and still wanted more
110 ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA
The FORD MUSTANG is 30 this year. Stephen Bayley celebrates a car that became a statement
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
155 NEWCOMERS
AUDI RS2
FERRARI F355
SAAB 900 3-DOOR
MERCEDES-BENZ SL280
VOLVO 960
FIAT PUNTO SELECTA
FORD ESCORT COSWORTH
RENAULT SAFRANE 2.2
SAAB 900 SENSOVIC
MERCEDES-BENZ C36 AMG
CITROËN AX DIESEL
SKODA FAVORIT 1.3 LXE
180 LONG-TERMERS
HONDA CIVIC COUPE
FORD MAVERICK
182 SECOND THOUGHTS
FORD PROBE
VAUXHALL OMEGA V6
116 IN THE SADDLE
Mark Gillies takes a 1964 MUSTANG for a wild ride. It’s fast, but doesn’t like corners
120 THERE’S NOWT SO QUEER AS FOLK …
… whose transport is a hearse, a double-decker bus, an amphibicar and a Scammell tank transporter
126 LTT: VOLVO 850 ESTATE
A nervous Colin Goodwin spends 12 months trying not to kill motorcyclists with a Volvo
132 VOLVO’S 850 ESTATE BTCC RACER
Mark Fogarty drives Volvo’s barking-mad racing estate
142 IN THE LIMELIGHT
Russell Bulgin on why a MERCEDES SL280 makes you behave as if you’re on parade
146 THREE-POINTED STARS
We present a starry selection of past Mercedes owners. From Bing Crosby to Sophia Loren