There are no shortage of fireworks in this week's issue of Autocar magazine, dated 5 November, as the BMW M235i goes head-to-head with the Audi TT in a no-holds-barred comparison test.
From the outset, we acknowledge that the 227bhp TT we've tested is not, and never will be, a direct dynamic rival for the faster and more powerful M235i.
But with the potent and more focused S version of the TT not available in the UK until the spring of next year at the earliest, we decided to see just how close the already-available Audi TT can get to M division's creation.
Maserati's boss Harald Wester spills the beans on the future of the luxury car maker, and how it intends to meet its stated ambition of selling 75,000 cars per year by 2018.
Another man with a plan is Jean-Marc Gales, the head of Lotus. He tells Steve Cropley why he can see a bright future for the recovering Hethel-based maker of lightweight sports cars – and why a crossover might even be on the horizon.
This week's issue also contains full details of the new Mercedes-Benz G-Code, the concept that previews the German manufacturer's entry into the competitive baby SUV market.
Our expert road testers examine the most extreme version of the Renault Mégane RS. We already know that the Trophy-R is the quickest front-wheel-drive production car ever to lap the Nürburgring.
But has its new go-faster guise taken it beyond the already thoroughly brilliant 275 Trophy in the driver reward stakes? Can an even sharper focus enhance an already great hot hatch?
Other new cars verdicts delivered this week include the Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDI, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 BITDI quattro and BMW M4 convertible.
Steve Sutcliffe samples the Vencer Sarthe, a Dutch supercar that eschews modern technology for back-to-basics visceral charm. As he reports, it works surprisingly well.
Our long-term test fleet includes an update on our Mazda 3. Nine months in, Mazda’s hatchback is rising to the challenge of being a hard-working photographer’s car almost perfectly.
Finally, the mighty Dodge Viper RT/10 is the subject of this week's used buying guide. The Viper may not be the most polished sports car but it’s fast, fun and reliable, says Lewis Kingston.
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