Firstly, there’s the brand spanking new Lotus Evora V6 IPS – the first two-pedal automatic Lotus since 1986, opening the evocative and beautiful Evora to a truly global audience, particularly in America and Asia. Technology has moved on tremendously in the 25 years since the last Lotus auto, and the clever IPS’ twin clutch, “shift by wire” system is one of the best we’ve ever tested – making the most of the 280PS, 350Nm 3.5-litre V6 engine and amazing Evora chassis.

Then there’s the surprising Mitsubishi Ralliart Colt – perhaps the best handling front-wheel-drive car on the market? Its turbocharged 1.5-litre engine – offering 147bhp and 155lb ft and 0-60mph in 7.4s and 131mph – is a hoot, and the Ralliart suspension tweaks make this quirky looking little car so much fun to drive. And it’s a bargain at £13,949.

Finally there’s the gorgeous, stylish, swift and economical VW VW Scirocco TDi – arguably the perfect daily driver? And not so shabby on track too, as we discovered at Cadwell Park.

We had fun, we hope you enjoy reading about it.

First impressions count in this sector and my first impression is, “where do I sign?”, so the omens are good for the Concept A-Class if/when it reaches production late next year.

Design

Design is an important feature of a car whose purpose is described as “…ushering in a new compact class era at Mercedes-Benz.”

I remember driving the oddball A-Class back in ’97 when it was first launched, collecting the keys from the Sixt hire car desk at Geneva airport, then driving the 100km or so to a business conference I was there to attend. It was good to be behind the wheel of a Mercedes, especially one so innovative, but upon arrival at my hotel, the howls of laughter from colleagues took the shine off Mercedes new “Kinder Box”. This new A-Class looks like making a very different first impression.

A long bonnet, low silhouette and slim window areas of the Concept A-Class suggest concentrated dynamism, according to Mercedes. The car’s sporty appearance is further emphasised by the interplay between lines and surfaces – representing the wind and the waves – and was further inspired by aviation engineering both outside and in its interior design.

The design was first shown at last year’s Geveva Motor Show in the F 800 Style – a car which pointed the way towards a future CLS, and it’s good to see its design language applied to the compact class rather than just top-of-the-range models.

But isn’t this JUST another concept car?

Judging by the amount of development under the skin of the Concept A-Class, this is a model set for production and not just the bright lights of motor shows. Technical highlights include a new, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine from the new M270 series, a new Mercedes-Benz dual clutch transmission and a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist.

The BlueEFFICIENCY unit was designed for transverse installation, and thanks to direct injection and turbocharging it offers high performance potential together with minimal emissions and fuel consumption. The Concept A-Class is equipped with a two-litre variant of the new engine, developing 207bhp, a strikingly familiar figure that positions it on a par with the Audi TT and VW Scirocco 2.0 GT.

As a world first in the compact class, the concept car features a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist, which lowers the risk of rear-end collisions. This assistance system, Collision Prevention Assist, gives a visual and acoustic warning to a possibly inattentive driver, and prepares Brake Assist for an absolutely precise braking response. This is initiated as soon as the driver emphatically operates the brake pedal.

Whilst the sporty Coupe profile of this Concept A-Class is an attention-grabber, expect to see a more versatile hatchback variant arriving first to replace today’s A-Class, but with (hopefully) the Coupe following shortly after.

The Concept A-Class will be on show at the Shanghai Auto Show between 21 – 28 April 2011, but Mercedes have not as yet confirmed if and when we might see it reach production.

Gallery

Unlike the Scirocco GT24-CNG used in recent years, Volkswagen have dispensed with Bio natural gas for the Golf24 which is fitted with a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 434 bhp and maximum torque of 540 Nm. Power is transmitted to the permanent four-wheel drive by a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle shift operation.

Volkswagen’s last “factory” fielding of the Golf on the famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife was back to 2007, at which time the front-wheel drive vehicle that delivered about 300 hp finished in eighth place overall. Successive class victories for the Scirocco GT24 over the past three years have followed but the competitiveness of the event has increased enormously meaning a new technical concept was required.

Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen explains: ‘With the new Golf24 we are continuing our successful commitment at the Nürburgring 24-hour race. The event enjoys huge popularity, is one of the true classics in motorsport and, due to its extreme distance and unique race track, also represents a very big technical challenge, With our spectacular Golf we want to provide an additional highlight in front of a large audience – right in time for the 35th anniversary of the GTI this year.’

Before lining up on the grid of the gruelling 25 km circuit for the race which this year takes place from 23 to 26 June, the Golf24 will undergo an extensive testing and development programme. This began at the end of last year at Portugal’s Portimão circuit and further tests have been completed at Vallelunga in Italy. The Golf24 will also compete in three races in the Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife.

Photo Gallery

German drivers Sabine Schmitz, Olaf Manthey, Uwe Alzen and Altfrid Heger will compete with Austrian motorsport legend Hans-Joachim Stück in the first double race weekend of the season. Each of them has extensive knowledge of the 25 kilometre circuit, nicknamed ‘Green Hell’, having won the 24-hour event on the Nordschleife a total of 11 times between them. They will now line up to compete against the 20 regular drivers of the one-make series on the shorter Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit.

Sabine Schmitz is the first female driver to compete in the Legends classification of the Scirocco R Cup. The 41-year-old is the only woman to have won the gruelling 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, taking overall victories in both 1996 and 1997.

Uwe Alzen and Olaf Manthey were successful in the endurance classic in recent years. The former DTM racer Alzen has won the current edition of the 24-hour race, and in 2005 he set a Nordschleife lap record of 8m 09.499s in the Porsche ‘Turbinchen’ (‘little turbine’) owned by his brother Jürgen. Manthey, who clinched 28 victories as a racer in the Endurance Championship Nürburgring (VLN), has also celebrated success as a team principal in 2008 and 2009.

Alfred Heger also has special ties to the Nürburgring as well as to Volkswagen. Currently competing in the FIA GT1 World Championship, Heger started his racing career at the Nürburgring driving a Golf GTI in 1980. Ten years later he claimed victory at the 24-hour event and returned in 2008 and 2009 to compete again, both times at the wheel of the Scirocco GT24.

Last but not least, Hans-Joachim Stück, who was the winner of the inaugural endurance race to take place at the Nürburgring back in 1970. The former Formula 1 driver, DTM champion and Sports Car World Champion returned 18 years later to claim the first diesel-powered victory, before achieving his third victory at the day-long race in 2004.

Visit Volkswagen Motorsport for more information about the Scirocco R Cup and details of where to buy tickets for the event.

Each Scirocco R is fitted with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TSI engine running on bio-CNG which reduces CO2 emissions by 80 per cent compared with conventional engines. This unit develops a peak of 223 PS and 203 lbs ft of torque and, to ensure close racing, a push-to-pass system is also available providing the drivers with a short 30 PS rise in power.

The Scirocco R Cup is supporting the German DTM Touring Car Championship during 2010, including a UK debut appearance at Brands Hatch over the weekend of 3-4 September 2010. The grid for the one-make series comprises 20 drivers, contesting all nine rounds of the competitive season, alongside five legends from the world of motorsport who will change at each race meeting.

Collectively, the five racing legends contesting the opening rounds of the Scirocco R Cup have started 343 Formula 1 Grand Prix, won the Dakar Rally, two World Rally Championship titles, the Sportscar World Championship, the German DTM championship, the British Touring Car Championship and the Le Mans 24-hour race a total of 11 times.

Carlos Sainz returns to the cockpit of a Scirocco racer following his involvement at last year’s Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race competing in a Scirocco GT24, while the BBC’s Formula 1 commentator Martin Brundle returns to the cockpit of a Volkswagen powered racer more than 25 years after his first experience. Brundle, whose son now races for Volkswagen-partner team T-Sport in British Formula 3, previously competed in the same championship before graduating to Formula 1 and sportscars.

The Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup offers a field with a very attractive mix of young talents, established drivers and us, the seasoned campaigners - says 49-year-old Brundle, who contested 158 Grands Prix in his Formula 1 career. - The push-to-pass option that provides a short-term boost of the Cup Scirocco’s power output by 50 to 275 hp is a particularly interesting feature. Since it takes 45 seconds before you can use it again you’ve got to make sure to use it in a way that best serves your tactics.

Claiming home advantage, Frank Biela is keen to impress behind the wheel of the Scirocco R Cup as this weekend sees the endurance racing expert competing against his daughter Isabelle, who is among the drivers registered for the season. Frenchman Lafitte returns to Germany with knowledge of the Hockenheim track after racing there in Formula 1, Formula 2 and the DTM championship.

68 year-old sportscar ace Derek Bell, who became Sportscar world champion in 1985 and 1986 and won the Le Mans 24 Hours a total of five times, completes the legends line-up.

Volkswagen will return to Germany’s ‘Green Hell’ next month to compete in the legendary Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race with three gas-powered Scirocco GT24-CNG coupés, and you can see a short video preview by clicking on the image below.

Click and view the video on SkiddPlayer

The Scirocco GT24-CNG coupé comprises a 2.0L TSI engine, kicking out 330PS and possesses a headline catching 80% reduction in CO2 emissions over a conventional petrol engine.  Last year Peter Terting navigated his Scirocco GT24-CNG to the top step of the podium in the alternative powertrains category and will no doubt be hoping for the same again this year.

Volkswagen will even have their engineers as part of the drivers, showing how much faith they have in their engineering to get behind the wheel for what will no doubt be a tough and punishing day of racing.  Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Management Board for Technical Development and Prof Dr Stefan Gies, Head of Chassis Development will be found in car #3, with Vanina Ickx in car #2 bringing a famous racing surname to the party.

Having already posted a class record on the Nordschleife in the preparation races, confidence will no doubt be high within the Volkswagen camp for another successful weekend at the Green Hell.

Audi with its diesel Le Mans project has shown the marketing power a non-petrol powered campaign can have, so expect to see more in the press if Volkswagen’s gas powered or Porsche’s electric motors do the business on May 15-16^th.

The spoof advert was shown before the 9pm watershed and resulted in 50 viewers complaining to the broadcast and communications regulator, stating that it was too graphic and unsuitable for the time it was broadcast.

Ofcom has ruled that the episode broke broadcasting rules since there was no information before the spoof advertisement which would have prepared viewers for its potentially disturbing nature and alerted adult viewers to the fact that it may be unsuitable for younger viewers.

Top Gear will return to BBC Two this Sunday, but the start time has been put back to 9pm to avoid clashing with ITV’s X Factor show. Conveniently this now places it after the watershed, so expect more antics despite the Ofcom ruling.

Incidentally, viewers also complained about the use of the word ‘pikey’ in another Top Gear episode but this was found not have breached broadcasting rules…

Fitted with a 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder engine and a six speed manual gearbox as standard, the Scirocco R develops 261 bhp and 258 lbs ft of torque while the Golf R produces 266 bhp and 258 lbs ft of torque. A six-speed DSG gearbox is available as an option on both models from £1,300.

VW’S ADVERT FOR THE GOLF R AND SCIROCCO R

The Scirocco R channels power though its XDS electronic cross-axle traction control system to improved grip – not exactly an electronic differential, but necessary given the 258 lbs ft of torque being sent through the front wheels. The Golf R, available in both three- and five-door bodystyles, uses a pre-charged hydraulic version of Volkswagen’s 4MOTION four wheel drive system which can react quicker than previous 4MOTION systems while also limiting torque to maximise traction and minimise wheelspin.

The range-topping Scirocco accelerates from a standstill to 62 mph in 6.0 seconds, falling to 5.8 seconds when equipped with the DSG gearbox, while achieving a combined figure of 34.9 mpg (35.3 for DSG) and 189 g/km of CO2 (187 for DSG).

The Golf R accelerates from a standstill even more quickly, thanks to its 4-wheel drive traction Volkswagen ever produced, with a 0 to 62mph sprint taking just 5.7 seconds. As with the Scirocco, the DSG gearbox shaves a further two tenths of a second from this time bringing this down to 5.5 seconds. Despite its performance, the Golf R returns 33.2 mpg on the combined cycle (DSG 33.6 mpg) and CO2 emissions of 199 g/km (195g DSG). Both the Scirocco R and Golf R models have a limited top speed of 155 mph.

To set the ‘R’ models apart from a conventional Scirocco or Golf, both feature unique styling features. New front bumpers complete with LED running lights and a trio of deep airdams, Xenon lights which frame gloss black grille elements, gloss black wing mirrors, sill extensions and 18-inch five-spoke ‘Talladega’ alloy wheels housing gloss black ‘R’ callipers give the new models a purposeful look. Optional 19-inch alloy wheels in the same design are also available and, on the Golf R, these can be specified with a gloss black finish.

At the back, both models feature roof mounted spoilers and are fitted with twin exit exhausts; the Golf R’s positioned in the centre of a gloss black diffuser and the Scirocco R’s mounted on either side. Smoked rear light units, which on the Golf house high-intensity LED bulbs, further differentiate the R models.

Styling changes continue inside the cabins of both new models with new sports seats complete with ’R‘ logos, piano black and silver highlights, a new three-spoke black leather sports steering wheel with contrasting stitching and revised white backlit dials with subtle electric blue needles unique to the ‘R’ range. Vienna leather sports seats are available on both models and Recaro bucket seats can also be specified as an option on both the three- and five-door Golf R models.

To accompany these new models the power output of the ‘standard’ 2.0-litre TSI Scirocco GT has now been increased by 10 bhp to 207 bhp. This extra power reduces the sprint to 62 mph to 6.9 seconds for both the manual and DSG gearboxes, and top speed increases to 149 mph (147 DSG). Fitted with revised oil and cooling systems, the 210 PS unit also boasts improved fuel consumption of 38.2 mpg (was 37.2) and emissions of 172 g/km of CO2 (was 179) over the engine it replaces.

The first examples of Volkswagen’s most powerful hatchback and coupe are expected to arrive in showrooms from February 2010.