Bigger, heavier and more powerful, that's what we have expected the new BMW M5 to become. However, what we didn't expect is that it gets slower. Although the new M5 still tops 190 mph with M Driver package opted, 0-60 mph takes 3.4 seconds, one and two-tenths slower than the outgoing M5 and M5 Competition, respectively, let alone the last M5 CS which did in 2.9 seconds. This is not only the first ever M5 that runs slower than its direct predecessor, but also the only hybrid conversion on the market that goes slower than its ICE predecessor.

In isolation, the new V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain seems to be a considerable upgrade. It produces 727 horsepower and 737 pound-foot of torque, 102 horses and 184 pound-foot up from the old Competition model which had been the bulk of the M5 sales since 2018. However, the increase of power is not as big as it could have been, because while the electric motor - incorporated into the ZF 8-speed automatic - produces 197 hp and 206 lbft, the 4.4-liter cross-bank twin-turbo V8 is actually detuned from the Competition's 625 hp to 585 hp without giving any reasons. The peak power and torque last 200 rpm and 400 rpm earlier than before, implying a more restricted top end delivery.

The real problem is weight, which surges by almost 600 kg to a Bentley-topping 2435 kg. This means the new M5's power-to-weight ratio drops from the last M5's 323 hp/ton, Competition's 333 hp/ton and CS' 348 hp/ton to only 299 hp/ton, no wonder it is slower. The only thing it excels is in-gear acceleration, helped undoubtedly by the torque-filled electric power.



Speaking of electric power, the M5's 18.6kWh battery is a little bit small for a PHEV, even smaller than the one on a plug-in hybrid VW Golf. It gives a zero-emission range of only 69 km whereas most company car tariff rules require 100 km. Small battery and big kerb weight, funny.

At least, the battery is mounted low in the underbody as the M5 rides on the same flexible CLAR platform as the i5. You don't need to sacrifice boot space, unlike the case of some rivals.

The G60 5-Series is a big car, actually bigger than the 7-Series of a couple of generations ago, so keep in mind that its shear size will limit its behaviour on more challenging roads. Still, the M division applies adequate modifications to make it feel as small as possible, such as fitting 4-wheel steering, active differential, rear-biased 4WD and adaptive dampers as standard. The chassis is strengthened, too, thanks to a shear panel that connects between suspension towers and bulkhead, some tower-reinforcing bracings and extra underfloor bracings. Both front and rear tires get 10 mm wider, while the rear wheels are an inch larger at 21" (front wheels remains at 20"). New flared fenders are employed to accommodate the wider tires and tracks.

You can trim 30 kg by opting for carbon-fiber roof panel instead of the standard panoramic glass roof and 25 kg by ticking carbon-ceramic brakes, but even so the M5 still tips the scale at 2380 kg, and the car's price will certainly rise beyond the £110,500 starting point. While it doesn't sound unreasonable for a PHEV upgrade, taking the regressive performance into account and it appears to be less sensible.

The new Continental GT Speed launches Bentley's new design language as well as V8 PHEV powertrain. Outside, the biggest difference is the new oval headlamps instead of the outgoing quad-headlamp arrangement. An LED light bar crosses the headlamp and is referred to "eyebrow". It looks gimmicky to me, not as graceful as the quad-headlamp design.

However, the highlight should be the electrified V8 which replaces the old W12 motor. The 4.0-liter V8 alone produces 600 horsepower and 590 lbft of torque, 50 ponies up from the existing V8 model. It uses 350 instead of 200 bar fuel injection for cleaner emission, while a pair of twin-scroll turbos are retained. Since the V8 is assisted with electric power, cylinder deactivation is ditched to save cost and weight.

Inside the 8-speed DCT gearbox is an electric motor which produces another 190 hp and 332 lbft of torque. It provides torque-fill during gearshifts, helping the DCT to achieve smoothness close to the torque converter automatics that its rivals employ. Combined output is 782 hp and 737 lbft, allowing the Speed model to top 208 mph, sprint from rest to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds and 100 mph in 6.9 seconds. Compared with the old Speed powered by 659 hp W12 engine, it takes 4/10ths less to reach 60 mph.

Meanwhile, the 25.9kWh battery offers a zero emission range of 50 miles (81km) and lowers its official CO2 emission a lot. The battery is mounted under boot floor, so to help the Continental GT to improve its 53:47 weight distribution to a perfect 49:51 (the lighter V8 also helps). On the downside, all the PHEV components lift the car's kerb weight to 2459 kg, compared with 2273 kg of the old W12 Speed. Still, the weight gain is far subtler than the hybrid BMW M5 mentioned above.

The new Speed uses new two-chamber air springs in its suspension instead of the outgong 3-chamber design, while dual-valve adaptive dampers are also new. 48V active anti-roll bar is retained, as is active 4WD system and active rear differential. Huge, 420mm front and 380mm rear steel brake discs are clamped by 10-pot and 4-pot calipers, respectively, while ceramic brakes are optional.

Volkswagen Golf R has been updated. The Evo 4 version of EA888 motor generates 333 hp, 13 up from before but max. torque remains at 310 lbft. As a result, 0-60 mph is cut by a tenth to 4.4 seconds. As before, top speed is normally regulated at 155 mph but Performance pack can lift that to 168 mph. Not much else have been changed in the chassis, although it gets 20 percent lighter forged alloy wheels. Inside, it enjoys the same infotainment system update like the rest of the Golf range, which should be much easier to use. Sadly, the flat bottom steering wheel keeps using haptic touch controls, but its threshold is said to be raised such that less likely to activate by accident.

The Valiant is a track-focused but road-legal limited edition derived from V12 Vantage. Only 38 cars will be built, each costs close to £2 million. It is said to be inspired by Aston's F1 ace Fernando Alonso, but you know how marketing works in this industry...

Its twin-turbo V12 produces 745 hp, 45 hp up from the base car, while torque is unchanged at 555 lbft. The 8-speed automatic has been replaced with a 6-speed manual gearbox to delight hardcore drivers, who will be pleased to find a machined gear knob as well as exposed shift linkage. Aston Martin has yet to reveal any performance figures, but obviously its strength will be on track rather than acceleration in a straight line, because the car's carbon-fiber bodywork features massive aero kits that should generate a lot of downforce.



The car also gains performance by cutting weight. The torque tube that links between engine and rear transaxle is made of magnesium, cutting 8.6kg. The 3D-printed rear subframe saves 3kg. The 21-inch magnesium wheels and lithium battery save 14kg and 11.5kg, respectively. Besides, it uses ceramic brakes, titanium exhaust and less sound insulation. The cockpit is also simplified, employing lighter Recaro seats and an old Mercedes infotainment system (as the car is based on the V12 Vantage instead of the recently updated V8 Vantage). A half roll cage is attached to the rear of the cockpit and provides mounting points for the racing harness. Total weight saving is around 100 kg.



The Valiant uses Multimatic's adaptive spool valve (ASV) dampers instead of the usual adaptive dampers. This allows 32 levels of adjustment that should suit track use. The rear tires of the car are 10 mm wider.

This is the successor to Bugatti Chiron. Called Tourbillon, it is named after a French-invented device used in mechanical watches to fight against the influence of gravity, although you might interprete the name as Touring car for Billionaires as well, haha.

Style-wise, the Tourbillon is surprisingly close to its predecessor. Viewing from front quarter angles it might even fool you to be just another limited edition of Chiron. Fortunately, while its genes are obvious, from other angles you can still find quite a lot of changes, and those changes are made for good. For example, the now pointier nose featues a wider and lower horseshoe grille to enable a sleeker shape that hypercars deserve. The huge C-shape side intakes of the Chiron, dramatic and eye-catching they might be, has evolved to be more angular and less prominent. In the Chiron as well as Veyron, the waistline at the door declines gradually like a classic car. In contrast, the Tourbillon's waistline flows horizontally and then kick up at the rear section to reach the roof, leading to a sportier perception. At the back, the tail gets curvier, while the twin-exhaust are separated and moved up, freeing up space for larger diffusers.



The larger diffusers mean the Tourbillon needs to raise its active rear spoiler only at very high speed.

Another noticeable difference from its predecessors is the use of butterfly doors, which open the roof as well to allow easier access to the cabin.

As in Chiron, the engine is exposed to air and view, but it is now a very different powerplant. As reported before, Bugatti abandons its trademark quad-turbo W16 engine for a new 8.3-liter V16 naturally aspirated motor, which is built by Cosworth. It uses 90-degree V-angle and cross-plane crankshaft, nothing special, but still it is capable to spin to a remarkable 9000 rpm and produces 1000 horsepower, along with 664 pound-foot of torque. It employs 92mm bore and 78.55mm stroke, accompanied with a very high, 14.5:1 compression ratio. The V16 breathes through carbon-fiber intake ducts and 4 throttle bodies. It weighs just 252 kg, 150 less than the old W16. Power is sent to an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, believed to be built by Ricardo.



It must be noted that as powerful as it is, the Bugatti V16 is surprisingly eclipsed by the 1013-horsepower 6.5-liter V12 the very same Cosworth built for Aston Martin Valkyrie. That engine can rev up to 11,100 rpm, far higher than the V16. The V16's crankshaft is as long as 1 meter, which could lead to significant vibrations that need extra strengthening to the crankshaft, explaining why it cannot rev as high as a V12 motor. However, the V16 should have a sound signature different to conventional V12s. It would be intriguing to listen it on the road. In fact, when Mate Rimac's company took over Bugatti from Volkswagen group a couple of years ago, he turned down the orginal proposal for using all-electric power and decided to commission Cosworth to build a naturally aspirated V16 on the ground of emotional appeal. This seems a wise move now, as even Chinese manufacturers are now capable to build electric hypercars with 4-figures output.



To bridge the performance gap, the Tourbillon uses 3 electric motors to assist the ICE, 2 of them resides at the front axle with individual silicon-carbide inverters and gears, while another mounted at the end of the 8-speed transmission. Therefore the new Bugatti does not need a mechanical 4WD system. The V16 and the rear motor drive only the rear axle, while the pair of front motors does the work up front and allows torque vectoring. Each of these electric motor is good for 340 horsepower, but the battery system limits the total output to 800 hp among them, so the system output is 1800 horsepower, 200 up from the Chiron SS. Electric power comes from a 25 kWh lithium battery which is mounted at the floor behind the seats and contributes to chassis strength.

Brilliantly, Bugatti claims the entire car is lighter than the 1995 kg Chiron, although without saying by how much. The electric motors and battery, both made by Rimac itself, offer outstanding power density, but they still add 300 kg to the car, so Bugatti has to cut at least the same amount of weight elsewhere.



Thanks to the V16 engine, the Tourbillon's wheelbase is 29mm longer than that of its predecessor, but it sits lower to achieve a small frontal area. The chassis is made of high-grade carbon-fiber, with integrated front and rear crash structures, diffusers and venturi tunnels all made of carbon-fiber. Front and rear subframes are cast aluminum accompanied with some 3D-printed aluminum braces.

The suspensions are different from its predecessors, switching from double-wishbone type to multi-link type both front and rear, and its control arms are made of either forged aluminum or 3D-printed aluminum instead of steel, cutting weight by 45 percent. The suspensions seem to employ conventional outboard springs and dampers. Dual-valve adaptive dampers can adjust compression and rebound rates individually, while ride height is also adjustable.

Surprisingly, even though power is up, the Tourbillon uses less tires than the Chiron - 285/35ZR20 up front instead of 285/30ZR20, and 345/30ZR21 instead of 355/25ZR21 at the rear. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s are standard. Brake-by-wire system controls the carbon-ceramic brakes.



As for the most important performance, Bugatti claims the car sprint from rest to 62 mph under 2 seconds, 124 mph under 5, 186 mph under 10 and has a top speed limited to 277 mph (445 km/h), compared to Chiron Super Sport's 2.4s, 5.8s, 12.1s and 273 mph, respectively. Obviously, with adequate aero and tires upgrade, the car should be able to break the 304 mph one-way record set by Chiron SS 300+ prototype in 2019. Expect a record attempt will follow soon.

Although it might sound irrelevant to a car like this, the 25 kWh battery gives it an electric range of 37 miles (60 km). 800V electrical architecture allows charging from 10-80% to be accomplished in 12 minutes.



One thing marks the Bugatti out of other hypercars - perhaps with the exception of Pagani - is the craftsmanship of its cockpit. More so than its predecessors, the Tourbillon stresses on expensive materials and craftsmanship. Fine leather trimmed the surfaces instead of exposed carbon-fiber. The floating center console and its numerous switches are covered with crystal glass which make their internal construction visible. Likewise, the instrument is not a digital screen but 3 mechancial chrono gauges made by a Swiss watch maker using titanium and sapphire. The steering wheel has its spokes mounted at the steering column behind the instrument such that the latter is always visible regardless of steering angle. Meanwhile, touchscreen is considered cheap for such an exclusive car, so it is flipped and stored out of sight into the center console when not in use. You sit lower in the Tourbillion than in its predecessors, since the thinnly padded bucket seats are fixed to the floor. Adjustable pedals and steering wheel compensate for different sizes and shapes of drivers.

While Chiron's production was limited to 500 cars, the Tourbillon is even rarer at 250 units. This allows Bugatti to raise its price further to 3.8 million euros before tax. Nevertheless, I suspect more variants to be introduced during its lifespan and won't be counted into those 250 cars.

Alpine A290, hot hatch version of Renault's new electric R5, is going to trump Mini Cooper SE, Abarth 500e and 600e as Europe's most wanted electric hot hatch.

Derived from the recently launched R5, the go-faster version enjoys a lot of modifications. Outside, you can see a revised fascia with Alpine badge, 4 square LED headlights with rally car-inspired X-shaped motifs and sportier front intakes and skirts. The wheel arches are widened by 60mm to accommodate wider tracks and wheels. The body sides are pressed with pseudo intakes to ressemble the mid-engined R5 Turbo of 1980. The alloy wheels are larger at 19-inch. Overall, it is a pretty aggressive design, different enough to attract boy racers while without losing everyday practicality.



Predictably, the A290 retains the 52 kWh battery of the long range version of R5 as well as its 100kW DC charging speed. Range is down slightly from 400 km (250 miles) to 380 km (236 miles) due to the increased drag and grippier tires. The battery is placed under the floor while the front-mounted motor drives the front wheels through an open differential, unlike Abarth which gets an LSD. Wheelspin is taken care by braking instead.

While the R5's motor offers up to 150 horsepower, the Alpine version employs the larger motor from Megane E-Tech. It produces 180 hp and 210 lbft on the base GT model, or 220 hp and 221 lbft on the GT Performance or GTS models - the latter two differ from each other by trims and equipment only. The 180 hp model is good for 0-60 mph in 7.0 seconds while top speed is limited to 99 mph. The 220 hp model tops 106 mph and takes 6.1 seconds to go from 0-60, 0.3s quicker than the latest Mini Cooper SE, thanks to the fact that the French car is much lighter at 1479 kg. It is just 29 kg heavier than the R5, while undercutting the Mini by a massive 126 kg ! Hopefully this will reflect on handling as well.



The flat-bottom steering wheel of A290 incorporates a lot of buttons, including a pair of round ones that control overboost and regenerative braking. The overboost button is said to boost power for up to 10 seconds, but its maker did not say whether the extra power is included in the 220 hp figure, or if not, how much it can provide. Meanwhile, the regenerative braking control is a rotary switch offers 4 levels to choose from, though none of them approach one-pedal driving.

The 3 buttons on central tunnel are RND mode switches for the transmission. The 10-inch instrument and touchscreen are carried over from the R5, although the software interface is unique to Alpine. Sporty bucket seats can be trimmed in Nappa leather on top models.



While the Alpine is not exactly quick by electric car standards, its compact size and upgraded chassis give us high expectation for great handling - not to mentioned the chassis tuning know-how of Alpine and Renaultsport. The car is just under 4 meters long, but pretty wide at 1820 mm, or 64 mm wider than Mini Cooper SE. It is taller than the Mini at 1520 mm, but wheelbase is nearly identical at 2530 mm.

Like R5 on which is it based, the suspension is struts up front and mult-link at the rear - the latter consists of a MacPherson-style spring strut, a longitudinal link and a pair of lower transverse links. However, Alpine equipped it with hydraulic bump-stops, new knuckles to achieve the wider tracks and bespoke springs, dampers and anti-roll bars. The aluminum front subframe on which the motor mounted is also unique to the Alpine. The hotter models are fitted with 320mm front brakes with Brembo 4-pot calipers from the A110 sports car, and Micheilin Pilot Sport 5 rubbers.



Pricing of the car is likely to match the equivalent Mini Cooper SE, so expect around £40,000 for 220 hp models. However, with heavy tariffs set for the Chinese-built Mini, the Alpine is going to have a strong advantage in Europe, because it is built in France. Admittedly, the battery is supplied by Chinese maker Envision and will be imported from China initially. From next summer, when Envision's new battery plant in France starts operation, the R5 and A290 will be qualified for all kinds of incentives.