2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake review 
2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake review
Extrovert, extravagant and extraordinary to drive, this might just be the world’s ultimate estate car
'Hypercars at Le Mans will look magnificent, but how genuine will the racing be?'
'Hypercars at Le Mans will look magnificent, but how genuine will the racing be?'
Far from being a gloves-off clash of the titans, the new Hypercar class will also be a battle of Balance of Performance
Milltek Volkswagen Up GTI review - tuner takes supermini to 145bhp
Milltek Volkswagen Up GTI review - tuner takes supermini to 145bhp
VW’s Up GTI is already a favourite of ours. Can Milltek’s upgrades improve it further?
'A classic British (and Italian) job will always be Meaden’s kind of Mini adventure'
'A classic British (and Italian) job will always be Meaden’s kind of Mini adventure'
The Mini's handling and the sheer tenacity of its road-holding were revelatory
'It pains me to say so, but Porsche 911s that I have known and loved are now some kind of genetic throwback'
'It pains me to say so, but Porsche 911s that I have known and loved are now some kind of genetic throwback'
Sadly, the submissive new 911 now sits dutifully in the shadow of Porsche’s money-spinners
Formula e cars driven - on track in Audi's 1st and 2nd gen electric racers
Formula e cars driven - on track in Audi's 1st and 2nd gen electric racers
Formula E has come a long way and so have the cars, we test the latest Audi Formula E car against its predecessor to gauge the progress made
'Old cars we don't strictly need reconnect us to what we've always loved about driving'
'Old cars we don't strictly need reconnect us to what we've always loved about driving'
Stop the pace race! If you’re listening, manufacturers, less can actually be more
'The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a truly extraordinary project; the automotive world's Concorde moment'
'The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a truly extraordinary project; the automotive world's Concorde moment'
Concorde was the product of boundless ambition; Aston Martin's Valkyrie represents that same spirit too
'Think race circuits are scary? You should try a test track or proving ground'
'Think race circuits are scary? You should try a test track or proving ground'
Once the barrier lifts you enter a different realm. One entirely different, often vaguely military
'I much preferred it when supercar makers were hanging on by their fingernails'
'I much preferred it when supercar makers were hanging on by their fingernails'
Supercar launches used to be something special, now they’re a monthly occurrence
'Exotic machinery is all well and good, but the biggest thrills often come from the simplest of things'
'Exotic machinery is all well and good, but the biggest thrills often come from the simplest of things'
The most enjoyable and rewarding thing with four wheels and an internal combustion engine is a kart
'The Ferrari 488 Pistas of the world may be ‘better’ on paper, but they’re not a patch on the ‘flawed’ F40'
'The Ferrari 488 Pistas of the world may be ‘better’ on paper, but they’re not a patch on the ‘flawed’ F40'
The demands the F40 places on you to keep it on the boil would never be sanctioned today
'Reborn classics are a hark back to simpler times – if only they were more affordable'
'Reborn classics are a hark back to simpler times – if only they were more affordable'
There's a powerful craving for cars that are compact, characterful and beautiful
'The erosion of our ability to enjoy the open road isn’t new – it’s been going on since the ’70s'
'The erosion of our ability to enjoy the open road isn’t new – it’s been going on since the ’70s'
It’s the prescience of his observations and the relevance almost half a century later that really resonates
'Alpine’s leading a lightweight revival and that’s something we should all be overjoyed about'
'Alpine’s leading a lightweight revival and that’s something we should all be overjoyed about'
What excites me most is that it could be the beginning of a new and thrilling family of sports cars
‘The geeky joys of an in-depth group test are an increasingly rare treat in the motoring media’
‘The geeky joys of an in-depth group test are an increasingly rare treat in the motoring media’
The magazine road test is under threat at a time when it’s needed more than ever
‘I’ve decided to wean myself off a succession of V8 long-termers and it’s wholly refreshing’
‘I’ve decided to wean myself off a succession of V8 long-termers and it’s wholly refreshing’
Power and speed are intoxicating, but you don’t need 500 horses to put a smile on your face
Behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper S at Goodwood Revival
Behind the wheel of a Mini Cooper S at Goodwood Revival
Richard Meaden races one of the original British performance-car greats the Goodwood Revival – with unexpected consequences
"If I’d applied myself as diligently at school as I did at Driving School, my grades would have been rather better"
"If I’d applied myself as diligently at school as I did at Driving School, my grades would have been rather better"
It's over 30 years since Meaden passed his driving test, and it remains as the single most momentous thing he's ever passed
'Digital driving modes are fine, as long as they add to the thrill of driving'
'Digital driving modes are fine, as long as they add to the thrill of driving'
Gimmick or genuine drivers' tool? Meaden weights up digital driver modes, and their positive, or negative effect
'Mode buttons are all well and good, but only if they genuinely add to the thrill of driving'
'Mode buttons are all well and good, but only if they genuinely add to the thrill of driving'
Meaden questions the value of modern-age driver modes, and whether this is one more performance element we don't really want...
‘In-demand cars have become commodities, but if you’ve missed the boat, it sucks...’
‘In-demand cars have become commodities, but if you’ve missed the boat, it sucks...’
These days if you’re searching for performance bargains you need to think big, reckons Meaden
“The once noble pursuit of informative and evocative dynamic imagery has been hijacked by hoonery”
“The once noble pursuit of informative and evocative dynamic imagery has been hijacked by hoonery”
The cornering shot used to be a source of education and inspiration, but its currency has been devalued in recent times, reckons Meaden
'Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the perplexing One Car For Life challenge, or OCFL, for short.'
'Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the perplexing One Car For Life challenge, or OCFL, for short.'
Your perfect three-car garage? Child’s play, says Meaden. What you really want is to identify your automotive soulmate
"The best drives are always about the journey, and not the destination."
"The best drives are always about the journey, and not the destination."
Flying may be quicker, but you can’t beat the sense of adventure that comes with a big-miles road-trip, reckons Meaden
'What's the best drive I've ever had? It doesn't involve the best car I've ever driven...'
'What's the best drive I've ever had? It doesn't involve the best car I've ever driven...'
What was your most memorable drive? Dickie recounts some of his, and obviously, they're incredible...
‘High summer might seem like an odd time to ponder the merits of driving in the rain, unless of course you’re British’
‘High summer might seem like an odd time to ponder the merits of driving in the rain, unless of course you’re British’
There’s a natural antidote to the crushing ability of modern performance cars, says Meaden, just keep an eye on the Met Office
‘The value of Long-term tests for magazine readers cannot be disputed’
‘The value of Long-term tests for magazine readers cannot be disputed’
Long-term magazine tests are a fundamental link between you, the reader, and us, the journalists. We shouldn’t dismiss them, says Meaden
‘Cleaning your car is the simplest and most readily accessible car-based pleasure’
‘Cleaning your car is the simplest and most readily accessible car-based pleasure’
It’s easy to get sentimental about cars, but to romanticise washing them? No problem for Meaden (who hasn’t held a sponge in years)
‘I think I’m done with fast road cars’
‘I think I’m done with fast road cars’
‘Too fast for the road’ has long been a badge of honour among supercars, but it’s now a condition that afflicts most performance cars
'It's time the established fast-car makers gave us all something to look forward to.'
'It's time the established fast-car makers gave us all something to look forward to.'
Dickie questions whether the established manufacturers are doing enough to adapt to the future of sports cars...
'We should begrudgingly endorse the SUV not lament it'
'We should begrudgingly endorse the SUV not lament it'
Meaden dons a flak jacket and presents a robust defence of the cars we all love to hate
'Toyota can make white goods models and still be the world’s most exciting car brand'
'Toyota can make white goods models and still be the world’s most exciting car brand'
Calling Toyota 'the most exciting car brand' might sound dubious, but Meaden might be on to something...
‘Listening to music should be endorsed not scorned when you’re behind the wheel’
‘Listening to music should be endorsed not scorned when you’re behind the wheel’
Switch off the stereo and listen to the music of the engine? Alternatively, suggests Dickie, leave it on and crank up the volume.