New 2019 Audi E-tron Sportback

This is our first candid look at the new Audi e-Tron Sportback. The new coupe-inspired all-electric SUV looks to expand into the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe鈥檚 market, offering a zero-emissions alternative. Audi鈥檚 new e-Tron Sportback will sit on the same underpinnings as the standard e-Tron, which uses an adapted version of the Volkswagen Group鈥檚 MLB platform. The same battery pack and charging system will also feature, following the e-Tron鈥檚 brief as a long-range all-electric car. We鈥檙e expecting the same range of at least 248 miles on the WLTP cycle, as well as a sophisticated energy recuperation system and support for 150kW fast-charging. However, given the slightly more aerodynamic rear end, the e-tron Sportback could boast a little extra range. Inside, the e-Tron Sportback will receive the same setup as the conventional e-Tron SUV with twin touchscreen controls and Audi鈥檚 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster as standard. Optional extras will include wing-mounted cameras in place of conventional rear-view mirrors and kerb cameras. Practicality will take a hit over the standard e-Tron, with the Sportback鈥檚 sloping roofline encroaching on rear passenger and boot-space. The 600-litre boot capacity will probably lose around 70-litres or so, but the handy 60-litres of load space under the bonnet will be retained. We鈥檙e expecting the new e-Tron Sportback to make its debut very soon, though an appearance at the Geneva Motor Show next week would be a surprise. Like the conventional e-Tron, we anticipate that just one trim level for the Sportback will be offered in the UK from its likely launch in 2020, with an S Line and Vorsprung edition to follow later.

This is the Mercedes-AMG A 35 4Matic saloon, the second model to be launched under AMG鈥檚 newly-established 35 range, and a direct rival to the Audi S3 Saloon. Joining the hatchback in the range Mercedes-AMG says it鈥檚 aimed at younger buyers, combining the brand鈥檚 sportiness with more space for passengers and their luggage. The styling is familiar from A 35 hatch with the biggest changes occurring at the rear, where a boot lip spoiler, rear diffuser and two large tailpipes have been added. It rides on 18-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels. It鈥檚 powered by a 302bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that develops 400Nm of torque. Like its hatchback cousin, the entry-level AMG can hit 155mph and 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. That makes the A 35 Saloon two seconds quicker from 0-62mph than the Audi S3 Saloon. Power is delivered through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to Merc鈥檚 4Matic four-wheel drive system. The A 35 Saloon鈥檚 front suspension comprises an aluminium wishbone with one spring strut and one tie rod, while the rear is served by a multi-link rear axle. A three-mode AMG Ride Control suspension system provides manually set and automatic adaptive adjustable dampers, an option on this model. As predicted, a high-performance braking system is carried over from the A 35 hatchback. Front 350mm and rear 330mm brake discs all come internally ventilated and perforated, which dissipate the heat under hard use. The cabin is largely unchanged from the regular A-Class hatch, but some AMG unique features such as the flat-bottom steering wheel and AMG sports seats appear. Merc鈥檚 familiar 12.3-inch dual digital displays on the dash provide access to the firm鈥檚 new MBUX infotainment system with voice control.

The A-Class is the entry-level variant in Mercedes鈥?extensive and ever-expanding model range - and the A 180 is the cheapest way to put a three-pointed star on your driveway. In SE spec, as tested here, it comes with a Renault-sourced 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. But does that mean those unable to stretch to the more powerful and arguably more desirable A 200 AMG Line, should feel short-changed? Every new A-Class - including the basic SE - comes with twin digital displays, sat-nav, Live Traffic information and keyless go. Quality is excellent; the doors shut with that characteristic Mercedes thud, and the dash is covered in squashy plastics. The only place you鈥檒l find scratchier materials is on the very lower part of the front seats, in fact, but all the regular touchpoints feel solidly screwed together. Delve a little deeper and you鈥檒l find that leather is actually made from ARTICO man-made fabric.

But this is something Mercedes is implementing right across the range as an environmental upgrade, rather than an attempt to cut costs. Either way, it looks and feels like the real thing. Under the bonnet, you鈥檒l find a de-tuned version of the A 200鈥檚 1.3-litre petrol engine. Instead of that car鈥檚 161bhp output, the A 180 produces just 134bhp, while torque (200Nm versus 250Nm) is down, too. But linked to the six-speed manual gearbox, the cheapest A-Class never feels slow; it doesn鈥檛 launch like a hot hatch, but performance will be more than adequate for most buyers. The shift is even pretty sweet - the springy feel of old Merc manuals is gone, replaced by a pleasingly short and notchy throw. It鈥檚 even a fairly accomplished motorway cruiser. You鈥檒l need to work the box for peak performance, as it doesn鈥檛 shift down automatically like the DCT. But it鈥檒l sit quietly at a steady 70mph, with those deep-profile tyres cushioning the A鈥檚 occupants from the UK鈥檚 all-too-frequent potholes. So should you step up to the faster A 200, or indeed Merc鈥檚 high-end trims? An A 180 SE will cost you around 拢357 per month on a 36-month, 10,000-mile a year PCP deal with a 10 per cent deposit. There are tangible benefits to spending another 拢18 per month on the Sport-spec鈥檚 LED lights and two-zone climate control, of course, not to mention the aesthetic gains gifted by the 17-inch wheels. But we鈥檇 argue that another 拢27 per month (拢402/month) for the equivalent A 200 is money better spent on the A-Class鈥檚 excellent Executive Package, which adds heated front seats, Active Parking Assist and a larger 10-inch media display.

The 2019 Porsche 911 is available in a dizzying variety of configurations that range from truly quick to super fast and blindingly speedy. Interestingly, all 911s 鈥?with two spectacular exceptions 鈥?are turbocharged. That's right, even the base 911, the regular old Carrera, has two turbochargers heaving air into its horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. And, yes, that engine is still hanging off the back of the 911 where physics says it shouldn't be, and yet Porsche's engineers make it work brilliantly anyhow. The only two non-turbocharged exceptions for 2019 are the revised 911 GT3 and GT3 RS. The GT3 has a non-turbocharged 4.0-liter flat-six that produces 500 hp, while the GT3 RS features an uprated version of that engine that produces 520 hp. They're both paired to a variety of track-focused chassis enhancements and weight-reducing body pieces. The GT3 is also available in a wingless Touring model for those wanting a more subdued body shape.