I have been using the real Italian Job on a regular basis, and
it’s huge fun. Out in the real world I get people telling me
how cool it is, which is nice, especially as they have no idea
what it actually is. During the hot spell I used it because the
fuel tank was pretty full, although after a run it behaved like
a boiled kettle with a coolant leak. The temperature gauge
was normal, so I would like to believe that there is nothing to
worry about. However, after one blown gasket this year,
I don’t need another.
14 AUGUST 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 71
MILEAGE 88,273
INNOCENTI MINI
TALES FROM RUPPERT’S GARAGE
Estates have always been Volvo’s specialist subject,
and the V70 was a state-of-the-art load carrier with
plenty of clever details. There’s masses of room and it
has lots of nets and hooks to keep everything in place,
while the centre rear seat has a useful pop-up worktop.
Standard equipment is good and the choice of engines
is extensive, from the frugal to the outrageously
powerful T5. Everyone seems to agree that the D5
turbodiesel is smooth and powerful, plus it returns just
over 40mpg, which is almost the best of all worlds.
V is for Volvo V 70
BANGE
RPEDIASEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO [email protected] AND READERS' QUESTIONS TO [email protected]
Take the Volkswagen Polo 1.0 115
SEL as an example. According to
the NEDC test it returned 60.1mpg;
today, the VW brochure says that
under the new WLTP regime it
returns 49.6mpg – a 17.5% fall. The WLTP figure
is more accurate so it’s a welcome reduction,
but according to one independent vehicle testing
company, it could be greater still. On real-world
economy, the Polo returns 42.2mpg, or 15% less
than the WLTP figure. It’s worth nothing that
the WLTP test is almost exclusively lab-based,
while this test is claimed to be entirely
road-based. Your driving style is a significant
factor, too. JE
To have classic potential a car must
appeal to diehard enthusiasts who
will cherish it in years to come. They
may value performance, pedigree
or simply what it represents. An
obvious example is a Land Rover Defender; less
prized but with plenty of promise are Mercedes’
G-Wagen and some early Range Rovers. Ones to
watch include the Suzuki Jimny, some Fiat Panda
4x4s and curios such as the VW Touareg V10 TDI
and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S of 2006. JE
ANSWER
ANSWER
QUESTION
QUESTION
READERS’ QUESTIONS
How much lower
are the new WLTP
economy figures
than NEDC figures, and
how do they compare with
real-world results?
Stefan Cave, Rochester
Are any current
SUVs regarded
as possible future
classics and likely to be a
shrewd investment? There’s
no other reason to buy one.