It’s almost 50 years since BMW’s then advertising agency in the USA coined the phrase: 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'. There are not many 1975 strap-lines still in use. How does a plug-In hybrid estate car then, 4WD notwithstanding, measure up?

BMW rationalised its line-up in the 1960s into a range of 2 and 4-door saloons and coupes. These 1500, 1600, 1800 and 2000 models led to the ‘executive’ size 5 Series, compact upper mid-size 3-Series and large 7-Series of the 70s. The ‘sports saloon’ had arrived and that ‘strapline’ summed it up.
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The first ‘Touring’ in 1968 was a three-door hatch but the 1988 Touring was different. A distinct estate version of the 3 Series it had sleek looks, performance and enough practicality to attract a strong following. BMW now had a ‘sports estate’ too.

Next year will mark a half-century for the Hilux here. Now the eighth edition of Toyota’s
pivotal pick-up has been given a ‘mid-life’ revamp.

A 10 or 11-year production run has been the norm hitherto — seventh generation came in 2005 and current eighth in 2016.

But much goes on during each product cycle. A new 2.5 D-4D 120 engine arrived in
2006 and a 3.0 D-4D 170 unit added in 2007. A limited-run 200ps version appeared
in 2008 and a revised 2.5 D-4D the following year.

Interiors grew more comfortable and equipment levels improved: touch-screen connectivity, rear-view camera, etc. Edition 8 debuted with Toyota’s new ‘Global Diesel’ 2.4 litre engine. A taller and wider vehicle, off-road capability was also enhanced. Variants such as “nvincible X and Limited Edition were introduced in 2018, and active safety features in 2019.

Most of our readers are unlikely to have Bentley on their shopping lists. But there are a number of employees that have such vehicles as company cars.

I have had conversations in the past with fleet managers of financial institutions, and at boardroom level almost anything goes.

Whether we have any significant financial institutions left in the UK in the post-Brexit era remains to be seen, but while the Flying Spur (and other Bentleys) are currently only available with petrol engines, the luxury marque has plans to electrify its entire line-up over the next five years, and fully electric models are on the way.
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Mazda manages to compete, and be competitive, in the global mainstream without the advantage of massive corporate scale.  Toyota and Volkswagen vie for the top spot with 9-10 million car and SUV sales a year. Mazda sold 1.5+m last year predicting growth to 1.6+m this year.

So, if you don’t have the scale you have to be smart. The Mazda6, for example, seems entirely conventional – front-wheel drive; saloon or estate bodywork.  But, like the whole range, it is the result of a total re-think on how a vehicle is built from R&D to procurement, logistics, production process and engineering of the vehicle itself.

It’s been branded “SKYACTIV”. Engines are SKYACTIV-G (gasoline/petrol) or SKYACTIVE-D (Diesel).  And, here in the Autumn (initially in the new Mazda3), there is SKYACTIV-X.  Truly ground-breaking, it runs on petrol but combines both a spark ignition (petrol) and compression ignition (Diesel) combustion process.

Say hello to the first all-electric car from Audi, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, it is a large SUV.

​The E-Tron rivals other premium EVs such as the Jaguar I-Pace and the Tesla Model X, but does it bring something extra to the all-electric party?

Take away some of the glitzy bits and it is actually a fairly conventional family SUV to look at, with 20in wheels as standard and LED headlights, as well as a charging point on either side of the car, which is useful. Inside you are immediately welcomed by the high build quality we have come to expect from Audi - half a step up from Jaguar and with clear blue water to Tesla - although, strangely, the steering wheel buttons feel a bit cheap. 

Current Insignia was General Motors’ last big European project before it sold Opel-Vauxhall to PSA (Peugeot Citroen) in 2017. ‘Grand Sport Tourer’ (hatch) and ‘Sports Tourer’ (estate) arrived that year and the ‘Country Tourer’ late last year.

Hatch and estate 4x4s are 8-speed auto 2.0T 260ps petrol or 2.0BiT 210ps Diesel.  But the Country Tourer 4x4 can be had with a 2.0TD Diesel 170 engine and manual 6-speed gearbox. Otherwise it’s the 2.0 Bi-Turbo 210 auto again.

Overall the Insignia’s (asking) prices* are keen. Hatch from £19,940, estate from £21,500 (smaller engines) topping off at £39,720 for the GSi 4x4 auto. Country Tourer seems good value for money: £28,470 for the 2.0TD 170 4x4 manual (£27,150 front wheel drive); 2.0 BiT 210 4x4 auto at £30,080.