Less is more, from T-Roc crossover to V10 Audi supercars

THAT THE SWEETEST version of a car might not be the one at the top of the spec tree – where the equipment list runs to pages of ticked boxes and the monthly payments look like a second mortgage – is nothing new. As long ago as the Peugeot 205 GTI it was seen as painfully obvious to express a preference for the 1.9. Better to knowingly mutter something about the ‘lighter nose’ and ‘sweeter balance’ of the 1.6 over the ‘over-tyred’ 1.9 before gazing enigmatically into the middle distance. But less so often is more, and more so now than ever: as technology gently saturates every aspect of driving, from rain-sensing wipers to slightly wobbly lane-keep assist, so the option of going without (and thereby going without all the implicit weight, faff and complication) grows more tempting. On page 92 you’ll find our story on the Goodwood Members’ Meeting, and in particular the absolute ball had by ex-McLaren development driver Chris Goodwin. The nub of his job is blessing digital systems with the honesty, transparency and consistency of feedback that define good cars. To remind himself of how those attributes feel – and why they matter – Goodwin raced his featherlight Lotus at Goodwood, a car with less power than a McLaren P1 GTR’s electric booster motor.

Then there’s the Audi R8 RWS on p64 – the first R8 without four-wheel drive and, not coincidentally, the most enthralling iteration yet of Ingolstadt’s supercar. And just a few pages later there’s VW’s T-Roc without the 2.0-litre engine, twin-clutch ’box and four-wheel drive it would be tempting to unthinkingly throw at it. Slick, capable and charming, it’s a crossover to convert the doubters – if not quite a 1.6 205 GTI.

Enjoy the issue.