News

The BMW M2 is now available with the option of four-wheel drive for the first time, meaning every M car can now be had with two driven axles.

The M2 xDrive has been revealed ahead of it going on sale in late summer, priced from £74,255 - around £4000 more than the standard rear-driven M2. 

That's also around £12,000 more than its closest comparable rival, the five-cylinder, 4WD Audi RS3 hot hatch; the M2 is now the only mainstream two-door sports coupé on the market, having outlived the Porsche 718 Cayman, Toyota GR Supra, Alpine A110, Jaguar F-Type and Audi TT RS.

It's powered by the same 3.0-litre turbocharged 'S58' straight six as the existing M2 but gains a new pre-chamber combustion process, dubbed M Ignite, which will be rolled out to all M cars from mid-2026 to make them compliant with the new Euro 7 emissions rules.

BMW said this new technology, developed in racing, "significantly reduces fuel consumption under high loads" while maintaining the performance characteristics of the S58: "instantaneous response and linear power development into the higher reaches of the rev range".

It also still offers an "emotionally stirring soundtrack", according to BMW. 

As with the xDrive versions of its bigger M3 and M4 brothers, the all-paw M2 trims the 0-62mph sprint time slightly, from 4.0sec to 3.7sec, and comes equipped with the Active M differential which varies power across the rear axle to improve grip and poise.

BMW said this means it "offers drivers the inimitable M feeling through all four seasons of the year, in almost any road conditions and in all weathers, without any trade-off in performance".

In normal driving, the M2 xDrive still drives its rear wheels exclusively, with the fronts called upon when they can't send any more power to the road.

It can also be locked in two-wheel-drive mode, with the DSC deactivated - which "unlocks a driving experience of remarkable purity".

Whereas the rear-driven M2 can be optioned with a manual gearbox, the M2 xDrive is automatic-only.

Mini has “almost finished” work on a range of significant facelifts that will herald a new era for the brand under design chief Holger Hampf. 

The German joined Mini from Designworks, BMW’s Californian design consultancy, in October 2024 but has yet to have an opportunity to make his mark, given how new the British marque’s range is (the Cooper hatchback and Countryman SUV arrived in 2023 and the Aceman crossover a year later). 

In his first meeting with UK media, Hampf told Autocar that “you will see my work in an upcoming LCI” – ‘life cycle impulse’ being the BMW Group’s term for a major model update. 

Hampf said this will be an “important milestone” for the Mini brand, steered by “customer feedback from this generation”. 

Given the line-up is still relatively fresh, it’s likely that a restyled Cooper and Countryman will arrive late next year and a refreshed Aceman in 2028. 

To this end, Hampf also hinted that Mini is working on an off-road-focused variant of one of its existing models, saying: “We’ve witnessed the trend of the outdoor lifestyle and driving out of the city to spend some days in nature. Can our car do this? Certainly, so expect something in that direction.” 

This would most likely be based on the Countryman, given that it’s the only Mini currently available with four-wheel drive and its raised ride height would lend itself naturally to such a “lifestyle” vehicle. 

While Hampf’s initial focus will be on facelifts, he did confirm that work has also begun on the next entirely new generation of Minis, which are expected to arrive in the early 2030s.

What defines Hampf's Mini? 

Of the Mini brand’s many design signatures, Hampf highlighted proportion as the most important, saying: “You can ask a Brit or a German or an Italian – you can ask a five-year-old – and they will recognise a Mini based on the proportions of the car, especially when it comes to the Cooper.” 

To that end, Hampf committed to the future of the three-door variant, despite all rivals having abandoned this format, saying: “The three-door hatch will always be our anchor and it will always be the product that we will care for as much as possible. 

“You’ve seen some experimentation with the Countryman’s size, and even the Cooper has grown in size, but that’s not necessarily a design decision: it’s based on regulations, pedestrian safety, sensor technology and the customer’s desire to have [ADAS] functionality in their cars.”

Can Mini go smaller? 

“Mini has the largest portfolio in its history,” said Hampf, pointing to the three-door and five-door Coopers, three-door Convertible, Countryman and Aceman. “That’s good for now. However, you see we’ve always explored how to branch out from the Cooper and offer more.” 

Hampf has gone through Mini’s back catalogue of concept cars to inform any new opportunities, and he said he “loves things like the Urbanaut [MPV] and Rocketman [city car]”, while the Superleggera [roadster] was “super-nice”. 

Nonetheless, “there has to be a business proposition” for any new model that Mini does decide to build, and Hampf asked of the Superleggera: “Is it only for fun?” 

As for the Rocketman, the 2011 vision of a Mini closer in size to the 1959 original, Hampf said: “The size discussion about Mini – growing smaller or bigger and so on – we have every day. 

“You have to see what’s happening in the world: as long as people prefer to buy bigger cars than smaller cars, it can be dangerous for a business to say ‘we’ve watched the micro-mobility market and there are certainly cities like Paris, Madrid or Milan where this works really well’. 

“Quite frankly, I’m 1.9m [6ft 2in] tall. Maybe this is my personal opinion, but a Mini was always good for going out to the market in the morning, driving your kids to school and going to the opera in the evening. Try to do that with some of these concepts.” 

Hampf added: “I can’t do things that aren’t cool. I’m not saying that going smaller is not a possibility, but it has to fit into today’s lifestyle as well.” 

Hotter JCW cars coming

John Cooper Works, Mini’s high-performance sub-brand, is expected to adopt more distinctive styling to further set its cars apart from regular models. Hampf said there is “air to the top” of the JCW range and drew a parallel with the differentiation between BMW’s M Competition and M performance cars, suggesting that a more extreme take on the Cooper-based JCW hot hatch is in the works. 

This won’t be another track-focused GP model, however, suggested Hampf: “We’ve done something right in not only thinking of the GP, which we’ve done in the past.” 

Hampf pointed to Mini’s recent collaboration with fashion brand Deus Ex Machina as “one experiment” regarding the evolution of JCW, with “bigger tyres and bigger spoilers”. It is possible that, given “such positive response” from the public, toned-down versions of the two Deus Ex Machina concept cars (named The Skeg and The Machina) are being primed for production. 

A record 25,630 JCW cars were sold last year, an increase of 59.5% compared with 2024. Mini pointed to the UK, Japan and Australia as instrumental markets. Mini CEO Jean-Philippe Parain recently told Autocar that there are “still some possibilities” to expand the JCW offering, saying that it would push the hot hatches “very strongly”.

Perchance to dream… Had Shakespeare been around today, chances are he might have been referring to his next car rather than to the next life.

After all, who doesn’t spend half their waking hours scrolling through car ads, imagining themselves at the wheel of something they can’t afford, such as a Ferrari or a Lamborghini?

It passes the time but leads nowhere – so instead, scroll through these 30 choice motors no dearer than £30,000. Agreed, it’s a significant sum, but many of them are less than half that and some cheaper still. Dream on…

---

ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE

Although the V8 Vantage never graced the 007 franchise, it still looks like something Daniel Craig might have driven in Casino Royale in 2006, had the DBS V12 not got the gig instead. No worries; today, used DBSs start at around £60,000, while for half that you can get into a Vantage with the later and more powerful 4.7 V8 rather than the launch 4.3.

WE FOUND Aston Martin 4.7 V8 Vantage auto, 2009/09, 50,000 miles, £29,000

---

CATERHAM SEVEN

After perhaps on a motorcycle, life doesn’t get much more exciting than behind the wheel of a Caterham Seven. There’s a bewildering number of varieties to choose from, so keep things simple with a straightforward, Ford Duratec- powered 1.6 putting out 135bhp. It’s not a lot of grunt, granted, but in a car weighing only slightly more than a bag of sugar, it’s enough. Pay an expert to scrutinise it.

WE FOUND Caterham Seven 1.6 Ti-VCT 270 S3, 2018/67, 8000 miles, £18,995

---

BMW i8

Autocar once put an i8 up against a Porsche 911. The 911 just edged it, but we accepted that people might have preferred the i8’s futuristic design and technology. Those attributes remain and, better still, prices now start at £25,000. They’re reliable things, so concentrate on the condition of the body and doors.

WE FOUND BMW i8, 2014/64, 78,000 miles, £27,490

---

AUDI R8

The noughties poster car still stirs the blood. The 5.2 V10 is the one people want, but prices start well above our £30,000 ceiling, so the 4.2 V8 it is. Fret not, though, because back in 2007, when it was launched, Autocar’s testers voted the R8 4.2 the best car they had driven all year. Budget for a clutch every 20,000 miles.

WE FOUND Audi R8 4.2 FSI V8, 2009/59, 87,000 miles, £27,500

---

PEUGEOT 205 GTi

Prices are all over the place for this perfect little slice of hot hatch heaven, so research the field thoroughly. Fortunately, it’s fine to buy a cheap project car, because the 205 is easy to work on and parts availability is excellent. There’s also a very knowledgeable community you can tap into. The 1.6 versus 1.9 debate still rages, but it’s the drive that counts and that’s special whichever engine you choose.

WE FOUND Peugeot 205 1.9 GTi, 1989/G, 126,000 miles, £10,995

---

BMW M2 COMPETITION

Autocar awarded the M2 Competition four and a half stars and declared it one of the best driver’s cars of 2018. In these times of obscenely expensive cars, that you can get one in rare and desirable manual form for just under £30,000 – or a little over half the model’s new price before the inevitable extras (which, incidentally, our find has) – is a cause for celebration.

WE FOUND BMW M2 Competition, 2019/19, 46,000 miles, £29,200

---

CITROEN 2CV

Are we having a laugh? In fact, there are enough 2CV fanciers around to suggest this quirky car with its clattery, air-cooled, twin-cylinder engine, roly-poly suspension and have-a-go gearchange is a genuine dream car. Aside from checking the cardboard air tubes aren’t about to self-combust or the kingpins about to seize, check for terminal rust.

WE FOUND Citroën 2CV, 1989/G, 55,000 miles, £7500

---

FIAT COUPE

Unless you were around in 1993, you won’t know of the excitement that accompanied the arrival of the Fiat Coupé. Back then, Fiat was a brand with an image little better than it has now, yet there it was springing one of the most daringly styled cars imaginable. Happily, the Coupé drove well and was powered by a choice of three delightful engines – but, boy, can it rust…

WE FOUND Fiat Coupé Turbo 16v, 1996/N, 38,000 miles, £9995

---

FORD MUSTANG

Obviously, the real Mustang dream car is a 1968 GT 390 Fastback in Highland Green. On our hunt for its £30,000 present-day equivalent, we chanced across a 2019 Bullitt edit ion 5.0 GT with 80,000 miles for £31,450 – too much, so our pick is a standard GT. With early Mustangs like it, check the interior is holding up, the clutch is good and the engine isn’t rattly. Our find has a full Ford history so should be fine…

WE FOUND Ford Mustang 5.0 GT, 2016/66, 31,000 miles, £25,995

---

FORD FOCUS RS

“The 300bhp [Mk2] Focus RS shreds the rulebook on front-wheel-drive dynamics,” said Autocar and duly awarded it five stars. Checks include pulling out the dipstick to listen for escaping air while the engine is running and feeling for driveshaft, clutch and suspension wear.

WE FOUND Ford Focus 2.5 RS, 2009/09, 57,000 miles, £22,975

---

JAGUAR F-TYPE

The F-Type R’s 5.0-litre, 32-valve V8 packs 542bhp and 502lb ft, enough to catapult the car to 62mph in 4.0sec. It also costs impressive numbers to tax (£735) and insure (it sits in group 50). Make sure its numerous recalls have been followed up, the cam-chain tensioners aren’t noisy, the fuel pumps aren’t failing and the rear differential isn’t leaking.

WE FOUND Jaguar F-Type 5.0 V8 R, 2014/14, 66,000 miles, £29,995

---

LAND ROVER DEFENDER

Old, slow and crude it may be, but for many people, an old Defender is their dream car. For some, it’s the compact and chunky 90 model; for others, the longer and more practical 110 we’ve featured here. It’s a later model powered by the trusty and torquey Puma 2.4-litre diesel motor from the Ford Transit. Whatever you track down, condition is more important than mileage.

WE FOUND Land Rover Defender 110 2.4 TDCi XS, 2010/59, 38,000 miles, £28,495

---

LOTUS EVORA

In the Evora, Lotus chassis brilliance meets Toyota reliability. Our find, an approved used example with the Sport (switchable modes, oil cooler, titanium exhaust) and Tech (rear parking sensors and camera, upgraded media system) packs, looks tempting. Prices start at around £23,000 for 276bhp cars and a couple of thousand more for the cheapest 345bhp S models.

Check gear cables on early cars, the ECU for over-revving, signs of track abuse and the cabin for wear and tear.

WE FOUND Lotus Evora 3.5 V6, 2011/61, 62,000 miles, £27,990

---

LOTUS ELISE

Unfortunately, the era of cheap Elises is behind us, but buy a good one today and it’s unlikely to lose anything. What you will get is one of the most enjoyable cars this side of a Caterham but with a dash more civility.

By now the engine should have been cured of most issues (head gasket and radiator among them), so instead examine body gaps and paint condition, check the rear subframe isn’t hanging off, listen for a whiny diff, feel for tight steering and suspension and make sure the hood is okay.

WE FOUND Lotus Elise S1, 1998/S, 47,000 miles, £19,995

---

MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG

A neighbour has owned one of these since it retired from life as a Mercedes-Benz World track car. Almost every weekday morning for the past 13 years, he has hoofed it, from cold, down the road. Its sound alone would qualify it for dream status, except the C63 is also a terrific driver’s car, and - especially in wagon form - also practical with it.

Check for lambda and thermostat issues, excessive oil consumption, cracked rims and an overly creaky interior.

WE FOUND Mercedes-Benz C63 V8 AMG Estate, 2013/13, 87,000 miles, £17,995

---

MINI JCW GP

There are plenty of small hatches we could have chosen, but beside the first-generation Mini GP, they’re all a touch ordinary. Here’s a car with an extreme bodykit, a proper mechanical diff and an extra 7bhp over the regular JCW’s 208bhp.

That doesn’t sound like much, but the GP is 50kg lighter than the standard model (it has no rear seats and little soundproofing). The result is a car that’s quick, even sharper in the bends and, yes, a bit noisy.

WE FOUND Mini 1.6 Cooper S JCW GP, 2006/06, 84,000 miles, £13,500

---

MORGAN PLUS 8

Enough folk have grown up believing claims that the Morgan Plus 8 was once the fastest- accelerating car, and that you had better put your name down for one at birth if you want it before you retire, that acquiring one has become a life’s ambition for many. That it was produced by bearded artisans in the shadow of the Malvern Hills just adds to its allure.

Best bought from a specialist or its owner.

WE FOUND Morgan Plus 8 3.9i, 1994/L , 24,000 miles, £28,750

---

VAUXHALL VXR8

Yes, £18,500 does seem a lot for a 16 -year-old Vauxhall, and we would have preferred it to be the later, supercharged 6.2 GTS-R version, but with just 15 of those cars delivered to the UK and one recently selling at auction for £71,000, the ‘standard’ model it must be. Behind the griffin badge, it’s a Holden Special Vehicles Clubsport R8 from down under, so imagine you have been dreaming of owning a genuine Aussie muscle car and here it is.

The VXR8’s V8 makes a decent 425bhp and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox (there was an optional automatic). The engine can take more power, but be sure any performance modifications have been expertly done, and check the foot wells aren’t damp and the interior is holding up.

WE FOUND Vauxhall 6.2 VXR8, 2009/09, 50,000 miles, £18,500

---

PORSCHE 911 CARRERA S

The 997-series 911 built on the achievements of its predecessor, the 996, being even better to drive, available with the brilliant PDK dual-clutch automatic gearbox and still reasonably compact. Stories of bore scoring and IMS bearing failure haunt both generations, but they were rare events and, in any case, many cars have since had pre-emptive fixes.

WE FOUND Porsche 911 3.8 Carrera S PDK, 2009/09, 88,000 miles, £28,995

---

SUBARU IMPREZA

With more varieties of Impreza Turbo than Heinz soup, you really need to know your WRX 22B from your P1. So just go for a limited-edition RB5 instead. Launched to celebrate Richard Burns’s return to the Subaru rally team, it’s one of the best versions of the first- generation Impreza Turbo and now a future classic that’s still relatively affordable.

Beware poor mods, body repairs and over-stretched engines.

WE FOUND Subaru Impreza RB5, 1999/T, 87,000 miles, £15,995

---

VW GOLF GTI

The Mk1 Golf GTI is a genuine dream car, perhaps more for what it represents than anything. That said, you will love the heightened sense of connection and the visibility past those narrow pillars. GTIs are not cheap, as our find – a two-owner car in good, unrestored condition – shows.

However, the seller has just replaced all the consumables and fitted new Bilstein suspension struts, brake callipers, belts, a clutch and an exhaust.

WE FOUND Volkswagen Golf Mk1 GTI, 1983/Y, 80,000 miles, £18,450

---

TOYOTA GR YARIS

A former winner of our Britain’s Best Affordable Driver’s Car competition, and a Britain’s Best Driver’s Car podium finisher, the 257bhp, 266lb ft GR Yaris was brilliant out of the box. The 0-62mph-in-5.5sec Circuit Pack sharpened it further with the addition of stiffer springs, dampers and roll bars, lighter wheels and Torsen limited-slip diffs front and rear. New it cost £33,500, so our four-year-old find represents a handy saving.

WE FOUND Toyota GR Yaris Circuit Pack, 2021/70, 43,000 miles, £24,990

---

MASERATI GRANTURISMO

The growly Granturismo 4.7 is more than an antisocial nuisance. It’s a full four-seater, for a start, and then there’s the ride and body control, which, on standard springs, is impressive. Choose a well-used and well-serviced car over an apparently mint low-miler and run a mile from the optional and potentially troublesome Skyhook suspension.

WE FOUND Maserati Granturismo 4.7 Sport auto with MC Pack, 2014/64, 51,000 miles, £29,999

---

HONDA INTEGRA TYPE R

Honda could have named this model the Integrity, because that’s how the firm approached it. No corner-cutting here: the Integra had a stronger bodyshell than standard models, balanced by lighter wheels, a thinner windscreen and less sound-deadening material.

Its 1.8-litre engine got high-compression pistons, hand-finished intake ports and a modified VTEC system, too. It made 187bhp but was required to haul just 1170kg. Beware rusty rear wheel arches and underside.

WE FOUND Honda Integra Type R, 2000/W, 90,000 miles, £12,750

---

BMW M3

A near-perfect size, remarkably communicative and powered by a characterful 3.2-litre straight six, the E46-gen M3 numbers among Autocar testers’ favourite used M cars. However, it has its problems, including a potentially troublesome Vanos timing unit, the risk of head gasket failure and the possibility of a worn rear axle carrier.

WE FOUND BMW M3, 2002/02, 67,000 miles, £22,990

---

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT SPEED

Prices for early Contis have been low for a long time, but signs are they’re firming up. These cars end up on all sorts of forecourts, but we favour a private purchase such as our find. It has done the mileage but counts only two former keepers and comes with a full Bentley service history.

WE FOUND Bentley Continental 6.0 W12 GT Speed, 2008/58, 92,000 miles, £18,995

---

AUDI RS6 AVANT

Shoehorning 10 cylinders into a family car is, of course, bonkers. The C6-gen RS6 may have delivered supercar performance, but the price was supercar levels of technical complexity. Our find is a private-sale car, giving you a chance to quiz the owner in detail about its history.

WE FOUND Audi RS6 V10 Avant, 2008/58, 112,000 miles, £22,995

---

BMW M5

There are many great M5s, but most enthusiasts of a certain age would agree the E39 of 1998 -2003 is the one they lusted after for its perfect chassis balance, V8 power and slick gearbox. Today, the best ones cost £50,000, but high-mileage examples start at around £18,000.

The model is tough but the steering and suspension need careful checking. From cold, listen for the Vanos unit playing up and be sure the differential isn’t leaking.

WE FOUND BMW M5, 2000/X, 102,000 miles, £25,990

---

BMW Z3 M COUPE

To create the Z3 M Coupé, BMW engineers took the Z3 roadster, attached a solid roof to it and stuffed the 3.2-litre straight six from the E36-gen M3 under the bonnet. The market wasn’t persuaded. Then, for some reason (probably to do with its rarity), prices skyrocketed, but they have recently started falling again.

A sloppy gearchange is an expensive fix, and also check the boot floor for cracks and listen for engine and suspension noises.

WE FOUND BMW Z3 M 3.2 Coupé, 1998/S, 59,000 miles, £29,990

---

MERCEDES-BENZ SL

Cruising the riviera then gunning it down the autobahn: the R230-gen SL 55 AMG with folding Vario-roof is two cars in one. Our 2003 find is the 493bhp version, good for 0- 62mph in 4.7sec. Repairs and upkeep aren’t cheap, so buy the best you can, taking care to check the engine is oil- and coolant- tight, the electrics and suspension system are behaving, the aluminium body is dent-free and the roof operates smoothly.

WE FOUND Mercedes-Benz SL 55 AMG, 2003/03, 63,000 miles, £12,995

---

HOW TO BUY - DOS AND DON'TS

With each of the cars featured on these pages, we have suggested specific things that you should look out for when buying one. In addition, there are some general dos and don’ts you should follow.

DO…

Test drive a few examples to establish a benchmark.

Buy with your head, not your heart.

Check the car’s mileage, provenance and MOT history.

DON’T…

Research the market and widen your search beyond the obvious classified sites.

Buy privately. You can tell a lot about a car from the person selling it.

If necessary, pay an expert to check the car for you. They could save you money in the long run.

Prioritise a low mileage over condition and service history.

Buy from a dealer with little experience of the model.

Spoil your dream by compromising too much on colour and specification.

Buy the first car you see. There will be a better one.

---