New TG mag out now: the Z’s not dead

Hurrah, there’s a new issue of Top Gear magazine, and this month every feature has a deeper significance for the culture and future of these four-wheeled things we love. And you thought Top Gear was just about cool cars and crap jokes.

It’s a sign of the times that everything seems to be the last of a line, or something brave and new. A leap into the unknown or a reinvention of past glories. Remember when an interesting car was just an interesting car? It’s exhausting... and thrilling at the same time.

So, this month we take the Nissan Z – a brawny rear-drive, manual-gearboxed coupe – to Las Vegas and pit the new mid-engined Lotus Emira up against the Alpine A110 and the Porsche Cayman. Bar a few variants down the line, these are surely the last of their type.

Then there’s the full download on the new BMW M4 CSL – ugly as sin – but based on recent M2 CS and M5 CS form it should be a firecracker to drive. Plus, Audi is busy trying to reinvent motorsport for the electric age without sending everyone to sleep, and doing a fine job it must be said. Although just to be sure, we decided it was worth driving its bonkers range-extender RS Q e-tron Dakar car to check.

And then there’s Ford taking on its toughest crowd yet... convincing America that an electric version of its bestselling truck for the past 45 years is the way forward. We investigate with a road trip in the new F-150 Lightning.

You can read all of this and so much more by clicking these blue words to grab a single copy of the July 2022 issue. Or, try a subscription today and save 47 per cent, while also bagging an added extra worth over £49. Choose between a Daytripper Portable BBQ worth £49.99 OR a Diamondbrite Hero Pack Cleaning Kit worth £49.95. Subscribe today for just £34.99 every 12 issues and we'll send you your chosen added extra, and there's free delivery to boot - click these blue words to take advantage.