Drive it!: The Motor Magazine

With the Pulsar five-door hatchback, Nissan has added a new model to its compact segment. The name Pulsar stands for daring design, technical innovation and the roomiest interior in its class. That makes the Pulsar a worthy challenger to the established European compact cars.With it, Nissan has a clear goal: to attract drivers of smaller and larger models and offer an attractive alternative to those expect more, but don't want to pay premium prices...

Ford has sold around 1.3 million C-Max models in Europe since the launch of the first generation in 2003. The compact van has now been revamped and upgraded with a striking exterior design. The interior has also undergone a makeover with optimized storage areas and improved build quality. And under the hood you'll find the new low-consumption engines.We're testing the high power 134kW C-Max model with a new 1.5 liter Eco Boost gasoline engine.

Family cars don't have to be boring. That's the mantra Seat followed when they came up with the Leon ST Cupra model. The car has everything you need when it comes to practicality, but it also has a little something under the hood to add some excitement for drivers. A raft of features mean the car can be set up however the driver likes, whether that means extra comfort, or a more sporty experience.

The BMW X5 has been a fixture on the world's roads for several years now. But this X5 is different. It can arrive with the whoosh of rolling tires the only sound. The X5 xDrive40e is BMW's first plug-in hybrid following the BMW i8, which is sold under the BMW i sub-brand.The challenge with the X5 xDrive40e was to integrate the necessary elements for the electric drivetrain into the existing car body...

This time Drive it! gets practical. We look at sporty station wagons, eco-friendly SUVs and thrifty compacts suitable for everyday use.Admire it!: Seat Leon Cupra Station WagonFamily cars don't have to be boring. That's the mantra Seat followed when they came up with the Leon ST Cupra model. The car has everything you need when it comes to practicality, but it also has a little something under the hood to add some excitement for drivers...

The Shooting Brake is Mercedes lifestyle addition to its station wagon range. It combines design with practical use. Optically it refers to the CLA coupé with the smooth flowing profile gently ending at the rear hatch. The new car is based on the A class platform and is on sale in Germany from 30,000 euros upwards.

Driving safely on snow and ice requires practice, but it's not as tricky as it might seem. Our car tester Reinhold Deisenhofer tells you how to get ahead while minimizing wear and tear on your car. His tip: start the car in second gear and during your drive shift up to a higher gear as early as possible. That prevents the drive wheels from spinning.

Station wagon chic - Mercedes expands its CLA collection with the Shooting Brake. A racing car for the street: the new Cayman GT4 revamps its whole class. And meet "Ray", a robot that parks cars at Düsseldorf Airport.Test it! Mercedes CLA Shooting BrakeThe Shooting Brake is Mercedes lifestyle addition to its station wagon range. It combines design with practical use. Optically it refers to the CLA coupé with the smooth flowing profile gently ending at the rear hatch...

In 1981, Volkswagen unveiled the Scirocco II, the second generation of the successful sport coupé. It was the first Volkswagen with a 16-valve engine, which produced 139 horsepower with just 1.8 liters capacity. It launched to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds and had a top speed of 208 km/h. And to enable it to stop just as promptly, it had disc brakes on all four wheels.

The Essen Motor Show is one of Europe's leading trade fairs for tuning sportscars. It presents sporty mass-produced cars, tuning trends, motor sports, vintage cars, and outlandish items. For example, the American Joe Harmon built his "Splinter" entirely out of wood. It looks like a Lamborghini and produces 500 kW. Drive it! picked out the show's highlights.