Richard Lane

Richard Lane
Title: Deputy road test editor

Richard is Autocar's deputy road test editor. He previously worked at Evo magazine. His role involves travelling far and wide to be among the first to drive new cars. That or heading up to Nuneaton, to fix telemetry gear to test cars at MIRA proving ground and see how faithfully they meet their makers' claims. 

He's also a feature-writer for the magazine, a columnist, and can be often found on Autocar's YouTube channel. 

Highlights at Autocar include a class win while driving a Bowler Defender in the British Cross Country Championship, riding shotgun with a flat-out Walter Röhrl, and setting the magazine's fastest road-test lap-time to date at the wheel of a Ferrari 296 GTB. Nursing a stricken Jeep up 2950ft to the top of a deserted Grossglockner Pass is also in the mix. 

Richard is an expert in:

  • In-depth performance testing and circuit benchmarking
  • Objective road test reviewing
  • Back-to-back comparison testing
  • On-road ride and handling assessment
  • The luxury, performance car and sports car segments

Richard Lane Q&A

What was your biggest news story?

Working on the road-test desk means being among the first people in the world outside factory development drivers to try a new car. Those precious early impressions are the big, breaking stories for road testers, no matter the class of car.      

What’s the best car you’ve ever driven?

'Best' is tricky to define, but probably Porsche's 2016 911 R. Unbelievably exploitable, 911-typical handling, with a profound sense of mechanical engagement but not at all intimidating. Not exactly cuddly, either, mind. In second place is a 1947 Cisitalia 202. In third, any slick-shod competition Caterham Seven – they're pure synaptic indulgence.    

What will the car industry look like in 20 years?

Different, but possibly not as different as we're expecting. We're currently seeing regulatory amibition meet with reality, and in some respects that is generating brilliant new ideas but it's also resulting in a strange stasis. As a case in point, I like what Hyundai has attempted to do with the simulated gearshifts in the Ioniq 5 N, but I also like that Ferrari is talking about manual gearboxes again. I hope this is an indication that variety will remain a cornerstone of the car industry.    

Car review

Audi A6

Is all-new 5-Series and E-Class rival the fairest executive saloon of them all?

Audi A6
Car review

Polestar 4

Can Polestar’s sportified SUV-cum-coupe rival the class hegemony?

Polestar 4
Car review

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray

American sports car supplements mid-mounted V8 with electric motor in E-Ray hybrid form

Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
Opinion

The world's fastest car? It's all got a bit abstract

The double-tonne was always within the realms of achievability for the common enthusiast – 300mph is not

The world's fastest car? It's all got a bit abstract
Car review

Tesla Model Y

Tesla's big seller gets a major update

Tesla Model Y
Opinion

Max Verstappen, the great promoter

Could the Formula 1 champion do for GT3 sports car racing what Tiger Woods did for golf?

Max Verstappen, the great promoter
Car review

Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric review

High-end off-roader gets an electric variant with a powerful motor for each wheel and a giant battery

Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric review
News

RML GT Hypercar driven: Is this 907bhp monster the ultimate 911?

907bhp GT Hypercar promises to lap the ’Ring faster than a 911 GT3 RS

RML GT Hypercar driven: Is this 907bhp monster the ultimate 911?
News

Ferrari Testarossa returns as 1035bhp SF90 replacement

Legendary name resurrected for new supercar, which is most powerful production Ferrari yet

Ferrari Testarossa returns as 1035bhp SF90 replacement
News

Hybrid Turbo S revealed as most powerful Porsche 911 yet

Landmark shift for Porsche sports car pushes it to unprecedented power

Hybrid Turbo S revealed as most powerful Porsche 911 yet

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