Lotus turns up the power to 2,000 hp, BMW walks away from the manual, and Polestar keeps its best work overseas.

This week on The Bucket Seat, Bonar and Trevor look at the kind of stories that remind you why cars are brilliant and ridiculous in equal measure. Thunderous power, questionable decisions, and enough drama to keep a V12 warm on a winter morning. It is all here.

In this episode:

• The 2,000 hp Lotus Evija: A hypercar that feels closer to a science experiment than something with a number plate.
• BMW ends the manual M car: The last three-pedal M enters the history books. Progress or a mistake that enthusiasts will remember.
• Polestar 5 launches in Europe only: A serious GT with 884 hp that North America will not see anytime soon.
• Lexus and the LFA successor whispers: Rumours of a follow-up to one of the most memorable performance cars of the last twenty years.
• Ford and Amazon test a new used-car marketplace: Car shopping meets online retail. Helpful or unnecessary.
• UK EV tax changes: Road tax and a pay per mile charge reshape the economics of electric motoring.

The week felt like a tug of war between speed, nostalgia and a few decisions that deserve a closer look. Plenty to argue about and plenty to enjoy.

Hosts: Bonar Bulger and Trevor Byrne.