Following on from their 2008 test, Autocar were back at the Millbrook Alpine circuit this week, with a clutch of interesting cars.

The Alpine circuit is possibly the closest approximation you can get to an English B road and the times make interesting reading.

Quickest was a 478 BHP Nissan GTR - just, by 2 tenths from the mighty Gallardo Superleggera, which carries an extra 80 BHP and is 300 KG lighter!

Next comes the Audi RS5, which just (0.05secs) pipped the Megane 250 Cup, which in a stunning giant-killing display beat the latest Competition pack M3 by 0.2 secs.

Back in last place with a still might 1:53.4 was a Cayenne Turbo. In second place was a Westfield Sport Turbo UK 225 in a rather slow 1:50.1.

So it shows that in the UK, at least, you need nothing more than a hot hatch for stunning on-road pace, but I think we knew that anyway.

Interestingly, none of the cars got close to the 2008 winner, the Caterham R500, which posted a 1:43.18!

Autocar voted the BMW M3 as their favourite. Personally, taking into account price, I think the Megane Cup was the best car. Perhaps not as rewarding as the RWD BMW, but certainly as fast, despite being 164 BHP down on power.

So do you need more than 250 BHP in the UK?