Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

The 542bhp Porsche Cayenne Turbo S tops the sports SUV range with Pagani Zonda power levels.

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. Its twin-turbo 4.8-litre V8 delivers 542bhp and 553lb ft of torque, near identical figures to the 7.3-litre V12 Pagani Zonda C12.
There’s the small issue of this Porsche weighing 1000kg more than the Zonda but still, it’s remarkable how far the Cayenne has come since it first arrived back in 2002. The extra power (up 49bhp and 37lb ft) over a regular Cayenne Turbo demands an £19,734 premium, though, the Turbo S listing at £107,460 in the UK.

To set it apart from the regular Turbo, the S gets 21in ‘911 Turbo II’ alloy wheels as standard, together with a gloss black front grille, headlight surrounds and mirrors but, really, it’s the extra performance you’re paying for here.
Porsche claims it completes 0-62 in 4.5sec, 0.2sec quicker than the standard Turbo, while its top speed is 2mph higher at 175mph. Mighty impressive for something with a 2215kg kerb weight.
 
Where the Cayenne Turbo S scores highly is with its chassis dynamics. With PASM (adaptive dampers), PDCC (anti-roll control) and PTV+ (torque vectoring) all fitted as standard, its power delivery and vice-like suspension control are nothing short of exemplary.

The test route contains some vicious yumps and tricky corners that challenge even the best set-up cars but this Cayenne remains unflustered throughout, never even getting close to bottoming out in the dips (even with the dampers set to normal) while suppressing roll through the corners in an almost magical way.

It isn’t all good news, though, because there’s always a nagging feeling of bulk, especially from the steering, which feels stodgy at slow speeds, with little in the way of self-centering. Then the eight-speed automatic gearbox never seems in much of a rush either, while it doesn’t blip the throttle on downshifts. That all seems at odds with the otherwise brilliant chassis dynamics, dampening the Turbo S’s appeal somewhat.

The multitudinous Cayenne models cover many bases, but ‘sporty SUV’ is also served up by the 414bhp, £67,147 GTS, with a naturally aspirated 4.8-litre V8 at its heart. Other super off-roaders include the 547bhp, £83,800 BMW X5M, the 518bhp £83,655 Mercedes ML63 AMG and the all-new 503bhp, £81,550 Range Rover Sport
Supercharged.

I was constantly amazed by the Turbo S’s sheer cross country pace (and woeful mpg) but ended up longing for the sportier character of the 130kg lighter Cayenne GTS, which after this encounter, still remains my favourite Cayenne of them all.

Source: Evo.

TEST DRIVE: AUDI: A7 TDI 245 S-Line Quattro

We can't deny to be rather excited every time we review a new Audi, it's a brand which we consider at the top of the automotive industry, a point of reference for many car manufacturers. The car we recently drove is an Audi A7 3.0-litre TDI S-Line Quattro in Daytona Grey.

EXTERIOR: The A7 is a four-door coupé with a steeply raked rear window which incorporates the boot lid. This sleek executive Audi follows the niche firstly created by the Mercedes CLS. The A7 has the benefit of an hatchback practicality and, unlike many other Audis, it looks like no other car out there. It measures 4,97m so the 20-inch wheels are mandatory to balance the long profile. The front is dominated by the classic Audi chrome grill but the thinner headlights make the A7 look wide and squat, it makes it instantly distinguished from the rest of the Audi range. The back has a spoiler on the boot lid which pops out at speed or manually controlled from the centre console a lá Porsche. This car has without doubt a sportier edge to the CLS.

INTERIOR: The interior of this car is typical of an Audi, the quality of the materials is opulent and the build quality is outstanding. It's impossible to find a fault in this lavishly equipped A7 even if we look in the lower part of the dashboard or at rear of the cabin. There is a large screen at the top of the centre console that comes out electrically when the ignition is switched on and we could bet that it has a soft brush and a puff of air to clean it every time it's stowed away. We wouldn't mind being stuck in a traffic jam on the M25 in an Audi A7 S-Line, the electrically adjustable leather sport seats are nice and supportive and the Bose DAB radio sounds awesome. The instruments have a neat graphic and some useful functions such as a compass for offroad driving, it also has rather impressive head-up display with sat-nav function.

DRIVING: Our test car is powered by a 3.0-litre TDI in the most powerful 245bhp version which is mated to a super smooth 8-speed auto. The A7 has an almost perfect distribution of its weight with 57% at the front and 43% to the rear. All this successful engineering is meticulously controlled by the legendary Quattro drive. Hence, despite being happy to admire the beautiful interior whilst stuck in traffic, we also enjoy this car whilst moving. The A7 clearly shows what "Vorsprung Durch Technik" can do,  the engine is whisper quiet and can dispatch this Audi A7 TDI from 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds aided by 368lb/ft of torque available from a low 1400rpm. This 245bhp diesel engine is super-sleek and it really suits this four-door coupé, a subtly-sporty-executive car, it's our pick of the range for the A7 until we drive the über-rapid S7.

PRICE: Our Audi A7 TDI 245 S-Line Quattro is for sale at £50,795. We think it's worth paying for this lavish spec as the lesser trims don't have some of the expected equipment level for a flagship model and the smaller wheels can make the A7 look cumbersome. The Daytona Grey paintwork, only available in S-Line trim is a box worth ticking.

VERDICT: We really didn't want to return this lovely A7 to our local Audi dealership. It's a fantastic cruiser yet a rapid tourer which will munch miles in high levels of comfort. Some luxurious limos like the latest Bentley Mulsanne can easily cost five times the amount of this fabulous A7 but we would struggle to appreciate five times the comfort. It's cheaper to buy and more fuel efficient than an equivalent Mercedes-Benz CLS so it's definitely our pick of this executive market. MG

Our test car was kindly provided by the courteous staff at Tyneside Audi.

Mercedes S-class: latest spy pics.

These are the latest pictures to emerge of the forthcoming Mercedes S-class, which will be officially launched in May.

In profile the car shares its overall design with the current C-class, with an additional distinctive character line running from the wing mirrors to the rear door, breaking up the visual bulk of this much larger car. Also clearly on display are the new LED-integrated headlamps and the wider chrome front grille.

The new S-class will be offered in standard and long-wheelbase guises, to fill the gap in the range left by the Maybach. A cabriolet edition will also eventually make an appearance, as will a two-door version, which will replace the current CL coupé.

Mercedes has also revealed the interior of the new S-class, which is claimed to be more refined and luxurious than the previous generation. MG

Source: Autocar

BMW M6 Gran Coupe review

The M6 Gran Coupe is a four-door version of the M6, which is a coupe version of the M5 saloon. Confused? You should be...

The four-door version of the M6, yours for the small consideration of £97,490. As such it’s either a worthy pinnacle for the BMW range – or proof that the company’s niche-within-niche model strategy has finally jumped the shark, depending on your point of view.

The M6 Gran Coupe is, in effect, a four door version of a two door version of a four door car. And although it sits lower than its M5 sister, it shares the same mechanical package and costs £24,000 more. 

We’d never deny the star status of BMW M’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, but in the Gran Coupe it’s not been changed in any significant way over the existing M5 and M6. That means an identical 552bhp output, the peak delivered flat from 6000rpm to 7000rpm and sent to the rear axle through the familiar seven-speed DCT twin-clutch transmission. BMW claims a 4.2-sec 0-62mph time, a tenth quicker than the M5.

In Europe the M6 will also be offered with an optional ‘M-Driver’s package’ which raises the speed limiter to a dizzying 189mph. British buyers will be denied the chance to buy it; we’re told there’s no demand. Other changes over the regular Gran Coupe are limited to the usual M-ificiation.

Inside the cabin there’s the familiar bulbous gear selector, surrounded by the buttons for the various switchable driving modes. (The engine map can be toggled between ‘economy’, ‘sport’ and ‘sport plus’, the adaptable dampers and steering both between ‘comfort’, ‘sport’ and ‘sport plus’. You can also alter the gear change speed for both the manual and automatic modes.)

Like the M6 coupe, the Gran Coupe gets a roof made from glass reinforced carbonfibre, plus an underfloor diffuser made from the same material, and charged with keeping it stuck to the ground at speed.

As you’d expect – like a synthesis between the M5 and M6. Although it’s  noticeably softer-edged than the hardcore M6 Coupe, but much of the driving experience sticks closely to the script established by its two-door sister. You sit far lower in the Gran Coupe than in the M5, with your frontal view limited by the same massive A-pillars. The cabin feels is snug for driver and front seat passenger, but its not excessively tight. 

Performance is as towering as in the M5 and M6: the Gran Coupe can smash speed limits with the sort of effortless disdain you suspect would play very badly as an excuse in the magistrates’ court. The twin-turbocharged V8 spools up without any lag and progress is relentless from around 2000rpm until the limiter calls time at 7200rpm. Such is the engine’s torque that, despite the choice of seven ratios, you can tackle pretty much all a typical ‘A’ or ‘B’ road could throw at you using just third and fourth gears.

The DCT gearbox is extremely fast in any of its three speed settings, with the quickest adding a noticeable thump to upchanges that you suspect is there more for psychological reasons than for any substantial improvement in change speeds. As before, the steering definitely feels best in ‘comfort’ or ‘sport’ modes; ‘sports plus’ adds needless extra weight.

Differences over the M5 and M6 Coupe? In performance terms, they are so negligible as to be effectively undetectable without recourse to timing gear. Chassis settings feel slightly softer, certainly with the dampers in ‘comfort’ mode, but grip levels and the car’s dynamic balance – with huge grip and the potential for huge oversteer if you’ve taken the brave pills - are effectively identical between the three cars. Getting subjective, the Gran Coupe also seems to let marginally more road and wind noise into its cabin than the M5 when set to a 100mph Autobahn cruise. 

BMW admits that it sees the Gran Coupe as the ‘M car driving
experience at its most exclusive,’ an opinion we suspect the market will agree with. It’s £3670 more expensive than the M6 Coupe and the price differential over the M5 is nearly enough to buy a BMW M135i. Rationally, it’s a supplement that the Gran Cabrio struggles to justify; emotionally it might be a different matter. 

Looking outside the BMW family, it’s also £15,585 pricier than the very lovely Mercedes CLS 63 AMG, which would likely be easier to live with on a day-to-day basis. Of course, if you choose to look in the other direction and compare it to the £124,000 Porsche Panamera Turbo S or the £149,000 Aston Martin Rapide S then you could argue it offers excellent value for money.

The rear seats are big enough for occasional adult use, although taller rear seat occupants will soon start to whinge on longer journeys. The boot is a healthy size although you can fold the rear seats for bigger loads. MG

Source: Evo

Fiat 500XL Revealed.

This is the first image of the production version of the Fiat 500XL.

The image first appeared on a Spanish internet forum, and shows the new seven-seater version of the Fiat 500L in its full elongated glory.

As you can see from the pictures, the car looks very similar to the 500L from nose to C-pillar, but it does get a longer rear overhang and larger rear quarterlight window.

There’s no official information about the latest member of the Fiat 500 family yet, but the 500XL is expected to measure around 200mm longer than the 500L’s 4,147mm length.

The 500L and XL will mirror the five-seat Ford C-MAX and seven-seat Grand C-MAX model line-up. So the 500XL is expected to feature a similar interior to the 500L, but with the addition of two, third-row rear seats which can be folded up from the boot floor.

The engine line-up is expected to mirror the 500L’s line-up, which includes the 105bhp 875cc TwinAir two-cylinder and 95bhp 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engines, and 85bhp 1.3-litre and 105bhp 1.6-litre Multijet diesels.

A Fiat spokesperson has confirmed that the 500XL is likely to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, with cars beginning to go on sale in Europe by the end of the year. The Fiat 500XL becomes the fourth member of the expanding Fiat 500 family, joining the supermini, convertible and 500L. The range will continue to grow with the arrival of the 500X crossover next year, too.

A spokesperson did confirm to us that, although the 500XL name makes the most sense, that isn’t guaranteed for the production version so as not to cause confusion with the 500X crossover. MG

Source: AutoExpress

ASTON MARTIN: Vanquish Centenary Edition.

Aston Martin has launched a Centenary Edition of the already fabulous Vanquish.

This edition is limited to 100 examples, each with special tinted paintwork. The Aston Martin  badges and the individually numbered door sills will be made from solid silver.

The engine will be the same 565bhp 6.0-litre V12 with its epic exhaust symphony. It's on sale now at an estimated price tag of £200,000. MG

BMW: X4, the latest addition.

There are already over 30 models on the BMW range. It's obviously not enough as the 2-series and 4-series are announced. Furthermore there will be an X4 which should mirror the engine range of the X3 and cost around £30,000. MG

Peugeot 208 GTI: Looking awesome!!

We drove past our local Peugeot dealership and we spotted something rather awesome!! The GTI name is back and we can't wait for a Test Drive! MG

ROAD TEST: Jaguar XF Sportbrake 2.2D 200 Sport.

Jaguar describes the XF Sportbrake as a car with the versatility of an estate car, the spirit of a sports car and the craftsmanship of a luxury saloon. We will try to explain what it feels like to drive and own this new British estate. We drove the 2.2-litre diesel with 200bhp in Sport trim.

EXTERIOR: We collected our test car from the Jaguar dealership where we got explained in detail the features of the Sport trim. In true honesty the XF looks better on big wheels and our Sportbrake came with upgraded 19-inch alloy wheels and extensive body kit with deeper front bumper louvre and a sporty black front grille. The additional volume at the back moulds seamlessly with the already sleek shape of the XF saloon. Some estate cars look like the extension of their saloon sibling and have an heavy rear design but the XF Sportbrake is clearly a triumph of style and proud to be "the British Luxury estate".

INTERIOR: Very few car manufacturers can make interiors as special as the latest Jaguars. There is a lot of chrome inside the XF and our Sport trimmed test car came with the Piano Black centre dashboard. The chrome detailing extends to the steering wheels buttons and indicators/wipers stalks making the interior a very luxurious place to be. As the engine starts, the air vents rotate open and the rotary gear selector raises from the centre console in a choreographic way. The interior is illuminated in a soft blue ambience light and there is a sense of well being whilst driving the XF, the mixture of different materials is superb and very classy.

DRIVING: The XF saloon has been always praised for its excellent road manners and the Sportbrake is no exception. We initially thought that the estate version would lose a bit of the dynamic sparkle of the saloon but we couldn't be more wrong as we put the car through the test of a twisty country lane. The chassis is as excellent as the XF saloon and the Sportbrake fells agile and very composed. The 2.2-litre diesel engine is a fine cruiser helped along by the smooth changes of its excellent automatic gearbox. This 200bhp engine has also a brisk side and it can dispatch the XF Sportbrake from 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds although it gets a bit more audible when worked hard. Official fuel consumption is 55mpg and we easily achieved a remarkable real-world 46mpg.

PRICES: The XF Sportbrake 2.2-litre with 200bhp in Sport trim is available at £37,440. Our car came in a Stratus Grey Metallic paintwork which wasn't far from black and suited the elegant shape of this luxury estate. The Sport trim has half-leather/suede electric seats and a good array of kit such as Cruise Control, Bluetooth connectivity, Satellite Navigation, Powered Bootlid and one of the best interiors in the market. This car is available on a variety of finance packages with a representative APR of 4.9%.

VERDICT: We really like the XF Sportbrake with its sleek body and brilliant road manners. The interior is impressive although the plastics around the interior map reading lights appeared of inferior quality. The XF Sportbrake is not as practical as some of its rivals but it's a classy alternative to the BMW 5-series Touring and a true British product. The XF range includes also a 163bhp version of this engine, a 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 240bhp or 275bhp and some awesome trim levels like the Portfolio but this 200bhp diesel in Sport trim represents a good engine/trim combination. MG

Our car was provide by the courteous team at Stratstone Jaguar in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Maserati: Ghibli, the accessible Maserati.

Maserati is aiming to increase sales eightfold within a few years.

The Ghibli concept could point the way forward. It has a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 engine, an eight-speed transmission and the option of rear-wheel or 'Q4' all-wheel drive. It should be on sale in September and prices are expected to be around £50,000. MG

JEEP: New Grand Cherokee

Jeep is carrying an extensive makeover to the Grand Cherokee.

At the front, the seven-slot grille has been shortened, with new headlights either side. At the back there is a bigger Jeep badge and larger tail-lights. Inside, the revised centre console has a larger touchscreen and a TFT screen instead of the analogue instruments.

The new Grand Cherokee will be on sale in autumn and prices are estimated to be around £39,000 for the entry-level version. MG

Volkswagen Golf R Cabriolet

The R Cabriolet is the fastest soft-top Golf ever built.

Despite the fact that the new mk7 hatch is already on sale, this is the last shot for the mk6. However it's not the first time that Volkswagen has sold the convertible version of the Golf with its previous generation body and interior.

The new Golf R Cabriolet features a 261bhp 2.0-litre petrol turbo capable of a 0-62mph sprint in 6.4 seconds. This new version is a front wheel drive only opposed to the four-wheel drive Golf R hatchback and, due to necessary body strengthening, it's 94kg heavier.

The Golf R is a very capable and an awesome looking car but the £38,770 price tag is a steep £8,000 more than the Golf R hatchback. Furthermore it's also £1,000 more expensive than an entry-level Porsche Boxster which is one of the best sports cars on the road. MG

Sunny drive!

Hopefully we should be heading to some better weather.

Remember that there are some disadvantages about driving on bright days. It's always best to carry a pair of sunglasses in the car or to make a good use of the sunvisor.

Bright sunshine can make brake lights less obvious. Therefore a chance to notice too late that the  traffic ahead has come to a full stop and suddenly a rear end collision is a risk. Keep a good separation distance from the traffic ahead of you and observe if the traffic behind you does the same. Beware of tailgating drivers!

The same applies for traffic lights. When the sun shines on them, it makes it very difficult to see which light is on, at times they all seem to be on at the same time. Try to spot a repeated deferred traffic light, which is usually on the opposite corner of the junction,  and might be more shaded and visible.

The best rule is to 'Drive at the speed that allows you to make a safe use and judgement of the road ahead of you'. If in doubt, slow down and adapt your driving to ensure safety. Happy sunny days!

Bentley: Updated Mulsanne.

Bentley has updated the luxurious Mulsanne, with new paint and leather colours plus powered curtains for rear passengers.
There are fresh Comfort and Entertainment specifications too. Comfort adds stowable footrests and duck feather cushions. Entertainment spec brings a Wi-Fi hotspot, eight-inch screens in the seatbacks and wireless headphones. MG

Drivers and their Sat-Nav.

According to statistics revealed by a satnav app developer, UK drivers are after petrol and fast food. Skobbler analysed the data from its three million downloads in the UK between May and July 2012 and found that 'petrol station' was the most searched-for destination, followed by McDonald's.

Skobbler co-founder Marcus Thielking said: 'The results suggest that aside from fuel, food is the most important thing on our mind whilst on the road, with three out of the top four searches being food related'.

More peculiar popular searches included: the sea, bus stop and tattoo. MG

BMW: Ultimate Drive Event.

We just received our personal invitation to the BMW Ultimate Drive Event.

It's on this weekend, 19th-21st April, at you nearest partecipating BMW dealer. We are looking forward to see the latest models such as the facelifted Z4 convertible.

It's worth a mention that the invitation came with a rather nice brochure. MG

MERCEDES: Official GLA SUV sketch released.

Mercedes' reveal official sketch of new GLA soft-roader, set to take on Audi Q3 with bold styling and a host of high-tech kit.

Mercedes has released a single sketch of the Mercedes GLA, ahead of its unveiling at the Shanghai motor show this weekend. The image gives the best clue yet as to the car's appearance. It had previously only been spied while undergoing testing.

The new five-seater is set to rival the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Range Rover Evoque. It will be part of a five-strong line-up based on Mercedes’ new MFA platform, along with the A-class, B-class, CLA small saloon and CLA Shooting Brake, that’s designed to bring younger customers to the Mercedes-Benz brand.

The Mercedes GLA features the contemporary styling theme of the new A and B-class, with a bold front end, flamboyant swage line graphics and shallow glasshouse, all aimed at providing it with the modern-day appeal that Mercedes’ recent small cars have lacked. Design details include a large oval grille bookmarked by curvaceous headlights, generously dimensioned wheel arches, heavily structured flanks, a curvaceous rear shoulder, an angled tailgate and a raised ride height.

The new junior SUV is set to offer the same range of transversely mounted engines as the B-class. Petrol units will include a Renault-sourced 1.6 with 120bhp or 154bhp and an in-house-developed 2.0-litre turbo with 208bhp, or around 330bhp in the twin-turbo AMG version. Two diesel engines will also be offered, consisting of a 1.8-litre unit with either 108bhp or 134bhp and a 2.2 with 168bhp. A six-speed manual gearbox will be standard, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as an option. Base GLAs will get front-wheel drive, while more powerful models will be four-wheel drive.

The GLA will support a range of optional media connectivity services as part of Mercedes’ efforts to ensure future models carry greater appeal among younger buyers. The GLA is one of three new SUVs Mercedes is planning to launch before the middle of the decade. Joining it will be the second-generation GLK, which will be based on the next-generation C-Class and offered with right-hand drive for the first time, and a new BMW X6 rival, the MLC, that’s based on the current ML-class. MG

Source: Autocar.

Car Insurance: Shop around and save £££.

Insurance Renewal

Nearly nine million drivers are missing out on £2.55bn of savings by automatically renewing their car insurance each year and not searching for a cheaper deal.

That's according to the comparison website Go Compare which found that three million drivers have been with the same insurer for 10 years or more. MG

DRIVING: Wet weather.

Highway Code: Rule 227
Wet weather.

In wet weather, stopping distances will be at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.This is because your tyres have less grip on the road.

In wet weather:

- You should keep well back from the vehicle in front. This will increase your ability to see and plan ahead.

- If the steering becomes unresponsive, it probably means that water is preventing the tyres from gripping the road. Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.

- The rain and spray from vehicles may make it difficult to see and be seen.

- Be aware of the danger of spilt diesel that will make the surface very slippery.

- Take extra care around pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles and horse raiders. MG