Nowadays supermarkets always find a way to confuse us with all the price comparison and brand matching palaver. However, when it comes to cars, we know better.
Here is a sign in a local Sainsbury's shop. It's located by the parking spaces for electric cars. To us, the car on the sign looks very much like a Peugeot 107 which is not actually available in electric guise. We are puzzled! MG
We recently had the chance to take the new Skoda Octavia out for a test drive. We must admit that we were eager to drive this new model as many motoring bodies spoke highly about it. We drove the 1.6-litre TDI DSG Elegance in Brilliant Silver metallic.
EXTERIOR: The new Octavia has loads in common with its siblings in the Skoda range yet it reminds us of some other cars. The headlights have the same sharp lines of an Audi A4, the C-shaped rear lights, one of our favourite details, reminisce of an Audi A6. The profile has a sporty edge particularly enhanced by the line of the rear doors which are inspired by an aircraft's tail fin, to us it resembles a lot to a Lexus IS. The result is a smart and elegant car which oozes quality from every angle. Our test car was a top spec Elegance which comes with classy 'Teron' 17" alloy wheels as standard. The result is a sportier and more dynamic car than its predecessor.
INTERIOR: The first thing that comes to mind is the word comfortable, we drove an Audi A7 a while back and the Octavia appeared just as spacious. The dashboard on the Elegance trim comes with the Amundsen Sat-Nav as standard. The centre console is similar to the one in the VW Passat and we could be easily driving one because this latest Octavia's interior is an excellent example of thought-through ergonomics. The instruments are Audi-clear and the proximity sensors on the touchscreen (a system which detects when your hands are near it and it brings up the function buttons ready to be used) are a very clever use of current technology. The seats are comfortable and the backrest is similar to the S-Line Audis. The boot is enormous, just ten litres smaller than a Passat estate.
DRIVING: We tested the 1.6-litre TDI with the DSG automatic gearbox. We drove the new VW Golf with the same engine but with a manual 5-speed gearbox and we prefer the DSG to the manual box. It never keeps the low gears for too long and therefore the engine noise is always subdued. As a result of the weight saving therapy, the DSG makes the most of the engine's modest but punchy 250Nm of torque, it enhances the engine flexibility with full torque available from a low 1500rpm. The Octavia has excellent road manners with limited body roll and a good capability to iron out poor tarmac roads without ever compromising the passenger's comfort.
PRICES: The new Octavia's prices start from £15,990 for the 1.2-litre petrol in S trim. Our 1.6 TDI Elegance is available at £21,090 in 5-speed manual or £22,340 in DSG version. We would strongly advise to upgrade to the DSG gearbox. The new Octavia is available in 12 different colours, our combination choice would be a Black Magic pearl effect paintwork at £495 and a set of £350 (bargain!) 18" Golus alloy wheels and this car would easily look 10 grand more expensive. The new Octavia has often been compared to the likes of Golf, Astra or Focus but we urge to remind you that it's closer in size to a VW Passat and it has the rear hatch as a secret weapon of practicality amongst the other similar size saloons.
VERDICT: We collected our test car from the Benfield Skoda in Newcastle where the staff shown a huge pride for the new Octavia as if it was a close relative. This Elegance trim is so well equipped that it would be irrelevant to have a 'Laurin & Klement' trim level which once represented the top of the range Skodas. We closely looked for some niggle but we struggle to criticise the new Skoda Octavia in any particular area. This new Skoda has clearly been built to satisfy a wide range of people and their motoring needs from the value-wise families to the company reps, from the taxi driver to the person that will genuinely buy a Skoda because nowadays they are beautifully made cars which in the right spec and colour could be easily mistaken for a much more expensive car. No wonder the staff at the Skoda dealership looked so proud, they surely have an easy job at selling this new Octavia. MG
Our test car was kindly provided by Benfield Skoda in Newcastle.
Third-generation BMW X5 SUV places clear emphasis on efficiency with four-cylinder power and rear-wheel drive.
The new third-generation BMW X5
will be sold with 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel power and optional rear-wheel drive in a move that endows the SUV with claimed fuel consumption of more than 50mpg and CO2 emissions of 149g/km.
The 2013 BMW X5 has its planned public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. The decision to expand the choice of engines to include a four-cylinder unit mirrors the move made by Mercedes-Benz with its latest M-class. However, BMW's decision to offer rear-wheel drive represents a first in the hotly contested luxury SUV ranks.
Developed under the internal codename F15, the new X5 has been progressed in a typically evolutionary approach that sees it retain its upright profile and traditional features such as its two-piece tailgate. Distinguishing touches include a bolder front end with a more prominent kidney grille and LED-imbued headlamps that butt up against the chrome surround of the grille.
A heavily contoured bumper, which features so-called air curtain ducts on the lower outer edges, helps to channel air through the front wheel houses to an 'air blade' duct sited behind the front wheel arches. The design also features on the recently introduced 3-series GT.
Overall, the new SUV receives a more structured look than its predecessor, with greater contouring within the bonnet, a more pronounced shoulder line and an added feature line within the lower section of the doors to reduce visual bulk. A tall glasshouse remains a key design feature and follows on from the original E53 model launched in 1999 and the second-generation E70 model in 2008.
At 4886mm in length, 1938mm in width and 1762mm in height, the new X5 is 32mm longer, 5mm wider and 14mm taller than its predecessor. It shares its 2933mm wheelbase with the second-generation X5 but the tracks have been shortened by 4mm both front and rear to 1640mm and 1646mm, endowing it with a slightly smaller footprint.
The new BMW X5 has been given a more luxurious interior with styling that follows the lineage of recent BMW models. Buyers will get the option of two rear seat configurations: a fixed 40/20/40 split bench arrangement and a newly developed 70/30 split bench that adjusts longitudinally to free up leg space for an optional third row of seats. Boot capacity is up by 30 litres at 650 litres, rising to 1870 litres when the second and third seat rows are folded away.
The Audi Q7, Mercedes-Benz M-class and Range Rover-rivalling SUV comes with a long list of advanced optional extras. Included is a head up display, night vision with human and animal detection, lane departure warning and road sign information, a 360deg surround-view parking assistant and collision warning with an automatic braking function. As part of an improved range of multimedia features as part of its ConnectedDrive initiative, the new X5 will also offer full internet access, in-car use of Facebook, Twitter and other on-line services as well as a dictation function with speech recognition for e-mails and text messages.
BMW’s new X5 SUV is based around a lightly modified version of the existing model’s monocoque steel platform. A series of lightweight construction initiatives, including the use of a greater percentage of hot formed high strength steel within the floorpan, has led to a reduction in weight over the old X5. In standard xDrive30d guise, BMW claims a kerb weight of 2070kg, or 80kg less than the outgoing model despite the slight increase in external dimensions and more flexible interior appointments.
The chassis is similarly a development of that used by the old model, with a combination of double wishbones up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Buyers will be able to choose between four different states of chassis tune: a basic steel-sprung set-up and three optional suspension set-ups – Comfort, Dynamic and Professional – with air springs.
The latter two come with adaptive damping and also receive BMW’s
Dynamic Performance Control system, as seen on the X6, with a mechanically operated torque vectoring system on the rear axle for added agility. A development of the reworked chassis is earmarked for the second-generation X6 set to be revealed at the Moscow motor show in mid-2014.
The new X5 will be sold with the choice of three engines from the start of UK sales. All come mated to an updated version of BMW’s eight-speed automatic gearbox with new stop-start and coasting functions, bringing about improved performance credentials along with reduced fuel consumption figures that meet upcoming EU6 emission regulations due to come into force in September 2014. All diesel units receive urea injection for reduced NOX emissions.
Included in the launch line-up is a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol unit that produces 444bhp in the xDrive50i and a turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder common rail diesel with 254bhp in the xDrive30d.BMW’s heavily lauded triple turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder common rail diesel kicks out 376bhp in the performance orientated xDrive M50d, in which it is claimed to hit 62mph in 5.3sec and reach a limited 155mph top speed while returning 42.1mpg and CO2 emissions of 177g/km.
Traditionally the best seller in the UK, the xDrive30d gains 12bhp and 15lb ft of torque over the outgoing model. At the same time, its 0-62mph time has improved from 7.6sec to 6.9sec while combined cycle fuel economy increases from 38.2mpg to 45.6mpg and CO2 emissions are reduced from 195g/km to 164g/km.
A further three engine options will be added to the line-up shortly after launch, including the first ever four-cylinder to find its way into the X5, a turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel with 215bhp. The new base engine will be available in both the four-wheel-drive xDrive25d and, in a first for the X5, rear-wheel-drive sDrive25d, which is claimed to boast combined cycle fuel consumption of 50.4mpg and average CO2 emissions of 149g/km.
Also planned is a powered-up version of the turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder diesel with 309bhp in the xDrive40d, and a 302bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol engine in the xDrive35i, the latter of which will be sold in rear-wheel-drive sDrive35i form in the US.
BMW is yet to confirm a successor to today’s X5 M, although indications are that it will be added to the line-up in 2014 in combination with a follow-up to the existing X6M. Both are set to receive a reworked version of the 560bhp twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 used in the M5 and M6.
With a strong focus on the American, Chinese and Russian markets, BMW plans to offer the new X5 with a choice of petrol-electric or diesel-electric hybrid drive in the future. It's not likely that these, however, will be available until 2015.
The new X5 will continue to roll from BMW’s US production line in Spartanburg, South Carolina, which is now home to the X3, X6 and shortly a production version of the German car maker’s X4 Concept, planned to see UK sale by the third-quarter of 2014.
Since its introduction to the German car maker’s line-up in 1999, the X5 has racked up over 1.3 million sales worldwide, almost 700,000 of which were the second-generation model sold in the UK since 2008.
The new BMW X5 will go on sale in the UK from 16 November 2013. It will be available in SE or M Sport specifications. MG
Porsche Macan price expected to start at £36,000, release date spring 2014
The Porsche Macan SUV is about to burst the Range Rover Evoque bubble – and Auto Express has exclusive images and fresh details about how the sporty off-roader is shaping up.The Macan will debut at the 2013 LA Motor Show in November, before a spring 2014 release date, and will be produced at an enlarged factory in Leipzig, Germany.The Macan will be based on the same modular MLB platform that underpins the Audi Q5, but with greater use of aluminium components. This will mean a weight saving of 130kg over the Q5 – more than the reduction the Audi A3 and other compact VW Group models achieved by adopting the MQB platform.As with the Q5, the Macan will also be exclusively four-wheel drive from launch. Although the engine line-up has yet to be confirmed, Porsche is likely to use a range of six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with four-cylinder versions appearing later in the car’s life cycle.
Following the pattern set by other models in the line-up, sportier S and Hybrid versions are likely, but expect a morelimited engine range than with the larger and more expensive Cayenne.A Porsche insider confirmed that although the car would share some chassis parts with the Q5, the new engines, suspension tuning and interior architecture would all be unique to the Macan. That means a cabin layout similar to that in the latest 911 and Panamera, with a row of switches either side of the gearlever.Styling will reflect the Macan’s sporty intentions, with “all the usual Porsche design cues”, as our images show. Tapered rear lights are inspired by the latest 911, but the wide front grille, large bumpers and strong stance are retained from the Cayenne.
With the Macan’s rivals already well established, and new cars like the low-slung BMW X4 just round the corner, Porsche is also keen to “make a conscious effort to avoid it becoming a fashion item”. So the Macan will be more exclusive, with “a significantly lower sales volume” than the big-selling Evoque.Once the Leipzig plant is up to speed, there will be no extra capacity for other model lines, so cars such as the much-rumoured Pajun saloon are still several years away. But Porsche claims it’ll be keeping a close eye on the progress of the Maserati Ghibli to assess the potential of this BMW 5 Series-sized model.Finally, our source added that the Macan will cost significantly less than the Cayenne, which starts at £45,000. This points to a price of around £36,000 once the car reaches dealers, which would be a similar percentage increase over the Q5 to the premium the Cayenne commands over the mechanically similar Audi Q7. MG
Source: AutoExpress
The Vauxhall Cascada is a two-door, four-seat soft-top pitched against the Audi A5 Cabriolet. Underneath the skin there are bits of Astra hatchback and Insignia saloon, but the Cascada looks altogether classier than run-of-the-mill Vauxhalls.
In a class dominated by image and brand cachet over driving dynamics, can the Cascada cut it?
We drove the 2.0-litre CDTi diesel in range-topping Elite trim to find out.
Cascada first impressions…
It’s a big beast, shading an Audi A5 for length at 4.7m. The doors are testament to that size: they’re enormous, and heavy. Though that makes for easier access to the rear seats, graceful ingress in standard parking spaces for a car measuring over 1.8m in width can be tricky. Still, the shape looks well resolved with the roof up (no ‘hungry horse’ ribbing here) and the rear deck is well finished with the cover dropped, with no exposure of the magnesium and aluminium mechanism.
What about inside the Cascada?
The centre console is lifted from the Astra, which means buttons galore. Though extended exposure does help (as we found in CAR’s recent Vauxhall Mokka review), it’s still not as slick to use as a rotary wheel-controlled infotainment interface, like BMW’s iDrive, Audi MMI or even Mazda’s latest effort. Plus, the dashboard’s button overkill makes it look downright ugly, which, in a car designed to be seen in, and seen into, is a cardinal sin. We’re not keen on the carbon-effect trim insert either.
You sit relatively high in the Cascada – this is no low-slung roadster. The leather-topped dash and steering wheel add a touch of class, and the heated sports seats are comfier than rock-hard, sit-up-and-pay-attention German brand chairs. This is a genuine four-seater convertible, too: okay, you’re not going to put two adults in the back and cruise to Monte Carlo (whatever the brochure promises) but the Cascada makes good use of its large footprint and is by no means a 2+one-and-a-half cabrio.
How does the Cascada’s engine range shape up?
You can have a 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol (with a manual or automatic gearbox), but the headline petrol act is a new 1.6-litre turbo unit good for 168bhp and 206lb ft (auto only). The flagship diesel motor is Vauxhall’s brawny new 2.0-litre BiTurbo unit (manual only), but our test car used the more relaxed 163bhp/280lb ft single-turbo version with the six-speed stick-shift. Though the manual change in our car wasn’t as notchy as the Adam or Mokka, an automatic would much better suit the laid-back character of Cascada: it’ll set you back an extra £1520.
The engine’s grumble intrudes into the cabin at idle, and suffers from a narrow power band: maximum torque is only on tap from 1750-2750rpm. Keep the revs hovering in that zone and there’s a useful amount of overtaking punch, but it remains a powerplant that feels tuned for efficiency over tractability. Vauxhall’s official economy figure is a claimed 54.3mpg.
Does the Cascada fit the bill as a relaxed cruiser?
As you’d expect, this isn’t a sporty car to drive, despite fitment of Insignia VXR-derived ‘HiPerStrut’ front suspension that limits torque-steer. The Cascada’s prodigious heft (1931kg as tested) is felt all over the driving experience: in dive under braking, in its reluctance to change direction, and general inertia.
To disguise the weight problem Vauxhall has saddled the Cascada with very light power steering, and the overfed wheel is completely devoid of feel. Mind you, the A5 hardly has feedback dripping from its controls (quite the opposite in fact) so the unpleasant steering isn’t deal-breaking handicap for the Cascada.
The ride is niggly at posing…sorry, town-friendly speeds, at least on the 19in rims fitted to our test car (and needed to balance the Cascada’s substantial form. However, get out into the countryside or on the motorway and the ride smoothes out, while wind noise around the steeply raked A-pillars is well suppressed.
For an extra £790 you can opt for the ‘FlexRide’ system, which brings Normal, Sport and Tour driving modes. Sport firms the damping and adds weight to the steering, while Tour does the opposite. The helm does feel a mite heavier in Sport, but overall the effects of the two modes are negligible, so it’s not a must-have option. Our test car didn’t have the optional triple-layer hood, so despite an absence of flapping fabric at higher speeds, it’s not as well insulated as it could be.
Drop the roof (in 17sec, at up to 30mph) and buffeting is non-existent at 30mph, breezy at 50mph and uncomfortable above 65. Unlike a much pricier Mercedes E-class cabrio, the Cascada does without a header rail wind-deflector, and headrest-mounted heaters. At least the seat-heaters are up to the job, though the warmed steering wheel is a little feeble.
How does the Cascada compare on price to the German rivals?
With the mainstream folding hardtop market all but dead (the Ford Focus CC is dead, while the VW Eos, Peugeot 308 CC and Renault Megane CC haven’t got long left) the Cascada’s main rival is, as Vauxhall is keen to profess, the Audi A5 Cabriolet.
On paper, the Vauxhall does the job. Its £23,995 entry-level price (bagging you a 138bhp turbo 1.4 petrol) is a chunky £7970 less than Audi charges for A5 Cabriolet ownership, though for that you get a healthier 1.8 TFSI motor with 168bhp.
Taking our top-spec Elite test car as a case study (let’s face it, it’s far more desirable than a poverty spec example), you’ll pay £27,600 for the privilege, though our car’s saturated options list pushed that figure north to the tune of £34,055.
Can a thirty-four grand Vauxhall be justified?
Well, yes, if you consider that we specced an identically loaded Audi A5 Cabriolet 2.0TDI, with a bottom line reading £40,915. The Vauxhall also boasts an extra 15bhp and 22lb ft and the Lutonian appears to win the battle of the spreadsheets.
Then again, would you be willing to forgo a few goodies like lane departure warning, sports seats and 19in wheels to bag the posher badge? Cars like this live and die by desirability, not viability, and that’s where the dyed-in-the-wool German will always floor the rebadged Opel.
Verdict:
The Cascada costs substantially less than its direct rival, is competent but uninspiring to drive, and suffers from an image problem entirely not its own fault. Yet the gap left in the market by the Saab 9-3 (incidentally based on Vauxhall underpinnings) for people wanting a premium yet completely un-Germanic four-seat cabrio could be swallowed whole by the Cascada. Whether or not it can take a chunk out of more established German drop-top sales is a feat we remain sceptical of, however. MG
Source: Car Magazine
Mercedes-Benz has initiated a "service action" affecting 92 Citan vans in the UK and 3500 across Europe as a whole.
The manufacturer has made the move after a passenger-carrying 109 Blue Efficiency Traveliner version of the light van was marked down in a Euro NCAP crash safety test due to the faulty deployment of its side impact airbags.
A spokesman for Mercedes said: "If any of our customers are concerned they can bring their vehicles in," (to dealerships).
The spokesman insisted the initiative was not a recall, because it was instigated by Mercedes, but admitted the NCAP crash test findings may have prompted customer concern.
The Citan scored three out of five in the test, the same result awarded to the Citroen Dispatch, Fiat Scudo, Hyundai H-1 and Peugeot Expert. The Renault Traffic has gained the worst result in the van segment to date with just two stars, while at the other end of the scale the Ford Transit Custom was given a five star rating.
Euro NCAP said: "The new Mercedes-Benz Citan fails to shine in a market segment poorly equipped for safety. With only electronic stability control scoring points in safety assist, and lacklustre performance in other areas, the Renault Kangoo-derived van/MPV has failed to set itself apart from its competitors in Euro NCAP's safety tests."
In response to the result Mercedes said: "We are working closely with our technology partners (at Renault) to investigate the issues raised by this test, specifically around the performance of the curtain airbags."
However, Renault has reported no similar problems with the deployment of airbags on its Kangoo van.
Source: BusinessCar
Bentley has given the Flying Spur a comprehensive makeover and a new design - is it good enough to challenge the Rolls-Royce Ghost?
Bentley has given its venerable Continental-based saloon a major overhaul, including all-new bodywork and a revised dynamic mission that majors on increased comfort. It sits on the same floorpan as its predecessor, and is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 6-litre W12 engine, but the changes are major enough to allow it to be considered pretty much entirely fresh. First deliveries will be made to customers in August 2013 and it will cost £140,900.
Bentley tacitly admits that the styling revisions given to the Continental GT and GTC last year didn’t go far enough, hence the Flying Spur’s far more comprehensive visual makeover.
Every exterior body panel is new, and the use of some lighter materials, including a glassfibre reinforced polymer bootlid, has enabled a 50kg reduction in weight, although it still tips the scales at a hefty 2475kg.
No matter, mass is a trivial challenge for a version of the venerable W12 that’s been boosted to the levels of the new Continental GT. Power rises to 616bhp, a 64bhp increase over the original car, with this accompanied by a gargantuan 590lb-ft of torque. Drive is delivered to all four wheels via a new eight-speed automatic transmission.
Major suspension components remain as before, with double wishbones at the front, multi-link at the rear and air springs on all four corners. Settings have been eased-off slightly to make the Flying Spur ride better. Spring rates, anti-roll bars and bushes are all softer than on the original car, although the adaptive dampers can become firmer when required to impose order.
The Flying Spur sticks with hydraulicpower steering, an increasing rarity these days.
Retuning has yielded some economy gains. Bentley is predictably keenest to talk about a 13 percent improvement over the previous car, although that still works out as a fairly abysmal 19.2mpg combined – worse than every major rival.
Still, ‘deep pockets required to run Bentley’ hardly constitutes breaking news…
Bentley has tried to bring the Flying Spur up to date with a welcome dose of new tech, including a hard disc for navigation and audio data and the option of an excellent twin screen entertainment system for rear seat passengers. Those in the back can also dictate audio and climate settings with wireless touchscreen controller – which looks almost exactly like an iPad mini – or by using an app on a paired iOS or Android device.
Predictably, much is familiar. The Flying Spur is still defined in large part by the effortless performance of the W12 engine, which summons massive urge at minimal notice and pulls strongly from 1500rpm all the way through to the 6250rpm redline.
A measure of the Spur’s sheer disdain for the laws of physics is the official 9.5-sec 0-100mph time, with Bentley also claiming a 200mph top speed – and with a faster ‘Speed’ version inevitably following later.
Not that the engine sounds any better than before. Part of Bentley’s brief to make the Spur more comfortable has been a new acoustic underbody shield to dramatically reduce wind and road noise. This works extremely well at cruising speeds the blower fan is the loudest thing in the cabin. But it also illustrates the W12’s lack of aural character, with a slightly breathless note at speed, and noticeable induction noise on full throttle. The newer 4-litre V8 offered in the Continental sounds far better, and pulls nearly as hard, but that won’t be offered in the Spur for some time.
The softer chassis settings have improved ride quality on rougher road surfaces. Our test route was in China – the car’s largest market – and the air springs coped admirably with some extremely rugged tarmac. Even with the dampers in their softest setting the Spur doesn’t wallow, and although it leans a fair bit under hard cornering loads, it doesn’t feel any less precise than the old car.
But nor does it feel any sharper. The steering has a slight hesitation around the straight-ahead, doubtless to aid high-speed stability. And although it turns in impressively well for something of its size and weight, feedback through the helm is distant and muted.
Grip levels are high, and the Spur will allow its cornering stance to be influenced via the throttle – although never to the extent of the sort of smoking oversteer that more hooligan rivals encourage. The front tends to run wide in slower corners, but easing off tightens the line nicely, and the rear-biased torque distribution of the four-wheel drive system helps you to get the power on early in longer turns. It’s fair to say the car’s sheer bulk means it never feels less than its size on a tight, twisty road.
The new eight-speed autobox works well when left to its own devices, but there’s a noticeable half-second delay when requesting new gears via the steering-wheel paddles.
In purely financial terms, pretty well. The basic Spur undercuts the less powerful Rolls-Royce Ghost by £30,000, and the far smaller Aston Martin Rapide S by £10,000. The new Mercedes S-Class will be considerably cheaper, though - and will still feature the option of a V12.
Bentley acknowledges the Flying Spur's appeal in the UK will still be limited – just 125 found homes here last year, against 1100 in China.
19-inch wheels are standard, 20 and 21-inchers are an option. Our test car was fitted with 21s and still rode extremely well.
Company sources confirm that a V8 version is a ‘near certainty’ for Europe, but we’ll have to wait at least a year for it.
The 'Continental' part of the original car's name has quietly been dropped; now it's just the Bentley Flying Spur.
Source: Evo
Mercedes has released pricing details of its C63 AMG Edition 507, with the saloon starting at £66,690 and the coupé and estate from £68,160.
When the Edition 507 goes on sale in July, the saloon variant will be £9760 more expensive than the standard C63 saloon. The premium for the estate and coupé is £10,030.
Over the standard C63 AMG, the Edition 507 receives an extra 49bhp and 8lb ft of torque, taking its totals to 500bhp and 450lb ft. The electronic speed limiter has also been upped from 155 mph to 174mph, setting the Edition 507 apart from other AMG models and putting it just below the C63 Black Series.
The 0-62mph sprint is now dealt with in 4.2sec, or 4.3sec for the estate. Stopping power is provided by a 'high-performance composite brake system', clamped by red calipers and visible through new 19-inch cross spoke alloys.
Inside the 507 receives unique badging and black gloss trims, with exterior alterations including flared bonnet domes and gloss paint on the mirrors, grille and front splitter. The saloon gains a boot spoiler too.Edition 507 buyers benefit from free AMG basic training, at one of five racetracks in Germany, including the Nürburgring GP circuit. MG
Source: Autocar
This is Peugeot's all-new Ford Focus rival: the 308. Peugeot isn't using the '309' name as it was already used in the '80s.
The new 308's design looks have little in common with the outgoing car. The new 308 is 140kg lighter than its predecessor, more economical and gets a totally rethought cabin. It'll be unveiled in the metal at the Frankfurt motorshow in September 2013.
Compared to the tired outgoing 308, the new car has a much smarter styling with neater two-piece front grilles and straight-edged side surfacing. The C-shaped taillight clusters mirror the looks of the 208 supermini and new 2008 crossover.
Peugeot's efforts have not stopped on the surface though, as already mentioned, the new 308 is on average 140kg lighter than the outgoing car, thanks to PSA Peugeot-Citroen's new 'EMP2' platform. It's an adaptable architecture that underpins the new Citroen Picasso and will see duty in most of Peugeot-Citroen's future midsized models. Like the VW Group's MQB platform, the modular skeleton saves weight and cuts production costs.
Engines will be shared with the 208 and 2008 crossover, albeit with a slight retune for improved economy figures. The petrol engine is a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, while there'll also be two four-cylinder diesels. An eco-friendly e-HDi model will join the range later, boasting an 85g/km CO2 output.
Inside, the new Peugeot's family hatchback has borrowed a few ideas from its supermini sister, like the small steering wheel and high-mounted instrument dials. Designed to create more space in the cabin and make the car feel more agile, the tiny steering wheel has taken some critics for not being suitable for taller drivers. Another 208-style feature is the central touchscreen system for entertainment, vehicle settings and sat-nav.
Peugeot is making big claims about the new 308's 'premium materials and exceptional build quality' too, as it fights for a dwindling market share in the face of stiff Korean and German opposition.
The new 308 goes on sale in the UK in January 2014. Prices 'will remain competitive', says Peugeot, with the entry-level models to start at £16,000. MG
Lamborghini has revealed a new anniversary model called the Egoista at the end of the three day Jubilee Tour.
Lamborghini’s Stephan Winkelmann provided a dramatic end to the three day anniversary tour, with the introduction of the one-off Lamborghini Egoista – a 50th birthday present from head of VW Group design Walter De Silver.
The single-seater is powered by a 592bhp 5.2-litre V10 engine, and the styling is said to be inspired by the Apache helicopter. The cockpit has the ability to separate in an emergency, and is built from carbon fibre and aluminium to act as a safety cell.
In side profile, De Silver says the Egoisa has been styled to look like a charging bull, with its horns lowered – paying tribute to the company’s raging bull logo. Unlike the recent Veneno, the Egoista doesn’t use spoilers, but active flaps.
Inside, the cockpit is very functional with the minimum amount of gauges and distractions, four-point racing harness, and of course a single seat. Continuing the jet-fighter theme, there is also a head-up-display.
Lamborghini has gone a step further than the ultra-exclusive Aventador J or Veneno, and has declared the Egoista a present for itself. One that nobody will ever own or drive. MG
Source: Evo
Here we are at the wheel of the mk7 Golf, the new European Car of the Year. We drove the predictably popular 1.6 TDI in SE trim.
We would like to point out that this Golf was already designed and styled four years ago at the launch of the mk6 Golf. We suspect that the people at VW have already designed the mk8 Golf, a bit of German clairvoyance that somehow decides on what the future of motoring will look like.
EXTERIOR: The new Golf has a much more square-cut design than the mk6 which makes it look very wide and low, the complete opposite of the tall and narrow looking mk5. It's a minimalist design with a wide front grille and headlights placed at the extreme corners to enhance the squat look. The double-xenon headlights transform a relatively anonymous front end, easily mistaken for a Jetta, into a very modern and up-to-date trend setter. The back has a wrap-up design with a large, full-width window which provides great visibility and makes an Honda Civic look rather impractical. Yet again the back of this Golf can be easily confused with a Passat estate. However the profile is unmistakably Golf and the new style alloy wheels make this mk7 look a touch posher than its predecessor.
INTERIOR: The interior doesn't have the 'wow factor' of the gorgeous Audi A3 but the finishing standard and the grade of the materials used are both top class. The dashboard design is simple and easy to use with a large touchscreen with intuitive functions and big easy-to-read icons. Ergonomics are excellent, the steering wheel buttons are clearly labelled and, despite being numerous, they are never confusing. The only thing that contrasts this quality interior are the seats which despite being very comfortable, look a bit utilitarian and the pattern of the cloth is too simple, the seats on the mk6 Golf appeared more contoured and the cloth looked more elegant. We like the presence of the electronic handbrake which frees a bit of space and makes the centre console nice and tidy. Other nice touches are the carpeted door pockets for a rattle-free journey and the piano black inserts on the steering wheel which ooze quality.
DRIVING: This latest Golf is lighter than the retiring model and it shows on the road. The 1.6 TDI, which used to be sluggish at low revs, is now been revised and delivers full torque at 1500rpm so there is a lot more low-end grunt. The progress is consistent and the engine noise is never invasive although we noticed a few extra vibrations at the steering wheel and pedals than we were expecting. This mk7 Golf is a very comfortable car and, although this version and the 1.2-litre petrol have a simpler suspension design than more powerful models, the ride quality is first class and we struggle to think how much better the next generation Golf can be. The 2.0-litre TDI is a more refined engine although it doesn't match the 74.3mpg and 99g/km of CO2 which give this car free access to the London Congestion Charge Zone.
PRICES: This mk7 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI SE comes at £20,500. A few Golf generations back, this kind of money would have bought you a GTI version of this bomb-proof bestseller but there is a lot of engineering work behind this mk7 to save weight and save you overall running costs. It also comes with loads of standard kit such as cruise control, bluetooth connectivity, city-braking system, dual-zone climate control and so on.
VERDICT: This new generation of the Golf shows a bigger leap forward than the mk6 which was fondamentally a revised version of the mk5. It promises what the Golf name is usually known for, a reliable and an honest family hatchback. We would perhaps prefer the 2.0-litre TDI which still only emits 106g/km and returns an official figure of 68.9mpg. It will cost around £1500 more than this 1.6-litre version but it should be more refined and offer a better ride if that's at all possible. Either way you will end up with a classy car which will munch miles in perfect comfort and will retain a good slice of its initial purchase cost when you will decide to trade it in, perhaps for the mk8 Golf. MG
Our test car was kindly provided by Benfield Volkswagen.
The 309bhp Audi SQ5 is the first ever diesel-powered S model, and it has finally arrived on British roads.
The new Audi SQ5 is the manufacturer's first-ever S-badged SUV, and also the first diesel-powered S model. We’ve already driven it on the Continent, but now we’ve tried it in the UK.
This super-SUV is seriously quick, and there’s not much else like it on UK roads. Power is from a 3.0 twin-turbodiesel, which allows for 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. Amazingly, that’s six-tenths quicker than the Porsche Cayenne Diesel S.
With the smooth eight-speed auto box providing shifts, you get a huge surge of torque and impressive throttle response. It’s surprising just how quickly the SQ5 builds speed, not least because it never feels frantic.
The diesel sounds very much like a quiet petrol engine, which further removes the driver from the process. The good news is that Audi has managed to keep running costs comparably low, with economy of 41.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 179g/km.
Alterations to the SQ5’s chassis aren’t as widespread as you’d expect, with suspension that’s 30mm lower and stiffer the only noteworthy change. Despite that, the whole car feels far more responsive and resistant to body roll.
There’s much more grip, too, giving the SQ5 handling that you’d expect from a Cayenne. But the major difference between them is involvement: the Porsche has a lot more steering feedback.
Drivers can tweak the engine, gearbox and steering response via the Drive Select system, yet this doesn’t do much to increase excitement. Although slightly quicker responses and heavier steering are noticeable, not much else is different.
The good news is the Audi still rides extremely comfortably. You’ll be jiggled about a little more than in a standard Q5, but it never feels like a firm sports car. Add in the excellent refinement, and the SQ5 makes a very solid case for itself as a capable long-distance machine.
From behind the wheel, you get the sense that this car is trying hard to hide its sporting potential, and the same could be said of its exterior styling.
A couple of subtle S badges, large 20-inch alloy wheels and a slightly extended rear spoiler are the only changes over the standard model as well as the trademark silver mirrors.
Funnily enough, the way the car looks is a perfect metaphor for how it drives. This definitely isn’t a pumped-up, loud and stiffly sprung Q5 for enthusiasts – it’s a rapid, capable soft-roader.
But it’s far from being the only performance diesel SUV. The BMW X3 xDrive 35d M Sport matches the 5.7-second 0-62mph time of the Cayenne Diesel S, and also costs a good bit less than the £44,055 Audi, at £42,895.
Source: AutoExpress
Alfa Romeo has unveiled its 'Launch Edition' model of the new 4C sports car.
Costing €60,000 (approximately £52,000), the Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition is distinguished from the normal car by additional carbonfibre trim, white or red paint, distinctive badging, bi-LED headlights, a rear aluminium diffuser with a dark finish and large burnished alloy wheels.
It also includes coloured brake calipers, a racing exhaust system, an aftermarket air cleaner, a specifically calibrated suspension system, additional front air intakes and minor interior changes.
Powered by a 237bhp turbocharged four-cylinder Alfa Romeo 1750 TBi engine, coupled with Alfa's TCT dual-clutch transmission, official figures state that the 4C can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds. Its top speed is "in excess" of 155mph.
Only 400 will be available in Europe, Africa and the Middle East; 500 will be sold in North America and 100 in the rest of the world.
Each Launch Edition additionally grants the buyer the opportunity to take part in an event in Italy that includes a driver training session.
The Alfa Romeo 4C "Launch Edition" is available to order now for around £52,000. Pricing for the standard 4C has yet to be announced but it's thought to be less than £50,000. MG
Source: Autocar
Mercedes-Benz E220cdi AMG Sport Auto Coupe.
Features include: Panoramic Sunroof, Metallic Paint, Leather Interior and much more.
Business or Personal Deal: 6+23 months. £282+vat/month - 10,000mls/year
Visit: www.lease4wheels.co.uk
Phone: 07974 145476
We get the inside line on the all-new £866,000 McLaren P1 supercar, ahead of first deliveries this summer.
The McLaren P1 was the most talked about car at the Geneva Motor Show, but now we’ve been to the McLaren Technology Centre to get under the P1's carbon fibre skin.
Without body panels, it’s amazing how tightly packed the P1’s engine bay is - just like an F1 car. P1 designer Paul Howse calls it ‘shrink-wrapped design,’ and told us that as well as being inspired by McLaren’s F1 heritage – particularly the 2008 championship-winning car – and honed in the wind tunnel, the design uses biomimickery, borrowing lines from hammerhead sharks and peregrine falcons, too.
The close-fitting bodywork means lots of heat to dissipate, which is why the heat shield behind the rear window and the exhaust finisher are made from titanium, while the rear section of the exhaust is plated with gold. Although it looks complex, the carbon fibre bodywork integrates over 200 components into just three main pieces.
P1 chief designer Dan Parry-Williams tells us that the firm evaluated two and four-wheel drive, V10 and V12 engines before deciding that its existing 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine would best meet performance and sub-200g/km of CO2 emissions targets. However, right from conception in late 2009, the firm also decided to opt for hybrid technology, including a full EV mode, which has meant that 90 per cent of the engine is new.
The hybrid system adds 190kg, but McLaren reckons it’s worth it for the performance gain. The electric motor drives the gearbox at all times, cutting the effect of turbo lag and giving an extra 180bhp and 260Nm of torque. The batteries are the densest and the motor the most powerful of any fitted to a production car. To test the system, an all-electric 12C was built, and has racked up over 60,000 road miles since 2010.
To ensure that the P1 hits the right emotional note, the car’s sound has been tuned. Two sensors, one in the intake and one in the exhaust, combine to feed sound through a symposer and into the cabin behind the driver’s head. The sound is different in all four modes, including the all-electric setting.
McLaren has confirmed that 250 of the planned production run of 375 McLaren P1 supercars have been sold, with 500 hot prospects for the remaining models.
Each car costs £866,000, all are left-hand drive, and will be built at the rate of one per day from 8 July by a team of 70 technicians. Each buyer will be able to watch his or her car being hand-assembled from a special VIP viewing gallery above the production line.
The first delivery is slated for 22 August, and McLaren plans to build 50 P1s by the end of this year.
The McLaren P1 by numbers:
375: Total number of cars to be built to maintain exclusivity, although a racing model has been considered during the car’s design and engineering.
300: per cent difference in suspension stiffness from normal to race modes.
1: The only option for the £866k car is an extra battery charger.
1: Car built per day on a bespoke line in the McLaren Production Centre.
16000: litres of water shot at each production car in monsoon testing to check each on for leaks.
600: kg of downforce in race mode thanks to 300mm rear wing extension, less drag than a 12C in normal.
980: degrees temp of exhaust gas in track mode.
6: different types of carbon fibre used in the construction.
800: degrees brake disc temperature of special Akebono brakes. Discs are so hard they’re near indestructible and should last the life of the car.
Source: AutoExpress
We've been out with new Skoda Octavia. We will shortly share our opinion although we are struggling to stay tight lipped. MG
BMW’s pokey diesel-powered 3-series enters the F30-generation with the 330d M Sport.
BMW’s diesel-powered 3-series has long been the acceptable face of oil-burning for enthusiasts. This new F30-generation 330d M Sport is no exception. Prices start at £36,610 for the saloon, the Touring costlier at £38,035.
With a 3-litre single-turbo straight-six developing 254bhp and 413lb ft, it’s a seriously muscular machine. Limited to 155mph and capable of hitting 62mph in 5.6sec, it promises to combine E46 M3 performance with 58mpg economy. Is it too good to be true?
First impressions are wholly encouraging. This new 3-series is a big car, but the benefit of this relentless upsizing is a spacious interior and a gargantuan boot. A Touring version would surely be the perfect family wagon. Thankfully it disguises its bulk well with taut damping, direct steering and a satisfying sense of agility.
The 330d M Sport only comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which you can leave to do its own thing or bat up and down through its gears via a pair of paddle-shifters. As we found in the excellent M135i, it’s a livewire of a transmission and it brings the 330d to life when set in one of its more aggressive modes. But that’s not to say it won’t mooch along effortlessly in ‘D’: with all that torque it has plenty of shove from minimal revs.
Chassis-wise there’s much to like too. The ride is firm enough to feel like it deserves the M Sport badge, but remains supple enough to be a pleasure on less-than-smooth roads. It turns in keenly and enjoys rapid direction changes. The brakes have a firm pedal, smooth response and plenty of stopping power.
The steering (or rather its artificial weighting and general lack of feel) is worthy of a gripe. You can ramp up or calm down its rate of response via the choice of driving dynamics modes from Eco Plus to Sport Plus, but the steering itself feels as if all the feedback is being filtered out.
Close rivals are the 241bhp, £37,490 Audi A4 3.0 TDI S-line Quattro and 261bhp, £36,735 Mercedes C350 CDI AMG Sport, while the 197bhp, £28,255 Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCI Titanium X Sport is a less premium but dynamically able alternative. The BMW trumps them all for fun and feel-good factor.
Like most modern cars, the fuel consumption figures are optimistic. BMW claims a combined 58mpg and a range of 722 miles from the 57-litre tank, but if our real-world experience is anything to go by, you can expect mid-40s and a practical range of 500 miles. But given the performance, refinement and character on offer, it’s hardly a disappointment.
Source: Evo.
We drive the Mercedes SLS AMG GT, which gets a 6.3-litre V8 with 583bhp and 650Nm of torque.
When a car looks as good as the Mercedes SLS AMG, you don't need to do much to spruce it up, so Mercedes has stuck to performance upgrades instead, and renamed it the SLS AMG GT.
Underneath the long bonnet is the same naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V8 as the old car, but with a larger intake manifold helping to increase power by 20bhp to 583bhp. Outright acceleration is as blistering as ever, with the official specs confirming a time cut from 3.8 seconds to 3.7 seconds.
As if the gullwing doors weren't enough to make people stop and stare, the SLS AMG GT has one of the best exhaust notes on the road. It pulses and rumbles at idle, growls on a light throttle and fills the air with the bassy rumble of a V8 racing car at full tilt.
Mercedes has reworked the software that controls the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox to help make shifts faster. The gap in power between gears is now no longer a noticeable bugbear, but it's certainly not as brutally quick as the shifts in something like a Ferrari 458 Italia. The SLS does feel more at home around town than the Ferrari, though, taking off a lot more smoothly and accelerating seamlessly through the gears.
The suspension has been firmed up by 30 per cent at the front and rear, while the adaptive dampers have been stiffened up, too. Unlike the standard car you can't select a Comfort mode for them, with the choices now limited to Sport and Sport+.
The suspension changes haven't completely transformed the SLS but it has brought about a few important improvements. It still feels firm but compliant enough to never crash in to potholes, while it's a fraction sharper on turn-in, with the suspension a bit better suited to the quick steering. That long nose seems to dart in to bends with a newfound eagerness, while the tail feels less likely to step out under acceleration.
Look closely and there are a few little hints that this is the GT, rather than the outgoing SLS, such as the badge on the bootlid and darker lenses for the headlights and taillights. Thankfully there's no price increase, though, despite the fact we were originally told to expect an increase of around £12,000 over the standard car. Instead, the SLS GT costs £165,030 – £3,455 cheaper – and that is even more of an incentive to snap up the GT.
Verdict: Admittedly these changes aren't revolutionary, and if they came with the £12,000 price increase we were originally told about then it would be tough to recommend. With a £3,000 price-cut, though, Mercedes has not only managed to make the SLS better but also better value. It's still not as sharp as something like a Ferrari 458, but for its usability and drama it's pretty much unmatched. MG
Source: AutoExpress
Did you know?
France: All drivers are required to carry a breathalyser.
Scandinavia: It is illegal to drive without headlights switched on, even in daylight.
Spain: If you need to wear glasses when you are driving, you are required to carry an additional pair in the car.
Germany: It is illegal to drive without winter tyres at certain times of the year.
Belarus: It is illegal to drive a dirty car.
Spain: In some cities, cars must be parkedon different sides of the road accordingto the day of the week.
Serbia: Compulsory equipment to be held by driver includes a tow bar and a 3m rope.
Russia: It is forbidden to pick up hitchhikers.
