Innholdsfortegnelse for 13/01/2016 i Autocar

ALONG WITH THE new E-Class saloon, Mercedes-Benz is preparing a successor to the E-Class Estate, although it isn’t scheduled to be unveiled until the second half of the year. In a departure from previous incarnations of the executive load hauler, it will be offered in two distinct variants: a traditional on-road model and a so-called All-Terrain version, which will feature raised ride height and a standard 4Matic four-wheel drive system and will provide Mercedes with a rival to the likes of the Audi A6 Allroad.…

BOSCH REVEALED A new touchscreen infotainment system at CES. The system is designed to help keep a driver’s eyes on the road by using haptic feedback to guide fingertips around the screen’s surface. The keys displayed on the screen are claimed to have the feel of realistic buttons, with drivers pushing down to activate various functions. As well as its haptic elements, the infotainment system features visual and aural signals. The system can also recognise the amount of pressure being applied to a button, so touching the screen lightly will activate the help function, for example, while varying degrees of pressure can be used to control other functions, including how fast a list is scrolled through. The haptic touchscreen concept was housed within a unique show car whose interior featured…

The first fruits of a partnership between Aston Martin and Chinese technology giant Letv that could result in Aston building electric cars has spawned a new internet-based infotainment system for the Rapide S, revealed at CES in Las Vegas. Last month Aston Martin signed a memorandum of understanding with Letv, which has widespread interests in internet TV services and consumer electronics. The deal will result in “the two companies working together on research projects ranging from connected car technologies through to manufacturing consultation on new electric vehicles”, according to an official statement. The first result of the project is the Rapide S ‘connected car’ concept shown at CES. It uses Letv’s latest car infotainment system, called Internet of the Vehicle (IOV), which links to Letv’s cloud service, Le Cloud, to…

KIA DRIVE WISE Kia has launched a sub-brand called Drive Wise to develop and showcase its advanced driver systems and future autonomous technology. Kia will bring in partial autonomy by 2020 and full autonomy by 2030. Ford also announced plans at CES to treble its autonomous test fleet. VOLVO SMARTWATCH CONTROL Using the Microsoft Band 2 smartwatch, new Volvo software lets drivers remotely set the sat-nav and heating, lock the doors, flash the lights and sound the horn. HARMAN EYE TRACKING Technology specialist Harman revealed a new eye-tracking system that can detect when a driver is mentally overworked and take steps to minimise risks. JAGUAR F-PACE Jaguar Land Rover showcased connected car tech with a special version of the F-Pace. The tech can warn drivers if they’ve left an item…

ASTON MARTIN HAS confirmed that it is building a brand new 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, with the upcoming DB11 set to be the first production model to use the powerplant. The existence of a new V12 has been rumoured for some time but has now been confirmed in a short video. The video focuses on the engine’s components, then zooms out to show an engine cover bearing the words ‘V12 5.2 twin turbo’. The video finishes with the message ‘Coming soon’. It isn’t yet confirmed that the DB11 will definitely use the new engine, but it’s likely that it will. Indeed, a DB11 test mule on British registration plates has been spied, and according to the DVLA website the car has a 5200cc engine. There is no word yet on…

We took the Dune along some gravel tracks deep in the Mojave Desert and it felt surefooted This production version of Volkswagen’s Beetle Dune concept, which was revealed at the Los Angeles motor show in November last year, is the culmination of a story that began in 2000 with the unveiling of the original Beetle Dune concept. The Beetle Dune may have taken 16 years to reach production, but Volkswagen is hoping that it will tempt the same style-conscious buyers as the regular Beetle while also appealing to those seeking the looks of an off-roader. To this end, the Beetle Dune features a ride height that has been raised by 10mm compared with that of the standard Beetle, along with wider wheel arches (which increase its total width by 14mm),…

Let’s start with appearances: doesn’t this new C-Class Coupé look rather like a mini S-Class Coupé? Whereas the old car was all angles and lines, this bigger, 2016 version – 40mm wider and 95mm longer, with an extra 80mm between its wheels – hides its extra metal in gracious swoops and elegant curves, albeit with a bit of glitz from the diamond-effect grille. It shares little bodywork with the four-door C-Class, other than its front wings and bonnet, and underneath there’s a new four-link front suspension set-up and an adapted version of the saloon’s multi-link arrangement at the rear. It has been lowered by 15mm all round, too. Mechanical springs, non-selectable adaptive dampers and a variable steering rack are the default spec on the entry-level Sport model, but if you…

1 THE ICON: 1973 2.7 CARRERA RS We all know these cars and the prices they’ve commanded of late. An original right-hand-drive lightweight is probably a million-pound motor, with left-hook touring models still worth perhaps half as much. But for less than a tenth of even that price, replicas are available that are indistinguishable to all bar the most expert eyes and, whisper it, often even better to drive. 2 THE CHEAP ONE: 996 COUPE Sorry, there’s no such thing these days. The only 911s left that you can buy for less than five figures are old, leggy 996s, whose prices have been kept down by quality issues and dodgy engine reliability. Shop very carefully and get a good one whose engine has already been rebuilt, and there are bargains…

Over the past few weeks I have put the CX-3 through its practicality paces and, for the most part, it has disappointed me. First up, I helped a friend move flat. While the Mazda’s adjustable boot floor helped with the fairly high load lip, when it came to folding down the 60/40 split rear seats we ran into trouble. Even with the passenger seat slid fully forward, the resulting load bay had an annoying step, so much so that boxes kept sliding down, making it awkward to load. Things were worse behind the driver because I had to leave enough room for me to squeeze behind the wheel to drive. A pre-Christmas visit to the in-laws meant that the CX-3 was pressed into service as taxi to the local hostelry…

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has to make do with what he describes as a ‘knackered’ 230,000-mile V-reg Volvo We don’t do politics on these pages, even though the very act of driving, or at least being seen to enjoy driving, is a dangerously provocative and political undertaking these days. So I read with interest that there has been a change in motoring circumstances for the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron. Rewind a few months to when Nick Clegg held that position and, even more important, the meaningless title of deputy prime minster. Back then, he had access to a bulletproof BMW 7 Series. Today, Farron has to make do with what he describes as a “knackered” V-reg Volvo V70 with 230,000 miles on the clock. Farron has…

THE 2016 E-CLASS is the first Mercedes-Benz model to receive Drive Pilot. A development of the German car maker’s existing Distronic cruise control system, Drive Pilot enhances the optional autonomous driving function available on the outgoing model by being able to follow the vehicle in front at speeds of up to 130mph. Up to 81mph, the system is able to intervene with braking or steering functions in order to avoid collisions even if road markings are non-existent. The new E-Class also offers Speed Limit Pilot, which automatically adjusts the speed of the vehicle in relation to posted speed limits, as detected by a stereo camera mounted within the windscreen and logged into the navigation system. Another new system is Active Lane Change Assist, which is able to autonomously perform a…

The Volkswagen Budd-e concept previews an advanced new four-wheel-drive, electrically powered MPV that will go on sale in 2018. Revealed at CES in Las Vegas, the four-seat Budd-e forms the centrepiece of an ambitious electric car initiative instigated by VW chairman Matthias Müller in the aftermath of the diesel emissions cheating scandal. The concept features the latest in lithium ion battery technology, providing a claimed zero-emissions range of up to 331 miles. The Budd-e, which is seen as a spiritual successor to the original Microbus, is the first in a series of new electric production cars in development at VW. Other models include a successor to the Phaeton, as announced by Müller last October as part of plans to put the company back on track following the dieselgate scandal. The…

BMW HAS PREVIEWED a series of interactive information displays, autonomous driving control innovations and internet features that it is pursuing for introduction on future models. The tech was revealed on an advanced concept car called the i Vision Future Interaction at CES. Based on a doorless version of the BMW i8 roadster concept first seen in 2012, the rakish two-seater showcases three main display units. BMW’s next-generation head-up display unit projects information relating to speed, speed limits and navigation instructions on the windscreen within the driver’s field of vision. It is supported by a 3D digital instrument display. Along with the usual speed, consumption and range readouts, the driver is provided with information about cars on the road ahead as well as oncoming traffic not yet in the field of…

The Hyundai Ioniq is set to be the first car from any manufacturer to come with a choice of three electrified powertrains when it arrives later this year. It can be specified as a battery-electric car, a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid and will rival the likes of the Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius. The Ioniq, seen here ahead of its official debut in Korea later this month, will initially be available in hybrid form, using a 1.6 GDi petrol engine that produces 103bhp and 109lb ft. Combined with an electric motor that produces 43bhp and 125lb ft, the hybrid has a claimed thermal efficiency of 40% — the same as the Prius. Drive is transmitted through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which has been optimised for greater efficiency in…

A total of 2,633,503 cars were registered in the UK last year, the highest number ever recorded. The previous record was in 2003, when 2.58m new cars were registered. But analysts have questioned the accuracy of the figures, which represent year-on-year growth of 6.34%, attributing a large percentage of the activity to ‘false registrations’. “More cars than ever are being registered by manufacturers on their own schemes,” explained CAP senior forecasting editor Dylan Setterfield. “Add this to faster cycle times and the used car market is being flooded by nearly new cars.” This means that the supply of used models often less than a year old far exceeds the demand, in turn pulling down used car values. “We saw 12 months ago that an increase in volume of the Volkswagen…

We drove the new, fourth-generation Lexus RX in Europe, in left-hand-drive form, last month. Now’s our chance to see how it copes with UK roads, in otherwise identical, range-topping Premier trim. The new RX is no softly-softly rehash. Built on a stiffened and extended all-steel platform, it is 120mm longer than the outgoing RX, with half of that extra length added within the wheelbase to address the RX’s former shortage of cabin space. An aerodynamic body design is alleged to deliver improvements to efficiency and refinement, while slightly softened suspension springs and stiffened bushings, steering mounts and anti-roll bars have been adopted to quell the excitable ride of the outgoing RX, with the accepted dynamic compromise of the car becoming more of a luxury family cruiser. Over all of that,…

The new Carrera S is quicker to 60mph than the 997 GT3 RS. Believe it There is an awful lot of navel-gazing being done about the new Porsche 911. Few sections of the car enthusiast community are more prone to such things than Porsche devotees. It’s Weissach’s punishment for making the world’s greatest sport car – on and off, but mostly on – for more than half a century now that any significant change to it will also be regarded as a contentious one. With the 996 generation of the 911, the cue was water cooling; with the 997, direct fuel injection; with the 991, a lengthened wheelbase and electromechanical power steering. And now, with the facelifted 991, it’s those contemptible, new-fangled turbos. How dare they? Apparently, for various reasons,…

AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL, the annual curtain-raiser to the motorsport season and celebration of performance cars, is now in its 26th year. As always, there’ll be a hearty display of racing and track-focused cars, a sprinkling of motorsport celebrities and a couple of new car world debuts for good measure. The show is located across the expansive halls of the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and throws open its doors to the public on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 January. If you’re planning a trip to the Midlands, here are 10 attractions and experiences not to be missed. 1 AUTOCAR STAND On our very own display, you’ll be able to get a close look at a selection of our favourite cars from recent months, including the latest Mazda MX-5 and Honda Civic…

OUTLANDISH ECONOMY CLAIMS John Gaskin (Your Views, 2 December 2015) claims 67.5mpg from his Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and fewer emissions than a diesel SUV. The problem is that he does not state how much electricity he is burning over the same period. His two-tonne SUV also emits NOx and CO2 while parked and plugged in, along with some irreducible nuclear waste from electricity generation, transmission and AC to DC charging losses. Germany, the EU’s biggest EV advocate, now burns more of the dirtiest coal since it shut down nuclear generation. PHEVs and cars like the BMW i3 with a range extender have their place but, please, no more nonsense fuel economy figures. Total energy consumption is key here. Lukas Willcocks Via email LIVE LONG AND PROSPER Presumably, the Aston…

The effect of driving the Civic Type R is akin to that of a youth-restoring elixir As much as I’d like to forget the experience, I all too vividly remember the last time I went to a nightclub. Specifically, I recall that sinking feeling as it dawned on me that I was far too old for that kind of racket. I got a flashback to that sensation on my first acquaintance with our new Honda Civic Type R under the stark, unforgiving strip lights of Autocar’s multi-storey car park. I still love the idea of hot hatchbacks that are quick enough to scorch the asphalt upon which they drive, but I’m the wrong side of 40 and can’t help but worry that this might be a car aimed at keen…

There are quite a few Fords in my immediate family. In fact, there’s nothing but. Focus aside, I’ve got an 04-plate, 1.4 petrol Fiesta. My dad has a Mondeo estate (56-plate 2.0 petrol), my brother has a Fiesta (59-plate 1.6 petrol) and my sister and her family have not only a Galaxy (63-plate 2.0 diesel) but also a Fiesta (14-plate 1.0 petrol). I was hoping to get a big group shot over Christmas, but we’re not the most sociable lot, so the Focus, Mondeo and one of the Fiestas was the best I could do. As well as being an anti-social family, it’s not exactly a car-mad one, either. Instead, all of the above have been purchases of utility (big boots, lots of seats) and convenience (nearby dealers, friend selling…

READER’S CAR: MITSUBISHI CARISMA Andrew Sloan lost a fortune on a BMW 3 Series a number of years ago, so he bought an old Toyota Avensis, ran it for two years and lost nothing. “I’ve been an avid fan of Bangernomics ever since,” he says. “The latest is a 2003 Mitsubishi Carisma 1.9 diesel with only 78,000 miles, full service history, a long MOT and two previous owners. The timing belt was done recently, too. The car is in great condition. It’s hardly a laugh a minute but a great second car for the family — and all for £700.” SEND YOUR BANGERNOMICS TALES TO JAMES Twitter: @Bangernomics Email: james@bangernomics.com WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK: CHEAP PARTS Bought a couple of new door mirrors for a Land…

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its fifth-generation E-Class at the Detroit show ahead of UK sales in the spring. The new E-Class has been thoroughly redesigned, taking on a far more dynamic form than its predecessor in a bid to appeal to younger buyers. It has a clear resemblance to the smaller C-Class and larger S-Class in its exterior design, featuring a swooping roofline and heavily structured surfacing treatment. The visual similarities are part of a broader plan aimed at providing Mercedes’ saloon line-up with a more cohesive appearance than before. The new model has grown by 43mm in overall length to 4923mm. The wheelbase also extends by 65mm in standard form to 2939mm, resulting in shorter overhangs. Further dimensions remain under wraps for now, but insiders suggest the width has increased…

Faraday Future has revealed its first concept, the electric FFZERO1, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Faraday Future is a Los Angeles-based automotive start-up that has already built up a staff of around 750, including top talent poached from Tesla, the company likely to be viewed as its chief rival. Nick Sampson, Faraday Future’s head of R&D and engineering, said it would attempt to move faster than traditional car makers by shaping itself more as a technology company than a car manufacturer. He also praised Tesla for bringing “start-up thinking” to the automotive industry. Though not destined for production, the FFZERO1 gives a look at the design language for Faraday Future’s upcoming line of production vehicles, which are set to appear within “a couple of years”. The…

THE PRODUCTION VERSION of the electric Chevrolet Bolt was unveiled at CES prior to going on sale in the US in October. Previewed by the Bolt concept early last year, the new five-door hatchback is based around a unique front-wheel drive platform and uses the same lithium ion battery technology as the second-generation Volt, giving a claimed zero-emissions range of “more than 200 miles”. Chevrolet will confirm more details of the Bolt at the Detroit motor show this week, but officials have confirmed that an advanced navigation system is being developed in order to maximise range and give information on the location of charging points. Other features include 4G OnStar LTE connectivity, which turns the car into a wi-fi hotspot. The Bolt is a four-seater with short overhangs to maximise…

VOLKSWAGEN HAS unveiled a concept SUV called the Tiguan GTE Active at the Detroit motor show. The chunky off-roader is a toughened-up version of the Tiguan GTE concept that was revealed last year. It features a similar advanced hybrid powertrain and Volkswagen’s next-generation infotainment system, offering insights into what’s set to appear on the new Tiguan. The GTE Active’s drivetrain is made up of a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and two electric motors, located on each axle. Together, the power sources produce a combined output of 222bhp. Three driving modes are available: Hybrid, E-Mode and GTE. Hybrid is the default mode and E-Mode uses electric power to offer a range of up to 20 miles. In its most potent GTE mode, the Tiguan can hit 60mph from rest in a…

Audi previewed a new high-tech interior design at CES. The interior concept, billed as the next generation of Audi’s Human Machine Interface, features large LED displays with haptic feedback and gesture control. Audi says its new MMI controller can recognise familiar gestures of users and act on them to control infotainment functions. Audi also showed a new version of its zFAS controller, which is used to govern autonomous driving functions. The zFAS controller gathers information from the car’s sensors, 3D cameras and radar system to interpret its surroundings.…

You’ll perhaps be pleased to know that this slightly garish-looking Ford Focus Black Edition (also available as a Red Edition, with the colour scheme reversed from that seen here) isn’t all about the styling. Underneath is a familiar Focus Zetec S chassis, and the special edition gets a new 180bhp version of the turbocharged 1.5-litre Ecoboost petrol engine that’s otherwise available only in Titanium X variants. The only other engine option is Ford’s 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel, so this uprated Ecoboost unit is certainly the more interesting prospect. Think of it as a halfway house between the standard Focus Zetec S and the Focus ST hot hatch. It’s the styling and extra poke from that engine that you’re paying for here. There’s no extra equipment over the standard Zetec S, which…

For 90% of 911 drivers, the new car is superior at least 90% of the time We’re not going to sweat the small stuff here, you might be glad to learn. I have neither the space nor, frankly, the inclination to extemporise at length about the relative merits of switchgear design between the first and second generations of 991-series Porsche 911s. The issue here is whether the new car is a better 911 than the old. Period. Shouldn’t be a question, should it? Porsche has had four years to chisel the 991 into sufficient shape to survive the next three before replacement. But so, too, have circumstances forced Porsche to adopt turbocharging even for entry-level models. And show me an engineer who’ll tell you it was done for reasons other…

Every time the yet-to-be-released fifth-generation Discovery is mentioned, Land Rover says it will be plusher and more expensive than its predecessor. A large number of existing owners do not want a new model to be plusher or more upmarket and certainly not more expensive. These fine vehicles are already at the top of many people’s budgets. Leave the ridiculous pricing to those who can afford Range Rovers, otherwise there is a danger that existing owners will defect to foreign vehicles. Andrew Ryman Lichfield WIN Letter of the week wins a ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £58.95…

It seemed indistinguishable from a new car, with optional 21in wheels and a styling pack “Don’t forget: pull the lever right back,” advised Bentley’s chairman and CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer, as I prepared to drive away from his company’s busy Crewe works in the 21,000-mile, 12-plate Bentley Continental GT V8 that Autocar will be running for the next six months. “It’s the best way to hear the music from the exhaust…” The Bentley boss has a well-earned reputation as a press-on sort of driver and he was referring, of course, to the extra performance and agility available if you pull a Bentley’s elegantly knurled transmission selector straight back through Drive into the rearmost Sport position. Do this and everything tenses, like the muscles of an athlete getting ready to race: the…

Mileage 9950 The maximum fuel economy figure the digital readout on the NX’s dashboard will display over a measured distance is 99.9mpg, and I see it twice a day on my commute through Bushy Park in Middlesex. Having stored charge from the urban bits either side of the park, the NX can glide along most of this mile-long, 20mph zone under electric propulsion only. This is frustratingly difficult to do the rest of the time, because any pressure on the accelerator will cause the petrol engine to kick back in immediately. The battery doesn’t seem to have the greatest capacity anyway and my attempts to engage EV mode are often met with a plethora of different messages either telling me why the mode is unavailable or telling me off for…

1 BMW 3 Series (19982 005) Some consider this generation of the 3 Series (E46) as the best looking to date. The two-door coupé version was — and still is — a very popular car and it retains a sleek and smart appearance. BMW has always ensured that the 3 Series drives well, and the E46 is no exception. In 320Ci guise, it will get you from standstill to 60mph in 8.3sec and return 31.7mpg. Ride quality is top notch and the car is spacious and has a top-quality finish inside. There are few reports of major problems with the 3 Series, because it is well engineered. Servicing costs are reasonable, too. We found a 2.2-litre 320Ci Sport showing 49,000 miles for £4950. 2 BMW 6 Series (20032010) After an…