Innholdsfortegnelse for 24/02/2016 i Autocar

ASTON MARTIN HAS announced a partnership with Chinese technology firm LeEco (formerly Letv) to develop the RapidE electric vehicle for production by 2018. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop the production version of the RapidE, followed by several other electric models before 2020. The deal includes the potential to jointly develop a range of new-generation connected electric cars for Aston, LeEco and LeEcobacked Faraday Future, a US-based electric car startup that launched itself with its 1000bhp FFZero1 concept car at last month’s Consumer Electronics Show. The partnership is an extension of one already in place between Aston and LeEco, which led to the new infotainment and internet system for the Rapide S unveiled at CES. The RapidE concept was first seen in October. Williams Advanced…

SKODA’S VISIONS CONCEPT car, which previews the firm’s upcoming Kodiaq SUV, has been revealed with a petrol-electric powertrain in advance of its debut in Geneva next month. The concept features a turbocharged 154bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine, which is mated to a 54bhp electric motor housed within the six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. A second 114bhp electric motor is mounted on the rear axle, giving the concept a ‘smart’ four-wheel drive set-up that needs no mechanical coupling. The VisionS can hit 62mph from rest in 7.4sec and reach a top speed of 124mph. Skoda says the VisionS emits just 45g/km of CO2 and can travel for up to 31 miles on electric power alone. Its total range is rated at 621 miles. As with most hybrids, drivers can choose from several driving…

 LIKE MANY GOOD ideas, it has taken torque biasing a few years to really take off. Splitting torque levels across an axle and delivering different amounts to each wheel can dramatically alter how a car handles, helping it to turn in, increasing stability in extreme manoeuvres and improving traction. It’s how the Focus RS does its magical line tightening and Drift-mode showboating. It was far keener to turn and had less understeer than the standard car The RS uses a version of the Twinster rear axle that was developed by UK firm GKN Driveline to do its biasing. Now GKN is working on an electric version of the same technology that promises to add some of the same magic to hybrids and EVs, and we’ve experienced a prototype version in…

The Lexus LC500h 2+2 coupé will pioneer a new hybrid system when it goes on sale in mid-2017, promising to “deliver the sharpest and most refined drive yet from a full hybrid”. The so-called Lexus Multi Stage Hybrid System mates a 295bhp 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with a four-speed transmission and an electric motor that utilises a continuously variable transmission that can deliver six physical gearchange sensations to the driver. As such, the driver can ‘change’ gear 10 times, with the hybrid system matching itself with the engine revs to offer instant torque after each change. Officials admitted that a dual-clutch automatic set-up was considered, but the new system is far more compact and therefore lighter and easier to package into the LC500h. The gearchange times of the system are…

PEUGEOT’S 2008 SUV has been given a mid-life makeover ahead of a Geneva show debut and UK sales in the summer. The same engines as before are offered, but a new six-speed automatic transmission is available. There’s also a new range-topping trim, GT Line. Inside, available storage space has grown from a maximum of 1194 litres to 1400 litres. An additional 22 litres of space is under the boot floor. The 7.0in touchscreen system receives Apple CarPlay and MirrorLink functionality. Among the new technologies fitted to the facelifted 2008 are an autonomous emergency braking system and autonomous parking.…

There’s more body roll than you might expect, but it makes you think about how you drive it Mazda has a long history of churning out special editions of the MX-5, something that hasn’t changed with this fourth-generation car. This Sport Recaro variant is based on the 2.0-litre Sport Nav model, plus additional equipment and more aggressive looks. As you’ll guess from the name, it also contains a pair of Alcantaratrimmed Recaro sports seats with a matching trim panel on the dashboard. Alloy pedals and a Bose sound system round off the interior. The bigger changes come externally, though. They include new diamond-cut 17in alloy wheels, standard metallic paint, a bodykit in gloss black and a small spoiler on the bootlid. Although there are no mechanical changes, it has the…

The updated all-wheel-drive version of the popular Suzuki Swift supermini now features Dualjet technology on its 89bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine. However, going for this more efficient 1.2 with four-wheel drive restricts you to one trim: range-topping SZ4. The Dualjet engine sends its power to the wheels through a permanent four-wheel drive system, which can direct additional torque to the rear wheels when needed. It gets twin fuel injectors, which are positioned close to the engine inlet, allowing for better fuel optimisation. The changes improve fuel economy by 7.5mpg and reduce CO2 emissions to 111g/km, helping to drop the VED rating to band C. In an effort to set the 4x4 apart from its front-wheel-drive siblings, the ride height has been raised by 25mm. It also gets front and rear skid…

‘We’re virtually on our own at night. If there are any problems, we fix them’ It’s midnight at the oasis – the manufacturing bright spot that is JLR Halewood. Last year the plant produced 184,000 Range Rover Evoques and Land Rover Discovery Sports. Add production from the company’s other two manufacturing sites – Castle Bromwich and Solihull – and the combined figure of almost 490,000 was sufficient to make JLR the UK’s number one car producer in 2015. I’m working on the night shift, taking a break between sticking Range Rover badges on Evoques to ask my fellow line workers what it’s like toiling away at Halewood when much of the country is asleep. Not that you’d know it was midnight. For one thing, there are no windows in the…

On a drizzly winter’s evening, I injured the Honda Civic Type R’s driver’s side front wheel on a kerb. At home, in the cold light of the next day, I surveyed the damage: the impact had inflicted a small but unsightly buckle on the wheel and also put a graze in the tyre’s sidewall where it had pinched against the kerb. The Continental SportContact 6 had retained its pressure, but knowing that sidewall damage could be a deal-breaker for a tyre, I thought it best to get it checked out. So I called Thames Ditton Honda, our local dealer, which was able to fit me in that afternoon. They checked the tyre, wheel and suspension and gave everything a clean bill of health, explaining that the tyre graze wasn’t serious…

1 Aston Martin DB7 (1994-2004) An Aston Martin is a must-have for the fantasy lottery-winning garage of many people. To see why, you need only sample the sense of occasion and touch of class that a DB7 brings. The 3.2-litre straight six produces 335bhp, enables 0-60mph in 5.6sec and delivers a soundtrack to match. Grip levels are excellent, yet this is at heart a grand tourer with a silky smooth ride. Leather and wood set the cabin ambience and the front seats offer excellent comfort and support. However, the driving position is poor and space in the rear is tight. DB7 prices have been on the rise for a while now, but we found a 1998 model with less than 80,000 miles on the clock for just under £20k. 2…

‘ The entire front end is new but apes the look of historic Bentleys’ The Bentley Mulsanne line-up has been extended to four models as part of an extensive revamp of the range that will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show next month. The range now comprises updated versions of the standard Mulsanne and Mulsanne Speed, plus two new Mulsanne Extended-Wheelbase models, one with increased rear leg room and the other offering six seats in a four-up, face-to-face rear-seat configuration. The entire Mulsanne range has been facelifted with what its makers describe as a “fresh and modern” look and new chassis technology to deliver what is claimed to be “the world’s most refined ride”, as it moves to assert itself against flagship rivals ranging from the Rolls-Royce Phantom to…

Renault’s resurrected Alpine sports car brand has “millions of ideas” about how it can grow from a single model to a full range of cars in the future, according to Alpine managing director Michael van der Sande. But the ex-Bentley, Aston Martin and Tesla man said all the focus for now was on the launch of a production version of the Vision concept, which was revealed at an event in Monaco last week when more details of it were confirmed. It has a bespoke lightweight mid/rear-engined chassis designed and engineered by Renault Sport, as well as a bespoke engine and transmission, details of which no Alpine executive would confirm. There was no comment from van der Sande about whether or not the Alpine would be offered with a manual gearbox,…

The long-awaited Maserati Levante SUV has been revealed in official images as part of the build-up to a public unveiling at the Geneva motor show next week. Maserati has also confirmed technical information about the new model, which is based upon the platform that underpins the Ghibli and the Quattroporte. All versions of the Levante will feature sophisticated electronic suspension with controlled damping and adjustable air springs, Maserati’s Q4 all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission that has been calibrated specifically for the SUV. The Levante will be offered with a choice of petrol or diesel powerplants, Maserati has confirmed. Autocar understands a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine will be offered in two states of tune, with a Levante 350 capable of hitting 62mph from rest in 6.3sec on its…

VOLKSWAGEN HAS revealed a lightly facelifted version of the Up city car ahead of its Geneva motor show debut. Among the changes are a tweaked exterior, a wider range of colour schemes, revised interior trims, an extended range of customising options, new smartphone connectivity options and a new 89bhp turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. The new powerplant complements the existing naturally aspirated 1.0-litre triple. It delivers 89bhp and 118lb ft of torque at 1500rpm and will get the Up from 0-62mph in 10.0sec. Combined economy is 64mpg and CO2 emissions are 102g/km. The Up will continue to be offered with three and five-door bodystyles. The wider range of custom options include 13 body colours, nine exterior decals, three roof colours, 10 individual dashboard designs and a new ambient light option…

Hybrids can be a great tax wheeze if you’re a company car driver. Take this new BMW X5 xDrive40e: if you buy one of these instead of a diesel X5 30d, you’ll more than halve your company car tax bill, thanks to its tax rating of just 13% compared with 29% for the 30d. This is a plug-in hybrid, too, so after a three to four-hour charge – depending on whether you’re using a domestic plug or a proper charging station – the 9.0kWh battery will power the motor for up to 19 miles of silent all-electric running. That makes the school run considerably cheaper. What’s the catch? Well, BMW claims a combined economy figure of 85.6mpg for the 40e, but only someone wearing a lab coat and wielding an…

This was never supposed to get political, but it appears David Cameron has other ideas. On the day that we gather together the six hatchbacks that represent what’s left of the British volume car industry in 2016, the British prime minister comes on the radio to announce the particulars of the bones thrown to British voters in order to keep the UK inside the EU. They don’t sound like particularly juicy bones. That funny whistling noise must be the sound of Nigel Farage rubbing his hands together. The cars I’m looking at, collected in a gravel car park in rural Surrey, seem to me more like reasons to vote ‘in’ than ‘out’. Nissan Qashqai, Honda Civic, Mini Clubman, Vauxhall Astra, Toyota Auris and new Infiniti Q30: it’s easy to forget…

I cannot agree with John Impey (Your Views, 10 February) that electric vehicles are doomed to fail, but car manufacturers’ ambivalence towards pure electric technology is not helping persuade motorists to make the switch. VW may be developing a radical new EV to rebuild its reputation, but most car manufacturer efforts seem directed at plug-in variants of their mainstream models. These are mostly just heavy, complicated ‘tax specials’ that are delaying the take-up of electric cars. Matt Burt wrote that just 584 new EVs were registered in January, but plug-in hybrids sales at 1592 vehicles grew by more than twice that of EVs over the previous year — and that’s before the BMW 330e, the 2 Series Active Tourer PHEV and other plug-in hybrids appear on our roads. With a…

Mileage 12,495 Ford wants us to unlearn everything we know, both about it and the world in general, according to the latest advertising campaign. It’s all quite confusing, but apparently it’s a precursor to Ford of Europe’s latest strategy, which will bring more fast Fords and SUVs to its line-up over the next few years. So where does that leave the Focus? It’s got some life left in it for now, but we’re told there’s going to be at least one crossover-like spin-off spun off from it. So to prepare myself for the off-road onslaught, I took our conventional hatch into the wilds the other day — although not very far, and certainly not very fast. It was exactly the sort of gentle quarter-mile of unsurfaced track that I’m sure…

A Terios is small, light and nimble. They start at £500 for late 1990s ones So farewell, then, Land Rover Defender. You might be surprised that it was still clinging on to life. It drove like a pre-war lorry and it was always damp and smelly like a muddy retriever. That explains the love. But a Defender requires you to pay such a lot to look cool. That’s fine if you are an artisan jam maker, but if you want something that is going to be a proper worker, you’ll be stuck, surely. However, there are alternative, pre-abused, doppleganger Defenders. Exhibit A has to be Daihatsu, which has a couple of clear contenders for the Defender’s crown. The least preposterous are the long-deceased Fourtraks and Sportraks. Here are the most…

1 Skoda Yeti From £16,000 Almost a blueprint for crossover appeal: chunky looks, hatchback handling and compact MPV practicality. 2 Renault Captur From £14,000 The best of the B-segment crossovers, the Captur combines style, freshness and value in a versatile package. 3 Nissan Juke From £14,000 The Qashqai taught Nissan the value of being different; the Juke is its equally bold (if not quite as brilliant) follow-up. 4 Suzuki SX4 S-Cross From £14,000 Capable in most respects — being decent to look at, drive and sit in — with exceptional fuel economy as the kicker. 5 Dacia Duster From £10,000 Outstanding capability for the money. Better with all-wheel . , yes — a very way. Visit autocar.co.uk for all of our Top Fives…

McLaren’s 570S sports car has spawned a more practical and luxurious GT variant, with significant changes designed to make the car more road-biased and usable everyday. The new two-seat 570GT is the second of three models so far confirmed for McLaren’s entry-level Sports Series range; a convertible version is the other and is being prepared for 2017. The 570GT will reach the UK in July after a debut at the Geneva motor show. At the heart of the new 570GT is the same 562bhp twin-turbo 3.8-litre engine as in the 570S. The new car shares its front end and dihedral doors with the 570S on which it is based, but it gets a new roof and rear end, which features a new upper structure, spoiler and aerodynamic package. But the…

Kia has expanded its Optima range ahead of the Geneva motor show with the launch of a new estate model, the Optima Sportswagon (SW). This is the first time Kia has produced an estate car of this size and it is expected to outsell the Optima saloon by as much as six to one. The Optima SW will go on sale in the UK this autumn, priced from about £22,000, a few hundred pounds above the equivalent saloon. It will be offered with a choice of two engines in the UK. The range-topping GT will get a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine with 242bhp and 260lb ft. The GT also has electronically controlled adaptive suspension as standard, tuned specifically for European driving tastes. This is optional on the diesel version, which…

AUDI HAS GIVEN its long-running quattro permanent all-wheel drive system a major engineering overhaul as part of its new philosophy of using ‘predictive’ technology to reduce fuel consumption. The revised set-up is based on the original quattro system that uses longitudinally mounted engines. Audi engineers have fitted an electronic clutch to the rear of the gearbox to allow drive to the rear wheels to be disengaged in fractions of a second. In order to further reduce drag, a second electronic clutch is fitted to the rear differential, allowing the rear wheels to spin freely when disengaged rather than turning the propshaft and thereby causing mechanical drag and increasing fuel consumption. Audi claims this new quattro Ultra transmission will save an average of about 4mpg compared with today’s permanently engaged quattro…

You won’t find a Q-car that comes any more cloaked than this Skoda Superb 2.0 TSI 280 4x4. You’d need to be an MI6 recruit to spot the twin exhaust tailpipes poking out from beneath the rear bumper of Skoda’s big liftback – the only clues to its extra potency. That extra muscle comes courtesy of the 276bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine that once powered the Seat Leon Cupra 280, and it’s coupled to permanent four-wheel drive and a quick-shifting six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Those are handy attributes, because they pretty much guarantee no bogging down, flurries of wheelspin or fluffed gearchanges when you’re wiping the smiles off spotty-faced youths in hot hatches as you disappear away from the lights. For all but the exhaust, the 280 4x4 is identical,…

“ All you need you will find here.” No, I don’t suppose that’s usually a phrase you’d associate with Bedfordshire, but here we are, by the roadside in this noble county, discussing the finer points of vehicle ride and handling. The M1 drones in the distance. Woburn Safari Park is just down the road. It doesn’t feel like we’re in a European centre of ride and handling excellence, but don’t knock it. I’m here with Michael Harder, head of chassis development at Opel and Vauxhall. And he’s not taking the mickey. “It’s the combination of primary and secondary events,” he says – in other words, the hard time our rubbish roads give a car’s suspension – that makes the UK so invaluable to what he does. General Motors, parent company…

We’ve stopped gathering miles in our 12-plate Bentley Continental GT quite as quickly as we did in the first month — mainly because if we’d maintained January’s breakneck pace we’d have semi-circumnavigated the globe in the six months the car is supposed to be with us. Two and a half thousand miles every six weeks is perhaps a few too many for a low-miles, Pre-owned Bentley that will need to find another happy owner once we’ve enjoyed its company. Trouble is, Bentley owners are encouraged to use their cars a lot. I’m pretty sure there must be a dictionary somewhere that defines ‘Bentley’ as ‘mile-eater’, so completely do they combine effortless performance with refinement and a luxurious interior. It’s a philosophy that goes back nearly a century to WO himself.…

READER’S CAR: SUZUKI SWIFT SPORT Robert Pearson’s 2007 Suzuki Swift Sport has just passed 90,000 miles. “I purchased the car for £8800 when it was two years old with 26,500 miles on the clock,” says Robert. “Since buying it, I’ve had it serviced every year. For the past four years, I have had this undertaken at my local Suzuki dealership, as they are no more expensive than any of the good local garages and you get a dealer stamp. A typical service is £155 and the major service, of which there has been only one, was £525.” SEND YOUR BANGERNOMICS TALES TO JAMES Twitter: @Bangernomics Email: james@bangernomics.com WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK: PCPs PCPs are great, but they cost real money. I convinced a reader to go…

Ford Kuga Spring The Ford Kuga is due a facelift, and we’re confidently predicting it’ll arrive in March. Matching the updates seen on its US equivalent, the Escape, the 2016 car should get Ford’s latest infotainment technology and a tweaked exterior design. Price £19,995 (est) SPRING 2016 Abarth 595 facelift, Alpina B7, Ariel Nomad Supercharged, Audi S8 Plus, S4, RS6/RS7 Performance, R8 Spyder, SQ7, SQ5, BMW M2, M4 GTS, 225xe Active Tourer, 330e, 3 Series GT facelift, X4 M40i, Bugatti Chiron, Cadillac CT6, Chevrolet Camaro, Detroit Electric SP:01, Elemental RP1, Ferrari 488 Spider, Fiat Tipo, Ford Focus RS, Kuga, Ranger, Mustang, Infiniti Q30, Hyundai i20 Active, i20 1.0, Jaguar F-Pace, XE AWD, XF AWD, Kia Sportage, Optima, Kahn Speed 7, Koenigsegg Agera RS, Lamborghini Aventador SV Roadster, Huracán LP580-2, Huracán…

2 Mercedes-Benz S-Class From £66,000 Opulent, advanced, incredibly refined: the S-Class is the classic limo, expertly realised and utterly persuasive. 3 Range Rover From £73,000 Whether outside the Dorchester or atop Ben Nevis, the Rangie shrouds you in an invincible sense of expense. 3 Tesla Model S P85D From £68,000 Superior range doesn’t just make the Model S a standout electric car; it’s also one of the best luxury options around. 4 Jaguar XJ From £56,000 No other firm is currently mixing sportiness and aloofness with the skill of Jaguar. It makes the XJ a rare blend. 5 Audi A8 From £53,000 Doesn’t convince across the board, but there’s no denying the brand’s strengths make sense in its biggest saloon. Visit autocar.co.uk for all of our Top Fives…