Innholdsfortegnelse for 18/01/2017 i Autocar

THE TIPPING POINT where electric vehicles become a serious mainstream choice is fast approaching, according to Volkswagen sales boss Jürgen Stackmann. Speaking at the Detroit motor show, he said a combination of cool, desirable cars and a viable infrastructure would soon propel the technology into the mainstream. VW wants to sell a million EVs a year by 2025 — a target that Stackmann admitted seems optimistic when looked at today. The new family of EVs will be developed alongside VW’s existing range of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, and VW wants the million sales to be additional ones, not taken from its existing sales of internal-combustion-engined models, such as the new Golf. “One million, looked at today, is an optimistic view, but the view I have is very different,” Stackmann said.…

AN SUV CONCEPT will be launched at the Shanghai motor show in April as part of Volkswagen’s future family of electric vehicles, VW design chief Klaus Bischoff has hinted. Speaking at the debut of the VW ID Buzz concept at the Detroit motor show, Bischoff said: “Just because we haven’t shown a CUV [crossover] or SUV yet, it doesn’t mean we won’t do it.” VW’s new EV range will be launched in 2020 with an electric hatchback previewed by the ID concept from last year’s Paris motor show. With an electric SUV concept expected to be seen next, a saloon and possibly a sports car are set to follow. The ID Buzz previews an electric MPV inspired by the Microbus concept that will go into production in 2022, should a…

INFINITI BOSS ROLAND Krueger has confirmed that the QX50 SUV will be the first model to feature the brand’s innovative variable-compression petrol engine. “We have to look at technology for customers,” said Krueger. “This engine offers the performance of a V6 with the economy of a four-cylinder diesel.” Infiniti has been at a disadvantage in the UK, with many of its models being petrol-powered in a diesel-focused market, but the 270bhp VC-T 2.0-litre engine should help to alleviate that. The QX50, which was unveiled in concept form in Detroit, is due to go on sale in the US next year. It has been confirmed for Europe, including the UK, but an on-sale date has not yet been decided. The model will also introduce autonomous technology that will act as a…

and increases in angle to optimise aero efficiency. The wing also deploys to its most extreme angle as an air brake in less than half a second. The car’s cooling efficiency has also been improved by 15%, with increased airflow to the radiators through a new design of dihedral door. Adopting technology first seen on the P1, ducts within the door structures force air from the top of the doors down into the radiators and draw air out of the front wheel arches to create increased downforce. MCLAREN’S UPCOMING 650S replacement, codenamed P14, will be twice as aerodynamically efficient as the current car, according to the manufacturer. Product development boss Mark Vinnels said several aerodynamic technologies have contributed to the improvement, ensuring “outstanding levels of grip and stability”. An active…

The fallout from emissions scandals continued last week, with more evidence emerging about why and how Volkswagen deceived authorities — and US and French authorities suspecting Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Renault respectively of cheating diesel emissions tests (see separate story, below). Revelations about why Volkswagen cheated tests were formally submitted as a result of its plea bargain with the US authorities, in which it agreed to a ‘Statement of Facts’ that draws on the results of an investigation by law firm Jones Day, commissioned by Volkswagen. According to this document, the plan to cheat emissions legislation was born in 2006 when Volkswagen supervisors realised they couldn’t meet targets for an engine set to be launched in 2007. The ‘defeat device’ came from a system developed by Volkswagen subsidiary Audi, but…

“It shows good body control and plenty of adhesion as your speed increases” Now would have been a tricky time for a brand the size of Infiniti to introduce a medium-sized coupé to the UK car market even if it had been a brilliant one. The new Audi A5 is box fresh in showrooms and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé is still young enough to feel new. So it’s a really bad time to launch such an average two-door as this four-cylinder, lower-rung version of the new Q60. Despite being given a strong start in life by handsome exterior styling, this car fails both to match its key German rivals in most of the ways that matter and to endear itself to its driver enough to represent what might have been…

The past couple of years have been long ones in the world of plug-in hybrid executive cars. But now that they’ve survived the awkward years, when all they delivered was a gimmicky tax break to the occasional company boss who probably didn’t need one, these petrol-electric and diesel-electric curios have begun to mature more rapidly than a pubescent teenager after a hormone injection. These electrified hatchbacks, saloons, SUVs and estates are now numerous enough to be spotted on most UK motorway journeys, well known enough to make only slightly geeky dinner party conversation (which my salmon en croute more than makes up for, by the way) and cheap enough to make an appealing alternative to a higher-level conventional petrol or diesel-engined car. All they need to be now is ‘better’:…

1 THE REAL-WORLD ONE Chimaera A silly name for the closest thing to a sensible TVR you’ll find. A spacious body conceals a vast boot and exactly the same running gear as you’ll find in the Griffith. Low prices in the past mean many have not been maintained properly and plastic bodies are brilliant at concealing horrors. Check the chassis and suspension in particular. Fernhurst TVR’s Graham Munt says the 5.0-litre Chimaera is his favourite TVR. Plentiful supply means prices for a nice one start from £12,500. 2 THE 1980S THROWBACKS Tasmin, 350i, 420SEAC and all other Wedges As 1980s as Linda Evans’s shoulder pads, these TVRs need to be categorised as those made before and after Peter Wheeler’s arrival. Early cars, like the 2.0-litre four-cylinder Tasmin and even the…

“We racked up 2000 miles over the Christmas break without even thinking about it” To get to our new longterm Bentley Bentayga, which arrived about a month ago and now stands resplendent at the front of our family’s heated motor house, I have to walk past quite a varied array of motors. There’s the notional Mercedes-Benz estate we have for taking the dogs around, the notional Ferrari 458 I use for fun, the notional Mazda MX-5 I bought a couple of years ago for the kids to mess about with, and the notional Ford Ranger the gardener uses. The nanny has a notional Volkswagen Polo, of course, and over there against the pillar is my other Bentley, the notional Continental GT Speed I couldn’t bring myself to sell when the…

Photo shoots are part and parcel of being on our fleet. Our cars are shot in detail when they first arrive and again before they leave, and it’s a chance for us to catalogue everything about our new car. For the Niro, we decided to do part of the shoot outside, taking in the chilly winter air around our offices near Twickenham. But for the ‘detail’ pictures we moved to the security and warmth of our studio, where the car sat with its lights on and the ignition off for perhaps half an hour. And in the process we managed to completely flatten the 12V battery and leave the car stranded. I received a call from snapper Will Williams, initially to say that, having finished with the car, it was…

At my age, I’m not only losing my mind but also my car keys — often for days. I really wanted to give the Cooper a run, but I have only one key and couldn’t find it. So I used the bench grinder and a retired garage door key. It worked. Truth is, such is the extent of 53 years of wear and tear that you could turn the ignition barrel with a penknife. However (and this isn’t a challenge if you spot it in a car park), there are several other security devices fitted to the pocket-sized hot hatch.…

With a new model costing from £80,000, today’s 562bhp Nissan GT-R faces a fistful of rivals, at least on price. But how about a seven-year-old model touting 479bhp for £35,000? Alternatives that inspire the same shock and awe are thin on the ground, although you might consider a used Audi R8 of 2007 or a new Ford Mustang V8 GT. Only ‘might’, though. The fact is, the four-wheel-drive GT-R that was launched in Europe in 2009 – and subsequently lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7min 26.7sec – is rather different from these and most others. Every schoolkid knows the GT-R’s tyres are filled with nitrogen (assuming owners have resisted forecourt airlines) and its twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 is hand-built. Only the swot at the back of the class, however, can tell…

Porsche 718 Boxster From £39,600 Our idea of drop-top perfection is also an outstanding sporting two-seater. Exceptional to drive. Audi TT Roadster From £32,000 Plenty of pace and driver reward, along with Audi’s distinctive brand prestige and design-icon style. Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet   From £42,000 Genuine four-seat cabrios are rare birds — particularly when they’re as re›ined and sophisticated as this one. BMW 4 Series Convertible From £34,900 Mixes sporting driving dynamics with ›ine engines and usable back Folding metal roof provides security. Vauxhall Cascada From £24,500 Lacks a premium badge but little else. Competent, comfortable and not troubled by sporting ambition.…

“An integrated starter motor will allow VW to provide the Golf GTI with a boost function” The next-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI is set to adopt a mild hybrid powertrain that promises to boost performance and refinement while reducing fuel consumption and emissions compared with the recently facelifted current model. The adoption of an advanced 48V electrical system and integrated starter motor on the new hot hatchback is part of a powertrain overhaul that will be reflected across the whole Mk8 Golf line-up. The changes are also set to make the new model the most powerful series-production Golf GTI yet. Although the new Golf GTI is still three years away from its introduction, sources close to Volkswagen research and development boss Frank Welsch have revealed that the initial performance targets point…

Lexus expects the new, fifth-generation LS to “reset the luxury benchmark in the same way the original LS did in 1989”. The new LS, a rival to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, is based on a version of the GA-L platform, which underpins the well-received LC500. For the LS, the wheelbase has been extended from 2870mm to 3125mm. The new saloon is front engined and rear-wheel drive, with four-wheel drive available as an option. It has been six years in development. Lexus has put an emphasis on driver engagement. It claims the LS is endowed with “precise handling and direct steering”, thanks to its lighter platform, a new engine mounted lower in the car’s nose and enhanced body rigidity. A new twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 engine “with the performance of rivals’ V8 engines”…

Kia is already planning to expand the choice of powerplants in its new Stinger sports saloon beyond the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.3-litre V6 petrol units that the car was introduced with in Detroit. Diesel power has been confirmed for Europe and part or even fully electric options are likely to follow soon after. The range-topping GT and its 360bhp V6 have grabbed the headlines — not least for being more powerful than an Audi S4. However, Kia acknowledges that the GT will probably be of limited interest in CO2-focused European markets. The company’s performance boss, Albert Biermann, has previously confirmed to Autocar that the Stinger will also get a diesel option. Insiders have indicated that a diesel Stinger will be formally launched at the Geneva motor show in March…

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled plans to expand its line-up of compact cars from five to eight models by the end of 2020. The range will include an Audi A3 Saloon-rivalling four-door and be based on a new modular platform that is set to appear on the fourth-gen A-Class, which is due next year. Also under development is a new compact SUV. It will be positioned above the GLA, which was unveiled in facelifted form in Detroit, and is likely to be called GLB. The Audi Q3 and BMW X1 rival will come in five and seven-seat forms.…

CHINESE BRAND GAC Motors revealed an SUV, a hybrid crossover and an electric hatchback at the Detroit motor show, alongside plans to enter the US market by 2020. The mid-size GS7 SUV is described by the state-owned car maker as being production ready and will go on sale in China this year, most likely with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Also revealed was the Enspirit, an SUV-coupé with a BMW X6-like roofline and hybrid power. It features an extensive list of connectivity features and is also said to be close to production. GAC’s third unveiling, the GE3 fully electric hatchback, features a cleaner design than the GS7 and Enspirit. The battery-powered five-door concept’s powertrain is said to preview those of GAC’s upcoming models. The brand also showed a hybrid…

With the brains and brawn of Nissan behind it, Infiniti has always had the potential to be a class-leading manufacturer. However, despite maintaining its presence in the UK for more than eight years, Infiniti has failed to make an impact in the premium sector. Nissan’s luxury sub-brand has long been in need of something special to lure buyers away from its European rivals. And that something, Infiniti hopes, could be its new range-topping Q50 3.0T. The car gets off to a positive start, thanks to some handsome exterior styling. The gaping grille and swooping lines won’t be to all tastes, but it’s undoubtedly striking. Under the bonnet sits an all-new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6, delivering 395bhp at 6400rpm and 350lb ft of torque between 1600rpm and 5200rpm. As tested here, power…

“I want to fight for the title. I feel at the top of my game now” Kris Meeke is a patient man. Just as well, really. The opportunity for which he’s waited 16 years has finally arrived. The Northern Irishman may have been born into a rallying family – Meeke’s father, Sydney, ran cars for numerous Irish rallying heroes – but it took him until he was 21 before he finally got behind the wheel competitively. His debut came on a notoriously difficult event using the same roads as Wales Rally GB. The result? He won his class by more than four minutes. Since then he’s been waiting for this day. This moment. His moment. Just over 12 months ago Meeke woke to find a dawn that wasn’t false. Finally…

I liked Steve Cropley’s comment about the early Land Rover Discovery’s steel wheels (My Week in Cars, 4 January). It raises a more serious question about why nearly all new cars have alloys. As Steve points out, steels are durable, cheap and good looking. They’re also lighter and easier to clean than some of the fussy alloys. There has to be an opportunity to use more steels, particularly on SUVs and crossovers. The initial investment in a steel wheel is greater than for an alloy, but SUV/crossover volumes are surely large enough to mitigate that in fairly short order. Chris Dewing Via email WIN Letter of the week wins this ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £58.95…

Those who read my previous update on the DS 3 (4 January) might recall that the car had grown sickly. The Robins & Day London West dealership found that a turbocharger electrovalve and air flow meter fault was causing a loss of power. That’s not something you expect of a new car, but to DS’s credit, a courtesy car was provided and new parts were sourced and fitted within a couple of weeks, all under warranty. With the car back in our hands, I figured the best place to check whether the problem had been rectified was on a circuit, so off we headed to the challenging Bedford Autodrome for a track day. Sitting in the pitlane, faced with a queue of sports cars, supercars and mega-hatches – including our…

Sometimes it’s nice to catch up with old friends, so here’s a car we met last year: the mega-mileage Ford Mondeo Estate of John Woodhead. “It’s still going strong, still on the original clutch and has just — as in today — gone over 300,000 miles,” says John, showing that if you use a car regularly, don’t allow it to cool down very much, keep it serviced and drive it sympathetically, it may just last forever. SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO james@bangernomics.com…

An expert’s view IAN LITCHFIELD, LITCHFIELD “The GT-R’s engine is so strong we warrant it at 750bhp without any internal strengthening. Equally as strong are residual values, partly because Nissan keeps raising the new prices. The GT-R was £53,000; today, prices start at £80,000, and at heart it’s the same car. Each time Nissan launches a new one, it gives used ones an extra boost. You just can’t buy another supercar for the money that’s as usable or tunable. But they are expensive to run, so just as the performance isn’t for the fainthearted, neither are the bills.” Buyer beware • ENGINE Chains can stretch, causing tensioner wear, and should be replaced at around 70,000 miles. It’s a £2k engine-out job. Noises from bell housing could be flywheel shaft bearings.…

STAR RATINGS EXPLAINED 0-20% Inherently dangerous/ unsafe.Tragically, irredeemably flawed. 20-35% Appalling. Massively significant failings. 35-50% Very poor. Fails to meet any accepted class boundaries. 50-60% Poor. Within acceptable class boundaries in a few areas. Still not recommendable. 60-65% Off the pace. Below average in nearly all areas. 5-70% Acceptable. About average in key areas, but disappoints. 70-75% Competent. Above average in some areas, average in others. Outstanding in none. 75-80% Good. Competitive in key areas. 80-85% Very good. Very competitive in key areas, competitive in secondary respects. 85-92% Excellent. Near class leading in key areas, and in some ways outstanding. >93% Brilliant, unsurpassed. All but flawless.…

Porsche 911 GT3 RS From £131,000 Proof that Porsche hasn’t forgotten how to do on-limit nuttiness when the occasion demands it. Ferrari 458 Speciale From £208,000 Huge premium means it can’t overcome the GT3, but that doesn’t stand between it and greatness. Fabulous. McLaren 675 LT From £260,000 Limited-run supercar brings out the very best in the Sports Series and has the punch to match its price. Magic. Lamborghini Aventador SV From £315,000 It’s taken 740bhp to do it, but the four-wheel-drive Aventador is now a proper Lamborghini in the old-school mould. Lotus Exige S From £53,000 Only fantasy machines of a rare and expensive calibre are capable of seeing off the Lotus. It’s that good.…

The Audi Q8 flagship SUV is set to make production next year practically unchanged from the dramatic concept unveiled at the Detroit motor show. The model introduces Audi’s new design language, elements of which will filter down through the rest of the range and finally address the widespread view that many of the firm’s models have looked too similar for too long. The new styling approach is the work of design boss Marc Lichte, who joined Audi in 2014. “This is very close to the production car,” said Audi’s sales and marketing boss, Dietmar Voggenreiter. “It will come next year. This is not just a concept car.” Voggenreiter believes the Q8, which is based on the Q7, has created its own segment as a “sporty, coupé-like SUV” and will bring…

Vauxhall has revealed its new Crossland X baby SUV, which sits alongside the existing Mokka X in the firm’s line-up. With dimensions similar to those of the Mokka X, the front-wheel-drive Crossland X is targeted at families, while the Mokka X, which is available with four-wheel drive, is intended for those with more active lifestyles. The rival for the Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur will go on sale in June and is expected to undercut the price of the Mokka X, which starts at £17,590. Both models will be joined in the autumn by a third SUV, the Grandland X. The Crossland X is 4212mm long, 1764mm wide and 1588mm high, compared with the Mokka X’s 4275mm, 1781mm and 1658mm. Despite being slightly smaller than the Mokka X, the Crossland…

FIAT CHRYSLER Automobiles (FCA) has been accused by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of using emissions cheating software. More than 700,000 vehicles in Europe and the US could have the software. It is understood to have been fitted since 2014 to FCA’s 3.0-litre diesel, which is used in models such as the Dodge Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee. FCA said: “FCA US looks forward to the opportunity to meet with the EPA’s enforcement division to demonstrate that its emissions control strategies are properly justified and thus are not ‘defeat devices’ under applicable regulations, and to resolve this matter expeditiously.” In the UK, the Department for Transport has asked the EPA for details on the claims. Meanwhile, Renault is being investigated by the French government following possible claims that…

“It corners with good grip, crisp chassis response and fine body contol” Do not adjust your sets, ladies and gentlemen: it really does say ‘Micra’ on the bootlid of the bold and alluringly styled hatchback you’re looking at. It’s hard to believe, partly because ‘daring looks’ haven’t ranked among the strengths of this supermini during its 30 years on sale. The fourth-generation car now being ushered into the waste paper basket of automotive history was singularly undesirable and execrably bad to drive. The new one is anything but. That much we already know after a lengthy drive in a Micra prototype late last year. Now comes the chance to drive the finished car, which is set to arrive in UK showrooms in March. The new, fifth-generation Micra is built on…

MODEL TESTED 1.6 BLUEHDI 120 GT LINE Price £27,345 Power 118bhp Torque 221lb ft 0-60mph 12.0sec 30-70mph in fourth 14.8sec Fuel economy 41.6mpg CO2 emissions 104g/km 70-0mph 52.9m WE LIKE Fresh, stylish exterior and interior design Generous equipment level Impressive material quality WE DON’T LIKE Contrived, unintuitive handling Slightly noisy, mediocre engine Not as roomy or rugged as rivals The new Peugeot 3008 is a different kind of car from the one that took its maker into the crossover niche eight years ago. Having been designed before the stylistic norms of the growing market segment had set hard and fast, the original 3008 was very much a hatchback with a sprinkling of SUV about it. Some thought it weird, others a bit ugly – but we always quite liked it.…

“The Griffith was the ultimate development of a charmingly simple philosophy” To drive a TVR Griffith today is to experience that moment in your time machine when your hand slips on the lever and accidentally transports you back farther than you intended to go. I know this car was built this century and, from its number plate, so do you. But that’s not how it feels. It doesn’t even feel like a child of the late 20th century, despite its design dating from the early 1990s. The ’80s? Nope. The ’70s, then? Try again. This car might have the look and performance of a reasonably recent sports car, but its heart and soul seem to have been wrought in the 1960s. So why didn’t we say so at the time?…

Sébastien Ogier will still be wearing blue this year — just a different shade. Volkswagen’s WRC departure forced the champ’s move to top Brit team M-Sport, where he will defend his title at the wheel of one of the Cumbrian firm’s Ford Fiesta WRCs. Japanese giant Toyota returns to world rallying for the first time since it departed for an ultimately fruitless F1 effort in 1999. Volkswagen refugee Jari-Matti Latvala leads a Tommi Makinen-run team using Yaris WRCs this season. Corsica’s move from October to April is the only calendar change for this season. Last season’s Chinese round, which was cancelled at the last minute, won’t be coming back in 2017. On the upside, Red Bull TV is stepping up its coverage on all of its platforms. WRC cars will…

COMPARISON Porsche Panamera vs rivals Luxury GT goes into battle against BMW M6 Competition and Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupé BUYING USED Mercedes-Benz CL500 How to acquire a classy rival to Bentley’s and Aston Martin’s GTs ROAD TEST Renault Grand Scenic Eight-page assessment of the new family-friendly MPV/SUV crossover LONG DRIVE Remembering Bruce McLaren In the wheel tracks of the Kiwi legend, in his birthplace and driving cars bearing his name SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p34…

WITH 17,500 MILES on the clock and the end of our 12-month stint with the Astra approaching, I’d been wondering whether the car would need a service before it had to go. The handbook says the initial dealer visit is due at 20,000 miles, so I was a little surprised to see a message on the instrument display demanding an oil change some 2500 miles early. Anyway, I booked the Astra in at the Vauxhall dealership in Richmond, and as expected it came through with a clean bill of health. The dealer also took the opportunity to carry out some updates, including tweaks to the headlight and engine software, while the Astra was up on the ramp. While awaiting a phone call to confirm that the car was ready, I…

Luxury saloon with a potent motor Here you go: an Audi S8 quattro — a luxury performance saloon with a V10 engine and all the power you will probably never need or get to use, plus all the toys you probably will. It has covered 84,000 miles and has been recently detailed, so there won’t be any unsightly scratches. Even a private S8 plate is thrown in for your £18,999. Live the American drop-top dream There I was, looking at the new, easy-on-the-eye Camaro, and this 52,000-mile, 2002 Camaro Z28 convertible popped up at £7999. Another eye-catcher is the fact that it’s been reduced in price by a grand. The Z28 designation means it has a Corvette LS1 engine, so it’s good for 170mph, apparently, and you can drop the…

“Treat it with delicacy, feeding the power in, and it rewards you” In the 1990s, if you owned a Peugeot 205 GTi and you wanted more power, there was only one solution: get hold of a crashed Peugeot 405 Mi16 or a daggy Citroën BX 16v and rob it of its engine to insert into your pride and joy. Peugeot never made an official 205 Mi16 – although it came close with the Europe-only 309 Mi16 – but the combination of the company’s flagship 16v engine and the bombastic pocket rocket seemed perfectly natural. So much so that, today, Peugeot’s own 205 GTi, kept for special occasions and to lend to jammy gi… ahem, that is, journalists such as your humble correspondent, houses an Mi16 engine in its stubby snout.…

BMW i3 From £26,000 An electri›ied statement of intent. With a generous budget and modest miles in mind, the i3 is simply unbeatable. Audi A3 Sportback From £19,200 Outstanding cabin quality, peppy engines and low ownership costs make it eerily good for uninterested drivers Volvo V40 From £19,200 No, the V40 isn’t perfect, but it’s handsome, brilliantly well packaged and different — rare commodities. Mini Clubman From £20,000 Cheery Mini takes the brand into mainstream territory. Not as rounded as some, but usable and likeable. BMW 1 Series From £20,200 It looks desperate from certain angles, but the BMW is still a sure bet. Arguably offers the most sporting drive.…