Innholdsfortegnelse for 01/02/2017 i Autocar

The second-generation Range Rover Evoque will be built on a new, larger vehicle platform when it arrives next year, as shown by spy pictures of a development mule running with wider tracks. The Range Rover Evoque Mk2 is expected to appear in the second half of 2018, seven years after the first version of the strong-selling luxury crossover was launched. The look of the next Evoque is expected to subtly evolve from that of the current model, with the most significant changes occurring under the bonnet and inside the cabin. The enlarged structure will provide occupants with more shoulder room and all-round space, although leg room will be much the same, because the car’s 2660mm wheelbase will remain unchanged. A redesigned and more compact trailing arm suspension set-up will be…

THE FORD MUSTANG has been awarded just two stars out of five by Euro NCAP in its crash safety tests. The result marks the first time a model from a prominent manufacturer has received such a low rating since 2008. The iconic car performed poorly in a frontal offset test, which is designed to emulate an impact with an oncoming vehicle. Euro NCAP, which assessed the Mustang 5.0 GT coupé, described the driver and passenger airbags as “inflating insufficiently to properly restrain occupants”. In a full-width frontal test, a crash test dummy in the back seat of the Ford slid under its seatbelt after belt pre-tensioners and load limiters failed to work effectively. In a side impact test, a child-sized dummy hit its head on interior trim because the curtain…

If this new Lamborghini Aventador S has a job to do – over and above the usual one of providing the most attention-seeking and dramatic way of getting from A to B – it is to prove to the world that Sant’Agata’s ‘super sports car’ can be as much about substance as it is style. The original Aventador LP700-4 remains a spectacular-looking supercar, underpinned with a genuinely impressive pushrod-suspended, carbonfibre chassis and a thumping 690bhp naturally aspirated 6.5-litre V12. No mistake, the Aventador is the ‘proper’ Lamborghini for those who consider the Huracán merely an Audi R8 in Italian designer clothes. But for all the rebellious, hairy-chested tradition drawn from the Miura, Countach, Diablo and Murciélago, the Aventador has been accused of being somewhat dumbed down in the driving stakes.…

Ever since Jaguar Land Rover opened its Special Vehicle Operations division a couple of years back, it has been obvious that a performance Range Rover was high on its agenda. The question was, how hot would it be? Now the question has been answered, and the clue is in the name. The £132,800 Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic holds short of using the full SVR title and keeps the name of its luxurious offshoot, the SVAutobiography. From now on, there are two models on top of the Range Rover heap: the long-wheelbase SVAutobiography and this short-wheelbase, more powerful SVAutobiography Dynamic. The new model, available for order now, starts life at Solihull but diverts to the new SVO plant at Oxford Road, near Coventry, for paint and special fettling. It uses the…

MODEL TESTED 4S DIESEL Price £91,788 Power 416bhp Torque 627lb ft 0-60mph 4.1sec 30-70mph in fourth 4.9sec Fuel economy 31.6mpg CO2 emissions 176g/km 70-0mph 48.6m By 2009 Porsche had well established the idea of its badge appearing on the prow of a five-door model Seven years of the Cayenne had left an indelible mark on the brand; if the conditions were right, it was capable of anything, no matter what tradition had previously dictated. Yet the appearance of a saloon was almost as controversial. Porsche had pondered the idea for decades, even creating an ill-fated 989 prototype in the late 1980s, but the idea was greeted as a misshapen spanner in the internal machinery of the world’s most renowned sports car maker. The look didn’t help. The Panamera’s Porsche design…

Hot crossovers are very much in their fledgling stage, with manufacturers wanting to see demand before committing to models. But a wave of new examples is on the way, to increase competition and, hopefully, quality. A new Nissan Juke later this year should also bring a revised — and improved — Nismo RS. Might we even see Nissan update its brutish 600bhp Juke-R 2.0? We know a 228bhp John Cooper Works version of the Mini Countryman will arrive this year, but just slapping a JCW badge on a Mini doesn’t make it good. See the Clubman JCW for evidence. Renault Sport is believed to be mulling over development of hot Captur and Kadjar variants, and GTi models of the Peugeot 2008 and 3008 could yet materialise. Perhaps the best hope…

“In essence, the Mirai is a simple, quiet, ultra-refined, gearless but very torquey car” It’s weird how differently people react to the promise of hydrogen fuel cell cars – such as the 3000-mile white Toyota Mirai that joined our long-term test fleet a week or two ago and will be around for the next six months. When, at a recent gathering, I mentioned to a few people that my odd-looking Toyota was powered by hydrogen and would travel through its entire life without emitting a solitary atom of noxious exhaust gas, one group fastened instantly onto the relatively pedestrian fact that filling stations are rare within the London area. They dissolved into laughter and dismissed the whole idea. The others were quite different. For them, it was as if the…

It was a stray dog hair in the cabin that made me realise the XF had been put to good use over the festive period. As Autocar wound down for Christmas, I’d handed the key to our resident road test elf, Alan Taylor-Jones, who needed a comfortable car in which to transport his family – including Sprocket the dog – around the country. As payback, Alan agreed to deliver some observations on the XF, and I’m pleased that he returned as impressed as I have been with the XF’s ability as a comfortable consumer of miles, bar a couple of minor quibbles. I agree with him that the “engine is quite gruff when cold but very refined when cruising”. The arrival of colder weather has highlighted some diesel chatter, although…

All it took was a bit of bad weather to show up just how marginal the wipers on the X5 had become. The very important driver’s side was actually fine, but the passenger’s side left large marks. So a trip to the local factors was needed. My daughter, who can fit wipers faster than anyone in history, prefers branded Bosch items to the cheaper (by £1) ones. Who am I to argue? It’s always best practice to change all the wipers at once, so that’s what we did. So far they haven’t flown off, so we, or rather she, must have done something properly.…

Surely the E46-generation BMW M3 of 2000 to 2006 is what dreams are made of. If not, it can only be that your thoughts are turning to its lightweight CSL (launched in 2003) and CS (2005) derivatives. The E46 M3 was first launched in coupé form, the convertible following a few months later. With the roof down, the latter is a high-performance tanning salon that is less rewarding to drive than the coupé. For this reason, we’ll put it to one side, but if you must have one, there are loads in the classifieds. So back to the main event. The coupé was powered by a 3.2-litre straight six making 338bhp at a high 7900rpm and 269lb ft at 4900rpm. In these days of turbocharged petrol engines producing diesel-like surges…

1 Jaguar XE From £27,000 Jaguar has made the XE class-leading the old-fashioned way. A steadfast focus on the driver makes it irresistible. 2 BMW 3 Series From £24,300 Still one of the ›inest all-round prospects currently on sale and almost certainly the best 3 Series yet. Splendid. 3 Audi A4 From £25,900 Trails behind its rivals, and is still ordinary to drive. But certainly a smarter and better way to travel than before. 4 Mercedes-Benz C-Class From £25,000 Still doing things its own way. Has an upmarket and stately way of working itself under your skin. A clever car. 5 Audi A3 Saloon From £23,300 Unexpectedly good to drive and with an upmarket cabin, this is a ›ine alternative to the A4 — if a bit shy on space.…

MASERATI GHIBLI | JULY Maserati’s sports saloon has been on sale since 2013 and a refresh is imminent. It will include optional Luxury and Sport packages, the former offering finer leather and new interior trims, the latter featuring adaptive suspension and shift paddles. An updated infotainment system will get a rotary dial controller and the ability to mirror a smartphone. Pricefrom £50,000 FEBRUARY BMW 5 Series, Dacia Duster update, Isuzu D-Max update, Kia Rio, Land Rover Discovery, Mini Countryman, Peugeot 5008, Seat Leon, Volvo S90 R-Design, V90 R-Design, V90 Cross Country MARCH AC Cobra 378, Atalanta sports car, BMW 670Li xDrive update, Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T, Honda Civic, Hyundai i30, Jaguar F-Type update, F-Type 400 Sport, Nissan Micra, Renault Captur update, Seat Leon Cupra R, Skoda Octavia, Toyota Prius Plug-in…

“This model is intended to fill the gap for buyers looking to pay £60k for a sporting luxury SUV” Land Rover is poised to unveil the most radical-looking Range Rover in history: a mid-sized SUV-coupé designed to lay down the toughest challenge yet to Porsche’s all-conquering Macan and rivals such as the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. The new model, which imaginatively revives the Velar name used on original secret Range Rover prototypes in the late 1960s, is designed to plug the price gap between the £40,000 Evoque and the £80,000 Range Rover Sport. Due for official launch at the Geneva motor show in three weeks’ time, the Velar (whose name means ‘veil’ or ‘cover’ in Italian) will be built alongside the Range Rover Sport and Jaguar F-Pace in…

“The all-new Ibiza is likely to be priced from £13,000, narrowly undercutting the Fiesta” The latest Seat Ibiza is the first car to be built on a new platform that’s crucial to the success of future Volkswagen Group superminis and small SUVs. For its fifth generation, the Ibiza gains a new design, a roomier interior and more kit to take the fight to tough supermini rivals such as the Volkswagen Polo, Vauxhall Corsa and recently revealed new Ford Fiesta. The all-new Ibiza is likely to be priced from around £13,000, which would narrowly undercut the Fiesta’s expected starting price, and UK sales will start in May, with showroom arrivals slated for July. The Ibiza was the best-seller in Seat’s range until very recently, when it was overtaken by the new…

BMW expects a breakthrough in battery technology in 2026, by which time it plans to have solid-state batteries ready for production in its models. The batteries will use lithium ion technology but swap liquid electrolytes for solid ones, with initial targets being for a 15-20% increase in capacity. Other benefits include less weight and a reduction in the amount of safety protection needed due to the reduced fire risk. This also allows for the packaging and housing of the batteries to be revisited. The batteries are in development but 10 years away from production, with longterm durability testing cited as a key reason for the delay. The next development in the refinement of BMW’s existing battery technology will arrive in 2018 in time for the launch of the Mini Cooper…

BMW’s most practical estate yet, the new 5 Series Touring, is larger and more spacious than its predecessor, but around 100kg lighter. The car has been revealed in pictures ahead of its debut at the Geneva motor show next month. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate and Audi A6 Avant rival is 36mm longer, 8mm wider and 10mm taller than the outgoing 5 Series Touring and sits on a 7mm longer wheelbase. The increased dimensions mean passengers benefit from more head, shoulder and leg room. BMW says the new model has enough space for three child seats to be fitted across the rear bench. The new 5 Series Touring’s boot has a 570-litre capacity with the rear seats up and 1700 litres with the seats folded, increases of 10 and 30 litres…

Mercedes-Benz has previewed the look of its next generation of compact cars with a conceptual sculpture dubbed Aesthetics A. The styling will be adopted by up to eight new models over the next three years, including replacements for the A and B-Class and successors to the CLA and GLA. Aesthetics A sports a much smoother look with largely unadorned surfacing and fuller forms. It also previews a new A-Class saloon based on a heavily updated version of Mercedes-Benz’s MFA platform.…

CAR MANUFACTURING IN the UK was more productive in 2016 than at any time in the past 17 years — and despite some industry uncertainty over Brexit, output is tipped to keep rising and hit an all-time high before 2020, according to car industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Revealing the full year’s figures, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said car production from 15 UK manufacturers rose 8.5% to 1,722,698 units, the highest total since 1999. He described the industry as “in rude health” and predicted the all-time record of 1.92 million cars, set in 1972, would soon be beaten. Of the 2016 total, 1,354,216 cars (about 80%) were exported, a figure that broke last year’s record and made car manufacture one of the country’s largest…

They know how to do it, don’t they? There’s a reason the greatest sports car of all time is also one of the most successful sports cars of all time. Beyond the fact that it’s the greatest, they give you options. Go to the Porsche website and you’ll currently find 19 variants of the 911 on offer, even though the range is currently without a GT3/RS model. From the base Carrera 2 through to the Turbo S Cabriolet, Porsche is the master at making a 911 for everyone. Well, not quite everyone, because even the cheapest one is £76,000, but you know what I mean. With some sports cars/junior supercars, you might get two or three, or four or five, even seven or eight flavours. Nineteen means that, if one…

“The ASX is unremarkable to drive, but it is predictable, safe and comfortable” The Mitsubishi ASX was the Japanese manufacturer’s first foray into the lucrative crossover segment in 2010, but it’s yet to be the sales hit Mitsubishi hoped it would be. It has been left trailing its rivals, due to, among other things, a bland interior, unrefined engines and a price rise in the UK prompted by an unexpectedly strong yen. In a bid to remedy all of that, the ASX has been updated for 2017. Among the changes is a new-look front end, which adds the latest ‘Dynamic Shield’ styling to the ASX, bringing it into line with the larger Outlander. Certain trim levels also get more kit, and the revised car is offered with a new 1.6-litre…

The Panamera has always had its detractors. Those who hated the way the last car looked won’t be greatly reassured by the new one. There will also be those who still can’t accept that a four-door pseudo-saloon belongs at the summit of Porsche’s model hierarchy, in the place once taken by the elegant 928 coupé. Such grumblings aren’t unheard of even among Autocar road testers. But the new Panamera’s success is in its ability to wipe away any reservations about what it is via the sheer breadth and brilliance of all it does. In the 4S Diesel in particular, Weissach has a car that’s astonishingly complete for a modern GT. Fast, tactile, smooth, easy to drive, poised, engaging, comfortable, spacious and long-legged, its versatility is incredible. Our final rating doesn’t…

“There was a good side to Bernie, but it was well hidden. To him it was a weakness” Bernie Ecclestone was never going to leave Formula 1 gracefully, so he had to be nudged towards the door marked Exit. That was his character and, even at 86, he was still motivated, even if he probably should have gone sooner. He had no real desire to change. He wanted to go on doing deals, as he has always done. It was not about the money – that was just the way of keeping score. It was about getting someone to agree to what he wanted. It was all about winning, and Ecclestone always needed to win. The only question to him was the scale of the victory. With F1, he had…

For those spluttering into their cornflakes about the idea of a diesel-powered Bentley SUV, what about an Aston Martin, a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce, even? All are on their way, so the Bentayga needs to enjoy itself on top of the luxury SUV tree while it can. Others are taking aim, as you read. But why? At its simplest, it’s because people like SUVs. They like a driving position that allows them to see over traffic and the largely bogus but still keenly felt sense of security SUVs offer. They like the adventurous image and, at some primal level, the fact that SUVs allow us to look down on everyone else. It works at Range Rover Evoque level, even at Nissan Qashqai level, so why not in the rarefied air above…

Having established within our first few hundred miles that our new Bentley Bentayga is fine for every mode of motoring (except perhaps for cramming into supermarket car parks), I spent a lot of time investigating its popular appeal over the Christmas break by toting different groups of passengers to and from festive fixtures. It proved very instructive. Everyone who travelled in it remarked on two things: the way the 6.0-litre W12 engine is so refined as to be almost noiseless even at brisk speeds; and the supreme rear-seat comfort. It’s absolutely vital that our £197,000 SUV should get the popular nod on rear-seat comfort: the model is already being extensively used by Bentley Motors itself for chauffeuring top people and, even more importantly, most of its Far Eastern owners –…

Keith Sale has a 70,000-mile, 2005 Peugeot 206 SW 1.4 petrol that he bought for £2250. “It’s in excellent condition,” he says. “For three years it has been serviced regularly, plus six-monthly oil and filter changes. I replaced the exhaust, one tyre, the front brakes, battery, side-light bulb and wipers. It’s great for carrying big items and has never broken down. I would say it’s the best car I’ve owned.” SEND YOUR USED CAR TALES TO james@bangernomics.com…

FORD HAS CONFIRMED its GT supercar produces 647bhp and 550lb ft, enabling it to reach a top speed of 216mph. That makes this the fastest Ford yet. Its turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 generates 90% of its peak torque from 3500rpm. The GT weighs 1361kg, which gives it a power to-weight ratio of 475bhp per tonne. That’s 20bhp per tonne more than a Ferrari 488 GTB. Ford claims the GT is quicker around Canada’s Calabogie Motorsports Park race track than the 510bhp-per-tonne McLaren 675LT and the now discontinued 435bhp-pertonne Ferrari 458 Speciale. Ford quotes a 2min 9.8sec lap time for the GT. That’s faster than the times it recorded for the McLaren (by 1.0sec) and the Ferrari (by 3.1sec). Ford attributes much of this pace to the supercar’s active aerodynamic and suspension…

MERCEDES-BENZ HAS offered a first glimpse of its new E-Class Cabriolet. The luxury drop-top, which has been revealed in preproduction form and is due on sale later this year, inherits the improved cabin space, updated infotainment and revised driver assist modes of its E-Class Coupé sibling. The four-seat cabriolet features an electric folding soft-top that can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds. As with the coupé, power will come from a choice of turbocharged four and six-cylinder engines. These will range from a 2.0-litre diesel in the entry-level E220d Cabriolet to a 3.0-litre V6 petrol with 328bhp in the E400 Cabriolet. All engines are mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox, while the range-topping E400 gets 4Matic four-wheel drive as standard. An AMG E50 Cabriolet 4Matic will be launched later,…

President Donald Trump looks set to pull the plug on plans for “onerous” US fuel economy laws as his administration embarks on its promised ‘business first’ policy drive and seeks to massively reduce the number of regulations in US law. Changes to existing legislation could also cause California to lose its independent control of CO2 emissions and, with it, its ambitious regulations to increase electric vehicle sales. In the last days of President Obama’s administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rushed out a ‘finalised’ plan to require car makers to achieve an average of 65.5mpg (UK gallons) under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations by 2025. However, Trump looks set to remove control of CO2 emissions from the EPA. In a press release last week, the Trump administration said…

”It is a Turbo with every undesirable trait removed” ANY STUDENT OF the enduringly iconoclastic rear-engined, flat six route to getting the job done will know by rote the mantra that says less is more — that Porsche designs each version around a core model, with everything else spun off around it. Think The Sarah Jane Adventures, Knots Landing, The Green Green Grass of Home. Dr Who, Dallas and Delboy they were not. So the fact that this entirely unadorned, rear-drive manual GTS coupé is also the best GTS is not what I’d call news. There’s more here than that, for this is a different kind of 911. Whereas other GTSs perform splendidly their role of standard 911 turned up to 11, this lightest, simplest, most engaging 911 reaches up…

This new V90 model follows a legacy of other Cross Country Volvos that dates back to the launch of the original V70 XC in 1997. Conceived to bridge a gap between a load-hauling estate and a high-riding SUV, the V70 XC proved surprisingly popular with buyers in North America and Europe, thanks to its rugged yet understated looks and unshakable all-weather ability. In fact, Volvo got the recipe so spot on that all subsequent Cross Country models have followed the original car’s design to a tee, including this V90 Cross Country. So the ride height has been raised (by 65mm), the tracks have been widened (by 20mm at the front and 40mm at the rear) and the specially designed tyres are larger in diameter (by 42mm) than those of the…

“The Countryman corners quick, lat and fast and has tenacious grip” Light in a fairly dark place: that’s what the new Mini Countryman promises for keener drivers like us. It’s a touch harsh to suggest that the market for pseudo-SUV crossover hatchbacks has been murky or uninviting in its infancy. An army of customers has already jumped into it with both feet, after all. But it certainly hasn’t been illuminated by the kind of car that might tempt the hitherto uninterested or unconvinced with a driving experience to get excited about. So can this Mini, in 189bhp Cooper S form, change that? With an Audi Q2 Sport and a Nissan Juke Nismo RS ready to provide some competition, now comes the chance to prove itself. There is debate to be…

“Latvala drifts into view, snow dust spraying from under his tyres” At the end of 1999, Toyota withdrew from the World Rally Championship to prepare for a Formula 1 campaign that turned out to be a disaster. Accustomed to winning on the special stages, it couldn’t repeat that in single-seater racing, with three podiums a scant return on a multi-million-pound investment. Now it is back in the WRC with a Yaris powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder, 1.6-litre engine. The team is run by WRC legend Tommi Mäkinen, who has chosen two fellow Finns to drive, namely Jari-Matti Latvala and Juho Hänninen. The Yaris WRC made its debut in the snow and ice on last month’s Monte Carlo Rally and Autocar was there to follow Toyota’s comeback. FRIDAY, 1.13PM, SERVICE PARK,…

Being a car nut and TVR owner, it’s great to see the marque getting more recognition (Autocar, 18 January). But while I appreciate a few pages can’t do every car justice, your only mention of the Tuscan Speed 6, one of the key cars of the Peter Wheeler era, received only one reference. The Tuscan was the key car for a new millennium. Although controversial, the Speed 6 was born from an ambition to do way better than TVR could with an old Rover engine. Surely this combination of design, innovation, bravery and significant sales deserves better than “didn’t quite come to nothing”. Please right this injustice with a nice photo of this legendary car. Rob Thorley Via email WIN Letter of the week wins this ValetPRO exterior protection and…

BRAND IMAGE CAN make or break a company these days, and nowhere is that more relevant than for car makers. You only have to see the Audi models in CGI drawings of new houses on estate agents’ websites to appreciate how powerful a brand can be at selling a product – and occasionally someone else’s too. So what of Seat? In my mind, it has always been fairly neutral, but what about other generations of drivers? My mum, in her ongoing bid to find a new car, quickly objected when my dad suggested she might like to consider an Ateca. “I’m not having a Seat!” she exclaimed. I was quick to defend the Ateca by pointing out just how excellent it is, but left it at that. Then the Christmas…

1 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta From £240,000 Thrilling in a way that only a front-engined V12 Ferrari could be. Crushing performance and unparalleled drama. 2 Rolls-Royce Wraith From £230,000 An intimate and involving Rolls-Royce; less grand, perhaps, but only in the measures that serve to make it great. 3 Aston Martin Vanquish From £190,000 If your money is only intended to buy dazzling exterior beauty, it is best invested in Aston Martin’s flagship. 4 Bentley Continental From £140,000 It may have lost four cylinders, but the Audi-sourced V8 is so good that it completely reinvigorates the Conti. 5 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupé From £125,000 So long in the legs that continents ›lash by mid-stride. Has a business-like opulence. The 63 AMG is the best.…

1 Land Rover Discovery Sport From £32,400 Seven seats, lots of space, ›ine on-road handling and Land Rover’s usual off-road capability — plus new-found desirability. 2 Jaguar F-Pace From £34,200 Credible ›irst SUV effort handles like a proper Jaguar. Deserves a better engine than the entry-level diesel. 3 BMW X3 From £31,300 A close match for the Land Rover in terms of practicality and dynamism but with better engines and equipment levels. 4 Volvo XC60 From £31,300 Refreshing design now made more competitive by Volvo’s recent engine revolution. Not quite as spacious as some. 5 Mercedes-Benz GLC From £35,000 Not exactly exciting to drive but does luxury and re›inement better than anything else in the class.…