Innholdsfortegnelse for July 29, 2015 i Autocar

The latest version of the Audi RS4 will go on sale as early as next year and will be available once again as a saloon, as well as an estate. A 2016 launch means the RS4 will join the range much sooner than previous iterations of the performance-focused A4. The current generation of the A4 didn’t get an RS4 version until 2012, even though the standard car went on sale in 2008. However, Horst Glaser, Audi’s head of chassis development, said demand has brought the next generation of RS4 forwards. “Our customers want the RS version earlier in the product lifecycle while the car is still new,” he said. Although there are no confirmed details about the new RS4’s engine, it is expected to be an all-new turbocharged V6 petrol…

AUDI IS TAKING fresh aim at the BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and new Mercedes-Benz GLC with an all-new Q5. Shown here testing in heavily disguised prototype form for the first time, the new mid-size SUV is expected to be unveiled shortly before the start of UK sales in the final quarter of next year. It will feature a contemporary new look and a high-quality interior with the latest connectivity functions. There will also be new model variants, including a frugal plug-in hybrid and, later on, a performance-led RS Q5. The new SUV remains similar in size to the existing model, with a length of around 4700mm, width of 1950mm and height of 1650mm. A moderate increase in wheelbase, which currently stretches to 2810mm, promises added cabin space, most notably in…

Work on a new family of baby Volvos is under way following the opening of the new China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT) operation in Sweden. It describes itself as an “engineering and development centre for future C-segment cars, addressing the needs of Volvo Cars and Geely Auto”. Based in Gothenburg, CEVT is owned by Volvo’s parent company, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. The CEO of the new company is Mats Fagerhag, who was the lead engineer for the defunct Phoenix platform, which was intended to underpin a new family of Saabs. CEVT says the new facility will be capable of engineering a whole vehicle, including the underlying architecture, powertrain and transmission, upper body engineering and exterior design. This new C-segment architecture will be used for new Geely models — including models…

A NEW LEXUS LS flagship saloon could be revealed at this year’s Tokyo motor show, as the firm looks to celebrate 25 years of sales with a landmark launch. The new LS — a rival to the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class — is eagerly anticipated because it would act as a technology showpiece for the entire Lexus and Toyota ranges, highlighting developments that are drip-feed through to future cars. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the new range-topping saloon from Toyota’s luxury brand will be powered by a V8 hybrid powertrain developing around 535bhp. A V8-powered LS, without the hybrid system, is tipped to develop around 465bhp. Lexus’s first car, the LS400, was launched in late 1989 after being revealed at that year’s Detroit motor show. It was…

THE 2015 MORGAN AR Plus 4 is intended to commemorate 65 years of the Plus 4 and has been developed by AR Motorsport, the company’s racing division. It is powered by a 225bhp Cosworth engine and promises to be the most powerful 2.0-litre Morgan yet. It is expected to cover 0-60mph in around 6.0sec and it weighs just 900kg. This is the first time Morgan has used a Cosworth engine in one of its cars. Morgan says it has also aimed to improve the car’s road usability and added more insulation to reduce road and wind noise in the cabin. It will cost from £54,995, and Morgan says it has taken several orders for the new model already.…

Doesn’t look so different, does it? Don’t be fooled. The Lotus Evora 400 may look like it has had just a nip and a tuck at each end, but apparently more than two-thirds of its parts are new or revised. Most notable among those are the addition of a charge cooler for the Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre V6 engine, allowing the motor a power peak of 400bhp – up 50bhp on the model it replaces. There’s also a weight reduction of 42kg (which is actually about 60kg, given that the new cooling adds 20kg), making the 400’s kerb weight a gnat’s under 1400kg. Less obvious but more significant is what has gone on elsewhere. Lotus has revised the extruded and bonded aluminium tub, lowering the sills by 56mm and reducing their width…

A1.6-litre Opel Mokka rental car is an entirely inadequate way to prepare yourself to drive the 1341bhp Koenigsegg One:1. Especially when driving the baby SUV along Sweden’s immaculate and heavily policed E20 motorway, a road where setting your cruise control for 3km/h over the posted 110km/h limit feels like a daring act of law breaking. But for those Koenigsegg buyers who don’t arrive in their own planes on the private runway next to the company’s headquarters, this is how the journey to Ängelholm typically starts. Fly into Copenhagen (the nearest airport, despite being in a different country), pick up a rental car and then head north, first over the magnificent five-mile-long Øresund Bridge that connects Denmark to Sweden and then through the low-lying farmland of the Skåne region. It’s a…

It’s Darren Day’s job to ensure that when you step aboard a Bentley, you’re left in no doubt that you’re entering another world – a haven of high-calibre craftsmanship, rich materials, artful detail, precision and ingenious engineering. Day is Bentley’s director of interior design, and his team creates everything from the broad sculptural theme of an interior to the hundreds of details that can lift a car interior onto another plane of luxury. And the quest to do better never ends. Take the tricky frontier of precision fit and finish. “We used to do Biro sketches, but you can only go so far with that,” Day says of a design’s starting point. “Modern digital techniques allow a much higher level of detail. A 0.015mm tolerance is now possible on a…

Poor Barnaby hasn’t seen much of his Audi A6 Avant recently. There’s an almost inexhaustible queue of people waiting to take it for various weekend and holiday trips, so when my ticket came up, I loaded the big estate and headed as far south-west as it’s possible to go in England: Land’s End. The car swallowed enough clothes and supplies to last me and my fellow holiday-goers for a week, and even with all four occupants on board there was still more than enough space in the luxurious and comfortable cabin. The real beauty of the A6, of course, is how effortlessly it manages mega-mile motorway journeys, and this time was no different. Its smooth-changing automatic transmission and quiet diesel motor got us to Cornwall in record time. For the…

1 Jensen Interceptor (1966-1976) If you think it looks good now, imagine how it was received in 1966. With that gorgeous Italian styling and a burbling 325bhp 6.3-litre Chrysler V8, the Interceptor was, for a time, the smart set’s GT of choice. On the road, it was quick — 140mph and 0-60mph in 6.5sec — and incredibly thirsty. Although it was as fun to be in as it was to look at, it could be unruly, but a four-wheel-drive version, the FF, was better behaved. Parts for the V8 and its ancillaries are readily available and reasonably affordable, but the body is fragile and expensive. New sills alone can cost £5000. So it’s worth avoiding the cheaper cars and spending upwards of £20k on a tidy one. 2 Porsche 928…

The 488 Spider is the most powerful mid-engined convertible that Ferrari has yet made. Its turbocharged V8 engine delivers 660bhp at 8000rpm. The Spider uses a similar folding hard-top to that of its predecessor, the 458 Spider. Ferrari says the hard-top is 25kg lighter than a cloth roof and takes just 14 seconds to fold up or down. When folded down, the roof lies flat on top of the engine. Despite the removal of a fixed roof, the 488 Spider is claimed by Ferrari to have the same torsional rigidity as the 488 GTB, thanks to its spaceframe chassis. It is made of 11 different aluminium alloys in conjunction with other metals, such as magnesium. These gains have led to a claimed 23% improvement in chassis rigidity compared with the…

THE UPCOMING AUDI Q1 will make its world debut at the Geneva show next March and go on sale soon after. The Q1 is set to be priced from around £20,000 and compete with the likes of the Mini Countryman, Renault Captur and Nissan Juke. It’s based on a shortened version of Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform. Although this test mule’s camouflage covers up much of the car’s styling, it’s known that Audi design boss Marc Lichte will give the Q1 similar styling traits to the larger Q7, including that car’s front grille and bumper design. A small lip spoiler can be seen at the rear, in a design nod to the smaller A1 supermini. The Q1 was first previewed by the Crosslane Coupé concept in 2012. Powering the Q1 will…

Anew Tesla Roadster will be launched in 2019, with company boss Elon Musk hinting at a 0-60mph acceleration time that’s almost certain to eclipse that of the latest generation of hypercars such as the Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1 and LaFerrari. Talking about the launch of a new high-performance ‘Ludicrous’ mode for the Model S P85 D that raises the electric saloon’s maximum amperage from 1300A to 1500A and gives it an official 0-60mph time of 2.8sec, Musk said: “There is only one thing beyond Ludicrous, but that speed is reserved for the next-generation Roadster in four years’ time.” Autocar tested the P1’s 0-60mph time at 2.8sec, while the Porsche 918 Spyder’s time was tested at 2.6sec. Ferrari claims that LaFerrari’s 0-62mph time is 2.6sec. The new Roadster is expected…

LONDON MAYOR BORIS Johnson has unveiled details of the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), which will go live in the centre of the capital on 7 September 2020. The ULEZ scheme — which covers the same area as the congestion charge zone — will require all cars, motorcycles, vans, minibuses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles to meet minimum emissions and pollution standards as part of a bid to improve air quality. From 2020, only Euro 6-rated diesel vehicles will be allowed into the ULEZ area without charge. Cars, vans and minibuses that are not Euro 6-rated can pay a £12.50 daily charge on top of the congestion charge, which currently costs £11.50 a day. Transport for London (TfL) says HGVs, buses and coaches that don’t comply will be charged £100…

The production version of the Infiniti Q30 hatchback has been revealed ahead of its world debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Infiniti has kept the final version of its all-new five-door Volkswagen Golf rival close to the concept car, which was first shown at the Frankfurt motor show in 2013. It has been described as “category breaking” and is officially referred to as an “active compact” car. The company claims the Q30 will offer one of the most dynamic drives in its class, having been honed during testing in Europe. The car will be built at the Nissan/Infiniti plant in Sunderland. Orders will be taken after the Q30 makes its public debut at the Frankfurt show, but deliveries will not start until early next year. More information on…

The new Renault Alpine is on course for a launch towards the end of next year at a price of around £50,000. Latest images show the car testing and reveal its interior for the first time. The new French sports car will become a halo model for Renault, as well as kick-starting the revitalised Alpine brand. The latest Alpine test mule, pictured here, wears modified Lotus Exige bodywork. It also features an electrical cut-off switch located where the Exige’s fuel filler cap would normally be. This has led to speculation suggesting that the Alpine sports car could feature a hybrid powertrain. Such a notion is conceivable, because Renault is known to be working on a new generation of hybrid powertrains based on last year’s Eolab concept. Mating a conventional petrol…

Skoda’s all-new, third-generation Superb is intended to be a more comfortable, refined and cheaper car to run than its predecessor. In this quest, Skoda’s new flagship model has adopted the Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform and is up to 75kg lighter than the outgoing model, despite being 23mm longer and 47mm wider and having an 80mm longer wheelbase in the estate form driven here. More immediately apparent is the sleeker design. Taking inspiration from the firm’s Vision C concept car, the Superb now features a large honeycomb grille and more aggressive-looking headlights. Skoda has armed the Superb with seven engine options – four petrol units and three diesels – from launch. With the exception of the 123bhp petrol 1.4 TSI, every engine can be paired with either a six-speed manual or…

THE KOENIGSEGG ONE:1 is one of the fastest production cars in the world. The firm believes it’s the absolute fastest and wanted to prove it with a lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The attempt was meant to happen last month. The track was booked, the car and crew were in place and confidence was high. In testing at the ’Ring last year, the company witnessed sector times that led Christian von Koenigsegg (pictured above) to predict taking a “substantial chunk” out of the 6min 57sec time that was set by the Porsche 918 Spyder in 2013. “I hate the need to do it,” von Koenigsegg told us when we visited the factory, “but this is how you have to prove yourself in this part of the market.” But then…

With the body structure of a supercar, an engine from a muscle saloon, suspension tuned for maximum attack on the track and yet the practicality and sophistication of an elegant coupé, the GT is an even more bewildering addition to the sports car world than the SLS was. It’s a wonderful addition, though – and a gleefully exciting and expressive one, with its heart not so much worn on its sleeve as riveted to its forehead. Superbly dramatic performance and handling would make driving this car a truly box-office event every day. There would be times when you’d grow tired of its high-adrenalin temperament and lack of civility, sure, but the highs would outweigh those occasions. It’s capable of involvement more vivid than some supercars at twice the price. We…

Up for phone parking Doug Revolta wonders if controlling your car with your smartphone would be a short-lived gimmick (News, 24 June). Not for me it wouldn’t and I guess not for many others, too. How many of us have garages that can accommodate a car but are too narrow to allow you to get out of the car once it is inside? Getting a car easily in and out of my garage has been on my problem-solving list for ages. All sorts of electrically powered devices have been thought of and discarded, but now Jaguar Land Rover has the answer. Bring it on now. Just think how many extra parking spaces could be created if all cars parked this way. Malcolm Jennings via email WIN Letter of…

Mileage 5155 I usually go camping in my Volkswagen Syncro van. I hate the hassle of putting up tents, but the Syncro is big enough to house a full-width rock’n’roll bed, removing tents from the equation completely. It also has the peace of mind of four-wheel drive to tackle the mud of Britain’s campsites. The Syncro’s tent-on-wheels formula is one that, on paper, is closely matched by the Leon X-Perience. The Seat is big enough to squeeze a bed into and it has the security of four-wheel drive. It needed to go camping. Our trip to the New Forest was on one of those rare summer weekends where the sun shone and the ground was hard, so there was no chance to churn up muddy fields with the Seat’s four-wheel…

Whatever happened to the family car? I suppose it has all but disappeared. Meanwhile, families have gone off and embraced those people-carrying sports utility monsters. However, one country that has never forgotten about the family car is the United States. The funny thing is that in the 2000s, they tried to remind us what they were all about with some of the oddest and most forgettable motors, which now make great-value used buys. I’d completely forgotten about the Chevrolet Epica, as did most buyers when it was new. In the great scheme of ginormous and anonymous family cars, it was all right, being as big as a Ford Mondeo, with room for absolutely everyone inside. It was comfortable and had a ton of equipment. Basic LS spec had cruise control,…

Tesla Model X Winter Tesla’s long-awaited SUV will be launched towards the end of this year and will be powered by a pair of electric motors. Power output could in theory match the 682bhp of the Model S P85D, and Tesla has already promised a 0-60mph sprint time of 3.3sec. It will offer a claimed range of up to 300 miles. Price £35,000 (est) SUMMER Aston Martin Vantage GT12, Audi A8 Sport, Q7, BMW 3 Series facelift, Cadillac CTS-V, Chevrolet Volt, Citroën Berlingo Multispace, Ferrari 488 GTB, Ford Edge, Honda Civic Type R, HR-V, Jazz, Lamborghini Huracán Spider, Aventador Superveloce, Land Rover Range Rover SVAutobiography, Lotus Evora 400, Mazda MX-5, McLaren 675LT, P1 GTR, Mercedes-Benz GLE, GLE Coupé, Mercedes-Maybach S600, Mitsubishi L200, Peugeot 2008 facelift, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Boxster…

AUDI HAS ENTERED a joint engineering programme with Volkswagen Group sister company Porsche to develop a new range of turbocharged V6 and V8 petrol engines, Autocar can reveal. The engines are based around a common 90deg architecture and are planned to feature a common 500cc individual cylinder capacity, giving the new V6 an overall displacement of 3.0 litres and the new V8 4.0 litres. Set to replace Audi’s and Porsche’s current V6 and V8 petrol units, the engines will feature gas-driven turbochargers in the first stage of production. However, insiders have hinted that electric turbocharging may be introduced at a later date. Tolerances built into the architecture of the new engines will allow them to be scaled in capacity, according to sources. It is suggested that Audi may introduce an…

JAGUAR LAND ROVER’S deal with Magna Steyr to build cars in Austria is strongly tipped to include the production of the firm’s first all-electric vehicles. In common with most car manufacturers, JLR must drastically reduce its average CO2 emissions by 2020 if it is to avoid hefty European Union fines. As a result, the company must start selling electric vehicles. An electric version of the upcoming Jaguar F-Pace SUV is tipped to be the first, but a wider spread of JLR vehicles is set to follow. JLR’s public electric projects have so far been confined to tests with Land Rover Defender and Range Rover Evoque products, conducted as part of government schemes and co-funded with industry partners. However, as long ago as 2009 Jaguar created the Limo-Green XJ hybrid project,…

Toyota’s Nissan Qashqai rival is set to go on sale early next year and will stick close to the C-HR concept’s polarising looks in a bid to break into the hotly contested category. The C-HR was revealed at last year’s Paris motor show. It was distinguished by its heavily flared wheel arches, angular haunches and ‘floating’ rear light clusters, all of which gave it a notably broad stance. Potential customers are said to have favoured the concept’s looks over more traditional interpretations of crossover themes. The C-HR’s looks were created in response to a demand from company boss Akio Toyoda for Toyota’s designers to be more adventurous. Recent designs for Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, have shown the initial response to that demand. The new crossover is expected to be revealed…

THE NEXT-GENERATION Toyota Prius will kick-start the use of a new modular platform technology, called Toyota New Global Architecture, when it is revealed at the Frankfurt motor show later this year. Development of the fourth-generation Prius has been conducted under a shroud of secrecy. Speculation has focused on developments to the hybrid powertrain that could result in it achieving an official 90mpg, with CO2 emissions of around 70g/km. Sources suggest the car will be up to 100kg lighter than the current model, thanks to the new platform structure and the use of a smaller inverter and electric motor. It is expected to have a modified version of today’s 1.8-litre petrol engine. It is not clear if the Prius will continue to use nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries or switch to…

PORSCHE HAS GIVEN an official glimpse of the facelifted 2016 Porsche 911 coupé and cabriolet ahead of their public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September, releasing this image of lightly disguised prototypes in testing. Key changes include the adoption of a new turbocharged six-cylinder engine in place of the 911’s traditional naturally aspirated flat six. The new engine shares its architecture, including its individual cylinder volume, with the smaller turbo four-cylinder powerplant that Porsche boss Matthias Müller has said will go into the facelifted Boxster and Cayman next year. In the facelifted 911 Carrera, the turbo flat six has a capacity of 3.0 litres and a claimed 365bhp at 6500rpm. The Carrera S has around 414bhp, with 369lb ft at just 1700rpm. This gives a 0.4sec reduction in…

The outgoing Jazz may have been one of the most spacious cars in its class, but that hasn’t stopped Honda from giving its replacement even more generous interior proportions. The third-generation supermini also gets a new, lighter chassis, new suspension, a quicker steering rack and improved interior quality, but of most interest to Jazz fans, no doubt, will be the increase in cabin space. This new model is 95mm longer overall than its predecessor and rides on a 30mm longer wheelbase, meaning rear head and leg room are easily the best in class. The driver gets a huge range of steering wheel and seat adjustment, and all-round visibility is excellent. Further back, the bigger boot has great access, is a good width and, at 354 litres with the seats up,…

You can’t drive the Ferrari FXX K on the road. You can’t go racing in it. If you want to own one, Ferrari has to invite you to part with ¤2.2 million (£1.5m) plus local taxes for the privilege. All 40 FXX Ks were sold before the wider world even knew about it. That’s not a normal way of buying a car, but the FXX K is hardly normal. The LaFerrari-based FXX K is a 1021bhp V12 hybrid track toy, a high-tech tour de force of active aero, advanced driver assistance and chassis systems and Formula 1-inspired tech. Fantasy stuff, then, but just what purpose do these most extreme of Ferraris serve? “We call it the laboratory,” says Enrico Galliera, Ferrari’s commercial chief and the man who oversees the Corse…

PETROLS ARE SCARCE The ‘petrol or diesel’ debate rolls on and James Ruppert recommends petrol when buying used (Deals, 8 July). This is not always easy. Aiming to replace my ageing ‘premium’ estate, I found only wall-to-wall 2.0 diesels. Eventually, one 2.0 petrol turned up, and this proved to be a Ruppert-sized bargain, being a main dealer ex-demonstrator with 72 miles (yes, 72). I got an effectively new car for 30% under list. Presumably, no one else wanted petrol. Incidentally, I scoured Autocar for figures, road tests and impressions of this class of vehicle and drew a blank. The only petrols you seem to look at are AMG, Audi S/RS and BMW M, and every comparison test has the same old list of 2.0 diesels over and over. Not all…

Most of my time in the Focus is spent shuffling around in an orderly fashion averaging 60mpg or so. If that sounds a bit dull, it’s because it is. Anyway, the Ford is unblinkingly adept at this, although I’m aware that there’s more to its repertoire than light-footed commuting. If it’s any consolation, much of the time I try not to slow down for corners. Which brings us neatly to its steering. Now, I’m not an Autocar road tester, but I hope that doesn’t disqualify me from making at least a subjective assessment of how the Focus steers. Bear with me, and if you think I’m talking nonsense I’d welcome your feedback. Compared with the previous Focus, which had a hydraulically assisted set-up, the current car’s steering, which is of…

READER’S CAR: BMW 3 SERIES COUPE Josh Williams decided to bid online for a 230,000-mile E36-generation 318iS coupé and paid just £300. The car came with a 12-month MOT certificate (no advisories) and four new tyres. Almost everything worked, including the air-con. Josh aIways intended to have fun with the car. “I booked a track day at Llandow circuit in Wales and had an absolute blast,” he says. “I used it back and forth to work for a while due to it being much more economical than my 135i. I only sold it a few days ago and I’m pining for it already.” WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK: ROADSIDE SALES Private Clean them cars and for sale please by don the ’ roadside t stick a bit aren of…

Autocar’s star ratings explained Inherently dangerous/unsafe. Tragically, irredeemably flawed. Appalling. Massively significant failings. Very poor. Fails to meet any accepted class boundaries. Poor. Within acceptable class boundaries in a few areas. Still not recommendable. Off the pace. Below average in nearly all areas. Acceptable. About average in key areas, but disappoints. Competent. Above average in some areas, average in others. Outstanding in none. Good. Competitive in key areas. Very good. Very competitive in key areas, competitive in secondary respects. Excellent. Near class leading in key areas, and in some ways outstanding. Brilliant, unsurpassed. All but flawless. Any car that has had a full Autocar road test is highlighted in yellow.…