Innholdsfortegnelse for August 19, 2015 i Autocar

The upcoming replacement for the Land Rover Defender, is in contention to be built at a new Jaguar Land Rover factory in Nitra, western Slovakia. Speculation had been rife about the location of JLR’s latest production facility, with Poland being the other eastern European site reportedly under consideration. How;ever, JLR has now confirmed that it has signed a letter of intent for the potential development of a new plant in Slovakia. JLR has a feasibility study in place to explore plans to create capacity for up to 300,000 vehicles per year in Slovakia. That could take the company’s global output to nearer 800,000 a year. The company has confirmed only that the plant will build lightweight aluminium JLR models, with the first cars due off the production line in 2018,…

Mercedes-Benz has lifted the veil on its new C-Class Coupé ahead of a public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. The first deliveries of Mercedes’ new Audi A5 and BMW 4 Series rival will start in October. The second-generation C-Class Coupé takes on a more striking appearance and will eventually be offered with a wider range of engines than the first-generation model, which was introduced in 2011. The appearance of the new model, known under the internal codename C205, leans heavily on that of the latest C-Class Saloon. The two share the same basic styling from the front end through to the leading edge of the doors. From there back, the new two-door closely mimics the design of the latest S-Class Coupé. Key design elements at the front…

THE OPEN-TOP version of Lamborghini’s lightweight Aventador Superveloce has been revealed at the Pebble Beach concours in the US. It will cost £350,000 when it arrives in the UK next spring. Power comes from the same 6.5-litre V12 engine as the coupé version. It produces 740bhp at 8400rpm — 49bhp more than the regular Aventador. Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed automated manual gearbox. Despite a slight increase in weight (1575kg versus 1525kg for the coupé), the SV Roadster is still capable of reaching 62mph from rest in 2.9sec. The coupé achieves the sprint in 2.8sec. A top speed of 217mph matches that of the coupé. The SV Roadster has a stripped-out cabin, which features carbonfibre for the seats and parts of the interior trim, as…

The Vuhl 05 is another entry into the currently exploding track-day car market. If you want to spend supercar-level cash on a track-day car, the likes of the Radical RXC500 and BAC Mono mean you can, while cheaper cars such as the Zenos E10, Ariel Atom and renewed Caterham Seven range provide the more sensibly priced options. The Vuhl slots into the middle of that group of gleeful extremists. There’s no carbonfibre tub and no monstrously powerful turbocharged multi-cylinder engine, which is why the car’s Mexican producers can charge a hefty but not crazy £59,995. Instead, there’s a handsome body, a bonded aluminium tub and a 2.0-litre Ford Ecoboost engine producing 285bhp and 310lb ft. The transmission is a six-speed manual, also sourced from Ford, and the car weighs just…

“IN SHORT, THERE isn’t a better drivetrain on sale,” we said of the DB9 when we first road tested it, on 1 June 2004. We rather liked the rest of the car, too, because it notched up four and a half stars. There was a lot to like about it then, as now. Back then, its 5935cc V12 put out 450bhp at 6000rpm and 420lb ft at 5000rpm, which was enough to punt it to 60mph in 5.4sec and through a standing quarter mile in 13.7sec. At the time, we reckoned there was “not much that will out-drag a DB9 in a straight line”, which is quite a telling fact about the past 10 years in motordom, because even some hot hatchbacks would out-drag a decade-old DB9 today. Reading the…

Ken Block must feel terrible. He flew into Heathrow from the US last night and then drove to the hotel inside Milton Keynes Stadium for a kip, only to discover that there was a football match on. Early this morning, he’s already in the Silverstone paddock, hoodie up, cap and sunglasses on and can of energy drink in hand. “I think it’s about three in the morning,” he says. This wouldn’t be a good time to talk to most racing drivers, but Ken Block isn’t most racing drivers. His hood and sunglasses frame a face that beams a broad smile, a silver tooth shining. Even if you’re as tired as hell, if you’re Ken Block, showing us how best to muck about in a drift car producing well over 800bhp…

Would you like to own a sports car company? The idea has instant appeal to many a car enthusiast, but the dream fades for most as soon as complexity and risk enter the equation. But how about if much of the hard work had been done, the company had no debt and no employees, and the product was both convincing now and capable of further development? Would that make a difference? Such thoughts ran through my head a week or two ago as I departed the Essex home of Martin Miles, founder, managing director and now vendor of MMI, the company that has backed, developed and produced the sub-£30,000, Lotus Elise-like Avocet sports car for more than 10 years. Autocar has had several enjoyable previous encounters with the Avocet –…

SPACE INVADERS As a previous owner of four Jaguar X-Types, I read your comparison test of the Jaguar XE and BMW 3 Series (Autocar, 22 July) with great interest. It is clear that Jaguar is to be commended for driveability and handling, but after sitting in the car I feel that the XE’s lack of decent boot space and rear headroom will limit its appeal. My son, who is 4ft 7in, found his head pressing against the headlining while sitting in the rear and the boot space would have difficulty accommodating a decent-size golf bag and trolley. Surely the market for this car is the junior manager/executive who will have a family, so a decent-size boot will be a crucial factor if this car is to be mainstream rather than…

Mileage 15,888 We’d gone to watch a relative play some sport. And while I should have spent the previous day trimming the crusts from cucumber sandwiches, such is the frenetic pace at which Mrs Frankel and I live our lives that we found ourselves flying through Marks & Spencer grabbing crisps, strawberries, chocolate rolls and a platter of 30 sandwich quarters (£18.40, but what can you do?). We then reported, breathless but on time, to said sports venue, where, of course, every drop of water in what had previously been a clear sky descended upon us. Our relatives had a new Volkswagen Touran, but as we ran back to our cars, I informed them that the picnic would take place in our E-Class Estate. “But we’ve got tables,” they said,…

1 Honda Civic Type R (20012 005) So, hot hatch checklist. Unburstable engine? Check. Fine chassis? Check. Sexed-up body? Check. Whatever your criteria, a Civic Type R has it all. At its heart is a virile 197bhp 2.0-litre VTEC unit that revs to 8350rpm and is capable of propelling this lightweight rocket from zero to 60mph in just 6.6sec and on to a top speed of 146mph. Corners are even more fun. The Civic Type R can be thrown in to a bend with abandon and recovered with ease. A titanium-covered gearlever protruding from the dashboard controls a close-ratio six-speed ’box and red Recaro sports seats hold you firmly in place. The build quality (from Swindon) and reliability record are second to none. Parts and modifications are readily available, too.…

Ferrari 488 GTS Early 2016 The successor to Ferrari’s 458 Spider, the 488 gets 660bhp from its twin-turbocharged V8 engine and receives a folding hard-top roof that can open in 14 seconds. The car can hit 62mph from rest in 3.0sec and keep accelerating to a top speed of 203mph — and all that despite being slightly heavier than the 488 GTB, at 1420kg. Price £200,000 (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, 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,…

DB11 VOLANTE (2017) The convertible version of the DB11 is expected to go on sale around 12 months after the coupé. As with the coupé, a Geneva show debut is likely before a launch in late 2017, which could coincide with the addition of AMG V8 engines. VANTAGE (2018) The smallest car in Aston’s range will be the next major model for replacement, and a 2018 launch date is predicted. Expect it to use a similar range of engines to the DB11. The styling will draw heavily on the DB10 Bond car (right). A roadster version is likely again, too. DBX (2019-2020) The biggest new model for Aston, in many senses, is the production version of the DBX concept. The crossover is likely to arrive towards the end of the…

KIA IS SET to reveal the all-new Sportage crossover at the Frankfurt motor show next month. This official sketch (below) previews the styling of the new Sportage, which was designed at the brand’s European centre in Frankfurt. It has been inspired by the KX3 concept seen at the Guangzhou motor show in China last year and looks set to feature the new, large ‘tiger nose’ grille. At the back, the Sportage will get a significantly redesigned set of tail-lights and a reprofiled rear bumper. The cabin features a much cleaner dashboard than that of the current Sportage, with a large multimedia screen and a reduced number of buttons on the central console. Kia also says the cabin is set to take a step upmarket, suggesting it will marry “simple, modern…

MERCEDES-BENZ has released an official sketch of the upcoming S-Class Cabriolet ahead of the plush four-seat soft-top’s world debut at the Frankfurt motor show next month. The open-top S-Class, known under the internal codename A217, is being pitched as a direct rival to the Bentley Continental GT Convertible, with prices set to start at upwards of £100,000 and extending to more than £200,000 when UK sales get under way early next year. It uses what Mercedes sources describe as the largest folding fabric roof to ever see series production. The fully automatic, multilayer arrangement has been styled to replicate the roofline of the S-Class Coupé, although packaging requirements mean the rear section is more heavily angled, giving the new car much smaller rear side windows and a considerably longer boot…

A powered-up and pared-down track-focused BMW M4 variant has been previewed by the Concept M4 GTS at the Pebble Beach concours in Monterey, US. The Concept M4 GTS is described as a showcase for performance-enhancing technologies destined to make production on a new model that has yet to be unveiled. The concept draws on developments first tested on the M4 MotoGP safety car. It features an innovative water injection system for its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine, a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic bonnet, OLED tail-lights, adjustable front splitter, prominent boot-mounted rear wing and an upgraded chassis. All of these items will find their way on to a limited-edition M4 GTS model that’s due to go on sale early next year. Frank van Meel, president of BMW’s M division, said: “While the M4…

When the fifth-generation Jeep Cherokee was launched last year, it was powered by a humdrum 168bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine that was too gruff and struggled to propel the car’s 1.8-tonne mass with any real conviction. The US car firm recognised this and, as a result, has dropped that oil-burner from the line-up in favour of a gutsier 197bhp 2.2-litre engine. It has 25% more torque than the previous engine, at 324lb ft. Jeep also says the car is almost two seconds quicker from 0-62mph, at 8.5sec in automatic form, and has an extra 10mph on its top speed, now 127mph. Combined fuel economy has improved, too, from 48.7mpg to 49.6mpg, while CO2 output drops from 154g/km to 150g/km. Credit where it’s due: this new 2.2-litre unit has addressed the shortage…

Aston Martin DB9s are absolutely gorgeous, plus there’s a great big continent-crushing 5.9-litre V12 engine under that huge bonnet. So the prospect of a cheap used one is rather tempting. Except that there is no such thing as a cheap Aston, just a troublesome one. All the basic rules of buying an expensive, complicated car apply to this 2+2 sports car, in gold-plated spades. In short, it must have a proper history and be clean and tidy with no outstanding issues. Beware ex-hire examples that have been run ragged. A decent used DB9 has to be the right specification, too. The vast majority of cars are equipped with Touchtronic 2, which is the ZF-sourced six-speed automatic transmission. That is easy to live with, but sort out a simpler, rare six-speed…

BLOCK’S EARLIEST GYMKHANA videos were run in Subarus, but when he became sponsored by Ford and rallied those, he moved on to near-WRC-spec Fiestas. But 2015 is the 50th anniversary of the Mustang, and that called for something special. So, over a period of two years, his team created the Hoonicorn, using a 1965 Mustang as a base. Look at the roof and bits of the rear wings and you’ll see that some of it still exists, but the rest is pretty much bespoke. There’s a full cage, which gives all the strength, and a Roush-Yates 410 engine sits well back in the engine bay, behind the fabricated independent suspension. The rear suspension is similarly exquisite and sits near a fuel tank that needs replenishing every two laps of Silverstone.…

The BMW 3 Series is a fine car and does not need the excuses put forward by Messrs Toogood and Taylor (Your Views, 5 August) for coming second to the Jaguar XE in your recent comparison. I have had four 3 Series and only one was a little bit duff. However, having road tested the XE myself, I agree with the Autocar assessment and have ordered one. This will be the third time I have taken the Autocar view in preference to that put forward by the bar stool cognoscenti and, if this decision is as good as the previous two, I shall be a mighty happy man. If not, I will let you know. John Sullivan via email WIN Letter of the week wins a ValetPRO exterior…

Rust. Where exactly did that go? It usually lived in the sills and made your used purchase terminal in the old days. For the past 20-odd years, though, rot has been fairly low down on the ‘what to look for’ list. Mostly, it seems to be cosmetic. Rust, then, is confined to all the rubbish from the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s that would disintegrate before your very eyes after a couple of salty winters. Except that rust never actually went away. I have come across a few Mercedes-Benz CLKs and the odd E-Class from the famously fragile W210 era that have looked awfully crumbly. Late 1990s Fords weren’t great, either. Fiestas and, in particular, Kas and Pumas would crumble quite alarmingly. That was then, but right now I am…

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.…

The all-new Aston Martin DB11 is set to spearhead a relaunch for the British sports car maker when it is unleashed early next year. The DB11 will be the first of a raft of new Aston Martin models as the company looks to replace all of its core sports cars in the next five years under new boss Andy Palmer. Although the DB11 is likely to retain many of the attributes that appeal to traditional Aston Martin buyers, it is set to be a brand-new model with totally fresh underpinnings, interior, engines and more. The engines are believed to include a heavily revised version of the company’s V12 and, later in the car’s lifecycle, AMG V8s. Autocar has seen the DB11 and the styling is notably different from the existing…

This disguised test mule could be the first tangible evidence of Ferrari’s new V6-powered Dino sports car, due in 2018. Ferrari chief Sergio Marchionne revealed to Autocar earlier this year that it was “not a question of if but when” the Dino would return, and this mule gives a clear indication that development of the model is already under way. Our spy photographer said this mule, which was seen in Germany and is based on a Ferrari 458 Italia, had an engine note completely different from that of both the naturally aspirated 4.5-litre V8 in the 458 Italia and the turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 of the 488 GTB that were following the car in convoy. The 458’s central exhaust system is also missing. Instead, there are two empty holes in the…

Hyundai has given an early glimpse of its upcoming Genesis Coupé with the unveiling of the Vision G Coupé Concept at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The two-door four-seat concept is officially described as “Hyundai’s inspiration for its family of future premium products”. It has been designed primarily in the US under the guidance of the firm’s design boss, Peter Schreyer. The car’s styling highlights include a large front grille that sports a different design from the one worn by Hyundai’s current range-topping saloon, the Genesis. The sloping rear end features new light cluster designs and the car’s dual exhausts are incorporated into the rear bumper. Inside, leather and wood trim feature as part of a minimalist design. Among the new technologies fitted to the car is a system that…

BMW has revealed a racing version of its 3.0 CSL Hommage concept car at the Pebble Beach concours in the US. Similar to the concept unveiled at Villa d’Este in Italy in May, this updated version sports BMW’s traditional racing colour scheme. The car comes with a race suit that can display information to the driver. The driver’s helmet can display speed and engine information, and special piping in the sleeves illuminates when both of the driver’s hands are on the wheel. Although officially a concept, the car is understood to be a statement of intent from BMW’s M division to build lighter, more focused models in the future.…

In 2007, just as its ownership was being dangled in the wind by Ford, Jaguar unveiled the future. The XF announced the firm’s new direction in the best possible way, with raked ambition, forward thinking and a necessary break from the past etched into its concept of what an executive saloon ought to be. The car was the starting point for the planned dynasty that is now coming to fruition. A new XJ, F-Type and, most recently, XE have all followed, and the F-Pace is around the corner. But before we get there, Jaguar has completely overhauled its pioneer. The new XF is purposely familiar – but entirely different. Although you might need some help spotting it, the latest model is larger, partly to distinguish it from the XE but…

There is no convoluted plan. Normally for a ‘goodbye’ drive of a car, we’d go somewhere regarded as marginally relevant. Start at the Aston Martin monument near Aston Clinton, or go to that road in the film Skyfall, or something convoluted or tenuous like that. I can’t be doing with that ‘take it to this bit, pose for a poignant picture’ malarkey. The Aston Martin DB9 is a car I’ve just always liked driving. And so to mark the fact that it’ll disappear from production next year, and that this model – the DB9 GT – is meant to be “the best a DB9 can be”, I’m just going to take it for a drive. Get up early, travel well, enjoy the sunset, come home. Simples. The GT is the…

Valances Sleeping policemen and kerbs hurt. There can be lots of scuffs, dents and scratches on the front valance, as well as on the trays that cover the entire underside, which can come loose. Get the DB9 on a ramp. Bodywork The panels are bonded and very difficult to repair. Only a handful of approved bodyshops can fix a DB9 properly. Otherwise, look at the edges of panels — usually the wheel arches, doors and bonnet — for signs that water has reacted with the aluminium and bubbled up. Warning lights If lit, check with an Aston fault reader. The emission light means lots of emergency starts by previous drivers, leading to the sensor registering a very rich mixture. It will need to be reset. This is vital since it…

KEN BLOCK GREW up on a skateboard in Long Beach but found rallying with Colin McRae’s help. “I’d always watched rallying, especially Colin, on TV,” Block says. “I decided to have a go and found that I had a bit of natural talent for it.” Block, 47, didn’t start competing until he was well into his 30s, but he has won plenty of individual rallies in America and scored well on World Rally Championship rounds. However, the nature of what he does prohibits a single-minded, focused assault on Rally America or the WRC. “My sponsors want me to do a lot of different stuff,” he says. “Last year we did Global and some World Rallycross, some Rally America, a WRC round, my Gymkhana Grid events and Gym 7. “It would…

The fact that the new 911 GT3 RS gets the full five stars, despite being neither the fastest-accelerating car of its kind nor the quickest around our handling circuit, says everything you need to know about the true brilliance of its fluent, poised, gregarious and multi-faceted track handling. In this respect, the GT3 RS is truly outstanding and deserves our categorical praise. The powertrain, meanwhile, is good enough to be the equal of that stellar chassis. It’s capable of engaging in complex interactions and conversations with the chassis as well as pinning you back into those gorgeous bucket seats and frazzling your senses with its texture and virtuosity. The RS also has the best paddle-shift transmission we’ve come across in a performance car. This car is an irresistible ownership proposition…

I’ve been lucky enough to shoot some pretty special cars since starting at Autocar last year, and sometimes I even get to drive them. After a recent shoot, I found myself driving the latest Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which is, of course, an outstanding car. Unfortunately, the route I had to follow to drop the car off took me on busy motorways from Yorkshire to Reading in torrential rain and largely at walking pace. This is not the time for bucket seats and a fidgety engine; this is the exact time to be in something quiet and comfortable. Something like our Ford Mondeo, perhaps. I spend far more time driving on motorways than I’d like to, but the Mondeo always makes it at least a comfortable way to travel. I…

READER’S CAR: MERCEDES BENZ E240 ESTATE Mital Patel has been encouraged by these readers’ stories to tell us about his 2000 Merc. “I bought it last June for £1100. It needed £400 of work to get through the MOT test, I bought a full set of new tyres for £400 and that’s about it. I drove it 14,000 miles in 10 months. It’s taken me to Le Mans and back, where it doubled as a caravan, as well as surviving a 2000-mile round trip to the Alps in the winter, fully laden with ski gear and four passengers. It’s a seven-seater, too. And it’s been really helpful for moving house.” WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK: VAUXHALL FRONTERA The Vauxhall Frontera is a deeply unfashionable thing. I don’t have a…