Innholdsfortegnelse for October 21, 2015 i Autocar

Yamaha will launch a new sports car at the forthcoming Tokyo motor show — and it could well have input from McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray. The Japanese motorcycle manufacturer has released a single teaser image for its Tokyo concept, stating that its line-up of two-wheelers will be joined by “an automobile”. The blurred side-on image of the car — labelled 4Wheeler by unconfirmed sources — shows a dramatic, low profile, a sign that Yamaha is considering a sports car as it prepares to enter a new market. The 4Wheeler follows Yamaha’s 2013 Tokyo show concept, the Motiv, which used Surrey-based engineering and design consultant Gordon Murray’s innovative iStream car manufacturing process to underpin a rival for the two-seat Smart Fortwo. However, Yamaha’s general manager of innovation, Masato Suzuki, confirmed…

Ferrari has revealed the F12tdf, a hardcore version of the F12 Berlinetta that is just 1.3sec per lap slower around the Fiorano test track than LaFerrari. The F12tdf takes its name from the Tour de France endurance road races, which Ferrari dominated in the 1950s and 1960s. While the F12tdf keeps the standard car’s naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12, its outputs have been significantly upgraded. Power has been boosted from 730bhp to 770bhp at 8500rpm, while torque is up from 509lb ft to 520lb ft at 6750rpm. Ferrari says 80% of that torque is available from 2500rpm. The upgraded engine makes the F12tdf faster than the current F12 in the 0-62mph sprint, with a time of 2.9sec compared with the standard car’s 3.1sec. Both cars have the same claimed top speed…

The number 458 appears frequently in the 488 Spider’s press release, and with good reason. Ferrari has produced some fantastically memorable open-top V8 sports cars since it peeled back the metalwork from the 308 GTB, but the outgoing 458 Spider was a thunderous best-yet effort, and its shadow has only lengthened since we learnt that its replacement would have to come with turbochargers mated to a slightly smaller-capacity flat-plane crank V8 engine. Maranello’s concern, practically bullet-pointed in Powerpoint, is that Spider buyers may be even more sensitive to the stifling effects of turbines than the 488 GTB’s audience. Open-air hedonists, Ferrari calls its devotees, and the 458’s engine note and rampant drama were clearly ticked at the top of their feedback forms. I’m with them; I drove the 458 Spider…

WHAT IS IT? Masterminded by Classic & Sports Car magaJine and Haymarket Exhibitions, the event will showcase some 300-plus of the world’s finest classic cars. As well as a wealth of dealer displays, there will be three central features plus a plethora of other attractions for all the family. WHEN IS IT? Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November. WHERE DOES IT TAKE PLACE? Alexandra Palace in London. The iconic building was chosen specifically because it was an attractive and appropriate setting for so many beautiful cars. OPENING TIMES Friday and Saturday: 10am to 6pm Sunday: 10am to 5pm GETTING THERE Alexandra Palace is easily accessible by public transport and the venue encourages people to use it. The nearest stations are Alexandra Palace on the overground network and Wood Green…

News that BMW has revealed an M4 GTS isn’t totally surprising, given the seemingly production-ready MotoGP safety car we’ve already seen, but it’s nonetheless a very welcome addition. Shouldn’t this ultra-limited-edition car also pave the way for a new M4 CS or CSL, just like the old E46? On another BMW-related issue, I’d like to see Jaguar build a BMW 330d rival. An XE with a 3.0-litre V6 diesel looks a good fit, if indeed it will fit. The prospect of an XE with 271bhp and 442lb ft of torque may well create a few frowns in Munich, but many more smiles in Gaydon. Here’s hoping they build one. WIN Letter of the week wins a ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £58.95…

The clock is ticking on the Panamera — it’s due to go back in a couple of weeks’ time — and that imminent departure appears to have suddenly made a few of my colleagues aware of the fact that they haven’t really experienced it enough. Indeed, the Porsche has turned into Steve Cropley’s long-distance car of choice. He admires its cruising ability, the reassuring mix of firm ride and hefty wheelbase that brings surprising levels of comfort and a cabin that’s beautifully finished and more than comfortable enough for two adults and their luggage. It is undeniably a squeeze if you want to carry more people and bags than that, though, as Rory White discovered recently. Four grown-ups fitted into the Porsche’s snug, enveloping cabin quite easily, as it turned…

1 Honda Beat (19911 996) The Beat has all the ingredients you’d want from a sports car, including a naturally aspirated mid-mounted motor that spins to more than 8000rpm, and very little weight. With prices starting at significantly less than £2000, what’s the catch? The truth of the matter is that the Beat is tiny. As one of Japan’s heavily regulated Kei cars, it’s barely three metres long and has just 660cc to push it along. But while it only produces 63bhp, it weighs just 760kg and has a genuine go-kart feel. A project car will be less than £1000, but budget nearer £2500 for a decent one that’s ready to drive. 2 Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution (1997-1999) It wasn’t just the Lancer that got Mitsubishi’s Evo treatment. In the 1990s…

Porsche911Carrera4/4S Spring2016 The updating of Porshe’s 911 range continues with the launch of its refreshed line-up of four-wheel-drive models. The most significant change is the adoption of a new twin-turbo 3.0-litre flat six engine, which already features in the refreshed regular rear-drive Carrera models. The engine produces 365bhp in the Carrera 4 and 414bhp in the Carrera 4S. Price From £81,398 AUTUMN/WINTER 2015 Alpina D3 Biturbo, Audi A4, Alfa Romeo Giulia, BMW X1, DS 4 facelift, Ford Ecosport, Hyundai Santa Fe facelift, Tucson, Jaguar XF, F-Type SVR, Jeep Grand Cherokee facelift, Kahn Vengeance, Flying Huntsman Pick-Up, Kia Optima, Cee’d facelift, Koenigsegg Regera, Agera RS, Lexus GS F, RX, Mercedes-Benz A-Class facelift, C-Class Coupé, G500 4x4, GLC, Mini Clubman, Nissan Murano, Pulsar Nismo, Peugeot 308 GTi, Porsche 911 facelift, Renault Mégane…

Volvo says it will launch a plug-in hybrid version of every model in its range over the next five years or so, saying it believes the financial case for plug-in hybrids “is now almost positive”. The historic move follows improvements in battery technology, falling costs and wider public acceptance of electric cars. In the latest direct challenge to Tesla, Volvo says it intends to have its own mid-size pure electric car, with a range of around 500km (300 miles), on the market by 2019. It won’t say whether the vehicle will be a saloon or an SUV, but the latter is more likely. “The time has come for electric cars to cease being a niche technology and enter the mainstream,” said Volvo president and CEO Håkan Samuelsson. “We are confident…

FIAT HAS CONFIRMED that its upcoming C-segment hatchback will resurrect the Tipo name when it is launched next year. The new Tipo is based on the Aegea saloon, which was revealed at the Istanbul motor show earlier this year and is set to go on sale across Europe, Asia and the Middle East from December. It is tipped to cost as little as £11,000, establishing what some Fiat insiders believe will be a new market niche. That would dramatically undercut the price of a mainstream C-segment hatch while being more sophisticated than the budget B-segment cars made by Dacia. The Tipo measures 4.5 metres in length and is 1.78m wide and 1.48m tall. It is designed to accommodate up to five occupants and has an overall boot capacity of 510…

The Toyota Mirai is among the first hydrogen-fuelled electric cars to reach series production and be offered to customers as a regular private purchase – as opposed to a short-term lease deal, as has mostly been the case up to now. When UK deliveries begin next month, the distinctively styled saloon will be priced at £66,000, which is some £32,605 more than the firm’s Prius Plug-In Hybrid. This appears steep, but the Mirai is among the most advanced road cars on sale right now. Toyota is also offering the Mirai on a £750-per-month lease scheme, which begins to make the vehicle an interesting proposition for those seeking a congestion charge buster and who live near one of the UK’s nine hydrogen fuelling stations. Don’t expect Prius levels of market penetration,…

The Porsche Cayman GT4 has already left an indelible mark on our motoring year. We’ve weighed it, measured it, done road and track miles aplenty and, five-star road test verdict later, it’s by some way the best sub-£100,000 sports car we can think of. I’d say it goes into our annual Britain’s Best Driver’s Car test as odds-on favourite. And with that event imminent, there seems little point in lining up a couple of direct rivals and then waiting to clean the blood off the walls. Instead, today’s exercise addresses bigger questions, about exactly how far this car’s greatness extends and how long it may linger in the memory. Having been the one we all want in 2015, will the GT4 still be talked about in the same way in…

We were expecting the Kadjar to be a respectable effort – and it is. About time, too. Renault’s partnership with Nissan is not new, yet the fruits of their combined labours haven’t always spread equally between the brands; the Koleos was evidence enough of how not to do it. This time, with the groundwork completed more thoroughly, Renault’s mid-sized crossover is poised for success. The style and usability introduced with the Captur are built on here, and the competence of the running gear is irrefutable. As it was meant to, the saving over an equivalent Qashqai makes the Kadjar more enticing, yet the gap is not without rationale. While the Renault is certainly not subordinate to the Nissan in the same way a Skoda is to a Volkswagen, there is…

Mileage 14,966 Our Octavia has developed a rattle in the cabin. It seemingly only occurs when I’m travelling over abrasive road surfaces, but I do 500 miles or so each week on a mixture of roads, so I’m keen to identify where it’s coming from. At first I was convinced that the rattle emanated from the nearside front door panel. Last week I asked a passenger to try to identify the source, but he was adamant it was coming from my side of the car, which leads me to suspect it might actually be coming from between us, perhaps somewhere behind or above the front seats. My first thought was that it might be caused by some detritus left in the glove compartment, although that is lined with soft material,…

The thing is, you do have to prove that the fault was present at the time of sale, and that could be tricky A recent and not insignificant event had pretty much passed me by. In the days before the interweb, there might have been a public service information film about it, in which George Cole would tell you what was going on. I’m talking about the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which gives you greater powers to reject something you bought if it turns out to be faulty. Oddly enough, under the new law, which came into force on 1 October, I took something — a V8-engined BMW X5 — back to where I bought it on the quite reasonable grounds that it had been rather misdescribed. I had warned…

Volkswagen will launch an all-electric Phaeton flagship model as part of wide-ranging changes to its future strategy in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal. The company says the new luxury saloon, which is expected to go on sale in 2020, will be “the flagship of the brand’s profile over the next decade”. The car will feature “pure electric drive with long-distance capability and next-generation connectivity and assistance systems”. VW insiders say the electric Phaeton will share its platform architecture, drive system and battery technology with the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron, as previewed by the e-tron quattro concept at the recent Frankfurt motor show. The newly formed VW board says it will also slash all future investments by €1 billion (£750 million) per year. VW had previously announced that it…

Toyota is claiming to have made the biggest technological step in the Prius hybrid’s history with the latest generation of the car, which features what’s said to be the world’s most thermally efficient petrol engine. According to the specifications, which have been revealed ahead of the car’s domestic-market debut at the Tokyo motor show later this month, the new model appears set to bring efficiency gains of around 18%. A heavily reworked version of the Prius’s powertrain mixes an outstandingly thermally efficient 97bhp 1.8-litre petrol engine with a 71bhp electric motor and a more compact nickel-metal hydride battery pack. The Japanese firm has not yet issued any European emissions or fuel economy data, but if its claimed efficiency gains are applied to the current car’s NEDC test results, the new…

THE ARIEL NOMAD has received a power boost in the form of a new supercharged engine. The upgrade raises the outputs of the Nomad’s 2.4-litre Honda petrol engine from 235bhp and 221lb ft to 290bhp and 251lb ft. The extra power means the Nomad — which weighs just 670kg — can now reach 60mph in 3.4sec and 100mph in 7.4sec. Top speed remains the same at 125mph. Pitched as an all-terrain alternative to Ariel’s road-going Atom sports car, the Nomad features larger wheels and tyres, extra rollover protection, long-travel suspension and chassis modifications to allow it to cope with off-road use. Ariel says the supercharged Nomad will command a premium of around £6000 over the £30,000 standard car. Customers who have already ordered a Nomad will have the option of…

Tesla has rolled out a new level of autonomous driving on many of its Model S vehicles as part of the latest update to version 7.0 of the car’s software. The technology, which has been in testing for over a year in most markets where the Model S is sold, was made available as an over-the-air upgrade to about 60,000 Model S cars built since last September and fitted with the ultrasonic sensors and forward-facing camera required for the system to work. Called Autopilot, it is designed primarily for motorway use, where it can switch between lanes without any direct steering input from the driver and react to traffic flow. Tesla describes this generation of the software as “a public beta” and says recognition of traffic lights and stop signs…

THE BMW X2 is being readied for a March debut in thinly disguised concept form before going on sale in the second half of next year. BMW officials have already confirmed to Autocar that the X2 will follow the larger X4 and X6 in receiving a uniquely styled steel body. Underneath, it will be based on the same platform as the X1. The first prototype seen testing (above) reveals the X2 will be significantly longer and wider than the X1, with a shorter rear overhang and high-set bonnet. The extreme angle of the tailgate is designed to give the X2 a more coupé-like silhouette, differentiating it from the more practical X1. The X2 will be previewed by a concept car at the Geneva motor show in March next year.…

How many exclusive new sports cars has your typical car company released since 2011? Not all that many is my bet, but your typical sports car company isn’t McLaren. Not that this is necessarily an entirely positive phenomenon. The reason the 2011 MP4-12C became just the 12C and then, in effect, morphed into the 650S – whose software McLaren offered as a free upgrade to earlier customers – is because it wanted to right wrongs in the earlier cars. This is a young company growing up fast and in public, which is never easy, looking over at its former self and thinking: “Good grief, did I really used to wear that shirt?” while trying to develop the world’s fastest hypercar. The firm has also been developing a third tier –…

Aspectacular tribute to Aston Martin will be the centrepiece of Classic & Sports Car – The London Show, the exciting new international motoring event at Alexandra Palace from 30 October to 1 November. Eight of the prestige British marque’s most significant models will form a special display, ranging from A3 (the oldest surviving Aston Martin in the world) to the very latest DB9GT. In between will be all the benchmark cars including 2 Litre Speed, DB MkIII, DB5, V8, DB7, and Vanquish. With an overall theme of Best of British, the unmissable new show at the historic 19th-century ‘people’s palace’ will not just focus on the country’s most desirable marque. More than 300 of the world’s most delectable classic cars will be on show and other main features will include…

A tale of two trips from England to the same hotel in Frankfurt. An industry colleague leaves Leicestershire, has a hideous drive through the rush hour to Heathrow, parks, catches the bus from the longterm car park, takes half an hour to get through security, then endures a packed flight in horrid weather, followed by a long queue for passport control. He has to hang about to collect his luggage at the other end before finally being taken into town. I leave home exactly an hour before him, but I live in the Welsh borders and am delayed by an hour en route. We walk into the hotel lobby at precisely the same moment. But the biggest difference between our journeys is that I’ve travelled by car. I’d like to…

READER’S CAR: NISSAN MICRA Nick Walker’s son Scott, and his friend Elliot, purchased this 64,000-mile, 2002 Nissan Micra 1.0 to tackle the Mongol Rally earlier this year. It cost £500. Ahead of the 10,000-mile journey, the car was serviced and had a new radiator. “Apart from cosmetic touches, we fitted some additional lights to help with the dark roads in eastern Europe and Russia,” says Nick. They found few asphalt roads when they got to Mongolia but, despite getting one puncture, made it to the finish. It’s a testament to a plucky, British-built car. WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK: FINANCE DEALS A remarkable number of companies are targeting the marginal car buyer with easy payment (but high APR) used car deals. Okay, it gets them mobile — but at…