Innholdsfortegnelse for 28/6/2017 i Autocar

RENAULT SPORT WILL equip its new Mégane RS hot hatch with four-wheel steering. The 4Control system – a recalibrated version of that fitted to other Renaults such as the Mégane GT – uses an electromagnetic actuator on the rear axle to control the angle of the rear wheels. Renault Sport claims it can offer improved agility and cornering stability, particularly at higher speeds. Although performance cars such as the Porsche 911 have adopted similar systems in recent years, Renault Sport said it is the first manufacturer to fit four-wheel steering to a hot hatch. Buyers will again be able to choose between two chassis tunes: either a Sport set-up that is road biased or a Cup version that is track-focused. The hot Mégane will be available with the choice of…

Subaru is betting on an all-new platform and what it claims will be “class-leading real-world” safety to revive the brand in Europe. It also confirmed that it will launch a new-generation hybrid model at the end of 2018 and a downsized turbocharged engine in 2019. In 2020, Subaru’s first all-electric model will make its debut. Engineers say they’ve started work on the EV, which will be based on an existing model, but are conducting crash tests to ensure the battery location offers maximum safety. After some hesitation, Subaru has said it will move into autonomous driving over the next few years, using its EyeSight stereo camera system as a base. Despite setting new sales records in the US and global sales of 1.012 million last year, Subaru clocked up just…

TESTER’S NOTE Ground clearance of 210mm, a 19deg approach angle and a 26deg departure angle mean that all-wheel-drive versions can take owners as far off road as they’re ever likely to need to go. DR There’s no let-up in this segment’s boom and it still seems as though every manufacturer is either building its first SUV or – as with Renault – expanding its current line-up. With the Captur and Kadjar already on sale, the French firm is resurrecting the Koleos SUV on UK soil after withdrawing the previous, lacklustre version in 2010. Today’s Koleos is built on the CMF-C/D platform that’s shared with, among others, the Kadjar and Nissan’s X-Trail and Qashqai. The Koleos also shares parts with the not-for-UK Talisman saloon and has already been on sale elsewhere…

The 8 Series marks a major break in BMW’s design language. It gets rid of the distinctive crease that runs down the side of nearly all models. Voluminous bonnet swoops down towards the large ‘twin-kidney’ grille, giving the car a very low nose. Roof is defined by two sharp creases that give a ‘double bubble’ effect and are by far the straightest edges on the car. The concept’s interior is thought to be close to the form of the production version of 8 Series, but the wild steering wheel won’t make it. BMW designer Buckingham says the production version of the coupé — due in 12 months — will be a genuine four-seater. Scoop in the bodyside is vast and designed to reflect the flow of air that’s taken in…

Only one car company in the entire automotive firmament would be crazy enough to put back into production a car with the same name, concept, mechanical layout and target customer as a model it first made in 1911 – and killed off more than six decades ago. The company is, of course, the Morgan Motor Company of Pickersleigh Road, Malvern Link, and the car is the 3 Wheeler, a reincarnation of Morgan’s first-ever motor vehicle, one that was famed for its simplicity, agility, low price and the surprising power-to-weight ratio provided by its motorcycle-derived V-twin engine. Oddball it may have been, but effective it most certainly was, helping to build a rich motor sporting history that acquired for Morgan an early financial viability that it has never lost. Morgan made…

“We returned 31.3mpg over the car’s 9500 miles during the past six months” The Skoda Superb has gone, then, and with it the Autocar fleet has been depleted by one. And it’s one of the most capable and practical long-term test cars we’ve run around these parts for quite a while. The Superb, in Laurin & Klement 2.0 TSI 280PS 4x4 DSG (phew) form, replaced a diesel Superb wagon during the latter half of last year. That wagon, run mostly by photographer Stan Papior, had proven to be an immensely useful piece of kit, owing to its vast boot and easy mile-munching capability. This hatchback picked up largely from where that left off, albeit with more performance and a slightly shorter range. So much so that Papior, who covers more…

Like many an amateur runner, I’m can usually be found taking part in races at weekends. There are plenty of lovely places to run near my Richmond-upon-Thames home: for example, it’s only a short jog from my house to the start of Kingston Parkrun, which follows a beautiful, flat route alongside the River Thames. Recently, though, I’ve found myself heading further afield for my running fix, into the undulating Hampshire countryside and beyond. That’s meant running up a lot more steep hills, including some fiendishly tough runs on woodland trails. Ouch. The extra leg ache is worth it, though, because driving to rural runs is a perfect excuse to enjoy the MX-5 RF in its natural habitat: flowing country roads. It always performs, too. The steering is beautifully weighted and…

With prices of 20-year-old 993-generation 911s now comfortably north of £40,000, where is a 911 enthusiast with slightly fewer shekels and an aversion to anything too ancient to go? Say hello to the 997-series 911 of 2004-2012. Prettier than its predecessor, the 996, and usefully improved on that car in every respect, it’s a passable alternative to the 993, especially in 2009-on Gen 2 form. True, prices for these later cars are also typically around £40,000, although we unearthed a 2010 Gen 2 for £35,795 (see ‘One we found’, right). But if you can muster only half that amount, fear not: Gen 1s start at just £20,000. Fear not? Make that, be fearful – every 911 requires careful buying. It’s just that, at this money, even replacing tired ancillaries (fuel…

“Choose a model known for good reliability and find evidence of careful maintenance” So you’ve just bought yourself a used car. You’ve already done your research, decided which make and model you want, found a sorted example that looks just right, and now you’ve shaken on the deal. Trouble is, you’re about to spend your wedge on one of the most complicated consumer appliances money can buy. There are countless bits to go wrong, all of which have had a few thousand miles’ worth of wear already. If something’s going to ‘ping’, you’ll want to protect yourself, which is why the salesman’s offer of a warranty, or one from an aftermarket provider, might seem very tempting. However, many used car buyers have been stung by purchasing a warranty they assumed…

NISSAN LEAF | SUMMER 2018 The frumpy looks of the current electric vehicle will make way for a sleeker design inspired by that of the latest Micra. The drivetrain and battery pack will be overhauled and the claimed driving range could increase from the 150 miles that today’s car can managed to 340 miles. Price from £27,000 (est) JULY Alfa Romeo Stelvio, BMW M4 update, Bristol Bullet, Kia Soul EV, Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Lexus NX update, Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain, SLC 180 Mercedes-AMG E63 Estate, GT R (above), Nissan Qashqai update, Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, Renault Captur update, Seat Ibiza, Skoda Octavia vRS 245, Vauxhall Crossland X AUGUST Audi RS3 Saloon, RS3 Sportback, Hyundai i30 Tourer, Kia Niro PHEV, Lexus LC, Volvo S90 T8, V90 T8 SEPTEMBER Alpina…

“Development work on the supercharger has boosted the 5.0-litre V8’s output to 592bhp” The new XE SV Project 8 is “the most track-focused, road-going, uncompromised performance car that Jaguar has ever made”, according to Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations boss John Edwards. The £149,995 Project 8 is a heavily modified, track-biased reworking of the XE saloon that has been designed to reach 200mph. It is the second ‘Collector’s Edition’ model produced by JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations division and the first to be built entirely at the SVO division’s Technical Centre near Coventry. When developing the Project 8, SVO’s goal was to produce the quickest and most powerful road-going car that Jaguar has built. The resulting machine will be demonstrated in public for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of…

What was the inspiration for the XE SV Project 8? “The XE is the most dynamic, nimble and best-handling saloon car we’ve got and we thought: why don’t we put the most powerful engine we’ve got in the lightest, smallest [car] we’ve got and see what happens? A crazy idea, but it seemed like fun.” Is this a halo car for Jaguar or a showcase for SVO? “It ticks three boxes. It’s a halo for XE and a halo for Jaguar, and it’s a really important car for SVO. It helps to build our brand.” What does this demonstrate about SVO’s capabilities? “We’re three years old as a business and the Project 7 was the first Collector’s Edition car we did. The fact we’re building this car ground up at…

BMW has reacted to the growing performance SUV competition from the likes of the Audi SQ5 and Mercedes-AMG GLC43 by crowning its third-generation X3 line-up with a new, 355bhp M40i M Performance model. Revealed here ahead of UK sales in November and priced from £38,800, the latest incarnation of the X3 uses BMW’s modular CLAR platform that brings with it increases in dimensions and interior space, a reduction in kerb weight over the outgoing X3 and standard four-wheel drive. The new X3 line-up will initially consist of three models, including two diesels — the 2.0-litre xDrive20d with 187bhp and 295lb ft and the 3.0-litre xDrive30d with 261bhp and 457lb ft — and the M40i petrol version, which, with 369lb ft, can hit 62mph from rest in just 4.8sec. BMW plans…

Volvo’s relaunched Polestar division is considering at least one, and possibly two, bespoke performance models with their own bodystyles. One of these vehicles is understood to be a coupé featuring a high carbonfibre content and a powertrain with around 600bhp. The nature of the second model is unknown. Volvo relaunched Polestar as a standalone brand last week and confirmed none of its models will wear the Volvo badge. The coupé is tipped to be revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Suggesting that Polestar’s cars will be heavily based on existing Volvo models, rather than pure standalone vehicles, a Volvo statement said: “Polestar will enjoy specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefit from significant economies of scale as a result of its connection to Volvo. These…

GERMAN COMPONENTS FIRM Schaeffler has unveiled a new hybrid clutch system that opens the way for electrified cars to be offered with manual transmissions. The so-called ‘P2 module’ is expected to go into production at the end of this year in China. The P2 module fits between the engine and the transmission — making it especially useful for transversely engined vehicles — and combines a 12kW electric motor and a pair of clutches. A disconnect clutch allows the car’s engine to be decoupled from the transmission. An impact clutch is used to smooth out vibrations when the engine is restarted. Schaeffler said the P2 module would allow a car to drive electrically at low speeds in stop-start traffic, automatic parking could be performed in electric-only mode and the system also…

AUDI IS CONSIDERING the launch of another electric supercar to follow its previous limited-run R8 e-tron. “You can very well imagine that at some point in time we will have an electric supercar,” said Peter Mertens, Audi’s new R&D boss, at the Formula E race in Berlin earlier this month. First mooted as far back as 2009, the R8 e-tron had a tortuous development, one that became mired in Audi’s internal politics. It was cancelled by Audi’s then development boss Wolfgang Dürheimer back in 2013 on the basis that battery technology was insufficient to deliver the targeted performance. Then Dürheimer’s replacement, Volkswagen’s engineering supremo, Ulrich Hackenberg, ordered that the e-tron be put into very limited production, with sales lasting just 19 months until the death of the first-generation R8 last…

Camera used to help prevent collisions Subaru’s EyeSight camera system has reduced rear-end collisions by 83% and collisions with pedestrians crossing roads by 52%, according to the company’s own figures. In Japan, EyeSight has already received a Touring Assist function that can control acceleration, braking, and steering in motorway jams. Improved structural rigidity Subaru claims a big improvement in platform stiffness. Torsional rigidity is up by 70%, front suspension rigidity by 70%, front body lateral rigidity by 90% and rear subframe rigidity by 100%. Tuning of the ride will make it “comfortable but firm”. Faster turn-in response Subaru claims the improved front-end rigidity is such that, thanks to a reduction of body flex, turn-in response of the vehicle is improved by 0.1sec, which is noticeable to the driver. The new…

Mercedes-Benz is keen to sell us cabriolets – lots of them. No other car maker has such a wide range of open-top models. The new E-Class Cabriolet joins the recently introduced C-Class Cabriolet and more expensive S-Class Cabriolet in a formidable line-up of open-top four-seat models, to which you can add the two-seat SLC and SL, plus the Fortwo Cabriolet of Mercedes’ city car brand Smart. The new convertible E-Class is 123mm longer, 74mm wider and 30mm taller than its immediate forebear, but it arguably retains a trademark visual elegance. It’s also packed with sophistication in the form of a new platform offering a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive as well as a new electronic architecture that supports all sorts of technical goodies, including air suspension and semi-autonomous driving…

MODEL TESTED 2.2D 150 SPORT NAV 2WD Price £28,695 Power 148bhp Torque 280lb ft 0-60mph 9.4sec 30-70mph in fourth 11.3sec Fuel economy 43.3mpg CO2 emissions 132g/km 70-0mph 50.1m Six years after the launch of the original CX-5 SUV, Mazda’s SkyActiv model revolution has come full circle. Having touched the Mazda 3 hatchback and saloon, the bigger 6 saloon, the 2 supermini, the CX-3 crossover and even the fourth-generation MX-5 sports car, this curiously named programme of technological overhaul – which has brought new platforms, new engines and new thinking to the Japanese firm – has returned its focus to this: the second-generation CX-5. Predictably, there’s less of a gleam of radical newness to this car than there was to its predecessor, as Mazda inevitably enters a period of consolidation and…

“The 840Ci is arguably the best-resolved 8 Series of all” The arrival of the new 8 Series (see p50) might just rekindle some uncomfortable memories for the higher-ups at BMW. Not for nothing has the name been absent from the company’s portfolio for almost 20 years; indeed, the company has stayed away entirely from the super-luxury coupé segment and watched on while Mercedes-Benz and Bentley made it their own. No more, though, because BMW has summoned up the courage to have another crack. There will be a new 8 Series – and BMW will be taking care to avoid repeating the mistakes it made last time out. The biggest problem with the original 8 Series was that nobody really knew what it was meant to be. Some saw it as…

“Be very, very careful.” Don Law is unequivocal in his instructions as he takes me through the controls of the Jaguar XJ220 I’m about to drive. I don’t blame him, really. It is, not to put too fine a point on it, piddling down outside. What’s more, the big Jag has 549bhp, rear-wheel drive, and lacks driver aids. There isn’t even power steering. It is, in other words, a vastly different proposition to Jaguar’s latest skunkworks creation, the XE SV Project 8 (see page 8). And while I’d love to imagine I have the car control of a young Chris Harris, I simply do not. Frankly, I’d be saying exactly the same thing to myself were I in Law’s position. Law has become the country’s – nay, the world’s –…

Hybrids are flawed I looked at the cutaway drawing of the new Audi A8 hybrid (News, 7 June). What complexity, and so much that could possibly go wrong. The simplicity of pure-electric vehicles and their inbuilt greater reliability will make these hybrids depreciate very quickly. Who would want an A8 hybrid when it is out of warranty? Any hybrid is carrying the weight of a redundant propulsion system all the time. When it is using petrol, the electric motor and battery are redundant; and when on electric, the petrol engine is redundant. In my opinion, most hybrids are just a tax dodge. Andrew Roberts Brill, Bucks WIN Letter of the week wins this ValetPRO exterior protection and maintenance kit worth £58.95…

Not much has happened since the previous report because I’ve been off my feet and unable to drive for a few weeks. As a result, and despite the Mustang’s obvious charms, I missed out on that sensational, early-summer driving weather. Otherwise, I would have been dodging bunnies on a sun-kissed B-road, pretending I was actually cruising along California’s Pacific Coast Highway. Anyway, time to reflect is not always a bad thing and there has been plenty of opportunity to just look at the Mustang. I was reminded how important design is to me when a journalist friend turned up the other day in a Porsche Macan Turbo and parked close behind the Ford. The Porsche looked pretty sharp to me but his eyes lingered on the Mustang and his parting…

MILEAGE 127,864 LAND ROVER SERIES 3 The Lorry has been driven to its care home, Norfolk-based TJC Landrovers, which has agreed to take it on. I’ve stumped up a four-figure deposit so the chaps at TJC can buy the parts and get cracking on the Lorry’s surgery. It will get a galvanised chassis, new brakes, copper brake lines and parabolic springs. The wheels are being repainted, the bulkhead is getting a once-over (although it isn’t rotten) and the paintwork will enjoy a buff. TJC will fit a new clutch and manifold while they’re at it. We should have it back in four to five months. READER’S RIDE Daimler Drophead Coupé In 1973 Roderick Ramage’s father went to a posh London square to look at a supposedly original-condition Daimler Drophead, advertised…

Aston Martin has created a new, V8-engined entry-level DB11 by using the first Mercedes-AMG engine to come from its technical collaboration. The new V8 DB11 is cheaper than the existing turbocharged 5.2-litre V12 DB11, but it is claimed to be the more dynamically able, thanks in part to its lighter weight and lower centre of gravity, due to the engine’s smaller capacity. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, familiar from the Mercedes-AMG GT, is built by AMG but has received unique calibration with its own ECU. The engine is installed by Aston Martin and produces 503bhp and 598lb ft of torque. Although that peak power output is 97bhp short of the V12’s, the V8 has 82lb ft more torque than the V12. This helps the new model stay within a tenth of…

Aston Martin has been testing its next-gen Vantage under this cut-up DB11 body. The new Vantage is due next year with all-new bonded aluminium architecture. It will use the Mercedes-AMG 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that’s will produce 503bhp in the standard version and 550bhp in the Vantage S. A V12 Vantage is also due. It will use the same 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12 as the DB11. Both Vantage variants will be offered with either a dual-clutch automatic or six-speed manual gearbox.…

Jaguar Land Rover is using global positioning system (GPS) technology for its inaugural tests of autonomous vehicles. Testing is due to start in Coventry and Milton Keynes in October. The self-driving Range Rover Sport set to be used for the trials has been modified so it can negotiate roundabouts, recognise and respond to traffic lights and steer around curves and junctions. GPS is being used because it can easily be engineered into the Range Rover’s cruise control, steering, braking and transmission systems. At a shakedown test at Horiba-MIRA in the Midlands, the self-driving Range Rover was programmed to drive to two pre-determined points on a 1.5-mile circuit. The real-world tests are expected to be over a 10-mile circuit. “We have three routes in each city out for approval and are…

Seat will launch the Arona this September as the second car in its range of SUVs. The new crossover will receive its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show. The Arona will be Seat’s third new car this year and it slots into a segment in which global demand has quadrupled since 2015. It rivals big-selling models such as the Vauxhall Mokka X and Nissan Juke. The Arona sits beneath the Ateca in Seat’s SUV range and is built on a compact version of that car’s Volkswagen Group MQB underpinnings, called MQB A0. The same platform is also used by the newly launched Ibiza and Volkswagen Polo superminis. The Arona’s design draws on features from the smaller Ibiza as well as the larger Ateca, adopting the latter’s underbody protection and…

“The RS5 can at least be goaded into delivering more drive to the outside rear wheel” Before we talk about the new RS5, we’d be remiss not to sound a rhetoric last post at the departure of the old model. Not because it was particularly good overall – in fact it fit Audi’s starchy stereotype about as accurately as a Paulaner brewer fits into lederhosen – but rather because it was the final refuge of Ingolstadt’s 4.2-litre V8, arguably the naturally-aspirated multi-cylinder engine of the past decade. That engine’s replacement is the all-new 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 co-developed with Porsche and already a feature of the latest Panamera line-up. Naturally, on paper it is superior in almost every sense, and every improved-upon number counts as a reason to be cheerful. But…

It was 1974 when Alfons Löwenberg, a far-sighted Volkswagen engineer, levered a fuel-injected engine into his ‘Sport Golf’ side project and changed the world. Nearly 45 years on, the benefits of marrying power and better handling to the practicality and inexpensiveness of Giorgetto Giugiaro’s timeless folded-paper design seem as obvious as combining deep-fried chips with battered fish. Yet Volkswagen took some convincing. What eventually turned the car from cottage industry to industry changer was not just its snowballing popularity, but also the fact that the value-added desirability, spun into the car’s structure like thread in the tartan upholstery, could be used to liberally fatten the family hatchback’s slim profit margin. Cracking that formula was the GTI’s lasting lesson – one that the market has applied ruthlessly and rigorously everywhere ever…

COMPARISON New Ford Fiesta versus rivals – the definitive test The latest version of Britain’s best-selling car is measured against eight of its key competitors FEATURE Bentley Continental GT We join the development team of the new Conti GT — and grab a drive REPORT Goodwood Festival of Speed Porsche 911 GT2 RS, Range Rover Velar and more take centre stage EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Volvo XC60 Is the second SUV of the ‘new Volvo’ era as good as the XC90 before it? FIRST DRIVE Alpina B5 Alpina turns its talents to the new BMW 5 Series, with greatness expected LONG-TERM TEST Audi SQ7 Final report on our performance SUV. How did it fare in everyday use? SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p56…

“Its total mileage wasn’t impressive, but its number of journeys was dizzying” Plenty of water has flowed under the bridge since we took delivery of our Nissan Leaf Tekna about 15 months and 7200 miles ago. We’ve seen the arrival of half a dozen new electric models – notably from Volkswagen, Ford and Tesla – and we’ve watched Renault extend the driving range of its Zoe supermini to a realistic 150 miles. All the way, the Leaf has deservedly kept its position as the world’s best-known battery electric car, a practical, Golf-sized five-door with worldwide sales reaching 250,000 at the end of last year and now nearing 75,000 in Europe. That hardly makes it a mainstreamer, but the fact that most people know a Leaf when they see one shows…

THERE ARE THINGS that are nicer than waking up on a Sunday knowing you have nothing to do except drive a 911 to Scotland. But not many. Regulars will have seen a story I wrote about driving the one millionth 911 around the Highlands (31 May issue) and what better way to prepare than to arrive in our very similar long-term test car? Plenty, as it turns out. I missed that this was Throw Your Car Into the Central Reservation Sunday, so instead of my usual sub-six-hour run, the journey took nearly nine. The 911, however, was predictably superb. But then it got taken away. Because I’m unable to drive two cars at once, Porsche people used it to lead their 40-car 911 celebration convoy around Scotland. I was in…

Not much to pay for a Chevrolet Here is a cheap, cheerful and practical little Chevrolet Lacetti estate in easy-to-use 1.8 SX Auto trim. This 2009 70,000-miler is a trade sale at just £900, so you can’t take it back if you don’t like it and there’s no warranty. But you will like it, because there’s plenty to admire, from its 16in alloy wheels to the satellite navigation and cupholder. There’s also a leather gear knob. Pick up a fairly priced Ford pick-up Here’s a great big V8 pick-up of the sort that is so popular in the US. Often they cost quite a lot if they end up making it over here to Blighty, but this 2002 Ford F150 seems to be quite fairly priced at £18,500, and the…

An expert’s view JONATHAN LEACH, CRIDFORDS GARAGE “Prices hit a low three years ago but have started to rally. They’re tied to the rising prices of new cars, which drag those of desirable used models along behind them. When looking for a 997, be wary of anything that looks like a bargain because it probably isn’t. It can cost thousands just to rectify standard issues. My pick would be a Gen 2 Carrera with the optional sports exhaust. It’s bombproof.” Buyer beware • ENGINE A tiny fraction of Gen 1 cars suffered cylinder bore scoring and failure of the intermediate shaft bearing (uprated from the 2007 model year). Check the nearside exhaust tip for soot and listen for a tapping noise at idle. On Gen 2 cars, see if the…

1 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S From £69,200 Another superb creation by Mercedes-AMG. The coupé is huge fun out on the open road and docile enough to use around town. 2 BMW M4 From £57,000 Has grip, precision, pace and all-round civility, but lacks some of the dynamic charm of its rivals. 3 Mercedes-AMG C 43 From £47,600 Not as bombastic as the full-fat C63, but the 3.0-litre V6 is compelling in its own right. It is also luxurious and well-built. 4 Alpina B4 From £59,000 The twin-turbo engine is more dramatic but less well-mannered than the BMW M4’s, but it is better on road than on the track. 5 Audi S5 From £47,000 A great grand tourer, with a relaxed, cosseting nature, but lacks the handling dynamism that its rivals…