Innholdsfortegnelse for July 17, 2019 i Autocar

ASTON MARTIN BOSS Andy Palmer has called the government’s Brexit strategy “laughable”, its electric vehicle policy “nonsensical” and the idea of full autonomy “absurd” among his articulate dismantling of current topics (p20). It’s hard to argue with him. Whatever you think of Brexit, no one has been helped by the negotiation process dragging on for so long. If the UK really wanted to be a world leader in battery production, it would have pledged even more money. If all the pledged money has gone to EVs, what if hydrogen or another technology takes off? If it wants to improve air quality, it must do more to get old diesels off the road. If it wants to cut CO2, it must continue to support the sale of new diesels. Within all…

CITROEN WILL LAUNCH three new saloon cars in the next two years, starting with a reinvented C6, marketing director Arnaud Belloni has confirmed to Autocar. The move – in line with the firm’s heritage but against the trend of rivals’ plans in the face of declining saloon sales globally – is described as “unique but not risky” by Belloni, who hinted that the styling won’t follow established saloon conventions. The design study for the new flagship saloon was initially kick-started by the 2016 Cxperience concept. The flagship saloon will be unveiled at next year’s Paris motor show. Brand sources tell us it will revive the spirit of the C6 – and the CX of the 1970s – and rival conventional saloons such as the Skoda Superb. However, Belloni said two…

The new Range Rover Sport HST gives us our first taste of a key component of Jaguar Land Rover’s developing engine portfolio: the first inline six-cylinder engine of the Ingenium family. The new P400 unit is just under 3.0 litres by volume and uses twin-scroll turbocharging, electric supercharging and mild-hybrid electric assistance to make 396bhp and 406lb ft. It replaces the old 3.0 supercharged V6 and slots into the line-up just below the P400e plug-in hybrid on price but slightly above it on performance. More ordinary trim levels are available, but Land Rover is marking the engine’s arrival with a special derivative called HST. First impressions are all about refinement. Gaydon has gone to great lengths to make the P400 the smoothest and most discreet engine available in the car…

MODEL TESTED G350D AMG LINE Price £94,065 Power 282bhp Torque 443lb ft 0-60mph 7.5sec 30-70mph in fourth 8.5sec Fuel economy 24.9mpg CO2 emissions 252g/km 70-0mph 52.2m It must be at least partly by coincidence that 2019 is shaping up to be such a significant year for the reimagined off-roading icon – although you couldn’t find a clearer or more potent symbol of the car buyer’s current obsession with all things SUV if you spent the whole year looking for one. In April, we put the fourth Wrangler-dubbed generation of the inimitable and original Jeep through the Autocar road test – and by the end of 2019, we’ll have driven the much-anticipated all-new Land Rover Defender as well. The big question now is, by this time next year, which leather-lined, rough-stuff specialist…

QUESTION I’m tempted by a new-model BMW 320d Touring but would a nearly new, old-shape one be a more sensible purchase? Gary White, Southampton ANSWER We know you just want permission to have the new-shape model. And why not? We tested the saloon and gave it five stars. BMW promises the new Touring will “handle even better” than the old one. Add in its three-year warranty, tempting finance deals… It’s a no-brainer, except that we found an old-shape 2019/68-reg 320d M Sport Shadow Edition auto Touring with 1800 miles for £24,889, compared with £38,955 when new and £39,825 for a new-shape 320d M Sport Touring auto. A saving of £15,000 sounds pretty sensible to us. JE QUESTION I’ve seen a 2015/15-reg VW Golf 1.6 TDI 110 BlueMotion with 94,000 miles…

Alfa Romeo 159 1.75 TBi TI Sportwagon £10,995 The 159 Sportwagon is still a thing of beauty, although it’s made rather humdrum by some worthy diesel engines. On the petrol front, there’s a try-hard 2.2 (its timing chain tensioner can be an issue, so take care) and a quick but thirsty 3.2 V6 four-wheel-drive model. However, the engine we burn a candle for, and the one Alfa specialists rate, is the rare 1.75 TBi. It made its debut towards the end of 2009 and its turbocharged motor produces 197bhp but, more impressive still, 236lb ft from just 1400rpm. That torque is no flash in the pan, either. It plays out all the way to 5500rpm and is just a nudge away in any gear. Meanwhile, the engine remains smooth and…

Renault Wind £2950 Wind by name, wind by nature. On the air intake fitted to the 1.6 VVTi is a rubber flap that, when removed, lets the engine blow a little more freely… Not that this 1.2 TCe lacks puff. In fact, it’s torquier right where you need it. The Wind sits on the Twingo chassis and turns in to corners keenly with lots of grip. All this and the folding roof does its thing in 12sec. Our example is a 2011/11-reg 1.2 TCe GT Line with 70,000 miles. Buy it and have the last laugh.…

Back in 1994, Autocar’s test fleet boasted a Porsche 968 Club Sport in its ranks. Shorn of 50kg by the removal of equipment and stiffer than the standard car, it was a sweet-handling device. Some months after it arrived, we had reluctantly to return it. Someone should have made Porsche an offer for it. Today, you’ll be lucky to find a nice Club Sport (CS) for under £30k. In fact, as this was written, one dealer was asking £71,000 for a fully restored 1995 CS with 43,000 miles. Based on its 944 predecessor’s front-engine rear-drive platform, itself derived from the 924, the 968 was launched in 1992. It had started life on the drawing board as a 944 S3 before Porsche decided it had moved so far away from that…

An expert’s view MARK PETERS, PRECISION PORSCHE “One of the first things you should check is the quality of the service history – not how many stamps it has in the book but the detail in the invoices. That’s where you’ll find information not only on oil changes and the grade of lubricants used but also on essentials such as belt and tensioner guide changes. I’d even look for timing chain replacement. Used parts are thin on the ground and that forces owners to buy expensive new ones, so be sure the 968 you buy hasn’t been neglected. For example, brake calipers can corrode, causing the pads to bind. I’ve known owners to file down pads to free them rather than buy new calipers!” Buyer beware… ■ ENGINE Check that…

“No more than 130 Lotus Evijas will be built, each priced at £2.04 million” Lotus has revealed the Evija, the all-electric hypercar it claims will be “the most powerful production car in the world”. An output of 1973bhp is promised when it hits roads next year, which is more than the upcoming 1888bhp Pininfarina Battista and Rimac C_Two, and the 1479bhp internally combusted Bugatti Chiron currently in production. No more than 130 of the two-seat hypercars will be built, each priced at £2.04 million. “Target specifications” include four-wheel drive, 1254lb ft and torque vectoring, giving it a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds, a 0-186mph time of less than nine seconds and a top speed of 200mph-plus. A production slot can be reserved with a refundable £250,000 deposit. The…

UNDER THE SKIN JESSE CROSSE “REPORTS OF MY death are greatly exaggerated,” said Mark Twain after an erroneously posted obituary. It’s pretty much what every internal combustion engine would say, too, if they could speak. While hysteria over the car’s contribution to emissions reaches epic proportions, engineers everywhere are working hard to improve internal combustion engines (ICEs) to drive toxic and CO2 emissions down. The Hyundai Motor Group’s new CVVD (continuously variable valve duration) technology is the latest ICE development to break cover. It’s another example of how new engineering techniques are enabling engineers to revisit the engine fundamentals to leap technical barriers that were once insurmountable. CVVD on the new Smartstream G1.6 T-GDi engine, to be fitted to both Hyundai and Kia cars, improves performance by 4%, fuel efficiency…

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WHILE BUYERS OF more humble 1 Series variants might not give a fig about which direction the engine sends its power, those who bought the quick and entertaining M140i do – and that arguably makes the new M135i more controversial than its less expensive siblings. Those who wanted the old car did so because it didn’t follow the same four-cylinder, four-wheel-drive template as rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG A35 and VW Golf R. It was never as fast but, unlike its relatives, the M140i did have the performance to unlock the potential of its rear-drive chassis. But there are reasons to be hopeful for the new car. For instance, at the front it features a Torsen limitedslip differential, while the rear axle gets a hang-on clutch, allowing power to be…

Sometimes it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that cars such as the Audi A4 are still relevant. We’re constantly told SUVs are hell-bent on global domination; that these bulky, overinflated machines won’t rest until they’ve managed to morph themselves into every model niche imaginable – or unimaginable. Compact crossover, anyone? How about an SUV coupé? They’re the Next Big Thing, don’t you know. Anyway, with the hype surrounding all these variations of SUV, you might think regular saloons and estates have been dropped from the starting team to play a supporting role from the bench. But that’s not quite the case for Audi – just yet anyway. According to the Ingolstadt firm, the A4 is still its core model. One in every five Audis sold around…

VERDICT Mercedes simply wouldn’t have bothered fitting adaptive engine mounts onto a car like the new G-Class – having first added structural integrity and AMG-fettled suspension sophistication – unless it had set out to totally transform the on-road driving experience. Which is precisely what the company has achieved. While it has a long history of being as capable as any off-roader during tough going, the G-Wagen has never been engineered and finished to appeal as a daily-driven luxury SUV quite like it does now. In recent years, attempts were made to make the car palatable to the rich few who had fallen for its military-chic looks – but none of them amounted to a fraction as much as the grand redefinition that this timeless 4x4 has just been through. The…

With all the advances in technology, I am wondering if a few things could be addressed. When wipers are on more than intermittent, could the car also turn on both dipped headlights and tail-lights automatically? Too many drivers rely on daylight-running lights when it rains. Some cars have these on the front only and others both front and rear. Do owners know which their car displays? Surely this might save lives. Second, if there is the technology to automatically turn a front foglight on, could the indicator light also go on? Alternatively, drivers could use their indicators when approaching, going around and exiting roundabouts as per the Highway Code, as this skill seems to be almost extinct. Finally, why do the majority not indicate prior to overtaking, but then indicate…

MILEAGE 2455 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see whether Audi has raised the bar for electric vehicles with its advanced Jaguar I-Pace rival The Audi E-tron’s limo-like qualities (and its brilliant white paint) made it an obvious choice for wedding car duties when a colleague’s daughter got married at Kew Gardens in south-west London recently – especially as a traditional horse and carriage wouldn’t have mixed very well with the required journey up the M3 motorway. Come the big day, the bride couldn’t have been happier with her conveyance. The E-tron’s spacious interior coped easily with the sugar plum fairy dress, while the elevated seating position meant the bride made a serene, dignified entrance. Just as impressively, the E-tron’s excellent refinement ensured the bride’s sister and father could effortlessly maintain…

For the past 40 years, my Mini Cooper has managed without a cigarette lighter. Just as well as I don’t smoke. But a 12V output might be useful in the modern world. I have never used a satnav in it (relied on maps for my last 200-mile-plus journey) and I often forget my mobile phone so don’t feel the need to charge it. Anyway, I thought I would install one that I bought for a tenner. It took me a while to sort out because I am no electrician but, hey, we have some power. Not sure what I am going to do with it. The suspension is still broken.…

The Corsa was the UK’s fourth-best-selling new car in June, a position it also holds in the current year-to-date rankings. That’s impressive for a car that, under the skin, dates back to 2006, when it was codenamed the Corsa D. The model under the microscope here is the Corsa E, launched in 2014. The change of letter suggests it was a lot more than a makeover. In fact, apart from some additional stiffening and revised locations for the suspension pick-up points, the platform was as before. Where the model’s step up the alphabet was more than justified was in its new engines and revised steering and suspension tailored for British roads but, most noticeable of all, its change of clothes. Apart from the roof, every panel was new. Inside, the…

Few would have fancied your chances if the former custodians of this Mondeo had decided your time was up. The ST220 may since have been ‘de-coppered’ but that’s still a 3.0-litre V6 producing 223bhp and 210lb ft. This 2005-reg model has the later Getrag six-speed manual gearbox, compared with the earlier car’s five-speed unit. Sixth was quite long but the other ratios were made shorter than before for a sportier drive. Standard equipment included 18in alloy wheels, a bodykit and heated Recaro leather seats. This being the estate, self-levelling suspension was also part of the deal. Not a bad auction buy for £1554, then.…

Bentley is marking its centenary by launching a large and highly intelligent all-electric car called EXP 100 GT. The concept is designed as a physical embodiment of the future of Bentley to show what sustainable opulence could be like in 2035. The car, which is said to be capable of both “autonomous and enjoyable” driving, has been created in-house in Crewe by a team led by design director Stefan Sielaff. It is a huge, coupé-like high-performance car with two massive lifting doors but the dimensions and interior space of a limousine. Inside, the EXP 100 GT is designed to use artificial intelligence to provide a level of luxury unknown in cars at present. Its secret weapon, a so-called Bentley Personal Assistant controllable from screens front and rear, aims to improve…

Volkswagen will renew its GTI range mainstay next year as the hot Golf returns for its eighth generation – and the first prototypes have been seen lapping the Nürburgring track. Following the reveal of the new Mk8 Golf due at the end of this year, the GTI variant is expected to have the wraps pulled off it in the middle of 2020. It will receive a number of upgrades, including more power, a greater range of advanced technology and reduced weight. The design adopts the familiar cues of previous GTIs to mark it out from the regular hatch, which has already been seen with barely any disguise. These include different front and rear bumpers with larger air intakes, chunkier wheels and tyres covering larger brakes, the familiar split dual-exit exhaust…

The renewal of Mercedes-AMG’s compact car line-up has continued with the unveiling of the new CLA 45 4Matic Shooting Brake. The coupé-cum-estate is set for UK delivery in late 2019, priced around £55,000, and is the third AMG model to get the company’s new 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, after the recently revealed A45 4Matic hatchback and CLA 45 4Matic saloon. A development of the first-generation’s M133 unit, the new M139 2.0-litre turbo engine will be offered in two states of tune. The UK will only offer the more powerful iteration, the range-topping CLA 45 S 4Matic Shooting Brake. It develops 39bhp and 18lb ft more than its predecessor at a class-leading 415bhp and 369lb ft. As with the A45 4Matic and CLA 45 4Matic, drive is channelled through an…

Ford and Volkswagen have jointly announced that the expansion of their global alliance will include electric vehicles, alongside the development of autonomous tech and commercial vehicles. As part of the deal, Ford will make use of the German giant’s MEB modular electric platform for “at least one high-volume fully electric vehicle in Europe” that will be launched in 2023. Ford plans to deliver more than 600,000 MEB-based vehicles over a six-year period, with a second model under discussion that could “almost double” the volume of MEB supply to Ford. VW will supply the platform, the lithium ion battery system and structural components. Ford will design the car at its own facility in Cologne, Germany, and assemble it in an undisclosed European factory. VW CEO Herbert Diess claims the scaling of…

When BMW’s own research revealed that 85% of 1 Series owners didn’t know which end of their car did the driving, it was clear the front-wheel-drive die had been cast for this all-new model. If the majority of your buyers aren’t fussed or can’t appreciate the differences in driving dynamics, then why bother developing a bespoke rear-drive platform for your entry-level model when you’ve already got some perfectly good front-drive architecture in the pipeline? Cynicism aside, there are a number of good reasons why the new 1 Series is now a puller rather than a pusher, not least practicality. The previous car’s old-school transmission packaging meant it always gave best to rivals for space and usability, but now BMW claims it’s squeezed more space out of a slightly more compact…

At the first showing of the 208, Peugeot brought along a fast 205 to display alongside the new car. That’s a bold move, given how fondly the old car is remembered. Similarly bold is Peugeot design director Gilles Vidal saying the new 208 looks like a “sexy little hot hatch”, while Peugeot’s new tagline is ‘unboring the future’. None of that is the sort of thing you’d do unless you were confident you were regaining your mojo. I suppose this is our first chance to find out, with the new 208 and e-208 (neither of them hot versions), albeit in prototype form and only on a short route around a test track in France. There’s more to do before the car’s launch at the end of the year, so no…

Naming a new car is always a tricky business. Not only does it have to somehow suit the car – not always easy if you’re just mixing letters and numbers – but it also has to fit in with the wider range. The latter point is something that appears to have been forgotten when Mazda named the CX-30, the first SUV based on the Japanese brand’s latest hardware. The CX-30 sits between the compact CX-3 and large CX-5, but the CX-4 moniker is already used in China for a crossover coupé, hence CX-30. At least it being a multiple of three makes sense when you consider that underneath the flowing lines and tough plastic wheel-arch extensions, you’ll find the Mazda 3’s platform. Not that it’s just a 3 on stilts.…

1919 The first Bentley engine fires up on a bench in New Street Mews, London. A nurse caring for a dying man next door complains. The Bentley technicians assert that as sounds to die to go, he’ll hear none finer. 1921 Bentley delivers its first car, a 3 Litre saloon bodied by Easter, to Noel van Raalte. 1923 John Duff enters his Bentley into the first-ever Le Mans 24-hour race. WO’s view? “I think the whole thing’s crazy. Nobody’ll finish. Cars aren’t designed to stand that sort of strain for 24 hours.” At the last minute, he goes and watches the car come fourth. It broke the lap record and would have won but for a holed fuel tank. 1924 Duff enters again, this time with a heavily factory-backed car.…

Last year, I spent a week kite-surfing in Sicily. Needless to say, I was about the oldest person at the kite-surfing centre and was surrounded by incredibly fit and healthy looking youngsters. Actually, they looked a lot like the people I see in the videos that we’re shown during the press conference at the launch of a new SUV or crossover. I’m not sure I have too many of these events left in me. If it’s not a load of twaddle about how fast the latest SUV is around the Nürburgring, it’s a fantasy land of young people buying £35,000 crossovers. Youngsters who are most likely either saddled with student debt or haven’t actually got around to learning to drive. The kite-surfing beautiful people in Sicily did have vehicles, as…

DRIVEN Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder Six-cylinder power returns to Porsche’s mid-engined sports cars, with spectacular results expected. We rate both cars in Scotland INVESTIGATION Why are cars so wide? Richard Bremner gets his tape measure out to investigate FEATURE The ‘other’ British GP Our challenge to Colin Goodwin at Silverstone last weekend… EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Jaguar F-Pace SVR Delayed by a year, but early drives suggest it has been worth the wait USED BUYING GUIDE Mercedes M-Class The SUV is no recent phenomenon at Merc, as this bargain used 4x4 shows LONG-TERM TEST Citroën Berlingo Can the funky van-based MPV recapture the magic of the original? SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p26…

MILEAGE 6000 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To discover if the spirit of the iconic 3dr Mini lives on in the 5dr hatch, while also providing a dose of practicality It’s unusual for those in the road testing racket to drive just one car for 10 straight days, but that’s the 1000-mile partnership that recently developed between me and our long-term Mini Cooper S Sport five-door – for two reasons. First, I enjoyed the car so much on first acquaintance that I wanted more. Second, its normal custodian, Rachel Burgess, was out of the country so I was presented with a golden opportunity to swipe it from the car park. Early obsessions often lead to disappointment, but not this time. My liking for the Mini’s defining characteristics (compactness, agility, sportiness, great…

Saab 9-3 convertible James McKinney is a regular on this page and here is something special. “Our fun car for high days and Sundays is an 11-reg Saab 9-3 convertible,” he says. “It has a 2.0 turbo petrol engine and auto ’box. We bought it in July 2016 with only 7000 miles up by one previous owner and with a full Saab service history. It currently has less than 20,000 miles on the clock. “It is a lovely car to drive and has all of Saab’s renowned safety features. It exhibits virtually no scuttle shake and the build quality is very impressive. Not surprising given Saab’s avowed intention was to produce a convertible that was better than its BMW or Mercedes equivalent. In my view, having owned both of the…