Innholdsfortegnelse for April 22, 2020 i Autocar

NON-ELECTRIC RENAULT passenger cars will no longer be sold in China after the brand withdraws from its joint venture with the Dongfeng Motor Group. A press release has confirmed that all “Renault brand-related activities” will be halted across China, although electric Renaults and small commercial vehicles will continue to be sold through other joint-venture operations. Despite the market withdrawal, the company claims “further development for Renault-brand passenger cars will be detailed later”. The decision was reportedly taken before the coronavirus took hold, but it’s likely that the shutdown and market stagnation accelerated plans for Renault to abandon the loss-making joint venture. Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company (DRAC) built just 18,607 cars in 2019, despite having the capacity to make 110,000 a year. The decision is also said to “more efficiently leverage”…

VOLKSWAGEN IS GEARING up to launch three new R models before 2020 is out – the Golf R hatchback, Arteon R saloon and Tiguan R SUV – and now prototypes with almost no disguise have been spotted testing at the Nürburgring. The new Golf R is due for a summer launch and set to be powered by a 329bhp version of the venerable EA888 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine. While launch dates for the Arteon R and Tiguan R have yet to be officially confirmed, Autocar understands that both will follow the soon-to-launch Touareg R under Volkswagen R boss Jost Capito’s plan to turn the sub-brand into an equivalent of BMW M. Capito previously told Autocar that a Tiguan R would have to be “more of an everyday model” than the…

Selling practical cars in significant volumes at reasonable prices is what Skoda does best. Nowhere is this more evident than with the modern-day Octavia, which has gathered more than 6.5 million sales worldwide across three model generations since being introduced to the Czech car maker’s line-up back in 1996. Over that time, the Octavia has regularly accounted for up to a third of production at Skoda’s Mladá Boleslav factory in the Czech Republic and a good deal of its profits as well – all of which leaves the new fourth-generation model with quite a lot to live up to. Well aware of what’s at stake, Skoda has defiantly risen to the challenge. Despite the evergrowing number of SUV models in the brand’s line-up, it’s clear that the Octavia still demands…

MODEL TESTED HYBRID4 ULTIMATE NAV The Vauxhall Grandland X Hybrid4 is, its maker claims, the company’s very first hybrid vehicle. It’s an assertion that you can only consider true if you’re prepared to discount the ill-fated Vauxhall Ampera – a car that deserved greater commercial success than it got. Whatever its significance, though, the electrified mid-sized crossover SUV that we’re putting under the scrutiny of the road test this week looks like an uncharacteristically well-timed new model for a brand that could do with a commercial win. With the latest UK company car tax rules massively incentivising ultra-low-carbon plug-in hybrid options, fleet operators countrywide are currently looking to replace petrol- and diesel-engined company cars with modern plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) that will allow them to maintain their operating budgets and also…

FORD KUGA VIGNALE 2.5 PHEV FWD Lacks the performance of some, but strong for practicality and value. Rides and handles well. VOLVO XC40 RECHARGE PHEV T5 A bit slim on space and misses key 30-mile EV range threshold. Desirable and decent to drive. VAUXHALL GRANDLAND X HYBRID4 ULTIMATE NAV Short of some practicality, drivability and dynamic polish. Should still stand out on fleet lists. MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV EXCEED SAFETY Original plug-in SUV now looks behind the curve in lots of ways. Spacious and easy to use, though. DS 7 CROSSBACK E-TENSE ULTRA PRESTIGE 4x4 We have only tried it abroad but weren’t taken with the price and unresolved driving experience.…

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Even before Covid-19 brought production lines to a standstill, the British car industry was having a tough time. A combination of technical upheaval, political quarrelling, economic uncertainty and falling sales has been hitting hard. Investment has dwindled. Jobs have been lost. Factories are being closed. All of that makes this particular story about our car industry unusual. Because, although it’s set against the backdrop of uncertainty caused by Brexit and many other factors, this is a good news story. It’s a good news story about a factory that has received major investment, increased production and shown that British manufacturing is as good as any in the world. In an industry in tumult, this factory has remained as calm as a Japanese zen garden. Except it’s in Derbyshire. Toyota Motor Manufacturing…

The fortunes of the British motoring industry have waned over time – but as our look at Toyota’s Burnaston plant (p50) shows, the UK continues to play a huge role in car making. Plenty of overseas firms have produced cars here, so what’s the best one built in Britain that’s not actually British? This is what our team think. Let us know if you agree via autocar@haymarket.com PEUGEOT 206 There was a point in the mid-2000s when you seemingly couldn’t drive a mile without spotting a Peugeot 206. Launched as a late replacement for the immensely popular 205, after the 106 and 306 failed to fill the gap, the 206 became the most successful model ever built at Peugeot’s Ryton plant near Coventry. The 206 GTi 180 was a highlight…

Which car maker will be the next to join the World Rally Championship? There has been a lot of talk in recent years about a Chinese company coming in to showcase its global technology and, on the face of it, this would appear to make perfect sense. You see, while China’s car industry is enormous, Chinese car brands aren’t particularly well known elsewhere, so an international motorsport showcase, using models that closely resemble their road equivalents to emphasise durability, versatility and strength, is just what’s needed. However, good news travels fast, and there have been no specific brands talked about yet, so a Chinese manufacturer in the WRC is still probably some way off – although Great Wall has been very successful in the Dakar Rally. There’s another brand that…

FEATURE New Mini John Cooper Works GP Flat out on road and track in the third iteration of the GP – the fastest, most powerful BMW Mini yet USED Mercedes-Benz W124 We named it the best used car in the world a decade ago. Is that still true in 2020? INTERVIEW Heroic defending Steve Cropley meets the team behind the new Land Rover Defender EVERY WEEK ROAD TEST Jaguar F-Type R It narrowly lost to the 911 in a twin test. Now it meets our road testers FIRST DRIVE New Audi RS5 Our first test in Audi’s revised BMW M4 rival SUBSCRIBE autocar.co.uk/subscribe or see p34…

MILEAGE 12,330 What changes might one make to a Jimny given the chance? Reader Pami Dhariwal says a little more power would be welcome but isn’t essential (agreed, Pami). He has ordered an anti-slip mat to stop items sliding around in his load-liner (very wise) as he uses the Jimny as a two-seater at all times (who doesn’t?). Finally, he’ll add rear speakers, saying: “The two door speakers seem a little basic for someone of a certain age with hearing issues.” Helpfully, the range-topping SZ5 – like our car – already has the connectors in its wiring loom for such a job. TEST DATA SUZUKI JIMNY 1.5 SZ5 ALLGRIP Price £18,499 Price as tested £19,149 Faults None Expenses None Economy 38.1mpg Last seen 1.4.20…

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF There is plenty going on at the moment and no shortage of stories, some better than others. Thought I would fill you in on what is one of the most positive at the moment: an MOT pass. I am only nominally responsible for the 1.4 TSI, which has behaved rather brilliantly. At a time when MOTs are not required, this had been booked in for a month or two and we combined the short trip with other urgent errands. The only advisory was the oldest tyre, which is now starting to show the smallest of cracks. Believe me, that’s really good news.…

Loved for its go-anywhere ability and practicality, the Land Rover Discovery 5 is a green Barbour jacket on wheels, as happy foraging for parking spaces in Kensington as traversing muddy fields in the Cotswolds. Indomitable on road and capable of wonders off it, few rivals can match its all-round appeal. This fifth generation features an aluminium monocoque and is based on the same architecture as the contemporary Range Rover Sport, weighing in substantially less than the much-loved Mk4 Discovery it replaced. Its looks remain, but it offers vast amounts of interior space and seven very usable seats. There’s a good choice of engines, too, with four cylinders or six. There are three diesels, the 237bhp 2.0-litre SD4, the 254bhp 3.0 TD6 and the 302bhp 3.0 SDV6, or petrols that include…

BMW Z3 M A lot of the criticism of early BMW Z3s surrounded the underwhelming performance. Both the four-cylinder 1.9 and six-cylinder 2.8-litre engines would have been fine if the car only had to compete with other front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars. But it also faced the mid-engined Porsche Boxster, which is why the more potent 3.2-litre engine from BMW’s M motorsport division quickly found its way into the little Z3. Today, it’s one of the most sought after Z3s behind the M Coupé, so the £8103 someone paid for this 84,500-mile example seems a bit of a snip.…

“The standout engine is a 148bhp 1.5-litre TFSI petrol unit with 48V mild-hybrid technology” The new Audi A3 saloon adopts the same technologies as the recently revealed A3 Sportback, with mild-hybrid powertrains, refined suspension and a heavily revised interior. Stylistically, the second-generation A3 saloon is only a subtle update of its predecessor but it is intended to have a more coupé-like appearance. Although the saloon accounts for only a fifth of overall A3 sales in the UK, the bodystyle is popular in other markets, such as China, as proven by the recent flurry of new introductions in the segment, including the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé and Mercedes-Benz A-Class saloon. The booted A3 is longer, wider and taller than before, creating an extra 2cm of head room in the front…

Radical environmentally friendly organic batteries are a “very promising technology” being evaluated by Mercedes-Benz for future use in road cars. This idea was previewed on the future-gazing Mercedes Vision AVTR concept car that was unveiled earlier this year. Although that was designed as a preview of what the Mercedes S-Class could look like in the 22nd century, the battery technology under its skin is far closer to reality. Organic batteries are made from graphene-based organic-cell chemistry with a water-based electrolyte. That means they don’t use any rare or toxic materials or metals, making them entirely recyclable through composting. Early testing shows they also offer both a high energy density and quick-charging capability. Andreas Hintennach, senior manager of battery research at Mercedes, said: “It’s a very promising technology. I’ve already seen…

WHEN THE FIRST prototype e-boosters came on the scene a few years ago, back-to-back comparisons with conventional turbochargers swiftly revealed what an improvement they made to the response of large-capacity diesels. Until this point, the compressors, driven by an electric motor rather than exhaust gas, have only been used in short bursts before a conventional exhaust-driven turbocharger system takes over. Now, Aeristech, based in Leamington Spa, has come up with a new e-booster that can be used full time, doing away with exhaust-driven turbochargers altogether. A turbocharger is driven by the energy released from hot, expanding exhaust gases. The harder the engine is working, the more energy there is and the quicker the turbocharger responds. When the engine isn’t working so hard, there’s less energy in the exhaust and turbocharger…

This feels like the ‘right’ M8 to me. The coupé, here driven in the UK for the first time. It’s smaller and lighter than a four-door Gran Coupé and less floppy than a Convertible. And two fewer doors than an M5, with which this large ‘M’ platform otherwise shares a good amount – the same 616bhp 4.4-litre V8 and automatic four-wheel drive. Which can also be put into rear-drive. Goody. BMW’s big platform underpins 5, 7 and 8 Series but the M8 coupé has a shorter wheelbase than the M5, sits 10mm lower and is firmly sprung to keep hold of its 1885kg. There’s a 38mm wider rear track and, underneath, subframes are more firmly attached to the shell – so this is a more rigid car; more suited, you’d…

MODEL TESTED 2.0 TDCi TITANIUM X While premium family ranges from BMW, Audi and Mercedes sell in ever greater numbers, sales of cheaper rivals from Ford and Vauxhall have been finding ever fewer buyers. But that doesn’t stop these brands from having repeated cracks at this shrinking market. This is the third all-new Mondeo iteration since the model’s birth in 1993, and in principle its mechanical make-up is much the same: transverse, front-drive powertrains, MacPherson strut front suspension, something multi-linked at the rear and a level of functional development that enables this Ford to offer more than might be expected in the areas of handling, steering, ride comfort, refinement and convenience. If you want to see where much of the graft – and money – has gone into this new…

“Rover had agreed to buy GM’s tooling for the 3.5-litre Buick V8. That would do nicely” Jaguar Land Rover’s new advanced product creation centre in Gaydon employs about 13,000 engineers and designers. But back in 1966 it was just three souls – working out of hours, no less – that drew up the initial design of what would become an all-new model for the Rover Company. Then three engineers took the vehicle to production-ready status in only two years. It was a remarkable achievement. In turn, the project was variously known as ‘Alternative Station Wagon’, ‘100-inch Station Wagon’ and ‘Concept Oyster’ before being launched in 1970 wearing a much more familiar name: Range Rover. Today, we mark 50 years of the pioneering 4x4 by driving one of the remaining pre-production…

Drink-driving is a frustratingly consistent taker of life. According to the latest figures released by the Department for Transport, since 2010 around 240 people have been killed each year in road accidents where at least one driver was over the limit. The figure represents 14% of all road deaths. Experts say a further 50 deaths can be added for accidents where a driver was just below the limit. Experts claim that attempts to reduce the number have been thwarted by, for example, cuts to the Department for Transport’s budget for its Think! road safety campaigns, down from £3 million in 2009 to around £250,000 each year since 2014. “Successive government austerity policies have hit hard,” says David Davies, executive director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (Pacts). “The…

Sir Stirling Moss, who died peacefully aged 90 in London on Easter Sunday after a long illness, always acknowledged the importance to his racing career of his unusual name, believing it brought him attention as a young driver, over and above the sensation created by his instant, 19-year-old brilliance behind the wheel. To the end of his life, Moss, who beyond racing was an astute money manager and property developer, would protest that “all I’ve got’s my name, old boy”, especially if discussion ever turned to the scandalous cost of living these days, as it often did when compensation for his frequent public appearances was being discussed. He’d go on to explain how his mother (who drove a Singer Nine on hillclimbs in her youth) had wanted to call him…

MILEAGE 4921 WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if Volvo’s magic touch with SUVs also applies to this compact exec saloon You’ve probably heard of the term hygge by now – you know, the Danish one that has been a bit of a buzzword with lifestyle types over the past few years. It describes the sort of cosy and comfortable way of life that Danes adopt when weathering their long winters; the sort of existence that gives you a warm and fuzzy sense of well-being in a world that’s otherwise just a bit too steeped in stress. Yet while Denmark has essentially trademarked the term, its essence spreads further than that and can be found in all parts of Scandinavia. How do I know? Well, having spent some time with…

Citroën AX Inspired by the front cover of a French magazine he bought on a family holiday, Nick Bailey informs me he’s just imported this rare version of the Citroën AX from the south of France: “Never originally sold in the UK, the 95bhp twin-carb AX Sport weighs just 715kg and was a popular rally and race car in Europe, meaning survival rates are very low. Finding a good one was tricky but this one had, unusually for a used French car, a stack of invoices and details of the original owner. The dash is cracked (they all do that!) but the fun of finding old stock parts is easier than old Fords! Importing was simple and Shiply offered cheap transport quotes, meaning there is no excuse for not spreading…

Volkswagen Golf R32 Price £6000 In its fifth generation, you could have had your sporty Golf as a high-performance diesel, a traditional GTI, or a 1.4 that was boosted by both a supercharger and a turbocharger – but it was the R32 that was most lusted after with a stonking 3.2-litre V6 and 247bhp. Today, a decent example can be found for £6000 and seems somewhat of a bargain for what has to be one of the last small car/big engine combos ever made. Go for the rarer manual version to maximise future classic potential.…

To exude both class and indestructibility, a car must at once be built like a Challenger tank and make more concessions to luxury than a Four Seasons hotel. It’s a winning and increasingly popular formula, but even today’s tech-rich efforts can’t hold a candle to the Mercedes-Benz W123. Introduced in 1976 as an evolution rather than reinvention of the W114, the W123 spawned a total of four bodystyles and went on to surpass even the astounding sales success of its forebear, shifting 2.7 million units over its 10-year production run. Expensive in all forms from new, the W123 could be specified with an overwhelming range of petrol and diesel motors, the most dependable of which helped to secure its place in the hearts of taxi drivers around the globe. Many…

Land Rover has bucked the industry trend during the pandemic-induced shutdowns by launching two vital new models: the Discovery Sport PHEV and Range Rover Evoque PHEV. Available to order now, the plug-in hybrid variants are arguably as important as the new Defender in terms of sales, because they’re targeted at the lucrative fleet markets. With no electric Land Rover available yet, they will also have a huge impact on reducing the brand’s fleet average CO2 emissions, which must be done in order to avoid fines from the EU. Designed and engineered entirely in-house, the SUVs are described by Land Rover PHEV vehicle engineering manager Chris Carey as featuring “all brand-new tech” produced in a “huge engineering effort”. Work on the powertrain began in 2016 and was done in parallel with…

THE FUTURE OF Smart is far more promising than it once was, according to Mercedes R&D boss Markus Schäfer, as the EV brand establishes itself as a joint venture between Daimler and Geely. The deal, completed in January, includes production of Smart vehicles in China. The brand will remain focused on electric, urban-centric cars. Schäfer said that while Smart had been successful in terms of how it was received by consumers, it had failed to be commercially viable. He said: “It was a successful product in terms of customers liking it and moving to an EV-only brand was a courageous step but ultimately we missed the opportunity to make it commercially successful. “We need to increase volume. With current volumes, we don’t have scale and we need to be competitive…

THE USE OF synthetic fuels in cars isn’t viable in the mid-term, according to Mercedes research and development boss Markus Schäfer, who said the firm is focusing investment on electrifying its cars. While some manufacturers – such as Bentley, Mazda, McLaren and Volkswagen – are seriously researching synthetic fuels as a credible alternative to petrol and diesel as well as newer and cleaner alternatives, Schäfer said Mercedes won’t go that way. “We have made a clear decision that our way will be electric first,” he said. “When we develop new platforms, we think electric first. We have to watch regulations and customer behaviour, but this will be our main road.” Explaining his reservations concerning synthetic fuels, Schäfer said: “If you have an abundance of energy, the best use is to…

The first electric Ferrari, which is tipped to arrive after 2025, will utilise new technology to ensure it can deliver on the brand’s heritage, commercial boss Enrico Galliera has said. The Italian firm has yet to confirm any plans or a timeline for its first EV, although leaked patents earlier this year hint that it’s working on a four-wheel-drive two-seater with a motor mounted to each wheel. Galliera ruled out an electric Ferrari for at least five years and was adamant that this plan wouldn’t be accelerated by the arrival of new luxury super-EV makers such as Pininfarina. “There are some competitors entering the market with new technology that we will look at, but will that be a problem to Ferrari? I think not, because of the specific niche Ferrari…

If you thought March’s new car registration figures were dramatic, dropping almost 45% year on year, wait until you see April’s. Word is that over the course of the first week of the month, there were fewer than 200 cars logged on the books, with some car makers having posted literally nothing, suggesting a market that is at least 95% down year on year. Take a deep, calming breath, though, and perhaps that figure shouldn’t be cause for panic. Maybe it is even astonishing that any cars at all have been registered, given the severity of the lockdown, the mass furloughing of importer and dealership staff and the shift in public attention onto surviving the impacts of the coronavirus, both in terms of immediate health and longer-term finances. What’s clear,…

Lamborghini likes to keep us waiting for the sweetest derivative of its entry-level supercar. It’s a cruel habit, and one that took root in 2009 with the much-loved Gallardo LP550-2 Balboni, which arrived a mere six years after the original ‘baby Lambo’. There was then a delay of two years between the Huracán LP610-4 and the far better LP580-2. And now, only after the coupé and Spyder versions of the widely revised Huracán Evo have enjoyed generous head starts, Lamborghini has presented its latest potential gem: the Huracán Evo RWD. As the name suggests, and as formerly denoted in Lamborghini nomenclature by ‘2’, this is a rear-wheel-drive model. It is also now the most attainable rung on the Huracán ladder, costing £34,000 less than the ‘normal’, four-wheel-drive Evo. At £164,000,…

1 LAND ROVER STATION WAGON (1948-1951) Borrowing the American ‘station wagon’ label, this multi-purpose 4x4 people carrier was outsourced to Tickford, which applied a mahogany-framed aluminium-alloy body atop a reinforced 80in Series I. It featured four folding, inward-facing rear seats and the split tailgate later assumed by all Range Rovers. The absence of commercial vehicle status contributed to a high price that limited its appeal. Just 641 were built. 2 ROAD ROVER SERIES I PROTOTYPE (1952-1955) Nicknamed ‘Greenhouse’, 12 of these two-door prototypes were built, combining Land Rover’s simple styling, aluminium body construction and 2.0-litre petrol engine with a modified chassis from the P4 saloon. They featured coil springs up front but a leaf-sprung rear, and most were rear-drive. This final, 1955 example has three front seats and two in…

An individual’s sex, age, height and weight affect how they process alcohol. That said, most of us do so at the rate of one unit, or 8mg, every hour. A large, 250ml glass of average-strength wine (12% alcohol) or a pint of higher-strength lager (5.2%) contains three units. But how do these units relate to the way we feel and the breathalyser reading we provide? I, a 59-year-old male, 1.8m in height and weighing 76kg, tried to find out using a 175ml wine glass, a bottle of Rioja containing 13.5% alcohol, a hearty meal and a state-of the-art breathalyser called the AlcoSense Elite 3. It’s aimed at the morning-after driver but I figured it would do as a guide. Here’s what happened… 17.45 Begin to drink my first 175ml glass,…

With 212 victories from the 529 motor races he contested, Sir Stirling Moss’s career is packed with incredible performances. Here are five of the finest. 1 1955 Mille Miglia Moss’s victory in the gruelling 1000-mile Italian road race has become the stuff of motorsport legend. With co-driver Denis Jenkinson delivering accurate pace notes via an innovative roller reader and hand signals, Moss completed the open-road course at record pace, averaging 98mph across just over 10 hours of ultra-committed driving. Runner-up and team-mate Juan Manuel Fangio was 32 minutes behind. 2 1961 Monaco Grand Prix The Ferrari 156 was the dominant car of the 1961 F1 season but, despite driving an underpowered Lotus 18 entered by Rob Walker’s privateer team, Moss still took two wins. He qualified on pole at Monaco,…

What do we want? In these strange times, two items in the 25 March issue caused me to reflect on the post-pandemic direction of the world’s car industry. On the one hand, Volkswagen launches the T-Roc Cabriolet. This is clearly the brainchild of some marketing strategists, along with other such ‘advances’ as configurable ambient lighting; exhaust noise enhancement systems; speakers built into headrests; and cars that are hooked up to your social media. I ask: would the world genuinely be lesser without such? On the other hand is the UK car industry’s incredible response to Covid-19, demonstrating that when automotive engineers and scientists are focused on finding solutions to challenges, remarkable things can be achieved in very short timescales. I’m not sure anyone will really care whether the ventilators that…

Citroën GS £24,950 Believe it or not, the Citroën GS hits 50 this year. Launched in 1970, it became European Car of the Year in 1971 thanks largely to its sophistication, with supple hydropneumatic suspension that gave this small car the luxurious ride expected of something far bigger. The car was perfect for the imperfect roads of rural France, where it proved popular, but wasn’t as successful in Britain. Complicated mechanics scared buyers off. And therein lies the first problem with the GS, because it takes the enthusiasm of a certain type of person to maintain one. Someone who’ll put up with its complications along with the usual issue related to old cars: rust. Okay, an MGB will also rot, but it has the mechanical sophistication of a barn door,…

An expert’s view MARK COSOVICH, W123 WORLD “If you’re considering a W123, don’t take on anything with a high mileage or any projects that nobody wants and nobody can finish. Even if it’s been restored, get a specialist to look at it, because they’re out there with the wrong interiors and engines swapped into them. You won’t find good cars on eBay, either; anything that’s good will be offered via private sale or from a specialist who is happy to put a warranty on it.” Buyer beware… ▪ ENGINE Fuel injection cars can do massive mileages if they’re correctly serviced, but the extensive Bosch system rather inhibits engine access. Look out for signs of timing chain failure. ▪ ELECTRICS Check for vacuum leaks in the central locking system, which also locks…