DriveBlog

Chrysler opens new market with Delta

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-04-24T20:53:32+01:00

The Chrysler name may be American, but you won't see many of these Chryslers plying the freeways of America. ...But, it couldn't be sold here under the Lancia name, for the rather fundamental reason that there are no Lancia dealers in the UK. ...The Lancia Delta would simply be rebadged as the Chrysler Delta, giving UK Chrysler dealerships a welcome new contender to offer in the all-important family hatchback market. ...The black roof blends into the black glass of the tailgate, while the window line first drops before rising to the rear of the car, sweeping up to the roofline as the boomerang shaped rear lights sweep down. ...So, it is in for a tough battle in a hard-nosed market that is not likely to be conquered by stand-out-from-the-crowd styling alone. ...This offers a rare opportunity for rear seat passengers to take a snooze, as long as the boot is not fully packed. ...But, once hefted in, the boot is a good, deep usable shape with useful space below the floor where a spare wheel might normally be (on the test car it was replaced with a tyre inflator). ...The steering wheel is simply too high and I cannot abide cars where there is not enough space to slide your clutch foot easily off the pedal between gear changes. ... Similarly, rear seat passengers will curse the stylist's decision to sweep the windows up to the roof line at the rear. There's a reasonable choice of engines, ranging from the two 1.4-litre petrol engines, to a 1.6 and two-litre diesels. The £19,195 Delta 1.6 M-Jet produces 120 bhp to propel the it from 0 to 62 mph in 10.7 seconds. ...This really is impressive power unit that delivers a good level of refinement along with a balance of performance and great economy. ...All in all, the Chrysler Delta is a good effort and, most importantly for the UK dealer network, will bring some different buyers into the UK showrooms.

Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet widens fresh air options

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-04-24T17:56:24+01:00

If you are in the market for a compact convertible Volkswagen have got your options pretty well covered. If you like the idea of a folding metal roof convertible, you can go for the Volkswagen Eos. If, however, you prefer the idea of a conventional cloth-roof convertible, you can now choose the latest Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet. It was the latter that I recently had the chance to appraise in Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet SE 1.4TSI 122 bhp form. The good news is that if you choose this over the equivalent Eos, at £22,470 you can save yourself £850. One of the important features of a convertible, in our changeable climate, is how quickly you can open the thing up to catch fleeting glimpses of sunshine. ...We timed it and, the roof actually takes less than ten seconds to open and just a little longer to raise again. As well as being very simple to operate, the roof is a good snug fitting design and looks well finished both inside and out. ...I was impressed with how rigid the car felt, with a complete absence of what is traditionally known as "scuttle shake". ...My test car came with a reversing camera (useful on a conventional cabriolet where the rear view is inevitably a little restricted), it also had auto headlights and the increasingly popular road sign recognition. As usual, its display of speed limits is somewhere short of 100% reliability, so you do need to use your eyes and your common sense! So how do you choose between the Eos and the Golf Cabriolet if the £850 price difference doesn't answer your question? ...Thanks to the extra weight of that roof, perhaps, the Eos is a fraction slower 0-62 mph at 10.9 seconds compared to the Golf's 10.5 seconds.

Jaguar's 550bhp grand tourer

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-04-06T11:37:42+01:00

But, as if the five-litre supercharged Jaguar XKR was not sporting enough Jaguar launched the XKR-S at the end of last year. ...Development work on the engine has upped the power output from 500 bhp to 550 bhp, making this the most powerful car I have driven – up 50 bhp on the BMW M6 that was the first car I tested on this website. To match that stonking power, there are comprehensive upgrades to the chassis and modifications to the body – notably front splitter and rear spoilers in carbon fibre, plus new vents to help the monster gulp air. ...So it was that we headed into the Highlands and on to the Isle of Skye on a glorious couple of days when spring seemed to have adopted summer blue skies and temperatures of 20ºC and above. ...Yet, when we found ourselves, inevitably, stuck in convoys of slower-moving traffic, it was easy to relax and find the Jaguar happy to burble along placidly – but ready to pounce when an overtaking opportunity presented itself. All that was needed was a prod on the accelerator and almost immediate lift-off as the XKR-S catapulted itself past slower traffic and slowed back to its own side of the road. ...Even in the dry the sudden application of power can cause the rear wheels to scrabble for grip as the XKR-S takes off, pushing both driver and passenger back into the leather seats. ...However, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by our best figure of just over 20 mpg, which compares well with an official combined figure of 23 mpg. ...As you would expect, the Jaguar XKR-S is very well-equipped with adaptive cruise control, automatic main beam and dip, plus all the expected luxuries. ...The automatic gearbox has a sports setting, but so powerful and torquey is this engine that we tended to run in the normal setting most of the time. There are the expected steering column paddles for manual changes and you can sample the raw performance, without electronic aids, by selecting track mode by pressing the chequered flag button. ...I will long remember the young lad who lingered on the wall at the Aros Centre in Portreee, just to hear the XKR-S start up and burble out of the car park. ...Although most people are a little more restrained, it appears that Jaguar is still a marque that enjoys affection from all ages and we found ourselves engaged in conversation, notably with a Gaelic film crew in Elgol who wanted to know all about the car.

Jaguar F-type confirmed for 2013

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-04-05T12:30:03+01:00

At the New York Auto Show, Jaguar has confirmed that they will finally go ahead with production of the Jaguar F-type – spiritual successor to the legendary Jaguar E-type. Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, Jaguar Cars, confirmed that the new car will be called the F-type (presumably in the USA too, where the E-type was actually known as the XKE). He explained that the reaction to Jaguar’s C-X16 concept had been so positive that they had accelerated their plans to build a new sports car. The Jaguar F-type will be shown in production form later this year. It will be launched as a two-seater convertible. At the announcement it was also stated that the range of petrol engines will include “a new power plant family”. The focus will be on sports car performance and driver enjoyment. It is expected the new car will use lightweight aluminium construction. The new Jaguar F-type will go on sale in the middle of next year.

Kia Rio practical and fun to drive

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-04-04T16:49:46+01:00

I have to admit that picking up a set of keys with the name "Kia" inscribed on them has tended not to produce any emotional response in the past. ...Read my road tests of the Kia Cee’d, the Kia Sportage and the Kia Picanto and you will see what I mean. ...So, I had rather more positive hopes when I reached for the keys of the Kia Rio that came my way recently. ...Inside it is quite obvious that Kia has built this car with a clear focus on keeping a keen price. ...Other details include the centre console bin and the net storage on the seat backs, which gives something of an up-market look to the car. The boot, too is deep and useful in shape, however there is a fairly high sill over which you have to lift your luggage. While other aspects of the visibility are good, the base of the windscreen is quite high meaning that your view of the bonnet is minimal. ...With the largest engine in the range you would expect it to feel more lively than the 1.1 or 1.25-litre versions. ... But just occasionally you wonder if the 107 horses it packs under the bonnet are giving their best (usually on a hill), as you wait for the engine to come on song again. ...The ride is quite remarkable for a small hatchback, making a good job of smoothing out the ripples and bumps on our deteriorating road surfaces. So, at £13,095, the Kia Rio justifies a place on your shopping list if you are in the market for a small hatch. I would guess it might even move up nearer the head of the queue when you glimpse the sticker in the rear window that proclaims "7-year warranty".

Jaguar's real estate, the XF Sportbrake

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-03-09T17:15:42+00:00

Jaguar has unveiled the estate car version of the Jaguar XF. Considering the popularity of the Jaguar X-type Estate, some might find it strange that Jaguar did not take the plunge sooner. Sharing its underpinnings with the XF saloon, the Sportbrake's overall length grows by just 5mm, its weight by less 70kg and its chassis structure matches the strength of the conventional XF. Jaguar say this is why the XF closely matches the handling of the XF saloon, while such a substantial increase in load space. Perhaps answering the question in the first paragraph, every panel on the XF Sportbrake, from the B-Pillar rearwards, is new. The strong silver signature line running the length of the car is extended while the C-Pillar is finished in gloss black like the XJ saloon. The higher rear roofline also brings a bonus for rear seat occupants as the XF Sportbrake offers 48mm more headroom than on the coupé-roofline of the XF saloon. The load space amounts to 550-litres with the rear seats up, increasing to1,675 litres when the rear seats are folded. Self-levelling air suspension helps the Sportbrake’s credentials as a tow vehicle. Prices and specifications will be announced nearer the time of the launch of the Sportbrake, set to take place in the third quarter of 2012.

National Fairfuel Day fuel price protest

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-03-09T16:55:18+00:00

Hauliers, motorists and others descend on a very wet Westminster this week for National FairFuel Day. The plan was to give those present the opportunity to lobby their MPs about record fuel prices and extortionate levels of fuel duty. The delegation took the opportunity to highlight a report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research which says that even a modest reduction in fuel duty of 2.5p per litre would create 180,000 jobs. “If road users find they have more money in their pocket, there’s a good chance they will spend it,” says RHA Chief Executive, Geoff Dunning. “The knock on effects of that will be increases in productivity, sales and of course, transport movements – all of which will need increased levels of manpower. “This is a win-win situation. We are presenting the Chancellor with a solution that helps the man and woman in the street, that helps business productivity and helps boost the economy.” Let’s hope the Government listens to the CEBR. Fuel tax is simply a tax on the movement of goods and people. Our businesses, which create the wealth in our economy, depend so much on moving goods and people that the impact of tax at the pumps has a direct effect, not only on family budgets and cost-of-living, but also on the vibrancy of our economy.

New Audi A3 unveiled at Geneva

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-03-09T16:10:32+00:00

Unlike Mercedes-Benz with their new A Class, Audi has opted not to risk radical change to the design of the new Audi A3, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. But, although at first glance it looks very similar to the outgoing model, Audi point out that this is an all-new design. Orders for the new three-door model will open this spring, with first deliveries in September. ...There will be three engines offered at launch, all of them “reworked” to deliver efficiency gains that, Audi say, average out at 12%. Indeed the 1.6 TDI that will follow on later this year, boasts emissions of 99 g/km of carbon dioxide, thereby qualifying for free road tax in the UK. There are two petrol engines, starting with the 122PS 1.4 TFSI and a 180PS 1.8 TFSI. ...We can assume there will be five door (and indeed sporty) versions to follow, along with other engine options. ...Using aluminium for the front wings and bonnet, along with other measures, has allowed the engineers to shed an impressive 80 kg. The overall dimensions are almost identical to the current model, but the wheelbase has been extended to 2.6 metres. ...Xenon headlamp models get the familiar Audi LED running lights, which are also optional on other models. Audi are also promising LED headlamps and expect to be the first in this class. Where Audi designs usually shine is in the interior and the new A3 promises to keep up that standard, with a new touchpad (as fitted on larger Audi’s) for interaction with the optional navigation and multimedia. In keeping with the latest trends in optional extras, new A3 buyers will be tempted with hot goodies like radar-assisted cruise control, lane assist, park assist and traffic sign detection systems.

Number of filling stations continues to dwindle

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-03-08T11:06:44+00:00

Away back in 2007 we pointed out that the number of filling stations in the UK was declining at the rate of one a day. ...Often it means a trip to the supermarket and – because there are so few filling stations left – usually you have to wait in a queue. ...Amazingly, we are told, there are now fewer filling stations in the UK than there were in 1912 (albeit, of course, that many stations in 1912 would have had just one hand operated pump). There were more filling stations in Britain in 1912 than there are now The latest Retail Marketing Survey, conducted by the Energy Institute, shows that the number of forecourts in the UK continued to decline over the past year. There are now just 8,480 sites – down from 8,892 outlets in 2010. ... • There were 8,480 operational filling stations in the UK at end-December 2011. • Petrol sales totalled 13.86mn tonnes by year-end – down from 15.01mn tonnes at the close of 2010. • Diesel sales totalled 13.91mn tonnes by year-end – rising slightly from 13.06mn tonnes a year earlier. • Total 2011 road fuel sales fell slightly to 35.608mn tonnes – down from 36.111mn tonnes in 2010. • By the close of 2011, unleaded prices had averaged 133.60 p/l (versus 117.16 p/l in 2010); while diesel prices closed the year at an average price of 138.90 p/l (versus 119.51 p/l). • Registered UK vehicles rose from 34.1mn in 2010 to reach 34.7mn by end-2011, with each forecourt supplying an average of 4,088 vehicles. ...The five largest oil company operations by number of branded forecourts were (2010 figures in brackets):

Honda's revitalised Accord

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-03-07T15:53:11+00:00

It may not look new, but this Honda Accord is the revised model introduced into the UK last summer. The aesthetic changes are minimal, both inside and out, most of the effort having been focussed on updating the engines to make them over efficient and to lower emissions. ...The engine under this particular bonnet is the more powerful 177 bhp version of Honda's i-DTEC 2.2-litre diesel turbo. ...When looking to insure your new car have a look at the options available at http://www.carolenash.com/. ...Although it turns in well to corners, I felt the steering was a bit difficult to judge and I found myself having to make too many adjustments. Surprisingly for a Honda, many of which have been quite firmly suspended, the Accord also feels as though comfort has ruled over dynamic ability. The suspension set-up seems a bit soft with the car appearing to float a little on the suspension. Together with the steering, the overall impression reminded me of cars set up for the US market, where corners are more of a rarity than on our little island. ...So the main difference between the US cars and this Type S will be the bigger, heavier diesel engine. ...Combined fuel economy at 50.4 mpg, is good for a relatively big saloon, with 147 g/km of carbon dioxide putting the Honda Accord into Band F for UK car tax. ...But, if the 1990s bring back good memories and your choice of car is more armchair than bucket seat, the Honda Accord Type S could be your cup of tea. ...It also feels like the sort of car that would eat up motorways (or freeways) with ease and, with Honda's reputation for reliability, it will probably not miss a beat. ...For example, the test car came with adaptive cruise control, which not seem so good as some at distinguishing cars that are genuinely in its path, or are straight ahead just because of a bend in the road.

Bentley shows SUV concept at Geneva

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-03-06T10:44:23+00:00
It has been a fairly open secret that Bentley has been looking at the SUV market as a possible extension to its range. Now, at the Geneva Motor Show, Bentley is testing the reaction of the public with the Bentley EXP9F concept. The relative buoyancy of the SUV sector of the market has not escaped the notice of luxury car brands. There are rumours of Jaguar eyeing up the potential (notwithstanding its sister company Land Rover already providing a comprehensive SUV range). ... And there are rumours of Maserati casting envious eyes at the potential. Closer to home, Eterniti are aiming to invent a new luxury SUV brand which they claim to be the “world’s first Super_SUV” – just the market that EXP9F will be aiming at, if it reaches production. As is often the case with concept cars, Bentley are going out of their way to underline that this is a concept and there are no definite plans for production. But it must be highly likely given the potential create a third model range alongside the Mulsanne and Continental. You can just imagine a Bentley SUV appealing to various world markets, such as the Middle East and Far East. ...The design brief for the Bentley EXP9F was to create a car that “feels equally at home at an opera gala performance, on the sand dunes and the overtaking lane of the autobahn”. Its taller off-road stance certainly gives the EXP9F an imposing look that is unmistakably a Bentley. Power for the concept comes from a six-litre, turbocharged W12 engine and eight-speed transmission. But, Bentley say it could equally suit their new four--litre V8 or a hybrid powertrain.

Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-28T12:31:17+00:00
In this motoring world of crossovers and lifestyle vehicles, I suppose we should not be surprised. But, there is no doubt that Land Rover will raise a few eyebrows with the concept of a convertible Range Rover Evoque which will be one of the attractions on their stand at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show. "The Evoque lends itself beautifully to the idea of a convertible,” Land Rover Design Director, Gerry McGovern. “This study is not a traditional convertible design execution – instead we have worked with the balance of the Evoque's lines to retain its distinctive shape and create something that is unique and, we believe, highly desirable." Land Rover say that they will be interested to see the response to the Range Rover Evoque Convertible. From that they will assess its appeal to existing customers and the potential for it to reach out to bring new customers into the fold.

Mitsubishi ASX takes on the crossover market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-28T15:04:22+00:00
In some ways it is surprising that it has taken Mitsubishi until so recently to launch their ASX range. ...The Mitsubishi Shogun (known as Pajero or Montero in some markets) has a long-established reputation as a go-(almost)-anywhere serious off-roader. For those who want most of the off-road ability, but a more MPV/car-like vehicle, there is the Mitsubishi Outlander. ...The ASX has been created by taking the Mitsubishi Lancer structure, giving it a higher off-road stance and engineering it to take a four-wheel-drive system. ... The ASX3, which I tested, comes with either front-wheel or four-wheel-drive as does the top-of-the-range ASX4. Like many cars of this type you get the choice of two-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive, with the front-wheel-drive option designed to improve fuel economy. ...It comes complete with badges that announce this is not just the Mitsubishi ASX3, but it is actually the "Mitsubishi ASX3 Clear-Tec Intelligent Motion"! ...I felt vindicated in my unsuccessful quest to find a lower seating position when my wife (who is rather shorter than myself) immediately tried to lower the seat when she stepped in. On the plus side, the high seats do mean there is good foot space under the seat backs for rear seat passengers, helping the Mitsubishi to score well in terms of passenger space. There's also a good, flat load floor, if a little high to allow for the four-wheel-drive mechanism. However, there is useful storage area under the floor and also two wells behind the wheel arches which are useful for items you don't want to roll around in the back. ...There is a bit of body roll on the ASX and with less than ideal lateral support in the seats you do tend to sway around on the corners. ...To help eke out the mileage, the ASX3 has a stop-start system which did turn the air blue on a couple of occasions until I learnt that you need to plant a very deliberate foot on the clutch pedal to restart the engine.

Video of Jaguar XKR-S and C-X16

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-25T15:51:00+00:00
Sit back and enjoy these videos of the Jaguar XKR-S and the Jaguar C-X16 Concept Hybrid in action.

Let your body drive

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-25T15:21:32+00:00
Peugeot is driving us into the future. Get a whole new 208 experience with their interactive film. Will you be able to get yourself out of this sticky situation? Have a go!!
Viral video by ebuzzing

Ford B-Max opens up the MPV

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-15T15:24:57+00:00
Ford has shown off the new door system that will give greater access to their new B-Max small MPV. Ford has done away with the fixed B-pillar meaning that with front and sliding rear doors open, there is no pillar to restrict access to the interior. Releasing this picture of the new car, Ford boast that the B-Max will have a 1.5-metre wide opening either side, adding that the Vauxhall Meriva “offers maximum access less than 0.7 metres wide”. Concerns about side impact safety are countered by Ford, who say that the high strength structure around the central pillar has been integrated into the doors. They say they have spent three years with computer simulations to optimise the crash performance. To capitalise not the wide open sides, the rear seats and front passenger seat can be folded to create a large, flat load platform ideal for flat-pack furniture or bicycles.

New tech to woo the buyers

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-15T14:36:49+00:00
It used to be that garages boasted when the cars on their used car lot had a heated rear window (HRW) or power assisted steering (PAS). But, now that almost every car has these, and much more, as standard the race is on to find technology to tease potential buyers. Cars to come my way recently have been bristling with what the manufacturers believe is today’s ‘must-have’ tech. A spate of recent road test cars have arrived, from different manufacturers, with a remarkable consensus of what they think we want. ...These display a warning light when a car is lurking on your left, or right, rear flanks. ...Citroen, who were one of the pioneers, alerted you by vibrating the seat cushion on the offending side, if you wandered over a white line. ...While I can think of a good view lane-waverers that I would like to receive an even more strident warning, I’ve never felt these systems particularly useful. ...However, experience has shown that these systems need to be used with the same degree of common sense as is needed with sat-nav systems. ...The sign recognition systems variously flagged this up as 10 mph, but also 70 mph and – on one occasion – 80 mph. ...Obviously the system has to be more sensitive to red light so that it dips when following a car. It takes some time to have the confidence to leave the dipping function to the car, but it actually is very effective. ...The system does seem to err on the side of caution however, taking time to decide it is safe for main beam and dipping lights on bends. ...On a corner you are suddenly faced by an approaching car when one hand is on the steering and the other is changing gear.

Vauxhall sharpens up the Zafira

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-02-15T13:29:59+00:00
The Vauxhall Zafira was one of the pioneers of a new smaller breed of MPVs (or minivans as our Transatlantic cousins would call them). Not much bigger than a car, the 1999 Vauxhall Zafira had room for up to seven passengers, with a particularly neat pair of rear seats that fold down to leave a completely flat load floor. ...At a time when other MPVs required you unhitch the seats and remove them (finding a place to store them, too) every time you wanted to maximise load space, the Zafira's system was so neat that other manufacturers scrambled to follow Vauxhall's lead. In the motor industry it is vital to keep improving if you want to stay ahead of the competition and so, 13 years after the Zafira first appeared, along comes a new and improved model. ...This compares to £19.400 for the 1.8i version of the current model (although there is a cheaper 1.6i version of the current Zafira at £18,560). ...The Flex 7 fold-flat rearmost seats continue and access looks easier than on some other seven seaters. On a smaller MPV like this, these rearmost seats are clearly going to be most suitable for children (or reasonable small, agile adults). Those sitting in the middle row are well catered for, particularly on SE models, which come with the benefit of what Vauxhall call "lounge seating". The middle seat can be folded away, with its seat back forming a substantial armrest for the lucky duo in the remaining two seats. ...The Vauxhall people at this pre-launch drive were clearly proud also of that other MPV attribute – storage space. They boasted, even before we had the chance to sit behind the wheel, that the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer has more than 30 interior storage compartments. ...The Vauxhall representatives explained to us that the steering had been fine-tuned for the UK market, removing some of the stronger self-centring that apparently our European partners on the other side of the North Sea crave. On a route which was predominantly twisty, hilly B-roads the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer seemed very well sorted, with good performance and agile handling.

New Fusion is really the new Mondeo

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-01-10T15:31:04+00:00
What you see here is the new Ford Fusion. That may be exciting news in the USA. But, when we tell you this is also the new Ford Mondeo to be launched in Europe in early 2013, the interest level on this side of the Atlantic is bound to increase. Details of what will be offered on the new Mondeo will not be announced until nearer its launch, but we can expect the offerings to be similar to the Fusion which comes in petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions. Technology will also feature strongly in both markets. As with the latest Focus you can specify, various sensors, cameras, parking assist and radar. (The Ford Focus I am currently testing has all these.) You can also expect the latest Ford SYNC communications and entertainment system, which enables voice-activated communication through a driver’s mobile phone and interaction with the car’s audio system. There will also be MyFord Touch, which allows a driver to interact with vehicle systems through voice control, a touch screen tap or a conventional button.

New small SUV to join Vauxhall range

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-01-10T15:17:24+00:00
These are the first official pictures of the new Vauxhall Mokka, a small SUV that will take Vauxhall into a new market sector when it is officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Vauxhall say that, despite its compact dimensions (it is just 4.28metres long) it “can accommodate five adults in comfort”. The Mokka has been designed to look very much like an SUV, taking its design cues from bigger SUVs. There will be a choice of diesel and petrol engines when the new model goes on sale in the UK at the end of this year. In line with the trend in the SUV market, the Mokka will come with four-wheel-drive or two-wheel-drive, to reduce cost and improve fuel economy. There will be three engines all with stop/start systems – a 115PS, 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated engine, a 140PS 1.4-litre Turbo and a 130PS 1.7 CDTI turbo diesel.

On starting grid for "world's greatest motorsport show"

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2012-01-03T14:17:55+00:00
More than 80,000 motorsport fans are expected to descend on Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC), UK, on January 14-15 for the Autosport International show. For two decades, Autosport International, which the organisers describe as “the world’s greatest motorsport show”, has welcomed the stars and the cars from the motorsport world. This January, nine of the NEC’s exhibition halls will be packed with displays from the biggest marques in the business. Ariel, BMW Ginetta, Mercedes-Benz, Noble, Porsche and TVR have already confirmed their attendance, with even more supercars on show at Autosport International’s dedicated Performance Car Show, powered by PistonHeads.com. There will also be displays of thoroughbred racing cars, from classics to the latest racing machinery. One of the event’s highlights is the F1 Racing Grid, an exhibition of contemporary Grand Prix cars, many of which have been driven by today’s F1 pilots. The 2012 show will also host a British rally heroes tribute, featuring machinery belonging to iconic rally drivers such as Colin McRae, Richard Burns and Paddy Hopkirk, as well as a special display in honour of triple Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna. It’s not just about the cars however, as Autosport International 2012 will feature interviews and autograph signings from some of Britain’s biggest motorsport personalities. Following his debut visit in 2011, BBC F1 anchorman Jake Humphrey will return to Birmingham on Saturday, January 14, accompanied by his co-presenter, former Grand Prix star turned DTM German Touring Car racer David Coulthard. The newest home-grown talent on the Formula One grid, Force India’s Paul Di Resta, will also be attending, along with sportscar superstar Allan McNish. The show would not be complete without a dose of high octane racing to thrill fans, and this is provided at the Live Action Arena, the UK’s largest indoor race track. Over the weekend, spectators will be treated to breath-taking stunts and daredevil demonstrations.

Volkswagen Jetta comes out of the shadow

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-12-23T18:21:31+00:00
It started off its life as very obviously a booted version of the ever-popular Volkswagen Golf and has subsequently lived in the shadow of its hatchback sibling. ...So, while the Volkswagen Rabbit (as the Golf is better known Stateside) is popular, the Jetta has always had a strong following, selling at a rate of 110,000 in recent years. ...With recent versions of the Jetta, Volkswagen has been trying hard to strengthen its appeal and establish it in Europe as a model in its own right. ...Part of that may be due to this latest Jetta being rather longer than the previous model. ... The good news for rear seat passengers is that 67 mm of this has gone to give them extended legroom in the back. Interestingly, despite the fact that the Jetta is produced in Mexico, there are significant differences between European and American Jettas under the surface. the European version has a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension, electro-mechanical steering and a more advanced engine line up of TSI and TDI diesels linked to manual or DSG gearboxes. ...While the looks would not send students of car design into eulogies of praise about the styling, to my eye this latest Jetta really does look as though it was designed as a saloon from the outset. ...It is becoming a habit, but Volkswagens do seem to have a way of producing interiors that tick the boxes for comfort, practicality and ergonomic layout. Good quality materials (while not impinging on Volkswagen Group stablemate Audi’s territory) and sensible layout mean that this is a very pleasurable driving environment. The Jetta is also a practical four to five-seater and, if the separate boot makes you think it is less of a load carrier than a hatchback, just take a look. ...The combined economy is 58.9 mpg – a figure that is all the more creditable when I discovered that my overall trip-computer average for five days of country and city driving was a remarkable 51 mpg. Carbon dioxide emissions are 126 g/km, putting the Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.0 TDI into Band D for UK road tax. Apart from the name, the Volkswagen Jetta can really deserves to jettison its Golf-saloon image.

Lexus hybrid hatchback aims for green halo

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-12-23T16:00:34+00:00
It is also well equipped and my only quibble would be that some of the minor controls and switches seem to have been located more by convenience than by logic. ...It takes a little getting used to, but by the end of my time with the car I was beginning to become reasonably adept at aiming and clicking. ...It is higher than you might expect, for good reason – to make space for the batteries on this hybrid. ...As with hybrids bearing parent company Toyota’s badge, the start-up procedure for the Lexus CT 200h is extremely simple. ... Normally, the petrol engine doesn’t start at this point and, if you press the accelerator gently the car will take off, almost silently, under electric power. ...As with the Toyota Prius or Auris Hybrid, it is not the sensations of driving a hybrid that are important. ...Unless you open the graphic display showing the motors and power usage, you can only imagine how the on-board computers and sensors are working so hard to achieve seamless switching between electric motor, petrol motor, both power units or charging. ...At tickover the engine is so quiet it is difficult to tell if it is still running, or has handed over duties to the electric motor. ... But, apart from the ride, the Lexus CT200h doesn’t seem to set any new benchmarks for refinement, compared to other similar cars on the market. ...With petrol and electric motors working together to deliver maximum power, acceleration 0-62 mph takes 10.3 seconds and the top speed is 113 mph. As with most hybrids I have driven so far, I find myself struggling to justify the huge amount of technology involved in the hybrid system. ... That’s quite impressive, even in these days of ever improving economy figures, except that the Volkswagen Jetta I drove the very next week returned 51 mpg with no hybrid technology. However, the hybrid system has undoubtedly helped the Lexus CT 200h to achieve a C02 emissions figure of 94 g/km, meaning that it takes its place in Band A for UK car tax.

Chevrolet Orlando: a lot of car for the money

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-12-21T19:00:22+00:00
You certainly get quite a lot of car for your money with the Chevrolet Orlando. For a price range that starts at £16,410 you get a sizeable MPV with three rows of seats taking a maximum of seven people. ...Sure, you get seven seats on the Vauxhall Zafira, for a starting price of just under £14,000, but the Orlando is significantly bigger. ...As so often with vehicles like this, I was also rather concerned at just how close these seats put their occupants to the tailgate and any potential rear-end accident. ...A minor, but annoying problem during the cold weather of my test was the amount of condensation that built up inside the car and on the inside of the windscreen. ...My test car was the Chevrolet Orlando 2.0 VCDi LT, which costs £18,765 (there is also a more powerful 163PS two-litre diesel which is only available on the LT when it is fitted with the auto box). ...The test Orlando was the first car I have driven for some considerable time, where it usually took two turns of the starter to get things fired up. ...Out on the road, the Orlando rides well on good surfaces, but it does bump and thump a bit on the increasing number of undulations, ridges and potholes of our deteriorating tarmac. ...I also found the engine would sometimes ‘bog down’ when you take off from standstill, ruining your smooth-driving reputation with passengers. ...As a result I found it took conscious effort to work out where the front wheels were and what they were doing. ...The official combined fuel economy is 47.1 mpg and I found it settled down on my mixture of town and country driving to about 36 mpg overall. ...If you are looking for practical family transport that can accommodate four or five with a lot of luggage, or six or seven people (where the rearmost two are small and pliable), then the Chevrolet Orlando will offer you a lot for your money. If, however, you are looking for a higher degree of finesse and more reward from your driving, then you will probably want to up the budget and look elsewhere.

Saab: All lives used up?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-12-20T18:42:59+00:00
The news that Saab is to enter administration is a bitter end to what has been a roller coaster since we ran the premature obituary on this blog exactly two years ago. First there was the proposed takeover by Koenigsegg, followed but the Spyker acquisition. The fact that Saab was not dead was very much underlined by two tests in the year that followed – one of the Saab 9-3X and one of the Saab 9-5. But, this week came the news that Saab had crashed into administration. Despite Autocar’s report yesterday that Victor Muller still held onto some hope that an investor could be found to rescue Saab from bankruptcy, it must be seen very much as an outside chance. Under Swedish law, Autocar reports, bankrupt companies can be revived if an investor is found. It’s widely reported that the sticking point was former owner GM’s refusal to allow a deal to be done with Chinese manufacturers who were reportedly keen to take over the company. It is suggested that GM’s concern was that its intellectual property would end up in Chinese hands.

UK's pothole-proof cars revealed

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-12-21T18:27:52+00:00
Time was when road tests used to talk about taking cars over to France to try them out on poor road surfaces. Britain’s roads in those days were so smooth as to be not an effective test for suspension. ...Britain’s roads are crumbling and for smooth tarmac you need to travel to countries like Spain. I should know having had three tyres destroyed in the the last 18 months by potholes. So, I was more than a little interested in the news that one company has decided to find what they claim to be Britain’s most-pothole proof cars. Of course, that won’t help you with damaged tyres, but it is aimed to highlight the growing problem of damaged suspension and axle components. Potholes.co.uk says that Honda cars are the most resilient to pothole damage. The road maintenance campaign website, set up by the warranty provider Warranty Direct, analysed tens of thousands of policies* to reveal the cars most and least susceptible to damage as reports suggest UK roads are set to become the worst ‘in a generation.’ After Honda, the most ‘pothole-proof’ manufacturers are Toyota and Hyundai, with less than 2% of their cars suffering axle and suspension damage attributable to potholes and other road defects. On the other end of the scale the survey suggests, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and (surprisingly) Land Rover models are the most likely to be damaged, with more than 10% suffering damage each year. While the average payout for pothole-induced suspension damage is £309, Warranty Direct and Potholes.co.uk have indentified recent claims as high as £2,420. Anyone can report a road defect and share their story using Potholes.co.uk, which has contact details for councils across England, Scotland and Wales. According to Potholes.co.uk, the Top ten most resilient manufacturers are:

Used family cars

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-12-12T12:45:55+00:00
When buying a motors.co.uk used family car there are a number of factors that will influence which car you purchase. The obvious ones may be fuel economy, price and space, but there are other factors that may seem less important on the surface but could be important when you start to dig deeper. Low emissions could save you an annual bill of hundreds on road tax, not to mention any duty you might feel to the environment. After all, the whole purpose of a family car is to transport your next generation of loved ones. What better way to look after them than to do your part in saving the planet? ...The Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion and the Skoda Fabia Green line both make it into the very highest category. The figures are based on things like fuel economy and CO2 emissions. The Toyota Prius obviously scores highly as do most of the cars that use the green angle as marketing feature. ...If you live in London this is an even bigger consideration due to the fact the lowest banded cars pay no congestion charge. ...With climate change now high on the political agenda, environmental sustainability has now crept into the market for used cars. Environmental concerns may bother some drivers more than others, but as a statistic it would be interesting to see if it raised more anxiety for people with families and therefore people looking to buy family cars. The insistence of manufacturers to start developing green cars mainly in what you would term the family size bracket is an interesting development. Whatever your view, it is healthy financially to be aware of fuel economy and low rate road tax, so, when buying used cars these figures are worth more than a passing glance.

New Ford Focus looks sure to maintain popularity

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-11-04T14:57:17+00:00
Until this new model, the American Focus had been based on the original iteration of the Focus, but, even then, it diverged considerably from that design. The new Ford Focus, we are told, will be a ‘world car’ going on sale around the globe in very much the same form. The one difference will be that – to suit local preference – the USA will have a saloon version, while here we will only have hatchbacks, estates and maybe a convertible in due course. I’ve now had the chance to drive three versions of the new model, starting with the Ford Focus 1.6 Duratec, the 2.0 TDCi and the 1.6 Ecoboost Estate. ...The rear lights look a little over fussy to my eye, the way they sweep down the sides of the car, and that centre panel on the dashboard looks just a little like someone was trying too hard. ...I noted, with a little amusement, that it read the 10 mph sign in the car park of a golf course I pass every day and rebuked me by flashing the 10mph speed limit for the next half mile! ...Similar to the system that I first tried on a Volkswagen Tiguan some years back, this helps hunt down parking places that are big enough for your car and does the steering for the reverse parking needed to get into them. ...In some reports I have read suggestions that the steering is not as good as it was on the previous model. Perhaps I am not as perceptive as some, but I found the steering to be responsive and progressive, with a nice degree of weighting. ...With 140 PS power output It is very slightly slower off the mark than its manual counterpart at 9.5 seconds, compared to 8.9 seconds. ...The estate car body suits the new Focus, but it also combined the more responsiveness characteristics of a petrol engine with reasonable fuel economy. ...The three models I drove represent a pretty good cross-section of the new Ford Focus range and, based on my experience, I am very confident saying the latest Focus model will consolidate its position as a class leader. Prices for the new Ford Focus hatchbacks ranges from £13,995 for the Focus Studio 1.6, through to £24,000 for the Titanium X 2.0 TDCi Powershift.

Does Honda Jazz hit the right note?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-11-03T14:47:28+00:00
That could, of course, have something to do with the giant sunroof that takes up the entire roof on the Honda Jazz HX! Bathed in sunlight, it is notable that there is quite a bit of hard plastic about the interior – some of it grained and some in a matt finish. ...I never quite lost the nagging feeling that I would welcome even half an inch more backwards movement in the driver’s seat – but I think that was me being pernickety. Even with the driver’s seat at its furthest back setting, there was enough space for me to tuck my knees in the seat behind and headroom is ample. In the now familiar style, the hybrid combines an electric motor with a conventional petrol engine. in the case of the Honda Jazz Hybrid the conventional power comes from 1.3-litre engine delivering 88PS. ...All too often, on these cars, you open the boot only to find that the floor is raised to make space for the battery array beneath. ...Unlike hybrids from the Toyota family, the Jazz engine does come on immediately you turn on the ignition – at least, it did for me. But, to reassure you that it does run on electric you can switch on the display that shows when the internal combustion engine is operating and using fuel and when the car is operating under electric power only. ...A glance at the figures shows that the Honda Jazz HX actually takes 12.3 seconds to reach 62 mph. ...That said, it seems to grip the road well and the limit to cornering comfort has more to do with the lack of lateral support on the seats than loss of adhesion. ...But, like most hybrids I have driven, for all their technology, the economy and emissions seem to fall rather short of what you would expect from all that clever technology. ...Now, that is a very respectable figures but it is no better than many conventionally-powered cars I have driven in recent months. ... Similarly, the carbon dioxide emissions are very meritorious at 104 g/km – but they miss out on free UK road tax by just 4 g/km.

Subaru Outback missing snowy Alps

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-10-17T12:34:43+01:00
Some years ago Subaru handed myself and a colleague the keys for a Subaru Forester at Heathrow Airport and told us to drive to Geneva. It was a trip that earned a new respect for the Forester which, even in those days, looked a tad dated and in need of an interior makeover. ...I should have driven it over a few snowy Alps, to prove its four-wheel-drive prowess, before starting to form my opinion. ...There was not a drop of white stuff on the roads and the only mountain I had to climb was just over 100 metres. In these circumstances, instead of concentrating on the Outbacks ability, my first impressions were formed by the rather nondescript, uninspiring exterior and an interior. Sitting there I had feeling that I had actually travelled, not in an Outback but in Dr Who’s Tardis and was actually back in the 1980s or early 90s. ...The rather unsophisticated looks are not helped by the square after-market style Pioneer sat-nav and in-car entertainment unit, with its garish graphics. ...But being Subaru this is no ordinary diesel – it stays true to Subaru’s ‘boxer’ heritage by having the cylinders horizontally opposed. One of the benefits of this layout is that it keep the weight of the engine low, which Subaru point out, lowers the car’s centre of gravity. It’s a notably quiet diesel engine and, possibly as a result of this low mechanical noise level, it did seem as though road noise was relatively high at times. ...The gearchange, in particular, was not my friend and, as a result, driving was not the smooth, fluid experience it should be. So, the Subaru Outback 2.0D SE is clearly a competent car that will cope with all manner of difficult driving conditions. ...For me, however, the price tag of £28,070 (without the sat-nav) means that there are other, rather more appealing options, in that price bracket.

New BMW 3 Series unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-10-16T16:39:43+01:00
Responding to customer demand (and also with an eye on the lucrative options list no doubt) BMW say they will offer a wider choice of trim and specification than ever before, to enable buyers personalise their car to a greater extent. The emphasis on environmental performance means that BMW claim eight versions of the new 3 Series will have carbon dioxide emission of less than 120 g/km – a claim that becomes even more impressive when you consider that less than 1% of cars on sold in 2000 could get below 130 g/km. When the car goes on sale in the UK in February, there will be just four engines, but with other engines options will be added less than a month later in March 2012. The launch line up starts with the BMW 320d which will be offered in two versions, one of them with BMW’s ‘Efficient Dynamics’ environmental package. This version, costing £28,080, has a combined fuel consumption of 68.9 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 109 g/km. The smaller petrol engine model is the BMW 328i at £29,060 with a combined fuel consumption of 44.8 mpg and a 0-2 mph acceleration of 5.9 seconds. Top of the launch range will be the £35,525 BMW 335i with a 0-62 mph time of 5.5 seconds and a combined consumption of 39.2 mpg. ...This switch allows a driver to choose from up to four driving modes ranging from ‘ECO PRO’ for economy, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ (the latter only being on sporting models or ones with certain options). In the ‘ECO PRO’ setting, the throttle mapping is changed so that it requires a firmer push on the throttle to achieve the performance. ...Aerodynamics also come into play in the quest for better economy and lower emissions, and, with features like streamlining of the underside of the car, the new 3 Series has a 0.26 drag co-efficient. Automatic versions of the new 3 Series will all benefit from BMW’s new eight-speed gearbox, in place of the previous six-speed. This will result in a wider spread of gear ratios and, significantly, BMW say the automatic versions of the new 3 series are as fuel-efficient, or more so, than their manual equivalents. As we head into winter, the good news is that (no doubt with more than half an eye on the success of Audi with their quattro versions), the 3 series is to be offered with a four-wheel-drive option on some models.

Volkswagen Eos still impresses five years on

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-10-05T15:32:38+01:00
When the Volkswagen Eos was launched in the UK in July 2006, it was one of the early mainstream adopters of the folding metal roof. ...It is perhaps an indication of how right the first Eos was, that the changes in the latest version are largely designed to bring it in line with Volkswagen’s corporate look, plus engine revisions to make it more green. Where some coupé cabriolets look a little ungainly, with a high boot line to leave space for the folding roof, the Volkswagen Eos looks proportioned. It’s only if you look for the clues like the ‘clamshell’ boot lid and the hinge shut lines on the roof pillars, that you can spot it as a convertible. ...“I thought you said it was a convertible?,” he asked quizzically, then sat enthralled as the electronics produced a convertible with a transformer-style metal-and-glass ballet. ...That slowness apart, I particularly like the fact that the Eos has relatively slim pillars for good visibility and an opening glass sunroof, to provide real flexibility in open-air motoring styles. ...The performance of this particular model is not going to get pulses racing, but neither is it going to leave you toiling in the slow lane. Perhaps it is paying the penalty for extra weight of the complex roof and gear, but there were times when I was looking for a little more urge than was on tap. But, this is the budget model in the Eos range and there are 12 other models for those who want their motoring at a brisker pace. ...But, with its stop-start system and other economy tweaks, the Eos 1.4 TSI Bluemotion achieves a combined fuel economy of 45.6 mpg. Carbon dioxide emissions are down from 157 g/km on the non-Bluemotion model to 144 g/km dropping this model to Band F for UK car tax. ...Do you go for the coupéThis entry-level Volkswagen Eos 1.4TSI Bluemotion Or, do you go with the recently revived Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet, which is based on the same floorpan and has a fabric roof. ...At £23,130 the Volkswagen Eos 1.4 Bluemotion is a little more expensive than some of the other offerings in this class, but to me it feels more special and more rewarding, plus it is likely to hold more of its value when it comes time to sell.

Kia Picanto asserts itself in supermini class

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-09-23T15:25:57+01:00
I have driven a number of Kias recently (as you can see if you click the Kia link in the ‘tag cloud’ towards the bottom of the right sidebar). ...Yes, it may not have the chic appeal of the Fiat 500, or a Mini, but it does have a crisply-designed fashionable suit of clothes that stands comparison with the likes of the Ford Fiesta. Inside, although it is clear that the interior trim materials are from the budget end of the scale, the Picanto has a commendably restrained design that shuns the “cheap hi-fi” look of some other budget Far East cars. This may not be a particularly exciting place to sit, but it is pleasant and comfortable for the price and the layout is good. ...With four doors (OK, five with the tailgate if you insist), compared with two on many of its obvious competitors, the Picanto is a very practical motor car. ... However, this is a small car so – if the driver has the seat slid well back – adults are going to find their knees a bit crushed in the back seat. ...The power and performance figures of the Picanto might raise fears of a Spark repeat, with only 68 bhp on tap, producing a 13.9 second 0-60 acceleration time. But, that is not only 1.9 seconds quicker than the previous model, it also delivers its limited performance much more willingly, making this a far more pleasant car to drive. ...Kia have also managed to just squeeze the CO2 emissions below the tax threshold to 99 g/km, meaning your UK tax disc is free. ...The one flaw in the driving dynamics – which will take just a little getting used to – is the over-eager brakes that tend to snatch a little too quickly. At £7,995 the Kia Picanto is a very honest budget-priced car, which deliver budget-priced motoring in a practical manner. But while your head is whispering Kia Picanto in your ear, your heart may be telling you to look at all the attractive used cars you could buy for the same money. What may silence your heart, though and help your head win (if a new car is really your desire) is that the Kia Picanto comes with a seven year warranty.

New British car maker debuts at Frankfurt Motor Show

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-09-13T21:49:10+01:00
It’s not often that a new car maker joins the motor industry elite, let alone a new British car maker. But, there’s a new British name over one of the stands at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Eterniti (sounds a little like Infiniti the up-market Nissan brand, doesn’t it?) plans to launch next year with the Hemera – a prototype of which will be on the Frankfurt stand. ...Based on the Volkswagen Group’s large SUV platform (as used for the Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne), the company says the looks will be very much as the prototype, but the final version will have different LED headlights. The body panels will all be unique and made from carbon composite and the interior is “almost 100% unique” to Eterniti. The new company is backed by international investors and based in London where there will be a showroom and workshop where the bespoke models will be hand build “to any specification required”. ...The target for the Eterniti Hemera is “wealthy car buyers, particularly in major cities, global wealth centres and emerging markets ranging from London to the Asia-Pacific region”. The business aims to help satisfy a growing demand for additional luxury and personalised specifications among wealthy car buyers, particularly in major cities, global wealth centres and emerging markets ranging from London to the Asia-Pacific region. Eterniti claim that they are the first car maker to enter the luxury SUV market, for which Bentley, Maserati and Aston Martin (with their Lagonda brand) are known to be considering new models. The Eterniti engineering team is led by Alastair Macqueen, who was responsible for the development of the Jaguar XJ220 supercar to production and has won the Le Mans 24-Hour race three times, with both Jaguar and Bentley. Former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert will have an active involvement in developing Eterniti vehicles as well as serving as an ambassador for the brand. Plans for another SUV and a high-performance car which could form the basis of a racing programme are currently being developed.

Jaguar unveils 'E-type' C-X16 Concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-09-07T09:06:49+01:00
Jaguar has today released the first details and photos of the C-X16 concept – the car that is aimed at taking the Big Cat back into the market it used to dominate with the legendary E-type (or XKE as it was known Stateside) – ahead of its world debut next Tuesday at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. ...But the clue comes in Jaguar’s announcement which kicks off by saying: “Looking firmly to the future, the C-X16 marks a new chapter for Jaguar”. At the moment Jaguar is focussed on appealing to a new, younger customer base and constantly looking over its shoulder to past glories simply doesn’t fit with this aim. The C-X16, therefore, is designed to be a thoroughly modern two-seater coupé and Jaguar say they have sought to combine “searing” performance and beautiful styling. ...“With the C-X16 we have moved the current award-winning design language on to the next generation, creating a car that is the very essence of future Jaguar performance.” Under the muscular clamshell bonnet is a next-generation supercharged V6 petrol engine producing 380 PS and 332 lb ft (450 Nm) of torque. Already boasting a high specific power output of 126 PS-per-litre, the performance of the C-X16 is further supplemented by a Formula 1-inspired hybrid boost system with a steering-wheel mounted button for on-demand acceleration. Integrated into the eight-speed gearbox is a motor generator which draws power from a 1.6kWh battery pack mounted behind the seats for ideal 50:50 weight distribution. Charged through a brake energy regeneration system, the batteries allow the motor to provide an additional 95 PS (70 kW) and173 lb ft (235 Nm). Mounted in an aluminium chassis structure, the result is 0-62 mph acceleration in 4.4 seconds, a top speed of 186 mph and overtaking-range acceleration from 50-75 mph of 2.1 seconds. The C-X16 is also able to travel at speeds of up to 50 mph under electric power alone and has CO2 emissions of 165 g/km. The C-X16 measures 4,445 mm in length, 2,048 mm in width and 1,297 mm in height and has a wheelbase measuring 2,622 mm. ...Find your perfect motor at www.motors.co.uk and use the local search feature to find fantastic deals on all types of new and used cars including 4x4's, sports cars, family cars, estates and city cars.

Ford Evos concept car points to future

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-30T10:29:05+01:00
Drawing a lot of the attention on the Ford stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show will be the Ford Evos Concept, which Ford has said will guide much of its future design work. Could it also be the basis of a future mass-market sporting coupe – a market that Ford has not managed to dominate since the long-running Capri (despite models like the Probe, the Cougar and the Puma)? One of the most distinctive features are the gulling style doors, a feature that is also graces Peugeot’s HX1 concept at Frankfurt. Trick doors add a bit of theatre to concept cars, but the reality is that the production model usually appears with conventional doors. ...Ford says that Evos ‘embraces a new generation of driver interaction and awareness” and talks of providing a “personal cloud” of information – something clearly inspired by internet technologies. “The possibilities are fascinating when we explore how to enable a seamless lifestyle between home, office and car linked by access to the driver’s personal information,” says Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Innovation. With information from the cloud, the vehicle can provide the same connected lifestyle the driver experiences at home or office. ...The Evos, for example, could automatically play the same music or news program that was just streaming at home, or heat or cool the interior to an ideal temperature before the driver gets in. Wireless communication with devices in the home could close the garage door and switch off the lights automatically as the car pulls away. The Ford Evos Concept has a plug-in hybrid powertrain with an electric motor and petrol engine working together or separately, in the familiar manner of the Toyota Prius. ...Ford say cloud connectivity would enhance performance and efficiency by selecting the best combination of powertrain modes for any given journey. ...With the length of a typical C-car, but with width of a CD-car, Ford describe the Evos Concept as having “a powerful, sporting stance”. ...The front end has the new face for Ford featuring with a trapezoidal grille mounted higher on the car “creating a confident, more premium look”.

Jaguar XF refreshed

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-31T19:09:34+01:00
But, truth to tell, you really need to have the old model and the new model parked side-by-side to spot most of the changes. To my eyes, the revised headlights, day running lights, re-profiled wings and a larger, more upright grille neatly updates the original Jaguar XF and gives the car the looks it should always have had. ...There are changes to the trim, higher definition colour display screens, a revised steering wheel and new ventilation controls, plus the real anoraks will notice that the proximity switch for the glovebox has been replaced with an actual button! ...On the engine front, the biggest news is the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel which is expected to make up to 60% of UK XF sales. This turbodiesel has been seen before in cars like the Land Rover Freelander and the Mondeo, but it has been substantially revised for the longitudinal layout of the Jaguar. ...As to how it sounds, I have written in my notebook: “How do they get a diesel to sound so undiesely?”, Ignoring the questionable addition to our vocabulary, that makes the point well. ...As a result the Jaguar maintains its reputation for almost imperceptible gearchanges whether you select the normal, or sports settings on that selector dial that rises, theatrically, from the centre console. ...Most of the time, however, you will find that the XF choses its own gears so well that – only in the most press-on occasions on twisty B-roads – did I use the paddles to drop down a cog on the over-run into corners. ...My real-life figure was some way behind, but still creditable for a car in this class with an average in the upper 30s for city and country driving. At 149 g/km, carbon dioxide emissions lag a few grammes behind some equivalent models from other prestige manufacturers – but it certainly shows how motor manufacturers have progressed. ...Power output is 190 bhp which translates into a quoted eight seconds for the 0-60 mph sprint, with a top speed of 140 mph. ...Combine that with good suspension set up and nicely balanced handling and you have a car whose keys will seem to be drawn towards your hands every time you go out for a drive. Prices for the Jaguar XF 2.2D range from £30,950 for the 2.2D SE to £42,050 for the 2.2D Portfolio, which pitches it close to and maybe even slightly above the equivalent German opposition.

Land Rover's Defender concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-31T15:55:44+01:00
How do you replace something as iconic as the original Land Rover, more recently known as the Land Rover Defender? Well, the impending Frankfurt Motor Show will provide Land Rover’s answer – the Land Rover DC100 concept. It’s described by Land Rover as “a modern interpretation of the iconic Land Rover Defender”. The company has also confirmed that production is planned for 2015. Given that the Land Rover Evoque made it into production looking remarkably similar to the LRX concept, what we are looking at is quite likely to be the vehicle that will appear in four years time. However, Land Rover’s Design Director Gerry McGovern, plays that down, saying: "Replacing the iconic Defender is one of the biggest challenges in the automotive design world; it is a car that inspires people worldwide. This isn't a production-ready concept but the beginning of a four-year journey to design a relevant Defender for the 21st century."

BMW shows new i brand

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-07-30T19:54:08+01:00
BMW has shown two concepts from its proposed new i brand of low-consumption, low-emission cars. The BMW i3 concept is planned as the first series-produced all electric car for city use, while the BMW i8 concept is a sport car with plug-in hybrid technology. The aim of the i8 is to combine a sporting driving experience with low fuel consumption and emissions. The BMW i3 i(closest to the camera) is driven purely by electric power. BMW says it is “well-resolved, all-round concept, with every detail conceived and optimised to fulfil its eventual purpose”. This tends to confirm that the i3 (and, indeed, the i8) will make it into production in a form pretty close to the concepts – although the transparent doors below the waistline are likely to go on the grounds of safety (and privacy perhaps?). The i3 has its electric motor mounted over the rear axle. It develops 170 hp, with acceleration from 0-60 kph (37 mph) in four seconds and on to 62mph in less than eight seconds. So, in performance terms, this is no milk float! The BMW i8 concept combines the electric drive system from the i3 (this time mounted over the front axle) with a three-cylinder internal combustion engine producing 220 bhp. Together, they give the i8 a 0-62 mph time of under five seconds, while achieving a European cycle economy of 94 mpg. It is also capable of driving around 20 miles on electric power alone.

Volkswagen's Up!

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-22T16:45:05+01:00
Volkswagen has released the first photos of its new Up! in production form, prior to the debut at the Frankfurt motor show next month. The new model is an entirely new design with which Volkswagen have aimed to offer maximum space in a very small footprint. The Up! is just 3.54m long. There will be three versions with the names “Take Up!”, “Move Up!” and “High Up!”. Power will come from a new generation of three-cylinder engines with outputs ranging from 60 PS to 75PS.

Porsche to unveil new 911

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-23T16:32:12+01:00
Porsche is to unveil the new 911 Carrera at the Frankfurt Show next month. This will be a completely new generation of the iconic Porsche model that was first launched in 1963. Porsche have been careful to maintain the 911 image with this new car, keeping the unmistakable silhouette, despite increasing the wheelbase by 10 centimetres with the aim of improving stability and increasing interior space. The overall dimensions of the car are about the same, however. As tradition dictates the engine stays in the back and is a flat six-cylinder configuration of 3.4 litres, delivering 350 bhp – or 400 bhp in Porsche Carrera S form which has a larger 3.8-litre capacity. Another important change is the lighter body which features “intelligent aluminium steel composite construction”. The result is a 45 kg reduction in weight, yet it is more rigid than the previous model.

Audi confirms A8 Hybrid

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-24T16:23:13+01:00
Audi has confirmed that it is to put a hybrid version of its Audi A8 flagship into series production, starting from the beginning of 2012. The first Audi A8 hybrids will reach the UK late next year. The A8 hybrid will have a four-cylinder petrol engine and will deliver 246 PS with CO2 emissions of under 148 g/km. It will be capable of running on electric power, with no tailpipe emissions, at speeds up to 62 mph. The modified 2.0 TFSI engine will have a power output of 216 PS. Added to the power from the electric motor this will give the new A8 Hybrid a 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds. The combined fuel consumption figure is expected to be in excess of 44 mpg.

Fiat shrinks 500 engine for economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-08-20T11:48:29+01:00
There’s a definite thrum to the engine note and the sound track is quite alien to those of us brought up on four, six, or even occasional eight cylinder soundtracks. ...So rather than go through the full story, you can simply look back to our original test of the Fiat 500. Let’s just say the design is as cute as ever, with lines that pay homage to the original 500. ...The power output from the two in-line cylinders is 85 bhp, It’s an interesting comparison that the Hillman Imp with its identically-sized engine only managed 55 bhp in its more sporting models – so the Fiat has notably more power squeezed from its small capacity. ...Even in the stern test (for a small engine) of accelerating hard out of an uphill dual-carriageway roundabout, this little car managed to keep pace with much more powerful cars – albeit not being driven with the same determination! Accelerating 0-62 mph takes 11 seconds, which is a whole lot better than, for example, the 15 seconds it takes in the slightly larger-engined Chevrolet Spark 1.0. It may be because I began my motoring life driving small engined cars and (on student finances, trying to eke out maximum miles per gallon) that I actually quite enjoy motoring at the micro end of the scale. ...The Fiat TwinAir Pop test car has a quoted combined consumption figure of 68.9 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 95 g/km – meaning you pay nothing for your UK road tax. I am quite used to the gap between official combined figures and the actual economy, but I was disappointed with my figures. On a series of city and country drives the trip computer gave my average consumption as 42 – still creditable, but some way from the official combined figure. Maybe I was just revelling in driving the TwinAir, or maybe I should have used the ‘Eco’ button more. ...It maybe lacks the dynamic refinement of other superminis, but it is enjoyable to be with and enjoyable to drive at least in the relatively short five-days acquaintance I had with it. The price of the Fiat 500 TwinAir Pop is £10,865 and the test car had the addition of £525 air conditioning, Bue & Me hands free at £265, 15-inch allow wheels at £315 and a rather nice leather steering wheel with audio controls for £105.

Peugeot 508: Nice car, shame about the gearbox

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-07-26T15:07:58+01:00
There we were, four motoring enthusiasts, talking in quite animated terms about the Peugeot 508 SW that was parked in front of us. ...From the first time you inspect the 508 you can tell that Peugeot have tried very, very hard to make this car emerge from the blandness that has overtaken the French marque in recent years. ...But, in recent years I have found it hard to feel any joy when picking up the keys to a Peugeot. More often than not, I have struggled to find a comfortable driving position and even when I have headed out onto the open road, the experience has left me less than moved. ...Apart from one in our group who was apparently unhappy about a little bit of the styling (it seemed to involve the line of the bonnet and the front wing) we gave it a ‘thumbs up’ all round. ...There are very obvious signs of real determination by Peugeot’s design team to make this a stylish, upmarket interior that distances the 508 from its predecessors. It maybe doesn’t get into the Audi class for distinguished interiors – but, it’s a lot closer than you might imagine from Peugeot’s more recent offerings. ...The SW, as already noted, stands for station wagon, the e-HDI means it has what Peugeot call ‘micro-hybrid’ technology (with stop-start to cut fuel consumption), while the EGC stands for ‘electronic gearbox control”. ...It was only when I got the Peugeot out on the open road that I realised that this was very much the same powertrain that was fitted to the Citroen C5 I drove recently. ...As with the Citroen, I could get slightly less hesitant changes if I used the manual steering-wheel paddles, but smooth it was not. When they weren’t nodding in sympathy to the gearbox, my passengers were praising the 508 for its space, both front and back and also its comfort and refinement. ...According to the trip computer, I averaged just under 40 mpg for a mixture of city and country driving, which seems pretty good for a reasonably large estate car. ...Summing up, I was very impressed with the Peugeot 508 SW and it would probably have got a gold star were it not for that issue with the semi-automatic gearbox and the power loss when changing gear.

Kia Sportage strengthens its appeal

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-07-20T15:35:34+01:00
The new Kia Sportage is a rather more extrovert design that has been winning awards since its launch in November last year. ...Much more stylish and modern (although some of the plastics are obviously from the budget end of the scale) the overall result is quite appealing – especially with the generous equipment levels on the test car, the Kia Sportage 3 1.7 CRDi Ecodynamic. ...The indicators don’t seem to be able to cope with British roundabouts and, unless you remember or notice the tell-tale, you are liable to drive down the road still indicating left. Following an increasing trend, the road test car – although presenting a 4x4 image – is actually only front wheel drive. Nissan were one of the trend-setters in this respect with their Qashqai first appearing in two-wheel-drive, then adding a 4x4 version. Ford did the opposite with the Kuga, starting with 4x4, then going to two driven wheels and, shock of shocks, you can now get two wheel drive Land Rover Freelanders and the new Range Rover Evoque. ...If a customer wants the off-road look, but without actually venturing off the black stuff, then driving only two wheels is going to save money. ...On the Sportage Ecodynamic that, the fuel-sipping 1.7-litre diesel and the now-common stop-start system, really does produce some impressive results. ... More surprisingly, the trip computer showed my real-time economy hitting 48 mpg and – at the end of five days – I had recorded an impressive 45 mpg overall. ...The ride quality is good and it feels well balanced and responsive, although enthusiastic drivers would crave a little more feel from the steering. ...The rear window is a little small and – if you sit tall – you have to bow your head a little to see any distance behind. ...So, why should you go for this rather than one of the other two-wheel-drive, off-road-style vehicles on the market? Well, apart from the edge on economy, it might be that your eyes light on that sticker in the back window which proclaims “7-year warranty”.

Mazda's diesel sport impresses

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-07-11T11:29:20+01:00
Mazda is best known in the UK for its sports cars – the MX-5 and the RX8, the latter not currently being imported into Europe because of difficulties in meeting European emission standards with its Wankel rotary engine. ...The Mazda 2, for example, is often thought of as a slightly different Ford Fiesta and, unless you are a Mazda enthusiast, it is all too easy to forget the Mazda 3, Mazda 5, Mazda 6 and CX-7. Mazda has decided to do something about this, by giving their cars a stronger brand image and greater appeal. ...I always feel a little uneasy when I see a “Sport” badge on a diesel, having experienced similar promises in the past that have failed to deliver. ...Japanese manufacturers were a little later than their European counterparts to embrace diesel power, because their biggest export market – the United States – is not hot on diesel cars. ...Remarkably, that is just 0.3 seconds slower than the Mazda Sport with the 2.5-litre petrol engine. ...I always reckon the acid test is whether you forget that you have a diesel engine under the bonnet. ...As usual, it is difficult to match that figure in everyday driving conditions and the trip computer noted my average over the period of the test as a whisker under 40 mpg, which is still creditable for a car of this size. ...In the five days I had with it, the Mazda 6 Sport experienced the usual mixture of city driving, dual carriageway cruising and country roads. That responsive engine and sharp steering make the Mazda 6 Sport 2.2 Diesel an enjoyable car around town and on dual carriageways. ...Although I found I could make quite good progress on these, I did feel it was rather harder work than many other test cars. ...This is a good four, or occasionally, five seater – but taller passengers might have to do some horse-trading of legroom between the front and back seats. Although there is a little bit of a sill to heave bags over, the boot is particularly accommodating with 510 litres of space with the rear seats up and 1702 with them folded.

Buying a car? Choose wisely.

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-07-10T11:03:15+01:00
With fuel prices having risen 70% since 2000 and nothing but further increases in prospect, the chances are your choice of used car will have fuel economy pretty near the top of the list. ...Whereas I used to praise cars for fuel consumption in the mid 30s, I now reserve that praise for new cars that return figures in the mid 40s. ...That alone might have you rushing for your chequebook, if you are lucky enough to find one on the used car lot. But, bear in mind that my real-time mileage per gallon figures on the Prius, Auris and the disappointing Honda Insight hybrid, were all around the mid 40s. ...So, at least for the moment, there are many simpler, conventional cars out there that deliver similar mpg figures and, arguably, a better driving experience. Take, for example, the Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion, which I drove just a few weeks after my most recent experience of the Prius. ... It was quite a remarkable performer and, had I driven it more sedately, I am convinced my 44 mpg overall fuel consumption would easily have matched, or beaten, all the hybrids. ...So much so that I admit I did pedal it quite hard, but I still achieved up to 44 mpg in ‘real life’ driving conditions. ...In my experience it is clever, but does not yet produce sustained economy figures that really justify all that technology. ...Will the extra few miles per gallon add up to enough, over your yearly mileage, to justify the extra purchase and fuel cost? ...But, if you do just 10,000 miles a year, you may well be better to stick with an economical petrol engine. ...I have come across a few diesels recently that have been so eagerly tuned to produce outstanding economy that they are a pain to drive. If I had bought the Citroen C5 eHDi 110 Auto on the basis of its 61.4 mpg or the Mercedes-Benz B180 CDI SE for its 54.8 mpg combined economy, without finding that they are not too great to drive, I would be pretty upset.

Hyundai turns up the appeal with small MPV

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-24T17:25:23+01:00
The interiors looked like they had been designed by the producer of a budget-priced hi-fi and just to make sure you felt ill at ease, the indicators were on the wrong side. ...The Hyundai ix20, launched in November last year, was designed and developed in Europe. it is also manufactured in Europe, in a factory in the Czech Republic Hyundai say their aim with the ix20 was to produce a car “with the style of a supermini, the space of an estate car and the economy of a city car”. ...The ix20 does have the looks of a modern supermini. indeed it looks like it has been designed using quite a few of today’s superminis as inspiration! To my eye the result looks a tad derivative with a definite nod to the Ford Fiesta in the resulting package. ...Well, passengers are well catered for and I even found sufficient space to tuck my knees behind all but the furthest back settings of driver’s seats. ...But, further examination reveals that there is quite a bit of concealed space under the removable boot floor. ...My test car was the Hyundai ix20 CRDI which, as the D suggests, is the diesel version. In this form, the ix20 boasts a combined fuel consumption of 65.7 mpg, with the trip computer telling me my real-time economy was hovering around the mid 40s. ...Manufacturers have found that this is the best way to package maximum passenger and load space in a short vehicle. ...On this car it took a long time to produce cool air and even then it was not that cool. ...The Hyundai ix20 CRDI comes in three different trim levels – Classic, Active and Style – starting at £13,445 and rising to £15,445. Considering how well-equipped it is and factoring in the five-year warranty, it’s a package that will undoubtedly appeal (possibly with the presumably livelier and quieter petrol engine) to Hyundai’s identified target audience – young families.

Golf downsizes engine for greater economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-06-24T15:20:02+01:00
So, when I saw that my road test car was a 1.2-litre, I immediately assumed I was in for a joyless five days at the wheel of a pithless wonder. ...The 1.2-litre Golf is part of Volkswagen’s strategy of downsizing to smaller engines in the continuing search for more better economy and lower emissions. I’ve driven Volkswagen’s 1.4 TSI engines before, but can a 1.2 TSI possibly work in this size of car? ...One puts out 85 PS, but the car I had on test was the Golf S 1.2-litre TSI 105PS which as the name implies has a power output of 105PS. ...Looking back there were just one or two occasions over the whole five days when the engine’s small capacity was apparent. ... Usually it was because I had let the revs drop low while climbing a hill, meaning little or no help from the turbocharger. ...Equally, with its nicely balanced handling, precise steering and good body control, the Volkswagen Golf S 1.2 proved to be surprisingly enjoyable on country B-roads. The ride quality and refinement is good, although I did notice that road noise can become a little intrusive on certain surfaces – but I came to the conclusion that was partly because of the general hush of the car for the rest of the time. ...The combined fuel consumption figure is 49.6 mpg and I found that my real-life figures ranged around 37 to 44 mpg for a series of trips including city streets, country roads and dual carriageways. ...You can have your Volkswagen Golf S 1.2 TSI with three, or five-doors (like the test car). It really does makes for a more practical family car to have those extra doors, but it also costs £585 more. ...Although you can argue about the need for a reversing camera on a compact car like the Golf, this one is really neat. ...True, the Bluemotion produces better mileage per gallon and lower emissions (so much so that the Chancellor will give you a free tax disc), but, at £16,434, the Golf S 1.2-litre TSI 105PS costs a significant £2,230 less.

Gearchange takes edge of Citroen C5

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-06-10T16:02:29+01:00
It’s a mark of Citroen’s success in revitalising their image that I didn’t have the usual wave of apathy when I saw a Citroen C5 on my road test list. ...Where the Citroen was avant garde to the extent that it looked like nothing else on the road, the Citroen’s only Gallic quirk in the styling is the complex double curvature rear screen. ...The e-HDi is described by Citroen as ‘micro hybrid technology’, which refers to the rather clever way this diesel shuts down when not needed, yet restarts instantly. ...It is comfortable place to be too, although the seats – or maybe I should call them chairs – are a little soft for some tastes. ...I also felt that Citroen had been a bit over-eager to shift controls to their unique fixed steering boss (it doesn’t turn with the wheel). ...I was just beginning to feel that – with this supple ride and well-silenced diesel engine, this was a rather refined motor car, when it happened. ...It felt like someone had pressed the brake pedal, as the Citroen slowed down – even though my foot was still on the accelerator. ...It is at its worst when the gearbox is changing from first to second gear, when it feels like you have hit a giant ‘flat spot’. ... While it is worst from first to second gear, a similar loss of power afflicts every gearchange right up to sixth. ...As I tried to accelerate out of the roundabout the gearbox decided to change and I glanced nervously in the rearview mirror concerned that my tailgating friend might not slow down in time. ...You might also have to get used to a little bit less self-centring than you are used to at low speeds – something which I found quite ironic, given that the famous Citroen DS actually had powered self-centring in an era when powered steering itself was a rarity. ...It’s a shame that my test of the Citroen C5 was so completely overshadowed by this gearchange issue, because in most other aspects the car impressed. It proved to be a relaxing and effortless motorway cruiser, where gearchanges are much less of an issue than in city driving or cross-country routes on give-and-take B-roads.

Mini range expands: Now, the coupe

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-06-06T20:39:26+01:00
For the first time the Mini range gets the addition of a two-seater coupe, which Mini say gives the ‘ultimate in go-kart feeling’ to the already agile Mini handling. The coupé, seen here still wearing some disguise around the all important coupe roofline and boot, has a cutaway roof, which Mini describe as a “helmet roof”. From the pictures it appears there is a wrap-around rear window on the tailgate plus a quarterlight between it and the door. This should make for reasonably good visibility, in contrast to many small coupés with heavy rear pillars. The Mini Coupé is strictly a two seater with some small stowage space behind the seats and there will be an ability, to extend the boot into this area for longer loads, or bulkier sports gear There is an active rear spoiler, which pops up at higher speeds, in addition to the spoiler on the roof. The Mini Coupé will be available with the more powerful petrol and diesel engines in the Mini range, with outputs ranging from 122 hp through to the 184 hp Cooper S Coupé and the Mini John Cooper Works Coupé with 211 hp.

Volvo tests new technology to cut fuel consumption 20%

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-06-01T19:41:37+01:00
Volvo says it is testing new flywheel technology that it says will not only make a four-cylinder engine feel like a six-cylinder, but will also reduce fuel consumption by 20%. This autumn, the company says it will be one of the world's first car makers to test the potential of flywheel technology on public roads. It has received a grant of 6.57 million Swedish kronor (£5.6 million) from the Swedish Energy Agency for technology to recover kinetic energy from braking in a joint project with Volvo Powertrain and SKF. "Our aim is to develop a complete system for kinetic energy recovery,” says Derek Crabb, Vice President VCC Powertrain Engineering. “Tests in a Volvo car will get under way in the second half of 2011. This technology has the potential for reducing fuel consumption by up to 20 percent. What is more, it gives the driver an extra horsepower boost, giving a four-cylinder engine acceleration like a six-cylinder unit.” The new system, known as Flywheel KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System), is fitted to the rear axle. ... When the car starts moving off again, the flywheel's rotation is transferred to the rear wheels through a specially designed transmission. The combustion engine that drives the front wheels is switched off as soon as the braking begins. The energy in the flywheel can be used to accelerate the vehicle when it is time to move off once again, or to power the vehicle once it reaches cruising speed. "The flywheel's stored energy is sufficient to power the car for short periods. ... “Our calculations indicate that the combustion engine will be able to be turned off about half the time when driving according to the official New European Driving Cycle.”

Suzuki's small family "crossover"

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-05-26T18:21:35+01:00
A year ago I brought you my first impressions of the Suzuki SX4, which is probably best described as small hatchback/SUV/MPV crossover. ... This time I had a chance to try the four-wheel-drive version with the new two-litre DDiS engine. Whatever sector you want to designate it, the Suzuki SX4 is a versatile small hatchback offering good and practical small hatchback accommodation for a family of four. It does add in elements of MPV and SUV, the main one being the four-wheel-drive system on certain models and the resulting ability to undertake some light off-road work. One big practical advantage of the SX4 comes is that it has four passenger doors, where so many others in this class do with two. ...Not only is Volkswagen now a shareholder in Suzuki, but the SX4 was actually designed in partnership with Fiat and is produced – for European markets – in Hungary. ...With the four-wheel-drive version you get three drive modes, selected with a switch on the console – 2WD, Auto and 4WD-Lock. ... The 2WD setting forces the car to stay in front-wheel-drive only for the best fuel consumption, whereas the 4WD-Lock sets the car in four-wheel-drive mode up to 40 mph, when it reverts to auto mode. Performance with the two-litre diesel is quite impressive and I found the SX4 2.0 DDiS to be responsive and willing. ...Other than the engine noise, the SX4 proved to be very much at home on these roads where, despite its tall design, the SX4 not only proved to have sharp and precise handling, but impressive body control. The official combined fuel consumption of the Suzuki SX4 2.0 DDiS SZ5 is 53.3 mpg, but my average over five days of driving on city and country roads ended up just over 40 mpg. ...It is also a quite a fun car to drive, with reasonable performance and good dynamics, spoiled only a little by that rather intrusive engine noise under acceleration. Opting for the bigger two-litre diesel engine and the four-wheel-drive adds quite a bit to the cost.

Audi A1 downsizes the prestige car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-05-23T15:23:46+01:00
But, it must have been impossible for the product planners at Audi to ignore the gap it left in their range, especially seeing the success that BMW was having with its Mini brand. ...That has certainly been mirrored in my own case where I have gradually downsized over the past decade from the BMW 5 Series Touring I drove in the mid 1990s. ...It does look every bit like a scaled down Audi, with a little bit of added chic – essential if you want to compete with cars like Mini and the Fiat 500. ...Audi has a particular reputation for interior design and the Audi A1 continues that trend with a no-nonsense interior that has a genuine feeling of quality, albeit that some of the plastics are obviously not quite the same standard as more socially-elevated Audis. Following a number of cars where the driver’s legroom was notably limited, it was with relief to find the driving position instantly comfortable. The rear seats are fairly dinky and, with the driver’s seat slid well back, the equivalent rear seat really is only suitable for children, or the most compact and pliable of adults. ...Compact dimensions make the Audi A1 ideal in city traffic and parking, but it is also refined enough to cruise, effortlessly, on the dual-carriageway journeys. Thanks to sharp, positive steering and good body control, I also found the A1 not only at home, but also rewarding to drive on on the country roads that make up my regular route around town. ...Audi have obviously worked hard to get the A1 below the 100 g/km threshold and with an official figure of 99g/km, your annual UK tax disk is free. ...At £14,480 for the Audi A1 1.6 TDI SE, I certainly wouldn’t feel I was paying inordinately for the Audi badge on that imposing front grille. With the A1, Audi set out to take the established reputation for quality, style, comfort and driving enjoyment and squeeze it into a smaller package. Having driven the A1 for five days I reckon they have achieved their goal and produced a car that would be a pleasure to own and drive. Unless you need a car that will accommodate more than two adults plus a large amount of luggage, the Audi A1 makes a convincing case if you want a prestige, environmentally-friendly small car.

Jaguar to build C-X75 hybrid supercar

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-05-08T12:14:35+01:00
Jaguar has confirmed that it will launch the remarkable Jaguar C-X75 concept car as an exclusive hybrid supercar. Powered by electric motors at each axle, the Jaguar C-X75 will become the British marque's most advanced model to date. Despite the electric motive power, Jaguar promise the C-X75 will offer performance on a par with the fastest production cars on the market, while also offering remarkably economical running. Jaguar expects this hybrid supercar to produce less than 99g/km of CO2 while being able to achieve speeds in excess of 200mph. One change from the concept will be that a small capacity conventional internal-combustion engine will be used, rather than the micro gas turbines originally proposed. "People expect Jaguar to be innovators − that is when Jaguar is at its best," said Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Brand Director. "The C-X75 received an incredible reception as a concept car. We've been building on that momentum and there is a clear business case for this exclusive halo model. No other vehicle will better signify Jaguar's renewed confidence and excellence in technological innovation than this." "We were always determined that the Jaguar C-X75 would be as striking on the road as it was in concept form," said Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar Cars. ...The Jaguar C-X75 will be developed in association with Williams F1 who will provide their engineering expertise in areas including aerodynamics, carbon composite manufacture and hybrid technologies. Jaguar say this association will be “at the leading edge of British automotive engineering and innovation”. If this is something you must have, Jaguar are taking expressions of interest via its website www.jaguar.com.

Volvo's concept car is designed to provoke

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-27T21:32:07+01:00
For Volvo, now owned by Chinese company Geely, the Shanghai Motor Show is obviously of particular importance and so it was appropriate that they used the event to launch a concept car designed to provoke discussion about the future design direction for the company. The Concept Universe is a large, luxury saloon which has some pretty strong design cues from Volvo’s history. There hints, for example, of the famous Volvo Amazon about its looks. Whichever way you look at it, this is a long way from the boxy Volvo designs of the 1970s and 80s. Volvo’s press release positively gushes. “The Concept Universe has been designed to spark a subconscious desire and a feeling of eternal beauty”. The reality is that it is designed to provoke a reaction and to make a statement about Volvo being bold and looking to invent itself for the future under its new Chinese owners. "Just like fine luxury goods, this design feels handcrafted and durable enough to stand the test of time," says Peter Horbury, Vice President Design at Volvo Car Corporation. "We will compete with the best with our special kind of Scandinavian Design. It is unmatched in performance and technology, but without superficiality or complication."

New, new Volkwagen Beetle unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-22T21:15:06+01:00
There were various debates at the time of the Volkswagen Beetle, then Mini, revival about the various merits of the two retro designs. Questions were asked how you could update a model like the Beetle that was just a modern lookalike of a classic car from the past. ...Well, for Mini, the new, new Mini was a subtle update of the new, old Mini. But, with cars like the Countryman, Mini are developing the Mini into a range of cars. For those who questioned how Volkswagen would update the new Beetle, they have their answer. This is the new, new Beetle and – like the Mini – it is a fairly subtle update that keeps the retro looks of the original. Unveiling the new car at the Shanghai Motor Show, Volkswagen was at pains to suggest an evolution in design, saying that the new car “moves away from design of the New Beetle of 1998 and instead draws on cues from the original and Beetle Ragster concept shown in Detroit in 2005”. ...Interestingly, from a marketing point of view Volkswagen seem to be trying to move away from the predominantly female market, saying the new design gives the Beetle “a more masculine and dynamic appearance”. Three trim levels will be available – Beetle, Design and Sport – with their own individual character and features. In the UK,there will be a choice of four engines. Three petrol engines – a 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS, a 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS and a 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS – and one 1.6-litre 105 PS BlueMotion diesel. Thanks to the addition of Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems the Beetle Bluemotion is expected to have a combined fuel consumption of 65.7 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 112 g/km. The new Beetle will be available to order in the UK in the summer, with first cars arriving in showrooms early in 2012.

Update Jaguar XF and XK for 2012

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-21T21:40:25+01:00
Jaguar has unveiled its refreshed XF saloon at the New York Auto Show. ...The front wings and bonnet are changed and the new XF has a larger, more upright grille. The headlights are slimmer and incorporate LED lighting strips that meet the new requirement for daytime running lights. The re-profiled bonnet has a more pronounced ‘power bulge’. The result is a car that is closer to the look of the new Jaguar XJ with a more aggressive appearance. On the flanks the XF now has vents in the front wings. At the rear of there are new LED tail lamps. Inside the changes include a restyled steering wheel, revised switchgear for the ventilation system and a new central colour screen linked to smaller repeater screen with a dial on the dashboard, as in the Jaguar XJ. ...The new model will be offered for the first time with a four-cylinder 2.2-litre common rail diesel engine. This produces 190 PS and 332 lbs ft of torque and is linked to a new eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. An innovative stop-start system aims to deliver power more effectively and more quickly on restart. With the help of this stop-start technology Jaguar are looking at economy figures of more than 50 mpg and CO2 emissions of 149 g/km. The new XF will go on sale in September with prices starting at £30,950 for the 2.2-litre diesel engine rising to £65,350 for the XFR.

Eyebrow-raising performance on Skoda Fabia VRS

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-22T19:43:17+01:00
But, possibly there are a few of you out there who still think that the Czech manufacturer’s products are a bit staid and therefore appeal to, what shall we say, an older clientele? ...Just as the new Skoda Fabia projects more ‘attitude’ in its latest form, with its slightly more quirky looks (people kept commenting that, with its two-tone paintwork, it looked like a Mini), the Fabia vRS delivers real eyebrow-raising performance. ...Yes, the plastics don’t have quite the quality appearance of its close relatives in the Volkswagen range, but the build quality seems good. For practicality it scores well with five doors and good space for a small hatchback, even in the back seats. ...You can drive it as a comfortable and practical hatchback and it will eat up the miles effortlessly, whether you are driving on motorways, city streets or country by-ways. ...But, switch the gearbox to ‘sport’ mode and plant your foot on the accelerator and the Skoda Fabia vRS shows the other side of its character. Experiencing the steady surge of acceleration that pushed them back into their seats, passengers went strangely silent as their eyebrows moved to a higher altitude on their foreheads. ...Over five days of city and country driving – admittedly enjoying the performance to the full and driving much of the time in ‘sport’ – I averaged a still-creditable 29 mpg according to the trip computer. ...I like their ability to change gear, in the blink of an eye, but also how they turn accepted norms on their head. Whereas automatic gearboxes normally take the edge off performance and economy, DSG-equipped cars tend to be marginally faster and more economical than their manual counterparts. ...It’s a long time since I have driven a car where the ‘normal’ and ‘sports’ gearbox settings are so different. In sport, the gearbox becomes downright frenetic, holding onto gears to keep the revs up in the power band – reaching close to 7,000 rpm before up-shifting. ...This performance is combined with a suspension set up up that offers a reasonably compliant ride for transporting more delicate passengers, but enough sporting firmness to provide sporty dynamics.

Honda's hybrid coupe

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-12T19:26:09+01:00
Whereas in 2000, only 1% of cars produced less than 130 g/km of carbon dioxide, now almost 40% of cars sold in the UK fit into this bracket. ...Those who read my road test of the Honda Insight will know that I was more than a little disappointed with my first drive in a Honda hybrid car. So, with the Honda CR-Z the marque had the chance to save face and I had the chance to sample the world’s first hybrid sports car. The Honda CR-Z is a sporty 2+2 Coupe, but, under the skin, it shares much of the technology (including the battery pack and electric motor) from the Insight. ...You turn on the ignition with a conventional key on the right of the steering column, but you then have to press the start button with your other hand on to the left. ...But the clutch has a very late uptake and I found myself revving the engine on take-off, not knowing the clutch was still partially disengaged. ...As I said this is a 2+2 and the tiny rear seats are really only feasible for children. ...That just about lets you hold your head high when people start quoting the sprint times to 60 or 62 as though they were much more important than they really are. ...In terms of its green performance, the Honda CR-Z has a combined fuel consumption figure of 56.5 mpg and its CO2 emissions are 117 g/km, putting it in band C for UK car tax. My real-life mileage per gallon, according to the trip computer was just a shade under 40 mpg in a mixture of town and country driving. Prices for the Honda CR-Z V-Tech start at £17,695, with the Sport model costing £18,735 and the GT at £20,820. ...Yet, after driving the Honda CR-Z I still remain to be convinced about hybrids, at least in their current form. I ended this road test having enjoyed my time with the Honda CR-Z, but feeling that it had not delivered anything that could not be delivered by a more conventional with less complex and resource-hungry technology.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta – putting on the style

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-04-01T14:05:07+01:00
One glance and you get the impression that every road behind this car’s wheel will as exciting as driving the famous Amalfi Coast! ...The front of the Giulietta is dominated by the unmistakable Alfa Romeo grille and (for markets that require numberplates) the plate offset to one side. There is also the Alfa styling signature of camouflaging the rear doors (the handles are hidden in the rear quarterlight window) to give the car a more sporting, two-door look. Inside, too, the Giulietta demonstrates a touch of Alfa Romeo style with a body colour strip across the dashboard, although some of the plastics are not as tactile as they might be. ...These days driving positions can be adjusted to a remarkable degree, but I simply could not get comfortable behind this particular wheel. ...While it had been stripped of almost all Alfa distinctiveness – apart from a token Alfa grille shape stuck on the front – this particular car had the Italian driving position par excellence. Our route took us round the north coast of Scotland and I still remember hobbling out at Ullapool with an ankle that was crying “enough”! Despite the pain involved, I loved driving that car because of its eagerness and the delightful Alfa Romeo sound track of a throaty engine and crisp exhaust note. There’s not chance of that on the diesel road test car – the £21,650 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2.0 JTD Lusso. The sound track on this car is muted, but what you hear under power is a rather tiresome diesel drone. ...The 170bhp output translates into a 0-62mph sprint time of 8.0 seconds and, like most turbo-diesels, its power delivery is even more impressive in the all-important overtaking range. ...What also took the edge off the enjoyment of the by-ways was a rather cumbersome, notchy gearchange on the test car, that sometimes became downright obstructive. If Alfa Romeo had sent a petrol-engined Giulietta – like the acclaimed and cheaper 1.4TB Lusso – I have a strong feeling this test would have ended up much more positive.

Jaguar's XJ purrs into the 21st century

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-26T17:25:11+00:00
I can’t say I am 100% sure yet about the new corporate Jaguar grille and the sweeping rear end of the XJ looks a touch more hatchback than saloon.... although, let me quickly assure you this is a saloon, with a separate boot. ...The one thing that does remain is the preponderance of stitched leather, now complemented by a luxurious roof lining in suede-style material, complete with double glass sunroof, on the test car. ...But, as you may have guessed, they are actually graphics on a display screen in front of the driver. ...With a big, high centre console this does feel like a Jaguar, but a few times during my test, the mirror finish oddments tray, produced dazzling reflections. ...Another party trick is that the driver can have the navigation map on the centre screen, while the passenger can be watching live TV, or a DVD, on the same screen! ...If you are looking at the Jaguar XJ to provide limousine-style comfort all round, then the long-wheelbase version is a relatively affordable £3,000 extra. All this talk of interior comforts and luxuries may lead you to think the Jaguar XJ is all about cosseting driver and passengers, without providing Jaguar standards of performance. ...I used the paddles a couple of times, then I realised that the car actually chooses its gears pretty well and there was little to be gained in choosing the ratios. With a combination of responsive throttle, and well tuned controls, complemented by good body control and nicely balanced handling I found the XJ enjoyable on some of my favourite B roads. It was after one-such run that I noticed the other remarkable attribute of the new Jaguar XJ – at least in this 3.0 diesel form – remarkable economy. ... Even with the gearbox set to ‘sport’ most of the time and making full use of the performance on city and country driving, I was most impressed to return a real-world average, on the trip computer, of 30mpg. The Jaguar XJ’s 3.0 Diesel’s carbon dioxide emissions are 184 g/km, putting it into band I for UK tax – again pretty good for a car of this type. So, while the old Jaguar XJ was a little conservative for my liking, the new XJ is a more attractive, more twenty-first century proposition.

New report demonstrates decade of CO2 emissions progress

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-16T15:11:03+00:00
A new report, published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, shows that emissions of new cars has fallen by 20% since 2000. Whereas in 2000, only 1% of new cars produced less than 130 g/km of CO2, 40% of new cars are now in that low-emission bracket. The SMMT report also records that, in 2010 alone, the CO2 emissions of new cars fell by 3.5%, meaning that the average new car now produced 144.2g/km CO2. The number of vehicles exempt from UK car tax (VED) has increased and now there are nearly 40,000 vehicles in the zero tax bracket because their emissions were under 100g/km. Over the ten-year period the greatest improvement came in the executive and small car segments with emissions falling 28% and 26% respectively. The biggest reductions over the past year came in luxury saloons and MPVs, with emissions down 6% in each sector, compared with 2009 figures. The lowest emitting tax bands have also been the winners in the showrooms. Cars producing 130 g/km or less now represent around 38% of the new car market in the UK, compared to less than 1% in 2000. This represents good progress towards the target where all manufacturers must reach a Europe-wide average of 130 g/km for their vehicles by 2015. • The full SMMT New Car CO2 Report 2011 is free to download from www.smmt.co.uk

Scirocco R adds sporting appeal

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-10T16:23:33+00:00
So, when the performance Scirocco R appeared on my list of cars to road test, I was full of anticipation. ...Fortunately, it is well padded (the roof rail, not my head), so the car was soon forgiven and the lesson in lowering my head was well learned. ...For this test I shall concentrate on the performance aspect of the Scirocco R and leave you to look back at my road test of the Scirocco 2.0 TSI to read more general impressions of the Scirocco. ...I had been a little concerned that, with 265 bhp being delivered through the front wheels, I might find myself fighting torque steer, or feeling that strange vagueness around the straight ahead steering position that used afflict powerful front wheel drive cars. ...It is 100+ miles of heavy trucks, tractors and slow-moving, short-distance traffic mixing it on a single carriageway twisting road, alongside those of us trying to make efficient progress between two of Scotland’s main cities. ...What you do need for the A96, is a car that is comfortable and effortless to drive, so that the long tedious grinds behind other traffic pass more easily – but, one that has the power and performance, to seize the overtaking opportunity when they arise. ...As with the Scirocco 2.0 TSI I drove previously, the Scirocco R seems to revel in sorting out and helping the driver achieve rapid and smooth progress along twisty country roads. ...On the other hand, if you have your granny in the car, you can switch to “comfort” and you really do get a softer, more cosseting ride quality. ...As with the 2.0 TSI, I found it very satisfactory just to leave the system to adjust its own settings automatically for most journeys. Although the capacity is the same at two-litres, the Scirocco R has a power boost of 55PS compared with the Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI. ...You can always tell a well sorted car by the way that the accelerator, clutch, brake, gearbox and steering all seem to work together as a team, letting the driver make smooth, safe and efficient progress. ...My time with the car was dominated by that 200-mile trunk road drive, the trip computer awarded me an overall consumption of 34 mpg. ...The other thing to consider is the mechanically similar Volkswagen Golf R, which costs just £1,600 more for greater practicality and similar (indeed fractionally quicker) performance.

UK heads for ‘Third World’ roads as £3 million a day pothole crisis deepens

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-07T11:19:06+00:00
Drivers could be forking out nearly £3 million every day – or £1 billion a year – to repair cars damaged by Britain’s crumbling roads, according to Potholes.co.uk. ...The road maintenance campaign website, set up by the UK’s leading direct car warranty provider, Warranty Direct, is warning that Britain will have “Third World” roads unless something significant is done. ...Potholes.co.uk analysed 150,000 of Warranty Direct’s policies over a three-year period and found that nearly six percent of vehicles suffer axle or suspension damage linked to potholes or road defects each year. The average cost of repair stood at £312 but individual bills were as high as £4,000. The average for damaged wheels and burst tyres, is £277. I can certainly relate to this as it has cost us £300 to replace otherwise perfectly good tyres that had been damaged beyond repair by pothole impact. I shudder to think what damage has been done to the suspension of our cars over the past few months. All of which makes me think that a big tough ‘Chelsea Tractor’ may be environmentally unfriendly in city centres, but it is becoming the only way to negotiate the appalling road surfaces we now encounter. Our governments – local and national – have a duty to maintain the value of public assets like our roads. But, it seems that the green-fuelled anti-car dogma in government circles has been used as an excuse to shelve road maintenance programmes. If we ignored the need to maintain our homes, the value would soon plummet as the roof fell in. No surprise then that our publicly-owned roads network is now more of a liability than an asset. ...Recently the Auditor General in Scotland did just that, when he issued a hard-hitting warning that there was a £2.25 billion backlog of maintenance North of the Border and warning that we were storing up trouble for the next generation.

Audi A3 concept goes saloon and sporty

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-05T15:05:35+00:00
With a clear eye on the American market (which is not so smitten by hatchbacks as we are in Europe) Audi has taken a new four-door saloon concept, based on the A3, to the Geneva Motor Show. As well as trialling a saloon based on the A3, the concept presents a sharper sporting edge with a 2.5-litre 408PS five-cylinder FSI engine giving the concept a quite startling 0-62mph time of just 4.1 seconds. Fuel economy is said to be 31mpg combined, with emissions of 212g/km CO2. Helping the efficiency is a relatively low 1,540kg kerb weight, thanks to the use of aluminium for some of the body and the use of CFRP. The in-car technology includes the debut of a new generation MMI (multi media interface) which accesses Google services such as maps and also WLAN hotspots.

Virage returns to Aston Martin stable

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-05T15:03:00+00:00
The name Virage is back in the Aston Martin catalogue with the launch of a new Virage at the Geneva Motor Show. ...Aston Martin say they see it “providing customers with a car that remains luxurious and understated but delivers increased performance and crucially performance that is always accessible for effortless driving”. Power comes from Aston Martin’s own 6.0 litre V12 engine, which produces 490 bhp. It is mated to a rear-mounted six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission by a carbon fibre prop shaft, giving the Virage what Aston Martin claim is a “perfect 50:50 weight balance”. A newly developed Adaptive Damping System is said to intelligently reads the road to provide the optimum road holding, adapting to different conditions. On the Virage this system selects up to five different stiffness settings within normal mode, and a further five stiffer settings within sport mode. There is also a ‘Sport’ button on the dashboard, which allows the driver to select a sharper throttle response and faster gear changes. ...The Virage sits low and wide asserting the power which lies beneath; single bi-xenon headlamps follow the lines of the car’s flanks to give a more crisp and modern look from the front. A new aluminium metal front grille, inspired by the One-77, features five horizontal vanes which are chamfered creating an aerofoil profile. The new front bumper is pure and relieves the car of any visual complexities, contributing to the overall simplicity of design. The front wings distinguish the Virage from its stable mates housing a new modern interpretation of the Aston Martin iconic side strake housing six LEDs for the side repeater. The doors are descriibed as “swan wing doors” and the Virage coupe comes as either a 2+2 or a 2+0, with the rear seats removed for lightness and replaced with a parcel shelf. Acceleration 0-62 mph takes 4.6 seconds, with the Virage going on to a maximum speed of 186 mph.

Mini concept shrinks back to original size

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-05T15:01:55+00:00
For those who complained that the new Mini was too big compared with the original, Mini have the answer. The Mini Rocketman Concept was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. The Rocketman harks back to the original Alec Issigonis Mini of 1959 in terms of its exterior dimensions being just over three metres long. Mini describe the concept as being a “3+1 seater”. What they mean is that the Rocketman Concept can take three in reasonable comfort and a fourth passenger for shorter journeys. Conventionally, it has three doors when you count the hatchback at the rear. Unconventionally, the Rocketman’s two passenger doors have double-hinge joints and they open with the integrated sills to make it for easy access. Round the back the Rocketman Concept has a drawer in place of a normal hatchback boot – a novel design idea that sounds as though it could be quite a practical solution for a vehicle of this size. The clear roof panel is etched with a Union Jack pattern as a nod to the British heritage of the original Mini. Mini hint that they are looking at power units that would give the Rocketman reasonable performance while returning a fuel consumption of 94 mpg. Let’s hope Mini put the concept into production. But let’s hope they lose the Rocketman name and also the ‘grab-handle’ rear lights.

Lamborghini's new 700hp flagship

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-05T12:11:29+00:00
Lamborghini has continued the tradition of giving its cars the name of a bull. The new Aventador is named after a particularly courageous specimen from the world of the Spanish Corrida. Aventador was the name of a bull that entered into battle in October 1993 at the Saragossa Arena, earning the “Trofeo de la Peña La Madroñera” for its outstanding courage. Unmistakably a Lamborghini, the designers of the Aventador produced what the company calls an “avantgarde work of art, an incredibly dynamic sculpture, from the sharply honed front end through the extremely low roofline to the distinctive rear diffuser”. The entire occupant cell, with tub and roof, is one single carbon-fibre component, meaning it is both incredibly strong, yet light. This ensures extreme rigidity – something which is so important for driving precision. It also offers an extremely high level of passive safety for the driver and passenger. The entire monocoque weighs only 147.5 kilograms. The Aventador LP 700-4 is powered by an extremely powerful and high-revving V12, which produces 700 hp at 8,250 rpm. This kind of extreme power must be delivered reliably to the road and to help ensure this the Aventador has permanent four-wheel drive. The driver can tune the vehicle characteristics (engine, transmission, differential, steering and dynamic control) from three settings – Strada (road), Sport and Corsa (track). The price of the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 in the UK will be £201,900 and the first customers should take delivery in late summer this year.

80 years on, Morgan re-engineers three wheeler

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-05T11:57:16+00:00
For most people three-wheelers conjure up visions of the Reliant Robin and, probably, one in particular – the Trotter’s Independent Trading Reliant Robin van. But, while the three wheelers of the sixties, seventies and eighties were all one front wheel and two at the rear, the famous Morgan three-wheeler of the 1930s offered sports car thrills with two front wheels and one rear. That car still holds the distance speed records for one-litre cars. So, amazingly, Morgan has decided to update the design and start producing three wheelers again. Morgan say the new 3 Wheeler is launched “to bring the fun and passion back to personal transport”. The iconic design of the Morgan Threewheeler has been updated with 21st Century technology. The powertrain is a V-Twin fuel-injected engine mated to a Mazda 5 speed gearbox. Unlike three-wheelers of yesteryear the new three-wheeler does have a reverse gear. (If I remember rightly reverse was usually blanked off, so that the car could be driven on a motorcycle licence.) The price of the new Morgan 3 Wheeler will be £25,000 before tax.

Saab looks boldly to the future

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-03-04T19:38:52+00:00
Saab has signalled its future design direction under its new ownership with the Saab PhoeniX concept car unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. Saab is saying that the concept is built on the basic architecture that will be utilised for their new Saab 9-3. As with so many manufacturers they have invented a word for their new design style it is, wait for it, “aeromotional”. With Saab having a long heritage as a Swedish aircraft manufacturer, the aircraft theme has been quite constant through the years. The Saab people are quite gushing about things like the “dramatic jet canopy-inspired glasshouse” and the “side-mounted ‘winglets”. Butterfly opening doors give easy access to a 2+2 cabin which apparently has the Swedish minimalist, ‘stripped out’ feel and what Saab calls its IQon infotainment and communications system – a technology we can expect to hear more about. “The PhoeniX establishes a new reference point for the future of Saab product design,” says Jason Castriota, Saab Automobile’s Executive Design Director. “It symbolises a renaissance of the innovative spirit and passion that drove Saab to build its first car. “We’re now taking the visual DNA forward with what we call ‘aeromotional’ design, adding emotion, power and fluidity. This design aesthetic will shape and differentiate future models in the Saab portfolio.” Under the skin the Saab PhoeniX deploys an innovative driveline, with an electrically-driven rear axle mated to a 200 hp, 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine driving the front wheels. Saab say this results in an intelligent, hybrid all-wheel-drive capability. Combined cycle fuel economy and CO2 emissions are projected to be 56.5 mpg and 119 g/km.

Nissan 370Z roadster even more a sports car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-02-23T16:31:28+00:00
The Nissan 370Z I had on test in June last year had shown me that this is a powerful, lively beast. ...To be fair, the electronics did quite a pretty good job of keeping the 370Z roadster on the black stuff... well, in reality, it was now the white stuff. ...Although the actual snow was quite localised and very short lived, there was no chance across my five days with the 370Z Roadster to get the roof down – even if I had been daft enough to do so in January temperatures. ...Well, while they are probably better known for worthy, if not charismatic hatchbacks, Nissan have actually quite a history of sports cars. ...When I fitted myself behind the wheel (I really would have liked between one and two inches more legroom) and powered it up, I had forgotten how responsive this 370Z is. Slot the car into “drive’ and the merest tickle on the throttle results in a scrabble of the wheels as the 370Z takes off. ...So sharp is the steering and the handling that every drive in a Nissan Z car reminds me of the 350Z I had on test a few years ago. ... Every little movement of the steering wheel results in a reaction, which can lead to an overly lively, fishtailing driving style until you get used to it. ...Well it took me a few miles to reacquaint myself with the lightning reactions and to tighten the grip on the steering wheel determined to tame this beast. ...The official combined fuel consumption figure is 25.9 mpg and, on my five days of driving country roads and city streets I averaged just over 20 mpg. ...So if practicality and effortless driving are your goal then you should look at the other cars in your local Nissan showroom. But, if you crave a more exhilarating experience, the 370Z Roadster could be for you, if you promise to treat this car with respect. ...But, then, I knew I could jump back into my own car, for a more effortless, less frenetic drive, after I had my adrenaline fix.

Toyota's other hybrid model, the Auris

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-02-19T10:58:18+00:00
Since then hybrids have become more common extending into Toyota’s prestige Lexus range and now with other manufacturers, notably Honda with its Insight and most recently the Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne. ...It is very much like an everyday Toyota Auris, but there are changes to the controls and instruments to cater for the hybrid power units. ... Toyota obviously feel that this will be noticeable, so much so that they have added a discreet notice that explains the battery pack is below the boot floor. ...Not a problem for most drivers, the only ones who are likely to miss this are enthusiastic drivers who would like the option to drop down a gear to stabilise the car going into corners. But, despite the inability to drop a gear on corners and despite the added weight of the battery pack and electric motor, I found the Auris handles well. ...As with the Prius, I find it quite fascinating the way that the Auris Hybrid does such complex magic all the time, but never lets you know what it is doing – unless you switch on the display that shows you where the power is coming from and going to. ...If you switch on the power display, you can see that seamlessly the Auris Hybrid will juggle between the electric motor and its 1798cc petrol motor and from power to recharge without you being aware of all this magic. ...Providing your speed is slow enough and there is enough juice in the battery pack, this will force the Auris Hybrid to run on electric power only. ...Throwing care and economy driving to the wind, the Toyota Auris Hybrid will muster all its 98 bhp and accelerate to 62 mph in 11.4 seconds. ...The Auris Hybrid, for example, has a combined fuel consumption figure of 70.6 or 74.3 mpg depending on which model you choose. ...But, in everyday use, on a mixture of B-roads, dual-carriageways and city streets, the trip computer gave me an overall average of 44 mpg for my five days. Now, if you care to take a look at, say the Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion, you will see that it achieved an overall consumption over five days of B-roads, dual carriageways and city streets of... wait for it... 44 mpg! ...If you decide to choose the Auris Hybrid, you will be choosing an eminently practical, comfortable family hatchback that just happens to sip fuel and produce emissions of 89 or 93 g/km – so low that the Chancellor of the Exchequer will hand you your tax disk for nothing in the UK.

£2.25 billion road maintenance backlog in Scotland

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-02-17T12:10:36+00:00
The shocking state of the roads in UK was thrown into sharp relief by a report released yesterday by Audit Scotland that stated that less than two-thirds of Scotland’s roads were in an acceptable condition and that the backlog of maintenance had now reached £2.25 billion. The report went on to state that the maintenance backlog had almost doubled from £1.25 billion to the current £2.25 billion since 2004. Scotland’s Auditor General, Robert Black was quite outspoken in the report. “The pattern of spending and the scale of the backlog means that the value of these public assets is not being sustained,” he states in the report. “But, by deferring essential expenditure on infrastructure, public bodies are storing up problems for the future and passing a greater burden onto generations to come.” • The press release from Audit Scotland can be seen on the Audit Scotland website.

BMW Vision concept showcases technology

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-02-16T19:55:12+00:00
BMW will be giving its Vision ConnectedDrive concept car at the Geneva Motor Show. A two-seat roadster the concept is aimed at showing the potential of current and future in-car technology and how it could aid comfort, safety and ‘infotainment’. The BMW Vision ConnectedDrive showcases the current and future capabilities of BMW’s ConnectedDrive technologies. Advanced Head-Up Display takes the technology currently available in production BMWs even further, placing a three-dimensional display of key information in the direct sight line of the driver, eliminating the need for the driver’s eyes to refocus. The three-dimensional display allows the real view to be overlaid with virtual information, highlighting hazards and allowing the driver to take in all of the information quickly and take the right action. In addition to Advanced Head-Up Display the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive is equipped with a programmable instrument cluster that gives the driver additional information. Passengers get their own information display, out of the driver’s field of vision, including information, music or navigation details that they can pass onto the driver with a simple touch of a finger. The concept may also signal the direction that BMW design will take, while also presenting the essential elements of BMW’s current design language. BMW say these include its long wheelbase, set back seating position and long bonnet “with taut surfaces and distinctive flowing lines”. BMW say: “This results in an interesting play of light and shadow making the car appear as if it is accelerating even at a standstill.” An interesting feature is the sliding doors, which are inspired by those I remember on the BMW Z1. The doors disappear into the body of the car, dropping down behind the lower body panel. Like the Z1, this allows the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive to be driven with the doors open, emphasising the link between the vehicle and its environment.

WRC takes a backward step on UK TV

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-02-15T18:51:15+00:00
The DriveBlog household had become avid viewers of the WRC coverage on Dave, the TV channel. Now, as we start what could be one of the most interesting World Rally Championships for years, where do we turn? A search of the WRC website tells us that ESPN will be giving us more than four hours of coverage for each round. But, there is no way I can justify paying £144 across the year just to watch 13 events. Further searchings uncovered that Motors TV are doing coverage in the UK. We probably won’t have much chance to appreciate the battle between the new Citroen DS3 (above) and the Ford Fiesta RS. But, having watched the first one, I cannot see it being compulsive viewing, in the way Dave’s WRC coverage was. It appears to have been put together by a rather lazy editor, whose idea of good rally coverage is to stick together long, tedious shots of the driver, or a narrow, letterbox glimpse bonnet and a little bit of road, under the sun strip on the windscreen. There are occasional more interesting cut-aways of the cars negotiating the stages and the occasional interview. But, it ends up being a frustrating hour of TV zooming through the boring stuff in search of something worth watching. ...Sadly I think we shall not be watching this year’s championship. ...Hope you come back on a TV channel I can watch, with a team that can produce an interesting and balanced programme. Until then, I – and I suspect many others – will not be among those dazzled by the performance of the Ford, Citroen, Skoda or Mini teams, or impressed by the glamour of the sponsors.

Ford C-Max

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-02-03T15:00:00+00:00
Others want the ability to pack extra members of the extended family and are looking for a family MPV that can accommodate seven. ...The car that arrived for appraisal was the five-seater – the Ford C-Max 1.6TDCi (115PS) Titanium to be precise. There is particular interest in the C-Max because it is the first car to use the platform that is also used in the new Ford Focus. Although it will surely become as common as sight on our roads as the current Focus, the ink is still wet on the early reviews of Ford’s new global family car. ...But, more than looks, MPVs are all about space and the C-Max – although presumably not as capacious as the new C-Max Grand – does not disappoint. Comfortably spacious for driver and passenger, there is also good space in the rear, where the seats are adjustable in true MPV style. ...Unable to find any figures for boot space in this new model, I cannot say how many litres of load space there are with the seats up or down. ...It also has excellent body control, meaning that the C-Max is as at home on the side roads as it is on the dual carriageways. ...You need to get into the habit of giving the accelerator a purposeful prod to get the turbocharger spinning as you take off from a standing start. ...I have come across similar initial hesitancy on a number of test cars recently, which leaves me wondering if it has something to do with manufacturers trying to wring the best economy and lowest emissions figures from their cars? ...The combined fuel consumption figure is 61.4 mpg and, even driving fairly hard, I managed 35 mpg across five days of driving on a mixture of city and country roads. ...In addition to the Titanium goodies (that include the wonderful electrically-heated windscreen, so welcome on frosty mornings), the test car was fitted with the £525 Family Pack which gives you a power tailgate (very handy on mucky winter roads), rear sun blinds and a 230-volt power converter so you can use household electrical equipment in the car. If you are looking for a family MPV the C-Max is now an even stronger contender to go on your shopping list and, reports suggest that seven-seater is equally desirable, if your tribe is larger.

Audi press on with quattro for A1

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-01-14T17:24:00+00:00
Speaking with a motortrade insider about the benefits of four-wheel-drive in winter weather, like we have experienced in this country with a vengeance over the last couple of months. While Audi has underlined its commitment to four-wheel-drive with the development of the Audi A1 quattro, he, and I, were puzzled that BMW were still shunning four-wheel-drive for their saloons and hatchbacks in the UK. A prototype of the forthcoming Audi A1 quattro undergoes snowy trials One Audi dealership in Scotland reports that quattro models now represent more than half of its total new car sales. Yet, BMW still do not import xDrive saloons or Tourings into the UK. If you want a four-wheel-drive BMW here, you will have to look at their X3, X5 and the forthcoming X1. I have long been a fan of four-wheel-drive saloons and hatchbacks. In the past seven years I have had a saloon, cabriolet and now a hatchback with all-wheel-drive. I like the handling during the summer, when a well sorted four-wheel-drive car exhibits the same sort of handling balance as a rear-wheel-drive car, but with even greater security. Come the winter, four-wheel-drive has obvious advantages. Apart from when the snow is simply too deep to negotiate, I have only ever become stuck once with my four-wheel-drive cars. Ironically that was after the thaw had set in and deep slush brought the car to a halt. After the severest weather in the UK for more than 100 years, expect even more people to be seeking out four-wheel-drive for their next family car.

Ferrari FF first pictures

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-01-21T17:06:18+00:00
The official Prancing Horse web site, Ferrari.com, has revealed the first photographs of the new FF, the company’s most powerful four-seater ever, and its first ever four-wheel drive car. The FF – an acronym for Ferrari Four (four seats and four-wheel drive) – is described as a “decisive break with the past.. the new car represents not so much an evolution as a true revolution”. The V12-powered FF aims to combine the expected sporty, high-performance character with versatility, comfort and elegance. Designed by Pininfarina, Ferrari say “the shape and proportions perfectly interpret the FF’s harmonious blend of sporting DNA and extraordinary usability”. The FF features the company’s first ever four-wheel drive system. Ferrari has patented what it calls 4RM (four-wheel drive). It weighs 50% less than a conventional four-wheel drive system, helping to maintain ideal weight distribution (53 per cent over the rear axle). Integrated with the car’s electronic dynamic control systems, the four-wheel drive technology features continuous and “intelligent predictive” torque distribution to all four wheels.

A Ford Focus, but not as we know it

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-01-13T15:05:15+00:00
When we headed out to the parking garage at the airport in Florida, we thought we knew what we were getting as our hire car. It was, after all, a Ford Focus – one of the most common cars on European roads. But, the surprise was that this Ford Focus was substantially different to the Ford Focus as we know it. Following on from the Mondeo ‘world car’, the Ford Focus was supposedly going to be another car to be sold in the same form in international markets. But, as with the Ford Escort before it, the American Ford Focus became substantially different. So different, in fact, that the current model in the USA is based on the previous model in Europe. There’s an all-new Focus unveiled that will be coming to a showroom near you shortly and, once again, we hear that this new Focus will indeed be a ‘world car’. The only substantial difference, apparently, will be that the American Focus will be available as a saloon (sedan), because hatchbacks are not that popular in the USA. Conversely, the saloon is not expected to be available at all in the UK. ...In place of the welcoming interior we expect in Europe, the American Focus had nasty and, frankly, cheap-looking hard brown and beige plastic. ...This was a hire car – so it is difficult to know how hard a life our Focus had had, but refinement was definitely lacking compared with what we expected. Noise levels in the cabin were high and there was a looseness and vagueness about the dynamics that is definitely not what we expect from the well-sorted Focuses on our roads. If the USA really does get the same, with the new model, as we get in Europe, American Ford buyers are surely going to be pleased!

New Touareg impresses at a price

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-01-21T15:02:23+00:00
Ever since Volkswagen came, a little late, to the SUV market with the Touareg, I have had a soft spot for their big off-roader. ...It might still be a big off-roader, with good ability to yomp over the rough stuff, but the new model lost weight and gained greater efficiency. ...It may look a little more compact, but the truth is that the length of the new Touareg is up by 41mm and the width has grown by 12mm. ...A Volkswagen doesn’t shout about style or opulence, it just exudes a slightly up-market air – not enough to take it into competition with Volkswagen’s premium Audi brand, but enough to set it apart from the mainstream. ...Some may give it a black mark for not being a seven-seater, like the Land Rover Discovery, but the Touareg is very comfortable for five. ...Where the hybrid model incorporates an electric motor into the drivetrain, in a similar way to the Lexus RX400h, the Bluemotion relies on diesel efficiency alone to reduce consumption and emissions. ...That may not sound particularly outstanding, until you stop to recognise that this is a big, four-wheel-drive vehicle with a three-litre V6 engine. ...Coincidentally, that is exactly the same average as I achieved in the Lexus RX400h hybrid, re-affirming my belief that a well set-up conventional engined car can often match, or beat, the wizardry of a hybrid. ...Like the impressive Golf Bluemotion, the Touareg proved to be an enjoyable and responsive car to drive in a range of conditions, be it dual-carriageway cruising or the more give-and-take country roads. My test car had the Tiptronic eight-speed automatic gearbox, which seemed very well suited to the big turbodiesel V6. ...On twisty roads the Touareg feels very well planted on the tarmac, with no trace of the unsettling wobble or lean angles that some off-roaders exhibit. The steering of an off-roader is never going to fit the description “sharp”, but I never felt I needed to know much more about how the rubber was clinging to the road surface and the Touareg simply went exactly where I pointed it. ...Accordingly you can choose to have a Touareg with 4MOTION or 4XMOTION (with the option of an ‘Escape’ design which has less front and rear overhang).

Glasgow start for Historic Monte-Carlo

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2011-01-01T19:20:25+00:00
The Monte Carlo Rally Historique will celebrate the centenary of the famous rally when it returns to one of the traditional start points – Glasgow’s Blythswood Square on Thursday, January 27. Stuart Turner (left) and Erik Carlsson with a Saab 96 Blythswood Square was the home of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, now the Blythswood Square five-star hotel. More than 50 period cars will leave from the square to travel over 2,000 km to Monte Carlo. The previous day, on Wednesday 26 January, a Grand Gala Dinner will be addressed by Stuart Turner, who was competition manager at BMC when Minis were regularly winning the Monte Carlo Rally. • Ticket enquiries can be made to alison@rsacmotorsport.co.uk or by calling 01576 202953.

Vauxhall downsizes engine in hunt for economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-12-27T15:45:00+00:00
As Vauxhall and Opel ride the turbulence following the US bankruptcy of parent company General Motors, the latest Vauxhall Astra will be crucial to how the company fares in coming years. This is the car that will have to face up to big competitors like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. ...Inside, it exudes an up-market aura and appeal that ensures it stands comparison with the cabin of the Focus and even the Golf. ...The new Astra is longer than most vehicles in this class and the long wheelbase has been a benefit for the packaging, allowing the designers to squeeze in legroom and luggage space. ...This is all part of the race to achieve the best-possible fuel economy and low carbon dioxide emissions. ...This version puts out 140PS at a remarkably low 4,900 rpm – a power peak that equates more to diesel engines. But, being a petrol unit, there are plenty more revs in reserve, although there is little point in taking the engine up closer to the red line. ...It is pretty responsive at all but the lowest revs and power delivery is progressive enough that you have no sensation of power surges from the turbocharger. ...The combined fuel consumption is 47.9 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions are 138 g/km, putting the Astra Turbo into band E for UK car tax. I did feel that these headline figures may have been helped by slightly over-the-top gearing (something that is increasingly evident in the current chase for ever-more-impressive fuel economy and lower emissions). ...In a car where the steering, clutch, brake and accelerator all feel particularly smooth and progressive, the gearchange feels rather mechanical and notchy. ...But, with the progressive controls complemented by precise steering and good body control, the Astra Turbo is a pleasant companion when the roads become narrower and twistier. ...The final clincher for some drivers will be Vauxhall’s new lifetime warranty, which will cover the first owner of the vehicle for problems with the powertrain, steering system, brake system and electrical equipment up to 100,000 miles.

Suzuki Swift surprises

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-12-17T17:08:55+00:00
There is no hiding the fact that the trim materials have been chosen to fit the budget, but – with its muted black with silver highlights – I even found myself comparing it favourably to the products of the Volkswagen group. ...The bigger external dimensions and 50 mm increase in wheelbase translates into a car that feels quite spacious inside for a small supermini. ...Try to pack a reasonable-sized box in there and you will have to fold down at least one section of the rear seat. ...Finally, before turning to the driving, I wish to award a gold star to Suzuki for not having caught the Japanese disease of pointless beeps and bongs that assail the eardrums and cry ‘wolf’ every time you so much as open a door, or switch off the engine. So, I was already impressed before I set off for my first drive in the five-door Suzuki Swift 1.2 SZ4. ...But the more I drove, the more I realised the effort that has gone into the fine tuning of the steering, gearchange, clutch, brake and throttle to ensure that they are all easy to use, but also precise and progressive. I remember Sir Jackie Stewart talking about his role with Ford in being so pernickety about how everything had to be smooth and progressive, just like his driving crusade. ...So, combined with a remarkably good ride on all but the worst of our rapidly deteriorating roads and a relatively low level of cabin noise, the Suzuki Swift scores well on refinement. ...I had spotted the 0-62 mph time of 12.3 seconds and was fearing that the Swift might feel horribly underpowered, like the Chevrolet Spark that came weeks before. ...Although this is obviously no sports hatch, it really does feel a good deal livelier than the engine size or that the 0-62 time might suggest. ...The improvements here may well be because of Suzuki’s efforts to stiffen the bodyshell, combined with the increased track and larger wheels with low-profile tyres. ...While I easily managed figures in the mid 40s on more restrained trips, I have to admit my overall figure dropped to around 40 mpg because I was driving this little engine quite hard. But, the fact that I felt confident to squeeze the performance out of the Swift is a compliment about how well it drives.

BMW 5 Series Touring test trunkated by snow

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-12-16T16:52:11+00:00
So when a BMW 530d SE Touring turned up on the list of cars heading for my appraisal, I was more than a little enthused about finding how one of my favourite cars had matured over recent years. ...It did and the Porsche simply tantalised me for ten days looking like an ice sculpture of a Porsche, until it was time to hand it over, virtually un-driven. ...Conditioned by the experience of a BMW 3 series, a couple of winters ago, that simply sat and span its wheels at the merest glimpse of the white stuff, I was surprised at the better experience in the 5 Series Touring. ...What I could tell from sitting in the Touring marooned in the snowfields and on the subsequent short drive, is that it is as comfortable as I remember the previous model. ...This is unmistakably a luxury vehicle as, indeed, it should be with a starting price for the 530d SE Touring of £39,400 – and that’s before you are tempted by some of the wonderful toys in the BMW brochure. ...Among the noteworthy extras were the “comfort seats” (and they were), the dynamic package, the ‘head-up’ display that projects the speed and key warnings onto the windscreen, sports automatic transmission and the reversing camera set up. This gives you a view rather reminiscent of the Land Rover Discovery, with the expected rear-facing camera augmented by cameras under the door mirrors that let you see if there are any unseen obstructions about to damage the car’s flanks. ...But I did have a chance to appreciate the refinement of the three-litre diesel engine, It delivers 245 bhp and the usual bags of diesel torque at 540Nm – good for the low-rev, high-gear driving needed in snow. Acceleration of this three-litre diesel, at 6.4 seconds 0-62 mph, is actually 0.3 seconds quicker than my old 528i petrol-powered Touring – which says something about how diesel engines have been developed to deliver good performance in recent years. The combined fuel consumption figure is 44 mpg with carbon dioxide emissions of 169 g/km, putting the BMW 530d SE Touring into band G for UK vehicle tax. Where the BMW 5 Series Touring appeals of course is in its combination of executive comfort for passengers and its practical load carrying ability. I remember how my Touring happily swallowed everything from Ikea furniture, to antiques and even a couple of sizeable silver birches, in its time. ...The luggage capacity is increased by 60 litres to 560 litres, with an optional ‘Extended Storage’ package lets you reduce the angle of the rear seats by 11 degrees, to give 30 litres more load space.

Audi launches its smallest performance RS

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-11-23T17:51:54+00:00
Audi has turned up the heat for its A3 range with the launch of a new high performance Audi RS3 Sportback – the smallest Audi RS model ever. Powered by a turbocharged five-cylinder engine, the Audi RS3 accelerates from 0-62 mph in just 4.5 seconds. Power output is 340PS and it is transmitted through a seven-speed S-tronic twin-clutch transmission and quattro four-wheel-drive. The Audi RS3 is marked out from its humbler siblings by 19-inch alloy wheels, flared lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic wings covering wider set wheels. ...Alongside its headline performance figures, with a governed top speed of 155 mph, Audi quote a combined fuel consumption figure of 31 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 212 g/km. ...The turbocharging technology has been designed to allow maximum torque of 405Nm to be available from around 1,600 rpm right through to 5,300 rpm. The large turbocharger generates up to 1.2 bar of boost pressure, and downstream of it is an intercooler which, Audi says, achieves an efficiency rate of more than 80%. ...Adding to the efficiency are the various weight-saving measures that include strong but light vermicular graphite for the engine block and carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) for the front wings. Together these help to keep the kerb weight of the new RS 3 down to 1,575 kg, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 216PS per tonne. ...The standard wheel finish is a machine-polished titanium look, but for those who want to stand out even more, a black finish with red rim inserts is also available as an option. The quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system has the electronically controlled multi-plate clutch, mounted at the end of the propeller shaft to achieve a favourable axle load distribution. ...Inside, sports seats are upholstered in Nappa leather with silver contrasting stitching, and inlays are finished in Piano black or the new ‘Aluminium Race’ look. A flat-bottomed RS steering wheel and special design for the instruments and S-tronic selector lever distinguish the interior of the RS.

Honda CRV diesel - a pair of sensible shoes

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-11-22T15:39:06+00:00
So, being late-comers to the diesel party, it’s perhaps it is not surprising that the Honda C-RV 2.2i DTEC EX is the first diesel Honda that I have ever driven. ...The engine is so subdued and refined that, unless you are standing beside it at tickover, you soon forget it is a compression-ignition engine. ...Like most Hondas it also feels pretty bullet-proof in build quality, you get the impression it will go on for ever. ...Like most 4x4s, it will keep you going when other cars are grinding to a halt in a flurry of snow and spinning wheels. ...It has no low-ratio gearboxes, diff-locks or hill-descent controls, so something like the Land Rover Freelander could probably drive circles round it off-road, perhaps even quite literally. ...If this road test stopped there, many of the CR-V’s potential buyers would already be convinced enough to make a bee-line to their Honda dealership. Put it this way, the Honda CR-V is like a pair of sensible walking shoes. ... You can just sit behind the wheel as the CR-V eats up the miles with ease and reasonable refinement, apart from slightly intrusive road noise at motorway speeds. But, like a pair of sensible shoes, while many will rate them as ideal, a few will wish for something that has more presence and offers the driver a bit more excitement. I’m not smitten with the CR-V’s rather self-conscious front-end styling and some potential buyers will be put off by its lack of sporty dynamics. ...The combined consumption figure is 43.5 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions are 171 g/km, putting this CR-V in band H for UK road tax. ...If you want a good, practical 4x4 that is comfortable, refined and capable – if possibly a little bit unexciting – then the CR-V may well suit you. If you want something more stylish, or with a more macho off-road image, you will probably go elsewhere.

Saab 9-5 pitches for executive market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-11-13T19:58:06+00:00
And judging by the response to Saab’s potential demise, there are a whole lot of Saab enthusiasts out there ready to reach for their chequebooks. ...So, the all-new 9-5 was going to be critical to Saab, under GM ownership. ...The new Saab 9-5 is based on the stretched underpinnings of the Vauxhall Insignia, but the designers have made a good job of giving it a distinctive appearance and enough Saab design features to keep the Saab faithful happy. ...What is notable, too, is how the designers having managed to give the 9-5 the impression of the Saab signature wrap-around windscreen, even though the curvature is not that pronounced. ...There’s also the traditional Saab sliding-layer air vents and that essential bit of Saab kit (which I have never fully understood) the “night panel” button. One thing that Saab traditionalists will not be familiar with – at least not in Saab cars rather than aircraft – is the HUD, the head-up display. ... Certainly, you will have little excuse for breaking speed limits when it is so easy to know how fast you are going! ...Well, it’s actually quite spacious, at least in terms of legroom and knee space, even with the front seat set well back. ... That sweeping roofline does mean that the rear window header rail is quite low, so watch your head as you get out. ...But, it loads a little more weight into the system as you get more speed and I found it quite precise and with reasonable feedback. ...While the early Saab turbos suddenly took off – when the turbocharger spun up to speed (like someone had shoved you in the back) – the new 9-5 like the best modern-day turbos are so progressive in their power delivery. ...The combined fuel consumption is quoted at 33.6 mpg, but my average was nearer 20 mpg on a mixture of town and country driving. ...It grieves me to say that and I really hope Spyker people can build in more desirability and dynamic ability in the coming months.

Baby Chevrolet lacks spark

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-11-06T18:35:22+00:00
If you do, you are behind the times and this particular Chevrolet is one of the smallest – it’s the Chevrolet Spark and it is powered by a tiny one-litre engine! ...The reason you may be confused is that GM purchased the former Daewoo Korean car manufacturer and promptly decided to designate Chevrolet as their worldwide brand for keenly-priced automobiles. ...You look at it and start to wonder how they managed to design five doors into its ultra-compact dimensions. To help package as much as possible into the compact size, the Spark is a very upright design – you sit tall, rather than low. ...That means you have to physically hold yourself on the seats if you get ever so slightly enthusiastic about taking a bend or a roundabout. ...For such a small car they are remarkably reasonable for adults, although it did take an effort to tuck my knees behind the driver’s seat – I am sure he, or she, would feel my knees pushing into the seat back. ...The Spark range actually starts at £6,945, which is £1,050 cheaper than the cheapest Ford you can buy – the Ford Ka. ...The Ka comes with a 1.2-litre engine, whereas the Chevrolet Spark comes with a one litre (995cc to be precise) engine. (You can get a 1.2 litre engine in the Spark, but it will cost you £9095 for the 1.2LS) ...The one-litre engine under the Spark’s bonnet does, unfortunately, lend itself to comments about ‘spark’ in its meaning of ‘liveliness’ or ‘responsiveness’. ...That said, once you get the momentum going, the Spark will bowl along quite happily on the dual carriageway at 60 or 70 mph. ...With no trip computer, can’t give any real-life mpg figures based on my driving time with it. ...Chevrolet have produced what they call the Chevrolet Spark Woody, with fake wooden bodywork, to try to liven up interest in their new baby.

New car pricing site for UK

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-11-06T15:01:20+00:00
A new UK car price guide website – priceanycar.com – has recently been launched. Developed by a group of friends, the site owners say the big benefit is that the prices are based on “real cars for sale”. “We are looking for sites to help us grow and to ultimately help UK car buyers navigate the process with less stress and less expense,” says Ian Sydney, one o the group who set up the site. “We want to help you price your car, or a car you are looking to buy, based on real cars for sale in the market at the moment.”

All-new Sharan unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-10-20T19:52:37+01:00
Volkswagen has opened the order book for its all-new Sharan with prices starting from £22,980 (RRP OTR) for the entry-level S 1.4-litre TSI model. Volkswagen’s new MPV will come with a range of TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines, the majority of which are designated BlueMotion. The latter will have the stop-start system and also be equipped with battery regeneration systems to enhance economy and lower emissions. In the MPV market the flexibility of the seating system is particularly important and Volkswagen have a new system which they have dubbed EasyFold. Individual seats in the second and third rows can be stowed in the vehicle floor, rather than having to be removed from the vehicle when not needed. The aim is to make it even easier to switch the Sharan from people-carrying to load-carrying duties. Like the front seats, the second row rear seats also adjust longitudinally and can be reclined up to 20 degrees. To get to the rearmost seats, Volkswagen say the middle row of seats can be folded forwards with one hand to allow access. When in five-seat configuration the load space measures 1,339 litres, rising to 2,430 litres with seats folded. ...Volkswagen say the focus on practicality hasn’t come at the expense of dynamic ability. The new Sharan can be specified with Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) for the first time, allowing the driver to select from three damper settings – Comfort, Normal and Sport. Additional convenience highlights include the optional second generation Park Assist system that allows the new Sharan to self-park in end-on as well as parallel spaces. They system takes over the steering inputs meaning all the driver has to do is operate the throttle and the brakes.

Saab's new 4x4 crossover

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-10-20T19:27:57+01:00
Just months after its takeover by Spyker, Saab is about to launch a new model at next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show. The new Saab 9-4X is clearly aimed at the growing market for 4x4 crossovers particularly in the USA. The North American targeting of the new model is revealed by plans for it to be manufactured, not in Saab’s native Sweden, but at a factory owned by former owners General Motors, in Mexico. There are also no diesel versions in the launch line-up – something that will not be missed in America, but will be in Europe. Although it will be built on the opposite side of the Atlantic, the Saab 9-4X is designed to look distinctly Saab with the signature wrap-around windscreen, cockpit style interior and Saab grille. In terms of overall appearance, Saab say they have striven to make it look between the 9-3X and new 9-5 saloon in size. The 9-4X uses Saab’s all-wheel-drive system, XWD, and ‘DriveSense’ adaptive chassis control. Power comes from a 2.8-litre V6 turbocharged engine, mated to six-speed automatic transmission. “The 9-4X significantly broadens the appeal of the Saab brand,” says Saab Automobile CEO Jan Åke Jonsson. “It gives us entry to the fast-growing crossover segment with a vehicle that reflects our brand values in key areas, such as progressive Scandinavian design and sporty, responsible driving performance. The 9-4X is an exciting package and we’re confident it will appeal to many existing Saab owners, as well as win new customers for the brand.” The new Saab 9-4X goes on sale in North America in May next year, with sales in Europe and other global markets due to begin from August. UK sales will start late in 2011.

Functional Shogun falls short

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-10-20T17:43:49+01:00
A few years ago I was invited to the launch of the then new Mitsubishi Shogun in Yorkshire. The proud company executives introduced the latest model with a flourish, stating that this was the first time we would have seen it. ...A couple of months earlier I had watched the Mitsubishi engineers give the new model a hot-weather shakedown in Death Valley and, as it was parked in our hotel, I had a good chance to have a sneak preview. Several years on, it has to be said that my road test Mitsubishi Shogun LWB Elegance is looking a little dated. ...I have said it before and I will say it again, I do not understand the purpose of assaulting the eardrums with pointless beeps. ... Give me a car that gives me a simple ‘bong’ after I have settled in, should I forget seat belt, handbrake or something else important. Already disappointed by the rather dated design and cacophony of beeps , I turned the starter and my heart sank at the clatter of the diesel engine under the bonnet. ... In an era of diesel engines that are so quiet as to be indistinguishable from petrol power units, this was a massive disappointment. ...I remember giving a Mitsubishi sales executive a lift in the back of a road test series one Discovery a good few years ago. ... At that time the Discovery could make passengers quite queasy the way it lurched from leaning one way to leaning the other. ...With 275 lb/ft torque, the choice of low-ratio automatic gearbox (automatic is standard on the Elegance and Diamond models) and differential locks, this Shogun is a genuine off-roader. ...I have to be honest and say I was not unhappy to pass on the keys for Shogun. ... But, at £34,999 for this Shogun LWB Elegance, it falls short of the refinement and dynamic ability I would expect in that price range.

Manufacturers make leap in drive for economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-10-15T18:14:09+01:00
The average fuel economy of new cars in the UK has improved by 7.64 per cent in the past year, according to a study by DrivenData. The median combined mpg, based on claimed figures by manufacturers, now stands at 45.1 – up from 41.9mpg in October 2009. DrivenData compiled the statistics using its new car database, which provides comprehensive and accurate data specifications for every current model on sale in the UK. ...On this website we constantly report how combined fuel consumption figures are difficult to achieve in the real world. But they certainly should be a valid measure of how economy is improving. There also can be no doubt that car manufacturers have made huge strides over the past five years as they bid to make cars greener. ...Between 2006 and 2009, combined mpg consistently improved every year by around 3.5 per cent. In October 2006, the average car’s fuel economy stood at 37.9mpg. A year later, it rose by 3.43 per cent to 39.2mpg, and it improved by a further 3.32 per cent to 40.5mpg in 2008. Over the next 12 months, progress continued at a similar pace, with combined mpg edging up by another 3.46 per cent to 41.9mpg in October 2009. But car makers stepped things up and eclipsed that with this year’s improvement of 7.64 per cent, to 45.1mpg. Based on manufacturers’ official figures, Smart can lay claim to the UK’s two most frugal cars, with the ForTwo and ForTwo Cabrio both squeezing 85.6 miles out of every gallon on the combined cycle. The car to avoid if you put prudence before pleasure is the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti – which returns the lowest fuel economy of just 13.8mpg.

New Scottish motoring website

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-10-15T12:21:57+01:00
Two established Scottish motoring journalists, Jim McGill and Alan Douglas, have joined forces to create the first motoring and motorsport website for Scotland, Scotcars.co.uk. The new website has the backing of the Scottish Motor Trade Association and has also forged a partnership with S1cars. Scotcars will carry road tests, automotive news and will also tackle major transport issues affecting Scotland. In addition it will cover all the major motorsport events — from Formula One to Scottish Formula Ford, and World Rally Championship to Scottish Rally Championship — involving Scottish drivers. The launch coincides with the second running of RallyScotland, the penultimate round of the International Rally Championship which gets underway at Scone Palace on Friday, October 15. "RallyScotland is the perfect platform to allow us to show our depth of live coverage of major events," says managing editor Jim McGill. "We'll be onsite at every stage. Not only will we be carry reports on the website, but we'll be firing out stage times and positions through our Twitter feed.”

Good looks focus attention on Peugeot RCZ

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-10-15T13:18:43+01:00
So, when the new Peugeot RCZ coupé turned up in my driveway, I was more than a little interested. ...Possibly its full-frontal view is the weakest, thanks to the Peugeot ‘big maw’ corporate look – a style that I have never been too fond of. On the test car the contrasting silver around the roof line gives the RCZ a particularly attractive profile and, of course, the twin bubble roof and rear window is a flourish of pure style. Like the Audi TT, there is a pop-up rear spoiler that appears at higher speeds to keep the rear wheels pressed onto the tarmac (there is also a switch to raise it manually). ...It’s almost as though Peugeot has taken over from the Italians with their erstwhile predilection for a long-arm, short-leg driving position. Anyway, I did get quite comfortable, but it rendered the RZC a 2+1, rather than a 2+2 coupé. ...The only downside – in common with most coupés is the need to lift any luggage up and over, taking care not to scratch the bodywork. So, duly installed and feeling quite at home, I headed out on the open road for the first of several drives. ...Whereas I would relish the opportunity to drive my beloved Peugeot 205 GTIs at the slightest excuse and would always return with a grin as wide as the Cheshire cat, the Peugeot RCZ fell a tad short of the expectations built up by those stylish design cues. It feels good and secure on twisty roads, but I would like a little more involvement and feedback for the driver. ...But, those craving more power and rapid performance will need to save up an extra £2,300 for the more powerful GT THP 200 model, which – as its designation suggests – produces 200 bhp. ...However, the RCZ looks considerably more special, such that the extra £355 seems well worth paying (unless, of course, you really must have open-air motoring). Offering looks that rank alongside the Audi TT for considerably less money, it is the RCZ’s style, rather than its driving dynamics, that will draw buyers into Peugeot showrooms.

Jaguar unveils C-X75 supercar concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-09-30T12:58:31+01:00
Just ahead of its starring role on their stand at the Paris Motor Show, Jaguar has revealed a supercar concept designed to celebrate 75 years of the famous marque. The C-X75 concept car is electrically-powered with two micro gas-turbines spinning at 80,000 rpm to generate the electricity to extend the C-X75’s range to 560 miles. When the C-X75 is in ‘track mode’ these turbines can be set to boost the power of the car. The concept car is powered by four 195 bhp electric motors at each wheel, combining to produce 780 bhp and a stonking 1600Nm of torque. Jaguar say acceleration from 0-62 mph takes just 3.4 seconds, while 50 to 90 mph takes just 2.3 seconds. The top speed is said to be 205 mph. Carbon dioxide tailpipe emissions are zero for the first 68 miles then just 28g/km with the range-extending turbines running.

Roads still a transport priority in the USA

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-09-30T11:51:33+01:00
I’ve just returned from a two-week driving trip in the USA. Although faced by the same financial stringencies we face here in the UK – it was notable that investment in transport, and roads in particular, seems to be continuing apace. Everywhere we went from California to New Jersey, there was money being invested in transport infrastructure despite the recession. Perhaps the USA understands better than our Government in the UK that the efficient movement of goods and people is an essential element in any economic recovery. Public spending is tight, but we should be targeting money where it is needed now to make UK plc more efficient as we emerge from the recession. The contrast between America and Britain was brought home to me during the very week I returned. Whereas the traffic had flowed well in all our travels across the USA (even, when we were there, in Los Angeles!), the first drive on a commuter route in Britain took almost an hour to cover 15 miles – and it wasn’t even the rush hour! ...We all know that recent governments have used the environment as an good excuse to divert money away from road building programmes and roads maintenance. I should know, having just had a very painful reminder of the appalling state of our roads. I had to spend £150 replace a perfectly good tyre damaged irreparably by one of far too many craters. (Don’t let the authorities fool you, last winter was only the nail in the coffin, lack of maintenance over the past decade is the root of the current road disintegration.) The problem is that our transport infrastructure is so poor and our roads are so far behind in terms of maintenance, that it is difficult to see us ever catch up. And that is a worrying prospect, not just for road users, but for the wider UK economy and all who depend on it for their livelihood.

Testing times in America

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-09-14T04:17:37+01:00
Over the years I have been to Death Valley nine or ten times. Yes, I love the place – it’s amazing other worldliness, eye-popping scenery and unbelievable summer heat. ... I cannot resist seeing who is out testing what in the super heat of the national park. Over the years I have “bagged” a few new vehicles having their hot weather testing runs in the park. ...Yesterday in Death Valley Land Rover were testing two Defenders – a 90 Station Wagon and a 110 Station Wagon. Both cars were British-registered but also had New Jersey ‘Manufacturer’ plates. The 90 Station Wagon had what looked like exhaust gas analysers fitted to the exhaust. The vehicle was marked as “diesel” at the filler cap, but the engine sounded considerably quieter at tickover than a normal diesel. The supposition is that they were out hot-weather testing and the temperatures yesterday in Death Valley were 43ºC (109ºF). Like the year I headed from Death Valley to Yosemite to find two yet-to-be-announced Ford Escape prototypes, there was a surprise this year after leaving Death Valley. Having stayed overnight in Las Vegas, this afternoon we came across a convoy of four Fiat 500s on the I15 heading north towards St George. Like the Land Rovers, the cars had manufacturer plates (in this case Michigan plates) and prototype number on the rear glass. ...The testing programme suggests that we shall see the Fiat 500 on the US market soon, either badged as a Fiat or using one of the Chrysler badges, following Fiat’s acquisition of the US group.

Mito performance boosted by Cloverleaf

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-09-06T18:49:04+01:00
What marks this car out as being different from the Mito that I drove previously is the big Cloverleaf (or Quadrifoglio in Italian) triangle on its flanks. The cloverleaf first entered Alfa Romeo’s history in 1923 when a lucky cloverleaf was presented to the Alfa Romeo drivers before the Targa Florio. From there the cloverleaf went on to become the symbol for competition Alfas, before being used more recently to designate higher performance models. The analogy would be that, as Cooper is to Mini, Cloverleaf is to Alfa Romeo. ...The results, say Fiat, are that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are both reduced by up to 10%, at the same time as increasing the power by 10% and torque by 15%. ...So much for the theory, but there is only way to check out a performance hatchback and that is on the road. ...Conversely, you can switch the DNA control the other way and you have an ‘all-weather’ setting, that calms down the responses and the power to keep you from losing traction in slippery conditions – not something I was able to test in the middle of summer. ...I would give credit to Alfa Romeo for sticking with conventional ignition key and a conventional handbrake. ...As I noted in the previous test, the steering wheel could do with coming lower and there is only just enough legroom if you use a straighter-leg lower seat setting. ...In the more responsive Dynamic mode the Mito Cloverleaf becomes quite a sporting machine, hugging the tarmac and eagerly attacking each corner. The chassis set up seems better than the previous Mito, but, I still felt there was a bit of restlessness about the way it rides. ...But the reality is that any enthusiastic driver will want to run the Mito Cloverleaf in ‘dynamic’ all the time, such is the transformation that it offers. ...Carbon dioxide emissions of 139 g/km put the MiTo Cloverleaf into band E, a band below its rival Mini Cooper S.

If this is the future of green motoring count me in

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-08-30T20:00:48+01:00
I’ve previously driven the Polo Bluemotion and, while impressed by its economy, low emissions and driveabllity, it would be a stretch to suggest it was a real driver’s car. ...That means the usual a neat design that evokes enough of the Golf heritage to be part of that lineage, combined with a no-nonsense design that projects a feeling of quality. It’s a similar story inside, although there are some give-aways that this is more the workaday end of the Golf range. ... Sad to say I have become so soft and so used to being pampered by leather-rim steering wheels, that the touch of a textured plastic one feels odd. ...Apart from these low-rent items, the rest of the interior has a premium look with that logical quality finish that makes a Volkswagen almost as good as the past masters at Audi. ...Where the Polo Bluemotion had quite a gruff diesel that made its presence noticed and felt, the Golf Bluemotion whispered so softly and smoothed its vibration so much that my wife was genuinely surprised (at the end of our drive) when I said it was a diesel! ...This is a whole lot more lively than you would expect from a diesel that has been set up with the principal aim of returning headline-grabbing economy and CO2 emissions. It definitely feels considerably quicker than its on-paper 0-62 mph time of 11.3 seconds suggests – probably because its in-gear ‘real’ acceleration is good. ...In chasing outstanding economy and low emissions, the Golf Bluemotion is fitted with the now common stop-start system that turns off the engine when you are stationary. The tyres are designed to offer low rolling resistance, electricity is regenerated from braking and (as previously mentioned) there are aerodynamic tweaks to the body. ...In my real-life driving there were a few times when I was stunned to see the average on the trip computer rise over 60 mpg on the open road. ... That may be a chunk less than the official figure, but it is still outstanding for a family-sized hatchback... especially as I have to admit I was not driving in a particularly economical manner. ...Little wonder that the new Golf Bluemotion has picked up a number of awards since it went on the market in the UK – most recently the ‘What Car?

Volvo S60 - more rewarding by degree

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-08-19T09:20:31+01:00
It certainly does look sleek, but I’m not sure I would go quite as far as Volvo design director Peter Horbury who said: “You are almost surprised to see that it has rear doors”. ...Volvo has gone out of their way to project the impression that the Volvo S60 is a real driver’s car with a sporting pedigree. At the launch there were plentiful name-droppings of former British Touring Car Champion John Cleland as having had a hand in fine tuning the handling. ...In a show of confidence, Volvo’s test route took us across some pretty unforgiving Aberdeenshire roads around Donside and Deeside, including the infamous Cockbridge to Tomintoul road known for its starring role on winter road reports. ...At that time Volvo had not long joined the Ford stable and I remember animated discussions continuing long into the evening about how Ford needed work its magic to tune the steering. ...Indeed, on a gentle hill start, I managed to stall the engine thanks to the rather wooden responses of the pedals, perhaps exacerbated by that difficult-to-reach parking brake. ...The test cars I drove were all diesels, yet the two-litre, five-cylinder S60 D3, in which I spent the most time, takes just 8.7 seconds to accelerate from 0-60 mph. ...At the end of the most testing section of the route over the mountain roads, I got out of the driver’s seat feeling a sense of disappointment that the expectations of a more sporting, responsive style had not been delivered. Had Volvo not made such a song and dance about the new car’s more sporty style, I might have been more willing to accept that this was simply a comfortable, quiet and undramatic way to eat up the miles. ...Next year, the line-up will expand to include the 115 PS diesel DRIVe model (which has achieved a preliminary figure of 65.7 mpg on EU combined cycle), plus three petrol engines – 240 PS T5, 180 PS T4 and 150 PS T3. It seems incredible, but having checked several times, the D3 and D5, apparently, return identical combined mpg figures of 53.3 mpg and also level peg on CO2 emissions of 139 g/km. ...It was difficult to conquer an involuntary lift on the throttle pedal, or dab on the brakes (both of which suggest to the car’s computing systems that you have spotted the pedestrian and are reacting). ...In addition the City Safety technology (standard on all models on sale in the UK) is designed to avoid or at least reduce the impact in traffic collisions at speeds up to 19 mph.

Vauxhall introduces lifetime warranties

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-08-05T16:19:23+01:00
Vauxhall has ‘set the cat among the pigeons’ with the introduction of a lifetime warranty on all its new cars. Until now it is Kia that have been the warranty kings with the UK with seven-year warranties, although fellow Korean manufacturer Hyundai offers a ten-year warranty in the USA. It seems likely that the move by Vauxhall, which points out it is Britain’s oldest surviving car manufacturer with a 107-year history, will encourage other manufacturers to look at extending their warranties, or even matching the Vauxhall offer. The new Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty will be introduced immediately and will apply to the first owner of any Vauxhall car registered from August 1 2010. Warranty coverage will continue throughout the life of the car until it reaches 100,000 miles. ‘With the Vauxhall Lifetime Warranty, we are making a strong statement of confidence in the quality of our products and a clear intent to provide the very best customer service in the UK,’ Duncan Aldred, Managing Director of Vauxhall Motors asserted at the press conference announcing the new warranty. The comprehensive new warranty cover includes powertrain, steering system, brake system and electrical equipment throughout the life of the vehicle. To maintain the Lifetime Warranty, owners will need to visit a Vauxhall retailer annually for a free vehicle inspection. Vauxhall has also said it plans to announce how second owners of Vauxhall cars will be able to purchase the Lifetime Warranty.

Citroen rediscovers style and class

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-29T17:04:16+01:00
The success of the Mini and the Fiat 500 has led car manufacturers to examine how they could grab a slice of the growing market for ultra-chic superminis. ...In recent years Citroen has been putting much of its effort – at least in the small car sector – into competing on price. ...How do you maintain your sales in the price-led market for practical daily transport and carve a slice of the style-conscious market at the same time. ...But where Mini and Fiat developed retro designs that evoked the iconic cars from their past, Citroen has chosen only to take a model designation from the pages of their history book. ...It was an unbelievably advanced model for its time, with styling that looked as though it was straight from a Dan Dare comic, hydro-pneumatic, self-levelling suspension, hydraulic powered brakes, steering and clutch. ...Their intention is to create an up-styled, upmarket range of DS models to run in parallel with Citroen’s mainstream. So, just as first of the new DS models, the DS3 lines up as the alternative to the C3, so a forthcoming DS4 will provide the same counterpoint to the C4 and DS5 for the C5. ...It would have been so easy to mess up a design like this with over-fussy detailing. Yet, despite very different design features, like the rear windows that sweep up forward from the waistline to the door pillar, the DS3 looks distinctive but ‘right’. ...There is good space in the rear seat for children or smaller adults, but (as you would expect on a smaller hatchback) taller adults will have to ‘horse-trade’ with front-seat occupants for knee and leg room. ...It has a responsive, agile chassis which I actually found quite reminiscent of the Mini (I guess they probably benchmarked the DS against the Mini driving style). ...Ironically the turbocharged engine under this bonnet is virtually the same as the one you will find in a Mini Cooper S. ...The test Citroen DS3 DSport 1.6i 16V THP150 is just a whisker slower than the Cooper S, yet it costs considerably less at £15,900.

Audi takes wraps of new executive coupé saloon

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-28T11:02:48+01:00
Audi has taken the wraps of its new Audi A7 Sportback, the German manufacturers challenger in the growing market for four-door saloons with coupé looks. The coupé style for saloons has recently been championed by Jaguar with the XF and now the XJ, but other obvious challengers include the Mercedes-Benz CLS. The order book for the new Audi A7 Sportback will open on August 16, with prices starting at £42,925. With the increase of VAT on January 1, this will mean a price of £43,745 when deliveries start early in 2011. The A7 makes considerable use of aluminium in its construction and Audi say this has resulted in 15% weight loss compared with an equivalent all-steel car. There will be two petrol engines and two diesels at the time of the launch – a 2.8 FSI with 204PS, a 3.0 TFSI with 300PS, a 3.0 TDI with 204PS and a 3.0 TDI with 245PS. The front-wheel-drive models will use a Multitronic CVT automatic gearbox, while quattro models will have a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. For the A7 3.0 TDI (204PS), Audi claim it will achieve 0-62mph in 8.1 seconds while returning a combined fuel economy figure of 53.3mpg with a remarkably low139g/km of CO2. All models will have an engine stop-start system. Sat-nav technology has also been called upon to help the economy. When the satellite navigation system is upgraded to MMI navigation plus, information on the road is fed to the automatic transmission. ...The same road information is used to enhance the performance of the optional adaptive cruise control and adaptive lights. Other technology headlines for the new car include parallel park assist, all-LED headlights, head-up display and adaptive air suspension.

Mini set to return to rallying

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-28T12:42:53+01:00
Mini is to make a return to rallying with ambitious plans to tackle the World Rally Championship, starting with selected rounds in the 2011 series and a full season in 2012. The original Mini, of course, boosted its image with numerous rally successes for the Mini Cooper S, driven by drivers like Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen. Hopkirk won the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally at the wheel of a Cooper S, while Aaltonen won the RAC Rally in 1965 and the Monte Carlo Rally 1967. The car for the new rally challenge will be the new Mini Countryman WRC, which is being developed with Mini by Britain’s Prodrive competition car specialists, probably best known for their long association with the Subaru rally team. Power for the rally version of the Mini Countryman will come from a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine produced by BMW Motorsport. As such it will comply with the new Super2000 regulations introduced by the FIA for cars with 1.6-litre turbo engines and four-wheel drive. Prodrive has been working on developing the MINI Countryman WRC since early 2009.

Land Rover Discovery 4: Big isn't it, impressive too.

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-28T15:42:05+01:00
You actually step up to sit in the driver’s seat, but – once installed – it is a superbly luxurious and commanding place to be. ... This makes it even more obvious is how the Discovery has moved upmarket in perfect synchronisation with its more luxurious sibling, the Range Rover. ...Since Discovery 3, the tailgate has folded down, like the Range Rover, to provide a suitable perch from which to watch the polo while sipping an ice-cold Pimms. My road test car was the Land Rover Discover 4 3.0 V6 HSE so it had all the toys right down to the heated steering wheel. ...But, although, we have established that the Discovery is big, apart from the height in multi-story car parks, I found no problems when nipping around town or tackling cross-country B-roads. Diverted from the multi-storey, I had to resort to an on-street parking place and I have to say there are many cars more fearsome to manoeuvre into a tight space. ...This vehicle is something of a mobile CCTV unit with two cameras at the front, two pointing down from each door mirror, plus the one at the rear. ...Out on the twisty side roads, for a tall vehicle, the Discovery is quite remarkable how flatly it corners (thanks to the ‘Roll Stability Control’) even during quite spirited driving. ...While many of its competitors are really only fit for light off-roading, the Discovery will tackle the worst of conditions – if you have the courage to risk muddy footprints, plus undergrowth scratches and mud splatters on your fine metallic paint. I took the Discovery out on my off-road course and, not surprisingly it romped across the heather moors and rutted tracks with disdain. ...At more than three tons, you would not expect the Discovery to have lightening performance but this big beast will accelerate from 0-60 mph in a remarkable nine seconds. Combined fuel economy is quoted as 30.4 mpg, but in real life I managed just a shade under 20 mpg in a mixture of town and country driving. ...The price tag on the top-of-the-range test car is £49,140 – some £16,000 more than the entry level 2.7 TD V6 GS.

Peugeot 3008 is quite appealing

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-19T15:22:26+01:00
Anyway, when you actually think about it the 3008 is pretty logical, it is an incremental model on the 308 range – an MPV based on the 308. ...Although the 3008 is designed to be an MPV in style, like so many similar vehicles, don’t expect it to offer lots of spare seats. ...The 3008 follows the current Peugeot “big mouth” styling, but to my eyes it is a little bit more successful in that, being a taller car, the maw is more like a conventional radiator grille. ...This projects the speedometer, not onto the windscreen, but onto a small clear plastic panel that motors out of the dashboard, just at the bottom of your line of sight. ...With the proliferation of speed cameras there is pressure on drivers to divide their attention and watch the speedometer almost as much as the road. ...I’m still puzzling how this massive roof blind disappears into the small rearmost section of the roof – it simply doesn’t look big enough to stow it! While vertical visibility is outstanding thanks to this massive glass sunroof, other aspects of the 3008’s visibility are not so good. ...Not only was there a very high sill, but the boot floor appeared to be half way up the car! ...The bottom half swings down to offer a flat area for your picnic goodies, or (presumably if you are not too gargantuan in size) to use like a seat as you do on a Range Rover. ...The other unusual feature is that the boot floor that I saw when I lifted the tailgate is actually a shelf that you can position at different heights to give yourself a split-level boot. ...Pity, though, that the lid is hinged on the side and – in the UK – it is on the driver’s side, making it a little tricky for the driver to access. ...If the drone can be the downside of some diesels, the upside is usually fuel consumption and that is certainly true on the 3008 where I thought a mid 40s figure overall was quite noteworthy. ...At £20,595 for the Peugeot 3008 Exclusive HDi 110 (just three slots down from the top-of-the-range), With entry-level 3008 models from £16,695, it also seems quite competitively priced..

Ford Galaxy: civilised transport for six, or seven

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-17T17:54:09+01:00
The prospect of driving a Ford Galaxy for some days left me wondering whether I really wanted to drive a small bus, usually with just myself on board. But, from the very first journey, I realised that this was actually a very civilised means of transport. ...The corporate Ford of Europe look makes it look a more compact package than the previous Galaxy model which was co-produced with the Volkswagen Group. There is a lot of Ford Focus about the lines of the Galaxy and its interior. ...The Galaxy may be a sizeable MPV with three rows of seats to accommodate six or seven passengers, but it feels nimble and agile on the open road. ...As to its load-carrying capacity, I was visiting a community worker during my time with the Galaxy and parked it alongside his almost identical car. He was quite strong on the praise for its ability to carry groups on various outings. Although he is over six foot, he assures me that he can sit reasonably comfortably in the fold up rear seats, but added “at least for a short distance”. ... He amplified his statement suggesting that he would be willing to sit there from Perth to Aberdeen – a distance of some 90 miles. ...You can also move the rear seats completely out of the way to transform the Galaxy into a pretty good interpretation of a van. ...Although they open in line with the vehicle, rather than at the side, they are certainly reminiscent of small versions of the overhead bins in an aircraft. The test car had Ford’s latest Ecoboost engine – a two-litre petrol engine designed to deliver high levels of efficiency. ...These include a rear-view camera for reversing, blind-spot indicators on the mirrors, a sunroof with blinds and blinds on the side windows.

Land Rover produces baby Range Rover

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-07-01T18:47:02+01:00
These are the first official pictures of Land Rover’s new baby Range Rover, released following an exclusive preview in London for guests attending a 40th birthday celebration of Range Rover held in partnership with Vogue magazine. Named the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover describe the newcomer as a “coupé” and it will join the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport line-up in the summer of 2011. Its appearance follows the positive reaction to the LRX concept, which Land Rover took around the motor shows in 2008. The aim of the new car is, of course, to capitalise on the cachet of the Range Rover name and use it to expand Land Rover’s market in a world where the trend is towards more compact and more economical cars. Now, buyers in the compact off-road market, will be able to drop the name “Range Rover” into their conversations over cocktails! ...Recognising that many buyers would like the image of a Range Rover, without necessarily ever intending to don green wellies, the new Range Rover Evoque will be available in two-wheel-drive form – surely the first time Land Rover has produced a two-wheel-drive vehicle. With the aid of two less driven wheels, Land Rover say that some models of Evoque will have carbon dioxide emissions under 130g/km – a figure that will puncture many objections to so-called ‘Chelsea tractors’ (4x4 off-roaders that never tackle anything tougher than the kerb outside the posh shops of Chelsea). A picture of the Land Rover LRX Concept, showing how closely the Range Rover Evoque follows the concept car. Phil Popham, managing director, assured buyers that Land Rover would not be letting the Range Rover moniker head down market: ”Customers can be confident that the new car will be premium, luxurious and just as special as the other Range Rover models,” he said. “Its sporting looks and unique qualities will open the brand to a new group of customers who may not have considered a Range Rover product before.” The Range Rover Evoque is destined to be sold in more than 160 countries. The all-new Range Rover Evoque will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September and will go on sale from next summer.

Murray's city car unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-29T19:26:40+01:00
Gordon Murray – best known for his design of the McLaren F1 supercar and Formula 1 racing cars – has turned his attention to designing a radical new city car. The result, Gordon Murray Design’s T.25 City Car has been seen in public for the first time. The first thing you notice are its compact dimensions, which allow the car to park at 90 degrees to the kerb. Parked this way, three T.25s can park in the space normally allocated to one car. At home, two T.25s can park in a normal one-car garage. Gordon Murray Design has even suggested the T.25 could allow authorities to explore the possibility of two vehicles travelling and overtaking in the space normally allocated for one lane. Even with conventional-width lanes, the company says that its short length offers the potential to triple the lane usage at peak times. From a sustainability perspective, the T.25 has been designed to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacture. The central driving position draws a parallel – albeit within a very different design – to the McLaren F1 supercar. As well as being practical, Gordon Murray Design say it “generates a unique, ‘cool’ and fun driving experience”. ... • a unique door opening system, that allows occupants to get in and out when space is limited and allow easy access easy access to the rear child seats. • ultra lightweight (approximately 550kg) that increases component life, reduced energy needed to power the vehicle and, hence, increases fuel efficiency. ... • space for between 1 and 3 passengers with luggage space between 160 litres and 720 litres.

Mini updated to add appeal

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-30T19:22:29+01:00
Mini has given its model range a refresh to face the challenge from other current and future entrants into the chic small hatch market niche. We have already seen the Fiat 500 and Citroen’s new DS, but there are others on the way – notably arch-rival Audi with the Audi A1. There is a mild redesign both inside and out and two new diesel engines that (at 99 g/km) qualify for free road tax in the UK. Both the Mini One D and MINI Cooper D achieve the same combined consumption figure of 74.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of 99 g/km. Yet, Mini say the Mini D Cooper accelerates from zero to 62 mph in 9.7 seconds while the Mini One D Hatch (90hp as compared to the Cooper D’s 112) still reaches 62mph in 11.4 seconds. ...For the first time there will be a diesel version of the open-top Mini, when the Cooper D Convertible joins the range in August. Using the same 112hp engine as the Hatch, the Convertible accelerates to 62mph in 10.3 seconds, but has a 70 mpg combined mpg figure and emits just 105g/km of CO². Mini say this is the lowest emitting and most economical ‘full’ convertible vehicle on the UK market today. ...A new front bumper with a lower air intake is not just to give the car a new look, but also to improve pedestrian protection. New style fog lamps adorn either side of the air intake which on MINI One and Cooper features a black cross bar to emphasise the car’s low, wide stance. On the Cooper S two air intakes feed the brake discs and enhance the sporting intent of this model. At the rear, there is a new bumper and the tail and brake lights are LEDs while the brake lights use dynamic intensity lighting that varies according to the deceleration force applied. ...All radio systems are equipped with a CD player and AUX-in connection that supports MP3 players.

Skoda's executive load carrier

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-28T08:52:56+01:00
So, you want an estate car with more than a touch of luxury and plenty of space to stretch out? If that is your dream, you may have concluded that you need a mortgage, not a loan, to buy the car to match your needs. Well, just as the Skoda Superb saloon offers outstanding space and luxury for the money, now you have the option of the estate car version. ...Where the hatchback has the innovative ‘Twindoor’, that offers the flexibility of using the car as either a saloon or a hatchback, the Skoda Superb Estate offers just the usual estate-car tailgate. ...But, because it is flat and nicely carpeted it also provides the ideal carpet bowling arena for that rare porcelain vase you bought at the antique auction. On the SE and Elegance models, Skoda provide you with one of those useful system on sliding rails that let you create a corral for your load. With the back seats in use the Superb’s boot will hold almost 600 litres, with the seat backs down this expands to 1700 litres. ...Adding to the limo image, as with the hatchback, there is an umbrella built into the rear door, so that you can perform your chauffeur act in true style. ...The test car also made parking easier with the £425 park assist system that identifies parking spaces big enough for the Superb and also helps the driver to execute the perfect reverse park manoeuvre. After all, what’s the use of the chauffeur looking cool with an umbrella if the car is parked at a un-pretty angle? ...A two-litre engine in a big estate car may sound like the recipe for dull performance, but the Superb responds well and the quoted 0-62mph acceleration is a remarkable 8.9 seconds. Combined fuel consumption sounds really good at 47.9 mpg, but (possibly because I was working this small engine a little harder) my best overall was 33 mpg – still quite creditable for a big estate like this. ...But, if you want a reasonably priced estate car, with real comfort for rear-seat passengers, the Skoda Superb Estate actually is in a class of its own.

Ford reveals 2011 Mondeo

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-25T13:53:27+01:00
This is Ford’s updated 2011 Mondeo, which will be launched at the 2010 Moscow International Automobile Salon on August 25, before going on sale in the UK in October. The new Mondeo has restyling inside and out and will also feature Ford’s new EcoBoost petrol and TDCi diesel engines. Ford say there are a “host of new driver comfort and convenience features and safety technologies”. Notable among the styling changes are new grilles, with a bolder lower trapezoid intake. The grille above the bumper line is slimmer and meets a new bonnet profile. The new model incorporates LED daytime running lights, and re-designed rear lights also LED. Inside there is a new centre console design, revised door treatments The interior is also upgraded and features a new flow-through centre console design, revised trim and a new central overhead console with ambient lighting. The new Mondeo be the first with a new 240PS version of the 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost turbocharged petrol engine, alongside the existing 203PS version of this engine launched in Mondeo, new S-MAX and new Galaxy earlier this year. The new Mondeo will feature energy regeneration and also an active grille shutter system, that closes the airflow through the radiator and engine compartment reduce drag and improve warm-up times in cold weather. Technology options include, for the first time in a Ford model, Lane Departure Warning, Driver Alert and Auto High Beam. New features already introduced in the latest S-MAX and Galaxy models are now extended to the Mondeo range, including the Blind Spot Information System, Speed Limiter, Rear Door Power Child Locks and Rear View Camera.

Greenest Skoda ever

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-24T13:43:04+01:00
The new Skoda Fabia Greenline II will become the most environmentally-friendly car ever to wear the Skoda badge which goes on sale on sale in the UK next week. The second generation Greenline is powered by a new three-cylinder turbocharged 1.2 TDI CR 75bhp DPF common rail engine which achieves 83.1 mpg on the combined cycle. Carbon dioxide emissions are 89g/km, which means the Fabia Greenline II qualifies for a free tax disc in the UK. One of the biggest technological changes to boost fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust emissions is the introduction of the stop-start system. The price of the new Fabia Greenline is £13,740. At the moment it is only available as an estate car, but the hatchback version will be available from October.

Clio Renaultsport targets young enthusiasts

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-24T13:00:14+01:00
Even though it was warm week in summer, I would probably still have my white woolly “skully” crammed onto my head and pulled down over my ears to protect them from the non-existent biting wind. ...Admittedly, the last half a mile of road to our house is unsurfaced with potholes that put even our cratered public roads to shame (much to the chagrin of my fellow motoring writers who have to accept cars coated with mud or dust). By the time I reached the main road I was wondering if there was a spec sheet that would confirm that suspension had been fitted. ...The Clio Renaultsport 200 Cup is not a car that your granny would like a run to the shops in. This is an extrovert sporting vehicle where compliant suspension has been traded for a taut sporting set up. ...This car loves twisty roads and it awakened my old motorsport days – I would love to have had a race circuit, or a hill climb track to drive it on. With its racing style seats it is comfortable, too and surprisingly easy, considering the sporting side bolsters, to get in or out. The gearbox is close ratio and changing gear is enjoyable because the pedals are ideally positioned for heel-and-toe changes (where you use the side of your foot to raise the revs, while braking, ready for the lower gear). ...At 70 mph the engine is revving at over 3000 rpm and is accompanied by the rorty exhaust note that gives the car some of its raw, sporting character. ...Combined fuel economy is 34.4 mpg, but in reality (even being reasonably restrained in the use of the performance) my overall was 27 mpg. ...But, I wouldn’t want to drive it all the time, with its hard suspension and rorty exhaust. I’d like to keep it for track days and drive something more civilised the rest of the time. But then, if I was wearing that white “skully” maybe I would look at things differently!

Saab 9-5 the start of a new era

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-11T21:56:10+01:00
Six months on from the obituaries, against all the odds Saab is back with a brand new model the new Saab 9-5. Started under the ownership of GM, the new car is launched under its new owners Spyker. Saab say that the design has aimed to be sleek and sophisticated, but above all unmistakably Saab. The pictures bear that out, with the traditional Saab wrap-around windscreen. The frontal styling is inspired by Saab’s Aero X concept car. High-tech features on the 9-5 include an aircraft-style head-up information display projected on to the windscreen, adaptive lighting and adaptive cruise control, parking assistance and a four-wheel-drive system. The engine line-up, all-turbocharged, starts at 1.6-litres with a choice of petrol and diesel versions. “This car is the start of a new era for our brand,” says Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab Automobile’s CEO. “We have created an advanced and very distinctive product by leveraging the power of our roots in key areas, such as progressive Scandinavian design, sporty driving and responsible performance. The all new 9-5 delivers in all these respects, as will every future product from Saab.”

Saab 9-3X driven by all fours

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-19T19:52:50+01:00
Just six months ago it looked like Saab was doomed, as reported in my rather blunt, but sad, post ’Saab: The end’. ...Although the 9-3 has been around for some time, the 9-3X is the four wheel drive version that was just launched at last year’s Geneva Motor Show. Powered by a 2.0 Turbo it has slightly raised suspension and the obligatory pretend skid plates to give that off-road appearance. The four wheel drive system is electronically controlled and distributes the torque between the front and rear axles and there is a limited slip differential at the rear. The 9-3X has the estate car or, as Saab call it, the Wagon body offers a very usable load space with a volume of 419 litres with the rear seat up and 1,287 when it is folded down. ...The Saab 9-3 might have a Vauxhall Vectra platform, thanks to previous owners General Motors, but really does have enough Saab identity clues to keep most aficionados happy. ...The windscreen has more than a hint of wrap-around, and the dashboard is the usual curved driver-focussed panel, with Saab’s sliding lattice air vents. Oh, and there is the usual ‘Night Panel’ Saab aircraft-inspired switch (I have never actually used this feature for anything other than novelty, though!). ...I found the steering precise enough, but just a little bit lacking in feel and the gearlever is also a little floppy. ...In those early days, when the turbo cut in, I recall it was like some giant planting his big feet on the accelerator as the Saab took off with the front wheels scrabbling for grip. ...On this, and the previous Saab 9-3 1.8t that I drove some years ago, the power is clearly boosted, but it is delivered in such a way you as to be smooth and totally progressive. ...At £26,805, the Saab 9-3X provides a welcome option for the buyer who wants an up-market load carrier with the added reassurance of four-wheel-drive. It is a real pleasure to mark the continuation of Saab by writing about this car six months after I thought we might never see another Saab ever again.

Renault on the right Latitude

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-09T18:54:42+01:00
Renault has today provided the first glimpse of its latest global family saloon, Latitude. The Renault Latitude will get its first public airing at the Moscow Motor Show at the end of August, while European motorists will be able to see it at the 2010 Paris Motor Show in October. At the front a central grille is flanked by bi-xenon adaptive directional headlights, while chrome is used to project the car’s up-market aspirations. Chrome features on the rear of the car, with a strip that bears the model name between LED rear lights. Renault say the Latitude will have one of the biggest boots in its class. Based on the same architecture as the Samsung SM5, which was recently launched in Korea, Renault say the Latitude will offer a comfortable, quiet ride, as well as a precise chassis. There will be a choice of power units. The Renault Latitude is due to go on sale this autumn, chiefly in Asia, Africa, the Gulf States, Mexico, Turkey, Russia and Australia. The European version will go on sale around the turn of the year.

New Suzuki Swift unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-10T14:35:32+01:00
Suzuki has released the first images and preliminary information of the new, third generation Swift which will go on sale in the UK in the Autumn. The new Swift will be produced at the Magyar Suzuki Corporation factory at Esztergom, in Hungary. Suzuki says the aim has been to make significant advances in styling, impact safety, driving performance and handling, along with improved fuel consumption and significantly lower emissions.

Nissan 370Z a true hairy sports car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-06-10T15:18:51+01:00
The Nissan 350Z was quite a hairy little sports car and a worthy successor to the Nissan Z cars of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Well, the 370Z is, if anything, more aggressive in its styling and – with a bigger engine and more power, it promises more performance. ...I shall never forget a well-known rally driver scaring the pants off me with a drive in this coupé with its almost sugary-sweet, innocent name tag! ...But, with the seat fully back, it was right up against the rear bulkhead, so – short of getting a coachbuilder to build me a long wheelbase version – that was it. Combine this slightly restricted foot space with a clutch pedal that bit at the very last fraction of its travel and it took me quite a few miles to find a way to drive reasonably smoothly at low speeds. ...But let the horns come out a little when you find a nice twisty bit of tarmac and you can really begin to enjoy the Nissan 370Z the way it was intended. ...It is delivered with an intoxicating growl and bags of torque that will propel you down the road at a more than decent rate. ...This is something that enthusiasts achieve manually using the ‘heel and toe” technique – with the left side of your throttle foot on the brake, rocking your foot to press the throttle with the right side. ...Despite this driver aid, I could not describe the Nissan 370Z as an effortless car to drive. ...The boot is also small and requires any luggage to be carefully hoisted over the rear bodywork to avoid the danger of scratches to the paintwork of your pride and joy. ...The rear window is very low, meaning you are more likely to see the numberplate of the following car than the “police” sign on its roof! Over the left shoulder vision at oblique junctions is non-existent, meaning you have to square up on the approach to a junction, as you would in a van. ...Trouble is, at £33,195 with the GT pack and sat-nav this is not the sort of car you could have as a weekend play thing.

Citroen C3 endears itself

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-05-19T16:27:49+01:00
I was prepared for a rather dull and uninspiring time with the Citroen C3 1.6 HDi. ...The latest version has substantially updated looks inside and out that certainly make the C3 a considerably more stylish option. Inside the grey gloss finished dashboard and other refinements give the car a rather more distinctive, even slightly up-market, appearance. This is something that is needed in the post-Mini, post-Fiat 500 era where style counts for so much. For its size, the little C3 has bags of practicality, with four doors good space and a good boot. The 1.6HDi engine may be just 90hp but it feels a lot faster than the 0-60 time of 11.3 seconds would suggest. ...Translated into real driving conditions, what that means is that diesels may be reasonably easy to beat off the line, but they tend to perform better where it really matters – in the overtaking range. I found myself constantly surprised by the C3’s willingness to wind up on the acceleration out of dual carriageway roundabouts. ...There is very little to suggest there is a diesel engine under the bonnet – the cabin being well insulated from noise and vibration. ...The suspension too is soft and absorbs surface imperfections – like the myriads of potholes that now litter our roads – with aplomb. ...The C3 grips the road well and with good balance and good feedback, the driver can feel confident in its ability. ...The combined fuel consumption figure is 65 mpg and, in the real world, I managed to record 60 mpg on country roads – a figure that, not so long ago, would have seemed nigh impossible. ...The Citroen C3 1.6HDi Exclusive costs £15,290 and comes well equipped with cruise control and air conditioning as standard.

Insight fails to impress

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-05-06T19:23:57+01:00
To do that, I assumed the Insight would be an ‘aspirational’ car, projecting a technological image and providing a strong appeal to sophisticated types (like the Hollywood actors who have been falling over themselves to buy the Prius, in an attempt to parade their green credentials). ...The rather garish instruments are obviously inspired by the Honda Civic, but are a lot less successful, with the honourable exception of the neat display showing what the power units and regeneration. ...The insight appears to have been pitched at the budget end of the market, rather than the aspirational image-conscious market I had expected. ...Like the Prius, the Insight has two power units – a conventional petrol engine and an electric motor. ...Also like the Prius, I was expecting the Insight to simply tell me it was ready and wait before using the electric motor to waft silently away from standstill. ...Power output from the 88PS petrol engine can be augmented by the 14PS electric motor when you want maximum power. ...Given that there are many non-hybrid cars that will achieve these sorts of figures, or better, I have to say that the Insight again proved a disappointment. ...Carbon dioxide emissions are 105 g/km, leaving the Prius to take the accolades once again, with free road tax against an admittedly small £35 for the Impulse. ...You have already gathered that refinement is not a strength, but the ride quality is also far from ideal, sometimes proving a bit lumpy. It may just be the test car, which had clearly had a long and hard life, but I was disappointed to note a number of rattles. ...The lower section of this window has an unusual “squashy” net panel that can be popped in or out to provide privacy for the boot’s contents, Although the boot floor is quite high, due to the electronics, there is a remarkably deep cubby below the boot floor. ...The Honda Insight 1.3 IMA ES-T Hybrid CVT costs £18,890, which makes it £615 less than the cheapest Toyota Prius. But – if I was persuaded that a hybrid really was the best way to save the planet – I would find that extra money and choose the Prius.

Prius revisited. The first hybrid matures well.

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-04-23T15:55:44+01:00
In those days, it’s seamless mixing of electric motor and internal combustion power was so fascinating I remember asking my wife to drive so I could just watch the graphic display that shows, second-by-second, where power was coming from and going to. ...On both of these cars the focus is not purely on economy, it’s more about extracting efficient power and performance while moderating the consumption. ...Examining the Prius with these thoughts in my mind, I think I could not find a manual means to select neutral on the move and to kill the engine. I am now told I was not giving it time, Toyota’s UK PR people kindly pointed out that you just have move it to neutral and “hold it a second or two” (to prevent accidental selection). ...What’s more, it doesn’t just do this to provide the power to drive the car, it also has the ability to switch on the petrol engine to recharge the battery pack when needed, or to run both motors in tandem for maximum power. ...The Prius is pretty quiet at all times and it is hard to tell if the petrol engine in running or not, without looking at the rev counter or the power graphic display. ...If you press the accelerator to demand more acceleration, the Prius will, almost imperceptibly, start up its petrol engine and, if you demand maximum performance, the electric and petrol engines will work in tandem to deliver it. You can press the EV button (green, of course) on the dashboard if you want to drive the Prius purely in electric vehicle mode. ... ...The result of all this is the Prius has CO2 emissions that are so low at 92g/km that the Chancellor of the Exchequer (whoever that may be after the General Election) will hand you your tax disc absolutely free. However, there are many diesel cars on the roads that will achieve as good, if not better mpg and equal the Prius in terms of earning a no-cost tax disc. ...But, I found the Prius quite at home on the twisty stuff and the only refinement I would have wished for would be some way to downshift into corners. ...The rear screen wiper, in the top part of the window, is also hinged on the left side, which is not ideal for right-hand-drive.

Suzuki's chunky hatchback

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-04-19T17:58:10+01:00
This is the latest version of the Suzuki SX4 a small hatchback/SUV/MPV crossover that was developed in partnership with Fiat and is manufactured in Hungary. Although it has been around for a number of years, this is the latest version with a number of revisions which make it much more appealing. ...The desire is to drive a car that reflects something of your lifestyle and your desire to stand out in a crowd. ...We have seen with cars like the Nissan Qashqai and Ford Kuga, that there is a demand for cars that have an off-road image, but without the cost and the economy penalty of a full-time four-wheel-drive system. Like the Qashqai, the big sellers in the SX4 will be the front-wheel-drive models, but there will be a four wheel drive option. Confusingly, Suzuki has chosen to differentiate the models within its SX4 range by using the letters SZ followed by a model number. Thus, the SZ4 I drove is the top two-wheel-drive, or in Suzuki parlance it is an SX4 SZ4... confused? ...The top-of-the-range SZ5 four-wheel-drive model is due to be released this month. ...For this latest model, the 1.6 petrol has been re-worked and now produces 10% more power (up to 120PS), but also 10% lower fuel consumption and a 13% reduction in emissions at 143g/km of CO2. The performance is not sparkling, but, once you have signalled your wish to move up a gear the SX4 proves remarkably lively and willing. ...It is also an easy car to drive, either nipping around in traffic, or, out on the open road. ...This is a five-door car in a market sector where a number of its obvious competitors are three-door. ...That makes getting in and out much easier — something that is important for a car that is likely to be used around town.

Panamera: Can it really be a four seater?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-04-18T17:40:45+01:00
Ever since I first saw a Porsche Panamera lurking in San Francisco street, before the launch, I’ve been intrigued as to how practical the rear seats actually are. Well I have just had the opportunity to find out. I stopped off to visit a fellow motoring writer from carkeys.co.uk, who currently had a Panamera on test. Unfortunately, there wasn’t time to go for a drive, but I just had to check out the rear seat in a town centre car park. Proof that the rear seat is usable, even in a tight car park It’s a remarkably civilised place to be, as this photo shows. I do think, David, that you could have removed your can of Irn-Bru, though! (It looks a little like the cylindrical gear selector and the Jaguar!)

Fastest-ever road-going Ferrari

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-04-08T11:18:35+01:00
These are the first photos and information on the new Ferrari 599 GTO, the company’s fastest-ever road car. Described as “an extreme V12 berlinetta”, the 599 GTO has been developed to a specific performance-oriented brief. It is an exclusive limited edition special and is described by Ferrari as “a completely new concept, albeit inspired by a production car”. This refers to the 599XX, the advanced experimental track car, which can be considered almost a road-going version. The name is significant. The 599 GTO is reserved for just 599 customers who will be discerning enough to seek “the maximum expression of high performance driving”. They will presumably also have to have fairly deep pockets. The 599 GTO has already set a record lap time at Fiorano in 1’24”. The 599 GTO puts out 670 hp, which – in a 1495kg car – represents a weight-to-power ratio of just 2.23 kg/hp. Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) takes just 3.35” and the top speed is over 335 km/h (208mph).

New Volkswagen Touran launched

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-04-09T10:59:49+01:00
Volkswagen has chosen the Leipzig Motor Show to unveil its refreshed Touran compact MPV. The refreshed styling is aimed at giving the Touran a family look that connects with the latest Polo, Golf and Touareg. The new grille features the new-look of strong horizontal lines that are replicated in the new front bumper. At the back revised tail-lights featuring intricate LED bulbs are fitted along with a new tailgate and bumper. ...The third row of seats can be folded down into the floor to make space for 695 litre of loads pace. With the middle row of seats folded this increases to 1,913 litres. Oddments space is well catered for, with Volkswagen boasting that there are no less than 39 storage compartments around the new Touran – just remember where you put everything! New forced induction engines are aimed at greater performance and economy combined with fewer emissions. The entry-level petrol engine is a new 1.2-litre TSI unit delivering 105 PS. It’s joined by a 1.4-litre TSI engine developing 140 PS. ...A 1.6-litreTDI engine is available with a choice of 90 or 105 PS outputs while the 2.0-litreTDI engine offers 140 or 170 PS. In addition, the 1.2 TSI 105 PS petrol and 1.6-litre 105 PS diesel engines can be specified in BlueMotion Technology trim complete with Start/Stop and, in the case of the latter, the ability to return 61.4 mpg on the combined cycle – making the new Touran the most efficient MPV Volkswagen has ever produced. The new Touran will go on sale in the UK in September with the first models arriving in October.

No, I did not crash the Pagani Zonda

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-25T16:37:36+00:00
(I did once set a new class record on a hill climb and had minor success on a couple of club rallies, but that hardly counts as being a “champion driver”!) There are probably more exotic motor cars in this area than anywhere else in the UK, thanks to Aberdeen being an oil centre second only to Houston. ... More recently, shopping at Sainsbury’s, we parked in the bay next to a Ferrari F50. ...I now find it coming up on the internet with newspapers and blogs in the USA reporting the story. I suppose the fact that it is Aviva’s biggest ever payout for a crash repair at a reported £300,000 has fired people’s imaginations. Poor Sir Jackie Stewart got sucked into the story today, with The Press and Journal newspaper running a story naming the former world champion as the “professional driver” who was behind the wheel when the Zonda spun into an Aberdeenshire telephone pole. His office, however, pointed out that he wasn’t even in the country last September when the accident happened! ...I had my share of notoriety some years ago, when I, too, crashed a road test car. At that time I was presenting a motoring programme on the radio and my producer at the time spotted one of the Cadbury’s Creme Egg promotional vehicles parked at a hotel just doors from the radio station. ...But, in order to get the round front, some of the controls and pedals had to be moved around. I completed my high-speed test driving round the building at a dizzy 30 mph and was in the process of trying to park when my foot got jammed against the steering column. I was not able to extricate it in time when we rolled gently forwards into the back of what was instantly renamed as a Ford Eggscort. The story was splashed across The Sun – slightly embellished to make it sound as though we were actually broadcasting on the air at the fateful moment.

Kia joins the clean elite

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-22T15:52:23+00:00
In actual fact -- as I was driving this Cee’d EcoDynamic around the roads -- in Geneva Kia was taking the wraps off a newer version which scrapes below the threshold to win a free tax disc for its owners at 90 g/km! Like so many of this new breed of “eco“ cars, I found the Cee’d a little difficult to drive smoothly at first. The combination of very tall gearing and ultra-frugal engines with aggressive fuel cut-offs, mean they require a rather different driving style. With ‘over-the-top’ tall gearing to squeeze every last mile out of each gallon, you have to remember that you sometimes need a lower gear than expected. You also have to overcome the fear that the engine is simply going to labour and bog down as you take off in a higher gear that feels right. ...These cars are also not particularly responsive to the throttle and, in a world that has become used to 0-60 times around ten seconds, the Kia’s 13.5 does look a bit relaxed. ...When you come to a standstill in traffic, once the engine is warmed up it will turn itself off to save fuel. ...A minor quibble is that Kia have not perfected the way to keep the radio playing uninterrupted as the starter motor fires up the engine! ...As before with the Cee’d I was impressed with the European character of the car, which is of course produced in Slovakia. ...To me, driver enjoyment is about a car that is responsive, both in terms of its performance and its handling. ...But faced with two sets of keys, it was the head not the heart that made me reach for the ones with the Kia badge. As noted in the previous Kia tests, the probable deal-clincher for many buyers will be indicated by that little sticker on the rear window. ...That means with the Kia Cee’d EcoDynamics you are getting a car that is almost the size of a Ford Focus for the price of a Fiesta.

Hidden danger of 'keyless entry'

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-22T15:45:21+00:00
At a convivial lunch last week, with fellow motoring writer friends, I was reminded of the occasion when we found that the downside of keyless entry systems. I had just handed over a Renault to the next driver in line and made him a cheery farewell as he headed off down the street, only to stop and do a three-point turn. He drove back in haste and zoomed down the window. “Have you got the keys?,” he asked in a rather anxious tones. Just as well he asked, because I was about to drive off in my own car in the opposite direction. I’m not sure at what point poor Dave would have discovered that he didn’t have the keys which were, of course, in my pocket. Probably it would be somewhere in the middle of nowhere, in the pouring rain, with the doors locked and his mobile phone sitting on the centre console inside a locked car! So just watch out if you get a car with a keyless entry system!

Alfa brings back the Giulietta

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-07T19:10:00+00:00
Alfa Romeo has revived the Giulietta name for its new five door hatchback. Previously this name was used on the attractive to door coupe produced in the 1950s and then again for a series of saloons produced in the 1970s. The new Giulietta was exhibited at Geneva in five different versions — two Quadrifoglio Verde (Cloverleaf) versions fitted with Alfa Romeo’s 235 HP 1750 TBi engine, two Distinctive versions with 170 HP 2.0 JTDMturbodiesels, and a Distinctive version fitted with the 170 HP 1.4 MultiAir Turbo petrol engine. At the front the Giulietta has the trademark Alfa triangular grille, complete with a new interpretation of the classic shield, embedded in the front bumper. The side windows have been designed to give the appearance of a coupe, using the recent Alfa Romeo trick of concealing the rear door handles. Alfa Romeo say they have paid particular attention to the ergonomics and every command control has been carefully located. The main controls are grouped together in the centre of the dashboard using a design that is similar to the 8C Competizione. The navigation system, with pop-up display, allows the driver to view either maps or mechanical operating information about the car, without looking far from the road. As with the Alfa MiTo, customers can customise the Giulietta with sports or premium packs, plus a range of options that includes a large panoramic sunroof, navigation system, sound systems and Bluetooth packages.

Bentley announced details of Mulsanne

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-06T18:43:35+00:00
At the Geneva Motor Show, Bentley announced details of its new Mulsanne, stating that it “reaffirms the marque’s intent to create a new flagship Bentley with refined performance, unparalleled levels of interior luxury and coach building skills to the fore”. Great play is made of the fact that the Mulsanne was designed and engineered at Crewe “from the ground up”. The design features the traditional Bentley matrix grille and highly prominent classic round headlamps, featuring the latest lighting technology. With a long bonnet the design is intended to convey a sense of power and movement and design director Dirk van Braeckel says that his team set out “to create a sculpted form that blended classic Bentley heritage cues with modern lines”. Customers will have a vast range of options, with more than 100 pink colours and through the bespoke Bentley Mulliner, unique colours can be chosen to match a customer’s precise requirements. ...The Mulsanne comes with a 14 speaker audio system connected to the world’s most powerful production car amplifier, offering 2200 watts of power. A personalised keyless entry system offers multiple pre-programmed configurations -- automatically setting radio stations, phonebook, seat (including ventilation and massage modes front and rear), steering column, seatbelt settings and even the electrically operated rear seat blinds on the side and rear windows! In all, some 170 hours (almost half of the total build time) goes into crafting the interior of each Mulsanne. Customers can select from a range of veneers and two marquetry options. There is also an almost unlimited range of leather options. Power comes from a 6.75-litre V8 which puts out 512 PS with 120 Nm of torque. Acceleration 0 to 60 mph takes just 5.1 seconds, while a top speed is quoted at 184 miles an hour. Fuel economy combined figure is 16.7 mpg with CO2 emissions of 393 g/km.

Audi A1 e-tron extends range with Wankel engine

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-05T18:20:55+00:00
Audi predicts new A1 e-tron concept on its stand at the Geneva motor show. It has an electric drive system, with backup power produced by a small Wankel engine. Unless I’m mistaken, this is the first automotive use of the Wankel engine, outside Japan, since the NSU Ro80 produced in Germany during the 1960s and 70s. The Wankel rotary engine, used in the Mazda RX-7 and RX-8, does not have conventional cylinders, but uses a rotary action for a compression, combustion and exhaust. The electric drive system on the A1 e-tron gives the car a range of more than 31 miles in city traffic, with a peak output of 102 PS. Acceleration 0 to 62 mph is quoted at 10.2 seconds, with a top speed of more than 80mph. When the battery is flat, the compact Wankel cuts in to recharge it. With the benefit of this, ODC the range of is extended by 124 miles. The expectation is that its fuel consumption will be rated at 140.7 miles per gallon, with carbon dioxide emissions of only 45 g/km. Audi say that the electric drivetrain, with range extending engine, require “absolutely no sacrifices in terms of sportiness or comfort” and go on to assert that the car will offer high standards in terms of driver enjoyment.

Seat shows IBE concept car at Geneva

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-04T18:01:31+00:00
Seat took the wraps off its IBE concept car at the Geneva motor show. Described as a compact sports coupe, it is intended to be a zero emission car of the future combining “a sporty and dynamic concept for urban mobility”. It is a welcome return to a unique design language for Seat, still focusing on the marque’s target youthful market. The IBE concept car is 3.78 metres long, making it just 25 cm shorter than an Ibiza. A two door design, the IBE features an extremely low bonnet and long roofline. Visual highlights include the LED headlights, the Seat signature of an arrow shaped bonnet and at the back the rear light clusters again feature LED technology. The power unit is under the flat bonnet, with lithium-ion battery at the rear. Maximum power output is said to be 75 kW (102 PS), Seat see this delivers exactly “the kind of dynamic driving fun you would expect of a car that looks so sporty”. For city driving 0 to 50 km/h takes 3.4 seconds. It will reach 100 km per (62 mph) in 9.4 seconds. Battery capacity is said to be “plenty to cover all the daily mobility requirements of city life”, but no specific driving range has been quoted.

Vauxhall shows Flextreme concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-03T16:11:29+00:00
Vauxhall has revealed its Flexstream GT/E concept car at the Geneva Motor Show. The Flexstream is described as an extended range electric vehicle designed to achieve power without using fossil fuels. Vauxhall say the intention is to show that side is no barrier to driving a car with zero carbon dioxide emissions. The car’s ill aerodynamic efficiency is demonstrated by a drag coefficient of just 0.22. The design is deliberately made to look low and wide, with wing-shaped lights front and rear. The car has been given what Vauxhall describe as a distinctive nose and grille, with muscular, sculpted bodywork. Access to the cabin has been enhanced, say Vauxhall, by adopting rear hinged doors. To keep the exterior looks clean, all the door handles have been replaced by light sensors. These trigger the doors to open when covered by the driver’s or passenger’s hand. To reduce air turbulence, and door mirror are replaced by small cameras. There is a fixed glass panel in the roof and this automatically allows sunlight to warn the car include weather, darkening to reduce heat in the summer. The drive system for the Flexstream is similar to the Vauxhall Ampera and the car is expected to offer similar performance, with a battery power range of 40 miles and a total range of more than 300 miles. Average fuel consumption is estimated at 175 mpg, with CO2 emissions of less than 40g/km.

Seat Ibiza Cupra tiptoes through snow

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-01T17:04:00+00:00
Had I known it was only a one-day break between two periods of snow, I would have made sure I drove the car more that day. ...My own car being four-wheel-drive, not surprisingly I reached for its keys and for the next few days the Seat languished under a mountain of snow. ...So, discretion being the better part of valour, these were no conditions to explore the Cupra’s performance and handling characteristics! ...I headed home quite impressed with the Cupra, only for it to block its copybook by refusing to tackle the driveway up to the house. ... (In its defence, I should say it did better than the BMW 3 series that would not even move on the flat in the snow the previous winter.) ...You don’t have to look far to spot that this car is put together using platforms, engines, gearboxes and the myriad of other bits from the groups corporate parts catalogue. But, just as the Skoda is still a Skoda, so Seat has managed to stamp its Latin image on the Ibiza. ...It took me a few minutes to find my driving position, adjusting the sport seats to the perfect position and then finding I had to raise the steering wheel just a tad, so that I could see the top of the instrument panel. ...I’ve long been a fan of DSG gearboxes and their ability to shift gear in double quick time, usually with little fuss. This one proved good, although occasionally it was a little slow to pick up speed when moving gently away from standstill. ...All in all, given the constraints of slippery roads, I was really quite impressed with the Seat Ibiza Cupra. ...Power on the Seat Ibiza Cupra comes from a 180 PS 1.4-litre which sports both a turbocharger and a supercharger. ... I was returning figures on my trips well into the upper 30 mpg bracket (had the roads been clear, the temptation to use the performance would no doubt have increased the consumption!).

Ampera prototype drives to Geneva Show

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-03-01T16:37:43+00:00
The first prototype of Vauxhall’s production Ampera has successfully completed its long-distance drive debut from Rüsselsheim to the Geneva Motor Show. At the wheel for the final leg of the 500-kilometre journey, was Vauxhall CEO Nick Reilly. The team fully charged the 16kWh lithium-ion battery at Opel/Vauxhall Opel/Vauxhall’s European headquarters, then set off using pure battery-electric power. After around 60 kilometres, near Heidelberg, the gasoline-powered generator started up to provide the Ampera’s electric motor with power. On arrival in Geneva, the battery was plugged into a conventional socket and re-charged . The Ampera arrives at the Geneva Show “As 80% of drivers normally travel less than 60 kilometres per day, it is the exception rather than the rule that they experience the combustion engine in operation,” said Nick Reilly at his arrival in Geneva. “Of course we want to be certain that the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera also runs smoothly during long-distance operation.”

Chevrolet Cruze not one for the enthusiast

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-02-24T18:15:16+00:00
It looks distinctive and, in a land of hatchbacks, it stands out by being a saloon. ...Sadly I found myself fighting with the various seat and steering wheel adjustments, trying to find a comfortable driving position. Even after a lot of adjustment, I still found my clutch foot hanging in midair, because the pedals are so far off the floor. ...They resembled ashtrays, and it was far too easy for your fingers to slip out the slot and to tear a fingernail (or two, in my wife’s case). Once I had found unacceptable seating position and managed to close the door, I started to manoeuvre out of the car park. ...Out on the open road, the Chevrolet Cruze proved notably quiet, with good insulation from road and engine noise. ...Although the Chevrolet Cruze LT has the 1.8-litre engine, it often felt quite sluggish during initial acceleration. ...The 1.8-litre engine puts out 141 bhp and propels the Chevrolet Cruze from 0 to 62 mph in 10 seconds. ...Where the Chevrolet Cruze does score is by offering a family saloon, with reasonable space, and a keen price. ... Oh, and if you are seduced by the very American sounding name, just note that the Chevrolet Cruze is produced in Korea, badged Chevrolet following GM’s takeover of Daewoo. However, I cannot see anyone who enjoys driving really finding that the Chevrolet Cruze complements the driving style. ... It just seems that the final refinement and sophistication of the driving experience was one of the economies in the development of this car. So it comes down to how desperate you are to buy a new car at a keen price.

A1 is Audi's new compact supermini

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-02-11T19:37:32+00:00
This is their first small hatchback since the Audi A2 and it will be launched at the Geneva Motor Show next month. ...The A1 also uses a start-stop system to switch off the engine when stopped in traffic and an energy-recuperation system that generates power from braking. Audi says the A1 will benefit from highly fuel-efficient engines which compensate for their small capacity by using turbochargers. In the UK the range will start with a new 1.2-litre TFSI petrol engine which will have a power output of 86PS, delivering a 0-62mph time of 12.1 seconds along with what Audi describe as “55.4 mpg capability”. ...Next up will be the now familiar 1.4 TFSI power unit, delivering 122PS with a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission. The 1.4TFSI accelerates to 62mph in 9.1 seconds, but matches its smaller-engined sibling on both economy and emissions, delivering up to 55.4mpg with CO2 output of 119g/km*. ...It has a 0-62 time of 10.8 seconds with a potential maximum of 72.4mpg with emissions of 102g/km*. ...As evidence they point to the achievement of front weight bias of between 61 and 63% and the fitment of the latest version of their ESP system. ...There will be SE, Sport and S line options in the UK, with either 15-inch, 16-inch or 17-inch alloy wheels. ...Xenon headlamps with Audi’s trademark LED daytime running lights will be available at extra cost exclusively for S line models, but there is likely to be the usual Audi tempting list of options. ... That sounds a tad brash for an Audi, however the DAB radio and iPod connection are much more appealing. The A1 will also offer a choice colours, materials and equipment options designed to make each car feel as unique and personal as possible. The ‘roof contrast line’ — a contrasting colour scheme for the A, B and C pillars as seen first in the A1 project quattro study in Tokyo – is just one of the many options available.

Nissan Juke, as British as a duke?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-02-11T19:37:10+00:00
Nissan has unveiled the new Juke, some weeks before its official launch at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. Following the lead its sibling, Qashqai, the Juke is styled to have the appeal of an SUV, but most models will be only front-wheel-drive. The badge may be Japanese, but Nissan are pushing the Juke’s British credentials. It was designed at Nissan Design Europe in London and will be built in Britain alongside the Qashqai. It will go on sale in the UK in October. The Juke was first revealed as the Qazana show car at last year’s Geneva Motor Show. Nissan say the aim was to blend the rugged appeal of an SUV with emotion of a sports car. It also shares its 1.5-litre dCi turbo engine with them. A 1.6-litre engine along with a new direct injection petrol turbo with 187 bhp power output. The top-of-the range Juke will use this more powerful engine mated to a CVT gearbox and four-wheel-drive. Where some cars, with four-wheel-drive on only certain models, miss out on potential luggage space (such as the Ford Kuga) when the rear drive is deleted, the Juke has an additional underfloor space in the back for front-wheel-drive versions. Under the skin the Juke uses the same platform as the Nissan’s Micra and Note and Renault’s Clio and Modus.

Touareg loses weight and becomes more green

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-02-11T18:13:12+00:00
Volkswagen’s second generation Touareg has been unveiled and the new car has been on a diet, loosing no less than 200 kg. To help improve its green credentials the new Touareg is up to 20% more fuel efficient than its predecessor and there is also a hybrid version. ...They say, with some justification judging from the first photos, that it is more distinctively Volkswagen and it also looks to have been designed to look less massive than its predecessor. ...The standard equipment will include and eight-gear transmission and most models will have a stop-start system that will save fuel when stationary in traffic. Technology options include High Beam Assist, which will dip the headlights automatically when it senses oncoming traffic, Side Assist warns of vehicles in the driver’s blind spots, while adaptive roll compensation air suspension presumably does ‘what it says on the tin’. ...The new Touareg Hybrid model marries a 3.3-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine and an electric motor. ... The electric motor puts out 47 PS, giving a combined power of 380 PS and 428 lb/ft torque. The electric motor can run on its own at speeds of up to 30 mph, resulting in no tailpipe emissions. ...The entry-level Touareg, which is expected to be the best-selling version, is the 3.0-litre V6 TDI. With a power output of 240 PS and 405 lb/ft of torque, Volkswagen claim it will return 38.1 mpg on the combined cycle emitting 195 g/km of CO2 to place it in VED band J. The top of the range is the new 4.2-litre TDI V8 engine producing 340 PS and 590 lb/ft of torque sits at the top of the new Touareg range. ...Available with the V6 TDI engine, the Escape model features a system called 4XMOTION which comprises reduction gearing, centre and rear differentials that can each be fully locked for off-road applications and five stage control for the four wheel drive system. The first stage is for on-road applications, the second is for off-road use and activates automatic control for the mechanical differential locks, stage three engages the low-range gearbox with revised mapping of the gearbox to raise the shift points and switches off the automatic upshift in manual mode.

More detail about way forward for Saab Spyker

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-02-02T14:07:42+00:00
The intention is that Spyker Cars NV will change its name to Saab Spyker Automobiles NV, with two separate operating companies – Spyker and Saab – focussed on their own particular markets and their own vehicle lines. Saab Spyker has said it is committed to carry through the Saab business plan. But, the new owners believe they can actually enhance the plan in a number of ways. The Saab 9-4X which will be manufactured in Mexico Saab will be a stand-alone niche car manufacturer and Saab Spyker plans for Saab to have three or four model lines: • Saab 9-3 in sedan, hatchback, sports estate and X (four wheel drive) versions ... • Saab 9-5 in sedan, sports estate and X versions ...The first of the new models will be the Saab 9-5 which will be launched early this summer. This will be followed by the new 9-4X early in 2011 and the all-new Saab 9-3 in 2012. Saab Spyker see Saab being repositioned against other premium brands such as Audi and BMW. The new owners believe that Saab’s Technical Development Center in Trollhättan has the capability to developing complete vehicles. They also say that Trollhättan is one of the most efficient mid-size car plants in Europe. Against that background they envisage production and sales volumes building back to recent pre-crisis levels of about 100,000 to 125,000 vehicles, including the 9-4X which will be built in Mexico.

Spyker statement on Saab purchase

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-01-27T11:05:36+00:00
General Motors Company and Spyker Cars N.V, late yesterday confirmed the details of a binding agreement over the transfer of ownership of Saab Automobile AB of Trollhättan, Sweden. The transaction is expected be finalised in February and Saab will then come out of the wind-down process set in motion by GM. The purchase price will be US$74 million paid in two instalments. The purchase agreementis subject to the implementation of a €400 million loan between Saab and the European Investment Bank (“EIB”), guaranteed by the Swedish Government. The new Saab 9-5 already in production at Trollhattan The Swedish government has approved the guarantee, but it is subject to approval by the European Commission. Contrary to some media reports, Spyker is purchasing Saab as a complete entity and going concern. Included in the deal are all intellectual property rights, trademarks, facilities and other infrastructure. Spyker also say the sale of pre 2003 Saab 9-3 and current Saab 9-5 technology to BAIC in December 2009 did not result in any part of Saab’s business being divested or devalued. They add that Saab has already started the production of the new generation Saab 9-5 in Trollhättan.

Mini Countryman the new 4x4 Mini

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-01-20T17:56:28+00:00
The new Mini Countryman is not only the first MIni to offer four wheel drive, it is also the first with four passenger doors (the Clubman has three passenger doors, the third controversially being on the “wrong” side for the UK). ...BMW say that the new model is a genuine crossover, because it “bridges the gap” between the Mini and a modern Sports Activity Vehicle. ...Despite this the engineering team have apparently sought to maintain the “go-kart” feeling of the Mini’s driving style and responses. Following the lead of other manufacturers, the Countryman will be available in both two and four-wheel-drive versions. ...The proportions follow the Mini style and there are short overhangs both front and rear, combined with a high window line. BMW say the new car, reinterprets the characteristic Mini icons, such as the roofline and the hexagonal radiator grille, plus the headlights and the upright rear lights. ...The Mini Countryman comes as standard with four seats, but a three-seat split-fold bench is available as a no-cost option. There will be three petrol and two diesel engines in the Mini Countryman range at launch, ranging from the from 90 hp Mini One D Countryman through to the 184 hp in the Mini Cooper S Countryman. The 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the top model comes for the first time not only with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct fuel injection, but also with fully variable valve management which BMW claims will offer the best balance of engine power and fuel consumption in its class. Aiming to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the Mini Countryman also has BMW features like brake energy regeneration and auto start-stop. In addition to the six-speed manual model, petrol engine models have the option of a six-speed Steptronic automatic. ...It utilises an electro-hydraulic differential positioned directly on the final drive, to vary the power distribution from front to rear, with an infinite range of permutations. Under normal driving conditions up to 50 per cent of the engine’s power goes to the rear wheels, but under extreme conditions this can go right up to 100 per cent.

New Ford Focus unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-01-11T14:27:43+00:00
The choice of an American launch is significant, because Ford have said this new Focus will be almost identical in all their global markets. ...The new model will start production in the USA and Europe later this year, ready for a market launch in early 2011, with UK sales due in the first quarter of 2011. ...Again the Focus will be produced in both saloon and hatchback forms, meeting the different wishes of Europe (where the hatchback is the most popular) and the USA (where there is a preference for saloons). The new Focus will be one of up to ten unique models to be built from Ford’s new C-car platform, which is expected to generate total sales in all regions of two million units annually by 2012. The first of these will be the new Ford C-MAX and Ford Grand C-MAX – unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show – for launch in Europe in the second half of 2010. “Global customers increasingly want smaller cars with outstanding fuel economy, but without sacrificing any of the style, technology, connectivity and driving quality they demand from larger vehicles,” explained Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development. “Our next generation of C-cars – led by the exciting new Focus – will clearly show that Ford is ready to meet that challenge,” he concluded. Design of the new model has been led from Europe, at Ford’s small and medium vehicle centre of excellence in Germany. ...The global powertrain lineup for the new Focus will include a range of state-of-the-art four-cylinder turbocharged direct injection (DI) engines dubbed EcoBoost, offering reductions in fuel consumption of between 10 and 20% compared to the outgoing models. The technology package of the new Focus is said to include features that would be surprising to customers in premium segments. Ford say these new technologies have been designed to be simple and highly intuitive to enhance both convenience and safety, Among these will be what Ford describe as “a combination of controls and display screens to operate the key vehicle features”. The Focus will also have a new generation of Ford’s SYNC connectivity package, which includes a sophisticated voice control system, Bluetooth and satellite navigation, along with connection points for a variety of devices and media players. Attention to detail is said to include not only the touch and feel of cabin materials, but also their smell and the design team are said to have worked on detail such as the sound of the doors when they are closed and the thickness of the padding and size of the stitching on the steering wheel rim.

Peugeot celebrates 200th year with new look

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-01-08T20:02:58+00:00
It was in 1810 that Jean-Pierre and Jean-Frédéric Peugeot turned their father’s cereal mill into a steel foundry and took the Peugeot family into the industrial era. Now 200 years later, Peugeot has launched a new version of its famous lion badge and a new look for its cars based on the SR1 concept car. The new look is a welcome move away from the “gaping mouth” look of recent Peugeots and, judging by the SR1, the new look is more likely to win plaudits in the style stakes. But the interest in the SR1 concept car goes much further than it looks. The concept employs what Peugeot are calling their HYbrid4 technology, which will be available in the Peugeot 3008 from 2011. On the SR1a 1.6 litre THP petrol engine, with a power output of 218 bhp, is combined with a rear electric motor developing 95 bhp. In electric-only mode, the car becomes a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), with a combined cycle fuel consumption of 57.7 mpg or 119 g/km of CO2. When the two power trains operate simultaneously, the SR1 develops a potential maximum power output of 313 bhp, while benefiting also from four-wheel drive. Peugeot say this HYbrid4 technology will eventually be available on different models in the Peugeot range. The Peugeot SR1 concept car will be unveiled to the general public at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, in March.

Spyker submits offer on Saab

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2010-01-07T19:52:12+00:00
Spyker Cars, of The Netherlands, today confirmed it has made a revised offer to General Motors for the acquisition of Saab Automobile AB. "We have continued a constructive dialogue with GM over the acquisition of Saab,” Victor Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars stated. "We believe the Saab brand has lots of potential and would be keen to close a deal as quickly as possible." The Spyker C8 The news comes at a time that General Motors have started the process of “winding down” Saab, while also stressing that they will continue efforts to find a buyer. GM have confirmed that they have “several proposals” for Saab, including a bid from a group that includes Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Google Earth in new Audi A8

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-29T21:18:54+00:00
Owners of the new Audi A8 will be able to use services like Google Earth to search for points of interest, if they choose the optional integrated GPRS/EDGE modem linked to the latest generation MMI navigation plus. The results are then displayed on the onboard map or used as destinations for route calculation. A8 owners will also be able to plan destinations in Google Maps (or on Audi’s web portal) at home or in the office, then retrieve the information in the car. This new technology will be further enhanced in mid 2010, when Audi launch a new UMTS modem. This will enable faster data transfer as well as allowing simultaneous voice and data connections. Using this new modem Audi will become the first motor manufacturer to integrate Google Earth with the car’s sat-nav system. With Google Earth on the eight-inch LCD, the Google Earth imagery and 3D terrain model are combined with the detailed street network from the navigation database. The MMI navigation system also analyses navigation data to help predict driving conditions and relay information to the control units for the automatic cruise control (with Stop & Go), adaptive lights and the eight-speed tiptronic gearbox.

By-pass proposed in 1957 is approved

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-21T12:57:25+00:00
John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Goverment, has give the green light to a 28-mile, £395 million by-pass for Aberdeen. The approval for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route comes 52 years after the then Secretary of State for Scotland approved the new river crossing for the first by-pass proposal in 1957. It was never built. Built in 1527 the Bridge of Dee is the only break in trunk road dual carriageway from Pisa in Italy The current by-pass was first proposed in the mid 1990s by the former Grampian Regional Council. But it was not until 2003 that then First Minister of Scotland Jack McConnell announced that the Scottish Government would pay 81% of the cost of the by-pass, with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils paying the balance. Today’s announcement follows a 10-week public local inquiry in 2008. The Scottish Government has set a target date of 2012 for the road to open. Until the by-pass is built, Aberdeen – the principal centre for North Sea oil and gas – will continue to be connected to the European trunk road network by the Bridge of Dee built in 1527. Having driven the road myself a few years ago, I know that the bridge is the first break in a dual carriageway roads that stretch (apart from the Channel) some 1,800 miles from Pisa in Italy.

Saab: The end.

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-19T15:20:38+00:00
A short statement from Spyker signals the end of the road for Saab. The formerly General Motors-owned Swedish manufacturer is now expected to close its doors after 71 years. In February, Saab moved to establish its independence from troubled GM empire. After the deal with Swedish supercar maker, Koenigsegg fell through, there was hope that the supercar company Spyker would take the company over. But a simple statement issued yesterday signalled what looks like the end of the road for Saab. ...The statement says: “Spyker and General Motors ("GM") decided today that the intended sale of Saab Automobile AB will not be concluded. “During the due diligence, certain issues arose that both parties believe cannot be resolved prior to the expiry of the deadline set by GM (i.e. ... As a result, GM will start an orderly wind-down of Saab operations.” ...Victor Muller of Spyker added: “We sincerely regret that we are not able to complete this transaction with GM. We worked 24/7 for three weeks, but the complexity of the transaction in combination with the strict deadline simply did not allow us to complete the transaction timely. Our thoughts are with the wonderful management and employees of Saab in these challenging times". Footnote: On Sunday, December 20 reports came of a revised offer from Spyker and some news media hinted that there might be other offers. Meanwhile the Swedish Government were reported as confirming they would not get involved in a state-backed rescue.

Aston Martin's Cygnet hatched

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-17T17:38:06+00:00
Aston Martin has released the first official images of its new Cygnet, previously seen here as a styling mock up. Based on the Toyota IQ, the Cygnet is described by Aston Martin as “a creative, environmentally conscious solution, being small, yet with presence”. The aim is to combine fuel efficiency with the prestige and luxury of an Aston Martin. The idea is that you would keep keep your DBS, DB9 or Vantage for grand touring, but use the Cygnet for your more eco-friendly daily commuting. Aston Martin say that work on the concept is ongoing and will continue into 2010, but they hope it will become a production reality.

BMW 1 Series electric concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-17T17:24:12+00:00
BMW has unveiled a new concept vehicle to signal the German marque’s approach to electric vehicles. The BMW Concept ActiveE is based on the BMW 1 Series Coupe and is BMW’s second electric vehicle after the Mini E. The aim of the Concept ActiveE is to test out practicality of electric drive for every day use and BMW says it will also aim to deliver “driving pleasure” as one of the characteristics of a BMW. To that end, the BMW Concept ActiveE follows BMW practice by retaining rear-wheel-drive. The drive system is also powerful enough for dynamic acceleration and the engineers have also aimed for a high level of efficiency, so that the vehicle can be practical beyond purely urban mobility. Unlike the Mini (and other electric vehicles where battery storage takes up passenger or luggage space), the Concept ActiveE has four full-size seats and a 200-litre boot volume. Powered comes from a new synchronous electric motor specially developed for this vehicle. Its maximum output is 170hp, the maximum torque of 250Nm is available from standing as is typical for electric motors and remains available over an unusually broad load range. Predicted performance is acceleration 0-62 mph in less than 9 seconds. Maximum speed is predicted at around. 90 mph (electronically-limited). As with the MINI E, the real-world range is expected to be about 100 miles on a single charge, depending on conditions. Flexible charging technology enables the lithium-ion battery pack to be recharged by a conventional power outlet at public charging stations or at a special wall box. On the European grid, the battery pack can be fully charged at a high-current power outlet (50 ampere) in as little as three hours.

Jaguar XF just gets better

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-17T20:16:12+00:00
When I had my first real drive of the Jaguar XF I was just about as impressed as I hoped to be, given all the compliments that were flying around from those who had driven the new generation Jaguar before me. ...While it was as refined as you would expect for a Jaguar and would, quite frankly, have been described as “superb” in many cars, it was just a tad short of performance for a car bearing the leaping Jaguar. ...At the time I drove that XF, Jaguar had already brought out a new three-litre diesel. It has taken some time to get my hands on the higher-performing model, but for the best part of a week I have been wafting around in a Jaguar 3.0 Diesel Sport Portfolio. ... ...If that really bothers you (and in normal driving it shouldn’t) you can change the settings to sports or dynamic. ...As my wife pointed out (perhaps as a pointed comment the quality of my manual gearbox changes) you can hardly detect when the XF is changing gear. ...As you do the gear selector dial motors out from its ‘resting’ position flush with the top of the centre console. ...To give the performance a little more edge you can click the gear selector one notch further than ‘drive’ to select sport. If that is not edgy enough for you, you can then prod the chequered flag button on the centre console to enter the dynamic mode, which really is a bit ‘hyper’. ...I preferred to let the sports setting, combined with an occasional tug on the paddles, propel me at a rapid, but sensible pace. ...My week with the Jaguar coincided with the first real frosty cold snap of the winter and, once again, the Jaguar XF delighted. ... It was obviously too early in the morning to remember that there was likely to be a heated windscreen, so I prodded the demist button without much hope of avoiding the scraper.

BMW Z4 is a true sports car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-12-05T17:57:28+00:00
It was this time last year that BMW first took the wraps off the new BMW Z4, which went on sale in May this year. ...Taking temporary ‘ownership’ of the new Z4 in the month of December in the UK, I really did not expect to be able to appreciate the joys of a convertible. ...One glorious afternoon, the temperatures crept well into double digits (centigrade) and I pulled over, pressed the button and, 20 seconds later, sampled the joys of open-top motoring for the 15-mile run home. ...Going to a roof that takes 20-seconds might superficially sound like a retrograde step, but the switch to a folding metal top gets my seal of approval. ...The 23i test car has a 2.5-litre, the 30i does have a three-litre, but the 35i also has a three-litre — but with a substantially greater power output. Being the entry model in the range, the 23i is not the car you would buy for ultimate performance, but I found it very satisfying and it combines its performance with remarkably good economy. All the Z4s have elements of BMW’s Efficient Dynamics and I found myself returning figures in the upper 20s and, occasionally, got very close to the official combined figure of 34.4 mpg. ...Such controls are common on automatics where they change the characteristics of the gearbox (which indeed they do on the automatic versions of the Z4), but they also sharpen the steering and throttle responses. ...‘Sports+’ switched off the electronic aids like ESP and, noting the greasy nature of damp winter roads, I felt happier with the “safety net” of these systems to help gather things up if I put a foot wrong. ...On the open road my grin simply got wider as I savoured the wonderful balance of a well-sorted rear-wheel-drive sports car that just went exactly where you pointed that purposeful bonnet. ...In an era when so many cars have us stowed in a very vertical “sit-up-and-beg” driving posture, I really liked getting back into a car where you sit more like a racing car driver — low down, with your legs outstretched in front of you. With ample adjustments it is easy to get comfortable and, in this position, you really feel at one with the car. ...But at £28,650 you have to remember that — if you want to carry larger numbers of passengers, or bulkier things — this is quite an expensive second car.

Ford Kuga goes 4x2

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-11-24T16:37:23+00:00
I have to admit that I did not approach my road test of this Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi in a particularly positive frame of mind. ...The fact that – at the end of my time with the new Kuga 2WD – I was more than a little fond of it, speaks volumes. ...Needless to say, the front-wheel-drive Kuga is very similar in most ways to the 4x4 Kuga which I tested last year. As I said in that first encounter, you can think of the Kuga as something like a Ford Focus on stilts. ...That’s because, in normal road conditions, your Kuga 4x4 disconnects the power to the rear wheels and becomes front-wheel-drive. ...But, cutting the extra engineering four-wheel-drive engineering makes this Kuga is lighter on your wallet and lighter on the road. ...On my mix of country and city driving I got an average of around 37 mpg, which is about two mpg better than with the four-wheel-drive version. The combined figures of 46.3 mpg suggest there is greater economy to be had if you exercise even more care with the right foot, Emissions down 10 g/km to 159 g/km of CO2. As you would expect, the Kuga is very practical transport with good access and good space for four, possibly five passengers. If you are expecting the loss of the rear transmission to mean a lower load floor, however, you will be disappointed. ...If you provoke it the front wheels will want to plough on in a corner, but it is all very controllable. The two-litre diesel engine is the only option on the 2WD version, but it is a good unit. ...The price of the Ford Kuga 2.0 TDCi Titanium is £22,445 (exactly £2,000 less than the 4WD version as I said).

New BMW 5 Series unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-11-24T15:35:58+00:00
The new car is not likely to cause quite the stir that the fifth generation model did when it was announced with its then controversial styling. ...Certainly that would tie in with what is ‘flavour of the month’ with many manufacturers. While some are going for taller profiles, prestige manufacturers like Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes seem to be competing to see whose saloon looks most like a sports coupé. Much of the news with the 5 Series is under the surface, with features like a new automatic start-stop technology to boost economy, park assist, night vision, head-up display and an automatic gearbox with no less than eight gears! BMW promise their usual attention to driving dynamics with a claim of almost perfect 50:50 front/rear weight distribution. Opinions will have to wait until we have had a chance to drive the new car, but BMW are talking boldly of “unrivalled driving dynamics” and a car that “sets new standards”. Notably, the latest BMW has very short front and rear overhangs with the result that it claims the longest wheelbase in its class at 2.9 metres. ...The spacious ambience can be increased by opting a large glass roof panel which allows light to flood into the rear as well as the front seats. BMW say they have incorporated many of the cabin features from the 7 Series in the new 5 Series. ... The multifunctional steering wheel has been simplified, putting all of the function keys in one hand and infotainment in the other. The new BMW 5 Series Saloon will be launched in the UK on March 20 next year. Prices start at £27,555 – which BMW point out is only £125 more than the previous model. The bonus is that the new model comes with Dakota leather, BMW Professional radio and Bluetooth phone preparation.

Spyker relocates to the UK

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-11-23T09:56:45+00:00
Spyker Cars, the Netherlands-based manufacturer of specialist sports cars, is relocating its assembly operation to the UK. The company says that relocating its assembly lines from Zeewolde to Coventry, will result in considerable improvements in efficiency and also substantial cost reductions. The move is expected to be complete by the end of this year. Around 45 of the 135 jobs at Spyker will be affected. "In these challenging times, a small manufacturer like Spyker has to find ways to reduce costs as well as improve its efficiency,” says Victor R. Muller, CEO of Spyker Cars. “With approximately half of our vehicles’ parts and components sourced in the UK, and virtually all key suppliers being located there, moving closer to our suppliers and engineering partners will result in substantial savings and tangible efficiency improvements”. Spyker Cars was originally founded in 1875 as a coach builder, producing its first motorcar in 1898. The original Spyker company ceased trading in 1925, but its brand name and reputation for technologically advanced, exotic and dependable cars has been passed on to the new Spyker company and its cars.

Formula one news and rumour

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-11-19T21:52:15+00:00
A round-up of some of the Formula 1 news from a busy few days end-of-seasons dealings, news announcements and rumours. ...As if the rumour mill was not hot enough, Autocar waded in on Wednesday, November 18 with the suggestion that Michael Schumacher would drive for Mercedes in 2010. This was quite the most surprising of the current rumours, given the on-again, off-again story of how he was going to take the seat for the injured Felipe Massa this past season. That culminated in a reported statement that he would never return to F1. But it does tie in with rumours that Mercedes want two German drivers in their new team, having acquired Brawn GP. It would also tally with Jenson Button feeling the need to move away before the team is fully re-liveried with the three-pointed star. ...Also on Tuesday, the Guardian said that Kimi Raikkonen had run out of options for 2010. He had been looking at McLaren, but with Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button signed, there was no space for him. On Wenesday, November 18 the BBC was saying that Kimi Raikkonen was going to try for a drive in the World Rally Championship. But earlier it had been said that Raikkonen would earn more by sitting out 2010 in any case. And, the man who is known for rather sullen looks in end-of-race interviews, did look so much happier and relaxed when competing in the 2009 Rally of Finland! ...On Tuesday, November 17, the BBC reported that Formula 1 returnees, Lotus, were feeling the pressure of rejoining the sport with a name that has so many associations with success in the past. ...On Monday, November 16 at 22:00 GMT, the Guardian announced that Jenson Button had indeed agreed to join McLaren on a three-year, £6 million-a-year deal.

New Volvo S60 first official pictures

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-11-10T21:05:16+00:00
These are the first official pictures of the new Volvo S60, which the design team say is “sportier and more dynamic than any previous Volvo car”. Under the new-look exterior the Volvo S60 puts strong emphasis on safety as usual. Volvo say the new S60 will be available with Pedestrian Detection, a system that can detect pedestrians in front of the car and brake automatically if the driver doesn’t react in time. The new Volvo S60 will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in the beginning of March next year. Production will start early summer 2010 at Volvo Cars’ plant in Gent, Belgium.

Focus RS delivers performance

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-11-04T16:40:44+00:00
As it was, on one of the very few occasions I parked the RS (I seemed to prefer driving it for some reason!), two young lads walked by. Oblivious to the fact that I was in earshot affixing the parking ticket to the car, they were debating in animated manner what colour “their” Focus RS would be! ...I didn’t seem to attract hordes of boy racers trying to show me who was master (only one who was determined to get past to show me a clear pair of heels), but I know other testers who have had more unwelcome attention. ...Mine were not the only eyebrows raised that the new Focus RS is not four-wheel-drive and that has fuelled some concerns about the ability of the front wheels to cope with all that power. As fate would have it, the roads remained particularly wet and greasy throughout my time with the Focus RS, but I can tell you that (with the usual measure of common sense) it is indeed very controllable. ...As someone who has always preferred the handling of rear-wheel-drive or rear-biassed four wheel drive I was wondering if I would be disappointed with the RS. ...The technology achieving this includes a Quaife automatic torque biasing limited-slip differential, a crafty new design of front suspension which Ford have dubbed RevoKnuckle and a specially-developed ESP system with traction control. ...All that said, particularly in the greasy, slippery conditions, I would still much prefer four driven wheels to share the job of delivering the RS’s prodigious power output. ...There are huge reserves of performance on tap and seldom do you have to open the throttle more than half way to produce a seamless surge of power right through all six gears. ...Acceleration 0-62 mph takes just 5.9 seconds, but it is that overtaking range performance that makes the RS so drivable The top speed is quoted at 163 mph. ...The only disappointment about the driving experience was my feeling that I would like to sit lower down in a performance car like this. ...But in my real-time driving on a mixture of country roads and city streets, the trip computer gave me an average of just over 21 mpg.

Volvo takes on the small SUV market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-10-23T17:28:10+01:00
It takes time to develop a new model, so you have to have a pretty good idea of what will be the expanding markets in the future. Volvo identified future growth in the market for small up-market SUVs and set about producing the XC60 as their contender to capture a slice of this growing market. ...The new features in this department include Volvo’s City Safety system that stops the car if it detects it is about to hit a stationary car in front. Systems that warn you of an impending collision are not new (as you can see from the road tests in DriveBlog.co.uk). ...I found that sitting in the back seat, my knee space was just adequate – but that was with the driver’s seat set pretty near the back of its adjustment. The load floor is big and flat, taking 495 litres with the back seat in place, or 1455 with the rear seat folded. the power tailgate on the test car is nice, especially when it avoids soiling your fingers on a tailgate coated in winter road muck. As you may assume from the XC (cross country) tag, the XC60 is designed to be capable of taking to green stuff and also to keep going through the white stuff of winter. ...However, mindful that some people don’t need four-wheel-drive and that only two driven wheels will be more economical, Volvo have said that they plan a front-wheel-drive 2.4-litre version. ...The set and release switch is on the bottom of the dashboard, which is fine on an automatic where you don’t use the parking brake as much. ...I also found that the logic built into the system that dictates whether the brake will release automatically, or whether you have to release it manually defied the logic built into my brain. ...But (usually when I was at the head of a traffic queue or as traffic lights change to green) it would exasperate me by flashing up messages about needing to release the switch, or press the footbrake, before being permitted to progress. ...Acceleration 0-60 is a very creditable 7.9 seconds, but the 2.4-litre diesel in the D5 doesn’t exactly give the impression that it loves to rev. ...I’m sure I would understand the logic of the parking brake given time, so were I in the market for a small SUV this would be one on my list.

New Bipper Tepee launched

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-10-15T11:41:06+01:00
Well, I suppose it has to be admitted they are new to names. (Until now Peugeots have simply had a number.) ...The Bipper Tepee is what Peugeot calls “a multi-space family vehicle”, basically it is a spacious, practical small family car with some of the versatility of an MPV. It’s not a new concept, there are loads of them around. Recent ones I have driven have have featured include the Citroen C3 Picasso, the Fiat qubic, the Kia Soul, but there are many others. (Indeed, as is the way in these cross-company collaboration days, you may notice more than a passing resemblance to the Fiat and also to the Citroen Nemo Multispace) The Bipper Tepee (I just like saying that) packs five seats and good load space (884 litres) into its 3.96 metres length. With low emissions the 70 bhp 1.4-litre HDi Bipper Tepee costs just £35 to tax and returns a combined fuel consumption of 62.8 mpg. The Bipper Tepee is available in two trim levels S and Outdoor. The S is available with either a 1.4 litre petrol engine or a 1.4 HDi diesel engine. The Outdoor has the same engine options, but the suspension is raised by 15 mm. That, along with larger body sill protection mouldings and side mouldings, gives it some of the off-roader looks. It has greater underbody protection, but it doesn’t have four-wheel-drive.

Eiffel launch event for new Citroen C3

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-10-15T11:32:13+01:00
Citroen is to use the 20th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower and 90 years of Citroen to launch its new Citroen C3. Every night for three months from 22nd October, they will be organising a special 12-minute light show. with the first the new Citroen starring in the first show at 8pm on the first day. Citroen will be streaming live footage on www.toureiffel.citroen.com. The footage will take advantage of the new C3 sensational windscreen (yes I did check whether I should tone that “sensational” down before publishing this, but looking at it... well it is pretty sensational!). The windcreen wraps right over the heads of front seat occupants and Citroen say it is “... perfect for admiring the full height of the Eiffel Tower ...”.

Rolls Royce Ghost to haunt Frankfurt motor show

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-09-06T14:27:43+01:00
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is to unveil its new Ghost, the most powerful car ever to wear the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’, at the Frankfurt motor show on September 15. ...The classic Rolls Royce design cues include the long elevated “prow” (that yachting analogy again!), a long bonnet, short front overhang and, of course, the unmistakable Rolls-Royce grille. ...Chief Designer, Ian Cameron says that the intention was to make it: “...less reminiscent of the traditional Parthenon style and more like a jet intake,” A contrasting Silver Satin finish (introduced on 200EX) is an option for the bonnet, grille and windscreen surround. ...Inside Ghost, the interior design team’s aim was to come up with a contemporary ambience while staying true to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ traditions of fine materials and peerless comfort. ...To help James (or the owner) when manoeuvring Ghost, there are cameras located around the car on the rear, front, side and top. ...Using infrared heat images, the camera then assesses from the car’s speed and direction the danger they pose, determining what action (if any) needs to be taken, then displaying the appropriate warning to the driver. An aircraft-style head-up display (as fitted to cars like parent company BMW’s M6) projects selected information onto the windscreen, including speed and navigational direction. A lane departure warning system alerts the driver if the car should drift out of its current lane, by sending a slight vibration through the steering wheel if the car crosses lane markings without signalling. ...The same camera used by the Lane Departure Warning system monitors the light from any source at the front of the vehicle and automatically dips or raises the headlights accordingly. ...Four-zone automatic air conditioning can be individually tailored to each passenger’s requirements, with separate controls for front and rear. ...USB and auxiliary inputs allow for the integration of external audio devices and a 12.5 GB hard drive enables storage of music files from USB or CD player sources. The Ghost is powered by a brand new, 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine and, unusually for Rolls Royce traditionalists there is a power figure given. ...What this achieves is a feeling of endless, surging power, which is illustrated by the traditional Rolls Royce “power reserve gauge” on the fascia, in place of the the more common rev counter.

A fun roadster for small hatchback price

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-09-05T18:06:32+01:00
If British Leyland executives in the 1970s hadn't forgotten the importance of playing to our strengths, then something like the Daihatsu Copen might have wearing an Austin Healey Sprite badge today. Instead, as we know, they axed all the desirable cars from their range – MG Midget, MGB, Austin Healey Sprite and Triumph Spitfire which had a worldwide following – and started producing such charismatic style icons as, err, the Austin Allegro, Morris Marina and Leyland Princess. ...A small, affordable, fun two-seater sports car with a small reasonably economical engine and the emphasis on fun rather than sophistication, or performance. So, if you are looking for a sophisticated, refined and spacious performance car, I have a simple message for you. ...If, on the other hand, you want an affordable car, but are tired of boring characterless hatchbacks and are willing to suffer just a tad to broaden the grin on your face, this could be the car for you. ...I am notorious for wanting my seat well back, but anyone of longer leg should check they fit before parting with their money. ...Then, if you have a passenger, the narrowness means your elbows will be on good talking terms before you reach your destination. ...It is fine on good roads, but can be pretty horrible on corrugated surfaces where you experience what can best be described as a “lumpy ride”, with noticeable scuttle shake. ...If you are prepared to accept average performance, sometimes unrefined ride quality and a lack of space, what you do get is a stylish and distinctive sports car. With its chrome rollover hoops, little perspex wind deflector and red leather inserts on steering wheel, the Copen looks a little like an Audi Roadster that shrunk in the wash. I also found that it comes with a free smile, which was fixed to my face all the time I drove the Copen (even when it was jiggling a bit on poor surfaces).... apart from one. On this occasion I was in a queue of slow moving traffic on a two-way A-class road grinding along at 40 mph behind a truck that obviously had something rather disgusting under the tarpaulin over the back. With the roof down, for mile after mile I was stuck in this mobile pong parade with my nose being assaulted by the smell of something very dead.

Toyota go hybrid with the Auris

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-09-02T19:12:33+01:00
At the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show (September 15 to 27), Toyota will take the wraps off its Auris HSD hybrid concept. Toyota is, of course, one of the pre-eminent promoters of hybrid cars with the Toyota Prius, but this is the first time that Toyota has applied full hybrid technology to a mainstream model. The company adds that it is the first step in deployment of their Hybrid Synergy Drive across the company’s model range. Adding to the Toyota hybrid focus at Frankfurt is the first showing of the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept car. Unlike the normal Prius which generates all its own electricity from a combination of its conventional petrol engine and energy recovery systems, the new Prius concept can be charged from the mains supply. This allows it to operate in pure electric mode for short-range day-to-day transportation. Toyota plans a field trial with 150 of the new Prius Plug-in Concept cars being leased to selected fleet customers.

New Saab 9-5 revealed

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-28T09:01:50+01:00
Against all the odds of a difficult market and the bankruptcy in the USA of former parent company GM, Saab has entered its new era of Koenigsegg ownership with the launch of the new Saab 9-5, the flagship of its range. Getting its public debut at the 2009 Frankfurt International Motor Show, the new car has an array of high-tech features including an aircraft-inspired head-up information display (HUD), adaptive headlights (Bi-Xenon Smart Beam), adaptive cruise control,adaptive chassis, keyless entry and starting, dynamic parking assistance and Saab XWD an all-wheel-drive system that Saab claim is “industry-leading”. There are a range of four and six cylinder engines from 1.6 to 2.8 litre, offering a range of three fuel types – petrol, diesel and bioethanol. To give the all important Saab cockpit look, the designers have disguised windshield and side pillars and Saab say the the windscreen and roof are reminiscent of the classic 900 model.

Peugeot RCZ aims to add excitement

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-21T10:03:10+01:00
Peugeot has signified that the new RCZ is the start of a new chapter for the French manufacturer as it aims to refocus on driving enjoyment as well as daily transport. I remember those days as a one time owner of two Peugeot 205 GTIs in succession. Perhaps the first thing you notice is that the RCZ has a name that is somewhat revolutionary for Peugeot. Until now all cars in the Peugeot range have simply had a model a number. Built for Peugeot by Magna Steyr in Austria, the RCZ is a compact 2+ 2 Coupé with some quite distinctive styling features. ... This was a talking point on the concept car, but few expected to see them carried forward onto the production model. ...There is even a hint of the beautiful Karman Ghia Volkswagen coupe of the 1960s about its looks. As a 2+2 the RCZ has what Peugeot call “two occasional seats” in the back, who have a little extra headroom thanks to that double-bubble roof. To go on sale in the spring of next year the RCZ will offer a number of engine options including a 1.6 litre THP 200 bhp with a six speed manual gearbox. ...There will also be the 2.0 litre HDi FAP 163 bhp which offers a combined fuel economy figure of 52.3 mpg in the combined cycle, with CO2 emissions of 139 g/km. So that every customer can make their car unique, the RCZ lays great store on personalisation, to keep within the vehicle’s exclusive positioning. The range options include: a real carbon roof, roof arches in different colours (black chrome, “satin finish”), a range of 18” and 19’’ alloy wheels in several finishes (matt black, polished black, dark grey, diamanté), black lacquered body parts at the front, carbon door mirror covers, bodywork detailing, etc. Customers will be able to order these items at the time of purchase and they will be available individually or grouped together.

Toyota IQ "a door on wheels"

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-25T15:36:59+01:00
With the driver’s seat in my preferred driving position, there is absolutely zero space between the seat back and the rear seat cushion. ...I was a little concerned to see quite how close the rear seat head restraints are to the rear window glass, but, in this respect, I suppose it is no worse than many rearmost seats in MPVs. From that comment about the closeness of the rear seats to the tailgate you will deduce that there is not a huge amount of space for luggage. ... But, the reality is that you would not even get a full supermarket bag in there without dropping one of the rear seat backs. At this point, lest we get too hung up on rear seat and luggage space, let us reflect on the fact that most cars on the road carry only one or two people. ...Instead there is rather an unusual fabric bag fixed to the dashboard to hold the owner’s handbook, with space for a few other oddments. The net result is that, for two people, this is a practical and civilised city runabout that is also quite at home on country roads and dual carriageways. ...The test car was the Toyota IQ3, which has a three-cylinder 1.32-litre engine. ... Official combined economy is 55.4 mpg, but I found I was achieving around the mid 40s on a mix of city and country driving. In its £11,615 IQ3 guise, the Toyota is £1783 cheaper than the 1.33-litre Smart Fortwo. Although it is longer and perhaps not such a pure city car as the Smart Forfour, I can see it appealing, not just on cost grounds, to people who want a more conventional car with a straightforward manual gearbox. For those who want even lower-priced city transport there are two models of IQ with a 960cc two-cylinder engine with prices starting at £9,615.

Jazzing up the small Honda

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-18T09:00:37+01:00
The previous Honda Jazz built up a loyal following among those who wanted a practical small family hatchback which came with the promise of reliability and customer satisfaction that is expected from the Honda badge. That combined with good space and low running costs made the Jazz the darling of people trading down from a bigger car. With the new Jazz, launched in the autumn of last year, building the appeal to the trading down brigade was high on the agenda. ...If I owned a Jazz, I would have to sneak out in the dead of night to find the pesky fuse that controls that infernal beep and silence it for ever. ...Without the previous model sitting alongside it is hard to say, but you still need to be mindful that the pillars do create a bit of a blind spot. ...I left the driver’s seat in its fully back position and hopped in, to find myself well pleased by the amount of knee room and head room. ...There is a load sill, but it is reasonably low and, once you have hefted anything over that there’s 399 litres of space in there with the rear seats up. ...It is refined and willing, but not particularly quick as the 0-62 mph time of 11.5 seconds will attest. ... Unusually, the automatic version (which costs £800 more) is fractionally more economical and has slightly lower emissions – however it is slower at 13.5 seconds to 62 mph. ...As well as offering a supermini that will appeal on merit alongside others, the Jazz has a particular appeal for those who are trading down to a smaller car. ...Of much more interest to them are features like reliability and customer service, for proof of which Honda need only point out the JD Power results. They will also want low ownership costs, which means economy and, arguably more important, good residual value when it comes to selling. ...The price of the Honda Jazz 1.4i ES is £12,235 which makes it a keenly priced alternative to cars like the 1.4-litre petrol Ford Fiesta.

New Bentley Mulsanne unveiled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-17T14:48:02+01:00
The new Bentley Mulsanne was unveiled yesterday at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance near Monterey, California. Bentley Motors say the Mulsanne is inspired by the W.O. Bentley’s eight-litre of 1930 and, of course, named after the famous straight on the Le Mans circuit. Appropriately it W.O.’s own eight-litre company car that shared the podium with the new Mulsanne in Pebble Beach. Now owned by the Volkswage Group, Bentley Motors was at pains to stress the British heritage, pointing out that the new car has been conceived, styled and engineered at Bentley’s HQ n Crewe, where it will go into production on a new manufacturing facility next year. “The challenge we set our engineers was to create a new grand Bentley that would stand as the pinnacle of British luxury motoring, offering the world’s most exclusive driving experience,” Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors said at the launch. “They have responded to this challenge with real passion and the result is a luxury grand tourer that sets new standards in terms of comfort, effortless performance and hand-crafted refinement – the very qualities for which Bentley is renowned.” The design team aimed to create a new flagship offering classic sporting styling cues of a traditional Bentley, but expressed in a contemporary way. “From the very first hand sketches in the styling studio, we were inspired by the traditions of the grand touring Bentleys and have sought to evolve this story for a new generation of Bentley enthusiasts,” explained Dirk van Braeckel the design team leader. The Bentley Mulsanne will go on sale from mid 2010. More information about the new Bentley Mulsanne will be released at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.

The nation's best wheels?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-17T14:37:13+01:00
Approached by The Nation’s Best to nominate my best British car of all time (but not the Mini or the E-type which had already been nominated) I plumped for the original Range Rover. This is what I said: “My vote would be for the original Range Rover. It was the car that literally launched a whole new genre of vehicles that were not only practical for every day use, but could also take to the muddy stuff. Think of the number of SUVs that followed in the Range Rover’s wheeltracks. SUVs have been the real growth sector worldwide in recent years and it all started with that original Range Rover in 1970. All the major manufacturers offer this type of vehicle, with recent converts being Renault, Peugeot and Citroen. “In typical fashion, however, the UK motor industry at the time completely failed to play to its strengths. Instead of extending the idea of the Range Rover into smaller more affordable models, it sat back and watched the Japanese manufacturers steal that market. It took no less than 27 years to extend the idea to a small SUV with the launch the Freelander in 1997.” Do you agree? Have your say at The Nation’s Best.

Kia ups their game with new sharper looks

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-11T12:48:20+01:00
Kia Motors has issued a series of images showing a sharper, more confident look for future Kia models as they seek to shake of a worthy-but dull-image. The Kia VG: “no current plans to bring this model to the UK market” Most startling are the first images of the new premium saloon due to go on sale in Korea at the end of the year. Currently known by its code name VG, could the new car signal the way ahead for the rather unexciting Magentis. Although Kia says there are no current plans to bring this model to the UK market. ...The new sharper Kia look and corporate grille are also shown on other new models, with photos release of the new Kia Sorento, which is longer and lower than the current model. The new car will go on sale in the UK from October 1, after being unveiled in Europe at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. ...Also at Frankfurt will be the latest version of the Cee’d which also has the new corporate grille. The latest version will incorporate suspension revisions and will chase improved economy and emissions with a new stop-go system. The ECO-dynamics version to be launched for the first time in the UK, will have CO2 emissions reduced to 110 g/km. On average emissions will be cut by five per cent across the cee’d line-up. ...s=147247&v=2385&q=88128&r=16571">

Alfa's new junior hatch

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-08-11T10:46:09+01:00
They were great cars to drive, with more than a touch of Italian style and flair, but they were a little lacking in the durability department. ...Just as there was a geographical element to the Alfasud name (it meant Alfa-South to signify the factory location in the south of Italy), so it is with the Mito. ...Just looking at it you can see that the Mito is aimed at the market currently occupied by the MIni with its cutesy, chic looks. ...I found my own Mini enthusiast, Mrs Driveblog – who has owned two Minis in recent years and still pines for them. ...Where I do agree with Mrs D is that, while we both liked the DNA (dynamic, normal and all-weather) switch, its location is not handy, set ahead of the gearlever low on the centre console. ...The test car was the Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 TB Veloce, which is the top of the range petrol model in terms of performance and equipment. ...I like the way that the Mito is unmistakably an Alfa Romeo, with its classic grille shape and the number plate offset to one side. ...I like the way you can set the seat reasonably low (I much prefer sitting in a car to sitting on it!). The only fly in the ointment is that the steering wheel doesn’t come quite as low as I would like to match and with this straighter-leg driving position, legroom is only just adequate. ...On this model the 1.4-litre engine has a turbocharger which boosts the power output to 150 bhp. That DNA switch gives you extra sportiness at the flick of a switch, re-mapping the throttle settings, adjusting the dampers, the traction control and the boost pressure from the turbo. ...With a small capacity engine you can expect good economy if you switch back to ‘normal’ and go canny on the accelerator. ...In price, power and performance terms that slots this Mito somewhere between the Mini Cooper and the Mini Cooper S, which is probably quite a good place to be.

Schumacher to make sensational return

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-30T16:17:52+01:00
Michael Schumacher is about to return to the Formula 1 circuit to take the place of Filipe Massa injured by flying debris in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The announcement that Schumacher, seven-times world champion, will drive for Ferrari in the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23 ended speculation. On Tuesday there were conflicting messages from within the Ferrari-Michael Schumacher camp. Michael Schumacher working on the development of the new Ferrari Californian One announcement said he would come out of retirement to take the vacant Ferrari seat. But almost coinciding with this was a statement from Schumacher’s entourage pouring cold water on the idea. Now 40, Schumacher retired at the end of the 2006 season.

Latest Golf GTI is a real driver's car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-30T16:54:21+01:00
It doesn’t seem that long ago since I was raving about the then new Volkswagen Golf GTI, but now there’s an even newer one and I’ve just been driving for the past week. ...As with previous evolutions of the Golf, this one is not going to stop you in your tracks. In the week that I drove it, I only saw one head turn in apparent recognition that this was something new. ...The steering wheel – probably the most important point of contact between the driver and the car – feels great with a nice thick rim and little thumb cut-outs. ... With the driver’s seat set almost at the back of its runners, I did find I was having to peer round the door pillar at junctions. ...Longer-legged adults may find the knee space a little limited, however, but that’s probably a result of those big, comfortable and supportive sports seats in the front. Equipment levels are good and, although the test car did not have the optional navigation, it did come with the screen which is used for some of the car’s settings, including the audio. ...It is nice around town to be able to drive the car like an automatic and then, out of town, to benefit from the lightening quick gearchanges that this box is capable of. ...In truth, I found the auto was so good at choosing ratios that I tended to leave gearshifts to the expert most of the time. ...As before you wonder if the car sees the road ahead, so uncanny is its ability to choose the right gear most of the time. ...Using restraint I was getting over 30 mpg, but with the DSG in sports and enjoying both the performance and the crisp engine note this would easily drop into the mid to low 20s. ...The handling, ride and steering all had a fluidity to them, but with enough feedback for the driver to feel really in control.

Toyota Avensis Tourer with big car comforts

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-26T19:10:00+01:00
You could almost swear that the Toyota Avensis Tourer came off the same production line as the Honda Accord Tourer, so similar is their appearance. ...But, whereas the Honda had a more classy interior, to my eyes the Toyota is a not entirely happy marriage of textures and finishes. ...In a touch of up-market theatre, the Toyota Avensis Tourer T-Spirit test car has one of those trick steering wheels that motors itself out of the way to make getting in and out easier. ...Once i knew where it was, I still found the parking brake button awkward to find and awkward to use, tucked away under the dashboard on the left of the steering column. ...I’m not a fan of electric handbrakes on manual gearbox cars at the best of times, but the difficult location of this one made it even less user friendly. ...We have become used to what I call “paranoid unlocking”, where only the driver’s door unlocks when you first press the plipper. Well, on the Toyota both front doors opened, whether you used the keyless entry or the plipper, but the rear doors needed a second press to unlock. ...Then I found that front passenger had to fumble to find the internal locking rocker before they could even open the door to get out. ...Back on a positive note, my test car was the T Spirit 2.2 D-4D and the engine is certainly impressively refined. Diesel noise is so subdued that you can only just detect it when you open a door at tickover. ...Acceleration 0-62 takes just 9.2 seconds, a performance yardstick that, not so many years ago, would have put this into the sports category. ...Toyota is the world’s leading motor manufacturer and that indicates in the most graphic manner that most people are more than satisfied with its products. ...The large carpeted load floor takes 543 litres with the rear seats up, almost three times that with the seats down, one of the best load floors of any estate car in this class.

Vitara loses individuality

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-14T19:37:27+01:00
(More recent examples of cars that are likely to bear company names are, the Mini, the Volkswagen Beetles and of course the Smart For 2.) In its latest incarnation, however, the Suzuki Grand Vitara has, to my eye at least, lost that distinction. ...My test car was the Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 SZ5 in its latest 2009 specification, which means modifications to the engine, the dashboard and improvements to refinement thanks to modified door seals and sound insulation. ...Unlike so many others in this class, the Grand Vitara has a low-ratio on the five-speed gearbox and you can also lock the central differential for the real slippy stuff. I took the Vitara across my heather moor test track and, not surprisingly, it passed the test with flying colours dispatching the heather-wading with ease and romping up the slippery grass slope in true 4x4 fashion. So, while it is at home off road, I found the Vitara rather uninspiring on-road companion. The floppy gear lever seemed to find the right one out of the five gears for me, but it just didn’t feel good. ... In saying that, I am recognising that off-roaders (thanks to their taller tyres with flexible sidewalls) are never going to feel as sharp as a low-profile tyres on a sports hatch or saloon. ...The Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 SZ5 is the top-of-the-range model at £18,475. ... Forego some of the nice things on the SZ5 specification (like heated leather seats , upgraded stereo, brighter headlights and a sunroof) and you can get a Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4 for £14,600. That’s almost £6,700 less than the cheapest Land Rover Freelander 2, or almost £4,500 less than a Toyota RAV4. Bear in mind, also, that neither of these cars offers the real off-road equipment of a low ratio gearbox let alone a lockable central differential. ...Here is an opportunity to buy a powerful 4x4 with real off-road ability for a very competitive price.

Citroen's little Tardis

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-10T17:36:13+01:00
If the people at the BBC are looking for something funky to replace the police box in future episodes of Dr Who, then perhaps they should consider equipping the new doctor with a Citroen C3 Picasso. It’s based on the Citroen C3 (he said, stating the obvious) but with ambitions to be a mini MPV (or, I suppose that would be “mini minivan” to our American cousins). ...Into its 3.86-metre length it packs four (possibly five if very compact) seats and 282 litres of luggage space (1160 litres with the back seat folded down). The Citroen C3 Picasso is just 21 cm longer than the hatch, yet it offers considerably more passenger and 76% more load space at 500 litres with the back seat in place (three times that at 1506 litres, with the seat folded). ...True, you can get a 1.1-litre version of the Citroen C3, whereas the Picasso starts at 1.4-litre. ...Yes, I know this is a little ironic after going on about the space in the C3 Picasso, but I am notorious for needing long legroom. ... To be ideal I would have liked maybe an inch or so more legroom on the driver’s seat. ...Head space in the back is equally generous and knee room is also good if you don’t sit behind a longest-legged driver. ...As you would expect from a vehicle with aspirations to be an MPV, there are some additional storage spaces. ...The view from the driver’s seat is unusual, but good with a big windscreen and small quarterlights ahead of the main door pillars. ...From a safety perspective, the ESP system is standard on the more upmarket models, but costs an additional £350 on the two base models. ...The 1.6 diesel engine on the Citroen C3 Picasso VTR+ HDI is gruff, but more in a gutsy way than the unpleasant drone of some small diesels. ... As the 14.7-second 0-62 mph time indicates, this car is not at its best sling-shotting away from a standstill.

New Jaguar XJ revealed

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-09T21:07:35+01:00
Jay Leno, one of the world's best-known chat show hosts and a renowned car enthusiast, was the host for the launch of the new Jaguar XJ tonight at the Saatchi Gallery in London. ... ...“The new XJ is truly beautiful, exhilarating to drive, and with its bold, enlightened approach to design, it meets the challenges of our fast-changing world. ...Its visual impact stems from the elongated teardrop shape of the car’s side windows, that powerful stance and its wide track,” said Ian Callum, Design Director of Jaguar Cars. ... ...Jaguar say it is not just about style, but also helps to enable that lower coupé-style roof, while giving a light and airy ambience to the interior. ...The XJ's cabin is said to blend elegant, contemporary design with the comfort, luxury and sporting style expected of a Jaguar. ...Other range options are XJ Supercharged and the top-of-the-range XJ Supersport which includes luxuries like a leather roof-lining, semi-aniline leather seats and veneers with laser inlays. Jaguar say their aim has been to create an environment which is more akin to a state-of-the-art living space than a simple car cabin. Virtual Instruments in 12.3-inch high-definition complement an innovative, Dual-View technology eight-inch touch-screen that can project DVD movies or television programmes to the passenger, while the driver views vehicle functions or follows satellite navigation. Premium surround sound options include the top-of-the-range 1200W Bowers & Wilkins system, which is comparable in audio quality to the best in-home entertainment. ...The engine choice starts with a 3.0-litre V6 diesel, and 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8 and 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engines producing 470 horsepower. ...Features such as air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (continuously variable damping), Active Differential Control and quick-ratio power steering combine, say Jaguar, to deliver a blend of responsive, dynamic handling and refined, supple ride.

Suzuki Alto returns

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-06T13:51:32+01:00
Ever since my student days when I tried to extract maximum performance from my 875cc Hillman Imp with just the merest whiff of petrol. I was driving along a favourite B-road in the Suzuki Alto, when my brain made the connection back over the years. ...The Alto was also the first three-cylinder car I had driver for some time. ...As you would expect the economy is strong and – although there was no way to check my consumption – a combined consumption figure of 64.2 mpg suggest good economy should be well within reach. ...Frustratingly Suzuki engineers have fought to reduce the CO2 output, but have just failed to squeeze it into the free car tax bracket by just three grammes. ...The driving position is tall and you sit on, rather than in the driver’s seat. So, when it came to time to choose some back roads that would avoid the rush hour traffic, I feared this car would not be the most enjoyable to drive on a twisty country road. But, after only quarter of a mile driving along the twisty blackstuff, my mood was good andI was reminiscing in my mind about those student days. The original Suzuki Alto grabbed a niche in the market by being the only small hatchback to be offered with automatic (indeed, if my memory is not playing tricks, you could only get in the UK in automatic form). ...Also, the original Alto was a four-door car and, again, the new one stays true to that heritage. That makes the Alto more accessible than three door hatches and the interior is remarkably spacious for such a small car. ...Suzuki is forecasting between six and seven thousand Alto sales for the year and currently around half of their 2,100 sales for June and July are for Alto. ...The extra money brings you safety equipment like ESP as standard, alloy wheels and split folding rear seats (in place of single piece folding seat backs on the lower models).

Aston-ishing small car concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-06T16:25:59+01:00
Aston Martin has surprised the motoring world with the unveiling of a new small car concept. Based on the Toyota IQ the Cygnet would be positioned as a luxury commuter car, offering Aston Martin distinction and luxury for owners of Aston Martin’s ‘mainstream’ models. You keep your DBS, DB9 or Vantage for grand touring on high days and holidays, but for the daily commute you take the more practical, more eco-friendly Cygnet commuter car. The Toyota IQ was chosen because it offered the best potential for Aston Martin’s trademark designalong with a Euro NCAP 5-star safety package. In some quarters it is suggested that this collaboration with Toyota could develop into other areas and Aston Martin say the two companies “share the philosophy of engineering excellence and innovation underlined by a strong passion for cars”. “Now is the right time for Aston Martin to take this first bold step to embark on this special project – made possible with the support of an organisation of Toyota’s stature and capability and the intelligent design and perfect city car package of the iQ,” says Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez. Dr Bez added that much work still had to be done but he was confident that this project could become reality in the not too distant future. “This concept – akin to an exclusive tender to a luxury yacht – will allow us to apply Aston Martin design language, craftsmanship and brand values to a completely new segment of the market,” he conclluded.

Audi A3 – the pocket executive

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-07-04T20:05:47+01:00
Knowing the Audi A3 very well, I could spot a few of the updates – the lights, the move of the indicator repeaters to the door mirrors, for example. But I had to park a new and an old model side by side to spot things like the subtle re-working of the grille and the sculpted line that now runs from the bonnet down either side of the grille. The lightness of touch in this facelift suggests that Audi felt there was little wrong with the A3. ... This a model that seems to have increased its appeal as the years have gone on, especially with models like the Audi S3 adding a certain charisma to the range. ...But, I can confirm that this car carried five adults with not too many complaints from those shoe-horned into the back seat. ...I have to admit that seeing the 1.4 designation on the list made me fear lowly performance. ...The 0-62 time is quoted at 9.4 seconds – a time that would have put the 1.4 TFSI well into hot hatch territory not so many years ago. But this is not a car that you would buy as a hot hatch enthusiast. ...The result is that the A3 1.4 TSFI felt a little soft on the twisty B-roads that make up a large junk of my office commute. ...As a lowly model in the Audi A3 range there appears to be no trip computer, so I cannot give you any actual economy figures from my test, but the official combined figure is 49.6 mpg. It is normal in the Volkswagen Group to find the same platform and engine available from other other group companies, like Volkswagen and Skoda. ...The Audi A3 1.4 TFSI is positioned as a premium model and priced as such, starting at £16,880 and rising to £17,515 for the SE. ...I really liked the Audi A3 1.4 TFSI and if, like me, you don't mind paying a little more for the finer things in life and you want a small family hatchback, the A3 is very possibly the car for you.

Jaguar designer talks about the new XJ

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-06-22T18:30:05+01:00
We have a month to wait for the announcement of the new Jaguar XJ in July, but Jaguar designer Ian Callum has been giving a little insight into the new car and Jaguar has released some ‘teaser’ images. Ian Callum says: “The car is very modern, and it certainly meets up the expectations of people who understand design with a capital D, I have no doubt about that whatsoever. And that’s all you get to see until next month! ...It’s also a very designer led car so that combination, I think, is quite unique. The lines are beautiful, but we reinterpreted them in quite a different way that actually is right and correct for the twenty-first century – and that is what’s important. A Jaguar should be very beautiful, very clear in its intent, but relevant for its time. “With this car I really do feel that I’ve taken almost thirty years of learning and put it into something that is very complete for me; and that’s taken a lot of discipline, a lot of pushing; on my part, on my design teams part, and the engineers. But I think we’ve achieved something very special indeed.”

Record low for road deaths and injuries

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-06-25T18:18:00+01:00
Figures announced by the UK Government show that deaths and injuries on Britain’s roads have reached an all-time record low. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has welcomed progress towards making Britain’s roads the safest in the world. ...There were 2,538 deaths on UK roads in 2008, down from 2,946 in 2007. ...Pedestrian deaths fell below 600 for the first time (to 572), a reduction of more than a third over the last 10 years (in 1998, 906 pedestrians were killed). Pedal cyclist deaths fell from 136 in 2007 to 115 in 2008, but there was an increase in the number of cyclists seriously injured from 2,428 in 2007 to 2,450 in 2008. There were 493 motorcycle user fatalities (down from 588 in 2007), but deaths still remain higher than they were in the mid-1990s. However, RoSPA is very concerned that child deaths did not follow this pattern and rose from 121 in 2007 to 124 in 2008. ...This new record low shows that the fall in road deaths is a trend, not a statistical blip,” said Kevin Clinton, RoSPA head of road safety. “Every reduction in these numbers represents a person who has not been killed or injured and a family which has not suffered the devastation caused by a road accident.” ...“Even though the numbers have fallen significantly over the last 10 years, we need to understand why the latest figures are so bad for child deaths and get back on track to reducing them again. “Each and every one of us should think about the safety of children and how our personal actions, especially when driving, affect the wellbeing of our most vulnerable road users. We must all play our part in making sure that the number of children killed and injured on the roads this year is much lower than the figures revealed today.” ...s=66740&v=1390&q=54658&r=16571">

New Bentley, no that really is all!

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-06-10T19:04:00+01:00
As teases go, Bentley’s “All-new Grand Bentley” is worthy of a marque with mystique. All they are showing at the moment is this dark photo showing some of the sweeping lines of the new “Grand Bentley” and the quote from W O Bentley’s first customer in October 1921: “The reason I bought a Bentley was because of its exceptional performance in all respects on the road. Such features…leave nothing to be desired.” Noel Van Raalte And, yes, that really is all that we know at the moment.

Renault small sporting estate

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-05-28T16:24:02+01:00
So well known is the Renault Clio that its estate car sibling, the Clio Sport Tourer, is a little in shadows. I coaxed it out to give it the chance to prove itself on a five-day test as my everyday transport. It was almost exactly a year ago that Renault started taking orders for the new Clio Sport Tourer. It may be one of the smallest estate cars on the UK market at just 4.2 metres long, but – as we proved on a long weekend tour of the garden centres (where our wallets grew lighter as the car grew heavier) the Clio Sport Tourer can carry quite substantial loads. ...Boot space with the rear seat in place, at 439 litres – is more than 50% greater than the hatchback. With the seats folded down, this extends to 1277 litres – up 23% on the hatchback. ...This is also where you can stow the parcel shelf when the seats are down. ...The fact that Renault put the word “Sport” into the title suggests that this new car is more aimed at customers who want to carry sports gear, than those who frequent garden centres. ...The cost of the additional load-carrying ability is £850, when you compare the Clio Sport Tourer with the five-door Clio hatch. Prices range from £12,095 for the 1.2 16V 75 to £14,495 for the dCi 106. ...The interior is pleasant and quite well laid out, although I was slightly amused at the desperation of the designers to avoid conventional controls, like knobs that you turn. Instead, the Clio Sport Tourer utilises roller ball controls wherever possible, sometimes with less easily controllable results. ...s=64327&v=1457&q=52328&r=16571">

GM Europe continues as US operations bankrupt

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-06-01T21:43:53+01:00
GM Europe has issued a press statement to make it clear that the European operations of the car giant are continuing as normal and are not included in the moves for bankruptcy protection by the US parent. The statement also confirms that GM Europe has secured bridge financing from the German government and conclusion of a ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MOU) to partner with Magna International Inc. ...“This has been a very intense and at times difficult negotiation over the past several days,” said GM Europe President, Carl-Peter Forster. “We’re extremely grateful to the various members of the German Government, led by Chancellor Merkel and Vice Chancellor Steinmeier, the various German ministries as well as the federal state governments of Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia, and the leadership of the U.S. ...“The process for a future partnership in Adam Opel GmbH has moved a critical step forward with the MOU reached with Magna International, whose leadership has shown strong commitment to this project. With the financing, even with the GM actions in the US, we can now confidently say to our employees, customers, suppliers and dealers that it’s business as usual as we go through the process of creating a new, more independent Opel/Vauxhall.” General Motors Europe has secured approval for a €1.5 billion bridge financing agreement with the German government based on the partnership with Magna, which will allow sufficient time to finalize the partnership agreement. With this available financing, the European operations are isolated from any financial impact by GM’s situation in the U.S. Under the agreement, the Opel/Vauxhall group of assets have been pooled under Adam Opel GmbH, with the majority of the shares of Adam Opel GmbH being put into an independent trust (the balance to remain with General Motors), while final negotiations with Magna proceed. UK Government ministers have been lobbying to secure the GM Europe jobs at Vauxhall. ...s=4675&v=286&q=2599&r=16571">

GM ready to offload Hummer

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-06-02T21:29:36+01:00
General Motors, which yesterday filed for bankruptcy protection, says it has reached an understanding with a buyer to sell its Hummer brand. The sale is not expected to take place until the third quarter of this year and is subject to a number of conditions. Hummer, ready to ride off into the sunset with a new owner Following yesterday’s turmoil – when the motor giant became the biggest industrial bankruptcy in the USA just a month after Chrysler’s similar move for bankruptcy protection – GM say the deal is expected to secure more than 3,000 US jobs. GM, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers, was founded in 1908. It manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries with a worldwide employment total of 235,000 in some 140 countries.

Qashquai grows up

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-05-25T20:04:15+01:00
In my first road test of the Nissan Qashqai I pointed out that – despite its off-roader-meets-MPV looks, it really was just a normal four or five-door hatchback with different packaging. ...s=24506&v=323&q=3315&r=16571"> Apart from the handy additional two seats in the back, the practicality of the interior remains much the same as the previous Qashqai I tested. ... The shape of Qashqai enables quite upright seating and that almost invariably, as with Qashqai, is more practical use of space than a lower slung posture. ...But the official combined figure of 35.8 mpg for the automatic show it is almost 4.5 mpg worse off than the manual. ... So, to a lesser degree, will sacrificing the rear driven wheels, the equivalent front wheel drive model is almost two mpg more economical.

The future is electric

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-05-22T08:55:35+01:00
That’s the message I got from speaking to industry experts at the All Energy exhibition in Aberdeen this week. ...At least in the immediate term the opinion of those I spoke to was that hydrogen and fuel cell technology has important applications, but that for our cars electricity is not only simpler but rapidly reaching practical levels of performance and range. The Tesla has well and truly scotched the myth that electric cars will have all the performance of a Co-op milk float. Cars like the Ev’ie – based on the Citroen C1 – have shown that electric cars can also be safe, practical and relatively affordable (the prices are bound to drop as volumes increase). ...So, with performance and enhanced range in the pipeline, the electric car could satisfy our need for personal transport. ...The criticism has always been that they simply move emissions from the tailpipe to the power stations, the majority of which are still powered by “dirty” fossil fuel. But, that will change, given the pace of green energy technology was nowhere better demonstrated than at All Energy. ...The message from the blue-sky thinkers at All Energy is that onshore wind is the mature technology that can give us an immediate boost to our generation capacity – albeit that it only replaces fossil fuel generation when there is a wind. The buzz at the show surrounded the offshore generations potential, with many eyes on the huge generation potential of the Pentland Firth between Caithness and the Orkney Isles. In theory, it is said, this strip of sea could produce all the energy requirement of the entire United Kingdom, once the technology is mature. ...The North Sea oil and gas industry, is and still remains, a testament to the enterprise, determination and engineering capability centred on Aberdeen, which is now a world centre second only to Houston in Texas. ...Also the determination of Aberdeen City and Shire to follow its domination of the oil and gas industry and ride the renewable wave. ...s=149056&v=2345&q=88811&r=16571">

Chrysler files bankruptcy and links with Fiat

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-30T19:02:19+01:00
Troubled US motoring giant Chrysler, which today filed for bankruptcy protection against its creditors, has announced what it calls a “global strategic alliance” with Fiat. Management at Chrysler are clearly desperate to put a positive spin on the story, talking of the alliance creating a “vibrant new company” that will “have access to additional markets”. "This partnership transforms Chrysler into a vibrant new company with a wealth of strategic advantages,” said Bob Nardelli, Chairman and CEO of Chrysler. “It enables us to better serve our customers and dealers with a broader and more competitive line-up of environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient high-quality vehicles. Benefits to the new company include access to exciting products that complement our current portfolio, technology cooperation and stronger global distribution." ...The announcement also reveals that Chrysler have been in discussions with Fiat for more than a year. Earlier today, under the direction of the US Treasury, Chrysler LLC and 24 of its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiaries filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 of the U.S. ...It will nowl file a motion under Section 363 of the Bankruptcy Code requesting the swift approval by the Court of the agreement with Fiat and the sale of Chrysler’s principal assets to the new company. Chrysler say the aim is to have a new leaner company established in a matter of 30 to 60 days. “To create this vibrant new company, we are using this structured bankruptcy to rapidly implement tough but necessary changes, including: the agreed upon wage and benefit structure for active and retired employees that is competitive with those of transplant manufacturers; a reduction of debt and interest expense; the disposition of idle assets; a rationalized and more efficient dealer network; and sound agreements with our suppliers,” said Nardelli. Chrysler’s Mexican, Canadian and other international operations are not part of any bankruptcy filing. ...s=2403&v=172&q=1481&r=16571">

Fiesta joins the tax-beaters

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-28T18:34:21+01:00
So with lowered suspension and an ultra-economical diesel, you can assume that this car is not going to be a great drive, can’t you? ...Emboldened by my rather pleasant experience with that other road-tax beater, the Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion, I decided to take the Fiesta Econetic on a 200-mile A-road round trip. ...As soon as I turned the starter, I was impressed with how well suppressed is the diesel engine noise is. Sure, there is a little extra vibration through the pedals and gearbox compared with the petrol models, but it is well damped and not as unpleasant as it is some diesels. The air of quiet big-car refinement is only broken by occasional types of road surface which seem to generate noticeable roar from those low-resistance tyres. ...As with a lot of ultra-economical diesels I have driven recently, the Fiesta Econetic feels very tall geared. ... But, whereas some of the other eco-champions have actually let me down by dying at the head of a queue at a busy junction, the Fiesta Econetic did not. The 0-62 mph yardstick is always unkind to cars of this type and, sure enough, the Fiesta Econetic’s 12.3 seconds to 62 mph is unremarkable. ...(Well, when you have 100 miles to drive for a meeting, the difference between 50 mph and 60 mph is significant.) ...I never noticed the lack of ground clearance from the lowered suspension and the ride quality was every bit as good as the Fiesta I drove previously and the handling just as sharp and rewarding. ...On the way there, with reasonably traffic conditions, I achieved an overall of a little over 60 mpg despite pressing on as much as traffic allowed. ...So, if you want to stop paying Alistair Darling’s road tax and too much fuel tax, which of these tax-beaters would you choose? ...But it is £450 that I would try to find because of the Fiesta’s big-car feel and more refined engine.

SMMT welcomes Budget scrappage

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-22T14:24:54+01:00
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has welcomed government’s introduction of a scrappage incentive scheme to kick-start demand in the car and van market. The scheme, due to start in May 2009, will see government offer a £1,000 incentive to be matched by participating vehicle manufacturers when scrapping a taxed, insured and MOT’d car or van over ten years old which they have owned for at least one year. But some older cars will definitely not be offered as part of the deal! ...“This is good news for consumers and will get people back into showrooms, kick-starting demand in the market,” said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt . “The scheme recognises the economic value of the motor industry and we are determined to make it a success. There is clearly a great deal to do and we look forward to discussing the finer detail of the proposal with government in the coming days.” ...At the end of 2008 the number of cars over ten years old was 9,528,582 and the number of light commercial vehicles is 993,731.

Kia goes soulful

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-22T09:28:53+01:00
Its funky looks were inspired by Kia’s US design team in California and the newcomer is clearly aimed at the young, or young-at-heart. Kia hope that Soul buyers will be more style-conscious and expect them to look at the colour options and the accessories, before they focus on the bottom line price. ...There is even a hint of Range Rover in the looks, accentuated by the dummy grille and indicator repeater on its flanks, just below the windscrean. ...On some Soul models there are brighter colours, but the Soul 2 test car was largely black and grey. ...Once you have found the fiddly way to open the catch and lift it, the surprise is that this small cavern in the dash is finished in bright red. ...The interior of Soul 2 has a considerable amount of black and grey plastic in this interior, but – that accepted this is quite a pleasant place to be. ...There will be a three tier model line up in the UK starting with Soul Originals, plus Soul 1 and Soul 2. ... Rather unusually, Kia plan to ring the changes with a rolling programme of special models that will be refreshed about once a year. ...The Soul does not appear to have an mpg read out, so I cannot give you my actual mileage over the test period. ...I had feared a rather sloppy ride with degrees of lean that might be expected from a tall, boxy design of this type. ... It won’t get you enthused in the way that a Mini will, but it is a competent and pleasant companion on country roads. ...The Soul range starts at £10,495, with the diesel coming in at a £12,495 – a £1,000 premium over the equivalent petrol Soul 2. With, at best, a 4.4 mpg advantage for the diesel, it would only be highest-mileage users that would be likely to justify the extra.

50 limit moves up agenda

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-21T08:48:03+01:00
Laudably our politicians are keen to reduce the number of accidents on our roads. The figures may be at their lowest for 50 years, but any accident or fatality is one too many. However, as seems to happen all too often in politics, the result seems to be driven more by political expedient than by logic. The proposal to drop the speed limit on single carriageway roads is contained in a Department for Transport consultation. ...Thanks to Government statistics we know that exceeding speed limits is a factor in only 5% of accidents. We also know that “failure to look properly” cause SIX times as many accidents as exceeding speed limits. ...Of course you would focus most effort on measures to mitigate the “failure to look properly”. You would do that by looking at ways to improve visibility (day running lights on all cars?) ... • encourage drivers to concentrate more on the speedometer than they do on observation (which, remember, is the cause of most accidents)? I really fear that the 50 mph limit could actually make our roads worse. We all know that there will be many slower drivers who will welcome the justification to drive more slowly and will plant their cars, four-square, in the middle of the road at 45 mph. I fear that the resulting frustration will undoubtedly cause accidents as the red mist descends and people attempt skin-of-the-teeth overtaking manoeuvres. Are those politicians and legislators who support the 50 mph limit banking that these additional accidents will be less than the fraction of 5% that a lower limit might save?

Insignia makes a stronger case

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-10T15:19:13+01:00
If you simply count the number of vehicles sold, the Vauxhall Vectra has to go down as a successful model. But as Ford found with the Mondeo, being the darling of the fleet buyers can be a double-edged sword. ...The margins in the mainstream car market may be very tight, but they are wafer-thin in the fleet market. ...Not sure it is quite “breathtaking”... but it is certainly looks really good – a considerable advance on the model it follows. ...One is the soon-to-be-available forward facing camera which can warn the driver if they are veering from the straight-and-narrow. ...There is also a lighting set up that – using a total of nine light functions — adapts the lighting to suit the conditions. ... When a third of car accidents in the UK are caused by drivers not looking properly, anything that improves visibility has to be a big ‘plus’ in my book! ...This is the smallest of the engine sizes in the range, so it is not surprising that I found the acceleration a little flat in the overtaking range. ...It may not be rapid, but the 1.8-litre is the model to go for if you want good economy and lower tax. ... This latter figure was close to my best of 35 mpg on a country road route around tow, but I freely admit I was not driving with economy uppermost in my mind. ... ...To sum up, I found the Insignia a very pleasant, relaxed and refined car to drive. It really does have a quality feel to it and, for that reason alone, it is a huge improvement on the Vectra.

Seat Ibiza offers budget price motoring

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-04-08T18:34:53+01:00
I had just hopped aboard the Seat Ibiza for the first time and was busy adjusting seats, steering wheel and mirrors. Yes, mirrors... that was the point at which the door mirror adjustment pod came off the door in my hand. Having recently driven the new Volkswagen Golf 1.4 SE, I suppose I might have been expecting too much. Maybe I was looking for similar sort of restrained, good taste and feeling of rock solid build quality from this offering also from the Volkswagen Group stable. I suppose the rather lurid metallic green of the test car should have announced to me straight away that Seat is rather different in style from Volkswagen itself. ...But although there are five doors, there is not much room behind a long-legged driver. In my case there would definitely have to be some horse-trading between rear-seat passenger and driver to accommodate any reasonable legroom in the back. Perhaps inevitably you can see and feel that the interior has been produced to meet the keen price tag. ...On each journey the Ibiza seemed to produce unremarkable mpg figures for the first few miles, but then it would gradually creep up and by the time I reached my destination the trip computer would be displaying between 35 and 39 mpg. ...The engine is not the most lively and I found I had to use a reasonably heavy right foot to keep up a good pace. Anyone with a more leisurely lifestyle and a lighter foot, should be able to get over 40 mpg with ease. With that sort of economy – weighed against the extra initial cost and pump price of diesel – this is yet another car that makes you stop and wonder about the sense of buying the oil burning version. Unless you plan to do a huge mileage, cars like this show that it is no longer the obvious choice.

Talk of 50 mph limit avoids the issue

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-28T13:46:34+00:00
UK Government ministers are said to be considering a 50 mph for all single-carriageway roads. It would be up to local authorities to raise the speed limit to 60 mph on roads that they deemed to be suitable. This fixation with speed limits is getting out of hand. Government statistics show that – at most – exceeding the speed limit is a factor in only 5% of road accidents. It follows, therefore that 19 out of every 20 accidents is unrelated to speed limits. If our politicians are really interested (as they should be) in improving safety on what are already some of the safest roads in the world, should they not be prioritising their action? What is the cause of most accidents? According to the Government figures, it is nothing more technical than a “failure to look properly”. This is a factor in around one-third of all accidents. Now, that really is a quite shocking statistic. So, would encouraging people to look properly and measures to improve visibility not be a more important priority for any politician who really wants to get serious about road safety? ... • Ironically, the fixation with speed limits and enforcement is encouraging us to spend more time with our eyes focussed on the speedometer, rather than the road. Given that the biggest cause of accidents is “failure to look properly”, that must be a concern.

Volkswagen cautious with new Golf

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-24T13:20:22+00:00
Looking back to the 1970s, Volkswagen realised the Golf was absolutely critical to its furutre when the original Beetle was being pensioned off to Mexico. ... In the years since, these two models have diverged somewhat – the Golf growing in size and moving a little upmarket, while the Polo has remained truer to its original size. But there is a hint of Volkswagen’s concern not to rock the boat in the history of the Golf. New models, often as not, have been met with a degree of disappointment from those who like to see a more radical look for new models. ...During my week with the car, no-one exclaimed “is that the new Volkswagen Golf?”, no-one asked for the keys and not a single head turned. ...Again, there is a functional style to the interior, but Volkswagen have responded to some criticism of the previous interior. ...Space is good for a hatchback of this size with good rear seat room and, thanks to good packaging, a very usable luggage area with the usual ability to fold down the rear seat for large loads. ...My test car was the 1.4 SE FSI, so I cannot gauge how well the Volkswagen team have suppressed the noise of the diesel models, but the petrol test car is nicely hushed. Combine that with a chassis set up that seems pretty near perfect for a family hatch and this Golf won me over on the open road. ... Combine this with tight body control and sharp steering and the Golf proved to be an enjoyable companion on my commute, which involves some twisty country roads with crumbling tarmac. You could perhaps wish for a little more feedback from the steering, but what does get telegraphed through to you confirms that this is a very competent chassis. The 1.4-litre FSI engine puts out 122PS giving the car a very respectable 0-62 mph of 9.5 seconds. ... I regularly managed 35 mpg or more, which leaves me wondering why anyone but the highest-mileage driver would pay the premium for a diesel, plus the additional cost at the pumps.

2010 British International Motor Show cancelled

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-19T15:48:35+00:00
Following consultation with the UK motor industry, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has taken the decision to cancel the 2010 British International Motor Show. The SMMT blames the economic downturn and the “unprecedented challenges” facing the industry both in the UK and around the world. “The British International Motor Show is the UK’s largest consumer exhibition, hugely popular with the public, and has been attracting increasing numbers of visitors over recent years, making the decision to cancel the 2010 Show an extremely difficult one,” said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt. Both SMMT and International Motor Industry Events, who organise the show, have said that they want to organise the show when market conditions permit.

Motor Club celebrates centenary

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-17T10:49:45+00:00
Aberdeen and District Motor Club is celebrating its centenary this Saturday, with a dinner addressed by former top co-driver and BMC, then Ford competitions boss Stuart Turner The club started in 1909 with its focus on motorcycling, opening its doors to automobilists shortly thereafter. In more recent times the motorcycle members went off to form the Bon Accord Motorcycle Club. Aberdeen club members have won the British Championship in rallying (David Gillanders pictured) and hill climbs with Graeme Wight Junior. The club has run continuously since 1909, with only breaks for the two world wars. In the first, many of the club’s members became dispatch riders. In the 1960s, the club came to national prominence with its motor races at Crimond and Edzell. It was at Crimond that Scotland's two-times World Champion, Jim Clark had his first race. Later the club started the long-running hill climbs at Fintray, near Dyce, and the Granite City Rally – both events reaching British Championship status.

A limo for the price of a hatch

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-17T10:10:33+00:00
When Skoda developed their range-topping executive car they delved back into their history – as they had with previous models – to dust off a name from their illustrious past. ...But, when Tatra car production ceased, attention turned to the Czech republic’s other best-known vehicle manufacturer to come up with a car to fill the role of state limousine. ...If you have rear seat passengers, it is much more comfortable not to open the hatch and blast them with air from outside by opening just the boot. But, if you have bigger loads to carry, you have the full flexibility of a hatchback with large tailgate and folding seats to offer a huge load area. ...The new Superb can look a little ungainly when photographed from some angles, so I am happy to say that – while it won’t win awards for its beauty – I reckon it looks a lot better in the metal. ... My test car was the 2.0 TDI and the general air of refinement was broken just occasionally by the diesel grumble under acceleration. The test car reaches 62 mph in a quoted 10.2 seconds, but there is also a more powerful 170 bhp two-litre diesel available in two and (for the first time on the Superb) four-wheel-drive. For ultimate performance, you can get a four-wheel-drive 3.6-litre Superb, complete with Volkswagen’s excellent DSG gearbox. This flagship model has pretty brisk performance with 0-62 mph in just 6.6 seconds, but at the cost of higher CO2 emission, higher fuel consumption and a £26,640 purchase price. My two-litre diesel test car gave a very respectable 35 and 40 mpg in a week of commuting and the occasional country road drive. ...At that price you are getting limousine standards of space, quite a bit of luxury and high specification for the price of a reasonably up-market family hatchback or saloon. For someone who needs a car to carry four or five adults in exceptional comfort, such as company car drivers or taxi operators, the Superb could prove just perfect.

Ford Iosis Max concept points way for Focus

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-05T16:28:35+00:00
Ford is to unveil its new Iosis Max concept car at the Geneva Motor Show, confirming that it expresses the design direction for its next generation of global C-cars. The iosis MAX is described as “a dynamic Multi Activity Vehicle (MAV)” and features a number of novel features, such as new door opening designs, lightweight materials, aerodynamic advances, and the new “clean and lean” EcoBoost petrol engine technology coming in 2010. The design team sought to create a strong impression of lightness and efficiency, reinforced by the extensive use of glass in the vehicle. The steeply raked front screen flows back in one piece to the tailgate, revealing a skeletal roof structure underneath. The front of the iosis MAX is dominated by the bold trapezoidal lower grille, which is now a key part of the Ford brand identity. For the first time, however, the grille features a distinctive new treatment with three horizontal chrome-rimmed bars, to give it a more imposing look. ...They act as spoilers, channelling airflow as close as possible to the tailgate glass for optimum aerodynamic efficiency. The pillars work in combination with a dramatic rear spoiler which is centrally-mounted at the rear of the roof structure, with its wings cantilevered above the tailgate glass. Imaginative details catch the eye all around the vehicle, including the striking new graphics for the front and rear lamps, stylish LED lighting strips in the rocker panels, and stunning 19-inch alloy wheels with a lightweight two-piece construction. Inside the concept uses advanced materials to create an interior environment which is light, spacious and expressive. The interior has a spine-like bridge which runs the full length of the interior from the bulkhead through to the rear load area. ... The seats are cantilevered from the bridge, allowing for an uninterrupted floor space and giving occupants the sensation that they are ‘floating on air’. The 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine is combined with a new Ford auto stop/start system, intelligent alternator and six-speed Ford PowerShift double-clutch automated manual gearbox with ratios tailored to deliver maximum fuel efficiency.

Jaguar enters the new world

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-03-05T13:07:00+00:00
The new car is so radically new that it is reminiscent of the revolution caused in the late 1960s when Rover turned its back on its old staid designs and shocked the motoring world with the then ultra-modern Rover 2000. Where the Jaguar S-type was retro-styled to look like a contemporary of the Rover 2000, the XF is as modern as they come. A completely new design direction, Ian Callum, Jaguar’s design chief, said that his team were aiming to create what a modern Jaguar would have looked like had it evolved through the intervening years. ...I’m just a little under six foot and, with long legs, I usually have the driver’s seat set just about as far back as it goes. ...As with the exterior, Jaguar’s design teams have created an interior ambience that is appropriate to the Jaguar brand but, at the same time, like a breath of fresh air. ...Indeed, I remember the surprise at the X-type launch when Jaguar announced that their new baby had the largest boot of any car in their range at the time. The XF continues the larger boot trend, offering us ample space – not only for the weekend luggage for two of us, plus dog – but also for the trolley loads of booty from a trip to Ikea plus a garden centre! ...Powered by the 2.7-litre diesel that was co-developed with Peugeot for use in Jaguar and Land Rover, this unit fits perfectly with Jaguar’s reputation for refinement. ...However, a comparison with cars in this class being offered by competitors like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz shows that the 2.7-litre had been slipping behind in performance terms. As a result Jaguar has responded with a revised three-litre Diesel and Diesel S in place of the 2.7-litre. ...With the Diesel S acceleration 0-60 acceleration is improved to a very competitive 5.9 seconds, more than two seconds quicker than the base 2.7-litre. ...As some indication, on the 2.7-litre, I achieved an overall figure of 34.5 mpg for a mixture of commuting and a longer dual-carriageway weekend trip. ...With the Jaguar XF, the design team in Coventry knew that they had to produce a car that would be up there with the best that the German manufacturers could produce.

Saab takes road to independence

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-02-26T13:33:27+00:00
After 20 years of foreign ownership by General Motors, the future of Saab Automobile is once again in Swedish hands. On Friday, the Vänersborg District Court approved the request for a reorganisation and restructuring which Saab’s representative submitted earlier in the morning. “Today is the beginning of a new chapter in Saab’s history”, says Jan Åke Jonsson, Managing Director of Saab Automobile. “We are now recreating Saab Automobile as an independent unit. The road ahead will not be easy. Many have already suffered considerably as a result of the crisis in the automobile industry and sacrifices will be a part of our future, but after a period of tough decisions we will have laid the foundations for a new beginning. ... “Saab has a trademark which is well established both in Sweden and internationally. We have a documented efficient production and we have a strong range of models in development. That is why we have chosen this road. The future will be tough, but the commitment which exists to support the Swedish automobile industry and Saab will help us in the arduous tasks which lie ahead of us.” • Due to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the Saab 9-3X – with its four wheel drive system – is being promoted as the ideal alternative to large crossovers or SUVs and is set to be the star of Saab’s display.

BMW unveils new 5 series concept

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-02-20T09:31:51+00:00
This is the new BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo which is to be shown at the Geneva Motor Show. The smart money says that this is more than a concept and that BMW is committed to producing this model. Although has coupé looks, it proves that looks can be deceptive. Driver and passengers are said to sit fairly high, giving good space inside. Unusually for BMW, this is a hatchback but it has borrowed the idea of a dual tailgate from the Skoda Superb. You can either open just the lower part of the tailgate, like a saloon boot, or raise the whole tailgate, like a hatchback. The appeal is likely to be for families who want the extra practicality and space and also for older buyers, some of whom may have difficulty getting in and out of lower slung saloons.

Practical, refined and economical BMW

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-02-19T10:57:51+00:00
The first few days coincided with the tail end of the recent snowy period and, when I drove the car home I just knew it was unlikely to make its way up the uncleared road to the house. ...It took me 45 minutes removing minute amounts of snow before the BMW decided to gain enough traction to park it at the bottom of the driveway. It was not a good start to our relationship and, as you can imagine, after that length of time digging and being mystified as to what was making the BMW steadfastly refuse to move, the air was quite blue – the same colour as my fingers! ...Audi has grabbed some of the BMW market, just because they offer quattro four-wheel-drive models of most of their range. In some, more snow-prone parts of the country sales of quattro versions come close to 50% of total sales – something that BMW would do well to note. ...There really are few places in the motoring world that I would rather be for everyday driving, other than in a BMW.... just as long as there is no threat of snow. The BMW 318d is aimed squarely at the growing market for cars with good mileage per gallon and low carbon dioxide emissions. ...Now, you will have seen that I have had a ‘go’ at some recent economy specials, where the cars appear overgeared and pithless. ...The reality during my time with the car was around 38 to 40 mpg (according to the trip computer) on mixed country and town driving, with a high of 42 mpg on a longer run. ...Carbon dioxide emissions increase by 11 g/km for the automatic, but are still quite reasonable at 144 g/km. ...Noise levels are very low and, with the effortless driveability, you soon forget that there is a diesel power unit under this bonnet. ...The driving position feels right, the controls are well laid out and, of course, you have that lovely rear-wheel-drive balance to the chassis. ...To me it seems like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist, with the added aggravation that you cannot tell from the stalk’s position what speed the wipers are set to, or whether the indicators are really off!

Citroen DS returns

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-02-17T14:25:03+00:00
After more than 30 years the famous Citroen DS name is back with the Citroen DS Inside concept, which will be making its public debut at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Citroen DS Inside is a concept car, but Citroen confirm that the concept car is based on the smaller of the forthcoming DS model range – the DS3. The DS3 range will be launched next year 2010, followed successively by the DS4 and DS5. The models will be positioned as premium models in, respectively, the small, medium and large car segments. Citroen has also confirmed that they are planning to launch new models at the rate of one every six months for at least the next three years. The DS range will be a separate range which Citroen say will be pitched as an “affordable premium model range” and the DS badge is being used to mean “Different Spirit”. Hmmm. Still, it looks good and sounds interesting. It is also good to hear such positive thinking when there is talk of some big car giants filing for bankruptcy. This was a theme picked up by Xavier Duchemin, Managing Director of Citroen UK: “At a time when some are postponing or cancelling future models, it is very exciting for us and our potential customers to see that Citroen are looking forward positively to when the current, undeniably tough, times are over. Our display at Geneva showcases both what is to come, including the exciting Citroen C3 Picasso, as well as our current range which continues to offer buyers excellent value, environmentally sensitive and stylish options for today.”

Audi's Q5 widens its off-road appeal

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-02-05T09:01:48+00:00
Anyone familiar with the Audi Q7 will be in no doubt about the manufacturer of the new Audi Q5. ...As I discovered back in December 2006, the main talking point with the Q7 is its size, which is perhaps visually exaggerated by the towering front grille. The size may not look out of place on pre-credit crunch US freeways, but in Europe there is little doubt that the large proportions of the Q7 have put off some buyers. ...It is attractive, exudes quality and is also functional, with switches and dials just where you would expect them to be. ...Where many off-roaders teeter a bit on their tall suspension, the Q5 just sits on the road with reassuring poise and precision. ...Like the Q7, the downside is that the suspension is definitely biased for on-road use and is a bit firm for rougher off-road surfaces. ...If you want a vehicle with ultimate off-road ability you may be as well to look elsewhere to the likes of Land Rover. ...That’s really not an accusation that can justifiable be aimed at my road test car, the Audi Q5 2.0 TDI quattro SE. Although I never made the official combined fuel consumption figure of 42.1 mpg, I reckon my average commuting figure of just over 30 mpg is pretty good. ...The great news is that the Q5’s engine is so well muffled and so responsive that you will soon forget it is a diesel. ...Once it has all the goodies added (including the extremely reasonable £45 hill hold assist that makes the electronic parking brake much more bearable), the road test car’s price ends up being almost £8,000 higher at £36,195. The bottom line, then, is that the Q5 impressed with its combination of good road manners, practicality and reasonable economy. I never once even thought about selecting any other set of keys during the road test period and that is always the acid test.

Audi's big off-roader

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-12-29T08:33:39+00:00
So, if Audi’s intention was to make an impression with their first ever off-roader, they certainly succeeded with the new Audi Q7. ...At more than five metres, it is longer than most of its obvious competitors (114mm longer than a Range Rover). ...Whereas the products of Land Rover are clearly aimed to cater for those who really will get the tyres muddy, the Q7’s lower height perhaps gives the clue that it has been designed with more focus on its road performance. ...However, it was obvious that the tyres were chosen for their grip on the black stuff, rather than the green stuff. ...But the Q7 proved surprisingly easy, even in the tight confines of some of Aberdeen’s older multi-storey car parks. It needed a little more time to manoeuvre, but with the optional parking system and a rear-view camera that helps guide you into a space, it all proved relatively painless. ...In the States , where it will be in the company of hordes of giant off-roaders and trucks, size will not be an issue. The fact that it has seven seats will simply increase its appeal we can expect the freeways will soon be populated with Audi’s latest offering. On this side of the Atlantic, however, off-roaders have not been having such a good press thanks to the attention of anti-4x4 eco warriors. ... The three-litre diesel engine returned 24 mpg on dual-carriageway trips – not at all bad for a vehicle of this type. ...Whether on dual carriageways or twisty country roads the Q7 is a pleasant place to be with its air suspension soaking up the bumps. There is a little road noise from those big tyres, but it does little to dent the feeling of refinement. ...As you would expect for a vehicle of generous dimensions the Q7 provides comfortable accommodation for five with rather more restricted space for the two rearmost seats, which fold out of the boot floor.

New Ford Focus RS

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-02-04T19:07:39+00:00
Ford has unwrapped its latest offering in the 40-year story of Ford RS, the much-awaited new Ford Focus RS. It is the first RS for six years. The new Focus RS is the only front-wheel-drive, high-performance car available today with a power output of more than 300PS available today. “Front-wheel-drive was our preference all along,” says Team RS Chief Engineer, Dirk Densing. “All-wheel-drive systems add cost, weight, inertia and consequently, fuel consumption. Compensating for the significant weight of an all-wheel-drive system requires dynamic compromises we preferred not to make.” Power for the Focus RS comes from a turbocharged Duratec RS 2.5-litre engine which delivers its peak power of 305PS (300 bhp) at 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 440Nm between 2,300 and 4,500 rpm. With the turbo spinning, power arrives quickly. The 305PS peak is reached at 6,500 rpm and holds until the 7,050 rpm redline, to allow full use of the top of the power band. After three seconds at this redline, the engine management system recognises no gear shift and then limits revs to the car’s maximum continuous running rpm of 6,500.

Renault finally joins 4x4 brigade

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-01-25T11:30:02+00:00
Two ergonomic flaws are the cruise control switch which is tucked away behind and to the left of the gearlever (more acceptable for left-hand than right-hand-drive) and the controller for the navigation system, which is difficult to get at and complex to use. I liked the removable bin between the front seats and, rear seat passengers also have comforts like picnic trays and even window blinds to protect them from the sun (or pretend that they are famous). ...Round the back the tailgate has a touch of the Range Rover about it, inasmuch as the bottom part of the tailgate drops down providing a platform to change boots or sit for an impromptu picnic. However, as with all cars that use this type of split tailgate, it does mean you have to stretch over the lower hatch to reach into the load area. ...However, it does this because the suspension is quite soft and – while this is good on poor surfaces or for off-roading – it is not so goon on-road. Here, you might want a little more tautness and control where it floats a little over dips and crests and on surface imperfections. ...This will presumably appeal to those who want the off-roader looks and driving position, but without the extra cost of the 4x4 system. ...It, too, has the option to work solely in two-wheel-drive, courtesy of a selector switch behind the gear lever. Alternatively you can put it in automatic mode, letting the car choose when it needs all-wheel-drive, or a ‘locked four-wheel-drive’ mode which locks the central differential for off-road use. Beside the four-wheel-drive button is the hill descent control, which takes the terror out of descending slippery slopes when the footbrake is out of bounds. The two-litre Nissan diesel is refined and quiet, with no sign of harshness and very reasonable noise levels – at lest until you start to rev the engine, when it does become a little bit more vocal. ... I was not so much in love with the gearbox, however, finding it sometimes obstructive and difficult – spoiling an otherwise pleasant B-road ability. The Renault Koleos range starts at £17, 618 for the base two-wheel-drive version, with the first of the 4x4 versions coming at close to £1,000 more on £18,596.

Jaguar boosts performance XFR

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-01-23T18:37:44+00:00
Jaguar unveiled its new XFR at the Detroit Auto Show 2009, the performance version of the much acclaimed Jaguar XF. The XFR is powered by a new supercharged 510 V8. It accelerates from 0-60mph in just 4.7 seconds. The new version has some unique exterior and interior design features, notably revised bumpers and lower front air intakes, sill extensions, bonnet louvres and grilles, four tailpipes, a boot-lid spoiler, unique seats and 20-inch alloy wheels. The XFR is priced at £59,900 and will go on sale in late March.

Volkswagen does an Elise

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-01-22T17:47:55+00:00
One of the stars of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit is an all-new mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster concept from Volkswagen. Named Concept BlueSport, to define its environmental and sporting aspirations, the two-seat roadster, combines an efficient, mid-mounted common rail diesel engine with a lightweight chassis structure to put the emphasis on simplicity and handling dynamics. The 2.0-litre TDI engine which produces 180 PS and 258 lbs ft of torque from 1,750 rpm. Power is transferred to the rear wheels through a six-speed dual clutch DSG gearbox and sees the Concept BlueSport accelerate from standstill to 62 mph in 6.6 seconds and go on to a top speed of 140 mph. Despite its sporting focus the adoption of lightweight materials, coupled with a 45:55 weight distribution and multi-link rear suspension allows Concept BlueSport to strike a balance between agility and economy – the Concept emits just 113 g/km of CO2, while returning 65 mpg on the combined cycle. To improve fuel economy and emissions further an ‘Eco’ mode function can be engaged to activate an automatic Stop-Start system and braking energy regeneration. Styled by a team led by Director of Design for Volkswagen, Klaus Bischoff and Director of the Design Centre in Potsdam, Thomas Ingenlath, Concept BlueSport combines an elegant profile with a purposeful stance, clean surfaces and innovative design details. The Concept BlueSport is a design study with no immediate plans for production. But if there was enough demand, could they resist?

Mercedes A-Class restores faith

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-01-22T15:40:15+00:00
In the aftermath of my recent test of the Mercedes-Benz B180, I was a bit concerned about getting behind the wheel of the A160. ...The reason is that you step straight into the A-Class, because the driving position is quite high. Yet, when you sit down, your legs are more stretched out than you expect and the floor is surprisingly high. ...That slight surprise apart, it is an extremely easy car to get in and out of. No doubt that is why the Mercedes-Benz A-class is much loved of courtesy-car operators and, indeed, those who are less able to cope with tucking themselves into low-slung vehicles. ...The driving environment is good, although I do think Mercedes’ insistence on one steering column stalk to control indicators, light, wipers and washers is tradition take a tad too far. However, it is nice to find a Mercedes-Benz with a conventional handbrake, rather than the American-style foot pedal. ...When you fold the rear seats it does not create a fully flat floor and there is an annoying lip behind the rear seat which prevents sliding of loads in and out. ...Similarly CO2 emissions are remarkably low, with a figure of 116 g/km putting the A160 into the lowest band of tax. ...Unlike the over-geared and hesitant B180, it is not unpleasant to drive, but the 0-62 mph time of 15 seconds tells its own story. ...But, as my wife will vouch, I was not making up excuses to bypass the Mercedes’ keys and head for my own car. I actually did enjoy my time with the A160, which made a very pleasant contrast to B180. The Mercedes-Benz A160 BlueEFFICIENCY Avantgarde SE, to give the car its full name, is priced at £16,690.

Suzuki makes a splash in small hatch market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-01-22T15:17:12+00:00
I was certainly hopeful that it would prove surprisingly pleasant for a small 1.2-litre supermini and I was not disappointed. In the same way as the Vauxhall Agila, to which the Splash is very closely related, grew on me last summer for its ability to cover the ground and carry four passengers in reasonable comfort, so it was with the Splash. ...You realise that, when you go round the back and find that a standard size recycling box won’t fit, withoout lowering one of the back seats. ...The convenience was aided by the four good-sized passenger doors which made it much easier to get in and out, than with the traditional three-door small hatch. As of this month (January 2009) you can get three different engine sizes for the Suzuki Splash. ... My test car was the 1.2 and there is also a 1.3-litre diesel.

New Fiesta has all-round ability

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2009-01-06T16:24:24+00:00
It wasn’t all show either, the new Fiesta is remarkably faithful to the look of the concept car and, as a result, it is quite a looker. ...The result ooks bigger than the reality, particularly when there aren’t other cars around to give you a sense of scale. ...This car feels anything but bulky or cumbersome, it just feels like it has the space, the comfort and refinement of a car from a class above. The new Fiesta is a close relative of the Mazda 2 which I tested recently for this blog (and which also impressed). But, to my eyes, the Fiesta has the edge on looks (although the Mazda 2 will be a less common sight on our roads). ...The new Fiesta takes that a stage further with dynamics that make this a very pleasant car to drive, whether it be nipping round town or travelling on twisty, cross-country roads. ...On motorway use there is notable road noise in the interior, but the Fiesta copes admirably with most road surfaces, only occasionally losing its composure. ... It is also the one area where more weight might help a car to sit on the road more heavily. ...If I was being carping I might say that the silver plastic highlights around the dials and the centre of the dashboard, do look a little like the finish on some oriental transistor radio. But, equally, it does give a lift to the interior of the Fiesta, compared to some other small hatches with their unrelenting budget-price black plastic. My test car was the Ford Fiesta 1.4 Titanium five-door, so it was an upmarket model from the Fiesta range. ...The European Mondeo was indeed similar to the one sold in the USA, except that it bore a different make and model name! ...

Recession, what recession, the gold-plated car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-10-25T12:55:49+01:00
Visitors to MPH, the Prestige and Performance Motor Show that opens in London’s Earls Court next week, will have a chance to drool over the ultimate car for the recession – a gold and platinum-plated Aston Martin DB7! Luxury customisation company Alchemist has covered the Aston Martin with 24-carat gold and platinum leaf. Just to ensure it is really classy, the Aston also comes with seven diamonds embedded in the bodywork.

Swindon - the centre of enlightenment

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-10-24T09:21:24+01:00
Swindon, in England, may not seem like the place for the dawn of a new enlightenment. But, that is exactly what it is. The council in the Wiltshire town have recognised that fixed speed cameras are having no effect on road safety (noting that actually accidents have increased as the forest of speed cameras have grown) and have voted to chop the lot of them. Instead, £320,000 (the price of just six to seven cameras!) will be spent on educating drivers, installing betters street lighting and lowering speed limits in danger areas. Other councils please note!

Plug-in racing car for British Championship

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-10-22T19:13:27+01:00
Next year, electric vehicles will take a further step in shaking off their “milk float” image with the entry of an electric racing car in one of Britain’s fastest motor sport series. The Bee Four ERV (electric racing vehicle) is to be driven in the British Hill Climb Championship by twice British champion Graeme Wight from Aberdeen. The championship is contested at venues throughout the UK, where drivers compete against the clock. Speeds of over 100 mph are common and the events are very much a test of consistent performance with winning margins down to hundredths of a second. Graeme Wight Jnr competing at the Fintray Hill Climb track near Aberdeen The Bee Four is being developed in conjunction with Martin Ogilvie, the former Lotus Formula 1 designer. The objective is to win the British Speed Hill Climb Championship in 2009. The ERV – code-named the "Watt 4" – is an all-electric 4WD vehicle capable of producing 700hp or 520kW. Partners in the project include Oxford University and MIRA Ltd (the Motor Industry Research Association). Driver Graeme Wight, in addition to two titles, has held outright track records at Doune, Loton Park, Prescott and Shelsley Walsh. The Bee Four is part of a business plan by Bee Automobiles to produce a range of electric production cars. The business will be further funded by private equity.

The Scirocco is back

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-10-12T19:20:24+01:00
Since the concept car the looks have had a subtle modification with a new, less dramatic, front treatment that is said to signal the new corporate look for Volkswagen. On sale from last month, the new Scirocco aims to repeat the success of its 1970s and 1980s predecessors by taking proven mechanicals and injecting some coupe style. ...Just as the exterior has been toned down a little since the Iroc concept, so the interior is quite restrained and offers typical no-nonsense Volkswagen design clarity of purpose. ...It goes exactly where you point it and, apart from the occasional scrabble from the front wheels if you try to accelerate too aggressively out of a corner, it just clings on to the tarmac. ...I could almost feel my grin getting wider as I explored some of the more interesting roads on my daily commute and – like all good driver’s cars – the Scirocco rewards the driver even when using only a fraction of its potential. ...You do have the option to choose manual control of the system, with a button that you can select ‘normal’, ‘comfort’ and ‘sports’ settings. ...But, once over the novelty, I found that the automatic system really does do the job just fine and I learned to leave the ‘adaptive chassis control’ to do its stuff automatically. ...Certainly, you notice ripples in the tarmac if you choose the sports setting, but it is never jarring and in the ‘normal’ or ‘comfort’ settings it is refined. ...Although it is slightly longer and wider than the Golf, the Scirocco is lighter and this is reflected in economy, CO2 output and acceleration. ...My journies never quite matched that, but – considering that I was enjoying the performance – I reckon my average of around 30 mpg is pretty good. ...As I said the Scirocco 2.0 TSI costs just £90 more than the Golf GTI, which it is closely related to. ... Thanks to that lower CO2, the road tax saving of £30 would pay the extra cost of the Scirocco over a three-year period (assuming, of course, that vehicle tax differential doesn't change!). ...If you want the greater practicality of a conventional hatchback the Golf has the edge, plus there is the option of the five-door on the GTI if you regularly carry passengers.

More impressive luxury and performance than economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-10-04T16:00:17+01:00
Even though the engine is a stonking five-litre putting out a massive 389 bhp, I set off expecting to get some surprising economy figures from this huge limousine. After all it has a similar hybrid set up to the RX400h, running as an all-electric car on low throttle, bringing in the petrol engine to add power when necessary and also to charge the batteries. ...All hybrids are necessary heavy beasts – thanks to the additional electric engine and batteries – and the Lexus LS600h L (the L denotes long wheelbase, which is 120 mm longer than the standard car) is one of the heaviest cars in this class with a gross weight of 2,750 kg. ...So, viewed from this perspective it becomes clear that the way to look at the Lexus LS600h L is that it provides outstanding performance, combined with reasonable economy. ...The luxury can be even greater if you want to splash out on one of the very few options on the list (almost everything you could want is standard!). ...I liked the sport setting, as it gave the Lexus a little more tautness for the twisty country roads that make up most of my daily commute. ...You can, if you want to see all the complicated things that are going on, set the dashboard display to show where the power is coming from and where it is going to. It's probably best to do this as a passenger though as it can be quite mesmerising to see the arrows depict power flowing to or from the battery, the engine and regeneration of power from the brakes. It is certainly highly impressive that the petrol engine can switch on and off with not a single jerk or noise being transmitted to the calm interior. The smoothness of everything is no doubt helped by the stepless CVT transmission, which emulates and eight-speed gearbox should you decide to use the manual holds – although I can see little reason for you to do so. When it comes to luxury and technology it would probably be easier to describe what the Lexus LS600h L doesn't have than to try and list what it does have. From a safety perspective, there is the radar system that identifies obstacles in front of the car and another radar at the back that will detect a vehicle approaching too hard and move the head restraint ready for any rear impact. ...If I think of some of the European luxury cars that you could buy with that sort of money, I would be grabbing every possible excuse to get behind the wheel.

Volkswagen Eos the all-weather convertible

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-09-13T20:39:55+01:00
With their folding metal roofs, these cars aim to offer the best of both worlds – the full open air motoring experience, plus the comfort and security of a metal roof. ...But, it very successfully projects a sophisticated image that slots it into the range somewhere between the Golf and the Passat. ...It looks good roof up, or down, and, when you get behind the wheel it manages to still feel rather special, too - particularly with the burgundy leather interior trim on the test car. Raising or lowering the roof takes around 25 seconds, with no more effort than pulling or pushing on a switch on the central armrest. Simple it may be to operate, but the remarkably complex balletic manoeuvres that make it all possible are sure to attract a small crowd of on-lookers. Uniquely the Eos also offers its owners a halfway house to full open-air motoring with its built-in sunroof. ...But, if you want to be able to enjoy open-air motoring you have to restrict yourself to the area below the roof storage guide. Loading or unloading anything more than shopping bags into this space requires you to have the roof in the closed position. ...Acceleration feels quicker than the 9.8 seconds quoted for the Eos 2.0 FSI Sport and it pulls strongly in all six gears. ...Even the rash of speed cushions that are appearing all over our side roads don’t seem to unsettle it unduly. ...Combined with a flat cornering stance and good balance it means the Eos was an enjoyable companion on the twisty country roads. On these cross-country commutes, I average around 23 mpg, but this rose to 27 mpg on a more relaxed country run. ...That’s a bit more than you would pay for some of the other offerings, but the Eos not only feels more special and more rewarding, it is likely to hold more of its value when it comes time to sell.

Mercedes CLC targets a younger, sportier market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-21T13:35:25+01:00
The result is a neat and appealing design that is unmistakably a Mercedes-Benz, but which also projects a youthful, sporting coupé style. ... It's as if some key men from BMW had escaped in the dead of night and gone down the road to the Mercedes-Benz HQ in Stuttgart. ...But after that initial surprise, you find that weight varies according to the conditions and I felt it struck just the right balance. ...With its 150 bhp 2.1-litre diesel engine mated to the optional five-speed automatic this was never going to be the high performance option in the range. ...Unusually the automatic version is credited as being two-tenths of a second quicker on this dash, but it doesn't produce as good a fuel consumption as the manual. However, having tried to juggle hill starts in the past on a manual car with a foot-operated parking brake, I would say the auto box is one option you really should tick straight away. ...Whereas many Mercedes-Benz cars that I have driven in the past have excelled on motorways, but felt not so much at ease on twisty by-ways, the CLC absolutely loves B roads. A large part of this is down to that nicely weighted steering that offers precise positioning on the road, feels good and complements the inherent rear-wheel-drive balance. ...Space for passengers is good in the front and, thanks to a double folding seat base, access to the rear seats is easier than on many other coupés. ...I have already stated my lack of love for the foot-operated parking brakes so beloved on the other side of the Atlantic and in the product design corridors of Stuttgart. I also rather wish Mercedes-Benz would go with the mainstream of two column stalks, rather than packing everything onto one. The final quibble is that I would rather have the more conventional back and forward manual shift movement on the gear selector – or, better still – racing-style paddles behind the steering wheel. ...At £22,260 (or £23,310 with the automatic gearbox) it is also quite competitively priced at just £400 more than one of its most obvious competitors – the BMW 120d Coupe.

Honda's low profile executive saloon

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-14T14:09:04+01:00
It may be quite high-profile in markets like the United States, but there it bears the Acura badge of Honda's US prestige brand. In this country it is badged as a Honda and is somewhat eclipsed by Honda's more high-profile small and medium-sized hatchbacks and SUVs. You immediately know this is a Japanese car as you walk up to it and see the SH-AWD badge on the back. ... As if that rather brash fascination with acronym badges wasn't enough of a clue, when you jump into the Legend Japanese fascination with chimes assails your ears with an insistent "bong, bong, bong..." to remind you of something. ...It may not have an Audi, BMW, Jaguar or Mercedes badge on it, but the Honda Legend certainly has the credentials to earn its place alongside them on any list of executive sports saloons. ...Honda are particularly proud of the technology fitted to the test Honda Legend, thoughtfully supplying a small book to explain the A-Z of its "warm technology" (as opposed to "cold technology"?). ... It turns out that it is an active four-wheel-drive system that apportions power to the wheels based on the current conditions and information from the engine management system. ...It reads the lane markings and, if you start to veer out of lane (as you might do if tired, for example) without using the indicators, then it will alert the driver and, if there is no reaction, it will start to correct the steering. ...Given that a third of all accidents in the UK are caused by drivers not looking properly, systems like this will surely be a considerable benefit if the cost can come down to the point where more cars are similarly protected. ...But, when you want quicker responses, there is an eager kick down that will have the car holding its five gears for longer as it zips up to speed with a wonderfully urgent engine note. On more twisty country roads, I found the best progress came from flicking the selector across to manual where you can use the steering wheel paddles to select gear. This meant, for example, that you could stabilise the car coming into a bend by dropping down a gear, ready to accelerate out. ...It feels precise and responsive and, combined with the balance of the four-wheel-drive, it makes this a car that seems to shrink around the driver, proving remarkably nimble.

Report admits obstructing traffic was policy, says ABD

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-13T17:22:36+01:00
The latest report from Transport for London states that despite 70,000 fewer cars a day entering the central zone and 30,000 fewer in the Western Extension, congestion in both of these areas is every bit as bad as it was before the charge was introduced, according to the Association of British Drivers. Although some of this is down to road works, the ABD say the report "admits that many traffic lights and other road schemes have reduced road and junction capacity, and publicly confirms what previously was only admitted behind closed doors - that obstructing traffic was a deliberate policy". "This latest report on the London congestion charge demonstrates the fundamental dishonesty of all road pricing proposals," said the ABD's Nigel Humphries. "They claim that by paying even more money to use the roads, drivers will benefit from lower congestion. ... They just increase the number of traffic lights and reduce the road space available until drivers are just paying through the nose to sit in the same jams as before." ... 1 A major programme of investment in trunk roads and junctions to remove conflict between heavy traffic and vulnerable road users by means of underpasses and pedestrian/cyclist bridges/tunnels. All money from the congestion charge should be ringfenced to pay for such schemes which benefit all road users equally and reduce danger and stress for all. ...This means no bus lanes through junctions or across pelican crossings, which halve the amount of traffic that can pass when there are no buses or taxis on the road. 3 Removal of at least 20% of the traffic lights in central London by identifying those which do nothing but obstruct traffic flow. 4 Removal of constriction points which create danger for cyclists and pedestrians by restricting the maneuvering space for large vehicles ...These are ill named as they really are "backward" stop lines for motorists and reduce the capacity of light controlled junctions irrespective of whether any cyclists are there. Forward stop lines for bikes should be just that - in front of the normal stop line - and should not place cyclists in front of the traffic. 6 Reversal of ruinous schemes like Trafalgar Square which reduce road capacity and create huge jams, mostly comprising buses and taxis.

First view of new Volkswagen Golf

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-07T13:45:12+01:00
Five generations, 34 years and over 26 million vehicles after the original first went on sale, the sixth generation of the Golf has been unveiled. Volkswagen say the new Golf will be the safest, most technically advanced and most dynamic Golf yet. They also claim it will set benchmarks in quality, style, safety and the reduction of emissions. "This sixth generation of Golf cars will completely redefine the quality and comfort level of its class over broad categories," says Prof. ... Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board at Volkswagen AG, "offering more customer value than ever before." The front of the new car blends traditional Golf design cues with a similar look to the new design direction established by the Scirocco. Stung a little by criticism about the quality exuded by the materials in the current golf, Volkswagen have paid particular attend to to the new Golf and claim to have adopted "materials and equipment usually associated with a vehicle in a higher segment". ...The new Golf, which will go on sale in January 2009, will come with engines designed to produce better economy and lower emissions. Notable among them is the 2.0-litre TDI 110 PS common rail diesel which produces just 119 g/km of CO2 while returning 62.7 mpg on the combined cycle. For the first time, Volkswagen’s Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) will be offered on the Golf. This is available on the Passat CC and standard on the new Scirocco, and allows the driver to select from normal, comfort or sport modes to define the desired suspension, steering and accelerator response settings for any particular journey. Automatic Distance Control is also offered, which monitors the area around the vehicle through a series of sensors and will, if necessary, reduce the vehicle’s speed should an obstruction be identified. In extreme cases the vehicle can be brought to a complete stop using the system.

First pictures of the new Aston Martin One-77

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-08T13:37:43+01:00
Aston Martin has released the first photo of the new One-77, which they describe as "the ultimate creative interpretation of the renowned British marque". Based on a carbon fibre chassis with a handcrafted aluminium body, the One-77 7.0 litre V12 super car only a strictly limited number are planned.

Ford finally launches into small SUV market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-07T19:04:08+01:00
Imagine a Ford Focus on stilts and you get the basic idea of the Ford Kuga, the blue oval's belated entry in to the small sports utility vehicle (SUV) market. Ford say it combines element os an estate car, an SUV (so far so good) and a coupé (umm, let me think about that last one. ...The Kuga has just gone on sale in the UK and, for those of us used to the almost bewildering range of models, engine sizes and trim levels for models like the Focus, the Kuga comes as something of a surprise. For the moment, at least, there is just one engine option (although a bigger 2.5-litre diesel is expected). To modify Henry Ford's famous quote more than a little – you can have any engine you want, as long as it is the 2.0 TDCi. ...The latter adds more toys to the already well equipped base model, for the extra £2,000 you get a list of additional equipment. ...Normally it is front wheel drive, but up to half the power can be sent to the rear wheels when the clever sensors recognise the need. ...As you would imagine for a vehicle that is based on the Ford Focus it is very much at home on road. I must have sensitive ears, but I did find the diesel drone, every time you accelerate hard, a little tiresome and there is also a modicum of diesel vibration fed through the pedals. ...The Kuga turns in very eagerly and as you tug the steering round tighter corners you are aware that this is a tall vehicle with a high centre of gravity. ...There is generous room for driver and passenger in the front and with the upright tall stance of the car, the rear seats are also very comfortable and easily accessible for adults. ...There is a big (and quite heavy) tailgate which, for the first time on a Ford, gives you the option of opening the whole tailgate, or just lifting the back window. ...For every day family use, with the ability to tackle occasional off-road conditions or winter snow, the appeal of the Kuga is obvious.

New Ford Ka out this Autumn

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-08-01T19:33:06+01:00
Ford has released the first official pictures of the Ford Ka, which is to be launched at the 2008 Paris Motor Show this October. Twelve years after the original Ka was launched the new model is the result of an agreement between Fiat and Ford. The new Ka uses the same structure as the Fiat 500 and will be produced in the same factory in Poland. It will be interesting to see how they shape up together. Will the Fiat's retro looks win over Ford's much more modern style? The Ford team say they have aimed for the same youthful and cheeky spirit as the original, with the same qualities – compact size, good looks, lively dynamics and fun personality. The styling is based on Ford's current 'kinetic design' form language, with some visual cues to provide a connection to the original Ka. But, Ford say, the distinctive face and chunky proportions give the new model has its own unique character. Ford say the interior will feature bold contrasts and expressive colours to appeal to the more adventurous tastes of the typical Ka buyer.

Cuteness is more than skin deep

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-28T13:06:08+01:00
Back in my college days, I remember how one of my fellow students fell for the charms of a second hand Fiat 500 which, even in those days was well past its prime. ...On this particular occasion, the little Fiat displayed no intentions of starting and, frustrated by lack of success with my pokings and proddings, I asked her why, precisely, she had chosen to buy this particular car? ...Instead of a 500cc engine in the back, the present-day 500 has thoroughly modern 1.2, 1.3 or 1.4-litre petrol or diesel engines in the front. ...It is actually more feasible than it looks and there is (just) enough headroom for an adult in there, although some hard bargaining would be needed with the front seat passengers to secure sufficient legroom. ...There is a single instrument binnacle in front of the driver, which cleverly houses the speedometer round the outside, the rev counter on the next ring in and the minor gauges and warning light, digitally, in the centre. A very minor quibble would be that (as with the Citroen C5) it is not so easy to read the speedometer when you can only see the tip of the needle. ...This is a very small capacity for a diesel engine, so I had fears that its acceleration would be recorded in hours, not seconds. ...At that rate, Aberdeen to London on a tank of fuel might just be possible - even with the small 35-litre fuel tank on the 500. ...It is not just the engine noise that is minimal, the whole car is notably quiet and remarkably refined for such a small, economy car. The ride is generally quite good for a small, short wheelbase car in this class, with just the occasional unruly thump from potholes or more aggressive road humps. Indeed, the general air of calm is probably why I detected a slight whisper at speed from the door or the window seal just beside my right ear. ...In the later category – appealing to the 500's younger target buyers – the Lounge models have Bluetooth handsfree system, voice recognition and a built-in digital audio player with USB port on the centre console. ...Even my test car, the Fiat 500 1.3 Multijet Lounge, at £10,900, significantly undercuts the cheapest Mini.

MiTo aims for style conscious young buyers

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-27T11:28:49+01:00
Alfa Romeo's new small, sporty hatchback, the Alfa MiTo, makes its UK public debut at the current British Motor Show. It is the first small Alfa hatch since the days of the much-loved Alfasud. The distinctive styling, picks up on traditional and current Alfa Romeo design cues and is clearly aimed at the style-conscious younger drivers who choose cars like the Mini (an obvious target) and the new Fiat 500. Alfa Romeo are desperately keen to make comparisons with the style of the 8C Competizione. It goes on sale in the UK in January 2009. There are five engines to be offered at launch time - three petrol and two diesel. The MiTo will be fitted with Alfa Romeo’s D.N.A. system (Dynamic – Normal - All weather) system, which acts on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox to create the best set-up for different driving environments. For increased roadholding characteristics, the Alfa MiTo range features a host of driver aids, including ABS with EBD, VDC (vehicle dynamic control), ASR, CBC (cornering brake control), DST (dynamic steering torque) and HBA with Hill Holder. On sale early next year, with pre-ordering beginning in October, prices for the Alfa MiTo start at £10,975 OTR for the entry level 1.4 16V 95 bhp Turismo, and rise to £14,975 for the 1.4 TB 155 bhp Veloce.

How to save £2 on your fuel bills

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-25T13:29:39+01:00
Did you know you can save up to £2 of fuel per week by simply reversing your car into a parking space, so you drive away forwards? That's the amazing claim from the IAM Motoring Trust. New data from the IAM Motoring Trust shows it takes an average five year old car a minute and a half for the engine to warm up and the most efficient way to warm it up is by driving it. Reversing out of a space when the car's engine is cold uses around 20 to 25 times more petrol in the first few seconds than it does when warm. If you do this 10 to 12 times a week that adds up to a cost of about £100 a year, not to mention the increased wear on the car's engine. We can't all park like Russ Swift, so reverse parking means we don't waste fuel Reverse parking is also usually safer and is advised in The Highway Code. Reversing into somewhere you can see (a parking bay) rather than reversing out into somewhere you can't see (often a line of moving traffic) is much safer.

British Motor Show has new model buzz

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-24T19:00:17+01:00
In recent years, with its move to Birmingham and now back to London, the show has lost its shine. Even this year there are companies missing from the manufacturers' line up – notably BMW and Audi. However, there are a good number of new models to give the show some of the sparkle from the old days. ...As with the Vectra the Insignia will be available in saloon and hatchback styles, to ensure that it has the widest possible market acceptance. ...The Insignia is so different from the Vectra that you can see why Vauxhall (and Opel in other European markets) wanted the car to have the fresh start of a new name. Vauxhall describe the looks as coupé style and say that this has helped in achieving the very low aerodynamic coefficient of 0.27CD. ...The Insignia will be in UK dealership late this year, with a range of five engines - three petrol and two diesel. On the technology front, the Insignia follows the new BMW 7 Series with the option of a camera that can read road signs. There is also an optional warning system should drivers veer off the road and a heated windscreen washer for those cold winter days. Also of benefit to winter drivers will be the four-wheel-drive versions of the Insignia. The Lotus Evora is the first all-new Lotus since the iconic Elise made its debut in 1995. ... Powered by a Lotus-tuned 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 280 PS, Lotus promises breathtaking performance. During preliminary testing around the famous Nürburgring, the Lotus chassis engineers report that it is extremely agile and great fun to drive - even when clad with the full development disguise.

Have an Agila

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-16T18:42:53+01:00
It's the result of the sort of deal that car manufacturers have been doing for years and all the more so now, given the huge costs of vehicle development. ...Vauxhall get a well-developed small car to bring in new customers, without having to commit to the huge development costs. ...The test car had the 1.2-litre engine and, as you would expect, it doesn't have a lot of extra power to offer. With three adults on board, we all chuckled as the little Agila gradually increased speed on a steep incline – even with my foot making what must have been a huge dent in the pile of the carpet. ... (Remember this was the 1.2-litre test car and that there is also a one-litre three cylinder Agila.) I've actually always had a fondness for small engined cars since my impecunious days of running the smallest, most economical car as a student. Small cars encourage you to make the most of what momentum you can achieve, keeping braking and harsh manoeuvring to a minimum. If you do that – and overcome the urge to plant your size nines on the loud pedal too hard - you will be rewarded with good mpg. ...It is a small car and so you will occasionally bump elbows with your passenger - that is inevitable, but the space is good. My rear-seat passengers did not complain with my long-legged driving position putting the seat almost at its furthest back position. ...Yes, the boot is small, but there is enough space in there to take a decent overnight bag and a few odds and ends. The price of the Vauxhall Agila starts at £7,595, with my test car – the Agila Design 1.2 16v – coming in at £9,810. Given that it also drives rather well, the Agila is definitely worth adding to your short list when looking for a budget price small car.

Coulthard - "driving is a huge responsibility"

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-15T12:35:02+01:00
Formula One Racing star David Coulthard may be leaving the Formula 1 circuit at the end of the year, but he is still maintaining a close interest in driving and using it to encourage young drivers to share their ideas to produce better, safer drivers. He is backing the government's campaign and four-month nationwide consultation tour in a bid to collect public thoughts on how to overhaul driver testing and training and make Britain's roads safer. David Coulthard at the wheel of his Maserati GranSport Although the number of people killed in road accidents fell by seven per cent between 2006 and 2007, 30,720 people were still killed or seriously injured on Britain's roads. "One in five deaths on British roads involves newly-qualified drivers," David points out. "I was appalled to hear that the statistics are so high. I know how much young people enjoy the freedom that driving brings, but it is also a huge responsibility that must be taken seriously. "Changing the way that people are taught to drive, and making the test more real, can only be of benefit," he continued. "The Government has set out proposals to change this system - and now it's up to you to have your say. We all use our roads in one way or another so it is important you register your view before the consultation closes." During the consultation the DSA aims to gather opinions on a range of proposals, including; ... • Providing more information to help choose a driving instructor ...Remaining venues are Manchester July 15, Brighton July 21, Cardiff July 25, Newcastle July 29, Croydon August 12, Glasgow August 19, Inverness, August 28 and Exeter September 2.

BMW's new 7 Series goes hi tech

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-13T11:00:11+01:00
While the looks are less controversial than the Chris Bangle design of the fourth 7 Series, under the skin BMW has worked hard to create a car that will win back buyers. ...All three engines offered at launch – one diesel and two petrol – produce more power, but use less fuel and produce less emissions than the models they replace. The new 730d, the three-litre diesel which is likely to be the most popular, has the lowest CO2 emissions of any 7 Series with 192 g/km and 39.2 mpg. ...Helping this environmental drive, the new 7 Series is the final model in the roll-out of BMW's Efficient Dynamics programme. ...Linked to the iDrive display, BMW say this allows a driver to negotiate a partially obscured junction or drive through a gate with more confidence. Also available will be what BMW claim is the world's most advanced night vision system. ... It analyses video data and can detect and alert the driver if it sees a pedestrian moving into the path of the vehicle. Building on the lane change warning, the new 7 Series can also be fitted with a radar system that monitor the blind spots at the rear of the car, warning drivers of any vehicle in that zone, by displaying a triangle in the appropriate door mirror housing. Following the excellent set up I tried in the BMW M6, the new 7 Series can be specified with a head up display. ...Things have been quiet since, but the new BMW 7 Series has the option of up to 3-degrees rear steer that is designed to help manoeuvrability and improve the composure and driving dynamics. ...Customers can upload favourite music into an 8 GB hard drive, meaning that more than 100 albums can be stored on the system. BMW ConnectedDrive offers a dedicated call centre, with concierge service, fault awareness and BMW Assist which automatically contacts the emergency service in the event of an accident. ...This is very much a classic BMW design, but perhaps a little sharper to give it the modern, slightly edgy look.

Citroen – France v Germany

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-11T13:31:09+01:00
From time to time manufacturers cast an envious eye at the reputation of Germany's finest prestige car manufacturers – Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz – and think to themselves 'we would like a slice of that'. I remember Subaru a few years ago trying to compare their Legacy with the BMW 5 Series, apparently oblivious to the gulf that there was in terms of quality – particularly in the interior. Now Citroen – in rather more tongue in cheek style – are seeking a slice of the German cake with their new C5. ...Where the previous C5 was a hatchback, the new car is a saloon, because that's what the Audis, BMWs and Mercedes produce in their larger car sector. While it doesn't look the slightest bit German, the C5 have sleek and attractive lines befitting a car with prestige aspirations, while displaying all the latest Citroen design cues. ...My test car was the Citroen C5 2.7 HDi V6 Exclusive which comes with Citroen's legendary liquid-and-gas suspension, which is now dubbed Hydractive 3+ (lesser models come with more conventional suspension). With the Hydractive system the ride of the C5 is every bit as amazing as similarly-equipped Citroens I have driven in the past. ...Pressing the sport button does firm the suspension a little, which still leaves an uncannily smooth ride quality, but injects a little more tautness into the set up. ...It may seem unimportant for many drivers, but my point is that one of the attributes that attracts people to the German marques (that the C5 seeks to emulate), is driver enjoyment. ...On a similar note, I am not a fan of the dashboard dials which seem over fussy with needles that rotate around the outside of the dial. ...Final gripe is that the C5 seems to have more warning gongs, chimes, beeps and whistles than even Japanese manufacturers. If Citroen could take the classic looks of this C5, try a little less hard with the bells and whistles, and squeeze a little bit more feedback from the steering and the suspension then they could be onto a real winner. ...But for less-demanding drivers who look primarily for comfort, refinement and value-for-money £24,395 for the top of the range Citroen C5 2.7HDi Exclusive has to be a pretty tempting proposition.

Audi's A5 delights

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-10T19:28:55+01:00
Bravely, Audi unveiled it alongside the stunning Audi R8 sports car - a move that could have eclipsed the new four-seat coupe, but it did not. The A5 held its own with its classic Audi look, given the slightly more edgy style that we have since seen on the new A4. ...It's list price of £30,850, without many of the tempting options on the test car, pitches it competitively against similar prestige cars. ...I found the multitronic gearbox a little slow to react to snap throttle openings in the ordinary setting, so I was happier to switch regularly to the sports setting. ...Fuel consumption on the type of roads I tackle every day was perhaps a little short of what I was expecting, with averages of around 27 mpg. ... Although I did no long distance driving during my time with the A5, I have no doubt that it would sip fuel at a very leisurely rate on substantial motorway drives. ...It will probably come down to your average journey length, the type of roads you drive on (motorways are likely to make more sense out of opting for diesel) and your total annual mileage. On all roads I found the A5 just ate up the miles in effortless style, leaving the passengers feeling relaxed and refreshed. It is equally at home on country roads, feeling superbly balanced - particularly for a front wheel drive car. You need to upgrade to the 3.0 TDI for quattro four-wheel-drive, but the 2.7 TDI handles superbly without In the diesel range of Audi A5's you will need to upgrade to the £1,800 more expensive 3.0TDi to benefit from Audi's quattro four-wheel-drive system. Although I might prefer to have the quattro system for potential winter road use, the reality is that just driving the two front wheels seems to lose little, if anything, in terms of handling and Audi really have managed to purge the last vestiges of front wheel drive corruption out of the steering. Indeed, you can benefit from the torque of the big diesel to provide a good surge of very refined power, on the exit of even tight corners.

Skoda's compact load carrier

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-10T18:59:21+01:00
You can see how Skoda is thriving as part of the Volkswagen Group by the way it range of models keeps growing. If you count the Skoda Roomster as a Skoda Fabia (which effectively it is) there are now three distinct model choices at the start of the Czech manufacturer's range. But, whereas the Roomster turns heads and polarises opinion about its styling, the new Skoda Fabia Estate does not court controversy. ...The Fabia Estate scores not just on load space, but it also is quite generous in the passenger department. ...Normally, in a smaller car, I struggle to fit well into the seat behind my preferred low and long-legged driving position. ...I have experienced this engine in various Volkswagen Group cars over the years and it has to be said it is not the most refined by the latest standards. Whenever you press the accelerator, you are aware of the diesel drone from under the bonnet and there is some harshness transmitted to the interior. ...On my daily 54-mile commute along city and country country roads, the Fabia Estate regularly returned over 50 mpg. Sure, diesel now costs more than petrol and, at £12,615, the diesel engined Fabia 2 costs £2,000 more than the cheapest 1.2-litre petrol Fabia 2. ...Rather than complex initials to denote the extras that come with any particular model, Skoda have opted for a simple Fabia 1, 2 or 3. The Fabia 2 adds alloy wheels, four extra radio speakers, air conditioning, alarm, body coloured bumpers, door handles and wing mirrors, electric heated mirrors, halogen headlights, remote central locking, trip computer and roof rails. ...There is actually no 1.9-litre TDi available on the Fabia 1, where you have to make do with the 1.4 TDi. With its mix of keen pricing and practicality, the Skoda Fabia 2 Estate 1.9TDi, makes a convincing case for the active family who need maximum space for their money.

Are hybrids really good for the environment?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-07-04T19:48:12+01:00
The BBC's 'Top Gear' programme isn't always the most thought-provoking programme on television. Normally it is pure entertainment. However, the recent item about the Toyota Prius did suggest that we think more deeply than many of the Hollywood elite about our evironmentally-friendly motoring solutions. For those who didn't see it, Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson explained the globe-crossing journeys involved in getting the material for the Prius batteries from Canada to Japan, via China. Having suggested that its carbon footprint was already big, he then introduced a test around the Top Gear circuit with a Prius going as fast as it could and a BMW M3 keeping up with it. BMW M3 - more economical than a Toyota Prius? On Top Gear's circuit test it was. Not surprisingly, the M3 did around 2 mpg more than the Prius. Clearly it was not a convincing scientific test. Not many Prius drivers would drive with their foot welded to the floor. Conversely, how many M3 drivers would drive with economy uppermost in their minds? However, it did suggest we should be giving deeper thought to what cars are good for the environment. As I found out with the Polo Bluemotion, there are some more conventional and extremely low emission motors out there.

Sat-navs need common sense

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-06-23T19:32:55+01:00
We've all heard the story about satellite navigation systems that have encouraged artics into impenetrable situations in vilalges and drivers, who really should have more sense, to try to take their Ford Fiestas through four-foot deep rivers. ...In a strange town they are great at helping you to concentrate on traffic, pedestrians and all the other things you should be looking for as they calmly tell you where to go. If you find yourself in the wrong lane and unable to change, don't worry, the sat-nav will find a way to re-route you. If you are on a motorway and see standing traffic in the distance, you can dive off at the next junction and let the sat nav help you find a way along the B-roads and back to your destination. ...Plus, these days many come with built-in phone handsfree, live traffic update and speed camera information and even an MP3 player. ...Now the latest car-mounted sat-navs are also touch screen and have a screen that is actually a viewable, usable size. ...On my daily commute, sat-navs invariably want to take straight to the most fearsome traffic blackspot to spend half an hour burning fuel in a queue. Only when you are most of the way home on the by-ways do they suddenly twig that, yes, you can go home that way. ...Usually when you look back on what you were told (while finding some double back in a network of one-way streets to try to get back on course) the announcement was correct, when considered as pure logic! ...Not that there are many of the former, or latter, as our roads building programme is all but at a standstill due to the pressure of environmentalists who, it seems, would like to encourage waste of fuel and localised pollution caused by vehicles sitting in a queue going nowhere. ...Half way there the car's sat-nav told me I must take a B-road on the left, despite the fact that I knew my destination was straight ahead on the trunk road. Investigating after the meeting, I discovered that every time you programmed in the street name and town, it set the destination as a street of the same name in another town 20 miles distant! ...The poor unfortunate Ardoe House hotel on Royal Deeside, is - according to all the sat-navs I have recently tried - in an empty field about a mile from its true location!

BMW future - cars tailored to suit

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-06-13T10:20:00+01:00
BMW have released details of their extraordinary GINA project which features a cloth skin body stretched over a frame. It's the new idea from the team headed by Chris Bangle, who caused so much controversy with the introduction of the flame-surface styling. BMW says that the idea of a flexible outer skin breaks new ground in automotive engineering, although, I suppose, those familiar with some of the vintage cars produced in the 1920s might disagree. Undeniably, however the GINA sports car is a high technology, ultra modern approach. BMW calls it GINA Light Visionary Model and it has an almost seamless outer skin, a flexible textile cover that stretches across a moveable substructure. The benefits include the lightness of the structure, the ability of the body to move and adapt. For example the rear spoiler can increase its angle for greater downforce, simply stretching under the skin. The headlights can appear through openings in the outer skin which open very like eyelids. To access the engine, you simply unzip a slot down the centre of the bonnet and pull back the covers! With the exception of the headlights, other lights simply shine through the fabric. ...The largest extends from the front of the vehicle to the edge of the windscreen and down the sides to the rear edge of the doors. The large side panels start at the front where the rocker panels emerge and run across the rear wheel arches into the rear. The fourth component is the central rear deck element.

Sporting style with economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-06-10T07:55:57+01:00
It's amazing how the BMW 1 Series hatchback with its slightly gawky styling has been transformed into an attractive coupé. ... This is, after all, a vehicle with a sporting flavour using the latest engine technology to achieve its expected performance with outstanding economy. ...The small one is designed to enhance responsiveness at low revs, while the bigger one is in charge of boosting the overall power. ...More importantly in the overtaking range, the 123d will pick up speed, pass and get back to its own side of the road in double quick time. What makes the car even more in tune with today's motoring environment is its economy. ...OK, I did go on to spoil this when I launched into a week of commuting. But the overall average at the end was just a shade over 40 mpg, which I would rate as outstanding considering the performance that I put to good use during that time. Putting out just 138g/km of CO2 you can also hold your head reasonably high in these environmentally-aware times. ...Initially this is disconcerting, but as this is now the third car with this system that I have driven (the most recent being the Mini Clubman Cooper D), I am becoming quite used to it. ...If you listen carefully with the window down you can just make out the very muffled characteristic sound of a diesel, but on the open road you would not know. You are not often aware of the inevitable low-revving nature of diesel engines, thanks to a careful choice of gears. ...If I was being carping, I would like the seat to go slightly lower in the sports genre. ...Recognising that a BMW is going to cost a premium price, I also reckon the price of £24,955 is quite keen.

Seat heads off road

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-06-03T11:37:36+01:00
When Seat launched its Altea Freetrack 4 it was the Spanish marque's first foray into the off-road market. Based on the long-wheelbase Altea it aims to combine the practicality of an MPV with the ability to take to the the rough(er) stuff. To give it this ability to mix it with the off-roaders, the Freetrack 4 has a four-wheel-drive system, the suspension has been jacked up 40 mm to give greater ground clearance and there are the obligatory plastic sill extensions to give it that all important purposeful off road look. ...At the front these extend up to near the top of the grille, so – if you want your Freetrack to look its best – it is important to choose a colour that suits this split. ...The good news for buyers is that – far from going up – Seat have actually chopped up to £1,400 off the previous asking price. The price for the Seat Altea Freetrack 4 2.0 TDI just squeaks under £20,000 at £19,995. ...The diesel grumble is quite well subdued, but still noticeable and there is a hint of diesel vibration that you feel through the pedals. ...I don't know whether it was only this particular car, but it felt like an over over-eager fuel cut off. In stop-start traffic there was a real jolt between throttle closed and throttle open, making it impossible to drive smoothly. ...The combination of MPV practicality with off road ability should put this car in the sights of many families, especially country dwellers who want to keep going when conditions get a little difficult. There is good space for passengers and luggage and the storage options are augmented by a series of small roof bins to store all sorts of oddments. The test car would be a real hit with kids, because the final bin popped open to reveal the optional DVD screen. Great for keeping the kids amused on a long journey and the good news is there are headphone sockets!

Adding style to practicality

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-06-02T16:43:04+01:00
The first time I saw the new Mini Clubman in the my local Mini showroom as I headed across to the car, one of the staff made me an offer. ...There is the famous "suicide door" - a rear-hinged door that, like the Mazda RX7 makes it easier to clamber into the rear seats. Now, much (possibly too much) has been made of the fact that there is only one of these rear door and that it is on the "wrong" side for the UK market. Sure, it might be better to be on what is normally the pavement side, but being beside the driver and impossible to open until the driver opens their door, the youngsters in the back should be under the driver's control the moment they hop out. ...I can vouch for the fact that it does make getting in and out of the back seat that much easier, just as it does with the RX7. ...Since the first version of the new Mini it has increased further in size and now It really is like a parody of the original. It takes a mile or two to get used to having a split rear window, but it really is not intrusive into the otherwise good visibility. ...I have come across this before and so I was prepared for how disconcerting this can be, until you get used to it. ...As a result the Clubman Cooper D, which was already a very green motor car, is now even more so. ... That's just a tantalising 9g over the point at which your environmental halo is so bright that the government gives you your tax disk for nothing! ...Although these official figures are, as usual, somewhat theoretical for the average motorist, I was extremely impressed with my 47 mpg for the weekly commute. ...The increased length of the Clubman hasn't spoilt the usual sharp Mini handling, so this is a very pleasant driving companion whether your journey be in city traffic, country roads or motorways. ...So, if you like a car that is stylish and different, if you have a dog and if you want to reduce your environmental impact while enjoying your driving, this may be just the car for you.

So fuel price increase is nothing to do with tax?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-05-29T12:26:13+01:00
When the Prime Minister and the Chancellor flew to Aberdeen to meet with the bosses of the UK oil industry, Gordon Brown tried to deflect attention from high fuel taxes as the cause for the current fuel price crisis. Instead, he tried to focus attention on fuel supply as the real cause. When more than two thirds of the price of every gallon of road fuel is tax (fuel tax and VAT), that is a particularly difficult assertion to accept. According to recent media coverage, the Government stands to make an additional £4 billion in tax as a result of the price increases. With the UK being one of the highest taxed fuel markets in the world, it is difficult to accept the Government's argument that fuel tax is not the issue. It may not be the sole issue, but it sure is an issue! There is a petition running on the Prime Minister's website calling for a 30% reduction in fuel duty. There was also a considerable touch of irony about the flying visit to Aberdeen. In the past the North Sea oil and gas industry's requests for an equitable tax regime and for government support in extending the life of the North Sea fields have received, at best, a lukewarm reaction from government. It would be interesting to know what hard talking went on behind the door of that hotel just outside Aberdeen. I can't imagine the industry leaders would miss the opportunity to point out the need for more government support for the industry that has helped keep the UK economy afloat for almost 40 years, before agreeing to take part in the announcement of increased production. The UK is the world's 12th largest oil producer, ahead of countries like Kuwait. North Sea oil and gas produces three-quarters of the UK's prime energy needs and, far from declining, it is expected this figure will rise to 80% by 2020.

Living in a Materia world

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-05-15T19:24:14+01:00
Daihatsu, too, wants to appeal to younger customers and that is where the Materia comes in. To my eyes the Daihatsu Materia looks like a Chrysler PT Cruiser which was snatched out of the crusher at the last second, just before it became a perfect cube. ...The quirky looks may be the main reason for the Materia's shape, but there is also pracitality. ...The rear seats slide back and forth and, in their rearmost setting they make the rear seat of the Diahatsu very accommodating. ... Legroom, with the seats in this position, is generous to say the least and would put many larger cars to shame. ...Again, you have the option to slide the rear seats forward for more load space. The thought struck me that Daihatsu have clearly intended to woo a younger customer profile with the Materia. ... Those, not so agile at getting in and out of lower, more-cramped hatches will love the easy access and spaciousness of the the Materia. ...It may undercut the Nissan Note and the Skoda Roomster, but the Vauxhall Meriva or the Renault Modus will cost you less. ...Daihatsu has apparently tweaked the suspension for European markets to make it a little stiffer and less prone to body roll. ...To underline the positioning as a quirky car to appeal to those who want to be different, one of the prominent switches on the dashboard which turns on a blue neon style light around each door speaker. If your main desire is to buy a car that is different, then the Materia may well appeal. If you do, you will be rewarded with that excellent practicality of carrying four, maybe five, passengers with good space for all.

Biofuels - vision or mirage?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-04-09T15:54:31+01:00
Everywhere you go these days – particularly in the United States – the talk is of biofuels. People seem to have latched onto the idea that we can grow our own fuel as being the panacea for all our fossil fuel ills. America is particularly enthusiastic because of the promise that biofuel could be used to replace imported oil. But, have the supporters of biofuels stopped to think things through? According to experts at the Macaulay Institute for land use research, achieving the target of 5% of biofuel content in petrol and diesel by next year (2009) would require ONE FIFTH of Britain's agricultural land to be turned over to biofuel production! Remember that is for only 5% biofuel. Presumably 25% biofuel would need all the agricultural land in Britain. So where would we grow our food? • If we, or the Americans, can't grow food, will we snatch it from under the noses of those in third world countries? • Alternatively will we continue to grow food? If so, will we look to third world countries to grow our fuel, by stopping their food production, or destroying their rain forests to replace them with oil producing palms? Either way it becomes a rich v. poor country issue, with only one common outcome. ...From that perspective, it seems that a biofuel future is not so much a vision, more of a mirage.

BMW’s Canine Repellent Alloy Protection

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-04-01T09:18:43+01:00
On April 1, BMW announced the first details of the new Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system. Designed to stop dogs fouling against the sparkling alloys of new BMW cars, the innovative Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system (C.R.A.P.) is the latest offering in the BMW EfficientDynamics programme. Using the EfficientDynamics Brake Energy Regeneration system, energy that would normally have been lost during engine over-run and during braking is harnessed as Rim Impulse Power (R.I.P.) and stored for future use. Whenever a dog tries to relieve itself on the wheel of a suitably-equipped BMW, a small and relatively painless electric shock is immediately administered to the animal, thus deterring it from future fouling. Dr Hans Zoff, Head of Automotive Security from BMW AG, said; “Research shows that most BMW customers like to keep their cars clean and dog fouling is a constant irritant. Not only does the Canine Repellent Alloy Protection system support this aim, but it does so using energy created through the EfficientDynamics programme. Beauty through engineering perfection – our philosophy in a wheel nut.”

Average speed cameras could be a threat to safety

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-03-28T09:58:59+00:00
News of a potential increase in the use of average speed cameras, sends shudder down my spine. It's not that I have any desire to flout the speed limits. I just think that the best place for our eyes to focus, as drivers, is on the road.... not on our speedometers! ...Exceeding speed limits – according to Government figures – is the cause of only 5% of accidents. So – if we are really serious about road safety – we should be putting more emphasis on what causes the other 95% of accidents. Failure to look properly accounts for a third of all accidents. These should be focussed on the road – not on the speedometer! The benefit of traditional speed cameras is that they can be (but often aren't) used to ensure that we do slow down where speed is critical. ...There they encourage drivers to think about the speed they are doing, glance (and hopefully only a glance!) at the speedometer, before getting their eyes back where they should be, on the road. Average speed cameras (unless you happen to have cruise control) mean that you have to watch the speedometer like a hawk, to the inevitable detriment of looking at the road and observing what is going on around you. And guess what is by far the largest cause of accidents, accounting for a third? ...That ought to give those who want average speed cameras something to think about.

Ford says Tata to Jaguar and Land Rover

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-03-26T13:07:35+00:00
One of the most open secrets in the motor industry was confirmed at today when the Ford Motor Company made the official announcement of the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors of India. The US $2.3 billion deal will provide a welcome boost for Ford's finances and should end the uncertainty about the immediate future for the British brands. In addition to their car manufacturing business Tata recently took over steel maker Corus and are also the company behind the Tetley Tea brand. Tata are already active in the mainstream and 4x4 sector. Seen here is the Tata Safari. Commenting on the acquisition, Ratan Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said: "We are very pleased at the prospect of Jaguar and Land Rover being a significant part of our automotive business. We have enormous respect for the two brands and will endeavour to preserve and build on their heritage and competitiveness, keeping their identities intact. "We aim to support their growth, while holding true to our principles of allowing the management and employees to bring their experience and expertise to bear on the growth of the business."

New Tiguan is a great all-rounder

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-02-29T20:20:04+00:00
It’s 0-62 acceleration of 10.5 sounds slower than the car feels and the usual diesel torque means is plenty of punch at overtaking speeds. ...It’s a refined vehicle to drive, proving equally at home on city streets, dual carriageways or country roads. ...Where other off-roaders can have passengers feeling like they are on a stormy crossing of the Pentland Firth, the Tiguan stays remarkably flat. ...But, one prod of the off-road button adjusts the throttle response, engages hill-descent assist and uses the brake sensors to stop the wheels spinning. ...At £20,050 it is almost a third of the price of its bigger brother, but it stands up to comparison. ...My test car was the two litre diesel Tiguan which currently comes in only one form, putting out 140PS. ... It’s 0-62 acceleration of 10.5 sounds slower than it feels and the usual diesel torque means that, at overtaking speeds, there is plenty of punch. ...Because the Tiguan has a fairly long front overhang, the front spoiler and valance could be in mortal danger if you took to the really rough stuff. ...You simply drive slowly past a line of parked cars with Park Assist activated and the car will alert you when it finds a space big enough. ...It’s a very refined vehicle to drive, proving equally at home on city streets, dual carriageways or country roads. ...Where other off-roaders can have passengers feeling like they are on a stormy crossing in the Pentland Firth, the Tiguan stays remarkably calm and flat. ...But, the off-road button adjusts the throttle response, engages hill-descent assist and uses the brake sensors to stop the wheels spinning – Volkswagen say it mimics the effect of a differential lock. ...At £20,050 it is almost a third of the price of its bigger brother, but it stands up to comparison.

Claim that potholes endanger lives

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-01-31T16:53:05+00:00
Britain used to be known for the quality of its road surfaces. No, don't laugh, it really did. Manufacturers from this country went to France to give their suspension a serious test, now the continental manufacturers are coming here for testing because our road surfaces are notorious. TyreSafe have highlighted the problem citing a report last year that revealed damage to vehicles from potholes and bad road surfaces amounted to £320 million in 2006. Motorists are most at risk from potholes in hours of darkness or in periods of reduced visibility, TyreSafe rightly point out, adding that there are increased dangers for those who are more exposed on motorcycles. Frequently, damage to the tyre is not immediately visible, they point ouot, and therefore motorists may be unaware of this until a potentially catastrophic failure occurs, thus putting the vehicle occupants and other road users at risk. Furthermore, at high speed, alignment of the wheel may be affected, thereby promoting uneven tyre wear and the potential for a tyre blow-out. Whilst it should be common practice for motorists, TyreSafe says that one method of reducing damage to tyres caused by potholes is to maintain them at the levels of pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. If any level of damage is suspected, motorists should visit their nearest dealer or tyre retailer for their tyres to be examined for any faults.

Freelander grows up

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-01-24T19:26:21+00:00
I remember the excitement of the launch when Land Rover unveiled their new small off-roader in the south of Spain. What impressed those of us on the launch was the way that Land Rover had met the brief of a more affordable small 4x4, but with the sort of off-road ability that you would expect of a Land Rover. Sure, as one journalist discovered, the Freelander was not made for yomping over the sort of bumps and ruts that its bigger siblings would dismiss with ease. ...Said journalist decided not to wait and set off across the mountainside, only to get the Freelander beached on a small hillock. ...For those not familiar with these devices, they use the anti-lock braking system to keep the vehicle at slow speed when descending a steep slope. ... I can say that as witness to a Mitsubishi Shogun which ended up on two wheels, within a whisker of falling over, after the driver tried to slow her descent with the brakes. So impressed was I with the Freelander that, when we took the decision to become country dwellers, we paid a visit to our local Land Rover dealer and purchased a six-month old, extremely-low mileage model. ...One that has proven to me it can build a car with top notch reliability and build quality – the Halewood factory that also produces the Jaguar X-type. ...The test car also had auto box at £1370, and claimed to have bi-Xenon adaptive lights at £995 – but they didn't move on my test! ...You would expect reasonably good economy from a relatively small 4x4 with diesel power, but I thought 27 mpg on my daily commute was a bit disappointing, given that most of the 44-mile round trip is on country roads. ...For an off-roader it also has remarkably sharp steering, although on tall tyres it is never going to have the responses of a low-profile tyred hatchback. ...These systems are so much easier to use that the fiddly systems where you have to twiddle a knob to set your destination or change the settings. ...Freelander 2 keeps the best of Freelander 1 and adds more sophistication, better dynamics, a greater impression of build quality and the prospect of better reliability.

Volkswagen Touareg - the discrete off-roader

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2008-01-11T12:21:38+00:00
Drive a big off-roader these days and you may invite some questioning about your need for such a large vehicle. That's a more likely line of questioning if your choice of off-roader carries a badge that presents an image of luxury. ...Yet, when you tell someone you drive a Volkswagen Touareg, they are not likely to think big, or expensive, in the same way as they might about some other marques. ...It is spacious, powerful and capable - particularly in the five-litre V10 form that I drove for my most recent road test of this model. The range starts at £36,532 for the V6 3.2-litre and rises to £54,867 for my test car, the Touareg 5.0 V10 TDI SE - just one notch down from the top-of-the-range Altitude version. ...It sits alongside the Volkswagen Phaeton, the big luxury saloon, as a car that makes us re-think our perceptions of Volkswagen as the producers of small and family sized hatchbacks and saloons. ...But with lifestyle vehicle sales still on the up, Porsche, in particular, have reaped the rewards of their late entry into this market from massive sales growth in the USA. ...Many years earlier they had produced a military off-road vehicle and, of course, many of the company's mainstream models are available with 4Motion four-whee-drive as an option. It goes without saying that the V10 Touareg has ample power for hard work off road, for towing or just for everyday motoring. ...Matched to an excellent automatic gearbox it makes the Touareg an effortless car to drive, either around town, on dual carriageway or on more twisty give-and-take country roads. ...Inevitably, such a big engine is not going to be the most economical and - on my daily commute - the Touareg V10 consistently returned just a fraction under 20 mpg. ...The steering feels remarkably precise for such a big vehicle and body roll - something that is the bugbear of so many big off-roaders - is minimal. ...With a price that falls between the Land Rover Discovery and the Range Rover, you would expect the V10 Touareg to be a luxurious place to be.

Renault Laguna Sport Tourer

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-12-13T19:11:08+00:00
So, when I picked up the new Laguna Sports Tourer - which won't go on sale until January 2008 - it didn't really attract much attention for a model that no-one had seen on the roads yet. ...It looks and feels a bit more like it had been put together in a German, rather than French, factory. Although, the added bonus is that it perhaps has a little more Gallic design flair than some of the sombre, no-nonsense German car interiors. ...Why have to carry out two functions (put the key in and then press a button) where one (key in and twist) used to suffice. ... As long as you have the card on your person, the doors will open for you and the engine will start. ...As with many diesels, this one feels as though someone has fitted a bit of elastic into the throttle linkage. It's hard to argue with the economy though and even I can see the logic of the diesel when you look at the average consumption. My daily 40-plus mile commute, returned over 40 mpg – a remarkable figure for a full-size, spacious family estate car. My 44-mile daily commute returned more than 40 mpg, which is remarkable for a spacious estate car. ... Acceleration 0-62 mph is dispatched in a very rapid 8.7 seconds and the Sports Tourer will pull strongly right through to the legal limit. ...It is also quite a good companion when you pull off onto the B-roads. The feedback is not up there with the best, and poor road surfaces can cause this car some distress, with the occasional protest. The Renault Laguna Sports Tourer 2.0 dCi Dynamic S comes loaded with equipment at £20,650.

Sell the Prius, it's not green enough

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-12-10T12:55:21+00:00
I remember a year or so ago I was amazed at a Volkswagen Polo diesel that - try as I did - I could not get to do less than 48 mpg. ... But this one is the Polo BlueMotion, which, in its basic form, has such low emissions that it costs nothing to tax in the UK and allows you free access to London Congestion Charge zone. ...With the addition of creature comforts like air conditioning, this version pushes double digit carbon dioxide emissions just into three figures – enough to qualify for tax, but buy the BlueMotion 1 and your tax and congestion charge are zero. ...The turbocharger and the tall gearing means you sometimes have the sensation that the engine is labouring a little, but the torque is such that it can pull, albeit slowly, from quite low revs. ...But, depending on your desire for low running costs or green credentials, that could be a small price to pay for the outstanding economy and low emissions. ...If I head out the door with the keys to my own car, then that is a pretty sure indicator that I don't much care for the road test vehicle. ...I also quite enjoyed the realisation, when I arrived at the office each morning, that I had used half the fuel I would in my own car. ...This is never going to be a vehicle that you could describe as a "driver's car", but it is certainly quite practical. ...Once you have got used to the over-geared feeling and learned that you need to get the revs up when you need a more urgent response, such as for overtaking manoeuvres. In reality the Polo BlueMotion 2 bowls along quite happily and I found myself musing that, if this is the immediate future of motoring until zero emission cars become a reality, then it is not too bad. ...If you and your family can fit in a Polo this is – by a small margin – more environmentally-friendly route to take. At £11,995 for the Bluemotion 1 and £12,845 for the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion2 the fuel-efficient technology does add around £700 to the price of the Polo 1.4 TDI 80. But, bear in mind that you are likely to get at least 10 mpg more, plus – if you stick with the BlueMotion 1 – you won't have to pay for road tax or London Congestion Charges.

Smooth sailing with London Congestion Charge

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-11-29T09:27:35+00:00
I have often wondered how easy it would be to pay the London Congestion Charge. Recently I found out. It was so easy that the first I knew of it was when the charge showed up on my credit card. Interestingly the charge applied to a day when my car was safely tucked up in its garage and I was enjoying the efficiency of Switzerland's outstanding public transport system!

C-Crosser comes late to the party

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-11-14T13:23:50+00:00
Considering that Citroen has had a long involvement in events like the Dakar Rally, in the tough off-road conditions of the Sahara, it's perhaps surprising that it has taken until now for the famous chevrons to appear on the nose of an off-road vehicle. ...That really brings the argument down to style and appearance between the two French versions and I would award the C-Crosser the slight advantage there. ...But, the C-Crosser offers the distinct advantage of two additional seats in the very back, a good diesel engine in the 2.2HDI and a good package of equipment. ...But, when it comes down to the things that make a vehicle like this a pleasure to own - style, refinement and ability, then the C-Crosser gets more of a run for its money. ...Well, although I know the old Freelander only too well (durability was not an attribute that my one possessed) I have not yet driven Freelander 2, with its promise of greater reliability. ...The diesel harshness and clatter are well subdued and the result is a vehicle that is quick enough to keep up with traffic both in town and out on the open dual carriageways. I did find that progress in traffic queues was a little jerky (particularly until I became really familiar with things like clutch 'bite' points) due to the sudden transition between power on and power off. ...With its ability to run as a front wheel drive vehicle it is perhaps not surprising that it is a tad more economical, according to the figures, than the equivalent 2.2 Freelander. ...Manoeuvring confidence is boosted on the test car with the £1,600 option of an excellent touch-screen sat-nav system combined with a rear view camera. ...It acquitted itself well on my patch of heather moor, with its option to dial in four wheel drive and differential locks and the twist a knob. The Freelander, however, is the more technically advanced option for off-roading - it has Land Rover's Terrain Response system, where you dial in the conditions and the car adjusts the setting to suit. ...That said, most owners of these vehicles are really only looking for something that can cope with mild off-road conditions, rather than anything too serious. ... The test car came with all the things I would expect on an up-market model in this price bracket, and more.

Audi TT, now it is a driver's car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-11-02T18:35:49+00:00
Such has been the pace of Audi’s new model programme in recent months that the German manufacturer has seen its UK sales continue to grow. ...The old Audi TT had been in production for seven years, yet it still looked a remarkably fresh design. ... It is totally new from the ground up, but it looked almost like the facelift that the old TT never had. ...I still remember, seven years ago on the Audi motor show stand, how the first TT felt quite enclosed, compared to the more glassy designs all around. ...The rear seats, on the other hand are really only suitable for children or, at a push (perhaps literally), very agile, but compact adults. ...If you want the four-wheel-drive version (and almost twice the UK average opt for four wheel drive in this area) then you need to go for the bigger 3.2 litre Quattro model. Don’t get the impression that you will be missing out hugely on performance if you go with the 2.0T. ...The test car also had the £1,400 S-tronic semi automatic gearbox, which, unlike most auto boxes, is actually fractionally quicker than the manual, shaving two tenths of second off the 0-60 time down to take just 6.4 seconds. It was unfortunate for the TT that I took over its keys just after returning a Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30. ...You can select the sports setting on the transmission which makes it much more high revving and responsive. ...Around half its body weight has been shed, by judicious use of aluminium and the new car is more finely balanced. ...Again this has been achieved with no loss of practicality, because the steering is remains light enough to make searching for elusive parking places in the centre of Aberdeen less of a chore. ...However, the options list is rather tempting and, with its S-tronic transmission, those amazing magnetic dampers and the Napa leather upholstery, plus other attractive items, the test car’s price ended up a little over £30,000.

Mazda MX-5 goes trendy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-10-15T14:49:07+01:00
When the Mazda MX-5 was launched it neatly stole a sector of the market that was, until the 1970s, as British as the Union Jack. ...More than any other car, the Mazda MX-5 has taken over the market that the British motor industry, in a bout of corporate madness, abandoned. Now, in 2007, it continues to enjoy a dedicated following and its latest version - the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe - has joined the range. ...You simply undo the windscreen header catch (other coupé-cabriolets may do this electronically, but how difficult is it to pull a lever!). ...I can see that premium being quite attractive if you want the added refinement and security of a steel roof. ...Where some manufacturers would put a slab of wood to make it look more British, the Mazda does with a panel of high-gloss plastic. ...The seats are very much like traditional sportscar seats you sit low down with your feet slightly offset to the right, which is more noticeable in an era of front wheel drive cars where there is no transmission tunnel. The test car was an MX-5 Roadster Coupé 2.0i with option pack. ...Do so and, of course, it is then entirely your common sense and skill that keeps the car out of the hedgerows! Surprisingly in these days of six-speed gearboxes, the MX-5 retro feel is heightened by a short, stubby five-speed gearstick on top of a big power tunnel. ...Like the Austin Healeys, MGs and Triumphs of their day, the MX-5 is not the fastest car on the road. But, this is the type of car that you will really enjoy on those rare occasions that you find a reasonably quiet country road. ...But, if much of your driving entails motorways or city roads, the great thing is that the MX-5 will prove perfectly practical - as long as you only have one passenger and a sensible amount of luggage.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-09-20T17:41:15+01:00
If your name is Mark Page and you scooped a jackpot of £4.7 million you wouldn't go out and buy Ferraris, Porsches or even a Rolls Royce. What he wanted was two Audis. The 37-year-old father of two celebrated his win at St Andrews Old Course, announcing he would use his jackpot to retire and perfect his game. Today he also picked up the first of his two Audis, an RS4, from Dundee Audi. Mark Page takes the wheel of his Audi RS4 at Dundee Audi "I chose the Audi RS4 after seeing it on the ‘Top Gear’ programme," Mark explained, "and the Audi S5 coupe, because I liked the look of it. After the test drive I knew it was a car for me." “We were delighted to assist Mr Page in his purchase of the two new Audi cars," said Mike Pugh, General Manager of Dundee Audi. “Both RS4 and S5 have big luggage compartments which allows easy storage of large items so Mark’s well-filled golf bags will fit perfectly!”

Tragic loss of Colin McRae in helicopter crash

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-09-16T13:23:50+01:00
The sporting world is reeling from news of the tragic death of Scotland's Colin McRae MBE, his five-year-old son Johnny and two family friends in a helicopter crash yesterday afternoon in Lanarkshire. Britain's first rallying World Champion was apparently piloting his Squirrel helicopter when it crashed in the trees close to his home. Our thoughts are with his family - his wife and daughter, father Jimmy McRae who was five times British Rally Champion, Colin's mother, his sister and his British Rally Champion brother Alister. Colin McRae came up through the ranks of Scottish club competitors. Here he is seen on his way to his first Scottish Championship title on the 1988 Trossachs Rally. ... I had wrongly filed my photo and thought it was the 1989 Snowman Rally.) The McRaes are a close family and very much part of the army of rally enthusiasts. I remember seeing them all together on countless rally events. When they were not competing they would be found trudging into the forests alongside all the other rally fans to enjoy the competition. We hope this closeness, combined with the knowledge that others are sharing their grief, will help pull them through this dreadful tragedy. • Colin McRae's website offers a chance to leave a message of condolence. • Britain's other World Rally Champion Richard Burns died as a result of a brain tumour. ...BBC Colin McRae's career in pictures

Ford give Focus Mondeo look

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-09-14T19:39:27+01:00
Ford has given the Focus a makeover that gives it the acclaimed family look of the new Mondeo. Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show the updated focus has what Ford call their 'kinetic design' styling, designed to echo the looks of the new Ford Mondeo. In addition to the new Mondeo-style grilles and swept back headlights, the new Focus has bolder wheelarches and a new shape of rear window glass, with a contoured tailgate and new rear lights. Inside there are now soft-touch plastics on the instrument panel and upper doors. There are also new seat fabrics. The instruments have been redesigned and are now illuminated in red. A new version of the 1.6 TDCi engine drops CO2 emissions to 119g/km.

I do not like being lied to

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-09-14T13:32:29+01:00
But almost every day, governments, transport authorities and environmentalists come out with statements that are quite simply untrue. This week I have listened to two BBC radio phone-ins where the basic assumption is that public transport is always more environmentally-friendly than private cars. ...Despite what they want you to believe, sometimes the car is best! ▪ A group of three people are likely to produce twice the carbon dioxide emissions if they choose to go by train, rather than in an averagely economical car! ▪ Even on a ten-mile commute an average car with four passengers is likely to produce half the CO2 emissions per head than if they went on a bus or coach. Use a more efficient car or take a half empty bus and presumably the balance swings even more towards the car. ▪ A Lancaster University study showed that a London to Edinburgh train, even if all the seats were filled, used more fuel per seat than a reasonably economical car. Fill less than all the seats on the train or put more people in the car and presumably again the environmental benefit will go more strongly to the car ▪ Studies in the UK and Germany have shown that travelling by public transport can be up to 60% less fuel efficient than travelling by car. ...I am a great admirer of how much better and more integrated public transportation systems seem to be in other countries. But, I would have much greater respect for public transport lobby groups if they could learn to be truthful. They have strong arguments on their side for emission reductions in certain cases and congestion reductions in others. With that ammunition they surely do not need to peddle the blatant lie that public transport is always best for the environment.

Nissan cash cow?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-09-13T17:14:36+01:00
The thought of a car that I could milk for money, sounded pretty attractive, but, unfortunately I think he had just fallen foul of the recent Oriental liking for strange names. ...Apparently the Nissan Qashqai (pronounce it 'cash kai' as the Nissan press pack helpfully advises), is in fact a nomadic tribe from Iran. So, the same sort of name as Volkswagen's Toureg then - it was named after Nomads on the other side of the Mediterranean. ...It may look like an off-roader, but four wheel drive is only available as a £1,600 option on two-litre models. So essentially this is a family hatch made more appealing by the addition of a smattering of off-road action-man styling. Certainly this car has some character about its external appearance - something that medium-sized Nissan family saloons and hatchbacks haven't always had. ...The grey cloth upholstery had a red relief check pattern that looks a tad 'public transport utilitarian' in style. ... The most important tactile area of any car, the steering wheel, although stitched like fine leather rim, has a rather unpleasant grained plastic feel in the hands. It may not win in the style stakes, but the interior is practical, helped by the taller off-road-style stance. The test car was also a really light an airy place to be, because it had a ginormous glass sunroof. ...My test car was the £16,099 Nissan Qashqai 1.5dci Acenta (where do they get these names?) ...But this is a willing power engine and I honestly never felt really thwarted by the lack of horses. ...Perhaps the off-roader look really does help, because the Qashqai achieved the highest score for adult occupant protection in the past ten years.

Mercedes' people-carrying semi SUV

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-09-11T14:28:24+01:00
The R-class is certainly a novel vehicle and that is perhaps surprising from a manufacturer who it may be easy to pigeon-hole as being conservative. ...The R-class has a bit of 4x4 and a bit of minivan about it so it should appeal. But it currently has one less seat than most MPVs - six instead of seven, although there are rumours of a seven seat version to come. Despite its car-like looks the rear-most seats are a lot more useable than on, say, most multi-seat estate cars. But they are still not ideal, so when you walk up to the R-Class with six family or friends be prepared for a scramble to get the front or the middle row of seats! ...Front and middle seat passengers have plenty of room. in the rear, the wheel arches mean the seats are close together but there is reasonable legroom and headroom. ...Should you want to shuffle the gears yourselves you use the discrete up and down switches on the back of the steering wheel - a little bit like the gear change paddles on a Formula One car. ... Choosing a lower gear for corners helped to settle the R-Class on the tarmac avoiding the 'floaty' feel of entering a corner on a trailing throttle. ...My test vehicle was the Mercedes-Benz R320 CDI L SE, with the L indicating this is the long wheelbase version. ...Price is £40,117 for the CDI L with an extra £2,950 for the SE specification bringing the test car up to £43,067. ...In the States you can imagine any status conscious minivan driver would be very keen to snatch the keys as long as six seats sufficed. In this country there will be some for whom the R-Class is perfect - families with four kids, or grandparents, or friends and hangers-on. You could also see how it could appeal to businesses who need to transport up to five people in style and reasonable comfort.

Wraps off the radical new Jaguar XF

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-28T11:21:44+01:00
The wraps are finally off the new Jaguar XF, the saloon that defines the new future style for Jaguar. The XF will replace the S-Type whose retro styling, harking back to the Jaguar MkII and original S-Type failed to attract younger buyers. The XF launch comes at a time when the company, too, is looking forward to a new beginning, with the expected sell off by Ford. ...The XF is Jaguar's move to shrug off the older-buyer image that has dogged its sales until the XK broke the mould. The XF is the first time Ian Callum's new style has been seen on a saloon. The design is quite close to the C-XF concept car in that it presents a coupé image while being a four-door saloon.

Mini Clubman expands the range

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-08T14:06:09+01:00
The Mini range will be extended this autumn with the launch of the new Mini Clubman. This is the third variation on the new Mini theme, building on the hatchback and the cabriolet. The Clubman is to the new Mini what the Traveller was to the original. But the marketing people at Mini have clearly decided that the Clubman name (which was the name applied to the longer-nosed version of the original Mini) is more suitable. Like the Morris Mini Traveller it is, in essence, a slightly-extended estate car version. ...Designed to make getting into the rear seats easier, it is a small rear-hinged door rather like the Mazda RX-8. Unlike the Mazda there is only one and, unfortunately, it is on the right-hand-side only. That may be great for markets that drive on the right, allowing passengers to hop out on the pavement. But, in Britain and other markets who drive on the left, it is not so clever. Mini say that the cost of shifting the fuel filler precluded fitting a matching rear door on the left side of the car. ...This has allowed an increase of 8cm for rear legroom, providing more passenger room and Mini say that the Clubman is a genuine five seater. Luggage space has also been increased by more than 60% with the rear seats up, with the usual option of folding the seats for maximum load space. ...At launch time there will be three versions, all badged as Coopers - the Cooper, Cooper D (diesel) and Cooper S.

Forth Road Bridge replacement plans go on the road

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-20T13:25:17+01:00
The Scottish Executive are taking plans for a replacement crossing for the Forth Bridge, out for public comment. The current Forth Road Bridge, built in 1964, is suffering corrosion in its suspension wires and, if work to stop this corrosion is unsuccessful, it is suggested that it may have to close to heavy vehicles by 2013. Two final options have been shortlisted for its replacement – a bridge or a tunnel to the west of the existing bridge. A public information exhibition on the plans opens today at North Queensferry in Fife and in Edinburgh. Is the sun setting on the Forth Road Bridge? Closed to all traffic by 2020? "The Forth replacement crossing will be one of the biggest infrastructure investments ever seen in this country," John Swinney, Finance and Sustainable Growth Secretary commented at the start of the consultation. "It is vital to Scotland's future, and with such an important decision I am very keen to hear people's views on the proposals. "But if we are to keep Scotland moving in years to come, and achieve our aim of improving economic growth, it is clear that we need the public to help us on more than just the decision on the type of crossing." When it was opened the lifespan of the Forth Road Bridge was said to be 120 years. If the corrosion issues cannot be addressed, it is feared that heavy vehicles will have to banned by 2013, with full closure in 2020.

Kia goes mainstream

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-17T13:14:18+01:00
Kia has two established niche markets where it is seen as a serious player in the UK - the MPV Sedona, beloved by taxi companies, and the Kia Sportage. Until the Cee'd, however, its saloons and hatchbacks have appealed largely to the motorist on a tight budget who is determined to drive a new, rather than second-hand car. ...Even at tickover, when cold (the time that diesels usually emit most clatter) it is quite subdued and once you get going you would not know it was a compression ignition engine under the bonnet. ...So often recently I have found diesels producing nothing like the economy claimed when driving my regular routes on country by-ways and city streets. I do not doubt that they produce remarkable figures when zooming up and down the motorways, but not in city and commuting mode. ...Offhand, apart from a Polo diesel that did nothing less than 48 mpg no matter how hard I drove it, that is one of the best economy figures on a normal commute for a long time. ...On dual carriageways it cruises well and in relaxed manner, but it is a little bit noisier than some competitors. ...I don't know whether it is a Cee'd foible or just the test car, but my time with it conincided with one of those rare warm periods this summer. I could not get the car to maintain its interior cool and ended setting my desired interior temperature at 16 C to have any real chilled air coming out of the vents! The only other fly in the ointment for what is otherwise a very pleasant car to drive, is that Kia - in common with other Korean car companies - puts the steering column stalks the opposite way round to the accepted norm. If you drove nothing but this car you would soon get used to it, but for those of us programmed to the wipers on the right and the lights on the left, it is infuriating. ...At £14,245 the Kia Cee'd 1.6D 113 LS (to give its full designation) is now close to the price of its most obvious European competitors. ...When it was launched the Kia Cee'd must have caused some sharp intakes of breath in the boardrooms of Ford, Vauxhall and others, by offering a five-year warranty.

London congestion charge will hit some hard

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-09T09:35:31+01:00
Drivers whose cars comply with the latest latest Euro 4 specification and emit less than 120 g/km of CO2 will be exempt from the toll. But those whose cars emit 225 g/km or more will pay £25 per day to enter the enlarged central London zone. ...The reason that early hybrid drivers may now have to pay a toll is because of the requirement that, to be exempt the engines need to comply with the Euro 4 specification. ...Includes cars in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) Bands A and B (less than 120g CO2 per km) which also meet Euro 4 air quality standard • The majority of cars - VED Bands C, D, E and those in F with emissions up to 225g CO2 per km – will continue to pay exactly the same daily charge as at present - £8 • The highest CO2 emitting cars - VED Band G and equivalent vehicles (above 225g CO2 per km), as well as those registered pre March 2001 with engines larger than 3,000 cc, will pay £25 a day The SMMT claims that families with some seven-seater MPVs and estate cars could be "hammered" by up to £5,300 a year from February next year, compared to £1,696 now. ...Under the new proposals there will be no residents' discount for owners of cars emitting more than 225 g/km CO2. ...In other words, they say, regardless of powertrain type, cars emitting less than 120g/km, including petrol and diesel models, will pay nothing to enter the zone. They also welcome the incentives for commercial vehicles, with trucks meeting highest air-quality standards (Euro 5) set to qualify for a £2 daily discount. However, SMMT is concerned that the new scheme will add further layers of bureaucracy and confusion for road haulage companies struggling to come to terms with the forthcoming introduction of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ). ... ▪ The Association of British Drivers has reacted angrily to the proposals: "As the Mayor has pointed out, only 8% of cars registered in London will be affected, but only 10% of the CO2 emissions in London according to Transport for London are created by private cars. ... In practice, a third might stop driving into London, a third might pay the charge, and a third might switch to a lower emissions vehicle - in the last case they are very unlikely to save more than 50% of emissions as most vehicles in Band G only slightly exceed 225 gm/km and they are likely to switch to vehicles that are just under the limit.

Zero emission luxury cars take to UK roads

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-06-05T15:31:20+01:00
A fleet of three BMW Hydrogen 7s will take part in tomorrow's Revolve Brighton to London rally for low and zero-emission cars. Starting on Madeira Drive in Brighton, the fleet of Hydrogen 7s will follow a pre-planned route ending at Trafalgar Square in London. During the course of the event, HRH The Prince of Wales, a Government Minister, the Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron and a number of other dignitaries will be introduced to the world’s first hydrogen-powered emissions-free luxury saloon car. Following the rally, the BMW Hydrogen 7 will take pride of place in a display of the participating cars at the London Science Museum. ...The BMW Hydrogen 7 is based on the existing 7 Series and comes equipped with a bivalent internal combustion engine capable of running on hydrogen or petrol. ... Powered by a 260hp 12-cylinder engine, the Hydrogen 7 accelerates from zero to 62mph in 9.5 seconds before going on to an electronically-limited 143mph top speed. With its unique dual fuel engine, the driver of a Hydrogen 7 can switch quickly and conveniently from hydrogen to conventional petrol power at the press of a steering wheel-mounted button. The dual power technology means the car has a cruising range in excess of 125 miles in the hydrogen mode with a further 300 miles under petrol power. To make this possible the BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with a conventional 74-litre petrol tank and an additional hydrogen fuel tank holding up to 8kgs of liquid hydrogen, stored at -253 degrees Celsius. Such flexibility means the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 is able to use the vehicle at all times, even when the nearest hydrogen filling station is out of range. ...For undiluted driver enjoyment, engine power and torque in the Hydrogen 7 remain exactly the same regardless of which fuel is in current use. ... The car always gives priority to the use of hydrogen but, should this run out, it automatically switches to petrol power. It is a full production ready vehicle, which has met all the stringent processes and final sign-off criteria that every current BMW model undergoes.

Hamilton and Alonso fizzing in Hungary

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-06T15:54:04+01:00
In the highly charged world of Formula One, it is perhaps unsurprising that tempers should flare. But, following the shenanigans in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren team boss Ron Dennis clearly has to deal with a feud between his two drivers. It seems clear that World Champion Fernando Alonso was as surprised as anyone in Formula One when young Lewis Hamilton appeared on the scene and started winning races. Not so surprising, perhaps, since Lewis Hamilton - more than any other driver before him - has been groomed for years for his Formula One career. ...I have not had the pleasure to meet Lewis Hamilton, but those who have speak of him as being an absolute gentleman and utterly charming. It sounds like the charm facade slipped during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The row that has been simmering between the Brit and the Spaniard can be traced back to the Monaco Grand Prix in May. ...The trigger apparently was Hamilton not following instructions to allow his McLaren Mercedes team-mate past at the start of the final qualifying session. He subsequently apologised for his actions, which he took because of concern that he might compromise his own position. In retaliation Alonso waited ten seconds before leaving the pits, where he had been getting new tyres. This delay meant that Hamilton, who was queued up behind, was unable to get out for a final fast lap and the chance to improve his grid position. ... More seriously for the drivers' employer, they decided to deny McLaren any points they might win for in the constructors' championship from the race. Lewis Hamilton went on to take the chequered flag and win the third race in his first year in Formula One.

Tribeca opens new market for Subaru

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-04T11:24:47+01:00
When Subaru first appeared in the UK they were seen as workhorse vehicles for rural types - pick ups and estate cars that had some added go-anywhere ability, thanks to their four-wheel-drive system. ...A sporty Impreza may appeal to a sizeable chunk of the buying public, but any manufacturer who aspires to a larger slice of the total market has to offer more. The European launch of the Subaru B9 Tribeca takes the company into a whole new market sector, but which sector is it? ...The Tribeca is a five or seven-seat MPV (the six and seventh chair are options and slot right in the back), but it can also lay claim to compete against some of the 4x4 crowd with its permanent four-wheel-drive system. ... It doesn't seem like a vehicle for serious off-road stuff, even compared with vehicles like the BMW X3, Volvo XC90 and Nissan Murano (which are the vehicles that Subaru would like the Tribeca to be compared with). Space inside is good, but to my eye it was immediately obvious that this vehicle is targeted to US buyers - and that was even before I found the foot-operated parking brake. It just doesn't have the European quality of interior finish that you would expect in a car with our up-market aspirations on this side of the Atlantic. ...Power comes from a three-litre six-cylinder engine and Subaru purists will be delighted to know that it is a "boxer" engine with the cylinders horizontally opposed, just like the Impreza. I found it surprisingly quick off the mark for an automatic and you do have the option of selecting the five ratios manually, or using the sports settings. ...Subaru go out of their way to say that the suspension has come in for fine tuning to suit European roads. I still felt it wasn't entirely at home on twisty roads, especially if you don't use the manual change to drop down a gear to stabilise the car and provide a smoother get away out of the bend. ...But, even with that price advantage, I don't magine it will be selling lots of Tribecas in the UK. ...The fact that this one has four-wheel-drive credibility and a rally-bred image, will just add to the appeal.

Drivers urged to "keep left"

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-08-02T14:29:18+01:00
To raise awareness of the problems caused by drivers who don't keep to the left lane, the Highways Agency has launched a DVD, presented by John Stapleton, called 'Stay Safe, Keep Moving'. ...Drivers should keep to the left hand lane if the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking, you must return to the left-hand lane once you have overtaken or if you are delaying traffic behind you. Dual carriageways and other roads with multiple lanes provide the only other reason to be in the right-hand lane and that is when you are in the process of turning right. John Stapleton went on patrol with Highways Agency traffic officers to see the problem close up. ..."I was out with the traffic officers and saw lines of cars in the middle lane, five, six, seven vehicles only using one lane of a major motorway," John Stapleton said. "This type of driving holds other vehicles up, causing congestion, and also has safety risks. Middle lane driving encourages tailgating, dangerous in itself, and encourages people to make other unsafe manoeuvres such as undertaking. ...Everyone should be using the left hand lane when it is free, making best use of the full road and reducing congestion," says Stuart Lovatt, safety action plan co-ordinator at the Highways Agency. The new DVD is backed by the AA and the RAC Foundation and was produced by the Highways Agency as part of its commitment to improving road safety and journey reliability. "Poor lane discipline wastes the scarce resource of road capacity, encourages road rage and leads to dangerous tailgating," Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation points out. "In the late 50's and early 60's "courtesy cops" advised drivers how to use the lanes on the new dual carriageways and motorways We need to practise more courtesy on the motorways today, in order not to hold up those in a greater hurry than ourselves." The short film can viewed on the internet on the Public TV website - at www.public.tv/HighwaysAgency

How anonymous is your car?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-07-25T10:11:31+01:00
Just one in four of us are able to recognise popular models on British roads today. Stripped of all identifiable marks, New Car Net tested the anonymity of a small selection of ten vehicles to see how much of a visual impression they had left on the average motorist. Honda’s futuristic Civic was the most recognisable, while Vauxhall’s Zafira MPV is the most anonymous. The new Honda Civic - most recognisable in marked contrast to its predecessors A close second behind the Civic was the Ford Focus, reflecting its position as the biggest selling car in the UK. The BMW 1-Series also scored highly to come third in the NEW CAR NET online test. The Toyota Avensis, Volvo XC90 4x4 and Suzuki Swift were next on the list, recognised by only some of the visitors, while the most anonymous vehicles were the Peugeot 407, Mazda 3, Volkswagen Polo and the Vauxhall Zafira. In recent years manufacturers have been making great efforts to give their cars a recognisable 'face' to make them stand out in the market. ...That of course is where BMW, Mercedes and Rolls Royce have scored over the years, with their distinctive radiator grilles making the cars stand out as distinctive. Other manufacturers have been busy developing a distinctive style - Audi (above), Vauxhall (with the chrome V), Ford (with the trapezoidal grille) and perhaps most unfortunately Subaru. I know their front end is meant to look like an aeroplane and remind people of the company's heritage. But it's big centre grille has the same doleful shape as the poor old Ford Scorpio's headlights. Perhaps it is not surprising that it looks set to be replaced rather quickly with a new look for the new Impreza.

Fiat 500 looks so good

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-07T09:34:41+01:00
Fiat, recently a very lame duck in the motor industry, seems to be on a resurgence. Judging by the pictures of the new Fiat 500, its future looks very good indeed. Mini had better watch out. ...The new Fiat 500 looks as cute as the old one and - at the same time - very much up to the minute. Those looks will kill quite a few sales. I remember in my student days a fellow student buying an old Fiat 500 which had seen better days. Asked why, she said it looked so cute and looked like it needed a mum! ...The cute looks of the original in a modern package Well the cute looks are back. I am sure it will sell like hotcakes. That's what the Mini and the Fiat 500 have in common. ... That, as much as anything else, is what sells small cars these days. It doesn't matter how good a small car is these days, if it doesn't have style it just won't sell.

Golf GTI still nimble after 30 years

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-10T22:36:46+01:00
Volkswagen have celebrated thirty years of the Golf GTI with the launch of the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30. And if you have been disappointed by the "softness" of some of the preceding models of GTI, this one is a cracker... a fire cracker! ...In simple terms the DSG is automatic in that it can be left to select its own gears, but whereas a normal automatic saps power and performance and tends to be less economical than its manual brethren, the DSG is more efficient. Its party trick is that it has two clutches and it predicts and selects the next gear that the driver will want. So your next gear is already pre-engaged, meaning a lightening fast gearchange. You can select gears by rocking the gearchange backward or forward, or by using the paddles on the back of the steering wheel. ... Rather, I tended to leave it in drive most of the time and shift it to sport for twisty ...In sports mode the gearbox holds down to lower gears and drops down a gear as you brake for corners. ... When you go into a corner on a trailing throttle they will, if anything, change up to a higher gear giving the car an unsettled feeling. To stabilise the car on a tight corner you really want to change to a lower gear to make the car sit flatter on the road. With sports mode and full self-preservation instinct engaged, the Volkswagen Golf GTI Edition 30 will cover the ground on such 'give and take' roads at a remarkable and safe pace. That added safety margin of ability and controlability is what sets this car apart. ...To make it perfect I just wish that Volkswagen would make it with their 4Motion four-wheel-drive system.

Mondeo man would hardly recognise it

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-07-24T21:05:04+01:00
I turned round and the questioner indicated his own Ford Mondeo across the car park and started asking all sorts of questions about this, the brand new model. ...But, even in that short acquaintance I was impressed enough to be concerned that I was sounding a bit like a salesman! We looked at the boot and remarked how you have to bend down to see the back of it. My test car was the saloon version, so we noted that Ford have made hatchback-style folding seats standard. ...“So,” I warned my new friend, “if your Mondeo is a tight fit in your garage, you will need to get the tape measure out before you buy this new one!” ...In making the new Mondeo more appealing, Ford have also recognised that company and private buyers these days like their “toys”. European buyers want a high specification as standard and they also like to ‘build their own car’ from an options list strong on goodies. ...On the safety front all come with ESP electronic stability programme, electronic brake assist and a total of seven airbags – including one to protect the driver’s knees. It may be a bit bigger, but driving the new Mondeo around tight multi-storey car park ramps was not a chore. ...The brakes, however, do remain a shade on the light side for my liking and it is easy to set your passengers’ heads rocking as you press the pedal. ...That “sports” tag might provoke fears of firm, uncompromising suspension, but the reality is that the Mondeo rides remarkably smoothly, even over potholes and speed bumps. ...It is also on dual carriageways and motorways that you notice the very low noise levels on this car. ...The result is that – although the price of the upmarket Ghia model remains almost unchanged at £19,645 – the new model makes a stronger case for itself.

Grand Prix's "1st Class" heroes!

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-07-03T16:23:08+01:00
Royal Mail is celebrating 100 years of UK motorsport with the launch six new stamps featuring British Grand Prix stars. The two first class letter mail stamps feature Sir Stirling Moss in a 1957 Vanwall 2.5L and Graham Hill in a 1962 BRM P57. On two wordlwide airmail postcard (54p) stamps are the two Scottish world champions - Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart. Jim Clark, winner of 25 Formula One Grands Prix, is pictured in his 1963 Lotus 25, while Jackie Stewart is in his 1973 Tyrrell 006/2. The final two stamps are for rest of the world airmail up to 20gm (78p) and feature James Hunt in his 1976 McLaren M23 and Nigel Mansell in a 1986 Williams FW11. "Over the decades Britain has produced some of the world's finest drivers and built many of the sport's most famous cars," says Julietta Edgar, Royal Mail's Head of Special Stamps. "By bringing the mena and their machines together we have tried to capture the speed, excitement and history of this incredible sport which will now be seen by millions on items of mail every day."

You face a long drive in future to fill up

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-11T16:21:21+01:00
Remember when getting a loaf of bread or a pint of milk meant just a short walk (or a short drive in the country) to the local corner shop? Now you probably make a family excursion to your local Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's or Morrisons. ... Remember when refuelling the car was something you did when the fuel light came on? Oh, fuel light on, there's a station... fill up. ...In the future we are going to have to be more organised. ...Our filling stations are currently closing at the rate of one per day, according to the Petrol Retailers' Association! That's bad news for road users who can no longer rely on filling up conveniently. It's bad news for people like me who hate queuing, because - as the number of filling stations dwindle - the only ones remaining get busier and we have to queue for the privilege of filling up our cars. It's also another nail in the coffin of local shopping. Most local filling stations have a small shop. It very possibly stocks some local produce, bakery, milk, plus local papers and magazines. ...Finally, it is bad news for local economies the length and breadth of this land. ...The only winners now will the big supermarkets who really don't need to control more of our spending.

Ford returns to the convertible market

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-10T16:19:36+01:00
Just over a year ago I was driving a Ford Consul convertible down the road into St Andrews and it set me thinking about how long it had been since Ford had been in the market with a drop-top version of one of their mainstream models. ...But, now, Ford are back and with the latest vogue in the cabriolet market - the coupé cabriolet. The benefits of a folding steel roof are the greater security and better visibility from larger windows and less of a blind spot around the rear three quarters of a fabric roof. The downside, of course, is that the roof - along with all its motors and hydraulics - add a bit to the weight of the vehicle. ...Whereas some Coupe Cabriolets look a bit fullsome about the rump as a result of having to have a boot big enough to swallow the roof, the Focus looks sleek and stylish. ...As usual with coupé cabriolets the boot is big when the roof is up, but somewhat less when the roof is down - plus there is the roof in the way when you want to load or unload items. The Focus claims a 'best in class' capacity roof up or down and there is reasonable space to get small items in or out, when the roof is stowed. ...With the driver's seat set fully back there no room between that seat back and the cushion of the rear seat. So, for goodness sake, choose a short driver if you want to sit in the back of the Ford Focus Coupé Cabriolet. There's a choice of 1.6 or two-litre petrol engines and a two-litre diesel. Not so many years ago the idea of a diesel cabriolet would have provoked derision, but this is a sweet and wonderfully torquey diesel with only the faintest hint of clatter at tickover to remind you that the engine is indeed compression ignition. Prices start at £16,795 for the 1.6-litre Ford Focus CC-1, rising to £18,795 for the range-topping CC-3. ... To me it seems like a better car, coming very close to my favourite - the more expensive Volkswagen Eos.

Jaguar and Land Rover tipped to go private

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-06-26T16:18:32+01:00
Jaguar and Land Rover will almost certainly be bought by private equity investors as there is no interest from any other car companies around the world, according to a leading city analyst. Max Warburton, head of automotive research at UBS Investment Bank, said that another part of Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, Volvo, will also be sold although there was a lot more interest in the industry in buying the Swedish company. Is the future is private for Jaguar and Land Rover? The companies are now tightly integrated. Warburton said: “Ford has been in touch with the major investment banks to put PAG up for sale and that includes Volvo. We see no interest from the industry in the British companies but Volvo will be a prize asset.” Indeed, there have been persistent rumours that BMW has its eye on Volvo. Volvo - in BMW's sights?  Speaking at the Automotive News Congress in Prague, he added: “That being the case then private equity is the only answer for Jaguar and Land Rover. Given the recent interest from the private equity sector in Chrysler following the break up of DaimlerChrysler I am sure that a deal for these two brands can’t be far away.”  Also confident for the future was former Jaguar chairman Jonathan Browning, now chairman of Vauxhall and General Motors Europe sales and marketing chief.  He added: “While it’s not for me to comment on the future of Jaguar, I wish all my former colleagues well – Jaguar is still a fascinating brand with a rich heritage. I hope it all sorts out fairly quickly.”

Anti-car brigade are stuck in the past

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-07T16:18:19+01:00
When are our politicians going to waken up to the fact that emissions from cars are something that simply won't be a problem in ten to twenty years time. Given that most "planning horizons" are ten years or more, our politicians are accelerating global warming by spouting a lot of hot air over a problem which will simply disappear. Don't believe me? Well, although I haven't driven a hydrogen-powered cars, I know a man who has (as they say). He has proven that they are real and they work and they are running on our road are running on the roads now. Incidentally he says it feels a little like driving a diesel. Yes, hydrogen is difficult to produce and store at the moment, but we can be pretty confident that problem will be overcome. We also know that fuel cell prototypes are also running, right now, on the road.

New season McLaren and Renault Formula 1 clothing

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-06T16:15:53+01:00
The new McLaren and Renault F1 clothing is now in stock at Grand Prix Legends. Formula 1 clothing for McLaren and Renault are now up on Grand Prix Legends site. Bikesport ranges from Rizla Suzuki and Airwaves Ducati are also up. All the products should show in our datafeed tomorrow. Motorbikes Aprilia Jackets and Fleeces (you can alter the url to land on another sub category for Aprilia) Airwaves Ducati (3 new items, in black) Rizla Suzuki BSB Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Formula 1 McLaren  We are just in the process of uploading these products and the category structure will be changing so please go to our F1 site and look under Teams / McLaren for the new categories. Renault (new men's, ladies and kids wear)

Green Umbrella invents a new government

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-06T16:14:53+01:00
A press release from Green Umbrella Sport and Leisure landed in my inbox this morning promoting a new DVD on the Greatest Ever TT Races. In the first sentence the press release says "In the early 20th century the English government refused to allow the closure of public roads for any sort of motor racing". Funny... I thought the English Government united with the Scottish Government in 1707. Or perhaps Green Umbrella missed that part of their nation's history? Forever England? The United Kingdom Parliament.

Petition to scrap speed cameras reaches 20,000

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-04T16:11:05+01:00
A petition on the Downing Street website calling on the Prime Minister to scrap speed cameras has broken through the 20,000 figure, with a deadline for signatures set for June 29, 2007. There is growing debate about the issue of cameras and laser guns. Cameras are certainly seen by many road users as a means to raise cash and the evidence that they have improved road safety is questionable at the least. Government figures (Department of Transport) show that 'exceeding the speed limit' (which is what speed cameras check) is a factor in just 5% of accidents on our roads during 2005. (Do not fall into the trap of confusing 'exceeding the speed limit' with 'driving too fast for the conditions' - these are entirely separate issues.) The low correlation of breaking the speed limit to safety certainly seems to relate to the statistics on speeding fines and the disappointing accident figures in recent years. While speeding fines have rose by an amazing 61% between 2002 and 2003 there has been no commensurate improvement in road fatalities or accidents. Indeed, if anything, the dramatic reduction in accidents over the past fifty years has come to something of a plateau at the same time as the authorities became fixated with speed limits. But people shouldn't break speed limits anyway should they? ...So what is wrong with enforcing them rigidly? I suppose the only concern is that we are: • encouraging people to believe that they are perfectly safe as long as they drive within the speed limit (70 mph I am OK, 75 mph I am a danger), rather than to think about how the way they are driving is demonstrably (see the statistics above - 85% of accidents were caused by other than speeding) the BIGGEST danger. • encouraging drivers to fix their eyes on the speedometer not the road - despite the fact that not looking (at the road) properly causes six times the the number of accidents caused by exceeding the speed limit.

Hyundai Coupe - now more desirable

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-04-02T16:10:12+01:00
I remember going on the press launch for the first Hyundai Coupé (as opposed to its predecessor the Hyundai Scoupe - S Coupe get it?). The Scoupe was best forgotten so I didn't hold out much hope for the Coupé. ...Gone are the fiddly and over fussy details that crept in at previous facelifts. It looked almost like one of those obsessive styles where the designer hasn't known where to stop and has kept fiddling and ended up spoiling the result. The latest version of the Coupé looks good. It is comfortable, if a little firm in the suspension at times, and it drives well. ...Acceleration 0-60 takes a rather mundane (these days) 9.2 seconds. If you want more power you should be directed to the 2.7-litre V6. ...At a fiver under £18,000 you have a sporty looking coupe that looks the part for a price that is on a par with smaller 1.6-litre coupés. You also get the security of Hyundai's five-year warranty. ...The indicators are on the right hand side of the steering wheel, with the wipers on the left. If this was your car, you would soon get used to it. But to all the people to whom I indicated with the wipers I would like to say "sorry".

XK8 air intake icon meets resistance in USA

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-03-26T16:08:44+01:00
The delicious XK8 has been facing some unusual resistance in the US market. Speaking with Ian Callum, Jaguar's design director he tells how there is some resistance to the XK8's air intake which harks back to the E-type original (below). Although most people love this reminder of the iconic Jaguar E-type, apparently some Americans are baulking at the fact that it reminds them of the recently retired Ford Taurus. That E-type style front intake apparently reminds Americans of the Ford Taurus The irony is that this particular Ford Taurus facelift was carried out by none other than.... Moray Callum, Ian's brother and an E-type owner!

Budget blues

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-03-24T16:07:34+00:00
So petrol and diesel are to go up, but not until October. ... And the top whack of road tax is to go up to £300 then £400, but the bottom rate is going down by 35%... or is it? Yes, Gordon Brown's final budget was one of those typical Brown Budgets where he plays the magician and leaves you guessing as to what he has actually done. Putting fuel up by 3.8p a litre over the next two years might not sound too horrific. But, that is at least £50 more tax on the average car driver's annual tax bill and it comes on top of some of the highest fuel taxes in the world. The 35% reduction in the road tax bill for small cars is a real smoke and mirrors figure. By combining the diesel and petrol bands at the same time as reducing the tax it makes the figure look artificially good. In reality the Chancellor has only taken £5 off the car tax for petrol vehicles - a real reduction of only 12.5%! ...Mindful, perhaps, that that would seem like a direct attack on rural road users, Chelsea Tractors maybe being unnecessary in Central London but essential in remoter areas of Wales or the Highlands, he jacked up the tax on various tax bands. Band G was the hardest hit, with tax going up to £300 first then £400. The justification for this is that they put out more carbon dioxide to add to the 0.45% that there is currently in our atmosphere. ... They clearly see global warming being caused by carbon dioxide emissions, rather than the other way round. A substantial number of climate scientists believe that natural warming cycles of the planet account for the increase in carbon dioxide.

Now Scotland does a U-turn on tolls

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-03-12T16:06:20+00:00
The Scottish Transport Minister, Tavish Scott, has announced that plans to introduce nationwide tolls on Scotland's roads have been shelved for at least four years. With Scotland's parliamentary elections coming in just two month's time, Scottish Ministers are perhaps even more concentrated on their political futures than their Whitehall counterparts. It must have become obvious that the toll tax (or congestion charging as the politicians would prefer us to call it) was a massive potential vote loser. The UK petition against tolls closed with one and three-quarter million signatures against the Government's proposals. The problem is that no-one trusts the Government when they suggest that the tolls would not be an additional expense, despite the weak suggestions that road tax (and possibly... perhaps... maybe fuel tax) would be reduced to compensate. I think many road users feel this is just another opportunity to milk more money from a soft target. Road users have been hit with so many messages about how naughty we all are for daring to use our cars and polluting the planet that we are a soft target. ...(Already the AA has famously found that one petrol power lawnmower puts out more pollution than 100 modern cars!) ... • Public transport is not always greener (studies in Germany and UK have shown public transport producing more pollution per head and a Lancaster University study showed that - even with all seats taken - an intercity train from London to Edinburgh produced more pollution than if the passengers all drove in reasonably economical cars!) In addition, there are some huge question marks over the whole theory that greenhouse gasses (for theory it still is) cause global warming. The recent Channel 4 programme The Great Global Warming Swindle seemed to demonstrate pretty convincingly that carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere tended to result from the natural warming cycles of the planet, rather than vice versa. All the same, it seems pretty sensible to me to reduce the mess we make of this earth and not to squander resources. So I won't be cancelling that order for a wind turbine and I will keep planting trees.

Government getting cold feet on road tolls

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-02-14T16:04:29+00:00
With 1.7 million names reportedly on the anti road toll petition on the Downing Street website it appears that the Government may be getting cold feet over the idea. ...If there was any doubt before, the size of the opposition to the proposed new road tax makes it clear this could be a big vote loser. But, while Government in London is making noises about backing away from a nationwide scheme, the Scottish Transport Minister Tavish Scott is proclaiming that his foot is still on the gas. ... With the Scottish Parliament elections being just months away on May 3, it will be an interesting test of the unpopularity of such proposals with the electorate. The Scottish Conservatives have jumped on the e-petition bandwagon at www.scotlandsaysnototolls.com ...Even if you are not concerned about the government tracking your movements, people are also concerned about the security of such information. I don't want a potential burglar finding out that I am at the opposite end of the country from my home. ...They rely on road transport and see this as another potential cost to eat into the funds for their work. That last point rings true because, as the Rowantree Foundation (a respected social research organisation) pointed out some years ago, road tolls would impact hardest on those living on lower incomes. ...Within ten to 20 years, most of us will be driving genuinely zero emission cars - so the 'guilt complex' will no longer work! On the other side of the road pricing argument there are people, like myself, who might possibly support the principle of congestion charging if we could be absolutely certain that other road taxes would be reduced proportionately, so that that it was 'revenue neutral' - in other words the overall tax burden was not increased. The trouble is, every time I hear road toll proponents talk about reducing other road user taxes to compensate for road pricing, I see this squadron of pigs flying by my window. That is why I remain opposed to road pricing and why I am one of the million-plus who signed the petition.

African experience shows how much progress we have made on emissions

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-02-07T16:03:10+00:00
Time spent in heavy traffic in Nairobi was a graphic reminder of how much the air quality in this country has improved, thanks to improvements in vehicle emissions. At every traffic queue (and there are lots of them in Nairobi) the air was thick with the oppressive smell of petrol and diesel emissions. Clouds of smog hung in the air. A Nairobi traffic jam - the air is thick with fumes. Looking around the cars and trucks it is obvious that most of them are older vehicles which have been kept on the road, due to the ingenuity of the thriving repair trade. You see few new cars or new truck on the road - not surprisingly given the driving style. At junctions it is the first person who flinches who gives way as cars inch closer and closer to each other in a test of nerve. In the UK where a much higher proportion of vehicles are newer, the air feels fit to breath. And, in coming years, things will get better. Emission reduction is continuing to be achieved and - within a planning horizon of 10-20 years many of us will be driving genuinely zero emission cars. What will governments do then? They will have no environmental reasons for milking the road user.

C-XF signals new way for Jaguar

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-01-12T16:01:47+00:00
When I was a youngster I used to get so excited about every new car launch and get enthused about the new design direction it signified. These days new car launches can be a bit of an anti climax. The new Mini looks almost the same as the old, and the new Audi TT, Land Rover Freelander and BMW 3 Series are evolutions not revolutions. Jaguar, however, has given us a signal that their new S-Type replacement may bring us something truly exciting. The Jaguar C-XF is said to show the design direction for the S-Type replacement which is expected next year. The Jaguar C-XF concept car If the new model does have any of the looks of the C-XF it will be aradical change from the S-Type. In place of the rather slavishly 'retro' styling the C-XF signals a very modern look, but with plenty of Jaguar heritage. Its appeal is enhanced by the sporting coupé style body, with its rear doors carefully disguised and the handles somewhat concealed in the rear pillar. Quite what that does to rear seat headroom, has to be seen, because buyers in the S-Type market will presumably want to be able to take more than children in the back seat. But, if they can achieve anything like the stunning looks of the C-XF in the new S-Type (rumoured to be named the Jaguar XF) then it ought to be a winner.

Congestion charges could cost thousands for commuters

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-01-03T15:59:17+00:00
As more insight is gained into the Eddington Review, which proposes a system or road charging for England (similar charges are proposed in the National Transport Strategy for Scotland), it is becoming clear that motoring in the future could be very expensive. ...The figures floated in the Eddington Review are £1.28 per mile for peak times. On that basis a 20-mile commute could cost the driver more than £1000 per month! ...But as the highly respected social research charity, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation points out, motoring charges hit hardest at those on low incomes. ...If there are hefty charges for driving into cities, will people not vote with their steering wheels and either go elsewhere or go home to do their business on the internet. Are our city and town centres destined to become derelict, with tumbleweed rolling past closed-down office and shops? ...We are told, of course, that these charges might be accompanied by a reduction in fuel tax, or road tax. ...Fair enough, we do have try to limit congestion and we can't go on building roads. But if we removed some of the bus lanes that constrict our roads and carried out some sensible road building and engineering things could be a whole lot better. ...Ah, yes, the taxman's trump card when trying to get more money out of road users pockets. ...(Lancaster University study on the London to Edinburgh route showed that - even with every seat occupied - using reasonably economical cars would produce less pollution!) ...Emissions from road transport are falling and, with new fuels and future fuel cells, the zero emission car is a very real prospect. ...Our cities may have died and our freedom to travel the way we want to travel may be gone forever.

Nanny state gone mad?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2007-01-02T15:58:25+00:00
I had to check the date when I heard that the Crown Prosecution service has floated the idea that talking to a passenger while driving could be made an offence. ...The other is that tuning the car radio could also be an offence. ...If we are not allowed to speak to people or tune the radio, who is going to be responsible for all the accidents caused by the resulting bored and frustrated drivers? Yes, we all know that you can be distracted when talking to a passenger. And you certainly can be distracted if you recklessly fiddle with the radio. Few people argue with banning use of hand held mobile phones while driving. The fact that you have to hold the thing means you are driving one-handed while also potentially distracted by the conversation. That is a pretty serious handicap to safe driving. You don't have to hold a radio. And existing laws already adequately cover offences of driving without due care and attention, or reckless driving - should you insist on driving while your attention is distracted. In the same outpouring the CPS has suggested jail sentences for offences such as using a hand held phone or tailgating a vehicle. Both these are serious issues and ones that should be enforced by law.... but jail? ...Not when someone committing a more serious crime like breaking into a car or a house is quite likely to get off with a mere fine.

Tightening up on traffic law

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-12-15T15:57:03+00:00
There have been suggestions that the Government will toughen up on traffic law, increasing the potential penalties for various offences. Is this finally a recognition that the focus on enforcing speed limits is entirely out of proportion with its effect on road safety? (Only 5% of accidents in 2005 were caused by exceeding the speed limit according to Government figures.) Among the motoring offences that are said to be under consideration for increased penalties is passing on the left. That will only work if there is a similarly stiff penalty for drivers who obstruct overtaking lanes by not moving back left once they have overtaken. Obstruction of overtaking lanes is one of the biggest causes of frustration for following drivers and we all know that frustration is the cause of many accidents. In Australia there are big signs on their dual carriageways warning drivers of stiff penalties if they obstruct the overtaking lanes. Time for the same here.

Chancellor avoids temptation to hammer road users... for the moment

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-12-08T15:56:18+00:00
Putting 1.25p on a litre of fuel could be seen as road users getting off lightly and, certainly, all the green campaigners who have been baying for motorists to be squeezed till their pips squeaked, have been clamouring to get on the media to tell us so. ...One of the first things he talked about in this week's Pre Buget Report was increasing investment in road and rail infrastructure. Has he also recognised that it is time to move away from hammering the obvious soft target and tackle some of the really big potential emission targets. ...In the UK we are lagging 'way behind Scandinavian countries in terms of energy efficiency for our houses. On the other side of the North Sea they have had low-energy homes (costing no more than a few hundred pounds per year to heat) and even zero energy homes for years. That makes the Chancellor's announcement that all new homes should be 'zero carbon' in ten years as enlightened as it is bold. Within ten years - the way technology is going - our cars are almost certainly going to be zero emission in any case, even without tax incentives. The tax breaks for biofuels are also good news, but something needs to be done to kick start widespread availability of them. I was over in the USA recently and the farmers there are clamouring for the adoption of biofuels. ... As in the USA, these fields could be turned to growing fuel, providing income for farmers, low-emission fuel for our vehicles and reducing use of fossil fuels. ...Also this week we had the Eddington Report and, in Scotland, the National Transport Strategy. ...If the civil liberty concerns of tracking every vehicle's movements could be addressed, road charging might be acceptable if it didn't mean an increase in taxes (in other words if fuel and road tax were scrapped). But you just know that the temptation to rake in another £26 billion on top of the existing £36 billion in road taxes will prove too great.

Where are all the extra cars to come from?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-12-01T15:55:11+00:00
In advance on the Eddington Review which will propose a tax per mile for roads used, Professor David Begg said that the alternative was to build five times as many roads as are currently proposed. Where are all these extra cars, suggested in this horror-story scenario, supposed to come from? Car ownership figures in the UK are starting to plateau. UK population is not increasing that rapidly. Judging by the figures, the present car ownership figures per household can't increase that much. So where are the extra millions of cars going to come from to produce the predicted nightmare scenario and global melt down? Is the truth not that the government see a way to claw even more than the current £36 billion from road users? (Fat chance that they would actually cut fuel and road tax to ensure that the total take was no more!)

Kia makes a convincing case, but infuriates

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-11-21T15:53:50+00:00
It makes a very convincing case and is certain to become a more common sight on UK roads, particularly with the new more powerful 2.5-litre turbo diesel. Thus equipped Sorrento offers a good mix of performance and economy, with a huge dose of practicality. It's a 4x4 but one that is very much at home in daily road use. I took it off road, where - with the flick of the dashboard knob - the Sorrento drops down into low ratio. The only bar to more serious off-roading is the ground clearance. There were a couple of points on the off-road route where the Sorrento kissed the ground. Still, as a vehicle that would keep you going in the occasional snow, or across a muddy field to the local fete, the Sorrento makes good sense - especially when prices start at just £19,995. But for all that, the Sorrento is also infuriating. Yes, I know that the logical place for the indicator stalk on a right-hand-drive car is on the right and up until the 1960s that's where most British cars had them. But, we are now used to the European/US norm which is to have the indicators on the left. Sure, if you owned a Kia, going to the right for the indicators and dipswitch would become natural. But, for those of us who only occasionally drive one, it is not just annoying but potentially dangerous. Just ask the driver I inadvertently dazzled with my windscreen washers.

Rong Wei for Rover

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-10-19T15:52:28+01:00
With Ford having bought the Rover name to protect their own Land Rover brand, SAIC - who bought the rights to the Rover models - have had to reconsider their plans to start producing the cars with the Rover badge. The answer is, apparently, Roewe, apparently "Rong Wei" in Chinese. According to Autocar Rong Wei means "glorious power" in Chinese, but given the troubled past of Rover it is bound to be misconstrued. Would we still have Rover in Britain if it hadn't been for the hideous Models produced by that worst of corporate excesses, Leyland. Even before they heard that they could bend them by towing them, or that the rear window could pop out if you opened the other windows at speed, who would want to buy an Austin Allegro? Square steering wheel anyone? The Austin Allegro, another nail in the coffin of what became Rover. This story somehow (can't imagine how) reminded me of the story of General Motors wanting to use the British name Nova (the predecessor of the Corsa) for wider markets... until someone pointed out it meant "doesn't go" when translated!

LUNI

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-10-18T15:51:37+01:00
Many years ago one of our motoring magazines started a campaign which they named LUNI - light up now idiot! As the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness is upon us, it is is as important a campaign now as it was then. If I had a £1 for ever car that I see lurking in the mist then I would have quite a tidy bit of pocket money. But this is not a matter to be treated lightly. These idiots - as the original campaign accurately dubbed them - are dicing not only with their own lives, but with yours and mine. The recent government report identified failure to look properly as the number one cause of accidents. It is no leap of logic to then say that failure to make yourself visible is a potentially fatal mistake. And putting on the parking (or side) lights is no remedy. Next time you are driving on a misty day, look at the shapes of the unlit cars looming out of the mist. Note how cars parking or sidelights are seen basically no sooner than the shape of the car. Also the law requires headlights - sidelights will cut no ice in a court of law. ...So, dipped headlights it is, whenever conditions of visibility are poor. Conditions are, of course, a matter of judgement - so the best rule is 'if in doubt, switch your headlights on'.

Why change our switchgear?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-10-07T15:50:02+01:00
I'm driving a Vauxhall Astra Twintop at the moment and very good it is too. But it has reminded me... why are manufacturers changing our switchgear to the type where the lever moves, but returns to its off position? Even BMW are getting in on the act. What is the attraction? With a conventional stalk, it is intuitive to cancel or change position. On the new stalks you have to nudge them the opposite way to cancel, say, a right turn indicator. Nudge a tad too hard and you start indicating left. Too hard the opposite way and you are indicating right again. What was wrong with the old system. Not only was it more intuitive, but the position of the stalk gave you an indication of whether the wipers were on or off and whether you were indicating left or right. Oh well, I suppose I can't expect to change automobile design... but I'm glad to have got that off my chest!

Why do Japanese cars beep so much?

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-10-13T15:49:20+01:00
I've been driving a Nissan Note for the last week. Why does it have to beep so much? This constant nagging of differing tones of beep gets a bit wearing after a while. Every now and then you feel like screaming at it: "What is it that you want?". There's a beep to tell you that you've opened the door, a beep to tell you that you have climbed into the car, a beep to tell you that you have stopped the engine and a beep to tell you you have closed the door. In fact the only time it seems to be quiet is when you have the engine actually running. Other than that it's a fine car!

Government figures lead to questions over speed camera 'obsession'

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-10-12T15:47:04+01:00
Government figures published by the Department for Transport show that, in 2005, exceeding the speed limit was the cause of only 5% of road accidents. Inevitably this has led to questions about what is seen as a disproportionate effort on speed limit enforcement, which has resulted in speeding fines leaping by 61% between 2002 and 2003. The report shows that greatest cause of accidents was failure of drivers to look properly, which was a factor in a third of all the accidents. There is also an important distinction drawn between exceeding the speed limit and going too fast for the conditions. The latter was a factor in 10% of accidents - twice the number where exceeding the speed limit was a factor. Given that non-speed related causes presumably account for 85% of accidents, therefore, you would assume that police effort should be apportioned to driver education and enforcement in some of these other areas to a greater degree than on speeding. Given the daily horrors and blatant flouting of our road traffic regulations that we all see every day on the roads, that has to be something that would be welcomed. This morning, alone on the way to work, I witnessed two instances of cars veering suddenly from the overtaking lane of the A96 dual carriageway to carry out an illegal and dangerous 70 mph slalom to overtake on the left. I would have welcomed seeing a "safety camera" recording that incident and sending notices of intended prosecution or, at the very least, a caution to four drivers: ...The two drivers who illegally obstructed the overtaking lane in the first place (there were not overtaking slower vehicles or turning right, so they had no right to sit in the overtaking lane). ...The two drivers who flouted one of the basic principles of our road traffic system that you only overtake on the right, except when in slow-moving lane traffic. ...Ironically, the current obsession with speed, encourages you to watch the speedometer like a hawk, rather than concentrating on the road and other road users. Given that 'failure to look properly' is a factor in so many accidents, that seems to be counter-productive.

Hybrids can produce headline grabbing economy

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-09-18T15:45:41+01:00
I find out how to do 57.6 mpg in a 4.7-metre long off-roader (with a little practice and some help from downhill gradients!). ...Wondering if it was a fluke, I did the same over the next four days and was staggered to see the figure rise each day to finish at an astounding 57.6 mpg! ...They have taken to stopping the owners of so-called “Chelsea tractors” as they use their off-road vehicles to drop their kids at school in central London – with not a green lane or muddy field in sight. Quite what they would make of my road test car, the Lexus RX400h SE-L, I’m not sure. They would probably (wrongly) attack my selfish disregard for the environment, because this Lexus RX looks very much like any other. ...The Lexus RX400h uses very much the same technology, but with a much bigger engine and four-wheel-drive. As with the Prius when you turn the ignition there is no sound of an engine bursting into life, just a little light on the dash to tell you the car is ready. ...Throw away your green mantle for a few minutes, tramp on the accelerator and this big vehicle will focus all three motors on the job of shifting its bulk from 0 to 60 mph in just 7.6 seconds. ...That is a whole lot better than the conventionally powered Lexus RX300, which like others in this class struggled to top 16 mpg around town. ...You have no clue to the fuel saving wizardry that happens entirely automatically, unless you choose to view the fascinating graphic display on the central sat-nav screen. ...Just as I noted with the Prius, this bigger hybrid comes with no manual holds on its automatic gearbox (except a low ratio for off-road use). ... It also does feel a little bit more ponderous than the lighter conventional car and the load floor is high to allow space for the extra technology. ...That’s actually remarkably competitive against the conventional vehicles in this class, especially when you consider the innovative hybrid technology.

Powerful, responsive and exciting - the Audi A3 quattro Sportback DSG

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-09-13T15:43:45+01:00
In the mid 80s the car to have was the Peugeot 205 GTI and I was fortunate enough to be able to graduate from the 1.6-litre to the top performance 1.9-litre. It was the combination of a big responsive engine in a compact and nimble chassis that made it such an inspiring car to drive. ...Audi boasts that its A3 has the widest range of engines in its market segment and, when you stop to think about it, this 3.2-litre quattro is exactly double the capacity of the 1.6-litre entry model. With considerable reserves of power at your disposal, it is perhaps not surprising that this range-topper comes with Audi’s quattro four-wheel-drive system as standard. Even with the power being shared between four wheels, I found the traction control system sometimes reining in the power, to prevent the wheels spinning from a standing start. ...A well-sorted four-wheel-drive system (as distinct from the utilitarian off road set up) can give tremendous reserves of handling and grip. ...Gearchanges are not only smooth and almost imperceptible, but the shift is achieved so rapidly, and with the throttle still open, that you can retain the power balance through a series of twists and turns. ...In automatic sports mode the gearbox even drops a gear on the entrance to corners to balance the car and allow you to apply gentle power through the bend. ...The combination of the responsive and refined 3.2-litre engine, the quattro four-wheel-drive system and the DSG gearbox creates a driver’s car that brings a whole new sensation to some of Grampian’s best driving roads. ...In keeping with the car’s sporting character, the ride is firm, but compliant and I never found it jarring – even on the increasingly dreadful road surfaces in this country. ...The whole car is stretched by just over 8 cm and this space has been put to good use to boost both knee and headroom for rear seat passengers. Perhaps to highlight the difference and emphasise the Sportback as a different model, it is currently distinguished from its three-door siblings by the use of the full-height Audi front grille on the front. ...The price of the Audi A3 Sportback 3.2 quattro Sport is £24,625, which pitches it well into prestige territory – especially if you add the £1,400 DSG option.

Unclogging Britain's motorways

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-09-10T15:42:15+01:00
I recently drove along the M42 just as they were preparing to allow traffic to use a fourth lane, during peak periods, in a bid to beat congestion. The fourth lane is the hard shoulder. I saw for myself the preparations that were being made, including the addition of emergency lay-bys - so that road users who break down can hopefully make it to the refuges which are installed at 500-metre intervals. When the hard shoulder is in use for traffic there will be a 50 mph limit across all lanes of the motorway. There has been much froth about the danger it poses for drivers. But, given the need to make best use of limited road space and to keep traffic moving, it is something that should be applauded. And that includes applause from the greens. Standing traffic is burning fossil fuel and producing pollution for nothing - something that helps no-one, except those who own the oil wells and the refineries!

Jaguar's new XK is a real driver's car

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-09-10T15:40:41+01:00
Jaguar’s design team under Ian Callum faced a tough challenge in creating the new Jaguar XK Coupé and Cabriolet. ... But, at the same time, it was important for the future of the company it would appeal to a new, younger generation of buyers. ...But, at the same time, the lines are sharper and the almost sculptural style of the lights is bang up-to-the-minute. ...In its place the new XK has a thoroughly modern interior with aluminium highlights – although you can opt for wood if you must! ...Its structure and body are made of aluminium (just like the new XJ saloons) with the result that the new Cabriolet is a significant 135 kg lighter than the previous model. ...Less weight gives engineers an opportunity to improve the performance (the new car’s power-to-weight ratio is 10% better), sharper handling and improved fuel efficiency. ...The acceleration is impressive, with a 0-60 mph time of just 5.9 seconds for the Coupé, and just one tenth slower for the marginally heavier Cabriolet. ...I wasn’t expecting great things from the six-speed automatic and envisaged having to use its Formula One-style ‘paddles” to extract maximum response. ... Select ‘sport’ and you begin to wonder what sort of telepathy is reading the road, the way this car seems to predict corners and select a lower gear on entry. ...It also gave me a chance to appreciate how well the soft top insulates the driver, not only from the elements, but also from wind and other road noise. ...Like the Cabriolet, this a very bonnie car and I fancy there are even some hints of the E-type in the look of the rear tailgate, although – unlike its forebear – the XK’s door isn’t side hinged. ...Just as Ian Callum’s design team have blended tradition with modernity, so the engineers have produced a car that is worthy of the XK badge, but also delivers new levels of the sort of driver satisfaction that younger owners will seek. ...But, compared with others at this fairly exclusive end of the market, the £58,955 asking price for the Coupé (£64,955 for the Cabriolet) seems pretty competitive.

Brooklands a mecca for motoring enthusiasts

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-09-09T15:34:46+01:00
As we headed south on the A3 we saw the sign to the Goodwood Revival and kicked ourselves for having missed this motoring extravaganza par excellence. We needn't have worried, Brooklands Museum had a lot else to offer for a motoring enthusiast. Even before entering the museums, just to stand on one of the remaining sections of the banked circuit and imagine what it must have been like for the motor racing pioneers was amazing. ... It was difficult enough to stand on the slope, let alone drive round it at insane speeds. It was a special feeling however to stand where Italas, the Napier Railton and others had raced all those decades ago. ...There's an excellent museum of flying with a reconstruction of the interior of a Wellington Bomber, which gives you the merest inkling of what it must have been like to fly in one of these machines. My biggest surprise was finding how cramped it was inside, claustrophobia must have added to the fear of enemy fire from below and above. ...The Wellington from Loch Ness, note the bent propellors They also have the Wellington that crash landed into Loch Ness. Brought to the surface and partially restored, you can see how the propellors have been bent on hitting the loch. Outside there is a selection of aircraft, the obvious star being one of the decommissioned Concordes. Brooklands Museum tracks cars throughout the history of Brooklands which a few more recent Formula One cars including one emblazoned with Ayrton Senna. ...Brooklands is where British motor racing began, it's well worth a visit.

500 horses harnessed and ready to go

driver@driveblog.co.uk — 2006-09-08T15:18:48+01:00
But, at 390 bhp, its power output was only a little more than a present-day top-of-the-range BMW X5. ...These days the Viper's power output has been raised to 500 bhp, but in 2000 it put out a 'mere' 400 bhp. ...My only ever Porsche road test coincided with a deluge of snow which left the supercar sitting, forlornly, becoming an ice sculpture on our driveway. ...The BMW M6 feels extremely surefooted and there is, as expected, a dynamic stability control system to help you keep the stallions under control. ...You can choose your gearbox modes and can set up the suspension for firm sports settings or softer for comfort. ...When the 'M' button wasn't pressed I had the M6 set up in relaxed mode with 'only' 400 bhp, softer suspension and automatic mode, which occasionally proved surprisingly slow in changing gears. ... You instantly feel the car sharpen up with sports suspension, 500 sports horses and gearchange by Formula One-style paddles behind the steering wheel. ...Helping with this is the aircraft-style,'head-up' display which projects the speedometer, warnings and in sports mode the rev counter onto the windscreen just below the driver's line of sight. ...At 70 mph it feels as though it is just ticking over and, indeed, BMW says it is capable of over 200 mph without the electronic limiter. Out on the soaking wet side roads, I was aware that there was enough power under my right foot to have the car spinning backwards through the nearest hedge were it not for the various electronic driver aids. ...Perhaps because it was driving so much within its capabilities it felt utterly surefooted, with precise steering and extremely powerful, but progressive, brakes. ...I could imagine arriving in Modena, Florence or Pisa and stepping out of this car, relaxed and comfortable after an 1,800-mile journey ...At £80,755 on the road, it is quite possible that you might just have a villa in Spain or a yacht on the Med that would make this the ideal combination of practical and comfortable transport.