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Can Ford’s Focus Estate close the gap on the best load-lugging family cars? We find out as it meets the SEAT Leon ST & Peugeot 308 SW
Ford Focus is going to have a tough fight on its hands to make an impact in the compact family car class.
is going to have a tough fight on its hands to make an impact in the compact family car class. We found out exactly how difficult that would be when the EcoBoost-powered hatchback took on our class favourite, the SEAT Leon, and was narrowly beaten here. Now, it’s the turn of the Focus Estateto prove its mettle.
For this test, we’re going for diesel power, and in the Focus, it’s the new 1.5-litre TDCi that’s making its debut. This new engine promises a decent combination of efficiency and performance. However, the Focus will need to be something special to have the measure of its two rivals here.
First up is the SEAT Leon ST. It doesn’t have the biggest boot around, but it makes up for it with practical touches. Plus, the Leon’s sharp handling remains, even in the guise of the fuel-efficient Ecomotive model tested here.
Then there’s the Peugeot 308 SW. It has the largest boot in the class and the lowest CO2 emissions from its 1.6 BlueHDi diesel, while the cabin has a premium feel that will be hard for the Focus to match. So, for the second time of asking, can the new Ford take top honours?
Click on the links above to read full reviews of the cars in this test, and scroll down to see which load-lugger takes the win in this test...
Head-to-head
Boot space
The 308 SWleads the space race: it has a boot capacity of 660 litres with the rear seats up and 1,775 litres when they’re folded. Plus, the bases collapse as you fold the seats in one move.
There’s 587 litres available in the SEAT, and 1,470 litres when the seats are down. The Ford only has 476 litres with the seats in place, but this jumps ahead of the Leon with them folded, as there’s a 1,502-litre maximum capacity.
LED headlights
LED headlamps are standard on the Peugeot, while SEAT’s free Technology Pack upgrade means the Leon gets the glitzy lights, too. You can add LED daytime running lamps to the Focus Zetec for £600, but the headlights are standard halogens – xenons only come with the top-spec Titanium X models.
Company car tax
Ford’s new Focus sits in the 15 per cent Benefit In Kind bracket, while its rivals are one position lower at 14 per cent. And despite their higher list prices, the SEAT and Peugeot bring lower tax bills, with the Leon costing higher-rate fleet users £1,168 a year. Those who go for the Ford face a £1,232 bill.
Verdict
1st place: SEAT Leon ST
It’s a close verdict, but the Leon narrowly edges ahead in this test. While it doesn’t have the space of the 308 SW, it makes up for it with practical touches, and you can splash out on some neat options and still undercut the Peugeot on price. Add in decent performance from the eco diesel, a combination of entertaining handling, cruising comfort and great value, and the Leon STwins.
2nd place: Peugeot 308 SW
The 308 SWis a roomy and practical estate, while the Allure model looks very attractive as it has plenty of big car goodies. Plus, the 1.6 BlueHDi is an excellent diesel, which delivers punchy performance and super-low running costs. However, we found the cabin isn’t quite as user-friendly as its rivals here, and the higher list price also counts against it.
3rd place: Ford Focus Estate
The revised Focus Estatehas closed the gap on its rivals, but not quite enough. While the exterior redesign has given it a new lease of life and the updated dash is more user-friendly, the car’s fundamental layout has remained unchanged, so boot space still isn’t as good as the Peugeot’s. The 1.5 TDCi isn’t as efficient as rivals’ units, while the lack of kit is another drawback.
Key specs: SEAT Leon ST 1.6 TDI (110) Ecomotive SE Peugeot 308 SW 1.6 BlueHDi (120) Allure Ford Focus Estate 1.5 TDCi (120) Zetec On the road price/total as tested £20,920/£24,305 £21,945/£23,450 £20,595/£20,595 Residual value (after 3yrs/36,000) £9,247/44.2% £8,515/38.8% £8,850/43.0% Depreciation £11,673 £13,430 £11,745 Annual tax liability std/higher rate £584/£1,168 £613/£1,226 £616/£1,232 Annual fuel cost (12k/20k miles) £1,309/£2,181 £1,268/£2,114 £1,652/£2,753 Ins. group/quote/road tax band/cost 14/£344/A/£0 21/£336/A/£0 16/£350/A/£0 Cost of 1st/2nd/3rd service £480 (3yrs/30,000) £468 (3yrs/35,000) £570 (3yrs) Length/wheelbase 4,535/2,636mm 4,585/2,730mm 4,560/2,648mm Height/width 1,454/1,816mm 1,472/1,863mm 1,492/1,823mm Engine 4cyl in-line/1,598cc 4cyl in-line/1,560cc 4cyl in-line/1,498cc Peak power/revs 109/3,200 bhp/rpm 118/3,500 bhp/rpm 118/3,600 bhp/rpm Peak torque/revs 250/1,500 Nm/rpm 300/1,750 Nm/rpm 270/1,750 Nm/rpm Transmission 6-spd man/fwd 6-spd man/fwd 6-spd man/fwd Fuel tank capacity/spare wheel 50 litres/repair kit 53 litres/space saver 53 litres/space saver Boot capacity (seats up/down) 587/1,470 litres 660/1,775 litres 476/1,502 litres Kerbweight/payload/towing weight 1,280/470/1,000kg 1,300/570/1,300kg 1,368/532/1,200kg Turning circle 10.1 metres 10.8 metres 11.0 metres Basic warranty (miles)/recovery 3yrs (60,000)/1yr 3yrs (unlimited)/1yr 3yrs (60,000)/1yr Service intervals/UK dealers Variable/128 16,000 miles (1yr)/300 12,500 mi (1yr)/781 Driver Power manufacturer/dealer pos 24th/32nd 14th/9th 25th/27th Euro NCAP: Adult/child/ped./stars 94/92/70/5 (2012) 92/79/64/5 (2013) 92/82/72/5 (2012) 0-60/30-70mph 10.2/9.8 seconds 9.7/9.3 seconds 10.4/10.5 seconds 30-50mph in 3rd/4th 5.0/7.2 seconds 4.3/6.9 seconds 4.3/5.9 seconds 50-70mph in 5th/6th 9.7/14.0 seconds 8.4/15.8 seconds 7.9/10.7 seconds Top speed/rpm at 70mph 124mph/1,800rpm 121mph/1,600rpm 120mph/2,000rpm Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 47.1/34.5/9.0m 49.4/35.4/13.0m 45.6/32.9/8.7m Noise outside/idle/30/70mph 63/46/61/67dB 66/48/60/68dB 66/49/62/69dB Auto Express econ (mpg/mpl)/range 50.1/11.0/551 miles 51.7/11.4/603 miles 39.7/8.7/463 miles Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 72.4/91.1/85.6mpg 78.4/88.3/85.6mpg 65.7/83.1/74.3mpg Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 15.9/20.0/18.8mpl 17.2/19.4/18.8mpl 14.5/18.3/16.3mpl Actual/claimed CO2/tax bracket 151/87g/km/14% 146/88g/km/14% 191/98g/km/15% Airbags/Isofix/park sensors/camera Seven/yes/£270/no Six/yes/yes/yes Six/yes/£225/£165 Automatic box/stability/cruise control No/yes/yes No/yes/yes No/yes/£250 Climate control/leather/heated seats £355/£1,520/£355 Yes/£1,500/£1,500 No/no/no Metallic paint/LED lights/keyless go £530/£1,000/no £525/yes/£415 £525/no/no Sat-nav/USB/DAB radio/Bluetooth £930/yes/£405/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes £500/yes/yes/yes
Vauxhall celebrates Astra anniversary by creating Union Jack with 128 cars
The United Kingdom’s iconic flag was recreated using 128 of the new seventh generation Astra, using cars coloured in red, white and blue.
Vauxhall has commemorated the 36th anniversary of the launch of the Astrawith the creation of a huge Union Jack at its Ellesmere Port factory.
Vauxhall claims that its popular car, which has sold over three million in the UK, has at some point been owned by one in four people in Britian. Over five million cars have been made here and exported to 25 European countries.
The Ellesmere Port site won a new contract with Vauxhall in 2012, securing 2000 jobs and £140 million worth of investment.
Full production of the latest edition Astra, is expected to peak in 2016 with 680 cars rolling off the production line everyday. Each car takes just 24 hours to assemble, a figure that Vauxhall aims to reduce to 22 hours as production increases.
The new Vauxhall Astragoes on sale in October priced from £15,295.
Have you owned a Vauxhall Astra? Let us know in the comments below...
Can the Mercedes GLA take on two of the brightest lights in the crossover market?
Upmarket SUVs and crossovers are the current kings of the urban jungle.
Upmarket SUVs and crossovers are the current kings of the urban jungle. With their desirable premium image, high-riding visibility, family friendly practicality and fuel-saving front-wheel-drive layouts, theseversatile machines blend fashionable off-roader styling cues with low running costs.
The latest model to join the fray is the Mercedes GLA. Based on the sleek A-Classhatchback, it promises rugged good looks and agile car-like driving dynamics. There’s a choice of four or two-wheel drive, and we try the latter with a frugal 200 CDI turbodiesel.
Ready to give the GLA a thorough workout is the Audi Q3. It’s beautifully built and good to drive, plus the front-wheel drive and 2.0-litre TDI combination promises low fuel bills.
The final member of our trio is the Range Rover Evoque. In entry-level, front-wheel-drive eD4 Pure form, it gives you the stylish upper-crust look for less.
So which of our tall-riding contenders will emerge victorious?
Click the links below for the full verdict on each car...
Now read our head-to-head group test results below...
Head-to-head
Off-road?
All our contenders feature the high-riding stance and rugged design cues of traditional SUVs. Yet with front-wheel drive and a lack of electronic aids, they’ll be no better in the rough stuff thana normal family hatchback.
However, the Range Rover does come with all-season tyres, so it’ll be more capable on snow and ice than the Mercedes GLA or the Audi Q3. The trade-off for this versatile rubber is less grip and composure on dry tarmac.
Badge appeal
There’s plenty of premium appeal here, but which badge has the most kudos? From a residual values perspective, the Range Rover leads the way. Our experts calculate it’ll retain 58.7 per cent of its value after three years, compared to 51.4 per cent and 55.4 per cent for the GLA and Q3 respectively.
Running costs
Company car drivers will like the Mercedes, which has the lowest Benefit In Kind bills. If you want to save fuel, then the frugal Audi is hard to beat. The Evoque is thirsty and a pricey company car, while servicing is quite expensive, too.
Verdict
1st place: Range Rover Evoque
It’s expensive, but the stunningly styled and well finished Range Rover Evoque feels a cut above its rivals here and is worth the extra. Decent driving dynamics, a practical cabin, lots of kit and strong residuals add to the desirable model’s appeal.
2nd place: Audi Q3
The Audi Q3 boasts surprisingly sharp handling, a smooth and efficient engine, plus a classy interior. It’s not quite as roomy as its opponents in this test, but there’s enough space for most families, and in S line trim it’s pretty well equipped.
3rd place: Mercedes GLA
Look past its attractive price and decent running costs, and the case for the Mercedes GLA falls apart. Not only is it hobbled by an unrefined engine, but it’s also missing rivals’ tough SUV styling cues. It feels like a normal A-Class behind the wheel.
Range Rover Evoque eD4 Pure Audi Q3 2.0 TDI Mercedes GLA 200 CDI SE On-the-road price/total as tested 29,205/£30,795 £28,350/£32,640 £27,300/£32,050 Residual value (after 3yrs/30,000) £17,143/58.7% £15,706/55.4% £14,032/51.4% £13,268 Depreciation £12,062 £12,644 £1,035/£2,071 Annual tax liability std/higher rate £1,277/£2,554 £1,296/£2,591 £1,578/£2,630 Annual fuel cost (12k/20k miles) £2,072/£3,453 £1,542/£2,570 25/£383/C/£30 Ins. group/quote/road tax band/cost 29/£413/E/£130 18/£398/E/£130 £24pm Servicing costs £499 (5yrs/50k) £16pm Length/wheelbase 4,355/2,660mm 4,385/2,603mm 4,417/2,699mm Height/width 1,635/1,985mm 1,608/1,831mm 1,494/1,804mm Engine 4cyl in-line/2,179cc 4cyl in-line/1,968cc 4cyl in-line/2,143cc Peak power 148/4,000 bhp/rpm 138/4,200 bhp/rpm 134/3,400 bhp/rpm Peak torque 380/1,750 Nm/rpm 320/1,750 Nm/rpm 300/1,400 Nm/rpm Transmission 6-spd man/FWD 6-spd man/FWD 7-spd auto/4WD Fuel tank capacity/spare wheel 54 litres/foam 64 litres/space-saver 50 litres/foam Boot capacity (seats up/down) 575/1,445 litres 420/1,325 litres 481/1,235 litres Kerbweight/payload/towing weight 1,595/755/1,500kg 1,445/600/1,200kg 1,535/485/N/A Turning circle/drag coefficient 11.3 metres/0.35Cd 11.8 metres/0.32Cd 11.8 metres/N/A Basic warranty (miles)/recovery 3yrs (unltd)/3yrs 3yrs (60k)/3yrs 3yrs (unltd)/4yrs Service interval/UK dealers 15,000 (1yr)/130 Variable (1yr)/121 Variable (1yr)/136 Driver Power manufacturer/dealer pos. 20th/15th^ 12th/23rd^ 9th/12th^ NCAP: Adult/child/ped./assist/stars 86/75/41/86/5 94/85/52/86/5 N/A 0-60/30-70mph 9.8/9.7 secs 9.7/9.3 secs 9.3/9.3 secs 30-50mph in 3rd/4th 4.2/7.0 secs 4.2/6.9 secs 3.5/4.0 secs 50-70mph in 5th/6th/7th 8.4/12.3 secs/N/A 9.4/13.2 secs/N/A 6.0/7.9/10.5 secs Top speed/rpm at 70mph 112mph/1,800rpm 126mph/1,900rpm 127mph/1,900rpm Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 50.2/35.4/9.3m 49.1/34.2/9.5m 48.0/35.3/9.3m Noise levels outside/idle/30/70mph 67/48/61/68dB 69/54/63/69dB 71/46/61/71dB Auto Express econ (mpg/mpl)/range 35.8/7.9/425 miles 48.1/10.6/677 miles 47.0/10.3/517 miles Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 47.1/62.8/56.5mpg 45.6/60.1/54.3mpg 51.4/72.4/62.8mpg Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 10.4/13.8/12.4mpl 10.0/13.2/11.9mpl 11.3/15.9/13.8mpl Actual/claimed CO2/tax bracket 211/133g/km/22% 157/137g/km/23% 161/119g/km/19% Airbags/Isofix/parking sensor/camera Seven/yes/yes/£330 Six/yes/yes/£650 Seven/yes/£705/yes Auto gearbox/stability/cruise control No/yes/yes No/yes/£225 Yes/yes/yes Climate control/leather/heated seats Yes/yes/yes Yes/part/£260 £2,365*/no/£300 Met paint/xenon lights/keyless go Yes/£900/£500 £525/yes/£425 £575/£1,345*/no Sat-nav/USB/DAB radio/Bluetooth £1,600/yes/yes/yes £495/yes/yes/yes £495/yes/yes/yes
22million investment in Nissan factory to help meet demand for Qashqai crossover, which will get autonomous tech in 2017
£22million investment in Nissan factory to help meet demand for Qashqai crossover, which will get autonomous tech in 2017
Currently demand is outstripping supply for the SUV, despite over 300,000 cars a year coming off of the line - that's one car every minute.
Nissanhas announced an investment of £22million into its Sunderland car manufacturing plant, adding extra capacity to produce the Qashqai, the brand's huge-selling crossover.
Currently demand is outstripping supply for the SUV, despite over 300,000 cars a year coming off of the line - that's one car every minute. About 1,200 Qashqais are built every day. By modifying Line 2 at the Sunderland plant Nissan is planning to meet demand with the additional capacity.
Nissan is also planning to introduce autonomous techinto the car from 2017 with a facelift, being the first European Nissan to get the self-driving technology. There are no more details on the updated model yet, but expect the new tech to be joined by more safety kit and some other equipment upgrades.
Colin Lawther, Nissan's senior vice president for manufacturing, said: "This additional capacity will give us free supply of Qashqai for the first time, ahead of the launch of a refreshed Qashqai equipped with Piloted Drive technology from next year."
Modifying Line 2 at the plant, which currently produces the Nissan Juke, Note and the Infiniti Q30, will also allow Nissan to produce the next-generation Juke crossover in the future.
Currently the Nissan factory supports over 6,800 UK jobs and has been building cars for 30 years - in fact the plant makes one in three cars built in Britain.
Are you waiting for your Nissan Qashqai to be built? Let us know your experiences below...
Nissan will debut new 'Piloted Drive' autonomous technology in 2017, beginning with Qashqai crossover
The Brit-built Qashqai will be equipped with Piloted Drive autonomous driving tech 'version 1.0' as of next year, forming part of a full model update with revised looks and new cabin tech.
Nissanis joining the trend for driverless car tech. At the Geneva Motor Showbosses confirmed a semi-autonomous "Piloted Drive' Qashqaiwill launch next year as part of a model facelift.
The Brit-built Qashqai will be equipped with Piloted Drive autonomous driving tech 'version 1.0' as of next year, forming part of a full model update with revised looks and new cabin tech. The system will allow autonomous driving in heavy traffic on motorways or A-roads.
Explaining the tech’s capabilities, Richard Candler, head of advanced product strategy, told us: “It can manage the steering, braking and acceleration and it is especially useful for stop and go traffic and motorway driving."
And he promised it would be affordable too. “This is accessible. We are not trying to make a 100,000 Euro Qashqai. And in time it’ll be on Jukes and Micras, and we simply can’t double the price of a Micra. It’ll be a reasonable price.”
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For the time being, Piloted Drive 1.0 won't allow driverless lane changes like Tesla's system, but Nissan will launch "multiple-lane control" some time in the next four years.
Candler added: “This tech will become mainstream on our cars in the same way that Safety Shield is. Last year 50 per cent of the cars sold had Safety Shield. My vision is to get to those kind of numbers – it’s going to be like ABS and airbags, integral to the car.”
Alongside this announcement, the Japanese brand has showcased two new Premium Concept versions of the X-Trailand Qashqai.
In a similar vein to Fordwith its new Vignalemodels, the Nissan Premium Concept models get upmarket styling details such as carbon-fibre add-ons, 20-inch alloys and new grille designs. Nissan promises a wider scope for personalisation, although there's no production confirmation yet.
Said Candler: “We see people coming from BMWand Audito Qashqai and this is a key motivation for the Premium concept. With that there is the expectation of more tech and more premium features.”
Senior vice-president Colin Lawther added: “Fifty per cent of Qashqais at the moment are top-spec cars. We’re not at the top level yet. Fifty per cent of people buy the Tekna, which is the top grade, and then people personalize on top of that, so we are not at that top grade. We certainly haven’t topped out Qashqai yet.”
Get all the latest news from the 2016 Geneva Motor Show here...
A full used car buyer’s guide on the Honda Civic covering the Mk8 (2005-2011) and the Mk9 (2011-2015)
Across Europe, more people buy a small family car than any other type of model, and competition in this market is fierce as makers try to come up with cars that can take on the biggest sellers.
For many years, Honda’s contender in this class has been the Civic, and it’s always been promising on paper, as it has all the usual Honda characteristics that add up to a car that’s incredibly easy to own. Sadly, unless you’re considering the hot Type R– which is one of the best drivers’ cars on sale – the Civic isn’t as involving as some rivals. But if you’re looking for reliable, practical family transport, few cars fit the bill as well.
Models covered
The Honda Civic has a long history, but we are focusing on the Mk8 that was sold between 2005 and 2011 and the Mk9 that was on sale from 2011 to 2015 here.
Honda Civic Mk9 (2011-2015) - Sharp-looking hatchback is a practical, reliable family car Honda Civic Mk8 (2005-2011) - The eighth-generation is a strong choice for used car buyersHonda Civic Mk9
Prices from £7,000
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History
The Civic Mk9 hit UK showrooms in June 2012 with 1.4 or 1.8-litre petrol engines or a 2.2-litre diesel. There was a five-door hatch only (the Mk8 had also been offered as a three-door), but in February 2014 a Tourer estate was introduced. This came with 1.8 petrol or 1.6-litre diesel engines, the latter having been introduced in the hatch a year earlier. The Civic 1.8 Ti of September 2012 was limited to 1,000 examples, with sportier details inside and out. A facelift to the range in spring 2014 brought fresh styling, extra kit and a revised trim structure (now S, SE Plus, Sport, SR and EX Plus), but it was only in July 2015 that we finally got a new Civic Type R, with 306bhp, starting at £29,995.
Honda Civic Mk9 reviews
Which one should I buy?
None of the engines is weak, but the 1.4 petrol isn’t as muscular as the three alternatives. In the real world, it’s no more frugal than the 1.8 manual; while the 1.8 auto is fine to use, it’s less economical.
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At launch there were SE, ES, EX and EX GT trim levels. SE has climate control, 16-inch alloys and a touchscreen display. ES adds Bluetooth, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a rear parking camera, automatic lights and wipers, plus electric rear windows.
The EX features leather trim, heated front seats, sat-nav and upgraded hi-fi, while the EX GT also gets a panoramic glass roof, front and rear parking sensors, xenon lights and 17-inch alloys, plus the option of adaptive cruise control with auto emergency braking.
Alternatives to the Honda Civic Mk9
Buyers are spoiled for choice in this class. The Volkswagen Golfis the consummate all-rounder with its refinement, great build quality, strong image and engaging driving experience. Volvo’s V40looks smart and is incredibly safe, but compromises practicality.
Most fun to drive is the Ford Focus, which also majors on value, while reliability and practicality are strong suits, too. If you want the most car for your money, check out the Vauxhall Astra; it comes with plenty of kit as standard (if you avoid the entry-level models), but it’s no class leader in any area.
Don’t overlook the Mazda 3, either, as it looks great, is entertaining to drive, reliable and generally well equipped, while it features some cracking engines as well.
What to look for:
Wipers
The automatic wipers can refuse to work properly. It can help if you disconnect the battery, replace the sensor or update the software.
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Shutlines
Some owners have reported that the shutlines on their cars aren’t as even as you might expect, especially those for the tailgate.
Wash cap
Thewindscreen washer reservoir filler cap isn’t retained and is often dropped down into the engine bay, where it gets stuck. See if it’s there.
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Paintwork
The paint tends to be quite soft, and as a result it chips and scratches easily. Check the nose, roof, bonnet and door mirrors for signs of damage.
Running costs
All Civics come with a three-year/90,000-mile warranty, and need a service every 12 months or 12,500 miles. Honda dealers offer fixed-price maintenance, with the first three check-ups costing £195, £265 and £245 for petrol cars and £215, £285 and £265 for diesels. But CVT autos add a £75 premium; Type Rs cost £100 more.
Once a Civic reaches its third birthday, it’s eligible for cut-price maintenance, with a minor service pegged at £155 and a major one £255 for petrol models (£175 and £275 for diesels). There are no cambelts to worry about, but fresh brake fluid is needed every three years, at £50.
Recalls
The Civic Mk9 has been the subject of just the one recall so far, which was issued in November 2012. It affected some diesel-engined examples built up to September 2012, but just 244 cars were caught up in the campaign.
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The problem related to incorrect software, which allowed the car to be started in gear with the clutch not depressed. The solution was to reprogramme the electronic control unit (ECU) – or to ensure the car was out of gear when the engine was started.
Driver Power owner satisfaction
The latest Civic made its debut in our Driver Powersatisfaction survey last year, finishing 41st. Owners rated its practicality and running costs highly (it ranked 23rd in both categories), plus its reliability (45th) and in-car tech (58th). But driving dynamics let the car down; it came 125th for performance, 121st for handling and 103rd for ride quality.
Verdict
There are plenty of good reasons to buy a Civic, not least because it’s built in Britain, at Honda’s Swindon plant in Wiltshire.
Reliability is also everything you’d expect from a brand consistently rated for making the most dependable cars on the road. Throw in class-leading practicality, efficient engines plus sharp looks, and it appeals even more.
We ran a Tourer 1.6 i-DTEC for six months and found it brilliantly practical, frugal and utterly reliable; the only downside was that the front seats didn’t offer enough support.
Whether you’re buying a hatch or estate, you get the same attributes, and while the Civic isn’t the cheapest car in its class, what price can you put on peace of mind?
Click through to page two for our full buyer's guide on the Honda Civic Mk8sold from 2005 to 2011...
The Renaultsport Megane 275R has taken back the front-wheel-drive Nurburgring record from SEAT's Leon Cupra
Renault's motorsport division, Renaultsport, has snatched back the front-wheel-drive Nurburgring lap record with a new model called the Megane 275 Trophy-R.
It posted a time of 7 minutes, 54.36 seconds to beat the previous record – set in March by the SEAT Leon Cupra– by 4.04 seconds. It also beat the old Megane 265 Trophyby around 14 seconds.
The new model is based on the recently unveiled Megane 275 Trophy, but is 100kg lighter. Weight is saved through the use of lighter front seats, plus the removal of sound deadening, the back seats, the air-con and the radio. You can add the latter two features as no-cost options. Composite springs knock a further 2kg from the kerbweight.
This extreme weight loss is similar to that seen on the last-generation Megane R26.R, which also featured a strut brace in place of the rear seats. As with that car you can get proper racing bucket seats with six-point harnesses. The Megane R26.R did hold the Nurburgring front-wheel-drive lap record in 2008, when it put in a time of 8 minutes 17 seconds.
Thanks to the crash diet, Renault is saying that the 271bhp Megane Trophy-R will be able to hit 62mph in 5.8 seconds. Fuel consumption remains the same as in the standard Trophy, though, standing at 37.7mpg.
The new model comes with Ohlins adjustable dampers and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as standard; both are options on the Trophy. The dampers can be adjusted using a knob on the instrument cluster, with 20 positions for the front and 30 for the rear. There’s also a titanium Akrapovic exhaust.
The record-breaking Renault that actually completed the lap was fitted with bigger brakes and a lithium-ion battery, saving 16kg. Buyers can fit these to their car, too.
To mark their Trophy-R out, buyers can opt for the two-tone paintjob in our pictures. The alloys are usually black, but can be finished in red as an option.
The Trophy-R starts at £36,430, with first deliveries in October.
Find out more about the fastest Nurburgring lap times here. Or read our interview with the man who drove the Megane Renaultsport Trophy-Rto its record lap.
Ford is planning to create more RS-branded products to sit alongside flagship Ford Focus RS
Steve Odell, Ford’s Executive Vice President of global marketing, sales and service has said that Ford is planning to make more use of the RS brand, following the launch of the flagship Focus RS hot hatch .
“The RS brand is really valuable,” he told Auto Express. “People race it. People collect it. I believe there is room to expand.”
While we know that there are no plans for more RS cars in the short term, we can expect to see the RS brand being used to promote, for example, performance upgrades for existing models.
Speaking on the eve of Ford’s home motor show in Detroit, Odell refused to elaborate on exactly which models would benefit from the RS moniker – but hinted we could see production models in the long term.
Odell clearly values Ford’s newly introduced performance car range, and appeared hugely enthusiastic about future fast Fords.
“People are now talking about Mustangas an image leader,” he said. “GT helps us prove our tech, too, and will flow back to our production cars.”
He refused to suggest RS would ever feature as a standalone brand, though. “Ford is the brand,” he told us. “When we went out and said ‘Transit is a brand, Focus is a brand,’ – we did ourselves a disservice. Ford is the brand.”
Do you think Ford should build further RS models? Or stick with the bonkers Focus RS? Let us know in the comments below…
MINI has added a five-door version of its hatchback to its line-up for the very first time
MINI has introduced a five-door version of its standard hatchback model for the first time.
has introduced a five-door version of its standard hatchback model for the first time. There’s more to it than just squeezing in an extra pair of doors, though, with the new model boasting a longer wheelbase, more headroom and a bigger boot.
The UKL1 platform that the new MINI is based on can be easily stretched, and MINI has decided to increase the five-door’s wheelbase by 72mm. All of that goes in to increasing legroom, with buyers also getting a 15mm boost in headroom. There are three seats in the back for the first time, too, along with a boot that’s grown from 211 litres to 278 litres.
Designers have tried to keep the MINI three-door’s recognizable looks intact but it’s difficult to hide the fact this larger model just looks a little more dumpy. In profile, it’s almost like a lowered Countryman.
The engine line-up is borrowed from the standard hatch but there’s a brand new Cooper SD variant, which is seen for the very first time in the five-door before becoming available in the three-door later this year.
It’s a 2.0-litre turbodiesel producing 170bhp, which is 29bhp up on the old 2.0-litre unit. With that extra power, the sprint from 0-62mph takes 7.4 seconds (7.3 with an auto gearbox), which is half-a-second quicker than the old three-door SD. Fuel economy is as high as 68.9mpg, with emissions as low as 107g/km.
The car in our pictures is the Cooper S, which gets the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine as in the standard hatch. It’s the quickest in the range, able to hit 62mph in 6.9 seconds with the manual gearbox and 6.8 seconds with the auto. Both those times are a tenth down on the three-door, which weighs in at 60kg less.
From launch, buyers can also pick a Cooper and a Cooper D, boasting petrol and diesel 1.5-litre engines respectively. The Cooper gets 134bhp, can sprint from 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds and will return 58.8mpg. Meanwhile, the Cooper D has 116bhp and is capable of 76.3mpg.
MINI hasn’t released any information on pricing for the new five-door model but insiders have told us to expect an increase of about £1,000 over the standard hatch. It’s just the next step in boosting the MINI range, with this car helping to boost sales in markets like the US. Following the release of the five-door, MINI will release a Clubmanand a Convertible.
Check out our drive verdicts on the new 3-door MINI, MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper Dand MINI Cooper S.
The replacement for the Phaeton will influence the entire VW range
The current range is influenced by the Golf – which design boss Klaus Bischoff has admitted was a mistake – so the company will adopt a ‘top-down’ approach, led by the new flagship saloon.
The next-generation Phaetonwill introduce a new design direction for VWwhen it arrives in showrooms in 2015, Auto Express can reveal.
“Using a bottom-up design strategy didn’t work,” Bischoff told Auto Express. “Flagship models like the Phaeton should act as halo products and influence the way the other cars in the range look, rather than the other way round.”
Bischoff also criticised models in the company’s current line-up for looking too similar, and promised that future VWs will have more individuality.
“There will be a specific look for saloons, one for our SUVs, one for the people carriers and one for our hatchbacks,” he explained.
But while future VWs will look ‘cooler’, Bischoff assured us that this new approach wouldn’t compromise practicality or driving experiences.
The original VW Phaeton won few admirers, but can this facelift increase it's appeal? We got behind the
wheel of the 3.0-litre V6 diesel with four-wheel drive. 3
Fiat adds special Abarth 595 models to U.K. range
Fiat has added new special-edition Abarth models to its 500 range in the U.K. The standard Abarth 500 also gets some updates, though it makes do with a 135-horsepower of the 1.4-liter turbocharged T-Jet engine in the manual version and 140-horsepower in the automatic.
It has 16-inch alloys, A/C, fog lights, rear parking sensors, a leather gear lever surround and four available pastel colors. Inside, the Corsa pack includes Inox pedals, footrest, and door kick plates, with a sport mode present as well.
The models that enthusiasts should get excited about, however, include the 595 Turismo and 595 Competizione. Both share the same 160-horsepower version of the 1.4 that's also in the North American Abarth, though their equipment levels and look differ slightly. The former's Turismo package includes Alutex pedals, footrest, door kick plates, floor mats, and machined aluminum fuel and oil filler caps.
The rear windows are tinted, and the headlights are HIDs. The car rides on 17-inch, 10-spoke Diamond-finish wheels attached to more aggressive shocks. Behind the wheels are red brake calipers, while the front and rear grilles are now Titanium Grey.
Inside, drivers get automatic climate control and leather upholstery.
The Competizione offers many of the same upgrades as above, but adds a Monza exhaust, cross-drilled brake rotors all around, unique 17-inch, five-spoke wheels, and fabric Sabelt performance seats. It also gets unique Competizione pedals, mats, fuel cap, and footrests. It can be had in 10 colors.
All three are available in hardtop or convertible versions. Prices for the threesome range from £13,975 (about $21,900) for the Abarth 500 to £21,925 (about $34,300) for the Competizione convertible though all include taxes and fees. Also, the straight conversion isn't a true indication of what the cars would cost if officially sold here through Fiat's dealers.
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Fiat CEO makes surprising visit to top-performing U.S. dealership [Video]
Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is anything but shy when it comes to making public appearances, and earlier this week he continued his trend by paying a visit to the first Fiat dealership to sell more than 100 cars in a month.
As we reported earlier, tiny Fiat of Austin, Texas, sold 110 Fiat 500s in April, shattering a sales record for the brand's U.S. showrooms. North American market parent Chrysler said that Fiat of Austin's sales department plucked unsold 500 inventory from other dealers across the country in order to feed hungry Austin buyers.
Marchionne's visit wasn't simply another executive visit to a dealership, however. Fiat of Austin sales chief Lisa Copeland and Fiat Brand North America head Tim Kuniskis made a bet that, if Copeland could top 100 sales, Fiat would set her up with a meeting with the celebrity of her choice. Copeland made the unexpected move of bypassing Hollywood glitter for Marchionne.
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Chrysler says the well has run dry for the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth
The Fiat 500 got off to a slow start in the United States - with sales lagging behind initial expectations - but the 500's latest performance variant, the 500 Abarth , is proving to be one hot-selling hot hatch.
In fact, Chrysler says it is completely sold out of the 500 Abarth for the 2012 model year. A few examples remain on dealer lots throughout the country, but anyone looking to special order the Abarth will have to wait until the 2013 model year. The 2013 500 Abarths are slated to begin rolling off the assembly line in September, according to.
Launched in April, Chrysler only planned to build 1,000 units of Fiat 500 Abarthfor the 2012 model year. However, Chrysler received that many orders before the Abarth even hit dealer lots, prompting the automaker to boost production to 3,000 units. Chrysler could probably sell twice that many this year, but the 500's Toluca, Mexico plant simply doesn't have the capacity to build any more units.
"Dealer orders for the Abarth, the ultimate high-performance small car, exceeded the production run of this model for the 2012 model year," Chrysler said in a statement.
Sales of the 500 Abarth helped Fiat to a whopping 432 percent sales increase in the U.S.last month.
Photos by Mark Elias.
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Op-Ed: Cashing in on distracted-driving hysteria
Drunk-driving deaths rose in 2012, to 10,322 from 9,865 the year before.
Drunk-driving deaths rose in 2012, to 10,322 from 9,865 the year before. Did you hear anything about that? No? What about so-called distracted driving? Did you hear anything about that? Of course you did --- and the announcement of a new enforcement technology makes it plain why distracted driving has been the cause celebre of the past few years.
Distracted driving isn't nearly the killer that drunk driving is. In 2012, 3,328 motorists were supposedly killed by texting and other distractions behind the wheel. I say "supposedly" because while blood alcohol content is a matter of scientific fact, distracted driving is often simply a guess or conjecture on the part of the law enforcement officials on the scene. Was the driver young? Was there a cellphone somewhere in the car? Very few cases are as cut and dried as the case of the driver who recently crashed and died just seconds after posting a status update on Facebook --- and even in that case, it's impossible to say that she was still "distracted" when the crash happened.
Over the past two decades, many states have systematically turned drunk driving enforcement into a cash-generating machine that allows multiple offenders to return to the wheel again and again, so long as they pay the right rehab programs and the appropriate five-figure fines. The problem with this is that there's a bit of a limit to it. As much as we'd like to associate impaired driving with wealthy socialites sloshing their Cadillac deVilles back from the country club, the truth is that it's mostly the poor and unlicensed who are driving drunk.
It's extremely difficult to extract fines and insurance-company-pleasing points from people who don't even have a license in the first place. "Distracted drivers", on the other hand, are people who can afford phones and data plans in addition to cars. Many of them are texting or communicating for work purposes, which means they're employed in white-collar jobs. In other words, the potential to make money on them is almost limitless.
Enter the ComSonics technologythat promises to give law enforcement a window into mobile-device use behind the wheel. Supposedly the technology can distinguish between calls, texting, and data usage. Can it tell a cop which one of a car full of teenagers on a Saturday night is actually on Facebook? Of course not.
What it can do is allow cops to scan a stopped freeway full of single-occupant vehicles on a busy commuter morning and simply pluck cash out of their pockets. These are drivers who have the ability to pay fines and will gladly do so in order to keep their licenses. Never mind that they represent a minimal threat to safety --- your humble author's single "distracted driving" ticket came from a cop who saw him sitting at a red light using Google Maps. They're easy prey for a highway law enforcement community that has seen its primary mission change from safety enforcement to revenue collection with shocking speed in the past two decades.
Not every state legislature will reach for this low-hanging fruit, but many will. Surely Virginia, Maryland, and the other East Coast peoples' republics where disdain for the motorist is all but written into the state constitution will make sure their cops continue to drive right by stranded families and morons driving at full speed on compact spares in order to focus on distracted-driving enforcement. Speedtrap municipalities will no doubt welcome the chance to spend a few thousand dollars of taxpayer money on a device that could earn them many times that amount in fines.
It's even possible that insurance companies will support ComSonics detectors the same way that GEICO funded the development of the laser speed gun for highway patrolmen. Nobody wants to do business with drunk drivers, but "distracted drivers" made good customers who can be relied upon to pay their bills no matter how inflated those bills might be. Nothing's quite as satisfying or profitable as raising prices on your existing customers, secure in the knowledge that it's difficult for them to leave.
Just follow the money, as the man said, and you can easily see why "distracted driving" has been raised to approximate equivalence with child molestation in the media. Still, such a media and enforcement campaign would be worthwhile if it actually resulted in fewer deaths. Don't look for that to happen. Instead, you'll see more eyes farther off the road as drivers attempt to use their mobile devices in more furtive and more distracting fashion.
You'll probably also see yet another rise in drunk-driving fatalities as the heat is taken off those unprofitable offenders to focus on the profitable ones. It's a shame, but what's a couple hundred or thousand extra innocent victims a year, compared with an opportunity to sell some neat gear to cops across the nation? Perhaps drivers can attempt to redress the balance by aggressively reporting drunk driving anywhere they see it. Just don't use your phone to do it, okay?
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Exclusive image shows bolder look for MINI Countryman, with three-cylinder turbo engines planned
MINI has only just released the facelifted Countryman , but it’s forging ahead with radical plans for an all-new model, due in 2017 – and our exclusive image shows how it could look.
With the recent unveiling of the first-ever five-door MINIhatch, the manufacturer can afford to be a little more daring with the new Countryman as the cars currently occupy a similar position in the market. To help separate the two, the Countryman will take a more rugged approach to styling to tackle the challenge of the forthcoming BMW X1replacement and new Audi Q1.
Much larger proportions are also expected, as previewed in our main image. This is set to be the biggest MINI available when it arrives, with bulging wheelarches and extensive use of rugged body cladding to mark it out as the new range-topper. But the latest Countryman wouldn’t be a MINI without the trademark circular headlamps, chrome grille and wraparound windscreen.
As with the recently launched new MINI hatch, the Countryman’s overhaul will continue under the skin. The versatile UKL1front-wheel-drive platform will be used and can be adapted for all-wheel drive, too. There’ll be various Cooper, S, SD and John Cooper Works models of the Countryman, all using the new downsized and turbocharged three-cylinder engines, which boost performance and efficiency.
Currently, only the new three-door and five-door MINI models are underpinned by the UKL1 platform, but a total of eight new model lines from the brand can be expected. A new Clubman, Convertibleand Pacemanare all under development.
MINI also looks set to tap into the two-seat sports car market after revealing the Superleggera Conceptearlier in the year. This rival for the Mazda MX-5and Audi TTwould replace the Roadster and Coupé models which have never really proven popular with buyers, as MINI looks to build on the 300,000 cars it currently sells in the UK each year.
The company is also looking to expand into markets like China with new MPVand saloon models, although these cars are unlikely to make it here.
Every new MINI on the UKL1 platform
MINI five-door
On sale: Late 2014
MINI three-door
On sale: Now
MINI Paceman
On sale: 2017
MINI Clubman
On sale: Mid-2015
MINI JCW
On sale: Late 2014
MINI Superleggera
On sale: 2016
Read our review of the new MINI here...
Volkswagen has confirmed its slow-selling Phaeton luxury saloon is no more, but all-new model promised for 2017 release
It's been on sale for 13 years, but the time has finally come for Volkswagen's Phaeton to bow out of the UK market.
to bow out of the UK market. The BMW 7 Seriesrival has already been killed off in the US, but has been kept going in Asian markets due to its continuing popularity in countries such as China.
According to a VW spokesperson, the Phaeton "in its current form" has been withdrawn from UK markets primarily due to imminent Euro 6 emissions legislation. The strict efficiency measures mean it is no longer financially viable for VW to update the sole engine left in the range, the 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel.
But it's not all bad news for fans of the luxury VW, as design chief Klaus Bishoff told us at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Showthat an all-new Phaeton will launch in mid to late 2017. He stated that "small details" from the swoopy China-only C-Coupe GTE conceptwill be carried over, but the front-end design of the Phaeton will be unique. It will also be larger than the outgoing model.
Further details of the 2017 Phaeton are yet to be revealed, but we can expect turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines to feature for the first time, alongside V6 versions - and there's even likely to be a plug-in hybrid model. We can't say for sure whether the Phaeton will ever receive the mighty W12 engine again, which VW claimed in 2002 was capable of powering the Phaeton at 186mph in 50deg C heat while maintaining a cabin temperature of 22deg C.
Form VW boss Ferdinand Piech cites the Phaeton as one of his greatest achievements, despite relatively slow sales and costing more than £1billion to design and develop. We expect with Piech's presence no longer felt in the Volkswagen Group, the new model will be a more considered investment.
How do you feel about the Phaeton's UK departure? Let us know in the comments below
Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport marks 40th anniversary of GTI name with fastest version ever
The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport is now available to order in the UK, costing from £30,875 and with the first deliveries appearing in the summer.
The Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport is now available to order in the UK, costing from £30,875 and with the first deliveries appearing in the summer. The car was originally revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, but we've also had the chance to drive it.
Sitting just underneath the 296bhp, four-wheel drive Golf R, the Clubsport is a rival for the Renaultsport Megane 275and compliments the similarly powered SEAT Leon Cupra- both cars produce 286bhp.
Image 2 of 9
It's being built to mark the 40th anniversary of the now legendary GTI name, and the hatch which first wore the badge which is in its seventh incarnation. The Golf is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the hot hatch boom in the late seventies and early eighties.
It uses the same 'EA888' turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol unit that's found in the standard GTI and the Leon. Power has been bumped up from 217bhp in the GTI (227 with the Performance Pack) to 261bhp, roughly the same as the base Cupra. An 'overboost' function can boost that up to 286bhp for 10 second bursts of acceleration.
With a torque figure of 350Nm, 0-62mph is dispatched in 5.9 seconds and both three- and five-door models have a 155mph top speed.
At the front the most evident changes are the enlarged honeycomb-style lower air intake, which is now flanked by two trapezoidal air ducts beside more prominent brake cooling vents. The more aggressive look is completed with a meaner front splitter and jutting rear wing, both finished in gloss black, which are said to improve downforce.
The side view and black graphics wrap around the lower edge of the car, while gloss black door mirrors also feature. New 19-inch wheel designs are also available, with 18-inchers standard fitment. A diffuser style bumper and larger diameter exhaust also round off the exterior changes.
Inside there's new tartan bucket seats with red stitching, an Alcantara steering wheel with a red 12 o'clock marking and unique stainless steel sill plates. Red detailed seatbelts and black headlining also help differenciate it from the standard GTI.
Now read our full review of the current Volkswagen Golf GTI...
RE: Leaders Hillclimb Multi Car Challenge - A45 AMG
Tuesday 28th April 2015
Leaders Hillclimb Multi Car Challenge - A45 AMG
A hillclimb series and a different car to drive in each round - Al Suttie starts his quest in an A45 AMG
Motorsport is a hotbed of technology, innovation, design and stupid ideas.
David (in helmet), Al and their first weapon of choice
To make it more interesting, myself and co-driver David Finlay decided to enter the British Leaders Championship in Class A2 for production cars over 2,000cc. Not only did entering the Leaders series add some extra competitive spice, it also gave us a diary of events to work around for the newly christened Multi Car Hillclimb Challenge. All we had to do was find a car (or eight) to take part with.Step forward the nice people at Mercedes-Benz UK and their A45 AMG for the first meeting of the year at Prescott. For a road-going car, the A45 has all the right elements to be a belting hillclimb machine. It has four-wheel drive for traction off the line, a 360hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox for fast, smooth shifts. We've decided to run every car in showroom spec, so the car was still using its standard Bridgestone 235/40R18 tyres all round.
Cars will be showroom spec for each round
Final garnishThe only things added were series sponsor logos, a timing strut, and stickers for the ignition and tow points in the event of an off. We also added one other crucial piece - decals for the The National Association of Blood Bikes. This fine charity provides free transport for blood, X-rays and other vital documents to the NHS. It's entirely run by volunteers and is one of those excellent ideas that too often go unnoticed and unfunded, so it's our intention to make more people aware of Blood Bikes and, hopefully, donate a little bit.for more information.
Stickers applied, the first run on Saturday morning was a fact-finding mission to see how grippy Prescott's 1,127-yard course was. A 58.32sec run was nothing to write home about, but it showed the AMG's Race Start function could shave a whole second from starting without it. It also showed the A45's steering doesn't provide much feel and downchanges with the steering wheel paddles needed careful timing to avoid the car deciding to stay in a higher gear.
Stickered up and ready to go, go, go!
For the second practice run of Saturday, Race Start was engaged and the A45 covered the first 64ft in just 2.18sec. As a two-second time over this distance equates to a 1g of acceleration, it shows how well it works in a standard road car. The rest the run was tidy but conservative, so a 51.28sec it was something to build on.A new dawn
Sunday started with a damp track, so there was nothing to do except keep the car in one piece and try to perfect the right line through the Ettores and Pardon hairpins.
Sadly, the event was interrupted mid-morning by a crash involving Steve Hemingway's Pilbeam MP50 that resulted in the Great Western Air Ambulance taking him to hospital. Here's to a speedy recovery for driver and car, and a huge thank you to all of the emergency crews whose work means we can take part in motorsport.
When the meeting resumed, a first timed run of 51.78 was a personal best. I was hoping to get into the 50-second bracket, so this was as frustrating as it was pleasing.
Ready to engage secret weapon - launch control!
After lunch, the sun broke through and track conditions were at their best of the entire weekend. I'm not much of a one for pre-race psychology, but a bit of time alone in the car thinking of where I needed to push harder, brake later and just plain go faster did the trick.The AMG's Race Start recorded its best time of the weekend at 2.09sec for the first 64ft. Then it was a small lift and push through Orchard, hold the understeer before braking hard for Ettores, down the dip and brake as late as possible for Pardon hairpin. Then it's flat towards the Esses, brake, turn and use the kerbs, and the drive as hard as I dared round Semi Circle to the finish line without falling off.
All of this ended with a 50.04sec time and that immensely satisfying feeling of knowing I'd made big gains and set a new PB. Teammate David then went and put in a 49.67sec, which is all credit to him and the car.
The Mercedes A45 AMG was a great car to dust off the cobwebs. It was fast, secure and surprisingly competitive, ending up only half a second behind a Porsche 997 Turbo. Next stop is Harewood Hillclimb on May 9-10 and we have something very different lined up for that. Back to the start of that learning curve...
Previous reports :
Abarth 695 Biposto
BMW i8
Watch the clip here .
Photos: Richard Danby
RE: Defender Challenge: PH Blog
Friday 1st May 2015
Defender Challenge: PH Blog
Having driven the Defender Challenge, PH is now having a go competitively - Dan's off to Wales!
Wet Bank Holiday in Wales looks better now
At which point you'll be thinking "all well and good but who's the poor sod sitting next to you?" As am I. He's apparently a chap called Quinn Evans and I'm told he's competed several times in the Dakar, is a driver and coach himself and has worked with Race2Recovery. He may well be about to face his toughest challenge yet as I try and mentally prepare myself for 130 stage miles in a Bowler-preparedwith zero experience. I hope Land Rover is paying him well!S'alright though, I've been reading Sean Carson'sin the car and some of the comments from PHers with more off-road experience than I. "Having driven army Defenders off-road in anger you really, really have to be fast with the steering wheel," says dukebox9reg. "Rallying one there are bound to be a few bruised elbows!" That would tally with my limited time in Landies, sharp metal bits never far from soft fleshy bits and interaction between the two frequent. And painful.
And the weekend's accommodation
Then there's some scary sounding advice on how to drive the things. "There's one thing you need to learn very early when off-roading, and that is the tyres only clear themselves of mud when they're spinning fast - you get to some muddy braking zones and the tyres fill up and you may as well be on slicks," advises PhillipM, somewhat ominously. "You'll find you have to actually blip the throttle in the middle of braking to spin the mud clear of the tread and regain some grip. It scares the hell out of the circuit boys the first time they go around and realise you can't always brake as hard as you can accelerate!"Just how much damage can be done in a 170hp, Transit-engined Defender though? It's hardly a Group B monster is it? Going by the videos they don't hang about though. And things look rather ... bouncy. Fun though. And for once the promise of a wet bank holiday in Wales actually sounds more fun than if it was going to be sunny. Which it won't be. I'd say I'll keep you posted via Twitter and the rest but I'm not too hopeful of signal for my phone. Guess I'll have to see you on the other side.
Wish me luck. And wish Quinn double.
Dan
March sales: Bigger is still better
If the U.S. auto industry is on the way to a big correction this year, there are certainly no immediate signs of it.
If the U.S. auto industry is on the way to a big correction this year, there are certainly no immediate signs of it. Please note that March 2016 had two more selling days than March of 2015, so while some of the improvements look rather explosive, they're actually not quite as dramatic as they seem on paper.
As usual, FCA was quick out of the gate with results. Dodge, Ram and Jeep were all up; Chrysler, Fiat and Alfa Romeo were all down. Slumping demand for the 200 continues to hit Chrysler hard, while Dodge has improved dramatically on paper ever since the Avenger was dropped from its ledgers. GM was a similarly mixed bag, with Cadillac down and Buick down but Chevrolet and GMC improving.News was better for Ford, who was uniformly up in March (and is for the year as well) with strong year-over-year growth for F-Series anchoring an excellent month for both brands. Nissan and Infiniti both had strong months as well.
Audi's consecutive streak remains alive with a 7.5 percent bump in March while. Honda had a very strong month from its core brand while Acura held steady with a 1.2 percent increase. We won't even get into Volkswagen.
Mazda took a healthy beating in March, too, posting a 27.2 percent drop vs. a year ago thanks to the discontinuation of the Mazda5 and a huge hit to CX-9 sales as dealers await deliveries of the new model.
In the luxury segment, we now have results from all three players. Toyota's luxury arm racked up 30,198 sales in March, followed by BMW at 30,033. The stalwarts from Stuttgart managed 28,212.
In fact, the only brand in the Toyota empire to have a good March was Scion, which is a bit of a head-scratcher. Sales were up 64.1 percent at the doomed youth brand, while Toyota itself slipped more than four percent.
Subaru, which has been on a roll for quite some time, seems to finally be giving up some momentum. They remained up in March, but only by less than one percent despite the longer selling month. Volvo's gains have also come down from the stratosphere, but remained fairly healthy.
Kia was on the negative side of flat in March, but set a first-quarter record on a 3.7 percent increase YTD.
That's a wrap, folks.
March year-over-year:
- Acura up 1.2%, 14,852
- Alfa down 27% , 53
- Audi up 7.5%, 18,392
- Bentley down 52% , 119
- BMW down 12.5% , 30,033
- Buick down 11.3% , 18,207
- Cadillac down 5.1% , 13,053
- Chevrolet up 1.4%, 176,283
- Chrysler down 13% , 26,236
- Dodge up 11%, 51,149
- Fiat down 24% , 3,422
- Ford up 7.8%, 245,022
- GMC up 6.9%, 44,585
- Honda up 10.5%, 123,369
- Hyundai flat, 75,310
- Infiniti up 10%, 13,775
- Jaguar up 28.5%, 2,133
- Jeep up 15%, 82,337
- Kia flat, 58,279
- * Lamborghini up 2.4%, 86
- Land Rover up 28.8%, 8,733
- Lexus down 2.8% , 30,198
- Lincoln up 11.4%, 9,689
- Maserati flat, 997
- Mazda down 27.2% , 23,396
- ** Mercedes-Benz down 5.9% , 28,164
- MINI down 18.3%, 4,762
- Mitsubishi up 13.4%, 11,078
- Nissan up 13%, 149,784
- Porsche up 0.7%, 4,323
- Ram up 11%, 49,990
- Scion up 64.1%, 7,261
- smart down 17.78%, 479
- Subaru up 0.4%, 49,285
- *Tesla up 18.4%, 2,250
- Toyota down 4.3%, 182,383
- Volkswagen down 10.4%, 26,914
- Volvo up 15.9%, 6,857
2016 year-to-date
- Acura down 4.5% , 37,875
- Alfa down 22% , 169
- Audi up 4.6%, 41,960
- Bentley down 51.5% , 262
- BMW down 10% , 70,613
- Buick up 7.5%, 54,287
- Cadillac down 4.1% , 35,633
- Chevrolet down 0.8% , 472,730
- Chrysler down 20% , 65,506
- Dodge up 14%, 140,509
- Fiat down 18% , 9,009
- Ford up 8.3%, 620,721
- GMC up 1%, 121,048
- Honda up 8.7%, 319,828
- Hyundai up 0.8%, 173,330
- Infiniti down 3.5% , 32,660
- Jaguar up 15.2%, 4,997
- Jeep up 17%, 209,597
- Kia up 3.7%, 146,321
- *Lamborghini up 2.4%, 258
- Land Rover up 22.6%, 20,805
- Lexus down 3.8%, 74,221
- Lincoln up 16%, 24,905
- Maserati up 16.6%, 2,250
- Mazda down 17.2% , 64,643
- ** Mercedes-Benz down 3.1%, 75,769
- MINI down 15.2%, 10,839
- Mitsubishi up 6%, 25,212
- Nissan up 10.1%, 367,544
- Porsche up 7%, 12,238
- Ram up 14%, 126,313
- Subaru up 0.9%, 132,397
- Scion up 52.3%, 18,242
- smart down 15.2% , 1,300
- *Tesla up 13.6%, 6,475
- Toyota down 2% , 476,616
- Volkswagen down 12.5% , 69,314
- Volvo up 19.2%, 16,361
* Based on estimates from Automotive News.
** NOT including Sprinter
Note that last month's highlights and lowlights listed below are merely a selection of some of the month's bigger movers.
Highlights (sales up > 40%)
Chevy Volt, up 191.9% to 1,865
Chrysler Town & Country, up 148% to 13,586
Nissan Maxima, up 138.7% to 6,588
Dodge Caravan, up 117% to 12,925
Nissan Quest, up 94.8% to 1,763
Mitsubishi Mirage, up 65.3% to 4,113
Volkswagen Tiguan, up 53% to 3,519
Chevy Colorado, up 46.8% to 9,718
Lowlights (sales down > 30%)
Chrysler 200, down 68% to 6,176
Buick LaCrosse, down 48.6% to 2,275
Infiniti Q70, down 46.7% to 577
Volkswagen Golf, down 42.8% to 1,069
Lexus GS, down 40.6% to 1,524
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RE: Euro hillclimbing, a dream realised
Tuesday 6th January 2015
Euro hillclimbing, a dream realised
French hillclimbing isn't for the faint of heart; ahead of her first season Charlie Martin tells us why she's game
If Charlie Martin is at all fazed by the idea of spending a year driving round the continent to hillclimb in the Championnat de France de La Montagne ( CFM for short) she's not showing it.
She's bought the car but is yet to even drive it
In this case we're talking the 2007 vintage 2.0-litre Formula Renault car she's just bought and entered into the dedicated DE7 class and 'open' category in the 12-round championship. As per Formula Renault circuit racing the cars are strictly regulated with sealed engines and minimal modifications possible. Tenths aren't won by paying for a trick engine build or fancy set-up, rather by the skill and bravery to go faster than anyone else.But at the time of writing she's yet to drive the car. Indeed, since buying it last September she's not even seen it fired up, her time currently dominated by other preparations like buying and converting the Renault Master van - also 2007 vintage - that will be her transport, workshop and living quarters for the year ahead. And attempting to learn some of the courses she'll be competing on via onboard YouTube vids posted by French hillclimbing heroes like Lionel Regal, inevitably aware of the fact the sport he dominated led toin a crash at St Ursanne Les Rangiers in Switzerland. Proof, if needed, this is a serious undertaking.
It all started with a souped up little Peugeot
But the ferry for her first competitive outing atin May is booked, her A-level French has been brought up to speed and the game is on. The race to be ready in time is very much underway.We'll get to that. First of all a bit of background.
Slippery slope
Charlie was introduced to hillclimbing by school friend friend Hamish Bibby, whose dad Greg competed a Morgan three-wheeler. Attracted by the grassroots passion and outdoorsy spirit of weekends away camping out she never thought she'd compete herself, even when Hamish followed his father into the sport. And then Bibby senior tempted her with an Mi16-engined Peugeot 205 GTI he'd been offered as an unfinished project for £1,500. Just the job for someone fresh out of university, a bridging loan from the bank of mum and dad landing her the GTI and a taste for hands-on prep that included a DIY respray in a booth after a "half-hour lesson."
Pretty cool tow car/race rig combo...
The Peugeot proved an excellent introduction, Charlie getting second in class in her first year of competition and developing the car with a diff, slicks, shortened gearing and other mods as she racked up the experience. Realising an expensive engine rebuild was required and keen to sample rear-wheel drive she swapped it for a Duratec engined Westfield she describes as "a complete shed" on purchase that nonetheless took her onto the next stage of her hillclimbing adventure.Happy seasons competing in the UK followed until a chance to take part in a round of the French champs in Brittany arrived. Inspired byof hero Regal she was well aware of the big step up competing in France would offer, local ex-pat John Lloyd arranging places for British drivers run under UK regs as guests of the CFM round at St Goueno. This was the 'in' required, Charlie heading over to Brittany with a small gang of friends last spring.
Hillclimbing the Westfield in Jersey
On the upIt went well. Very well. In a class of Westfields and Caterhams Charlie was fastest in qualifying, despite not being on slicks like many of the others. This, she says, "caused a bit of a stir" but nothing like that inspired by her eventual three-second winning margin on the 3.2km course. Of the 60-odd Brits she was the fastest of the non single-seaters, the French crowd and local press celebrating her achievement with some degree of excitement.
"I was on such a high!" she grins, describing how upon return she was immediately plotting a return to France for 2015. "There's so much money in UK hillclimbing," she says. "I could have spent £15K on the Westfield to trim maybe a couple of seconds off a 40-second run but there's always somebody able to spend more to go quicker." Back of a beer mat calculations came up with a number significantly less than that to do a season in France and the decision was made - farewell Westfield, hello Formula Renault.
Scale of French racing had Charlie hooked
We meet Charlie at the industrial unit home to, custodian of her car having sold it to her just a couple of months previously. "I just got a really good vibe about them and the boss here Mark Godwin was interested in what I wanted to do," she says."And I've got confidence in the car. A Formula Renault is about seven seconds faster up St Goueno than my Westfield but I've been told a single-seater is actually easier in many ways - they're more balanced, you've got the aero and you don't have to worry about the clutch with the sequential gearbox. The engine is relatively unstressed too and they reckon I'll get three seasons or so out of it on the 300 miles a year I'll be doing."
Sealed engine should last three seasons
Step upAnd if this is all starting to sound a bit serious and extravagant think again. "I love a challenge and I've always done my motorsport on a shoestring," says Charlie. Obviously there have been set-up costs to get this European adventure under way but this is still a pretty lean way to go motor racing, her one-woman, self-contained van, race car and scooter combo hopefully all ready to roll in time for that first outing in May. Last time she checked in the van's ramp system had been tested and the rig is well on the way to completion ahead of the first trip to France in the spring.
Given how little awareness there is about Euro hillclimbing here in the UK we'll be following her along the way too, some PH go faster stickers and promises of reports from each round next year meaning regular updates on Charlie's progress as the year unfolds. There's more here on her journey on.
It's a bit different from a Westfield
In the meantime you can scare yourself watching some of the YouTube vids she's been using to swot up on the courses. See below for more and for the dates of the rounds - Charlie starts her campaign at Teurses d'Hebecrevon on May 8-10 with her six best results counting towards her overall standing by the year end.Go Charlie!
Championnat de France de la Montagne 2015
March 27-29: Bagnols Sabran
April 10-12: Saint Jean du Gard Col Saint Pierre
April 24-26: Abreschviller Saint Quirin
May 8-10: Teurses d'Hebecrevon
May 23-24: Pommeraye
May 30-31: Saint Gouëno
June 19-21: Beaujolais Villages
July 3-5: Vuillafans Echevannes
July 17-19: Dunières Auvergne
August 7-9: Mont Dore Chambon sur Lac
August 21-23: Chamrousse
September 4-6: Turckheim 3 Epis
[Sources:,,,, Luke Osborne, Thib Lemoine, Bryan Germain]
Fernando Alonso not sure of racing in Chinese GP
Fernando Alonso is not taking his participation in the next week’s Chinese Gran Prix for granted as he is yet to undergo FIA’s fitness test on Thursday.
The struggles continue for Fernando Alonso in McLaren Honda
“It was disappointing to be told I couldn’t race in Bahrain, but I fully respected the decision of the FIA medical team,” said Alonso in a team preview on Tuesday.
“While I hope I’ll be back in the cockpit on Friday, until I get the all-clear from the doctors to race – whenever that may be – we cannot assume anything, but I’m continuing to prepare for the race weekend as normal.”
Fernando suffered a high-speed crash at the season opener Australian Gran Prix, where he crashed into the rear of Esteban Gutierrez and flew into the crash barricades at speeds of over 200 kmph. Even though he walked out of the car appearing unhurt, he was mandated to undergo checks.
At the Bahrain GP which was held in a week’s time, he was declared unfit to race by FIA’s medical team deemed the Spaniard had not yet recovered fully from the lung and rib injuries suffered in the accident. The medical team will access the fitness of the 2-time world champion on Thursday to see if has recovered enough to race at the Chinese Gran Prix.
“Fernando has been recuperating at home and training as usual, and we, like him, hope to see him back in the car,” said McLaren’s Eric Boullier.
“We’ll accept the outcome – whatever that may be – and plan accordingly.”
In case, Fernando Alonso is deemed unfit for the race, Stoffel Vandoorne, the team’s reserve driver will race in his place. Vandoorne collected the team’s maiden point at Bahrain GP as he came in 10th place, earning himself and the team a solitary point.
Related Posts
Super-frugal Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion supermini now comes in petrol and diesel guises
The German firm has slipped its new 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI engine under the bonnet of its recent;y updated super-frugal supermini.
Volkswagen’s efficient little Polo BlueMotionnow comes in a choice of powerplants – diesel, and for the first time ever, petrol.
The German firm has slipped its new 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI engine under the bonnet of its recent;y updated super-frugal supermini. The petrol unit joins a 74bhp 1.4-litre three-cylinder TDI diesel replacing the 1.2-litre TDI – and engine which was the only option for BlueMotion drivers until now.
The tiny three-pot petrol produces 94bhp and packs 118Nm of torque. It allows the Polo BlueMotion TSI to get from zero to 62mph in 10.5 seconds, but of far more importance, the engine will return a claimed 68.9mpg on the combined cycle and emit 94g/km of CO2. A five-speed box is fitted and peak power is delivered between 5,000 and 5,500rpm. Meanwhile the 1.4 TDI has 74bhp, returns 91.1mpg and emits 82g/km of CO2.
All Poloson sale in the UK come with a colour touchscreen, SD card reader, DAB radio and USB and AUX-in connections, as well as a height-adjustable driver’s seat as standard. But to match its green credentials, the BlueMotion adds unique 15-inch alloys with low rolling resistance tyres, a wind-cheating bodykit – which includes different front and rear bumpers, side skirts and a spoiler – and a ’Think Blue Trainer’ which analyses the driver’s journey patterns and offers tips via the touchscreen infotainment system.
BlueMotions also add a multifunction leather steering wheel, alarm with remote central locking, air conditioning, a front centre armrest, upgraded infotainment and front fog lamps with cornering function.
Prices start at £14,730 for the 1.0 TSI and £15,795 1.4 TDI three-door models. Five-door versions come with a £630 premium.
The Skoda Fabia and Citigo can be had in new Colour Edition trim, bringing fresh colour schemes and additional kit
Skoda has announced a special new 'Colour Edition' trim for its Citigo and Fabia small cars.
small cars. Priced from £9,990 and £13,360 respectively, the models get a bigger choice of paint schemes and additional kit to tempt buyers.
The Skoda Fabia Colour Edition is based on the mid-range Fabia SE, and adds six different colour combinations for the roof, alloys and wing mirrors to help the supermini stand out from the regular versions. White, green, blue and black are the main choices, with a black or white roof depending on colour.
Along with the colour changes, the Fabia Colour Edition features 16-inch alloys, LED daytime running lights and cruise control as standard. Skoda offers a choice of two engines: a 1.0-litre petrol priced at £13,360, or the 1.2-litre TSI petrol from £13,990.
The Citigo Colour Edition gets the same treatment, but with different colours. Tornado Red, Candy White, Black Magic and Spring Green are the choices, although there's no option of a different roof colour.
The engine in the city car is unchanged, but extra speakers, front fog lights, tinted windows and Skoda's Portable Infotainment sat-nav system are added as standard. The three-door is p riced at £9,990, with the five-door £10,350, and Skoda says it's saving customers over £500 on extras with the introduction of the Colour Edition trims.
Click here for all the latest Skoda news and reviews...
Honda is hoping its new Jazz is a cut above supermini rivals from Skoda and Nissan. We put it to the test...
Honda has had a bumper year in 2015, already releasing its high-performance Civic Type R model and its all-new compact crossover, the HR-V .
. But with more than half a million superminis sold in the UK over the first half of this year, the Japanese brand knows it can’t ignore the bulk of British buyers.
Enter the new Honda Jazz– a five-door hatchback with a focus on practicality that aims to blend the best bits of a traditional supermini with downsized MPV versatility.
Which is why we’ve lined up the Jazz next to two of the most functional five-doors on sale today: the Skoda Fabiaand Nissan Note. Yet the Honda has a tough fight on its hands. With prices starting at £13,495, it’s more expensive than entry-level versions of its rivals, which cost from £10,600 and £9,995 respectively.
We’ve chosen three trim levels that offer a solid blend of performance, practicality, price and equipment to represent what real-world buyers will be looking for. So, can the Jazz slot straight in at the top, or will our contenders – previous group test winners in their own right – give the new supermini challenger a shock?
Head to head
Design
Image 8 of 24
Just because you’ve plumped for a practical supermini doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. But neither the Honda and Nissan is especially exciting to look at. The Fabia is far more visually appealing with its chunky looks and squat, low stance – and that could be enough to drag customers towards Skoda’s impressive dealerships.
Clever touches
Skoda’s designers have dotted plenty of ‘Simply Clever’ touches around the latest Fabia. These include an ice scraper hidden in the petrol flap and a clip in the window for parking tickets. You also get a bottle holder in the glovebox and a phone pocket on the side of the driver’s seat.
Size
Image 9 of 24
Looks and performance might be important, but practicality is just as crucial. At 4.1m long and with the longest wheelbase, the Note is roomiest with its flexible bench seat. The Jazz takes honours for boot space, but the Skoda is the best all-round combination.
Verdict
Image 15 of 24
Superior performance, strong practicality and affordable running costs see the Fabia finish first. It’s the most premium choice here and the cheapest. While that might mean you’ll have to add options to match rivals’ kit, it’ll still be the most cost-effective way of tapping into lots of flexibility in the best-driving chassis. Skoda’s excellent aftersales service is the icing on the cake.
Image 10 of 24
This third-generation Jazz is a definite improvement, even though the 1.3-litre engine feels strained next to the Skoda’s 1.2. It’d be better with a manual box, but then efficiency takes a turn for the worse. The Jazz rescues things with strong safety kit and a good brand image. However, a high price, expensive running costs and a lower equipment spec see it fall short.
Image 20 of 24
It might not set pulses racing, but the Note is a solid performer. Trouble is, in this company that’s not enough. The sliding rear seat boosts usability, yet it’s expensive and feels less upmarket than the Skoda. Plus, the Note’s lower CO2 emissions are countered by poorer predicted residuals and high insurance costs. A dull powertrain and bland styling see it relegated to last place.
Options for similar money
New: Ford B-MAX 1.0 EcoBoost Titanium - Price: £16,195 Engine: 1.0-litre 3cyl, 98bhp
Ford’s three-cylinder turbo has lots of torque, so the B-MAX is faster than its power output suggests. Plus, for a similar price in Titanium trim you get lots of kit. There’s also more practicality thanks to the pillarless sliding doors.
Used: MINI Cooper Clubman 1.6 - Price: £14,500 Engine: 1.6-litre 4cyl, 118bhp
This budget will buy you a well-equipped, low-mileage, used MINI Clubman. This 1.6 Cooper fits the bill thanks to its premium badge and extra practicality over a hatch. Just watch for the third door, as it opens on the road rather than pavement side.
Figures Skoda Fabia 1.2 TSI 110 SE L Honda Jazz SE Navi CVT Nissan Note 1.2 n-tec On-the-road price/total as tested £14,890/£16,005 £16,305/£17,100 £15,515/£16,015 Residual value (after 3yrs/30,000) £7,150/48.0% £7,099/43.5% £6,425/41.4% Depreciation £7,740 £9,206 £9,090 Annual tax liability std/higher rate £504/£1,009 £553/£1,105 £495/£989 Annual fuel cost (12k/20k miles) £1,316/£2,194 £1,360/£2,267 £1,256/£2,094 Ins. group/quote/road tax band/cost 12/£339/B/£20 13/£412/C/£30 7/£354/B/£20 Cost of 1st/2nd/3rd service £479 (3yrs/30,000) £695 (5yrs/62,500) £159/£249/£159 Length/wheelbase 3,992/2,470mm 3,995/2,530mm 4,100/2,600mm Height/width 1,467/1,732mm 1,550/1,694mm 1,530/1,695mm Engine 4cyl in-line/1,197cc 4cyl in-line/1,318cc 3cyl in-line/1,198cc Peak power 108/4,600 bhp/rpm 101/6,000 bhp/rpm 79/6,000 bhp/rpm Peak torque 175/1,400 Nm/rpm 123/5,000 Nm/rpm 110/4,000 Nm/rpm Transmission 6-spd man/fwd CVT auto/fwd 5-spd man/fwd Fuel tank capacity/spare wheel 45 litres/repair kit 40 litres/repair kit 41 litres/repair kit Boot capacity (seats up/down) 330/1,150 litres 354/1,314 litres 325-411/1,495 litres Kerbweight/payload/towing weight 1,054/530/1,100kg 1,098/473/1,000kg 1,124/395/430kg Turning circle/drag coefficient 9.8 metres/0.33Cd 10.8 metres/N/A 10.7 metres/0.30Cd Basic warranty (miles)/recovery 3yrs (60,000)/3yrs 3yrs (60,000)/3yrs 3yrs (60,000)/3yrs Service intervals/UK dealers 10,000 (1yr)/135 12,500 (1yr)/196 18,000 (1yr)/225 Driver Power manufacturer/dealer pos. 3rd/7th 18th/4th 28th/25th NCAP: Adult/child/ped./assist/stars 81/81/69/69/5 N/A 86/82/58/70/5 0-60/30-70mph 9.4/9.0 secs 11.9/10.8 secs 12.1/12.5 secs 30-50mph in 3rd/4th 4.5/6.5 secs 4.0 secs (kickdown) 6.6/10.1 secs 50-70mph in 5th/6th 10.0/14.2 secs 6.7 secs (kickdown) 10.7/16.4 s (4th/5th) Top speed/rpm at 70mph 122mph/2,250rpm 113mph/2,500rpm 105mph/3,000rpm Braking 70-0/60-0/30-0mph 49.7/35.5/10.0m 51.3/37.1/10.6m 50.0/36.7/9.2m Noise levels outside/idle/30/70mph 71/51/65/71dB 65/51/65/72dB 68/53/67/72dB Auto Express econ (mpg/mpl)/range 46.1/10.2/456 miles 44.6/9.9/392 miles 48.3/10.7/436 miles Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 46.3/68.9/58.9mpg 52.3/64.2/58.9mpg 47.9/70.6/60.1mpg Govt urban/extra-urban/combined 10.2/15.2/13.0mpl 11.5/14.1/13.0mpl 10.5/15.5/13.2mpl Actual/claimed CO2/tax bracket 142/110g/km/17% 146/111g/km/17% 135/109g/km/16% Airbags/Isofix/park sensors/camera Six/yes/yes/no Six/yes/yes/no Six/yes/no/yes Auto gearbox/stability/cruise control £1,000/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes No/yes/yes Climate control/leather/heated seats Yes/no/£180 No/no/no Yes/yes/yes Metallic paint/xenons/keyless go £535/no/no £500/no/no £500/no/no Sat-nav/USB/DAB radio/Bluetooth £500/yes/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes Yes/yes/yes/yes
Exclusive images show how next-generation Skoda Yeti will take style inspiration from Vision S Concept and SEAT Ateca
Skoda is preparing a replacement for its Yeti with more space, a new engine range and a more traditional crossover look, as seen in our exclusive images.
with more space, a new engine range and a more traditional crossover look, as seen in our exclusive images. The new Skoda Yeti is due on sale in 2018 with prices starting from around £16,000.
It will share much of its DNA with the new SEAT Atecaand Volkswagen Tiguan, with all three SUVs riding on variations of VW’s MQB platform – and a hybrid is on the way, too.
Skoda boss Bernhard Maier told Auto Express: “It is not a surprise that there will be a successor for the Yeti. This is already in development; it looks beautiful and perfectly fits to the brand.”
While the current car’s ‘Tonka toy’ looks are a distinctive feature and have helped the Yeti to huge sales success, the new model will feature more traditional styling with a sleeker look, incorporating the design language set out by the Vision S conceptfrom the Geneva Motor Show, also set for the Kodiaq seven-seater which will be unveiled at October’s Paris Motor Show.
“The new look kept us in intense discussions as we have a real fanbase for the current Yeti,” Maier told us. “We have asked our customers about the design, and one thing is clear: the new design language for our SUVs will also apply to the new Yeti.”
The previously upright rear hatch will be replaced by a more raked version, giving the car a much sleeker profile than before. Slim tail-lights feature Skoda’s signature light pattern and split as the tailgate is opened. A four-light headlamp arrangement and clamshell bonnet mean the Yeti shares its face with the upcoming Kodiaq, while slim LED headlights and a wide grille complete the look, with more than a hint of the new Superb in the design, too.
Image 2 of 2
Squared-off wheelarches, sculpted side panels and larger sills will give the car definition in profile. Inside, we expect a simple design with a focus on maximising space, but with the use of quality materials for a more upmarket feel.
The new Yeti will be more practical than the current car as well, with a bigger boot and more space in the cabin for passengers. The SEAT Ateca has a 510-litre load area, so expect an increase of over 100 litres on the current Yeti’s 416-litre capacity.
While four-wheel drive on some models is likely to cut into load space, Skoda intends to make sure that future hybrid versions will retain the car’s pragmatic character. “Hybrids are something we are discussing for all of our product line-up,” Maier told us.
“Our engineers are working to find the best solution for Skoda for hybrid technology. Whatever Skoda brings we will stand to our core values, irrespective of the engine we are looking at.” The hybrid model is expected to share the VW Tiguan GTE’s powertrain, which means a 1.4-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor, giving fuel economy of over 150mpg and CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km.
We expect other engines to be carried over from the VW Group range, including a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol as well as 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesels that will count for most of the UK’s private and company car sales.
Along with four-wheel drive, a DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox will be available for the new Yeti. It’s likely that there will be more safety equipment than ever as well, including an auto braking system and a parking camera. It’s possible that Skoda will introduce a more rugged-looking Scout model and even a more aggressive Sportline version.
We expect the new Yeti to be priced from around £16,000 – making it slightly cheaper than the current model. But don’t expect to see it in dealerships soon: the new model won’t arrive until well after the seven-seater, meaning a launch date in 2018.
Would you like the new Yeti if it looked like this? Let us know in the comments below!
SEAT's new Ateca SUV range could be set to grow with the addition of a Cupra performance version
SEAT bosses are assessing the feasibility of a Cupra version of the new Ateca SUV , Auto Express has learned.
A high performance iteration of the brand’s new crossover could be on the cards if SEATpresident Luca de Meo can make the business case stack up.
Speaking from the launch of the new Ateca, de Meo told us: “We are having the discussion right now.
“We are very creative,” he said. “We can do a lot of things. But we have to make one solid step after the other.”
The most powerful Ateca available from launch will be a 2.0-litre diesel with 187bhp. While that is expected to pack quite a punch, it’s some way off the current Leon Cupra, which boasts a range of turbocharged petrol engines with up to 287bhp.
De Meo admitted there was room for more eco-friendly powertrains in the Ateca, but insisted there were no plans to scale back the introduction of new Cupra models. “FR and Cupra will continue,” he said. “I will help the team nurture this”.
Last year, we reported the news that a series of hot diesel engines from elsewhere in the VW Group stable were scheduled for SEAT’s high performance cars. The new Volkswagen Tiguan – with which the Ateca shares its wheelbase – will be made available with the 237bhp bi-turbo diesel from the Passat. This makes the installation of an identical powerplant in the SEAT SUV little more than a formality.
A hot SEAT Ateca with this powerful 2.0-litre BiTDI would be capable of 0-62mph in less than seven seconds and a top speed of more than 140mph. All this makes it more than worthy of the exclusive Cupra badge, while the flexible MQB platform could also see the invent of SEAT’s first all-wheel drive Cupra.
It’s not only de Meo excited by the prospect of a racy SUV, though. Design chief Alejandro Mesonero told us: “We’re fighting to stretch the line.”
Do you like the idea of a SEAT Ateca Cupra? Let us know in the comments section below...
Upmarket version from Ford takes Mondeo into competition with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class
3
Full-size Ford Edge Vignale SUV revealed at 2016 Geneva Motor Show - we look a little closer at the upmarket SUV in Cologne design studio
After Ford launched its first 'Vignale' with the Mondeo last year, the premium sub-brand has now made its way across to the full-size Ford Edge SUV .
. The Ford Edge Vignale was publicly revealed at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, but we went in for a closer look at the brand's design studio in Cologne.
The Edge is undeniably large , although the car’s North American origins have become less overt as we Europeans have started buying larger SUVs anyway. Even so, the 20-inch wheels – the same design that features across all Vignales – don’t look particularly oversized for its frame. At the front, the grille differs from the bars of conventional Edges; it’s the hexagon-based Vignale design instead, and it suits the car’s strong, bluff nose treatment.
Breaking up the Edge’s flanks are subtle chrome strips that run along the bottom crease of the doors, and at the rear is a single Vignale badge – no ‘Edge’ or ‘TDCi’ here – and more subtle metal finishes around the rear bumper. Principles established on the Mondeo have indeed transferred to its larger stablemate.
Image 2 of 9
Inside are trademark Vignale touches that we’ve seen on the family car: double stitching on the top of the instrument cowl that’s always in your line of sight, contrast piping (called a “Tuxedo line”), a ventilated hexagon pattern on the seats and a huge swathe of leather over the top of the dashboard. It’s crafted by Eismann on the same production line as the leather for some Bentleysand Porsches.
Here, in the stark lighting of Ford’s studio, the Edge looks a compelling proposition, and perhaps Vignale’s best chance to steal sales from other brands. You could see how someone contemplating a mid-sized German SUV could be tempted by a larger and plusher offering for roughly the same price.
Would you buy the new Ford Edge in Vignale form? Let us know below!
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