Autocar UK - 13 November 2013.Bak

13 N

ove

mb

er 2

013

| BM

W X

5

13 NOVEMBER 2013 3.30 | AUTOCAR.CO.UK13 NOVEMBER 2013 3.30 | AUTOCAR.CO.UK

Worried Jaguar cant make

an SUV work? Dont be

Steve Cropley

Steve Cropley

All-new BMW X5

Good, but its no Porsche Cay

enneGood, but its n

o Porsche Cayenne

New Ferrari rated

Hardcore 458 Speciale on th

e limit Hardcore 458

Speciale on the limit

NEW QASHQAI REVEALED

VERDICT Heres proof the mos

t radical Jaguar ever will be a

winner

VERDICT NEW JAG 4x4 DR

IVEN

Why Nissan has pushed upmarket

FIRST TEST

8-PAGE ROAD TE

STSTEVE S

UTCLIFFE

Used Mercedes E-class from

500

James Rupperts car auction

tips

The 90mpg challenge

New eco specials put to the t

est

13 NOVEMBER 2013 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5

DEALSUsed buying guide Mercedes W210 E-class 78

James Ruppert Posh-car auction action 82

New vs used New Radical or used Ferrari? 85

New cars A-Z All the latest models rated 86

Road test results Autocars data archive 99

Classifieds Cars, number plates, services 102

78

NEWS

Nissan Qashqai Second-gen crossover revealed 8

Nissan Bladeglider Concept previews sporty EV 12

Mercedes S65 AMG Saloon to get 621bhp V12 15

Tokyo show preview Home-grown show stars 16

BMW i5 Electric family car in the pipeline 19

Skodas large SUV All-new model here in 2016 22

Spotlight Whats up with the Volkswagen Up? 24

TESTED

Ferrari 458 Speciale Hardcore and high-tech 28

BMW i3 Range Extender Slick urban solution 33

Range Rover Sport SDV8 Polished diesel SUV 35

Kia Soul EV Quirky battery-powered five-door 37

BMW X5 xDrive M50d ROAD TEST 62

FEATURES

Jaguar C-X17 We drive compact SUV concept 38

Frugal hatches face off Golf vs Focus and Auris 48

Eco challenge Targetting 1000 miles on a tank 52

Hyundai WRC Korean firm outlines rally plans 54

Coventry Transport Museum We pay a visit 56

OUR CARS

Jaguar XKR-S convertible Drop-top signs off 72

Audi RS4 Avant Fast estate needs a firm hand 77

EVERY WEEK

Steve Cropley Down to business in Dubai 21

Matt Prior Familiarity breeds contentment 23

Joe Saward Why the WRC needs to change 27

Your views The gearshift direction dilemma 70

Colin Goodwin The endorsing of undertaking 71

Richard Bremner Chevrolet Astro 1 revisited 106

Mercedes W210 E-class from 500

Jaguar C-X17 driven:

Steve Cropley gets behind

the wheel of Gaydons

crossover concept

38

THIS WEEK

New Nissan Qashqai: full details, official pics Steve Sutcliffe drives Ferraris 458 Speciale

BMW i3 Range Extender first drive: premium EV impresses

8 28

33

62 Third-gen BMW X5 road tested

54 Hyundais WRC plans revealed

The cars you remember most fondly are beautifully displayed in Coventry

COVER STORY

COVER STORY

Steve Cropley, p56

Thriving new era of British car making

JIM HOLDER [email protected] @Jim_Holder

DESIGNED IN BRITAIN, engineered in Britain and built in Britain: the Nissan Qashqai is an unlikely yet shining example of all that is good about the record-breaking levels of car manufacturing in this country today.

Why Britain? Because every time Nissan invests here, it wins a big return, be it through the burgeoning creativity of the Paddington design office, the expertise of its class-leading technology and engineering centre in Cranfield or the world-beating quality standards of its Sunderland production line, which built over half a million cars in 2012.

Nissans bosses cannot speak highly enough of the benefits of operating here. Other car makers such as Honda, Toyota, Vauxhall, Jaguar, Land Rover and many more are similarly thriving British car manufacturers, irrespective of where their financing comes from.

Nissan and the Qashqai, then, are standard-bearers of an automotive renaissance in this country. The British car industry may not be as British as it once was, but there are very few reasons for thinking it is not better off being what it is now.

Issue 6074 | Volume 278 | No 7

ON AUTOCAR.CO.UK

THIS WEEK

Ferrari 458 Speciale

Steve Sutcliffe drives Ferraris new thriller

Mercedes-Benz

E-class

The entire E-class range evaluated

James Ruppert

Mr Bangernomics on the weeks news

History of Lambo

50 years of Raging Bull in pictures

FIND US AT

autocar.co.uk

youtube.com/autocar

autocar.co.uk/facebook

twitter.com/autocar

apps.autocar.co.ukDownload our Fast Car and Car Pics apps to your iPad

autocar.co.uk/magDownload the digital edition of Autocar wherever

you are in the world every Wednesday

Autocar magazine is also published in China, Czech

Republic/Slovakia, Egypt, Greece, India, Indonesia,

Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Middle East,

Mongolia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

autocar.co.uk/subscriptionsFor all our latest subscription offers

BLOG GALLERY

VIDEO

REVIEW

Nissan Qashqai is a thoroughly British product

THIS WEEK

8 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13 NOVEMBER 2013

THIS WEEK

New Qashqai ramps up Q Extra kit, more tech, higher-quality trim for Nissans second-gen crossover QMore space

Nissan has revealed the

second generation of its

smash-hit Qashqai, the

model that defined the

family crossover class in its

best-selling first generation.Designed in London,

engineered in Cranfield

and Barcelona and built in

Sunderland, the new Qashqai

will reach UK showrooms next

February. It will be armed with

a smart new exterior look,

more fuel-efficient engines and

a more premium interior.

Despite the significant

rise in quality and equipment

levels, prices are set to rise

only modestly compared with

todays model. The entry-level

model costs 17,595, rising to

27,845 for the range-topper.

The first-generation Qashqai

has been the most successful

model in Nissan Europes

history. It has sold about

1.5 million units in Europe

since 2007 and more than

two million worldwide.

The first car had to make a

real wow when people saw it,

said Stewart Callegari, Nissan

Europes product planning

chief. It needed a big impact

and it has done that. With the

second generation, weve

already made the segment

and are the market leader. So

rather than make one big wow

with the car, we took a more

mature approach and made a

lot of improvements in small

areas to appeal to a wider range

of European customers.

With the new Qashqai,

Nissans main areas of

focus were enhancing the

level of technology and

design and improving the

dynamic performance, while

maintaining the package,

News to share? Call 020 8267 5782/5796 email [email protected]

OFFICIALPICTURES

Is evolving

a market

leader like

the Qashqai

so much

of a risk?

No. The fact that it is a market leader and we invented the segment means that customers already believe in Qashqai, which gave us a freedom to be bold. Refining the old car was never a consideration. We set our parameters based on if we were entering the segment fresh. We wanted to reset the bar.

What are the new Qashqais

stand-out features?

More interior and boot space was the overriding request from customers; weve delivered that. Then we wanted improved interior

material quality, the latest safety equipment and for the car to be connected to the internet. Its all there, at an affordable price.

How will it drive?

It will be comfortable and planted. Those are the characteristics customers want in this segment, and weve attained both to a higher level than ever.

Any range highlights?

Watch out for the diesel CVT. Its pioneering in two ways: firstly, because it mates CVT with diesel, and secondly, because on the first two-thirds of the throttle it delivers power as a linear auto would, and in the final third the software offers a shift shock, making it feel like a DCT box.


premium feel inside Q On sale next February Q Priced from 17,595

price and size of the current

car, according to Callegari.

The new Qashqai broadly

shares its proportions with

its predecessor, growing by

49mm in length and 20mm

in width but dropping 15mm

in height. The new car has a

sportier silhouette than the

previous model, but cabin

space has been improved

despite its lower height.

We were tempted to do

radical again, but it was more

sensible to do what weve

done, said Darryl Scriven, the

lead exterior designer. We

have a huge customer base and

a responsibility to them. If we

went radical again, wed leave

other brands to collect the

successful elements wed leave

behind and our customers.

More distinctive front

and rear ends feature on the

evolved look of the new car,

along with more sculpted body

sides. Front features include

Nissans latest V-shaped grille,

wraparound front headlights

and a clamshell bonnet. At the

rear, theres an evolved version

of Nissans boomerang lights.

Its inside where the biggest

improvement over the previous

Qashqai lies. Higher-quality

materials are used in a cabin

that gets an all-new look.

We had to improve on the

premium element, said Paul

Ray, the interior design leader

on the project. Understanding

all the products out there,

theyve caught us up and we

want to lead again.

Top-spec models get

leather and Alcantara trim to

emphasise a premium feel,

but a greater use of soft-touch

materials extends down to

the bottom of the range. The

Q&A Andy Palmer, Nissan tech chief

The sportier-looking profile is part of its more upmarket bid

Improved cabin space was a main design priority

The boot is 20 litres bigger than current cars, at 430 litres

Whats it like to drive?

THIS WEEK


five-seat cabin has also

been made more functional,

with improved storage space

and room for passengers,

plus a bigger, more accessible

430-litre boot, 20 litres larger

than the previous Qashqais.

The engine range for the

cars launch will include a base

113bhp 1.2-litre turbo petrol

unit with 50.4mpg economy

and CO2 emissions of 129g/km,

a 108bhp 1.5 dCi turbodiesel

with 74.3mpg and 99g/km,

and a 128bhp 1.6 dCi with

64.2mpg and 115g/km. A

148bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol

will arrive in autumn 2014.

Front-wheel drive is

standard, with all-wheel drive

offered on the 1.6 dCi. All-

wheel-drive models also have

multi-link rear suspension.

Front-drivers get a twist beam.

MacPherson struts are used at

the front.

A six-speed manual gearbox

is standard, with a CVT auto

offered on the 1.6 dCi. Nissan is

calling this CVT Xtronic.

On the dynamic front,

Nissan claims that agility has

been improved, with comfort

being retained. The model

is the first European Nissan

to be based on Renault-

Nissans new corporate CMF

platform. A weight loss of up

to 40kg, model for model, is

claimed, despite an increase in

standard equipment.

A new Chassis Control

system features, derived from

the GT-Rs and said to give

the function of a limited-slip

differential. An Active Ride

Control system is said to boost

ride comfort.

The equipment and

technology levels on the

Qashqai have also been

significantly increased. The

Nissan Connect 2 infotainment

system is offered and includes

sat-nav and a full suite of

connectivity options.

A whole host of safety

technology is offered under

the Nissan Safety Shield

banner, including traffic sign

recognition, automatic braking,

moving object detection for

parking, and park assist.

The seven-seat Qashqai +2

has been dropped from the

range, in effect being replaced

by the new X-Trail.

MARK TISSHAW

SO BIG A revolution was the Qashqai when it

first arrived in 2007 that Nissan didnt need

another one six years later with Qashqai

Mk2. Evolutionary improvement works for

the Volkswagen Golf, after all.

That evolution also extends to its road

manners. Ive already had a quick go in

various development mules in the build-up

to the new Qashqais launch, and it feels a

stiffer, less brittle and much more polished

performer than its predecessor, one with

a commanding driving position and good

visibility of the road ahead.

On the roads around Barcelona where

I tried the test mules, the ride was, on the

whole, comfortable and smooth. Even

without the final NVH (noise, vibration,

harshness) package, it was a quiet and

comfortable motorway cruiser. Around town

on bumpier surfaces, though, there was

some bump-thump from the suspension.

The handling is now more involving. You

wouldnt call this new Qashqai a fun car to

drive, but it turns in neatly and the controls

are all nicely weighted. The inevitable body

roll is well controlled. A bit of tyre squeal is

possible if you really push, but theres always

an abundance of grip.

As for the engines, the entry-level 113bhp

turbocharged 1.2-litre petrol unit is smooth

but a touch sluggish in a car of this size

and weight. The 108bhp 1.5-litre diesel is

also smooth and much more driveable. The

range-topping 1.6-litre diesel feels the most

grown-up here. Its more tractable and even

more driveable than the 1.5 dCi and oozes

refinement on the motorway.

The standard six-speed manual gearbox

is a slick shifter, but the real news is the

new CVT gearbox. Nissan claims that it

performs like a conventional auto and has

the connected feel of a dual-clutch box. In

the not-quite-finished version that we tried,

you can still tell that its a CVT rather than a

conventional auto, but it is improved. Theres

still a bit of CVT drone, but it has quicker

responses than the previous CVT.

Its early days, but nothing Ive

experienced in the new Qashqai so far

suggests that its going to be anything

other than a best-seller for Nissan.

MARK TISSHAW

Nissan is aiming for a more premium feel

inside the new Qashqai


Nissan plans radical EV sports carDeltaWing-inspired BladeGlider concept previews 2016 production model

This Nissan BladeGlider concept is the blueprint for an anti-establishment small electric sports car

based on the principles of the radical DeltaWing Le Mans racer, and will make production within three years.

Underlining Nissans commitment to making the rear-drive car, senior executives confirmed a test mule, based around a modified Ariel Atom, is already running, and that DeltaWing designer Ben Bowlby is heavily involved.

When I was growing up, the principle was that young people wanted a sports car and their parents hated the idea of them. The problem with all of todays sports cars is that they are actually owned by parents, said Nissans engineering chief, Andy Palmer. We are exploring

ways of getting back to a sports car that is affordable, challenging and appealing for young people.

The BladeGlider will be revealed at the Tokyo motor show, and is one vision for the production model. Styling of the road-going car is expected to change, with the BladeGlider being described by design chief Shiro Nakamura as an extreme interpretation of how the car could look. Like the DeltaWing, it has an extremely narrow front track of just one metre and a much wider rear track, which Nissan only describes as stable.

Technical details are scarce, but the deltoid body shape is wrapped in carbonfibre-reinforced plastic, with the three-seat cabin placing one passenger either side of the driver, like the McLaren F1.

The narrow front end aids aerodynamic efficiency, while the carbonfibre underbody creates downforce without the need for drag-enhancing wings. Weight distribution is 30/70 front to rear, thanks largely to the low and rearward positioning of the lithium ion batteries and low weight of the in-wheel electric motors, which have been confirmed for production a first for Nissan.

Ive driven the prototype and it is unlike anything I have sampled before, said Palmer. This is the car that takes advantage of all the packaging benefits of an electric powertrain. All that weight and the set-up of the front track mean that the car is incredibly pointy, but the rear track and downforce mean that you can catch the oversteer with amazing ease.

The production model will sit below the more traditional 370Z sports car in the firms line-up and in price, meaning it will cost significantly less than 30,000, despite its high-tech electric powertrain.JIM HOLDER

NISSANS MOTORSPORT AND performance vehicle division, Nismo, is leading the development of the next generation GT-R Godzilla due in 2016.

The move is a fundamental change from the development process of the current R35 GT-R, which was created in a quarantined area of Nissans road car engineering division by GT-R godfather Kazutoshi Mizuno.

Mizuno recently left Nissan, partly because he had reached retirement age but also because of dissatisfaction with Nismos increasing stake in GT-R.

Nismo is in the final stages of developing a flagship version of the current GT-R that will be launched at next weeks Tokyo motor show. The Nismo GT-R has been spied testing at the Nrburgring and is expected to take the twin-turbo V6, all-wheel-drive R35 to new heights; a 0-62mph time of well below three seconds is mooted.

Following that cars launch, Nismos attentions will shift to the next GT-R.

As we come to the next GT-R, you will probably see a lead coming from Nismo and a follow coming from the passenger car company, Nissan technical chief Andy Palmer said. GT-R is somewhat the halo car of Nismo, so it is natural that they would lead its development in the future.

The Nismo GT-R is understood to have had input from Williams Advanced Engineering on the aero, chassis and ABS set-up. Williams will be more closely involved in the next GT-R and other new Nismos from next year.

Palmer confirmed the next GT-R will feature hybrid drive. Electric systems can fill the gaps in the torque curve and offer genuine performance gains, as well as lowering emissions, he said. Its win-win. Id expect some form of hybridisation on the next GT-R.

Nismo leads development of next-gen hybrid GT-R

Concept shows an extreme design route for the production car

SPY SHOTNISMO GT-R GERMANY


Smaller, turbocharged engine for next 370Z

A NEW 370Z is expected

to be revealed at the Tokyo

show and will remain true to

its more traditional roots as

Nissan looks to differentiate it

from the BladeGlider.

Although the next 370Z

is likely to bow to emissions

pressures and feature a

downsized, turbocharged

engine, Nissan development

chief Andy Palmer has said it

will have no less power than

the current car.

There is room for two

types of sports car in

our range, he said. The

BladeGlider challenges

convention, but there is

also room for more classical

sports cars in the mould of

the GT-R and 370Z.

Palmer also confirmed

that there would be Nismo

versions of all future Nissan

sports cars and most cars in

the Nissan range. Typically,

Nismo cars will be sold as

both tuned R models and

more hardcore RS versions.

He also intimated Nismos

growing influence could

extend to the mooted Infiniti

sports car expected by 2020.

CONVENTIONAL LOOKS FOR NISSAN HATCH

The first full-body mules for Nissans upcoming Volkswagen Golf-rivalling hatchback have hit the road. The new five-door model will be built at Nissans Barcelona plant from July 2014, and is tipped to revive the Almera name.

Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura said: We cannot just be a crossover brand. We can make the Almera work. Getting it right is not an easy or quick answer, but the results of the Qashqai have bought us time.

We can get it right, and that means standing up to some of the toughest opposition. Beating the Golf wont be a styling challenge; it is more complex than that. These kinds of cars need to look conventional.

AUTO BOX FOR FRUGAL FIESTA

The 99bhp 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol version of the Ford Fiesta can now be ordered with the six-speed dual-clutch Powershift automatic transmission. Combined economy is rated at 57.7mpg, and CO2 emissions are 114g/km.

TOYOTAS NEW TAXI CONCEPT

Toyota will preview its vision for a next-generation Japanese taxi with its JPN Taxi concept at next weeks Tokyo show. The hybrid carries five passengers and Toyota says it takes design cues from Londons famous black cabs.

THIS WEEK

ZEOD RC, follow-up to DeltaWing, provides further inspiration for road car

Golf-rivalling Nissan five-door is poised to revive the Almera nameplate

SPY SHOTNEW ALMERA SPAIN

OFFICIALPICTURES

@) -+7@*/=&-+ @67 -6 &A& .3" &% &+ */# 0):.EE(*1 6+ "?3? 09381 C=6 6+ 9E3. 0"381 -*&+ ?3> 0 3"13? *&77&-+7 .?,#:(*3 @) -+7@*/=&-+ @67 7-@6 6-* -&&) %6#@)= )-6=-6D =7= 67@)=7 6 /6-A& -6-*/6&7-+ /@6/-77 + *D +-= 6)= 6)%)& 6&A&+# C/6&+3

&A& .3" &% &+ &)+- -)& = 3 &A D675 76A&&+# -6 9? EE *&)7 B$&$A6 -*7 67= -6

THIS WEEK


New V12-powered S65 AMG cracks 0-62mph in 4.3sec, Mercedes-Benz claims

Mercedes-Benz has crowned the performance side of its new S-class line-up

with a mighty V12-powered S65 AMG. The new model will reach the UK next April, priced from about 160,000, after simultaneous launches at the Tokyo and Los Angeles motor shows next Wednesday.

Powering the S65 AMG is a twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 with 621bhp and 737lb ft of torque. The long-wheelbase-only S65 covers 0-62mph in a claimed 4.3sec and its top speed is governed to 155mph.

Mercedes claims that it is the worlds most efficient V12. The S63 returns a combined

23.7mpg and CO2 of 279g/km.The engine is hooked up to

AMGs Speedshift Plus seven-speed automatic gearbox, whose three driving modes include Sport and Manual. The gearbox replaces the five-speed auto of the previous S65.

Mercedes has yet to quote

a weight for the new S65, but the model has weight-saving technology, such as a part-carbonfibre bonnet, a lithium ion battery and lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels. Carbon-ceramic brakes are optional.

An AMG-tuned version of the new S-classs Magic Body

Control suspension system is fitted as standard. This system reads the road ahead and adjusts the suspension to suit upcoming road conditions. Other standard kit includes ESP Dynamic Cornering Assist, which reduces understeer when turning in to corners.

The 5246mm-long S65 has unique styling details, such as a new front grille, larger front air intakes, revised side air intakes, a front splitter, new front and rear bumpers, twin sets of exhaust tailpipes and new badging.

An AMG-fettled interior, with sports seats and a bespoke steering wheel, also features.MARK TISSHAW

VW GOLF R STARTS AT 30K

Volkswagens new 296bhp Golf R has been priced from 29,990. This buys a three-door version with a six-speed manual gearbox. A five-door is also offered, as is a six-speed DSG gearbox. Deliveries start from February.

GHOST GETS 2014 MAKEOVER

Rolls-Royce is planning a light nip and tuck for its Ghost saloon in 2014, judging by this test mule caught on the streets of Munich. The minor changes include a revised front bumper and new LED front headlights.

ConfidentialALFA ROMEO DOESNT intend to fit much advanced safety equipment, such as adaptive cruise control and emergency braking, to its cars. Alberto Cavaggioni, Alfas marketing boss, said: We can look at our cars from an emotional point of view or from a technical point of view. We give the Alfisti all thats needed [in electronic aids], but not more.

ALFA HAS ALSO confirmed that it has cancelled the Mito GTA project. It had initially unveiled a concept (below) at the 2009 Geneva motor show that used the same 1750 TBi engine as the Giulietta Cloverleaf. The model was deemed as not being right for the engine, with a source suggesting that the car would struggle to harness the power.

CITROEN IS TRIALLING ways to advertise eco driving to new drivers as a competition, challenging them to use the least energy on their journeys, in order to enthuse them about the current generation of cars. An insider said: We know young people like competition and computer games, and if we can give driving cars that kind of challenge, then we know we can capture their interest.

VAUXHALL IS MULLING over new plans for the Ampera and its Voltec range-extender driveline, say insiders. One option could be to offer a fuel-cell version of the driveline, as originally suggested by its GM parent in 2011. GM is also debating whether to offer a range of Voltec models in the manner of BMWs i range, or offer the option in some of its mainstream cars. Meanwhile, it is working hard to reduce the cost of the Voltec system, which has been the main cause of slow Ampera and Volt sales.

THE DESIGN AND

marketing of future

Chevrolets will draw

more on the range-

topping Camaro and

Corvette, according

to GMs design chief

and Chevrolets

European CEO.

Design boss Ed

Welburn said the

Camaro and Corvette

are used as inspirations

in many of the GM global

design studios that work

on Chevrolets. Youll

see more of it in the

future, particularly the

front surface treatment

of the Corvette, he said.

Chevrolet Europe

boss Thomas Sedran

said the company isnt

averse to using its two

halo cars to market other

models but would use

innovative techniques

to make the connection.

The biggest challenge

is low brand awareness.

Getting on the shopping

list is the single biggest

challenge, he said.

Once you mention

the name Chevrolet,

there are a lot of positive

associations with it.

The Corvette has

expressive design and

value for money; its a

bargain. Thats true for

all of our cars.

Chevrolet to harness Vette, Camaro

AMG tops S-class line-up

Corvettes look will influence other Chevrolets

S65 AMG has unique styling features to go with its 621bhp V12

OFFICIALPICTURES

Cabin gets sports seats and a leather/Alcantara steering wheel


Home-grown stars of thJapanese car makers set to reveal a raft of innovative new concepts at next weeks Tokyo motor show

DAIHATSU WILL RENEW its rivalry with the Honda Beat with a new Kopen roadster concept at the Tokyo motor show next week. The Kopen follows Hondas new S660 concept, which is also set to star at the Tokyo show and is expected to spawn a new Beat production model.

Two Kopen concepts will be shown. The standard car will be seen alongside a more rugged version, reportedly dubbed XMZ, which gains extra body cladding for a chunkier appearance.

Featuring a retractable metal roof, the Kopen measures 3395mm long by 1475mm wide, with a height of 1275mm. Power comes from a 660cc engine mated to a CVT automatic gearbox. The specification means that, like the original Copen, the new car conforms to kei-car rules.

Like the Kopen, Hondas S660 is also a kei-car, but it features a scalable platform that means it could be sold in international markets.

Previously, Daihatsu sources have confirmed to Autocar that a return of the Copen roadster was planned.

The original Copen was built between 2002 and 2012 and was, unlike the Beat, officially imported into the UK. Production of the Copen was halted in August last year, with the final 500 cars produced being sold as limited-edition 10th anniversary models.

A TRIO OF new Mitsubishi concepts will star in Tokyo. The

GC-PHEV (centre) is a plug-in hybrid all-wheel-drive SUV that

previews a replacement for the Shogun. Power comes from a

3.0-litre V6 engine mated to an electric motor.

The second concept, named XR-PHEV (on right), is

a Range Rover Evoque-style plug-in hybrid SUV. It uses a

direct-injection, 1.1-litre turbocharged engine, again coupled

to a high-output electric motor.

Finally, Mitsubishi will reveal a new MPV called Concept AR

(on left). It marks a return to the MPV segment for Mitsubishi

following the discontinuation of the Grandis in 2011. The AR

uses the same hybrid powertrain as the XR-PHEV.

DAIHATSU KOPEN

MITSUBISHI CONCEPTS

THIS WEEK


e Tokyo show

The Viziv Evolution concept one of several offerings due from Subaru is a development of a concept first seen at the Geneva motor show but made to look more production-ready. It is a 4320mm-long, all-wheel-drive compact crossover that mixes a 1.6-litre petrol engine with three electric motors. An autopilot feature is included.

Subarus main show star will be the Levorg concept. The firm has yet to confirm details or release pictures of this sporting estate, but it will spawn a production version next year, Subaru has confirmed. A compact urban SUV called Cross Sport Design Concept and a seven-seat, jacked-up estate called Crossover 7 Concept will also feature on Subarus stand.

SUBARU VIZIV EVOLUTION CONCEPT

TOYOTA WILL SHOW an evolved, closer to

production version of its FCV concept in

Tokyo. The new model previews Toyotas

work with hydrogen fuel cell technology and

is planned for launch in 2015. The car has a

reported range of at least 300 miles and a

refuelling time of three minutes.

The exterior shape of the FCV is extremely

aerodynamic in order to reduce drag and

improve efficiency. Numerous references to

water have been incorporated into its design,

says Toyota, a reminder of the only waste

product to be produced by hydrogen-powered

vehicles. The FCV is designed to carry four

people. Two hydrogen tanks provide power to

the compact 134bhp electric motor.

TOYOTA FCV

SUZUKI CROSSHIKER

SUZUKI X-LANDER

DAIHATSU FC DECO DECK

THE CROSSHIKER CONCEPT is a compact crossover

described by the firm as an alternative to the 2011 G70

supermini concept, which previewed a production car

due in 2015-2016. The Crosshiker shares a platform and

similar footprint to the G70 but weighs just 810kg. Power

comes from a new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine.

THE OPEN-TOP Suzuki X-Lander concept rides on the

same platform as the Suzuki Jimny. It gets four-wheel

drive and is powered by a 1.3-litre engine in combination

with an electric motor, all linked to an automated manual

gearbox. Suzuki wants drivers to use the car in the city

as well as sometimes go out to play in the field.

DAIHATSUS KOPEN CONCEPT will be joined in Tokyo

by the FC Deco Deck concept. The FC Deco Deck is a

3395mm-long, fuel cell-powered truck built to kei-car

rules. The firm has also developed a mobile generator that

can be fitted to the back of the truck to provide power.

ALSO ON SHOW IN TOKYO

THIS WEEK


BMW i3 to spawn family carNew i5 electric car is set to use a stretched version of the i3s platform to give it greater practicality

The i5 promises lots of space via

clever packaging

Twin-Up uses hybrid components from the fuel-sipping XL1

A SUPER-EFFICIENT new

Volkswagen Up will star at next

weeks Tokyo motor show.

Using a modified version of the

plug-in diesel hybrid drivetrain

from the high-tech XL1, it

boasts spectacular combined

economy of 257mpg and 31

miles of electric-only range.

The Twin-Up is described

by VW R&D chief Hans-Jakob

Neusser as an engineering

prototype with production

potential. Various components

of the futuristically styled

XL1s hybrid system have been

modified to offset the compact

hatchbacks added weight.

Tipping the scales at 410kg

above the XL1 at 1205kg, the

Twin-Up receives an upgraded

electric motor, a larger battery

with an additional two modules

to raise its capacity to 8.6kWh,

and a 33-litre fuel tank (23

litres more than the XL1s).

Power comes from the same

turbocharged 800cc, two-

cylinder diesel engine used in

the XL1. Mounted transversely

in the nose, it produces

47bhp and 88lb ft of torque.

It is supported by an electric

motor also developing 47bhp

20bhp more than the XL1s

and 103lb ft of torque.

Combined, the Twin-Up

has an output of 74bhp and

158lb ft. Drive is channelled

through a seven-speed dual-

clutch automatic gearbox.

VW claims a 0-37mph time

of 8.8sec, 0-62mph in 15.7sec

and a top speed limited to

87mph in hybrid mode.

With claimed combined

economy of 257mpg, the Twin-

Up has CO2 emissions of just

27g/km. An e-mode allows

pure electric propulsion for up

to 31 miles and at up to 78mph.

Plug-in hybrid VW Up prototype promises 257mpg

HOTTER 208 GTI IN PROSPECT

Peugeot bosses are mulling an even hotter version of the 208 GTI, badged the 208 R, according to CEO Maxime Picat. A source confirmed that customer feedback has shown demand for a lighter, more powerful model.

CAR SALES FORECAST RISES

The forecast for full-year new car registrations in the UK has risen from 2.23 million to 2.25 million units. Last month 157,314 cars were registered, a four per cent year-on-year rise. The Ford Fiesta remains the UKs best-seller.

Hilton Holloway The luxury appeal of EVs

As the veteran of a year behind the wheel of a Nissan Leaf and

a year in a Chevrolet Volt, Im convinced that car makers are

missing the most appealing aspect of electric car ownership.

The refinement, seamless torque, off-the-line pace and

absence of gearshifts make most EVs more of a luxury

proposition than many conventional executive cars.

Building a bigger electric car (as Tesla seems to be proving)

makes more sense of the price and plays to the greater

strengths of being driven electrically. Why wouldnt a future

i5 with a range extender become a more enticing proposition

to an affluent urban family than the bigger X3?

BMW is working on a stretched version of the new i3 electric city car, according to insiders,

probably to be called the i5. The new model would be notably more family friendly, with extra legroom in the rear cabin and a bigger boot. BMW admits that it has already trademarked the monikers i1 through to i8, making it clear that it intends to expand its new i sub-brand.

The i3 is just four metres long and Autocar understands that BMW engineers think that

by adding just 100mm of extra legroom and another 150mm of rear overhang, they can create a spacious family EV hardly longer than a Mini Countryman.

Creating the i5 is potentially a much cheaper and simpler operation than stretching a conventional steel monocoque car, as the i3 uses a separate chassis. Lengthening it is mostly a matter of extending the chassiss longitudinal aluminium extrusions.

Likewise, because the body is made of carbonfibre-

reinforced plastics, extending the pillarless passenger cell is mainly a case of stretching the roof and floor sections. Only the rear door structure would have to be completely re-engineered, although the hinge and clamp systems would be unchanged.

Its not clear yet whether the i5 would need a more powerful range extender unit because of the cars greater load-carrying capability. The model is unlikely to appear before mid-2015. HILTON HOLLOWAY

OFFICIALPICTURE

THIS WEEK


Steve Cropley

MONDAY

To Dubai overnight to get behind the wheel of Jaguars SUV concept, the C-X17, which, as well as flagging the companys historic intention to launch a soft-roader, publicises Jaguars all-new, ultra-flexible aluminium chassis system (note my struggle to ditch the inadequate buzzword architecture) that will underpin practically everything Jaguar will sell in the future. Whether or not a Jaguar SUV is a good idea seems still to be exercising a few at Jaguar. But the way that Im hearing it, theyre the only ones bothered. To the rest of us, a Jaguar SUV is a no-brainer.

TUESDAY

After a gentle trundle in the C-X17 (see p38), there was time for a visit to the Dubai motor show, impressive for its space but somewhat devoid of new models. Yet it was fascinating.

Rich locals buy their cars off the showroom floor and hate to be kept waiting, so McLaren scored a notable victory over Ferrari by turning up with a production-spec P1, plus chief test driver Chris Goodwin to explain its intricacies. Maranello had the 458 Speciale but should also have had LaFerrari, the

P1s million-pound adversary. Maranello claimed that as the mega-Fandango is sold out, its absence hardly mattered, but thats nonsense. Will LaFerrari be absent from forthcoming big motor shows? Of course not.

WEDNESDAY

Back in London for dinner with Ford chief operating officer Mark Fields, here for 48 hours to conduct a European business/product review. His breakneck schedule was to include, believe it or not, visiting a typical Essex pub called the Shepherd & Dog, where, it was reckoned, hed be able to unwind. Hope he managed it, but I have to say the picture of a jetlagged, besuited, overworked, preoccupied super-exec relaxing with a foaming pint at lunchtime was something my mind failed to produce.

Fields sheer normality was as impressive as ever, given that hes poised to take over

Fords biggest job when its high-achieving incumbent, Alan Mulally, retires in a years time. I hadnt appreciated it before, but Fields own Ford revival plan, called The Way Forward and produced before Mulally arrived, contained many of the elements of the One Ford plan that has been so successful at righting the ship. Fields is modest about this, pointing out that it took his bosss clear-mindedness, consistency and presidential authority to sell the idea to stakeholders and make it work. THURSDAY

If you visit the same bookshops as I do, youll have seen the Murray Walker Scrapbook, a sell-out. Now, to commemorate the great mans 90th birthday, his publisher, Porter Press International, has launched a pioneering e-book edition for Apple phones and tablets. It features 45 interviews with

Murray himself plus as many video clips from his brilliant career. There are interviews and comments from no fewer than 70 prominent admirers, yet the whole thing costs less than a fiver. Buying it is surely a no-brainer, but if youre harder to convince than I am, you can download a sample 10 pages via iBooks or the App Store. Ive got my complete copy already, so I know youll like it.

FRIDAY

The late journalist LJK Setright, whom I greatly admired, never took notes as a reporter because he reckoned that if a thing didnt

stick in the memory, it cant have been important. If I applied that principle to my own work, Autocar would have significantly more white space, but I have applied it while recalling last weeks greatest five-car comparison. The car that has stayed with me is the one I drove home from Wales, the Mercedes-Benz S500, a car so beautifully developed and resolved that it seemed to anticipate my every requirement and halve the effects of every bump I saw. I wasnt around when it earned its five-star road test rating, our ultimate accolade. I only know that it deserves it.

Rich locals buy their cars off the motor show floor and hate to be kept waiting

A week in cars Two no-brainers and a Ford chief with considerable brainpower

P1 was at the Dubai show, but LaFerrari wasnt

Now available as an e-book edition for less than 5

A C-X17 drive was a taster of

Jaguars future

[email protected] @StvCr

Another great snap decisionDid you clock this ma

gic

photo of the five cars in last

weeks mega-saloon test,

used on the contents page?

It says so much about its

creator, chief snapper Stan

Papior. As the image was

coming to life, the rest of us

were stowing gear in cars,

eager to get in, get warm

and go home. Not Stan. As

he always does, he was still

seeing great images.


Skoda confirms SUV for 2016A new large SUV is on the way from Skoda; company boss also confirms new Superb saloon and estate

The new 2 will look less muscular than todays car to appeal to female buyers in its main, Asia market

Skoda plans to launch a big new SUV in 2016, company chief Winfried Vahland has confirmed to Autocar.

The new model is based on the largest version of the Volkswagen Groups MQB platform and is set to be a version of VWs own CrossBlue SUV, due to be launched in 2015.

The as-yet-unnamed Skoda SUV will be a class up from the VW Tiguan in size. It will

be offered with five-seat and seven-seat configurations, and with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

Skoda technical chief Frank Welsch described the new SUV as the right concept for Skoda; it works perfectly with our brand values.

The new SUV currently exists as a full-size clay model in Skodas design studio and early engineering work is now

under way. Welsch said engine capacity is likely to be capped at 2.0-litre, four-cylinder units, with diesel-electric hybrid technology set to be offered. A 1.6-litre turbodiesel will be the base unit.

Skoda design chief Josef Kaban said: Larger Skodas like this will employ bolder, more provocative styling slightly different from the mainstream.

There had been suggestions

that the big SUV would replace the Superb in Skodas line-up, but that car will also be replaced in 2016 or 2017, Vahland confirmed.

The new Superb will, in terms of styling and execution, be a revelation, he said. For the next 10 years, the Superb will be the top of the line.

It will again be offered as a saloon and an estate, although the saloon will drop the dual

saloon/hatchback tailgate boot opening. It is too expensive, said Vahland.

As with the SUV, a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine will be the largest offered in the Superb as part of Skodas pursuit of lighter weight and better fuel economy. Skoda is also focusing on improving aerodynamic efficiency. HUGH HUNSTON /

RICHARD WEBBER

NEW MAZDA 2 GETS SOFTER LOOK

MITSUBISHI IN RENAULT TIE-UP

Mitsubishi will launch a small family saloon based on an unspecified Renault in global markets, plus a larger saloon in North America, as part of wider Renault-Nissan tie-up. EV tech and new platforms are also set to be shared.

NEW DESIGN CHIEF AT FORD

Fords global design boss, J Mays, is retiring after 16 years at the firm. He will be replaced by Moray Callum (right) on 1 January. The recent work of Callum, younger brother of Jaguar design chief Ian, includes the Ford EcoSport and Lincoln MKZ.

The new Mazda 2, due in European showrooms next autumn, is intended to have a softer, more feminine appeal than todays car. Mazda Europe design chief Peter Birtwhistle said: The car is much more profitable in Asia than it is in Europe and has therefore been designed to appeal to a predominantly feminine customer base.

Its prevented us from putting too much visual muscle into the styling, for fear of scaring people off, he said. But its a good-looking car, and Im happy with the result.

The new 2 is also set to spawn a compact SUV, a model that is new to Mazdas line-up.

Skodas big SUV will share much with VW CrossBlue

Skoda plans Evoque-style SUV, Octavia CC

THIS WEEK


Caterham Sevens to get new names

Ah, yes, your car. They put it through an MOT when you bought it, did they?

These are not the words you want to hear from a trusted mechanic when you arrive to collect your car from the service he has just performed on it. Especially when its combined with that pitying, incredulous expression. You know the one. There are holed ships that sink more slowly and less deeply than your heart when its pulled.

I shant dwell on the specifics. What I want to talk about is familiarity. Did you notice the ride from the back end was crashy? I was also asked, while preparing for a larger-than-anticipated bill. Well, yes, of course I did, but this is a 100,524-mile Land Rover Defender, so I didnt expect anything else. Apparently, I should have.

Elevating the car on a ramp showed the rear damper bushes were shot through. New ones have transformed the ride to

the state where it is now merely mildly uncomfortable.

More experience of leggy Defenders would have told me it wasnt quite right. And now that I know, I am a step closer to understanding the whole, and I feel rather better about things. It is progress. Knowing the signs, knowing the pitfalls, knowing the cures and slowly, gradually, becoming more of an expert. I feel more attached to my car.

It doesnt just apply to cars. When my family first kept chickens, we didnt understand

why one would eat and drink but still be giddy and clearly unwell. Its a nasty feeling, being out of your depth. Having sour crop is worse still for a chicken, I suppose, but once youve held a bird upside down and massaged its gullet until it vomits on your shoes, and then it recovers, you both feel rather better about things. And now I know better, I know how to prevent its onset in the first place. I am undaunted.

OSo is contributor Colin Goodwin by the aeroplane he has just built (more on which in a future issue, I believe). The other month he was faced with fixing a couple of hundred rivets. Once, that would have been a sigh-worthy experience. But once youve done tens of thousands already, he said, its no big deal.

This is a concept that doesnt sit well with a high-consumption society one whose apparent success is dictated by the amount of new things that are built and sold, and where things are chucked out and replaced rather than repaired and nurtured. And even though I can see the appeal of changing a car before its warranty expires, so you never own its problems, I prefer the idea of understanding its foibles so well that you can prevent problems from occurring in the first place.

The saying goes that familiarity breeds contempt. Not from where Im sitting.

Its a 100k-mile Defender, so I didnt expect anything else. Apparently, I should have

[email protected] @matty_prior

Matt PriorTesters notes In pursuit of familiarity

Goodwin now knows his plane inside out

Matt now feels more attached to his old

Land Rover Defender

CATERHAM IS TO simplify its naming strategy for the Seven line-up to make it easier for new customers to understand, according to company boss Tony Fernandes.

The company currently offers 10 variants of the Seven, ranging from the entry-level Roadsport 125 to the high-performance 620R. However, with the new Suzuki-powered 160 adding a new low-cost

model into the mix, and the AeroSeven Concept taking the Seven CSRs underpinnings in a new design direction, Fernandes wants to ensure that newcomers to the brand can readily comprehend the range.

By simplify, I mean make it so any Tom, Dick or Harry can understand what each one is, he said. Were not changing the car and I think we can keep it for another 50 years.

Caterham wants to make it easier to see where each model slots in

OTHER NEW MODELS in the pipeline at Skoda include a

sporty SUV in the style of the Range Rover Evoque and a

swoopy Volkswagen CC-style four-door saloon version of

the Octavia. Few details are known, but Skoda boss Winfried

Vahland confirmed that both models were in development.

On the sporty SUV, design chief Josef Kaban said: It is

being designed and will do something different from the norm,

like the Yeti did. But it wont be too faddish. It will be a more

expensive car, so it needs to still look good in a few years, as

customers will probably keep them for a while.

Before any news of these forthcoming Skoda models is

launched, the firm will replace its staple supermini, the

Fabia. The replacement is likely to be previewed at the Paris

motor show next September before going on sale in 2015,

according to Vahland.

The next-generation Fabia will be far more youthful and

have styling cues from the current S2000 rally car much

lower, much more squat and emotional in its look, said

Vahland. It will be the first VW Group supermini to utilise the

NVQ [Skodas internal name for MQB] small car platform.

Although we are keen not to alienate our older clientele,

who traditionally buy Fabia, the next generation will major on

features like connectivity to give it a more youthful appeal.

Like the Yeti, the junior SUV will differ from the norm

VW Cargo up


SPOTLIGHT

Whatever happened to VWs Up family?

VW Buggy Up

VW up Lit

VW Space up

VW eT v

CONCEPT CARSVW In 2dr

VW Up Taxi

VW Cargo Up

VW Space Up

VW Up LiteVW eT Van

VW Space Up Van

VW Up GT

VW Buggy Up

VWs vision for an Up family looked big, but the reality is proving more modest. Hilton Holloway asks why

VW u


THIS WEEK

When Volkswagens Up

concept was revealed

in 2007, at the

Frankfurt motor show,

the auto industry was wowed.

Volkswagen was going back

to its roots with a notably well

engineered but still decently

affordable city car that could

take four passengers and was

only 3.5m long.

The slick and futuristic

styling was clearly influenced

by Apple and the rear-

mounted boxer engine was

a clear nod to the original

Peoples Car. However,

despite the desire of Ferdinand

Piech, the VW Group supremo,

to have a car that echoed the

Beetle (which was designed

by his grandfather, Ferdinand

Porsche), the Up lost its rear-

mounted engine early in the

prototype process.

Nevertheless, in the four

years between the unveiling

of the first concept and the

early 2012 launch of the more

conventionally engineered

production Up, VW also

showed a number of intriguing

concepts, based on variations

of the Up platform. Clearly, the

company had an ambitious

vision: to attack the booming

global market for city cars,

with typical attention to detail.

From a potential Smart

rival to a super-spacious van

and baby SUV and a suite

of advanced transmissions

that included such upmarket

options as pure electric power

and a super-frugal plug-in

hybrid drivetrain the Up

family seemed to be in tune

with an automotive world that

was seeing buyers moving to

the cities and downsizing.

Six years on from the

original concept, the Up mega-

plan seems to have fizzled out.

The petrol-powered three-door

and five-door versions (under

Skoda, Seat and VW badges,

with Audi version to follow)

and a low-production-run

all-electric version are all that

have come to fruition so far.

Even the sporty GT, promised

by VWs boss at the 2012 Paris

show, has been put on ice.

In 2012, the VW Group sold

about 165,000 Ups, Miis and

Citigo models. According to

estimates culled from IHS

Global Insight and analysis

by Bernstein, the Up family

should grow to 219,000 sales

in 2013 and 339,000 in 2014.

The trouble is that these

are very small numbers,

especially given that the Up

is based on a bespoke and

relatively expensive platform,

is built in eastern Europe and

is in the most hard-fought and

profit-thin sector in the global

automotive world.

Officially, Volkswagen

insists that the Up franchise is

on course. Peter Thule, head

of VW Group communications,

says: The Up is successful

and that success will grow. It

leads its segment in terms of

sales in Europe and signs are

it will increase its leadership

when deliveries of new

variants such as the CrossUp

begin later this year.

Thule also revealed that

the Up will be introduced to

the Brazilian market and

possibly the Chinese markets

(prototype testing is already

under way). However, the

Brazilian launch has caused

VW to spend more money on

the Up platform, engineering

a modified front end to

house a bigger four-cylinder

engine with flex-fuel ethanol

compatibility. One advantage

is that the new version of

the platform should provide

the basis for the potentially

successful Taigun SUV.

Makers competing in

the global city car segment

are hampered by the price

sensitivity of buyers and the

need to build one car that will

satisfy both developing and

Western markets (something

that the 2010 Nissan Micra

arguably failed to do). But

that isnt all. Makers are also

hampered by having, so far,

failed to build a business

model that enables a single

city car platform to underpin

production approaching one

million models per year.

Indeed, it is suggested

Audi Version of up

2013 2014 2015 2016

A-segment

(city cars)

B-segment

(superminis)

C-segment

(compact family cars)

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

MIL

LIO

NS

SO

UR

CE

: IH

S G

lob

al I

nsi

gh

t a

nd B

ern

ste

in a

na

lysi

s

that VWs failed alliance with

Suzuki (the Germans took a 20

per cent stake in the Japanese

maker) is the missing link in

the Up family story. Suzuki

sells small cars such as the

Alto and its spin-offs in big

numbers (about 600,000

units per year), and mixing

them on to the Up platform

could have eventually sent

annual volumes towards a

million units.

Meanwhile, it is Ford that

is quietly showing the way

ahead for the adoption of

global mega-platforms. This

year Ford is expected to sell

747,000 Fiestas and 914,000

Focus models, creating huge

economies of scale. Ford is

also gearing up to take on the

global city car market with the

B562 project.

Using a new platform,

the project will spawn a

hatchback, a small saloon

and a replacement for the Ka,

all built in India. A medium-

size saloon is also possible.

Ford thinks that it can hit

200,000 units in the first

full year of B562 production.

But like everybody else in this

sector, it needs B562 output

to eventually hit 750,000

units annually if this is to be a

decently profitable project.

PRODUCTION CARS POWERTRAINSVW Up/Seat Mii/Skoda Citigo 3dr

VW Up CNG

Audi version of Up VW Up electric

VW Up/Seat Mii/Skoda Citigo 5dr

VW Taigun

Petrol

Plug-in hybrid Electric

Gas

Global sales by sector

Six years on from the first concept, the Up mega-plan seems to have fizzled out

THIS WEEK


Unearthing the juiciest stories from the world of motorsport

This is a big week for British rally fans, with the Wales Rally GB kicking off on Thursday. The event is

the last of 13 rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship. The titles have already been settled with Volkswagen Motorsport sewing up the manufacturers crown and Frances Sbastien Ogier taking the drivers title with eight wins in 12 events.

That may not sound awfully exciting, but it is better than another season dominated by Sbastien Loeb, who won the nine previous titles. Any sport will struggle with that kind of domination and it was hoped that this year would give the WRC the chance to reinvent itself after years without much interest. This has had knock-on effects, with the promotion of the series suffering so much that late last year both Ford and

Mini quit the WRC (although their machinery is still used). This meant that this years fight was between Loebs old team the tongue-twisting Citron Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team and newcomer Volkswagen Motorsport.

The good news is that, after an 11-year absence, Hyundai is returning. The team has hired Thierry Neuville, who has been competing this year with Malcolm Wilsons non-factory Ford outfit, the Qatar World Rally Team. Neuville, 25, is an

exciting prospect and, along with 24-year-old Andreas Mikkelsen, currently the third driver at VW, and 23-year-old Russian Evgeny Novikov, another Wilson driver, theres hope that fans will get excited about the new generation. Also in the mix is former F1 driver Robert Kubica, who won this years WRC2 title and will make his full WRC debut this weekend in a factory Citron. In addition, the older generation, who were stuck in Loebs shadow, still want their day in

the sun, so theres no shortage of interest on the driver front.

The calendar is solid with big events such as Monte Carlo and the Acropolis Rally in Greece, plus Mexico, Argentina and Australia. The cars, too, are what is required, with high street models that have been souped-up to impressive levels of performance. The class structures may be complicated, but the new Group R rules, which replaced Group A and Group N this year, have helped make the sport easier to follow.

The manufacturers, however, need more return on their investment, and that requires a lot more visibility. It was hoped a new series promoter, WRC Promoter GmbH, a German company that is owned by Red Bull Media and Germanys Sportsman Media Group, would get things rolling, but they

argue that the sport needs to change in order to make it more saleable. Rallying is exciting TV, but following single cars over long stages is expensive and there is more potential in hosting stadium stages to draw big crowds and to make easier TV. The new promoter wants the format to change so the event winner is decided by a Live TV Power Stage at the end of each rally. Traditionalists are bristling at that idea and VW recently walked out of a meeting when it was suggested that the running order of the competitors should be changed.

The opportunity to reinvent the sport is one that needs to be grasped in order to get the WRC back into the space that has been invaded by the X Games and rallycross. The promoter says that the audience has changed and so must the sport.

How to raise the profile of WRC

Volkswagen has taken the

2013 WRC title

Hyundai is coming back to WRC after

11-year absence

Can new drivers replicate the fan appeal of McRae?

[email protected] @joesaward

LA

T

Rallying is exciting, but following single cars over long stages is expensive

Joe Saward

KIMI TO MISS END OF F1 SEASON

Lotus F1 driver Kimi Rikknen will miss the final two races of the season because of a need for urgent surgery on a recurrent back problem. The Finn, who was involved in a recent dispute over unpaid wages, will drive for Ferrari next season.

MCNISH IS NEW WORLD CHAMP

Allan McNish is Britains first sportscar world champion in 21 years. Along with co-drivers Tom Kristensen and Loc Duval, the Audi driver took third place in China, taking the World Endurance Drivers Championship with only a race to go.


This weeks new cars

FIRST DRIVES

Ferrari 458 Speciale8.11.13, Bologna Maranello unleashes a lighter, faster, harder-hitting version of the Italia, but it features a user-friendly trick up its sleeve

QUICK FACTSPRICE 208,000ON SALE FEBRUARY

THE 458 SPECIALE is not only the fastest and most advanced mid-engined V8 sports car that Ferrari has ever built, but its also the most fun to drive. And those arent my words but Ferraris, so they kind of mean something when you have the F40 in your portfolio.

This car will cost 208,000 when it reaches the UK in February, and when it lands it will, without exaggeration, be one of the most exciting road cars there has ever been, at any price.

Why? Because the Speciale can do pretty much everything that a regular 458 Italia can do which, lets face it, is rather a lot and then adds a good 20 per cent of extra kaboom where it really counts. So its faster, louder (inside, although not outside), goes round corners with more precision and, subjectively, makes the hairs


SO GOOD

NO GOOD

TESTERS NOTE

QSide slip angle control system

works a treat, on road and track

QPerformance borders on biblical

QGearchange speeds need to be

experienced to be believed

QGive us normal seatbelts, please

New SSC system is

genuinely clever. It

makes you feel like a

hero but also keeps

things safe. SS

FIRST VERDICTOne of the great Ferraris and

we dont say that lightly

AAAAAon the back of your neck not simply stand up straight but snap clean off.

Beneath its mildly redesigned but still achingly beautiful skin, the Speciale is bubbling with new technology, most if not all of which is there to enhance rather than inhibit the interaction between driver, car and road. Truly, this is one of the great Ferraris, and there have been quite a few of those over the years.

Perhaps the Speciales most outstanding party trick arrives courtesy of its new side slip angle control system, or SSC. Its basically a new setting within the now-familiar manettino set-up that allows you to go slightly sideways in the car but with the ESP system still fully engaged. SSC will do its best to save you, in other words, if you push things too far by deploying too much power at the

exit of a corner, which is easy to do with 597bhp at 9000rpm available to you.

You can still turn everything off if you wish to go completely sideways and ultimately risk spinning the car but with SSC engaged, Ferrari says, the Speciale is actually faster and more thrilling to drive for the vast

majority of drivers. And even those who are as useful as ex-F1 driver Marc Gene reckon the system is at least as good as me in most corners, especially in fast ones, where the electronics can really make a difference.

The 4.5-litre engine in the Speciale is the most potent non-turbo V8 that Ferrari has yet produced, and

The intensity of driver thrills have been ramped up by a raft wide-ranging revisions

WATCH THE VIDEOhttp://ow.ly/qHjYg


although its fundamentally the same as the Italias, it has been heavily massaged. With an incredible 14:1 compression ratio and a rev limit of over 9000rpm, it thumps out not only more power than the regular 458 but also more torque, right across the entire rev range. That makes it feel quite different in nature to the Italias engine. Its more urgent in its delivery and a lot more gutsy everywhere.

Dial in a 90kg reduction in overall weight everything, from the racing bucket seats to the rear screen glass, has been preened to shave kilograms and you end up with a car that can run rings around the standard 458 Italia, on road or track. Those upgrades, incidentally, include changes to the braking system, which is lifted almost unchanged from LaFerrari, the gearbox, which now offers 20 per cent quicker upshifts and a scarcely credible 44 per cent quicker downshifts, the aerodynamics (theyve improved the airflow above, below and across it to reduce drag

THE SPECIALES NEW side slip angle

control system (SSC) is far more

sophisticated than a clever version of

traction control. And the results that

it can bring in terms of improving fun

while reducing the lap times of even the

most competent drivers are not to be

underestimated. In the words of Ferrari

boss Luca di Montezemolo, SSC is

the element that distinguishes the

Speciale as one of the great Ferraris.

It works by effectively predicting

what the optimum levels of tyre slip,

steering angle, throttle position and

engine revs might be at any given

point in a corner, and then trimming

back the engine revs and opening and

closing the E-diff to deliver the most

effective cornering posture. Its not

predictive and there is no use of GPS

tracking. Instead, the car monitors

what it is doing every couple of

milliseconds and reacts accordingly.

In Race mode, it wont allow any slip

from the rear tyres whatsoever. But

in CT Off mode, it will allow a fair bit of

oversteer at the corner exit if it senses

that you have the right amount of

opposite lock applied, and that not too

much throttle is being applied. Yet at

the same time, if you go too far and the

car senses that not enough corrective

lock is being applied or that the throttle

is too far open, it will then trim back the

flow of torque, albeit smoothly.

However, it never feels like the car is

taking over. Most of the time, it simply

feels like you are catching the slide

rather sweetly.

It wont anything so intrusive as

brake for you on the way into corners,

and its still entirely up to the driver to

get the car to where it needs to be at

the apex of any given corner. But once

you reach that point, you can use the

system to get on the throttle harder

and faster than you otherwise would,

without fear of turning the car around.

You can still switch everything

off if you want, but remember: even

Ferraris sharpest test drivers claim

that theyre faster around the Fiorano

test track with the SSC system

engaged. That has never previously

been the case with Ferraris other

driver aid traction control systems.

SSC: a bit on the side

Dynamically speaking at least, the Speciale makes the regular 458 feel like yesterdays car

FIRST DRIVE


MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

CL

AIM

ED

FIG

UR

ES

Price 208,000

0-62mph 3.0sec

Top speed 202mph

Economy 23.9mpg (combined)

CO2 275g/km

Kerb weight 1395kg

Engine V8, 4497cc, petrol

Installation Longitudinal, mid, RWD

Power 597bhp at 9000rpm

Torque 398lb ft at 6000rpm

Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic

Fuel tank 86 litres

Boot 230 litres

Wheels 9Jx20in (f), 11Jx20in (r),

forged alloy

FERRARI 458 SPECIALE

and increase downforce) and the suspension, and to top it all off Ferrari has fitted bespoke new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres.

The result is that Speciale makes the regular 458 Italia feel like yesterdays car, dynamically at least. Its so much more lit than the standard Italia when youre going for it, yet still damn near as civilised when youre not. The ride quality is stiff but not unacceptably so, certainly not on the Italian backroads on which we drove it, although the damper stiffness can be knocked back to a ride-softening bumpy road setting via a wheel-mounted button.

The 200 or so people in the UK who will take delivery of a Speciale next year will not be buying this car to revel in its soothing ride quality, though. Instead, they will want this car to take them to the next level when it comes to pure driver involvement, without scaring them in the process. And thats what the Speciale is about: allowing drivers to feel like they are

sailing closer to the wind than ever before, even to the point of allowing them to indulge in a touch of digitally controlled opposite lock, but without frightening them at the same time.

Which is probably this cars greatest trick of all: being epically fast and exciting to drive but also easy

to operate and interact with, all at once. Theres no fight to be had when driving this car, only pure, undiluted, albeit electronically enhanced pleasure.

It makes you wonder what they will come up with next at the increasingly indulgent sweet shop that is Ferrari.STEVE SUTCLIFFE

The Speciale is 90kg lighter than the regular 458 Italia. Purposeful-looking bucket race seats contribute to the weight loss

The revised 4.5-litre V8 delivers extra torque at all revs and more power. It makes the Speciale feel gutsier and more urgent

Extensive aerodynamic work on the car has created more downforce yet less drag

FIRST DRIVE


SO GOOD

NO GOOD

TESTERS NOTE

QCrisp handling

QVivid acceleration

QFine range extender installation

QDifficult access to rear

QTiny fuel tank

QPreset brake regeneration level

BMWs chassis

teams now carry out

testing on UK roads.

Judging by the i3, it

is paying off. HH

FIRST VERDICTTop of the urban EV class. Real

verve but less practical than rivals

AAAAC

The interior feels airy and functions well; its also a quiet place, even when the i3 is showing off its impressive accelerative ability

NEARLY ALL CAR enthusiasts will be familiar with BMWs radical i3. Based on a separate aluminium chassis, topped with a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic bodyshell, the rear-drive i3 has a rear-mounted electric motor, which is good for 167bhp and 184lb ft of torque from standstill.

The model driven here is the i3 Range Extender (3150 more expensive than the pure-EV i3), which gets a 647cc two-cylinder petrol engine/generator to act as back-up to the 18.8kWh lithium ion battery.

The i3s tiny engine/generator gets an equally tiny nine-litre fuel tank and what one BMW engineer told me was real-world economy of between 40mpg and 50mpg when driving the i3 purely on the engine alone.

Weight rises from the 1195kg of the pure-EV i3 to 1315kg. This very slightly blunts performance, with this models 0-62mph time raised to 7.9sec from 7.2sec and the 0-37mph time going from 3.7sec to 3.9sec.

The styling is alarmingly modern,

but few people will dislike the interior and the undeniable effectiveness of the twin-screen dashboard, the airiness and the quality, detailing and logic of the switchgear.

The i3 has remarkable pace off the line and can be positioned with a directness that leaves most other traffic stumbling. The i3s semi-elevated driving position is also a particular advantage in town, as is the 9.8-metre turning circle.

It is also surprising how well the i3 copes with Londons cratered streets, feeling tautly sprung and yet not crashing across broken surfaces.

On quicker A-roads, the i3 has very impressive pace under full acceleration. It also handles adeptly, as a series of driving exercises at Brands Hatch proved. Sharp lane changes and even a stretch of hilly circuit in pouring rain failed to ruffle it, even though it has skinny 155/70 front tyres and 175/70 rears.

When the range extender was activated, allowing it to cut in and out

MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

CL

AIM

ED

FIG

UR

ES

Price 28,830 (after govt rebate)

Top speed 93mph

0-62mph 7.9sec


C02 13g/km

Drivetrain Synchronous electric motor

with 2cyl, 647cc generator

Power 167bhp (electric),

36bhp at 4500rpm (petrol)

Torque 184lb ft (electric),

40lb ft at 4800rpm (petrol)

Gearbox Single-speed auto

BMW i3 RANGE EXTENDER

BMW i3 Range Extender6.11.13, London BMWs radical electric city car gets a two-cylinder generator to boost its range

QUICK FACTSPRICE 28,830 (AFTER GOVT REBATE)ON SALE NOW

as required by the conditions, it was just possible to hear it running the sound was of a very distant thrum and then probably only because the cabin of the i3 is very quiet. The i3 also has preset levels of regenerative braking. Its quite an aggressive setting that slows the car quickly once the driver lifts off the accelerator. With a full battery and fuel tank, BMW predicts a realistic range of between 150 and 186 miles.

The main downsides (after the price) are the restricted space in the back, the tightish boot and the fact that the rear suicide doors cannot be opened without the front door being opened first. The front seats are rather flat, too.

Theres no doubt that the i3 is the sharpest-handling, quickest and most premium-feeling EV currently on the UK market, if not the most capacious or family friendly. Despite being different in every possible way, the i3 is clearly a real BMW.HILTON HOLLOWAY

FIRST DRIVE


SO GOOD

NO GOOD

TESTERS NOTE

QExcellent handling manners

QComfortable and refined with it

QAs desirable as 4x4s come

QPerformance could be stronger

QUnspectacular 25mpg

real-world economy

Youll need the

optional Dynamic

Pack to access the

last 10mph of top

speed potential. MS

FIRST VERDICTHot diesel Sport has Land Rover

polish; only lacks a bit more pace

AAAAB

The latest Sports luxurious cabin borrows much from the Range Rover; the SDV8, like any Sport, isnt averse to getting stuck in

LAND ROVER MUST be among the greatest places anywhere in the UK to work right now. The wave of success that the firm has been riding these past two years is showing no signs of slowing and few will wonder or even care how the company might be different today if it was still part of the BMW Group. The irony is that, if that were the case, this new performance diesel version of the Range Rover Sport might have been almost perfect. Instead, Land Rovers customers will have to settle for class-leading and very good indeed.

A 2014-model-year update for the Range Rover Sport adds a few options, driver aids and connectivity systems, but no exterior or interior design changes. The headline introductions are engine derivatives. Orders can now be placed for the 335bhp, 169g/km diesel-electric Range Rover Sport hybrid if you want to or this 334bhp, 140mph SDV8 diesel instead. In an interesting pricing tactic, either one will cost

you precisely 81,550 on the road. Deliveries of both will start next year.

Powering the SDV8 is the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged diesel V8 from the larger Range Rover. It makes for a car thats a little shy of the horsepower and performance standard set by the likes of the BMW X5 M50d (road tested on p62) and the Porsche Cayenne S Diesel, but it still promises sub-7.0sec 0-62mph acceleration and better than 30mpg combined.

As in every Sport, youre aware of the SDV8s weight and height during a cross-country drive and not only because both are present, but because Land Rover doesnt try to disguise either. The car has a smidge more body roll than its immediate competition, but that makes it easier to drive. Its more natural, communicative and consistent in its handling, and easier to place, sweeter and more trustworthy as a result. The cars steering precision is excellent, its balance of grip likewise, and it feels a fluent and entirely flattering device.

MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

CL

AIM

ED

FIG

UR

ES

Price 81,550

0-62mph 6.9sec

Top speed 140mph


CO2 229g/km

Kerb weight 2398kg

Engine V8, 4367cc, turbodiesel

Power 334bhp at 3500rpm

Torque 516lb ft at 2000rpm

Gearbox 8-spd automatic

RANGE ROVER SPORT SDV8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY DYNAMIC

Range Rover Sport SDV85.11.13, Zurich Twin-turbo V8 aims to mix diesel muscle with wallet-pleasing economy

QUICK FACTSPRICE 81,550ON SALE NOW

Although brisk, it isnt eyebrow-motivatingly quick, mind. Despite the 516lb ft of torque, the performance gap to the supercharged petrol version is still big enough to notice. Overtaking is very easily achieved and refinement is strong, but the V8 doesnt rev with the freedom or ferocity of BMWs tri-turbo six-pot diesel and doesnt feel as flexible.

In spite of all that, though, youd take this Range Rover Sport over either the X5 M50d or Cayenne S Diesel, for the honesty, polish and poise that it shows on the road, for its excellent rolling comfort, for the warmth and luxury of its cabin and for its superiority over the rough stuff.MATT SAUNDERS

FIRST DRIVE


SO GOOD

NO GOOD

TESTERS NOTE

QSmooth and hushed to drive

QComfortable interior

QCompetitive claimed range

QSharp deceleration when you

lift off the throttle

QPricing may limit appeal

Below 12mph, to

warn pedestrians, it

emits a sound like the

chime of a distant

ice cream van. MB

FIRST VERDICTKias first global EV has quirky

charm but wont be a big seller

AAABC

The Soul EV is lively off the mark and has light steering so is easy-going in urban use, but it isnt the smoothest motorway cruiser

THE BOLD, FUNKY looks of the second-generation Soul dont stray too far from its predecessors, and this electric version shares the new-for-2014 cars basic dimensions.

The new Soul has adopted the same platform as the Kia Ceed. It is wider and longer than the first-gen car, with a 20mm-longer wheelbase, at 2570mm, as well as revised suspension geometry and a bodyshell thats 29 per cent stiffer.

The platform was designed to take battery packs under the rear seats, so little of the new Souls 354-litre boot has been sacrificed. However, it does bring a penalty of about 200kg.

The key visual differences between the standard Soul and its electric sibling include subtle aerodynamic tweaks, different lights, a revised bonnet and grille, and low-rolling-resistance 16-inch tyres.

In the grille are two charging points, one each for standard and rapid charging. From a standard household electricity supply, a full

charge will take about five hours, Kia estimates. A rapid charge can replenish a depleted battery to 80 per cent capacity in 25 minutes.

The Soul EV prototype that we drove was heavily disguised but offered some hints as to the design and ambience of the new car. It has sharper, cleaner exterior styling than its predecessor and a more upmarket interior, albeit one that is more akin to the standard Soul than the futuristic Renault Zoe or Nissan Leaf.

It has bespoke dials and gauges, and there are some neat energy-saving touches, such as the option to turn off the climate control to empty passenger seats. Forward visibility is mildly improved by slimmer A-pillars.

The Soul EV moves quickly away from a standstill, and the smooth, linear power delivery and very light steering make it an effective tool for driving in built-up areas.

Kia estimates that the Soul EV will sprint from 0-62mph in less than 12sec and go on to a top speed

MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

CL

AIM

ED

FIG

UR

ES

Price 25,000 (est)

0-62mph 12sec (est)

Top speed 90mph (est)

Range 124 miles (est)

Weight 1550kg (est)

CO2 0g/km

Motor 81.4kW electric motor, 27kWh

lithium-ion battery pack

Power na

Torque 210lb ft

Gearbox 1-spd

KIA SOUL EV

Kia Soul EV24.10.13, Namyang, South Korea Second-generation quirky Korean five-door appears in EV form

QUICK FACTSPRICE 25,000 (EST) ON SALE AUTUMN 2014

of 90mph, although it feels less at home on faster roads, where a lack of positive steering feel is evident and theres aggressive deceleration upon throttle lift-off. Although the regenerative system charges the battery, it means that the Soul EV doesnt coast under its own momentum particularly effectively.

On the strength of this prototype drive, it rides comfortably but feels a touch ponderous in faster cornering.

The Soul EV will come to Britain in modest numbers at a price in the region of 25,000 before any government grant is applied. The Soul EV wont be a huge seller here, but it is a positive shop window for Kias broadening ambitions.MATT BURT

GOING UP IN

Jaguar C-X17 | Drive

THE WORLDJaguar is keen to make an SUV, but can such a car distinguish itself from its Land Rover cousins? Steve Cropley drives the C-X17 concept in Dubai to find out


From the drivers seat, you look over the lumpy bonnet, rather than down it as usual, yet this car could only be a Jaguar. It may offer a different view of the road from that of any other Jaguar ever built, but theres enough evidence in those shapes over which youre

seeing the road to remove the need for any label. The middle of the bonnet has a reassuring

power bulge, not identical to any other Jaguars but strongly related. At either side, two gentle curves gracefully intersect at the cars frontal extremity, one pair gliding across the top of each headlight, the other describing the muscle that runs above each front wheel. This is the latest iteration of the C-X17, the concept version of the all-wheel-drive sports crossover that Jaguar will surely launch in two or three years time off the enormously expensive all-aluminium architecture in which it is pouring every earned pound and then some to build a viable future among the worlds premium car manufacturers.

As journalists, were at the familiar cat-and-mouse stage with Jaguar. It always happens with important new cars. Through us, the company wants potential buyers to perceive the fascinating possibilities of its new manufacturing system such as a whole new suite of cars, including a viable SUV. Thats why today were having a

cursory drive-about on a vast car park near Dubais enormous horse racing track before the prototype gets a wash and brush tonight and reappears tomorrow at the local motor show.

In the meantime, however, the company also has BMW-3-series-challenging saloons to launch off the very same architecture and doesnt want anyone getting too carried away with the minutiae of the SUVs specification. Everyone knows that the solitary silver C-X17 prototype will be the star of tomorrows Dubai motor show. But it is also why, when I ask whether the new aluminium structure lurks beneath the elegant skin of this particular prototype, Graham Wilkins, vehicle engineering manager for the cars that will use this new architecture, tells me that it is not much more than an engineering lash-up.

It has a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 [as found in the XF and XJ], he says, and it has four-wheel drive. Its not the real thing, but more of a bespoke experiment. Whats important is it proves the car can look this good, yet all the new stuff would fit. Thats as important as having it in place.

Jaguar high-ups have been in two minds about how to treat the C-X17 ever since it broke cover with a mighty fanfare two months ago. For some, its a way of showing that the F-types design style can extend from one automotive extremity (sports

You look over the bonnet, not down it, yet this could only be a Jaguar

C-X17 is transported under wraps to the drive location

The seats evoke the E-types; materials are upmarket

F R O M F 1 T O P 1 AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD NOW1994 to 2013, Autocar tells the full story behind McLarens three iconic supercars

OR DOWNLOAD ALL THREE BOOKS FOR 8.99 THEMAGAZINESHOP.COM/AUTOCAR/MCLAREN

SPECIAL READER OFFER

SPECIAL READER OFFER

2.9

9

2.9

9

5.9

9


cars) to the other (SUVs) while encompassing saloons and estates on the way. Ergo, Jaguar can build whatever cars it reckons the market will take.

Others feel that this concentration on design style obscures the significance of the wholesale change to aluminium, a programme costing many millions that will affect every Jaguar ever made from now on. It is becoming apparent that this is not merely a compact architecture that Jaguar is building but the basis of its entire future range looking ahead for two decades and more.

I know it sounds rather corporate, says Wilkins, but this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime project for someone like me. We are configuring the architecture for maximum flexibility of suspension choice, wheelbase, width and height. The only thing it might not cover is the sports cars, because theyre low, their wheelbase is short and their proportions are unusual compared with the rest. But for me, this is the future Jaguar architecture. Im 39 and I expect to retire before we need to do things in this kind of detail again.

Gingerly, we climb in to the car. I know from

experience how fragile concepts can be in 35deg C heat; on one famous motor show occasion, a model had to spend her afternoon posing on the bonnet of a certain sports car because the surface, made of clay, had opened u

Autocar UK - 13 November 2013.Bak

Documents

Transcript of Autocar UK - 13 November 2013.Bak