Driving - Spring 2015

SPRING 2015

How drivers should still aim for eco-driving

Goinggreen

driving

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and regulated driver trainer who holds current accreditation and regulation by the government to deliver driver development. This is an important distinction in our offering and should be communicated more widely both by us as the awarding body, and the instructor and examiner when questioned on the differences in the tests. If we seriously want to see standards of driving improve in the UK — and we acknowledge that one of the biggest areas for improvement is in the existing licence holder category — then we certainly need to see professional standards of training being delivered to that audience.

We also need to market more effectively why having an objective test is a much more rigorous assessment than the competition’s fairly subjective approach-based as the DIAmond tests are Cardington Test itself. We feel that not only are the DIAmond tests more objectively assessed but they are also more relevant to their audience in terms of developing drivers to achieve better standards of every day driving in modern life. And we plan to make them even more relevant, and to more specific segments of the driving population, so training is tailored to specific behaviours, attitudes and needs of a diverse

SPRING 2015 | driving

DIAMOND 03

HE START OF 2015 was not just the start of a New Year; it also rang in big changes for DIAmond Advanced Motorists.

We have sadly waved goodbye to our chief examiner Mike Frisby as he takes a change in direction himself and moves into a business development role with a supplier of audit services to fleet. Mike will be much missed, and fondly remembered for his undoubted experience and expertise after 22 years in the driver and rider training industry, as well as his enthusiasm and passion for delivering our advanced training and accreditation activity, at home and abroad.

However, every new departure signals the start of a new journey and for some time we have been itching to polish up our DIAmond proposition and really make it shine out in the world of post-test training. With that in mind, we’ve been looking at not only what DIAmond lacks in terms of offering, but all advanced driving tests. Currently, there are still only three DVSA accredited advanced tests in the UK but rumours have been circulating for some time that a fourth entrant is about to join the fray.

So competition may be about to get even tougher — but so are we. DIAMond is acknowledged widely by driver trainers to be the best of the advanced tests — we just haven’t marketed it as aggressively as the others. We already know we need to push the key facts harder to make DIAmond shine out above the rest. For example, it’s never really been made clear enough that DIAmond is unique in that training and assessment is only ever delivered by a qualified, approved

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CARLY BROOKFIELD WITH BIG CHANGES IN STORE, IT IS TIME TO POLISH UP OUR ACT

EDITORSimon Miller

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DESIGNERMatt Russell

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ADVERTISINGAmy Turner

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DIAMOND CHIEF EXAMINERSteve Garrod

[email protected]

Driving is published by Driving Magazine Ltd

Copyright © DIA (Int.) Ltd 2015

Driving Magazine, Leon House, 233 High Street, Croydon CR0 9XT

The views contained may not be the views of the publishers. Publication of an advertisement does not imply approval for the goods or services offered. Reproduction by any means, electronically or otherwise, in whole or part, of any material appearing in this magazine is forbidden without the express prior permission of the publishers.

Every new departure signals

the start of a new journey

driving population at every age and stage of life — rather than a somewhat one-size-fits-all approach of those tests that were historically based on police and other defensive driving methods which don’t necessarily meet the needs or experiences of the typical motorist.

We’ll be sharing more detail on how the DIAmond offering will be physically changing over the next few months and in special communications to our DIAmond trainers and examiners, as well as how we’ll promote that across the UK and overseas. DIAmond examiners have already been surveyed to gather more information on how we develop our assessments and we’ll shortly be seeking the views of DIAmond instructors too, so your input will help directly shape our new offering. There will be a need, in order to deliver improved tests and training, for some refreshing of examiner and instructor knowledge too but we’ll provide full training for those who want to shine up their expertise and develop the range of services they can offer under this brand. And there will also be a new senior examination team in place with key regional senior examiners being recruited across the UK (and additionally to deliver our services in key territories abroad) as well as two new senior examiners at HQ.

And importantly, there will also of course be a new chief examiner who we will appoint specifically to spearhead our development in this area. Whilst they should be a familiar face to many in the industry, they will bring fresh direction and vigour to our post-test training drive as well a proven track record to DIA as a whole. We’ll hopefully be announcing their appointment formally soon so watch this space.

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COVER STORY

REVIEWS

The Detroit Motor Show could have heralded the rebirth of the performance car market

How bike instructors still have to maintain their standards even with attention on driver trainers

Despite the fuel prices going down, there is still room for efficient driving techniques as Karen Bramsgrove explains

The Ford Focus and two Peugeots — the 108 and 308 — are tested alongside a plethora of Mercs at a Brooklands driving day

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

ECO-DRIVING

CONTENTS


05

06P 20P

10P

12P

driving

Performance Car Revival

MORE THAN WHAT MEETS THE EYE

THE DETROIT MOTOR SHOW HERALDED THE POSSIBLY RE-BIRTH OF THE NEGLECTED SPORTS CAR MARKET TO AID CAR DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO FROST & SULLIVAN CONSULTANTS BENNY DANIEL AND NATALIE SAUBER

driving | SPRING 2015

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are reviving this segment by using it as a flagship model and halo to communicate new concepts through an exciting sports car bringing back focus on things that really matter. At this year’s Detroit Motor Show, there was an exemplary showcase of opposing approaches taken by two OEMs showcasing their new sports cars; the Honda Acura NSX and the Ford Mustang.

The Honda Acura NSX was developed under the public eye with two sporadic concept versions since 2012, the successor to the original NSX showcased 25 years ago. To cut to the chase, the NSX is a sure attempt to revive the Acura brand by using the NSX as a technology testbed for the remaining Acura models.

On the other hand, the Ford GT rose like a Dark Knight, secretly created in a basement of the company and its possible existence denied by many OEMS; albeit not coming as a complete surprise. Both models were displayed almost next to each other in Detroit, and it was the GT that managed to steal the NSX’s spotlight somehow.

Both the NSX and the GT debuts followed a year of fascinating high-performance and supercar launches, such as; Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari LaFerrari, and the McLaren P1. Some of you might remember the rather sombre speech which Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales, delivered only last November stating that “post-2008, it [sports car segment] just collapsed. I’m not so sure it’ll ever fully recover”. Now why would BMW admit to such defeat when in reality even the premium brand itself is eagerly working to revive its own sports car segment, the Z line-up?

Amongst the most prominent reason for decline in sports cars are the changes in buyer’s taste, with North America and European consumers now favouring SUVs and crossovers. US SUV sales for the year 2014, has exceeded 1.5 million for the first time since the 2007. Sales of US crossovers for the same year exceeded 3.8 million. In China, number plates are limited (one per household) and thus the public is left to either raffle or attain their plates via auctions. If you only get to own one car, you’d be wanting to go for the prevalent and most versatile model out there; which, incidentally is why China has become the largest market for the Mercedes GL.

Lastly, the market sees more niche products (e.g. BMW X4, Audi A3) made available for the “young‚ urban upwardly mobile professionals” to choose from. These are only a few factors that contribute to the diminishing role of the car being seen as a pure status symbol. This leaves little room for sports cars and makes their come back a tough business to be in. From a traditional view point that is. But what if we were to look at this doomed segment in a new and different light? Perhaps it then becomes clear that OEMs have no intention of leaving this lucrative segment alone but are utilising the core elements (advanced technologies, innovative materials, alternative powertrains) and introducing them to other segments and creating up sale opportunities for special models.

RADITIONALLY, MOTOR SHOWS are platforms to showcase new product models, innovative technologies, materials, alternative powertrains, and, lately, even new concept

measures addressing environmental regulations. It is a boredom cliché so to speak where lately electronic shows; such as, the CES, are leveraged to announce more exciting initiatives such as human machine interface, autonomous driving technologies, etc. However, what was eye catching at the Detroit Motor Show was the premium sports car segment making those old cliché announcements exciting once again. Was there more that the sports car of today was trying to communicate?

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Segment revival Setting the scene: Changing car role

The Chevrolet Volt had a redesign

Chevy claims the Volt can average more than 900 miles

FEATURE 07

The NSX has two additional electric motors attacehd to its front wheels


driving

Frost & Sullivan believes BMW is looking to reinvent its Z line-up creating a new standard of avant-garde and seductive models. Models which are currently being hotly debated are the Z1, Z3 Z5 and the Z7. The Z line-up will benefit from the materials showcased in the ibrand such as carbon fibre mixed with high strength steel, magnesium, aluminium and thermoplastic.

End element 17 Start element 18BMW’s sombre outlook on the falling

sports car segment, accounts as a key contributing factor considering shared development costs on a new mid-size sports car and thus teaming up with Toyota Motor Corporation to do exactly that. Both confirmed that the project ‘Silk I and Silk II’ has moved to the concept stage after completing a feasibility study. The project is within a broader partnership that also includes co-operation on fuel cells and lightweight technology.

Premium Sports Car – BMW ibrand

Acura launched the new NSX earlier this year, a three-motor hybrid with a mid mounted twin-turbo V-6 engine. Unlike traditional hybrids, the NSX has two additional electric motors attached to its front wheels, adding additional power and control. A third electric motor is sat between the engine and transmission, supplying even more power. A possible power output of 500bhp is anticipated, which outstrips its closest modern equivalent, the BMW i8. This makes the NSX target the Ferrari 458 Italia in terms of performance.

The body and frame are composed of aluminium, carbon fibre and sheet moulding composites. Although the price hasn’t officially been confirmed until it goes on sale later this year, it is likely to fall in the $120,000 to $180,000 range.

Head of Acura Mike Accavitti says: “We’ll use the NSX to sell Acura. In time, we’ll have to market NSXs to sell NSXs. Evidentially, the NSX will be used to revive the Acura brand and serve as a ‘halo’ vehicle that invites the customer to buy into the brand whilst instilling the entire brand with a

rejuvenated performance image.” Sounds familiar? If only there wasn’t a German premium OEM having done the exact same thing but a year sooner.

From a design perspective however, the NSX does stand out against all competitors as for the first time in the sports car history, a supercar’s design can be accredited to a woman. Michelle Christensen, an Art Centre College of Design graduate, got scooped up by Honda immediately after graduation. She was given clear instructions on how the NSX was to look; the aim was to keep an “emotional, 3-D kind of feeling” and the NSX is exactly that.

We have heard it again and again; the traditional automotive industry is evolving. One of the contributing factors is a steady trend of more and more women crossing over into design and engineering roles, previously dominated by their male counterparts. The NSX’s new design is an exemplary showcase of more women entering senior management levels in the automotive industry.

Honda Acura NSX (2015)

The left-hand Ford Mustang is winging its way to the UK

The Acura was designed by Michelle Christensen


Potential outcomes for both BMW and Toyota are as follows. The newly developed platform is radically accommodating and flexible for both OEMs. Allowing for the development of a mid-engine, mainstream two-seater disguised as a plug-in hybrid sports car with a six-cylinder engine. Rear-end and all-wheel drive platform capable of supporting four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8 engines, both for front and midsize

placement. From a design stand point there are multiple versions to be made from all able to support a two-seater, drop top or coupe. BMW will take the lead by replacing the Z4 with the new Z5 with a possible Hybrid eDrive. Furthermore, the 6 Series Coupe will reap its benefits from this joint venture as it is deemed to become a direct competitor to the Porsche 911.

Joint Venture of BMW and Toyota

There is a paradigm shift in the purpose of the sports car and as such, many premium OEMs are now using the image of the sports car to revive their own flagship image. This has already been seen in practice and is soon to be replicated by other OEMs in an attempt to close the gap. There will be no more traditional sedans and sport cars will act as the main testbed for innovation technologies especially for material, intelligent design and powertrain. The halo created by innovative light weighting philosophy and the associated technology is used by some of the leading OEMs to span across entire model line-ups. Greener technologies will become the norm, as evident from the latest Detroit

Motor Show where a number of greener sport cars were showcased, with the Chevrolet showing a redesigned Volt plug-in hybrid, Hyundai unveiled both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Sonata and Mercedes-Benz launched the 2016 C350 plug-in hybrid. Innovative and forward thinking technologies are finally coming around to the performance car segment, developing cars painted with a slighter ‘greener’ brush. The sports car of the future is destined to become the flagship model and technology testbed by creating a halo that takes expensive niche propositions to mass market them across their traditional model line up in a phased manner.

Ford revealed the GT’s 3.5-litre, twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 engine in Detroit earlier this year. Following a more traditional route, Ford had located the engine in the middle powering the rear wheels through an automatic gearbox. Although not officially confirmed, the GT is said to produce more than 600 horsepower and is likely to be priced in the $200,000-and-above range. Ford goes on and promises: “The GT will exhibit one of the best power-to-weight ratios of any production car.” It goes without saying that materials play a paramount role in the development of this car with carbon fibre, aluminium and other lightweight materials only supporting Ford’s statement of being at the cutting edge of performance and innovation. The GT is the flagship model of the new Ford Performance division; all in line with plans of releasing 12 new models by 2020, including the F-150 Raptor and Mustang Shelby GT 350R.

The GT rides on new lightweight materials, which ultimately brings us to think about BMW and their sub brand BMW i. The ibrand exemplifies the motto of Efficient Dynamics made sustainable to comply with BMW’s Strategy ONE. BMW’s i8 is purposely placed as the flagship model not only for the entire ibrand but more so used as a halo vehicle with carbon fibre reinforced plastic technologies already trickling down to other core models including the MINI and X brand.

American Muscle – Ford GT (2015)

On a concluding note

Ford GT emerged from the design shafdows

It has one of the best production power-to-weight ratios


FEATURE 09

HE CAR INDUSTRY is currently working towards a mandatory target of 130g/km CO2, which is being phased in from this year. Emissions from vans will be reduced to 147g CO2/km in 2020 from

181.4g in 2010 and a mandatory target of 175g in 2017. Cars and vans together account for around 15% of EU CO2 emissions, including emissions from fuel supply.

Eco-driving is a driving style that is both ecological and economical — it is a combination of safe and defensive driving. This combination of driving styles encourages drivers to use their vehicle in an environmentally efficient way to improve road safety, reduce fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions, something as driver trainers we should all be very aware as well as teaching and it is something the DIA knows about as DIAmond was the first advanced test to examine eco-driving.

Obviously, the choice of vehicle can and does make an enormous difference when it comes to fuel consumption and C02 emissions but for most of us, adopting an eco-friendly style of driving will have a positive impact both financially and on the environment.

The benefits of environmentally efficient driving, is that it reduces the use and demand for non-renewable fuels, greenhouse gas emissions, helps to improve the overall air quality and reduces ambient noise levels. The benefits also include an increase in the life of your engine, tyres, brake pads, plus savings in maintenance and fuel bills.

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DESPITE FUEL PRICES GOING DOWN, THERE IS STILL ROOM FOR EFFICIENT DRIVING SAYS KAREN BRANSGROVE

ECO-DRIVING


There are several ways to help reduce the amount of CO2 being pumped into the atmosphere and, at the same time, save you time and money through lower fuel consumption. The changes can be small such as making sure your fuel cap is secure to more beneficial changes such as better route planning.

Anticipate – By looking well ahead and anticipating — scanning the road well ahead and easing off the gas in good time — it is possible to avoiding harsh and late braking, which will immediately save fuel. By keeping the car moving, albeit very slowly, this conserves the vehicle’s kinetic energy, which in turn saves fuel and reduces CO2.

Drive smoothly – Using the steering, transmission and brakes in a smooth manner rather than harsh, last minute braking allows the car to decelerate using engine braking, not only is it more comfortable for you and your passengers but it is more efficient due to energy loss. Using the cars momentum i.e. travelling down hill with no gas can save a considerable amount of fuel.

Following distance – Driving with an appropriate distance between you and the car in front is not only safer but has the potential to be more efficient as it avoids sudden and late braking. The better your forward visibility and planning, the more time you will have to anticipate sudden changes.

Speed – The faster you go, the greater the fuel consumption and pollution you will create. Driving at 70mph uses up to nine percent more fuel than at 60mph and up to 15 percent more than at 50mph. Driving at a steady speed and using cruise control where appropriate during the course of your journey will help to keep fuel consumption to the minimum. Sudden and abrupt variations in speed eats up lots of fuel and gives off lots of C02 emissions. Coasting (putting the clutch down too early causing the car to free wheel) uses more fuel than easing off the accelerator pedal whilst remaining in gear.

Traffic calming measures – Braking sharply, accelerating, then braking sharply again for the next traffic calming hump will consume a lot more fuel than gentle riding the humps

at a steady pace. A constant speed of approximately 15-20 mph is the most beneficial however, common sense will need to prevail as some humps can be very severe.

Stop start systems – An idling vehicle gives off much more pollution than one that is moving. Fuel is only partially combusted when idling because the engine is not operating at its peak temperature. This leads to the build-up of fuel residues on cylinder walls that can damage engine components and increase fuel consumption. If your vehicle is going to be stopped for more than thirty seconds, and it is safe to do so, shift to neutral and switch off your engine. This is one of the main reasons hybrid vehicles and stop start options on cars get such good fuel economy in urban driving.

Gears – Being in the correct gear is very important if you are trying to save fuel, in some cases cruising in third gear can be 25 percent less efficient than cruising in a higher gear. Changing into the highest appropriate gear as soon as you can and block changing where appropriate is more preferable than changing up and down through each gear. Keeping the engine in a low gear longer than necessary consumes large amounts of fuel.

Try to keep your engine running at its most efficient level, for the majority of engines this is between 2,000 and 3,000 revs per minute. As a guide you should shift up a gear when the engine is revving at around 2,500 rpm for petrol engines and 2,000 rpm in a diesel car. Correctly matching engine speed and road speed, plus using the gears in the most cost effective way, will reduce fuel consumption and also reduce wear and tear on the engine and gearbox.

Many 4-wheel drive and AWD vehicles also come with high and low transmission ranges. Low range increases engine RPM and fuel consumption, it is better to use a higher gear choice when practical. The added friction of drive components in 4-wheel drive mode greatly increases fuel consumption.

Sun Roofs – Some sunroof styles are better than others. The worst offenders are the ones that tilt and slide to the outside on top of the roof. When open, these sunroofs can significantly increase aerodynamic drag. Driving with the windows up at higher speeds will also minimise aerodynamic drag and where possible it is best to use the flow-through ventilation instead.

Air Conditioning and Electrical Equipment – These should be used wisely and switched off if not necessary. You will also consume less fuel if you decrease the use of electrical and mechanical equipment such as the window defrost function, heater-blower, electric heated seats, mirrors, windows and music systems etc.

Parking – Try to find a spot in the least-congested area and reverse in so that your car is facing outward into the road or flow of traffic. Not having to back out, stop, and then move forward is a simple but extremely important fuel saver. Whenever possible, park on a down slope as the car will use less energy when you leave.

For lots of information on the best green car guide and reviews in all categories visit www.greencarguide.co.uk.

So what can you do to improve your fuel efficiency?

FEATURE 11



FORD FOCUS AFTER A FACELIFT INSIDE AND OUT, FORD’S FLAGSHIP CAR TAKES THE ECO-ROUTE WITH ITS 1L ENGINE

HIS YEAR IS a big year for Ford with new models for the Mondeo and S-Max while the UK will also see the introduction of a right-hand drive version of the iconic

US car, the Ford Mustang. Kicking off these changes is the Ford Focus.

It could be said that the Focus Mark One kick-started the revival in Ford and changed the perception of the company into one that produced driver cars.

So it was with keen interest that I went down to Kent to jump into the face-lifted third-generation model.

The face-lift sees a lower, wider stance with S-Max type headlights and a slimmer chrome grille while the rear lights and rear spoiler are streamlined.

The face-lift extends to the interior, which has been entirely redesigned and has come with what appears to be an enormous dashboard, more of which in a minute.

The test car came with SYNC 2, Ford’s connectivity system that featured a high-resolution, eight-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control of audio, navigation, climate control and mobile phones. The navigation system also offered a split-screen display with detailed intersections, spoken street names, 3D highway junction and landmark views, and the Michelin guide.

Drivers are able to issue simpler “one-shot” navigation destinations, and to ask the system to “play” a desired artist. Simply pushing the voice control button and saying “I’m hungry” will bring up a list of local restaurants, which

you can then get directions to via the navigation system.

Another offering is Perpendicular Parking, a hands-free parking technology that helps drivers reverse into spaces alongside other cars as well as Active Park Assist that, at the push of a button, uses ultrasonic sensors to locate parking spaces and steer the vehicle while the driver controls the accelerator and brake. The addition of two new sensors to the rear of the Focus enables Perpendicular Parking to operate in the same way.

Other driving aids included Active Braking and Active City Stop to cut down crashes while Adaptive Cruise Control technology to enable drivers to maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead even when the vehicle is travelling more slowly than the set cruise speed.

1.3 LT VCDi A 6 5 99 L£12,585 74.3Aveo

Alfa Romeo Chic Italian an acquired taste – reliability woes a thing of the past (hopefully)alfaromeo.co.uk

Audi Premium comes at a premium, but A1 is a classy little effort.audi.co.uk

BMW BMW a strong brand, but 1 Series packaging makes it a tough sellbmw.co.uk

Chevrolet Budget brand reminds you that you get what you pay forchevrolet.co.uk

TwinAir Sprint A 9 3 98 L£14,150 67.3Mito

1.2 TFSI SE C 9 5 118 L£14,410 55.4A1

1.4 TFSI SE D 16 5 123 F£19,825 53.3A3

116d ED A 15 5 99 F£21,095 74.31 Series

FORD REFOCUSES ITS FLAGSHIP

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REVIEW 13


While these driving aids are helpful, I continue to be concerned that these aids eventually hinder the driver rather than help especially the younger driver if they start to expect the car to do it all for them.

However, one option that I am sure parents would love is the MyKey system that can restrict the top speed, reduce the maximum volume of the audio system, and can disable it altogether if driver and passengers are not using safety belts. The system can also prevent the driver from deactivating safety technologies.

Another ‘aid’ that was annoying was the lane assist. On the test route of small country lanes where crossing the central line was frequent, it was like having to constantly fight the car as it attempted to nudge you back towards the left hand side of the lane — after half an hour or so of this, the off button was quickly found.

The three-cyclinder engine is an increasingly popular choice among the city cars such as the Toyota Aygo so it was a daring choice two years ago when Ford chose the Focus as the first for its 1l EcoBoost engine and the range has also seen the introduction of a 1.5l version with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Needless to say nowadays, the handling was crisp and firm, taking you exactly where you pointed it in a comfortable but not staid way while noise didn’t impose too much with a fairly good suppression system.

The engine gave as good as it could in a smooth manner but I found there was a lack of sharp acceleration in the entry model that I drove.

This is not a problem if you are pottering about town doing the shopping, but for me, I value the ability to move quickly into space and out of danger and I just don’t think the 1l has it in it. And this is not just a problem for Ford. In the chase for good emission ratings, manufacturers are using turbo technology to counter the loss of power with these smaller engines. But the turbos have to be good. Unfortunately, in this model, I just didn’t think turbo helped make up the shortfall. The more powerful 1.5l EcoBoost on the other hand did.

Inside, the cabin was comfortable if not quite reaching the specs of its competitors but there was as weird illusion going on when faced with that dash. Speaking to other drivers, it was agreed that the car felt bigger because of the

dash even though it patently was a small family car but fortunately it was an illusion that was quickly overcome.

In addition, the over-the-shoulder vision was limited and from the passenger seat, views of the speedometer were also limited.

The cabin also provided good headroom and the back can comfortably fit a coupe of adults and the boot, while not great, is still functional enough.

All in all the Focus maintains the reputation developed with the first models in 1998 and it will not be a great surprise if it continues to be a UK best seller.

However, and I hesitate to describe it thus, but there was something missing in the overall driving experience.

Yes it is a great handling car. For all its eco-credentials, it is still a nice car to drive but, for me, that is the problem — it is nice. The previous models had a bit of oomph, a bit of fun, a bit of teenage rebellion about them.

Dare I say it? The Focus seems to have grown up a bit and entered adulthood, being more refined, in less of a rush and part of me regrets that.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

5

5

£17,295

B

1.0-litre ecoboost engine

61.4mpg

1.0i VTR+ A 4 5 99 L£9,795 65.7C1

Citroen New DS-branded cars are really worth a lookcitroen.co.uk

Fiat Style over substance masks occasional genuine highlightfiat.co.uk

DStyle e-HDi A 15 3 98 L£15,280 76.3DS3

Easy 0.9 TwinAir A 8 5 99 L£10,750 67.3Panda

1.2 S C 6 3 113 L£11,360 58.9500

Dacia Unashamedly budget branddacia.co.uk

Laureate 1.5 dCi D 11 5 130 L£12,995 56.5Duster

Laureate 1.2 16v E 11 2 137 L£7,995 47.9Sandero

The Focus seems to have grown up a bit and

entered adulthood

Score

Stats

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PEUGEOT 308 OLIVIA BALDOCK-WARD TOOK THE 308 OUT ROUND THE SOUTH AND WASN’T IMPRESSED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE

BRAKING BAD WITH THIS PEUGEOT

HE LATEST IN our mini-series of Peugeots was the 308 in a slightly questionable shade of ‘rich oak’ [obviously not pictured]. The ‘slightly questionable’ aspect

is purely my opinion and to some, it may be a good choice but I wouldn’t choose it for myself, nor do I think it would be a popular choice for an ADI’s tuition car. Thankfully, Peugeot has a range of colours that would suit most tastes.

The model we had was the diesel engine, which was responsive around town and comfortable on the motorway during our journey to Portsmouth and Cambridge and back again to Croydon.

I was a little confused initially about where the controls were for the ventilation as there are no controls on the dashboard that you would usually expect. Instead, these can be found as part of the touch-screen where the radio, sat

nav, etc is. There is a little symbol on the side of the screen with a temperature gauge that allows you to control the temperature for both driver and passenger (dual zone). This set up is very neat and tidy and leaves the dashboard less cluttered. The sat nav is easy to use and gives directions in good time and came in very handy for finding our venues.

The boot is a good size and was able to swallow all of our equipment for both days.

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Honda Practical family cars, slightly staid image for driving instructors honda.co.uk

Hyundai Up-and-coming manufacturer offers some attractive modelshyundai.co.uk

1.2 S-T D 13 5 123 L£12,690 53.3Jazz

1.6 i-DTec SE A 15 5 94 F£19,575 78.5Civic

1.0 Blue A 9 5 99 L£9,345 67.3i10

Zetec 1.0 B 11 5 109 F£17,795 58.9Focus

Zetec 1.0 Eco A 11 5 99 L£14,345 65.7Fiesta

Ford People wonder why Fords are so popular. It’s because they’re (mostly) so goodford.co.uk

Easy 1.3 Multijet A 13 5 90 L£14,000 80.7Punto

15REVIEWWe did take an extra member of staff from

DIA along with us for to Cambridge and she was a little cramped in the back. The rear seats are great for smaller kids but not so good for adults. I did find the interior a bit ‘plasticy’ and didn’t feel the quality was great.

I felt the steering was overly light and prone to over steer. I had to be mindful of this at higher speeds, but when parking and manoeuvring in tight spaces, it actually came into its own.

The 308 comes with an electric handbrake

that automatically releases when you pull away. This is all good but when I had to get the car out of a tight parking space on the road, and needed to reverse back a little before I could get out, the handbrake would not release at all.

The rear-parking sensor was bleeping at the same time and so I had to creep carefully forward by a few inches and let it roll back so I could steer my way out. This may have just been me ‘having a moment’ but it seemed that the parking brake will not release if the parking

sensors are going off. I can understand if this is deliberate in its design — on the one hand it makes sense, but on the other, there are those odd times when someone has kindly parked a bit too close and not left you enough room, and so you need to move tiny amounts to wiggle your way free. This didn’t appear possible.

Some electric parking brakes need to be removed manually by the driver and, if this were the case with the 308, it would have made life easier.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

6pd Manual

5

£18,365

A

1.6 litre diesel

78.5mpg

Score

Stats

Peugeot has a range of colours that would suit

most tastes


1.1 CRDi Blue A 5 5 84 L£11,795 88.3i20

1.4 Active E 7 5 139 F£15,705 47.1i30

1.3 TS C 9 5 115 L£10,995 56.52

Mazda Reliable cars for the brand unconscious: highly underratedmazda.co.uk

1 1.6 CRDi A 12 5 97 F£16,295 76.3Ceed

2 1.0 A 5 5 99 L£9,845 67.3Picanto

1 1.1 CRDi A 3 5 85 L£11,895 88.3Rio

Kia Korean car maker might even be a little bit coolkia.co.uk

1.6D Tamura C 18 5 115 F£17,495 65.73

PEUGEOT 108 HAS THE FRENCH MANUFACTURER SUCCEEDED WITH THIS SMALL CAR COMPETITOR?

HIS NEW PEUGEOT 108 is trying very hard to be young and hip, with the higher end models offering an optional fabric roof electrically operated as standard,

various funky car colours and colour-coded options on trims, etc.

I started off determined not to like this small car as it had a less than sturdy feel to it with rather flimsy doors and an unrefined engine at lower speeds. However, having driven the Peugeot around a fair bit over the last week, including a decent amount of motorway driving it has grown on me somewhat.

In fact, the 108 coped very well on the

motorway, it felt safe and robust for a small car and of course it is very economical with a 5-gear manual gearbox, producing only 99g/km of CO2 emissions. The brochure states these lighter more compact petrol engines owe their efficiency to optimised combustion and reduced friction.

Around town the 108 feels a little lumpy especially in first and second gear, however, I am used to driving a diesel so it became a lot smoother as the week progressed. All said and done this model is easy to drive, visibility is good, albeit I personally prefer not to have tinted windows as the image from behind appears a bit on the dark side for me. Reversing is made

easier with a reversing camera, although in all honesty, I didn’t really use it much as I prefer to look out the back and there really isn’t much of a behind to worry about as it’s such a small car. I guess it may be a more useful feature for bay parking in tight spots or where the lighting is poor for example.

I liked the dashboard and controls they were easy to use including a 7” touch screen and DAB digital radio, there is also a Bluetooth option and steering wheel controls. The air conditioning and heating system were extremely quiet and effective with simple digital higher and lower options. As with many small cars the dashboard does not particularly have the best visibility for an

PEUGEOT’S PURPLE PATCH?

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driving

One D 13 3 127 L£13,460 52.3Hatch

Mini New Mini due later this year. Will look the same as the current onemini.co.uk

Nissan Micra not the default choice it once was, facelift promisingnissan.co.uk

Peugeot Has lost its way in recent years, but 208’s got charmpeugeot.co.uk

1.2 DIG-S Visia A 8 5 99 L£11,480 65.7Micra

Allure 1.0 A 3 5 99 L£10,145 65.7107

B180 CDI SE B 15 5 108 F£22,430 64.2B-Class

Mercedes Expensive, but you gets what you pays formercedes-benz.co.uk

A180 SE D 18 5 128 L£20,370 51.4A-Class


instructor in the passenger seat who is keeping an eye on speed, a supplementary speedo would have to be a definite consideration. Other features include a speed limiter allowing you to programme a maximum speed limit which cannot be exceeded (not something I made use of), plus hill assist, tyre pressure sensors and

electronic stability program.I did utilise the boot once or twice which was

much more spacious than I anticipated with ample room available, particularly when the rear bench seats were folded neatly way. The tinted windows on this occasion were useful as they helped to disguise anything stored in the back.

From £8,245 for a very basic model with 3-doors, I would personally look for a more robust driving instructor car with a higher specification.

However, for around town and for economy reasons I think this is quite a competitive little car.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

5pd Manual

5

£12,795

A

1 litre

62mpg

Score

Stats

I would personally look for a more robust driving instructor car

Expression+ TCe B 10 5 105 L£12,995 62.7Clio

Seat Struggles to assert itself within the VW group. Sporty imageseat.co.uk

Renault Formerly stylish French car maker showing promise once againrenault.co.uk

Dynamique 1.2 C 9 3 119 L£10,550 55.4Twingo

Expression+ dCi B 16 5 90 F£19,145 80.7Megane

Ecomotive 1.0 A 1 5 95 L£9,625 68.9Mii

S 1.2 TDI A 7 5 92 L£13,935 80.7Ibiza

Active 1.0 VTi A 6 5 99 L£12,495 65.7208

Active e-HDi B 16 5 108 F£18,865 68.9308

17REVIEW


HE NEW AERODYNAMICALLY efficient B Class looks very neat and compact but is surprising roomy once you get inside. I like the solid feel to the car, everything feels well made

and safe. The interior’s design is straightforward with nothing really fancy to confuse the eye and the controls are all easily to access and understand.

The leather interior is really attractive, I loved the feel of the steering wheel and the seat is very comfortable, an important feature if you are spending long hours in the car teaching or travelling from A to B. The model I drove was an automatic transmission which coped well in all the around town situations I found myself in, unfortunately I did not experience speeds in excess of 40MPH. The B class does benefit from a suite of blue efficiency economy-boosting measures, which combine to ensure the new engines are up to 26% more economical than previous models.

This B Class is definitely best suited to the ADI/PDI market, however, it is not the most cost effective option on the market at just over £30,000. You would certainly be making a statement with this car and the high quality comfort and safety aspects are certainly appealing.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

7 Automatic

5

£30,175

B

2 litre

56.5mpg

Score

Stats

KAREN BRANSGROVE TAKES A LOOK AT THE HIGHER END OF THE MARKET WITH THREE MERCS ON TEST

B Class - B 220 CDI 4 MATIC Sport Cirrus white paint with black artico leather interior7G-DCT Seven speed automatic transmission

MAKING A MARK AT THE MERC HQ

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driving

A warm welcome awaited me at Mercedes-Benz media driving day. Having checked in and helped myself to some very nice bacon sandwiches and coffee, I was given a choice of cars to test drive aimed at various budgets and style preferences. It was a difficult choice, so I based my decision on three designs each giving very different specifications and headed for the open road.


TR 1.33 VVT-i D 8 5 125 F£17,145 52.3Auris

TR 1.0 VVT-i C 4 5 111 L£12,820 58.9Yaris

Ice 1.0 VVT-i A 3 5 99 L£10,290 65.7Aygo

Toyota Serious image is spot on, but excellent reliability and built to lasttoyota.co.uk

Suzuki What to say? The Swift is an oft-overlooked little gemsuzuki.co.uk

1.2 SZ3 C 9 5 116 L£12,999 56.5Swift

SE 1.2 TSI D 9 5 121 L£12,150 54.3Fabia

Skoda The jokes are on us, Skodas are pretty goodskoda.co.uk

SE 1.0 GreenTech A 1 5 96 L£9,490 68.9Citigo

AVING DRIVEN THE B Class first, this next car was a completely different kettle of fish. To start with it felt like a large car, and it is, there is loads of room at the back and I imagine all passengers would sit

more than comfortably in this car. To be honest I felt like I was sitting in a very comfy leather armchair at home, almost too comfy as you may forget to actually drive.

Again, all the controls and interior are high quality and the car feels sturdy and safe. There are loads of

extras, however, in my short time driving this car it was impossible to try all the gadgets out, but I imagine there are some neat features particularly with regard to communication and in-car entertainment which comes at a cost of £2,100.

This is the first time I have driven a hybrid car, which cuts in and out of electric mode depending on the charge and car’s performance level. I have to say it is a little disconcerting when you are not used to driving a very quiet car in electric mode and at one point I thought it had cut out on me completely, which of course it hadn’t. When sailing along in the car park, a pedestrian was oblivious to my movement as the car was so exceptionally quiet but internally, it feels incredibly smooth and the comfort levels are definitely high.

A high-end car ideal for those who like comfort and luxury, I imagine a long journey would seem a breeze in this car.

HIS CAR IS a lot of fun, it is priced almost on a par with the BlueTEC Hybrid at approximately £46,000 however, they are both very different cars. This car sounds good, feels good and looks great. It is

sporty with different driving options in automatic and semi-automatic modes. I have since learned that the interior leather is artificial but you would never guess as the quality is again very good and of a high standard. Internally, there are lots of other sporty features such as sports pedals, rubber studs and a AMG performance steering wheel to name a few. To the exterior there is an AMG sports exhaust system, perforated front brake discs, black beltline strips and privacy glass, plus lots of other really cool extras.

The A45 certainly does not feel as comfortable as the other luxury Mercedes cars, this, however, is not the point.

Driving this car feels like a proper driving experience, of course it depends on what you’re looking for in a car but I feel the balance of design, performance and comfort in this car is a wining combination, I loved it.

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

7 Automatic

5

£46,480

B

2 Litre hybrid

68.9mpg

Score

Stats

Internal visibility

Passenger comfort

Economy

Value

& Automatic

5

£45,745

G

2 litre

40.9mpg

Score

Stats

E300 BlueTEC Hybrid SE SaloonCavansite blue metallic paint with crystal grey leather interior 7G-Tronic plus seven speed automatic transmission

A45 AMG 4MATICCirrus white paint with black dinamica mircofibre/artico artificial leather with red contrast stitching interior AMG speedshift DCT seven speed automatic transmission

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19REVIEW

Exclusiv 1.2 C 6 5 119 L£13,735 55.4Corsa

Vauxhall Plodding British manufacturer has loyal followingvauxhall.co.uk

D2 SE A 20 5 94 F£21,595 78.5V40

Volvo Semi-premium Swedish brand with great safety imagevolvocars.com/uk

SE 1.4 TSI D 14 5 123 F£19,885 53.3Golf

Match 1.2 D 5 5 128 L£13,540 51.4Polo

Move Bluemotion A 1 5 95 L£10,070 68.9Up

Volkswagen Solid, reliable and German. Expensive too, but probably worth itvolkswagen.co.uk

Exclusiv 1.3 CDTi B 9 5 104 F£19,045 72.4Astra

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driving

ALTHOUGH ATTENTION HAS BEEN ON DRIVER TRAINERS, IT DOESN’T MEAN BIKE INSTRUCTORS ARE EXEMPT FROM RAISING THEIR STANDARDS AS MIKE FRISBY EXPLAINS

MAINTAINING STANDARDS

Undoubtedly, any changes will have an impact on trainers to

deliver a quality product

HILE THE MAIN focus for change and improvement seems to be on driver trainers and training — with the Standards Check, the test review and modernising driver training — and post test attention still aimed predominantly at new drivers, many motorcycle trainers are keeping their heads down hoping they

are not the next target. Well, the bad news, or good, depending on your viewpoint is that it is already here for you.

There has been strong focus on the motorcycle test over the past six years since it changed to the mod 1 and 2 test and is still under review to try to make it more user-friendly. Unfortunately, that was probably a contributory factor in the declining number of tests and has affected many motorcycle training schools that are struggling or going out of business.

However, despite the apparent downturn in training, it would appear that approved training bodies (ATBs) that are proactively trying to maintain their standards or even exceed them, are being viewed as the go to companies for those seeking motorcycle training. The reality is that customers who have money to spend on training are likely to look for a more professional company to train them so they get the best value for money. Therefore, those selling themselves cheaply probably aren’t getting their fair share of the trade and what they are getting is not paying the bills.

Recent reports have indicated a healthy rise in newly registered motorcycles. At the time of writing, the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) reported that for the eleventh month in a row that the industry has seen a rise in new registrations.

Nearly a third of all new powered-two–wheelers sold this year have been scooters. 29,614 have been registered since the beginning of January; likely to have been bought for commuter use.

Among motorcycles, the ‘naked’ style remains popular, with new registrations 32 percent up on the same time last year.

Touring bikes too have increased 12 percent, with sales of larger bikes between 651cc and 1000cc up 18.8 percent and bikes over 1000cc up 13.8 percent.

Attendances were 10 percent up at the MCIA’s flagship show, Motorcycle Live, which took place last November at the NEC. Motorcycle Live attendances are generally seen by manufacturers as a barometer of success for the coming year, so 2015 looks like being equally promising.

Steve Kenward, CEO of the MCIA was delighted with the news: “The more motorcycles on UK roads, the better. They save time and money, take up less space on the road and to park and small motorcycles meet ultra low emission requirements. The MCIA is working with police and government to make sure roads get safer for motorcyclists, who can make a valuable contribution to keeping traffic moving on UK roads.”


If motorcycles sales are on the increase, surely so are riders who require training?

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are currently conducting a review of Compulsory Basic training (CBT). SPA Future Thinking were commissioned to carry out research and a number of ATBs, and members of the public who had received training, were surveyed. The results have been compiled and a report written — Learners’ and trainers’ perceptions of motorcycle compulsory basic training. The full report can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/compulsory-basic-training-learners-and-trainers-perceptions

Undoubtedly, any changes will have an impact on trainers to deliver a quality product. Certainly, one area we would all like to see addressed is the monitoring of ATBs to run CBT as per the regulations and not cut corners as many have done over the years. Better public awareness of what to expect on CBT, and the dangers customers can face from poor training standards, would be welcomed from those who are doing the job correctly.

The next step must surely be to look at bringing motorcycle trainers and driver trainers in line through the current National Standards. The DVSA introduced the standards in 2011, which apply to motorcycle and driver trainers as well as drivers and riders. It is vital that trainers are not only working to the national standards for training, and training motorcyclists to the national standards for riders, but are also ensuring they maintain their own riding standards.

The time to start thinking about what is to come is now. Many trainers wait for news that things are changing before they act instead of being ahead of the game. The areas to consider are not only training and riding

Many trainers wait for news that things are changing before they act instead of being ahead of the gameskills but also how your business is run. Looking after customers is essential to ensure they become a longer term customer who chooses to stay with you for more than a CBT and, of course, they will feel more inclined to recommend you if they had a good experience. To achieve, this all your staff, training and admin, need to work actively to ensure the customer likes you enough to return.

Some simple business plans can help you make your business work well, so why not take a look at your current business and see if it is where you want it to be. Quite simply, if you want a different result at the end of next year, work out what needs to change to achieve it. Things to bear in mind when deciding are: don’t wait for the DVSA to tell you when you have to make changes as a trainer; and, don’t wait for them to tell you how you can improve your business. We have what we have at the moment as far as the motorcycle test process is concerned and, with some positive and clever marketing, you will be able to get more customers on a bike, training with you.

After all, less people are learning to drive at 17 as they see the rising costs of running a car as a barrier, so surely if there is the option of cheaper transport?


FEATURE 21

M A D E T O F E E L G O O D.

Quality time is the best reason for quality tyres.

The EfficientGrip Performance with A-rating for both wet grip and fuel efficiency in certain tyre sizes* – the highest grade according to EU regulation standards.

* 8 sizes out of 76 achieve a grade A rating for wet grip, fuel efficiency and ) wave 68 db for external rolling noise under Regulation (EC) No. 1222/2009. The majority of sizes achieve a grade A rating for wet grip, a grade B rating for fuel efficiency and ) wave 68 db for external rolling noise. Grading may vary for different sizes. For more information visit www.goodyear.co.uk

www.goodyear.co.uk Goodyear.uk@goodyear_uk

2014

Driving - Spring 2015

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