14 October 2015 | BMW X1 14 OCTOBER 2015 £3.80 | AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015 £3.80 | AUTOCAR.CO.UK 365bhp, RWD, manual Why baby M3 will be ultimate driver’s BMW NEW BMW M2 Alfa Romeo’s rebirth Why this plan will really work Best-ever Boxster New Spyder’s ,ive-star verdict EXCLUSIVE The E30 M3’s spirit is reborn New BMW X1 verdict Better than ever (but at a cost) ROAD TEST REVEALED DRIVEN New Golf R vs Audi RS4 Fair ,ight? You’ll be surprised… MEGA-ESTATE SCRAP Plus VW scandal latest Plus VW scandal latest
Transcript
14October
2015
|BMW
X1
14 OCTOBER 2015 £3.80 | AUTOCAR.CO.UK14 OCTOBER 2015 £3.80 | AUTOCAR.CO.UK
365bhp, RWD, manual Why baby M3 will be ultimate driver’s BMWNEW BMW M2
Alfa Romeo’s rebirthWhy this plan will reallywork
Best-ever BoxsterNew Spyder’s ive-star verdict
NEW BMWEXCLUSIVE
The E30 M3’sspirit is reborn
New BMW X1 verdictBetter than ever (but at a cost)
ROAD TESTREVEALED DRIVEN
New Golf Rvs Audi RS4Fair ight? You’llbe surprised…
MEGA-ESTATE SCRAP
PlusVW scandal
latest
PlusVW scandal
latest
Michelin’s racing department is experimenting withlargerwheels and argues they have greater relevanceto road car technology.Matt Prior investigates
The first surprise: a single-seater on 18inwheels doesn’t look rubbish. I’d feared itmight, but no. This FormulaRenault 3.5,ondeeply dished 18in-diameterwheels,looks rather good tome.Single-seat racing cars, up to and
includingFormula 1, have beenusing littlerwheels –usually of 13in– for years. I don’t knowwhy. Therewas a timewhenultimate performanceroad tyreswere around 13in in size, I suppose,but only if youdrive aCaterhamare they still.Road cars left 13inwheels behind long ago, butsingle-seat racing cars – small, I suppose, andlight – stuckwith them.Which is fine, unless, say,you’re a tyremanufacturer and you think roadtyres ought to benefit in someway from tyres youdesign for competition; technology transfer, breed
48 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Motorsport | Tyres
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 49
SPECIFIC RIM
improvement, that sort of thing. It’s the sort ofconcept youmight think hardly ever happens thesedays, givenhow far removedmotorsport is fromroaddriving, except for one thing: a tyre compoundMichelin used at LeMans just four years ago isused in its Pilot Sport Cup road tyre today.Which iswhyMichelin, developer of road and
race tyres,would likemore single-seaters tomoveto largerwheels. It has evenpitched for theF1 tyrecontract from2017, hoping to replace Pirelli, but amove to 18in rims is a conditionof its application.“For us to go toF1,weneed a good reason to do
so,” says Pascal Couasnon, director ofMichelinMotorsport. IfMichelin doesn’t learn anythingfor the road, it’s not interested. The trouble is, notmanypeople inF1have hitherto been interested inmoving to a largerwheel and tyre.
Hence,Michelin has developed some 17in tyresand fitted them to aFormulaRenault 2.0, andsome 18s and fitted them to aFormulaRenault 3.5– a single-make formula fromwhich somedrivershave stepped straight to F1.Michelin claims a lot of benefits –not just that
it’ll developbetter road tyres as a result. It thinksthat 13s hold back suspension engineers anddrivers, because the large, flexible sidewall bluntsset-up adjustmentsmade to a racing car. A 17in or18in tyre,with smaller, probably stiffer sidewalls,makes a car farmore sensitive to set-up changes.“It givesmore opportunity to the teamengineersto adjust the car’s setting, andmakemore [laptime] difference frombox to box thanbefore,” saysPhilippeMussati,MichelinMotorsport’s customercompetitiondepartmentmanager.
In closed formulae likeRenault 2.0 and3.5(fromwhichRenault, althoughnotMichelin, iswithdrawingnext year),Mussati says, the onlydifference is the driver and the car’s set-up. “Andon 17in or 18in, the setting ismuchmore importantthan it used tobewith 13in tyres,” he adds.Bigger tyres are alsomeant to be cheaper for
teams.A 17in or 18inwheel also gives space forbigger brakes,whichmeans they canbemade fromcheaper, lower-techmaterials yet still retain thesame stopping power anddegradation.At themoment,Michelin has aimed toget the
samewear andperformance characteristics fromthe larger tyre as the smaller one. The result is that,at themoment, it’s a little heavier – around0.5kg acorner – andhas the samewear rate, but turns outto be up to a second faster a lap.
“Weare probably 50%of theway there,” saysCouasnon,whodescribes the tyre as a “first orseconddraft”.He says there’s still “optimisation ofthe compoundand the structure of the tyres” to do,but “the profile itself is done”.The lower profile –not truly low,whichhelps the
appearance, bymy reckoning– is said tomake thecar’s steering responses sharper thanbefore. I havea go in both the 2.0 and530bhp3.5 cars but,well: Ihaven’t tried either on 13s, I don’t know the circuitor the car and I’mnot a racing driver. Racers in theserieswho’ve tried them, though, like them.Gooddrivers like anything thatmakes them faster andthink they’ll be able to set a car upbetter than theircompetitors.Michelin feels like it’s ready, then.Whether F1
decides it is too, is anothermatter.L
PHOTOGRAPHY LUCLACEY
‘AN 18IN TYRE MAKES A CARMORE SENSITIVE TO CHANGES’
Michelin is developing 17in and 18in racing tyres and has put in a bid to supply F1 from2017, provided itmoves to 18in
Prior acquaints himself with the car before his out lap
Couasnon: “ForMichelin to go to F1, we need a reason”
OURCARS
Aweek in the life ofAutocar’s fleetOURCARS AUDI
TTCITROEN
C4 CACTUSHYUNDAI
i20FORD
MONDEOLEXUS
NX300HBMW
ACTIVETOURER
BMWM4
FORDFOCUS
Stan Papior Lewis KingstonDan Trent Tim Dickson Jim HolderLuc Lacey Mark PearsonJohn Bradshaw
PORSCHEPANAMERA
John McIlroy
MERCEDES-BENZE-CLASSESTATE
Andrew Frankel
VOLKSWAGENGOLFR
Allan Muir
SKODAOCTAVIA
Matt Burt
SKODAFABIA
Tom Webster
SUZUKICELERIO
Steve Cropley
MAZDACX-3
Mel Falconer
MAZDAMX-5
Matthew BurrowMatthew BurrowMatthe
FIAT500X
Michele Hall
LAND ROVERDEFENDERDEFEND
Matt Prior
McLAREN650SSPIDER
Mark TisshawMark Tisshaw
McLAREN650SSPIDER
RANGE ROVERSPORT
Steve Cropley
SEATLEON
X-PERIENCE
Mark Tisshaw
BMWACTIVETOURERTOURER
RENAULTTWINGO
Matthew Burrow
RENAULTTWINGO
JAGUARXE
Darren Moss
JAGUARXE
The XE is themost important carJaguar hasmade in recent times.It’s important because it takesthe company into a newsegment,
bringing the idea of an ‘affordable’Jaguar to amultitude of newcustomers,aswell as introducing a new range ofdiesel and eventual engines.
Crucially, this newJaguarmust beevery bit as engaging and fun to driveas its larger siblings, the XF and F-Type,while also delivering value formoney. Byanymeasure, it’s a tall order.
Understandably, then, we couldn’twait towelcomeanXEon to our long-term fleet. It’s amid-rangeR-Sportmodel, sitting between the lesser SEandPrestige trims, and the high-specPortfolio andSmodels. It has a lot ofequipment as standard including an8.0in touchscreen infotainment systemwith navigation, R-Sport bodykit and
Its biggest rival, theBMW320dMSport, also has an eight-speedautomatic transmission aswell asmetallic paint and front and rearparking sensors. At £32,085, however,it is over £2500 cheaper than our£34,775XEand, with 187bhp under thebonnet,more powerful, too.
However, that’s with the Jaguar instandard trim. Options on our test carraise its price higher still. Wemight nothave chosen theCold ClimatePack(which brings heated seats and a heatedsteeringwheel) or thewi-fi hotspotourselves, but sincewewere keen toget into anXEas soon as possible, welet Jaguar decide. Alongwith larger18in alloywheels, ParkingPack (which
FIRST REPORT Has Jaguar’s crucial newexecutive saloon gotwhat it takes to shadea 3Series in the cut and thrust of daily use?We’ll find out over the next fewmonths
Jaguar XE
includes a rear-facing camera), electricfront seats andmetallic paint, the totalprice of our test car is £38,210.
We’ve been impressedwith theXEin range-topping 335bhpV6 form, butthe core of the range lies in JaguarLandRover’s Ingeniumpetrol anddiesel engines. The 2.0-litre diesel inourmodel offers up 178bhpand317lbft, enough to see theXE to60mph in7.4sec and on to a top speedof 140mph.Jaguar says our XE should return up to67.3mpg on the combined cycle, whileemitting 111g/kmofCO2.
Although amanual gearbox isavailable, Jaguar’s smooth-shiftingeight-speed automatic transmission
seems to bemore in keepingwith theexecutive nature of theXE, so that’swhatwe’ve gone for.
Like all XEs, our car comeswith theJaguarDrive Control system. It allowsthe driver to choosebetweenDynamic,Normal, Eco or all-weatherWintermodes. Pleasingly, opting for Dynamicmode changes the colour of the XE’spart-digital instrument cluster fromblue to red. Very Jaguar.
Our first impressions of the XE aregood. Its cabin is comfortable andwell appointed, if lacking the kind oftechnology and premium finish you’llfind in theC-Class or Audi A4. As youmight imagine, it’smore snug than an
XF, particularly in the back, so it’llbe interesting to see how four adultscopewith a long journey.
Looking at the XEbrochure, I reckonthe£1000panoramic sunroof optionwould have beenworth ticking, becauseaswithout it, the cabin feels a little dark.Alsoworth choosingwould have beenthe£235 front seat lumbar support. Itsabsence soon becomes noticeable.
Our reviewers say that although theengine offers strong pulling power, it’sloud and obtrusive. I agree. The noisesoftens as the engine reaches operatingtemperature, but froma cold startyou notice it. It’s a blight onwhat hasotherwise been a great first encounter.
Inmy company, the XEwill be in fora variedmix of duties: short urbancommutes during theweek, with longermotorway journeys andA-road drives attheweekend. Itmust be able to tackle all
of themwith ease and do sowiththe dynamic characteristics we’vecome to expect fromJaguar.
No doubt you’ll have seen the carmaker’s recent adverts for theXE,featuring actors TomHiddleston andNicholasHoult in the latest take on thebrand’s ‘good to be bad’ theme. Thenext fewmonthswill determine if Jag’snew saloon really can ‘go forth and rulethe road’, as the advert [email protected]
Dynamicmode changes the colour of theinstruments fromblue to red. VeryJaguar
An8.0in touchscreen display comes as standard
The 178bhp2.0 Ingeniumdiesel is noisy fromcold
R-Sport trim includes18in alloys, a bodykitand sports suspension
Our XEwill spenditsweekdays as anurban commuter
TheXE’s cabin issnug but perceivedquality remains high
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 6160 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
EVERY WEEKMatt PriorWhy cars are nicer than fridges 19
Steve CropleyFirst taste of our long-termXE 21
Your views In praiseof thenewMazdaMX-5 59
Subscription offer FreeMonsterPowerCard 64
Rear viewmirror Aride in theBMWX5LeMans90
James Ruppert SurvivingVW’s dieselgate 66
Used buying guide Drop-tops from£6k 68
New cars A-Z All the latestmodels rated 70
Road test results Autocar’s data archive 83
Classifieds Cars, number plates, services 86
68
Brilliant British drop-tops examined
Workers told by VWGroup boss: “Thiswon’t be painless”
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7
THISWEEK
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Troubling times lieahead forVWGroupTHERE’SASENSEof foreboding in thewords ofMatthiasMüller, the newboss of the crisis-hit VolkswagenGroup.“Wewill reviewall planned investments, andwhat isn’t
absolutely vitalwill be cancelled or delayed,” he toldworkersat Volkswagen’sWolfsburgheadquarters lastweek. “Iwill becompletely clear: thiswon’t be painless.”As thewide-ranging implications of the emissions testing
scandal become clearer, soVolkswagen is beginning to countthe potential financial cost of its actions.It is likely to run into billions, henceMüller’s bluntwarning
that the company could have to cut future expenditure,planned commitments andperhaps even someof its assets.We are potentially looking at aVolkswagenGroupof a
different size and scope from the global powerhouse towhichwehave becomeaccustomed.If investments such asR&Dare sacrificed to pay for the
fines and legal battles that VW faces,it could have a counterproductiveeffect on the company’s quest to drivedown the emissions of its futurevehicles. It’s a potential irony thatundoubtedlywon’t be lost onMüller.
Rory WhiteIt’s time to sellmy£500Jaguar XJ
Volvo S60 PolestarIs this hot S60amatchfor its German rivals?
Tokyo motor showOur full previewof thismonth’s Japanese show
John McIlroyIs this the best Tokyoshow line-up in years?
Skoda Octavia vRS 230The fastestOctavia yet andworth its £26k price
BMW’s M division is fightingback against Mercedes-AMG’s headline-grabbing,376bhp A45 4Matic with
the new, 365bhp M2, a car itclaims delivers an even richerdriving experience both on theroad and at the track.
Pictured here in productionguise for the first time aheadof a planned public debutat the Detroit motor showin January, the eagerlyanticipated M2 is the indirectsuccessor to the short-lived1 Series M Coupé produced inlimited numbers from 2010.
When it goes on sale herenext April, the M2 will bepriced at £44,070 in manualform and £46,575 in M DCTautomatic guise, pitching it
about £10k below the largerand more powerful M3, whichuntil now has been the entrypoint into BMW’s M car line-up.
Together with the newlyfacelifted £39,995 A45,the M2 will be a rival to the£39,950 Audi RS3 Sportbackwhen sales begin.
Unlike its highly ratedfour-wheel-drive hatchbackrivals, the rear-wheel-driveM2 maintains a rich traditionfor coupé models at BMW’s Mdivision, harking all the wayback to the original M3.
As a result, BMW’s Mdivision boss, FranciscusVan Meel, is also counting oncompetition from the PorscheCayman S, which starts at£49,473, for the new M2.
At the heart of the newprice-leading M car is a heavilymodified version of BMW’ssix-year-old N55 petrolengine. The turbocharged3.0-litre straight six has beenheavily reworked by M divisionengineers to provide the sortof performance, response andaural character expected of afull-blown M car engine.
Unlike the older twin-turboN54 engine used in the 1Mand the newer S55 twin-turbounit found in the M3, the M2’saluminium-block engine relieson a single turbocharger thatuses a twin-scroll processto boost induction, as withBMW’s regular six-cylinderpetrol-engined models.
Despite this fundamental
difference, the reworkedN55 engine adopts the samepistons, crankshaft bearingshells, exhaust systemelements and other as yetunspecified components as theS55 powerplant. It also usessimilar Valvetronic variablevalve control and DoubleVanos variable camshaftcontrol processes.
The result is a peakpower output of 365bhp at6500rpm, giving the M260bhp less than the M3 but30bhp more than the 1M. Incombination with a claimedkerb weight of 1495kg —40kg more than the M235ion which it is heavily based —it also gives the new BMW apower-to-weight ratioof◊
BMW’s rear-wheel-drive M2 coupé packs 365bhp from turbocharged straight six for 0-62mph in as little as
THISWEEK
beat Merc A45
The reworked engineprovides the performance
expected of anM car
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9
How theM2 compareswith its rivals
Price £46,575 £39,995 £39,995 £50,705Power 365bhp 376bhp 362bhp 321bhpTorque 343lb ft 350lb ft 343lb ft 273lb ftEngine 6 cyls, 2979cc, 4 cyls, 1991cc, 5 cyls, 2480cc, 6 cyls, 3436cc,
turbo, petrol turbo, petrol turbo, petrol petrolTransmission 7-spd dual-clutch auto 7-spd dual-clutch auto 7-spd dual-clutch auto 7-spd dual-clutch auto0-62mph 4.3sec 4.2sec 4.3sec 4.9secTop speed 155mph 155mph 155mph 174mphEconomy 35.8mpg (combined) 40.9mpg (combined) 34.9mpg (combined) 34.4mpg (combined)CO2 185g/km 162g/km 189g/km 190g/km
BMWM2M DCT
MERCEDES AMGA45 4MATIC
AUDI RS3SPORTBACK
PORSCHECAYMAN S PDK
4.3sec; on sale in theUK fromnextApril, with prices starting at£44,070
Δ244bhp per tonne, whichismarginally better thanthe 242bhp per tonne of theMercedesA454Matic.
M division is keen to talkup the torque qualities ofthe engine, but the 343lb ftproduced between 1400 and5560rpm is 62lb ft less thanthat of theM3 and26lb ftless than that of the 1 SeriesMCoupé. However, anoverboost function, activatedduring kickdown, raises peaktorque to 369lb ft between1450 and4750rpm forwhat BMWdescribes as an“extra-linear” delivery.
Buyers can choose betweena standard six-speedmanualgearbox featuring a throttle-blip function, or an optionalseven-speedDCT dual-clutchautomatic gearboxwith thechoice of bothmanual andautomaticmodes, Comfort,Sport and Sport + drivingmodes, launch control anda so-called SmokyBurnoutfunction, which allowswheelspin off the line. With theDCT gearbox, the kerbweightincreases by25kg to 1520kg.
10 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
M2 is smaller than theM3 overall but sharesits trackwidths
Interior embellishments include anMSport steering wheel, new instrument graphics, sports seats and a kneepad on the centre console
An overboost functionraises peak torqueduring kickdown
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 11
THISWEEK
wheels house 380mm frontand 370mmrear steel discbrakes, which are acted uponby four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers.
Inside, theM2 continues thetradition of subtle sportinessevident in all recent BMWMdivision offerings. Changesinclude unique instrumentgraphics, a leather-boundMSport steeringwheel (withintegral paddles onmodelsequippedwith the dual-clutchautomatic gearbox), sportseats in black leather withadjustable side bolsters,
an aluminium footrest anda centre console-mountedkneepad for the driver.
TheM2will be launchedin a coupé bodystyle only.Rumours have suggestedthatM division is preparing aconvertible variant, althoughthis is denied by insiders,who say the new car is beingpositioned first and foremostas a performance car that willserve as a springboard for anumber of racing variants,including a possible track-onlyGT4model in the future.GREG KABLE
I REMEMBERTHE feverbefore the 1 SeriesMCoupéwas officially announced.Might it be, wewondered,a basic, lightweight, thin-tyred, four-piston revmonster in the style of theoriginal E30M3?
Well, no, it wasn’t. It hada big six-cylinder engineand fat old tyres. At first,youmight have almost beendisappointed, but it turnedout that it was an immensegiggle. It has also set theprecedent for subsequentsub-3 and 4 SeriesM cars,
whosemould thisM2 isclearly from.
TheM2, then, carrieson fromwhere the 1 SeriesMCoupé left off, which isextremely encouraging.TheM235i fromwhich theM2 is spawned has alreadyon these pages seen off anM4and anAlpina versionof the same in a group test.We loved that the 2 Serieswas lighter,more agile andequally as engaging. All itneeded, we pondered, wasa bitmoreM-ness. And nowit’s set to get it. Goody.
MAT T PR I O R
Will it beworth thewait?
M2’s 3.0-litre turbo straight six produces 365bhp at 6000rpm
As on all M cars, an electroniclimited-slipM-differential,with a fully variable lockingeffect, is standard.
With the standardmanualgearbox, BMWsays theM2accelerates from0-62mph in4.5sec.With the DCT fitted, alower first gear ratio and theeffectiveness of the launchcontrol reduce the time to4.3sec. By comparison, thefacelifted A45hits 62mph ina claimed4.2sec. TheM2’snominal top speed is limitedto 155mph, but buyers canspecify a driver’s packagewhich raises it to 168mph.
The bullish-lookingM2 isvisually differentiated fromlesser 2 Series coupémodelsby a number of exterior designchanges, all described byBMWas being functional elements.
Included is a new andheavily structured frontbumperwithwinglets used tochannel cooling air to enlargedducts, a subtlymodifiedkidney grille featuring aBMWM logo, wider front and rearwings, a new side featureline and chrome highlights
housing the repeater lightsahead of the doors.
Further back, there arewider sills, a small boot lipspoiler and a prominent rearbumper housing an integraldiffuser withM division’ssignature quad tailpipes.
Together, the exteriordesign changes are claimed toreduce drag by5%aswell asreduce lift by up to 35%overthe standard 2 Series.
TheM2 is clearly thesmallest of all currentM cars.With a length of 4468mm,width of 1854mmand heightof 1410mm, it is 202mmshorter, 21mmnarrower and10mm lower than theM3. Italso has awheelbase that is117mmshorter than that of theM3, at 2693mm.
The latestM car rides ona largely bespoke chassis,which features tracks thatare increased inwidth by asubstantial 64mmat the frontand 71mmat the rear overthose used by the currentrange-topping 2 Seriesmodel,theM235i, at 1579mmand1601mm respectively. They’re
essentially the same tracksused by theM3 and its two-door sibling, theM4.
Additional bracingbetween the suspensiontowers helps to boost therigidity of the 2 Series coupé’ssteel body.M division has alsodispensedwith rear bushings,with theM2’s rear axlesubframe bolted directly tothe structure.
The suspension, featuringMacPherson struts up frontand a five-link arrangementat the rear, also receivesa number of lightweightcomponents, including forgedaluminiumcontrol arms andwheel carriers, in order tolower the unsprungweight bya claimed 3kg. The springs,dampers, front bushings, rollbars and electro-mechanicalsteering systemare also alluniquely tuned.
The newBMW rides on9Jx19in front and 10Jx19inrear wheels shodwith245/35 and265/35MichelinPilot Super Sport tyresrespectively. Featuring adouble-spoke design, the
12 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
The future of Bugatti isunder threat, after newVolkswagenGroup bossMatthiasMüller told
Germanmedia he is lookingto cut costs andmodeldevelopment in thewake of thecompany’s emissions scandal.
Autocar understandsthat although investment inmainstreamVWmodelswillcontinue, development of non-coremodels — including thenext-genVWPhaeton and theVeyron successor of VW-ownedBugatti — could be halted.
Müller toldworkers at VW’sWolfsburgHQ: “Wewill reviewall planned investments, andwhat isn’t absolutely vital willbe cancelled or delayed. I willbe completely clear: this won’tbe painless.
“In addition to the hugefinancial loss, this crisis isprimarily a crisis about a loss
of confidence. It affects thecore of our company and ouridentity, our cars and theessence of the brand: solidity,reliability and credibility.”
Müller added: “Ourmostimportant taskwill be toregain lost confidencewith ourcustomers, partners, investorsand the general public. The firststepwill be a fast and relentlessexamination and explanation.Onlywhen everything comesto the table, onlywhen thingsare completely explained, onlythenwill people trust us again.
“Believeme, I, too, amimpatient.But in this situation,inwhichwearedealingwith fourbrands andmanymodels, careismore important than speed.
“The technical solutionsto the problems are in sight.By contrast, the business andfinancial consequences are notyet foreseeable.”
VWhas already set aside€6.5 billion (£4.7bn) to coverthe costs of the scandal, butmany industry commentatorsbelieve that figurewill rise,possibly threefold. Since thescandal broke, VW’s share pricehas fallen by almost half.
TheVWGroup has alsoadmitted its cars could“theoretically” have used itsmanipulation software duringEuropean emissions tests, butit is trying to establishwhetherdoing sowould be illegal.
Asked byAutocar if VWhad establishedwhether theso-called defeat devicewasemployed during Europeanemissions testing, a spokesmansaid he could only confirm that“the software used in somediesel vehicles can theoreticallydetect a dynometer set-upand influence the emissionstrategy”. He added: “So far as
we know today, only vehicleswith diesel engines by codeEA189 are affected.”
The spokesman also raisedthe possibility that, even ifVWGroup cars are found tohave employed the softwaremanipulation system inEuropean tests, itmay notbreach regulations. “It is notcertainwhether this functioncan be categorised as adefeat device under Europeanstandards,” he said.
Müller has confirmedthat technicians are close torevealing a technical solutionto the defeat devices onaffected cars. He said somecarswill require only a softwareupgrade but otherswill alsoneed hardwaremodifications.
When questioned by theUSHouse ofRepresentatives, theboss of VW’sUSoperations,Michael Horn, saidmost cars in
Americawill requiremore thana software update, andVW isexploring adding a selectivecatalytic reduction systemonaround 325,000 cars. For latercars, a simple software fix or anew sensor could be all that isrequired, he said.
Horn said the changesshould not affect fuel economybut could have a slight impacton performance. If this is thecase, there is a chance that VWwill offer compensation to itsowners, but the precise formthiswould take has not yetbeen clarified. “Wewill look tocompensating our customers ifthere is a significant impact onperformance,” he said.
However, Horn said thiswould not take the formof afull refund. He said: “Our planis not to buyback the inventory.It is to fix the cars.”GREG KABLE/TOMWEBSTER
Chiron, the Veyronsuccessor, looks likelyto be put on hold now
Bugatti’s futureat riskVW-owned hypercarmaker faces the prospect of its new-model plans being delayed or cancelled
VWscandallatest
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT THE VW SCANDAL THIS WEEK
THISWEEK
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 13
1Company bosses onlylearned about the defeat
device on about 3 September,according to VWUS bossMichael Horn, although it knewof irregularities in spring 2014.
Five things the VWGroup could ditch to save cash
BUDGET BRANDTheVWGroup has beenworking on a low-cost sub-brand for emergingmarketsfor years. But every timethe bean counters runthe numbers onwhat theengineers are proposing,they say it doesn’t stackup. Expect VW to park thisand focus onmaking thenext Up,Mii and Citigomore of a success.
NICHEMODELSAhardcore VWGolf GTIthat costsmore than£35kand can hit 62mph in under4.0sec is a tough sell for abrand desperate to appearin tunewith themainstreamcustomer. So theR400could be put on the backburner. Bentley’s babyV8sports car could be anothervictim. TheUKbrandmaybe forced to focus on thesold-out Bentayga instead.
NEXT-GENERATIONPHAETONVW’s flagship has never earnedits keep, and it’s harder thanever now to see the potentialmarket for a £60,000 saloonwith a VWbadge on the grille.The next generation of thePhaeton is due soon, but itcould be postponed — or evenshelved altogether.
BUGATTIThe idea of a €1million-plushypercar in your line-upwhenyou’re desperate to appearhumble in the eyes of thewider public is an awkwardone.Wilder speculation saysBugatti could be sold off. Amore likely scenario is thatthe Veyron’s successor, theChiron, will be delayed until theheat dies down.
MOTORSPORTVWhas just won theWorldRally Championship title forthe third time and has only juststarted developing aPolo forthe next set of regulations,due to come into force in2017. Themoney involved isa drop in the ocean. But thePR effect of still going rallyingwhile losing staff and axingroad-going projectsmay provemore of a hurdle to continuedmotorsport involvement.
OFFICIALLY, VWHAS setaside almost £5 billion forthe ‘dieselgate’ costs, butanalysts are betting on afinal bill of around£18bn —a sum that would probablybe enough to pay for thenext 10 generations ofthe Golf.
In circumstances asdire as these, a companylike VWwould be at risk ofbeing bought up by hostilebidders and then broken up.
However, the foundingPorsche andPiëch clanown just over 52%of VW.Another 20% is owned bythe Germany state of LowerSaxony. Neither of theseshareholders is going tosell up, so VW is safe fromahostile takeover.
The commercial truckdivision is the outlier forVW. Both Scania andManmakemoney (£700m forScania, £282m forMan).If VW’s financial situationworsens, these two could besold off to raise cash.
But the real cost savingwill be at the bloated VWbrand. VW sold 6.1m cars in2014 but turned amarginof just 2.5%. The real costcuttingwill have to comehere, wheremargins shouldbe around the 7% thatSkoda achieved.
But if VW ends up beinghit financially very hard,like BPwas after the oil spillin the Gulf ofMexico, sellingsome of the family silvermight be unavoidable.
H I LTON HO L LOWAY
Will VWhave to break up?
2The use of defeat deviceswas not a company-wide
plan, apparently. “This was nota corporate decision as far asI know,” said Horn. “It was acouple of software engineers.”
3Horn claims to have beenkept in the dark about the
devices. “I agree it’s very hardto believe [that it was only acouple of engineers],” he said.“Personally, I struggle aswell.”
4The first recalls of carsaffected by the emissions
scandal are due to start inJanuary andVWhopes to havefixed all affected vehicles bythe end of 2016.
5Prosecutors arecontinuing their
investigation andGermanofficials have searchedVW’sWolfsburg headquarters aspart of the process.
The roll-out of the 2016model-year Porsche911has gainedmomentumwith the unveiling of
the faceliftedCarrera 4 andCarrera 4S in coupé andcabriolet body styles, alongwith the Targa4 andTarga4S.
Set tomake their publicdebuts at nextmonth’sLosAngelesmotor showbeforeUKdeliveries start early nextyear, thewide-bodied, four-wheel-drive 911models adoptsimilarmodifications to theirrear-wheel-drive siblings,revealed at lastmonth’sFrankfurtmotor show.
Most significant among themechanical changes is the newtwin-turbocharged 3.0-litrehorizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. It replacesthe naturally aspirated 3.4-litresix-cylinder unit in the911Carrera 4 and Targa4.
The newpowerplant deliversan extra 20bhp and45lb ft,with 365bhpnowavailable at6500rpmand332lb ft from1700rpm through to5000rpm.
In the911 Carrera 4S andTarga4S, it replaces thenaturally aspirated 3.8-litrehorizontally opposed six-cylinder engine. It offers asimilar 20bhp and45lb ftincrease, with 414bhp and369lb ft nowavailable.
ZENOSCEOMARKEdwardsinsists the companywill beprudentabout futureexpansion. “Ourcurrentpremises,whichare leased,haveacapacityof250carsayear,”he says. “Wewillonlygo forbiggerpremiseswhenweneed them. I’ve seentoomanypeople in thisbusinessbuildginpalacefactories, thensuffer for it.”
SKODA’S2015SALESarecurrentlyup2.9%on lastyear’s, despite a catastrophicdrop inRussia,where they’vefallennearly35%.Meanwhile,thebrand’s sales inwesternEuropehave risenby4.6%and incentralEuropeby6.6%.However, in its ‘Rest oftheWorld’ group–whichincludesTurkeyandsomeAfrican regions– theyhaveincreasedbyalmost29%.
INSIDERSSUGGESTTHEcritically acclaimedNissanIDXconcepthasnotbeenruledout forproductionbutputon icewhile the companyfocuseson its coreproducts.The retro-lookingsports carwasdeemed tooniche forimmediateproduction.
BMWMARKETINGBOSSIanRobertsonhashinted thatthenext i-badgedvehicle couldbeanSUV. “Theyareaccounting foran increasingamountof salesglobally, so itcouldmakesense,”he said.“Thereare cost challenges tomakingsmall electric vehicles,but all I cansaynowis thattherewill beanother i car.”
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15
O F F I C I A L P I C T U R E S
Revised 4 and 4S coupe´,cabriolet and Targawill be unveiled in LA
Options include a PDKgearbox and a four-wheel steer system
The four-wheel-drive911 Carrera 4 and4S coupémanage0-62mph in 4.1sec and3.8sec respectively —0.1secquicker than before —withthe optional PDKdual-clutchautomatic gearbox. The topspeed has also increased, withtheCarrera 4S coupé nowreaching a claimed 190mph.
Porsche says its new twin-turbo engine is up to 12%moreeconomical than before, withtheCarrera 4Cabriolet andCarrera 4SCabriolet achieving35.8mpgand35.3mpgrespectively. Figures for thecoupé are yet to be revealed.
wheel-drive variants receivePorsche’s Active SuspensionManagement (PASM) systemas standard. It providesadaptive damping and brings a10mmreduction in ride height.
A newoption on the911Carrera 4S is a four-wheelsteer systemsimilar to thatused by the911 Turbo andGT3.Also available is a hydraulic liftfunction that can raise the rideheight by40mm.
On the outside, the 911Carrera and Targa4 and4Shave a redesigned frontbumperwith active air ductsthat open and close to channelair to the front-mountedradiators, revised headlights
with altered internal graphics,larger doormirror housingsand newdoor handles.
They also get a redesignedair vent on the rear-mountedengine,modified tail-lightsand a new rear bumperwith airvents to channel hot air awayfrom the engine.
Wider rearwheel arches anda horizontal light band thatruns between the tail-lightswill continue to distinguish thefour-wheel-drive 911s from therear-drive editions.
Prices starts at £81,398 fortheCarrera 4 coupé, rising to£99,684 for theCarrera 4SCabriolet and Targa4S.GREG KABLE
RACING CAYMAN CONFIRMEDPorschewill launch amotorsport version of itsCaymanGT4. TheClubsportwill use the same380bhp engine as the road car. It will lose apassenger seat but gain an integrated roll cageand a bucket seatwith a six-point harness.
FOUR-STAR SCORE FOR MX-5TheMazdaMX-5 has scored four stars in thelatest EuroNCAPcrash tests. It wasmarkeddown for not having city braking. TheVauxhallViva also got a four-star rating for its crashperformance. TheHyundai Tucson earned five.
16 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Toyotawill preview a newentry-level sports carwhen it unveils the S-FRconcept at thismonth’s
Tokyomotor show.The lightweight coupé
is described as being “funto drive”, with “smooth,responsive and direct handlingthat gives a real sense ofcommunication betweencar and driver”. The S-FR’sdimensionsmake it shorter,narrower and lower than thecurrent GT86 coupé.
Autocar understands thatpower for the front-enginedrear-wheel-drive conceptcomes froma 1.5-litrenaturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine, which
develops around 130bhp. Itis coupled to a six-speedmanual transmission.
The concept features astripped-out interior withalmost no button-operatedcontrols. Most of theinformation inside isdisplayed via the car’s digitalinstrument cluster.
Toyota says the concepthas been envisionedwith tuning and futurecustomisation inmind andis designed to be “the kind ofvehicle that attracts its owndie-hard fan base”.
Although it is not yetconfirmed for production, theS-FR could easily slot belowthe current GT86 in Toyota’s
range. Such positioningwouldallow it to act as a rival toother lightweight sports cars,such as theMazdaMX-5 andupcoming Fiat 124 Spider.
That would also leave aslot above the GT86 for thelarger andmore powerfulSupra replacement, which iscurrently being developed inpartnership with BMW.
That partnership could alsoyield a small BMWsports car inthe formof the long-rumouredZ2 to act as a sistermodel forthe S-FR. AsAutocar reportedin 2013, the Z2would be basedon the sameUKL1 platformthat underpins theMini andBMW2Series Active Tourer.DARRENMOSS
The S-FR could usea 130bhp normallyaspirated 1.5 petrol
S FRpreviewsToyota’sMX 5A lightweight Toyota coupé for enthusiasts to drive and customise is revealed in concept form
THEMITSUBISHI EXconceptwill be revealed atthe Tokyomotor show toshowcase the future of thecompany’s EV technology.
The all-electric and compactSUVwould be positioned belowtheOutlander in the firm’s line-up. The name is said to standfor “electric X (cross)-over”,according to the company.
Aswell as the electricpowertrain, it will comewith an
all-wheel drive system, activesafety and connected car andautomated driving systems.
Mitsubishi says the eXis representative of thecompany’s future designdirection, both inside andoutside. The car features anew interpretation of theso-called ‘Dynamic Shield’front-end design.
Mitsubishi has previouslytoldAutocar of its plans to
expand its SUV line-up, witha range of five suchmodelsscheduled to appear by 2020.
Therewill be newmodelsbetween theASXandOutlander, and theOutlanderandShogun. TheASXwillshrink and theOutlanderwillgrow to accommodate the newvehicles. The size of the eXsuggests it is previewing thelook of a smaller ASXor themodel just above it.
Mitsubishi sets out electric futurewith newSUV
SF-R is rear-wheel drive and smaller than the Toyota GT86 coupé
SUZUKI LINES UP COMPACT SUVSuzuki will unveil the production version ofits iM-4 concept at Tokyo, alongside severalnew concepts. TheMightyDeck features aretractable soft-top roof and theAir Triser hasthree rowsof seats that canbe laidout likea sofa.
LEXUS GIVES CLUES TO NEW LSLexus plans to unveil a luxurious concept carat the Tokyo show—andAutocar understandsit will closely preview the next-generation LSsaloon. The LS is expected to feature aV8hybridpowertrainwith around535bhp.
Subaru gives go-ahead to new Impreza hatch
TOKYOMOTORSHOW
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 17
ANEWGENERATIONof theSubaru Impreza has beenconfirmed. It will be previewedby a thinly disguised concept atthe Tokyo show thismonth.
Official design sketchesshow the next Imprezawill takeon a farmore conventionalhatchback shape than itspredecessor but retain anovertly angular appearance.
The newcarwill be thefirst built under Subaru’sProminence 2020 initiative,announced last year. It will usea newplatform thatwill formthe basis of all future Subarus.The production car is duetowards the end of next year.
Powertrains for the newImpreza aren’t expected tobe confirmeduntil closer toits launch. However, they’reunderstood to include animproved flat fourwith cylinderdeactivation technology. Thecurrent Impreza runs a 112bhp1.6-litre flat four petrol.
Also on display in Tokyowillbe an updatedViziv hybrid SUVconcept. Although it doesn’tpreview anymodel, the conceptshows howautonomous drivingtechnology could be applied toSubaru’s road cars.
Dubbed theViziv FutureConcept, it uses an evolution ofSubaru’s Eyesight assistance
system—which features radarsand cameras linked toGPSandnavigation data — to provide360deg collision avoidance.Subaru says the car is capableof driving autonomously on themotorway and self-parking.
TheViziv’s four-wheel-drivehybrid powertrain has the same168bhp 1.6-litre diesel as theLevorg and features a singleelectricmotormounted at therear. That’s a departure fromthe previous Viziv concept,shown last year, which featureda diesel-electric set-upwiththree electricmotors beingused to power both axles.DARRENMOSS
This official sketchpreviews Subaru’snew Impreza concept
Viziv concept has been updated to showcase new autonomous tech
Electric Nissan to showoff bold high-tech cabinNISSAN’S TOKYOCONCEPT,called the Teatro for Dayz, issaid to provide unparalleledlevels of connectivity.
The concept is similar inappearance to the old Cubehatchback and is designed toresemble theminimalist lookofmodern tech devices. It alsosports Nissan’s familiar ‘Vmotion’ grille at the front.
Themain focus is onthe interior, where the
dashboard, seats, door trimand instrument panel can beconfigured to display photosandmoving images.
Nissan calls the cabin a“future canvas”, with thedesign ditching traditionalbuttons. Instead, commandsformost infotainment andclimate functions are carriedout through voice commandsand gesture controls.
Nissan says the information
displayed inside can change,depending on how the conceptis being used.When driving,the digital instrument panelshows navigation data.Whenparked, that is replaced bycustomartwork and pictures.
No details of the electricdrivetrain have been released,but Nissan says the Teatrofor Dayz could be seen as an“indication of what people willexpect of EVs in the future”.
KIKAI’S INSIDES OUT ON SHOWDesigned to show the beauty ofmachines andengineering, the ToyotaKikai concept featuresmany of its internal components on the outside,including the engine, fuel tank and suspensionarms. Theminimalist interior seats three people.
INNOVATIVE NEW TOYOTA EVToyota’s FCVPlus is described as a new type ofhydrogenEVbecause it can resupply energyto local communities from its batteries, aswellas generate electricity fromexternal hydrogensupplies. The concept has four in-wheelmotors.
Concept’s futuristic cabin reflects changing expectations of EVs
18 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Honda is looking to rebuildits British andwiderEuropean operationswith“five newmodels” after
years of collapsing sales inwestern Europe.
In themedium term, Hondawill launch a new andmuchless controversially styledCivic range. The newCivics —previewed by a concept at theNewYork show inApril andexpected in 2017 —will heralda fresh range of downsizedturbocharged petrol enginesto replaceHonda’s trademarkhigh-revving naturally
aspirated petrolmotors.Honda’s Swindon plant
will become the global HQ forproduction of the newCivichatch. The firm’s willingnessto invest in European-focusedproduct is underlined by thefact that out of the 26millionengines the company buildseach year, just 100,000 arethe 1.6-litre diesel, which iscurrently only sold in Europe.
Last year, Honda sold about4.5mvehicles across theglobe. However, just 150,000of those found homes inEurope.More remarkably,
Honda bosses estimate that, ofthe 150,000EuropeanHondasales, asmany as 60,000units are sold in UK.
Phil Webb, the newheadof HondaUK’s cars division,said the arrival of theHR-Vcompact crossover and the all-newJazzwill be backed up bythe facelifted Civic and CR-Vcrossover (including the newtwin-turbo diesel version) inthe push to regrow the brand.
Philip Crossman, HondaUK’smanaging director, saidthe newCivic TypeR is alsovital in getting consumers to
re-engagewithHonda. Themodel will have a limited two-year production run and is nowalso scheduled to be exportedto Japan. The arrival of theNSXhybrid supercar next yearwill also help Honda’s visibilitywith new car buyers.
AlthoughHonda sees theUKas having great potentialfor increased sales, Webbsaid the French andGermanmarkets will be a “much biggerchallenge” for the brand.
Webb said: “We think thatwe can raiseUK sales to80,000per year. That would
be an organic and naturalgrowth for us.”
Webb said he thinks thereis in theUK “great pent-updemand for the newJazz”,which remains highly popularwith its loyal customer base.
Webb also said Honda isbehind in the adoption of PCPsales at its UK dealers. PCPsthat its dealers have executedso far have had a buyerretention rate of up to 70%.He added that keeping buyerswithin the brand is somethingcarmakers arekeen to see.HILTON HOLLOWAY
NewCivic is expectedto draw heavily on thisconcept version
HondainEuro ightbackbidHonda is planning to clawback lost sales in theUKandmainlandEuropewith a raft of newmodels
BMW IS INVESTIGATING ahigh-profile racing comebackat LeMans, withmarketingboss IanRobertson admittinga return to the famous24-hour endurance race “ison the agenda”.
However, Robertsonstopped short of sayingwhich class of racing BMWwas currently investigating,highlighting only that theBMWM6GT3 car showedintent to compete.
Autocar revealed in Julythat BMW is considering amore high-profile assaulton the race, possibly using aradical hydrogen-powered fuelcell race car in 2018.
It is not clear whether BMW
would enter the car at LeMansin an established class or asan experimental vehicle in thenon-competitive ‘Garage 56’category that has includedNissan’s electrically assistedDeltawing andZEOD racers inrecent years.
Robertson appeared toplay down the option of thenon-competitive category,saying: “Garage 56 is not thatwell known, andwe have to beconscious of the return onany investment.”
BMW took its sole victoryat LeMans in 1999, runningtheBMWV12LMRLeMansprototype that was built inconjunctionwith theWilliamsFormula 1 team.
BMWcontemplates a return to LeMans 24 Hours
BMW’s only overall win at the LeMans24Hourswas in 1999with the V12 LMR, co-developed byWilliams
It’s said that if you askcommercial pilotswhat theirfavourite aircraft is, they’llall tell you it’s the one they’re
flying at the time.Curious, if true. They can’t all
be right and they can’t all, deepdown, really believe it, can they?
Orperhaps they can.Quiteoften,we’ll ask peoplewhatthey think about the cars theydrive. Sometimes, I’ll know thatobjectively the car a friend oracquaintance has bought is averitable bag of spanners, butask themabout it and you’llreceive the cheery answer: “Oh,yeah, I really like it – best car I’veever owned!” (Thediplomaticresponse here is: “Oh, good.”)
Granted, not everybodydrivesevery rival, but theymust realisesomeof the faults their car hascomparedwith others. They justchoose to overlook them.
I have a theory that this isbecause there’s something aboutthe humanpsyche inwhichfamiliarity breeds not contempt,but quite the opposite. Thatmost
They mustrealise some ofthe faults theircar has. Theyjust choose tooverlook them
Prior’s previous long-term test car was a Toyota GT86; he loved it
of us are, in someway, naturallyoptimistic; or that even ifwe’renot,wewant to get through theday as painlessly as possible, sowill overlook foibles.
Youmight note thatmoststaffers here like the long-termtest carswe run. Some cynics saythat obviouslywe like our long-termers becauseweget paid byour publisher to run around inthem for free.
Actually, the truth is that staffhere, unlike onmanymagazines,pay a company car tax burdenfor running long-termers.
Enough, in fact, thatwould giveus a fairly broad choice from thenewcarmarket.
Yet I’mdriving aLandRoverDefender andbefore that ran aToyotaGT86.Over the years,I’ve run a Subaru Impreza, aFordFocus, a Jaguar F-Type andaHyundai SantaFe. All havebeen irrevocably compromisedin someway and yet, every time,I’ve strolled out of the house inthemorning and thought: “Well,there’s hardly another car I’drather be in today!”Objectively,isn’t that anutterly deludedwayof thinking?
Clearly, though, it’s notanunusual one, especially ifwe’re talking about justifying adecisionwe’vemade ourselves.Which of us likes beingwrong?“Mate,what do you think ofthat car you’ve just spent 20grandon?” is never going toelicit the response: “It’s absolutepish. Iwish I’d never boughtthe damned thing. Frankly, thedealer sawme coming, I got aterrible deal and I’man idiot.”
But, deepdown, I’mquiteencouragedby that, becauseit shows an innate affectionforwhat is, ultimately, amachine, a tool.Nobody saysaffectionate things about afridge or an iron. Yet an airliner,or a car?As if they’re friends,we accept their foibles. And thatmeanswe like them, anddespiteall the crap that’s going in theworld ofmotoring, the love ofcars lives on.
Prior’s current long-term test car is a
Defender; he loves it
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 19
LAMBORGHINI PLANSTOexpand theHuracán rangebeyond the recent addition oftheSpyder, company officialshave revealed.
The 202mphSpyderwasrevealed at the Frankfurtmotor show,where companyR&DchiefMaurizioReggiani
said “you can imagine all thederivatives” thatwill follow theHuracánSpyder.
Most likely are amorepowerful variant and a lighter,more focused rear-wheel-drive version, something thatwould follow the strategy thecompany used for theGallardo.
More Huracáns due
HONDA’S FALLFROMgrace — or failure to gaintraction — in Europe isone of the car industry’sbiggestmysteries.
The firmhas a longhistory of building highlyreliablemachinery and ithas been putting a lot ofeffort into its Europeanmodels since the space-age Civic was unveilednearly a decade ago.
But in the first eightmonths of this year,Honda sales in westernEurope continued to dip,dropping just over 7%to 73,400 cars. In 1990Honda had just 1.2%of the
EUmarket. It peaked at2% in 2007 but slid to justover 1% last year.
There’s no justice.The CR-V sells in hugenumbers in theUS andthe Jazz is arguably thecleverest,most practicalsupermini available. In thewake of the diesel scandal,perhaps its world-leadingexpertise in petrol engineswill finally deliver a boost.
I never wear T-shirts, but I’mmaking an exception for thisone, produced by theArielAtomOwners Club for its10th anniversary. The saintlyfigure is Ariel’s founder andinspiration, Simon Saunders.He hates thewhole concept,but that won’t stop ownerswearing it with pride.
Kia Soul EV shouldmanage a 95-mile commute — at amodest speed
So far, superb drivingposition is our XE’sstandout feature
Portraying a caras easier to usebecause it’sdirtier seemsquite out ofcharacter
MONDAYFirst decentdrive inour JaguarXEdiesel long-termer, a roundtripof 150miles:London,Midlands,Gloucestershire.This is the 178bhpdieselwitheight-speedauto,which strikesmeas topvalue, given that itstarts around£32,000. It goes,too. Iwas surprised todiscoverits0-60mph timewasonly7.4sec, because thepowertrain–comprisinga2.0-litredieselwith317lb ft plus eight easy-shifting ratios–gives a strongresponseat any speed.
Onecriticism:havingdrivenquite a fewelectric cars lately,I’d like theXE’s response tobemore linear, especially fromrest. Likemany, the Jaggivesyouapause followedbya surge.
Thebest thing forme isthe superbdrivingposition.Knowinghowmanypackaginghurdlesdesignershave tonegotiate, I canhardlybelievehowtailored it is: perfect seatshapeandposition, ideal controllayout and instrument view,great sight lines. Itwill be awrench togive this carback.
FRIDAYTheChargemasterbloke cametoGloucestershire today to fitour electric car chargingpoint.My immediateplan is touseaKiaEV togo the95milesbackand forth toLondon.Kia’sofficial rangeclaim is 132miles.MrEditorBurthasalreadyusedthe car for an87-mile round tripand returnedwith 19miles tospare, so I’mnotworriedaboutconking in transit. The interestwill be indiscoveringhowfasttheKiaEVcancruise. I’ll behappywith65mph,which Ireckonwill beabreeze.
Takea lookat theMilwebsite,saidahelpful friend, you’ll finddozens. I didandhewas right,but as a result the ideadied.Tengrandgets youabasketcase, thenumberof varieties isintimidating, falseprovenanceseemsan issueand, likemanysimple, high-valuevehicles,Jeepsattract bodgers.ThinkI’ll just keepenjoyingotherpeople’s as theydriveby…
WEDNESDAYInteresting to seehowsomequartersof thewidermediahave taken theVWfuroreasanexcuse to lambast the specialistmotoringwebsites for animaginedderelictionofduty.Autocarhas largely escaped,not least through theefforts ofMrHolder,whoseappearancesasa radioandTelevision
And another thing…
This week’s new carsFIRSTDRIVESQUICK FACTSPRICE £69,995ON SALENOW
Lexus GS FT
heLexusGSFhas been on thestarting blocks for several years.Lexus’s F divisionwas readyto launch it back in 2010, using
the third-generationGSas a basis –only for global financial conditionsto be deemed toohostile. So it’swith a strong sense of relief that theJapanese firm is nowgetting ready toput its first full-size super-saloon intoshowrooms and slide another featherinto the bandof its cap.Like the ISF, LFAandRCFbefore
it, theGSF is anunconventionalkind of performance car that speaksvolumes about Lexus’s alternativeapproach. If itwere built by aGermancarmaker’s performance arm, itwould inevitably bemore powerful,more expensive and turbocharged.But instead of focusing onpower andoutright sledgehammerpace, Lexuscounterswith noise, excitementand ‘performance feel’. A 471bhpatmospheric 5.0-litreV8 engine isthemain conduit of all three,with abuilding torquedelivery quite unlikethewallopingmid-range of the turboV8snowcommon in theniche.
Elsewhere, Lexus has gone to rarelengths to give theGSF the tools itneeds to take on themight of Bavaria.New joining techniques, alongsidebracing of the car’s body-in-white,add about 10% to the static torsionalstiffness of theGS’smonocoquechassis,while lightweight forgedaluminiumcontrol arms, new rearsuspensionmounts, lowered andstiffened springs andupratedZFSachs dampers bring sportingpurpose to the suspension. Brakingis byBrembodiscs all round.If all of that sounds familiar, it’s
because theRCFusedmany of thesame ingredients. But theRCF’smain penalty against its rivalswasweight. TheGSFactuallyweighssignificantly less than the currentBMWM5and less than aMercedes-AMGE63. It also gets the substantialtorque-vectoring rear differentialas standard that its two-door cousinoffered only as an option.On themove, theGSF is firm, flat,
pointy andnoisy, so lots of things youmight imagine that customerswouldwant their super-saloon to be– and
yet, I suspect, still not quitewhat lotsof those buyers reallywant.Handlingprecision anddriver engagement arenot the car’s problem.TheGSF isright up therewith themost taut andresponsive saloons of its ilk, offeringthe same sort of onenesswith theroad surface andkeenness to changedirection as the currentC63.Accurate, informative, confidence-
inspiring steering is a particular
Standard torque-vectoring rear differential aids traction rather than adjustability
22 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
11.10.15, Spain Lexus continues to plough its own furrow as it takes on the likes of the BMWM5
highlight (although youneedSportS+mode to get the best out of it). Thecarmakes itsmassmore apparentmid-corner, and the active diff ismuchbetter at puttingpower ontothe road andbolstering stabilitythan indulging youwithmuchadjustability. But that handlingcompromise,whichwill bewhatmanydriverswillwant from the car,undoubtedly has a place alongside
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 23
FIRSTDRIVE
AAABCPrice £69,995Engine V8, 4969cc, petrolPower 471bhp at 7100rpmTorque 391lb ft at 4800-5600rpmGearbox 8-spd automaticKerbweight 1865kgTop speed 168mph0-62mph 4.6secEconomy 25.2mpg (combined)CO2/tax band 260g/km, 37%
A fine chassis, engine andownership proposition, butmorecurio than credible alternative
Agood auto ’box knows thedifference between aquickly flexedaccelerator (usually a prompt tochangedown) and agently squeezedone (hold this cog andpour onthe good stuff, please). TheGSF’sdoesn’t. It also assumes that onceyouget past about 80% throttle, yousimplymustwant it to kick down–but you seldomdo. You’re just usingthatmuchpedal because youhave to,whatwith only having 391lb ft to use.TheGSF is, however,worth a test
drive, because there’s a chance you’lljust prefer it to itsmore reservedrivals. It is good value comparedwithmost of the alternatives, andbecauseit’s a Lexus it’s got abundantmaterialquality, an immaculate cabin,sublime seats, a great equipmentlevel and strong refinement.But ultimately it’s neither as big-
hittingnor as broad-batted as themore thoroughly executedGermansit’s seeking to supplant, and itsmainselling point – that atmosphericpowertrain– is still a longway frombeing all that itmight.MATT SAUNDERSTheGSF is lighter than both theBMWM5andMercedes E63; auto ’box is a hindrance
StandardGS’s four-door body has had its torsional stiffness increased by 10%; normally aspirated5.0-litre V8produces471bhp and391lb ft
Active SoundControl plays a synthesised engine note in the cabin, but it’s best left switched off so theV8’s noise can be appreciated on its own
the overt hooliganismof some rivals.Switch the annoyingActive Sound
Control noise generating systemoff and thatV8 sounds authentic,rousing andmellifluous. You’d justsooner it didn’t clear its throat sosuddenly at 4000rpmbut rathermademore of a raspingburble lowerdown. Still, the change in characterat that point is relatively unaffectingcomparedwith how frustrating LEXUSGS F
the eight-speed gearbox canbe inautomaticmode andhowslowandinconsistent it feels inmanual. Rowupanddown the ratios using thepaddles and you’ll find some changesare bundled throughquite harshlyandotherswith silken smoothness,but none comes as quickly as it needsto. SelectD instead and the kickdowncharacteristics becomenearlyimpossible to predict.
Porsche Boxster SpyderA
notherweek, another Porschebothering the fifth star of theverdict panel. This here is theBoxster Spyder, and youmight
remember the previous one: itwasa faster, lighter,more powerful,special Boxster that had amanuallyoperated, emergency-style hood thatwas difficult to remove–unless youwere doing 120mph, atwhichpointit apparently removed itselfwithimpressive vigour.The thinking, this time, is similar,
only there’smore power.Quite a lotmore. Instead of aCaymanS engine,which raised the power to not a lotmore than that of aBoxster S lasttime, Porschehas taken its cue fromthe recentCaymanGT4andgiven theSpyder the 3.8-litre engine from thePorsche 911Carrera S.Itmakes 370bhp, rather than the
380bhpof theGT4, but I suspect thatwon’t be a deal breaker, especiallywhen you consider that the Spyderis 25kg lighter than theGT4. That’sdespite the fact that the hood, thistime, shaves only 10kg from theregularBoxster’sweight, because
it’s a rathermore serious affairthanbefore. It still requiresmanualdexterity – and a jog around the rearof the car – to lower or raise it, butit takes only aminute or two, ratherthan five or 10. It’s also fine in anautomatic carwash and can copewith the car’s full performance, ofwhich there is plenty: a 180mph topspeed and a0-62mph timeof 4.5sec.Underneath, the Spyder’s
suspension ismoreGTS thanGT4.The only difference from theBoxsterGTS is a tweaked rear anti-roll bar,to copewith the various demands ofa slightly heavier engine,marginallylighter body, quite a lotmore powerandwider, 265-section rear tyres.What that extra power gives
the Spyder ismore accessibleperformance than in theGTS,withwhich it shares its gearing. You stillhave towork it – 310lb ft of peaktorque arrives at 4570rpmandpeakpower not until 6700rpm–butthere’s enoughpower from low revsto punch the 1315kgSpyder downthe road in higher gearswithdecent enthusiasm.
QUICK FACTSPRICE £60,459ON SALENOW
Toget into the realmeat of thenaturally aspirated engine’s range,you’ll need revs, so you can findyourself travelling a gear or twolower thanusual.Unsettling the tailfor the cornering shot you see abovewanted first gear. But, hey, this isa sports car, after all, and there’s ashorter-throwgearlever,with one ofthe crispest, cleanest shifts aroundtomake best effect of it. Swapping
Extra powermakes the performancemore flexible; ride settleswell at higher speeds
24 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
It makes 370bhp,rather than the380bhp of the GT4,but I suspect thatisn’t a deal breaker
5.10.15, OxfordshireMost powerful and focusedBoxster yet continues Porsche’s winning streak
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 25
FIRSTDRIVE
AAAAAPrice £60,459Engine 6 cyls, 3800cc, petrolPower 370bhp at 6700rpmTorque 310lb ft at 4750-6000rpmGearbox 6-spdmanualKerbweight 1315kgTop speed 180mph0-62mph 4.5secEconomy 28.6mpgCO2/tax band 230g/km, 37%
The greatest driver’s Boxster yet,far enough removed from the GTSas to beworth the compromise
thewet, at least, there’s a smidgeonof understeer.Despite it having alimited-slip differential and adealmore power (45bhp) thanaBoxsterGTS, youhave to befairly tanking along or, as alreadymentioned, in a ridiculously lowgear,to unsettle the car beyond that.But if youdo, you’ll likewhat
you find: a sharp, predictable,adjustable andultimatelytrustworthy cornering companion,with far keener feedback andengagement thanprettymuch anyother convertible this side of theaforementioned lightweights.All the focus and rawness of a
CaymanGT4, then?Not quite. Butit would beunreasonable to expectthat, it’s not as far away as you’dthink, and on the road it’s often justas rewarding. I’m tryinghard tothink of good reasons not to awardtheBoxster Spyder the full gamut ofstars. That aGT4andGT3RShaverecently nabbed similar is the bestreason I can think of.Which isn’t agood enoughone at all.MATT PRIORCarbon-ceramic brakes are a £5k extra
It takes provocation to unseat the rear, despite the power and limited-slip diff; fabric roof operatesmanually but its fastening is semi-automatic
One of the best things about sitting in this seat isn’t the kit or Alcantara trimbut the exquisite operation of the steering, pedals and gearshift
ratios is one of the purest drivingpleasures there is.It’s coupled to other similarly
precise controls. The steering rack,faster than anormalBoxster’s,comes froma911Turbo.Our testcar camewith five grand’sworth ofcarbon-ceramic brakes, too,whichare lighter than standard steel brakesand,whatever the effect on stoppingpower (you’re unlikely to trouble the PORSCHEBOXSTERSPYDER
steels except on a track on awarmday), carbon-ceramics tend tobenefit steering,making it that bitlighter andmore delicate but no lessintuitive or feelsome.Brake pedal feel, clutch feel and
throttleweight and response are allfirst class, too. The Spyder gives youthe impression that proper drivershave spent hour after hour on testtracks, honing controlweights andresponses until they’re absolutelyjust so. So thatwhen you ask, youget.It’s the sort of thing thatmakes theSpyder satisfying at any speed.At lower speeds, that satisfaction
comeswith less jarring than you’dexpect, given the 235/35ZR20 frontand265/35ZR20 rear tyres. Andwith less shake. Inmost convertibles,you candetect a little rear-viewmirror shimmyacross dodgysurfaces.Not so in theBoxster.At higher speeds, the ride settles
nicely, control responses stay aslinear andpredictable as those of anymanufacturer this side of CaterhamorAriel currentlymakes them, andthe handling is as you’d expect. In
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 27
FIRSTDRIVE
QUICK FACTSPRICE £38,135ON SALENOW
Audi A4 3.0 TDI 272 S line quattro
Upmarket ambience is enhancedbyAudi’s £450virtual cockpit; bodycontrol is disciplined, but anaesthetised steeringdisappoints
We’ve beengenerally impressedby the fifth-generationAudiA4 thus far. Although tweaksto its styling are onlyminor,
improvements to the interior andengine rangehave been enough tokeep theA4 competitive againstrivals fromBMW,Mercedes-Benzand, latterly, Jaguar.This is the first timewe’ve driven
the range-topping3.0TDI.With268bhp and442lb ft at its disposal,this A4has themeasure, onpaper atleast, of BMW’s 330d xDrive,whichcomeswith 258bhp and413lb ft.TheAudi’s V6 engine is a tweaked
version of the one that appeared inthe previous-generationA4,withimprovements to power (up 11%),emissions and fuel economy. ClaimedCO2 output has fallen by 21% to137g/km,while combined economyis now54.3mpg (whenon 19inwheels, as our carwas).The S line version reviewedhere
comeswith plenty of standardequipment, includingLEDheadlightswithAudi’s dynamic indicators,leather-trimmed sports seats, an
S line bodykit, a bespoke steeringwheel and sports suspension,whichlowers the ride height by 20mm.The3.0-litre V6diesel delivers
effortlessly fast performance.Peak torque is available fromjust 1500rpm, providing fierceacceleration from lowdown. Thepower ismanagedbrilliantly byAudi’s eight-speed automaticgearbox,whichprovides smooth andfast changes. It’s so good, in fact, thatyou’re rarely tempted to takemanualcontrolwith the steeringwheel-mountedpaddles, butwhen youdo,the experience is suitably satisfying.The interior is equally impressive.
Aswe’ve foundwith othermodels inthe range, Audi hasworkedwondersin lifting the fit, finish andperceivedquality of its popular saloon.Aparticular highlight is the
automatic gearbox’s redesignedgearlever,which takes on a chunkierandmore tactile form.Alsoworthyofmention is the virtual cockpitdisplay (a£450option). Itworksaswell here as it does in theR8, TTandQ7, bringing infotainment and
navigationdata to the driver’s fieldof vision in an easy-to-use format.Coupledwith the larger centralinfotainment screen and featuressuch as adaptive cruise control andAudi’s traffic jamassist system, theA4 is rich in technologyThere is a disappointment, though:
the steering. Aswith all A4s, the 3.0TDIhasAudi’sDrive Select system. Itoffers fivemodes for damper setting,throttle response and steeringweight. Although there’s somedifference to be foundbetween them– themost noticeable beingDynamic– the steering still feelswooden. Themore engaging anddynamicallycapable JaguarXEhas the upperhandhere. ThisA4does, however,have the reassurance of Audi’squattro all-wheel drive system to aidtraction and surefootednesswhenconditions are less than ideal.Despite its lowered ride height,
this A4 still feels comfortable. Thelow-speed ride is on the firm side, butin corners there isminimal body roll.On themotorway,meanwhile, theA4 is composed and absorbs surface
imperfectionswell. The acousticfrontwindowglazing (another£450option) helps ensure that virtually nowindor roadnoise enters the cabin.The sports seats are comfortable
and the extra 23mmof rear leg roomin this latest A4 is noticeable. Threeadultswill feel a little crampedacrosstheback seatbut two six-footerswillbe perfectly content.Company car users seeking anA4
are likely to be drawn to the 2.0TDI.That, too, is a compelling choice,but this 3.0TDI iswhere theA4’sexcellence lies. It’s sharp, refined and,despite not being overly engaging, anappealing car to drive. At £38,135, it’son the expensive side for a compactexecutive car (the largerA6 canbehad in 3.0TDI S line quattro form for£40,960), but if you’re after a rapidand refinedA4, this is the one.DARRENMOSS
8.10.15, CotswoldsRange-topping performance diesel takes the fight to BMW,Merc and Jag
AAAACPrice £38,135Engine V6, 2967cc, dieselPower 268bhp at 3250rpmTorque 442lb ft at 1500-3000rpmGearbox 8-spd automaticKerbweight 1735kg0-62mph 5.3secTop speed 155mphEconomy 54.3mpg (combined)CO2/tax band 137g/km, 22%
Performance diesel variant iseffortlessly fast; comfortable,spacious and refined, too
AUDI A43.0 TDI 272S LINE QUATTRO
14 AUGUST 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 29
FIRSTDRIVE
QUICK FACTSPRICE £88,560ON SALENOW
Nissan GT R Track Edition
Track Edition’s interior is from the regular GT-R, but the suspension, wheels and tyres come from the track-focusedGT-RNismo
AnotherNissanGT-R?Aye, butthis one’sworthmentioning.There are those, it seems, forwhoma conventional 542bhp
NissanGT-R isn’t quite enough, yetwho think a 592bhpGT-RNismo is abit toomuch. This, theNissanGT-RTrackEditionEngineered byNismo,is for those people.Actually, it doesmake sense.
A ‘base’GT-R costs £78,030; theNismo, as a result of itsmore specialengine, carbonfibre-laden interiorand aero-exterior, costs £125,000.TheTrackEdition, then, takes
someof the bits of theNismo toposition itself between the two. At£88,560 it retains the regularGT-R’stwin-turboV6, alongwith its 542bhpand466lb ft outputs, and its interiorbut gets theNismo’s suspensionupgrades and someamendmentsto the body, includingbonding tosupplement its spot welds andstiffen the shell. Neat.The suspension, too, is pureGT-R
Nismo. It has three-stage adjustableBilstein dampers, a hollow rear anti-roll bar,Nismowishbone links at the
front andhigh-rigidity bolts to stiffenthe suspension around thewheelhub. That’s all for greaterwheelcontrol andbetter stability. There areNismo-specwheels and tyres, too.It gives little, if anything, away
to the base car in terms of comfortand everydayusability. The rideis acceptably pliant, andwhile itmight be a bitmore unsettled thanusual, it’s never harsh. There’smoretramlining over bad surfaces than Iremember frommy last outing in aGT-R, but you can tell there’s reallyfirst-ratewheel control going onunderneath you.Perhaps the unsprungweight is
reduced over that of the standardGT-R. It’s got that sort of light-on-its-feet feel, which is impressive giventhat it’s a 1740kg car.It’ll copewith beatenB-roads,
where it steers keenly, nibbling atcambers and crests anddips,whilethe enginewhooshes you along on abarrow-load of torque delivered to allfourwheels via the smooth six-speeddual-clutch automatic gearbox.It’s not really built for that sort of
thing, however. It’swide and long,and you’d bemore in tunewith thesurface in aPorscheCayman. TheGT-R ismade for countrieswith flatroads andnopedestrians, or bigracetracks of the sort that are relishedby carswith lots of power.It corners like little else. In, say, an
AstonVantage, you’d trail the brakesin to settle the nose, get back on thepower and your exit anglewoulddependon your enthusiasm.TheGT-R is happy to be trail-braked in,but it’s not essential, andwith thereapplication of throttle it just settlesdownat the rear and fires you out.It steerswell – quick andwell
weighted–but everythinghappensso fast that before you’ve figured outwhat it’s doing, the steeringwheelis straightening in your hands, thespeedo is gainingnumbers fasterthan you can read themand you’reout of the bend.There’smore to it than just that
speed, though. TheperceptionofGT-Rs canbe that they’re a bitclinical, a bit digitised. It’s technicallyso impressive that it can lack a
little organic ‘something’ at lowerspeeds– a livelier enginenote, ormore naturally feelsome steering,for example. To appreciate theTrackEdition at its best, youneed to bedriving it like something is on fire.It certainly gives you options. You
canmake it corner howyouwant it to,it absorbsmore punishment than a1740kg car has any right to and it hasmore traction, stoppingpower andgrip than anything this side of,well, afull-onNismoGT-R.Themore time you spend finding
out about that, themore time you canspend chipping away at a corneringline and themore compelling itbecomes.Okay, it doesn’t offer thefullNismo experience but theTrackEdition, if you can’t go all theway tothe big one, is theGT-Rof choice.MATT PRIOR
2.10.15, SurreyNissan bridges the great GT-R dividewith this partial Nismomakeover
AAAABPrice £88,560Engine V6, 3799cc, twin-turbo, petrolPower 542bhp at 6400rpmTorque 466lb ft at 3200-5800rpmGearbox 6-spd dual-clutch autoKerbweight 1740kg0-62mph 2.7secTop speed 196mphEconomy 23.9mpg (combined)CO2/tax band 275g/km, 37%
Nissan’s halfway house to aGT-RNismomakes a compellingproposition. Fast and furious fun
NISSANGT R TRACKEDITIONENGINEEREDBYNISMO
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Rawstats suggest themonstrousAudi RS4Avant should slay the newVWGolf REstate but, asAndrew Frankel reports, it’s not that simple
FORITSBOOT?BIGTOO
?? MONTH 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 33
Golf REstate vsRS4Avant | Comparison
Youknowhow theseDavidandGoliath encountersend.One large, overweight,overpriced, over-the-hilllummoxmeets a light, litheand agile upstart, receives a
knockout blowandgets to gohomewith a thumpingheadache.Wehave,after all, beenhere before.Exceptmaybe this timewill be
different. TheAudiRS4Avant ismore thanmerely a great-looking,superb-sounding, beautifully builtestate. It’s an excellent car, too, somuch so thatwe signed off our roadtest saying “the latest RS4will godownasnot just one the fastestRSmodels, but also one of the finest”.So, and for the avoidance of doubt,althoughmanyRSAudis havebeen rightly bashed over the yearsfor promisingmuchonpaper anddelivering little on the road, this,emphatically, is not one of them.Wereally like this car and there’snothing,not evenaday in theWelshmountainsin the company of aVolkswagenGolfREstate, that changes that.Ah yes, theGolf R. In hatchback
form, I’d say it has as good a claimasany to be the best everyday driver’scar this kind ofmoney canbuy. Asan estate? Surely, it’s the samebutmore so?Weknow thatwagonsdrive prettymuch identically to thehatches uponwhich they’re basedthese days, sowhatwe appear to havehere is evenmore ofwhatwas alreadyaworld-beatingproperty. If only thetruthwere so straightforward.Unsurprisingly, the statistical
analysis appears stacked inAudi’sfavour. Its engine has double thecylinder count,more than twice thecapacity andhalf asmuchpoweragain. It hasmore torque, too. Butit’s heavy: 1795kg is properly porkyfor a compact estate andmore than200kgheavier than theGolf. Thereare diesel E-ClassMercedes-Benzwagons, the biggest estates on sale,thatweigh less. So theAudi’s power-to-weight advantage is clear but notoverwhelming, especiallywhen youconsider that in torque-to-weightterms it’s actually theGolf that holdsthe advantage.Which ismore than enough
number crunching for now. I startin theAudi and at once step back intime. This is not simply because itsinterior architecture is decidedlyold-school Audi but,morememorablyand sadly, there is probably nospeciesmore critically endangeredin ourworld than the highlytunednormallyaspiratedV8.Ferrari has◊Frankel ponderswhichwill win andwhy
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Golf REstate vsRS4Avant | Comparison
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 35
Δgivenupon themand shortly sowill Porsche. BMWabandoned themlong ago,Mercedes only recently.But their days are numbered and youneed only one look at that 26.4mpgfuel consumption figure to knowwhy.What the numbers don’t reveal is
the hot bubblegumelasticity of itspower delivery. By 6000rpm, it hasbeenpulling sohardand for so longthat you feel itmustneedanothergearsoon.But itdoesn’t. Itkeepsserenadingyouwith its sweet, fascinatingandmulti-layered voicepast 7000and8000rpm, too.On the test track, you’llfind fifth gearworks for any speedbetween30mphand 140mphandalthough small-capacity turbos havemany advantages, they don’t do that.
So the surprise is that theGolfmotor competes at all. VW’sengineers deserve respect not forprising somuchpower fromsucha small capacity, for they couldhave done that 20 years ago, butformaking the enginenotmerelyflexible and responsive but alsopositively urbane in character.You only know it’s turbocharged
because there’s no other plausibleexplanation for almost 300bhp at just5500rpm from just 2.0 litres. Thereis no lag and its sound is so clean andcultured that you’d think therewasnothing interrupting the flowof itsgases fromcombustion chamber tooutsideworld.Despite the notablefall in revs fromonegear to the next
necessitated by thewide ratios ofits six-speeddual-clutch automatictransmission, thewall of torquemaintains thrust regardless. True,it lacks theAudi’s slightly derangedpace, soul-stirring soundtrackand yetmore slick seven-speedtransmission, but theGolf is closerin all these areas than the apparentdisparity in specification suggests.I question onlyVW’s decisionnot
tomake the samemanual gearboxused in theGolf Rhatch availablein the estate. Clearly, there’s noengineering imperative behind it,suggesting the decision emanatedfromsome confounded focus group.If there is a choice to bemade,whynot let your customersmake it?
Butwhatever little theGolfmightlose to theRS4 in a straight line, itmore than regains themoment youneed to use the steeringwheel. TheAudi puts a huge amount of rubberon the road–a265-section tyre evenat the front on the optional 20in rimson the test car –whereas theVW’styres are fully four sizes smaller. Anddespite their extraworkload, I’d notbe surprised if itwas theRS4 thatwas ultimately capable of generatinggreater lateral acceleration. But uphere in the hills, g-force is notwhatmatters: it’s confidence, and very fewcars of any price inspiremore of itthan thisVolkswagen.TheGolf is so damnquick on roads
such as these partly because it is◊
By6000rpm, theV8hasbeenpullingsohardand for so longthat you feel itmustneedanothergear soon. But it doesn’t
RS4’s interior looks old-school but feels themore special; tomost eyes, the Audi’s exterior ismore visually appealing; the Golf’s cabin is amodel of restraint and good sense
Luxury that never compromises safetyWith an advanced VAI system that allows drivers to track vehicle alignment and
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Δcompact, has all-wheel-drivetraction andoffers proper chassisfeel, butmainly because it is so damnaccurate. Youdon’t have to set anapproximate trajectory and fine-tunethereafter. You aim; it goes. Youneveruse an inchmore road than expected.And yet there is something
missinghere, and it’s the last thingI expected: unlikemost estates,theGolf Rnotices its extra bulk. Itweighs 79kgmore than the hatchandbecause it’s all hanging out theback, youmight think the carwouldbemore balanced and feel all thebetter for it. But it doesn’t. It runs astiffer rear spring, too, and althoughall the hatch’s stability and accuracyremain, someof its gorgeous throttle-sensitive adjustability has gone. Idoubt the car is significantly slowerpoint to point, but it is less chuckableand less fun as a result.Mind you, it stillmakes theAudi
feel its age. At a fundamental level,theRS4 feels less structurally rigidthan theGolf, providing a floppierplatform for its suspension toworkupon. There is little steering feel, buttheAudi’smain issue is that it is lessprecise everywhere,whichmeansmore effort for you and less rewardfrom it. There’s no questioning the
entertainment on offer but it’s neverquite the precision instrument youmight hope or indeed feel the rightto expect a car of this specificationandprice to be.Where it does beat theGolf, and
hands downat that, is in brakingperformance. TheVW’s left pedaldoes the job required of it, but theRS4’s anchors are simply superb.Carbon-ceramics are an option, butwith a standard iron set-up as goodas this, you’d onlywant them forprolonged trackwork, or showingoff to yourmates.As estate cars, there’s notmuch
between them. For passengerspace, they are similar, even in theback,where theRS4’s leg roompotential is eaten awayby its vast,superbly supportive front seats.Extended estate rooflinesmean thathead room is generous in both. Lookat the stats box and you’ll convinceyourself that theGolf has a fargreater carrying capacity, too, andI’m sure it does. That said, if youpark themside by side and flipthe seats up anddown, the twoactually appear to provide similarlyproportioned luggage areas.But there is no questioning the
Golf’s superior ride quality, the◊
Along twisting roadslike these, theGolfR ismore rewarding
Youneveruseaninchmoreroadthanexpected intheGolf.Yetthere is somethingmissingand it’s the last thing I expected
4 cyls in line, 1984cc,turbocharged, petrolFront, transverse, 4WD296bhp at 5500rpm280lb ft at 1800rpm189bhp per tonne149bhp per litre9.8:16-spd dual-clutch auto
4596mm1799mm1467mm2630mm605-1620 litres55 litres420 miles
Δcleaner andmore cohesive layoutof its instruments and controls andits superior refinement, especially oncoarse and concrete surfaces,wheretheRS4’s seven-league bootsmake afrightful racket.Then again, nor can youdoubt
that theRS4provides a greater senseof occasion in its front spoiler thanthe bland-lookingGolf does in itsentirety. TheAudi’s cabinmaynowbe old, but it’s still a genuinely specialplace to sit, rather thanmerely aclinically effective operating theatresuch as that providedbyVW. SeetheGolf parked outside on a rainyMondaymorning and you’ll bepleased about your choice of dailydriver. See theAudi and your heartwill skip a beat, at least until itshorrendous fuel consumptionbangsyouback to reality.So theGolfwins, as of course it
must. These cars aim to combine
bothpracticality anddrivingdynamics and theVWhas a littlemore of both and that’s before youconsider the hugeprice disparitybetween them.The truth is theRS4is a dinosaur poweredby an engineof no relevance to the needs of themodern tax-payingmotorist.And yet, tome at least, theDavid
andGoliathmetaphor does not standuphere.Not only does theRS4havea charm that is both real and rare,theGolfR is unquestionably a lessengagingdriver’s car in estate formthan in its genuinely phenomenalhatchback guise.What’s left is asuperbly effective device but still adevice,whereas thanks to both itslooks and thatmonstrousmotor, theRS4 is a flawed character, but a realcharacter nonetheless. In short, theGolf is the better car, theRS4 themorememorable by an equivalentmargin.Make of thatwhat youwill.L
Golf is shorter and narrower on the outside but its boot is roomier, seats up or down
RS4 is entertaining and characterful but it lacks the delightful precision of theGolf R
Audi’s boot is proportionally similar to the VW’s but is 115 litres smaller, at 490 litres
Golf R’s go-faster additions aremuted; RS4 is the farmore expensive car and looks it
38 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
HOWFARHAS the fast Audi estatecome in the 20years since its veryfirst, theRS2, ceased production?Look at the numbers and you’llconclude not far at all: despiteits dual-clutch gearbox, today’s444bhpV8RS4 is just one scanttenth of a second quicker to 62mphthan the 315bhp five-cylindermanual RS2, largely because it’s awhopping 200kg heavier.
TheRS2has been a cult car formany years, but at the time it wasan acquired taste. Unlike the Golf,which has a similar specific output,Audi (and its co-partner Porsche)could only get thatmuch powerfroma2.2-litre turbomotor bylumbering it with simply enormouslag, resulting in an all-or-nothing
delivery that would be unacceptabletoday. Also, theRS2wasAudi’sfirst RSmodel and therefore thecar that didmost to foster theRSreputation for fine performance butpoor handling. Renown for a lack of
steering feel and sluggish turn-in, itwas nothing like asmuch fun to driveas its performance figures implied.And flawed though today’s RS4chassis is, it’s a Porsche CaymanGT4 comparedwith theRS2.
THE CAR THAT STARTED THE FAST ESTATE TREND
RS4: eight cylinders, not a turbo in sight
Golf R’s turbo2.0 is refined and flexible
Golf REstate vsRS4Avant | Comparison
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 39
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 41
For amoment, it seemsHarald JWester, AlfaRomeoCEOsince2010, is about to break thehabit of a lifetime and revealthat bit toomuch about hiscompany’s future.
This is not usual. German-bornWester spent the first 14 years ofhis career as a youngmechanicalengineer rising rapidly through theranks of themonolithic VolkswagenGroup–where only those expresslyauthorised are free to speak in public– sohehardly ever utters aword outof place, even in his second language.We’re discussingAlfa’smuch-
publicisedexpansionplan,announcedlast summer inMilan, to use eightnewmodels and amuch-delayedUSlaunch to boost volume from lastyear’s sub-80,000units to 400,000in 2018–and as an outsider, aware ofthe firm’s ropey recordonexpansions,I can’t resist saying it looks a scarilysteepmountain to climb.Wester is as reasonable and
softly spoken as any country vicar,but you can tell that after 15monthsof justifying the recovery plan, he’s alittle fedupwithhaving to rationalisethe validity of his task, especiallywhen the interviewer poses theobvious supplementary: if youcouldn’t succeed before, howcanyou succeednow?“Look,” he says,with an edge of
exasperation, “a volumearound400,000 for all those newmodelswon’t evenbe a particularly bigsuccess forAlfa. Somewouldsay it represents toomuchnewproduct for too little volume. Inthe secondgeneration, an investorwould probably expect sales to gosignificantly beyond those numbers.”For a second, there’s a hint of an
opengoal: howmuchAlfa volumemight the investor foresee?Howabout 600,000? Inmydreams, I’ll geta positive answer and an exclusive.The prospect of AlfaRomeo volumeachieving viability is especiallyenticing to someone likemewhohaschronicled the company’s losses andfailed recoveries for 40 years. Butthe glimpse of a farther future goesin a flash. “Our first job is tomake astart,” he sayswith finality.“An important part of our job is
tomake the existingAlfisti happy,”he acknowledges. “It iswonderful,knowinghowmanypeople havecontinued to support our brand in itsbad years. But there are not enoughof these people available to build astrong future.Wehave to findmorecustomers, and theway to do that isby providingwhat theywant. Fancynichemodelswill not contribute verymuch to our stability.”Hedoes notsay “like the 4C”but it is clear this iswhat he’s thinking.Where are these newcustomers?◊
‘WE ARESTART ING
FROMSCRATCH ’
Harald JWester | Interview
AlfaRomeoCEOHarald JWesterbelieves his revival plan is destined tosucceed. He tellsSteve Cropley why
PHOTOGRAPHYLUCLACEY
42 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
ΔWester slips into the ‘professor’guise hewears ratherwell. Lastyear, he explains, around90millioncarswere soldworldwide.Ninemillionwere premiumcars – anda remarkable two-thirds of thosefell into just four sectors: full-sizedsaloon, full-sized SUV,mid-sizedsaloon andmid-sized SUV.Who canbe surprised thatAlfa plans to launchproducts in these classes to build itseight-model future?“Let’s talkMaserati for aminute,”
saysWester, continuing the lesson,
this timewith his secondCEO’s haton (perhaps therewill be time tolearn something ofAbarth, the thirdstring to his busy bow). The totalvolumeof the classes intowhichMaserati’smodels fitmakes amillionsalesworldwide.Of those, 550,000are SUVs. “You can remainpure andignore the crossover trend,” saysWester. “But if youdo, you can lookforward to a beautiful death.”
If his Alfa planworks,Wester says,itwill rightmost of the company’senduringwrongs by bringingback
exciting and emotional products,greatly increasing carmanufactureand car-making jobs in Italy (wheretheAlfasare tobemade)andrestoringthe company to sectorswhere decentmargins canbe earned. It sounds likea kind of ItalianNirvana.However, understandingWester’s
viewof the future requires you toappreciate his viewof the past:what,exactly,wentwrong atAlfa. Giventhat he has occupied a ringside seatsince joining theFiatGroup as chieftechnical officer in2004(after a short
Stylish design and emotional appeal will remain core to the character of Alfa RomeosThere are no plans to replace the4C sports car in Alfa Romeo’s eight-model future
‘The past 30 yearswere a continuousstory of over-promise andunder-delivery’
NewGiulia is highlylikely to spawn acrossovermodel
stint as Ferrari’s director of productdevelopment) his view carries animpressive ring of authority.Things started goingwrong as far
back as 1986, he believes,whenFiat’sbosses found themselves in charge ofAlfaRomeo.Understandably, Alfa’sleaders started looking for economiesand synergies, instantly findingproductive possibilities in theFiatrange.However, they lacked visionand “completely forgot” that one ofthe prime jobs of the newcarswas tocontinueAlfa’s unparalleled heritage.As an example of a bungled
product,Wester singles out the 159of 2005, the result of a deal betweenGMandFiat that paid onlyminimalattention to being anAlfa. “Itwasamess,” he admits, “an enormousinvestment in amodel thatwasn’t
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 43
Harald JWester | Interview
‘Ten years ago,wewere nearlybroke. The game is different now’German-bornWester joined theFiat Group in 2004
even state of the art. The past 30yearswere a continuous story ofover-promise andunder-delivery.SomeofAlfa’smanagersweredisrespectful to everything it stoodfor in the past. But nowwearestarting fromscratch.”When you enquire, as politely
as possible,why the yearned-forrenewal is only beginningnow,Wester looksweary. Someone ashardworking as this isn’t going torespondwell to the inference that heandhis colleagues have spent yearssitting on their hands.“Ten years ago,wewere nearly
broke,”Wester explains, “whichmeantwe couldnot afford to buildthe productswe knewwere needed.On top of that,we lacked aproperdistributionnetwork, anotheressential for success. These thingshave becomeavailable recently,because of our associationwithChrysler. The game is different now.”
Six of the proposed eight newAlfamodels, aswe read them,will be volume-builders: twonew-generationGiuliettamodels(probably a saloon and five-doorhatchback,maybe on a shortenedGiorgio rear-drive platform,although that’s not confirmed); twoGiuliamodels off the newplatform(the new four-door saloon andprobably anSUV-cum-crossover);and anew full-sized saloon andcrossover (again using amodifiedGiorgio platform). The remainingtwomodelswill probably be brand-newversions of theGTVcoupé andSpider convertible, again built offthe rear-drive architecture. Themid-engined four-cylinder 4Cwillcontinue for now, but there is noindication that itwill be replaced.Even thoughWester insists it
has been successful in the past, thePunto-basedMito definitelywon’thave a replacement, simply becausethis is no longer an economicmarketsector inwhich amanufacturerlikeAlfa is able to operate. “Mito ispremium,B-segment, three-doorandmade inEurope–nobody isbuying cars like these,” he says.Onmotorsport,Wester confesses
that he loves track driving but hasnoplan to spendAlfa’s preciousresources onhigh-profile racing. Itmayhave helped build the company’sheritage, he says, but the ‘win onSunday, sell onMonday’ adagesimply isn’t appropriate in themodern era. “Wewill engineerour newcars so owners can enjoythemon the track,” saysWester.“Whichmeans concentrating onlightness, goodweight distribution,advanced engines, latest technologyand emotional, ground-breakingdesign. Ifwe cando these thingswell, wewill succeed.”L
44 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Should theGrandi Formaggi atAlfaRomeowish to remindthemselves of the standardstowhich their newGiuliashould aspire, they could do alotworse than study the two
cars in our picture, above, in detail.One is a 75:AlfaRomeo’s last rear-drive saloon and, indeed, the lastAlfa to be launched in the company’spre-Fiat days of independence.The 75was born30 years ago,
butmyguess is that therewould beshockingly little dissent amongboththe general public andAlfisti tomycontention thatAlfaRomeohas notproduced a better saloon since.
The other car is the originalGiulia.Old though it is (itwas launched in1962) and angular enough to lookmore like a small child’s doodle of acar, tome, at least, this is the greatestAlfa saloon of all. I’ll tell youwhyin amoment. For now, though, let’sconsiderwhat they have in common.Remarkably, given that they hail
fromdifferent generations, bothshare the same engine.Okay, the75has fuel injection, variable valvetiming and twoplugs per cylinderand it displaces 1962cc rather thantheGiulia’s 1570cc, but at their corebothuse the sameall-alloy, twin-cammotor that appeared in 1954.
More relevant to today’s designersof the newGiulia is something elsethey share– less easy to define than alumpofmetal under the bonnet, butfarmore important even than that.It’s an approach and, if you look backthrough the post-war history of AlfaRomeo, you’ll find every truly greatcar the companyhasmade follows it.Simply put, it is the pursuit
of drivingpleasure through thedeployment of the best availableengineering solutions. If the newGiulia really is tomark the rebirthofAlfaRomeo, it is this philosophyitmust capture.Take the 75. The enginewe already
know. It directed its power via agearbox mounted between the rearwheels –not great for boot space,but brilliant forweight distribution.Its rear disc brakeswere locatednot behind thewheels but inboardeither side of said gearbox becausethere they’d reduce unsprungmass.Its front suspensionwas sprungbytorsion bars, its rear axle ofDeDiondesign–once again to cut unsprungweight but also tominimize camberchanges under load. A limited-slipdifferential came as standard.As for theGiulia, it offered in 1962
a twin-camengine, a five-speedgearbox and a coil-sprung rear◊
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 45
TUR IN PROUD
Giulia and75 | Classic Alfas
The Alfa Romeo 75 and original Giulia set standards for driving purity andengagement that the newGiulia would do well to follow, says Andrew Frankel
PHOTOGRAPHYADAMWARNER
The sprightly 75 is resistant to understeer, instead feeling neutral, grippy and aliveTheGiulia is beautifully balanced in corners but lacks the power to kick out its tail
46 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9 SEPTEMBER 2015
Δ axle,whereas evenFerrari’s stapleproduct at the time, the 250GT, hada single camper bank, a four-speedgearbox (plus troublesomeoverdrive)and cart-type leaf springs at the back.TheAlfa also haddisc brakes at eachcorner – anunheard of refinement ina saloon of its size at the time.The result is extraordinary, like
your blue-rinse grandma suddenlyleaping to her feet at your sister’swedding reception and throwingshapes all around the dance floor.TheGiuliamight look fuddy-duddy
but that’s not how it drives. The carhere is a 1967Giulia Superwith abrace ofWeber carbs strapped to thesides of its twin-cammotor. Togetherthey offer a fabulous sound andsurprisingpace.However, the realclass act is the chassis.On tyres skinnier than those
fitted tomostmotorcycles, theGiuliafeels taut, accurate and responsive.Steering feel is of a kind that’s beenextinct in family saloons for decadesandwhen you lob it into a corner atthe improbable speed itwill carry,
the carmayheel over but itwill hityour apex every time. There’s notquite the power to boot the tail outbut in quicker turns you just set yourapproximate trajectorywith thewheel and fine tune your linewithyour right foot from thereon in. Thereis a driver’s car of rare skill lurkingwithin thatmumsy shape.The 75plays the samegame, but
at a rather higher level. Youmaybewonderingwhy there’s aTwinSparkin these pictures rather than the fullfat 3.0-litreV6. The answer comes
Alfa75’s steeringwheel and driver’s seat transmit every detail of the car’s behaviourMechanical excellence shines through theGiulia’s feelsome helm and five-speed ’box
The result is extraordinary, like yourblue-rinse grandma throwing shapes
1967 twin-carbGiulia Super hassurprising pace
in twoparts. Firstly, theTwinSparkis better balanced, and second, youmayhave no idea just howdifficultit is to find anunmolested exampleof any 75 these days, regardless ofengine. V6s are far quicker and soundbetter but you lose something in thehandling.One is neither better norworse than the other – just different.TheTwinSpark doesn’t actually
feel that quick. It spreads its 148bhpover awide rev range andwhilefuel injectionhas robbed it of theinimitableAlfa growl, it’s still acultured, pleasant voice in the car.Unexpectedly, givenhow terribleearlier Alfa transaxle gearboxeswereto use, the 75’s is a delight. Again,though, it is the handling thatmakesthe 75 honour itsmarque andwhy,over 20 years since the last onewas
built, we still felt the need to huntdowna 75 and try it out.On fatmodern tyres it has grip
aplenty but, just like theGiulia, it isthe car’s balance that distinguishesit from theAlfa saloons that followedit. It turns in so sweetly andwithsuchpoise that you’re tempted tolook behind tomake sure it reallyis a four-door saloon. It shares theGiulia’s aversion to understeer andprefers to adopt a neutral stance,while feeding information aboutgrip levels and the road surfacethrough the seat and steering. LiketheGiulia, the 75 offers an immersiveanddelightful experience. It plucksyou out of the director’s chair andthrows you into the action.Both cars demonstrate howAlfa
Romeomanaged to standout fromthe crowd then andhow it could doso today. ThenewGiulia neednothave the joke drivingposition of itsforebear or the insane ergonomics ofthe 75. It just needs their character,innovation and verve.With great looks, rear drive and a
50/50weight distribution, the newGiulia representsAlfa’s best chancein 30 years of launching a greatmid-size saloon. I hopewith allmyheartthat it takes it.L
Alfa Romeo 164Shares underpinnings with theLancia Thema, Saab 9000 andFiat Croma but comes with Alfapower and Pininfarina looks. Witha spacious and sensibly arrangedcabin, it was a fine effort undoneonly by 3.0-litremodels’ prodigioustorque steer and poor build quality.
Alfa Romeo 156 3.2 V6 24v GTAThis isn’t a great Alfa by anymeans— the requirement to send 250bhpthrough its front wheels saw to that— but it was hugely characterfulby Alfa’s latter-day standards andwas involving to drive, even if notalways for the right reasons. Worthit for the noise alone.
Alfa Romeo 159 3.2 JTS V6 TI Q4A complicated name for a carmade far simpler to drive thanits predecessor by the provisionof four-wheel drive, there to dealwith the power of the 3.2-litreV6. Overweight and not whollyengaging, the Q4was at leastcompetent, attractive and quick.
Alfa’sbestsaloonssince the75
Michelin’s racing department is experimenting withlargerwheels and argues they have greater relevanceto road car technology.Matt Prior investigates
The first surprise: a single-seater on 18inwheels doesn’t look rubbish. I’d feared itmight, but no. This FormulaRenault 3.5,ondeeply dished 18in-diameterwheels,looks rather good tome.Single-seat racing cars, up to and
includingFormula 1, have beenusing littlerwheels –usually of 13in– for years. I don’t knowwhy. Therewas a timewhenultimate performanceroad tyreswere around 13in in size, I suppose,but only if youdrive aCaterhamare they still.Road cars left 13inwheels behind long ago, butsingle-seat racing cars – small, I suppose, andlight – stuckwith them.Which is fine, unless, say,you’re a tyremanufacturer and you think roadtyres ought to benefit in someway from tyres youdesign for competition; technology transfer, breed
48 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Motorsport | Tyres
SPECIFIC RIM
improvement, that sort of thing. It’s the sort ofconcept youmight thinkhardly ever happens thesedays, givenhow far removedmotorsport is fromroaddriving, except for one thing: a tyre compoundMichelin used at LeMans just four years ago isused in its Pilot Sport Cup road tyre today.Which iswhyMichelin, developer of road and
race tyres,would likemore single-seaters tomoveto largerwheels. It has evenpitched for theF1 tyrecontract from2017, hoping to replace Pirelli, but amove to 18in rims is a condition of its application.“For us to go toF1,weneed a good reason to do
so,” says Pascal Couasnon, director ofMichelinMotorsport. IfMichelin doesn’t learn anythingfor the road, it’s not interested. The trouble is, notmanypeople inF1 have hitherto been interested inmoving to a largerwheel and tyre.
PHOTOGRAPHY LUCLACEY
Michelin is developing 17in and 18in racing tyres and has put in a bid to supply F1 from2017, provided itmoves to 18in
Prior acquaints himself with the car before his out lap
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 49
Hence,Michelin has developed some 17in tyresand fitted them to aFormulaRenault 2.0, andsome 18s and fitted them to aFormulaRenault 3.5– a single-make formula fromwhich somedrivershave stepped straight to F1.Michelin claims a lot of benefits –not just that
it’ll develop better road tyres as a result. It thinksthat 13s hold back suspension engineers anddrivers, because the large, flexible sidewall bluntsset-up adjustmentsmade to a racing car. A 17in or18in tyre,with smaller, probably stiffer sidewalls,makes a car farmore sensitive to set-up changes.“It givesmore opportunity to the teamengineersto adjust the car’s setting, andmakemore [laptime] difference frombox to box thanbefore,” saysPhilippeMussati,MichelinMotorsport’s customercompetitiondepartmentmanager.
In closed formulae likeRenault 2.0 and3.5(fromwhich Renault, althoughnotMichelin, iswithdrawingnext year),Mussati says, the onlydifference is the driver and the car’s set-up. “Andon 17in or 18in, the setting ismuchmore importantthan it used to bewith 13in tyres,” he adds.Bigger tyres are alsomeant to be cheaper for
teams. A 17in or 18inwheel also gives space forbigger brakes,whichmeans they canbemade fromcheaper, lower-techmaterials yet still retain thesame stoppingpower anddegradation.At themoment,Michelin has aimed to get the
samewear andperformance characteristics fromthe larger tyre as the smaller one. The result is that,at themoment, it’s a little heavier – around0.5kg acorner – andhas the samewear rate, but turns outto be up to a second faster a lap.
“Weare probably 50%of theway there,” saysCouasnon,whodescribes the tyre as a “first orseconddraft”.He says there’s still “optimisation ofthe compound and the structure of the tyres” to do,but “the profile itself is done”.The lower profile –not truly low,whichhelps the
appearance, bymy reckoning– is said tomake thecar’s steering responses sharper thanbefore. I havea go in both the 2.0 and530bhp3.5 cars but,well: Ihaven’t tried either on 13s, I don’t know the circuitor the car and I’mnot a racingdriver. Racers in theserieswho’ve tried them, though, like them.Gooddrivers like anything thatmakes them faster andthink they’ll be able to set a car upbetter than theircompetitors.Michelin feels like it’s ready, then.Whether F1
decides it is too, is anothermatter.L
‘AN 18IN TYRE MAKES A CARMORE SENSITIVE TO CHANGES’
Couasnon: “ForMichelin to go to F1, we need a reason”
ROAD TEST
MODEL TESTED
50 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
New crossover is quite different from its forebear but is it better?
No5238
BMW X1
lCars in xLine trim have adaptiveLEDheadlights. SE and Sport gethalogenswith LED daytime runninglights. The former has cornering andautomain beam functions.
lExtend the diagonal bonnet creasesand the lines at either end of the lowerair intake and they converge in anX-shape behind the kidney grille. It’s afeature of the X3, X4, X5 andX6, too.
lEnlarged kidneys of the radiatorgrille give the carmore snortingpresence.Matt aluminiumgrille slatsidentify an xLinemodel. They’re glossblack on a Sport version.
lX1’s wheel range starts with 17inalloys. These 18s come as standardon xLine cars andMSportmodelsget 19s. Slightly squared-off archesdistinguish BMW’s X-car SUV family.P
HOTO
GRAPHYLU
CLA
CEY
WE LIKE Improved practicality ■ Solid, upmarket cabin quality ■ Agile, secure handling
As outstanding as someof itssaloons, estates andSUVshavebeen over the decades, there’sno greater proof of the enduring
power of theBMWbrand than thesuccess of the previousX1 crossoverhatchback.Over a lifecycle of almostexactly six years, built in factories inIndia, China andRussia aswell as inGermany, theX1 clockedup 730,000worldwide sales. And yet theX1wasawkward-looking, cumbersome-handling, badly packaged, plainlyfinished and equally plainly roughandunrefined.Munich’s blue-and-white propellermaynever have beenrisked on such apoor car.
lPrice£33,925lPower 187bhpl Torque295lb ftl0-60mph8.2secl30-70mph in fourth9.3seclFuel economy42.7mpglCO2 emissions 129g/kml70-0mph47.5m
xDrive20d xLine
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 51
●Satin aluminiumcladding for thesills and bumpers is also a feature ofxLine trim. As everwith crossovers,it’s a hint of ruggedness that, overall,the car doesn’t really possess.
●Aero blades have become anincreasingly common extensionof the rear spoiler onmodernhatchbacks. The X1’s are amongthemore discreet-looking ones.
●All X1s apart from the 16d, 18d and18i get twin exhaust pipes integratedas part of this neat, quietly rugged-looking diffuser.
●LEDheadlights up front are packagedwith these LED tail-lights, whichilluminatewith a long horizontal bar oflight that, BMWclaims,makes the carappearwider.
WE DON’T LIKE Price ■ Firm, slightly noisy ride ■ Performance and economy below BMW’s usual grade
What, you can’t help butwonder,wouldhappen if BMWmade agoodone? It certainly needs to. In thesix years since the launch of theoriginalX1, the crossovermarkethasmushroomed to the pointwhereit has becomemore importantthanmost of themore traditionalsegments inwhichBMWcandrawon established experience andstrength. Building a goodX1, in 2015,is probablymore vital than leadingthemarketwith any of the firm’sluxury or sportingmodels.To achieve that aim, there’s a
newplatform, newengines and allkinds of newon-board and all-round
systems technology at play here – allgoing towards repeating the sortof European sales domination thatBMWhasproducedwith someof itsexecutive saloons. The transverselyengined, predominantly front-drive
UKLplatformunderpins itsthird series-productionmodel fortheBMWGroup after theMinihatchback and2SeriesMPV, andatop sits a bodywidely rethought formore recognisable SUV looks andsignificantly better practicality.Among those newengines are
the latest three and four-cylinderturbochargedpetrols anddiesels,many of themproviding the obviousperformance superioritywe’vecome to expect fromBMW.ButwillBMW’s othermotive trademark bein evidence here, in the shape of trulydistinguishinghandling appeal to gowith that obvious get-up-and-go?
DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
AAAAB
Themost apparent changewiththis newX1 is a proportional one.The jacked-up estate car looks of theoriginal car have been replaced by amuchmore conventional crossoverbodystyle,with a higher roofline,beltline and seatingposition. Thevisual awkwardness has gone, too,and theX1now looksmore like adownsizedX3orX5 and, perhapsevenmore important,muchmorelike a premium-brand alternative◊
Original X1 notched up730kglobal sales
ON THE INSIDE
52 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
●Cubby ahead of the gearlever includes twogood-sized cupholders and space for a phone,should youwant to keep it near sloshing liquid.
●Centre-stack surroundwas one of only a fewplaces in our test car to feature finger-smudge-attracting high-gloss black plastic.
MULTIMEDIA SYSTEMBMW is only just about as generouswith the X1’s entry-level specificationas it needs to be in order to justifythe car’s pricing. SE trim has iDriveand a6.5inmultimedia systemwithnavigation, DAB radio, CD player,USB connectivity andBluetoothmedia streaming — so nothing earth-shattering, then.
You don’t get the top-of-the-rangewidescreen infotainment system,evenwith anMSport car, unless youpay extra for it. But regardless ofwhich X1 you buy, the larger controldisplay, online services, remotecontrol functionality and head-up
display of our test car can be boughtas part of the reasonably pricedNavigation Plus package (£1490).
Put simply, it’s worth spendingthemoney. All of the infotainmentfunctions aremore navigable andaccessible via thewidescreen set-up,and the navigationmap is detailed,clear and expansive. BMW’sRTTI livetraffic information is also quick toupdate your route and seemsmorereliable than rival systems in helpingyou to avoid jams.
Our test car also hadBMW’sHarmanKardon premiumhi-fi, whichpossessed impressive audio systemquality and power.
HOW BIG IS IT?
505-1550 litres
2670mm 927mm842mmKerb weight: 1625kg
4439mm
1612mm
1090mm
730mm
960m
m
980m
m0.29
1821mm
1561mm
1562mm
Turningcircle: 11.4m
140mm
10mm
Centre
∆ to aNissanQashqai, rather than acurious sort of 1 Series ‘allroad’.That the car looks slightly shorter
of snout is down to the fundamentalshift throughwhich all compactBMWswill go over the next coupleof years: froma longways engineand rear-wheel drive to a transverseengine and, for themost part, front-wheel drive. Youwouldn’t say that theX1 looks any less like a trueBMWas aresult of the shorter bonnet, althoughit remains to be seen ifwe’ll be able tosay the sameof the next 1 Series.TheX1’sUKLplatformbrings
with it a steelmonocoqueunderbodythat, BMWclaims, is significantlystiffer than that of the previous carand also allows for a near-perfect50/50 front/rearweight distribution.If true, such aweight balancewouldbeunusual for a transversely enginedcar.Most of the car’s panels aresteel, with aluminiumused for thebonnet and in places throughoutthe suspension.MacPherson strutsfeature at the front and amulti-linkaxle at the rear, both combinedwith fixed ride-height coil springs.Adaptive dampers are offered as anoption, though, as is BMW’s speed-dependent active-ratioVariableSport Steering system.The engine range consists
exclusively of 2.0-litre four-cylinderunits for the timebeingbut stilloffersmore choice thanmost rivals.Power ranges from148bhp in thecase of the sDrive18d and xDrive18dup to 228bhp for the range-toppingtwin-turbocharged xDrive25d.Nextmonth, two three-cylinderalternativeswill join the range–onepetrol, one diesel – and the oil-burning sDrive16d version is likely tobecomeone of themost tax-efficientcrossovers of its kind.Higher-end variants of theX1
get anAisin eight-speed automatictransmission as standard, and achoice of either front-wheel drive orpart-time four-wheel drive,whichis delivered via an electro-hydraulicclutch situated on the rear axle.Our test carwas amid-range
187bhp20ddiesel autowith fourdrivenwheels and adaptive dampers.
INTERIOR
AAAAA
BMW’s reward for turning theX1’sengine through90deg is readilyapparent inside the newcar. Themechanical changewas part of aprocess that has transformed theX1 frombeing one of the least◊
WHEEL AND PEDALALIGNMENTPerfectpedal andwheelpositioning,withabrakepedalwideenough forcomfyusewitha left foot.Lotsof reachadjustmenton thesteeringcolumn.
VISIBILITYGood inall directions.A-pillars are fairlychunkybuteasy to seearoundbecause theyarenotatparticularlyclosequarters.
HEADLIGHTSTest car’sLED lightshadgoodclarity and rangebutcouldhavebeenbrighter.
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 53
lDriving position is now only semi-recumbent, but an abundance of headroom, leg roomand column reach accommodates taller drivers well.
lSecond-row seats slide fore and aft by 130mm if you’re willing to pay anextra £195. There’s plenty of leg roomand head room for adults as a result.
lThere’s room for smaller bags and cases underneath the boot’s false floor.Boot above is quite long and deep. The 40/20/40 folding seatbacks are handy.
Height460-680-920mm
Width 1000-1320mm
Typical leg room730mm
Length 900-1720mm
ON THE ROAD
STARTFINISH
T5
T7
T3
T4
T6
T2
T1
110mph
35.5s
20s10s 30s0
30mph 40mph 50mph 60mph 70mph 80mph 90mph 100mph
3.0s 4.4s 11.2s6.1s 8.3s 25.5s14.7s 19.6s
110mph
31.0s
20s 30s10s0
30mph 40mph 50mph 60mph 70mph 80mph 90mph 100mph
2.8s 4.2s 10.8s6.0s 8.2s 24.2s14.2s 18.6s
30mph-0 50mph-0 70mph-0
47.5m24.6m8.8m20m10m 40m30m0
46.2m23.4m8.5m30mph-0 50mph-0 70mph-0
Audi Q32.0 TDI 177 quattro (2011)Standing quartermile 16.6sec at 84.0mph, standing km30.5sec at 105.7mph, 30-70mph8.2sec, 30-70mph in fourth 9.4sec
Δpractical crossovers of its size intoone of themost.Although you sit 30mmhigher
in the front than in the old car,andhigher still in the rear, there’sabundant head roomandgenerousleg room in the front row. Furtherback, our test car’s optional slidingrear seatsmade for goodpassengerspace, so in both rows theX1 offersmore room thanour class-leadingcrossover, the popularQashqai. Bothof theBMW’s premium-brand rivals,theMercedes-BenzGLAandAudiQ3, are less spacious.TheX1’s boot is big, too. It isn’t
desperatelywide, but it’s long anddeep andbordered by back seats thatfold 40/20/40 and lie completelyflat for the utmost load-carryingflexibility. A folding front passengerseatback is also available as anoption. So, at the second timeofasking, it seems that theX1 actuallydelivers the enhancedpracticality itscrossover status implies.The cabin also does justice to
a premium-brandbadgewith itspleasingmaterial quality,which,again, is something you’d never havesaid of its predecessor. Fromshoulderlevel right down to the door bin andtransmission tunnelmouldings,and from the column stalks to thebonnet release, theX1’s cabinplastics look and feel solid, smoothandwell finished.The soft-touch surfaces up top,
juxtaposed skilfullywith texturedaluminiumand satin chrome inlays,conjure an expensive ambience,the oyster andblack leathers of ourtest car playing an equal part inthat effect. The leather-upholsteredbar bracketing the centre consoleandgear selector in favour of thedriver,meanwhile, is at once typicalof aBMWandvery easy on the eye,and the red ambient lighting of thecockpit adds an evenmore upmarketnote after dark.There’s a generous amount of
storage in both rows,with good-sizedcubbies at the foot of the centre stack
andunder the centre armrest, andbottle holders in the door cubbies bigenough for one-litre bottles.Assuming thatBMW’s
characteristic sense of reserve in thestyling of its interiors is to your taste,theX1’s cabin is a difficult one tofind faultwith.We’d prefer thatsecond-rowpassengers hadmorethan one 12V socket as ameansto charge their various electronicdevices and also dare say that someparentsmightmiss a third set ofIsofix child seat anchorages for therear row’smiddle seat. But neitherconcern is sufficient to stop theX1getting a perfect score here.
PERFORMANCE
AAAAC
As juvenile as thismay seem, jobone for anynewBMWworth itssalt – even adiesel crossover – is tooutstrip its competition onoutrightaccelerative pace. Buyers expect
nothing less, after all. ButwhiletheX1 performswell, it fallsmarginally short of thatmark.Our performance data archive has
a like-for-likeAudiQ3 at a narrow,solitary 0.1sec disadvantage to theX1 fromstandstill to 60mph, and asimilar one both through the gearsand locked in fourth gear from30mph to 70mph.But theGLA220CDI4Matic that
weperformance tested last yearmatched theX1’s 0-60mph sprint of8.2sec andwas slightly faster thantheBMWto 100mphand in otherrespects. If theX1hadgone as fastasBMWclaims (7.6sec to 62mph),the familiar selling pointwould bebeyonddoubt, but it couldn’t bemadeto do so.Missing thatmark bymorethanhalf a second, in a run-in car andindry conditions,merits ablackmark.However, theX1 certainly feels
swift,muscular and relativelyfree-revving from thedriver’s seat.The eight-speed gearbox choosesits ratioswell, shifts smartly and
54 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
BMWX1 xDrive20d xLineStanding quartermile 16.6sec at 85.3mph, standing km30.3sec at 108.8mph, 30-70mph8.0sec, 30-70mph in fourth 9.3sec
ACCELERATION 14deg C, dry
BRAKING 60-0mph: 2.84sec
TRACK NOTESAgile, precise, controlled and secure,the X1 dismissesMillbrook’s AlpineHill Route asmatter-of-factly as awell-sorted five-door hatchback. Itgenerates plenty ofmechanical grip,keeps its body in check at all timesandmakes it knownwhen its adhesionlevels are on thewane by slipping fromthe front end first, just as it should.
Attack a tight corner hard,reapplying power earlier than perhapsyou should on theway out, and youcan feel BMW’s torque vectoringsystemdiverting power away fromthe unloadedwheels and its four-wheel drive systemshuffling powerrearwards. It’s a reactive rather than aproactive process, though,mitigatingundersteer as it builds rather thanpreventing it altogether.
The stability control is quite subtle,intervening gently to beginwith. Turnit off and it’s possible to hustle the X1through a cornermore quickly, butconsiderably less tidily, albeitwithout encountering any underlyinghandling instability.
●Sport-level adaptivedamping keeps effectivevertical control ofthe body through thecompression at T7 but itcould bemore fluent.
●Firm ride feels abit brittle and hollowover the transmissionbumps at T1.
●You canmake your line astight as you like around T2,with lateral grip levels highand balance reasonable.
locks upwithout slipping at lowrevs, allowing the engine’s low-endtorque to shrug off the car’smasswhen climbinggradients, even inhigher gears. At the other endofthe rev range, the 2.0-litre dieselkeeps spinning long after rivals havethrown in the towel, revving towellbeyond5000rpmwithout unduecomplaint. Given thatmost similarlysized crossovers take a couple ofseconds longer to hit 60mph fromrest and aren’t nearly as flexible orfree-revving, drivingperformancecould probably still be a selling pointfor theX1, then.It’s a pity that refinement doesn’t
domore for the car. Amix of roadroar and the usual undertone ofcoarseness that you tend to get fromBMWfour-cylinder diesels sent ourdecibelmeter soaring to relativelyhigh levels. TheX1was four decibelslouder at a 70mph cruise than theQashqaiwe tested last year. Thatkind of difference ismore thanbigenough to benoticed.
Brakingperformance for thecar is competitive but notoutstanding, although the pedalfeels carefully tuned and is easy tomodulate accurately.
RIDE AND HANDLING
AAAAC
Crossover buyers are a demandingbunch, because they can afford to be.The best examples of the crossoverbreeddon’t feel like big cars butinstead cover their extra bulk andhigher roll axiswith the body control,agility andbalanced ride of a normalfamily hatchback. As a result, theirdrivers don’t evenhave to recogniseany inherent compromise, on rideor handling, for choosing a bigger,heavier car,much less accept one.Those buyerswill, by and large,
find theX1 capable of the same trick.Flat-handling, grippy, directionallyresponsive and fairly comfortable,theBMWfeels almost as dynamicallysophisticated as any of its rivals.Youwouldn’t call it the class’s best-handling act, though–not quite –andneitherwould you say that it doesanything special. Onboth counts,that probablymakes it a lukewarmsuccess byBMW’s high standards.Evenwithout BMW’s lowered
and stiffenedMSport suspensionset-up andwith itsDynamicDamper
Control, theX1 feels quite firmlysprung: a little over-damped, fidgety,and sensitive to coarse surfaces inall butComfortmode on theDrivingExperienceControl switch.For aBMW,perhaps that’s as it
should be, particularly given thatupright, alert handling is the trade-off. EvenwithoutVariable SportsSteering, the car turns in smartlyand resists understeerwell as lateralloads build. It remains stable at alltimes,which in a relatively high-sided car ismore important thanmixing greater body rollwith greateroff-throttle handling balance andflirtingwith unwelcomeoversteer.But that alsomeans theX1 doesn’t
feel quite as dynamically poisedasBMW’s rear-driven saloons andestates and can’t be balanced orturned on the accelerator in thesameway.Much as itmight promiseotherwise, BMW’s four-wheeldrive systemdoesn’tmake a tellingdifference in that respect.BMWcould also have done a better
job of filtering feedback into theX1’ssteering,which, althoughnicelyweighted and consistent, doesn’t tellyoumuch about howhard the frontwheels areworking.
BUYING AND OWNING
AAACC
TheX1’s pricingmakes it pretty clearthatBMWexpects it to be in demand.Looking at the car’s closest rivals,the£32k askingprice for amid-specxDrive20dSport is fairly competitive.Butwhen you look slightly furtherafield – at the stepup fromvolume-brand alternatives or the closenessto a like-for-likeBMWX3–youmaystart to feel a bit short-changedby theX1.On a contract hire basis, the jumpup to theX3 should benarrower still,with residual value experts CAPpredicting slightly poorer residualperformance from the smaller car.Priced atmore than£36k, the range-toppingX1 xDrive25d costs asmuchas awell-equippedLandRoverDiscovery Sport.The car’s equipment level is
reasonable but not a selling pointon its own, and its fuel economyandCO2 emissions, althoughcompetitive, are not outstanding,either.OurTrueMPG testersproduced anoverall average of42.7mpg from the xDrive20d.◊
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 55
The diesel keepsspinning long afterrivals have thrown inthe towel, revving towell beyond 5000rpm
X1 has good bodycontrol but a firmride is the trade-off
BMW X1 XDRIVE20DXLINEOn-the-road price £33,925Price as tested £39,225Value after 3yrs/36kmiles £16,550Contract hire pcm £379.20Cost permile 57.9pInsurance/typical quote na
EQUIPMENT CHECKLISTFront, side and curtain airbags n18in Y-spoke alloy wheels nOyster leather with grey highlights nMediterraneanBluemetallic paint £550Brushed aluminium interior trim £110Navigation Plus pack (inc. RemoteServices, RTTI, Navigation Plus,Online Services, head-up display) £1490Driver Comfort pack (inc. cruise controlwith braking function, park assist,Extended Interior Lighting, PDC) £590Technology pack (inc. ComfortAccess, reversing camera,HarmanKardon hi-fi) £990Panoramic glass sunroof £945Sliding rear seat bench £195Electronic Damper Control £390Options in bold fitted to test carn = Standard na = not available
RANGE AT A GLANCEENGINES POWER FROMxDrive20i Sport 189bhp £31,225sDrive18d SE 148bhp £28,330xDrive20d Sport 188bhp £32,180xDrive25d xLine 228bhp £36,060
TRANSMISSIONS8-spd automatic n8-spd paddle-shift Sport auto £135(6-spdmanual standard on sDrive18d xLine;Sport auto standard on xDrive25d xLine)
BMW’s newcompactUKLmodel platformenforces a change to a transverselymounted engine up front, with eitherfront-wheel drive or clutch-based four-wheel drive. Suspension is all-independent and braking by ventilated discs at allcorners. Adaptive dampers and variable sports ‘active’ steering are both optional.
ENGINEInstallation Front, transverse,
four-wheel driveType 4 cyls in line, 1995cc,
dieselMade of Aluminium block and headBore/stroke 84.0mm/90.0mmCompression ratio 16.5:1Valve gear 4 per cylPower 187bhp at 4000rpmTorque 295lb ft at 1750-2500rpmRed line 5400rpmPower toweight 115bhp per tonneTorque toweight 182lb ft per tonneSpecific output 94bhp per litre
MAKEModelPricePowerTorque0-60mphTop speed (claimed)Fuel economy (combined)Kerb weight (claimed)CO2/tax band
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 57
BMWX1AUTOCAR VERDICTAAAACMuch improved, but not the dominant act that its price implies
MATTSAUNDERSIt’s alwayspleasingto find a
cabin that can take on afresh character as thesun sets. BMW’s LEDambient lighting givestheX1 that advantage. Itlooks classy after dark.
No5238
NICCACKETTTheX1’sgearleveris a stock
itemsharedwith thefirm’sMini range. Icouldn’t helpmissingthemuch smaller, slickerone-touchwands thatthe other X cars get.
SPEC ADVICEMitigate the high priceof the carwith SE orSport spec, but add theNavigation Plus pack(£1490), the Technologypack (£990) andElectronic DamperControl (£390).
JOBS FORTHE FACELIFTlKeepworking onthe damper tuning forquicker response andmore fluent control.lGive us bettersteering feedback.lQuieten the ride —either withmore sounddeadening or softerbushings.lReduce the price.
Owners of the previousX1 simplywon’t recognise the spacious, flexible, classy customerthey’ve takendelivery of here– and refugees fromother crossovermodelswill have plentyto say in praise of the car’s practicality, quality andhandsomeness. But thosewith a broaderexperience ofBMW’smodel rangemaynot be quite so bowled over by this car andneither,
quite, arewe. Although its performance is strong, it’s not outstandingly so and the same is true ofits real-world fuel economy. TheX1’s handling is spry but it isn’t a desperately slick or engaging carto drive. And, for a premium-brand car, it still leaves a fair amount to be desired on refinement.In reflection of all of that, and of the highprice asked for the car, our rank for theX1places it
outside of the top two. It’s a broad and challenging class, sure, but also one inwhichBMWcouldexpect to dobetter if it offered better value formoney.
NISSANQashqai 1.6 dCi 1304WDTekna£28,910128bhp at 4000rpm236lb ft at 1750rpm10.5sec (claimed, to 62mph)118mph55.4mpg1518kg133g/km, 24%
FORDKuga 2.0 TDCi 180 Tit’ X Ps’ft£33,830178bhp at 3500rpm295lb ft at 2000rpm10.0sec (claimed, to 62mph)124mph52.3mpg1707kg140g/km, 26%
BMWX1 xDrive20d xLine£33,925187bhp at 4000rpm295lb ft at 1750-2500rpm8.2sec136mph57.6mpg1625kg129g/km, 23%
SKODAYeti 2.0 TDI Monte Carlo DSG£25,485148bhp at 3500rpm251lb ft at 1750rpm9.2sec (claimed, to 62mph)119mph51.4mpg1510kg144g/km, 26%
There’s no powerful diesel. Stillpractical, frugal and verypolished to drive, though.★★★★B
About as agile and engaging ascrossovers get. Expect asizeable discount on list price.★★★★C
Rules over its premium-brandrivals but not over thewiderclass. Upmarket and pacey.★★★★C
MAZDACX-5 2.2d 4WDSport Nav auto£30,595173bhp at 4500rpm310lb ft at 2000rpm9.4sec (claimed, to 62mph)126mph51.4mpg1545kg144g/km, 26%
The only downsized crossoverthat gets a ranking berth.Likable, usable andwell built.★★★★C
Premium-brandmuscle andspry handling for an appealingprice. Not as refined as some.★★★★C
2nd 3rd 5th4th1st
HONDA’S HIDDEN HANDLESWhat is the current obsessionwith‘hidden’ rear door handles all about? ThelatestHondaHR-V is one such victim tosupposedlymake people think they arebuying a two-door coupé. It just lookslike a carwith short front doors and anoversized rear panel with a slit in it, likeothers of its ilk. Then you combine thisodd lookwith questionable ergonomics. Ihope this fashion fad soon has its day.Graham Lillisvia email
PERFORMANCE OVER NUMBERSVolkswagen cheating the regulationsis bad, but howmany people really buycars based on test figures? I rememberseeing a survey that said colour playedamajor part in people’s car buyingchoices. I buy, as domany enthusiasts,based on performance.
What’s needed, as soon as possible, is
aworld testing standard that replicatesreal usage. Then thosewho buy based onnumberswill knowwhat they are getting.Bob Bullvia email
GERMANYVS ALFA ROMEOAfter all the hype surrounding the newAlfaRomeoGiulia, I was deflated toread that it will not go on sale in theUKbefore September 2016 (ThisWeek,30September). Is right-hand-driveproduction taking a back seat to thebrand’sUS relaunch?
Six years after the premature demiseof the 159, theUKwill finally get areplacement and it better be as goodas all the hype. In the time it has takenAlfa tomobilise its resources, Germanmanufacturers have reworked andfacelifted the (already excellent)3 Series, C-Class andA4models severaltimes over.My fear now is that theywill
have time to trump theGiulia before iteven reaches these shores.St John HarveyChilham,Kent
XE AT THE TOPTheJaguar XE versusBMW3Seriescomparison has triggered somemixedemotions (Your Views, 16 September).
Fewwould disagree that the JaguarXE is a great-looking carwith a lowsporty stance and this is an acceptable
compromise for a smaller boot andslightly less leg and head room.
TheXEhas the advantage over the3Serieswith regard to handling.Furthermore, the Ingeniumdieselengines offer EU6emissions and class-leading economyand performance.Ingeniumpetrol engineswill follow soonand provide class-leading performance.
Jaguar hasmanaged to provide thebenefits of both theMercedes-BenzC-Class and 3Series in one car and it isnowup therewith the best in class.Rob GregoryVia email
SKODAAND PROUDPeter Ciesielski highlights that, in someareas, public perception and badgesnobbery are still alive andwell wheretheSkoda brand is concerned (YourViews, 30September).
RangeRover EvoqueConvertibleI’m supportive ofmanufacturersthinking out of the boxand trying somethingnew, but this doesn’thold any appeal forme.Overdrive
As a diesel, it certainlyis not ‘perfectlysuited’ to a city likeLondon—or indeedany large city.scrap
I don’t understand thenegativity here. It’s afashion accessory, yes,
but that’swhat theEvoque is, full stop.Mikey C
Saw thewire-framedversion. It will be a realchallenge tomake it
look attractive, but ifthey can, why not?unionjack
It’s a fashion car, so acabriomakes sense.jensen_healey
Mazda has once again created a highly desirable thoroughbred soft-toproadster in theMX-5 (Road Test, 2 September). It’s the purest possiblepackage that eschews compromise in favour of authenticity. I knowwheremymoneywill be headingwhen the time comes for a change,unless theMX-5-based Fiat 124 stealsmy heart.
I read thatMazda is also toyingwith bringing in aWankel-enginedsuccessor to theRX-7 andRX-8: the company deserves a goldmedal.
However, I would switchmy allegiance in a heartbeat for a propernewMG sports car, provided that it could come somewhere neartheMazda’s purity. I don’t see that happening any time soon,though, which is a tragedy.John MilesMiddlesex
Gold-standardMazda
WINLetter of theweekwins aValetPROexterior protectionandmaintenance kit worth£58.95
Graham finds this all toomuch to handle
58 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Superb that I bought new, I can confirmthat the appeal of its space, comfort,build quality and abilities have yet towear off. Neither has the fact that asimilarly speccedAudi A6orMercedes-BenzE-Classwould have cost nearlydouble the£22,000 I paid.DougWeirVia email
GIVE US A KWIDHaving justwatchedAutocar India’svideo on theRenault Kwid, it’s a realshamewe can’t buy a simple, well-pricedcar like this in theUK. If Renault fittedthe Twingo’s turbo petrol engine for abitmore go, I’m sure it would find quite afollowing in theUKandEurope.
I’d like to see a test of a fewotherof theUK’s forbidden fruits. Peugeotproduces some sensible saloons inRussia andNigeria, like the408and301.
Regrettably, we aren’t all able to
run to newPorscheCaymans. Thereare still quite a fewof uswho justwantsomething interesting to drive thatdoesn’t cost a fortune.PJWalkervia email
GOLF GTD PRICE DROPMywife’s VolkswagenGolf GTD is oneof the affectedmodels in the emissionsscandal (confirmed nowbyVW).
I had been looking to part-exchangeit over the past fewmonths and havebeen tomy local VWdealership to get avaluation and looked around online.
Just before the scandal broke, onevaluation cameback at £12,000, valid forthe next seven days.
A day later, the emissions scandalcame to light but I didn’t take any actionbecause I wanted to seewhatwouldhappen next. The seven days expiredand the next day I requested a newvaluation. In the space of aweek anda day, the value quoted had fallen to£11,215 — a drop of nearly £800 for afive-year-old, good-spec, low-mileageGolf GTD5drDSG.Julian Pritchardvia email
WRONGAPPROACH, MINIRobertHamiltonwonderswhyMinipersists in using twin rear doors on theClubman (Your Views, 16 September).It’s down toMini’s continually desperateattempts to link itsmodern rangewiththe originalMini.
I don’t think that there is anythingabout themodernMini thatwouldplease Sir Alec Issigonis. Poor spaceefficiency, style over function andrepositioningMini as a luxury brandas opposed to basic transport for themasses: themodernMini is a poorimitation of the original.Duncan Finlaysonvia email
NEXTWEEK
CONTENTSSUBJECTTOCHANGE
COMPARISONCayman GT4 vs Honda NSXPorsche’smodern classic goes upagainst amid-engined pastmaster
Inside themagazine — on sale 21 October
Renault Kadjar De initive verdict on theFrench alternative to the Nissan Qashqai
Ferrari 488 Spider First impressions ofMaranello’s new mid-engined convertible
FIRST DRIVEMcLaren 570SDoesWoking’smost accessiblesports car yet hit themark?
Kwid itch: PJWalkeris itching to see this
Renault sold in the UK
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 59
ROAD TEST
FIRST DRIVE
Debate continuesoverwhether the XEor 3 Series is better
Aweek in the life ofAutocar’s fleetOURCARS AUDI
TTCITROEN
C4 CACTUSHYUNDAI
i20FORD
MONDEOBMW
ACTIVETOURER
BMWM4
FORDFOCUS
Stan Papior Lewis KingstonDan Trent Tim Dickson Jim HolderLuc LaceyJohn Bradshaw
FIAT500X
Michele Hall
BMWACTIVETOURERTOURER
JAGUARXE
DarrenMoss
JAGUARXE
TheXE is themost important carJaguar hasmade in recent times.It’s important because it takesthe company into a new segment,
bringing the idea of an ‘affordable’Jaguar to amultitude of newcustomers,aswell as introducing a new range ofdiesel and eventual engines.
Crucially, this newJaguarmust beevery bit as engaging and fun to driveas its larger siblings, the XF andF-Type,while also delivering value formoney. Byanymeasure, it’s a tall order.
Understandably, then, we couldn’twait towelcomeanXEon to our long-term fleet. It’s amid-rangeR-Sportmodel, sitting between the lesser SEandPrestige trims, and the high-specPortfolio andSmodels. It has a lot ofequipment as standard including an8.0in touchscreen infotainment systemwith navigation, R-Sport bodykit and
Its biggest rival, theBMW320dMSport, also has an eight-speedautomatic transmission aswell asmetallic paint and front and rearparking sensors. At £32,085, however,it is over £2500 cheaper than our£34,775XEand, with 187bhp under thebonnet,more powerful, too.
However, that’s with the Jaguar instandard trim. Options on our test carraise its price higher still. Wemight nothave chosen theCold ClimatePack(which brings heated seats and a heatedsteeringwheel) or thewi-fi hotspotourselves, but sincewewere keen toget into anXEas soon as possible, welet Jaguar decide. Alongwith larger18in alloywheels, ParkingPack (which
FIRST REPORT HasJaguar’s crucial newexecutive saloon gotwhat it takes to shadea 3Series in the cut and thrust of daily use?We’ll find out over the next fewmonths
Jaguar XE
TheXE’s cabin issnug but perceivedquality remains high
60 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
OURCARSLEXUS
NX300H
Mark Pearson
PORSCHEPANAMERA
John McIlroy
MERCEDES BENZE-CLASSESTATE
Andrew Frankel
VOLKSWAGENGOLFR
Allan Muir
SKODAOCTAVIA
Matt Burt
SKODAFABIA
Tom Webster
SUZUKICELERIO
Steve Cropley
MAZDACX-3
Mel Falconer
MAZDAMX-5
Matthew BurrowMatthew BurrowMat
LAND ROVERDEFENDERDEFENDER
Matt Prior
McLAREN650SSPIDER
Mark TisshawMark Tisshaw
McLAREN650SSPIDER
RANGE ROVERSPORT
Steve Cropley
SEATLEON
X-PERIENCE
Mark Tisshaw
RENAULTTWINGO
Matthew Burrow
RENAULTTWINGO
includes a rear-facing camera), electricfront seats andmetallic paint, the totalprice of our test car is £38,210.
We’ve been impressedwith theXEin range-topping 335bhpV6 form, butthe core of the range lies in JaguarLandRover’s Ingeniumpetrol anddiesel engines. The 2.0-litre diesel inourmodel offers up 178bhp and317lbft, enough to see the XE to60mph in7.4sec and on to a top speed of 140mph.Jaguar says our XE should return up to67.3mpgon the combined cycle, whileemitting 111g/kmof CO2.
Although amanual gearbox isavailable, Jaguar’s smooth-shiftingeight-speed automatic transmission
seems to bemore in keepingwith theexecutive nature of the XE, so that’swhatwe’ve gone for.
Like all XEs, our car comeswith theJaguarDriveControl system. It allowsthe driver to choose betweenDynamic,Normal, Eco or all-weatherWintermodes. Pleasingly, opting for Dynamicmode changes the colour of the XE’spart-digital instrument cluster fromblue to red. Very Jaguar.
Our first impressions of the XE aregood. Its cabin is comfortable andwell appointed, if lacking the kind oftechnology and premium finish you’llfind in theC-Class or Audi A4. As youmight imagine, it’smore snug than an
XF, particularly in the back, so it’llbe interesting to see how four adultscopewith a long journey.
Looking at the XEbrochure, I reckonthe£1000panoramic sunroof optionwould have beenworth ticking, becauseaswithout it, the cabin feels a little dark.Alsoworth choosingwould have beenthe£235 front seat lumbar support. Itsabsence soon becomes noticeable.
Our reviewers say that although theengine offers strong pulling power, it’sloud and obtrusive. I agree. The noisesoftens as the engine reaches operatingtemperature, but froma cold startyou notice it. It’s a blight onwhat hasotherwise been a great first encounter.
Inmy company, the XEwill be in fora variedmix of duties: short urbancommutes during theweek, with longermotorway journeys andA-road drives attheweekend. Itmust be able to tackle all
of themwith ease and do sowiththe dynamic characteristicswe’vecome to expect fromJaguar.
No doubt you’ll have seen the carmaker’s recent adverts for the XE,featuring actors TomHiddleston andNicholasHoult in the latest take on thebrand’s ‘good to be bad’ theme. Thenext fewmonthswill determine if Jag’snew saloon really can ‘go forth and rulethe road’, as the advert [email protected]
Dynamicmode changes the colour of theinstruments fromblue to red. VeryJaguar
An8.0in touchscreen display comes as standard
The 178bhp2.0 Ingeniumdiesel is noisy fromcold
R-Sport trim includes18in alloys, a bodykitand sports suspension
Our XEwill spenditsweekdays as anurban commuter
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 61
Jaguar XE R Sport 2.0 i4 180PSPrice £34,775Price as tested £38,210Options 10x10-way electric front seats (£765),Bluefire metallic paint (£620), Cold ClimatePack (£535), Parking Pack (£530), InControlSecure security tracking (£510), wi-fi hotspot(£300) Economy 67.3mpg (official combined)FaultsNone ExpensesNone
THE ULTIMATE IN
PERFORMANCE UPGRADES
AT DMS AUTOMOTIVE
WE’VE BEEN UNLEASHING
AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE
FOR OVER 19 YEARS
DMS CLS63 AMG (EVO AUGUST ‘14) “ENGINE UPGRADE ADDS HUGE PERFORMANCE AND REAL CHARACTER”
DMS 1M (EVOMARCH 12) “THERE’S A REAL RIP TO THE WAY THE REVS PILE ON ABOVE 4000RPM”
DMS SL65 BLACK SERIES (EVOOCTOBER ‘10) “IT FEELS LIKE THE LOVE CHILD OF AN SL65 AND A PORSCHE GT2”
DMS 135I (BMW CARMAY ‘09) “THE STANDARD CAR IS GREAT BUT DMS HAVE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL”
DMS 997 TURBO 3.6 (EVO SEPTEMBER ‘08) “IT’S EPIC, HILARIOUS AND ADDICTIVE IN EVERY GEAR, YET DOCILE WHEN CRUISING”
DMS 997 TURBO 3.8 PDK (EVO JUNE ‘11) “DELIVERY IS ALMOST UNCOMFORTABLY FORCEFUL”
BELOW IS A SMALL SELECTIONOFOURMORE POPULARMODELS TO
Renault Twingo 1.0 SCe 70 PlayPrice £9995Price as tested £10,735Economy 43.5mpgFaultsNoneExpensesNone Last seen 9.9.15
OURCARS
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 63
Few long-term test cars cause asmuch discussion as theRenaultTwingo. Not just in theAutocaroffice, either. Owners have
been getting in touch to share theirexperience of the unusual city car.
A lot of the discussion has focused onthe atypical powertrain set-up, which isnot surprising, considering that it’s thecar’s stand-out feature. But it has alsobeen eye-opening to see howcapablethe car is in other areas.
The first person to contactmewasJenny, who changed herAbarth595C for a newTwingo0.9 TCe90Dynamique. She knew that shewasn’tgoing to get anywhere near the sameperformance from theRenault butwas pleased that shewas going to save£1800a year in running costs and couldstill specify a fold-back roof. Jennydefinitelymade the right call going forthemore powerful engine. Our car’sperformance is fine around townbutreally lacking on themotorway and itdoesn’t enjoy being pushed at all.
I also heard fromJenny’s partner,Andy, who had been driving her caron themotorway and experiencedsomething that I’vementioned before.He noticed that the Twingo has atendency “to act like a carrier bag in
anythingmore than a light breeze,which, when it first occured, causedsomemild panic”. Once you’re awareof it and used to it, it isn’t quite soshocking, but itmeansmotorwaydriving isn’t a relaxing experience.
What really caughtmyeye, though,was howAndy andJenny have testedtheir Twingo’s practicality to the limit.We’ve been impressed by the decent-size boot, which can swallow a largesuitcasewithout any issue, butwewerereally pleased to see that the Twingo isquite the load-luggerwhen needed.
Andy folded all seats down, apartfrom the driver’s — a neat trick thatallows loads as long as 2.3metres to betransported— and crammed the Twingofull of flat-pack furniture. It’s hard toimagine another city car that couldperform such a trick.
Meanwhile,my colleagues have been
enjoying the Twingo in townbecauseof the tight turning circle and excellentvisibility but they have complainedabout the interior plastics and the lackof a footrest next to the clutch pedal.
One colleague said that the interiorfelt low-rent and another that it didn’tfeel quite finished. It doesn’t feel aswellput together as those of theHyundaii10 or theVolkswagenUp, but thereisn’t a single rattle after sixmonths andthe cabin remains prettymuch freeofmarks. That’s not bad for a car thatcosts less than£10,000. The omissionof a footrest by the clutch pedal isfrustrating but not uncommon in smallRenault products.
Everyonewho drives the Twingo saysyouwould be hard pressed to tell it’srear-wheel drive in everyday drivingand I would tend to agreewith that. Dowe think the rear-engine, rear-wheel-
Renault Twingo
drive set-up is the future of city cardesign? It’s unlikely. The traditionalconfigurationworkswell and gives adecent boot and a lower driving position.
Having the engine in the bootmeansit’s not very easy to get at — it involvesemptying the boot and unscrewing theengine bay cover — and the rear seatsare very upright, even in theirmostreclined setting. It’ll also be interestingto see how the rear-wheel-drive Twingogets on if we have a harshwinter.
Having said that, the Twingo does itsmain jobwell — and have Imentioned thefantastic turning [email protected]
Mileage | 3300Locating the engine in the back doesn’t prevent the Twingo frombeing a very capable hauler of cargo
Rattle-free cabin offers a good view out
Andy transported a surprising amount of flat-pack furniturewith three seats folded Goodmanoeuvrability is an asset in town
Boot is easily adequate for aweekly shop
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Mileage 10,685You knowhow lots of the tyre pressuremonitors on themarket flash up awarning that you’ve got a flat butscrimpon the fine details? TheBMW220dActive Tourer is a bitmorescrupulous than that.
A couple ofweeks ago, it informed
me that I had a deflating front offsidetyre. I checked it, as you do, and itlooked like a slowpuncture. So, as youdo, I re-inflated it and got onwithmylife. Then a fewdays later, it warnedmeagain. I checked again. I re-inflated itagain, (I know. I know.)
Things came to a head— safely,
I’mpleased to report — on theM25the other day, when thewarningappeared for a third time. I was in arush to a photoshoot but decidedthat enoughwas enough, so I cameoffthemotorway at the next junction andended up at an independent retailercalled Fairway Tyres.
To be honest,myhopesweren’texactly sky-high. The place itself lookeda bit part-worn, and I had visions ofshelling out a fewhundred quid for a newbit of rubber. But I couldn’t have beenmorewrong. The efficient technicianthere quickly diagnosed the problemasa nail in the tread (which I’d expected).Then he said he could fix it (which Ihadn’t expected). All in, the repair costme the princely sumof £20.40 and30minutes ofmy time, allowingme tostill makemyappointment and have asmile onmy face.
In all seriousness, it’s good thattheBMWsystemgives you somuchinformation. Tyre pressuremonitorsare a compulsory fit these days (worthremembering the next time a salesman
points it out as an exciting feature)but somedefinitely do a betterjob than others.My spot checksoccurred during daylight hours, butif the dreadedwarning appears onthe dashboard during a late-night runhome in a bit of grimwinterweather,I’ll appreciate the car pointingmeatthe tyre that requires [email protected]
Staywithmehere, but perhapsthe thing that’s surprisedmemost about the early days in theMcLaren650SSpider is just how
much I’ve driven it. Of course you’regoing towant to drive a car like this asmuch as possible, but unfortunatelylimited everyday usability typically getsin theway of you doing so.
Not sowith the650S. It’s a doddle todrive and easier thanmany a superminito potter around in due to its perfectcontrol weights and surprisingly goodvisibility, the sculpted frontwingsallowing you to safely place the car awayfrom the kerb. Andmyword, it rides.
I’ve driven itmainly on humdrumA-roads and through towns so far. I’veeven been to Tesco twice in it. The firsttime Iwas hugelyworried about leavingit andwonderedwhere I’d putmy
Mileage | 5800One trip to Silverstone and two to Tesco illustrate its broad repertoire
Weetabix once I cameback to the car.The second time, after I’d realised youcan get all your shopping in the frontboot and it has the ability to put a smileon everyone else’s face aswell as yourown, I thought nothing of it.
So it does humdrumaswell as anyother car, but any other car can’t dowhat the650Sdoes on a circuit. Thesound of its exhaust notewhen you fireit up goads you to drive it everywherequickly, but speed limits soon stop that.
Thankfully, the chance has alreadycome to put the650S through itspaces, at aPureMcLaren track-dayat Silverstone. These events are forMcLaren owners and include a one-to-one coaching session. Unsurprisingnews alert: the650S is stonkingly fast ina straight line and stops just as quicklythanks to its carbon-ceramic brakes.
But it’s the handling that reallyshines, the level of adjustability in thecorners and the nuances that changewhen you select one of the threemodes: Normal, Sport, and Track. It alsoresponds to different driving styles. Itwill reward you for threading it carefullythrough the bends but also play alongif you justwant to throw it in and slidearound. So I did both, before stoppingoff to buy somemilk on theway [email protected]
Tisshaw is a fan of its everyday usability
BMW’swarning is usefully detailed
Front boot is wide and deep enough for a decent amount of supermarket shopping
McLaren 650S Spider
McLaren 650S SpiderPrice £215,250Price as tested £255,930Economy 24.2mpg FaultsNoneExpensesNone Last seen 23.9.15
BMW220d Active Tourer M SportPrice £29,540Price as tested £35,090Economy 43.2mpg Faults Slow punctureExpenses Tyre repair £20.40Last seen 16.9.15BMW 220d Active Tourer
DEALS Bargainnewandusedmotors
Arewe boredwith theVolkswagenscandal yet? I thinkwe should be.What has been surprising is howlong it took to join up the dieselly
dots linkingVolkswagen to all the otherparts of the group—Seat, Skoda andAudi — that use the sameengines, withpotential knock-on consequences forother brands including Lamborghini,Bugatti, Bentley andPorsche.
Common sense should prevail but, aswe all know, it won’t. There have beenknee-jerk responses to all of this, andinevitably therewill be governmentrules and regulations that could affectthe current and future values of thosecars caught up in the scandal.
For themoment, though, it isprobably best to keep on driving your
VWGroup diesel until the dust hassettled. That is easy enough to say, butif youwere poised to part-exchangeyour car, you are a bit stuffed.Whateverthe official fix is, it couldmake yourmotor less efficient and slower thanbefore, so the outlook isn’t especiallygood until another scandal comes alongto draweveryone’s attention elsewhere.
Here, then, ismy25-point guide tosurviving theVWscandal.(1) If you ownaVW-related diesel, don’tpanic-sell it. Keep it and use as normal.(2) Obey the recall noticewhen it comes.It will becomea future appraisal issueand, unless you are going to run yourcar for a decade ormorewhen it willno longermatter, not having any recallwork done could affect the car’s value.
66 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
WhatshouldVWownersdo in thewakeof thescandal?JamesRuppert offers somesmog-freeadviceHowtosurviveVW’sdieselgate
Obey the recall notice. It will become afuture appraisal issue and not havingwork done could affect the car’s value
(3) It’s probably best not to buy a newVolkswagen right nowuntil there issome certainty. However, a used onemaywell be a tad cheaper and you canplay all sorts of gameswith sellers,especially dealerswho can only see adepreciating asset on their forecourt. Ifyou are spending up to, say, £6000, youwon’t lose thatmuch over a fewyears.(4) Ask yourself if you really need adieseI. I have been consistent on thisOwnaVWdiesel?Keep calmand carry on
BANGERNOMICS BEST BUYS
USEDBUYIN
GGUID
EJamesRuppertUsedcarexpert
NicCackettDataexpert
matter, and clearly the environmentalarguments don’t exactly stack up.The fuel economy is good but if you’reknocking around the locality, go for aless problematic petrol-engined car.(5) If you have a petrol Volkswagen,Audi, Skoda or Seat, hold your nerve.Theremaywell be some residual jittersbecause the badge is a bit tarnishednow. It’s unfair, but that is how the carmarket operates.
There, we’ve calmed everyone down,with 20points to spare. It really is thatsimple. Volkswagenwaswrong, but thecrisis should reflect just as badly on theregulators and screaming greenies. Asusual, it’s the owners of the carswhowilllose out, at least until common senseprevails —which it won’t.
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 67
MarkPearsonDealsexpertP66 P68 P70
READER’S CAR: KIA SPORTAGEDavid Bardsley bought his 1995Kia Sportage for £600 in2012 to replace his Vauxhall Frontera that kept failing itsMOT test. “I have only replaced the Sportage’s radiator andthree of its tyres since buying it,” he says. “It has had threeMOT tests and passed all of themwith no advisories.” Davidsays it costs less than£70 to fill upwith fuel but claims itcan get him fromhis home in Blackpool to Plymouth on atank. “I plan to keep the Sportage until it has amajorMOTtest failure — or I win the lottery,” he says.
SEND YOUR BANGERNOMICS TALES TO JAMESTwitter:@BangernomicsEmail: [email protected]
WHAT CAUGHT MY EYE THIS WEEK: PRICE DROPS
I amwatching aBMWbeing reduced by20%aweek.
It’s a classic relisted on an auctionwebsite because,
like all of them, it waswildly overpriced to beginwith.
USED CAR DILEMMA: ROLLS ROYCE SILVER SERAPHThe obvious answer is a 7Series, but therewere a lot of BMWbits in the Silver Seraph, too. Itmade themmore reliablethan previousRollers, while fit/finishwas back to the goodold days, with decent chrome, paint and interiors. Super.
Prices of VWdieselscould fall over thenext fewweeks
68 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
Fresh-air Britsfrom£6k
If it looks like a grounded fighter plane,this central, single-seat open supercaractually goes like a rocket.
Beneath that F-22Raptor-inspiredcarbonfibre bodywork lies amid-mounted 280bhp2.3-litre Cosworthfour. Drive goes to the rearwheels via asix-speed F3-style sequential Hewlandgearbox. Dryweight is just 580kg,
0-62mph takes 2.8sec and top speed isa very blustery 170mph. It’s beautifullybalanced in the bends, gripswell andbrakes powerfully. There’s no pitch, noroll — and noweather protection, either.
New, it’ll set you back£125,500.There are 40of themso far, so if you’relucky, youmight find a second-hand onefor around the sameprice.
BACMono (2011–onwards)
‘Hairy-chested’ is the phrasemost oftenused to describe TVRs, but the originalOliverWinterbottom-designed Tasminsnow look rather dainty.
It was initially based on lowly Fordunderpinnings, but a 190bhp3.5-litreRover V8arrived in 1983 and thingsstarted to improve. In 1985 it wasenlarged to 3.9 litres, before eventually
reaching4.4 litres and a brutish 325bhpin the450SE. Think 0-60mph in 5.2secand 150mph. SEACs are faster still.
TheseV8s aremeaty,mighty and abit of a handful, but they grip and handlewell. If you can put upwith the sheerloutishness, then old-fashioned open-topfun doesn’t comemuch better.
Prices start at £20k for a goodV8.
TVR 420/450 SE V8Wedges (1980 1991)
HardyBritish enthusiasts can’t get enough ofdrop-tops and all the better if they’re homemade.Mark Pearson selects five to consider
InmainlandEurope they called thisroadster theOpel Speedster and itsold by the bucket load. In theUKitwas called aVauxhall andmostbadge-obsessedBritswalked on by.
More fool them. This lightweighttwo-seater packs a 147bhp2.2-litrein-line four amidships, enough topropel the car to 136mphand fromzero to 60mph in 5.6sec. Trackdown the hotter VX220T, with its200bhp2.0-litre turbo, and you candispatch60mph in under 5.0sec.
It’s fun in the bends, too: agile,chuckable and easily recoverable,with go-kart steering and greatbalance. The driving position issuperb, brakes are good and it evencomeswith airbags andABS.
It’s arguably amore roundedpackage than a Lotus Elise, withwhich it shares its basic chassis. Youcan pick one up now from just £8k.Watch out for signs of hard track-day use and beware of accident-damaged cars.
1
2
Vauxhall VX220 (2000 2005)
3
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?? MONTH 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 69
The Stag should have been a hugesuccess. It had a good-looking bodypenned by the Italian designer GiovanniMichelotti and a novel T-bar roof that letin the sun but kept the car strong.
It was good to drive, too. Its 145bhp3.0-litre V8 had enough urge to propelthe car to 130mph and to reach 60mphfrom rest in 9.0sec. It had light steering,a comfortable ride and a sporty interior.
It was also extremely quiet, especiallyso when it had broken down by theside of the road. Alas, that engine wasprone to overheating and generalmisbehaviour and it soon earned areputation for unreliability that it couldnever buck: the Stag was caught in a rutand it would cost Triumph dear.
It cost a lot of dough new but you cansnap one up now for around £5k.
Triumph Stag (1970 1977)
FOR MOREUSED CARADVICE VISITautocar.co.uk
4
5Fancy a drop-top British roadster ofclassic style but think a Morgan toocommon? Then hunt down a Panther.
Under the Lima’s glassfibre bodyis the running gear from a VauxhallMagnum: an easily tuned 108bhp 2.3-litrefour driving the rear wheels through afive-speed gearbox. Performance maybe modest but this is wind-in-the-hair
fun. The Lima covers 0-60mph in 7.6secand purrs up to a top speed of 112mph.
It was replaced by the equally retroKallista, which has Ford running gear.
You can buy a Lima from £6k, orconsider other equally rare Panthers:the Deville was massive and looked like aBugatti, the Rio was a tarted-up Dolomiteand the 6 had six wheels. Way to go.
Panther Lima (1976 1982)
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320i M Sport £30905 181 153 31328i Luxury £34305 242 162 36328i M Sport £34105 242 162 36316d ES £27575 114 116 20316d SE £28425 114 116 20316d Sport £28725 114 116 20318d SE £29675 141 124 24318d Sport £29975 141 124 24318d Luxury £32175 141 127 25318d M Sport £31975 141 127 25320d SE £30775 181 125 31320d Luxury £33275 181 128 32320d M Sport £33075 181 128 32320d xDrive Sport £32705 181 133 30320d xDrive Luxury £34905 181 133 31320d xDrive M Sport £34705 181 133 31330d SE £36105 255 135 38330d Luxury £38605 255 138 38330d M Sport £38405 255 138 38330d xDrive Luxury £40120 255 145 41330d xDrive M Sport £39920 255 145 413 SERIES GT 5dr hatch Hatchback practicalitymeets 3-Series talent. Duller but decentAAAAC
318d M Sport £33525 141 122 25318d SE £31275 141 122 24320i M Sport £32155 181 155 31320i SE £29905 181 155 31320i xDrive Luxury £33405 181 165 31320i xDrive M Sport £33655 181 165 31320i xDrive SE £31405 181 165 31320i xDrive Sport £32405 181 165 31328i SE £33105 242 157 35330d xDrive M Sport £41470 258 144 41320i Sport £30905 181 155 31320i Luxury £31905 181 155 31328i Sport £34105 242 157 36328i Luxury £35105 242 157 36328i M Sport £35355 242 157 36335i Luxury £40565 302 189 38335i M Sport £40815 302 189 38318d Sport £32275 141 122 24318d Luxury £33275 141 122 24320d SE £32375 181 130 30320d Sport £33375 181 130 30320d Luxury £34375 181 130 30320d M Sport £34625 181 130 30325d SE £34305 215 136 34325d Luxury £36305 215 136 34325d M Sport £36555 215 136 34330d SE £37705 258 137 40330d Luxury £39705 258 137 40330d M Sport £39955 258 137 41330d xDrive SE £39220 258 144 40330d xDrive Luxury £41220 258 144 40335d xDrive Luxury £44120 313 149 42335d xDrive M Sport £44370 313 149 42I3 5dr hatch Superb really, but pricey and not free fromthe usual electric car practicality issuesAAAAC
i3 EV £30980 168 0 21i3 EV Range Extender £34130 168 13 214 SERIES 2dr coupé More talented GT than brilliantB-road steer. Very comely thoughAAAAC
430d M Sport £40945 255 134 40420i SE £30125 181 144 30420i Sport £31625 181 146 30420i Luxury £32625 181 146 30420i M Sport £33125 181 146 30420i xDrive SE £31660 181 159 30420i xDrive Sport £33160 181 163 30420i xDrive Luxury £34160 181 163 31420i xDrive M Sport £34660 181 163 31428i SE £33520 242 154 33428i Sport £35020 242 156 33428i Luxury £36020 242 156 34428i M Sport £36520 242 156 34435i Luxury £41870 302 188 36435i M Sport £42370 302 188 36M4 £57055 425 204 42420d SE £32495 181 111 29420d Sport £33995 181 119 30420d Luxury £34995 181 119 30420d M Sport £35495 181 119 30420d xDrive SE £33995 181 117 29420d xDrive Sport £35495 181 125 29420d xDrive Luxury £36495 181 125 29420d xDrive M Sport £36995 181 125 29425d SE £35430 215 131 33425d Sport £36930 215 136 34425d Luxury £37930 215 136 34425d M Sport £38430 215 136 34430d Luxury £40445 255 134 40430d xDrive Luxury £41960 255 142 40
430d xDrive M Sport £42460 255 142 40435d xDrive Luxury £45245 308 147 41435d xDrive M Sport £45745 308 147 414 SERIES 2dr open A quality product to be sure, butsome of the verve has gone with the roofAAABC
420d Luxury £39880 181 137 31420d M Sport £40380 181 137 31420d SE £37380 181 133 30420d Sport £38880 181 137 30428i Luxury £40220 242 163 36428i M Sport £40720 242 163 37428i SE £37720 242 159 36428i Sport £39220 242 163 36430d M Sport £45700 255 144 41435i Luxury £45685 302 194 39435i M Sport £46185 302 194 39M4 £61150 425 213 45420i SE £34910 181 154 30420i Sport £36410 181 158 31420i Luxury £37410 181 158 31420i M Sport £37910 181 158 31425d SE £39240 218 138 34425d Sport £40755 218 143 34425d Luxury £41755 218 143 34425d M Sport £42255 218 143 35430d Luxury £45200 255 144 40435d xDrive Luxury £49100 308 155 42435d xDrive M Sport £49600 308 155 424 SERIES GRAN COUPE 4dr saloon A prettier 3Series. Very good, but not better. AAAAC
420d M Sport £35495 181 119 30420d xDrive SE £33995 181 121 29420i SE £30125 181 149 29420i Sport £31660 181 153 29420i Luxury £32660 181 153 29420i M Sport £33160 181 153 30420i xDrive SE £31660 181 161 30420i xDrive Sport £33160 181 164 30420i xDrive Luxury £34160 181 164 30420i xDrive M Sport £34660 181 164 31428i SE £33520 245 154 33428i Sport £35020 245 156 34428i Luxury £36020 245 156 34428i M Sport £36520 245 156 34435i Luxury £41870 306 193 36435i M Sport £42370 306 193 36418d SE £31695 141 122 23418d Sport £33195 141 127 24418d Luxury £34195 141 127 24418d M Sport £34695 141 127 24420d SE £32495 181 111 29420d Sport £33995 181 119 29420d Luxury £34995 181 119 30420d xDrive Sport £35495 181 129 30420d xDrive Luxury £36495 181 129 30420d xDrive M Sport £36995 181 129 30430d Luxury £40445 255 139 39430d M Sport £40945 255 139 40430d xDrive Luxury £41960 255 145 39430d xDrive M Sport £42460 255 145 39435d xDrive Luxury £45245 308 150 41435d xDrive M Sport £45745 308 150 415 SERIES 4dr saloon No longer a handling bench-mark. Superb interior AAAAC
530d Luxury £44255 241 139 43535i M Sport £44745 302 179 42520i SE £33130 181 149 36520i Luxury £35965 181 154 37520i M Sport £35965 181 159 37528i SE £36695 242 142 40528i Luxury £39495 242 147 41528i M Sport £39530 242 152 41535i Luxury £44690 302 174 42550i Luxury £57615 402 199 46550i M Sport £57915 402 206 46ActiveHybrid 5 SE £47790 335 149 44ActiveHybrid 5 Luxury £48825 335 159 44ActiveHybrid 5 M Sport £50625 335 163 444.4 V8 M5 £73970 552 232 48518d SE £30865 141 114 30518d Luxury £33665 141 119 31518d M Sport £33665 141 124 31520d SE £32365 181 114 33520d Luxury £35165 181 119 34520d M Sport £35165 181 124 34525d SE £36980 215 129 39525d Luxury £39910 215 134 40525d M Sport £39910 215 139 40530d SE £41455 241 134 43530d M Sport £44270 241 144 43535d Luxury £48920 308 143 45535d M Sport £48920 308 148 45
5 SERIES TOURING 5dr estate Great overallpackage. 520d the best AAAAC
518d M Sport £35865 141 127 31530d Luxury £46470 241 144 43535d Luxury £51120 308 149 45535i Luxury £46945 302 179 42535i M Sport £46945 302 179 42520i SE £35365 181 157 36520i Luxury £38165 181 162 37520i M Sport £38165 181 162 37528i SE £38895 242 149 40528i Luxury £41730 242 154 41528i M Sport £41730 242 154 41518d SE £33065 141 122 30518d Luxury £35865 141 127 31520d SE £34565 181 122 33520d Luxury £37365 181 127 34520d M Sport £37365 181 127 34525d SE £39310 215 136 39525d Luxury £42125 215 141 40525d M Sport £42125 215 141 40530d SE £43655 241 139 43530d M Sport £46470 241 144 43535d M Sport £51120 308 149 455 SERIES GT 5dr hatch Fine cabin, but only seatsfour. Poor ride and steering AAABC
530d SE £46965 241 157 43535i Luxury £49465 302 192 44535i M Sport £50265 302 192 44550i Luxury £59515 402 214 46550i M Sport £60465 402 214 46520d SE £38045 181 148 33520d Luxury £40845 181 144 34520d M Sport £40845 181 144 34530d Luxury £48965 241 153 44530d M Sport £49765 241 153 44535d Luxury £51885 295 154 46535d M Sport £52685 295 154 467 SERIES 4dr saloon Refined and spacious, but bland.760 gets sublime V12 AAAAC
ActiveHybrid 7 M Sport £71475 459 158 48740i SE £61680 316 184 46740Li SE £64680 316 184 46740i M Sport £66955 316 184 46740Li M Sport £69955 316 184 47750i SE £71520 443 199 48750i M Sport £76795 443 199 49760Li SE £102025 537 314 50760Li M Sport £104270 537 314 50730d SE £58275 255 148 45730Ld SE £61375 255 148 46730d M Sport £63550 255 148 46730Ld M Sport £66650 255 148 46740d SE £65465 309 149 47740d M Sport £70740 309 149 48ActiveHybrid 7 SE £66200 459 158 47ActiveHybrid 7L SE £69300 459 158 48ActiveHybrid 7L M Sport £74575 459 158 48X1 5dr 4x4 Odd SUV best as rear-wheel drive. Gooddrive, poor cabin finish AAAAC
xDrive 25d xLine £32540 215 154 26xDrive 20i SE £27285 181 176 28xDrive 20i Sport £28285 181 176 28xDrive 20i xLine £29285 181 179 28xDrive 20i M Sport £30285 181 179 28sDrive 16d SE £24230 114 128 18sDrive 18d SE £25330 141 128 22sDrive 18d Sport £26330 141 128 22sDrive 18d M Sport £28330 141 128 22xDrive 18d SE £26830 141 144 22xDrive 18d Sport £27830 141 144 22xDrive 18d xLine £28830 141 144 22xDrive 18d M Sport £29830 141 144 22sDrive 20d Efficient Dynamics £26760 161 119 24sDrive 20d Eff. Dyn. Business £28160 181 119 24sDrive 20d SE £26760 181 129 24sDrive 20d Sport £27760 181 129 25sDrive 20d M Sport £29760 181 129 25xDrive 20d SE £28260 181 145 24xDrive 20d Sport £29260 181 145 25xDrive 20d xLine £30260 181 145 25xDrive 20d M Sport £31260 181 145 25xDrive 25d M Sport £33540 215 154 27X3 5dr 4x4 New X3 has an appealingly organic driveand practical body AAAAC
sDrive 18d SE £31295 141 131 26xDrive20d SE £33295 181 142 30xDrive20d M Sport £36295 181 142 31xDrive20d xLine £34795 181 142 30xDrive30d SE £40095 255 156 39xDrive30d M Sport £43095 255 156 40xDrive30d xLine £41595 255 156 40
xDrive35d M Sport £45695 308 157 43X4 5dr 4x4 A downsized X6. Respectable enough, butthe cheaper X3 is a better option AAABC
xDrive20d SE £36895 187 142 31xDrive20d xLine £38395 187 142 31xDrive20d M Sport £39895 187 142 31xDrive30d xLine £45195 255 156 40xDrive30d M Sport £46695 255 156 40xDrive35d M Sport £49295 308 157 43X5 5dr 4x4 Very comfortable and capable . Although thebling M50d should be avoided AAAAC
xDrive50i SE £60670 402 224 49xDrive50i M Sport £64800 402 226 49X5M £90180 567 258 50sDrive25d SE £43745 215 149 41sDrive25d M Sport £47680 215 151 42xDrive25d SE £46050 215 154 42xDrive25d M Sport £50750 215 156 42xDrive30d SE £48850 241 156 44xDrive30d M Sport £53550 241 158 45xDrive40d SE £51510 302 157 46xDrive40d M Sport £56210 302 159 47M50d £64525 381 173 49X6 5dr 4x4 The world’s first off-road coupé, butappearance makes it difficult to love AAABC
xDrive50i SE £63320 443 225 49xDrive50i M Sport £67450 443 227 50X6M £93080 567 258 50xDrive30d SE £51400 258 157 45xDrive30d M Sport £56100 258 159 45xDrive40d SE £54060 313 163 46xDrive40d M Sport £58760 313 165 47M50d £67175 381 174 50Z4 ROADSTER 2dr open Classy roadster. Morecruiser than sports car AAABC
2.0 sDrive18i £27740 154 159 332.0 sDrive18i M Sport £31625 154 159 342.0 sDrive20i £29840 181 159 342.0 sDrive20i M Sport £33005 181 159 352.0 sDrive28i M Sport £37390 242 159 403.0 sDrive35i M Sport £43010 302 219 423.0 sDrive35iS DCT £45955 335 211 436 SERIES GRAN COUPE 4dr saloon Back doorproves a brilliant visual coup AAAAC
640i SE £59430 315 178 47640i M Sport £63030 315 182 48650i M Sport £72390 444 206 50M6 £94750 552 231 50640d SE £62295 309 147 48640d M Sport £65930 309 152 496 SERIES 2dr coupé Great engines and interior. MoreGT than sports car AAAAC
640i SE £59430 315 176 47640i M Sport £63030 315 180 47650i M Sport £72390 402 206 49M6 £92350 552 231 50640d SE £62295 309 143 48640d M Sport £65895 309 147 486 SERIES CONVERTIBLE 2dr open Great enginesand interior. More GT than sports car AAAAC
650i M Sport £77990 402 213 50640i SE £65330 315 179 50640i M Sport £68630 315 184 50M6 £97300 552 239 50640d SE £68195 309 149 50640d M Sport £71530 309 153 50I8 2dr coupé The world’s first off-road coupé, butappearance makes it difficult to love AAABC
1.5 £104540 357 49 50
CADILLACCTS-V 2dr coupé A genuine rival to Europe’s finestsupercars AAAAC
6.2 V8 £68957 556 365 50CTS 4dr saloon Sharp-looking big saloon needs adiesel. CTS-V is excellent AACCC
4.5 V8 Italia £178461 570 307 504.5 V8 Speciale £208090 597 275 50458 SPIDER 2dr open The complete supercar. Minusroof. A world-class head turner AAAAA
4.5 V8 £198906 570 275 50
FIATPANDA 5dr hatch Cheap, practical and very nearlyspot on AAAAC
HYUNDAII10 5dr hatch Second gen i10 still close to the best.Mature drive, spacious cabin, low priceAAAAC
1.0 S £8705 65 108 11.0 S Air £9370 65 108 11.0 SE £9770 65 108 11.0 SE Blue Drive £10020 65 98 11.0 Premium £10470 65 108 11.2 SE £10270 86 114 41.2 Premium £10970 86 114 4I20 5dr hatch Very good value hatch. Fun aby-product; practicality mostly spot onAAAAC
1.2 75 S £10695 76 112 51.2 75 S Air £11445 76 112 51.2 84 SE £12725 84 119 61.2 84 Premium £13725 84 119 61.2 84 Premium SE £14725 84 119 61.4 100 SE £13325 98 127 101.4 100 Premium £14325 98 127 101.4 100 Premium SE £15325 98 127 101.1 CRDi 75 S Blue £12445 74 84 61.1 CRDi 75 SE £14225 74 103 61.4 CRDi 90 SE £14725 89 106 111.4 CRDi 90 Premium £15725 89 106 121.4 CRDi 90 Premium SE £16725 89 106 12I30 5dr hatch As good as we’ve come to expect, but notone inch better AAABC
1.4 100 S £15195 98 138 71.4 100 SE £16495 98 138 71.6 120 SE auto £17895 118 158 91.6 120 Premium £20295 118 145 91.6 CRDi 110 Blue Drive S £17195 109 94 111.6 CRDi 110 Blue Drive SE £18495 109 94 111.6 CRDi 136 Blue Drive Premiu £22295 134 102 11I30 TOURER 5dr estate As good as we’ve cometo expect, but not one inch betterAAABC
1.6 120 S £16895 118 145 91.6 120 SE £18195 118 145 91.6 CRDi 110 Blue Drive S £18295 109 94 111.6 CRDi 136 Blue Drive SE £19595 134 102 11I40 4dr saloon Useful, inoffensive and well-priced. Nofireworks here AAABC
3.0 V6 £53050 336 199 503.0 V6 S £60250 375 213 505.0 V8 R £85000 542 259 50F-TYPE 2dr open Serious money. But it buys a seriouscar with a likeable wild side AAAAC
3.0 V6 £58535 336 209 503.0 V6 S £67535 375 213 505.0 V8 S £79995 488 259 50
JEEPRENEGADE 5dr 4x4 Middling compact crossover withchunky looks but no obvious charm AAACC
LEXUSCT 5dr hatch Makes sense only as a company car. Notfun AAACC
200h S £21245 134 82 19200h SE £22745 134 94 19200h Advance £24245 134 94 19200h Luxury £24745 134 94 20200h F Sport £26995 134 94 20200h Premier £29745 134 94 21IS 4dr saloon Sleek junior exec, well made and interest-ing. Needs a better diesel AAACC
250 SE £26495 204 199 32250 Luxury £27995 204 199 33250 F Sport £30495 204 213 33250 Premier £35495 204 213 34300h SE £28995 217 99 31300h Luxury £30995 217 103 32300h F Sport £32495 217 109 32300h Premier £36750 217 109 33GS 4dr saloon Refreshingly different, but lacks a dieselengine AAABC
300h SE £31495 179 109 31300h Luxury £37495 179 113 32300h F Sport £41745 179 115 33300h Premier £43745 179 113 33450h Luxury £45495 338 141 42450h F Sport £51495 338 145 42450h Premier £51495 338 141 42LS 4dr saloon Uninspiring luxury barge with a huge kitlist attached AAABC
460 Luxury £71995 382 249 48460 F-Sport £74495 382 249 49600h L Premier £99995 439 199 50600h L Premier Night View £101510 439 199 50NX 5dr hatch Some good ideas, but dramatically off thepace to drive AAACC
2.0 200t F Sport £38095 235 183 -300h S 2WD £29495 195 116 29300h SE £31495 195 121 31300h Luxury £34495 195 121 31300h F Sport £36995 195 121 32300h Premier £42995 195 121 33RX 5dr 4x4 Low flexibility, but hybrid function makes adegree of economic sense AAABC
450h SE £44495 245 145 40450h Luxury £48495 245 145 41450h F Sport £51995 245 145 42450h Premier £55495 245 145 41RC-F 2dr coupé An also-ran in the segment, althoughnaturally-aspirated V8 is easy to like AAABC
MASERATIGHIBLI 4dr saloon Classy and entertaining but lesspolished than a 5-Series AAAAC
3.0 V6 £53575 325 223 503.0 V6 S £64720 404 242 503.0D V6 £49160 271 158 50QUATTROPORTE 4dr saloon Not quite as sophisti-cated as it might have been. AAABC
MAZDA2 5dr hatch Much more grown-up now. Handsome andcomfortable - if slightly less fun AAAAC
1.5 75 SE £11995 74 110 -1.5 75 SE-L £12995 74 110 -1.5 90 SE-L £13995 90 105 -1.5 90 SE-L Nav £14395 90 105 -1.5 90 Sport £14995 90 105 -1.5 90 Sport Nav £15395 90 105 -1.5 115 Sport Nav £15995 113 117 -1.5D 105 SE-L £15995 104 89 -1.5D 105 SE-L Nav £16395 104 89 -1.5D 105 Sport £16995 104 89 -1.5D 105 Sport Nav £17395 104 89 -3 5dr hatch Refined, well-priced family choice.Dynamically satisfying, too AAAAC
1.5 100 SE £16995 99 119 131.5 100 SE Nav £17595 99 119 132.0 120 SE £17295 118 119 172.0 120 SE Nav £17895 118 119 172.0 120 SE-L £18795 118 119 182.0 120 SE-L Nav £19395 118 119 182.0 120 Sport Nav £20195 118 119 182.0 165 Sport Nav £21920 162 135 222.2D 150 SE £19645 148 107 232.2D 150 SE Nav £20245 148 107 242.2D 150 SE-L £21145 148 107 242.2D 150 SE-L Nav £21745 148 107 242.2D 150 Sport Nav £22545 148 107 246 4dr saloon A compelling mix of size, economy andperformance. Interior a let down AAAAC
2.0 145 SE £19795 143 129 182.0 145 SE Nav £20495 143 129 182.0 145 SE-L £20795 143 129 162.0 145 SE-L Nav £21495 143 129 162.0 165 Sport Nav £24595 162 135 192.2D 150 SE £22295 148 108 212.2D 150 SE Nav £22995 148 108 212.2D 150 SE-L £23295 148 108 192.2D 150 SE-L Nav £23995 148 108 192.2D 150 Sport Nav £26395 148 108 212.2D 175 Sport Nav £26795 173 119 236 5dr tourer A compelling mix of size, economy andperformance. Interior a let down AAAAC
2.0 145 SE-L Nav £22425 143 129 162.0 165 Sport Nav £25395 162 135 192.2D 150 SE Nav £23795 148 116 212.2D 175 Sport Nav £27595 173 119 232.0 145 SE-L £21725 143 131 162.2D 150 SE £23095 148 116 212.2D 150 SE-L £24095 148 116 192.2D 150 SE-L Nav £24795 148 116 192.2D 150 Sport Nav £27195 148 116 21CX-5 5dr 4x4 Superb diesel engine mated to aboveaverage package AAABC
2.0 Skyactiv-G 165 SE-L Nav £22995 162 139 152.0 Skyactiv-G 165 Sport Nav £25395 162 139 162.2D Skyactiv-D 150 SE-L Nav £24795 148 119 182.2D Sky-D 150 SE-L Lux Nav £26395 148 119 202.2D Skyactiv-D 150 Sport Nav £27195 148 119 192.2D Sky-D 150 SE-L Nav AWD £26695 148 136 172.2D Sky-D 175 Sport Nav AWD £29395 173 136 215 5dr mpv Functional seven-seater, but not unpleasantto drive. Lots of kit AAABC
2.0 150 Sport Venture £20495 148 159 161.6D 115 Sport Venture £21895 114 138 16MX-5 2dr open The old recipe - but done better. Lean,low-cost and pretty. As it should be AAAAB
1.5i Sport Nav £22445 129 139 -1.5i SE £18495 129 139 -1.5i SE-L £19245 129 139 -1.5i SE-L Nav £19845 129 139 -1.5i Sport £21845 129 139 -2.0i SE-L £20095 153 - -2.0i SE-L Nav £20695 153 - -2.0i Sport £22695 153 - -2.0i Sport Nav £23295 153 - -
MCLAREN650S 2dr coupé Extraordinary pace and handling. Thecar the 12C should have been AAAAB
3.8 V8 £195250 641 - 50650S SPIDER 2dr open More of the samealthough noisier — and better for it AAAAB
3.8 V8 £215250 641 - 50P1 2dr coupé Other-worldly. As worthy of a place inhypercar history as the F1 AAAAA
3.8 V8 £866000 903 194 50
MERCEDES-BENZA-CLASS 5dr hatch Desirability on message; ridequality seriously off-piste AAABC
A180 CDI SE ECO £21965 107 92 16A250 Engi’red by AMG 4MATIC £30910 208 154 34A180 SE £20715 121 128 18A180 Sport £21840 121 133 18A200 Sport £23365 154 134 23A200 AMG Sport £24615 154 136 24A250 Engineered by AMG Sport £29375 208 140 34A45 AMG 4MATIC £38195 354 161 43A180 CDI SE auto £23240 107 98 16A180 CDI Sport £22785 107 102 16A180 CDI AMG Sport £24035 107 105 16A200 CDI Sport £23860 134 118 20A200 CDI AMG Sport £25110 134 121 21A220 CDI AMG Sport £27760 168 115 25B-CLASS 5dr hatch A slightly odd prospect, butpractical and classy AAABC
B180 SE £21500 120 129 16B180 Sport £22225 120 129 16B180 AMG Line £23520 120 129 16B200 SE £22575 154 130 16B200 Sport £23300 154 130 16B200 AMG Line £24595 154 130 16B180 CDI SE ECO £22575 108 94 15B180 CDI SE £22575 108 108 15B180 CDI Sport £23170 108 108 15B180 CDI AMG Line £24465 108 108 15B200 CDI SE £23650 134 111 20B200 CDI Sport £24245 134 111 20B200 CDI AMG Line £25540 134 111 20B220 CDI Sport £27125 168 107 25
CLA 4dr saloon Attractive from some angles, unappeal-ing from others. Dynamics to match AAACC
CLA 200 CDI AMG Sport £29125 134 117 27CLA 200 CDI Sport £26925 134 117 27CLA 250 AMG Sport 4Matic £33405 208 154 24CLA180 Sport £24775 121 130 23CLA180 AMG Sport £26975 121 130 24CLA45 AMG £42270 354 161 45CLA220 CDI Sport £29775 168 117 27CLA220 CDI AMG Sport £31975 168 117 28C-CLASS 2dr coupé Nice balance of style, usabilityand driver reward AAABC
C63 AMG Edition 507 £68495 451 280 44C180 AMG Sport Edition £29965 154 149 35C220 CDI Exec SE £31130 168 109 34C220 CDI AMG Sport Edition £32460 168 133 38C250 CDI AMG Sport Edition £33515 201 143 41C-CLASS 4dr saloon Stellar cabin and polished driveincrease appeal; engines not so good AAAAC
C200 SE £27270 181 123 31C200 Sport £29265 181 124 31C200 AMG Line £30890 181 128 31C63 AMG £59800 469 192 -C63 AMG S £66550 503 192 -C200 Bluetec SE £28985 134 102 25C200 Bluetec Sport £30980 134 102 25C200 Bluetec AMG Line £32475 134 102 25C220 Bluetec SE £29780 168 103 31C220 Bluetec Sport £31775 168 104 31C220 Bluetec AMG Line £33270 168 104 31C250 Bluetec SE £32435 201 117 35C250 Bluetec Sport £34430 201 117 35C250 Bluetec AMG Line £35925 201 117 35C300 Bluetec Hybrid SE £35045 201 94 -C300 Bluetec Hybrid Sport £37040 201 94 -C300 Bluetec Hybrid AMG Line £38535 201 94 -C-CLASS 5dr estate Decent practicality andfantastic interior - but only okay to driveAAAAC
C200 Bluetec AMG Line £33675 134 102 25C200 Bluetec SE £30185 134 102 25C200 Bluetec Sport £32180 134 102 25C200 SE £28470 181 128 31C220 Bluetec SE £30980 168 108 31C250 Bluetec SE £33635 201 117 35C63 AMG £61000 469 196 47C63 AMG S £67750 503 196 47C200 Sport £30465 181 128 31C200 AMG Line £32090 181 128 31C220 Bluetec Sport £32975 168 108 31C220 Bluetec AMG Line £34470 168 108 31C250 Bluetec Sport £35630 201 117 35C250 Bluetec AMG Line £37125 201 117 35E-CLASS 4dr saloon A return to the old Mercqualities. Refined and relaxing AAAAC
E300 Bluetec Hybrid AMG Sport £42375 204 109 43E63 AMG S £84110 549 232 47E200 SE £34340 181 138 36E200 AMG Line £36850 181 142 37E250 SE £35470 208 138 38E250 AMG Line £37980 208 142 39E63 AMG £74115 549 230 47E300 Bluetec Hybrid SE £39880 204 109 43E220 Bluetec SE £34270 168 120 34E220 Bluetec AMG Line £36765 168 129 35E250 CDI SE £36820 201 129 39E250 CDI AMG Line £39445 201 134 40E350 Bluetec AMG Line £41210 248 154 44E-CLASS 5dr estate A return to the old Mercqualities. Refined and relaxing AAAAC
E220 Bluetec AMG Line £38555 168 135 35E220 Bluetec SE £36060 168 133 34E250 AMG Line £39770 208 147 39E250 CDI AMG Line £41250 201 145 40E250 CDI SE £38755 201 143 39E250 SE £37275 208 144 38E300 BlueTEC Hybrid AMG Line £44165 201 119 44E300 BlueTEC Hybrid SE £41670 201 119 44E350 Bluetec AMG Line £43015 248 159 44E63 AMG £75905 549 234 47E63 AMG S £85900 582 234 47E-CLASS 2dr coupé A return to the old Merc qualities.Refined and relaxing AAAAC
E200 AMG Line £38635 181 140 39E400 AMG Line Plus £46425 329 176 45E220 Bluetec SE £36615 168 123 38E220 Bluetec AMG Line £39310 168 126 39E250 CDI Bluetec AMG Line £40930 201 129 43E350 Bluetec AMG Line £42625 228 149 46E-CLASS CABRIOLET 2dr open Nice cabin, butride isn’t great. Six-pot engines best AAACC
E200 AMG Line £42005 181 146 42E400 AMG Line Plus £49795 329 185 48E220 Bluetec SE £39985 168 127 41E220 Bluetec AMG Line £42810 168 134 42E250 CDI AMG Line £44300 201 128 45E350 Bluetec AMG Line £46010 228 154 48S-CLASS 2dr coupé Heavyweight contender.Continent smothering luxury AAAAC
S500 £96195 449 207 50S63 AMG £125605 577 237 50S65 AMG £183075 621 279 50S-CLASS 4dr saloon Still the best luxury car in thereal world. Calm, advanced, rewardingAAAAA
S500 Plug-in Hybrid £82965 436 65 50S500 L AMG Line £88400 449 207 50S400 Hybrid L SE Line £70935 328 147 49S400 Hybrid L AMG Line £74930 328 153 49S600 L AMG Line £140615 523 259 50S63 AMG L £119845 577 237 50S65 AMG L £179995 621 279 50Maybach S600 £165700 501 274 50S300 Bluetec Hybrid L AMG Line £72260 204 120 49S350 Bluetec AMG Line £67940 254 151 50S350 Bluetec L SE Line £66910 254 148 50S350 Bluetec L AMG Line £70940 254 154 50CLS 4dr saloon Saloon-like practicality, coupe-likerewards AAAAC
400 AMG Line £55855 328 170 5063 AMG S £86510 577 231 50220 BlueTec AMG Line £46500 175 129 44350 BlueTec AMG Line £49950 254 - 46
63 AMG S £87010 577 231 50220 BlueTec AMG Line £48080 175 129 44350 BlueTec AMG Line £51400 254 162 47GLA 5dr 4x4 Not the most practical crossover, but goodlooking and very decent to drive AAAAC
GLA250 AMG Line 4Matic £31295 208 154 34GLA45 AMG 4MATIC £44600 354 175 -GLA200 CDI Sport £26265 134 119 25GLA200 CDI Sport 4Matic £29215 134 119 25GLA200 CDI AMG Line £27210 134 119 25GLA200 CDI 4Matic AMG Line £30215 134 119 25GLA220 CDI Sport 4Matic £30645 168 129 28GLA220 CDI AMG Line 4Matic £31645 168 129 29G-CLASS 5dr 4x4 Massively expensive and compro-mised, but with character to spare AAABC
G350 BlueTEC £86445 208 295 -G63 AMG £129665 537 322 -GL-CLASS 5dr 4x4 Decent on road and off despite itssize. Nice cabin, too AAABC
GL350 BlueTEC AMG Sport £60755 261 209 49GL63 AMG £93360 549 288 50SLK 2dr open Enthusiastic, neat handling and briskall-weather roadster AAAAC
200 CGI BlueEff Sport £34750 181 158 41250 CGI BlueEff Sport £38710 201 169 44350 CGI BlueEff Sport £44610 302 167 45SLK55 AMG £55350 416 195 47SLK250 CDI £33150 201 132 42SLK250 CDI AMG Sport £37150 201 132 43SL 2dr open Big, luxurious and classier than a royal studfarm. Merc at its best. AAAAB
SL400 AMG Sport £72505 329 178 50SL500 AMG Sport £81920 429 212 50SL63 AMG £112520 557 231 50SL65 AMG £170825 621 270 50AMG GT 2dr coupé Clever and handsome replacementfor the SLS. Different, but very good AAAAC
4.0 V8 £97200 456 216 504.0 V8 S £110500 503 219 50CL 2dr coupé Comfortable big coupe. More GT thansports car AAAAC
ML350 BlueTEC SE Exec £51340 254 189 43ML63 AMG £87005 536 276 50ML250 BlueTEC SE Exec £48190 201 165 38ML250 BlueTEC AMG Line £50850 201 165 38ML350 BlueTEC AMG Line £54000 254 189 43V-CLASS 5dr mpv Expensively appointed mini bus.With matching price tag AAABC
V220 SE £41845 161 149 -V220 Sport £44340 161 149 -V220 Extra Long SE £43380 161 149 -V220 Extra Long Sport £45875 161 149 -V250 SE £43520 161 157 -V250 Sport £46015 161 157 -V250 Extra Long SE £45055 161 157 -V250 Extra Long Sport £47550 161 157 -
MGMG3 5dr hatch Neatly tuned and nicely styledsupermini. Flaws covered up by price AAACC
MINIHATCH 3dr hatch Has matured very satisfyingly intoits larger footprint . A real contender AAAAB
1.2 One £13955 102 108 121.5 Cooper £15505 134 105 182.0 S Cooper £18840 189 133 261.5 D One £15075 114 89 111.5 D Cooper £16635 114 92 152.0 SD Cooper £19655 168 106 23HATCH 5dr hatch Additional door hardly adds charm.Bottom line embellished nevertheless AAABC
1.2 One £14565 102 112 121.5 Cooper £16105 134 109 182.0 S Cooper £19440 189 136 261.5 D One £15675 94 92 111.5 D Cooper £17235 114 95 152.0 SD Cooper £20255 168 109 23PACEMAN 3dr coupé Two-door Countryman a Minitoo far for us. Tough to like AAABC
1.6 Cooper £19115 121 137 161.6T Cooper S £22485 181 139 301.6T Cooper S ALL4 £23720 181 148 291.6T John Cooper Works £29575 208 165 341.6D Cooper D ALL4 £21645 110 123 141.6D Cooper D £20375 110 111 152.0D Cooper SD £23235 141 119 202.0D Cooper SD ALL4 £24535 141 126 19COUNTRYMAN 5dr 4x4 Big, but still more funkythan useful AAABC
1.6 One 2WD £17105 97 134 121.6 Cooper 2WD £18625 120 137 161.6T Cooper S 2WD £22005 181 139 301.6T Cooper S ALL4 4WD £23240 181 148 281.6T JCW £28985 215 165 331.6D One 2WD £18135 89 111 131.6D Cooper 2WD £19885 110 111 181.6D Cooper ALL4 4WD £21165 110 123 162.0D Cooper SD £22755 141 119 202.0D Cooper SD ALL4 4WD £24055 141 126 20
MITSUBISHII 5dr hatch Electric city transport. Fun, quirky butludicrously expensive AAABC
MiEV Keiko £28554 63 0 27
MIRAGE 5dr hatch Straightforward hatchback. Not forthe likes of us AAACC
Ford Fiesta Zetec S Black From£13,000Gets themost powerful version of the 1.0 Ecoboost. Easier tolivewith than an ST and almost asmuch fun.AAAAB
Mini Cooper From£15,000Nevermind the S; the three-pot Cooper is the best-valueMinimoney can buy. The best to drive, too. Great car.AAAAB
Suzuki Swift Sport From£13,000The cheap, pretty and chuckable Swift defines this categorybest. Fun cannot be hadmore cheaply than this.AAAAC
Seat Ibiza FR From£16,000VW’s latest four-pot gives the Ibiza some real grunt. Shame thechassis it’s connected to is less than compelling.AAABC
Fiat 500 Abarth From£14,000One of the cutest cars on sale is also pleasing to drive. Thehandling is keen, but the ride is a bit too firm.AAABC
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14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 77
WHAT’S COMING WHEN
Toyota C-HR Spring 2016Having recently unveiled anupdated conceptualversion of theC-HRat the Frankfurtmotor show,Toyota is ramping updevelopment of its compactcrossover aheadof its first public outing next spring.Power for the four-doormodel is expected to comefroma four-cylinder engine coupled to aCVT.Price£15,000 (est)
Stay up to datewith all the latest new car launcheswithAutocar’s new cars calendar. Head to autocar.co.uk
Tesla Model X Summer 2016Tesla’s second all-electricmodel takes the formofanSUV, albeit one that is packedwith innovativefeatures— including ‘falconwing’ doors, which canopen in tight spaces, and anHEPAair filter, which issaid to provide ‘medical grade’ air to the cabin. Top-endP90Dversions of theModel X canoutrun aPorsche911Carrera to62mph, too, and have a rangeof 250miles.Price65,000 (est)
NOBLEM600 2dr coupé A new era for the Brit maker.Outrageous pace and handling AAAAB
4.4 V8 £200000 650 - -
PEUGEOTION 5dr hatch Good electric powertrain, comicallyexpensive AABCC
63 £26216 63 0 2866 UK drive £26216 63 0 28108 3dr hatch Sister car to the Aygo. And distantsecond to most city car rivals AAACC
1.0 Access £8345 68 95 61.0 Active £9595 68 95 61.0 Active Top £10595 68 95 71.0 Active S-S £9845 68 88 61.0 Active S-S Top £10845 68 88 71.2 VTi Allure £11095 81 99 111.2 VTi Allure Top £12095 81 99 111.2 VTi Feline £11945 81 99 11108 5dr hatch Sister car to the Aygo. And distantsecond to most city car rivals AAACC
1.0 Active £9995 68 95 61.0 Active Top £10995 68 95 71.0 Active S-S £10245 68 88 61.0 Active S-S Top £11245 68 88 71.2 VTi Allure £11495 81 99 111.2 VTi Allure Top £12495 81 99 111.2 VTi Feline £12345 81 99 11208 3dr hatch Big improvement for Peugeot, if not thesupermini class AAABC
2.2 HDi 200 GT £30645 201 140 371.6 e-HDi 115 Active Nav £22195 113 109 24
1.6 e-HDi 115 Allure Nav £24295 113 111 252.0 HDi 140 Active Nav £22595 140 115 272.0 HDi 140 Allure Nav £24695 140 119 282.0 BlueHDi 150 Allure Nav £25795 148 101 302.0 HDi 163 Allure Nav auto £26595 161 140 302.0 HDi Hybrid4 Allure Nav £31995 200 91 36508 SW 5dr estate As good as saloon, only betterlooking AAAAC
1.6 e-HDi 115 Active Nav £23395 113 110 241.6 e-HDi 115 Allure Nav £25695 113 112 252.0 BlueHDi 150 Allure Nav £27195 148 102 302.0 HDi 140 Active Nav £23795 140 120 272.0 HDi 140 Allure Nav £26095 140 125 282.0 HDi 163 Allure Nav auto £27995 161 144 302.2 HDi 200 GT £32045 201 144 372008 5dr hatch Efficient and well-mannered but shorton space and style AAABC
PORSCHEBOXSTER 2dr open Honed, toned and cosmeticallyenhanced. Scarily brilliant AAAAB
2.7 £40098 261 195 403.4 S £48553 311 211 433.4 GTS £54567 326 211 44CAYMAN 2dr coupé Roof seals the deal. A five-starcar by any measure AAAAA
2.7 £40239 271 195 373.4 S £49478 320 211 413.4 GTS £56092 335 211 43911 2dr coupé The best just got better. Still more thanworthy of its iconic status AAAAB
3.4 Carrera £74204 345 211 463.4 Carrera 4 £79060 345 218 463.8 Carrera S £84240 395 223 473.8 Carrera 4S £89325 395 233 483.8 Turbo £121523 514 227 483.8 Turbo S £143045 552 227 483.8 GT3 £101695 468 289 48911 CABRIOLET 2dr open The best just got better.Still more than worthy of its iconic statusAAAAB
3.4 Carrera £82864 345 216 493.8 Carrera S £93129 395 228 503.4 Carrera 4 £87720 345 223 493.4 Targa 4 £87720 345 223 493.8 Carrera 4S £97985 395 235 503.8 Targa 4S £97985 395 237 503.8 Turbo £130148 513 231 503.8 Turbo S £151782 552 231 50918 SPYDER 2dr open Porsche’s hybrid hypercar. Arare and hugely fast new five-star modelAAAAA
4.6 V8 £657400 875 70 50MACAN 5dr 4x4 Spookily good handling. A sportsutility vehicle in the purest sense AAAAB
2.0 £41928 234 175 -3.0 V6 S £45345 336 212 403.6 V6 Turbo £61689 395 216 443.0 V6 S Diesel £44871 254 164 39PANAMERA 5dr hatch Technically brilliant and witha great cabin. Soulless though AAAAC
RADICALSR3 2dr coupé Spectacular on the track; not so goodon the way home AAAAC
SL £69850 245 - -
RENAULTTWIZY 2dr hatch Zany solution to personal mobility.Suitably irreverent and impractical AAABC
EV 13kW Urban £6895 17 0 10EV 13kW Technic £7595 17 0 11ZOE 5dr hatch Far more practical zero emissionsolution. Attractive price AAABC
Expr. £18443 87 0 15Dyn’que Zen £20043 87 0 16Dyn’que Intens £20043 87 0 16TWINGO 5dr hatch Rear-engined city car is cleverlypackaged - but not the class leader AAABC
0.9 TCe 90 Dyn’que Energy £11695 89 99 81.0 SCe 70 Expr. £9495 69 105 21.0 SCe 70 Play £9995 69 105 31.0 SCe 70 Dyn’que S-S £10995 69 95 3CAPTUR 5dr hatch On message compact crossover.Better looking than most AAABC
0.9 TCe Expr.+ £14295 89 115 90.9 TCe 90 Dyn’que Media Nav £15395 89 115 90.9 TCe 90 Dyn’que S Media N £16795 89 115 101.2 TCe 120 Dyn’que Media N £17695 118 125 141.2 TCe 120 Dyn’que S MediaN £19195 118 125 151.5 dCi 90 Expr.+ £15995 89 95 111.5 dCi 90 Dyn’que Media Nav £16995 89 95 121.5 dCi 90 Dyn’que S Media N £18495 89 95 12CLIO 5dr hatch Attractive, nice to drive and practical.Only the Fiesta does it better AAAAC
1.2 TCe 120 GT-Line EDC £17725 118 120 141.6 Renaultsport 200 Lux £20295 197 144 291.2 75 Expr. £11145 75 127 71.2 75 Expr. + £12675 75 127 81.2 75 Dyn’que Media Nav £13675 75 127 80.9 TCe 90 Expr. + £13675 89 104 90.9 TCe 90 Eco Expr. + £13925 89 99 90.9 TCe 90 Dyn’que Media Nav £14675 89 104 90.9 TCe Eco Dyn’que Media Nav £14925 89 99 90.9 TCe 90 Dyn’que S Media Nav £15675 89 105 101.6 Renaultsport 200 £19145 197 144 291.5 dCi 90 Expr. + £14975 89 90 131.5 dCi 90 Eco Expr. + £15225 89 83 131.5 dCi 90 Dyn’que Media Nav £15975 89 90 131.5 dCi 90 Eco Dyn’q Media Nav £16225 89 83 131.5 dCi 90 Dyn’q S Media Nav £16975 89 90 13MEGANE 5dr hatch Stylish and refined but bland.Nothing exceptional AAACC
SEATMII 3dr hatch Predictably not quite as good as the VWUp. Cheaper, though AAABC
1.0 60 S £8195 59 105 11.0 60 S AC £8705 59 105 11.0 60 SE £9630 59 105 11.0 60 Toca £9995 59 105 11.0 60 Ecomotive £9530 59 96 11.0 75 SE auto £10760 74 105 21.0 75 Sport £10380 74 108 2MII 5dr hatch Predictably not quite as good as the VWUp. Cheaper, though AAABC
1.0 60 S £8545 59 105 11.0 60 S AC £9055 59 105 11.0 60 SE £9980 59 105 11.0 60 Toca £10345 59 105 11.0 60 Ecomotive £9880 59 96 11.0 75 SE auto £11110 74 105 21.0 75 Sport £10730 74 108 2IBIZA 3dr hatch Sharp looks and handling. Cupraneeds a manual AAABC
1.2 12v 70 S A-C £11410 69 125 51.4 85 SE £12545 84 139 91.4 85 Toca £12870 84 139 111.2 TSI 105 SE DSG £14185 104 124 121.2 TSI 105 FR £14190 104 119 121.2 TSI 105 FR DSG £15285 104 124 121.4 TSI 140 ACT FR £15495 138 109 211.4 TSI 140 ACT FR Edition £16110 138 109 221.4 TSI 180 Cupra DSG £18980 178 139 271.2 TDI 75 S A-C £13305 74 102 71.2 TDI 75 S A-C Ecomotive £13830 74 92 71.2 TDI 75 SE Ecomotive £14360 74 92 71.6 TDI 105 SE £14910 104 112 141.6 TDI 105 FR £15910 104 112 142.0 TDI 143 FR £17085 141 123 22IBIZA 5dr hatch Sharp looks and handling. Cupraneeds a manual AAABC
1.2 12v 70 S A-C £11960 69 125 51.4 85 SE £13095 84 139 91.4 85 Toca £13420 84 139 111.2 TSI 105 SE DSG £14735 104 124 121.2 TSI 105 FR £14740 104 119 121.2 TSI 105 FR DSG £15835 104 124 121.4 TSI 140 ACT FR £16045 138 109 211.4 TSI 140 ACT FR Edition £16660 138 109 221.2 TDI 75 S A-C £13855 74 102 71.2 TDI 75 S A-C Ecomotive £14380 74 92 71.2 TDI 75 SE Ecomotive £14910 74 92 71.6 TDI 105 SE £15460 104 112 141.6 TDI 105 FR £16460 104 112 142.0 TDI 143 FR £17635 141 123 22IBIZA 5dr estate Rivals are more practical but Ibiza isfun AAACC
1.2 70 S A-C £12660 69 128 51.4 85 SE £13795 84 139 91.4 85 Toca £14120 84 139 111.2 TSI 105 SE DSG £15435 103 124 121.2 TSI 105 FR £15440 103 119 121.4 TSI 140 ACT FR £16745 138 109 211.2 TDI 75 S A-C £14555 74 105 71.2 TDI 75 S A-C Ecomotive £15080 74 92 71.2 TDI 75 SE Ecomotive £15610 74 92 71.6 TDI 105 SE £16160 104 112 141.6 TDI 105 FR £17160 104 112 14TOLEDO 5dr hatch Makes practical sense, but leavesno other lasting impression AAACC
1.2 TSI 85 S £14265 84 119 101.2 TSI 105 S £15295 104 116 13
78 WWW.AUTOCAR.CO.Uk 14 OCTOBER 2015
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ROADTESTRESULT
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Facts, figures, from the best road tests
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Ferrari F12 Berlinetta From£240,000Thrilling in away that only a front-engined V12 Ferrari could be.Crushing performance and unparalleled drama.AAAAB
Aston Martin Vanquish From£190,000If yourmoney is only intended to buy dazzling exterior beauty,it is best invested in AstonMartin’s flagship.AAAAC
Bentley Continental GT V8 From£140,000It may have lost four cylinders, but the newAudi-sourced V8 isso good that it completely reinvigorates the Conti.AAAAC
Ferrari FF From£227,000Amighty engine and the drivetrain to handle it. Not the purist’sFerrari by definition— but amore usable one for it.AAAAC
Mercedes S63 AMG Coupé From£125,000So long in the legs that continents flash bymid-stride. Has abusiness-like opulence. Not as evocative as some.AAAAC
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Visit autocar.co.uk for all of our Top Fives
AUTOCARTOPFIVES
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 79
1.2 TSI 105 SE £16515 104 118 141.4 TSI 122 SE DSG £17965 120 134 171.6 TDI 105 CR S Ecomotive £17150 104 104 151.6 TDI 105 CR SE Ecomotive £18370 104 106 15LEON 3dr hatch Sharp looks and handling. Back fromthe Golf’s quality, but good value AAAAC
1.6 TDI 110 SE Ecomotive £19625 108 87 141.2 TSI 110 S £15815 108 114 131.2 TSI 110 SE £16935 108 114 131.4 TSI 125 SE £17535 123 120 161.4 TSI 150 FR £19700 148 109 201.8 TSI 180 FR £20740 178 137 252.0 TSI 265 Cupra £25960 261 154 322.0 TSI 280 Cupra £27210 276 154 331.6 TDI CR 105 S £17515 104 99 131.6 TDI CR 105 SE £18635 104 99 132.0 TDI CR 150 SE £19985 148 106 192.0 TDI CR 150 FR £21530 148 106 202.0 TDI CR 184 FR £22520 181 109 26LEON 5dr hatch Sharp looks and handling. Back fromthe Golf’s quality, but good value AAAAC
1.6 TDI 110 SE Ecomotive £19925 108 87 141.2 TSI 110 S £16115 108 114 131.2 TSI 110 SE £17235 108 114 131.4 TSI 125 SE £17835 123 120 161.4 TSI 150 FR £20000 148 109 201.8 TSI 180 FR £21040 178 137 252.0 TDI CR 184 FR £22820 181 109 262.0 TSI 280 Cupra £27510 276 154 331.6 TDI CR 105 S £17815 104 99 131.6 TDI CR 105 SE £18935 104 99 132.0 TDI CR 150 SE £20285 148 106 192.0 TDI CR 150 FR £21830 148 106 20LEON 5dr estate Sharp looks and handling. Back fromthe Golf’s quality, but good value AAAAC
1.2 TSI 105 S £16675 104 114 121.2 TSI 105 SE £17795 104 114 131.4 TSI 140 FR £20390 138 122 181.4 TSI 140 SE £18845 138 122 171.6 TDI 110 SE Ecomotive £20920 108 87 141.6 TDI CR 105 S £18810 104 99 131.6 TDI CR 105 SE £19930 104 99 131.8 TSI 180 FR £22035 178 137 252.0 TDI CR 150 FR £22825 148 106 202.0 TDI CR 150 SE £21280 148 106 192.0 TDI CR 184 FR £23815 181 112 262.0 TDI 150 SE X-Perience £24385 148 129 192.0 TDI 150 SE Tech X-Perience £26370 148 129 202.0 TDI 184 SE Tech X-Perience £28870 181 129 23ALTEA 5dr hatch Short on interior flexibility andvisibility. Well-judged drive AAACC
2.0 TDI 140 Ecomotive S £25630 138 146 182.0 TDI 140 Ecomotive SE £27510 138 146 182.0 TDI 140 Ecomotive I-TECH £28630 138 146 182.0 TDI 140 Eco’ SE Lux £30900 138 146 182.0 TDI 177 SE £28750 138 158 222.0 TDI 177 SE Lux £32420 138 158 22
SKODACITIGO 3dr hatch The VW Up in entry-level Skodaformat AAABC
1.0 60 S £8275 59 105 11.0 60 SE £9135 59 105 11.0 60 Monte Carlo £10670 59 105 21.0 60 Greentech SE £9495 59 95 11.0 60 Greentech Eleg. £10010 59 95 11.0 75 Greentech Eleg. £10400 74 98 2CITIGO 5dr hatch The VW Up in entry-level Skodaformat AAABC
1.0 60 S £8625 59 105 11.0 60 SE £9485 59 105 11.0 60 Monte Carlo £11020 59 105 21.0 60 Greentech SE £9845 59 95 11.0 60 Greentech Eleg. £10360 59 95 11.0 75 Greentech Eleg. £10750 74 98 2FABIA 5dr hatch Straight-laced for a supermini, but aslikeable an all-rounder as you’ll find AAAAC
1.0 60 S £10600 59 106 21.0 75 S £11460 74 108 41.0 75 SE £12820 74 108 31.0 75 SE L £13610 74 108 31.2 TSI 90 SE £13450 89 107 81.2 TSI 90 SE L £14240 89 107 81.2 TSI 110 S DSG £13740 108 109 131.2 TSI 110 SE £14100 108 110 121.2 TSI 110 SE L £14890 108 110 121.4 TDI 90 S £14090 89 93 121.4 TDI 90 SE £15450 89 93 101.4 TDI 90 SE L £16240 89 93 111.4 TDI 105 SE L £16840 104 95 12FABIA 5dr estate1.0 75 S £12460 74 109 41.0 75 SE £13965 74 109 31.0 75 SE L £14755 74 109 31.2 TSI 110 S DSG £14740 108 109 131.2 TSI 110 SE £15245 108 110 121.2 TSI 110 SE L £16035 108 110 121.2 TSI 90 SE £14595 89 107 81.2 TSI 90 SE L £15385 89 107 81.4 TDI 105 SE L £17985 104 97 121.4 TDI 90 S £15090 89 94 101.4 TDI 90 SE £16595 89 94 101.4 TDI 90 SE L £17385 89 94 11RAPID 5dr hatch1.6 TDI 105 E £17145 103 114 161.6 TDI 90 Eleg. £17715 103 114 131.6 TDI 90 GreenLine £17975 103 99 131.6 TDI 90 GreenTech Eleg. £17965 103 104 131.6 TDI 90 GreenTech SE £17215 103 104 131.6 TDI 90 S £16015 103 114 131.6 TDI 90 SE £16965 103 114 131.2 75 S £13350 74 137 71.2 TSI 86 S £14140 84 119 101.2 TSI 86 SE £15090 84 119 101.2 TSI 86 GreenTech S £14390 84 114 101.2 TSI 86 GreenTech SE £15340 84 114 10
1.2 TSI 105 SE £15790 104 125 131.2 TSI 105 Eleg. £16540 104 125 131.2 TSI 105 GreenTech SE £16040 104 118 131.2 TSI 105 GreenTech Eleg. £16790 104 118 131.2 TSI 105 Sport £15840 104 125 151.4 TSI 122 SE DSG £17585 120 134 161.4 TSI 122 Eleg. DSG £18335 120 134 161.4 TSI 122 GreenTech SE DSG £17705 120 127 181.4 TSI 122 GreenTech Eleg. £18455 120 127 181.6 TDI 105 S £16590 103 114 161.6 TDI 105 SE £17540 103 114 151.6 TDI 105 Eleg. £18290 103 114 151.6 TDI 105 GreenTech SE £17790 103 106 151.6 TDI 105 GreenTech Eleg. £18540 103 106 15RAPID SPACEBACK 5dr estate Estate shapemakes most sense of Rapid’s skinny bodyAAABC
1.2 TSI 105 Eleg. £16640 104 125 141.2 TSI 105 Greentech Eleg. £16890 104 118 141.2 TSI 105 Greentech SE £16430 104 118 151.2 TSI 105 SE £16180 104 125 141.2 TSI 86 Greentech S £14750 84 114 121.2 TSI 86 Greentech SE £15730 84 114 121.2 TSI 86 S £14500 84 119 111.2 TSI 86 SE £15480 84 119 121.4 TSI 122 Eleg. DSG £18445 120 134 181.4 TSI 122 Greentech SE DSG £18105 120 127 181.4 TSI 122 G’tech Eleg. DS £18565 120 127 181.4 TSI 122 SE DSG £17985 120 134 171.6 TDI 105 Eleg. £18390 103 114 161.6 TDI 105 Greentech Eleg. £18640 103 106 161.6 TDI 105 Greentech SE £18180 103 106 161.6 TDI 105 S £16950 103 114 151.6 TDI 105 SE £17930 103 114 161.6 TDI 90 GreenLine £17355 89 99 141.6 TDI 90 GreenTech Eleg. £17990 89 106 141.6 TDI 90 GreenTech SE £17530 89 106 141.6 TDI 90 S £16300 89 114 131.6 TDI 90 SE £17280 89 114 141.6 TDI 90 Eleg. £17740 89 114 14OCTAVIA 5dr hatch Extended wheelbase makes theOctavia an even more practical choiceAAABC
1.6 TDI 105 SE Business £19775 104 99 141.2 TSI 105 S £16525 104 114 131.2 TSI 105 SE £17875 104 114 131.4 TSI 140 SE £19075 138 121 181.4 TSI 140 Eleg. £20775 138 121 191.8 TSI 180 Laurin & Klement £26630 178 135 252.0 TSI 220 vRS
£23830 217 142 291.6 TDI 105 S £18575 104 99 131.6 TDI 105 SE £19925 104 99 131.6 TDI 105 Eleg. £21625 104 99 141.6 TDI 110 Greenline £20225 108 90 151.6 TDI 110 SE Business Greenl £20225 108 90 192.0 TDI 150 SE £20535 148 106 192.0 TDI 150 SE Business £20535 148 106 202.0 TDI 150 Eleg. £22525 148 106 202.0 TDI 150 Laurin & Klement £26465 148 107 222.0 TDI 184 vRS £24075 181 115 26OCTAVIA 5dr estate Extended wheelbase makes theOctavia an even more practical choiceAAABC
1.6 TDI 105 Eleg. 4x4 £23880 104 119 141.6 TDI 105 SE 4x4 £22180 104 119 131.6 TDI 105 SE Business £20580 104 99 131.6 TDI 110 GreenLine £21425 108 90 151.6 TDI 110 SE Business G’line £21425 108 90 192.0 TDI 150 Eleg. 4x4 £24780 148 124 202.0 TDI 150 SE 4x4 £23185 148 120 192.0 TDI 150 SE Business £21735 148 106 191.2 TSI 105 S £17330 104 117 131.2 TSI 105 SE £18680 104 117 131.4 TSI 140 SE £19880 138 121 181.4 TSI 140 Eleg. £21580 138 121 191.8 TSI 180 Laurin & Klement £27830 178 136 252.0 TSI 220 vRS £25030 217 142 291.6 TDI 105 S £19380 104 99 131.6 TDI 105 SE £20730 104 99 131.6 TDI 105 Eleg. £22430 104 99 142.0 TDI 150 SE £21735 148 106 192.0 TDI 150 Scout 4x4 £25405 148 125 -2.0 TDI 150 Eleg. £23330 148 110 202.0 TDI 150 Laurin & Klement £27665 148 107 222.0 TDI 150 Laurin Klement 4x4 £29115 148 122 212.0 TDI 184 Scout 4x4 £28200 181 129 -2.0 TDI 184 vRS £25275 181 117 26ROOMSTER 5dr mpv Quirky looks, talented package,awkward image AAABC
1.2 S £12105 69 143 51.2 SE £13575 69 143 61.2 TSI 85 S £12750 84 134 91.2 TSI 85 SE £14135 84 134 91.2 TSI 85 Scout £14685 84 134 91.2 TSI 105 S auto £14185 104 134 121.2 TSI 105 SE £14800 104 134 121.2 TSI 105 Scout £15350 104 134 121.2 TDI 75 Greenline II £16325 74 109 91.6 TDI CR 90 SE £15415 89 124 111.6 TDI CR 90 Scout £15965 89 124 111.6 TDI CR 105 SE £15640 104 124 131.6 TDI CR 105 Scout £16190 104 124 13YETI 5dr 4x4 Useful, versatile cabin. Good handling andengines AAAAC
1.6 TDI 105 Outdoor SE B’nes G £19915 103 119 142.0 TDI 110 Outdoor SE 4WD £21405 109 154 142.0 TDI 140 Outdoor SE Bness 4 £22230 138 152 181.2 TSI 105 S £16915 103 142 131.2 TSI 105 Outdoor S £16915 103 142 131.2 TSI 105 SE £18425 103 142 131.2 TSI 105 Outdoor SE £18425 103 142 131.2 TSI 105 Eleg. £20250 103 142 141.2 TSI 105 Outdoor Eleg. £20250 103 142 141.8 TSI 160 Outdoor L&K 4WD £25940 158 184 221.6 TDI 105 S GreenLine II £18405 103 119 141.6 TDI 105 Outdoor S GreenLin £18405 103 119 141.6 TDI 105 SE GreenLine II £19915 103 119 141.6 TDI 105 Outdoor SE GreenLi £19915 103 119 141.6 TDI 105 Eleg. GreenLine £21675 103 119 141.6 TDI 105 Outdoor Eleg. £21675 103 119 142.0 TDI 110 S £18255 109 134 142.0 TDI 110 Outdoor S £18255 109 134 142.0 TDI 110 Outdoor S 4WD £19895 109 154 142.0 TDI 110 SE £19765 109 134 14
SSANGYONGKORANDO 5dr hatch Good for a Ssangyong, poor byclass standards AACCC
2.0d SE 2WD £14995 147 147 192.0d SE4 4WD £16495 147 157 192.0d ELX4 4WD £19995 173 157 19TIVOLI 5dr hatch Trails the Duster as the best-valuesmall crossover - but not by much AAACC
1.6 D EX 4WD £17100 113 113 -1.6 SE £12950 126 149 -1.6 EX £15600 126 149 -1.6 ELX £16000 126 149 -1.6 D SE £14200 113 113 -1.6 D EX £15850 113 113 -1.6 D ELX £17250 113 113 -1.6 D ELX 4WD £19500 113 113 -REXTON W 5dr 4x4 Rugged seven-seater makes shortwork of mud. Tarmac more tricky AABC
2.0 SX £21995 155 196 -2.0 EX £24495 155 196 -TURISMO 5dr mpv Incredibly ungainly but offers hugereal estate for the money AAACC
2.0D S £17995 155 199 272.0D ES £19995 155 199 272.0D EX £23995 155 212 29
SUBARUFORESTER 5dr 4x4 Solid, spacious and willfullyunsexy AAACC
2.0i SE £21995 148 160 212.0i SE Premium £23995 148 160 222.0D SE £23995 144 146 262.0D SE Premium £25995 144 146 27OUTBACK ESTATE 5dr 4x4 Acceptable in isolationbut no benchmark AABCC
2.5i SE Lineartronic £28495 163 161 192.5i SE Premium Lineartronic £31495 163 161 202.0D SE £27995 148 145 222.0D SE Premium £30995 148 145 23WRX STI 4dr saloon Appealingly old fashioned andbehind the times all at once AAABC
2.5 STI £28995 296 242 40BRZ 2dr coupé The GT-86’s half brother looks just asgood in Subaru blue. Cheaper, tooAAAAA
2.0i SE £22495 197 181 302.0i SE Lux £23995 197 181 31
SUZUKICELERIO 5dr hatch Roomy, decent to drive and abargain price AAABC
TOYOTAAYGO 3dr hatch Probably the best of its ilk, but we’dstill pay the premium for a VW Up AAABC
1.0 x £8695 68 95 61.0 x-play £9895 68 95 71.0 x-pression £11095 68 95 71.0 x-cite £11295 68 95 71.0 x-clusiv £11395 68 95 7AYGO 5dr hatch Probably the best of its ilk, but we’dstill pay the premium for a VW Up AAABC
1.0 x £9095 68 95 61.0 x-play £10295 68 95 71.0 x-pression £11495 68 95 71.0 x-cite £11695 68 95 71.0 x-clusiv £11795 68 95 7YARIS 3dr hatch Good space and value, but not a classleader AAABC
1.0 VVT-i Active £10995 68 99 41.0 VVT-i Icon £12745 68 99 5YARIS 5dr hatch Good space and value, but not a classleader AAABC
VAUXHALLVIVA 5dr hatch Comfortable and spacious, althoughclass leaders are sweeter to driveAAABC
1.0 Ecoflex SE A-C £8665 73 99 -1.0 SE A-C £8490 73 104 -1.0 SE £7995 73 104 -1.0 Ecoflex SE £8170 73 99 -1.0 SL £9495 73 104 -ADAM 3dr hatch Certainly looks the part, but there arebetter superminis ahead of it AAABC
1.0 S-S Jam £13630 113 114 31.0 S-S Glam £15000 113 114 31.0 S-S Slam £15500 113 114 31.0 S-S Rocks Air £16995 113 119 31.2 Jam £11630 69 124 31.2 Jam S-S £11925 69 118 31.2 Glam £13000 69 124 31.2 Glam S-S £13295 69 118 31.2 Slam £13500 69 124 31.2 Slam S-S £13795 69 118 31.4 87 Jam £11955 86 129 61.4 87 Glam £13325 86 129 61.4 87 Slam £13825 86 129 61.4 100 Jam £12480 99 129 91.4 100 Jam S-S £12775 99 119 91.4 100 Glam £13850 99 129 91.4 100 Glam S-S £14145 99 119 91.4 100 Slam £14350 99 129 91.4 100 Slam S-S £14645 99 119 91.4T 150 Grand Slam £16995 148 139 14CORSA 3dr hatch Very refined, stylish and practical.Engines not so good AAABC
1.0i 90 S-S Design £12910 89 102 91.0i 90 S-S SRi £13605 89 102 91.0i 90 S-S SE £14250 89 102 91.0i 115 S-S Sting £10825 113 - 121.0i 115 S-S Sting R £11175 113 - 121.0i 115 S-S SRi VX-Line £14640 113 - 121.2i 70 Life £11080 69 126 21.2i 70 Sting £9175 69 126 21.2i 70 Design £11080 69 126 21.2i 70 SRi £11775 69 126 21.2i 70 SRi VX-Line £12810 69 126 21.2i 70 SE £12420 69 126 21.4i 90 Life £11425 89 121 61.4i 90 Sting £9520 89 121 -1.4i 90 Design £11425 89 121 -1.4i 90 Easytronic Design £12080 89 119 -1.4i 90 SRi £12120 89 121 -1.4i 90 SRi VX-Line £13155 89 121 -1.4i 90 SE £12765 89 121 -1.4i 100 Turbo SRi £12775 99 119 101.4i 100 Turbo SRi VX-Line £13810 99 119 101.4i 100 Turbo SE £13420 99 119 101.3 CDTi 75 S-S Life £13330 74 99 61.3 CDTi 75 S-S Design £13330 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S SRi £14025 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S SRi VX-Line £15060 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S SE £14670 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 95 S-S SRi £14525 94 85 9
1.3 CDTi 95 S-S SRi VX-Line £15560 94 85 -1.3 CDTi 95 S-S SE £15170 94 85 -CORSA 5dr hatch Very refined, stylish and practical.Engines not so good AAABC
1.0i 90 S-S Design £13510 89 102 91.0i 90 S-S SRi £14205 89 102 91.0i 90 S-S SE £14850 89 102 91.0i 115 S-S Sting £11425 113 - 121.0i 115 S-S SRi VX-Line £15240 113 - 121.2i 70 Life £11680 69 126 21.2i 70 Sting £9775 69 126 21.2i 70 Design £12745 69 126 21.2i 70 SRi £12375 69 126 21.2i 70 SRi VX-Line £13410 69 126 21.2i 70 SE £13020 69 126 21.4i 90 Life £12025 89 121 -1.4i 90 Sting £10120 89 121 -1.4i 90 Design £12025 89 121 -1.4i 90 Easytronic Design £12680 89 119 -1.4i 90 SRi £12720 89 121 -1.4i 90 SRi VX-Line £13755 89 121 -1.4i 90 SE £13365 89 121 -1.4i 100 Turbo SRi £13375 99 119 101.4i 100 Turbo SRi VX-Line £14410 99 119 101.4i 100 Turbo SE £14020 99 119 101.3 CDTi 75 S-S Life £13930 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S Design £13930 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S SRi £14625 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S SRi VX-Line £15660 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 75 S-S SE £15270 74 99 -1.3 CDTi 95 S-S SRi £15125 94 85 -1.3 CDTi 95 S-S SRi VX-Line £16160 94 85 -1.3 CDTi 95 S-S SE £15770 94 85 -ASTRA 5dr hatch Good handling, nice engines butover-geared. Focus is better AAAAC
VOLKSWAGENUP 3dr hatch Hardly revolutionary, just quantifiablybetter AAAAC
1.0 75 Groove Up £12125 74 108 41.0 75 Rock Up £13580 74 108 41.0 60 Take Up £8870 59 105 11.0 60 Move Up £9925 59 105 11.0 60 BMT Move Up £10285 59 95 11.0 75 High Up £11500 74 108 21.0 75 BMT High Up £11860 74 98 2UP 5dr hatch Hardly revolutionary, just quantifiablybetter AAAAC
1.0 75 Groove Up £12500 74 108 4e-up 82 BEV £24795 - 0 101.0 60 Take Up £9245 59 105 11.0 60 Move Up £10300 59 105 11.0 60 BMT Move Up £10660 59 95 11.0 75 High Up £11875 74 108 21.0 75 BMT High Up £12235 74 98 2POLO 3dr hatch A mini Golf. Sweet handling, solidinterior and good value AAAAC
1.4 TSI 150 ACT BlueGT £17910 148 110 241.0 60 S £11300 59 106 71.0 60 S AC £12020 59 106 71.0 60 SE £12635 59 106 81.0 60 SE Design £13735 59 106 81.0 75 SE £13160 74 108 101.0 75 SE Design £14260 74 108 111.2 TSI 90 SE £13780 89 107 151.2 TSI 90 SE Design £14880 89 107 151.2 TSI 110 SEL £16310 108 110 191.8 TSI 192 GTI £18900 189 139 241.4 TDI 75 SE £14845 74 93 131.4 TDI 75 SE Design £15945 74 93 141.4 TDI 90 SEL £16820 79 93 16POLO 5dr hatch A mini Golf. Sweet handling, solidinterior and good value AAAAC
1.0 60 S £11930 59 106 71.0 60 S AC £12650 59 106 71.0 60 SE £13265 59 106 81.0 60 SE Design £14365 59 106 81.0 75 SE £13790 74 108 101.0 75 SE Design £14890 74 108 111.2 TSI 90 SE £14410 89 107 151.2 TSI 90 SE Design £15510 89 107 151.2 TSI 110 SEL £16940 108 110 191.4 TSI 150 ACT BlueGT £18540 148 110 241.8 TSI 192 GTI £19530 189 139 241.4 TDI 75 SE £15475 74 93 131.4 TDI 75 SE Design £16575 74 93 141.4 TDI 90 SEL £17450 79 93 16GOLF CABRIOLET 2dr open Composed but unin-spiring four-seat soft-top AAABC
1.2 TSI 105 S £22070 103 139 151.4 TSI 122 S £22765 121 149 191.4 TSI 122 SE £23815 121 149 191.4 TSI 160 GT £26715 158 150 292.0 TSI 210 GTI £30505 208 177 35
2.0 TSI 265 R £33650 261 190 391.6 TDI 105 Bluemotion Tech S £23540 103 117 171.6 TDI 105 Bluemotion Tech SE £24590 103 117 172.0 TDI 140 Bluemotion Tech SE £25990 138 119 232.0 TDI 140 Bluemotion Tech GT £27180 138 119 23GOLF 3dr hatch The complete package. Reassuringlyexpensive AAAAB
1.6 TDI 110 BlueMotion £21435 103 89 151.6 TDI 90 S £18995 89 98 102.0 TSI 300 R £30820 296 165 341.2 TSI 85 S £17595 84 113 71.2 TSI 105 S £18185 104 114 111.4 TSI 122 S £18945 121 120 141.4 TSI 122 Match £19880 121 120 151.4 TSI 150 GT ACT £23615 148 112 152.0 TSI 220 GTI £27500 217 139 291.6 TDI 105 S £19800 103 99 121.6 TDI 105 Match £20735 103 99 132.0 TDI 150 Match £22670 148 106 182.0 TDI 150 GT £24120 148 109 172.0 TDI 184 GTD £26935 181 112 26GOLF 5dr hatch The complete package. Reassuringlyexpensive AAAAB
1.6 TDI 90 S £19650 89 98 102.0 TSI 300 R £31475 296 165 34e-Golf 115 BEV £31325 114 0 151.2 TSI 85 S £18250 84 113 71.2 TSI 105 S £18840 104 114 111.4 TSI 122 S £19600 121 123 141.4 TSI 122 Match £20535 121 123 151.4 TSI 150 GT ACT £24270 148 112 151.4 TSI 150 GT ACT DSG £25685 148 113 151.4 TSI 204 PHEV GTE £33755 148 39 262.0 TSI 220 GTI £28155 217 139 291.6 TDI 105 S £20455 103 99 121.6 TDI 105 Match £21390 103 99 131.6 TDI 110 BlueMotion £22090 103 89 152.0 TDI 150 Match £23325 148 106 182.0 TDI 150 GT £24775 148 109 172.0 TDI 184 GTD £27590 181 112 26GOLF 5dr estate The complete package. Reassuringlyexpensive AAAAB
1.2 TSI 105 S £19535 104 117 111.2 TSI 85 S £18945 84 115 71.4 TSI 122 S £20295 121 124 141.4 TSI 122 SE £21230 121 124 131.4 TSI 140 GT £24545 138 121 151.6 TDI 105 S £21150 103 102 121.6 TDI 105 SE £22085 103 102 111.6 TDI 110 BlueMotion £22785 110 92 151.6 TDI 90 S £20765 89 102 102.0 TDI 150 GT £25470 148 110 172.0 TDI 150 SE £24020 148 108 17GOLF SV 5dr mpv MQB platform gives the Golf properMPV proportions. Still no C-Max thoughAAABC
1.2 TSI 85 S £19205 84 114 91.2 TSI 110 S £20215 108 117 141.4 TSI 125 S £20975 121 125 161.4 TSI 125 SE £21910 121 125 141.4 TSI 150 GT £25370 148 130 181.6 TDI 90 S £21025 89 101 111.6 TDI 110 S £21980 110 101 131.6 TDI 110 BlueMotion £23285 110 98 131.6 TDI 110 SE £22915 110 101 112.0 TDI 150 SE £24280 148 112 172.0 TDI 150 GT £25875 148 115 17JETTA 4dr saloon Big boot, pleasant dynamics andgood pricing. A bit dull AAABC
1.4 TSI 125 S £18895 123 125 181.4 TSI 125 SE £20225 123 125 181.4 TSI 150 SE £20930 148 123 211.4 TSI 150 GT £21795 148 123 212.0 TDI 110 S £20175 109 105 142.0 TDI 110 SE £21505 109 105 152.0 TDI 110 GT £22370 109 105 152.0 TDI 150 SE £22505 148 109 222.0 TDI 150 GT £23370 148 109 22BEETLE 3dr hatch Huge improvement, but the Golfunderneath is superior AAACC
1.2 TSI 105 £16275 104 128 131.2 TSI 105 Design £18670 104 128 141.4 TSI 150 Design £20705 148 134 201.4 TSI 150 Sport £22525 148 134 202.0 TSI 220 Sport £23755 217 150 272.0 TDI 110 £18100 108 112 132.0 TDI 110 Design £20475 108 112 132.0 TDI 150 Design £21175 148 119 202.0 TDI 150 Sport £22995 148 119 21
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80 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
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Facts, figures, from the best road tests
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AUTOCARTOPFIVES
14 OCTOBER 2015 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 81
BEETLE 2dr open Huge improvement, but Golfunderneath is superior AAACC
1.2 TSI 105 £19230 104 129 151.2 TSI 105 Design £21625 104 129 161.4 TSI 150 Design £23515 148 138 221.4 TSI 150 Sport £25115 148 138 222.0 TDI 110 £21040 108 115 152.0 TDI 110 Design £23415 108 115 162.0 TDI 150 Design £24245 148 120 232.0 TDI 150 Sport £25845 148 120 232.0 TSI 220 Sport £26345 217 154 29CC 4dr saloon Loses a name and adds some flair, butnever compels AAAAC
1.4 TSI 160 BMT £25050 158 144 272.0 TDI 177 BMT GT £29820 177 120 272.0 TSI 210 GT £29285 208 169 292.0 TSI 210 R-Line £29935 208 169 322.0 TDI 140 BMT £26115 138 119 232.0 TDI 140 BMT GT £27695 138 119 242.0 TDI 177 BMT R-Line £30470 177 120 28EOS 2dr cc Pleasant and predictable drive. Feeling oldnow AAABC
1.4 TSI 160 Sport £27610 158 157 242.0 TSI 210 Sport £29610 208 165 302.0 TDI Blue Tech Sp. £28185 138 125 232.0 TDI Blue Tech Exec. £31325 138 125 23SCIROCCO 3dr coupé A complete coupe.Entertaining, practical and stylishAAAAB
1.6 TDI 120 GT £26970 118 110 131.6 TDI 120 S £23870 118 107 151.6 TDI 120 SE £25010 118 107 121.6 TDI 120 SE Business £25665 118 107 122.0 TDI 150 GT £28095 148 110 192.0 TDI 150 R-line £29090 148 110 192.0 TDI 150 S £24995 148 107 212.0 TDI 150 SE £26135 148 107 192.0 TDI 150 SE Business £26790 148 107 192.0 TDI 190 SCR GT £29445 187 110 222.0 TDI 190 SCR R-line £30440 187 110 232.0 TDI 240 BiTDI SCR GT £36175 237 140 282.0 TDI 240 BiTDI SCR R-line £37170 237 140 28PHAETON 4dr saloon Big VW feels old now, andstruggles to justify its price AACCC
3.0 V6 TDI 240 SWB £55550 236 224 453.0 V6 TDI 240 LWB £58110 236 224 45TOURAN 5dr mpv Good chassis but little inspiration.Bland appearance AAAAC
2.0 TDI 177 Sport £28500 177 150 241.2 TSI 105 S £19940 104 149 121.4 TSI 140 SE £23750 138 159 181.6 TDI 105 Blue Tech S £21750 104 121 141.6 TDI 105 BlueTech SE £23855 104 121 142.0 TDI 140 Blue Tech SE £25620 138 127 192.0 TDI 140 BlueTech Sp. £27080 138 127 19SHARAN 5dr mpv Refined, flexible big MPV. Seatversion is cheaper AAABC
2.0 TDI 177 SE £30730 177 152 232.0 TDI 177 SEL £33630 177 152 231.4 TSI 150 S £25500 148 167 161.4 TSI 150 SE £27810 148 167 16
2.0 TSI 200 SEL DSG £33955 197 198 252.0 TDI 115 S £26065 113 146 142.0 TDI 140 S £26815 138 146 182.0 TDI 140 SE £29125 138 146 182.0 TDI 140 SEL £32025 138 146 182.0 TDI 140 Exec £32275 138 146 18TIGUAN 5dr 4x4 Dull but capable soft roader. Pricey,but good ride and handling AAABC
1.4 TSI 160 BMT Match 2WD £23955 158 156 211.4 TSI 160 Match 4WD £25645 158 178 212.0 TDI 140 BMT Match 2WD £25150 138 138 182.0 TDI 140 BMT Match 4WD £26920 138 150 192.0 TDI 177 BMT Match 4WD £27925 175 151 232.0 TSI 180 Match 4WD £26485 178 198 241.4 TSI 160 Blue Tech S £21960 158 156 181.4 TSI 160 S 4WD £23650 158 178 182.0 TSI 210 R-line 4WD £29180 208 199 222.0 TDI 110 BMT S 2WD £22605 109 138 142.0 TDI 140 BMT S 2WD £23155 138 138 172.0 TDI 140 BMT S 4WD £24925 138 150 172.0 TDI 140 BMT Escape 4WD £27610 138 150 182.0 TDI 140 BMT R-line 4WD £28750 138 150 182.0 TDI 177 BMT R-line 4WD £29755 175 151 23TOUAREG 5dr 4x4 Good value, and a great blend ofcomfort and deftness AAAAC
VOLVOV40 5dr hatch New hatchback adds Swedish flavour tostock Ford platform AAAAC
1.6 T2 120 ES £19195 118 124 191.6 T2 120 ES Nav £19995 118 124 191.6 T2 120 SE £20720 118 124 191.6 T2 120 SE Nav £21520 118 124 191.6 T2 120 SE Lux Nav £23520 118 124 201.6 T2 120 R-Design £21495 118 124 191.6 T2 120 R-Design Nav £22295 118 124 191.6 T2 120 R-Design Lux Nav £23970 118 124 211.6 T3 150 ES £20945 148 124 201.6 T3 150 ES Nav £21945 148 124 211.6 T3 150 SE £22670 148 124 211.6 T3 150 SE Nav £23470 148 124 211.6 T3 150 SE Lux Nav £25470 148 124 221.6 T3 150 R-Design £23445 148 124 201.6 T3 150 R-Design Nav £24245 148 124 211.6 T3 150 R-Design Lux Nav £25920 148 124 221.6 T4 180 SE Lux Nav £26970 177 129 261.6 T4 180 R-Design Lux Nav £27420 177 129 261.6 T4 180 C-Country Lux Nav £27970 177 129 242.5 T5 254 R-Design Lux Nav £31700 251 189 352.5 T5 254 C-Ctry Lux Nav AWD £34100 251 194 301.6 D2 115 ES £21195 113 88 171.6 D2 115 ES Nav £21995 113 88 171.6 D2 115 SE £22720 113 88 171.6 D2 115 SE Nav £23520 113 88 171.6 D2 115 SE Lux £24520 113 88 181.6 D2 115 SE Lux Nav £25520 113 88 181.6 D2 115 R-Design £23295 113 88 171.6 D2 115 R-Design Nav £24295 113 88 171.6 D2 115 R-Design Lux £24970 113 88 181.6 D2 115 R-Design Lux Nav £25970 113 88 181.6 D2 115 C-Country SE £23520 113 99 161.6 D2 115 C-Country SE Nav £24520 113 99 161.6 D2 115 C-Country Lux £25520 113 99 171.6 D2 115 C-Country Lux Nav £26520 113 99 172.0 D3 150 SE £23770 148 114 222.0 D3 150 SE Nav £24570 148 114 222.0 D3 150 SE Lux Nav £26570 148 114 232.0 D3 150 R-Design £24545 148 114 21
2.0 D3 150 R-Design Nav £25345 148 114 222.0 D3 150 R-Design Lux Nav £27020 148 114 232.0 D3 150 C-Country SE £24870 148 117 212.0 D3 150 C-Country SE Nav £25670 148 117 212.0 D3 150 C-Country Lux Nav £27670 148 117 222.0 D4 190 SE £24970 187 99 262.0 D4 190 SE Nav £25770 187 99 262.0 D4 190 SE Lux Nav £27770 187 99 272.0 D4 190 R-Design £25745 187 99 252.0 D4 190 R-Design Nav £26545 187 99 252.0 D4 190 R-Design Lux Nav £28220 187 99 262.0 D4 190 C-Country SE Nav £26870 187 112 242.0 D4 190 C-Country Lux Nav £28770 187 112 24S60 4dr saloon T6 is rapid, all-weather sports car, if aniche choice AAABC
1.6 D2 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £31745 113 103 201.6 D2 R-Design Lux S-S £30745 113 103 201.6 D2 R-Design Nav S-S £29245 113 103 191.6 D2 R-Design S-S £28245 113 103 181.6 D2 SE Lux Nav S-S £30045 113 103 191.6 D2 SE Lux S-S £29045 113 103 191.6 D2 SE Nav S-S £27745 113 103 181.6 D2 SE S-S £26745 113 103 181.6 T3 R-Design Nav S-S £28305 148 135 231.6 T3 SE Nav S-S £26805 148 135 232.0 D3 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £32595 134 114 252.0 D3 R-Design Lux S-S £31795 134 114 252.0 D3 R-Design Nav S-S £30095 134 114 242.0 D3 SE Lux Nav S-S £30895 134 114 242.0 D3 SE Nav S-S £28595 134 114 232.0 D4 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £33845 178 99 292.0 D4 R-Design Lux S-S £32645 178 99 292.0 D4 R-Design Nav S-S £31345 178 99 282.0 D4 R-Design S-S £30145 178 99 282.0 D4 SE Lux Nav S-S £32145 178 99 292.0 D4 SE Lux S-S £30945 178 99 292.0 D4 SE Nav S-S £29845 178 99 282.0 D4 SE S-S £28645 178 99 272.4 D5 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £35395 212 119 312.4 D5 R-Design Nav S-S £32895 212 119 302.4 D5 SE Lux Nav S-S £33695 212 119 301.6 T3 Business Edition S-S £21005 148 135 211.6 T3 SE S-S £26005 148 135 221.6 T3 R-Design S-S £27505 148 135 231.6 D2 Business Edition S-S £21745 113 103 172.0 D3 Business Edition S-S £22395 134 114 222.0 D3 SE S-S £27795 134 114 232.0 D3 SE Lux S-S £30095 134 114 242.0 D3 R-Design S-S £29295 134 114 232.0 D4 Business Edition S-S £24045 178 99 26V60 5dr estate Appealing cabin, nice looks and smoothdrive. Too small AAABC
1.6 D2 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £33045 113 108 201.6 D2 R-Design Lux S-S £32045 113 108 191.6 D2 R-Design Nav S-S £30445 113 108 181.6 D2 R-Design S-S £29445 113 108 181.6 D2 SE Lux Nav S-S £31345 113 108 191.6 D2 SE Lux S-S £30345 113 108 191.6 D2 SE Nav S-S £28945 113 108 181.6 D2 SE S-S £27945 113 108 171.6 T3 R-Design Nav S-S £29505 148 139 231.6 T3 SE Nav S-S £28005 148 139 222.0 D3 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £33895 134 119 252.0 D3 R-Design Lux S-S £33095 134 119 252.0 D3 R-Design Nav S-S £31295 134 119 242.0 D3 SE Lux Nav S-S £32195 134 119 252.0 D3 SE Nav S-S £29795 134 119 232.0 D4 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £35145 178 103 292.0 D4 R-Design Lux S-S £33945 178 103 292.0 D4 R-Design Nav S-S £32545 178 103 282.0 D4 R-Design S-S £31345 178 103 282.0 D4 SE Lux Nav S-S £33445 178 99 292.0 D4 SE Lux S-S £32245 178 99 292.0 D4 SE Nav S-S £31045 178 99 282.0 D4 SE S-S £29845 178 99 272.4 D5 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £36695 212 120 312.4 D5 R-Design Nav S-S £34095 212 120 292.4 D5 SE Lux Nav S-S £34995 212 120 301.6 T3 Business Edition S-S £22205 148 139 211.6 T3 SE S-S £27205 148 139 221.6 T3 R-Design S-S £28705 148 139 233.0 T6 Polestar £49785 346 237 381.6 D2 Business Edition S-S £22945 113 108 172.0 D3 Business Edition S-S £23995 134 119 222.0 D3 SE S-S £28995 134 119 232.0 D3 R-Design S-S £30495 134 119 242.0 D4 Business Edition S-S £25245 178 99 262.4 D6 AWD Plug-in Hybrid £50175 275 48 -
2.4 D6 AWD Plug-in H R-Dsgn LN £51875 275 48 -V70 5dr estate Spacious, but suffers from vaguesteering and old engines AAABC
1.6 D2 SE Lux S-S auto £33220 113 111 211.6 D2 SE Nav S-S auto £31620 113 111 192.0 D3 SE Nav S-S £31620 161 119 252.0 D4 SE Lux S-S £34720 178 113 302.0 D4 SE Nav S-S £33120 178 113 292.4 D5 SE Nav S-S £34570 212 126 301.6 D2 Business Editn S-S auto £25695 113 111 182.0 D3 Business Edition S-S £25695 161 119 242.0 D3 SE Lux S-S £33220 161 119 262.0 D4 Business Edition S-S £27195 178 113 282.0 D5 Business Edition S-S £28645 161 126 292.4 D5 SE Lux S-S £36170 212 126 32S80 4dr saloon Refined, high-quality exec saloon. Poorride and residuals AAACC
1.6 D2 SE Lux S-S auto £32220 113 109 211.6 D2 SE Nav S-S auto £30720 113 109 202.0 D4 SE Lux S-S £33720 178 104 292.0 D4 SE Nav S-S £32220 178 104 282.4 D5 SE Lux S-S £36835 212 120 31XC60 5dr 4x4 Lovely, usable and attractive interior. Aworthy Freelander rival AAAAC
3.0 T6 R-Design Lux Nav AWD £43720 300 249 372.0 D4 SE S-S £31660 178 117 282.0 D4 SE Nav S-S £32460 178 117 282.0 D4 SE Lux S-S £34360 178 117 292.0 D4 SE Lux Nav S-S £35160 178 117 292.0 D4 R-Design S-S £32935 178 117 282.0 D4 R-Design Nav S-S £33735 178 117 282.0 D4 R-Design Lux S-S £35560 178 117 292.0 D4 R-Design Lux Nav S-S £36360 178 117 302.4 D4 SE AWD S-S £33190 178 139 282.4 D4 SE Nav AWD S-S £33990 178 139 292.4 D4 SE Lux AWD S-S £35890 178 139 302.4 D4 SE Lux Nav AWD S-S £36690 178 139 302.4 D4 R-Design AWD S-S £34465 178 139 292.4 D4 R-Design Nav AWD S-S £35265 178 139 292.4 D4 R-Design Lux AWD S-S £37090 178 139 302.4 D4 R-Design Lux Nav AWD S- £37890 178 139 302.4 D5 SE Nav AWD S-S £35990 178 139 302.4 D5 SE Lux Nav AWD S-S £38690 178 139 312.4 D5 R-Design Nav AWD S-S £37265 178 139 302.4 D5 R-Design Lux Nav AWD S- £39890 178 139 31XC70 5dr estate Dull and unexceptional, but built tolast AAACC
2.0 D4 SE Nav S-S £34470 178 117 282.4 D4 SE Lux 4WD S-S £38350 161 139 302.4 D5 SE Nav 4WD S-S £39285 212 139 303.0 T6 SE Lux 4WD £43180 300 248 372.4 D4 SE Nav £36400 161 139 302.4 D5 SE Lux 4WD S-S £41235 212 139 31XC90 5dr 4x4 Volvo takes the fight to Land Rover- with seriously impressive results AAAAB
30-70mph Indicates overtaking ability through the gears50-70mph Recorded in top gear (*kickdown with an automatic)and demonstrates flexibilityFuel economy Prior to 7.1.15, figures are touring, recorded overa set road route, and test average. From 7.1.15 on, figures areaverage and extra-urban, to the What Car?/True MPG standardBraking 60-0mph Recorded on a high-grip surface at a test trackMph/1000rpm Figure is the speed achieved in top gear
No one produces as thorough a judgement on a newcar as Autocar. As well as acceleration, braking, fueleconomy and noise tests, we carry out benchmarklimit-handling tests, setting lap times if appropriate.But we don’t just drive at the track, essential as it isfor finding the limits of performance; we also driveon awide range of roads. We aim to produce themostcomplete, objective verdict in the business, so you canbe sure how good a car is. Where we have testedmorethan onemodel in a range, the rating is for the rangeoverall; where amodel within the rangemeets ourcoveted five-star standard, it is highlighted in yellow.
Strong, adjustable length aluminium wand with wall clip
40’ / 12m stretch hose coils down to 8’ / 2.4m and wraps around unit
Extra tough polycarbonate body and tool holder
7 specialist tools, including soft pile brush for dashboard and leather
1
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Great for use as a garage, workshop or storage area
MODEL SHOWN CIG1220 (20'x12'3")
LENGTH UP TO 24'
HEAVY DUTY INSTANT GARAGESUP TO 24' (7.3M) LONG
ZIP CLOSE DOOR
Extra tough, triple-layer, waterproof cover Fully UV treated for long-term protection
Heavy-duty, powder-coated steel tubing Ratchet tightening to ensure drum-tight cover
Includes ground anchoring t
EXC.VAT
£262.80INC.VAT
FROM ONLY£219.00
ACCESSORY:
ROLLUP DOOR KIT
PROVIDING EASY
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SIMPLE PULLEY
SYSTEM
£17.99 INC.VAT
NEW
23888
MODEL SIZE (LxWxH) EXC.VAT INC.VATCIG1015 4.6 x 3 x 2.4M £219.00 £262.80CIG1216 4.9 x 3.7 x 2.6M £259.00 £310.80CIG1020 6.1 x 3 x 2.4M £269.00 £322.80CIG1220 6.1 x 3.7 x 2.5M £299.00 £358.80CIG1224 7.3 x 3.7 x 2.5M £379.00 £454.80
SIMIlAR PlAtES REQUIRED | CUStOMERS WAItINg | FREE VAlUAtION
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7 TGDTGE ITHG ITJJ ITKA II TKDI TKFTKH ITNJ II TOLI TPOTPS II TRVI TSNI TTAI TTMTY 6UDS II VAF2 VAG
I VAKI VAMI VAPI VAWI VCMVDA II VDCI VDPVDS IVE I
I VEDVGH II VHH2 VJCVJD 6VJK II VJTVJW II VKFI VLSVM 4I VMCI VMPVNC IVOB II VPRVRB IVS I
VTS II WAAI WBEWCC 5I WCEWDA II WDR3 WDSWEZ IWFD IWFH II WGEI WGGI WGL
I WHFI WHMI WJAWJB I2 WJEWJG 8I WKAI WKEI WLEI WLN2 WPWPA IWPK IWR I
WRG II WRJI WRMWRR IWS 83I WSFI WSKWSS IWVM II WWHI WWKI WWLI WWPI WWTYCA IYCB II YDYE I
YEF II YELYEM IYEP IYJS IYLY II YOPYRL IYW 4I YY
KYO I£24,995.00
DVS 7£8,995.00
I ROX£49,995.00
7 DDG£6,995.00
OEK I£24,995.00
I FBW£29,995.00
2 PLJ£7,995.00
NAF I£49,995.00
I RLE£29,995.00
3 LKC£6,995.00
I KTP£29,995.00
7 CLE£8,995.00
YEG I£29,995.00
WDA I£39,995.00
4 NMR£7,995.00
YCA I£29,995.00
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EDITORIALTel +44 (0)20 8267 5630Email [email protected] BurtEditorial director, Automotive JimHolderEditor-in-chief Steve CropleyDigital editorsNigel Donnelly, JohnMcIlroyDeputy editorMark TisshawHead of video, featuresMatt PriorManaging editor AllanMuirProduction editorMelanie FalconerReviews editorWill NightingaleChief testerMatt SaundersNew cars editor RoryWhiteDeputy reviews editorsNic Cackett, Vicky ParrottSenior reviewer Lewis KingstonReviewer John HowellDigital reviews editor Barnaby JonesNews editor TomWebsterContent editorsMatthew Burrow, DarrenMossChief sub-editor Tim DicksonSub-editorMark PearsonGroup art editor Stephen HopkinsDeputy art editorsMichele Hall, Paul HarveyChief photographers John Bradshaw, Stan PapiorPhotographers Luc Lacey, Will WilliamsVideographer James HollowayPicture editor Ben Summerell-YoudeEditorial assistant Doug RevoltaOfficemanager Charlene Harry
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BMWtook a famouswin at theLeMans 24Hours in 1999withtheV12LMR, but by the followingyear the companywas already
pumping its resources into its Formula 1partnershipwithWilliams.
Rather than throw leftovercomponents away, however, BMW’sengineers decided to find outwhatwouldhappen if they transplanted theracing car’s 6.0-litreV12 into anX5 to,asAutocar’s AndrewFrankel reported,“test theX5 concept to the limit”.
In its LeMans race trim, the 6.0-litremotor pumpedout 600bhpbut onlybecause itwas forced by regulationsto breathe through a restrictor in itsinlet tract. For the special X5,Munich’sengineers removed the restrictor,freeingup another 100bhp.
TheX5LeMansneeded substantialtweaks before it could safely deploy thathorsepower and520lb ft. The six-speedgearbox and rear differential came fromBMW’sMdivision, the suspensionwaslowered and race-spec springs, dampersand anti-roll bars fitted. The brakeswerefull race items locatedwithin 20inBBSmagnesium rims shodwith 315/35 tyresat the back, and275/40s at the front.Therewasneither anti-locknor tractioncontrol. The cockpitwas barely changed.
“There’s a roll cage around the
‘The X5 feels very, veryquick. We hit 150mphin fourth, skimmingacross the puddles,Stuck’s will steppingin when grip runs out’
M A T T B U R T
Rear ViewMirror: tales fromour archive
BMW X5 Le Mans11 October 2000
90 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 14 OCTOBER 2015
driver’s race seat, itself equippedwitha full harness,”wrote Frankel. “Thepassenger knowsno such refinementsand is left to slide around in a standardseatwith a conventional seatbelt. It haselectricwindows, central locking, airconditioning and even a sunroof.
“How futile is this car? Sensationallyso. Its enginewould fail every emissionstest,making the car unusable on theroad,while its 2200kgweight (not tomention its sky-high centre of gravity)means itwould beutterly hopelessas a trackmachine.”
A fewdays beforeAndrewFrankelhadhis passenger ride around theNürburgring in theX5LeMans, itsdriver,Hans Stuck, hadbeen asked totry to break the eight-minute barrieraround theNordschleife.
“His out-lapwas8min6sec, itrained on the second lap and the carbroke on the third,” reportedFrankel.Fortunately, therewere no suchproblems onAutocar’s hot lap.
“We set off, Stuck revelling in theengine’s incredible torque spread, usingas little as 3000rpmbeforewanting therevs up to8000rpmbetween changes.
“On thenear flat-out runup themountain fromBergwerk to theKarussell, he is dazzling and effortless;entirelywithin himself, yet utterlycommitted. TheX5, so big and slow inthe tight turns, suddenly feels fluid,almost agile and very, very quick.Wehit150mph in fourth, skimming across thepuddles, Stuck’swill stepping inwhensimple grip runs out.
“Right in themost difficult sectionof track,we run into awall of fog. Thesum total of Stuck’s reaction to suchpotentially cataclysmicweather is to say:‘Ah. Fog.’Henevermentions it again.”
AlthoughAutocar’smandescribedtheX5LeMans as “heroically pointless”,hewas glad it existed.
“A cynicwould call it a cheap stuntusingnow-useless parts froma cannedLeMansprogramme. Tome, it provesbloodpumpsbeneath the sharp suits inMunich and for that alone, its value islegitimate, evident and enormous.”
ans ans
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by What Car? April 2010
Range Rover Evoque2.0 TD4 SE 5dr
Save £1,801 Price £30,999
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 51.4 (5.5) Extra Urban 65.7 (4.3) Combined 58.9 (4.8) Co2 125g/km
SAVE
5.5%Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV250d 4Matic Sport 5dr Auto
Save £4,359 Price £44,921
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 42.8 (tbc) Extra Urban 51.4 (tbc) Combined 47.9 (tbc) Co2 155g/km
SAVE 9%
Land Rover Discovery3.0 SDV6 HSE 5dr Auto
Save £4,035 Price £50,465
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 33.2 (8.5) Extra Urban 39.8 (7.1) Combined 36.7 (7.7) Co2 203g/km
SAVE 7.5%
Volkswagen Golf Match1.6 TDI 110 5dr
Save £2,560 Price £19,400
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 62.8 (4.5) Extra Urban 80.7 (3.5) Combined 74.3 (3.8) Co2 99g/km
SAVE 12%
Audi A3 Sportback1.4 TFSI 125 SE 5dr
Save £2,211 Price £18,574
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 40.9 (6.9) Extra Urban 65.7 (4.3) Combined 53.3 (5.3) Co2 122g/km
SAVE 11%
Audi Q32.0 TDI 150 SE 5dr
Save £2,651 Price £24,539
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban: 53.3 (5.3) Extra Urban 68.9 (4.1) Combined 61.4 (4.6) Co2 119g/km
SAVE 10%
Audi A6 Saloon2.0 TDI Ultra SE 4dr
Save £7,124 Price £25,171
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 55.4 (5.1) Extra Urban 74.3 (3.8) Combined 65.7 (4.3) Co2 113g/km
SAVE 22.5%
Mercedes-Benz C-Class SaloonC220d Sport 4dr Auto
Save £4,290 Price £29,380
Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km) Urban 53.3 (5.3) Extra Urban 78.5 (3.6) Combined 65.7 (4.3) Co2 109g/km
SAVE 13%
ALL NEWAudi A4 Saloon2.0 TDI Ultra SE 4dr
Save £3,416 Price £25,734 Fuel consumption in mpg (l/100km)
Urban 62.8 (4.5) Extra Urban 83.1 (3.4)
Combined 74.3 (3.8) Co2 99g/km
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