Inside Lane
Issue 37 Beijing Motor Show
Hello and welcome to issue 37 of the magazine. Well this month has been full of big news such as Lamborghini’s brand new 4X4 that packs over 600BHP. Mercedes-Benz came to Beijing with what could just be the most beautiful saloon you will ever lay eyes on, and of course Dodge reveled the 2012 Viper.
Over the page you will find all this and more so enjoy!
Supercharged...
The premium crossover market is huge and with almost every brand having a stab at producing
a class leading machine, the pecking order changes almost on a monthly basis. Audi, not
wanting to lag behind bring the new 2012 Q5 to the forefront of the battle for the school run
mums.
Though the exterior changes may be small, the effect they have on the overall packaging
makes the Q5 a rather shiny penny. Going up against the refreshed X3, this new model had to
bring more than just some new lights to the table. The Germans have equipped the 2012 model
with a host of new engines that offer a wide range of capabilities. The top model diesel is
powered by a 3.0 litre TDI V6 with more power than last year, and the top petrol is now a
supercharged 3.0 litre V6 with 268BHP.
Enter The Dragon
China is becoming a huge market for all
car manufacturers. As more motors are
being bought there every day, it is the
European brands that are eager to capture
as many of those sales as possible to aid
the tough economic climate of their
homelands. Aston Martin enter the dragon
with some special cars.
The Dragon 88 Special Editions are to be
the ultimate in customization from Aston
Martin. Each of the 88 units feature a 24-
carat gold Aston Martin badge. 3 Special
colours can also be chosen for either the
DBS Volante, Virage Coupe, and V8
Vantage S that make up these rare
machines. This is all to celebrate Aston
opening 11 new dealers in China and help
promote the British brands new Q
customization branch.
The Rain In Spain...
The Seat Ibiza has been a good
source of income for the brand for a
long time now. Sharing many
components with the VW Polo, the
little hatch is a reliable as its German
counterpart but does lack in premium
to badge snobs. However, what this
car lacks in fit and finish it makes up
for in character. This is the new Ibiza
Cupra.
We love the Cupra badged Seats as
this is where the company gets a little
bit of freedom from the VW
configured Polo underneath. This
close to production concept previews
what is to come for the recently
launched 2012 Ibiza. The styling is
brilliant but better yet is that the cars
1.4 litre engine is both turbo and
supercharged! This makes for a hot
hatch with 180BHP that also packs a
class leading 7 speed DSG gearbox.
Mercedes-Benz
CSC
Design has come a very long way in the motor industry. From what once was form
following function we now bathe our eyes with evocative shapes. Swooping lines,
bulging bumps and muscular curves have all become standard on the roads of 2012.
As a result it is much harder to capture beauty that stands apart from the mainstream,
but my goodness, Mercedes-Benz have created something special here.
Going by the name of CSC (Concept Style Coupe) this breathtaking sculpture has to
be one of the most delectable machines on wheels. Set to cost under £20,000 when it
goes on sale next year, the car will rival the up and coming Audi A3 Saloon. Though in
concept form, designers have said that what you see before you is very close to what
the finished product will look like. Powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder,
the CSC produces 208BHP in this guise. Better yet is news of an AMG model with
over 330BHP! The overall silhouette of the car is very attractive but look even closer
and what you will see is art within art. The detailing is exquisite with every line and
LED enunciating another unique styling event.
We really can not wait for this car.
Pocket-MonsterIt is almost like a comical competition between the Germans to see just who has the biggest
portfolio. If you were to tell BMW that size doesn’t matter, their efforts with the X6 and 5 Series
GT should shout back “we don’t care!” Audi has been vastly expanding their model range also
and are now testing the water with a new concept car. Crossovers have flourished over the
past few years but the four rings hope to bring to the market its first proper performance baby
SUV.
This is the Audi RS Q3 Concept and it is what happens when the jacked-up A3 gets a little bit
of performance love. Powered by a 2.5 litre turbocharged 5 cylinder that powers all four
wheels, the RS Q3 will sprint from 0-62MPH in just 5.2 seconds. The rather butch looking
machine packs 360BHP behind that menacing grill. Debuting in Beijing, Audi say it is just a
concept car for now, but as always if enough interest is generated the car could hit showrooms
very soon.
Over the past few years Peugeot have been designing a series of cars that were rather bland and
unappetizing. They never showed aspirations of being class leaders and up until the launch of the RCZ we
were rather worried that Peugeot’s good work of the past would remain in the history books. The new 208
has shown that a change is coming for the French company and this new concept further pushed the point
home.
The HR1 Concept we saw in 2010 has been reborn into a much more production ready car named the
Urban Crossover. Looking to enter the premium market, Peugeot have used a bold styling design to make
the car really look the part. We very much like the sculpted rear end and flared wheel arches that give it a
touch of refined aggression. Let’s hope that the finished article stay true to this concept.
Peugeot Urban Crossover Concept
“Very Posh Indeed...”
Many brands have ambassadors of high celebrity stature. Just look at the many sportsmen Gillette use to
maintain that their product is “the best a man can get.” Victoria Beckham, former Spice Girl and wife of
England football star David, helped craft the excellent Range Rover Evoque. Now she has a special
edition all of her own.
The Vitoria Beckham Special Edition is limited to just 200 units making MRS B’s eye for design something
that will be sampled by very few. The car is finished in matte back paint that contrasts the gloss finish of
the roof. Inside you will find tanned leather seating and suede headlining. The cost of all this luxury and
exclusivity? £80,000. Now considering that the standard car costs about £40,000 I couldn’t really justify
why it is worth double. Then again I’m told by many women that the small, almost unreadable, logo on
their tiny handbag is worth the extra hundreds of pounds.
GTS Today car manufacturers are looking for undiscovered niches in the
market in order to gain every possible sale under the sun. We have
had crazy 4X4’s that pretend to be sports cars, the ever popular baby
SUV and now the rush is on for each badge to produce what is being
dubbed a “super SUV.” Porsche has added a sportier edge to the
Cayenne with a new GTS model.
It appears that the GTS badge will one day soon be available on every Porsche model, but this morning we
received word that the brilliant new Cayenne is next. Bases on the Cayenne S, the GTS is powered by the
same V8 engine but in this form BHP is cranked up to 420. The Germans have also loaded the car with their
8 speed flappy-paddle affair meaning the in tandem with all that power, the high riding Porch will cover
0-62MPH in just 5.7 seconds and 0-100MPH in 13.3. The chassis has had a good going over to insure a
more focused experience than other Cayenne models.
The Porsche Cayenne GTS will be available in July.
SNAKE BITE
The late 80’s and early 90’s really weren’t good times for American car manufacturers. Over this
period they managed to churn out some of the worst machines the world has ever had the
displeasure of hosting. But in 1992 America got its stars and stripes back. The Dodge Viper was a no
nonsense, fire spitting monster that fully intended to play rough with the big boys. In 2010 the snake
was put to bed as times grew tough for Dodge. But now two decades after the original made its
debut, the Viper is back.
This is the 2013 Dodge SRT Viper and isn’t it quite something to look at! It is pure attitude with clear
design eliminates taken from an actual viper. It is the sort of car that gets us all excited just looking at
pictures as every bold feature makes a statement. Powered by a 8.4 litre V10 producing 631BHP and
600lb-ft of torque, this beast has the meat to back up the astonishing visual drama. The body is
mainly constructed of carbon fibre and contributes to the car weighing 32% less than its predecessor.
Inside the cockpit is leaps and bounds better than the old car in terms of quality.
V12 MonsterThe notions of a parallel universe are nothing new. Science fiction has fueled the idea
for decades that for every decision we make, in another world an opposite and equal
effect takes place. Well if this all turns out to be true you can forget it happening on
another world first. Try Germany and the UK. The Mercedes G-Class is the antimatter
to the Land Rover Defenders matter.
This is the new 2013 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and just like the Defender, its design
hasn’t changed for decades. Alterations this year come in the form of LED lights as per
the law these day, a more sculpted grill that goes much deeper, and an interior that
hasn’t changed all that much. What has change, however, is the selection of motors
you can have under the bonnet. This year the lineup consists of a G500, G350, a 5.4
litre V8 G55 AMG, and a biblical G65 AMG V12. The 12 cylinder from the SL65 is
ported over and squeezed under the short stubby nose of the G wagon. Its 6.0 litre
engine produces 612BHP. The downside? It is unlikely to make its way to the UK….
The Ultimate Cat
Pounces
The Jaguar XJ has been with us since 1968 and remained largely unchanged. That
was until late 2009 when the big cat reveled a big gamble it was to take. The new car
was a styling revolution and moved away from the cold war architecture of its
forefathers. It quickly became popular with diplomats and Prime Ministers wanting to
show that they, like Jaguar, are willing to move into the blazing light of modern day
Great Britain. Jag are now revealing what they call the ultimate XJ.
Debuting in Beijing, the Jaguar XJ Ultimate with its 510BHP supercharged V8 engine
is no pussy cat. Though inside passengers may find it puuur-fect (Ok, I’ll stop now)
with electric reclining seats, dual iPads built into the front seats, tables, chiller, T.V.,
LED lights and raised central console.
Lamborghini Urus
We have had the
speculation, the teasers
and the inevitable leaks but
now it is time to get all
official. The Lamborghini
Urus now stands bold on its
Beijing show stand with
nothing to hide. So what is
new now that Lamborghini’s
concept is out in the open?
Built to test the water for
the Italians third model, the
Urus becomes the second
4X4 Lamborghini has ever
built. There is no
confirmation on what
powers the car but the
raging bull promises over
600BHP and to be the
fastest production 4X4 in
the world. The cabin of the
concept seats four adults
with all your usual luxury
refinements. Lamborghini
says that this off-roader
path was taken over a
super saloon as many
Lamborghini owners also
own a 4X4. Though we
don’t know what engine is
squeezed under that raked
bonnet, speculation has it
that it is Audi’s twin-turbo
V8.