Motoring News
Yesterday, 28 November 2016Lithium supply predicted to keep up with demand
Albemarle CEO says production will keep pace with growth of electric vehicles
read more2016 Mercedes E350 d Estate AMG Line review
Six-cylinder diesel power makes E-Class Estate pricey, but it’s still one of the most seductive and multi-talented new cars in the real world
This is the new Mercedes E-Class in one of its most convincing forms: with a strong, decently economical and refined V6 diesel in the front, and up to 1820 litres of immaculately managed carrying capacity inside its estate-car hind quarters.The E350 d comes along as Mercedes fleshes out the E-Class Estate offering at both ends of the model range, after introducing the car only a few months ago. A 148bhp 2.0-litre E200 d slots in alongside the 191bhp E220 d, bringing the wagon’s pecuniary entry point down below £37,000 – while the 396bhp Mercedes-AMG E43 pushes the range’s upper price threshold close to £60k, with a full-flooded E63 shortly to come in above that.Four-cylinder petrol and ‘plug-in’ petrol-electric derivatives are on offer too, of course - making this ‘W213’-generation version of Mercedes’ long-lived mid-sized executive option more various in its engine options than any before it.But Mercedes’ decision to offer the tax-saving E350e in saloon-guise-only means the 350 d Estate’s existence isn’t threatened by its petrol-electric sibling quite as directly as its four-door equivalent. Something which, for those who care more about how well a car works in the real world than how much appeal it may have on the order form, is to be welcomed.
read moreKen Block M-Sport Transit - pictures
read moreBMW 5-series driven: autobahn blaster blends boring with brilliant
"We have bet everything on the V4 succeeding..." Norton's boss tells PH2
read morePanasonic turns to batteries to drive turnround
Japanese group offers route back to profit for other Asian electronics makers
read more2017 Ford Fiesta to be revealed tomorrow
Next-gen Fiesta, imagined by Autocar
All-new, next-gen Fiesta arrives on 29 November; spy shots reveal it will be bigger than the current model
The next-generation Ford Fiesta will make its world debut tomorrow (29 November) at Ford's Go Further event in Cologne, Germany.
Ford of Europe executive vice president and president Jim Farley will pull the wraps off the new model. He said in a statement earlier this month: “The new Fiesta will be our best expression of Ford – lovable fun, sporty to drive and with an unmatched personality true to the spirit of the iconic small car that has delighted generations of customers for the past 40 years."
The 2017 model has been spotted testing in three and five-door guises, with these development cars revealing that the future Fiesta will have a completely different design from that of the current model.
The present Fiesta is 3969mm long and 1709mm wide, with a height of 1468mm, but the disguised test cars show that the future model is set to grow.
Ford is expected to take some styling inspiration for the new Fiesta from the facelifted Focus, which went on sale in the UK in 2015, and the similarities are just about visible through the test mule's disguise.
The car gets a more angular nose with tighter headlights. At the back, the current
read more2017 BMW i3 facelift range will include hot S model
The current i3 has recently been upgraded with a 94Ah model
Refreshed city car EV will receive styling tweaks and new performance-oriented S range-topper; expected to make debut in Frankfurt next September
A facelifted BMW i3 range will gain a new sporty range-topping model when it arrives in late 2017.
The i3S, as it is expected to be called, will offer improved straight-line performance and a more sporting character, making it the market's first proper electric hot hatch.
It will get an uprated version of the current i3's rear-mounted electric motor, which produces 168bhp and 184lb ft of torque, trimming that car's 7.3sec 0-62mph time. While it won't be drastically quicker than the regular car, even minor improvements on the i3's numbers would be enough to push the i3S into the performance realms of conventional hot hatches such as the Ford Fiesta ST.
BMW is remaining tight-lipped on the i3S's arrival, but a source has told Autocar that the model will become the new i3 range-topper. The electric hot hatch is expected to make its debut alongside the facelifted i3 range at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show in September next year.
The i3 range as a whole will get minor styling tweaks, but aside from adjustments to the car’s bumpers and possible changes to the headlights, the car's overall look will remain largely unchanged. The interior is expected to be refreshed with an updated infotainment system, too.
Auto
read more2019 Lexus LS to get hydrogen power
Lexus LF-FC concept
Lexus’s new luxury car, based on the LF-FC concept, will be available with hydrogen fuel cell technology
A new range-topping Lexus LS saloon will be launched with the option of hydrogen power in 2019, as the firm looks to capitalise on the leadership in fuel cell technology established by the Toyota Mirai of its parent company.
Lexus’s rival to the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and Mercedes-Benz S-Class will be based heavily on the LF-FC concept car that was unveiled at the Tokyo motor show in 2015. The LS is also expected to be sold with the choice of a V8 hybrid powertrain producing around 535bhp.
Lexus Europe boss Alain Uyttenhoven said: “We know how to make fuel cells and the only challenge is how to package a fuel cell in a car that also needs a certain level of performance.” He did not confirm plans for the LS, however. “Premium buyers have certain expectations. For refinement, fuel cell is ideal, but we must also do some work to demonstrate the right levels of performance.”
The hydrogen-powered LF-FC concept had one electric moto
read moreVolkswagen Arteon – Wolfsburg teases new four-door 'coupé'
"We have bet everything on the V4 succeeding..." Norton's boss tells PH2
read more2017 Nissan Micra driven: tech-laden hatch wins crown back from Koreans
"We have bet everything on the V4 succeeding..." Norton's boss tells PH2
read moreSmart Electric Drive driven: a clever car with narrow appeal
"We have bet everything on the V4 succeeding..." Norton's boss tells PH2
read moreNew Volkswagen Arteon - tech specs of CC replacement confirmed
Arteon executive saloon will be revealed in Geneva before going on sale in Britain in late 2017; range-topping version will produce 276bhp
Specifications of the Volkswagen Arteon - a premium saloon which will make its debut at the Geneva motor show next March to replace the discontinued CC - have been revealed to Autocar.
The Arteon is the first all-new model to come from the VW brand since the emissions scandal which engulfed the company last year and which lead to group's restructuring over the last 12 months. It will sit above the current Passat saloon in Volkswagen's line-up.
More practical
Volkswagen has confirmed that the Arteon is based on a stretched version of its MQB platform, making it 50mm longer than the CC four-door coupé, production of which ended earlier this month. The CC was typically one of the German manufacturer's lower-selling models, with just short of 4000 examples being sold here in 2015. However, VW is hoping its more practical Arteon will be more popular across Europe.
It will have a boot that can take up to 1700 litres of luggage when the rear seats are folded down, and more leg room for second-row passengers than the CC.
Engines and gearboxes
read moreToyota Gazoo Racing: what the heck is a Gazoo anyway?
The Japanese manufacturer's motorsport division is named Toyota Gazoo Racing, but it is nothing to do with The Great Gazoo from The Flintstones
Toyota Gazoo Racing. It’s a interesting name for the Japanese manufacturer’s motorsport division and it appears we’re going to hear a lot more about it in years to come.
Will European enthusiasts understand the name? What works in the Far East doesn’t necessarily work in the west (as the Nissan Cedric proves, although then again the Mazda Bongo has a cultish following). If Toyota does indeed roll out Gazoo-badged road cars here in Europe, it might be some years before the brand carries the cachet of an AMG, M or quattro.
I’ve often wondered what ‘Gazoo’ means, and so when the opportunity arose to interview Toyota’s motorsport boss Koei Saga, I saved it for my very last question in the interview.
He laughed, and admitted that he had to refer to a pre-prepared answer, because the explanation might lose a little in translation from Japanese to English.
“The very origin is a Japanese word, ‘gazo’, which means ‘picture’ or ‘image’,” he told me.
“Almost 20 years ago our president wanted to change the structure of our company
read more2017 Toyota Supra spotted with production bodywork
New shots show Supra's final look; hybrid FT-1 concept to inspire production model, although we won't see it until after its BMW Z5 sister car
These new Toyota Supra spy pictures offer the best glimpse of the 2017 model's design yet, as the car can be seen with its production bodywork for the first time.
Previous development cars had bumpers shared with the BMW Z5 development car, but today's Supra features a more prominent front bumper with three grille openings, and the outline of its horizontal taillights can also be seen. The look is a toned-down version of the FT-1 concept, with a coupé roofline - a distinct difference from the Z5, which has a soft-top hood.
Sharing the same platform, following the announcement of an extended partnership between Toyota and BMW, the Supra is expected to arrive in 2018 shortly after its Z5 counterpart.
Both models will have a hybrid four-wheel drive set-up incorporating a BMW petrol engine and electric motors with energy stored in supercapacitors.
The Supra is also expected to benefit from BMW’s carbonfibre architecture from its current i3, i8 and 7 Series.
The model is the long-awaited successor to Toyota’s discontinued coupé,
read moreFirst Tesla Enhanced Autopilot features due in 'about three weeks'
News
28 Nov, 2016
Tesla boss Elon Musk says buyers of new Teslas will get first Enhanced Autopilot features in December
read moreUp for awwction – cute bubblecar collection goes under the hammer
"We have bet everything on the V4 succeeding..." Norton's boss tells PH2
read moreFerrari GTC4 V8 targets younger buyers
Italian brand wants its new rear-wheel-drive four-seater to draw in new customers
Brand bosses hope the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T will attract significantly younger buyers than the four-wheel-drive V12 GTC4 Lusso, due to its lower price.
Ferrari said its rear-wheel-drive, turbocharged V8-powered model, which is expected to cost 12-15% less than the £230,430 GTC4 Lusso, had been developed for markets where the V12’s four-wheel drive is not needed, saving weight and potentially improving agility.
The twin-turbocharged V8 is a lightly modified version of that used by the California T. It develops 601bhp in the GTC4 Lusso T, along with 561lb ft from 3000-5250rpm, aided by a high (for a turbocharged engine) compression ratio of 9.4:1. The V12 makes 680bhp, plus 514lb ft at 5750rpm.
The V8’s 0-62mph time is only 0.1sec behind that of the V12, at 3.5sec, and its ‘over 199mph’ top speed is less than 9mph adrift of the V12’s. Excellent throttle response is promised, along with 24.4mpg combined and CO2 emissions of 265g/km.
Like the V12, the Lusso T features rear-wheel steering and an e-diff, while a dry weight of 1790kg is claimed. Deleting the front diff, driveshafts and four cylinders pares only 50kg from the car’s weight. Ferrari claims more agile handling, while saying the V12 GTC4 Lusso remains quicker around its Fiorano test track.
read moreVolvo targets lead in autonomous car cabin design
Volvo Concept 26 cabin featured seats designed for an autonomous car
Brand design bosses tell Autocar its passenger-focused interiors are well suited to driverless cars
Volvo design bosses believe the company is well placed to be a world leader in autonomous car cabin design, due to the passenger-focused layout of its interiors.
Speaking exclusively to Autocar, Thomas Ingenlath, Volvo’s senior vice president of design, explained that while European rivals have focused on driver-centric cabins, Volvo has long prioritised overall passenger comfort.
“Not being a company that has a passion for power and driver focus means that we have spent more time exploring the passenger lounge area,” he said. “In the S90 Excellence [a three-seater model for China], we used a special centre console and took a seat out to explore what could you actually do with this space.”
To this end, Volvo has been conducting studies to better understand how to maximise well-being for all passengers for many years, and coincidentally, this knowledge is now relevant for autonomous car design.
Volvo Chinese R&D centre will play key role in cabin design
“Now we see all these exercises have become elements in a big puddle and we were naturally researching in this area,” Ingenlath continued. “It shows that our way of looking into a car
read moreAlpine A120 to be first of several high-performance models
Alpine A120, imagined by Autocar
Mid-engined A120 coupé will be joined by convertible and more powerful versions
Renault is planning to launch an expanded range of Alpine sports models once its first two-seat coupé, strongly tipped to be called A120, has begun a new era for the marque early next year.
The transverse mid-engined A120 is likely to cost around £50,000 and is expected to be followed by a convertible and a more performance-focused coupé variant, both of which are already well advanced. Alpine bosses are keen to offer a range of cars as soon as possible but say later models must share the original architecture.
The coupé will be revealed at the beginning of next year at a dedicated launch event, according to Alpine managing director Michael van der Sande, who arrived at the French firm from Aston Martin earlier this year.
The first production cars will be delivered to customers next summer.
The A120 is powered by a high-performance version of a Renault-Nissan Alliance four-cylinder engine not yet in production but believed to be imminent. It is likely to be a turbocharged 1.8-litre unit shared with Renault Sport, with close to 300bhp and driving through a revised version of the Renault Clio RS’s six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The 0-62mph time will be below 4.5sec insiders say.
At around 4.2 metres long, the A120 has styling simil
read moreHot Toyota Gazoo sub-brand poised to rival Mercedes-AMG and BMW M
Toyota Gazoo Racing competes in the World Endurance Championship
Gazoo Racing motorsport arm has already produced hot models for the Japanese market; a faster Yaris could be on the way
Toyota is considering transforming its Gazoo Racing motorsport arm into a performance road car brand to rival the likes of BMW M and Mercedes-AMG.
In addition to co-ordinating Toyota’s international motorsport activities in, for instance, the World Endurance Championship and World Rally Championship, Gazoo Racing fettles road cars that are sold on the Japanese market. It sells limited-edition machines under two banners: GRMN (Gazoo Racing Masters of Nürburgring) and G’s.
Toyota Gazoo Racing: what the heck is a Gazoo anyway?
Koei Saga, the boss of both Gazoo Racing and Toyota’s powertrain division, said it “is my intention” to increase Gazoo’s presence in road car markets other than Japan to promote the link between its racing and road car activities.
He said: “In Europe, the challenge is bigger because we have more competitors here, and it is also an issue of cost. However, I am very much working on that so we can have a brand like the M brand.”
The latest Gazoo-tuned car was the GT86 GRMN. It featured a raft of changes, including modest power and torque increases, tweaked suspension and ae
read moreTOTD: Feel good cars
What are those cars that always cheer you up? Let us know here!
read moreNew BMW 5 Series M Performance accessories
Decided the 5 Series (that you don't yet have) isn't special enough? Time to consult the M catalogue
read moreVauxhall back in the BTCC!
Official manufacturer involvement with Power Maxed Racing will see Astras back on next year's grid
read moreEvolution of F1 steering wheels: Time for Coffee?
Three and bit minutes covering six decades of steering wheels - take a look!
read morePH Carpool: Renaultsport Clio 182
Where better to enjoy one of the best French hot hatches? Corsica!
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