Monday, May 20, 2013

Cristiano Ronaldo CARS

Cristiano Ronaldo CARS




















Saturday, May 18, 2013

BMW 7-Series


BMW 7-Series

The 2013 BMW 7-Series is available with five different engines, which range from a turbocharged six-cylinder in the 740i, to a twin-turbo V12 in 760Li models. Reviewers say that even the base 740i offers plenty of power, while higher trims are quicker still. The 7-Series is also available in hybrid and high-performance trims, known as the ActiveHybrid 7 and Alpina B7, respectively. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard, which earns praise from one test driver for its quick shifts. The 2013 740i gets 19/28 mpg city/highway, which is very good for the class. Some test drivers write that the 7-Series offers balanced handling and a comfortable ride. However, others note that rivals like the Jaguar XJ and Porsche Panamera are more nimble

Friday, May 17, 2013

Ford Mustang 2013


2013 Ford Mustang

The 2013 Mustang comes in a wide set of models, ranging from casual sunny-day cruising or daily commuting to serious, track-ready performance. Both Coupe or Convertible body styles are offered in V6, V6 Premium, GT, and GT Premium models, while the very high-performance Boss 302 is only offered as a Coupe. 


All Mustang models are 4-seaters; although convertibles are somewhat smaller in back, they're still a bit better for back-seat space than most convertibles. The power soft-top arrangement in Mustangs is tight and weatherproof, and takes up very little trunk space. 

Ford Fiesta 2013


2013 Ford Fiesta





The Base Fiesta S is aimed at economy minded customers. Air conditioning, an auxiliary input jack and a 4-inch touch screen are standard, while the car can be optioned with a nicer sound system, keyless entry and auto locking doors.
The mid-level SE models include these items as standard, while also adding the latest version of Ford's SYNC system, power windows, a trip computer, heated side mirrors and cruise control. Top of the line Titanium Fiesta add features that are unusual in the subcompact market, including heated leather seats, SiriusXM radio, pushbutton start and a perimeter alarm system. 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

FORD Fusion 2013



FORD  Fusion 2013


In January, Ford revealed its 2013 Fusion mid-size sedan at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Now, it's been priced, and some of the lofty numbers are raising eyebrows.
A fully loaded, non-hybrid 2013 Fusion has a sticker price of nearly $39,000. That price is a little breathtaking, but it does bring with it a host of new features such as adaptive cruise control; active park assist; blind-spot monitors; lane-departure warnings with lane-keeping assist; a voice-active navigation system with MyFord Touch; and a Sony premium audio system with 12 speakers. That's on top of the mechanicals--this Fusion's also outfitted with all-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine with direction injection and turbocharging

Ford Focus 2012

Ford Focus 2012

  


Ford's Focus has overtaken the Toyota Corolla in the sales charts. Unremarkable, you might say? Not when you realise this is the global sales mantle, making the Focus the best-selling car name on the planet in the first half of the year.
It's proof Ford's 'One Ford' gamble has paid off - to truly nail the 'world car' conundrum, streamlining production costs but still keeping consumers happy
 

 

Monday, May 13, 2013

Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Mercedes-Benz B-Class

 

The B-Class Electric Drive wears its heart on its rocker panels, with prominent badging to let everyone know how conspicuously environmentally friendly you are. Mercedes wants you to treat your B-Class like a Gigapet, so they’re talking up the ability to check in with your car over the web, view the level of charge, check your range on a map and plan a route. You can also condition the cabin before you head out.
Electric cars, even retrofits like the B-Class Electric Drive, are never cheap, but Mercedes is banking on its ability to separate people from extraordinary sums of money for the privilege of driving one of its vehicles to help it shift what’s bound to be a small car with a big ‘ol asking price.

Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

  Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

Small Benz Big Muscle

It’s been a long time since the smallest Mercedes-Benz looked this good. You have to go back a quarter century to the 190E 2.3-16 and its DTM breeding. The 2014 CLA45 AMG would roast that car in so many ways, the first being its 360-horsepower 2.0-liter four cylinder, the most powerful turbo four in a production car. Mercedes likes big boost, and they cannot lie – a max of 26.1 psi spins out of the snail, and a butterfly valve in the exhaust lends some extra

BMW i8 Coupe 2014

2014 BMW i8 Coupe

 


The BMW i8 is an all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid that will be the halo product for the German automaker's green-themed "i" sub-brand when it goes on sale in 2014. We've seen this dramatic coupe at various auto shows, first at Frankfurt in 2009 and now, most recently, at the 2012 New York Auto Show. The BMW i8 concept has evolved over the years, but still sports many design elements that have little chance at production. These illustrations, provided by a former senior designer at BMW DesignworksUSA, provide the clearest and most vivid look at what the street-legal i8 could look like in two years' time.

BMW X3


BMW X3




The second generation X3 is bigger in just about every way—3.4 in. longer, 1.1 in. wider, 0.5 in. taller, 0.5 in. more ground clearance and with a 0.6-in.-longer wheelbase—yet Adcock noted it weighs about 45 lb. less than the outgoing first generation.
Although of course it's big news that the X3 has been restyled inside and out—the exterior, specifically, is far more intriguing than the outgoing X3's rather blocky, boring look—we're more interested in the engines (and that plural part is key, as the current X3 has just one engine choice in the U.S.), the details of which were a bit spotty when Adcock filed his report. The engine in the base X3 xDrive28i will be the familiar magnesium/aluminum 3.0-liter inline-6, known as the N52, putting out 240 bhp and 230 lb.-ft. of torque—down from the current X3 xDrive30i's engine, which puts out 260 bhp. But the X3 xDrive28i comes with BMW's new, quicker-shifting 8-speed automatic transmission, enabling it to hit 60 mph in an estimated 6.7 seconds, about a half second quicker than the current X3

BMW X4


BMW X4 

 

BMW X4, the latest player in BMW's continued styling homage to the 1979 American Motors lineup. This time, the Germans have really nailed their tribute to the AMC Spirit. The Spirit was an attempt to bring dawn-of-the-'70s hardware into the 1980s. In other words, it was new style with old substance.
BMW has flipped that around to be old style with new substance. You see, there'll be plenty for BMW to crow about with the X4, which they're still calling a concept with a nudge and a wink. It'll have iDrive, xDrive, Start/Stop, turbos and sixes and fours, oh my. But most of all, it'll squeeze itself into a tiny niche in the market that BMW thinks is underserved.
It must work, because BMW keeps inventing new models and counting their piles of ducats. Look for the X4 to be unveiled at the upcoming Shanghai auto show, where this less-practical, more-fastback version of the X3 is likely to set plenty of mid-level manager's hearts aflutter.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Touareg, Gold Edition

Touareg Gold Edition 


Volkswagen has unveiled two new Touareg SUVs at the inaugural Qatar motor show. One is a rather cool road-going version of the Race Touareg 3 that’s just notched up a victory at the 2011 Dakar rally, and the other is an awful monster called the Touareg Gold Edition.
Underneath the skin it’s a genuine version of the latest Race Touareg 3, with a turbocharged 2.5-litre diesel engine, a trick four-wheel drive system and a super-stiff chassis. But VW has made some tweaks so it can be used on the road, including junking the 16in rally rubber for new BBS 18-inch alloys with a gold-effect look.
More extensive tweaks have been made to the interior, where everything bar the roll cage has been modified. VW’s designers call the straight-edged and all-grey colour scheme the ‘Stealth look’; the cabin is fitted with Nappa leather-covered Recaro buckets, and what isn’t also trimmed in leather is covered in matt 





VW Passat coupe 2014

VW  Passat coupe 2014

Volkswagen plans to extend the Passat range with a US-built SUV, an Eos replacement and a stylish coupé. The Passat refresh begins in 2012 with a mild facelift for the Passat CC (pictured), but the real fireworks begin two years later.
Today customers can choose from three different Eurospec Passat models: saloon, estate and CC. But in 2014, VW will unleash the next-generation midliner. In addition to the three European-built Passats, insiders are predicting an attractively priced crossover produced in North America as well as a pair of two-door Passat models.

Porsche 911 Turbo S 2013


Porsche 911 Turbo S 2013




In the standard Turbo, the twin-turbo 3.8-litre flat-six develops 512bhp, firing the car to 62mph in 3.2sec (0.1sec faster than the . However, unlike previous 911 Turbos, Porsche is offering an uprated 911 Turbo S straight from launch. The Turbo S produces 552bhp, hits 62mph in 3.1sec, and tops out at 197mph. As with all turbocharged 911s since the 993 of 1995, the new cars are all-wheel drive, though this is the first Turbo not to be offered as a manual. Like the 911 GT3, the new car is only available with the seven-speed dual-clutch PDK gearbox.

Audi 2013 S3

 Audi 2013 S3







The S3 is not only one of the most powerful cars in its class but also one of the lightest and most efficient.
 Rated at 34 mpg in the optimistic European cycle, it is possible to achieve real-life consumption in the mid-to-high 20s if driven conservatively. Or the driver might choose to tap into the full resources of the 296-hp engine, whereupon the S3 charges from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 to 5.2 seconds; top speed is a governed 155 mph. The sonorous engine note is delightful, and at high revs, baffles in the dual-mode system open to deliver a freer-flowing soundtrack. On standard 225/40 tires, the chassis encourages pushing the S3 to the pleasingly high limits of adhesion. The steering is on the lighter side, but it is precise and becomes progressively more direct with increased steering lock. Braking performance is autobahn-worthy.

BMW M3 (2013)


BMW M3 2013





Lighter, brawnier and sporting a new staight-six, this year's BMW M3 looks set to join the greats. Here's the top six need-to-know 
facts about the new M3

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II 2012

 Rolls-Royce Phantom Series II 2012 


Rolls-Royce has left the 6.7-liter V-12 alone, but it has fitted a new eight-speed transmission that is said to boost combined fuel economy by 10 percent. Acceleration remains strong for a sedan that weighs almost the same as a Chevrolet Tahoe; Rolls claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.7 seconds. (That’s probably conservative, as we recorded a 0-to-60 run of 5.4 in a car with the previous six-speed auto.) Not too many Phantom owners will engage in such accelerative shenanigans, but for those who do, Rolls-Royce will offer an optional Dynamic package, which is a first for the Phantom sedan. The package adds strengthening crossbars to the existing aluminum space-frame structure, stiffens the suspension, recalibrates the transmission, and adds a thicker rim for the steering wheel. How very Bentley
.

BMW M6 Coupe 2013

  BMW M6 Coupe  2013


The car looks damn good, though, with nicely chiseled flanks and a contemporary, elegant, and sufficiently aggressive look. Among the M6’s unique touches is a jet-fighter-like air intake—a styling element developed under former M chief designer Ulf Weidhase. The matte-gray paint of the Euro-spec example we recently drove adds drama and depth, and the M6 wears it especially well. The downside is that it attracts all kinds of unwanted attention. You’d order it only if you’re cool with constant requests to rev the engine from drivers in tuned Honda Civics and Hyundai Tiburons.


Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series 2014

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series 2014

2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series  

A Black Series car, on the other hand, is of this earth. Barely. One is created when Mercedes’ in-house AMG performance shop tires of building mere 500-plus-hp commuters and pumps out something that packs the fury and power of a supernova. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series is the fifth car to earn the badge. The Europe-only SLK55 AMG Black Series of 2006 was the first and was followed by a CLK63, an SL65, and a C63 that were all available here. With an estimated price of $250,000 and fewer than 200 making their way to the United States, the SLS Black is the most expensive and most exclusive Mercedes of the moment. And as the extra-fortified version of the only car fully designed within AMG, this SLS is as raw as a Mercedes gets—the Black Series treatment has turned Mercedes’ crown jewel into something as special as a black diamond

Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 2013


 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 2013

For 2013, the G63—which rung up 60 percent of all G-wagen sales last year—gets a few subtle exterior updates: new mirrors with embedded turn signals, a bespoke twin-bar grille and front bumper, and the requisite LED daytime running lights. The interior was mildly reworked as well, with the COMAND infotainment screen placed front and center in the re-sculpted dashboard, and the console-mounted shifter getting slightly redesigned as well. The latest mbrace2 telematics system also makes an appearance. Our wagon also had the optional Designo Mystic Brown exterior paint and leather interior package ($2300), which brought our as-tested price to a not-inconsiderable $137,505.

Bentley Continental GT 2014

Bentley Continental GT 2014

2014 Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible


The Bentley Continental GT Speed convertible—that’s the full name—is capable of a drag-limited 202 mph. It can cruise along at triple-digit velocities all day. This is the fastest four-seat convertible in the world; actually, it’s one of the fastest series-production cars ever built, faster than a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG or BMW M6. It charges to 100 mph in fewer than 10 seconds

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Toyota Me.We concept (2013)

Toyota Me.We concept (2013) first official pictures

 


Toyota’s new Me.We concept aims to rethink multi-purpose vehicles, with an adaptable cabin set-up and Earth-friendly components. The boxy crossover combines a light, cheap-to-produce architecture with an electric powertrain and full-recyclable body panels. A car of the future, or concept fantasy? Read on for the full story.

What’s the Toyota Me.We made of?

The Me.We uses an aluminium spaceframe chassis, covered in recyclable polypropylene panels which weigh just 14kg each. The all-up weight of the car is 750kg – 200kg lighter than a regular steel supermini like the Yaris, according to Toyota.
Inside, the Me.We uses a bamboo floor, not just for an attractive design, but for easy cleaning too. Toyota wants to show off the car’s ease-of-use credentials as well as its eco side, hence the wipe-down surfaces, low-maintenance drivetrain and multi-purpose bodystyle – it’s part convertible, part city car, part off-roader pick-up truck.

Tell me about the Toyota Me.We’s powertrain

It’s another underfloor-battery, wheel-mounted electric motor recipe. The motors are the same units used in Toyota’s i-Road three-wheeler concept seen at the 2013 Geneva motor show. Drivers can choose to either rely on two front-mounted motors for traction, or switch to a less efficient 4x4 set-up over rougher terrain.

What’s interesting about the Toyota Me.We’s cabin?

All cabin space is devoted to occupants – luggage has to go on the roof. The rear bench seat can be stored under the front seats to create a pick-up truck load bay, or removed from the car entirely. The windscreen can be opened for the full open-air beach buggy look.
Like the Renault Twin-Z concept, the Toyota Me.We opts for a minimalist, touchscreen-orientated cockpit. A screen above the steering wheel displays vehicle speed, battery charge, journey information and navigation instructions.
The heating and air conditioning are delivered by a low-energy air pump and electric seat heaters to minimise power consumption.

Seat Leon Cupra 2013

Seat Leon Cupra (2013) spy shots and specs of new hot hatch

By Ollie Kew
Spy shots
19 April 2013 11:00
Seat is busy prepping its new Leon Cupra hot hatch, which will outgun its VW Golf GTI cousin for power but undercut the Volkswagen on price. The version you see here is the sporty three-door SC model, but CAR sources have confirmed Seat will offer a five-door Cupra hot hatch, and for the first time, a Leon Cupra estate too.

How can you tell this is a Seat Leon Cupra?

The usual hot hatch giveaways rumble this Leon Cupra mule, seen undergoing testing at the Nurburging. Under the 19-inch alloys (you’ll recognise the design from the VW Golf R and Scirocco R – showroom cars will get bespoke rims) this Leon is running larger brake discs with red callipers. At the back, there are big tailpipes bookending the rear bumper, instead of the Leon’s usual  left-mounted pipes.
This car is badged as a top-spec FR model, but you can expect the production-ready Leon Cupra to boast a more extrovert bodykit, and extra Cupra-trademark vents around the front grille.

Seat’s new Leon Cupra: the spec

Under the bonnet, the Leon Cupra is set to use a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, developing around 260bhp. That’s up with the output of the old Leon Cupra R model, and follows the trend for Seat offering more power in its hot hatches than its VW or Skoda brethren. A flagship Leon Cupra R could arrive later in this Leon’s life cycle, offering around 280bhp to trump the Vauxhall Astra VXR. An estate version to rival the 247bhp Ford Focus ST estate is also on the cards – confusingly, Seat badges its wagon models as ‘ST’, for Sports Tourer.
The Cupra range will be front-wheel drive only, and use six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch transmissions. The last-gen hot Leons used an electronically-controlled ESP programme to brake the inside front wheel during tricky cornering, but the new car could borrow the proper mechanical limited slip-differential hardware that VW is offering in the new 227bhp Golf GTI Performance pack.
Expect to see the Leon Cupra in production trim by the end of 2013, with sales starting in spring 2014. That gives the VW Golf GTI Mk7 a year’s head-start on the sales chart, but it’s likely the Leon Cupra will undercut the Golf’s £25,845 entry-level price.

Seat Leon Cup Racer and Ibiza Trophy racers set for 2013

Seat Leon Cup Racer and Ibiza Trophy racers set for 2013 Wörthersee show

By Ollie Kew
First Official Pictures
06 May 2013 13:00
Seat will show off two new racing cars at the 2013 Wörthersee tuning show, the annual event celebrating hot hatches from the VW Group. The Leon Cup Racer is our first look at Seat’s plans for a touring car version of the new Leon, while the Ibiza Trophy is the latest version of the track-ready supermini, boasting more power than the road car, and the facelifted styling.

Tell me about the Seat Leon Cup Racer

Visually, it’s a Leon turned up to 11. The massive wheelarch extensions add 40cm of width to the standard Leon bodyshell, and house lightweight 18in wheels. There’s a new front splitter and huge rear wing combo for high-speed downforce.
There's a lot more power too. Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, developing 325bhp. All that power (nearly 150bhp more than that of a road-going Leon 1.8TSI) is transmitted to the track via the front wheels only, using a six-speed DSG gearbox and an electronically locking front differential. The brakes have been upgraded with four-piston calipers all round.
If you want to take your Leon Cup endurance racing, Seat will fit a mechanical front differential and a sequential racing transmission with a shift lever rather than paddles. The endurance version will cost you £96,000, and the regular car a little less, at £70,800. Both cars are expected to be made available to customers for the 2014 race season. Seat bosses have also confirmed they’ll build a 1.6-litre engine version of the Leon Cup to enter the World Touring Car Championship.

And what’s the story with the new Ibiza Trophy?

Although it looks less outrageous than the widebody Leon, the facelifted Ibiza Trophy still packs a punch: the stripped-out hot hatch has 197bhp from its 1.4-litre turbo motor (19bhp more than the turbocharger and supercharged road car) and uses a mechanical front differential and six-speed DSG gearbox. It’ll race in Seat’s one-make Ibiza Trophy series in Europe, and cost £31,800.

Jaguar F-type V8 S (2013

Jaguar F-type V8 S (2013) CAR review

 


This is the Jaguar F-type, in top-spec V8 S guise. Its supercharged V8 engine sends 488bhp to the rear wheels, giving the £75k F-type the performance of a £100k XKR-S. But can the F-type live up to the best sports cars In the class - and its legendary E-type ancestor? Read on for the CAR verdict.

Give me some more F-type V8 S specs

Our car is the range-topping V8 S (recognisable by the quad exhaust pipes), which is fitted with a new, lightweight version of Jaguar’s trusty 5.0-litre supercharged V8, good for 488bhp and a whopping 460lb ft of torque. Jaguar claims 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 186mph, but forget the stats, just listen to that noise! The V8  emits a gravelly baritone growl that grows to a rapid, multi-cylindered snarl as the revs reach the 7000rpm redline; and then it pops and crackles like a NASCAR as you release the throttle. It’s so much fun it, sounds illegal, like the EU might ban it.

What's the Jaguar F-type like inside?

Open the door (using the pop-out handle – lovely detail) and slide into the strictly two-seater cockpit. It’s pretty snug in here, more Boxster-sized than 911, but the details are all top-end premium. I love the big, rotary heater dials; the copper-coloured starter button and gearshift paddles; and the swept-in passenger-side grab handle (a crafty, knowing reference to the E-type’s grab handle, suggesting driver prowess, and weak-kneed passenger submission). The optional ‘performance’ seats are excellent too, with wide shoulders and waist-hugging bolsters. The Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel feels small, and not hugely comfortable to hold (your fingers have nothing to wrap around at the back of the quarter-to-three position); but the paddles are well positioned and precise.

What's the F-type like to drive?

At 1665kg, the V8 is hardly a lightweight car (despite the all-alloy construction); but this engine feels like it could pick up the  F-type and swat it like a flea, it’s so potent. All three models in the range – the V6, the V6 S and the V8 S – are fitted with a tightly-packed eight-speed ‘Quickshift’ gearbox; it’s an auto with paddles, and don’t bother asking for a manual. The gearchange in Dynamic mode is, well, as quick as the name ‘Quickshift’ suggests, with lovely blipping downshifts; but more surprising is the steering itself. That too is ‘quick’ – in fact, the hydraulic rack is the fastest ever fitted to a Jaguar, according to the official blurb. It feels direct, utterly slack-free, with zero hesitation when you turn in; and the feedback is full of lovely detail.
The F-type  feels shamelessly, rudely rear-wheel drive – a proper, hairy, sharp and slightly scary sports car. It’s partly down to that steering, the throttle response, the eagerness of the gearchange, but the differential is also key. The V6 models get a mechanical limited-slip diff, but the V8 is fitted with an electronic ‘Active’ diff, which uses an electric motor and a multi-plate clutch to tighten or loosen the diff, depending on factors such as stability, traction, and how deep your right foot is mashed into the carpet. Turn into a corner and get on the throttle, and you can feel it squat down and attack the bend, in a way that’s just begging you to boot it and hang the tail out.
The result is dynamite. On our favourite roads in Wales, in the pouring rain, with the car set resolutely in Dynamic mode, my heart was pounding in the F-type. It feels taut, sensitive, even a little fidgety at speed; every short straight is demolished by the V8, every corner is a toe-twitch away from an extravagant slide. The responses are hair-trigger instantaneous, and that torque looms large over every move you make, every input you dare feed in. It is fantastically, absurdly, implausibly exciting to drive – challenging (on the limit) in a way you just wouldn’t expect in a modern Jaguar.

Verdict

Traditional XJ owners might find it all a bit too rampant for their tastes; even modern Porsche and Maserati drivers might be taken aback; TVR drivers will feel right at home, though they’ll wonder why the interior doesn’t smell of superglue. The F-type is a new kind of Jaguar. Or maybe it’s an old kind of Jaguar. Either way, I’m glad they made it.

Alfa Romeo to go after E-class and 5-series in 2015

Alfa Romeo to go after E-class and 5-series in 2015

Sources report Alfa Romeo could pull a strategy U-turn and launch a flagship saloon rival to the BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class, CAR can reveal. Insiders have confirmed that the E-segment vehicle (read: exec saloon) is sketched in for 2015 arrival, using Maserati underpinnings.

Didn’t Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne kill any Alfa exec saloon rumours last year?

Yes, but times have changed! When CAR interviewed Marchionne in 2012, the Fiat Group boss quelled talk of a successor to the defunct Alfa 166 (pictured, right), saying the brand had to concentrate on replacing the current Mito supermini, Giulietta hatchback and pretty-but-dead 159 saloon. Marchionne told us “I’ve got a lot of work to do in the B, C and D-segments…so I would not expect to do a [bigger] Alfa ‘E’ car for a long, long time.’
Now the plan is back on the table, thanks to the resurgence of another brand in the Fiat stable: Maserati, and its push towards a 50,000 sales per year by 2015 target.

An Alfa-styled saloon on Maserati’s platform? Tell me more…

Alfa’s ‘new 166’ has been fast-tracked thanks to Maserati’s new Ghibli. A sports saloon sitting beneath the Quattroporte limo in the Maserati range, the Ghibli will rival regular established super-saloons, like the BMW M5, Mercedes E63 AMG and Jaguar XFR-S.
The rear-wheel drive Ghibli uses a shortened Quattroporte platform with downsized engines – which Alfa Romeo will borrow to create is very own executive saloon model. It should make for agile driving dynamics, all for a fraction of the cost of developing a bespoke Alfa chassis.

What’s going under the bonnet of the new Alfa Romeo exec saloon?

The new Alfa will share twin-turbocharged V6 petrol and diesel engines with the Ghibli, putting out around 300bhp. For Europe, expect turbocharged MultiAir four-cylinder engines to enter to range, and the option of all-wheel drive (the Ghibli platform has been engineered with 4x4 in mind).
>> Would you be tempted by an Alfa 166-successor instead of the German exec saloons? Click ‘Add your comment’ to sound off

Nissan Qashqai 360 2013

Nissan Qashqai 360 (2013) CAR review

 


Nissan has updated its Qashqai crossover for 2013. On the new ‘360’ trim level which replaces the mid-range Ntec+ trim, the headline news is a 360-degree view parking camera. It’s a familiar car now, but does its age mean the Qashqai has dropped off the pace? CAR tested the 1.6dCi version to find out.

Isn’t the Qashqai getting a bit long in the tooth now?

A replacement for this Qashqai will launch in 2014, though on the outside you wouldn’t know it, thanks to a facelift in 2010, which sharped up the nose features with new headlights and grilles. Riding on two-tone 18-inch alloys and featuring tinted rear glass, our Qashqai 360 model didn’t look like a design on its last legs.
Inside, the wrinkles are showing. The unremittingly grey dashboard looks and dated, and the materials don’t feel close to the quality of those in the Qashqai’s key rivals: the Skoda Yeti and Mazda CX-5. At least it does feel hard-wearing though, like it’ll soak up years of family abuse without complaint. The centre console has also been remodelled to incorporate the smaller Juke’s touchscreen infotainment centre. Standard equipment on this model includes Bluetooth, USB connectivity, sat-nav, and cruise control. Qashqai 360 models are lifted by white contrast stitching and light flooding in from an enormous panoramic glass roof, but overall the cabin is crying out for retirement. Luckily, the all-new Qashqai bows in in 2014…

Tell me about this new 360-degree camera function

A rear-view camera mounted in the hatchback’s numberplate recess joins forces with two cameras housed on the underside of the wingmirrors, which use a panorama-view stretch to create a birds’-eye view over the Qashqai when parking. It’s very similar to the system BMW uses on the X5, X6 and 7-series – in principle. However, in operation the image quality simply isn’t high enough to fully trust the display’s fuzzy images. Plus, the lower-than-ideal screen also suffers from natural light reflections. You’re better off either switching to rear-view camera mode only, or (crazy, I know) judging your parking using mirrors, windows, and spatial awareness. Old-school.

If the 360’s camera is pants, should I still bother considering the Qashqai?

The Qashqai hasn’t become Nissan’s best-selling UK model without good reason – this is a very good family car. The basics are all present and correct: light, wide-opening doors, raised ride height without the rolly handling, easy-to-fold seats, and plenty of cabin storage. Our test car was the five-seater, which starts at £16,895 (360s cost from £19,945), but you can get an extended-wheelbase Qashqai+2, with seven-seater capability and a 450-litre boot – that’s 40 litres bigger than the regular car’s. Opting for the extra space will set you back an extra £880.

What’s the Qashqai like to drive?

It’s no dynamic benchmark – a Mazda CX-5, for example, feels far sportier. There’s a bit of a mish-mash between some of the controls: the well-weighted steering is slow to turn in and yet the six-speed gearbox’s lever has an abruptly short throw. The notchy action is a quasi-sporty touch that’s at odds with the unruffled demeanour of the rest of the package.
The engine is a good’un, perfect for everyday duties. The 130bhp 1.6-litre diesel feels strong, thanks to its 236lb ft from just 1750rpm, and revs far more smoothly than the Vauxhall Mokka’s 1.7-litre diesel CAR tested recently. Moreover, it’s economical too. After a week of mixed driving including fast motorway jaunts, town work and some stop-start clambering over the North Yorkshire moors as a CAR photoshoot back-up vehicle, we averaged  42.5mpg, with a high of 45.9mpg. Nissan’s claim is a predictably silly 62.8mpg, but with a steadier right foot, a relaxed driver could get close to 50mpg. Enhancing the eco-credentials is a stop-start system which tots up the amount of CO2 you’ve saved by shutting the engine down when stationary. During our test period the Qashqai reckoned it’d avoided coughing out 0.8kg of CO2 versus a non stop/start version.
You can spec your Qashqai as a 4x4, but you’re better of sticking to FWD – it’s plenty grippy enough, not to mention £2000 cheaper and 200kg lighter. If you want off-roader talent, upgrade to a Land Rover Freelander, or save a fortune and try a bare-spec £8995 Dacia Duster instead.

Verdict

Even in the winter of its career, the Qashqai puts up a strong fight against funkier family crossovers like the Kia Sportage, Hyundai ix35 and Mazda CX-5. Besides the aged cabin, it’s still a strong contender, with a recipe that Nissan will do well not to fiddle with much when it’s replaced in 2014.
In fact, the new Qasqhai may prove to be this current model’s biggest competitor. With equivalent-spec used facelift models now down to around £14k, the Qashqai 360’s Around View party piece isn’t enough of a reason to spend £23,590 on a new one. Go for the entry-level Visia trim at £20,090 – shunning climate control, automatic lights, wipers, and swapping 17in rims for 16s – or hold on for the more stylish, more efficient Qashqai gen-2 in 2014.

Audi R20 2016

Audi R20 hybrid supercar (2016) scoop

 

 
Audi is readying a diesel-hybrid supercar to capitalise on its success at Le Mans. Despite winning the world’s most famous endurance race 11 times in the past 13 years, the record-breaking run of victories hasn’t generated the desired halo effect for the Audi brand. Enter the R20, a street-legal Le Mans racer designed to reaffirm Vorsprung durch Technik.

Where does the idea for an Audi TDI supercar originate?

Audi has dabbled with diesel supercars before, building an R8 powered by a 493bhp twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 TDI in 2008 (pictured), but it never reached production because a suitable gearbox couldn’t be found to deal with its mid-engined layout and monstrous 737lb ft of torque.
But after watching the Audi R18 E-tron Quattro take the chequered flag at Le Mans in 2012, new r&d boss Wolfgang Dürheimer hatched a plan: ‘Going home I asked myself how we could leverage this success to the road. If we build a high-tech super-sports car with a diesel engine and hybrid drivetrain it would have the identical technology, and prove there is a solid transfer from the racetrack to road cars.’
The R20 road car will be based on the track-going successor to the R18 E-tron Quattro (the first hybrid to win at Le Mans) and although it may never make a profit, Audi is rich enough to invest in an innovative halo product that could work wonders for its brand image.
After all, it embodies key Audi values such as lightweight architecture (Ultra), superior efficiency (E-tron) and grippy dynamics (Quattro). Forget the racecar, this is going to be a road car unlike anything we’ve seen before.

What’ll power the Audi R20?

New 2014 Le Mans regulations will limit energy consumption per lap, so insiders expect Audi’s next-gen racer to stick with the R18’s proven 3.7-litre turbo’ed V6 TDI and hybrid system. The road car’s similar engine should make 550bhp, with a serious power-toweight ratio. The E-Quattro set-up also adds torque vectoring, short-range EV mode, huge traction, on-demand boost and a beefed-up torque curve.

Aren’t you forgetting the R8 E-tron electric supercar?

The much-vaunted R8 E-tron is either half-dead or barely alive, depending on your source. Audi chairman Rupert Stadler has not yet abandoned the zero-emission R8, but Ingolstadt is struggling to sell even a fraction of the envisaged 1000-unit production run, and with Durheimer favouring an innovate diesel-hybrid supercar with real race heritage, it may never become anything more than an engineering and marketing exercise.

What will the Audi R20 look like?

The R20 road car will be modelled after Audi’s next-gen TDI track star for a proper road-racer look. Ingolstadt’s design department plans to equip R20 with a full-length ‘shark fin’ engine cover that’s been mandatory at Le Mans since 2011, while other discernible features are said to include a downsized single-frame grille, stacked LED headlights, ventilated front and rear wings, an adjustable rear spoiler (which also acts as airbrake) and a relatively narrow canopy-style cockpit accessible through swan-wing doors. Active aerodynamics will distribute the downforce between the front and rear axle for optimum stability at speeds over 200mph.

Inside the Audi R20’s cabin

Le Mans racers are, in essence, two-seaters with the passenger seat removed, so the packaging is already there for the taking. The interior of R20 is as extreme and purposeful as the exterior: expect an intuitive dynamic mode selector (German for manettino), a multi-functional ‘black panel’ central display instead of conventional instruments, active seats with integrated four-point belts that inflate their bolsters in corners, a trick wiper to clean that heavily curved windscreen, and – if future legislation allows – a camera-based surround-view system which renders mirrors superfluous.

How much will the Audi R20 cost?

Expect the R20 to be unveiled at the 2015 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, as Audi celebrates reaching its mid-term goal of selling 1.5m vehicles per year. Production would start in spring 2016, but it’ll be a very limited run restricted to anything from 100 to 250 units. R&d boss Dürheimer is confident it’ll be a success: ‘What always sells is performance, so if the car is quick, low in consumption and cool looking, it could be quite an offer.’ So, how much? We reckon in the region of €1m, or about £800k.

Volvo plots Golf rival, luxury saloon and sporty coupe

Volvo plots Golf rival, luxury saloon and sporty coupe

 

 
Volvo is creating an entry-level hatchback below the V40, spearheading a new range of Volvos that includes a new crossover and a BMW 5-series rival. The new cars will be based on one of two all-new architectures that’ll underpin the brand’s entire range from 2016. CAR has also learned a sporty 2+2 coupe is in the pipeline.

Is Volvo really going after the mainstream hatchback big boys?

Yes – it’s bye-bye to the quirky C30 three-door hatch, and into a new era of small models for Volvo. First on the new platform is a new entry-level crossover: the XC40. It’ll be sized and priced to bridge the gap between the jacked-up V40 Cross Country and the XC60 SUV, and will fight the upcoming Mercedes GLA and BMW X1 for posh crossover honours from 2015.
Next up will be a regular five-door hatchback, (smaller than the quasi-estate V40) and a slightly larger, more spacious replacement for the now-defunct S40 small saloon.

What’s coming next from Volvo?

Volvo’s biggest model, the seven-seater XC90 SUV, is next to be replaced. In 2014 we’ll see the long-awaited second-gen version: it’ll be based on Volvo’s other new scalable underpinnings, codenamed ‘SPA’.   The SPA platform will form the basis for a large chunk of the Volvo family, from the new XC90 right down to the next S60 saloon and XC60 SUV, both due to follow in 2016.
At the top end of the Volvo range, the Swedes are plotting a new S90 saloon to challenge the Audi A6 and BMW 5-series. Naturally, Volvo will offer an estate version – the V90 should offer class-leading load space when it arrives in 2016.
Like your Volvos curvier? In 2016 we’re set to see a new ‘C60’ 2+2-seater coupe, with swoopy looks inspired by the classic 1960s-era P1800. It too will be based on the SPA platform, and square up to the Audi A5 and BMW 4-series.

used supercars guide: buying a Bentley Arnage T

Used supercars guide: buying a Bentley Arnage T


The Bentley Arnage was the flagship Bentley saloon until the new Mulsanne arrived in 2009, and it's now yours from £20-29k. Tempted? Then find all you need to know before buying below.

Talk me through the Bentley Arnage's life-span

Twinned with the Rolls Silver Seraph from launch in 1998 (in the days when Vickers still owned both firms), the Arnage used a BMW V8 and Seraph a V12 from the same source. But soon after, worried that BMW would pull the plug on Bentley’s engine supply, new owners VW dusted off the old Bentley V8 to create the 400bhp Red Label.
That was only a stopgap, because in 2002 the vastly improved Arnage T arrived. The 6.75-litre capacity remained, but two small turbos replaced one, and a more sophisticated Bosch ECU boosted economy while improving output to 450bhp.

What's the Bentley Arnage like to drive?

If 450bhp doesn’t sound like much these days, the 645lb ft of torque more than compensates for both that, and also for the presence of only four gears in the auto ’box. With nothing so unseemly as paddles to spoil proceedings, you plonk it in Drive, brush the right pedal and float away.
The Arnage does do fast when required, but the seats are flatter than the radiator grille and your spider sense starts tingling at the hint of a corner approaching because the thing weighs as much as a double-decker GT86 and handles in a similar fashion. But not every lottery winner wanted to race around, and even those that did had room in the garage for something a little more cultured. Today, too, it’s the perfect anti-supercar, and horrific depreciation means you can bag one for as little as £20k.

Buying tips: Bentley Arnage T

You no longer need be a lottery winner to buy one, but might be praying for those six numbers if something big goes pop:
Inspection – A full service history is vital, but don’t just settle for that. Have any potential purchase inspected by a member of the Rolls-Royce and Bentley Specialists Association (www.rrbsa.co.uk).
Spares – Flying Spares is a brilliant source of new and used bits for all post-war Bentley and Rolls cars, including the Arnage. Find them at www.flyingpsares.com
Head gaskets – The Arnage T’s twin Garrett turbochargers are pretty reliable, as is the four-speed auto ’box used until a six-speed ZF arrived with the ’07 facelift. But head gaskets can blow, leading to a £3.5k bill for repair at a specialist.
Leather – Modern water-based hides aren’t as tough as the old stuff and the condition of a car’s leather trim can give a clue to how well the car was maintained. If it hasn’t been regularly cared for and is beyond saving, you’ll need the help of a specialist trimmer. Try Rob O’Rourke at www.coachtrimmers.com
Niggles – Suspension rattles can often be down to worn bottom ball joints (£76 plus fitting from Flying Spares), or anti-roll bar links (£217 each). Steering racks can leak, requiring a rebuild, but often any untidy feel through the wheel can be fixed with a replacement solenoid valve.
Newer model – From 2007 the Arnage T made 493bhp and a massive 738lb ft of torque, but prices are £50k plus. Spot them by their new quad light set-up.

Used supercars guide: buying a Ferrari 575M

Used supercars guide: buying a Ferrari 575M

 

 
Ferrari's 575 Maranello offers you thoroughbred 200mph performance in a truly usable everyday package – and it's now yours for £45k. CAR's spec and buying guide tells you what to watch out for if you're eyeing up a 575M of your very own.

What's so special about the Ferrari 575M?

Building on the much-loved 550M, Ferrari’s mid-life facelift of its muscly V12-powererd two-seat GT arrived in 2002, adding projector headlamps, and an extra quarter litre of swept volume, pushing power up 23bhp to 508bhp.
This one for sale at Avro Motor Cars, was originally a dealer car, and it’s absolutely loaded. It’s got the Scuderia shields sunk into special matching wings, Daytona-style leather and the Fiorano handling pack. The last bit is worth looking out for – when launched, the 575 felt soft compared to the 550M, and the Fiorano pack was Ferrari’s answer, adding stiffer springs, and recalibrated dampers and steering maps.

Does the 575 perform like a modern supercar?

It's no slouch, 11 years on from its launch. Compared to the yowling V8s, Ferrari’s big V12s sound soulful if slightly muted, but there’s no question marks over the performance. Sixty-two is in the rear window in 4.2sec and the top speed is a claimed 202mph, but the significant factor is just how useable that performance is. This is a proper everyday supercar.
Every 550 came with a six-speed manual, but the 575M introduced Ferrari’s F1 paddle-shift option, as fitted to this car. It’s ponderous by modern DSG standards, particularly in auto mode, but you learn to modulate the throttle to compensate, and you can see why city based hotshots made it the default choice when new. Today you’re looking at £45k+ for a leggy 575M, while late-model low-mileage cars like ours will set you back over £60k.

Here are our top Ferrari 575M buying tips

No V12 Ferrari is going to be cheap to run, and you could pour thousands into sorting niggles on a tired car, so buy carefully:
Belts – Unusually, the big V12 is belt, not chain driven, and that belt needs changing every three years or 31k miles at a cost of around £1000. The belt on Club GT’s 575M snapped, resulting in a valve/piston tête-a-tête. If that happens to you, you could be looking at an £8k bill.
Mileage – High mileage (by Ferrari standards) needn’t be a reason to walk away if the car has been scrupulously maintained. You’ll get into a much cheaper car, and most exotics benefit from regular use as long periods of inactivity breeds gremlins.
Wing badges – Like those Scudiera shields on the wings? The wings are actually recessed to accommodate the badges, so doing a proper retro-fit on a car without them is expensive.
Servicing – Services alternate between major and minor. First is the normal minor annual service for around £850 at an independent specialist; the second more involved bit of tinkering could set you back £1500.
Spares – Essex-based Eurospares (Eurospares.co.uk) is a great source of new and used parts for Ferrari, Lambo and Maserati, and the UK is home to dozens of specialists who can help maintain your 575M.
Sourcing – Specialists are also probably the best source for locating cars, as Ferrari dealers concentrate on retailing the newer cars. When buying, insist on a water-tight service history including itemised receipts, not just stamps in the book.

BMW M235i 2014

BMW M235i (2014) spied at the Nürburgring

 


These spy shots give us the first look inside BMW’s all-new 2-series coupe. But this isn’t just any old 2-series model: what you’re looking at is the flagship M Performance version: the M235i.

How can you tell this is a BMW M235i?

Look closely and you’ll spot carry-over components from the BMW’s M135i hot hatch. The 18-inch dual-spoke alloy wheels are currently exclusive to the M135i, and they cover four-pot front brake calipers, and two-pot rears. The blue-painted calipers denote M Performance brakes, optional across the 1-series range but fitted as standard to the 316bhp M135i.
Also, you’ll note the tell-tale black mirror housings, and that the front bumper (albeit disguised) is a deeper shape. The rear bumper houses twin tailpipes – another BMW M Performance trait. Remember, this isn’t the full-fat BMW M2 – that’ll come later. BMW’s M Performance cars are a halfway house between normal models and the ultimate M Division cars.
Under the bonnet, the M235i will use the turbocharged straight-six engine from the M135i, mated to six-speed manual or eight-speed auto gearboxes. UK cars will be rear-drive only, but left-hand drive markets will be able to specify all-wheel drive ‘xDrive’ powertrains. For CAR’s full scoop on the BMW 2-series range, click here.

Tell me about the BMW 2-series’ cabin

Mostly, it’s carried over wholesale from the 1-series hatchback, but there is a one attractive difference. The steering wheel is an M Sport item – this is a trait that all BMW’s coupes will switch to soon, ditching standard BMW wheels for these sportier, slim-spoked helms.

When will I see more of the BMW 2-series?

The coupe 2-series will launch in late 2013, with a soft-top convertible model arriving the following summer. CAR’s sources report BMW is also considering a 2-series Gran Coupe, to rival Mercedes’s swoopy new compact four-door: the CLA.

VW Golf GTI 2013

VW Golf GTI (2013) CAR review


This is the VW Golf GTI Mk7: the fastest, most frugal Golf GTI ever made.  Is it just a subtle tweak of its Mk6 predecessor, or a truly great hot hatch worthy of the GTI name?
To find out, we’ve borrowed a pre-production GTI for a revealing 350km shakedown experience in the Ile de France region around Paris. The car’s as near as dammit production ready. They call it a ‘zero series’ model. In this case that seems to mean zero deviation from the end product which will go on sale in May.

What’s new for the Mk7 Golf GTI?

At first glance it may look evolutionary – derivative even – but there’s a lot going on here. For a start, the new Golf sits on the VW Group’s much talked about new chassis known as ‘MQB’, which radically reinvents the way cars are designed and built .Then there’s a new variable-ratio steering system, a heavily upgraded engine, and a raft of extra abilities contained within a new ‘Performance Pack’.
Look closer and the subtle changes start to roll out. The trademark red stripe now stretches across the entire front end into the headlamp housings, the extended rear roof spoiler seats an extra couple of crows, the 19in alloy wheels have swapped telephone dials for axe-heads and the tartan chairs have changed from Stewart to Clark. And there’s a starter button.

Tell me about the new VW Golf GTI’s engine

The 2.0-litre sounds growly, even at idle. Tap the accelerator, and it snarls up the rev ladder, vocal and self-conscious, a politician preparing its re-election speech. The lever of the six-speed DSG slides into D and then further down into S – after all I didn’t come here to pick the daisies. Rated at 217bhp and redlined at 6200rpm, the engine differs from the Mk6’s powerplant: it has reinforced crankshaft bearings, modified direct fuel-injection, reduced friction, improved efficiency and an exhaust manifold integrated in the cylinder head. While ten extra horses are certainly nice to have, what makes the real difference is the massive increase in torque from 206lb ft to 258lb ft at 1500 to 4400rpm. At the same time fuel consumption is claimed to be 14% better (44.1mpg), top speed has squeaked up from 147mph to 153, and the 0-62mph sprint now takes 6.5sec – 0.4 less than before.
The turbocharged four is a brilliant engine – potent, yet totally relaxed and always eager to rev. Unlike the Mercedes CLA I drove a couple of days later, the Volkswagen gets on very well with its DSG gearbox. Shifts tend to be quick and smooth, the electronics are rarely in doubt about which ratio they should pre-select, and the paddleshift enhances the feeling of being in total control. That’s the good news. The bad news concerns the calibration of the six-speeder. While the first five ratios are staggered just about right, sixth is so long it’s almost grotesque. If maximum speed was to be attained in top gear, the new GTI would be good for a hyper-theoretical 208mph. With the transmission in S, however, this is rarely an issue because S happens to obey a very energetic algorithm. When in D, the black box shifts into sixth at low engine and road speeds, thereby changing the character of the car from GTI to mpg. It may be politically incorrect to accept higher fuel consumption, but a GTI top gear ought to be a proper driving ratio. Perhaps the cogs in the optional Performance Pack work better (a snip at around £1000, but our car didn’t have it).

What extra kit does a Performance Pack Golf GTI get?

It comprises a slightly beefier 227bhp engine, bigger 17in brakes with red GTI calipers and an electronically controlled mechanical diff lock by Haldex. While the base model makes do with solid rear discs, the PP includes larger inner-ventilated rotors all-round. To improve grip and traction through tight bends, the state-of-the-art differential sends more ooomph to the outer wheel. At the same time, it’s claimed to curb excessive understeer and soften lift-off oversteer. Torque is unchanged, but the acceleration improves by one tenth, and the maximum speed increases to 155mph. VW is expecting every second GTI buyer to tick the box marked Performance Pack. I would.

What other dynamic tweaks feature on the new Golf GTI?

I’d also tick the box marked Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC). It lets you choose from five different driving modes –Comfort, Normal, Sport, Eco and Individual. Hit the symbol on the touchscreen and you instantly tune dampers, steering, engine, transmission, adaptive cruise control, dynamic cornering lights and air conditioning. Great, but you’ll be surprised to hear that not even yours truly would put the drivetrain into Sport. Why? Because that entails early downshifts, late upshifts and an unnecessarily high rev level. Even when you try to maintain a steady throttle position, the black box takes too long to calm down.
Standard equipment includes the so-called ‘Progressive Steering’ which works either in Normal or in Sport mode. This constant-effort, variable-rate device requires only two turns from lock to lock. While the ratio around the straight-ahead position is very similar to that of a run-of-the-mill Golf, the steering will speed up as you turn in thanks to a progressive gearing between rack and pinion. This system yields two effects: reduced effort at parking speeds and quicker action on winding roads. It takes some getting used to, but it’s not as artificial and lifeless as other electro-hydraulic systems. I found myself liking it. True, the set-up is on the light side, the feedback blurs a little bit as you wind on more lock, and the self-centering motion could be more pronounced, but it’s hard not to be smitten by the go-kart-like directness, by the absence of filters and softeners, and by the depth of feel at the limit of adhesion…

So, how does the VW Golf GTI Mk7 drive?

The GTI communicates on all levels: steering, throttle, transmission, suspension, brakes. This car loves being pushed, but only to a point. Overstep it, and things get messy with too much attitude, too much electronic interference, too much drama. That’s not what fast Golfs are about. They are nine-tenths winners, not eleven-tenths wannabes. So let’s stay composed. Play it right, and the GTI will indulge in a super-sweet four-wheel drift or a three-wheeled corner, but it stays sufficiently well planted to make full use of all the Tarmac there is. True, the brakes feel a bit soft after the third run, but after about half an hour it’s quite obvious that the driver would run out of stamina long before the Golf runs out of talent.
That said, you’d be disappointed if I hadn’t switched off every electronic driving aid in search of juvenile thrills I’m clearly too old for. Hitting the ESP button once will deactivate traction assist, but this can be counter-productive on moist Tarmac where a little wheelspin tends to be faster than no slip at all. Keep the button depressed for at least three seconds and ESP will switch to Sport mode, but even on a race track you can never totally deactivate stability control. As soon as any brake intervention occurs, the system is automatically back on duty. Perhaps VW should reconsider its ESP policy for the GTI Performance Pack. After all, stability control can be switched off completely in the 286bhp four-wheel-drive Golf R out later this year.

Verdict

The latest version of the iconic Golf was never meant to be loud or young, and it was neither going to be a sports car in disguise or a hardcore hot hatch. Instead, this car has to incorporate the best of all worlds, even though it may never rule a single one of them. It epitomises effortless velocity, practical sportiness, accessible performance. It is an everyday, any road, everyman car that makes its owner shine because it is so easy to drive, astonishingly quick, totally benign and yet more rewarding than many extrovert crackerjacks.
Which spec to buy? Take the more practical four-door, spend extra on the Performance Pack and on 18in rubber, and try DSG before signing the dotted line.