Limited-run Range Rover SV Coupe revealed

Two-door coupe will help Range Rover SV 'challenge Rolls-Royce and Bentley'; prices to start from £240,000

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The new Range Rover SV Coupé means Land Rover can compete more directly than ever before with a plethora of luxury SUVs, including the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and forthcoming Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

The two-door SV Coupé will start from £240,000. Land Rover’s most expensive model to date has been the SVAutobiography LWB, priced from £177,030.

JLR SVO boss: The Range Rover SV Coupe can take on the Bentayga

Although Range Rover models have an SUV heritage that its new rivals lack, this is the first time that Land Rover has been able to offer a car at the same exclusive, high-end level.

Like the SVAutobiography, the SV Coupé falls under Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations division, which has been ramping up its activities over the past couple of years.

As well as creating the Range Rover SVAutobiography, SVO is responsible for the Range Rover Sport SVR and for the Discovery SVX that will arrive later this year. These cars focus on the three core areas of luxury (SV), high performance (SVR) and off-road (SVX), with more models planned for each. The Range Rover Sport SVR is currently the division’s most successful product and sells 2500 units a year.

Opinion: Why the Range Rover SV Coupe can justify its stratospheric price

The SV Coupé differs in that it is a so-called Collector’s Edition, in a similar vein to the 2017 Jaguar XE SV Project 8 and 2014 F-Type Project 7. The SV Coupé is limited to a production run of 999 units and the first deliveries are due this autumn.

It is the first model to be built from the ground up at SVO’s Technical Centre in Coventry. While the Project 8 starts with a standard XE body and is then modified, SVO has created a unique body the SV Coupé. It uses the platform of a standard Range Rover with minor modifications and builds its own bodyshell on to that.

How Autocar personalised a fantasy Range Rover SV Coupe

The only remaining parts from a standard Range Rover are the bonnet and the lower half of the tailgate.

The two-door SV Coupé has very similar dimensions to a standard four-door Range Rover. The car is 8mm lower and 13mm longer. It is also offered with 23in wheels, a first for Land Rover.

Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern described the model as a “lady or gentleman’s chariot”. He said: “It has compelling proportions and real presence. This isn’t a vehicle for the shy. It is a very sophisticated design.”

He said he had tried to create a balance of “performance prowess” and formality.

Although the SV Coupé is a nod to the first Range Rover, the two-door Series 1, it wasn’t the reason for the car’s creation. “It pays homage but we weren’t trying to replicate that vehicle,” said McGovern.

The optional two-tone seats – the rear seats are a darker leather and the front ones are lighter – are intended to highlight the model’s driver focus. “Chauffeurs who drive the Queen have the seat colours the other way round [dark in the front, light in the rear],” said McGovern. “This way makes it far more road-oriented.”

He also said the model “talks to exclusivity” and will have “a very good halo effect on Range Rover in terms of building its equity”.

When asked whether a standard Range Rover coupé could ever make production, he said: “It depends on what volume potential is there. Coupés generally don’t have a high uptake. For the same price, you can get a car with four doors, so it’s a practicality issue. So as a mainstream vehicle, I don’t know. You could argue a Velar coupé would look great. But we know the volume doesn’t normally justify it.”

Although the SV Coupé is a design-focused model, it is also the fastest full-sized Range Rover yet, achieving 0-62mph in 5.3sec and a top speed of 165mph. The Range Rover Sport SVR remains the quickest in the line-up, covering the 0-62mph sprint in 4.5sec.

The SV Coupé uses the same powertrain as the Range Rover SVAutobiography LWB: a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 petrol engine producing 557bhp and 516lb ft mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with a rotary drive selector and paddle shifters.

It has permanent four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer box and active locking rear differential assisted by Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 system, which has six settings that alter the car’s responses to suit different terrain.

The 8mm-lower ride height over a standard Range Rover delivers “enhanced dynamic performance and aesthetics”, claims Land Rover. The car can lower itself by 15mm above 65mph to improve stability and fuel economy.

The suspension has five height settings, including the most extreme Off Road 2, which raises the car 75mm above its normal ride height at up to 31mph. On top of that, it increases by 30-40mm if an obstacle is detected and a further manually selectable 30-40mm rise above that is available. The SV Coupé has a 3500kg towing capability, the same as a standard Range Rover and Bentley Bentayga, and a 900mm maximum wading depth.

Inside, the two-tone leather interior is available in a choice of four dual colours as well as four single-tone colours. There are heated and cooled 20-way- adjustable front and 10-way- adjustable rear seats with a unique diamond quilt design.

SVO has also created a new veneer inspired by boat design and called Nautica veneer, which will eventually be rolled out to other special models. It uses a patented new form-following process to fuse walnut and sycamore together. Two other veneer options are also available.

The car features power- close doors for the first time on a Range Rover. “The doors are so large [1.4m long] you can’t reach,” said SVO director Mark Stanton. “It’s an essential.”

The SV Coupé’s infotainment system echoes that of recent Range Rovers such as the Velar. Its InControl Touch Pro Duo system includes a 10.0in display, 10.0in control panel and 12.0in interactive driver display. There is also a 10.0in head-up display and a 1700W 23-speaker Meridian 3D Signature sound system.

Read more

Range Rover Velar review 

Range Rover SVAutobiography review

Range Rover Sport SVR

Range Rover SVAutobiography

Is this a Type 'O? If not then surely the Fraud squad should be informed!

LOL- talk about a piss take- 

No- what am I saying? all sold to the idiot ragheads to help with our balance of payments!

Excellent.

Source : autocar

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Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo previews 2021 production crossover

Surprise showing is an estate version of brand’s first all-electric car

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Porsche pulled one of the biggest surprises at the Geneva motor show with the unveiling of a new 590bhp electric-powered crossover vehicle based on its upcoming Mission E.

Called the Mission E Cross Turismo concept, it is described by the German car maker’s chairman, Oliver Blume, as a feasibility study created by a team of designers and engineers to examine if a market exists for such an outwardly sporting zero-emission ‘cross utility vehicle’.

He said it "fuses Mission E design with Panamera Sport Turismo off-road touches" and it is "a unique concept that has instant appeal".

Unofficially, it is a rolling blueprint for Porsche’s second electric model, which is set to follow the production version of next year’s Mission E four-door sedan to showrooms in 2021 with the sort of performance that, according to Blume, will not disappoint.

“The Mission E Cross Turismo is an expression of how we envision the all-electric future,” said Blume. “It combines sportiness and everyday practicality in a unique style. It will be fast to drive, but also quick to recharge and able to replicate its performance time after time.”

Powered by two permanent magnet synchronous electric motors - one mounted up front and another at the rear – the four-wheel-drive Mission E Cross Turismo is claimed to boast a combined 590bhp, some 76bhp more than the facelifted version of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS that also made its public debut in Geneva.  

Porsche said the power characteristics of the two electric motors provide a "level of continuous power that is unmatched by any other electric vehicle" on sale today.

“Multiple acceleration runs are possible in direct succession without loss of performance,” said Blume.

Porsche hasn’t revealed any details about the weight of the 4950mm Mission E Cross Turismo long concept, but computer simulations suggest it will accelerate to 62mph in less than 3.5sec and reach 124mph in less than 12.0sec.

The new Porsche has been engineered with the same 800V charging system as the Mission E, with an 80% recharge claimed to be possible in less than 15 minutes.

Alternatively, the Mission E Cross Turismo can be charged inductively.

Stylistically, the second of Porsche’s electric models adopts the smooth body surfacing of the Mission E sedan together with characteristic off-road cues such as wheel arch cladding and underbody protection.

Inside, it previews a new curved touchscreen display coupled with an eye-tracking control system used to operate its infotainment system.

The Mission E models are the clearest illustration of Porsche's increasing focus on eletrification, but the brand is also quietly working on an electrified variant of its 992-generation 911, which is due out in 2019. It will mate an electric powertrain to a turbocharged flat-six engine to become the first hybrid 911.

Company executives have suggested to Autocar that all-electric versions of the 911 and its smaller 718 siblings are already being considered for the future as well, but they're unlikely to make it on to roads until solid-state battery technology - which offers vast improvements in range and charge times - reaches a point where it can be commercialised.

The use of electric power in Porsches reflects changes in demand from the brand's customers, who in recent months have begun to demand hybrid models in significantly larger numbers. Sales of the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid, for example, accounted for 50% of global Panamera demand last year.

Additional reporting by Sam Sheehan

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thats the longest looking car I think I’ve seen

Estate, good luck getting a wardrobe in that. On a more serious note Tesla have 18 months to get their act together and start banging out the Model 3 in serious numbers, announce the Model Y and make plans for a Model S replacement if they haven't already.

Nice, apart from the ‘off road’ details, which are ugly and stupid.

Source : autocar

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Aston Martin and Red Bull Play Top Trumps with Valkyrie AMR Pro

Aston Martin and Red Bull Play Top Trumps with Valkyrie AMR Pro


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Extreme 814bhp McLaren Senna GTR concept revealed

New GTR produces at least 814bhp and 1000kg of downforce; firm claims 'only an F1 car is faster on track'

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McLaren’s racing engineers have been let loose on its newest supercar to produce this, the Senna GTR concept – a 1000kg of downforce-producing track-monster that’s more focused than even the P1 GTR.

Described as the fastest machine to roll out of Woking this side of a Formula 1 car, this Geneva motor show concept is a preview for what's to come when an extreme take on the formidable Senna Super Series model is launched.

In the GTR, the Senna’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 has been reworked so it now produces “at least” 814bhp – up from the standard car’s 789bhp. It sends drive through what the brand calls a “race-style transmission”.

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A spokesman told Autocar that it was too early to confirm exactly what this meant, but it suggests the car will use something of higher specification than McLaren’s regular seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which is featured in the standard Senna.

Also unconfirmed but likely is an advanced adjustable traction control system. This technology would enable drivers of varying abilities to progressively alter an electronic safety net that controls torque to the driven wheels; such a system was used on the P1 GTR.

McLaren says the Senna GTR will out-accelerate a standard Senna but it has yet to confirm straight-line performance figures. The regular car can charge from zero to 62mph in 2.8sec and takes a total of 6.8sec to reach 124mph.

With no road regulations or pedestrian safety tests to worry about, McLaren’s aerodynamicists have extracted a further 200kg of potential downforce from the Senna’s body. They’ve gently resculpted its panels, added an enormous front-splitter and bolted on a rear diffuser that shames those used by Le Mans GTE racers. Add the Senna’s active rear wing and downforce now peaks at 1000kg, 400kg more than the P1 GTR.

To help road-holding, the Senna GTR also features a wider track than the standard car, as well as a maximised front splitter and rear diffuser.

To handle these enormous high-speed loads, the Senna GTR uses revised double wishbone suspension and Pirelli slick tyres. A carbonfibre Monocage III skeleton remains at the car’s core, but the GTR is expected to be around 50kg lighter than the 1198kg Senna when dry, because it can do away with road-specific kit such as airbags, a handbrake and an exhasust muffler, and can make use of lightweight materials such as plexiglass.

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This means the GTR will produce more than 596bhp per tonne, which would be 108bhp fewer than the hybrid P1 GTR. However, the Senna GTR is an more track-focused package that its makers say can lap McLaren’s test circuit quicker than anything else it has built with a roof. McLaren says only its F1 cars can clock a quicker time.

McLaren Automotive design engineering boss Dan Parry-Williams said this level of pace was possible because the Senna was designed “with the full spectrum of road and track requirements in mind” from the outset.

“The McLaren Senna GTR concept unveiled in Geneva is not the finished article but it does give a clear indication of our thinking for the car, which promises to be the most extreme and exciting McLaren to drive for many years, if not ever,” he said.

Following the concept will be a run of 75 Senna GTRs. The car, which is the latest in a lineage that started with the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning F1 GTR, will be priced from £1 million before taxes (so that’s £1.2m including VAT in Britain) and hand built at McLaren’s Production Centre.

The GTR is the only remaining version of the Senna currently on sale because all 500 examples of the regular car have been allocated; that model started at £750,000. However, insiders predict it will be sold out by the end of the week, especially as it promises the performance of the Aston Martin Valkyrie and Mercedes Project One for around half the price.

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Source : autocar

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2019 Hyundai Santa Fe

When the fourth generation of the Hyundai Santa Fe goes on sale at the end of 2018, the brand will be well on its way to completely relaunching its entire SUV lineup—although this revamp comes with a little confusion. This new Santa Fe is effectively a replacement for the outgoing Santa Fe Sport. Today’s longer-wheelbase Santa Fe will continue for one more model year, rechristened the Santa Fe XL, until a new three-row SUV under a new name debuts for the 2020 model year. Along with the new Kona and fuel-cell Nexo, there will be a new Tucson and a smaller-than-Kona crossover by 2021, too. If you’re counting, that’s six new or redesigned Hyundai SUVs in half as many years.

For now, the subject is the new Santa Fe no-longer-Sport and, judging by our drive of South Korea–spec vehicles, Hyundai is on a good track. For starters, the new ute looks more grown-up and handsome. The rear glass is more vertical, a boon to headroom for the sort-of-optional third-row seats (more on that later) and cargo space. With shorter overhangs, a longer wheelbase, greater length, and slightly more girth than the ’18 Santa Fe Sport, interior space is up, too. Hyundai increased visibility by employing what it claims is 41 percent more glass area than in the outgoing Santa Fe Sport to nurture the target markets of empty nesters and families moving up from a sedan.

Hyundai calls its new grille design “cascading,” although naming facial features is a faux pas unless your name is Rollie Fingers or Ambrose Burnside. The polygonal design is available in black or bright finishes, and its design theme carries over to the interior, echoed in elements like the seat pattern and the speaker covers. It’s a nice design touch that partially makes up for some hard-looking and -feeling plastics, particularly on the seldom-touched trim pieces on the lower instrument panel. One thing that hasn’t changed is the font Hyundai uses for its switchgear, which reminds some of us of the often-ridiculed Comic Sans. If it doesn’t bother you, you’ll love the dashboard’s simple, straightforward layout, complete with a standard 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display (8.0 inches if you opt for navigation). Initially we feared that the volume and tuning knobs, positioned in the lower corners of the infotainment display on the dash, would require a long reach, but both are easily accessed from the front seats.

Base cars will have an instrument panel with a 3.5-inch LCD screen between a conventional tach and speedometer. In upper trim levels, an analog tachometer and fuel and coolant-temperature gauges flank an optional 7.0-inch “virtual cluster” in the instrument binnacle. Depending on the driving mode, this display changes its color theme—blue for Normal, red for Sport, green for Eco—and it can display a digital readout or a facsimile of an analog speedometer. Throttle and transmission calibrations change with these modes, although we found little reason to divert from Normal.

For its first model year, the Santa Fe will come with two familiar inline-four engines—the 185-hp 2.4-liter and the 235-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter found throughout Hyundai’s lineup—paired with an unfamiliar and new eight-speed automatic transaxle of Hyundai’s own design. All-wheel drive is available across the board. A hot rod the Santa Fe is not, and its zero-to-60-mph times are predicted to be in the seven-second range.

Starting in 2020, the Santa Fe will offer a 2.2-liter diesel inline-four featuring a variable-geometry turbocharger. Opting for the 190-hp and 322-lb-ft diesel also adds the third row that is optional in the rest of the world. The two additional seats subtract one cubic foot of cargo space (36 cubes to the five-seater’s 37) and 1.0 inch of second-row legroom. Hyundai admits the diesel Santa Fe’s third row is an occasional-use thing. We didn't get a chance to pilot any of the U.S.-spec engines, but the new transmission worked beautifully with the Korea-spec 2.0-liter diesel we drove (an engine not destined for our market), never shuffling gears awkwardly, although we did notice a few jerky starts from a traffic light when the standard stop/start system was active. We adjusted our initial throttle input; problem resolved.

Driving in suburban Seoul’s mostly congested traffic, the 2.0-liter diesel was more than enough engine. Granted, the posted speed limits are much lower than we’re accustomed to back home, but our initial gut feeling is that the 180-hp engine would be just fine in the U.S. market. And, if the 2.2-liter operates just as smoothly and quietly, it could help boost acceptance of compression ignition in America.

A steering-column-mounted electric motor provides assistance and keeps feedback from the 19-inch tires (17s are standard, 18s are also available) largely at bay. Despite the big wheels, ride comfort is exceptional from the strut front and multilink rear suspension. Tire and road noise is hushed, too.

It wouldn’t be a new car without a litany of standard and optional active-safety features. The new Santa Fe can be had with six airbags, forward-collision warning with automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, driver-attention warning, automatic high-beams, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring with avoidance assist. That’s a pretty standard package of safety features these days. Two that are less common are Hyundai’s new Safe Exit Assist and Rear Occupants Alert. Safe Exit warns of a car, motorcycle, or bicycle approaching from the rear and will keep the doors locked if there is potential for stepping into traffic, an accidental door removal, or a bike-messenger clothesline. The Rear Occupants Alert uses an ultrasonic sensor in the headliner to detect and then warn the driver, with either the horn or through an app on a connected smartphone, when there is movement in the rear of the car by either a child or a pet.

Official pricing and EPA fuel-economy estimates are also pending, but Hyundai has said that it expects an increase in the 3-to-4-percent range. That would put the combined EPA number at about 24 mpg for the roughly $26,000 base, front-drive, 2.4-liter model and 22 mpg for an all-wheel-drive 2.0T. When the Santa Fe hits dealers in the fourth quarter of this year, a loaded 2.0T AWD will cost nearly $40K. By that time, Hyundai’s new lineup will be less confusing, we hope.

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Aston Lagonda Vision Concept previews 'radical' electric saloon

Lagonda is set to return with high-tech luxury cars that feature all-electric power, high-grade autonomy and arresting design

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Aston Martin is relaunching the 114-year-old Lagonda brand as a stand-alone maker of futuristic, high-tech luxury cars to directly rival Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

The famous name, which returned at the Geneva motor show on the Lagonda Vision Concept, will be used on at least two production cars from 2021. The first will be a Rolls-Royce Phantom-rivalling luxury saloon inspired by the four-door, four-seat Vision Concept.

But whereas Rolls-Royce and Bentley are traditional in their approach to luxury, Lagonda will position itself as the futuristic alternative to buyers who want to reject old-world luxury. It aims to be the first luxury car maker to truly embrace modern technology and the efficiency of electric car design, creating more cabin space and mixing that with a near-silent zero-emission drivetrain.

Q&A: Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Lagonda design boss

To that end, Aston Martin will partner in the creation of Lagonda with an as yet unnamed technology company based in Silicon Valley, California. One tantalising prospect is that it will be Apple, which has long desired to break into the automotive industry.

A history of Aston Martin Lagonda

Each Lagonda model will be hand-built on the firm’s dedicated electric car architecture. This will allow radically different proportions from not only any Aston Martin but anything else currently produced in the industry, no matter what the power source.

Opinion: will Apple and Aston Martin team up on Lagonda project?

Aston Martin design chief Marek Reichman believes cars today are an imperfect package, still essentially recreating the horse and cart, even with electric cars. This concept is his response – a car that doesn’t even have a bonnet.

“With electrification, the platform is simplified,” said Reichman. “It’s efficiency. We’re taking advantage of all of these efficiencies with electrification rather than to try to replicate having an engine in the front.”

The first of the two Lagonda models confirmed so far will be a saloon inspired by the Vision Concept. It will be targeted squarely at the Phantom and Bentley Mulsanne.

The saloon will be followed soon after by a Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga SUV rival, a 40%-scale model concept version of which was on show in Geneva, where Aston Martin also displayed a 40%-scale coupé concept, to show how the radical design and proportions can be added to different bodystyles.

The architecture that will underpin the Lagondas will be new, but it will be based on the principle of Aston Martin’s bonded and riveted aluminium and carbonfibre structure used on its current models. By the time the Lagonda saloon makes production, the aluminium component of that could have been replaced entirely by carbonfibre, Reichman told Autocar at an exclusive preview event in Geneva.

At present, Aston Martin is focusing on the design of the cars and the re-establishing of the Lagonda name rather than the technical specifics. As a result, it has yet to confirm the exact technical make-up of its Lagonda architecture, such as electric motor or battery types.

The architecture is designed with the adoption of solid-state batteries in mind. However, there’s no confirmation that Aston Martin will be using them for the saloon’s launch and many industry observers and rival car makers believe the technology is still some way from production maturity.

The batteries, for which Aston Martin is speaking to several potential partners about a supply deal, are mounted in the floor. It’s understood that two electric motors will be used to drive all four wheels, with anywhere between 0% and 100% of torque being deployable on any single wheel, depending on the driving situation. A 400-mile range is being targeted alongside a full wireless recharge of the batteries in 15min.

Aston Martin is using the RapidE limited-run electric car, due on sale in 2019, as a test bed for electric technology in future models, including the new Lagondas.

The Lagonda marque will also be launched with Level 4 full autonomy (self-driving in nearly all situations, with driver attention not required) built into the architecture from the start, although regulations will dictate how much of that is enabled for the driver to use.

The dramatic exterior design is sleek and aerodynamic and, in visual cues and proportions, offers little to no link to existing Aston Martin convention. The front grille is dispensed with, that area in effect becominga negative space for airflow underneath the car to improve the aerodynamic package. Aero efficiency, mixed with lavish, highly sculpted surfaces, are key themes to the exterior of the car, one expected by Reichman to provoke a strong reaction.

The futuristic theme continues in the four-seat cabin, which is completely free of leather and wood as part of its progressive luxury brief. Instead, the high-tech cabin is lavishly trimmed in carbonfibre, ceramics, silk, wool and cashmere.

Reichman’s team has worked with furniture designer David Linley and built the interior of the car before wrapping the exterior around it – something Reichman says simply isn’t possible with traditional piston- engined cars. The two front seats are able to spin around to face people sitting in the back. Passengers in the rear benefit from greater leg room than is available in even an extended-wheelbase Phantom, much of the Lagonda’s five-and-a-half- metre length being taken up by the wheelbase.

Aston Martin is working on making the concept’s long, rear-hinged doors – typically a show car flourish – ready for production. The doors also open up out of the roof, allowing rear passengers to walk straight into the car, stand in front of the seat and sit in it, rather than ‘get in’ the car.

Reichman estimates that the Lagonda Vision Concept is about 70-80% representative of the final car but, within that, there is nothing on the concept that couldn’t be developed for production.

“This is setting the tone and pace from a visual perspective,” said Reichman. “It’s not an absolute look. It’s a concept and about bringing Lagonda to life.”

He said 10 design iterations and five scale models have been gone through. Iterations have ranged from a more traditional model like the limited-run Rapide-based Lagonda Taraf to the most extreme interpretation of what a Lagonda could be. It’s this extreme interpretation that Aston Martin Lagonda has settled on.

“But this isn’t extreme,” said Reichman. “It’s extreme versus traditions of ICE [internal combustion engine] but this is what you’d do with no big lump of an engine in the front of the car. You take advantage of it.”

It has not yet been decided how or where Lagonda models will be sold. Aston Martin Lagonda’s strategy director, Gerhard Fourie, said in showing the concept and confirming the brand’s relaunch “these conversations could now start properly”.

However, many of Aston Martin’s most loyal customers have already been involved, helping to inform the company’s thinking. Reichman said the project had not met with any negative opposition, which encouraged the firm to pursue this radical approach. 

Read more 

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Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf review

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Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf

Source : autocar

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2017 Genesis G90

WHAT WE LIKE: The G90 continues to receive compliments for its smooth ride, particularly from drivers new to the car. One driver returned home from a 1000-mile extended weekend impressed with the front seats’ near ideal blend of support and comfort. The same driver also liked the concise layout of the various controls, which, unlike those of some other luxury cars, are not “buried in the infotainment system.” Fitting a set of 19-inch Bridgestone Blizzak LM-32 winter tires provided improved traction on ice and snow at the cost of slightly increased levels of low-frequency tire noise.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE: Many drivers commented that the hyper-aggressive traction control steps in too early, particularly calling out the way it virtually shuts down forward movement at the slightest whiff of wheel slip during a turn. One driver noted that its overprotective nature is reminiscent of the behavior exhibited by early versions of the Lexus LS with traction control. Although switching to Sport mode loosens its grip slightly, we feel there should be a mode with a higher threshold, as turning it off makes the technology pointless. A few new-to-the-G90 drivers echoed earlier comments regarding the mushy chassis behavior and the less-than-stiff feeling of the structure.

WHAT WENT WRONG: In terms of exasperating breakdowns or failures, nothing. Only one temporary and unexplained hiccup came close to requiring a service call or tow truck. Immediately after startup leaving the office one evening, the car died. Thankfully, our highly skilled technical director, Eric Tingwall, was on hand to assess the situation. He opened the hood, found nothing amiss, and slammed it shut. Within seconds, the dash lights returned and the starter responded; the anomaly hasn’t reoccurred in the hundreds of starts and thousands of miles since, so we’re chalking this one up to a delayed system reboot or perhaps an evil spell cast by sorcerer Sir Chas Kettering.

Readers who’ve been following this long-term test may remember that although the G90 comes with complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first three years or 36,000 miles, the first suburban Detroit dealership where we took it failed to recognize this fact, charging us $48 for its first service consisting of an oil change, inspection, and fuel additive. We switched to a different dealership for the 12,000-mile service. After performing the prescribed oil change and inspection, they sent us on our way with no charge, other than a fee to mount and balance a set of winter tires.

We visited a third dealership for the 18K-mile scheduled service, to address a recall for the infotainment system, and to have technicians look at the sunroof seal, the cause of a previously reported wind-noise issue. After performing the recall and adjusting the glass and tightening some fasteners in the sunroof mechanism to cure the noise issue under warranty, this second dealer handed us a bill for $37 for the 18K oil change and inspection. Flummoxed, we referred to the brand’s three-year/36,000-mile complimentary scheduled-maintenance agreement and pointed out that the last service—barely a month prior—had been provided gratis under the plan. Despite our resolve, the staff at the dealership at the time could not verify the complimentary scheduled maintenance, and we paid up in order to avoid spending the night on the service-department floor. It seems Genesis HQ needs to better inform its dealers about its own products.

WHERE WE WENT: Although the car did slip below the border into Ohio on a few occasions, the majority of the G90’s time since the last update was spent in our home state of Michigan. Its expansive cabin is perfect for office lunch runs, the wide rear doors making for easy access to the spacious back seat, even after overindulging on taco Tuesday. Likewise, the deceptively capacious trunk securely stowed the fruits of more than a few staffers’ Christmas-shopping excursions, as well as transporting our freshly minted 10Best Trucks and SUVs trophies to the Detroit auto show, where we presented them to the winning brands. Longer excursions were limited to a couple of runs to the west side of the state and a single visit to Charlevoix in northern Michigan.

Months in Fleet: 9 months Current Mileage: 22,074 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 22 mpg Fuel Tank Size: 21.9 gal Fuel Range: 480 miles
Service: $85 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $50

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Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder: track-focused V10 supercar goes topless

631bhp Italian supercar is 35kg lighter than standard soft-top model

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This, the Huracán Performante Spyder, is the most track-focused drop-top supercar to leave the gates of Lamborghini’s Sant'Agata Bolognese factory yet.

The new model adds a folding fabric soft-top to the circuit-honed chassis of the Performante, mixing its sharpened handling with the more visceral experience of open-top motoring.

The car retains the unique bodykit of the Performante, with forged carbonfibre used for the front spoiler and rear wing, as well as the car’s prominent rear diffuser, but chopping off the roof has encouraged the fitment of two rear buttresses, which are identical to those fitted to the regular Spyder and give the car a unique silhouette whether the roof is up or down.

It takes 17sec for the Huracán's soft-top to fold away and it can be done at speeds of up to 31mph.

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Power comes form the same mid-mounted atmospheric 5.2-litre V10 as the Performante coupé, so it sends 631bhp at 8000rpm and 443lb ft of torque at 6500rpm to all four wheels. But the Performante Spyder’s new roof and electrohydraulic mechanism adds 125kg to the car’s mass, pushing dry weight up to 1507kg. Weight distribution does remain 43/57, however.

The car’s weight gain has a knock on effect for acceleration, bringing the 0-62mph sprint up to 3.1secs and 0-124mph dash to 9.3sec – although these are gains of just two and four tenths respectively. Top speed remains 202mph in the drop-top Performante.

Lamborghini’s so-called Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva active aerodynamic system is included without modification. It works the air over the cockpit so effectively that Lamborghini claims the soft-top can adjust the flow of atmoshperic particles over the car as well as its hard top sibling - enabling that unchanged terminal velocity.

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Beneath the Huracán Performante Spyder’s body is the same chassis setup as its coupé sibling. The Performante uses recalibrated settings for its dynamic steering and stability control, and features Lamborghini’s trio of ‘Anima’ drive modes, Strada, Sport and Corsa, which get progressively more aggressive as you wind through them.

The first Huracán Performante Spyders are due in UK showrooms this summer. Pricing is yet to be announced, but a starting figure of about £238,000 is expected, making the convertible around £23,000 more expensive than the coupé.

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Source : autocar

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2018 Geneva Motor Show: ALPINA XD3 G01 makes its world debut

Live from the 2018 Geneva Motor Show we bring you the world premiere of the new ALPINA XD3, G01 chassis. The world premiere of the new XD3 is the big highlight at the booth of the Buchloe-based automaker where the SUV takes the center stage. The power SUV, based on the BMW X3 G01, uses as in the previous generation, a powerful inline six-cylinder diesel, but with a few twists.

Under the hood of the XD3 lies a tuned version of BMW’s 3.0 liter, quad-turbocharged I6 diesel engine. Except this one sports 388 hp and a tidal wave-mimicking 667 lb-ft of torque. That’s only a few more horsepowers than the X3 M40i’s 355 hp. However, it’s a helluva lot more torque than the M40i’s 369 lb-ft. Which is why we think its claimed 0-60 mph time of 4.6 seconds is a bit understated, considering that the M40i has the same claimed time.

That engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic that has been tuned by ALPINA, along with a re-calibrated xDrive all-wheel drive system. It also gets a new adjustable sport suspension and 20″ wheels as-standard, with optional 22″ wheels.

The ALPINA-specific body kit that reads “ALPINA” on the front lip looks great and gives the car a lower, sportier look.




Inside, the ALPINA XD3 isn’t that much different from the standard X3 but it does look really quite good. It gets ALPINA’s signature leather work and gauge/screen graphics but the cabin as a whole is essentially the same.

Orders for the most powerful diesel engine in a BMW X3 G01 will be accepted by ALPINA from the second quarter of 2018, but the first deliveries will not be made until the beginning of 2019. Pricing will be announced at a later date.

[Photos: Bimmertoday]

2018 Geneva Motor ShowalpinaALPINA XD3

Source : bmwblog

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New look Ssangyong Musso lands with more kit and plusher cabin

Korean firm’s affordable pick-up retains its rugged character but looks more premium

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Ssangyong has boosted its Musso with more standard kit and an upgraded interior for 2018, increasing the value for money on offer from one of the pick-up segment’s cheapest options.

The Korean firm’s cut-price Nissan Navara alternative is due on UK roads this summer with an all-new look. Its front-end bears strong resemblance to that of the Rexton SUV, with which the Musso is heavily technically related.

Using the same architecture as the new Rexton, the Musso’s body-on-frame construction is 81.7% high-strength steel. Ssangyong says this not only enhances the Musso’s rigidity for better safety, but also boosts its and handling and off-road abilities.

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The new car comes with an updated version of its predecessor’s 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine. The e-XDi220 unit, developed internally by Ssangyong and shared with the Rexton, produces 181bhp and 310lb ft of torque – jumps of 5bhp and, more significantly, 15lb ft on its predecessor.

This grunt enables the Musso to carry over a tonne of weight in the back and tow a 3.5 tonne trailer. Power is channelled to a part time four-wheel drive system via a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic gearbox.

When cruising, the car can decouple drive to the front axle, making the Musso rear-drive in its most economical guise. Torque is only sent to the front wheels when necessary, although the car can be set to permanent all-wheel drive for low grip surfaces.

Taking a Ssangyong Musso racer round Britain's Nurburgring

The pick-up’s off-road ability is helped by a 215mm ground clearance and relatively short overhangs. It measures 5095mm long and 1950mm wide, with the roofline set at 1840mm. It features a load deck with a rear door that folds flat to provide space for a full-sized Euro pallet – the wooden base for transporting heavy goods often used by industry.

Inside, where there’s space for five passengers, Ssangyong has significantly upgraded the cabin. A more cleanly designed dash features a centrally mounted 8.0in touchscreen that’s standard, with DAB radio, Bluetooth and MP3 connectivity. High spec models gain Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

Ssangyong is displaying its new Musso at the Geneva motor show before it arrives in showrooms. Prices, although yet to be confirmed, are unlikely to change significantly from the outgoing model’s £16,795 to ensure the Musso remains one of the cheapest offerings in its class. By comparison, alternatives include the Nissan Navara, which starts at £24,280 and Ford Ranger, which opens from £22,244.

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It would be interesting to put a SSangyong through a long term test. The readers wish to know whether a cheap car may last reliably.

Source : autocar

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Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo concept revealed at Geneva

Surprise showing is an estate version of brand’s first all-electric car

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Porsche has revealed an all-electric estate concept called the Mission E Cross Turismo at the Geneva motor show.

The surprise unveiling is based on the brand’s first EV model, which is due next year, but adds a larger boot to offer enhanced practicality and off-road capabilities. It sits higher than the regular Mission E and wears more emphasised wheel arch surrounds.

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume described the the model as a car to "fuse Mission E design with Panamera Sport Turismo off-road touches". He said it is "a serious prospect for production very soon".

Design boss Michael Mauer said its "design mixes everyday usability with off road adventure".

The Mission E Cross Turismo can do 0-62mph in 3.5sec and has a top speed of 155mph. It is claimed to be capable of a 62-mile range from a four minute charge.

Although exact details are yet to be revealed, it's likely to follow suit of Porsche's first Mission E concept, which used two electric motors – one on each axle – to produce a combined 600bhp and 663lb ft, drawing their power from lithium ion batteries mounted in the floor.

The concept car was all-wheel drive, with the front wheels driven mainly to aid the acceleration and the handling remaining rear-biased, with torque vectoring controlling individual wheels.

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thats the longest looking car I think I’ve seen

Estate, good luck getting a wardrobe in that. On a more serious note Tesla have 18 months to get their act together and start banging out the Model 3 in serious numbers, announce the Model Y and make plans for a Model S replacement if they haven't already.

Source : autocar

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