The Futuristic AeroSeven

Caterham Cars has been in the business of recreating vintage roaster for quite some time. However, the company’s new AeroSeven roadster is complete departure from what we’ve to expect from the automaker and it might just be a glimpse into the company's future.

Built around a 237HP 2 L, 4-cylinder Ford Duratec engine the AeroSeven can accelerate from 0-100km (0-62mph) in under four seconds due to cars extremely lightweight carbon-fiber build. According to Caterham, the AeroSeven in based on the company’s F1 aerodynamic design which provides a minimal drag coefficient and increased downforce, which translates in to better handling.

Unlike most concepts cars Caterham is actually going to produce this design and says that model will be available next year. Hopefully the company keeps the AeroSeven’s frog green color, because this futuristic looking speedster is a thing of beauty.

Images and Video Courtesy of Caterham

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Ex-Caterham boss to create new sports car

Ex-Caterham boss Ansar Ali has secured the funding to start development on a brand new sports car.

Produced under the trademark Zenos, is project E10 based around a Lotus Elise medium-sized platform, with a supplied by Ford 197bhp 2.0-liter engine mounted in the middle. Completely hope Ali E10 will weigh 650kg, which gives the car a power to weight ratio of 296bhp per tonne.

Direct-injection engine is a newer generation of HE420 Duratec unit used by, among others, Caterham. More powerful, supercharged variants of the car is also planned for the future.

The E10 bodywork is built around an aluminum tubular chassis with a tub and bodywork made of recycled carbon sheet.

Financing of the car has gotten through Niche vehicle network, which is supported by the Department for business, Innovation and skills. Zenos has at least two other designs that are planned with E11, an open-top model, scheduled for 2016 and E12 coupe wrote to 2018.

E10 is set to target the Vuhl 05, KTM X-Bow and, of course, Caterham's seven 620R in terms of performance, and will launch next year. Pricing for the E10 has not yet been announced.

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Euro V-compliance for revised Toyota Land Cruiser

The facelifted 2014 Toyota Land Cruiser will include revisions to exterior and interior design and a Euro V-compliant engine.

Exterior revisions include a more prominent grille, a new front bumper which adds 20mm to the front overhang with no impact in turning circle or approach angles, new wheel designs and redesigned rear lights. 

New headlights, which are mounted higher prevent damage when driving off-road, feature integrated daytime running lights.

The cabin sees the introduction of a new selector dial for its off-road settings, a 4.2in TFT colour screen which provides new instrumentation, including angle, traction control operation and the status of the differential locks. Minor modifications to the analogue instruments and new interior finishes are among other changes.

The Land Cruiser’s 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine has been modified to reduce CO2 emissions slightly to 209 and 214g/km for three- and five-door models respectively.

Toyota says that it has modified the suspension for improved stability and ride quality. Standard suspension set-ups have revised damping, and models fitted with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System feature a thicker front anti-roll bar.

Toyota will reveal final UK specification and prices closer to the car's launch in early 2014.

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Citroen Cactus: proof that adversity breeds innovation

Citroen people won’t like me saying it, but the Cactus concept is surely proof that adversity can spark the greatest innovation. 

The official line is that the success of DS branded models demonstrated the need to stand out from the crowd, forcing a rethink of how the more mainstream ‘C’ branded models were being created.

The truth, I suspect, is that Citroen couldn’t ignore any longer that it was being increasingly squeezed in an especially cut-throat European market. From the bottom

the likes of Dacia were eating in to their sales, from the side Hyundai and Kia were making better products at comparable prices and from above the premium players were pushing down with smaller, more affordable, more aspirational offerings.

The reaction has been to stand proud, taking on lessons from Citroen’s history and reinventing the C-line as an alternative to pretty much everything else on sale at the moment. Simple elegance is an easy enough message to understand (if not put in to action); Citroen’s market research suggests enough people will fall in love with its interpretation of the idea to buy its cars out of love rather than the size of discount.

Of course, for now the Cactus is a toe in the water of wider plans to reinvent the entire C-line with the same values. The current Citroen C4 has at least three years to run of its model cycle, meaning sales of it, the Cactus and the Picasso derivatives can be compared.

But be in no doubt, this is not a frivolous attempt to make some headlines. Citroen’s bosses are convinced that many of today’s car buyers want something less complex and more stylish and are quietly confident that, in time, the Cactus look and spirit will become its mainstream offering.

Personally, I hope they are right. There are too many identical cars on the market today, and for too long Citroen has tried to fight the establishment rather than play to its prevailing strengths, chief among them its Frenchness. The Cactus answers all those criticisms and more, and provides the perfect ally to the thriving DS side of the business.

Parent company PSA may be in deep financial trouble, but it appears determined to fight its way out of it. Now there’s just the thorny question of how its going to give customers a reason to pay more robust prices for Peugeots…

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Citroen Cactus Concept revealed in full

Citroën could radically overhaul all its mainstream C-line offerings in the spirit of this Citroën Cactus Concept car, which will be revealed at the Frankfurt motor show and go on sale in largely unchanged form next February.

The Cactus Concept will become the Citroën C4 Cactus when it goes on sale, and be offered alongside the standard car in the same vein as the Citroën C4 Picasso. More Cactus spin-offs of existing models are expected to follow. However, if the new look is deemed a sales success, Citroën officials say that they are optimistic that Cactus cars could eventually replace more mainstream, conventional offerings.

“For now, the standard C4 has many years ahead of it in its product cycle, so we have time to evaluate the success of the Cactus line,” said Citroën boss Frederic Banzet. “However, our research suggests that it will be a sales success. We have chosen to develop a line that will be loved by some and hated by some – it is better that way than being an average choice in an overcrowded market.”

The Cactus Concept is 4.21m long, 1.75m wide and 1.53m high, but with a relatively high ride height of 21cm. It is expected to sit on the firm’s new EMP2 platform when it goes on sale. The most obvious concept touch of the show car is that its B-pillars and side and rear windows have been removed to focus attention on the radical interior. They will be in place for production.

“We think that some of the established automotive design standards of today are lacking,” said Cactus design manager Mark Lloyd, who helped launch the hugely successful DS brand. "We wanted to reduce the complexity of living with a car and make interaction with the car less stressful. Simplicity and elegance were the goals. Citroën should be about innovation and well-being; this car is our manifesto for that.

“There are typical concept car flourishes, but they are all there to accentuate our goals – nothing is superfluous. You will clearly recognise the production car from this concept.”

Citroën describes the Cactus as “shedding the superfluous” but is at pains to stress that it is not pushing to build budget cars in the style of Dacia. Instead, it says it plans to use the new look to re-engage customers with the traditional Citroën values of comfort and style at a modest price premium over a standard C4.

Highlights of the interior’s new look include the entirely digital controls, which sit on a slimline dash on two separate screens, a sofa style front and rear bench, and the use of more natural materials on all surfaces. The central eight-inch touchscreen is used for all the car’s functions, such as sat-nav, air-con, audio and all driver aids.

To help improve interior space for occupants the passenger airbag has been located in the car’s roof lining and the gearlever has been replaced by push-button controls on the dash and paddles behind the steering wheel. However, it is not clear if all production models will get both touchscreens, and a manual option will be available.

The car also features what Citroën calls ‘Airbumps’ on the sides and around the bumpers of the car. As well as breaking up the clean lines of the rest of the car, these air-filled capsules are designed to absorb minor impacts, such as from a supermarket trolley, without scratching, and will make production.

The concept is also powered by Hybrid Air technology, previously shown by Peugeot, which uses a conventional petrol-powered engine assisted by a compressed air system and a hydraulic motor assembly - which can also propel the car on its own. This gives the Cactus a fuel economy that Citroën says is “more than 94mpg”, although the technology is still thought to be too expensive to make production.

The idea for the Cactus was originally shown in the 2007 Citroën C-Cactus Concept car that was unveiled at that year’s Frankfurt motor show. However, potential customers suggested that the car was too stripped out and basic to be sold, suggesting that while they wanted to embrace a more elegant, minimalist ethos, they were not willing to do so at the expense of comfort or essential equipment.

“The DS line has shown that customers want cars that stand for something,” said Lloyd. “With this concept and then the C4 Cactus we are defining what the C-line represents and clarifying what it stands for. We are rediscovering the best things in our history. As a car company we have produced the DS – the president’s car – and the 2CV – the people’s car. With DS and Cactus we can get some of that back.”

The Cactus name was chosen for production because of the parallel between the plant’s ability to survive without much water and the car’s fuel efficiency, the plant’s ability to protect itself and the car’s Airbump technology and the plant’s relative light weight despite its size and the car’s efficiency of design and build.

Click here for more Frankfurt motor show news.

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I care about electric vehicles

The Tesla Model S is an extraordinary car, not merely because it can out-accelerate an Aston Martin up to three figures and beyond, or because it has a range of over 250 miles; it’s also just a very good thing to drive in its own right.

It rides properly, it handles tidily, it steers with feel and precision, it stops much like a normal sports saloon stops, i.e. better than most folks would ever believe. It’s also roomy and well made inside.

And yet… I’m not convinced that the message about how excellent this car is (and therefore how good other EVs like it will surely become) is getting through. Until you drive it for yourself, it’s hard if not impossible to imagine how well resolved the Model S is, so I don’t blame anyone for thinking “Yeah but they’re just talking it up unrealistically in order to fill the posts.”

But if you are still having difficulty in believing how good the Model S is, believe the punters who have bought them in the United States instead. In the first quarter of 2013 this car very nearly outsold the 7-Series, the S-class and the Audi A8 combined. Think about that.

What’s also key is that, having outsold the big name German manufacturers so convincingly this year in the USA, Tesla’s customer service support also appears to be similarly out of this world.

There is a distinct dearth of whispers on the internet about how poor Tesla’s after-sales support is, despite there now being several thousand Model S owners out there, most if not all of whom appear to be very happy indeed with their cars.

It’s reminiscent of the way Lexus went about changing peoples’ perception of what after-sales could be all about when it unleashed the original LS400 all those years ago.

One day, cars like the Tesla Model S will become commonplace on our roads – not to the point that all we will be driving are EVs but at least to a level where all of us will at some point drive or be driven in one.

And when that happens, when in 15 years' time there is a mix of hybrid, perhaps hydrogen, some conventional combustion engine powered and an awful lot of electrically propelled vehicles buzzing about on our roads, I will look back and remember the first time I drove the Model S.

Why? Because it was a defining moment for me: the first occasion on which I drove an EV and thought “Yes, we car enthusiasts are going to be alright here. In fact, we’re going to be better off than ever before.”

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Ford Focus Electric first drive review by Autocar Magazine

This electric Focus lives up to the promise of affordable, reliable and enjoyable motoring

Focus Electric is priced from £33,500, dropping to £28,580 with the government's EV grant

 

What is it?

Ford’s first-ever all-electric, series-production car, a five-door Focus hatchback powered solely by a lithum-ion battery pack and AC electric motor. On sale now for delivery towards the end of the year, the Focus Electric seats five and is claimed to have a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 85mph, although not both at the same time.

The 23kWhr liquid–cooled battery is said to be capable of being charged in 10-11 hours from a standard 240volt/10amp UK domestic socket, while a fast charger operating at 32amp can fill-up the empty battery in ‘three to four hours’.

Priced from £33,500, which drops to £28,580 when the government’s plug-in car grant is deducted, the Focus Electric is considerably more expensive than a Renault Fluence ZE, which lists at £21,495, reduced to £17,495 by the grant and a Nissan Leaf, which starts from £16k.

Although drivers of the Renault also have to factor in the cost of leasing the battery, which can add up to £138 a month on a 15k mile/year, 12-month contract, likewise battery rental on the Nissan works out to £113 a month if you do 12k miles a year.

What is it like?

The Focus Electric version packs all the dynamic appeal of the conventionally powered versions, which means beautifully weighted steering and a composed chassis with a fine balance between ride and agility.

The ride is most likely aided by the hefty kerb weight of 1700kg, 415kg more than a 2.0 TDCi, which gives the suspension springs a solid base from which to absorb bumps.

What we couldn’t evaluate was the effect on cornering power and braking stability of much of that weight being concentrated over the rear axle, where the battery pack is located. Although a drive last year suggests that the on-limit characteristics might be a little less predictable than the mainstream Focus.

Like its rivals the Focus Electric’s powerpack is smooth and refined. In fact in conventionally powered cars you’d have to pay north of £100k and step into luxury limo territory to experience cabin serenity like this.

At speed the dominant cabin noise is tyre rumble and a little wind noise from the wing mirrors, but both are limited to an unobtrusive background hum.

At some speeds there’s also a faint but pleasing whistle from the engine bay that, in quality if not volume, is akin to a Cold War jet fighter taxiing.

The powertrain also delivers a surprising turn of speed at lower speeds, broadly comparable to a 2.0-litre diesel, but it runs out of shove around 60mph and starts to feel lethargic in the high speed cruise.

The steering wheel also squirms a little on acceleration, a trait we reported on when we first tasted the Focus Electric about a year ago.

But the undeniable truth about electric cars is that their instantaneous power delivery is fun to experience, even if the limitations of the battery pack curb the opportunity to exploit it often.

The battery of course occupies a significant chunk of the luggage area, which reduces everyday carrying capacity to 237 litres, 126 litres fewer than a conventional Focus, but still a usable volume for everyday use.

Should I buy one?

Thanks to its excellent driving dynamics, the Focus Electric takes its place as the most sophisticated driver’s car in the segment.

But given the rather optimistic pricing, it would be a very, very keen driver who ignored the vastly cheaper opposition, particularly since the role of an EV is urban pottering about.

Ford isn’t too bothered about pricing, because the bulk of deliveries will be absorbed into fleet contracts where the list price is only part of the deal equation.

If you’re lucky enough to get behind the wheel of a Focus Electric as part of one of those deals, then it’s a great new electric car to be enjoyed and savoured.

Ford Focus Electric

Price £33,500; 0-62mph 11.7secs; Top speed 85mph; Kerbweight 1700kg; Motor and battery 143bhp AC motor and 23kwh lithium-ion battery pack; Power 143bhp; Torque 184lb ft; Gearbox Reduction box with ratio of 10:1

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Ford Focus Electric priced at £33k

Ford will price its new Focus Electric five-door hatch from £33,500, a hefty premium over its nearest rivals.

The 143bhp Focus Electric will cost nearly twice as much as the cheapest £15k Nissan Leaf and £17k Renault Fluence ZE, although the running costs of the Renault are higher because the battery must be leased.

Ford it predicts UK 30 sales in its first year. The car is on sale now, and first deliveries are expected in the last quarter of the year.

Its main target will be corporate customers, where an electric car is of growing importance, sometimes as part of a comprehensive fleet deal.

‘We are responding to interest from fleet customers and in support of Ford’s market-leading business sales,’ says the company.

Part of the justification for the launch is a Europe-wide survey sponsored by Ford that reported 72 per cent of Europeans believe electric cars are better for the environment, while 28 per cent said they would consider buying an electric vehicle.

The Focus Electric is at the heart of a sales strategy, under the ‘Power of Choice’ banner, that will roll-out across Europe this year and next.

Also coming are a Mondeo Hybrid, based on the US market Fusion, although that won’t be on sale until late 2014/early 2015 when the much-delayed Mondeo finally hits UK shores two years later than planned.

However, a third electrified Ford model, the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid isn’t coming to the UK.

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Porsche Panamera diesel facelift

This is the facelifted , which will be seen for the first time at the Frankfurt motor show later this month.

The most significant news is the adoption of a more powerful version of the Audi-sourced 3.0-litre V6 common rail diesel engine. It develops an added 49bhp, lifting the Panamera diesel’s reserves to 296bhp at 4000rpm. Torque is also up, swelling by 74lb from an earlier 405lb ft to 479lb ft on relatively narrow band of revs between 1750 and 2500rpm.

The lift in power and torque is combined with revisions to the rear-wheel drive Panamera diesel’s ZF sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox and the addition of Porsche’s torque vectoring system, which acts as an electronic differential lock for added traction, as standard equipment.

Porsche's changes to the driveline help bring about a 0.8sec reduction in the 0-62mph time, at 6.0sec, while top speed extends by 9mph to 161mph.

The plush four-door saloon also receives the same subtle exterior and interior styling changes as other variants of the four-year-old Panamera and is due to go on sale in the UK this autumn. Towing capacity is up by 100kg at 2600kg.

Despite the added performance and towing potential, Porsche claims a 0.6mph improvement in combined cycle economy at 44.1mpg along with a 3g/km improvement in CO2 emissions at 169g/km.

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Jaguar C-X17 SUV revealed

This is believed to be the new Jaguar SUV, which will be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show next week.

Dubbed C-X17, Jaguar says the design study has been created to ‘introduce Jaguar’s new, high-advanced, modular aluminum architecture’. Autocar understands that the new architecture will be given its own brand name.

At present Jaguar is saying little about the concept ahead of it being revealed, but the company says that it is designed to illustrate "the diversity of vehicles that could be produced using this architecture, which underpins the innovative future of the Jaguar brand."

It’s though that Jaguar the C-X17 is also intended to underline Jaguar’s plans to eventually switch to using aluminium construction for all its models within four years.

Even though the company has been using its unique bonded-and-riveted aluminum construction for the XJ since 2003, insiders say that the company has failed to make enough of its technological lead in lightweight structures.

The upcoming ‘baby’ Jaguar saloon will use this new platform, which will also be rolled out for the next-generation Jaguar XF. It is thought be flexible enough to be used on vehicles sized between 4.5 and 5m long.

Jaguar wants to become synonymous with aluminum construction as soon as possible because Audi’s new steel and aluminium MLB platform is due to be launched next year under the new A4. The next-generation BMW 7-series is also thought to be of all-aluminium construction.

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Joachim Schmidt retires from Mercedes-Benz

Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars, has retired following more than 34 years of service.

Dr Dieter Zetsche, chairman of the board of management of Daimler and head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, said “Joachim Schmidt understands and embodies Mercedes-Benz like almost no-one else.

"Under his leadership, the brand has conquered many new regions and delighted its customers with its traditional strengths. He has reconfigured sales and marketing and laid the groundwork for bringing Mercedes-Benz into a new era.”

After joining Mercedes-Benz in 1979, Schmidt initially worked in passenger car development. He then served in various sales and marketing-related positions for over 20 years, and has been a member of the board of management since October 2009.

Schmidt will formally transfer his duties to Ola Källenius, currently head of AMG, on 1 October.

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Leaked shots reveal Renault Initiale Paris Concept

Pictures of what is claimed to be Renault's new concept car, reputedly called the Renault Initiale Paris Concept, have appeared on the internet.

Reports suggest that this concept previews the next generation of the Renault Espace, which has remained unchanged since 2003.

It had previously been confirmed that this model would form the sixth entry in Renault design chief Laurens van den Acker's 'Circle of Life' series.

The series began in 2010 with the Renault DeZir concept at the Paris motor show, and also includes other concept cars like the Twin'Run and R-Space.

Previously, Renault had released a teaser image of the new concept car, which was revealed in full at the Frankfurt motor show.

Renault says the concept forms its vision of premium motoring. The 'Initiale Paris' brand is expected to be launched in 2014, first as a luxury trim level for existing models.

Click here for more Frankfurt motor show news.

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Mercedes CLA 45 AMG Racing Series concept previewed

Mercedes is planning to expand its customer motorsport programme with a race car based on its CLA 45 AMG. The Mercedes CLA 45 AMG Racing Series concept will made its first public appearance at the Frankfurt motor show.

The production version of the car will be eligible for a number of four-cylinder race series. As such engine output and transmission systems can vary. The car could be offered with two- or four-wheel drive.

AMG says the concept demonstrates its desire to increase its customer motorsport presence. AMG boss, Ola Källenius said: "The tremendous success of the SLS AMG GT3, which is now being raced by customer teams across five different continents, makes us highly confident."

The Mercedes CLA 45 AMG Racing Series concept has a wider track than the standard road car, and feature fully adjustable suspension. A “high-performance” braking system with ABS is fitted.

The front and rear aprons, flared wings and sill extensions are constructed from carbon fibre reinforced plastic. The carbon fibre rear wings have functional brake cooling vents and the front splitter and rear diffuser are adjustable for optimum downforce.

A roll-cage, Recaro seats prepared for the Head and Neck Support system and an integrated fire extinguisher are among the interior modifications.

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The iconic Quattro

Audi has officially revealed its modern recreation of the iconic Quattro with a new concept car for the Frankfurt motor show.

The Audi Sport Quattro concept is understood to be more than a flight of fancy, and is intended to preview a production model that will sit above the R8 at the very top of Audi’s range as a technical and performance flagship.

The plug-in hybrid concept celebrates 30 years since the original Sport Quattro appeared at the 1983 Frankfurt motor show. Audi openly refers to the new concept as the “legitimate successor” to the 1980s icon.

The new Sport Quattro is a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid with a combined 690bhp, which makes it the most powerful Audi ever. It is understood to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s next-generation MLB platform, which will go on to underpin a whole range of big new Audis as well as new models from Porsche, Bentley and Volkswagen.

The concept is 4602mm long, 1964mm wide and 1386mm high, with a wheelbase of 2784mm. This makes the two-door coupé concept slightly shorter, a fair bit wider and a touch taller than the RS5 coupé, with a marginally longer wheelbase. The fact that it is shorter than the RS5 despite the wheelbase being longer is due to the reduced overhangs, which give the concept a low-slung look and an elongated profile.

Audi first flirted with a Quattro rebirth in 2010. That earlier concept was a shorter (by 150mm) and, at 1300kg, significantly lighter version of the RS5, and was powered by a turbocharged five-cylinder engine.

The switch to a significantly more powerful model for the latest Quattro rebirth is a sign that Audi believes there is a greater demand for a modern successor to the more powerful Sport Quattro than the ‘standard’ Ur-Quattro the 2010 concept paid tribute to.

Audi is also keen to have a halo model to popularize its roll-out of plug-in hybrid technology, something it sees as the most viable short to mid-term way of reducing CO2 emissions and improving fuel economy while maintaining current range expectations and driving performance.

The powertrain for the new concept mixes the co-developed Audi/Bentley twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine with a powerful electric motor and a liquid-cooled lithium ion battery pack.

The front-mounted engine produces 552bhp and 516lb ft, while the electric motor that’s mounted between the V8 engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox produces 148bhp and 295lb ft. The peak combined outputs are 690bhp and 590lb ft. Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system also features, with a sport differential used on the rear axle. A rear-mounted 14.1kWh battery pack powers the electric motor.

Despite the headline power and torque figures, Audi is also making impressive claims for the Quattro’s economy and CO2 emissions: 113mpg and 59g/km respectively on the EU combined cycle. The concept’s efficiency is aided by features such as cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down four of the V8 engine’s cylinders on partial loads, a stop-start system and the ability to travel up to 31 miles on electric power alone.

The concept also features an ‘intelligent management system’ to regulate the on-demand power from the hybrid system, but the driver is able to select from one of three driving modes: EV, Hybrid and Sport.

In EV mode, the concept runs solely on electric power. In Hybrid mode, it optimizes the two power sources for economy and includes features such as the ability to save electric range for later in a journey. In Sport mode, the hybrid system is tuned purely for performance, with the electric motor providing extra boost to the engine.

The concept has a claimed 0-62mph time of 3.7sec and a top speed rated at 190mph. Only the more potent R8s in Audi’s line-up have figures that can beat this.

The added hybrid components make the Sport Quattro a significantly heavier proposition than the 1300kg Quattro concept of 2010, with Audi quoting a figure of 1850kg for the new car. High-strength steel and aluminium are used in the construction to minimize the weight, along with carbon fibre-reinforced polymer for some components and body panels, including the bonnet and bootlid.

Audi is talking up the handling characteristics of the Sport Quattro to match the performance potential, with the firm claiming the car is “as dynamic as it is stable”.

“Tautly tuned” spring and damper settings are used for the suspension, which features five control arms per wheel at the front and a track-controlled trapezoidal link at the rear. Steering weight and feel are variable depending on speed, with stopping power coming from carbon-ceramic discs. Wheels are 21-inch centre-locking alloys shod in 285/30 R21 tyres.

There are clear nods to the original Quattro in the design, with rectangular double headlights, angular C-pillars and blisters above the front wings. More modern features include the latest interpretation of Audi’s low-set hexagonal single-frame grille that previews the new front-end design for upcoming sporty Audis.

Other exterior features include a prominent front splitter fashioned from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), vertical, blade-shaped air intakes at the front, big front wheel arch vents, muscular shoulders, a narrow greenhouse, flared side sills, a rear spoiler and a CFRP diffuser. The spoiler deploys from the tailgate at higher speeds.

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MG 3 UK first drive review

This car is sharper and better mannered than you’d expect, and neatly styled. Noisy, dated engine lets it down, but it's good value for money MG Motor hopes that the MG 3 will revive interest in the company

 

 

What is it?

MG Motor hopes that its MG 3 hatchback will change the company's fortunes, despite the fact that the formula underpinning its creation is much the same as the MG6’s.

The MG 6 has admittedly missed by a mile, selling in numbers small enough to shock even MG Rover in its dying days, and its price-to-desirability ratio isn’t remotely strong enough to tempt — despite its roomy cabin and sharp handling. Its impact has been so minor that many buyers have no idea that MG is still alive, but the new MG 3 may change that.

The new hatch is a little bigger than average for the segment, however it's as conceptually and mechanically conventional as a 9-5 job. It presents a mildly sporting overlay with its MG badging and a chassis lightly tuned to suit. And many might be surprised to hear that it has been designed and engineered in Britain for MG’s Chinese owner, and is even part-assembled here.

But there’s one big difference, and it’s a change that might just shift MG’s bruised British fortunes - its price. This five-door, five-seat, five-speed, 1.5 litre supermini starts at £8399.

More impressively, it finishes at £9999 for the top-of-the-range MG 3 Style. Even if you order every option, roof-box included, it’s not possible to spend more than £12,000 on this car. And in three out of its four trim levels it comes pretty decently equipped, and with appealing detail features like a coverable dashtop sat-nav mount.

Apart from competing in the market’s biggest segment, MG Motor is hoping that its MG 3 might divert some buyers from doing their Dacia maths to take an inquiring look. MG is also targeting Skoda Fabia owners, and those who like dressing up Citroën DS3s and Fiat 500s. Which may be a taller order.

What is it like?

What the curious will find is a surprisingly spacious hatch that in the right colours and with the right decal kit – yours for £199-£225 depending on kookiness – can look more modern than its quite basic silhouette would suggest, and with a neatly finished, quietly contemporary interior that’s unexpectedly pleasant.

Yes, the dashboard is hard-feel, but it’s pleasingly grained, the seat trim is subtly imaginative and much of the detail design, such as the stereo and air-conditioning controls, is of modest surprise and delight calibre.

It also moves like an MG should. The ride is taut but well-damped, rarely turning uncomfortable despite over-audible bump-thump. The steering is fairly swift, turn-in obedient, it’s grippy and at moderate-to-ambitious speeds it corners as flat as a flounder.

Push it hard, and throttle lift-off will quell the understeer and usefully move the tail. True, the hydraulically assisted and moderately feelsome steering occasionally feels odd, the ride gets busy over challenging roads and speed turns tyre and wind noise assertive, but this car is quite amusing when pressed.

That’s less true of the of the 105bhp engine, whose unfashionably vertiginous torque peak arrives after some toeboard-thrumming boom to deliver performance as scintillating as a second cup of tea. But it gets about.

The MG’s controls are well-matched, its driving position is good and so is forward visibility. All models get six airbags, a hill-holder and LED running lights, all-bar-one get (impressively hassle-free) Bluetooth, air-con and a DAB radio, and top models are pretty generously kitted.

Should I buy one?

It’s taken MG two years to prepare the MG 3 for Europe, but the polishing has paid off. It's no challenger to the Ford Fiesta, and a few of its rough edges are sharp enough to be instantly off-putting, but there is merit to it.

Consequently this lightly sporting, exceptionally roomy, pleasingly insurable, low-cost supermini is worth more than the sceptically quizzical inspection that its decals might inspire.

MG 3 Form Sport

Price £9549; 0-62mph 10.9sec; Top speed 108mph; Economy 48.7mpg (combined); CO2 136g/km; Kerb weight 1150kg; Engine 4 cyls, 1498cc, petrol; Power 105bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 101lb ft at 4750rpm; Gearbox 5-spd manual

Tweet WidgetFacebook LikeGoogle Plus One Join the debate Comments 26 Peter Cavellini

Well?! 3 days 11 hours ago

On a par with the DS3?.......i think not, with a decent engine and say 160bhp it would sell to hot hatchers,even the Mini fraternity would like it's color/decal options,but, with that weedy engine in it just now?, er, nope.

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Audi Sport Quattro reborn as 690bhp hybrid - latest pictures

Audi has officially revealed its modern recreation of the iconic Quattro with a new concept car for next week’s Frankfurt motor show.

The Audi Sport Quattro concept is understood to be more than a flight of fancy, and is intended to preview a production model that will sit above the R8 at the very top of Audi’s range as a technical and performance flagship.

The plug-in hybrid concept celebrates 30 years since the original Sport Quattro appeared at the 1983 Frankfurt motor show. Audi openly refers to the new concept of the same name as the “legitimate successor” to the 1980s icon.

The new Sport Quattro is a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid with a combined 690bhp, which makes it the most powerful Audi ever. It is understood to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s next-generation MLB platform, which will go on to underpin a whole range of big new Audis as well as new models from Porsche, Bentley and Volkswagen.

The concept is 4602mm long, 1964mm wide and 1386mm high, with a wheelbase of 2784mm. This makes the two-door coupé concept slightly shorter, a fair bit wider and a touch taller than the RS5 coupé, with a marginally longer wheelbase. The fact that it is shorter than the RS5 despite the wheelbase being longer is due to the reduced overhangs, which give the concept a low-slung look and an elongated profile.

Audi first flirted with a Quattro rebirth in 2010. That earlier concept was a shorter (by 150mm) and, at 1300kg, significantly lighter version of the RS5, and was powered by a turbocharged five-cylinder engine.

The switch to a significantly more powerful model for the latest Quattro rebirth is a sign that Audi believes there is a greater demand for a modern successor to the more powerful Sport Quattro than the ‘standard’ Ur-Quattro the 2010 concept paid tribute to.

Audi is also keen to have a halo model to popularise its roll-out of plug-in hybrid technology, something it sees as the most viable short to mid-term way of reducing CO2 emissions and improving fuel economy while maintaining current range expectations and driving performance.

The powertrain for the new concept mixes the co-developed Audi/Bentley twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine with a powerful electric motor and a liquid-cooled lithium ion battery pack. 

The front-mounted engine produces 552bhp and 516lb ft, while the electric motor that’s mounted between the V8 engine and eight-speed automatic gearbox produces 148bhp and 295lb ft. The peak combined outputs are 690bhp and 590lb ft. Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive system also features, with a sport differential used on the rear axle. A rear-mounted 14.1kWh battery pack powers the electric motor. 

Despite the headline power and torque figures, Audi is also making impressive claims for the Quattro’s economy and CO2 emissions: 113mpg and 59g/km respectively on the EU combined cycle. The concept’s efficiency is aided by features such as cylinder deactivation technology, which shuts down four of the V8 engine’s cylinders on partial loads, a stop-start system and the ability to travel up to 31 miles on electric power alone.

The concept also features an ‘intelligent management system’ to regulate the on-demand power from the hybrid system, but the driver is able to select from one of three driving modes: EV, Hybrid and Sport.

In EV mode, the concept runs solely on electric power. In Hybrid mode, it optimises the two power sources for economy and includes features such as the ability to save electric range for later in a journey. In Sport mode, the hybrid system is tuned purely for performance, with the electric motor providing extra boost to the engine.

The concept has a claimed 0-62mph time of 3.7sec and a top speed rated at 190mph. Only the more potent R8s in Audi’s line-up have figures that can beat this.

The added hybrid components make the Sport Quattro a significantly heavier proposition than the 1300kg Quattro concept of 2010, with Audi quoting a figure of 1850kg for the new car. High-strength steel and aluminium are used in the construction to minimise the weight, along with carbonfibre-reinforced polymer for some components and body panels, including the bonnet and bootlid.

Audi is talking up the handling characteristics of the Sport Quattro to match the performance potential, with the firm claiming the car is “as dynamic as it is stable”.

“Tautly tuned” spring and damper settings are used for the suspension, which features five control arms per wheel at the front and a track-controlled trapezoidal link at the rear. Steering weight and feel are variable depending on speed, with stopping power coming from carbon-ceramic discs. Wheels are 21-inch centre-locking alloys shod in 285/30 R21 tyres.

There are clear nods to the original Quattro in the design, with rectangular double headlights, angular C-pillars and blisters above the front wings. More modern features include the latest interpretation of Audi’s low-set hexagonal single-frame grille that previews the new front-end design for upcoming sporty Audis.

Other exterior features include a prominent front splitter fashioned from carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP), vertical, blade-shaped air intakes at the front, big front wheel arch vents, muscular shoulders, a narrow greenhouse, flared side sills, a rear spoiler and a CFRP diffuser. The spoiler deploys from the tailgate at higher speeds.

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