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31 marzo SEAT man goes beyond the call of duty Dan Trent writes: Greetings from Madrid, where I'm attending the launch for the facelifted SEAT Leon and Altea. The addition of the VW group's latest common rail diesel and a version of the Golf GTI's 211hp direct injection turbo has certainly spiced up both too. Usually on these events hacks pair up for the driving, PR people and other manufacturer representatives there at the event hotel to answer any questions you might have when you return from the route. And along with us for this event was the UK product manager for the Leon, his job being working out what standard features UK Leons will have, what the cars will cost, what colours they'll be offering and stuff like that. Unexpectedly he sidled up to us and asked if he could ride shotgun for the day. Um, sure...  Now this could have been a little awkward. Because put two journos in a new car and you'll inevitably go through the routine of knocking knuckles against dashboards, prodding trim, twiddling buttons and - typically - having a constructive critique (believe that if you will...) of the car as you drive along. But having a man from SEAT in the back cramped our style somewhat! But he took it all in his stride and even seemed unfussed as the pace gradually picked up and we put the Leon through its paces. Now, if I'd been sat in the back I think I'd have been reaching for the sickbag but our SEAT chap was clearly made of sterner stuff and didn't complain even when my driving partner decided he was going to explore the Altea's capacity for lift-off oversteer whilst descending a twisting mountain road. And yes it will go sideways, but it takes some fairly savage provocation as it turns out! All in a day's work and nothing too alarming from my point of view but I did feel sorry for our somewhat startled passenger, who was now probably thinking this assignment was well beyond the call of duty for a product manager! Dan --- Links Spied: facelifted SEAT Leon --- Share It
26 marzo Stretching out in the Verso Dan Trent writes: 32 different seating permutations. That’s what the new Toyota Verso’s Easy Flat-7 seating system offers apparently. And, in the name of journalistic vigour, I tried as many as I could think of. And settled on this as possibly the most comfortable seating position I’ve ever found in any car:
Talk about legroom! Drive on Jeeves, and all that. Dan --- Links: --- Share It
25 marzo The march of the 50mph limit Dan Trent writes: I've ranted about rural speed limits before but a photoshoot in Oxfordshire yesterday revealed the absurdity of this creeping spread of 50mph limits on roads previously set at the national speed limit of 60mph. Now there was a lot of internet chatter earlier in the month about a blanket imposition of 50 limits on all rural roads. And though the official line is there's no definite plan to do it many councils are quietly introducing them through the back door. 50mph is a ridiculous limit too. Some claim a safety benefit but, let's face it, if two cars travelling at 50mph hit each other head on it's going to be just as messy as if they were doing 60. And to a pedestrian, cyclist or horse rider a car passing at 50 still seems like it's travelling pretty damned fast so it's not like they'll be feeling the benefit either. For most drivers 60 is, on a lot of roads, plenty to make decent progress without doing anything too irresponsible while in 50 limits people bunch up, scared to overtake trucks and tractors and generally slowing otherwise decent roads to a frustrating crawl. Oxfordshire seems to be embracing the policy with more vigour than most though, local papers full of debate on the subject. This story tells of a tragic incident where a pedestrian was killed on a NSL road, a new 50mph limit introduced in response. But would this lower limit have saved them? Doubtful. The absurdity of this policy was revealed on a road CJ and I were travelling on yesterday, an absolute gem of a B-road as it happens. 50-limited at the start of it, at the point where you cross into Buckinghamshire the limit goes to 60. Just like that. So was this stretch suddenly littered with burning wrecks and roadside memorials? Erm, nope. It's like when you're on a 50-limited main trunk road and see single track roads branching off it still with their 60 limits. Classic knee-jerk traffic management and, sadly, likely coming to a favourite B-road near you before too long. Dan --- Links: Should back lanes be limited to 40mph? --- 24 marzo MSN Cars Bentley scoop!Richard Aucock writes: ‘We will offer two new matt-finish colours for 2010,’ Bentley Board member Stuart McCullough told MSN Cars. ‘These are so new, we haven’t even got a demonstration car finished yet.' We had to make do with a sample he had to hand.
Well, it’s not finished, but that didn’t stop our intrepid spies from spotting it… here, roaring past our camera, is the amazing new matt-finish Bentley!
It’s offered in two matt colour finishes – silver, or very dark grey – and looks simply stunning. This finish alone is reason enough to order a brand new Bentley, credit crunch or not. We cannot wait to get one into the MSN Cars office, to judge the gawps of passers-by.
White? That’s old news. We reckon matt will be the must-have finish of 2010! ---
Bentleys get even saferRichard Aucock writes: What’s that? A Bentley fridge? Now then, don’t be silly. A Bentley fridge. Why, I did never hear of such a thing.
No, it’s a Bentley safe. For secure stashing of all your Bentley keys, and Bentley watches, and Bentley pens. Yours for a mere… well, it’s POA, actually.
But, judging by the quality of the finish, the action of the drawers, the lustre of the wood veneer and, yes, the fact it’s a blimmin’ Bentley safe, leads us to suspect that only those with sufficient cash to actually need one will be enquiring. --- Share It
Tea time for journosRichard Aucock writes: Put us anywhere else, and you'll find we journos drinking tea from anything. Cracked mugs, paper cups, old thermos flask lids that someone once used to clean paintbrushes or save a school of tadpoles or something. Anything goes. But, not always. Illustrating that give people the surroundings and they will respect them is one of the many journos visiting Bentley’s palatial HQ.
Tea. Teacup. Saucer, Spoon. Bentley logo correctly aligned. A few seconds later, one's little finger inch-perfectly sticking out, as one quietly supped one’s English Breakfast. There’s a social case study there somewhere, you mark my words. --- Share It
Bentley secrets...Richard Aucock writes:
Bentley has a sign in its Crewe HQ reception, saying you can’t take cameras indoors. Sensing a challenge, MSN Cars thus took its camera indoors. And discreetly took a few snaps of the hidden secrets. Not that it’s particularly secret, but even so. How GRAND is Bentley’s HQ?
It’s like some sort of art-deco delight – which, of course, it is. Good to see that the people building the cars properly, not by halves, are doing so in a building that hasn’t been, either.
Those seats really are indulgent leather, and kept me wondering how I could get one in my laptop bag for, ooh, a good hour or so. But, after a few lovely Bentley coffees, nature took its course.
They say that you can tell if a restaurant’s decent from the quality of its loos. On the evidence of this, then, Bentley really is right up there… --- Share It
What cars do Bentley staff drive?Richard Aucock writes: Well, if they all drove Bentleys, many a problem would be solved. However, in the real world, things are a bit more mundane. Not that mundane, mind.
See, Volkswagen Group owns Bentley. As well as Audi, SEAT and Skoda. So what else fills the car park, but leasing cars bought under the Volkswagen Finance banner? Don’t think I spotted a single non-VW Group car in the entire line-up of staff motors. Almost as impressive as a park-full of Conti GTs, don’t you think… What's that rattling about in the boot? ---
23 marzo Aston Martins 'like buses' Dan Trent writes: I don't know, you stand around in the middle of a windswept field waiting around for one Aston Martin to come past and then what happens: two appear at once. Tchah!  This situation, I should point out, occurred this morning as I was shooting pictures of Peter in the DBS. And when a random Vantage came past his holding point he couldn't resist giving chase. Suffice to say, I was a little surprised when not one but two Astons appeared in my viewfinder! Dan --- Links: We drive 007's DBS Aston Vantage facelift --- Share It
22 marzo Glass half full at GM?Tom Evans writes: To the wilds of Wiltshire for the launch of the Vauxhall Insignia Sport Tourer – estate to you and me. The launch of the hatch/saloon six months ago was a swanky two-day affair by the side of Loch Lomond; recession and near corporate collapse have happened since, so this was a day-only event. Spring has arrived at long last after a ghastly never ending winter, and I had an enjoyable drive down there in the MX-5 long termer which I have requisitioned from Ian.
The Tourer is a fine looking car, and a world away from the slab sided mediocrity of the Vectra estate, whose key claim to fame was a ginormous boot – more on the car in my review to follow:
The GM folk at the event – including GM Europe’s affable – and extremely tall – English head of design Mark Adams, are quite upbeat. While acknowledging the top line problems the industry in general and GM in particular face, they have a “got to get on with it” approach – and indeed at least they have some new and competitive product in which do come to the market. Mark shows us around the new car, emphasising that design was key for this flagship car, and persuading people to change their minds about the Vauxhall/Opel brands; he notes the various creases on the car – without mentioning flame surfacing once – and the way the car achieves a svelte look despite being taller than the Vectra. It looks rather good in black and those 5-spoke 20” wheels, which are proving an apparently very popular cost option to tick:
I think it is a very handsome machine, with a backside that reminds me somewhat of the Audi A6/Q7:
The fly in the ointment is that this segment – having been previously noted by the preponderance of bland euroboxes – is now chock full of handsome and also newish cars like the Mondeo (debatable I know), Mazda 6, Citroen C5, and Honda Accord, not to mention the great looking, though very expensive, Mercedes C-Class. More than ever, having fresh new models seems to be making a big difference to whether car can sell – viz the strong success of the new Ford Fiesta. Vauxhall are very pleased to have sold 23,000 Insignias in the UK since it launched in January, a creditable numbers given the headlines of woe; even better, 33% have been the sportier, more upmarket and profitable SRi version. Apparently buyers have been downsizing from more expensive Audi/BMW/Mercedes rivals – a trend which if sustainable would be a major triumph. At the Frankfurt show in September GM will have an all new Astra to unleash, which will look as good as the Insignia does by all accounts. It will need to be good though to match the excellent new Golf and ever strong Focus. Still, refreshing key parts of its range now can’t hurt and should keep people coming into the showrooms. But – and it is a big but – crises can be self-fulfilling; if buyers get the feeling a company won’t be around in the future to honour warranties, supply spare parts and generally do things that will keep up the residual value of their cars, then bad things can happen. People in the UK generally haven’t made the connection between the headlines and the showrooms – hence all those Fiesta and Insignia sales – but if they do (as they appear to have done at least in part in America), then any company is toast. My personal view is that the Detroit big 3 will survive this ghastly period one way or another, partly for romantic reasons and partly for practical ones: For the first, Barack Obama travels around in a Cadillac, escorted by phalanxes of Secret Service agents in Chevy Suburbans and the like. Neither Obama – nor any of his successors – wishes to be the first president to travel in a Lexus, escorted by Toyotas, or wotnot:
The second is more brutally practical; during World War 2 the great assembly lines of ‘Detroit’ were put to good use cranking out the tanks and trucks and guns that helped save the world. One day, they may have to do so again, and there must be more than one policy planner at the White House – not to mention the Pentagon – who has observed that in a dangerous world, having no native-owned industrial capacity might be just one free market nostrum too far. For offshore arms like GM Europe it is more complicated; the US taxpayer understandably has little interest in the folk who work for GM in Ellesmere Port or Luton or Eisenach or Zaragoza, so any bailout cash won’t make it out there. Instead, GM wants £3.1bn from European governments to shore up the Vauxhall/Opel sub-empire; in return GM’s ownership of it may shrink from the current 100%. The bulk should come from the German government; not only does Germany account for half of all GME staff, but Germany is also home to all the GME’s high value-added design and development centres that governments crave for their wealth and job creating properties. However, while hell would freeze over before Angela Merkel and her government allowed the likes of Daimler, BMW and VW to go down, is the same true of Adam Opel, which has been in GM’s hands for 80 years now? And among all this is the wider reality of the global car industry, apparent even before this current crisis: an industry of massive over production, in which only a small proportion of players actually made any money. There were question marks over GM’s viability three years ago, when the global economy was purring along. Many say that it is high time some of this excess capacity was taken out, allowing the remaining players – in classic economic theory – to regain some much needed pricing power and make some money. But, cars are not like other industries: they are symbols of national industrial might and capability, they provide cars for political leaders to ride around in, and their production lines – and vast supply chains - are useful when selling cars is the last worry on anyone’s mind. Tom 20 marzo Clooney coffee to the rescueRichard Aucock writes: Oh, and if you're wondering what's keeping me awake at this late hour, after much new BMW Z4 action, check this out:
Yes, it's BMW's very own Clooney coffee machine! What's good enough for George is savoured by me. It's pretty delish, alright.
Guess who'll be lobbying for one at the office when he gets back... --- First Drive: New BMW Z4
New BMW Z4 is sweetRichard Aucock writes: OK, so I’m here, reviewing the new BMW Z4 from the scene of the launch. Just had the press conference, and now it’s off to bed before an early start – 5.30am UK time! – tomorrow morning. If it’s as good as today, I can’t wait. Indeed, you could say the BMW is rather sweet.
Sorry. Had to be done. Seriously, though, these little Z4 jelly bean sweets are everywhere. Spot the white ones: they’re coconut flavour. And are gorgeous. Wondering what the weather is like, too?
Plenty was applied… Fingers crossed for tomorrow, where we’ve got more of this:
Sweet indeed! --- First Drive: New BMW Z4
2.2 seconds to 62mph – in a Fiestacj hubbard writes: Rallycross? What’s rallycross? This is rallycross:
Having discovered that Marcus Grönholm did some rallycrossing after retiring from the WRC in 2007, I thought I’d look for a clip. This is a seriously under-televised sport in the UK – brilliant to watch, combining circuit racing with loose surfaces, and plenty of action. And the orange rocket he’s driving with such spectacular commitment? A four-wheel drive Ford Fiesta ST European Rallycross Car with around 560hp, somewhere in the region of 590lb ft of torque, and gearing to get it to 62mph – on any surface – in just 2.2 seconds. That’s faster acceleration than you get in Formula 1. Grönholm did three rounds of the FIA European Championships for Rallycross Drivers last year – including Poland above, and winning the event in Sweden. He’s set to do some more in 2009, assuming the WRC doesn’t get its teeth back into him. --- Links: How’s that for a learning curve? ---
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How’s that for a learning curve?cj hubbard writes:
So, as Dan noted in December, Subaru has pulled out of this year’s World Rally Championship. Meaning that the car you see above is labelled a Prodrive Impreza WRC. Not that this makes much difference, since Prodrive developed and built the rally cars for Subaru in the first place. And due to homologation restrictions for 2009, it’s actually still an Impreza WRC2008. Anyways, the car was unveiled yesterday. First shake down successfully completed, yadda yadda, new Ohlins dampers the most significant modification, hum hum, basically the same car as used by the Subaru World Rally Team last year… Then you get to the part in the press release about how Marcus Grönholm will only have three days to familiarise himself with the car ahead of the pairing’s debut at the Rally of Portugal. Three days. It’s Grönholm’s first outing in any WRC car since 2007. But he is a former two-times World Rally Champion, so if anyone can pull off a shock result it’s probably him. Officially, the Rally of Portugal drive is just a one-off “for fun”, but perhaps the rallycrossing he’s been doing recently hasn’t been very fulfilling… According to Prodrive technical director, David Lapworth: “In a perfect world, Marcus would have had far more time behind the wheel, however, with his years of experience, I am absolutely confident he will very quickly find a rhythm in the Impreza.” Here’s hoping, eh? --- Links: ---
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19 marzo Ride around the bend AudiRichard Aucock writes: My turn. Our recent test Audi A5 was fitted with the company’s Drive Select electronic damper system (whose ‘high performance control unit analyses the signals from 14 sensors continuously’). This brings a toggle switch for the dashboard, with four settings: Comfort, Auto, Dynamic and Individual.
When I first drove it, I checked the setting. Auto. I then drove 300 yards, and rechecked. No, still Auto. Not Rock Hard. Not even Quasi Sportlich. What was going on, then? Why was the ride quality so firm and jostly? After all, the wheels weren’t too excessive – the TT I loved earlier had inch-larger alloys than these 18”s, and was far more comfortable.
Only one thing for it. Be really unmanly and switch to Comfort. It improved, a bit, but was still hardly serene. Journey’s end, I parked up, went back after an hour, noticed it had defaulted to ‘Auto’, so quickly learnt starting this A5 involves the push of two buttons, not one.
Just for curiosity, though, I tried Dynamic. Oh, my. It was like the oil in the dampers had set. Sure, steering response was more ‘Dynamic’, making the big coop more incisive… but a veritable skateboard for ride comfort. So, hands vibrating, another journey’s end. Off, on again a while later. Had it defaulted back to Auto? No – it was still in Dynamic! That’s right: this is an Audi that will do its best to be uncomfortable for you. And charge you £1680 for the privilege. A little discomforting, that.
--- A-Class gives A-rated surprise Share It
18 marzo Pink IS her favourite colourcj hubbard writes:
I don’t know how I missed this when it was released last week, but Barbie has turned 50. And to celebrate she’s splashed out on the latest motoring accessory, a Fiat 500. A pink Fiat 500. Apparently the colour is supposed to remind us of nail varnish. And if you think it doesn’t get worse than that, well, then buckle yourself in. The one-off 500 was put together by Fiat and toy maker Mattel, with custom features including “silver laminated Alcantara seat fabrics”, which sounds promising, but also a selection of “brilliant coloured” lip gloss in the glove box, and an LED-lit vanity mirror. Sorry, was that the sound of feminists choking? Then there’s the Barbie 500’s debut drive. ‘Barbie’ (the quote marks are in the press release) couldn’t possibly drive herself around Milan. So “an equally life-like ‘Ken’” had to do that tricky steering wheel and pedal operating for her. Squirm. Finally arriving at Milan’s La Rinascentre department store, the pair – and the assembled crowds? – were treated to German “pop band” Nena (no idea – you? Perhaps they mean this Nena) performing songs from the last 50 years. Roberto Giolito, Fiat Style Director and creator of the Fiat 500, commented, “Barbie is a looker, smart enough to listen to everyone, a universal ambassador opting for a car that never divides, but frees everyone from having to declare their social status,” presumably baffling everyone. As an aside, my girlfriend walked into the room while I was writing this, and, ardent feminist that she is (no, seriously), said in reference to the live action and very real Barbie in the image above: awesome shoes! To me they just look incredibly uncomfortable. But by this point I’m probably getting rather off the topic. --- Links: Adrian Flux confirms UFO insurance ---
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Starter fluid is no jokecj hubbard writes: Some of you may have thought I was joking about this. But “Start Ya Bastard” is a real product, it does actually exist.
We’ve been sent a couple of cans by the PR chap. I haven’t actually had the chance to try it yet, since my dad’s MG decided to be uncooperative, and started first time.
Still, I reckon it’ll be handy stuff to have around once the weather turns nasty again. That’ll be next week, then. Probably. According to the instructions, it should be used “sparingly”, and as such a can this size should be good for up to 160 applications. At £4.99 it’s a cheap investment for your toolbag. While I’m here, the PR in question, Rich Leigh Smith, is doing a charity skydive on behalf of the British Heart Foundation on 28 March. If you fancy giving a little, you can sponsor him by clicking this.
--- Links: (Anti) dazzling tech in action www.justgiving.com/richskydive ---
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Raging against the machine
Dan Trent writes: Left to our own devices this morning Richard and I were ranting away like a couple of grumpy old men. The cause of our ire? Technology for technology’s sake in our respective rides into the office: a Toyota Avensis and an Audi Q5. My Audi-rage actually started a couple of days previous in the A5. More on this later from Richard… But when the Q5 was delivered in its place I quickly learned it had a power tailgate. An obstinate, stubborn, relentlessly sluggish power tailgate. No problem, I’ll just give it a helping hand- oh, hang on, now I’m wrestling with it. Wait, why are you closing? I wanted you open! Try again. No, it’s locked. Double blip the fob. No, still locked. Tug on the handle. Nothing. Then a tremor. Then a pause. Finally movement. About an hour later the tailgate was finally open. Job done. Closing was easier, albeit just as drawn out.
Thing is, just how hard is opening and closing a tailgate on your own? And then the Audi key thing. I’ve been trapped by this before. You put it in the slot. You face Ingolstadt, bow three times, apply 30.3 degrees of clutch pedal (no more, no less), the needles flash around the dials and then … nothing. You repeat. Nothing. You swear at it. Still nothing. Eventually through some sequence of gearstick waggling, simultaneous brake pedal application and key pressing you’ll never remember for the next time it finally starts. Hurray!
Stopping should be easy right? Press key, engine cuts. Pull key out of slot and- hang on, it’s not coming out. Why not? Tug. No. Yank. No. Handbrake on? Yes, but it’s still not budging. Swear more. Still no. Then a quiet click of an electrical relay. Now you can have your key. For the love of god, who’s meant to be in charge here? Now, the Avensis. Where’s the handbrake? No, really, where is the damned handbrake? What, down there?
Yes, apparently when considering the control hierarchy the Toyota designers decided the button to switch the parking radar on or off should take precedence over the handbrake. Obviously. I mean, how often do you need to switch your parking radar off? And how often do you need to use your handbrake? Of course the latter should be buried under the dash so you have to reach around your knee to get to it, that makes perfect sense. Give me a Model T Ford any day, mutter, grumble… Dan --- Links: --- Share It
17 marzo A-Class gives A-rated surpriseRichard Aucock writes: I wasn’t looking forward to driving the Mercedes A-Class, I must admit. It’s just a bit too ‘mumsey’ – fine for a Focus or Astra, but you can’t deny an Audi A3 or BMW 1 Series is cooler.
Different target markets, though. Which getting into the A reveals right away. For, this is not Merecdes’ premium compact hatch, but its ingenious mini MPV. A crucial differentiator, this, revealed by the fact that you step up high, to a viewpoint similar to a Zafira, with similarly vast amounts of space. This is despite the A-Class being tiny outside. It’s a packaging miracle, something oft-forgotten.
So, I softened, but still didn’t warm to it. With its darty steering, top-heavy feel and general nervousness, the A-Class felt just a little unstable. I had the suspicion that it would tip over if I put in too much steering input, such was the reaction to the wheel. (This, I later realised, is purely an illusion, generated by how high/forward-set/close to the front wheels you sit.)
Time is a great healer, though. For, what I first felt was nervousness eventually translated into reactivity. Believe it or not, while it rolls, the A-Class is also an impressively keen and tidy handler. It’s neat, pointy, accurate and crisp, meaning you can flow it at a decent lick without too much effort, but with utter stability. This was a surprise.
As was, also, the engine. Mercedes four-pot petrols have traditionally been a bit gruff. So I was expecting the smallest 1.5-litre to be somewhat wheezy. How wrong I was. It’s refined enough, but what’s most impressive is how smoothly it revs and how sophisticated it feels when doing so. This may be the boggo Merc engine, but it’s still a proper treasure.
And so the contradictions with the A-Class continued. Initially, I felt the gearchange was rubbery and vague. In time, that sloppiness turned into easy directness, with a good mechanical feel. The clutch, initially soggy, became cultured and classily progressive. Dials, dull? Actually, they’re wonderfully clear.
Properly likeable, in short, and properly surprising because of this. And all for £14k? Seems the cheap Mercedes CAN have appeal… --- Mercedes at Geneva
Peugeot 308 CC: Avast!cj hubbard writes:
Disappointingly, there were no pirate themed adventures at the Peugeot 308 CC launch last night. No boats were boarded, no land lubbers threatened, and no-one was forced to walk the plank. However, there was a quiz, and the team I was on won (of course) – hence the metal chap in the middle there looking after my bottle of still mineral water.
Peugeot did have one other surprise for us, though – a 3008 parked in the next room.
Officially unveiled at the Geneva motor show at the start of the month, it nevertheless doesn’t actually go on sale here until October.
Quite a few journalists present hadn’t made it out to Geneva this year, so it was kind of Peugeot to give them the chance to prod and poke the new crossover so far ahead of time. No test drives on this occasion – but MSN Cars will be driving the 3008 next month.
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