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Friday, December 14, 2012

Fiat Panda 4x4 review (2012 onwards)

The Fiat Panda 4x4 is a superbly capable city car-based off-roader that retains the every-day practicality of its normal Tarmac-focused counterpart.

What: Fiat Panda 4x4
Where: Dolomites, Italy
Date: December 2012
Price: £13,950 – £14,950
Available: December 2012

Key rivals:Dacia Duster, Suzuki Jimny

We like: Strong off-road performance, efficiency still good for a 4x4, practicality
We don’t like: Diesel engine is noisy, ride not as good as standard car, safety not as good as rivals

Read our Fiat Panda (2012 onwards) review
See the Fiat Panda 4x4 Monster Truck

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Find out how much a Fiat Panda 4x4 is worth on Auto Trader

Fiat Panda 4x4 front side view (© Fiat)

Fiat

Fiat first equipped its Panda city car with four-wheel drive capability nearly 30 years ago. The Italian manufacturer has had the class to itself since and it’s no different today with the new Panda 4x4 the only four-wheel drive A-segment vehicle around.

That means competition comes from elsewhere. Suzuki’s venerable £11,995 Jimny is compact and boasts similar off-road ability – albeit designed as a 4x4 out-right – while Renault’s budget Dacia Duster is also in the frame.

The cheapest four-wheel drive version of that costs £10,995, but is more basic than the Panda inside, so it’ll have to be the £13,495 Ambience model if you want some equipment or a diesel.

The Panda stacks up on paper, then, and for anyone wondering if Fiat’s small off-road adapted hatchback actually works, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

You won’t go anywhere fast in a Panda 4x4. We tried the 75hp 1.3-litre turbodiesel version, which will hit 62mph from rest in 14.5 seconds. The engine is laggy low down, but once spinning it responds sweetly, even if it is noisy.

Rocky outcrops were dispatched with little fuss

The car would certainly benefit from a six-speed gearbox on the road. The five-speed unit means engine revs are quite high when cruising faster and an extra ratio would quieten things down. It is punchy at town speeds though.

Keep the Panda 4x4 in first or second gear when off-road and the engine’s performance is more than enough to drag the light little 4x4 up precipitous inclines.

On our test route rocky outcrops covered in sheet ice were dispatched with relatively little fuss. The car gets an Electronic Locking Differential to help improve traction, braking wheels with less grip and sending drive to the ones with greater purchase on the ground.

The permanent four-wheel drive system meant there really were no instances when the Panda showed any weakness away from the Tarmac – it might not have the ultimate go-anywhere ability of a Range Rover, but given the price and city car underpinnings, it’s an impressive performer.

Fiat Panda 4x4 rear view (© Fiat)

Fiat

Fiat has increased the Panda’s ride height by 47mm for the 4x4, but despite this the car still handles well. It does roll through tighter corners and can be a touch bouncy over bad roads, but it’s never uncomfortable and these traits are most welcome off-road.

Light steering makes manoeuvring around rocks and other obstacles easy when you venture onto uncharted terrain – it all adds to the sense that the car is a properly capable 4x4 and could embarrass much more expensive off-roaders when the going gets tough.

As good as the latest Panda 4x4 is off-road, it hasn’t really lost any of the normal city car’s charm on it – it’s still small, nippy, easy to see out of and easy to park.

Inside the Panda 4x4 it’s very similar to Fiat’s standard city car, save for one point: the addition of a button for the Electronic Locking Differential, highlighting the car’s off-road focus.

Adds a funky edge to the interior

That means the “squircle” remains – all the dials, heater controls and even the steering wheel are in the shape of a square with rounded corners. Just as in the standard car, it works and adds a funky edge to the interior.

To go with the raised ride height you sit quite high in the cabin, but it does give you a strong vantage point to spot rocks and ruts.

Space in the rear is average – although headroom is excellent and five doors give good practicality – while the 225-litre boot is enough for most people’s luggage requirements, if not class leading.

It’s certainly not the most luxurious vehicle inside, with plenty of hard plastics throughout the cabin, but it is a car that could potentially see a lot of use in some testing environments – in that respect the interior makes more sense than in the standard Panda.

Fiat Panda 4x4 cabin interior front (© Fiat)

Fiat

Despite jacking up the suspension and sending drive to two more wheels the Panda 4x4 is still pretty efficient. Our stop-start equipped diesel test car will return 60.1mpg combined with 125g/km CO2, while the alternative TwinAir petrol will return a claimed 57.6mpg with 114g/km.

The standard Panda will return 72.4mpg with 104g/km CO2 and 67.3mpg with 99g/km CO2 for the diesel and petrol engines respectively.

Fiat’s city car only gets a four-star Euro NCAP crash safety rating whereas most of its rivals (VW Up!, SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo, for example) receive a full five stars.

ESC is fitted as standard on the Panda 4x4 – unlike its regular counterpart – but Euro NCAP didn’t even test it on the conventional vehicle, as it “didn’t meet 2011 fitment requirements.”

4 stars

Given its diminutive size the Panda 4x4 punches well above its weight, retaining many of the qualities we like about Fiat’s standard city car.

If you’re looking for a small and practical 4x4 with strong off-road skills (the efficiency penalty is a small price to pay) and decent on-road manners the Panda 4x4 is a worthy choice.

Read our Fiat Panda (2012 onwards) review
See the Fiat Panda 4x4 Monster Truck

On Bing: see pictures of the Fiat Panda 4x4
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Fiat Panda 4x4 information


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Citroen C3 PureTech review (2012 onwards)

What: Citroen C3 PureTech VTi 82
Where: Paris, France
Date: December 2012
Price: from £13,640
Available: On sale now
Key rivals:Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Polo

Citroen’s updated C3 supermini offers improved efficiency and greater performance thanks to a pair of new three-cylinder engines, with plenty of practicality, too.

We like: Smooth, refined engine, economy improvements, comfortable ride…
We don’t like: …at the expense of roll in corners, overly light steering

First drive: Citroen C3 (2009 onwards)
Read more Citroen car reviews

The Citroen C3 is the French firm’s best-seller in the UK with sales of 600,000 to date, but it’s been lagging behind its supermini rivals of late.

As vehicles around it have received more efficient engines and clever eco-focused technology the C3 has quietly blended into the background – until now.

This new car gets Peugeot-Citroen’s latest crop of small three-cylinder engines, offering more power, better performance – and importantly – increased fuel economy over the range of four-cylinder units they replace.

The car doesn’t look any different – it’s the technology underneath that’s important. A 30% reduction in friction and gadgets such as a “free-wheeling” alternator, reducing load on the engine, help to eek as much out of a tank as possible.

Citroen C3 PureTech VTi 82 (© Citroen)

Citroen

We sampled the larger capacity 82hp 1.2-litre C3 ‘PureTech’ model and, on the whole, were impressed. It’s spritely enough, with a solid mid-range helped by well-spaced gearing, making it good around town.

Unfortunately, the useable performance isn’t continued higher up the rev range – the engine rather runs out of puff if you stretch it – it’s best to play to its strengths and change up earlier, helping keep fuel economy respectable, too.

It is extremely smooth and refined

The 0-62mph benchmark takes 12.3 seconds – 1.5 less than the 73hp 1.4-litre engine that it replaces – but outright performance isn’t what this car is about.

It is extremely smooth and refined. The 1.2-litre unit gets a balancer shaft (the 1.0 doesn’t get one purely for cost reasons) to help reduce vibrations from the triple, and at motorway speeds the engine is quiet with some useful pull.

The slick motor highlights the gearbox’s shortcomings though – it’s perfectly liveable, but the change action is a touch imprecise, not helped by a light throw.

There’s more to come from the engine, according to Citroen. But don’t expect a high-power turbocharged variant – the engine wasn’t designed with forced induction in mind; “it’s just not the Peugeot-Citroen way.”

Citroen has stiffened up the new C3’s suspension dampers by 20%, as well as increasing the car’s resistance to roll by a further 15%. It still feels soft though.

This is not a hot hatchback, and we don’t expect it to handle like one, but the updated car still isn’t the sharpest tool – the facelifted Ford Fiesta is more precise.

Light steering – although with not much feedback from the wheel – means it’s easy to manoeuvre the car in tight spaces and the reduction in weight at the nose gives a keener response, but there is still too much roll. The compromise means a composed and relaxed ride, however.

We didn’t get to test the C3 on anything other than urban roads and motorways so we can’t tell you how it would handle a typical British B-road – a tight motorway slip road and the odd roundabout were the most we had to go on to asses its higher speed handling.

It might not thrill dynamically, but as an every-day vehicle the C3 is more than capable.

Citroen C3 PureTech VTi 82 (© Citroen)

Citroen

Not much has changed inside the car. It’s still comfortable, with a mix of gloss plastic trims and fascias, as well as some chrome highlights.

The sweeping “Zenith” panoramic windscreen runs back past your head giving great visibility of the road in front. In fact, it’s easy to see out of the C3 in every direction – an important point in a supermini that’ll likely spend most of its time running around towns and cities. Should help parking again, too.

Fuel efficiency is what has driven the C3’s engine update

Rear legroom is good and as a result of that expansive piece of front glass, the cabin is flooded with light, making it feel nice and airy.

Boot space is impressive at 300 litres – 20 litres larger than a Volkswagen Polo and a whopping 89 litres more room than a Suzuki Swift.

Citroen C3 PureTech VTi 82 (© Citroen)

Citroen

Fuel efficiency is what has driven the C3’s engine update. Both the new 1.0- and 1.2-litre three-pot engines are more efficient than the four-cylinder units they replace.

The 1.2 we tested uses 25% less fuel than the old 1.4, while CO2 emissions are improved by 35g/km, according to Citroen.

It claims 62.8mpg combined with 104g/km CO2 emissions, putting the car tantalisingly close to the sub-100g/km CO2 free road tax category. There’s no stop-start system fitted, but the French firm isn’t ruling out adding it to the range at a later date, meaning this engine package has the potential to be even more frugal.

No structural changes have been made to the C3 so it retains its four–star Euro NCAP crash safety rating. Four airbags come fitted as standard, but ESP is an optional extra. Plenty of rivals have five stars now.

3 stars

Citroen’s new three-pot C3 is a competent supermini. More power and performance while using less fuel in delivering it makes the car a viable choice in the sector once more.

It won’t provide the thrills of the Ford from behind the wheel, and it doesn’t offer the quality of the Volkswagen, but comfort, efficiency and ease of use are three qualities the C3 majors in. It seems like three is a magic number for Citroen.

On Bing: see pictures of the Citroen C3
Find out how much a Citroen C3 is worth on Auto Trader
First drive: Citroen C3 (2009 onwards)

Citroen C3 Puretech stats


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Maserati Quattroporte (2013 onwards)

What – Maserati Quattroporte
Where – Nice, France
Date – December 2012
Price – £110,000 (including 20% VAT)
Available – mid 2013
Key rivals –BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide

Maserati’s latest four-door targets the luxury saloon elite but its strengths still lie in the way it looks and goes.

We like – Blistering pace, better handling than a two-tonne saloon has any right to, space, heart-warming design
We don’t like – Suspension noise and firmness, small details that let the design down


Read more Maserati car reviews
MSN Cars' best luxury saloons
Gallery: Maserati Quattroporte 2013

This would be a very important car for Maserati. It’s an all-new Quattroporte, the sixth generation of the Italian marque’s simplistically named four-door saloon car, and it arrives 50 years after the 1963 original. It really is all-new too, we’re talking completely new twin-turbo engines, a new 8-speed auto gearbox and an advanced new aluminium architecture. Yes, the new Quattroporte would be a very important car for Maserati but it’s not. It’s an absolutely crucial one.

There’s even more riding on this Quattroporte than immediately meets the eye and the reason lies in Maserati’s master plan. This is a brand that’s going places, or it will be if the Quattroporte and the series of models due to follow it live up to their billing. Maserati confidently expects to be selling 50,000 cars a year globally by 2015. In 2011 it sold 6,200 units with the old Quattroporte its top seller. Now you begin to get a feel for how much is riding on this luxury saloon.

Just as the metaphorical weight of expectation has been piled on to the Quattroporte, the physical weight has been lifted off. This car is substantially bigger than its predecessor gaining 105mm of extra rear legroom and 80 litres more boot space but it’s lighter, aluminium substituted in components through the car shaves nearly 100kg from the old-timer’s kerb weight. A twin turbo 407hp 3.0-litre V6 engine option will arrive later and all-wheel-drive models are available in other markets but not destined for the UK.      

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

The V8 Quattroporte tips the scales at 1,900kg and with its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 developing 523hp, that makes for a power to weight ratio of 264hp per tonne. It’s a full-size luxury saloon but after the briefest squint at those numbers you know it’s apocalyptically quick.

The official numbers say 0-62mph takes 4.7s and the top speed is 191mph. The originally Quattroporte re-wrote the record books in the early 60s and this car reclaims its title as the world’s fastest series production saloon.

What does that mean on the road? Well, we obviously didn’t scratch the surface of the Quattroporte’s maximum velocity but even at legal speeds it feels extremely fast. The advanced aerodynamics that make the 300kph barrier breachable in safety produce reassuring stability during fast motorway travel.

It’s a full-size luxury saloon but... it’s apocalyptically quick

 At lower speeds, it’s the engine’s torque that defines progress. There’s so much muscle low down that the car feels docile most of the time but you can feel the potential under your foot and when you do approach the rev limiter you know you’re really flying.

With eight speeds to choose from and that mountain of shove, the automatic gearbox invariably has an easy time of it. Manual changes are swift and the metal paddles feel good to the fingers but you sense they won’t get a lot of use from Quattroporte clientele. There’s the odd extra sonic treat, a soft exhaust rasp or throttle blip on down changes, to go with the deep gargle under hard throttle but this engine never sings like the sweet normally-aspirated unit in the old car.   

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

The trick in a big car with sporting pretensions is making it feel small and the Maserati engineers have scored a direct hit with the Quattroporte. A perfect 50/50 weight distribution in the rear-wheel-drive models helps. As does precise steering and really talks the talk, transmitting little shimmies over the bumps and more weight as the suspension loads up in corners. Together with the excellent Brembo-developed Dual Cast brakes this gives the Quattroporte a lovely alertness and agility on tight roads.

...the Maserati engineers have scored a direct hit with the Quattroporte

The suspension system utilises Maserati’s Skyhook adjustable dampers and plays its part in achieving the Quattroporte’s athleticism. Body roll is well contained and the nose grips hard through corners but you can detect some flex in the 5.2m long body during fast direction changes. 

From a comfort point of view things are less rosy. Surface lumps aren’t soaked up with quite the same oily smoothness you get in the top luxury barges. Opting for the softer damper setting doesn’t have a huge impact and the ride can clang and jitter noisily on bad surfaces.  

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

The long flowing lines of the Quattroporte’s dash look great. The fascia is dominated by a great plank of wood that, by its size and shape, could have been sourced from a surfboard manufacturer. Simple, crisp instruments shine out from behind the wheel and buttons are kept to a minimum with most of the minor controls bundled into the touchscreen infotainment system. The abundance of lacquered wood might not be to everyone’s taste but it adds to the warmth and character of the interior and there’s a raft of personalisation options so the unconvinced can get shot of it.

Despite an impressive design, there are areas where Maserati’s four-door could use some more polish. Slam connoisseurs will be disappointed as the Quattroporte’s lightweight doors don’t close with any great solidity and the plastic on the dash air vents feels cheap too. Storage space is limited, the electric seats move with a jerky motion and the indicators tick-tock so loudly it’s like your brain surgeon mislaid his watch during that last operation. These are small factors but factors the German competition gets right.

Cutting fuel consumption and emissions was key in Maserati’s move to lightweight aluminium

 From a practical standpoint the car impresses. The front seats sit as good as they look, rear legroom is excellent and headroom is plentiful in all four berths. A five-seat rear bench is available as an option and this splits 60/40 to further increase the 530-litre boot capacity. 

Cutting fuel consumption and emissions was a key consideration in Maserati’s move to lightweight aluminium and smaller twin-turbo engines with this Quattroporte. The result is just under 24mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of 274g/km. Considering the car’s size and supercar rivalling performance, that isn’t bad.

All Quattroportes get six airbags and Maserati’s latest MSP stability control programme. You can’t get the mind-boggling array of advanced driver aids that accompany many luxury saloons these days but the brakes are phenomenal, which counts for a lot.

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

Maserati Quattroporte - four stars

The luxury saloon market has been a difficult place to do business in recent years with lots of private customers having their heads turned by less stuffy and increasingly opulent SUVs or, to a lesser extent, four-door coupes. The Maserati Quattroporte could be the kind of model to draw some of them back.

It might not replicate its predecessor’s Pininfarina styling elegance or its free-breathing V8 soundtrack but buyers do get a considerably more rounded product that still looks and goes like a Maserati should.

The ride can lack composure and the final layers of polish that the German alternatives delight in smothering on are sometimes missing but the Italians sure can make a car appeals on an emotional level and they’ve done it again here.

The Quattroporte is now closer than ever to the luxury saloon alternatives but its soul still stands out. Many owners won’t do the driving but there’ll be bored chauffeurs across the globe casually dropping Maserati brochures where their bosses might see them. This hugely important car for Maserati is also a very good one.

Maserati Quattroporte 2013

Read more Maserati car reviews
MSN Cars' best luxury saloons
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On Bing: more Maserati Quattroporte pics
Gallery: Maserati Quattroporte 2013


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Fiat Panda 4x4 monster truck

Honda's Jazz-based compact SUV has its sights set on the Juke, Mokka and 2008

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Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine for sale in Vancouver

Honda's Jazz-based compact SUV has its sights set on the Juke, Mokka and 2008

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Meet the Super Sky Cycle – a flying tricycle

The flying car is starting to look a lot less like a dream and much more like a feasible reality – we’ve actually lost track of the number of current concepts – so much so that other forms of wheel transport are now trying to get in on the act. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you: the flying trike.


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Meet the Super Sky Cycle – a flying tricycle

The flying car is starting to look a lot less like a dream and much more like a feasible reality – we’ve actually lost track of the number of current concepts – so much so that other forms of wheel transport are now trying to get in on the act. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you: the flying trike.


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In pictures: MSV Explorer amphibious vehicle promises perpetual motion

As if the images of this MSV Explorer prototype amphibious vehicle weren’t arresting enough, Cornish inventor Chris Garner claims to have solved the centuries-old conundrum of perpetual motion – which could lead to electric cars that never have to be recharged.


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New 2013 Skoda Octavia revealed

Today in Prague, Skoda unveiled the third generation Octavia, the most important model in its range. Skoda itself proclaims the Octavia as "the heart of the brand", no less.

It's the first Skoda to utilise the modular MQB platform that's found beneath the VW Golf, Audi A3 and SEAT Leon. With the introduction of the smaller Rapid model, Skoda was keen to make the Octavia a little bigger, edging it closer to the Superb – not only in size, but also in quality. No Skoda Octavia price information has been announced yet, but expect it to undercut the Volkswagen Golf, which starts at £16k.


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David Hasselhoff spotted driving KITT from Knight Rider

The two stars of the hit TV show Knight Rider have teamed up after a 26-year absence – in Manchester of all places. But the happy reunion was short-lived after a traffic warden slapped a ticket on KITT.


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New Mercedes Popemobile based on an M-Class

The Pope has got a new car and, choosing not to break from tradition, he's opted for a Mercedes-Benz once again. Having received his new car from Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, we check out some of the key features of the Pope's latest ride.


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Scooby-Doo's Mystery Machine for sale in Vancouver

The villains would have gotten away with it, if hadn't been for those meddling kids. And the kids, namely Fred, Velma, Daphne and Shaggy, couldn't have done it without their trusty Mystery Machine. And not forgetting Scooby-Doo, of course.

And the van used in the 2009 film, Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, is up for sale on Craigslist and eBay. So if you fancy yourself as the next Daphne or Shaggy, you had better get bidding. There's only one snag, it's in Vancouver. Zoinks!


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Jaguar XJ AWD (2013 onwards)

New Jaguar AWD system adds genuine newfound abilities to the pretty XJ, without spoiling the driver-focused dynamics. Compromise-free all-weather luxury.

What: Jaguar XJ 3.0 S/C AWD
Where: Montreal, Canada
Date: November 2012
Price: N/A
Available: Not on sale in UK

Key rivals: Mercedes S-Class 4MATIC, BMW 7 Series xDrive, Audi A8 quattro, Range Rover

We like: Greatly extended abilities in all weathers, unobtrusive 4WD operation, no visual differentiation over standard car
We don’t like: Not for UK, no diesel, need XJ L for good rear space.   

Find a cheap used Jaguar XJ on Auto Trader
Read another Jaguar review on MSN Cars
Jaguar F-Type makes US debut

Jaguar XJ AWD (© Jaguar)

Jaguar

This is Jaguar’s snow-busting new XJ. In the US, all-wheel drive luxury saloons take half the luxury car market: in the snowbelt states, this rises to 80%. As America is also Jaguar’s largest car market, it has thus suffered through not having a competitor in this sector.

Not any more. For 2013, Jaguar has launched an XJ AWD, using a new and fully automatic four-wheel drive system that gives the XJ all-weather capability for the first time in over four decades. Forget the dreary old X-Type: THIS is the first real Jaguar made for snow and ice.

Could we get it here if we really wanted?

Not UK snow and ice, though. It’s going on sale in Europe, and Russia, and other left-hand drive countries with inclement weather, but it’s not been built for right-hand drive production. Only the 3.0 S/C petrol engine fits the XJ AWD, for starters, but the market here for four-wheel drive saloons is also so small, Jaguar says it’s not worthwhile.

But could we get it here, if we really wanted? Well, admitted, Jaguar, it’s of course possible to buy a left-hand drive car in Europe and import it. But unless Jaguar sees real demand for it – and gets a new range of specially engineered engines – the snow and ice-busting XJ will not come to Britain.

Onlookers probably wouldn’t notice if it did. Save for an ‘AWD’ badge on the bootlid, the four-wheel drive XJ looks identical to the regular car. Even the ride height is the same. Intentionally so: luxury buyers want the extra capability, not the extra visual flash of AWD. They let the fact it continues going in the snow where others cannot do the talking…

This is the second XJ variant to get the new supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine destined for the 2013 F-Type. It’s a deliciously smooth motor with a nice whirr when revved and impressive pace even with the four-wheel drive running gear.

The supercharger means it responds immediately and the power delivery is very linear – enhanced by the superb eight-speed automatic gearbox. It performs as well as the regular RWD car then; the differences with the AWD are not felt in the power itself, but the enhanced way in which you can use it…

Jaguar XJ AWD (© Jaguar)

Jaguar

Snow and ice is where the Jaguar XJ AWD comes into its own – because it feels like… a regular XJ. The four-wheel drive system is biased rearward (most drive is sent to the back in the dry) but can split drive up to 50:50 front/rear, which it does in milliseconds. Thing is, you’d never know. The electronic stability systems are far more apparent than any differences in the actual ‘drive’ of the car.

You’d never know… until you step out, fall over, and realise your entirely neutral XJ has been driving with tenacity on snow and sheet ice. This is the amazing part: how it finds grip and traction in situations the standard XJ wouldn’t have a hope of coping with. Even the icy chill of the wintry Canadian launch didn’t faze it.

The system can even ‘feed forward’ drive to the front wheels when grip is low, to preload the drivetrain and thus anticipate any loss of grip or traction. This is another reason why it’s so indistinguishable – it doesn’t even need to wait for a slide in order to react, as it’s already anticipated it.

The dials turn blue when this is selected

Jaguar enhances it with a modified Drive Control system, which features a winter mode (neatly, the dials turn blue when this is selected). This mode further increases the degree of ‘feed forward’ and also primes the stability control system to work better in slippery conditions. Through a snow-covered test slalom, we drove faster in this mode than with the supposedly faster ‘Dynamic’ mode…

Overall, it’s the combination of clinically precise division of drive front to rear, combined with some very comprehensive electronic aids, that makes the XJ AWD unbelievably competent when grip levels are low. You’d never believe a Jaguar could perform so well in the snow: that it’s just as engaging as the rear-drive model is icing on the cake.

Elsewhere, Jaguar admits it’s taken the opportunity with the 2013 XJ to tweak the ride quality: the suspension is a bit more softly damped, to make it smoother and respond to comments from some that it was just a bit too sporty. It’s still nicely taut (an S-Class is still smoother-riding), but more fluid and cosseting than before.

The interior of the XJ is the most charismatic and exclusive of any luxury car in its sector. Genuinely different, it’s more like a bespoke Bentley Mulsanne alternative than the posh Mercedes C-Class feel you get from an S-Class. Nothing can match the Jaguar for interior wow factor.

You need the long-wheelbase version for proper levels of rear space (the AWD system has no impact on interior space, mind), but all deliver comfortable sports-lux seats. This is enhanced by, for a luxury car, an unusually low and sporting feel to the interior. Even in the rear, it feels racier than the competition.

Jaguar XJ AWD (© Jaguar)

Jaguar

Jaguar prides itself on building in technology too. It’s right, to an extent: the central touchscreen is fiddly but feature packed, and the fully electronic dials are divisive but also clever and comprehensive (they even change colour depending on what drive mode you have selected).

The technology isn’t quite a match for an S-Class or Audi A8, though. The sat nav is also rather dated and it doesn’t have the latest in-car internet and wifi capabilities of those cars either. Such is the style of the interior, you can forgive it, but Jaguar needs to work on this if it’s to keep up with the competition.

Enhanced traction, stability and ability in all weather makes the XJ much safer in inclement weather. Instead of becoming unstable or simply stuck, like a rear-drive car, the AWD XJ continues driving on wherever there’s the merest hint of grip – no matter what wheel it’s beneath.

It makes every driving situation safer: pulling away uphill, avoiding sudden obstacles, cornering, manoeuvring, the lot. The Canadian test route roads were worse than you’re likely to see even in a fierce winter here (-25deg, packed snow, the lot) but the XJ didn’t miss a beat. This is a huge safety boon.

The 3.0 S/C engine is more economical than the old V8 it replaces, but AWD does have an effect on overall consumption, albeit a surprisingly small one. It’s more the fact it isn’t a diesel that stymies it coming to the UK, though: it’s around 19mpg less efficient than the 3.0 V6 diesel, something that tax-conscious Brits wouldn’t swallow despite the extra ability. Roll on the next-gen diesel engines…

4 stars

In Britain, an AWD Jaguar XJ would, in the winter, make sense. It would keep going in the snow where its rear-drive sibling would get stuck, and would generally be safer and more stable all-round when conditions became grotty. But, as it’s petrol-only, and predicted sales would be in the tens rather than the hundreds, we’re not getting it.

We might get future variants, though: a diesel model, for example. It’s also going to the XF – an XF 2.2d 200 AWD Sportbrake would make a LOT of sense in the UK. For now though, only the US will enjoy Jaguar’s impressively discreet and driver-focused four-wheel drive system. So impressively did it perform in wintry Canada, it’s hard to see how it won’t succeed.

Find a cheap used Jaguar XJ on Auto Trader
Read another Jaguar review on MSN Cars

Jaguar XJ AWD information


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Mercedes E-Class 2013 in pictures

This is the “new-generation” Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which goes on sale in 2013. Don’t go thinking that means it’s an all-new E-Class, though, as it’s really a comprehensive makeover of the current version, which has been around since 2009. No prices yet, but we do know it features technology “from the future”.


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Fiat Panda 4x4 monster truck

Honda's Jazz-based compact SUV has its sights set on the Juke, Mokka and 2008

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC review (2012 onwards)

The eco-diesel family hatchback battle just got a lot more interesting, as Honda introduces a new 1.6-litre diesel Civic that combines 120hp with 94g/km CO2 emissions and 78.5mpg.

What: Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC
Where: Nice, France
Date: December 2012
Price: £19,400 - £23,175
Available: On sale now
Key rivals:Ford Focus, SEAT Leon, Toyota Auris, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf

We like: smooth, refined, economical, exceptionally practical for a family hatchback, great gearbox
We don’t like: looks inside and out aren’t for everyone, not quite as dynamic to drive as the best rivals

Find a cheap used Honda Civic on Auto Trader
Read our Honda Civic 2012 first drive

Honda Civic on the road (© Honda)

Honda

Why, you might be wondering, are we bothering to first-drive a new engine variant of a Honda Civic? Well, we’d do it for an EfficientDynamics derivative of a BMW – and it’s not outrageous to make a similar fuss about the advantages of this new 1.6-litre i-DTEC turbodiesel.

A smaller turbodiesel has been a long time coming for Honda – it’s been building award winning 2.2-litre diesel units since 2005, but the latest version of this somewhat exceeds the needs of the buying majority. It also looks a little unnecessarily endowed with capacity, in an era of parsimony and downsizing.

Hence this is an extremely important new development for a company that prides itself on its engineering prowess, and one that will also come to benefit the new CR-V in 2013. But perhaps that still doesn’t answer the question of why you should care.

How about this then – the new Civic 1.6 i-DTEC combines 120hp with CO2 emissions of just 94g/km and on-paper fuel economy of over 78mpg. Giving it a performance and efficiency combo that instantly outflanks everything else in the family car C-segment.

It’s also first in a new family of “Earth Dreams Technology” power units, with more to follow as the entire engine range is renewed within the next four years. Whatever you think of that label, you’d better get used to it – Honda is intending to make it as recognisably eco-centric as EfficientDynamics and Bluemotion.

We found first gear surprisingly necessary

Being relatively late to the turbodiesel party, Honda has always chosen to focus on refinement – or Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) in industry speak – as way of helping it to stand out from the crowd. This latest effort is no exception.

It is a little gruff sounding when started from cold, a definitely diesel noise that reappears whenever you accelerate particularly hard. Yet actual vibration and harshness is entirely absent from the experience in the Civic, as it delivers a smooth slug of power whenever it’s required.

With 0-62mph taking 10.5 seconds it’s not gobsmackingly rapid. But with 221lb ft of torque available at just 2,000rpm, it makes effortless progress in day-to-day driving and a relaxing companion on the motorway.

However, we did find first gear surprisingly necessary for slower manoeuvres around town – even with an especially small turbo specifically intended to provide lively low-speed response. Stalling it isn’t exactly an issue, though, since the standard stop-start system catches any clumsiness.

Honda Civic from behind (© Honda)

Honda

Compared to the 2.2-litre diesel Civic, the 1.6 represents a sizeable 54kg reduction in overall drivetrain weight. The engine alone saves 47kg – it’s the lightest of its type in class – with the other 7kg saved by a new six-speed manual gearbox, introduced specifically here. Honda does like to do things properly.

The gearbox is typically Honda, too – light of action but beautifully weighted and mechanically precise, we can well believe people buy the firm’s cars just for this kind of shift action alone. Still, more relevant for most will be the overall benefits of the weight reduction.

Good news for Britain’s broken road surfaces

Compared to the 2.2-litre diesel, for example, there’s now less mass ahead of the driven front wheels. This makes the 1.6 just that little bit keener into the corners, and generally a touch lighter on its feet – good news for Britain’s broken road surfaces. Being built in Swindon helps with this kind of detailing.

It isn’t as engaging as the best Ford can offer in the Focus range – there’s something not quite authentic about the steering weighting – and the latest Volkswagen Group rivals (Golf, A3, Leon) are lighter and more polished overall. Considering it’s other talents, the Civic is still a fine car from behind the wheel.

And so, to those other talents: the Civic is the most practical conventional family car choice on the market. It has a huge 477-litre boot – that’s getting on for 100-litres more space than any rival – and a rear seat setup that not only offers great rear legroom but one that flips and folds with enormous versatility.

This is all made possible by the unusual placement of the fuel tank beneath the front seats, and a comparatively simple rear suspension design; if this causes the slight handling compromise outlined above we’re sure that’s a trade many will be happy to make.

That said, not everyone will appreciate the dashboard design – which manages to look like something out of Star Trek from the driver’s perspective yet rather plain and boring from the passenger’s position. Cabin quality is solid without any sense of wow – a description that’s equally applicable to the standard kit levels.

Honda Civic interior front cabin (© Honda)

Honda

At this stage we can only go on what Honda says about the new engine’s efficiency – but hell, even then, you’ve got to tip your hat: 94g/km with 120hp is mighty impressive. Although the next Golf Bluemotion will almost certainly eclipse that CO2 performance it’s unlikely to match the Civic’s power.

94g/km also means zero road tax

The official fuel economy calculation is a massive 78.5mpg. In order to achieve this, Honda has done all the usual stuff – thermal management, stop-start, high pressure injection, clever alternator (which in this case only provides the voltage level absolutely required) – and also worked extremely hard to reduce friction.

Mechanical friction is 40% less in this engine than it is in the 2.2 – bringing the 1.6 down to levels more commonly associated with petrol engines, a considerable achievement. Many of the internal components are now lighter as well, which helps. Enabling the engine to rev with less effort is good news all round, really.

94g/km also means zero road tax at present. In terms of safety, the current Civic comfortably achieved five-stars when Euro NCAP tested it earlier in 2012, and nothing Honda has done here will change that. Six airbags and stability control feature amongst the standard equipment on every model.

4 stars

A great British-built car, the Honda Civic – and now it has a great British-built diesel engine to go along with it.

There are more dynamic rivals on the market, and heaven forbid we get into arguing about image and appearance. But with Honda’s enduring reputation for reliability, if you’re in the market for a family hatch that’s practical, punchy and has the potential to be brilliantly efficient the 1.6 i-DTEC is an ideal place to start.

Find a cheap used Honda Civic on Auto Trader
Read our Honda Civic 2012 first drive

Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC information

Specific model rated: Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC EX


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Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)

Youngest ever triple F1 World Champ Sebastian Vettel tweaks a standard Infiniti into a carbonfibre clad V8 monster SUV. The quality doesn’t match the price tag.

What: Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)
Where: Reading, United Kingdom
Date: November 2012
Price: £100,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: BMW X6 M, Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport

We like: Looks, exclusivity, V8 soundtrack
We don’t like: Price, efficiency, performance and finish not as good as rivals

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

Hats off to Infiniti. Still relatively unknown in the UK, the luxury arm of Nissan has managed to shift nearly all of its 10-strong allocation of the £100,800 FX Vettel Edition earmarked for Britain already.

Yes, you read that right. £100,800. You do get some interesting extras for your money though. Each buyer gets a carbon-backed iPad to track build progress of their car and a ‘money can’t buy package’. For previous customers that has included being driven around a racetrack by Mr Vettel himself.

Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car is based on a standard £58,280 FX 50 S Premium, but receives some lavish carbonfibre addenda, new wheels, a touched up interior and a more powerful engine.

It looks mean. The carbon front bumper, side skirts and rear diffuser are meant to resemble this year’s Red Bull F1 car – the diffuser even wraps around a central fog light inspired by the single-seater’s rear rain light.

If you want the carbonfibre rear spoiler too, that’ll be another £4,800. As it stands then, our FX Vettel Edition test car cost £105,600. Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car’s 5.0-litre V8 produces 420hp, an increase of 30hp over the 50 S Premium, with the extra ponies liberated by a freer breathing exhaust.

Fire the engine up and it instantly sounds more potent than the standard car, the eight-cylinder motor barking with a flare of revs as it catches before settling to a purposeful idle.

While 420hp might not seem excessive in a two-tonne-plus SUV, the FX Vettel Edition is deceptively quick. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds, while the car will run on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The seven-speed conventional automatic gearbox handles the performance well, shifting between ratios smoothly and without drama. It helps overtaking, too – just prod the throttle, let the transmission do the rest and anything the lethargic side of a Porsche Boxster S will be dispatched with ease.

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

There’s a switchable mode for the two huge exhausts that protrude from the diffuser, but even in the loudest setting it’s never too loud – inside, at least.

No more than a purposeful rumble penetrates the cabin, though from outside the cacophony of noise can be heard from a fair distance. Infiniti FX Vettel Edition: aggressive looks, aggressive sound.

While the engine is strong, the brakes are a little more suspect. The setup is progressive and easier to use than some hair-trigger brake systems on other 4x4s, but with no cross-drilling or grooving for the discs and over two tonnes of mass to haul down, even on a short run they began to show signs of fade.

Far from being a hunkered down sports SUV, the tweaks applied to this special FX have been created with Mr Vettel’s ideal day-to-day car in mind. Sporty but liveable.

You’ll find plenty of grip to exploit

They’re well judged, too. The bespoke 21-inch BBS wheels and narrow profile tyres look like they’d crash from lump to bump, but saving 3.5kg in unsprung weight per corner, wheel control is excellent.

Sport mode firms things up, but not to the degree where your teeth will be chattering over cat’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t match the quality of the ride. It’s eager, but there’s little communicated back to the helm as to what the tyres are doing.

If you do take something of a leap of faith, you’ll find there’s plenty of grip to exploit from the reassuring four-wheel drive system, while roll is kept under wraps thanks to the 20mm drop in ride height.

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

There’s plenty in the way of equipment inside the Red Bull employee’s company car: sat-nav, electric seats, an 11-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, climate and cruise control all come fitted as standard.

There are some nice extra touches, too. The nicely adjustable seats give plenty of support and are trimmed in half leather and half Alcantara.

The button layout is confusing

The B-pillars are also wrapped in Alcantara, while contrasting purple stitching holds the upholstery together. It sounds garish, but it’s just right.

The Vettel Edition is subject to the same failings as the standard car it’s based on, however. While every piece of technology you’d want is in there, the way it’s integrated leaves a little to be desired.

The button layout is confusing and interior ergonomics aren’t up to the standard of the competition. For a six-figure price tag, you’d expect better than this. Still, it’s comfortable and refined, with wind noise suppressed well.

If you’re worrying about fuel economy in a £100,800 5.0-litre V8 SUV modified for an F1 superstar, you’re missing the point. Infiniti claims 21.6mpg combined with 307g/km CO2 emissions. Driving sensibly we saw an average of 15.8.

Safety is strong though. The FX gets five stars from Euro NCAP. There’s lane departure warning and prevention, forward collision warning, radar guided cruise control and the usual crop of stability systems. Because Sebastian needs it all, of course…

3 stars

The FX Vettel Edition is a great ploy by the company to raise its profile in its continuing attempts to breakthrough to the premium market. That it’s nearly sold all the vehicles at a price tag of £100k shows it’s moving in the right direction.

But it is an indulgence for the super rich, for those who want to be different. And next to a £100,000 new Range Rover it’s not as well rounded or luxurious. It’s good, but still not quite good enough.

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition information


View the original article here

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)

Youngest ever triple F1 World Champ Sebastian Vettel tweaks a standard Infiniti into a carbonfibre clad V8 monster SUV. The quality doesn’t match the price tag.

What: Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)
Where: Reading, United Kingdom
Date: November 2012
Price: £100,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: BMW X6 M, Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport

We like: Looks, exclusivity, V8 soundtrack
We don’t like: Price, efficiency, performance and finish not as good as rivals

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

Hats off to Infiniti. Still relatively unknown in the UK, the luxury arm of Nissan has managed to shift nearly all of its 10-strong allocation of the £100,800 FX Vettel Edition earmarked for Britain already.

Yes, you read that right. £100,800. You do get some interesting extras for your money though. Each buyer gets a carbon-backed iPad to track build progress of their car and a ‘money can’t buy package’. For previous customers that has included being driven around a racetrack by Mr Vettel himself.

Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car is based on a standard £58,280 FX 50 S Premium, but receives some lavish carbonfibre addenda, new wheels, a touched up interior and a more powerful engine.

It looks mean. The carbon front bumper, side skirts and rear diffuser are meant to resemble this year’s Red Bull F1 car – the diffuser even wraps around a central fog light inspired by the single-seater’s rear rain light.

If you want the carbonfibre rear spoiler too, that’ll be another £4,800. As it stands then, our FX Vettel Edition test car cost £105,600. Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car’s 5.0-litre V8 produces 420hp, an increase of 30hp over the 50 S Premium, with the extra ponies liberated by a freer breathing exhaust.

Fire the engine up and it instantly sounds more potent than the standard car, the eight-cylinder motor barking with a flare of revs as it catches before settling to a purposeful idle.

While 420hp might not seem excessive in a two-tonne-plus SUV, the FX Vettel Edition is deceptively quick. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds, while the car will run on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The seven-speed conventional automatic gearbox handles the performance well, shifting between ratios smoothly and without drama. It helps overtaking, too – just prod the throttle, let the transmission do the rest and anything the lethargic side of a Porsche Boxster S will be dispatched with ease.

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

There’s a switchable mode for the two huge exhausts that protrude from the diffuser, but even in the loudest setting it’s never too loud – inside, at least.

No more than a purposeful rumble penetrates the cabin, though from outside the cacophony of noise can be heard from a fair distance. Infiniti FX Vettel Edition: aggressive looks, aggressive sound.

While the engine is strong, the brakes are a little more suspect. The setup is progressive and easier to use than some hair-trigger brake systems on other 4x4s, but with no cross-drilling or grooving for the discs and over two tonnes of mass to haul down, even on a short run they began to show signs of fade.

Far from being a hunkered down sports SUV, the tweaks applied to this special FX have been created with Mr Vettel’s ideal day-to-day car in mind. Sporty but liveable.

You’ll find plenty of grip to exploit

They’re well judged, too. The bespoke 21-inch BBS wheels and narrow profile tyres look like they’d crash from lump to bump, but saving 3.5kg in unsprung weight per corner, wheel control is excellent.

Sport mode firms things up, but not to the degree where your teeth will be chattering over cat’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t match the quality of the ride. It’s eager, but there’s little communicated back to the helm as to what the tyres are doing.

If you do take something of a leap of faith, you’ll find there’s plenty of grip to exploit from the reassuring four-wheel drive system, while roll is kept under wraps thanks to the 20mm drop in ride height.

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

There’s plenty in the way of equipment inside the Red Bull employee’s company car: sat-nav, electric seats, an 11-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, climate and cruise control all come fitted as standard.

There are some nice extra touches, too. The nicely adjustable seats give plenty of support and are trimmed in half leather and half Alcantara.

The button layout is confusing

The B-pillars are also wrapped in Alcantara, while contrasting purple stitching holds the upholstery together. It sounds garish, but it’s just right.

The Vettel Edition is subject to the same failings as the standard car it’s based on, however. While every piece of technology you’d want is in there, the way it’s integrated leaves a little to be desired.

The button layout is confusing and interior ergonomics aren’t up to the standard of the competition. For a six-figure price tag, you’d expect better than this. Still, it’s comfortable and refined, with wind noise suppressed well.

If you’re worrying about fuel economy in a £100,800 5.0-litre V8 SUV modified for an F1 superstar, you’re missing the point. Infiniti claims 21.6mpg combined with 307g/km CO2 emissions. Driving sensibly we saw an average of 15.8.

Safety is strong though. The FX gets five stars from Euro NCAP. There’s lane departure warning and prevention, forward collision warning, radar guided cruise control and the usual crop of stability systems. Because Sebastian needs it all, of course…

3 stars

The FX Vettel Edition is a great ploy by the company to raise its profile in its continuing attempts to breakthrough to the premium market. That it’s nearly sold all the vehicles at a price tag of £100k shows it’s moving in the right direction.

But it is an indulgence for the super rich, for those who want to be different. And next to a £100,000 new Range Rover it’s not as well rounded or luxurious. It’s good, but still not quite good enough.

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition information


View the original article here

Jeremy Clarkson drives mad robot car on London Top Gear shoot

Fresh from filming the 2012 Top Gear Christmas specials in the United States, Jeremy Clarkson is back in the UK and driving one of his maddest cars yet.


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Suzuki Jimny (2013 onwards)

Minor makeover for Suzuki’s cute little Jimny 4x4 gives us all the excuse we need to get reacquainted. But does a design dating back to 1998 make any kind of sense at the end of 2012?

What: Suzuki Jimny 2013 facelift
Where: Croatia
Date: December 2012
Price: £11,995 - £13,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: Dacia Duster, Fiat Panda 4x4, standard superminis, second-hand Land Rover Defender

We like: serious four-wheel drive hardware in a super small package, incredibly willing, charismatic, well priced
We don’t like: engine can be hard work, outdated on-road experience, lacks safety kit

Buy a cheap used Suzuki Jimny on Auto Trader
Read more Suzuki reviews on MSN Cars

Suzuki Jimny (© Suzuki)

Suzuki

In many respects the Suzuki Jimny is a car out of time. This ‘latest’ version was first introduced way back in 1998 – making it one of the oldest vehicles currently on sale in the UK.

In fact, you have to start thinking in terms of Caterham Sevens and Land Rover Defenders to find anything that’s older. It is – definitively, given the separate ladder-frame chassis design and the rigid axles – an anachronism.

But that’s not to say it doesn’t have its place. Or its appeal.

Quite simply unique in the UK market place

For the Jimny is, quite simply, unique in the UK market place – as the only supermini-sized machine with proper grown-up four-wheel drive hardware, including a low-range transfer case for when the going gets really slippery. The only thing close is the Fiat Panda 4x4, and that’s much less hardcore.

It also weighs just 1,090kg, which altogether makes for the kind off-road agility that has garnered it a strong and faithful – possibly cult – following. There’s a reason it hasn’t changed much in 14 years; according to Suzuki’s European Chairman Takanori Suzuki, it still delivers “precisely what its customers expect.”

For 2013 Suzuki has, however, treated its tough little terrier to a bit of a makeover, mostly centred around an updated front end design. There’s a new bumper, grille and bonnet with bonnet scoop. On the inside, top spec versions get air con and leather-look vinyl seat upholstery.

This was easily enough of an excuse for us to go to Croatia and drive one.

There’s only one engine choice for Jimny buyers in the UK: a relatively modern 16-valve, all-alloy 1.3-litre petrol with variable valve timing. It produces a mighty 85hp and 81lb ft of torque. Which doesn’t exactly sound like a lot. Until you remember there’s not much to the car, either.

It’s actually a rather sweet revving unit – which is good news given you need to dial up plenty of numbers on the tacho to get anything like a lively response. We’re talking around about 3,000rpm here. Get caught below that on a hill and you’ll be down-shifting in a hurry or practically going backwards.

No, refinement isn’t brilliant, but the noise it makes is far from unpleasant, so zooming along over any kind of terrain where you have to concentrate isn’t going to trouble you. A lengthy motorway schlep may be an entirely different matter, but that wasn’t the kind of driving we were doing.

Suzuki Jimny rear view (© Suzuki)

Suzuki

And we don’t suppose many owners do that, either. Instead we found ourselves convoying up the side of a Croatian mountain. This involved ‘roads’, but often only in the sense that we weren’t physically forcing our way through any undergrowth; the surfaces mostly ranged from dirt track to rocky causeway.

The Jimny never even blinked. Though it would probably be a lie to say all four wheels were always in contact with terra firma. The issue with the engine’s limited low rev response is easily solved, too: you simply stop, put the clutch in and switch the gearbox to 4x4L by means of a button on the centre console.

This ‘low-range’ setting reduces the gearing, to the point that you’ll soon find you’re haring up hillsides in fifth; more practically, it also has the effect of increasing traction – ideal for loose surfaces. And snow.

We can’t entirely say the Jimny is always comfortable once you’re out in the wilderness – the short wheelbase means you can expect to get bounced around, especially if you aren’t overburdened with mechanical sympathy (ahem) – but it is most definitely capable.

For despite the rigid axles – which basically mean each pair of wheels is joined together by a solid bar, rather than suspended ‘independently’ – a three-link set-up with long travel springs gives the Suzuki an impressive amount of chassis articulation. Allowing it to clamber over or around all kinds of obstacles.

Copes with a great deal of abuse

With this, the low weight and the four-wheel drive it’ll cope with a great deal of abuse. Having a separate body and chassis helps as well (that’s the ladder-frame part; the body is just bolted on the top rather than forming an integral part of the structure). You’ll need a Jeep or a Land Rover to catch it cross-country.

On the downside, none of the off-road gear is particularly useful when you’re restricted to tarmac. It’s nowhere near as compromised as a Defender – the steering’s light and it has a reasonable turning circle, for starters – but the ride will always be jiggly, and there’s a general fuzziness about its every reaction.

If you’re coming at this from the perspective of a modern car owner you’re going to need to do some serious recalibrating. It’s not terrible by any means – just don’t expect to go chasing hot hatches around corners. Still, being so narrow and with such great all-round visibility, it is remarkably at home in city traffic.

Suzuki Jimny interior cabin (© Suzuki)

Suzuki

The interior is much like the rest of the Jimny, really – which is to say the kind of functional that charms rather than offends you. The plastics are robust without being awful, all of the secondary controls are easily understood, and it’s more than bearable over medium distances.

Passenger and luggage room is tight – the Jimny is just 3.7m long by 1.6m wide, the boot is only 113 litres big – and we can’t say we’d relish spending much time in the back.

The closest it gets to high technology is represented by the air conditioning on the SZ4 and the buttons that control the four-wheel drive. But considering the asking price and its off-road credentials, there’s not much to say in complaint.

This is a basic vehicle: there’s no stop-start, brake energy regeneration or any other form of active fuel saving innovation. That said, you can select a front-wheel drive only mode to reduce consumption in regular driving. The official figures claim 39.8mpg and 162g/km CO2.

You will drink much more juice off-road as you’ll be relying on lower gears for more of the time. But anyone seriously interested in this kind of activity already knew that. A four-speed automatic is available in place of the standard five-speed manual; it’s much slower but the on-paper efficiency penalty is slight.

You’ll struggle to find a crumple zone

As for safety. Well. Hmmm. The Jimny is a 14-year-old product based on design concepts that were so far from the cutting edge even then that you’d only find them if you opened the spoon drawer.

Euro NCAP has never tested it. (Rumour is the dummies threatened to strike. Yes, we made that up.) The ladder chassis probably is tough, but given the Jimny’s size you’ll struggle to find a crumple zone unless you count the cabin.

The softly-softly brakes are great for avoiding locking up the wheels when you’re interrogating the scenery, less reassuring on the road. The only electronic aid is ABS. But it does have two airbags. Serious mud-pluggers tend to install rollcages – on the outside.

3 stars

To say the Suzuki Jimny isn’t for everybody is amongst the biggest understatements since Apollo 13. Creature comforts are few and far between, its on-road manners are from another era, and we really don’t recommend you crash it. But that doesn’t necessarily make the Jimny a bad car.

Like the Land Rover Defender, it fills a niche that nothing else caters to – at a more compact scale. Taken as such it is endearingly capable, a car not only out of time but devoid of any other ambition. There’s something refreshingly honest and appealing about that.

It’s also worth noting that owners love them. Many are repeat buyers, and due to the Jimny’s unique status and dependable reputation it also holds its value very well. Anyone in need of an affordable off-road solution really should give it a try.

Buy a cheap used Suzuki Jimny on Auto Trader
Read more Suzuki reviews on MSN Cars

Suzuki Jimny information


View the original article here

New Mercedes Popemobile based on an M-Class

The Pope has got a new car and, choosing not to break from tradition, he's opted for a Mercedes-Benz once again. Having received his new car from Dr Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, we check out some of the key features of the Pope's latest ride.


View the original article here

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)

Youngest ever triple F1 World Champ Sebastian Vettel tweaks a standard Infiniti into a carbonfibre clad V8 monster SUV. The quality doesn’t match the price tag.

What: Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)
Where: Reading, United Kingdom
Date: November 2012
Price: £100,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: BMW X6 M, Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport

We like: Looks, exclusivity, V8 soundtrack
We don’t like: Price, efficiency, performance and finish not as good as rivals

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
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Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

Hats off to Infiniti. Still relatively unknown in the UK, the luxury arm of Nissan has managed to shift nearly all of its 10-strong allocation of the £100,800 FX Vettel Edition earmarked for Britain already.

Yes, you read that right. £100,800. You do get some interesting extras for your money though. Each buyer gets a carbon-backed iPad to track build progress of their car and a ‘money can’t buy package’. For previous customers that has included being driven around a racetrack by Mr Vettel himself.

Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car is based on a standard £58,280 FX 50 S Premium, but receives some lavish carbonfibre addenda, new wheels, a touched up interior and a more powerful engine.

It looks mean. The carbon front bumper, side skirts and rear diffuser are meant to resemble this year’s Red Bull F1 car – the diffuser even wraps around a central fog light inspired by the single-seater’s rear rain light.

If you want the carbonfibre rear spoiler too, that’ll be another £4,800. As it stands then, our FX Vettel Edition test car cost £105,600. Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car’s 5.0-litre V8 produces 420hp, an increase of 30hp over the 50 S Premium, with the extra ponies liberated by a freer breathing exhaust.

Fire the engine up and it instantly sounds more potent than the standard car, the eight-cylinder motor barking with a flare of revs as it catches before settling to a purposeful idle.

While 420hp might not seem excessive in a two-tonne-plus SUV, the FX Vettel Edition is deceptively quick. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds, while the car will run on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The seven-speed conventional automatic gearbox handles the performance well, shifting between ratios smoothly and without drama. It helps overtaking, too – just prod the throttle, let the transmission do the rest and anything the lethargic side of a Porsche Boxster S will be dispatched with ease.

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

There’s a switchable mode for the two huge exhausts that protrude from the diffuser, but even in the loudest setting it’s never too loud – inside, at least.

No more than a purposeful rumble penetrates the cabin, though from outside the cacophony of noise can be heard from a fair distance. Infiniti FX Vettel Edition: aggressive looks, aggressive sound.

While the engine is strong, the brakes are a little more suspect. The setup is progressive and easier to use than some hair-trigger brake systems on other 4x4s, but with no cross-drilling or grooving for the discs and over two tonnes of mass to haul down, even on a short run they began to show signs of fade.

Far from being a hunkered down sports SUV, the tweaks applied to this special FX have been created with Mr Vettel’s ideal day-to-day car in mind. Sporty but liveable.

You’ll find plenty of grip to exploit

They’re well judged, too. The bespoke 21-inch BBS wheels and narrow profile tyres look like they’d crash from lump to bump, but saving 3.5kg in unsprung weight per corner, wheel control is excellent.

Sport mode firms things up, but not to the degree where your teeth will be chattering over cat’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t match the quality of the ride. It’s eager, but there’s little communicated back to the helm as to what the tyres are doing.

If you do take something of a leap of faith, you’ll find there’s plenty of grip to exploit from the reassuring four-wheel drive system, while roll is kept under wraps thanks to the 20mm drop in ride height.

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (© Infiniti)

Infiniti

There’s plenty in the way of equipment inside the Red Bull employee’s company car: sat-nav, electric seats, an 11-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, climate and cruise control all come fitted as standard.

There are some nice extra touches, too. The nicely adjustable seats give plenty of support and are trimmed in half leather and half Alcantara.

The button layout is confusing

The B-pillars are also wrapped in Alcantara, while contrasting purple stitching holds the upholstery together. It sounds garish, but it’s just right.

The Vettel Edition is subject to the same failings as the standard car it’s based on, however. While every piece of technology you’d want is in there, the way it’s integrated leaves a little to be desired.

The button layout is confusing and interior ergonomics aren’t up to the standard of the competition. For a six-figure price tag, you’d expect better than this. Still, it’s comfortable and refined, with wind noise suppressed well.

If you’re worrying about fuel economy in a £100,800 5.0-litre V8 SUV modified for an F1 superstar, you’re missing the point. Infiniti claims 21.6mpg combined with 307g/km CO2 emissions. Driving sensibly we saw an average of 15.8.

Safety is strong though. The FX gets five stars from Euro NCAP. There’s lane departure warning and prevention, forward collision warning, radar guided cruise control and the usual crop of stability systems. Because Sebastian needs it all, of course…

3 stars

The FX Vettel Edition is a great ploy by the company to raise its profile in its continuing attempts to breakthrough to the premium market. That it’s nearly sold all the vehicles at a price tag of £100k shows it’s moving in the right direction.

But it is an indulgence for the super rich, for those who want to be different. And next to a £100,000 new Range Rover it’s not as well rounded or luxurious. It’s good, but still not quite good enough.

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition information


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New 2013 MINI Paceman JCW in pictures

MINI has followed the launch of the Paceman three-door crossover coupe with the reveal of the hot range-topping performance edition: the John Cooper Works Paceman. As with all MINIs, this JCW version will be the fastest and most extreme in the line-up. The MINI Paceman JCW will go on sale on 16 March 2013 and prices will start at £29,535.


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In pictures: MSV Explorer amphibious vehicle promises perpetual motion

As if the images of this MSV Explorer prototype amphibious vehicle weren’t arresting enough, Cornish inventor Chris Garner claims to have solved the centuries-old conundrum of perpetual motion – which could lead to electric cars that never have to be recharged.


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Meet the Super Sky Cycle – a flying tricycle

The flying car is starting to look a lot less like a dream and much more like a feasible reality – we’ve actually lost track of the number of current concepts – so much so that other forms of wheel transport are now trying to get in on the act. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you: the flying trike.


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Maserati Quattroporte (2013 onwards)

What – Maserati Quattroporte
Where – Nice, France
Date – December 2012
Price – £110,000 (including 20% VAT)
Available – mid 2013
Key rivals –BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide

Maserati’s latest four-door targets the luxury saloon elite but its strengths still lie in the way it looks and goes.

We like – Blistering pace, better handling than a two-tonne saloon has any right to, space, heart-warming design
We don’t like – Suspension noise and firmness, small details that let the design down


Read more Maserati car reviews
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Gallery: Maserati Quattroporte 2013

This would be a very important car for Maserati. It’s an all-new Quattroporte, the sixth generation of the Italian marque’s simplistically named four-door saloon car, and it arrives 50 years after the 1963 original. It really is all-new too, we’re talking completely new twin-turbo engines, a new 8-speed auto gearbox and an advanced new aluminium architecture. Yes, the new Quattroporte would be a very important car for Maserati but it’s not. It’s an absolutely crucial one.

There’s even more riding on this Quattroporte than immediately meets the eye and the reason lies in Maserati’s master plan. This is a brand that’s going places, or it will be if the Quattroporte and the series of models due to follow it live up to their billing. Maserati confidently expects to be selling 50,000 cars a year globally by 2015. In 2011 it sold 6,200 units with the old Quattroporte its top seller. Now you begin to get a feel for how much is riding on this luxury saloon.

Just as the metaphorical weight of expectation has been piled on to the Quattroporte, the physical weight has been lifted off. This car is substantially bigger than its predecessor gaining 105mm of extra rear legroom and 80 litres more boot space but it’s lighter, aluminium substituted in components through the car shaves nearly 100kg from the old-timer’s kerb weight. A twin turbo 407hp 3.0-litre V6 engine option will arrive later and all-wheel-drive models are available in other markets but not destined for the UK.      

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

The V8 Quattroporte tips the scales at 1,900kg and with its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 developing 523hp, that makes for a power to weight ratio of 264hp per tonne. It’s a full-size luxury saloon but after the briefest squint at those numbers you know it’s apocalyptically quick.

The official numbers say 0-62mph takes 4.7s and the top speed is 191mph. The originally Quattroporte re-wrote the record books in the early 60s and this car reclaims its title as the world’s fastest series production saloon.

What does that mean on the road? Well, we obviously didn’t scratch the surface of the Quattroporte’s maximum velocity but even at legal speeds it feels extremely fast. The advanced aerodynamics that make the 300kph barrier breachable in safety produce reassuring stability during fast motorway travel.

It’s a full-size luxury saloon but... it’s apocalyptically quick

 At lower speeds, it’s the engine’s torque that defines progress. There’s so much muscle low down that the car feels docile most of the time but you can feel the potential under your foot and when you do approach the rev limiter you know you’re really flying.

With eight speeds to choose from and that mountain of shove, the automatic gearbox invariably has an easy time of it. Manual changes are swift and the metal paddles feel good to the fingers but you sense they won’t get a lot of use from Quattroporte clientele. There’s the odd extra sonic treat, a soft exhaust rasp or throttle blip on down changes, to go with the deep gargle under hard throttle but this engine never sings like the sweet normally-aspirated unit in the old car.   

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

The trick in a big car with sporting pretensions is making it feel small and the Maserati engineers have scored a direct hit with the Quattroporte. A perfect 50/50 weight distribution in the rear-wheel-drive models helps. As does precise steering and really talks the talk, transmitting little shimmies over the bumps and more weight as the suspension loads up in corners. Together with the excellent Brembo-developed Dual Cast brakes this gives the Quattroporte a lovely alertness and agility on tight roads.

...the Maserati engineers have scored a direct hit with the Quattroporte

The suspension system utilises Maserati’s Skyhook adjustable dampers and plays its part in achieving the Quattroporte’s athleticism. Body roll is well contained and the nose grips hard through corners but you can detect some flex in the 5.2m long body during fast direction changes. 

From a comfort point of view things are less rosy. Surface lumps aren’t soaked up with quite the same oily smoothness you get in the top luxury barges. Opting for the softer damper setting doesn’t have a huge impact and the ride can clang and jitter noisily on bad surfaces.  

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

The long flowing lines of the Quattroporte’s dash look great. The fascia is dominated by a great plank of wood that, by its size and shape, could have been sourced from a surfboard manufacturer. Simple, crisp instruments shine out from behind the wheel and buttons are kept to a minimum with most of the minor controls bundled into the touchscreen infotainment system. The abundance of lacquered wood might not be to everyone’s taste but it adds to the warmth and character of the interior and there’s a raft of personalisation options so the unconvinced can get shot of it.

Despite an impressive design, there are areas where Maserati’s four-door could use some more polish. Slam connoisseurs will be disappointed as the Quattroporte’s lightweight doors don’t close with any great solidity and the plastic on the dash air vents feels cheap too. Storage space is limited, the electric seats move with a jerky motion and the indicators tick-tock so loudly it’s like your brain surgeon mislaid his watch during that last operation. These are small factors but factors the German competition gets right.

Cutting fuel consumption and emissions was key in Maserati’s move to lightweight aluminium

 From a practical standpoint the car impresses. The front seats sit as good as they look, rear legroom is excellent and headroom is plentiful in all four berths. A five-seat rear bench is available as an option and this splits 60/40 to further increase the 530-litre boot capacity. 

Cutting fuel consumption and emissions was a key consideration in Maserati’s move to lightweight aluminium and smaller twin-turbo engines with this Quattroporte. The result is just under 24mpg on the combined cycle and emissions of 274g/km. Considering the car’s size and supercar rivalling performance, that isn’t bad.

All Quattroportes get six airbags and Maserati’s latest MSP stability control programme. You can’t get the mind-boggling array of advanced driver aids that accompany many luxury saloons these days but the brakes are phenomenal, which counts for a lot.

Maserati Quattroporte 2013 (© Maserati)

Maserati

Maserati Quattroporte - four stars

The luxury saloon market has been a difficult place to do business in recent years with lots of private customers having their heads turned by less stuffy and increasingly opulent SUVs or, to a lesser extent, four-door coupes. The Maserati Quattroporte could be the kind of model to draw some of them back.

It might not replicate its predecessor’s Pininfarina styling elegance or its free-breathing V8 soundtrack but buyers do get a considerably more rounded product that still looks and goes like a Maserati should.

The ride can lack composure and the final layers of polish that the German alternatives delight in smothering on are sometimes missing but the Italians sure can make a car appeals on an emotional level and they’ve done it again here.

The Quattroporte is now closer than ever to the luxury saloon alternatives but its soul still stands out. Many owners won’t do the driving but there’ll be bored chauffeurs across the globe casually dropping Maserati brochures where their bosses might see them. This hugely important car for Maserati is also a very good one.

Maserati Quattroporte 2013

Read more Maserati car reviews
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Gallery: Maserati Quattroporte 2013


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