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CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
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Apr
14
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
This week’s manufacturer news
AUDI – Has announced details of the up-and-coming 2011 TT range. Enhancements include subtle exterior styling changes, new interior and exterior colours and xenon headlights now come as standard on the S Line trim. A new 2.0 litre TFSI 211 engine replaces the previous 2.0 litre TFSI 200, offering an improvement of 14% in engine efficiency.
Further details will be announced at a later date.
An S Tronic version of the TT RS is to be made available later this year.
HYUNDAI – Has announced that sales for last month reached an all time high of 15,241 units; the best result in the UK so far for the Korean manufacturer. The best selling model was the i10 city car with a total of 6,195 units, followed by the i30 with 4,584 and the i20 with 3,570. Only one in three Hyundai cars sold on March registrations were to scrappage scheme customers.
 SAAB – Has announced that road testing of the new 9-5 has been completed, with over 500,000km covered throughout Europe. Ordering for the new 9-5 is already open in many markets, with first deliveries due to commence later this year.
Test car – Audi A3 sportback 1.6 TDI Sport S tronic
 I will never really understand why the five door version of the A3 is called a sportback. The name suggests that it has a sloping rear end and is sleek and sexy but it isn’t; the three door is sportier than the five door. However, the name has survived and it is a popular car that has sold in its thousands in both the new and used markets. It is simply an A3 with five doors and a slightly higher roof line. It is a very practical car.
It must be a difficult task for a manufacturer to re-invent and re-launch a model that has been out for a few years now, but once again the Germans have introduced technology that has people talking about it as if it is a brand new car. The A3 we tested was fitted with a 1.6 TDI diesel engine that produces 105ps and it is one of the few cars that is fitted with an automatic gearbox in conjunction with a start/stop system. Many manufacturers now offer start/stop with a manual gearbox, but there are hardly any at the moment that offer start/stop with an automatic.
 The system works most effectively when the engine is warm and when too much power isn’t being taken from the battery due to the air conditioning system, heater or the windscreen wipers etc. You press the brake pedal until the car comes to a complete standstill and then the engine automatically shuts down. When you are ready to set off again, simply release the brake pedal and the engine starts up again in a fraction of a second. The engine is up and running well before your foot has time to travel from the brake to the accelerator; it’s as quick as that. Initially the car did seem to be a bit shaky every time the accelerator was pressed after a re-start, but you get used to this eventually. I found that I tended to treat the throttle with a bit more respect after a while and it got much smoother with a bit of practice. It is a slightly different way of driving.
On a long journey down the M1, I achieved an average of 54.3 MPG in comparison to the official combined figure of 65.7 MPG. This engine has a CO2 emissions figure of 112g/km so it only costs only £35 per year for VED. This 1.6 litre diesel engine is smooth and quiet at all speeds, and it is not at all underpowered. It has a respectable 0-62mph time of 11.8 seconds.
 The A3’s interior is up to typical Audi standards and is first class throughout the cabin. The seats are comfortable, the ride is good and the luggage area is surprisingly large; with the rear seats folded down, there is a huge amount of space.
The cost of the test car was £21,855 on the road.
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