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CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
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Jun
2
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
This week’s manufacturer news
 CITROEN – Has released first details and photographs of the new C4. It will be available with a new micro-hybrid e-HDI powertrain that will deliver CO2 emissions as low as 109g/km at launch and 99g/km on future models. Standard features will include lane departure warning system, xenon headlamps, blind spot monitoring system, cruise control and an eTouch system which allows the driver to monitor driving patterns and fuel consumption. The new C4 will be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September.
LAND ROVER – The Range Rover will celebrate its 40th birthday on 17th June. Work first began on a Range Rover prototype in 1966 and the first model, now known as ‘the classic’ was introduced in 1970, continuing in production with numerous upgrades and variants for just over 25 years. The latest version of the Range Rover is due to be unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
SPYKER/SAAB –Spyker Cars N.V. has confirmed it has finalised the agreement with General Motors UK to purchase Saab GB. Saab GB will complete a carve-out process from General Motors in the next few months, allowing it to operate as an independent company.
 SUBARU – Has announced the introduction of the new limited edition Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 model. It will be available with a Cosworth-tuned 2.5 litre 400ps turbocharged engine that will have a 0-62 time of 3.7 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph. There will be just 75 cars available for the UK market and it is due to go on sale this month.
First driving impressions – Seat Alhambra, Barcelona
 The production of the new Alhambra at the Auto Europa plant in Portugal doesn’t commence until September, but we managed to drive one of the first, early pre-production vehicles near Seat’s HQ in Barcelona. The name Seat, previously an acronym standing for Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo (Spanish Touring Car Society, in English), was changed to Seat S.A. in 1990.
It is difficult to believe that the current Alhambra was originally launched in 1996, with a minor facelift in 2000. It has remained pretty much the same for over fourteen years, which is a particularly long time in terms of a model’s life cycle. However, the Alhambra has stood the test of time as it is still a popular new car, but is sought after more so in the used market. It is a great workhorse that is bought by companies and families, but it has mainly proved to be a huge success with taxi companies.
 The new seven seat Alhambra is completely new and has hardly any carry-over parts from the current car. It has grown in length by 220mm from 4,634mm to 4,854mm and it is also wider and lower, so it looks sleeker and more in proportion. To say that the new Alhambra is an improvement is quite an understatement in all departments, but considering the current car was designed over seventeen years ago, it is not surprising how much it has changed. However, to improve on such a clever design that has remained popular for all these years has been a challenge to the Seat design team in Spain.
 Firstly, they have introduced rear sliding doors that operate so smoothly and effectively. Even though this was a pre-production car the gaps between the doors were just the right size and the doors shut so easily. The door system uses small runners that are very neat and keep the car looking tidy; it is not obvious from the outside that the car even has sliding doors. Getting in and out of the third row is now easier as the second row has a new mechanism that takes just a couple of seconds to operate, using only one hand to lift a small lever that tilts the seat and slides it forward. The second row has three individual seats that are comfortable. The third row has two comfortable, individual seats that are almost full size, allowing enough legroom for children and almost enough for fully grown adults. Even with the third row up and occupied, the luggage area has a greater capacity than the current Alhambra and with the seats folded down, the cargo space is enormous.
 Like all recent Seat models coming to market, the quality has vastly improved over previous models. The fit and finish and attention to detail in the new Alhambra is very impressive. Just some small touches such as the chrome detailing around the air vents on the dashboard make the difference in giving this car a premium look and feel. The seat material also looks good and is up to a very high standard.
We drove the 2.0 litre TDI 140ps which is coupled to a DSG gearbox. It had more than enough power and coped well on the motorways around Barcelona, cruising easily at 130kph. The start/stop system which is fitted as standard on most Alhambra models was faultless; it shut down quickly without any vibration and when the footbrake was released it started up again even quicker. It is probably one of the best start/stop systems we have tried. It was very impressive.
The new Alhambra will join some other very good models in the Seat range and is bound to be a success.Prices, specification and model naming will be announced within the next two months, with first UK deliveries due in October.
First driving impressions – Volvo C30 electric vehicle
Volvo chose the SMMT press test day at the Millbrook testing facility to show off one of only a handful of their pre-production C30 electric vehicles.
To start the car you simply turn the key, wait a few seconds for the system to start, pull the small gear lever back into drive and away it goes effortlessly and quietly. It gets up to 60mph in around 10 seconds so is just as quick, if not quicker than most petrol or diesel powered cars.
 This electric vehicle, like most forthcoming electric vehicles, uses lithium-ion batteries that can be charged from a household electricity supply or can use a quick-charge system that takes around 30 minutes. It can cover a range of around eighty miles on a full charge, but this is subject to how much electric is required to power the lights, heater, air conditioning and windscreen wipers etc.
The batteries underneath are T-shaped, running up from the centre console to the back seats. Volvo brought along their top EV engineers to Millbrook and they told me that a lot of time and effort had been concentrated on safety. They said that the seats had been designed to de-form in the event of a side impact, so they would not hit the hard surface of the batteries in the centre. In a normal car, the centre console generally has an amount of give in it but this wouldn’t be the case in the EV. They have also had to reinforce the side beams to give protection to the batteries and the passengers.
 The engineers said that another safety feature they are still working on with other EV manufacturers is a ‘noise’ or ‘sound’ for all electric vehicles to make that would operate up to speeds of around 40mph. Nothing has been fully decided yet on what this sound should be or at what speed the sound should cut out.
Volvo say that they expect to sell around 250 C30 electric vehicles around the world, but if demand exceeds this number, then they will be in a position to build more. No prices or specification have been announced yet, but Volvo has confirmed that the price will include the batteries.
Test car – Porsche Panamera S
 The colour of the Panamera we tested was black; the same colour as Marmite, which actually provides a good analogy of how people feel towards the Panamera. This car has divided critics and car enthusiasts.
Like all cars the Panamera had to be created as a concept by the company’s strategy department. Once the outline idea had been approved by the board, it then had to be created on paper and then as a clay model. There must have been a lot of raised eyebrows at the time when the strategy department announced that Porsche A.G. were going to produce a five door, four seat hatchback model, that still possessed all the normal Porsche technical abilities.
 The Panamera S is powered by a 4.8 litre (4,806cc) V8 petrol engine that produces 400bhp. It goes from 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds and has a top speed where permitted of 176mph. The CO2 emissions figure is 253g/km and it has an official combined fuel consumption figure of 25.4 MPG, but during the time we had the car, we achieved an average of 22.1 MPG according to the on-board computer. The car we tested had the optional Porsche Doppelkuplungestreibe 7 speed double clutch gearbox (otherwise known as PDK) which costs an additional £2,339.
Despite all this power, brilliant handling and braking, Porsche has tried to make the Panamera more environmentally friendly by introducing start/stop as standard. The engine shuts down when you come to a halt and touch the footbrake. As soon as you release pressure from brake, the engine fires up and you are away in a fraction of a second. The system works perfectly coupled to the PDK gearbox.
 Some may not like the exterior design, but no one can fault the interior styling, the comfort or the quality. The wrap-around front seats hold you tightly and are extremely comfortable and supportive. The two rear seats mirror the front ones exactly and making the rear seat passengers feel as special as those in the front. The whole of the interior, the switches, materials and controls just ooze quality; it is a very special place to sit.
The Panamera S is not an especially quick car, at least when compared to some super cars which spring to mind as soon as the Porsche name is mentioned. The 0-60 time seems relatively leisurely given the sheer power of the engine. This is no ordinary sports car though; this is a sports saloon with five doors and it weighs 1,860kg. However, it is quick enough, the acceleration is so smooth and it feels so effortless to drive. It really is a nice car and it does make you feel special, but all this luxury and power does come at a cost. The basic price of a Panamera S is £73,827, but the test car, which had a few optional extras fitted, costs £88,854.
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