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CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
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Jul
21
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
 BMW – Has announced the introduction of the new X3. It will initially be launched with one derivative – an xDrive 20d 184ps SE diesel which is priced at £30,490 on the road. Step auto transmission will also be available with a premium of £1,495 over the manual. Other engines are due to follow at a later date, but it is expected that the xDrive 20d will account for 80% of all sales in the UK when the other engines are introduced. The new X3 is due on sale on 20th November 2010.
CITROEN – Has announced the appointment of Charles Peugeot as Sale Director for Citroen UK. He will take up his new role at Citroen UK’s headquarters in Slough on 1st August 2010.
 HYUNDAI – Photographs of the new Hyundai i45 have been released in the Asia Pacific region. It is thought a car looking very similar to this will come to Europe next year. This D sector will be available in hatchback and estate body styles and may have some minor styling changes to be made more suitable for Europe. It could be called either the i40 or i45 when it arrives.
VAUXHALL – Has introduced two new engines to complete the Meriva diesel range. The first is a 1.3 litre CDTI ecoFLEX engine that produces 95ps and has a CO2 emissions figure of 119g/km. The second is a 1.7 litre CDTI 16V engine that produces 130ps and has a CO2 emissions figure of 138g/km. Both engines are due on sale on 30th September 2010.
First driving impressions – Volkswagen Sharan, international press event, Bavaria
Bavaria is one of those places that is just as beautiful in the summer as it is in the depths of winter. When the sun is shining the lakes and mountains look spectacular, and when the whole of the area is covered in snow it looks equally magnificent. The area attracts tourists all year round; it is always a busy place and is a popular destination for skiers and walkers. The temperature was 33°C, so the weather seemed more suitable for driving a sports car rather than a people carrier.
It seems like it was only two minutes ago since the first Sharan was launched, but it was fifteen years ago in 1995 that a joint venture between Ford and VW Group saw the production of the Sharan and Ford Galaxy. The Seat Alhambra joined the venture a year later and all three sold in large numbers. Even to this day the early versions are still sought after, either to be used as taxis or by those with larger than normal families who want the space, but at a reasonable price. Over 607,000 models have been built at the AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal.
 This latest Sharan is completely new; the only aspect that has carried over is the name. The length of the car has increased by 220mm making it 4,854mm overall, but the car is now 30 kilograms lighter. The majority of the extra space has been given to the boot area behind the third row of seats and this is a good move, as it was always an area that was criticised on the previous model.
There will be a five seat model available in Europe but Volkswagen UK, quite sensibly, has decided to offer only seven seat variants. Anyone with a back problem found it extremely difficult to lift the previous models’ seats out by themselves. They were not only difficult to remove, but were also time consuming and quite frankly, a nuisance. However, the new Sharan has addressed all of these problems because the seats are now so easy to operate and can be stowed flat in the floor of the car. Just one hand is needed to lift the handle and down they go, easily and quickly. All five rear seats can be folded individually so it can be a two, three, four, five, six or seven seat vehicle in just a few seconds; it’s a very clever system that really does work well. When the second and third row seats are folded down there is 2,297 litres of space, so the car practically turns into van. The second row of seats can also be moved forward to create more room for the third row passengers. All the seats are comfortable and are more than suitable for travelling long distances.
 Engine choices available in the UK will be: a 1.4 litre TSI 150ps petrol, 2.0 litre TSI 200ps petrol and a 2.0 litre TDI diesel with power outputs of 140ps or 170ps. We test drove all the engines and we were surprised at just how quick and quiet the petrol unit was, but admittedly there were only two of us in the car and we had no luggage on board, so it was a light load for it to carry. The engine to have has to be the diesel 140ps, which returns 52.3 MPG on the official combined fuel consumption cycle and has a CO2 figure of 143g/km. It performs perfectly in the Sharan and is not at all underpowered. On the German autobahns it easily cruised at 100mph, with plenty of acceleration and it felt as if it had many more miles per hour left to give in the engine. It is smooth, quiet and refined.
A choice of six speed manual or DSG gearbox is available in combination with all engines, except the 200ps which is only available with the DSG gearbox.
 For the first time VW has introduced rear sliding doors on the Sharan and can be upgraded so that they open and close electrically. It’s a nice option to have, but they do open and close easily enough manually – so much so that I do wonder if paying any more for the electric option really is worth it. The doors are so smooth in operation and evidently a lot has gone into the design and engineering of the door slide mechanism.
The Portuguese built Sharan maintains very high quality throughout, with every switch and piece of switchgear being typically German. The plastics on the dash and doors are good to touch and look at, and the whole of the cabin has a very pleasant ambience.
This car is not really a driver’s car; it is a practical, flexible people/luggage carrier and should be treated as such. On the roads from Munich to the Austrian border it handled all the twists and turns on the hilly sections with ease and it felt safe and solid. Despite not being able throw it into the corners like a more agile sports car, it still did the job perfectly well.
There will be four trims available: S, SE, SEL and the 6 seat Executive with leather trim as standard – very plush. Prices for the new Sharan are likely to start from around £21,500, going up to £31,000. First deliveries are due in November.
First driving impressions – Infiniti FX 3.0d, Barcelona
A diesel Infiniti seems to have been a long time coming, but it has now arrived. Although the brand, which form part of the Renault Nissan alliance, has only been on sale in the UK for less than a year now, it seems as if an age has passed since we first started talking about them.
 The FX is a large 4x4 that has entered the market as a direct competitor to the BMW X5/X6, Porsche Cayenne and Mercedes-Benz M Class, and is very much at the premium end of the sector. This new diesel engine is exactly what Infiniti need, as the large petrol engines that are also on the market are not exactly what the majority of 4x4 buyers need or can afford to run. There may be a small minority who want a petrol gas-guzzler, but these are few and far between. The 3.0 litre diesel engine produces 238ps, goes from 0-62mph 8.3 seconds and is coupled to a very smooth and refined 7 speed automatic gearbox. The only aspect which could hold the Infiniti diesel engine back is the CO2 figure; at 238g/km, it may not prove to be a success with fleet companies.
The FX is a sporty SUV that has just enough chrome to make it look distinctive and not too ‘bling’. The chrome side air vents, handles and window surrounds are just enough to make it look classy without going too far. The rear windows with privacy glass also add to the distinctive image. The whole of the exterior looks chunky and masculine, and it is easily recognisable as an Infiniti. For those who have never heard of the Infiniti FX, it does look different to every other 4x4 around at the moment and cannot be missed in a crowd.
 The interior is very luxurious with excellent quality leather and fit/finish that is as good as any other premium car on the market. It isn’t lacking anything in terms of luxury and is a fantastic place to sit regardless whether you are the driver or a passenger. There are some very nice little touches in the cabin such as an expensive looking analogue clock with a chrome surround. The whole interior exudes quality; it looks good and the touch of all the materials is just excellent.
 We drove the FX diesel on the motorways around Barcelona, up into the hills of Montserrat and through small towns and villages. Despite it being quite a large vehicle, we found that it didn’t feel clumsy in traffic, it negotiated corners well and parking was easy when using the on-board parking systems. In the hills and on the mountain roads it behaved perfectly. It had plenty of power and it felt safe and solid – probably a bit more stable than some of the crumbling roads we experienced, which were very close to the edge of sheer drops. It is in these circumstances where you need 100% confidence in the car you are driving and the Infiniti certainly gave us that.
The downside to the Infiniti experience is the fact there is currently only one dealer in the UK. Birmingham will open shortly, followed by Glasgow, but Infiniti has given reassurances that the owner’s car will be collected and delivered back free of charge when it needs any servicing or warranty work carrying out.
There are four trims available in the FX diesel: GT, GT Premium, S and S Premium. Prices range from £43,430 to £50,010.
Test car – Hyundai i800 Style
 This is more than just a van with windows; it’s a practical, economical and comfortable van with windows. The i800 has eight seats in the formation of 2+3+3, so you have the driver’s seat plus seven passenger seats. Each seat is full-sized and all offer plenty of leg, head and shoulder room.
The i800 set out in life as a regular van, but Hyundai has managed to create a stylish people carrier that is easy to drive and offers a good list of standard equipment at a very reasonable price. The list of specifications is endless, but here are some of the key features: adjustable LED mood lighting, air conditioning with 2nd row operation, door step lights, front fog lights, trip computer, 16” alloy wheels, privacy glass, reversing sensors, heated driver’s seat, opening side windows in sliding door, ABS, ESP and EBD.
The i800 is more than just a regular people carrier; it can actually be used as a business. It is ideal as a taxi for airport runs and even for executive transport because the car’s design is stylish and well suited for it. There is no embarrassment when getting in or out of the i800 at any event or destination.
 The luggage area is huge and can easily accommodate eight large suitcases plus hand-luggage, with enough spare room left over for other bits and pieces. With the i800 you can be safe in the knowledge that you can get all your passengers’ luggage in the car without having to worry about using a roof rack or having passengers sat with suitcases on their knees.
 The i800 is powered by an economical 2.5 litre 4 cylinder diesel engine that produces 168bhp, goes from 0-62mph in 14.5 seconds and has a top speed of 112mph. It measures 5,125mm in length and is 1,920mm wide. On the motorway it easily cruises at 70mph, with plenty of power left over if needed.
The cost to buy this stylish business on wheels is £21,000, including metallic paint.
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