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CAP Blog > CAP Blog > Martin's Blog
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Sep
8
Written by:
Martin Ward
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
This week’s manufacturer news
FORD – Has announced pricing for the new C-Max and Grand C-Max. Prices will start at £16,745 for the C-Max 1.6 litre petrol Zetec and £18,745 for the equivalent Grand C-Max.
INFINITI – Has announced pricing on its first ever diesel saloon model. Pricing for the new M 3.0 litre diesel saloon will start from £36,750 on the road.
KIA – Consumer demand for the new Kia Sportage 2.0 litre CRDI AWD First Edition has been strong, with customers eager to purchase the 850 units available. However, there has been some interest in a petrol alternative so the factory is now set to produce 300 petrol versions. The awaited 2.0 litre AWD petrol engine will produce 161bhp and will have a 0-62 time of 10.3 seconds. The combined fuel consumption is expected to be 35.8 MPG.
MAZDA – Has announced that the MX-5 has surpassed the 100,000 sales mark in the UK. Since launch, the MX-5’s UK sales account for over 10% of global and 40% of European sales.
 VAUXHALL – Will unveil an Astra-based three door concept car at the Paris Motor Show on 30th September. The GTC Paris concept car could possibly be the successor to the Astra sport hatch.
First driving impressions – Mini Countryman, UK press launch, Bedford Autodrome
 This was not the first time I had driven the Countryman. The first time was back in January in Austria where I drove a very early pre-production car. I thought it was great then and thought it was even better after driving a UK spec, RHD model. The initial thought I had all those months ago was that a five door Mini horrified me, and I think most others thought likewise. We all thought that a five door just wasn’t the right thing to do, and to offer a four wheel drive as well was simply just wrong. Have the German owners gone completely mad?
However, after having spent a lot of time in the Countryman, I now understand the point of it. It is a brilliant idea and one that has been well executed. This car will be bought and loved by a huge variety of people of all age groups, male or female, and it will have a cover a range of different uses. The beauty of the Countryman is the fact that it sits in many sectors, so it will appeal to a wide audience. It is a direct competitor in the C sector hatchback market, competing head-to-head with the VW Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Renault Megane. The Countryman measures 4,097mm in length, so it is very close in size to the Golf. The Countryman is also a crossover, so it fits neatly into the category alongside Nissan Qashqai, Nissan Juke, Skoda Yeti, Vauxhall Meriva, Hyundai ix35, Kia Sportage and the forthcoming Ford C-Max, along with some other very versatile and practical vehicles that have a large interior and a compact exterior. It is available with four wheel drive, so it will inevitably attract those that want a soft off-roader. The Countryman will be seen as a good all-rounder and will be bought by those who want a well built, stylish car with a Mini badge that is at a sensible price.
The Countryman is being built at the Magna Steyr factory in Graz as production at the Oxford plant is up to full capacity. Magna has been building vehicles for manufacturers for many years and after having been shown around the factory in Austria, I can testify that the production methods, quality and cleanliness are second to none. The finished cars are transported by train to a northern port in Germany and then shipped to the UK to be docked in Immingham. They then go on to BMW’s facility in Thorne.
Three models will be available at launch: One, Cooper and Cooper S, with some models being offered with ALL4 (4WD) at a cost of around £1,100. The One and Cooper Countryman will initially be available with a choice of two engines: a 1.6 litre petrol engine that produces 98hp or BMW’s own 1.6 litre diesel engine that produces 112ps, with a CO2 emissions figure of 119g/km (2WD) and 129g/km (4WD). A diesel automatic will be offered from next spring. The Cooper S will be available with the 1.6 litre petrol engine only.
When we drove the Countryman in Austria it was a very cold day with plenty of fresh snow on the ground. We were allowed to take an ALL4 on to a field that had some fairly steep inclines and we thought the car would not have a chance of making it across the field, yet alone up the snow-covered hills. However, it did this with ease and not only did it surprise us, it also surprised the UK Mini team that had travelled with us. Not in our wildest dreams would we have imagined the car was capable of such a big ask; it was really was remarkable.
At Bedford Autodrome Mini had created an off road section that was not as scary as Austria, but it did prove beyond any doubt that the Countryman fitted with ALL4 truly is an off-roader. After the winter we had last year it is easy to see that many people will invest £1,100 and have the 4WD version just in case. The ALL4 system mainly utilises the front wheels to drive the car and the rear wheels offer power when needed.
On the open road the car is quiet and refined. The new diesel engine is smooth, with more than enough power and the start/stop system works efficiently. It is quick to start up and there is no vibration on shut-down. It is comfortable and rides all the bumps and potholes extremely well, although the Cooper S does have a slightly harder ride to it, which may not suit everyone. The Cooper however, is a bit softer and suited me much better. Regardless of what version you drive, you do get an instant feeling that this car is so much fun, being every bit a Mini and everything a Mini should stand for due to its fifty one year history. Since 1959 over seven million Mini models have been sold worldwide.
 The Countryman comes with five seats as standard, but there is a four seat option available at no extra cost offering two individual rear seats. These look good, but they are not as practical. I would go for the five seat version as it gives the impression of more room and doesn’t feel as claustrophobic as the four seat model. All the seats are comfortable and rear leg room is good for the size of car. The luggage area has a capacity of 350 litres with the rear seats up and 1170 litres with the seats down. There is also a clever yet simple mechanism that raises the height of the floor in the boot to provide either more room or a level loading platform for getting things in and out easier.
The new Countryman is a well built, practical and flexible car that is bound to be yet another huge success for Mini. The only problem is that delivery times are already into January 2011, but it is well worth waiting for.
Mazda Design Workshop, Milan
The worldwide motor industry converged in Milan last week for an unusual yet interesting and informative get-together.
Mazda held a Design Workshop and introduced all of their top designers from each of their design centres. The list of attendees was very impressive; these included Seita Kanai – Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer of R&D and Programme Management; Kiyoshi Fujiwara – Executive Officer of Product Planning and Powertrain Development; Masahiro Moro – Executive Officer of Global sales in charge of Global Marketing; Ikuo Maeda (commonly known as ‘Speedy’) – General Manager of Design Centre and Head of Worldwide Design; Yasushi Nakamuta (known as ‘TJ’) – Chief Designer of Advance Design Studio and Head of Design at Yokohama Studio; Derek Jenkins – Director of Design in North America, based in California; Peter Bertwhistle – Design Manager/Chief Designer in Europe, based in Frankfurt; Yong Wook Cho – Production Design Studio and exterior designer of the Shinari concept car; Julien Montousse – Interior Project Manager and Jo Stenuit – Assistant Chief Designer in Frankfurt. The list of top people from Mazda was endless and between these designers the list of cars they have been responsible for is also endless. The cars these people have had a hand in are not only Mazda models, but are also from other manufacturers that they have previously worked for.
Other invited guests on the day were from all around the world and I was the only person that represented the UK, which was quite an honour, I thought secretly to myself. Mazda were interested in what we thought about what they should be producing in the coming years and admitted they were facing challenges as each market has its own needs and tastes. Producing cars to suit all countries is not an easy task, but at the end of the day one design has to suit all.
Within Mazda there are three design studios: Yokohama, Frankfurt and California. They are given a brief of what sort of vehicle is required; number of doors, length, height and width etc. It is up to each studio to come up with their own idea and style, and is regarded as a friendly competition between the centres. It then goes to ‘Speedy’ and the Senior Management to pick a ‘winner’ from the entrants. The idea is generally a ‘concept car’ on which the final production car is based. We saw the Shinari concept car that had been designed by Yong Wook Cho – formally from Hyundai-Kia in Korea – and his drawings won the competition.
 The Shinari car was then made into scale models and finally into a working full size model. Yong showed us around his pride and joy and explained to us how he had drawn the Shinari and how a vision of a car can become a real-life possibility. When he was told he was the winner he told me he was very quiet for a long time and kept very cool, but inside he wanted to jump in the air and get very excited.
Mazda did not tell us what this concept car would eventually be, but it could most likely be the replacement Mazda 6 in a couple of years. The Shinari concept will end up with a watered-down design as legislation, production, assembly, costs and the logistics of fitting all the necessary parts in the right place has its challenges. Designs have to be changed to accommodate the practicalities.
We were told by the designers that they can only take the design so far and never build in items such as windscreen wipers, door mirrors or door handles. They also told me that the design always changes to some extent when it leaves them and when they see the final production vehicle, it is never the same as their clay model. By the time the model comes to market, they are well on with either the facelift car or a brand new one.
The designers are forever looking for new materials to use. During one of the workshops, Peter Bertwhistle showed us what looked like a normal woolly hat; however, this woolly hat was no ordinary hat. We were each asked to put it on and when we did it looked and felt like a normal woolly hat. Peter then gave us a hammer and asked us to hit ourselves or somebody else that was wearing the hat. The material in the hat instantly hardened when hit and provided protection. How did it work? Well I don’t know, but it did. The point Peter was making is that there are numerous materials available that could be used by the motor industry and could have very useful applications. He didn’t know how the hat material could be used in a car and if he did, he certainly wasn’t letting on. He also said that lighter materials such as carbon-fibre and other ‘interesting’ materials are becoming available at cheaper prices and are more useable and flexible. New production methods are constantly being monitored by the design team to find new ways of producing lightweight structures.
Designers have to find ways of reducing drag, so the design has got to be sleeker, with lower rooflines to reduce CO2 and improve fuel consumption. However, it still to has to provide enough headroom for tall adults and this is in itself is a major problem for them. Another problem, especially for the interior designer, is the rake of the windscreen. More light is reflected on a windscreen with a steeper angle, so this is a complication for the interior designer because the binnacle hoods have a limit on how large they can be to deflect and hide light reflection.
 If the new Mazda6 looks anything like the Shinari concept car – with its large sinister grille and the coupe-style profile (it also has to be said that it has the look of an Aston Martin from certain angles) – then Mazda will be on to a certain winner. The D sector is beginning to struggle, as customers around the world want a car that is more practical. However, a stunning D sector hatchback that has the ‘wow-factor’ and the must-have desirability would no doubt be on many people’s shopping list. I really hope Mazda are brave enough to launch this car with a design as close to the concept car as possible.
The new bold front end will definitely be the new face of all Mazda vehicles and this has to be a good thing, as it will lift Mazda’s standing in the market beyond recognition. In truth, Mazda are a small brand and a small company, so they now have to be bold, as dull and boring cars that are just run-of-the-mill should be confined to the history books. They have produced some excellent designs with the MX-5, RX-7 and RX-8, but the saloon and hatchback models they have – with the exception of the current Mazda6 – have all been a bit on the ordinary side.
The whole of the Mazda personnel who were present in Italy were very attentive and very forthcoming in their thoughts and ideas. I came away feeling as if I knew them all personally due to the intimate conversations I had with them on a variety of topics. They gave me with a much better understanding of the company, the people and the products.
Test car – Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4 MultiAir Lusso
The words Alfa Romeo bring a certain amount of sparkle to any vocabulary, as they are filled with heritage and nostalgia. Alfa Romeo is a true classic name and its history is long and impressive. However, something went wrong for this great Italian company a few years ago when quality and reliability went from bad to worse. This reputation stuck with the company and the brand for a long time and still today there is talk amongst the industry that Alfa models are still unreliable with poor build quality.
 About two years ago Alfa Romeo took the bull by the horns. They shut their factories and re-trained all of their staff in a bid to make a fresh start and overcome its problems. This unusual approach in manufacturing seems to have worked, because the Giulietta we tested this week was faultless. There was nothing but high quality throughout this car.
The Giulietta is a five door hatchback that sits in the C sector market and competes fair and square with the Volkswagen Golf, Mazda3, Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Ford Focus and Peugeot 308. It is almost the same size as the Golf and has an interior that almost matches it in dimensions. It is a very capable car that provides a comfortable amount of rear head and leg room and has an adequately size boot. The exterior styling is Alfa through and through; the nose and grille especially being typical from the Italian company. You can tell what make of car it is from a long distance and this adds to its presence and image.
 The windscreen in our test car just didn’t seem right somehow. At times it was like looking through a pair of bi-focal glasses. Sometimes it looked as though other cars, road signs and scenery were distorted, but if you moved your head to one side or looked downwards, the images through the windscreen became clearer. It was very odd and a bit disconcerting whilst driving.
Our car was fitted with the 1.4 litre MultiAir turbocharged petrol engine that produces 170ps, goes from 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 135mph. It has a CO2 emissions figure of 134g/km and an official combined fuel consumption figure of 48.7 MPG, although we only managed to achieve a very disappointing average of 34.1 MPG according to the on-board computer. I think the Giulietta to go for would be the diesel version where much better fuel consumption is guaranteed.
The cost of the Giulietta 1.4 litre MultiAir 170ps Lusso is £19,495.
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