Autoesque

It looks like this year’s Geneva International Motor Show is going to be crammed full of electric cars and hybrids. The latest manufacturer to announce that its stand will include such a vehicle is Land Rover. The Range_e, which is based on the Range Rover Sport, is still at the prototype stage but promises much. It uses the existing 3.0 litre TDV6 diesel engine alongside a plug-in hybrid system, with drive going to all four wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission. Although only a few technical details have been released, Land Rover estimates that the Range_e will have CO2 emissions of just 89 g/km. That’ll mean no UK road tax and a 100% discount on the London Congestion Charge . What’s more, the range when in electric vehicle mode is said to be 20 miles (about 30 kilometres). To put that into context, the Toyota Prius - which produces the same amount of CO2 as the Range_e - will only manage 1.2 miles (2 kilometres) using battery power alone. Will the Range_e make ...

Porsche has announced its most economical model ever. The Panamera S Hybrid achieves 41.5 mpg (6.8 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 159 g/km, according to the New European Driving Cycle test. The slight caveat is that those figures are only possible with specially developed - and optional - Michelin low rolling resistance tyres. Nevertheless, even on normal rubber the hybrid manages 39.7 mpg (7.1 l/100km) and 167 g/km. Still very impressive considering that the best a purely petrol-powered Panamera will do is 25.0 mpg (11.3 l/100km) while pumping out 265 g/km of CO2. Under the skin is the same technology that’s found in the Cayenne S Hybrid, which means a 328 bhp (245 kW / 333 PS) 3.0 litre supercharged six-cylinder petrol engine running in conjunction with a 45 bhp (34 kW / 47 PS) electric motor. Charge is stored in a nickel metal hydride battery, and an eight-speed Tiptronic S gearbox is fitted as standard. The Panamera’s range using only its electric motor for propulsion is a...

The Lancia product offensive continues. Following news of the Thema, Grand Voyager, Flavia Concept and Flavia Cabrio Concept comes a first look at the brand new Ypsilon. Although it has been around in various guises since 1996, the Ypsilon will be unfamiliar to most people in the UK and Ireland, simply because Lancia abandoned those markets years ago. However, this next generation model is going to be built in right-hand drive form too, albeit badged as a Chrysler. The Ypsilon’s thing is supermini luxury; rather a small niche, but that theme continues unchanged. Luckily, what has been altered is the awkward styling that blighted previous versions. Sure, it’s still distinctive, but it just works a lot better. And now, for the first time, the Ypsilon is a five-door. Buyers will be able to choose from three trim levels - Silver, Gold or Platinum - and four engines. The two petrol options are a 68 bhp (50 kW / 69 PS) 1.2 8V Fire unit, or an 83 bhp (62 kW / 85 PS) 0.9 litre two...

With a price tag of £168,500 in the UK, €200,000 in the Eurozone and $229,000 in the US, there was only ever going to be one car that the McLaren MP4-12C would be compared against: the incredibly talented, £173,132 Ferrari 458 Italia.   So, what’s the verdict? Judging by the reviews in Autocar , Evo and Car , McLaren has succeeded in eclipsing the Ferrari, thanks to an innovative chassis and usable performance from its 3.8 litre twin-turbo engine. The MP4-12C’s looks might have received some criticism for not being dramatic enough, but it’s still a very attractive design. On paper the McLaren also has the upper hand, boasting more power, lighter weight, faster acceleration, a higher top speed and lower emissions: McLaren MP4-12C versus Ferrari 458 Italia Parameter MP4-12C 458 Italia Engine Capacity (litres) 3.8 4.5 Cylinders V8 V8 Power (bhp / kW / PS) 592 / 441 / 600 @ 7,000 rpm 570 / 425 / 577 @ 9,000 rpm Torque (Nm / lb/ft) 600 / 443 @ 3,0...

It might upset some Lancia traditionalists, but the marque’s initial Chrysler-based models have been revealed ahead of their debuts at the Geneva International Motor Show. First up is the Thema, which is a badge-engineered Chrysler 300. Resurrecting the Thema name - last used in the mid-1990s - this new edition focuses on comfort and luxury. For example, Lancia is claiming best-in-class noise levels, thanks to various acoustic panels and laminated glass all round. Recent Chrysler interiors haven’t been the brand’s strong point, but the Thema’s cabin is said to feature soft-touch materials, redesigned seats, wood trim inserts and optional leather upholstery. Available in either Gold or Platinum specifications, both come with Uconnect telematics as standard. Based around an 8.4” touch screen, the system controls climate control, telephone and audio functions, as well as the Garmin satellite navigation that is included with the Platinum version. Of course, being a reworked Chrysl...

The South Korean-built Antara is a fairly rare sight, a situation that Vauxhall will doubtless be keen to rectify with the refreshed 2011 model. Power now comes from an all-new Euro 5 compliant 2.2 CDTI diesel (there’s no petrol option), which is available in two states of tune: 160 bhp (120 kW / 163 PS) with 350 Nm (258 lb/ft) of torque, or 181 bhp (135 kW / 184 PS) with 400 Nm (295 lb/ft). Kicking off the range is the £19,995 front-wheel drive Exclusiv, obviously priced to undercut SUV rivals such as the £22,300 diesel Volkswagen Tiguan S. Featuring the lower horsepower engine and a revamped six-speed manual gearbox, it’ll accelerate from zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 9.9 seconds and go on to a top speed of 117 mph (188 km/h). Combined cycle fuel consumption of 44.8 mpg (6.3 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 167 g/km aren’t too bad. However, those figures are easily bettered by front-wheel drive versions of the Tiguan and BMW X1, both of which achieve more than 50 mpg (5.6 l/100km) ...

An all-electric version of Toyota’s diminutive iQ city car is set to make its first European appearance at the Geneva International Motor Show. Still at the prototype stage, the iQ Electric Vehicle borrows components from Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive system as used in the Auris Hybrid and, of course, the Prius. The iQ EV’s flat lithium-ion battery is stored under the floor, so that no passenger or luggage space is lost. Clever packaging, perhaps, but making the battery small also means that the iQ EV will only travel a paltry 65 miles (105 kilometres) between recharges. Considering that other small electric cars such as the Think City manage 100 miles (160 kilometres), the Toyota doesn’t exactly advance the genre a great deal. Testing of the iQ EV is due to continue during 2011, ahead of a customer leasing programme in 2012. And no, there isn’t any word on whether Aston Martin is considering battery power for its iQ-based Cygnet . Related posts: Think launches City van ...

Following 2009’s Mini E, BMW has announced its second all-electric car. Based on the 1 Series Coupé, the BMW ActiveE is powered by an electric motor that produces 165 bhp (123 kW / 168 PS) and maximum torque of 250 Nm (184 lb/ft). That’s sufficient to get the ActiveE from rest to 62 mph (100 km/h) in nine seconds - surprisingly sluggish for an electric car, given the instant torque that’s usually available. Top speed is limited to 90 mph (144 km/h), undoubtedly in the interests of preserving battery charge. Whereas the Mini E lost its rear seats and a big chunk of boot space to its battery pack, the ActiveE retains the same four-seat accommodation as a ‘normal’ 1 Series Coupé. Luggage capacity shrinks from 370 to 200 litres though, thanks to a rear-mounted electric motor and control unit. The liquid cooled lithium-ion batteries meanwhile take the spaces previously occupied by the fuel tank, transmission and engine. BMW has said that the ActiveE will have a range of 100 miles (1...

The current Kia Rio is inoffensive but nondescript. It’s the kind of vehicle that usually goes unnoticed or, if by chance it is, gets instantly forgotten. Even Kia seems to have realised this, and so it’s stressing the bold styling of the next-generation Rio, which will be unveiled at next month’s Geneva International Motor Show. Soon-Nam Lee, Director of Overseas Marketing, Kia Motors Corporation, said: ‘This new model is a big step forward. The Rio has always been successful, and with this new incarnation we have a car which is extremely attractive, that people will want to buy for its looks.’ And the new model certainly looks infinitely more striking than its predecessor, even if Kia’s assertion that the Rio ‘combines European finesse with Korean spice to create a form language that communicates Latin flair’ is probably stretching the hyperbole a bit too far. The changes in dimensions convey the new Rio’s enhanced proportions and stance. Its wheelbase has grown by 70 mm to 2,...

Don’t think that paying £343,000 for a Lexus LFA is enough? Then the Nürburgring Package, which makes its first public appearance at next month’s Geneva International Motor Show, will solve that particular problem. Costing an astonishing £55,000, the Nürburgring Package has been developed to give the LFA a more track-orientated focus. A revised front splitter and rear spoiler add extra aerodynamic downforce, while tweaks to the suspension together with different wheels and tyres improve mechanical grip. Oh, and the 4.8 litre V10 engine has received a barely perceptible increase from 552 bhp (412kW / 560PS) to 562 bhp (419 kW / 569 PS). Out of the entire LFA production run of 500 cars, the Nürburgring Package will only be available on a maximum of fifty examples. Buyers can choose from black, white and orange paint colours or, if they have an extra £15,000 to get rid of, they might want to go for the matt black finish instead. And that yet again highlights the trouble with the ...

The 2011 Chicago Auto Show has seen plenty of performance car debuts, including the Cadillac CTS-V Black Diamond Edition , Shelby GT350 Convertible and Dodge Charger SRT8 . Despite gloomy economic conditions and ever-increasing oil prices, it looks like the American manufacturers have an emerging confidence. Their message seems to be that people might have an ultra-efficient hybrid or range-extender for everyday use but, while they still can, some of them want to occasionally enjoy V8 power too. Chevrolet has also joined in, unveiling the range-topping Camaro ZL1 in Chicago. Taking its name from a limited run of Camaros built in 1969 with all-aluminium racing engines, the new ZL1 features the same 6.2 litre (376 cubic inch) V8 motor that powers the current SS spec Camaro, but with a few fundamental differences. A sixth-generation intercooled Eaton supercharger, high-strength pistons and heat-resistant cylinder heads all combine to lift output from the 426 bhp (317 kW / 431 PS) o...

When the all-new Dodge Charger was announced last October, there was one thing absent from the range: a high performance SRT version. That omission has now been remedied with unveiling of the Charger SRT8 at the Chicago Auto Show, which opens to the public on 11 February. As expected, power comes from a Hemi V8, although capacity has been enlarged to 6.4 litres (392 cubic inches) allowing it to now produce 465 bhp (346 kW / 471 PS). Torque has risen too, with 630 Nm (465 lb/ft) available. Consequently, Dodge estimates that the Charger SRT8 should be good for a sub-five second 0-60 mph (96 km/h) time and a 175 mph (281 km/h) top speed. The engine is hooked up to a W5A580 five-speed automatic gearbox which, for the first time on an SRT vehicle, comes with paddle shifters. For those not keen on such innovations, the good news is that a floor-mounted gear stick remains. Although no fuel consumption figures have been released, Dodge is keen to emphasise the mileage-enhancing fe...

Land Rover’s stand at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show will include the not very succinctly named Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition. Promoted as being ‘the most luxurious Range Rover ever’, the specification suggests that it’s aimed at those who prefer to be driven, rather than drive themselves. In the back, the usual bench is ditched in favour of two individual electric seats, between which is a centre console featuring a machined aluminium laptop table and drinks chiller. Land Rover even throws in a couple of Apple iPads as standard. Naturally, the seats are covered in leather, as are the door casings and the dashboard top. The opulent effect is completed by Kalahari wood veneers. Not even the luggage compartment escapes the luxury treatment, with its floor getting a yacht-inspired teak covering. On the outside, two unique paint colours - Roussillon Red and Otago Stone - are available, and exclusive 20” multi-spoke alloy wheels are fitted. The side vents...

Buick has announced a ‘light’ hybrid version of its Vauxhall / Opel Insignia-based Regal. Dubbed eAssist, the system combines a 2.4 litre four cylinder Ecotec engine, six-speed automatic transmission, lithium-ion battery pack, electric motor and regenerative braking. The claimed result is 25% better fuel economy, with estimated EPA city and highway ratings of 26 mpg US (31.2 mpg UK / 9.0 l/100km) and 37 mpg US (44.4 mpg UK / 6.4 l/100km) respectively. However, the electric motor isn’t intended to propel the car on its own. Rather, its 15 bhp (11 kW / 15 PS) is there to assist during acceleration, plus the system allows for fuel cut-off during deceleration and automatic engine shutdown when the Regal is stopped. Located behind the rear seats, the lithium-ion battery pack and its the integrated power inverter do eat into luggage space, but there’s still 314 litres (11.1 cubic feet) left available. The electric induction motor / generator meanwhile is attached to the engine, taki...

Peugeot is to debut a refreshed version of its 308 Hatchback, CC convertible and SW estate at next month’s Geneva International Motor Show. Thankfully, the opportunity has been taken to reduce the size of the front grille. It’s still ample, but at least it’s not the gaping monstrosity of the pre-facelift car. Other styling changes are limited to revised headlights and the fitment of the now de rigueur LED daytime running lights. Specifications have also been rejigged, with Access, SR, Active and Allure trim levels available across all body styles. Additionally, Hatchback and CC buyers can order their 308 in GT THP 200 guise, which is powered by a 197 bhp (147 kW / 200 PS) 1.6 litre twin-scroll turbo engine. Standard equipment is now more generous, with all models featuring six airbags, remote central locking, electric windows front and rear, air conditioning, electronic stability programme, brake force distribution and brake assist. The engine line-up has been revised too, w...