Road Magazine

Alfa Romeo Giulia Launched

Alfa Romeo have launched an all-new model, the Giulia. A compact executive saloon, the Alfa Romeo Giulia (say ‘Julia‘) has the Jaguar XE, Mercedes-Benz C-class and BMW 3-series in its sights. Having described the German competitors as ‘cold and clinical’, Alfa Romeo are determined to capture the more emotive space in this fiercely-competitive sector.     Showing its intent right from the start,…

Stretching the MINI identity in every sense, the Clubman is a 6-door hatchback aiming at C-segment competitors like the Ford Focus and VW Golf, but offering the unique characteristics and stylings of MINI. Very close in execution to the Clubman concept shown at Geneva last year, the Clubman now features conventional rear doors on both sides, with the inimitable twin rear doors retained.

    Gaining 100mm in wheelbase over the 5-door MINI hatchback, the Clubman is a full 270mm longer and 73mm wider than its hatchback sibling. This brings notable benefits to interior space. The Clubman is fully a 5-seat car, with a 360 litre boot (a Ford Focus offers 316 litres; a VW Golf 380). What the Clubman gains in size it loses in aesthetics, with some proportions and angles that might be described as ‘challenging’. The giant horizontal rear light clusters – a break from the traditional vertical – are suffocated by a very busy rear-end. If a badge delete option is offered, as with other MINI models, we suggest you tick that box.

    The Clubman will come in the typical three flavours: Cooper, Cooper D, and Cooper S (shown here), with the engines shared with its hatchback stablemates. Power outputs range from 136hp/220Nm for the Cooper, with the range-topping S offering 192hp and 280Nm. The Cooper D promises the highest efficiency metrics (68.9mpg combined; 109g/km CO2) and the highest torque figure, 330Nm. As well as a six-speed manual, the Clubman has an all-new ‘Steptronic’ eight-speed automatic transmission, replacing the previous six-speed auto unit. Expect this gearbox to be offered across the MINI range in the future. Its introduction is a result of platform-sharing with the 2-series Active Tourer, with which the Clubman shares its wheelbase.

Also making their debut for MINI on the Clubman are fully-electric seats (with memory function) and an electronic handbrake. The MINI Navigation System will  be standard across the Clubman range, matching the move by BMW to make sat-nav a standard feature. New colours and interior trim options will aid in MINI’s push further upmarket. The Clubman is the first car being the first car launched under MINI’s new brand logo (strangely absent from the car itself) and strategy.

    The MINI Clubman is available to order in the UK now, with first deliveries expected October 2015. Prices start from £19,995 for the Cooper Clubman. This means a near-£4000 leap from the 5-door hatch, which may be hard to justify. Against the likes of the Ford Focus Titanium or VW Golf Match the pricing makes more sense; but as ever with MINI, ticking a few options can see the price inflate rapidly. Whether the MINI Clubman is worth the premium or not is difficult to determine. Its C-segment rivals are not short on quality dynamics, equipment or brand strength. Where the Clubman will succeed is attracting customers looking to move up a size from a MINI hatchback. Sales figures will be the judge of the acceptance of the less-than-mini Clubman.

BMW have a history of bringing exciting concept cars to Italy’s premier Concours d’Elegance. After the M1 Hommage in 2008 and the 328 Hommage in 2011, BMW have re-interpreted the iconic ‘Batmobile’, the 1972 E9 3.0 CSL. Originally a homologation special, the E9 3.0 CSL used aluminium and plexiglas windows to shave a whopping 200kg off the 3.0 CS. Combined with giant wings, arches and fins that cemented its nickname, the car’s focus was success on the race track. Created by the BMW Design Team, the 3.0 CSL Hommage is described as ‘a tribute to… a timeless classic’.

    There are few technical details for the BMW 3.0 CSL Hommage. There is but a reference to a six-cylinder engine with ‘eBoost’, making the 3.0 CSL Hommage a hybrid. The press release focuses heavily on the styling, and why shouldn’t it? Finished in Golf Yellow (between Phoenix and Austin Yellow, with a dash more green), there are many elements clearly inspired by its 1970’s namesake – and others that are not so obvious. Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design, remarked “We wanted people to sense the family resemblance rather than see it straight off.” We’ll leave you to pore over the images and identify the similarities for yourselves.

    To live up to the ‘L’ in CSL (Coupe Sport Leichtbau / Coupe Sport Lightweight) there is extensive use of composite materials. Nowhere is this more apparent than the interior. BMW claim to have left all the carbon-fibre unpainted – which suggests the body panels are not carbon. The steering ‘wheel’ has been pared down to the absolute minimum. Two bucket seats feature six-point race harnesses, with rear view cameras replacing external mirrors. The only (slight) concession to form over function is the strip of wood arcing across the dash, a structural element being a nod to the original’s interior design. The motorsport heritage is represented in the smallest details, such as the vertically-parked windscreen wiper. The observant will note there are only two pedals – in a departure from the original, the 3.0 CSL Hommage has an automatic transmission, necessary for the hybrid powertrain that powers the rear wheels only.

    As with previous concepts, the 3.0 CSL Hommage is strictly a concept car and so won’t see production. It doesn’t stop us wishing for the return of the CSL badge however, last seen on the sublime E46 M3 CSL. Hopefully the 3.0 CSL Hommage will not be the last time we see those three letters on a BMW.

Goodbye to the UK Paper Driving Licence

For many, the forthcoming changes to the UK Driving Licence will be most welcome, if not widely broadcast. So here at Road Magazine we’re doing our bit to keep you informed. From Friday 8th June 2014 the paper counterpart to the UK Driver’s Licence will cease to be valid. No longer will there be frantic searches through gloveboxes and paperwork mountains for that green and pink A4 page that…

Chevrolet’s New Camaro Revealed

GM have taken the wraps off the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. The new Camaro aims to go toe-to-toe with the latest Ford Mustang.

One of the most striking things about the all-new Camaro is, in fact, the dimensions – for the 6th-gen car is actually smaller in length, width and height than the outgoing car. It’s very rare indeed these days for a car to get smaller. The classic proportions…

The Aston Martin Vulcan

Aston Martin presented a breathtaking track-only supercar, the Vulcan, ahead of the Geneva Motor Show.

    Naming your car after an iconic strategic bomber is a brave move, but Aston Martin has ensured the car can live up to its airborne counterpart. Providing the howl will be a 7.0-litre, naturally aspirated V12, said to produce in excess of 800bhp. The Vulcan does without the aid of electric…

Nissan Pulsar DIG-T Review

Introduced in 1978, the Nissan Pulsar was made to rival the likes of the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Fiesta and the Toyota Corolla. However, in 2000, the Pulsar name was axed and since then Nissan has had no mid-sized hatchback. In 2013, the Pulsar name was back, and it was built from the ground-up to rival the VW Golf, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Hyundai i30.

  Our Nissan Pulsar test vehicle came…

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept Unveiled at Geneva

As if there wasn’t enough to look forward to at a jam-packed Geneva Motor Show, Bentley have dropped a bombshell in the form of the sensational EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept. As with the Ford GT that stormed Detroit, there have been no ‘leaks’ and previews, making its impact all the greater.

    The EXP 10 Speed 6 is a two-seat sportscar that, according to the Crewe-based manufacturer, is “one vision…

Transcend DrivePro 200 Review

We live in a world where verbal evidence isn’t enough to justify certain situations we may be involved in such as car accidents. Instead, we’re required to do the detective work ourselves to justify right from wrong through photographic and videographic evidence. This raises a question – how do you start your journey prepared in case of inevitability and prove yourself from any wrongdoing?

  The…

The Hyundai ix35 is Hyundai’s answer to the likes of the Nissan Qashqai, Mazda CX5 and the Ford Kuga. Since its release, it’s won award after award from the press. Believe it or not, the Hyundai ix35 is the work of ex-BMW design head Thomas Buerkle. There’s no doubt it looks good in the flesh, in fact, it can outdo rivals from Nissan and Mazda based on looks alone.

    What engine options are…

4WD for the New Ford Focus RS

The Focus RS returns for a third iteration, and (finally) features four-wheel drive. Revealed ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut, the Focus RS comes hot on the heels of the Ford GT, which is also being overseen by Ford Performance.

    The Focus RS gets a modified version of the 2.3 litre EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder found the Mustang, with power to be “in excess of 320 PS”. With so…

Previewed as the ‘Concept-cX’ at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007, the Mitsubishi ASX was Mitsubishi’s attempt at penetrating the small-SUV and crossover market. Since then, the ASX has become somewhat of a success, selling thousands of units across the globe. With its latest facelift, the ASX is still fresher than ever, hoping to penetrate that market even further.

    What engine options are…

New Ford GT steals the show at Detroit

The all-new Ford GT has been revealed at the Detroit Motor Show – and it’s sensational!

    Finished looking at the pictures? No? We understand. Social media is ablaze with the incredible images of the Ford GT, made all the better for staying hidden for so long. For once, there have been no ‘leaked’ images, teasers, spy shots or previews – somehow the Ford GT has been kept entirely hidden from an…

    The Nomad has an exposed chassis-cum-roll-over structure that is unmistakably Ariel. So too are the beautiful engineering details and functional minimalism. All the bodywork is formed from ‘damage resistant’ plastics and composites. Don’t worry about getting the Nomad all muddy – you can simply hose the car down, as the interior is waterproof. If the rain and mud does trouble you, a full lightweight weather package is available. There’s even a heated windscreen. The immensely stiff powder-coated, bronze-welded frame can be the colour of your choice, so too the body panels.

    In fact the Nomad is hugely configurable – from fast road to competition-spec rally and off-road, the Nomad offers everything you could think of, and much more. Each customer can meet the technician that builds their Nomad to tailor it exactly to their needs. Choose from wheels of 15” to 18” in diameter, with every type of on- and off-road tyre you could imagine, even paddle tyres for sand and dunes. Winches, lamps, underbody protection, whip aerials – you really can make the Ariel Nomad into the life-sized remote-control buggy of your dreams. There are also more competition-focused options, including data logging, adjustable brake bias, MSA-approved plumbed-in fire extinguishers and battery cut-off. Ariel want to see the Nomad competing a wide range of motorsport, and can provide all the tools necessary. Perhaps the most unusual and yet most alluring option is ‘IVA test’ – oh yes indeed, you could take your Nomad on the public highway.

    Powering the Ariel Nomad is a 2.4-litre, 4-cylinder Honda K24 i-VTEC unit mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. The engine is related to the proven aluminium unit found in the Atom, but a longer stroke and other tweaks provide more accessible torque for off-road use. 300Nm at 4,300prm is the result, with peak power being 235bhp at 7,200rpm. With just 670kg to propel, the standard Nomad can sprint to 60mph in just 3.4 seconds – on tarmac. The various wheel/tyre choices will of course impact on that figure. The Nomad is rear-wheel drive only – but the low weight and wheel-in-each-corner design means that a lack of (heavy) four-wheel drive should not hinder the Nomad’s cross-terrain credentials. Moving the suspension outboard provides the necessary ample travel, on top a generous 300mm of ground clearance.

    With the 2015 edition of the Dakar Rally in progress, the Ariel Nomad offers a unique and exhilarating way to indulge in any arising off-road fantasies. Ariel say you could even compete with the Nomad in the Dakar itself. Prices start from £33,000 incl. VAT, with production expected to start around April/May 2015. Like the Atom, Ariel expects production will be limited to around 100 examples each year. Best get in quick then – no doubt the waiting list is going to be long. Not since the original Atom has a car promised so much driving fun. Ariel boss Simon Saunders says “If we can put a smile on people’s faces, on road or off it, we have done our job.” On looks alone, it’s a job very well done indeed. I suspect there will be few road tests we will be more excited about this year. Now, Tamiya, about a 1/10th scale RC version…

New Honda NSX to appear January 12th 2015

After what seems like an eternity to all sports car fans, Honda have announced that the production ready model of the new Honda NSX will finally be unveiled on January 12th 2015. The new NSX – to be displayed under Honda’s North American ‘Acura’ brand – will make its world debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show.

  In order to further moisten the already rabidly salivating glands…

Hitting the streets in 2001, the Nissan X-Trail was quick to take the crown from the Honda CR-V and the Hyundai Santa Fe. Since 2001, there has been three generations of the X-Trail where each have been incredibly successful in sales. For 2014,  we now have the third generation Nissan X-Trail, which boasts more space, comfort, refinement and most importantly, efficiency. So it seems the new…