September 19, 2012

Nissan Terra Sees Hydrogen As The Future

In a world where we are going to run out of the worlds most used resource, oil, you would think the boffins would hurry up and create a solution to our dependance on the black stuff. Whatever your opinion on the environment it will be an issue that we all have to address as fuel cost sore. Hydrogen power has many benefits including zero emissions other than water and the fact that hydrogen is an abundant source in our universe. Nissan made big strides with the Leaf but now want to combine that technology with another that is likely to find its way into your car at some point in the future.

Named the Nissan Terra Concept, this all wheel drive crossover uses an electric motor derived from the Leaf to power the front wheels and two smaller electric motors to power the rear wheels individually. The revolution comes from the implementation of a hydrogen powered engine that in turn powers the electric motors. Other interesting features found on this rather angular concept are a set of suicide doors as well as seats that appear to have come from the USS Enterprise.

2012 Honda CR-V 2.2 i-DTEC EX

In 1995 Honda revealed to the world the future in a new model named CR-V. Little did they know then what a runaway success this “soft roader” segment of the market would be. Today every mum on the school run or pensioner picking up their grandchildren has such a car, and through three generation the CR-V has led the pack. From its debut MK1 model to the MK3 Honda have sold 5 Million units world wide. Fantastic, but the problem for Honda’s engineers this time around was how to improve on an already successful formula? The market has become flooded with some tough competitors but the CR-V has always done very well within its target audience. We went to Germany to find out if one of Japans engineering superpowers can keep its SUV crown.

Not available in the UK until late October, the new Honda CR-V is a vehicle with high levels of polish, particularly in our top spec EX trim test car. Aesthetically it demands more of your attention than its predecessor thanks to a sloping roofline and stylistic windows. It isn’t imposing but it does really stand out amongst what would be considered its competitors. From the outset it presents itself as a premium looking 4X4 and inside the cabin this continues. The dashboard is clean and simple with tasteful detailing. Seating in this car deserves general all-round praise as not only do the rear units collapse at one pull of a strap, but the seats themselves proved high levels of comfort and support. The interior roofline is 8mm taller, not much you say, but it does go a long way to make this CR-V feel spacious. The much desired high driving position is complimented by a large front windscreen adding to already good levels of visibility. The boot is vast and more than capable of swallowing a months worth of shopping with room to spare. With the rear seats folded flat you can fit three full size mountain bikes in the back as well as one passenger thanks to its class leading capacity.  Everything you touch in the cabin is typical Honda, by that I mean it feels solid. You know that every screw will be up to doing its current job 10, 20, even 30 years from now and this is something this company has been very good at doing for decades.

 

Starting up the cars 2.2 litre diesel is a prominent reminder of how far the oiler burners have come. Gone are the days of canalboat sound effects and black smoke, a refined hum is all that lets you know that the motor is running. Setting off it was immediately clear that this engine provides plenty of low end grunt. High torque levels combined with four wheel drive meant that the relatively heavy car was more than capable of surging up the autobahn. Wind and tyre noise was kept in check throughout and toys such as cruise control added to the refinement this car offers on long hauls. The manual gearbox, however, was a bit clunky at times and required a firm grip of the gear knob to avoid embarrassingly bouncing back into neutral. Some of this can be blamed on the very low millage the car had done, but it did leave us questioning if it could just be the design of the gearbox itself. Moving onto more demanding country roads the CR-V again impressed with plenty of grip and a chassis that can tolerate the tarmac when things get twisty. The suspension at first seemed a little firm at higher speeds but pottering around towns it appeared to absorb bumps and stray potholes well. Steering inputs were met with adequate responses but feedback from the road to the driver was limited. Parking such a big car is always a challenge to do well but the CR-V has a few tricks up its sleeve. Front and rear parking sensors team up with a display screen giving you a visualisation of just how close the nose the car may be to an object. The reversing camera keeps a watchful eye out for the rear end whilst the door mirrors angle themselves downward so you can see just how far from the curb you are. This car really is very good at making day to day tasks much less tedious. Honda say that the 2.2 lite i-DTEC of this car is good for 45MPG, not bad at all for its class and something that will be most welcome to buyers as the cost of fuel continues to rise.

 

 

Conclusion. The new Honda CR-V is a very competent crossover. It feels much more akin to driving a car as opposed to a 4X4 and considering the sort of people who will go and buy this that can only be a good thing. It might not provide the most enthralling experience amongst its rivals but it does cover more bases and to a higher standard than most. This CR-V can stand proud amongst its highly successful forefathers safe in the knowledge that  it to is sure add to more than 142 global awards the nameplate already has.

Sketchy Reports of Suzuki’s New S-Cross Concept

With the eagerly anticipated Paris Motor show on the horizon, the usual hubbub of activity from manufacturers across the world has already begun in earnest, accompanied by the obligatory drip-feed of press releases. It is now time for Suzuki to show their hand but they have remained firmly poker-faced over their latest creation.

What we can reveal is that Suzuki will be handing a world debut to a brand new crossover concept named the S-Cross in Paris this September. Presumably aimed at a similar audience as the steady if not spectacular SX4, few other nuggets of information can be gleaned at present besides the “Emotion x Quality x Aerodynamics” design theme, which Suzuki say is supposed to suggest stability and solidity whilst “creating a cutting-edge crossover look”. It would have been awfully decent of them to provide us with a proper glimpse of this intriguing notion, but instead all we can pass on to you is a lovingly drawn sketch straight from the designer’s note pad and a sinister, gloomy picture taken in the deepest, darkest corner of the workshop. Still, if they want to keep us in suspense, we’re quite happy to play the waiting game.

Nevertheless, we expect to hear more from Suzuki in the coming month and will bring you more details and images as soon as we get our hands on them.

 

 

Audi SQ5 TDI To Take On Diesel M Cars

Audi and BMW have been at each others throats from day one. Like two siblings with an extreme rivalry, one does not like to be outdone by the other. BMW has recently opened up its world famous M car division to diesel engines. The performance badge has already churned out a range of cars powered by a triplet of turbos fused to an oil-burner. Audi have stepped up to unveil their first performance diesel named the SQ5.

Based upon the Q5, the SQ5 TDI is the first diesel in Audi’s range to posses an S badge and a diesel motor. The motor in question is a twin-turbo 3.0 lire that produces 313BHP and an incredible 479lb-ft of torque. The premium soft-roader will complete the 0-62MPH dash in 5 seconds flat and go onto an electronically limited top speed of 155MPH. Swapping cogs comes courtesy of an 8 speed Tiptronic transmission.

The SQ5 will arrive in European dealerships in early 2013.

New Audi Q5 Gets All Supercharged About 2012

The premium crossover market is huge and with almost every brand having a stab at producing a class leading machine, the pecking order changes almost on a monthly basis. Audi, not wanting to lag behind bring the new 2012 Q5 to the forefront of the battle for the school run mums.

Though the exterior changes may be small, the effect they have on the overall packaging makes the Q5 a rather shiny penny. Going up against the refreshed X3, this new model had to bring more than just some new lights to the table. The Germans have equipped the 2012 model with a host of new engines that offer a wide range of capabilities. The top model diesel is powered by a 3.0 litre TDI V6 with more power than last year, and the top petrol is now a supercharged 3.0 litre V6 with 268BHP.

Audi RS Q3 Concept Is A Pocket Monster

It is almost like a comical competition between the Germans to see just who has the biggest portfolio. If you were to tell BMW that size doesn’t matter, their efforts with the X6 and 5 Series GT should shout back “we don’t care!” Audi has been vastly expanding their model range also and are now testing the water with a new concept car. Crossovers have flourished over the past few years but the four rings hope to bring to the market its first proper performance baby SUV.

This is the Audi RS Q3 Concept and it is what happens when the jacked-up A3 gets a little bit of performance love. Powered by a 2.5 litre turbocharged 5 cylinder that powers all four wheels, the RS Q3 will sprint from 0-62MPH in just 5.2 seconds. The rather butch looking machine packs 360BHP behind that menacing grill. Debuting in Beijing, Audi say it is just a concept car for now, but as always if enough interest is generated the car could hit showrooms very soon.

Facelifted BMW X1 Shows Itself

It happens to the best of them… That time when sales start to dip, competitors begin to close in and that once brand new model doesn’t look quite so fresh anymore. Remembering that developing a new car is no cheap affair, tweaking a model in its twilight can extend the lifespan greatly. BMW’s miniature SUV goes under the knife for 2012.

Also to be sold in the USA for the first time, the new BMW X1 receives styling alterations that gives it a more premium shine. The black plastics found on the grill have been replaced with chrome, the lights are now LED, and the cabin should please anyone looking to maintain an affluent appearance. Only two models will be available in the US to being with; the 2.0 litre turbo in-line four cylinder with 245BHP and the 306BHP 3.0 litre with all wheel drive.

The refreshed model will hit UK showrooms in May.

Hot Mini Countryman JCW Becomes Functioning Paradox

A paradox is the coming together of two things that should never be, for example traveling back in time and meeting yourself. If science fiction has taught us anything it is that paradoxes should be avoided at all costs. Actually sci-fi and BMW’s X6 have reinforced this come to think of it. So When the not so mini Mini actually because a functioning machine that we really liked, we were very surprised. Now it gets better…

This is the Mini Countryman JCW, or John Cooper Works to give it it’s full name. This rather angry looking motor is what you get when you turn the standard car up to 11. Its 1.6 litre turbo engine provides all fur wheels with 215BHP and 207lb-ft of torque. 0-62MPH is completed in just 7.1 seconds and the aggressive revisions to the bodywork makes sure people know about it. The cars top speed is 140MPH but the best part is its “overboost” function. Just like something out of Knight Rider, one push of a button gives you a further 14lb-ft of torque.

Want one? The Mini Countryman JCW hits showrooms this September for £27,800.

SsangYong Goes All Alfresco With New Concept

Out there in the big wide world there are a whole host of car manufacturers who make just about every form of motor you can think of. Luxury, sport, economy .etc, but when it comes to Korean badge SsangYong, they tend to fall into the bracket of “what are you doing?” With monstrosities such as the Rodius under its belt they have decided to launch a new offensive staring cars you might actually buy.

This is the SsangYong XIV-2 Concept, an evolution of last years XIV-1 concept car. The muscular curves that contribute to the cars stance could not be called unattractive and detailing on things such as the grill do give the car a slight premium demeanour. The XIV-2 features a retractable fabric panel allowing the interior to be flooded with natural light. Powered by a 1.6 litre diesel engine, the little crossover has got some potential.

Vauxhall Enters Crossover Market With Mokka

Everyone is jumping on the crossover markets bandwagon, and who can blame them. This segment is one of the fastest growing in the industry and all the usual suspects are out to beat off the competition. Even cars such as the ghastly Nissan Juke are thriving proving to all manufacturers that it is at least worth a shot. Vauxhall are next to throw their hat in with the new Mokka.

This baby SUV comes to the market with the options of both front and all wheel drive dependent upon your preference. The Mokka may not be the most extravert in its design language, but it is tastefully sculpted and wont look out of place in an urban environment. Power comes from a choice of three engines all equipped with start/stop technology. On the petrol side we have a 1.6 litre or a 1.4 turbo, and alternatively there is a higher capacity 1.7 in diesel form.

Expect the Mokka to hit the streets late 2012.