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I make no secret of what I think about the BMW X6. It is a car of compromise, a great big oxymoron that tries to bring two opposite ends of the spectrum together resulting a car that, in my opinion at least, is distinctly average. Wearing a BMW badge it is not good enough to be average. It tries to be both a coupe and an SUV, but the shape compromises practicality. It tries to be a high riding car and an sports car, but there is too much mass for it to gain a sporty feel. It also rides too harshly for a car of this size. Looks are subjective, but in my eyes it really is ugly. Sorry BMW, you make some excellent cars but this isn’t one of them. However, you can’t argue with the BMW X6’s sales figures that have seen over 250,000 of them sold globally. Clearly there is a market for the car and so the 2015 BMW X6 is on its way.
The all-new 2015 BMW X6 retains its slightly elephant man look, but an aggressive front end makes it more palatable. Built alongside the very accomplished new X5, bolder design lines and more intricate bumpers bring it inline with the updated BMW family look. The new car is slightly bigger than the outgoing model and offers 10 litres more luggage capacity. Petrol and diesel engines will be available from launch but the most spritely of the three is the xDrive50i. Powered by a 4.4 litre V8 engine, total output comes to 443BHP and 480lb ft of torque. 0-62MPH is completed in 4.8 seconds.
The 2015 BMW X6 goes on sale in December from £51,150.
If you buy an expensive car to stand out, the last thing you want to see is the very same machine parked next to you after emerging from a casino in Monaco. Many prestige car brands have opened new customisation divisions that will create a car bespoke to you, for the right price of course. McLaren Special Operations has been around for a few years now and has created some impressive pieces of kit, but now with the McLaren 650S at their disposal they have built one of the worlds most evil look cars. McLaren Special Operations 650S Will Eat Your Children.
Designed to be an expression of what McLaren Special Operations can do for any new 650S owner, this unique supercar features paintwork that changes colour dependant what angle you view it from. The rear end receives a new carbon fibre diffuser inspired by the 12C’s GT3 efforts as well as new carbon detailing on the wing and side blades. Inside, this McLaren Special Operations 650S possesses a set of carbon racing seats similar to those found in its bigger brother, the P1.
Performance remains unchanged and so that means 641BHP from a twin-turbo 3.8 litre V8 engine. The 650S is good for a 0-60MPH sprint in 3 seconds flat. McLaren Special Operations will be happy to tailor either your 650S coupe or convertible.
As every car manufacturer looks to extend their marketshare, expansion into areas where they don’t currently exist is a good way to go about it. This sometimes results in some brands taking on competitors that they wouldn’t usually in any other circumstance. In Beijing a new concept car from VW may see them battle the likes of Mercedes for sales. As more “everyday” manufacturers attempt to move upmarket, it is the premium brands that are beginning to feel the squeeze. Volkswagen NMC Concept to take on Mercedes CLA.
Based upon the VW MQB platform, this is the Volkswagen NMC. The rather seductive saloon has a prominent stance that makes it stand out from other models in the Germans range. It still retains that VW family resemblance, but is clearly from the upper classes of the motor world. Wearing some snazzy alloy wheels and a contrasting roof panel, it looks the part. Seating 5 the NMC retains much of the practicality of the Jetta it shares components with. The engine for this concept car is a 2.0 litre petrol unit which produces 217BHP. Sitting below the CC, the Volkswagen NMC may be a concept car for now, but it is highly likely to see production.
The Ford Escort was an absolute peoples champion in Europe. Introduced in 1968, the Escort succeeded the Ford Anglia and proved to be a real benchmark in its segment. All-in-all there were six generations of this car that not only saw fame in the showroom, but also in motorsport. Cosworth tuned variations became the stuff of legends and were so popular that more were reported stolen than were ever sold. However, production ended in 2002 and the nameplate has not been seen again since it was replaced by the Focus. The Ford Escort Returns!
Ford are breathing new life into the Escort, although not for the European market. The growing automotive sector in China has presented a prime opportunity for the blue oval to revive the name and use it to do battle as a new compact saloon. Its design is simple and clean but some chrome trim does add a bit of class to it. Powered by a 1.5 litre petrol engine, Ford say that is car is aimed at people who are looking for practicality and prioritise safety. Making its debut at the 2014 Beijing motor show, Ford could well be onto a winner for developing markets.
The Chinese luxury car market loves big saloons. Be it a British Rolls-Royce or a long wheelbase Audi A8, being chauffeured around in something with a premium badge on its nose highlights your status. So what better place for BMW to hint at what is next for its 7 Series. Under a lot of pressure from the brilliant new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, to compete the new 7 must be innovative and cutting edge. BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept is the 2015 7 Series.
At the Beijing motor show BMW have unveiled the Vision Future Luxury Concept, a car that suggests what is to come in 2015 with the introduction of a new 7 Series. The long slender profile has clearly been influenced by last years Gran Lusso Coupe which impressed with its visuals. This concept features many creases and body lines to convey a sense of monition along its long wheelbase. Opening the doors, of with two are suicide doors, the vast interior seats four. The amount of wood and pale colours creates a very natural tone for the highly sculpted features to seamlessly blend into the architecture.
The BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept utilises lightweight carbon fibre in its construction, something that we will likely see translate into the production car.
When some people go out and buy a car they like to make a statement. Many choose according to what they perceive to be a prestige brand, others make a purchase to rival what their neighbour owns. Then you have BMW X6 customers… Years later we still don’t know what their intentions were when buying a big 4X4 that tries to look like a coupe and is completely impractical as a result, but the fact is some people went out and bought them. Now Mercedes are to join this segment in an act of what we can only describe as the blind leading the blind. Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe SUV Makes Beijing Debut.
The Mercedes-Benz Concept Coupe is a preview of the German’s up and coming MLC model due next year. As mentioned, it rivals the BMW X6 and so naturally carries an OTT visual assault to the senses. With strong body lines as seen on the CLA and a bulbous buttocks as seen on a hippopotamus, we are not sold on its design. But then what do we know as non-X6 owners? Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0 litre V6 engine, the Concept Coupe SUV produces 328BHP and 354lb ft of torque. Its gearbox has 9 forward speeds and sends power to all four wheels. The MLC is, as the name suggests, will be based upon the Mercedes-Benz ML.
I wrote a while ago how the hot hatchback wars of the 1980’s and 90’s had come back with vengeance. You see, whilst people don’t have lots of money to spend on big expensive cars, the fast practical hatch becomes a very viable alternative to have some fun on the way to work. The battling brands of Renault, VW, Ford, and Seat have been locked in a game of oneupmanship for years now, all hoping to become THE hot hatch kingpin. With Honda’s new Civic Type-R not far away, Volkswagen has gone a bit… Rambo. Volkswagen Golf R400 Hottest Hatch EVER!
Todays very best hot hatchbacks seem to constantly push the power envelope. Around 300BHP has become the benchmark, but in Beijing VW have unveiled something of a monster. This is the Volkswagen Golf R400 and it produces a staggering 395BHP! That is an astonishing level of grunt to put in something the size of a Golf. 0-62MPH is blitzed in just 3.9 seconds and it will go on to do 190MPH. This little machine is a supercar in disguise! All of this potential comes from a 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder engine. Inside the interior has a more aggressive racing theme to it but retains all five seats.
Better than all of those numbers is the fact that at the end of the day it is still a VW Golf and so is practical and reliable. Officially the Volkswagen Golf R400 is a concept car, but it could well see production in limited numbers.
A lot of big names are celebrating milestone moments this year. You have both the Mazda MX-5 and Land Rover Discovery hitting 25 years, the legendary BMW M5 reaching the big 3-0 and Maserati turning 100 years old. Another nameplate of note that has a big Birthday to mark is the Ford Mustang. This year it is 50 years old and has not only endured, but also become one of America’s biggest selling cars. Obviously the Ford Mustang 50th Anniversary Edition car had to become a reality at some point.
Galloping onto the show floor is the 2015 Ford Mustang 50th Anniversary Edition, a car that will only number 1,964 to honour the year it was produced. Based upon the 5.0 litre Mustang GT fastback, it receives additional chrome trim, lowered three-quarter windows like the original and various special edition badges. Power is boosted via Ford’s performance pack meaning there is 414BHP and 390lb ft of torque on tap. 19 inch alloy wheels conceal uprated brakes. The interior gets unique logos and a new steering wheel.
Although the new Mustang is coming to Europe, it is highly unlikely that this special edition car will ever make it into the UK.
The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is quite the machine. This long bonneted and gullwing equipped car not only looked every part the modern grand tourer, but also went like a bat out of hell! Alas, all good things must come to an end and the SLS is seeing out its production run with a Final Edition model. Powered by a 583BHP V8 engine, it is not going off into the sunset without causing a scene. However, the question of what will replace it soon comes to mind… The Mercedes-AMG GT begins to show itself.
Today at the New York auto show Mercedes-Benz announced a few key things about their new flagship model. Firstly, and very controversially, the car will drop the “Benz” part of its name parting with tradition and instead adopt Mercedes-AMG in its title. This is the second AMG developed sports car Mercedes are producing and the name change is to highlight that further. Named Mercedes-AMG GT, the cars interior has been shown for the first time featuring a dominant centre stack and body hugging seats. Finished in carbon fibre and masses of leather, it all looks very smart, as you would expect the very best of Mercedes to be.
The finished article will be revealed and go on sale by the end of this year.
The Mazda MX-5 is one of the worlds very few honest cars. It has no hidden agendas, not multi-rolls to fulfil. It simply exists to be a pure driving experience that promotes everything that you would expect from a well sorted sports car. This year the Mazda MX-5 celebrates 25 years since the original MK1. Over three generations the little convertible has been an utter joy to those who love driving, but with an all-new model coming in 2015, we are eager to see what Mazda have in store. All-New 2015 Mazda MX-5 Previewed.
At the 2014 New York motor show Mazda are displaying our first glimpse of the all-new 2015 Mazda MX-5. The naked drivetrain shows its compact design and a new four cylinder Skyactiv engine. With 50:50 weight distribution and a keen eye on weight saving, Mazda want to make this MX-5 one of the most agile sports cars on the market. The new car is said to hark back to many of the original cars driving principles including a target weight of around 1,000KG.
We will see the complete car by the end of 2014 to go on sale the following year. We can’t wait to see what the next incarnation has for us!
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