lagonda

tditd

Finally, a dab of oppo

Finally. Someone in the motoring press has realised that driving enjoyment is about how fun you go, not just how fast. In the November Evo, Chris Harris, quite rightly, questions the faster = better performance car culture. As with processor speed and hard drive space in the world of computers, bhp & 0-60 were only ever an arbitrary indicator of which car goodest (sic), and have become ever more irrelevant in recent years.

He points out that faster has become useless on the public highway – correct; that a lot of the high tech wizardry that festoons the modern performance car aids speed, but reduces enjoyment – agreed; and that we need to redefine what constitutes a performance car and what it's market is – no argument here.

Where I disagree is that he lays the responsibility for the current state of affairs solely at the feet of the marketeers (abetted by the engineers). I can't help but feel that someone's missing here: the motoring press, specifically the 'dab of oppo', 8 minute 'Ring time, 'enthusiast' car journos who at the very least have been cheerleaders to this whole process, pushing back the frontiers of epic hyperbole in their efforts to heap praise on the latest product of this culture.

I used to be a fan, and grew up reading Clarkson in the original Performance Car, subsisted on Autocar, Motor etc. But inevitably we grew apart, I can even recall when I first realised this: some years ago one of the mags, in a test of a 911 RS GT2 or somesuch, had a pull quote to the effect of '150mph feels like 50mph' in a tone of breathy excitement, as if this were a Good Thing. Which it might well be, on the racetrack, or engaged in some life-saving, continent crossing profession that precludes flying (struggling to think what that might be, but whoever you are – Porsche's got your back.) To me, that just sounded like you had to go three times as fast to have the same amount of fun, which didn't sound very much like progress at all.

Many of today's cars have so much power and so grip that to enjoy them on public roads means driving like a colossal... idiot. A corollary of this arms race is that most of the core driving functions can no longer be safely left to dim-witted organic bit plonked behind the wheel without electronic intervention. Quite right too; the current M5 famously has 507bhp – and that seems normal, relatively. But let's really think about that for a moment. Now further imagine it without belt and braces traction & stability control: at which point the idea of a mass produced, 507bhp, 2WD(!) saloon becomes ludicrous. In a parallel universe one can imagine such devices being banned after a series of high profile tragedies.

My other problem is that this culture is not confined to performance cars. A few years ago the standard Autocar road test was revised to include an 'On The Limit' section, complete with pictures. This might relevant in tests of explicitly sporty or performance cars but, say, the Perodua Myvi? Probably less so.... (and I can probably guess anyway: epic understeer before falling over?) In just about any modern car, the stability control kicks in before the fun does. In a mates' diesel A3 doing a well over a tonne was far too easy – and boring (thankfully I was in Germany at the time so no licence harm done.) The damping on my parents Volvo V50 is pretty good, so much so that it almost compensates for the lurches, bangs & crashes caused by the rock hard ride – because apparently these days, even Volvo estates must be 'sporty'.

New Ford Ka

looks like Ford realised the new Ka isn't up to snuff

aston martin cygnet

confirmed for production

Why Lotus is wrong

**short version for newcarnet**


Having never owned one or contributed to the company's bottom line in any other significant manner, I cannot claim to be a Lotus purist despite holding the marque in great affection. And I'm sure if everyone complaining about them abandoning their core values was an owner, a reinvention wouldn't be necessary – but it is.

Announcing an 1800kg Lotus just as a 999kg Lambo is unveiled is not great timing - but isn't their biggest problem. I'm sure the Lotus name resonates with those who have no familiarity with Colin Chapman or his engineering philosophy, so there is potential to exploit. I still don't hold with the Porsche Cayenne, but any fool could see it was going to sell like hotcakes.

The designs themselves are a little underwhelming, and the 'same sausage, different lengths' strategy doesn't help this; but this isn't their biggest problem either.

No, their biggest problem is that whilst the new range may bring in a whole new demographic, it's by definition three years away - and seems to be at the expense of their customer base. A potential Elise customer may decide to go for one of the final 'old-school' Lotuses but is probably more likely to hold out for the new one. And if the new Elan really is 'the only car you'll ever need' (surely a strange tagline when relaunching a complete range?) and a 2+2, why buy an Evora at all? (worse yet – what if you've just taken delivery of one?)

The other major issue is that, in a single stroke, they've unveiled what must (surely??) be their entire product plan for the next 5 years – a very public commitment. Given their troubled history, surely Lotus insiders could have predicted the scepticism that's greeted this highly ambitious plan; given that same history, would it not have been better to underpromise and overdeliver? Let us hope it doesn't end up the other way around.

Finally the idea that - a) six new Lotus concepts would not attract sufficient media attention without a celebrity garnish, and b) that Naomi Campbell, Brian May, Stephen Baldwin & Mickey Rourke were the answer to this particular conundrum - is probably both a sad indictment of our celeb obsessed culture and the PR's competence.

Besides it's over the next few years when they have bugger-all new to show that they really will need a celeb distraction...

Paris 2010

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evoke

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week of 11th June

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bookmark 4th june

Citroen C4 first reaction

bookmark 31st may

I have a dream.... future hybrids

Land Rover LRX spyshots

The LRX is anticipated to make it's public debut at Paris later this year, before going on sale next year - and the first spy shots of the near finished article (as opposed earlier mules) have appeared (BTW like the novel camo vinyls, which seem to be mash up of a map of Scandinavia / Russia.) So how much does the production item differ from the original concept? On the face of it, not much at all.

The first thing that strikes you is how little the fundamentals have changed: the proportions, stance and major surfaces have all made it through pretty much unscathed. How much of a 'preview' concept this was is something a only a few are privy to, but just how much of the concept's feel has been retained is a pleasant surprise - especially the stance: it remains to be seen just how big those wheels are, but at least they're in proportion (though this might be cold comfort when you see your first Kwik-fit bill...)

Image credit: Autoblog / KGP Photography

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/spy-shots-2012-land-rover-lrx/#2990175

Unfortunately the rear 3/4 shot is blurred as the LR testers made their escape, but some things can be determined. The basic proportions and arrangement of the tail is carried over, but the lip of the lower moulding is more pronounced, but this is to be expected as it will in essence function as the rear bumper. Even so, with the short overhang an awful lot of rear wheel is exposed - not much fun to follow on a wet motorway, and more exposed to damaged in the event of a crash? Thinking about it, if it's rear ended by anything with a vaguely low nose it liable to be 'submarined'.

That the concepts flush glazing and glazed C-pillar haven't made it is no surprise, but the omission of the tailgate spoiler is: maybe it will appear on certain trim levels only. Some practical furniture has of course been added: rear wiper, hatch release, fuel filler and rear reflectors. The exterior mirrors are nondescript and the door handles are very similar or the same as those already used elsewhere in the range.

Image credit Autoblog / KGP Photograph

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/spy-shots-2012-land-rover-lrx/#2990173 

As elsewhere, most of the details on the concept have made it through to production; these include the lower front quarter intakes (circled yellow.) Although taped over, it can just be discerned that the inner corner still echoes the nested faux-sump guard, and hopefully there are driving or daylight running lights are also retained - certainly the surfacing has been. The faux-sump guard and the main grille have both had extra cooling area added, and one hopes the radiator won't be so prominent in the finished version. The increase intake area has reduced the surface area between upper and lower intakes, which may well be a good thing: it has plenty of road presence - as opposed to being downright scary in the rear view mirror. (Is it me, or as is in the spyshots does it look like the CUV Darth would drive?... ;-P )

It also looks like the bonnet vents have made it through (ringed in blue), something I confess to being a little ambivalent about: wasn't a fan when they really were made of metal, and don't think they'll be improved by rendering them in chrome-effect plastic.

One area that is well disguised is the lower silhouette & lip of the headlights - hopefully the excellent solution used in the concept has been retained. The exposed wheelarch liner is also present, even down to the central 'tuft' on the axle line, circled black.

The major area of concern is the bonnet shutline - in the spyshots the panel gap looks pretty horrific, one hopes it's just a pre-production issue, but it looks like the finalised panel bar the Land Rover script. Although clam shell bonnets are currently in vogue - thanks to pedestrian safety regs. - Land Rover are old hands at this (the original Range Rover was 40 years ago) so it's hardly likely to be unfamiliarity. They may be trying emulate a solution employed on the original Audi TT: making the bonnet shutline dominant with a light catching surface above, making the eye read the nose as being lower than it is. Whilst this clever solution was needed on the TT to add a little tension, the LRX already has a well defined stance as is. 


Behind the front wheel

As with the concept - and current Freelander - 

The other area of concern is the sill area

beijing 2

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beijing 1

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lighting trends DDLs

LED also

geneva trends

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Geneva 2010 contd

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Geneva 2010 coverage 1

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Geneva 2010

In the run up to Detroit there seemed to be as many announcements concerning Geneva as the NAIAS, and this was borne out in the shows themselves: the total of Detroit debuts was barely more than what any one of the big three would have fielded in a good year, and there were over 60 debuts of every conceivable type. In fairness, this seemed to be a particularly strong Geneva but the contrast couldn't have been more stark.

Porsche 918 spyder

One of the shows biggest stars was also one of the biggest surprises, as it was only announced late on the eve of the show (a welcome contrast to the Chinese water torture of the teaser shots favoured by most these days.) When announced, my first assumption was that this is was a preview of the rumoured entry level car based on the Bluesport / R4 platform, but on sight it's clear that this is a beast of a different (and more expensive) stripe.

It's hard to determine the significance as Porsche rarely does concept cars, this being the first since the original Boxster in the nineties (the Carrera GT doesn't really count as it was essentially the production item.) Some features are typical concept fare, such as the (quite odd in this case) rear view cameras, and the (lovely) side exhausts are illegal in most major markets, but they've also bothered with windscreen wipers and there is a cutline for front bumper & wing. 


Yes the headline is that it is a hybrid, but as the fossil fuel element is a 500+bhp V8