My thoughts on all things motoring, press releases, reviews & techie stuff, from around the world.
Please note that the pictures of vehicles within this blog are used as examples of the specific press releases, on occasions, due to the lack of available official pictures, examples are re-produced.
ANY AND ALL PROFANITIES WILL BE REMOVED AND THE PERSON/S RESPONSIBLE WILL BE BANNED, NO EXCEPTIONS.
Purpose
I will try my best to provide detailed info on various cars and what is like to live with them, I have already produced a few for Jaguar-car-forums, I will do my best to be unbiased, but it will be hard for some cars. I will re-produce press releases and copy from other motoring news.
Showing posts with label Dual zone climate control. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dual zone climate control. Show all posts
New top-of-the-range Ultimate trim level for Grandland X
Highly specified with leading-edge technology as standard
New 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel (177PS) engine debuts
Available to order now, priced from £33,995 on-the-road
Following the successful launch of the all-new Grandland X SUV at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, Vauxhall has introduced a new top-of-the-range variant to the line-up. The new Ultimate trim level, which is also available on the popular Mokka X and Crossland X models, has a high level of equipment as standard and debuts the new 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel (177PS) engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Grandland X already offers a selection of ultra-modern assistance and comfort features regardless of trim. OnStar, Dual Zone Climate Control, Lane Departure Warning and Rear Parking Sensors are just some highlights available across the range.
Sitting on 19-inch BiColour alloys, the new Ultimate Grandland X adds to this impressive list of features with kit including Automatic Cruise Control and a Denon premium sound system. Also standard are black roof and door mirrors, alloy sports pedals, heated steering wheel, heated rear outer seats, 360-degree Panoramic Camera and Premium LED Adaptive Forward Lighting Pack with projector headlights. Few SUVs in this class are as well-equipped.
New 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel (177PS) Engine
The Grandland X Ultimate also introduces Vauxhall’s new top-of-the-range 2.0-litre diesel engine, allied with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The new diesel engine is refined and powerful, delivering 177PS at 3,750rpm and 400Nm of torque at 2,000rpm to give effortless acceleration. This helps it achieve 0-60mph in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 133mph.
With performance comes also economy, the Grandland X 2.0-litre Turbo Diesel (177PS) Blue Injection engine offers official CO2 emissions of 128g/km and 57.6mpg combined.
A rarity in this class, the Grandland X Ultimate also sees the range debut of an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Similar to that seen in Vauxhall’s flagship Insignia range, it has been engineered with a smooth linear shift pattern.
Available to order now, the new Grandland X Ultimate is priced from £33,995 on-the-road.
Entry level model comes in at £30,995 with GT version an additional £2,000
PCP pricing to be under £300 a month for entry level version
Cars to hit retail forecourts in July
Honda UK has today announced pricing for the hotly-anticipated next generation Civic Type R. Set to hit retail forecourts in July, the entry level model will cost £30,995 and the GT version will cost an additional £2,000 at £32,995 on the road and will come with a host of extras.
PCP pricing has also been confirmed for the new car, which is built at Honda’s UK manufacturing plant in Swindon; with monthly payments in line with the current car and starting at £299 a month on a three year 5.9% contract for the entry level version of the new Civic Type R.
As with the outgoing model, GT drivers will benefit from blind spot information including cross traffic monitor, dual zone climate control, auto dimming rear view mirror, Honda CONNECT with Garmin Navigation, wireless charging, high power audio, and LED front fog lights.
Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the 2017 Civic Type R shares the same fundamentals as the new Civic hatchback and has been engineered from the ground up to deliver the most rewarding drive in the hot-hatch segment – both on road and on the race track.
The 2.0-litre VTEC TURBO of the previous generation Civic Type R has been optimised and refined to produce 320 PS with peak torque of 400 Nm, while the six-speed manual transmission is further improved by a rev match control system.
Phil Webb, Head of Cars at Honda UK, commented: “As with the previous generation, we are fully expecting a huge demand for the Civic Type R. The order bank is already open and we are experiencing strong interest off the back of the launch at the Geneva Motor Show in March – and this is before our customers have even taken a test drive.”
Plans to continue the success of the remarkable Jeep Renegade are announced today with details of a new limited edition Renegade ‘Desert Hawk’ version.
Following in the tyre tracks of the popular Night Eagle and Dawn of Justice versions, the new Desert Hawk will carry on the Jeep Renegade tradition of introducing new and exciting variations as it builds on its reputation in the UK. More than 11,000 Jeep Renegades were sold in this country last year.
Designed to enhance Jeep Renegade's popular and striking design, the new Desert Hawk version takes the Renegade Trailhawk’s rugged appearance and best-in-class capability a step further with exclusive features and functionality inspired by the desert. It will be limited to just 100 examples for the UK when it goes on sale today (23 February).
Available in Alpine White, Anvil, Black or – exclusive to Desert Hawk – Mojave Sand, the Jeep Renegade Desert Hawk features 17-inch Low Gloss Black wheels, exclusive bonnet and rear body panel decals.
Inside, the Renegade Desert Hawk is enhanced with exclusive seats in black leather and fabric – the seat base features a Moab desert map logo – with electric lumbar support for the driver.
There is also a leather wrapped steering wheel, dual zone climate control, DAB UConnect radio with 6.5-inch touchscreen, Live services, Bluetooth and satnav, 7-inch full-colour thin-film transistor (TFT) cluster display and cruise control.
The Renegade Desert Hawk, like the Trailhawk, delivers best-in-class Trail Rated 4x4 capability with standard Jeep Active Drive Low with 20:1 crawl ratio; Selec-Terrain system which includes a Sand mode and an exclusive Rock mode, 8.7-inch ground clearance, skid plates, 8.1-inch wheel articulation, Hill-descent Control and 19-inch water fording.
The Renegade Desert Hawk comes as standard with a 170 hp 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel engine paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission. It costs from £28,995 OTR for the 2.0 MultiJet II 170hp 4WD.
"Designed to enhance Renegade's already very strong appeal in the UK, and capable of delivering Jeep’s legendary off-road capability, the new Renegade Desert Hawk version is an attractive proposition for buyers," says Damien Dally, head of brand, Jeep UK.
"Sporting and agile on-road and rugged and capable off it, this limited edition newcomer fits perfectly into Renegade's highly successful family."
Jeep unveiled the new Renegade Desert Hawk by towing one of the UK’s top sandboarders through a series of stunts and tricks on Braunton Burrows sand dune, North Devon.
British board-rider and instructor Alex Bird helped mark today’s launch of the Renegade Desert Hawk by becoming the first participant in his sport to be towed by a car in the UK. In extreme conditions, the Jeep Renegade again displayed its famous off-road capabilities helping Alex to reach speeds of 40mph and negotiate several grind rail stunts, jumps and 90-feet sand banks.
“I’ve never done anything like that before,” says Alex, 34. “It took time to get used to being towed at such speeds but I do a lot of wakeboarding and it was principally very similar. The car performed incredibly well on such deep sand; if it wasn’t so good off-road there is no way I could have got up to 40mph and nailed the jumps and stunts.”
Over the last few years it has been a struggle for Peugeot to produce a hot hatch that actually can do what it "says on the tin", even the last 308 never had a GTi, just a GT, but like the plan that’s been completed at Peugeot HQ "Back In The Race" the 308 is back with a GTi, and one that can actually do what it "says on the tin", the 308 GTi, is back and back with a bang, now the second stage of the PSA plan "Push to Pass" is something this car can do, pass everything that comes up against it.
Peugeot has given the world a family car that can put a smile back on your face, and believe me, that smile is big and makes you look like a grinning idiot, but when you drive this car, like it is supposed to be driven, you can be forgiven for looking that way
And this is not top model, the one tested here is the THP 250, at just shy of £27,000, you can go one up and have the daddy, the THP 270, which is around £28,500, but less about that, and more about the lead in GTi, you would be forgiven for thinking this is the top model, with the decent level of tech, kit, decent looks and seats that massage as you drive, which I took advantage of at every opportunity.
The GTi has been tuned, refined and tweaked by the boffins at Peugeot Sport to give us this new car, giving the driver a huge leap over the standard car through the chassis and steering, giving an unparallelled experience, can you tell yet I really like this car?
The car itself is slightly lowered, 11mm, does not sound a lot, but it makes all the difference, along with uprated dampers, slightly more camber, bigger anti roll bars, and stiffer springs, 60% front 100% rear, all combine to tell you that Peugeot are really gunning for the competition, the difference in spring stiffness gives a slightly softer ride at the front, which may sound odd, but it does work extremely well, someone has really done their homework to get this right.
ON THE ROAD
The car really does perform well on the road, the large tyres on 18 Inch rims seems to grip the road like nothing else, you can throw it about and it just keeps on giving, pull away from lights, or junctions with a little umph and the grip is there, no issues, no complaints, it just stays where you put it, take a corner at speed, and the same thing, it is like a train on tracks, point and it will go without any issues, and that’s brilliant, the car is already stacking up many positive points, and we haven't even gotten half way yet.
Drive the car nicely and you will not get the lift off oversteer, which is ideal when pushed a little too hard, and it's when you push it a little harder that you would be forgiven for thinking that the GTi has a bigger engine than it has, it is only and I say only, because this is an amazing power plant, a 1.6 litre, and god can it shift, and through the gears the power remains constant and on tap, the car can reach 70mph before you even think about it, and it goes past that without you even noticing, which can be a little off putting when you see what speed you are actually doing.
Peugeot has won the Engine of the year in both 2016 and 2015, and you can understand why, it is quiet, powerful and efficient, and whereas some other brands might utilise a 2.0 litre or bigger to get the same power output, a 1.6 litre is more than enough to make you think it you are driving a bigger powerplant.
The 308 GTi is a car that can and does beat the opposition with a stick, and then it comes back and beats them some more, that’s how good this car is, it gives you a smile every time you drive it, and then there is that button, the button that just sits there anonymously, waiting to be pressed, waiting for you, the unsuspecting driver to press it and wonder what it does, you look, and wonder, wonder and look, and your finger wafts over it and you hold back, worrying that it might be something you should not press, then, that urge, it takes hold of you and you press the button, and the car turns into an evil twin of the car that was there just a few seconds before.
The car stiffens up, and the EMP 2 Platform copes perfectly with all the power that, that button can provide, on the dash between the dials you get “dynamic readout”, Torque, Power and Boost, Just in case you cannot feel how naughty you are being, it's quicker, noisier, in a great way, and more planted.
If you read the blog frequently you will know that a couple of weeks back we did a road test report on the GT Line 308, in essence it is the same car, but forget that, this car, looks the same, but it is an evil twin, it does everything the other car doesn’t, and that’s more of everything.
The seats had the massage function, and on a personal note, for someone that does suffer from Back issues, this really helped, I think this car should be on the NHS, and I will get my Dr to add it to my prescription.
The gear change is very slick, and works well at lower revs right through the rev range until you hit the red line, when the limiter tells you off for being a little too eager, the clutch too is light, but not too light as to give you slippage, you get none of that in this model.
Space is the same as the other car we tested, so it is more than adequate, with rear seat passengers having lots of room, and boot space is quite generous too.
The car also comes with a whole host of standard equipment, included is :-
-Power folding door mirrors with courtesy approach lighting
-Peugeot Open & Go system (keyless entry & push button start)
--18" 'Diamant' alloy wheels
-Tinted rear side windows
-Full LED headlamps with fully integrated LED daytime running lights
-Front LED sequential indicators
--In-car entertainment and satellite navigation
-9.7” multifunction colour touchscreen
-Satellite navigation - USB input for external audio device
-DAB digital radio
-Bluetooth
-Trip computer Interior features
-Driver & front passenger seat lumbar adjustment
-Sports style seats trimmed in leather effect & half alcantara with red stitching
-Mistral Nappa GTi style leather steering wheel with red stitching
-GTi style carpet mats
-Aluminium style pedals and door sills
-Adjustable front centre armrest
-Driver sport pack
THE NUMBERS
Considering that the car is a sporty hatchback, it comes in at a very reasonable 139g/km CO2, it can shift from 0-62 in 6.2 seconds, just 0.2 slower than the top model, it is understandable that the fuel consumption is not the best out of the range, because you know you are going to be a little heavy right footed, to get the thrills that this car offers but you can get:-
·Urban Drive Cycle – 34.9mpg (8.1)
·Extra urban Drive Cycle – 57.6mpg (4.9)
·Combined Drive Cycle – 47.1mpg (6.0)
It goes to show how easy it is to keep those figures low, according to the computer on the car, I managed to get just 37.1mpg, but I had a lot of fun getting to that figure.
The interior of the car is very sombre place to be, the car is all black with the exception of dashes of red here and there, and because of the black look it makes the red highlights stand out far better, the soft touch plastics, the leather and alcantara all play their part in making the interior a special place to be.
VERDICT
Is there anything wrong with this car, well, no, not really, it does everything you want it to do, and it does it really well, the comfort is spot on for a car like this, the power and delivery is excellent, it grips to the road, like me with a tenner in my hand (so that’s really good), it looks the part both in and out, subtle and direct, you can tell you are looking at something special from the way this car sits, and then you have that noise, a raucous gravelly muscular growl, that alone shows you’re in something very special. Would I spend my money on one, too right I would, you're getting a really good car that's fast, comfortable and will not kill your wallet, from the looks to the sound, you will not be disappointed, and if you are in the market for a car of this ilk, you would be very remiss not to seriously consider it, personally, the Golf is bland next to this, so why bother with sauerkraut when you can have à la carte at home ? The Motoring World Blog Jon Mower
Distinctive sedans join Enclave Tuscan Edition, Encore Sport Touring
Buick unveiled 2016 LaCrosse, Regal and Verano Sport Touring (ST) models today – sedans with distinctive exterior cues designed to set them apart from the pack.
Each features special 18-inch wheels with machined faces and black “pockets,” and a rear spoiler. They join the Enclave Tuscan Edition and recently announced Encore Sport Touring as special models expanding Buick’s lineup with more design-focused choices.
“Buick is reaching an all-new generation of customers by reinventing itself in terms of design, function and capabilities,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. “These new ST models underscore the importance of design choices, while complementing the safety, refinement and connectivity technologies that are drawing new customers to Buick dealerships.”
The new Sport Touring sedans – and Encore Sport Touring – go on sale this fall.
LaCrosse Sport Touring includes Buick IntelliLink with Apple CarPlay capability, OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with Wi-Fi hotspot, remote start, eight standard air bags (including rear-seat thorax air bags) and leather-trimmed seats – with heated front seats.
Regal Sport Touring includes a standard rear-vision camera system, heated front seat and leather-trimmed front and rear seats. It also comes with Buick IntelliLink with Apple CarPlay capability and OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with Wi-Fi hotspot.
Verano Sport Touring includes dual-zone climate control, eight-way-adjustable power driver’s seat and heated front seats, along with Buick IntelliLink and OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with Wi-Fi hotspot.
Experience Buick Protection on all 2016 Buick models includes the first two visits of scheduled maintenance services for two years/24,000 miles, whichever occurs first. It complements Buick’s four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain limited warranty.
Available in four trim levels: S, SE Nav, SE Nav Business and Premium
Fresh and dynamic styling enhancements combine with improved efficiency
New 7-speed DCT replaces previous automatic transmission
Hyundai Motor UK today announced the official pricing and specification for the New Hyundai i40. Prices start at £19,600 for the entry level S trim on the i40 Saloon, which includes standard features such as:
16” alloy wheels, Bluetooth® connectivity, air conditioning, leather wrapped steering wheel, automatic headlights with dusk sensor and steering wheel audio with telephone controls.
A new introduction, the SE Nav trim level, boasts standard fitment of Hyundai’s capable touchscreen satellite navigation with rear view parking camera and parking guidance system.
Priced from £21,600, the SE Nav adds to the S-model’s specification with DAB radio, auto dimming rear view mirror, climate control with auto defog, heated front seats, LED front fog lights and a seven speaker sounds system.
This trim level can be enhanced further in the SE Nav Business model, from £23,100, with keyless smart entry with start/stop button and driver’s seat memory function.
The range topping Premium models, start at £25,600, feature 18” alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof with electric tilt and slide, luggage net, super vision instrument cluster with LCD colour display and lane departure warning.
Tony Whitehorn, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor UK, commented: “The introduction of New i40 Tourer and Saloon means that the Hyundai range now has a fresher and more dynamic look, with changes aimed to appeal particularly to the requirements of our fleet customers.
The addition of the SE Nav as a new trim level provides a clear differentiator from the traditional SE models and identifies the standardisation of our highly capable navigation system.”
The New i40 benefits from Hyundai’s efficient Blue Drive technologies across a choice of three engines; a 1.7-litre diesel with an output of 115PS with six speed manual transmission, a 1.7-litre diesel with an output of 141PS and six speed transmission and a 1.7-litre diesel engine delivering up to 141PS with seven speed DCT.
Designed and engineered at Hyundai’s European R&D headquarters New i40 benefits from refreshed styling, upgraded engines, a new transmission, improved ride and handling, and a range of new safety and convenience features.
Hyundai’s European design team made a number of changes to the styling of New i40, notably the front grille and front bumper have been redesigned, along with reshaped front and rear lights.
New i40 is available to order at Hyundai showrooms across the UK now.
New i40 full technical details and specifications
i40 Tourer
OTR Price (£)
i40 Saloon
OTR Price (£)
S 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
20,850.00
19,600.00
S 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
21,650.00
20,400.00
SE Nav 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
22,850.00
21,600.00
SE Nav 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
23,650.00
22,400.00
SE Nav 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
25,550.00
24,300.00
SE Nav Business 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
24,350.00
23,100.00
SE Nav Business 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
25,150.00
23,900.00
SE Nav Business 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
27,050.00
25,800.00
Premium 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
26,950.00
25,600.00
Premium 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
28,850.00
27,500.00
Model
CO2 emissions (g/km)
VED Band
S 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
110
B
S 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
114
C
SE Nav 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
110
B
SE Nav 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
114
C
SE Nav 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
129
D
SE Nav Business 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
110
B
SE Nav Business 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
114
C
SE Nav Business 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
129
D
Premium 1.7CRDi 115PS Blue Drive Manual
118
C
Premium 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive Manual
123
D
Premium 1.7CRDi 141PS Blue Drive DCT
129
D
New i40 - S
16” alloy wheels
Body coloured door mirrors with integrated LED indicators
Body coloured exterior door handles
Intelligent Stop and Go (ISG)
High Mounted LED Brake Light
Black Matt Finish Radiator Grille
Rear Spoiler (Tourer only)
Leather wrapped gear knob
Leather wrapped steering wheel
Silver Coloured Roof Rails (Tourer only)
Solid Paint
Chrome Effect Window Surrounds
Black Gloss Dash Trim
Front, Rear and Luggage Compartment Interior Light
Cloth Seat Trim
Driver’s Seat with manual Height Adjustment and Electric Lumbar Support
Front head restraints – vertical and horizontal adjustment
Split folding rear seats (60/40)
Adjustable intermittent front windscreen wiper with aero wiper blade
Air conditioning
Automatic headlights with dusk sensor
Front fog lights
Heated rear windscreen (Saloon only)
Heated rear windscreen with washer and wiper (Tourer only)
LED brake lights
Projection headlights with LED daytime running lights
Rear air vents in centre console
Tinted glass with sunshine band
Welcome and Follow-me-home headlight function
12V power outlet in front and rear console
Front armrest with storage
Rear armrest with cup holder
Bottle holders in front centre console and front and rear doors
Front door courtesy light
Heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors
Front and rear electric windows with anti-trap mechanism and one touch controls on all windows
Variable height boot floor
Driver and front passenger seat back pockets
Glove compartment with illumination and lock
One-touch indicators
Power assisted steering
Retractable load cover (Tourer only)
Spare emergency space saver wheel
Height and reach adjustable steering column
Sun visors with vanity mirrors and illumination
Six speakers – two tweeters, two front door and two rear door
Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition
Gear shift indicator on manual transmission
Flex steer
Steering wheel audio and phone controls
Stereo RDS Radio/CD Player with MP3/WMA Compatibility
Trip computer
USB and AUX connections
Seven airbags – Front, front side, driver’s knee and full length curtain
Active front head restraints
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
Brake Assist System (BAS)
Childproof rear door locks
Deadlocks
Electric parking brake with automatic hold function
