BMW X3 review

The first BMW X3 arrived in 2004 and shared mechanical components with the four-wheel-drive version of the E46 3-series. BMW subcontracted much of the development to Austrian company Magna Steyr, which also built the car. As the first mid-size SUV with a premium badge, it had strong early sales in the UK, with a peak of 7600 cars registered in 2006. But volumes slumped as more modern rivals entered the market and just 2000 found buyers here in 2009.The X3 was the first mid-size SUV to offer both the draw of a premium badge and unashamedly road-biased driving manners. Its sales success was in spite of a lack of critical acclaim.But the second-generation X3 – known within BMW by its F25 design code – faces a far tougher test in a more crowded and competitive marketplace. Everything from the Land Rover Evoque to the Audi Q5 is vying for a share of an increasing market, while now the BMW X1 sits beneath the X3 in BMW’s SUV line-up.The second-generation X3 represents a seismic leap in dynamics and quality over the original modelBMW has sharpened the X3’s appeal accordingly. Not only is it bigger than the car it replaces, but it’s also claimed to be quicker, greener and even slightly cheaper once extra standard spec is factored in.The X3 range is limited to four-cylinder and six-cylinder diesel engines in the UK. Most of them come with four-wheel drive, but more recently BMW has introduced a rear-drive-only sDrive18d, which uses a lower-powered version of the xDrive20d's 2.0-litre, four-pot diesel to yield even more spectacular fuel economy and CO2 figures. The 3.0-litre diesel, available in two states of tune in the xDrive30d and xDrive35d, offers even better performance and only marginally less impressive economy and emissions than the four-pot unit.All versions are offered in a choice of two spec levels – SE and M Sport – while the four-cylinder models can be had with either a manual or automatic gearbox; the six-pot versions are automatic only.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

BMW M3 review

The new BMW M3 saloon is the sibling to the BMW M4 coupé. The added everyday practicality offered by the M3 suggests it may somehow be compromised in overall performance terms against the sleeker-looking M4 coupé.Popular opinion suggests that if it’s got a higher roofline, greater levels of accommodation and four doors, it surely can’t be quite as fast, sharp or as engaging as its lower, less spacious, two door sibling, right?GregKableEuropean editorThe new BMW M3 is mechanically identical to the M4In practice there is precious little separating this BMW M3 and the M4 coupé. In terms of straight-line speed, sheer agility and overall spread of dynamic ability they’re virtually identical – and a look over the technical specifications of BMW’s latest M-cars reveals why.The M3 gets the same driveline components, engine mounting architecture and chassis as the M4 coupé. The two boast the same 2812mm wheelbase, 1579mm front track and 1603mm rear track, resulting in exactly the same footprint.The nominal 15.0:1 steering ratio as well as the spring, damper and roll bar tuning are also common to both cars, as are the elasto-kinematic properties of the bushes that locate the suspension. Yes, it’s 23kg heavier and 41mm higher than the M4 coupé, but you don’t notice it. Not on public roads.The inherent driving traits of the M3 saloon prove every bit as compelling as those of the M4 coupé. Setting the tone is BMW M division’s new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine. With huge low-end shove, it is incredibly easy to live with.It also serves up the sort of storming in-gear qualities that make the old naturally aspirated 4.0-litre V8 appear a little weak by comparison. Just don’t expect the blown unit to offer up same razor-like throttle response or alluring aural qualities as the engine it replaces.Purists will go for the manual – they almost always do. But the optional dual-clutch automatic M-DCT gearbox provides the M3 with the ease of usability to match its fervent on-boost accelerative properties, leading to the very same set of official performance figures as the M4 coupé: 0-62mph in 4.1sec and the standing kilometer in 21.9sec. With the manual, it takes 0.2sec and 0.3sec longer respectively.The perception of equal performance is backed by BMW M division's development boss, Albert Biermann, who claims the M3 its M4 coupé sibling boast the same Nürburgring lap time. “We’ve run both cars extensively, both together and in separate tests," he says. "Apart from nuances in driving style between our engineers, they are all but inseparable in lap time.” Adding to the appeal is Drive Performance Control, which allows you to alter the character of the M3 over a wider range than before. Accessed via three buttons on the centre console, you get the choice of Efficiency, Sport and Sport+ modes for the throttle mapping together with Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes for the damping properties and electro-mechanical steering.Where the BMW M3 impresses most is with its ability to be fast and vivid one moment, and comfortable and relaxing the next. The inherent practicality of the four-door body and a 480-litre boot only adds to its everyday appeal.It's also cheaper than the M4 coupé, if only just at £56,175 as opposed to £56,635. If you’re in the market for a performance car that can handle family transport obligations, it’ll be hard to ignore.BMW M3Price £56,175; 0-62mph 4.1sec; Top speed 155mph (limited); Economy 34mpg (combined); CO2 194g/km; Kerb weight 1537kg; Engine 6 cyls in line, 2979cc, turbocharged, petrol; Power 425bhp at 5500-7300rpm; Torque 405lb ft at 1850-5500rpm; Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic[EXTRACT]#EANF#

BMW i3 review

There may be disquiet about its gentle rate of climb, but the electric car has – at last, once and for always – taken off.Its presence can no longer be ignored. Experts are already predicting the year when EVs will account for a million registrations around the world.MattSaundersDeputy road test editorBMW's Mini E was a precursor to the creation of this, the new i3Some say that it’ll take a decade; others that it’ll happen sooner. Some can even see the day when 'plug-in' cars will account for one in every 10 sold.A roll call of a few of the big introductions of 2013 shows what’s behind the breakthrough. The Renault Zoe proved that EVs can be cheap, the Tesla Model S that they can be grand and the Porsche 918 Spyder that they can be supercars. It’s as if every new example represents a significant step forward for the breed.And here comes another one: the i3, the first battery-powered series production BMW. It is the battery car done with evident freedom, imagination and commitment and then draped in European premium-brand allure.BMW has not dabbled in mass-production electric cars before the i3 (and its sister car, the hybrid i8). However, the programme that spawned these models – Project i – does provide direct antecedents.The first phase included the Mini E, which offered a remarkably similar range and performance to the i3 and began field testing in 2009. This was succeeded in the second phase by the ActiveE, a 1-series that previewed the i3's electric motor and entered two years of global testing in 2012 with a fleet of 1100 cars.BMW's i3, then, represents the sum total of all that was learned in that lengthy and studious process. Two versions are offered. The first is a pure electric version with a range of between 80 and 100 miles.The second is the BMW i3 Range Extender, which offers the same all-electric powertrain but with the addition of an on-board petrol-powered generator. So, when the battery becomes depleted, the generator fires up to ensure that you can continue your journey.Could there be a better invitation than the BMW i3 to take the plunge on zero-emissions motoring? You’re about to find out.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

BMW 4-series review

You can blame the Audi A5 for the new BMW 4-series. Once upon a time, a BMW 3-series saloon would arrive and then, a short time after, so would the 3-series Touring, followed by a 3-series coupé and, eventually, a 3-series convertible.But the Audi A5 coupé, which brought with it significant differentiation from the A4 saloon on which it was based, has changed the dynamic of the market.NicCackettRoad testerThe 435i's coupé's engine delights in much the same way it did in the old 335iYou might argue that a 3-series is classy enough for BMW to continue with a coupé that looks and feels just like it, except with two fewer doors. But things have inevitably changed with the inexorable rise of AudiThis, then, is the new BMW 4-series, and it’s no longer simply a slightly less practical and more desirable variant of the saloon, at least according to its maker. Instead, the two-door 3-series has been rebranded as a model in its own right, with its own dynamic and aesthetic appeal.BMW has history in such exercises with body styles – witness the 6-series’ long-standing relationship to the 5-series – so it’s not an illogical step.Is it an appealing one, though? We’ll find out later, but it’s worth remembering that this nameplate is imbued with all that made the 3-series a stand-out model in its class.That means it shares the same basic underpinnings, but at 4638mm in length, 1825mm in width and 1362mm in height, the 4-series coupé is 26mm longer, 43mm wider and 16mm lower than its 3-series coupé predecessor. The wheelbase is up by 50mm to 2810mm, and the front and rear tracks are extended by 45mm and 81mm to 1545mm and 1593mm respectively.It has a lower centre of gravity than any model in the current BMW range, but weight has grown marginally over the old Three coupé.The BMW 4-series range features six engines. Petrol choices comprise the 181bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder 420i, the 242bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder 428i and the 302bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder 435i.Diesel engines match the petrol range closely, with the 181bhp four-cylinder turbodiesel 420d, the 245bhp 3.0-litre six-cylinder 430d and a 309bhp version of the same engine in the 435d.The 435d is sold exclusively with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system, a configuration available optionally on 420i and 420d models.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Seat Leon SC review

With the launch of the Seat Leon SC, the Seat Leon range is filling out nicely.Having started with the five-door hatchback version, the Volkswagen Group’s Spanish arm added the even prettier three-door this summer. At the same time, it quietly ushered into the UK the engine we’ve been waiting to test.MattPriorRoad test editorThere's 60mm less rear legroom in the SC, compared to the five-door modelIt’s the most powerful motor in the line-up and will stay that way until the Leon Cupra arrives. It’s also a fleet-friendly diesel. The high-output FR TDI has landed – and, on paper, it’s by some margin the most alluring version of an already quite alluring-looking car.Seat has memorable precedent with hot diesel hatchbacks and can claim quite reasonably to have been among the earliest to exploit the concept. The original Seat Leon Cupra TDI, introduced in the early noughties, had four-wheel drive and was branded Cupra 4 TDI. That version never made it to the UK, but when the front-drive 148bhp oil-burner arrived in 2003, it found a ready following for warmer diesel-fuelled offerings.‘Cupra’ became ‘FR TDI’ with the second-generation Leon and power rose to 168bhp, but a little of the original Leon’s dynamic magic went by the wayside. The FR was a stiffer-legged machine and five-door only.But just how excited should up-and-coming junior managers be about this frugal and fast Seat? And should private buyers be excited, too, given the status within the Leon range that its positioning suggests?Have we reached the tipping point where low emissions, high economy and torque-laden performance can outweigh the more vivacious fizz of a petrol performance hatch? Or do Seat's more conventional petrol and diesel options, ranging from 1.2-litre petrols to a 1.6-litre diesel, still make more sense?For the sake of your P11D, if nothing else, read on.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Seat Leon review

The third-generation Seat Leon has greater strategic importance for Seat than either of its older namesakes. Not so long ago, Volkswagen’s Spanish outpost made plenty of larger and more expensive models than its conventional Golf-sized family hatchback, such as Alteas, Altea XLs, bustle-back Toledos and the like.Now, after the introduction of the Mii city car and the new Toledo in particular, the company’s portfolio is both simpler and cheaper. A stronger portfolio means a change in customer relationships, too, and Seat expects the Leon to overtake the Ibiza as its best-selling model over the next few years to become a flagship car for the brand.MattSaundersDeputy road test editorIf you like the styling, it could well be the pick of the MQB bunchThe Leon's increased significance to Seat has wrought extra distinctiveness and obvious new qualities from the car. Compared with the previous Leon hatchback, the current one is appealingly sharp-suited, richer and more practical, more technologically sophisticated, lighter, more powerful and more efficient.Such a transformation is a major undertaking and a major success for a car company affected more than most by the Eurozone’s financial meltdown. This is also the first Leon to be available in a range of bodystyles: as a regular five-door hatch, a three-door ‘SC’ coupé or a longer five-door ‘ST’ estate.Part of the Leon’s advancement is attributable to the platform that underpins it. This is the first Seat to benefit from the Volkswagen Group’s ‘Modularer Querbaukasten’ or MQB platform, the pioneering mechanical component set that makes for unprecedented cost-saving commonality between this car and the Audi A3, VW Golf and Skoda Octavia.It will also be used to form the basis of the VW Group’s next generation of superminis, compact 4x4s and saloons. That’s how the MQB underpinnings have made the Leon’s business case stronger, but it has also had an influence on the new car’s kerb weight and its major dimensions. Weight ranges from 1198kg to 1345kg in the standard hatchback, depending on engine and specification, and from 1189kg to 1350kg in the SC.A more space-efficient under-bonnet layout has allowed 58mm to be added to the wheelbase at the same time as 52mm being taken out of overall length. The three-door SC shrinks by a further 32mm. In theory, those space-saving measures make for more passenger room as well as better ride and handling. Sure enough, there are competitive levels of space inside this car, but they’re not outstanding. Practicality is certainly much less likely to sell a Leon than the car’s crisp styling or appealing value for money.Five engines are offered, ranging upwards from a 104bhp, 1.2-litre TSI turbocharged petrol, via 120bhp and 178bhp four-cylinder turbo petrols, to a pair of four-cylinder diesels consisting of a 104bhp, sub-100g/km 1.6-litre unit and a 148bhp 2.0. All drive the front wheels, via a choice of five or six-speed manual, or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearboxes.The smaller diesel is expected to account for the majority of UK sales, which is a pity because while it’s a workmanlike unit it lacks the punch and flexibility of the market’s best low-emissions diesels. As an entry-level powertrain, the 1.2-litre petrol manual – with its extra intermediate gear ratio – makes a more rounded option.More credit is due higher up in the engine range. Seat’s 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI makes a strong case, being refined, economical and relatively free-revving. But again, it fails to put much in the way of clear water between it and the equivalent petrol – this time, the 138bhp 1.4-litre TSI. The latter model is cheaper, more responsive, more refined, more flexible and offers marginally better on-paper performance than the diesel, along with fuel economy that’s broadly comparable in everyday use.The range-topping petrol 1.8-litre TSI with 178bhp is a satisfying unit which is both quick off the line and offers impressive in-gear acceleration. Beware of high-rev rumbles, however, where the engine can sound strained. That said, at cruising speeds it is both refined and quiet. The 181bhp high-output turbodiesel is also impressive. Its 280lb ft of torque feels like a generous slug at medium revs, and the engine is also reasonably happy to rev for one of its type.Despite Volkswagen’s youthful brand aiming to thrill and entertain drivers all in one, the Leon does suffer in its ride. Eager handling was always more likely to be its forte, and it is, to a point, as long as you go for the right model.Ordinary S and SE-spec cars come on a standard suspension set-up which, for the majority of models, is fine. It’s got a slightly springier than average balance of compliance and control, but nothing you’d call seriously compromised.The low-emission 1.6-litre TDI doesn’t quite grip as hard or steer as well as the rest of the range, while Seat's FR-trim sports suspension – an item of equipment to be avoided at all costs in the last Leon – is much more effective this time around. The sports set-up has more fluent and effective damper control to match its slightly firmer springs, and seems much more coherent as a result.In general, the Leon steers quite well and even with a modicum of feel in some cases, but it could be more positive and incisive. The car benefits from its relatively modest size by feeling agile and wieldy on the road. It isn’t quite as engaging as a well specced Ford Focus or as overtly sporting as an Alfa Giulietta, but it’s in the same ballpark – and even that is testament to the effort Seat has put into this new generation of Leon.Overall, we’d class the Leon as belonging in the chasing pack of family hatchbacks amid the likes of the Hyundai i30, Honda Civic and Kia Cee’d rather than as a challenger to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus at the head of the field. It’s certainly breaking free, though, and especially in the case of three-door SC models offers more driving enjoyment than in previous generations.It’s a creditable effort from Seat and a notable improvement in form, with plenty of niche appeal for those who like a dose of style and spirit about their everyday driver but who don’t want to pay a premium.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Alpina B4 Biturbo specs

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Alfa Romeo 4C review

Without a doubt, the Alfa Romeo 4C is the most important Alfa Romeo for decades.Alfa has spent many years being messed about by successive managements, every one with different half-cooked ideas, then quite a few more. Recently it has had its better-known values attached to B and C-segment hatchbacks - the Mito and Giulietta - because that is where the money is.SteveCropleyEditor-in-chiefGive me a track to play on, and I'd choose a 4C over any FerrariYet no car in recent history has deliberately set out to embody Alfa values. The 8C Competizione helped, of course, but it was really only a concept made good.In truth, it is at least 30 years since Alfa Romeo has built a car for real people that directly and affordably expresses its values. This is the 4C's mission and it is why it is so very significant.Nothing about the fixed-head, two-seat 4C better underscores its seriousness than the fact that its chassis is an extremely rigid carbonfibre tub weighing just 65kg. This featherweight foundation, plus Alfa's use of a new, 22kg lighter, all-aluminium, direct-injection four-cylinder 1750 turbo engine - and a myriad more weight-saving features - mean that, parked in the street ready to go, a 4C weighs just 925kg. That's about the same as a Lotus Exige.Given that the engine produces 240bhp at 6000rpm, plus 258lb ft of torque between 2100rpm and 4000rpm, its power-to-weight ratio of 259bhp per tonne is really something to crow about, matching that of many big-capacity supercars at more than twice the price and power.Small wonder that the Alfa Romeo 4C can top 155mph and sprint 0-62mph in just 4.5sec, while returning an impressive 41.5mpg on the combined cycle. As our figures show, a basic Porsche Cayman costs a bit less and goes a bit faster, but doesn't accelerate as quickly and uses more fuel doing it.More notably the carbon tub puts the 4C on a level - in chassis terms - with the likes of McLaren and Ferrari, yet the 4C will set you back just £45,000 when supplies start to flow at a rate of 3500 units a year before the year-end. Don't get your hopes up, mind. Only 1000 cars a year are earmarked for Europe, and about 200 of those for the UK. All 500 examples of the all-white launch edition have sold out already, and Britain's allocation of regular models for 2014 also all have names against them. Still, if you can't buy yourself a 4C for a while, you can at least admire its specification. It is a very compact coupé with a transverse mid-engine layout, carrying 60 per cent of its weight over its driven rear wheels. It has a standard six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with paddle shifters. The all-disc brakes are by Brembo; the discs are specially coated to improve both initial bite and feel.The unique shape, created at Alfa's Turin-based Centro Stile, has been refined over many hours in the wind tunnel so that it has both negative lift at speed and a Cd of 0.35, a low figure considering downforce creates drag. Oh yes, and the steering is entirely unassisted, and its gearing is high enough to let you take 90 per cent of corners without shifting your hands from the wheel.When you meet your first 4C, your impression of it goes through several phases on its way to a confirmed opinion. At first you think Lotus Exige, because it's diminutive (just four metres long), has a transverse four-cylinder engine, carries a great name on the nose and its price is in the Exige ballpark.Then you'll notice a relationship in its haunch and rear air scoop shapes to a Ferrari F12. There's Lancia Stratos in it, too; check those side-window shapes, the semicircular windscreen base and the positioning of the screen pillars (and door hinges), unusually far back in the car. And all the time you're seeing echoes of the 8C Competizione, so influential on all modern Alfas. Afterwards, someone starts the engine for the first time and drives the 4C up the road. You hear that potent exhaust bark (who says legal exhausts can't still inspire?) and the dramatic wastegate chirrup and chatter as the ignition cuts at the first gearchange.That part is reminiscent of a current 1.6-litre rally car, also turbocharged, small-engined and very potent. Spend a day with the 4C as we did and you'll end up deciding it's an individual that draws influence from whatever's good, especially if its Italian, without owing too much to anyone.More surprises inside. The driver's door opens to reveal a considerably higher sill than most cars, although not as obstructive as a Lotus Exige's, and made of carbonfibre, not extruded aluminium.Put your leading foot as far down the footwell as you can, slide your backside down the well bolstered semi-race bucket seat (ours faced with pleasing Alcantara) and pull your second leg in around the door hinge, too far back for easy access but sensible in every other way. First thing you'll notice is lots of naked carbonfibre: that's the tub, undisguised.The second is the simple, almost competition car aura of the interior: matt black everywhere and hard plastic on the dash, yet right for this car, from which driving purists can delete the air con and audio. The doors have simple leather pull-handles reminiscent of those in revered, stripped-out Porsche 911s of yore, and the floor covering is durable, not luxurious. This may not be quite what you were expecting, but its right for a car whose big objective is low weight.There are wallet-like slots under the dash and between the seats for carrying things (plus a couple of the inevitable cup-holders safely out of view under your elbow) but this cabin is built for simplicity, not convenience.A TFT screen ahead carries a large electronic tacho dial surrounded by essential info (speed, gear position, temp, fuel and - incongruously - day and date). This whole display changes shape and colour when you select the new-for-4C ‘Race’ position on the familiar DNA quadrant on the low centre console that lets you you configure throttle response, gearchange time and degree of chassis stability intrusion from four settings.All you need do to start the engine is to put your foot on the brake (there are only two pedals, remember, plus an alloy-faced rest for your redundant clutch foot) and twist the key.No hunting around the cockpit for starter buttons or posting plastic bricks into slots. Twist, and with no ceremony, no dashboard messages and no crowd-pleasing blip, the 4C's engine fires promptly and settles immediately into a typically four-cylinder idle. In a way, it's a bit shocking. There seems little soundproofing to speak of: you can hear the valve gear rustling away at close quarters in a way most manufacturers wouldn't allow.But why not? This is a brand new Alfa engine, after all, and on a horsepower/litre basis it roundly beats some of the greatest race engines ever built. Blip the engine and it barks instantly and gruffly, as if fed by a pair of double Webers. Sounds like fun.Reach down on to the abbreviated centre console and select the '1' button. That hooks up first gear and dictates that you'll need to change gears yourself via paddles. You could have chosen 'A/M' but that would have been self-shift mode. Apply a little throttle and the car moves off instantly, like an Elise or an Atom. Here's how you can know instantly, without the assistance of a weighbridge, that the Alfa Romeo 4C is a light car.First is noisy and short, but the thrust is mighty. You need to be respectably quick on the right paddle because you'll close fast on the 6500rpm redline. The following gearchange itself is quick and smooth, mechanically speaking, and speeds up 30 per cent in Dynamic or Race, but the way the clutch system matches revs with speed is always exemplary. If you're expecting instantaneous, Ferrari-style controlled explosions as the cogs swap, you're not going to get them.Performance and flexibility are this powertrain's forte. The exhaust note can be raucous and the combined racket of ignition-cut and wastegate whoop when you change gear is never peaceful, always inspiring. From outside, the car sounds amazing.From inside, the quality's not quite the same, though it would always entertain me. Used to the full, the car feels properly quick, especially between 60 and 100mph where it seems to gain pace as rapidly as much bigger cars but without their big-cube effort. The engine's thrust doesn't grow beyond 5500rpm with quite the top-end shove you expect, but the truth is that in Dynamic or Race, using plenty of throttle and changing at 5500rpm, you'll be among the fastest cars on road or track.Passing manoeuvres are special fun, because the car is compact and gains speed with so little effort. So is slingshotting out of slow bends: there's strong urge from 2000rpm which means almost any gear will do. And the noise is always great.In countries like the UK, the 4C might seem a mite overgeared; it does close to 30mph per 1000rpm in top. Fortunately, it has the torque to carry it, and you can understand why Alfa has gone down that route; the car would be more frantic with ratios closed up by lower overall gearing.Inevitably, Alfa has had some complaints about both its choice of a DCT gearbox (why not a stick shift?) and a small-capacity turbo four-cylinder engine (why not a creamy V6?) but the car's performance answers both of these pretty convincingly.The 1750 engine delivers a unique form of sound and thrust consistent with its lightweight targets. The DCT, as many a manufacturer knows, is the 'box that 90 per cent of owners would choose if it offered both; why spend millions engineering something that few will buy?Thanks to the lightness, the wide track, the chassis rigidity, the low centre of gravity and lack of overhangs - plus all-independent suspension and the fact that a bunch of hard-driving Italian engineers have given it death in places like Alfa’s famous Balocco test track - the 4C’s roadholding and ride quality are just brilliant. The car will understeer a little near the limit, but getting it to oversteer is a helluva job.We tried repeatedly, and were rewarded, once for a second, with a brief and reluctant tail wag. Meanwhile, the car rides with a Lotus-like serenity and composure: firm but amazingly flat and perfectly damped. Comfort is likely to be impressive even on gnarly UK roads. This is one of those cars that doesn't need huge rubber hoops to deliver grip, although our test car was admittedly on the optional tyre pack, 205/40 ZR18s in front and 235/35 ZR19s on the back. The standard wheels are 17in front, 18in rear. On whichever, this light car and its fancy Brembo brakes can stop from 100km/h in just 35 metres, a performance that eludes any heavy supercar.The unassisted steering takes some getting used to, but becomes one of the 4C's principal virtues. At standstill, you have to re-learn the experience of supplying muscle; it feels weird. But at 2mph and all speed thereafter it's fine. It loads more than power-assist systems as cornering speeds rise, but you feel much more of the road.At sane speeds (under 100mph) it's superbly stable. Above that, you have to remember - again, as you used to in the unassisted breed of early Porsche 911 - not to chase small steering corrections. The car simply ‘walks’ a little on uneven surfaces, taken very fast. Let it want, and it'll track like an arrow.This 4C is an excellent driver's car, although it won't suit everyone. It has a few flaws. Some will say a Porsche Cayman is more ‘grown-up’ and ‘finished’, and they are right. It is certainly more of a car that you could easily drive to work.But, put frankly, two hundred Britons a year will not care a damn. They will not be thinking about Porsches. They will be Alfa 4C owners, and they will have discovered one of those cars - and at only £45,000 - that truly stands apart from the rest.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Peugeot 308 ride and handling

#EANF#[EXTRACT]That this 308 has the dynamic sophistication to withstand direct comparison with the best-handling hatchbacks in Europe represents a sizeable victory for Peugeot.The 307 never could, and the previous 308 fell even further away from the prevailing class standard.MattSaundersDeputy road test editorThe Peugeot's steering needs to be more intuitive and predictableBut things have changed. The new 308 feels like it belongs in the vanguard of the volume-selling compact family car class. It’s a car with a few flaws, but it’s particularly comfortable, more engaging than the hatchback norm and handles keenly and precisely – up to a point.Peugeot’s ‘i-Cockpit’ downsized steering wheel is at once the car’s primary asset and the cause of its chief weakness. At typical urban speeds and while manoeuvring, it does make the car wieldy and manageable.At higher speeds, however, that sense of agility is eroded slightly as the assistance ramps down and cloying control weight is introduced. This is done to deliver high-speed stability and to allow feedback through to the driver, but only a limited amount of it actually arrives at the rim.The fundamental problem is that, while it does deliver quick responses, a small steering wheel makes a poor lever. The 308’s power steering seems to work hard at times to compensate for that lack of mechanical advantage – but at other times, not hard enough.And so, even after a long phase of familiarisation, you’re still unsure exactly how much effort you’ll need to put in for any given change of direction.At low speeds, the lack of weight and feedback never ceases to surprise you; at high speeds, an abundance of weight and sporadic feedback are your enemies, making it hard to guide the car precisely.Aside from all that, the 308 rides with plenty of compliance, but its advancement here is likewise subject to caveat. Models with 18in alloys suffer from noticeable road roar and don’t glide over bumps quite as smoothly as smaller-wheeled 308s we’ve tested.Given that larger rims will also exacerbate the steering weight issue we’ve described, we strongly recommend avoiding them. Do that and wider test experience suggests you’ll have one of the most refined cars of its ilk.Drive the 308 hard and you’ll be acutely aware that Peugeot has tried to pull this car in opposing directions on the dynamic scale. A quick steering rack may add directness at low speeds, but agility and composure at the limit depend on much more – and that’s something the 308’s softened suspension springs can’t quite deliver.The car doesn’t roll to particularly lurid angles, but its rate of roll could be better controlled. Committing to an apex means pushing through a small but annoying initial portion of sloppiness in the handling, before the same directness you experience at low speeds begins to materialise.That thin layer of understeer remains to an extent even after lateral load has built into the chassis. As a result, the 308 never really serves the agility when leaned on that it promises when unhurried.Underneath the smoke and mirrors, it lacks sharpness of response and a perfect balance of grip. And while the ESP works cleverly most of the time, it’s not always with the utmost effectiveness in the wet.

Ford Ranger review

The Ford Ranger’s global history is a tale of not one truck but two. First, in 1982, came the US-market Ranger, a smaller sibling to the F-series and leviathan-like Super Duty. Exports began to South America in 1995.The ‘other’ Ranger pick-up was, until now, actually a version of the Japanese-built Mazda B-series, rebadged for markets outside of the Americas and known as the Courier until 1998. It’s this version of the Ranger, and not the US version, that British buyers have come to know.MattPriorRoad test editorThe Ranger is a very safe pick-up, according to Euro NCAP crash testingThe work of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs department may not be universally admired, but for the owners of pick-up trucks, it could be.Previously, before paying less tax than the next man become a major sociopathic gaffe, the benefit-in-kind rules on light commercial vehicles made pick-ups an attractive buy.You could run a leather-upholstered, highly equipped, five-seat double-cab flatbed as a fleet car and pay a fraction of the company car tax that the owner of even a plug-in hybrid would.In 2007, the government addressed the LCV loophole, increasing benefit-in-kind liability from £500 to a flat £3000, irrespective of CO2. But even having done that, the owner of this 5.4m-long, all-wheel-drive pick-up could pay several hundreds a month less in company car tax than he would for a Land Rover Freelander, depending on model.If you’ve ever wondered why you see so many pick-ups on UK roads, wonder no longer. Our stage is set, then, for a vehicle mixing the quality, refinement and handling of a passenger car with the toughness and capability of an old-school pick-up.But is the Ford Ranger really that car?[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Ford Ranger review

The Ford Ranger’s global history is a tale of not one truck but two. First, in 1982, came the US-market Ranger, a smaller sibling to the F-series and leviathan-like Super Duty. Exports began to South America in 1995.The ‘other’ Ranger pick-up was, until now, actually a version of the Japanese-built Mazda B-series, rebadged for markets outside of the Americas and known as the Courier until 1998. It’s this version of the Ranger, and not the US version, that British buyers have come to know.MattPriorRoad test editorThe Ranger is a very safe pick-up, according to Euro NCAP crash testingThe work of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs department may not be universally admired, but for the owners of pick-up trucks, it could be.Previously, before paying less tax than the next man become a major sociopathic gaffe, the benefit-in-kind rules on light commercial vehicles made pick-ups an attractive buy.You could run a leather-upholstered, highly equipped, five-seat double-cab flatbed as a fleet car and pay a fraction of the company car tax that the owner of even a plug-in hybrid would.In 2007, the government addressed the LCV loophole, increasing benefit-in-kind liability from £500 to a flat £3000, irrespective of CO2. But even having done that, the owner of this 5.4m-long, all-wheel-drive pick-up could pay several hundreds a month less in company car tax than he would for a Land Rover Freelander, depending on model.If you’ve ever wondered why you see so many pick-ups on UK roads, wonder no longer. Our stage is set, then, for a vehicle mixing the quality, refinement and handling of a passenger car with the toughness and capability of an old-school pick-up.But is the Ford Ranger really that car?[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Ford Focus review

When the Ford Focus was launched in 1998, it became the class leader instantly and, in its first two generations, we can count on the fingers of one hand the number of months we haven't considered it as the leader in its segment. But does that still remain the case?Rivals have come and gone with varying degrees of anonymity and success – Fiat Bravos, Renault Méganes, Honda Civics, Alfa Romeo 147s, Toyota Corollas and Aurises – and nothing, except the Volkswagen Golf, has come close to making the Focus anything other than the most easily recommendable medium-sized family car.MattBurtDeputy editorNothing, except Volkswagen’s Golf, has come close to making the Focus anything other than the most easily recommendable car in its classToday there are fewer differences than ever between Focuses made for different markets under the global 'One Ford' plan, so this is not just a Euro-centric car.That said, as is usual for a European Focus, the car is available with myriad engine choices, including Ford’s excellent Ecoboost technology, most notably through a highly-efficient 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit. Trims include the usual names, including popular Edge, Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X levels.Looking for a Ford Focus for sale? Visit PistonHeads Classifieds[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Ford Ka review

The original Ford Ka went on sale to huge critical acclaim in the autumn of 1996. The first example of a whole new design generation known as New Edge, it was truly a pioneering car for Ford of Europe. Beneath the skin it was a far from complex piece of machinery, but for most of the time it was more than good enough, even if the engine felt quite long in the tooth from day one. Despite this, it was fun to drive and rewarding to own. It spawned a ‘warm’ Sportka version and the soft-top Streetka, too. The first-generation Ford Ka achieved many things in many different countries during the 12 years it remained on sale, including numerous design and best car awards throughout Europe. But surely its greatest feat was reaching over 1.4 million homes, over half a million of which were in the UK.TimDicksonChief sub-editorThe Ka line up is streamlined for this second generation car. There's no convertible or hot model We Europeans loved that original New Edge Ka, right up until the very last one rolled off the production line in 2008. So you could say that its successor is under unprecedented pressure to succeed. Ford’s solution to the near-impossible-to-solve equation of how to make money out of a high-quality, desirable city car was to join up with Fiat and split the development costs. Which is why beneath its new skin the new Ka shares 80 per cent of its components with the Fiat 500.  There is no end of trim options available to suit every taste; as well as the more usual Studio, Edge, Zetec and Titanium models, you can also choose from araft of special editions including Grand Prix, Digital or Metal, offering different takes on the Ka theme. Only two engines are available: a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel, both shared with the Fiat 500. Looking for a used Ford Ka for sale? Visit PistonHeads Classifieds [EXTRACT]#EANF#

Ford C-Max review

The second-generation Ford C-Max replaced a model which caused controversy when it first launched. It was only offered as a five-seater, while rivals could sell you a seven-seat MPV for the same money.Ford has redressed that in part with the second-generation C-Max. This model, simply called C-Max, is still strictly a five-seat MPV; if you need two extra seats or considerably more load space, then you’ll find that in the seven-seat Grand C-Max – essentially the same car but stretched a little for a roomier cabin. MarkTisshawDeputy editor The C-Max's clever seating system can turn the five-seater into a spacious four-seaterThis new five-seater C-Max keeps the previous version's clever seating system which allows the centre rear seat to fold under the left-hand seat, and the pair to move diagonally inwards and back, to give four-seat luxury. Trim level and engine options are kept relatively simple. The C-Max is available in either Zetec or Titanium trim, and with a choice of five engines. There’s a 1.6-litre petrol available with either 104bhp or 123bhp, a 114bhp 1.6-litre TDCi, a 148bhp 1.6-litre petrol-turbo Ecoboost and a 138bhp 2.0-litre TDCi. Gearboxes are five-speed manual with the non-turbo 1.6-litre petrols, or six-speed with the rest. The 2.0-litre TDCI also gets the option of Fords’s excellent Powershift auto ’boxThe new, 1.6-litre Ecoboost is of particular note as it’s a naturally sporty engine which, because of its direct injection, low-inertia turbo and dual variable valve timing, has diesel-like thrust from below 2000rpm. The 1.6-litre TDCi is the eco champ of the range with claimed combined economy of 61.4mpg and CO2 emissions of just 119g/km, but it’s not the most satisfying to use. It isn’t an intuitive engine to get the best from and needs thought and care when timing rapid getaways from junctions. The 2.0-litre diesel, however, is impressively smooth and refined, with typical torque from low down. It works brilliantly with the Powershift gearbox, too. Don't discount the entry-level 1.6-litre petrol unit though. It's surprisingly sweet for around town; only on the motorway does it get buzzy.The C-Max rides on a chassis Ford uses to underpin cars of this size on across the globe, although some of the suspension components themselves are from the second-generation Focus models. However, every facet has been re-thought and new technology, such as dampers with better valving and a bigger diameter, is included. Suspension parts have been judiciously lightened, suspension mounts have been stiffened and the car has a wider track at both ends. There's a new electric power steering system, now that Ford is happy EPAS can deliver decent feel, and the steering rack has been quickened.Focus and C-Max drivers will find the cars familiar, but they will note improvements. Most of the 1.6-litre models have a new, sweeter-shifting six-speed manual, which is also 30 per cent lighter than its predecessor. The cars are quieter in powertrain, wind and road noise than their predecessors.They ride more smoothly and the excellent steering is sensitive and conveniently high-geared. There's a sense that these Ford products are the first to be tested in every major world market, and its engineering teams have spared no effort to make them ready.This C-Max is almost certainly the class leader in terms of driver involvement, but that isn’t the car's only talent. If you don't need the extra seats and interior space offered by the Grand but you want more space than you’ll find in a Focus or Golf hatchback, then it's hard not to recommend this excellent five-seat version. But there's plenty of competition at this price, so think carefully about whether a high-rise hatch is for you when there are full-size estates available for similar money. That said, if the C-Max’s brand of domestic transport suits your lifestyle then it won't disappoint.Looking for a used Ford C-Max for sale? Visit PistonHeads Classifieds[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Ford EcoSport review

Ford admits it is very late into the baby SUV game, but what it has to offer - at last - starts with a very good pedigree.The Indian-built EcoSport, which starts at £14,995, is essentially the excellent Fiesta supermini expressed as a soft-roader, with all the dynamic sophistication that implies. The range is very simple. SteveCropleyEditor-in-chiefThe steering is supremely accurate and acceptably weighted in the diesel version, but will resort to modest understeer when pushed.Every car is a relatively well-equipped Titanium model, and there are three engines - the now-familiar 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol, a 1.5-litre turbodiesel with 90bhp, and a 110bhp 1.5-litre petrol four.The normally aspirated petrol unit is the entry model; the most expensive at present is the £16,495 diesel, though slightly better equipped Titanium X models will be available next year, adding around £1000 to each model and receiving leather trim and 17-inch alloys (the standard wheels are 16s). In all guises, this an especially soft-roader, since there is no 4x4 version available, even though you can get one in non-European markets. Demand is low, Ford says.In the manner of all baby SUVs, the EcoSport is short and high, with a bluff front end and very short overhangs. Under such circumstances it can hardly be sleek, and the looks are further compromised - to some tastes - by a bulky, covered spare wheel attached to the outside of the large and convenient side-opening rear door.Ford engineers reckon some markets love it for the ruggedness it implies; others (like the UK) think it's a bit crude.When you get into the car, through the wide doors, the relationship to the Fiesta is obvious from the dash design and the looming switch set about the centre console. So is the hard plastic from its Indian heritage - others in the class are better finished and "more European". It's quite roomy, offers pretty good rear accommodation for a four-and-a-bit metre car and has a decent boot that's easily accessible.The rear seat folds and tumbles, and the resulting load space is generous, not least because it doesn't have to accommodate a full-size spare wheel.We drove two versions of the EcoSport, in both diesel and petrol EcoBoost guise. The latter had all the smoothness and good response of other Fords powered by this engine, though it had only a five-speed gearbox instead of the six that sometimes accompanies the car. The diesel was reasonably flexible but rather vocal - both engines are much more intrusive than in larger Fords, and there was more wind noise at speed than in saloon versions, but not to the level that it becomes truly intrusive.Ford didn't quote a kerb weight on test, but it seemed rather obvious from the car's slightly lethargic acceleration (0-62 in 14.0 sec for the diesel) that the new car isn't exactly lightweight. The EcoBoost does better, with an acceleration time of 12.7 seconds and a top speed of 112mph.Both versions drove well. The uncorrupted steering that is a feature of Fiestas was a little lighter in the EcoBoost, but supremely accurate and acceptably weighted in the diesel. The car refused to lean much in corners, and gripped nicely while resorting to modest understeer when pushed.Even in a seriously strong Spanish crosswind, it felt very stable. But it is the ride that moved this car dynamically to the top of its class. It copes quietly with bad bumps, and keeps its poise very well, without ever losing the residual alertness and control of the Fiesta chassis.Bottom line? The EcoSport is roomy and practical, with expectedly good on-road dynamics. Its lack of a four-wheel-drive facility is a surprise, as is the restricted range.The prices undercut Vauxhall's well-received Mokka, which is probably just as well, because the interior materials quality is far from being its finest feature. But Ford will improve and flesh out the range, and the first cars will easily find - and deserve to find - ready buyers. It's a handy addition to the Fiesta line-up, if not the best.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Bugatti Veyron review

The Bugatti Veyron's birth was not an easy one, that it came to be because one day Volkswagen tsar Ferdinand Piech had a dream: to provide the world with a car that had 1000bhp, cost one million euros and could do over 400km/h (250mph). To begin with the brief seemed impossible but in Piech’s mind, not something that couldn’t happen.By 1999 there was a styling proposal and even an engine of sorts, initially with 18 cylinders. By 2000 the styling was clearer and the powerplant had been reduced to 16 cylinders, effectively two 4.0-litre VW V8s. A year later VW announced it was indeed going to build the Veyron and that it would have 1001PS (987bhp) and do over 400km/h. Then the real trouble started.MattPriorRoad test editorThe Veyron Super Sport redefines what's physically possible in a car with numberplatesThe engineers knew that to announce a car with such huge power and speed claims was one thing, but that to make it was entirely another. For a year and a half they tried, and for a year and a half they failed, until eventually Bugatti's boss, Dr Neuman, was ‘removed.’Then a new leadership team was brought in in late 2003, Dr Wolfgang Schreiber arriving as the new chief engineer. Having previously been in charge of transmissions at VW/Audi he was the bloke responsible for the original DSG gearboxes.A few months after that Thomas Bscher, merchant banker, Le Mans race driver and well-known financial trouble-shooter, was appointed as president, having been head-hunted personally by then VW boss Bernd Pischetsrieder.Then years later and having changed or re-engineered an incredible 95 per cent of the components, the Veyron became reality. And all of Dr Piech’s original dynamic targets had been hit.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi R8 review

You can usually tell how happy a manufacturer is with a car’s performance in the marketplace come facelift time. If it feels the need to start throwing new bodywork and engines at it rather than waiting a few years for its all-new replacement, you can usually assume the car’s not doing its job properly.So armed with this knowledge, let’s look at all the changes Audi has decided to make to its R8 supercar six years after it first went on sale. Outside there are merely new lights, restyled exhaust pipes, a new valence at the back and a restyled grille at the front. Inside there are a few more aluminium trim panels and promotion from optional to standard for things such as sat-nav, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity. There’s confidence for you.But there’s a little more here than immediately meets the eye, most important of which is in the form of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to replace the robotised six-speed manual gearbox found in previous two-pedal versions of the R8. Smooth, quick and without any of the old transmission’s habit of stumbling over itself, it is now as good a reason to skip the standard manual as the old auto was to choose it.Don’t pay too much attention to Audi’s claims that it drops the 0-62mph time by 0.3sec of both the 4.2-litre V8 and 5.2-litre V10 versions because that’s only going to happen if you use its new launch control facility every time you leave the lights. Focus instead on the fact that the one weak link in the R8’s chain of command has now been replaced. It costs an extra £2900, which only sounds steep until you consider it’s less than Audi charges to trim the engine bay in carbonfibre.There is, however, more to the 2013 R8 than a few visual tweaks and a new gearbox. Though all range members remain, their numbers have been swelled by a new arrival, the 524bhp R8 Plus, essentially a production version of the limited edition R8 GT with 25bhp more than the standard V10, bespoke suspension settings and carbon-ceramic brake discs.It’s not the additional power you notice so much, for fast though its 3.5sec 0-62mph undoubtedly is, it’s a scant tenth quicker than the normal V10. More significant is how much sharper is the chassis thanks not only to its new suspension but also the reduction in unsprung weight at each corner. While still sufficiently civilised to fill the R8’s essential role as an everyday, all-purpose supercar, it provides the car with a new level of agility and response, and crucially without torpedoing the ride at the same time.The issue is that Audi wants £127,575 for the V10 Plus with the new transmission, £12,000 more than it asks for the standard automatic V10 and a massive £33,000 more than the V8 with the new gearbox. And because it is this smaller engine that provides the R8 with its sweetest handling, we still reckon it’s the best of an increasingly able bunch.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Bentley Continental GTC review

When Bentley and Rolls-Royce were split by BMW and VW in 1998, there were fears that neither firms' ethos would survive the fragmentation. Those were allayed in 2003 when the Continental GT appeared, with potentially huge pace and majestic looks.The four-door Flying Spur and drop-top GTC were introduced in 2005. In 2009, the limited-edition 621bhp Supersports showed that Bentley was still capable of producing something resembling the most unlikely super-fast bruisers it was famous for.MattPriorRoad test editorCan Bentley's suave convertible cut it with a V8 instead of a W12?Some will find it comforting to think of Bentley's implied heavyweight sporting elegance as an intransigent part of Britain's automotive landscape: as evocative as the thwack of willow on leather, the smell of a village pub or the peal of a church bell.But, in truth, the company is no more resistant to the preoccupations of the 21st century than any other cultural benchmark. And so, like limited-overs cricket or gastropubs, Bentley has moved with the times and, with the considerable help of its German cheque writer, Volkswagen, introduced the green and pleasant version of the Continental GTC that it promised in 2008.Of course, some things don't change. The continued fitment of the 6.0-litre W12 engine is proof of that. Bentley may have delivered the 40 per cent improvement in economy and emissions that it said it would, but that hefty reduction still permitted the fitment of a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 petrol engine from Audi that produces 500bhp. The question is: are those 500 four-ringed geldings capable of mimicking Bentley shire horses aboard the mobile amphitheatre that is the GTC?[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Ford Fiesta review

The astonishing success of the current generation of Ford Fiesta has been based on two convergent facts: first the sixth generation of Fiesta was good enough to lead the class from the moment of its introduction in 2008; second that introduction coincided with global economic meltdown forcing mass downsizing in the European car market. Suddenly people who’d never even considered a shopping car found themselves eye to eye with the Fiesta. And perhaps to their surprise, they liked what they saw.SteveCropleyEditor-in-chiefSome Ford executives referred to this Fiesta’s rollout as Ford’s most significant car since the Model TAt its launch in 2008, this latest incarnation was as distinctive as the previous version was not. It was a genuinely handsome car, but like most modern Fords, ubiquity softened the impact of its design. It was given a nose job in 2013 as part of a number of visual tweaks, and new engines were introduced to ensure it continued to cut a dash. But while the success of the huge trapedozial grille treatment has been widely debated, the addition of the three-cylinder 1.0-litre Ecoboost engine has been roundly praised.Predictably for a car that has become the UK’s top seller, the range is vast, overlapping the smaller Ka at the bottom and the larger Focus at the top.Aside from the new three-pot Ecoboost engine in two power outputs, powerplants include 1.25, 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols and 1.4 and 1.6-litre diesels. Trim levels are the familiar Studio, Edge, Zetec and Titanium, all of which are available on the in three and five-door models. There are also the low-CO2 Econetic models to look out for.Perhaps the Fiesta’s biggest trump card is its big-car feel. At its 2007 launch, no other cooking supermini felt as solid or grown up, and its ride shamed cars from a class or two above. Handling offered a verve that even some hot hatches failed to match.Years on from the car’s original launch, does the Fiesta still match the best in the supermini class? Read on for the full review to find out.Looking for a used Ford Fiesta? Visit PistonHeads Classifieds[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi Q5 review

When it comes to economics, Ingolstadt has its own law of supply and demand: if a market niche exists, sooner or later a new Audi model will arrive to fill it.Arriving after the Q7 and before the Q3, the Q5 shows Audi's continuing determination to cover all the SUV bases.MattBurtDeputy editorThe Q5 is no rock-crawler but full-time 4wd traction still impresses in very slippery goingAs with its larger sibling, the Q5 is not a serious off-road tool, but rather the Audi for those who want a mid-sized estate but prefer an elevated driving position and enhanced ability in slippery conditions like snow or sand. The model is Ingolstadt’s response to the Land Rover Freelander 2, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60.The petrol options are two flavours of 2.0 TFSI, the more powerful of which gets the a seven-speed incarnation of S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox, as do the 3.2-litre petrol V6 and the larger of the two diesels, the 3.0-litre V6.Want to change gears yourself? Then you need either the lowest-powered TFSI or one of the two 2.0 TDIs.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi A5 review

The expansion of the Audi A5 range has been a microcosm for the expansion of the Audi range as a whole over the past few years. Ignoring the TT (technically a coupe, in practice a two-seater), Audi has been without a proper 2+2 coupe since sales of the B4 Coupe, based on the third generation Audi 80, ceased in 1996.Then the three-door, four-seat A5 arrived 2007. Should you be seeking explanation for Audi’s decision to produce the A5, consider the fact the coupe boosts BMW 3-series sales by half as much again, and when the 3-series saloon outsells the Ford Mondeo, that’s a significant market, and one in which Audi is keen to delve.SteveSutcliffeEditor-at-largeThe Audi A5 is a big seller in an increasingly important marketThe A5 name was such a success as a coupe, it was used for the A5 Cabriolet two years later. Effectively, it’s an open-top version of the existing A5 coupé and, despite its numerically enhanced moniker, is a direct replacement for the previous A4 Cabriolet.It doesn’t stop there with A5s. Arriving at a similar time as the A5 cabriolet was the A5 Sportback. Audi claims that the A5 Sportback is “unique, with no direct competitors...blending coupe style with saloon practicality...a contemporary embodiment of the Grand Turismo philosophy”. Audi also says the Sportback is the last model in the A5 line-up. Phew.Before the A5, the Audi A4 scored around a quarter of sales in the compact premium class, but with this platform-and segment-sharing pair it has snared a third of the market, even if A4 sales have dropped slightly.The A5 range is critical, partly as they’re the first ‘ordinary’ models of which Audi talks seriously about a ‘driver-oriented chassis. If there’s truth in Audi’s claims, it could be just the news BMW didn’t want to hear.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi RS3 Sportback 2011-2012 review

The RS3 is the latest in a long line of Audis offering huge performance in ostensibly family-oriented models. Back in 1994, Audi launched a compact but very special estate car to the world. The RS2 Avant was the first Audi to wear the ‘Renn Sport’ badge.Built by Porsche, under the same roof as the 959 supercar and Mercedes-Benz’s 500E super-saloon, it was one of the first performance wagons in the world.HiltonHollowayAssociate editorAudi's single-framed grille gets an anthracite finish for the RS3 SportbackMaybe it’s due to a lack of opportunity, or out of deference to the RS line’s founding father, but Audi has never built another car quite like the RS2.The first RS4, a car of similar size, was disappointing; the second was available only as a saloon. Now, seemingly almost by accident – because it's a farewell to the humble A3, a car which has rarely excited keen drivers – Audi performance arm Quattro GmbH has developed a fast, compact pseudo-estate with unmissable similarities to the Audi that Porsche built.There is less than 25bhp and 50kg of kerb weight separating the new RS3 Sportback and that RS2 Avant, yet Audi doesn’t mention the legendary old-timer once in the RS3’s marketing blurb. Which prompts the question: is this new car of insufficient calibre to deserve a mention on the same bill?[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi RS4 Avant review

Fast RS models have propagated throughout Audi’s range, but the Audi RS4 still holds a special place in the memory of enthusiasts.The RS2 estate of 1994 was the first Audi to wear the RS badge, and it was a corking car to drive. It was succeeded by the second Audi RS model, the RS4, in 2000. That was less rewarding but incredibly usable, and really kick-started the RS spawning process. The RS4 of 2006, however, still shines brightest, and is remembered for its fluid ride, engaging handling and superb powertrain.MattPriorRoad test editorThe RS4’s ability to find grip in the wet is almost without peerThere are some things you can predict about an RS Audi. That it will have monster performance and traction will be a given. That it will retain all the interior furnishings of its lesser siblings is taken as read, too.But just what kind of dynamic demeanour it will take on is harder to imagine. Some RS models have ridden well, some dreadfully, some have been engaging and some utterly inert, while some are a complex mix of all the aforementioned. All of which goes to make a test of the new RS4 a particularly intriguing one.Promisingly, RS Audis of late have been getting more consistent, and getting better. More promisingly still, the best of the breed has, to date, been the previous-generation RS4 – a car that many of our testers would have chosen over a BMW M3 at the time.And now it’s back, in its third generation, retaining a high-revving, naturally aspirated powertrain rather than following the rest of the industry’s inevitable progression towards blown motors. That was one of the high points of the most recent Audi RS4, so it sounds promising again. Let’s see if it delivers.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi RS6 Avant review

Ah, an Audi RS6. By definition a car interesting enough to set the Autocar-to-Mira test track hotline ringing, but not the unknown quantity it once was. RS Audis have become more consistent of late; have found their own character. No more the unexpected extremes of brilliance in the 2007 RS4, but neither the shocking brittleness of the 2004 RS6 Plus. MattPriorRoad test editorThe hottest variant of Audi’s executive saloon arrives in the UK in Avant form only, about which we have no qualms at allInstead, the silver-mirrored performance benchmarks have adopted a more coherent theme: fast, undoubtedly, and with a minor reduction in their feeling of heft in the nose, while without ever seriously challenging for class honours in the markets in which they compete.Until now? We’ll see. The hottest variant of Audi’s executive saloon arrives in the UK in Avant form only, about which we have no qualms at all because, ever since Volvo launched the 850 T5 wagon, quick estates have given us quite the giggle.But Audi hasn’t been alone in enjoying fast big estates – you can’t get a Touring BMW M5, but every one of Audi’s other major rivals offers a car in this class. And some of them are very good.Audi’s first flirtations with fast estates cropped up in the earily 1990s (the ’93-’96 RS2), but the first RS6 appeared in 2002. Powered by a twin-turbo 4.2 V8, it was fast in a straight line but not especially loveable. Neither, to be fair, was the replacement that appeared, after an RS6 absense of three years, the 2008-released sporting variant of the big wagon.What did strike a chord, though, was the allure of a turbo V10 powerplant. The RS6 was fitted with a 5.0-litre V10 (mainly unrelated to the one in a Lamborghini Gallardo, contrary to popular belief) giving it a titanic 571bhp.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

Audi A3 Saloon review

The A3 saloon is a natural extension of Audi’s premium hatchback. It’s based on the A3 Sportback, but has been subtly redesigned to give more presence on the road. As a consequence, the A3 Saloon shares no body panels with its Sportback sibling. It’s easy to mistake the A3 saloon for the A4, at least in terms of size. That said, Audi is keen to point out the differences between the new A3 saloon and the now somewhat dated A4. The new car is 24cm shorter than the A4, which is important for markets such as China where the A3 saloon will find good service as a first company car for junior executives. Naturally, such customers must have a smaller car than their bosses. DarrenMossDigital ReporterThe A3 saloon might be pricey, but it's a natural extension from the successful hatchback.While Audi won’t confirm that this was a major influence in its design of the A3 saloon, it’s hard to ignore that China is its single biggest market, followed by the US.Two trim levels, Sport and S-line, are available, with S-line modles coming at a £2150 premium. For the extra money, drivers get 18-inch alloys over the standard car's 17-inch wheels, as well as S-line body styling and Xenon headlights. The premium trim is expected to account for 50 per cent of sales.Three engines currently power the range: a 1.4-litre TFSI and 1.8-litre TFSi lead the petrol contingent and a 2.0-litre TDI stands as the sole diesel option for now. Two more units, a 104bhp 1.6-litre TDI and 181bhp 2.0-litre TDI, launch in December this year and spring next year respectively to bulk out the range.The 138bhp 1.4-litre TFSI base engine comes with cylinder-on-demand technology, which shuts down two cylinders under low engine loads to improve fuel economy.It’s a gutsy engine and gives good pull, but the trade-off between better economy and performance is noticeable at higher speeds. For better performance we’d recommend the 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI diesel, which is £25,755 to the 1.4’s £24,305 but gives much better acceleration. It’s expected to take the biggest chunk of A3 saloon sales and it’s easy to see why: the engine is very refined and quickly settles down into a quiet rumble during motorway cruising.To turn the A3 into a proper performance saloon your best engine option is the 1.8-litre TFSi, which puts out 178bhp and 184lb ft. The extra acceleration on offer really impresses, particularly from low down in the rev range, but high-speed refinement does suffer slightly. Two gearbox options are available on the A3 saloon, either a six-speed manual or seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic. We’ve tried both, and while there’s nothing wrong with the manual option our pick would be the automatic. It’s a £1480 option but gives short, clear upshifts and picks up on small pedal movements well. There’s some jarring with performance downshifts, but switching to paddle mode quickly negates it.The A3 saloon uses the same electromechanical steering set-up as the Sportback, and like its sibling gives a light, well weighted feel. There’s very little feedback from the road, though, which in a performance-focused A3 saloon would become a drawback.The interior and cabin will be familiar to anyone driving a current-generation A3 hatch. There’s a premium feel, especially on S-line trim models. Audi’s MMI navigation/multimedia system continues to perform well and impresses even more thanks to the addition of Google Earth imagery.New to the A3 saloon is Audi’s Drive Select system, which allows the driver to alter throttle response and suspension set-ups. The usual options are available, including Dynamic, Economy and Comfort.The A3 saloon is pricey, but works well as Audi’s first entry into the compact saloon class. It’s clearly aimed at bigger markets than the UK, and whether motorists here will be tempted by the sSaloon’s styling remains to be seen. It’s a competent cruiser, though, and a worthy opponent to rivals such as BMW’s 120i M Sport, Lexus’s IS 250 and Mercedes’ CLA 220 CDI Sport.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

BMW 3-series review

The BMW 3-series is not so much a range of cars as a statement of intent. While an ever-increasing number of models may swirl around the peripheries of the marque, the 3-series has been BMW's rock-solid nucleus since 1975.If a Martian fell to earth and asked what a BMW was, an introduction to a 320d would be all an alien species would need to understand the essence of the brand. Which is why BMW may feel free to play fast and loose with some of its more, eclectic, niche models, but never with the 3-series. It must simply be as good as it can possibly be.MattSaundersDeputy road test editorThe world’s top-selling premium-brand car now targets sporting sophisticationWhich is not to say BMW is unaware that, even within the bedrock, some flexibility can reside. On the contrary, when you have a commodity as universally respected and revered as the 3-series, you want to make sure that asset is exploited to the very limit.Which is why, when the Three was first launched, there was only a two-door saloon; today, there is a saloon, estate and that curious construct the 3-series Gran Turismo hatchback. In the meantime, the long-serving coupé and convertibles have now been rebadged as the 4-series, but underneath it all it’s still the same car.But amid all this brand manipulation, one key quality has come to characterise the 3-series, almost regardless of which model is under the microscope: class leadership.While the Mercedes-Benz C-class or, less often, the Audi A4 may in one specific guise or another give the equivalent 3-series an unexpectedly good run for its money (on occasion it’s even been beaten), the general picture not just of recent times but of the past few decades is that the 3-series as a range has sat unchallenged and indomitable at the top of the pile.Put another way, it has developed what can almost be described as a sense of entitlement to be thought of as the most coveted medium-sized car that mere mortals could ever hope to own.But none of us must ever assume any car’s position at the top or bottom of the class. When it comes to assessing a new product, the past is irrelevant. The only question in need of an answer is how the 3-series stacks up as proposition today.[EXTRACT]#EANF#

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He is the Jaguar XE Latest Sightings

British car manufacturer, Jaguar, recently released some official photos of the production version of the Jaguar XE is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. Reporting from Autocar.co.uk, the photos, which was released to initiate a promotional campaign titled Jaguars 'Feel XE', revealed that the design of the front of this production version differs only slightly from the rendering of the concept car, which has been displayed at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The photographs were released showing the S XE version

 which will be one of the three models available at the time of its release. Two other models, namely XE standard and high performance versions of Xer son-S will be introduced in the model line-up after the launch next October. Jaguar XE will be equipped with four-cylinder engine with a 2.0-liter powerplant Ingenium's latest from Jaguar Land Rover. In the economical version, the Jaguar XE will have a fuel efficiency of 75 mpg with CO2 emissions of less than 100g / km. For a high-performance version, XE is believed to reach a top speed of 186 mph or 300 km / h. In addition, the Jaguar XE will also be available with a supercharged V6 engine capacity of 3.0-liter which is also used on the F-Type sports car. This machine is capable of producing power dikaim 375 bhp at 339-ft.lbs torque. XE is built with a new body structure is made from 75 percent aluminum material, making a lighter weight. XE is predicted to be advantageous in competition with several cars in its class such as the BMW 3 Series.

Audi S4 review

The Audi S4 is one of those curious cars that appears to have lost its place in the world order.Not long after the turn of the century its role was clear: it was Audi’s answer to the likes of the BMW M3 and AMG versions of the Mercedes C-class, and to that end it enjoyed the memorable services of a mighty V8 motor under the bonnet.AndrewFrankelSenior contributing writerAudi's S4 features a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 that produces 328bhp and 324lb ftProblem was the car wasn’t any good, and Audi knew that if it were to be taken seriously as a manufacturer of supercar-slaying compact family cars it would need not just a different approach but a different badge.Up stepped its Quattro GmbH tuning division with its RS branding and the rest, including the rather more cheerful tale of the RS4, is a different story.Audi could have just killed the S4, of course, but that would not have appealed to its sense of order and the fact that S versions were either planned or already existed for every other mainstream model in its line-up.So instead of being beefed up even further, it was put on a diet. The V8 became a V6 and the car remarketed as a head and heart kind of machine, one still worth taking out on a Sunday morning but which was also sensible to live with day to day both in terms of general civility and running costs.Which is where we find the S4 today, costing upwards of £39k in four-door form or over £40k as an even more attractive, more practical and, frankly, more desirable estate.Each Audi S4 can also be had in ‘Black Edition’ specification, offering a whole raft of chintzy design details inside and out majoring on a highly polished black theme, but with some useful additional hardware and software, too, including automatic headlights and wipers, a digital radio, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, 19in rims, a parking camera and a multi-function steering wheel. For an additional £1250, that sounds like conspicuous value.[EXTRACT]#EANF#