Despite the fact it’s getting into the SUV game so it can simply sell more vehicles, Aston Martin will reportedly limit production of the upcoming DBX in an effort to retain the brand’s exclusive reputation. As the brand’s first SUV, it’s likely that the DBX will sell more than any other Aston — and that’s kind of the problem. Andy Palmer, the British luxury automaker’s CEO, told Australian website Carsales that DBX production will be capped for the first year unlike other luxury brands, which continue to chase larger numbers. “I purposefully restrained production to 5,000 units — for exactly that reason,” Palmer told the publication, speaking to the brand’s rep as a maker of premium automobiles. “There’s always a tendency when you’ve got an order book to turn everything up. And when you do that, you start making mistakes, in my experience.”Despite the self-imposed limits, Aston Martin is still aiming to double its output by 2025. Palmer explains how the overall production numbers will be increased over time. “When the Lagonda comes in 2023, we’ll turn it up to 7,000 but we’ll leave it at that, with around 4,000 DBXs rolling off the line and another 3,000 Lagondas,” he said.The brand anticipates many of the initial DBX sales will go to Aston Martin owners who already own an SUV. The DBX is already in the works at Aston’s Wales plant and is slated for a public debut sometime later this year.
Origin: Aston Martin will withhold DBX production just to keep it exclusive
Dodge making a Pikes Peak hill climb run with new Charger Hellcat Widebody
Mere hours after letting the rabid feline that is the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody out of its cage for the first time, Dodge has announced that it’ll be testing the 707-horsepower car on the slopes of Pikes Peak. The automaker is teaming up once more with Michigan racers Wesley Motorsports to bring the Hellcat Widebody to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in Colorado. The team is hopeful that this year, with the new set of wider tires and adjusted fender flares and fascia, the Hellcat will be more nimble than ever. Dodge will run its new Charger Hellcat Widebody at this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Handout / Dodge The stock 2020 Charger Hellcat Widebody has a supercharged 6.2-litre V8 good for those 707 horses and 650 lb.-ft. of torque, and paired to an eight-speed automatic. Top speed is 315 km/h, but that’s running on flat ground. For the sloped test, Dodge and Wesley have added a racing exhaust, upgraded shocks, brakes and tires, stripped the interior for weight, and added roll cage, just in case. Pro racer and four-time Pikes Peak vetran Randy Pobst will coax the car around the 156 turns and up to the 14,115-foot (4,302-metre) summit of the 2019 Time Attack 1 class this
Origin: Dodge making a Pikes Peak hill climb run with new Charger Hellcat Widebody
Ionity to expand EV fast charger network at Extra services
EV charging network Ionity, backed by BMW, Daimler, Ford and the VW Group, has partnered with Extra MSA Group to expand its network of fast chargers at motorway service stations across the UK. Up to six 350kW fast chargers will be installed at eight Extra’s motorway service areas, starting this year with the company’s £60m Skelton Lake, Leeds facility on the M1 motorway. The scheme will later take in Extra’s services at Cobham, Cambridge, Beaconsfield, Cullompton, Blackburn, Baldock and Peterborough. Ionity says its 350kW fast chargers, first deployed in the UK last month in Kent, are capable of charging vehicles in less than 20 minutes, although no mass production EV is yet capable of charging at this speed. Audi’s new E-tron electric SUV is currently the fastest charging EV on the market, at 150kW. The new Porsche Taycan, launching next year, will be the first production electric car capable of a 350kW charge rate. The company said: “Due to their 350kW capacity and the strategic positioning of its stations, Ionity’s network will make EV travel across the UK and Europe a truly hassle-free experience.” The network aims to have opened 40 fast charging stations across the UK and 2400 charging points across Europe by the end of 2020. Recently, Tesla unveiled a new generation of its Supercharger EV charging point, promising charge rates of 1000 miles or range per hour, and 75 miles in five minutes. The highest-speed superchargers will only be compatible with certain versions of the Tesla Model 3. BP Chargemaster, the UK’s biggest provider of EV infrastructure, is planning to install 400 points capable of ultra-fast 150kW charging (the current maximum speed) across the UK by
Origin: Ionity to expand EV fast charger network at Extra services
Ionity reveals UK expansion plans
Ionity reveals UK expansion plans New Leeds site will be followed up with seven more stations Ionity has announced the next phase of its roll-out in the UK, with the ultra-rapid network set to open eight new locations later this year, starting with the first station in an Extra services, at the company’s new M1 Leeds Skelton Lake area. There is already an open site at Maidstone, and plans for Gretna have been in the pipeline for a while now. These new sites will bring the number of UK locations to 10, with a total of 40 targeted by the end of 2020. The network will install up to six 350 kW CCS ultra-rapid chargers at each site initially, and Ionity is currently installing 400 stations across Europe, providing up to 2,400 charge points by the end of 2020. After Leeds Skelton Lake, the other Extra umbrella-branded motorway service areas are at Cobham on the M25, Cambridge Services on the A14/M11, M40 Beaconsfield, M5 Cullompton, M65 Blackburn, A1M at Baldock, and A1M at Peterborough. There are no EVs currently available that can charge at up to 350 kW, so the sites are future-proof for some time to come. The first confirmed EV due in the UK with 350 kW ultra-rapid charging capability is the Porsche Taycan, expected next year. Until then, the units will be able to charge the likes of the Audi e-tron (150 kW), Mercedes Benz EQC (110 kW), and Jaguar I-Pace plus Hyundai s Leaf e+ (100 kW) at their maximum rate. A number of new EVs due in the next 12 months all feature at least 100 kW CCS DC charging capabilities. Other companies that Ionity is partnering with include Shell and the MFG (Motor Fuels Group) in the UK. The network is a joint venture between BMW, Daimler, Ford, and the VW Group.
Origin: Ionity reveals UK expansion plans
SUV Review: 2019 Infiniti QX60
2019 Infiniti XC60Jonathan Yarkony OVERVIEW Caspable, practical luxury seven-seater PROSExcellent practicality with an agreeable design CONSOutdated infotainment system in a plain-looking cabin VALUE FOR MONEYGood value for a luxury crossover WHAT TO CHANGE?Refresh the interior and come up with a new infotainment system HOW TO SPEC IT?Essential Package with ProPilot Assist Not every car has to be revolutionary or groundbreaking to be successful. In fact, quite the opposite success in the automotive market is often a careful curation of proven technologies and conformist packaging. Now, marketing campaigns will make every ho-hum crossover sound like its the first of its kind to land on the moon, and there might be a clever new feature here or another evolution in tech there, but often as not, buyers are skipping the trims that have every latest gizmo, doodad and the biggest wheels.To be successful, you have to get the basics right, and look good doing it, too (well, usually). The 2019 Infiniti QX60 is six years into its product cycle, three years removed from its most recent refresh, and no doubt due for replacement, but its experiencing resurgent sales and has been Infinitis best seller since its first full year in 2013. Not only is it a hit in Infiniti showrooms, its sales are creeping right up to the Nissan Pathfinder on which it is based, and it has surged ahead of the Acura MDX, its closest rival as a luxury midsize seven-seater. In fact, you could say it is the best-selling luxury midsize seven-seater since only the Lexus RX and BMW X5 surpass its sales in the segment, and those are only seven-seaters when optioned accordingly.And of all the things it does, being a seven-seater is probably the thing it does best. One of my favourite, underappreciated features in the minivan-substitute three-row crossover segment is smart second row seats that slide well out of the way for easy access to the third row. Combined with reasonable headroom and seats that arent flat on the floor (I’m looking at you, Lexus RX 350L), it makes all the difference between a usable third row and emergency-only torture zone. The Infiniti QX60 nails it. The second-row seat bottom folds in on itself and slides forward for a wide (though somewhat high) step-through and there is adult-sized headroom with limited legroom once you get back there. The third row isnt exactly lounge-like, but this is a midsize crossover, not a full-size SUV or a minivan, so its appropriate for the size and, most importantly, useful on a regular basis for more than just small kids. Complementing the easily accessible three rows of seating, the cargo space is at minimum 450 L with additional hidden storage under the floor, then more than doubles to 1,140 L when you drop the third row, and a maximum of 2,146 L with all seats folded. Not only is the big Infiniti spacious, but both rows of seats split and fold so you can fold down just one side of both rows for a very long cargo space and still have room for a few passengers in the back.The cargo capacity doesnt end with the trunk, as the QX60 also tows up to 5,000 lbs and meets the needs of cabin storage with cupholders, door pockets with room for bottles, a tray for your phone conveniently close to charging (though no wireless charging or onboard WiFi), plus a glovebox and a centre console cubby under the armrest for stashing odds and ends. Aside from the ample storage, the QX60 as-equipped would make an excellent road trip companion, topping off the long equipment list with the theatre package that add headrest-mounted monitors, wireless headphones and remote, and 120V power and HDMI port to connect game consoles or other devices. Face it, singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall just wont hold kids attention for very long these days. With everybody and all their crap easily packed in, the QX60 is ready to bore you with its completely serene, forgettable driving experience. The drivers seat is supportive and well-padded so it wont make you uncomfortable, the shifter is traditional and within easy reach, so it takes no conscious thought to shift it into reverse and drive and get going. Behind the scenes, a 3.5-litre V6 is matched with standard all-wheel drive, and power is fed through a continuously variable transmission that is designed to imitate a geared automatic transmission, so it feels much like any other average car or utility vehicle youve been driving for the past couple decades, only smoother. The engine yields 295 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque, and although it weighs over 2,000 kilos, it gets going with a pleasing, progressive acceleration to the muted soundtrack of a V6 behind a great deal of sound deadening.The CVT does its best to make the most of the premium fuel thats recommended, rated at 12.5 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 9.0 on the highway. In our week of a suburban mix of driving, it landed at 12.6, which not
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Infiniti QX60
Updated: Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019 preview
Next week, the gates will open to one of the UK’s most hotly anticipated motoring events, as the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed gets under way. This year’s edition will bring some changes to the festival layout, but, as ever, is an opportunity for us to get a first look at some of the industry’s most important and exciting new cars. For those familiar with the setting, the Supercar Paddock will be relocated to where the Moving Motor Show was previously held, near the start of the famous hillclimb course. In its place will be a new area called ‘The arena’, which will showcase the extreme end of motorsport – stunt driving, drift cars and daring motorcycle displays with some of the biggest stars of each discipline set to appear. Goodwood has also now announced the first batch of star names driving up the hillclimb. They include Tom Kristensen, the Le Mans driver who’s won the 24 Hours a record nine times. WRC and World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg will also be there, while Ken Block will put on a typically epic display. A number of Moto GP and Isle of Man TT legends will also attend. The Goodwood Central Feature, an always impressive monument, will be dedicated this year to Aston Martin, in honour of the 70th anniversary of the brand winning its first race at Goodwood. Expect some of the world’s rarest, most valuable and most exciting Astons to be on display, too. The event will also celebrate the career of Michael Schumacher, with team-mates, former rivals and a collection of his most iconic Formula 1 cars all set to come together. It’s likely there will also be a memorable tribute to Niki Lauda, who died in May, though what that will be remains a mystery. A homage to the Monaco Grand Prix will be another theme. Goodwood isn’t just about the past, however: A number of brands use the show to give debuts to new models in front of enthusiastic crowds. Here’s a list of the new models that we know will be there, either on static display or being driven flat-out up the hillclimb. Plenty more will be added as we find out about them: Alfa Romeo is celebrating its return to Formula 1 with two special edition variants of the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio. The limited-run ‘Alfa Romeo Racing’ versions of the performance saloon and SUV gain a red and white livery and unique interior trim upgrades, such as Sparco carbonfibre-shell bucket seats. The 503bhp 2.9-litre V6 remains the same, however. Aston’s presence at Goodwood 2019 will be bigger than ever, as the brand celebrates the 50th anniversary of its fabled 1959 Le Mans victory with an extensive display of its most revered models. The new DBS Superleggera Volante will head up Aston’s collection, and is likely to make its dynamic debut on the hillclimb. Revealed in May, the £250,000 model features a 715bhp 5.2-litre V12, with Aston claiming a “sensory overload” thanks to the electric folding soft-top. It’s been eight years since Cheshire-based Briggs Automotive Company (BAC) first launched the Mono single-seater. Now, at long last, the company is turning up the wick with a new version heading to Goodwood. Set to be unveiled on the Thursday, preview images show it doesn’t look dramatically different but sports a newly modified engine to make it faster. We’ll learn more about it at the show. Bentley revealed the new Flying Spur late last month, and it’ll be shown in static and dynamic form at Goodwood. The luxury four-door is taking aim at the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class and Rolls-Royce Ghost. Based on the platform of the Continental GT, it is the first Bentley to feature all-wheel steering – while it promises to offer the firm’s most tech-laden cabin yet. Citroen is celebrating its centenary at the 2019 Festival of Speed. Alongside what’s expected to be a huge variety of iconic classics spanning its history, we will be seeing the UK debut of two concepts. The first is the Ami One, a quirky, budget two-seater that meets Europe’s quadricycle regulations and could be driven without a licence in some countries. The second (above) is even more radical: the 19_19 is a comfort-focused electric car designed to envision autonomous long-distance travel. De Tomaso, the Italian performance brand that’s been dormant since its founder died in 2003, is making a dramatic return. Backed by a Hong Kong-based venture, It will celebrate the brand’s 60th anniversary with an all-new, V8-powered mid-engined sports car at the Festival of Speed. A preview image suggests it will bear a striking resemblance to the iconic Pantera, too. Ferrari One-off Ferraris always attract a lot of attention, so the first public appearance of Maranello’s bespoke P80/C track car should assemble quite a crowd. Based on the firm’s 488 GT3 racer, the P80/C was built over four years for an unnamed collector. Powertrain details are, as yet, unconfirmed, but a run up the hill should be enough to show us the fruits of Ferrari’s mechanical
Origin: Updated: Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019 preview
Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 28 June
, £2208: Workaday estates with four-wheel drive and a punchy motor are always fun – such as this 113,000-mile V50 T5 of 2004. It uses a detuned version of the turbo five-pot in the Ford Focus ST and shares that car’s chassis, so it handles well but is brisk, not quick. Seeing a motor described as the seller’s everyday car is always reassuring, which is how this 100,000-mile 1997 Brooklands caught our eye. It has full service history plus new brake spheres and reconditioned brake pumps. Who needs a pretty face when you’re as practical as a Rodius? The seven-seat MPV is that rare breed: a people-carrier with space for people. All seats swivel, slide, fold and come out. This example is a 2006-reg car with 77,000 miles. Yes, it has a rock-hard ride and visibility is woeful but the DS5 of 2012-15 is such a good-looking thing that we forgive it. Even this luxury-focused Style version looks genuinely sporty. It’s a 2013-reg model that has done 90,000 miles Auction watch Just 2000 of these roof, door and windscreen-less Smart Fortwos, launched as a concept at the 2001 Geneva motor show, were made. Tuned by Brabus, the special edition’s uprated 600cc motor produced 70bhp, ample in a car weighing 740kg. This one, number 0063 with 4600 miles on the clock, achieved £12,880 at auction, or around half what it cost new. Singer Robbie Williams owned a Crossblade for a while. He took delivery of his car, numbered 0008, in 2002 and called it “innovative and unconventional”, but by 2007, it was being advertised for sale at £14,995. Get it while you can As Autocar reported recently, a revamped F-Type is on the cards for next year. Judging by the generous deals available on the current model, it can’t come soon enough. You can get £2600 off the price of a brand-new, entry-level 2.0-litre coupé for cash, or a whopping £5800 if you take out finance. Alternatively, try your luck with a pre-reg such as the 2019/19-reg example with 100 miles on the clock that we found. It’s priced at £42,329 from a Jaguar dealer – around £10,000 less than it cost new. Clash of the classifieds Brief: Find me a performance diesel saloon for £10,000, please. If we’re talking about quick diesel saloon cars, then you’ll want power, efficiency and plenty of top tech; so I present to you the BMW 3 Series. I’ve specifically gone for the mighty 330d with a 245bhp 3.0-litre straight six diesel engine because it covers 0-60mph in 6.2sec, does 155mph and is still capable of high-40s to the gallon. The example here is a 2011 car with a full BMW service history and it comes loaded with leather, the professional media iDrive system and heated sports seats with adjustable thigh support in the front. The price? A mere snip at £8995. Max Adams Really pleasing diesel cars are few and far between but there’s no doubting the indomitable S-Class – the truly, deeply and unbelievably wafty S-Class, the best all-round car in the real world and the default luxury limo for the well-heeled. This purveyor of high-class motoring is at once great to drive and wonderfully comfortable to travel in. Despite such outstanding refinement, this 255bhp saloon has to be reined in to 155mph and its combined fuel consumption figure is a meritorious 46mpg. To top it all, this is a 2011 car with a barely run-in 78,000 miles on the clock, and it’s in immaculate condition. Mark Pearson Verdict: The big S goes straight to the top of the
Origin: Buy them before we do: second-hand picks for 28 June
Analysis: Why new car buyers are ditching diesel for hybrids and EVs
It’s hard to believe that just two years ago, almost half of the new cars sold in the UK were diesel. In May 2017, in the first of a series of powertrain studies done for Autocar, market research firm Simpson Carpenter forecast that within three years diesel sales would fall to 23% of the total new car market – a prediction that was met with some scepticism at the time. But now, two years on, diesel sales in the first quarter of 2019 have fallen to just 27% of the new car market. So far, the main beneficiary has been petrol. While buyers expressed an intent to buy hybrid or electric, the relative shortage of available models has limited alternatively fuelled vehicles to just 6% of new car sales. Simpson Carpenter’s most recent research for Autocar suggests the move away from diesel will continue, with just 18% of car buyers – new and used – now expecting their next car to be diesel. The main shift from diesel is in the new car market, where the proportion of people intending to buy diesel next time is down from 23% in 2017 to just 14%. During the same period, the number of new car buyers expecting to buy a hybrid or electric car has risen from fewer than one in four to more than one in three – growth likely to continue as the choice of models increases. Even in the used car market, diesel’s popularity continues to wane. Only 21% now intend to buy a diesel next time – just 2% more than those who say they’ll opt for a hybrid or electric car. The very small number of used hybrids and electric cars on the market means a big imbalance between supply and demand for different powertrains. However, petrol car sales are likely to remain healthy for some time. Although one in five of those with petrol-engined cars say they will defect to hybrid or electric next time round, these losses will be largely mitigated by almost one in three diesel owners who plan to switch to petrol. Another nail in diesel’s coffin is the increase in the numbers of current owners who reject the fuel outright. One in five diesel owners now reject the fuel and will no longer even consider it for their next car. These gradually increasing levels of rejection continue to be driven by two core concerns: the environmental effects of diesel and concern over future resale values of diesel cars. The only area in which diesel seems likely to retain a significant foothold is with larger cars. Among owners with cars that have engines of 2.0 litres or more, over half will consider diesel next time, with more than a third picking it as the engine type they’re most likely to buy. Conversely, there seems to be no future for diesel among smaller cars. Why are car buyers turning their back on diesel?
Origin: Analysis: Why new car buyers are ditching diesel for hybrids and EVs
Bentley rounds off centenary trio with Continental Number 1 Edition
Bentley has paid tribute to its 1929 Blower race car with the new Continental GT Number 1 Edition by Mulliner. Based on the Continental GT Convertible, the Number 1 can be had in either red or grey and features a number of bespoke styling elements that, the firm says, “celebrate some of the pioneering individuals from the marque’s first 100 years”. The Number 1 is equipped with a Centenary trim package that adds commemorative badges to the bootlid and wheels, unique LED lighting patterns and bespoke interior elements. The number 1 is painted on the grille, in reference to the brand’s historic motorsport markings, and a carbonfibre body kit is fitted as standard. Further styling upgrades include 18-carat gold badging, jewel-encrusted oil and fuel filler caps, and 22in alloy wheels finished in dark red or gloss black. The Continental’s rotating infotainment display now features a miniature replica of the Bentley Blower’s distinctive wheel spinner, formed from a piece of piston taken from the original car. The special edition is powered by the standard model’s twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre W12 engine, with power sent through a dual-clutch eight-speed gearbox. The Number 1 Edition completes a trio of limited-run models Bentley has unveiled as part of its centenary celebrations. Last year’s Mulsanne W.O. Edition celebrated company founder Walter Owen Bentley, and the recently revealed Continental GT Number 9 was styled after the firm’s 1930 Le Mans racer. As with the earlier cars, just 100 Number 1 models will be made. The Bentley Blower, named for its prominent supercharger, set the Outer Circuit lap record at the now-closed Brooklands race circuit in Surrey in
Origin: Bentley rounds off centenary trio with Continental Number 1 Edition
Put on Your Judgy-Pants: A particular shade of green you’re waiting for?
A police truck pulls over a distracted driver in a Jeep in Burlington, Ontario in June 2019Halton Regional Police Most of us have done it. Mind wandering a little, a long light finally turns green, and we’re still sitting there, wondering what that plant is called or when the city moved that mailbox. Usually a terse blast of a horn behind you gets you moving.But these days, it’s more likely that stuck driver is checking their phone. That’s what happened with Constable Marc Taraso in Burlington, Ontario recently. He watched a driver sit at a green light for eleven seconds, apparently checking out a website. The officer was right beside the driver. Now, that’s some engrossing website.The location is a side street coming into a major arterial route. Those lights can take some time to change, and I’ll guess our driver lives in the area and sits at that light frequently. We get a little bored and comfortable close to home. On my way into court this morning; this driver was stopped at Walkers/Thomas Alton; the driver was too busy reading the phone to notice they were sitting at a green light; for 11 seconds; with me directly beside them. Charged with #DistractedDriving fail to proceed green light pic.twitter.com/9t3NM66u6Z Cst. Marc Taraso (@MT9345) June 25, 2019However, he’s now busted with distracted driving, as well as failure to proceed. The distracted charge alone will cost our pokey driver $615, three demerits and a three-day licence suspension. As always, there are three sides to every story. Put on your
Origin: Put on Your Judgy-Pants: A particular shade of green you’re waiting for?
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