The range of products built by FCA has, generally, no real reason to exist at least, not in the minds of any practical car-buyer. Almost every vehicle from FCAs brands appear specifically made to fit in between the needs of most consumers.Teeny, sporty roadsters. Near-800-horsepower go-fast brutes. Rafts of off-road-capable Jeeps. Does anyone really need any of these cars to exist?No.Thats the simple answer. However, its within this unjustifiable existence we find something much more important: purpose. For some drivers, its not the destination we care about, its the space in between the start and the finish line.In life, its the space in between birth and death that we find meaning in. The Japanese have a word for this ikagai and since a Mazda MX-5s bones underpin the Fiat 124, I thought it prudent to mention here.Thats what FCA builds, vehicles that live in this space, I would argue. But to find out for sure, I headed to California with several other auto writers to spend some time in between the start and finish line of Laguna Seca race track in a few mildly updated Fiat Abarths.To make sure all of us journalists didnt crash and burn immediately, we were given a crash course in track driving from Skip Barber Driving School in Monterey, California. Fiat assumed most of us knew how to drive big mistake so we only got a fraction of a real lesson, just enough to get a bunch of lead-foot writers out on the track and, hopefully, not into too much trouble.Laguna Seca itself looks intimidating. From wild elevation changes to an infamous corkscrew left-right, its the quintessential classic race track, impossible to build today. Turns out it feels no more difficult than a back roads drive, albeit one at 160 km/h. The track is wide and so are the curves, which meant we could keep the loud pedal pressed to the floor for the most part. Both the 124 and 500 manuals and automatics we drove had been fitted with some mild upgrades to better power and agility. The 124 got a new Record Monza Exhaust, the 500 a set of straight pipes really just a muffler delete. Regardless, the sound of the 500 was raucous compared to the gentlemanly 124, at least until you let off the gas at 7,000 rpm in the latter. At that point, you might feel subliminally compelled to fork over $2 to the concession stand manager for extra butter.Step on the gas in the low revs and the torque or lack thereof will let you down, literally. On a track with such extreme elevation changes as Laguna Seca, you need low-end grunt for all but a few turns, and so want to keep the engine in a high rev range to let the turbo spin enough to propel you onward and upward.The 124 is not a new vehicle, but thats a compliment. The bloat of new sports cars really becomes apparent when you sit in a vehicle as small as this. The car hasnt been given the full race car treatment when it comes to suspension and brakes. The springs are still quite soft, though the Abarth package does add upgraded Brembo stoppers and a limited-slip differential. The centre-of-gravity is low, and the car feels well-balanced no surprises when you enter or exit a turn. Though the 124 and 500 share an engine, the experience could not be more different. Obviously, the hatchback is shorter and taller than the slender 124, and you feel it in every corner, especially at Laguna Seca where almost none are taken on flat ground. Pitch it into a turn and you lean like Pisa. The front wheels try desperately to keep you pointed in the right direction, but the weight transfer works against your favour. All you can do is apply a dab of brake, causing the car to rotate. In a few corners, my car mustve looked like it was going to take a piss on the apex.Apologies to the enthusiasts, but having a go in a manual-trans Fiat 500 around the track was pretty unpleasant. The shifter is floppy and the throws are long, and most of us journalists couldnt get into the seating position.As sacrilegious as it sounds, the automatic transmission in the 500 was splendid, and offered quicker gear changes than I could pull off with my right hand and left foot. The positioning of the shifter is perfect for snapping up and down the gears, and the short throws made it feel like a rally car.If youre asking me to hand in my enthusiast badge immediately, perhaps I can reel you back in by suggesting the automatic in the 124 did not offer the same feeling. Although it too can be manually shifted with the same blip of the gear lever or flick of the steering-wheel-mounted paddles, the slushbox was much slower to respond, and wouldnt downshift if you werent in the 11 or 12 oclock positions on the rev counter. This meant more time spent thinking about shifting than other things, tainting the experience slightly. OK, give me my badge back.The six-speed manual transmission in the 124 is borrowed from the previous-generation NC Miata, and offers an excellent notchy feel that doesnt care if you wring its
Origin: The Fiat Abarth and the spaces in between
Updated: 2019 Tokyo motor show preview – the star cars
Every edition of the biennial Tokyo motor show explores a different facet of Japan’s unique automotive industry. Some put an unabashed focus on performance while others place technology front and centre. What never changes is that the event is dominated by Japanese carmakers, you won’t hear much from European, American and other Asian brands, and the companies that display cars in Japan’s capital are on a bold quest to show their wild side. This is their chance to shine on their home turf. The 2019 Tokyo motor show opening its doors on October 24 will, somewhat unsurprisingly, highlight electrification. Most of the production and concept cars scheduled to break cover during the event will incorporate some degree of electrification, whether it’s mild hybrid technology or a battery-powered drivetrain. Here are the cars we expect to see in the Big Sight convention centre, though keep in mind carmakers often announce new models days, hours and minutes before the start of the show. Honda 2020 Jazz The next-generation Honda Jazz (known as the Fit in some markets) will exclusively be available with petrol-electric hybrid powertrains. Honda previously explained it developed a more compact version of the twin-motor i-MMD hybrid technology that equips the CR-V to use in smaller cars. While additional details remain few and far between, spy shots show a front end that falls in line with Honda’s current design language and familiar proportions. Jazz sales will begin in early 2020. Although it has historically lagged behind its rivals, it’s a hugely important model because it’s Honda’s best-seller in the UK. Lexus Electric car concept The concept Lexus will introduce in Tokyo will take it into the electric car segment for the first time. It’s a small, city-friendly model with a tall roof that clears up a generous amount of cabin space. Screens positioned on either side of the steering wheel display the infotainment system and the model relies on innovative in-wheel electric motors for power. While it will be presented as a simple design study, Lexus strongly hinted at least some parts of it will reach production in the coming years. “We feel that our future could resemble this design,” Lexus vice-president Koji Sato told Autocar. Mazda 2020 production EV Mazda’s Wankel rotary engine will make a long-awaited comeback in Tokyo but don’t look for a follow-up to the RX-8 on the show floor. It will perform range-extending duties in the company’s first series-produced electric car. We haven’t seen it yet, the test mules are all disguised as CX-30s, but we know it will arrive as a standalone model rather than as a battery-powered variant of an existing nameplate. It will be an SUV with a 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack that zaps a 140bhp motor into motion. Mitsubishi MI-Tech Concept Mitsubishi’s Tokyo-bound concept will primarily serve as a preview of its next plug-in hybrid drivetrain, which swaps the traditional combustion engine for a gas turbine generator. The company pointed out it made the powertrain smaller and lighter than the one currently found in the Outlander in order to electrify more compact models like the Eclipse Cross. A selection of preview images show the technology will be showcased in a futuristic-looking SUV with externally-mounted speakers and carbonfibre inserts. Expect the powertrain, not the concept, to reach showrooms in the coming years. Nissan IMk concept As with most Japanese kei cars, Nissan’s new IMk concept is tall, boxy and geared towards urban mobility, but, in a break from convention, sits atop an all-new EV platform and showcases the firm’s plans for the future of small cars. The concept builds upon Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility programme with a lounge-style interior and lack of physical controls, and early suggestions are that it could be sold globally. Subaru 2020 Levorg The next generation of Subaru’s Levorg estate will arrive with a more streamlined design and an array of electronic driving aids. The company’s teaser video noted we’re “in an era where autonomous driving technology is widely spreading” so it’s reasonable to assume the scope of its EyeSight suite of driver assistance features will be expanded. At the other end of the spectrum, Subaru will send off the 20-year old EJ20 flat-four engine with a commemorative WRX STI limited to 555 examples. Suzuki Waku Suzuki’s big themes for Tokyo are mobility and personality, as embodied by its retro-styled show star – the Waku. An ultra compact plug-in hybrid, the Waku features a number of design elements that can be swapped out according to personal preference, and is intended for families to “share fun and excitement”. Hanare The Hanare, taking its name from the Japanese for a small dwelling attached to a house, is Suzuki’s take on the autonomous shuttle. As with the Waku, it blends futuristic technology with 1960s-style design elements, and is said to be fully
Origin: Updated: 2019 Tokyo motor show preview – the star cars
Mitsubishi’s Tokyo show star is roofless SUV with four electric motors
Mitsubishi will reveal a new compact SUV concept with a range-extending EV tech at next month’s Tokyo motor show. The MI-Tech Concept, first confirmed last month, is previewed again in another image released by the firm. It shows the model is a two-seater, lacking doors and a roof, so it’s unlikely to preview a close-to-production model. However, its intent is to preview a new generation of plug-in hybrid powertrains to be used on SUV models smaller than the Outlander. Instead of the traditional combustion engine, Mitsubishi has deployed a gas turbine engine-generator, allowing use of pure EV and series hybrid drive modes. The hybrid technology will be smaller and lighter than Mitsubishi’s current plug-in hybrid system, which it pioneered first on the Outlander PHEV. It will be four-wheel drive, with two electric motors on each axle for for greater off-road control and precise handling, the brand claims. It’s also claimed to offer both improved efficiency in urban environments. Mitsubishi has not released any further technical details of the new hybrid system, which will join the larger one it already has in its range on the Outlander. That current plug-in hybrid tech mixes a 2.4-litre petrol engine with a 13.8kWh battery and twin electric motors. A replacement for the Outlander was previewed at the Geneva motor show in March with a concept called Engelberg Tourer that continued with a 2.4-litre petrol engine but now mated to a larger 20kWh battery. The concept car’s downsized plug-in hybrid technology could therefore be intended for the Eclipse Cross, either in this generation or the next. Mitsubishi sources confirmed to Autocar earlier this year that the Eclipse Cross would be offered with plug-in hybrid technology in the future. Mitsubishi sources also confirmed to Autocar that it would look to move its three SUV models – ASX, Eclipse Cross and Outlander – further apart in size. The ASX is set to be offered with an all-electric drivetrain in its next generation, rather than hybrid technology. The 2019 Tokyo concept will follow a 2017 concept at the same show, called e-Evolution. The model offered visual clues to the next ASX, but more pertinently was an early indication of what the famous Evo could turn into – a high-performance electric compact SUV – should Mitsubishi decide to revive it early in the next decade as has long been
Origin: Mitsubishi’s Tokyo show star is roofless SUV with four electric motors
Nearly-new buying guide: Ford Fiesta ST
Enough tributes have been paid to the Ford Fiesta ST of 2012-17 for us not to add to them here, save to say that if you’re looking for a class-leading hot hatch that’s also great value for money, you’ve just found it. Prices start at around £6000 for the first cars and go all the way to £14,000 for the last ST-3s with low mileage. All are powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine producing 180bhp and, thanks to an overboost function, 197bhp for a maximum of 15sec under full throttle. Lifting off briefly is sufficient to reset the timer and away you go again. This generation of Fiesta ST was the first to use torque vectoring, a system that brakes the front wheels individually to tame any incipient understeer. The ST also sits 15mm lower than standard models and has disc brakes all round. In short, it’s ready to play straight out of the box. This applies even to the most basic spec, called ST-1. Basic but still with a few welcome features, including 17in alloy wheels, a bodykit, Recaro front seats, a digital radio, air-con and twin tailpipes. An additional touch was the standard-fit ST mats but they’re probably looking a bit tired now. This version cost just £16,995 when new, but for another £1000, you could buy the ST-2 and most buyers did, attracted by its part-leather Recaros, rear privacy glass and starter button. Later on, the top-spec ST-3, costing £19,250, arrived bearing gifts such as a sat-nav, automatic headlights, climate control and power folding mirrors. Despite its price premium over the ST-2, it came a close second to it in terms of sales. As we explain below, the ST-2 is our pick. However, it’s worth pointing out that with so many used STs for sale, prices are all over the place and you could well bag a better-equipped ST-3 for the same or even less money. For example, we found a dealer-sale 2015/15-reg ST-2 with 40,000 miles for £8995 and a same-age, dealer-sale ST-3 with 45,000 miles for the same price. As always, the devil’s in the detail, with the ST-2 finished in Performance Blue and with upgraded alloys, and the ST-3 in less eye-catching red and standard alloys. The lesson when buying is to look around, compare prices and pay attention to colours and extras. Also, be particular about service history and tyres. Being so cheap, many Fiesta STs fell into the hands of those less able to afford to run them. Servicing, tyres and brakes were among the first casualties and that’s assuming the car wasn’t thrashed or crashed to destruction. Checking shut lines, crouching down and peering along the car’s sides for signs of body repairs and fresh paint, and scrutinising the underside for speed bump damage is vital. And as with all used car purchases, check the car’s finance and ownership status, too. But get a good one, and you’ll be laughing – especially on a B-road. Need to know The ST was launched as a three-door but a five-door version, costing £585 more when new, became available in 2016. A 31,000-mile 2017 ST-2 five-door is around £12,000 compared with about £11,000 for a three-door. In 2018, a recall was issued for early STs. It concerned the possibility of the cylinder head cracking due to localised overheating. Rectification included fitment of a new coolant level sensor with an alarm providing an audible and visual warning. Look out for STs fitted with the ST Style pack (£275 extra when new). It brings dark grey alloys, rear privacy glass (standard on ST-2), red brake calipers and illuminated ST sill plates. Servicing is every year or 12,500 miles and shouldn’t break the bank. The cambelt requires changing at 125,000 miles. Top spec pick With 212bhp on overboost, a shortened final drive ratio for quicker acceleration and tweaked suspension and steering, the limited-edition ST200 is the enthusiast’s ST. Our pick ST-2: This mid-range spec has heated part-leather Recaros, LED running lights, an upgraded stereo and privacy glass. It’s the best value and plentiful, too, so you’re sure to find a good one. Wild card Mountune’s power upgrade kit arrived in 2013. It cost £599 and increased performance by 33bhp to 213bhp. We spotted a tuned 67,000-mile 2014-reg ST-2 Mountune for £6700. Ones we found 2013 ST-2 63,000 miles, £6200 2015 ST-2 40,000 miles, £8995 2016 ST-2 50,000 miles, £9495 2017 ST200 43,000 miles,
Origin: Nearly-new buying guide: Ford Fiesta ST
New Volkswagen Golf to feature class-leading technology
The next-generation Volkswagen Golf, to be unveiled this month, aims to revolutionise the volume hatchback market with 48V mild-hybrid engines and technology not yet seen in the class. The German maker is betting on the new Mk8 Golf to secure its foothold in the shrinking segment – down 16% globally in the first half of 2019, according to analyst firm JATO – by offering not only class-leading technology but also the lowest CO2 emissions, important for running costs and the brand’s social responsibility standing. VW’s technical chief, Frank Welsch, told Autocar that development is now finished and the Mk8 Golf is currently undergoing quality testing. He said: “We are now in pre-production, in the phase to make sure that one part fits perfectly to another. Everything we did on the prototype is nice but now it’s time to see whether it works in the series solution. We are testing in Germany, America, Spain, China – everywhere.” There has been much debate about the Mk8’s engines and which should use hybrid tech, with decisions understood to have been reversed following the departure of Matthias Müller as CEO and subsequent appointment of Herbert Diess. The outcome, Welsch said, is that the volume engines – the 1.0-litre and 1.5-litre petrol units – will be available with a 48V system with VW’s dual-clutch transmission only. The 1.0-litre will make 129bhp and the 1.5-litre 148bhp. It isn’t yet known which engines will be offered with a manual gearbox. Welsch said: “We have 48V on the mainstream petrol engines but not on the diesel. The diesel has better CO2 emissions anyway and diesel is more expensive so to keep it balanced, we did it only on petrol. “The 48V mild hybrid is not only good in terms of CO2 but also comfortable driving. You won’t hear the restart on the start/stop system. It’s much more powerful with the mild-hybrid starter/generator system. Even while driving, if the car is just rolling, you don’t need extra power. The engine turns off while driving, and if you just touch the pedal, it starts again and you don’t feel it. It’s very comfortable.” Alongside the two volume petrol engines, there will be an updated version of the 2.0-litre TDI diesel, codenamed EA288 Evo, which has been significantly re-engineered to reduce exhaust pollution. There is also a more efficient and responsive turbocharger and the engine itself is lighter. VW has claimed the unit offers an average of 9% more torque and power together with an average 10g/km decrease in CO2 emissions. Welsch said the new Golf will be “leading again in terms of CO2 emissions,” stating that its most efficient variant under WLTP testing will be just into three figures. Welsch said: “We are in the process of homologation now and two or three engines are already done. CO2 (in the Mk8) is a huge step. We’ve optimised engines and aerodynamics.” The Golf GTE plug-in hybrid will also continue and offer a power boost, while a lower-powered hybrid will also be available. “Today’s GTI is 241bhp so the GTE should also have 241bhp, so it’s really a GTE.” Welsch said. “But there are some people who just want to stay with a similar plug-in hybrid to today so that is why we’re offering the 201bhp, too. It comes without the GTE trim and (appears) as a normal Golf.” There will be no e-Golf as VW focuses on its electric ID 3. The next Golf GTI, due to arrive by late 2020, is set to use much of the hardware from the Mk7 Golf GTI, including an updated version of the EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, which will exceed the 241bhp of the current iteration. An even hotter Golf R will follow in 2021. A range-topping 400bhp R Plus, to rival the Mercedes-AMG A45 and Audi RS3, is also on the cards. The Mk8 Golf is underpinned by an evolution of the existing model’s MQB platform, featuring a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension in combination with adaptive damping control. Engineers involved in the new car’s development say major attention has been focused on steering accuracy. The electromechanical set-up of the outgoing car has been heavily reworked to provide it with added levels of feedback and a more direct ratio. The new Golf’s design, as ever, will not be a dramatic overhaul from its predecessor’s, given the loyal fan base of VW’s third biggest-selling car globally, behind the Tiguan and Polo. Welsch said: “It’s the same story we started with Mk1 and Mk2. It’s an evolutionary process with very small but clear steps. It’s a little bit more dynamic.” Welsch said the roof line above the C-pillar has been lowered slightly and the belt line has been moved up, to create more dynamism. He said: “The Golf today is a little bit more horizontal. This design makes it look optically faster. We made it a little bit dynamic but everybody would know it’s a Golf without any logo and despite it being the new one.” Despite VW wishing to give its new electric ID brand separate design to its conventional models, the
Origin: New Volkswagen Golf to feature class-leading technology
Vincent: The legend of the fastest motorcycle in the world
Robert and Kathy Watson with some of their rare Vincent motorcycles.Alyn Edwards In 1948, a British-built HRD Vincent Black Shadow motorcycle taken right out of the shipping crate could do 125 miles per hour. That same year a Black Shadow was clocked at 150 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats. In 1956 a Vincent in New Zealand held the FIM (International Motorcycling Federation) record at 186 mph.Back in the mid-20th Century this was the worlds fastest motorcycle and it shattered every land speed record in the United States. The Black Shadow is slightly faster than the Vincent Rapide and a fair number of them were sold new in the Forties and early Fifties by Vancouver distributor British Motorcycles.We have the records for every model sold in Vancouver, says Fraser Valley Vincent guru Robert Watson, whose amazing collection includes a 1939 Series A Vincent Rapide plus examples built in 1947 and 1949 along with a single-cylinder 1949 Comet that he affectionately calls Half-a-Vincent.He says the only differences between a Black Shadow and a Rapide are slightly higher compression, carburetors and the letter B added to the number stamped on the Black Shadows engine block. Watsons most collectible Vincent is a 1937 TT-replica one of only 38 pre-war racing TTR bikes built as an homage to the three 1936 TT factory racers that competed in the famed Isle of Man race that year. This was one of two rare Vincent motorcycles that were all apart and for sale in Toronto.I bought a van in Toronto, picked up all the parts and pieces and drove back to Vancouver, Watson says.With five Vincent motorcycles in his stable and a track record of restoring many basket cases, Robert Watson is a world authority on the marque.Why the Vincent?I was about 15 years old when I saw a group of Vincent owners go by in Vancouver. I thought: Is that the mystical black motorcycle that I heard about?Although his first motorcycle was a modest Yamaha 80 purchased when he was in Grade 12, Watson developed a passion for motorcycles and, later, motorcycle racing.He got a degree in industrial design at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and began designing and selling industrial conveyor systems.He bought a new 1979 Kawasaki 550 and went for a ride up Mount Baker with his brother and some of his friends.I had the Kawasaki pinned at one hundred and Dan Smith pulled up beside me on his Vincent and shifts into fourth gear. I had to get one, he says.In 1985, he bought his first Vincent. It was a jigsaw puzzle with all the parts laid out on sheets of plywood. It was the 1949 Vincent Rapide that he has now ridden thousands of kilometres with wife Kathy. They have participated in many rallies in the U.S., Europe and Australia. He has only restored one Vincent that wasnt his.The owners grandfather, Fred R. Hancock, bought the Rapide new in Vancouver on September 23, 1949, he explains. It was crashed in Rossland decades ago and he put it away in his basement in Lillooet where he was the high school vice principal.The restoration took 18 months.The engines are complicated. Just the cams are a horrendous collection of bushings and spacers. You can spend $25,000 in a heartbeat if the motor isnt good, Watson says.The local chapter of the Vincent Owners Club has determined there are at least 70 Vincent motorcycles registered in B.C. The club, with 2,600 members worldwide, operates a parts supply company in England with six employees to keep the supply of spares available to enthusiasts.HRD Vincent made about 1,000 motorcycles before World War two and 11,000 post-war models. The club knows the whereabouts of approximately 7,000 Vincent motorcycles, an indication of how much they are valued. The club has production records with all the correct serial numbers and parts numbers.Its a closely guarded database and you can determine fakes, Watson says.Vincent motorcycles have become highly sought after and very expensive with restored Series A Rapides fetching around US$400,000 and the much coveted and extraordinarily rare Black Lightning models crossing the million-dollar mark at auctions.But to Vincent owners, the real value is riding their motorcycles.I will still run the A Rapide hard up the Duffy Lake Road or thrash the TTR on a track given the opportunity, Watson says. When you get them sorted, they are amazing. Every year when I get on my Rapide and run it out on the freeway, I say, God, I love this motorcycle.Alyn Edwards is a classic car enthusiast and partner in Peak Communicators, a Vancouver-based public relations company.
Origin: Vincent: The legend of the fastest motorcycle in the world
Tesla rolled out its Smart Summon feature, and it’s not going well
Tesla rolled out its Version 10 software update this past weekend, a suite which includes, among other new tricks, the long-awaited Smart Summon feature.The feature seems like one small step for the California automaker, but its one giant leap for car-kind: Smart Summon is the first piece of tech to apparently allowing a car to drive to its owner with nobody at the wheel.Sure, its only meant for short distances, and Teslas been telling owners they need to have a clear line of sight to the car to use it, but its still pretty neat.Where have you parked your Tesla?But also, who cares?Our Smart Summon feature means your car collects *you* from the parking lot. pic.twitter.com/boEtjJlY1V Tesla (@Tesla) September 26, 2019The car will drive toward the owner, as long as they have their finger on a button on an app; lifting their thumb stops the car if it has a problem.From the looks of Teslas video, it seems pretty cool, and looks like it works well. However, when owners try to make it work themselves, it sometimes doesnt go so well after all.Soday 1 with V10 Smart Summon was working beautifully. But someone didn’t notice my M3 and made a front bumper damage. We will claim our insurances but who’s fault do you guys think it’ll be ? Should I present this videos ? @teslaownersSV @Model3Owners @LikeTeslaKim @TesLatino pic.twitter.com/fhSA78oD6C David F Guajardo (@DavidFe83802184) September 28, 2019Other party thinks that I was actually driving because I ran to my car before he got out. Please give me some advise. @LikeTeslaKim @TesLatino @Model3Owners @teslaownersSV @teslamodel3fan pic.twitter.com/ScE12wHqA9 David F Guajardo (@DavidFe83802184) September 28, 2019Be forewarned @Tesla @elonmusk Enhanced summon isn’t safe or production ready. Tried in my empty drive way. Car went forward and ran into the side of garage. Love the car but saddened. #Tesla #TeslaModel3 pic.twitter.com/tRZ88DmXAW AB (@abgoswami) September 28, 2019So, @elonmusk My first test of Smart Summon didnt go so well. @Tesla #Tesla #Model3 pic.twitter.com/yC1oBWdq1I Roddie Hasan راضي (@eiddor) September 28, 2019The fine print on the update does note You are still responsible for your car and must monitor it and its surroundings at all times.Plus now the automakers underscoring that the feature is intended for use in private parking lots and driveways,” not on anything resembling a public road. Doubt that’ll stop some owners from using it that way, though.Hopefully Tesla can get some of these self-navigation details ironed out quickly, so owners wont have to walk 15 meters to their parked car ever
Origin: Tesla rolled out its Smart Summon feature, and it’s not going well
Hypercars seized from politician net CDN$35.9 million at auction
A picture taken on September 28, 2019 at the Bonmont Abbey in Cheserex, western Switzerland shows a 2010 Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 Coupe model car (R) and a 2011 Aston Martin One-77 Coupe model car during an auction preview by sales house Bonhams of sport cars belonging to the son of the Equatorial Guineas President.Fabrice Coffrini / Getty Not all politicians find themselves busy moving the levers of power and arguing with their opposition party. Some, like the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea, spend their time collecting a fleet of hypercars.Trouble is, at least in this instance, they were all confiscated by Swiss authorities three years ago after a money-laundering investigation.Yesterday, London-based Bonhams auctioned them all. Obey the law, kids, or you might lose your toys.On the block were some of the rarest pieces of metal ever to dent the worlds racetracks and roadways. An extraordinary convertible version of the already-rare Lamborghini Veneno, in white-on-tan Dubai spec, sold for a gob-smacking $11,049,911 including buyers premium. Interested in a one-of-six Koenigsegg One:1 with only 597 km on the clock? You would have had to bring $6,138,839 to walk away with the example at this auction. A 2011 Aston Martin One-77, number 35 of 77 built, went under the hammer for just over $2 million.The list goes on, reading like a whos-who of exotic machinery. A Ferrari Enzo, the sheeps-head-ugly super car from 2003, withdrew $4,143,716 from the bank account of a person who is presumably not blessed with the gift of sight.Despite having covered just 21 km in its sixteen years on this planet, records show it recently underwent a service costing $105,393.26, meaning it cost about five thousand dollars a kilometre to operate, not counting other maintenance and the initial purchase price. Your authors Dodge Charger is not as spendy. If it simply was a yellow Ferrari the buyer wanted, they should have held out for the 2015 LaFerrari that was also at this auction. It sold for a hair under $3 million, meaning the Enzo buyer could have saved $1.1 million and a trip to the eye doctor. Compared to the Enzo, though, the LaFerrari was admittedly a high-mileage car, with 894 km under its stylish Italian loafers.Cops in Geneva seized the fleet from an airport cargo area 2016 after criminal proceedings were opened against Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of the central African nations leader. Earlier this year, Swiss prosecutors said they closed a money-laundering investigation against Obiang, citing an arrangement to fund programs in Equatorial Guinea with proceeds from the sale of these
Origin: Hypercars seized from politician net CDN$35.9 million at auction
Suzuki Waku: retro-styled PHEV concept set for Tokyo show
Suzuki will unveil the Waku SPO – a retro-styled plug-in hybrid concept featuring design elements that can be switched according to personal preference – at this year’s Tokyo motor show. The ultra-compact Waku SPO will be joined on the Japanese firm’s stand by an autonomous ‘mobile room’ concept called the Hanare. The two machines are designed to showcase Suzuki’s efforts in developing future technologies. Suzuki’s stand is themed around the concept of ‘Waku Waku’, a Japanese term that means excitement in English. The Waku SPO is described by Suzuki as an A-segment personal compact PHEV, intended for use by a family to “share fun and excitement”. Suzuki has not yet disclosed any technical details of the plug-in hybrid powertrain. The firm says the model features a ‘Waku Waku’ switch that can customise the car by allowing users to “switch its body shape, front mask and content shown on the dashboard”, so the car “can transform to meet each and everyone’s fun and excitement”. It is not clear how extensive the exterior changes to the car would be. A rendering released by Suzuki shows a small hatch with a long front bonnet and retro-styling somewhat similar to the Honda e. The Hanare – a Japanese term for a small dwelling built to the side of a home – is an autonomous pod-style vehicle designed for an “efficiency-centric future”. Suzuki says the machine would allow users to work or rest during long journeys, with the Hanare capable of being customised for different uses and to the requirements of different users. Suzuki has not yet revealed any powertrain details for the Hanare, but with heavy autonomous technology and the pod-like design, it is likely to be based around a full-electric
Origin: Suzuki Waku: retro-styled PHEV concept set for Tokyo show
Car Review: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
In 1991, budding gearheads who were walking around with a slingshot in their back pocket while telling people Dont have a cow, man were encouraged by those in the know to cut out then-new reviews of the Nissan Sentra SE-R and stash them under their bed along with those MAD magazines and that long desiccated frog. Why? Because we knew, even then, that the plain looking car with the heart full of tomfoolery was the ticket to having fun while staying under the radar.Fast forward 28 years and we find that while the details have changed the slingshot is replaced by a deadeye shot in Fortnite while yelling Cant tell me nothin much remains the same in terms of getting away with fun while no ones looking. Volkswagen has produced a sedate looking sedan thatll make quick work of 401 traffic while wearing a set of clothes thatll attract all the attention of a paint-drying competition.The 2019 VW Jetta GLI you see on these digital pages pegs the grin meter without letting anyone else in on the secret. Starting at $31,695, the GLI build sheet presents customers with only a brace of options: a seven-speed automatic for $1,400 and a Driver Assistance package that adds safety nannies and hoovers $995 from your bank account. Our tester was fitted with neither of these things and was better off for it. Making a familiar 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, this engine shared with the GTI hatchback cranks out 18 more horses and 41 more units of twist than the old GLI. Its the latter that you really feel, providing a punch when merging onto the highway, for example. It wont dispatch a Civic Type R, nor is it meant to. Stirring the six-speed manual pot keeps things on the boil and while the available seven-speed DSG is a world class unit, your author recommends passing on it in favour of the stick.Why? Two reasons. While the DSG undoubtedly shifts faster than a human, it doesnt provide as much driver engagement, a critical puzzle piece to the enjoyment of this car. Think of it this way the Borg can perform starship maintenance much faster than a squidgy Starfleet officer but few would want to serve on such a vessel. Additionally, DSG-equipped cars are fitted with a fuel saving start/stop system which shuts down the party at idle more quickly than even Buzz Killington.GLI wont abuse your wallet at the pumps. We drove 363 km in the span of seven days along roughly an even split of in town and highway driving, some of it ok, a lot of it with vigour. The direct-injected 2.0L turbo drank 26 litres of gasoline, working out to a back-of-napkin-math consumption figure of just 7.2 L/100 km. The in-dash computer gauge was slightly more optimistic.Volkswagen has produced a sedate looking sedan that’ll make quick work of 401 traffic while wearing a set of clothes that’ll attract all the attention of a paint-drying competition.Speaking of, what a superb set of gauges indeed. Looking for all the world like the Virtual Cockpit found in high-zoot Audis, the display allows more customization than you can shake your sptzle at, serving up enormous maps or interactive infotainment displays. If all that is too much for you, it is possible to call up a set of large and easy-to-read gauges, ya friggin Luddite.Underneath, one will find an independent sport-tuned suspension with a strut-type setup at the front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Stopping power comes by way of 340-mm diameter vented front discs and 300-mm diameter solid rear discs. Yes, you can brag to your parking lot buddies that they are Golf R units. Like the GTI, the GLI is fitted as standard with Vee-dubs electronically controlled, torque-sensing limited-slip diff. This helps to eliminate understeer, a problem afflicting many powerful front-drive cars which head for the weeds under hard straight-line acceleration. Ze Cherman engineers haff also programmed in a trio of driving modes, ranging from Eco to Sport, plus a Custom mode which allows drivers to mix and match different characteristics as if they were selecting shirts and slacks at the tailor. Surprisingly, it was the Custom mode which your author found most pleasing, since it allowed everything to be placed into Sport save for the exhaust sound. On long slogs, and even around town on occasion, the most aggressive note droned like a high school geography teacher.The GLI dresses like a geography teacher, or at least one who wears snappy UnderArmour polos to class instead of old rumpled ones from Sears. This is great for scything through traffic undetected. It does sit lower than a regular Jetta by 15 mm, a difference no one will notice unless they are parked side by each. That black honeycomb grille with a red accent line recalls the GTI hatchback while its larger brakes and red-painted calipers peep out from behind GLI-specific wheels. A raft of LEDs pepper each end.Having vanished from the Canadian market last year, its good to welcome the sporty but unassuming GLI back to the Great
Origin: Car Review: 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI
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