Hatchback
June 26th, 2011 at 10:33am
Under Hatchback+ Menufacturer+ Styles+ Subaru
To most people, the Subaru Impreza is a practical compact sedan with enhanced all-weather capability. But enthusiasts have long known its darker side. The WRX alludes to the WRC rally car, and for several years now, Subaru has offered Americans the STI with even more power. Sophistication, however, isn’t the STI’s thing. It is brash and loud, with a wing that makes it look as if it were ready to launch into outer space.
Now, Subaru is trumping its STI with the tS, which stands for “tuned by STI” and strikes us as redundant. The model will only be sold on Subaru’s Japanese home turf, but we were invited to sample one on the back roads and autobahns near the company’s European Test and Development Center in Ingelheim, Germany. With the “tuned by STI” addendum in mind, we fully expected an Impreza with even more outrageous wings and flares. What we were shown instead by the center’s general manager, Hideki Arai, was a rather subtle evolution of the STI. We wouldn’t exactly call it refined, but even at first glance, it is visibly more mature and sophisticated.
Nine-Pound Fixation
For one thing, the STI tS loses the STI’s massive rear wing, instead sporting a discreet lip spoiler. The carbon-fiber roof cuts nine pounds, as does an aluminum hood, and ultra-lightweight wheels with a unique design save another nine apiece. Arai-san points out a strut brace upfront and says the suspension has been reworked extensively. The Impreza STI tS is available only as a four-door sedan.
The powertrain is unchanged from that in the Japanese-market STI: a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four making 304 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. Those who want an automatic can have one, but they get downgraded to a 296-hp 2.5-liter that makes only 258 lb-ft. Called “A-Line,” the automatic car is significantly cheaper than the manual tS.
original
We went for the six-speed, of course, and it provides a superb driving experience. There is very little turbo lag, and the 2.0 pulls eagerly throughout the power band. Country roads are this car’s domain. The tS is compact and agile, and the nicely weighted steering is a joy to bend into corners. The suspension has been retuned and feels slightly softer than in the regular STI, which helps the tS remain composed even on bumpy and uneven surfaces. It also makes the tS a more agreeable companion on the autobahn, where it remains stable and comfortable as it pulls with alacrity up to its 155-mph top speed. Like the regular STI’s, the tS’s exhaust note is remarkably unobtrusive, and for our taste, it could be a bit more aggressive.
BMW in Subaru’s Sights?
But the tS is not about having an aggressive demeanor—it is about sophistication. “We would like to use high tech to compete with the premium segment,” Arai-san explains. And although he acknowledges that Subaru isn’t there yet, he would like nothing more than eventually to see the STI tS compared with the likes of a BMW M3. That sounds like a stretch, but we will say that the idea of adding a higher-performing, more tastefully executed level to the WRX family is highly appealing.
Although the tS’s first run of 500 units will be confined to the Japanese market, Subaru is seriously considering launching the line abroad. The tS concept could be stretched to other model lines, perhaps including the imminently arriving two-door sports car. We would like to see the tS further separated from the WRX and STI models, but the STI tS is a great first step. “We will watch the market and would like to get a reaction,” says Arai-san. Ours is emphatically positive.
By admin
December 21st, 2010 at 06:18am
Under Audi+ Hatchback+ Menufacturer+ Styles
Specification
VEHICLE TYPE: front-motor, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door hatchback
ENGINE TYPE: AC synchronous electric motor, 102 hp, 177 lb-ft; single-rotor Wankel, 254 cc (range-extending only)
TRANSMISSION: 1-speed direct drive
DIMENSIONS (C/D EST):
Wheelbase: 97.2 in Length: 155.7 in
Width: 68.5 in Height: 55.7 in
Curb weight: 2650 lb
PERFORMANCE (MFR’S EST):
Zero to 62 mph: 10.2 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 81 mph
It used to be that the phrases “fun to drive” and “electric car” were mutually exclusive, with no real hope for reconciliation—heck, seeing the phrases “regular production” and “electric car” so close together is still a novelty. Then came the Tesla roadster. Now, witness the 525-hp Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell, which its maker will sell to the driving public at a speculated $250,000 per, and the somewhat cheaper but still out-of-reach Audi e-tron sports car, which should cost about $150,000 when production begins in 2012.
Clearly, the game is afoot. The true revolution, though, will be with cars for everyday people; cars like the Chevrolet Volt, the Nissan Leaf, and this. The third in Audi’s e-tron concept family, this one is—surprise!—based on the A1. It was envisioned as a “mega city vehicle”—a small, agile, ostensibly affordable car with all-around daily usability and four full-size seats. Basically, the ideal urban commuter, with the added benefit of being a car that wouldn’t be totally distasteful to enthusiasts.
This A1 is propelled by a transverse synchronous electric motor, mounted up front and low in the chassis. It draws power from a 12-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted beneath the floor and has a continuous power output of 61 hp and 111 lb-ft of torque. Just like the Porsche 911 Turbo—okay, maybe not just like it—it is capable of generating even more power in short bursts, up to 102 hp and 177 lb-ft. According to Audi, 0-to-62 mph plays out in 10.2 seconds and top speed is pegged at 80 mph.
Range Extended
On their own, the battery and the electric drive are good for about 30 miles, which Audi deemed suitable for the average city dweller’s daily commute. A fully discharged battery needs about three hours to charge if plugged into a 220-volt outlet, or twice that on a 110-volt source. For greater distances, the A1 carries a gas-fired 254-cc single-rotor Wankel engine that can be used to charge the battery. The rear-mounted engine has no direct link to the wheels and is used solely as a generator. And unlike the rotary in your RX-7, you can’t hear it running. The range extender stretches, um, range to about 155 miles. With the rotary charging the battery pack, Audi says the A1 e-tron returns a cruising equivalent of 124 mpg on the European cycle. Fuel capacity is just over three gallons.
The front wheels are driven by a single-stage transmission attached directly to the motor. With no gears to shift, acceleration is completely linear. Inside the cockpit, the shifter selects between four modes: D, R, N, and range. Hopefully, the first three are familiar. “Range” activates the rotary engine, which the driver can turn on and off at will unless the battery is discharged, in which case it remains on.
Just Another EV, Which Is to Say, “Endearing”
Predictably, the driving experience in the A1 e-tron is utterly unlike that of a traditional internal-combustion vehicle. For something with so little power, it launches with great enthusiasm. The nearly total lack of powertrain noise as you shoot down the road is somewhat disconcerting, the loudest sounds coming from the wind and the asphalt itself. You get accustomed to the futuristic whoosh quickly, though, and stomping on the “gas” gets addictive.
We found the A1 e-tron surprisingly playful and a willing dance partner when the urge strikes to start throwing it around. The steering is direct, the brakes adequate and easily modulated. You would hardly know it’s electric if it weren’t for the lack of noise. Off power, the A1 e-tron displays the aggressive deceleration typical of EVs—that’s the motor harvesting energy to feed the battery—but the sensation of drag is hardly as extreme as that of the purely electric Mini E. How aggressively the A1 recharges itself under deceleration is adjustable using the wheel-mounted paddles, with your chosen setting indicated in the suitably futuristic LCD instrument panel.
Audi isn’t talking production yet, but the test fleet of 20 vehicles that the company has deployed in and around Munich—along with a support network of dedicated charging stations—is a good indicator that Audi is serious about the project. With a conventional hybrid Q5 and the R8-esque e-tron imminent, Audi has made it clear it will explore multiple avenues for electrification—and this car certainly widens the audience more than an electric supercar would.
From : http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q4/audi_a1_e-tron_concept-first_drive_review
By admin
September 18th, 2010 at 03:22am
Under Hatchback+ Menufacturer+ Renault+ Styles
Price and equipment
The only version of the third-generation Clio to be sold here, the 200 is a facelift of the 197 RS that arrived in Australia two years ago. As the name suggests, the engine now produces an additional three horsepower (2.2kW). There’s also some exterior styling changes and inside the tacho is now yellow-faced.
There are two RS models: the $36,490 (plus on-road and dealer costs) Cup and the $38,990 Cup Trophee. While they share the same strengthened three-door body, stiffened suspension and focused drivetrain (no autos here, just a six-speed manual gearbox), the Trophee is slightly better equipped with Recaro sports seats, a hands-free keycard and different alloy wheels (among other things).
Both cars include climate control, Bluetooth, cruise control, front foglights and a trip computer. There is no spare tyre, just a repair kit.
Recaro seats mean anti-submarining airbags are deleted, leaving it with six airbags. Otherwise, both 200s have switchable stability control and the Clio also nets a maximum five stars in NCAP testing.
Under the bonnet
While 147.5kW and 215Nm aren’t about to get a V8 quaking in its boots, it’s still a good result for a 2.0-litre normally aspirated 16-valve engine.
Both power and torque delivery are more generously spread than in the 197 but this is still a peaky engine.
The three short lower gears help get it going and sixth gear is now taller to aid freeway cruising but you’ll still be busier than a one-armed fiddle player rowing this thing along. It’s not such a pain because the shift is precise and the reward is zinging response, a raspy exhaust note and the tacho needle dancing around the dial.
Our fuel consumption average came out at 9.0 litres per 100 kilometres after some enthusiastic driving. That’s against an 8.2L/100km claim (down from the 197’s 8.4).
How it drives
That ripping little engine would be no good without a co-operative chassis, and thankfully the RS delivers the goods.
From its suitably weighty yet precise and quick steering (quickened by 7.5 per cent compared with the 197), through its flat stance mid-corner and a determined refusal to spin its front wheels and kick through the steering, this is a thoroughbred drive.
Being so small (just 4017 millimetres long) with a wide track, fat rubber and (switchable) high-threshold stability control, the RS just devours switchback mountain roads (or a roundabout).
The payback — inevitably — is a harsh, stomach-jiggling ride. The RS deals with individual hits well but its short-travel suspension can only cope with so much. Smooth roads are preferred.
Comfort and practicality
The Trophee’s interior certainly gets the message across: the tacho marked with a 7500rpm redline, a small yet chubby steering wheel, aluminium pedal facings and faux carbon-fibre trim.
There’s the high-sided Recaro sports seats, which provide both mid-corner support and a wedgie when clambering in or out.
Storage is not a highlight. There is no centre lidded bin. Rear-seat passengers do no better. But there is more knee room than you might expect — especially if the front-seat passengers are willing to compromise.
The boot is tiny — even without a spare tyre — although it does expand via the split-folding rear seat.
Overall verdict
* Four Star
So much fun, so well honed, the Clio RS is the European hot-hatch ethos at its best. Yep, traditional Aussie petrol-heads won’t be interested but that’s their loss. The name is convoluted but the driving is direct, simple and easy to understand. Enjoy.
Good
* Balanced handling
* low fuel use
* enormously high fun factor.
Bad
* Harsh ride
* poor cabin storage
* low-slung cabin
* tiny boot.
From : http://www.drive.com.au/Editorial/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=69974&vf=15&pg=1
By admin
July 10th, 2010 at 07:56am
Under Audi+ Hatchback+ Menufacturer+ Styles
By American standards, the Volkswagen Golf–based Audi A3 is a little car. Not so in Europe, however, where the A3 is a legitimate family hauler. In other words, there is plenty of room in Audi’s European product portfolio for a car with tidier dimensions. Enter the A1, Audi’s third attempt at the true small-car segment.
The A1 is based on the VW Polo platform, a model that, ironically, emerged in 1975 as the cheapo version of the short-lived Audi 50. Audi’s second attempt, the all-aluminum A2, failed mostly because it was underpowered and overpriced at its launch in 1999. Today, the Luc Donckerwolke–styled A2 is gaining cult status, albeit a bit too late. End of history lesson.
Mini Paved the Way
This new take on a small-car entry is similarly upscale, only now there’s a market for it. For this, we can thank the Mini’s wild success. Both cars are similar in concept but vastly different in execution. If you are a fan of the United Kingdom with its Victorian mansions, Beefeaters, changing of the guard, and all, you’ll appreciate the Mini’s approach to automotive design. If Bauhaus is more your thing, you will gravitate toward the Audi A1, with its clean lines and technoid LED strips and taillights. The Polo heritage is successfully hidden, and a “single frame” grille, previewed with the A8, predominates here, too.
Despite being smaller than the A3, the A1 looks tough and ready to scrap with the cheeky Brit. Its track has been widened compared with the Polo’s, and the headlights have a somewhat menacing look, especially when equipped with the optional xenon lights, which come with an LED strip that successfully mimics the A8’s. Audi will even paint the roof pillars, which stretch from front to rear in one smooth arc, in a contrasting color for extra awesomeness.
But does it back up this swagger with what’s under the hood? The A1 offers a choice of four turbocharged four-bangers: two diesel and two gasoline engines. The two variations of the 1.6-liter TDI, which make 90 hp and 105 hp, pull the A1 forward with some authority and both get over 60 mpg in the European cycle. Petrolheads get a choice of a 1.2-liter, eight-valve engine producing 85 hp and a 1.4-liter 16-valver turning out 122 hp. Neither of these engines can muster enough power to jerk the car forward with much enthusiasm, and we actually found the weaker engine to be more convincing. It offers almost diesel-like torque at low and medium rpm but is more responsive and smoother. The 1.4 offers little meaningful extra oomph.
We sampled the 1.2 TFSI with the slick five-speed manual transmission and the 1.4 TFSI with its optional seven-speed dual-clutch box that delivers seamless shifts but none of the throttle blipping and general aural delight that Audi engineers bake into the TTS and S4. That said, the two gasoline-powered A1 versions, despite their lack of power, are fun to drive and serve up a sense of command and precision.
Responsive Chassis, Expansive Options List
This feeling of control is enhanced by the A1’s excellent chassis setup. The electric power steering simulates a full hydraulic system with perfection and is very direct, too. Its aggressive ratio is complemented by Audi’s “electronic limited-slip differential,” which uses the stability-control system to brake wheels in order to generate forceful turn-in. It’s Audi’s version of the Volkswagen XDS system, and it comes on every A1, not just on top-of-the-line models, like at VW. The A1 is neutral up to the limit, at which point the ESP system kicks in briefly if noticeably. It’s a friendly warning that your backside was just saved, but it doesn’t sanction you by taking off more speed than necessary. There are two suspension setups. We like the standard suspension, and the sport suspension is even better in control and sharpness. Even so, it doesn’t beat you up.
If you want to max out your credit card, you can load up the A1 with extras unheard of in this vehicle class. We already mentioned the LED and xenon lighting options; there are also a panoramic roof, keyless entry, a selection of large wheels, and some impressive infotainment options. The A1’s top system is from Bose and includes a 465-watt surround-sound system with 13 speakers plus a subwoofer. Audi has shoved the MMI-plus system into the dashboard, complete with a 6.5-inch color screen, voice activation, and a 20-GB hard drive for music storage. The level of integration is far superior to that of most other cars in any vehicle class. There’s one extra we’d wait for: the Polo GTI’s turbo- and supercharged 180-hp, 1.4-liter engine. One of the worst-kept secrets in Ingolstadt is the imminent arrival of an S1 with this twin-charged powerplant.
So, will we get the A1 or S1 in the U.S.? Not in this generation, says Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, but he confirms that the next-generation A1 is coming to America. That car will be ready in seven years, but Audi has a lot of A3s to sell here first.
From : http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q2/2011_audi_a1-first_drive_review
By admin
July 8th, 2010 at 07:43am
Under Hatchback+ Mazda+ Menufacturer+ Styles
With lofty government-mandated fuel-economy standards coming down on one hand and a shaky economy spurring consumer interest on the other, carmakers are serving up more subcompact cars to U.S. consumers than ever. Among the most hotly anticipated (at least among Car and Driver staffers) is the 2011 Mazda 2, Mazda’s first America-bound B-segment vehicle since the 323 and arguably the best such car Mazda has ever built.
Although Mazda is calling the 2011 model the “third generation” of the 2, it’s more or less a refresh of the second-gen car sold around the globe since 2008. Aside from redesigned front and rear fascias and sundry new interior bits, it’s essentially the same car as before, one that shares its architecture with Ford’s slick new Fiesta—which, incidentally, also arrives stateside for 2011.
Of the two platformmates, the 2 is the simpler machine: lighter, less powerful, and available only as a five-door hatchback in Sport and Touring trim levels. Its Eurocentric cabin assigns ergonomic priority to front-seat occupants while giving rear-seaters (and cargo) the somewhat shorter end of the stick. The interior design is pleasing, but the features list is surprisingly short. Unavailable, for example, even on Touring models, are a telescoping steering wheel, a sunroof, integrated navigation (a portable Garmin system will be available from dealers), a USB port, and a hands-free Bluetooth system. The only option beyond dealer accessories is special paint.
But the 2 is a hoot to drive. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder’s 100 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque won’t exactly burn your hair off, but this engine revs freely and sounds good as it springs the 2’s feathery 2300-pound curb weight (2350 with the automatic) into motion. Better yet, the electric power steering and the chassis offer surprising feel and quick, linear responses to driver inputs. Ditto the front-disc, rear-drum brakes. Meanwhile, fuel economy is good if not worldbeating, at 29 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway for the five-speed manual and 27/33 for the four-speed automatic.
The 2 hits dealerships this August, priced from $14,730 for the manual-equipped Sport to $16,985 for an automatic Touring model. It offers a lot of driving goodness for the money. But unlike the similarly priced Fiesta, the 2 has no available sedan body style, 20 fewer hp, and fuel economy that’s 3 to 5 mpg lower on the highway. If any of those things are important to you, the choice is clear: Go for the Ford. If, however, you want to keep your B-segment car at a B-segment price—the Fiesta can be optioned to more than 22 grand—go for the more-performance-oriented 2.
From : http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/10q2/2011_mazda_2-first_drive_review
By admin
July 4th, 2010 at 06:37am
Under Hatchback+ Honda+ Menufacturer+ Styles
t’s tempting to think of the CR-Z hybrid as the second coming of the CRX, Honda’s light, tossable mid-1980s funster, what with the two cars’ stubby rear ends, two-seat layouts, and frugal intentions. At the CR-Z launch, in fact, Honda plopped us down in a cherry 1985 CRX Si and told us to go nuts. We did, and we’re sorry, Big H, but the CR-Z just isn’t quite as awesome.
Where the impish CRX used lightness and a stripped-down approach to deliver entertainment and efficiency, the CR-Z looks to a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain. The difference between the two paths is stark, or so goes conventional wisdom. With less weight and simplicity come fun and momentum-style hoonage, and with a hybrid powertrain comes, well, soul-crushing dullness. Somewhat shockingly, however, this hybrid is entertaining, even as it tries to marry the disparate concepts of sport and efficiency.
Nowhere is that conflict more evident than in the two transmissions. Opt for the six-speed manual, and the CR-Z delivers perhaps the most transparent hybrid experience available today, because you control the shift points and how quickly the gears are changed. Particularly with the three-mode adjustable drive system in sport mode, it’s a relatively fun little car. But go for the CVT, as Honda expects 75 percent of buyers to do, and besides being a downer of a person, you lose any sense of joy and immediacy. In the CVT’s manual mode—actuated via standard paddle shifters—you can wind through seven fake ratios, but the “shifts” into those ratios are slurred and slow. Moreover, although the four-cylinder is never sonorous even with the stick, the CVT causes an unpleasant droning.
Heavy, Man
At 160.6 inches long, the CR-Z is 16 inches longer than the original CRX, but it doesn’t look like that much with the two cars side by side; for modern reference, the CR-Z is an inch shorter than Honda’s own Fit. It’s not as light, however, with Honda estimates putting the CR-Z around 2700 pounds. We measured the bigger Fit at 2500 pounds with a manual, and a CRX Si we tested 25 years ago weighed in at a svelte 1840. Of course, beyond the hybrid system, the CR-Z includes a boatload of stuff unavailable on the original CRX: airbags, a couple of decades’ worth of crash-worthiness improvements, and doors thicker than a Trapper Keeper, to mention a few. Still, from behind the wheel, you never shake the sense of extra weight.
At the heart of the CR-Z is the 1.5-liter four-cylinder from the Fit, here making 113 hp and 107 lb-ft of torque. It mates to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system as seen in the Insight, which is comprised of a nickel-metal hydride battery pack and a 13-hp electric motor. Combined output stands at 122 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque (123 lb-ft with the CVT). Acceleration isn’t scorching by any means, but the CR-Z doesn’t feel poky like the Fit or Insight. Helping foster that sense is the sport mode, activated via a button to the left of the steering wheel. In sport, throttle sensitivity is increased, the steering tightens, the electric motor provides more assistance on manual-equipped cars, and in CVT models, the “gear ratios” are optimized for acceleration. There are also normal and econ modes, and the latter dulls throttle response, retunes the CVT for fuel-economy gains, turns down the fan speed and minimizes compressor use for the A/C, and reduces power and torque by four percent except in wide-open-throttle situations.
The mileage returned by the CR-Z isn’t as stellar as you’d expect in a hybrid this small, at 31 mpg city and 37 mpg highway with a manual and 35/39 with the CVT. (The EPA tests were run in normal mode.) Would those numbers be the same if the car were lighter with no hybrid gadgetry? Let’s just say we got 32 mpg from that 1985 CRX Si. But before you start ranting about how disappointing the numbers are—“I’ve seen 167 mpg in my Prius! Uphill and into the wind! Rarghargh!”—remember that Honda has the Insight and upcoming Fit hybrid to appeal to the hypermiler crowd. The CR-Z is a sporty car with green leanings more than anything else, and that likely guided the engineers’ efficiency targets.
A Great Ride and More Steering Feel Than Expected
The chassis plays a big part in making the hybrid experience transparent. The brakes are a touch grabby, but they have only the slightest hint of hybrid-style sponginess, and the transition from regenerative to conventional braking is essentially seamless. The linearity of the brakes is good, too. The electrically boosted steering has more feel than we expected, and turn-in is eager in normal mode and quick in sport. Where the CR-Z impresses most is in ride quality. Generally, when something has the wheelbase of a Matchbox car, you can expect to be revectored as you hit midcorner bumps, plus a jarring, crashing ride—the sportiest Minis being prime examples. The CR-Z exhibits very little of such behaviors, though, with part of the credit going to the standard 16-inch wheels and relatively tall sidewalls of the 195/55 Dunlop SP Sport 7000 rubber. That’s not to say the CR-Z is firmly planted all the time. Pitch this Honda hard into a corner with stability control disabled and lift off the throttle, and the back will swing around (and quite quickly due to the short wheelbase), so you need to be ready to dial in some opposite lock. Blame the weight of the batteries, which live between the rear wheels. The handling would benefit from a firmer suspension—it would shore up slight body roll, for one thing—but at the expense of compliance. Such a strategy would certainly alienate a good chunk of buyers, a large majority of whom will find the current setup to be sporty enough.
The CR-Z comes in three flavors: base, EX, and EX with navigation. Honda says pricing will start under $20,000 with destination charges and top out at just below $24,000 when the car goes on sale in late August. (Update: Official pricing has been released. A base model will cost $19,950 and a top-spec EX with navigation and the CVT will be $23,960.) Standard across the range are stability control, power mirrors, power locks and windows, keyless entry, automatic climate control, cruise control, a tilting and telescoping steering column, USB and auxiliary inputs, LED taillamps, and the three-mode drive system. EX models get HID headlamps, fog lights, aluminum pedals, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an upgraded audio system with a subwoofer. The rear cargo area will accommodate a couple of golf bags with the rear bulkhead folded down and two suitcases with it up, not too bad considering the car’s diminutive size. To the CR-Z’s credit, too, it has the best interior among Honda’s cheaper offerings, with cloth door inserts, a soft-touch dash covering, and attractive switchgear. It’s certainly better than the cost-cut, hard-plastic-riddled cabin of the Insight.
Who Will Buy It?
We admit to wondering who’s going to buy this car. If fuel efficiency is the goal, better mileage (and practicality) can be found in the Toyota Prius and the Insight, which are EPA-rated for 50 and 41 mpg combined, respectively. And those in the market for an inexpensive sporty car can also shop the conventionally powered Mini Cooper and Scion tC, while perhaps pocketing some savings. The Mini in particular isn’t much off in efficiency, either, being rated as high as 32 mpg combined. Further, all those CVT buyers will effectively negate the CR-Z’s reason for being, its sportiness. Without that, you’re left with a less-efficient two-seat Insight that can’t carry as much stuff. Sounds dicey, even at Honda’s stated U.S. sales goal of 15,000 per year.
Meanwhile, we await word of a CR-Z Si. If it does happen, we’d prefer such a car to be created by ditching the hybrid stuff, which adds roughly $2000 to the cost of the regular CR-Z; further chassis tightening; and bumping the 1.5’s output by 20 hp and 20 or so lb-ft. Honda, on the other hand, appears to lean toward turning up the wick on the electric motor for an Si. At the very least, the base car shows that a desire to build fun-to-drive vehicles still exists within Honda. After the death of the S2000, the big-ification of the Accord, and the introduction of off-target vehicles like the Crosstour, we were beginning to have doubts. Still, it’s sad that this is the second-sportiest U.S. Honda behind the Civic Si, and you could argue that in making this car hybrid only—instead of making the hybrid powertrain an option—the company still is trying to be all things to all people, and that it would be better served focusing on what led its success in the first place: making stuff that’s great and not merely good. Ultimately, although the CR-Z can be good, it’s a compromise. And that’s a shame, because it could be even better.
By admin
May 18th, 2010 at 01:49am
Under Hatchback+ Menufacturer+ Styles+ Volkswagen
I’m somewhere in the Victorian Alps with about forty-kilometres of clean, windy road ahead and I’m driving the new GTI at eight-tenths with former F1 driver Hans Stuck on my tail. Make that nine-tenths.
I’m carrying an awful lot of speed into these curves, and yet even in the tighter sections, the GTI is seemingly unflappable.
I mean I’m pulling a ninety-degree lock on the steering wheel through this hairpin, with more speed than I wanted with the right pedal still buried, and the GTI is refusing to understeer.
Hans BTW GTI 6
It shouldn’t be this easy, but the laws of physics as I know it, are being ripped apart by some new technology in this car.
Meet the latest and greatest Golf GTI, the sixth generation of what has surely become an automotive icon, ever since the Mk I GTI kicked off the hot hatch segment, when it first appeared in front of tens of thousands of fans as a pace car at Nurburgring in 1975, prior to its official public debut in 1976.
This was the first time that an average people throughout the world could afford a proper performance car, and one which made the right statement on the road.
Hans Stuck said, “ Whenever a person had a chance to drive a 911, it was a real experience. And then of a sudden this experience was possible in the GTI too. Clearly on a different level, but affordable for everyone”
Golf I GTI could hit 182km/h and trump 0-100km/h in 9.0 seconds flat. Not bad going for a car, which developed only 81kW and 140Nm, driving through a four-speed manual gearbox.
From 1976 to 2009, 1.7 million GTIs left the showroom floor, making it the most successful compact performance car of all time.
There wasn’t a lot wrong with the Golf V GTI, maybe not quite as sharp as those track day enthusiasts had hoped for, but at $39,990, it was for many, the best and only choice as the perfect daily drive.
Rest assured, if you had any reservations about the Mk V (you could count them on one hand), a quick test drive in the latest edition should silence the harshest of critics.
But if you’re worried about the softer lines on the new GTI, don’t be it’ll grow on you.
No one’s going to deny that this GTI doesn’t have quite the same aggressive look as its deep grille predecessor, but its closer to the styling heritage of the original Mark I than any of the modern iterations.
Mostly it’s about the red horizontal lines inside the low profile black grille and the tartan fabric seats, both of which were distinctive on the original GTI.
Hans with two GTIs
Walter de Silva Head of Group Design for Volkswagen said of the new GTI, “ We wanted a consistently clear GTI design, a car that has power, but style as well.
white GTI rear
“Also cast in stone was the goal of evoking the character of the first GTI a bit more…and that is why it was decided that – with the exception of the aerodynamically important rear spoiler – the new GTI would not have a single exterior add-on.”
Back and silver 1
Volkswagen Australia brought the full range of the GTI VIs to this launch, and despite the fact that I would normally lean towards either of the three-door models with DSG or the six-speed manual, I’ve ended up in the more practical five-door hatch variants on both drive stints.
If you want a definition of ergonomic, just plant yourself in the stock standard GTI sports seats, for one of the most comfortable pews in the business.
With a welcome overdose of side bolster, ripping through this kind of twisty alpine terrain is a joy, as your frame may as well be velcro’d to the “Jacky” pattern seats.
The fully-moulded, slightly flat-bottomed leather steering wheel is a treat and a half, with red cross-stitching and superb grip and feel. It’s also decidedly similar to that in the Audi RS4.
steer 1a
I’ve grabbed a DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox) fitted GTI and within minutes we’re quick-shifting via the steering wheel mounted, paddle shifters. I say quick, that’s 80 milliseconds from one gear to another, which is multiple times faster than any human being could ever hope to achieve using a manual transmission.
The first thing you notice is the quietness and overall refinement of this slightly more powerful engine. With the air-conditioning running on a mid-range fan speed and the needle nudging 110km/h, I can barely make out the shift changes.
It’s not just an uprated version of the same 2.0-litre turbo engine from the GTI V either. For example, the cylinder heads have been designed specifically for direct injection and as result, power is up by eight-kilowatts to 155kW.
GTI eng
Torque remains the same at 280Nm, but peaks slightly earlier at 1,700 rpm, but it’s the overall refinement of this powertrain that is most impressive.
And forget about turbo lag, there isn’t any, nor is there any hint of vibration under extreme load, just a silk smooth delivery of power and torque right through the rev range in each and every gear ratio.
Off the line starts are quick enough at a claimed 6.9 seconds to 100km/h, but it’s the GTI’s in-gear acceleration that will put the widest smile on your face.
It’s a crying shame we have such low speed limits on these secluded and well-maintained roads, as the GTI is barely ticking over at 110km/h, given its 240km/h top speed.
white GTI drive day
Now we’re into the seriously twisty section of the Victorian Alps, and the GTI is itching to attack the road ahead.
dash with seats
Time to hit the ‘Sport’ button as a function of the optional Adaptive Chassis Control, and a must if you like early morning weekend drives in the country.
The steering feels a lot more precise than the GTI V, and reaction time to steering inputs is much quicker.
Into the first series of bends, and you can feel the stiffer damper settings through the harder ride and zero body roll, while the power steering has has firmed up too.
These are some fast curves up in these parts, and we are rapidly reining in the tarmac, with the rev needle repeatedly bouncing off 6,000 rpm in third. Here’s the thing, there’s so much mid range torque available, that I rarely need to downshift out of third gear, and that’s over a distance of twenty kilometres.
A quick dab of the brakes before turn in, then I’m back on the throttle during mid-corner. Yes, that’s full throttle in mid corner without fear of understeering into a rock wall. It sounds too good to be true, I know.
But it’s not magic; its part Hans Stuck who tested and advised in the development of the new GTI, and part electronic wizardry called XDL or extended Electronic Differential Lock.
Normally, if you’re pushing too hard into a corner with a front-wheel drive car, the front wheel on the inside corner has a tendency to push on, and not want to turn in to the corner.
The GTI (all GTI variants are fitted with XDL) with XDL when confronted with that same situation, pressure is be applied to the inside wheel, so that traction is not lost and the wheel turns in as it should.
GTI 3-door
Does it work? Yes, infallibly. There is so much grip up front on turn in, that if you push hard enough, the car will react like an all-wheel drive car, with a gentle power slide. This is almost foolproof and remarkable for a performance car shod with not so wide 225/45 rubber.
XLD seems like a massive step forward in safety for front-wheel drive cars, particularly those skewed towards performance.
When you do need to jump on the brakes, apply with caution, as I found them to be a little sensitive at first, but fine once I got used to the relatively light pedal pressure.
More like Audi brakes than anything I’ve driven from Volkswagen previously, nothing wrong with that either.
While the entire drivetrain has had a total refinement makeover, it’s no different inside the cabin, and far more impressive than I would have expected.
steering wheel close up
The standard features inventory is extensive and includes a 61/2-inch touch screen display with MP3/WMA and auxiliary input, but sadly, a direct iPod input is a feature of the optional Media Device Interface.
That said, there is a high quality soft touch material and brushed chrome highlights throughout the car, as well as black high-gloss accents with chrome frames on the fascia and door trim.
dash with seats
Also included in the $38,990 entry level GTI VI is an 8-speaker 6-disc in-dash changer, automatic headlight function, dual-zone automatic climate control, rain sensing wipers and a host of other creature comforts.
Its not just nice, the whole look and feel inside the new GTI crosses over into the luxury category.
rear seats
Golf has always been deceptive when it comes to room inside the cabin. I once took four passengers with luggage to the airport in a Golf V and that included a surfboard albeit a small one.
GTI hatch up
Not only is there plenty of head and legroom front and rear, but also the boot area is deep and generous with a multitude of storage possibilities if the rear seats are folded.
Active safety systems on-board the GTI are numerous and include: ABS, EBD, EDL, ESP, XDL and Hill Start Assist (HSA) (with DSG).
Airbags number seven, with driver and passenger front and side, driver’s knee and curtain airbags, front and rear.
GTI black front
And don’t be too worried about fuel consumption if you intend looking at the latest generation GTI, as this engine has been designed to run on 95 RON as opposed to 98 RON with the GTI V.
Fuel economy has also improved with the new generation car with slightly less fuel consumed across both DSG and manual transmissions (7.4L/100km & 7.3L/100km).
While the previous model GTI was a huge hit worldwide, the GTI VI is a major leap forward in every way, and should be even more popular to a wider audience.
black golf 3
With the sixth generation Golf GTI, Volkswagen have probably gone beyond what customers were expecting in a performance hatch of this size and in this price range.
By doing so, the hot hatch benchmark has just been raised to a point above what I suspect most other manufacturers can hope to emulate at these prices.
If you want one, I suggest you get your name in the order book pronto, despite the fact that Volkswagen Australia already has 650 cars in the country and another 200 ‘on the water’.
new GTI badge
And if you wish to spec your GTI with any of the host of options available such as, leather trim, sunroof, etc, then the wait will be three-months.
black golf front close
By admin
