All-new Subaru Impreza revealed in New York

Subaru debuted its all new Impreza at the New York International Auto Show.

As before, every model is equipped as standard with Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), for maximised driving agility, stability and traction on all surfaces, says Subaru.

Power comes from four-cylinder horizontally-opposed ‘Boxer’ engines, while a new Subaru Global Platform is set to form the basis of all future Subaru models. The 'highly-adaptable' platform is suitable for a range of different body styles and powertrains, including Subaru’s all-terrain crossover and SUV models.

A new design language sees the brand’s signature hexagonal grille and ‘hawk-eye’ headlights fitted to a more ‘sculptural body’, with the new car’s its athletic stance accentuated by prominent wheel arches and flowing lines. Overall length is up 41 mm and width has been increases by 38 mm. The larger dimensions create a roomier cabin, while a 10 mm lower height aids aerodynamics with a lower coefficient of drag.

The Impreza’s new platform incorporates several types of high-strength steel to ‘significantly’ enhance straight-line stability, agility and ride comfort, while suppressing noise, vibration and harshness. Subaru claims the new platform increases rigidity of the unitised body structure by over 70 percent compared to the current Impreza model. The double-wishbone independent rear suspension mounts its rear stabiliser bar directly to the body, reducing body roll by 50 percent.

The new model provides higher levels of safety than the outgoing car, by accommodating the EyeSight collision avoidance technology for the first time, as well as crash energy absorption figures improved by 40 percent over the old Impreza. The EyeSight system acts as a ‘second pair of eyes’ for drivers by employing stereo colour camera technology to monitor the road and traffic ahead of potential hazards. This includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Pre-Collision Braking and Lane Departure and Sway Warning, plus a Lane Keep Assist function. Blind Spot Detection and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are also available.

Also new are Steering Responsive Headlights, which can illuminate curves as the vehicle steers into them, and High Beam Assist, which automatically activates and deactivates the high-beam headlamps based on driving conditions. All models include as standard equipment front seat side impact airbags, side curtain airbags and a driver’s knee airbag. New driver-assist technologies, include Reverse Automatic Braking and the display of steering lines for the standard rear-vision camera. Reverse Automatic Braking can apply the vehicle’s brakes if an obstacle is detected while reversing.

High connectivity comes via the Subaru STARLINK touchscreen infotainment. Controlled by a large touchscreen and using Subaru’s latest-generation voice control system, the display screen also provides the display for the standard rear vision camera and navigation.

Subaru says the new Impreza 5-door hatchback is currently under consideration for the European market.

Volvo to celebrate the Estate car at Techno Classica 2016

Volvo has confirmed it will attend the world's biggest classic car show, Techno Classica, celebrating “60 years of estate heritage”.
 
The new Volvo V90, which just debuted at the Geneva Motor Show, comes after six decades of estate knowledge, starting with the Volvo Duett which was launched in 1953. Volvo describes it as the first car to meet the combined needs of drivers’ active leisure time and practical professional lives and has sold more than 6 million estates worldwide, representing around a third of the total number of Volvos sold since the company’s foundation in 1927.

The Volvo stand at Techno Classica is entirely devoted to the Swedish brand´s estate history, featuring a selection of six iconic estate models that have shaped Volvo’s history: The Duett - Launched in 1953, the Duett went on to become one of the first Volvos to be exported to the US and it was immortalised in 1997 when featured on a Swedish postage stamp.

The Duett was followed in 1962 by the Amazon, or the 221 as it was officially known. The Amazon was a more elegant and refined estate than the Duett, which had its origins as a delivery van, while it also offered more space in the boot. At the end of November 1967, Volvo presented the third variant in what was now developing into a complete car family known as the 140 Series: the Volvo 145. This design of the rear section has since become a well-known characteristic of all Volvo estates. The Volvo 145 quickly became an extremely popular estate and played an increasingly important role within the 140 Series.
 
A refresh of the 1800 sports coupe, the 1800 ES was known in England as a Shooting Brake: a sporty estate with space for hunting gear or golf clubs in the back. The 1800 ES was introduced in the autumn of 1971, and its most exciting feature possibly being the huge rear windscreen that had no bezel whatsoever. Hinges and handles were fixed directly to the glass, which was very modern in the early 1970s. As only around 8,000 1800 ES were built, it has become one of the most sought-after classic Volvo models.
 
In 1974, the archetypal Volvo estate car was launched: the 245, which remained in production for almost 20 years until 1993, and was also available in a more exclusive edition - the 265 with a V6 engine. The 1980s marked the launch of the 245 Turbo edition, the world’s first estate car with a turbo engine. With its intense yellow paint job, 240 horsepower and acceleration of 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds. Launched as a limited edition, model year 1994-only version of the 850, the T5-R became an ‘instant collector's item’ says Volvo.

Techno Classica takes place in Essen, Germany and runs from 6-10 April.

Mercedes facelifts CLA for 2016

The Mercedes CLA and CLA Shooting Brake has been facelifted for 2016.

The interior has also received numerous enhancements, among them new seat covers and trim parts, as well as chrome-plated controls. Some items that were previously options on the CLA 45 4MATIC, such as the LED High Performance headlamps, now come as standard.

All models now have a diamond radiator grille in black as standard, plus a new front bumper with a silver, black or chrome trim strip. The rear bumper is optionally available with a panel incorporating a trim strip in chrome or black (Night package) between the tailpipes. The tailpipe trim panels themselves are now integrated flush into the bumper.

There is a new paintwork shade, cavansite blue metallic and the range of available wheels has also been extended. There is now a choice of five 18-inch light-alloy wheels including a new 5-twin-spoke design in conjunction with the AMG Line. This is available in two colours (painted black or titanium grey, with a high-sheen finish).

As well as the seat covers and chrome-plated controls, a slimmer-looking freestanding 20.3 cm (8-inch) media display with a new-style glass cover is available as an option for the Audio 20 USB and Audio 20 CD systems. The new-style dials and red needles in the instrument cluster make it easier to read the instruments.

New trim elements in ‘sail-look’ finish, matt black ash wood (in conjunction with Exclusive package), black Dinamica microfibre (optional in conjunction with AMG Line) or aluminium with honeycomb grain ‘liven up the interior’ says Mercedes.

The design of the AMG spoiler lip on the boot lid is new, while further new exterior features of the facelifted AMG model include a new front apron in a new A-wing design with front splitter inserts in matt titanium grey and high-gloss black flics. The latter also help to improve the flow of cooling air. New at the rear is the design of the diffuser insert, with four vertical fins. An AMG Aerodynamics package is now available as an optional extra. This comprises a larger front splitter, additional flics, a black AMG spoiler lip at the rear plus spoiler lips over the simulated air outlets on either side at the back.

New to the range of engines for the CLA Shooting Brake is the ‘efficiency champion’ 180 d BlueEFFICIENCY Edition, with an output of 109 hp and CO2 emissions from 89 g/km.

With a peak performance of 381 hp and maximum torque of 475 Nm, the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC Coupe and Shooting Brake are among the most powerful vehicles in their segment, accelerating from rest to 62mph in 4.2 or (4.3 seconds for the Shooting Brake). At the same time, fuel consumption comes in a 40.9mpg (NEDC combined).

The facelifted CLA Coupe will make its debut at the New York International Auto Show (25 March to 3 April 2016), while the modified CLA Shooting Brake will be launched to the public at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Berlin on 17/18 April 2016.

Both models will be available to order from April with pricing yet to be announced.

Volvo S90 and V90 pricing confirmed

Volvo has confirmed pricing for its S90 and V90.

Available to order now, on-the-road prices start at £32,555 for the S90 saloon and £34,555 for the V90 estate.
 
Like the XC90 before them, both feature the new face of Volvo including the T-shaped LED headlights, as well as being the latest models to be built on Volvo’s all-new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform.
 
Both models will initially be available with a choice of two 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engines - the D4 and the D5 PowerPulse – and in two trim levels, Momentum and Inscription. The front-wheel-drive 190 hp D4 comes with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and offers combined fuel consumption of 64.2 mpg and CO2 emissions of 116 g/km in the S90. In the V90, these figures are 62.8 mpg and 119 g/km.
 
The 235 hp D5 utilises Volvo’s PowerPulse to boost responsiveness. This uses compressed air, which is stored in a tank in the engine bay and refilled automatically to spool up the turbo at low revs, helping overcome turbo lag. To 'harness the engine’s power', the D5 PowerPulse comes with all-wheel drive while an eight-speed automatic gearbox is also standard.
 
Every version of the S90 and V90 is ‘luxuriously equipped’ says Volvo. As standard, entry-level Momentum cars come with leather upholstery, LED headlights with active high beam, two-zone climate control with ‘CleanZone’ air-filtration system, keyless engine starting and heated front seats.
 
Volvo’s Sensus infotainment system is also standard. This brings a 9” touch screen, satellite navigation (including lifetime annual map updates), voice-control and access to the internet and a range of cloud-based apps. The S90 gets a powered bootlid while the V90 benefits from a powered tailgate.
 
Pilot Assist, Volvo’s semi-autonomous drive feature, is standard on every S90 and V90. It automatically keeps you at a set speed or distance from the vehicle in front, braking and accelerating with the flow of traffic, and gives gentle steering inputs to keep the car within lane markings at motorway speeds up to 80 mph. Unlike previous versions of the system, it no longer needs to follow another car.
 
The latest version of City Safety is also fitted to every S90 and V90. This includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and the world-first application of large-animal detection.
 
Moving up to the Inscription model adds Nappa soft leather upholstery, powered front seats, a 12.3” active TFT driver’s information display (Momentum cars get an 8” version), 18” diamond-cut/silver alloy wheels, keyless entry and handsfree boot/tailgate opening and closing. Additional premium touches include walnut interior inlays, rear footwell and side step illumination, and chrome exterior details.
 
The optional Xenium package is available across the range and adds a powered tilt and slide glass sunroof (panoramic in the V90), a parking camera system with 360 degree surround view, and Park Assist Pilot, which includes automatic parallel and 90 degree parking.
 
Both models are available to order now, with the first S90 customer deliveries expected in September and the first V90s in October.

MINI confirms One D Clubman pricing and spec

MINI has revealed its new One D Clubman.

Priced from £21,375 OTR (automatic from £22,815 OTR), the new model retains the popular split rear doors with accessibility and everyday usability further enhanced by four full-sized side doors. Featuring a new ‘mature and sophisticated design’, the Clubman’s dimensions are larger than those of the previous generation. It’s also 270 mm longer and 73 mm wider than the 5-door Hatch, with a wheelbase which is 100 mm larger. The boot has a volume of 360 litres, which can be extended to 1,250 litres by folding the rear seats flat.

The new One D Clubman is powered by a TwinPower Turbo diesel engine which meets EU6 exhaust emission standards. With a peak output of 116hp generating 270NM of torque, top speed is 119mph. Fuel consumption averages 74.3 mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions of 99g/km, helping company car drivers benefit from a low BiK rate of 17 per cent in the 2015-16 tax year. A six-speed manual transmissions is standard while an optional six-speed Steptronic transmission is available.

Technology features fitted as standard on the new model include a shift point display, brake energy regeneration, active cooling air flaps and needs-oriented control of the fuel and coolant pump as well as other ancillary components.

A Chili pack, priced at £2,785, can be specified which adds additional extras to the car including cloth/leather upholstery with heated sports seats, MINI’s comfort access system, park distance control, automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and LED fog lights among other features.

Standard safety features comprises of six airbags, 3-point automatic belts on all seats including belt tensioners and adaptive belt force limiters at the front, as well as ISOFIX child seat mountings at the rear. A tyre pressure display for each individual wheel is also included as standard.

Available to order now, first customer deliveries are expected in April 2016.

Subaru XV concept revealed

Subaru showed the XV Concept at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.

The concept previewed a future design direction for Subaru, including the forthcoming, all-new XV compact crossover.

The XV Concept design study embodies the brands next-generation ‘DYNAMIC X SOLID’ design philosophy, with a solid, robust appearance and raised ground clearance that references the ‘go-anywhere’ All-Wheel Drive capability of every Subaru vehicle.

The cabin silhouette tapers as the bodywork flows towards the rear, leaving an impression of ‘energy and athleticism’ without compromising the concept's practicality, says Subaru. The body surfacing is divided by two strong character lines – one extending from the front bumper, along the doors and into the rear shoulder; another rising from the lower half of the doors towards the rear of the car.

The front features Subaru’s signature hexagonal grille and ‘hawk-eye’ headlamps. Matt black body cladding runs from the front bumper, over the wheel arches and side sills, and into the rear bumper. The rear also includes matt black-clad rear bumpers which rise to meet the car’s rear combination lamps.

Subaru has given the concept an exclusive new paint finish, ‘Glacier Khaki Silica’ – a newly-developed blue-grey tone created to evoke the appearance of glacier ice. Orange accents appear on the grille, front and rear bumpers, 19-inch aluminium wheels and roof rails.

V40 gets new Volvo face

The V40 has been given a refresh with Volvo’s new corporate face and trim updates across the range.

Central to the exterior updates are new LED ‘Thor’s Hammer’ headlights, in line with the new XC90, S90 and V90. In the UK, these all-LED lights mark the V40 and V40 Cross Country out as the first models in the segment to get LED headlights as standard across the range. Also new are grille meshes featuring the updated Volvo Iron Mark.

“The V40 is the best-selling Volvo model in the UK, making it a vital car for the company. With the updates for Model Year 2017, we’re making this already very successful model even more attractive to customers,” said Nick Connor, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK.

The exterior update includes the addition of eight new wheels and five new colours to the V40 range, including the completely new Amazon Blue and Denim Blue, as well as three others already used by other Volvo models: Bursting Blue, Mussel Blue and Luminous Sand.

In addition to the cosmetic changes, CO2 emissions on the D2 manual powertrain have been cut to 89 g/km in all trim level and wheel options.

The V40's trim structure has also been changed in line with that of the new XC90. Customers can now choose from Momentum, Inscription, R-Design and Cross Country.  

The Volvo On Call smartphone app has also been updated.  It now enables voice-control for certain features when using Windows 10-based smartphones and can even send calendar appointment destinations directly to your navigation on request. 

For 2016, Volvo On Call will be expanded to provide support for up to 10 vehicles, giving access to all the usual functions across a fleet of cars, while the introduction of Flic button compatibility will allow you to program a single physical ‘smart button’ to perform several tasks, such as locking your car.

Volvo now also offers support for Windows 10 with a new version of the app that can be used on regular PCs and tablets.

New Renault Megane Sport Tourer to debut in Geneva

Renault will pull the covers off its new Megane Sport Tourer – in the form of the Megane Sport Tourer GT – at the 2016 Geneva International Motor Show.

Based on the new Megane, this all-new Sport Tourer features an ‘intuitive, modular interior’ including 4CONTROL technology. Specifically tailored to the new Megane Sport Tourer, 4CONTROL endows the car with precise, dynamic handling on twisty roads and ‘generates genuine driving pleasure’. The car also has a choice of boot arrangements, as well as the segment’s longest maximum load length, says Renault.

The design of the new Megane Sport Tourer ‘blends dynamism and style’, and is enhanced by a chrome trim around the side windows and C-pillar. The roof line is enhanced by matte-finish anodised aluminium roof bars (Dark Metal Colour on GT version). The car’s low stance and wide track increase the feeling of solidity on the road according to Renault.

The French company says Renault Sport DNA is evident with the front bumper underlining the model’s sporting credentials, while the honeycomb mesh of the radiator grilles is specific to the car and the wide lower air inlet is flanked by two air-scoops. At the rear, the new Megane Sport Tourer GT is fitted with a chromed exhaust tail pipe and a sculpted diffuser to reinforce its dynamic look.

The car will be revealed on Tuesday, March 1.

Audi A4 Avant pricing to start from 27K

Audi has confirmed the new A4 Avant will cost from £27,300 OTR.

On sale form today the new A4 Avant is built on an all-new platform which results in a ‘class-leading’ 505 litres of luggage capacity – extending to 1,510 litres with the seats folded – into an interior that now affords more head and shoulder room for front seat occupants and increased overall rear leg room compared to its predecessor.

Prices ranging from the aforementioned £27,300 OTR for the A4 Avant 1.4 TFSI up to £40,350 OTR for the range-topping A4 Avant 3.0 V6 TDI quattro.

The Avant engine line-up will initially include a choice of 2.0 litre and 3.0-litre TDI engines with outputs starting from 150PS and rising to 272PS, mated to redeveloped six-speed manual, seven-speed S tronic and eight-speed tiptronic transmissions.

Standard equipment highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, Xenon or LED headlights with LED DRLs, Audi smartphone interface, Audi drive select, three-zone climate control and 7-inch colour MMI monitor.

As in the Saloon, two versions of the 2.0-litre TDI engine with 150PS and 190PS power a total of 12 front-wheel-driven ‘ultra’ variants offering up to 70.6mpg with CO2 output of as low as 104g/km. The V6 TDI contingent starts with the 218PS version returns up to 64.2mpg with a 114g/km CO2 output when combined with Sport specification and front-wheel-drive.

The agility of the five-link fully independent front and rear suspension can be ‘amplified further’ by adding a more intelligent and faster-reacting evolution of quattro all-wheel-drive as an option for 2.0 TDI 190 and 3.0 TDI 218 engines. The purely mechanical system with its self-locking centre differential is also a standard feature of the 2.0 TFSI 252PS and 3.0 TDI 272PS versions.

The Audi A4 Avant is on sale now.

Volvo reveals new V90

Volvo has unveiled its new V90.

Launched in Stockholm, the estate car is the latest in Volvo’s top-of-the-line 90 series, sitting alongside the XC90 SUV and the recently launched S90 premium saloon.

Building on Volvo Cars’ heritage in the estate segment, which began more than 60 years ago with the Volvo Duett, the new V90 ‘takes the premium estate a clear step forward’ in terms of aesthetics, materials and finish, says the Swedish brand.

“We have a very strong position in the estate segment,” said Hakan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive of Volvo Cars. “In many people’s minds we are known as the definitive estate brand. While the Volvo brand today stands for more than estates, we are proud to carry forward this rich heritage with the V90.”

“The modern premium estate is all about the intriguing combination of a luxurious experience with the functional origins of the estate silhouette. The sophisticated ambience of our new Volvo interiors is combined with a great cargo space, providing the right kind of functionality – whether through connectivity or cargo and storage solutions,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President for Design at Volvo Cars.

The new V90 features Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive technology, the ‘most advanced’ standard safety package on the market, including Large Animal Detection and Run-off Road Mitigation, as well as 'class-leading' connectivity, including smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay.

Volvo also says it has also worked on driving dynamics for the new model, to deliver a totally new and refined driving experience ‘characterised by a sense of engaging control and predictability’.

“We have a very strong offer in the V90. Our PowerPulse technology is designed to deliver a distinct performance boost to our diesel engine, while the T8 Twin Engine petrol plug-in hybrid will deliver around 410 hp and a pure electric range of around 31 miles,” said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President of Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

Subaru XV Concept teased ahead of Geneva debut

Subaru has released a teaser image of the XV Concept, which is set to make its world debut at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show.

The shadowy, front-three-quarter detail image depicts a rugged, aggressively-styled, SUV-type vehicle. Bold, five-spoke alloy wheels are finished in black with red detailing around the cut-outs, contrasting with the concept car’s silver-grey two-tone paintwork.

The Subaru XV Concept will be unveiled at the press briefing scheduled for 11:15 AM (Central European Time) on 1 March on the Subaru stand.

The 86th Geneva International Motor Show will be open to the public from 3-13 March 2016.

Subaru XV crossover gets a facelift

Subaru has facelifted the XV compact crossover, tweaking its exterior styling whilst also boosting cabin quality and refinement.

Updates to the 2016 model follow changes made last year to the suspension and steering, designed to deliver improvements to the ride and handling. 

The upgraded XV interior features higher quality materials and Subaru's new factory-fit 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment and navigation system. There's new metallic and piano black trim as well as contrast stitching throughout the cabin and the driver's TFT LCD instrument binnacle now emits a soft, blue glow. 

The touchscreen display allows smartphone-style control of the navigation and infotainment features, with a swipe and pinch control function for map displays. It works in conjunction with the standard-fit rear view camera, offering a super-wide 160-degree field of view behind the car when reversing. 

Many functions can now be voice activated, while Apple iPhone users can use Siri Eyes-Free functionality, to enable complete voice control of their mobile when linked with the new infotainment system.

An extra USB port in the front of the cabin allows passengers to listen to music from one device while charging another at the same time.

The upgraded XV continues to offer a choice of two horizontally-opposed, four-cylinder Boxer engines - a 2.0-litre petrol and 2.0-litre diesel - and two transmissions (six-speed manual and six-speed CVT automatic). For 2016, both engines have been tweaked to deliver improved fuel economy.

The 2.0-litre turbodiesel, with a six-speed manual transmission, achieves 52.3 mpg on the combined cycle (a four percent improvement), while CO2 emissions fall from 146 to 141 g/km, placing the car in a lower BIK tax band. 

The 150 PS 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine's fuel efficiency has increased by 2% to a combined average of 43.5 mpg when fitted with the Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission, and emissions fall to 151 g/km. 

Exterior styling changes include an upgraded front end, which now features updated 'hawk-eye' headlights and a redesigned front grille and bumper. At the rear, there's a new boot spoiler and LED combination lamps and the look is completed by new black and silver diamond cut alloy wheel design.

There are also two new colour options available to UK buyers - Hyper Blue and Dark Blue Metallic - and like every Subaru, the XV is offered with a comprehensive five-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

Despite the range of upgrades across the full model line-up, pricing for the Subaru XV remains unchanged for the 2016 model, which goes on sale across the UK next month from £21,995 on the road.