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Jaguar XJ Paris Express

Richard Aucock writes:

Jaguar’s XJ launch hotel was situated outside Paris – but to show off the car’s ‘cool Diplomat’ style, it took us into the city centre for dinner. And how: it was a swift half-hour chauffeur drive of dreams.

P1010221

Once quickly on the move, it soon became clear Jaguar’s drivers were using convoy driving tactics – staying close to the car in front, always anticipating other drivers, trying never to break the chain. This only added to the thrill.

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If an interloper did stray into the cavalcade, the chain swiftly shifted in unison to eject it. Swift, efficient and ballectic progress: the same tactics used to taxi the PM, in fact…quite awe-inspiring to witness first-hand.

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Parisian roads revealed some ride tautness, but they also employed the quick response of the diesel engine. Gaps here disappear fast; if one appears, you need to be in it, just as fast.

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The engine rarely disturbed the peace, though. The way you could ‘feel’ the twang of the double bass on the car’s Bowers & Wilkins stereo showed us why the name’s so familiar in recording studios and with music gurus. This is one of THE great car stereos.

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Mostly, though, we all just stared out. All in the name of research, natch: we did as the celebs will do, and looked at others looking at us. For when constant eye contact was too much, the glass roof offered more views out. Meant we could enjoy a truly panoramic Eiffel Tower…

P1010202

It was the same on the way back. Chief XJ engineer Andy proposed the quick route or the scenic route. Well, it would be rude not to…

P1010223

—

Jaguar XJ: On launch

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Posted: March 10th, 2010 under On Launch.
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Audi R8 Spyder launch in Nice

Tom Evans:

Confession time: I love the Audi R8 and I love convertibles, so the R8 Spyder is one derivative that I have long looked forward to, even during the long period when Audi actually denied they were going to make one.  So when the invite came through I’m afraid that I had to ‘bigfoot’ it with both hands, which leads me to the Cap d’Antibes beach hotel where I write to you now.

Can there be many more exciting sights in motoring?

moto_1124

moto_1123

As usual there are plenty enough cars to go around for the UK press gang, but everyone wants to flawed but still brilliant metallic gated manual version (the red ones) – and noone wants the ageing-Beverly Hills-billionaire robotised manual ‘auto’ version that costs a cool £5k more than the manual and is widely deemed ‘not very good’.

I’m sharing a car with veteran writer Paul Harris, who is the founder, editor and publisher of Audi Driver magazine (apparently the only Audi-only magazine in the world) and its sister Volkswagen Magazine (which has about half-a-dozen rivals in the UK alone, sighs Paul):

moto_1137

moto_1126

Paul Harris

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Tom & the red devil

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Having been lumbered with an auto on the brief run from the airport to the hotel, clever Paul proved his mettle and snaffled us the last red manual one for the long after-lunch drive from under the nose of The Sun’s Ken Gibson and Top Gear Magazine’s Paul Horrell.  To add insult to injury, they then got to stare at our (4, natch) tailpipes for about half an hour as we got stuck behind maddening Sunday driver Renault Clios on the tortuous and unovertakeable coastal road.

Heading inland and we finally got some roads to get properly stuck into.  I will leave full details for my first drive review – coming up shortly – but suffice to say that the R8 V10 just loves to be driven really really hard.  Interestingly Paul and I had contrasting driving styles – and while we are both fast, he loved to dial in the torque by going in 4th up hill, while I always used 3rd as I find the snarl of the V10 as it reaches the upper reaches of power intoxicating. 

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Don’t know who was faster,  but luckily I wasn’t going *too* fast when 1. an old lady tripped over spectacularly in front of us in a coastal town and 2. when we came round a bend to find a Fiat or something coming more or less straight at us; a local who knew the roads a bit too well, we figured.

We enjoyed getting hopelessly lost in the mountain roads around Grasse before heading back.  On arrival, our manual got snatched away, needless to say.

More driving for me in the morning, then back home.

cheers,

Tom

Posted: March 9th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Audi R8 Spyder launch gallery - near Nice


Posted: March 9th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
Comments: none

Jaguar XJ launch

Richard Aucock writes:

You couldn’t have scripted it better. Landing at Paris CdG for the launch drive of Jaguar’s all-new XJ, the airport doors slid open. To this:

P1010108

Yup, a new XJ, resplendent in black. And, err, a Mercedes S-Class, respl… well, we were impressed. Jag made the Merc look, well, overlooked. They assured us they had nothing to do with this impromptu twin-test…

P1010116

A driver took us to the test cars. This was to show off the space and finish of the long-wheelbase XJ, and also to save us from the dramas of exiting Paris’ sprawling airport. It’s a fine view out…

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… and oddly, your line of vision naturally falls on that Jaguar plaque. Just in case you didn’t know.

The detailing continued afterwards. Jaguar has trimmed out a room in the premium ‘look’ so desired for the new XJ. For more than a month, the world’s journalists will learn their first on the new XJ from this location.

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And if you thought the dash badge detailing was cool, check this out. Now, what is it…

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… we’re driving again?

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Jaguar also thanked MSN Cars readers, for your response to our ‘Top 10 reasons why the new Jaguar XJ will be brilliant’ feature. Apparently, it’s caused a bit of a buzz back at the firm’s HQ… question is, do we need a follow-up on 10 reasons why the XJ IS brilliant? Come back soon for the First Drive to find out…

—

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Posted: March 8th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
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Peugeot 5008: move along, please use all available seats, etc


Dan Trent writes:
Was everyone running a bit late this morning? I was, as was my other half so I obliged with a lift to the station in the Peugeot 5008 we’ve got on test at the moment. On the way we passed our neighbours, obviously hurrying in the same direction. "Fancy a lift?" They did, and in they hopped. Two hundred yards later another neighbour, also walking briskly and checking his watch. Without bothering to ask this time I pulled over and he too jumped aboard.

I did have another pair of seats stowed beneath the seat floor but managed to make it the half mile to the station without needing to pick up any more stragglers and having proved its worth at hauling bikes and kit to Wales yesterday the 5008 also seems an able minicab and the 1.6 diesel isn’t too swamped by having five full-sized folk aboard. Still not quite sure why an MPV needs a head-up-display and paddle shifters though.

Dan

—
Links:
First drive: Peugeot 5008
—
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Posted: March 8th, 2010 under On the Road.
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Citroen’s car for the GQ Man

By Alex Goy
 

So there we were, a group of judgmental car hacks looking at Dylan Jones (GQ Editor, in case you didn’t know) talking about his magazine’s new car, designed by Citroen’s crack team of trendy designers.

All of uthe assembled scirbes were betting that they’d reveal a DS3 (read the test here) with some Saville Row tailoring on the seats and dash. We all lost.

They revealed a rather stunning concept dubbed GQ by Citroen. It’s a little like a GT by Citroen lite with a hint of SM and some extra flair thrown in for GQ man to ponce around in.

Being in no way a GQ man at all (fashion? Style? What’s that then?) it’s not for oiks like me, but if they made it (which they won’t. Ever.) I’d be in the queue to buy one. It’s an unnecessarily large, stunning, 2 ½ door (suicide doors, gotta love ‘em) coupé.

I’m told you can check it out in this month’s issue of GQ or here.

See if you agree.


Links:
Citroen at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show
2010 Geneva Motor Show coverage

 

 

Posted: March 5th, 2010 under Automotive Events.
Comments: none

Honda CR-Z sneak preview, Dan quite excited


Dan Trent writes:
See that white Honda CR-Z? Looks nice doesn’t it. And I’m going to be literally the first journalist in the UK to drive it! But not quite yet, this first taste at Honda’s HQ just next to the M4 in Slough only a static look and a chance to chat with ‘Large Project Leader’ Norio Tomobe.
Honda is having to do it this way because it’s got one CR-Z and one only. So a conventional launch event is out of the question. Instead the small group of journos - MSN Cars included - who’ll get to drive it all visited Honda for the usual launch-style briefing with information about the tech in the car, pricing, market positioning and all that kind of thing. On a normal launch we’d all then pair up and head out to find a car park full of cars for us to go and drive. But with only one CR-Z in the country we’ll each have to wait our turn and take a couple of days with it, promising not to write any road tests until everybody has had their go so nobody nicks the scoop. This assumes everyone behaves themselves and isn’t tempted to break the embargo. They’ll not have many friends left at Honda or among their fellow hacks if they do, not that this has stopped people in the past.

Anyway. The car. I didn’t actually get to look at it closely at Geneva so this was my first real chance to have a good poke about. And you know what, it looks great, inside and out. I really like the styling, with hints of both the old CRX (one of my favourite cars) and the original Insight hybrid…

…albeit with a look all of its own. It looks properly sporty too, low slung and snug inside with a very futuristic dash and nicely low set driving position.

I’m still not convinced about Honda’s IMA system though. Unlike the Toyota/Lexus system there’s no electric only drive, the Integrated Motor Assist simply acting like a turbo or supercharger and letting the 1.5-litre engine punch above its weight. Question is, why not just use a turbo and spare the bother of batteries and complex hybrid gubbins? The CR-Z only manages 124hp, VW (et al) and Renault among those with turbo 1.4s offering similar on-paper power. The quoted CO2 of 117g/km and 56.2mpg meanwhile are bettered by many small diesels.

The proof will be in the driving of course, Honda claiming it’s the low-down torque the electric motor provides that really makes the CR-Z feel like a sporty car. And it’s got a proper manual gearbox too, complete with the beautifully weighted, well engineered shift action common to all sporty Hondas. Now howling CVT like in the Insight or old Civic Hybrid then, thank goodness. After tonight’s preview I’m properly excited about driving the CR-Z and I can’t wait to put these claims to the test - I’m certainly willing to be proved wrong on the IMA system and if the little Honda hybrid goes as well as it looks it could well be a breakthrough moment for hybrid cars.

Dan
—
Links:
Revealed: Honda CR-Z
Geneva 2010: Honda
Geneva 2010 - all the coverage
…
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Posted: March 4th, 2010 under News.
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For sale: a £50K Ford Cortina, most definitely raced and rallied


Dan Trent writes:
What with all the focus on new cars over the last few days here’s an old one, just to make a change. And what a car it is too! An ex-Jim Clark Lotus Cortina it’s yours for a hefty £50K. And, OK, if you believe everything you read in classic car ads you could be forgiven for thinking Jim Clark drove each and every Lotus Cortina ever made - the price adjusted accordingly with some genuine works cars making astonishing six-figure sums and costing even more than a Focus Econetic.

Given that the price of this one seems almost reasonable. But why the fuss over an old Ford?

Well, given that back in the day they were driven like this…

…and this…

…by legends like Jim Clark, Graham Hill and many others you begin to understand why the Lotus Cortina is such a hero car. And I was lucky enough to get a go with one last year, this example belonging to the Ford heritage collection. So, yes, there’s a good chance Jim Clark may actually have driven this one too!

Given its value and age I was initially cautious with the old thing. But the car’s character - and the refreshingly down to earth attitude of its caretakers at Ford - meant my confidence grew quickly and before long every roundabout was taken with squealing tyres and the steering wheel held dead ahead. Sounds like a hack’s cliche but you really do steer cars like this with the accelerator and exploring this was so much fun.

By modern standards it isn’t quick. But the Lotus/Ford provenance, the signature livery, the fact it’s such fun to drive and the connection with the likes of Clark - whether or not he actually drove/owned/once stood next to the car in question - means it’ll always be a legend.

Trouble is there are plenty of people who share the same view, many of them with rather more money than me! And I even liked the colour…

Dan
—
Links:
Ford Focus price (jaw) drop
Lotus Cortina for sale, one careful owner
—
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Posted: March 4th, 2010 under On the Road.
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Ford Focus price (jaw) drop

Richard Aucock writes:

There’s always excitement here at MSN Cars when we get a Ford in to test. Brilliant dynamics means every one is a peach to drive. Even though the current focus is in its final days, it remains a class-leader.

FocusEconetic01

It doesn’t look particularly special, mind. There’s nothing to tell you it’s a bit special. Other motorists will think it just another Focus. How they would be staggered, then, if we told them the price.

FocusEconetic05

£22k! For a Focus 1.6 diesel! And it doesn’t even have alloy wheels! OK, that’s with options. It’s a ‘mere’ £20k standard. But would you pay £20k and expect a car to see these wheels?

FocusEconetic02

The interior doesn’t look like it costs £2,500 more than a standard Audi A3 diesel, either.

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But there indeed is proof. The £22,318 Ford Focus ECOnetic test car.

FocusEconetic04

Come back next week, to find out if we think it’s worth cancelling that order for the cheaper, bigger, faster and much better equipped SEAT Exeo 2.0 TDI 143 SE…

—

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Posted: March 4th, 2010 under In the car park.
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Ford Focus price (jaw) drop

Richard Aucock writes:

There’s always excitement here at MSN Cars when we get a Ford in to test. Brilliant dynamics means every one is a peach to drive. Even though the current focus is in its final days, it remains a class-leader.

FocusEconetic01

It doesn’t look particularly special, mind. There’s nothing to tell you it’s a bit special. Other motorists will think it just another Focus. How they would be staggered, then, if we told them the price.

FocusEconetic05

£22k! For a Focus 1.6 diesel! And it doesn’t even have alloy wheels! OK, that’s with options. It’s a ‘mere’ £20k standard. But would you pay £20k and expect a car to see these wheels?

FocusEconetic02

The interior doesn’t look like it costs £2,500 more than a standard Audi A3 diesel, either.

FocusEconetic03

But there indeed is proof. The £22,318 Ford Focus ECOnetic test car.

FocusEconetic04

Come back next week, to find out if we think it’s worth cancelling that order for the cheaper, bigger, faster and much better equipped SEAT Exeo 2.0 TDI 143 SE…

—

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Posted: March 4th, 2010 under In the car park.
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