Road Test: Volkswagen Beetle Sport 2.0 TDI 140

 

Price as tested: €28,695

+ Sexy looks, improved cabin quality and space, comfort, quality, engine

– Cheap rear suspension spoils the dynamic performance, expensive

= Grooviest looking car on the road today, but Golf is still superior

How do you review an icon? How do you pass judgement on something that's already a pillar of history? If you went on a date with Scarlett Johannson (or Brad Pitt, take your pick) would you spend dinner assessing their skin tone, their haircut, the cut of their clothes? Or would you just revel in simply being in their presence?

That's the problem facing this bitten, cynical car critic when it comes time to review the new Volkswagen Beetle. The original Beetle was the first car to break the Ford Model T's record as the best-seller of all time (a mantle since passed to the Toyota Corolla) and made a remarkable journey from being the apple of a cruel dictator's eye, to being the car of choice of the California counter-culture to its final resting place as a revered classic and a beacon of simple, rugged engineering.

Then Volkswagen attempted to have its cake and eat it. Based on a concept car, the second generation Beetle launched (with, shock, front engine and front wheel drive) in the late nineties to acclaim for its cute, cartoony styling but to criticisms for its poor interior packaging and a deeply lacklustre driving experience. Not to mention the fact that it was more expensive than the more practical Golf which replaced its ancestor, but which shared engines and chassis with the new Beetle.

Now, the record has come around again, and there's a third generation Beetle. Again, it's based on the same platform as the Golf (albeit the last-generation, MkVI Golf, not the current car) and again it's trading heavily on its iconic past.

It's very, very hard not to be sucked in by those retro lines. The overly-curved, cartoonish look of the second Beetle is gone, replaced by a car with a flatter, more aggressive roof and square, straight lines to add tension. Frankly, it's brilliant and I was instantly suckered. There are few, if any, other cars on the road right now as good looking as this and it draws a more obvious line between the original Beetle and the Porsche sports cars it inspired.

Inside too, things are better than before. Out goes the silly flower vase and in comes a neat instrument pack and a touch of the Fiat 500's cabin ambience. Obviously retro but still modernly functional. There's much better space in the back and the boot is far more practically sized and shaped than was the case on the last Beetle.

The engine's a belter too. VW's 2.0-litre 140bhp diesel engine has been around for a while, but in the Beetle it proves itself still a youthful performer. Theres's as much punch as you could wish for through the gears, yet it will still return a 50mpg average without too much effort. Stop-start would be nice for traffic duties, but hey, you can't have everything and it's refined enough to make you believe, just for a moment, that it might be petrol.

It's just a pity that the chassis isn't up to the standards of the engine, especially when the new Golf is able to provide such a classy driving environment. The Beetle's not bad, it's just not as good as it could be. The steering (which communicates with you through quite a big wheel) is nicely, even sportily weighted and the Beetle turns into corners with alacrity and precision. The problem comes from the rear suspension. The Beetle is, primarily, designed and built for the US market where price is king, so to keep costs down, VW has stuck with an old-fashioned torsion-bar rear axle. It's mechanically simple, compact (which helps with the boot space) but it cannot provide the sophistication of a more modern multi-link setup. Hit a mid-corner bump when rounding a fast corner and you'll see what I mean. The rear end thumps, kicks and even skips a little a times. It's never actually unstable, but it feels and sounds uncomfortable and discourages you from enjoying the drive.

Which is a shame, as the Beetle is a remarkably charming car. It's not just the styling this time around, as the cabin, engine and, for much of the time, the driving experience are up to snuff. The problem is, as ever, that the Golf is more capable, more spacious, more affordable and better to drive. There is a reason that the original Beetle was replaced by the original Golf and that reason hasn't really altered in the past forty years. Yes, it is a bit like taking Scarlett Johannson out and asking if there are any more at home like her, but that's the simple truth.


Facts & Figures

Volkswagen Beetle Sport 2.0 TDI 140


Price as tested: €28,695


Range price: €20,695 to €30,445


Capacity: 1,968cc



Power: 140bhp



Torque: 320Nm



Top speed: 198kmh



0-100kmh: 9.4sec



Economy: 4.9l-100km (57.6mpg)



CO2 emissions: 129g/km


VRT Band: B1. €270 road tax



Euro NCAP rating: 5-star; 92% adult, 90% child, 53% pedestrian, 86% safety assist 

Road Test: Mazda 6 2.2 SkyActiv-D 150 Sport

Price as tested: €31,795

+ Handsome, frugal, fab to drive, solid
– Pretty much nothing
= As good a mid-size saloon as you'll find

An expensive Swiss watch has become a deep desire for so many of us. The thought of the expensive weight of all that carefully assembled stainless steel and titanium, our wrists tingling at the very thought of being topped by the logo of Omega, Rolex or Tag Heuer (delete according to taste), it's a status symbol we'd all love to have. But sadly, few of us will ever afford such a timepiece. Shame.

But what if I told you that you could have something just as good, possibly even better, for a lower cost, simply by trading in your timepiece's Swiss postcode for one from Japan? It's well known in high-end watch circles that, proud though the Swiss boys are of their products and movements, they collectively weep with jealously at the carefully crafted work of Seiko. The famed Japanese watch maker can produce wrist-wear of staggering reliability and accuracy, and no small amount of beauty, for a fraction of the cost of a Rolex.

There's something similar going on in the motoring world, too. Many of us desire a slick German sports saloon; we want our driveway to be adorned with the star of Mercedes, the four rings of Audi or the Munich colours of BMW, but their prices are just out of reach. So what if I told you that you could have a car as good to drive as a 3 Series, better looking than an A4 and more reliable than a C-Class, and all you have to do is pop into your Mazda dealer?

Most of the new 6's rivals come with 1.6 or 2.0-litre Diesel engines with outputs of around 115 to 120bhp, Band A emissions and a price tag circling the €26,000 mark. The Mazda, by contrast, has a price tag of €31,795 (for the diesel Sport model, which Mazda Ireland reckons will be its strongest seller), has a 2.2-litre engine with a muscular 150bhp and 380Nm of torque (an even more powerful 175bhp, 420Nm version is also available) and yet still hits that Band A emissions target, with 108g/km costing you just €180 a year to tax.

How has Mazda done this? Carefully, is the short answer. Its SkyActiv programme, which debuted on last year's very impressive CX-5 SUV, isn't one big whizz-bang fuel saving system but rather, like BMW's EfficientDynamics, a series of incremental improvements in every area. A little less friction here. A saving of a kilogram there. A touch less wind resistance somewhere else. It all adds up and the final sum of these parts is that low Co2 figure and a commensurately low fuel consumption of, claims Mazda, better than 65mpg on average. Part of that efficiency comes from a combination of i-Stop that kills the engine when you're waiting at the lights and a new system called i-ELOOP which uses a capacitor (like a battery; it reacts faster than a conventional battery but won't hold a charge for very long) that can power the electrical systems for up to a minute, independent of the engine, and recharges in just seconds from leftover braking energy. Clever stuff and the re-start time of the i-Stop is impressively fast.

Even so, I doubt you'll be able to match that fuel figure in real world driving, partially because almost no car ever does match its claimed figure, but partly because it's very hard to resist driving the new 6 in a somewhat brisk fashion. The last generation of 6 felt solid, planted and even a touch hefty to drive. This new one continues that tradition in part, but there's also a new-found litheness, a sense of fluidity and a truly engaging driving experience. The steering is the outright star here, feeling almost Jaguar-like in its combination of weight (except at parking speeds when it can occasionally get oddly heavy) and with great levels of feedback. It's a very confidence inspiring car, the 6, and even at very high continental motorway speeds, feels safe, secure and reactive. The ride quality, as long as you don't go for the optional 19" wheels, is also exceptionally supple.

Refined too. There's a rustle of wind noise around the mirrors at 120kmh and a touch of road and tyre noise on coarser surfaces, but the SkyActiv diesel 2.2 is impressively quiet and even manages to sound a little bit entertaining at higher rpm, with a gruff warbling noise rather than the usual bland diesel blare.

The cabin marks a particularly high point for the 6. It's very similar to the CX-5's to look at, but the quality of the materials has kicked up a notch and while it's a touch dark at times, it's also a terrifically comfy and pleasing space in which to spend time, helped in no small part by a well-located driving position and expensive-looking, clear instruments. There's good space in the back too although the boot is a touch smaller than much of the competition. Family buyers will be pleased to see that Mazda is emphasising the safety levels of the 6, with a host of new electronic aids including a city braking system that slams on the anchors if it senses you're going to run up the back of the car in front, a lane keeping warning and a blind spot monitor, as well as radar guided cruise control.

It's also a very good looking car, much more obviously so in the flesh (so to speak) than in photos, where the sweeping lines are more obvious and the muscular stance more noticeable.

That €31,000 price tag may hurt the 6's chances though. Its rivals all have significantly lower price points, even if they are for lesser engines with less equipment. Mazda is effectively competing with bottom-end versions of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4 at that price too, and while it's a lovely car, that's a tough battle for any mainstream car maker, and Mazda has as yet no plans to try and match or beat the Koreans in the warranty war; three-year unlimited mileage is your lot.

But just as a Seiko will have true watch afficionados nodding in quiet respect, so I reckon this new Mazda 6 will have true car fans doing the same. Gorgeous, lithe to drive and solidly built, and with astonishing fuel efficiency, it's an early nod for one of the best cars of 2013.

Facts & Figures
Mazda 6 2.2 SkyActiv-D Sport 150

Price as tested: €31,795

Range price: €28,745 to €38,895

Capacity: 2,191cc

Power: 148bhp

Torque: 380Nm

Top speed: 211kmh

0-100kmh: 9.1sec

Economy: 4.2l-100km (67mpg)

CO2 emissions: 108g/km
VRT Band: A3. €190 road tax

Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested

News: Lexus strikes at 3 Series with dramatic new IS

You're looking at the first pics of the ultra-aggressive face of the new Lexus IS, the compact sports saloon that Lexus is hoping will, at long last, really take the fight to the heartland of the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.

Depending on how you feel about the styling of the current Lexus GS, you may or may not love the new IS' styling, with that outrageous sucked-in grille (vampire fangs, anyone) but while we're sitting slightly on the fence at the moment, we're loving the way the grille design makes it look as if the Lexus badge is being sucked into a black hole. Cool.

Of more practical concern, the new IS is going to be longer, more spacious (good – the current one is way too small inside) and lighter. The driving position is going to be lower and more overtly sporting too, and just have a gander at those gorgeous all-digital instruments. They've been lifted more or less straight from the fantabulous V10 LF-A supercar. 

There is a concern that Lexus is going to hobble itself with regard to engine choice though. Once again, only two powerplants will be available but this time around there's no diesel option, or at least none has been officially announced. For now, you'll have to choose between a 2.5-litre petrol V6 IS250 (which no-one in Ireland is going to buy) or a new IS300 Hybrid. Now, we're not 100% sure what the petrol engine component of the IS300 will be just yet, but it is already rumoured to have Co2 emissions in the region of 99g/km. Now, seeing as Toyota can get around 85g/km out of the Prius; 1.8-litre petrol hybrid, we're going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the Lexus' unit will be rather more muscular. 

Will being a hybrid hold the IS back, in sales terms, against the more conventional, but very engaging to drive, BMW 320d and Audi A4 2.0 TDI? Yes, it very well could, although it should be noted that the hybrid-only GS450h is at least as engaging and enjoyable to drive as any diesel 5 Series, so if the same engineers are working on the IS300 then perhaps, at last, we'll have a compact hybrid that's as good to drive as a diesel, but just as (if not more) economical and efficient.

We'll find out more when the IS gets its official public unveiling at next week's Detroit Motor Show.

News: Mercedes' hot new E-Class revealed

As part of a big family portrait of its newly facelifted E-Class range, Mercedes has revealed the look of the new E63 AMG model.

It's a bit of a dodgy Photoshop job this, as you can see that the AMG version appears to be massively larger than the regular saloon E-Class running alongsude it, but it does at least reveal the chunky new grille, air intake, bumper and delicious set of black alloys that the new E63 will be wearing. It's certainly the best-looking version of the updated E-Class we've yet seen.

Most significantly of all though, this E63 will be the first AMG saloon to be offered with Mercedes' 4Matic four wheel drive, a major break with hot German saloon tradition. You'll still be able to buy a traditional, rear-drive E63 of course, but the option of the 4Matic setup means that four wheel drive is moving ever closer to the motoring mainstream.

This being an AMG, the opportunity will hardly be missed to give the 5.5-litre twin turbo V8 engine a power upgrade, so expect to see a rortier 550bhp output. That 4Matic option is looking more and more desirable by the minute...

News: Mercedes A-Class is royally classy

 

Kate Midleton may be expecting, but Mercedes’ new baby, the A-Class, is already arriving in dealerships across Ireland and is expected to be a star player (pun intended) in the Irish market next year.

Two models will take centre stage initially - one is an A180 petrol version which comes on the market at €26,435 (ex works) and the other an A180 CDI diesel version at €28,550, the version likely to attract most attention due, in part, to its greener CO2 emissions of just 98g/km.

Both models will come in a choice of three specifications and equipment lines – Style, Urban and Sports Pack. Entry models sold here come equipped with Style Pack features that include items which, were they purchased separately, would have a value of €1,600.

Compatible with the needs of the iPhone, iPad generation, its optional on board high-tech functionality is such that iPhone Siri voice-activated units and iPad music and Apps can be played through the car’s infotainment system.

The new A-Class is as different from its predecessor as it is possible to be. Sitting some 18cm closer to the ground, its low-slung posture and SL-like fascia give it a positively sporty appearance that Mercedes hopes will appeal to young male and female motorists alike.

Front-wheel drive, all engines have an idle-stop system as standard, linked to a 6-speed manual or 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. New four-link rear suspension has a range of settings that includes an optional sports setting with direct steer.  Collision Prevention Assist, Attention Assist, Adaptive Brake Assist and Brake Hold are all part of its standard safety features.

Since it first appeared at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, worldwide interest in the new A-Class has been intense so much so that a backlog of orders already exists. Here in Ireland, Mercedes-Benz passenger car sales manager Ciaran Allen expects supply to keep pace with demand in the initial phases, at least.

“In keeping with its high-tech image, our launch plan will include a heavy concentration on Facebook and smart phone App technology to create an ‘interactive platform’ whereby prospective customers can learn about the A-Class and scroll through its features to model the version they like best” Mr. Allen said.

Already something of a ‘wunderkind’ in terms of its environmental features, the A-Class 180 CDI is acknowledged by the German TÜV organisation as offering fuel savings of up to 26 percent, emissions as low as 98g CO2/km, a best in class CD value of 0.27 and petrol engines that comply with Euro 6 emissions standard. Indeed, over its entire life cycle from production to recycling, it is estimated that the A-Class, in the guise of the A180 BE version, will produce 5.7 tons less emissions than its predecessor and meets the stipulated recycling rate of 95 percent by weight.

News: Kia turns up the heat

Kia, which has now built itself a massive European and Irish customer base on the back of its value for money proposition (and that now-famous long seven-year warranty) is winding up to launch it’s first ever high-performance model. 


Based on the three-door coupe Pro_Cee’d version of the popular Cee’d hatchback, the Pro_Cee’d GT (seen here in design sketch form) will be a rival to the likes of the VW Golf GTI and Ford Focus ST.

The design is, once again, down to Kia’s famed ex-Audi stylist Peter Schreyer, and will feature an aggressive bodykit, a prominent GT badge in the grille and red highlights along the body. The three-door Pro_Cee’d GT will arrive first, and that will be followed by a five-door hatchback version, while apparently an estate version is under consideration, such is the popularity of the load-lugging version of the Cee’d.

Under the bonnet will be a tuned and tweaked version of the same 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine already found in the turbo versions of the Hyundai Veloster coupe (Hyundai and Kia are, of course, part of the same company these days). In the Veloster, that engine makes 184bhp but that will be increased to a much more muscular 200bhp for the Kia. The only transmission for the moment will be a six-speed manual gearbox; Kia isn’t yet ready to offer a rival to VW’s dual-clutch DSG ‘box.

Depending on how the car is received, this could be the start of something big for Kia. It’s known that Kia is keen to kick off its own in-house tuning and performance arm, rather like Mercedes’ AMG, but it needs the Pro_Cee’d GT to sell well initially to justify the investment. 

If it comes off, then we could see hot versions of both the Rio hatchback and Soul crossover, as well as the possibility of a large, rear-drive coupe to take on the likes of the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe.

News: Volvo's V40 R-Design and XC rock in

Volvo Car Ireland has today announced the pricing of the all-new Volvo V40 R-Design and Volvo V40 Cross Country.

Starting from €29,495 and €28,645 respectively, Volvo is now able to offer both a more sports inspired and a more rugged looking take on the V40.

The V40 R-Design has taken cues from its R-Design stable mates in the rest of the range, with a re-profiled front bumper and rear diffuser, five-spoke 17" Ixion wheels, silver matt door mirrors, unique R-Design embossed nubuck upholstery, sports floor mats, sports steering wheel and pedals. In addition to this, as standard, the V40 R-Design benefits from a TFT crystal display screen with unique blue colouring, illuminated gear-knob, unique R-Design aluminum trim and vertical LED day-running lights.

Those wanting to complement the standard specification can add active bending xenon headlights with cleaning system, rain sensor, leather-faced R-Design embossed seats, cruise control, keyless start and rear theatre lighting.

The V40 R-Design is available in the striking launch colour, Rebel Blue, unique to R-Design, along with six other colours. Prices start from €29,495 for the D2 R-Design version still benefiting from class leading CO2 emissions of 94g/km up to the D3 Geartronic R-Design available from €33,995.

Road Test: Mini Cooper Roadster

Price as tested: €28,165

+ Better looking than the Coupe, fun, agile, engaging
– Crashy ride, limited practicality
= Sweet and fun but we still prefer the standard Mini hatch

I am, I will admit, somewhat baffled by the existence of the Mini Coupe. Why? Because the Mini hatchback is already a coupe. No it's not, you will say. It's a hatchback, clear as day. Not so. Take this simple list of the standard Mini's attributes. Two comfy seats in a stylish (if archly retro) cabin up front, a pair of cramped, tight-fitting, only fitfully useful seats behind and a small boot. A car bought almost entirely on the strength of its style and personality. That's a shopping list that brings you immediately to the door of EuroCoupe – coupe supermarket to the stars.

So, by taking out the occasionally useful pair of rear seats, plonking an offensively ugly roof on the top and calling it a coupe, Mini has created one of the most singularly pointless and unattractive cars I have ever driven, quite apart from its poor ride quality. It does nothing on the road that the Mini hatch doesn't do at least as well, often better, yet is more expensive and less useful. Avoid.

This, the Mini Roadster, I have to say I find significantly less troublesome and its cleaner, crisper styling is only the half of it. Because it has a folding fabric roof that stows neatly away behind the two seat cockpit, there is at least a compelling reason for the excision of the hatch's two rear seats. In doing so, it actually manages to look better than its four-seat equivalent, the Mini convertible (with its awkward rear headrests and pram-like hood) and manages therefore to deftly sidestep the Coupe's inherent pointlessness.

Of course, it is a bit of a silly car for Ireland, and that is only partly down to our regular climactic conditions. It's not even not very practical, it's not practical at all, with a tiny boot and little in the way of extra stowage space in the cabin. Not only that, but the rival Mazda MX-5 easily shows it the way home in terms of driving position, handling balance and even boot space.

Still, the Mini Roadster is at least a fun little thing. Front-drive it may be but the standard Mini's up-and-at-em chassis is still a delight, more than a decade on from its original re-invention. The steering still feels meaty and rewarding when pointing the stubby nose into a corner and in terms of grip and agility it's hard to fault. A shame that the seemingly standard too-hard ride is there; it does rather spoil the mood when tackling some of Ireland's more entertaining back roads. Someday, car makers will realise that an ability to shrug off bumps and lumps is actually more help to making swift progress than all the low profile tyres and stiff springs in the world, but I suspect it will take the carpet-bombing (or impending financial destruction) of the (in)famous Nurburgring race track to do so. The fewer car makers that sign off their stiff chassis settings on that legendary strip of tarmac, the happier I am...

The 1.6-litre 120bhp petrol engine proves that diesel needn't have things all its own way in the Mini range, and indeed reminds you that you don't need to upgrade to a Cooper S just to enjoy yourself. True, performance is hardly electrifying, but then it's more fun to spend the time winding something like the Cooper up to brisk speeds than to simply stamp on the pedal of something more powerful and arrive immediately at licence-threatening velocity. Well, I've always thought so at any rate. That it's a crisp and smooth unit, eager to rev and decently refined is all icing. As is the low Co2 figure. Who would have thought, half a decade ago, that you’d be able to buy a fun, agile, revvy, gutsy Mini convertible and pay just €225 a year for road tax? Brilliant.

The electric folding hood is a good one, belying the need for a heavier, more complicated folding steel roof, providing as it does all the insulation and security you could reasonably ask for, at a fraction of the weight and complication and without the detrimental effect on styling. The little pop-up boot spoiler is a nice little gimmick, but rather a bit of a giveway to the law that you're pressing on, unless you remembered to flick the cockpit switch to raise it manually of course, officer.

It must be noted that the Roadster finds the Mini at something of a crossroads. A decade ago, we just had the standard three-door hatch in Cooper and Cooper S forms. Since then, the Mini family has grown from a sub-brand into a proper car maker in its own right, with the Clubman, Countryman, Roadster, Coupe, Convertible and forthcoming Paceman (a Countryman coupe of all things) all vying for space. BMW is currently working on the successor to the Mini, which will use a more versatile chassis that will allow, for the first time ever, the creation of a five-door version of the standard car. Hopefully, the current car's sense of simple, honest fun will transfer to the new one, as will its palpably good cabin quality, distinctive layout and pleasantly cheeky styling. A bigger boot would be nice, and please Mini, drop the Coupe altogether, OK?

Oh, but you can keep the Roadster. A nice little car, that.


Mini Cooper Roadster
Price as tested: €28,165
Range price: €25,660 to €58,860
Capacity: 1,598cc
Power: 122bhp
Torque: 160Nm
Top speed: 200kmh
0-100kmh: 9.2sec
Economy: 5.7-100km (49.6mpg)
CO2 emissions: 133g/km
Tax Band: B. €225 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested

Road Test: Land Rover Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 HSE

Price as tested: €80,710

+ Comfort, versatility, refinement, handling, beguiling character
– Some cheap cabin trim, poor rear seat space
= Forget the eco-cribbing, this is one of the finest cars around

Is it moral to introduce a moral dimension to a road test? After all, a piece of this nature is mostly about consumer advice, significantly about having a diverting read for your lunch hour and really, that’s about it. Road testers are not wont to go into the ethical rights and wrongs of buying a car but, when taking a new Range Rover out for a spin in 2012 Ireland, it’s kind of a hard dimension to escape. After all, with 450,000 people on the dole lines, sea levels and weather patterns going bananas, the question of whether it is right and proper to drive a car of this type has to be asked.

Well, is it right?

Oh for pete’s sake, of course it is. You want proof? How about the fact that this 2012 Range Rover sport comes with host of technical changes that include an updated 3.0 TDV6 diesel engine and the latest, slick-shifting eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox that actually drops the car out of the top band for VRT and road tax. That’s right; there are sports cars and turbocharged hatchbacks that emit more Co2 per km than this big, beefy Rangie.

Besides which, if you take the classic quote of one of Roger Moore’s adversaries in The Man With The Golden Gun (I appear to be channeling Alan Partridge here...) “Guns do not kill Mr Bond, it is the finger that pulls the trigger.” In other words, if you’re that concerned about the potential damage that a Range Rover can do to the environment, then don’t buy one. It’s your choice. But at least if someone is spending the €80k necessary to nab one of these almost-but-not-quote top-spec HSE models (Autobiography is one grade above, SE a grade below) then while they may be waving their wad in your face a touch, by driving a car as ostentatious , at least you can be assured that they’re spending lots of money on other things, generating employment and tax receipts. See? Range Rovers really can save the planet...

Right, moral dimension done with, let’s get back to the real business of driving the car.

As mentioned, for 2012, the RR Sport gets some subtle but very effective upgrades, the most significant of which are that new engine and gearbox. The 3.0-litre V6 twin turbo diesel now comes in two power outputs; 210bhp and 254bhp, but it’s only the 210bhp version that you’ll get in Ireland, thanks to that tax-dodging 224g/km Co2 output. That’s fine as in spite of a a 44bhp disadvantage, we honestly never noticed a lack of forward motion or thrust, thanks to a whacking great 520Nm of torque on tap from just 2,000rpm. The new gearbox, accessed by a Jaguar-style rotary controller on the centre console (not to everyone’s taste, but we liked it) does the usual ZF job of being so slick it’s almost like it’s not even there. You soon learn that the manual override paddle at the back of the steering wheel are entirely superfluous; all you will need to do is occasionally flick the gear selector into Sport to grab a more reactive kickdown.

Economy is surprisingly impressive. Land Rover claims an average of 8.5-litres per 100km, while we managed a still-decent 9.8l/100km overall. That should give you a touring range of around 800km on a full 80-litre tank, which seems decent enough.

The air suspension has been tweaked too, and the jarring edge of roughness and harshness that made the older Sport models an occasional chore has almost entirely gone. Yes, the Sport rides more firmly than either the big Range Rover (with which is shares almost no mechanical parts) or the Discovery (which which it is pretty much a twin under the skin) but now it’s just acceptably planted, rather than annoyingly hard.

The handling has remained virtually unchanged, thankfully, which means that the Sport still handles, net of a body roll and weight, like a big hot hatch on stilts. In extremis, we detected a slight reluctance to turn into a tightening apex that definitely wasn’t there before, but in fairness, if you’re looking for such handling nuances on a big 4x4, you’re already way off the beaten track. The beauty of the Range Rover’s chassis is that it displays a true multi-purpose nature. It’s refined and comfy on a long run, reactive and enjoyable on a twisty road and, surprisingly, agile and manouvreable in town; in spite of what you might perceive as bulk, thanks to excellent all-round visibility and surprisingly modest exterior dimensions, you can actually get the Sport in and out of tight car parks with ease.

The cabin is both the Sport’s trump card and its one Achilles heel. It all looks gorgeous and Land Rover’s ever-improving quality is palpable. The seats; massive and upholstered in beautiful leather upholstery the colour and consistency of butter are immensely comfortable and the full retinue of switches and dials makes you feel suitably well informed as to the car’s condition and your control of it.

But there are just a few too many plastic sections to the cabin that look and feel a bit too scratchy and cheap. It’s not a problem unique to the Range Rover, but it is a problem at this lofty price level, especially in concert with the desperately cheap looking main dials in the instrument binnacle. The other issue is space in the back, or lack thereof. It’s adequate, nothing more and feels especially stingy when you consider how big a car this is.

While we’re on the critical list, there’s the new standard-fit electric tailgate. Now, in general we dislike these things (what’s the point when they’re slower than simply lifting it up and pushing it back down yourself?) and because it means the loss of the Sport’s useful opening tailgate glass section it’s doubly irritating.

Still, the Sport still has one ace up its sleeve and that is its off-road performance. We’ve driven Sports down impossibly steep ravines, along ricky river beds, through waist deep water and, during our week with this one, managed to traverse a tricky off-road section of The Curragh while wearing a suit. It is that ability to deal with the very worst terrain imaginable (aided by the clever and simple Terrain Response System) while remaining unruffled inside that separates the Range Rover from the horde of competitors. There are others as talented in individual disciplines; none that we can think of that offer precisely the same combination.

Quite apart from anything, there is the Range Rover’s natural charm. It’s a handsome, bluff-looking beast, one that beguiles you, makes you feel better about life when you’re behind its wheel. For that alone, we would love it. Taken in concert with its myriad other talents, well, there’ll be no moral dilemma on our minds if our six numbers ever come up...


Facts & Figures

Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 HSE
Price: €80,710
Range price: €75,195 to €118,160
Capacity: 2,993cc
Power: 210bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Top speed: 193kmh
0-100kmh: 10.3sec
Economy: 8.5-100km (33.2mpg)
CO2 emissions: 224g/km
Tax Band: F. €1,129 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested

Road Test: BMW 316d SE

 

Prices as tested: €44,016

+ Decent performance and economy, delightful chassis, refinement
– 320d is gruntier, as economical and barely any more expensive
= If it’s all you can afford, 3 Series-wise, then it’s fine. Otherwise, go for the 320d.


It’s probbaly getting a bit late to be surprised any longer by BMW fuel economy and emissions figures, but for the record, here’s what the new 316d can manage. BMW claims 4.4-litres per 100km and 117g/km of Co2. Over a 1,200km road test, often with four-up and luggage, we managed an average of 5.2l/100km and a best of 4.5l/100km. Genius, witchcraft or a painting of an ageing diesel pump, stashed in an attic somewhere. However BMW is getting these figures, and however blasé we might be becoming about them, they are still remarkable.

But this is the BMW 316d – the lowliest of the new F30 3 Series range and therefore a car with a tough question to answer; is it enough BMW for you or, should you buy one, are you going to feel short-changed relative to its stablemates.

Well, that depends on a couple of things. If most of your driving is urban based, then the 316d feels entirely adequate, with 240Nm of torque easily propelling its 1,410kg mass into traffic gaps and along dual-carriageways. You’ll also find its overall engine refinement slightly better and quieter than its 320d big brother, which is odd considering that, outputs aside, both use the same 1,998cc engine. And the fuel economy, which stubbornly refuses to budge much below the 50mpg mark no matter what you do, will be as amazing as any of its more expensive brethren can manage.

The slight, and it is only slight, letdown comes when you venture out onto country roads or long motorway stretches. There, you will find that while the 316d’s 114bhp is adequate, you will have to rev it longer and harder to get the kind of performance commensurate with the blue and white flag of Bavaria on the bonnet. It’s not slow, as such (10.9secs 0-100kmh, 203kmh top whack), it’s just that a 320d is significantly quicker.

OK, so you can easily point out that, comparing identical SE specifications, a 316d is €4k cheaper than a 320d and yet still offers the same blend of decent (if, as noted, not as satisfying) performance with remarkable fuel economy. But to be fair, we would have expected better in terms of economy relative to the 320d, otherwise what’s the point (price aside) of downsizing? And if you’re going to get into pricing arguments, then why are you shopping for a BMW in the first place?

OK, let’s get away from that for a moment and look at the driving experience. Which, as with every F30 we’ve thus far tested, is little short of sublime. The steering is beautifully weighted, accurate, fast and gives lie to the theory that electrically assisted systems cannot be satisfying to use. The ride quality, on our test car’s unfashionably high-profile Continental tyres, was exceptionally good; always Germanically firm but never giving into the annoying bump-thump that so blighted the old E90 3 Series. The F30 really does effortlessly combine agile, athletic reflexes that please a keen driver with the kind of comfort and isolation that keeps passengers happy. Asleep, even.

Back to pricing though. Our test car came with a list price of €35,980, which sounds like a surprisingly reasonable figure for a 3 Series. But it didn’t seem to need a very long or deep dip into the options list to whack it up to a much more robust €44k as tested. I can’t help feeling that it’s a bit stingy in this day and age to ask €35k for a car and not throw in some small things like brushed aluminum trim. Mind you, it most be noted that €3,800 of the €5,400 worth of extras on our car was eaten up by the leather trim and the 8-spped ZF automatic gearbox. Sweet though the standard six-speed manual is, it’s hard not to recommend spending the extra on the auto; it’s seamlessly smooth and has no discernible impact on economy. And anyway, it’s all more affordable now that BMW is offering some seriously tempting personal lease agreements, with guaranteed second hand values and with backing from its own bank.

But there will always be the niggling doubt that you’ve bought the lesser 3 Series. In isolation, the 316d is everything you’d expect a BMW to be. But, with more grunt and yet identical fuel economy, a 320d is more.

Facts & Figures

BMW 316d SE
Price as tested: €44,016
Range price: €34,750 to €60,260
Capacity: 1,995cc
Power: 114bhp
Torque: 240Nm
Top speed: 203kmh
0-100kmh: 11.2secs
Economy: 4.4l/100km (62mpg)
CO2 emissions: 117g/km
Tax Band: A. €160 road tax
Euro NCAP rating: Not yet tested