This is possible with the new Vauxhall Vectra VXR for contrary to the BMW M5, its top speed is not governed. Indeed, its turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 developping 255ps allows it to reach 161mph vs 155 for hot BMW! Anyway, you’ll have to catch the driver of te M5 by surprise after a long acceleration on a deserted autobahn because with only a slight pressure on the throttle, he can remind you of his 507bhp…
Anyway, at £23,995 (£24,995 for the estate), this sporty Vauxhall remains somewhat affordable, a price that includes a sophisticated dual-processor electronically controlled damper system. It’s even £1205 cheaper than a Ford Mondeo ST220. For an extra £500, you can get 19” alloys while Vauxhall’s Advanced Forward Lighting ( a nice name for sophisticated headlamps) costs £850 more.
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Shake off an M5 with your Vectra
Saab refurbishes its 9-5
After a career of 7 years, Saab’s executive sedan gets a new front end, inspired by the 9X concept car. Under the bonnet the all-turbo line-up includes a new 150 bhp 1.9 TiD diesel (designed by Fiat and soon available in the new Cadillac BLS), a BioPower engine that can run on a high-blend mixture of bioethanol fuel and petrol (E85), and increased power for the top-of-the-range 260 bhp Aero 2.3 model. In the mean time, the suspension has also been improved. All this should help this characterful but ageing car to keep up with such opponents as the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-Class or Audi A6, which is vital for this car maker whose production might very well be transferred to Germany for lack of profitability.
The facelifted 9-5 will be launched at the oncoming Frankfurt Motorshow, on September 12, where further specifications will be revealed.
Grande Punto to mark Fiat’s renewal?
Fiat call their new supermini ‘Grande Punto’, and they’re damn right for it has considerably been sized up. Being 4m03 long, 1m68 wide and 1m49 high, the Punto even oversizes the Clio III. We can guess not only accomodation will benefit from this increase but also resistance against shocks, Fiat targetting a five star rating at the EuroNcap crash-tests.
Since this new car is vital for Fiat’s future, they have got everything right, especially in terms of styling, a task that was granted to Giugiaro. He did a good job indeed, featuring the Punto III with a Maserati-like front end, thick wheel arches making it look steady and a funny new Punto logo.Under the bonnet, we find 2 petrol and 4 diesel units. The first 2, a 1.2 and a 1.4 respectively delivering 65 and 77bhp, seem somewhat disappointing for lack of power, especially as the car must have put on weight. Let’s hope Fiat will release the 1.6 180bhp that has been rumoured, which would allow the Punto to compete with the Clio III RS or the future Peugeot 207 RC.
There are 2 diesel blocks, a 1.3 16V Multijet outputting either 75 or 90bhp and a 1.9 Multijet, coupled with a 6-speed gearbox, delivering either 120 or 130bhp, the latter being mounted in the Sporting version.
The Punto III shares its underpinning with the new Corsa, which will be launched in 2006.The new Punto will hit the showrooms in September in Italy and by the turn of 2006 in the UK. In the mean time, Fiat will continue to make the Punto II, perhaps to make a smooth transition to the more expensive Grande Punto.
Lamborghini unveils limited edition Gallardo SE
Of course, any Lambo is by definition an exclusive car, but now you can access a higher degree of exclusiveness with the Gallardo SE. What’s special about it? First, only 250 will be made. Second, it’s characterized by a 2-tone body paint, to be sure not to remain unnoticed. Third, the main colour of the body is repeated around the dials as well as on the door panels. Fourth, the engine is now visible from the outside, under glass hood, just like the Ferrari F430. Fifth, the gearbox receives new ratios. The Gallardo SE can dash from 0 to 62mph in 4 seconds and reach 195mph, exactly like a Ferrari F430. The mystery of facts and figures… Too bad, it’ll be available in September only: you’ll have to wait until summer 2006 to show off on the French Riviera. There’s a good side to it though: you have one more year to gather 141,500€ (approx £100,000) to purchase it, a price that does not include VAT, of course.. Then, you’ll be able to choose between two grey shades to be combined with 3 colours: yellow (Giallo Midas), orange (Arancio Borealis) and green (Verde Ithaca).Belgian designer Luc Donckerwolke did a great job with the Murcielago and Gallardo, but then, in my mind, they look too soft when compared to the Miura, Diablo and Countach. And it’s not a matter of paintwork.
Maserati RIP
I’m still shocked. The next Maseratis will share their platform with the Alfa Romeos because it’s time for Fiat to make bigger profit with this brand. If the perfectly good Coupe and the charming Quattroporte can’t save this company, then rebadged Alfas certainly won’t. Maseratis will be cheaper? Then they’re not Maseratis. Maseratis should use transverse engines and four-wheel drive, because it provides the best technical solution? Sounds familiar. Ford did the same with Jaguar and we know what happened.
The new Premium platform is great news for Alfa, especially as it gives bigger engined models the option of four wheel-drive. However Maserati has a tradition of building GTs and moving the Italian Aston Martin down is about one of the worst ideas I have ever heard.
The truth is the Premium platform has been forced on Maserati by another company, which had, in turn, been forced to use it. Engineers of both companies want front longitudinal engines and rear-wheel drive, and so we want them. Why is this so difficult for management to grasp?
Fiat, if you continue to reduce your luxury names to brands and badges then you surely will reap your just rewards: zero sales. At least let Maserati die with dignity. Close the plant, save some money and put some decent investment into Lancia, which has nowhere to go but up.
Automotive atrocities : AMC Pacer
AMC Pacer is the iconic car of the 70s, which defines the era even more than a Bee Gees track or the Farrah Fawcet hairstyle. In fact, dressing as Farrah Fawcet and listening to a Bee Gees track while driving a Pacer with wood panels to go to your job was perhaps the ultimate 70s experience.
AMC had intended great things for the Pacer. It was supposed to have been powered by a small rotary engine rather than a conventional, heavy, fuel-thirsty piston engine tied into a compact front wheel drive to save weight and allow for the maximization of interior space. The whole car was built around this idea. But AMC made the mistake of trusting General Motors to supply the rotary engine. At the last minute General Motors abruptly dropped the intended rotary engine and what was to have been the heart of the car was replaced by an in-line six engine that dated to the 50s. As a result the only thing modern or innovative about the car when it hit the showroom was its original bodywork. Unusually, the passenger side door was four inches longer than the driver’s side door. Nearly 40 percent of the Pacer’s exterior surface was glass. This was a good idea for great visibility, but also let the sun bake the interior to infernal temperatures that caused early fissures and cracks in the dashboard and even with the expensive air conditioner option, the interior was not livable on summer days.
Talking about an economic car is a heresy because the old in-line six with 90 HP had a hard life with the 3,500-pound Pacer. With great generosity, AMC provided a sporty option that delivered 95 HP. Later, the Pacer was equipped with no more than 125 horsepower thanks to a V8. Due to poor sales, AMC introduced a wagon but only 1,341 coupes and 305 wagons were sold the last year in 1980. Iconic car of the 70s, the Pacer is a symbol of the American automotive industry’s utter confusion in the face of new changes and competition from the Japanese.
Montoya wins at Silverstone while Alonso strengthens his position
Enthralling: this Grand Prix was everything but this. After a 1-minute silence in memory of Thursday’s victims in London, Montoya passed Button and Alonso at the start while Sato’s BAR stalled. This caused the safety car to come out, for 2 laps, but that’s about it. Sato went back to pit and re-started one lap behind. Alonso remained very close to Montoya during the entire race without managing to pass him, especially as he lost precious seconds behind Trulli, who was one lap behind, before the second wave of pit stops. Indeed, Trulli did not confirm his good position on the grid while once again Raikkonen managed something great reaching the 3rd position after leaving from the 13th, for his engine had broken down during tests. Barrichello gradually lost pace and lost positions during his pit stops and finished 7th . Michael Schumacher managed exactly the opposite and finished 6th while he had started 10th on the grid. But then, they were more than one minute behind the leader when the race finished, which is not particularly encouraging. Michael reckons he’s out of the race for the championship. Fisichella, on the second Renault could have been on the podium if his car had not stalled after the second refuelling, which made his team manager Flavio Briatore a bit angry. He finished 4th, right before Button who did a solid race. 8th position went to Ralf Schumacher driving a Toyota.Next race in two weeks in Hockenheim.
1 JP. Montoya McLaren
2 F. Alonso Renault
3 K. Räikkönen McLaren
4 G. Fisichella Renault
5 J. Button BAR
6 M. Schumacher Ferrari
7 R. Barrichello Ferrari
8 R. Schumacher Toyota
BMW releases 3-series Touring
Anticipating Alfa’s 159 Sportwagon, BMW releases the estate version of its best-seller. BMW designers, led by Chris Bangle resisted the temptation of a bold styling. This 3 series Touring can load up to 1385 litres of luggage, which exceeds the capacities of a Mercedes C-Class Estate or a Peugeot 407 SW. Nevertheless, a VW Passat Variant or a Vauxhall Vectra offer up to 1850 litres.
BMW has paid a great attention to practicallity, fitting this new version of the 3-series with a reversible boot floorpan, a 12 volt power socket, luggage lashes or a bag and umbrella holder. For a few hundred extra pounds , you can get a waterproof box to store muddy boots for example.
Technically speaking, the Touring is almost identical to the excellent sedan. But beware: the Alfa 159 Sportwagon is underway…
Alonso wins Grand Prix de France one lap ahead of team-mate Fisichella
Alonso started the Grand Prix on pole position and won it without any disturbance. None of his opponents could even threaten him, for he was at least one second faster per lap than anybody else, his team mate Fisichella included. The latter was incredibly unlucky once again, losing precious seconds because of the fuel hose or because his engine stalled on the last pit stop. He finished 6th.
Second on the grid, Trulli did not manage to keep his position and finished 5th while starting from the 13th position, Raikkonen managed to make the most of his 2-stop strategy, finishing 2nd, 16 seconds behind Alonso. Montoya was not quite as successful in the other McLaren for he was forced to abandon because of a hydraulic breakdown.Michael Schumacher finished much farther behind, he did a good race, committing few mistakes but then he was unable to keep up with Alonso’s pace. His team mate Barrichello ended only 9th, after a good performance on the first third of the race. But then he was passed but a revved-up Sato who eventually pushed his car too hard and quit the track twice. With more cool-mindedness, he could have done better than 11th, which team-mate Button brilliantly achieved, finishing 4th, in the other BAR.
7th and 8th positions respectively go to Ralf Schumacher driving aToyota
and Villeneuve, who collected the final point in his Sauber-Petronas.
This week-end is another to forget for Williams-BMW. Webber and Heidfeld started 12th and 14th and finished in the same positions.
Final countdown for 407 Coupé
These recent spyshots reveal that the new 407 Coupé is very close to its launch. Contrary to the 406 Coupé it replaces, the 407 was not drawn by Pininfarina but by Peugeot’s designers, ruled by Gérard Welter. This coupe does not seem as elegant as its predecessor, but then, stringent European norms imposed this heavy front end. The cabin remains very similar to that of the 407 saloon. Accommodation should appear to be asset for this coupe, which should offer the same superb handling and ride as the saloon. As for the engines, the petrol 2.2 160bhp, the 3.0 V6 210bhp and the 2.2 160bhp block may be available. Prices are not known yet but they will surely be competitive.
