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Life Matters M O T O R I N G
Safe and Sound John Kitching gets a glimpse of the future in a Lexus RX300 and decides it looks like being luxurious n the future, the Lexus RX300 will be equipped with synergy drive (half petrol, half electric), but the new generation Lexus RX300 SE-L I tested was already futuristic enough for me, taking a quantum leap over its predecessor in safety, driving dynamics and refinement. The three-litre transversely-mounted highperformance V6 engine’s power has been increased to 201bhp by improving the intake and exhaust systems, and the powerplant has been given a new five-speed automatic transmission with a drivetrain in which the torque distribution between the front and rear wheels is controlled electronically by the Traction Control (TRC) system. A more aerodynamic body and higher-performance tyres increase the top speed from 112 to 124mph, while improving fuel consumption by more than 6% and reducing wind noise level by 5dB. The new Lexus RX300 is 160mm longer and 30mm wider than its predecessor, and has an extra 100mm of wheelbase for
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additional luggage load space, but, despite now being 4,740mm in length, the turning radius remains a compact 5.7m. One of Lexus’s highest priorities for the new RX300 was occupant safety. Standard safety equipment includes multi-stage driver and front passenger SRS airbags which work in conjunction with impact-absorbing structures in the front end of the vehicle and the pretensioner-equipped seat belts to reduce shocks to the head, chest and legs in the event of a frontal collision. There’s now a driver’s SRS knee airbag which was primarily designed to reduce injury from contact with steering column and lower dashboard structures, but which has also been found to reduce head and chest injuries by reducing rotation of the torso in a major impact. A further aid to active safety is the use of the Lexus Parking Assist Monitor, effectively a TV camera mounted at the rear. When reverse gear is selected, an image appears on the navigation
display screen in the centre of the dashboard and that certainly helped me impress in the office car park! The display can also show a composite view with parking guidelines superimposed on the screen. These show a vehicle width extension to help the driver gauge if the car will fit in the space available. I can certainly vouch for the effectiveness of the intruder warning system. Waiting in the Poole car showroom I put my head in through an open RX300’s window for a better look. Not a good idea! I swear all the ships changed course in the harbour and they’d launched the lifeboat down the road at RNLI headquarters before the unperturbed staff had been able to find the keys to disable the alarm and make a cup of coffee to resuscitate me. The Lexus RX300 is available in these versions: RX300 at £28,955; RX300SE at £33,120; RX300SE with Lexus Navigator at £35,225; RX300 SE-L at £37,825; and RX300 SE-L with Wood Finish Pack at £38,225.
April 2004
D O R S E T 87
ALOVE8 RELATIONSHIP John Kitching has years of prejudice about efficiency and sensibility suspended by a couple of days in an auto-select environment
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t’s been a cultural divide for over a century and exaggerated in our family by a brother who moved to Germany 20 years ago. For the last two decades we’ve had to suffer… ‘in Germany they do that like this, it’s much more sensible’. It doesn’t really matter what ‘that’ is or what ‘this’ is, he’s always right. There’s no point arguing. But there’s been one consolation over all that time, the thought: ‘more sensible, you’re right, but also: more boring!’ Even in the case of the old Audi A8, the epitome of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, is without
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
question an extremely sensible solid practical car, but, it could be argued, ‘a bit boring’. Not now though. With its Quattro four-wheel drive and slick six-speed automatic transmission and selectable suspension styles - or an autoselect that responds and adapts to the way you drive – the new Audi A8 transforms from the smoothest family cruiser to a full-throttled sports car with one quick twist of the aluminium control knob without ever feeling that the ability to handle the car has been taken away. Accelerating from a slow roundabout to 60mph in 6.3 seconds and feeling like it could easily go up to 150mph without ever missing a beat, there’s nothing boring at all about this car. With its choice of 3.7 litre V8 and 4.2 litre V8 (as tested) this is a car that ranks highly in the luxury market. But the new A8 also features an aluminium Audi Space Frame (ASF) on to which aluminium panels are mounted reducing the weight by 60% compared to an equivalent steel shell. So this is a luxury car which is also quick, agile and economical. That’s so sensible. There’s an electro-hydraulic parking brake which sets at the pull of a button and unsets at the press of the same button. And parking can all be done by echo-location. I didn’t try it blindfold,
but with the optional parking button pressed the car tells you how far you are from stationary objects by a series of beeps which get more continuous as you get closer. So you could in theory park it without looking. Here’s a few more sensible features: the rearview mirror had an automatic change of angle when you shone a dazzling bright light onto it. The seats are fully adjustable to almost horizontal and you can pre-program your favourite settings; they’re also heated for ultimate comfort. The in-car TV turned itself to sound only as the vehicle started to move, so the screen could be used for its more usual DVD satellite navigation function. The 4.0 V8 Diesel engine is about to be made available and that will offer common rail fuel injection, twin turbo chargers and 0 to 62 in 6.7 seconds. Also 30 mpg and a potential 580 miles between fuel stops. Prices start at £51,000 for the 3.7, climbing to £58,000 for the Tdi and £60,000 for the 4.2 test car. I’ll always take my hat off to those who are convinced it’s more interesting when trains don’t run on time. But I think I’ve finally been converted. I now know the true meaning of: ‘Vorsprung durch technik’... it means... ‘So sensible it’s exciting’.
November 2003
D O R S E T 95
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
Max Volume John Kitching enjoys being lost in space aboard Ford Focus’s big brother, the C-MAX Ghia diesel t’s said that with its sleek profile, contemporary style, flexible and spacious interior and confident driving capabilities, the Ford Focus C-MAX can change your view of what a family car should be. And it did ours. When we set off in the test vehicle and heard Harry our dog barking in the distance, we thought we must have left him behind again, but no, there he was, in the back - just a lot further away than usual! The C-MAX is larger and taller than the other cars in the Focus range, but its unmistakably Focus-like exterior gives maximum volume for minimum fuss, and makes it clear that it’s going to drive more like a car than a bus. In fact, its aerodynamic shape is said to have the lowest drag coefficient of any comparably large family car. This all helps its economical fuel consumption and low wind-noise levels. New powertrain technology has been introduced to the Ford Focus range with the C-MAX, including two new high-pressure common-rail turbo-diesel engines (1.6 and 2.0) and Ford’s new six-speed manual transmission. I tested the 1.6 Ghia diesel version and it seemed to have more power than some two-litre petrol cars I’ve driven, and, I understand, because of the extra weight at the front, handles even better at speed than the petrol version. There’s also the ability for the C-MAX to convert from being a full five-seater to an even more comfortable four-seater - ‘reflecting expressed customer needs of more personal space’ says the brochure. Woof, agrees Harry! As a four-seater, the C-MAX gives its
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rear passengers greater leg room (100mm) and shoulder room (60mm), and the system allows them to position their seats for more comfort, say to snooze on a longer trip, or to enjoy the entertainmentsystem options. The 1.6 Ghia model tested had Ford’s new Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) option (available on Trend and Ghia models), which means you don’t need a mechanical handbrake, and with its compact lever, frees up more space between the driver and front passenger. There’s also a satellite navigation option featuring DVD-based route guidance and a large, colour touch-screen. Models equipped with this can also have one of two rear-seat entertainment systems to give passengers in the back of the car access to in-car DVD, TV etc. At the heart of the C-MAX’s safety system is its rigid passenger cell which has been designed to retain its shape during a variety of different impacts, and is engineered to deflect crash energy away from occupants. Performance of the 1.6-litre diesel C-MAX is aimed at producing zero to 62mph acceleration in 11.3 seconds, and a top speed of 116mph. Fuel economy is rated at 44.8mpg (urban) 68.9mpg (extra urban), and 57.6mpg (combined) with CO2 emissions of 129 grams per kilometre. Prices start at around £13,500, and the 1.6 Ghia diesel version tested was £17,500. So, the new Focus C-MAX looks likely to do for larger family cars what the Ford Focus did for compact cars when it was first introduced. Namely, set the standard.
July 2004
D O R S E T 95
*Motoring 22/01/04 12:44 pm Page 3
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
So Smooth John Kitching can’t argue with Jeremy Clarkson’s summing up of the Mazda RX-8 - we should all be thankful to Dr Wankel! on’t be fooled by appearances; this might look like a coupé, but it’s also a roomy four-door saloon with a proper decent-sized boot. It’s a coupé that lets you take the kids or a couple of adult friends along for the ride. And what a ride! The Hi-Power version (RX-8 230) tested buzzes all the way up to 9,000rpm with the help of a six-speed gearbox passing peak torque of 156lb ft at 5,500rpm and peak power of 240bhp at 8,200rpm on the way.
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But that’s not what’s remarkable about this concept car, it’s how it does it that’s remarkable. It gets there in such a smooth way, delivering such strong stepless acceleration with barely an audible change of engine noise, that you really can’t believe the digitally displayed speed you’re seeing - surely that must be kilometres per hour! Their new generation, award-winning, Renesis rotor-motor simply winds up in a linear manner like a spring and delivers the equivalent power from a 1.3 litre engine that you would expect from 2.5-3 litres in other marques, which is why we have to give thanks to the wonderful Dr Wankel. This engine is the product of a long Mazda heritage of manufacturing vehicles with Wankel engines, some of which enjoy almost cult-like status among sports car drivers. Since first starting to develop Felix Wankel’s concept, Mazda have built over 1.8 million rotary engines. And all that practise has paid off. Graham Johnson, Editor of Engine Technology International, and Chairman of last year’s Awards, said of Mazda’s International Engine of the Year Award success: ‘In fact, 44 of the judges voted for this rotary engine to
become International Engine of the Year 2003 - a new Awards record. Mazda can rightly state that it produces the finest automobile engine in the world.’ Quite an accolade. Jeremy Clarkson’s conclusion in his Shoot Out DVD, reporting on the 30 best cars of 2003, is that the Mazda RX-8 is ‘fast, goodlooking, brilliant to drive and - though it doesn’t really matter - practical’. And, in his inimitable fashion, his conclusion about the RX-8 driving sensation is... ‘it’s smoother than a pint of Baileys...’. Standard equipment on both models (the 190 and the 230 test car) includes 18-inch alloy wheels, ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution, driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags, climate-control air-conditioning and a BOSE Premium Audio sound system with nine speakers and a six-CD auto-changer. Prices start at just under the £20,000 mark, though the top-of-the range car I tested, from Wey Valley Mazda, Weymouth, was priced at £25,400. That would be a practical price for a practical four-door saloon, but, as The Man said, that doesn’t matter - what matters is you feel like you’re driving something that could become a collector’s item.
Febr uar y 2004
D O R S E T 81
*Motoring
21/7/04
9:32 am
Page 3
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
Quick-change Artist John Kitching drives the new SLK 200, a convertible that can alter its guise as quickly as the weather changes in a typical English summer! here’s nothing quite like challenging your follicles in a convertible on a summer’s day around the lovely leafy lanes of deepest Dorset. However, Mercedes have gone to great lengths to ensure that the new SLK provides the least possible challenge to follicles when driving with the roof down. The car’s shape keeps the wind out so effectively that they say a newspaper will lie undisturbed on the passenger seat even at speed. Disappointingly, for any who think that convertibles should be ‘character-forming’, a new system of heat distribution has been incorporated into the two seats at neck height to keep heads warm in cold weather. Called Airscarf, I think there’s a case for fitting this sytem in all cars, whether the roof drops down or not, simply for its therapeutic properties. It’s a bit like the equivalent of a cold compress on a fevered brow! The new model SLKs offer a choice of three new engines with a performance range extending from the test model’s 120kW/163hp to 265kW/360hp. This includes an eight-cylinder supplied by MercedesAMG in the SLK 55, and a 200kW/272hp V6 engine in the SLK 350. A further development of the previous SLK’s vario-roof transforms this roadster into a coupé in just 22 seconds. And I for one could have quite happily played with the roof up/down button every 22 seconds for about a week without getting bored! The car body size has grown by 72mm in length and 65mm in width, and the interior has also been completely redesigned, with new switches,
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push buttons and decorative silver-coloured parts, creating a sharp contrast with the black surfaces of the instrument panel. And there’s now a responsive six-speed manual shift system. As for safety, in instances of side impact, head-thorax airbags would spring into action and protect the occupants’ heads and upper bodies, and a special sensor also triggers the side airbags and both belt tensioners in the event of the vehicle rolling over. Robust steel tubes in the A-pillars and solid roll-over bars offer additional protection in accidents of this kind. The 120 kW/163hp engine in the SLK 200 test car is one of a new generation of four-cylinder engines from Mercedes-Benz featuring their ‘Twinpulse’ system which combines a compressor, balancer shafts, charge-air cooling, variable camshaft adjustment and four-valves, making it more fuel-efficient than its predecessor, with an NEDC overall fuel consumption rating of 8.7 litres over a distance of 100 kilometres. As an option, the four-cylinder engine can be twinned with a fivespeed automatic transmission system, while the new six-cylinder can be paired up with the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission. Drivers can operate both automatics using gearshift buttons mounted on the steering wheel (as an optional extra) to select the desired ratio. Just to sum up, the test vehicle’s on-the-road price: £27,470; maximum speed: 142mph; acceleration: 0-62 in 7.9 seconds; combined fuel consumption: 43.5mpg; and that roof time: 22 seconds!
August 2004
D O R S E T 103
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
Fast and Flexible John Kitching finds out what makes the Mazda2 such fun to drive inning the What Car? magazine supermini Comfort Test for the second consecutive year, the Mazda2 was praised for ‘its easy front and rear access, well designed boot, clear and logical instruments and for having a simple-to-use radio’. (See February 2004 edition of What Car? magazine.) So I thought I’d go and see exactly what makes this supermini so super! The Mazda2, is a five-door hatchback, costing from £7,995 to £10,895, and is claimed to offer ‘big car quality with the sort of driving dynamics and generous specification levels that represent outstanding value for money’. It is available with four engine options: the 1.25, the 1.4, and the 1.6 petrol; and a 1.4-litre common rail diesel engine in four specifications: the S, TS, TS2 and Sport. In addition, a new Auto Shift Manual transmission (ASM) provides a choice between clutchless manual gearshifts or a full automatic mode and is available on both the 1.4-litre petrol and diesel versions. Both are quite frugal with the fuel, giving 44.8mpg, 43.5mpg and 39.8mpg for the three petrol engines respectively and 62.8mpg for the 1.4-litre diesel engine - manual transmission models. Standard features such as multi-adjustable driver’s seat, adaptable steering-wheel height, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and power steering do make the Mazda2 easy to control with minimum effort. And its ride and handling comfort seemed to me more like that you usually get in larger cars. Inside, there’s plenty of head and shoulder room, and there are 10 storage compartments making clever use of space for smaller items. And, for larger items, the boot is unusually large for a supermini. If you’re prone to impulse buying, with the rear seats folded down, the Mazda2 has a load capacity of 1,044-litres and a flat floor, so you can easily fit that bargain washing machine or fridge in there. The Mazda2 safety features include an extremely rigid body structure and a strong passenger safety cell and, in the case of a serious head-on collision, the brake pedal decouples and is pulled away from the driver’s legs, which reduces the overall risk of leg injuries. Further safety features include dual-stage front airbags and optional side and curtain airbags which protect passengers in the front and rear seats in case of side impact. The Mazda2 TS I borrowed from Wey Valley Mazda was just as comfortable stopping and starting around town as it was on long journeys and, at £10,000 on the road, a lot more car for the money than the ‘supermini’ title might suggest.
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June 2004
D O R S E T 103
*Motoring 12/12/03 2:20 pm Page 3
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
C-Classics! John Kitching expected comfort and climate control in the Mercedes C220, but the cleaner running and extra fuel economy had him struggling with his pre C-conceptions! hristmas has come early! I’m sitting in a Mercedes C220 CDI - the most popular diesel-powered model in the extensive C-Class range - the climate control is set to warm to ward off the outside chill, and the electric seats are reclined at the correct angle. The seven-speaker sound system is pumping out John Lennon’s Happy Christmas War Is Over, and I’m thinking what a tough job this car testing business is, but, hey, somebody has to do it!
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I’ve been told that the 2148cc, turbo-charged, four-cylinder engine beneath the contoured bonnet develops 143hp at 4,200rpm and a robust 315Nm of torque between 1,800 and 2,800rpm. Given that, it appears that something must be wrong with the fuel gauge because it hardly seems to have moved, and according to the car’s trip computer, I’ve been getting 42mpg - which would take me from Dorset to Yorkshire and back, some 650 miles, on a full tank of fuel! But the beauty of this car is not so much in its performance maximising, or exceptional velocities 0-60, it’s more in its attention to detail. The Avantgarde SE trim test model comes with a full safety package comprising six airbags, anti-lock brakes and electronic traction and stability controls. The list of luxuries includes a five-speed automatic transmission, automatic climate control, a powerful CD/radio and, topically, customers can specify when they order their Mercedes (C-Class upwards) to have telephone pre-wiring installed at the factory. This has become an important feature since the legislation of 1st December 2003 because the multi-function steering wheel, which comes as standard on the C-Class, enables owners to operate their phone and make, receive or reject calls at the wheel without
having to take the handset out of its holder. With the flick of your left thumb the dash board display shows the same information as is being shown on your phone display. The speaker/mike amplifier is positioned up by the rear-view mirror, so you just listen and talk while keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Like every Mercedes model, the C-Class also comes with a 30-year breakdown and anti-corrosion warranty. The advanced engine has a C02 rating of 177g/km, and therefore falls into the low 22% tax bracket - good news for company-car drivers who are used to facing punishing emissions-based taxation. At £25,695 on the road, the C220 CDI model I tested combines low expense and high resale value with high mileage and low emissions - so it’s strong on economy and ecology. And with the introduction of Mercedes’ latest advanced diesel model, the C-Class range just became even more economical and ecological. Available as a saloon, estate or coupe, prices for the new C200 CDI range start from £20,660 for the Sports Coupe, £21,555 for the Classic Saloon and £22,505 for the Classic Estate. Now that’s what you could call competitive!
Its new engine is a breath of fresh air. The Mercedes-Benz C200 CDI Classic SE Saloon. From just £249 a month*. Cleaner running diesels are good news all round. That’s why we’ve introduced a new diesel engine for the Mercedes-Benz C200 CDI Classic SE Saloon, making it quiet, efficient and - crucially – environmentally friendly. Not stopping there, we set to work on the price, with the result that you can now enjoy the fruits of our labour for just £249 a month*. And that includes five speed automatic transmission. Automatic climate control. Alloy wheels. Metallic paint. Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with ASR. And partial electric front seats. Which is a breath of fresh air all round.
Jacksons Bournemouth Ltd Holes Bay Road, Poole, BH15 2BD
Tel: 01202 666 330 Fax: 01202 666 130 www.mercedes-jacksons.co.uk
Mercedes-Benz of Dorchester Millers Close, Dorchester, DT1 1SS
Tel: 01305 264 494 Fax: 01305 262 970 www.mercedes-benzofdorchester.co.uk
Mercedes-Benz of Salisbury Southampton Road, Salisbury, SP1 2JS
Tel: 01722 411 555 Fax: 01722 323 777 www.mercedes-benz-salisbury.co.uk
As is the price. Model On the road price C200 CDI Classic SE Saloon £23,800 with metallic paint Monthly Payment* £249.00
APR 8.9%
Customer Deposit† £5,375.04
Payments 36
Retailer contribution† £1,600
Total charge for credit £3,669.04
Optional final payment £11,400.00
Total amount £27,469.04
OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES (MPG/LITRES PER 100KM) FOR MODEL FEATURED: URBAN 32.5/8.7, EXTRA URBAN 57.6/4.9, COMBINED 44.8/6.3.CO2 EMISSIONS: 166 G/KM. MODEL SHOWN IS A C200 CDI CLASSIC SE SALOON WITH METALLIC PAINT AT £23,800 ON THE ROAD (INCLUDING VAT, DELIVERY, NUMBER PLATES, FIRST REGISTRATION FEE AND A FULL TANK OF FUEL). *BASED ON A MERCEDES-BENZ C200 CDI CLASSIC SE SALOON WITH METALLIC PAINT ON A MERCEDES-BENZ CONTRACT PURCHASE SCHEME WITH A †TOTAL DEPOSIT OF £6,975.04 (COMPRISING OF CUSTOMER DEPOSIT OF £5,375.04 PLUS RETAILER SUPPORT OF £1,600). AN ADDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE FEE OF £130 IS PAYABLE WITH THE FIRST INSTALMENT. BASED ON 10,000 MILES PER ANNUM. EXCESS MILEAGE CHARGES MAY APPLY. WRITTEN QUOTATIONS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. CREDIT PROVIDED SUBJECT TO STATUS. GUARANTEES AND INDEMNITIES MAY BE REQUIRED. PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. THIS OFFER IS AVAILABLE ON VEHICLES PURCHASED FROM RETAILER STOCK AND REGISTERED BEFORE 31ST DECEMBER 2003. OFFER CANNOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ANY OTHER PUBLISHED OFFER FROM THE RETAILERS. OFFER APPLIES TO RETAIL CUSTOMERS AND IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY.
January 2004
D O R S E T 79
20/7/04
2:02 pm
Page 3
Life Matters M O T O R I N G
Off Road in 2005? John Kitching makes early plans for another day out in the country
ext summer, some time in June probably, I suggest you go along to Olds (Chrysler) in Yeovil and look interestedly at a Cherokee Jeep. If you convince them you’re keen, they’ll be sure to invite you to that year’s Chrysler ‘Off Road Day’ to see what their Jeeps can do - so you can make comparisons before choosing. They like to cloak these days in mystery, but don’t let that put you off - it’s just good, well-organised fun, and the people in charge are professionals who know how to provide an exciting day out safely - and in quite a lot of comfort considering it takes place about as far away from ‘civilisation’ as you can still get in the south of England. Just go with the flow; they’ll ask you to arrive at the dealership and board a bus to take you to the venue. Agree to this, it’s part of the ‘experience’. And they’ll stop en route to feed you at a pub - which also helps to get to know everyone else. That’s important because when you do arrive at the venue, you’ll be split into teams and asked to compete against the others in your party for a prize. Unfortunately at this year’s event, which I attended in July, our team came second and so just missed out. The games are all straightforward and very well thought out. First we drove a Cherokee around a slopey grass field with a football in a basket on the bonnet, losing points for each time we lost the ball. This included parking the Jeep backwards down a bumpy slope into two separate ‘garages’ marked out with cones. So it’s quite a challenge - and fun for all, except the organiser retrieving the footballs. Then, for game two, we drove around the local countryside (on road) and were asked observational questions. If the questions had had more to do with the dashboard and less to do with the outside world we’d have no doubt done better. For game three we had to reverse into a similar ‘garage’ marked out by cones on a similar bumpy grass course, only this time they’d attached a four-wheel high-sided trailer to the Grand Cherokee. Part B of game three entailed getting to trust the other members of your team, by driving blindfolded as directed by another member of the team. Then, when we were all familiar with the controls, we were ready to really go off road. The course was well chosen and well designated. Blue flags on the left and white on the right. Through the mud, over the hills and quickly past the 45-degree slopes. Excellent fun and a very good introduction to what these vehicles can do when they’re not dropping the kids off at school. Finally, the day was rounded off with coffee or soft drinks and biscuits in the hospitality marquee, before we were coached back to the starting point. I hope they invite me again next year, I want another crack at that first prize.
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August 2004
D O R S E T 101
PAUL GALE
*Motoring
*Motoring 25/11/03 2:58 pm Page 3
Life Matters
UNRAV4LLING THE MYSTERY
M O T O R I N G
John Kitching wonders why Toyota are relaunching the RAV4, if it’s already Europe’s best-selling SUV, and what all those letters mean
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f, like me, you can’t see how the letters SUV can stand for School-Run Vehicle, the RAV4 might not be your ideal, but, in my case, I’d never driven one before. I found a test drive changed my opinion of this particular Sport Utility Vehicle. It certainly was fun to drive and definitely had an ‘edge’ to it. After just 24 hours of motoring in the 2004 XT4 Diesel RAV4, when I got back into my own car it felt a bit like
somebody had let all the air out of all four tyres and I was suddenly the smallest kid on the block. Calling it ‘rebellious’ as they do in the adverts might be overstating the case, but it definitely had an ‘I’m on top of the world this morning’ feel to it that you don’t get from every marque. So, back to the main question, if Toyota built over 1.4million RAV4s and it’s Europe’s most popular SUV, why relaunch it now? They’d already produced a vehicle that combined the advantages of a sport-utility - great visibility, sizeable luggage capacity, go-anywhere capability - with the manageable size and drivability of a car and decided, back in the early 1990s, to call it the RAV4 (Recreational Active Vehicle, 4-wheel-drive). It was an instant hit and, as the first example of an economical car-based sport-utility, the RAV4 enjoyed those phenomenal sales. So why relaunch now? The answer is summed up in the company’s motto. The ‘car in front’ of the SUV category was a Toyota. And they intended to keep it that way. Not content with resting on their laurels they added more comfort, safety and economic performance; in short, they made it even more car-like. As well as improving specifications on all the models in the range, they’ve retuned the
suspension and steering and become the first compact SUV to be equipped with SRS Curtain Shield airbags as standard. All versions have front side airbags as well as the driver and front passenger airbags. Other active safety provisions on the XT4 test vehicle included vehicle stability control, traction control and brake assist. All models are equipped with ABS and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution. The chassis and suspension take bumps in their stride and offer a ride as good or better than many larger SUVs. There’s little that’s trucklike about the suspension. The independent front end uses struts with L-shaped lower control arms, while the rear suspension is a double wishbone layout with coil springs and nitrogen-filled shock absorbers. The Toyota RAV4 looks aggressively cool. Especially when popular options are added. It isn’t the cheapest small utility, but it is fun and comes with Toyota’s legendary levels of quality, durability and reliability. It might be just an ‘initial’ reaction, but I reckon if you think SUVs are OK, the 2004 XT4 RAV4 with the 2.0 D-4D engine is now the B’s Ks!
The New RAV4 Diesel Range from £16,995 at Westover Toyota
THE NEW RAV4 RANGE FROM £15,995 TO £21,995. STILL A BIT REBELLIOUS. • • • •
Enhanced Body Styling New Alloy Wheels (Exc XT2) New Redesigned Interior New Front Side and Front and Rear Curtain Airbags
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New Steering Wheel Audio Controls (Exc XT2) New Revised Steering and Suspension Set-up 2.0 D-4D & 2.0 VVT-i Engines Air Conditioning
• ABS with Electronic Brake force Distribution • New Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control (Exc XT4)
RAV4 2.0 VVT-i 5 door Manual. Official Fuel Consumption Figures in mpg (l/100km), Urban 24.8 (11.4), Extra Urban 38.7 (7.3), Combined 32.1 (8.8). CO2 Emissions 211 g/km.
3 YEAR/60,000 MILE WARRANTY
www.toyota.co.uk/westover
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Contract Hire Leasing Motability Service Bodyshop Parts
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516 Wallisdown Road, Bournemouth Telephone: 01202 532020
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New RAV4 range from £15,995 to £21,995. Main models shown new RAV4 XT3 2.0 D-4D 3 door £17,995 and RAV4 XT4 2.0 VVT-i 5 door £20.995. Metallic paint £350.
December 2003
D O R S E T 127
*Motoring
21/4/04
2:08 pm
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Life Matters M O T O R I N G
Estate of the heart John Kitching falls for the Subaru Forester, a family estate car with plenty of attitude - and charm all me old-fashioned if you like, but I prefer an off-road all-terrain vehicle which claims to handle like a car and be as comfortable as a saloon, to also look a bit like a car, not a cross between a Tonka truck and an army jeep. And let’s face it, lots of them don’t! But the Subaru Forester does. Despite the brochure stating that it has been strikingly restyled, it still manages to look like an estate car should and in my opinion it’s all the better for that! And it really does offer performance car handling, thanks to the low centre of gravity afforded by its all-alloy horizontally-opposed engine and fully-revised Impreza-based chassis with long-travel all-independent suspension and full-time allwheel drive (AWD). Subaru’s compact and efficient symmetrical AWD transmission has become almost legendary, and now has standard rear limited-slip differential, so the new Forester offers even more off-road grip and on-road stability. Improvements for 2004 include a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty; emissions and fuel consumption which are lower thanks to a fast warm-up device on the Forester X; and an active valve control system (AVCS) on the Forester XT. And all 2004 Foresters enjoy firmer-feeling steering with improved straight-line stability and greater resistance to road camber change. Slightly shorter but with wider tracks, the new Forester is also wider inside with much greater rear-seat legroom. This is thanks to a rear seat moved back, and front seats moved forward and up, allowing passengers’ legs to stretch underneath. Subaru has been making AWD passenger cars for over 30 years, and more than 6.7 million of this type of vehicle have been produced since the first Leone in 1972. Key economy aids range from low-friction engine parts to the use of aluminium for the bonnet, roof rails, sunroof frames and front- and rearbumper beams. Even the tyres have 10% less rolling resistance and weight. Thanks to the ‘boxer’ engine’s strong torque, acceleration figures are pretty good for all Foresters, ranging from 0-60 mph in 7.9 seconds for the XT to 10.9 seconds for the X (these are manual figures). The new Forester’s quick-thinking full-time AWD system on manual models splits power 50/50 front to rear, giving enhanced straight-line tracking and extra agility through corners. I borrowed my Forester XT from Olympian in Wallisdown, the company which has recently been awarded the franchise for Subaru and Isuzu, making it the sole dealership for these cars in Dorset. As part of the expansion of its Wallisdown site, Olympian is planning a major £1m upgrade incorporating a new Renault showroom as well as showrooms for Subaru and Isuzu, which have only temporary facilities at present. ‘We are really pleased to be bringing these great cars back to Dorset,’ said Martin Hill, Managing Director at Olympian. ‘Subaru, especially, has a very big appeal in the area.’ You can find Olympian at 573 Wallisdown Road, Poole BH12 5BA, or telephone 01202 538500.
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Life Matters M O T O R I N G
X-Treme Sports
John Kitching joins the X-Men, soaring head and shoulders above most other drivers in a Nissan X-Trail 2.2 dCi Sport volution is such a slow business for humans, unless, of course, it’s taking place on the cinema screen! It takes us too long to get bigger, faster, and better protected from the environment, but with cars it’s a much more immediate process. If you want to combine the best possible off-road performance with excellent, economical on-road handling, you just do it, and provide an electronic switch to take you from one to the other. But ‘immediate’
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might be a bit of an exaggeration in this case as Nissan has been producing and evolving 4x4s for about 50 years. Now, though, the company is concentrating on comfort as well, which is one reason why you can only buy a five-door X-Trail, because, as well as aiming to free up more room for people and luggage, Nissan wanted to incorporate a longer wheelbase to provide a more comfortable ride. But an X-Trail can, if required, still get down to serious mud-plugging thanks to 195mm of ground clearance and short front and rear overhangs giving approach and departure angles of 28 and 25 degrees respectively. Every X-Trail has an electrically-operated sunroof as standard, measuring a whopping great 0.56 metres. Roof rails are usually neatly integrated too, but on the Sport-X as tested (priced at £23,395), the rails are more of a feature, with two safari lamps in the leading edges. Turn on main beam and flick the separate safari-light switch and... Wham! ...a 200-metrelong, 17-metre-wide path is lit up ahead ideal super-powers for driving down those dark Dorset lanes, but it must have been a bit daunting for the deer and badgers!
The test vehicle’s large, centrally-mounted instrument binnacle, and Sat Nav screen, allows you to adjust the steering wheel without fear of obscuring the instruments, and leaves space just in front of the driving position for a lidded storage box where a mobile phone can be stashed and charged. The seats on the X-Trail are almost as large as in an executive saloon, which as well as being a help on long journeys also absorb vibrations well. The front-seat runners provide rear-seat passengers with lots of space to put their feet. An X-Trail is bound to get dirty, so rather than being carpeted, the luggage area is covered in resin, and the boot floor can be pulled completely free of the car, via a recessed handle, so it can be hosed down. Beneath this there’s a full-size spare wheel with space around it for more storage, plus a ‘secret’ compartment where the jack is hidden. Most Nissan X-Trails will probably never be driven through unexplored swamp land, but they seem to give an ‘off road’ sense of fun wherever you are, if only because of the height getting back into a normal car really feels like you’ve been brought back down to earth.