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contents

JUNE 2017 VOL 48. , NO 04

38 6

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM â&#x20AC;¢ 06/2017

COVER STORY

TECH

76 Cool Runnings Sports sedans are as good as they’ve ever been, but that hasn’t stopped enthusiasts from replacing them with luxurious, stylish, and performance-oriented SUVs. The segment is quickly morphing into the go-to for the do-everything family car, and we take a look at two of the latest and greatest competitors from Italy and Sweden. Volvo has long been the choice for family hauling but has made giant strides in style and luxury. Maserati has been at the leading edge of style but is now looking to bring an exotic edge to a more mainstream market.

44 Stop the World We sit down with Brembo to discuss how the world of braking is evolving with new powertrains and ever-stricter emissions requirements. We may also touch on the subject of caliper as automotive jewelry. 68 I am one with the downforce. The downforce is with me. U.K.-based sports car builder Elemental enlists the experts at London Computational Solutions to take the RP1 road car to a race-car-like 1 ton of aerodynamic downforce. We talk with the ex-F1 engineers about advancements in computer ﬂow simulations that take ﬂuid dynamics to the next level.

FIRST DRIVES 24 Volvo V90 When you think Volvo, you think wagon, but this piece of Swedish design may surprise you. 30 Mercedes C43 AMG You may not need a twin-turbo V-8-powered monster, but you might want something more than the basic C-Classe has to offer. The new force-fed V-6-powered and AMGtuned sedan, coupe, and convertible might be the perfect middle ground. 38 Alfa Romeo 4c Spyder It’s exotic, it’s sexy, and believe it or not, it’s really a bargain. We spend a few days trying to get to know the car and ﬁgure out if it’s a car you can live with. As the loan was coming to an end, we needed to ﬁgure out how to live without it.

SHOW COVERAGE 76

52 Geneva Auto Show 2017 One of the smallest auto shows in the world is also one of the best. We bring you along to show you all of the new cars enthusiasts care about most.

FEATURES 60 The people’s platform, Volkswagen MQB We take an early look at the new VW Atlas three-row SUV and then talk to the man responsible for MQB development, Dr. ElmarMarius Licharz, at the Geneva Auto Show. 84 200 mph in a Beetle Jim Douglas and Tennessee Steinmetz never did this. Driving a VW Beetle to the magical 200-mph mark. 92 “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” —A. Einstein Brandon Scarpelli may work in the automotive aftermarket, but that doesn’t mean he threw every part he could at his own MK7 GTI. We take a look at how he handled the difﬁcult task of improving on an already great car, without overdoing it.

DEPARTMENTS 60

10 Parts and labor 16 Gear The latest in accessories for you and your car

EUROPEAN CAR (ISSN 1056-8476), JUNE 2016, VOL 48, NO 04 Published nine times a year in Jan/Feb, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, and Nov/Dec by TEN: The Enthusiast Network, LLC., 261 Madison Ave., 6th Floor, New York, NY 10016-2303. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2017 by TEN: The Enthusiast Network Magazines, LLC. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 707.4.12.5); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: send address corrections to european car, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Printed in the U.S.A. Subscription rates for 1 year (9 issues) U.S., APO, FPO and U.S. Possessions $23.94. Canadian orders add $9.00 per year and international orders add $18.00 per year (for surface mail postage). Payment in advance, U.S. funds only. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission. This book is purchased with the understanding that the information presented herein is from varied sources for which there can be no warranty or responsibility by the publisher as to the accuracy or completeness.

EDITORIAL

CONTENT DIRECTOR Matt Rodriguez EDITOR Michael Febbo MANAGING EDITOR Michelle McCarthy ONLINE EDITOR Bob Hernandez MOTORSPORTS EDITOR Kerry Morse PRODUCTION EDITOR Josh Ching EXPLORATION EDITOR Lizett Bond ART

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Bruce Benedict, Aaron Bonk, Dave Humphreys, Ian Kuah, Lisa Linke, Zane McNary, Colin Ryan, Konrad Skura, Ezekiel Wheeler, Matt Zuchowski THE SUPER STREET NETWORK ON THE WEB

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parts and labor

Cars, Coffee, and That Guy It seems like this column gets harder and harder to write every issue. I continually try to ﬁnd new things to write about it, but every time I sit down to whir something out on my laptop, it turns into 800 words on my latest complaint with the car industry. I am really trying to stop the complaining—honestly, I am. Yesterday, I spent the morning at Cars and Coffee to try and ﬁnd some inspiration. If you’ve never been to a CnC event, it’s pretty straightforward. A bunch of car enthusiasts show up to a parking lot at an ungodly hour in the morning on either a Saturday or Sunday to park together in a public lot. There are no rules about who shows up, there is no cost involved, and in theory at least, it’s just for fun. I have heard there are some Cars and Coffee events around the country that are trying to charge for parking spaces and there is corporate involvement. To me, that is entirely against the whole point of the thing; Cars and Coffee is by nature anarchistic. This isn’t for the car show crowd. Nobody needs awards, and there shouldn’t be anyone making a decision as to what cars are worthy or not. This was tried not too long ago here in Southern California and it failed. I will be honest; I couldn’t care any less about guys showing up in the latest hypercars and million-dollar exotics. Most of the tuned late-model Porsches are carbon copies (OK, kind of a pun intended) of each other, so once you’ve seen one Cup Car–inspired GT3, you’ve seen them all. I have no interest in BMW’s Bangle-era forward, and can we please stop the JC Whitney Special Corvettes? I go to Cars and Coffee to see the cars of the ’80s and ’90s that tend to show up. I will walk swiftly past a row of Jordan Almond–colored McLarens to see a nice, clean, stock e36 M3 or Celica All Trac Turbo. I love modern sports cars as much as the next guy, but I just don’t care about staring at them. The interest for me is in the driving. Maybe if Cars and Coffee had some lifts to see the interesting parts of modern cars? It is also worth pointing out that a lot of these events around the country are getting shut down. For whatever reason, you get a group of car guys together and there are always a few jackholes who just can’t seem to control themselves. The funny thing is that it usually isn’t the guys in the fastest or most expensive cars who are the problem. It is almost always the guys with something to prove. I mean, I get it; you spent lots of money on that horrible-sounding exhaust and coilovers so you can over-lower your leased near-luxury coupe and you want to show everyone how special your

"I go to Cars and Coffee to see the cars of the ’80s and ’90s that tend to show up. I will walk swiftly past a row of Jordan Almond– colored McLarens to see a nice, clean, stock e36 M3 or Celica All Trac Turbo."

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EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

Bavarian taxicab is. I know this is going to come as a shock, but nobody is impressed—quite the opposite really. You are “that guy” and you’re the reason car gatherings get shut down. So stop it. Really. A few other “that guys” you need to avoid being: Don’t be the guy who drives up and down every row. If people want to see your car, they’ll walk up to it. A few weeks ago, a crowd had gathered around some Faraday Future Prototypes, and “that guy prime” decided he needed to drive one of the most pathetic examples of a slammed MK4 Golf through the gathered crowd so everyone could enjoy the sounds of his body parts scraping the asphalt as he embarrassed VW fans across the globe. Pull in, park, get out—which leads us to the next “that guy.” Get out and walk around. This is about seeing cars, not showing your car. The last time a group of interweb-famous 911s with offroad-style bolt-on flares showed up, all the owners not only posed with their vandalized classics, but had to be physically touching the car at all times, so there was no doubt as to who was responsible for each travesty. Don’t rev your engine; neighbors complain about noise—sane people in bordering houses are still sleeping. Keep the hood closed unless you are turbine powered, and don’t bring props. Again, it isn’t a car show. Use common courtesy; it’s free. Well there it is—it turned into a little bit of a rant again. But hopefully this was also a bit of a PSA about Cars and Coffee. I struggle to drag myself to any car show these days, but I actually still enjoy CnC, when there are first Cs worth looking at and plenty of second C to make up for the ungodly hour. If you look around online, you can probably find one in your area. I encourage you to head down with your family, and every event I’ve been to at least is pet friendly. Just don’t be that guy.

Michael Febbo, Editor european.car@enthusiastnetwork.com

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GEAR THE LATEST GREAT STUFF FOR YOUR DRIVING LIFE M3/M4 TUNER COILOVERS A lower ride height often results in handling sacriﬁces, mostly due to dampers that’ve been incorrectly valved or matched with the wrong springs. H&R’s Street Performance Tuner coilovers for the M3/M4 with their custom-valved mono-tube shocks and matching, progressive-rate springs mean that won’t happen to you. Ride height can be adjusted from 1.4 to 2.0 inches in the front and 1.2 to 2.0 inches in the rear below stock, where the aluminum-bodied shocks feature special, lower heim-joint mounts. According to H&R, the non-adjustable dampers are pre-set to provide the right balance between comfort and better performance. Retail: $2,280 hrsprings.com

BOLD MONO-BLOCK Forgeline Motorsports adds to its already popular series of one-piece, forged wheels with its all-new CV1 that’s available in 18-, 19-, 20-, and 21-inch diameters. Based on the seven-spoke, concave CV3C, the monoblock CV1 is a one-piece design forged from 6061-T6 aluminum and with manufacturing technology similar to Forgeline’s GA1R wheel. The design lends itself well to ample brake caliper clearance and features a rigid construction that results in a wheel that’s stiff and with high fatigue strength. The CV1 is available in a variety of widths and offsets for a number of vehicles and with Forgeline’s exclusive Deep Cap and Extra Deep Cap proﬁles that accentuate the concave shape for limited applications, including those for BMW and Porsche. Forgeline’s CV1 wheels are made to order and, like all Forgeline wheels, are available in many fully customizable ﬁnishes. Retail: $1,550-$1,845 per wheel

THE WAY TO COOLER OIL The right oil temperature can mean the difference between an engine running or permanently seizing up. Audi knows this and, as such, ﬁtted its 3.0 TFSI engine with its own heat exchanger designed to keep oil temps from skyrocketing. The only problem is that, like most OEM oil coolers, this heat exchanger relies on engine coolant, which isn’t all that effective and, during high-performance driving, can actually increase coolant temps. The solution lies in Forge Motorsport’s adapter plate that allows most aftermarket air-to-oil-based coolers to be easily plumbed into place. Forge’s CNC-machined, aluminum adapter plate replaces the factory oil cooler and, thanks to its specially sized adapters, makes hooking up just about any oil cooler a matter of gathering the right ﬁttings, adapters, and lines.

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EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

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GEAR BMW TUNING SOLUTION Tune your way to more than a 40hp increase in BMW’s latest M240i, 340i, and 440i equipped with the brand’s directinjected and turbocharged B58 engine by way of Dinan’s all-new Dinantronics performance tuner. According to Dinan, its Dinantronics hardware ties into a variety of systems within the factory electronics in order to safely push engine performance beyond what BMW had planned, reporting gains upward of 40 hp and 60 lb-ft of torque. Unlike other tuning devices, Dinantronics can be purchased directly through Dinan-approved BMW dealerships, it won’t affect the vehicle’s warranty, and it’s emissions legal in all 50 states. dinancars.com

NEUSPEED TAKES ON THE RS That famed tuning house Neuspeed would eventually take on the all-new Focus RS was inevitable. And its lineup of available upgrades for the hatchback is no surprise, either, which are the sort of parts that’ve made the California-based company so popular. According to Neuspeed, its legendary lowering springs will be available soon, but first get your hands on its 25mm anti-roll bars for both front and rear that each feature two-hole adjustability and include their own urethane mounting bushings. Neuspeed also offers stainlesssteel-braided brake lines that are made up of highly durable PTFE cores and include all necessary fittings and washers for a direct fit. Finally, Neuspeed offers two new flowformed wheels for the RS and its unique 5x108 bolt pattern—its RSE102 and RSE52, both of which are compatible with the factory lug nuts and TPMS and are offered in 19x8.5 and 18x8.5 sizes, respectively. Retail: $149.95-$339.95

CARBON-LOOK EXHAUST WRAP Reduce underhood temperatures and increase engine performance with DEI’s exhaust wrap. Do it in something that looks like carbon fiber with the company’s all-new Black Titanium Exhaust Wrap. Made from pulverized lava rock that’s been extruded into woven fibers, DEI’s exhaust wrap is strong, durable, long-lasting, and looks good. Anytime exhaust heat can be retained within an engine’s header(s) and exhaust system, exhaust gas velocity can be increased and more power can be made. Wrapped exhaust components can also lead to decreased heat soak of adjacent systems underneath the hood and reduce the amount of heat transmitted past the firewall or through the floor and into the interior. DEI’s Black Titanium Exhaust Wrap is designed to be pliable and resistant to oil as well as vibration breakdown, it secures tightly without pre-wetting, and it’s able to withstand direct heat up to 1,800 degrees F with intermittent spikes as high as 2,500 degrees F. Retail: $24.31-$127.63

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EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

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GEAR A BETTER SMART FORTWO Celebrating its world debut at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year, Brabus says its Ultimate 125, which is based on the smart fortwo, is the ultimate city sports car. Much about the Ultimate 125 is indicative of its name—the revised and limited-production two-seater is good for 125 hp, of which only 125 consecutively numbered units will be sold. Equipment exclusive to the Ultimate 125 includes its special paint finish that’s tailored to customer preference, Widestar wide-body fenders, 18-inch mono-block Brabus wheels, and fully customizable leather interior. Brabus’ own sport suspension is also included, which complements the high-performance tires. The power bump comes by way of a modified air intake, more efficient intercooler and exhaust systems, and recalibrated ECUs that deliver 147 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm and electronically shortens shift changes. Other

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

features include the Ultimate 125’s own front spoiler, rocker panels, rear diffuser, stainless-steel pedals, and aluminum shift knob. The Ultimate 125 carries on Brabus’

tradition of limited-edition and modiﬁed smart cars that began in 2004 and include the Ultimate 101, 112, R, style, and 120. germantuningcorporation.com

Spray. Rinse. Done.

PERIOD-CORRECT AIR HORNS Nobody wants bits of debris getting sucked inside that carburetor, and nobody wants an air horn or filter stuck on top of it that’ll disrupt how good it ought to look. That’s where Webcon comes in, the U.K.-based carburetor component manufacturer (among other things) who’s recently released its mesh air horns that keep the junk out but without sacrificing that period-correct look. Webcon’s lightweight aluminum air horns are machined to fit Weber’s popular 40 DCOE and 45 DCOE carburetors and include their own built-in mesh elements designed to keep their insides clean. webcon.co.uk

TSI FUEL FIX Racingline Performance knows just how good Volkswagen’s EA888 TSI engine is but also knows it needs a fuel pump that’s able to keep up if any more power’s to be made. That’s why the company introduced its new high-ﬂow fuel pump that’s a direct, bolt-in replacement compatible with the engine’s original fuel system. The ability to supply a higher volume of fuel as horsepower demands increase is obvious, but now Racingline has two ways to go about doing it. In addition to its bolt-in fuel pump that, with the right tuning, can help ward off detonation and lean conditions, its fuel pump internals upgrade kit is a more cost-effective way of doing the same thing. Here, the kit allows the original 2.0T pump to be disassembled and upgraded in order to meet increased fuel demands. The kit’s supplied with all necessary pieces, including its own installation tool. racingline-performance.com

Mothers® Foaming Wheel & Tire Cleaner Short on time? Not a problem. Simply spray on Mothers ® Foaming Wheel & Tire Cleaner, wait 30 seconds, then hose off for a perfectly clean, spot-free ﬁnish. Our unique, non-acidic formula safely penetrates and dissolves brake dust, grease, dirt and grime, in record time.

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GEAR A LOWER B9 A4 Emmanuele Design says it’s struck the perfect balance between sportiness and retaining Audi’s superb ride quality with its all-new eMMOTION lowering spring kit designed for the ’17 A4. The linear-rate springs reduce ride height by 1.6 inches in the front and 0.8 inches in the rear and feature stiffer spring rates for improved handling: 280 lb/in in the front and 315 lb/ in in the rear. The stiffer spring rates help reduce body roll when cornering, help plant the chassis to the pavement during acceleration and braking, and yet, according to Emmanuel Design, do so without compromising ride comfort. Emmanuele Design’s eMMOTION springs are made in the U.S. and were designed after countless hours spent behind the wheel of the company’s own A4 test vehicle. Retail: $290 emmanueledesign.com

AUDI INDUCTION Forge Motorsport takes on Audi’s B9-chassis A4 engine and its restrictive airbox with its new CNC-machined induction system. The British-built and hand-finished kit improves looks, power, and induction noise all at once by way of a high-flow and reusable Pipercross air filter, a specialized elbow and silicone coupler, and a satin-black-coated aluminum cover. According to Forge Motorsport, extensive, independent dyno testing has revealed an 11hp gain along with an additional 9 lb-ft of torque. The bolt-on system requires no cutting or permanent modifications to the vehicle and is supplied with all necessary components for a simple installation, including full instructions. Retail: starting at roughly $320

PHONE-BASED TELEMETRY London-based i-Laps says that now you can see where you’re going wrong and improve your lap times with its smartphone-based telemetry system. According to i-Laps, the system’s able to detect just about everything you’d want it to, including longitudinal and lateral movements, and without the sort of expensive equipment you’d expect. Simply pair your smartphone with its water- and shock-resistant SIGMA (Sports GPS Interface Mobile Armor) enclosure that features built-in gyroscopes and accelerometers that provide valuable data, including pitch, roll, and yaw with an accuracy, according to i-Laps, of 0.06 degrees. Once you’ve obtained your data, it can be uploaded to the cloud-based site where you can save it, compare it with others, and even get recommendations on how to go faster.

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EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

External rebound damping adjustment

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first drive

2017 Volvo v90 Cross Country HUR SÄGER MAN BRA I SVERIGE (HOW DO YOU SAY “GREAT” IN SWEDEN?) Words Dave Humphreys

It’s just after 8 a.m., but it will be another hour before the sun makes an appearance at this latitude. The crisp morning air is enough to wake you up, even without your usual morning cup of joe. It might be just nudging 21 degrees Farenheit, but Stefan Karlsson, Volvo’s vehicle dynamics manager, assures me that it’s quite mild for this time of year. It’s a far cry from the scorching desert heat of Arizona where the V90 Cross Country underwent ﬁnal hot weather testing before being signed off. But it is conditions like today in Åre, Sweden—and further north where the mercury can plummet to -40 degrees Farenheit—that the Cross Country has been designed to cope with. When it comes to all-wheel-drive station wagons, Volvo is squarely in its comfort zone—pun not as appropriate as it once was. This year marks the 20th anniversary since the introduction of its ﬁrst Cross Country model, the V70 XC. Adding an all-wheel-drive transmission to the recipe that already included

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Volvo’s spacious body style, European appeal, and solid reputation for safety made it an instant hit. As SUVs increased further in popularity, Volvo introduced its XC90 in 2002, which was equally well received and even awarded North American Car of the Year for 2003. Despite this, the then third-generation XC70 continued to sell well, with Americans lapping up half of total production. But as crossovers and SUVs have gone on to become the bread and butter for the vast majority of automakers, the segment that this new V90 Cross Country ﬁnds itself in has remained somewhat ignored. Outside the U.S., Audi with its A6 allroad quattro, has performed well over the years, but only last year did Mercedes-Benz dip its toe into the water with the new E-Class All-Terrain. Given the relative ease at which such model variants can be developed, it’s surprising that so few have tried it before the various SUV classes reached saturation point.

Regardless, Volvo has more than a head in front of the competition, not least in the aesthetics department. The new V90 Cross Country, under the watchful eye of Volvo’s VP of Design Thomas Ingenlath, has been given a purposeful look that mixes elegance and ruggedness. It sits more than 2.3 inches higher than the regular V90, thanks to a new suspension setup (which we’ll come back to in a moment). New bumpers get lower sections ﬁnished in hard-wearing black plastic, plus there’s aluminum-look detailing on

the lower spoiler and around the rectangular exhaust tips. “Cross Country” is also embossed into the rear bumper. That black cladding is continued around the wheel arches and along the doorsills, helping to exaggerate the raised ride height even further. Side on, the V90 looks stretched. The electric tailgate has a more sloped angle than stereotypical Volvo estates, but it is still good for swallowing up nearly 20 cubic feet of luggage before you even think about lowering those rear seats.

“Outside the U.S., Audi with its A6 allroad quattro, has performed well over the years, but only last year did Mercedes-Benz dip its toe into the water with the new E-Class All-Terrain.”

first drive Pull the chunky door handle and what is revealed is one of the most beautifully crafted and designed interiors in recent memory. It is identical to that of the S90 sedan and V90 and gets Dark Walnut inlays that work particularly well. Every surface feels of high quality inside and is by far Volvo’s best work to date, helped in part by some equally talented suppliers, such as Bridge of Weir from Scotland for the leather upholstery. You won’t find many buttons strewn all over the dashboard, either. With the exception of the buttons for the hazard warning lights, front and rear window defrosters, and volume control, almost everything is accessed via the 9-inch Sensus touchscreen. For those who haven’t yet experienced it, the high-resolution screen offers the kind of user experience you would expect from an iPad rather than a mere car infotainment system. Add to that a perfectly formed, chunky steering wheel that sits in front of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and you can’t help but fall in love with this minimalist Scandinavian design. Power comes from Volvo’s T6 2.0L four-cylinder gasoline engine that is both turbocharged and supercharged. The supercharger is used to optimize low-end torque and responsiveness before the turbo begins to spool up. Both are active at up to 3,500 rpm; beyond that, just the turbocharger is used. In total the engine produces 316 hp, enough to see it dash to 62 mph in 6.3 seconds from a standstill, which isn’t bad given the car’s size. As standard, there’s an eight-speed automatic transmission. Interestingly, that T6 engine forms the combustion part of Volvo’s T8 plug-in hybrid powertrain that is currently used in the XC90 and S90 models. When quizzed about the possibility of a plug-in hybrid V90 Cross Country, Volvo confirmed that it is technically possible, but no official decision has yet been made on putting it on sale. Availability of production slots and battery supply were also cited as potential hurdles, but don’t rule it out. Plug-in or not, the V90 Cross Country feels refined from the first moment you pull away. From

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

the just-right thickness of the steering wheel to the incredibly supportive seats, driving this car is genuinely enjoyable. It feels every bit as polished as the best that Germany has to offer, but doesn’t lack character like some of the Teutonic challengers often do. The steering is well judged, remaining light enough to feel easily maneuverable at town speeds. Beyond that, the assistance starts to reduce nicely to give you an assured feeling of control when ﬂowing through faster, sweeping bends. It is a match for the new BMW 5 Series and gives a little more feedback than the current Audi A6.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The steering is well judged, remaining light enough to feel easily maneuverable at town speeds.â&#x20AC;?

first drive

TECH SPEC

2017 VOLVO V90 CROSS COUNTRY BASE PRICE $55,400 LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, ﬁve-seat, wagon ENGINE 2.0L, 316hp/295-lb-ft, turbocharged and supercharged, 16-valve I4 TRANSMISSION eight-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 4,221 lb. (mfr.) WHEELBASE 115.8 in. LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 194.4 x 80.0 x 60.7 in. SUSPENSION double wishbone suspension, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers, stabilizer bar (f); integral axle with transverse composite leaf spring, hydraulic shock absorbers, stabilizer bar optional air suspension (r) BRAKES four-piston calipers, 12.6in. rotors (f); two-piston calipers, 12.5-in. rotors (r) WHEELS & TIRES 18x9 inch (f), 18x10 light alloy (r); Michelin Pilot Super Sport 255/40 ZR18 (f), 275/40 ZR18 (r) 0-62 MPH 6.3 sec. (mfr.) BRAKING 60-0 mph: 114 ft. (mfr.)

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

Despite the increase in ride height, the V90 retains its composure well. Yes, there is a touch more lateral roll when carrying higher speeds through a corner, but it’s never to the extent that you would typically experience in an SUV. The additional ride height was achieved through the use of longer springs, though Volvo also altered the stiffness and stipulates model-specific tires, which feature a more rounded profile. The rear also has air suspension, though this is used exclusively for the purpose of self-leveling when loaded. Even on frozen sections of our Swedish test route, the Haldex all-wheel-drive transmission rarely felt remotely challenged, though, of course, the studded tires helped. In normal dry conditions, all of the T6’s power is sent to the front wheels, but should grip break away, the electronic coupling can quickly redistribute up to 50 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels. When pulling away from a stop, full allwheel drive is always engaged to provide maximum levels of traction during acceleration. If you do find yourself venturing into more difficult terrain, the Volvo does have an Offroad drive mode. Available only below 24 mph, this adjusts the transmission and driving aids to help get you through the rough stuff. If the most challenging conditions you’re likely to find yourself in include sub-zero winter months or tearing up fire roads to your favorite mountain bike trail, then the V90 Cross Country will certainly tick the right boxes. With the additional body cladding, Volvo has made this version look even more impressive, if a little less elegant, than the regular V90 wagon. In summary, this fourth-generation Cross Country once more shows that Volvo is becoming a very serious player capable of turning out cars that beautifully combine form and function.

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first drive

2017 Mercedes AMG C43 WHAT IF THE ULTIMATE ANSWER IS ACTUALLY 43?

Words Colin Ryan

Knowing Mercedes-Benz, it could have been deliberate. Or it might have been just the way things shook out. But between the regular C300 with its perfectly nice turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engines and the awe-inspiring C63 and C63 S models (469 and 503 hp, respectively, from twin-turbo 4.0L V-8s), there’s a lot of dead air and huge differences in price. The answer to this conundrum is 43.

engine. In AMG form, it means the factory-built regular turbo V-6 receives bigger blowers with speciﬁc boost pressure, modiﬁed engine management, and low-friction cylinder liners made from the same proprietary material used in Mercedes-AMG’s Formula One engines. The 43 version also brings some AMG performance and styling into a more affordable bracket. In theory, this might seem like a dilution of the AMG brand. In practice, it’s too much fun to be quite so dismissive. In a car with compact dimensions like the C-Class, this amount of power really wakes up the chassis

That’s the designation for a new engine, a 3.0L V-6 enhanced by twin turbochargers to generate 362 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. One of AMG’s hallmarks is its “one man, one engine” philosophy where the sole technician who assembled each unit attaches a personalized plaque. That’s not the case with the 43. In non-AMG guise, it’s a regular Mercedes-Benz

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and is probably as much muscle as any reasonable human being driving on public roads ever needs. A C43 is the perfect mix of suspension, dimensions, and combustion. The sedan is, naturally, the most practical of the three body styles, but still looks cool. Trunk space (if you’re really serious about this model) is a fair-tomiddling 12.6 cubic feet. The convertible (or cabriolet) can seat four, power-folds the fabric roof into its happy place in 20 seconds and at speeds of up to 31 mph, then does a ﬁne job of not sand-blasting its occupants, despite the lack of wind deﬂector. That’s smart design right there.

“The 43 version also brings some AMG performance and styling into a more affordable bracket. In theory, this might seem like a dilution of the AMG brand. In practice, it’s too much fun to be quite so dismissive.”

first drive

The real star of the trio, though, is the coupe. And here’s a conundrum that doesn’t have such a cut and dried answer. It’s heavier than the sedan, although lighter than the cabriolet (3,935, 3,759, and 4,145 pounds, respectively). The ride height is lower by 0.95 of an inch (which, admittedly, is pretty significant). But the track is only wider than the sedan by 0.2 of an inch up front and 0.1 of an inch out back. Also, the wheel/tire combination is the same. Likewise, the steering system. Yet there’s a poise and fluidity to the coupe that makes a driver want to stay in that seat and head for the restaurant at the end of the universe. The degrees of difference among the three are not huge. They’re all absolute pleasures to drive. But the coupe has some extra-subtle seduction coming from somewhere. Just like its siblings, the C43 coupe enjoys an allwheel-drive system that sends 31 percent of torque to the front axle and 69 percent to the rear—under normal driving circumstances. Naturally, the software involved will direct power to those wheels with the most traction when circumstances become a little hotter. To power this thing out of a corner is one of the best parts of anybody’s day. The nine-speed dual-clutch transmission has also been fortified by AMG to deal with the peak torque that comes in at an agreeably low 2,000 rpm. Left to its own devices, the shifts are so fast and adept that they’re more perceptible by listening to engine speed than feeling through a pants seat. 32

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

I AM HIGH-SPEED GOOSEBUMPS Race fans get ready for another adrenaline-fueled season of thrills from Yokohama. This year’s Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA and Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama are set to deliver more high-speed action than ever before. Keep up with all the excitement from both series at yokohamatire.com/motorsports 2017 USA AND CANADA PORSCHE GT3 CUP CHALLENGE BY YOKOHAMA

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MARCH 16 - 18

SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY

SEBRING, FLORIDA

JULY 14 - 16

HONDA INDY TORONTO

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APRIL 21 - 23

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BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

AUGUST 4 - 6

ROAD AMERICA

MAY 5 - 7

CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS

AUSTIN, TEXAS

AUGUST 11 - 13

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BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA WATKINS GLEN, NEW YORK

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AUGUST 25 - 27

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SEPTEMBER 1 - 3

CANADIAN TIRE MOTORSPORTS PARK

BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA

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SONOMA RACEWAY

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OCTOBER 4 - 6

ROAD ATLANTA

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MAY 19 - 21

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JUNE 29 - JULY 1

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first drive

TECH SPEC

2017 MERCEDES AMG C43 BASE PRICE $52,925 LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, ﬁveseat, four-door coupe ENGINE 3.0L, 362hp/384-lb-ft, twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION nine-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 3,759 lb. (mfr.) WHEELBASE 111.8 in. LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 185.1 x 71.3 x 56.3 in. SUSPENSION multi-link, active damping (f/r) BRAKES four-piston calipers, 14.2in. rotors (f); single-piston calipers, 12.5-in. rotors (r) WHEELS & TIRES 18x7.5 (f), 18x8.5 (r); Continental ContiSportContact 5 SSR 225/45 (f), 245/40 (r) 0-60 MPH 4.6 sec.

Pre-programed throttle blips on the downshifts are always cool, especially when the exhaust sounds as good as this one. There doesn’t seem to be any pipe music fakery coming through the Burmester stereo, so that’s gratifying, too. Alternatively, engage the paddle shifters mounted to the backside of the ﬂatbottomed, Alcantara/leather-wrapped steering wheel for a greater degree of involvement. Dynamic Select is the Mercedes-Benz moniker given to the selectable driving modes function. They are: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus, and Individual. The last mode allows a user to combine, for example, the steering weight of Sport with the suspension

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

settings of Comfort. It doesn’t take long to become acclimatized. Clicking among the three middle modes on an interesting yet sometimes busy route helps with engine braking, gear selection, and generally keeping interested. One digit away from the answer to life, the universe and everything, then. But there’s still plenty to like about this replacement to the C450 AMG. We could even go into some of the optional semi-autonomous stuff like adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking, but that’s not fully driving the car ourselves, is it? And what’s the point of having an AMG machine and delegating various bits to some silicon valet?

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first drive

Along Came a Spider ALFA ROMEO’S SEXY EXOTIC ON A WEEKEND FLING Words Lizett Bond Photos Bruce Benedict Contorting into the cockpit of the Rosso Competizione, or Competition Red, Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, Freeman Thomas comes to mind. The automotive designer once spoke of his design vision as akin to storytelling, of the energy created by the dream as it morphs into an organic, seminal object. I wondered what narrative the architects of the 4C had in mind. But I think I figured it out. “This car has trouble written all over it.” The Italians do everything with panache, and the 4C embraces its lineage. Inspired by the 1967 33 Stradale, a masterpiece conceived by influential designer, Franco Scallion, the 4C Spider, and its Coupe sibling, assert an aura of visceral, lusty seduction. Perhaps the 4C’s tale follows the tried-and-true formula of a Bronte romance novel. A handsome, tortured hero transmitting an irresistible charisma interwoven with fierce, animal magnetism. Only the trusting nature and gentle independence of the innocent heroine will rescue this dashing fellow from his belligerent, despotic ways, freeing a mushy inner child in the process. Dear reader, this is the idealistic vision for my limited dalliance with the 4C. Oh, hell, scratch that, maybe my fixation with the car just comes down to Fifty Shades of Grey’s Christian and Ana. GRIPPING, ABSOLUTELY RIPPING Southern California has plenty of driving drawbacks, however, it is the land of the car, and, as such, presents an eclectic array of motoring opportunities. My get-acquainted date with the 4C will take place with participation in the 5th Annual New Year’s “Orange de Tour” gathering. The yearly get-together finds collectors and enthusiasts pursuing a swooping, ocean-view route along Pacific Coast Highway before leaving the main road. The group then snarls through the narrow streets of an upscale beachside enclave. Next, the rolling collective turns eastward to the rugged two-laners of Orange County’s Silverado Canyon. Reins loosened, a leg-stretching rush ensues with a show of wheels that, for the most part, are definitely not daily drivers. I am nervous. Will the 4C consider me just another conquest or will courtliness prevail? Pulling into a parking lot along the Newport Coast of California, the staging area for the anno novo drive, I am greeted by an array of automotive rarity, including plenty of four-wheeled kin. How about a 1956 Giulietta Sprint, 1969 Alfa GTV, 1974 Alfa Spider, 1600 Junior Zagato, and 1974 Giulia Super Nuova? 38

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

first drive Heading out, there are constant reminders that this little number is automotive eye candy. Heads snap. Driving the point home is the motorist in front of me videoing the 4C’s approach over his shoulder. Talk about distracted driving. So, first-date impressions: First off, the short wheelbase and a lack of power steering make traversing twisty roads at good speed a bit like driving a shifter cart masquerading as a car. Alfa Romeo describes the 4C as a “vehicle designed around the driver.” That is, if said driver is seeking raw performance, sans bells, whistles, or the automotive creature comforts to which we have all become accustomed, this is the quintessential ride. For starters, and perhaps in a nod to the risks of distracted driving in a beastie-like vehicle, Alfa has skimped on digital goodies. Those expecting an automotive iPhone will be disappointed. The interior can best be described as “no frills.” I do miss a real glove compartment, though. That said, the very absence of difficult-to-discern technology is refreshing. The radio can be adjusted by tactile feel, and the heating and air system feature large, old-fashioned knobs. This is good, since the unassisted steering does forgo fiddling with unnecessary components. The simplicity just might double as a safety feature; in a car that is on the muscle by nature, prudence advises both hands on the flatbottomed steering wheel. A lack of inner goodies also keeps the weight, and the price, down. “My” Alfa clocked in at $73,795 with the few options available. Cruise control, sport tuned dual exhaust, and Brembo brake calipers in red. The seats may be leather, but they are also spartan, to say the least—and low. Crawling in with any sort of grace probably just takes practice. Thanks to that featherweight monocoque tub, visible in the austere interior, the car weighs in at a little less than 2,500 pounds. The mid-engine layout offers a 1.7L, 237hp, turbocharged four-cylinder, just waiting to be abused. When pulling out of a parking space, driveway, or maneuvering at slow speeds, the unassisted steering feels heavy. Visibility from the rear is nearly nonexistent, making backing up in tight parking a further challenge, although the side mirrors provide a wide rear view. This is not a “quick Saturday run to the market” ride. Not to mention a trunk compartment the size of a large purse. There’s that. Ground clearance borders on subterranean. In a crowded, speed bump–laden parking lot, I held up traffic in both directions while executing a crab-like crawl over what seemed an inordinately high elevation from the 4C vantage. But this is all digression because as a “driver’s car,” accouterments and minor inconveniences should not matter. Turn the key and the dual-mode exhaust system resonates with a sound reminiscent of an aggressive Mongolian Throat singer. In open landscape, such Tuvan crooning travels long distances. Much as the Western Xia were aware of Genghis Khan and his troops, the overtones emitted from the 4C, with plenty of popping, spitting, and downshift blips, alerted a good portion of surrounding suburbia to its presence. Heading to the Alfa website, once again, for some 40

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

more trivial info-speak, I discover that the 4C is “equipped with an Alfa TCT ﬁve-speed automated manual transmission with a twin clutch and paddle shifters, combining the instant power of a sequential shift with the convenience of an automatic.” Call me retro-minded, but I miss a manual transmission in a sports car. Pressing “1” for forward, “A/M” for manual mode, “R,” reverse, and “N” for neutral is uncomplicated, despite being reminiscent of the old Chrysler PowerFlite tranny. In reality, there is enough

“Call me retrominded, but I miss a manual transmission in a sports car. ”

For the full orchestral experience of a bombastic low-brass section emanating from behind the seat, the Spider’s soft-folding roof can be easily removed and stowed in the trunk behind the engine. Honestly, I never bothered because, in trafﬁc, you can look up at the underside of a Freightliner. Back roads are the place for the 4C to be topless. Technical information aside, if my ride could talk, this is where it might stiﬂe a yawn and growl, “Just shut up and drive.”

to concentrate on without throwing a clutch and gearshift into the mix, but, still… The semi-automatic box is basically what we have come to expect. Four modes are available, to “tailor your driving experiences.” I went through all modes and opted for the automatic. I’m in real-time trafﬁc here, not turning in early at the corkscrew at Laguna Seca. I did enjoy the launch mode, however. Danger, Will Robinson!

HIGHWAY STAR Upping the ante from the fairytale idyll of a beachside, canyon-land cruise, a descent into the Dantelike madness that is the Los Angeles freeway system proves a true test of our carbon-fiber hero’s mettle. Every romantic protagonist shares a few traits with fellow archetypes: nerves of steel, a sardonic sense of humor, and, often, expertise in the arts or culture. So what better way to assess these attributes than a visit to Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art to visit the CARtoons: Art of America’s Car exhibit. Dedicated to automotive cartooning, with slapstick, Mad magazine–like commentary, the CARtoon rag was produced in Los Angeles between 1959 and 1991. New Year’s Day traffic is remarkably light, and choking back the last traces of regret over the lack of a manual transmission, it’s time to see if the C4 can rocket from a stop to the promised 60 mph in singledigit seconds. It does. This car is made for high speeds, fondling every road bump, groove and irregularity, and myriad other inconveniences unique to California’s freeway system. The slightest correction in the unassisted steering is immediate, even to the point of feeling a bit squirrelly, and bringing on a little queasiness. From the passenger seat, attempting to consult the online owner’s manual is ill advised. Moreover, should Caltrans decide to adopt a road-abnormality detection device, a small fleet of 4C’s might be a taxpayerfriendly investment. Exiting onto La Brea Boulevard, the entire Southern California populace appears to be heading to the museum. The 4C does not succumb to road rage, although creeping in stop-and-go traffic is a bit tiresome and jerky at each takeoff, as the clutch is slow to engage. Other than that, the car minds its manners throughout the crawl, and we arrive unscathed, worry free, and in good humor. Walking away from the museum parking lot, I look back to see the parking attendant giving my date more than a determined stare. The CARtoons showing does not disappoint, a flippant wave of nostalgia for simpler times. Our next stop is coffee with friends. Driving through the narrow residential streets of Los Angeles with the automatic is uncomplicated. However, lose your way and the low stance and heavy steering wreak havoc on the nerves, particularly when negotiating driveway turnarounds on tight, well-traveled streets. Throw sparse, OK, virtually nonexistent, street parking into the mix and I am jonesing for something a little stronger than espresso. Besides, an urban “coffee date” is a bit pedestrian for my debonair, fourwheeled companion. Our arrival did, however, interrupt a monotonous Sunday evening for the barista, who literally tripped over himself hurtling out of the coffee house in an automotive swoon. 41

first drive

TECH SPEC

2017 ALFA ROMEO 4C SPIDER BASE PRICE $67,495 PRICE AS TESTED $73,795 LAYOUT mid-engine, RWD, twoseat, two-door convertible ENGINE 1.7L, 237hp/258-lb-ft, turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION six-speed dual-clutch CURB WEIGHT 2437 lb. WHEELBASE 93.7 in. LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 157.5 x 73.5 x 46.6 in. SUSPENSION Dual control arm (f); MacPherson strut (r) BRAKES four-piston calipers, 12.0in. rotors (f); single-pistons calipers, 11.5 in. rotors (r) 0-60 MPH 4.1 sec. (4C coupe numbers) QUARTER-MILE 12.8 sec. @ 109 mph BRAKING 60-0 MPH 113 ft.

WILL YOU STILL LOVE ME TOMORROW? Color me seduced. In spite of a few shortcomings, I am in love with this bad boy and have developed a tentative trust. That said, the true test of faith arrives via date number three—the photo shoot. Freeways, residential streets, and canyon roads seem like child’s play when confronted with carto-car photography. Snapper extraordinaire Bruce Benedict decides Trabuco Canyon’s Cook’s Corner is the perfect spot to begin this photo romp. The infamous “biker bar” has been a mainstay in the canyon since 1926. Originally a restaurant for miners and local ranchers, the end of Prohibition in 1933 resulted in the establishment becoming a full-fledged bar, eventually evolving into a meeting place for two-wheeled enthusiasts. The place can be wild and crazy, and my Italian escort needs verve and aplomb to fit in with the pack. The urbane 4C is unfazed by the leather-clad assemblage. They garner none of my attention. My angst is focused on the cameras being affixed to

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

the lead photography car. Once we’re off, two-way radio in hand, the star of the show must follow at a ridiculously close proximity and maintain an equally silly rate of speed on a two-lane canyon road. This is no “palm the steering wheel through the corner” affair—not that this type of driving is even remotely advisable or even possible in the 4C. At this point, I’m grateful for the automatic transmission, Brembo brakes, and the very fact that this car maneuvers like a well-drilled warrior. My life, and driving record, rest in the hands of both car and photographer—whose constant assurances of no sudden stops bolsters my meager conﬁdence. The results are stunning. Too soon, we part. Was my partner Heathcliff, or Mr. Rochester, or is he really Christian Grey in his multitoned high-rise? One of the pluses of a relationship ended on an early note is an unexpired infatuation stage, and I leave the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider with a full-on crush. Ain’t love grand?

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tech

FUTURE STOP A CONVERSATION WITH BREMBO

Words Lizett Bond Photos Bruce Benedict

“My Father used to say that anyone can do simple things, but only a few can handle the difficult ones. This motto is driving Brembo today and will continue to drive Brembo in the future.” —Alberto Bombassei, Brembo group chairman, at the inauguration and ribbon cutting of the Escobedo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico brake plant From humble workshop beginnings in 1961, if Brembo founders Emilio Bombassei and his brother-in-law, Italo Breda, peered into a crystal ball, the entrepreneurs would have likely been incredulous to see the exponential growth of their venture. In those early days, a brake was considered a utilitarian, functional tool, and the concept of braking components as “couture” defied automotive logic. However, their fledgling endeavor, Officine Meccaniche di Sombreno, parent company of Brembo, was quickly merging into the fast lane of automotive technology. 44

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

The small, mechanical workshop produced the first Italian brake discs for the spare parts trade, eventually becoming the segment leader in the European market. In the ’70s, the company began development of brake systems for motorcycles. An association with firms such as Ducati and Moto Guzzi continues to this day, and Brembo braking systems have equipped many a Moto GP winner. Involvement in Formula One became a reality in 1975 when Enzo Ferrari asked the company to supply the brake systems for his Grand Prix cars. Affiliations with the

other Formula classes soon followed and the major manufacturers took notice. Brembo became a signiﬁcant brake system supplier for Porsche in the ’80s, with high-end names such as Ferrari, Aston Martin, Land Rover, Audi, and Lamborghini following suit. As a car culture status symbol and fashion statement, Brembo’s brightly colored calipers and polished discs have since entered the U.S. market, gracing the corners of a number of diverse vehicles from Chryslers to Paganis. In 2014, the Brembo Group inaugurated a plant in Michigan to produce brake systems and in 2015, began construction of a new plant for the production of aluminum calipers in Escobedo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to further provide the market in North America. The facility began production in 2016. european car had the opportunity to discuss these en vogue brake calipers with Dan Sandberg, CEO and president of Brembo North America, along with Marco Pagni, testing and validation manager of Brembo North America located in Plymouth, Michigan.

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Brembo developed an aluminum brake caliper in 1980; you described these components as akin to automotive jewelry. How did this evolution of Brembo as a fashion statement come about? Sandberg: Design is in the entrepreneurial DNA of Brembo, and while we obviously do things well functionally, there is deﬁnitely an artistic chromosome in the Italians that focuses on the visually appealing. From the beginning, Brembo intended to create a good-looking product, and while the early calipers may have been a bit more mechanical in comparison to the designs we see today, they still looked good. With the evolution of vehicles in the late ’80s or early ’90s, we started to see these big wheels with big windows, and design was really put under a microscope. Automotive designers will say that 40 or 50 percent of the look of a vehicle is generated in the corner stance, or posture, of a vehicle, and I believe the OEs were looking for ways to improve the appearance of their cars. That visibility drove the aesthetics for Brembo. Our brand, coming from racing, from the tuners themselves, has grown in popularity as drivers seek to differentiate their vehicles and drive something that really has panache. Little consideration was given to the weight and appearance of a brake caliper prior to the ’80s and ’90s. Basically, Brembo designed a visually pleasing, lightweight aluminum caliper, and it came down to the timing. The right part in the right place at the right time. Sandberg: To be honest, a brake was considered a safety component. It was in the corner and people were saying, ‘We want something rugged that will work mechanically, but it’s behind a hubcap. Why not make it out of iron?’ At the time, nobody was thinking about weight, or gas and CAFÉ [Corporate Average Fuel Economy] standards. That said, one of the advantages of dealing with one piece of aluminum is that it can be molded and made to look really slick. Our calipers are visibly and mechanically different than the iron sliders. So the world changes, and I think the technology has to change with it. Pagni: Brembo may have actually been surprised by the potential of this product. In Europe, with Porsche and Ferrari, the focus of the caliper was mainly on performance, functionality, and the opportunity to have a larger pad with better control. However, the advantages of the product were becoming more apparent, including the lighter weight of the aluminum itself. Then came aesthetics. With old calipers, you never had the opportunity to shape the design as you liked. Actual styling and applying a logo to the caliper was a big push in the ’90s.

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tech meaning higher performance, lightweight components, low drag, and these use the most advanced technologies such as twopiece brakes that can either be cast iron or carbon ceramic. So from a plain rotor, we went to a ventilated disc, and then from there, to the twopiece disc. From there, we separate into iron or carbon-ceramic materials used in vehicles like Porsche or Ferrari, for example. That is the evolution, so far. How do you see the caliper changing in the future when we go back to 4-inch-wide, low-rolling resistance tires, or braking with regeneration, and after that, with a move to autonomous cars?

The initial calipers that Brembo used in the ’80s were two-piece, where the two halves of aluminum casting are pretty much bolted together. The later technology is what Brembo calls “mono-block,” which is a single-piece casting that is not only stiffer but lighter. From an aesthetics view, you don’t see the steal bolts from the outside that are susceptible to corrosion—so each of these advantages was a little discovery and really the OEMs themselves were pushing the opportunities of the product. How has the disc brake evolved since the days of being constrained by 13-inch wheels with 4-inch-wide bias-ply tires to what we see now, with cars like a VW Golf offering the same level of grip as a 1960s race car? Pagni: As technology evolved, the entire vehicle platform changed quite a bit; the rotors and calipers were just part of that evolution and are now quite different than what they were. In general, we see an increase in vehicle performance, with more need to reduce weight in the corners. At the end of the day, this means better handling and faster acceleration. We also try to consider the evolution of the tires, which increases loads both longitudinally and transversely. That means, of course, higher capacity in terms of straight-line deceleration and acceleration. The rotors themselves didn’t really change compared to what we used in the ’80s. The components convert kinetic energy into heat. The more heat put in the brakes, the more the rotor needs to be able 48

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

to dissipate that heat. The evolution then was moving from a solid rotor to vented, which improves cooling capacity and increases resistance to cracking caused by thermal shock. Now, the biggest differentiation, of course, is the material. Cast iron is the primary material used for most of the brakes, but the very high-end vehicles use carbon ceramic, which is the material that was inherited from racing in the early ’80s and went into production with Porsche and Ferrari in 2000. This is a completely different composite material. Then there is another segmentation of these products that is actually the connection between the brake rotor and the hat, which is the mechanical part that connects the brake ring to the hub. It can be solid or two-piece with the two parts bolted together. So there is a pretty wide portfolio of product, which can cover an entire spectrum of applications, from the very entrylevel cars that must be compact and cost effective to the very high-end spectrum,

Pagni: That is a very good question and, of course, Brembo is looking into this as a market trend. Over the past years, we have seen an increasing interest in fuel economy and CO2 emissions. One of the big requirements is the reduction of brake drag. The product that Brembo manufactures is a premium alloy caliper that, by nature, is more efficient than a typical cast-iron sliding caliper. The lighter weight contributes to the overall fuel economy of the vehicle. It also has a better functionality, and, by controlling each brake pad separately, we can fine-tune the product. Of course, in the future we see a big portion of the market being affected by EVs, hybrid vehicles, and autonomous driving. There is still segmentation, because with the very high-end sports car, we continue to need high-end products with very capable brakes. For instance, a Porsche 918 has crazy fast launch and acceleration capabilities, and when customers take that car to a track day, they want to experience the full capabilities and power of that vehicle. Under those circumstances, because of the faster acceleration, the brakes will be subjected to a lot of energy. For that particular market, we don’t see a downsizing of brakes. Where we can see the downsizing is in road cars used for commuting. Those vehicles will benefit from the technology such as regenerative braking or autonomous driving. Because these technologies can rely on the powertrain for most of the normal acceleration capabilities of the vehicles, the opportunity for downsizing will be a priority for the upcoming days. Sandberg: I don’t see a lot of change with the autonomous vehicles. We’ve all seen the images of 10 people relaxing in a car, playing cards or watching television. In that regard, I think those vehicles are going to be heavy. Yes, they’ll be autonomous, but braking requirements won’t change. That vehicle will need to stop, and stop quickly. So I believe we are on the right track, because brakes are going to continue to be lightweight, with great looks and performance.

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tech

What kind of burden does that put on the engineer to design a product that does the job with all these new developments and still looks good? Pangi: The biggest challenge is integration. Each manufacturer focuses on the component they are supplying. Brembo has been designing and manufacturing brakes since the ’60s; that is our specialty. But now we need to go a little beyond our boundaries because the integration of our components with the rest of the vehicle is becoming more prevalent. For instance, how our brakes work together with regenerative systems is what we call brake “blending.” A blended brake control merges a regenerative brake system with a friction brake. This is one of the key characteristics that Brembo is focusing on. Sandberg: It is important to keep in mind that, as products become more electriﬁed, whether that’s through EV or hybrid, there’s no doubt that the electric architecture of the vehicles will more than likely change. Not just more batteries, but voltages and controls. I think all of the OEs are moving more quickly than they have in the last 20 years in order to integrate electronics into all of the systems. In the brake business, we have been talking about “brake by wire” for some time, and we are starting to see some traction 50

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

"Everyone talks about mileage, but actually emissions are the issue. Very simply put, a lighter vehicle will use less gas, leading to lower emissions." now. That’s an advantage for Brembo, because we have been in “brake by wire” on the racing side of the business for several years and will approach this like we do everything, from the performance side ﬁrst. For example, a driver in normal conditions may want a softer, easier brake, but with sport mode, that same driver will experience a touchier brake, with less pedal travel. With the ability to tune the system electronically, engineers might be designing multiple brake systems for one car. I think we are headed for a lot of changes, including the ability to tune the brake system to a driver’s preference. How are design and performance inﬂuenced by CAFÉ standards enacted by Congress in 1975 to increase fuel the economy of cars and light trucks? Sandberg: Everyone talks about mileage, but actually emissions are the issue. Very simply put, a lighter vehicle will use less gas, leading to lower emissions. At the end of the day, it’s not just about you going farther on a tank of gas; it’s the ability of an automaker

to use less gas fleet-wide. This is why you are seeing stop/starts come in now, and engines going from eight cylinders, to six cylinders, to four cylinders. At Brembo, we are in an excellent position, both aesthetically and performance-wise. Brakes are heavy and the manufacturers really want to lighten up the corners; the easiest way to accomplish that is to use our brakes. Not only does this apply to calipers, but rotors are extremely heavy, too. By using two-piece technology, with either a stamped steel or aluminum hat on the rotor, or the ultimate—a tremendously lightweight carbon-fiber rotor—the whole corner saves a lot of weight. How has your racing heritage influenced the Brembo brand, both with everyday driving cars and performance cars? Sandberg: The fact that racing is a business for Brembo, not a sponsorship opportunity, has given us credibility with the consumer. We are seen as a serious player, and we look at racing as a proving ground. What other company is going to have all those engineers under one roof, well experienced in professional racing, semi-professional racing, and then also on the OE side of the business, with the ability to develop two or three different variants of the car at a time? If you’re a car manufacturer, you just don’t see that anywhere else.

Words Matt Zuchowski Photos Konrad Skura

In the ﬁrst days of March, the hilly surroundings of the Swiss Lac Leman were still covered deep in snow, but inside Geneva’s Palexpo exhibition center, you could get a feeling of the blossoming spring, full of busy life. Once a year, the car industry forgets about crises, environmental challenges, and political correctness and puts on the carnival mask, celebrating the fastest, most opulent, and dearest forms of mobility humanity has ever seen.

ONLY THE BEST MAKE IT TO THIS FLOOR

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

Through the decades, the Geneva Motor Show has grown to be one the most prestigious car events in the world, but the place that invariably hosts it on the precious Swiss land hasn’t grown an inch. This leaves the exhibitors with so little space that, at an

equivalent show in Detroit or Paris, it would be covered by not more than a dozen of the industry’s big players. But this is Switzerland, so even the car giants need to accept the rules that apply here. Rule number one: No matter whether you’re Volkswagen or the surprisingly successful Croatian hypercar manufacturer startup Rimac, you have space enough only to boast with what you are the most successful at. In some cases this year, this meant that the whole stand had only one star. For Volvo, it was the new XC60—the new SUV set to be the biggest hit of the brand rejuvenated under the Chinese custodianship. Here presented already in its full galore with a complete engine lineup topped by a 407hp T8 variant, the XC60 proved that it is indeed ready to compete for leadership in the premium small SUV segment, hoping to place itself ahead of its German and American rivals.

The strength of the Swedish engineering was manifested even more convincingly in the other end of Palexpo hall by a pair of Christian von Koenigsegg’s Regeras, here presented in their production spec for the ﬁrst time. With a sensational 1.11-megawatt hybrid powertrain, the Swedish genius won the Top Trumps game with the 1,500hp Bugatti Chiron– celebrating production debut just a few steps away. The crowds cheered and so did the owners of no less than eight Koenigseggs that had gathered in front of the show. Even if this Koenigsegg-Bugatti duel may be regarded as nothing more than a billionaire’s playground loosely connected with the real world of the other Palexpo walls, you can draw serious conclusions from Koenigsegg’s feat. After years of indisputable German dominance on all fronts of the European car industry, the rest of the continent strikes back. Yes, the Volkswagen Empire is still pushing on at an impressive pace. Next to the 450hp Audi RS 5, there stood the striking Q8 super-SUV in its nearly production-ready phase. Presented two years after the agile EXP10 concept, the drop-top Bentley EXP12 Speed

6e Concept looked far better than its name sounded. It also proved that the legendary British brand is seriously thinking about a smaller model spun off from the Panamera platform, positioned under the Continental GT range. The svelte white convertible showed what the near future holds for Bentley, which is a shift to lighter, smarter, and purer technologies tied more closely to what the rest of the VAG family is doing. 53

On Volkswagen’s own stand, in the meantime, the Germans wowed the crowds with a charming Arteon four-door coupe. The model, priced above the Passat, proved that Europe’s biggest carmaker knows how to maintain the pragmatic Teutonic approach its cars are known for, as well as how to spice them up with some emotions. The same can be said about the new Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo, a car we all hoped was coming but couldn’t imagine seeing, as the idea that this iconic brand could bring a wagon to the market still seemed surreal. Turns out, Porsche can do a wagon, and it is rather good at it. The ones who had little faith in the rumors regarding a four-door version of the AMG GT were in for a surprise as well, as the Mercedes stand welcomed a striking red concept car being just that: a hybrid 805hp über-limo aimed squarely at the Panamera. So the Germans showed stellar form, but they couldn’t deny the progress shown at the stands of the companies they have to reacquaint as their competitors. The new Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the best proof for this; spun off from the highly popular new Giulia sedan, it closely follows its recipe for success, including the best of Italian ﬂair and a sizzling-hot 510hp Quadrifoglio version that looks forward to grasping the Norsdschleife lap record in the SUV segment. Range Rover Velar is yet another car with big chances of taking a considerable chunk of the market share now occupied by the likes of BMW and Mercedes. Yet another crossover of the JLR corporation, it looks more like a luxury boulevard cruiser than a Defender descendant, but it is promised to beat the competition both on the comfort and all-terrainability fronts. Right next to it, there stood a new Jaguar, not an SUV this time, but a van, naturally. It’s easy to pick on I-Pace’s controversial body, in Geneva exhibited in a blistering red shade, but its state-of-theart electrical powertrain proves it’s not always Tesla that is ahead of the game. 54

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

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The Euro-only section had its big news, including the long-awaited debut of the Alpine A110. The first French sports car brand resurrected by Renault mixed the sentiments of its half-a-centuryold legendary namesake. It boasts fresh technologies to yield a 252hp, 2,380-pound mid-engined coupe with a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox; in short, a potential Porsche Cayman-beater. If you’re up for compact-sized luxury SUVs, chances are you’ll like the new DS 7, a convincing attempt at the premium segment made by DS brand, the luxury arm of French Citroen. This AudiQ5-cum-Champs-Élyséesglamour-model won’t come to the U.S., though; for the time being, its PSA Group owner is thinking of dipping its toe in the U.S.-market water with a car-sharing program. So much for reality; it’s the cars like the splendid new McLaren 720S that make the Geneva show truly special. For this reason, Woking’s new golden child might have been the most important premiere of this year’s show, as the 720S, McLaren’s first successor to an existing model, is still a car like nothing before it. With its impossibly complex body and 710hp 4.0L V-8, it marks a dawn of the new supercar era in which effectiveness, expressed by both powertrain technologies and aerodynamics, reaches new heights. Somewhat surprisingly, the best response to McLaren’s epoch-defining supercar came from Lamborghini. Its Huracan Performante came to Geneva as the newly (but controversially) crowned king of Nordschleife. Together with the refreshed Aventador S, they had painted an image of a Lamborghini different to the one we know. Playboys’ favorite is evolving, with its cars becoming more focused and more technologically sophisticated thanks to Lamborghini’s leading position on the carbon-fiber front. In an even more unexpected move, it was Porsche that countered the British and Italian sensations with a car that consciously takes a step 56

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

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backward. The new 911 GT3 brings back the availability of the six-speed manual and shuns the downsizing trend, gaining 200 cc of engine capacity. The result is a fullsize 4.0L boxer motor, good for 500 hp and a 9,000 rpm redline. And yet only a few yards away, there was another Porsche that merged the past with the newest technologies on an even more dramatic level. Actually, it wasn’t a Porsche at all, but Ruf’s ﬁrst fully custom-built car.

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

Funnily enough, Ruf all too often had stolen Porsche’s show in Geneva in the past, so it wasn’t surprising to see Zuffenhausen’s bigwigs trying to casually mix with the audience at the world premiere of the new car made in a little specialist garage located in Pfaffenhausen. What Porsche’s elite saw at Ruf’s stand surely exceeded their expectations. To mark the 30th anniversary of the world’s fastest car of 1987, the legendary Yellowbird (undoubtedly the most important car in Ruf’s history), the company produced its successor that looks just like the original on the outside, but packs all of the newest technology underneath its vintagelook-alike body. As our scoop story revealed a week ahead of its debut, thank you very much, the 2017 CTR is the first car in Ruf’s company not to be based on any Porsche, but on a bespoke carbonfiber monocoque not far off what you find in McLaren, LaFerrari, or LMP race cars. This particular chassis was developed in cooperation with one of the German motorsport gurus, Vela Performance. CTR’s yellow body is also all new, even if it maintains the Yellowbird magic with all of its purist-pleasing details. When it comes to style, the Italians are still the ones to dictate the trends, both good and bad. The new Zerouno Lamborghini Huracan-based five-off, the first road car to wear the Italdesign logo on its nose, divided public opinion as a car not true to the roots of the design studio that had given us the elegant Alfa Romeo Brera and the original VW Golf. Similarly, it seems Ferrari missed its chance to amaze the crowds with its F12berlinetta successor, the 812 Superfast, leaving many hoping for more. The new Maranello flagship hasn’t left anyone wanting for more power, though, as Ferrari ends its pureblood V-12 era (they’re going to be hybridized from the successor on) with an engine bored out to 6.5 liters to generate a whopping 800 hp. Strangely enough, autonomous driving wasn’t a trending topic at the show.

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LARGE MQB FIRST LOOK

2018 Volkswagen Atlas THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PEOPLE’S CAR Words Michael Febbo

TECH SPEC

2018 VW ATLAS BASE PRICE $30,000 (mfr. est.) LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, seven-seat, four-door SUV ENGINE 3.6L, 276hp DOHC 24-valve VR6 TRANSMISSION eight-speed automatic LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 198.3 x 77.9 x 69.6 in. SUSPENSION MacPherson strut (f); multi-link (r)

Up until now, we’ve only experienced VW Group’s MQB platform on smaller cars like the Golf, A3, and TT. As I’ve said in the past, all things considered the Golf is the best car in the world, in large part due to how good the car’s very basic architecture is. By the time you read this, Volkswagen will be using the transverse unibody MQB platform on the first non-compact car, the seven-passenger three-row SUV, named Atlas. A bit later, we will see the Arteon premium sedan and eventually, the second generation of American-built Passat move to MQB as well. The question on everyone’s mind is how will a platform that seems so well tailored for fun-to-drive compacts translate over to vehicles larger in every dimension? We flew to Canada for an early drive of the Atlas to see how things worked out. This was an early glimpse into the car and, originally, the idea was to take them out on a frozen lake to get an idea of how well the all-wheel-drive system works and gain some basic insights into the vehicle’s handling dynamics. If nothing else, we’d find out if the heater and seat warmers are up to the task in The Great White North. Sadly for VW, in the days leading up the event, Quebec had a heat wave; the mercury edged above single digits and it rained instead of snowed. Because

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of this, we couldn’t get the go-ahead to drive on thin ice. As luck, my luck anyway, would have it, the night we arrived the temperature dropped way back down again and snow ﬂurries began. It wasn’t enough to refreeze the lake, but it did cover the local roads in snow to give VW the all-wheel-drive test it was after while also keeping speeds low enough to leave the real driving dynamics a surprise for an upcoming trip to warmer Texas. Our drive was based out of the Sacacomie Lodge in the Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve. An enormous log cabin focused on wintertime outdoor activities ranging from dogsledding to snowmobiling to countless other ways to get frostbite while having “fun.” Canadians are by nature incredibly friendly and accommodating people; they warmed up the SUVs before we even left the lobby. As this thin-blooded Southern Californian scurried across the ice, I did happen to notice that while this is a fairly big vehicle, it seems to ﬁt right square in the category occupied by Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, and the rest of the “I want to look like an off-road adventurer, but really want a tall car crew.” That isn’t to say that the vehicles in this class don’t have some off-road capabilities; it’s just that car manufacturers know from years of data that these customers won’t ever use whatever ability is there.

The first thing that jumped out at me while sitting in the Atlas is how low the front seats drop. I am pretty certain you have the ability to drop the seat closer to the floor than in an Alltrack. I am sure they go way up as well, but it’s nice to be able to sit down inside an SUV. The interior itself is exactly what you’d expect from VW, just larger. Everything short of the steering wheel is scaled up, including foot well, shoulder, and knee room. The Atlases we drove were equipped with VW’s latest infotainment system, which aesthetically is a big upgrade over the MIB II. Unfortunately, they were not equipped with VW’s new Digital Cockpit, a 12-inch-wide screen that replaces the traditional gauge panel. Some of you may remember VW’s Digitales FahrerInformationsZentrum, also known as Digifiz, available in the mid-1980s. This is a huge step up in looks and functionality, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly concerned about how Digital Cockpit will be abbreviated. Overall, material quality is on par with the Passat and is also up to snuff with all the SUVs in the $30,000 base range. What does seem out of place

for the class is the second- and third-row space. The second row is near limo-like. It feels more spacious than even the current Passat, which is big. But that isn’t the only upside of the second row; it slides and tilts forward in a mid-blowing fashion that makes it easier to get to the third row than any SUV I’ve seen. On top of that, it moves in such a way that you can even tilt it forward with a child seat still buckled in— sans child, of course. As far as I know, this is the first of its kind. The third row is suitable for short drives for taller adults, but at 6’2”, I wouldn’t want to do more than about 15 minutes. Sadly, I have yet to figure out how to make myself shorter to see how less goonlike adults fit in vehicles. Even with the third-row seats in use, there is a decent-sized trunk; with the seats folded down, the space is cavernous. Luckily, the seats can be put up and down easily from the trunk area. The vehicles I drove also had a power tailgate, a surprisingly useful feature. I had hoped the Atlas would drive as well as the Passat, but I was prepared to cut it a break because of its size and mission. At least on the snowy roads around the lodge, it actually felt better than the current Passat. VW wouldn’t say, but I have to imagine a great deal of the components are shared with the Arteon sedan. I noticed the Atlas uses what looks like a cast aluminum front control arm, as opposed to the stamped steal piece on the Golf. The spring and damping rates also felt more driving oriented than I would have thought. The Atlas has a planted, wellcontrolled ride, which I honestly didn’t expect from the SUV. I was tempted to throw it around in the snow in my best Walter Röhrl impression, but discretion is apparently the better part of valor. As far as grip, the BorgWarner all-wheel-drive system, formerly known as Haldex, works seamlessly. As we know from experience in the Golf R, Alltrack, and Sportwagen, the system operates primarily in front-wheel-drive mode, until transferring torque to the rear axle is accomplished by a rear-mounted electronically controlled clutch pack. The aggressiveness of the system can be varied with a center console–mounted drive mode controller that also controls throttle and transmission maps, as well as traction and stability control for on-road, off-road, snow, or custom. The only engine VW had on hand in Canada was the 276hp 3.6L VR6. The base engine is a 235hp 2.0t, which will likely be the popular choice, and both are paired to an eight-speed automatic. The VR6 felt plenty powerful for the type of driving most people will do with the Atlas, but I do wonder how it will feel when loaded up with seven people and a few bags in the trunk. If you are wondering why no V-8 or turbo-six, the big sellers in this class are equipped with turbo fours and naturally aspirated sixes, although the presence of a few outlier engines makes us hopeful for higher-performance variants down the road. While my trip to Canada certainly didn’t answer all of my questions about VW’s use of the MQB platform on larger cars, it certainly did make me optimistic for what’s to come. The Atlas is sure to be a big success for VW; customers and dealers alike have been asking for something like this for a decade, at least. While I was impressed with the initial sampling of the family-hauler, I am even more anxious to drive it on some dry roads and have a little bit more time to play with all of the gadgets. 61

ﬁrst look

VW’s MQB Hits the Big Time AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. ELMAR-MARIUS LICHARZ Words Matt Zuchowski Photos Konrad Skura

Volkswagen is competitive with just about any company in the industry in most aspects, but when it comes to parts sharing, it’s in a class of its own. For the last two decades, its unique ability to spin off a huge range of cars of different types, sizes, and

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personalities from the same parts has played a key role in putting the German giant on the forefront of the industry. Now with more models than ever across the VAG Empire, the need for platform commonality is even stronger. The challenge is great, but when done correctly, the outcome delivers unprecedented benefits. Apart from radically cutting the cost of R&D, technological unification pays off on the strategic level; with the same platform, a factory making Golfs can switch to Passats without much fuss, eliminating the costs of transportation and accelerating the process of bringing new models to different parts of the world. To answer the needs of even greater unification, Volkswagen took a bold step in designing a new family of platforms. Five years ago, MQB appeared as the basis of the MK7 Golf. It was nothing short of a breakthrough, even if it wasn’t apparent then. After all, it wasn’t the first time Golf had shared key components with its sister models. But Golf was just the beginning; eventually, the radical platform that cost a whopping $60 billion to develop and implement will be the base for all VAG cars packing a transverse engine in front of the cabin. By 2018, MQB will underpin around 6 million cars, more than half of the projected annual sales of the whole group. This also means that the MQB platform is expected to introduce circus-gymnast levels of flexibility.

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ﬁrst look

“The new face, characterized by LED headlamps integrated seamlessly with the chrome bars of the grille, will be reserved for high-end models.”

The have-it-all chassis needs to house petrol, diesel, natural gas, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric powertrains in everything from a Euro-only supermini to an America-built seven-seater SUV. To make this happen, MQB cannot be just a ﬂoorpan. As its name suggests (MQB is short for Modularer Querbaukasten, loosely translated, “Modular Transverse Toolkit”), it’s more like a set of components made to work with each other despite varying wheelbase and track. The architecture necessitates standardized positioning of the front axle, pedal box, and engine, but apart from that, it can handle anything. And, as the recent premieres prove, it really does. Three years after the Volkswagen CrossBlue concept, we witnessed the debut of the new VW Atlas model at the 2016 L.A. Auto Show. Priced between

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Tiguan and Touareg models, the new three-row SUV boasts even greater dimensions than the latter. At 198.3 inches long and 77.9 inches wide, the new Atlas is 30.8 inches longer and 7.1 inches wider than a Golf. Touareg and the China-only VW Phaeton successor called Phideon use the Audi-developed MLB platform reserved for the upper crust of the VAG family. Atlas is currently setting the limits for how far the engineers can get with this ingenious underﬂoor. When it comes to how sexy an MQB-based Volkswagen get, Arteon sets the new high. The new model, which recently enjoyed its worldwide debut at Geneva, had barely changed from the VW Sport Coupe Concept GTE prototype from the very same event two years before. The body, penned by Marc Lichte before he moved to Audi, speaks volumes about VW’s future ambitions. The new face, characterized by LED headlamps integrated seamlessly with the chrome bars of the grille, will be reserved for high-end models, and we’re going to see more as the German giant strives to earn a bigger share of the upscale market. As Arteon and Atlas prove, MQB-based models will play a key role in this strategy. To get a full view of this somewhat revolutionary situation, during the launch of the Arteon at the Geneva Motor Show, we caught up with Elmar-Marius Licharz, who supervises the development of midand full-size Volkswagen models. He’s clear about VW’s ambitions: “Arteon is a car for the people who appreciate something more emotional than a typical B-segment sedan, but still keep an eye on value. This is how we are challenging premium carmakers without becoming one ourselves.” Licharz goes on to say: “Up to now, if you looked at the premium car brands, you got nice looks, but you got little functionality. Our intention is to merge functionality with emotional looks and quality feel.”

CONTRO L AN D P REC IS IO N HAVE N E VE R B E E N S POR T I E R Superior wet and dry braking performance

Precise and responsive steering at high speeds

Very good controllability, especially while cornering

ﬁrst look

“It was extremely hard to get the exterior design right because we wanted to get a large surface of the engine hood, which is generally more challenging from the perspective of pedestrian impact tests.”

This is a different direction for VW. As Licharz reveals, “There’s currently a push for more emotional design at Volkswagen. We know that people buy cars not only for rational reasons, even when it comes to such volume manufacturers as us.” This puts Arteon in a special situation, as it’s expected to be priced higher than the Volkswagen CC, which seemed a natural predecessor of this new model. Not so, says Licharz: “Arteon is neither a successor to the CC nor a Phaeton. It stands right between these two model lines.” The move from current Passat wheelbase was possible thanks to the flexibility of the MQB platform. With 191 inches of length filled with 111.8 inches of wheelbase, Arteon not only is roomier than a Passat but also surpasses the BMW 4-series Gran Coupe, or even Audi’s new A5 Sportback. As Licharz points out, “It’s nearly Audi A7 size.” And it pays off; as I take a seat next to VW’s engineering boss in the front, his colleague clambers in on the rear bench (it’s a five-seat configuration) behind me. He’s more than 6 feet, 5 inches tall and still has loads of space for his legs. Licharz asserts that “the trunk was designed to house a full-size bicycle”. With 20 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats untouched and a long hatch to cover it, it might (although there weren’t any bikes around the Geneva show to confirm this). On a technological front, Arteon is even further away from your typical Passat three-box sedan. The new Discover Pro entertainment system with a 9.2-inch touchscreen combines a new menu layout with gesture controls and a plethora of new Internet connection–based functions. Arteons will be equipped with progressive steering and a range of TSI engines stretching to the 280hp 2.0t. The versatile nature of a VW means the engineers couldn’t go for either a sportier or comfier setting; they had to cover both. As can be expected, Arteon will be equipped with the DCC adaptive suspension, but apart from that, clients will be able to choose from two model lines, pushing the car to a more laidback (Elegance) or a “definitely” more driver-oriented

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R-Line. But, as Licharz stresses, “Arteon was made to be an agile car.” Still, the real breakthrough comes with the design. “It was extremely hard to get the exterior design right because we wanted to get a large surface of the engine hood, which is generally more challenging from the perspective of pedestrian impact tests. I bet nobody believed we’d keep the design of the concept car 100 percent, but that’s what we did, ready to take no compromises.” Indeed, the new Arteon looks virtually like a copy of the Sport Coupe Concept GTE. The bold concept car traded VW CC’s streamlined shapes for more angular, square-shouldered muscularity. It doesn’t happen often that Volkswagen guys get excited about the design of their cars, but Licharz couldn’t hide his emotions: “If you look from the front, you’ll see that Arteon has a very attractive shoulder line biting in under the side windows. The key to Arteon’s optical lightness lies in the details, like the bit with very little bodywork between the side windows and the roof. It was a tough job, but we’re excited with the results. To me, from some perspectives, Arteon’s silhouette is not far off a Porsche.” That’s quite an effort for a somewhat niche car, but Licharz is adamant that market potential is there: “Even though Arteon’s segment isn’t very big, we decided to bring the car to the U.S. Seventy percent of Arteon’s production will stay in Europe, but the U.S. will still be one of its biggest single markets.” The new Volkswagen ﬂagship will arrive at U.S. shores next year with some minor alterations for homologation reasons. Also, Licharz is already thinking about ways of making the model more alluring to a bigger audience: “Just as an idea, a shooting brake is the sort of car that could work. We need to see if there’s a business case, but for the time being, we can’t rule it out.” So there you have it—a competitive seven-seater, a sexy four-door coupe, or even an exotic low-slung shooting brake, all spun off from the same platform as the plain Jane Golf. From among all the puzzle pieces, the MQB platform grows to be VAG’s biggest asset in its worldwide ambitions.

ELEMENTAL ACHIEVES NEXT-LEVEL PERFORMANCE WITH ADVANCED AERODYNAMICS Words Matt Zuchowski

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There’s a fair chance you haven’t heard about Elemental. A new kid on the track

day block, Elemental is yet another small British manufacturer that wants to make it big with its cleverly engineered but emaciated and not conventionally handsome, Time Attack weapon. Except this one is a bit different. As Mark Fowler puts it, “Most of the people in our company are either ex-F1 designers or major manufacturer designers, so we’re all highly skilled, and I don’t think any of our competitors has that sort of pedigree.”

The best proof for these words is Mark himself. Having worked as an aerodynamicist in Formula 1 for 15 years, he decided to leave the motorsport industry in 2012 and team up with another British chap named John Begley to create a car design that both had been thinking of for a long time. That’s how the Elemental brand was born, which quickly gave birth to its ﬁrst car, the Rp1. While not exactly a looker, it quickly gained attention thanks to its superior driving dynamics, achieved mostly by its atypical powertrain layout. The Rp1’s engine and gearbox mounted longitudinally F1-style, as opposed to most cars in this class that rely on the transverse powertrain of a FWD car, relocated to the back end. This allows for the use of a bigger diffuser and tapering of the body behind the cockpit, for superior aerodynamics. 69

In the fall of 2016, the company delivered the first car to its client, but Mark’s job was far from finished. The company has just released an aero package for Rp1, which upgrades the stock downforce level of 882 pounds to the headline-grabbing 1,000 kg (2,204 pounds) at 150 mph. As its creators hope, Rp1’s new body will enable it to set the Nürburgring Nordschleife production car lap record. This would mean throwing down the gauntlet to such track celebrities as Porsche 918, Dodge Viper SRT-10 ACR, and the current record holder, Radical SR8 LM. While still some way off the unthinkable aerodynamic levels achieved in Formula 1, Elemental’s 2,204 pounds of downforce is poles apart from anything else wearing a license plate. To put it into context, one of the most aerodynamically advanced cars in recent history, the McLaren P1, manages 1,323 pounds of downforce at 161 mph. The radical Viper SRT-10 ACR, with its wings, spoilers, and a horribly compromised drag coefficient of 0.54, creates around 1,700 pounds at its very peak. And the best part is that this rather spectacular feat by Elemental happened by accident. In a very clichéd British manner, it came to life in a local pub over a pint of beer. This is where guys from Elemental met with Mark Taylor, another ex-F1 aerodynamicist, who left McLaren Racing early 2016 to open his own computational fluid dynamics consultancy studio called London Computational Solutions. As Mark T. reveals, “I was just starting my new company and the guys asked me to look at the Rp1 and tell them what I thought about its aerodynamics. After a week, I came back with an answer that there’s a huge potential in the car and I’d love the opportunity to deliver that. They replied, ‘Yes, please!’ and the result is the aero upgrade you see now.” While still of limited use even in the performance car segment, CFD simulations that are the spiritus movens of the F1 game turn out to be a perfect suit for a specialized company like Elemental: “At McLaren Racing, we were trying to develop aerodynamic ideas quicker than any of our competitors, and soon we advanced to a point where in many cases we didn’t need to go through the expensive and time-consuming process of building wind tunnel models,” Mark says, pointing out that “it’s a perfect solution for a company like Elemental, which wants to evaluate various scenarios and progress quickly.” Mark is talking about his company, not CFD in general: “It’s crucial that the technology that we’re using is accurate so you can trust the numbers that it gives you. We’re using a novel technology that I’d worked with Imperial College in London to develop over the last decade and that resolves turbulence rather than models turbulence 70

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

"We’re using a novel technology that I’d worked with Imperial College in London to develop over the last decade and that resolves turbulence rather than models turbulence."

[see sidebar]. This gives us a much more accurate picture, and when we build the car, we can be conﬁdent it’ll have this kind of downforce that we predicted.” Before the competitors get too excited, Elemental’s Mark Fowler is quick to point out that this level of aero performance was possible only because Rp1 was like that from the beginning, “We always wanted it to be an aero car, and with the core model done this way, we could develop it in the way Mark Taylor resolved it.”

EXTRA CREDIT

The feature mentions “resolving” instead of “modeling” turbulence. Turbulent flow is defined as flow in which the fluid undergoes irregular fluctuations or mixing. This is opposed to what is called laminar flow, which moves either uniformly or in layers. Even with today’s easily accessible computing power, we have to make some assumptions about what is happening in flow simulations. We look at flow on a larger scale, more in terms of space divided into individual cells looking at conditions within individual cells rather than the actual path of the fluid. In most Computational Fluid Dynamics models, we wouldn’t simulate individual eddies or vortices, instead, we would look at the pressure in the cross section where we know turbulent flow would exist. This leads to inaccuracies in some instances as well as whole gaps in knowledge if any of the conditions of the simulation are changed, i.e. velocity, crosswind, even ambient temperature or change in ride height. If we take the time to resolve the turbulence, we are calculating the eddy currents and velocities, so that one model can be applied to varied conditions. —Febbo

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But isn’t a ton (literally) of downforce too much of a good thing? There are a few reasons for which not many cars reach this kind of downforce, other than engineering limits, and virtually all of Rp1’s direct competitors prefer to base their performance on the mechanical grip. Highly advanced aerodynamics often don’t work the way they’re supposed to in varying weather conditions and on uneven surfaces, and even if they do, most of the drivers aren’t skilled enough to fully exploit them, as the car would need to go really fast to get the aero package actually working. Not so with the Rp1, Mark Taylor claims, “It being a road car, or a track car that any person can drive, we were very careful to get the downforce stable and perform at a wide range of speeds. What happens typically is that the stability of the ﬂow features of the car changes with speed. This can make a car quite difficult to drive. In the case of Elemental, though, when you’re going on a track, you’re typically driving at lower ride heights (you can adjust the height of the front suspension by a ﬂick of a button), you get stronger aerodynamics, and when you’re on the road, you’re going at more sensible speeds, which lets the car have a higher ride height and makes for well-behaved aerodynamics. At corner entry, you get a stable rear; mid-corner, you get good rotation and then strong rear again to give you traction exiting. We’re not trying to create a car that only a professional can drive; it’s a car for people to really enjoy.” After all, Mark Fowler, the creator of the primary design, is adamant that the new aero package has not changed the characteristics of the car, but, let’s say, turned it up to 11: “The base car had a considerable amount of downforce already, so it’s a major step up, but it’s pretty much a similarly behaving car. Obviously, we had to look at the mechanicals of the car because we’ve got this extra loading on the four corners now. It wasn’t really a big deal, though; these were things we would do anyway. You need to remember how light the car is; mechanically, it is only about 1,200 pounds, so even if we put 1,000 kilos of downforce, it’s still lighter than a Volkswagen Golf. It’s not like we’re doing anything outrageous. The package won’t even affect top speed much, as the car was perceived around the ground effect, which gives you more downforce for less drag (compared to wings or spoilers).”

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Being a simple man, I admit that the sight of such a huge rear wing would quickly make me think of throwing an even more powerful engine into the mix than the Ford Focus ST-sourced 2.0L Ecoboost I4, here tuned to produce a still relatively modest 320 hp. To fuel our imaginations, Mark Fowler admits that an engine swap is a simple operation in this case: “From the mechanical layout standpoint, there’s enough scope to put other engines in. We’re not looking at it just yet, but we have the will to think about that in the future. The current 2.0L engine could be tweaked a little bit more. We’ve got no issues with the power as it is now; it’s pretty fast and powerful as it is.” Taking into consideration that it’s already expected to set a new record at the Nordschleife, it surely is. As in a Hitchcock movie, the guys at Elemental started from an earthquake and from there, the tension only rises. It’ll be interesting to watch their act. 74

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S L A P S H OT

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM â&#x20AC;¢ 06/2017

MASERATI AND VOLVO FACE OFF AT CENTER ICE WITH TWO STYLISH FAMILY SPORTSTERS Ironic, really, the sport sedan’s very existence is on ﬁgurative thin ice because

of SUVs like what you see here; yet these 400hp, 5,000-pound, family-hauling fashion statements are quite literally supported by a mere 11 inches of frozen water. Yes, you read that right; we’re taking these two luxury heavyweights worth more than $150,000 combined (without options) for a drive on a frozen lake. Truth be told, when I say this last sentence aloud, I still don’t believe we’re actually doing this. The idea sounded awesome back at home, but when you actually get on the ice and see the two shiny super-SUVs that may potentially end up with the most embarrassing salvage titles in history, you really start to question your sanity. On the road, we’ve discovered both of these SUVs are capable of dynamic feats that would embarrass the best sports sedans from not that long ago. But if all they do is mimic the sports sedan, what is the point? Luckily, those roads lead here, Lake Śniardwy, Poland’s largest lake located in the northern part of the country, just an hour’s drive away from Russia. We’ve got professional lifeguards on hand who will help us judge the conditions reliably and pull us out of the frigid drink if necessary. They’re here to save our lives, not boost our egos; the husky-Hasselhoffs really enjoy watching me squirm at the prospect of calling Maserati and Volvo to tell them I won’t be able to return their cars until spring. After an obligatory round of jokes and more horror stories of where the lake is deepest or how far the currents can move cars underwater, I am advised to play it cool (apologies for the pun) and just keep driving if I see or hear the ice crack or crunch. As I cover my ﬁrst frozen meters, it becomes clear they weren’t joking about the last one. I gently descend from the concrete ramp designed to launch boats rather than a Maserati (thank goodness for the adaptive Skyhook suspension and its ability to rise a full 1.6 inches in the Off-road mode to an authentically off-road-worthy 9.75 inches of ground clearance), and I hear some noises that can’t mean anything good. My photographer, still heroically standing on the pier, shouts some even less comforting words about huge ice cracks that appear under the wheels, following the car wherever it goes like CGI in a sci-ﬁ movie. I’m coming for you, Bobby Drake! Only then do I visualize 11 inches of ice. Eleven. Inches. I mean, my iPad measures 12 inches and I wouldn’t drive on that.

Words Matt Zuchowski Photos Konrad Skura 77

As it turns out, 11 inches of ice is enough to comfortably keep these two family haulers on the dry side. It’s generally believed that a car can drive on a frozen lake when the ice thickness goes past 8 inches, and when it grows to 12 inches, even medium-sized trucks are allowed. Keep repeating that to yourself; don’t worry if the person who said it actually did any testing, and soon you’ll learn to live with the cracking sounds. Once I’ve broken the ice (metaphorically), we can focus on the reason why I wanted to drive the new Maserati SUV to and then on a frozen lake, while stacking it against the newest and best Volvo SUV in these most bizarre conditions. The shortest answer is: Because it exists. For the last century, the Trident logo has worked hard for its reputation by adorning the noses of some of the ﬁnest race cars, the most luxurious coupes, and the sportiest sedans. The car to shape the next 100 years of Trident’s fortunes, though, is a volume-chasing SUV. Levante could be the greatest challenge in Maserati’s history, as for the last century the legendary Italian brand has simply invented the segments it became so good at; the 1947 Maserati A6 can be regarded as one of the world’s ﬁrst grand tourers, while the 1963 Maserati Quattroporte put the words “sedan,” “speed,” and “sexy” in the same sentence decades before any of the German performance brands rolled out their AMG Hammers and BMW M5s. In Levante’s case, though, Maserati joins a segment brimming with strident competition, already enjoying a few generations of honing. Without previous experience in anything taller than a sedan, Maserati dives headlong into the deep end—again, not literally. The Levante isn’t as extreme as you probably imagine; that’s a good thing at this point. In a move to transform the exotic-sounding Maserati brand into a worldwide premium carmaker able to take on Porsche and BMW, the new wave of Trident-wearing models can be bought, serviced, and driven just like any other car from any local dealership. 78

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The engine lineup consists of efficient turbocharged V-6s, and Europe even has an option of a 275hp diesel. Maserati’s SUV isn’t the most powerful in the segment; the most potent version for the time being, the Levante S you see here, generates a rather modest-sounding 424 hp. (Porsche, Bentley, and AMG cannot rest on their laurels, as a hotter GT S derivative with a 510hp V-8 is on its way.) The “Maserati of SUVs,” as it is advertised, isn’t priced like a piece of Italian automotive exotica, either. The top spec version costs just $85,050 (although that’s the most relative way “just” has ever

been used). Not far off, some mainstream premium SUVs like a Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription are coming at your driveway for $69,895; although the top of the line XC90 is north of $100k. With Levante, Maserati is pushing into territory of brands it’s never deemed competitors— until now. Maserati is everything that Volvo isn’t. The Italian, no matter if SUV or not, is still the stereotypical performance car from its homeland, theatrically exaggerated and dripping with bravado. Volvo counters this opulence with typically Scandinavian calmness and correctness.

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TECH SPEC

2017 VOLVO XC90 T8 PHEV INSCRIPTION BASE PRICE $69,895 PRICE AS TESTED $73,400 LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, ﬁve-seat, four-door SUV ENGINE 2.0L, 400hp/472-lb-ft, turbo/supercharged DOHC 16-valve I-4, permanent-magnet synchronous AC electric motors TRANSMISSION eight-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,159 lb. WHEELBASE 117.5 in. LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 194.9 x 79.1 x 69.9 in. SUSPENSION dual control arm (f); multi-link (r) BRAKES single-piston caliper, 13.5-in. rotors (f); singlepiston caliper, 12.5-in. rotors (r) WHEELS & TIRES 921 x 9 in.; 275/40 R21 0-60 MPH 5.8 sec. QUARTER-MILE 14.2 sec. @ 97 mph BRAKING 60-0 MPH 115 ft. LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.8 g EC FIGURE-8 26.5 sec. @ 0.69 g (avg.) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB. MPG 24/27/25

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

2017 MASERATI LEVANTE S BASE PRICE

The Maser is powered by a classic (and classically growling) bi-turbo V-6, while the top XC90 powertrain option is an earth-friendly-ish hybrid that you can charge from a socket and drive around town without burning a single droplet of petroleum. Yet, thanks to some inexplicable sorcery (well, OK, it is explicable; it’s a complex mix of a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0L four-pot in the front with an electric motor in the rear and another smaller electric unit between them for good measure), the inconspicuous Volvo generates 400 hp, just 24 hp shy of the look-at-me Maserati. Levante’s spirited V-6 allows it to gain an advantage at the start, reaching 0 to 60 mph in just 5 seconds, 0.8 second ahead of the Volvo, but as the speed rises, XC90’s electric motors silently assist the boosted engine to match the thrust of its Italian competitor. The additional ballast of the hybrid powertrain (5,159- versus 4,982pound curb weight) means that XC90 was slightly worse at braking (115 versus 105 feet for 60-0 mph), but it still boasts admirable dynamics for a car of its size. You’d think the ﬂagship family-friendly Volvo is the bigger car, but in fact it’s the dynamically driven Italian. At 197 inches long and 77.5 inches wide, it makes for a truly grand sight on the road, and yet it’s rather good at pretending to be an athletic granturismo. The distinctive details quote the rich heritage of the Italian brand and divert attention from the slightly ungainly proﬁle. The ornamented grille featuring a giant chrome Trident will surely turn more heads than Volvo’s logo, but still you can’t really call Levante vulgar (unlike some of its German competitors).

$85,050 PRICE AS TESTED $85,050 LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, ﬁve-seat, four-door SUV ENGINE 3.0L, 424hp/428-lb-ft, twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION eight-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 4,979 lb. WHEELBASE 118.3 in. LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 197.0 x 77.5 x 66.1 in. SUSPENSION dual control arms (f); multilink (r) BRAKES six-piston calipers, 15-in. rotors (f); singlepiston 13-in. rotors (r) WHEELS & TIRES 21 x 9 in. (f), 21 x 10.5 in. (r), 265/40R21 (f); 295/35R21 (r) 0-60 MPH 5 sec. QUARTER-MILE 13.8 sec. @ 101 mph BRAKING 60-0 MPH 105 ft. LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.9 g EC FIGURE-8 25.5 sec. @ 0.74 g g (avg.) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB. MPG 14/19/16 mpg

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A sleeker silhouette would rob the cabin of functionality; at 20 cubic feet, Levante’s cargo space is plentiful, yet less so than the 22.5 cubic feet in the XC90’s boot, which can be traded for an additional row of two seats and a still competitive 15.8 cubic feet of space (the batteries don’t take anything from this as they are stowed beneath the second row of seats). Volvo’s boxy body brings more air to the cabin, but which of these two SUVs ﬁlls the interior with more premium feel? XC90 sets the bar high. To give Volvo’s cabins a much-needed revamp, the Swedes nicked the interior designer from Bentley— imagine the Swedes asking a Brit for interior decorating advice! Hiring Robin Page paid off, as the XC90 delivers timeless elegance and solidity known from the luxury British brand, while still preserving a more Scandinavian modern taste. The Levante is, however, a worthy opponent. Even if the brain says it’s an SUV, the frameless doors, dash-mounted analogue watch, and quilted leather seats make the heart see a thoroughbred Italian supercar. Usually at this point of a Maserati review, there would come a bit along the lines of “and it’s for this lovable charisma that you learn to accept Maserati’s quality or ergonomic shortages.” Not this time! Each year, the Italians up the quality game for all of their models, as in the recent introduction of the new infotainment system, which now comes with a sharp 8.4-inch screen and an intuitive menu. While you still occasionally catch an uncomfortable glimpse of a detail coming 82

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from Chrysler or Fiat parts bins, taken as a whole, Levante’s interior is ready to lure some BMW or Benz drivers out of their cars. On mirror-smooth Lake Śniardwy, none of the witty electronic stuff that can push torque around or rotate the car using individual brake application means much, so it’s best to give them a rest on both cars—it’s especially appreciated by the Levante. Free from constraints, the mighty V-6 demands revs, always seducing the driver into the 7,000-rpm redline, even if the speed is still built from the bottom of the rev range like in any turbocharged engine these days. The power is sent to a mechanical differential that can send up to 100 percent of what it receives rearward and up to 50 percent to the front axle, if it must. Thanks to wellhoned fundamentals, the traction-controlfree Levante feels like the natural born athlete of the two. The sight of a huge SUV presenting graceful slow-mo-slides uninterrupted for hundreds of feet in a kind of automotive ice ballet was surely something to be savored by the spontaneously gathered audience comprised of local fishermen. Or not. Still not sure if they waved in appreciation or in anger for scaring off the fish. As it turns out, it was a good decision to put Maserati’s first SUV on the Ghibli/ Quattroporte architecture, and not, as it was initially plotted, the one of Jeep Grand Cherokee. Eventually, Levante can still go further off-road than any of its owners will surely dare to take it, while

now it can also boast the lowest center of mass among all SUVs currently on the market. Porsche enjoyed nearly a decade and a half of waiting for an SUV that would challenge its dynamic qualities; it may finally have one. Surprisingly, the more advanced than an Airbus A380 XC90’s powertrain turns out to be far less efficient on ice than the oldschool Maserati. Although quite competent on asphalt, dirt, and even snow, both of Volvo’s driven axles, which enjoy no physical connection to each other, weren’t programmed with such extraordinary conditions in mind and are virtually helpless here—kind of a letdown, given how many frozen lakes are in Sweden. Of course, you can argue that asking XC90 to do such things is missing its point. You can even accept that the wonky 2.0L engine, no matter how vividly aided by forced induction and electricity, is just no match for Maserati’s glorious V-6. Even with 400 hp, the top-spec XC90 is still a family hauler made to give you moments of peaceful tranquility. And it would be all perfectly good for Volvo, if Levante wasn’t so nearly as competent at such things as well. Yes, it is stiffer and firmer than any other SUV on the market, but as I embarked on the long journey back home after the mission accomplished at the lake, the plush eight-speed ZF auto fluently progressed to the high gears, the exhaust system turned silent, and the body lowered itself by 0.8 inch to drive me in pampering conditions averaging 21 mpg; not far off what I’d get in the hybrid Volvo over the same distance. As the Maserati tradition goes, Levante took its name from a wind. This one turns from a light breeze into a storm. It’s an apt metaphor for this car. Although few put their bets on Maserati, it managed to make a huge impact for the luxury SUV segment.

Words Thomas Geiger/Ian Kuah Photos Zane McNary

“Do I really want to do this?” That is the thought going through my mind as I sit in a

stripped-out VW Beetle in the middle of a dry lake, two men strapping me into the driver seat so tightly that I can hardly breathe. They have even put safety restraints on my hands, limiting their range of movement to the point where I can just about steer the car. In the periphery of my vision, I see one of the men stretching the safety net across the door window, a diabolical grin written across his face. “Do I really want to do this?” In the grand scheme of things, VW’s Beetle is a Golf-based lifestyle car to which owners usually give cuddly nicknames. But while most are virtually strangers to the far side of 100 mph, under this yellow Beetle’s short snout is a 600hp motor proven capable of throwing the curvy VW toward the horizon at more than 200 mph! That mythical horizon in front of me is the vanishing point of the very long and very wide straight that makes up the El Mirage speed course in Southern California.

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

I walked part of the course at daybreak when the spectacular desert light broke as an orange line in the far distance. As that line grew wider, bathing the barren terrain in the kind of mystic light that puts mere humans in awe at the power and glory of Mother Nature, I mused to myself just how far and fast I would have to go before I ran out of real estate and punched a Beetle-shaped hole in a fixed part of California. The Beetle in which I will shortly attempt to chase the aforementioned horizon is as far from a street-legal shopping car as it gets. Officially clocked at 205.122 mph (328.194 km/h) over a flying mile during the USFRA (Utah Salt Flats Racing Association) 2016 World of Speed event at the Bonneville Salt Flats last September, it is the fastest Beetle ever. No surprise then that the LSR in its name stands for Land Speed Record. It is a proper race car squeezed inside the factory body in white, with 600 hp and 443 lb-ft making it quite possibly the most powerful Beetle of all time. Built by Tom Habrzyk and his team at THR Manufacturing Inc. of Camarillo, California, this Beetle is the third car he has built for his company, the first two being a Suzuki Kizashi and a Jetta Hybrid. Prior to that, Tom built and supported numerous car, motorcycle, truck, and streamliner car projects for privateer Bonneville and El Mirage entrants. The base car is a Beetle 2.0 TFSI R line, stripped down and reinforced with a full rollcage and fitted with five-point safety harnesses, an aluminum frame race seat with integral halo-supports, and a fire extinguisher system. As this car is designed to go as fast as possible in a straight line, its setup is different than a track racer. For starters, ride height is much lower than what you would choose for any other type of racing, so a bespoke coilover kit had to be commissioned from KW using a combination of modified Jetta and GTI components. The antiroll bars are standard VW. This super-low ride height also meant the stock suspension arms wouldn’t have the range of adjustment required for the correct geometry. Thus, custom tubular suspension arms able to incorporate the castor and camber settings necessary for stability at more than 200 mph were designed and built for the car. One-off 15x5.5-inch alloy wheels fitted with classic Moon racing caps for better aerodynamics are shod with Goodyear Eagle 24-inch-diameter drag racing rubber rated to 300 mph! Since the straights are so long and the DJ Safety twin parachute system does the heavy lifting on the retardation phase of each speed run, there was no need for high-performance brakes. However, the small 15-inch wheels required a custom 86

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TECH SPEC

VW BEETLE LSR BASE PRICE $20,815 PRICE AS TESTED more than a Golf R, less than a jetpack LAYOUT front-engine, FWD, one-seat, two-door coupe ENGINE 2.0L, 600hp/443-lb-ft, twin-turbo/DOHC 16-valve I-4 MODIFICATIONS custom intake, Garret GT25 and GT35turbo, plenum, Custom ground Schneider Racing cams, Stainless valves, Mahle pistons, Integrated Engineering Rods, custom header, straight pipe from turbos back TRANSMISSION six-speed sequential manual SUSPENSION MacPherson strut (f); multi-link (r) MODIFICATIONS one-off KW coilovers BRAKES two-piston Wilwood calipers, 10.7-in. rotors (f); single-piston calipers, 10.7-in. rotors (r) MODIFICATIONS deleted ABS WHEELS & TIRES Custom 15x5.5 (f/r); Goodyear Frontrunner 24x5x15-inch 0-60 MPH 4.0 sec. LATERAL ACCELERATION hopefully never g

setup in front that uses factory rear discs clamped by compact two-piston Wilwood calipers, while the rear brakes are stock. The brakes are only used below 80 mph with light application to avoid lockup since the ABS is disabled. Aerodynamically, the low ride height is a good start, but as top speed is the goal, the car has a USFRA class spec front air dam and roof rails that are a ﬁrst line of defense and safety requirement in case

the car gets sideways at speed. The side and rear glass is replaced with shatterresistant plastic. Extracting a reliable 600 hp (around 550 hp at the wheels) from the factory 2.0 TFSI engine that makes 200 hp and 207 lb-ft out of the box required some serious re-engineering. That said, the stock EA888 four-cylinder is a robust unit, so the block, crankshaft, and head are used, albeit modiﬁed where required.

"One-off 15x5.5-inch alloy wheels ďŹ tted with classic Moon racing caps for better aerodynamics are shod with Goodyear Eagle 24-inch-diameter drag racing rubber rated to 300 mph!" 87

The high-performance upgrades start with a set of Mahle racing pistons married to the fully balanced crankshaft by a set of Integrated Engineering forged steel connecting rods. The cylinder head was ported and polished by THR Manufacturing and ﬁtted with bespoke stainless steel intake valves, Inconel exhaust valves, and uprated valvesprings, with timing overseen by a pair of high-lift camshafts specially ground to spec by Schneider Racing Cams. The engine is fuelled via a custom-built port injection intake manifold, and the twin-turbocharger system mandated by the rules of the class this Beetle runs in. This uses Garrett GT25 and GT35 turbochargers in a parallel arrangement that relies on critically positioned merger tubes to work properly. “The layout is 88

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dictated by BGC class rules for SCTA that stipulate that a factory turbocharged car must have an extra turbocharger installed or be converted to use a mechanically driven supercharger,” Tom explained. “We chose to stick to turbocharging simply because it yields more power per PSI of boost applied.” The big twin-row water-to-air intercooler is also a custom-built design and facilitates the use of ice water as an additional charge air temperature reduction medium. “The ‘ice bucket’ has proven hugely effective in practice,” Tom explained. “During the 205-mph Bonneville record run in 97-degree ambient temperatures, the system created intake temperatures of around 40 degrees despite the 2.8 bar of turbo boost.” The exhaust system uses dual 3.0-inch

diameter tubing with a crossover pipe running all the way to the rear. Both test and actual speed runs were done using racing fuel, with the redline set at 8,000 rpm. The gearing is such that 205 mph equates to about 7,100 rpm since the varying traction on the salt surface causes fluctuations of around 100 rpm or more. Most people think wheelspin at 40 mph is exciting. Fuelling, spark, and boost are looked after by a Performance Electronics ECU, precisely mapped on an engine dyno. “We did all the wiring ourselves,” Tom said. “We also beefed up the factory six-speed manual gearbox and fitted a sequential shift mechanism and a Wavetrac differential to minimize wheelspin on the loose surface.” The big moment approaches and I start the turbocharged 2.0L engine. In one second, I go from being able to hold court with coherent thought to the feeling that I am in the bucket of a cement mixer. The vibration from the solidly mounted engine shakes the Beetle and its driver to the core, my auditory senses overwhelmed by the raw, unfiltered roar of the machinery up front, which appears to have found its perfect resonance frequency in the Beetle’s spartan cabin. That, believe it or not, isn’t the only component that must surely qualify as cruel and unusual torture. After a minute sitting at idle, cabin temperature has risen to the point where I want to dive into the ice bucket that replaces the passenger seat on my right. Sadly, the ice in that bucket is dedicated to making more power and not my comfort.

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As I look around the cabin, the two levers hanging down from the roof gain increasingly magical appeal. These levers release the parachutes attached to the rear of the Beetle and should, in theory, bring salvation in place of my anticipated long scream! The marshal beckons me forward, putting an end to my trepidation. The only way out now is to floor the throttle and go hell for leather for three dusty miles. The crew pushes the car to the starting line, the door opens, and one of the guys yanks at my harness yet again until I feel the very last bit of air squeezed from my lungs. I flip down my helmet visor and wait for the wave that will send me off on my uncertain journey. From here on out, everything happens in a rehearsed and practiced sequence. I push on the heavy race clutch and select first gear. As I let the clutch bite, I feel like I am in a pinball machine, the 443 lb-ft of turbocharged torque ripping the narrow tires across the sand, leaving dark, scraggly lines on the loose surface as the Beetle launches. Inside the cabin, all hell breaks loose. The vibration has been joined by a rising opus of induction, combustion, and exhaust noises, but I hardly notice this as 90

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

I am too busy fighting the steering wheel just to keep this bubble-shaped missile going in a straight line. The car has started bouncing, as what was just a solid and flat track has suddenly become bumpy. Only at the very last moment do I see the flickering red lights that tell me 8,000 rpm has arrived and I am about to run out of first gear. Clack, second gear, roar, clack, roar, third gear! The whole car is bucking and bellowing, and a quick glance in the mirror tells me a big cloud of dust is rising behind the Beetle as I hang on to the steering wheel like grim death. Never before has 4.0 seconds from 0 to 60 mph felt as dramatic as this, and we have barely covered the first few hundred feet! As the numbers on the digital speedo go ballistic, the car becomes a virtual vacuum cleaner on steroids, sucking up the loose surface and creating a growing dust cloud that blocks more and more of my view aft. If not for the fact that my direction of travel is horizontal rather than vertical, I feel like I am hitched to a Saturn V at Cape Canaveral. Scant seconds later, the digital speedo shows 200-something mph, and I yank the parachute deployment levers for all

I am worth. I remember to come off the throttle progressively to avoid locking the wheels at big speeds, and forward velocity drops off like we have hit a brick wall. Simultaneously, the harness straps bite into my tortured shoulders, while my eyeballs seem determined to continue their lunge toward the horizon without me! I use the brakes to bring the car to a dead stop and kill the ignition to silence the banging of pots in the mad cook’s kitchen. Suddenly, I am sitting in an oasis of calm again. My ears are ringing, but my senses are heightened to the point where I imagine I can see and hear every displaced grain of sand slowly returning to earth around me in slow motion. As my addled brain ﬁnally catches up with reality, I gratefully come to terms with the fact that my short but wild ride is done, and I have actually exceeded 200 mph—in a Beetle! Later, the crew tells me it was all over in just about a minute, but with the endless horizon giving me no reference point whatsoever, the fact is that I did not even see the ﬁnishing line. While this might seem like an anti-climax, one thing is for sure: 600 hp in a VW Beetle is anything but boring. Herbie would be proud!

The 2013 MK7 GTI Concept debuted at the Paris Auto Show in September 2012 and

A VW GTI BUILT BY A TUNING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL

Words Ezekiel Wheeler Photos Lisa Linke

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

was an instantaneous hit. From its new, crisper styling to the prospect of bringing a diverse portfolio of applications on the new MQB platform, it was exactly what VW customers had been waiting for. The only hitch: Americans had to wait until 2015 to get their hands on one. Luckily for Brandon Scarpelli, he had an advantage over his fellow Americans and was living in Rome when the MK7 GTI hit European showrooms. It wouldn’t be long until he placed an order for his, sight unseen, to meet him in America upon returning Stateside. Of course, that took a little more than a year, but he made it and the car was his. He was even rewarded with a GoPro camera for ordering one of the ﬁrst 500 cars in America—remember the Tanner Foust campaign?

Brandon’s day job is a PR rep for some of the most iconic brands in the aftermarket industry, so he is well versed in the ins and outs of car modifying. A new daughter also meant he had to take his personal responsibilities into consideration since this was going to be his daily driver after all. Brandon isn’t a normal tuner, if such a thing exists. He’s obsessed with tracking performance and seeing what combinations really work. The only difference here is he’d have to factor in a car seat and gear that comes with having a baby. You know, a stroller, a diaper bag, toys, and all the other accouterments society deems necessary to keep a new human being happy and well adjusted these days. He began tracking his mods through a spreadsheet. Every new acquisition was logged, along with the date of installation and the car’s mileage at that time. This is wonderful for journalists like myself to see the history of the car but also understand what combinations worked best for the driver’s needs during a specific time of the car’s history. If only every modded car came with such a well-documented mod list. But I digress... When it comes to tuning a car, balance is often overlooked in favor of an obscene power figure or silly fenders and wheels that cost more than the car’s overall fiveyear depreciation figure. For Brandon, balance was paramount. Too much power and the efficiency of the car might be ruined. Too rigid and he’d be spending more time at the doctors explaining why his toddler was experiencing discomfort in her neck. Too loud and, well... you get the idea.

What he ended up with is a calculated machine that was edged ever closer to his ideal performance goals a step at a time. He wanted it fast enough to be challenging at a track day and comfortable enough that the family wouldn’t hate him for modifying his car. Lowering a car is often the first step many individuals take when it comes to tuning their cars. It’s a right of passage for many of us as it announces to the world, “I’m doing something far more interesting to my car than most of you ever will in your entire lives.” OK, maybe that’s overdramatic—but you get the point. Brandon decided the first toe into the water would be a modest drop spring kit from Megan Racing. After all, the car was brand spanking new at the time and development cars were in high demand. Next, he would opt for an APR Stage 1 ECU software update and a Neuspeed Torque-Arm Engine Mount insert to keep the beefedup power in check and transferred to the tarmac. A drop-in K&N filter helped the car breathe a little better and some 18x8.5” Enkei Raijin with Pirelli PZero tires were fitted to add a bit more attitude. When a set of Megan coilovers arrived shortly after his entry-level mods, it was “downhill” from there. The car needed to be a bit more responsive, and the handling had to improve. It couldn’t just look good. He upgraded to an AEM cold-air intake TECH SPEC

2015 VOLKSWAGEN GTI LAYOUT front-engine, FWD, five-seat, four-door Hatchback ENGINE 2.0L, turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I4 MODIFICATIONS APR carbon-fiber intake and Stage 2 software, Borla exhaust TRANSMISSION six-speed dual clutch MODIFICATIONS APR DSG software, Neuspeed torque-arm engine mount insert SUSPENSION MacPherson strut (f); multi-link (r) MODIFICATIONS ST XTA coilovers and antiroll bars, Eurocode ARB endlinks BRAKES single-piston calipers, 12.3-in. rotors (f); single-piston calipers, 10.7-in. rotors (r) MODIFICATIONS EBC Red Stuff, Goodridge stainless lines, Motul RBF600 fluid WHEELS & TIRES Enkei Raijin 18x8.5 (f/r); Pirelli PZero 235/40 (f/r)

EUROPEANCARWEB.COM • 06/2017

along with a P3 vent gauge to monitor the essential vitals of the car. This would come in handy since he bumped the power even more with an APR Stage 2 ECU upgrade, accompanied by the muchneeded DSG transmission performance upgrade. Ask any DSG performance driver and they’ll say this is best thing you can do for your car to get some of the compromises out of the transmission calibration. A Borla exhaust helped the car sing a new song, and what good is a light-duty track car without beefy ST front and rear sway bars, improved Eurocode endlinks,

and a set of newly released ST XTA coilovers? Yes, big brake kits look and act the part, but negotiating with your better half about spending six months of your daughter’s nanny budget on a set of “larger brakes” doesn’t win a dinner table argument. Instead, maximizing the potential of the well-engineered and stress-tested factory brake configuration is the economic way to go. Simply adding EBC Red Stuff pads, a set of Goodridge stainless lines, and proper performance brake fluid, in this case Motul RBF600 fluid, kept everyone happy.

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"It isn’t overdone like so many of the 'parts hanger cars' that are clearly a result of some owner’s multiple episodes of impulse buying with no real plan of attack."

BIG, BROWN BLUNDER

Brandon and his well-built GTI were scheduled to compete in our 2.0T Grand Prix. Sadly, he was one of two competitors whose hopes were dashed because UPS “lost” their tires. That is correct; two competitors only received two tires each from the big, brown truck. At ﬁrst, we thought it was strange that two tires, taped together, could get lost. Once we heard that two sets of two tires had disappeared, it suddenly made a lot more sense. So if you know anyone who was running a set of Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires, before they were even on the market, please let us know. We’d love to meet that person.

On the road, you can feel the fair and balanced approach Brandon took in tuning his car. It’s exactly what an occasional track day enthusiast would want. Grip, acceleration, braking bite, precision turn-in, they’re all here. The exhaust note is a bit louder than some would like for a daily driver, but under normal cruising speeds, it’s tame and won’t drown out a conversation. Brandon’s car is one of our favorite examples of a well-tuned GTI. It isn’t overdone like so many of the “parts hanger cars” that are clearly a result of some owner’s multiple episodes of impulse buying with no real plan of attack. This GTI started with a goal and a plan was developed to get there. He wanted to improve the performance of his GTI for the track without sacriﬁcing anything that makes it such a great daily driver. Brandon’s car is clean, simple, and most importantly, exactly what he was after. 97