2015 PORSCHE BOXSTER SPYDER REVIEW

You’ll probably remember the previous Porsche Boxster Spyder. It was the particularly pretty one with an ugly, fiddly canvas roof that had to be raised and lowered by hand, the removal of its operating mechanism being part of a comprehensive weight loss programme that shaved around 80kg from the cooking model. It received a new engine, too, in the shape of the 3.4-litre flat six from the Cayman S, so it revved a little more enthusiastically than the standard unit. Problem was, it was only slightly more powerful than the cheaper Boxster S, and as Porsche had gone to the trouble of stiffening the chassis, the car still felt like it might make good use of yet more power. Five years later and the manufacturer has endeavoured not to repeat the same mistakes with this new version. Firstly, while there’s still a manual fabric roof to open and close, the hood is simpler and semi-automatic in its fastening - saving you from all the fuss of unfurling it like a newbie Caterham owner. Secondly, and most notably, Porsche has decided to drop the larger capacity 3.8-litre flat six from the current 911 Carrera S into the Spyer’s belly, a transplant already perfected in the Cayman GT4. At 370bhp, it’s 45bhp more powerful than a 3.4-litre Boxster GTS and only 10bhp shy of the GT4. It’s the most powerful Boxster yet, and will be for the foreseeable future (a racier version was discussed but the idea was dropped). Almost as importantly, it shares the GT4’s proper six-speed manual gearbox and gets the same front and rear end. What it doesn’t have are all the trick underbody elements that made that car a product of Porsche’s GT motorsport division. Instead, much as before, the Spyder is lowered by 20mm on the same firmed-up passive sports suspension that’s already available as an option on the GTS - only a tweaked rear anti-roll bar differentiates the two. Elsewhere, it gets the bigger brakes that were previously the preserve of the 911, and has a faster steering ratio to go with its marginally smaller steering wheel. What's it like?: By default, the inside is as spartan as the outside is fabulously pretty. At 1315kg, the Spyder is not only lighter than a GTS but it’s also marginally skinnier than a GT4. Some of this weight loss is clearly accounted for by the stripped-back roof and the requirement for you to do the heavy lifting, folding and lid slamming yourself (a doddle - but a two minute, walk-around one). Some of it, though, is in the doctoring or deletion of kit. When it comes to the marvelous slimline bucket seats and fabric door pulls, that’s a good thing, but when it means the removal of the infotainment and the air conditioning, it's less so. Returning them is a no-cost option (mercifully) although it does come with the guilt-laden acceptance of a 15kg weight penalty. Nevertheless, doing so is recommended, especially as, initially, the Spyder makes little discernible virtue of its abstinence. Lighter on the scales it may well be, but as it requires more heft at the smaller wheel, a leg-press thrust to operate the clutch and dogged determination to engage a gear, it’s clear that Porsche’s idea of unfiltered driving pleasure doesn’t necessarily translate into an immediate ease of use. Unexpectedly, this extends to the acceleration. Torquier the new motor may very well be - to the healthy tune of 45lb ft over the GTS - but the nature of the flat-six is unchanged, which means you won’t see the 310lb ft peak until nearly 5000rpm is showing on the tachometer. In and around town, and even on the tight Tuscan switchbacks of our test route, a shortage of space and the gearbox’s longish ratios mean you’ll be lucky to encounter the engine’s tastier sweet spot. Consequently, just as the Spyder’s salacious body wants for a backdrop of unbroken blue, so its underside hankers for the sweep and surge of wide open spaces. Here, starting on the autoroute, the 3.8 begins to roll out its charm. The standard Boxster knee-jerk shift into fifth for outside lane overtaking is all but redundant, the sixth cog now producing a steady stream of energy on request. It gets better. Pitched onto the Italian equivalent of a B-road, the Spyder bites down like no Boxster before it. Here the steering reveals its additional meatiness to not be meatiness at all, but rather a honed and carefully hewn rack that allows bends to be skewered with tiny, ego-flattering wrist movements. The ride, inevitably a little pinched around town, settles where it is permitted into a wonderfully controlled ebb and flow, seamlessly connected to the road, yet resistant to anything that might unsettle its stellar body control. Then there’s the power. Yes, it makes the Spyder fast. Fast in that cheek-puffing way that no Boxster has ever managed. Fast in hugely loud, high-rev moreish doses. Fast enough, in fact, to make the mere seven-second difference between the open-top’s Nordschleife time and the Cayman GT4’s seem entirely reasonable. But the real boon is the enriching effect it has on the Boxster's chassis, where a suddenly biddable and gung-ho back-end is helped no end by it wearing 265-section tyres in place of the GT4’s 295s. Should I buy one?: That this is the best Boxster you can buy is hardly in question; whether it’s the best Boxster for you may be the more pertinent one. The Spyder is harder to live with than the GTS, thirstier and, of course, more expensive. The GTS can be had with PASM adaptive dampers, is nearly as fast in everyday driving, and doesn’t require you to get out to put the roof back on. It is unarguably a more usable car. But the meaner, leaner, faster and much, much prettier Spyder is worth the strife in our book. A Cayman GT4 without a roof? Not quite. Although being as close as it gets is more than good enough. Porsche Boxster Spyder Location Tuscany; On sale Now; Price From £60,459; Engine 6 cyls horizontally opposed, 3800cc, petrol; Power 375bhp at 6700rpm;Torque 310lb ft at 4750-6000rpm; Kerb weight 1315kg; Gearbox 6-spd manual; 0-62mph 4.5sec; Top speed 180mph; Economy 28.5mpg (combined); CO2/tax band 230g/km, 37%

2015 MAZDA BT-50 FREESTYLE CAB REVIEW

The relationship between Mazda and Ford utilities dates back to 1972 when the Mazda B1500 and Ford Courier began sharing nameplates. Since then, the designs, drivetrains and engine offerings of both company’s respective later iterations have remained fairly similar. At least, that was until 2011 when the second-generation Mazda BT-50was introduced with differences that pushed the twins further apart. Designed in Japan, the Mazda BT-50 was engineered alongside the locally designed and engineered Ford Ranger. Australia’s engineering input has helped progress the BT-50 from a commercial-oriented work vehicle to a road-oriented commercial vehicle, meaning that ride and handling has improved significantly over its predecessor. While the exterior design may not have won many fans, the BT-50’s high ride height, flared arches and ‘Mazda‘ badge has been enough to secure an 8.75 per cent market share across both 4×4 and 4×2 variants, which is ahead of the class-leading Volkswagen Amarok. Mazda has recognised that the design may not be as appealing as it could be in this segment and is currently working on a major styling revision (both internal and external), which is due to hit the market mid-2015. For now though, BT-50 pricing starts from $25,570 for the entry-level four-cylinder turbo-diesel two-door cab-chassis 4×2 XT and runs all the way up to $53,140 for the five-cylinder turbo-diesel dual-cab 4×4 GT. After stepping up from terra firma into the driver’s seat, the design influence from Mazda’s passenger car range begins to show. A simple interface with a minimum of buttons and clutter allows the driver to focus on driving, while still having critical controls and features within arm’s reach. The entertainment system is great with a six-speaker sound system, USB and iPod connectivity along with Bluetooth audio streaming as standard in dual-cab variants. The only downside to the entertainment system, and vehicles fitted with satellite navigation, is the tiny five-inch LCD screen that sits at the top of the dashboard. It’s sometimes hard to read and lacks the size and definition of those used in competitors such as the Toyota HiLux,Mitsubishi Triton and Volkswagen Amarok. There is plenty of room inside the cabin for heavyset tradesman (no offence intended lads), but they could find rear legroom and ingress/egress a little tricky at times due to the small doors and narrow swing. Getting in and out is also reminiscent of the now discontinued RX-8 thanks to its use of ‘suicide doors’ on both sides of the cab. The high riding position presents an excellent field of view out the front and sides, while the driving position is more reminiscent of a passenger car than a commercial vehicle. A nimble steering wheel and comfortable driver’s seat offers the impression of driving a vehicle much smaller than the BT-50. One of the first things you notice when setting off in the BT-50 is the responsive steering unlike some of the other vehicles in this segment, which are devoid of steering feel. This excellent steering feel becomes even more evident during city driving and while performing tight turns. Equally, the ride and handling is exceptional and above average amongst its competitors. A finely tuned rigid rear axle with leaf springs complements independent front suspension. Normally this setup lends to a bumpy ride with no load, but it’s not really the case in the BT-50. The BT-50’s tray dimensions and versatility rank highly among its competitors. Featuring six tie-down hooks (as opposed to the four hooks available across the competition, with exception of six in the Ranger), the tray offers easy access and comes with a high sill line for cargo storage. The payload capacity of the BT-50 is the highest of its competitors too, boasting 1350kg in freestyle-cab guise, compared with 1088kg of its dual-cab equivalent. That also puts it 148kg ahead of the HiLux and Triton. When it comes to towing capacity, the Mazda BT-50 is equal class leader at 3500kg braked. That means that you can tow a 3500kg trailer or caravan as long as it features its own synchronised braking system. Under the bonnet, Mazda’s 3.2-litre five-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine is mated either to a six-speed manual or slick-shifting six-speed automatic. Producing 147kW of power and 470Nm of torque, the engine offers the perfect compromise between fuel efficiency and torque delivery.Fuel consumption is excellent with a combined average of 8.4L/100km when teamed with the manual and 8.9L/100km for the auto. These figures are among the best in class and commendable considering the high torque output of the engine. Servicing costs over a three-year period are covered under Mazda’s capped-price servicing program. Over three years, the 4×4 3.2-litre BT-50 variants cost $1983 or an average of $495.75 per service. This price is in the vicinity of the competition, but costs almost double that of the Toyota HiLux. On the face of it, the Mazda BT-50 may not be the manliest ute of the lot, but it certainly presents excellent value for money from a quality perspective. If you have your heart set on a Mazda, but can’t stomach the design, it might be worth waiting until mid-2015 for the arrival of the facelifted version.

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI MK7 REVIEW

No matter how ubiquitous the letters ‘GTI’ become, they are synonymous for much of the population with only one car: theVolkswagen Golf GTI. This has less to do with their original placement and more to do with serious, unbroken longevity. There has been a Volkswagen Golf GTI on sale for as long as any of the current Autocar road test team has been alive. Although other manufacturers have been dabbling in hot hatches for close to four decades, none comes close to imprinting a single model identity on the segment in the way that VW has done. Steve Sutcliffe Editor-at-large The optional Performance pack is well worth having But while it may stand alone as a recognisable icon of the class that it pioneered, the Golf GTI has been acknowledged as its leader only sporadically. Instead, VW has sought to stretch its ‘hot’ brief as thinly as possible so that it might be pulled down over a car of incredibly broad appeal. There are few model introductions as notable as the Golf GTI’s debut at the 1975 Frankfurt motor show. In the UK, the car struck a chord, and what started as a trickle of left-hand-drive Mk1 cars in 1977 turned into a torrent by 1989, when the all-conquering Mk2 sold a remarkable 16,000 GTIs in one year. The Mk3 and Mk4 were a comparative disappointment, but the Mk5 and copycat Mk6 marked a welcome return to better form, especially in runout Edition 30 and 35 formats. In a bid to drag this new performance-orientated Golf towards the eyeline of those of us fixated on the Renault Mégane 265 and Ford Focus ST, VW has also opted – for the first time – to sell a 'Performance pack' version of the standard GTI. So is the new Volkswagen Golf GTI worthy of the top billing once again? Let's find out.

HYUNDAI GENISIS REVIEW

This is the Hyundai Genesis; a statement that on its own begs yet more questions, like a 'what now?’ and ‘why would I?’ So, let’s take a step back to frame the Genesis. Assume for a moment you’ve got the best part of 50 grand in your pocket (or, more likely, £600 a month), and that you’re looking for an executive car. Matt Prior Road test editor The Hyundai Genesis is coming to the UK in rear-drive format You have the choice of the traditional executive players:Mercedes-Benz, Audi,Jaguar, BMW, Lexus or Volvo, or perhaps Land Rover or Porsche if you fancy an SUV. You might be odd enough to think about an Infiniti, or heck, for less than £50,000 these days you could even buy a Maserati. But just for a moment, let’s pretend too that you don’t care about carbon dioxide emissions, so a powerful diesel or a small turbo petrol engine are not necessarily for you. Nope, owning a saloon with a CO2 figure that’s north of a Ferrari California's is just dandy. You could have a Hyundai Genesis. ‘Tough sell’ doesn’t even begin to cover it, does it? Hyunda's executive car is now in its second generation. It’ll reach the UK with a steering wheel on the correct side in April this year, priced from £47,995. Hyundai won’t say how many it expects to sell. This always means the same thing: not very many. If you want one of these 4990mm long, 3.8-litre petrol engined cars in the UK, you will have to visit one of seven specially selected dealers. (If you end up routinely driving a Genesis, we suspect there’s a very good chance you’ll work at one of them.} Geneses are being specifically tweaked for the UK market, which must rank as a fairly extraordinary outlay given the potential return. Hyundai might not be serious about selling vast quantities of the Genesis in Europe, then, but it is utterly serious about what this car stands for. It’s meant to get you used to the idea that a Hyundai can have high levels of interior craftsmanship, so that you don’t have to stifle a giggle when you first spot there’s wood, aluminium and leather on display. You’re meant to be similarly unsurprised, too, if your forthcoming Hyundai small family car borrows features from the Genesis, like lane-departure warning, a cabin CO2 monitor that detects when you’re tired (high carbon dioxide levels can make drivers feel sleepy), a system that warns of oncoming traffic when you’re reversing from a parking space, city braking, a head-up display, and so on. That, today, the showcase for these things is a five-metre saloon with a near four-litre V6 attached is by the by. There’s more, too, though, and this bit is important: the Genesis is meant to tell you – and everyone within Hyundai – that chassis dynamics matter. The Genesis, like the Santa Fe and Veloster, is designed (the company freely admits) for the Far East and the US markets first, and then ‘adapted’ for Europe. Sometimes, dynamically, Hyundai doesn’t adapt its cars well enough for Europe, it admits. Not this time, it says. The Genesis has one suspension set-up for its traditional markets; then there is another for mainland Europe; and a third for the UK. Lotus has completed much of the legwork for the Euro and UK spec cars, which is encouraging. Unfortunately, the car you see here isn’t a UK tune, and nor is it the rear-drive variant that is the only one that’ll reach the UK. Packaging the steering wheel for the right means no 4wd system that’s standard through the rest of Europe, and is what you see here, but no matter. For the most part, it’ll tell us what we need to know. It tells us that this is an interior better than Hyundai has ever before produced. Fit and finish is very good. The rooflining, particularly, is pleasingly soft. Materials are of a higher grade than you’ll find elsewhere in the European Hyundai range, but is it worthy of the sticker price? Different question, and I’d say not quite. The action of switches is fine: but the look and feel of the plastics isn’t quite up there. The starter button’s nice, though, and if you thumb it this is a quiet motor at idle, becoming pleasingly audible with the gas pedal applied. The Genesis gets 3.0, 3.3 and 5.0-litre donkeys elsewhere in the world, all petrols, but this 3.8 was deemed best for introducing to Europe; simply because, I suspect, it’s the nicest of the four. There’s certainly no business case for a diesel. It drives through an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which engages smoothly, but on part throttle it hesitates between upshifts a touch. I liked that – you can hear, but don’t really feel, the engine changing up. It adds a bit of zest. Otherwise, zest is hard to come by. The ride’s smooth – there’s multi-link suspension front and rear, coil springs, and adaptive dampers with two modes of stiffness. Neither is firm. The steering’s light at low speed, and weights up artificially at higher speeds, and although at 2.5 turns lock-to-lock it’s brisk enough, it’s not particularly rewarding. Not enough, anyway, for a company that benchmarked the BMW 5-Series for dynamics (the A6 for its interior and elements of the E-class, too). That said, it’s relaxing. I came away feeling that the Genesis is a bit like a Citroën C6, only more composed, less interesting, and more expensive. Should you buy one, though? Lord no. What a world: where a Hyundai costs as much as a Maserati. The wood and size and shape and addition of technologies on smaller Hyundais I could get used to pretty quickly. The numbers might take me a while yet. Hyundai Genesis 
Price £47,000 (est); 0-62mph 6.5sec; Top speed 149mph;Economy 25.2mpg; CO2 261g/km; Kerb weight 1890kg; Engine V6, 3778cc, petrol; Installation front, longitudinal, RWD; Power 311bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 293lb ft at 5000rpm; Gearbox 8-speed automatic

HYUNDAI I30 HOT HATCH TO KICK-START N PERFORMANCE DIVISION

A high-performance version of the Hyundai i30 has been spotted testing at the Nürburgring, all but confirming that the hatchback will be used to kick-start the Korean manufacturer’s new N performance division. Our spy photographer captured the hot i30 undergoing dynamic tests around the German test track. The early prototype in those photos has lower suspension than that fitted to standard versions of the i30. Through the windscreen it is possible to see additional round instruments on the top of the dashboard. These could be to display the boost pressure of the turbocharged engine. Last week Hyundai’s World Rally Championship boss, Michel Nandan, told Autocar that the i30 will spearhead the introduction of N division, which is intended to create a greater emotional link around Hyundai’s road cars. The hot i30 is expected to go head to head with the likes of theVolkswagen Golf R when it is launched in about two years’ time. Nandan did not elaborate on the expected performance of the car, beyond saying that N-badged cars will have a “high-performance engine” as well as “more sporty suspension”. The engine specification is still under discussion, according to Nandan, who confirmed only that it would be turbocharged using WRC-derived technology. However, it is understood that the next-generation i30 is being developed on an all-new platform specifically engineered with the high-performance version in mind and that Hyundai wants to use the N brand to fight for sales at the extreme end of the hot hatch market. That would mean competing directly with the 296bhp Golf R and the forthcoming 345bhp Ford Focus RS. It is expected that a hardcore version of the i20 will then follow as Hyundai seeks to capitalise on the N brand as a means of adding desirability to its wider road car range. Although he wouldn’t be drawn on specifics about N, Hyundai’s new European boss, Thomas A Schmid, said the firm knew it had to be able to compete with the very best hot hatches before launching the N brand. “Whatever we do has to be credible in the marketplace straight away, because the brand needs to build credibility,” Schmid said. Hyundai’s current WRC car is an N-badged derivative of the i20 hatchback, but that will switch to an i20 coupé from next season. Nandan said the motorsport branch of Hyundai has worked with the road-focused N brand to develop the new cars. “We are quite well connected because we exchange information and data,” he said. “From our [WRC] side, we get help with calculations, and engineers from R&D look at what we are doing and which way we do it. It’s more technical co-operation. “It’s not that you can transfer things from a rally car to a road car. It’s impossible. They’re completely different and it’s not the same purpose. But in terms of technology, yes. For some materials and technologies, this can be done.” Hyundai hired Albert Biermann, former chief engineer of BMW’s M division, at the end of last year, with the specific brief of developing cars for the N brand.

2015 HONDA HR-V 1.5 I-VTEC CVT REVIEW

What is it?: The Honda HR-V is the car with which the Japanese manufacturer wants to take advantage of Europe's lucrative crossover market. While the HR-V's exterior dimensions place it in roughly the same league as the Nissan Juke and Skoda Yeti, Honda has made it clear that it intends to steal customers from the segment above, and namely from the likes of the Nissan Qashqai andRenault Kadjar. On paper at least, the HR-V makes a good case. Take for example its boot capacity, which soundly trumps that of the Qashqai in terms of seats-up space, with 470 litres versus the Nissan’s 430 litres. The Renault Kadjar only slightly beats the HR-V here, offering 472 litres of storage space with its rear seats in place. The HR-V will arrive in the UK this September powered by two engines - a 128bhp 1.5-litre i-VTEC petrol and a 118bhp 1.6-litre i-DTEC diesel, both of which are available with a six-speed manual transmission. It's the petrol-powered HR-V we're driving here, but in combination with the optional CVT. Though an eye-grabbing design is often hard to pull off in this segment, Honda has managed to create a muscular pseudo-SUV face for the HR-V. It's a design that has already shown great promise in other parts of the world, such as the US and Japan, where this new model has been on sale for more than a year. What's it like?: In 1.5-litre petrol form the new HR-V can't help but feel underpowered, especially when coupled to the CVT. If you must opt for a petrol model, we'd strongly recommend going for a manual transmission, because the CVT simply doesn't feel suited to a car of this size. It's quiet enough at cruising speed, but trying to gain pace to join a motorway, for example, results in a harsh, unrelenting drone from the engine. The mere 98lb ft of torque on offer doesn't help with quick getaways from a standing start, either, meaning that the strained engine note will become a regular occurrence, even around town. Honda expects this 128bhp petrol engine to account for 45% of HR-V sales in the UK, but the majority if buyers will enjoy a better overall experience if they stick with the standard six-speed manual transmission. Engine noise aside, the HR-V's cabin is relatively quiet at speed, with very little wind or road noise making it into the cabin. There's also a lot to be said for the way Honda has approached the HR-V's interior. It feels premium in most of the right places, with only a few out-of-reach surfaces still covered in hard plastics. Its 7.0in touchscreen infotainment system is incorporated well into the centre console, and with the control surfaces angled towards the driver, it has a cockpit-like feeling inside. The HR-V's seats are comfortable and supportive for long journeys, but while the car's second row of seats will be fine for short journeys, taller adults will find that head room becomes an issue over time. The driving position is also well-judged, sitting roughly halfway between the upright style of most crossovers and the lower-set position of a traditional hatchback. Honda's clever and flexible Magic Seats system works as well as ever, allowing the HR-V to accommodate a wide variety of loads with ease. Its relatively low boot lip also means loading objects is easy. Over long distances, the HR-V's ride remains comfortable and its handling direct with little body roll through corners. Take control from the CVT and use the steering wheel-mounted paddles to change gear instead and the HR-V can even be fun to drive on back roads. The steering is well-weighted, too, although devoid of feel. Should I buy one?: You should definitely consider one, that's for sure. The HR-V is well-equipped, comfortable and practical, and while it won't have the Nissan Qashqai worrying about its crossover crown just yet, it does show plenty of potential in what is already a crowded market. In styling terms alone, Honda has done enough to separate itself from the chasing pack. We've yet to try the 1.5-litre petrol with a six-speed manual transmission, and the CVT, which is likely to be a niche choice for UK buyers, is hard to recommend. Opting for a diesel-powered HR-V will net you better fuel economy, lower CO2 emissions, better low-end torque and, ultimately, a richer driving experience. Honda HR-V 1.5 i-VTEC SE Navi CVT On sale September; Location Lisbon, Portugal; Price £21,325; Engine 4 cyls, 1498cc, petrol;Power 128bhp at 6600rpm; Torque 98lb ft at 4600rpm; Gearbox CVT; Kerb weight 1322kg; Top speed 117mph; 0-62mph 10.8secs; Economy 52.3mpg (combined);CO2/tax band 125g/km, 20%

2017 HONDA CR-V TO GROW IN SIZE

http://www.princessanli.com/ The next-generation Honda CR-V will be a larger and more premium product than the current car when it arrives in 2017, Honda’s head of cars in the UK Leon Brannan has confirmed. Speaking to Autocar at the launch of the 2015 Honda HR-V in Lisbon, Brannan said the car would become larger in order to make room for the new HR-V in Honda’s product range. Brannan also hinted that the new CR-V would offer seven seats as standard and four-wheel drive, in a bid to rival more premium products such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Volvo XC60. “CR-V is a massive pillar for us,” Brannan said. “I’m not sure that HR-V in the UK will ever become a four-wheel drive car, most people in this segment will vote with their feet and buy two-wheel drive. So if we can assume that HR-V will ever only be two-wheel drive, then you’ve got to proposition [with CR-V]. “Can we compete with Land Rover as a brand? That’s less about CR-V and more about Honda as a brand. Now we have the growing vehicle line-up you’ll see more communications about Honda.” The interior of the new CR-V is expected to borrow heavily from the HR-V, including that car’s touchscreen infotainment system and dashboard layout. Engines could mirror those found in the HR-V, including the 118bhp 1.6-litre diesel and 128bhp 1.5-litre petrol. The next Honda CR-V is expected to be built in Canada before being imported into the UK.