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30 Nisan 2015 Perşembe

2016 Honda HR-V First Drive Overview: Modest Gets Tall

The SUV-ification of the automobile marketplace continues apace, with buyers in even the smallest segment now deciding that they, as well, want the larger seating position and (in all-wheel-drive versions) the undesirable-climate capability afforded by a crossover-type automobile. Honda is displaying much more hustle than usual with the new 2016 HR-V, receiving into this game in the still-early innings. The Nissan Juke, the Mini Countryman, and the Buick Encore have been the pioneers but in the past year the size of the field has far more than doubled, with new entrants such as the Chevy Trax, the Jeep Renegade, the Fiat 500X, and the upcoming Mazda CX-3. The HR-V crossover, which slots in beneath the wildly well-known CR-V in size and cost, promises to be a powerful entrant in this burgeoning field.

Solid Feel

Whereas the CR-V is primarily based on the Civic, the HR-V shares its platform with the Fit subcompact. The HR-V, however, is a entire order of magnitude more solid- and substantial-feeling than that waif-like small box. The cabin is significantly wider, the windshield is not miles away, and the interior design and style and materials are much better. If you never looked behind you, you could effortlessly be convinced that this is a new CR-V.

Indeed, the HR-V is substantially bigger than the wee Match. Its wheelbase is longer by 3.2 inches, its front track wider by 2.1 inches, and the rear track is up by 2.6 inches. General, the HR-V casts a shadow 9.1 inches longer and 2.8 inches wider than the Fit, and it stands 3.2 inches taller.

These added inches, of course, bring with them a lot more w7 Compared to the Match, the HR-V is practically 400 pounds heavier by Honda’s measurements. Even so, its curb weight of roughly 3000 pounds is svelte for this class.

Not So Speedy

In other markets, the HR-V makes use of the Fit’s 130-hp 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, but for the United States Honda wisely bypassed that engine in favor of the bigger, 1.8-liter unit from the Civic. Alas, the 1.8-liter’s output is not that much greater, mustering 141 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 127 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm—figures that are near the bottom of the baby-ute pile. It’s no surprise, then, that the HR-V is slow, with zero-to-60 occasions likely falling in the 9-to-10-second range. The CVT automatic, which is the only obtainable transmission with AWD, sends revs soaring and keeps them there although 1 waits for speed to create. (Or one can flap through the paddles, which causes the transmission to run by way of 6 preset ratios.)

Honda provides a 6-speed manual in front-wheel-drive LX and EX models, and it offers the sensation of livelier acceleration. We like that the stick is easy to shift, but the clutch travel appears long and the throws a bit ropey. Sadly, the manual is at a genuine disadvantage in fuel economy. According to the EPA, the automatic returns 28/35 mpg with front-wheel drive, beating the manual by 3 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the highway the CVT-only AWD model nets ratings of 27/32 mpg. All of these figures are at or near the top of the class.

On our straight, flat, and visitors-choked drive route in South Florida, the HR-V didn’t show considerably verve for cornering—although it didn’t have a lot chance to do so beyond an aggressively taken on-ramp or 2. The HR-V’s electric energy-steering method, even though, does provide reasonable effort, and the suspension capably soaks up road irregularities.

Inner Space

The HR-V’s genuine talents lie elsewhere—chiefly in its men and women- and cargo-carrying capacity. Packaging has extended been a Honda forte, and it’s definitely on show here. The HR-V follows the Fit’s lead in cleverly putting the fuel tank beneath the front seats, which enables the rear seat cushion to flip up, creating a sensible space for ferrying taller objects. Alternately, the split rear seatbacks can flop forward, as can the front passenger seatback. Even when it’s not displaying off its gymnastic flexibility, the HR-V boasts the largest cargo hold amongst its peers, whether or not that’s behind the rear seats or with that row folded. And the really low cargo floor facilitates effortless loading, a boon for these who frequently haul heavy items.

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2016 Honda HR-V First Drive Overview: Modest Gets Tall

21 Nisan 2015 Salı

2017 VW Golf SportWagen Alltrack Initial Drive: VW’s Take on the Outback Formula

VW usually appears to be a bit late to the game. Next year, the German carmaker will bring the Alltrack model we’ve just driven to the U.S. it is a jacked-up Golf SportWagen fitted with all-wheel drive and off-road styling affectations. This comes nearly 2 decades following the segment’;s role models, the Volvo XC70 and the Subaru Outback, 1st appeared. What most Americans don’;t know is that VW has been selling these sorts of Golfs considering that the early 1990s. But that era’s Golf Nation was in no way sold in the States, and it was so funky seeking that it would probably scare away the typical purchaser of this Alltrack.

To compile this assessment, we sampled the European version of the Alltrack in Germany, where it is already accessible for order. Starting later in 2016, U.S.-bound models will be produced in Mexico, exactly where significant investment in VW’s Puebla plant was created to accommodate the assembly of all-wheel-drive autos.

Accessible only with 4MOTION all-wheel drive, the Alltrack moves a step beyond being a mere appearance package and delivers some true capability. VW aimed to provide greater efficiency by decoupling the rear axle from the driveline for the duration of daily driving, meaning the automobile feels much like a typical front-wheel-drive Golf a lot of the time. If the traction of 4 driven wheels is needed, a Haldex clutch calls the rears to duty, and they can be sent virtually 25 percent of the torque.

The driving-mode selector, which tweaks throttle and transmission parameters, among other folks, adds an “Off-Road” setting in the Alltrack. This enables hill-descent control and also lengthens the ABS pulses to let gravel, dirt, or snow to pile up in front of the wheels to shorten the braking distance when decelerating hard on loose surfaces. The chassis is raised by .8 inch, which doesn’t sound like much but will come in handy on different 2-tracks and dirt roads.

The aesthetic package brings restyled front and rear ends with aggressive fascias and fake skid plates. There are fender flares that VW claims are there for protection, but of course they are far too fairly to danger acquiring them scratched. Meanwhile, the 17- or 18-inch wheels look very good, but those who actually wish to do some form of off-roading may possibly have preferred a steel-wheel alternative, not to mention taller tire sidewalls, neither of which are obtainable. Inside, the Alltrack is fitted with model-distinct, but rather nondescript, fabric and trim. Otherwise it’s a Golf SportWagen, which indicates restrained, handsome very good appears inside and out, plus a functional and ergonomically friendly dashboard layout. The Alltrack suffers from the exact same singular demerit we’ve located in its brethren, although, namely a slow and frustrating infotainment setup. Here’s hoping Volkswagen adds some processing energy to the Golf line by the time the Alltrack arrives here.

Provided all of the foregoing, you could count on that the Golf Alltrack also generally handles like any other Golf, and you’d be right. It gives a refinement beyond what can be reasonably expected in its segment, with a nice blend of compliant ride top quality and capable, effortlessly exploited handling. Regardless of the raised center of gravity, the Alltrack steers with precision, responds speedily to inputs, and hugs corners almost as properly as its comrades.

In the U.S., the Alltrack will be fitted with Volkswagen’s lately adopted EA888 180-hp 1.8-liter gasoline TSI 4-cylinder, mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic. Europe gets 3 diesel options, as nicely: a 110-hp 1.6-liter TDI and a 2.-liter TDI with either 150 or 184 horsepower. We like the diesel, whose character befits the Alltrack’;s rugged demeanor, but it will not be coming here for now simply because our TDI models demand an emissions-scrubbing urea-injection program that can’t be packaged with the Golf’s all-wheel-drive setup and its multilink rear suspension. (U.S.-spec Golf and Golf SportWagen TDIs have a torsion-beam rear suspension.)

Yet the 1.8-liter engine will be just fine, delivering acceptable efficiency for the sort of duties one can anticipate most Alltracks will execute, and it must be capable of accelerating the automobile to 60 mph in, we estimate, 7.7 seconds and on to a best speed of 125 mph or so. We also know the 1.8 to be perfectly livable, as it is the same engine that powers a Golf hatchback at present in our lengthy-term fleet.

Greater late than by no means, we say. The Golf SportWagen Alltrack is a welcome entry, and it could turn out to be a genuine headache for Subaru’s larger Outback models, as effectively as a quantity of duller crossover SUVs.

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2017 VW Golf SportWagen Alltrack Initial Drive: VW’s Take on the Outback Formula

18 Nisan 2015 Cumartesi

2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

Born in the teeth of the Wonderful Recession, the fat but not so content fifth generation of BMW’s 7-series flagship is ultimately relinquishing its post to a a lot more fit successor.

The 7-series has traditionally been the BMW for those who can barely recall their stick-shift, tail-sliding days. Offered in a option of extended or really lengthy wheelbases, with up to 12 twin-turbocharged cylinders, and with rear- or 4-wheel drive, the 7 is a 4-door limo blessed with comfort, speed, and a suitably aloof demeanor.

But the globe has changed because the current 7 arrived in 2009. Fisker came and went, Tesla emerged as the green-chip luxury brand, Mercedes is as sturdy as ever, and Cadillac is showing signs of intelligent life. The luxury-vehicle business is flourishing so nicely that even the Korean brands are nibbling a thin slice of the pie.

BMW has created decisive moves to safe its future. Last year, the company’s engineering commander announced that electrification will spread beyond the i3 and i8 fashion statements and the present 3, 5, and 7 ActiveHybrids to include a plug-in hybrid selection for every core model. BMW is the uncontested leader amongst automakers in weight-saving composite plastics with its own plant in Washington state creating reasonably priced carbon fiber in partnership with the SGL Group.

5 years ago, fresh out of its shipping container, a 2010 BMW 750Li thumped a Mercedes S550 in a 2-car comparison test, but the big Bimmer rapidly lost steam. A 750i lost to Porsche’s new Panamera S whilst beating a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S. Then in 2011, a 750Li suffered the indignity of a distant third-spot outcome versus Audi’s A8L and Jaguar’s supercharged XJL. The new 7 arrives late this year to make amends.

Although we can’t announce mission accomplished soon after only 8 paced laps around BMW’s Miramas, France, test tracks in early production automobiles, we’re encouraged by what we’ve discovered about the 7 hence far:

• Project head Walter Schindlbeck acknowledges the want to restore the flagship’s neglected ride and handling strengths.

• Weight-saving technologies have been applied in earnest. BMW engineers have produced an astute mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, plastic, and carbon fiber supplies to trim a claimed 285 pounds in base weight—a third of that from the body—while lowering the 7’s center of gravity and improving both bending and torsional stiffness. Numerous suspension and brake elements have been switched from iron and steel to aluminum and sound deadening is employed more sparingly. Unsprung weight drops by 15 %.

• BMW is so proud of its innovative ‘carbon core’ unibody building that a badge touting that technology is discretely affixed to each of the 7’s B-pillars. Although stamped steel remains as the key constituent, there’s less of it thanks to the use of 15 molded carbon-fiber (CF) reinforcements added at strategic locations. The largest molding is a lengthy CF tube that sweeps majestically from the base of each A-pillar, along the top of the door openings, and down to the base of the C-pillars. The upper half of every B-pillar is reinforced with a CF layer that’s pressed and cured in place with a single-sided die. A huge patch is also secured with rivets and adhesives at the base of every C-pillar. The windshield header and 2 bows reinforce the roof structure. The 7’s center tunnel has a CF doubler to augment the body’s bending stiffness and to assist manage forward collision loads. Add to that 2 CF door-sill inserts per side and a horizontal shelf beneath the backlight produced of the black magic material. How exactly the CF and steel parts are joined with adhesives and fasteners and painting approaches are proprietary details, as BMW naturally prefers to keep its learnings away from competitors as lengthy as achievable.

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2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

17 Nisan 2015 Cuma

2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

Born in the teeth of the Wonderful Recession, the fat but not so satisfied fifth generation of BMW’s 7-series flagship is ultimately relinquishing its post to a far more fit successor.

The 7-series has traditionally been the BMW for these who can barely recall their stick-shift, tail-sliding days. Available in a option of lengthy or genuinely lengthy wheelbases, with up to 12 twin-turbocharged cylinders, and with rear- or 4-wheel drive, the 7 is a 4-door limo blessed with comfort, speed, and a suitably aloof demeanor.

But the world has changed because the existing 7 arrived in 2009. Fisker came and went, Tesla emerged as the green-chip luxury brand, Mercedes is as strong as ever, and Cadillac is showing indicators of intelligent life. The luxury-auto company is flourishing so nicely that even the Korean brands are nibbling a thin slice of the pie.

BMW has made decisive moves to secure its future. Last year, the company’s engineering commander announced that electrification will spread beyond the i3 and i8 fashion statements and the present 3, 5, and 7 ActiveHybrids to consist of a plug-in hybrid selection for each and every core model. BMW is the uncontested leader among automakers in weight-saving composite plastics with its own plant in Washington state generating affordable carbon fiber in partnership with the SGL Group.

5 years ago, fresh out of its shipping container, a 2010 BMW 750Li thumped a Mercedes S550 in a 2-vehicle comparison test, but the large Bimmer rapidly lost steam. A 750i lost to Porsche’s new Panamera S whilst beating a Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S. Then in 2011, a 750Li suffered the indignity of a distant third-spot outcome versus Audi’s A8L and Jaguar’s supercharged XJL. The new 7 arrives late this year to make amends.

Although we cannot announce mission accomplished following only 8 paced laps about BMW’s Miramas, France, test tracks in early production vehicles, we’re encouraged by what we’ve discovered about the 7 thus far:

• Project head Walter Schindlbeck acknowledges the require to restore the flagship’s neglected ride and handling strengths.

• Weight-saving technologies have been applied in earnest. BMW engineers have produced an astute mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, plastic, and carbon fiber supplies to trim a claimed 285 pounds in base weight—a third of that from the body—while lowering the 7’s center of gravity and enhancing each bending and torsional stiffness. Several suspension and brake components have been switched from iron and steel to aluminum and sound deadening is used far more sparingly. Unsprung weight drops by 15 percent.

• BMW is so proud of its revolutionary ‘carbon core’ unibody construction that a badge touting that technologies is discretely affixed to every single of the 7’s B-pillars. Although stamped steel remains as the main constituent, there’s much less of it thanks to the use of 15 molded carbon-fiber (CF) reinforcements added at strategic areas. The biggest molding is a extended CF tube that sweeps majestically from the base of each A-pillar, along the prime of the door openings, and down to the base of the C-pillars. The upper half of every B-pillar is reinforced with a CF layer that is pressed and cured in spot with a single-sided die. A big patch is also secured with rivets and adhesives at the base of each C-pillar. The windshield header and 2 bows reinforce the roof structure. The 7’s center tunnel has a CF doubler to augment the body’s bending stiffness and to help manage forward collision loads. Add to that 2 CF door-sill inserts per side and a horizontal shelf beneath the backlight created of the black magic material. How exactly the CF and steel components are joined with adhesives and fasteners and painting approaches are proprietary information, as BMW naturally prefers to preserve its learnings away from competitors as extended as feasible.

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2016 BMW 7-series Detailed, Driven: A Prototype Drive Shows It is No Turkey

30 Mart 2015 Pazartesi

Avoid Murder on the Road this Easter Weekend – Don’t Drive Drunk!

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As Easter weekend approaches, South African’s will make their yearly migration to holiday destinations to spend time with their families and loved ones. While many will be enjoying the traditional pickled fish, chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, others will lose their lives on the road.

According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) the Easter road death toll dropped from a staggering 241 in 2013, to only 193 in 2014. This is an indication that great headway has been made to reduce the road death toll in South Africa, unfortunately speed and alcohol remain the main reasons for road accidents. It is estimated that around 330 motorists were arrested over last year’s Easter weekend for drunken driving alone.

Wandile Dumakude, legal expert at LIPCO Law for All, explains that many South African’s think they know their drinking limits or have quick fix solutions to sober up, but these limits usually do not measure up against those set by law or by the human body. “A person is over the legal limit if his breath alcohol content is in excess of 0.24mg per 1,000ml or his blood alcohol concentration in excess of 0.05g per 100ml. The rule of thumb for any motorist is a maximum of 1 unit per alcohol per hour. Biologically the human body can only process one unit every hour, despite drinking lots of water, strong black coffee or taking a cold shower. These tricks do little to help sober a person up,” says Dumakude.

But what does this mean in layman’s terms? Dumakude explains that “a 75ml glass of your favourite wine will amount to about one unit. But be cautious, because that means a 250ml glass will amount to 3, 3 units. A spirit cooler or beer amounts to roughly about 1,25 units, while a 25ml tot of whiskey or brandy to a unit. Cocktails and shooters are a bit more tricky and dangerous, as one glass could easily amount to 2-4 units.”

Many South African’s are aware of the fact that many drivers are let off the hook due to unreliable blood alcohol specimens, and fail to comprehend the seriousness of the crime. If found guilty, a person faces 6 years imprisonment or a R120 000 fine, a suspended driver’s licence and criminal record. That is not even mentioning the repercussions should someone die as a result of a road accident. “The real reason people should not drive under the influence is the fact that they might cause the death of someone. You stand to face a charge of culpable homicide, and prosecutors are increasingly accusing motorists of murder.” Dumakude warns motorists.

What to do if a person is arrested for Drunken Driving:

1 Remain calm and collected. Do not resist arrest or become violent, even if force is used. You don’t want to prejudice your chances to be released on bail

2. You have the right to be treated with dignity and to remain silent Pay attention to whether you are informed of your rights (if at all) and other things said by the arresting officer.. You must however provide your full names. You have the right to phone one person (A friend/relative or Attorney).

3. You may not refuse to provide a blood sample. The district surgeon, a registered nurse, or prison medical officer will take a blood specimen within 2 hours of arrest and submit to the state laboratory for analysis.

4. Follow the instructions of the arresting officer. Chances are good that you will be kept at the police station until you have sobered up, and you may be released with a warning to appear before court within 48 hours. You may also be kept behind bars.

5. It is important to note the details and the name of the police station you are in, the case number for your case, the name of the investigating officer. Your attorney will require the info.

Considering that 65% of road accidents are related to alcohol abuse, let’s hope South African’s are responsible and put safety first this Easter weekend.