2013 VW Golf Mk7 Bluemotion CAR

The new VW Golf Bluemotion represents several milestones for Volkswagen. Not only did a Bluemotion model recently became the 30-millionth Golf ever produced, but it’s also the most fuel-efficient, eco-friendly Golf ever.

VW actually claims it's the most frugal non-hybrid car in the world, but away from the test laboratory does this economy biased Bluemotion model compromise the latest Mk7 Golf in the real world? Read on for the full CAR verdict.

Just how eco-friendly is the new VW Golf Bluemotion?

The latest model has some spectacular figures: 88.3mpg on the combined fuel economy cycle, and CO2 emissions of 85g/km – 15% better than the old version. That means this road-tax exempt hatchback could theoretically run for 970 miles between fills of its 50-litre tank of diesel.

VW reckons that over an average year (an estimated 10,000 miles) a Bluemotion owner would only have to visit a fuel station ten times. Not something for the Nectar point hoarders among you, then... If you need more load capacity, a Bluemotion estate with up to 1620 litres of cargo space, will go on sale in the UK this autumn.

Is there much radical fuel-saving tech under the skin?

No, and there's not even any carryover from the VW XL1 hybrid, according to Golf product chief Stefan Jung. 'The XL1 and Golf Bluemotion are separate projects with separate approaches,' Jung told CAR, keen to promote that the Golf scores big economy numbers with no electric motors or carbonfibre in sight. Likewise, the engine’s short warm-up phase and reduced internal friction aren’t related to the XL1’s on-board tech.
Instead, you get low-rolling resistance tyres, better aerodynamics thanks to a blanked-off front grille, underfloor panels and a wraparound rear spoiler, and a regular 1.6-litre TDI engine. The four-cylinder diesel hasn't been detuned: it actually produces 5bhp more than the regular 1.6 TDI model, at 109bhp. Why? To offset the effect of longer gear ratios in the only transmission available, a six-speed manual. VW admits there's a market for a DSG automatic, but won't build it on account of the dual-clutch gearbox's 30kg weight penalty.

So buying a Golf Bluemotion saves me a fortune then!

In running costs, yes, but be aware that the Bluemotion starts at £1215 more than a regular 1.6 TDI Golf, which itself will achieve a claimed 74.3mpg, and is available with a DSG gearbox. It's also worth noting UK Bluemotions are based on lowly 'S' spec models, and you can't spec bigger than 16in alloys (15s are standard) or the smart LED headlights pictured in our European-market test car.

Does this eco-special make the driver feel Blue when in motion?

Most of the standard Mk7 Golf impressions remain, so this is a refined, mature car to drive. But the engine is noticeably grumblier at low revs, and the over-eager gearshift indicator requests changes that make the motor labour in the taller gears. The car never feels like it'll stall, only that it's chuntering somewhat while spinning the longer ratios. The gearshift itself is the same light throw we're familiar with, but one that's not quite as satisfying as the Golf's Audi A3 cousin, which shares its clever MQB platform (the lightweight chassis is 37kg than the old Bluemotion’s, and the drivetrain has shed a further 26kg).
Despite a 15mm ride height drop to cut drag, the Golf Bluemotion's ride doesn't suffer – it's still compliant enough to make a Mercedes A-class driver weep into their chiropractor's invoice. (Mind you, the car’s launch took place in Holland, blessed with roads so smooth they could’ve been hand surfaced with a lathe.) The steering does feel lighter however: VW confirms the Bluemotion shares all steering components with a standard Golf, so the difference must be down to low-resistance tyres.
Plus, Bluemotions do without VW's Dynamic Chassis Control interface, which lets the driver chose from Comfort, Normal, Sport, Eco, and Individual modes. Basically, you're in Eco all the time instead, and save for some sixth-gear sluggishness and the sacrificing of some low-rev refinement, that's alright by us.

How economical is the Bluemotion in real life?

During a test drive period mixing town crawling with medium- and higher-speed main roads, our test car averaged an indicated 64.2mpg. That's a highly impressive figure for a car driven at a normal rather than hypermiling pace, and a long motorway run might make 80mpg a possibility, but we think you’ll struggle to see the official 88.3mpg outside of an EU test lab.

Verdict

If you're a motorway mile-muncher, the Golf Bluemotion offers obvious and easy-to-reap economy benefits versus the already highly competent standard car, with only small margin of refinement and performance compromises. It's also an undeniably impressive demonstration of just how much can be done with the humble old internal combustion engine when it's invested in, rather than chasing off down the exotic material, hybrid propulsion alleys.
If you're a private buyer though, a regular Golf with 'Bluemotion Technology' rather than the flagship eco model will do the trick in almost all cases. The clever 1.4TSI model even makes a decent case for petrol over diesel, thanks to decent punch and cylinder deactivation under light loads. Either way, the Golf has you covered, for the next 30 million examples and beyond.

BMW M3 2013 six secrets BMW

BMW M3 (2013) six secrets BMW doesn't want you to know

Lighter, brawnier and sporting a new staight-six, this year's BMW M3 looks set to join the greats. Here's the top six need-to-know facts about the new M3

1. We'll see the M3 in autumn 2013

Chances are, you’re an M3 kinda driver. BMW’s fast family car has always sat plump on the arc where exotica meets attainability. It’s something many of us could just about afford; if not the £54,720 for a new one, then more likely the £3k that’ll bag a 20-year-old E36.
All of which means that the car you see here is one of the most eagerly awaited of 2013. We’ve deployed CAR’s nosey news-gathering machine to bring you the most up-to-date and detailed scoop story yet on the new M3. Everything we know – and much of what BMW does – is in this special report.
Munich plans to show a Concept M3 at this autumn’s Frankfurt motor show, as it did with the current E92. It’ll be a thinly disguised preview of the new model, and the production version follows at the 2014 Geneva motor show, with UK sales due in the summer of next year.
But you don’t have to wait for the details. A year ahead of schedule, CAR has the full story right now.

2. It's the Daniel Craig of sport saloons

BMW IS THE past master of creating deliciously understated sports saloons: ever since 1979’s M535i, we’ve become accustomed to slick execs being packed off to the gym and returning with muscular bulges and more powerful hearts. The 2014 M3 won’t stray far from this recipe, as CAR’s exclusive images show. These pictures are no mere flights of fancy, either; they’re based on two design drawings smuggled out of Munich’s styling studio.
Based on the bodywork of the regular F30 3-series, BMW head of design Adrian van Hooydonk’s team has sprinkled some of the restrained muscle M’s famous for. The car is lower and squatter, with a widened track and chunky 19in wheels to fill the wheelarches.
The front spoiler is new, the bonnet has a power dome (more for cosmetic effect than to squash in a V8, this time) and carbonfibre will be visible where used, like on the roof. All future M cars will have the M designation on the front grille as well as the boot rump.
There’ll be no mistaking this for a 316d, promises van Hooydonk. ‘M will always stand for extreme sportiness,’ he tells CAR. ‘The sub-brand is in a very strong place, but we want to develop it further as the pinnacle of BMW’s range.
‘We are making subtle changes already: all future M cars will have blue brake callipers, or gold when carbon discs are fitted. We’re looking at graphite door mirrors and wheel finishes, and black chrome exhaust tips too.’
What about inside the new M3? While we can’t bring you a look at the cabin yet, we have had a few hints from the design chief. ‘We are working hard to make the interiors of our M cars feel more distinct. We are developing new fabrics for use in our top-end cabins, and you’ll see more aluminium and blue strips inside M cars.’
The days of adapted steering wheels are over, too. The M3, and all future Ms, will have bespoke wheels with an open-spoke design like in the M6, backed by slimline paddles to run up and down the M-DCT twin-clutch ’box.

3. There'll be an M3 and an M4

As BMW expands the 3-series family, expect a slew of fast Threes. There'll be an M4 coupe, M4 four-door Gran Coupe and M4 convertible all on sale by summer 2015. The only bodystyles missing the M treatment? The Touring and Gran Turismo.

4. The straight-six is back!

The first M3, 1986’s E30, started with a high-revving four-cylinder engine, but subsequent M3s have risen from six (E36, E46) to eight cylinders (E92). Now it’s back to the format BMW’s most famous for: a straight six.
Some will lament the short life cycle of the outgoing, naturally aspirated V8, its innings stumped by the current obsession with downsizing and cleaner emissions. In its place, the relentless spread of forced induction blows into the heartland of high-performance BMWs.
The M3 will launch with a brand new engine, part of the next-gen B58 family. It’s a range of modular motors, sharing a common cylinder capacity of the optimum 500cc. In three-cylinder guise, it’s therefore the 1.5 you’ll spot in the i8 range-extender supercar or next-gen Mini; add a cylinder and it’s the future 2.0-litre four-pot executive workhorse. Sling on two more and you get the M3’s new 3.0-litre six.
A pair of turbochargers will raise peak power to some 450 pferdestärke (ps), or 444bhp, but its tunable nature means that power can swell easily for forthcoming special editions and facelifts; 500bhp is but an ECU re-chip away for a future M3 GTS.
Result? BMW predicts that the next M3/M4 twins should shave 0.3sec off the benchmark 0-62mph time. Expect a 4.5sec effort, with top speed pegged to 155mph. To put things in perspective, the first M3 managed 6.9sec and 146mph.

5. It's the highest tech M3 yet

Modern M cars pack a considerable microchip punch alongside the fireworks under the bonnet. The new F30 M is a far cry from the E30 original, whose only concession to electronics was the fag lighter.
Drivers can pick a manual six-speeder, according to CAR’s sources, but most are likely to pick the dual-clutch transmission (M-DCT) for its thumpingly instant gearchanges and finger-tapping race-car aura. BMW plans to add an eighth ratio in this ’box later in the car’s life.
And the M diff, which has been used to such success in the M3 and M5 since the E46, will make an appearance on the next M3. It’s a mechanical differential at the back axle, whose behaviour is controlled by a computer which apportions torque to the wheel with most grip. It’s one of the key tricks responsible for the M3’s duality of nature: a smooth exec cruiser by day, a rubber-smearing oversteer king if you have the urge to show off at a track day.

6. The secrets of carbon dieting

Expect to see this M3 appear on Mastermind in future: its confection of exotic materials drawn from the extremes of the periodic table will surely be used to test chemists’ knowledge. All car manufacturers are investing in lightweight materials, and few more so than BMW. It’s only months away from launching the first mainstream, high-volume family car built from carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) – the i3 electric car.
Munich plans to transfer its learnings from that EV project across the rest of the range. And with a price nudging £60,000, the new M3 is an ideal place to start. The roof of the fast Three will be baked from CFRP, and BMW is developing the first ceramic brakes seen on an M3. These should answer criticisms of previous M anchors, but will likely remain a cost option.
It doesn’t end with posh plastic. The doors, bootlid and bonnet of the M3 will be skinned in aluminium and the classy five-spoke alloys will be forged items to remove heft. As well as lowering the overall kerbweight, these dieting tips will lower the centre of gravity, helping the M3 feel more hunkered down in corners.
End result? M division’s internal target is to push the kerbweight of the next M3 under the magical 1500 kilo mark. As a reference point, the current 335i auto saloon weighs 1595kg.
Removing weight creates a virtuous circle: performance, handling, braking, economy – just about everything, really – all improve... It’s a big ask, though. Merc’s rival C63 AMG tips in at 1655kg.

2014 Range Rover Sport Motoramic Drives

“Compromise is but the sacrifice of one right or good in the hope of retaining another – too often ending in the loss of both” -- Tyron Edwards.

So when Land Rover announced the 2014 Range Rover Sport would be the “fastest, most agile and responsive Land Rover ever,” dueling with the BMW X5 and, now, venturing towards the Porsche Cayenne GTS, while still maintaining its Land Rover heritage and “all-terrain capability,” you can excuse me for being a tad dubious.

Land Rover are well aware that its name remains synonymous with off-road proficiency, therefore the compromise made when blending sporty on-road dynamics with muddy, rock-infested trails clearly stands to err on the side of caution.

How can you possibly achieve both?
Even the design, while plenty attractive, looks like a blend of the 2013 Range Rover at the front and the highly successful Range Rover Evoque at the rear. There’s no sporty identity – just a good-looking car that mimics its siblings.

Inside, too, you’d be hard-pressed to dissect the difference between the big Range and the Sport. That’s not meant as a negative; the interior is one of the best on the market, meshing luxury with a unique style that’s all but lost amongst many luxury carmakers. The only real difference is the optional third row seating that exists for tiny people. Or for drunks in need of a ride home. One of Land Rover's engineers said, “I’d rather get in it than walk.” Me too. And with an additional inch of legroom in the second row, most passengers will roll in pristine comfort, something that lacked with the outgoing model.

One fact aiding Land Rover’s quest in achieving the ultimate compromise, is the brand’s use of aluminum for the body. This first debuted in the big Range Rover and is now making an appearance on the Range Rover Sport, saving the car around 800 lbs. when compared to the outgoing model. That certainly stands to make a huge difference dynamically.

But when driving the V-6 Range Rover Sport, featuring a new 3.0-liter supercharged motor delivering 340 hp and improved fuel efficiency over the outgoing car, the promised sportiness seemed vague. You can feel the compromise, sensing a lack of power while displaying handling akin to its big brother; it’s like you’re driving a slightly smaller version of the 2013 Range Rover. That’s not a bad thing at all, and with the price of the new Sport starting at $63,494, considering what you get, that’s actually not a bad deal.

But those that buy a Range Rover Sport, probably care somewhat about its “sportiness.”

The V-8 Sport boast a 5.0-liter supercharged motor, good for 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. With the hefty weight loss, it sprints to 60 mph almost a second faster than the outgoing model, now at 5.0 seconds. That’s seriously quick. It’s 0.4 seconds faster than the Porsche Cayenne GTS, for Pete’s sake. It also sounds like a true V-8, offering a deep bellow and a few faint pops and gurgles.

Pressing the Dynamic mode livens the throttle, increases steering feel, and sharpens gearshifts from the 8-speed automatic with paddles shifters. When going straight, there’s little doubt the V-8 Sport lives up to its name. But what about through the corners?

Starting at $79,995 for the Supercharged model, the V-8 Sport offers a host of technical improvements, such as adaptive dampers. The two best qualities are the electronically locking center and rear differentials, featuring torque vectoring and, most notably, active roll control. The latter maintains the platform of the car during hard cornering, keeping the body flat and solid. To me, it made the car come alive, like it donned entirely new, stiffer springs, but yet the ride felt entirely unchanged. It also musters a 50/50 weight distribution, and with the third row seating, that might end up becoming slightly rearward – unbelievable for a comfy off-road SUV.

Despite this, it isn’t quite a match on-road for the Cayenne GTS, but nor is it supposed to be. For starters, the Cayenne sports summer performance tires, while the Range comes with all-weather rubber capable of the most incredible off-road driving imaginable. The fact the 2014 V-8 Range Rover Sport is even mentioned in the same breath as the Cayenne GTS on-road, given its tire limitations, remains simply wild.

Of course, when you take the Sport off-road, whether in a V-6 or V-8, the Range simply crucifies its opposition. Like with the big Range Rover, automatic terrain response now comes equipped, allowing drivers to concentrate on driving rather than deciphering the correct vehicle settings, based on conditions faced. It handled deep, thick mud. It handled steep, slippery slopes. It even let me drive through a river – yes, a river – without pause for concern.

All this performance comes with better fuel economy, up to 27-percent in the V-6 model – although EPA numbers are not yet released. In the V-8, the compromise was achieved with seemingly minimal compromise. And while the V-6 felt more at ends, it did feel spookily like its big brother, only $20,000 cheaper.

Winston Churchill once said, “The English never draw a line without blurring it.” But in the case of the V-8 Range Rover Sport, that statement has finally been defied.

Jaguar XKR’s engine salvaged an otherwise miserable day

I couldn’t have been more fed up. Even if a meteorite landed directly in front of me, I wouldn’t have cared. In fact, I’d barely of noticed, such was my mental awareness. Unicorns could have pranced alongside my car, singing Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me,” and it wouldn’t have resonated. This day was simply a bust.

But as my right foot, like my eyelids, became heavier, I discovered something quite potent: A 5.0-liter V-8 engine, so ferocious it roused me out of a near coma, and salvaged an otherwise miserable day.

Let’s rewind: Earlier that morning, I was sat on a plane travelling from Indianapolis to Newark on route to drive a McLaren 12C Spider. I was excited to wrestle a 616 hp supercar on the Monticello racetrack, a venue I had yet to see and a machine I had yet to pilot. I’d planned to arrive early, perhaps going for a short run prior to imbibing beers with a fellow journalist who was there too. But as I boarded my connecting flight in Charlotte, those aforementioned plans took a decided change.

For two hours I sat at the gate as a bunch of incompetent halfwits attempted to fix the plane. Eventually, after realizing they could not, we were told to deplane. “That’s my run out the window,” I thought, annoyed at loading my carry-on with heavy running shoes I’d needn't of brought.

With a new gate and a new plane, the aircrew, the mostly content passengers, and myself, tried again. The monotone pilot repeated his foreword, and the airhostesses did their best at smiling amicably as a wealth of creative passengers said, “fancy seeing you here. AGAIN,” laughing uncontrollably at their uniquely not-so-amusing joke.

As we taxied to the runway, the pilot cued up the radio: “We’re number two for takeoff, please prepare the cabin for…. Wait, no. We’re heading back to the gate.” The cabin let out a piercing groan.

So there we sat, for another two hours, as weather in Newark had apparently grounded all flights, and the pilot feared that if we left the plane, we'd lose our spot in line. Eventually, we deplaned anyway, and we were told to seek alternative arrangements. “Not only are my beers going warm, my whole trip is likely ruined,” I mused.

I did, however, manage to get on a later flight, one that was already delayed an hour for maintenance, presumably in the same capable hands as my first flight. No sooner had I switched, however, the gate agent announced they were actually not canceling my original flight after all, and we were ready to board. “Hoorah,” I thought, only to find the airline had already given up my seat and could no longer accommodate me. This happened to a number of now very angry passengers.

So, I eventually took off on my heavily delayed alternate flight, arriving at Newark around midnight—over 12-hours since I first left Indianapolis. I took a bus to a parking lot where I was told a pre-arranged vehicle would be waiting. I still had a 90-minute drive to the hotel. By this point, the will to live was all but gone.

The car in question was a 2013 Jaguar XKR Convertible, a machine I expected to be great, although not as great as the available XKR-S. Just as the man at the parking lot yawned and threw me the keys, I got a glimpse of the British cat. “Very nice,” I thought, “Although the convertible aspect is rather useless.”

It was useless because it was raining. And it was cold, too, given that it was now 12:30am.

The start of my journey was bland, navigating out of Newark and onto the highway. I was beyond tired. Beyond miserable. I actually wanted to go home and forget about the quarter-million dollar McLaren that awaited my arrival.

I’d been driving the Jaguar XKR in Comfort mode, and the car, excuse the obvious analogy, behaved like a pussycat. The interior was nice, but felt dated, unlike the latest XF and XJ models. The navigation proved almost illegible, and after missing several turns, watching my estimated time of arrival getting later and later as my blood boiled hotter than lava, I switched to my iPhone’s navigation instead. I was enjoying the car, but my day had been so painful, I found myself not particularly caring.

That is, until I switched to dynamic mode:
The throttle sharpened, the suspension stiffened and the steering wheel pulsated through my fingertips, as if life was returned to the dead following vigorous resuscitation. That life seeped through my blood, and I immediately felt like I'd been slapped in the face by Alec Baldwin. I hit the gas on a slow on-ramp and all 510 hp burst into action. Despite traction control, the rear tires spun in fury, requiring lightning reactions to correct the intoxicating slide.

The noise exuded was something special: it sounded like a massive lion playing the world’s largest bass drum, deep in a canyon somewhere in Utah. The boom from the V-8 excited, but it reverberated, growled, popped and spluttered; yet screamed like someone’s flesh being torn by a 14-foot Grizzly. It was everything I needed in that dark, dark moment to entirely change my outlook.

The active differential, offering torque vectoring in both the XKR and XKR-S models, did its best at taming the beast. In the rain, however, it could not. The 6-speed automatic’s ratios are so short that, in the first few gears, you can’t help but get sideways, exactly the combination I enjoy. 0-60 mph should, if you can get the power down, occur in 4.6 seconds.

As I neared the hotel, tiredness, once again, returned. I parked up and glanced at the clock, reading 2am. As I grabbed my overfilled bags and wandered into the hotel, I couldn’t help but take a parting glance. While the handling, even when dry, remains solid, and the interior, too, plenty pleasant, there’s nothing that truly spoke to me. Except that motor. And what a motor it is. It can get better, too, if you opt for the 550 hp XKR-S.

But could you really pay over $100,000 for an XKR that, while externally beautiful, remains primarily all engine? If you'd asked me that night, I’d say absolutely. And even now, rested and primed, it’d be high on my list. After all, it turned a truly crappy day into something of a wild adventure.