Autocar Philippines June 2021

FIRST DRIVE: FERRARI 812 789BHP V12-POWERED GRAND TOURER

MORE MOBILITY INFORMATION

June 2021 PHP 250.00 Est. 1895 | www.autocar.com.ph

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F E AT U R E

Ferrari Lusso: Space Odyssey

INSIGHT

Hydrogen Evs: Take the Hy Road

824001 9 772350

REACHING INTO LUXURY GT TERRITORY

ISSN 2350-8248

MCLAREN GT

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R OA D T E S T

REVISITED

Nissan Figaro at 30

FIRST NEWS: RACE IN STYLE: THE NEW LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN SUPER TROFEO EVO2

THIS MONTH June 2021 | Volume 5

OPINIONS 2 4 6

Editor’s Note Ira Panganiban

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The New Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2

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PITX, LTO conduct random drug testing for drivers

My Week in Cars Steve Cropley Opposite Lock Binky Siddayao

NEWS

Here are the Brembo Expert dealers in the country

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IsuzuPH and Shell, partners until 2023 SuzukiPH maintains momentum going into 2nd quarter

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IsuzuPH signs with Velocity Motors Sales Corp. for Subic dealership

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MCLAREN GT 28

Volkswagen teases new concept EV hatch, ID X

GeelyPH opens a pop-up showroom in Alabang NLEX beefs up road safety

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First-time Car Owner Wins a Hyundai Kona from Shell Spin for Great Journeys Promo

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Cleanfuel Boosts Retail Presence with Newly Open Marikina Station

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Cleanfuel Opens Third Mandaluyong City Station

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UAAGI receives Global Brand Breakthrough Award

❝ I COULDN’T HELP THINKING OF THE FERRARI TESTAROSSA WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR. THAT, TOO, WAS A LARGER MID-ENGINED SUPERCAR THAT MADE A SUPRISINGLY EFFECTIVE GRAND TOURER.❞ SIMON DAVIS

MOTORSPORT 20

2021 Kalayaan Cup Endurance Race

FIRST DRIVE 22 26

BMW M440i

28

McLaren GT

36

Take the Hy Road

40

Mercedes Classic

44

Space Odyssey: Ferrari Lusso

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Pike’s Peak: Nissan Figaro at 30

BMW M440i 22

SPACE ODYSSEY 44

Ferrari 812 GTS

COVER STORY INSIGHT FEATURE FEATURE REVISITED

2021 KALAYAAN CUP ENDURANCE RACE 20 JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 1

THIS MONTH

Ira Panganiban Editor-in-Chief

EDITOR’S NOTE

THE WHY OF BICYCLE LANES n the past six months, roads along Metro Manila have been seeing a drastic change.

The rightmost lanes are being repurposed into bicycle lanes in order to accommodate the increasing number of cyclists in the metropolis.

Experts and authorities like to call this the “active mobility” phenomenon. Active mobility is a new term coined worldwide to describe transport modes that use physical power to move simple machines.

And the best example of these machines is the bicycle. Of course there are others like skateboards, manual scooters, roller skates and rollerblades. The concept is a form of mobility that is faster than simply walking but uses the human body as the main propeller.

The active mobility phenomenon came about during the pandemic period, when public transportation became limited due to social

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distancing requirements. People then began using bicycles and other forms of manual transport to go to work or travel.

And since the bicycle is the best form of manual transport, it grew quite rapidly.

Civic groups then began to lobby for an exclusive space for bicycles on our road network because it simply was not safe for big cars and buses and trucks to share the road with bicycle.

Add to that the fact that most of our drivers do not really know the rules when it comes to dealing with cyclists beside their cars. They don’t even know how to deal with motorcycles after all.

So, the advent of bicycle lanes came about. And it is time we should say.

But the problem is the design of the bicycle lanes. What government regulators, MMDA and LGU’s, did was to simply cut half of the right most lane in half and designated the outer half as bicycle lanes and well

nothing for the inner half.

Now, this became a puzzle for motorists, because there is a lane that has a wide line in the middle.

A lane they can use but not on the bicycle side. So, we have cars straddling half a lane which is now a danger to both the cars on one side and the cyclists on the other.

What we are saying here is that, if we are to institute a bicycle lane for all our roads, we might as well construct it correctly to keep all users of the road safe.

There are numerous examples worldwide of successful bicycle lane programs we can emulate. We don’t have to, again, reinvent the program.

Why, because for many Filipinos, riding a bicycle to work, school, or just to travel about is about as much as they can afford and enjoy. Besides it also makes for a very healthy society if and when everyone gets into it.

And that is coming from a petrol head like us here at Autocar.

❝ What we are saying here is that, if we are to institute a bicycle lane for all our roads, we might as well construct it correctly to keep all users of the road safe. ❞ ✉ irapanganiban@wheelsph.com

2 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

COMMENT

MY WEEK IN CARS Cropley enjoyed a host of the latest EVs at Millbrook

THURSDAY

Fantastic feeling being back at the Millbrook Proving Ground near Bedford, scene of many road test exploits and location this time of the SMMT’s long-postponed Drive Zero event, a hacks’ mega-test of electric cars and plug-in hybrids. Sales of such models remain small, but they’re rising faster than other classes and must keep doing so for years to come.

This was a perfect opportunity for impromptu comparisons and, after driving a dozen cars, I reached plenty of conclusions. The Jaguar I-Pace is still the finest electric car on sale. The Peugeot e-208 rides far better than its close relative the Vauxhall Corsa-e (why would the Brits allow that?). The well-proven Renault Zoe is still just about the best electric proposition going, but its cousin the Nissan Leaf strikes me as a bit humdrum. Hyundai’s Ioniq Electric looks the ideal battery car for space. But the revelation was the BMW i3s. I’ve been disappointed with other i3 models, but this one had brilliant handling and acceleration and stormed Millbrook’s Hill Route as if made for it. Even the ride I had dismissed as choppy was decent. A welcome surprise.

FRIDAY

Did you ever work at Rover in the 1960s on the promising but stillborn P8 saloon or BS (P9) sports car programmes? Do you have a venerable relative who might have done? A friend, Douglas Cooke, who for many years ran the Farnhambased Overfinch business dedicated to building better Range Rovers, is diligently researching the history of these lost treasures and wants to hear from engineers, test drivers, managers or anyone involved in the supply industry with a story to tell. Cooke and James Taylor, the prolific author, want to produce a book for posterity on these fascinating, Spen King-led projects. If you do

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❝

The Jaguar I-Pace is still the finest electric car on sale Search is on for detail about Rover P8 and P9

❞ know something or someone, drop Douglas a line at djdbcooke@gmail.com. He will be delighted.

SATURDAY

What’s this? Two enjoyable days out in one week! I set off with the Steering Committee for the Concours of Elegance in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace to see great cars in large numbers – always an uplifting and curiously relaxing experience but especially so this time.

The highlight for me was at last seeing the Ineos Grenadier in the flesh, even more simply imposing and logical in its design than it looks in photographs. Of course, it still has the task of attracting real, live customers, but it seems to me that all the elements are in place.

AND ANOTHER THING… One person with keen regrets about Skoda’s discontinuing of the Citigo is our group art editor, Stephen Hopkins, who owns a 60,000-mile 2014 edition that has delighted him always. It’s such practical fun, he says, that he’s passing it on to his son – without quite knowing how to replace it.

Hopefully Skoda has a plan for such loyal customers.

SUNDAY AM

Life Lesson No 567: next time I’m having some kind of difficult time, I’m going to remember the dignity and composure of Claire Williams, who until last week was the eponymous Formula 1 team’s deputy principal but has now been rather abruptly supplanted by a new owner. Of course, it’s well known that the Williams family needed to sell and actively encouraged the process.

But Ms Williams still had to face the critical moment of putting 40-odd years of extraordinary family history behind her in full view of the TV cameras – and she managed it with rare bravery and grace. No wonder the Williamses were winners; I hope that continues in other spheres.

SUNDAY PM

Can I say how much my admiration for Lewis Hamilton grows? I love how he, while becoming older and wiser, keeps right on (mostly) with the imperious wins. When you’ve been at the top for as long he has, you could be excused for letting your win rate slip. Even Michael Schumacher did that. But Hamilton continues to concede nothing to an able and hungry team-mate in an equal car, while radiating ever-greater wisdom and maturity. He’s a credit to all sport, not just racing.

GET IN TOUCH

✉ steve.cropley@haymarket.com

@stvcr

THIS MONTH Technical Editor

Binky P. Siddayao OPPOSITE LOCK

“NEED FOR SPEED” MODE: OFF oes driving in light or heavy floods, or even just rainy conditions induce anxiety and stress?

Many people drive subliminally, out of habit when it rains, they often do not finetune their thinking. When conditions are less than ideal, drivers always need to stay alert and focused on what’s going on around them. Start Thinking.

Think to switch on those headlights. Not the hazard light. It is good practice to turn on headlights when visibility is low. Many cuttingedge vehicles’ headlights impulsively turn on when the windshield wipers are in use.

A well-working set of wipers and to some extent new tires work best when driving in rain, particularly when driving at high speeds on the highway.

Slow Down.

Hydroplaning occurs when your tires lose traction with the road due to excess water on the road. Resulting your vehicle to begin to slide uncontrollably. If your tires have extensive wear and tear, you are more likely to hydroplane. Even your Fourwheel drive car, SUV, or truck can hydroplane. Be aware of hydroplaning.

When you realize you are hydroplaning, lift off the gas

Photo by Dan Musat on Unsplash

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pedal calmly and steer straight until you take back control. If the vehicle starts to spin, turn your wheel in the direction that the vehicle is spinning, moderately. Never turn your wheel opposite of the direction it had begun to spin. Avoid over correction. Prevent wriggling the wheel robustly in one direction or the other, as you could flip your vehicle.

Continues use of cruise control may cause you to lose control on rain slick surfaces.

It doesn’t help keeping you at a

steady speed you may actually go faster.

Always follow the speed limit. Adhering to it means driving safely when you have little traffic and good visibility.

It is a different environment when you are driving in the rain. Be light footed on the accelerator.

All motorists should drive defensively and take extra care when passing vehicles to prevent merging collisions.

Be super extra cautious when merging or switching lanes in

❝

the rain.

Being wary of surroundings might help ease the worry driving in the rain, making it safer for everyone.

Despite the present restrictions on local travel due to the pandemic and the ever changing and readjusting protocols being implemented by different provincial LGU’s, always continue to remain out of harm’s way.

Or wait it out.

Stay in one piece. Always Stay Safe.

Always follow the speed limit. Adhering to it means driving safely when you have little traffic and good visibility. It is a different environment when you are driving in the rain. Be light footed on the accelerator.

❞ GET IN TOUCH

✉ binkypsiddayao@gmail.com

6 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

EDITORIAL TEAM IRA V. PANGANIBAN Editor-in-Chief EDGAR QUESADA Associate Editor EARL MANALANSAN Managing Editor NEIL PAGULAYAN Managing Editor Online BINKY SIDDAYAO Technical Editor OLSON CAMACHO Off Road Editor MATT PRIOR | KRIS LIM | BINKY SIDDAYAO Columnists JOHN REY SAN DIEGO Staff Writer WILLIAM HERRERA | LUIS GERONA Contributors ANJO PEREZ Senior Photographer BONG BOADO | KEITH MARK DADOR | LOUIE CAMACHO MARK QUESADA | ALAN RANCH SEVILLA ARNOLD RIODEQUE | BOBS JEROME | MEMERT MONTELOYOLA Photographers RAYMUND RAVANERA Graphic Designer

The original car magazine, published since 1895 ‘in the interests of the mechanically propelled road carriage’ International Director Alastair Lewis alastair.lewis@haymarket.com Syndication Enquiries Isla Friend isla.friend@haymarket.com Editor Matt Burt Editorial Director, Automotive Jim Holder Managing Editor Allan Muir Reviews Editor Will Nightingale Chief tester Matt Saunders New Cars Editor Rory White Managing Director David Prasher Chief Operating Officer Brian Freeman Chief Executive Kevin Costello Chairman Rupert Heseltine Autocar magazine and the Autocar logo are trademarks of Haymarket Media Group Limited, United Kingdom and used under license by Autobrands Media Ventures, Inc. Content reproduced from Autocar magazine © Haymarket Media Group Limited 2011 all rights reserved.

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Autocar magazine is published in China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Thailand, and United Kingdom. www.haymarket.com

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Batangas Racing Circuit

EDITORIAL TEAM Editor-in-Chief – Anjo Perez Columnist – Arnel Doria Contributors – Rica Sison, Joseph Bautista, Lara Camacho Pocholo Reyes, William Herrera, Neil Pagulayan, Earl Manalansan Photographers – Mark Quesada, Alan Ranch Sevilla Staff Writer – John Rey San Diego

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8 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

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Race in style The New Lamborghini Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2

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amborghini Squadra Corse presents the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2, the latest version of racing car that will be used across each of the three continental Lamborghini series, starting in 2022. Radical aerodynamic refinements and an uncompromising design created by Lamborghini Centro Stile make the Huracán Super

10 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

Trofeo EVO2 the most high-performance version ever to race in the onemake series, which in 2021 contested its 13th season.

“Seven years have passed since we introduced the first Huracán Super Trofeo at Pebble Beach, and now Squadra Corse is adding a new chapter to its history,” commented Stephan Winkelmann, President

and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “The Huracán is one of the biggest bestsellers in the history of the brand, and the Super Trofeo has additionally helped to increase its success”.

Since 2009, 950 drivers have raced in the Super Trofeo, competing in over 310 hours at the most prestigious tracks in the

world. Maurizio Reggiani, Chief Technical Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, remarked: “The Super Trofeo is the best testing ground for technical and aerodynamic solutions for both road cars and GTs, and with the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 we have definitely taken another step forward. In April 2021 we celebrated the milestone of the 400th

Huracán racing car, and our goal with the Super Trofeo EVO2 is to reach 500 in just a few years”.

Aerodynamics and design are the areas in which Squadra Corse and Centro Stile have concentrated on the most. From an aesthetic point of view, the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 takes the design of the previous generations to

❝

The Super Trofeo is the basis of our concept of customer racing, capable of involving and exciting both young talents and gentlemen drivers.

❞

the extreme, anticipating the styling elements that will debut on road cars in the coming years. The front end has undergone a radical change, featuring new high-intensity full LED light clusters with a hexagonal design and a pronounced “omega” lip that joins the carbon-fiber fins and reinforces the stylistic link with the Huracán STO. Also new are the air curtain intakes, which optimize airflow, by keeping it adherent to the sides, as well as downforce.

The rear, dominated by the large carbon-fiber wing, was inspired by minimalism and lightness. The frames of the new LED light clusters pay tribute to the design of the Countach and are efficiently supported by the arched carbon-

fiber bumper, which harmoniously links the aerodynamic appendages located behind the wheels to the redesigned diffuser fins.

Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini Head of Design, commented: “When we approached the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 project, we immediately thought of the concept of ‘Racing in style’. That is, a combination of the typical aggressiveness of the Huracán racing cars and the classic stylistic features of Lamborghini’s DNA. In addition, the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 represents a futuristic aesthetic approach that partially anticipates the design elements of the next range of road cars”.

Innovations are also seen in numerous components of the bodywork, such as the side member paneling and the aforementioned rear aerodynamic appendages, replacing plastic materials with carbon fiber, while maintaining the maximum sustainability in terms of running costs. In addition, the rear fenders are now composed of a single element, which includes part of the side spoiler, for optimal surface continuity.

The braking system, designed and developed

by Squadra Corse, has also undergone changes.

The steel front discs are increased from 380 to 390 mm; the new calipers

can accommodate pads with a new design and a larger surface area to optimize performance and consumption. Propulsion is entrusted to the 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine that delivers a maximum power output of 620 HP, to be managed with a sequential sixspeed X-Trac gearbox and combined with rear-wheel drive.

Giorgio Sanna, Lamborghini’s Head of Motorsport, stated: “The Super Trofeo is the basis of our concept of customer racing, capable of involving and exciting both young talents and gentlemen drivers. The

Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 is dedicated to both categories of drivers, and we have designed it with the precise aim of offering an even more engaging driving experience, while paying the utmost attention to running costs”.

The Huracán Super Trofeo EVO2 makes its public debut on May 28 in Le Castellet, on the occasion of the second round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe. The price for the European market is €250,000, excluding taxes. Customers will have the opportunity to upgrade the Huracán Super Trofeo EVO with a dedicated kit available from early 2022.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 11

Here are the Brembo Expert dealers in the country

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espite the pandemic situation, the Brembo Expert session was successfully conducted in the Philippines. Hosted online by AutoPerformance Ph, the official distributor of Brembo Brakes in the country, the exclusive training program was attended by qualified Brembo official dealers from various parts of the country.

Brembo Expert is a program that provides training for workshops and auto repair centers, focusing on brake technology and product innovations. Graduates of the program are given certificates of attendance, Brembo Expert merchandise and displays, access to a special section of the Bremboparts.com website, periodic technical updates, and a special listing in the AutoPerformance Ph website that highlights Brembo Expert dealers.

With training conducted by Brembo Expert regional head trainer Mr. Vito Xu from Brembo’s Asia Pacific headquarters, a total of 11 Brembo Official Dealers participated in the event.

“Thanks to everyone who joined us today,” said Mr. Xu. “We hope to have more events like this with AutoPerformance Ph and their customers.”

“The Brembo Expert Program is an innovative solution for our loyal customers to give them training and support,” explains Francis Aguila, President of AutoPerformance Ph. “This is just the beginning for this program. We are continuing to roll it out to qualified Brembo Official Dealers nationwide.”

PITX, LTO conduct random drug testing for drivers

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he Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) partnered with the Land the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to conduct a random drug testing for drivers at PITX on Last May 27. This activity aims to further ensure passenger safety inside and outside the terminal.

A total of 112 drivers and conductors from Saint Anthony of Padua, San Agustin Transport Inc., and Batman Service Transport Inc. bus companies were tested for drug and alcohol-use, two of whom came back with positive drug screening results. LTO has since confiscated the driver’s license of the two drivers.

“We take safety seriously,” said Mr. Jason Salvador, Corporate Affairs and Government Relations Head of PITX. “Our passengers must feel safe and be safe at all times, whether they are in the landport or on the road.

We expect our drivers to be 100% capable of doing their job and of keeping passengers safe. That is part of their responsibility.”

Aside from the drug testing of drivers, public utility buses were also subjected to roadworthiness inspection by LTO officers. Both activities are parts of a larger campaign launched by the landport in 2020: PITX Safe.

“The campaign is not just about the health and safety measures we’re implementing at PITX against COVID-19. It is also about our commitment to helping promote and ensure road safety for all, PITX passengers or not,” Mr. Salvador explained.

The random drug testing and road worthiness inspection were done pursuant to Republic Act 10586, which penalizes persons driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs, and similar substances.

The activity also coincides with the celebration of the National Road Safety Month this May.

Here is the first batch of Brembo Expert shops: • Autoplay Car Shop (Iloilo, Negros Oriental) • AG Tune N Lube (Angeles City, Pampanga) • Akayami Car Wash and Accessories (Carmona, Cavite) • Ausyace Auto Accessories Trading (Angat, Bulacan) • Auto Tech Car Care Center (Dinalupihan, Bataan) • Autoglass.Ph (Manadaue City, Cebu) • Checkpoint Sales and Auto Solutions (Urdaneta, Pangasinan) • Oliver Autoworx (Talavera, Nueva Ecija) • Parts Pro (Quezon City, NCR) • Rocket Automotive (Quezon City, NCR) • The Discount Yard (Marikina City, NCR) You can visit www.brembo.autoperformanceph.com for more information about Brembo Expert and Brembo Expert Dealers.

HYUNDAI GPS A YEAR ON

GEELYPH FOOD DISTRIBUTION

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) crafted another industry first—the Hyundai Guidelines for Protection and Safety (GPS) to ensure that they are ready to adapt and serve customers under the new working conditions.

Sojitz G Auto Philippines (SGAP) participated in another round of food distribution in Metro Manila donating approximately 100 kilos of fish to charity groups. The loads of fish were given to SGAP by Wheng Clemente, a fisherfolk from Paombong, Bulacan.

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NEWS

IsuzuPH and Shell, partners until 2023 I suzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) entered a two-year partnership with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC). Though the conventional contract signing ceremony did not take place, the fortified relationship between the two organizations signifies a joint commitment to help Filipinos safely adapt to the new normal on and off the road.

“We are very pleased to again be working side by side with Pilipinas Shell in fulfilling our mission to become ‘responsible partners’ in service of Filipino motorists. At IPC, we value progressive thinking and engineering when it comes to our commercial and light commercial vehicles, so we are glad to be working closely with them who are considered industry pioneers when it comes to sustainability and modernization,” according to Hajime Koso, President

of IPC. Represented by Mister Randy Del Valle, Vice President and General Manager for Mobility, PSPC expressed excitement in continuing an even stronger partnership with the country’s leading automotive and truck brand when it comes to diesel engine. Mr. Del Valle says “With the renewal of the partnership of IPC and Shell that has started since 2018, we would be able to continue to give value to new Isuzu drivers by providing access to quality fuels, lubricants and convenience retail items through the Shell Go+ Platform. We believe that this partnership is mutually beneficial for both Shell and IPC as both are in the forefront of innovation in their respective fields.”

Co-branded ad hocs in the past like the Isuzu 4×4 Xtreme Xperience, Isuzu Eco Run and Isuzu caravan displays at select Shell outlets plus some new

initiatives on mobility and technology will take place once the situation permits.

Every brand new Isuzu vehicle or truck owner will also still receive a “Welcome Kit” containing a Shell Go+ card with an initial balance of five

hundred pesos. This enables customers to be part of a Loyalty Program wherein members get to earn and redeem reward points in Fuels, Convenience Retail Products at Select / Deli2Go and Lubricants on

every Shell station visit.

Aside from that, by using the same card, members may also avail of 24/7 free roadside assistance by Ibero Asistencia and 10% off on Motolite Batteries (terms and conditions apply).

SuzukiPH maintains momentum going into 2nd quarter

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uzuki Philippines Inc. (SPH), the country’s pioneer compact car distributor, continues its consistent positive performance as it closes the chapter on the first quarter of 2021.

Recent data from The Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) showed Suzuki’s continued sales growth despite the limitations proposed by the prolonged lockdown and global pandemic – a testament to Suzuki’s unwavering commitment in providing Filipinos with only the best automotive service and products that we deserve.

Accumulated industry

sales revealed a total of 95,197 units sold in the first 4 months of 2021, amounting to 34% increase from last year’s performance. As for Suzuki, a total of 1,695

units were sold for the month of April, pushing the total number of units sold for the first 4 months of the year to 6,390 units – marking a growth of 65% compared to the 3,879

units sold in the same period of last year and also surpassing the industry’s recorded yearly growth.

Rolling into 2nd quarter with a high note, Suzuki landed top 3 in the month of April while maintaining its 4th place on the yearto-date sales. The 3 most popular sales drivers that have contributed to Suzuki’s sales for the first quarter of this year have been its flagship model Ertiga (1,544 units sold), the trendy hatchback S-Presso (1,204 units sold) and the ever-reliable workhorse Carry (1,177 unit sold) – accounting for 61 percent of Suzuki’s total sales.

SPH attributes the

SHOPEEPAY NOW ACCEPTED AT SEAOIL

LEXUS 2 MILLION GLOBAL SALES OF EV

Online shopping platform Shopee partners with SEAOIL to provide its integrated mobile wallet for users to pay for gas and other products and services in over 45 SEAOIL branches located in major cities.

Lexus announced that the luxury brand eclipsed the milestone of 2 million global sales of electrified vehicles at the end of April 2021. Since the launch of the RX400h in 2005, Lexus has been a pioneer of electrification in the luxury market.

continued success of its sales to the provision of timely monthly promotions, seeking and encouraging active engagement from Suzuki patrons through interactive virtual occasions such as the different legs of the Suzuki Auto Festival, aggressive digital marketing, as well as individual digital efforts and activities from the numerous dealers across the country in promoting the Suzuki brand.

For more information about Suzuki visit http:// suzuki.com.ph/auto/, like it on https://twitter. com/SuzukiAutoPH and follow on Instagram at @ suzukiautoph.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 13

Volkswagen teases new concept EV hatch, ID X G iving a preview of the brand’s newest electric concept car, Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter shared on his personal LinkedIn account some details and photos of the Volkswagen ID X concept car.

The new VW concept car shared by Brandstätter, which is more like a performance version of the ID 3 electric hatchback sold in Europe, sports a matte gray finish with green accents, largediameter wheels, and Alcantara wrapped interior with green accents. In an Autocar UK report, the ID X is rated to output 329 hp and is said to feature a four-wheel drive system derived from the Volkswagen ID 4 GTX EV set to be available in the European market.

for production but rather the brand will be using the techs and features found in the concept car for future EV Volkswagen models. He furthered that the concept was a result of Volkswagen engineers’ enjoyment in developing high performance electric vehicles such as the ID 4 GTX and so Volkswagen higher ups allowed them to build the ID X concept.

As per the limited details shared, the Volkswagen ID X is said to weigh 200kg less than the production ID 3. The Volkswagen

boss also teased that the ID X can go from 0-100kph in 5.3 sec. and shared that the concept car has a Drift mode similar to

the new Volkswagen Golf R. Brandstätter stated that the ID X is not designed

Volkswagen plans to develop more high performance electric cars. In another Autocar UK report, Volkswagen R, the German brand’s performance division, plans to come up with an R version of the ID 3 electric hatchback and intends to launch it to the European market by 2024.

IsuzuPH signs with Velocity Motors Sales Corp. for Subic dealership I suzu Philippines Corporation (IPC), today, led by its President, Mr. Hajime Koso, formally solidified its partnership with Isuzu Subic under Velocity Motors Sales Corporation. In view of the ongoing pandemic, both have mutually agreed to hold the contract signing ceremony virtually making it a first in the organization’s history.

“IPC officially welcomes Velocity Motors Sales Corporation to our growing network. As you may all know, we are on our “road to 50 dealerships” and today seals our 47th outlet nationwide. We have been wanting to further establish our presence in Zambales so thank you to Velocity Motors for partnering with us in

14 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

with a preparation bay and paint booth for body repairs in an effort to accommodate more vehicles, especially trucks, that require heavyduty maintenance.

capturing the market and being part of our expansion project. We are committed to continuously provide the best products and services in our new home in Subic , Koso says.

Director and Mr. Jeffrey Hao Lin, Director, is highly recognized for their expertise and achievements when it comes to trucks and bodybuilding in the northern coast of Central Luzon.

The aforementioned group, represented by Mr. Jason Hao, President and

Isuzu Subic’s 3,799-sqm dealership will follow the Isuzu Outlet Standard

(IOS) and include a display showroom, a customer mezzanine and parts warehouse. Although the main area already holds a 1,380-sqm service workshop that caters to both commercial and light commercial vehicles, there will also be a dedicated 1,518-sqm off-site space

IPC was recently recognized by Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan for earning Triple Stars in the 2020 Aftersales Awards. Only four other distributors and dealers in the six regions around the globe was awarded the top rating. The company strives to sustain this feat in the coming years and Isuzu Subic’s extended facility and increased capacity is just one of several action plans being taken to provide more access to the brand’s highest quality of aftersales servicing and parts fulfillment in the country.

NEWS

GeelyPH opens a pop-up showroom in Alabang

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eely recently opened a pop-up showroom in Alabang Town Center (ATC) to cater to customers in one of the major commercial hubs in the country. The 80-sqm booth will be open until September 30, 2021 for customers who are interested in purchasing a Geely vehicle or test driving the Coolray, Azkarra, and Okavango.

“While Geely is expected to rise in Alabang this year, we would like to build our presence there as early as now. We have been hearing requests for

a dealership in that area and we just don’t want our customers in Alabang and generally in the South to wait any further,” SGAP President & CEO Yosuke Nishi said.

As a new brand in the country, Geely has a lot more to do in achieving its goal to be one of the key players in the automotive market, dealer expansion is one of them.

“Our successful car launches which were met with positive reception from our customers are indicators that we have a competitive advantage in the car market. Our aim

is to maintain it and keep building our momentum,” Nishi added.

Currently, Geely has 11

operational dealerships and 13 more are rising this year. With SGAP’s ongoing rapid expansion,

Geely is expected to be more accessible to much more people by the end of the year.

NLEX beefs up road safety

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he NLEX Corporation has stepped up its road safety initiatives through various programs on safe expressway driving as the company implements the Road Traffic Safety Management System (RTSMS) or ISO 39001.

“Road safety counts as one of the customer value propositions we offer to motorists, that is why we take all our safety programs to heart,” said NLEX Corporation President and General Manager J. Luigi L. Bautista, highlighting that “establishing and upholding the RTSMS

will help the organization improve its road safety performance.”

Anchored on the three Es of safety—engineering, enforcement, and education—the programs being undertaken include the continuous maintenance and upgrade of NLEX-SCTEX assets and facilities; implementation of traffic laws; conduct of lectures and distribution of materials on safe driving practices and series of roadshows in rest and refuel areas along the expressway to remind motorists to do their share in keeping the roads safe.

To ensure adherence

to high standards of road safety, impact attenuators in Balintawak and Bocaue toll plazas were upgraded to mitigate damage to fixed structures, vehicles and people arising from vehicular collisions.

Median guardrails were also installed at the SCTEX, while additional warning signs were placed in Meycauayan, Mindanao, Tabang, Dolores, Concepcion, and Tarlac.

Safety inspections are also regularly being done to make sure that the roads, signs, and other expressway features are in good condition.

Striving to provide a

safe and secure road for all, the tollway company firmly enforces traffic laws related to seat belt use, speeding, and overloading, among others. It has been using the speed monitoring system, automatic license plate recognition, and weigh-in-motion devices to advance operational efficiency and aid in traffic law enforcement.

Aside from educating motorists, employees are also being taught to be responsible drivers through webinars, trainings, and programs on appropriate driving behavior, inspiring them to be advocates of road safety.

NLEX also has other road safety campaigns which include the “Safe Trip Mo, Sagot Ko” motorist assistance program which is conducted during peak travel seasons; the Usapang Driver forum for bus and truck drivers; and Kaligtasan sa Daan or KalSaDa education program for host communities.

“Through our programs, we want to exemplify the culture of safety that we want to instill among our motorists and our other stakeholders,” Bautista said.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 15

First-time Car Owner Wins a Hyundai Kona from Shell Spin for Great Journeys Promo

J

ulius Drey Latag, 22, is bound for better journeys.

This computer technology student is also bound to turn heads at school as a first-time owner of the globally acclaimed Hyundai Kona which he won from the Shell 105 Raffle Promo last December.

He didn’t think much gassing up for the family at the Shell JP Laurel Highway in Lipa City Batangas as he’d normally do. Coming across a poster promoting the raffle, he decided to try his luck. When the winners were announced, he couldn’t believe that he won, wary that he is of online scamming.

Much less did he dream of driving home something that he’d only see at Hyundai showrooms and in auto reviews.

“This is really my first car,” he beams, “something that’s to my name.” For a young guy who used to

16 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

happily move around on a bike, this makes for one awesome surprise.

“I am a bit nervous,” he admits. “It’s new. It’s a real beauty and I don’t want to have scratches on it!”

For good reason. The Kona is the Tucson’s funkier and more adventurous younger brother. Much has been said about

its head-turning style but what completes its winning figure among international awards bodies is its outstanding power, comfort, and safety features ideal for conquering long road trips: 2.0-liter Atkinson gasoline engine with 6-speed AT transmission Euro 4 emission rating gives maximum power of 149ps/6,200rpm and a maximum torque of 18.3kg-m/4,500rpm; a body is proudly made with 51.8% AHSS body that boost its safety ratings in various crash tests in Europe and North America; modern, comfy interiors that promise ample head and leg room.

Julius is all set to take his dad and siblings on a road trip to Tagaytay. With his fave tunes blasting away to relieve the boredom of traffic and long rides, Julius and his Kona are prepared to give the Latag family safe, smooth, and better journeys ahead.

NEWS

Cleanfuel Boosts Retail Presence with Newly Open Marikina Station

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eading independent oil player Cleanfuel is making sure to cater to hardworking Filipinos more and more as it opens its latest station in the country’s shoe capital— Marikina City.

Strategically located in the busy area of J.P. Rizal corner Narra Street in Barangay Nangka, the latest Cleanfuel station provides better access to quality yet affordable fuel for Marikeños and nearby areas such as San Mateo, Montalban (Rizal), Batasan Hills, as well as Concepcion Uno and Parang in Marikina City.

The city, which is known as the biggest manufacturer and exporter of quality shoes in the country, continues to generate thousands of jobs every year in sixteen barangays, housing multiple commercial establishments that make it one of the Metro’s most important economic hubs.

Cleanfuel (Nangka) Marikina, at the east of Metro Manila, is also ready to assist motorists in their daily motoring needs with topnotch fuel such as Clean 91, Premium 95, and Hi grade diesel.

Motorists in the Area are expected to experience

and enjoy Cleanfuel’s firstclass amenities including clean and spacious airconditioned restrooms, airand-water services, digital tire inflator with pressure gauge, leasing, and cashless payments.

The company’s president Atty. Bong Suntay, urges its customers to take advantage of the added perks by signing up for the brand’s VIP reward cards. The membershipbased system—given FREE to motorists—will help customer avail the numerous giveaways and discounts to partner establishments.

Cleanfuel also practices utmost safety health precautions in order to

ensure the protection of its customers and workforce against disease. As such, wearing face masks and face shields, thermal scanning of personnel, social distancing, disinfection of workstations, hand washing, and cashless payments are mandatory to experience a safer place of business for motorists.

“Making ‘Quality Fuel for Less’ more accessible is part

of our numerous initiatives to help the local economy gain traction in these time of pandemic. Opening the Marikina station is significant for our company as this is our first station to open here in Marikina, which is an important market for us,” Cleanfuel president Jesus “Bong” Suntay said.

The chief executive revealed that they are planning to inaugurate the Boni Avenue station within 2 weeks after the Marikina

opening. “We are committed to expand and strengthen our retail network in NCR and provinces. This is a good opportunity for us to grow our customer base while helping motorists with their fuel needs,” Suntay said.

“We don’t only provide quality and affordable fuel to motorists, we’re also extending help to our customer’s journey by providing them rewards on every liter they fill in their tanks,” he concluded.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 17

Cleanfuel Opens Third Mandaluyong City Station

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eading independent oil firm Cleanfuel announced the successful inauguration of its third station in Mandaluyong City—Cleanfuel Boni Avenue.

Cleanfuel’s newest branch in Boni, which serves as the brand’s third station in the National Capital Region’s one and only “Tiger City,” complements existing stations at Shaw Boulevard and Pioneer in providing affordable and quality fuel along the East-West thoroughfares of Mandaluyong.

Situated at the corner of Boni Avenue and P. Cruz Street in San Jose, Mandaluyong City, Cleanfuel Boni Avenue is expected to cater to the needs of private and commercial vehicles traversing westbound to EDSA in Barangka, and EDSA-Boni tunnel, going to the main road of Mandaluyong and Pasig area.

The opening of the Boni Avenue station assures that the area’s residents and commercial business

18 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

owners can experience Cleanfuel’s mantra of providing affordable and quality premium fuel for less to the motoring public. As such, customers can expect topnotch fuel products including Clean91, Premium 95, and high-grade diesel.

With its “Quality fuel for Less” battle cry, the company also takes pride in showcasing first-class amenities, from its clean and spacious air-conditioned restrooms, to air-andwater services, digital tire inflator with pressure gauge, commercial space for leasing, cashless payment options, and loyalty rewards program.

The opening of the Boni Avenue station immediately follows the inauguration of Cleanfuel J.P. Rizal in Marikina—which is the company’s premier station in the shoe capital of the Philippines.

Cleanfuel President Atty. Jesus “Bong” Suntay expressed his gratitude for the continued support of the motoring public which has

enabled Cleanfuel to open more new stations to further spur the economy in various areas around the country.

“As the country slowly welcomes efforts to boost the economy, we at Cleanfuel will continue to make ourselves more accessible to Filipino motorists, who would also help our customer base grow more,” Suntay said.

Motorists can take advantage and are urged to sign up for Cleanfuel VIP reward cards. Given to motorists for FREE, the membership-based program dishes out numerous giveaways and discounts at partner establishme Moreover, Cleanfuel customers can expect a safe

and risk-free environment as its workforce continuously upholds safety health precautions such as wearing face masks and face shields, thermal scanning of personnel, social distancing, disinfection of workstations, and hand washing. Cashless payments are also made available.

“We always have our customers in our mind. We don’t only take care of their fuel needs, but we want to make sure that when every time they gas up at our station they will be safe and experience first-class amenities of Cleanfuel—air conditioned restrooms— which is one of our main selling point,” adds Suntay.

“In a few weeks from now, we’re opening our station in the business district of Alabang-Zapote in Las Piñas. This will be a momentous day as we continue to expand our roadmap in bringing best customer service and affordable and quality fuel to all customers in the region,” he concluded.

NEWS

Brand Breakthrough Award of UAAGi received by Asia Pacific Country Manager HaiqiZhang

UAAGI receives Global Brand Breakthrough Award

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onsidered as one of the youngest distributors of the CHERY brand in the world, the United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI) and CHERY Auto Philippines team aggressively bagged the 2021 Brand Breakthrough Award from CHERY International.

The CHERY Overseas Distribution Awarding Ceremony is an annual event held by CHERY Automobile Co. Ltd, headquartered in Wuhu, China and was virtually broadcasted to the entire CHERY global network attended by over 30 countries. It aims to recognize the global distributors achieving excellence in performance across marketing innovation, branding, product upgrade, excellent service, and network building.

“It is gratifying to see that all the hard work and efforts by the CHERY Auto Philippines team and our fast-growing nationwide network of dealers are being recognized by our principals,” said UAAGI and CHERY Auto Philippines

President Rommel Sytin.

Among the CHERY global distributors including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Chile, and Egypt, only two countries—the Philippines and Brazil— received the Brand Breakthrough Award.

This is a result of CHERY Auto Philippine’s market resilience and flexibility despite the numerous setbacks that occurred since it was launched last November 2019.

“Just three months after our Philippine launch, the government imposed a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We were forced to close our dealerships, yet we thought of ways on how to reach out to the Filipinos to offer CHERY,” Sytin recalled.

Before the pandemic, the eruption of the Taal Volcano which affected nearby regions and Metro Manila have also halted the operations of dealers and allocation of vehicles.

Several typhoons also destroyed businesses, especially the automotive line, which adversely decreased vehicle sales

for the whole Philippine industry by as much as 50 percent.

“It was a challenging start, but we had to prove that our brand is stronger than these hindrances,” said Sytin.

When people weren’t allowed to leave their homes, CHERY fortified its digital presence through social media, website, and the CHERY mobile application available on Google, App Store, and App Gallery to make brand information, products, and services more accessible.

CHERY Auto Philippines also managed to bring the brand forward through various marketing efforts like tapping brand ambassador, superstar Coco Martin, sponsoring the CHERY Tiggo Crossovers volleyball team, and establishing strong offline and online efforts through print and out-of-home advertisements.

On top of that, CHERY Auto Philippines also succeeded in establishing an 18-strong dealership expansion and executing industry-leading aftersales

programs.

Sytin noted, “The Brand Breakthrough Award for the Philippines is an indication that CHERY has been and will be striving harder. With this, we have gained more confidence that with our relentless efforts to build the brand, more and more Filipino consumers will get to know and appreciate the compelling value proposition of the CHERY Tiggo models and put more of these in their garages.”

“We will make CHERY the Filipinos’ car choice,” he closed.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 19

News, insight and opinion from the world of motor racing

M OTO R S P O RT

20 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

THE REALITY OF RACING: 2021 KALAYAAN CUP ENDURANCE RACE Racing is not just fast cars and lap times. There are down times too. elebrating the Philippine independence with adrenaline, Clark International Speedway (CIS) annually hosts the Kalayaan Cup 12-Hour Endurance Race.

The Kalayaan Cup is one of the three events comprising the Makabayan Cup Series of endurance races that the people behind CIS host.

The event’s 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, with the situation more controlled and strong immunization efforts, the Kalayaan Cup Endurance Race was able to push

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through allowing endurance racing to be back once again.

Unlike our team’s previous participation in endurance races, little preparation was needed.

The car was pretty much as it was since the Bonifacio 8-Hour Endurance Challenge held at CIS eight months ago. Aside from a new set of full coilover dampers, a salvaged exhaust muffler, and a more efficient set of 195/55/15 Accelera PHR tires (we previously used the Accelera 651 performance tires) the car was the same.

Driving duties are done

by Louie Camacho, Hazel

Ramirez, and Gerald Lim with the addition of Christian De Las Alas.

Another way to put it, the team is composed of a rallycross champion, an autocross/gymkhana driver with international exposure, a long-time offroader, a circuit champion, and then there is me, a pen pusher who plays with Hot Wheels and Tomica.

The team was at CIS a day before the event for us drivers to practice and fine tune the suspension of the car as it badly needed to be adjusted. With just a few tweaks by the Project O crew and team

engineer Sonny Oliveros, the suspension was tuned properly and the car sticks and corners wonderfully around the track.

Come race day, the race commenced at exactly 5:30 am. Other than the start, which we had to do from the pit late due to technical reasons, the first couple of hours of our race were smooth sailing. I was scheduled to go out as the fourth driver but my stint came early and became third to drive. The car felt great! The suspension set up and tires were matched perfectly. I was too engrossed in driving

substantial results. I felt really bad as we could have done far better if not for the clutch incident during my stint.

After spending hours in the pit, the car was back on track racing again. For the remainder of the race, the car felt great to drive again.

I was extra careful on my second stint to preserve the car. Of course, we want it to cross the finish line.

The only problem that came up in the latter part of the race was with the transmission supports acting up. Could not help but think it was probably due to the incident that happened early on. And later on, it got worse.

The axle got pulled out of the transmission during one of the corners. Good thing, Louie was behind the wheel.

With his racing experience

he was able to safely stop the car to the side. With the yellow flag situation, the Corolla was towed back to the pit. There was only less than 30 minutes until checkered flag. The boys did not waste any time in fixing the car. It was crunch time!

Within 10 minutes the boys was able to hammer back the axle, and Louie was back on track again. Louie did an astounding job to make the

car cross the checkered flag in one piece.

Despite all the things that happened, we were still able to bring home trophies! We finished 2nd runner-up for the Kalayaan Cup 6-Hour Class 2 and 2nd runnerup for the Kalayaan Cup 12-Hour Class 2.

This race definitely taught me a lot. I went in thinking ‘We have done this before.

What could go wrong?’

Well a lot went wrong! But good thing, with the effort of the whole team, we were able to finish the race. This experience taught me that racing is not always just driving fast. A lot of factors is concerned. It is not just the car and driver.

Reality is, no matter how good drivers are, if they are not backed by a great team, nothing good will happen. With this event, I was really able to appreciate the people behind each race cars; the guys eagerly anticipating every move at the paddocks; anxious with every radio call. They absolutely play a big role in every race. Cannot wait to drive on track again and learn more.

JOHN REY SAN DIEGO JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 21

GETTY IMAGES

that I was able to clock in our team’s best time in the morning segment of the race.

Everything was fine until around lap four or five of my stint, the clutch went gone. The problem even came in such a bad timing.

Coming out of Acacia section, I was tackling the sweeping right turn coming into the chicane before the double apex turn, when I tried shifting down to second but it did not go in.

Consequently, I went too deep on the brakes which caused me to spin and stall right at the middle of the chicane. The engine started after a few tries. With some rev matching I was able to put it into third gear and glide my way back to the paddock.

The boys were quick to check and confirm that it was a broken clutch plate.

We immediately rushed to the nearest auto supply store which was around 12km away from CIS to get a fresh set. A major setback, the whole incident took us more than three hours in the pit.

It cost us a lot that we were not able to finish the 4-Hour segment of the event with

F I R ST D R I V E S N E W C A R S T E ST E D A N D R AT E D

BMW M440i TESTED 14.10.20, MUNICH, GERMANY ON SALE 24 OCTOBER PRICE £53,875

New 4 Series has divisive looks but we give the range-topping 369bhp coupé a grilling over what matters most: driver appeal

22 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

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he past seven years have been kind to the BMW 4 Series.

Introduced with a good deal of fanfare in 2013, it has now recorded more than 800,000 sales worldwide, with nearly 150,000 of those in the UK, its second-biggest market behind the US. Its success is spread across three models – Coupé, Cabriolet and four-door Gran Coupé – and a range of four- and sixcylinder petrol and diesel engines, which have given it a broad appeal.

But the talk surrounding this new, second-generation 4 Series is not of the task it faces in living up to the sales performance of its predecessor or its new engines, which include the 369bhp 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit of the range-topping M440i xDrive Coupé driven here, but of – yes, what else? – that grille. The 4 Series’ design has widely divided opinions but, like it or loathe it, there is more to the second-generation model than its controversial styling.

BMW says it has conceived the new 4 Series, known internally as the G22 in coupé guise, to be a more distinctive, stand-alone model with greater exclusivity than before and this is reflected in its controversial appearance and improved quality.

In dimensions, too, the new model shifts further away from the model it replaces. It’s 128mm longer (at 4768mm), 27mm wider (1852mm) and 6mm taller (1383mm), giving it greater presence and a more sporting form than the car it replaces.

As with its predecessor, the new line-up starts with the Coupé, which has traditionally accounted for 33% of 4 Series sales in the UK. It will be followed next year by the new Cabriolet (17% of sales last time round) and Gran Coupé (50%).

The new 4 Series shares its CLAR platform and electric architecture, including 48V capability, with the latest 3 Series. Its wheelbase has grown by 41mm to 2851mm and, as part of efforts to provide it with a more sporting feel, its tracks are wider than the previous 4 Series’, at 1575mm (28mm wider) at the front and 1611mm (18mm wider) at the rear.

Crucially, for keen drivers, the new model’s centre of gravity is also

21mm lower than the first-generation 4 Series’, model for model. This has been achieved partly through a new material mix, with aluminium now used for the bonnet, front wings, doors and front suspension.

Further changes are centred on making the body structure stiffer than that of the 3 Series. To achieve this, BMW has fitted the 4 Series with a new shear panel within the front bulkhead, a newly designed strut across the front suspension towers and an extra A-frame support at the front of the engine bay.

Inside, the layout is familiar, with a layered dashboard from the 3 Series, complete with standard 12.3in digital instrument and 10.3in infotainment displays – the latter of which can be operated via a rotary controller or touch commands as well as optional speech and gesture controls – in the M440i xDrive. Overall, the cabin features much higher perceived standards of material and finish than the previous 4 Series.

The driving position is quite different from that of the 3 Series, courtesy of a more heavily angled windscreen and lower mounting of the front seats, which in combination with the multi-function steering wheel offer generous adjustment.

While you’re never going to buy the new 4 Series for its accommodation, it now offers greater space up front than the old model. There’s also claimed to be more room in the rear, although head room is quite limited in the back, even though the individual rear seats are set fairly low. Boot space, meanwhile, has been reduced by five litres to 440 litres.

Overall, there are six second-gen 4 Series Coupé models, with a choice of four engines. These include a base turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit with 184bhp in the 420i and 258bhp in the 430i – both of which come as standard with rearwheel drive. The diesels, all featuring 48V mild-hybrid tech and standard four-wheel drive, start with a turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder delivering 190bhp in the 420d xDrive. Next year, a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder diesel with 286bhp in the 430d xDrive and 340bhp in à

New 4 Series is longer, wider and taller than the old one and has more presence JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 23

ßthe M440d xDrive will also join the line-up in the UK. The M440i xDrive heads the new range – and it has 43bhp more than the earlier 440i it effectively replaces, at 369bhp. Its turbo 3.0-litre sixcylinder is certainly no stranger, having already appeared in various new BMW models in recent times, including the M340i xDrive, with which the headlining 4 Series also shares its eight-speed torqueconverter automatic gearbox, fourwheel drive system and electronically controlled rear M differential.

It is the inherent smoothness and willingness to rev that mark out the M440i’s engine. However, its low-speed pick-up in taller gears and strapping mid-range flexibility are equally as impressive. The new junior M car may not deliver the same pin-your-shoulders-back accelerative intent as a full-blown six-cylinder M car, but with 369lb ft at 19005000rpm, it is both wonderfully rounded and engaging, delivering strong in-gear urge together with truly relaxed part-throttle cruising.

The praise continues with the gearbox. Whether casually swapping ratios at low revs or performing shifts close to the 6800rpm ignition cut-out in manual Steptronic mode via the steering wheel paddles, it is always smooth and fast.

There are three main driving modes: Eco-Pro, Comfort and Sport. A fourth Adaptive mode that combines all three depending on

Low levels of noise, a controlled ride and relaxed part-throttle response make it a fine long-haul cruiser the driving conditions can also be called on. New to the 4 Series is an additional Sprint mode, which switches the car into the Sport setting using one of the shift paddles.

The six-cylinder’s muscular growl and enthusiastic exhaust note, which are enhanced synthetically over the cabin speakers, are never quite as dominating or melodious as those of the petrol units used in full-fat M cars. Nevertheless, its subtle purposefulness at part-throttle and more meaningful acoustic intent under full load help to underline the M440i’s performance capabilities.

The suspension retains the same design as the 3 Series’, with an

Layout will be familiar to drivers of the current 3 Series but you sit lower here 24 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

aluminium-intensive MacPherson strut layout up front and a five-link arrangement at the rear, although it has its own unique kinematic properties, and the 4 Series also gets greater camber on the front wheels. Another key development is the adoption of BMW’s lift-related dampers, which feature main and auxiliary springs as well as hydraulic bump stops to progressively increase pressure within the damper under compression while progressively adjusting the rebound properties.

However, the M440i receives uniquely tuned M Sport suspension with electronically controlled adaptive dampers. The standard

wheels start at 17in in diameter and increase to 19in in combination with an optional M Sport Package Pro, which also brings the 225/40- and 255/35-profile Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres fitted to our test car.

Despite its larger dimensions, the 4 Series is easy to place on the road.

Fully befitting its sporting brief, it is engagingly fleet-footed and quite incisive in its actions. The variablerate sport steering of the M440i is direct off centre, too, giving the new BMW urgent turn-in. It’s also more feelsome than that of the old model.

The way the weighting and overall responsiveness increase with lock are key to delivering a sense of all-round

TESTER’S NOTE All new 4 Series models destined for the UK will feature the M Sport styling package and be available with an M Sport Pro package, which includes a new Sprint mode function that’s operated via the left-hand shift paddle on the steering wheel. GK

FIRST DRIVES S I X- P O T P E T RO L A N D BOTH DIESELS GO 48V

❝

It delivers a sense of all-round confidence as you thread it down a challenging back road

❞

The latest evolution of BMW’s B58 six-cylinder petrol engine, as used by the M440i, gains 48V mild-hybrid tech. This enables electric boosting via the startergenerator, with an added 11bhp available under acceleration, as well as functions such as engineoff coasting and brake energy recuperation. The same mildhybrid properties are applied to the new 4 Series’ diesels, which also adopt two-stage turbocharging.

Easily accessed performance and well-measured dynamic responses are two of the M440i’s trump cards confidence in the well-balanced chassis as you thread the 4 Series down a challenging back road in Sport mode.

Body control, meanwhile, is excellent. BMW’s efforts to lower the centre of gravity can be felt in the way the 4 Series scythes through corners with greater enthusiasm and a higher degree of calmness than its predecessor. There’s a heightened sense of overall dynamic prowess that’s not only rooted in its firmer damping, but also its inherent balance, which is quite outstanding.

Although the M440i is four-wheel drive, its variable apportioning of drive is such that it feels distinctively

rear-wheel biased in dry conditions.

With the electronically controlled M Sport differential also working to vary the drive between each individual rear wheel, it delivers outstanding grip and traction, and the additional security and confidence it instils in the driver on wet roads makes it well worth consideration, even if it lacks the overall fluidity and engagement of the traditional rear-wheel-drive set-up available on other models.

BMW’s efforts to provide the 4 Series with a more sporting character haven’t come at the expense of ride, though. With the adaptive dampers set to Comfort

mode, there’s mild restlessness and the odd thump on less than smooth road surfaces around town. However, the action of the springs and adaptive dampers is exceptionally well controlled. Together, they quickly eliminate all but the most extreme of impact shock before it has a chance to unsettle progress.

At higher speeds on the open road, the ride is even more resolved, providing the new 4 Series with a fittingly purposeful but highly comfortable character that, in combination with low levels of wind noise and road roar, makes it a formidable long-distance proposition.

The new 4 Series Coupé has clearly taken on a more sporting role in the BMW line-up. It is now further differentiated from the 3 Series, on which it is largely based, in terms of its driving experience, being more incisive and generally more alert in its actions. The M440i sets a high standard of performance, although ultimately it will be the milder versions on which the 4 Series’ sales success will hinge. It’s not the prettiest car BMW has ever produced, but it is one whose clear purpose and heightened dynamic abilities make it a very convincing and entertaining contender.

GREG KABLE

BMW M440i xDRIVE COUPE Among the much improved new 4 Series models, the M440i makes a claim as being the pick of the line-up

AAAAC Price Engine

Grille sparks controversy but the engine behind it will garner more unifying appeal

£53,875 6 cyls, 2998cc, turbo, petrol, plus 48V ISG Power 369bhp at 5500-6500rpm Torque 369lb ft at 1900-5000rpm Gearbox 8-spd automatic Kerb weight 1740kg 0-62mph 4.5sec Top speed 155mph (governed) Economy 41.5mpg CO2, tax band 155g/km,34% RIVALS Audi S5 Coupé, Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupé

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 25

TESTED 26.10.20, WILTSHIRE ON SALE NOW

FERRARI 812 GTS Y

ou know the Ferrari that’s so amazing and quick that they called it the Superfast? This is just like that, but with no roof. In losing the Superfast tag, as is Ferrari’s way (the F8 Tributo with no roof is simply called the F8 Spider), the 812 GTS gains a folding hard-top and 75kg because of the mechanism and the body-stiffening required.

What it retains are the elements that make the 812 Superfast special.

Up front is a 6.5-litre V12 petrol engine with no turbochargers that revs to nearly 9000rpm and on the way makes 789bhp. It drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. And if that amount of power through only two driven wheels sounds hairy, holding it together is a complex array of electronics that oversees traction control, stability control, a limitedslip differential and even Side Slip Control, which allows some oversteer.

I think you would classify the 812 GTS as a convertible super-GT, with rivals including the Aston Martin

26 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

DBS Superleggera Volante and perhaps the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster but not too much else.

It’s just too powerful and expensive (£293,150 before options, and buyers will be encouraged to add plenty) for there to be many alternatives.

There are only two seats inside – not even tiny rear ones fit only for a Pomeranian – and, unlike in a Lamborghini drop-top, no seating

space has been taken away to bring you a folding roof; the seats slide just as far back as in the coupé.

They’re well finished and supportive and bring a decent driving position, although some might want the steering wheel (a bit complexly buttoned and squared-off, but you get used to it) to reach closer.

The rest of the cabin is pleasingly laid out, albeit the two small screens

Everything inside is neatly designed and expertly constructed

behind the steering wheel – which control the infotainment and monitor the car’s trip computer, temperatures and other systems – aren’t totally straightforward. But I really like the look and feel of the air vents, there’s a cool secondary display in front of the passenger so they can see how fast you’re not going and all is rather nicely designed and well finished.

The engine is the masterpiece in

FIRST DRIVES AN ENGINE FROM 2002… KIND OF

Array of electronics keep this 789bhp RWD car out of hedges

The 812’s engine can trace its roots back to the Enzo’s 5998cc V12, but it has so many new internals by now that you could think of the Tipo F140-GA as a rather different engine to even the 6262cc unit from the F12 Berlinetta that preceded it. Over that, it has been ‘stroked’ to gain the extra capacity yet still revs to 8900rpm.

At the 812 Superfast coupé’s launch, Ferrari’s engineers felt that this engine has perhaps one more iteration within it to produce the necessary power increase that comes with a new-generation car.

Assuming, of course, that events haven’t overtaken it and that some form of electrification or at least turbochargers become a necessity by then.

TESTER’S NOTE With the roof up, you can drop a small rear window to let in more exhaust noise, with seemingly no wind noise to corrupt it. MP

the 812 GTS, though. I know that revelling in it is all very 20th century, but one day we will enjoy internal combustion like this only in the same way that we know traction engines.

What is it about the noise? Even people who don’t know it know it when they hear it: a V12 that sounds so smooth, expensive and exotic.

It revs to daft levels for an engine of this capacity; peak power arrives at 8500rpm and torque at 7000rpm.

Some 80% of that comes by 3500rpm, though, and honestly that’s enough to be getting on with most of the time.

Ferrari’s dual-clutch gearbox is one of the best on the market, too, so smooth and quick. And it’s amenable even when left in automatic mode, despite it and the engine’s stop-start

system keeping things as quiet as possible to minimise emissions – although at 17.2mpg and 373g/km of CO2, there’s evidently a limit to what they can do.

The 812 GTS is enjoyable to drive even at sensible road speeds. This is a big car (4.69m long and 1.97m wide with extremities that are hard to see) and, like all modern Ferraris, has ferociously quick steering. I think that’s meant to make it feel more agile, and it probably works. Ferrari claims a dry weight of 1600kg, but we weighed an 812 Superfast fully fuelled at 1725kg, so call this one 1800kg with a bit of fuel and some options. Nonetheless, it turns keenly.

It rides well, too. Ferrari has two modes on its adaptive dampers,

❝ It’s a real pleasure to drive the 812 GTS along with the roof up or down and enjoy the drama

❞

and the ‘bumpy road’ set-up is best for most British asphalt, but the differences are subtle and it’s good to find a system where both work well.

The steering weight doesn’t change either, but I know that some testers would rather it were less hyperactive.

I would say the experience feels less manic than in the 812 Superfast.

The dampers have been relaxed (or maybe it’s just due to the extra weight high in the car), but there’s no skittishness.

Obviously, it has 789bhp and is rear-wheel drive and it’s November in Britain, so you can’t be an idiot, but it’s a real pleasure to drive the 812 GTS along with the roof up or down and enjoy the drama. There’s only a little buffeting with the top down.

In our 812 Superfast road test, we felt the coupé lacked the lengthy strides that its ride needed to truly succeed in its class. With a little weight added but a more rounded demeanour and barely noticeable chassis flex, the 812 GTS feels like the right character for this car.

MATT PRIOR

@matty_prior

FERRARI 812 GTS In losing its fixed roof, the 812 Superfast gains a more rounded and likeable composure

AAAAB Price Engine Power Torque Gearbox Kerb weight 0-62mph Top speed Economy CO2, tax band RIVALS

£293,150 V12, 6496cc, petrol 789bhp at 8500rpm 530lb ft at 7000rpm 7-spd dual-clutch automatic 1800kg (est) Less than 3.0sec 211mph 17.2mpg 373g/km, 37% Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster, Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 27

ROAD TEST

No 5508

McLaren GT McLaren reaches into luxury GT territory. Should Bentley, Mercedes et al worry?

MODEL TESTED GT

28 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

ROAD TEST he October 2019 market launch of this week’s road test subject, the McLaren GT, must seem like an awfully long time ago for anyone reading this at the firm’s Woking headquarters.

From taking its creditors to court, to putting its factory and office headquarters up for sale, McLaren has had to resort to extraordinary measures just to survive as the Covid crisis closed its production lines and dried up so much of the business of the wider McLaren Group last year. A time of expansive thinking, when the outfit was reaching into new niches and imagining new roles for its cars, must be very hard to recall.

And yet that kind of mood brought us what was claimed to be the most usable, most aerodynamically efficient and in some ways most innovative new model that McLaren has put into normal series production at any time during its short history.

Whether those claims are true of the £165,230, 612bhp McLaren GT is what this road test must ascertain.

This car’s design concept, which we’ll detail shortly, is clearly not as wildly free-thinking as that of the £2 million limited-run Speedtail – but McLaren says the GT was inspired and influenced by that Ultimate Series creation. Fundamentally, this is a mid-engined, carbonfibretubbed, turbo V8-powered McLaren like every other of the current era – but it’s one with very different aims and priorities from a 720S, a 600LT or a Senna, one whose major ingredients may sound familiar but have been mixed quite differently.

It isn’t the firm’s first crack at a GT car, of course. So is it a significantly different and better one?

T

DESIGN AND ENGINEERING

AAABC

We like  McLaren’s lurid performance and purity of handling are undimmed  Thought-provoking looks match the car’s mission statement cleverly

We don’t like  It’s little easier to board and to use than many of McLaren’s other cars  Practicality and refinement are questionable by luxury GT standards

A lightweight and rigid carbonfibre tub with a turbocharged V8 hooked up behind it wouldn’t be where most makers of luxury cars would start when designing a modern GT car, but what would happen if you started there anyway? What dynamic advantages could you bestow? And how differently could you meet the brief of a fast, comfortable, distancedevouring luxury driver’s car from how, say, Bentley, Aston Martin or Mercedes-AMG might?

Those are the questions that the McLaren GT sets out to explore. The departure point for this car must have been decided mainly by the art of the possible, of course. It uses a Monocell chassis and aluminium doublewishbone suspension adapted from the firm’s Sports Series cars, and a 4.0-litre engine and hydraulic power steering system adapted from those of the 720S. But exactly how widely those ingredients have been adapted might just surprise you.

The GT is the longest model in the current McLaren series-production range. Measuring 4683mm from nose to tail, it’s 140mm longer than a 720S. Its wheelbase is 5mm longer

Range at a glance ENGINES

POWER

FROM

540C 570S 570GT GT 720S

533bhp 562bhp 562bhp 612bhp 710bhp

£137,190 £150,815 £158,815 £165,230 £215,055

TRANSMISSIONS 7-spd dual-clutch automatic The short list above details what you could call McLaren Automotive’s current series-production model range. It leaves out limited-numbers specials like the 600LT, 765LT, 620R and any ultra-rare Ultimate Series models, and it includes the current-generation Sports Series models, which are soon to be replaced; but it still positions the GT in relation to its immediate siblings.

Convertible versions of the 570S and 720S are, of course, available.

The GT doesn’t have a derivative range as such, but some of the car’s option packs can be considered de-facto trim levels.

than that of the 720S or 570S, and its overhangs are both longer, too.

McLaren’s intention was to provide better aerodynamic efficiency for the car than its other series models have, as well as a more elegant, less aggressive look.

Powering the car is a version of the firm’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, codenamed M840TE. It has a compression ratio some 8% higher than a 720S’s, as well as smaller and more responsive low-inertia turbochargers. So although peak power for the GT is pegged at 612bhp and torque at a peak 465lb ft, some 95% of that torque is available from just 3000rpm. Downstream of the engine, drive goes to the rear axle through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and an open differential.

The GT is suspended by coil springs, double-valved adaptive dampers and conventional anti-roll bars. Although it uses the same suspension control software as the 720S, it doesn’t use McLaren’s interlinked damping hydraulics.

However, it runs with longer, softer springs and more ground clearance than any other McLaren model. The 130mm of underbody clearance made possible by the car’s optional nose lifter is supposedly enough to rival many saloon cars, making it easy to negotiate urban environments.

A very low kerb weight relative to à

Elements of 720S are reworked for GT

 High-set arrowhead nose of the GT is a defining part of its styling. It’s also exactly what it looks like: the centre of aerodynamic pressure of the front of the car. Air flows away from it very much like the styling does.

 McLaren has gone with bigger lateral air dams here than it did with either the 720S or the 570S, possibly because, with an engine fully enclosed from above, their purpose is all the more critical for cooling as well as for induction air.

 Ultra-slim rear light clusters and porous grilles around them lend plenty of commonality with cars like the 720S and P1. The grilles act as exit vents for the engine bay, with the spoiler creating an extra zone of negative air pressure.

 Wheels are quite widely staggered in size. The 20in fronts have only a 225-section tyre but the rears, at 21in, have the largest diameter of any wheel fitted to a McLaren road car and get 295-section tyres.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 29

Weights and measures max

DIMENSIONS 960m m

mm

0m

114

420 litres 1213mm

150 litres

ax

Kerb weight: 1530kg 2675mm 4683mm

PA R K I N G Typical garage height

 Front seats are now both heated and electrically powered as standard, after 2021-model-year revision.

Typical parking space width (2400mm)

Width 540960mm

2000mm

Length 1650mm

Height 100400mm

2100mm (with mirrors)

 There’s 150 litres of additional carrying space up front, but this box is still probably only large enough for one medium-sized suitcase.

3280mm

W H E E L A N D P E DA L ALI G N M E NT Brake pedal is slightly offset to the left but remains easy to reach with either foot and the footwell feels roomy enough.

The steering has McLaren’s usual generous range of column adjustment.

30mm 100mm Width 740mm

H E AD LI G HTS Test car’s adaptive LED headlights responded to oncoming traffic quickly but less so when approaching traffic from behind. Their outright power and clarity were good. ß other modern luxury GT cars is

what has given McLaren permission to run with such gentle spring rates, it says. The GT is claimed to weigh as little as 1530kg in running order, and our test car wasn’t much heavier, at 1580kg fully fuelled. A Porsche 911 Turbo S is 60kg heavier still but a Ferrari Roma can be less than 1600kg with the right options, which does throw one of McLaren’s key claims for this car into question.

INTERIOR

AAABC Certain inconveniences are inevitable when you’re making your way into a low-riding, mid-engined McLaren.

The firm clearly understands very well what they are, and has done its best to manage and mitigate them in the GT. And yet, were you using

30 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

Height 380530mm

Centre

this car perhaps not every day but regularly, you would quickly come to know them just as well.

McLaren’s upward-and-outwardswinging dihedral doors have been made as light and as easy to use as they can possibly be for this car. If you’ve had a McLaren before, you’ll feel the difference. Finding the flap that releases the door takes a bit of head scratching and fumbling around, though – McLaren’s wellestablished aversion to the exterior door handle evidently enduring still.

Then there’s the wide sill to cross and the inboard-set seat to lever yourself into, a process that isn’t so awkward or physically testing but also didn’t become as intuitive to any of our testers as you might hope in a GT car.

You’ll instantly see where extra effort has been made to enrich

Length 350mm

 Long, shallow rear luggage area will take two pairs of skis or a couple of sets of golf clubs, McLaren claims. Hard-wearing SuperFabric lining is now standard.

McLaren’s habitually fairly sparse standard on cabin ambience. The machined aluminium trim on the steering wheel is conspicuously flashy, likewise the one-piece metallic gearshift paddle just behind it (usually finished in carbonfibre or plastic), which feels pleasingly sharp and cool to the touch. The ‘metallised’ look to the transmission control buttons and window switches is less convincing, though, and overall the car’s aura of material lavishness is a bit inconsistent. If McLaren was aiming to get up into Bentley, Porsche or Mercedes-AMG territory here, you’d say it is on the way – but has some way still to go.

The driver’s seat is soft and comfortable in itself but, sitting in it a couple of inches higher here than in other McLarens, your extremities

(elbows and knees) are likewise displaced upwards a little and want for proper support. Head room is no more generous than the McLaren norm, and the car’s header rail looms quite close to your eyeline, beginning to intrude on forward visibility if you’re tall. Over longer drives, such things make a big contribution to comfort levels. Visibility in other directions is quite good, though.

For carrying capacity, the GT does well for a mid-engined car without equalling the accessible space afforded by a good front- or rear-engined one. A strict two-seater with an open, shallow luggage area running backwards over the engine bay, and a long glass tailgate above it, the GT will admit longer loads like golf clubs and skis surprisingly easily, leaving limited room to pack à

ROAD TEST

 Glossy piano black for this console is standard. It’s indicative of a firm reaching for luxury material tropes but not fully mastering them.

 GT gets machined aluminium where other McLarens might get carbonfibre switchgear and trim; most notably on the steering wheel and for the shift paddles.

 GT’s ambient lighting is designed to be “hidden until lit”. It runs in strips around the door speaker consoles and across the passenger side of the dashboard.

Multimedia system

AABCC

The 7.0in portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment set-up on the GT is billed as McLaren’s most sophisticated yet. It is intended to be operated very much like a modern smartphone, with pinch and swipe gestures aiding usability. Most of our testers still struggled with that usability, though, and it was noted particularly that top-level processes like climate control adjustment are made more distracting and difficult by the system than they might be via a range of physical controls.

The navigation system gets real-time traffic information and, while it still seems harder to programme than it needs to be, it directs you clearly and simply. Smartphone mirroring isn’t possible by any means, though, which is disappointing.

For audible entertainment, a four-speaker set-up is provided as standard and is the lightest yet fitted to a McLaren production car. Our test car’s 1200W Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system has crisp, powerful reproduction quality but may have seemed more impressive still in a car with less ambient road noise.

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 31

❝ Its true calling cards

are the incisiveness and purity of its handling

❞

ß soft bags around them at the rear.

There’s also the separate, 150-litre box in the nose, and limited storage space around the cabin.

It’s still a car in which you might struggle to house either one big suitcase or a couple of smaller ones without putting one in the passenger footwell and longer trips away for two might mean packing light.

PERFORMANCE

AAAAC This might be the first McLaren road car in which how fast you’re able to go has been considered of secondary importance to how you’re able to go fast; and how much you’re able to enjoy what you’re doing even when you’re going slowly, for that matter.

The facets of its performance that have been really sweated over, McLaren says, are things like the feel and progression of its brakes, the lowend engine response and drivability of its engine, and the flexibility and

audible richness of the exhaust note.

However, for reasons we’ll come to explain, we have doubts that the GT would be quite as hushed at a fast cruise as you might like a continentcrossing long-distance machine to be.

One revision that would plainly pay off for a GT owner is how much more flexible the car’s performance is than the McLaren norm. The car’s 4.0-litre engine still feels like a significantly oversquare, fastrevving, flat-cranked V8, and still revs beyond 8000rpm, but unlike other McLaren V8s it also wakes up and boosts from as little as 3000rpm, so you don’t feel the need to manage the gearbox constantly or keep the revs high to make it responsive.

The gearbox shifts cleverly and engages smoothly, too, so the GT certainly begins to feel instantly, breezily brisk across the ground, often rolling on quickly without even needing a downshift. It is, in some ways, a more relaxing McLaren.

It’s fast in outright terms, too.

On a slippery surface, it hit 60mph from rest in 3.3sec, ripping through the upper part of the rev range with vigour and drama. But it also needed only 5.0sec to get from 30mph to 70mph in fourth; a 12-cylinder Bentley Continental GT, with its 664lb ft, is no quicker in that respect.

Running with McLaren’s carbonceramic discs, brake pedal feel is good, making it easy to hold the car at a standstill and modulate deceleration smoothly. The car’s V8 is, like other McLaren units, somewhat flat and toneless to listen to on partload and at ordinary crank speeds, but it can be made quiet enough, and pretty unobtrusive, over longer trips.

H A N D L I N G A N D S TA B I L I T Y

AAAAC Altered animal or not, this midengined car’s true calling cards remain the incisiveness and purity of its handling. Long-legged luxury

cruisers aren’t, by and large, anything like as precise, agile and lithe-feeling as this on sweeping roads, and they don’t deliver control feedback to your palms as faithfully.

Although the GT has McLaren’s usual three-position dynamics controller, it actually has only one calibration for its hydraulic power steering. And by simplifying their mission, McLaren’s development engineers have arrived at a steering compromise here that has ideal weight and pace; the former remaining constant even at low speeds for easy manoeuvring, and the latter as moderate and measured as ever. The steering filters out some wearing influences of camber and bump from the surface of the road but still gives plenty of information to come through, so you can gauge the car’s grip level really clearly at speed.

Despite the allegedly soft suspension, the GT hardly rolls when cornering at normal road speeds and

 Steering has perfect weight and pace and the GT responds crisply to your inputs. It feels athletic and precise in corners and there’s negligible body roll at road speeds.

32 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

T2

T1

Start/finish

ROAD TEST

Track notes The McLaren GT had slightly damp conditions to contend with at MIRA, but even in the dry it would have remained a good couple of seconds a lap slower than the average dry handling circuit lap time of Woking’s supercars over the past five years or so. And yet it would still be quicker than even the most powerful frontengined super-GTs by a similar margin in like-for-like conditions, being so much lighter, lower and fundamentally more agile.

You wouldn’t characterise the car as softly sprung on the evidence of its track handling. Roll and pitch are handled very tidily. The outright grip level of the P Zero tyres isn’t huge but it’s well balanced, so you can drive the car hard right up to its lateral limits. The front axle doesn’t have the tenacity of some McLarens but it doesn’t wilt under pressure midcorner and any rear breakaway is kept progressive by a mix of chassis and electronics as you add power.

it responds with crispness to steering inputs and settles smartly on its outside wheels. Vertical body control isn’t always so closely composed, but rarely is it seriously flustered by a mid-corner disturbance, so the GT can be placed accurately at all times and generally puts you at ease at speed. It sacrifices a shade of the rapier immediacy on turn-in that we’re used to from other McLarens, but plenty is left to impress.

High-speed handling stability is good, although outside-lane motorway composure is a little dependent on the selected dynamic mode. Comfort mode made the GT a bit too susceptible to long-wave body movement for the tastes of most testers, and while Sport stops the oscillation, it introduces unwanted bite in the primary ride. In neither setting is the easy, fluent poise and progressive high-speed body control you’d hope for in this car quite as perfectly conjured as it might be.

 Grip level of standard P Zero tyres, on a damp day, didn’t quite test the GT for body control and braking power to breaking point. Stability was always good.

T3

T6 T2 T5

T7

T1

T4

Start/finish

 It coped okay with assistance systems both on and off, and communicated grip levels clearly through the steering.

Standing water caused no drama, despite the tyres’ width and lightish kerb weight.

T3

T5

T6 T7

T4

T2

T1

T8

Start/finish

And yet we recorded 74db of cabin noise for the GT at a 70mph cruise, at which speed a Continental GT would be registering only 66dB. We touched on the strengths and weaknesses of the GT’s driving position earlier on. It could certainlyT6 T5 T2ways, be better supported in some although it’s broadly comfortable.

The ride is supple when set for comfort but not always as settled, stillT1 T4 composed at speed as we’d like. and

C O M F O R T A N D I S O L AT I O N

AAACC This is where McLaren reallyT3needed to concentrate its efforts to move the usability needle of its model range with the GT; and while the body design does deliver a certain carrying capacity for the car, it takes a toll on high-speed rolling refinement. That’s because the space behind the seats into which you might load your golf clubs or fitted luggage doubles as a resonance chamber that gives noise and vibration travelling up from the 21in rear wheels an unimpeded route directly into the cockpit.

It’s road noise that seems to reverberate around inside that cavity mostly, with engine noise better suppressed at a cruise. Even so, despite McLaren’s efforts to dampen it with noise-cancelling tyres and various insulation measures, there’s a notable quantity of it. For what it’s worth, wind noise intrusion is low.

BUYING AND OWNING

AAAAC Technically, the GT is a McLaren model series in its own right, but the car’s pricing puts it close enough to the heart of the firm’s Sports Series that it could almost have slotted in there. A 570S is only £12,000 cheaper, while a 720S is more than £50,000 pricier. If next year’s Artura model is priced above the GT – and you wouldn’t bet against that – this could become Woking’s de-facto entry-

rung model. If it does, it won’t look like one, or seem that way to travel in, which should work in its favour.

After slow sales thus far, McLaren has just sweetened the GT’s value positioning by enriching its standard equipment tally for the T7 was 2021 model year, making what formerly the content of several big options packages (the Pioneer/ Luxe, Practicality, Premium and Lightweight Sports Packs) all Start/finish standard kit. It makes a big difference to what owners might pay for the car; our test car would have had an afteroptions price some £35,000 higher had we tested it last year.

McLaren claims the GT’s touring range is 418 miles from its 72-litre tank. But our touring economy testing suggested that’s conservative: the car returned 34.2mpg on our touring efficiency test, making for a touring range of up to 540 miles. Few would surely want to travel further without stopping for something. à

AC C E L E R AT I O N

30mph

40 50mph 60mph 70mph

1.6s 2.1s 2.7s 3.3s 3.9s

80mph

90mph

100mph

110mph

120mph

4.7s

5.6s

6.5s

7.7s

9.0s

130mph

140mph

10.4s

0

150mph

12.2s

10s

30mph

1.9s

40 50mph 60mph

2.4 3.0s

3.7s

70mph

80mph

90mph

100mph

110mph

4.5s

5.3s

6.3s

7.4s

8.5s

120mph

10.0s

0

160mph

14.4s

16.8s 15s

130mph

140mph

11.5s

13.4s

10s

150mph

160mph

15.6s

18.4s

15s

B R A K I N G 60-0mph: 2.76sec 30mph-0

50mph-0

7.9m 0

10m

20m

30mph-0

42.6m 30m

40m

50mph-0

7.8m 0

70mph-0

21.7m

70mph-0

21.7m 10m

20m

42.1m 30m

40m

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 33

Data log

72 litres

T E C H N I C A L L AYO U T

GT uses a development of the Monocell carbonfibre tub also used by McLaren’s Sports Series cars but gets its own subframes front and rear. Its V8 engine is mounted longways ahead of the rear axle line, with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in line. Double-wishbone suspension features front and rear. Weight is distributed 42:58 front to rear.

POWER & TORQUE 800

800

612bhp at 7500rpm

700

465lb ft at 5500-6500rpm

500

400

300

300

200

200 100

0

Engine (rpm) 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10,000

MAX SPEEDS IN GEAR

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 THE SMALL PRINT Power-to-weight and torque-to-weight figures are calculated using manufacturer’s claimed kerb weight. © 2021, Haymarket Media Group Ltd. Test results may not be reproduced without editor’s written permission. For information on the McLaren GT, contact McLaren Automotive Customer Services, McLaren Technology Centre, Chertsey Road, Woking, Surrey, GU21 4YH (01483 261500, cars.mclaren.com). Cost-per-mile figures calculated over three years/36,000 miles, including depreciation and maintenance but not insurance; Lex Autolease (0800 389 3690). Insurance quote covers 35-year-old professional male with clean licence and full no-claims bonus living in Swindon; quote from Liverpool Victoria (0800 066 5161, lv.com). Contract hire figure based on a three-year lease/36,000-mile contract including maintenance; Wessex Fleet Solutions (01722 322888).

34 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

52mph 8200rpm 79mph 8200rpm 108mph 8200rpm 139mph 8200rpm 178mph 8200rpm 203mph 7351rpm 203mph* 5574rpm * claimed

R E S I D UA L S 200

McLaren GT 150

Bentley Continental GT V8 Value (£1000s)

0

AC C E L E R AT I O N I N G E A R

500

400

100

AC C E L E R AT I O N

600

Torque (lb ft)

Power output (bhp)

600

700

100

50

0 New

Porsche 911 Turbo S

1 year

2 years

3 years

4 years

 CAP expects GT to be outperformed by rivals from Bentley and, over the shorter term only, Porsche.

R OA D T E S T N o 5 5 0 8

Read all of our road tests autocar.com.ph

ROAD TEST Testers’ notes

VERDICT

AAABC

Spec advice

Plenty of pace and purity; less GT-typical usability and refinement hether the aim with this car was to reinvent the mould of a modern sporting GT, or simply to show that a mid-engined, carbonfibre-tubbed car could fit the conventional one just as well as something taller, heavier and more generously lined with hides and veneers, the McLaren GT can be considered only a partial success.

As a driver’s car, it works compellingly well: it has more performance, crisper handling and a purer brand of dynamic appeal than a long-striding luxury option really needs. As a tool for covering distance, though, and for conveying well-heeled people from A to B in comfort and calm, complete with the trappings of their enviable lifestyles, it works okay – but probably not well enough. There is greater drivability, practicality and material richness here than McLaren’s habitual mid-engined standard. But the car doesn’t level with a traditional front-engined 2+2 GT coupé in enough respects to be considered a truly credible, equally usable alternative to one.

What the GT confirms is that before McLaren can truly broaden its horizons and customer base, it must first broaden its technical armoury. There are no shortcuts to that.

W

R OA D TEST R I VA L S

Price Power, torque 0-62mph, top speed CO2, economy

1

ASTON MARTIN DBS SUPERLEGGERA Gaydon’s big daddy V12 coupé is still our super-GT champion.

Stunning, fast, supple and enticing.

AAAAA £229,695 715bhp, 664lb ft 3.4sec, 211mph 306g/km, 20.9mpg

2

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT V8 As different a GT to the McLaren as a car could be – but a decidedly better one. It’s rich, refined and still great to drive.

AAAAB £157,900 542bhp, 568lb ft 4.0sec, 198mph 268g/km, 23.9mpg

3

FERRARI ROMA As strong a daily-use fast GT as Ferrari has made in a long time. Comfortable, exciting to drive and stunning to look at.

AAAAB £170,984 612bhp, 561lb ft 3.4sec, 199mph 255g/km, 25.2mpg

4

PORSCHE 911 TURBO S It is marginally more a supersports car than a super-GT but is probably more usable than the McLaren anyway.

Monstrously quick.

AAAAC £155,970 641bhp, 590lb ft 2.6sec, 205mph 254g/km, 25.4mpg

For maximum richness, go for a Luxe Pack car in a light metallic colour with the MSO Defined Bright Pack (£4500). Add the electrochromic glass roof (£4950) if you can imagine doing plenty of touring in warm weather.

Jobs for the facelift  Fit a partition between the cabin and rear load bay to reduce road noise.  Deepen at least part of that load bay so it can accommodate bulkier cargo.  Keep refining the ride. Sometimes firmer but more progressive damping can be better.

5

POLESTAR 1 It’s left-hand drive only and has a small boot, but it has such multifaceted appeal that it would narrowly trump the GT in daily use. Not for a purist, mind.

AAAAC £139,000 601bhp, 738lb ft 4.2sec, 155mph 15g/km, 403.5mpg

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Take the Hy road

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HYDROGEN EVs INSIGHT Two weeks ago, we reported how car makers were assessing the long-term viability of hydrogen power. Jesse Crosse takes a closer look at what could be the fuel of the future

There are just 13 hydrogen filling stations in the UK at present

ydrogen has been touted as the ideal zero-carbon fuel for a couple of decades now, yet it has so far failed to catch on. However, in January of this year, the Hydrogen Council, an organisation comprising 92 major companies, claimed that the 2020s will be “the decade of hydrogen”.

Dr David Hart, visiting professor at the Imperial College Centre for Environmental Policy and head of the consultancy e4Tech, agrees, saying: “We’re seeing an enormous amount of serious interest in hydrogen particularly, and fuel cells too.”

Since the late 1990s, there has been huge investment in this technology by car makers, but only Honda, Hyundai and Toyota make fuel cell cars that you can buy today, and only the latter two offer them in Britain.

Large-scale introduction has been hampered not so much by the tech but by the difficulty and cost of establishing a filling station network.

That’s about to change, though, thanks to international plans for hydrogen to become a major component of energy systems across the board. Not just for cars but also for domestic and industrial heating and power, for fuelling trucks, trains and ships and, perhaps most importantly, for storing and stockpiling surplus electrical energy.

Last year, the UK became the first country to legislate for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, a step up from the previous law calling for an 80% reduction over 1990 levels.

This made a big difference, explains Toyota GB’s manager for alternative fuels, John Hunt: “The 80% allowed all the difficult things to be parked and hidden in the 20% as things you didn’t have to do. Once net-zero was put on the table, people had to rethink, and ‘difficult to do’ has come to the front of mind.”

One of those things is hydrogen.

Hunt says, in its July Future Energy Scenarios report, “National Grid makes it clear that hydrogen is essential; there’s no question at all.” à

H

Mercedes-Benz GLC F-Cell is only available to lease in Germany. Tank, battery, charger and motor are at rear; fuel cell drive system is under bonnet

JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 37

The report says that at least 190TWh of energy per year will be needed for producing hydrogen to achieve net-zero and highlights its value for storing energy to cope with peaks and troughs in electricity generation (called grid balancing).

During the past decade, 8.7TWh of wind power – equivalent to the capacity of 136 million Kia e-Niro 64kWh batteries – went unused, at a cost of £649 million. That’s because there’s currently no way of storing vast amounts of off-peak electricity.

Hunt is confident the UK has huge potential for harnessing wind power to produce zero-carbon hydrogen.

“The UK has some of the most accessible and windiest conditions in the world,” he explains. “The opportunity for the UK to establish close offshore farms producing hydrogen from seawater, then export it to land by pipe or ship, is huge. With the combination of spent oil and gas fields and rigs in place, using those platforms for producing hydrogen on-site is perfectly feasible.”

The oil-and-gas industry’s UK continental shelf report, also released in July, estimates 30% of the natural gas supply will be converted to hydrogen (with CO2 being captured) and there will be a massive escalation in renewable energy from offshore wind farms from 2030 to produce green hydrogen (no CO2 involved).

Green hydrogen is produced from electricity by the electrolysis of water.

Once energy has been converted to hydrogen, it can be stored indefinitely, making use of depleted oil fields and salt caverns, which Hunt says the UK has “excellent geology for”. Thirty salt caverns in the UK are already used for storing natural gas and oil. Pipelines once used for carrying natural gas can be used for hydrogen instead and perform a dual role of storing energy.

The current pipeline network in the European Union not only transports gas but in doing so also stores 1500TWh of energy in gas form. And unlike electricity, the energy carried in hydrogen doesn’t diminish as it’s moved. A consortium of European gas suppliers plans to build another 14,000 miles of pipe to form a hydrogen distribution backbone right across Europe.

❝ The opportunity for the UK to establish close offshore wind farms producing hydrogen from seawater is huge ❞

Fuel cell EVs react hydrogen with air from outside

ITM specialises in the tricky business of storing energy

Seawater electrolysis makes hydrogen

W H O ’ S D O I N G W H AT ?

M E RCE D ES - B E NZ In 1998, Mercedes became the first maker of a road-legal FCEV: the A-Class-based Necar 4. It’s more focused on battery EVs now but has the GLC F-Cell prototype and decades of research behind it.

38 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

G E N E R AL M OTO RS GM had invested £1.9bn in fuel cell tech by 2016, produced the innovative Hywire concept in 2002 and the Equinox FCEV in 2008 and partnered with Honda, but it recently shelved its FCEV plans.

FO R D Once in partnership with Daimler and major Canadian fuel cell developer Ballard, Ford has scaled back its FCEV interest. However, its Chinese partner, Jiangling, produces hydrogen-fuelled heavy trucks.

B MW Late to the party but now in partnership with experienced Toyota, BMW sees the potential for fuel cells predominantly in larger vehicles. It’s currently developing the i Hydrogen Next, an X5-sized SUV.

JAG UAR L AN D ROVE R JLR has no previous with FCEVs, but its recent interest – the creation of Project Zeus, which aims to produce a Range Rover FCEV – highlights the fact this tech has matured and is now far more accessible.

HYDROGEN EVs INSIGHT Toyota Mirai was the first hydrogen car the public could buy

Building hydrogen filling stations without many vehicles to make them financially viable has been a sticking point, but regional commercial fleets of trucks, taxis and buses offer a solution. “The original thinking was to build a lot of filling stations and have cars travelling between them,” explains Hart. “Now the thinking is to establish fleets in specific areas to create nodes. Once there are enough areas, they can be joined up.”

Hart labels the EU targets for 2050 “very aggressive” and says a concerted effort will be needed to grow production of the electrolysers needed for making green hydrogen.

British firm ITM Power is ahead of the game on that score. “We have been producing electrolysers for two full decades now and at the end of

HOW HYDROGEN CARS WORK Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) are electric vehicles with a hydrogen fuel cell system instead of a large battery pack. Hydrogen is stored in a tank at 700bar, a stack generates highvoltage electricity and a small buffer battery provides transient power for acceleration and storing energy from regenerative braking.

Stacks are made up of smaller fuel cells (there are 370 in Toyota’s system), each containing a polymer membrane sandwiched between a catalyst-coated anode and cathode.

Hydrogen flows through the cathode

side and air through the anode side.

Protons in the hydrogen atoms are attracted through the membrane to combine with oxygen in the air to make water, giving this type of fuel cell the name proton exchange membrane (PEM). The electrons left behind produce an electrical current between the anode and cathode.

Challenges during development included water produced inside the stack, robustness and starting up in very low temperatures. Fuel cells were expensive, too, but their cost has been falling and Toyota expects parity with

this year will create a gigafactory for electrolysers,” explains ITM Motive managing director Duncan Yellen.

ITM Motive is a new offshoot of ITM Power set up to focus expressly on the development of hydrogen filling stations. It has seven already, mainly around London, and another six under development – two in the London area and four further north.

“We need about 100 to have a sensible geographical coverage,” says Yellen.

“My ambition is to achieve the magic 100 stations within the next five years. Because of the excellent range of fuel cell vehicles, that will give us a nationwide coverage.”

ITM hydrogen stations already serve taxi fleets and emergency services, including the Metropolitan Police, which runs 11 Toyota Mirais.

“Those organisations need their vehicles 24 hours a day and don’t have time to plug in and recharge,” says Yellen, who has run the same Mirai as his daily driver since 2015 and seen no drop in performance.

The cost of refuelling today at ITM stations is £10 per kilogramme plus VAT (a Mirai can take 5kg).

Yellen is aiming for that to fall to around £7 plus VAT, which would represent only a small premium over diesel. He firmly believes hydrogen will be an essential part of future energy scenarios, saying: “It’s absolutely clear that if you want to get to net-zero, you must have hydrogen in the mix.

You won’t be able to do seasonal storage, standby generation or heavy goods transport without it.”

hybrids by 2025. Full hydrogen tanks have been subjected to violent testing over the years – including being shot – and hydrogen is dangerous only in a confined space, so fuel cell systems have leakage sensors. Otherwise, it disperses harmlessly into the air.

Refilling an FCEV with hydrogen is much the same as refilling a traditional car with petrol or diesel, except the pump nozzle locks firmly into the filler to deliver the high pressure. Drivers of FCEVs experience little difference in refuelling, while the driving experience is exactly the same as in a battery EV.

It’s estimated that there are 53,600 hydrogen vehicles in use globally today – 18,000 cars and 31,000 forklift trucks, the rest commercial vehicles. Just 240 are registered in the UK, but that total could well rise rapidly in the next decade or two. L

Lots of wind power today goes to waste

TOYOTA Toyota started seriously working on hydrogen fuel cell tech way back in 1992 and put the Mirai on sale in 2015. A secondgeneration version is due later this year.

HYU N DAI Hyundai has also been developing fuel cell technology since the 1990s. Following an FCEV version of the ix35 came the bespoke Nexo, which is now on UK sale.

H O N DA Honda was one of the first to the table, starting basic research on hydrogen fuel cells in the late 1980s, and has offered its Clarity FCEV in the US since 2008.

Hydrogen for FCEVs is compressed to an incredible pressure of 700bar, or 10,153psi JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 39

1903 Simplex is scarier than 1986 AMG Hammer, which is certainly saying something

1970s C111 met 1950s 300 SL and 2013 SLS Black Series 40 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

STAR CARS MERCEDES CLASSIC

ar makers love to play on their history and former glories, but none has made an investment to preserve its past quite like Mercedes-Benz.

The company’s vast Classic collection now has more than 1300 vehicles and grows every year. Mercedes has saved at least one example of everything it has produced throughout most of its long history, plus numerous racers, one-offs and prototypes. Only a small percentage of these are displayed in the museum at Stuttgart at any time, and although others are lent to other institutions and dispatched to historic events, most live in the careful stasis of long-term storage.

Occasionally, though, Mercedes lets some of them out to play. At the recent opening of the company’s vast new proving ground at Immendingen, 80 miles from Stuttgart, journalists were given the chance to experience a selection of Classic’s brightest stars in a controlled environment. And I was lucky enough to be invited to this hands-on history lesson.

It was definitely a shallow dip rather than a deep dive, the combination of social distancing and Germanic organisation – with cars in loosely themed groups – limiting time in each to no more than 10 minutes. For some of the larger groups, we had to make choices about what to miss out on.

My day starts with some very gentle off-roading in a G-Class 4x4² (Classic didn’t want to risk any body damage), but the next rotation turns things more interesting. This takes place on Immendingen’s dynamic handling circuit and features four compelling performance cars – a 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, a CLK DTM, an SLS Black Series and a new GT R – as well as DTM and Formula 1 veterans Bernd Schneider and Karl Wendlinger to act as chaperones.

Being given free choice of what à

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THE STARS ALIGN Mercedes-Benz preserves an example of every model it produces – and it has invited Mike Duff to drive some of the highlights. We join him in Germany…

Mercedes has an incredibly varied vehicle portfolio JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 41

Difference between older and newer cars is marked in many ways ßto drive first is a proper ‘where do I throw my beach towel?’ moment, but I opt to start with the 190E, both as a personal favourite – I own a non-Evo version of the same car – and because I suspect that it will feel tame compared with the others.

Originally built to homologate aerodynamic changes for the lateera 190E DTM racer, values of the limited-to-500 Evo II, with its butch bodykit and huge rear wing, have exploded in recent years. Classic’s low-miler is almost certainly one of the most valuable cars here. But the interior is effectively identical to the standard car’s, and a mechanic confirms to me that the changes over the regular 2.5 were only the bodykit, a sportier camshaft, four-pot brake calipers and a hydraulic front lift.

It performs keenly on track and revs more enthusiastically and sounds rortier than its standard sister, but there’s noticeable lean during hard cornering, with the effect exacerbated by poor seat bolstering. I’m also privately pleased to discover that the notoriously grumpy dog-leg shift of the Getrag gearbox in Classic’s minter feels notchier and less accurate than it does in my 160,000-mile car.

The CLK DTM is even rarergroove, as one of just 100 cars made in 2004 and combining a 580bhp version of AMG’s supercharged V8 with a full DTM makeover. It sounds great and pulls more g-force than the 235bhp 190E, although the combination of a torque-converter automatic ’box and vast motorsport shift paddles is a strange one.

Wendlinger is setting a cautious pace ahead in a fully liveried GT Formula 1 safety car – which is surprising until I experience some lurid power oversteer as the CLK’s old-fashioned stability control proves the slowness of its reactions.

On back-to-back drives in the SLS Black Series and GT R, I’m following

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❝ This low-mile Evo II is one of the most valuable cars here ❞

190E 2.5-16 was a Cosworth-blooded E-Class variant another GT driven by Schneider.

He’s a man who definitely doesn’t do slow. It’s a fascinating experience Moving off is no harder than of evolution; the GT R is grippier pushing forth the lever to the right and both achieves and holds onto of the seat, which moves a leather speed much more easily, but the drive belt into contact with the SLS sounds better, turns more crank. The engine bogs down to a keenly and delivers a much more chugga-chugga as it takes the load organic-feeling driving experience. but is almost impossible to stall.

Next up is the earliest stuff, Once off, the Patent-Motorwagen including the chance to experience gathers speed quickly, the sensation a near-exact replica of the original of velocity enhanced by the exposed 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen (see driving position and the suddenness left) and a gentle drive in a 1937 320 of its responses to steering inputs.

Combination Coupé whose limited Top speed is 10mph, but it’s one of the braking powers make 78bhp feel most thrilling cars in the collection. more than adequate. There’s also a terrifying ride in a 40bhp Simplex from 1903, driven by a man who seems determined to First-ever car had set a record around a course one cylinder and a of some of Immendingen’s tiller for steering tighter access roads. Meeting a heavily disguised AMG One prototype as we speed along serves as a reminder of for how long Mercedes has been making fast cars.

The next group is the least demanding, a ‘country road’ group drive along some of

THE BEGINNING OF BENZ – AND OF CARS Mercedes’ commitment to its history doesn’t quite reach the start; the sole surviving Patent-Motorwagen is in Munich’s Deutsches Museum.

But to celebrate the centenary of the world’s first car in 1986, it built a small run of near-exact replicas (in effect inventing the continuation car), and I got to drive one of these.

Getting it started is the hard part, swinging the single-cylinder engine into life and risking a crushed finger when it eventually fires up.

The Patent-Motorwagen obviously predates most automotive innovations, including the cooling circuit and the steering wheel. Cooling is done by a water-filled sleeve that needs emptying frequently, lubrication by gravity-fed drippers that leave a trail wherever it goes.

Engine speed is set using a rotary restrictor valve over the air intake; it runs at around 400rpm to drive.

STAR CARS MERCEDES CLASSIC

The iconic 300 SL Gullwing will cost you a million today

THE SPECIAL ONE The biggest highlight of the day was definitely the Gullwing. The 300 SL Coupé was one of the fastest and most glamorous cars in the world when it was introduced in 1955, and it still feels special 65 years later. Getting in is a scramble over fat sills into minimal, check-trimmed bucket seats. I instinctively reach for a seatbelt only to find that there isn’t one, because the Gullwing predates their introduction.

Once on the move, it’s louder and sounds angrier than the SL Roadster. It’s faster, too – certainly when facing a wide, empty track.

Beyond the stipulation for caution on the banked turns, my in-car chaperone takes a commendably liberal attitude to speed, only making slow-down gestures as the speedometer needle passes the 200kmh (124mph) mark, at which point the car was still accelerating hard. That was probably sensible given the all-round drum brakes.

the proving ground’s 42 miles of replicated real-world routes. The pace is gentle and even an old Mercedes geek like me can raise only modest excitement for a standard W123 230E with a slushy three-speed automatic gearbox and manual windows. A 560 SEC feels more special, if no more thrilling, its V8 combining effortless progress with a big-cube burble.

I notice Japanese warning labels on the coupé, leading me to discover that Classic often buys representative used cars for use in driving events, rather than risk the mint-condition examples it saves from production.

The last-built example of each model is automatically sent to the collection, and it will always be fitted with the most popular engine option and

painted in the most-ordered colour.

The highlight of this laid-back group is definitely a 1957 300 SL Roadster, a car that feels truly special even when driven at a gentle pace.

Its fuel-injected engine was cuttingedge at the time (chosen for reliability rather than just performance), and it responds keenly to the gentlest accelerator pressure. Ergonomics and control weightings feel better than those of many alternatives launched 10 or even 20 years later.

Good Roadsters now cost well inside seven figures, so I have some saving up to do if I want to drive one again.

The timetabling fairies have saved the best until last for me: an all-star group to be driven exclusively on Immendingen’s 2.5-mile oval. This

track has been built for autonomous vehicle development, rather than high-speed work, but it’s still the quickest part of the facility. Of the four cars, the 300 SL Gullwing was the highlight of the day (see left), run close by the C111. Mercedes made 16 of these mid-engined ‘research vehicle’ test beds, most of which ran Wankel engines, but this one has a 200bhp 3.5-litre V8. It also has a sideways-mounted radio in its centre console, like the De Tomaso Pantera.

The combination of 1970s Mercedes instrumentation and a huge steering wheel with a mid-engined driving experience is a strange one, and although it didn’t seem to be going that fast on the wide track,

I get back to the staging area to learn the kmh speedometer actually reads in mph. By comparison, the AMG 300E Hammer, a 385bhp V8 version of the W124 E-Class, delivers impressive-for-today velocities without breaking a sweat.

My final car of the day is the dictator’s favourite: the 600 Pullman limousine. This example formerly belonged to the German government and still has bits of what was once high-tech communication equipment on board. The driving position is remarkably cramped for something so big; there’s a sizeable bulkhead between it and the rear passenger compartment. Performance from the understressed 250bhp 6.3-litre V8 is leisurely and lean angles on the ultra-soft air suspension are acute, but the Pullman feels pretty much unstoppable when running at speed.

Mercedes is rightly proud of its Classic division, which is bigger and much more comprehensive than any other manufacturer’s equivalent.

History matters to the company, which diligently adds cars to its collection like a connoisseur laying down fine wines. It’s a long-term investment but one that, on the basis of a day with its highlights, I’m very glad Mercedes has been prepared to make. L

The 600 Pullman was loved by Idi Amin but didn’t woo Mike Duff JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 43

SPACE ODYSSEY

It may have taken a back seat to smaller, more glamorous stablemates, but the family Ferrari has a proud history. Andrew Frankel drives the last of a kind

PHOTOGRAPHY LUC LACEY

44 AUTOCAR.COM.PH JUNE 2021

FERRARI LUSSO EULOGY e do write valedictory pieces at Autocar, but not many. Broadly speaking, our remit is to look forward, rather than back; but just occasionally, a car so important or beloved gets pensioned off that we would not be doing our job as the industry’s journal of record were we to fail to acknowledge the fact in some way.

Now you may already be questioning whether or not the Ferrari GTC4 Lusso T falls into that category, and I’d not blame you at all.

But the truth is, it’s not the car per se that we’re saying goodbye to but the full-sized family Ferrari coupé. It’s a line that stretches back essentially unbroken through most of Ferrari’s history, fully 60 years.

But now it’s over. For although the new Roma does indeed have rear seats, they’re for occasional use only by small people, while the Lusso will seat four average-sized adults in greater space and comfort than certain four-door coupés. In time, Ferrari hopes that The rear of the Lusso customers can be GTC4 Lusso is migrated across to the remarkably spacious. new SUV, currently If I had to travel in codenamed the the back of this or a Purosangue (see Porsche Panamera, box overleaf), but I’d take the Ferrari. that’s a 2023-modelyear car, so it’s likely to be a couple of years before we even see it, let alone customers take delivery.

Of course, because they’re seen as practical, and there’s no more boring word in the automotive lexicon, four-seat Fandangos have never quite twanged the heartstrings like Ferrari’s lower-slung sports cars, with their abbreviated wheelbases, lesser seat count and more focused role. But that doesn’t make them poor relations or anything close. On occasion, it has been the more usable version that’s proven preferable, even if the automotive media tended not to say so at the time. For instance, I always preferred the early-1970s

W

FERRARI GTC4 LUSSO T Price Engine Power Torque Gearbox Kerb weight 0-62mph Top speed Economy CO2, tax band

£202,890 (off sale) V8, 3855cc, turbocharged, petrol 601bhp at 7500rpm 560lb ft at 3000rpm 7-spd dual-clutch automatic 1865kg 3.5sec 199mph 21.9mpg 294g/km, 37%

365 GTC/4 to its headline-grabbing brother, known to most as the Daytona. And for a couple of years in the 1990s, before the 550 Maranello was introduced, the 456 GT was not only the most powerful production Ferrari, it was also the best.

I’m not sure I’d put the current Lusso in that category, especially versions like this with the V8 engine, but as a nearly new, rather than brand new proposition, they can still make compelling cases for themselves. Take this car here, resplendent in its lovely specialrequest Rosso Fiorano paintwork and available from Stratstone in Manchester. It’s a one-year-old car, with fewer than 2000 miles on the clock, three of its standard four-year warranty to go and five of its six years of free servicing remaining.

The asking price is £168,900, which can probably be bid down a chunk, against a new list price of £202,890. What these numbers don’t reflect is the simply enormous option count it carries, too; I counted 25 items from ceramic tailpipes at one end to a carbonfibre front splitter at the other. This is by no means uncommon for this kind of car.

And as you will know, Ferrari options don’t come cheap. Indeed, in 2019, the combined options cost on this car appears to have been £63,821, which means this nearly new, scarcely used example is being offered by a Ferrari main dealer for all but £100,000 off à

This is one Ferrari you don’t feel obliged to drive at full pelt

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THE ORIGINAL LUSSO Oddly enough, the first Ferrari to be known as the Lusso, and first shown at the Paris show in 1962, wasn’t a 2+2 at all. It was a strict two-seater using the chassis dimensions of the 250 SWB racing car but with its 3.0-litre V12 detuned from 280bhp to a more manageable 240bhp and mounted further forward in the car to liberate some much-needed additional cabin space. It doesn’t even appear as if ‘Lusso’ was ever an official factory title but more the name by which the car became known over time thanks to its decidedly luxuriously appointed cabin.

Production ceased in 1964 after 350 units had been built.

The direct antecedent of today’s Lusso was the 250GT 2+2, also known as the 250 GTE or even 250 GT/E, a car launched in 1960 and which,

ßits on-the-road list price last year, even before you’ve had a haggle.

Which makes you think a bit.

It’s a lovely thing in which to loaf around. Not in which to blast, teeth bared, knuckles whitened, mind, for it’s not that kind of Ferrari, but for rather rapid roaming, it’s entirely splendid. Indeed, it’s at times something of a relief to drive a Ferrari without feeling in any way that you’re wasting a valuable resource when not driving as fast as you possibly can. It makes you focus on the other things that Ferraris, and not just this one, do well.

Its ride quality is uncommonly good, for instance, and almost regardless of which position you choose for the manettino switch, because you always have its ‘bumpy road’ mode button. It really ought to be rechristened ‘British road’, because I can’t imagine circumstances over here when you wouldn’t want it.

So you waft from place to place, saturated in the sight, smell and feel of its exquisite leather, knowing there’s more than 600bhp a twitch of

Agile Lusso belies its weight and length. Will the SUV do the same?

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because of its somewhat dowdy appearance, has never enjoyed the acclaim it deserves. It was in fact the first Ferrari ever to be built in significant volume, transforming the company from cottage industry to major manufacturer and spawning a brand-new model line that would survive fully six decades. Production ceased in 1963 after nearly 1000 cars had been built, a runaway record for any Ferrari model of any kind up until that time.

a toe away should some arse in a BMW 3 Series come sniffing at your (ceramic, let’s not forget) tailpipes.

This to me is exactly what a GT should be. My time with the Lusso coincided with time spent in a McLaren GT, and while the British car is a world apart as a thing to get in and drive fast, when it comes to the ancient art of being a worldclass GT, it’s the Ferrari that shows how it should be done. The Lusso has the space, the ride quality, the refinement, the luggage capacity and that intangible but no less important languid character that’s so essential to be convincing in that role.

But it does do the other thing, too.

Although it’s pretty portly, at 1865kg, the Lusso T lacks the four-wheel drive that Ferrari’s V8 was something of a motor is remarkably mixed blessing in the versatile but doesn’t V12 Lusso and has entirely convince in a four-wheel steering grand touring role. Should as standard, which be smoother and more means it’s actually sonorous. A V12, in other words…

THE FERRARI SUV The future of the family Ferrari lies in the hands of the forthcoming SUV, to be shown in 2022 for the 2023 model year. Ferrari has been remarkably good at keeping details under wraps given the car’s existence has been rumoured for years, but expect it not to confirm to standard super-luxury SUV norms. It’s likely to be more of a crossover between a GT and an SUV, lower and much more dynamic in appearance.

Powertrain options will certainly include a V12 to rival those of the Bentley and Rolls-Royce opposition, but don’t be surprised to see a V8 and especially a hybridised V6, too.

FERRARI LUSSO EULOGY

❝ When it comes to the ancient art of being a world-class GT, the Ferrari shows how it should be done ❞

F E R R A R I G Ts I N THE CLASSIFIEDS

FE R R AR I 365 GTB/4 £625,000 Rosso Red, early-style pop-up headlights and three owners from new – this Daytona has it all. Plus, it’s one of just 158 right-hand-drive cars built.

FE R R AR I 412i £72,665 Not the best-loved classic Ferrari but one of the most comfortable and accessible.

This late example is original right down to its radio manual.

FE R R AR I 612 SCAG LI E T TI £65,500 Here’s a modern Ferrari for new BMW M3 money, but the 5.7-litre V12’s thirst for fuel may very well dampen your enthusiasm.

Great noise, though.

a sight more agile than you might imagine a car with a wheelbase 300mm longer than an entire Smart Fortwo.

You’re never in doubt It’s a car that you can hustle you’re behind the and one you can balance wheel of a Ferrari on the throttle. Turn in to a tight corner and you’ll be impressed by how keenly the nose bites into the apex, how little understeer is presented yet how probably just leave it dinged, because strong remains the traction even if you cared that much about how without front driveshafts. your Lusso looked, you’d probably However, its greatest appeal, not be minded to buy a Lusso. On and its unique role in the brand’s the contrary, this isn’t a Ferrari for portfolio, is that this is a Ferrari you the fastidious but one for people who can take entirely for granted. It’s not have more important things to think a car you’d choose to spend as much about. It’s a Ferrari to use and abuse time cleaning as driving. You don’t all the time and for every reason. need to look at the weather forecast And that’s an important and before heading out. If you kerbed one legitimate role for it to play. of those exquisite forged rims, you’d As a thing to drive, it’s not

extraordinary enough to merit the high days and holidays special-occasion treatment; but as a thing to own, out there in the real world, where every road isn’t a deserted mountain pass and every day isn’t a stress-free day of leisure, it makes a strong case for itself, especially if someone else has already kindly borne the brunt of the depreciation for you.

The secret to these cars, so far as I can tell through the generations I’ve driven while doing this job (456 GT, 612 Scaglietti, FF and Lusso), is to blend that everyday ease of use with just enough stardust to ensure you never forget that, above all else, you’re driving a Ferrari.

And while the GTC4 Lusso T is not one of Maranello’s all-time greats, it understands and executes its mission flawlessly. Whether we will be able to say the same about a Ferrari SUV, only time will tell. L

‘Only’ a V8 but 601bhp, 3.5sec to 62mph

Design was updated as part of FF facelift JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 47

PIKE’S PEAK

As Nissan’s cute Figaro turns 30,Richard Bremner assesses how well it has aged and recalls a purple period for the Pike Factory that created it PHOTOGRAPHY JED LEICESTER

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NISSAN FIGARO AT 30 REVISITED

t’s like a tinplate toy made real. It seemed old when it was new, conjuring a 1950s world of Formica kitchen cabinets, Dansette record players and the clumsily miniaturised American cars that Britain, Germany and Japan specialised in during the immediate post-war years. Yet the Figaro was 35 years too late for this era, a fact soon apparent when you stepped inside to discover a CD player – hot stuff in 1990 – combined with a radio and a cassette tape player, electric windows and air conditioning.

In fact, it was mainly the 1930s that this curious car drew from, its largely female design team inspired by the 1935 Datsun Roadster and the art deco era – hence electric window switches shaped like miniature chrome lampshades – to produce a car clashingly different from everything else within its maker’s range. There were exceptions – the magnificent R32 Skyline GTR among them – but back in 1990, Nissan was mainly a peddler of saloons as dull as empty waiting rooms.

The Figaro wasn’t quite the visual shock it might have been, though, because it was the last of what Nissan would christen the Pike Factory cars. Not pike the fish, but pike as in medieval spear, this weapon symbolising the thrust to produce something cutting edge (okay, okay…) and to harness new technology.

All were sold in Japan only.

Nissan’s odyssey of studied weirdness began with the Be-1.

Today, it looks almost ordinary, but when it appeared as a 1985 concept, this mix of 1960s throwback and curvy futurism was as startling a contrast to a Nissan Bluebird as you could wish. Demand for the 10,000copy production edition was so à

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Micra-based Figaro drips with retro appeal today and always has done. All 20,073 cars were built in right-hand drive JUNE 2021 AUTOCAR.COM.PH 49

ßstrong that Nissan introduced a lottery allocation system and did another run of Be-1s with a fabric sunroof.

The Pike Factory’s next punch was the Pao, a car that surprised as much as if its name had been spelt POW!. Here was a strange little utility hatch with the ribbed panelling of a Citroën 2CV, a painted dashboard, a fabric roof, exposed hinges, a flat windscreen and plenty more of the built-on-a-budget features of Japanese and European people’s cars of the early 1960s. Having massively underestimated demand for the Be-1, Nissan wasn’t going to be caught out this time and invited buyers to sign up for one of 50,000 cars. They were gone in three months, the void filled later that year by the S-Cargo, one of the quirkiest vehicles (and there are plenty of contenders) that Nissan has ever produced. An adorable highroofed van, the S-Cargo came with

Leather, air-con and CD player were deemed luxury items on such a small car when the Figaro was new

❝ Of the original 20,000 Figaros, 6000 or so have subsequently been imported to the UK ❞

Bookham Autos in Surrey does a good trade in Figaros

Figaros were painted in four seasonal colours: emerald green (spring), pale aqua (summer), topaz mist (autumn) and lapis grey (winter), and all had a white roof.

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snail logos, a sushi tray, the beefier guts of a Sunny and the option of portholes in its ultra-flat flanks.

By now ablaze with creativity, the Pike Factory followed up two years later with the Figaro. It went on to become the most famous of the Pike cars, despite a production run limited to just 20,000. Its shape could have been drawn by a child, the face created by its chrome-rimmed, slightly mournful headlights and simple elliptical grille as cartoonish as its silhouette. The Figaro was unveiled at the 1989 Tokyo motor show in a year generally regarded as the high-water mark of this often extraordinary display of the bold, the oddball and the gloriously unnecessary.

As with the S-Cargo, the plan was to build 8000, but vast demand increased this number by 150% and all 20,000 were sold before the first Figaro hit the road in 1990. Nissan could have sold more still, and not

Nissan claimed the Figaro’s “design conveys a sense of spiritual satisfaction and a full complement of equipment and appointments intended to satisfy a zestful desire for a good time”.

NISSAN FIGARO AT 30 REVISITED

Its dynamics stay true to its Mk1 Micra-based roots only in Japan. Of those original 20,000 Figaros, an amazing 6000 or so have subsequently been imported to the UK, their popularity sufficient to support several specialist dealers.

One such is Bookham Autos near Leatherhead in Surrey, affable boss Hamid Fadai having sold them for around 12 years. He originally specialised in importing used highperformance models such as Nissan Skylines and Subaru Imprezas “but brought a Figaro back when there were only 10 in the UK”. He sold it for £11,000, discovering a profitable sideline that became his main business “when the bottom dropped out of the performance market”.

Fadai eventually tired of the

11-hour flights to Tokyo and now finds that there are enough Figaros in the UK to supply his showroom.

“I buy from old customers who’ve grown out of the cars or had children,” he says. Most of his buyers are between 30 and 55 years old and many are teachers, “who love them”. He reckons 70% of his buyers are women, 15% men and 15% gay couples of both sexes.

Many of the challenges of owning a car never originally sold in the UK don’t apply to the Figaro. “All spares are available now,” says Fadai, and – the marque spotting this opportunity – from your local Nissan dealer, too.

Step into a Figaro now and it’s impossible not to be amused by

its indulgently artful interior and the almost armchair-like seats.

The bodywork sounds very tinny compared with today’s NCAP-girded cars, but on the road the Figaro feels as robust as any other Nissan despite the structural cavity made by its neat foldaway roof.

Dynamically, it’s almost as dull as its Sunny and Micra contemporaries, except that you get a turbo with your 1.0 litre auto, allowing the Figaro to surge through traffic like a fully wound clockwork toy. It’s as simple to drive as it’s charming, and easy to see why it struck

a chord in Britain. It still does today, as rising prices testify. Amazing to think that it’s now three decades old, the car’s retro styling enabling it to look perpetually young. Which may be the key to its appeal. L

FA B F O U R F R O M T H E P I K E FAC T O RY

BE-1 Launched 1987 Numbers made 10,000 Appealing mix of cutesy 1960s retro and the odd modernist curve. Micra innards, wire mesh door bins.

PA O Launched 1989 Numbers made 51,657 Utility made funky for this rib-panelled hatchback with split tailgate, bodycolour dashboard and roof rack.

S - CARGO Launched 1989 Numbers made 8000 An homage to the Citroën 2CV van, even punning on the Deux Chevaux’s escargot (snail) nickname.

FIGARO Launched 1991 Numbers made 20,073 Timeless retro art deco roadster available in four colours depicting the seasons, all with ivory interiors.

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