MOTORING December 2014

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The Malta Independent on Sunday • 14 December 2014

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 14 December 2014

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The CITROËN C4 new range: what’s new in 2015 aunched in 2010, with over 450,000 vehicles produced at the Mulhouse plant in France, the second-generation CITROËN C4 is being updated in 2015 with a new light signature, more useful technologies and latest-generation engines. Setting the standard for comfort in its segment, it is cementing its status as a compact hatchback delivering a superb ride and driving experience.

Its elegant design, all-around comfort, and outstanding driveability are proof of CITROËN’s capacity to use creativity and technology to provide an overall sense of well-being.

The New CITROËN C4 Range features: • a new light signature that makes the front end more expressive with LED running lights and adds a

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more dynamic touch to the rear end with 3D-effect tail lights. It also gains new upholstery materials and a simpler dashboard featuring a new centrally located 7” touchscreen tablet • comfort is as exceptional as ever owing to a performance that filters out the road with no tradeoff in driving pleasure. Onboard comfort is increased with standard-setting acoustic features, comfortable seats, massaging front seat, and a panoramic glass roof equipped with an electric blind. The CITROËN C4 is also spacious thanks to its 2.61 m wheelbase, split foldback rear seats, and a boot volume of 408 litres, setting the standard in this segment • useful technologies, with the introduction of the hands-free Access and Start-up system, a new 7-inch

touchscreen tablet grouping all the media and navigation functions. Also featured are technologies designed to simplify driving, such as Hill Start Assist, Intelligent Traction Control and the Blind Spot Monitoring system. Plus everything needed for a connected motoring experience with the CITROËN Connect Box (including the emergency call and assistance system, a virtual servicing manual and an Eco-Driving service, all accessible over the Internet*) • latest-generation engines that enhance driveability and reduce fuel consumption. The 3-cylinder PureTech petrol engines and BlueHDi Diesels all meet Euro 6 standards. Combined with the Stop & Start technology and ultra low rolling resistance tyres, they deliver excellent fuel economy: 3.3 l/100 km and 86 g of CO2 for the BlueHDi 100 S&S manual unit and 4.8 l/100 km and 110 g of CO2 for the PureTech 130 S&S EAT6.

The new EAT6 automatic gearbox contributes to this remarkable performance.

The New CITROËN C4 Range ships with a host of features for easy, worry-free driving. *Depending on the country

DS 3 “Regions” edition:Your roots on the roof tops! he most beautiful roof in Paris “the height of pride”, “raise the flag”, “forza corsica”… These are just a few of the slogans that the general public will be able to see in France on advertising hoardings.

These adverts illustrate the new customisation offer available with the DS 3 roof graphics in French regional colours.

Launched in March 2010, the DS 3 has already attracted more than 300,000 customers worldwide with a range of assets including its many personalisation options (68 possible body/roof colour combinations).

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Taking the personalisation experience still further, the DS 3 is gaining nine new roof decals in the colours of Brittany, Corsica, Savoie, Northern France, the South-West and more…

A vehicle known and recognised for its many personalisation options, with these new editions, DS makes the DS 3 even more unique.

Find out more about the DS 3 “Regions” with its nine decal combinations featuring Alsace, Brittany, Corsica, North, SouthWest, Paris, Basque Country, Savoie and wine-growing regions.

Facebook page: https://apps.facebook.com/ds_ regions

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 14 December 2014

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All you need to know about the 2015 Dakar • Bluffer’s guide to the 2015 Dakar Rally • Why it’s such a challenge to man and machine • How PEUGEOT Sport’s unbeaten record remains intact

EUGEOT is competing in the 2015 Dakar Rally hoping to write a new chapter in a remarkable history at the event.

When it entered in 1987, PEUGEOT became the first car manufacturer to take on the unique challenge posed by this gruelling endurance race. It then sealed its place in the record books by winning at its first go.

PEUGEOT followed that up with

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another three consecutive wins with the iconic 205 and 405 T16 Rally Raid models before stopping to take on the equally tough Le Mans 24 Hours. As a manufacturer entry, PEUGEOT Sport remains unbeaten in the Dakar. For 2015, PEUGEOT is entering the Dakar with the amazing looking 2008 DKR. Here are 10 things you should know about this incredible event and PEUGEOT’s participation in it.

It came about because someone got lost in a desert The Dakar was dreamt up by motorbike racer Thierry Sabine after he got lost in the southern part of the Sahara desert on the 1977 Abidjan-Nice Rally. Realising that navigating the remote sand dunes of a desert posed drivers and bike riders with a unique challenge, he organised the inaugural event which left Paris in

December 1978. It gets its name from the capital of Senegal: the rally used to run 6,200miles from Paris to Dakar. Since 2009, unrest in Africa, particularly Mauritania, means it has taken place in Argentina and Chile.

An endurance event like no other The Dakar has been called the toughest rally in the world because it represents both a motor race and an orienteering challenge. Like other rally raids, it’s an endurance event that takes place over much tougher terrain than regular rallies. This means the vehicles have to be true off-road vehicles rather than the high performance versions of road cars that compete in rallies.

Two weeks of action The 2015 Dakar starts in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, on 4th January over 6,000miles with some individual stages covering up to 560miles, visiting Bolvia and Chile, before the finish back in Buenos Aires on 17th January.

How many take part?

In 2014, 431 competitors started the Dakar. There were 147 cars, 174 motorbikes, 40 quad bikes and 70 trucks. Entries were made up of 51 nationalities.

The highest proportion was

French (17%) followed by the Dutch (13.5%) and Argentinians (12.6%). Of the 431 entries, 48% finished.

All-comers welcome The Dakar is open to allcomers with professional drivers and manufacturer teams pitting their wits and powers of endurance against amateurs.

There are four categories of vehicle: motorbikes, quad bikes, cars and trucks. All are either heavily modified or purpose-built.

The car class is for vehicles weighing less than 3500kg and for trucks for vehicles that are heavier than 3500kg.

Which class is PEUGEOT entering?

The Peugeot 2008 DKR is in the T1 Group for ‘Improved CrossCountry Vehicles’. This is subdivided according to whether they’re petrol or diesel, two or four-wheel drive. The T2 Group is made up of ‘Cross-Country Series Production Vehicles’. These are subdivided into petrol and diesel categories and tend to be all four-wheel drive. Peugeot has chosen to run a turbo-diesel with two-wheel drive.

How many crew per car?

Each car has a driver and codriver. Team Peugeot Total includes Carlos Sainz (Dakar

winner), Stéphane Peterhansel (record-breaking 11 Dakar wins) and Cyril Despres (5 Dakar wins).

Navigation is done by road books/maps issued the day before and cars are constantly located by GPS.

Drivers and cars out on their own Much of the route is off-road, covering dunes, mud, camel grass and rocks. For the past three years, the Dakar has run some Marathon Stages for bikes and quad bike racers. For 2015 all competitors will have to endure the Marathon Stages. These run over two days during which vehicle crews can’t call upon their teams to help fettle or fix their machines, sleeping in bivouacs makes it a unique event.

How PEUGEOT made history PEUGEOT became the first car manufacturer to compete in the event when it entered the 1987 Paris-Dakar. It was rewarded by a win with former world rally champion Ari Vatanen at the wheel of a 205 T16 Grand Raid.

His 1988 effort was derailed when, after 13 stages and while holding a comfortable lead, his 405 T16 Grand Raid was stolen from a service area. The car was returned too late and Vatanen was disqualified leaving teammate and fellow Finn Juha Kankkunen to win in a 205 T16 Grand Raid. Vatanen won again for PEUGEOT in 1989, driving a 405 T16 Grand Raid. His third win came the following year, despite a faulty compass and ill

New MINI JCW Hatch is most powerful MINI ever!

• 2.0-litre engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology.

• 6-speed manual transmission as standard, 6-speed Steptronic sports transmission optional.

• New high-performance Brembo brakes with four-piston front callipers.

• Exclusive 17-inch John Cooper Works Race Spoke light alloy wheels.

• Aerodynamically optimised body design: front apron with large cooling air inlets; distinctive side sill & rear apron design; JCW rear spoiler.

• Combined economy of 49.5mpg; CO2 emissions: 133g/km (both auto).

• Priced from £22,865.

On sale late April.

he hottest ticket in town at next month’s Detroit Auto Show will be the new MINI John Cooper Works.

Packing the most powerful engine ever for a production MINI – a 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo unit delivering 231 hp and 320 Nm – the JCW also draws on the brand’s motorsport expertise with a package of suspension, brake, aerodynamic and interior modifications to deliver

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race-car sensations without losing sight of MINI’s premium position.

Compared with the previous MINI JCW, the new model delivers 10 per cent more power and 23 per cent more torque.

This brings the 0-62 mph time down by 0.2 seconds to 6.3 seconds with the six-speed manual gearbox, and by 0.6 seconds to 6.1 seconds with the optional six-speed Steptronic sports transmission.

Equally impressive is the greatly improved driving flexibility, courtesy of the increased torque – acceleration from 50-75 mph is now 10 per cent quicker at 5.6 seconds, accompanied by an emotive rasp from twin tailpipes of the sports exhaust.

In true MINI style, the driving fun does not involve any fuel consumption penalty. Combined consumption with the manual gearbox is 42.2 mpg, with CO2 emissions of 155 g/km. With the optional Steptronic sports transmission fuel economy improves by 20 per cent to 49.5 mpg, with CO2 emissions of 133 g/km.

The suspension and the Servotronic electromechanical power steering have been tuned to allow drivers to exploit the new JCW’s extra power and torque in complete safety, and there are newly developed fourpiston Brembo brakes within 17-inch John Cooper Works Spoke light-alloy wheels. John Cooper Works 18-inch alloys are optional. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC) and Performance Control allow

drivers of all abilities to get maximum enjoyment from the car, and Dynamic Damper Control is an option.

The aerodynamic changes have been designed with a purpose rather than for purely aesthetic reasons. A new front apron with large engine air intakes, distinctive side sills, a model-specific rear apron and a John Cooper Works spoiler differentiate the JCW from the standard 3-Door MINI Hatch. The JCW also has LED headlamps with white indicators, wheel-arch surrounds and a unique radiator grille, side scuttles and tailgate with JCW badging. A new colour option, Rebel Green, is exclusive to the JCW. JCW highlights of the sporty interior include exclusive bucket seats with integrated headrests in Dinamica/fabric, the sills, a multi-function steering wheel with shift paddles (in conjunction with Steptronic transmission), gear selector, instrument displays, stainless steel pedals and footrest, Driving Excitement package and key.

Bespoke JCW personalisation options includes a model-specific MINI Head-Up display (with rev lights and gear indicator), Chili

Red roof and door mirror covers, bonnet stripes and exterior and interior John Cooper Works Pro design accessories. These are in addition to the vast selection of high-end options available for the entire MINI range.

Tech spec: • 4-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo engine with direct injec-

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tion, fully variable valve control and variable camshaft control Capacity: 1,998 cc Output: 231 hp @ 5,2006,000 rpm, max torque: 320 Nm @ 1,250-4,800 rpm Acceleration (0–62mph) 6.1 seconds (auto); 6.3 seconds (man) Top speed: 152mph

• Average fuel consumption: 49.5 mpg (auto); 42.2 mpg (man) • CO2 emissions: 133 g/km (auto); 155 g/km (man)

Exterior dimensions: Length: 3,874 millimetres Width: 1,727 millimetres Height: 1,414 millimetres Wheelbase: 2,495 millimetres

co-driver slowing his progress.

Tragedy, terrorists and Thatcher’s son The Dakar hit the headlines in the UK in 1982 when the then prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark and his co-

driver disappeared for six days.

They were eventually found unharmed. The unforgiving nature of the terrain that the event covers has led to a number of fatalities over the years, including founder Thierry Sabine who died when his helicopter crashed

during a sand storm in the 1986 race. In 2008 the Dakar was cancelled days before it was due to start because African organisations affiliated to the Al Qaeda terror group made a direct threat against it. It has run in South America ever since.

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 14 December 2014

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Milestone achieved: for the first time Škoda produces one million vehicles in one year his is the first time that ŠKODA has produced more than one million vehicles in a calendar year.Today at the main plant in Mladá Boleslav, the jubilee car – a ŠKODA Fabia 1.2 TSI/81 kW in moon-white – rolled off the line. In achieving this milestone, the Czech carmaker is reaffirming its international growth strategy.

“For the first time in the 119-year history of our company, ŠKODA has today crossed the magic threshold of one million vehicles

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produced in a single year,” said ŠKODA CEO Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland. “It is a milestone for the brand of which the whole team can be proud. We will not become complacent about this success. ŠKODA will continue to grow.”

The most comprehensive model campaign in ŠKODA’s history has formed the basis for the growth in production and sales. Since 2010, the Czech manufacturer has comprehensively renewed its model range, and expanded in key areas, particularly at the main

ŠKODA plant in Mladá Boleslav – the heart of ŠKODA’s global production network. “The figure of one million vehicles produced this year demonstrates the strength of our Czech and international production sites and the skill of our all production teams,” explained Michael Oeljeklaus, ŠKODA Board Member for Production and Logistics. “We plan to further modernise and expand ŠKODA’s production over the coming years.”

The production milestone achieved today once again

emphasises the development of the Czech carmaker, especially over the past two decades. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain and joining the Volkswagen Group in April 1991, ŠKODA has recorded a six-fold increase in sales. The resurgence of the legendary automobile brand has indeed been impressive – from the company’s roots in the heart of Europe to an internationally successful manufacturer with seven model series and over 40 model variants.

From producing only one model in 1991 – the Favorit – ŠKODA today has its largest product range ever.

An important pillar of the growth over recent years has been the development of new markets beyond Europe. In the early ‘90s, the Czech brand was focused on the domestic market and Central and Eastern European countries.

Nowadays, ŠKODA sells its products in over 100 countries worldwide. China has been the brand’s strongest market since 2010. In the first 11 months of this year alone, sales in China accounted for a quarter of ŠKODA’s total.

Against this background, ŠKODA is putting increasing emphasis on local production in the world’s key growth markets in addition to expanding capacities at home as part of its international growth strategy. In China, the Czechs operate at the sites in Anting, Yizheng and Ningbo in partnership with Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW).

To date, more than 1.3 million ŠKODA vehicles have been produced at the SVW plants for the Chinese market.This year ŠKODA has doubled its Chinese product range to six locally produced models. In Russia, the production of ŠKODA models takes place at Nizhniy Novgorod and Kaluga. In India, ŠKODA vehicles run off the production lines in Pune and Aurangabad. ŠKODAs are also manufactured in Slovakia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

Milestones in ŠKODA AUTO production: • 10 December 2014: ŠKODA manufactures the millionth vehicle in 2014 • 19 March 2014: 11 million ŠKODA cars produced at the Mladá Boleslav plant • 26 August 2013: 4 million ŠKODA Octavias • 9 July 2013: 1 million ŠKODA cars produced in China since 2007 • 5 February 2013: 15 million ŠKODA cars produced since 1905 • 30 January 2012: 14 million ŠKODA cars produced since 1905 • 12 October 2011: 10 million ŠKODA cars produced at the Mladá Boleslav plant • 8 April 2009: 12 million ŠKODA cars produced since 1905 • 13 July 2006: 10 million ŠKODA cars produced since 1905 • 1991: 5 million ŠKODA cars produced since 1905

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 14 December 2014

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Mercedes-Benz cars scoop triple honours in the 2014 TopGear Magazine Awards • All-new Mercedes-AMG GT named Sports Car of the Year • C-Class Estate proves versatility and wins Family Car of the Year • S-Class Coupé named Luxury Car of the Year • Tobias Moers, Chairman and CEO of MercedesAMG, named as one of the Men of the Year opGear Magazine has honoured MercedesBenz with three Awards as well as singling out Chairman and CEO of Mercedes-AMG,Tobias Moers, as one of its Men of the Year.

The mighty Mercedes-AMG GT has won ‘Sports Car of the Year’.

Paul Horrell, Consultant Editor, said: “Right out of the box, everything about the driving of the AMG is pretty well spot-on. Its bark is fierce

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Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe

and its actions sharp, but it’s on your side. It’s got the racing spirit of AMG and the thoroughness of a Mercedes. It’s got looks and soul, and is duly our Sports Car of the Year.”

Taking a more relaxed but still highly challenging route were Vijay Pattni and Sam Philip who, in

awarding the new C-Class Estate the Family Car of the Year honour, set out to see just how versatile and efficient it could be, by travelling as far as they could in identical cars on a single tank of fuel. Embarking on their adventure from the home of Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart,Vijay headed north, and Sam pointed his C-Class Estate south.The outcome can be read in TopGear Magazine – in summing up,Vijay Pattni explained: “The high point of this trip was the C-Class itself. Capable of big miles, it’s the ideal companion for such a mission: a relaxed, gorgeously appointed estate that never once put a foot wrong. A worthy Family Car of the Year.”

The Luxury Car of the Year honour went to the S-Class Coupé – available in the UK with eight cylinders and 585 hp in the form of the S 63 AMG Coupé or equipped with a V12 and 630 hp, the S 65 AMG Coupé. Associate Editor,Tom Ford, added: “The S-Class Coupé from Mercedes-Benz is both a technical highlight, and a beautiful thing to boot. And for those reasons, it is also TopGear Magazine’s Luxury Car of the Year.”

The cars weren’t the only winners – Chairman and CEO of MercedesAMG,Tobias Moers, was singled out as one of TopGear Magazine’s Men of the Year.The judges at TopGear said: “Moers is the sort of bloke

you’d want steering your car company. Especially if your car company is AMG. He’s been there for 20 years, and his fingerprints have been all over the firm’s products since 1999. He probably enters and exits his office sideways.”

The TopGear Magazine Awards are the climax of a record year for Mercedes-Benz in the UK - with registrations at the end of November up 13.4 per cent over 2013, which was itself a record year.

Sales of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK are now well over 100,000 vehicles, of which over 3,000 are AMGs – making Mercedes-AMG the fastest-growing performance brand in the UK.

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 14 December 2014

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Differentiated by design: Hyundai Motor introduces new generation i20 Coupe • Hyundai Motor reveals New Generation i20 Coupe • Clear design differentiation for unique three-door • Extends the appeal of New Generation i20 to younger customers

Like all new Hyundai models, the New Generation i20 is backed up

by Hyundai’s unique, Europe-only, Five Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty package. This care programme provides customers with a five-year warranty with no mileage limit, five years of roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks.

yundai Motor has today unveiled the New Generation i20 Coupe. For the first time, Hyundai has created a three-door B-segment car that is significantly differentiated from the five-door model. Its dynamic exterior and striking interior design are intended to attract young, lifestyle-oriented consumers, extending the appeal of the New Generation i20.

New Generation i20 Coupe has its own unique silhouette. The raked A-, B-, and C-pillars are markedly different from the fivedoor model, providing the Coupe with a more dynamic profile.

At the front, New Generation i20 Coupe takes a different approach to Hyundai Motor’s characteristic grille design. The striking reverse hexagonal front grille sits in a new front bumper.

Bold wheel arches –which dominate the rear quarter of the

Diesel: 1.1 (75 PS), 1.4 (90 PS) Petrol: 1.25 (84 PS), 1.4 (100 PS) Capacity: 1120 cc, 1396 cc, 1248 cc, 1368 cc Power: 75 PS @ 4000 rpm, 90 PS @ 4000 rpm, 84 PS @ 6000 rpm 100 PS @ 6000 rpm Torque: 180 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm, 240 Nm @ 1500-2500 rpm 122 Nm @ 4000 rpm, 134 Nm @ 3500 rpm

Technical data: Engines

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Exterior dimensions (mm) Coupe - lead into a new rear bumper design which creates an athletic presence. Despite its sportier appearance, the Coupe is still a practical car: the 336-litre boot space is best-in-class.

To further differentiate the threedoor model, Hyundai has introduced a unique Tangerine Orange exterior colour and a matching orange interior colour option for the Coupe (in addition to the existing New Generation i20 colour palette). It also features a

new 17-inch alloy wheel design and new rear spoiler, among other aesthetic enhancements.

The choice of Euro6 engines includes petrol and diesel power units from 84 PS to 100 PS. A new 1.4-litre ‘Kappa’ petrol engine will be available from launch, with a new 1.0-litre turbocharged threecylinder petrol engine joining the range later in 2015.

Designed and engineered in Europe, New Generation i20 Coupe has been developed to

meet the needs of discerning European customers. Production of the New Generation i20 family, including the Coupe, takes place at the company’s product plant in Izmit, Turkey.

New Generation i20 Coupe is one of many new models that Hyundai Motor will introduce under its Product Momentum 2017 launch programme, supporting the future growth of the brand.

Five Year Unlimited Mileage Warranty

Overall length: 4045 Overall width: 1730 (excluding door mirrors) Overall height: 1449 Wheelbase: 2570 Front overhang: 815 Rear overhang: 660 Front track: 1520 (185/65 R15) / 1514 (195/55R16) / 1515 (205/45R17) Rear track: 1519 (185/65 R15) / 1513 (195/55R16) / 1513 (205/45R17) Ground clearance: 140