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Honda unveil new compact concept car at Frankfurt

Honda has unveiled a funky new EV concept car called the Urban EV concept at the Frankfurt Motorshow. The supermini sports a compact three-door design and retro looks reminiscent of the early Civics. Shorter than the current Jazz by atleast 100mm, it aims to offer sportiness and ‘manly’ practicality.

The squarish front grille is actually able to light up and display a number of different messages that include greetings and advice for other drivers while on the road as well as charging updates. The Honda emblem has a back-light that emits a blueish hue.

The concept was officially introduced by Honda Motor Co. President and CEO, Takahiro Hachigo, during his press conference speech. This is not some vision of the distant future, a production version of this car will be here in Europe in 2019.”

Visibility from inside the cabin is impressive, thanks to slim A-pillars and a wide windscreen that stretches the entire width of the vehicle. The car also features rear-hinged coach doors and a charging port that is housed on its bonnet.

Inside, the cabin incorporates innovative styling and design that allow for better use of space. Honda says that the Urban EV will be able to seat four adults comfortably across two bench seats. And unlike most cars, the Urban EV’s interior resembles that of a lounge.

Thanks to wood accents, elegantly designed seating positions and an elongated rectangular display on the dashboard, mean the vehicle can also double as a meeting area. The seat-belts for the rear bench are fixed in the middle of the seat, allowing the belt to retract out of the way before a passenger exits the car. Though not ideal, but it’s still a cool feature for a concept.

That said, the car’s main party piece is its Automated Network Assistant that assesses the driver’s past decisions and facial/emotional expressions that accompany them to apply what it has learnt to make new choices and recommendations on journeys.

But don’t get too excited though, concept vehicles such as these rarely ever make it onto showroom floors. Some elements of its design maybe incorporated into upcoming Honda models, but most, will probably be shelved till a later date.

Jaguar introduce one-make feeder series to Formula E

Jaguar is taking a bold step in electric racing by supporting a feeder series to Formula E called I-PACE eTrophy series. It’s a single make series which, beginning in 2018, will see 20 Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racers fill the grid for the 10-race season.

Based on Jaguar’s first all-electric car, the I-PACE, these racers will be custom built by the automaker’s Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) team in Warwickshire, UK. Based on what we can see, they will probably build upon the current design of the I-PACE.

Aerodynamic upgrades including lightening the chassis and and the addition of spoilers will be part of the upgrades. There will also be an FIA certified roll cage, safety harnesses as well as other components. This zero emission Motorsport series is the first of its kind outside Formula E.

These cars will race around the same circuits as the Formula E ones and their events will be held on the same race weekends as that of the main race series for the entire calendar year. This new all-electric series will also help to shine a spotlight on the talent of the up and coming racing drivers.

Speaking of the new series, Gerd Mäuser, Chairman, Jaguar Racing, said: “Jaguar returned to racing in 2016 with the mission ‘Race to Innovate’. With the launch of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY we have strengthened our commitment to battery electric vehicles, international motorsport and Formula E. As a British team, we are proud to announce today the launch of the world’s first production battery electric vehicle championship.”

He later added, “We’ve always said we want to prove our electrification technologies on the track – this is the proof. I am looking forward to seeing a full grid of Jaguar I-PACE racecars in late 2018, soon after the first Jaguar I-PACE hits the road in Europe. Ultimately this innovative series will enhance the technology in our future electric vehicles and benefit our customers.”

The British based automaker has participated in Formula E since last year, making it the first premium vehicle manufacturer to enter the racing series. And now, its commitment to this single make series leads us to believe that Jaguar is heavily invested in electric vehicles as being the future of personal and commercial mobility.

Jag’s latest moves are a nod to the British Government’s rather heavy-handed approach of banning petrol and diesel cars from city streets by 2040. Though forward thinking, it will take awhile before current Motorsports fans can be lured away from the visceral excitement that surround the current racing series.

VW to make booking a test drive hassle-free

Volkswagen USA has managed to revolutionize the way test drives are carried out. The German automaker has teamed up with Amazon to offer test drives of the all-new BMW Atlas SEL Premium through the latter’s Prime Now service.

Amazon Prime Now gives users the ability to schedule a 45 to 60 minute test drive at a date and time of their choosing. Once the meeting point has been confirmed, a VW Atlas driven by an ‘expert’ will show up at their doorstep.

This door-to-door service is only available in the ‘designated’ area codes and if you happen to be outside these places, then things get a bit more cumbersome. In such a case, one would have to visit vw.com and schedule a test drive at the dealership of their choosing.

Speaking of the new collaboration, Senior Director, Transformation, Strategy and Communications, Volkswagen of America, said, “We are very excited to work with Amazon to introduce more consumers to our newly-launched, seven-seater SUV through this unique test drive experience.”

He later added, “We know people have limited time and are always looking for convenient ways to test out a new product, and with the Amazon Prime Now service we are able to bring the all-new Atlas to customers’ doorstep.”

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is a full size SUV that seats seven occupants and has been tasked with taking on more established models from Ford, GM and Dodge on their home turf. The vehicle will be offered in a number of variants, which will be powered by either a four-cylinder turbocharged 2.0L TSI or more powerful 3.6L VR6.

Customers will have the option of ordering their Atlas with a front-wheel-drive or the more sophisticated 4Motion® all-wheel-drive system. Apart from this the vehicle also gets 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, power-folding door mirrors and door mirrors with puddle lights.

Then there’s also leather seating, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, automatic High Beam Control (Light Assist) and ambient lighting. The top of the line variant, the Atlas SEL Premium is equipped with Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist), Area View camera and the Fender® Premium Audio System.

Expect more from VW as they begin to penetrate the US full-size SUV market with one of the largest SUVs they have ever made to date.

LaFerrari Aperta sells for record breaking figure

The rare LaFerrari Aperta that we covered in a previous article has finally gone under the hammer at Rm Sotheby’s auction. The car was auctioned off during the Prancing Horse’s 70th Anniversary celebrations at the Fiorano circuit for a cool 8.3 million euro (RM 41.9 million).

The proceeds from this sale will be donated to Save the Children, which is an international non-profit organisation that work to improve the lives of disadvantaged children in over 120 countries worldwide. The money from the LaFerrari sale will be used particularly to fund educational projects in Asia and Africa.

What makes this Ferrari so unique is that it’s a special extra addition to the initial 209 cars built to date. And unlike the rest of these vehicles, it boasts a one-of-a-kind metallic Rosso livery that is complemented by double metallic Biano Italia racing stripes on its bonnet and rear end.

Though these numbers are common for such auctions, it happens to be a new record figure received by a 21st centrey car. The previous record was held by an exclusive LaFerrari that sold for $7 million (RM 29.4 million) at Daytona, USA in December 2016. It was auctioned off to raise funds for earthquake victims in Central Italy.

That said, the LaFerari Aperta wasn’t the only car that rolled on the auction block in Fiorano, other worthy mentions include a California 250 GT SWB that sold for 7.9 million euro (RM 39.7 million), a 1958 250 GT Cabriolet Series I for 4.7 million euro (RM 23.6 million) and the aluminium-bodied 365 GTB/4, which sold for 1.8 million euro (RM 9.1 million).

It’s good to know that Ferrari and other automakers are doing their part to help raise funds to help those indeed, especially people from impoverished nations or ones that have been affected by natural disasters.

Proton Iriz 1.3L Manual Reviewed

In this day and age, its difficult to find a decent econobox that is enjoyable to drive but offer decent fuel consumption figures. These two traits are considered mutually exclusive and as a result, will never be offered in the same car.

This is the general consensus for the vehicles of today and most often than not, that seems to lend credence to the notion that you can’t eat your cake and have it at the same time. I was a firm believer of that, until I came across a little upstart from Proton called, the Iriz.

Granted, this isn’t a performance vehicle, not by a long shot. Instead, its one that ticks all the right boxes of a frugal and simple supermini, yet still allow you the ability to throw it around narrow corners without having to worry about much understeer or instability.

See, Proton’s acquisition of niche sports car maker, Lotus, was one of the savviest engineering decisions the automaker has ever made. The British automaker, since the glory days of Colin Chapman’s F1 winning feats, concentrated more on handling than outright performance. At Lotus, the rule of law is that handling takes precedence over power.

He proved that a vehicle that had a power deficit compared to its rivals would be able to overcome this disadvantage by having a well balanced chassis and suspension. This recipe for success was proven time and time again by the Lotus team in F1 and other Motorsport categories.

This wealth of knowledge has allowed Lotus to create some of the most agile vehicles the automotive world has ever seen. And it is this same expertise that Proton has incorporated into the development of suspensions of cars like the Satria GTi, Iriz and Preve.

Granted, these vehicles aren’t in the same league as Lotus’ cars in terms of handling, but that isn’t the point we are trying to convey here. The Iriz, has a supple ride quality, is agile enough to react to sudden changes in steering input and stable enough to offer some decent driving enjoyment. It’s an affordable super mini that doesn’t mind being manhandled on occasion.

The ride isn’t that comfortable though, its supple enough for daily commutes but not enough to make long journeys relaxing. It’s leaps and bounds better than its predecessors but not enough to make it the ‘go-to’ car for road trips. Though stable at high speeds, the rather skinny tyres don’t invoke the necessary confidence needed to take the vehicle to its limit.

Equipped with electric power steering, the Iriz is able to whiz around city back lanes with relative ease, making parallel parking a one-handed affair on most occasions. But that in itself is a problem because feedback that you would get, is mild at best, which isn’t very reassuring especially when throwing the vehicle around certain roads.

When it comes to stopping power, the Iriz is more than capable of holding its own regardless of the situation. The feedback from the pedal is consistent and stopping power more is more than adquate as long as you keep to city speeds. This isn’t a performance car, and it needs to be treated as such. If not, and you venture outside the Iriz’s comfort zone, things may get a little bothersome for you.

That said, the charm of the Iriz is due to its slick shifting manual transmission. Though it may not be the best shifter in the world, but it gets the job done just as easily. The clutch is relatively light and predictable, the gears slot home effortlessly and the overall feel is relatively positive.

Driving the Iriz with a stick shift would have been more enjoyable had we received the 1.6-litre car instead of the basic 1.3-litre four pot. But latter is more than adequate at handling the Iriz’s power requirements. Its peppy at the low end but tends to run out of steam as the revs start to climb towards the top end.

The only major drawbacks with this particular variant is the lack of tech and creature comforts. Unlike the top end car, you have to do without the touchscreen infotainment system, comfortable leather seats as well as the convenient and user friendly switch gear. Though not a deal breaker, their absence does reduce the appeal somewhat.

Fit and finish isn’t that great either, because some interior trim pieces don’t seem to line up exactly right and certain imperfections are visible in a few different places. Proton needs to buckle down more on QC in this area and things should look a whole lot better.

Apart from the few minor gripes that I have, there isn’t much to fault with this Iriz. It’s an affordable runabout that is easy to maneuver, has decent power, offers excellent fuel consumption, seats four comfortably, supports your latest media devices and is able to charge them too.

If I were a college student or a young working adult looking for a new ride, the Iriz would be at the top of my list. Proton has come along way since its rather humble beginnings and the Iriz is a testament to that. The 5 Star ASEAN NCAP safety rating, ABS and Traction Control, and decent build quality make it one of the most sensible choices at its price point.

Piston Review Rating: 7/10
Proton Iriz 1.3L Specifications
Engine: 1.3L (4 Cylinder DOHC 16V VVT)
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Horsepower: 94bhp
Torque: 120Nm

Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer is a sleeper we need

AMG is Mercedes-Benz’s performance arm and is responsible for taking standard family oriented vehicles, upgrading their parts and making them faster, more agile and brake harder. It’s a formula that has spawned generations of AMG versions of standard Mercs.

The company was founded by a couple of ex-Mercedes-Benz engineers, and started out as a racing engine forge in 1967. The name AMG, is an abbreviation of the surnames of both co-founders, Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher. And the G in the name, stands for Großaspach, which is Aufrecht’s home town.

Originally, AMG and Mercedes-Benz were two separate entities with the former functioning as an independent engineering firm that modified new Mercs with performance parts. It wasn’t until 1999 did Daimler-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz’s parent company, acquired AMG and turned it into it’s performance arm.

Visual dissimilarities between an AMG Mercedes-Benz and the car that is based are quite striking. Normally, the AMG one will feature more aggressive looks, side skirts, more prominent spoilers and larger yet lighter alloy wheels.

Despite the extensive changes, the vehicles still resemble their docile brethren, which is why many refer to AMG models as sleeper cars. These are vehicles that have the performance of sports cars but are still practical enough to function as a family oriented ones.

Overall, they will have a higher level of performance, handle better and incorporate more carbon-fibre in the construction of their body panels and interior. Basically, AMG cars are a direct rival to BMW’s M divsion, which is responsible for the M3, M4 and M5.

If you aren’t sold on the allure of an AMG version of a Mercedes-Benz like many car aficanados, take a look at the youtube video released by Petrolicious. It depicts the life and and experience of an owner of one of the best known AMG station wagons in existence, the 1987 Mercedes-Benz AMG Hammer Wagon.

Granted, it wasn’t the original car, but extensive work was put into the base one, which is exactly what AMG used to do back in the day, to create the ultimate sleeper Benz. Take a look at the video and let us know what you think.