Mini Countryman WRC

Today has certainly been the day for new World Rally Championship cars. Not only were the Citroen DS3 WRC and Ford Fiesta RS WRC unveiled, but also the Mini Countryman WRC got its debut at the Paris Motor Show.

The car has been developed in partnership with Prodrive, no strangers to WRC success. Like the DS3 and Fiesta, Mini’s entry uses a 1.6 turbocharged engine, in accordance with the new FIA regulations for 2011. Developed by BMW Motorsport, it will transmit its power via an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox.

Mini has confirmed that it’ll be entering six out of the thirteen scheduled WRC rounds in 2011, before going on to campaign the full season in 2012. Prodrive will also be building customer cars for independent teams to use.

As expected, Kris Meeke has been named as the first driver who will compete for Prodrive in the Mini Countryman WRC. Meeke, from Northern Ireland, is the current Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion. It’s rumoured that he could be joined at Mini by two-time WRC champion Marcus Grönholm.

Citroën DS3 WRC 2011

Hot on the heels of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC, Citroën has also today unveiled its 2011 World Rally Championship contender.

The DS3 WRC will have a huge reputation to live up to, seeing as its Xsara and C4 predecessors secured six driver’s titles (all with Sébastien Loeb at the wheel, and all won over consecutive years) and five constructor’s championships. And it looks very likely that Loeb and Citroën will be accomplishing both feats again this year, too.



In developing the new car, Citroën Racing has had to comply with the new 2011 FIA WRC regulations. The biggest change is the shift from 2.0 litre to 1.6 litre turbocharged engines but, with an eye on costs, components such as semi-automatic gearboxes and centre differentials are now banned, while others have to comply with strict cost and weight criteria.

The direct injection engines used in the DS3 WRC have been tuned to produce around 295 bhp (220 kW / 300 PS) and, under the revised rules, each one will be expected to last for up to six rallies. Transmission to the all-wheel drive system is via a fully manual six-speed sequential Sadev gearbox.



Converting the bodywork of the road-going DS3 to WRC specification has involved changing the bumpers and wings in order to reach the maximum permissible width of 1,820 mm. Aerodynamic down force is taken care of by a front splitter and a substantial rear spoiler.

Meanwhile, the door glass has been replaced with polycarbonate, and the doors themselves have been filled with foam to increase side impact protection. Naturally, there’s also a hefty internal roll cage, made from 40 metres of steel tubing.



The 2011 driver line-ups for either the Citroën Total World Rally Team or the Citroën Junior Team have yet to be confirmed.

Ford Fiesta RS WRC 2011

Ford has unveiled the Fiesta RS WRC, the car that it’ll be entering in next year’s World Rally Championship. Designed to comply with new regulations that come into force in 2011, power will come from a 1.6 litre turbo engine instead of a 2.0 litre unit as used by today’s WRC cars.

Like the Focus RS WRC that it replaces, the Fiesta RS WRC has been built by Ford of Europe and its partner M-Sport, which is run by BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team director Malcolm Wilson.

The car’s EcoBoost engine, which features direct petrol injection, was also developed by Ford and M-Sport, together with some input from French tuner Pipo Moteur.

This year’s driver line-up of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala is set to continue unchanged, and both will get an opportunity to drive the Fiesta RS WRC during its first major test session. That’s due to take place on gravel roads in Spain at the beginning of October.

Aston Martin is coolest

For the fourth time in five years, Aston Martin has been named the UK’s coolest brand in the CoolBrands survey. The 2010/11 poll, which sought the opinions of members of the public as well as a panel of experts, placed the British car maker ahead of brands such as BlackBerry, Google and Dom Perignon.



The other automotive companies that made it into the top twenty were Harley-Davidson (6th), Ferrari (9th) and Mini (16th).



Speaking of the award, Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez said, “Once you can define precisely why a brand is cool, then it no longer has the magic that earns it that label. There has to be an element of mystique, something that eludes definition. In order for a brand to have that quality, it needs people behind it with a passionate, creative vision who care for and nurture it.”



Quite right too. Let’s see if Aston Martin can retain the title after the Cygnet arrives.



The 2010/11 CoolBrands Top 20:

1. Aston Martin (Automotive - Cars)


2. iPhone (Technology - Telecommunications)


3. iPod (Technology - General)


4. Blackberry (Technology - Telecommunications)


5. Bang & Olufsen (Technology - General)


6. Harley-Davidson (Automotive - Motorbikes)


7. Nintendo Wii (Leisure & Entertainment - Games & Toys)


8. Google (Online)


9. Ferrari (Automotive - Cars)


10. Dom Perignon (Drinks - Champagne)


11. BBC iPlayer (Online)


12. Vivienne Westwood (Fashion - Designer)


13. Apple (Technology - General)


14. Tate Modern (Leisure & Entertainment - UK Attractions & The Arts)


15. YouTube (Online)


16. Mini (Automotive - Cars)


17. Chanel (Fashion - Designer)


18. Ray-Ban (Fashion - Accessories, Jewellery, Watches)


19. Alexander McQueen (Fashion - Designer)


20. Jimmy Choo (Fashion - Footwear)

Audi A1 1.4 TFSI, not S1

Audi is to unveil the hot(ish) version of its A1 supermini at the Paris Motor Show. But, contrary to normal convention, it won’t be called S1. Instead, it’ll have the long and inelegant title of Audi A1 1.4 TFSI, because there’s no quattro all-wheel drive system to warrant the ‘S’ prefix.

Its 1.4 litre turbocharged and supercharged engine, seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and underpinnings are all shared with the Volkswagen Polo GTI, Skoda Fabia vRS and Seat Ibiza SC Cupra. However, Audi obviously felt the need to differentiate the ‘premium’ version of the quartet, so the A1 gets a superficial power increase from 176 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS) to 182 bhp (136 kW / 185 PS).



Not that those few extra horsepower make any difference. The 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 6.9 seconds is exactly the same as the Polo GTI’s, for example, while a top speed of 141 mph (227 km/h) is actually 1 mph slower than the Volkswagen can manage. At least the combined cycle fuel economy of 47.9 mpg (5.9 l/100km) and CO2 emissions of 139 g/km are equal to what the Polo achieves.



UK pricing and final specification have yet to be confirmed. In Germany, though, the 182 bhp 1.4 TFSI will be around 15% more than the current most expensive model in the range. Applying a similar relationship to the UK price list could mean the de facto ‘S1’ costs nearly £21,000.



Perhaps that might be justifiable if the A1 had quattro to distinguish it from its Polo, Fabia and Ibiza cousins - but it doesn’t. However, such details probably won’t be enough to deter those who are determined to have four rings on the front of their car.

Smart and Mini scooters

Both Smart and Mini will have electric scooter concepts at the Paris Motor Show. That’s either a huge coincidence, or they’ve been keeping a very close eye on each other’s activities. Of course it must be the former, for the benefit of the lawyers.



Smart



Smart’s offering is called the escooter which, like the Smart fortwo car, features a metal frame with interchangeable plastic body panels.

Power comes from a 5 bhp (4 kW / 5 PS) rear hub-mounted motor, driven by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack. That’s enough to propel the escooter up to 28 mph (45 km/h), which is on a par with 50 cc petrol scooters and should be fine for most city centre trips. Tackling anything further afield might be a bit ambitious, although Smart reckons it’ll have a range of around 60 miles (100 km).



Charging takes ‘within three to five hours’, which just sounds rather vague. Unlike the Econogo Yogo electric scooter, the escooter doesn’t have a removable battery, which makes recharging awkward unless there’s a convenient kerbside plug-in point to hand.



Stopping ability is clearly one aspect of the escooter that has received a lot of attention. The brakes are linked - which means just one lever controls retardation of both the front and rear wheels - and they come with an anti-lock system, a rarity for scooters.



However, whereas there’s a traditional disc brake for the front wheel, the rear uses the electric motor acting in reverse to slow it down. An added benefit of this arrangement is that braking makes the motor act as a generator, sending extra charge to the battery.



If it ever goes on sale, riders of the escooter will also need to own a smartphone. That’s because putting the phone into a slot on the dashboard deactivates the immobiliser and anti-theft system. Then, when travelling, the phone’s screen becomes the scooter’s instruments, showing speed, battery range and charge level.



A clever idea, but it could all go very wrong the first time it rains and the owner discovers that their smartphone isn’t particularly waterproof.



Mini



Mini is claiming ‘CO2-free mobility’ for its Scooter E Concept. That’s somewhat misleading, unless the electricity used comes from a source that doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide during the generation process. Boringly pedantic, but unfortunately true.

Just like the Smart escooter, the Mini features an electric motor integrated in the rear wheel, combined with a lithium-ion battery. Charging is also via an onboard socket, so any potential buyers would probably have to invest in a few extension leads, too.



Disappointingly, that’s about it for technical information. Seemingly Mini has concentrated more on how its Scooter E Concept looks. Details such as the upright windshield and the round headlight are supposed to evoke the design of Mini cars, although it could be said that the result just ends up resembling a bloated Piaggio Vespa.



In yet another startling coincidence, the Scooter E Concept also makes use of smartphones. Like the Smart escooter, the rider would be expected to slot their phone into the dashboard to enable the bike to start. Once underway, the phone would control music, navigation and communication, using a Bluetooth link to a microphone and speakers in the rider’s helmet.



Doubtless Mini, like Smart, will be waiting to see what kind of reaction its concept gets before deciding whether or not to take it any further. Perhaps parent company BMW’s existing motorcycle operation gives the Mini Scooter E Concept a better chance of making it into production?

Even more 911 derivatives

Carrera, Turbo, Carrera 4S, GT2 RS, etc., etc. Coupé, Convertible and Targa. With seventeen models, representing just about every conceivable engine, body style and transmission permutation, nobody could accuse Porsche of not trying to offer a 911 to suit the tastes and wallets of every potential purchaser.



But it appears that there were still some tiny niches being ignored, because now there are another three variants: Carrera GTS Coupé, Carrera GTS Cabriolet and Speedster.



911 Carrera GTS

The role of the GTS is to satisfy those who clearly think that the Carrera S doesn’t have quite enough power, but the GT3 simply has too much. Hence the 3.8 litre flat six Porsche has specified for the GTS produces 402 bhp (300 kW / 408 PS), an output that ideally fills the narrow chasm between the 379 bhp (283 kW / 385 PS) of the Carrera S and the GT3’s 429 bhp (320 kW / 435 PS).



Predictably, its performance slots neatly between those other two 911 models, too. The GTS Coupé gets from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.6 seconds, while the real world 50-75 mph (80-120 km/h) increment takes 5.6 seconds in fifth gear, and top speed is 190 mph (306 km/h). Acceleration times for the GTS Cabriolet are marginally slower, but flat out it’s as fast as the hardtop.

The GTS also addresses another omission in the 911 line-up that has, up until now, gone unsatisfied: it combines rear-wheel drive with the slightly wider bodywork from the all-wheel drive Carrera 4. Further differentiating the GTS is a SportDesign front apron with black spoiler edge, special side skirts, nicely subtle graphics and a black Alcantara interior. Helping to show off the wider track are 19” centre-mount RS Spyder alloys, finished in black but with high gloss rim flanges.



In fairness though, the overall effect is appealing. The result is a car that’s less anonymous that a normal Carrera, but not as brash as a GT3. Mid-way between the two, then.

It’s not quite the same story with the pricing, though. In the UK, the Carrera S Coupé and GT3 cost £74,606 and £87,935 respectively, so it would be reasonable to assume that the 911 Carrera GTS Coupé would be around £80,000. It is, in fact, £76,758 which, by comparison, seems like rather good value. The Carrera GTS Convertible is £83,493.



911 Speedster

Depending on your point of view, the Speedster is either an essential addition to the range, or a cynical marketing exercise.



Of course, the name is taken from the original 356 Speedster and, in a move that’s not at all tacky, only 356 examples of the 911 Speedster will be produced.



With its 402 bhp (300 kW / 408 PS), rear-wheel drive and wider bodywork, the Speedster is essentially a Carrera GTS Convertible fitted with a 60 mm lower windscreen, manual roof, two seats and a ‘double bubble’ cover for the retracted soft top. It also gets bespoke side skirts and front and rear aprons.



The only transmission choice is the seven-speed PDK (double clutch) gearbox, and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes come as standard. Performance is similar to that of a PDK-equipped GTS Convertible, with 0-62 mph (100 km/h) taking 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 189 mph (305 km/h).



Available only in Pure Blue or Carrera White paintwork with a black leather interior, UK pricing for the 911 Speedster is yet to be confirmed.



However, in Germany, it will cost a shocking €201,682 - that’s 75% more than a Carrera GTS Cabriolet. On that basis, the Speedster could end up being around £146,000, which is lunacy when the quicker and more practical 911 Turbo S Cabriolet is ‘only’ £130,791.

Doblò is Van of the Year

The original Fiat Doblò was notable for its ‘challenging’ looks, but that didn’t stop it winning the International Van of the Year award back in 2006. Now the same feat has been repeated by its successor, the recently launched all-new Doblò, which certainly seems to have had a bit more attention paid to its visual appeal.

The decision to give the 2011 International Van of the Year title to the Doblò was made by a jury of 24 journalists, all from commercial vehicle publications in different countries. It achieved 128 points out of a possible 168, with the judges citing the wide range of body types and engine choices as particularly praiseworthy.



Available in either Cargo panel van or Combi five-seater versions, both can be specified in either standard or Maxi long wheelbase configuration. There’s also a chassis cab in the Doblò range for third-party bodybuilders to adapt.



Engine choice comprises a 93 bhp (70 kW / 95 PS) 1.4 litre petrol, together with three MultiJet diesels. These have capacities of 1.3 litres (88 bhp / 66 kW / 90 PS), 1.6 litres (103 bhp / 77 kW / 105 PS) or 2.0 litres (133 bhp / 99 kW / 135 PS), and all better 50 mpg (5.6 l/100km) on the combined cycle.



Pricing in the UK starts at £11,305 (excluding VAT) for the Doblò Cargo 1.4 16v Petrol, and rises to £17,115 for the Doblò Combi Maxi Active 2.0 MultiJet 16v.

GranTurismo MC Stradale

Up until now, buyers of the Maserati GranTurismo have been able to choose from either the standard model, with its 399 bhp (297 kW / 405 PS) 4.2 litre engine, or the ‘S’ version that gets a larger 4.7 litre V8 and 434 bhp (323 kW / 440 PS).



Neither is exactly slow - even the less powerful option delivers a 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 177 mph (285 km/h) - and the GranTurismo is arguably one of the most handsome cars on sale today. But, as the name implies, both variants remain more luxury coupe than hardcore performance car.



However, the latest addition to the range is designed to shift the character of the GranTurismo firmly towards the sports end of the spectrum. Named the MC Stradale, and taking inspiration from the Trofeo GranTurismo MC and GT4 race cars, it will be the fastest, lightest and most powerful new Maserati available when deliveries begin early next year.

Like the ‘S’, it features a 4.7 litre engine, but output goes up to 443 bhp (331 kW / 450 PS). Maserati says that will be sufficient for the MC Stradale to top 186 mph (300 km/h), although it has yet to publish any acceleration figures.



Revised bodywork increases aerodynamic down force, while tweaks to the chassis are claimed to offer ‘razor sharp’ handling without affecting the ride quality - a conflict that’s often difficult to resolve. Anyone hoping to take the family along will be disappointed, though. As part of the weight-saving measures, the GranTurismo MC Stradale loses its rear seats.



Pricing has yet to be confirmed but, with the GranTurismo S starting at £90,455 in the UK, the MC Stradale should easily end up being north of £100,000.

119 g/km Saab 9-3 diesels

With the new Saab 9-5 getting so much attention of late its smaller sibling, the venerable 9-3, might have rather faded into the background pending its replacement in 2012.



But Saab, under new owners Spyker Cars, isn’t ignoring its compact range. Realising that - in Europe at least - both fleet and private customers are demanding ever more economical small diesels, it has improved the 9-3 accordingly for the 2011 model year.

There’s now a choice of three diesel engines, available with a power output of 128 bhp (95 kW / 130 PS), 157 bhp (117 kW / 160 PS) or 177 bhp (132 kW / 180 PS). And they have a lot in common with each other: all have a capacity of 1.9 litres, all now feature twin turbochargers and all produce exactly the same amount of CO2 and will go the same distance on a gallon of fuel.



In the saloon, that means 62.8 mpg on the combined cycle (4.4 l/100km) and just 119 g/km of carbon dioxide. The figures for the SportWagon estate and convertible versions are slightly worse at 61.4 mpg (4.6 l/100 km) / 122 g/km and 54.3 mpg (5.2 l/100km) / 137 g/km respectively, but they’re still impressive.



As well as a recalibrated engine management system and improved fuel injection, the efficiency improvements are the result of tweaks right across the car. These include optimised gearing, fitment of low rolling resistance tyres, an intelligent alternator that recognises when battery charging isn’t required, improved aerodynamics and reduced weight. Some of those measures will also appear on the petrol 9-3 line up, benefiting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.



The 2011 9-3 gets additional specification, too. All models now come with Bluetooth connectivity and heated front seats as standard and, to make sure the best economy figures are achieved, there’s also a gearshift change up indicator.



Saab itself admits that the personality of the 9-3 was watered down under GM ownership, and it’s promising the next generation will redress that. But meanwhile, with revamped engines and extra equipment, it still measures up as a worthwhile choice for individualists who don’t want one of the more predictable premium compact alternatives.

American spec Fiat 500

Fiat has released the first details and images of the North American specification 500. The tiny city car will be available in Pop, Lounge and Sport trim levels, and is distinguished from the European version by its more aggressive front and rear bumpers, bigger grille and flared sills.

Another unique feature is the engine. Fiat has decided to use the 1.4 MultiAir unit currently found in models such as the Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa Romeo MiTo. Perhaps it felt that using the forthcoming two-cylinder TwinAir in the American 500 would have been too much for markets there to take?

There’s no word yet on what power output the MultiAir will have, although in its current applications it comes with either 103 bhp (77 kW / 105 PS), 133 bhp (99 kW / 135 PS) or 167 bhp (125 kW / 170 PS).

Similarly, prices have yet to be confirmed, but hopefully both details will have been sorted out by the time the order book for the 500 hatch opens later this year. For convertible fans, the 500C is due to follow in the spring of 2011.

Aprilia Dorsoduro 1200

Aprilia has released the first image of its new Dorsoduro 1200 supermoto.

Power will come courtesy of an all-new 90 degree V-twin, which is said to have 128 bhp (95 kW / 130 PS) and 115 Nm of torque. It features ‘Ride By Wire’, which gives the rider a choice of three engine management maps - Sport, Touring and Rain.



The Dorsoduro 1200 will be available with ATC (Aprilia Traction Control) and two-channel ABS, both of which can be individually deactivated.



There’s no word on pricing yet but, to help whet the appetite, Aprilia has also produced a short launch video.

OFT probes price fixing

The UK’s Office of Fair Trading has launched an investigation into suspected price fixing by truck manufacturers.



As part of its enquiries, which are taking place under the Enterprise Act 2002 and the Competition Act 1998, the OFT earlier this week invited itself to the offices of Mercedes-Benz UK in Tongwell, Milton Keynes. Following the raid, one person was arrested but later bailed.

The Enterprise Act is a serious piece of legislation - breaches can result in criminal charges, with the possibility that individuals can be jailed for up to five years, and the company fined up to 10% of its global turnover.



A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz has said that the company "… is fully co-operating with the investigation which may take many months or more to complete."



Meanwhile, rival firms Scania, MAN and Volvo Trucks / Renault Trucks have confirmed that they have already received letters from the OFT notifying them of the investigation and requesting information. Iveco and DAF, The other two major commercial vehicle makers operating in the UK, have indicated that they are prepared to fully cooperate with the OFT probe.

Kawasaki Z750R unveiled

Kawasaki has announced a sharper version of its middleweight Z750, the Z750R.

Handling is one of the two areas that has received most attention, with the ‘R’ getting new adjustable 41 mm upside-down front forks, a revised aluminium swing arm and a remote reservoir piggy-back rear shock.



The other is the brakes. As well as thicker 300 mm petal discs and radial-mounted four piston calipers, the bike is fitted with steel braided brake lines for improved feel.



Visually, the main differences compared to the standard Z750 are a redesigned cowl, two-tone paint and special ‘R’ instruments. One thing that remains unchanged though is the 748 cc engine, which still produces 104 bhp (77 kW / 106 PS).



Prices have yet to be confirmed, but the Z750R - which will be sold alongside the existing Z750 - is due to make its UK debut at the Carole Nash Motorcycle Live event at the NEC in November.

2011 WTCC calendar

At the same meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council that ratified the 2011 Formula 1 calendar, the dates for the 2011 World Touring Car Championship were also agreed.



The big changes are that the Belgian race at Zolder disappears, while the Portuguese and Japanese rounds move to Porto and Suzuka respectively. New venues are Buenos Aires in Argentina and a yet to be confirmed Chinese circuit. A Mexican round has failed to reappear on the schedule, following the enforced cancellation of this year’s event at Puebla due to security fears in the region.



The WMSC also confirmed that next season 1.6 litre turbo cars will be eligible to compete alongside the existing Super 2000 and Diesel 2000 cars.

2011 WTCC calendar
Date	Race
20 March	Curitiba, Brazil
03 April	Buenos Aires, Argentina
15 May	Monza, Italy
05 June	Marrakech, Morocco
19 June	Brno, Czech Republic
03 July	Porto, Portugal
17 July	Brands Hatch, Great Britain
31 July	Oschersleben, Germany
04 September	Valencia, Spain
23 October	Suzuka, Japan
05 November	TBA, China
20 November	Macao, China

Audi TT RS heads for US

The United States is going to get the Audi TT RS, after all. Audi of America will begin importing the hottest TT at around this time next year, albeit only in coupe form.

The decision was, apparently, partly influenced by a Facebook campaign to bring the car to the US, with Audi feeling that many of the 11,500 signatories to the petition were likely to be buyers. Not teenagers still years off getting a driving licence sitting in their bedrooms, then.



Interestingly, it seems that the US spec TT RS will be more powerful than versions currently sold in other territories. That’s because the 2.5 litre TFSI five-cylinder engine is set to have an output of 360 bhp (268 kW / 365 PS), instead of the usual 335 bhp (250 kW / 340 PS). Whether that has much impact on performance remains to be seen as, despite the extra horsepower, the quoted 0-62 mph (100 km/h) acceleration time remains unchanged at 4.6 seconds.



360 bhp is a big leap compared to the most powerful TT already on sale across the Atlantic, the TTS. That model, which in the States only comes with the six-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission, has ‘just’ 268 bhp (200 kW / 272 PS), which is nevertheless impressive for a 2.0 litre engine.



Naturally the TT RS, like the TTS, features Audi’s signature quattro all-wheel drive system, although the only gearbox available is a normal six-speed manual.



US pricing has yet to be confirmed but, if a similar structure to Europe is adopted, expect a premium of around 25% over the $47,875 (including destination charges) that a TTS currently costs.