Autocar UK - 15 June 2022

86 Pages·2022·75.1 MB·English

Ì Ó ÌÊ Û Ù Ð Ê  Û Ù ÈÝ Ì Ó 
È Ê Ù Ö Ú Ú  Ì Ü Ù Ö × Ì 
Ê È Ù É Ö Õ ± Õ Ì Ü Û Ù È Ó 
There should be no borders when it comes to electric travel. That’s why IONITY operates
charging stations along European motorways that are open to electric vehicles of any
brand. With several charging points at each location. With ultra-fast charging stations
that recharge your vehicle’s batteries for the next stretch of your journey in the shortest
time possible. And with electricity generated exclusively from renewable energy sources.
So, you are not only travelling emission-free: the journey really is carbon-neutral.
Find out more here:weareonit.biz
ÜÓÛÙȱÍÈÚÛ OVER 1,600 CHARGING 100% RENEWABLE
CHARGING POINTS IN 24 COUNTRIES ENERGY
ÌÕÈÉÓÐÕÎÌÓÌÊÛÙÐÊÛÙÈÝÌÓÍÖÙÌÝÌÙàÖÕÌ
WE ARE ON IT.
T H I S W E E K
‘It’s like an Apache attack helicopter on wheels’
10
Issue 6519 | Volume 312 | No 12
NEWS
COMMENT
6
McLaren SUVs New crossover to be battery-electric
10 McLAREN CROSSOVERS
Plasan Wilder Radical mid-engined armoured 4x4
12
EV user safety Concerns over charging after dark
14 ARE GOOD NEWS. REALLY
Three new Cupras Plus updates for existing models
16
Autocar Great Women awards Industry achievers
TESTED
McLAREN ARTURA: ALL-NEW V6 PHEV DRIVEN 24 THERE IS A huge amount
24
McLaren Artura Plug-in hybrid V6 finally unleashed
to admire about McLaren
30
Morgan Super 3 All-new charismatic three-wheeler
34 Automotive. Just 11 years
BMW M2 Coupé Due next year – but we’ve driven it
39
Caton Healey Expert makeover for 1953 roadster after it delivered its fi rst
40
Toyota bZ4X Battery-electric alternative to RAV4
MP4-12C, it has established itself
41
Kia Niro EV All-new version rated on British roads
41 as a world-class maker of supercars.
Citroën C5 Aircross Facelift for family crossover
42
Kia Sportage 1.6 HEV 2WD GT-Line S ROAD TEST Perhaps the biggest compliment is just
FEATURES how much Ferrari has had to raise its
50 game to deal with the challenge.
Denis Le Vot What next for Dacia? CEO spells it out
Peugeot hypercar Endurance race car test session 54 Yet if there has been a criticism
of McLaren, it’s the familiar feeling
OUR CARS
PEUGEOT LE MANS HYPERCAR GOES TESTING 54
of most of its models. Same engine,
62
Volkswagen ID 4 GTX Long commute for peppy EV
63 same chassis, similar styling… After a
Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV Track time, plus a wedding
64
Ford Puma ST Back-to-back test with a Fiesta ST decade, it’s time to change the record.
EVERY WEEK With the Artura (p24), McLaren has
13 done just that. It switches to a V6 from
Jesse Crosse How to spot a damaged EV battery
15
Matt Prior Why do people think this Morgan’s an EV? a V8 and marries it to hybrid power
19
Jim Holder Fact or opinion? Hard to tell sometimes
in a regular production McLaren
20
Subscribe Save money and get exclusive benefits
21 for the fi rst time. A new chassis and
Steve Cropley Tesla Model 3 modified for sprints
22
Damien Smith Formula E, WRC and Indycar underpinnings improve not only the
58
Your Views BMW M cars; online sales; dealer trouble way it drives but also its usability. The
61
On this day Back to (when DeLorean was) the future
Slideshow The biggest car factories in the world 82 KIA’S NEW SPORTAGE: ROAD TEST VERDICT 42 styling? Perhaps not diff erent enough…
The Artura is the familiar McLaren
DEALS
THE MORE
formula done better, but still a
(cid:96)
66
James Ruppert C-Class; Urban Cruiser; TT; 500
familiar McLaren. Under the previous
68
Cult hero Vauxhall Monaro: V8 muscle from £9k TURMOIL THERE
70 management, it had a blindspot about
As good as new Shrewd way to buy a Toyota RAV4
71
Take it or leave it Up GTI; Escalade; RCZ; Gen 2 IS, THE COOLER diversifying away from supercars, and
72
New cars A-Z Key car stats, from Abarth to Zenos
into SUVs. As we can exclusively reveal
81
Road test index Track down that road test here OUR BRAND
this week, that’s all set to change.
Autocar, ISSN number 1355-8293 (USPS 25185), is published weekly by Haymarket Media Group, Bridge BECOMES Porsche and Lamborghini have found
House, 69 London Road, Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. The US annual subscription price is (cid:97)
$199.78. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd that making SUVs drives the profi ts
Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send
address changes to Autocar, WN Shipping USA, 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434,
to make better sports cars, something
USA. Subscription records are maintained at Haymarket Media Group, Bridge House, 69 London Road,
DACIA CEO DENIS LE VOT TELLS IT LIKE HE
Twickenham TW1 3SP, United Kingdom. Air Business Ltd is acting as our mailing agent.
Autocar is published by Haymarket Automotive, Bridge House, 69 London Road, Twickenham, Middlesex, Lotus and Ferrari should soon fi nd out,
SEES IT IN A FASCINATING INTERVIEW 50
TW1 3SP, UK, haymarketgroup.com Tel [phone]
Autocar magazine is also published in China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, COVER too. Far from diluting the McLaren
Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand.
STORY
brand, an SUV can only enhance it
Autocar is a member of the Haymarket ISSUES WITH
Independent Press Standards is certified by BSI to YOUR MAG?
Organisation (IPSO). environmental standard For subscriber issues, call and secure its future prosperity.
We abide by the Editors’ Code of ISO14001 and energy 0344 848 8816. If you can’t find
Practice and are committed management standard a news-stand copy of Autocar Mark Tisshaw Editor
to upholding the highest ISO50001 in your local area, email
standards of journalism. If you [email protected]
IMAGE
think we haven’t met those
standards and want to make [email protected]
a complaint, contact
@mtisshaw
[email protected].
For more information, contact
IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or
visit www.ipso.co.uk
(cid:51)(cid:40)(cid:41)(cid:38)(cid:3)(cid:38)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:87)(cid:76)(cid:73)(cid:76)(cid:72)(cid:71)
youtube.com/autocar
(cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:83)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:71)(cid:88)(cid:70)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:76)(cid:86)(cid:3)
(cid:73)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:80)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:88)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:68)(cid:76)(cid:81)(cid:68)(cid:69)(cid:79)(cid:92)
(cid:80)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:68)(cid:74)(cid:72)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:73)(cid:82)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3) facebook.com/autocarofficial NEVER MISS
(cid:70)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:87)(cid:85)(cid:82)(cid:79)(cid:79)(cid:72)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:86)(cid:82)(cid:88)(cid:85)(cid:70)(cid:72)(cid:86)
Autocar
(cid:90)(cid:90)(cid:90)(cid:17)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:73)(cid:70)(cid:17)(cid:70)(cid:82)(cid:17)(cid:88)(cid:78) is a member of the twitter.com/autocar AN ISSUE
organising Subscribe p20
committee of EXCLUSIVE: McLAREN’S NEW CROSSOVER 6 autocar_official
Car Of The Year
caroftheyear.org
15 JUNE 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 5
N E W S
GOT A STORY?
Email our news editor
[email protected]
IMAGE
McLaren is latest supercar
maker to succumb to SUVs
Woking to follow rivals in chase for big profits; new high-riders will be electric-only
M
cLaren is working second half of this decade, will be offered in time, similar as the world’s fastest SUV. McLaren’s radical change
on a brand-new will be a fully battery-electric to Aston Martin with the DBX. Their size and complexity, of heart about crossovers
high-performance proposition, not a hybrid, The new McLarens are plus the cost of what will is undoubtedly a result of
crossover – a project and will never be available believed to be relatively low, undoubtedly be top-end the sales success of its rival
that directly contradicts its with a combustion engine. compact, dual- or tri-motor, battery technology, are performance brands, whose
previously declared intention McLaren is understood four-wheel-drive designs likely to push prices well existing crossover and SUV
of only ever building supercars to be eyeing a single model offering exalted performance beyond the £250,000 level models already heavily outsell
and hypercars. to begin with, but past levels likely to match Aston of McLaren’s current their lower-slung models and
The new crossover, on practice suggests different Martin’s recently launched production sports cars, generate most of their profits.
course to hit the market in the specifications and power levels V8 DBX 707, currently billed perhaps closer to £350,000. Porsche, for example,
6 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15 JUNE 2022
NEWS
delivered more cars than at decade at Porsche overseeing
any point in its 91-year history the gestation of the highly
in 2021, with the Macan SUV successful Cayenne and
and larger Cayenne together Macan SUVs, then joined
accounting for well over half Ferrari in 2014 as chief
of its 300,000 sales, while technical officer – ideal timing
the 911 sports car accounted for the design and conception
for just 38,464. of the Purosangue.
It’s a similar story for His predecessor, Mike
Lamborghini, whose Urus Flewitt, who presided over
SUV outsold the Huracán McLaren’s successful first
supercar in 2021 at a rate decade, was the executive
of around two to one. most often quoted on the
The DBX made up half company’s lack of interest
of Aston Martin’s global sales in crossovers and SUVs.
in the same period, its first He stepped down abruptly
full year on sale. and without explanation late
Even Ferrari, easily the last year, about the time a
most profitable supercar new management team
manufacturer of all, is within was installed to run the
months of launching its own wider McLaren Group.
crossover, the Purosangue Although McLaren’s
(see overleaf), although that planners are undoubtedly
will appear at first powered well aware of the success of
by a normally aspirated V12. high-performance crossovers
Perhaps the clearest that are already in production,
guide to Woking’s changed insiders say the company is
intentions is the imminent determined to stay true to its
arrival of a new CEO, Michael well-established traditions
Leiters, a German engineer of performance efficiency
who spent more than a through compactness, light ◊
A McL AREN FOR EVERY DAY
PIERS WARD
So that’s it, then: the last an excellent grand tourer.
bastion of sports cars has And yet the way it
finally fallen. handles down a flowing
The numbers are hard to back road makes all those
ignore, as we’ve reported discomforts melt away.
many times. But I feel that The steering is a particular
(cid:96)
McLaren’s determined to stay true with this news, there’s hope highlight. It’s still hydraulic,
we’re not all going to hell despite the compromise
in an SUV-size handcart – with fuel economy, so
to its traditions of compactness,
because of all the sports it’s beautifully fluid and
car companies, McLaren engaging with the sort
light weight and sophisticated aero
could be the best placed of natural feedback
to maintain the strongest that even the best
(cid:97) link between what made electrically assisted set-
it famous and what will ups have yet to match.
now allow it to survive. If the McLaren SUV can
I say this from a position maintain the same duality
of experience, having spent of ride comfort and superb
24 hours in (and slept in) steering (and that same
a McLaren GT recently obsession of sweating the
(Autocar, 2 March). details), it could quite easily
Lifestyle ambition met deliver a McLaren lifestyle.
the cold truth of sports I will miss Woking’s
car seats, and my back dogged refusal to follow
hasn’t been the same the clichéd path, but
since. But the experience here’s hoping an element
was interesting in what it of that sheer bloody-
tells us about McLaren’s mindedness survives
attitude. This isn’t a firm the SUV transition.
that lets the practical
reality get in the way of
delivering what it believes
will be the best car.
McLaren wants to give
you a grand tourer, but it
refuses to let go of some
of its character traits, so
it’s still mid-engined and
still has dihedral doors.
Money-spinners Urus
Both of these compromise
and Cayenne show how
what could otherwise be
others have done it
15 JUNE 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 7
Δ weight and sophisticated The company is believed launching the MP4-12C in 2011.
aerodynamics. to have its hands full with the Most recently acquired by
This is understood to imminent launch of the long- McLaren are trademarks for
entail waiting for promised delayed Artura plug-in hybrid the names Solus, Aonic and
improvements to batteries – supercar (driven, p24) while Aeron, the latter meaning
specifically the reduced size it awaits Leiters’ arrival ‘mountain of strength’ and
and weight and improved early in July. therefore potentially best
energy density promised by Recent trademarks filed suited to a larger and more
solid-state technology (once by McLaren, however, hint at lifestyle-friendly model.
hailed as a “game-changer” a continuation of the naming STEVE CROPLEY
for lightweight performance theme established by the
cars by Flewitt) – that will latest additions to the ranks
most likely be available (Speedtail, Senna, Elva,
from around 2028. GT and Artura), which have
At present, McLaren has shunned the numerical
no official comment about designations Woking
its crossover plans, although had used since
insiders have acknowledged
“an appetite for the idea”.
McLaren faces difficult decisions as it enters SUV ring
HAVING DECIDED TO get WHICH PARTNER? This big group will probably McLaren has already held prospective partners are
into crossovers, McLaren McLaren’s financial difficulties need to be willing to contribute talks at group level with VW believed to be under way.
now has a series of obstacles have been exposed several a platform (as well as battery (ostensibly centred on its One useful contact might
to overcome. Probably in times in the past few years, and powertrain elements), Formula 1 activities) and be Mercedes-Benz. The new
order of urgency, they go and it will need a major partner in the way the Volkswagen with BMW, and secret McLaren Artura is understood
something like this. to put its SUV plans in motion. Group does to Lamborghini. discussions with other to use hybrid powertrain
components designed and
built by Oxford-based Yasa,
an advanced electric motor
specialist that was recently
acquired by the German giant
and soon will open a large-scale
manufacturing plant in Berlin.
WHERE TO BUILD IT?
The crossovers could easily
double McLaren’s annual
pre-pandemic production
rate of about 4600 cars per
year, an eventuality that would
require it to either to build a
new plant or massively expand
its existing facility in Woking.
Merc has links to
McLaren is understood
Artura’s plug-in
to already be seeking a
hybrid drivetrain
co-operative and technically
8 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15 JUNE 2022
NEWS
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT McLAREN’S NEW BOSS?
(cid:96)
It’s waiting for the reduced size
New McLaren CEO Michael strung engines for use in
Leiters will bring a slightly specialist performance cars.
and weight and improved energy
paradoxical skillset to Speaking to Autocar
Woking, having spent a recently about the future
density of solid-state batteries
combined 21 years at two of Ferrari’s hallowed V12 in
of the world’s most revered the electrified era, he said:
(cid:97) and competitive sporting “I personally believe we have
brands but coming away to fight for this engine. From
arguably best known for his a technology point of view,
work in introducing family- it’s not the most efficient.
friendly SUVs to their ranks: A V8 turbo could be better
the Porsche Cayenne and in terms of performance, in the morning, you don’t
the Ferrari Purosangue. but from an emotional have to make a racket.”
“I’m convinced on this car point of view, it’s the Crucially, though, given
and the technical concept,” best you can have.” McLaren’s predilection for
IMAGE he said of the latter, batting Not that he was blind to lightness, Leiters is an ardent
back any suggestion that the benefits of electrification, advocate of minimising kerb
it wouldn’t be a true Ferrari previously telling us that “you weight. “It hurts,” he said, to
and thereby demonstrating gain a lot” dynamically with install a 250kg hybrid drive
a keen awareness of the the addition of an electrically component in an electrified
need for sports car driven front axle and that the supercar, but he added that
manufacturers to diversify. lack of sound can sometimes extensive use of carbonfibre
But despite the push to be a boon: “Even though and keeping the centre
usher in more mainstream you want to have so much of gravity ultra-low (both
models, Leiters remained power for certain moments, already Woking specialties)
committed to preserving you don’t always want the can help to minimise the
enthusiast-friendly, highly sound. If you leave early impact on vehicle dynamics.
SPY SHOT
FERRARI PUROSANGUE
advanced big-name car pose some of the biggest front and rear seats at once? McLaren builds about
maker to be its technical challenges in car production. We will bet the idea is creating 4600 supercars in
partner in the new project. Would McLaren, well-known lots of brain-strain or will do. Woking annually
champion of elegant-looking Expect a low, sleek,
HOW BIG? dihedral doors, settle for four shrink-wrapped crossover
McLaren has always refused humdrum saloon-like doors with no more bulk or frontal
to participate in power races, for its most expensive models, area than it strictly needs and
preferring to compete through or might it settle for one big a high degree of recognisability
lightness. There’s no guidance dihedral door on either side as a McLaren. It will certainly
yet about an ideal size for a providing access to both the be unique.
new McLaren four-seater, but
it’s hard to imagine a company Could signature
whose staple supercars doors be moved
are barely longer than the across to an SUV?
Volkswagen Golf being content
with the 5.1-metre length of
the Lamborghini Urus, or its
2200kg weight, even in its
current pure-ICE guise.
Targets are more likely to
be 4.8 to 4.9 metres (around
300mm longer than the
existing sports cars) and
sub-2000kg – about 500kg
more than the sports cars.
HOW MANY DOORS?
Maybe it sounds like a detail,
but any car engineer will tell
you that doors and windows
15 JUNE 2022 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 9
Combat buggy ready for battle
New Wrangler-sized Wilder “like an attack helicopter on wheels”, says British designer
sraeli company Plasan has
Wilder can carry four
revealed a groundbreaking
soldiers inside, cargo
light armoured vehicle
on external rear bed
with a mid-mounted
engine and an attack-
helicopter-style cabin.
The Wilder, designed by
Briton Nir Kahn, moves away
from the trend for protected
military vehicles to grow ever
bigger by accommodating
four soldiers and a useful
pick-up load bay into a
footprint similar to that of
the modern Jeep Wrangler.
Kahn and the engineers
in Sasa have thrown out the
military vehicle rule book.
Taking inspiration from
off-road buggies, they have
mid-mounted the engine and
gearbox in a tubular subframe,
which is hung off a monocoque
‘kitted hull’, with a second
subframe supporting
the front suspension.
“The Wilder is like an
Apache attack helicopter
on wheels,” said Kahn.
Key elements of the design
are Plasan’s All Terrain Electric
Mission Module (Atemm),
a fully robotic two-wheel
trailer that can hitch on
to provide electric drive,
plus fully integrated remote
driving technology with
planned future upgrades
to level-four autonomy and
battery-electric powertrains. ATEMM LOWER BODY
“Self-driving in the Built around a 47kWh battery and a Plasan’s monocoque body of Stanag 2-rated composite
battlefield environment is very 34bhp, 738lb ft armoured panels and bulletproof
different to civilian autonomy,” electric motor, glass weighs 1500kg,
said Kahn. “The challenges are the Atemm can has a roomy interior
very different: the vehicle can drive the Wilder accessed by a
go anywhere, but there’s no forwards or pair of wide-
infrastructure, like white backwards. When opening
lines for guidance.” coupled to a doors
The Wilder or some of its second Atemm, and
technology might yet find it can operate supports
a place in the British Army, silently as a 4x4 both the
since Plasan is one of several autonomous front
companies competing in weapons and rear
Project Thesius, a field trial platform. subframes.
of autonomous technology
to replace manned vehicles
for the final mile of transport Although the Wilder can compact footprint make it air- When linked to the rigidly recharge the battery pack).
into hostile environments. be operated remotely (and in portable by Chinook helicopter. mounted Atemm (which “We’re working on machine
UK-based Horiba MIRA future in autonomous mode), Power comes from a 159bhp makes manoeuvring easier for learning that will know the
has already won contracts to it can also be conventionally 2.8-litre Cummins turbodiesel untrained drivers), the Wilder route and switch between
supply unmanned self-driving driven into combat with four engine, mated to a ZF eight- can draw power from it in three modes automatically for the
Viking 6x6 vehicles, similar soldiers in its hull (resistant to speed automatic gearbox, modes: Power (for pushing), best mission performance,”
to Plasan’s Atemm, to the rifle bullets), while its relatively driving both axles and capable Eco (a hybrid mode to extend added Kahn.
British Army for trials. light weight of 4.5 tonnes and of taking it to a limited 75mph. range) and Regeneration (to JULIAN RENDELL
LYNK&CO GIVES US TOMORROW TODAY M3 TOURING SET FOR GOODWOOD DEBUT
Geely-owned Lynk&Co has revealed a futuristic BMW will unveil the first-ever M3 Touring at the
concept with striking proportions and a choice Goodwood Festival of Speed next week, two years
of powertrains. Called The Next Day, it comes as after approving an estate version of its super-
a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid, with three battery saloon. The snarling straight-six hauler will take to
sizes offering EV ranges from 37 to 93 miles. the hill as part of M’s 50th birthday celebrations.
10 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 15 JUNE 2022