Archive for 2015
Jaguar Unveils The F-Pace At Frankfurt Motor Show
Iconic British brand, Jaguar, continues its renaissance with the public unveiling of its first SUV, the F-Pace, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Not a brand to be reticent about showing off its new products, the car started its public career by breaking the world record for a car driving a loop-the-loop, with a height at an astonishing 19.08 metres. See the incredible feat here: Jaguar F-Pace record setting loop
To quote Ian Callum, Jaguar’s head of design, “The Jaguar F-PACE is an SUV with the soul of a sports car.” This was proven, conclusively, with expert British stunt driver Terry Grant at the wheel of the F-Pace in its dramatic unveiling.
To commemorate the release of Jaguar’s first ever SUV, there will be an exclusive run of just 2000 “First Edition” models, with a choice of just two colours, Caesium Blue and Halcyon Gold, and two engines, the 3.0L supercharged petrol V6 provoking the road with a 280 kW/450 Nm output, or the outstanding 700 Nm diesel of the same capacity.
F-Pace will also offer a 2.0L diesel, with 132 kW and a handy 430 Nm (1750 to 2500 rpm), a 3.0L V6 with a slightly detuned 250 kW with the weight of the F-Pace starting from just over 1800 kg with all variants being of an all wheel drive configuration.
Jaguar quotes a miserly 5.3L of diesel being sipped,in a combined drive cycle, for the entry diesel,from a 60 litre tank. It’ll see 100 kmh in under nine seconds on its way to a 208 kmh top speed. The higher torque diesel will be expecting a 66L tank, 241 kmh top speed and a 0-100 klick time of just over six seconds.
Moving to the 250 kW petrol and Jaguar quotes 5.8 seconds to 100, a 250 kmh top speed and a tick under 9.0L per 100 kms of 98 RON consumed from a 63L tank. The only change from the 280kW V6 is a 5.5 second 100 kmh time.
As one could guess, the F-Pace is loaded with technology. The AWD system employs a transfer case, with multi-plate wet clutch and chain drive, connected to the front axle setup. Normal drive sees all torque delivered to the rear but when called upon,will deliver a 50/50 split in 165 milliseconds. Jaguar says the front differential is the toughest and strongest of any seen in an AWD Jaguar, to the point that if the rear tyres were on polished ice, the system would still put enough torque through the front wheels to pull away, using only the front wheels.
Being seen more and more in off road capable vehicles is electronic programming to adapt to varying road surfaces; Jaguar has the ASR, Adaptive Surface Response, replacing the original Rain/Ice/Snow mode. With the parameters now expanded to cover almost any road or terrain surface, a driver will have a traction system covering light and greasy surfaces through to a measure of deep snow or gravel. Naturally, being a Jaguar, the program leaves the driving to the driver, by switching to the appropriate setting automatically and within four seconds.
There’s a Torque Vectoring system, splitting torque between the driven wheels, to back up the ASR, a stereo camera system for the Autonomous Emergency Braking, a 12.3 inch LCD “Virtual Instrument” display for the driver offering four themes and a 3D style navigation display. Lob in the aluminuim chassis, a 2847 mm wheelbase which provides plenty of interior room, an optional four zone climate control system, seat pockets designed specifically for smartphones (plus plenty of charging points), a centre console with a ten inch screen and 60GB solid state hard drive that come under the umbrella name of InControl Touch Pro (including access to Apple and Android devices), a built in wifi hotspot allowing up to eight devices to access, it’s clear that Jaguar isn’t about speed and good looks, there’s family friendly technology on board as well.
Take it for a drive and you’ll be onboard with the Integral Link suspension design; Jaguar have investigated and separated the loading on the suspension, with lateral and longitudinal components specifically engineered to deal with the individual loadings. Allowing softer bushes for the longitudinal loading allow excellent energy absorption and provide a smoother, more quiet ride. Castor stiffness is improved, providing better stability under braking. The steering was re-engineered, with an additional mounting point and by increasing the chassis’ rotational stiffness there’s more of the 22 inch diameter tyre contact patch holding on to the tarmac. 
The wheels themselves were specifically designed by the Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations division, alongside the 265/40 doughnuts.
Exterior design is pure, classic, Jaguar; from the J shaped LED driving lights, F-Type inspired haunches, tail lights and bonnet vents.
The bold, upright grille and bonnet bulge promise power, assertive attitude, adaptive LED headlights and a full five seater interior tell you immediately that this F-Pace is a Jaguar like no other.
For your first look at the brilliant new F-Pace, click here: Jaguar F-Pace
Private Fleet Car Review: 2015 Ford Fiesta ST
This is a car, the Ford Fiesta ST, that A Wheel Thing has been watching from afar for sometime and due to a minor scheduling hiccup, finally got to try. Did it live up to expectations? Read on.
In essence, the ST is the fire breathing example of the range, with a 134 kW/240 Nm 1.6L EcoBoost petrol engine. Peak power is on tap at 5700 revs, but the talking point is the mesa flat delivery of torque, from 1600 to 5000 rpm. 
Mated to one of the best sorted six speed manuals going and a fluid, smooth clutch and spot on brakes, it’s a fantastic combination. Additional tech comes in the form of Hill Start Assist.
Body style is a three door hatch and the test car came clad in a sparkling, eye catching, Molten Orange metallic paint (optional extra, at $450 cost), 17 inch alloys with a five spoke, hammerhead, design with 205/40 rubber, slim line headlights with LED driving lights, sports body kit, dual exhaust tips and rear parking sensors. 
It’s compact at just over four metres in length and sits on a 2490 mm wheelbase. It’s a squat track too, with a 1465 and 1447 mm track, front and rear, accounting for the go-kart like handling.
Interior kit runs to push button start/stop, auto headlights and wipers, snug and form fitting Recaro sports seats, a Sony audio system (with the soon to be replaced overdose of buttons), the Microsoft powered Sync system for voice activation on certain services such as audio, a smartly laid out aircon control set, a non touchscreen display of 4.2 inches and a sports steering wheel with a “just right” feel to the hand.
The engine is, quite simply, a pearler; aside from a system that pipes noise into the cabin for more aural feedback, the torque and free revving, spritely nature of the powerplant brings a sense of life and pizzazz to the drive. There’s that immensely usable torque delivery, allowing flexibility around town and on the freeway. Backed by that instinctive, short throw gear change and thought direct steering, it’s a sports hatch for the exuberant driver.
The ST is also kitted with a Torque Vectoring system, which effectively delivers torque via a special differential to the wheel the system feels needs more. Economy? Brilliant; Ford quotes 6.2L per 100 kilometres of unleaded (it will run E10 to 98 RON) from a 48L tank. A Wheel Thing matched that figure.
Downside, for some, is the sports handling and ride; the steering is responsive but perhaps too responsive for some,with even a twitch seeing a change of direction. In order to have the ST sit as flat as it does, the sports oriented suspension picks up every lump, bump and five cent piece sized ripple on the road. Having said that, if this bothers a driver then perhaps they’ve not researched their choice of buying well enough.
There’s also the bland, hard plastics inside. It’s an outdated, uncomfortable look and feel, with little or no give and being all black lends a claustrophobic feel to the cabin. 
The only real spots of brightwork were the scuff plates,surrounds to the gear lever and gear knob itself and highlights on the tiller. The dash itself (along with the aircon_ is simple to read but dated with dash style LCD backlit displays.
Offsetting that is the approximately 280L of carry space behind the rear seats which increases to around 960L with seats folded.
There’s ‘bags aplenty, including thorax and driver’s knee, plus the usual suite of electronic safety items such as Electronic Brake Distribution.
The Wrap.
It’s a performance bargain, the Ford Fiesta ST, with a starting price of just under $29800.00 (September 2015 pricing). It’s a ripper to look at, a hoot to drive, cheap to run and has enough onboard tech and space to prove useful to most. The expectations were of a fun car with an interior in need of an update. Expectations met.
For information, contact your local Ford dealer or click here: Ford Fiesta ST info
Thoughts On Auto-Dipping Headlights
We’ve had automatic dusk-sensing headlights. We’ve had cornering headlights and auto-levelling headlights. Now the latest in active safety for headlights is being seen in a number of new models: automatic dipping headlights.
In a way, automatically dipping headlights use the same sort of light sensing technology as dusk-sensing headlights. However, instead of realising that there aren’t enough photons hitting the sensors so the lights come on, this technology realises that all of a sudden there are far too many photons coming in so those high-beam headlights had better dip pronto so the oncoming driver doesn’t get dazzled.
Half of me thinks that this is a great idea. Haven’t we all had experiences when an oncoming driver doesn’t dip his or her headlights until the last minute, leaving you blinking and frantically trying to regain your night vision? (Safety hint: pull over if you can until you’re no longer dazzled). It’s always a bit of a puzzle as to what to do: do you flicker your lights between dipped and full to let the driver know that he/she needs to dip in return – and run the risk of having two dazzled drivers driving at speed in opposite directions with all the risks involved in that – or whether you just grit your teeth and mutter something along the lines of “stupid idiot”, to put it mildly. Sometimes, you ARE that driver who forgets to dip the lights. There’s also the situation where one or both of you decide to take the headlights off dip just a fraction of a second too early, giving the oncoming driver the full blast of your headlights on full (no joke with some of those very bright modern headlights). Auto dipping headlights would certainly get rid of this problem.
However, there’s another part of me that doesn’t like this idea. This part of me kind of likes deciding when to dip the lights as an oncoming driver approaches. It’s kind of like playing chicken legally and safely – who’s going to be the first to dip the lights? There have been a few incidents during long night-time drives on those road trips to the relatives who live a long, long way off that deciding when to dip the headlights has been the main way to keep the driver (and the passengers) alert, as it breaks up the monotony of night-time driving. If it hadn’t been for the shall-we-dip-yet-or-shall-we-wait decision, the risk of nodding off with the hypnotic effect of white lines and reflectors flicking past repetitively would have been a lot higher. This part of me thinks that this “safety feature” to keep you awake, focussed and alert outweighs the risk of a bit of dazzling.
I also have a host of questions. Do these headlights have a manual override so you can dip the headlights if you want to, like when you’re part of a funeral cortege? Do they dip automatically when you get to a built-up area? Do they pick up cyclists, motorbikes and those cars that only have one working headlight? You never get to test-drive new cars at night (even car salespeople need to sleep sometimes), so how do you test this out?
What do other people think about the prospect of auto-dimming headlights? Love them or hate them?
Safe and happy driving at all times of day,
Megan
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Ford Mondeo Titanium Wagon & Hatch.
Ford Australia is due to cease local manufacturing in 2016, which will see the end of the locally made Territory and its sibling, the venerable Falcon. Sales of the famous nameplate have slumped in recent years but the blue oval has plans, big plans….A Wheel Thing looks at two diesel powered versions of the car that’s slated to be the replacement of the Falcon.
Simply put, the Ford Mondeo Titanium is what the Australian Ford Falcon should be: elegant, economic, technologically advanced and a cracker drive.
The cars provided, the Titanium wagon and hatch, came with a torquey 2.0L diesel engine, with the slightly lower mass of the hatch seeing 6.7L per 100 km and the wagon 6.9L per 100 km with the cars driven in a purely urban environment. 
There’s some grunt to this pocket sized dynamo, with 132 kW (3500 rpm) and a stonking 400 torques on tap between 2000 to 2500 rpm, with plenty of get up and go from 1500 revs. Transmissions were six speed autos, with the wagon getting a slick shifting dual clutch version.
Ford quotes just over five litres per hundred from a 62 litre tank for a combined cycle; potentially offering a range of one thousand kilometres plus emits just 140 grams per 100 kilometres. The hatch weighs 1749 kg and just 40 kg more for the wagon. Cargo capacity with rear seats up is decent enough: 557L and 730L which increases to 1356L and 1605L respectively.
Each came with a power assisted tailgate, coupled with a fast paced musical chime to alert you the gate was lowering, operated by a button in the base of the door or by a double press on the key fob. It’s just a small example of the tech the Titanium is laden with; swivelling and self levelling headlights, active grille shutters, power operated steering column, rain sensing wipers with sensitivity adjustment and multi coloured ambient lighting.
Add in the Sync2 system, with voice activated climate control and navigation, Bluetooth with text message read out and music search with verbal commands. There’s even heating for the rear seats. Throw in adaptive suspension, parking assist, pre-collision alert, lane keeping sensors, memory seating and panoramic glass roofs and the Titanium duo come well armed and ready to fight.
Seats were leather all around, with a high level of comfort and support,plus heating for the front AND rear seats (no ventilation or cooling however) plus were memory capable for three drivers. The downside to the interior was the excessive waste of usable plastic on the centre section of the dash; the buttons themselves were clearly marked but it’s an inefficient usage of the space available.
What was appreciated was the far reaching DAB+ audio system; the sensitivity level seemed higher than a couple of other cars tested recently that were also fitted with DAB+ tuners. Operated via the touch screen, searching a storing was simple, as was using the screen itself. Split into quarters, you can select more options for the aircon, navigation, audio and settings.
The exterior is dramatic, eye catching, with Ford’s distinctive Kinetic design strategy on display. Slim line headlights with integrated LED running lights, fluted bonnet and rear bumper integrated exhaust tips add stylish subtlety. The wheel and tyre combination is causing a few eyebrows to be raised in certain circles, primarily because of the design of the alloys. A Wheel Thing can’t say they would have been the design of choice either. Size was 235/45/18 with solid grip all around.
Naturally there’s a visible difference at the rear but not as dramatic as expected. The hatch folds down into the tail lights with a fluid curve whilst the rear section of the wagon manages to look stylish without being boxy. Tailgate up and seats down, it’s clear just how roomy the wagon actually is.
There was a noticeable and somewhat odd difference between the two on the road; seat of the pants conversation told a story of the hatch feeling as if it was rolling on the top of the suspension, whilst the wagon felt more tied down on the road. It felt softer over bumps, more prone to wallowing slightly and didn’t turn in quite as tightly as the wagon. The front was also noticeable for the scarping from the nose’s overhang.
With almost the same road weight, acceleration and economy from the two was virtually identical; the torque of the diesel made around town driving and overtaking a doddle. A simple flex of the ankle was all that was required to see the numbers flicker upwards with a throaty road from the front, surprising devoid of overt diesel chatter.
As you would expect from a premium Euro car, safety is paramount and delivered in bucketloads: Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Alert, Pre-Collision Avoidance with Pedestrian Detection, rear seat belts with SRS Airbags fitted, Park Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Driver’s Knee Airbag, with most of these features standard across the three model range.
The Wrap.
The Ford Mondeo nameplate has been in Australia for close to two decades, it’s been a moderately successful seller but improvements to the quality and the look have increased its appeal. Bar the odd ride quality of the hatch, A Wheel Thing came away mightily impressed with the pair and has no qualms about recommending either to a buyer.
For specific pricing (the range kicks off at circa $36K, with the Titaniums from around $48600), warranty and service details,have a chat to the great staff at your local Ford dealer or click here: Mondeo range comparison
For A Wheel Thing TV: 2016 Ford Mondeo Titanium review on A Wheel Thing TV
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