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Archive for January, 2017

Coming Soon(ish) To Australia – The Cheaper Tesla Model 3

For quite a few years now, the really big name in electric cars has been Tesla.  Named after the scientist who did a lot of pioneering work in the field of electricity (and, according to popular legend, tried to invent a death ray just like a mad scientist from a cheesy thriller), Tesla vehicles have been considered the crème de la crème of sustainable motoring, the electrical equivalent of Koenigsegg or Lamborghini.  By and large, they’ve mostly been something for the very wealthy and mostly those overseas as well.

It could be that this is about to change.  Last year, Tesla decided to produce a cheaper variety – cheaper being a relative term, of course; it’s got a US$35,000 price tag at the very basic level.  This Model 3 will begin production this year and will probably be fully released in 2018, joining the Model S and the Model X that a select few are already driving.

As we don’t usually review Tesla models on our car review pages, as it’s still a very exclusive brand name (any more than you find us reviewing Aston Martins, Ferraris or Rolls-Royces), I thought it would be fun to do a wee review of the new Model 3. After all, you never know; it might take off and be readily available so you may as well read all about it here!

The first question that probably pops into anybody’s head when the topic of electric cars crops up is “How am I going to charge the thing?” After all, we all know how quickly our smartphones and tablets lose charge.  Tesla has already thought of this.  Yes, you can probably charge up a Tesla car or any other electric car at your typical charging station, but Telsa also has a chain of “Supercharger” stations that can charge a Tesla car battery to 80% in half an hour.  This translates to 270 km of driving; a typical bog-standard charging station would give you 17 km with half an hour’s charging.  These Supercharger stations are located up Australia’s eastern coast – sorry, Perth, Adelaide and Darwin – from about Ballarat, Victoria, through to the Gold Coast.  Charging to 100% takes 75 minutes, as the rate of charge is designed to slow down for that final 20% for scientific reasons I can’t quite wrap my head around and am not going to attempt to try explaining. Range-wise, the Tesla Model 3 can do 345 km on a fully charged battery.

So what does the “budget” Tesla, the Model 3, have in store for those who decide to put in their pre-orders?  It’s a rather sleek looking small luxury sedan that seats five.  Unlike the typical fossil-fuel powered vehicle, it doesn’t have a big grille at the front, which is a bit disconcerting at first glance for those of us who are used to the decorative grille styling of, say, BMW or Jeep.  It’s certainly picked up a few comments on various online motoring forums.  This lack of a grille, combined with the lack of an exhaust pipe at the back, the glass roof and the aerodynamic profile, makes for a very uncluttered look.  There appears to be two styles of alloy wheel available, at least according to the official photos, and they look very nice indeed.  The official pics also suggest three paint colours: red, black and silver.

One of the other features of the Tesla 3 that may be a little disconcerting on the one hand but sophisticated on the other is the autonomous feature or self-driving technology – the motoring equivalent of autopilot (which is what it’s called on the top-of-the-line Tesla models, which are also autonomous).  This shouldn’t be a surprise.  After all, the head of Tesla Motors is Mr Artificial Intelligence himself, Elon Musk.

In the specs department, details are still sketchy.  I get the feeling that the company is being deliberately enigmatic – as enigmatic as the eggshell-smooth grille.  Details are especially sparse regarding the interior.  However, we have been told that the rear seats fold flat so that, in combination with the extra space, you can sleep in the back if you want to – or pop in a surfboard.  On top of this, all the space up the front that would have been dedicated to an internal combustion engine in a conventional car has been given over to extra luggage space: a front trunk (which another reviewer has called a “frunk”), which is reminiscent of the old classic VW Beetles.  The other hot feature that they have let slip is the acceleration: 0–100 in six seconds, which is slower than the Model S’s 2.7 seconds but is still very, very respectable.  The Model 3 has also designed to have five-star rating as well.

For those who want a bit more, here’s the official release video and speech (with more details about the posher Model S and X).

Oh yes – there is a story going around that the Model 3 was going to be called the Model E but the stylized E with three lines inspired a name change.  Guess they realised what the three models were going to spell if they lined them up with the newcomer in the middle and decided it wasn’t family-friendly enough…

If you’re interested, you can pre-order yours through the official Tesla website . http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/webbankir-online-zaim-na-kartu.html

2017 Volvo S90 D5 Inscription: Private Fleet Car Review.

The Swedish car company renaissance continues with the Volvo S90 being released in late 2016. A long, lithe, well proportioned machine, it places the S90 firmly in the large luxury saloon mix, and has both the British and German based manufacturers clearly in its sights. Private Fleet reviews the Volvo S90 D5 Inscription.

The range kicks off at $79990; the car tested, the D5 Inscription has a manufacturer’s list price of $96900 and with options fitted tops out at $118555 (plus on roads). The options include heated front seats (again, ventilation for Australian spec cars should be a must) at $650, Head Up Display at $1900, and the superb B & W sound system at $4500. Oddly, Apple CarPlay is also listed as an option ($300) when seen as standard fitment in cars a quarter of the price. Also, it’s said elsewhere that DAB (digital radio) is fitted as standard yet the the test car does not have it.The exterior is a mix of desireable influences; at one angle the view forward of the windscreen is very much BMW 7 series, the grille nods towards Maserati, there’s hints of Jaguar XF in the profile and rear pillar. There’s bendy LED headlights and indicators plus the Hammer of Thor inserts for the headlights. At the rear…well, it’s here things go squiffy. The tail light design is square, angular, blocky, and in Private Fleet’s opinion, just not pretty and at odds with the lithe look anywhere forward. A smoother curved style would, in this reviewer’s humble opinion, be more suitable and balance the rear to the front. But by no means is the S90 an unattractive car, far from it.It’s a big car, with a length of 4963 mm and wheelbase of 2941 mm offering plenty of leg room straight up with 1071 mm and 911 mm front and rear . Width, sans mirrors, is 1879 mm, providing 1423 mm and 1416 mm in hip room, and an overall height of 1443 mm sees head room of 1027 mm and 961 mm.

Inside it’s familiar territory from Volvo. LCD driver’s display, the tablet style touchscreen centrally mounted in the dash, the powered seats, separate aircon controls for the rear seats, an elegance that’s understated yet subtly appreciated pervades the cabin. There’s a two tone mix for the material, with a lighter colour for the pillars and roof lining that provides a light and airy feel.Switchgear is minimal, thanks to just about every operation being controlled via the touchscreen. Although it sounds like a good idea, something like the aircon should still be operated via tabs or buttons, as it’s more likely to be something more often to be adjusted. Using a touchscreen can be advantageous but can also be fiddly and possibly beyond the ability of some drivers. And that’s another thing; althought there’s plenty of safety tech built in, a driver can easily get lost in using the screen’s menu and as a result lost focus of the primary pary of driving (observation) happens.Seats are controllable, as mentioned, electrically, and even something such as a lumbar adjustment pops up on the touchscreen. You can change the look of the driver’s display via the onboard menu, compared to other models which allow you to do so via an option accessible from the left hand (in Australia) stalk attached to the steering wheel. There’s Head Up Display fitted, as mentioned, and it’s a proper 3D display too, with speed and speed zones clearly visible AND appreciably different in depth. Again, any changes to the display are made via the touchscreen.

There’s plenty of features such as Auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, adaptive cruise and forward collision alert. It’s this last one that gave A Wheel thing a few moments, due to the sesnor being somewhat sensitive, activating the stacatto audio alert and applying the brakes simultaneously…to no vehicle in front. In turns and curves the sensor would read a vehicle roadside and mistakenly think it was directly ahead. Not good for the heart.

Moodlighting is restricted to LEDs softly glowing in the doors and in the sills. It’s subtle, unobtrusive at night, and manages to become a backgound, almost subconcious, part of the drive.Sounds come courtesy of that truly beautifully tuned Bowers and Wilkins system, with the English brand fitting their renowned speakers to the S90. There’s AM/FM/Bluetooth and a single vertically mounted CD slot in the centre console along with Apple CarPlay.In the rear, there’s window blinds and the previously mentioned aircon controls, plus a port that allows access to the boot. Ah yes, the boot. The S90 is a big car, but comes with a spacesaver spare and a boot that is lonnnnnng, but not deep, providing 500 litres of space. Yes, there’s plenty of room for a week’s shopping, but in order to do so, it’s a stretch in towards the back of the rear seat in order to utilise the boot. At least the lid is power operated.It’s on the road, not unexpectedly, that the S90 gets a chance to show off its acting chops. There’s that two litre diesel up front, with an amazing peak of 470 torques covering either side of the 2000 rpm point. There’s a technology called PowerPulse, Volvo’s attempt to mitigate the off boost lack of urge that turbocharged cars have. In essence, it’s a form of air injection (from air that’s constantly recharging a two litre tank) that gets fed into the system that feeds the turbo and spins the turbo up quicker than waiting for the normal gases. The result is a quicker throttle response and aids greatly in driveability. Plant the welly at the traffic lights and instead of the one…..two….threee…it’s one..two..wow!

Tank size varies between 55 or 60 litres, depending on which engine you buy with your new S90. Volvo claims a combined figure of 5.1L/100 km for the diesel engine; impressive given the dry weight of just under 1850 kilograms. A Wheel Thing finished with 8.1L/100 in mostly suburban driving.Working hand in hand with the eight speed auto (sans paddle shifts, mind you), the S90 fairly motors along. Factor in that all wheel drive system (sitting on MacPherson struts and multi-link rear) and it’s an intoxicating mix of powerrrrrrrrr, drive ability, handling, and that underlying Volvo bloodline that no longer needs to shout safety. You have a lightly yet well balanced steering feel, with only a slight sense of numbness on centre.

There’s a ride that has been worked on to within an inch of its life, offering up the ideal compromise, especially with the size of the car, between luxury and sports and what most would consider to be normal. That’s aided by Pirelli’s excellent P-Zero rubber, fitted to (optional) 20 inch diamond cut eight spoke alloys. Brakes? Oh my. Near nigh perfect; there’s feedback as soon as you touch the pedal, allowing you to sense EXACTLY how much pressure you’re applying and how much more needs to be.Tip it in to a hard and off camber corner. Meh, says S90. A long sweeper? Natch. A series of switchbacks? A shrug of the shoulders and the Volvo sits flat and firm through them, with the occupants almost unaware of the situation. Undulations on Sydney’s freeways? Up, down. No float, no uncertainty, no….anything. It’s as if the road varied by a centimetre, not six inches. It’s also easily controlled via the throttle; lean gently on the go pedal in a turn and the rear hunkers down whilst the front searches for the right line. Punt it hard, throw it into a series of turns and it genuinely belies the bulk in its nimbleness. Is it a driver’s car? Ohhhhh yessssssss.

At The End Of the Drive.
Sweden has taken on Germany and has the weapon to front up with confidence. There’s no doubt at all of its ability, its driveability, its technological prowess. From most angles it’s a devilishly handsome thing and it looks good from where it counts: the driver’s seat. No, it’s not perfect but it also provides a better than viable alternative to Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Maserati, and Jaguar. And it spearheads the charge that Volvo has underway to claim it’s the world’s fastest growing luxury car brand.

For more on the Volvo S90 D5 Inscription and the relatives, go here: 2017 Volvo S90 range http://credit-n.ru/offers-zaim/zaym-na-kartu_migcredit.html

Are Electric Vehicles Losing Traction in the Market

In a year where new car sales catapulted to new heights, surely it would be reasonable to expect that ‘green’ vehicles with alternative fuel technology shared in this growth? If anything, starting from a low base, one might even expect that their year-on-year growth significantly outperformed petrol and diesel vehicles. After all, Australian motorists are supposedly becoming more environmentally conscious and converting to green technology, no?

Imagine the surprise then, reviewing the recent sales figures for electric vehicles and hybrids in Australia throughout 2016. Electric vehicles in the private passenger segment decreased from 220 sales in 2015, to a dismal 65. That’s right. Not only did electric vehicles in this segment fail to make any meaningful progression, but a mere 65 were sold right around the country over the course of 366 days – lucky to have that extra day too.

As you look across the board in other segments, the numbers for electric vehicles don’t get much better. Sales in the non-private passenger sector decreased 30% (101 vehicles sold). The Private SUV sector sold 7 vehicles, down 92% from 2015 – a number just high enough to count on two hands. The non-private SUV sector decreased 93% from 661 sales in 2015, to 42 in 2016. There’s really no silver lining here at all.

Hybrid vehicles fared significantly better than their ‘eco-friendly’ counterparts, albeit underachieved in some areas. Within the private sector, hybrids saw a respective drop of 4% and 21% for passenger and SUV vehicles. The number of sales for each category however, remains somewhat more respectable than those for electric vehicles at 2,588 and 840.There was encouraging progress in the non-private sector for hybrids, with passenger car sales recording a 9% gain (now 8,049), and SUVs notching up impressive growth of 25% to reach 1,148 sales.

Why then, despite the great fanfare surrounding Tesla’s Model 3 last year in April, are alternative fuel vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, struggling to penetrate into the Australian market? Other countries including Norway and India have already announced initiatives to move towards alternative technology, why is Australia late to the party? Is it a case of motorists pinning their hopes on Tesla’s vehicle, and in the meantime exposing the frailty in the EV market?

We’ve heard calls from Federal and state governments, the Australian Greens Party, auto-makers like Audi, and other key stakeholders for electric vehicles to be supported through an assortment of initiatives – cheaper rego, lower insurance premiums, subsidised charging, and even the prospect of toll discounts. These are all initiatives that will no doubt prove helpful – if not for the fact that there are two other pressing issues which steer motorists away from electric vehicles – a lack of infrastructure, and vehicle prices.

When Tesla’s Model 3 goes on sale later this year, it is set to be priced at $47,500. That’s an improvement over current offerings in the EV market, which range between $55,000 and $130,000. However, the reality is, such a price still represents an imposing figure to motorists who now have access to many ‘affordable’ models of regular vehicles from luxury automakers. Combine that with the fact that motorists are still limited for choice in terms of the necessary infrastructure, and it’s no surprise electric vehicles are losing traction in the market.

The Model 3 could be the starting point for a reversal in sales, but without a fundamental shift from other manufacturers, and the necessary support, it could be some time before traditional vehicles are having to fight for their overwhelming market share.

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Tyres for Dummies

Tyre durability and performance are really important factors in how a car handles and steers.  Many of us are happy to just jump inside our cars, turn the key and drive away with little thought given to tyre performance, science and design.  On the side of your tyre are a whole lot of numbers that mean lots of different things.  Let’s take a look at the most important ones.

When it comes to a tyre, size really is significant.  Ultimately, you want the right size tyre for your car.  The car’s designer engineers have tested and proven the right size tyre for you particular car’s design.  So getting it wrong here really makes a huge difference to the way your car handles safely.  What do the numbers mean?  Using an example of a 235/45/17 tyre, these numbers tell us that the tyre’s width is 235 mm.  The next number to consider is 45; and this figure is a percentage figure that tells us the height of the tyre wall.  So the height of the tyre wall is 45% of the width of the tyre.  The width of the tyre in this example is 235 mm, so the height of the tyre’s side wall is 45% of 235 mm which equates to 105.75 mm.

Take a look at your car’s tyres and you’ll see there is plenty of other information printed on the sidewall.   Some of the other figures you’ll find provide other important information.  The load rating, the speed rating and the type of tyre can be found printed on the sidewall of the tyre.  An example might be 94Q M+S.  This tells us that 94 is the load rating for the tyre which stands for 670 kg.  Any weight on the tyre that is less than this means that the tyre will safely perform; exceeding this weight and it becomes dangerous.  There is a load rating table that you can refer to in order to make sure that you have the right tyre for your car.

Now, the Q stands for the speed rating of the tyre, and in this case Q means that the tyre has been designed to safely perform at speeds up to 160 km/h.  Over this speed and the tyre becomes unpredictable and unsafe.  The higher the letter, the faster you can go, so a tyre with a Z speed rating will be commonly found on supercars like Porsches and Ferraris.

The letters M and S stands for a “Mud and Snow “ tyre design which is a pretty standard all-season tyre – common for many vehicles.

You’ll also find the maximum tyre pressure rating.  It might be “Max 44 psi”.  This stands for the maximum amount of pressure that the tyre can handle without exploding or at least becoming dangerous.  This is, however, not the tyre pressure you should set your tyre to for everyday driving.  I does depend upon the manufacturers specifications.  Generally most cars have their tyres set between 26 and 36 psi, but it’s always best to check the manufactures manual.  Trucks and trailers have very different requirements for tyre pressures.

You’ll also find the brand of tyre printed on the sidewall.  Michelin, Goodyear and Bridgestone are some common reliable brands.

Amazingly more than 200 different materials are used in the construction of a tyre, and you’ll find materials like carbon black, silicon, sulphur, plastersizers (which increase the plasticity or viscosity of a material), vulcanizing agents, steel or even Kevlar.  These different raw materials are used to make a wide variety of components that are used in the manufacturing of a tyre – each of which give the tyre strength, durability and flexibility.

If you’re a driver who wants the best performance and handling from your machine, doing a bit of homework on the brands and types of tyres available, and there reputation in the wet and dry, will help you to make the best informed decision when it comes time to get a new set of tyres put on your car.  Some of the better known tyre brands are: Michelin, Bob Jane, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Pirelli, Continental and Yokohama.

Most of all, drive safe out there!

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