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2016 Peugeot 508 Active: Private Fleet Car Review.
It was a chalk and cheese moment to hop out of the razor sharp 308 GTi five door hatch and drop into the four door saloon that is the 508 Active. Here’s why.
It’s a big car, the 508, at 4830 mm long. However, the wheelbase isn’t that much bigger, at 2817 mm (the GTi is 2620) meaning there’s a bit of overhang. It’s powered by a four cylinder turboed petrol, with 121 kW and 240 Nm of torque. The Active weighs 1410 kilos, meaning the torque is already up against it in regards to moving the 508. The six speed auto is ok, it’s not the smoothest nor the roughest auto around. Using the paddle shifts to have it drop down a gear during hill descents was required, as the transmissions held third or fourth without human intervention.
The 508 also suffers from an accelerator pedal that feels as if nothing happens for the first inch or so of downwards travel and then suddenly enages all of the kilowatts available, rather than smoothly counting by the numbers. It has the disconcerting effect of lurching the 508 forward with an appreciable time frame between pressing and motion also apparent. When paused at an intersection this can make all the difference between a safe passage and a pucker moment. 
There’s Stop/Start tech on board, with the button to disable this in the 508 oddly hidden in the driver’s right knee area…Actual acceleration is smooth once over that hump, with a linear delivery as the 508 sees the ton in 8.9 seconds. For all that, you’ll expect consumption of under 5.0 litres per 100 km for the highway from the large 72L tank. Around town, Peugeot quotes 7.5L/100 km.
The brakes have nowhere near the grip expected nor does the pedal have the response. Again, there’s appreciable travel before any sense of bite exists and retardation begins. Even the steering is numb and wooly, with a less than communicative feel to it. The 508’s nose consistently ran wide in T-Junction turns, indicating the ratio for steering isn’t quite ideal.
This was noted in traffic, with a softish feel, a spongy feel, and not a lot of feedback. The ride on the 17 inch alloys, with 215/55 Michelin rubber (of course!), is soft, with no leaning towarsd a sporting style, however the damping is finely tuned so there’s no ongoing wallowing once through a series of road ripples.
Although it’s the entry level model, with the Allure and GT being both diesel powered, there’s a fair swag of kit on board. Naturally there’s airbags all around, collapsible steering column and brake pedal, cruise control, speed sensitive power steering, rear sensors (no front on the Active), reverse camera, and heated exterior mirrors. There’s even a rear window sunblind, clipped manually to two anchor points in the roof. It misses out on Blind Spot Alert, Hill Start Assist, electric parking brake and four zone climate control.
As mentioned, it’s a big car. There’s an 11.9 metre turning circle thanks to the 2817 mm wheelbase, a tidy 1828 mm width (sans mirrors) and stands 1456 mm high. Boot space is huge, at 497 litres, rising to over 1530 litres when the rear seats are lowered. Peugeot’s “claw” tail lights are a standout, bracketing a somewhat too narrow boot load lip, and there’s nicely integrated LED driving lights up front.
At The End Of The Drive.
In a way, the 508 suffers from being in the same family as the 308 GTi. Compared back to back after experiencing the lightning fast in response, punchy as a Cassius Clay, five door hatch, the big sedan comes up short in the important of driving a car. The driving part. Yes, there’s a good array of standard features in the sole petrol powered entry in the three tier range but the lack of overall road manners brings the 508’s shortcomings into sharp focus.
To make up your own mind, click here: 2016 Peugeot 508 range
Private Fleet Car Review: 2016 Peugeot 308 GTi
Hot Hatch. Two words that belong to some, are linked to many, but come from just one. Peugeot. The latest iteration of a hot hatch from the French car maker is the 308 GTi. Take a sweetly curved five door hatchback body, insert a grunty 1.6 litre turbo and bolt in a slick shifting six speed manual and there’s the basis of what is one of the most complete cars of its kind going. 
Peugeot have two GTi versions available, the full house 200 kilowatt (GTi 270) or slightly less manic 184 kilowatt engine (GTi 250). Torque is a level headed 330 Nm spread across nearly 3000 revs. There’s a 53 litre tank on board, however, which makes the quoted 8.1L/100 km around town equte to something like 650 kilometres in range if drivien to achieve that number. Combined it’s 6.0L/100 and for holidaying call it 5.0L/100.
These merge to provide a seamless mix of acceleration and driveability, aided by one of the best balanced clutch and gear selectors you can find. There’s plenty of pressure on the pedal, yet not so much that you need a leg of a body builder. The pickup point for the engagement of the gear is roughly mid travel but is balanced so it’s progressive from top to bottom, so there’s feedback all the way. The selector itself has just enough heft, enough spring pressure, to tell the driver there’s something alive there. It’s not loose or floppy nor is it rigid and inflexible or tough that strong arming the change is needed. It’ll ratchet through, a satisfying snick accompanying the movement and, importantly, the gate is so well defined that a racing change gets you to the next slot every time.
Peugeot quotes 6.2 and 6.0 seconds for the run to 100 kmh, depending on the engine spec. When given space to do so, the GTi eyeballs the horizon, tells the driver not to blink and then launches the 1200 kilo mass as if a solid rocket booster has been lit. That fluid combination of clutch and gear shift work so wonderfully well as first becomes second becomes third. There’s an enthralling, engaging note from the front and a rasp from the twin exhaust. Hit the Sports button and that changes, with a wider note that adds a harder edge to the sound. It’s a bit of trickery as that extra sensation is fed into the cabin via the sound system…
The ride of the GTi is superb; again, Peugeot have found that balance between tight and taut as the car holds on to every ripple and curve in the road without sending messages of warning to the driver. Imagine riding a push bike over mildly unsettled surfaces and having the wheels roll over everything without any bumps banging and crashing through. Having said that, although the GTi is forgiving, it doesn’t tolerate rutted surfaces or broken tarmac. 
The dampers don’t respond quickly enough and the 308 gets skatey, wriggly as opposed to the flat and normally limpet like grip otherwise exhibited. The 235/35/19 rubber and alloys go a long way to helping that ride and handling mix in the GTi 270 or 225/40/18s on the GTi 250.
The steering is razor sharp, responding to the slightest movement of the smallish steering wheel. Given the average steering stetup is geared towards understeer, it’s a pleasant surprise and defines the market the GTi is looking for. A 2620 mm wheelbase inside the overall 4253 mm length aids the nimbleness of the car.
The brakes are the same. So quick is the response to the lightest touch on the brake pedal, it is almost an unreal feeling and defies expectation. There’s a real and instant feeling of slowing, rather than a soft press and a half inch of travel before there’s a semblance of bite. Here, the GTi lets you know straight away that the brakes from Brembo are engaged and that the harder you press the quicker you’ll stop or that if wish just a touch of slowing, a gentle touch is all that’s needed. the GTi 250 gets 330 x 30 mm discs up front, 268 x 12 at the rear. The GTi 270 takes it up a notch, gaining 380 x 32 for the front with the rear staying at 268 x 12.
Inside it’s sports seats, a dash that glows red when Sports is selected, touchscreen and Bluetooth tech, a somewhat tame looking colour scheme that belies the ability of the engine. The seats are a measured mix of leather and charcoal cloth with brightwork in the cabin provided by chrome look surrounds for the centre console, binnacle and air vents. The tiller is a combination of vented leather look and non vented, with a red stripe sewn in to mark the twelve o’clock position. You’ll be protected by curtain, side and front airbags, side impact absorbing material in the doors, a collapsible steering column and pretensioning seatbelts.
For comfort and cargo there’s auto windows all round, reverse camera, chromatic (auto dimming) rear vision mirror, parking sensors front and rear plus the driver gets an information screen when Sports is selected. For those that choose to buy the five door hatch and carry a little person or two around, there’s ISOFIX mounts for two. A pair of 12V sockets are in place front and rear also.
There’s a handy 470 litres of cargo with seats up, increasing to over 1300L when all seats are lowered. Design wise outside it’s a sedate look, with LED driving lights, “claw” tail lights and a GTi specific grille as standard. There’s bespoke sill inserts for the door jambs, a sports diffuser at the rear that houses the twin tipped exhaust and bespoke GTi badging.
At The End Of The Drive.
Mid November 2016 sees driveaway pricing for the GTi 250 at just under $50K. That’s a hefty ask as is the just sub $55K ask for the GTi 270. There’s an enticing eight year warranty for any 2015 model purchased to sweeten the deal though. As a car, the 308 GTi is an outstanding package, almost a complete driver’s car and that’s the strongest point the car makes. It’s a DRIVER’S car, involving the organic element of driving to a level unlike so many road cars. The rapidity of response, the level of response, the feeling of being the final component of a computer that makes it all just work when the final slot is filled and power is turned on brings the driver into play across all levels of ability the Peugeot 308 GTi has.
Drop by this link for more: Peugeot 308 GTi information
Tesla Extends Range And Lamborghini Goes Topless.
Tesla‘s commitment to its electric car supercharging network is getting further boost, with the announcement of a station to be installed at Heatherbrae‘s Motto Farm, near Newcastle on NSW’s central coast. It’s a popular spot, with cafe’, bar, motel and also well known for their award winning pies. Further north, near Erina and Lismore, is Macadamia Castle, in Knockrow. 
This location is also well backed for driver enjoyment, with an animal park, cafe’ and a fine foods retail location. Both bays will have six recharging points and will assist Tesla drivers heading north from Sydney to Brisbane and those travelling in reverse direction. Tesla is not done with this route, as they intend to install more more recharge point at a yet to be disclosed location.
Tesla is also undertaking a build for those heading west between Melbourne and Adelaide. The regional town of Wendouree, near the historic gold mining town of Ballarat, will also receive a six bay recharging staion. To be sited at the main shopping centre, this offers drivers the chance to have some retail therapy whilst thirty minutes worth of charging adds 270 kilometres of range.
Tesla Australia says: Tesla Superchargers charge Model S in minutes instead of hours. If you have purchased and taken delivery of your Model S or Model X prior to April 2017 you can charge for free for the life of your vehicle. For any new vehicle delivered after April 2017, 400kWh of free Supercharging credits (roughly 1,600 kms) will be included annually so that all owners can continue to enjoy free Supercharging during travel. Beyond that, there will be a small fee to Supercharge which will be charged incrementally and cost less than the price of filling up a comparable gas car. All cars will continue to come standard with the onboard hardware required for Supercharging.
The ability to quick charge, allows easy long-distance travel long along well-travelled highways around the world. The Tesla Supercharger is substantially more powerful than any existing charging technology, providing up to 120 kilowatts of power and 270 km of range in 30 minutes.
Supercharger stations are strategically placed to allow owners to drive from station to station with minimal stops. Stations are located near amenities like roadside diners, cafes, and shopping centres so road trippers can stop for a quick meal and have their Model S charged by the time they’re done.
Since announcing the technology in late 2012, Tesla has deployed 734 Supercharger Stations and more than 4,605 Superchargers worldwide, making it the fastest-growing fast-charging network in the world. For all Supercharger locations, visit: http://www.teslamotors.com/en_AU/supercharger
Lamborghini have announced the release of the drop top Huracán rear-wheel drive Spyder and to be priced at $429000 plus ORCs (on road costs). To distinguish the Spyder from its all wheel drive brethren, a redesigned front and rear will feature.
The 580 hp engine, mounted inside a car that weighs just 1509 kilograms, sends power to the rear axle via the Lamborghini Doppia Frizione (LDF) seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. Along with a 2.9 kilogram per horsepower to weight ratio, the Spyder will see a top speed of 319 kmh and pass the ton in just 3.6 seconds.
The chassis is a hybrid of aluminuim and carbon fibre, with the suspension of coil springs and anti roll bars a modified mix for the two wheel drive. Also, the electronically assisted steering and optional Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) have been fettled for the two wheel drive convertible, and the Spyder is loaded with the Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale (LPI), the sensor system that Lamborghini places in the car’s centre of gravity and tracks the Spyder’s 3D movements.
The roof itself will fold, at speeds of up to 50 kmh, in 17 seconds and is designed to be part of the balance the Spyder has. When the roof is down, two fins rise up to aid in air flow, feeding cooling air through to the 5.2 litre engine which is covered by a Spyder specific designed bonnet. The car also receives specially designed, for the rear wheel drive Spyder, 19 inch Pirelli PZero tyres, with braking provided by specially designed steel items and aluminuim brake disc pots. The redesigned front also features redesigned air intakes to redirect cooling air over those brakes plus increase front axle down pressure.
The rear-wheel drive Huracán Spyder goes on sale from January, 2017.
(Information provided by Heath Walker at Tesla Australia and Kelly Drew at Origin Agency)
2016 Citroën Picasso: Private Fleet Car Review
Citroën first released the Picasso in 2009 and have released two updated models in 2015, the Picasso (five seater) and Grand Picasso (seven seater). Rebodied, revamped, and re-engined, A Wheel Thing wonders why there’s not more of them on the road.
The version tested, the five seat version, came with a 1.6 litre tubo four, with peak power of 121 kilowatts, albeit at a high 6000 rpm. What’s important is the torques, all 240 of ’em, at 1400 rpm, driving a six speed auto. It endows the the Picasso with useable driveability, just what you need in a five seater family mover. It’s fitted with Stop/Star tech, which is a thing that doesn’t really float A Wheel Thing’s boat, as it has a tendency to add a vital second to getting the car under way. 
What Citroën says it does is give the Picasso a 5.6L per 100 kilometre fuel economy (combined cycle). The gearbox itself is slick, shifting smoothly under light load and giving a sportsman like performance when pushed. The downside? Where the selector lever has been placed. Think old style column shift where the lever was on the dash and that’s where Citroën have placed it. It’s on the upper right quadrant of the steering wheel mounted dash (the actual driver’s binnacle is centre mounted) and when moving the lever for the wipers it was all too easy to hit the gear selector as well.
It’s a pretty interior, it must be said. It’s light, bright, airy, spacy, with a cool mix of black and beige leather, an option over the standard black and grey cloth or the other optional black cloth/grey leather. Don’t think it doesn’t look good because the dreaded word “beige” is mentioned, because it suits the car admirably.
The driver and passenger seats have fold out tables in the back (part of the “Lounge” option pack), along with a cargo net storage section below, and there’s massage functions fitted as well. Yes, they work, but wouldn’t be advised for tired drivers. The rear seats are individually mounted, allowing superb personalisation and flexibility.
Citroën being Citroën, they throw in a quirk or two and it’s the location of the dash display. It’s in the centre of the dash, and is a LCD screen of 12 inches in size. It’s a touch screen, housing satnav, information such as guidelines when reversing, an unusual look in that there’s an almost window pane style at times and, thankfully, it all works well. Just underneath is a seven inch screen, housing the audio and thankfully again, there’s DAB or digital radio. I say thankfully because the range of stations you suddenly find yourself presented with makes for an interesting drive when cycling through all the options for tunes…
The Picasso also gets a full glass roof. It adds to the feeling of spaciousness and adds an extra element to the ambience when it’s raining. There’s a translucent material that rolls back and forth at the touch of a roof mounted jog dial, giving wannabe pilots a semblance of being in a cabin by reaching up, instead of pressing a dash button.
Outside, the Picasso draws clear design cues from the C4 upon which it is based. There’s a huge glass area all around, including ahead of the driver and passenger to the right and left. There’s a bluff nose which transmutes quickly into a steeply sloping windscreen and a curvaceous roofline that tapers, when seen from above, towards the tail in an almost teardrop line. It’d stylish, chic and lends the Picasso to having a real visual presence. The LED running lights sited above the headlights enhance that further, as do the LED tail lights in the powered tailgate.
Citroën have done a sensational job in the packaging; the Picasso is just 4428 mm in total length, rolls on a 2785 mm wheelbase (and 205/55/17s as standard, with 225/45/18s as an option) plus has a rear overhang of 764 mm from the rear axle line, providing 630 litres of cargo that increases to 1851 when all seats are flat. Speaking of seats, the headrests shy away from the tradition flat pack cushion style, instead opting for a sports seats style, wrapping around the noggin.
One of the joyous things about the Picasso is its ride. Naturally biased towards comfort, it’s nevertheless not so soft that it ever feels spongy or wallowy. It’s in fact quite the opposite, with a suspension tune that somehow almost seems sporty without the tight and taut characteristics. You can hustle the Picasso around as if it’s a smaller and more nimble car without it feeling as if it’s top heavy. You can press the go pedal and have only a moment’s hesitation before you get under way and the brakes are the same, with just a touch of travel at the top of the pedal before it tells you the grip is gentle and will tighten the harder you press. Hit a bump and there’s a fall and rise and settle, there’s no ongoing movement but an acknowledgement of an intrusion that is dispatched immediately.
At The End Of The Drive.
At the time of writing, November 2016, there’s a driveaway price of $39990, identical to a price in 2010 when A Wheel Thing was also a vehicle salesman. Then it was good value, but with the complimentary Tech Pack which is worth a cool five thousand large, (Xenon headlights, Electric tailgate, Adaptive cruise control, Electrochrome rear view mirror, Lane departure warning, Smart beam function, Collision avoidance alert and Active seat belts) it’s sensational value now. With room aplenty, a poky engine and a fluid chassis, it really is a wonder why there’s not more of the Picassos around.
For more info, a pricing calculator and a test drive link, go here: 2016 Citroen Picasso
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