Land Rover’s excuse is that it has been “nearly” fifty years since the first Range Rover defined the luxury SUV. So to celebrate, 999 supercharged V8 SV Coupes will be offered for sale. In the UK, you can expect to pay north of £250,000 (or nearly US$350,000). Some countries, such as Australia, are asking buyers to fill in an expression of interest.
Under the bonnet is JLR’s famous 5.0-litre V8 with an Eaton supercharger. Power from the V8 is 416kW (566PS) and torque an earth-moving 700Nm. The eight-speed ZF auto pushes power to all four wheels. Given all the interior loveliness, the car must be around two tonnes and will hit 100km/h (62mph) in 5.3 seconds. If I know that engine, they’ll be five fabulously loud and obnoxious seconds.
Like any other Range Rover you can take it off-road with a choice of modes. And wade in up to 90cm of water. Good luck getting those gorgeous 23-inch wheels out without a scratch, though.
You can even tow..say…a house…with its up-to 3500kg towing capacity.
Interior
While the exterior might be a sexy, lengthy coupe, inside is room for four passengers. While you might have to climb into the back through those looong doors, there is tons of room.
SVO wrapped the interior in expensive leather (there are four “duo-tone” colour schemes) and looks amazing. I’m a sucker for diamond-stitching.
Digital screens abound up-front. Two 10.0-inch units one for the control panel and one for the media system. A third 12.0-inch panel takes care of the instrument pack.
The SV Coupe is quite a different take on the modern SUV, a bit like its Velar sister. What do you think?
Fans rejoice, the 2019 Toyota Supra is finally unveiled. A little bit.
2019 Toyota Supra In Disguise
Toyota’s insistence that it’s going to get more interesting as a carmaker is finally coming true with our first decent look at the new Supra.
Annoyingly it’s covered in racing warpaint and for some reason has the unwieldy GR Supra Racing Concept name. But at the very least we have an insight into what the returning icon looks like.
GR stands for Gazoo Racing, Toyota’s go-to for making things go quickly – witness the Gazoo Yaris WRC car. Toyota is really stringing this release out for as long as possible…
First showing the car as a racing concept is ploy to make you think Toyota is sexy. In a way, it is – the company is involved in Dakar, World Rally Championship and LMP1 racing, which isn’t mucking about.
The new Supra isn’t just the long-awaited return of an icon – it’s a co-production with BMW. The same car with different panels will be the new Z4. Why are they doing this? Sports cars are expensive to develop and make so generating cash from them is hard. That’s why Subaru and Toyota (ahem) shared (cough) the development costs of the BRZ/86 twins.
Toyota is again scoring the better end of the engine deal, with the Supra most likely offered with BMW’s turbo straight-six engines, as will the Z4. I’d put good money on 20i and 30i-ish versions of the Z4.
GR Concept
The GR Concept is a fully-fitted race car with slick Michelins on the wheels. There’s a full cage, fire extinguishing gear, plastic windows and adjustable pedal box. So, yeah, expect a global one-make race series. Or perhaps even a Z4 Supra series. Actually, perhaps not.
See the racing number on the side? The old Supra codes were JZA70 and JZA80, so you could probably expect JZA90.
As is the recent habit, the GR Concept will also appear in a no-doubt gigantic update to Sony’s Gran Turismo Sport. The update should roll out in April 2018 so you can get stuck in around the Nurburgring.
What’s a Gazoo?
Gazoo racing has been kicking around since 2007, its first race the Nurburgring 24 Hours. The team started off as a bunch of very keen Toyota employees, entering the race with a pair of Altezzas (Lexus IS200).
Since then Gazoo has become Toyota Gazoo Racing and is the brand’s racing division. Pretty straightforward, really.
A brand not exactly famous for its sense of humour, Porsche sprung a surprise at Geneva with the Mission E Cross Turismo.
Porsche Mission E Cross Turismo
Mission E is Porsche’s current naming scheme for its all-electric car due to kick-off in 2019. For the 2018 Geneva Show, Porsche has dropped an en-vogue SUV, but given it a new name – the cross utility vehicle. I guess SUVs do make some people cross (I am not sorry).
The Cross Turismo (“I’d be cranky too…”) is heavily-based on the Mission E’s no compromise all-electric platform and even shares the same drivetrain.
Two electric engines produce a massive 441kW (600PS) to sling the CT to 100km/h (62mph) in 3.5 seconds, enough to keep up with Jaguar’s I-Pace. The spring from rest to 200km/h passes in 12 seconds. Porsche calls its motor set “permanent magnet synchronous motors” (PSM), which just seems like an excuse to add another confusing Porsche acronym.
Fitted with air suspension, the CT can lift itself 50mm if you fancy some rough (rather than off) roading. The same system will talk to Porsche’s Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) to keep the car flat in corners or steady on rough surfaces.
Charging
The 800-volt power system offers a charge time of 15 minutes (!) to 80 percent full. According to NEDC figures, that will net you a range of 400km (240 miles), which isn’t too bad at all.
Again, like the Jag, it’s probable that you won’t be charging the car to full to help keep the lithium-ion batteries in tip-top shape. The system is ready for IONITY charge points, normal charge points and, apparently, inductive charging pads. Porsche is also going to try and sell you a battery system for your home, known as Porsche Home Energy Storage System. Or PHESS, I imagine. There’s a joke there, but I’m going to leave it alone for once.
Funky interior stuff
Porsche is trying out a few new things on the Cross Turismo Concept. The new dash is very clever – the three digital dials display various useful information. The clever bit is the camera in the rear-vision mirror – it tracks your eyes and makes the dial you’re looking at more prominent.
A mobile app lets you set up a journey in the sat nav or kick off heating or cooling so the car is just right when you get in.
The four-seater layout has more boot space and the slots in the seats are there for you to slide skis through. Not sure how that works out for passengers, but who needs friends when you’re on the slope? Perhaps that’s where the cross bit came in…
Electric Porsches
Porsche isn’t mucking about here. The first all-electric car, the Panamera-like Mission E (name to be confirmed) will be on sale in 2019. The Panamera 4 Hybrid already accounts for half of the Panamera’s global demand and there’s talk of a hybrid 911. And whispers of all-electric Boxsters.
And don’t be surprised if Macan and Cayenne don’t get electric treatment soon. With diesel on the way out, hybrid is the obvious contender for torque-mad enthusiasts.
If I was a betting man, expect to see the Cross Turismo – with a better name – on sale in 2020.
Meet the Senna GTR, the car we didn’t think McLaren was going to build. Officially billed as a concept car, the GTR is a trackday special for those with deep pockets and a need for hyper speed.
Senna GTR
For a roadgoing track car, the Senna had no racing version. The heritage isn’t a problem of course – McLaren and Senna are two names that belong together. But Senna is about racing and the GTR follows in the tyre tracks of the mighty P1 GTR.
Based on the road going machine, the GTR’s power figure is up by “at least” 18kW (25PS) to 607kW (825PS). One imagines torque will also rise by a similar amount, but McLaren is keeping quiet on the full details. There is a race-style gearbox, though, so that probably means fast, brutal shifts.
McLaren has also fitted revised double wishbone suspension and Pirelli slicks. Based on the Monocage III, weight is unlikely to be hugely different, but expect a handy loss.
McLaren won’t make a loss, though – just 75 GTRs will roll down the line in 2019 and they will be hugely expensive – a carbon MSO version is £1,050,000, so expect similar pricing. McLaren is now taking “expressions of interest”, which excludes all but the wealthiest customers.
Aerodynamics
For a track machine, you want downforce and the Senna GTR delivers. The wild aero on the GTR means 1000kg of downforce. The front and rear quarter panels are new, you can see a bit of F1-style Coke bottle nip and tuck. Those panels are also removable to make working on the Senna GTR easier.
The front splitter is huge, a big poked-out tongue that sits just off the road ready to claim unwary ankles. Like the road car, there’s no front boot but air comes through the front splitter, through the radiators and up over the roof.
That’s when it meets the completely bananas rear wing. More than a little reminiscent of the P1’s rear, the fixed wing looks better than the road car’s. Beneath that wing is a simplified light cluster and down below is a gigantic diffuser.
It’s wild, no doubt raw and McLaren reckons the best McLaren ever. It’s also the fastest non-F1 McLaren, but we’re not exactly sure what that means. Neither is McLaren, probably – the company admits it’s not yet finished.
Want more McLaren Senna goodness? Check out our Eight Cool Things About the McLaren Senna video
Volvo’s go-faster division has unveiled its Polestar 1 at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show.
It’s not just a new sports car form Volvo, it marks the debut of a new ownership experience.
But first, the good stuff. Volvo calls the Polestar 1 an electric performance hybrid (EPH). Between the 2.0-litre turbo four and an electric motor, the 1 has 441kW (600hp) and a whopping 1000Nm. The two electric motors produce 160kW (218hp) and drive the rear wheels. The turbo four looks after the front wheels and supplies juice for either greater range or raging on. Battery power weighs in at 34kWh.
In electric-only mode you’ll get around 150km (92 miles), which Volvo reckons is ample (sorry) for electric mode requirements. Fire up the Power mode, everything works together for the maximum power output and you’ve got an all-wheel drive sports 2+2 coupe grand tourer.
Chassis
Polestar 1
The 1 is based on Volvo’s Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA). Found under the S90, Volvo knocked 65cm out of the length and 320mm from the wheelbase. The company also reckons that the 50% of the SPA platform is new for the 1.
As with previous Polestar offerings, the 1 features Öhlins suspension. The 1 also has driver selectable settings, which Volvo says is a first for Öhlins. Each shock absorber features an electronic valve that can react within two milliseconds to changes in the road surface.
Braking is from Akebono, with six piston calipers up front gripping whopping 400mm discs.
Body panels made from carbon fibre apparently save 230kg and help sort out the weight distribution of 48:52 front to rear. Naturally, composite panels lower the centre of gravity too.
Subscription Model
Here’s where the Polestar 1 takes things to a new place – you can subscribe to the car for two or three years. The idea is you basically rent the car and put petrol/electrons in it. Polestar will come and get the car for servicing and return it, with the whole process covered by the subscription fee.
At the end of the subscription Polestar will come and get the car, replace it or you can buy it. After they take it away, the car is refurbished and offered for subscription.
You’ll also be able to order things like a roof box for your skiing holiday, delivered, fitted and taken away when you’re done with the cost added to your subscription fee. You can also rent another Volvo, say, an XC90, when the family is visiting or you’re off on holidays. Or just get a car wash.
When, What, How?
Polestar’s new Chengdu Production facility will kick off the 1’s production in mid-2019. Just 500 Polestar 1’s will be made each year. Polestar 2 and 3 will follow the 1 down the line in late 2019. Polestar says the 2 is a mid-size battery-powered sedan while the 3 is an SUV.
Volvo will take your money as a deposit from 13th March. Launch markets include U.S.A., China, Germany, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, Belgium, Finland, France, Poland, Austria, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Portugal and Canada. To kick off your subscription, visit a Polestar Space (yeah, that’s what the dealers are called) but for now, a fully-refundable €2500 deposit will secure your car.
Here’s a thing – the new Jaguar I-Pace is fast. Like really fast. And I reckon Tesla should watch out because not only will the I-Pace see off a Model X 100D, it looks better and is bound to be built better. Rolling down the line at Austria’s Magna-Steyr – alongside E-Pace – the I is Jaguar’s game-changer.
Jaguar I-Pace
The I-Pace feels like it has been a long time coming, but it’s hugely important. It’s not just important to Jaguar, but to the whole industry. It’s the first non-Tesla electric SUV and it will set the tone for the rest of the business.
Like the Tesla, the I-Pace was conceived and designed as an EV, meaning no compromises. There’s no room for a conventional engine so no foot-in-each-camp nonsense. Jaguar says it designed the electric motors themselves to deliver 294kW (400PS) and a stonking 696Nm.
That’s enough to send the I-Pace on to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds, just a shade quicker than a standard Model X 100D. If you drive a little more sedately, Jaguar reckons you’ll get 480km or almost 300 miles out of the 90kWh lithium-ion battery (based on the new WLTP European testing cycle). The US EPA test reckons 389km (240 miles), which is still pretty good.
And before you fire up about the Model X, a P100D will show it a clean gigantic backside, quicker still if you pay for Ludicrous Mode.
Charging
The rapid charging stations Jaguar is planning to install will give you 100km of range in 15 minutes and an 80 percent charge in 40 minutes. Interestingly, the company is coy on 100 percent charge, probably because the last 20 percent takes ages and isn’t good for battery longevity.
Charging at home is rather slower, with an overnight charge (10 hours) getting you to 80 percent, but you’ll need the 7kW AC wall box for that. Jaguar reckons that’s good for most customers who will be able to charge on overnight off-peak electricity (cheaper, if you were wondering what that means).
Chassis
The two motors are mounted one at each end and chat to each other to decide which wheels need torque. I find the Tesla dual motors aren’t too flash on the power shuffling and mimicking a good diff, so it will be interesting to see what Jaguar has done. Jaguar may not be new to car-building, but it is new to electric.
The chassis is completely aluminium and Jaguar says it’s the stiffest in its range. It also has a 50/50 weight distribution figure, which bodes very well indeed for handling. That and the low position of the batteries means it should corner super-flat. The I-Pace has double wishbones up front and an “integral link rear axle”. Should you feel the need, you can spec air suspension as well.
Despite all the aluminium it won’t be light. The motors weigh just 38kg each but the overall weight of the car is 2133kg. But the low centre of gravity (lower than F-Pace) and even weight distribution should make it good to drive. If it’s anywhere near as fun as the E-Pace – and it should be with all that grunt – Jag’s on to a winner.
Interior
As with most electric cars, the interior should be reasonably spacious, with a flat floor and some funky features.
Jaguar called the new media system Touch Pro Duo. Using a bewildering combination of “touchscreens, capacitive sensors and tactile physical controls”, Jaguar says it’s intuitive. I think I need to play with it before I pass judgement, but it certainly looks good in there.
The I-Pace has integration with Amazon’s Ask Alexa, too, which will be interesting. You can ask Alexa things like “Is my car locked?”, or whatever is in the InControl app.
You can also get remote access to fire up the air-con or heating while plugged in. It recognises key and the Bluetooth signature of your phone and set the car up for you. That’s quite nifty.
The nav system is EV-centric, checking out how many curves and hills are between you and your destination. It will also have a think about the previous trips you’ve taken to tell you whether or not you’ll make it comfortably.
Jag also says it’s big inside with the room of a large SUV and I’ve seen nothing that suggests otherwise.
The Jaguar I-Pace debuts at the Geneva Motor Show and will probably be one of the big stars. As it should be.
Lotus’ nutso 3-Eleven 430 is the last version of the road-going (in some countries) race car. The swansong 3-Eleven, limited to just 20 cars worldwide, will hold the crown as the fastest car around the company’s Hethel track. For at least six months, anyway. Whatever comes next will surely obliterate it.
3-Eleven 430
The 430 in the name obviously comes from the power figure – 430PS from the Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre Edelbrock-superchaged V6. 0-100km/h (0-62mph) passes in just 3.1 seconds for the 920kg carbon and aluminium monster. The kerb weight is down five kilos, if you’re interested.
Torque is a wild 440Nm – or wild in a car this light, at least – and helps push the 430 around Hethel two seconds quicker than the previous version. It also knocked off the Exige 430 by two-tenths. Top speed is a frankly bananas 280km/h (174mph).
Power hits the road through a six-speed manual which includes a “Lotus Precise Shift” and its own cooling. The driver can choose from six traction control settings (including “off”). Everything is held up by Öhlins adjustable dampers and Eibach springs. The wheels are 18 at the front, 19 at the rear wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 tyres (225/40 front, 275/35 rear). Lotus reckons you can generate 1.5 lateral gs. That’s…a lot, and definitely helped along by the Worsen-Type diff
Also helping out is the lighter, carbon fibre bodywork wrapped around the now-traditional bonded aluminium chassis.
Aerodynamics
The 3-Eleven already had actual, real downforce. Lotus’ engineering team found another 44kg to take the total to 265kg, impressive for a roadgoing car.
The new straight-cut rear wing is higher and has re-profiled wing endplates. The front splitter is a monster and the flat floor feeds into a big rear diffuser.
What’s a 3-Eleven?
Anything with a Lotus badge and an Eleven in the name, is an open cockpit special.
The 3-Eleven joined the Lotus range in the dark days of 2015, not long after the idiotic reign of Danny Bahar. Unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, it joined a crowded track-day special market populated with startup types like Zenos, BAC and Ariel as well as old-stagers like Caterham.
When we first unveiled the Lotus 3-Eleven it heralded a new generation of truly focused, world-class sports cars. It altered perceptions of what was possible at this price category, and today the new 3-Eleven 430 moves the benchmark to remain the ultimate weapon in focused road driving and track work.”
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO
It’s had a relatively short but effective life. Sadly, it won’t go into active retirement like the Seven did all those years ago. With new owner Geely sending money to modernise the plant and with plans for two new cars by 2020, times are changing.
Updated with new useful tidbits from the Geneva Show release.
Because motor shows are now just after-parties for pre-show press releases, we’ve got the Ferrari 488 Pista for you. Based on the Scuderia’s outstanding 488 GTB, it’s another in the line that gave us the 360 Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia and 458 Speciale.
Ferrari 488 Pista
Maranello’s press team says the Pista has evolved straight out of the FIA World Endurance Championship GTE series success. Ferrari has won five championships in the last six years, so that’s not a bad place to start. Added to that is the three decades of experience running the Ferrari Challenge Series.
Maranello took the 488 GTB and started by knocking the weight back to 1280kg dry, mostly by flinging stuff you’re unlikely to need on the track. That dry weight is impressive. To put it in context, it’s 90kg lighter, or one chunky person, lighter than the GTB.
488 Pista engine
The Pista’s V8 is an evolution of the GTB’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Power is up 40kW (50PS) to a staggering 530kW (720PS), matching McLaren’s twin-turbo in the, er, 720S. Torque is up to 770Nm.
The engine itself is 18kg lighter, with some weight-saving pinched from the 488 Challenge. The savings come from titanium conrods, lightweight flywheel and crankshaft and carbon fibre intake plenums. Cooling is courtesy of the inverted radiators of the 488 Challenge, part of the reason the front-boot is gone.
The Pista uses the seven-speed twin-clutch to send you to 100km/h (62mph) in 2.85 seconds and 200km/h (124mph) in just 7.6 seconds. Top speed is 340km/h (210mph).
488 Pista Aerodynamics
Oddly enough, the road car’s aero is a harder-core version of the race cars, because it can be. The front splitter is hugely aggressive. An F1-inspired “S-duct” helps suck the car to the road (and if you look down the windscreen, you can see the road) and the rear wing is bigger and more aggressive than the race car’s. The vortex generators beneath the car are also redesigned for a bit of extra whoosh.
All of that boosts the downforce by 20 percent.
488 Pista Chassis
Ferrari is becoming almost as addicted to acronyms as Porsche. Starting with SSC (side-slip control), there’s the E-Diff3 active diff, F1-Trac stability and control systems, SCM dynamic dampers and FDE, which stands for Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer.
FDE controls brake pressure at the calipers, which sounds like a torque vectoring technique to aid turn-in and overall stability.
Some of the 90kg weight loss comes from the carbon fibre rimmed wheels, a Ferrari first. Handily, they also decrease the car’s unsprung weight.
More details will come at the Geneva Motor Show (now incorporated into this story), which is shaping up to be a classic. Either way, this car is a classic and likely already pretty much sold out. And for prospective owners, a genuine investment. No, really – 458 Speciales are known to go for double their purchase price in some markets.
Porsche’s brand new track weapon, the 911 GT3 RS is here and boy is it a machine. Naturally-aspirated, lighter and harder, the new RS is certain to keep tongues wagging for years to come. And after the GT3 and GT2 RS, it’s the third hardcore “road-approved” 911 in less than 12 months.
911 GT3 RS
Based, obviously, on the 911 GT3, this bad boy is, predictably, rather more than a stickers-and-shocks pack.
The 4.0-litre flat six smacks out 383kW (520PS) for a 0-100km/h time of 3.2 seconds before heading on to an aerodynamically assisted 312km/h. The aero kit is clearly based on the GT3 race car’s, with a big front splitter and whopping wing glued to the back.
The interior has been stripped out for that lightweight race car effect, with nets for your helmet and carbon fibre racing buckets. Famous for less-for-more when it comes to hard-edged interiors, there’s not much else in there.
If you fancy taking it racing, Porsche will fit a Clubsport package (as they will for the other GT cars). A no-cost option, you get a roll-cage, fire extinguisher, six point harnesses and battery cut-out switch. Want to go even harder? The Weissach package cuts weight further with magnesium alloys, more carbon fibre bits – you can pare the weight back to 1430kg if you’re in the mood and your wallet allows.
The RS rolls on 20-inch alloys hitched up to upgraded suspension. Conventional bearings are out the door, replaced by ball joints. The fronts are clothed in 265/35s while the rears are fattened up to 325/30s. For added stability and passenger-scaring ability, the rears also take on some of the steering duties.
The legendary flat-six has 15kW more than the RS and current GT3. Revving to a glorious and ever rarer 9000rpm redline, the power finds the road via Porsche’s PDK twin-clutch. This will no doubt upset a few people but things will happening so quickly in this car, it’s probably not going to be that much of an issue.
In what appears to be an act of automotive parkour, the new Range Rover PHEV has climbed to China’s Dragon’s Road and then on to Heaven’s Gate. All 99 turns and 999 steps including a 45-degree incline to get there. That’s…well, it’s slightly nuts. But you can’t have stunts without nuts and a couple of extra letters.
Stunts also need good drivers, or, failing that a driver with a local connection. Ho-Pin Tung is a good driver and has a local connection – he had the chops to be a Williams development driver and has won his class in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He’s also Jaguar’s Formula E reserve driver.
Dragon’s Road is on Tianmen Mountain. The 11.3km road is narrow and spectacular, with huge drops over the side. Once you reach the end of the road, you’ll find the stairs to Heaven’s Gate. They’re steep and, er, not really made for cars, not even for a two-tonne 297kW (398bhp) Range Rover hybrid which probably wasn’t on the builders’ minds, if I’m honest.
“This was the hardest Range Rover Sport challenge I’ve ever been involved with because, until we reached the top, we couldn’t categorically say we would succeed. By making it to the summit, we’ve proven the phenomenal capability of the Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid like never before – with a genuine world first.”
Phil Jones, Land Rover Experience expert
Range Rover PHEV
But wait. Isn’t The Redline all about performance? We certainly are, and I think it’s fair to say that the Rangie is a performance car. Called the Range Rover Sport P400e, that e bit is important – it’s got an electric motor. Now, laudably, you can pootle around town on electrons only for up to 50km/h. Remember, the RR is pretty chunky, so even if you get half that, it’s cheaper, quieter and better for everyone, especially if you’ve charged from renewables.
Under the bonnet is the 221kW (300bhp) version of Jaguar’s 2.0-litre turbo Ingenium engine plugged into a nine-speed automatic transmission. Crammed in there is the 85kW electric motor which, as we’ve already mentioned, you can charge from the mains. When they’re working together, the Rangie moves with indecent speed and, as Tung discovered, will climb up the stairs when in the right Terrain response mode.
The video tells you all the good stuff, so have a watch and have a look at the images in the gallery.
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