Inside Lane

Paris 2012Issue 40

It is finally here... The 2012 Paris motor show promised to be the most explosive French show yet, and boy, it didn’t disappoint! Everything from super minis to sports cars, 4X4’s to hydrogen power. The event even played host to what I described as “possibly the most incredible thing on wheels.” Of course I’m referring to the mighty McLaren F1’s successor, the MP1.

It’s all here for you in our biggest issue ever. Enjoy!

Issue 40

French Connection

Can we possibly have any more competitors in the crossover segment at the moment? Though,

who can blame manufacturers for jumping on a winning bandwagon in these tough economic

times? Peugeot are set to enter the brawl with a production version of its Urban Crossover Concept

car that it showed earlier this year.

This may still be a concept but it is clearly much more production ready even donning Peugeot’s

appropriate nameplate for the car. The 2008 aims to compete with the likes of the Nissan Juke and

Mini Countryman, two cars that have taken a lot of sales in this relatively fresh sector of the market.

This car is powered by a turbocharged 1.2 litre engine that produces an adequate 110BHP.

Lexus LF-CC

Casting your mind back a decade, Lexus was a brand you associated with big luxury cars. The serene

saloons that wafted along the road made for excellent business cruisers and limos. Today the brand

has a much broader focus with their incredible LF-A supercar and aggressive F-Sport range. A

smattering of interesting concepts have further shown the winds of change and what Lexus has

brought to Paris this year is also of intrigue.

Looking very much like a BMW 3 Series coupe rival, this concept car might not be all that far away

from a production variation. Named the LF-CC Coupe, it previews the new IS range that will feature a

coupe. Visually enticing, the concept is a real head turner and suggests that a more sporting nature to

the brand will become commonplace. Power for this 2+2 comes courtesy of a four cylinder 2.5 litre

engine as well as an electric motor. Lexus reckons is can get CO2 emissions produced by this car

down to lower than 100g/km.

“M3 Rival”

Smart Thinking???

The once very popular Smart brand are no longer

the responsible for the majority of tiny little cars

hiding in big spaces. The Fortwo became much

like a fashion accessory, but just like every other

craze it tends to fade away. Smart are looking to

the future and in their eyes that future needs a

series of tiny little electric cars.

In cooperation with Renault, Smart are set to

produce two electric cars that the French company

will also get in a different guise. This Forstars

Concept previews the future design language of

these cars. The micro-machine SUV is powered by

an electric motor that can muster 80BHP and 96lb-

ft of torque. Smart say that the Forstars top speed

is 81MPH. The battery can be charged using

household sockets though no figures have been

produced saying just how long that will take.

Energy recovery methods are also incorporated in

extend the cars range.

The most interesting feature of the Forstars is a

bonnet mounted projector. This allows the driver to

park facing a black wall and project a film or any

piece of media onto it. Think of this as the worlds

first electric mobile cinema.

Face-Lift

The hatchback market is an absolute war zone with manufacturers literally climbing over each other for

sales in a very profitable area. In tough economic times you must squeeze every penny and make as many

gains as you can. Ford’s Fiesta has long been the king of small hatchbacks but with competitors

continuously looking to take that crown, the blue oval must work very hard to keep it. The current car is part

way through its product lifecycle and so to keep things fresh Ford has revealed the new nip-and-tuck

Fiesta.

The refreshed car takes on Ford’s new design ethos and now carries that large grill and elongated lights. It

does give the car a much sharper sportier look, no bad thing, adding to this little hatchbacks appeal to a

young audience. Ford’s critically acclaimed 1.0 litre Eco Boost engine has been added to the range and is

said to achieve 70MPG. Also a 1.5 litre diesel with 74BHP will be on offer.

Deliveries begin the first day of 2013 but the much anticipated Fiesta ST will have to wait until March.

Topless Model

Catching the last of the summer sun? You had better get out there and

make the most of it as winter is snapping at your heals with its icy jaws.

What you need is a little hatchback that not only offers all of the

practicality you’re used to, but has the ability to peel back its lid when

those rare bursts of sunlight make it through the clouds. Citroen may

just have something that ticks all of the boxes…

Citroen’s hugely successful DS3 has seen glory not only in WRC but

also in hatchback sales. The popular little car has really helped the

French company relaunch the DS range withs great handling and future

classic design. This is the new DS3 Cabrio and its cloth top means that

when the weather is good, the sky really is the limit. Taking the same

ethos of the Fiat 500, the fabric square retracts leaving all of the pillars

in place to maintain rigidity. The DS3 Cabrio boasts that with the roof

closed it is as quiet and refined as the standard car. Typically when a

motor car goes roofless it gains a vast amount of weight in a bid to keep

the chassis firm, but not this car. The weight gain is a mere 25KG, only

25% of what is considered normal according to Citroen.

The DS3 Cabrio will be available early 2013.

Cayenne Gets Audi Power

A few years ago it was the case that Porsche were just about to acquire Volkswagen. How? Through some

very sneaky tactics, however, this all fell through. The end result is now evident with VW completing their

acquisition of Porsche last month. How long until parts sharing begins between the two? It has already

started…

This is the new Porsche Cayenne S diesel. The motor is a slightly tuned version of Audi’s twin-turbo 4.2 litre

unit. Crammed into the front of the latest generation Porsche 4X4 it produces 377BHP as well as an

astonishing 626lb-ft of

torque. From a standing

start to 62MPH it only takes

this diesel V8 model 5.7

seconds. Top speed is

pegged at 157MPH. We

have no doubt that this is

simply the beginning of VW

sharing its parts bin with

Porsche, but the bigger

question is, what will VW

take from Porsche?

Peugeot are going through a really tough time at the moment. Withdrawal from the stock

markets doesn’t inspire confidence or show the outside world that things are all rosy.

The French company recently withdrew from the Le Mans 24 Hour series that they had a

real chance of winning. Team members were literally told at the airport on their way to

the first tests in Spa to “pack up and go home.” Peugeot spent a lot of time and money

developing a car that never went racing, but at least that technology has found a home

in this new concept car.

Striking isn’t it? This is the Peugeot Onyx Concept and in short it is a Le Mans racing car with a highly

sculpted body placed on top. The exterior is all about design as it makes uses of raw unfinished

materials. See those copper colored panels? Well, they are actually made of copper. The vast majority of

the car is made from carbon fibre to reduce weight and on that same note glass has been replaced with

in acrylic substitute. Inside the cockpit is made out of mainly recycled materials. The Onyx is powered by

a 3.7 litre V8 Hybrid motor that produces 600BHP. KERS also features in this car and can produce an

additional 80BHP at the push of a button.

Of course this car will

never make

production but at least

it is good to see that

even in tough times

Peugeot can still make

a grand entrance to

their home motor

show.

Peugeot have a strong tradition of consistently

producing some of the most exciting and

exhilarating sports hatches around. None more so

than the original all-conquering 205 GTi, the car

that squeezed an insane amount of fun in to such

a small package, setting the tone for sports

hatches for years to come. It is incredible to think

that the 205 GTi was blowing minds over 25 years

ago but for those of us suddenly coming over all

sentimental Peugeot have lined up something a

little bit special for next year. All stand for the

Peugeot 208 GTi.

Peugeot want to take the same values that made

the 205 GTi so successful and transplant them in

to the 208, launched in June 2012, so for starters

they have given the hatchback an extra injection of

power. The new steed is capable of managing 0 to

62mph in less than 7 seconds thanks to its punchy

200bhp 1.6 litre THP petrol engine. This little

powerhouse delivers a pounding 203 lb ft of

torque, funnelled through a reworked exhaust

system which promises to offer some top quality

ear candy. The GTi features several other

enhancements over and above the standard model

including a close-ratio six speed gearbox, firmer

steering settings, new springs and shock

absorbers and an anti-roll bar. The suspension and

wheels are also specific to this latest GTi but it is

not just the inner workings that have been

overhauled by Peugeot’s performance gurus.

Less noticeable is the slightly wider body,

10mm at the front and 20mm at the rear, and

the extended sills and wings, however it is the

3D chequered flag-style mesh on the gloss

black grille that really jumps out at you and

screams GTi. The gloss black theme continues

with the rear skirt just above the chrome

double exhaust, whilst another chrome strip

gracefully slopes down the lower edge of the

rear window.

The interior is dominated by red, black and

more chrome with red GTi stitching throughout,

whilst the instrument panel glitters in chrome,

encircled by red LEDs. The vents, touchscreen,

dashboard, steering wheel and seat belts all

blend in with the same interior scheme.

Proudly bearing the GTi logo, in yet more

sparkling chrome with red highlights, the 208

GTi, due for release in spring 2013, clearly

thinks that it can talk the talk and walk the

walk. It better be right, because somewhere in

that great used car dealership in the sky a

certain other Peugeot GTi is watching intently,

waiting for its legacy to be upheld. No pressure

then Peugeot….

GTi

BMW’s Revolution

When you think of BMW cars what do you perceives as being typical? A broad shouldered machine either

coupe or saloon? A good dose of power? Rear wheel drive? Well times are changing and so is BMW.

They are still a producer of premium products but 4×4’s and hatchbacks have been on the menu of a

while now. Rear wheel drive used to be their entire ethos but that all changes with this very important

concept.

The BMW Concept Active Tourer is the worlds first BMW to receive front wheel drive. This is a very big

change for the German brand with every BMW car since 1928 excluding front drive. BMW’s new concept

is powered by a turbocharged 1.5 litre three cylinder engine which it shares with the up and coming BMW

i8. The engine is paired with an electric motor that can power the rear wheels. This combination allows for

a 0-62MPH time of 8 seconds, a top speed of 120MPH, and 113MPG to be possible. The total power

output of the car is 187BHP. The Active Tourer will likely see production as the 1 Series GT at some point

in the future.

“Yet Another Mini Adventure...”Sales are king in the automotive world, especially when less people are willing to splash out on a

brand new car. Continuously seeking to increase the figure that represents cars sold,

manufacturers are getting creative with new models. We have 4X4’s that are small, hatchbacks

that are huge, saloons pretending to be sports cars and now Mini getting its Countryman to act

like a coupe.

Mini’s long awaited Paceman is a coupe variation of the successful Countryman. The high riding

three door does appear rather handsome, but that steeply raked roofline equates to a 20 litre drop

in boot capacity. As with every Mini there will be many different flavors of the Paceman starting

with the Cooper 1.6 petrol and progressing to the Cooper S with 181BHP. The Cooper S is

available with all wheel drive and can hit 62MPH in a brisk 7.5 seconds. On the diesel front there

is the Cooper D offering 64.2MPG and the SD that boasts 141BHP along with 225lb-ft of torque.

As with all Mini’s on sale

today it is all about image

and so I think this new car

will play nice with the

fashion conscious.

This lower more sculpted

Mini starts at £18,970.

In a world where we are going to run out of the worlds most used resource, oil, you would think the boffins

would hurry up and create a solution to our dependance on the black stuff. Whatever your opinion on the

environment it will be an issue that we all have to address as fuel cost sore. Hydrogen power has many

benefits including zero emissions other than water and the fact that hydrogen is an abundant source in our

universe. Nissan made big strides with the Leaf but now want to combine that technology with another that

is likely to find its way into your car at some point in the future.

Named the Nissan Terra Concept, this all wheel drive crossover uses an electric motor derived from the

Leaf to power the front wheels and two smaller electric motors to power the rear wheels individually. The

revolution comes from the implementation of a hydrogen powered engine that in turn powers the electric

motors. Other interesting features found on this rather angular concept are a set of suicide doors as well as

seats that appear to have come from the USS Enterprise.

The Future?

We’ve been expecting you...It’s looking an awful lot like civil war over in Germany with 3 big brands battling it out for supremacy.

The latest backdrop for these premium badges to do battle is the hot-hatch market. BMW have their

weapon, and Mercedes-Benz will also be coming out to play. What will Audi send out into the

wilderness as their combatant?

The answer is the all-new S3. Taking on the established rivals, not to mention undisputed champions

such as the Megane R.S. and Focus ST, this car will have to pack quite a punch. Luckily Audi hasn’t

underestimated the scale of their challenge and so the new S3 comes equipped with 296BHP. All of

that power comes thanks to the 2.0 litre turbocharged motor under the bonnet. With the aid of 280lb-

ft of torque and an optional S-tronic dual clutch gear box it will get to 62MPH from standing in just 5.1

seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155MPH.

Watch out top dogs, there is a new contender in the ring.

Maserati GranCabrio MC

An MC Stradale is not some form of Italian rapper who works for Maserati. It is in fact the rang topping

GranTurismo model revealed last year. Packing more aggression into that beautiful Italian bodywork

produced a fantastic balance of track performance and GT refinement. Now Maserati are offer the very

same package but with a little bit more “blue sky thinking.”

This brute is the Maserati GranCabrio MC. In effect it is the Stradale minus the roof. Power comes from

a 4.7 litre V8 that cranks out 454BHP and 384lb-ft of torque. Those numbers are translated into action

via a six speed automatic gearbox. Unlike its coupe counterpart, this MC can seat for as opposed to two

occupants. Its more aggressive body and smatterings of carbon fibre are sure to make this car a sales

success when it hits showrooms in early 2013.

SHOCKINGThe Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG is a biblical machine. It has all the theatrics of a supercar with that

elongated bonnet, gullwing doors and not to mention bellowing V8. But imagine what such a car would be

like if you took away its voice. The 6.2 litre motor is very much the beating heart of this car and so when

Mercedes announced an all-electric variant I wasn’t too sure.

Well, whatever drama has been deducted by that missing V8 has been replaced by 740BHP. That’s right,

this electric car outguns its petrol counterpart in the power department, a first for any plug-in. Sending

those ponies to all four wheels whilst churning out 738lb-ft of torque means that the much heavier Electric

Drive can get to 62MPH in the same 3.8 seconds it takes the petrol. Charging this SLS via the mains will

take 20 hours but this can be reduced by 3 hours with the aid of a quick charge station.

There is no doubt that this car represents a massive leap forward for electric cars in terms of performance

and desirability, however, it will cost you… €416,500 to be exact!

From Ugly Duckling...

To Swan...The Porsche Panamera is a brilliant machine in terms of its function. The super saloon

goes like a bat out of hell whilst accommodating more than two adults in high levels of

luxury. As a piece of engineering it is beautiful. As a piece of design? The vast majority

would liken it to Frankenstien’s monster, however, the Paris motor show sets the scene

for a transformation.

The long awaited “shooting brake” variant of the Panamera has made its debut. Named the Sport Turismo,

this concept reveals what the production version is set to look like. Its gorgeously sculpted body really is a

work of art. Under the bonnet is a 333BHP V6 that is paired with a 95BHP plug-in electric motor. Despite its

good dosage of power the concept can achieve emissions of under 82g/km. Inside the maze of knobs and

switches has been replaced with a touch screen display that is mounted to a steep center console.

“The King is Dead...LONG LIVE THE KING!”

In the automotive world today there are many bi-words for performance. R, F, Z, VXR, RenaultSport, MPS

and so on. However, all of these are mere children to the badge that is the daddy of them all. GTI. The

GTI insignia in no more at home than when sitting on a Volkswagen Golf. The hot hatchback became a

legend and now that VW have revealed the all-new MK7 Golf, that legend is reborn.

Making its debut in concept form, this Golf GTI does not stray too far from what the finished product will

look like. Packing 230BHP, considerably less than many key rivals sat at 300BHP, from a 2.0 litre

turbocharged engine the new car sticks close to a familiar recipe. With those new “bad boy” looks the new

GTI hasn’t lost any of its appeal, if anything it has gained some with the added bonus of being able to

achieve 47.1MPG. The real question is… Can the old king of the hill take on the latest batch of ASBO

endusers and win?

2013 DB9

The Aston Martin DB9 has been around for eight years now and though it is no less of a car than when it

was new, we can’t wait to see what will replace it. Aston rolled out their all-new Vanquish earlier this year

and so at the very least an updated DB9 was due. Making its debut at the Paris motor show this is the

2013 DB9.

Looks familiar doesn’t it? In essence this car is something of a greatest hits album. Not much is all-new but

it takes all of the best bits from the DB9 lineage to produce what appears to be a machine of great value.

It’s front fascia has been transplanted directly from the now absent Virage and the rear is almost identical

to the discontinued DBS. The engine is the same 5.9 litre V12 we know and love but the power output is

now 510BHP accompanied by 457lb-ft of torque. Pricing starts from £131,995 (including the now standard

carbon brakes) making it £18,000 cheaper than the Virage that only sold just over 1,000 units despite

offering all of this performance. 0-62 in the 2013 DB9 can be completed in 4.6 seconds and it will go onto a

top speed of 183MPH.

Blueprint of the Future

P1

The announcement of McLarens successor to the biblical F1 supercar of the 90’s last week got me

more excited than any other car launch that I can remember. The P1 was unleashed in the form of 3

images and nothing else as the worlds media went into overdrive with speculation. It has been 20

years since McLaren have built a road car of this caliber. Can the P1 become a legend much like the

car that preceded it?

The striking visuals of this car just blow you away. Any critics who say it is just like the MP4-12C and is

too safe in terms of its design, can go and take a running jump. It’s aggressive in its assault on the eyes,

barging into your retinas in all of its orange glory. New images reveal that the P1 sports a large rear wing

that was stowed away inside its shrink rapped body. The press release stated that this car thanks, in part

to that wing, can produce 600KG of downforce, that is 12X more than the current MP4-12C and almost

on par with a GT3 racing car! The wing is deployable and also uses an F1 inspired DRS (drag reduction

system) that alters the angle of the wing at higher speeds to reduce drag. Active aerodynamics can be

found all over the car inside ducts and particularly at the front end. Another trick the P1 has up its sleeve

to improve downforce is a banned Formula One technology. Ground effect uses sills and the underside of

the car to create a vacuum that sucks the machine to the ground improving downforce and thus grip. All

of the same equipment used to design an F1 car was used to build the McLaren P1in a bid to make it the

fastest supercar to ever lap a track. Obviously a key focus was the cars weight and thanks to an entirely

carbon fibre body structure the power to weight ratio is over 600BHP per tonne. Just like the F1, many

exotic materials such as gold have been used inits construction.

McLaren will reveal the finished production version next spring along with full technical details. The P1 is

set to cost from £700,000-£800,000.

50 Years In The Making

Jaguar F-Type

It has been 51 very long years since the Jaguar E-Type blew peoples minds both in terms of performance

and design. “The most beautiful car in the world” commented the legendary Enzo Ferrari… Low, sleek and

fast! The E-Type was the quickest car money could by when it was new and was by far the most

technologically advanced. In 1974 it met its end and with no successor in place the world forgot what a

performance focused Jaguars were all about. But now after months of being teased, here is the Jaguar F-

Type.

Well Jaguar certainly got the styling right! It is achingly beautiful, particularly looking at it from its short

sloping rear. This car more than rekindles old fires, it sticks a lump of plastic explosive into the mix.

Brimming with the latest technology, the cockpit is extremely driver focused and enjoys the fantastic Jaguar

design elements from its siblings. The F-Type comes in three flavors; F-Type, F-Type S and the F-Type V8

S. The all aluminium body comes only as a convertible, a couple will follow at a later date. The F-Type and

F-Type S are powered by Jaguars new supercharged 3.0 litre V6 that produces 380BHP and 339lb-ft of

torque. The V8 S uses, you guessed it, a V8. The supercharged 5.0 litre cranks out 495BHP and 460lb-ft of

torque. 0-60MPH in the V8 is done and dusted in just 5.2 seconds, not to mention its electronically limited

top speed of 186MPH.

To be priced below the Porsche 911, the F-Type has indeed matched the hype.