New Citroen C4 Picasso Minivan On Sale Now in the UK from £17,500

If you're looking for a five-seater minivan with unconventional looks, Citroën is proposing the all-new C4 Picasso that is on sale now in the UK with on-the-road (OTR) prices starting from £17,500 and rising to £24,455.While notably more compact (40mm or 1.57 inches shorter in length and 50mm or 1.96 inches lower in height) over its predecessor, the French firm says that, the new C4 Picasso actually offers improved space for both passengers and their luggage (an additional 40-litres to 537-litres with the rear seats pushed back, or up to 630-litres when pushed forward). It’s also up to 140kg (309 pounds) lighter, or about the same as the smaller C3 Picasso.
Citroen states that in the UK, it is targeting two main demographics, the first of which are style-conscious young families with one or two children, and the second group, older couples with grown-up children.
Riding on the French brand's new EMP2 platform (Efficient Modular Platform 2), the C4 Picasso offers a choice of five powertrains including an 89hp (90PS) diesel with or without the micro-hybrid (e-HDi) system, a 113hp (114PS) diesel, and two gasoline units, the 118hp (120PS) VTi 120 and the 154hp (156PS) THP 155.
The most fuel efficient version is the e-HDi 90PS Airdream with the new ETG 6-speed automated gearbox that returns up to 74.3mpg UK with CO2 emissions of 98g/km.
Citroen has also revealed a longer, seven-passenger version of the car named the Grand C4 Picasso.

Read More

New BMW i3 Officially Introduced, Sales Begin this Fall

It must have come as a real shock to some, to find out that BMW confirmed the launch of its ‘i’ sub-brand, back in 2011, while others perfectly understood why the Bavarian automaker thought that it would be a good idea to put a propeller badge on cars with efficiency in mind, while still trying to retain the familiar brand qualities of an excellent drive and very solid engineering.
Now, more than two years after the announcement, we are witnessing the live unveiling of the first i-badged BMW, the i3, which is being simultaneously unveiled in three distinct locations around the world: New York, London and Beijing.
Along with the unveiling, BMW also confirmed some of the tech facts, as well as the pricing information. The i3, which features a pillar-less passenger cell made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), will first launch in Germany and other Euromarkets in November of this year, retailing for €34,950 ($46,300) for the solely-electric variant, while the Range Extender option bumps up the price to €39,450 ($52,320). In the U.S. sales will kick off during the second quarter of 2014 with prices starting from $41,350 before any federal or state incentives, plus $925 for destination and handling.
They say the main selling point of the new i3 are its low running costs, which are said to be around 40 percent better than those of the very frugal 320dA (‘A’ meaning fitted with the eight-speed auto which is optionally-available), over a three-year period.
The EV/range-extender can sprint from 0-60 km/h (0-37 mph) in 3.7 seconds, while the usual benchmark sprint is dealt with in a very reasonable 7.2 seconds – this puts it close to a Mk. V VW Golf GTI, but the hot hatch will sail past, as the i3 reaches it limited top speed of 150 km/h (94 mph). These impressive figures can be achieved thanks to the car’s low curb weight of 1,195 kg and high power output of 168 hp (125 kW). However, the torque figure of 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) is a bit lower than that of some other green rivals – Chevy Volt gets 370 Nm (273 lb-ft), and the original Nissan Leaf got 280 Nm (207 lb-ft) which has been lowered in the more recent models.
Now we’re waiting for the first test drives of the i3, though we hope BMW doesn’t adopt the Renault approach and do an in-house review, because that will just repeat what has been said above (all of the figures) and say it’s excellent in every single way.

By Andrei Nedelea

Read More

Watch New BMW i3 World Premiere Live Now

The time for the world premiere of the BMW Group's first ever series production electric car,the all-new i3, is up, with the Bavarian company to reveal the actual model that will soon go on sale worldwide simultaneously in three continents, in the cities of London in the UK, New York in the USA and Beijing in China, on Monday, July at 2:15 PM CEST.You can watch the live, online stream of the event in the video below the break.
Designed from the ground-up as an electric vehicle, the sub-compact / supermini sized hatchback sports a lightweight construction with a passenger cell made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP).
For its motivation, the five door (with smaller, reverse opening rear doors) model utilizes a 170-horsepower electric motor fed by a lithium-ion battery pack and has a driving range between 80 to 100 miles (130-160 kilometers) in the base version. BMW will also offer a range extender iteration that comes with a motorcycle-sourced 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine to boost driving range to around 180 miles (290 km).
Prices in the U.S. start from $41,350, in the UK from £30,680 OTR and in Germany from €34,950, excluding any government incentives for green vehicles.

Read More

VW Makes 4Motion All-Wheel-Drive Available for Diesel Golf Variant

The new Volkswagen Golf Variant can now be had with the brand's all-wheel-drive 4Motion system in Europe, available for the most powerful versions of the 1.6- and 2.0-liter diesel engines.The Golf Variant 1.6 TDI 4Motion comes with 105 PS (104 hp) and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of peak torque available from 1,500 to 2,750 rpm. With this engine and the 4Motion system, the Golf Variant averages 4.5 liters/100 km (52.2 US mpg), thus being 18 percent more fuel efficient than its predecessor.
VW also offers the 4Motion system for the more powerful 2.0-liter TDI engine that develops 150 PS (148 hp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque, constantly available between 1,750 and 3,000 rpm. The Golf Variant 2.0 TDI 4Motion averages 4.8 liters/100 km (49 US mpg). Both versions are fitted with a standard six-speed manual transmission.
When equipped with the trailer hitch, the Golf Variant 2.0 TDI 4Motion has a towing capacity of up to 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) at an 8 and 12 percent slope. The smaller engine version can pull up to 1,900 kg (4,189 lbs) at an 8 percent slope and 1,700 kg (3,748 lbs) at a 12 percent slope.
The permanent all-wheel drive system is the latest 4Motion version with an advanced fifth-generation Haldex clutch. The system works without an accumulator and VW says it reacts “extremely quickly to all kinds of driving conditions.”
The Golf Variant 1.6 TDI 4Motion starts from €24,400 ($32,360) in Germany for the Trendline trim level, while the 2.0 TDI 4Motion Comfortline is priced from €29,075 ($38,560).

By Dan Mihalascu

Read More

Nissan Slashes Starting Price of 2014 370Z Coupe by $3,130 to $29,990*

We have bad news for those of you who recently bought a 370Z Coupe, but good news if you held back as Nissan has just announced a significant price drop for the base and Touring versions of the Coupe for the new 2014MY.The starting Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (M.S.R.P.) for the 2014 model year 370Z Coupe has been reduced $3,130 for the base model regardless of transmission, with the manual now starting at $29,990, or just $60 more than what it did back in December of 2008 when the series was launched onto the market. Likewise, the 370Z Coupe Touring grade costs $2,550 less, with the manual model set at $35,270.
With the new MSRPs, the entry level 370Z, which continues with a 332-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, has narrowed the price gap with the top grade 200hp Subaru BRZ Limited ($27,495) to just under $2,500 (the Scion FR-S is offered in a single trim level priced at $24,200).
"The M.S.R.P. reductions on 370Z Coupe increase its competitiveness in the growing sports car marketplace," said Nissan in a statement. "This spring, Nissan repositioned the price on seven core models with an aim to broaden the reach of customer consideration during online shopping and research."
All previously mentioned prices for the 370Z do not include a $790 destination and handling fee (*). Pricing for the 2014MY 370Z roadster and Nismo Coupe remain at 2013 model year levels.

Read More

Mercedes-Benz Releases Genuine Accessories for the New S-Class; Bike Rack, Anyone?

Mercedes-Benz today released a new line of genuine accessories' for the new S-Class, which includes some rather curious elements for a flagship luxury sedan such as bicycle racks and roof boxes. Maybe it is just me, but the S-Class doesn’t exactly look like the appropriate car to carry bicycles around or more luggage than its boot allows…Coming back to the list of accessories,Mercedes-Benz offers a series of exterior updates such as a couple of dozen different 17- to 20-inch alloy wheels. Highlights include a 20-inch 10-spoke wheel with high-sheen finish in palladium silver, as well as a 19-inch 5-spoke wheel with a high-sheen finish in tremolite metallic.
There’s also an easily fitted rear spoiler available, which does not have to be registered in the vehicle documents, as well as AMG Genuine Accessories including front apron, side sill panels and rear apron, among others.
Original accessories for the interior include specific charging cradles and docking stations for more than a dozen different smartphones, including the iPhone 5. Apps such as the car park search feature and Morningstar Finance are also available from the Mercedes-Benz App Shop.
You will also find four interior fragrances developed together with perfume specialist Marc vom Ende, as well as products for car and office including a wool blanket and cushion, mouse pad, pen quiver, desk mat and picture frame.
An optional feature for the new S-Class is a fragrance system that can be individually activated or deactivated with the intensity of the fragrance being adjustable. The list of accessories for the system includes the standard Freeside Mood fragrance, as well as three other interior perfumes delivered in 15 ml glass flacons named Nightlife Mood, Downtown Mood and Sports Mood.

By Dan Mihalascu

Read More

First Video Reviews of New 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51 Are In

We've been waiting for…ages now to watch a hands-on video review of this year's most highly anticipated sports car within the financial reach of middle-class drivers (at least in the U.S.where it starts from $51,995 / €39,300), and now it’s here, courtesy of MotorTrend's web-series Ignition and test driver Carlos Lago who jumped behind the wheel of the Corvette Stingray Z51.To bring you up to date in case you missed some episodes, the seventh-gen Corvette with the Stingray moniker has been redesigned from the ground up sporting a new crispier looking body, a plusher and modern interior that doesn’t look like it belongs to an Aveo anymore, a new powertrain with a direct-injected V8 paired to a 7-speed manual or an optional 6sp auto, and promises of much improved handling, refinement and overall quality from GM.
The Z51 moniker of Lago's test car denotes the optional $2,500 Performance Package that betters the Corvette's sport characteristics via a number of upgrades, including an electronic limited-slip differential, dry-sump oiling system, integral brake, differential and transmission cooling, and an aero kit.
Whereas the standard Corvette Stingray's LT1 6.2-liter V8 engine produces 455 horsepower (339 kW or 461PS) and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) of torque, with the Z51 package, these figures are slightly nudged up to 460 horsepower (343 kW or 466PS) at 6,000 rpm and 465 lb-ft of torque (630 Nm) at 4,600 rpm, respectively.
The publication's tests for the 7-speed manual Z51 Corvette reveal the following numbers:
0-60mph (96km/h): 3.9 seconds
0-100mph (160km/h): 8.8 seconds
Quarter Mile: 12.2 seconds @ 117.3mph (188.7 km/h)
Braking, 60-0mph (96km/h-0): 104 ft (31.69 meters)
Lateral Acceleration: 1.11g average
All that said, it's time to watch the video for yourself right past the break and then voice your thoughts on the new 'Vette in the comments.
Update: After we finished writing this article, we discovered that Car&Driver magazine had also posted its own video review of the Corvette Stingray Z51, which we have added below.

Read More