Range Rover’s new Dynamic SUV

Land Rover’s new SVAutobiography Dynamic is said to be one of the brand’s most powerful Range Rovers to date, with its 550PS 5.0-litre V8 supercharged engine matched only by the Range Rover Sport SVR. The new model also boasts a range of high-tech features, including Advanced Tow Assist, activated via a 10-inch touchscreen on the dash should the need to reverse a trailer become pressing. Careless drivers also won’t need to try sweet talking their way out of a speeding ticket thanks to the Intelligent Speed Limiter, a bit of tech that automatically slows the vehicle down in line with input from the in-built Traffic Sign Recognition system.

www.landroverhk.com

Re-sculpted Aston Martin DB11 could be their coolest and curviest car to date

The internet loves lists. Spend more than 30 seconds online and you’ll be presented with a Top Ten of Pretty Much Anything or Seven Reasons To Do Something You Really Rather Wouldn’t. One such morsel of clickbait that pops up from time to time is a nicely ill-defined list of the world’s ‘coolest’ brands. Aston Martin, of course, is a more or less permanent feature in the top ten, periodically topping the list whenever the new Bond hits the multiplex.

The company’s latest offering, however, may help the marque scale the cool list without the need for a single unstirred martini or improbable plot line. Almost unbelievably, the DB11 is the company’s first all-new car in around a decade, replacing the DB9 as the grand tourer (GT) in Aston’s line-up.

There can be little doubt that the company’s stylists are doing something right, with Aston Martins often lauded as being just as beautiful as they are cool. This new model, then, rightly sticks with the familiar frowning radiator grille, leaving nobody in any doubt as to the DB11’s heritage.

It does, however, differ from the outgoing DB9 in that it has a broader, lower stance and a more rounded posterior, suggesting a faster, more aggressive vehicle. The effect is no illusion, with the new car being some 28mm wider overall, and boasting a broader set of wheels both front and back. The exterior also shows subtle signs of the ingenious lengths that Aston Martin has gone to in order to wring the best performance from the DB11, all the while still maintaining elegance unruffled by such gauche concession to speed as visible spoilers or vents. The effort is there, it’s just hidden beneath the surface.

The launch of the DB11 also marks the debut of Aston Martin’s new all-aluminium platform – the metal template on which this and a number of soon-to-follow models have been built. The key difference comes in the use of more pressed-metal shapes rather than extruded beams. This allows the car to be curvier, banishing any additional straight lines.

The interior gives perhaps the biggest clue as to the real differences between the new and the old car. Overall, the cabin is more rounded, with far more space in both the front and back seats, despite the overall outer dimensions being little different. The effect, as you slide into the leather seats, is of a warm, welcoming and utterly secure embrace. The pleasingly hefty door thuds shut like a punctuation mark on the outside world, abruptly cutting off any intruding sound.
While indubitably a lovely place to sit, the interior isn’t perfect. The centrally positioned info-tainment screen falls victim to the current luxury car marque penchant for simply gluing an iPad in place. The digital dashboard, while simply laid out and easy to read, is also a little low resolution by modern standards, lacking the graphic flourishes that many modern drivers have become accustomed to.

Perhaps the biggest problem, though, comes with the steering wheel. Its semi-rectangular shape can be quite off-putting when it comes to any manoeuvre that requires a degree of steering input.

If these gripes sound petty it’s largely because they are. Only in a cabin as manifestly flawless as the DB11’s would you even notice such tiny imperfections. Thankfully, the new car also banishes Aston’s annoying Emotional Control Unit nonsense in favour of a normal keyless start. No more pushing a chunk of heavy plastic into the dash to fire up the engine.

A press of the start/stop button and the motor grumbles into life, giving the immediate impression that there has been little change from the outgoing DB9’s power plant. Both are large V12s, both have four camshafts and both give a satisfyingly seamless whoosh-roar when they are prodded.
Even a car maker of Aston’s lofty proportions, however, is not immune to moving with the times. This V12, then, despite sounding similar to its predecessor, follows the current trend for reduced engine size and an increased number of turbo chargers. In contrast to the DB9, the DB11 reduces capacity from 6 litres to a mere 5.2, while increasing the turbo-count from none to two.

Giving in on the turbo charging front not only reduces fuel consumption, it also increases power output – taking it to a suspiciously rounded 600 brake horsepower, up 83 over the old model. Torque has been enhanced too – up 59 lb-ft to 516 and available from 1,500 all the way up to 5,000 rpm. When power goes up, of course, acceleration time must come down. The DB11 can make the sprint to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds, 0.7 quicker than the DB9. Top speed is also up to another suspiciously round number – 200 mph.

As befits a high-speed, long-distance conveyance, it’s fast without ever being scary or uncomfortable. Power delivery from that big V12 is smooth and predictable, but never too sudden. Reassuringly, there’s also little hint of delay between pressing the throttle pedal and the engine responding, despite the presence of those turbo chargers.

With so much torque over so large a rev range, the eight-speed ZF gearbox (fitted to the rear in order to aid weight distribution) doesn’t have to do all that much cog shuffling. Assuming you don’t object to a little micro-management, the driver doesn’t have to worry too much about gear selection when approaching a corner, even if playing with the big aluminium gear paddles is addictively tactile.

As soon as the car gathers pace, you get a sense of how heavy it truly is. Even with its aluminium skeleton, the DB11 weighs in at 1,770 kg – before fuel, passengers or luggage is added into the mix. With all that mass and with a suspension set up for long-distance running, it was never going to be the most agile of cars. As a big car made for big journeys, the DB11 is at its best on big roads with big curves. It’s unhappy attacking fiddly little back roads with tight corners and lots of potholes. As a GT, it’s best at going fairly fast for a long time, rather than flat out for a short blast.

Settling down into a marathon winning pace, the GT suspension setting allows the long shock absorber to travel to do its job, ironing out imperfections in the road surface. All the while, the big V12 gets on with eating up a continental-sized serving of highway. Having completed a long-distance hurtle, the DB11 isn’t too out of place when it comes to cramped city streets. Visibility is more than adequate, despite that long bonnet, so judging parking spots and making hard turns isn’t that onerous.
As a combination of prestigious, fast, stylish and practical, the DB11 is hard to beat. Yes, there are better sports cars, yes there are better load-lugging coupes, but none can do quite so much, quite so well and look quite so good while they’re doing it.

Model Aston Martin DB11

From £154,000 (HK$1.5 million plus import tax)
Engine 5.2 litre V12 twin turbo
Power (BHP) 600bhp @ 6,500 rpm
Torque 516 lb-ft @1,500-5,000 rpm
Transmission ZF 8-speed semi automatic through rear wheel drive
0-62 mph 3.9 seconds
Top speed 200 mph
Mass 1,770 kg
CO2 204g/km
Fuel consumption 24 mpg combined

Looking forward to 2017 with gadgets

The year 2016 will live long in memoriam for the long list of celebrity deaths. It wasn’t, however, all doom and gloom.

The year was full of innovative technology. Amazon gave us Echo, a smart home speaker system with an artificially intelligent virtual assistant and Sony’s PlayStation VR brought virtual reality to the masses.

Oh, and how could we forget about Pokemon Go!

But what does 2017 hold in store? Here’s a list of some of the upcoming gadgets for the year ahead.

Nintendo Switch

A hybrid portable and home gaming console, the Switch can be played on-the-go via its built-in tablet style screen and detachable controllers. Alternatively, it can be hooked up to your TV and played like a traditional home console. It is expected to be launched in March 2017.

Apple iPhone8

The brand that nearly took over the world is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2017 so expect something special with its new phone. Early rumours suggest an Amoled display.

Samsung Galaxy S8

After the Galaxy Note 7 went up in flames (literally), Samsung has a lot of expectation on its shoulders. Early reports indicate the phone will come with the S pen accessory, no headphone jack and a 6-inch display.

Xbox Scorpio

The Scorpio is expected to have 6 teraflops (speed of the processor) of gaming power to deliver 4K and VR capabilities. So basically it will process. Quickly.

Tesla Model 3

This will be Tesla’s first mass-market car and it comes with a number of nifty gadgets — solar roof, self-driving technology and a heads-up display that provides information to the driver on the car’s windshield.

Written by Andrew Scott

Range Rover goes topless with Evoque Convertible

It’s a bit too soon to say for certain whether the new Range Rover Evoque Convertible is a triumph or a disaster. By chopping the top off its smallest, funkiest model, the company is either pioneering a brave new class of prestige off-roaders – with the added benefit of infinite headroom – or creating a ghastly mash-up of wholly incompatible automotive ingredients. There’s little room for any other outcome.

The logic behind creating the convertible Evoque seems sound. Chunky, stylish SUVs are the transport du jure for fashion-conscious urban motorists, many of whom wear them like accessories. The downside of driving a tall four-by-four, though, is that it’s hard for people to see just who’s behind the wheel. By lifting the roof off, you gain the advantage of being highly visible, while also getting to experience the timeless joy of open top motoring.

As is the case with any uber-stylish morsel of fashion, it comes with a number of downsides. The first of which pretty much unforgivable by any true fashionista – losing the roof has resulted in piling on the pounds for this baby Range Rover.

The Evoque Convertible is almost 300kg heavier than the two-door Coupe edition which it’s based on. This is largely thanks to the addition of all the electric motors and scaffolding needed to make the roof go up and down, as well as the hefty girders required to strengthen the chassis now that there’s no ridged roof to complete the body cell. Tipping the scales at just under two tonnes, the Evoque is a heavyweight, even though it’s relatively compact for an SUV.

As well as gaining weight, the Evoque convertible sheds luggage space to the oily-whirring bits as well as to the stowage room needed for the tucked-away soft top. A normal Evoque offers 451 litres of baggage allowance, cut to just 251 for the convertible.

As well as being small, the boot is somewhat awkward to access, having something of the long and shallow feel of a safety deposit box. To make matters worse, the rear seats don’t fold down, so cargo capacity can’t be increased for special occasions.

Of course, increased weight means decreased speed – a problem only compounded by the choice of engines available on the Evoque. The power plants are restricted to four-cylinder units only, with a couple of diesels and only one petrol motor in the line-up.

The diesels are ponderously slow by modern standards, with 0-62 mph taking 10 seconds plus. The petrol engine is the quickest, though its 0-62 mph is a far from rapid 8.6 seconds.

Even with a petrol power plant, the engine sounds busy, largely thanks to the constant flicking up and down of its nine-speed automatic gearbox. While the driver can opt to change gears, with nine to choose from, it’s an unending and joyless task.

Assuming you have the patience to wait long enough for the Evoque Convertible to actually build up some momentum, the medium to high-speed handling isn’t as bad as you might fear. Granted, there’s a lot of weight that needs moving about, but most of it is tucked down low, so body roll isn’t too extreme when it comes to the more forceful cornering.

This was never going to be a car for performance driving enthusiasts, with the handling disappointment almost entirely predictable. On bumpy, undulating road, the chassis twists noticeably, flagging up the roof ‘s usual role of holding everything together. On top of that, the steering is too light and too vague, the engine too weak and the brakes are nearly overwhelmed by the task of slowing all that mass.

In all, there’s a lot wrong with the Evoque Convertible, at least when judged in strict car terms. To assess it solely as a car, though, would be to almost entirely miss the point.

The correct way to view the little topless Range Rover – and the way that most car buyers view valuable vehicles – is as a lifestyle choice. In this respect, it fares rather better.

First and foremost, it’s very striking to look at. Roof up, it boasts almost exactly the same lines as its fixed head Coupe elder sibling – perhaps not pretty, but certainly noticeable. As befits a fashion accessory, there’s plenty of ‘bling’ to let other road users know that the driver has splashed out on some serious badge. The icing on the top is its Xenon headlights, which thoughtfully include LED Signature surround, adding bit of sparkle to daytime driving.

With a press of a button the soft top tucks away in 18 seconds, leaving an almost completely clean, forward raked bodyline running straight from tailgate to bonnet badge. With frameless doors, the only things poking over that high parapet are the steeply raked windscreen and chunky leather head rests.

The soft top can be raised or lowered at up to 30 mph and, at that speed, there’s remarkably little wind buffeting. This is thanks, in no small part, to the high-sided bodywork and rakish glassware. Even at motorway speed, the resulting turbulence is never less than tolerable.

The experience of driving with the top down, though, is truly remarkable. Despite the heavy, wobbly ride, driving the Evoque top down feels rather like flying – albeit in something akin to an airborne fortress. Perched fairly high off the road surface – and with a completely unrestricted view of the sky – it’s not too hard to maintain that particular illusion.

Drivers and passengers, though, are well looked after. The double-stitched leather seats are both comfortable and supportive, with the front seats boasting 12-way power adjustable positioning, including the facility for recalling the required settings for a selection of drivers.

Overall, there’s just enough leg room in the back seats to accommodate a couple of adults in reasonable comfort for shortish journeys and, when the roof is raised, almost enough head room. It is, however, a strict two-person rear pew, with no provision for any third back seat passenger.

Overall, everything in the cabin, though, is a tactile delight, with the leather seats and steering wheel all having a comforting solidity. Indeed, every button and switch is pleasingly robust to the touch.

The Evoque features Range Rover’s InControl Touch Pro infotainment system, accessed through a generously sized 10.2 inch screen. As well as the usual interface for mobile devices, satellite navigation and climate control, the system also allows users to configure interior mood lighting, helping to ensure that – even at night – everyone can see just who’s inside the Evoque Convertible.

As well as style, entertainment and comfort, this baby Range Rover also helps the driver out when it comes to safety. There is, for example, automatic lane-keeping assistance, giving due warning in the event of drifting out position on the highway. Should matters get even more seriously out of hand, hidden roll-over hoops spring into position in as little as 90 milliseconds whenever the car detects any possibility of upending.

While the car may not be all that good on the road, it’s actually quite good off-road. It’s not, admittedly, quite as able as its larger Ranger Rover Vogue sibling, but it’s still substantially better than many of the pretend SUVs – the BMW X3 and Audi Q3, we’re talking about you here.

To be fair, its Terrain Response electronics and all-wheel drive can tackle some genuine off-road challenges. Decent ground clearance allows lumpy surfaces to be navigated with ease, while Range Rover’s Hill Descent Control system takes over when it comes to getting down some frankly scary angles, ensuring the driver need never intervene on the brakes. The Evoque even does a passable motor yacht impersonation, wading through water up to 50cm deep.

In truth, the Evoque customer is never likely to use any of these off-road abilities, though having them just adds to its allure. Plus – in the event that a natural disaster befalls the world’s urban spaces – the drivers of this car stand a better chance of making a run for it than the average SUV pilot. As a result, much of the currently fashionable post-apocalyptic fiction may have to be re-written to feature a much higher proportion of urban sophisticate Evoque-owner survivors.

Flawed in ways that don’t really matter to its target market and gifted in lots of ways that do, Range Rover seems likely to have scored a class re-defining hit with the Evoque Convertible. Just as all the other prestige brands copied Range Rover’s original luxury off-roader, it’s likely to be just a matter of time before Mercedes, BMW, Lexus et al release their own drop-top lux off-roaders.

Model Range Rover Evoque Convertible
From £48,200 (HK$463,000 plus import duty)
Engine 2.0 litre straight four
Power (BHP) 236 bhp
Transmission 9-speed automatic through
four wheel drive
0-62 mph 8.6 seconds
Top speed 130 mph
CO2 204g/km
Fuel economy: 32.9 mpg

Gafencu’s guide to choosing the sweetest seven-seater

Nowadays, it seems that two rows of seats no longer suffice. It could be the move towards bigger broods or perhaps an increased reluctance to expire on the part of the more doddery outposts of the extended family. It could even be that many now crave to put more space between themselves and the PlayStationing bings and bongs that now inevitably emanate from rear seats.

There are, of course, numerous “people movers” offering, at least, treble rows. The downside is that they’re all too often little more than re-styled delivery vans, with added windows and marginally less industrial interiors.
For those motorists who find themselves with both a large family and a desire to keep their self-respect intact, there are, thankfully, a few other options available. In fact, many SUV off-road cars are also available in a three-pew configuration.
The Mercedes Benz GLS 550, the Audi Q7 and the Lexus LX570, for instance, all offer seven or more seats. While each of them has enough badge-cred to impress at the school gates, which one is best?

Looks

The first and most important job of any luxury seven-seater is not to look like a non-luxury seven seater. In this department, the Mercedes leaves observers in no doubt that it’s not a van. Combined with the car’s enormous overall scale and chiselled bodywork, the Merc has all the road presence required for intimidating other road users. Presence, but perhaps not beauty.

The Audi fares rather better in the looks department. Where the GLS is all straight lines and sharp angles, the Q7’s bodywork takes a softer, more rounded approach. If the Q7’s shared heritage is noticeable to the discerning, the Lexus LX570’s roots are blatantly obvious to all. The model is based heavily on Toyota’s wilderness-conquering Land Cruiser. The Lexus stylists seem to have invested little or no effort into disguising that fact, merely slapping on the corporate radiator grille and a few logos.

While all three cars are big, the Lexus is vast. It wears its size well though. The LX570 looks like it’d be equally at home parked outside a downtown pedicurist or a mud hut half way up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Luxury

Naturally, the first test for any car competing in the seven-seater category is the comfort offered by the third row. The GLS creates a good impression right off the bat with its nifty power operated seats. Raising or lowering the GLS’s back seats is relatively straightforward. With a gentle prod of a pleasingly chunky button, electric motors do all the hard work. In terms of size, though, these part-time pews are big enough to comfortably seat two adults, even over long-ish distances.
This level of pampering is typical inside the Benz. The driver is almost overloaded with luxury toys, while confronted by an intimidating phalanx of buttons.

Although restrained, the Q7 – the biggest of the Audis – feels far from austere. While the driver is faced with more or less as many buttons and switches as with the Benz, their arrangement across the broad, swooping dash seems less crowded and easier to comprehend. As with the Merc, there’s a similar power-operated folding mechanism. The Audi’s part time seats are, however, a little smaller, resulting in a cramped feeling for adults.

The third row of seating is where the Lexus LX570 plays its trump card. It can not only match the power-actuated convenience of the German cars, but it also beats them hands down by having a rear pew fit for three, taking its total seating capacity to eight. Although nicely put together and undoubtedly luxurious, it’s hard to escape the feeling that this is luxury as an afterthought, rather than being intrinsic to the vehicle.

Driving

In its 550 guise, the Mercedes GLS’ not-so-secret weapon is its horsepower. The 4.7 litre twin turbo V8 produces an entirely unnecessary 450 horsepower, enough to propel the car to 60 mph in a genuinely fast 5.3 seconds. All that force is transmitted to the four-wheel drive system via an automatic gearbox, which boasts nine forward gears.

Predictably, for so large a car, the steering is incommunicative and the feel through the brake pedal is dull. Attempting to drive the Q7 hard, though, reveals a surprise – it’s not that bad. It stays reasonably flat under heavy breaking and doesn’t produce too much body roll under cornering. Despite the Audi’s 3.0 litre supercharged V6 producing 333 horsepower it’s only a blink slower to 60 than the Merc – 5.5 seconds. Fuel economy is better too, consuming 10.7 litres per 100km to the Benz’s 11.3. The Lexus is bigger than the other two and feels it. Even with the biggest engine its 383 horsepower 5.6 litre V8 can only manage the sprint to 60 in 7.2 seconds. Piloting the LS 570, with its tremendous size and eight seats, is very much like driving a bus. Control inputs result in lazy outcomes on the road, while any attempt at high-speed manoeuvring results in alarming pitch and roll angles.

Gafencu’s Choice

While impressive, the Mercedes is hard to love. It’s too obvious, the interior lacks cohesion and the driving experience is disappointing. The Lexus is only really a choice for those who plan to do some proper off-road work but don’t want the military feel of a Land Rover Defender or the Toyota on which the LX 570 is based. Or for those who really do need that extra eighth seat.

The best all-rounder and Gafencu’s choice – despite its slightly smaller rear seats – is the Q7. It’s the nicest to look at inside and out, as well as being the most car-like to drive.

Classic, modern cars line up at Gold Coast Motor Festival

The inaugural Gold Coast Motor Festival kicked off in some style recently. Held over two festive days, the event featured more than 60 vintage and modern cars.

Maserartiness

The sleek lines of the new Maserati Levante may just as well have come courtesy of a fine artist as from a master of contemporary car making, such is their elegance and grace – pure poetry when in motion. Distinctively Italian in style, it comes complete with a number of breath-taking Maserati design features, including a signature concave grille.

This decidedly racy little number also features feline-inspired headlights and the Saetta logo on the rear pillar. Its fine leather seats give the interior of the Levante a truly sumptuous feel, while also providing superb lateral restraint during sports driving. Maserati’s sport steering wheel enhances the Levante’s sportiness and, coupled with the front seats and the brushed steel pedals, creates an environment that will satisfy any red-blooded sports GT enthusiast.

Its spaciousness is amplified still further by its panoramic electric sunroof. The Levante name was taken from a warm, Mediterranean wind, one that can change from a zephyr to gale force in an instant – again mirroring the car’s highly responsive nature.

www.autoitalia.com.hk

Le Man’s Kind

Long one of the most coveted of luxury car brands, Jaguar has been a perennial favourite among vintage vehicle aficionados and petrolheads alike. Of the many marvellous creations to bear the illustrious feline badge, the D-Type is particularly revered – not only for its enviable contours, but also on account of its remarkable racing pedigree.

It will therefore not surprise those in the know that a 1955-built Jaguar D-Type recently sold for a cool US$21.78 million, smashing the previous record for a British-built car sold at auction by almost US$7.5 million. At the Sotheby’s sale in Monterey, four bidders battled it out for a tense 15 minutes in a race to take possession of the automotive ace. With a chassis number of XKD 501, it was the very car that won the prestigious 24 hour Le Mans race in 1956. Still bearing its original blue and white racing finish, the XKD 501 is first past the post as far as collectible classics are concerned. In addition to its race-winning provenance, this particular mechanical marvel has also been meticulously restored and maintained, serviced by four keen caretakers.

While the D-Type set a new auction record, making it officially the seventh most expensive car ever sold, the Monterey auction saw another record – the most expensive American car sold at auction. This particular title was taken by a Shelby Cobra, sold for US$13.75 million. Together with the takings for the Jaguar, that totals some US$35.5 million. Not one of Sotheby’s worst days then.

Drama and drones at Formula E race

Hong Kong hosted an incident packed FIA Formula E race last weekend in the Central harbourfront, with police arresting three men for flying drones over the race track. Formula E is the world’s first fully electric car race.

Reigning FIA Formula E champion Sebastien Buemi got his title defence off to the perfect start with victory in the 2016 HKT Hong Kong ePrix.

Buemi took the lead in the second half of the race when Sam Bird pitted for his mandatory car swap. The DS Virgin Racing car failed to pull out of the pits, allowing Buemi, who had made his stop earlier, to claim his seventh Formula E win.

The race covered a circuit of 2-kilometres around the Central Harbourfront, passing IFC, Hong Kong Observatory Deck, Star Ferry Pier and City Hall.

An estimated 30,000 people attended the event.

After the race, police confirmed three men were arrested on Lung Wo Road for “seriously threatening the public’s safety” by flying drones over the track just as the race was starting. The men were charged with violating the Air Navigation (Hong Kong) Order 1995.

Detroit Electric city

There must be something electric in the air, or at least on the streets of Hong Kong, after last weekend’s Formula-E race and the unveiling of Detroit Electric’s very first production vehicle, the SP:01.

Electric, and we assume regular, car enthusiasts enjoyed catching a glimpse of the two-seater pure-electric sports car, which was designed and built in England, as it zipped around the 10-turn two-kilometre course on Saturday ahead of the opening of the 2016/17 FIA Formula E Championship.

The SP:01 can accelerate from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds and boasts a top speed of 155mph.

The SP:01 is reportedly the lightest high-performance electric vehicle in the world and has a high-energy density battery.

The interior of the SP:01 features the first Android based Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment System [SAMI] with a touchscreen that sits at the heart of the centre console, which sounds like another thing to keep a driver’s eyes off the road.

The SAMI works as a music player and satellite navigation to the car to check its status for battery temperature, charge-level and range to recharge.

Three-time Macau Grand Prix champion Darryl O’Young set a lap time of 1:24:713 in the SP:01.

Photos: Brian Ching and Thomas Lam