Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen TDI Review

HEELS ON WHEELS: 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN TDI REVIEW

HEELS ON WHEELS
By Katrina Ramser
San Francisco Bureau
The Auto Channel

INTRO TO THE 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN VEHICLE
It would take a mighty wagon to rethink my addiction to the Subaru – and that wagon is the Jetta SportWagen TDI.

I drove a five-door (including liftgate), five-passenger 2009 Jetta SportWagen TDI (Turbo Diesel Injection) with a 140-horsepower 2.0-liter engine and a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission. Extras included the panoramic sunroof, a navigation screen, and the 5-speed tiptronics transmission for a total price of $29,410.

I spent a lot of time with the Jetta SportsWagen, rallying from San Francisco up to Eureka (a 500-mile roundtrip journey) and am immensely impressed on a multitude of accounts, from its soundless diesel engine to being a Cash for Clunkers trade-in gem. I'm calling the 2009 Jetta SportsWagen my Heels on Wheels Car of the Year. If I was in the market to buy, this is what I would get.

HEELS ON WHEELS REVIEW CRITERIA

Stylish But Comfortable Results: The panoramic sunroof gives the SportWagen an absolute edge for drivers in both the sedan and CUV market segment: 54 inches long and 34 inches wide with various stages of opening and closing (like the advertising states, it blurs the line between sunroof and convertible top). You've got more cargo space than the Subaru Outback. The Multi-function Indicator located in dash doesn't just beep when something is wrong; a digital picture and words tell you the trouble (ie. a second-row left car door is open; E-brake has been left on). There are no steering wheel audio controls, but it comes as an acceptable tradeoff. Love the 3-D navigation screen. The seat's leatherette material is a fine comprise with easier upkeep in the long run. The overall look is more "urban versatile" than the Subaru (whereas the Outback translates "outdoorsy" all the time). The Jetta wagon can mesh into city life easier: its shape is more aerodynamic and slick (the slanted window design achieves such a look).

Reliability & Safety Factor: While it's true VWs do not get the same press endorsement as Toyotas, Hondas or even Subarus get, the 2009 is receiving rave reviews – even by those unimpressed with the vehicle in the past. However, if you take J.D. Powers advice, which bases vehicles on a three-year vehicle history, it predicts the vehicle to have mediocre reliability. Moving on, the NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program does give it 4 stars in frontal crash testing for both driver and front passenger and 5-stars (the Agency’s highest rating) for side-impact on both the front and rear seat occupants. Like most cars, the SportWagen is covered by a three-year/36,000-mile basic limited warranty; but all new for 2009 is Volkswagen’s carefree maintenance program, which includes a no-charge scheduled maintenance under the life of the above warranty.

Cost Issues: There isn’t a cost issue upfront. I paid $30 bucks to fill up the tank and it took me close to 500 miles, which I found completely refreshing. You do need to get the sunroof ($1,300) and the automatic transmission with Tiptronics ($1,100); but if you have a your own GPS, a $4,500 Cash for Clunkers, you're looking at getting the SportWagen for $25k easily.

Activity & Performance Ability: In a nutshell, the SportWagen TDI is great on gas, has lots of nice turbo power, and is a very quite diesel. It offered consistently smooth driving. Journeying through northern California requires jockeying single-lane winding mountain roads that climb or descend at high speeds with little warning alongside logging trucks. The 140-horsepower engine felt like it delivered about double of that (the turbo response)

The Green Concern: The SportWagen is a clean-burning diesel delivering 35-mpg. It's one of the top recommended cars in the Cash for Clunkers program.

FINAL PARTING WORDS
A spacious clean diesel with turbo power garnering an average of 35-mpg – what's more to love than that? Okay, the panoramic sunroof and a price under $30k.VW impressed even the toughest critics with the Jetta Sportwagen TDI.

New MINI Coupé is ready for action

We get up close for a special preview of the new MINI set to wow the Frankfurt Motor Show

Auto Express Car Reviews

Meet the sensational new MINI Coupé! Exactly 50 years after the original Mini made its debut – on 26 August 1959 – the British firm is set to reveal its most forward-thinking model to date.

The car will make its debut at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show, but Auto Express has all the images and details on the latest homegrown hero after being allowed up close for exclusive access to the new car.

Taking the shape of a sporty two-seater, the MINI Coupé Concept is a vision of things to come as it looks to compete with the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupé, Audi TT and the Peugeot RC Z unveiled in last week’s issue. Blending styling cues from the past, present and future, the new MINI’s remit is simple; to broaden the appeal beyond the hatchback, Convertible and Clubman.

And with its light weight and low centre of gravity, it promises to be the most driver-oriented roadgoing MINI ever. The familiar front end is borrowed from the four-seater hatchback, but incorporates a number of unique touches to set it apart.

Among this car’s firsts are body-coloured bars inside the chrome grille surround, plus the bonnet stripes continuing through the grille itself. View the Coupé in profile and the differences become even more pronounced. The front side panels are lifted straight from the current Convertible, yet a more steeply raked windscreen sweeps overhead and lends a dynamic feel to the design, even at a standstill.

A high, gently rising waistline is nothing new for a MINI, but this show car combines it with an ultra-slim glass area and short overhangs for a powerful and stocky stance.

Yet it’s the ‘floating’ roof that will provoke most debate. Using the trick of blacking out the A, B and acutely angled C-pillars, this beautifully crafted panel appears to sit unsupported on top of the car. But the roof serves as more than an aesthetic component – integrated into its trailing edge is a blade-like spoiler.

This helps to guide airflow over the tapered rear window, not only to give added downforce at speed but also for greater aerodynamic efficiency. A twin-section diffuser, exiting either side of the trademark double exhausts, cleans up underbody airflow, and demonstrates the car’s high-performance intentions.

The interior is as extrovert as the exterior; slide into the cabin and the racy theme continues. Deeply bolstered sports seats are finished in a combination of woven leather strands and larger-stitched panels.

Elsewhere, the dinner-plate central speedo and column-mounted rev counter, as well most of the switchgear, are lifted directly from the hatch.

However, two Chronoswiss clocks on either side of the rev counter neatly link Minis of the future with those of the past. One is a purpose-built digital stopwatch for taking lap times, while the other shows the time in classic analogue style.

Under the air-scooped hood is a familiar engine – the 1.6-litre turbo from the MINI John Cooper Works. This kicks out 208bhp and 260Nm of torque, although the latter can climb as high as 280Nm for short bursts thanks to the overboost function. And due to its light weight, the Coupé should display even more devastating performance than the hatch or Convertible versions fitted with the same motor.

That aluminium roof not only reduces the entire weight of the car, boosting performance and efficiency, but also lowers the centre of gravity. So despite using identical suspension geometry to the JCW hatchback, the Coupé should corner with more bite and less body roll.

However, MINI hasn’t forgotten a car such as this can’t be exclusively focused on outright speed and dynamic ability – it needs an element of practicality, too. Which is why, with the rear seats removed, load capacity is up to a usable 250 litres – 40 litres less than in a TT. But to make the most of this luggage area, the entire tailgate hinges at the top of the roof spoiler, revealing a huge opening.

Officially, its maker says the Coupé is a “fascinating vision of how the MINI model family may continue”. But based on the cabin finish and practical, production-ready touches that have been built into the package, the car could be closer to the road than MINI is letting on.

Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/240661/new_mini_coup_is_ready_for_action.html#ixzz0PKe3z2MG

The New Maserati GrandCabrio To premiere in Frankfurt

Modena, August 24th, 2009. The Maserati GranCabrio, the first four-seater convertible in the Trident carmaker’s history, will make its world wide debut on September 15 at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The introduction of the GranCabrio – the Trident’s third prong – completes Maserati’s product line-up that now consists of three different families of models: Quattroporte, GranTurismo, GranCabrio.

The GranCabrio represents the very essence of Maserati in terms of open-top cars. It’s a Maserati in the purest sense of the word: from the unmistakable style by Pininfarina to the spacious interior, from the craftsmanship of each detail to the driving pleasure and performance. The Maserati GranCabrio enriches all five senses in a shared open-air experience, without sacrificing comfort and performance. A dream car designed and built for men and women who love to live life in an understated – though sophisticated - manner. Like all the made in Maserati open-top convertibles: special cars aimed at refined connoisseurs.

The GranCabrio is continuing the Maserati tradition in open-top fine automobiles, beginning with the 1950 A6G Frua Spyder, and continuing through a long list of significant and thrilling open air models. However, in adding to this tradition, the GranCabrio opens a new chapter, because never before have four-seater top-down models ever been produced at the Viale Ciro Menotti Maserati factory in Modena. Four proper seats are provided, so that the rear passengers are not merely supporting actors, but co-stars of the journey.

The GranCabrio is powered by a 4.7 liter V8, 323 kW engine and is the convertible with the longest wheelbase on the market. The GranCabrio’s roof is strictly canvas-made, emphasizing the link with the Maserati tradition.

The Maserati GranCabrio will be marketed this coming winter, and experienced by customers the world over from the following spring.

Portfolio

Sport Steering Wheel With Shift Paddles

The new 911 Turbo in combination with the optional Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) offers a 3-spoke sports steering wheel with shift paddles (Option 840) for the first time for customers who require particularly sporty shift characteristics.

The shift paddles, which have their origins in motor sports, are secured behind the right-hand and left-hand spokes of the steering wheel and are used for changing gears. The shift function and shift characteristics of the paddles have been largely adopted from the Porsche RS Spyder. The right-hand paddle is embossed with “+” for upshifting and the left-hand one with “-” for downshifting.

The high-quality shift paddles are made from metal (die-cast zinc) and have a silver-colored galvanized surface similar to the trim on the steering wheel spokes. The shift paddles are sickleshaped and jut up above the steering wheel spokes. This long shape makes it possible to ensure manual gear changes across a wide range of individual steering wheel positions. In combination with the optional Sport Chrono Package Turbo, the 3-spoke sports steering wheel with shift paddles also features additional function displays. On this steering wheel , the “SPORT” or “SPORT PLUS” and “LAUNCH CONTROL” displays are in the left-hand or right-hand steering wheel spoke.

The new 3-spoke sports steering wheel with shift paddles is available in all 9 interior colors. Because of its markedly sporty character, this steering wheel is not available in combination with multi-function, decorative variants and heated steering wheel.

Noble Unleashes 225 Mph

With the range of spy shots coming with Noble’s new M600 supercar, there is really a lot steaming on the expectation results. The British Volvo-based twin turbo will function on a V8 that will produce about 650 hp.

The latest models got released with official images as well as high price expectancy. It is roughly going to be £200,000 or $328k USD. The higher price definitely brings about a greater sense of quality and loads more facilities to be enjoyed with this model.

Customers keep awaiting this mega release with the now-extinct M14 as well as M15 to work on the request for the new deposits. For people who have made savings or advance for any of the previous models, do not wish to make all over new purchase for a car of this stature.

Credit: wot.motortrend

The M600 model brings to the table much more than any Noble models have done in the past. There is a stainless steel tub inside for instance, a tube skeleton as well as a chassis with carbon fiber making up its body. The fiber body panels join together to keep the whole attachment light and fun!

Mazdaspeed 3

Speed Read

What Works:
Suspension revisions result in a new level of chassis composure; handles and rides better without tainting the car's basic appeal.

What Needs Work:
Powertrain manners need some work; there's a watermelon rind crammed in its face.

Bottom Line:
Our favorite car for cheap speed is better than ever.

Videos

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3 Full Test and Video

Photos

Slideshow

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Mazda's brave new face adorns the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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It drives as though honed on roads like this one. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Revised suspension tuning goes a long way toward improving the car's ability to dispatch rough pavement. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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The Mazdaspeed 3 is sold in one body style — a wagon. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Its beauty is in its ability to perform without compromising practicality. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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The cabin looks fresh and modern without relying on gimmicks. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Oh, it's got gimmicks, though, like the blue ambient lighting. It's subtle and inoffensive. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Its steering wheel is a bit messy with buttons. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Smooth 2.3-liter turbo-4 has minimal drivetrain lash and deals with creeping traffic well. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Simple three-knob HVAC controls are something of which we're fans. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Zing! Prudence rules when using the gearchange quickly, as it can clash synchros. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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There's not a lot of legroom back here. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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The top-mounted intercooler cools better to provide additional power at speed. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Keyless entry and ignition indicate that this Mazdaspeed 3 has the Tech package. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Cargo concealer and split-folding backseat make this cargo area more useful. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Bulbous taillights look like they're wearing eyeliner. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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The styling of the nose is busy but not truly offensive. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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A largish wing still manages to look well-integrated. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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It's happy about having a proper hood scoop now. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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Mazda has been careful to keep the car's character intact while improving its skill set. A tough challenge. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

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2010 Mazdaspeed 3. (Photo by Scott Jacobs)

We're the first to strap our testing gear to the heavily revised 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 and we'll get the bad news out of the way first. Here goes: It's slower than the old car.

Among the many bits of good news is that it's faster than the outgoing model.

Say what?

Wipe That Grin off Your Face
In the hands of our in-house test driver, the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 accelerates to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds (6.1 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and runs down the 1320 in 14.4 seconds at 99.5 mph.

Compare this to the last previous-gen MS3 we tested, which hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds (5.8 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and ran the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds at 97 mph.

Did Mazda build a dud of a follow-up to its segment-busting, comparison-test-dominating hot hatch? Its turbocharged direct-injection 2.3-liter inline-4 is largely unchanged from the previous car, and our scales say that the 3,243-pound 2010 MS3 has gained just 52 pounds more. That's not nearly enough mass to account for 0.3 second to 60 mph, so something's not adding up.

After scrutinizing the acceleration data for both cars, we see precisely where the differences lie. Both cars require two gearchanges to reach 60 mph, but where the old car's shifts are clean and quick, the new car exhibits a time-sapping wiggle after each gearchange. These wiggles are the result of some kind of built-in throttle manipulation intended to protect the drivetrain from shift shock or to smooth the gearchanges. Either way, they are responsible for making the new MS3 slower to 60 mph.

By the end of the quarter-mile, though, the new car has caught up to the old car and bettered its trap speed besides. Our data stream shows that 4th-gear acceleration is clearly stouter in the new car. Again, with the same power and similar weight, this result is something of a surprise.

The reason is because the faster you go, the stronger the car grows. Mazda's big brains tell us that the larger air intake and new hood scoop for the intercooler work better at speed. By breathing in cooler fresh air and then chilling that air more effectively, the new car makes a bigger bang at high velocities that isn't reflected in the carryover ratings of 263 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm.

Glad To Meet You Again
Our first clue about where Mazda has been spending the brunt of its engineering resources came to us when the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 threaded our slalom cones fully 4.6 mph faster than the outgoing car. This was an eye-opener by itself, but it wasn't until we cut it loose on our favorite mountain roads that we understood just how good the MS3 has become.

Bumpy pavement that would bring the old car to its knees is swallowed up by the new car with little drama. The suspenders are at once firmer yet more forgiving, and this combination whets the 2010 MS3's appetite for canyon bends like never before. It's a fairly grippy thing — recording 0.89g on our skid pad — and the progressive breakaway characteristics of its 225/40R18 Dunlop SP Sport 2050 tires really encourage you to probe the car's limits.

It rides better, too. Only the worst bumps reveal that this platform could still use a bit more suspension travel, but the MS3 makes excellent use of the travel it has. Go ahead and trail-brake into lumpy corners, because the slightly nose-heavy balance of the chassis means the car needs some encouragement to point toward an apex, yet the chassis has no bad manners. Pin sharp as ever, the steering that feels a shade light in effort around town builds substance at speed and faithfully transmits pockmarks and cambers. Never too much feel; just enough.

Brake pedal feel is firm with little idle stroke, as is typical of modern Mazdas. It's easy to modulate braking force this way no matter how hard you're driving, which makes us wonder why this practice is the exception among automakers rather than the rule. Outright stopping power remains commendably short at 113 feet from 60 mph.

Ultimately, the achievement of the new car is that you can really take it by the scruff of the neck and drive it like a loon without the car's composure going to pieces.

English Teeth
Where the old car was a bit of a novelty in an overworked-chassis-with-a-big-engine way, it was slightly one-dimensional as a result. The ironic flip side of the new car's handling manners is that they magnify powertrain quirks that weren't as obvious in the less-capable outgoing car. The 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 really goads you into utilizing the ultimate grip of the tires, and as a result you find more occasions for fine throttle adjustments to change its attitude.

Driven in anger, the post-gearchange pause observed during testing is obvious. Boost response, too, is a shade soft. Not first-gen WRX soft, but enough to make you wonder why the Mazda's smaller turbo, 0.3-liter displacement increase and direct injection haven't combined to produce snappier throttle response than an Evo. Best acceleration still dictates shifting the MS3 before its redline of 6,750 rpm, though the drop-off in power after 6,000 rpm is now less pronounced.

Make no mistake, though, because punch from this creamy-smooth mill is plentiful. In fact, there's so much torque for these front wheels to handle that keeping torque steer at bay is the car's full-time job, much as it was in the previous MS3. Unwind the wheel as you exit 2nd-gear corners quickly and the MS3 literally accelerates itself, as it decides that the tires can handle more torque and opens the throttle. Road cambers that you never knew were there make the tires nibble this way and that when you pour on the gas in a straight line.

The front-end fight is never excessive, but the obvious attempts at managing it feel somewhat synthetic and remove an element of driver control. Were it armed with a mechanical solution like the RevoKnuckle front suspension geometry of the Ford Focus RS that's sold in Europe, then Mazda's torquey front-driver could make even better use of its engine's sauce and feel more natural to drive besides.

All of these niggles require some reflection on the fact that it's not that the powertrain is worse than before — it's not — it's just that the chassis has made a larger leap forward.

Inner Happiness
Refinement is improved in the revised cabin, which sports a contemporary design that melds function and style like few others at this price. Nor does this interior design forget that execution of the basics is always important, as there are large, clear gauges and a simple-but-effective three-knob climate control system.

From its airy layout to the low-gloss presentation, the interior of the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3 is quite a pleasant place to be. Worry not, as the psychedelic disco pattern on its door panels and seats is less apparent when you're seated inside.

Our production-spec tester is equipped with the optional Tech package, which includes premium audio and a navigation system with a remarkably crisp screen the size of a postage stamp.

Its metal-faced pedals are positioned well for rev-matched gearchanges. If only the shifter cooperated. It's too easy to outrun the synchros in 2nd and 3rd gears on quick gearchanges, and the shift action itself is not Miata-precise. Clutch take-up, too, is a bit abrupt.

We haven't mentioned the updated styling since that's subject to opinion. But since you asked, the new car adds some design flourishes that won't appeal to everyone. The overall shape is familiar, but where the old car was fairly handsome, the nose in particular of the 2010 car is challenging to gaze upon. Its grille is clearly a tip of the hat to the styling language of Mazda's Nagare concept car, but the styling language comes off looking like a football player's mouth guard.

Happy Happy, Joy Joy
Styling wasn't what the MS3 was all about when it was introduced. It was about being a practical and cost-effective ass-kicker. And the 2010 Mazda Mazdaspeed 3 still is.

Breathe easy and worry not about the change in acceleration numbers. The 2010 MS3's handling improvements have made it an even quicker car point to point, while its superior ride quality and cabin appointments provide rewards when you dial back the pace.

Mazda has made the MS3 more capable and more fun. And the best part is that it's managed all this for just $455 over the outgoing car. That's something to smile about.

New car news

SEAT of power

Say hola to the most powerful Spaniard since, er, Franco: the Leon Cupra R.

It’s the most powerful car ever built by SEAT – and, in fact, is as powerful as the Leon touring car racer, putting out 261bhp from a two-litre turbo petrol engine, the same unit found in the Audi S3.

Unlike the four-wheel drive S3 – but like the upcoming Scirocco R, which will also be powered by the same engine – the Cupra R remains staunchly front wheel drive. SEAT has attempted to tame all that power through the use of an ‘XDS’ electronic system that mimics the function of a limited slip diff.

If you can keep it in a straight line, the Cupra R will hit 62mph in 6.1 seconds and top out at a limited 155mph. SEAT quotes combined fuel consumption of just under 35mpg.

Expect plenty of ‘Cupra’ and ‘R’ logos dotted over the interior and exterior, along with a liberal sprinkling of leather, aluminium and Alcantara in the cabin.

Prices should start at around £21,000 if and when it reaches the UK, meaning it should undercut the Scirocco R by several grand.

We’ll get a closer look at the Cupra R at the Frankfurt show next month.

BMW charts new 'green' course

'WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL HYBRID CAR' - BMW

+ Click to Enlarge GREEN POWER: BMW says the X6 ActiveHybrid is the world's most powerful hybrid car.

August 18, 2009
By kazuyagaro

The hydrogen revolution so strongly promoted as recently as a year ago seems to be on hold as one of its greatest champions, BMW, joins the petrol-electric hybrid brigade.

This follows the launch of Toyota's third-generation Prius hybrid and suggestions that a host of other manufacturers will show their latest anti-greenhouse weaponry at the Frankfurt auto show in September.

Mazda seems to be the odd one out - it will launch a rotary hydrogen engine - but each is no doubt fearful of the consequences of global warming and the role they might be playing in it.

BMW has announced two luxury hybrids - an ActiveHybrid 7 and the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid whichm the automaker says, is the world's most powerful hybrid car

The 7 Series ActiveHybrid has an overall output of 342kW and 700Nm

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The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 combines a twin-turbo V8 petrol engine with a three-phase synchronous electric motor for a potential of overall system output of 342kW and 700Nm.

The company says this "intelligent" combination in a mild hybrid concept will promote the efficiency, dynamic performance and driving comfort of this luxury sedan with the hybrid 7 accelerating to 100km/h in 4.9sec and reaching a top speed - electronically limited - of 250km/h.

At the same time average fuel consumption will be a claimed 9.4 litres/100km but CO2 emissions of 219g/km.

BMW's hybrid technology featured in the 7 Series includes a three-phase synchronous electric motor, a lithium-ion battery and the power electronics required for the high-voltage network - state-of-the-art kit in hybrid technology

The electric motor is built into the automatic transmission

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The electric motor - built into the automatic transmission - develops 15kW and 210 Nm and acts as a generator when the driver applies the brakes, delivering electric power to the battery in the boot.

The battery provides power to the electric motor when accelerating and ensures consistent of power to the air-conditioning compressor whether driving or standing still.

And, of course, it also provides the power required for the conventional 12V network.

BMW's engineers say the electrical power is generated in a "neutral" process without consuming any extra energy.

REDUCING CONSUMPTION, EMISSIONS AND NOISE

When accelerating, the electric motor boosts the V8 engine by providing extra power but it reduces the level of petrol power required when driving at a steady speed, cutting fuel consumption, emissions and engine noise.

Using it as a starter ensures that the petrol engine will start immediately without the slightest vibration - ideal for the auto stop-start function - and the aircon will run on the battery with the petrol engine switched off, to set the interior temperature to the desired level before setting off.

Energy flow and efficiency displays in the cockpit inform the driver of the operating status and function of the hybrid drive system.

BMW has also introduced off its first full-hybrid SUV, the S6 ActiveHybrid, which it says uses 20 percent less fuel than a comparable vehicle powered by a combustion engine alone.

BMW recently called CarAdvice to see if we were interested in participating in a car challenge of a different variety.

Instead of seeing who was quickest around a track or who could post the fastest speed, BMW enlisted their latest Efficient Dynamics vehicle – the 120d – and sent 16 motoring journalists, in four separate groups, through a set of challenges that would test the vehicle’s efficiency, along with its sporting edge.

The four stage challenge began with a ‘dynamic drive’ that had the contingent of journalists drive from BMW’s Melbourne headquarters to Phillip Island, with a detour through Poowong and the mountainous greenery that followed.

The first stage was to show drivers that the 120d, although currently BMW’s most efficient vehicle, is still a driver’s car at heart. Corners were eaten up and spat out with very little effort – even with the torrential Melbourne downpour that followed us for most of the day.

Most drivers averaged between 4.0-litres per 100km and 5.0L/100km, varying according to their average speed.

The dynamic drive portion of the day gave me a chance to get in tune with the 120d and see what it was all about. Priced from $46,790, the 120d Sport Hatch packs 130kW from its 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine. While the power is impressive, the equally impressive 350Nm of torque means the 120d dashes from 0-100km/h in just 7.6-seconds.

The vehicle feels in tune with the road and the driver at all times. Its penchant for frugal motoring doesn’t overcome the car’s ability to motor along with grace and pride – like all other offerings from BMW.

The steering is precise and while slightly heavy provides fantastic feel with the road. The test vehicle that I called home for the day was fitted with leather upholstery (beige, or lemon in colour as BMW like to call it) with sunroof and metallic paint, pushing the price just north of $50,000.

Moving right along to the second portion of the challenge, the slalom. Piece of cake, I though.

Well, the damp circuit and camber of the corner meant that watching your p’s and q’s was entirely necessary, otherwise all 350Nm of the 120d’s turbo-diesel would hit at once, resulting in masses of oversteer!

While fuel consumption was not recorded during the slalom, we got to feel what the car was like when pushed to its limits through tight corners and sudden direction changes, as simulated by the slalom.

The lack of body roll and emphasis on steering precision made the slalom quite a challenging task, especially with the damp circuit.

BMW’s claims of 4.8L/100km (combined) were easily achieved by all journalists on the drive down to the track. This impressive fuel economy figure is thanks to a few features BMW use exclusively on its Efficient Dynamics vehicles.

The list includes:

• Air Vent Control: Air vents will open as required by the drive, but will remain closed in situations where air circulation is not required, thus reducing fuel consumption by some 0.7 per cent.
• Optimum Shift Indicator: This featured suggests when the drive should change gears (either up or down) to remain in the optimum fuel efficiency zone.
• Electric Power Steering: Although it’s relatively self explanatory, the electric power steering uses an electric system opposed to the regular hydraulic system.
• Brake Energy Regeneration: Similar to the way a hybrid charges its batteries, this system allows the 120d to recharge the car battery in order to put less strain on the alternator, which requires engine power to operate.
• Auto Stop/Start Function: This feature automatically switches the car off when it becomes stationary. Similar to the system used in the Land Rover Freelander2 TD4.e we tested this week, it saves fuel by not running the engine while the car is stationary.

The most enjoyable part of the day had to be the motorkana circuit, which tested the driver’s ability to judge the car’s dimensions, passing through gates and lane change cones. After the gates, drivers had another slalom and then a u-turn bay which required vigorous use of the hand-brake!

While I have complained about BMW’s Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) mode in the past, it proved to be the pick of the driver aids during the motorkana. The system limits the intervention of the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and gives the drive more freedom with regards to the level of play before the system intervenes.

This meant plenty of tail out action and little system intervention, but it was still there in the event things went pear shaped!

Finally, before the day was out, it was a drive back to BMW’s Mulgrave headquarters from Phillip Island GP Circuit via the regular highway route. This time around the challenge was strictly to use as little fuel as possible.

Once the car has momentum, it’s frugal and simple to keep it moving, even when climbing hills. Sixth gear has long legs and really moves the car along whenever you dab the accelerator.

Highway cruising had the trip computer reading instantaneous fuel consumption of around 3.8L/100km on flat surfaces. It would then jump to around 10L/100km on hills and back to 0 when coasting.

While I rolled into the last set of traffic lights before turning into BMW’s headquarters with the average fuel consumption reading 4.1L/100km, the move from stationary nudged it back to 4.2L/100km, which is still an extremely commendable figure.

By my calculations, the trip to Phillip Island and back took around 274km. While the car averaged around 4.3L/100km there and back, we used a total of around 11.782-litres. With diesel currently at $1.19 a litre, the trip cost $14 – not bad, eh?

BMW’s 120d is currently in showrooms with the remaining onslaught of its Efficient Dynamics range arriving by early next year.

It wouldn’t be serious without some good old fashioned competition though, so I’ll let you know on Saturday how I ended up fairing against the rest of the journalists.