Honda defies the scaremongers to launch a diesel Civic which it claims can manage 80.7mpg
With the demonisation of diesel cars by scaremongering politicians leading to a slump in sales, why would you launch a new diesel car now?
Add to that the Volkswagen 'dieselgate' scandal, in 2015, over rigged emissions tests, and the recent use of monkeys by German carmakers to test exhaust fumes, and the picture is far from rosy.
But Honda is boldly adding a new diesel variant to the line-up of its British-built Civic. Is it mad? Bosses don't think so.
Ray Massey road tests new Honda Civic diesel in Rome
Modern diesels that are cleaner, leaner and more fuel-efficient are still in significant demand, particularly for high mileage drivers, Honda insists.
Though sales have dipped, they will still account for a third of Civics sold by 2021 and will be a necessary stop-gap before electric cars have the range to make them truly practical.
Built at Honda's Swindon factory, the new tenth generation five-door Civic hatchback has already established itself as a solid choice with sporty looks, and the high-performance Type-R has claimed a clutch of awards.
The 'comprehensively revised' 120 bhp 1.6 litre i-DTEC turbo-diesel engine now joins the two existing 1 litre and 1.5 litre petrol engines in the line-up.
'It's a smooth operator — particularly on motorways — and drives and handles well with ample pulling power and a precise six-speed manual gearbox', says Ray Massey
There are four trim levels and it meets the latest Euro 6 emissions rules, making it cleaner than many petrol engines.
It's a smooth operator — particularly on motorways — and drives and handles well with ample pulling power and a precise six-speed manual gearbox. It goes from rest to 62 mph in 9.8 seconds and on to 125 mph.
Fuel consumption is its trump card with a claimed average of 80.7 mpg. Prices start from £20,120 for the Civic S, a premium of up to £1,300 over the petrol versions.
Fuel consumption is its trump card with a claimed average of 80.7 mpg
The diesel Civic diesel SE trim level costs from £20,220, the SR from £22,065 and the top of the range EX with all the trimmings including panoramic sun-roof, touch screen controls, leather sears and a suite of safety aids from £24,925.
Low CO2 emissions too at 93g/km. Unsurprisingly, the drop in demonised diesel sales has led to a rise in emissions of CO2, which environmentalists blame for man-made global warming. Diesels emit on average about 20 per cent less CO2 and use 20 per cent less fuel than petrol engines, meaning significant savings for motorists and the planet.
But given that the next generation of Honda’s top-selling CR-V off roader will not feature a diesel variant, which is being replaced by a petrol-electric hybrid, I hear from senior executives that the diesel in the new Civic is also likely to be the last and will probably go too when the next version of this family favourite is launched around 2022.
Honda says about a third of its research and development work goes on the Civic, its bread and butter car, which has sold 24million over 10 generations since the original launched 1972.
Mercedes-Benz unveils new A-Class
Mercedes-Benz last night unveiled its new A-Class super-mini.
The five-door hatchback promises levels of technology similar to the German car giant's flagship S-Class limousine, including semi- autonomous self-driving.
A new 'Hey Mercedes' voice recognition system, similar to Siri, will allow the driver to interact with their car.
Priced from about £22,000, it's the fourth generation of the upmarket hatchback, which is available with new 1.4 litre petrol and 1.5 litre diesel engines. First deliveries in June.
Mercedes-Benz last night unveiled its new A-Class super-mini. It is priced from about £22,000 and will be available with new 1.4 litre petrol and 1.5 litre diesel engines
- New Aston Martin owners are to be offered a 'birth certificate' for their vehicle — as the firm now charts each car's journey from conception to delivery. Cameras at the factory in Warwickshire will capture key moments which are then lavishly packaged in a book with the certificate — for £450.
DIANA JAG IS CAR SHOW STAR
A one-off 150 mph Jaguar XJ-S cabriolet built for Diana, Princess of Wales, with rear seats for young princes William and Harry, will be a star attraction among more than 700 cars at this year's The London Classic Car Show.
It's shown here with the Princess. Organisers of the event, which runs at the ExCeL from February 15-18 (thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk), say: 'Not only was this one of the most photographed cars of its era, it was also unique, built to the Princess's own specification.
All other 5,012 cabriolets (1983-1988) were two-seaters. This has two small rear seats for the princes.'
The unique and bespoke 1983 XJ-SC V12 roadster features an individually made, and permanently fixed, rear hard top to ensure that the Princess could not strike her head on the solid targa roof bar in the event of an accident.
The Jaguar XJ-SC is photographed here with Princess Diana, in baseball cap, at the wheel alongside her personal protection officer Ken Wharfe, with Prince Harry peeking between them and Prince William’s head just out of view
It also features personalised leather and Harris Tweed seat trims chosen by Princess Diana, and is finished in British Racing Green to match the Aston Martin that husband Prince Charles acquired around the same time.
A spokesman for the show said: ‘The Princess was regularly seen driving this majestic model from 1987 to 1991. Then, when the two Princes outgrew their small rear seats, she sold it to the Jaguar Heritage Trust.
‘The following year, Diana replaced the British-made XJ-SC with a German-made Mercedes 500SL – a controversial decision which caused quite a commotion at the time as no member of the Royal Family had purchased a foreign car in memory.’
- Jaguar I-Pace pre-production car taken on a 200-mile range test along the Californian West Coast
- Most northern point of the route took the car within close range of Tesla's factory in South Freemont
- Jaguar confirmed that prices and specification of its first all-electric premium car would be available in March
- It's expected to ring in at £60,000 - that's £10,000 less than the most affordable Tesla Model X on sale now
If Elon Musk had peered out of his California office window last week he might have caught a glimpse of the new electric car that's set to challenge his Tesla brand's market dominance.
The vehicle in question is Jaguar's 2018 I-Pace, an all-electric premium SUV that is set to undercut the most affordable Tesla equivalent - the Model X 75D - by £10,000 and wipe the floor with it in a game of Top Trumps.
The British manufacturer has been conducting final test on a pre-production car in the US, including a 200-mile drive along California's West Coast on a single charge, ahead of it going on sale in March with a price tag in the region of £60,000.
Tesla tester: Jaguar's heavily camouflaged I-Pace electric SUV completed final production-ready tests in California ahead of order books being opened in March
Jaguar engineers have been snapped taking the near production-ready I-Pace on a long-distance range test from Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles to Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, without having to stop to replenish electricity in the vehicle's Lithium-Ion battery.
The most northern point of that route took the I-Pace within 200 miles of Tesla's South Freemont factory, which looks set to produce some 500,000 Model S, Model X and Model 3 vehicles in 2018.
Jaguar said the US-based test was to mark the one-year anniversary of the I-Pace's debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show, though the zero-emissions sprint through California could easily have been a warning shot to Tesla that it will begin to face stiff competition from rival mainstream vehicle makers from 2018.
Buyers can even place a deposit on the car now, if they so choose.
The electric SUV was taken on a 200-mile range test to ensure it could cope with a long-distance trip on a single charge
While Jaguar hasn't confirmed any figures for the production model yet, the concept version of the I-Pace was said to have 396bhp
That's enough power to propel the zero-emissions car from 0 to 62mph in less than 4 seconds - almost a second quicker than the lowest-priced Tesla Model X
Jaguar said thousands of potential customers have already hit the ‘I want one’ button on its website to place a deposit or register a strong interest in the hotly anticipated electric SUV.
Not only does this guarantee them guestlist-like first access to the order books that open in March, but a lucky few will also help Jaguar's engineers conduct the final validation tests before the I-Pace is rubber-stamped for production.
Side by side: Tesla's Model X (left) is quite a bit bigger than Jaguar's I-Pace (right) and features 7 seats instead of 5 and Falcon-wing rear doors
The Jaguar I-Pace Concept debuted at the Los Angeles Motor Show last year and was back again in 2017. From the looks of the near production ready car, most of it looks very similar indeed
While no official figures have been revealed by Jaguar, the concept stats suggest the I-Pace could be a real headache for Musk and Tesla.
A maximum power output of 396bhp and 700 Nm of torque has been quoted, while sprints from a standstill to 62mph should take less than four seconds.
And with a range of 310 miles and a price tag starting from £60,000, it gazumps the most affordable Tesla Model X that's on sale today.
2018 Jaguar I-Pace vs 2017 Tesla Model X 75D
JAGUAR I-PACE
Available: Mid-2018
Price (claimed): from around £60,000
Power (claimed): 396bhp
Torque (claimed): 700Nm
0-62mph (claimed): less than 4 seconds
Top speed: n/a
Range (claimed): 310 miles
Doors: 5
Seats: 5
TESLA MODEL X 75D
Available: Now
Price: £70,500
Power: 256bhp
Torque: 249Nm
0-60mph: 4.9 seconds
Top speed: 130mph
Range: 259 miles
Doors: 5 (Falcon-wing rear doors)
Seats: 7A more comparable Model X would be the 100D with a claimed range of 351 miles - though that car costs from a whopping £87,200, some £27,000 more than the Jaguar is expected to retail for.
Ian Hoban, Jaguar Vehicle Line Director, said: 'After 1.5 million global test miles, the I-Pace is ready for production and is proven to deliver long distances on a single charge.
'Jaguar's first battery electric vehicle will also be fast to charge; our target is a zero to 80 per cent charge being achievable in a short break.'
Jaguar said the concept version of the I-Pace would be capable of covering 310 miles on a single charge. If the production car can replicate that figure it will go for 51 miles longer than a Tesla Model X 75
Jaguar said it conducted some of the car's final tests in the US to mark the first year anniversary of the concept car breaking cover
The car was hard to miss driving along Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles in this electric-shock camouflage, designed to hide the styling features of the vehicle
Full specification and pricing for Jaguar's electric performance SUV will be announced in March 2018 when the red tape for the order books is cut.
That means Elon Musk will have to wait another three months before learning if the I-Pace will be a real threat to his electric-vehicle empire.
Rare £15 MILLION 1961 Aston Martin crashed by racing legend Jim Clark is set to become the most expensive British car sold in Europe
- The 1961 Aston Martin is described as 'the most important DB4GT Zagato in history'
- It's 1 of 2 'works' cars and 1 of 19 DB4GT Zagatos made. It was raced by F1 champ Jim Clark in 1961 and 1962
- Clark famously crashed the car at Goodwood in 1962, colliding with John Surtees in a Ferrari 250 GTO
- It is estimated to sell for up to £15 million, which will make it the most expensive British car sold in Europe
- The rare racer will be auctioned at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale on 13 July
This 1961 Aston Martin is set to become the most expensive British car to sell in Europe when it goes under the hammer this summer - as it is expected to fetch as much as £15 million.
It's a DB4GT Zagato bathed in racing pedigree, driven - and crashed - by two-time Formula One World Champion Jim Clark and meticulously retained under single-family ownership for the last 47 years.
Described as 'the most important DB4GT Zagato in history', it will sold at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale on 13 July.
Bonhams estimates that this super-rate 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato will sell for more than £10 million at auction, though experts have priced it closer to £15 million
The auction house, which specialises in super-rare and ultra-exotic road cars and race machinery, said it is 'the most celebrated of all the Newport Pagnell marque's early 1960s Grand Touring cars, and arguably the most important of all designer and coachbuilder Carrozzeria Zagato’s creations'.
In order to become the most expensive British car sold in Europe it needs to exceed the £5,041,500 paid for a 1929 4.5-litre supercharged Bentley 'Blower' - also sold at a Bonhams auction at Goodwood - in 2012.
The most expensive British car sold globally is the 1956 Aston Martin DBR1, which achieved a staggering £17.5 million in Monterrey, California last year.
A Bonhams spokesperson said the Zagato would achieve more than £10 million when it goes in front of collectors in July. However, other experts have valued it closer to £15 million, which brings it within touching distance of DBR1.
So why is it this particular Zagato held in such high regard?
According to Aston Martin's records, it's one of two quasi-works cars - both of which were registered VEV, with this one being '2 VEV' - and one of only three ever to be made to a lightweight specification designed purely to dominate on the track.
Throw into the mix that it was also driven by one of the most iconic British racing superstars of all time, Jim Clark, and you begin to understand why it will command a price tag exceeding eight figures.
In it's heyday between 1961 and 1962 it competed in the GT World Championship against Ferrari's equally desirable 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO Berlinettas - vehicles that are also currently demanding multi-million-pound fees when made available to car collectors at auction.
Just 19 of Aston Martin DB4GT Zagatos were ever built, though none with as much racing heritage as this one
The Aston Martin has been described as 'the most important DB4GT Zagato in history
Clark and 2 VEV were involved in a collision with race leader John Surtees driving a Ferrari 250 GTO in the 1962 RAC Tourist Trophy race at Goodwood
It is one of just 19 DB4GT Zagatos ever made and was piloted by Clark in the RAC Tourist Trophy race at Goodwood - the place where it will return to when it goes under the hammer later this year.
Clark finished fourth behind team mate Roy Salvadori in the sister car - ‘1 VEV’ - in the 1961 race, but was involved in a multi-car pile-up when he returned the year after.
Just after re-joining the race following a pit stop in the 1962 race, Clark spun at Madgwick Corner in the path of race leader John Surtees’s Ferrari 250 GTO.
Bonhams announced the availability of the unique car during the Salon Retromobile classic vehicle event in Paris on Thursday
The car is one of two factory models created by Aston Martin - the other adorned with the plate '1 VEV'
Aston Martin already holds the record of producing the most expensive British car sold at auction - the DBR1, which went for £17.5 million in a US sale last year
The two cars collided and crashed into the safety bank, only to be joined a few laps later by Robin Benson’s Ferrari 250 GT SWB, which careered into both of them.
Little did they know that this three-car wreck would involve some of the most valuable 1960s motor vehicles in today’s market - combined they are easily worth in the region of £50 million at current prices.
And it wasn't the first time the factory-backed Aston Martin team had to rebuild VEV 2.
The achingly beautiful car had been repaired following a crash at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium earlier that year, where it was reconfigured to the latest DP209 racing specification.
If it sells for £15 million, it will be over 4,000 times more than the £3,600 paid by the owner who last bought it in 1971
The rare Aston Martin will be sold at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale on 13 July, having been in single-family ownership for the last 47 years
The car is steeped in racing history. Not only did 2 VEV take part in the 1961 and 192 GT World Championship, it was also entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Paris 1,000 Kilometres endurance races
The same vehicle was also raced in the 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the Paris 1,000 Kilometres - again driven by Jim Clark - where it finished sixth and returned to the Montlhéry circuit a year later, this time in the hands of the 1963 and 1965 F1 Champ and Sir John Whitmore.
James Knight, group motoring chairman at Bonhams, said: ‘Bonhams is absolutely delighted to be bringing this landmark vehicle to auction, which continues our history of offering the world’s most important and celebrated sports and collectors’ motor cars to market.
'It is, by some distance, the most valuable British motor car ever to be offered at a European auction, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this historically significant vehicle.’
Jim Clark piloted '2 VEV' to fourth position behind team mate Roy Salvadori in sister car ‘1 VEV’ in at the 1961 Tourist Trophy race at Goodwood
Jim Clark became Formula One World Champion in 1963 and 1965. He died at the age of 32 in 1968 during a racing accident at the Hockenheimring in West Germany
This 1929 4.5-litre supercharged Bentley 'Blower' - also sold at a Bonhams auction at Goodwood - is the most expensive British car sold in Europe. It went under the hammer for £5million in 2012
The car was last bought in 1971 for a fee of £3,600, meaning it has increased in value more than 4,000 times over.
Since retiring from competitive events, it has been kept under the same single caring stewardship for nearly 50 years.
That's not to say it has become a stranger to the track - a full Aston Martin factory restoration took place in the mid-90s and even today it remains ready for period racing events.
Bonhams said it is a rare opportunity to own 'one of the most charismatic, historically important and rarest of all great British racing GT cars, ex-Le Mans, ex-Goodwood TT, ex-Jimmy Clark and a truly great product of this most charismatic British marque, combining the best of British engineering with Italian styling flair'.
Last month, Aston Martin confirmed it would built 25 'new' DB4 GT cars as part of a continuation project.
Each one will be built at the historic home of the British marque in Newport Pagnell, where vehicle assembly ceased in 2007.
Each of the continuation cars will be worth around
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