Sitting between the X1 and X5, BMW’s X3 resides in the ‘sweet spot’ for buyers looking for some SUV practicality, but whose lifestyles don’t require a hulking offroader or seven-seat capacity.
And it’s a nice place to be, even in the entry-level xDrive20d. Retailing at $69,900 it’s the second most-affordable model in the X3 range (behind the petrol-powered X3 sDrive20i at $65,900), and the cheapest all-wheel drive variant. The M-Sport variant we have here costs a little more at $71,450, but that’s still a reasonable sum considering it offers healthy power and torque outputs of 140kW and 400Nm along with all-wheel drive.
There’s plenty of space for five people, and for families whose children have outgrown baby capsules and booster seats it’s ideal. Even gangly teenagers will find plenty of leg and headroom in the rear row, as we found out.
The cabin is finished to a very high standard as well. Our tester’s interior was fitted out with supple black leather (though other colour combinations are available), with an appropriately high-end feel to the switchgear and other interior trim pieces. Getting busy with the options list can see the price swell – and our car was equipped with more than a few optional extras, for an as-tested total of $80,450 – but the core offering is still excellent.
That said, we would like to have seen features like keyless entry, active cruise control and lane keep assist as standard on a vehicle at this price point.
However there’s plenty of high-tech stuff elsewhere to enjoy. Things like voice-activated controls, for one, an internet-enabled search capability that ties into the sat-nav, a self-parking function and ride-enhancing adaptive dampers. Do those features actually enhance the experience though? Are they hard to use? We hit the road to find out, and discover that once you get accustomed to the X3’s advanced infotainment system, those fancy electronics can definitely be a game-changer.
When it comes to EV support in terms of infrastructure we all know where Australia stands (hint: near the bottom). Sure, according to VFacts, and not including Tesla stats, less than 300 of the >1 million cars sold last year were EVs. But as we also know, an electrified future is inevitable.
Some manufacturers, like Jaguar with the i-Pace and Nissan with the Leaf, have stuck their neck out to bring more EVs to the market despite infrastructure woes. But Honda is instead planting its feet in the mud and shouting for better government support, or at least, a hard line on the future. Which is fair, and probably necessary.
What this means is, Europe and Japan will get the lovable (or disappointing to some) Urban EV Concept that debuted at Geneva, and sadly, as it stands, we may not. “We would love to see it in Australia,” says Honda Australia Director Stephen Collins. “And we are working on assessing the viability of it here.” But don’t hold your breath, until infrastructure and direction develops into “a level of maturity to support greater expansion” Honda won’t be taking any wild chances.
Honda is aiming for 25 per cent of their entire range in Australia to be electrified (either via hybrid or battery electric) by 2025. In Europe, however, the Japanese company says it will have an ambitious goal of only selling electrified cars by 2025, cementing the continent’s influence on the EV market. This means, globally, two-thirds of Honda’s new cars will be either hybrid, battery-powered hybrid, plug-in hybrid or a fuel cell vehicle.
“We sort of pioneered hybrids in Australia in many ways, with the original Insight,” says Honda Director Stephen Collins. “[Then] maybe three or four years ago, we basically quit all the hybrids and the reason we quit them, just to put it on the table, is that the market was so, so small … it’s still very small by the way and we’ll get to that … but we just couldn’t make it in the local setup and we have a lot of other issues and priorities in our business so we’ve decided to focus on our core which was non-hybrids.”
This year, Honda will make a return to hybrid with the new Accord (not counting the Sport Hybrid in the NSX) “The reality is that today, the electric market [hybrid], is still about 1.5 per cent of the total sales. So it’s still very small, but it’s clearly going to grow,” he continued. “Acceptance is improving, so in a nutshell, Accord will be the first full model change to offer on hybrid again and we’re looking at all full model changes in the future, whether we can provide a hybrid or an electric option.”
The question remains whether Australia’s stagnancy of EV adoption comes down to an upcoming federal election, Collins says it’s likely. “It was progressing pretty accurately I would say, until six months ago, and then it all stopped,” he said. “In reality, it won’t restart again until after the election. So, I think the car companies working through the FCAI think they’ve been pretty active in the last year and a half maybe in this space. The industry had been progressing well, then all plans were stopped and won’t restart, maybe for another at least six or nine months.”
Unfortunately, the unknown is the worst thing for the car companies, he points out (not to mention those already in love with the Honda E Prototype…) “When we don’t know what the targets are, what the timing is, it’s very difficult for us to be planning, so all we call for, whether it’s a Labour or Liberal government, is certainty on what’s going to happen, what are the targets, and what do we need to do. At the moment, there’s too much uncertainty. That’s bad for anyone’s business.”
Daniel Ricciardo bears the weight of expectation on his shoulders this weekend, with casual Australian observers of the first round of the 2019 F1 championship expecting the only local driver to perform well.
But, in a private interview with MOTOR, the Renault F1 Team’s boss Cyril Abiteboul said it’s more likely Renault is going to be chasing the top three teams – Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.
“I think we are closer with the top teams than we were last year, that’s good because that was part of the target,” Abiteboul revealed at a Renault Australia event on Thursday.
“What we feel is that we’re a very competitive mid-fielder… because you have to keep in mind that the competitive landscape has massively changed. There is no ‘small’ team anymore.
“We think we have the capacity to develop the car in such a way that we can create a gap from the midfield and reduce the gap to the top teams.”
He remains optimistic, though realistic, in that there’s always a chance for the midfield to break through to the podium, adding that a strong driver pairing is what Renault needs to take the opportunity when it’s presented.
“Over the past two years, apart from the top three teams, there was a podium from Williams, a podium from Force India, and we’ve beaten those two teams so we have the capacity to be on that podium also.
“What we need to make sure is to have the reliability and the drivers who, if there is an occasion, have the capacity to see seize that occasion.
“That’s what we’re capable of doing with Daniel and with Nico [Hülkenberg].”
But with Ricciardo’s times early on in practice on Friday leaving him in the back-half of the grid, and behind teammate Hülkenberg, it’s likely too early in the season for Ricciardo to have found a ‘groove’ that will allow him to find those rare podium opportunities.
Abiteboul says he hopes to see the drivers working well as a team and indirectly pushing each other to be better.
“I think if there is someone who can drive the charge the top three, that’s [Ricciardo].
“By delivering what he can, that’s also going to force Nico to raise his game. That’s also going to be incredibly exciting.
“I think they’re very complimentary, I can see that Nico can be extremely strong in qualifying, if not the best qualifier out there, and Daniel is maybe the best overtaker out there.”
You will have seen plenty of Abiteboul if you’ve watched the first few episodes of the Netflix series Formula 1: Drive to Survive. He was similarly frank in his discussion with MOTOR, and openly named Red Bull and Max Verstappen as targets for the team and Ricciardo to beat.
“You want to win against everyone, but I think in reality you have some targets… I think that some targets matter more than others.
“For us, beating Red Bull would be something, and I’m sure that for Daniel beating Max would be something.
“We just need to take that as an extra element of motivation.”
Of course, it would be excellent for the sport to see the Australian win in Melbourne this weekend, but Renault’s not holding its breath.
The BMW 3 Series rolled out globally in 1975 igniting a new premium high-performance sedan battle that still rages to this day. But while the Munich manufacturer certainly pioneered the market, it hasn’t always lead it.
Since the E21 3 Series launched 44 years ago, many rivals have attempted to take the mantle from BMW. Some have succeeded. Certainly from a sales perspective, Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class sedan is the current champion in Australia with nearly five Mercs sold for every BMW, but the 3 Series is not giving up the fight.
Now in its seventh generation, the G20 3 Series has arrived and it promises to mark a return to the core principles that put the original model on the map and made it a standard that so many have tried to emulate.
Value
Priced from $67,900, the new 320d diesel is only marginally more expensive than the equivalent F30 model that it replaces. Stepping up to the only other variant, the 330i, costs $70,900 which is exactly the same as the outgoing 330i petrol.
However, BMW claims it has packed in up to $12,000 worth of standard equipment compared with the previous model – we’ll get to that in the next section.
If you’re cross shopping other brands, the most affordable Mercedes C-Class sedan costs $63,400 for the C200 while the 320d-equivalent C220d is $64,900, while the C300, which bumps gloves with BMW’s 330i, costs $71,400.
Audi’s A4 starts from $56,100 with BMW 330i equivalent 45 TFSI Quattro costing $70,300 – although that car brings four-wheel drive versus the BMW and Mercedes’ rear drive.
Look outside the German brands and you’ll find an Alfa Romeo Giulia that kicks off from $58,895 and a Jaguar XE range priced from $60,500.
If fuel economy is high on your list of priorities then the diesel is certainly the variant to go for with a claimed WLTP consumption figure of 4.5 litres per 100km. That said, the 330i is still frugal returning a reported economy figure of 6.4L/100km.
2015 BMW 3 Series Video Review
Standard Features
Unlike some other global markets including Germany, which gets bare-bones versions of most BMW models, Australian customers enjoy a more equipment-rich offering, and both variants arrive in a choice of no-cost M Sport or Luxury Line specification.
The M Sport pack adds a sporty aerodynamic bodykit complimented by gloss black exterior trims, 18-inch alloy wheels for the 320d and a 19-inch version for the 330i which house beefier M Sport brakes with sports suspension.
Inside, the kit upgrades the roof liner to black, there’s a fatter steering wheel and aluminium trims.
The Luxury Line receives Vernasca leather upholstery in a choice of five colours (also standard for the M Sport), synthetic leather for the dash, a sports steering wheel, sports front seats and wood interior trims. Luxury Line wheels are also 18- and 19-inch respectively, but the 330i gets a design picked from the BMW Individual line of accessories.
Powering the 320d is a four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel which produces a respectable 140kW and 400Nm thanks to a pair of turbochargers which helps to improve engine responsiveness especially at low speeds.
The 330i also has a 2.0-litre four cylinder engine but uses petrol and a single turbo to produce 190kW and 400Nm. Both send power exclusively to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Other notable standard kit includes a fully digital instrument cluster, 10.3-inch central information touchscreen, USB-A and USB-C connectivity, wireless device charging, 10-speaker sound system and ‘professional’ navigation. Apple CarPlay is free for the first year and has to be purchased thereafter, while Android Auto is not offered.
330i customers get all of the above plus adaptive suspension, keyless entry, the largest 19-inch wheels and the Driver Assistance pack, which adds more safety and assistance systems plus a more detailed manoeuvring camera view.
Black and white are the only no-cost paint colours with all metallic finishes attracting an extra cost.
Size
Overall, the new 3 Series is 76mm longer, up to 43mm wider and sits 10mm lower than the previous model taking its dimensions to 4.7m long, 1.82m wide and 1.44m tall. That slots the 3 Series firmly into the mid-size sedan segment.
Its boot can accommodate 480 litres of luggage and tall adults just fit into the rear seats with little head or leg room to spare. The 3 Series’ proportions are easy to live with and present no challenges when parking or manoeuvring, although parking radar and a reversing camera are nice to have.
A family of four will be very happy for day-to-day duties aboard the 3 Series but loading up with four people plus their luggage may cause challenges for trips away if you intend to take anything more than suitcases.
Safety
Opt for the 320d and you’ll get forward collision mitigation technology which helps the car slow if a crash is imminent but full emergency braking that brings the car to a complete halt is only available as standard on the 330i. It is possible to upgrade the 320d to full autonomous braking with the Driver’s Assistant Package which costs $2400, which also bundles in Parking Assistant Plus and a tyre pressure monitor.
A head-up display is standard for all, as are LED headlights that can be upgraded to BMW’s proprietary Laser lights. Occupants in both variants are looked after by eight airbags and ‘run flat’ tyres are fitted as standard.
Comfort
From the driver’s seat, everything is pleasantly familiar. There’s the traditional 3 Series focus on the driver with an excellent seating position made possible by flexible seat adjustment and all instrumentation subtly angled toward the driver – a feature that has carried through from the original E21.
While the rear seats aren’t exactly cavernous, there is room for two adults plus one further body in the middle, although that scenario is best limited to shorter journeys. Touches such as cutting-edge USB-C sockets in the first and second row assert the new 3 Series’ position in the market as a modern and advanced machine.
There is some notable road noise on coarse surfaces but no more than you would expect from a vehicle running low-profile run-flat tyres. Commendably though, wind noise is almost completely absent, no doubt thanks in part to the super slippery drag co-efficient of 0.23.
The 3 Series manages to have a purposeful and firm ride that hints at its sporting intent without greatly impacting comfort while cruising.
Another feature that dramatically brings the new model into the technological forefront is its new voice control system which allows conversational commands to control vehicle comfort and entertainment features.
Simply addressing the car with a pre-determined alert (“hey BMW” is the default) activates a virtual personal assistant. Informing the car that you’re hot prompts the assistant to ask what temperature you would like the climate control set to. Saying you are hungry brings up a list of navigation results detailing nearby dining options.
The technology works eerily well and is a direct shot across the bow of Mercedes-Benz’s new MBUX system.
On the Road
Until the confirmed M340i and yet-to-be-confirmed-by-a-certainty M3 arrive, the 330i is the high-performance halo – but its credentials are strong enough for it to confidently hold its head high.
Two litres of turbo power and 190kW feels athletic and versatile on the road and even in the shadow of its more powerful siblings, the 330i should never be regarded as the soft option. Acceleration is strong and accompanied by a satisfying soundtrack.
Gear changes are dealt with deft smoothness and manual interventions are met with staunch obedience when using the steering wheel paddles, but it’s the chassis that really shines from under the handsome panel and paintwork.
A clever suspension hydraulic strut damper innovation is partly responsible for the almost defiant resistance to body roll, while the neutrality in front to rear balance is class leading. While the Mercedes C-Class has a fussy rear axle that is easily bothered by surface imperfections, the BMW’s is almost psychotically stoic by comparison.
Add to that a beautifully weighted steering system that seems to have banished the unsatisfying system of the previous model and you are looking at one of the best chassis set-ups to emerge from Munich in years.
Settle into a cruise when all the fun is over and the 3 Series becomes subdued and benevolent. It’s relaxing and intuitive and allows you to get on with enjoying the scenery or your company without distraction. What a dutiful and brilliant return to form that has been missing for at least one generation.
Verdict
The 2019 3 Series is, says BMW, ‘set to redefine the sports sedan segment’ and, a first meeting with the new model would suggest it indeed has the potential to wrench back a significant chunk of the fiercely competitive action from Mercedes.
While the previous generation didn’t do anything notably wrong, the premium sports sedan arena is not a place that can be dominated with a benign offering. Instead, BMW has returned to first principles and its new 3 Series is both a technological tour de force and a fitting tribute to the early model that started it all.
Tesla has finally unveiled its Model Y SUV in Los Angles today. Based on the budget Model 3 sedan, think of it as the 3’s crossover sibling specific to a popular niche – similar to what the new Mazda CX-30 is to the Mazda 3, but electric, of course. Company CEO Elon Musk said during the event that pricing for the Y will start from USD$39,000 in its home market, $4000 more than the Model 3, and will top out at around $60,000.
The compact SUV will compete against rivals such as the Hyundai Kona Electric, with the South Korean company expected to reveal pricing soon for Australian showrooms.
Unlike Tesla’s first SUV, the Model X, the Y is smaller and doesn’t get the controversial falcon wing doors, keeping construction simpler and costs down. Specs are yet to be confirmed, but the hottest variant will sprint from 0-100km/h in around 3.5sec, while slower variants will take up to 6. Driving range is just under 500km.
Despite concerns from industry analysts about production capacity, Musk said Tesla will attempt to buck historic production performance and get the Model Y into dealers and back on schedule this year. Musk also said he expects demand to exceed that of the Model 3 sedan, and given the strong market appetite for SUVs, it will likely be its best-selling model.
However, the question turns to what Tesla will do next, having almost completed the rollout of its “S3XY” model lineup. And that’s only if it can meet production expectations, which has been its Achilles heel. Read more in our initial analysis below:
When the oil has dried up and the combustion engine is nothing more than a holographic memoir at a museum where people touch a thing called the gear stick and are mesmerised by the mechanical workings of a six-stacker CD player, it will be Tesla that gets an exhibit all to itself.
A brilliant start-up that has revolutionised the automobile into the electric age, it is yet to be seen if it will be a brilliant car maker.
Its most important vehicle, the upcoming Model Y, is already beginning to feel like more than just the SUV equivalent of the Model 3. Not only will it be a lusted cut-price entry point to Tesla’s SUV range, it will be hard to get your hands on one.
Production timelines are slipping, and the vehicle that was scheduled to be fused together this year won’t go into production until at least 2020. According to documents leaked by Business Insider, it should be August, but as the Model 3 and its shanty tent production line showed, Tesla is still only half way through the book on how to build a car. To its credit, the US maker has increased production of that car dramatically, but at what cost?
On a recent trip to the States where the Model 3, that still eludes Australians, is running in the wild, yours truly had the displeasure of seeing the panel gaps and inconsistencies the rushed program has delivered.
It didn’t matter five years ago, just a short hop in automotive time, when fully-electric cars were more an environmentally friendly accessory than a viable alternative to the family car. But here we are just half a decade later and many of the big makers have delivered, or are at the cusp of, launching alternatives; the Jaguar i-Pace, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Audi e-tron, Hyundai Kona electric, Kia e-Niro and BMW iX3, built by established car makers with a reputation for being on time.
They’re also consistent. Tesla just last month announced it would close all of its dealerships and go to an online-only sales model with reduced pricing. It has now reneged and will keep its brick and mortar stores open, with the price of all its models except the Model 3 increasing by around 3 percent.
It smells a little of desperation from disorder, and comes at a key moment where rivals are about to enter the market. Even Tesla’s elusive ute, which was mentioned before the idea seemed practical, now has competition from another start-up Rivian, and the world’s best-selling pickup maker, Ford.
But now that Tesla has revealed its Model Y it’s worth considering the lead time between reveal and delivery into showrooms here in Australia. Remember, the Model 3 was first shown three years ago next month and there’s still no firm date when deliveries will commence Down Under.
Clearly Tesla has learned a lot about building cars in the interim, but the Model Y is the automotive equivalent of the iPhone, and public pining ignores some solid alternatives that are due to appear this year. Ones that you can actually buy.
The Gosford Classic Car Museum has closed down.
It’s sad news for enthusiasts, but for collectors there is a silver lining – hundreds of cars need new homes, and Lloyds is going to auction them off.
Representing Lloyds for the auction to wrap up on April 7 at the museum is former F1 world champion Alan Jones.
“This collection is one never to be forgotten,” Jones says.
“It is extremely special and admired by many collectors and enthusiasts across the globe, including myself”.
We’ve sifted through the list and pulled out a list of highlights from the Gosford Classic Car Museum collection that we think would look in the MOTOR garage, or in yours.
2017 Nissan R35 GT-R Nismo
With only 104km on the odometer, someone’s set to pick up an effectively-new GT-R.
A 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 makes it one of the fastest road cars getting around, even if it didn’t secure the enviable prime position when it joined us at PCOTY 2018.
The modern-day Godzilla is capable of incredible driving feats, and its bidding currently sits at just $157,000. There are three weeks to go, so we expect that to climb.
2016 Porsche 911 R
One of the rarest 911s around has already drummed up $261,000 during the auction so far at time of publish, with plenty more time for that to rise.
With 1321km showing, one of only 29 examples delivered to Australia is almost guaranteed to be one of the hottest lots in the auction.
2015 HSV GTS Maloo
This LSA-powered ute icon is up for grabs with delivery kilometres… making it essentially a new Maloo. Bidding hasn’t broken into six-figures yet, but its current $67,000 bid isn’t likely to last long.
2007 Maybach 57S
As one of only six, this S-Class-based Maybach made our list based on its rarity, rather than based on its tastefulness.
It does also have a Mercedes 6.0-litre V12, which everyone could do with a little bit of in their lives.
2006 Aston Martin DBRS9
Why wouldn’t you want a racecar in your garage?
One of only 26, this Aston racer was prepared by Prodrive in the UK and is ready to race in a GT3-spec race – though it never has.
It’s also only sitting on a $121,001 bid at time of publish. Bargain!
2006 Ferrari Superamerica
Six of these convertible Prancing Horses were delivered to Australia, and this one appear to be in pristine condition.
The current bidder is hoping $280,000 will be enough to get access to that glorious V12.
2002 Porsche 911 GT2
The 996 GT2 is a proper race-bred road car, and as predecessor to the 2019 Performance Car of the Year it’s part of an important lineage for Porsche.
This one’s been around the block a few times with 40,047km on the odometer, but that’s not stopping bidders – $180,000 is the top bid at time of writing.
1999 Lamborghini Diablo SV
One of a limited 100-car run of Diablo SVs, and even fewer right-hand drive versions, this Italian V12 was imported from the UK where it was sold new – thus its 18,607 mile odo reading rather than a 29,938km reading.
$162,000 is the current bid for this loud and proud Raging Bull.
1993 Porsche 928 GTS
Not the most desirable Porsche, but one of the most accessible, the 928 is starting to pick up in popularity.
This is a GTS, so it’s a little rarer with only 621 having been built according to Gosford Classic Cars. Its V8 has helped it travel 109,057km, so it’s not pristine, but its bidding has still reached $48,000 so far.
1992 Ferrari Testarossa 512TR
The Red Head, here in its traditional Rosso Corsa, is probably one of Ferrari’s most recognisable cars. This particular Testarossa is currently sitting on a $155,001 bid, and looks stunningly tidy throughout.
It’s almost like it was part of a museum collection!
1985 Lamborghini Countach 5000 QV
This V12-powered lairy Lambo is asking a lot at the moment, with $232,000 sitting as the highest bid, but for that someone is getting a car that’ll turn just about every head in sight.
Just about everything is original, and in its 34 years has travelled just shy of 70,000km.
1980 Holden/HDT VC Brock Commodore
Almost any car with ‘Brock’ in its name is destined to be snapped up by a collector, but with 125,430km on the odo this VC has done a few rounds, making it a potential bargain.
Although, with its current bid of $74,000, that might depend on your definition of ‘bargain’.
1976 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB
The Ferrari currently commanding the highest bid of the marque is this 365 GT4 Berlinetta Boxer.
With only 33,036km travelled since 1976, it’s no surprise the current bid is $322,773.
It’s one of only 88 right-hook versions of the GT4 BB, according to Gosford, with this car having been sold new in Parramatta in ’75.
Volkswagen might be feeling a pinch of pressure as it amps up to launch its next-gen Golf.
No matter what it says, the German maker is under the microscope to get the eighth-generation model right. But a delayed launch that sees the model’s reveal pushed out to next year sometime points to potential snags at Wolfsburg.
Confirming reports that it has cancelled the model’s debut at the 2019 Frankfurt motor show in September, the maker says that tighter wallets around Christmas time will deflate the Golf’s chances of success, though it’s fair to assume the 82-year-old company would already have its head around launch timing with clear farsightedness.
“We think it’s better to come early next year with a full-throttle offensive,” explained VW sales and marketing director, Jürgen Stackmann to Automotive News.
“It doesn’t have anything to do with production. It’s a sales decision since you don’t try to put cars under the Christmas tree when no one is paying attention.”
But according to a report by European newspaper Bild, boardroom sources have said that there are technical bugs to resolve. Key might be German rival Mercedes-Benz putting its thumb on a technological pressure point, with its new A-Class hatch a technology-laden delight.
VW’s new Golf reportedly rides on a modified version of the MQB platform with 48-volt hybrid drivetrain options, and adds full-digital displays and constant cellular connectivity to rival Mercedes-Benz’s MBUX infotainment system. Interior controls for items such as the wipers and headlights are also reported to have changed to touchscreen controls.
Last year, VW small car boss Karlheinz Hell confirmed the new Golf would be a major step forward.
“The next Golf will take Volkswagen into the era of fully connected vehicles with extended autonomous driving functions,” he said.
“It will have more software on board than ever before. It will always be online and its digital cockpit and assistance systems will be the benchmark in terms of connectivity and safety.”
But for kerb appeal, the Golf is only an evolutionary change, with a familiar face housing thinner LED headlights and grille. As such, the all-electric, all-new VW ID Neo that was to debut alongside the Golf won’t steal its thunder.
All is not lost for local fans of the popular badge, with VW Australia confirming to Wheels that it is still on time to launch the Mk8 Golf here in the third-quarter of 2020. And better yet, is that the both the hot GTI and even hotter R will arrive before that year’s end.
“We’re still on track for early Q3 2020 at which time we’ll launch GTI together with the broader range with R to follow later in the year,” said a spokesperson.
Miles, fluid ounces, quarts, pound-feet, bushels, gills: measuring anything in the US is a minefield if you come from the rest of the world. In a belated attempt to gently introduce Americans to the notion of things divisible by ten, Cadillac has unveiled its latest badging system. Yep, it’s a metric measure of torque.
Now bear with us on this one, because explaining torque in and of itself can be a work up. You can try all you like to explain that it’s merely the twisting force that tends to cause rotation and that torque can be written as T = F * r * sin(theta), with units expressed in newton-metres, but perhaps the easiest thing to do is hold up a picture of a Dodge Demon cremating its tyres. See? Torque.
You’re probably still trying to figure out exactly why Cadillac should choose newton-metres rather than pound-feet as a nomenclature plastered on the back of its wares, but we have a simple suspicion. Newton-metres look bigger. After all, the ‘400’ badge on the back of the all-new XT6 crossover would otherwise only read ‘295’ in lb/ft. Why would you have 295 when you can get another 105 for nothing besides a tall-stack of chin-scratching confusion?
We still think they’ve missed a trick. By going to millinewton-metres instead, they could have had a ‘400,000’ badge on the back of the crossover and that, by any casual observation, is an amount of torque you would surely think twice about trifling with in a joust for a parking spot at Costco.
Cadillac President Steve Carlisle, in an interview with Detroit Free Press, outlined the logic, saying that “as turbocharged engines and electrification technologies become more prevalent, torque is a better representation of available power than the current system that uses displacement.
“The new system uses a three-digit badge representative of torque output in newton meters (Nm) rounded to the nearest 50. Cadillac chose newton metres rather than the more common U.S. measurement of pound-feet because Cadillac is a global brand and more of the world is on the metric system,” he explained.
Wearing dark overalls, a blue baseball cap and a paper face mask, former Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn exits the Japanese detention centre where he has been locked up for 108 days, slipping past the media scrum like a scene in a Hollywood heist.
Escorted into a silver Suzuki work van with an entourage of disguised prison guards surrounding him, the Frenchman makes his escape – almost.
Most of the media waiting outside missed the chance to capture the man behind one of Japan’s biggest stories of corporate misconduct, but a few eagle eye snappers caught the disgraced former boss in all his undignified glory. It was a failed plan, and Ghosn’s new star defence lawyer Takashi Takano later confessed, “as a result of my juvenile plan, the reputation he built up over a lifetime was smeared with mud.”
However, Takano, Japan’s most respected defence lawyer who is a staunch critic of the tough Japanese justice system, might be the only man in the country who can help Ghosn. Before his release, the disgraced chairman had his application for bail denied, twice. His third attempt was successful, on a bond of $12.5 million and thanks to the newly hired ace.
Takano had to negotiate hard with both Ghosn and the Japanese legal system, agreeing on terms that see the Frenchman restricted to a meek lifestyle, but one that now lets him live with his family.
Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn arrested and fired for “significant acts of misconduct”
Under 24-hour surveillance and effective house arrest in a Tokyo residence like a modern-day Rapunzel, Ghosn only leaves his wife and daughter to see Takano, where he is also allowed restricted access to the internet and all of his movements and interests are under the scrupulous watch of Japanese authorities.
Likewise, his mobile phone is restricted to critical calls, and the former Renault boss who still remains on the company’s board, is not allowed to make any contact with members at Nissan.
Ghosn says that the lengthy trail in front of him, where he faces three charges relating to fraud and dishonourable conduct, are “plot and treason” against him by Nissan, to stop his aggressive plan to gain control of the Japanese giant.
Indeed, the manufacturer has found a more appreciable balance in the newly formed board of the existing alliance, announced this week.
Bailed from bankruptcy in 1999, Nissan has Renault to thank for its revival to power. But the Japanese maker has been looking to breakaway from Renault’s clutch since Ghosn integrated the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance as a global company under a joint venture led by himself.
The new board consists of Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa, Renault CFO Thierry Bolloré, and Mitsubishi chief executive Osamu Masuko. In a statement, the Alliance explained that the new structure will be fairer.
“The operating decisions taken by the Alliance Board will be consensus-based, furthering the Alliance’s “win-win” approach.
“The creation of the new Alliance operating board is designed to help Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors become what they can be together – the top organization in the rapidly changing and highly competitive global auto market.”
It appears that all parties are satisfied, except for Ghosn, who will likely fade into existence until the gavel knocks.
This week, Cam returns to the WCW studio joining Dan and Scotty for a look back at the week as well as a little glance forward into the motorsport year.
Kicking off the show, the nation’s law enforcement agencies are slowly replacing the aging home-grown fleet with imported hardware and we explore the latest hardware to pull on a stab-vest, holster a sidearm and flash its badge.
Later, Cam talks us through what we can expect from the 2019 Formula One championship and conclude that it’s totally impossible to predict. Also in the discussion – is the sport too exclusive, too elitist, too confusing and too dull?
In sad news, the Gosford Classic Car Museum has shuttered its doors with every exhibit up for grabs. Join us as we discuss the most interesting and absurd models going up for auction as well as the ones we would drive away in – if journalists were paid more.
And we round out the tenth episode of WCW with a look at the new BMW 3 Series which launches in its seventh generation locally this week. Does the venerable model honour the original that ignited the driver’s luxury sedan segment 44 years ago? And can it worry the Mercedes C-Class sedan that is running away in the modern day market.
If you’re on the run or in the car, find the WhichCar Weekly podcast on iTunes or Podbean and follow the WhichCar team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – @whichcarau.
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