Category: Car News

European premiere in Brussels for the new 911 Carrera 2S and 911 Carrera 4S

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car News, Car presentations, Lifestyle, New Models

In 2019, Porsche will once again be found in Palace 1 of Brussels Expo, exclusively reserved for the prestigious Dream Cars exhibition. This year this ‘expo-in-the-expo’ will be held throughout the Brussels Motor Show. After 2018, a commercially quite successful year with no less than 3,222 Porsches were registered in Belgium, Porsche presents the eighth generation of the mythical 911 in a European premiere.

Two versions are shown to the Belgian public: the 911 Carrera 2S and the 911 Carrera 4S. The impressive Porsche booth, 600 m2 in size, will undoubtedly become the main attraction of Palace 1.

11 cars on the stand

The three 911 type 992, undeniably the stars of the 97th Brussels Salon, are in good company.

The Panamera GTS and Sport Turismo are pinnacles of GT comfort, style and speed… 

Thanks to the 718 Boxster & 718 Cayman, Macan, Cayenne and Panamera, the entire Porsche range can be admired from 19 to 27 January.

Soon we tell you more about the magnificent 911 in our columns, so stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Lexus: hybrid premium class at the Brussels Motor Show

Posted in Automobilia, Car News, Car presentations, New Models

Lexus has always been synonymous with luxury and hybrid propulsion. But besides stunning technology and design, there is also reliability. This bodes well for our 2012 Lexus CT 200h which will soon join our stable and we will use with pleasure for years to come. But did you know that Lexus was chosen as the most reliable car brand in a survey of ‘Test Aankoop’ at no less than 9,000 Belgians and at the French consumer organization ‘Que Choisir’, which was based on a survey among 37,000 consumers?  The brand also came first again in the ‘J.D. Power 2018 Vehicle Dependability Study ‘of most reliable brands. It is also worth noting that 99.9% of all models that Lexus sells in Belgium are self-charging hybrids.

The elegant UX 250h, aiming  at the urban explorer, and a trendsetter in its class…

Lexus will present in Brussels the seventh generation Lexus ES 300 h as a European première. It has besides new styling also a completely revised and new GA-K (Global Architecture) platform, and has the 2,5 l engine mounted in its hybrid system. It is also elected by the Euro NCAP as Europe’s safest car in the Hybrid and electric cars/big sedans category. Its low CO2 emissions make it very interesting tax-wise.

The beautiful Lexus RC has some interior and dashboard refinements, introduced at the Paris Salon, and last but not least we will stand eye to eye with the UX 250h, aiming elegantly at the urban explorer. It is the first Lexus to use the GA-C or Global Architecture Compact platform.

It is all to see at the Palace 4 of the Brussels Motor Show, just take a look at the photos for now…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

 

We drove the Toyota Mirai: part 2

Posted in Car News, Car Tests, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle, New Models, Our Cars, prototypes

Driving is believing, the saying goes. And at first, we almost couldn’t believe it: this Mirai just drives as smoothly and zestfully as an electric car. Which, actually, it is. Only, it does not take its electricity from batteries, but from a fuel cell. That is indeed, the major difference. This means, that you can refuel it in minutes, and then drive for another 340 kilometers or so. Just like an ordinary petrol engined car. Only it emits water, and nothing else.

Driving it was a refined and thoroughly enjoyable experience, just read on…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Continue reading “We drove the Toyota Mirai: part 2” →

We drove the Toyota Mirai: the future has truly arrived…Part 1

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle, New Models, Our Cars, prototypes

What better automotive adventures than to spend the last days of the year behind the wheel of a Toyota Mirai? None, we would say. After having enjoyed the smooth and refined qualities of this Mirai – which is Japanese  (未来) for future-  we are truly convinced that Toyota has fully succeeded  to build a thoroughly stunning, reliable, useable fuel cell vehicle, which offers everyday practicality, comfort and a unique driving experience. In this first part, we show and explain its stunning technology.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

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Enjoy a virtual drive in the BMW Vision iNEXT…

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Concept Cars, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the BMW Group will showcase the future of driving pleasure and the potential of digital connectivity in a variety of different ways. From January 8-11 2019, visitors will have their first chance to take a virtual drive in the BMW Vision iNEXT, accompanied by the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. In this way, the BMW Group is underlining its innovative capabilities in the fields of design, automated driving, connectivity, electrification, and services (D+ACES), which are all defined as key areas of future activity in its corporate strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT.

The vision vehicle will be displayed alongside a sophisticated mixed-reality installation that, for the first time, provides a virtual and immersive impression of what it is like to drive autonomously, emission-free, and fully connected in the BMW Vision iNEXT.

To begin the simulation, the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant suggests an agenda for the day and plans the activities for the trip perfectly. See the photo here above.

With virtual reality goggles and a specially-designed spatial concept, visitors are able to immerse themselves in this virtual world: Initially, they drive the BMW Vision iNEXT themselves, but the vehicle soon takes over the driving function. In autonomous “Ease” mode, the driver interacts with the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, which makes suggestions and controls various digital services for the driver – from videoconferencing, to shopping, to smart home functions.

You don’t have to steer this wheel all the time: soon the vehicle takes over…

Quite an experience! For the moment, we can only show you some photos…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Alpine A 110: The pinnacle of French sporting panache

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Lifestyle, New Models

Alpines have always been iconic cars for us. How we loved the Berlinette rally cars of the 60’s and 70’s with their fluent contours, their growling sound, their speed, indeed, their panache. Building a modern successor with the same look, qualities and character is no small challenge. But Alpine, conceived as a standalone business unit within Groupe Renault, has succeeded, and how…

We already enjoyed this formidable thoroughbred at the latest Zoute Grand Prix GT Tour, where your servant had the privilege to be invited by Anja Van der Borght to be her co-driver at this event. You can read about this exhilarating experience in our columns. You can easily imagine our delight when the dynamic PR people of  Renault Belux offered us a regular test drive in their French racing blue Alpine. Just read on…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Continue reading “We drove the Alpine A 110: The pinnacle of French sporting panache” →

We drove the VW Touareg Tiptronic III 3.0 V6 TDI: a very impressive flagship…

Posted in Car News, Car Tests, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle, New Models

State of the art technology is more than ever the hallmark of Germany’s largest automaker. Its Touareg opened more than a decade ago the era of the luxury high performance SUV brimming with sophistication and avant-garde mechanics. VW wants to maintain this tradition, and indeed, its latest generation Touareg has what it takes to set again new standards in its segment. This new flagship is now amongst us, and it is a formidable car, sharing its platform with the Bentley Bentayga and the Lamborghini Urus… Need we say more?

We drove for you here the version with the supersmooth and velvety powerful 3 liter V6 diesel engine, which again proves brilliantly how good modern diesels have become. It is coupled to an equally superb 8 speed Tiptronic and features as standard equipment the 4MOTION all wheel drive. All this warrants a delightful driving experience, and indeed that’s what it proved to be… Just read on.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Continue reading “We drove the VW Touareg Tiptronic III 3.0 V6 TDI: a very impressive flagship…” →

We drive the Toyota Mirai into 2019…

Posted in Car News, Car Tests, Future car technology, Future technologies, New Models

The future has begun. We were therefore quite delighted when the dynamic PR department of Toyota Belgium offered us a test drive of its revolutionary Mirai into the new year. The first acquaintance was already quite promising, the first kilometers were enjoyed behind its wheel in utter refinement and comfort, with the Mirai being a breeze to cruise, drive and park.

Soon you will read more about our experience with this car, which is making a totally ‘mature’ impression, and brimming with new technology.

More news about long-term hybrid driving might be coming in these columns, as we are looking to replace our faithful 23 year old Volvo 850 with a (used) Toyota Hybrid, and report to you about our findings in long-term daily use.

Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the new Toyota Aygo II: iconic and young as ever…

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Lifestyle, New Models

We took “our” Aygo to Paris, to the charming 7th Arrondissement, Rive Gauche, and were not disturbed by the “Yellow Vests”, who had then their first weekend of demo’s in Paris… a lot of asian people admired the Aygo: we parked it here in front of a Korean restaurant! 

We told you already many times in these columns: (sub)compact cars are so cleverly designed and built, that they are stunning examples of what (modern) automobiles can do, and they offer unique qualities when it comes to economy, agility, performance and sheer driving pleasure. When one also considers that they cost and depreciate less than bigger cars, then you will agree with us that one is well advised to take a (very) close look at them. One of these formidable cars is the Toyota Aygo. It has been with us since 2005, but has been updated in 2008 and 2012, and now its iconic X design has been made more three-dimensional, to add still more liveliness and character to the car. But also the interior and the mechanics have been revised. Just read on…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

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We drove the new Fiat 500X in Turin

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Lifestyle, New Models

The second generation Fiat 500X stands proudly here in front of the administrative buildings of its 1919 Fiat Lignotto factory, a noble and unique setting for its iconic crossover…here painted in beautiful matte finished metallic light blue, officially dubbed Matt Jeans Blue 

Fiat is going from strength to strength with its elegant compact crossover, ranking in the top 5 in Europe and leader in Italy, and you have undoubtedly read our test report of the latest generation 500X with its marvelously efficient 1.0 litre “Firefly” petrol engine. We were very impressed by its mechanical refinement, its liveliness and frugality. This time we had the opportunity to try out the second “Firefly” engine in the range, notably the 1,3 liter 150 HP four cylinder version, mated to the 6 speed DCT dual clutch automatic transmission.

It proved to be also marvelously smooth and well up to the task. Power delivery was quite impressive indeed as was mechanical refinement and last but not least economy.

We stayed for the presentation in the NH Hotel, magnificently integrated in the original Lignotto factory building… full of elegance, history and character. 

We visited at this occasion also the original Lignotto Fiat factory building, and stood eye to eye with the grand and noble architectural and automotive tradition of the Turin brand. More about this in a following report soon, and early next year a specific visit to Turin and the Fiat factories will follow, not to forget the Agnelli’s art collection…

Just read on…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Continue reading “We drove the new Fiat 500X in Turin” →