DS designers were asked what their dream car would look like within 17 years. New forms, new materials, new technologies. The team came up with a truly stunning result: The fruit of their collective fantasy and out of the box thinking is DS X E-TENSE, a car with stylish refinement and very bold solutions indeed…
Just look at the photos and read further, and be amazed…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Continue reading “DS X E-TENSE: a designer’s dream to drive in 2035…”
The “Auto China 2018” in Beijing is a special showcase for the top manufacturers of this world. The brand with the iconic star presents here something truly unique: the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury.
A stunning crossover, based on an exclusive high-end saloon and an SUV. The show car combines the comfort and typical strengths of both body styles. These include the raised seating position and the athletic looks. The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury is conceived as an electric vehicle with four compact permanent-magnet synchronous motors and fully variable all-wheel drive.
As our love for iconic and trendsetting automobiles is boundless, we tell you’re here more about it…just read on!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Continue reading “The Mercedes-Maybach star shines in Peking…”
The new Volvo XC60 midsize SUV has been named World Car of the Year 2018 at the New York Auto Show, and it also scooped the prestigious North American Utility of the Year Award earlier this year, while the XC40 small SUV was named European Car of the Year at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month.
The World Car of the Year win is the first in this competition for Volvo Cars, and you can understand that this brought some very smiling faces…
These two accolades come hot on the heels of Mr Samuelsson’s World Car Person of the Year recognition, awarded by the same panel of international media in Geneva earlier this month. Mr Samuelsson was given this inaugural award in recognition of his work in driving the success of Volvo Cars in recent years.
The 2018 European Car of the Year award for the XC40 follows other recent recognition, including the Car of the Year award by leading UK automotive publication “What Car?”
The XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new compact modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all upcoming cars in the 40 Series, including fully electrified vehicles. Co-developed together with Geely, CMA provides the company with the necessary economies of scale for this segment.
In 2017, the company announced its commitment to electrify all Volvo Cars launched from 2019. In line with this leadership position in electrification, a hybridised as well as a pure electric powertrain option for the XC40 will be added later.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
When it comes to compact and bigger SUV’s, Skoda has some formidable cards up its sleeve. Its SUV’s all look pleasing and well proportioned, and are strong contenders in their respective segments. For the successor of the Yeti, Skoda opted for more mainstream styling, to win the hearts of ever more followers. It also offers even more room. Our test car came with the trusty two litre diesel engine, cleverly coupled to the 7-speed 4×4 DSG transmission. Clearly showing us again how smooth, powerful and thrifty modern powertrains have become…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The Tiguan is an absolute bestseller in its home country, and VW decided to widen its appeal by offering a longer version, which allows it to be a 7 seater, or rather 5+2 as VW calls it, as the extra two seats are meant for smaller kids. The Tiguan has gained in stance and elegance with this elongated body, and it was also for us an opportunity to drive the latest generation Tiguan, and again be amazed by its chassis, suspension and the state of the art petrol engined drivetrain…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Continue reading “We drove the Tiguan Allspace 1.4 TSI DSG: the beauty of space…”
Compact SUV and crossovers are all the rage nowadays, and the VW Group has many irons in the fire in this segment. Under the Seat brand it offers in the B segment the well styled Arona, which not only pleased us with its pure, angular contours, but also with the way it drives, handles and performs, and offers lots of pleasure to the whole family.
This test drive also amply showed us the high level of engineering and well honed workmanship which went into this Arona, and last but not least how good modern day diesel and petrol engines have become…
Just read further!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
French diplomats and heads of state use it for ceremonies and their daily business: indeed, this car has earned its marks amongst people which matter. And rightly so. Laurens van den Acker and his styling people succeeded in giving the latest generation of the Renault flagship people carrier this style and panache which sets it out from the crowd. But the latest Renault Grand Espace does not only please the eye. It also has qualities which make it enviable to own and drive. Just read on…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Continue reading “We drove the Renault Espace 160 dCi EDC Initale Paris: your noble transport.”
Pickups are all the rage, and they have already inspired entire nations, like the USA for instance. They evoke the lure of wide open spaces, and also Europeans find this ever more attractive. Therefore, it is only logical that Renault uses the opportunities of its alliance with Nissan to add a formidable pickup to its range which bears many similarities with the Nissan Navara NP 300. This Alaskan was initially unveiled in Colombia in 2016 and is already a success in Latin America’s long-standing pick-up market, the Renault Alaskan went on sale in Europe in September 2017. We drove it for you with the powerful 190 HP 2,3 liter diesel engine. Making a strong statement wherever you go…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The writing is on the wall. Diesel powered cars are “out”. Many companies now only allow their staff to choose petrol engined cars as their company car. Indeed, leasing companies in our country now push their corporate clients to do so. Soon we will be assisting at a massive resale value loss of diesel engined cars all over Europe, with the average European car owner, the majority of which own a diesel, paying the bill. Actually, this is already happening.
This loss in resale value also threatens the quality cars made in Germany, despite their longevity and mechanical stamina. This is the last thing they want to see. On top of that comes the ban on diesel cars in cities, which is now legally possible in Germany. In the light of all these uncertainties, who wants to purchase an expensive (German made) diesel with an expected long service life?
So something has to be done, in order to save the millions of owners of (German) diesel cars of financial disaster and even the possibility that they are not able to use their car any more for worry free urban mobility.
Audi has worked on it, since 2014. They come up with “clean” e-gasoline and e-diesel fuel. After this report here was published on our site, we talked to the Audi people in Germany, and they added some further comments based on out further questions. Just read on what they have achieved so far, and find their answers at the end of our report…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The Leaf has certainly come of age, and this amply shows. The new Leaf has a more dynamic shape, with more sleek lines and bolder profiles. But that is not all. Advanced technologies, as Nissan calls it, have also been built in this new Leaf. Like an e-Pedal and ProPILOT autonomous drive technology, which is further enhanced with ProPILOT Park. We could extensively test it all at the presentation held by the dynamic people of Nissan BeNeLux recently.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Continue reading “We drove the new Nissan Leaf: more power, more range, and more style.”
Autoprova - for the Connaisseur 