Car presentations – Page 31 – Autoprova

Kia launches EV-Niro…

May 4, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, E-mobility R &D and solutionsLeave a comment

Kia has today unveiled a new all-electric version of Niro at the 5th International Electric Vehicle Expo in Jeju, Korea. It is due to receive its European debut at the Paris Motor Show in October 2018.

The car was developed at Kia’s design centres in California, USA and Namyang, Korea and took inspiration from the the Niro EV Concept unveiled at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It has a rather futuristic air intake and arrowhead-shaped LED daytime running lights, and looks overall pleasingly muscular.

The Niro EV is powered by Kia’s next-generation electric vehicle powertrain, using new production technologies developed specifically for Kia EVs. Equipped with a high-capacity 64 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack, the Niro EV will be able to drive over 450 km on a single charge with zero emissions, or more than 300 km on an optional 39.2 kWh battery system, according to the manufacturer.

The Niro EV will go on sale in Korea during the second half of 2018, and as said, will be seen in Paris!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The new Porsche Cayenne has now a plug-in hybrid version…

May 4, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, E-mobility R &D and solutionsLeave a comment

The next stage in Porsche’s road to (full) e-mobility is the Cayenne E-Hybrid. While the power of the 3 litre V6 engine moderately improves on its predecessor by five kW (Seven hp) to 250 kW (340 hp), the performance of the electric engine is now over 43 per cent higher at 100 kW (136 hp). Both combine for a total system power of 340 kW (462 hp).

Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

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Mercedes brings all-new A Class: small is now (very) big…

May 3, 2018Posted in Car Events, Car News, Car presentationsLeave a comment

Mercedes-Benz A 180 d, Progressive, mountaingrau, Leder macchiatobeige/schwarz.;Kraftstoffverbrauch kombiniert: 4,5-4,1 l/100 km; CO2-Emissionen kombiniert: 118-108 g/km* Mercedes-Benz A 180 d, Progressive, mountain grey, Leather macchiato beige/black;Fuel consumption combined: 4,5-4,1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 118-108 g/km* — The Mercedes-Benz A 180 d, more stylish than ever in mountain grey, ;Fuel consumption combined: 4,5-4,1 l/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 118-108 g/km.

The smallest Mercedes is more than ever a true Mercedes. It breaks not only new ground in body styling, also its new cabin layout is a big step forward, and then we said nothing about its formidable touchscreen and enhanced connectivity and infotainment, which was hitherto unseen in its class. An important Mercedes, and therefore we tell you here more about it…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

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DS X E-TENSE: a designer’s dream to drive in 2035…

April 27, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Autonomous driving, Car News, Car presentations, Concept Cars, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future technologies, LifestyleLeave a comment

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

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The Mercedes-Maybach star shines in Peking…

April 26, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Concept Cars, Future technologiesLeave a comment

Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, Auto China 2018 Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, Auto China 2018 — Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury, Auto China 2018

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

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The Z Story continues – images of an exhibition

April 15, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car presentations, History in photosLeave a comment

Early this year BMW Belux organized a remarkable exhibition in its BMW Brand Store in Brussels.

It was the 11^th edition of the BMW Art & Design Sessions, and this time it focused on the iconic roadster age which changed automotive history forever since 1955.

The show was close to breathtaking with on display the very exclusive BMW 507, a pristine Z1, (see photo here above)

a BMW Z3, a Z4 cabrio and coupé, and last but not least a BMW Z8 (well known from the James Bond films).

Of course, one looked also to the future, with an exclusive presentation of the BMW Concept Z4.

We just let you admire our photos here…

Art and design in the BMW Brand Store

Just a few words more about this Brussels BMW Brand Store, situated at the Boulevard de Waterloo. It started life as an Experience Center of the German premium brand, and on January 21 2015 this BMW Brand Store launched the concept ‘Art & Design Sessions’.

Within this concept, an artist or designer presents his work and meets invited people in an exclusive event. The Antwerp photographer Marc Lagrange, designer Xavier Lust, artists Yann Guitton and Hervé Poulain, Nicolas Destino and last but not least iconic photographer Terry O’Neill filled the first editions of the Art & Design Sessions in the BMW Brand Store.

Just for the record, Hervé Poulain is the retired French racing driver and professional auctioneer who instigated the BMW Art Project, where artists could use BMW automobiles as their canvas. In 1975 he commissioned Alexander Calder to paint the first BMW Art Car…

As said, enjoy my photos!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Seat Arona Excellence 1.6 TDI 95 HP and 1.0 TSI 115 HP: it does your thing…the right way!

April 2, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car TestsLeave a comment

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

Continue reading “We drove the Seat Arona Excellence 1.6 TDI 95 HP and 1.0 TSI 115 HP: it does your thing…the right way!” →

We drove the Renault Espace 160 dCi EDC Initale Paris: your noble transport.

March 21, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car TestsLeave a comment

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

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We drove the Renault Alaskan 190 HP dCi auto: a sturdy gallic companion for all your roads…

March 11, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, LifestyleLeave a comment

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

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We drove the new Nissan Leaf: more power, more range, and more style.

February 25, 2018Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Future car technologyLeave a comment

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.” →