Category: Car presentations

Stellantis Belux unveils cars and future plans in a multi-brand car show …  

Posted in Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Environment, Future car technology, Interviews, New Models, prototypesTagged , , , Leave a comment

Indeed, the  Management and PR team of Stellantis Belux, welcomed recently the Press and B2B to a, called ‘House of Innovation’.

A fitting initiative, set up in the absence of the Brussels Motor Shows, keeping the tradition in our country of a traditional show period and at the same time providing a platform for unveiling the latest innovations, concept cars and the future direction of the Stellantis brands.

Needless to say we were very keen to attend this event, giving your servant also the opportunity to have several interviews with the managers of several brands, which we will present soon on our columns. Here in this first report about this “Kickoff Press conference” we will focus on the future strategy of Stellantis and its plans for the Belux market. Just read further!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The event started with an inspiring introduction by Florian Kraft, CEO of Stellantis Belux…

…followed by interactive brand presentations and workshops. “This event symbolizes our continued pursuit of innovation and progress in the automotive world. We are excited to share our latest developments and our vision for the future with the press and our valued customers and partners,” said Florian Kraft, CEO.

Florian Kraft first pointed out the four core targets of the Stellantis “Dare Forward strategic plan 2030.” This plan will move Stellantis into a sustainable mobility tech company.

The first target is reducing its carbon footprint by 50 % in total CO2 emissions per vehicle compared with 2021, on the path to achieving carbon net zero in 2038. This then includes not only from well to wheel, but also throughout the entire supply chain. 

The second target is setting the course for 100% BEV sales in Europe and 50% in the United States in 2030. The third is achieving number one position in customer satisfaction. The fourth is doubling net revenues while transforming our business models and sustaining double-digit operating margins. How Stellantis will achieve this, will be the subject of a future report in our columns. Stay tuned!

Ambitions for 2024…

Looking ahead to 2024, Stellantis Belux has set itself several goals. In terms of network, the company aims to ensure a successful transition to the New Retailer Model using its existing network. Indeed, Stellantis is progressing at full speed in the execution of its Dare Forward 2030 Strategic Plan, with the ambition to be #1 in customer satisfaction in all markets, in products and services. Indeed, the customer experience will be at the core of this retailer model.

Customers will be able to take advantage of a multi-brand and multi-channel approach with a wider range of services. Dealers will have a new and efficient business model aimed at benefitting from Stellantis’ 14-brand portfolio, creating synergies, optimizing distribution costs and offering additional sustainable mobility solutions, says Stellantis. So far for the aims, let’s explain this further in more concrete terms.

In September last year, Stellantis launched the reorganization of its European dealer network, starting with four specific markets before extending it further across Europe in 2024. Stellantis announced it was ending its previous sales and services contracts with European dealers for its 14 brands and moving toward a new distribution framework based on an agency model. What is this agency model?

Under this model, the manufacturer becomes the retailer while the dealer remains the physical touchpoint with the customer. The agent/dealer receives a commission on each sale and no longer individually sets prices or discounts.

As the dealer does not have to purchase the cars from the manufacturers anymore, he does not carry significant commercial risks and has less administrative costs as billing and payment towards the customer is done by the manufacturer. It protects also the profitability of the retailer. Because, as everybody knows, profit margins on new car sales can fluctuate.

With the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, the Lancia journey towards the future begins, drawing inspiration from the past

The advantage for the car manufacturer is a direct contact with the customer, which it did not have so far….

The manufacturer can now determine end-customer discounts themselves, in this way achieving price consistency and avoiding  competition between dealers of the same brand. They can optimize costs through centralization, and profit from the scale effect of transferring responsibilities from individual dealerships to the bigger sales organizations on national levels.

The new Alfa Romeo Stradale: the future is already a pur-sang reality…

It also is more in line with today’s consumer preferences, which would rather see fixed prices and an equally simple buying process as they experience in e-commerce.

Stellantis is moving towards this model in big steps now. In September last year, Stellantis announced that the revised retail model will be fully effective from Sept. 4, starting with Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Stellantis is not the only one to prefer this agency sales model. BMW and Mercedes opt for it too…

The BEV line up at Peugeot: towards a leading position in the B and C segment…

Stellantis market position in Belux …

In terms of sales, Stellantis Belux aims to regain the lost market share in 2024 and further strengthen its position. In 2023, Stellantis Belux achieved a global market share of 17.2%, with more than 100,000 units sold. On the LEV (Low Emission Vehicles) market, Stellantis Belux occupies a fourth place with an 11.6% market share. The BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and the PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) occupy a fourth place with respectively 10.5% and 12.8%.

Stellantis Belgium confirms its strong position with a pole position in the segment A and with not less than six models of Stellantis (Peugeot e-208, Peugeot e-2008, Opel Corsa Electric, Jeep Avenger, Opel Mokka Electric, DS3 E-tense) in the TOP 10 of the segment B (BEV), representative 66% of the part of the segment.

Introducing petrolheads to the joys of E-power: the Abarth 500 E, waiting for the imminent 240 HP 600 E…

Last but not least, Stellantis Belux is the leader in the segment of the LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) with more than 30% of market share, of which more than 50% is electrified!

In terms of product innovation, Stellantis Belux will continue its electrification, where it currently leads in the A-B segment and LCV, and further expand it to the C segment with models such as the Opel Astra, Peugeot 308 and 3008 and Citroën C4.

As is tradition in January, the Stellantis brands start the year with super attractive “salon conditions” on their range. This applies to both private and professional customers and to electric and ‘thermal’ vehicles.

We made on this event interviews with Pierre Voineau, Managing Director Citroën Belgium & Luxemburg, (see photo here above), Asterio Perez, Managing Director of Fiat, Abarth and Fiat Professional in Belgium and Luxemburg, and last but not least Eric Laforge, Head of Jeep Brand Enlarged Europe.

This will be followed by a special report on the magnificent prototypes which were displayed amongst the 36 cars on this conference.

So stay tuned for (much) more soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Peugeot 408 GT 225 HP hybrid : French style and panache…

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Design, New ModelsTagged , , , Leave a comment

Peugeot is well known for its outspoken design, and the latest version of the 408 sedan is no exception. We all know that we live in a time where imposing SUV’s are all the rage, but then Peugeot, with an eye towards automotive tradition, will always keep an attractive sedan in its range, and the 408 is the result.

Did you know that the bodywork definitions ”sedan” and ’limousine” are French? The definition “sedan” stems from the French town of that name. The definition ‘limousine’ comes from the French region “Limousin”. In automotive terms, it is a luxury saloon, in horse-drawn world, it is a utilitarian cart or any big cart with three lateral windows. 

But then, is this Peugeot a “classic” sedan? Well, no! Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

According to Peugeot, the 408 is a blend between SUVs, hatchbacks and saloons, and has been described as a “coupe crossover.” Indeed, with the Peugeot 408, the brand with the proud lion introduces nothing less than its own segment, that of a raised fastback sedan.  Actually the present day 408 is based on the EMP2 platform, shared with the third-generation 308.

The development of the vehicle, led by project manager Aurélie Bresson, PSA Group took several years due to its radical concept, codenamed as the P54 during development.  

The design was inspired from an internal concept car that Peugeot had worked on, which was known as the “2015 Advanced Design” manifesto. Its design concept is also featured in the Citroën C5 X, which shares the same platform (long-wheelbase EMP2 V3) and height with the 408. Indeed, the family resemblance is manifest, and the long-legged stable and very comfortable road manners are similar.

The 408 is bold and elegant. Peugeot calls it also a fastback (indeed, because of its fifth door) and places it at the top of the C segment. Peugeot also states that the car exudes “allure” and, as we said earlier in our article at the static presentation of the 408, we liked the angular shapes and its well accentuated contours , with remarkable styling details like the inverted cut-out of the rear bumper. We also liked the 20- inch rims featuring an interesting geometric design, and we already pointed out in our colums (see https://autoprova.be/2022/09/14/bold-and-beautiful-angular-and-elegant-the-new-peugeot-408-is-a-fastback-with-panache/) we appreciated that the tire rims protrude further than the alloy rims and thus protect them, so you cannot readily damage the beautiful wheels at the first high kerbed stone you meet.

The future smiles at you in the cabin…

The bold and angular futuristic styling continues in the dashboard and cabin layout. Indeed, the PEUGEOT 408 offers the latest generation of the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit®, instantly recognizable by its compact steering wheel dedicated to driving pleasure and controlled agility. The compact steering wheel puts you indeed in a sporting mood and encourages you to drive this 408 with slightly more verve, but then you have to concentrate on finding a proper seating position so that your vision on the instrumentation is not (partially) blocked by the enthusiastically shaped steering wheel.

Driving: the joy of French comfort, grace and speed… Peugeot attaches great importance on comfort combined with safe, superior and predictable handling. The 408 scores beautifully in all these points. The 408 takes comfort to a very high level, even on frost-ridden secondary roads, wet routes nationales or départementales, and floats over it at (high) speed with undisturbed stability, to take you swiftly and safely to your destination. Traveling big distances is a boon for this 408. As said here earlier, it bears resemblance to the road manners if the “big” Citroën C5 X.

The test car was equipped with the top-notch drivetrain, in the PHEV version we tested. The 1,6 litre efficient four cylinder petrol engine develops 180 HP at 6,000 rpm, with torque being 250 Nm @ 1750 rpm. But there is also an electric motor of 110 Hp @ 2500 rpm sitting between the petrol engine and the 8 speed automatic transmission. The impressive torque of this motor, namely 320 Nm, is developed between 500-2500 rpm. All this results in a system power of 225 HP, and a system torque of 360 Nm.

This results of course in (more than) excellent performance. It will sprint in about 7,9 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, and its top speed is a stellar 233 km/h. Abundant torque at every speed makes for a delightful performance experience. This car is well and truly a fast Gran Turismo. Mind you, this is nothing less than the performance of the iconic Jaguar E-Type!

Consumption depends greatly on how often you charge its 12,4 kW battery. According to WLTP standards, it is set at 1,4 l/100 km. Running it on petrol power, you can expect anything between 6 and 8 litres, depending on your driving mix between town and open road. You are helped by the relatively low weight (1.781 kg) of the car, and its excellent aerodynamics.

A roomy and practical daily companion

The 408 offers a lot of legroom on the elongated platform it shares with the Citroën C5 X. Boot space is also abundant, with a volume of 536 litres, which can be increased to 1.611 litres, once the rear seats are folded down.

The 10 inch touchscreen gives you all the necessary navigation and infotainment info, and the 408 pleases with puttons and switches on steering wheel and below the touchscreen for all the usual functions.

Of course, this 408 offers all the thinkable driver assistance and safety functions. Powered by 6 cameras and 9 radars, the driver assistance systems include adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go function,  Night Vision, which warns of animals, pedestrians or cyclists ahead before they appear in the high beam, Long-range blind spot monitoring (75 metres) and last but not least Rear Traffic Alert, which warns of a potential hazard when reversing.

All this contributes to driving pleasure, which is indeed overall a very relaxing experience. Intuitively you will feel very much at home and rather sooner than later you will come to enjoy the excellent sound system and find every drive with this Peugeot a “Zen” moment in your (busy?) day…

Conclusion

Peugeot has truly succeeded to create a roomy four passenger comfortable Gran Turismo which gives you a soothing driving experience, where you can enjoy refinement, experience the unique panache of French comfort together with unerring stable handling and the sheer pleasure of the speed and performance of a “grande routière.”

Combine all this with responsible energy consumption, E-power capacity in town, smoothness and mechanical “raffinement” all packed in a bodywork with stylish “allure”, and you will agree that this Peugeot has a lot to go for…

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

Photographers’ notes:

The photos were shot with our Lumix Panasonic DMC-FZ1000 again. The versatile Leica 25-400 zoom lens lets you capture details of dashboard and bodywork, where of course wintry light conditions  ask for wider lens openings and this results in a narrower depth of field.

But the camera body lies beautifully in your hand, the controls are easy and intuitive, and the articulating screen is crisp. This can also be said for the ocular screen, which however does not readily reflect the changes in image aspect when one chooses between over- or underexposure. So to be safe, one always has to see the result of the shot on the articulating screen…

Unique historic Porsches to be seen at Brussels Autoworld…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car presentations, Car Shows, Concept Cars, Design, Lifestyle, Manufacturer's Classic Centers, Museums, prototypes, Sports and Racing, UncategorizedTagged , Leave a comment

Autoworld, the impressive car museum at the Brussels Cinquantenaire, holds now an exhibition ”Porsche, driven by dreams” celebrating the 75th anniversary of the brand. You can already read about it in our columns. Some 50 Porsches are displayed, many of them brought to the capital of Europe by the Stuttgart Porsche museum, with some of them never seen before on public display in Belgium.

It ranges from the 984 to the “Mission E” prototype, the latter which was a harbinger of the alternative future coming to us all.

The show was presented by PR manager Porsche Belgium Liana Picard, General director Autoworld Sebastien de Baere and last but not least car expert and curator of Autoworld Leo Van Hoorick, who showed us around the exhibition and offered us his expert comments and insights. (See photo here and further in the article).

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The 911 is now already 60 years among us, and your servant still remembers driving these 911’s with sporting abandon in the early seventies. I just loved to take these genuine drivers’ cars to the limit, their handling needed an expert hand, but they never betrayed me and on the contrary, it was a pure delight to master them. The flat six engine was then still air cooled, and the echo of their roar and hiss at high revs still echoes in my ears. Just look a bit further in our columns, click the following link: https://autoprova.be/2021/03/27/some-early-photos-from-my-automotive-beginnings/


Besides the iconic 911, of which we still found an absolute classic early version in the Museum, on display outside the specific Porsche show, just look at the photo here  above, there were indeed some very dramatic Porsche Museum Cars, and the most stunning for me was the Carrera GT with its V10 engine.  It is a stylish classic sportscar, breathing the “Zeitgeist” of two decades ago, with its clean, fluent lines, inspired by the bolides at le Mans.

It’s a carbon-fibre, mid-engined super car, and made its debut at the 2003 Geneva International Motor Show. It came three years after its debut appearance at the Paris Motor Show in prototype form – an event itself which caused such an explosion of interest that Porsche knew their dream needed to be made a reality. The birth of what is today considered one of the greatest of modern classic sports cars, says Porsche. We can only agree…

Pushing technical boundaries 23 years ago…

The Carrera GT is a car that pushed technological boundaries beyond any supercar of that time. Its beautiful profile encompassed a staggeringly powerful 612PS V10 engine that was a direct descendant of the 10-cylinder race engine developed for the Le Mans 24-hours of 2000. The only modifications the race engine required were those to meet worldwide emissions and noise regulations for road legal cars. In keeping with its push for innovation, the Carrera GT also pioneered the use of pure carbon fibre for its monocoque and subframe.  Performance is – considering even today’s standards – quite impressive. It can reach 100km/h in just 3.9secs and roar on to 200km/h in 9.9secs. The top speed of the Carrera GT is officially 330km/h.

The racing engine needs of course a fair amount of cooling. The huge air intake along the car’s flanks, along with the three radiators are five times larger in area than that of the Porsche 911 Turbo of the time.

Then there are the purposeful contours of the Carrera GT. It was designed by a team headed up by legendary Dutch car designer, Harm Lagaay. He already worked since 1971 for Porsche, and designed the 924. He moved to BMW in 1985, and designed for them the BMW Z1. Also purposeful and elegant. This purposefulness is found also in this GT. He returned to Porsche in 1989 as head of the “Style Porsche” department in Weissach, and oversaw the design of the Porsches of the period – the 968, 989 (the stillborn four door Porsche), 993 (the 1993-1997 generation of the 911 for which Englishman Tony Hatter is also credited), Boxster, 996 (the all-new 911 of 1997), last but not least the Cayenne and one of his absolute masterpieces, the Carrera GT.

General director Autoworld Sebastien de Baere…

Some 1270 units of the Carrera GT were made in total over its production life (manufacture ended in May 2006). Today, the Carrera GT Type 980 is an official member of the Porsche Classic family, which means both owners and those Porsche Classic partners and Porsche Centres who maintain the cars have access to an extensive supply of genuine parts. As you might expect, many of them are still on our roads and retail at around the $1 million range for a reasonably good example… Mind you, it cost close to half a million Euros when new…

Italian blood: the Carrera Abarth

Can you believe, looking at the picture above, that this car was built in 1960? Three years before the 911, as the dust sheet was pulled back on this brand-new Porsche model at the 1963 Frankfurt International Motor Show. Looking in profile, it is quite reminiscent of the overall proportions of the 911. Just a bit more muscular, racier, more pur-sang even. It is officially called the Porsche 356 B 2000 GS Carrera GTL Abarth, and for me, it is one of the “purest” Porsche street cars.

We go back to the early sixties here. To remain competitive in Grand Touring (GT) racing, Porsche needed lightweight versions of the 356 B. They looked south for help, and found it in the Italian-Austrian sports car builder and Porsche representative Carlo Abarth. He has enjoyed a good relationship with Zuffenhausen since their collaboration with the Type 360 Cisitalia Grand Prix car in 1947. Abarth now commissions Ugo Zagato in Milan to build 20 lightweight coupés. The handcrafted aluminium bodies featuring the characteristic air scoop on the rear are compact and streamlined. It is a true beauty with wonderful proportions, in our opinion a forerunner of what the 911 was to be.

Gave us expert information about the Porsches in the exhibition, connaisseur and Autoworld curator Leo Van Hoorick…

. The 356 B Carrera GTL Abarth weighs almost 120 kilograms less than the standard 356 B. The “marriage” of the chassis and body takes place in Milan, with the GTL receiving its finishing touches at Abarth and Porsche. The list of successes of the 356 B Carrera GTL Abarth includes class victories at the Targa Florio – in 1960 with a 1.6-litre engine, 1961 with a 2-litre Carrera unit – plus outright victory at the Lyon-Charbonnières Rally of 1960 as well as class wins at Le Mans.

Driving the Abarth GTL, racing drivers such as Hans Herrmann, Herbert Linge, Edgar Barth and Paul Ernst Strähle win world championship titles in 1961 for Porsche for GT cars with a displacement of up to 2 litres. Further international titles in 1961 include Heini Walter’s fourth victory at the European Mountain Championship and Hans-Joachim Walter’s win at the European Rally Championship.

Even with the 1,588 cc flat four, developing 135 hp or 99 kW, the 778 kg Carrera was 220 km/h fast…

There is a lot more to see in this Porsche exhibition in Autoworld, and we will come back on this in following reports, where we will delve more in detail about the Porsche prototypes and the iconic Gmünd Coupé. Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Renault unveils a tip of the veil of its cute 5 E-Tech electric ahead of Geneva Show…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Lifestyle, New ModelsTagged , Leave a comment

Indeed, Renault will enrichen the world with its iconic full electric “Cinq”, reminiscent of its wonderful R5 which stole so many hearts decades ago. With this car, Renault wants to bring EV driving to the masses, affordable and with a distinct link to its glorious past.

The car will be a star on the 26 February at the Geneva International Motor Show, and it now starts gradually unveiling details of the car.

The headlights of R5 are a key design feature, making the front end instantly recognisable. It is not only their shape that sets them apart, but also the mark in the centre of the lens, resembling the pupil of the human eye.  This nod to the 1972 advert featuring “The Adventures of Supercar” gives the modern-day R5 a human-like expression.

At the front end, the air intake present on the bonnet of the historic model has disappeared. Clearly showing that Renault 5 E-Tech electric belongs to the world of electric vehicles, it has been replaced by a charge indicator light forming the iconic number “5” when the vehicle is fully charged.

The wheel arches create a broader stance, giving R5 the look of a compact car with real on-road presence. Their graphic design underlines a unique and instantly recognisable personality, reminiscent of R5 Turbo.

The vertical rear lights were a hallmark of the R5, and here they include a function extending the side panel.

R5 R Pass, a skip-the-line programme for online customers

At the end of last month, Renault is rolled out a unique experience for future customers: the R5 R Pass programme. R5 R Pass holders will be able to order the new iconic all-electric vehicle in the Renault network 10 days before orders open to the general public. Customers placing an order during this special period will be among the lucky first to take delivery of their vehicle from autumn 2024, with the ElectriCity plant in Douai, France, giving priority to their order on the production line. Holders of an R5 R Pass will receive a scale model of Renault 5 E- Tech electric after its reveal and will be the first to access content and events around Renault 5.

Available at a cost of €150, the R5 R Pass will be available from http://www.renault.fr/r5 and in the seven participating countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands).

An all-electric city icon…

Just 3.92m long, Renault 5 E-Tech electric is every inch a city car. Ideal for urban driving, this all-electric icon is also fit for the open road with its 52 kWh battery giving it a range of up to 400 km WLTP. This battery will be the first available when orders open. A second 40 kWh battery will become available at a later date.

Renault 5 E-Tech electric will be the first vehicle built on the new AmpR Small platform (formerly CMF-B EV), designed for true driving pleasure. The multi-link rear suspension, usually found only on vehicles further up the market, contributes to the excellent stability and roadholding.

Renault will gradually show more of its new all-electric baby. Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We spoke with Milosz Tomanek, Premium Cluster Director Belux, about Lancia’s renaissance…

Posted in Automobilia, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Fashion, Future technologies, Interviews, Lifestyle, New Models, prototypesLeave a comment

In the magnificent surroundings of the Italian embassy in Brussels, we talked with Milosz Tomanek about Lancia’s return to the Belux market…

At the presentation of the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE and the announcement of the return of Lancia in Belgium, we had an interesting talk with the Director of the Premium Cluster Belux at Stellantis, on the opportunities of the iconic brand on the Belux market…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Q: The Belgian market has much potential for Lancia, but due to its long absence, the question arises what is now your client base and what is your approach to re-enter our market? We have the Dutch approach, where the market is already very digitised. Both countries have a very large fleet market, and this will also be the challenge for Lancia…

MT: Indeed, the fleet market is with around 70 pct of the total volume very important. For the premium segment, its share is even 80 pct. When we want to re-launch Lancia, we have to establish ourselves in this fleet market too. This is also the reason why we have electrified the new Ypsilon, and are offering a plug-in hybrid version as well as a full electric variant.

When we want to re-launch a brand, we have also to take the right steps to grow. We have to start from a solid base. The B segment is quite large in Belgium with a total volume of not less than 125.000 cars. We also have the private client. His market importance has admittedly diminished over time, but he exists. When a new model is launched by an Italian brand, it is the private client who is the first to show substantial interest.

Driven mostly by family members or acquaintances which had previous ties with the brand. When it was rumoured that Lancia would come back to Belgium, many private clients reacted eagerly to the news. This shows clearly that Lancia still stirs emotions and interest amongst many. Clients which are looking for emotion, design, a sporting touch, elements which are intrinsically part of Lancia. We must certainly not overlook this segment.

Q: I also think that the interest of the private client forms the basis for the subsequent appeal of the brand in the fleet market. Don’t you agree?

MT: Indeed, this is why the private client constitutes the basis of our market approach.

Q: Will you adopt for Lancia a similar service model which Stellantis uses for the other premium brands in the group, like DS for instance? MT: What you are saying now is somewhere the essence of the premium approach, but we have three brands with their own, specific identity. If you put the three brands in a showroom, the clients will invariably go to the niche or corner of their brand. But of course, what DS has established and built over the last few years is valuable. We have to offer a credible and worthy alternative of the German brands. Having said this, we have to offer a client experience which is at least as good as what the German competition is offering. But we don’t have to merely copy their approach. The client has to discover the identity of the brand in his service experience. Therefore we cannot simply copy what DS or Alfa does for its clients, but we take the right elements which are in line with the identity and character of the brand.  Last but not least we have to offer a proper atmosphere of the reception and showrooms of the dealerships.

One of my tasks is to find the synergies, but always with an eye for the specific identity of the brand. We don’t want to be merely a corner within the Alfa showroom, we want to offer a complete client experience, but then of course we will use the best practices learned with DS and Alfa Romeo. One must not forget that despite their iconic and long history, these brands are relatively young for the Belgian market in terms of a substantial market presence. But the brands nourish each other, this is also important for our distribution network.

There will be 10 dealers this year which will have also Alfa or even the three premium brands under one roof, and we see that proven best practices are shared for the three brands, inspiring but not cannibalizing each other in their specific client approach.  

Q: We will see the Ypsilon in a full electric and electrified hybrid version, also to enable a smooth transition for the existing Ypsilon owners to this electric age, which is certainly indicated for senior clients who live in urban areas and apartments…

MT: Indeed, there is a philosophy behind this. We will not dictate what the client has to buy. We will listen to the client, but at the same time we have to project what the client of the future will buy. We notice that the market is getting more mature what full electric purchases is concerned, and political decisions now cause a rapid expansion of this segment. But this switch is slower for clients living in urban areas.  

Thanks to the financial strength of the Stellantis Group, we could carefully work out our renaissance strategy and roll it out judiciously step by step. This consistency has helped me when I started up the team and the retailers were identified. Credibility was already created. One should keep in mind that irrespective of the fact that a brand has been absent of the market for 5 or 10 years, you only have one chance to (re)launch a brand successfully. You have to do it right. I am convinced we are doing it the correct way…

Q: Thank you for this interview.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We spoke with Manuele Tomasorri, Exterior Designer Lancia: the art of sculpting the modern world in the premium tradition of the brand…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car News, Car presentations, Concept Cars, Design, Interviews, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

At the occasion of the presentation of Lancia Pu+Ra HPE at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Bruxelles, we took the opportunity to have an interview with the young and inspired exterior designer of the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE… it proved very interesting indeed!

Q: The Lancia design department has been producing now a wonderful and iconic car which embodies the styling language of future Lancia’s. You are responsible for exterior design, can you tell us what is your vision on design, and why have you chosen to join the Lancia design department?

Also can you tell us a bit more about your design education, your school, and even more important, what do you want to create and establish as a designer…

MT: I understand your point. It is a very good question. Before I studied design, I did different things. It was rather more manual and mostly on focused on the mechanical aspect. I came to design out of curiosity. Then I started in Italy my studies in transportation design in Turin, at IED, Istituto Europeo di Design. There I developed an understanding of the meaning of Design. What is Design? Why do we have to do this? The reason why I chose Lancia is simple: what Lancia stands for in terms of form language coincides with my ideas about Design. So I understand fully what they want to convey.

Q: This means you are taken by the Lancia spirit?

MT: Indeed, completely!

We have included in our design language elements stemming from architecture, fashion, everything that surrounds us in our modern world, it is truly eclectic in its inspiration. All this, we have the chance also to embed all this into our heritage. Because this viewpoint, this approach, we have used it also in the past. It is of course a dream for a designer to work in this environment…not everybody has this history and has tried so many wonderful things in its past.

Q: When we come to the design language of the Pu + Ra, the emphasis lies on well rounded shapes and surfaces.

MT: Indeed, this concept car is really a synthesis and includes the logic of the design of our future cars. The contrast between the soft curves and the hard edges will be seen in future Lancias, it will be indeed our design bible. It will be our reference book or bible, so to say.

Q: You will also embody with your design a distinct premium level…

MT: Indeed, we will be very serious and thorough in lifting our design language well into the premium level. This will reflect itself in the quality of the chosen materials as well as the shapes. In our design, we want to express also the (sporting) heritage of our brand. So we look for compactness, agility, efficiency. The Pu+Ra is compact in its overall dimensions, like the historic Lancias.

Q: Will we see these design elements already in the future Ypsilon, because there the design is already established and fixed now…

MT: The design elements shown here in the Pu + Ra HPE will be seen in the forthcoming Lancia’s we announced here today…,For instance, the iconic “Calice”, Chalice or Cup  in the front of the car will also adorn the front of these Lancias.

Q: It will be so to say the light signature of the Lancia’s…

MT: Indeed… also the choice of the materials conveys quality and durability. This is also a credo of Lancia, and we express this with the use of durable materials.

Thank you very much for this interview.

We will soon follow with an interview with Mr. Milosz Tomanek_Premium Cluster Director Belux. Stay tuned!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Lancia is back…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car News, Car presentations, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Fashion, Future car technology, Lifestyle, New Models, prototypesLeave a comment

Belgium has always been a country with many Lancia enthusiasts, and the iconic brand returns therefore in its renaissance strategy also to our country and Luxemburg as one of its 6 major European markets. We could witness the presentation at the Italian embassy in Brussels of the beautiful and stunning Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, a concept car which embodies, as Lancia puts it,  “the brand manifesto for the next 10 years in terms of design, interior home feeling, sustainability, electrification and effortless technology.” We will come back in more detail on the styling and innovations incorporated in this car, which will indeed be a harbinger of things to come for the brand.

At the press conference, we listened to four speakers, Mr. F. Colonnese Business Development Manager EE (see photo here above) , Mr. C. Louwerse_Premium Cluster Director NL, Mr. Milosz Tomanek_Premium Cluster Director Belux and last but not least Emanuele Tomassorri, Exterior Designer.

We could have an interview with both misters Tomanek and Tomassorri, which you will see further soon in our columns.

Milosz Tomanek, Director of the Stellantis Premium Cluster in Belgium and Luxembourg (photo here above) stated “as soon as we announced Lancia return to Belgium and Luxembourg, we set up a dedicated team to work on and implement the brand Renaissance, making of Lancia the brand that embodies the Italian elegance. For the launch of the new Ypsilon in 2024, we will have 10 retailers and 13 after-sales service points. We are ready to have Lancia back and make of Belgium and Luxembourg two of the main European markets for Lancia.” Lancia will also launch the Gamma in 2026 and last but not least the Delta in 2028. From 2026, Lancia will only be launching 100% electric models and, from 2028, it will only sell 100% electric cars.

Lancia’s Roadmap for Europe

Lancia’s arrival in Belgium and Luxembourg is another step of the brand’s Renaissance towards its internationalization and forms part of a roadmap in line with the Stellantis “Dare Forward 2030” strategic plan.

By the first half of 2024, the brand will have 70 new retailers in 70 major European cities and 100% of the letters of intent have already been signed. The strategy involves, as Lancia puts i officially, a new efficient and innovative distribution model, with a selected number of retailers based on a key concept of Lancia Renaissance: quality.

The new showrooms will provide customers with a totally immersive experience, both online and offline, recreating a “home feeling” atmosphere, thanks to materials, colors and attention to detail, inspired by Italian architecture and design.

As said, more soon with interviews and further separate reports and comments on the design of the Pu+Ra HPE…

we just tell you here that the name Lancia Pu+Ra HPE is based on Pu+Ra, the brand’s new pure and radical design language, whereas HPE stands for ‘High-Performance Electric’…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

In the new Porsche Panamera the driver is put at the centre…

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Design, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

We have always admired the instrument layout of Porsches, where the big round dials for revs and speed are a true delight to the drivers’ eyes. Porsche continues this good tradition…

In the new model generation set to be unveiled to the public on 24 November 2023, the Porsche Panamera will feature also the driver-centered Porsche Driver Experience control concept we saw already in the Taycan.

It offers a fully digital display, a wide range of customization options and intuitive operation.

A key feature of the concept is the grouping of the control elements relevant for driving in the immediate vicinity of the steering wheel. All elementary functions are therefore quick and intuitive for the driver to access.

Porsche is placing both the toggle switch for navigating through the options provided by the instrument cluster, and the mode switch for selecting the driving programmes, directly on the steering wheel. The gear selector lever is now located directly next to it. This decision opens up space on the centre console for a climate control panel that combines touch surfaces and physical switches. is elegant. New, completely finless and electrically adjustable air vents are now installed in the centre console. It is possible to switch between several pre-configured and personalized climate control modes at the press of a button. In addition, the storage bin in the centre console offers more space than before.

Of course, a Porsche driver needs his dials right in front of him. Consequently, the digital, free-standing instrument cluster lines up in the driver’s axis. The 12.6-inch display is curved and free-standing. Porsche clearly structures the driving information displayed on it into three areas, for which different configurations are possible depending on the equipment and the selected view. The additional, optional head-up display can be operated directly from the sports steering wheel.

Porsche has based the colour and material options in the new Panamera on smooth quality materials and a wide selection of bi-colour designs. Matching decor and accent options are de rigueur and some of them are offered by the Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. For the first time, Porsche is also offering leather-free equipment in the Panamera, which combines particularly sporty materials such as Race-Tex and Pepita fabric with each other…

We show you here some photos of the new interior, and soon tell you also more about the third E-Hybrid variant of the Cayenne…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Opel Astra GSe: the Opel lightning shines again…

Posted in Automobilia, Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

We all know the Opel badge: the image of a lightning boldly striking through the “O”, the first letter of the iconic Opel name. After this extensive test at the wheel of this GSe, we can truly say that this sporting version of the Astra bears tribute to it.

Indeed, this Astra GSe is fast, nimble, with beautiful handling, quiet, stable, steering with precision and offering Gran Turismo comfort to its occupants.

It has style too, and is economical and “green” on top of all this: it’s an efficient hybrid, with sufficient range to bring you around town in a totally emission free manner. Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We already applauded the styling and the wonderfully clean interior and dashboard layout of the Astra. Less is more, is the philosophy when it comes to infotainment and ergonomics.

Inside, your eyes admire the GSe-exclusive performance seats. On the outside, one sees clearly that this is an Astra with a sporting touch: it has exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels and the characteristic GSe front bumper.

Driving resuscitates the Opel legend…

Sporting Opels are legendary. The Ascona’s and Manta’s driven by Walter Rohrl for instance. They were efficient, fast, yet still very recognizable as Opels, keeping a very close resemblance to the production series versions. At the wheel of this GSe one feels also this unique punch, the steering precision, the effortless but very impressive performance.

Indeed, this GSe has what it takes. With an impressive system output of 165 kW/225 hp – the 1.6 litre four-cylinder engine delivers 133 kW/180 hp, the electric motor contributes up to 81.2 kW/110 hp – and with a maximum torque of 360 Nm, the Astra GSe with spoil you with an acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds; a top speed of up to 235 km/h is also in the cards. Need we say more? Indeed, this Opel will make you smile.

Because it’s a hybrid, it will not spoil the city atmosphere, as with its 12.4 kWh lithium-ion battery, the Astra GSe can cover up to 64 kilometres on e-power according to WLTP2 (EAER City according to WLTP2: 69-73 km).

The fuel consumption is according to WLTP1: 1.2-1.1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions 26-25 g/km; each combined. With a depleted battery, the hybrid mode is of course still very useful, as the system then recuperates the kinetic energy when decelerating. When cruising along at legal maximum speeds on the autobahn, it is easy to consume less than 6 litres/100 km, and with a very disciplined right foot in city traffic and a lot of anticipation, you can achieve anything between 6 and 7 litres/100 km. But it you are tempted by the smooth and abundant power at your disposal, it will inevitably cost you…

Precise and nimble handling

The Opel engineers did some serious homework. It has a dedicated chassis, lowered by 10 millimetres. The sporty calibration of the steering is GSe-specific, while the springs and oil-filled dampers of the front and rear suspension are specially tuned not only for dynamic driving but also for comfortable cruising.

The dampers feature KONI FSD (Frequency Selective Damping) technology, which enables different damping characteristics at high frequencies (suspension control) versus low frequencies (body control).

The ESP settings are also specific for thenGSe, with the activation threshold adjusted upwards to match the dynamic driving behaviour. The result is a comfortable Opel which handles like a dream, displays utmost stability at high speeds and steers with uncanny precision.

State of the art driving aids and infotainment.

The Astra GSe comes with the so-called “Intelli-Drive 1.0” system with forward collision alert and active emergency braking, pedestrian and drowsiness detection, lane departure warning and traffic sign assistant, cross traffic and side blind spot alert and automatic speed assistant with stop function as standard.

The parking pilot for the front and rear and the 360-degree “Intelli-Vision” camera support the driver when maneuvering.

You are well connected with the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible multimedia navigation system including 10-inch colour touchscreen and the 10-inch driver information display. Compatible smartphones can also be easily charged via wireless charging in the centre console.

Conclusion

Opel has built here a very desirable high performance hybrid with excellent manners. Opel says that with this car, it has redefined the performance “Zeitgeist.”

Indeed, it has done so. Just for Opel historians: the Opel “GSe” label was traditionally an abbreviation of “Grand Sport Einspritzung” (Grand Sport Injection) as on the Opel Commodore GS/E and the Opel Monza GSE.  Now GSe stands for “Grand Sport electric”.

We can only say, we were electrified…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the new Mercedes A-Class AMG line: a compact gem…

Posted in Automobilia, Car News, Car presentations, Car technology, Car Tests, Design, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

The ever so popular A-Class recently got a face-lift, and it was for us an  excellent opportunity to get behind the wheel of the latest edition of this very capable car with the iconic star. To tell you right away, it proved a wonderful experience, proving amply how good, well balanced and mature this A-class has become. An an icing on the cake, our good looking test car was sprayed in iridium silver and was equipped with the very tasteful AMG line, which gave this A-Class just this extra panache which made it stand out as a true Mercedes-Benz, just as we liked it.

We would say, read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Dynamic looks

The facelifted A-Class looks sporty, even more so in the hatchback version we tested. The front end is dominated by a distinct shark nose, as Mercedes puts it, and the sloping bonnet shows two distinct power bulges, reminiscent of the legendary 300 SL…ah, it reminds us from the beautiful time we had behind the wheel of one in Marbella, celebrating 50 years of SL…

But also this A-Class lets you dream. Just have a look already at its gleaming AMG alloys, the dual exhausts and the new rear diffuser.

A cabin with the unique atmosphere of the good star… The cabin of this AMG line A-Class has plenty of atmosphere. The steering wheel is not only a steal to look at, it also feels great in your hands, the double horizontal spokes let you have all the functions at your fingertips. The latest version of the MBUX makes your life easier, and the dual screen display puts all the info crystal clear in front of you. Of course, the central screen is a touchscreen, but can also be controlled via the commands on the steering wheel.

The latest  version of MBUX has a plethora of useful functions. For instance, did you know that you can prepare the car optimally for a car wash by a simple touch? All the well proven driving aids are of course also at your fingertips, and we appreciated very much in urban manoeuvring and parking the 360 degree camera which offers very crisp images. The camera retracts under the boot lid and so shields itself from the elements, staying always nicely clean.

The look of the digital instrument display can be customised of course. You can choose the “Classic” layout with round dials for speed and revs, “Sporty”  with the dynamic rev counter, or “Discreet” with reduced content. There are also three modes (Navigation, Assistance, Service) and seven colour worlds.

The dashboard is studded with beautiful round air vents, which have become a hallmark for the Mercedes passenger cars, and are nicely sculpted and heavily chromed here, providing a striking contrast with the dark interior. Below these vents one finds a row of buttons for all the necessary ventilation and heating functions, making daily life with the A Class a pleasant experience for everyone, even when unfamiliar with the car.

Of course you will find Android Auto and Apple Carplay in this Merc, so using your phone fully is a proverbial breeze…you also have extra charging points too.

Ideal seating and comfort The AMG Line sports excellent looking seats with integrated headrests, with a nice looking contrasting red stitching, which is also seen on the steering wheel and door panels.  The seats, with their three dimensionally embossed Artico upholstery, as Mercedes puts it, offer excellent support and comfort, are adjustable over a very wide range.

The same goes for the steering wheel, so an ideal seating position is soon found. Seating comfort is one of the strong points of a Mercedes, along with the well studied and honed ergonomics. We also liked the positioning of the small gear lever on the steering column, so you have hardly to lift your hand from the steering wheel when choosing forward, reverse or parking.

Dynamic driving pleasure…

Your servant owns now already for seven years a 180 B Class, which with its smooth 1,6 litre engine is laid out for silent and comfortable transport. The present A Class has clearly a different, more dynamic and sporting  character. This is already manifest when pushing the starting knob. The 1332 cc four cylinder emits a pleasant throb, and indeed lets itself heard. The engine revs willingly at the slightest blip of the throttle, and is quite dynamic of the mark. Even in comfort or eco mode, the engine tends to rev up from standstill, giving you quite brisk accelerations.

The governing electronics of the 7 speed automatic has clearly been laid out for this. Despite this sporting bias, the new belt-driven starter-generator (RSG) noticeably improves the comfort in start/stop situations. A lower-vibration and quieter start is the result, and in addition, it allows ‘sailing’ with the combustion engine switched off during steady cruising. During braking and overrun, the RSG recuperates and thus supplies the 12-volt on-board network and the 48-volt battery. The energy thus generated can then be put to good use when accelerating,  giving the combustion engine an extra boost of 10 kW. It makes the A 180 quite dynamic, even in the 100 kW version we drove. It increases the torque and pulling power of the 1,3 litre engine massively at small throttle openings, and lets you drive with zest in city traffic without impairing economy. Soon enough, one learns to avoid the engine revving too high when moving from standstill, by gently lifting the throttle as soon as revs increase above 2000 rpm.

It triggers the gearbox to change into second, and you repeat this for the third gear. Afterwards, the electronic steering system of the gearbox notices that you use small throttle openings at higher speeds and will further inequivocally choose the highest gear possible. Not only does this increase the pleasure of a “zen” driving, it also greatly helps economy. Urban consumptions dropped from 11-12 litres/100 km to around 8 l/100 km after we learned this.

Mercedes drivetrain engineers must have honed the gearbox and engine management to do this, despite the sporting bias, as when you lift the throttle gently in first gear, it immediately starts to coast when changing up, making the operation very smooth. Of course, in the “sport” mode, the gearbox will keep the gears engaged until at least 3000 rpm, and its behavior is decidedly sporting. At constant speed, even in the sport mode, economy is very good indeed. Mercedes quotes 6.4 – 5.8 l/100 km as combined fuel consumption according to WLTP standards, with combined CO2 emissions being 145.0 – 133.0 g/km.

Autobahn Meister

As a German car befits, this Mercedes feels totally at home on the Autobahn. With a pleasant throb and in total unstressed stability, the speedometer needle rises to 215 km/h. Overall, the performance leaves nothing to be desired, with the 0 to 100 km/h sprint being absolved in 9,2 seconds. And this is just the “base” power version of the A Class range…

Impeccable handling

Of course, performance means nothing if it is not well controlled. Here the beautiful handling of this AMG Line A-Class has to be applauded. With virtually no body roll, it steers with precision, with excellent feedback felt in the delightful steering wheel, which is such a pleasure to touch. Winding roads are the preferred playground of this A-Class, combined with as we said, excellent high speed manners and stability. Of course, the brakes are fully up to the task. The suspension strikes also an ideal balance between comfort and sportiness.

Living with the A-Class

Mercedes tells us it is the Class for everyday, and we can only agree. We drove the hatchback version, and it is a roomy four seater. Standard luggage space is not enormous with 350 liters, but then the split rear seat folds back in seconds, to transport for example the larger paintings I had to bring to my solo exhibition I held at the District House in Wilrijk, nearby Antwerp. We already mentioned the MBUX infotainment system, which makes life pleasant with the A-Class. When you think you know everything, just read fully its manual. You will discover even more… The same goes for all the driving aids you have at your disposal.

Conclusion

The A-Class has matured over the years into a truly superb automobile. Carriying the unique panache of the brand in looks, finish quality and styling, it continues to do so in handling, comfort, performance, economy and durability. You enter in the world of the three pointed star, as you get indeed everything the brand stands for when you slide behind its wheel. Just push the button. It’s a Mercedes.