HRH Princess Léa of Belgium in the F1 paddock with GIOVINAZZI Antonio on the left and RAIKKONEN Kimi on her right. receiving a racing suit and gloves for the benefit of the recent flood victims…
Her Royal Highness Princess Lea of Belgium came to the iconic circuit of Spa Francorchamps on Thursday August 26 to meet the drivers of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN, Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovanazzi.
Responding to the wish of Princess Lea of Belgium to help the victims of the recent floodings in our country, both drivers agreed to donate a racing suit and gloves, bearing their personal signature of course. Timi donated his racing suit, Antionio his pair of gloves.
HRH Princess Léa of Belgium showing Kimi’s racing suit with Antonio Giovinazzi proudly showing his pair of gloves...
These items have been sold on Sunday August 29, and the proceeds will help the victims of the recent flooding disasters in Belgium.
HRH Princess Léa of Belgium in the F1 paddock gets the tehcnical highlights of the F1 Alfa’s explained…on the left, Dominique Fontignies, PR and Communications Director Stellantis Belux.
Like many members of the Belgian Royal family, Princess Lea is very keen on motorsport and she was delighted to meet the two racing drivers on the iconic Francorchamps circuit.
“Having discovered all the secrets of the racing cars of Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovanazzi, we will never look the same way again to the Belgian Grand Prix” she commented.
“I was very surprised to discover the very high level of technological sophistication which is built in these monoposto’s”, she said after visit.
Here posing in front of the Alfa GTAm, Antionio Giovanazzi on the left, Kimi Räikkönen on the right.
Technology which Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovanazzi also helped to transfer on the fastest road going car Alfa on the market, the brand-new Giulia GTAm. They worked Together with Sauber, who participated in the development of this model, to give the GTAm that special touch which makes this car – of which only 499 units are built – truly unique.
The iconic Fiat 500 is entering into the electric era, and it is doing this very convincingly with superb technology and style.
It even has the panache to add a third door to its well-shaped body, to set it apart from the rest.
And indeed, apart from the rest it is. It has a whole new body, and is six centimeters longer and 3 cm taller than the “normal” Cinquecento, yet it retains fully its ideal and iconic proportions.
We drove the “prima” Cinquecento, sprayed in very pleasing Rose Gold, and we liked very much its performance, ride and style, just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The New 500 3+1 “la Prima” has it all, and stands out with a range of exclusive details: full LED headlights with an ‘Infinity design”, two-tone 17” diamond-cut wheel rims and chrome-plated inserts on the windows and side panels.
In the interior, the pleasant ambiance continues: soft-touch seats studded with Fiat monograms, a two-tone steering wheel flattened at the bottom and an exclusive “la Prima” tag on the console. We also liked very much the finish of the dashboard panels on our test car.
Comfort is also paramount: six-way adjustable front seats, mats, an “electro chrome” internal rearview mirror and 360° ‘drone view’ parking sensors. The steering wheel is also adjustable in height and length over a wide range, so an ideal seating position is soon found. Add to this the spacious glove box, the wide door bins and trays on the center console, and you notice that this New Electric 500 is geared to make your daily life a lot rosier.
“Zen” electric driving is addictive…
But let’s turn now to driving this Torino-built electric icon of style. It is not only constantly pleasing to the eye, it is also a soothing, relaxing experience to move it from A to B.
Even if you are driving with kind smoothness, only caressing the right pedal, you feel its whispering power. All 118 HP or 87 kW of it, with 220 Nm of instant torque. Technically very refined, motor and drivetrain being vibrationless and totally inaudible over the whole speed range.
Zesty it is indeed. It will whisk you from 0 to 100 km/h in merely 9 seconds. And when pulling away from standstill, you reach 50 km/h in just 3.1 seconds. But it is the “Zen” character of e-driving which gets you sold, and puts a broad smile on your face.
No frantic revving, no jolts from clumsy gearchanges, just a smooth, utterly silent, silk smooth flow of power. You can fully concentrate on the traffic and everything around you, undisturbed, enjoying the purity and elegance of your progress. Only e-power can convey this feeling, and we have to admit it, it is addictive.
We caught ourselves cruising on urban boulevards even below the 50 km/h speed limit, just to enjoy the ride. Urban driving at the corresponding lower speeds delivers of course also excellent economy, and throughout our test the consumption was a very reasonable 8.1 km/kWh. We have to admit that we drove this “Elettrica” very smooth indeed. On a fully loaded battery, which has a capacity of 42 kWh, the TFT 7 inch instrument panel indicated a 260 km range, which is totally adequate for our country. The 500 Electric can be charged with a fast 85 kW charger, so you can recharge from a flat battery to 80% range in 35 minutes, or to 50 km – the average daily distance driven – in around 5 minutes.
We used the 11 kW standard charger, getting from 40 % to 80 % charge in about 3 hours. In our neighborhood, with only two charging points for a few thousand inhabitants, we are allowed to stay maximum 3,5 hours at the charging point, but this was luckily enough for us.
As everyone knows, the charging infrastructure in Belgium is completely below any standard, and will very probably remain so for considerable time to come. It is therefore almost essential in our country to have a private home and/or garage/driveway, if you want to call an fully electric car your own and use it regularly.
The electric 500 is about 300 kg heavier than its petrol engined counterpart, so the suspension setup is somewhat stiffer, without being uncomfortable however. Despite its 1,3 tons weight, the car still feels quite nimble and agile, and the excellent 9,7 m turning circle and super light steering make it your ideal partner in town.
On the open road, the electric 500 stands very well its own, with a regulated maximum speed of 150 km/h. It doesn’t feel fussy at all when driving at the legal maximum motorway speeds. Of course, look out for fast(er) charging points and plan your trip carefully…
One word about the driving modes. In the “normal” driving mode, the car will coast essentially when you lift the throttle, retaining the kinetic energy for you to use. In the “range” mode, the electric motor will use this kinetic energy to charge the battery, allowing you to use a “one pedal” driving style with ease, as the braking effect of the motor is quite marked. Last but not least there is the “sherpa” mode, where motor and battery are carefully governed to allow you to squeeze a maximum distance out of the remaining battery charge.
Infotainment and driving aids…
“La Prima” is equipped with the most advanced ADAS systems available:
What to think of Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (iACC) and Lane Centering, Traffic Sign Recognition, Autonomous Emergency Brake with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, Intelligent Speed Assistant, Lane Control, High-resolution rear camera with dynamic grid, 360° parking and urban blind spot sensors, Automatic twilight and dazzle sensors, Emergency call and Electronic parking brake?
Last but not least it features automatic air conditioning…need we say more?
Connectivity is also hardly neglected.
This electric 500 has the new UConnect 5 infotainment system, which means a 7″ TFT Display, a 10.25″ Touch Screen With navigation, an excellent DAB Radio, Wireless CarPlay / Android Auto, the Uconnect Box (a telematic box enabling the connected services) and a wireless smartphone charger.
We were very impressed by the functionality and computing power of the central touchscreen, with excellent and fast graphics.
Practical
The third door, which can only be opened when the corresponding front door is opened, proved very practical, and allowed much easier access to the rear seats. The rear accommodation is essentially meant for kids or (very) small grown-ups. In a 500, noblesse oblige… this is a car with style. Nevertheless, it has a standard boot space of 185 liters, and of course the backrests of the rear seats can be folded.
Conclusion
The Cinquecento is alive more than ever, and the transplant with an electronic heart has succeeded masterfully. It was a very wise decision – also technically necessary of course to house the batteries in the chassis floor – to build an entirely new body for this car, and it was even more judicious to retain faithfully its iconic proportions too.
Technically, the car is totally mature, providing premium character smooth transport, assisted by driving aids and made to measure top notch infotainment.
If you are looking for attractively priced (urban) electric transport with iconic panache and style, take a long hard look at this car…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Photographer’s notes: for the photos of this test, we took our recently acquired Fujifilm X-A5 through its paces. We like the excellent contrast and contour sharpness of the Fujinon Apherical Zoom lens, delivering the fine definition you see here on these images. We used the TV or shutter priority mode set at 1/125 s, to avoid any eventual motion blur. We found the autofocus a bit on the slow side compared to our Nikon DSLR, but this was not much of an issue as the car was stationary anyway.
The VW Tiguan is Europe’s best-selling SUV since its launch, and VW wants obviously to continue this succes. As the competition has come to the market with plug-in hybrid versions, notably the Peugeot 3008 and the Opel Grandland X, VW decided to bolt the drivetrain of the Golf GTE on the Tiguan platform, which is actually still the one of the previous generation Golf. The result is a smooth and very frugal performer, which will convince many crossover buyers to take the step towards electrified transport. Indeed, this Tiguan plug-in Hybrid stole our hearts with its state-of-the-art technology, honed to perfection already on the Golf GTE. Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Our stylish R version seduced us, both inside and out. The previous Tiguan generation had already good looks, and VW just brought the grille in line with the angular styling we see in the Golf 8. The front is bolder, the hood is a bit higher, the lower bumper has also been reorganized. Led lighting is now standard and includes now also the more tech style tail lamps.
Photographers’s note: we used besides the trusty Canon G9 X also our big digital Canon DSLR with an older generation Canon 35-80 zoom lens used on an analogue (film) Canon DSLR. We were astonished with the result. The contour sharpness is truly top notch. Canon does an excellent job, seeing that the older generation autofocus lenses are completely compatible with their newest generation digital DSLR camera’s…
In the interior the digital age has certainly made further headway. Virtually all the controls are now of the electronic slide and touch type. This takes some getting used to, but we already familiarized ourselves with these capacitive controls in the Golf Alltrack, and soon enough one starts to like it even.
Again taken with the older generation Canon 35-80 zoom…
It is a rather bold step for VW to introduce this type of touch commands, but it makes very much sense and indeed documents the readiness of VW to make their mark in this all electronic age. One also finds a new steering wheel, adopting also these capacitive buttons on the R equipment level of our test car, and it has now a flattened bottom.
On this R Line equipment level, the infotainment offered leaves nothing to be desired, as you can guess. Here we have the optional 9,2 inch screen in the center, with even gesture control. All the functions, down even climate control, can be controlled to the touch screen. Just familiarize yourself with it and a world opens for you.
Smooth and state-of-the-art drivetrain
The drivetrain of the eHybrid Tiguan is strictly similar to the GTE Golf. A 30 kWh battery is located in the platform floor ahead of the rear wheels, giving the Tiguan a pure electric range of about 50 km. We achieved some 45 km of mostly motorway driving on a full battery load. Alongside the 85 HP electric motor sits the well proven 150 HP 1,4 liter TSI petrol engine, resulting in a total system power of 245 HP or 180 kW. Both drive units together generate a maximum system torque of 400 newton meters.
This means brisk performance, with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of 7,5 seconds. Top speed is also a rather impressive 205 km/h, far outclassing most of the pure EV’s. In pure electric mode, the top speed is still a very creditworthy 130 km/h.
On the center console, you can push the E mode button for pure electric driving, or push the same button again and shut it off, allowing you to enjoy optimal hybrid driving.
Last but not least you have the GTE mode button which gives maximum E assistance to achieve maximum performance. With all this avalanche of power, the front wheels will spin on wet tarmac, however soon brought under control by the electric driving aids.
When driving, you can select with the gear lever to be in “D” or “B” mode. In the “D” mode it will coast when you lift the throttle, in the “B” mode, it will recuperate the kinetic energy to charge the battery, and therefor decelerate more. This mode seems more logical, as you want usually to decelerate anyway when one lifts the throttle.
Frugal, when you want it to be…
Fuel/E-power consumption depends of course on how you use your Tiguan. When the battery is depleted, one reverts of course to using only the petrol engine, and average fuel consumption is rather around 7 litres/100 km. In hybrid mode, the drivetrain acts quite judiciously, and balances very well between E and petrol engine power. With some restraint in your driving style, you can achieve also about 7-8 liters/100 km in tight urban traffic with an empty battery. On a 100 km trip on the open road with very sedate driving, we achieved 5,8 l/100 km.
The Tiguan eHybrid will start its trip on ePower, giving you about 50 km range…
VW quotes the fuel consumption in l/100 km (NEDC) combined as 1.7–1.5, power consumption in kWh/100km: combined 14.1-13,5. CO2 emissions in g/km are quoted combined 33-38.
When your daily driving distance is less than 50 km and you charge your Tiguan regularly, it is actually used as an all-electric vehicle, and has all its advantages, not in the least its absolute “Zen” smoothness. It is fiscally also treated very well in our country, as it is 100 pct deductible…
A breeze to use daily…
Electric charging via the flap on the drivers’ side is 3,6 kW maximum. Charging speed is not such a big issue with this or any other hybrid, as most of it is done mostly overnight anyway. Charging time takes a few hours, but if you are in a hurry, you can simply interrupt it and drive away, as you have always the petrol engine to get you to your destination.
Again a shot with the older Canon lens…
All the creature comfort you could wish for…
Seating comfort has always been top notch in the Tiguan, and there is ample head and legroom, also for the rear passengers. There is very good stowing room in the doors, as there is also a fair amount of luggage space, to be further enlarged using the split foldable rear backrests. This Tiguan is a very practical companion in your busy and varied daily life, and its popularity has very good reasons indeed.
Predictable handling
In the R version, we enjoyed the adjustable suspension, giving either a very comfortable or sporty ride. Handling is everything you would expect from a modern SUV, and the older Golf platform still does a very good job here. Very sure footed and predictable, the front wheel drive Tiguan will hardly surprise its owner, also thanks to the electronic handling controls built in. Steering is sensitive, direct and precise, and a joy to use on winding roads.
Still the older 35-80 Canon zoom…
We were very impressed by the utter smoothness and progressivity of the ACC, or automated cruise control. It kept the distance to preceding traffic very smoothly, and was a joy to use. It has been honed to perfection, to say the least.
Conclusion
A stylish, mechanically very matured SUV or crossover, roomy, very well built, optimally prepared for an electrified future mobility. You can enjoy the restfulness of a pure EV when you drive short urban distances, which is the case for many of us anyway. Keep it charged overnight if you are so lucky to have a home E-socket on your driveway or private garage, and this Tiguan is an absolute E-dream.
Driving longer distances in hybrid mode with (intermittent) use of the smooth petrol engine is no punishment either.
Taking into account that a plug-in hybrid still enjoys very advantageous fiscal treatment in most European countries is an extra reason to take a long hard look at this eHybrid Tiguan, and make it soon your own…
The car we tested then had the five speed manual transmission, this time we enjoyed the sequential five speed box, which can be driven in automatic mode or manually controlled with the gearchange paddles at the steering wheel. But besides this the unique driving pleasure remained, and this was more than a good reason to put this Abarth again through its paces…
Just read further!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Abarths are built for those amongst us who enjoy driving. As we pointed out earlier, this does not mean that you have to be a true aficionado who knows and can repair every bolt on your “bolide.” Far from it. You just have to love cars, and enjoy to take the wheel.
Nor do you have to know also all the subtle secrets of inducing power slides and maintain oversteer by playing the throttle. You don’t have to pass a racing or car handling course, although this would certainly help. But it is not a conditio sine qua non to enjoy this Abarth. Its builders have seen to it that all the electronic driving aids keep you out of trouble, the only requirement is that you understand somehow the laws of physics and know their boundaries.
All in all, the masterfully set up sporting suspension teaches you to become a better driver. Day by day, step by step.
A formidable cockpit..
All the controls are in their proper place for the sporting driver. Even the central parts of the front seats have a special padded surface to keep you firmly in position. The steering wheel falls ideally in your hand, the gearchange paddles are always close to your finger tips.
A breeze to use them for those spirited shifts under acceleration. 165 HP warrant exhilarating performance. 0 to 100 km/h is reached in merely 7,3 seconds. The sequential gearbox is lightning fast and efficient. You can concentrate on the braking, the box will downchange for you, even when in manual mode.
But if you feel more lazy, or just want to admire the urban scenery when pottering down the streets, push the “A/M” button to select the auto mode and the transmission will do it all for you. Soon you learn to induce the gearchanges by lifting your right foot slightly. Smoothness is your reward.
Thoroughbred engine…
The 1,4 litre four cylinder is everything you want a truly sporting engine to be. Freely revving, ultra responsive, even more so in the “sport” mode, it delivers formidable punch, with a wonderful staccato when fully “on song”, combined with a characteristic burble at idling and low revs. You just get never tired of it. Never.
At the same time, this engine will not protest when you potter through urban streets and slow traffic for hours on end. It will not foul its plugs or start running unevenly. It will always run razor sharp and react immediately on the slightest blip of the throttle. This Abarth is totally fit for daily use, both by experts or novices, and this makes this “bolide” even more endearing.
Infotainment up to scratch…
Daily use is also made more pleasant with its excellent infotainment. As we told you already, the Abarth 595 Scorpioneoro offers the best infotainment currently available: the 7″ HD UconnectTM system fitted with Apple CarPlay and Google Android AutoTM* – a fast platform with high definition monitor, GPS and DAB digital radio – as well as the sophisticated BeatsAudio™ system with overall output of 480 W and a 8-channel digital speaker including a cutting-edge equalization algorithm capable of reproducing the full sonic spectrum of a recording studio. Need we say anything more?
Frugal, if you want it to be…
On fuel economy, this Abarth is of course as frugal or thirsty as you want it. All depends on your right foot here.
When you cruise along on the motorway at the legal limit, a consumption between 6 and 7 litres/100 km is totally normal, and if you drive along with the urban traffic flow, a city driving consumption of around 8 litres/100 km is also in the cards.
When it comes to service costs, all the drivetrain elements are well proven and reliable, so it will not be beyond what you expect from any normal compact car…
Conclusion
This Abarth is the endearing sporting thoroughbred which begs you to explore its panache, but will also be a pleasant and docile companion on your urban errands. This makes this Abarth so unique, for those who enjoy cars with character, but also want to live with it. And it will only mature further over the years, never lose an inch of its charisma. So you will cherish it, for years to come… maybe alongside a New 500 elettrica in your garage, who knows?
Alfa Romeo wants to build a top quality gem: the beautiful and striking Tonale, which will be Alfa’s first all electric vehicle. Beautiful it is, we sat personally behind the wheel of the clay model at the Centro Stile under the watchful eye of head of design Klaus Busse, and now Alfa also wants its finish and quality also to be legendary.
So the Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato and Alfa Romeo senior management met up recently with not less than 150 Italian and international suppliers at the G.B. Vico plant in Pomigliano d’Arco.
Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato seen here above…
Quality was on the agenda, and virtually only that.
Having specifically focused on this goal ever since his appointment, new CEO Imparato has taken part in monthly meetings at the Pomigliano and Cassino plants.
And Again at the meeting – with about 60 suppliers in attendance and others linked up by a livestream – he strongly reiterated that quality is a major priority. The goal is excellence.
“To achieve it, Imparato told, the starting point is the selection of materials. Our suppliers, the companions on a journey the destination of which is the brand’s first electrified car, embodying Alfa Romeo’s DNA with the highest quality standards.
Plant manager Alessio Leonardi adressing the audience of suppliers at the plant...
Joining the CEO at the meeting were the Stellantis Chief Customer Experience Officer, Richard Schwartzwald, and the plant manager, Alessio Leonardi.
During the meeting, the project targets were shared with the suppliers, considered fundamental stakeholders in the achievement of the qualitative objectives set.
If you are eager to see, drive and make this car your own, we tell you here that the Tonale will be marketed in Europe from June 2022 onwards… we will keep you posted on the further developments concerning this masterful Alfa, stay tuned on these columns!
The stylish Panda in its proper place: before the premises of the Royal Golf Club du Zoute…
If there is a type of car where the know how of car builder Fiat truly excels, then it is the compact city car. Indeed, both the iconic 500 and the endearing Panda are undisputed leaders in the segment A. Deservedly so. This Panda Sport with its 1 litre three cylinder FireFly engine coupled to a Belt Generator Starter motor is a very clever hybrid, which, driven with intelligence, puts down some pretty astonishing consumption figures.
It is also masterfully equipped, comfortable both in city driving as well as on long stretches, being a very entertaining and pleasing all-rounder which we were sorry to part with, and that alone says a lot…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The most interesting part of this good looking Sport version of the in 2020 revamped Panda is its style and equipment. Our test car was sprayed in a very elegant matte grey, actually called unsurprisingly “Matte Grey.“ It is shod with elegant 16 inch “Sport” alloys with black and red accents.
If that was not enough, our test car came with the Pandemonio Pack, an hommage to the 100 HP Panda which saw the light of day in 2006. Red brake calipers, dark tinted rear windows, a technoleather steering wheel with red stitching are the most important hallmarks of this Pack.
In the interior, the stylish approach continues. The dashboard has a titanium finish, the door panels are executed in so-called eco leather, one finds a black roof lining and new grey coloured seats, which are surprisingly comfortable for hours on end.
Infotainment is also well cared for. The 7” touchscreen with digital DAB is configured for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and you can place your smartphone in a handy slot right behind the touchscreen so the integration is also very practical indeed.
A drivetrain built for intelligent drivers
The Panda harbours some very intelligent technology. First of all there is the state-of-the-art 1 litre 7O HP three cylinder engine of the FireFly family, which is vibrationless, flexible and will – if called for – rev with beautiful staccato to its 6500 rpm redline. But this is not how this Panda should be driven of course when you want to achieve those wonderful consumption figures.
The engine works in pair with a BSG electric motor (Belt Integrated Starter Generator), which recuperates the kinetic energy when you lift the throttle or brake, and charges the 11 Ah lithium battery. The motor has a power of 3,7 Kw, and uses the available battery power to restart the engine in the start-stop system and assist the engine when accelerating.
The fact that the engine is assisted when picking up speed allows also the selection of higher gears at slow urban speeds, and that is where the cleverness of the system really comes into play. You can potter along at the legal 30 km/h in third gear, and when you drive on boulevards at a constant speeds of 50 km/h, fifth gear is suggested by the eco assistant. When more pulling power is required, the engine is helped by the electric motor to climb in revs and speed. Soon you learn to estimate correctly the deceleration caused by the generator when lifting the throttle and you recuperate the kinetic energy fully, hardly braking at all. The six speed manual gearbox is also a delight to use.
The instrument cmuster between rev counter and speedometer indicates consumption (averaging still the results of previous testers) and the state of charge of the battery as well as the petrol gauge…
You understand that this results in some astonishing consumption figures. In urban driving, we managed to stay around 5 litres/100 km, in all smoothness and comfort. The manufacturer quotes 5,5 litres/100 km as average consumption. CO2 emissions according to the WLTP cycle are quoted as 121 g/km. As said, 70 HP is developed at 6000 rpm, and when you rev the engine fully in the gears, the sprint from 0 to 100 is absolved in 14,4 seconds. Top speed is a very creditable 164 km/h.
Comfortable and practical
Where else: the Panda at the Place m’as tu vu in Knokke…
The suspension of the Panda is very comfortable indeed, and urban pavés and tram ridges are taken are taken very well. Also on the open road, the Panda remains very comfortable with excellent straight line stability. Roadholding is everything it should be, and you can steer the Panda with confidence through the worst weather and slippery roads.
The four doors prove immensely practical and take the pain out of having a compact car. There is even adequate luggage space, 225 litres of it, and of course the rear seats can be folded back for more room, up to 870 litres.
Conclusion
A very endearing, compact all rounder, which showed during this test all its very good qualities. The hybrid system makes a lot of sense when you approach and use it cleverly, providing also the smoothness and comfort in urban driving, besides chalking up these impressive consumption figures.
The Panda is also surprisingly comfortable, making it also a car fit for long trips on Europe’s motorways. It is also surefooted and stable.
Add the four doors, the adequate head- and legroom as well as boot space, and you understand that the Panda scores very high in the A segment, and will continue to do so for years to come…
If we have to summarize our driving impressions of the new Subaru Outback after our test, the terms mechanical refinement, capability and space and comfort come first to our mind.
Well honed and refined, the latest version of the Outback certainly is. Technically extensively revamped and rolling on the Subaru Global Platform (SGP) for increased safety, driving performance and ride comfort, is has a super smooth engine and transmission, perfectly geared to glide around town in vibrationless silence, that is what this Subaru offers the urban dweller daily. But he or she can take the Outback elsewhere when nature calls. The legendary Subaru symmetrical AWD sees to that.
The new Outback is also on top of all that also more stylish and its interior has had a thorough makeover. Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The Subaru Outback has a quite pleasing exterior, with fluent, stretched lines, with an excellent choice of paint colors too, as the photos amply show. When you step in, a posh cabin awaits you, certainly in the premium version we tested here for you. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the large centrally placed touch screen, which is a delight to use, with all the controls well placed and self explaining. Infotainment and connectivity is well cared for, as you will read further.
Seats are supportive and excellent, and soon a good position behind the wheel is found.
Drive train brought to perfection…
Pushing the starting knob one hears the trusted boxer engine coming to life. We said trusted, but it is good to know that the direct-injection 2.5-liter NA horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine, has about 90% of its engine parts redesigned and boasts a higher compression ratio. Idling at 2000 rpm or thereabouts when cold, it soon drops to 1000 rpm when you shift the smooth CVT transmission in D or R. The Lineartronic CVT has been renewed with the gear ratio coverage expanded to a wide range equivalent to 8-AT. The hydraulic system has been revised and the oil viscosity lowered, which reduces horsepower loss by 22% compared to the previous model.
So the result is that when you then are cautious with the throttle, this Subaru will smoothly pick up speed keeping revs down to just above idling speed, say 1200 rpm or so. The engine is inaudible and perfectly vibration free here, giving the impression one drives on E power. This enables you to drive at the now usual 30 km/h urban speed limit with utmost ease, also with very little fuel coming out if the injection ports. Driving in slow urban traffic in this relaxed manner cost us merely 7,3 to 7,8 liters/100 km, and this is no small feat.
The Subaru engineers did a very good job here, and it amply shows also what a good internal combustion engine coupled to a state of the art transmission can do nowadays. In our opinion, it again proves the point that a good petrol engined car has certainly not said its last word. Indeed, with the presently still abysmal state of the charging infrastructure in our country and also many other European countries too by the way, it is still a very attractive practical proposition indeed.
As said, we can only applaud the Subaru engineers here. Of course, hybrid and plug-in hybrid and full electric solutions will be on the cards in the coming years, as many (mega) cities will be imposing exclusively E-powered mobility in their inner city centers within not even a decade. Subaru wil soon have also a full EV vehicle, named the SOLTERRA.
This excellent economy is of course only reached when you adopt a relaxed and anticipative driving style. Putting the throttle deeper will result in higher revs, more power and more fuel consumed. The 169 HP/124 kW boxer engine guarantees zesty performance: 0 to 100 km/h is reached in 10,2 seconds, top speed is a good 189 km/h. The manufacturer quotes 7,3 l/100 km as average consumption, with CO2 emissions being 166 g/km. The CVT transmission is very responsive as well as smooth, and will let run the engine in the ideal rev zones under full load, resulting in very brisk accelerations.
Predictable handling, with excellent comfort
The Outback with its symmetrical AWD is your ideal companion on wet and muddy roads, and the suspension is well laid out to cope with potholes and rough country roads. This means that well ridden urban pavés are also very well negotiated, and the Subaru is under every road condition a very comfortable car indeed. The Outback does not necessarily invite you to throw it around corners, but this said it responds well to spirited driving, and its handling is precise and predictable.
The standard S-AWD provides all-weather capability paired with a standard active torque vectoring for improved handling and cornering performance.
We mention here too that the Subaru is an excellent towing car, up to two Tonnes (!). It can then also throw in its excellent traction capacity, and is the preferred mount for horse owners who want to ferry their horses off and on the grounds at jumping events and the like.
When going off road or when negotiating slippery surfaces, the Outback driver has life made quite easy with a new X-Mode with dual functions of “snow/dirt” mode and “Snow/mud” mode for additional off-road capability.
It offers good road clearance for a wider range of activities, with an increased ground clearance of now 213mm, and an approach of 19.7° and of 22.6° departure angles (JIS) and ramp break over angle of 21.0°.
The new SGP platform brings significant enhancement to the body and chassis rigidity (front lateral flexural rigidity +90%, torsional rigidity +70%, front suspension rigidity +70%, rear sub frame rigidity +100%).
A rear view camera washer has been added so that the camera lens is always clear of dirt, mud and grime…
Practical
The Outback is a roomy station wagon, seating five with comfort. Luggage space is of course also leaving nothing to be desired. The cargo space opening width has been enlarged by almost 30mm, the space floor length is longer by 23.9mm, and the cargo capacity is increased with 10L, of now 522L (with the seats up). The Outback also offers standard roof rails with integrated and retractable cross bars, now enhanced with tie-down holes so ropes can be tied directly on the roof rails.
There is also plenty of stowage room in the door bins for large bottles and sundry. There are also several USB points, up to even 2,1 Amp charging power.
Safety first…
Indeed, safety is written very big at Subaru. We all now have become very familiar with Subaru’s safety vision, i.e. featuring the next generation EyeSight Driver Assist Technology, Subaru’s stereo camera prevention collision system, now with an expanded angle of view, nearly doubled, and new image recognition software, available with 11 safety functions, among which new ones were added:
Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control with Lane Centering Function, Emergency Lane Keep Assist, Speed Sign Recognition with Intelligent Speed Limiter, Lane Departure Warning with steering wheel vibration, Lane Departure Prevention, recognizing also dividing line like grass or road edge and Pre-Collision Braking System with expanded support for collision avoidance at intersections.
The Subaru tells you also for instance to keep your eyes on the road as it is able to notice that you are looking sideways for a moment. It also reminds you to take a look in the back seat just in case you would forget your (sleeping) toddler there…
Conclusion
This Subaru certainly merits your attention. It is refined, roomy, comfortable, at home on and off the beaten track, a reliable companion for work and pleasure, taking the whole family or your friends wherever they want to go.
Citroën has always been THE brand for breakthrough mobility solutions. It responded this time to today’s challenges by offering 100 % electric mobility literally for all: a cute, roomy two seater with an 8 HP (6 kW) electric motor which can be charged in 3 hours on your home socket and which offers up to 75 km electric range in town or country/village roads. What’s more, since it is only 45 km fast, you don’t even need a drivers’ license for it. In France, 14 year old’s can drive it, in most European countries this is possible from 16 years onwards. But it is also excellent news for the (very) elderly, they have the ideal, roomy two seater which protects them from the elements, it is easy to step in and out of, has two wide opening doors and is the proverbial breeze to drive.
Citroën has done it, and we were delighted thanks to the dynamic PR team to experience the first kilometers behind its cute steering wheel in the streets, squares and boulevards of Brussels. Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Light and roomy
Like the iconic 2 CV, this AMI is designed with nothing but practicality in mind. Its symmetrical body shape is unique, with a long roof and cabin, offering a sea of space for its two happy occupants. Only the driver’s seat can be moved fore and aft, the passenger’s seat is fixed, and therefore one sits normally a bit further back than the driver.
Room for a cabin space suitcase, and an elegant hook to hang your bag…
But she/he enjoys formidable legroom, and can actually stretch its legs fully. This means that seating with your legs in a normal position, there is even room for a cabin size suitcase in front of your feet! So there is always enough room for your errands, as besides in the cabin, the AMI has still an extra luggage space in the back.
Citroën has decided to make this long cabin as light and airy as possible. Therefore, a glass panoramic roof is fitted standard. So it is la Vie en Rose in your AMI. One gets in through the wide opening doors, which are identical and because of that opening in different directions. The driver’s door sways out in the front, making getting in and out super easy.
You can throw your pocket camera, bottle and sundry in one of the three customizable bins just behind the window, hang your city/handbag on the elegant hook provided on the passenger’s side, and get behind the wheel. The dashboard just reveals speed and battery charge level, indicating also the remaining range in km. Further, there is a switch for heating and fan. Next to it is a smartphone holder, so your phone can provide for navigation and music.
The row of knobs for “Drive”, “Reverse”, “Neutral” and “Park” sits on the left side of the driver’s seat. Just push “D” and off you go. Acceleration is lively, but don’t expect miracles from 8 HP moving a cute car with a total weight with battery of 485 kg, where one still has to add the weight of one or two passengers. But it is certainly enough to move along with the flow of urban traffic, and with some restraint one soon notices that a cruising speed of around 40 km/h needs just a push of 1 or 2 centimeters on the throttle. You don’t get any deceleration from the E-motor when you lift the throttle at speed, so adapt your driving style and drive with more anticipation as the distances to make good use the kinetic energy are longer. But it can be done, and soon you get the hang of it…
Driving in Brussels one soon notices that the indicated range is absolutely realistic, and that’s a big plus. Also remember, three hours is enough to fully (re)charge the AMI.
Brussels paves are ridden with potholes and ridges, but the AMI took it very well in its stride with a surprisingly comfortable suspension.
Make it your very personal AMI…
As said, life is good in this AMI. Typical and reminiscent of the 2CV are the side windows, which open by manually tilting upwards.
Citroën offers, in a “Do It Yourself” fashion, the possibility of creating the object that suits each customer’ tastes through a kit of accessories that can easily be installed yourself. This kit incorporates functional decorative items: a central separation net, a door storage net, mat, storage tray on the top of the dashboard, small hook for a handbag, smartphone clip, DAT@MI box (dongle device) connected to the My Citroën app to retrieve essential information from your Ami on the smartphone.
4 main shades are available for these accessory kits, costing 400 Euros: MY AMI GREY, MY AMI BLUE, MY AMI ORANGE, and MY AMI KHAKI.
2 characterful packs are available on AMI for even more customization. These 2 packs contain all the above decorative elements and large format stickers that cover the outside and thus give AMI its very own style.
– My Ami POP with Orange personalization and a fun, young and sporty look, with a rear spoiler, is available for €8,190 incl. VAT.
– My Ami VIBE in gray with a more upscale, chic and graphic design that integrates roof coverings in addition to the stickers, is available for € 8,690 incl. VAT.
The installation of these 2 personalization packs is entrusted to professionals before delivery.
The specific exterior body colour is neither too feminine nor too masculine and works with the different colour packs Citroën has developed (blue, white, khaki and orange).
So the Ami is a base that can become a completely customised object with exterior and interior accessories that are either pure style or offer real extra functionality, as well as stickers that give it a completely different characters, tells us Pierre Leclercq, Head of Citroën Style.
Prices…
AMI AMI: 7.290€ incl. VAT
MY AMI ORANGE, KHAKI, GREY, BLUE: 7.690€ incl. VAT
In our interview series of remarkable women and men in the automotive world, we had an interview with the first woman to lead Stellantis’ historic American brand in the old continent: Antonella Bruno, now Head of Jeep Brand for the Enlarged Europe region.
She has not less than 20 years experience in the automotive industry, and started her career at the company in 2007. Since then, she has held increasingly prestigious roles in the sales and marketing divisions, becoming Market Director Italy for the Lancia Brand in 2012, followed by a position as Head of Lancia Brand in 2013.
From 2017, in addition to her role at Lancia, she served as Head of Network Development and Customer Experience, an interesting position which together with her new challenge at Jeep, were reasons enough for having this interview…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Antonella Bruno posing in front of the impressive Rubicon at the recent Jeep Media Drive…
Q1 My first question is, you had a long career in the automotive world, I think it has to do with what your father did, but could you tell me why you find the automotive sector so fascinating?
AB: As you rightly said, I grew up close to the automotive world, my father was leading one of the SKF plants, one of the subsidiaries, so after my degree it was natural to step into this sector. I got an opportunity to start working in MSF, and then on further, so it was a kind of natural path for me.
Q2: Why do you think the industry is so unique? What do you think about its future, about the energy transition… and the many mobility and environmental revolutions it is going through, like electrification among others. Do you have any comments on that?
AB: Let’s say that the automotive industry is very magnetic because it is especially now evolving very rapidly, and electrification is one of the main topics in the future, so at Jeep we started last year with the launch of the Renegade and Compass 4Xe, our first two electrified models, and we are carrying on with that strategy, this will represent our future. We are also working to let the customer understand that buying or considering an electrified car is rather easy, and that the technology is user friendly.
At the recent Jeep 4Xe presentation, you see here the Jeep Wrangler 4Xe in the picture…
We also make clear that being electrified does not mean that they lose the core of Jeep. So for us electrification means catching new customers, with a less aggressive and more sustainable stance, but at the same time – and this is really crucial – it means also to stay true to our values and not really dilute our DNA.
Q3: It is indeed a balancing act for you, you have the customers who appreciate the authenticity of Jeep and go for the Wrangler Unlimited so to speak and at the other end of the spectrum you have new urban Jeep buyers who chose the Renegade and possibly opted for hybrid electrification. Indeed, you have to keep your DNA…
The Renegade has urban qualities…
AB: You are right in saying that we have a more urban clientele opting for the Renegade back in 2018 when it was launched, but also the whole current range of 4Xe models are a perfect example of what we mean in terms of balancing the sustainability and capability because the Wrangler (4Xe and plug-in hybrid) is now a car which you can use daily. If you drive the car, you will notice it performs even better off road thanks to the electrification and this balance I mentioned between sustainability and capability is crucial for a brand like Jeep.
Q4: With the venue of the Renegade in the mass compact SUV segment, the market presence of the brand has widened considerably…
AB: Yes, as I was saying, before the Renegade the brand was rather more a kind of niche brand in Europe, but when the car was launched, we really grew in terms of volumes and we opened a new segment of (potential) customers.
But equally feels at home in the mountain snow…
Q5: My next question brings us a bit more to the personal side, focusing on the woman in the corporate world. I would like to ask you which skills, which talents did you hone and perfect during your long career and at the same time what would you advise young people and/or young women specifically when they enter the corporate world. What should they watch for, what should they study in terms of human relations, management?
AB As a woman I had the possibility of starting at Ford when I started the first part of my career, and let’s say I had to opportunity to grow a lot, and in terms of skills, I think that it is related to the way I am behaving outside work.
I am an ex-volleyball player so I am used to be very determined, passionate. But I have to be honest, I studied a lot, because when I was young, my first passion was reading, automotive magazines among others. I was very curious, and I used to listen to people who were more experienced than me. Because I think you need also at the beginning to be humble, indeed to be very curious but at the same time humble enough to listen to people who have more experience than you.
I did not experience any kind of difference between men and women, so I was very lucky, and for me it is not a matter of gender, it is a matter of being a professional, being skilled, and you need to keep studying along your career. You grow during your career, but you cannot ever consider that you have arrived, because each new role (re)defines your profile, and therefore at the same time requires you to keep studying. It is important to be a strong, skilled manager, and this goes for both men and women.
Q6: Do you think Corona has affected the position of women in the workplace?
AB: Corona has changed the way we are working in this sense that that now we are spending a lot of time working from home, and this requires a different kind of organization. It requires a kind of cooperation between men and women, let’s say within the family, because it is a new way of working. It depends therefore on the single situation whether this is to the disadvantage of women. It requires an important ability to organize your time.
Q7: If we come back to your new and first rather to your previous function, I was very intrigued that you were Head of Network Development and Customer Experience. Can you tell me more about it?
AB: AB: As head of customer experience, I can tell you that it was a cross-brand function, and with Corona the digital experience became very relevant and even more so after the sanitary crisis.
So by making the digital experience more efficient, we provide our customer with the ability to order the car online, this is very relevant and it is the future. You have to provide additional content and the digital experience has to be very easy, because you know that 90% of the first research when you are interested in a car starts on the web. So this was the main activity before Corona.
Go anywhere with a Jeep… now also electrified…
Coming back to the network, I had the privilege of leading the network development, which is also very related to the customer experience. To reach the customer is the first mission, but in the final stage we need to explain and pass all the information on the product to the end customer, especially now that we are going through the electrification (of our range). Having said that, we need to offer the best professionalism from our sales staff and we also need to offer a real customer experience in line with our brands. We also need to help the customer to overcome anxiety when it comes to electrification. “
Q8 Can you tell a bit more about the markets in the Enlarged Europe region?
AB: In Europe, the most important market is Italy, representing almost 50 pct of volumes, and we need to keep growing in markets like Germany, which is the most important market in Europe when we talk about electrification. Also France is of key importance for our future.
Retaining Jeep’s unique DNA is our mission…
The high penetration in Italy is explained by the strong legacy with our network, and since June last year we are producing both Renegade and Compass at our factory in Melfi, so Italy is performing very well. I am sure that we will keep growing thanks to the electrification in the markets outside Italy.
Today we were invited by the people of Jaguar Land Rover Belux for a Jaguar Land Rover Media Drive at the magnificent establishment La Noiseraie , and it proved a wonderful experience. The whole range of Jaguars were driven on the scenic winding roads and motorways around Namur…with the exquisitely sporting SV R being the icing on the cake, although the hybrid and full electric Jaguars proved very impressive indeed.
The Land/Range Rovers were put to the ultimate off-road test at the Land Rover Experience Center at Suarlée.
We were also able of course to have a thorough go in our former test car we drove earlier, the New Defender, see also our test on these pages…
More on all this soon, we just show you here a few images, which say more than thousand words… just stay tuned on these columns!
Autoprova - for the Connaisseur 