Category: Photography

Texas Wheels…

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Our latest trip to the US included also a visit to Texas, where we were able to use a Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace on its wide and sometimes very busy roads.

We used the Tiguan SE amongst others for visiting art galleries in the charming old centre of Austin, parked here in front of the Wally Workman Gallery…

Indeed, we stayed in Austin, where the local economy is rapidly expanding, with gigafactories being put up by the likes of Samsung, Tesla amongst others. All this has of course a very big impact on its road infrastructure, which can hardly cope with the extra volumes of commercial and commuting traffic caused by this new economic activity. We found the traffic being quite dense, being combined with quite spirited driving habits in true Texan style. Something the Tiguan we drove took of course ideally in its stride…cruising happily along at 80 mph on its wide expressways, flanked by big trucks and the omnipresent big pickups, the car type par excellence which seems to be most preferred by most Texans. Indeed, the Texans like it energetic and fast. The speed limits are quite realistic, with a maximum allowed speed on the so-called expressways up to 85 mph.

Electric driving in Texas…in its infancy?

Recently oil state Texas signed a legislative proposal into law on May 13 that will make all electric vehicle (EV) owners in the state responsible for paying a $200 annual fee. But that’s not all… Indeed, this law, which takes effect on Sept. 1, will also require new electric vehicle (EV) owners to pay a one-time fee of $400 to register their cars in addition to the $200 yearly toll. The idea is that EV owners don’t pay the fuel taxes, and so Texas aims to recoup some of the tax losses. The state already has nevertheless over 200,000 EVs on the road, with more than 30,000 EVs added this year.

The State, which is indeed very big indeed, about 22 times Belgium, has only over 2,000 electric charging stations in place. Even Belgium has more, let alone the Netherlands, which is about 1,5 times the size of Belgium. It has not less than 90.000 charging points! However the state plans to put more charging points along its freeways, aiming to support one million electric vehicles and allow for easier long-distance driving with work starting in 2023. Let’s see…

Test drive with the Lucid Air…

Needless to say full EV’s are still a relative rarity on the roads in and around Austin, although in its centre we were able to have a brief test drive in the elegant Lucid Air Grand Touring. The car looks sleek and stylish, and it is indeed a very impressive four door only battery powered EV luxury sedan. This Grand Touring version has dual motors developing together not less than 1050 hp in the performance oriented version. Plenty of power to enjoy a most exhilarating performance. You can pull from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 3 seconds, and if you drive it with somewhat more restraint, the range is a good 425 miles.

What impressed us also was the rich and spacious interior. Passengers in the rear will find any amount of seat and legroom on the massive back seat and also behind the wheel one enjoys the grace of space. The glass roof enhances further the airy impression in the cabin. The drive is also very smooth and silent, and in chosen “Smooth drive” mode, the coil sprung car proved very comfortable indeed. Infotainment is also top notch with a large upper touchscreen and a tablet type lower touchscreen, which is used for additional functions and can be retracted into the dashboard.

Really impressive, this Lucid Air. There is even a ”Sapphire” version which has not less than 1200 hp. But this Grand Touring version has already a lot to please.

There is also a quite lavishly equipped Touring version, which has 620 hp, with more than sufficient performance to match. It will set you back around 90.000 USD in the US, depending of course on the options you choose. Suffice to say that Lucid is an American based company, and it really stands out with its product in this luxury EV passenger car segment. We let you enjoy the photos here of this elegant Lucid.

A look into Texan car service…

We also have one of our American acquaintances working at O’Reilly Auto Parts, and so – noblesse oblige – it was for us an excellent opportunity to respond to his invitation to visit one of their local stores. First of all we want to stress that O’Reilly Auto Parts offers its services nationwide and has stores all across the USA. We were impressed by the wide range of parts and accessories available. Quite naturally what motorists most often need in everyday life are batteries, and every O’Reilly store has them in all possible kinds and sizes. They will of course also test your battery, and inspect at the same time the health and functioning of your alternator.

The parts service O’Reilly is offering its clients online is nothing short of mind blowing. You can order specific parts for any make, any year, and it covers a formidable range from mechanical to interior up to body parts.

O’Reilly will also offer free electrical testing and checks also for free what the source is of your engine light glowing up…

If you have a tricky job and need special tools, O’Reilly will loan it to you…

Pickups are THE thing in Texas, and O’Reilly has all the necessary trims in store for your beloved truck...

We were also very surprised to hear that O’Reilly offers a LIFETIME guarantee on its brake pads, and this for good commercial reasons. They will indeed hand out new brake pads to their clients when the pads are used, but then the clients come back in the store, and will invariably buy something else. It indeed enhances client loyalty…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Mazda CX-60 e SkyActiv PHEV : a flagship SUV the Mazda way…

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Mazda has bold ambitions. It wants to be an absolute premium manufacturer within a few years, and it is building up its model range accordingly. Looking at its latest SUV, the CX-60, it is definitely succeeding. This PHEV Mazda impressed us. Read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Mazda elegance and style

Mazda’s are well proportioned and styled, and have indeed a distinct, proper styling language which makes them stand out from the rest. The lines of this bigger SUV are not too busy, instead they are fluent and exude a distinct sportiness together with a quest for simplicity and elegance. The front end and radiator grille carry also the distinct Mazda DNA, which is now becoming well established and is quite pleasing.

The style and sophistication is also found in the interior. We absolutely loved the white colour of the surface panels, upholstery and seats, and the lavish use of chrome around the edges of the lateral vents. On the wide central console, which is impressive due to the simple fact that a transmission runs through it, one finds even a tropical white wood veneer finish. Very oriental, we would say, and a refreshing departure from the all black colour schemes we so often encounter.

The elegant interior design introduces the ideas of Kaichou – an element of disruption which mixes different materials and textures. With the flagship Takumi grade, which was the top equipment version found in our test car, materials such as maple wood, nappa leather combine with uniquely worked Japanese textiles and chrome details, and Musubu – the art of binding which was the inspiration for a specially detailed instrument panel stitching. We liked that also very much.

The treatment of the maple wood trim reflects the Japanese aesthetic of Hacho – asymmetrical balance, or intentional unevenness. The woven fabrics’ diverse patterns and yarns respond sensitively to changes in light, and a Japanese stitching technique called Kakenui creates ‘hanging stitching’ seams with spaces between the trim fabrics revealing a glimpse of the material beneath. As we said, very elegant indeed…

Very powerful

The Mazda CX-60 comes with several engines, and even a six cylinder in line Diesel in world markets, but for the time being, in our country it’s a 2,5 litre four cylinder “Sky Active” petrol engine which is doing part of the work, as the CX-60 is a PHEV. The electric motor sits between the engine and the gearbox, and even has its own clutch, so this Mazda remains a 4WD also when in EV mode. Power galore with this Mazda. What to say of an electric motor which develops already 134 hp, and which is able to propel this two tonne SUV with the inboard 17.8 kWh battery on EV power alone for a range of 62 km.

Indeed, when you have charging possibilities at home and the office, and if your daily commute is rather short, it is totally feasible to use your Mazda as an EV. Just choose with the “I mode” sliding lever on the console the EV mode and you’re ok. You can expect then formidable economy, as the engine then is hardly used. The benchmark and crucial WLTP CO2 emissions value is set 33g/100 km. The WLTP combined fuel consumption is just 1.5l/100 km.

Combined with the petrol engine total power is an impressive 327 PS/241 kW. This makes it the most powerful Mazda ever, having also not less than 500 Nm torque, with performance to match: this SUV sprints in 5,8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, and top speed is not less than a limited 200 km/h. For your information, the petrol engine develops a maximum power output of 141 kW at 6000 rpm and 261 Nm of torque. The electric motor delivers 129 kW of power and 270 Nm of torque at 400 rpm.

Does this CX-60 invite you to use all this power? Not quite, where I have to admit that we are a bit economy buffs, and seeing the cleverly designed instant consumption dial hovering fiercely in the red zone, with consumption well above 20 liters/100 km when we press our right foot a bit deeper, we tended intuitively to slow things down a bit.

Add to this that the engine makes itself well heard when called to duty, and you understand that we rather avoided using the “sport” mode. This Mazda will also use its engine rather often when the battery is low, which is understandable since one needs power to move this 2 tonne SUV around. Driving this CX 60 with restraint when the battery is depleted, one achieves an average consumption of some 7,8 litres/100 km as we registered during our test, which is a very good score considering the size and weight of this 4WD CX 60. The efficient 2,5 litre Skyactiv unit is coupled to an all new 8 speed automatic, which doesn’t use a classic hydraulic converter, but a multi-plate clutch as well as an integrated electric motor/generator.

Mazda claims that by replacing the torque converter with a clutch, the torque of the engine and motor is transmitted directly, with fast and rhythmic shifting much like a manual transmission. A little bit of the Mazda MX-5 “Zoom zoom” philosophy is still felt here. Nowadays, Mazda is aiming to become a premium manufacturer more than ever. The larger public should only be more aware of this…

The transmission is indeed very smooth when driving away from standstill, some jerkiness is felt when the transmission changes down when coasting and slowly decelerating. But under power, everything just feels great.

Driving dynamics

Mazda put a great effort in the handling and agility of this big Mazda. It wants it to be nimble, responsive and engaging. Not a small brief for a big SUV. First of all, it should be noted that the CX-60 The new Mazda CX-60 is based on Mazda’s Skyactiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture, designed to be compatible with the SUV’s longitudinal front-engine rear-wheel drive mechanical layout.

The Skyactiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture features numerous enhancements to improve as Mazda calls it, the Jinba-Ittai driving.

The feeling of Jinba-ittai (oneness between car and driver) that can be experienced when driving the CX-60 in varied day-to-day situations, remains the same even on challenging off-road paths during weekend outdoor activities or on slippery winter roads covered in snow and ice.

The i-Activ AWD and Mazda Intelligent Drive Select (Mi-Drive) allow the car to maintain responsive on-road driving while also offering a safe and secure driving experience even on various off-road surfaces thanks to its high controllability.

The bodyshell rigidity lets you feel the car’s handling and movements without lag. We should also mention here the Mazda-unique vehicle posture control system – Kinematic Posture Control (KPC). This stabilizes vehicle posture when cornering, braking the inside rear wheel to mitigate roll and draw the car body downwards.

How does all this translate in practice? The suspension revealed itself as rather firm, understandably so if you have to balance a 2,1 tonne SUV. Steering is precise, but rather busy. Yes, the CX-60 could indeed be thrown around corners, is up to the job, but it doesn’t exactly invite you to do so. The CX-60 sports double wishbones at the front and a multi-link rear suspension.

Driving aids

This Mazda of course incorporates all the usual driving aids and then some. We greatly appreciated the so-called “see through” function, which enhances even the 360 degrees camera function in this sense that it projects an image on the screen which lets the driver see through the front and rear corners of the car. Advanced Smart City Brake Support uses a front camera to show cars and pedestrians ahead.

Command comfort…

We greatly appreciated also the large central armrest and the command knob to, steer the functions displayed on the screen. Mazda is in my opinion only to, be applauded for maintaining this circular command knob, which is so much easier and stable to use when on the move on bouncy roads and avoids the unhygienic, finger prints on the screen. COVID-19 times made us aware of this ever more…

There is also the so-called Driver Personalisation System, which detects with a camera the eye position of the driver and his physique, then automatically adjusts the seat and steering wheel, Active Driving Display and the door mirrors.

And practicality

The boot space is 570 litres, increasing to 1148 litres with the rear seats folded flat. The load space is equipped with a 12 V 150 watt outlet, which can be raised in the PHEV to 230 V with not less than 1500 watts…

The CX-60 is also excellent for towing, as it can pull a weight of not less than 2500 kg…

Conclusion

Mazda succeeds in making this CX-60 an absolute premium SUV, certainly when it comes to styling, finish and opulent elegance, especially in the interior. As a PHEV, it offers its EV qualities when it can be frequently recharged. On the other hand, when the battery is depleted, it remains reasonably frugal. It certainly handles well, but a fluent, relaxed driving style suits it most.

It is lavishly equipped, and this goes for all the equipment versions you choose. The top version we tested leaves strictly nothing to be desired, with 20 inch alloys and panorama roof included, and this makes the CX-60 also attractive…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Photographers notes

We shot the Mazda here entirely with our Fujifilm Finepix S100 FS , which was bought, as you know, for less than 70 Euros. We erroneously left the Dynamic Range at 100. Given the strong sunlight, we should have set it at least at 200 or 400. But there you are. The results are still pretty decent, considering also that we were also still shooting in JPEG. The sensor produces 11,1 megapixel images, which is plenty for our work. The 28-400 mm zoom lens even has a macro function and an ultra macro function, making close ups a breeze…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Nissan Juke 1,6 Hybrid: a very refined and stylish urban SUV…

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The Juke has invented the compact, urban SUV and indeed has gained many faithful followers over the years. Times have changed, and the reduction of CO2 emissions is crucial now. So when the facelift of the Juke came along, it was time also to launch a hybrid version. Within the Renault group, the drivetrain of the Renault Captur was the obvious choice, and so here we are with a 1,6 litre petrol engine combined with an electric motor, delivering a system power of 105 kW or 143 HP. Nissan engineers have further honed Renault’s hybrid system, and we found it operating very refined indeed. The second generation Juke also underwent some styling changes for the better, but retained its iconic shape. Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Pleasing…

The front end of the Juke now features a honeycomb grille with also the headlamps elegantly integrated in the bodywork with the indicators and running lights stylishly elongated along the bonnet. We already tell you here that the headlamps feature already in the standard equipment full LED, as well as the rear lights.

The interior is also very well finished, with soft padding on the dashboard, door panels and centre console. We like the very readable round instruments, and the touch screen sits nicely high up on the centre of the dashboard. Everything is quite intuitive to handle, and one feels well at home in this cosy, rather dark interior, the latter as a (happy?) result of the typical styling of this SUV.

The steering wheel is eminently adjustable, and the front seats are very comfortable indeed. Thanks to its SUV character one sits pleasantly high, with the front seats being some 52 cm above street level. So getting in and out is a breeze.

Refined, at least when you drive it smoothly…

Driving a Hybrid is also an art, which you have to learn. Ok, the hybrid offers you thanks to its electric motor that added torque and immediate pulling power which is the very charm of EV driving. But the smoothness and silence of the drivetrain will please you even more when you drive it quietly, with anticipation and restraint.

Then the clever (thanks to computer-age Artifical Intelligence) system will manage the power stream masterfully between E- and combustion power, the engine revs will not rise unduly and in urban traffic you will achieve anything between 5 and 5,5 litres/100 km. The hybrid Juke will also let you use the e-pedal function, so you can recuperate kinetic energy via the electric motor, which then acts as a generator. Of course, you set the drive selector on the centre console in “Eco” mode, and leave it there.

When you want more performance of the Juke, you can forget about any extra economy. Logically, as then the combustion engine has to do most, if not all the work, as it has also to maintain a minimum charge in the battery. Only the e-pedal will let you recuperate kinetic energy, so you can use the e-boost of the electric motor when re-accelerating. The engine revs high, one clearly hears that it’s there, and the transmission is very busy choosing the right gears with sometimes a hint of jerkiness.

This is also the reason why high cruising speeds on the motorway are also to be avoided if you want to see decent economy. Diesels can run at high speeds with consumptions remaining between 6 and 7 l/100 km, but NOT petrol engines. The Juke will then set you back with averages between 7,5 and 8 litres/100 km. No miracles, dear readers, just the laws of physics. The Nissan engineers also set the tone already, as the top speed of this Juke Hybrid is “only” 166 km/h. You shouldn’t be doing it, if you think about the earth. Enough zest though, as the Juke will sprint from 0 to 100 in 10,7 seconds.

The Hybrid Juke has a so-called “Multi-Mode” transmission, with 4 speeds for the petrol engine, and two speeds for the electric motor. AI chooses for you not less than 15 gear combinations! The engine is good for 94 HP and 148 Nm, additionally supported by a 15 kW starter/generator. The electric motor has 49 HP and 205 Nm of torque.

Our average test consumption stayed well below 6 litres/100 km, as indeed we drove the Juke Hybrid as it is engineered to be. CO2 emissions are set at 114 g/km according to WLTP standards.

When starting from cold, the engine will at least during the first few kilometers rev quite clearly, as it has to reach its operating temperature as fast as possible and also has to keep the battery (re)charged. When you use EV power extensively in (very) slow and quiet driving, every now and then, the engine will eagerly rev again, but then this is to recharge the battery. It does this even when you hardly touch the throttle or even not at all, which seems a bit unsettling at first, but soon you get used to this.

Enjoy the music…in comfort

Driven in the right way, the Juke will seduce you with quietness, and this lets you enjoy the DAB+ radio and the excellent sound system. We had a Bose system with speakers integrated also in the headrests, and the sound experience was indeed wonderful. The suspension is comfortable, a bit firmish, but never harsh. Seating is excellent with more than enough headroom in the front. In the back, this is less generous, but legroom is very much OK. There is also enough room in door bins for even 1 litre bottles.

Connectivity is also top notch, with Apple Car play and Android Auto provided.

Stable and predictable handling

The Juke steers precise, has very good stability at speed and is predictable in corners. Even abruptly lifting the throttle in de midst of a curve will trigger the ESP and the Juke will maintain its course. The steering is reasonably direct (2,5 turns from lock to lock) as an urban compact befits. The Juke is quite safe, in the NCAP Crash test it achieved 94 pct of all the achievable points. Brake performance is very good, with the wider tires of course enhancing the deceleration.

Practical

Boot space is adequate for a compact SUV with 301 liters, and there is an under floor tray with an additional 90 l. With all seats folded there is 705 liters available when you load until the rear window base. One has to lift the luggage rather high into the opening however, some 78 cm.  

Conclusion

The Juke has its iconic looks further improved, and is certainly a smooth urban performer with its Hybrid layout. On the open road it is also a good travel companion, with high speeds letting the petrol engine work rather hard, which limits economy. But as said above, adopting the proper driving style will let you enjoy fully its “zen” qualities, for years to come…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Photographer’s notes: we took most of the photos here with the bargain of the year: a still totally pristine Fujifilm Finepix S100fs, with a Fujinon 28-400 mm 35 mm equivalent lens, bought two weeks ago for almost the original price of its sun lens hood: 59 Euros!!

It proved to have excellent color and light balance, surpassing even the Samsung S22 state of the art flagship smartphone, which did not succeed in making a well color balanced photo of the e-pedal button on the centre console. The auto color balance got so completely out of line in the shadowy interior of the juke that I had to print here the photo in black and white here (see photo in the article above) instead of the exaggerated blue the S22 produced.

Opel Mokka and the best barista in the world…

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On October 1, coffee aficionados around the world celebrated their favorite hot drink on International Coffee Day.

This was a reason of the dynamic Stellantis PR team to to let one of the best baristas in Belgium, Peter Hernou, show us how to serve a good coffee. Because let’s face it, a Mocha coffee in the morning is a day without worries. And with the award-winning Opel Mokka, Opel offers the perfect companion to further color the day.

So we went to the beautiful Pajottenland around Brussels to have a drive with the Mokka and meet Peter Hernou and enjoy his heavenly coffee.

By the way, Opel chose the name “Mokka” by analogy with the coffee/espresso beans that are “small but with a lot of character” or, like the car, “compact in size and big in character”.

It was a very enjoyable day, and we learned a lot about coffee making. The first and most important rule is to have fresh roasted coffee beans, ground just minutes before you make it.

Of course we also had a delightful drive at the wheel of the electric Mokka through the hills of Pajottenland.

Of course, the customer has ample choice, this subcompact SUV from Opel is available as a battery electric vehicle, or with petrol and diesel engines, – just as they would choose their favorite coffee….

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Mazda CX-5: a stylish SUV with a premium feel…

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The CX-5 is stylish…

Did you know that the CX-5 is the most popular model in global markets? So Mazda carefully hones its flagship model to superb quality “feel” and looks. Never change (too much) a winning team, the saying goes. And tis is exactly what Mazda does. Of course it has poured right from the beginning a lot of unique Mazda DNA in its SUV. You guessed it, this CX-5 reminds you a bit of the MX-5 in look, feel, responsiveness and handling. You find the nice classic and beautiful round dials in front of you, your hand rests on the lever of the slick and precise changing 6 speed gearbox, the steering wheel also feels familiar to the MX-5 aficionado.

Superb finish and classic, analog instruments…

The platform of the CX-5 is now 10 years old, but it certainly doesn’t show its age. The handling is fine, responsive, inviting to have a go on winding roads. Ah, and then apart from the wide 10,25 inch screen and offering of course Android Auto and Apple Car play, the digital age has not invaded too much in the controls and (beautiful) instrumentation of this CX-5. We just love it.

A control dial for the functions displayed on the screen, proper round knobs to adjust the cabin temperature, how refreshing is this! By the way, the CX-5 now offers inductive phone charging, and a choice of drive modes.

Superb finish

Besides the classic looks there is more what rejoices your heart greatly is indeed the superb finish of this Mazda. Fine tolerances, premium materials abound in the cabin. Premium is what you see and feel. Mazda is also quite ambitious here. It wants to be the leading non European premium brand in 2030. No less…

We drove the Homura version, targeted at Mazda drivers who want more sportiness. One recognises it on the red dots on the grille, stitching in seats and steering wheel.

Smooth power

We already said it, the CX-5 runs on a decade old platform, and this leaves no room for any electrification. Mind you, Mazda has many new goodies in store soon, not to mention the CX-60, Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid. An avalanche of new SUV’s will follow, from the CX-50 to the CX-90. But here we have trusty combustion engine power, and this means no range worries at all. The increased occupation of the few available public charging points in one’s neighbourhood in this country is making the use of an EV when one has no home charging possibility indeed a rather desperate affair.

So we enjoyed the wonderful 2 litre 163 HP Skyactiv-G engine coupled to a slick 6 speed manual gearbox. Smooth, revving willingly, offering also plenty of zest at lower revs. Mind you, this is a rather formidable engine, brimming of combustion ingeniosity. The search for economy incited us to hover around 1500-2000 rpm and this meant smooth, almost inaudible power and indeed very, very reasonable fuel consumption. It again shows that your driving style essentially determines how much fuel you use.

We reached an average of 7,3 litres/100 km. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h costs slightly more than 10 seconds and top speed is an impressive 200 km/h. So can you have fun at the wheel of a CX-5? Indeed, you can certainly, and family fathers who had to give up their MX-5, don’t have to regret this…

You can also choose a bigger, 2,5 litre Skyactiv engine, combined with an auto box, and 4WD, but it will drive the prices well beyond the 40,000 Euro mark.

A fine balance between handling and comfort.

The CX-5 is not only at home on winding roads, it offers also fine comfort. Any harshness is never felt, also any road surface noise is very well suppressed. It made us enjoy the formidable Bose sound system even better. The CX-5 offers ample room for four, the fifth passenger in the middle of the back seat is a bit hampered by the transmission tunnel. The CX-5 offers adequate cabin space, but do’t expect a wide array of storage bins. The boot space is sufficient with 522 litres.

Well styled…

The latest facelift offers new forward and rear lighting, with the LED headlamps now offering 20 LED units.

Again we have also to stress again that the level of finish and the quality of the used materials is truly excellent. According to the equipment levels, Mazda is also offering some dramatic looking and elegant colours. We absolutely love the angular silhouette of the front grille, reminiscent of the 50s racing Lancia Gran Turismo’s, and indeed there are worse examples to follow. It gives the Mazda’s a personality.

Conclusion

For those amongst us who want a premium quality SUV with a wonderful combustion engine, comfortable, easy to use, and don’t see electrification yet as an answer to carefree individual mobility, this is a car for you. The CX-5 has a typical Mazda DNA, reminiscent of the character and panache of the MX-5 and is very stylish indeed. It offers good value for money too, if you are judicious in the choice of drivetrain and equipment level.

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Photographers’ notes:

We used here again our Canon Power Shot G9 X. A true compact gem indeed, lightweight – merely some 200 grams – and ultra compact. We selected an f 8 opening for that extra sharpness and more importantly extra depth of field. With the good light conditions, ISO was only 200 or 250. It is also able to shoot at very short distances, as the photo of the instrumentation shows.

We drove the new Citroën C5 Aircross: a SUV with added panache and superb comfort…

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We drove the 225 HP plug-in hybrid version in the Alpes Maritimes around Cannes and Nice…

When the brand with the double chevron builds an SUV in the C segment, you can expect something very special. Indeed, after a long drive in the Alpes Maritimes around Grasse, on the immensely scenic Route Napoléon, the  Départementale 6085, we stepped out totally relaxed and surprised. This is a totally harmonious car, with very impressive qualities. First of all, the total comfort, which cars of many times its price (and size) can only mach at best. But that is not all.

There is also the perfect balance of this SUV. Its totally impeccable handling. Its unerring stability and precision, with total lack of body roll when you steer it with high speed in fast corners. Then comes the smooth drivetrain, with a silky stream of power, in the 225 HP Hybrid version we drove. We made this choice, because the plug-in hybrid version currently accounts for 41% of sales. Performance and pulling power galore, and on top of that all this is happening in vibrationless silence, with any road noise also well insulated . When you put the lever in “B”, the kinetic energy regeneration is optimal, and we drove quite long stretches of winding and hilly roads with zero average E- consumption, with the engine shut off!

The sedate driving style at the end of our trip resulted in an average total consumption of… 7,4 kW and 4,5 l/100 km.

Actually, in this paragraph, the whole story is told. Let’s now tell you more about the facelift features of this C-Segment SUV, which found since its introduction in 2018 already some 325.000 buyers worldwide…

More modern and imposing front end and announcing colour…

A more imposing front end…

Citroën introduces a new design language to its successful C-Class SUV. Tauter lines and a vertical so-called “stepped construction” contribute to visual widening the front end of C5 Aircross. The Brand logo now detaches itself from the daytime running lights. The chevrons now appear in black lacquer set off in chrome, and we liked it.

They extend visually via a set of increasingly tight chrome and black piano keys that gradually blend into LED daytime running lights, very subtle! Characteristic of the new Citroën identity, the V-shaped day time running lights LED signature carries a piano keys design.

More dynamism is also found at the rear in the new structured headlight lenses. Without changing size, the lamp unit is now fitted with dark and structured glass, highlighting the three LED lighting modules that constitute the light signature. The car also runs on new 18” diamond-cut PULSAR alloy wheels, and also the side panels have more structured lines and accents.

Four new Colour Packs, which allow C5 Aircross to assert its SUV character and its elegance: Glossy Black, Dark Chrome, Anodized Bronze and Energetic Blue. The new colours of the Colour Packs also feature on the front air intakes and the Airbump®.

Stylish and more upmarket cabin…

The C5 Aircross gets a new 10” touchscreen that appears to float on the dashboard, more in your line of vision. In addition, the fully customisable 12”3 digital display provides all essential and customisable information directly in the driver’s eye-line: navigation map report, information on active driver-assistance systems, information on the operating status of the hybrid engine, etc. We appreciated the simplicity of it. We noticed also a clever gimmick in the hybrid version we drove: the digital numbers indicating the speed are in blue when you are driving on E-power, and white when the combustion engine is doing the work.

Legendary seats…

Citroën Advanced Comfort® seats already present on C4 and C5 X are making their way also in the C5. They are made of high-density foam in the core of the seat, have an extra 15 mm layer of foam and of course a specific construction… and indeed, they offer a wonderful comfort and support. We already applauded the qualities of the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® suspension.

Bolder rear lights…

The central console, has been modernised with a black leather-effect-fabric enhanced by chrome design lines. We have a new, e-Toggle gear selector, a new driving mode selection button incorporating the Grip Control function and, on the plug-in-hybrid versions, an intuitive choice of the driving mode (Electric, Hybrid or Sport). The central console also integrates a large storage trail regrouping the connectivity with 2 USB-ports and a wireless charger.

Citroëns have always been practical, and this C5 Aircross makes no exception: it’s the only SUV in the segment to offer three individual sliding, reclining and retractable rear seats. The boot volume goes from 580 L to 720 L in the petrol and diesel versions and from 460 L to 600 L for the hybrid version.

We enjoyed the utter quietness of the car, as we said above, and indeed it was equipped with the optional acoustic laminated front windows.

We ended our test with an even lower consumption of merely 4,5 litres/100 km…

The plug-in-hybrid version allows a driving in electric mode up to 135 km/h, and a  55 km E-range.

Users of the C5 Aircross Plug-In Hybrid also benefit from a range of services to facilitate charging: with management either directly in the vehicle or from their smartphone, as well as the possibility of programming charging times. Charging is fast, with a full charge completed in less than two hours on a Wall-box, says Citroën.

Of course we have 20 benchmark driver-assistance systems in the compact SUV segment. These include Highway Driver Assist, a level 2 autonomous driving system, combining Adaptive Cruise Control with a Stop & Go function and the Active Lane Departure Warning system.

Needless to say, the C5 Aircross impressed us greatly. We are keen to test this car soon, also in the petrol engined 130 HP version. But really, the plug-in version couldn’t be missed…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Photographers’ notes:

We took our trusty Canon G9 X to  Nice. It’s wonderfully compact, has a cropped 20 megapixel sensor, 1.0 type back-illuminated CMOS, and a well performing 10,2 to 30,6 mm zoom lens, (35 mm equivalent: 28 – 84 mm.). It is of superb construction, with 8 elements in 6 groups (2 double sided aspherical UA lens, 1 single sided aspherical lens). It is fast too, with f/2.0 – f/4.9. We simply love this baby, and it has been for years our favorite. We mostly use it in AV mode (Aperture priority). Mind you, it has a built-in ND filter.

Citroën focuses on comfort and well-being in its launch campaign for its new C5 X.

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The C5X is now Citroën’s flagship model. Unveiled in 2021, it brings together all of Citroën’s expertise in comfort, in travel and more broadly in automotive well-being. Inspired by the CXperience concept, Citroën has made no secret of its intention to create a grand tourer, freeing itself from rules so as to create a car that combines the elegance and dynamism of a saloon, the volume and versatility of an estate, together with the posture and driving position of an SUV.

Being at the wheel of Citroën C5 X brings than legendary and unique feeling of floating, so typical of the DS Citroëns. Thanks to the brand-new Citroën Advanced Comfort® active suspension and the Advanced Comfort® seats. Driving C5 X is also an experience that is serene owing to driver assistance technologies and soothing because of the cab’s acoustic insulation and the fully electric mode of the car in its rechargeable hybrid version.

The launch campaign produced with the Traction agency (BETC group) seeks to represent all these sensations in different ways through an advertising film and a range of graphic illustrations.

C5 X advertising film

In the advertising film, we see a driver of C5 X with his family. The driver experiences a feeling of profound serenity. It is an emotional metaphor where we imagine the driver remembering or dreaming of the feeling that an astronaut might have floating in space, contemplating planet Earth, in complete harmony with the world, while he himself is enjoying a moment of tranquility, suspended in time with his family. The physical and mental comfort provided by C5 X makes his driving silent, smooth, and calm. It is the attitude advocated by the brand: humanism and serenity.

“Usually in advertising campaigns, representations of space, rockets and astronauts connote speed, power and performance – concepts which are all highly masculine. Here, we have used weightlessness as a metaphor for the sensations experienced behind the wheel of Citroën C5 X. Sensations of well-being, calm and serenity. It is always thrilling to work with a brand capable of doing things so differently of what is expected!!”  said Stéphane Xiberras, BETC President and Chief Creative Officer.

The film was produced by Rune Milton from the production company Phantasm. The studio scenes were filmed in Slovenia and the dynamic scenes, in Croatia on the island of Krk.

The original soundtrack by music production agency Start-Rec, echoes the driver’s feelings of well-being and gently reinforces the weightlessness effect. It was created to bolster the brand’s sound expression territory and embody its new positioning.

By signing this campaign for its flagship model with “An invitation to serenity”, Citroën is banking on people’s desire for a new car being more about wanting to experience calm and well-being rather than about their thirst for performance.

Just cllick on the link to discover the advertising film for C5 X: https://youtu.be/mTxoPbvUnqU

More Citroën news soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The new Škoda Enyaq iV Coupé virtually unveiled…

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The new Enyaq Coupé in RS version will be first in the showrooms….

Also Škoda is convinced that the future is electric. On January 31st they presented for us the all electric Škoda Enyaq iV Coupé. It will be initially only available in the RS version, which promises to be rather formidable if one reads the figures: an acceleration form 0 to 100 km/h in 6,5 seconds, charging time from 10 to 80 % in under 30 minutes, a range of 545 km.

Oliver Stefani, Head of Design shows the sleek roofline of the new Skoda…

At the same time, this new version remains typically Škoda: spacious and practical. The luggage compartment is a massive 570 liters… and of course it has lots of “Simply Clever” features.

At the virtual presentation, we saw Jens Katemann, Head of Communications of Škoda Auto leading us into the Kino Lucerna,

the oldest still operating cinema theatre in the Czech Republic, and introducing us to the actress driving the Enyaq iV Coupé in the film, Ana Geislerova, and Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Škoda Auto. (Photo below, from left to right).

Jens Katemann, Head of Communications of Škoda Auto, Ana Geislerova, and Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Škoda Auto.

The film starts with the CEO Thomas Schäfer running in the woods towards a vantage point, embodying the will to go (ever) forward, and looking into the (electrical) future.

CEO Thomas Schäfer running…

and looking out into the future…

Then we are introduced to Johannes Neft, board member Technical development, and further to Oliver Stefani, Head of Design.

Inspiration through perspective…Olivier Stefani, Head of Design.

Actress Ana Geislerova then lovingly caresses the roofline of the sleek coupé,

and takes the wheel… for an exhilarating drive;

The second part of the film presents the RS version, which will be offered first to the eager customers, and it tells the story of a Czech teenage girl who drives the first RS Coupé, based on the rear engined MB 1000.

The person is now is some decades older, but remains in love wih life and freedom,

and of course drives now the new coupé…

I couldn’t resist showing you here some clips of this film…

The bold green colour is exclusive to the RS version…

The cars themselves are then presented in more detail by CEO Thomas Schäfer and his team. We show you here also some clips, revealing the car more in detail…

More soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The Zoute Grand Prix 2021: living now in everyone’s heart…

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The Zoute Grand Prix inspired young and old to take out their beloved classics…

This year’s edition of the Zoute Grand Prix has been spreading over several Flemish cities now. Bruges and Ostend have stepped also in the game.

This year we were of course in Knokke, but decided to live the event through the public and bystander’s eye.

The Zoute Grand Prix has indeed grown into a formidable event with a very wide and large public impact. For Knokke Heist, it has become the busiest weekend of the year, with absolute record hotel bookings.

It raises the spirits of car lovers of all ages, and many are those who take out their beloved young- or oldtimer out for a spin on the Knokke streets during the event, and have their own very personal Grand Prix.

There are also a lot of new and very recent cars around, many of them with tuned exhaust to add some extra drama to their Knokke sortie.

Shops of every kind in Knokke had arranged their showrooms and added to their shop windows a specific touch referring to the theme of the event.

Even your daily(?) gin can be enjoyed – literally – in the spirit of the Zoute Grand Prix…

We just let you enjoy some of the snapshots we took on the Knokke streets, where, we must admit, no EV’s or electrified cars were to be seen for near or afar this weekend…

Classic racing cars can also run like clockwork…
Capelleschi Gallery, specializing in car paintings, added with a Ferrari flag to the theme…

We will report on the actual event, including the Bonham’s auction and the Concours d’Elegance in these columns soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the new Fiat 500 electric…an icon with e-power.

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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.