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Nissan Benelux unfolds her strategy for the Benelux market…

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Managing Director Jerome Saigot unfolds the strategy of Nissan Benelux…

We are at the start a new automotive year, and therefore it is a good opportunity for manufacturers to look forward into 2024 and announce to the Belgian press what their strategy, plans and objectives will be in the forthcoming 12 months.

So we were invited at the end of last year by the Melvin Keuter, head of communications of Nissan Benelux at their press conference…and their interesting initiatives are certainly worth a closer look. Just read further!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Melvin Keuter, head of communications of Nissan Benelux, exposed the electrification strategy of Nissan and its future…

Nissan Belux and Nissan Nederland merged into Nissan Benelux

On the 1st of July last year, this merger was executed in order to improve response to the needs of the Benelux market. Now the two entities are joined in a new so-called Regional Business Unit, led by Managing Director Jerome Saigot. Indeed, the car market is going through a fundamental transition, and Nissan will respond to these challenges by focusing on electrification, digitalization of the customer approach and responding to major changes in the buying behavior of their clients. Mr. Saigot emphasized these points of the strategy in his presentation at the press conference. He sees also in this merger further useful synergies for staff and dealerships.

He exposed the mission of Nissan Benelux, which is to be an innovative brand which offers electrified mobility and a superior service to its customers. Its objectives are to enlarge its volume, raise brand identity and awareness as well as boosting profitability.

The strategy to achieve this will be to focus, as we said, on further digitalization of customer approach, further electrification of the model range, strengthening corporate sales, bolstering brand identity and streamlining distribution.

According to Jerome Saigot, digitalization is a major trend which will strengthen further. In 2020, only 4 % of customers were buying a car online, which has risen to 12 % in 2023. Market surveys show that soon 45 % of the future customers will buy their car online. Of course, Nissan will work further on its electrification, and indeed focus also increasingly on corporate sales.

Looking at the results last year of Nissan Belux, 6.750 units were sold, which is an impressive 48 % rise compared to FY 22.

Also in distribution and dealership the focus will be on further developing synergies and tailoring the customer approach on their changing preferences and buying behavior. In December last year, Nissan sent a message to the professionals, small and medium enterprises, craftsmen and the like, pointing out the attractiveness of their increasingly electrified LCV segment.

Decisive steps toward further electrification… or EV36Zero.

EV36Zero is a key part of Nissan Ambition 2030. In this period Nissan will deliver exciting, electrified vehicles and technological innovations while expanding and transforming its operations globally the company announces. The vision supports Nissan’s goal to be carbon neutral across the lifecycle of its products by fiscal year 2050.

In November last year, Nissan announced that the EV36Zero hub in Sunderland, Nissan’s blueprint for future manufacturing, will consist of three electric vehicles (EVs), three gigafactories and up to £3bn investment.

The transformational project includes future all-electric versions of Nissan’s flagship Qashqai and JUKE crossovers, and Nissan also confirmed that the third vehicle planned for UK production will be next-generation Nissan LEAF.

Nissan also announced that that it expects its passenger car line-up in Europe to be 100% electric by 2030.

Nissan is also incorporating in their electrification strategy the latest developments in battery technology. It will adopt Cobalt-free batteries, and towards 2028 there will be a cost reduction in comparison with Lithium-Ion batteries of not less than 65 %. This year Nissan will open a pilot factory in Yokohama to produce solid-state batteries, which can be charged three times faster and cost much less. They will be introduced to the market in 2028…  

Looking into the future…

After exposing the good qualities of the present range, a veil was lifted in this conference about the cars we can expect in the (not so) distant future.

Indeed, the three future versions of the full electric Juke, Qashqai and Leaf will be inspired by three exciting all-electric concept models, two of which were recently unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show:

The Nissan Hyper Urban Concept, a crossover EV characterized by a sleek and modern aesthetic.

The Nissan Hyper Punk Concept, an all-electric compact crossover with an exterior aesthetic defined by multifaceted and polygonal surfaces.

The Nissan Chill-Out Concept, was unveiled in 2021 and previously confirmed as the inspiration for a future EV to be built in Sunderland.

 The car is a compact, sporty, city EV concept with an influence from the world of virtual gaming. Besides the sleek and modern design, advanced safety technology, it has a productive and comfortable interior space.

The Chill-Out, – see photo here above – which looks to us as a very realistic concept car which we might see on our roads in the (very?) near future, utilizes the CMF-EV platform.

The Nissan Hyper Urban Concept – see photo here above – was announced at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show; its styling complements the sophisticated tastes of its target users, such as urban and suburban based professionals who prioritise environmental sustainability.

This all-electric crossover concept is designed to remain up to date for every new owner, ensuring an extended lifecycle through regular software and hardware upgrades, aiming to achieve the utmost sustainability. To maximize this further, the vehicle seamlessly integrates into the electric vehicle ecosystem (V2H/B/G), for power sharing.

Last but not least, there is the Nissan Hyper Punk concept was also announced at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show.

It is positioned as an all-electric compact crossover concept, catering for a dynamic audience seeking self-expression through style and creativity. It offers owners a canvas for self-expression with its polygonal-shaped exterior with dynamic color changes.

Further styling exercises: the Nissan Concept 20-23

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nissan Design Europe (NDE) being located in London, Makoto Uchida, Nissan’s President and Chief Executive Officer, visited NDE in September last year to unveil an all-new sporty urban electric concept car called Nissan Concept 20-23.

The car certainly turns heads, as you can see from the accompanying photo. It was designed by a team including some the younger members of NDE, with the simple brief to design a car – with no constraints – which they would like to drive on the streets of the city where they work.

Of course there is the present range of Nissan, with the Juke, bestseller Qashqai and Ariya. Last but not least also the Leaf. Head of Marketing Rémy Le Gall presented them. See photo here below.

Soon we will refresh our driving impressions of these cars for you, and tell you then more about their unique qualities. Stay posted!

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

We drove the Alfa Romeo Tonale Hybrid: smooth Italian (super)power…

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I vividly remember my visit to the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo. Indeed, I sat in the prototype mock up bodywork/interior of the Tonale, and had to be very cautious not to touch anything, as it was made of plaster, clay and wood. I was invited at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo by Chief designer Klaus Busse and his team, when the plaster and wood prototype of the Tonale was just finished. We admired its typical proportions in tune with the higher stance of an SUV, with a horizontal accent line reminiscent of the styling language of the famous ‘Disco Volante’ two seater, created by Carrozzeria Touring back in 2013 and the original Disco Volante 1900 C52 born 1952, also designed by the Milanese coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring… I just love the the iconic Scudetto grille and certainly the five-hole 20-inch alloys…

Another highlight was the first acquaintance with the plug-in Hybrid version on the Balocco proving ground. See the whole story on these columns, by clicking the following link: https://autoprova.be/2022/11/17/we-drove-the-alfa-romeo-tonale-plug-in-hybrid-q4-in-balocco-the-wonderful-panache-of-todays-efficient-sportiness/ and https://autoprova.be/2022/11/20/the-alfa-romeo-tonale-plug-in-hybrid-q4-the-full-story-of-a-modern-electrified-thoroughbred/

But now read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

So when we took the wheel of our white Tonale Hybrid test car, the sweet memories came back instantly. The Tonale seduces not only with the right proportions and curves of its bodywork, also in the cabin the iconic Alfa Romeo atmosphere reigns. The round instrument clusters, the big sized gearshift paddles around the classic steering wheel inspire the enthusiast, and it is indeed just how an Alfa Romeo should look. The interior is all black andorned with red stitching on dashboard panels and seats, and this is the only color to choose from for the time being…

A swift turn of the “DNA” drive mode selector lets you choose how you want to drive your Tonale for the day. There are three modes to choose from. Dynamic will reveal all the sporting qualities of this 280 HP Tonale, N means “Naturale” or natural, and then this Alfa will choose for you the right propulsion in each situation, adeptly choosing between engine or E-power. When you want to enjoy more the “Zen” smoothness of battery power, then select the “A” mode, and this Tonale will treat you whenever possible to the delights of electric propulsion. Of course, this happy feeling doesn’t last forever with a 15.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Tonale has some 60 kilometers in store for you. When the battery is depleted, the Tonale will switch automatically to the “Naturale” mode, and you then can still enjoy the clever smoothness of hybrid propulsion. The battery is recharged fully after some 2,5 hours when connected to your 240 V home charging plug.

Power

The 1.3-liter MultiAir turbo four and the electric motor produce a total of 280 horsepower, of which 121 are derived solely from the 90-kW electric motor mounted in the rear, as we said, fed by a 15.5-kWh battery pack located under the cabin. All this develops beautiful, smooth punch, which we also fondly remember during our high speed laps on the circuit on the Balocco proving ground. A Giulia Quadrifoglio was then our pace car, and we had no trouble at all following this throughbred beauty, which was driving at 9/10 of its capacities, as the Alfa people  told us afterwards. A smooth avalance of power is yours in this Tonale when you put your foot down. 0 to 100 km/h is reached in 6,2 seconds. This tells the whole story… The top speed is reached at 206 km/h. The MultiAir engine itself develops 180 HP at 5750 rpm, giving it a score of not less than 135,1 HP/L. 

So yes, the Tonale in plug-in Hybrid form is a smooth performer, also thanks to its 6 speed automatic, which reacts nicely to your right foot.  As a bonus, you get four wheel drive thrown in. It is to me a very strong point in favor of this PHEV. When we come to fuel consumption, the official WLTP figure is 1.13-1.48 l/100 km. Let’s say that in pure electric mode, the consumption is stated at 19 kW/100 km, and when you drive solely on petrol, it all depends on your driving style. Anything between 10 and 6 litres/100 km, we would say. Driven with some restraint, an average consumption around 7,3 liters is normally achievable, with some distance driving thrown in, as was proven by our test. Of course, the Tonale scores well on emissions:  CO2 emissions are 26-34 g/km. All these figures are quite remarkable as the Tonale is certainly not a lightweight car with its 1835 kg.

Thoroughbred handling

Despite its all steel underpinnings, the Tonale handles excellent indeed. When you go for the dual-stage valve active suspension, you will find it a smooth companion on pothole filled urban roads. The Tonale feels indeed equally well at home on winding roads when you drive it with abandon, as when you drive it slowly and smoothly in town. The light steering also helps to put a smile on your face, even in tight urban traffic. Stopping power is delivered in the top Veloce version which we tested by Brembo brake calipers, and it is totally beyond reproach.

Infotainment and connectivity

Every Tonale comes standard with a 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It has the Uconnect 5 software found on other models within the Stellantis group. The home screen can be customized, and you can adapt the interfaces and create not less than five unique user profiles. It has standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as of course wireless phone charging. We must say that sometimes we found the touchscreen rather slow and hesitant to react to our finger pressure, certainly awkward when driving and you want just to perform an easy command with one touch of your finger.

Of course the Tonale offers all the thinkable safety and driver-assist features, like automated emergency braking and a very smooth and subtle adaptive cruise control, which I enjoyed very much. Especially the clever refinement of the adaptive cruise control impressed me. Indeed, enormous progress has been made in this field over the last few years.

Practical

The Tonale offers ample comfort for four, has certainly in the top Veloce version everything you could wish for, and with the entire camera supported driving aids, it is a breeze to drive in town and to park in narrow spaces. Boot space is sufficient, with 385 l with all seats up, and to a maximum of 1430 l with everything flat. You can also use your Tonale as a tow car, and it is good for 1250 kg trailer load with brakes, and 700 kg without.

Conclusion

Stylish, full of panache both inside and out, the plug-in version of the Tonale has a lot to please. Enormous performance, with handling to match, it is a true high-performance Alfa, and thanks to the E-power it delivers this performance effortlessly and smoothly.

When you are in the mood, very decent economy is possible, and in normal everyday driving this leaves you smiling all the way.

All these good qualities DO have a price, but then, beauty in this world is never cheap, is it?

Think about this: the timelessness of the styling, the excellent proportions, the emission values thanks to its hybrid configuration make this Tonale a companion for years, if not decades to come, on all the regions and cities in Europe and beyond, so why not fall in love with this Tonale, and set the right tone for your future mobility…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Unique historic Porsches to be seen at Brussels Autoworld…

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

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

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

Hans Knol ten Bensel

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


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

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

Pushing technical boundaries 23 years ago…

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

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

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

General director Autoworld Sebastien de Baere…

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

Italian blood: the Carrera Abarth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Audi’s Q8  gets an update…

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The new Q8, here in Sakhir gold metallic…

Audi recently made its top SUV line even more attractive. It revised the exterior design of the new Q8 with new front and rear aprons, underscoring the strong character of the SUV coupé.

The S line in Waitomo blue…

The optional S line exterior package caters to customers who desire more sportiness. For the first time, Audi is equipping the Q8 with HD Matrix LED headlights with a laser as an additional high beam. The headlights also feature digital daytime running lights with selectable light signatures.

Digital OLED rear lights with four selectable rear light designs complete the expanded light offering. New wheels, colors, decorative inlays, and seats with contrast stitching highlight the car’s top position among the Q models…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Alfa Romeo presents heritage program…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Classic and Vintage Cars, Manufacturer's Classic Centers, Museums, Pre-War Classics, Service & Repair, UncategorizedLeave a comment
The Alfa Romeo SZ

At the 39th edition of “Auto e Moto d’Epoca”, one of the most important events in Europe for vintage car and motorcycle enthusiasts, Alfa Romeo presents the “Alfa Romeo Classiche” heritage program, a range of services with the precise aim of protecting and promoting the history of the iconic Italian brand.

For the first time in Stellantis, the brand’s top management is personally involved in all the activities that make up the whole range of its dedicated services. In fact, the certification committee is chaired by Alfa Romeo’s CEO and the Head of Heritage department, with the support of the Alfa Romeo Museum. This support is crucial, as this museum houses the production registers and all the technical documentation used by the committee to analyze the information on the examined cars.

Abarth is also incuded in the overall Stellantis Heritage program…

Jean Philippe Imparato – Alfa Romeo CEO: “we are enhancing our historic heritage”

When presenting the program, the CEO stated: “Alfa Romeo is going through a key phase in its history. The historical period we are going through is a genuine evolution. The brand’s future includes very ambitious goals aimed at redefining the concept of sportiness in the 21st century, while remaining faithful to its DNA. While planning for the future, our heritage is always our main source of inspiration. For us, the Alfa Romeo Classiche heritage program aims to enhance our historic automotive heritage by certifying the authenticity of vintage Alfa Romeos and giving new life to marvelous examples that still captivate and excite car enthusiasts around the world.”

The program…

Parts for the Lancia Delta Integrale are also provided…

 The Alfa Romeo Classiche heritage program consists of the Certificate of Origin – which has been offered for Alfa Romeo cars since 2016 – together with the Certificate of Authenticity and the Restoration. The Top management of the brand personally chairs and intervenes in the committee that evaluates historic cars and issues the certifications with the support of the Heritage team and the experts in Alfa Romeo history.

Issuing a Certificate of Origin…

Alfa Romeo offers the opportunity to discover the history of each car through its chassis number. The service provides for an accurate document review at the Brand’s production registers and the issue of a certificate certifying the car’s year of production and original configuration: model specifications, engine serial number, original exterior and interior details.

… and a Certificate of Authenticity.

Historic gems are kept and restored by the heritage department…

After analyzing in detail the historic car taken under consideration and verifying its production data and technical specifications at the company archives, Alfa Romeo, with the support of the Heritage department, certifies the authenticity of the classic car. To obtain this certification each car goes through a rigorous inspection and evaluation process which is carried out by the specialized team, verifying the authenticity of the car and its components and the functioning of the main mechanical parts. The vehicle can be examined at the Officine Classiche in Mirafiori or directly at the customer’s home, if he prefers, or at the Stellantis & You sales and service dealership in Rome and Palermo.

A fully fledged Restoration service.

Furthermore, the same team that takes care of the’ historical collection is available to private clients, with services ranging from simple maintenance to complete restoration: from diagnosis to exterior restoration, repair of individual mechanical and aesthetic components, and final testing.

A dedicated area on the official Alfa Romeo website…

The brand will introduce an area dedicated on its website to the new “Alfa Romeo Classiche” heritage program that allows lucky owners of historic cars to make use of programs dedicated to Certificates of Authenticity and Restoration. It will therefore be possible to receive all the information and support necessary to start a dedicated and personalized program directly from the brand’s website.

To put you in the mood, just look at the accompanying photos…where you don’t see only Alfa’s, but also Lancia and Abarth, which are also taken under the wings of the Stellantis Heritage depoartment…

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

The DS 7 gets a thorough makeover: now ever more refined with added panache…

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Design Director Thierry Metroz sums it all up:  

“The new DS 7 has now even more character, particularly at the front and rear, while its design is directly inspired by our recent concept cars. New confections also reinforce the character of the interior in search of ever more refinement. New DS 7 is the result of co-operation between my team, our experts, in particular lighting who brought an avant-garde technology, the engineers of DS PERFORMANCE, without forgetting our manufacturing team invested for the success of New DS 7.”

But also the sheer performance has been pushed a notch higher. Developed by DS PERFORMANCE, the new DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360 has a 360-horsepower plug-in hybrid powertrain with intelligent four-wheel drive transmission, big wheels, a lower stance and wide diameter brakes.

A design enhanced by sharp lines and lit up by DS PIXEL LED VISION 3.0 and DS LIGHT VEIL

Specific work in the design was carried out thanks to the close links between the DS DESIGN STUDIO PARIS team and the production team at the Mulhouse (France) factory achieving exceptional results in terms of quality and solidity.

The light signature is developing with an even more expressive look. The combination of new slimmer DS PIXEL LED VISION 3.0 headlamps and the DS LIGHT VEIL daytime running lights is seamless and carried out in the spirit of high fashion.

The DS WINGS and the grille are larger and the valance has been redesigned with a range of colours depending on the model.

The slimmer scale-like LED rear lights with a vortex effect have also been redesigned with a dark metallic finish. The boot lid and badge have been reworked with sharper lines, while the “DS AUTOMOBILES” name that replaces “CROSSBACK” will now sign off New DS 7’s visually stretched rear.

The wheels play a part in the character of New DS 7’s profile. Fitted with inserts, the new 19-inch EDINBURGH and SILVERSTONE rims improve aerodynamic efficiency while the treatment of their design magnifies their perceived diameter. New 21-inch BROOKLYN wheels, with a sculpted techncial design are only available on New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360.

The best French expertise for lovers of beautiful materials

Just like the largest Paris fashion houses, DS Automobiles bestows special care on the choice of materials and how they’re treated. Through upholstery in New DS 7’s interiors, an environment was created to make each journey different.

The height of refinement, New DS 7 OPERA is offered with two Nappa leather colours: Basalt Black and Pearl Grey. Over wider expanses, the highest quality part of the hide adds a natural and refined touch to the interior.

New upholstery with a draped effect on the Nappa leather trim is now on the dashboard and door panels. Without seams or joins it maintains the feel and appearance of natural leather. The hide is further elevated by embossing with lines reminiscent of the DS LIGHT VEIL signature.

The attention to detail of this interior is also shown by the pearl stitching offered in the new White and Zephyr colours, a steering wheel in full grain leather with a leather covered airbag, “Clous de Paris” embossed inserts iconic to DS Automobiles without forgetting the watchstrap upholstery offered for the first time in Pearl Grey.

Refinement also features in the RIVOLI interior which introduces a Basalt Black colour and has a stitched padded trim that we’ve combined with Claudia Leather upholstery, which has a more pronounced leather grain.

The PERFORMANCE LINE interior features a deeper black colour with the microfibre textile Alcantara® throughout and Gold and Carmine touches that emphasise the dynamic appearance.

The BASTILLE interior has been refreshed with a new DS Canvas finish and a Basalt Black grain inspired by fish skin.

All these interiors are enhanced with ambient lighting that can be personalised, and a new pattern based on “Clous de Paris” embossed inserts.

High performance petrol/electric hybrid and multi-energy power units

The multi-energy brand with the lowest CO2 emissions in Europe for the last two years and multiple Formula E champion, DS Automobiles has chosen to offer New DS 7 with several kinds of power unit, including a wide range of three plug-in hybrids with 225, 300 and 360 horsepower.

New DS 7 E-TENSE 225 has a PureTech 180 petrol engine and a 110-horsepower electric motor fitted to the eight-speed automatic gearbox with a two-wheel drive transmission.

New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 300 and New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360 introduce a four-wheel drive transmission with a PureTech 200 motor as well as 110 and 112 horsepower electric motors on each of the axles. The 360 model is specially tuned by DS PERFORMANCE.

A new 14.2 kWh battery gives up to 65 kilometres with zero emissions on the WLTP mixed cycle and up to 81 kilometres on the urban cycle. Charging time is about two hours on a 7.4kW charger.

A 130 BlueHDi power unit is still available in the range. Outside Europe, PureTech petrol engines with 130, 215 and 225 horsepower will also be offered.

New DS 7 remains one of the most efficient cars in its class, specifically because of its well-controlled weight.

New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360

The spirit of Grand Touring by DS Automobiles is embodied in New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360. To go with the rush of power (200 horsepower petrol engine, front electric motor with 110 horsepower and rear electric motor with 112 horsepower), New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360 enjoys special tuning by DS PERFORMANCE, specifically by optimising energy management. It has a DS ENERGY COACH application that supports the driver by supervising braking phases to improve energy recovery. The chassis is lowered by 15mm, the track is wider (+24mm at the front, +10mm at the rear) and the front brakes go to 380 millimetres in diameter with calipers by DS PERFORMANCE. New 21-inch BROOKLYN wheels are added to a new Lacquered Grey colour whose pearlescent colour highlights the special curves and charisma of this model. The 0-100km/h acceleration is rated at 5.6 seconds and the 1,000 metres start-stop is accomplished in 25.4 seconds.

New infotainment system…

The infotainment system is one of the biggest changes for New DS 7 with the inclusion of DS IRIS SYSTEM. This new solution introduces a totally reworked interface, that’s completely configurable, reactive and seamless and supported by natural voice recognition. The redesigned 12” high-resolution touch screen features a menu made up of widgets for accessing all its functions with a single movement: for controlling the connected navigation, the ventilation, the digital audio sources and journey information. This big screen that’s very comfortable to use also enables views front and rear to be displayed, provided by new high-resolution digital cameras, and access to the Mirror Screen function over wi-fi.

A new large 12-inch digital instrument panel with displays that can be changed and personalised features refreshed graphics with all the vital information such as energy flow on plug-in hybrid versions.

Unique technology for the segment

New DS 7 also introduces technology for more comfort and relaxation such as DS ACTIVE SCAN SUSPENSION and DS NIGHT VISION.

DS ACTIVE SCAN SUSPENSION is a camera-controlled damping system that’s completely unique in its class. It adjusts each wheel independently according to imperfections in the carriageway.

With DS NIGHT VISION, an infrared camera sweeps the carriageway and its edges to detect cyclists, pedestrians and animals at distances up to 100 metres. The driver receives the information in the new high resolution digital instrument display, reinforced by a special warning in the event of danger.

Safety is improved with DS DRIVER ATTENTION MONITORING and DS DRIVE ASSIST level 2 semi-autonomous driving.

DS DRIVER ATTENTION MONITORING analyses the driver’s level of attention with two cameras. The first checks the behaviour of the car in its surroundings and the second, positioned facing the driver, diagnoses where they’re looking, their face and eyelid movement which translates to the level of sleepiness and attention…

New DS 7 is equipped with DS DRIVE ASSIST, adaptive cruise control that can initiate stopping and restarting without the driver intervening and an aid that enables the driver to keep the car either where it is or where they position it in the lane.

Designed in France and on sale soon

A global car, New DS 7 is built in Mulhouse (France) for all markets outside China and in Shenzen for the Chinese market. Reservations will open from 11 July in France and the first models will be in DS STORES from September 2022.

Orders and deliveries can be made without going anywhere, through an online sales system and the availability of New DS 7 by the DS DELIVERY VALET service, at the address chosen by the customer.

Limited for the introduction: a new DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360 LA PREMIÈRE

For the New DS 7’s launch a limited edition New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360 LA PREMIÈRE is being offered. Based on New DS 7 E-TENSE 4×4 360 OPÉRA, it introduces a new Gloss Black front bumper blade, black monograms and special badges accompanying the gloss black finish on the DS WINGS, the grille, the window strips and the roof bars. Basalt Black and Pearl Grey interiors are available. Two charging cables (mode 2 and mode 3) are standard. Six bodywork colours are being offered: Lacquered Grey, Sapphire Blue, Pearl White, Perla Nera Black, Platinum Grey and Crystal Pearl.

Needless to say that we are keen to see this new DS7 soon in the flesh, and collect driving experiences for you when we are back from our holiday!

Not that we are idle in the meantime; soon you will read our driving impressions of the test cars we drove recently for you!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the VW Taigo Taigo R-Line 1,0 TSI: a compact SUV Coupé which has it all…

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The Taigo R Line has pleasing proportions. Photo taken with Fujifilm X10.

Volkswagen has a lot of excellent contenders in its big passenger car range. And many of them are absolute bestsellers, with the Golf on top, but with the Tiguan and T-Roc also ranking very high in the sales lists. Now VW adds another one to its stable, a compact SUV Coupé this time.

A compact SUV Coupé… Photo taken with Fujifilm X100F

A compact car, with its 4,27 meters. But mind you, that’s 16 centimeters longer than the T-Cross, and 3 centimeters more than the T-Roc. We found it roomy, very practical in everyday use, zesty, fun to drive and frugal. With the VW build quality on top. Does it then deserve its place within the VW line up? It certainly does…

Gives you the typical VW precision quality feel…

Stepping into this Taigo one enters VW world. And we are not only talking about the digital dashboard, the excellent, firm seats, the head- and legroom for even for the tallest among us, we talk about  precision. Indeed, the steering feels light and has this feeling of exactness, like when you touch the controls of a Leica, or feel the wheel and ride of a Porsche. Immediately, from the first meters, you feel the quality of the platform and suspension. Built to go, steer precise. Fast. Indeed, the platform is meant for high Autobahn speeds. And all this handling quality is built in this car for the people. Just so wonderful. This is not to say that other makes don’t have cars which perform equally well or are just as safe. But here one notices it more.

The R Line equipment adds sportiness. Photo taken with Fujifilm X100F

You feel it in your hands, in your fingertips, in the seat of your pants. But that is not all. The stability at high speeds is accompanied with mechanical unfussy silence and low wind noise. Yes, gentlemen, it is built for it. It’s as simple as that. On top of that, the Taigo is quite comfortable, and is not afraid of winding roads either.

Zesty 3-cylinder power

VW keeps it simple on the engine front. 999 cc in three cylinders means good fuel efficiency, excellent pulling power and lower revs. We tested the 110 Hp version, developing 200 Nm of torque at a low 2000 rpm. For performance aficionados there is a 1,5 litre four cylinder version available with 150 HP, but the 1 litre version is more than lively enough. In our test car, it was coupled to the 7 speed DSG. This transmission adapts wonderfully to the engine’s characteristics.

The 1 litre 3 cylinder is zesty… Photo taken with Fujifilm X10.

In the R-Line equipment version we drove, we could select the drive modes Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual, but kept it in Comfort most of the time. When you accelerate in this mode from standstill with half throttle, the gearbox will change as early as possible to third gear, and will then really let the engine pull its best from then on, using the torque rev range optimally.

Performance leaves noting to be desired. 0 to 100 km/h is reached in 10,9 seconds, top speed is 191 km/h. The acceleration in the intermediate speed ranges is impressive: 60 to 100 km/h costs barely more than 6 seconds, from 80 to 120 km/h costs some 8 seconds. The engine is silent, unobtrusive even when revved, inaudible and vibrationless up to high cruising speeds.

With economy to match…

Cockpit instrumentation is now fully digital. Photo taken with Fujifilm X100F

Consumption, certainly with a petrol engined car, depends greatly on your (urban) driving style. No trouble at all to reach anything between 5-6 liters/100 km, with a lighter foot and some anticipation. VW quotes for WLTP consumption 5,4 liters, with CO2 emissions being 123 g/km.

Cockpit with VW typical user friendliness

The interior and dashboard are well finished, the materials are certainly not cheap, nice soft materials on top of the dashboard and a leather steering wheel to enjoy too.

Well finished cockpit offers roomy seating, even for the tallest…Photo with Fujifilm X10.

The touch controls of heating and ventilation take some getting used to, but as we said lately in our test of the Lexus UX 300e, we refrain from criticizing this, as owners have months if not years to get the hang of this.

Touch and slide controls for heating and ventilation seem initially unusual… Photo taken with Fujifilm X10

The instrumentation is digital, the display is clear and can show a wide range of information alongside your speedo, including power output, fuel efficiency and even full width map on the larger screen. It also sports Apple Car play and Android Auto, in tune with the times… The Taigo has a decent-sized glove box, door bins that can swallow a large bottle of water, a deep cubby in the central armrest and a space for your phone in front of the gearstick, which doubles as a wireless charger.

Your urban friend…and roomy too.

The Taigo also offers good visibility, offering large rear windows. Just the high waistline in the back limits rearward visibility, but every Taigo has front and rear parking sensors as standard and a rear-view camera is available on higher trim versions, as in our R-Line equipment level.

The Taigo offers plenty of headroom and seats that slide a good way back for lots of legroom, even the width is impressive, and you and your front-seat passenger are quite comfortable..

The R Line also offers distinctive seat upholstery… Photo with Fujifilm X10

Rear head and legroom is generous too, with also an impressive standard luggage space of 455 liters.

The Taigo does not come very cheap however, and we should suggest that you also take a long look at the equipment levesl, as the standard level already offers quite a lot…

Conclusion

The Taigo astonished us with its practicality, its all-round character, being masterfully at home in town, on winding roads and long motorways.

The Taigo offers generous boot space… photo taken with Fujifilm X10

A city car which offers room and performance as well as comfort to steal your hearts as an excellent Gran Turismo. Being responsibly frugal too, of high quality and built to last… certainly, watch this Taigo, it will make its mark…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Photographers’ note: In photographing the Taigo, we used two camera’s from our mirrorless camera collection: the handy and very capable Fujifilm X10 and the latest addition to our stable, the flagship Fujifilm X100F.

The long time darling: the Fujifilm X10

The X10 has a Fujinon F: 2 28-112 zoom lens (35 mm equivalent) and the X100F has a superb F: 2 23 mm fixed lens, which is about 35 mm considering the cropped sensor. It has an equally superb processor, coping with the most difficult lighting situations.

The new flagship: the Fujifilm X100F

I used both cameras in aperture priority mode. (AV). The harsh late spring sunlight made lighting circumstances difficult, as it created sharp contrasts… Fortunately, the photos taken with the Fujifilm X10 were taken under a slightly overcast sky.

“SUCCESSFUL WOMEN” : A unique talk show format created by Citroën for the launch of the new c5 x in Belgium.

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Indeed, Citroën created a new project , named “SUCCESSFUL WOMEN”, a new digital format to highlight inspiring and captivating women in the context of the launch of the new Citroën C5 X.

The project will consist of four two-minute videos that will be broadcast on the brand’s social networks in Belgium.

In the different episodes Citroën lest us discover the careers of successful and inspiring women, who talk about their professional activities, their successes or their challenges.

Link to the first video with Ms. Giorgia Brooks, CEO and founder of “The Nine” in Brussels, here on the photo above: https://e1.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ8OezZQEksLbYaKr4mXeVD4AK3f8a2ump7

That this project is linked to the launch of its latest flagship has many good reasons: C5 X is the new top model from Citroën. It combines all Citroën’s know-how in comfort, travel and, more broadly, well-being in the car: a true invitation to serenity. This is also what women want to find in a car.

The Nine is a club for women, but men are also welcome!

That Citroën comes with this unique and original idea is written in the stars: Citroën has always been a brand known for its innovative and avant-garde approach. From this perspective, Citroën Belux also wanted to develop an original communication approach that highlights the philosophy of its latest creation through meetings with inspiring businesswomen who share their professional experiences.

Four episodes have been made and will be broadcast on the brand’s social networks in Belgium. The concept is 100% Belgian and the women involved tell about their professional activities, their successes and their challenges.

In the first video, we meet Mrs. Giorgia Brooks, CEO and founder of “The Nine”, the first business club dedicated to women, based in Brussels. With “The Nine”, Georgia Brooks wanted to create a space for women to network in an original way. Such clubs already existed in England and Spain, but not yet in Belgium. Hence the idea of ​​Georgia Brooks to create their equivalent in Brussels, to put so many inspiring, committed and passionate women in the spotlight. It is not a club that pursues status or elitism, but rather a place that creates a soothing atmosphere of well-being, where women can meet for discussions or interesting projects.

In addition to this first episode of “SUCCESSFUL WOMEN”, starring Giorgia Brooks, three more episodes are planned and the names of these individuals will be revealed just before the airing of each video. The videos are produced by the Belgian company Velvet Studio.

The first video will be broadcast on the social networks of the Citroën Belux brand from April 29, 2022.

Link to the first video : https://e1.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZ8OezZQEksLbYaKr4mXeVD4AK3f8a2ump7

We drove the 360 HP DS9 E-Tense 4×4 in Nice… and witnessed the launch of the DS Supercar!

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Arriving late last night from Nice, we report you here immediately about the wonderful driving experience with the most powerful DS9, enjoying its pure GT talents over the winding roads around Grasse and the iconic Côte d’Azur. We will soon tell you more about it.

But the gentlemen of DS Automobiles did even more than just letting us have a drive in their flagship DS9, they also unveiled in the flesh at their press conference a wonderful Supercar, with absolutely stunning looks and performance.

DS Automobiles puts their E-Formula racing experience into practice on our roads… What to think of 815 HP or 600 kW, developed by two electric motors of 250 kW in the front, and 350 kW driving the rear wheels.

Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is done in a fantastic 2 seconds…and the car is a beauty too!

Much more about this superfast E-“bolide” and the impressive top-level DS9 soon on these pages!

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