Inside Lane Magazine: Issue 32 "Frankfurt 2011"

Inside Lane

“It’s the Frankfurt m

otor show and

that means more hot metal

than you can shake a stick at...”

Issue 32 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

Frankfurt 2011

Hello folks, Tyler Heatley here (Inside Lane Editor-in-Chief) and welcome to issue 32 of the magazine. Doesn’t time fly!

It is that time of year again and the 2011 Frankfurt motor show looks to be one of its very best. It’s all here including the much anticipated launch of the all-new Porsche 911, Ferrari’s 458 Spider, what could become Ford’s new Capri and much more.

What are you waiting for?

67 years later and the Land Rover Defender is still going strong. The British workhorse hasn’t really

changed over this vast span of time but the world around it has greatly. This begs the question, does the

worlds best 4X4 need to change because of its environment? In another few years, when the car is 70, will

the world still love the old brute? Today Land Rover has preview the Defenders future.

Named the DC100 Concept, it embodies the future direction of the Defender. 2015 is when its true

successor shall surface but this is our first look at what direction is being taken. Keeping the iconic

Defender square stance, the DC100 is designed to be just as rugged as todays car. A successor not a

redefinition. Land Rover says it “builds upon essential elements of the Defender’s character and allows us

defender of the realm

7-Heaven

Peugeot HX1

People carriers are not cool. Not in

any sense of the word, not in any

shape or form. These boxes on

wheels are the last resort for parents

with large families as space tends to

be at a premium with more than three

children. Peugeot however intend on

giving some hope to this market.

This is Peugeot’s MPV concept, a

vision of what a people carrier from

the French manufacturer will look like

in 2020. Named the HX1, it is powered

by a 2.2 litre HDi for the front wheels

and a 95BHP electric motor for the

rears. Pure electric range is pegged at

18.6 miles but combined consumption

can be as good as 88MPG. The

electric motor can be charged directly

by plugging it into a charging station or

a wall socket. For a people mover it

sure looks good and even has front

and rear swan doors! We hope to see

the HX1 in production in some form or

another one day.

“Is it B-Coz I’m Blue?”

New B-Class

Well that didn’t take long did it? Just 24 hours after a leaked image of the

next-gen B-Class emerged we find our inbox to be full of OFFICIAL

details and images. Was the leak a deliberate move by Merc to build up

to the launch? It can’t be ruled out… So here we are the new Mercedes-

Benz B-Class.

The all-new car comes in a rather attractive package for an MPV. The

well sculpted body lends itself to the description of sleek as opposed to

the roundness found on the previous model. The car is bigger in every

dimension meaning that this very premium cabin benefits from even

more space. From launch there will be two 1.6 litre petrol engines

(121BHP/147lb-ft of torque or 154BHP/ 184lb-ft of torque). Interestingly

with both of these engines maximum torque will be available from just

1,250RPM. Two 1.8 litre diesels will also be offered (107BHP/189lb-ft or

134BHP/221lb-ft). All models come with a six speed manual but Merc

are offering a 7 speed dual clutch affair as an option.

Expect to see the new B-Class in showrooms in April.

I’ll Be Back... AUDI’S NEW A2

Today Audi have their fingers in many

pies. Think of a segment of the

market they are pretty much there in

one form or another. 4X4’s, soft-

roaders, luxury saloons, luxury

coupe’s, hatchbacks and even

supercars. However, six years ago

Audi withdrew from the small car

market with its A2 leaving Mercedes’

A-Class to gobble up sales. But now

in SHOCKING revelations the A2 is

back.

The boxy four-seat concept keeps

the originals aluminium spaceframe

to reduce weight. Though echoing

back to its predecessor in terms of

design, this new car carries all the

modern-day styling distinctions of its

production siblings. This biggest

change is that this car is to be all-

electric and will compete directly with

BMW’s i3. With underpinnings shared

with the A1, the new A2 is due to go

on sale in 2013.

For now this is just the concept, but

its where everything begins.

DS5

Citroens revitalized DS range is doing remarkably

well. The DS3 was a triumphant little hot-hatch

collecting many awards and bringing a smile to

everyones face who drove it. The DS4’s design was

something to be admired as it brought elegance and

luxury to its class. Now Citroen has announced the

DS5.

Using the same HYbrid4 drivetrain as Peugeot, the

DS5 is the first proper hybrid from the French

company. Powered by a 2.0 litre diesel engine and

an electric motor, this car has emissions under 99g/

km. Driving at under 37MPH also allows you to run

in full electric mode saving the world one polar bear

at a time. Inside, Citroen say the new interior has

been inspired by the world of aviation.

The DS5 goes on sale spring 2012.

I’m sorry, no arguments... This IS the best looking car in the world.”

Alfa Romeo has a way of building cars like no other manufacturer. The way they feel

to drive is unique to the mark but for the past few years Alfa has been without a

flagship. Sure, their hatchbacks are great but where is the pure soul of the brand?

The gorgeous Alfa Romeo 4C concept promises to be just that when it goes into

production next year. The Concept has taken on a few tweaks for Frankfurt.

Now being displayed in stunning silver, this work of art is set for a 2012 launch and

will be powered by a 1.7 litre turbocharged engine. Thanks to carbon fibre and

aluminium the car will weigh less than 850KG meaning its 200BHP+ will get it from

0-62MPH in under five seconds. Revised suspension has been implemented in the

form of a double wishbone set-up.

This car is something we are very excited about. Next year can’t come soon enough!

UP!-TO-DATEThe supermini is an ever popular and ever growing segment of

todays market. The little cars that bound around our cities often offer

good value, great economy, and in many cases a good drive.

Competition levels in this class are high but VW think that for their

new car the only way is UP!

The VW Up!, yes the exclamation mark is part of its name, is the

realization of several concept cars before it. Arriving in Europe in

December the little car is powered by a 1.0 litre 3 cylinder engine

producing either 59 or 74BHP dependent upon what variant you

choose. Seating four, the Up! comes with a new collision avoidance

system that will automatically stop the car before a collision under

18MPH. There are three trim levels available; the Take Up!, the Move

Up! and the top spec High Up!

For goodness sake!

Motor shows are seen as

different opportunities

dependent on the

manufacturer. Some will use

the show to launch a new

model, others to preview a

new design direction. Some,

however, attend just to throw a

spanner in the works. Enter

Citroen and a van that has

been designed using

hallucinogenic monkeys.

This is the Citroen Tubik

Concept, a van that was

created simply because the

French company was bored.

The bare aluminium skin and

tubular body do make the

Tubik look like something from

the future. Inside it resembles

a lounge from a club in 1964

more than anything with plush

purple sofas and psychedelic

lighting. It’s interesting but a

complete waste of time in our

eyes. Citroen, stop building

quirky concepts that will never

make it to market and hurry up

with that cheap sports car you

promised us!

You Won’t Like Me When I’m Angry!!!

The SLK has always been a strong seller for the German manufacturer. Luxury, a metal

folding roof and a good range of options made it perfect for those looking to turn heads

without looking to “buy the farm.” However, it was the AMG variant that impressed most and

with this next-generation SLK getting lukewarm reviews, can Mercedes turn up the heat?

Here it is, the SLK 55 AMG. Sporting the same angry look as its bigger brother, the SLS

AMG, the 5.5 litre V8 roadster at least looks the business. Limited to 155MPH, the new SLK

has a goliath 415BHP and 398lb-ft of torque. It is no surprise that 0-62MPH is achieved in

4.5 seconds. AMG has worked their usual magic over the car with tweaks to the suspension

and gearbox.

The new SLK 55 AMG goes on sale next year.

2012 Porsche 911

“It is still undoubtedly a 911, but this all-new car ups the stakes”

We have had the spy-shots, we have had the teasers, but now it is time for things to get all

official before Frankfurt. Ladies and gents, this is the new Porsche 911. Showing the

biggest evolutionary step in the cars history, the new model is more curvaceous than its

predecessor. As the car is playing nice with the camera we can see that it is lower and

wider than the previous machine.

The cars new aluminium-steel structure makes for

a significant weight saving of 45KG over the old

model. Powered by a 400BHP 3.8 litre boxer

engine (Carrera S) or 3.4 (Carrera) Porsche

claims that the car will do an astonishing 32MPG!

Factor in the optional PDK gearbox and 0-62MPH

can be done in 4.1 seconds.

Prices start from £71,449 for the Carrera and

£81,242 for the Carrera S. The all-new 911 hits

showrooms this December, just in time for

Christmas…

The Capri We Pray For

There have been whispers for years that Ford are to bring back the British Mustang. Excitement is not a

good enough word! The Capri was and still is one of the coolest cars on Earth. The car is still a few years

away but Ford’s new design concept paves the way for this legends return.

This beautiful shape is the Evos Concept and it previews Fords future design language. The angular grill

and wide stance are pure attitude yet the curvaceous rear is very elegant. Fords designer says it is

designed “not to provoke, but to seduce.” The cockpit is pure spaceship with sculpted surfaces and USS

Enterprise styled digital dials. Double swan doors complete this fantasy.

This car will never make production but it sure bodes well for our British bulldog.

Topless Model...

The Ferrari 458 Italia is a masterclass in engineering the perfect

supercar. It is beautiful, it is powerful and it handles better than

just about anything else on wheels. The prancing horse in the

458 has produced yet another jewel for their crown. But when

are Ferrari going to take a tin-opener to the 4.5 litre V8? Well

now is as good a time as any.

This is the much anticipated Ferrari 458 Spider and boy, it looks

every bit as good as its hard-top counterpart. Armed with a metal

folding roof, this drop-top can complete its metamorphosis in 14

seconds bringing the sunshine to that Italian cockpit.

Interestingly the metal roof is 25KG lighter than a fabric top

would have been due to its aluminium construction. The overall

weight is only 50KG heavier than the Italia.

Powered by the same 4.5 litre V8 with 562BHP this car will still

do 0-62MPH in 3.4 seconds.

The Cat That Got The Cream

Watch your back Aston!

Jaguar C-X16

Jaguar, though paid for with foreign money these days, is still

a British icon. Back in the day their sports cars set a

benchmark not just for British manufacturers, but the world

over. Today though the XK is highly praised, the big cat is

better known for its luxury saloons. Well now Jaguar is aiming

to restore its former glory…

Taking the fight to Aston Martin at

home and the Porsche 911 abroad,

this is the C-X16. The muscular

sculpture that sits before you is a two-

seat sports car powered by

supercharged 3.0 litre V6 engine.

When this cat pounces with its

375BHP and 332lb-ft of torque,

0-62MPH can be vanquished in just

4.4 seconds. Top speed is

electronically limited to 186MPH.

Paired with its own F1 inspired KERS,

the new Jaguar can run on an all-

electric mode below 50MPH. The snug

cockpit harks back to the Jags of old

yet in the most modern of ways.

Making production next year the C-

X16 is expected to cost around

£50,000.

A Civic Duty

Taking on a much more bloated appearance the new Civic adheres to the current trends for hatchbacks.

The darkened grill and aggressive angular lights do separate it from the crowd, but the overall design is

nowhere near as revolutionary as the previous model. Keeping the “blended wing” (split rear windscreen if

you don’t speak Honda), the appearance from the rear is rather funky we have to admit. Inside the car has

grown up a lot with the use of brushed aluminium, yet still retains the 1990’s sci-fi speedometer.

A solid start but lets be honest, it’s the Type-R we are all waiting for.

Hatchbacks in europe are big sellers

for every manufacturer that produces

them. Ford has the Focus, Renault

the Clio and Honda their Civic. With

the Jap’s signing off the final variation

of the current Civic its time to look at

what it coming next. Honda has to

get this right especially with its

predecessors design being such a

huge success. So here it is, the 2012

Honda Civic.

“First the luxury car segment... And then the world!”

Volvo; safe, reliable,

comfortable, but some might

say boring. Fantastic cars but

they do tend to lack a sense of

occasion. Well Volvo are now

attempting to redefine their

brand taking a risky move into

the luxury sector. This is due to

their new Chinese owners who

see future cars from the brand

being premium in nature. This

is showcased in the Concept

You.

Designed to compete with

Mercedes-Benz and BMW in

the luxury limo department, the

Concept You takes on a new

design direction for Volvo. Long

sloping body lines define its

shape whilst inside the cabin is

pure craftsmanship. The

interior also lacks many buttons

and instead favors touch

sensitive panels. Designers say

the car is built around “you”,

hence the name, and they

firmly believe in the companies

new aspirations.

Can Volvo take on the

Germans at their own game? It

will take a hell of a lot of work

that is for sure.

No one builds a sports car like the British, and no

one builds a car like Aston Martin. The net result is

a line-up of machines that are charming, involving

when driven and engineered to perfection. Each car

really does promote that Aston character and the

range topping DBS is no different. With a

magnificent V12 under the bonnet this Carbon

Edition is the icing on the cake.

SO, whats new with the brute? Well that fantastic

“Flame Orange” paint is a new option along with a

“Ceramic Grey”, pair those with a blacked-out grill

and this car looks even more intimidating than the

original. Those gorgeous diamond-turned rims are

exclusive to this edition and we think that Aston has

got the design of the DBS’ new shoes spot on.

Carbon fibre rear lamps and smoked lights are also

on the options list as well as some carbon trinkets

for the cockpit.

Costing £186,582 in coupe form and £196,581 as

the Volante, we already know that this car is worth

every penny.

DBS Carbon Edition

RS5

Be it hatchbacks, saloons, luxury long haulers and even 4X4’s, BMW and Audi are engaged in multiple

fights to the death. These two titans match each other blow for blow and so both, in the bigger picture,

are evenly matched. But there has always been something that BMW has that Audi could never quite

match… The M3. The super coupe is the stuff of legend but now Audi want to knock the halo off the top

of BMW’s head with the 2012 RS5.

The new model is leaner and meaner in every way in comparison to its forefather. The naturally

aspirated V8 produces a mammoth 450BHP that give the car enough boot to do 0-62MPH in just 4.6

seconds! A few whiskers faster than the M3’s 4.8. More aggressive design work has been applied to the

RS5 making its stance something representative of the devil. Inside Audi really have worked some

magic as the interior appears just as aggressive as the exterior.

What you got BMW? Your cards have been marked.

Lamborghini Gallardo 570-4 Super Trofeo-Stradale

With the newly baptized Aventado

raging in full view of the

automotive world, its little brother

cant help but feel a little left out.

The aging Gallardo is getting on a

bit and with competitors well and

truly armed with their next-gen

models, we wait with baited breath

for Lamborghini’s next move. For

now the Gallardo is staying but

reinvigorated with this new special

edition.

Named after the one-make race

series, the Super Trofeo-Stradale

is a hardened beast. With a

reduction in weight, 570BHP and

that glorious V10 howl this car will

do 0-62MPH in 3.4 seconds.

Some of you may be thinking “well

thats not an improvement at all!”

True but remember that huge

downforce inducing rear wing does

add a lot of drag.

Just 150 units will be produced

making this rare bull quite the

collectors item.

ST unning

As far as hot-hatchbacks are concerned Ford produce some of the best in the business. Good value, great

thrills and the wife can fit all her shopping in the boot. With the new Focus becoming adopted by families all

over the world its time for the blue oval to reveal the production variant of the all-new Focus ST. Hold tight,

things are about to get spicy!

Amidst the new bumpers, spoilers and general ASBO inspired clad sits a 2.0 litre, four-cylinder, 247BHP

engine. “Can you smell burning rubber yet?” The pumped up Focus also gains in the torque department,

producing a fantastic 265lb-ft. Better yet, if owning a dog was the only thing stopping you from buying the

last ST, fear not as this 2012 model will be sold with the option of being an estate. Spot on Ford! Thus far

you have done no wrong.

Prices have yet to be announced but one thing is for sure,

we can’t wait to take our turn behind the wheel.

With Ford’s launch of the ST performance badge globally, and not just in Europe as before, the new Focus

makes for a prime representative. But what about the little Fiesta? We have been waiting for a variation of this

car with some added chili powder since its launch. Now the wait is over as Ford, at last, unveil the Fiesta ST.

The cars new bodywork is pure attitude and you can’t help but feel if it were a dog it would be a Jack Russell;

the sort that bites your ankles and relives itself in your shoes. Matching the bigger Focus ST for aggression,

what has the blue oval done under the skin?

Powered by a

1.6 litre petrol

engine

producing

180BHP, it ticks

many boxes. All

of Ford’s

tinkering

amount to a

0-62MPH time

of under 7

seconds! Now

that is a hot-

hatch!

Though Ford

stress this still a

concept car we

would be very

surprised if it

didn’t make it to

Europe’s roads

at least.

ST ella

IT RETURNS...

Lotus EXIGE

The Legendary Colin Chapman had a famous

phrase that he tagged to all of his cars, racers

and road goers alike. “Add lightness!” Lotus

are currently undergoing a transformation from

sports car manufacturer to luxury supercar

maker, but this all takes time and so today we

are stuck in the middle. To help bridge the gap

Lotus has unveiled the new Exige.

The name returns after euro emissions laws

killed off the much loved featherweight.

Weighing in at just 1,080KG and powered by

the Evora’s mighty 3.5 litre V6, the cars

acceleration is not far off that produced by

some of Italy’s finest. Changing more than just

the engine, Lotus have gone to town with a

redesigned body to match the new cars grunt.

Front splitter and fixed rear wing ensure that

this car is as nimble as that annoying insect

you can never quite swat.

The new Exige hits the roads later this year.