Jaguar - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2017 Jaguar XE - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

For the first time in decades, the prize for the best-driving compact luxury sport sedan is very much up for grabs.

BMW's 3 Series, the segment's longstanding archetype, has grown a bit soft, distant and pricy. Its Japanese rival fromInfiniti, the Q50, lost the plot thanks to its video game steering and dated powerplant. The Audi A4 is due for replacement and the fantastic Mercedes-Benz C-Class skews luxury over sport. The Cadillac ATS? With an excellent chassis hobbled by middling powertrains and the devil's own infotainment system, it isn't selling. Unlikely as it sounds, the Lexus IS is probably the segment's best driver, but you've got to learn to love those turn-to-stone looks.

So, where's a segment malcontent to look? Provided he or she is patient enough to wait for this car's spring 2016 arrival, allow us to recommend the2017 Jaguar XE.

Let's be honest. Jaguar really needed to come out with guns blazing. The last time the British brand battled in the compact premium sport sedan segment, its much-maligned X-Type slinked into the underbrush, tail between its legs after just a single generation. While the X was in some ways a better car than history will begrudge it, there's no getting around that Jaguar brought a front-wheel-drive-based knife to a rear-wheel-drive gun fight.

This new XE will need to be a very different kitty, and it is. Internally known as X760, Jag's latest rides atop an all-new aluminum-intensive modular architecture wearing a handsome mosaic of aluminum and steel body panels. While the XE's design has struck us as very familiar since it first bowed in September, it's an attractive shape. Its longish, 111.6-inch wheelbase and wheels-at-the-corner stance gives the design a planted look emphasized by its wide rectangular grille and prominent lower air intakes. Jaguar claims a super-slick .26 coefficient of drag, but that's the skinny-tired overseas base model that we'll never see – ours will likely ring up a few hundredths higher.

The aluminum body-in-white is itself an impressive piece of work, weighing just over 550 pounds. Vehicle engineering manager Jonathan Darlington says it's 20-percent stiffer torsionally than the XF, and "the lightest in the sector by far." What's more, the chassis incorporates liberal amounts of recycled aluminum (a claimed world first) and increased use of structural adhesives. We'll leave further details for How It's Made, but suffice it to say, an afternoon knifing a prototype XE through the wooded hills around Lisbon, Portugal, suggests Jaguar's engineers have done not only their homework, but perhaps that of their colleagues, as well.

At this point, we'd normally move on to discuss the XE's engine lineup, or its interior, but we're going to grab the wheel and talk about the steering, because it's one of this sedan's most impressive accomplishments.


We've grown incredibly tired of hearing automakers extolling the virtues of their new electrically assisted power steering systems. We know they save fuel and they allow for more adjustability through ones and zeroes, but in anything with any sporting pretenses, the vast majority of the time, we'd just prefer a decent hydraulic setup and bin the few percentage points of fuel savings in favor of actual road feel and progressive assistance.

Yet in 3.0-liter V6 S trim riding on 19-inch Dunlop SP Sport Maxx RT summer tires, this Jaguar's electric steering has the goods. It may be a shade light at parking-lot speeds, but when you're on the move, it's got positive on-center feel, with linear effort build and excellent accuracy. Most impressively, it's actually possible to tell what's going on with the front tires. The system even accounts for ambient temperatures, which can have an effect on tire pliancy and pressure, not to mention the dampers' kinematic properties. It's one of the best EPAS systems we've ever encountered, in any segment.

(A caveat: before declaring this the best steering in the class, we'll reserve final judgment until we drive a North American production-spec model on in-market tires. On our drive day, we also drove a 2.0-liter diesel XE on Pirelli Cinturato P7s, and not only was road feel not present as on the V6 S, there was also a lot more road noise.)



The double-wishbone front suspension and rear integral link arrangement on S models is augmented by standard Adaptive Dynamics, Jaguar-speak for electronically controlled dampers. The system makes the most of the rigid chassis and willing steering, allowing for both excellent wheel control and proper levels of road isolation when called for.

Jaguar tells us the goal in using an aluminum-intensive chassis wasn't just low overall weight, it was a strategy that allowed engineers to spend weight in the places that mattered – including a beefed-up suspension with tremendous lateral stiffness that helps create the sharp turn-in we spoke of.

That seems to be a tacit admission that despite its chassis, the XE isn't as feathery as one might hope. In fact, the base weight of the rear-drive XE S we tested is 3,670 pounds in German trim, suggesting it could be around 3,800 lbs or more by the time it's certified for NA roads – America's BMW 335i tips the scales at under 3,600 lbs. No matter. The Jag may not be the segment lightweight, but you won't notice from behind the wheel.

The XE's excellent transient response is surprisingly unaided by a mechanical limited-slip differential. Apparently Jaguar is keeping one on the shelf for the inevitable higher-performance variants, but it isn't really required – torque-vectoring by braking technology and that properly sorted suspension helps get the job done instead.


Much has been written about Jaguar's new Ingenium engine family, and indeed, it will shortly form the bedrock of Jaguar's powertrain lineup in North America, including a pretty swell 2.0-liter diesel four that will go on sale a few months after the 3.0. A gas version of the 2.0-liter will appear soon thereafter, along with a six-speed manual option. But the XE will first appear on our shores brandishing the well-known and well-liked 3.0-liter supercharged V6 we've sampled in everything from the F-Type to the XJ.

In XE guise, it delivers 340 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 332 pound-feet of torque from 4,500 rpm. That means you'll have to keep the engine on boil to access its best bits, but it's an enjoyable endeavor aided by a nicely tuned version of ZF's ubiquitous eight-speed automatic (along with paddle shifters that actually respond when called upon). 0-60 time is given as 4.9 seconds, which would put it smack in the realm of cars like the 335i at the top of its class, and it feels every bit as rapid as that sounds (if not a few tenths quicker). Combined city/highway fuel economy is given as 34.9 miles per gallon on the relaxed EU test schedule.

Our prototype tester – one of the first dozen pilot cars built using production tooling – didn't have all of the proper interior fitments and textures, but its early build status wasn't immediately obvious. We could've done without the loud red and black leather in our cabin, but otherwise found a lot to like.


In particular, we love the way the XE adopts the 360-degree ring that integrates the dashboard, doors, and rear bulkhead, keeping the instrument panel low and contributing to an airier cabin that still feels wrapped around its occupants. The intersection between the dashboard and door panels is particularly interesting, and the small-diameter wheel felt great in hand, its compact airbag boss leaving plenty of room to see the gauges. The seats were also a high point – we put hundreds of miles on a pair of XFs in an afternoon and emerged no worse for the wear.

Cabin letdowns? Jaguar Land Rover's new InControl infotainment system. We had sampled it just a couple days earlier in Iceland at the Discovery Sport launch, and it's not as intuitive or snappy as others. The tablet-like pinch and swipe control scheme means you have to look at the screen more than rival systems, and it lacks the excellent handwriting recognition feature found on German models.

The only other major regret we have so far with the XE is that we're going to have to be patient for so long to get ours. While Europe and the rest of the world will start seeing the sedan on its streets soon, North American enthusiasts will have to sit on their hands. That's because Jaguar is insisting upon launching the range with available all-wheel drive (it learned the hard way with the XF and XJ that it's increasingly tough to sell rear-drive cars the upper half of the US, to say nothing of Canada).

Jaguar's last attempt at a compact sport sedan left the market bloodied, having made few defenders and even fewer friends. After a galvanizing day behind the wheel, we can't envision the XE suffering the same fate.

Source: Autoblog

by Chris Paukert

imgage credit Jaguar

http:///www.boscheuropean.com

Range Rover - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Review of the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

It is an undeniable reality that there are only so many adjectives to choose from when describing a given vehicle. Here are two that tend to be both overused and misused perhaps more than any other: legendary and iconic.

Forgive us for regaling you with these descriptors yet again, but when it comes to the 2013 Land Rover Range Rover, there simply aren't any words in the English language that can be applied to this sport utility vehicle that are as accurate and forceful as legendary and iconic. And what's especially impressive about our use of these adjectives is that they apply equally well when discussing the Range Rover's off-road capabilities as they do its position as a status symbol.

This marketplace position, however laudable and desirable it may be, presents a unique problem: How do you redesign a legendary SUV to be better, faster and stronger while maintaining its posh image? The boffins at Land Rover think they've nailed the art of the redesign, and we spent a week with the 2013 Range Rover to find out for ourselves if you really can mess with success and come out the victor. 

"Don't change it, just make it better." Those were the words of Andrew Polsinelli, Land Rover North America's head of product planning, to our own Jonathon Ramsey when describing how current Range Rover owners drove the product development team at the Indian-owned-yet-still-very-British-feeling automaker for 2013. The only problem with that directive is that "better" can mean different things to different people – do you want the Range Rover to drive better on the road, or do you want it to enhance its legendary off-roading capabilities? As it turns out, the answer to that question was simple: Owners wanted both.

One area where making it better caused a recognizable change or two to the latest Range Rover is its external appearance. The previous generation of Land Rover's SUV gave off an unmistakable vibe that ingrained into the onlooker that it was just as happy crossing a random stream in Africa as it was parallel parking in front of the local Starbucks. The new 2013 model is more of the same, for the most part.

Signature elements like the clamshell hood, broad roof held up by thin pillars (well, they at least look thin, since they are blacked out to hide them from view) and fastback rear glass join with the more-recent vertical vents behind the front wheels and intricately detailed grille insert to make this latest Rover immediately recognizable. At the same time, changes to the recipe like a much more steeply raked windshield and jewel-like head- and taillamp clusters bring the 'ute kicking and screaming into modern times.

When push comes to shove, we prefer the less ornamental and more purposeful look of the last-generation Range Rover to the more streamlined appearance of the 2013 model, but we're probably being picky. The 2013 Land Rover Range Rover is an attractive SUV that will never be mistaken for anything else – it just doesn't bludgeon its 'I'm better than you' ethos into our retinas quite like the last Range Rover did.

It's a similar story inside. It's incredible how many buttons, dials and switches Land Rover was able to delete in this latest Range Rover remake. The spec sheet says interior clutter has been reduced by 50 percent, but it feels like way more than that when sitting behind the wheel. Ergonomically, the new Range Rover is much easier to use than the last one, with a large eight-inch touchscreen interface dominating the center of the dash that controls such items as the audio and navigation systems, which includes settings for on-road and off-road driving.

It's incredible how many buttons, dials and switches Land Rover was able to delete.

Directly behind the steering wheel is another screen measuring a full 12.3 inches and housing the twin digital gauges along with trip information and cool bits of data reminding you how you've configured the numerous drivetrain functions. The climate control switchgear is kept separate in a bundle tidily located between the two front occupants, and we appreciate how easy it is to make quick adjustments without resorting to the touchscreen interface above.

The interior is much less imposing for 2013 compared to the button-heavy 2012 model, but again, part of the Range Rover's charm may have been lost in the process of modernization. There still isn't a more luxurious place in the world to experience all that the beaten path hides from plain sight, but the more industrial look of the last-gen Range Rover somehow appeals to our inner senses and insensibilities.

Much of the Range Rover's legendary status comes from that fact that it has proven time and time again to be the most extraordinarily capable production SUV in the world, and for 2013, it's more functional than ever before. As in past years, there's a dial in the center of the console with settings for the kind of use the vehicle is required to get you through – General, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, Sand and Rock Crawl. For 2013, though, the system is called TerrainResponse System 2 and it comes with an Auto setting. Land Rover has made the system smarter and quicker, reading the wheels and body motions with sensors aplenty and processing all that data into the proper amounts of wheel articulation while sending torque to the wheel with the most available traction.

The air suspension can raise the Range Rover 11.9 inches off the ground.

It's all very high-tech, but just as importantly, this Land Rover is capable of shielding the driver behind laminated panes of glass so he can go about pounding the terrain into submission without actually breaking a sweat or spilling his drink. Which would be hot Earl Gray tea, naturally, and please hold the lemon.

Underneath the snazzy bodywork is an air suspension system that can raise and lower the car using a switch in the cabin. Not only is it a fun party trick when the car is full of passengers, it's also able to raise the Range Rover 11.9 inches off the ground. Combined with 10.2 inches of suspension travel up front and 12.2 inches out back, the 2013 Range Rover can scurry up and over just about any obstacle in its way. We recorded a quick demonstration of this system at work that you can check out below.

On-road handling is exemplary as well. We're not sure how Land Rover has managed to make a vehicle that feels like it rides on its own bespoke set of billowing clouds on tarmac while simultaneously managing to crawl over jagged rocks and washboard surfaces with aplomb, but they did it. Stopping performance, headlined by the six-piston Brembo calipers up front, is also good, helped in no small part by the dramatic reduction in weight. Land Rover says its 2013 Range Rover weighs in at 4,850 pounds. It's no lightweight, but that figure represents a shocking 700-pound reduction from the last model, thanks largely to a massive increase in the use of aluminum in place of steel.

Driving the 2013 Range Rover is a pleasure, as it is quiet, smooth and comfortable. Handling is aided by a new system called Dynamic Lean Response, which electronically controls the sway bars to keep the car flat through corners. You can't actually feel it working, but we suppose that's probably a good thing.

Currently, though, shoppers have the choice of two V8 engines, the aforementioned base V8 and what our test vehicle was equipped with, a supercharged version with 510 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque. That's plenty of power, since Land Rover has managed to remove all that weight. Dividends are paid in the form of 0-60 runs of 5.1 seconds – a 0.8-second improvement. Fuel economy is also improved to 13/19/15 (city, highway and combined). Our lead feet led to a week-long tally of just 13.9 miles per gallon, though that did include a few extended stints at idle with the air conditioningon. In any case, we doubt the SUV's intended buyer will care how much fuel it drinks in between 27.7-gallon tank fill-ups if they are choosing the big supercharged V8 engine, and the ones who do mind will probably be more than content with the smaller supercharged V6. We wish the company could find a way to offer a diesel engine in the States, but we look forward to sampling the new six-cylinder base engine since the oil-burning mill doesn't seem likely on our shores.

If nothing else, the V6 engine may help lower the price of what is undeniably an expensive vehicle. The base 2013 Land Rover Range Rover starts at a heady $83,545, and it only goes up from there. Equipped with the supercharged engine and a few luxury packages that we can't imagine owning a Range Rover without, our test car carried with it a sticker that just crested $115,000. The top-shelf Autobiography model begins emptying wallets with a dizzying $130,995 sticker price, and you can push that within spitting distance of $150,000 after adding a few more bits of decadence.

The Range Rover, though, has somehow always managed to feel worth its high-dollar sticker price. The accommodations couldn't be nicer, and the 2013 model is the kind of vehicle that can quite literally take you anywhere you may want to go. But the same thing could be said of the last generation of Landie's off-roader. So, the question remains: Did they "make it better"? In the end, they did. We just didn't realize how much we liked the last Range Rover until it was... well, made better.

And so go the perils of updating an iconic SUV with legendary capabilities.

source: autoblog

by Jeremy Korzeniewski

• Image Credit: Copyright 2013 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL

Mercedes - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG Sport - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

AMG

Those three letters carry a lot of weight, especially to those who firmly believe that AMG is the hallowed performance pinnacle of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Those purists probably lifted an eyebrow at the front-drive platforms behind the CLA45 AMGand GLA45 AMG, and virtually every AMG-branded SUV that has hailed from the tuner-focused nameplate. But they might want to consider a second look at the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG Sport.

No, it's not a full-blown, fire-breathing AMG like the C63, and it doesn't get the newfangled "Mercedes-AMG" nomenclature. But after spending some seat time in the C450 AMG Sport, there's a decent chance you'll be quite alright with that.

Inside and out, the C450 bears a strong visual resemblance to the mean looking, V8-powered, 469-horsepower C63 and its even fiercer, 503-hp, C63 S variant. The C-Class cockpit feels a bit snugger than you might expect considering its exterior proportions, particularly from the passenger seat. On the other hand, the new C-Class is also quite a bit more nicely appointed than its predecessor, which has inspired more than a few comparisons to the super posh S-Class. As for the C450 AMG, its more purposeful design cues and sportier details lend it a buttoned-down, modern feel. The biggest differentiator between the C and CLA class, however, is the rear of the cabin: the C's back seats are considerably roomier than the entry-level CLA's posterior perches.

  

In place of V8 power, the modest 450 AMG packs a more reasonably endowed twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 that pushes 362 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque through a 7G-Tronic Plus automatic gearbox (in place of the the C63's dual-clutch seven-speed). Power is routed through all four wheels with a 66-percent rear, 33-percent front torque split.

For some numerical context, the C450 AMG exceeds the C400 by 33 hp and the C300 by 121 hp, while it lags behind the C63 by a rather significant 107 hp. Crucially, the six-banger helps shed between 231 and 242 pounds compared the C63 models – this, despite a heavier all-wheel-drive arrangement, as opposed to the C63's rear-drive configuration.

The C450 AMG shares a few pieces of hardware with its big brother AMG sibling, including the front axle, electromechanical steering, and upgraded brake setup (though you can't get carbon ceramic stoppers like you can in the C63 S). The C450 isn't equipped with launch control or a locking rear differential, but the performance fundamentals are still strong, from the electronic suspension dampers to the speed-sensitive AMG-tuned steering.

The V8-powered C63 is a seriously powerful sports sedan with generous grunt and quite a bit of potential for tail-sliding shenanigans. Though its V6 isn't quite as punchy, the C450 delivers strong acceleration off the line, with cleaner launches and less likelihood of lighting up the small yellow traction control icon, thanks to its all-wheel-drive setup.

As for power, the C450's 3.0-liter V6 is well suited to the chassis, offering a meaty 384 lb-ft of torque whose peak output starts at 2,000 rpm (versus the V8's plateau, which kicks in at 1,750 rpm). That broad spread, along with the seven-speed, torque converter-equipped gearbox, is flexible enough to deliver urgent acceleration at most speed/gear combinations. Though the C450 performs the 0-60 sprint a full second slower than the C63 S (4.9 seconds, versus 3.9), the difference doesn't feel so vast by the seat of your pants. The V6 delivers a nice whoosh of power, particularly in the powerband's mid-section, while the seven-speed offers quick, smooth, dual-clutch-like upshifts and rev-matched downshifts.

The C450 has plenty of chassis and drivetrain adjustability thanks to its drive mode settings, with Eco, Comfort, Sport, or Sport+ modes that manage suspension stiffness, steering effort, and throttle response/shift style settings. These parameters can also be personalized. The three-stage suspension controls can also be adjusted independently, and deliver noticeably different stiffness levels with a baseline setting that's firm but unpunishing. Though the C450's milder transmission isn't mated to a locking rear differential and the model doesn't come with launch control (as found in the C63) or Race mode (as equipped in the C63 S), drivers who don't autocross or track their C-Class should find plenty of buttoned-down dynamics and rewarding performance in the C450.

The AMG brand is no longer just an astronomically priced, reach-for-the-stars halo offering; similar to BMW's more generously sprinkled M badge, Mercedes-Benz's sub-brand is consciously expanding its accessibility in order to sell more cars. And while the previous-gen C63 was the most successful model to date (with sales surpassing 40,000 units), that figure pales in comparison to AMG's anticipated future growth that will be aided by milder variants like the C450. The C450 AMG is expected to start in the low $50,000 range, roughly $10,000 beneath the C63, and $20,000 less than the C63 S.

Is this newfound accessibility good, bad, or irrelevant to the AMG brand? Well, it depends on how you look at it. While the C450 AMG isn't quite the pedigreed, race-ready thoroughbred you might have expected to hail from Sindelfingen a few years ago, it's still a quick, well-handling, capable performance car that's damn entertaining to drive fast. Equally relevant to the Mercedes brand's more affordable options are what's happening at the opposite end of the spectrum, where the ultra-low-volume, quarter-million dollar S65 AMG Coupe resides (which also happens to be the priciest Benz you can buy). Don't like big, heavy, twin-turbocharged V12s? Think about the AMG GT S, its insane GT3 racecar spinoff, and (hopefully) a future Black Series iteration, which would deliver even more competition-inspired exotica.

Whether or not the C450 is a true AMG is open to debate. But there's no arguing that this kinder, gentler C63 alternative offers satisfying dynamics and serious bang for buck, making this a sort of AMG Lite that's a substantive choice for enthusiasts.

source: autoblog

by Basem Wasef

• Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Basem Wasef / AOL

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Porsche Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2015 Porsche Panamera S - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Porsche brought the Panamera in for its garage makeover and drove it out looking almost exactly the same. Turns out it was one of those fancy German refreshes where everything happens in places you can't immediately see, as we found recently on the 2015 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

The marquee revision across the lineup is under the hood, where every engine gets, at the very least, more power. Such is the case for the naturally aspirated V6 in the entry models, fitted with an increase of 10 horsepower for a total of 310. The same goes for the naturally-aspirated 4.8-liter V8, which lives only in the Panamera GTS now, and gets 10 more hp for a total of 430. That same V8, twin-turbocharged in the Turbo model, is graced with 20 more ponies for 520 hp.

The mightiest marquee revision is saved for the S models, which surrender their use of the 4.8-liter V8 and get a 3.0-liter, all-aluminum, twin-turbocharged V6 in its place. It's a brand-new engine designed in-house and related to the 3.6-liter V6 in the base models, but with new features like a magnesium timing chain cover, variable camshaft timing for the intake and the exhaust valves, and a new fuel- injection system. Putting out 420 hp and 384 pound-feet of torque, it's got 20 more hp and 15 more lb-ft than the V8 it replaces. What's more, torque used to peak from 3,500 to 5,000 rpm, but the new torque curve maintains maximum twist from 1,750 to 5,000 rpm. It is less thirsty as well, posting an estimated fuel economy of 17/27 miles per gallon city/highway, besting the 16/24 city/highway of before. An improved stop-start mechanism contributes to this, as it cuts the engine earlier, and the coasting function benefits from a new disc clutch that can decouple the seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission from the driveline.

  

As we wrote in our Panamera S E-Hybrid review, you'd need to be obsessed with the Panamera to notice the sheet metal changes around that engine. It's the perfect car to ask, oh so coyly, "Notice anything different about me?" while you stand there dumbfounded, silently thinking, "No." Here is your cheat sheet: the front and back ends are "tighter," meaning faintly more squared off, the front intakes are larger, the tailgate gets wider rear glass over the same-sized opening, the rear spoiler is wider, and the rear license plate bracket has been mounted lower. But even now that you know what the changes are, odds are still 200-to-1 against you actually noticing.

Then there are changes that you genuinely can't see, like the placement of its steel, aluminum, and magnesium materials: the sedan has gained 22 pounds compared to pre-facelift, but Porsche said it has put more lightweight materials at the edges of the car to improve its responses.

Bi-xenon headlights make the grade as standard equipment, while dynamic LED headlights get a place on the options list. Inside, platinum grey leather is replaced by agate grey as the standard interior fare. (The new color is so close to brown that when a Porsche rep told us, "That's our new agate grey interior," we weren't sure what he was talking about, so we pointed to the interior and asked, "this?") Convenience features get a boost with lane departure warning and surround view, adaptive cruise control that can provide additional braking assistance, and the Porsche Car Connect app with remote functionality like vehicle tracking and odometer information... because for some reason you might need to check your odometer reading while you're supposedly busy doing other things.

As with the exterior appearance, the driving experience remains indelibly that of the Panamera. That extra horsepower and snappier torque drops the 0-60 time by 0.3 seconds, to 4.9 without the Sport Chrono pack, or 4.6 seconds with it. Beyond that you would, again, be hard put to tell the 2015 model from the one before the revisions. Around town, where one could theoretically make a substantial case for the rewards of a lot more torque at half the rpm, it's tough to break out the kazoos because we never felt the V8 lacked low-end torque.

There are three suspensions setups available: steel springs with fixed damping rates, steel springs with adjustable damping (PASM), and air suspension. Not only has hardware like control arms and dampers been made larger across the three options, but commodity components like bushings and those control arms have been harmonized across them as well. Spend money on the larger parts that have an easier time supporting the car - even the needles inside the dampers are upsized - save money on using more common components. Nothing has been lost in the exercise: handling was excellent before and remains so – an accomplishment in a two-ton car that is as just as thrilling as it was in 2009 when it came out. Even without the $30,000 options on our test car, there isn't another executive sedan (err, hatchback) in this bracket that is both as useful and dynamically capable as the Panamera. We haven't been on a curvy road yet that can intimidate it.

It's too bad about that exhaust note, though, which suffers from the same soggy cardboard thrumming as we encountered from the 3.6-liter V6 in the S E-Hybrid.

When engineers walked off with that NA V8, they took its exhaust note with it; put the previous car in Sport Plus and the variable exhaust spat like it was in a rap battle. In fact, that sound might have been the best thing about driving the Panamera hard. The sport exhaust button on our Sport Chrono-equipped car couldn't come close to producing the same hearty tone – the only letdown on the whole package. If we were cynical we'd say that Porsche was lining up a way to make it a cost option, like the larger fuel tank that adds $400 to the price. But we're not that cynical.

The 2015 Panamera S is more powerful, faster, more efficient and offers more features on top of that gorgeous–if-busy cabin and those lounge-worthy rear seats. Unless you insist on a healthy dose of exhaust note with your six-figure sedan we don't know where you'd be disappointed with this latest offering, another tab in the Less Is More automotive filing cabinet. Maybe with next year's model changes, though, Porsche will let the tailpipes again carry the torch for More Is More.

source: autoblog

by Jonathon Ramsey

• Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL

http://www.boscheuropean.com

VW - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Test Drive: VW Golf R is too much fun - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Never point the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R down an empty road and turn the stereo volume to max on the "William Tell Overture." Even if you don't get slapped by the radar revenuers, you'll be so addicted you'll keep doing it until, eventually, off to jail.

No mere stern-faced speeding ticket, because you won't be going just 10 mph over the limit. Golf R is likely to get you to well beyond the posted number. Quickly.

The R is VW's highest-performance Golf, beyond even the quick GTI. The previous version, based on the so-called Mark 6 Golf (sixth generation; current model is seventh-gen) made its debut as a 2012 model, using the then-current 2-liter four-cylinder.

Today's R went on sale early this year as a 2015, also powered by a 2-liter four, but rated 292 horsepower, up 36 hp from the previous model, and 280 pounds-feet of torque, up 37 lbs.-ft.

VW says it's the quickest Golf ever: 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds or less.

Available as a four-door only, the 2015 comes with automatic transmission. The 2016 also will offer a six-speed manual for about $1,100 less.

If all the 2-liter, heavily massaged turbocharged four-cylinder did was yank the go-fast Golf up to fun speeds quickly, then it'd be a kid's car. But it's much more: handling, braking, space, comfort.

Yes, it's hard to swallow a near-$40,000 price tag on a Golf, but we'd bet if it were wearing an Audi or Mercedes-Benz or Alfa-Romeo badge, you'd be singing praises without regard to the sticker price. Regaling the neighbors about the marvelous fifth-generation Haldex all-wheel drive system and electronic locking differentials that keep the power from simply turning into tire smoke.

You'd be glorifying the superior cornering ability without the slam-bam ride a handling champ sometimes imposes — although you'd have to admit that banging over winter-ravaged roads, potholes and the like, would make you eat those words.

The folks gathered around would be hearing you gush over what a roomy interior the little dude has, especially for its overall size. You'd not mention that the combination of low-slung chassis and angled roof pillars will whack your noggin more than once before you learn the proper duck, turn and drop move getting in, and a convoluted sort-of reverse move exiting.

The car's 30-mpg highway rating would cross your lips, but you'd hold back mentioning the 16 mpg you get as the ready-to-rock car turns your daily commute into a flagrant joy ride.

No doubt the conversation would include R's right-now brakes and its automatic transmission's brilliant shifting, up or down through the gears, with an automatic blip on downshifts to get engine revs where they should be. You might overlook the fact that more than 30% of buyers are expected to want manual transmissions, and those aren't available until the 2016s.

Surely you'd point out that, tastefully on VW's part, there are no gaudy spoilers or rocker-panel spats. Unneeded for visual recognition, as the car sits low enough to notice, and the four exhaust pipes under the rear bumper make it clear this isn't a struggling Millennial's econo-box. Nor even a Golf aficionado's performance-enhanced GTI.

If you live where it snows, you'd call attention to what a good snow car the R is, while forgetting, perhaps, that you had to mount a new set of all-season tires to accomplish that, because the R comes with high-traction summer tires that'd probably not get useful bite on slick surfaces.

You might conveniently forget to note that a navigation system's not standard on the entry model, though it is on the more expensive version of R. Nor is a USB receptacle anywhere in sight, though it's coming for 2016.

Instead you get a hard-wire connection that has, incredibly, only a wide plug that fits previous Apple iPhones even though the newer model with tiny lightning plug has been on sale since 2012. And — though you'd never know it from media coverage — Android phones are far more popular than iPhones, outselling them more than six-to-one.

Phones with the Android operating systems were 83.1% of total sales worldwide in the third quarter last year, latest available data, according to Statista. Apple iPhones were second at just 12.7%. Phones run by Mircrosoft's Windows system were next, at 3%.

No doubt it would come up in conversation that you're special, one of the elite, because, if your audience were so moved by your joyful description of the R that they headed for the VW store, they'd be told, "Hah; as-if."

If everybody who's already promised to buy an R does so, there won't be true walk-in availability at dealerships until about July, VW says. Although you could try; worst case, you'd have to order and wait.

And, July's not that far off.

About the VW Golf R

•Acceleration: A thrill

•Space: Feels roomier than some its size

•MPG: No eco-mobile, but remarkable for the level of performance

VW Golf R details

•What? Volkswagen Golf small car with high-performance engine, chassis and all-wheel drive (AWD) instead of front-drive.

•When? Pre-orders of special introduction edition began Jan. 8 and all 500 were bespoke in hours. Sign-up for waiting list began after that and sales started in February. Wait-list buyers could soak up all available cars until summer.

•Where? Built at Wolfsburg, Germany; other Golfs for U.S. are made in Mexico.

•How much? $37,415 including $820 shipping for the base model, $39,910 for the up-level version, which adds navigation, adjustable suspension, bigger wheels and tires, front and rear parking assist, Fender audio system.

•What makes it go? 2-liter, turbocharged gasoline engine rated 292 horsepower at 5,400 rpm, 280 pounds-feet of torque at 1,800; six-speed DSG automatic transmission, 4Motion AWD.

•How big? A foot shorter than, otherwise similar to, Subaru AWD WRX STI, which VW says is a direct rival and also has AWD.

R has 93.5 cu. ft. of passenger space, 22.8 cu. ft. of cargo space behind the back seat, 52.7 cu. ft. when the seat's folded.

Turning circle diameter 35.8 ft. curb-to-52.7 curb.

•How thirsty? Rated 23 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, 26 in combined city/highway driving.

Test car registered 16 mpg (6.25 gallons per 100 miles) in hard-throttle city/suburban driving, 20.9 mpg (4.78 gal./100 mi.) in frisky city/suburbs/highway mix.

Premium recommended. Tank holds 14.5 gal.

•Overall: Ridiculous amount of fun in a practical daily driver.

source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/03/12/test-drive-vw-golf-r-thrill/70146988/

by James R. Healey

Photos: Volkswagen

http://www.boscheuropean.com

BMW - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - FIRST DRIVE: 2015 BMW X6 M - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Yes, BMW will sell you a 2015 BMW X5 M that is the motive twin (I assume) of the X6 M you're here to read about, that is also cheaper, roomier, and more conventional in appearance.

For many of you – especially the old guard that hears the descriptor "Sports Activity Coupe" and proceeds to unlock the gun cabinet – that's all you need to hear. Because, although the fickle community that consumes and comments on internet car culture seems to be fine with typical-looking SUVs and wagons packing performance-enhancing goodies, the idea of slanting the back of one turns them right off.

And yet, BMW continues to sell the things; more than 250,000 units have be delivered in the X6 series' history. As if that weren't proof of concept enough, blood-rival Mercedes-Benz has unleashed the GLE, a coupe-like crossover of its own, complete with AMG pedigree.

All of this brought me to Austin, TX, home of Hill Country, The Circuit of the Americas and the 2015 X6 M launch. On both road and track I found a car that was more powerful and blithely capable than ever, while also being exactly as weird to drive as it is a concept to comprehend.

Given that the X5 M exists, and offers styling that is more like normal for the SUV genre, both the lovers and the haters of the X6 M are likely to be focused on the way it looks. Here, the 2015 model isn't very much changed from the original, meaning you aren't liable to change sides on the styling debate for this refresh.

The '15 model has a slightly fewer black accents on the exterior, along with revised front and rear fasciae and vented (and chromed) front fender gills. The car is almost two inches longer than the existing model, but is near enough the same size in every other direction that you'd have to study the specification sheet to know different.

Inside the X6 M that I tested was a beautiful, fully optioned cabin that boasted gripping sport seats and BMW's wide, easy-to-read infotainment screen. The leather-wrapped everything and carbon-fiber trim were both well executed, and my hands rejoiced at the feeling of the thick-rimmed, serious-looking steering wheel. Veterans of the current M5 or M6will see a lot that looks familiar here, but to my eyes that's high praise.

The most impactful changes aren't visual but visceral. The X6 M's turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 now puts out 567 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque – up from 555 hp and 500 lb-ft in last year's model. BMW has also replaced the six-speed automatic gearbox for an eight-speed Steptronic auto, helping the all-wheel drivetrain (now with more of an inclination towards the rear) to get the car to 60 miles per hour in four seconds flat.

Let's hammer that point home: a 4.0-second 0-60 sprint in a crossover that weighs just a Big Mac less than 5,200 pounds. There are so many things that I love and hate about that sentence.

Out on the road – from hard starts just for shits and giggles, and while passing steer-haulers and stake trucks with just a whisper of throttle – the effect of all that power is immense. Driving for a couple of hours, the silky smooth power delivery via that eight speed transmission and the great gobs of torque it was serving up made the hefty Bimmer feel surprisingly light on its feet.

What's more, the exhaust ranged from a tuneful blat when I spurred the throttle, to a deferential hum at a steady cruise. In traffic, I had no problem enjoying the excellent Bang & Olufsen sound system's rendition of Willie Nelson's Teatro,thanks to the nice, quiet soundstage of the cabin.

Even roar from the those super-wide tires (285-section rubber in front, 325 at the rear) was more muted than in X6 models past, thanks in part to the non-runflat Michelin tires.

With low noise, vibration and harshness and such a persuasive powertrain, you'd think the X6 M would be a dreamboat for cruising and the occasional blast of ridiculous speed, and you'd be right, if only the switch to electrically assisted steering didn't make piloting the thing so disconcerting.

As I said, I drove for several hours on Texas roads, ranging from ultra-smooth sections of the 85-mph-limited Highway 130, to winding, hill-cresting back roads. On all of them I tried to modulate between the variable steering settings on offer, from Comfort to Sport+, and met with odd behavior in every combination. At the heaviest-feeling setting, the steering wheel was seemingly 'corrected' with tiny surges all the time I had any lock dialed in. At the lightest, Comfort, setting, dead-ahead travel felt quite vague.

Aside from that rather bizarre steering experience (and isolationist levels of road feel), I can't complain with the X6 M's on road handling prowess. On the twistiest bits of road the big BMW turned in quickly, cornered flat and couldn't be provoked into even a hint of tire spin on dry roads.

Of course one of the primary reasons for flying to Austin to drive this car was to turn its wheels at one of the most advanced (and complex) track facilities in the country. COTA consists of 20 corners, two high-speed straights and very limited down-track visibility from one turn to the next.

To be frank, the very idea of tracking a 5,200-pound coupe-née-SUV is bananas, at COTA or anywhere else. Any hotshoe with a yen for BMW and aspirations for track greatness would almost certainly turn to either of the M3/M4 siblings first, or a M235i if they're feeling punchy. Still, the company went to all the trouble of securing one of the world's very finest racing circuits for me to test the X6 M on, so I didn't quibble with a little track time.

I drove the first-generation of this X6 M on track years ago, and I have to say that my ultimate pronouncement remains very close to the same. So much wizardry is used to keep this muscle-bound all-wheel-driver stuck to the tarmac – and truly absurd speeds – that the experience is more akin to flying a spaceship than jockeying a Lotus.

Forget everything you know about elegant racecraft; the preferred method of X6 M pilotry is to use the big grip, big brakes and big ol' computer brains to overcome the inherent flaw of really big mass. Brake hard; turn in hard; floor it: that's the formula our racing instructors, including former F1 driver Timo Glock, were recommending.

When it was my turn to lap the track, I'll admit to being considerably slower than the F1 and DTM driver – big surprise. There's no question that BMW has engineered a mind-boggling solution to problems inherent in pushing a very heavy, high-waisted vehicle around a track (sticky tires and AWD help a lot). But, at least for me, the solutions didn't take into account whether or not the exercise would be a great deal of fun.

Yes, the lack of body roll in hard corners, and cohesion of the underpinnings when clipping curbs and aiming for apexes was impressive. But the total experience was perhaps the least fluid I've ever felt on a track, with the car seemingly more inclined to drive its own line, than encourage me to find the limits.

Honestly, I would have been messy even in something like a Miata, given the short stint of driving (I was offered just six laps behind the wheel) and the complexity of the track. But ultimately the heft, and dull steering left me surprisingly cold about fighting for more hot laps. It's one thing to learn car and track over time – quite another to stop for lack of interest.

The fact that the X6 M isn't a proper-feeling track vehicle isn't surprising, but it isn't the point, either. The crossover has a potent mix of brash styling and rocketship speed, that's likely to attract just as many buyers in this facelifted version as it did in the original recipe.

Those buyers will need to pony up big – the 2015 car starts at $103,050 (with destination) and can rise by another $10k+ with liberal optioning. Though, it's fair to say that is at, or less than, the pricing for competitors like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, and likely close to that of the upcoming Mercedes-AMG GLE63.

At any price the X6 M will make a statement about its owner, wherever it is driven or parked. Not fully a member of the coupe, or crossover or SUV categories, it is nevertheless a full-blooded choice for buyers with unique tastes. Just remember, if you'd like to occasionally put your tall friend in the backseat, or your 60-inch plasma in the hatch, BMW has a lovely X5 M to show you.

source: autoblog

by Seyth Miersma

Image credit Seyth Miersma

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Jaguar - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Reliving the Jaguar XJ220 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Jaguar may have canceled the C-X75 project, but there was a time when the Leaping Cat marque did make supercars. Sure, there were the XJR-9 and XJR-15 homologation specials made by TWR, but more famous was the XJ220.

Although its reign may have lasted only a year before the McLaren F1 came along, for a brief time in the early 1990s, the XJ220 was the fastest car in the world – which is even more impressive when you consider that it was only powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 when its rivals were using mostly V8s and V12s.

That makes the XJ220 a rather noteworthy supercar from the dawn of the 200-mph era. The thing is, while Jaguar has come to embrace the XJ220 as an exceptional part of its history, it doesn't have the time or energy to devote to servicing the 275 that were made between 1992 and 1994. So it turns to Don Law Racing.

The father-son team – made up of a master mechanic and his hot-shoe offspring – is tasked with keeping the XJ220 alive both in body and in spirit, and do so with a great deal of well-deserved pride. Drive went out to their workshop in Staffordshire to tell their story.

source: autoblog

by Noah Joseph

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Range Rover - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Review of the 2015 Discovery Sport - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

The SUV category transitioned from glorified agricultural equipment into slick mall trawlers in the blink of an evolutionary eye. But in the genre's speedy civilization process, something was left on the table – the promise of those all-conquering Marlboro Man antics that first tempted so many motorists out of their station wagons and MPVs. Despite utility vehicles being more popular than ever, that sort of do-anything capability is largely the stuff of fiction these days. The only uncharted thresholds modern CUVs cross are new coffee shop parking lots and unfinished McMansion developments.

At first blush, this latest entry from Land Rover would appear to be no different – the 2015 Discovery Sport wears the same rounded features, oversized 19-inch wheels and safety-first backup cameras typical of its peers. Those shovels and rakes and implements of destruction that farmers once bolted to the sides of their Land Rover Series Ones? Long gone, pal.

When it was first revealed, the 2015 Discovery Sport was unsurprisingly and uncharitably labeled a "soft-roader" by much of the automotive media and Autoblog commentariat, a quasi-epithet shared with many premium pavement pounders like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Volvo XC60. That descriptor suggested the Disco Sport was yellow of belly, willing to risk the Green Oval's peerless off-road credentials in its chase for the suburban dollar. Perhaps in order to divorce us of that notion, Land Rover invited us to Iceland in the dead of winter to test their new baby's mettle.




On paper, the Discovery Sport is the replacement for the LR2/Freelander, the new entry-level offering in Land Rover showrooms. Thing is, it's a vastly different vehicle in both appearance and execution, and it appears to be all the better for it.

We say "appears" because while we pushed our tester through all manner of off-road gymnastics and foreboding conditions, it will take a full road drive on unfrozen roads, freeways and around-town treks to see if the Disco Sport is as adept at family hauling and commuting as it is at getting dirty. At first blush, though, the new Discovery Sport is a tremendously capable little utility that further blurs the already muddy lines between traditional SUVs and crossovers.

"Little" deserves an asterisk nuzzled up against it. Despite being some two inches shorter than the Audi Q5 (arguably its chief rival), the Discovery Sport is a tremendously efficient bit of packaging. It's not just more accommodating in terms of seating and cargo room for five; it also offers an optional (very) occasional-use third row, a novelty in this class. The second row slides, and with the rear seats folded, the cargo hold can swallow up to 60 cubic feet of stuff, which is more than rivals. It does all this, somehow, while avoiding any unfortunate effect on its off-road abilities or looking like a two-box minivan.

Stylistically, the DS borrows much from Land Rover's Evoque design canon, including the latter's big-chin bumpers, clamshell hood and pinned-back headlamp eyes, along with a conspicuous bone-line along its flanks that rises toward the rear end. It lacks the fashion-forward Evoque's prominent balloon fenders and the same intense rake to its roofline, but the end result is a design that wisely trades away some aesthetic drama and uniqueness in exchange for more pedestrian concerns like outward visibility and headroom.

The Discovery Sport also borrows a great deal from the Evoque under its aluminum skin, including its front suspension and much of its floorpan. Even its engine is the same: a turbocharged, Ford-sourced 2.0-liter four-cylinder that distributes 240 horsepower and 251 pound-feet of torque (available from a mere 1,750 rpm) through a ZF nine-speed automatic.

We had our concerns about the powertrain package – particularly the transmission. We've found the latter to be both less decisive and less inspiring in other applications, especially our long-term Jeep Cherokee. Yet there was no gear hunting observed during our two days testing the Discovery Sport, though we did notice the transmission was often slow to kick down when booting the throttle, and the paddle shifters didn't help much. Admittedly, we didn't get the chance to try sustained cruising at highway speeds to see if it has a tendency to dither between ratios like our Jeep, but for our purposes on this drive, it was a perfectly agreeable partner.



The transmission is also undoubtedly one of the chief reasons the Discovery Sport has nabbed solid fuel economyratings of 21 miles per gallon city and 28 highway.

Due to the widely varying weather and road conditions inherent to Icelandic life in January, an opportunity for impromptu acceleration testing didn't present itself. A factory-estimated 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds suggests that the LR leaves a few tenths of a second on the table versus its chief four-cylinder rivals, some of which offer even more powerful engine options. However, in our testing, the Land Rover never felt out of breath and was aided by the smartly programmed transmission and the 2.0T's low torque peak.

Having said that, we suspect that Land Rover will shortly replace the EcoBoost-derived powerplant with its own new Ingenium line of engines. We already know that a diesel option is in the near-term cards, but we'd also like to see a more powerful engine option to keep pace with the competition's up-engined models.

When we were informed that our convoy was outfitted with studded tires, some of our colleagues initially groused that such specialized footwear amounted to cheating. But we soon got out on the drive route and discovered that a few steep glacial descents and lava field crossings were so icy that they were impossible to even stand on. Snow tires are legally required in Iceland at this time of year, and even the best unstudded winter rubber could've easily seen at least one or two colleagues slide off into the abyss on our route. As it was, we were pleasantly surprised not only with the faithful grip of our Pirellis, but also with their surprisingly minimal sound intrusion. Even the effort buildup and on-center feel from the electric power steering setup wasn't bad with these tires.

Also figuring solidly in the plus column? The Land Rover's ride. While we've endured some stiff-legged moments and significant head-toss in the Evoque, the longer-wheelbase Discovery Sport rode rather beautifully over some really unpleasant terrain that included frozen roads, jagged two-tracks and rocky, iced-over riverbanks. The front strut and new rear multi-link suspension also seemed well behaved on the largely vacant sections of highway and gravel roads outside of Reykjavik, utterly unperturbed by the occasional livestock grate or large rock hiding beneath the snow. Adaptive Dynamics with MagneRide is an option, and we've enjoyed the magnetorheological dampers in just about every vehicle we've ever driven.

We had our Discovery Sport's Terrain Response switchgear toggled to the snow/grass/gravel setting for most of the rough stuff. It executes starts in second gear to minimize wheelspin on ice while holding sway over the throttle mapping, Haldex center differential, steering and braking systems to optimize responses in the slippery stuff.

Most of the Rover's rivals sport some sort of similar electronic trickery that enables enough off-road ability to tackle basic two tracks and modest ascents (think: Hill Descent Control), but this Discovery Sport goes several steps further by incorporating good ground clearance (8.3 inches), articulation (13.4 inches) and impressive arrival, departure and breakover angles of 25, 31 and 21 degrees, respectively.

Like any self-respecting Land Rover, it's also perfectly happy to go for a swim – we tested the Sport's nearly two-foot fording depth (that's more than a Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Subaru Outback) by crossing a glacier-fed river. We had to take care to avoid the occasional coffee-table-sized chunks of ice that threatened to recontour our ride's aluminum bodywork, but emerged no worse for the wear.

In fact, despite the perilous Game Of Thrones landscapes that played out ahead of our group's electrically heated windshields all day, we were kept high, dry and reasonably coddled in the Discovery Sport's observatory-like cabin. Our top-trim HSE Luxury-spec model featured heated and cooled Windsor leather seats arrayed stadium-style to afford better outward vision for all aboard, and a full complement of creature comforts, including a massive fixed panoramic roof – just the ticket for viewing the tops of the fjords and volcanoes. To be fair, the dashboard looked a bit ordinary and rectilinear, and traditionalists might be put off by the lack of available wood trim, but we think the purposeful design is in-line with the vehicle's ethos.

The Discovery Sport also introduces a replacement for a longstanding Land Rover Achilles heel: infotainment. The new eight-inch touchscreen-based navigation and audio system is a solid leap ahead of the company's (admittedly terrible) last-generation solution, and it includes better graphics to go with its tablet-like gesture controls. It's still far from our favorite setup, but at least it offers smartphone app integration through its new InControl suite and available wifi. It also includes off-road-minded features like breadcrumbing for finding one's way home from the trail and latitude and longitude data in case you're into geocaching.

The Discovery Sport is a vehicle that suggests you don't have to give up your all-conquering off-road fantasies just because you need a kinschlepper to help keep the peace at home. Previously, if you wanted that sort of duality in an SUV, your only similarly priced option came with seven slots in the grille – and the Grand Cherokee isn't available with a third row, nor does it enjoy the same brand cachet.

As noted earlier, we'll need to test the Discovery Sport under more pedestrian circumstances than our Icelandic adventure to see if it's a truly well-rounded package, but we really like what we see so far – so much so that we won't be surprised if it becomes Land Rover's best-selling model in short order.

Of course, we've still got a few shovels and rakes in the garage, so bring on that new Defender...

source: autoblog

by Chris Paukert

• Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Chris Paukert / AOL

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