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Automotive Lighting
Automotive Lighting
Lex Appeal
ISSUE 55 . NOVEMBER 2013
Daring design for Lexus’ first proper luxury coupe, the RC
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#55NOVEMBER
2013EditorialGoAuto NewsroomPO Box 18Sandringham VIC 3191(03) 9598 6477 [email protected]
ProductionLuc Britten
ContributorsMike CostelloBarry ParkByron MathioudakisTerry MartinTim NicholsonDaniel Gardner
Advertising enquiriesSally Mellor(03) 9598 6477 0425 700 [email protected]
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3 Out with the old...... in with the two, as BMW unveils its long-awaited 2 Series
9 Round twoNissan axes Dualis badge and adopts global Qashqai moniker
12 Red devilLexus adds a little sex appeal to shake up the Germans
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6 Green arrowRadical Nissan electric coupe concept glides in ahead of Tokyo debut
3 /14Automotive Lighting
BMW 2 SERIES
Out with the old...
By MIKE COSTELLO
BMW’S replacement for the diminutive 1 Series coupe has emerged, sporting a new 2 Series moniker but a familiar rear-
drive configuration and evolutionary styling. Following in the wheel-tracks of its larger new
4 Series cousin – launched in Australia last week
– the 2 Series adopts an even-number model name to give it clearer differentiation from the humble 1 Series hatch on which it is based.
The name also references the classic BMW 2002 model line of the 1970s, as do the three-box proportions. The slinky design also reduces the aero rating to a slippery 0.29Cd.
Set for its public premiere at the Detroit motor show in January, BMW’s smallest sportster range will make its way into Australian showrooms in the second quarter of 2014, although local pricing could well be made public by the end of this year.
The current 1 Series coupe is priced between
$48,000 and $71,415 here in Australia, and it would be reasonable to expect the 2 Series to occupy the same territory. BMW sold 150,000 1 Series Coupes around the world over its lifecycle.
Five variants will be offered to start with in Europe, three with diesel power and two using
...in with the two, as BMW rips the covers from its long-awaited 2 Series
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petrol. These are, respectively, the 218d, 220d, 225d, 220i and range-topping 235i inline-six. BMW Australia says it’s doubtful all will come here, with the 218d the most likely omission.
The engines are largely familiar from applications in other BMW models. All engines are matched to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a ZF eight-speed automatic with Steptronic manual mode (for an additional cost).
The 220i entry petrol uses a 135kW (between 5000-6250rpm) and 270Nm (between 1250 and 4500rpm) 2.0-litre TwinPower turbo engine that propels the car from 0-100km/h in 7.0 seconds and uses as little as 5.7L/100km of fuel.
Expect a 180kW/350Nm 228i to join the range at some point, since it’s simply a re-tuned version of the same engine and is used in a range of BMW’s existing vehicles.
The cheapest oil-burner, and economy leader, will be the 105kW (at 4000rpm) and 320Nm (between 1750 and 2500rpm) 318d 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, which will chew as few as 4.2L/100km on the combined cycle.
Next up the diesel chain is the 135kW (at 4000rpm) and 380Nm (between 1750 and 2500rpm) 2.0-litre turbocharged 220d which also manages to use as little as 4.2L/100km. The 225d shares the same capacity but has a beefy 160kW/450Nm output, yet uses a mere 4.7L/100km.
Saving the best for last, the one performance enthusiasts will no doubt be giving the eye is the 235i, which shares its 3.0-litre turbo inline-six with the M135i hatch, but offers even more power:
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240kW (up 5kW) and 450Nm, with a sprint time from 0-100km/h as low as 4.8 seconds.
The new model is a little larger than the outgoing 1 Series: length has increased by 72mm to 4432mm, width is up 32mm to 1774mm, the wheelbase grows by 30mm to 2690mm, front track width is up by 41mm to 1521mm and rear track width grows by 43mm to 1556mm.
BMW also claims improved interior space, including 19mm of extra headroom in the front and 21mm of additional legroom in the rear, while boot capacity has increased by 20L to 390L, with 60:40 split/folding seats an option only.
Signature elements such as rear-wheel-drive, longitudinally-mounted engines and 50:50 weight distribution all feature.
Underneath the new body sits a double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle with “bespoke tuning” and electric power steering, while variable ‘sport’ steering, an M Sport braking system and an Adaptive M suspension setup with electronically
controlled dampers are optional.On the topic of the bodyshell, the high-
strength and torsionally stiff body structure is developed on the basis of the 1 Series. Safety equipment includes front, side and head airbags, pedestrian-friendly active bonnet and ‘defined front end deformation zones’.
The cabin features a typical BMW driver-focused cockpit, with all versions getting as standard automatic climate control and an iDrive operating system in conjunction with BMW Professional radio or navigation with a flatscreen.
Options – most of which will come to Australia – include an anti-dazzle High Beam Assistant, Adaptive Headlights, Parking Assistant, rear-view camera, Driving Assistant, Speed Limit Info with No Passing Info display, cruise control system with braking function, extended integration of smartphones and music players, Real Time Traffic Information, Online Entertainment, and extended functionality provided by apps for internet-based services such as Facebook and Twitter.
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NISSAN BLADEGLIDER CONCEPT
Green arrow
By TIM NICHOLSON
NISSAN has shown-off its aviation-inspired, zero-emissions BladeGlider concept
ahead of the three-seat roadster’s debut in Tokyo on November 20.
The Japanese car-maker is calling the unconventional BladeGlider concept an “exploratory prototype” of a possible production vehicle and is using it to highlight the future of its electric vehicle development.
Inspired by the design of Nissan’s
DeltaWing and ZEOD RC racers, the BladeGlider features a narrow, metre-wide front track and a low, flat nose that gradually expands beyond the cabin to a much wider rear track hidden under chunky wheel arches.
The narrow front track is said to reduce drag while generating downforce to
enhance the maneuverability and road-holding ability of the vehicle.
The electric motors in the rear-wheel drive BladeGlider use the same lithium-ion batteries found in the Leaf
Radical Nissan electric coupe concept glides in ahead of Tokyo debut
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EV and the ZEOD RC. Nissan has placed the battery modules at
the rear of the car for enhanced handling and stability.
Nissan said if the BladeGlider developed into a production car, it could be the company’s first use of in-wheel motors to provide the vehicle with rear-wheel propulsion, while allowing for freedom of upper-body design.
The super-lightweight chassis is wrapped in carbon fibre-reinforced plastic and finished in two-tone black and pearlescent white, a colour Nissan says “evokes the pristine freedom of a glider”.
Nissan senior vice-president and chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura emphasised the aeronautical influences of the concept.
“BladeGlider was conceived around delivering a glider-like exhilaration that echoes its lightweight, downsized hyper-efficient aerodynamic form,” he said.
“This design is more than revolutionary; it’s transformational, applying our most advanced
electric drivetrain technology and racetrack-inspired styling in the service of a new dimension of shared driving pleasure.”
In the Formula One-style cockpit, the triangle configuration places the driver front and centre, while two passengers sit behind. An aircraft-style steering wheel and digital instruments dominate the dash, with mapping and weather conditions displayed to encourage efficient driving.
Nissan says the lightweight concept provided a “gliding” feeling, in part to a near-360 degree view through the curved cabin glass, combined with the thrilling performance of a race car.
Nissan is yet to release performance data for the wild-looking concept.
Also set to star on the Nissan stand this year is the new Dayz Roox, the Japanese-market tall-boy ‘kei’ wagon, the Qashqai compact SUV revealed last week, and the high-performance Nismo GT-R.
Nissan is yet to confirm that a two-door sports coupe concept would surface at Tokyo this year, previewing the next-generation 370Z.
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NISSAN QASHQAI
Round twoNissan axes Dualis badge and adopts global Qashqai moniker from 2014
By MIKE COSTELLO
THE countdown is over for the reveal of Nissan’s second-generation Qashqai (née Dualis) crossover, a car the company
calls the “most significant” in its modern history. Launched earlier this month in London where
it was designed, and in relative proximity to
the Sunderland plant that produces it, the new model longer and lower than before and features similar curvaceous styling to its recently-revealed new-generation X-Trail big brother.
It will arrive in Australia around mid-2014, sporting the global Qashqai moniker this time rather than the axed Dualis badge worn by
the current model, and armed with a range of new, small-capacity turbocharged engines matched to either six-speed manual or CVT auto transmissions, and a more upmarket cabin design.
These new powertrains include an 85kW/190Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol (used by Renault in the Captur) with fuel consumption
of 5.6 litres per 100km. The top petrol unit is now a 110kW/240Nm DIG-T 1.6 turbo, with the same fuel economy figure as the 1.2.
On the diesel front, there’s an 81kW 1.5-litre dCi unit that uses just 3.8L/100km (or 99 grams of CO2 per kilometre) and a 96kW 1.6 dCi engine that uses as little as 4.4L/100km.
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Nissan Australia has not yet announced which engines we will get, though expect both 1.6-litre engines to make the cut, and perhaps the 1.2 petrol as well.
In seven years of sale, the outgoing Qashqai/Dualis model became something of a trendsetter in the burgeoning small crossover SUV segment, with more than 2 million sold worldwide. Since 2012, the UK plant has been running 24 hours per day, seven days a week to keep up.
It has also been one of Nissan Australia’s most popular models for the past few years, topping its segment in 2012 and running second this year behind the Hyundai ix35. Until the arrival of the Pulsar this year, it also served as Nissan’s best C-segment small-car option in lieu of any real sales success from the defunct Tiida.
It’s Nissan’s first European model to be based on the firm’s Common Alliance Platform (shared with Renault). By 2020, 11 Renault and 3 Nissan cars will be based on the platform produced across 10 countries.
The second-generation model is 20mm wider, 49mm longer and 15mm lower than the current car, yet front and rear headroom levels have increased by 10mm and (crucially), Nissan says the raised driving position remains.
The Qashqai’s new look is defined by “powerful curves, clean lines and intricate details”, with a raised bonnet line and muscular wheel arches. Premium LED headlights are available (not just the daytime runners, but the entire headlight). The curvy design and features such as active grille shutters cut the aero rating to 0.32 Cd.
The new five-seat cabin (the seven-seater Dualis + 2 has been axed, with the larger X-Trail to become the new family choice)
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features a more premium feel, with a large central interface dominating the fascia.
The new model also premieres the latest ‘NissanConnect’ system, with a seven-inch touchscreen synced with a range of apps covering music, social networking, entertainment and travel. The new NissanConnect builds upon the recently introduced Google search and Send To Car functions, which allow drivers to plan a trip at home.
The system includes Bluetooth audio streaming and mobile phone integration as well as Aux-in and USB slots along with DAB digital radio. There’s also a five-inch TFT display in the instrument panel between the gauges.
Nissan says it’s also more versatile than before, with 20 litres of extra luggage capacity (now 430L), more head, shoulder and leg-room, wider door apertures, a 150mm higher-opening tailgate, a dual-floor storage
system, fully flat-folding seats with reversible floor panels (one side wipes clean) and seats supposedly developed ‘inspired’ by NASA to be as comfortable as possible on long trips.
Safety equipment includes a number of active and preventative systems such as autonomous city brakes, a system that chimes if it senses you getting tired, lane-departure warning, a blind-spot monitor, high-beam assist, robotised parking and a birds-eye camera.
Under the body, there are MacPherson struts at the front and one of two different designs at the rear. Two-wheel-drive models are equipped with a ‘twist beam’ design, while models fitted with ALL-MODE 4x4-i feature a more sophisticated multi-link system.
There are also double-piston shocks and a new variable electric power steering system with a reduced ratio (and which can be given extra weight via a new Sport mode).
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LEXUS RC
Red devilLexus adds a little sex appeal to
shake up the Germans
By TIM NICHOLSON
LEXUS has revealed images and powertrain details for its IS-based, BMW 4 Series-fighting RC coupe
ahead of its world debut at the Tokyo motor show on November 20.
In addition, the premium Japanese car-maker also revealed it will showcase a further development of its wild LF-NX SUV concept, this time with a turbo-petrol powertrain.
GoAuto reported early last month that Lexus would debut the RC coupe at Tokyo as well
as a two-door sportscar that could be a near-production ready version of the LF-LC hybrid super coupe.
Lexus is using the RC coupe to boost its image from sensible luxury car-maker to a desirable performance-focussed brand, with a
statement saying the RC has been developed to appeal to a broader customer base “while injecting emotional appeal into the Lexus DNA that is synonymous with build quality, refinement and reliability”.
The two-door RC even heralds the brand’s
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first use of the word ‘sexy’ as a design catchphrase.
The design is unmistakably derived from the stunning LF-CC coupe concept from last year’s Paris motor show, and while it features a slightly toned down look, it maintains a number of elements that saw many motoring writers and punters crowning the LF-CC ‘best in show’.
The fence-like mesh grille of the show car is gone in favour of a more conventional slatted grille and front bumper set-up, although it keeps Lexus’ now familiar spindle shape.
Lexus says in its release that it is the widest and lowest version of the spindle grille on any Lexus car to date.
Sharp L-shape daytime running lights sit under the small but bold headlights and the L-shape theme continues
at the rear with the tail-lights.Long air dams at the front
of the car between the grille and the wheel are taken straight from the concept, and Lexus has kept the shapely wheel arches, high shoulder line and side crease that runs to the tail-lights.
The tail-end of the car bares little resemblance to the concept, with the striking, aggressive downward-sloping tail-lights replaced by higher-set, upward slanting units, while the rear bumper also appears to be a new design.
Lexus says the red hero colour features a brighter and more contrasting tone thanks to a new painting process that uses multiple layers of deep-coloured coating.
Two aluminium wheels feature, depending on the model – a 10-spoke 19-inch set or five-spoke 18 inch wheels.
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Toyota’s luxury arm has confirmed the RC will be available in two trim levels with two different powertrains – the RC350 powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and the RC300h hybrid matched with a 2.5-litre petrol unit.
The cabin is pure IS, with a seven-inch touch-screen sitting high up in the centre stack, but a number of new features differentiate it from its four-door sibling.
“Lexus-first” features include an upward-reflecting lighting package that is said to envelop the cabin, while the centre console houses a new ‘Remote Touch Interface’ that allows the driver to instruct the sat-nav or infotainment system using their fingers.
The seats in the coupe use an integrated
foaming construction method to ensure high levels of comfort and support for occupants.
Other cabin highlights include a new interior trim called ‘Clove’ and ‘shimamoku’ wood trim.
Meanwhile, Lexus will use Tokyo to show off a further development of its sharp and chunky-looking LF-NX compact-SUV concept.
The LF-NX was unveiled at the Frankfurt show in September this year and will likely go into production as the NX, sitting under the RX as the brand’s entry-level crossover offering.
The Frankfurt show car featured a hybrid powertrain, but the Tokyo concept car is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and features a front under-spoiler, while the cabin gets a ‘Remote Touch Interface’ with touch-pad.
