NEW – Expected next year, the second generation of the Japanese compact SUV digs the furrow of a truly original silhouette.
No question of upsetting everything. The next C-HR launched next year on the market will be largely inspired by the current model. This is revealed by the model of the vehicle that Toyota unveiled as part of the Kenshiki Forum, its annual high mass dedicated to the presentation of its future models and technologies. Toyota design has been too often accused of being bland, all-purpose and not attractive enough, that since designers have found a formal language that seems appreciated by consumers, it would be inappropriate to change it.
Work of the Sophia-Antipolis style office, the silhouette of the second generation of the C-HR digs the furrow of an original style which had shaken up the canons during the presentation of the first generation prototype at the Paris Motor Show. 2014. Between this concept and the production car, the design has in no way been watered down. Its originality did not prevent the C-HR for Coupé High-Rider from quickly finding its clientele. A successful model, this compact SUV will therefore return in the course of 2023 with a formal language in the same as the current one but with less tortured forms, If the silhouette and the size (4.35 m) of the first are preserved, the lines are more refined and futuristic. Note the presence of large wheels and short overhangs, but also trombone-shaped headlamps and rear lights that do not overflow the fenders. In addition, the rear window always appears more inclined.
Toyota
Sharing many components with the fifth-generation Prius introduced to the market in the first quarter of 2023, the next C-HR will come in two versions: hybrid and plug-in hybrid. The latter should deliver a power of 223 hp.
With its Skysphere convertible concept, Audi proves that the pleasure car will not die out with electric propulsion. PDS
The freedom of design offered by electric technology and autonomous driving opens the way to unbridled creativity. Illustration with the trilogy of concept cars from the firm with the rings.
With the advent of electric propulsion and autonomous driving, we were told the end of the golden age of the automobile. The car was going to get boring. Quite the opposite is happening. At Audi, whose style seemed to purr gently when it was not going in circles, as if unable to renew itself, the ecological transition had the effect of an electric shock.
» Discover all of F, Art of living
In the space of a few months, under the name “Sphere”, the German manufacturer has unveiled three prototypes which awaken creativity and which already make us want to be propelled into the world of tomorrow. The Sphere trilogy is not a free exercise, but foreshadows the future luxury electric vehicles of the firm with the rings.
The trilogy of Sphere electric concept cars explores very different universes: a convertible, a limousine and a gigantic minivan. PDS
Camped on huge 23-inch wheels and not exceeding 1.23 m high, the first study called Skysphere takes the form of an extravagant convertible. Coming from the Audi style office in Malibu, its silhouette resembling…
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RIGHT OF THE USER – After having validated in 2020 the traffic restriction measures to reduce air pollution, justice now endorses the reduction to 30 km / h of vehicles in the city and in particular in Paris.
By a decision dated November 30, 2022, the Administrative Court of Paris rejected the appeal of associations and applicants who contested the lowering of the speed to 30 km/h instituted in Paris.
The judge retains to validate this measure that the lowering of the speed “allows to limit the risk of collision by halving the braking distance and by enlarging the field of vision of the drivers of motorized vehicles” and “drastically reduces the risk of ‘serious or even fatal accident for a pedestrian’.
The administrative judge also notes that the reduction in the speed of circulation of motorized vehicles promotes the development of new mobility, in particular because it facilitates and secures the cohabitation of the various users of the public road.
Finally, the court held that “contrary to what the applicants maintain, it has not been established that the reduction in the maximum traffic speed to 30 km/h within the Paris conurbation would cause an increase in pollution air or that such a speed limit would necessarily be less favorable in terms of emissions than a speed limit of 50 km/h”.
This decision could encourage many other cities to take the plunge.
RIGHT OF THE USER – Good faith does not pay when it comes to traffic violations. The user, who has not been arrested and who is not identified, exposes himself to heavier penalties than if he denies in bad faith having committed the offence.
In the case of an offense detected by an automated radar, the photographic snapshot taken at the time of the offense almost never makes it possible to identify the driver. This is also the case in terms of verbalization by video verbalization or verbalization on the fly.
The owner of the summoned vehicle can in good or bad faith deny being the perpetrator of the offense and no text requires him to designate himself or designate the real driver.
Be aware that anyone who admits having committed the offense without having been arrested will be more severely punished than one who dishonestly denies having committed the same facts.
As proof, in terms of excessive speeding, the author of the facts who admitted them is liable to a fine of 1500 euros, a loss of 6 points, a 3-year suspension of his driving license and a confiscation of his vehicle.
Anyone who denies them in bad faith and puts forward his dishonesty only exposes himself to the payment of a fine of 1500 euros without being criminally condemned.
Judges are not concerned with the effort of loyalty of the offender.
Remember that honesty does not pay when it comes to traffic offenses…Let’s hear it.
SEE ALSO – A lawyer answers: Contesting a fine, what are the risks involved?
TEST – Finalist for the “car of the year” award, this new SUV bears witness to the return to the forefront of the diamond firm.
Renault is on the road to rebirth. It is an intuition on the faith of the discovery of the range which will be in the showrooms of its distributors in 2025. A privilege reserved for the members of the jury of the “car of the year”. The proof that the Diamond is regaining color: for the second consecutive year, a Renault is in the running for this coveted prize. After the Mégane E-Tech Electric arrived vice-champion this year, all hopes are allowed for the Austral to become the elected 2023. This SUV will make people forget the Kadjar which has not been unworthy since its launch in 2015 but which seemed too tender in the face of fierce competition in the forefront of which is the Peugeot 3008 but now also the 408.
@GREG
Starting from the third generation of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-CD platform, which the French brand is using for the first time, the designers have designed a silhouette that does not have to be ashamed of its rivals in terms of of proportions and elegance. After a grille monopolized by a hypertrophied diamond treated in brushed satin chrome, the change is based on taut lines, a sculpted bonnet and curved shoulders. The Austral now fully assumes its SUV status with underbody protections, front and rear skids on certain versions as well as highlighted wheel arches that can accommodate 17 to 20 inch and 720 tires. mm in diameter. Around a wheelbase of 2.67 m, the Renault gains a few centimeters compared to the Kadjar and the 3008. It measures 60 mm more, or 4.51 meters. This is enough to make the difference in terms of habitability and trunk volume.
A handful of airplane gas
The revolution continues as the doors open. To the quality of presentation is added the modernism of a dashboard borrowed from the new electric Mégane. The largely customizable instrumentation is fully digital. It rests on a 12.3-inch screen that merges into a lying L-shaped assembly with the central 12-inch panel facing the driver (from level 2). Traffic is much more intuitive than with the old system and Renault had the good idea to keep the air conditioning settings in direct access. In addition to the quality of the graphics and the resolution of the multimedia screen, the user will rent the Google interface giving access to the services and applications of the search engine. Renault has even thought of simplifying navigation through the system menus by installing a hand rest in the shape of an airplane gas handle on the central tunnel. It is an integral part of the sliding curtain which acts as a smartphone holder and provides access to storage spaces.
@GREG
Decidedly concerned with taking care of the occupants, this SUV adds a 9.3-inch head-up display and, depending on the version, a rear seat that folds down into two parts (2/3-1/3) and each part of which can slide independently on 160 mm. The seat backs have three levels of recline. Depending on the needs, we can therefore focus on legroom or cargo volume. In the best case, the latter stands at 575 litres, 20 liters better than with the 200 hp hybrid version. Finally, it’s a first: Alpine is no longer just a brand but represents Renault’s top-of-the-range finish. It has a particularly opulent atmosphere based on a technical fabric enhanced with gray suedette elements perfectly coordinated with the satin gunmetal gray bodywork color, reserving an almost matte finish. Still in terms of equipment, the Austral incorporates the latest in driving assistance and in particular Active Driver Assist, which allows the vehicle to adapt to the profile of the road and which provides level 2 autonomous driving.
@GREG
This will not surprise anyone, in the context of the ecological transition, the Austral ignores diesel and only offers electrified gasoline engines. Unlike the Peugeot 3008 and 408 in particular, Renault has not retained the rechargeable hybrid, favoring light hybridization 12 or 48 V and full hybrid with its E-Tech technology (from 40,700 €). The most powerful inaugurates a 3-cylinder 1.2 liter turbo of 130 hp coupled to two electric machines, the first of 68 hp provides electric propulsion, the other acts as a generator and controls the automatic dog gearbox offering 15 combinations of functioning. A 2 kWh (400 V) battery completes the system, dispensing, this is one of its advantages, from connecting to the mains.
The batteries recharge very quickly while driving. In town, thanks to the many phases of deceleration and braking which punctuate the journeys and which make it possible to recover electricity, we travel almost 80% of the time in electric mode (less than 50 km/h). This contributes to displaying reduced CO2 emissions (104 g/km). Thanks to a more contained mass than with a plug-in hybrid, the Austral pulls out of the game in terms of sobriety with consumption that does not exceed 6.2 l/100 km in intensive use. With 200 hp, the driver thus has a good level of performance and times – 5.6 seconds to go from 80 to 120 km / h – and a high level of approval. One downside, however: cold, racing for a few seconds of the 3-cylinder to charge the battery is a bit caricatural.
@GREG
At the wheel of the Austral, we will appreciate being able to manage the level of recovery using the paddles on the steering wheel and to have with the Sport mode a superior reactivity of the box. Finally, this makes all the salt of this SUV: the presence of rear steering wheels. We can only congratulate Renault for having brought out of its boxes this equipment that the Austral is the only vehicle in its category to offer. It gives it above-average agility on winding roads and facilitates maneuvering in town due to a tight turning radius. The Austral ticks all the boxes for a great career.
Technical sheet
Engines: 3-cyl. 1199 cc turbo petrol + 2 electric motors
TEST – With its new family, the Sochaux manufacturer tries the ideal synthesis between the sedan and the SUV.
Post-SUV: all manufacturers are thinking about it. Sometimes for a long time. At Peugeot, the first projects date back to 2014, when the current 3008 did not yet exist. The research of the French manufacturer has just given birth to the 408, a model halfway between a sedan and an SUV. From the EMP2 platform of the 308 stretched by 110 mm, the designers have given birth to a silhouette that could confuse the followers of the Sochaux brand. Taking the risk of doing a little too much, the new model stands out in the landscape. We will have to get used to this new aesthetic expression that we will undoubtedly find with other manufacturers.
Tibo//The Good Click
It is based on a particular balance of shape, reflecting a plunging 308 bonnet associated with swollen rear fenders, endless side glazing that follows an elongated fastback-like profile – to the detriment of rearward visibility – and an imposing bumper. black plastic back. In the end, the 408 turns out to be barely 60 mm shorter than the top-of-the-range 508 and 240 mm longer than the 3008. You can see the full benefit of this by sitting in the really spacious rear seats, except for the middle one, which is hardly welcoming. Camped on 720 mm diameter wheels, the new model evolves 70 mm higher than the 508 but 145 mm lower than the Franc-Comtois SUV.
Read alsoPeugeot 408, the rediscovered breath of the sedan
TIBO
After the surprise effect of a line that does not lack audacity, we find ourselves on familiar ground by settling on board. The presentation and the opulent atmosphere come from the 308. We thus find the latest evolution of the Peugeot i-Cockpit, with the small double-flat steering wheel and the elaborate dashboard in two parts. Once again, this arrangement does not lend itself to all sizes and, to perceive the information from the instrumentation screen, some will have to drive with the steering wheel on their knees. Compared to that of the Renault Austral, the graphics of the screens seem dated. The slowness of access to the functions of the multimedia system confirms our belief that the Stellantis group took too long in developing a new interface. The configuration of its shortcuts on the touch bar located under the central screen somewhat compensates for this inconvenience and above all allows you to select a function without taking your eyes off the road.
A great sobriety
TIBO
Following a trend that is set to develop, Peugeot has simplified the range which consists of three engines including two plug-in hybrids and three trim levels. An electric version is planned for 2024. To access the top of the range, the Hybrid 225 hp GT version, you will still have to pay 51,400 euros. This model inherits the electrified technology already widely deployed on the French brands of the Stellantis group, namely the 4-cylinder 1.6 liter turbo 180 hp associated with a 110 hp electric machine and a 12.4 kWh battery. The set displays a cumulative power of 225 hp and a torque of 360 Nm. Peugeot announces an electric range of 63 km, which gives it CO2 emissions of 26 g/km (1.2 l/100 km). In reality, we are closer to 40 km. As always with a plug-in hybrid vehicle, the actual consumption depends on use and the frequency of recharging. Count 1 hour 40 on a wallbox with the optional 7.4 kW charger.
Following on from the latest Peugeots, the 408 has extremely rigorous road handling. The performances are there and the times are superior to the Austral (4.5 seconds to go from 80 to 120 km/h). If the approval is high, offering a good compromise between comfort and dynamism, the management of the eight-speed automatic transmission deserves more response and fluidity. We cannot too strongly suggest favoring the 19-inch wheels rather than the optional 20-inch mounts, which are less comfortable on low-speed bleeding and degraded roads. With the plug-in hybrid engine, it will also be necessary to accept a reduced trunk volume of 65 liters (471 liters) and even 82 liters with the Focal hi-fi system.
If the silhouette is brought to school, we regret that Peugeot did not go to the end of the idea of a dynamic sedan by giving up offering the 300 hp plug-in hybrid version. It’s not too late to change your mind.
The Renault Austral and the Peugeot 408 are in the running for the title of car of the year 2023. @GREG / Tibo//The Good Click
TEST – Among the seven elected for the final round of the most popular prize in the sector, there are two new tricolors.
France has nothing to be ashamed of. The tricolor brands have been awarded sixteen times since the creation of the car of the year award in 1964. Only Germany has done better, with nineteen crowns by integrating the five Ford titles that are classified sometimes like an American manufacturer. Italy ranks third with twelve trophies. For the 60e edition of the most prized prize in the automobile industry, the one that many manufacturers dream of pinning down, the sixty European journalists – in which Le Figaro – will deliver their verdict on January 13, at the Brussels show.
Since last Thursday, we know the list of seven finalists from an initial list of 45 vehicles. In addition to the two French cars tested below, the Coty (“Car of the Year”) jury selected the Jeep Avenger, the Kia Niro, the Nissan Ariya, the Subaru cousins Solterra and Toyota bZ4X, and the Volkswagen ID . buzz. Reaching the final already earned them a first title to glory…
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The 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL reached the auction of 578,750 euros. CaoRichard – RMS
AUCTIONS – Last November 26 in Munich, during an RM Sotheby’s sale, the most emblematic models of the Bavarian brand were particularly disputed.
Should we see a link with the place of sale (Munich) or with the fact that BMW celebrates this year the fiftieth anniversary of its sports division Motorsport? Still, the price of the Munich brand’s models soared during the auction that RM Sotheby’s organized in Munich on November 26. If the 1,917,500 euros spent to acquire a 507 Series 2 roadster are in line with the rating of the car, the 155,250 euros achieved by the Z1 roadster are close to a record. It must be said that coming across copies like the one offered for sale only happens once in a lifetime. It answered to the new car category since it covered only 61 km since leaving the factory.
The interior of the ex-Jochen Neerpasch BMW M1. CaoRichard – RMS
The Bavarian session was also the opportunity to acquire the ex-M1 of function of Jochen Neerpasch, the man at the origin of the creation of the sports division Motorsport. Registered on July 27, 1980, the famous berlinetta had a unique characteristic: a medium gray body color coordinated with an interior mixing gray fabric with tobacco leather. Displaying less than 30,000 km, the ex-Neerpasch M1 reached the auction of 792,500 euros.
Another exceptional piece, the BMW 3.0 CSL with the “Batmobile” aerodynamic kit, more than doubled the initial estimate of 220,000 euros. Leaving the factory on October 17, 1975, the last 3.0 CSL of the second series sold for 578,750 euros. In the same vein, the M3 achieved particularly high scores. The 1997 E36 Evolution model equipped with the 3.2-litre straight-six was sold for 286,250 euros. This vehicle had only traveled 2,752 kilometers since it left the factory. For its part, the M3 CSL of 2003 appreciated 325,625 euros when the M3 E30 produced in December 1988 and in remarkable condition, it appreciated 207,000 euros. For the same price, you could also walk away with the remarkably well-preserved 1987 white M6 coupe with only 6,356 km.
Also worth noting are the 410,000 euros paid for the Z8 roadster, the 201,250 euros for the 1985 745i and the 263,750 euros for one of the pre-production 850 CSi coupés sold to driver Johnny Cecotto.
TEST – The new flagship of the Japanese brand becomes the most powerful model in its history thanks to its rechargeable hybrid engine.
Lilliputian on the scale of the sector – its production is below 2 million vehicles per year -, Mazda has a singular way of designing the automobile which is not to displease us. This vision nourished by the pre-eminence of the engineers has just given birth to the CX-60, a large SUV of 4.75 m available in plug-in hybrid and 6-cylinder in-line diesel of 3.3 liters. The latter, launched in the first quarter of 2023, imposed a long bonnet architecture, in line with the house design, which contributes to the dynamism of the silhouette. As for the battery version, it is part of the brand’s strategy of only marketing electrified models by 2030.
The engine manufacturers did not skimp: the CX-60 becomes the most powerful model in the history of the brand with 327 hp and 500 Nm of torque. It combines the 191 hp of the 2.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine with the 171 hp of the electric motor powered by a 17.8 kWh battery. We noted an electric range of 53 km and a consumption of 7.1 l/100 km over a varied route of 500 km.
A clean presentation
Mazda
If regenerative braking dispenses with having to use the brakes on the secondary network, driving pleasure will have to be satisfied with a lack of fluidity during energy exchanges (thermal and electrical) and hectic suspensions on bad surfaces and under-damped. , especially at the rear axle. Too bad because the CX-60 takes care of the reception. The peaceful atmosphere is based, in the case of the top-of-the-range Takumi version, on white leather upholstery coordinated with light maple wood and stitched fabric. Thanks to facial recognition, we find its seat, air conditioning and audio system settings. The car can store up to six configurations.
Mazda
Technical sheet
Engines: 4 cyl., 2,488 cc, 191 hp + 1 electric motor (total: 327 hp)
RIGHT OF THE USER – After being arrested and fined for speeding in the rain, you dispute the traffic weather conditions. How to try to guard against abusive verbalization?
As a reminder, in the event of rain or other precipitation, the Highway Code provides for lower speeds on certain traffic routes.
The maximum authorized speed thus increases to 110 m/h on the motorway, to 100 km/h on a dual carriageway separated by a central reservation.
However, even under these conditions, the speed remains at 80 km/h on two-way roads without a central separator and also remains unchanged in the city.
However, a speed reduction inevitably modifies the importance of the penalties incurred in terms of license suspension, fine or even loss of points.
The ticketed user must demonstrate by witness or in writing that the weather conditions were not those noted by the ticketing agent. In particular, the user could justify the absence of rain by producing, for example, a rainfall measurement taken before the check by a meteorological station at the place of the offence.
However, to characterize the offence, the courts judge the offense established when the roadway is wet even in the absence of rain at the time of the control.
