The competition hots up in the Road to Mandalay, the first competitive rally to visit Myanmar :

The Romao de Sousa Volvo 142S is the new leader, here on the Bagan temple regularity section that the previous leaders, the Buehlers, failed to start. 

Myanmar continues to astonish competitors on the Road to Mandalay Rally. In its second week the event has ventured up into the hills, finding cooler temperatures, less frenetic traffic and a more rural way of life. Yet the sights still amaze and the people are as welcoming as ever. This must be the most smiling country on earth.

The driving has been great too, not least on the actual road to Mandalay. It's not the most picturesque of cities, but the journey was certainly memorable. Leaving Pindaya on Day Nine, the rally followed winding lanes through fertile rolling countryside reminiscent of England's West Country, golden Buddhist stupas rising above distant trees like church steeples. Approaching the twisty, steep and unfenced Yangwan Descent from the Eastern Shan plateau to the great Irrawaddy River, the road became ever narrower, the surface more bumpy and broken, asphalt, earth and foliage alike taking on a pale, dusty appearance. Mercifully free of growling lorries when the rally passed through, the ancient romance of this otherworldly little road was palpable, particularly in a classic car.

The most competitive navigators would have been more concerned with kilometres than with Kipling here, for the organisers had wisely designated this hazardous part of the route a regularity section, requiring an average speed of only 50kmh (31mph). The results produced a tightening at the top of the leaderboard, with just 21 seconds separating the 1938 BMW 327/28 of German couple Gerd and Birgit Buehler, the 1968 Volvo 142S of Portugal's Jose and Maria Romao de Sousa and the 1933 Lagonda M45 of Brits Richard Cunningham and Julian Hanson-Smith.

But motorsport can be cruel. Merely manoeuvring the BMW (above) into position for the start of the rally's most recent regularity test, among the 2,200 ruined pagodas in the spectacular Bagan Temple Zone , a momentary foot-fault by Gerd Buehler led to a catastrophic over-revving of the engine, bending valves and putting the car out of the event. The lead has thus been inherited by the Portuguese Volvo, with the 1971 BMW 2800 CS of Australians Roger Allen and Maggie Gray second and the Cunningham/Hanson-Smith Lagonda third. Fourth is the 1966 Aston Martin DB6 of Cayman Islands crew Julian Reddyhough and Gus Pope, while Alistair Caldwell and his 96-year-old mother, Dorothy, lie fifth in the 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.

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Buying classic cars a beginner's guide :

What to look for when buying your dream historic car - and five British starter classics

Perhaps you hanker after a classic Austin, or maybe something more exotic Photo: ALAMY

Buying a classic car is rather like inviting someone to join your family. It helps if they are of good character, you like them and enjoy spending time with them. And if they can earn their keep, so much the better.

They probably won’t, of course. It’s true that some classics have proved to be excellent investments; had you bought an Aston Martin DB5 25 years ago, you’d have seen its value increase almost tenfold. However, as with property, shares or gold, the best time to buy is when a car is undervalued or price rises may be expected, and that demands both extensive knowledge and foresight.

In any case, buying a classic car for speculative reasons is like buying a beautiful painting and keeping it in a bank vault. Cars are designed to move, and deteriorate if they don’t. Driving a classic – and maintaining it in a fit state to be driven – are the chief pleasures of ownership.

Nevertheless it’s all too easy to be seduced by the prospect of low-cost home maintenance, relatively cheap insurance and zero Vehicle Excise Duty on ‘Historic’ vehicles (those built before 1973 or, from this April, 1974). So before you take the plunge, you need to ask a few questions.

The most obvious is what sort of car you want, yet more important is what you want to do with it. Romantic weekends will be few and far between if you buy something scary, uncomfortable or unreliable, family excursions are impossible in a sporty two-seater and the pleasures of summer motoring in a convertible are soon forgotten in the 50 colder, wetter weeks of the year. If you only aspire to occasional drives, you might be better served by classic car hire.
All-year round use is also much harder if the car requires frequent maintenance. Older cars demand more attention but even a 1960s classic will need servicing every few thousand miles. If that matches your annual mileage it shouldn’t be too onerous, but bear in mind that a V12 engine will always be more expensive to service than a four-cylinder, and that obtaining essential parts for rare or exotic machines can be costly and time-consuming.
How handy are you with a set of spanners? If the answer is “not at all,” a basic car maintenance course will pay dividends; taking the car to a specialist for an annual service and MoT is one thing, paying someone £30 per hour to adjust the ignition timing every few months is quite another.

Access to a dry, secure and reasonably accessible garage is almost essential, and not merely as a space in which to tinker and to store an accumulation of spare parts; on-street parking is tough on classics and many insurers will expect them to be garaged at night. If you don’t have domestic facilities, the cheapest option is to rent a council lock-up for £25-100pcm, depending on location – you need not be a council housing tenant to do so. It won’t have lighting, however, which restricts DIY maintenance.
Another inescapable cost of ownership is insurance; with an annual mileage limit (say 3,000-5,000 miles) the premium on a popular classic will typically be a few hundred pounds. An ‘agreed value’ policy is a good idea, so if the worst happens the payout will reflect the car’s value as a classic, rather than scrap metal; you may obtain a valuation from the appropriate owners’ club, based on a written description and photographs. When quoted in club classified ads, this can be a useful guide to a car’s condition.
Having satisfied the practical and financial preconditions of ownership, your serious homework begins. Check the price guides in classic car magazines to see what you might realistically afford. Read as much as you possibly can about the car(s) you’re interested in, until you understand their strengths and weaknesses; models evolve during their period of manufacture and later versions might be significantly more (or less) desirable than the first.
Originality commands a premium and any alterations should be reversible, but few cars survive for 40-plus years in showroom specification and many will have benefited from well-known modifications to mitigate period flaws or improve reliability. Most will have been converted to run on unleaded petrol, for example, and some will have been fitted with electronic ignition, although such conveniences are less serviceable than their mechanical predecessors.
As your preferences narrow, join the relevant owners’ club (you’ll find a list in Practical Classics or Classic & Sports Car magazines). Read the club’s magazine, attend club gatherings and speak to experienced owners. Being enthusiasts by definition, they are invariably keen to encourage new blood and pass on useful knowledge.

For the same reasons, an owners’ club is usually the best source of cars for sale at realistic prices. Auctions might be cheaper, dealers more expensive, but in all cases knowledge is power, and everything you have learned will help you assess a car’s desirability. That said, it can do no harm to be accompanied by a genuinely knowledgeable friend or acquaintance from the club. Modern used-car inspection services are not helpful where classics are concerned.
A proper test drive is vital; a passenger ride is much less than ideal but without insurance it might be your only option. Prior research should prepare you to look out for model-specific problems or worrisome noises, and the more cars you examine the more you will be able to distinguish the usual rattles from the sounds of a worn engine, driveline or suspension.
Some faults may be remedied relatively easily but significant rust suggests the whole car has been poorly maintained; alarm bells should certainly sound if you find a “freshly restored” car with shiny exterior paint and moss on the inside of the windows. Missing trim is another no-no; some items are hard to source even for models otherwise well served by spares suppliers and re-manufacturers.
Whatever you do, take your time and resist the temptation to buy the first car you see. In the long-nurtured eagerness to obtain a dream machine, this common advice is often ignored. However, in the world of classic cars you may be certain of two things: you will eventually find a better example, and it will be worth waiting for.
Best of British – five great starter classics
AUSTIN MINI/CLUBMAN (1959-2000)
Price: £2,600-£22,500
Evergreen and universally popular on road, track and rally stage. Huge fun to drive if you can squeeze into one. Beware fake Coopers.
MGB/B GT (1962-1980)
Price: £3,250-£10,000
The MGB roadster and B GT coupé are extremely popular and highly valued. Later rubber-bumper models are less desirable but may be converted.
MORRIS MINOR/TRAVELLER (1948-1970)
Price: £3,750-£8,000
Simple, unpretentious and apparently immortal, the saloon and Traveller estate provide classy yet classless transport for all.
TRIUMPH HERALD/VITESSE (1959-1971)
Price: £2,000-£5,000
Small-chassis Triumphs (Herald/Vitesse saloons and convertibles and Spitfire/GT6 two-seaters) are easy to maintain and remarkably cheap.
TRIUMPH TR6 (1969-1976)
Price: £11,000-£14,000
Perhaps not as pretty as the earlier TR4 but also less expensive; an archetypal British sports car with good spares and tuning support.
Prices for fault-free (not concours condition) cars

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Jaguar S-type the perfect getaway car :

Stylish and fast, the S-type saloon was beloved of film and TV stars but it came into its own if you were planning a bank job

Launched in 1963, the S-type bridged the gap between Jaguar's Mk2 and the vast MkX saloons Photo: ALAMY

Very nice car, Terry. Very good steal,”growls Richard Burton in the film Villain as he appraises his driver’s 3.8-litre S-type.

Prior to this underrated 1971 crime drama (below), the Jaguar’s main cinematic claim to fame was as a police car in the chase that opened 1967’s Robbery, but the sight of Burton & Co using the S-type for a wages snatch in Bracknell sealed its image for a generation.

It has to be said that the S-type was virtually unsurpassed as a getaway car; the boot was larger than the Mk2’s, it was more manoeuvrable than a Rover P5 and faster than a Vanden Plas 3-Litre or Humber Super Snipe.

By 1974 a gun-runner’s black S-type was being pursued through Kent by the hero’s white Range Rover in Callan, while stunt maestro Peter Brayham leapt a silver example over Tower Bridge in the John Wayne vehicle Brannigan. Brayham went on to supervise the fleet of very ill-maintained Jaguars much favoured by hoods in The Sweeney, and his work on the episode Stoppo Driver set standards that major Hollywood productions would struggle to reach.

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Classic police cars in pictures :

This week, spivs, wide boys and other Londoners of a shady past were treated to a Twilight Zone-style flashback as a 14-strong convoy of classic police vehicles, belonging to the London Historical Vehicle Collection, travelled through the capital




 

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Volkswagen unveils evolved Taigun SUV Concept :

At the Auto Expo 2014 in New Delhi Volkswagen is presenting an advanced, near production version of the Taigun SUV, with a revised rear section.

Compared to the first conceptual design – presented in São Paulo, Brazil in October 2012 – the new sport utility vehicle features a new rear section with an outside-mounted spare wheel, meeting a request expressed by potential customers: a fast access to the spare wheel without having to empty the trunk first.

When the trunk lid is opened, it swings out with the lid, which is hinged on the driver’s side. The rear screen, with the roof spoiler integrated above it, opens separately upwards.

The vehicle licence plate has been integrated in the center of the new underbody protection panel – between the end pipe of the exhaust system and the towing lug.
A distinctive detail is the handle for opening the trunk lid, which is homogeneously integrated in the right taillight.

Aw with the previous version, the new Taigun Concept is 3,859 mm long (3,995 mm with the spare wheel) and is powered by a new and 1.0-liter TSI engine with 81 kW / 110 PS and an average fuel consumption of just 4.7 l/100km (110 g/km CO2).

Above: the original Taigun Concept presented in 2012

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Hyundai previews Intrado Concept :

Set to debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the Hyundai Intrado Concept is a crossover that combines aircraft-inspired lightweight materials with a hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain and an evolution of the fluidic sculpture design philosophy.

Hyundai has revealed the first images and information on the Intrado, a crossover concept aimed at demonstrating how advanced technologies can be used to engage more effectively with driver and passengers.

Intrado is the first Hyundai to have been developed under the direction of Peter Schreyer, who became President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor Group in January 2013.
The concept was styled and engineered primarily at Hyundai Motor European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany – as indicated by its codename, HED-9 (Hyundai Europe Design).


Intrado has resulted from fresh consideration of what consumers will need and expect of their cars in the near future: cars that are easy to use, intuitive to interact with, and readily adaptable to the varying demands of their busy, active lifestyles.
Intrado takes its name from the underside of an aircraft’s wing – the area that creates lift – called “Intradosso” in Italian. The car’s advanced materials and technologies also draw inspiration from aircraft, such as the removal of all unnecessary weight.

The exterior of Intrado presents a progressive interpretation of Hyundai’s established fluidic sculpture form language.
The vehicle’s distinctive shape is dictated by the need to be aerodynamically efficient; it is free of unnecessary adornments and features minimal detailing.
The body panels are made of advanced super lightweight steel from Hyundai Motor’s steel plant.

The interior of Intrado is defined by a focus on usability and adaptability, and draws attention to its advanced materials and radical construction to deliver the kind of functional beauty typically seen on high-end mountain bikes.
The seals of opening panels shut directly against the central carbon frame, showcasing the carbon fibre whenever doors, hood or trunk are opened.
Components that are usually concealed are highlighted, including the ‘see-through’ air vents and exposed frame onto which the seats clip directly.
The use of bright ‘Beaufort Orange’ contrasts with the exposed carbon fibre, reflecting the car’s active brief.
The super-lightweight structure of Intrado demonstrates Hyundai’s desire to produce lighter, stronger cars that are even better to drive and simpler to repair.
The central carbon frame structure is constructed using new, patent-pending manufacturing and joining techniques that together have the potential to change the way cars are made.
The strength and rigidity of this central structure also allow body panels to be constructed from any material, giving designers greater flexibility and aiding repairability. Lightweight steel impact structures further enhance crash performance and repair times.
Intrado is powered by a next-generation hydrogen fuel-cell powertrain that utilises a Li-ion 36 kWh battery. Refuelled in just a few minutes, Intrado has a range of up to 600 kilometres and emits only water. In addition to improved performance and increased range, Intrado promises more responsive and agile driving dynamics, thanks to the reduced weight and greater efficiency of its powertrain.

Designers’ Statements

Peter Schreyer commented: “Effortless and sensual, Intrado reflects the open-mindedness and constant renewal of the Hyundai brand. It also shows that Hyundai wants its customers to rediscover the joy and freedom that should be associated with personal mobility. That’s why this car has such purity of purpose – it’s logical, lovable and liveable.”
Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre, led the design team that created the Intrado: “In line with its promise of a motoring future that is more relevant to users’ lifestyles, we have given Intrado a distinctive exterior and interior shape, formed from the lightweight frame, that incorporates only what is necessary. The exterior is defined by a simple yet sporty profile which displays the latest interpretation of fluidic sculpture, while the interior shows how minimal ornamentation will perfectly fit into the varied lifestyles of the millennial generation.”

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IED previews the Hyundai PassoCorto Concept :

At the upcoming 2014 Geneva Motor Show Turin-based IED will present the PassoCorto Concept, a compact two-seater sportscar developed in collaboration with the Hyundai Design Center Europe.

The PassoCorto (which means “short-wheelbase” in Italian) was the final thesis work of the students from the Master in Transportation Design – work experience IED Turin – a.y. 2012/13.

Hyundai Design Center Europe gave a design brief, asking students to target young potential customers who are always connected, the so-called generation Y, and to include themselve, creating a car that would be on top of their list for buying and driving.

The design team behind the PassoCorto included sixteen students, coordinated by Luca Borgogno, Lead Designer Pininfarina.

As IED reports, the concept is the result of a process marked by various assessment stages, simulating a real working situation.
All the students submitted their own proposal; the two that were best able to respond to the initial brief were selected and “merged” together into the final version which combines approximately 70% of one proposal and 30% of the other.
The entire class in fact created a core working team in order to create a well-integrated model of the two final versions in line with the concepts expressed by the scale models, completing as a group the full scale concept.

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Subaru VIZIV 2 Concept :

 

The VIZIV 2 follows the VIZIV Concept presented at the past Geneva Show, and introduces a number of new features and design changes.

The large, single side doors of the original concept are replaced by a four-door layout, with the back doors that extend up to the rear section, and open by sliding backwards.

Above: the 2013 two-door VIZIV Concept

The surface treatment is more intricate: the clean lines and volumes of the VIZIV are replaced by more angular surfaces, with faceted shapes defined by sharp edges, with a repetition of the hexagonal theme in various forms.

According to Subaru, this aesthethic choice aims at conveying a sense of solidity, rigidity and density, in turn an expression of safety and security.
The only curved-shaped elements are the front and rear circular lights integrated in the bumpers.

The powertraub is a plug-in hybrid system equipped with a 1.6-liter Horizontally-Opposed direct injection turbo “DIT” engine, combined with high-torque-compatible Lineartronic (CVT) with one front motor and two rear motors, fed by Lithium-ion batteries.

The components for the hybrid system such as a high voltage battery are installed while maintaining the Subaru’s unique Symmetrical AWD (All-Wheel drive) layout.

Subaru VIZIV 2 Concept – Main dimensions

• Overall Length X Width X Height (mm): 4,435 X 1,920 X 1,530
• Wheelbase (mm): 2,730
• Tires: 245/45 ZR20

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Maserati Alfieri Concept 2014 :

At the 2014 Geneva Motor Show Maserati has unveiled the Alfieri Concept, a 2+2 coupé concept car that celebrates the brand’s Centenary and previews the future design DNA.

Based on the GranTurismo MC Stradale chassis, the Alfieri Concept was created at the Maserati Centro Stile in Turin under the direction of Marco Tencone overseen by Lorenzo Ramaciotti.

The concept bears the name of Alfieri Maserati, the most prominent of the Maserati brothers and the engineering genius who founded “Officine Alfieri Maserati” in Bologna a century ago.

The design of the Alfieri aims at reviving Maserati’s racing and GT heritage, reinterpreting the true essence of the brand.
The exterior features flowing, elegant lines, with muscular shoulders and a clean surface treatment combined with some of the brand’s trademark styling cues.

The coupé is a 100% working prototype, and was conceived and designed taking into consideration engineering feasibility for a possible series production.
Compared to the GranTurismo MC Stradale, tha Alfieri Concept has a 24 centimeter shorter wheelbase: it is is 4,590mm long with a 2,700mm wheelbase, 1,930mm wide and 1,280mm high.

Among the historical inspiration are the 1954 A6 GCS-53 by Pininfarina, the 1957 3500 GT and the 1959 5000 GT.

Historical inspirations: the 1954 Maserati A6 GCS-53 Pinin Farina Berlinetta (above) and the 1957 Maserati 3500 GT

Below we report the official design details.
From the official Press Release:

Exterior Design

According to Lorenzo Ramaciotti, “The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future that is opening up before us. I can’t honestly say that we’ll see this car in production in the next two years, but I’m certain we’ll see something very similar.”

The development process kicked off last summer When the designers were asked to start from a blank sheet to create a concept for Maserati’s centenary. Among various proposals, the sketches that would lead to what is now the Alfieri emerged.
One of the most fascinating cars of all time, the Maserati A6 GCS-53 designed by Pininfarina in 1954, proved a valuable source of inspiration for the designers.
Far more than a rare racing machine for gentlemen drivers, the A6 GCS-53 was a masterpiece of design. It was also the last car that, at that time, the Carrozzeria Pinin Farina designed on a Maserati model before making a comeback in the first decade of the 21^st century with the Quattroporte and the GranTurismo.
The A6 GCS-53 was an iconic piece of automotive technology and simply breath-taking for its proportions and design features: a diminutive cabin positioned almost over the rear wheels, a seemingly endless bonnet and long, sinuous wings stretching nearly to the rear wheels.
The Alfieri is obviously much more than a futuristic interpretation of the A6 GCS-53. Maserati has a diversified design history that encourages designers to look forward rather than back: “We wanted the Alfieri to test future design paths”, Ramaciotti explains. “The car is very aggressive yet subtle in style, forceful but understated.”    
The acronym A6 GCS stood for Alfieri 6 cylinder, Ghisa, Corsa, Sport, epithets that characterise its long bonnet and rear-set 2 seat cabin.
While the inverted A pillars of the A6 GCS-53 were not adopted in the new Alfieri, their optical effect has been recreated by a sculptured line that starts from the bonnet and fades to the upper part of the doors, making the windscreen look larger.
The long, low nose is a stylistic evolution from contemporary Maserati models. The grille is divided vertically into two concave sections that seem to float in the air. The led DRLs are connected by a clear decorative line with a stylistic element in the centre. The aggressive headlights incorporate bi-xenon-LED bulbs and are rendered distinctive by a characteristic brow. The same decorative element is repeated on the twin exhaust tail pipes.
The tail lights are three dimensional with red external elements and white elements in the centre. Their shape harmoniously follows the rear shoulder of the car and complements the air ducts underneath to create an impressive, racing style rear view.
The Alfieri’s designers have developed a streamlined, uncluttered form where the only decorative elements – the restyled triple air ducts on the wheel arches – are finely integrated. This eye-catching silhouette almost entices you to caress it.
The wheels have been specially designed for the Alfieri concept. Forged from single aluminium elements, the 21” diameter rear and 20” front wheels feature integrated decorative spokes that are reminiscent of the classic spoke wheels of the 1950s.
Though form is the dominant element, colour and detail play a complementary role. A liquid metal colour called “Steel Flair” has been chosen for this Maserati 100^th anniversary concept. This choice of finish gives the Alfieri’s elegant shape a refined, technical and contemporary look, as if a metallic veil has been draped over a naked body.
The decorative spokes of the forged wheels, brake callipers, grille, iconic triple air ducts, rear diffuser and the provocative brow of the exhaust tail pipes are all finished in Maserati Blue. In the same blue is the Alfieri signature, replicated from an old official Maserati document and sculpted on the rear of the car, in the number plate recess. The front bumper spoiler and rear diffuser are in carbon fibre with aluminium inserts.

Interior Design

In the 2+2 seat cabin, the design team have created a study in simplicity and minimalism. The suspended dashboard is conceptually inspired by that of the Maserati 5000 GT. The dashboard boasts a clean, organic, two-tone design built around a central TFT screen.
The instrument panel has a classic layout with two binnacle dials with two smaller ones in between. The edge of each is embellished with a small “Officine Maserati” label.
Rather than analogue binnacle dials, the instrument panel features TFT displays inspired by modern photographic camera menus in the way they indicate km/h and engine rpm. Instead of a rotating indicator, the numbers themselves rotate around the clocks. Current speed and RPM are highlighted by a magnifying glass effect.
There is even a touch of racing spirit inside the Alfieri. The floor is finished in a material that imitates oxidised steel, a material commonly found on racing cars of the 1950s.
Luna white and dark Basalt blue are the dominant colours inside the airy Alfieri cockpit. Aniline leather with a natural look and feel covers the seats, dashboard and central console. Copper subtly highlights the main lines that characterise the car and brings a retro feeling to an otherwise futuristic environment.
The interior has a classic 2+2 layout with an open space luggage compartment. The rear seat backrests have a unique, elongated design. Well visible from the outside, they add a sense of speed to the interior. The rear seats tilt forwards through 90 degrees and also serve as luggage bulkheads.
The seat profile inserts, gearbox lever and oval clock on the central console are milled from single piece aluminium billets, hand finished and anodised in a natural copper colour. All other aluminium components, including the pedals, gearbox paddles and steering wheel spokes are also hand finished and anodised in a palladium colour.
The passenger seats, though inspired by the racing bucket seats of the ’50s, look futuristic and have a modern structure with semi-integrated headrests and an arched profile that serves as main structural element.
The three-spoke steering wheel and the deep central crown form a three dimensional sculpture that seems to have been crafted in the workshop of an Italian artisan. Like the remainder of the Alfieri’s interior, it too is 100% handmade.
The oval clock with red-blue back plate incorporates two sub-dials and is obviously inspired by a classic chronograph.

Technical Features

Under the body lies the transaxle platform of the Maserati GranTurismo. This 4.7 litre, naturally aspirated, V8 engine from Maranello develops 460bhp at 7,000rpm and 520Nm at 4,750rpm and gives the Alfieri a real driving force. Thanks to a special exhaust layout, this thoroughbred V8 also produces a breath-taking sound.
A six-speed, electro-actuated gearbox (MC Shift) is mounted in a single unit with the limited slip rear differential and connected to the engine via a rigid torque tube. The transaxle layout gives the Alfieri an optimised front-rear weight distribution with a slight predominance to the rear axle.
The Alfieri’s carbon ceramic disc brakes come directly from the GranTurismo MC Stradale and are combined with blue Brembo brake callipers.

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Volkswagen T-ROC Concept: design preview :

At the 2014 Geneva Motor Show Volkswagen will unveil the T-ROC, a SUV concept that previews a new model to be positioned between the upcoming Taigun and the Tiguan.

The T-ROC SUV Concept measures 4,179 mm in length, 1,831 mm in width and 1,501 mm in height: it is around 200 mm shorter and 200 mm lower than a Tiguan, and around 300 mm longer than the Taigun concept, currently under development.

The concept has a two-door, four-seat layout, and a distinctive roof design, with a middle section in composite materials that can be removed in two halves, each of which can then be stored in the trunk.

The T-ROC is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB) platform, and thanks to its lightweight design, it weighs just 1,420 kg.

The vehicle’s proportions are distinguished by relatively short overhangs (front: 811 mm, rear: 772 mm) and large track relative to its body width of 1,578 mm (front) and 1,564 mm (rear).  The wheelbase is 2,595 mm and the wheels are 19-inch in size, with 245/45 tires.

The T-ROC’s name is derived from ‘T’ as a reference to the names of current and future Volkswagen SUVs such as the Taigun, Tiguan and Touareg, and ‘ROC’ meaning the all-wheel-drive car is as at home on ‘rocky’ trails as on tarmac.

Design

The team at Volkswagen Design, led by Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischoff, have advanced the brand’s ‘SUV DNA’ in the T-ROC, while also preserving its history.

The front end is characterized by the 3D radiator grille with large honeycomb-shaped opening, LED headlights, daytime running lights and indicators and prominent round headlamp modules which hark back to the Karmann Ghia Type 34.  At the rear, LED elements also abound, with strong, purposeful design.

Both at the front and the back, the T-ROC makes use of integrated cameras which project images when driving off-road into the cabin via a tablet mounted in the centre console.  This allows the driver to see potholes or large stones which could damage the car – or certainly hinder progress.

Technical Features

Power for the T-ROC is provided by a high-torque (380 Nm from 1,750 rpm) and fuel-efficient 184 PS turbodiesel engine connected via a newly developed seven-speed DSG gearbox to a 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system.
The main performance figures are a top speed of 130 mph and a 0-62 mpf sprint in 6.9 seconds.  The T-ROC is predicted to have a combined fuel consumption of 4.9l/100km (57.6 mpg), equating to 129 g/km of carbon dioxide.
Three driving modes – ‘Street’, ‘Offroad’ and ‘Snow’ – are selectable at the turn of a wheel on the DSG gear-shift grip.  Parameters of the running gear, engine-gearbox unit and hill start and hill descent assist systems are modified depending on the mode selected.  The active mode is shown in a pop-up window in the fully digital instrument cluster.

In addition to the digital cluster, the T-ROC also features a 12.3 inch colour display tablet which is locked into the dashboard with the upper two-thirds of the display extending out from the dashboard.  The multi-touch display (which reacts to finger gestures) is user-configurable, and the range of colours used and information displayed on the tablet change according to the driving mode selected.

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