A DEFENDER FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Sacrilege. That was the first thing that came to mind when the new Land Rover Defender was coming. Slowly we got used to the looks and recently we had it at our disposal for just under a week. We have to admit, both on tarmac and in mud it is tantalisingly good.
Text Jorrit Niels / Gerben Bijpost
APOCALYPSE PROOF
The Land Rover Defender was always apocalypse-proof and can you imagine a better time to introduce the new one as the four horsemen of the apocalypse saddle up again for this autumn?
Either way, off-road excellence is what Land Rover has been doing since 1947. Is it necessary? Not really, but what a thing it is. Five metres long a subtle play of recognition and little nods to the 1947 original.
And that the Defender is the max of what Land Rover offers off-road, we can see from its 291mm ground clearance. A difference from the current Discovery at 207mm. The approach and departure angles at 38 and 40 degrees respectively are also better than the Discovery (34 and 30 degrees).
You may hardly understand it, but the numbers indicate that you can take the Defender almost anywhere. Even on tarmac. The old Defender looked spectacular and had its charm, but there were definitely more comfortable cars to drive on the highway.
The adaptive suspension now compensates for any unevenness in the tarmac and even makes it comfortable in corners and at higher speeds. Not that you necessarily have to want to hit the apex in a Defender, but it doesn't make your co-driver feel costly either. Compare the Defender to the G-Class or the Wrangler and it is a more enjoyable car for daily use.
With numerous options to make the 4×4 extremely luxurious or just off-road-ready, you can go as grand as you like, but the most attractive option for the Netherlands will be available at the end of this year. That's when the plug-in hybrid version of the 110 will appear. Either way, even if you never take the car off the beaten track, the new Defender will impress.
Engine: 3.0-litre four-cylinder Power: 200 hp Average consumption: 8.8 litres/100km 0-100 km/h: 10.2 seconds Top speed: 175 km/h
For sale among others at Munsterhuis Exclusief BV www.munsterhuisexclusief.nl Price: € 102.325
IS THE PORSCHE-KILLER...A PORSCHE?
If you were still waiting for something other than yet another Tesla, the Porsche Taycan is a game-changer. This is everything Porsche is supposed to stand for except an internal combustion engine. This four-door coupé weighs over 2,000 kilograms due to the amount of batteries. But those very batteries give the Taycan the lowest centre of gravity of any Porsche. See, then you have our attention.
Of course, having 626 hp at your disposal at the Taycan Turbo S. And with overboost mode, you temporarily lift that to 761 hp before launch control, putting you at 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds. You can do this virtually indefinitely. At least, until your co-driver needs some fresh air.
It is mainly the driving ease and traction control (works ten times faster than normal cars) where the car continues to impress. Plus on top of that, air suspension, adaptive damping, anti-roll technology and an advanced but complicated differential for which we don't have space on these four pages.
You don't necessarily have to understand that either, you feel it. Effortlessly, the Taycan Turbo S switches from the front to the rear electric motor to distribute energy as efficiently as possible.
Turn the Drive Mode knob to Sport Plus and it changes to a intergalactic spaceship. Including soundtrack, by the way. Star Trek and/or Star Wars fans probably can't get enough of it when it pulls up. Coming to a stop is also no time at all. After all, it is a Porsche and it drives like a Porsche. Only fully electric.
With a range of between 388 and 412 kilometres. Take some off that for weather conditions or lots of motorway miles and you have a just range like most alternatives. With the right charger, you go from 5 to 80 per cent in just over 20 minutes. Five minutes is enough for 100 kilometres. On the street, where you often find 11kW charging stations, it takes about nine hours to fully charge it.
The Porsche Taycan is not a cheap car, starting at €110,700, but it is one of the most impressive we have driven in a long time. The future is electrified, there is no doubt about that. Porsche has just at once joined the vanguard.
Porsche Taycan Turbo S
Engine: 2 electric motors (front and rear, 1,050 Nm) Power: 626 hp (max. 761 hp with Overboost) Weight: 2,370 kilograms 0-100 km/h: 2.8 seconds Top speed: 260 km/h
Price: €191,800 (upwards)
UP TO DATE: MINI ELECTRIC
The electric transplant for this Mini suits it particularly well. From the outside, it doesn't scream electric except for some minor design elements, and inside too, they have restrained themselves at Mini. They have gone anything but completely 'Tesla', with just a digital screen in front of you with speedometers and other driving info. Enough focus has gone into the ride, though. The Mini was always good in corners, but the slightly lower centre of gravity because of the battery, makes the car even more like a go-kart. The speed is 'okay', you get away fast enough at traffic lights and the range is sufficient for a city car. That is the only point that disappoints. This is deliberate, Mini wants to portray the Electric as a city car and under the right driving and weather conditions, you quickly get towards 250 kilometres on a full battery. Rationally, there is plenty to criticise, but the good thing is that Mini doesn't pretend to be the most practical small EV either. The most fun, though.
From €35,188
MASERATI MC20
Meet Maserati's new supercar. The first examples of the coupé are on the factory production line, the Spider will follow in 2021, with a 3.0-litre V6 good for 630 hp. The top is 323 km/h and you tap 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds. Not bad figures for the first Maserati supercar in some 15 years. The Italian marque is targeting Ferrari and McLaren customers with the MC20. With an electric variant likely scheduled for 2022. There is little to criticise about Maserati's latest, which takes it back to its roots and returns the brand to a halo-car gives. Something to yearn for at the very highest level. And just in time, because despite quite a few seductive concept cars and fine luxury sedans and SUVs, it was quiet around Maserati. The trident from Bologna is ready for a comeback.
Approx. €258,299
JEEP RENEGADE 4XE
The smallest Jeep gets a plug-in upgrade. The 1.3-litre four-cylinder (petrol) gets a 45 kW electric motor with 60 hp that will only last up to 44 kilometres. Thanks to an internal charger, you can recharge it while driving to up to 80 per cent in an hour. Furthermore, you can choose from three driving modes, pure electric driving, hybrid driving or maintain charge level. The latter works well, for example, if you want to finish the last few kilometres in town or village electrically. By the way, the new electric all-wheel drive also ensures that the hybrid Renegade offroad is better showcased by the instantly available torque. If you fall for the Renegade's charm and appreciate nice off-road capabilities, the likeable entry-level off-roader from Jeep completes your checklist.
From €42,990
C5 AIRCROSS-THE FLOATING SUV
There is a quadruplet of hybrid SUVs in the showrooms. Not a identical quadruplet, because there are differences. So which one should you choose?
The C5 Aircross SUV Hybrid is Citroën's first plug-in hybrid. By 2025, the brand aims to have an electrified version for every model in the showroom. This C5 combines the advantages of all-electric driving with those of an internal combustion engine. With 100 % electric you may not get further than about 50 kilometres, but that is enough for most for commuting. And if you want to go further afield, there is the reassuring presence of a petrol engine. The hybrid technology found in this SUV is familiar: it is also in the DS 7 Crossback, Peugeot 3008 and the Opel Grandland X. A 1.6-litre petrol engine, good for 180 hp, an eight-speed automatic gearbox and an 80 kW (109 hp) electric motor. Combined, up to 225 hp and 300 Nm are available. And consumption of 1.4 litres / 100 kilometres should be achievable. But that depends entirely on how many electric kilometres you do.
So the key question is: why would you prefer the Citroen to the DS, Peugeot or Opel? There are a few answers: the looks of course (the technical similarities are as great as the optical differences), the contents of your wallet (if you don't care which one, you can easily save a few thousand euros), what you want to portray (chic DS, solid Vauxhall, sturdy Peugeot or design Citroen), whether you think 4-wheel drive is necessary (in which case the Citroen is immediately out of the question), whether you fall for that special rear seat in the Citroen, consisting of three individually length-adjustable seats (handy!), or whether you often enjoy a hot cup of coffee while driving. In the latter case, we can wholeheartedly recommend this car. Thanks to its super absorbent suspension with Progressive Hydraulic Cushions as the coffee is just a little more likely to stay in your cup instead of sloshing through the interior...
From €43,750
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