Latest news with #fourwheeldrive
Auto Express
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Car Deal of the Day: Blistering BMW M135 for a bargain £301 a month
Near-300bhp power Four-wheel drive, adaptive suspension Only £300.90 a month Hot hatchbacks with a premium feel don't come much more complete than the BMW M135. Here is a car that mixes the compactness and ease of use of a 1 Series, with a fire-cracker engine and trick four-wheel drive system. What's not to like? There's plenty to love, to be honest, but this desirable package normally comes with a steep price tag. Not so through the Auto Express Find a Car service, because right now you can get the blistering BMW for just over £300 a month. Advertisement - Article continues below This deal, from is a real steal given that it's only £4 a month more expensive than the next cheapest 1 Series on the Auto Express platform – and that is the base-spec 120 Sport. It's a two-year deal and requires £3,960.79 to be put down first, while mileage is capped at 5,000 a year. Bumping this up to 8,000 per annum costs less than £16 a month extra. For just £300.90, you'll be taking the keys to one of the most engaging hot hatchbacks around. Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that pumps out 296bhp, and this is all kept in check with a clever xDrive four-wheel drive system. This latest M135 (which, incidentally, has lost the 'i' in its name to help differentiate it from BMW's electric offerings) has traded its eight-speed auto for a seven-speed twin-clutch semi-auto to deliver quicker shifts. It certainly works – it hurtles to 62mph in under five seconds, while top speed is limited to 155mph. Compared with the pre-facelift M135i, the new M135 has adaptive dampers as standard and the chassis has been stiffened. This means the pocket BMW is very engaging through the bends, plus you can soften the ride should you need a little more comfort around town. The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Find A Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top BMW M135 leasing offers from leading providers on our BMW 1 Series hub page. Check out the BMW M135 deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here…
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Peugeot E-3008: Electric all-wheel-drive is like a cheat code for fast cars
Four-wheel drive was the magic sauce, that indefinable thing that generates desire, that feeds an obsession. Ever since Audi first thought of adding four-wheel drive to a low-slung coupe to turn it into the most fearsome rally weapon of them all, having power going to all four wheels was a minimum requirement for dream car status. Although I'm slightly too young to have lusted much after an Audi Quattro during its heyday, I certainly craved the cars it inspired — the Sierra Cosworth, the Lancia Delta Integrale, the Toyota Celica GT4, and latterly the glorious original Subaru Impreza. All cars based on humble family machines that put their copious power down through all four contact patches. On the west Cork roads of my youth, that made for a far more enticing proposition than any Ferrari or Lamborghini. Sadly, the hot all-wheel-drive car seems to have fallen out of favour in the years since. Improvements in tyre tech, and especially in the arcane electronics of stability control have in part erased the tractive advantage of the flame-spitting 4WD country-fried supercars. READ MORE Equally, the cost of running such a machine – the extra weight and friction of four-wheel drive and the consequent effects on fuel economy and emissions – meant many just bought two-wheel-drive cars and shoved their old rally-star dreams to the back of a drawer. Now, though, there's a chance – a slim one but a chance all the same – that electric power offers us a cheat code for clawing back our fast, four-wheel-drive dreams. Adding an extra electric motor for more power and performance is a relatively simple thing to do, and although it will impact efficiency and range, that impact is cushioned by the fact that charging up at home is always going to be much, much cheaper than pumping in litres of former-dinosaur juice. Which means that this new Peugeot E-3008 Dual Motor GT seems oddly compelling, to me at least. The existing front-wheel-drive electric E-3008 is one of the more notably impressive mid-size EVs when it comes to delivering usable real-world range. The Peugeot e-3008 is good-looking car with impressive range efficiency. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click Peugeot e-3008: really tight corners with fast approaches will remind you, very quickly, that this car weighs an unhelpful 2.2 tonnes and that is a limiting factor. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click It also looks sharp, with those almost malevolent headlights, the grille that melts in and out of the front bodywork, and the chopped roofline that genuinely gives it the air of a kinda-sorta-coupe. It's handsome. Oddly, this range-topping Dual Motor version is no more handsome. For a car with 325hp, all-wheel drive and a tweaked, sportier chassis, you'd have expected more visual thrills, or at least a badge with more evocation than 'Dual Motor'. However, as Emmanuel Varene, head of the E-3008's development told The Irish Times: 'We didn't want to over-promise with a badge like GTI or Peugeot Sport Engineered. Besides, a car with those badges should be one level above this model.' We'll start to see what Varene means with the imminent reveal of the E-208 GTi, the first EV to wear those hallowed letters. In the meantime, making do with the E-3008 Dual Motor will be no hardship at all. As with the exterior, there's nothing on the inside to tell you that this is the hottest 3008. It's still a cracking cabin though, even if it's a bit tight in the back for anyone who's graduated from national school. The boot's a bit smaller too, due to the space taken up by the 112hp rear motor, but you'd be churlish to call this anything but a reasonably practical car (and the far roomier E-5008 Dual Motor will be just across the showroom floor…). What really makes the E-3008 Dual Motor stand out, though, is what Peugeot has done under the skin. The springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars have all been stiffened up, but the best bit is the revised steering, which has some actual feel and feedback, and turns the standard model's over-assisted rack into something far sharper and more engaging. It's a bit tight in the back of the Peugeot e-3008. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click Peugeot e-3008: stylish interior. Photograph: Tibo - The Good Click In combo, the tighter steering and tauter suspension make this E-3008 really quite a rewarding companion on a challenging road. Really tight corners with fast approaches will remind you, very quickly, that this car weighs an unhelpful 2.2 tonnes and that is a limiting factor. However, on slightly more open roads with longer radius corners, the E-3008 Dual Motor is properly enjoyable to drive, with engaging responses and a sense of sporty crispness. You do pay for the stiffer suspension with an urban ride that's considerably harder-edged, though. However, you don't pay all that much for the extra lower and 90kg of extra weight. This Dual Motor model uses the same 73kWh battery as the regular E-3008 (we're still waiting for the long-range 98kWh version with its 700km range, but production slowness at Peugeot's battery producer is slowing things up) and that means a reduction in official range from 527km to 490km. However, Peugeot may be a touch pessimistic here. Over a long day's driving on motorways, in crowded towns, and on some vertiginous country roads, we averaged 18.5kWh/100km, only slightly worse than the official WLTP figure and that was driving almost all the time in Sport mode with the air conditioning on. A touch more care should see you do better than that, and so the efficiency and range penalty for the extra power and poise might just be minimal. Figure on a fairly reliable 440km real-world range, not much worse off than the front-wheel drive model. [ The VW Buzz is a superhero, here to save us from villainous SUVs Opens in new window ] That's a small price to pay for the impressive boost in performance (0-100km/h in 6.0 seconds with hugely enjoyable mid-range thrust for overtaking or fast motorway merging) and the extra traction which made the E-3008 feel rock-steady when the heavens opened and a huge burst of rain hit the tarmac in front of us. The 325hp is way more power than that offered by any of my 1980s and 90s rally heroes, and now I can have it at hardly any running cost penalty? Yes please. The downside is that there will still be a chunky cost penalty – Peugeot Ireland still hasn't set prices as this Dual Motor model won't be with us for at least six months yet, but it's likely to top the €55,000 mark. That's a lot of cash, so once again, probably few Irish buyers will take the plunge. I'd be tempted, though…
ABC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Tasmanian government releases 4WD track management plan, as Aboriginal groups flag legal fight
A decade-long fight over four-wheel-driving in areas of Tasmania's north-west rich in Aboriginal cultural sites may not be over, despite the government releasing a new management strategy. The day after the strategy was released, members of the Aboriginal community spoke out in opposition and called for more consultation. In the run up to the 2014 election the Liberals — who have been in government since that election — promised to reopen three off-road tracks in the Arthur Pieman Conservation Area (APCA). The tracks had been closed by the previous government amid concerns for several cultural sites, which included middens and burial grounds. The closures prompted protests at Smithton and fierce statewide debate before a Federal Court ruling in 2016 found in favour of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre that the area had an "outstanding heritage value to the nation". Five years later, in 2021, an Aboriginal heritage report found cultural sites could not be adequately preserved if the tracks were reopened, and the government backed down. The government then embarked on the development of the West Coast Off-Road Vehicle Strategy, which Parks Minister Nick Duigan now says will help sustainably manage existing four-wheel-drive tracks in the area "while ensuring natural and cultural values are respected and protected". Mr Duigan said the strategy would be rolled out over the next three years, and featured plans to upgrade tracks and mitigate damage to cultural and environmental values, improve camping facilities, directional signage and interpretive information. The Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) website breaks down the plan over the next three years, beginning with work on the Balfour and Sandy Cape tracks and facilities and including Aboriginal heritage assessment in the area. In the second year the PWS plans to expand the work to the wider West Coast and collaborate with Tasmanian Aboriginal people to identify and protect heritage sites near existing tracks. In the third year the plan is to introduce a driver pass system to the wider west coast, improve information services, develop marketing material and support tourism experiences. Mr Duigan said investments would be made in capital infrastructure to allow the PWS to implement the strategy over the coming years. The strategy follows a draft version, which was published in May 2024 ahead of a two-month public comment period, which received more than 180 submissions. In a statement for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania and Cape Barren Aboriginal Association, spokesperson Michael Mansell said the strategy had its priorities "back to front". "Instead of focusing on protecting Aboriginal heritage, the report emphasises improving access to 4WD," Mr Mansell said. "The focus of government action should be protection of Aboriginal cultural context on the west coast and access proposals should only be considered in that context." Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre chief executive, Heather Sculthorpe, said her organisation had not been involved in the development of the strategy. She said she was concerned the government may attempt to reopen the closed tracks, but the strategy report says it "does not contemplate opening new tracks or reopening previously closed tracks". Submissions were made during the draft strategy's public comment period by other Tasmanian Aboriginal groups, including by Rochelle Godwin from the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC). In her submission, Ms Godwin said CHAC failed "to see actionable or tangible outcomes" throughout the draft strategy to ensure the views of Tasmanian Aboriginal people were represented in the strategy. She said there was no detail in the draft about how protection of Aboriginal heritage would be achieved. "CHAC believe that protection can be achieved through mutual respect and education of cultural values," Ms Godwin said. "For this to have effect, it needs to be reiterated and encouraged at many points along the coastline." Her call for education was echoed by Lyndon Kettle, president of the Devonport 4WD Club. Mr Kettle said he supported ongoing access to off-road tracks in the region but also believes the Aboriginal cultural history in the area must be protected, and that visitors should be better educated. He supported a suggestion by Ms Godwin that anyone seeking a permit to access the area be required to watch a short film about Aboriginal history and culture in the APCA and wider west coast. He said he had come across rock carvings and other historic sites in the area that should be protected and signposted to educate others. Ms Sculthorpe said the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre would be willing to continue the fight. "We'll be looking at all our options, that's for sure," she said. Mr Mansell said the groups were willing to take the matter to court again, just as they did after the 2014 election. Mr Duigan said consultation with stakeholders, including Tasmanian Aboriginal people, would continue during the implementation of the strategy.
News.com.au
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Kia Tasman ute pre-production review
There's an ugly truth that will challenge Kia's strange-looking Tasman. Cars are fashion statements. Tough looks and the rugged promise of adventure are vital elements of a successful four-wheel-drive pickup. Kia is a new-to-the-class manufacturer with no proven history off-road. And the Tasman's styling has not been received warmly. Fittingly, given the bumpy road ahead, the new Kia Tasman ute has incredibly well-sorted suspension. I've driven just about every ute on sale today. Having been bounced around by models that work reasonably well on smooth roads but ride like an empty box trailer on broken surfaces, it's clear that there's a little bit of magic under the surface of the Tasman. It remains composed over rocky territory, finds traction where rivals might slip or suffer, and does a remarkable job isolating you from the world outside. Kia has invested a lot of time and money testing the Tasman and its rivals back-to-back to understand what makes them tick. The idea is to make the Tasman so great to drive that potential customers can't say no. We've only driven a pre-production model for about half an hour on a private four-wheel-drive course, so it's too early to say whether the Tasman represents a new benchmark across the board. But I can say that there are truly impressive elements that set it apart in a crowded market. Which is just as well, because there's not a lot of superficial appeal to the Tasman. Look at it. This is a weird-looking truck. The funny little headlights pushed to the extreme edges of the front end are unconventional at best, the rounded, moustache-like free-floating grille is an odd choice, and plastic cladding over the wheel arches do it no favours when finished in contrasting black plastic. People called it 'hideous', 'atrocious' and 'the worst ute I've seen'. It's a little better in the metal – but it doesn't look like a car that will sell on style alone. There's an argument that utes are not meant to be fashionable. That these are rugged workhorses designed for farms, construction sites, four-wheel-drive adventures and brave missions into the unknown. Except we all know people with tough-looking utes who never really take them off-road. Macho pick-ups are in fashion. Just look at the school pick-up line or shopping centre carpark. And look again for dents, scrapes and dried mud paying testament to a life of adventure. More than a few of these things never venture beyond tar. Which is one of the reasons Kia hasn't over-invested in an enormous motor to win bragging rights. It has the same engine as the Kia Sorento or Carnival, a proven 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine that makes an adequate 155kW and 441Nm. That's enough to reach 100km/h in 10.5 seconds. This preview drive wasn't perfect A steep climb exposed an issue in pre-production cars that would slow to a near-stop before shifting down from third to second gear in low-range four-wheel-drive mode. We could get around that by using paddle shifters to manually select second - but you shouldn't have to. Kia should be able to sort that with a software update. It can tow 3.5 tonnes Other numbers include up to 350kg of down ball weight when towing, 800mm of claimed water wading depth, 252mm of ground clearance and a minimum 1014kg of total payload. An eight-speed automatic transmission with multi-terrain drive modes benefits from clever electronics including sophisticated traction control and a drive system that matches Ford's Ranger with full-time all-wheel-drive, switchable low-range four-wheel-drive and an electronically locking rear differential in the range-topping Kia Tasman X-Pro priced from $74,990 plus on-road costs. That's the car we sampled during a brief preview drive. Though the motor can feel strained at times, especially compared to more powerful rivals, the Tasman's suspension and electronics have a level of polish rarely found in this class of vehicle. And the interior is a triumph. Comfortable seats and easily accessed features – there are plenty of buttons, so you don't have to use a touchscreen for everything – work in its favour. Twin 12.3-inch digital displays feel more Audi than Aldi, and there are clever touches everywhere you look. Like Household PowerPoints in the tray and back seat, or a cool little graphic of the car and its key dimensions moulded into the centre console, or a rear bench that can slide, tilt, and even tumble away to reveal additional storage space. It's a clever car – and the appeal lies far beneath the surface. Kia Australia chief executive Damien Meredith reckons the Tasman has the potential to take a big bite out of the ute market. The goal is to sell 20,000 next year. The targets are people who might have been ready to buy a Ranger, HiLux, Amarok, Navara, Triton, D-Max or BT-50. 'We believe that what we have done from a brand point of view, and a dealer point of view, it's going to be on the shopping list,' he said. 'The product, the brand and the pricing strategy will deliver what we require.' KIA TASMAN X-PRO WARRANTY: 7-yr, u'ltd km THIRST: TBC SAFETY: TBC TOWING: 3500kg
