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It raised a few eyebrows when Bentley announced that their entrant into Pikes Peak this year was going to be a Bentayga. But it paid off, setting a new record on the hill climb for a production SUV.

Rhys Millen piloted the course in 10:49.9 – covering the 12.42-mile sprint almost two minutes quicker than the previous record.

The Bentayga was modified for the challenge, although not much. Alterations consisted of racing seats in the front and none in the back, a production spec Akrapovic exhaust, a roll cage, fire extinguisher and  sticky Pirelli tyres.

In celebration of the achievement, a very limited run of 10 Pikes Peak Edition Bentaygas will go on sale in August. They’ll have the same W12 engine, plus it will be available in the same Radium green as the record breaker. There will also be a black paint option to go along with the 22-inch alloys with Radium accents and the equally colour co-ordinated leather and alcantara interior. Normal service will be resumed on the seating front, and the dashboard bears a graphic of the world-famous hillclimb.

Made in such small numbers, and on offer to both US and European customers, all ten are sure to be spoken for very quickly, although there is no word yet on pricing.

Mitsubishi’s Shogun Sport went out of production twelve years ago, but made a comeback in Australia in 2015 under the Pajero Sport alter ego. And after success Down Under, the Sport is returning to the UK, too.

The 2018 Shogun Sport takes its place as the hardy, practical and off-road capable SUV in the Mitsubishi stable. And it feels purposeful.

Power comes from a 2.4-litre, all-aluminium turbo-diesel engine that gives 179bhp and 317lbf.ft. Given that the Sport weighs in at over two tonnes, it isn’t quick off the line by any means, but when in the economical 2WD setting power goes to the rear wheels only.

Out on the road, it is a comfortable yet firm ride, with controlled body roll, although on the winding lanes of the Cotswolds the seven-seater felt rather large. The driver is afforded a princely vantage point, though, and visibility is good. Steering is a tad heavy, but not intrusively so. It just serves as a reminder that the Shogun Sport is utilitarian.

On both 3 and 4 variants (the only two trim options) the Shogun Sport comes with leather seats on all three rows – the third of which is actually habitable. Piano black plastics cover much of the cabin, and contrary to modern interiors, almost everything is button-manned. There are two handles for both the driver, passenger, and then one on either B-pillar, which if you’re lucky will frame your view over the shoulder rather than block it.

Stowage in the front is poor, though. The smooth and sleek centre console flows into the armrest between the front seats, and whilst it looks smart, you soon realise that there is nowhere to put things – or is there… Down either side of it, you’ll find pockets big enough for a phone or notebook, and door pockets that are similarly sized. Two central cup holders sit in front of the padded armrest, which is hinged to give access to the cubby box. This is where USB ports live, and there’s a convenient shelf that sits atop the storage area to provide a resting place for your now necessary mobile phone. Let me explain…

There is a seven-inch touchscreen, and the infotainment system gives access to vehicular information but, bizarrely, no navigation unless you utilise the Apple CarPlay or Android Auto capability. This isn’t such a stress as both functions work well, but really, no sat-nav in a brand-new car? What if you don’t have any mobile data? You expect us to read a map that’s been printed on paper?

Being big, you’d expect the Shogun Sport to be practical. It is. The boot measures in at 131 litres with all seven seats upright, but flatten the back row and that figure grows to 502 litres. There’s a towing capacity of 3,100kg for a braked trailer with a weight of 125kg. The roof boasts a load capacity of 80kg, and the payload for the boot sits at a handy 600kg.

The eight-speed automatic offers plenty of low-down revs to get the Sport up and running and is then smooth and faultless at cruise – you’re up in sixth gear doing 40mph before you know it. Paddles behind the wheel override the automatic selection, which is convenient once you venture beyond tarmac.

Equipped with Mitsubishi’s Super Select II 4WD system, the Shogun Sport has four transmission modes and another four off-road settings. 2H offers power to the rear axle alone for better fuel efficiency, whilst 4H spreads the power and gives 40% of the drive to the front axle. The next setting, 4HLc, locks the central diff and is ideal for snowy, sandy and high-drag surfaces, whereas 4HLLc drops into low range. In the two latter settings, the rear diff can be locked via a switch on the centre console. The off-road settings are gravel, mud/snow, sand and rock – so you’re well covered on all fronts.

Let loose in the Shogun Sport we were directed to an active quarry, where a bespoke off-road course had been cultivated around the busy lorries and trucks at work. This highlighted the expertise of the Shogun Sport, and vastly altered so-so opinions gathered on the road.

Each aspect of the Sport’s off-road credibility was questioned, and each time it answered confidently. In 4H the traction control managed the power well and calmly pulled us up twisting tracks. Hill Descent Control and 4HLc worked together well to calmly control speed down slopes – as did engine braking in low-range 4HLLc. Crawling over rocks – even without rock mode on – the Shogun Sport felt assured and steady footed, and it climbed faces much too steep to walk up, without breaking a sweat. Its wading depth of 700mm meant the lake we plunged into was easily crossed. It was here, tackling the challenges in the quarry, that the Shogun Sport came to life.

Balanced with the rear passenger wheel drooped and airborne, the Sport proved its strength. Rear doors opened and closed without problem, creaks or any issues at all – and the chassis was reassuringly strong, too.

Standard equipment on the Shogun Sport 3 comprises of 18-inch alloys, leather seating, LED head and tail lights, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, the rear diff lock and all of the off-road toys – OTR pricing starts at £37,775.

Shogun Sport 4s – like the one we tested – come at a £2k premium, with the top-spec model bringing headlamp washers, heated front seats, adaptive cruise control, the 360-degree camera, and an upgraded sound system to proceedings. It also gets safety features in the form of Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Mitigation and an Ultrasonic mis-acceleration Mitigation System.

The Shogun Sport does what it must on the road and leaves little room for complaint, but where it really earns its stripes is in the rough and tumble. It isn’t massively sophisticated, but it is practical, robust, and impressive off-road. Compared to competitors that are strong performers away from tarmac, it doesn’t look bad value either.

Jeep are flourishing as a brand, and a model that has helped the brand grow in Europe – and the UK – is the Renegade, and it’s just received its mid-life facelift. So what’s changed?

Firstly, the 2019MY Renegade looks fresh. The front end is updated and has taken inspiration from the new Wrangler. The stylish mimicry begins with circular lights either side of the trademark grille, featuring the same horizontal, rectangular LEDs found in the big brother. At the back there are more similarities, with the square tail lights echoing those on the JL Wrangler. There’s plenty of space inside and the interior is smart – ours was black with grey leather inserts on the seats and dash – there isn’t a luxury feel, though.

A touchscreen infotainment system dominates the dashboard, and at times the menus made simple functions overly complicated, but it is responsive and display quality is good. At one point, however, the system froze and became entirely unresponsive, before sorting itself out after an indiscriminate amount of time. But, this being an early model, we wouldn’t fuss over that.

There is a cost to the eye-catching design, however, as the tall, square cabin is a victim of loud road noise on motorways and visibility is poor. The safety features and blind spot warning system is fine on faster roads, but driving in towns you’re reminded that it’s just better to not have a blind spot at all.

It isn’t just the looks than have been updated, with three new petrol engines on offer. With new aluminium blocks, there is a 1.0-litre three-cylinder worth 120bhp, and a 1.3-litre unit with an extra cylinder available with 150 or 180bhp. On the diesel front the 1.6 and 2.0-litre MultiJet II units remain unchanged.

We drove the 150bhp 1.3-litre four-cylinder, which comes with 4WD and a dual clutch six speed gearbox. It was sluggish off the line and this initially resulted in the right foot asking for more than it needed. However, it did highlight that the new engine actually has something to give and was fairly peppy and energetic when prodded, and at cruising speeds it was comfortable.

Ride quality in the Renegade was surprisingly firm, with potholes and impurities on the road very noticeable and not entirely comfortable at times.

There was plenty of safety tech too. Alongside the blind spot indicator there’s lane departure warning, speed assist that reads traffic signs, forward collision warning with active emergency braking – all of which is standard on Limited models like the one we drove.

We also nabbed a brief go in a TrailHawk version, and although it wasn’t a taxing off-road course there was no cause for concern. The ride was rather on the firm side, as in the Limited, but with the added off-road modes it remained surefooted up and down steep gravelly climbs and remained unfazed by the route.

The Renegade is by no means the hardest off-road vehicle Jeep make. Nor is it a driver’s car. It’s a practical family vehicle that sits everyone in comfort and does a job. Put to use or not, Jeep’s off-road credibility means that the updated Renegade remains desirable as the rugged option is its class.

Full specs as pricing are yet to be announced, but expect prices to start at about £25k when the refreshed Renegade goes on sale in the autumn.

After images leaked in recent weeks of the new Suzuki Jimny, we’ve been given official snaps of the ever-exciting off-road Suzi.

Details are scant at the moment, with confirmation of a ladder chassis, 3-link suspension set-up and part-time 4WD with low range ‘box.

But, what we do have is images of what the Jimny will look like – and it looks fantastic.

It’s a new look, pairing old-school charm with newfound attitude and purpose.

The interior appears well equipped and there’s a choice of single and two-tone paint options.

Nothing concrete has been released regarding specs or release for the fourth-gen, but we’ll certainly let you know as soon as there is.

The fourth generation of BMW’s X5 has been revealed, with an active chassis system and a choice of three engines.

With a new, refreshed design, the X5 remains simultaneously rugged and sleek, and is longer, taller and wider than its predecessor – with a longer wheelbase too. Xline models are differentiated from M Sport models with aluminium grille bars, window surrounds, roof rails and pearl chrome details – M Sport have body coloured wheel arches and bumper trim, and gloss black roof rails and exterior trim. M Sport lines also get bigger alloys, a choice of 20-inch alloys and 22-inch for M Sport Performance models, whilst Xline vehicles have 19-inch standard alloys.

Two diesel and a singular petrol engine will be on offer in the new X5 – the 265bhp, 457lbf.ft xDrive30d, the 400bhp, 560lbf.ft M50d and the 340bhp, 332lbf.ft xDrive40i petrol. The bigger diesel hits 60mph in 5.2 seconds, whilst the smaller option manages a combined mpg of 47.1.

Each of the engine choices comes with the latest eight-speed Steptronic automatic ‘box, with a wider ratio spread and new electric controls for improved efficiency.

M Performance models get a lockable rear diff, with all models fitted with the xDrive 4wd system – featuring a rear wheel drive option.  The new chassis setup includes a double wishbone front axle and five link rear, features a dynamic damper control system and sport or comfort settings. The system also combines active roll stabilisation, active four-wheel steering, and an optional off-road package including underbody protection, and sand, rock, gravel and snow traction control settings.

A fully digital instrument cluster shares the same graphics as the control touchscreen, in an interior with minimal physical buttons. Leather sports seats are electrically controlled and offered in a choice of four colours. M sport models get an M Sport steering wheel, pedals and accent piping on the upholstery.

Four-zone air conditioning is new, as is the panoramic glass roof which features LED lights that can imitate a starry night sky, and thermo controlled cup holders. An optional rear-seat entertainment package places two 10.1-inch screen on the rear of the front seats, and has access to a Blu-ray enabled DVD player, HMDI and USB ports and two headphone jacks.

Driver assists include adaptive cruise, stop and go functionality, the ability and adhere to speed limits, lane and steering assist, traffic assist, and lane change, crossing traffic and rear-end collision warning systems.Parking the X5 has been simplified with parking assistant, and front, rear and panoramic camera views.

Mobile connectivity is available on a subscription basis, whilst a hard drive of 20gb is embedded into the X5’s system, which remotely downloads updates when they are released. An integrated Microsoft Office 365 function brings the office to the cockpit, making emails and calendar appointments easily accessible on the move.

The fourth-gen X5 goes on sale in the UK in June, with prices beginning at £56,710 for xDrive30d models. The M50d starts at £70,690 whilst the petrol xDrive40i kicks off at £58,100.

 

 

Audi’s new flagship SUV has been revealed. The Q8 is a coupé version of the former range-topping Q7, and becomes the new face of the German marque’s growing SUV portfolio.

The new Singleframe grille, accentuated by the front spoiler and air inlets, provides a striking face for the luxury SUV, which is rounded off with contrasting door and wheel arch trims on a body that is shorter, longer and wider than the Q7.

Inside, the Q8 offers quilted leather seating, an elegant and smooth dash featuring two touchscreen control panels and optional contour lighting. The 10.1-inch touch screen on the dash controls the infotainment and navigation functions, whilst the 8.6-inch display below it covers the heating and air conditioning, convenience functions and text input, too. Usefully, this is designed to be operated whilst the driver’s wrist rests on the selector lever. Responsive voice control helps the driver, for example, if it hears a statement of hunger, it will respond by suggesting local eateries. Behind the wheel sits a third, 12.3-inch screen that shows the driver the usual info and stats, which can also be seen in the heads up display.

The infotainment system also works in conjunction with the MyAudi app, controlling the navigation system, music and transfer the smartphone’s calendar into the Q8.

Permanent four-wheel drive powers the Q8, courtesy of a mild hybrid system, with a 48-volt lithium ion battery and belt alternator starter working alongside a trio of combustion engines – initially a 3.0-litre 282bhp diesel V6, that will be followed by a 228bhp version and a 335bhp petrol. Regenerative braking can recover up to 12kW of power for the battery.

Adaptive air suspension has 3.5-inches of adjustability, and there are 10 inches of ground clearance on offer. Four wheel steering is optional, with five-degrees of added agility available from the rear wheels.

Driver assistance is plentiful on the Q8, with four driver assist packages. The Tour package includes adaptive cruise control and lane assist functions, and manages speed in corners and on roundabouts. It also has Emergency support, which detects within system limits whether the driver is active, if not it sends out an audible alert, and if required stops the vehicle in its lane and sends out an emergency call. These work alongside emergency safety systems that avoid collisions in traffic. Park package contains manoeuvring assistance, avoiding collision with steering input and automatic braking, plus kerb warning, automatic parking pilot and its close relative the remote garage pilot – controlled via the myAudi app. However, Park plus suite won’t be available upon initial launch.

The plus assist package will combine the tour, emergency and parking packages into one… package, plus assistance in steering with a hitched trailer.

No official information has been released regarding the price of the Q8, but the flagship SUV is set to go on sale in the summer.

 

The Land Rover Discovery Sport has been very popular ever since it was released in 2014, with more than 350,000 vehicles sold. Feel like you’ve seem more of them recently? You have. Last year, it sold more than 126,000 units, breaking the single-year sales record for any Land Rover model in the process.

To celebrate this, Land Rover have announced the Discovery Sport Landmark Edition. The options list for the limited-edition Disco Sport comes with a choice of two engines – the 178bhp Td4 and the 237bhp Si4 – and a trio of colour schemes. Bodywork can be painted in any of Narvik Black, Corris Grey or Yulong White – each in conjunction with a contrasting Carpathian Grey roof, and Gloss Dark Grey alloys of the 19-inch variety. Whatever shade you choose, the Landmark has a unique front bumper and sports graphite-coloured exterior accenting.

The interior is just as tonal, pairing Ebony grained leather seats with matching Ebony headliner, with dark grey aluminium finishers around the centre consoling.

Along with all other engines in the Discovery Sport range, those in the Landmark Edition will be fitted with particulate filters for cleaner running.

Prices for the Landmark Edition start at £40,400, with the celebratory model available to order from the Land Rover website.

SsangYong is on a roll. Buoyed by a steady stream of new, modern products to replace the staid vehicles it relied on for way too long, the Korean 4×4 specialist started this year by celebrating overall success in our 4×4 of the Year awards with the new Rexton.

Based on the same platform as the Rexton, with the same engine and choice of gearboxes and very similar cabin, the new Musso is a quantum leap forward from the model currently being sold under the same name.

We’ve had an early test, on British roads, of a Korean-spec Musso. Aside from the fact that it’s left-hand drive, the only difference between this and the one coming to Britain is in the details, so this is a good indication of what’s on the way.

Starting in the cabin, the Rexton’s influence is clear. There’s even a strip of leather across the dashboard, complete with contrasting stitching.

Elsewhere, materials remain high-quality by pick-up standards, with soft-touch surfaces on much of the dash and excellent leather seats which managed to be both soft and comfy yet impressively supportive. They put you in a good driving position, too, from which your view all around is particularly fine – even over your shoulder, thanks to a C-post that’s no bigger than it needs to be.

There’s plenty of headroom, too, and enough leg room to let a six-footer drive without needing to move his seat all the way back. This is handy if there’s another six-footer sat behind, because the seat-backs have no give in them at all – but the good news is that aside from the Ford Ranger, we think the Musso probably has the most rear knee room in the double-cab market. It’s possible for two tall adults to ride in tandem without either feeling the squeeze, and there’s not a lot of trucks we can say that about. All-round, few double-cabs can match it for accommodation.

There’s a decent amount of oddment stowage, too, and overall build quality appears close to that of the Rexton. As does the equipment you get for your money – we’ll leave the specifics out, as UK models will likely differ from this one, but there’ll be a range of three trim levels and at the top, you’ll get a truly premium level of kit. As an indication, the vehicle here had stuff like air-conditioned seats and a heated steering wheel.

It also had 20” polished rims, complete with 255/50R20 tyres, which are pretty much the exact opposite of what we like to see on pick-ups. But if the Musso range is going to mirror that of the Rexton, this is what top models will come with.

One definite difference to the Rexton is that whereas that vehicle comes with independent rear suspension on AWD models, all Mussos have a live rear axle. This is coil-sprung, which remains a rarity in the pick-up market.

You also get a part-time, dual-range transfer case as standard, mated to a choice of six-speed manual or auto gearboxes. This all goes together to make what looks on paper like a well sorted vehicle for on and off-road use.

Starting with the latter, we found that the limits were definitely set by the low-profile, road-pattern tyres. No surprise there – but what was very pleasing to note was that when pushed, the rear axle displays excellent articulation, particularly on the bump stroke. A rather low rear bumper, coupled with the inevitable long overhang, means there’s an element of vulnerability back there, but based on the limited amount we were able to do on this early drive the suspension is unusually good at following the terrain.

What the coil springs can’t do is hide the fact that they’re specced to hold up a tonne. Inevitably, this means the suspension is upset by all but the smoothest roads – though while there certainly is plenty of thumping, even in sharp-edged pot-holes the impacts are never harsh. The body does get jolted around a fair bit at lower speeds on uneven urban roads, but once you get it moving things are a lot more settled. We haven’t yet had the chance to drive the Musso at cruising speeds, but at this stage’s we’d say the results are promising for a composed motorway ride.

We haven’t been able to tow with the vehicle yet, but SsangYong advises us that it will be rated to haul 3500kg (3200 with the manual box) while also carrying 1050kg of cargo. At the time of writing, the testing and approval process was still underway, but the company believes this will give it the highest gross train weight in the market.

It certainly has the brakes for the job, as we found out when a driver in the employ of a very well known courier company lost control of his 7.5-tonner while coming towards us round a corner. And while an unladen test can only tell you so much, the engine does pull strongly – 181bhp is backed up by 295lbf.ft at 1400rpm in manual form, and 310lbf.ft at 1600rpm in autos. It raises its voice when your foot goes right down, but is quiet enough not to cause a disturbance at higher speeds. Again, though, we can’t yet comment on motorway cruising.

What we can say is that from this first, brief look, the Musso does appear to do a good job of taking the good stuff from the Rexton and applying it to the pick-up market. It’s solid, spacious inside and, without rewriting the rules, represents a quantum leap forward from the truck it will replace, vaulting SsangYong from the bottom of the one-tonne pile to a position in which it can compete on a level footing with the rest of the pack.

It also comes with a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, and with running costs mattering so much to most people that could go a long way to convincing some buyers. So too could prices which SsangYong says will start at less than £20,000 plus VAT – these are yet to be confirmed, as has the exact spec of the three-strong UK range. But it’s clear that value for money will continue to be a key part of the proposition.

Weigh all that up against fuel consumption and emissions of 35.8mpg and 211g/km (32.8 and 226 auto), and residuals which will likely be on the weak side, and you have a number of questions to ask yourself. By no means are they clear cut, though – and for the first time in the UK pick-up market, SsangYong certainly does have an answer.

After three years of rumours, camo’d prototypes and being battered by the slogan Effortless, Everywhere, Rolls Royce have revealed their entrant into the SUV sector.

The Cullinan – named after the famous diamond, of course – comes with plenty of plush furnishing, pampering tech and tagline enforcing all-wheel drive.

As was clear from the first time we saw a prototype, the front end is unmistakably Roller. The grille, the lights and the bonnet ornament are textbook. The rear is unusual to see, as there’s no design language for a Rolls Royce of this shape, i.e. a wagon or an estate. The Cullinan incorporates the hips of it’s siblings and similar rectangular tail lights into a tidy rear end with a two-part tailgate entitled ‘The Clasp’.

When someone reaches for the door handle, the vehicle drops by 40mm to ensure they embark smoothly, and  it readjusts itself back to usual height upon ignition.

Needless to say the interior has wooden inserts, leather upholstery, champagne flute holders and everything else you’d expect in a Rolls Royce. Rear Pavilion seating, in both four and five seat variants, sits passengers in the back higher up to enjoy the views and make the most of the massive panoramic sunroof, and almost every surface of the interior is heated – seats, armrests, door sills and even the lower C-pillar. The infotainment is the first touch-screen system to be installed by the marque, and it isn’t the only new addition.

Unsurprisingly, the Cullinan is the first Rolls to feature an off-road mode and hill descent control, whilst the air suspension can be raised and lowered from the centre console. Presumably the development of these was when the vehicle was ‘tested to destruction’.

Powering the 2.6-tonne luxury SUV is a 6.75-litre, twin turbo V12 petrol unit, redeveloped to produce 563bhp and, most importantly, 627lbf.ft of torque at just 1,600rpm – making it easily accessible off-road. This gives a top speed of 155mph.

Electronic sensors adjust the shock absorbers, to push wheels short of traction into the ground, and the suspension set-up consists of a double-wishbone arrangement at the front and a five-link rear axle and the Cullinan has a wading depth of 540mm in the tallest suspension setting, plus four-wheel steering.

Possibly the least surprising stat here is that the Rolls Royce Cullinan is big. From nose to tail is 5.34m, it stands 1.83m tall and 2.16m wide, with a wheelbase marginally shy of 3.3m. This results in a 13-metre turning circle, so maybe nothing too technical. It won’t be cheap either, duh, with prices expected to rival the Bentley Bentayga at over £200,000.

The Cullinan certainly enters the luxury SUV sector with a dignified stroll, but whether it gets Rolls Royce customers down their local green lanes remains to be seen. Not that there are many in Mayfair…

At the Electric Vehicle Expo, in Jeju, Korea, Kia has taken the covers off the all-electric version of its Niro crossover for the first time. Taking inspiration from the brand’s Niro EV Concept that appeared at the CES show in Las Vegas this year, the production vehicle will make it’s global debut at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The Niro EV will come with two lithium-polymer battery options – a 64kWh source with a claimed 380km and a smaller 39.2kWh system with a range of 240km.

Kia’s first electric vehicle will go on sale in Korea in the second half of 2018, with the Niro EV making it’s way to other markets after the global launch in September.

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