New SUVs

[Mike Harte]

You remind me, Gérard, of when my son tried to use the voice control to send a text to his wife, and it took about 4 attempts for it to get the message at least partially correct, plus the continual requests from the disembowelled voice to make sure that the message was correct and that it was to be sent.

Things like this surely must affect the drivers attention, even if by only a fraction, from what he should be doing, i.e. concentrating on what is going on in front and around the car.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

+1. Now 10" screens are common and carmakers do promote the Apple CarPlay app. From Tesla to a single 208 we are much encouraged to play during driving. And when the voice control is crazy (Pug/Citroën,Ford and many other brands sold on our domestic market) it does not improve safety at all.

Talking about the voice control, I wonder how it's developped. Mazda originally in japanese then translated in english, then in french, then in german? I'll try to use Google translate to talk to my car next time.

Your comments remind me of this:
https://youtu.be/HbDnxzrbxn4

[Gerard C]

Hilarious! What Scottish accent? Less fun, you could find a link with the aviation thread with French Air Baguette pilots trying to talk to ATC. Your link reminds me this one (sorry its french) when a drunk guy is trying to order a "baguette de pain" via an automatic distributor. Untranslatable but you'll catch the spirit I'm sure. Short version:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvjViY4v2-Q

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

The logic of placing so many controls on to the SatNav system just beats me. How is it that it is against the law to touch our mobile whilst driving, yet the law appears to permit the car manufacturers to have the controls for the heating, etc. on a touch screen which must surely require the driver to pay more attention to what his fingers are doing than purely concentrating on driving.

As I say, it defies logic having watched my son doing exactly that whilst driving his fairly new Range Rover.

Mine has actual hard controls for temp, fan, etc. Unfortunately the thing they are connected to is sleepy and doesn't like to be disturbed. And they wonder why the car doesn't get turned off all day when it's consistently over 90 and humid

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Things like this surely must affect the drivers attention, even if by only a fraction, from what he should be doing, i.e. concentrating on what is going on in front and around the car.

It took ages to BMW staff to admitt that the "new" idrive was far from perfect. Proof in the pudding that the first critics were founded, they constantly "improved" the damn system. At least Audi and Merc have short cuts to let you adjust simple things like cockpit temperature.

[NaBUru38]

Toyota Land Cruiser 250 (ex Prado)

4.92 m long

2.8L 200 hp Diesel engine





It's a stripped down version of the Lexus GX, or vice-versa.

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Toyota Land Cruiser 250 (ex Prado)

4.92 m long

2.8L 200 hp Diesel engine





It's a stripped down version of the Lexus GX, or vice-versa.

Toyotas have had their market in 4x4 for some time. Have to say that one looks good and with a good engine. Better than the Lexus, which wasn't much to shout about

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by S griffin

Toyotas have had their market in 4x4 for some time. Have to say that one looks good and with a good engine. Better than the Lexus, which wasn't much to shout about

??? Production on the Lexus hasn't started yet!

[Gerard C]

NUUUURSE! Not for you crm, obviously

[NaBUru38]

Cadillac Escalade IQ

680-750 hp electric engines

200 kWh battery, 450 mile range

Four-wheel drive

[Gerard C]

Good for CIA/FBI agents. NCIS have Dodges.

[ScotsBrutesFan]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

Cadillac Escalade IQ

680-750 hp electric engines

200 kWh battery, 450 mile range

Four-wheel drive

Someone hit that with the ugly stick really really hard.

[Gerard C]

We have now some Austral showing up in the street. Five seater ATM. The hybrid version is called AustralE (pun intended?) and there's an Alpine badge on the front wing. As suggested by NaBUru, America here we are (again…).

[NaBUru38]

The seven-seat version is the Espace.

[NaBUru38]

Audi Q8 (facelift)

[NaBUru38]

Toyota Century SUV

5.20 m long

3.5L plugin hybrid gasoline engine
Four-wheel drive

Pricing starts at 25 million yen

[joeb]

Is that a Japan only car for Toyota? I'm not familiar with it.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by joeb

Is that a Japan only car for Toyota? I'm not familiar with it.

Reading up on the Century brand, and I must admit I didn't know this and I cannot recall ever seen any of their different models, it is basically the luxury models for the Japanese market; Lexus being the brand worldwide. The brand models started in the 60s, and seem based on the Crown range.

[Gerard C]

So many SUV's for sale. In France, they are studying a new eco-tax, we already have several, based on the announced dry weight. Must be paid by the first owner to register and this new tax could start at 1600 kilos. Our gov' is desperately looking for money.

[joeb]

Cranes doing crane things

[NaBUru38]

Peugeot 3008





Looks gorgeous, though I can't tell if the D pillar is thick or transparent.


More details tomorrow.

[Mike Harte]

They say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder; I think that it is gross and ugly although the colour isn't too bad.

[Gerard C]

Are you kiddin here, dear Mike? Not even the color. Its so Peugeot and in one word so french and conceited. Ask any lady or girl in the US about the myth of the french superlovers. We used to have a "strong" reputation over there (still, I wonder why). And now, the answer will be "a long talk for a short thing". This Pug… and others… they suggest so much. What you can take is its always a broken promise. Five years of dissatisfaction gurantee by contract. More without prior warning!
PS I need some help in another thread about wipes. Could you please supply some, Mike?

[NaBUru38]

Peugeot 3008 specs:

4.55 m long

Hybrid gasoline engines to be announced

210-320 hp electric engines

73-98 kWh battery, 160 kW charging

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

They say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder; I think that it is gross and ugly although the colour isn't too bad.

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Not even the color. Its so Peugeot and in one word so french and conceited.

Peugeot have some decent looking (relative to the opposition) cars at the moment - the 208 is ok and the 308 estate is not too bad either. That 3008 is just 'meh' really - could be anything on the outside. The interior is awful too - look at the state of that dash, I suppose I should be grateful they've actually had a go at designing a dashboard rather than just sticking an ipad onto it.