You Got A Problem With That?

Put like that, the decline looks bad, right? But 200,000 folk buying or leasing a new car every month in 2018 was hardly disastrous, was it? Remember that the vast majority of our European neighbours sold only tens or hundreds of thousands of cars to their citizens last year. Britain remains second only to Germany in the European car sales league. You got a problem with that? Jaguar (four per cent UK increase in 鈥?8 vs 鈥?7), McLaren (10 per cent up) and MG (104 per cent higher) did great last year. Abarth of Italy; Korea鈥檚 Kia; Japan鈥檚 Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru; SEAT of Spain and Volvo of Sweden all saw rises, too. True, several firms at the competitive volume end of the market (where makers each sell or lease 100,000-200,000 discounted cars annually to UK consumers) are on a downer. Nissan, for example, plummeted a painful 32 per cent last year, ahead of Audi (minus 18 per cent), Ford (down 12 per cent) and Vauxhall (minus nine per cent). Other members of the 100,000-Plus Club - Volkswagen, Mercedes, Toyota and BMW - also went backwards. But it鈥檚 mainly these high-volume producers - not producers per se - who did worse in 鈥?8 than 鈥?7. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders told me some customers are plain scared to invest in brand new diesel cars for fear of national or local politicians waging war against them. So they鈥檙e playing safe by sticking with their existing models for the time being. Who can blame them for their caution and lack of confidence? Or to put all that another way, 99.3 per cent of the nearly 2.4m new cars sold in 2018 rely - in full or in part- on petrol or diesel fuel, with only 0.7 per cent running solely on electricity. The cold, harsh truth is that in 2018, Britain still couldn鈥檛 quite reach the point where one in every 100 new cars sold was a pure EV. That鈥檚 shocking and unsustainable.

The 53-branded models sit a step below the snarling V8 鈥?3鈥?variants, of which a GLE version will follow in the future. For now, then, the 53 will be the most potent version of the brand鈥檚 large SUV. Under the bonnet, it shares its 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline six with the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Saloon and Coupe: that means 429bhp, 520Nm torque, and an electrical boost from a mild hybrid system. Power is sent to all four wheels, resulting in a 0-62mph time of 5.3 seconds - one tenth behind the Cayenne S - and a limited 155mph top speed. If that performance doesn鈥檛 offer sufficient drama, an optional Performance exhaust system, which features adjustable exhaust flaps to alter the engine's character at the touch of a button, adds an angrier soundtrack. The 48-volt system also provides sufficient power for the 鈥楢ctive Ride Control鈥?air suspension set-up. This is combined with a roll stabilisation function, which reduces the effect of body lean during hard cornering, and aids comfort by mitigating the shock of potholes and sharp bumps hit by individual wheels. Naturally, the GLE 53 gains a more menacing look relative to its conventional GLE counterparts.

The AMG family grille, complete with 15 vertical chrome strips, sits on the car鈥檚 nose, while beneath it sits a deep, full-width air dam. Seven alloy wheel options are available, ranging from 20 to 22 inches in diameter, while around the back, the rear bumper houses four tailpipes and a diffuser. Inside, the GLE 53 goes for a black and red theme. The seats are trimmed in a mix of leather and alcantara, while the black finish is highlighted by red stitching, red seat belts and a red 12 o鈥檆lock marker on the steering wheel. Carbon fibre trim covers the door inserts and sits in the wide panel which spans the dashboard beneath the two widescreen displays. These screens feature Mercedes鈥檚 latest MBUX infotainment system, albeit equipped with AMG-specific menus. These include an AMG-specific 鈥楽upersport鈥?dial layout, which incorporates a G-meter. The mild hybrid configuration also brings with it some efficiency benefits. The 48-volt system allows for a faster and near-impreceptable stop/start function, and the ability to 鈥榞lide鈥?when decelerating. Prices for the new model are yet to be confirmed, but expect to pay about 拢10,000 more than the 拢62,685 GLE 400 d. Do you like the look of the new Mercedes-AMG GLE 53?

The EPA range estimate for the 2015 Porsche Macan is N in the city, A on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2014 Porsche Panamera in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2014 Porsche Panamera is N in the city, A on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2004 Porsche 911 in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2004 Porsche 911 is 270.4 mi. 405.6 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2007 Porsche Boxster in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2007 Porsche Boxster is 338.0 mi. 490.1 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2005 Porsche 911 in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2005 Porsche 911 is 270.4 mi. 405.6 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2003 Porsche 911 in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2003 Porsche 911 is 270.4 mi. 405.6 mi. on the highway.

What is the city and highway range of the 2010 Porsche Panamera in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2010 Porsche Panamera is 337.6 mi. 506.4 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2012 Porsche Panamera in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2012 Porsche Panamera is 475.2 mi. 712.8 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2013 Porsche Cayenne in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2013 Porsche Cayenne is 396.0 mi. 580.8 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2010 Porsche 911 in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2010 Porsche 911 is 304.2 mi. 422.5 mi. on the highway. What is the city and highway range of the 2008 Porsche Boxster in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2008 Porsche Boxster is 338.0 mi. 490.1 mi. on the highway.