Again available in coupe and cabriolet variants, both the base model and S will provide their owners with the full 4-seat, rear-engine, flat six powered 911 experience, while also coddling like never before. A Panamera-derived sloping center console is littered with buttons and switches for accommodating a lengthy options list. Tick every box on the list and you can nearly double the base price if you鈥檙e not careful. But it鈥檚 not the extravagantly tailored option list that makes the car great. Instead, it鈥檚 the direct connection between driver and road the car provides. That connection comes standard no matter how many options you choose, and it makes a strong case for sticking to the standard 3.4-liter, 350 hp 911 Carrera coupe. A novel seven-speed manual gearbox provides a compelling alternative to the now-common seven-speed dual clutch PDK automated unit. 4,080 option box next to the Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) dual-clutch transmission-and many shouldn鈥檛 be disappointed: they鈥檒l be receiving one of the most driver-focused gearboxes available on the market today. Buttery-smooth shifts are available at a flex of the driver鈥檚 fingers, or, by selecting the Sport Chrono Package鈥檚 鈥淪port Plus鈥?button, lightning-crack gear changes intense enough to send shivers down your spine are at your beck and call. Rear-wheel drive is the only flavor available for now, with Carrera 4 and 4S models, Turbo and GT3 variants soon coming down the pipe. In the meantime, the basic sports car and prove the value of a 鈥渓ess is more鈥?approach. And for those that prefer to apply their options liberally, 鈥渕ore is more鈥?is an appropriate statement as well.
There鈥檚 also an element of exclusivity. Just 12 cars were sold in the UK in 2015 and there are 15 projected sales in 2016 - mostly corporate and leased. But now for the elephant in the room. The Mirai is ahead of the game, because the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is in its infancy. There are currently three hydrogen refuelling stations open (Heathrow, Hendon and Swindon) with a further three due by the end of 2016 and another three under construction. There鈥檚 also the issue of the price of hydrogen because at the moment it works out more expensive than filling up with petrol or diesel. Also, the Mirai may well emit zero emissions because the production process for the vast majority of hydrogen is not green. Just like any new technology, there will be early adopters and hydrogen fuel cell cars will take off, if you鈥檒l excuse the pun, but it ain鈥檛 going to happen overnight. There鈥檚 a price to be paid for Mirai exclusivity. It costs 拢61,000 (after a 拢5,000 deduction for the government鈥檚 OLEV grant), which isn鈥檛 far off twice the price of an equivalent priced car of this size. Consequently, most of the Mirais shifted so far have been leased. You can own one for 拢750 a month and it includes fuel costs and full maintenance.
To reduce excess weight, the manufacturers have used carbon fiber and titanium extensively. It now weighs 1,525 kg with a power to weight ratio of 1.98 kg/hp. The price has not yet been disclosed, but it sure is going to be one of the most expensive Lamborghinis in the world. Lamborghini brand has been associated with impressive specifications, above-the-board features, and of course, hefty price tags. It is a cherished vehicle that is often sold as soon as the release date of a new model is announced. These cars are out of the reach of average citizens because they command unimaginable price tags. The manufacturers have built these luxury vehicles for customers and collectors of high-end products. A Lamborghini is not just a car but a supercar that denotes the flamboyance and swagger of its owner. It is a mindboggling machine that has nothing to do about practicality but everything about status and wealth.
You might have expected premium brands like Audi to have led the charge with electric-vehicle development, but the German firm has taken a surprisingly long time to launch an all-electric product. Now Audi has turned the taps on, though, and it鈥檚 here with its first full EV: the e-tron. This SUV costs just over 拢70,000 even after the 拢3,500 Government grant has been deducted - but then, you do get a considerable amount of technology for that premium price tag. This is in every sense the benchmark the e-tron has to match up to. The e-tron is Audi鈥檚 first full EV. That badge has been used on plug-in cars before, but the tag now represents the brand鈥檚 electric models. At 拢72,270, this is the cheaper of the two variants available (there鈥檚 a higher-spec Launch Edition in the line-up, too), but it still gets plenty of kit. Let鈥檚 see how it fares. The e-tron is based on a heavily adapted version of the MLB architecture, with the 95kWh battery mounted in the floor.
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