Índice para October 2021 em Wheels

IT WAS NOT that long ago, June to be exact, Toyota was telling us all it was not affected by the current global shortage of semi-conductors. When other manufacturers were either admitting their production was starting to really suffer – or keeping their heads down and hoping the storm wouldn’t come their way, the Japanese giant was claiming all was well because it had been “forward planning”. It had, according to Australian Vice President of Sales and Marketing Sean Hanley, learnt from natural disasters on home turf a decade ago, and “future-proofed” its supply chain. Fast-forward to today, and Toyota has had to suspend production across 14 of its Japanese factories in September as it too now grapples with the worldwide chip shortage. The latest announcement comes after the brand…

Keep it tight (no more than 200 words) and do include your suburb if via email: wheels@wheelsmag.com.au You can also have your say on Facebook (search for Wheels Australia), Instagram or Twitter LETTER OF THE MONTH “ANCAP is perfectly capable of giving a contemporary star rating to older vehicles but it chooses not to” ANCAP HITS AND MISSES ALLOW ME TO raise two points regarding your ANCAP feature (Wheels, August). By having most cars (or even any cars) rate five stars out of five (5/5), the rating scale has a ‘ceiling effect’ where superior performance above a certain level cannot be revealed to the audience. If safety was rated according to, say, an absolute number, then as safety got better the number could increase and cars could be rated with…

THOUGH MANY of us never venture much further off-road than the Woolies carpark, we’re obsessed with SUVs. Then there are those who want these bulky, high-riding load-luggers to also perform and handle like sports cars. To please them, engineers at Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Land Rover and Jaguar, among others, have spent countless hours on this Mission Impossible. The Kona N is Hyundai’s attempt at rewriting the laws of physics, its first performance SUV. Hyundai’s latest N model marries its strikingly styled small SUV with go-fast hardware from the impressive i30 N hot hatch, including the new 206kW and 392Nm iteration of the 2.0-litre turbocharged four banger and the N-spec version of the new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The suspension features heavy-duty components such as redesigned steering knuckles, plus new springs and…

IT WAS three years ago that the then-budding N Division gave us their landmark debut, the Hyundai i30 N. It blew us away with pure talent and huge fun factor, all bundled within a package that punched well above its tax bracket. Australians gave a warm welcome to South Korea’s breakout star athlete, with more than 2700 pre-facelift examples sold locally over the past three years. That makes our fair nation one of N Division’s leading markets, behind Germany and the UK. But Hyundai knew the i30 N could do more, for more people, flagging years ago that a self-shifting DCT variant was coming. A couple of delays and three years later and here, finally, is the 2022 i30 N resplendent with Hyundai’s new eight-speed wet-style dual-clutch transmission. The initial…

JAGUAR’S RECENT announcement that it will focus entirely on electric vehicles from 2025 stands to bring a major shake-up for the Brit manufacturer. And while the future of the XF is still up in the air, it’s likely this latest version will be the last to come with pistons. Coventry has already made its BMW 5 Series rival greener, ditching both the supercharged V6 petrol and twin-turbo V6 diesel powertrains. This leaves it as a four-pot-only affair, powered by the P300 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine. (As well as not-for-Oz mild-hybrid diesel, which is available in the F-Pace SUV.) This has seen the local XF range whittled down from 15 variants to just one: the XF R-Dynamic HSE P300 AWD, which is likely to be the big sedan’s swansong model…

With both SUV and dual-cab segments typified by substantial kerb weights and higher centres of gravity, do buyers need to be aware of dynamic compromises? THE CURRENT Australian motoring landscape is radically different to the one you and I grew up with. This statement is verging on painfully obvious, but it might surprise you just how quickly and how radically change has occurred. Twenty years ago, buyers made very simple choices. Small families bought small cars and large families bought large cars, the two categories accounting for 21 percent and 24.6 percent of the Australian market respectively in 2001. SUVs were in their infancy – so much so that they didn’t even have their own section in the VFACTS sales data, instead being lumped in with ‘Light Trucks’. ‘All Terrain…

TO ASSESS each vehicle’s maximum lateral grip, an Oxford RT3200 inertial and GPS measurement system was rigidly installed at the approximate centre of gravity location to measure forward and lateral velocity and lateral acceleration, corrected for roll angle. The test course was a ring of cones 60 metres in diameter laid out on Lang Lang’s concrete skid pad. Speed was gradually increased until stability control (ESC) intervention occurred or the vehicle was unable to maintain the circular course. All runs were completed with ESC activated, though the dual cabs were also tested with ESC disengaged due to the systems’ early intervention. Each vehicle was tested two-up and completed two runs in a clockwise and anti-clockwise direction for a total of four runs. As one might expect of one of the…

IN MANY respects the data gathered by the Vinfast team held few surprises. In terms of a general trend, the standard hatchbacks performed best, followed by the SUVs and then the dual cabs. However, rather than simply identifying whether there was a difference, these tests were designed to clarify the size of those differences. To that end, we need to look at the grey rather than the simple black and white. A key takeaway is that the Ford Escape ST-Line’s impressive showing is evidence that modern SUVs aren’t necessarily dynamically inferior to regular hatchbacks. Aside from its genre-busting power and acceleration, its braking – wet and dry – and outright grip were every bit the equal of the Mazda 3 and Ford Focus, while also trailing by only the smallest…

1. Aero-first design Before this car, wings were bolted onto F1 cars after the chassis had been created. The 72 was the first to incorporate aero into its design from the start, leading to that iconic low-drag, winged-wedge profile. 2. Still obsessed with grip The 72 was an aerodynamic car, but downforce was in its infancy. “With the later ground-effect cars, it was all about aero; this car was all about maximising mechanical grip,” says Classic Team Lotus boss Clive Chapman. To that end, its springless torsion-bar suspension was designed to look after the tyres as carefully as possible, and its inboard brakes kept heat away from softer, faster tyres. 3. Thinking space As well as slashing unsprung mass by moving the brakes inboard, the 72 boxed clever with its…

I’VE GONE A month now without cleaning the interior of my long-term Tucson Elite and, with two young kids, it looks more like a year – but this is somehow still a lovely place to sit. I’ve travelled a couple of thousand kilometres in this 2.0-litre petrol, non-turbo, front-wheel-drive, six-speed automatic family hauler, and it’s been hard to find fault with the quality and comfort of its cabin. Starting from the driver’s seat, the Elite grade’s leather-trimmed pews proved themselves over a 300-kilometre round trip, with excellent support in the seatback, base and thighs. Bolstering is likewise good, although obviously not cosseting to sports-car levels. The heated seats are also welcome in this winter long-term test. Moving into the rear invites cliched thoughts of Doctor Who’s Tardis, thanks to Australia’s…

THE JAPANESE USED to play the model-renewal game to clockwork perfection. Churn out a new generation every four to five years, with a mid-life update wedged somewhere in between, and then keep repeating that process over and over, regardless of whether the underpinnings and oily bits have been altered. But the Japanese have also shown they can be quite partial to an inordinately long model run – particularly Toyota. And caught up among these ‘models that time forgot’ is the Lexus CT200h – Australia’s first (and only) premium-brand hybrid hatchback of the last decade. Viewed from that context, the Lexus CT was ahead of its time. Rather than mating moonshot gearing to a super-frugal turbo-diesel with ‘aero’ body mods like the Europeans, Lexus sifted through Toyota’s vast powertrain parts bin,…

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THE HOLDEN name is becoming closer to extinction in Australia as General Motors seeks to start up a new offshoot business which will eventually take over from the remnants of the lion and stone. After the withdrawal of Holden from the Australian marketplace at the start of the year, only its service centres remain as a reminder of what was once the most successful local brand Down Under. While General Motors still has an affiliation with the Holden service centres, it is beginning the process of putting distance between it and its former manufacturing arm by opening separate service centres under the ACDelco brand. An amalgamation of AC spark plugs and Delco spare parts, the General Motors subsidiary isn’t new to Australia, having sold batteries and other genuine items through…

CAR REGISTRATION FEES in Victoria could be relegated to the history books within 10 years. A strategy recently released by government advisory body Infrastructure Victoria, proposed that rego should be ditched and replaced with a pay-per-kilometre system. Such a system has previously been rejected by the Government and Opposition, despite the Andrews’ administration bringing in such a charge for electric vehicles only a matter of weeks ago on July 1. EV owners must now pay 2.5c/km for a BEV or 2c/km for a PHEV. It’s now up to the State Government to decide whether or not to implement Infrastructure Victoria’s proposals – which form part of a 30-year strategy to overhaul the local transport network. The blueprint includes 94 recommendations for changes which could be made over the next three…

UNTIL THE BA Falcon XR6 Turbo of 2002, Ford Australia had never really produced a decent six-cylinder engine. Torquey, strong, and as simple to maintain as a modest alcohol dependency, but for such a long time about as inspiring as devon and sauce. Even at its best, either without pollution gear (as in the ’71 XY Falcon 250 2V) or with an alloy head and sophisticated fuel injection (as in the ’83-87 XE/XF 4.1 EFI), Ford’s long-stroke, pushrod straight six was a hoary old thing famous for its fan noise and 40-a-day wheeze. And later overhead-camshaft developments weren’t much better. The last pre-BA ‘performance’ Falcon six – the AU XR6 VCT (for Variable Camshaft Timing) – was so harsh and vibey when pushed hard that it threatened to hacksaw its…

LITHIUM-ION BATTERIES have been around for a long time, but it’s becoming clear that changes in their chemistry and a rethink of the way they’re incorporated into cars will yield major improvements. Volvo’s first-generation battery uses dual layers of standardised modules. The nickel content of the cathode (the nickel-based positive electrode) has been raised and the reliance on cobalt reduced; and work is ongoing to improve the anode (the graphite-based negative electrode) by adding silicon to improve energy density. Volvo hopes these improvements will give its second-generation battery, due in 2024, an energy density significantly above 700Wh per litre. The next step will bring more new materials into play up to pure-lithium anodes – the holy grail in terms of lithium-ion battery development. That has so far proved impossible, due…

VOLKSWAGEN MAY be set to offer a comprehensive range of R-badged performance SUVs from next year, but the German brand isn’t yet willing to abandon sporty estates. Ahead of the next-generation Golf R wagon due in early 2022, the Passat 206TSI R-Line has returned from a WLTP-enforced two-year sabbatical to again headline the company’s large car line-up. It will be joined later this year by the Passat-based Arteon Shooting Brake 206TSI R-Line, forming a double-act of temptations for Australians pining for a contemporary version of the Passat R36 last sold more than a decade ago. Priced from $63,790, it’s slightly cheaper than the old R36, while also undercutting both the equivalent sloping-roofed Arteon Shooting Brake (by just over $5000) and the closely related Skoda Superb 206TSI Sportline 4x4 (by just…

ESTABLISHING A premium brand is hard; Lexus and Audi made it, Eunos and Infiniti did not. It takes patience, commitment, plenty of investment but, most importantly, the right product. Genesis’ current offerings of a pair of sedans and a large SUV are never going to be volume sellers for Hyundai’s aspiring premium brand, which is what makes the GV70 so important. It lands smack-bang in the middle of the popular premium mid-size segment with its sights set firmly on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Jaguar F-Pace, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Volvo XC60. A tough crowd, so the GV70 is going to need to be good. The GV70 range kicks off with the 2.5T RWD, with a 2.2D (for diesel) and 3.5T – both all-wheel drive – also available,…

YOU HAVE TO look hard to pick the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid from its regular internal combustion engine siblings. There’s a tiny Hybrid badge in the lower corner of the front doors, and a flap on the left-hand rear quarter panel for the charge cable. And that’s about it. Like all Bentleys, the Bentayga Hybrid is a glittery brute in a smart suit; heavy, fast, and expensive. But it’s also a Bentley of the future. By 2025 the entire Bentley line-up will have hybrid powertrains of some sort. And by 2030, of course, Bentley has committed to be building nothing but pure electric vehicles. A plug-in hybrid with a pure electric range of between 30km and 50km, the Bentayga Hybrid signposts the greener, more eco-conscious Bentleys we’ll see in earnest next…

TWO BRAKING tests were performed, both from 100km/h to zero, one in the dry and one in the wet. While all stops were conducted in the same locations, to account for any surface inconsistencies a number of runs were completed (either four or five, depending on the consistency of the results) with the best and worst results deleted and the remainder averaged. Between each stop the brakes were cooled to eliminate fade as a variable. The Mazda 3 stopped in 39.8m in the dry, the testing notes stating that it was “definitely getting the most out of its tyres as it was moving around ever so slightly resulting in some yaw deviation”. Translation? It was getting a bit squirmy. This figure increased to 50.8m in the wet, providing us with…

ASSESSING AUTONOMOUS emergency braking systems required a bit more science. Each vehicle was fitted with a GPS speed sensor and an impact trigger on the front bumper and driven at a ‘Guided Soft Target’ (GST) on a constant throttle. The GST is a Ford Fiesta lookalike made up of a number of foam blocks; the speed starts at 10km/h and builds in 5km/h increments to a maximum of 50km/h, which is the speed used by NCAP to evaluate AEB. The good news is that all vehicles avoided the GST at all speeds up to and including 50km/h, however the execution of the AEB systems varied quite dramatically between manufacturers, as did the distance-to-impact once each vehicle had come to a complete halt. All tests were conducted with the AEB sensitivity…

MUCH LIKE the ‘2020’ Tokyo Olympics, Formula 1’s ‘2021’ revamp has been somewhat delayed by a particularly irksome global pandemic. But next year, the sport will undergo what Red Bull technical boss Adrian Newey has called some of the biggest regulatory changes since the elimination of ground-effect cars in 1983. Key to these new changes? Say hello to the 2022 F1 car, complete with ground effects! On top of this, there are rule changes separate to the car’s actual design, as well some speculation surrounding teams and drivers for 2022. But let’s dive right in to the big one, shall we? THE CAR The redesigned 2022 F1 car was first previewed in renders and scale-model form in 2019, but in July 2021, F1 finally revealed its full-sized, apparently near-final design…

WHEN A SPEED sign at the Lang Lang proving ground bumps the limit up to 120km/h, a thought pops into my mind. What happens to a wallaby when you hit one at highway speeds? This place is full of them. Kilometres of security fencing that cage in hectares of undisturbed bushland have fostered a wildlife sanctuary for the wallabies. Now, mobs of them lurk by the roadside, threatening to jump out at the slightest spook. I proceed carefully. Given the history of this place, I also wonder what the wallabies think of our BMW 530i and Mercedes-Benz E300. Our duo’s understated class might look out of place among the rugged and overgrown fields of Lang Lang – but their size and layout would be familiar. The irony of being here…

1. Sculpted by air Like the 72, the Evija’s shape has been designed from the get-go with aerodynamics at its heart. The Evija is a ‘porous’ design, shaped by taking things away rather than adding on. Airflow through the nose pushes down on the front suspension, and venturi tunnels duct flow through the car to its wake to reduce drag. 2. Lots of rubber Although lead dynamics engineer James Hazelhurst says the Evija’s aerodynamics are crucial to its performance, he adds: “We want to start with getting the mechanical grip right. Electric power opens up a whole new box of tools [traction management, torque vectoring] but we don’t want to use them until the grip without them is just right.” 3. Cleverly done Where more mainstream EVs floor-mount batteries in…

WITH three months and just over 1000km under my ‘newby pretending to be motoring journalist’ belt, I’ve reached the point in my faux-ownership experience with Kia’s Cerato GT Hatch where I can comfortably answer the one big question; would I actually buy one? The short answer is yes – and let me explain why, but some perspective first… I’m a male in his (late) 40s trying to hang on to his youth. In reality, I could potentially be classified as being in classic mid-life-crisis territory when it comes to a car purchase, but I don’t have an immense disposable income so the default red Porsche 911 is going to have to wait a few more years (that’s a joke). I love spirited driving but also cherish my licence points. I’m…

IT’S ONE of the most hotly-anticipated sports cars of the year – and when the covers finally came off the Nissan Z in recent weeks, it did not disappoint. Although we’d seen its design before, the final production vehicle is nearly physically identical to the Z Prototype design study upon which it’s based. A rarity in this day and age. After months of speculation, the Japanese marque confirmed the Z will be powered by its VR30DDTT powerplant – borrowed from the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport – which provides a decent power and torque increase over the outgoing 370Z. While the 3.7-litre naturally-aspirated V6 in the old car could manage 253kW and 371Nm, the new 3.0-litre twin-turbo punches out 298kW at 6400rpm and a solid 475Nm between 1600 and 5600rpm. Sticking…

DUE Q4 HONDA CIVIC HATCH Arriving in mid- and top-spec in line with Honda’s push upmarket, the new Civic will be powered by a revised version of the 1.5-litre turbo-petrol four, now with 134kW and 240Nm. A hybrid version has been confirmed to follow. Interior is updated to seemingly take aim at plush rival Mazda, with a new 9.0-inch touchscreen set to replace the old Honda system. Type R to be revealed in 2022. DUE Q4 BMW X3/X4 M X3 and X4 M Competition score a 50Nm increase in torque over the models they replace which has reduced the 0-100km/h sprint time to 3.8 seconds, three-tenths quicker than the outgoing X3 and X4 M Competition. Initially expected to closely follow regular X3/4, though could arrive Q1 2022. DUE Q4 KIA…

Model 2002-04 Ford BA Falcon XR6 Turbo Engine 3984cc 6cyl, dohc, 24v, turbo Max power 240kW @ 5250rpm Max torque 450Nm @ 2000-4500rpm Transmission 5-speed manual or 4-speed auto Weight 1710kg (manual) 0-100km/h 6.0sec (tested – manual) Economy 12.5L/100km Price (now) $14,000-$20,000 MAKING ITS MARK Mid-life ‘MkII’ update for BA centred around a new Tremec T56 six-speed manual gearbox for XR6 Turbo and XR8, but also included range-wide enhancements. For XR6 Turbo, that meant chunkier 17-inch alloys, a centre-rear armrest, illuminated power window switches, auto-on headlamps and four new colours – Blaze red, Rapid yellow, Velocity blue and Shockwave blue. XR8 uniquely scored 18s, tweaked suspension and a premium audio system.…

FINALLY, AFTER a lengthy 10-year run, including a hearty refresh in 2015, the Toyota 86 – our joint winner of the 2012 Wheels Car of the Year with its Subaru BRZ twin – has been completely renewed for the 2022 model year. Now dubbed the GR 86, this new generation features a host of substantial changes, most of which indicate Toyota listened to consumers’ and reviewers’ feedback. Most notably, the GR 86 features a new engine with more power, which has effectively eliminated the torque dip that the previous generation was infamously known for. There’s also a nice bump in refinement, as well as real improvements to its ride and handling. Crucial to this new model’s success: are there enough revisions in its formula to make it look better than…

THE ALL-NEW Land Rover Defender 110 introduced in 2020 proved doubters wrong – it was able to conquer scorching deserts and frozen tundras just like its legendary predecessors. Technically, the newly arrived 90 version should be even more capable in the rough stuff. It shares the bigger Defender’s mechanicals, super-stiff monocoque platform and generous ground clearance, but brings shorter dimensions, a superior breakover angle and a tighter turning circle. Entry to the 2021 model starts from $74,516, but runs to more than $210,000 for the V8 version. Across the range, the 90 is only $3000 less than an equivalent 110 that gives nearly 500mm more car and two extra doors. Our test car here is a D250 S. D250 denotes a new, in-line six-cylinder twin-turbo-diesel engine that joins a lower-powered…

AS FAR AS expectations go, Hyundai’s are up there for the all-new Tucson. Chief designer SangYup Lee reckons the sharply styled Tucson can grow into an icon for the brand, much like the Golf has been for VW. To prove this sentiment is more than just bravado, Hyundai scaled down the Santa Fe’s new N3 platform into two wheelbase options under the Tucson while devising new plug-in and series hybrid powertrains. This has boosted the model’s eco-credentials around the world, except here. Australia’s relaxed emissions laws have dropped us down the priority list for hybrid allocation – even though we’re told the Kia Sorento lands with the hybrid powertrains soon. At least this Tucson 1.6 T-GDi variant offers some consolation, given that its new turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine is the…

EQUIPMENT AND VALUE Priced from $240,700, even the entry-level S-Class is a technological showcase with the main exhibit being the latest MBUX infotainment and 12.8-inch portrait-orientated central OLED touchscreen. Eye-tracking technology can recognise the driver and passenger and adjust their preferred settings regardless of where they sit – it also helps create 3D effects on the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Another useful feature is augmented reality that works with sat-nav to virtually point at your next turn on the central monitor. New safety features include 10 airbags, a display showing surrounding vehicles with distances and stopping times for each, and adaptive cruise control with route-based speed adaption that uses real-time traffic data to prepare it for tackling congestion on the road ahead. Warranty is strong at five years/unlimited kilometres. 22/25…

WHILE ACCELERATION figures are not a safety factor per se, we took the opportunity to record 0-100km/h figures on all the vehicles. All vehicles were tested for the fastest possible time, whether that be a stationary transition from brake to wide-open throttle or stalling the car against the brakes to increase launch rpm. Once again the star of the show was the Ford Escape, its 183kW/387Nm 2.0-litre turbo engine rocketing it to 60km/h in 3.49sec and 100km/h in just 7.15sec, despite the traction limitations of its front-wheel drive layout. The Focus Active’s gutsy 134kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbo triple also punched above its weight, hitting 60km/h in a leisurely 4.57sec but improving to a second-best 9.01sec to 100km/h. Mazda’s 134kW/224Nm Skyactiv-X 3 was very sluggish, taking 5.08sec to reach 60km/h and 11.07sec…

OUR FINAL test is the most difficult for virtually any vehicle, the double-lane change manoeuvre colloquially known as the ‘Moose test’ due to it simulating an antlered animal avoidance scenario. Its official international designation is ISO 3888, which outlines the precise dimensions of the course. Each vehicle must enter the course through a coned ‘gate’, turn hard left to negotiate a second gate, then turn hard right to negotiate a third gate. The driver lifts the throttle two metres after entering the first gate, the entry speed increasing until the course can no longer be successfully negotiated. As with the lateral g test, the hatches were the standouts, the Mazda 3 recording a maximum entry speed of 78km/h and the Ford Focus 79km/h. While the figures were extremely similar, the…

THIS FEELS LIKE being in a moving painting. Arms stretched out ahead, hands grasping a tiny steering wheel alive with vibration and information. Capri-blue sky with speed-line clouds overhead. Red-white kerbs flickering under fat slicks. The throttle pedal is heavy, long, a kind of mechanical test of willpower. Override friction and instinct and push it to the stop: those speed lines intensify to a strobing blur; hands seem to move away as the acceleration heaves my body backwards, a dead weight harnessed into an aluminium missile. How can a 50-year-old car be this fast? The Cosworth DFV just behind my shoulder blades is singing, singing, singing up a never-ending scale, revs soaring for the sky – and we’re still only two thirds of the way to its redline. Tilt head…

I’LL NEVER FORGET the day my high-school history teacher Miss Ashman turned up to a lesson with two black eyes and a no se splinted with more supports than a scaffolder’s roof rack. Turns out, this slight, quiet young lady was a karate expert and the only way her students were ever going to find out was if she sustained some kind of visible injury – a rare occurrence, it turned out. I remember being shocked to learn that a teacher could be conservative and timid during the day but a merciless and efficient fighter when school’s out. So yes, appearances can be misleading and even when you think you know someone, they can occasionally prove you wrong and surprise you in the most delightful way. Take the Jaguar F-Pace,…

MY no-longer-teenage daughter jumped in the front passenger seat of the Palisade the other day, and cast her eye around the vast cabin as she paired her phone to the multimedia system with the ruthless, intuitive efficiency only a Gen Z can. Once I’d convinced her to play some old-school hip-hop instead of her nu-school computer-generated ear floss, we settled in for the short drive to lunch. In a rare moment of lifting her eyes from her phone, she spotted the drive mode selector and asked a reasonable question: “Hey dad, what does this thing do?” I sensed this was my big moment to impress her with my extensive knowledge of the Palisade’s seven different drive modes, and go into excruciating detail as to how each one is tailored for…

AMERICA HAS BEEN responsible for some truly cool cars. That includes cool European cars. America’s post-war riches prompted cars from the Mercedes-Benz 300SL to the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia – and a French imitatrice, the Renault Floride. Pierre Dreyfus presided over Renault from 1955 to 1975. He replaced Pierre Lefaucheux, killed when his briefcase struck him in the neck as his Renault Fregate slid off the road on black ice. Lefaucheux had overseen development of the rear-engined Dauphine sedan, a hit on its launch in 1956. That year, Dreyfus and director of research Fernand Picard travelled to the US to meet with Renault’s US dealers. The recurring theme was for an affordable, sporty model to appeal to young buyers and drive image for the Dauphine – as the Italian-designed Karmann-Ghia was…