Subaru saloon is back

Here’s a picture which will make Subaru fans dance with joy – the WRX STi Impreza saloon is set to roar back into showrooms! This is an official picture of the four-door model, which will sell alongside the five-door hatchback from early next year. Is it an admission that moving away from the tried and tested saloon formula – when the Evo X from arch-rival Mitsubishi stuck with it – was a mistake? I’ll hopefully get the chance to ask someone quite important within Subaru at the launch event in France in October. I’m sure they will say both bodystyles, a first for the Impreza range, were always part of the bigger plan. But I’m not sure about that. There’s little information on specs and prices at this stage; I suspect more will come out at the Paris Motor Show, which is at the end of next month. I’ll be there, and I have to say I’m looking forward to it. The drip, drip, drip of information on new models is just starting now and I’ll have more of that in the run-up to the show, which I’ll be reporting from.

The Big Debate: too many road signs?

There’s a debate going on in the media about road signs, and whether we have too many of them. TV coverage shows some councils – Ashford in Kent is one – removing signs and other street furniture that locals have determined are unnecessary. The Government supports the idea, and I have to say I agree. There are too many signs, and for the average driver it can be confusing. But there is another side to this argument. I was at a roundabout on the outskirts of Southampton yesterday and it had five exits. Not one of them had any signs. There was a big sign before the roundabout telling me I needed the third exit, but when I got there, there was nothing to confirm it. I ended up going round again just to make sure, then getting confused as to which was the third exit in the first place. The thing with signs is that it’s about balance. Obviously some are required, but not too many. We as motorists leave it to the expertise of road-planners to work out the right number. But the answer is surely not none at all.

Step off the kerb, get hit by the Tardis!

How would you like your car to sound like a V12 even if it was only a four-cylinder? Or maybe some sort of spaceship? The technology exists to do it, and will be appearing on an unnamed production car within 12 months. I spent some time last week with bosses from audio firm Harman, who are behind high-end brand names such as Harman Kardon and Mark Levinson. They’ve developed a project with Lotus – it’s called HALOsonic after the two companies – which can synthesise sounds for cars. And it’s not just for fun, so your Renaultsport Clio can sound like Dr Who’s Tardis. It’s serious technology for use with hybrids and electric vehicles when they’re in low-speed ‘silent running’ mode. Harman has got it in a Toyota Prius at the moment (above), and it’s very clever. A speaker in the nearside front bumper projects a sound – and it can be whatever you want – for pedestrians to hear. The evidence is that people simply don’t notice these cars and tend to step out in front of them. Many of the big-name vehicle manufacturers have seen the HALOsonic demo and are impressed. The big question they have is what noise it should make. Should it reflect their current line-up of petrol and diesel cars, or go in a new direction – a bit more like the Tardis. Time will tell what they decide.

Happy Birthday Jaguar

Jaguar is 75 this year, and as part of its celebrations the company has taken the wraps off this little beauty. Actually it’s a pretty big beauty. This is the XJ75 Platinum Concept, a one-of-a-kind design project that will go on display at the Pebble Beach Concours event in California this weekend. It’s based on the 2011 XJ LWB and is powered by a supercharged 470bhp engine. Check out the ground-hugging front, rear and side sills, and the paint finish, which is a rather special-looking Satin Matte Pearlescent White. All the exterior chrome elements have been revised to either a dark chrome or gloss black, and it’s riding on mighty 22-inch two-tone alloys. Entertainment is provided by a 1,200-watt Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system with 20 speakers. So what’s the point? The company says it’s a design exercise that shows its vision of XJ customisation for those who can afford it. All I’ll say it’s that it’s a long way from Jag’s image of shagpile carpets and walnut trim – and that’s a good thing.

Celebrate Type R at Silverstone this Sunday

Alright, I know I’m plugging another event. I promise this will be the last one for a while. But I’m actually going to be at this one – and if you’re a Honda Type R owner you should be too. Honda is bringing together fans of its high performance cars at a special event at Silverstone next Sunday, 22 August. The celebration of the famous Red H badge coincides with the latest rounds of the BTCC featuring Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden in the Honda Racing Team. But enthusiasts from Type R owners’ clubs will get the chance to experience the track for themselves in a Lap of Honour to commemorate the Type R. Why? Because production is ending soon; the last of the current Civic Type R will be sold later this year, with nothing to replace it on the horizon. At Silverstone there’s an exclusive ‘Type R Only’ car park, and each attendee will be able to enjoy Honda’s ‘Dreamfields’ hospitality throughout the day.

* Honda is also using the Silverstone event to launch a new offer for Civic Type R buyers. The Type R GT is now available at £19,495 – that’s a sizable customer saving of £2,230. And the new PCP finance offer of 5.9% (over 43 months) means a Type R could cost as little as £235 a month, with a 30% deposit.

The ultimate Vauxhall?

I’ve plugged performance car events on this blog before, but nothing quite like this. The world’s fastest Vauxhall, Red Victor 3, will make a star appearance at the VXR Power Festival later this month. Packing over 3,000bhp from its 8.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine, the car is a highly modified version of Vauxhall’s original 1967 Victor FD. It’s attending the event – at Silverstone Circuit, Northants, on the Bank Holiday weekend, 28-29 August – to promote a partnership between Vauxhall’s VXR brand and the Red Victor team for the 2011 MSA Pro-Modified Drag Racing season. While the car is still in development, the Red Victor team is predicting an initial top speed of 240mph in the quarter-mile. That will take about 6.5 seconds. And there’s no reason to doubt the guys; their last project, Red Victor 2, was capable of nearly 200mph in the quarter-mile and 0-153mph in 4.8 seconds. Thousands are expected to attend the event, which includes 0-60mph challenges, auto-testing, karting and VXR track tuition with pro-drivers. VXR and Vauxhall V8 owners can even pay to take to Silverstone’s famous track in their own cars. For more information, please go to www.vxrpowerevents.co.uk

Great idea BMW, but....

The photograph BMW has released to illustrate its new ‘Winter Tyre’ programme isn’t actually very helpful. It suggests this new high performance rubber is only designed for use in snow, which isn’t true. I know why the company has used the image – it’s a dramatic action shot with powder flying in all directions – but it’s actually going to confuse people. The press release has it right; these new tyres are for owners to get the best on-road performance from their car throughout the winter months, regardless of weather. Changing tyres to suit different seasons is already part of mainstream motoring in most of Europe. But it’s never caught on here, I suppose because we confuse winter tyres with snow tyres. Here’s the difference. Snow tyres usually have metal studs in to improve grip, and they’re for use where there’s permanent compacted snow on the road, eg, in Scandinavia. Winter tyres are for use in any weather when the temperature drops below 7°C, but will also work better in snow. They’re made of a special rubber compound, which gets up to temperature quicker when it’s cold. Hats off to BMW for launching the programme; I imagine bosses don’t want a repeat of last winter’s TV coverage of rear-wheel drive cars struggling in the snow. But with prices ranging from £600 to more than £2,000 for four new wheels and tyres, I wonder how many people will actually sign up.

'20 per cent power hike' for next VXR

Some gossip from sources I trust on the next generation Vauxhall Astra VXR. The performance flagship of the hatchback range is set to get a significant power hike over the 240bhp of the current car (pictured), with suggestions that it may be by as much as 20 per cent. That would take the car much closer to the 300bhp of the sold-out Ford Focus RS. The VXR’s power will go through the front wheels – as it does on the Focus – suggesting Vauxhall’s engineers have come up with their own version of the innovative RevoKnuckle front end set-up which killed virtually all the torque steer on the RS. The VXR isn’t due in showrooms until late 2011 or early 2012, the same time as standard versions of the three-door car. A concept version, to be badged the Astra GTC Paris, will be unveiled in October. It makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show, hence the name. Disappointingly there’s no pictures yet, but I’ll be sure to post them when they’re released.

The Million Dollar Question...

Where are the best driving roads in the UK? I’ve had excellent fun in many parts of the country, and trips to Wales and North Yorkshire stand out in the recent past. But I’ve reached a decision that you really can’t top the Highlands of Scotland. I’m writing this in the departure lounge of Aberdeen Airport, and it’s on the roads west of here that I’ve been putting Volvo’s second generation S60 saloon through its paces. The car is probably the most dynamic the Swedish – soon to be Chinese – company has ever built, and it’s got a stack of very clever safety kit. This includes a world-first pedestrian detection system which actually brakes the car to a halt if it believes you’re not going to do it yourself. But the highlight of the trip was the fast-flowing driving route we were given. Roads such as the A939 are of decent quality, free of traffic, and happen to go though some very impressive scenery. The high point – literally – was the trip up to the base of the Lecht ski resort and down the other side. Great vistas. If you’ve never been to this part of the world, and you’re a fan of driving, I would urge you to visit. It will take your breath away. Disappointingly and rather bizarrely, Volvo didn’t bother to take any suitably illustrative pictures, so you’ll have to make do with one of the S60 outside an arty looking building. Sorry.