Once Aston Martin priced their Cygnet city car at £32,000, it wasn’t long before BMW’s MINI raised the bar to £41,000 with its 184bhp MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. Not wishing to be outdone, Fiat first responded with its £29,600 180bhp Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari and now a £32,000 Abarth 695 Maserati Edition – also packing a 180bhp version of Fiat’s 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v engine.

From L to R: MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari, Aston Martin Cygnet.

Just 499 of the 180bhp 1.4-litre turbocharged superminis will be produced, which I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear, comes with a set of stunning Tramontano leather luggage and fabric convertible roof as standard.

Whereas the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari from 2 years ago was a fixed-roof pocket rocket, the Abarth 695 Maserati Edition is more of a Gran Turismo – with handling and ride comfort more suited to the every-day driver.

The Edizione Maserati features exclusive styling details and special technical features developed by Abarth engineers for Maserati. The 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16v engine is linked to an electrically-operated manual Abarth Competizione gearbox with steering wheel controls, while performance tyres on 17-inch Maserati-inspired Neptune design alloy wheels come fitted as standard.

The chassis has also been engineered to cope with the extra power. Front brakes feature Brembo monobloc callipers with floating 305mm discs while special Koni shock absorbers deliver the supple ride combined with Abarth handling. A variable back-pressure ‘dual mode’ exhaust improves engine performance and delivers a uniquely inspiring sound above 3,000 rpm.

The car is finished in Pontevecchio Bordeaux – a colour from Maserati which is achieved with special three-layer paintwork to reflect light and accentuate its shine. The same paintwork is added to the door mirrors while the electrically controlled soft top is made of grey fabric.

Inside, the seats are upholstered in sand beige leather, with a 695 logo embossed on the headrests. The dashboard and gearbox trim are distinguished by a special matt-finish carbon lining, further enhanced with the 695 logo, while the door panels and rear panels undergo a special UV-LUX treatment, to give an elegant grey ‘flocking’ effect.

The black leather steering wheel is characterised by beige leather inserts and tricolour hub and houses the steering wheel gearbox controls, while the instrument panel has been specifically produced by the Jaeger brand.

Other details include the aluminium pedal unit and sill plates, the carbon fibre kick plate with customised Abarth 695 Maserati Edition graphics, and a plate with the car’s series number from 1 to 499.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re spoilt for choice. But if you really must blow £30,000+ on a city car, there’s a lot to be said for it being a Maserati (sort of).

Gallery

Aston Martin’s 1964 DB5 is back, bearing the original number plate, BMT 216A, as used in the 007 classic, Goldfinger. But the DB5 looks like being the only Aston making an appearance this time, albeit as Bond’s personal set of wheels.

Also, whereas Quantum of Solace saw heavy (i.e. excessive) product placements from Ford, SkyFall will be a strictly Jaguar and Land Rover affair – although with more than 70 cars provided for the film it will be interesting to see just how covert the film makers manage to be.

A Range Rover Vogue TDV8 SE stands in for official MI6 duties, whilst Jaguar’s long-wheelbase XJ provides a tranquil means of transportation for ‘M’.

Land Rover’s venerable Defender will be used in some of the ‘chase scenes’, whilst the Evoque will also be make an appearance. The 4×4 will be driven by Bond’s fellow MI6 field-agent Eve, played by Namoie Harris (below).

Directed by Sam Mendes, the 23rd Bond film also stars Dame Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Bérénice Marlohe, Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw.

Five-time Bond composer David Arnold, who’s scored every 007 film since 1997, turned down the roll on SkyFall and has been replaced by Thomas Newman, who has previously worked with Mendes.

Arnold, who we interviewed about his Bond movies back in 2010, is musical director for the 2012 London Olympic Games – as can also be seen on BBC 1′s comedy show, The Matt Lucas Awards.

* * *

For little boys who’ve never grown up, there will be a SkyFall Scalextric set (1:32) to accompany the film and mark the 50th anniversary of the world’s best known secret agent.

For a retail price of £119.99 you can re-enact scenes from the film on track or make up your own exciting chase scenes using the gravity defying flying leap (Scalextric’s words, not mine).

The set comes with a 532cm track, two hand controllers and an Aston Martin DB5 and Range Rover Vogue. That’s my Christmas present sorted then..

So, what happened to Bentley?

The rumour mill went into overtime last year when the author Jeffery Deaver, launched his new 007 novel, Carte Blanche.

In Ian Fleming’s books, Bond drives a Bentley, so it seemed only fitting for Deaver’s publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, to collaborate with Bentley at its inaugural launch in Dubai and thereafter at London’s St Pancras station.

But a multi-film deal had already been signed by Jaguar Land Rover’s owner (Indian carmaker Tata Motors), after the three-film contract between EON Productions and Ford came up for renewal in 2008.

Julian Jenkins, VP, Aston Martin the Americas, said in this month’s Variety Magazine, that his company is delighted to see James Bond continue his “love affair” with Aston Martin.

“Aston Martin is now synonymous with James Bond and undoubtedly this long-standing association has enabled us to achieve greater brand awareness globally, particularly in areas and nations where our brand is perhaps otherwise not as well known.”

SkyFall is scheduled for release on November 9th, 2012.

Gallery

As you’ve already guessed, the Bentleys were not competing in the race, but instead leading all 170 competitors around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschliefe circuit for the official parade lap.

Modern-day Bentley Boys Juha Kankkunen, Guy Smith and Eric van de Poele joined Chairman and Chief Executive Wolfgang Dürheimer in a Bentley line-up, including the Continental GTC W12, Mulsanne, 630 bhp Continental Supersports and new Continental GT V8.

Bentley Continental GT, Mulsanne, Supersports, GT V8 and GTC W12 lead the parade lap at the Nürburgring 24-Hours.

They were joined by a pair of Flying Spurs that are on VIP shuttle service duty throughout the gruelling 24-hour race.

CEO Dürheimer said, “Bentley is proud to help support this year’s Nürburgring event, one of the most punishing endurance tests on the motorsport calendar. As a regular visitor to the Nürburgring during the development of our cars and with a personal passion for driving the track, I am delighted that Bentley is here in a race environment this weekend. I’d like to wish all the drivers the very best of luck for the long race ahead.”

It would certainly have been fun to see at least the Conti Supersports compete in the race, after all, Aston Martin has fielded their 4-door Rapide in the past, but then I suspect a 2-tonne Bentley might wreak havoc to a set of brakes and driveshafts around the Green Hell – but it would be fun while it lasted.

We’re talking about ‘Range anxiety’ – The fear that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination and would thus strand the vehicle’s occupants.’

Well, what did you think we were talking about..? (stop sniggering at the back)

It’s a genuine problem which has limited the take-up of electric cars as a viable alternative to our trusty fuel-burners. Battery capacity can vary depending on the ambient temperature, how the battery has been cared for in its lifespan and of course how the car has been driven.

That’s why several alternatives to the battery electric vehicle have developed – Hybrids and Extended Range Electric Vehicle (or E-REV), such as the Chevy Volt/Vauxhall Ampera.

Unlike Hybrids, which run on either a battery powered electric motor, combustion engine or both, range extended vehicles are electrically driven at all times. In the case of Chevy’s Volt once its lithium-ion battery is depleted (after 25-50 miles), power is seamlessly inverted to the electric drive unit from its on-board petrol powered generator for a further 250 miles.

But if your daily journey is short and you’re able to plug your Volt into a socket every night to recharge it, you could conceivably never use a drop of fuel ever again.

A 1.4-litre, 85 bhp petrol engine is used to power the generator and this is fully integrated with the Volt’s 148 bhp electric drive unit consisting of two electric motors, three clutches and a planetary gearset.

The Volt’s electric drive unit delivers 370Nm (279lb-ft) of instant torque, which goes someway to disguise the Volt’s otherwise languid performance – 0 to 60mph is yours in just 9.0 seconds, but you’ll never reach 100mph (and I mean NEVER) – so stay away from the autobahns.

But that’s not what the Volt is all about. Rather than comparing it head-to-head with other £30,000 saloons, Chevy are promoting the peace of mind gained by owners who want an electric vehicle, but also want to cover combustion-engine mileages. In fact a sample of early Volt customers in the US, shows that many drive up to 1,000 miles before re-filling the fuel tank.

Some other benefits include qualifying for the government’s Plug-In Car Grant worth up to £5,000, while the Volt is also exempt from the London’s daily congestion charge, saving owners up to a further £2,000 per year. That still leaves you with its £29,995 purchase price, which although expensive is not unaffordably so.

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Sponsored video: Chevy Volt – Range Anxiety

The Volt officially went on sale here in the UK on May 1st, with first customers receiving their cars shortly thereafter. So the real question now is, how will Chevrolet market the Volt to motorists weaned on the convenience of petrol and diesel engines?

Well, to start with Chevrolet has gone 100% digital with their new advertising campaign, using a multi-ad video format developed together with Unruly Media.

The ‘Range Anxiety’ ads were created as part of the MoFilm Barcelona film competition, with the top four entries being run in the player below.

The first film, ‘Zombie Ride’, seeks to highlight the benefit of the Volt’s extended 300 mile range, demonstrating its eminent suitability as a getaway car… from zombies.  Two ‘dudes’ break down in their (petrol engine) car in the middle of nowhere, whereupon they are pursued on foot by a gang of animated ‘flesh eating’ corpses.

Luckily for them a hot girl drives up in a Chevy Volt (this never happens to me), just in time, thereby saving the day (and their skin).

‘Free Range’ is a film that, at first glance, has nothing to do with the Chevy Volt, but builds its story around the zoology of the human species – “For centuries, the human condition has been adversely affected by attempts of domestication. A condition known to the experts as range anxiety. While he longs to be with his wife, he’s paralysed by the fear he may become stranded and not make it home to his shelter by nightfall..”.

In the story, the one ‘evolved’ member of the group breaks out of the holding pen, confronting his range anxiety and taking his rightful place in the wild.

‘My Kingdom for a Volt’ is set in Avignon, 1191 D.C. featuring a character introduced to us as ‘The Hero of our Video Games’ who fears nothing.. except for the discharging battery on the player’s console. He spends the next 40 seconds complaining that he and other characters within the game, live in fear (sic) of the console switching off at any moment leaving them stranded between levels.

The final film is called ‘Range Anxiety Anonymous’ which parodies a self-help group, opening up about their bad electric vehicle experiences. After one particularly distraught mother-of-two, Sheryl, explains how buying an electric car has given her range anxiety – she’s been stranded 17 times, whilst the kids haven’t seen their grandmother in 8 months – the group then turns to ‘Steve’ for his story.

It’s at this point the group leader realises Steve is missing, only to discover that he’s bought a Chevy Volt.

How is the campaign performing?

‘Alternative comedy’ is a term that originated in the 1980s and which I always took to mean ‘comedy which isn’t funny’. Well, the winning film, ‘Zombie Ride’, is almost funny, but I had to watch the other films several times in order to ‘get’ what they were about.

That’s normally a disadvantage for social videos, where audiences have short attention spans and the first 30 seconds are crucial in retaining their interest.

Likewise, when we reflect on the psychology of ad effectiveness, there is neither a persuasive style of engagement (reasoning why the Volt is better than other electric vehicles) nor an association with positive ideals, apart from when the dudes in ‘Zombie Ride’ get saved by the hot girl (did I mention that never happens to me?).

It’s perhaps not surprising therefore that the films have yet to challenge the Viral Video chart Top 100. They’ve only been out a week, so there’s still time for them to catch on, but I suspect the audience Chevy are really aiming for are those people who have already owned an electric vehicle and can identify with the anxiety of being stranded.

Has Chevy assuaged these fears, or merely made more people aware that such a problem exists? We’ll let you be the judge of that.

Credits: all data provided by Unruly Media’s Viral Video Chart.

Disclosure: This article is sponsored in part by Chevrolet, however all views expressed within are entirely our own. Sponsored articles are accepted at our own discretion and only where we believe such focus or analysis will benefit our readers. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this article further, then please get in touch via email or using the contact tab on this page.

It’s less than a year since Jann Mardenborough stepped into a racing car for the very first time, and yet from the very first practice session on Thursday he looking in contention for a front row starting position.

This is also the first pole position for the Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 car, which will also be taking part in tomorrow’s Nürburgring 24 hour race on the Nordschliefe (North Loop circuit).

Jann’s performance was even more spectacular when you consider the fact that this is the first time he has been to the Nürburgring. As the newest recruit to Nissan’s roster of GT Academy graduates, Jann has a lot to live up to and results like this are concrete proof of the success of the programme.

“Jann’s performance today was exemplary,” said GT Academy Team RJN boss, Bob Neville. “He did exactly what I would have expected from a seasoned professional. We waited a moment or two at the start of the season then sent him and he was straight on the pace. To take pole with time to spare just shows the level Jann is at now.”

“I’m feeling pretty good at the moment,” said Jann. “That’s my first ‘proper’ pole position as a professional racing driver. I had to work hard for it though. We tried a few things during free practice and going into qualifying we thought we would be okay but the car felt better than ever so I went for it!”

“The results speak for themselves,” said Darren Cox, General Manager of Nissan in Europe. “Pole position means you are the fastest amongst your peers. End of story. I think we’ve proved, yet again, that GT Academy isn’t just a marketing activity or a reality show. It’s the real thing and it finds real talent.”

The race starts later today at 1630hrs CET and you can follow Jann’s progress on Nissan Motorsport’s official Twitter account – @Nissan_OnTrack.

The five-cylinder 2.4-litre D5 is more frugal (45.6mpg vs 28.5mpg), but it’s more than 1.5 seconds slower to 60mph. Couldn’t Volvo provide it with a bit more oomph without losing any of its miserly thirst?

That’s when I remembered the new V60 Plug-in Hybrid, due to go on sale in November 2012 and make its inaugural appearance at next month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Volvo’s V60 Plug-in Hybrid is to all intents and purposes a five-cylinder 212bhp D5 with a 68bhp electric motor strapped to the rear axle. Well, perhaps it’s a little more complex than that, but the end result is 280bhp and 660Nm (488 lb-ft) compared to the T6′s 300bhp and 440Nm (325 lb-ft). Now that’s ‘much’ more like it.

It will be the first Volvo with the D6 badge, which the company says is because the combined performance of the five-cylinder turbo diesel and electric motor puts the car firmly within the same horsepower range as the petrol powered T6. The D6 improves upon the D5′s performance – with 0 to 60mph now despatched in 6.0 seconds, just one tenth of a second behind the petrol T6.

Fuel economy is better, but just how much better is difficult to say. Volvo have not as yet provided comparative fuel consumption figures (in the conventional Urban, Extra-urban and Combined formats), instead they tell us the D6 is capable of 123.8mpg. Yes, let me say that again – 123.8mpg (see, it wasn’t a typo), whilst producing just 49g/km of CO₂. In ‘HYBRID’ mode, which allows both power sources to work together for maximum efficiency, the D6 has a potential range of 621 miles.

Such otherworldly fuel consumption is only available in Hybrid mode, so we’d like to know what it would achieve in normal road use, but hey, a car which covers the 0-60mph sprint in 6.0 seconds whilst offering the possibility of 120+mpg certainly gets my attention.

Volvo have talked about an indicative price of £45,000 and £50,000 in the UK, which puts it close to £10,000 above the standard T6, but the first batch of 1,000 cars will be offered with the Pure Limited specification, which includes the highest SE Lux trim level and just one colour – Electric Silver.

* * *

With three driving modes – PURE, HYBRID, and POWER, all-wheel drive, two-stage braking system with energy recovery, a start/stop system and an efficient 6-speed automatic transmission, the new D6 will be a technofest’s delight, so I was keen to take a look at how Volvo planned on marketing its new Plug-in Hybrid.

Unboxing is a popular term in Tech industry marketing, where the ceremonial unwrapping of a new computer, gadget or latest consumer device from its packaging is filmed in intricate detail. Sounds a bit (Johnny no-mates) sad doesn’t it? Well this is the first time I’ve never seen it applied to a car and in a strange way it kind of works.

The V60 Plug-in Hybrid is placed, as you can imagine, in a giant box and then unwrapped. Volvo then featured the unboxing (and trying out the new gadget) into a series of five videos, three of which have been turned into video adverts as you can see below:

Filmed in an Apple-like white studio, Video 1 shows a team of immaculately dressed Volvo technicians carefully unbox the V60, removing the owner's manual, power lead and accompanying accessories (no batteries though..).

In Video 2, the Volvo technicians rather surprisingly decide to dismantle the V60 Plug-in Hybrid (Don't try this with your new iPad) and show us the innovative technology used under the skin. Presumably a different group of technicians were left with the task of putting it all back together again.

Video 3 is the Bench Test (carried out on a test track rather than a bench), where Volvo demonstrate the range of its V60 Plug-in Hybrid, much to the angst of Volvo's hard-working technicians who are left nothing to do but wait. And wait. And wait some more.

* * *

How is the video campaign doing?

Volvo's Unboxing campaign has performed surprisingly well since Episode 1 was launched at the beginning of March 2012. Normally such serialized campaigns draw in the numbers at the beginning, but fall away pretty quickly once initial curiosity has been satisfied.

As you can see from the table below, the videos have performed consistently across all videos in the series, in terms of video views. This may, in part, be due to all five videos being released at the same time - with links to subsequent videos embedded at the end.

When you dig a little deeper into the psychology of advertising effectiveness, you'll find the discussion settling on either the central route of persuasion and cognitive reasoning - where a person weighs up the merits of a particular position, or what's often referred to as the peripheral route to attitude change - where the advert associates with positive or negative cues.

The really clever aspect of the Unboxing videos is the way they appear primarily cognitive in their focus - Episode 2 explains the innovative technologies used in the V60 Plug-in Hybrid, thus reasoning with the audience about why these are of benefit to them, but Episode 1 and 3 associate with more peripheral thought processes - the expectation of unwrapping the latest piece of must-have technology and the freedom gained from owning a car that covers 1,000 km on a single tank of fuel.

Appealing to our sense of imagination and reasoning, plays to both forms of persuasion but the campaign achieves such a high-level of engagement without the viral push from social sharing. In fact Shares per View (%) is embarrassingly low - 0.25% at its highest compared to between 1% and 2% for an average viral campaign (top performers such as Ken Block's Gymkhana videos achieve between 12% and 16%).

So, perhaps there's a lesson here for brands trying create that next big viral video campaign. Stop chasing the end of the rainbow, build in both direct and peripheral forms of persuasion and don't stage the release of your serialized campaign but instead make it easy for people to discover the full story.

Audiences like to consume their branded content in one sitting, not be teased with the drip-drip of episodes spread over the campaign's duration. If you keep people's attention and engage their curiosity, then perhaps that carefully crafted marketing message stands a chance of being understood.

If Volvo can accumulate more than 2.2 million video views in such a short timeframe, then perhaps it's time for every brand to set its aspirations a little higher.

Credits:  all data provided by Unruly Media's Viral Video Chart.

Disclosure: This article is sponsored in part by Volvo, however all views expressed within are entirely our own. Sponsored articles are accepted at our own discretion and only where we believe such focus or analysis will benefit our readers. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this article further, then get in touch via email or using the contact tab on this page.

Prototypes wearing a special camouflage, harking back to historical Porsche 917 racing cars, will be used to develop the innovative hybrid supercar’s drive components, focusing on the interplay between each system.

The combination of combustion engine and two independent electric motors – one on the front axle and one in the drive line, acting on the rear wheels – poses completely new demands on the development of the operating systems. “They are therefore a critical component in this vehicle into which we have put all of our expertise and capacity for innovation,” said Wolfgang Hatz, Head of Research and Development at Porsche AG.

These operating systems and the development of the software to go with them will have a major influence on the driveability and fun of the 918 Spyder, enabling high levels of performance combined with minimal fuel consumption. A Porsche spokesperson said, “..the initial results of the driving trials are in line with the high expectations the company has placed on the 918 Spyder”.

The 918 Spyder will go into production at the end of September 2013 as planned, with first customers receiving their cars before the end of 2013. “What we are doing with the 918 Spyder is redefining driving fun, efficiency and performance,” said Wolfgang Hatz.

Porsche’s most innovative supercar is designed as a plug-in hybrid vehicle, combining a high-performance combustion engine with cutting-edge electric motors for what the company describes as ‘extraordinary performance’.

The company expects the 918 Spyder to deliver more than 770 bhp, whilst being capable of achieving the extraordinary fuel consumption of 94 mpg. Other groundbreaking innovations due on the 918 Spyder include full carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque with unit carrier, fully adaptive aerodynamics, adaptive rear-axle steering and an upward-venting “top pipes” exhaust system.

* * *

The Porsche 918 Spyder will be among the first of a new breed of Hybrid supercar, which will also include the BMW i8, Jaguar C-X75 and Ferrari’s Enzo successor. F1 team (and last Sunday’s winner of the Spanish GP) Williams is working with both Porsche and Jaguar in bringing its Hybrid technology from the race track to the road.

Williams Hybrid Power (WHP) has also been working with the Volkswagen Audi Group (VAG) where it has developed an entirely new, ultra-lightweight electric flywheel for the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, which is currently leading the World Endurance Championship.

Gallery

Having focused its efforts on near production-specification cars since its 2006 Nürburgring24 Hour debut, Aston Martin will, for the first time, be represented in the senior SP9 category for FIA-homologated GT3 cars. A pair of V12 Vantage GT3s will be run in association with long-standing official partner team, Young Driver AMR.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Dr Ulrich Bez always likes to play a wild card, and this year sees the return of the spectacular V12 Zagato concept car which contested the race in 2011. Dr Bez, who competes in the race himself, will be joined by Chief Engineer Chris Porritt, Aston Martin Nürburgring Test Centre Director Wolfgang Schuhbauer and motoring journalist Richard Meaden.

The lead Vantage GT3, carrying the iconic #007 designation, will be driven by Johannes and Ferdinand Stuck – sons of triple Nürburgring 24 Hour winner Hans-Joachim Stuck – alongside Dennis Rostek and Aston Martin Racing factory driver Darren Turner. Turner’s regular works team-mate, Stefan Mücke, will drive the #006 car with Tomas Enge, Fredy Barth and Oliver Mathai.

The fourth official entry will be a V8-powered Vantage run by Aston Martin’s Nürburgring Test Centre team and driven by Jurgen Stumpf, Australians Mal Rose and Rob Thomson, plus Peter Cate. Aston Martin will be represented by four further customer outfits, including Team Mathol Racing, winners of the SP10 class for GT4 cars in 2010.

Ahead of the race, Dr Bez said: “Our 100 per cent finishing record in thirteen starts in one of the world’s toughest endurance races is remarkable; truly a testament to the reliability of our cars and the efforts of our people.

“In the past six years we have deliberately focused on racing close-to-production cars, achieving seven class podiums and three class wins. For 2012, I am delighted to be returning again to drive our V12 Zagato with my engineering team, but also to have such an exciting step up with the V12 Vantage GT3s.”

The race starts at 16:00 (CET) on Saturday May 19th and you will be able to watch it via the live streaming service on www.audi.tv and on the German TV channel Sport1, which will provide more than 23 hours of on-air coverage throughout the event from May 17th to 20th.

Audio coverage will be broadcast live for the duration of the 24 hours via Radio Le Mans at www.radiolemans.com.

* * *

In Focus: Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3

The V12 Vantage GT3 was developed to replicate and indeed surpass the superb track record of its predecessor, the DBRS9. During its six-year lifespan Aston Martin sold 24 DBRS9s, with customer teams clocking up numerous race podiums and victories across the world.

Testing of the new V12 Vantage GT3 commenced in October 2011, completing a rigorous 10,000km sign-off durability test programme.

The Vantage GT3 features a modified version of Aston Martin’s production 6.0-litre V12 engine found in many of its road cars. The dry-sumped engine produces around 600bhp with 700 Nm of torque, whilst its front mid-engined position has been optimised to improve the race car’s weight balance.

A carbon fibre propshaft mates the engine to an Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission with a semi-automatic paddle shift gear change.

Aston Martin’s VH architecture philosophy underpins the Vantage GT3, while the modular chassis uses aerospace bonding techniques to create a light and immensely stiff aluminium and composite structure.

The most noticeable (and dramatic) change over the road car, are the new aerodynamics, which contribute to a muscular and purposeful stance while maintaining the overall form and beauty of the V12 Vantage.

The shorter wheelbase and lower engine position over its predecessor contribute to enhanced handling and performance, while driveability is enhanced with the latest race-developed ABS and Traction Control systems.

Besides this weekend’s Nürburgring 24 Hours, you can also catch up with the V12 Vantage GT3′s racing exploits in the FIA GT3 Championship, ADAC Masters, Nürburgring VLN, Blancpain Endurance Series, British GT, Belcar and Open GT.

To help raise the brand’s profile, Volvo originally chose the 850 Estate, which they reasoned would generate the most media exposure. The race car was penned by the designer responsible for the Jaguar XJ220 supercar and powered by the car maker’s 2.0-litre, 5-cylinder, turbocharged engine, producing a heady 290bhp.

Volvo’s touring car success gave rise to the production 850R in 1996, with its 2.3-litre 5-cylinder engine producing 250bhp at 5400 rpm along with 350Nm of torque. In its day, the 850R was perhaps the ultimate ‘Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’, capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 155mph. Porsche drivers learned to pay attention to their rear-view mirrors, while BMW drivers envied the 850R’s torque-laden mid-range grunt.

Memories of the 850R came flooding back recently when I drove the Volvo V60 T6 AWD R-Design Polestar – its spiritual successor. The nomenclature may have changed, but the ingredients seems remarkably similar – this time Volvo’s performance estate is fitted with a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder engine, turbocharged (of course) and now with four-wheel drive to handle all that mid-range torque. And although the V60 T6 has put on a bit of weight since the 850R – 1784kg vs 1545kg, it makes up for it with 329bhp and a whopping 480Nm (355 lb-ft) of torque.

The result is 0-60mph performance in 5.8 seconds and an identical top speed of 155mph (limited).

The other similarity between Volvo’s first and latest performance estates, is the price. Back in 1996, the 850R retailed for £33,550, and for just £36,285 you can now pick up a V60 T6 AWD R-Design, although our test car topped out at £43,715 after adding Drivers Support Pack (£1,485), Premium Pack (£1,280), Active Lights (£1,025), Convenience Pack (£1,025), Sunroof (£870), Security Pack (£665), Polestar Performance Upgrade (£645) and Digital TV (£435).

So now that we’ve been introduced, what should we do with our V60 T6 AWD R-Design Polestar? – The most powerful Volvo ever.

Well, let’s start with shortening its name – we’ll call it ‘T6 Polestar’. Then we’ll return to the birthplace of the 850R, the circuit, to find out if Volvo’s modern-day sports estate has managed to retain some of that 1990′s soul.

* * *

Rather than visit the usual circuits like Silverstone or Bedford Autodrome, we chose somewhere with real history – Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb Circuit – also known as the oldest operational motorsport venue in the world. First used in 1905, Shelsley Walsh has played host to numerous motorsport heroes, including Sir Henry Segrave, Hans Stuck, Raymond Mays, Sir Stirling Moss and 1995 British Hill Climb Champion Andy Priaulx.

Like Volvo, Shelsley Walsh is going through a period of rebirth. You may remember those ‘Save Shelsley’ campaigns from a few years ago. That was back in 2004, when the circuit’s original 99-year lease came up for renewal and needed £1.05 million to secure its future.

The Midland Automobile Club, which runs the venue, gained the support of members and enthusiasts from around the world and since then the historic 1,000-yard track, north-west of Worcester, has been renovating and restoring the venue’s facilities.

As our T6 Polestar sits on the starting line, we could feel the history of this place already asking questions of Volvo’s sports estate. Shelsley is a place where motorsport is revered, and is far more than just a winding stretch of tarmac, so Volvo’s most powerful production car would need to pay it’s challenging twists and turns due respect.

Our original intention was use Shelsley for a spot of photography, but once past the start-line it felt ‘rude’ not to comply with the circuit’s remit and climb it as quickly as possible.

The T6 Polestar, with its Haldex all-wheel drive system, launched with barely a murmur of discord – far removed from its unruly predecessor. But once underway you miss the absence of drama – this is a 330bhp sports estate after all, which back in 1995 would have earned it the accolade of being one of the fastest saloon cars in the world.

With 25bhp more than the regular V60 T6, I was expecting the T6 Polestar to be reasonably swift, and it was, although not as quick as you might imagine. Picture BMW 335i performance (almost), but a long way short of anything sporting an ‘M’ or RS’ badge.

It’s a relaxing sort of engine to drive on the road, fitted its standard Geartronic auto box, but it’s not an engine which encourages you to explore its outer reaches, nor play music through its fruity induction or exhaust. In fact, despite the twin-scroll turbocharging of its 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine, the only fruitiness you’re likely to experience in the T6 Polestar is when you bite into an Apple at your next fuel stop.

And fuel is one thing you’ll need to budget on for with the T6 Polestar. Most of our time with the car was spent schmoozing along, enjoying its fine ride and handling or swallowing up huge motorway miles – in this mode you’re likely to see between 27mpg and 29mpg, exactly the figure claimed by Volvo. But put your foot down, and it’s not long before the Polestar is drinking a gallon of fuel every 20 miles or so.

* * *

Into the first corner at Shelsley, the fast left-hand Kennel Bend, and the T6 Polestar is flat in 3rd. Whilst there’s very little body roll, the nose of the V60 reminds me of Jag’s early XFR, the float and bounce of its front suspension encouraging some caution before committing it into a fast bend.

It’s a marginal blip in the composure of the T6 Polestar’s suspension (MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link suspension at the rear), which you’re unlikely to notice on the road, but nevertheless it reminds us the V60 was designed for a lighter, less powerful engine.

The pedal remains firmly nailed over the Crossing kink, with only the slightest of lifts for the tight and cambered S-bend that follows. This is where we uncover another of the V60 Polestar’s flaws. It’s steering, whilst accurate, is a little ‘dead’ just off centre and too slow for the quick flick of that S-bend.

But it’s time to give all of our attention to the track again, as the scene of Shelsley’s most embarrassing incidents rapidly approaches.

Bottom Bend is the reincarnation of every slippery moment you’ve had on the road, tree lined, seasoned with silt from the banks of earth above, it tempts you to brake later into its uphill camber, only to play a cruel trick on your confidence as the road’s traction dissolves away.

The V60 has a chassis that resists understeer far better than most similarly configured Audis – with a slight lift on turn-in before re-engaging full boost, the T6 Polestar can be made to oversteer in a safe and predictable way. Whilst this might sound the death-knell for the T6 Polestar’s sporty credentials, exactly the opposite occurs.

For a car designed principally with front-wheel drive in mind, the all-wheel drive V60 is wonderfully adjustable on the throttle for such a sensible looking estate car.

Lift – turn – accelerate, and the T6 Polestar comes alive. Now the steering feels sharp and incisive, the engine punchy and the chassis as balanced as any car in its class.

Bottom Bend was made for the V60. We repeat the corner, again and again, just to see if we can unsettle the cool Swede, but the T6 Polestar revels in such tightly cambered corners as we lunge towards the next right-hander, Top Bend, before bursting on to Main Straight and across the finish line.

* * *

Out on the public road again and I’m reminded that the T6 Polestar is an excellent mile-muncher, but unless pushing it on a twisty circuit you’d never know the chassis could be so capable. There’s still that ‘floaty/untidy’ feeling on fast A-roads, where an Audi S4 would be pushing on even harder – it’s as if Volvo were in two minds about how sporty the T6 Polestar should be.

The Geartronic automatic gearbox doesn’t help – it shunts when taking off from rest, so noticeably that I chose to select ’2nd’ in the gearbox’s manual mode whenever accelerating onto a roundabout. And that’s another faux par committed by Volvo’s engineers – manual selection of gears requires the counter-intuitive ‘push-forwards’ to change up and ‘pull-backward’ to change down. I was forever selecting the wrong gear, making me wish for paddles on the T6 Polestar’s steering wheel.

Of the options fitted to our test car, the only one I would heartily recommend is the £645 Polestar Performance Upgrade – 329bhp and 354lb ft of torque is not to be sniffed at, even if it does test the V60′s body control.

Beneath the ice white exterior of our car, lies a fast, competent and relaxing sports estate. It goes about its business with a likeable determination without raising the driver’s heart by more than a few beats. And that’s perhaps the main shortcoming of Volvo V60 T6 Polestar.

It’s a great car to live with, stylish and classless to look at and a fabulous all-rounder, but to become the spiritual successor to Volvo’s 850R it needs to become more Danny O’Donoghue than Tom Jones. There’s a great engine and chassis in the T6 Polestar, but it needs to decide what it wants to be – cruiser or sports saloon.

The T6 Polestar is good – nearly very good – and a real pleasure to live with, but when we handed the keys back to Volvo we didn’t miss it. Our Swedish affair was over, and beautiful though she was, there wasn’t much more to enjoy beyond what we initially discovered.

A more vocal exhaust, stiffer front springs and a DCT gearbox would work wonders for its personality and make it not just the most powerful Volvo, but also the most exciting (by far) to drive.

Photo credits: Noremac, Midland Automobile Club

Specification

Model:  V60 T6 AWD R-Design Polestar
Engine:  2,953cc 24-valve six cylinder
Transmission:  6-Speed Geartronic Auto
Weight:  1784kg
Colour:  Ice White
Interior:  R-Design Off Black Ceramic
Mileage:  8,756 miles (at end of test)
Price (as tested):  £43,715 (base price – £36,285)

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It’s the first 1 Series to receive the ‘M Performance’ treatment, which is intended to bridge the gap between ‘full’ M cars (such as M3, M5, M6) and BMW’s standard range of performance cars.

There’s a whole host of improvements over the sportiest standard 125i designed to increase the 1 Series’ agility, driving precision and enjoyment. These include a revised suspension, with modifications to the front axle (achieved by changing the transverse control arm and the swivel bearing) and a new tyre developed exclusively for the BMW M135i. Plus of course the 3.0-litre six cylinder turbocharged engine is boosted to deliver 315 bhp and 450Nm of torque. The M135i will accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds, 0-1000m in 23.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 155mph.

The suspension settings have been modified to take advantage of these changes, whilst the M135i receives the aesthetic upgrades to make it’s improvements more visible to other drivers. As standard the M135i is fitted with a sports steering, sports brakes and a tastefully styled package of body panel changes.

Q&A with Christof Lischka, M135i Project Manager

Q:  You mentioned that the 1 Series already embodies the properties of the BMW M Performance Automobiles. Where are the differences as compared to the existing BMW M550d, BMW X5 M50d and BMW X6 M50d, for example?

The BMW 1 Series is already our showcase model in terms of directness and agile driving response. This is why it is especially difficult – but especially important for the M135i – to go one step further and differentiate it from a “normal” BMW 1 Series, though without losing the everyday suitability familiar from the basic models. For this reason we have exercised particular fine tuning in technical differentiation of the BMW M135i. The result is even more agile handling, a higher level of transverse force and superb precision, though without losing out on comfort and stability.

Q:  The BMW M135i features the BMW TwinPower Turbo engine of the N55 series with just one turbocharger. Why was this engine selected and not the N54, for example, which has two turbochargers?

The N55 has the potential for increased performance – in the BMW M135i we are offering 10 kW more than in the standard engine of the BMW 3 Series, as well as 50 Nm more torque. This gives us more than enough in terms of performance. With the sports automatic transmission, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 4.9 seconds – a top-class figure. So the N55 was an excellent match, there was no need to use the N54. Especially seeing as the N55 sets standards in the segment in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With the sports automatic transmission we achieve a CO2 level of 175g / km and a combined fuel consumption level of 7.5l / 100km. This makes us the leaders of the vehicle segment in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Q:  Is the 450 Nm of torque available all the time or in an overboost mode?

The 450 Nm is permanently available.

Q:  Where are we with the BMW M135i in terms of weight?

The unladen weight is 1515 kg, so 1440 kg according to DIN.

Q:  Let’s take a closer look at the special components of the BMW M135i. We have a special brake system…

The 17″ sports brake is installed in the car as standard. It is a fixed caliper brake with four pistons at the front and two at the rear, and brake discs with larger diameters. This and the special tyres I mentioned give the car an impressive brake performance. The brake has a blue paint finish and bears the M logo.

Q:  Is the brake exclusively available for the BMW M135i or for all BMW 1 Series models?

The sports brake is available as an option for all BMW 1 Series models.

Q:  Are there any other features which are specifically for the BMW M135i, apart from those we’ve discussed?

We have 18″ mixed tyres in size 225 at the front and size 245 at the rear on an exclusive rim which is only available for the BMW M135i. On the exterior we have the typical components of the BMW M Performance Automobiles: ferric grey mirror caps and ferric grey blades in the air inlet. The air inlets have been enlarged for the powerful engine of the BMW M135i, and there are no fog lamps. As I mentioned, the M sports package comes as standard. The door sill strip shows the BMW M135i inscription, while the steering wheel and gearshift lever knob bear the M emblem. And when you get in and out of the car, the BMW M Performance inscription appears in the instrument panel. There is also the double rimmed exhaust system, exclusively available for the BMW M135i within the 1 series family.

The suspension settings were completely reworked to match the special tyres and the modifications to the chassis. The application of the steering, the adaptive M running gear and the entire powertrain was completely revised and newly harmonised. The exclusively developed tyre is provided solely as part of a mixed tyre combination. So we didn’t have to allow for a whole range of tyres of different dimensions, as is the case with the basic models.

Q:  So if I were to order a BMW 125i with adaptive M running gear or sports steering, for example, there would be a difference from the set-up of these components as compared to the BMW M135i?

Correct. It is not possible to give a BMW 125i the same characteristics and performance of the BMW M135i by adding special equipment options. Not only the transverse and longitudinal dynamics are different – the entire character of the BMW M135i is distinct.

Q:  In the predecessor generation of the new BMW 1 Series there was a BMW 135i, well a BMW M135i. If you had been limited to a BMW 135i now – would this car have been different?

Definitely. Looking at the features mentioned which are required to create the character of a BMW M Performance Automobile, we would not have implemented these in a BMW 135i. Apart from the lower engine power, the precision, agility, emotion and driving fun would not have reached the level now provided by the BMW M135i. The BMW 135i would have had more power but not a significantly different character from the other models of the series with lesser engines. And the additional weight of the high-performance 6-cylinder engine would not have been compensated for to the same extent as in the BMW M135i. It was the measures described which were able to supplement the longitudinal dynamics to create the spectacular agility, precision and lateral dynamics of the M135i. The engine acoustics have a great presence, too. The exhaust system was specially adapted. It was possible to leave out the centre silencer, while the exhaust flap control and engine application were adapted especially for the new M135i. The position of the driving dynamics switch is also incorporated here. We used all the conventional elements to create a thrilling sound.

Q:  Does the position of the driving experience switch have any other effect?

When you change from Comfort to Sport, the characteristic curve of the accelerator pedal and steering wheel are also altered, as is the setting of the optionally available adaptive M running gear. But the engine sound is also varied via the exhaust flap control and the engine application. The sound has a major impact on how the vehicle is perceived, and here again we offer pure emotion in the BMW M135i.

Q:  Are the 3-door and 5-door models of the BMW M135i different in character?

No. That was our aim – we didn’t want the two BMW M135i to be different in terms of driving dynamics.

Q:  How exactly did the engineers of BMW M and BMW AG collaborate on developing the BMW M135i?

It was important that the M characteristics typical of the BMW M Performance Automobiles were added by our BMW M GmbH colleagues. So we set up a kind of buddy system involving close collaboration between BMW M and BMW AG staff. In particular, BMW M engineers masterminded the differentiating features such as driving dynamics, drive and defining characteristics. The results were continuously refined in numerous common test drives and meetings – the collaboration was very intensive. Project management in this case was in the hands of BMW AG but also reported to BMW M GmbH – so there was a counterbalance here, too. This meant that it was possible to develop and present the BMW M Performance Automobile alongside the start of the basic BMW 1 Series 3-door model.

Q:  A typical M automobile has about 80% changed or completely newly developed parts as compared to its equivalent basic model. Where does a BMW M Performance Automobile such as the BMW M135i stand here?

With the BMW M135i we are at around 30%.

Q:  How does the BMW M135i do on the race track?

In order not to limit the everyday suitability of the BMW M135i it is not uncompromisingly geared towards the race track. This is particularly noticeable on flat race tracks – here the set-ups of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé and BMW M3 have an advantage. Winding country roads and routes which are not absolutely flat are perfect for the BMW M135i. Race track suitability was not a top priority in developing the BMW M135i: the main emphasis was on driving fun and pure emotion while retaining full suitability for everyday use.

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