auto | On the road

Toyota Camry hybrid

By Bill McCarthy

‘A Toyota what?’, said a neighbour. He could be forgiven for not recognising the name as the Camry has not been around in this country for a while and he is quite young.

Toyota says increasing customer interest in and demand for hybrid vehicles have paved the way for its return to the UK after an absence of 15 years.
The Camry does buck the trend a little, a mid-sized full hybrid family saloon where the crossover/SUV seems to rule.

But it is cheap at 31k for a hybrid, has head-turning looks and excellent performance, matched by good economy and is packed with standard kit. Performance comes via a powerful 2.5 litre petrol engine, mated to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery.
It is the eighth generation of the model and is built on the firm’s GA-K platform which means it sits lower to the ground, delivering a sleek profile. The front features a a slim grille, flanked by narrow headlights with LEDs and daytime running lights.
In addition a much larger trapezoidal lower grille occupies almost the full width of the bumper, which the firm says are designed to be reminiscent of the twin hulls of a catamaran. It certainly gives it a distinctive look. The smart rear end and alloy wheels, complete a pleasing and contemporary design.

It definitely has an upmarket feel with heated, powered leather seats, while the console houses the gearshift, two drink holders and a large bin for odds and ends.

The interior features a mixture of dark and shiny in the shape of leather soft touch finishes with chrome trim and a cockpit packed with goodies.
Centrepieces are seven-inch multi-function screen and leather multi-function steering wheel, while the binnacle features two large information dials, which monitor how the hybrid system is distributing the energy between engine, battery and electric motor.
The touchscreen is small compared to some prestige competitors, but is supplemented by by buttons and controls major functions such as infotainment, connectivity via Bluetooth and navigation.The power transfer can also be monitored here.
There’s also a smartphone charging pad, but on the downside, no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility.
It definitely has an upmarket feel with heated, powered leather seats, while the centre console houses the gearshift, two large drink holders and a large bin for odds and ends.
Standard kit on this model includes dual zone air con, footwell lights, an ambient door panel lighting and auto headlamps, smart entry and push- button start, front and rear parking sensors and reversing camera.

On the road, the car is a comfortable place to be, with the clever petrol engine electric motor automatically switching modes, while the smart suspension delivers a comfortable experience for occupants, particularly on longer journeys. Bump and lumps in the road are soaked and it is an excellent motorway cruiser with road, engine and wind noise muted.
Full hybrid system output is 215bhp and CO2 emissions are from 120g/km with fuel consumption of between 50.44 to 53.30mpg (WLTP) for this Design model and 50.44 to 51.36mpg for the Excel.
The car also has an EV button for electric power only where it can be driven at low speeds over short distances with zero carbon emissions, providing there is power in the battery. Where power is down the self-charging mode from the petrol engine delivers charge back to the battery. The information display tells the driver what is going on.
The driver can also select Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes using the Drive Mode Select switch. While sport mode does sharpen things up, 60mph is hit in a very respectable 8.5 seconds, the roar between shifts in the CVT box can be a bit disconcerting.
The car is also packed with safety kit including Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems which comprise a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control , lane departure alert with steering assist, road sign assist, sway warning and automatic high beam. In addition there is a full complement of airbags and hill start assist.
A welcome return to a car many may not have heard of, but as electric power units continue to grow, it has plenty to offer. At a shade under £31k, it offers pretty good value for money, not to mention the five year, 100,000 mile warranty for peace of mind.

BMW M850i xDrive

By Bill McCarthy

FANCY a four seat convertible that is a comfortable grand tourer, but offers sports car performance?

Roll forward the M850i xDrive convertible, a car offering cutting edge technology and blistering performance.

It’s at the top end of the scale, with a top end price, starting at just over £83,000 for the six cylinder diesel version.

The M version driven here takes it to £104,000 in its ‘basic’ form, although the model added nearly £16,000 of optional extras.

Eyewatering prices, but no shortage of takers in that particular price stratosphere, but the performance is also eye-watering or jaw dropping. Take your pick

It features a530hp 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine delivering stunning performance. It hits 60mph in just 3.9 seconds and has peak torque of a huge 750 Nm so power is always on tap.

Standard kit includes the latest iDrive and BMW Personal Assistant, a form of artificial intelligence, which learns driver habits, together with a raft of high specification navigation, sound, connectivity and safety systems.

You can see the attraction. Sleek, coupe-like styling, predatory, low slung profile and iconic kidney grille, with front spoiler extension and design accents nicely complemented by 20-inch alloys.

The interior is luxurious with a stainless steel mesh design featured as standard on all variants, with ash grain high-gloss wood trim optionally available, as is piano black.

The latest ‘iDrive infotainment system dominates with the so-called Live Cockpit Professional 12.3-inch display controlling, navigation, infotainment and and a raft of connectivity services and apps. These nclude emergency call, teleservices, over the air and USB map updates, BMW App connectivity and Intelligent Voice assistants.

In addition the BMW Connected Package Professional adds remote services, real time traffic information and Apple CarPlay Preparation, but not, apparently, Android.

Electrically adjustable powered and heated seats are trimmed in Merino leather with black piping and there is also an anthracite headliner, M pedals and floor mats with special M surrounds and illuminated door sills.

The leather steering wheel has multifunction buttons and gearshift paddles to control the eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission.

On the road, if you’re in no particular hurry, it offers comfortable wind in the hair motoring, combined with luxury for up to four people, albeit smaller ones in the rear seats.

The roof opens and closes in just 15 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph. A wind defector is standard and can be set up in the rear-seat area. When not required it can be folded to half its size and stowed in the boot.

Warming air collars are also integrated in the front seat head restraints as standard, for warming the neck when driving with the roof down.

In more of a hurry, the the V8 engine is the star of the show with brutal performance, allied to pin sharp handling.

There are four drive modes, but switch it to sport and everything sharpens up, and just to add to the fun, BMW has added exhaust tuning for a bit of extra spit, crackle and burble.

Adaptive M suspension with electronically controlled dampers is standard, as is four wheel steering and all wheel drive to keep the car on road.

It’s a big car, but showed its agility and handling pedigree in series of long open roads and tortuously twisty country tracks, delivering power and excellent poise when pushed hard.

Damping characteristics can be adjusted via the Driving Experience Control using Sport and Sport+ Eco Pro and Comfort modes.

Cutting edge technology abounds with the personal assistantactivated by the voice prompt “Hey BMW”. This assists the driver and ‘learns’ more skills all the time thanks to updates via the remote software upgrade facility.

Additional digital functionality include on street parking info, connect navigation and intelligent vehicle functionality, again, which learns driver habits as part of the personal assistant system.

As you would expect from a car with this pedigree, safety kit is comprehensive and includes a rollover protection system with two aluminium bars fitted within the head restraints and they will be deployed if the car is likely to roll over.

Also standard is head up display and collision warning and pedestrian warning system with city braking function. and parking assistant, which includes a rear-view camera and the reversing assistant.

Boot space, always compromised with a foldaway roof is still surprisingly good for a convertible, with 350 litres available even with the roof folded down.

For extra practicality, the rear-seat backrest can be split 50/50 and, via the through-loading facility, stowage capacity can be extended.

Automatic boot lid operation is also standard, via the key fob, while the standard Comfort Access feature permits hands-free opening and closing of the boot lid.

A fine combination of comfort, open top motoring and blistering performance.

What’s not to like?