Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.
Last weekend, the Nürburgring racetrack hosted the “Oldtimer Grand Prix,” a sequence of historic car races that serves as a magnet for enthusiasts and car clubs all over the world. Photographer Matthias Knödler and I went there with Jaguar; the British celebrated 50 years of the E-type and put together a great companion program.
While carmakers such as Jaguar, Audi, Porsche, and Alfa Romeo offered generous hospitality around the pit lane and racetrack, perhaps even more interesting were the independent cars clubs that showed up in great numbers despite the constant pouring rain. All told, there were 61,500 attendees, and it was great to be one of them.
Saab Out of the Frankfurt Show
While everyone is preparing for the biennial Frankfurt IAA, probably still the most important auto show on the plant, Saab has cancelled its appearance. The Swedes are trying to get production restarted, preferably with a large cash infusion from an outside investor. The news will not go over well in Munich; last year, BMW announced plans to sell engines for upcoming Saab model lines.
More Premium Diesels in Europe
For an engine transplant that actually materialized, PSA and Ford’s successful 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel is now available in Europe in the Jaguar XF, where it produces a commendable 190 hp, is coupled to an eight-speed automatic, and reaches a top speed of 140 mph. Its maximum torque of 332 lb-ft is reached at a low 2000 rpm. And its consumption is less than half than that of the naturally aspirated V-8.
Mercedes has released info on the SLK250 CDI, which is powered by the ubiquitous M-B 2.1-liter turbo-diesel code-named OM651. In the SLK, the engine makes 201 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque; 0 to 62 mph takes 6.7 seconds, top speed is an ungoverned 151 mph. It is coupled to a seven-speed automatic; a six-speed manual will become available next year. On the exterior, the oil-burner is concealed: The exhaust tips look exactly like those on the other SLK models. Could it be that the badges were simply added digitally?
Land Rover is giving its Defender another lease on life with an updated 2.2-liter turbodiesel—which, incidentally, has nothing in common with the aforementioned Ford/PSA engine that powers not only the Land Rover Freelander (a.k.a. LR2), the Range Rover Evoque, and the Jaguar XF, but also a number of rather pedestrian Ford, Citroën, and Peugeot models. The 2.2 is directly derived from a Ford 2.4-liter commercial-vehicle engine that has powered the Defender since 2007.
Autobahn Tested: The Land Rover Defender
Which is exactly the test car that graced my driveway for the last two weeks. Driving this two-ton-plus behemoth with its barely insulated truck engine truly feels like a flashback into the 1950s. This car has been upgraded and updated with great reluctance over the past decades. Unlike the Mercedes G-wagen, a competitor probably closest in spirit, the Defender requires significant sacrifice in regular driving. Its turning circle approaches the tropic of capricorn, the engine noise is deafening, and the bearings and poor synchronization of the Getrag MT 82 gearbox chime in happily into the cacophony. Moreover, the cavernous cargo compartment seems to function as a great resonance chamber.
I managed to extract between 20 and 22 mpg out of the engine, which I admittedly pushed to its embarassingly low peak performance at virtually all times to avoid acting as a roadblock. Top speed is unsmoothly governed at 82 mph, a figure which will thankfully be increased to 90 mph with the new 2.2-liter engine (which, Land Rover promises, also will be quieter).
The Defender does without air bags and stability-control systems, and anti-lock brakes are an expensive option, but—on the plus side—you feel absolutely invincible in this off-roader; it allows you to look down on almost any SUV on the market. Visibility is great, but you have to check diligently for compact cars behind you before reversing. You may simply overlook them when backing up.
Despite all of its shortcomings, you can imagine that driving the Defender for two weeks was an absolute blast. I enjoy cars outside the mainstream, and this one was more challenging, characterful, and extreme than anything else I’ve driven in a long time. It’s a shame that it disappeared from the U.S. market a long time ago.
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