The Nation Newspaper

Tag: refined

  • Audi S5: stylish, refined

    Audi S5: stylish, refined

    The 2016 Audi S5 is remarkably easy to drive; power from the supercharged V6 is awesome and unlike many V6 engines, this one is virtually vibration-free, even at redline. The standard steering system manages to be both calm on the highway and responsive in turns, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

    If one is considering a sport-luxury coupe or convertible, you are probably looking for invigorating performance, sexy styling and a refined, intimate cabin. The 2016 Audi S5 delivers in all of those areas. Based on the regular four-cylinder A5, the S5 turns up the heat with a supercharged V6 that provides blistering acceleration. It also boasts a tauter suspension, bigger brakes and subtle aesthetic upgrades inside and out that convey the car’s sporting intent.

    The 2016 Audi S5’s eye-catching yet restrained styling is the perfect complement to its refined performance.

    But the S5 isn’t the kind of performance car that feels amped up all the time. With its supple ride, effective noise insulation and supportive seats, the Audi also excels on long road trips and in everyday driving. All-wheel drive is standard, of course, so if one live in a snowbelt state, there is no need to garage your S5 for the winter. And if is about fuel economy, the S5 returns up to 21 mpg in combined city/highway driving, which is impressive for a car with this kind of zip.

    Drawbacks are few but notable. For one thing, the cramped backseat is better for personal items than people, though that is not too unusual for this type of vehicle. For another, the S5 has been around for a while, and its technology offerings are showing their age. The base Premium Plus trim doesn’t come standard with Bluetooth audio, for example, and it also gets a basic version of the MMI infotainment system with awkward dash-mounted controls. Users will need to add the expensive technology package or spring for the Prestige trim in order to rectify these flaws, and either way, one still stuck with Audi’s proprietary digital music interface instead of the USB connectivity that most rivals include.

     

    Body styles

     

    The 2016 Audi S5 is offered in coupe and convertible (cabriolet) body styles. The latter features a power-operated soft top and a wind blocker. Both are available in Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels.

    Available as a coupe or convertible, the Audi S5 is just as easy to live with everyday as it is thrilling to pilot around turns.

    Standard Premium Plus features include 18-inch wheels with summer tires, xenon headlights, LED running lights and taillights, an S5-specific body kit, auto-dimming mirrors with exterior heating, keyless entry and ignition, selectable driving settings (known as Audi Drive Select), shift paddles for the automatic transmission, tri-zone automatic climate control, heated eight-way power front sport seats (with four-way power lumbar), driver memory functions, a color driver information center, a Bang and Olufsen sound system, Bluetooth phone connectivity, a dash-mounted MMI electronics controller, a 6.5-inch display, a CD player, Audi’s proprietary digital music interface (with an iPod cable), a SD card slot and satellite radio.

    In addition, the coupe gets a tilt-only sunroof, leather and simulated suede upholstery and 60/40-split folding rear seatbacks, while the convertible gets premium leather upholstery and 50/50-split folding rear seatbacks.

    The Prestige trim adds adaptive headlights and the technology package, which includes Bluetooth streaming audio, Audi Connect with online services and mobile WiFi, a navigation system, voice controls, an upgraded MMI system with a larger display and console-mounted controls, a CD player, HD radio, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera and a blind-spot monitor. The technology package can also be added to the Premium Plus trim as an option.

    Going with the Prestige also lets user opts for the driver assistance package, which adds adaptive steering and adaptive cruise control with a forward collision mitigation system. Prestige coupes are additionally eligible for a Luxury package, which adds comfort front seats with less aggressive bolstering and upgraded leather upholstery with extended coverage.

    All coupes can be equipped with a Black Optic package that includes special 19-inch wheels, high-gloss black exterior trim, body-color exterior mirrors and the upgraded leather upholstery that is in the convertible. New for 2016 is a coupe-only Black Optic Plus package that adds 20-inch wheels and gloss-black exterior mirrors.

    All convertibles, meanwhile, are eligible for a comfort package that features ventilated comfort front seats with perforated leather upholstery and a neck-level heating system.

     

    Powertrains and performance

     

    The Audi S5 is motivated by a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine rated at 333 hp and 325 pound-feet of torque. The coupe comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission. A seven-speed automated manual transmission is optional on the coupe and standard on the Cabriolet. Every S5 features all-wheel drive, which can be enhanced with an optional sport differential that actively distributes torque between the rear wheels for optimal cornering precision.

    An S5 coupe equipped with the automated manual transmission (and pre-programmed launch mode) accelerated from a standstill to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. The convertible did the same job in a competitive 5.3 seconds.

    The convertible also achieves 21 mpg combined (18 city/26 highway). A coupe with the automated manual registered a surprising 23 mpg on the diverse 120-mile.

     

    Safety

     

    The S5 comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front-seat side and knee airbags and (in the coupe) full-length side curtain airbags. A blind-spot monitoring system, a rear-view camera and front and rear parking sensors are included in the Technology package, which is standard on the Prestige trim and optional on Premium Plus. In addition, the Prestige trim can be optionally equipped with an adaptive cruise control system (via the Driver Assistance package) that includes an audible warning if a frontal impact is imminent and automatic brake application if necessary.

     

    Interior design and special features

     

    The S5’s highly appealing interior boasts a tastefully understated design and high-quality materials. There are some functional shortcomings, however. The dash-mounted MMI controller that is standard on the Premium Plus trim, for example, isn’t nearly as easy to operate as the console-mounted controller you get with the upgraded system in the technology package. That system also features simplified menus, a slightly larger screen and Bluetooth streaming audio. USB connectivity, however, is unavailable.

    The S5’s sophisticated cabin boasts high-quality materials and supportive seats.

    The S5’s standard front sport seats are quite comfortable on long road trips, while also providing plenty of lateral support to keep driver planted during hard cornering.

     

  • ‘Only 20% of stolen oil refined in Nigeria’

    ‘Only 20% of stolen oil refined in Nigeria’

    Out of the estimated 100,000 barrels of crude oil stolen daily in Nigeria, only 20 per cent is refined in-country through the multiple illegal refineries while the remaining 80 per cent is exported, showing international collaboration in the illicit trade.

    The Chairman, Presidential Committee on Oil Theft Proliferation and Control and Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan stated this on the sideline of an event in Ondo State.

    Uduaghan stated that 80 per cent of stolen crude oil is exported confirming allegations of international involvement in the oil theft menace.

    “On a bigger scale, there is international collaboration in the crude oil theft. Some of these oil that are being stolen, 80 per cent is exported and it is only 20 per cent that is being used for illegal local refinery,” Uduaghan  said.

    He said the government is applying multifaceted approach to tackle the challenge.

    He said: “The illegal refineries are being destroyed; the stolen crude oil that is being exported, the Federal Government is working with various countries as part of the international collaboration.  Because they (stolen crude oil) have destinations and are utilised by big refineries outside the country, the Federal Government is working with various countries to identify these refineries that use them and to ensure the stolen crude oil doesn’t get there.

    “There are other local strategies including the kind of pipelines that are being used, surveillance, among others but these are short to medium term strategies.

    “The oil companies have to change their pipelines in the long run, change them to pipelines that are very sensitive so that when vandals want to break it, the act can be noticed in the control room. Those are the technical details that are being worked upon,” he added.

    On tackling pipeline vandalism, which has increased the downtime of the refineries and rendered the machines idle, Uduaghan said: “I don’t know much about the refineries but there must be lot of other reasons  they are not running. But on the issue of crude oil theft, there are various strategies. There are immediate and long term strategies that have been put in place especially by the security agencies directly working with Mr. President. The immediate strategy is for the security agencies to be reinforced and that is what we are doing. They are being reinforced in their activities and they are patrolling more and dealing with the crude oil theft more.

    He also stated that there has never been a time stolen crude oil reached 400,000 barrels per day contrary to reports.

    He said: “Let me explain the issue of figures. When you hear 400,000 barrels it doesn’t mean that it is 400,000 barrels that is stolen. “What it means is that in the process of stealing the crude, it affects some of the wells, so the operators shut down the wells and when they shut down, and are not producing the 300,000 or 400,000 barrels, it is reported that such figures were stolen. “There is no time the stealing has been more than 100,000 barrels per day and that was at the peak.

    “In fact, right now, it is less than 50,000 barrels per day that is being stolen, so it is not 400,000 barrels. But even at 50,000 barrels it is still unacceptably high because not many companies produce up to 50,000 barrels per day. It is important I clear the figures,” he said.

  • Chevrolet Impala: stylish, roomy, refined

    Chevrolet Impala: stylish, roomy, refined

    With a new model just around the corner, the 2013 Chevrolet Impala gets just a few minor changes, including a new Luxury Edition package, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

    t has been seven years since Chevy’s flagship sedan has enjoyed a major overhaul and even longer since it was redesigned from the ground up. That alone makes the 2013 Chevrolet Impala difficult to recommend, but it gets even harder when you realise that an all-new, dramatically improved replacement is on its way.

    While this year’s Impala still offers a roomy interior and good reliability, the full-size sedan segment is crowded with competing models that best this long-in-the-tooth model in terms of styling, performance, quality and refinement. The minor upgrades for 2013 include a new Luxury Edition package that bundles leather upholstery, heated power-adjustable front seats, a premium Bose audio system and a few other niceties, yet these enhancements are not nearly enough to tip the scales in its favour.

    The Impala full-size sedan is offered in three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. Five seats are standard, but an optional 40/20/40 it to seat on the LS and LT trims brings six.

    Standard features on the entry-level LS include 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry, cruise control, air-conditioning, a six-way power driver seat, full power accessories, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel, OnStar emergency communications, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack.

    Moving up to the LT gets you 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, remote ignition, dual-zone manual climate control, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a trip computer and a folding rear seat with a center armrest.

    The top-of-the-line LTZ adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, heated mirrors, heated power front seats (eight-way driver, six-way passenger), leather upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system.

    Options include a sunroof (available on LT and LTZ only) and a new Luxury Edition package that adds many of the LTZ’s extras to LT models.

    The new Chevy Impala comes only with a 3.6-litre V6 that puts out a healthy 300 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard. EPA fuel economy estimates are 18 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.

    The Impala’s list of standard safety features includes antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front seat side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Also standard is GM’s OnStar service, which includes automatic crash notification, an emergency assistance button, remote door unlock and stolen vehicle assistance.

    The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Impala the top ranking of “Good” in both its frontal-offset and side-impact tests, but the second-best rating of “Acceptable” in the roof strength test.

    The car offers a spacious passenger cabin with room for five. Opt for the available front bench seat and you have a sedan with seating for six, something that is a rarity nowadays. And in this world of ever-increasing technological complexity, the Impala’s simple stereo will certainly be welcomed by many.

    However, the fact remains that the Impala simply lacks many of the bells and whistles that make more modern cars technologically complex in the first place. The cabin’s design is also outdated compared to most of its competitors, while the materials do not measure up to those found in many of GM’s more recent models. One glimpse at the upcoming all-new Impala will reveal just how behind the times the current model is.

    While the Impala’s trunk offers a generous 18.6 cubic feet of cargo room, the fold-down rear seatback is optional and does not split 60/40. This means that sooner or later one will have to choose between carrying a rear seat passenger and bringing home that extra-long Bjorgen box from Ikea.

    The car’s performance is something of a mixed bag. The 300-hp V6 (just introduced last year), delivers acceleration on par with many of its competitors, plus respectable fuel economy.

  • Chevrolet Impala: stylish, roomy, refined

    Chevrolet Impala: stylish, roomy, refined

    With a new model just around the corner, the 2013 Chevrolet Impala gets just a few minor changes, including a new Luxury Edition package, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

    It has been seven years since Chevy’s flagship sedan has enjoyed a major overhaul and even longer since it was redesigned from the ground up. That alone makes the 2013 Chevrolet Impala difficult to recommend, but it gets even harder when you realise that an all-new, dramatically improved replacement is on its way.

    While this year’s Impala still offers a roomy interior and good reliability, the full-size sedan segment is crowded with competing models that best this long-in-the-tooth model in terms of styling, performance, quality and refinement. The minor upgrades for 2013 include a new Luxury Edition package that bundles leather upholstery, heated power-adjustable front seats, a premium Bose audio system and a few other niceties, yet these enhancements are not nearly enough to tip the scales in its favour.

    The Impala full-size sedan is offered in three trim levels: LS, LT and LTZ. Five seats are standard, but an optional 40/20/40 it to seat on the LS and LT trims brings six.

    Standard features on the entry-level LS include 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, keyless entry, cruise control, air-conditioning, a six-way power driver seat, full power accessories, a tilt-only leather-wrapped steering wheel, OnStar emergency communications, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack.

    Moving up to the LT gets you 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, remote ignition, dual-zone manual climate control, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a trip computer and a folding rear seat with a center armrest.

    The top-of-the-line LTZ adds 18-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, heated mirrors, heated power front seats (eight-way driver, six-way passenger), leather upholstery, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an eight-speaker Bose premium audio system.

    Options include a sunroof (available on LT and LTZ only) and a new Luxury Edition package that adds many of the LTZ’s extras to LT models.

    The new Chevy Impala comes only with a 3.6-litre V6 that puts out a healthy 300 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard. EPA fuel economy estimates are 18 mpg city/30 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.

    The Impala’s list of standard safety features includes antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front seat side-impact airbags and full-length side curtain airbags. Also standard is GM’s OnStar service, which includes automatic crash notification, an emergency assistance button, remote door unlock and stolen vehicle assistance.

    The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Impala the top ranking of “Good” in both its frontal-offset and side-impact tests, but the second-best rating of “Acceptable” in the roof strength test.

    The car offers a spacious passenger cabin with room for five. Opt for the available front bench seat and you have a sedan with seating for six, something that is a rarity nowadays. And in this world of ever-increasing technological complexity, the Impala’s simple stereo will certainly be welcomed by many.

    However, the fact remains that the Impala simply lacks many of the bells and whistles that make more modern cars technologically complex in the first place. The cabin’s design is also outdated compared to most of its competitors, while the materials do not measure up to those found in many of GM’s more recent models. One glimpse at the upcoming all-new Impala will reveal just how behind the times the current model is.

    While the Impala’s trunk offers a generous 18.6 cubic feet of cargo room, the fold-down rear seatback is optional and does not split 60/40. This means that sooner or later one will have to choose between carrying a rear seat passenger and bringing home that extra-long Bjorgen box from Ikea.

    The car’s performance is something of a mixed bag. The 300-hp V6 (just introduced last year), delivers acceleration on par with many of its competitors, plus respectable fuel economy.