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MotorTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:30 Hello.
00:31 This is Dave Lee Tremit, and welcome to this,
00:33 the Top 10 Auto Show.
00:35 This week, as ever, we're taking a look at the top cars
00:37 in their class on sale during the whole of 2001,
00:41 as voted for by our expert panel made up
00:43 of the editors of the top UK motoring magazines.
00:46 This week, we take a look at the top 10 family cars of 2001.
00:51 These are the wagons of suburbia.
00:54 If you've got 2.4 children, then this
00:56 is the type of car created for you.
00:58 And don't feel left out if you're part of a larger family.
01:01 If last week's look at the top 10 MPVs
01:03 didn't offer any suitable suggestions,
01:05 then take a look at these offerings.
01:07 [MUSIC PLAYING]
01:12 OK, we weren't exactly singing the Vectra's praises
01:15 as an exciting car in the top 10 mid-sized estates episode,
01:18 but we make no apologies.
01:20 It isn't exciting.
01:21 It's not meant to be.
01:23 It's sensible, cost-effective, prudent.
01:25 And if parenthood has made you more conscious of the world
01:28 we're leaving behind for our children,
01:30 then you can sit comfortably behind the wheel
01:32 in the knowledge that the Vectra's dual fuel engine is
01:35 being kind to the environment.
01:37 Being a hybrid doesn't mean it has
01:38 two different types of engine, so there's
01:40 no electric motors on the wheels type trickery going on.
01:43 What it does mean is it has two different types of fuel.
01:46 It can switch between petrol--
01:48 ooh, nasty planet-wrecking, badger-killing evil stuff--
01:51 and LPG, which is far better and more efficient burning
01:54 and better for the environment.
01:55 And a lot cheaper to run.
01:59 Now, I'd love to be able to say either that ooh,
02:01 it goes all soggy and nasty.
02:02 It's rather like driving a dead camel,
02:04 or that all of a sudden it's sparking, exciting,
02:06 and LPG makes all the difference.
02:08 But that's just the point.
02:09 It doesn't make any difference to drive.
02:10 It feels exactly the same.
02:12 It's a Vectra, and it'll still be a Vectra in 100,000 miles
02:15 time.
02:15 It makes no difference to the drive,
02:17 certainly not for you or I, would they?
02:19 [ENGINE REVVING]
02:21 If all of this has got you tempted
02:22 to do your bit to save the planet--
02:24 and let's be honest, save more than a few quid--
02:26 fine, by all means go ahead.
02:28 But you will need to sit down and do your calculations.
02:31 You don't need to do the kind of interstellar mega-mileages
02:34 that you used to have to do to justify an old-fashioned diesel
02:37 just to save a few pence.
02:38 It's not that big a difference.
02:40 But you will need to do a few miles
02:42 before you save enough money to justify the extra expense
02:45 of buying a car that can take LPG.
02:48 Persuaded?
02:49 Good.
02:49 But remember that the residual value for the Vectra
02:52 can stoop as low as 22% of the original price.
02:55 But if it's your company car, who cares?
02:57 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:00 At number nine, the first of three French cars
03:12 in this week's top 10, the Citroen C5.
03:15 Yes, this is a four-wheel car.
03:17 Let's try to not get it mixed up with Sir Clive Sinclair's
03:20 three-wheeled '80s electric disaster trike
03:23 of the same name.
03:24 On the outside, the C5's pretty bland.
03:27 Actually, that's a little unkind.
03:28 It's just uninspired, really.
03:30 You get the impression that the body design was not
03:32 at the top of the list of priorities.
03:35 But when it comes to pure technology,
03:36 the C5 comes into its own.
03:38 It has a list of space-age high-tech specifications
03:41 as long as your arm, the most impressive of which
03:44 is the voice-activated onboard computer, which
03:47 actually works fine.
03:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]
03:51 Once you get inside, there's nothing too offensive.
03:55 It's all very well laid out.
03:57 But Citroen went on for hours about how
04:00 this curve was the driver curve, and this curve
04:02 was the passenger curve, and this curve
04:04 is the shared console.
04:06 All very French, really.
04:08 However, the dashboard does house Citroen's usual array
04:12 of electronic gadgetry.
04:14 This includes air conditioning, CD player,
04:17 and further up here in this console,
04:20 you've got optional satellite navigation, and also
04:23 a handy little parking monitor, which
04:25 will beep at you if you get too near to a wall behind.
04:28 Another good safety device is there's
04:30 a monitor on here which lets you know your tire
04:32 pressure's getting too low.
04:33 It's replacing the old Citroen Xantia,
04:42 and it's going to take on the likes of Mondeo, Passat,
04:45 and Laguna head on in the fleet market.
04:48 But you know, it isn't inconceivable
04:51 that someone might want to buy this car who isn't a sales rep,
04:54 someone who doesn't want to hang the suit jacket in the back
04:57 and be worried about company car tax.
04:58 So instead of comparing it to all of the other fleet market
05:07 contenders, why don't we take it on its own merits
05:10 and see what we think of it that way.
05:13 The C5 is equally happy clocking up
05:15 the miles on both the motorway and the country roads.
05:18 The only thing that Citroen can't guarantee
05:20 is whether the kids will behave on those long journeys or not.
05:24 Number nine in our top 10, the Citroen C5.
05:26 In at number eight is the first of the Japanese contenders
05:41 in this week's category, the Nissan Primera.
05:45 This offering from the Japanese was actually designed,
05:47 developed, and built in Europe, especially
05:49 for the European market.
05:51 The all new model, building as we speak in Sunderland,
05:53 is really astonishing, and we hope
05:55 to see that higher in next year's charts.
05:58 If you think this looks like a bit of a new departure
06:01 for Nissan, you'd be entirely correct.
06:03 It is.
06:04 They say, and I quote, that it signposts the way for Nissan
06:08 cars of the future, and that it is
06:10 the cornerstone of Nissan Europe.
06:13 Oh, just leave it out with the clever, clever shots,
06:16 would you?
06:17 There's no point.
06:20 Thank you.
06:21 Of course, this rear view camera is
06:26 going to be dead handy for seeing where you're
06:28 going when you're reversing, or who's just
06:29 plowed into the back of you.
06:31 Inside, it bristles with more gizmos
06:38 than a teenager's bedroom.
06:39 It just smells a lot better.
06:42 For instance, if you want to use your mobile phone in the car,
06:44 you don't have to take your SIM card out
06:46 and put it in the car phone.
06:47 You simply do this, put your phone on this cradle,
06:50 and it works with the car systems.
06:52 It's charged, it functions, it's nice and easy.
06:54 That is, of course, as long as your phone is
06:56 made by the same manufacturer.
06:58 Everything else you want to use, pretty much,
07:00 is controlled from here, the command center.
07:02 It's been cleverly designed to be
07:04 as simple to use as possible.
07:06 I think I can understand it.
07:07 It's broken down into three areas.
07:08 On the right, we have our climate controls,
07:11 very simply.
07:12 In the center, we have everything for our sat-nav,
07:15 DVD, by the way.
07:16 And on the left, all our audio controls.
07:18 But it doesn't end there.
07:20 Technology just goes on and on.
07:21 We've got all the usual stuff like ABS and traction control,
07:30 but this has got something else.
07:32 The cruise control, once you've set it,
07:34 it doesn't just hold you at that speed.
07:36 It monitors what's going on in front
07:38 with an infrared camera, actually,
07:39 at the front of the car.
07:40 And if you're getting too close to the car in front,
07:43 it'll slow you down.
07:44 And if the car in front really slows down,
07:46 it won't just use engine braking,
07:48 it'll start to apply the brakes.
07:50 And it works.
07:51 The Nissan Primera, number eight in our top 10 family
07:54 cars on sale in 2001.
07:56 [MUSIC PLAYING]
08:00 At number seven in our top 10 is the Toyota Avensis.
08:12 The Avensis has an excellent ride and great handling,
08:15 as long as you're on the motorway.
08:17 It won't complain as it eats up the miles,
08:19 but as soon as you turn onto other surfaces,
08:21 you'll gladly sacrifice some of its motorway comfort
08:24 as you lurch round corners.
08:26 Space up front is good, but the sloping roof
08:29 means headroom is limited in the rear.
08:31 However, you will find class-leading legroom
08:34 back there.
08:35 The large boot is practically shaped and further improved
08:38 upon by the split folding rear seats.
08:40 The Avensis lives up to Toyota's reputation for reliability.
08:44 You get the feeling that this car was built to last.
08:47 Safety and security are high on the list priorities
08:49 for the Avensis, with driver, passenger, and side airbags
08:53 as standard, as well as deadlocks
08:55 and remote central locking.
08:56 The Toyota Avensis, number seven in our chart this week.
09:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:03 At number six is yet another Japanese offering,
09:14 the Honda Accord.
09:16 The Honda Accord is not best known for its performance.
09:19 It's not that they don't have powerful engines.
09:21 It's just that they need to be revved quite high to get
09:23 any kind of response from them.
09:25 Motorway cruising is what the Accord is tuned for.
09:27 But as with most things, there is the exception to the rule.
09:31 In this case, it's the very well-received and powerful Type
09:35 R. Boy, is that fast.
09:37 The Accord boasts a decent range of equipment,
09:40 even in the base models.
09:41 Air conditioning, remote central locking, and electric windows
09:44 come as standard, with climate control, leather upholstery,
09:47 and alloys introduced for SE models and above.
09:50 As with any car carrying your family,
09:52 you want to know it's safe.
09:54 And with a four-star Euro NCAP rating awarded to the Accord,
09:58 you'll rest easy.
09:59 Ladies and gentlemen, at number six, the Honda Accord.
10:02 [MUSIC PLAYING]
10:05 In at number five is the second contender
10:17 from our Gaelic friends across the channel, the Peugeot 406.
10:21 If you and your family regularly find yourselves
10:23 traveling the length and breadth of the country,
10:25 visiting relatives, going on holiday,
10:27 then the 406 could be the car for you.
10:30 Peugeot's strength has always been its ride and handling.
10:32 And combined with the standard cruise control,
10:35 motorway miles will fly by effortlessly.
10:38 The seats are extremely comfortable,
10:39 thanks to their fine adjustments.
10:41 And the recently updated airy cabin
10:43 gives you and the kids a pleasant environment
10:45 to help you feel relaxed and comfortable
10:47 on those long journeys.
10:49 If badge snobbery isn't high on your list of priorities,
10:52 then you'll find your money will buy a top spec
10:54 406 for the same price as a standard Audi, Merc, or BMW.
10:59 Running costs are also kind to your pocket.
11:01 But do watch out when you come to sell on your 406.
11:05 Its growing popularity as a fleet car
11:06 means they are losing their residual values fast.
11:09 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:12 Join us after the break as we continue our countdown
11:15 towards the number one family car of 2001.
11:18 See you soon.
11:19 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:23 Welcome back.
11:26 I'm Dave Lee Travis, and this is the top 10 family cars of 2001.
11:30 We continue now with our countdown towards the number
11:32 one family car.
11:33 [MUSIC PLAYING]
11:37 At number four is a model from the UK.
11:39 Yes, the UK.
11:41 It is, of course, the Rover 75.
11:44 Rover have had it tough in recent years,
11:46 but now that BMW have finally washed
11:48 their hands of this traditionally great UK car
11:51 manufacturer, hopefully it'll build success
11:53 under its British ownership.
11:55 So there's one reason to buy the Rover 75.
11:57 Do your bit for the British motor industry.
11:59 But I suspect there's a reason for the British car
12:02 to be a bit more expensive.
12:04 Do your bit for the British motor industry.
12:06 But I suspect it will take more than just a sense of patriotism
12:10 to persuade the average car buyer
12:11 to part with their hard-earned cash.
12:14 The feel of the car is much more solid,
12:16 and it's far better screwed together
12:18 than the Rovers of old.
12:19 So don't let the badge put you off.
12:22 The 75 hails back to its old BMW roots,
12:25 but the interior still has an old English charm about it.
12:29 The styling inside and out has a pleasant retro feel to it,
12:32 which, bizarrely, is now the hot fashion in the Detroit
12:35 styling houses.
12:36 The Brits leading the Americans?
12:38 Wow.
12:39 Rover have done a great job in here.
12:41 Don't think that the flimsy, slightly tacky interiors
12:45 of the smaller Rovers have been emulated.
12:47 This cabin is worthy of a jag.
12:49 Very stylish, very well put together,
12:52 and very well equipped, if a little oldie worldie.
12:57 Now, personally, I prefer the interior of the MG ZT.
13:00 Same layout, but no fake wood, no cream dials.
13:04 It's all aluminium and graphite.
13:06 Or maybe it's just that I'm too young and trendy
13:08 to appreciate fake walnuts.
13:11 At number four, please give a big hand for the Rover 75.
13:28 And so into the top three family cars of 2001.
13:31 Any guesses as to what car is occupying the top slot?
13:35 At number three, as voted by our expert panel,
13:37 is the Renault Laguna.
13:39 While the old Laguna didn't suffer from many reliability
13:42 problems, the new model does seem
13:43 to have a higher standard of engineering,
13:46 generally feeling more solid.
13:48 Inside, the Laguna is not as roomy as some
13:50 of the bigger family cars.
13:51 And if you're tall, you might find it lacks headroom.
13:54 Despite this, it's certainly not cramped,
13:56 and there's plenty of legroom and shoulder space.
14:00 It's becoming a bit of a cliche to say that the French are
14:03 no good at building large cars.
14:05 And it's not entirely fair.
14:06 It's probably more accurate to say that we're just not very
14:09 good at buying large French cars.
14:11 And I think part of that is because the attributes
14:13 that the French have traditionally
14:14 given their smaller cars, like practicality, durability,
14:18 kind of utilitarian features, just
14:21 don't translate into big cars.
14:23 In big cars, generally, we want to feel posited.
14:25 We want to feel we're in a luxurious and, best of all,
14:28 expensive machine.
14:29 And previously, they just haven't cut it.
14:32 The Laguna then, when it first came out,
14:33 was extremely important for Renault,
14:35 because it kind of started to turn that round,
14:37 which makes this, the new Laguna, very important for Renault.
14:42 Now, once you're inside the Laguna,
14:43 the technology continues.
14:44 You've got quite a clever, almost head-up display,
14:47 which actually monitors the tire pressures.
14:49 There's a synthesized voice that lets
14:50 you know if the tires are going down
14:51 or if you've got a door open.
14:53 And there's driver passenger airbags
14:55 and an electric sunroof.
14:56 Now, satellite navigation and electronic stability controls
14:59 are available as an option.
15:00 But everything else I've mentioned
15:02 does come as standard.
15:03 And the materials that Renault have used in this new car,
15:05 well, they feel very, very good, very high quality.
15:08 And it's quite a nice place to spend time.
15:10 And remember that keyless ignition?
15:12 Put it in the slot, press the button.
15:15 Couldn't be easier.
15:18 The Laguna has also received a five-star rating
15:21 from Euro NCAP, very important in the car transporting
15:24 your family around.
15:25 [MUSIC PLAYING]
15:28 And so, on to our number two in our top 10 family cars of 2001.
15:43 Just pipped to the top spot, it's the Volkswagen Passat.
15:46 Built on the same foundations as the Audi A4,
15:49 the Passat is proving to be on a par with the car from which
15:52 it's been cloned.
15:53 Inside, the standard leather interior
15:55 gives this Volkswagen a real feel of quality.
15:58 Add to this the other standard equipment,
16:00 including airbags from all angles,
16:02 powered steering, and electric virtually everything,
16:05 and you're starting to see why the Passat is
16:07 at the top end of our top 10.
16:09 Now, in the Passat, the fit and finish is first class.
16:12 And the driving position, excellent.
16:15 We've got electric windows, central locking,
16:17 and climate control as standard.
16:19 And a must for any long distance driver,
16:22 ceiling mounted sunglass holder.
16:25 Now, there's enough space in here
16:26 to sit five people comfortably, with room
16:29 left over in the boot for anything
16:31 you might want to put in there.
16:32 [ENGINE REVVING]
16:35 It's never going to have you on the edge of your seat,
16:37 although it will have you costed in comfort.
16:40 In a straight line, the Passat is a very refined car
16:44 to travel in.
16:45 It's really solid, and it's got a good punch of power
16:48 through the mid-range.
16:49 But, very much like the Golf, when you get to the corners,
16:53 it really is quite, whoa, wallowy.
16:58 And I feel that this lets down the ride really
17:01 quite drastically.
17:03 Engines.
17:03 Well, you've got a choice of eight in total,
17:05 of which three are new.
17:06 There are four diesel and three petrol.
17:08 The new ones are two 1.9 liter TDI diesel engines,
17:12 one with 101 and one with 130 brake horsepower,
17:15 and a 170 brake horsepower V5 petrol engine.
17:19 Mm, lovely.
17:20 This is the 1.9 liter with 130 brake horsepower, by the way,
17:23 one of the turbo diesel injection engines.
17:25 Very nice, it is, too.
17:26 Loads of mid-range, all a punchy spectrum
17:28 of good modern diesel.
17:30 That allied to plenty of power, and not bad economy either.
17:34 Of course, the main difference between the Passat and the A4
17:37 is that the A4 is an Audi.
17:39 But the three grand price difference
17:41 could be just enough to persuade some
17:43 to forget about bad schnobbery.
17:45 [MUSIC PLAYING]
17:48 So before we find which cars made it
17:54 to the top of our charts, let's run down the top 10 family
17:57 cars of 2001 from 10 to 2.
18:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
18:03 In at number 10 is sensible but boring Vauxhall Vectra.
18:09 At number nine, no Clive Sinclair jokes,
18:11 it's the C5 from Citroen.
18:13 At number eight is the current model Nissan Primera.
18:17 In at number seven is the worthy Toyota Avensis.
18:21 At number six, we have the excellent Honda Accord.
18:24 At number five, Peugeot's 406.
18:27 In at number four is the great British Rover 75.
18:31 At number three, another from France, it's the Renault Laguna.
18:35 And at number two, near but yet so far,
18:38 the A4 clone, the Volkswagen Passat.
18:41 And so, onto our number one family car of 2001,
18:45 as voted for by our expert panel.
18:47 [MUSIC PLAYING]
18:50 At number one, from Ford, it is, of course, the Mondeo.
18:57 The best testament to just how good the Ford Mondeo is
19:00 is how many times other cars in its class are compared to it.
19:03 Look at any review of any family car,
19:06 and there's always some comparison
19:07 stating how the said car isn't as good as the Mondeo
19:10 on whatever front.
19:12 One of the secrets to the Mondeo's success
19:14 is that much of the design, testing, and feedback
19:16 came from Formula One veteran Jackie Stewart.
19:19 And the results are obvious when you get behind the wheel.
19:23 Ford say this is their first virtual reality car.
19:27 It's a car that was designed and built
19:29 without ever leaving the engineer's computer screens.
19:33 And Ford say that saved them a fantastic amount of time
19:36 and money in technical drawings and modeling
19:40 of the new car.
19:41 If you were cynical, you'd say, well,
19:43 they didn't have to do that much work,
19:45 because they've simply copied Volkswagen's Passat.
19:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]
19:51 The resemblance really is uncanny.
20:02 Ford are prepared to say that they used the Passat
20:05 as a benchmark when they were planning
20:07 the replacement for Mondeo, which, after all,
20:10 was launched in 1993.
20:12 It's one of Britain's best-selling cars.
20:14 But benchmarking and cloning are two different things.
20:18 Make no mistake, this sets new standards
20:21 for Ford in the marketplace.
20:22 In the first place, you're sitting higher.
20:24 There's more hip, leg, and shoulder room
20:26 for driver and passenger, excellent leg room in the back
20:30 for rear seat passengers, and as you'd
20:32 expect from the curved roof, excellent headroom,
20:35 both front and rear.
20:37 You'll be quite happy to transport your family around
20:39 in a Ford Mondeo.
20:40 Safety is excellent, with six airbags,
20:43 anti-whiplash headrests, and anti-lock brakes as standard.
20:47 And with the anti-theft device as standard, too,
20:49 you can bet that the new Mondeo will
20:51 continue the impressive safety record of its predecessor.
20:55 Well, you have to say, they've done an absolutely brilliant
20:57 job.
20:58 Mind you, the old Mondeo was no slouch.
21:00 I remember the launch in Scotland at Glen Eagles
21:03 with Jackie Stewart hurtling us around the Highland Roads,
21:07 with two of us gibbering quietly with fright in the back.
21:11 But they've done a huge giant stride forward
21:14 from that car with this one.
21:17 And when you think, I mean, this is
21:18 the epitome of a middle-of-the-road family
21:21 saloon from Ford.
21:22 It's what the Cortina and the Sierra were a few years ago.
21:26 And it feels more like a BMW or an Audi to drive.
21:30 [MUSIC PLAYING]
21:34 In short, one of the best-selling cars in Britain
21:42 suddenly got a whole lot better.
21:44 In comparison to Passat, well, the new Passat
21:47 is very much a facelift on the existing car.
21:50 This Mondeo is a huge leap forward.
21:53 [MUSIC PLAYING]
21:56 [MUSIC PLAYING]
22:00 So congratulations to Ford for their outstanding Mondeo.
22:09 Join us next week as we take a look at the top 10 image
22:12 cars of 2001.
22:14 This is Dave Lee Travis saying, see you next week.
22:16 Take it easy.
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