Two popular Porsche models have been recalled to fix transmission bushings that could degrade, increasing the risk of the vehicle rolling away while in park. In the meantime, Porsche is telling vehicle owners to use their cars' parking brakes. The recall will begin Aug. 11, according to documents released last week by the NHTSA. Both the Porsche Cayenne SUV and the Panamera hatchback sedan are the subject vehicles. The NHTSA didn't provide breakdowns for how many of each model are affected, but total, the recall covers 99,665 vehicles. The recall also spans over a decade of cars. Included in the recall for the rollaway risk are the 2003-2010 Cayenne and 2010-2016 Panamera. The German brand said the affected vehicles feature a plastic bushing that connects the gear selector lever and transmission. The bushing may wear down and detach from the transmission, and that could leave an owner in the wrong gear even if the vehicle is in park and turned off. While the selector may say park, the transmission may remain in drive or another gear that requests motion. A rollaway risk increases the likelihood of injury or a crash. Owners will not see warning lights or hear a chime to warn him or her of the problem, either. The fix the problem, Porsche will replace the shifter cable bushing free of charge. Upon bringing the Panamera or Cayenne to a dealer, a technician will inspect the part and swap in a stronger plastic bushing that will not degrade over time. The brand expects 100 percent of the affected vehicles to house the problem.
There鈥檚 a good level of grip to match the Mercedes, while the steering is similarly lifeless, but slightly more precise. Along with the ride, it鈥檚 a little more refined, too. The engine doesn鈥檛 sound particularly pleasant, but it doesn鈥檛 have the A-Class鈥檚 strained note, either, while wind and road noise are well suppressed. Testers鈥?notes: While the interior isn鈥檛 as modern as the A-Class鈥檚, the Golf鈥檚 ergonomics are sound and everything is constructed from high-quality materials that easily match the Mercedes鈥? With a similar mechanical make-up to the VW, the Audi A3 is another premium hatch. It appeared before the Mk7 Golf, showcasing some clever tech. It鈥檚 had some revisions over its six-year life, too, but is it still competitive in this class? To find out, we test a 拢28,835 1.5 TFSI S tronic in S line trim. Unlike the Golf, our A3 didn鈥檛 have adaptive dampers, and on 拢325 18-inch alloys the ride feels crashier than the VW鈥檚. It suffers from a similar problem as the Mercedes at lower speeds, but doesn鈥檛 feel quite as busy over broken roads or fidget as much in town.
Once you get out on to more open, flowing roads the A3鈥檚 chassis set-up makes more sense, because it鈥檚 direct and responsive with plenty of stability. Due to the MQB underpinnings the steering feels similar to the VW鈥檚. But it doesn鈥檛 have a dynamic edge over the Golf and can鈥檛 match it for comfort. The A3鈥檚 1.5 TFSI unit did deliver performance to match the VW, though, with the low-down torque morphing into a keen top end that, for a regular engine, encourages you to exploit the performance. Testers鈥?notes: It鈥檚 a shame that you have to spec the 拢1,395 Technology Pack on S line trim to get the Virtual Cockpit. It鈥檚 not available as a standalone feature, as it is with the Golf. The Golf asserts its authority again thanks to its all-round ability. It鈥檚 the most affordable and comfortable choice, but also the sweetest to drive, while it鈥檒l be cost-effective to run, too.
Factor in great standard infotainment, more practicality and plenty of quality, matched by a good level of usability, and the VW is still the undisputed king of the family hatchback sector. Mercedes鈥?latest A-Class has taken a big leap forward. It feels more upmarket thanks to its advanced but optional infotainment, yet while the packaging is improved, it鈥檚 still not as practical as the Golf. It doesn鈥檛 drive as well, either, mainly due to a lack of comfort over the VW, and while it鈥檚 slightly quicker, it鈥檒l be pricier to buy and more expensive to run than the Golf. While it uses similar hardware to the Golf, the A3 trails a little on execution, and six years after launch it鈥檚 starting to lag behind the best in the class. It鈥檚 fast, fun to drive and composed, while it offers relatively strong usability. Despite impressive economy and lovely quality, the Audi is the priciest car here, but doesn鈥檛 feel as advanced in standard form inside. BMW鈥檚 1 Series is one of the more dynamic premium hatchbacks on offer. It has the measure of the A-Class for enjoyment behind the wheel, but even after a facelift, it doesn鈥檛 feel as modern as the Mercedes. The Infiniti Q30 is based on the previous-generation A-Class, but lines up as a premium hatch to rival this crop. Yet the cabin is cramped, the 1.6 engine feels strained and it鈥檚 pricey, even compared with these models.
Former Formula One racer and Le Mans winner Mark Blundell has announced that he鈥檒l be driving in this season鈥檚 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. Race wins in the US CART series followed along with more Le Mans drives before he turned his attention to his sports management business MB Partners, which mentors and manages elite and up-and-coming racing drivers. Speaking about his BTCC debut, Blundell said: 鈥淥nce the opportunity arose to get back behind the wheel, it was always something I was very keen to make happen. 鈥淚 have been lucky enough to have had a fantastic motor racing career to date and to have been a part of British motorsport for many years. Blundell will be lining up against BTCC veterans Jason Plato and Matt Neal as well as 2018 champion Colin Turkington and Nicolas Hamilton, brother of F1 champion Lewis. Since the beginning of the championship in 1958, F1 stars have been regular starters in BTCC. In the sixties Jim Clark crossed over to the tin-top series, while more recently Johnny Herbert, Derek Warwick, Jonathan Palmer and Nigel Mansell have also raced BTCC cars. The BTCC marks Blundell鈥檚 return to front-line motorsport for the first time in six years. It also marks the start of a new sponsorship package from a large global company, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks. 鈥淢y participation in the series has come about due to a hugely exciting partnership that we are looking forward to announcing in the coming weeks,鈥?said Blundell. What do you think of Mark Blundell's return to BTCC?