E vo au str alia issue 46 april 2017

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

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529kW rocket blasts to 200km/h in 7.8 seconds!

LA AMBORGHINI PERFORMANTE

NU URBURGRING HERO OR VILLAIN?

MA ANUAL PORSCHE 911 GT3

4.0 0 LITRES, 368kW, 9000rpm. HEAVEN!

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THE ETERNAL MOVEMENT Ulysse Nardin, from the movement of the sea to the perpetual innovation of Haute Horlogerie. For over 170 years, the powerful movement of the ocean has inspired Ulysse Nardin in its singular quest: to push back the limits of mechanical watchmaking, time and time again.

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F E AT UR E S

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P OR S CHE 911 G T 3

L A MBO P ER F OR M A N T E

C OUPE T R IPL E-T E S T

P OR S C HE DR I V E R S

The engine size has increased to 4.0 litres and the power has swollen to 368kW, but it’s the return of the manual gearbox that excites us most

The story behind Lamborghini’s stunning Nurburgring king and the controversy that exploded over that 6:52 lap

Circa-$100K German performance coupes fight it out: new Audi S5, BMW 440i and Mercedes-AMG C43

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How does ageing affect your performance behind the wheel?

With the help of three racing drivers and a GT3 RS, we find out

T E S T ING , T E S T ING

P E A K P O W ER

Manufacturers literally go to the ends of the Earth to develop their latest cars. We give you a spotters’ guide to the best facilities on the planet

Two years ago an electric racing car won the Pikes Peak hill climb. We drive the 1100kW Rimac-developed machine aiming to do it again

074 McLAREN 720S With 529kW and 770Nm from a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, the new Big Mac storms to 200km/h in just 7.8 seconds

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CONTENTS

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118 IC ON: CL IO W IL L I A M S It’s the hot hatch that finally buried the Peugeot 205 GTI. But 24 years on, is the Williams really all it’s cracked up to be?

BLACK BAY BRONZE BRONZE CASE DIAMETER 43 MM WATERPROOF TO 200 M (660 FT)) IN-HOUSE MOVEMENT

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052 AUDI RS3 056 MERCEDES-AMG S63 CABRIOLET 058 SHARKWERKS CAYMAN 062 PORSCHE PANAMERA 064 BMW M760Li xDRIVE

What we drive: Porsche 993, McLaren 675LT, BMW i8, Peugeot 308 GTi, Skoda Octavia vRS, Audi R8 and more…

Want arguably the best hot hatch ever built? All you need to know about buying the Renault Sport Megane

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T HE K NOW L EDGE All the essential data and that famous evo star rating for every modern performance car worth mentioning

F IN A L F R A ME

All the stars of the Geneva motor show including the new Alpine, Honda Civic Type R and a 500kW RUF Yellow Bird

042 L E T T ER S Everyone should drive their supercars more, BMW should do an i8 race series, plus a spirited defense of evo

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CONTENTS

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C OL UMNS Kravitz joins Meaden and Porter

Sometimes no words are required – we pick a photograph that has given us pause to reflect this month

ED SPEAK

I UE 044 FEBRUARY 2017

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

The Geneva motor show is relatively small and it has none of the earnest industry naval-gazing of Frankfurt, Detroit, Shanghai or Tokyo.

Telephone 136 116 Email magshop@magshop.com.au Website www.magshop.com.au/evo

AUSTRALIA EDITORIAL Email contact@evomag.com.au Website www.evomag.com.au PO Box 1110 Darlinghurst 1300 NSW, Australia Editor Jesse Taylor Art director Chris Andrew It wouldn’t have been possible without Christina Brauer, Patricia O’Malley

UK EDITORIAL

H O W E V E R , I T N E V E R FA I L S T O P R O D U C E A motherlode of high-performance cars for enthusiasts to drool over and dream about, and for magazine staff to start pitching and jostling for launch invites.

This year’s Geneva show yielded a particularly bumper crop, and the 991.2 Porsche 911 GT3 (and with it the glorious return of a manual gearbox to a GT 911), Mercedes-AMG GT Concept, McLaren 720S and Lamborghini Huracan Performante all competed for this month’s cover. And had Ferrari and Pagani not released their Geneva stars in time for last issue, the 812 Superfast and Huayra Roadster would have added to the almost impossible task. Ultimately, as you’ve seen, we went with the McLaren because we liked the image, which, to our eyes at least, makes the 720S look like a modern interpretation of the legendary F1.

But beyond the headlining supercars, Geneva’s vein of performance cars runs deep with this year’s show also yielding the new Ford Fiesta ST, Honda Civic Type R (that we’re finally promised to get in Australia) and Audi’s RS5.

And a show with this much depth means that for the next few months we’ll be busy driving and reporting on some of 2017’s most exciting cars.

Without wishing to pre-judge any, a handful promise thrills that may rank them with the best we’ve ever driven. And with evo Australia’s 50th issue anniversary only a few months away, we’d like your help to compile a list of the 50 best cars from our history. Think of it as the ultimate dream garage compilation. Start scratching out your lists, and once you’ve checked them twice, send them to contact@evomag.com.au.

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Jesse Taylor Editor

EVO WORLDWIDE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF China Shawn Lee Croatia Nikola Curic Czech Republic Petr Ehrlich Egypt Ahmed Wakil France Patrick Garcia India Sirish Chandran Italy Piero Bacchetti Malaysia Daniel Wong Middle East Bassam Kronfli Russia Anatoly Komzolov Singapore Sheldon Trollope Slovenia Matjaž Korošak Spain Juan Hernandez-Luike Thailand Chettha Songthaveepol Turkey Bahadir Bektas Ukraine Igor Kravtsov

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Editor Art director Features editor Website editor Road test editor Production editor Film-maker Designer Staff photographer Staff writer Staff writer Subeditor Contributing editor Contributing editor Contributing editor Contributing photographer Technical correspondent Columnist Columnist

Stuart Gallagher Rob Gould Henry Catchpole Hunter Skipworth Dan Prosser Ian Eveleigh Sam Riley Will Beaumont Aston Parrott Sam Sheehan Antony Ingram Richard Lane Jethro Bovingdon Richard Meaden David Vivian Dean Smith Michael Whiteley Richard Porter Dario Franchitti

Contributors (words) Simon de Burton, Simon George, Matthew Hayward, Contributors (pictures) Drew Gibson, Pete Gibson, Gus Gregory, Matt Howell, Olgun Kordal, Andy Morgan, Chris Rutter, Amy Shore It wouldn’t have been possible without Bedford Autodrome, Brynteg Holiday Park, James Cameron, Brett Fraser, Adam Gould, Hamish McAllister, Adam Shorrock, Tyres Northampton, Andy Wallace, Richard Usher and Blyton Park

ADVERTISING & MARKETING Lisa McGrath Phone: 0422 928 579 Email: lisa@mycoverstory.com.au

M O T O R M E D I A N E T W O R K P T Y LT D Director Matthew O’Malley Phone: 0419 901 863 Email: omalley@evomag.com.au www.mmnetwork.com.au

evo Australia is published by Motor Media Network under license from and with the permission of Dennis Publishing. All rights in the material and the title and trademark of this magazine belong to Motor Media Network Pty Ltd and Dennis Publishing Limited absolutely and may not be reproduced, whether in whole or in part, without their prior written consent.

Except as expressly and otherwise indicated in any specific material or editorial content, this magazine is published under license from Dennis Publishing Limited. All rights in the material, title and trademark of this magazine belong to Dennis Publishing Limited absolutely and may not be reproduced, whether in whole or in part, without its prior written consent.

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Distributed by Gordon & Gotch Pty Ltd. Subscriptions fulfilment by Network Services.

Opinions expressed in evo Australia are not necessarily those of the publisher. The claims made by its advertisers do not imply that the services or products are endorsed by Motor Media Network Pty Ltd. While the publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazine’s contents are correct, it is not responsible for any errors or omissions.

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NEWS

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TECHNOLOGY

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M o r e t h a n 20 y e a r s a f te r Fr e n c h s p o r t s c a r f i r m A l p i n e w a s s h u t d o w n , Re n a u l t h a s relaunched the marque by unveiling an all-new two-seat coupe HE ALPINE A110 BORROWS ts name and much of its styling from the legendary sports car of the Sixties and Seventies and the new version will hit the roads towards the end of the year, though it’s still unclear if Australia is part of the revival plans.

The Porsche 718 Cayman rival is a lightweight, rear-wheel drive, midengined coupe. It’s powered by a turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that develops 185kW. Weighing just 1080kg the A110 is a very fast little car – 100km/h comes up in just 4.5 seconds – but it’s more about accessible driving fun than outright performance, says its maker.

Alpine’s engineers worked very hard to achieve that low weight figure. The structure and bodywork are made out of aluminium and there are several very clever weight-saving measures throughout, including bucket seats that are half the weight www.evomag.com.au

of conventional sports seats.

Looking virtually identical to the Alpine vision concept of a couple of years ago, the production Alpine maintains a sloping roofline and gentle wraparound rear screen, both clearly inspired by the original A110.

The new car counters these retro touches with very contemporary LED lighting signatures and surfacing to create a recognisably different look to anything else on the road.

The flat floor allows air to pass underneath a car efficiently while a diffuser ejects air out of the back cleanly, the combined efforts of each effectively speeding up the air below the car. This fast-moving air helps creates downforce without the unwanted side effect of drag, something external wings and spoilers tend to create.

The flat floor and diffuser on the Renault Sport-developed Alpine mean that there is no need for any

other wings or spoilers, and the body remains uncluttered much like the marque’s original A110 from the 1960s and 70s.

Both the chassis and body of the Alpine are formed from aluminium, chosen for its light weight – key to hitting the company’s performance targets and competing with some tough rivals.

In keeping with the rest of the car, Alpine has designed some special lightweight bucket seats for the new A110. The company claims a total seat weight – rails and all – of 13.1kg, said to be a reduction of around a half next to some competitors’ pews. Like the seats in the Porsche Cayman GT4 the Alpine’s chairs are fixed-back buckets, while Alpine has made a feature of the side-mount support rails.

Alpine’s design chief Antony Villain has explained that the new car is all about striking a balance

between comfort and lightweight materials. It won’t quite have Lotus Elise levels of simplicity, but expect the Alpine road car to make a few concessions towards keeping its weight down.

Alpine has confirmed that the car will use a four-cylinder, turbocharged powerplant, and the firm’s images – cover your eyes, manual purists – show a car with two pedals and steering wheel-mounted paddles.

Hopefully, Renault’s latest attempt at a dual-clutch transmission is better than that used in the Renault Sport Clio 200 Turbo.

The company is hoping to seek customers sensitive to the marque’s history and culture, while the allure of Renault Sport engineering should ensnare a few more. We hope it’s a good effort – Renault Sport has canned the Clio RS16 to ensure it has production and engineering capacity for the Alpine.

FIRST LOOK

by DAN PROSSER

WEIGHT

Weight saving was a key aspect of the development of the A110. The chassis and body panels are fashioned from aluminium and Renault Sport even designed a set of seats specifically for the Alpine. At just 13.1kg each (including the rails), the fixed-back, compositeshelled seats are said to be half the weight of a normal sports bucket.

AERO

The flat floor and diffuser on the Alpine mean that there is no need for any other wings or spoilers, and the body remains uncluttered like that of the original A110 from the 1960s and 70s.

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Honda Civic Type R H o n d a h a s s te p p e d o u t o f t h e h o t h a tc h p o w e r r a c e w i t h t h e n e w C i v i c Ty p e R f o r m o r e rounded talents of a car whose focus is now its cha ssis, its b e h av i o u r a n d i t s f e e lÂ

FIRST LOOK

by DAN PROSSER

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HILE ENGINEERING THE current generation Civic, Honda engineers kept in mind the Type R derivative from the outset; potentially lighter than before (no figure has been revealed) and definitely lower, the 38 per cent stiffer structure is endowed with a multi-link rear suspension set-up which displaces the old torsion beam.

The driving position too benefits from the elevation drop; the driver’s hip point is 50mm closer to the road.

Keeping with the previous Type R’s attention-grabbing looks, the new car is every bit as aggressive and left field but is a more cohesive design.

The new look serves function as well as form, with Honda claiming ‘the best balance of lift and drag’ in the class, assisted by a largely flat underbody and vortex generators at the roof’s trailing edge that channel airflow toward the huge rear wing.

The previous car’s 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine has been retained, as has its

six-speed manual gearbox. Honda engineers have told evo that shifting cogs with three pedals and a stick is an integral part of the hot hatch experience in their view. Technology is never far away, however, since a rev-match function is now available – you can still turn this off and heeland-toe to your heart’s content.

The Type R also retains a frontwheel drive layout, managing the torque to the front wheels via a limited slip differential; there are no plans for either a twin clutch gearbox or all-wheel drive. With only 7kW extra – now 235kW at 6500rpm, and with an identical 400Nm to the outgoing car – the lack of all-wheel drive shouldn’t be too much of an issue for the front tyres, particularly given the favourable physics of a wider, lower car.

Honda quotes a 0-100km/h time of under 5.7 seconds, but doesn’t reveal a top speed. The old car was capable of an impressive 270km/h, so given the extra power and lower

The old car was capable of 270km/h, so with more power there’s a chance that the new Type R will be even faster profile, it’s possible the new car could go even faster. Weight hasn’t yet been confirmed; the latest Civic is lighter than its predecessor, but the Type R is expected to be similar to the old car’s 1378kg.

All of the above should mean Honda has been able to take a significant step forward in terms of outright performance, but also to meet their goals to improve the Type R’s everyday usability – important given that this is the first time

the Civic Type R is a global seller.

As part of that aim, Honda has expanded the car’s driving modes to three settings, adding ‘Comfort’ beneath ‘Sport’ and the track-focused ‘+R’ mode. Apparently feedback from customers suggested most found +R virtually unusable on the road, and we’d concur, but the new setup should allow the Type R to work better on UK and Australian roads, even if a user-programmable ‘individual’ mode is still notable by its absence.

Just one tyre will be available: the Continental Sport Contact 6, mounted on larger, 20-inch rims. In theory, that puts Honda at a slight disadvantage in terms of outright performance against rivals who offer a stickier tyre option, but Honda has tried hard to make the car work well everywhere on the one tyre, viewing it as an engineering challenge.

Unlike the last Civic Type R, Australia is promised the new model.

Expect sales to begin late this year or early 2018. www.evomag.com.au

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FIRST LOOK b y Ab N y TDOANNY PIRNOGSRSAE M R

Mercedes-AMG GT Concept 6 0 0 k W h y b r i d f o u r- d o o r s u p e r- c o u p e p r e v i e w s t h e n e x t m o d e l i n A M G’s s p o r t s c a r l i n e - u p a f te r t h e S L S A M G a n d A M G G T

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HE MERCEDES STAND AT the recent Geneva motor show was dominated by the brand’s latest AMG sports car – the GT Concept. Previewing an eventual production model to sit above the brilliant AMG GT, it’s a four-door coupe with an ultra-modern hybrid drivetrain, which could rival the latest Porsche Panamera when it arrives in production form in 2018.

The GT Concept utilises a twinturbocharged V8 petrol engine mated to an electric motor and battery system, creating a high-performance hybrid powertrain with up to 600kW. That power, coupled to all-wheel drive, equates to a 0-100km/h sprint time of under three seconds – “which corresponds to a super sports car level”, said Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Mercedes-AMG. We expect that the production version will be somewhat toned down from these enormous figures.

The GT Concept also boasts torque vectoring and rear-wheel steering is also a possibility, so expect sharp dynamics.

The long, low fastback silhouette

of the GT Concept is similar to that of the CLS – but an aggressive, forwardraked nose and slim LED headlights distinguish it from that model.

Muscular proportions and strong character lines down the length of the bonnet mark it out as an AMG, while the sloping roofline and glass area is rather reminiscent of a Tesla Model S. Tesla-style pop-out door handles feature, too, while the rear features a large diffuser and centrally-mounted exhaust.

The LED headlights feature ‘Nano

A combined output of 600kW, coupled to all-wheel drive, equates to a 0-100km/h time of under three seconds

active fibre technology’ for the daytime running lights – essentially a rope light within the headlight.

The same technology is utilised in the slim taillights. Exterior mirrors are similarly high-tech, having been replaced by cameras.

The GT Concept utilises carbonfibre for the roof, front spoiler wings, side sills and rear diffuser in a bid to keep weight down. The GT Concept is the second AMG model to be labelled ‘EQ Power+’ – the badge which will adorn all future performance hybrids from Mercedes-AMG. Despite the massive performance on offer, the car has been developed with the advantages of hybridisation in mind – meaning it can run on pure electric power for short distances to aid economy or reduce pollution in city centres. The battery system is derived from tech used on the Mercedes F1 car, and AMG says it’s “more powerful than conventional hybrid batteries, but at the same time more compact and lighter”.

The GT Concept is a further development of AMG’s engineering lead within the Mercedes empire.

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The engine is effectively GT4spec, its 375kW making it the most powerful V8 Vantage thus far.

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he Aston Martin Vantage AMR Pro and the Rapide AMR take inspiration from the firm’s racing programmes, and feature power increases, honed chassis and unique exterior and interior styling to more closely link them with Aston’s GT racing campaign.

Of the two, the Rapide AMR is perhaps the most unusual, as although it does indeed have some racing under its belt (at the Nurburgring 24 Hours), it’s a car one perhaps doesn’t associate with motorsport.

As such, it’s a little less extreme than the Vantage AMR Pro. No less striking, though – while the Stirling Green paintwork is relatively subtle, the lime green stripe down its centre, as well as lime green accents on its front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser, are anything but.

The 21-inch alloy wheels are all new, as is the aero package and the small spoiler sitting atop the bootlid.

Inside it trades the usual gin palace

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Aston Martin AMR A s to n M a r t i n h a s reinforced its connection between its road car line and its racing exploits a t t h e G e n e v a m o to r s h o w, w i t h t h e l a u n c h of two new AMR models

leather trim for something more familiar from the racing paddock, with more lime green accents (including an enormous central stripe on the rooflining, echoing that of the exterior), a set of carbonfibre front seats and a carbonfibre centre console.

The Vantage AMR Pro sits much closer to the GT3 and GT4-class race cars, not least because Aston Martin bills the car as track-only – though like other high-end track-only vehicles, it can’t be long until an enterprising business begins converting them for road use.

Either way, the engine is effectively GT4 spec, its 375kW output making it the most powerful V8 Vantage thus far. It’ll be a fiery companion too with competition-spec engine and transmission mounts sending every shiver of the V8 through the chassis, which itself is mounted on adjustable suspension.

Wheels are 19x9.5-inch up front

and 19x11.5-inch at the rear, attached to centre-lock hubs and wrapped in sticky Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tyres.

Styling takes cues from the friendlier Rapide and runs with them: The vibrant centre stripe returns, but the lime green also features on the end plates of the huge GT rear wing. The front grille stretches from the splitter to its usual home on the nose and the bonnet is latched using racing pins.

The cabin too is special, but no stripped-out racing environment: like the Aston Martin Vulcan it’s very much a quality piece, once again dotted with lime green accents and making use of carbonfibre bucket seats. You do however get a custom roll cage, hidden neatly away behind the seats.

Eventually, says Aston Martin, every model in the range will have an AMR-specification model, which suggests some crazy vehicles will soon be on the way.

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NE W ME TA L edited by STUART GA LL AGHER

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EVER LACKING IN LUSTING onlookers at the Geneva show, the RUF stand hosted the reveal of the new Mezger-engined CTR. It represents just another way to spend your money on 911-based machinery if current avenues aren’t to your tastes.

Under the familiar, 964 frock is a new, ground up design encasing some serious engineering. T h e 52 2 kW CTR f e at u r e s innovative construction methods, utilising a carbonfibre monocoque chassis making it the first rear-wheel, rearengined car to run this configuration.

The carbon tub is bonded to a steel structure to create the upper passenger cell, and front and rear frames.

The 19-inch centre-lock wheels are suspended by double wishbones that operate push-rod actuated dampers to minimise unsprung weight. The front spring and damper pairing are fitted longitudinally in the car and are visible with the front compartment open, as opposed to the rear spring and damper combo which are mounted transversely at the front of the engine bay Extensive use of carbonfibre to construct all the body panels has allowed RUF to roll, bend and redesign the the five-generation old body to accommodate significantly

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RUF Yellow Bird R U F i s b a c k to i t s b e s t w i t h t h e r e v i v a l o f t h e C T R n a m e p l a te – t h e f a m o u s Ye l l o w B i r d more advanced hardware than was ever designed for the 964. As a result, it tips the scales at a low 1200kg.

The rear windows have also been angled in towards the centre of the car to create a vent to supply air to the engine, while RUF’s signature air intakes over the rear wheels feed air to the intercooler.

Modern bucket seats, the visible carbon tub and acres of Alcantara dominate the interior, but the CTR’s retro look hasn’t been completely forgotten. A traditional Porsche fivedial instrument cluster is present and the seats have been covered in a yellow tartan fabric.

The 2017 CTR is powered by a

water-cooled twin-turbocharged 3.6-litre flat six engine, based on Porsche’s Mezger powerplant found in some old 911 Turbos and its GT cars.

After RUF has performed its magic though, the Mezger in the CTR puts out 522kW and 880Nm. That’s then sent through a RUF-developed sixspeed manual gearbox and limited slip differential. Unlike RUF’s last supercar, the CTR3, RUF has stayed true to its roots and the new car’s engine is located at the rear.

The result of such vast power and torque is a 0-100km/h time under 3.5sec and 200km/h in less than 9sec. RUF says that the CTR will hit a top speed of 362km/h. If you want

to get your hands on one though, you’re going to need to move as quickly yourself. RUF will only build 30 2017 CTRs and each will cost approximately $1,500,000 before local taxes.

The 2017 CTR comes exactly 30 years after the original CTR, known as the Yellow Bird, was released. The original Yellow Bird has been seared onto the brain of many car enthusiast for many reasons, but probably most memorable was the video that the Yellow Bird starred in, Faszination. The 16-minute long film showed RUF’s creation being manhandled around the Nordschleife by white socks and loafer-clad Stefan Roser.

More impressive than his footwear was his ability to control RUF’s heavily turbocharged creation. Each corner is dispatched with an equal degree of aggression and delicacy, Roser attacks each turn-in then balances the car with expert precision to gather up and slide right at the exit of each corner. Exterior shots show the inch-perfect slides with the Yellow Bird hitting each apex and exit as plumes of tyre smoke erupt from the rear tyres. It’s car control, show boating and Nurburgring knowledge at its absolute finest.

Our fingers are crossed for a Faszination 2...

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NE W ME TA L edited by STUART GA LL AGHER

Aston Martin Valkyrie

A s to n M a r t i n c h o s e t h e r e c e n t G e n e v a m o to r s h o w to o f f i c i a l l y n a m e i t s u p c o m i n g h y p e r c a r, r a n d to a n n o u n c e te c h n i c a l p a r t n e r s h i p s

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CAR SURE TO BE AMONG the most extreme ever made available for the road needs a name to suit, and at the recent Geneva motor show Aston Martin announced that the project formerly known as AM-RB 001 will go into production as the Valkyrie. A valkyrie is a female figure who carried those who died in battle to the mythical afterlife, Valhalla – perhaps slightly ominous, given the car’s insane performance. Still, there are worse ways to go through the pearly gates than in a bespoke Aston Martin V12 hypercar…

The Valkyrie continues Aston Martin’s tradition of names beginning with V – such as Vanquish, Volante, and Vantage. Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman, said, “Aston Martin model names have deep meaning. They need to inspire and excite. The Aston Martin Valkyrie is an incredibly special car that demands an equally remarkable name; an uncompromising car that leaves nothing in reserve. The connotations of power and honour, of being chosen by the Gods, are so evocative, and so pertinent to a car that only a fortunate few will ever experience.’’

Aston Martin also announced a number of key suppliers to the

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Cosworth is building the 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 for Aston Martin

Adrian Newey-designed y g p project, j including a collaboration with iconic engine manufacturer Cosworth to produce the power unit for the Valkyrie hypercar. Cosworth is building a 6.5-litre V12 engine for the car, but unlike the current trend towards turbocharging it’s a naturally aspirated unit, like the engine used in the Ferrari LaFerrari. Also like that car, it’s paired with a ‘lightweight hybrid battery system’ – which we’re expecting will take the form of a KERS-style boost system like that on current Formula One cars.

More well-known names have collaborated on the rest of the car.

Ricardo, supplier to Bugatti and McLaren among others, has been called in to produce the Valkyrie’s gearbox, and has designed and

manufactured a bespoke seven-speed p p paddle-shift transmission for the car.

Meanwhile, Croatian-based Rimac (known most for its Concept One electric hypercar) has worked on the hybrid battery system.

Harnessing the outputs of the complex drivetain and making use of the vast aerodynamic grip, the Valkyrie will be shod with Michelin Pilot Cup 2 rubber. The front tyres measure 265/35 R20, while the rears are an expansive 325/30 R21, a staggered set-up common to midengined supercars. Aston Martin has kept unsprung weight to a minimum by wrapping the R-compound tyres around magnesium centre-lock wheels measuring 20 x 9.5-inch and 21 x 11.5-inch.

The Valkyrie is due in 2019.

TECHNOLOGY DERIVED FROM THE WORLD OF MOTOR SPORTS www.facebook.com/michelinaunz | www.michelin.com.au

MICHELIN WRC

Michelin-shod Green schnell-raiser lowers Bathurst road car mark but leaves a bit behind

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HE WORLD RALLY Championship Has ushered in a new era of cars in 2017 – and the series is off to its most exciting and varied start in recent years with the first three rounds of the 13-round season going to three different drivers representing three different manufacturers.

The technical changes to the cars are extensive, and designed to improve the spectacle while still keeping development costs at a manageable level. The 1.6-litre engine format remains, but the turbo restrictor increases in size from 33mm to 36mm. As a result, the cars are expected to produce as much as 285kW, and 680Nm should be achievable.

Under the skin, the active centre differential – removed at the introduction of the 1.6-litre

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era back in 2011 on grounds of cost – is now back in, allowing the teams to play around with how the power is distributed to the mechanical front and rear diffs.

And while the basic format for the cars remains similar – frontengined cars, a minimum length of 3.9 metres – the teams have been allowed to widen the tracks, creating more dramatic shapes with the resulting wheelarch extensions. The ‘box’ into which rear wings must fit has been enlarged, too – as some of the extreme solutions explored during a year of testing have revealed.

And of course, these dramatic new WRC cars grip the snow, gravel and tarmac with Michelin tyres. Of the 13 rounds of the 2017 World Rally Championship, nine are held on gravel, including

A DV E RT I S I N G F EAT U R E

2017 WRC CALENDAR (remaining rounds) 6-9 April

France

27-30 April

Argentina

18-21 May

Portugal

8-11 June

Italy

29 June-2 July

Poland

27-30 July

Finland

17-20 August

Germany

5-8 October

Spain

26-29 October

Great Britain

16-19 November

Australia

Left: The BFGoodrichshod Peugeot’s of Stéphane Peterhansel and Sébastien Loeb dominated the car category. Bottom left: The MICHELIN Desert Race took Sam Sunderland’s Red Bull KTM to the top of the

the most recent round in Mexico.

Speaking at Rally Mexico, Jacques Morelli, manager of Michelin’s FIA WRC programme, explained the thinking behind the MICHELIN LTX Force S5’s development for the 2017 WRC season: “If you look at the season’s nine gravel rallies, the hard-compound tyre is only the nominated choice in Italy, Spain and Australia where it is widely used when the conditions are dry.

We therefore decided to focus on

broadening the window of the soft version of the MICHELIN LTX Force. Our engineers paid particularly close attention to its longevity and resistance to damage. In keeping with the MICHELIN Total Performance philosophy, they succeeded in achieving these qualities with no detriment to stage times.”

“Congratulations to Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle and to everyone at Citroën Racing! This is a demanding rally which is tough

on both the crews and their cars, but they enjoyed a very reliable run,” said Michelin Motorsport Director Pascal Couasnon. “Since the start of 2017, we have had three different winners in three different cars, in conditions ranging from snow and -15° C in Sweden, to 25°C on gravel here in Mexico, and temperatures around freezing point on the Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Each time, our partners were able to take advantage of the safety,

performance and durability of our tyres.”

The next round of the championship begins on April 6 on the tarmac of the Tour de Corse in Corsica. The gravel stages of Coffs Harbour at Rally Australia hosts the final round of the championship in November.

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

www.evomag.com.au

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BELL & ROSS BR-RS17 B &R d i g s u p a F o r m u l a 1 i n s p i r e d s ke l e to n

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ITH A NOTHER FOR MUL A 1 s e a s o n u n de r w a y, w e t a k e a c l o s e r l o o k at B e l l & R o s s ’ Formula 1 inspired BR-RS17 chronograph collection, with a particular focus on the extreme BR-X1 RS17 skeleton model.

Designed for racing drivers, the new Bell & Ross BR-RS17 collection is made up of truly exceptional watches. Their design brings together the latest technological advances and the most innovative materials used in the racing world. These quintessential sports timepieces also take the lead in terms of legibility and finishes.

The design and colour codes of these high-tech timepieces allow the time to be read quickly and accurately. The principle evokes that of an F1 steering wheel, on which each piece of information is paired with a different colour. The materials – used Carbone Forgé, titanium or ceramic – are identical to those used in F1 cars.

The BR-X1 RS17 model featured here can be considered an extreme variation of Bell & Ross’ iconic watch, the BR 03. It boasts all the elements that are essential to a chronograph watch designed for race drivers. Highly sophisticated, its skeleton mechanism allows its gears to be admired through the greytinted sapphire crystal. The rocker-type push buttons activate the chronograph function with great accuracy. They are made from high-tech ceramic and capped with yellow rubber for an improved grip. The bezel features a tachymeter scale designed for calculating racing speeds. Finally, the dial flange is split into several hour segments, each of which has a corresponding colour.

The chronograph hands are yellow, the date is red, the small seconds hand is green and the hour hand, white. The latter is coated in SuperLuminova that guarantees excellent legibility, both day and night.

Bell & Ross BR-X1 RS17 From: Lion Brands (03) 9572 9820

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WAT CHE S

by SIMON DE BURTON

TAG HEUER CONNECTED TAG H e u e r ’s n e w c o n n e c te d w a tc h i s l i te r a l l y c h a n g i n g t h e f a c e o f t i m e p i e c e s

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ECHNOLOGY HAS THE potential to disrupt any industry.

However, the luxury watch industry has embraced the wave of connectivity that has swept across the globe. Launching the new Connected Modular 45 range, JeanClaude Biver, TAG Heuer CEO and President of the LVMH Watch Division, explained how technology and tradition can thrive within the same environment. ‘‘After the huge success of the first TAG Heuer Connected watch,” began Mr Biver, ‘‘I am very proud to present the Connected Modular 45. This is a Swiss watch that embodies the luxury codes of tomorrow, and which not only enables you to connect to the future, but also to connect to eternity thanks to its simple and smart modular design. This innovative, unique and distinctive watch is at the forefront of the latest technologies

available in Silicon Valley and, at the same time, a genuine Swiss watch, bearing the Swiss Made label. It is the incarnation of our leading position with the luxury connected watch and with this high level of technology.”

The TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 is constructed of the same high-quality materials used in the rest of the TAG Heuer range. It’s a genuine Swiss luxury watch engineered in collaboration with Intel. The Connected Modular 45 is water-resistant to 50 metres, and it features GPS, an NFC sensor for payments, a high definition AMOLED screen, a wide selection of unlimited customizable TAG Heuer dials.

Google’s Android Wear 2.0 and the new TAG Heuer Companion app improve the software experience and keep you connected with the people and information that you care about most.

Get connected today and forever.

TAG Heuer Connected Modular 45 From: 1800 809 915

BREITLING SUPERSPORTS B55 B r e i t l i n g c e l e b r a te s t h e f a s te s t- e v e r B e n t l e y TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH of the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever, (the Continental Supersports), Breitling for Bentley has created a limited-edition chronograph with a titanium case, carbon dial and connected movement equipped with functions dedicated to motorsports.

As well as being the fastest and most powerful Bentley ever, the new Continental Supersports rightfully slots in at the top of the Continental GT range. The numbers

surrounding the Supersports are so colossal that they actually start to lose all meaning, but, for the record, the highlights are 522kW, 1017Nm, 2280kg and 336km/h.

The Bentley Continental GT range began in 2003 and with it so did the magnificent Breitling for Bentley adventure. Breitling notably designed the dashboard clock for the original Continental GT, and the collaboration has since given rise to a rich collection of mechanical chronographs that

WAT CHE S

by SIMON DE BURTON

is now extended by a standout chronograph developed in tribute to the new Continental Supersports: the Bentley Supersports B55.

The Bentley Continental Supersports will be limited to 710 units globally across coupe and convertible body styles. Even more exclusive, the Breitling Supersports B55 will be issued in a 500-unit global run.

This is perhaps as bold and as striking as the Continental GT has looked since its 2003 introduction.

The Bentley Supersports B55 is no less striking with a resolutely sporty appearance endowed by the lightweight and sturdy titanium case that frames the carbonfibre dial – a favourite material in the motorsports arena and featured in many details of the new Bentley

Continental Supersports.

The sporty design of the Supersports B55 is further enhanced by the double-layer, red-edged rubber strap.

Behind the black grille of the Continental Supersports, the familiar 6.0-litre, twinturbocharged W12 engine has been reworked with new intake and exhaust systems, bigger turbochargers and strengthened main and conrod bearings.

Compared to the previous Supersports this latest version develops an additional 59kW and 217Nm. The 1017Nm peak torque figure is developed between 2050 and near on 4500rpm, giving a vast, tabletop torque ‘curve’. The Supersports thunders to 100km/h in just

Behind the carbonfibre dial of the Bentley Supersports B55 beats a very special engine

3.5 seconds. The 7.2 second 0-160km/h time, meanwhile, is a full 1.7 seconds faster than the previous Supersports.

Drive is sent to all four wheels, nominally split 40:60 front to rear, but 85 per cent or so can be sent to either axle in extreme conditions.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox, supplied by ZF, has a faster-reacting torque converter.

Behind the carbonfibre dial of the Bentley Supersports B55 beats a very special engine. For the first time in the history of Breitling for Bentley, Breitling has equipped a chronograph dedicated to the British carmaker with an electronic movement. This new version of its in-house B55 connected calibre is enriched with functions tailormade for the automotive world. www.evomag.com.au

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WAT CHE S

by SIMON DE BURTON

Alongside the flyback chronograph, lap timer and electronic tachymeter, this B55 ‘racing’ calibre features three types of exclusive chronograph functions. Firstly, the ‘chrono rally’ function serves to record up to 30 stages, complete with the departure date of the rally, the start time and duration of each stage, as well as intermediate times for each stage, while adding in any penalties incurred. Secondly, the ‘chrono race’ function designed for track races enables the user to record the split times for each lap and calculate the average speed per lap. Finally, the ‘regularity rally’ function (useful in competitions in which the objective is to cover a given distance in a given time) affords the possibility of predefining target times or intermediate times out of a total time, and then checking at the press of a button whether one is meeting those goals, allowing you to adjust your speed accordingly.

The entirely autonomous Bentley Supersports B55 has been designed as an authentic chronograph, with the smartphone connection used to enhance its functionality and to store or transmit data. The smartphone app has been developed in Switzerland specifically for this watch. The two ultra-legible LCD (liquid crystal display) screens are equipped with a backlighting system that can be activated by pressing the crown or by tilting the wrist – a welcome asset in the heat of the action.

A high-octane tribute to the sportiest of the Continental GT models, and a showcase for Breitling’s trademark innovation, this Bentley Supersports B55 with its SuperQuartz movement once again pushes the limits of functionality, precision and performance.

It is the epitome of connected chronograph technology. L

Bentley Supersports B55 From: Breitling Boutique in Sydney (02) 9221 7177

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The entirely autonomous Bentley Supersports B55 has been designed as an authentic chronograph

FASTER AND MORE AFFORDABLE Caterhams are the lightest cars you can buy in Australia and the lightest of them all is the Seven 275.

Less weight means more performance, better efďŹ ciency and most importantly, an agility in corners that heavier cars simply cannot match. This unique driving experience is now also more affordable than before.

For more information, please visit our website and also see details of the more powerful Seven CSR and Seven 485 models.

THE ORIGINAL AND STILL THE BEST Caterham Cars Australia, Level 1, 362 Swan Street, Richmond, VIC 3121 P: 03 9329 0344 E: chris@caterhamcars.com.au www.evomag.com.au 037

www.caterhamcars.com.au

A U S T R A L I A

Performance

Profile Series

GT-R FEVER Most would be content with owning just one Skyline GT-R, but in three short years one man has built a breathtaking collection of tuned examples of Nissan’s finest. He even sold his McLaren to fund the obsession‌

GT- R A D D I CT I O N

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E H I N D T H E SH U T T E R D O OR of a rather nondescript industrial unit, on just another industrial estate somewhere in England, is as fine an example of automotive obsession as you’re likely to find anywhere. And it’s brilliant.

Heated, and complete with a sofa, kettle and ‘facilities’, this extraordinary man cave also features GT-Rs. Lots and lots of Nissan Skyline GT-Rs, squeezed into every last square millimetre of space – overflowing, in fact, into additional storage elsewhere.

Yes, Richard Wheeler really likes the original allwheel-drive, turbocharged Godzillas. It’s a relatively recent passion of his that has swept like wildfire through his automotive life, and today he’s going to attempt to explain how this all happened. He’ll do so in a calm, rational manner, albeit with a quiet, self-aware smile that says, ‘Yes, I know this is probably a bit crazy…’

The beginnings of Richard’s current GT-R armada seemed entirely innocent. ‘‘I had a Skoda Fabia vRS, which I modified and then traded in for a Nissan R35 GT-R,’’ he says. ‘‘I liked the R35, so I then had another one, wrapped in yellow, that I kept for much longer. I did some modifications to it and took it to trackdays. But I fancied something more old-school, with a manual gearbox, so I bought my first R32 GT-R – a completely standard car that I ran alongside a daily-driver Skoda Yeti.

I upgraded the R35 to a new one, again, but found I didn’t really need it – I had a sensible daily and a weekend fun car in the Yeti and the R32. After four months and just 3000km, the R35 was sold. This was 2014. Ground zero.’’

Richard was about to be bitten by a bug that has infected many a GT-R owner: tuning. In the space of a year, the innocent, metallic red R32 he had bought went from circa 250kW to 450kW (and subsequently 480), with braking, suspension and running-gear upgrades to match, all while looking completely standard from the outside. Having created such a monster, it dawned on Richard that the development process – although something he really enjoyed – may not be the most financially expedient way to go about having a biblically fast GT-R. As he says: ‘‘I wanted an R34 as well, and realised it was better to look to Japan and to cars already modified. Given it’s the old chickenand-egg situation of either having the time to do the work yourself but not the money, or having the money and not the time, buying cars already ‘done’ was much more realistic for me.’’

So Richard bought a rare M-spec R34 GT-R in gold.

Brilliant – except he felt it was too good to modify, so (by his own admission) foolishly he sold it on. With R34 values rocketing in the past year, it would be worth considerably more now.

The next arrival was a Bayside Blue R34 (which remains tucked-up in the garage during our visit).

It’s a relatively recent passion that has swept like wildfire through Richard’s automotive life

It’s the only car in Richard’s collection that retains its standard 2.6-litre displacement, all the others running 2.8-litre stroker versions of the RB straight-six. This is Richard’s Nismo car, all of its tuning parts having been sourced from Nissan’s official motorsports arm. Some of them came with the car, some have been added by Richard. While an aggressive bonnet and front bumper suggest the same kind of brutal power output as Richard’s other GT-Rs, this is merely a Stage 1 car, and hence has somewhere in the region of 300kW. ‘‘It’s such a nice car to drive,’’ says Richard. ‘‘As it’s largely as Nissan intended, you can do anything with it, including putting the kids in the back. You can drive it in all conditions; it’s not too powerful. It’s done more than 100,000km and isn’t even a V-spec car, but it’s one of the nicest GT-Rs I’ve ever driven.’’

What happened next was driven by economics, and could therefore be labelled entirely sensible in terms of its logic. Realising it would be too expensive to modify the Bayside R34 to the kind of big power he’d got used to with the R32, Richard decided he needed another R34 to scratch that itch. ‘‘And that’s basically when it all got completely out of control,’’ he says with a wry grin.

The red R34 was the solution, and it’s completely outrageous. Built by Japanese tuning firm Autech Tsukada (ATTKD), it vanquished the epic Mine’s R34 to set the fastest time in the street-legal time-attack class at the Tsukuba Circuit. Granted, my only experience of the Mine’s GT-R has been in pixelated form on Gran Turismo 4, but that’s enough for me to know it’s no slouch. The red car is a riot of carbonfibre – bonnet, roof and bootlid – with carbon canards jutting from the front bumper, enlarged front wings with venting on their rear faces, and a GT500 wing that is easily the largest aerodynamic device I’ve ever seen on a road car. The spec list rolls on and on, but it’s a beautifully built thing – and it has around 480kW. ‘‘I’ll take it out for half an hour, bring it back, try and calm down,’’ says Richard. ‘‘In this weather it’d be backwards into someone’s front garden. It’s also too noisy for trackdays.’’

At this point Richard’s reasoning descended into numbers: if the Nismo was 50 per cent and the ATTKD 100, then he needed a GT-R running at 75 per cent or thereabouts. Enter the Tuning Factory Hosaka GT-R (the white R34): ‘‘slightly less outrageous’’ than the red car, still with 480kW and a roll-cage, but with rear seats. A car useable on the road, sort of. ‘‘Rational thinking,’’ says Richard.

However, it’s entirely possible that Richard’s buying habits had been noted by his favoured importers, because soon after, on one expensive night on Facebook, he was offered not one but two more R34 GT-Rs. And he said ‘‘yes’’.

The first was a single-turbo, 600kW car, again in Bayside Blue. It has a spec sheet of mind-boggling www.evomag.com.au

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GT- R A D D I CT I O N

length and complexity. Purchased in the middle of 2016, it was effectively paid for by Richard selling the McLaren 650S Spider that he’d owned for a short period that year. ‘‘I wasn’t quite sure about it at first,’’ says Richard of the 600kW Skyline, ‘‘but when I drove it the car put such a big smile on my face. The turbo kicks in around 4500rpm, so you’ve then got 3000rpm of your hair being on fire.’’

If the big-turbo blue car was the 110 per cent GT-R, then the purple car is a torpedo through this rather tenuous method of justification. It was bought mainly on account of its colour – the sought-after Midnight Purple. That it was a good car and had 410kW were both bonuses.

Then came another R32 GT-R, with around 320kW, but that’s not here today – it’s about to be sold. ‘‘That was the only one I’ve bought with a view to selling on,’’ says Richard. ‘‘It was a really clean car at a good price, and I was buying the other two, so…’’

A similar logic applies to a black R32, which has around 450kW and which was bought from a UK owner after a huge amount of money had been spent restoring and modifying it.

Finally, there’s a race car – an R32-based machine built in the UK by RK Tuning. ‘‘It came up for sale last year and I knew I couldn’t miss the chance to buy it,’’ says Richard. ‘‘But I also knew I wasn’t up to racing it in my first season.

So I’ve been racing a Ford Fiesta ST and a Lotus Elan, and will get out in the GT-R this year.’’

The car is probably as far as you can go with a GT-R before it turns into a spaceframe silhouette racer: rear-wheel drive, 1080kg, 500kW, a driving position somewhere aft of the B-pillar. ‘‘In the past it has generally won or caught fire,’’ says Richard. ‘‘On one occasion it did both in the same race.’’ He’s clearly in for an exciting season.

R34 prices in particular have risen sharply over the past year, fuelled in part by massive interest in the US ahead of the cars being eligible for use over there when they reach 25 years of age. For Richard, this is further justification for his addiction: ‘‘Apart from the capital purchase, the cars don’t really cost anything, as what little it takes to run them is more than offset by their appreciation in value.’’ When one of his cars put on $15,000 during its boat journey over from Japan alone, you can’t really argue.

But surely there are now no more niches to be filled, no more fractional spaces to tick off in Richard’s collection. ‘‘Well, yes,’’ he says. ‘‘But I did buy a Pearl White R34 V-spec II a couple of days ago, so there is that one… It is a really nice colour. And rare.’’

Here we go again, then. L Shortly after our visit, Richard bought a yellow R34 GT-R.

‘‘The turbo kicks in around 4500rpm, so then you’ve got 3000rpm of your hair being on fire’’

Opposite Top row: ATTKD-tuned R34 is Richard’s most extreme road-going GT-R; 600kW Bayside Blue R34 is the most powerful. Second row: R32 looks standard, but packs 480kW; Richard will drive this rear-drive R32 in only his second year of racing. Bottom row: 480kW Factory Hosaka GT-R is ‘‘very useable’’; 450kW R32 too good to turn down.

Right From top: a key for every (Skylineshaped) occasion; RK Tuning-prepped R32 race engine produces 500kW; 600kW R34 motor has just a single turbo; ATTKD R34 unit good for 480kW.

I N BOX

contact@evomag.com.au

f @evoaustralia

Accordingly, I propose the following: that Porsche no longer has a tiered model range, but parallel sports car ranges. There could be a ‘base spec’ 911, bringing old-school rear-engined thrills at Cayman prices. It wouldn’t even need that much power to be fun. More expensive 911s such as the GT3 and Turbo could stay as they are, but be joined at their price points by super-Caymans like the GT4 or even an all-wheel-drive Cayman Turbo.

One need only look at the popularity of classic 911s to see there’s a real demand for the driving challenges that come with mastering traditional rearbiased weight distribution.

Andrew Dibb

Scirocco swapped

LET TER OF THE MONTH

Leading by example H AV I NG FOL LOW ED SI MON GEORGE’S Fast Fleet Ferrari 458 Italia (with 140,000km on it) and his 400,000km Lamborghini Murcielago, something struck a chord with me. What if all supercar owners actually got out and used their cars? And when I say all, I really mean all.

The 458 has shown it can handle it, the various new McLarens seem to be fine with some miles, Porsche has never shied away from big numbers, and judging by a certain orange V12, gone are the days when you couldn't drive your Lamborghini to the service station

without needing a tune-up to get you back home.

So if everyone used their supercars more, values wouldn't need to plummet as they'd all be gaining kilometres at a similar rate. Of course, some would lose value, but surely enjoying these wonderful machines to their fullest would be worth it!

Russell Fitch The Letter of the Month wins a leather cleaning kit from Mothers

i8 opener

Range rearranged

After reading your BMW M3 GTS v M4 GTS test, am I the only one wishing for a return of a one-make BMW race series like the M1 Procar Championship of 1979-80? How about using race-prepped i8s this time?

Stripped out (minus 200kg?), fixed wings, slicks, race engines, stock hybrid systems, and a total output per car of, say, 300kW with 600Nm. Mike Spencer

I’ve been thinking a bit about Porsche’s range strategy of late. It seems as if, at least for ‘basic’ 911s, the company’s engineers have become a little too good at working around the balance issues presented by a rear-engined layout. This is perhaps in part due to the need for the 911 to be at the top of the Porsche sports car tree. With the current marketing and pricing it would be embarrassing were the mid-engined Cayman to be quicker than the 911.

But I worry that this leads to a less than optimal development environment for both cars, with the Cayman held back from being as good as it could be and the 911 stripped of some of what has made so many people lust after one.

Facing the future Am I the only one who thinks that some of the new technology appearing in cars is a bit pointless?

The upcoming Faraday Future FF 91 [pictured] will have facial

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recognition to unlock the car. I can see this opening up a whole world of frustration as you stand outside your car with a new haircut, pulling different faces to try to open the door to the amusement of onlookers.

As a car company that is not exactly thriving, perhaps it should focus on technology that enhances the driving experience, instead of gimmicks.

Peter Tsim

In his Petrolhead column, Richard Porter speculates where all the new Volkswagen Sciroccos have gone, concluding they are probably at the bottom of the sea. If his quoted 28,000 annual production target and last year’s 10,034 European sales figures are both correct then he may have a point.

However, I’m guessing VW Group has renegotiated supplier terms and shifted output of its AutoEuropa factory to the VW Sharan/SEAT Alhambra MPVs. Admittedly, Volkswagen Group’s decision not to bring the third-gen (2008-onwards) Scirocco to the US does seem a little misguided. If it was worried it may have impacted on Golf GTI sales then why sell both in Europe, or even build it at all? Strange bigcompany logic at work…

Mike Spencer (again)

In the clear To respond to Steve Holley (Inbox, issue 045) about evo ‘setting a bad example’ by getting four wheels airborne in wintry conditions, I’m sure that given the location of the photographer and the time taken for him to set up the shot that he is in radio contact with the driver about when to go, making sure the road ahead is clear etc.

If youngsters are taught correctly by their parents to be responsible then it’s not an issue. They don’t all go out shooting people after watching a violent film, or drifting around their cities after watching Fast & Furious. The photos are there for us enthusiasts to enjoy and should be viewed for what they are: well set up shots, not a journo being an arse.

Kerry Giddings

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH RAYMOND WEIL is proud to be supporting Swiss sailing team Realteam as its OfďŹ cial Timing Partner and to introduce a new freelancer able to support the crew in the most extreme sailing conditions. A nice little tip of the hat to Mr Raymond Weil who was a member of the Geneva Yacht Club.

Join the discussion #RWRealteam Tel. (02) 9363-1088 - info@avstev.com.au

freelancer collection

RICHARD MEADEN Some of the most deranged automotive one-offs are the result of engine swaps. Meaden identifies his favourites

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F ALL THE LEFTFIELD AREAS OF automotive mischief, the engine swap must surely be right up there with the most amusing and enduring.

If you explore the annals of motoring history you’ll discover the notion of dropping an unlikely motor into an equally unlikely recipient is almost as old as the car itself.

Look back to the Edwardian era and there’s all kinds of crazy, from sophisticated Siamese engines to the rather less subtle but undoubtedly effective practice of building a car around a massive aircraft engine. Not only were these behemoths road-legal, but they were often raced by their slightly nutty owners.

In more modern times the engine swap has become a favourite of the tuning industry. The so-called ‘crate’ engines offered by GM and Ford’s performance divisions are ideal for the job. You won’t believe what you can buy from them for less than silly money. Or where the engines will turn up. We know of a TVR Sagaris whose owner junked the Speed Six engine in favour of a 430kW LS7 small-block V8. It was a truly ballistic car and – perhaps surprisingly – genuinely accomplished on road and track.

I also recall a couple of decades ago driving a first-generation BMW Compact built by Racing Dynamics. Called the K55, it had a 5.5-litre, 320kW V12 from an 850Ci stuffed under the bonnet. The weight distribution was that of a lump hammer, but it actually drove surprisingly well and remains hard to beat for pure lunatic creativity.

Manufacturers aren’t averse to getting in on the engine-swap act, either. A large part of why Aston Martin’s V12 Vantage even exists is because it was thought impossible to fit the company’s biggest engine into its smallest model. That is until the RS Concept show car came along, sporting a derestricted 450kW engine from the DBRS9 GT3 race car. It spat fire and overtook the Le Mans-winning DBR9 GT1 car down Paul Ricard’s Mistral Straight. Though milder mannered, the eventual production version preserved much of that car’s maverick spirit.

Sometimes things get too crazy for a manufacturer to make road-legal. When BMW shoehorned a McLaren F1 V12 into the nose of an X5 it created a sublime monster even the most ardent SUV hater could get behind. Especially when Hans

Stuck slung it around the Nürburgring Nordschleife to great effect.

Even evo has had a go at the engine swap, when erstwhile editor John Barker and I embarked on our now legendary ‘Ed-toEd’ project-cars saga. JB indulged a long-held desire to create the ultimate Ford Capri, complete with a 5.0-litre Rover V8, while I decided to explore the opposite end of the engine-swap scale by building a Caterham Seven with a Honda Fireblade motor.

Both cars were tilting at a target power-to-weight ratio of 225kW per tonne and were intended for road and trackday fun.

They became personal obsessions for John and me. Follies too, truth be told: I pursued lightness with such manic zeal my car became so pared to the bone (369kg, including fluids) I hardly drove it, while the Capri devoured John’s cash and much of his will to live. We can laugh about it now – we can laugh about it, can’t we John? – and the Ed-to-Ed series remains one of the most popular in evo’s history. Largely, I’m sure, because of our unconventional choice of engines.

Currently the most fertile ground for the engine-swap phenomenon is the US Formula Drift championship. You might not ‘get’ this smoky branch of motorsport, where drivers battle in tandem to impress the judging panel, who award points based on aggression, precision, speed and drift angle, but the cars are totally insane. From Nissans with NASCAR motors and Mazda MX-5s with wild, whooping rotaries to – get this – a Toyota GT86 with a Ferrari 458 engine under the bonnet, they embrace the spirit of anything-goes engineering to incredible effect.

So, the question is what car and engine combination would you most like to see? Based on my unshakeable belief that everything is better with a Cosworth DFV, I’d like to see a Series 1 Lotus Elise with one of Keith Duckworth’s masterpieces nestling behind the seats. Just as in period, the bulk of today’s historic F1 grids are powered by the DFV, which has now been limited to 10,000rpm for reliability, and to try to keep a lid on engine development. Tuned thus they are far more tractable, developing decent torque and close to 375kW, together with a uniquely evocative sound that’s about as close to perfection as my ears have ever heard. If my lottery numbers come good I hereby swear to make it happen. L

Richard is a contributing editor to evo and one of the magazine’s founding team

t @DickieMeaden

When BMW put a McLaren F1 V12 into an X5, it created a sublime monster

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419kW of power makes it one of the most powerful Nissan GT-R vehicles ever

RICHARD PORTER Where will you find the most sophisticated all-wheel-drive system available? Look no further than man’s best friend, says Porter

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LMOST FIVE SUMMERS AGO WE ACQUIRED a small furry bundle purporting to be a puppy. Some time later, based on its full-grown size, appetite and aroma, I now suspect it to be the spawn of a polar bear. This is why our house is now home to a sizeable off-white oaf that ruins the flowerbeds, shouts at the postman and sneaks onto the sofa when she thinks no one’s around. Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, while as a man I get lumbered with a drooling buffoon that, unlike my wife’s wedding ring, demands to be taken out for several miles of brisk walking every day, no matter what the weather.

It’s particularly tricky at this time of year because it’s cold and sometimes icy, which brings the ever-present prospect of taking a nasty fall in some unseen alley or parkland corner as you get caught unawares by a patch of ice or, since I live in London, a slick of frozen sick. I regularly picture myself being found several hours later, a podcast still playing in my ears while the panting moron we call a pet has got bored of trying to eat the treats from my inside pocket and has wandered off onto a dual carriageway with a spare turd bag wrapped around her face.

This is a particular fear of mine when I’m walking the massive moron on a lead, because she’s forever trying to zoom up perilous slopes or swerve violently across frosty verges and it’s all I can do not to follow, given that she’s the size and strength of a foul-smelling shire horse. In a desperate attempt to stop her yanking me down another gully slick with permafrost I’ll yank on her lead, at which she’ll turn around and give me that ear-raised, waggly eyebrowed look that says, ‘What?’ To which I mutter, ‘‘We can’t go down there because I’ll fall over.’’ There’s a pause while she cocks the other tufted, fox-poo-encrusted brow. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she seems to be saying. ‘‘Yeah, I know you’ll be fine,’’ I hiss. ‘’But it’s okay for you, you’re all-wheel drive.’’ And this leads me to a very important question: exactly what is the torque split of a dog?

It’s quite easy to study this because she’s a filthy buffoon and as soon as she’s off the lead she’s drawn towards the biggest and slickest patch of mud within any five-mile radius. From observing

her behaviour on a loose surface, it’s easy to assume that the dog simply splits her power evenly between both ends like an original Audi Quattro: 50:50 front-to-back, hammer down, spinning up all four in a way that makes rally Quattros looks cool and dogs appear to be in a cartoon. But the dog isn’t as simple as all that, much though there are many things about her that appear to be jammed in one mode. Her fuelling system, for example, is incapable of ignoring and not eating mouldy food from the gutter, despite the inevitably unpleasant side effects that sometimes end with another trip to the vet. And when that happens there will be ‘tests’, which take so long you’ve plenty of time to remortgage your house to pay for them. This also has a terrible effect on her emissions, which are awful enough to make a Volkswagen engineer blush. And then slightly gag.

The torque apportioning part of a dog, however, is clearly quite sophisticated. For one thing, in the middle of a mire she can briefly lose traction on one rear corner, then instantly prevent more power being wasted as she turns the move into a neat powerslide.

Ergo, I believe my dog has a slippy diff. Better yet, when she really gets the hammer down on the soft stuff, she can sometimes turn on a sixpence in a way that suggests some pretty tricksy side-to-side shuffling of power to increase manoeuvrability. In other words, I’m pretty certain that the stinking mutt has torque vectoring. And the actual front-toback split is pretty clever, too, because I’ve just remembered the time she fell in that pond and then extracted herself up a sodden mud bank using extreme power punted exclusively through the front end. And there’s plenty of all-wheeldrive cars that can’t do that.

In fact, if you’re a car maker and you’re looking to design and calibrate your next-generation all-wheel-drive technology, forget minutely analysing a Nissan GT-R – you should be dismantling a dog. But not mine. She’s noisy, she stinks, she mauls house guests in a slobbery maelstrom of over-affection, and she’s frequently prone to using her clever doggy diffs to pull me into a flower bed. Or a lake. Yet despite all this, I think she’s probably my very favourite all-wheel-drive thing in the whole world. L

It’s easy to assume a dog splits its torque 50:50 front-toback, spinning up all four in a way that makes rally Quattros looks cool

Richard is evo’s longest-serving columnist and the script editor on The Grand Tour

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t @sniffpetrol

The hand-formed titanium exhaust delivers the most iconic Nissan GT-R engine note ever

TED KRAVITZ Sky Sports’ F1 pitlane reporter joins evo’s team of columnists to tell us what’s really going on in motorsport’s premier division

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T’S A FR ESH STA RT FOR FOR MUL A 1 THIS season. Wide track, low rear wings and 1980s-throwback fat tyres will make the cars lap faster and look better. They’ll still sound terrible, but instead of any change to the exhaust note, we’ll be hearing a few new names.

There’s no more Bernie: kicked upstairs into an honorary position because the latest people to buy the business didn’t want him in charge. It’s a brutal ousting of the man who built modern F1, but the c$7billion that Ecclestone made over the years might be some consolation and some improvements may result. It’s a massive change, because for 40 years Bernie’s name has been law. ‘Bernie says’ meant you’d better do it. ‘Bernie wants to see you’ meant you hadn’t done it to his satisfaction. The summons brought even the toughest team boss out in a cold sweat.

No single person can replace Bernie, so new owner Liberty Media has got three people to do it. Chase Carey is the boss while Sean Bratches milks the commercial side and Ross Brawn wisely ruminates on the sport’s future technical direction. Carey, Brawn & Bratches. Good name for a firm of solicitors.

While Brawn returns to familiar ground in the pitlane and paddock, Carey and Bratches have a lot of names to learn. They’ll have the established F1 management team to help them out, of course, as well as being powerful enough not to have to know every Tom, Dick and Heinz-Harald personally, but they’ll want to: the quickest way to establish a commanding presence in F1 is to start by knowing who everyone is.

The same is true for the drivers, especially when they change teams and there are 75 new faces on the travelling race unit and another 800 back at the factory to put names to. Valtteri Bottas has inherited Nico Rosberg’s group of engineers and mechanics at Mercedes and has attached as much importance to learning everyone’s name as learning how the buttons and dials on his new steering wheel differ from those on his Williams.

Michael Schumacher was famously fastidious in remembering not only who everyone on his team was, but the names of their partners and kids. Others (including two world champions on the current grid) simply don’t bother. Their reasoning is that they shouldn’t waste mental energy on things that won’t make their

car go faster, and that if they deliver, their mechanics will love them anyway and won’t mind being greeted in the morning with an ‘All right, mate?’ or ‘How you doing, chief?’

To help the subset of F1 drivers who do care about knowing everyone’s name but can’t be bothered to learn them, team bosses have, in recent years, obliged with a well-placed name tag on the uniform. Red Bull’s are handily positioned on the left breast pocket, making it easy to confirm a name with a quick glance, something David Coulthard was very proud of instigating when he drove for Red Bull Racing.

McLaren used to make its drivers work a bit harder by placing names on the T-shirt hemline, necessitating an embarrassing head tilt to the groin when they wanted to personally thank a gearbox mechanic for pulling an all-nighter.

Well-heeled Ferrari – which, let’s not forget, pockets $100million more in prize money than any other team just for showing up – tends to scrimp on its embroidery costs.

Each team member receives only a few interchangeable, embroidered, Velcrobacked name strips (for example: ‘S. Vettel’ – Ferrari doesn’t do first names). Every morning, everyone must precisely align the name strip onto the receiving Velcro section of their garment before beating it repeatedly with a clenched fist to set it firm for the day.

Still, it’s the thought that counts: named shirts are a friendly, helpful touch, although BMW Sauber’s Benjamin Titz and Ferrari’s Roberto Cunti might have preferred a little more anonymity.

The cars have names too, and most GP teams honour their history by maintaining chassis prefix lineage. From Fangio’s W196 to Hamilton’s W08, Mansell’s FW14B to Massa’s FW40, we all appreciate a bit of naming tradition.

So McLaren’s decision to drop its ‘MP4’ naming protocol in favour of ‘MCL’ seems a little odd, especially as cars like MP4/4 attract such reverence. But such is the brutally forensic removal of all things Ron Dennis from the new McLaren, that his longprotected prefix never stood a chance.

Bernie Ecclestone, Ron Dennis, reigning world champion Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button, the Manor team and the MP4, all history.

Formula 1 isn’t just in for a makeover in 2017 – it’s a clean slate. L

No single person can replace Bernie, so new owner Liberty Media has got three people to do it

Ted is the pitlane reporter for Sky Sports F1

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t @tedkravitz

0.26 coefficient of drag makes it the most aerodynamic Nissan GT-R ever

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AUDI RS3 // MERCEDES-AMG S63 CABRIOLET SHARKWERKS CAYMAN GT4 // PORSCHE PANAMERA 4S DIESEL // BMW M760Li xDRIVE

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Audi RS3 Now with a choice of sedan or Sportback body styles, the updated RS3 packs 294kW and a newfound sense of fun TWO THINGS THAT I LEARNT on my trip to Oman for the launch of the 294kW Audi RS3. Firstly, the Omani police take their road rules seriously and you score two nights’ accommodation at their insistence if you’re caught running a red light. Secondly, the RS3’s fivecylinder will easily power the pocket rocket well beyond 200km/h on the way to its 280km/h electronically limited top speed. I didn’t find out what length holiday you get for the latter but one can only assume that

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it’s significant. Thankfully, I’m writing this from an Airbus A380 and not in a desert prison.

This facelifted RS3 heralds the arrival of a sedan body style to join the Sportback that’s been available since 2015. The five-cylinder turbocharged engine is now uprated to a very serious 294kW, and the RS3 reclaims its title as the most powerful hot hatch on sale as well as becoming the most powerful small sedan on the market.

Both body styles will be available globally, with Audi anticipating a 60:40

sales split in favour of the five-door Sportback version. Australia is one of the first markets in the world to receive the sedan (in June and ahead of the European markets), while the Sportback will arrive in the fourth quarter. The early allocation of the sedan to Australia is acknowledgment of the global importance of the local market, a fact highlighted by the RS3 representing more than 25 per cent of total A3 Sportback sales.

The familiar 2.5-litre five-cylinder single turbo engine has been heavily

revised for this latest RS3. Peak power is 294kW from 5850-7000rpm, an increase of 25kW on the previous model, while torque is rated at 480Nm between 1700-5850rpm. Enormous outputs for such a compact car.

Audi quotes a launch controlassisted 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds and 250km/h flat out, which can be lifted to 280km/h if you tick the correct box on the options list. In the real world, the RS3 feels at least as fast as the quoted times and the roll-on acceleration is phenomenal.

More than once I thought that no one really needs a faster car than the new RS3. And the performance is accompanied by a traditional fivecylinder soundtrack that will never grow old. Even with the muting effects of turbocharging, the five-cylinder howls and warbles to 7000rpm, and the throttle response is crisp.

The TFSI unit uses a dual injection system, which can inject fuel directly into the combustion chamber as well as into the intake manifold to improve performance and efficiency.

The cylinders are plasma coated to reduce friction and the crankshaft is now hollow bored, saving 1kg. Audi has worked hard in a number of areas to reduce the weight of engine. An aluminium crankcase has helped to trim 26kg away from the five-pot, which not only reduces the weight of the car as a whole but also improves weight distribution.

The switch to an alloy block is shared with the related V10 that powers the R8 and Lamborghini Huracan. This significant investment guarantees the future of the V10 beyond this current model and Stephan Winkelmann, Audi Sport CEO (and former top dog at Lamborghini), confirmed that the charismatic V10 will shun turbocharging for the foreseeable future.

Back to the RS3 and the only transmission option is a seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch gearbox. The RS3’s prodigious outputs are directed to each corner via a quattro all-wheel drive system that can send between 50 and 100 per cent of the engine’s torque to the rear axle. Audi says that makes the RS3 more engaging and playful than ever and on the extremely slippery mountain and desert roads of

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Opposite page: Viper Green RS3 sedan juxtaposed against the lunar landscape of Oman. Right and below right: RS3 cabin is another Audi master class in quality and restrained luxury. Below: 294kW five-pot howls through oval pipes.

Audi RS3

Specification Engine

Power

Torque

0-100km/h

Top speed

Weight

Basic price

2480cc in-line 5-cyl, dohc, 20v, turbo

294kW @ 5850-7000rpm

480Nm @ 1700-5850rpm

4.1sec (claimed)

280km/h (limited)

1515kg (194kW/tonne)

c$84,000

+ Engine sounds great and delivers huge punch, chassis is keen and fun - A tiny question mark remains over ride quality on Australian roads

Oman, this certainly proved the case.

One hard-baked and sandy mountain pass was so slick that it felt like driving on ice. The RS3 would turn-in tenaciously and then fall into a gentle all-wheel drift that was easily managed via the steering or pedals.

On higher-grip surfaces, we suspect that the RS3 will take more effort to oversteer, but there are encouraging signs that it will entertain the driver regardless of the conditions.

The steering is electrically assisted with a variable rack that becomes more direct as more lock is wound on. It’s not going to be confused with an old-school hydraulic set-up, but there’s enough feedback that you’re never left to second guess the grip levels of the front axle. And once the rear starts to slide, you can meter out corrections with confidence.

Your confidence is further enhanced by a chassis that treads the tightrope of body control and compliance – bumps and compressions do not deflect the Audi from your intended trajectory. The caveat is that the Omani roads were

There are encouraging signs that the RS3 will entertain the driver regardless of the conditions

relatively smooth; not as perfect as European tarmac and perhaps only fractionally smoother than Australian back roads. The RS3 rides 25mm lower than a standard A3 and is available with both passive dampers and Audi’s Magnetic Ride adaptive dampers.

We sampled both and the optional Magnetic Ride set-up has only a slight edge in terms of bandwidth from comfort to sport.

The standard brake set-up uses 370mm cast iron discs on the front axle with eight piston calipers, although same-sized carbon ceramic rotors can be specified up front. Pedal feel was generally good, though one example we drove (with steel rotors) had a few clumsy grabs at low speed and eventually started grumbling on the run down the mountains. No such issues surfaced with the carbon ceramics that we sampled.

At 1510kg for the Sportback and 1515kg for the sedan, the RS3 is fractionally lighter than the BMW M2, and both the AMG CLA45 and A45.

The previous RS3 was fast in a straight line and great to sit in, but

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it could feet heavy and slow-footed when really pushed on a twisty road.

This latest version is even faster in a straight line and the cabin is still perhaps the best of any compact performance car on sale, but the car is now fun and engaging to drive. The engine pulls hard from 2500rpm, not letting up until the 7000rpm rev limiter – and it sounds brilliant, too. The twin-clutch gearbox is superb, both around town and when shifting along a twisting road.

Audi has yet to confirm local pricing beyond the suggestion that both variants will be in the early $80,000-bracket, though not the same price. In other markets, the sedan is marginally more expensive.

This places the RS3 Sportback marginally above the AMG A45 but the sedan significantly below the CLA45.

Perhaps more relevant given the RS3’s newfound dynamic excellence, it significantly undercuts the BMW M2 (from $90K for the manual-only Pure edition). That will be a terrific comparison when the RS3 arrives.

Jesse Taylor www.evomag.com.au

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Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet Heavy weight luxury liner packs 430kW, 900Nm twin-turbo V8 and capable chassis SPECIAL DOESN’T COVER half of it. The MercedesAMG S63 Cabriolet is one of those cars that is properly old-school glamorous. Heads swivel as it purrs by, jaws hit the floor as the huge roof does it balletic routine and tucks away revealing the sumptuous interior, and stomachs knot as the twin-turbocharged V8 thunders the luxury liner towards the horizon.

Back in issue 24, I opined that for all intents and purposes, the S63 Coupe was the best car in the world. The caveat to that statement, of course, is that a car as big and heavy as a Mercedes S-Class will never scratch the evo itch like an AMG SLS Black Series. But as the only occupant of your garage, the S63 Coupe’s outrageous performance combined with aristocratic levels of luxury will entertain and cosset in equal measure.

And assuming you’ve the budget for fuel and tyres, the S63 Coupe can be

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hustled down a challenging road at a rate of knots that would force a hot hatch driver to up his game.

And now, the S63 Cabriolet adds an extra dimension to the Coupe’s mix of talents. As a bald bloke, I naturally tend to shy away from convertibles, but the S63 Cabriolet really does offer the best of both worlds. When in place, the roof hushes the cabin to levels on par with the Coupe. After a brief cold-start flourish, the V8 settles to a refined murmur, and wind noise from the roof only becomes a factor after the pursuing sirens have begun to shriek.

The S63 sits in the middle of the three-tier S-Class Cabriolet range, between the S500 and the S65. With a twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8 producing 430kW and 900Nm, the S63 nudges closer to the 450kW, 1000Nm twin-turbocharged 6.0-litre V12 S65 than the 335kW, 700Nm S500 (which uses an unrelated 4.7-litre twinturbo V8). Incidentally, the vast V12

employed by the S65 is the same as that used by the Pagani Huayra.

Unlike the S500, which uses a nine-speed automatic gearbox, the S63 harnesses its outputs through a seven-speed MCT gearbox. Generally, the gearbox is excellent, with prompt and smooth shifts up and down the ratios, but in common with all S63 sedan and Coupes we’ve sampled, the Cabriolet exhibited the occasional sharp thud into first gear as we drew to a halt at traffic lights. It’s a minor blip on an otherwise refined drivetrain.

Being evo, we preferred the character of the gearbox and engine when in sport mode, but quieter, more subtle progress is made in comfort.

Though burdened with a 2110kg kerb weight, the big V8 simply shrugs off the mass as a mere inconvenience and hauls in the horizon with impressive zeal. Mercedes-AMG claims a 0-100km/h of 4.2 seconds, but this fails to convey the sustained shove

The sustained shove in the back is one that only big power and torque can muster

Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet

Opposite page: dropping the vast fabric top adds to the S63’s sense of pace, which, with 430kW, is already vivid. Above: roof up and the cabin is as hushed as that of the coupe.

that only big power and torque can muster. And once you’ve toed the throttle pedal into the second half of its travel, the V8 awakens with a satisfying rumble and bellow. In sport mode, the exhaust barks back off buildings and other roadside furniture.

Approaching middle age, perhaps I drew too much youthful pleasure from the dichotomy of refinement and raucousness that the S63 Cabriolet provides.

In terms of raw speed, there’s nothing to separate the Cabriolet from either the sedan or Coupe, but with the roof down, the sensory perception is more vivid. Though impressively free from rattles and shimmers in most circumstances, the marginal

might reasonably expect. That said, we did manage a two-hour journey without complaint from four adult occupants.

Across the three S-Class Cabriolet variants, Mercedes-Benz Australia expects to sell around 60 units in the first full year on sale, before settling to an annual rate of around 30. Of course, the $521,715 S65 Cabriolet will remain the rarest (as you’d expect of the most expensive model to currently wear the three-pointed star), with low-singlefigure annual sales. The $357,215 S500 will take the bulk of the buyers, but there’s already strong interest in the $444,715 S63. Like the Coupe, it’s our sweet spot. L Jesse Taylor

loss of body rigidity is felt when you attack corners at pace. The Cabriolet’s reactions, both to steering and those from the suspension, are slowed and filtered for comfort rather than carving. That said, and with just the slightest concession to the weight and the roofless body, the S63 Cabriolet could still put the frights up that hypothetical hot hatch driver.

In calmer driver, the S63 provides a driver and passenger environment that rivals the ultra-luxury offerings from Bentley and Rolls-Royce. In fact, there’s a solidity to the interior that neither British blueblood can match.

For such a large car (5027mm on a 2945mm wheelbase), there’s a case that rear-seat space isn’t what you

Specification Engine

Power

Torque

0-100km/h

Top speed

Weight

Basic price

5461cc V8, dohc, 32v, twin-turbo

430kW @ 5500rpm

900Nm @ 2250-3750rpm

4.2sec (claimed)

300km/h (limited)

2110kg (204kW/tonne)

$444,715

+ Old-school glamour and luxury backed by modern performance and tech - Small loss of body rigidity blunts responses from otherwise capable chassis

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SharkWerks Cayman GT4 No car is perfect – even Porsche’s sublime Cayman GT4. Can 425bhp and some RS-style modifications elevate it to new heights?

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SharkWerks Cayman GT4

IT CHEWED UP AND SPAT out the McLaren 675LT and Ferrari 488 GTB, but still we reckoned the Porsche Cayman GT4 lacked bite. The setting was a dimly lit hotel bar in the far north of Scotland, and as the eight judges cast their votes after a solid week of back-to-back testing in the Highlands, it soon became clear Porsche’s sublime mid-engined coupe had pulled off something of a giant-killing act. It had even taken care of its faster, more illustrious brother, the 911 GT3 RS. The hardcore Cayman won evo Car of the Year in 2015 for good reason. Each one of us emerged from the GT4 on more than one occasion shaking our head in disbelief, muttering incoherently about body control or steering precision. Its chassis was shot through with such quality that not even the latest from McLaren or Ferrari, cars costing three of four times as much, could get the better of it. But once we had all stopped spewing praise and affection upon the thing, we did all have one small criticism to make.

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The GT4’s drivetrain could use just a little more… snap.

California-based SharkWerks has been modifying 911s for more than a decade. In recent years the company has become recognised for its bigpower GT3 engine conversions (see evo 203), but here it has turned its attention to the Cayman.

‘This is our interpretation of what a Cayman GT4 RS might be like,’ says founder Alex Ross. ‘Look at the differences between a 911 GT3 and a GT3 RS – lighter flywheel, more aero and more power. That’s exactly what we’ve done to the GT4.’

SharkWerks set out to rectify the car’s two main weaknesses: the 380bhp 911 Carrera S Powerkit engine, which lacks the intensity of a Porsche Motorsport unit, and the gearing, which is simply too long. The engine upgrades are limited to intake and exhaust systems for now, which liberate an additional 45bhp, but the company’s engineers are busy developing a 4.3-litre conversion with a custom billet crank, liners and bespoke pistons.

Adjusting the gear ratios wasn’t

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simply a case of reducing the final drive, or swapping out each of the cogs. In fact, it all proved to be fairly complicated. First and second are untouched, while third, fourth and fifth are now much shorter. Sixth can either be reduced or left alone.

The first two ratios are on the main shaft and changing that would be fiendishly expensive, but Ross actually prefers those ratios being reasonably long because you can still comfortably use both in tight corners, particularly with the car’s auto-blip function.

In the standard GT4 you tend to use second and third gears on a typical flowing back road, and with third stretching to around 100mph there’s hardly any need to engage fourth. Now, says Ross, you generally use third and fourth, which means shifting forward and back in one plane rather than the slightly awkward third-to-second or secondto-third shift across two planes.

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The Angeles Crest Highway wends through the picturesque San Gabriel Mountains to the north of Los Angeles, twisting and turning through sweetly cambered bends for 60 miles or so before dropping into the valley on the far side. It’s a magnificent stretch of road, and being within such easy reach of Downtown LA it draws countless car enthusiasts out of a city that has long been in love with driving.

You see all sorts of performance machinery up here, plus countless everyday beaters and SUVs being driven on their door handles. We follow one expertly pedalled Hyundai saloon for mile after mile in the GT4, feeling no need whatsoever to find a way past.

Even the Highway Patrol seem to be in on it. Having heard us tearing along the road from several miles away before stopping to take some photos, one young police officer simply pulls up alongside us in his

heaving Crown Vic, asks us to be sure to stick to our own side of the road, then tells us to go enjoy ourselves.

With the blessing of the locals, the weather and the law, the Angeles Crest Highway is the perfect place to put SharkWerks’ upgrades to the test. Parked in one of the many lay-bys along the road’s length, every one of them decorated with swirls of black tyre marks, this GT4 looks spectacular. The styling of the standard car is one of its many strengths, but with a higher rear wing, a small Gurney flap and those demonic, horn-like dive planes, it looks tougher than ever.

The new exhaust system, developed in collaboration with German tuning outfit Cargraphic, makes the car sound more purposeful than ever, too. In fact, the new exhaust finally gives the GT4 a soundtrack that befits a Porsche Motorsport product, with much more of the serrated, hard-edged

howl of a GT3 or RS. The engine itself isn’t any more thrilling than the standard car’s, though, slightly sharper responses aside, and it still revs to just shy of 8000rpm rather than surging on towards 9000rpm.

In the grand scheme of things, this 3.8-litre flat-six is a wonderful engine, but it’s roundly shown up by the more exotic units in hardcore 911s.

We impatiently await SharkWerks’ 4.3-litre upgrade…

The revised gearing, meanwhile, does make a huge difference. The gearshift itself is one of the very best in the business, particularly with the switchable auto-blip function, and with second and third gears now so tightly stacked, there’s something brilliantly motorsport about that upshift, engine note barely changing as you slot third. It’s a little snapshot of a rally car’s close-ratio gearbox, and it never fails to raise a smile. In the hills above LA, third and fourth gears are perfectly spaced, so you

SharkWerks Cayman GT4

‘The new exhaust finally gives the GT4 a soundtrack that befits a Porsche Motorsport product’

Right: new uprights lift the rear wing (the end plates of which have enough space to express a preference for pedals, not paddles). Left: diveplanes add some attitude up front.

Below right: rear ducktail has gained a Gurney flap

press along, snapping forward and back between the two ratios, the more muscular engine burly enough to pull third gear away from the road’s tightest bends. The biggest difference between the standard car and this version is that you simply change gear more often. For a car that was sold on the interaction of its (delicious) manual transmission, that has to go down as a useful improvement.

SharkWerks hasn’t touched the GT4’s chassis – Ross says this is the first time he hasn’t felt the need to upgrade a single suspension component on a Porsche – but there is an uprated differential that’s more durable than the stock item.

The transmission modifications, including gearing, LSD, flywheel and clutch kit, cost $15,000 (c£12,250).

The engine upgrades run to $6000 (c£4900), while the aero changes cost $2500 (c£2050).

These are not modest sums of money, but if there’s any subset of car enthusiasts who’ll find value in those upgrades it’ll be the Porsche Motorsport crowd. For a GT4 owner who wants their car to have more of the bite of the GT3 RS they almost certainly have parked alongside it in their garage, the SharkWerks upgrades are very well executed.

Fitting that it should take a shark to give the Cayman its teeth. L Dan Prosser (@

Specification Engine

Power

Torque

0-62mph

Top speed

Weight

Price

Flat-six, 3800cc

425bhp @ 7400rpm

339lb ft @ 4750rpm

3.8sec (estimated)

180mph (claimed)

1363kg (317bhp/ton)

See text

+ Improved soundtrack and shorter gearing - Expensive; engine still lacks intensity

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Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel A V8 diesel should be the perfect partner for Porsche’s distancedevouring four-door.

Emphasis on ‘should’…

SINCE THE FIRST examples of Porsche’s first four-door coupe were delivered in 2009, it has been clear that a torque-rich, blown V8 diesel would suit the car well. Such an engine would give the Panamera the perfect blend of range and performance, further enhancing its ability to cover monster miles in one sitting. That engine is here.

For its new Panamera 4S Diesel, Porsche has plucked the same 4.0-litre V8 from the VW Group’s engine shelf as Audi uses for its SQ7 SUV. Although it foregoes the electric turbochargers of the Audi, it does feature ‘hot-vee’ turbos between the two banks of four cylinders. The resulting 310kW peak power (1kW more than a 996 Turbo) arrives at 3500rpm and hangs around through to 5000rpm, with the 850Nm slab of torque waiting for you from 1000rpm through to 3250rpm. There’s also a new eight-speed double-clutch gearbox driving all four wheels through Porsche’s electronically controlled multi-plate-clutch allwheel-drive system. There won’t, however, be a rear-wheel-drive variant with this engine for now.

While the 4S Diesel comes

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The only letdown is the element I expected so much from: the engine equipped with conventional steel springs and active dampers as standard. You can option the Panamera with Power Steering Plus for $650 or bundle it together with rear-axle steering for $4990. You can keep ticking boxes and add the Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport including torque vectoring for $10,990, and carbon ceramic brakes for $20,980. We’d not recommend either for the diesel.

The original Panamera was a mighty fine way to travel four-up at speed and not be disappointed when the autobahn stopped and the straight bits between the apexes got shorter. An M5 was sharper and more focused, but the Panamera was more rounded.

This new model is more resolved visually. The rear in particular is more bloated 911 (in a good way) than featureless sedan, while inside it’s a design revolution. Out goes the Casio calculator-style button-fest, in comes an Apple-like touch-sensitive glass screen and enough tech and infotainment equipment to fill a PC World warehouse – Porsche has finally arrived in the 21st century when it comes to connectivity.

Further good news is that the Panamera still has a sports car feel to the driving position: low-slung, cockpit wrapped around you, steering wheel pulled tight to your chest, legs out straight. And it still flows down the road with a mix of grace and agility that a five-metre-long, 2050kg

sedan has no right to exhibit, the rear-axle steering instantly making its presence felt on your first committed drive. The Panamera 4S Diesel is as intuitive to position in a corner, as quick to react to your inputs and as direct in its responses as many of Porsche’s traditional sports cars.

The only letdown is the element I expected so much from: the engine.

It’s got plenty of power, a mountain of torque and the eight-speed PDK ’box is nicely matched, but unless you select Sport mode to sharpen the throttle response and enliven the V8, it feels flat, unresponsive and no more potent than the old V6 diesel.

Perhaps our test car needed more kilometres on it (it had covered fewer than 3000), but where I expected a surging shove and instant response there was a pause, a consideration and only a mildly stronger push in the direction you were heading.

It feels as though the car’s potential is being handicapped by its three driving modes. A tweak to make the engine’s Sport setting the norm would solve this issue, but shouldn’t a Porsche feel sporty by default?

Until it does, we’ll stick with petrolpowered Panameras. L Stuart Gallagher

Specification Engine

Power

Torque

0-100km/h

Top speed

Weight

Basic price

3956cc V8, dohc, 32v, twin-turbo

310kW @ 3500-5000rpm

850Nm @ 1000-3250rpm

4.3sec (claimed)

285km/h (claimed)

2050kg (151kW/tonne)

$312,100

+ Sharp chassis, impressive tech - Performance doesn’t meet expectations, petrol-engined variants over shadow the diesel

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BMW M760Li xDrive The fastest-accelerating BMW road car to date isn’t all that it claims to be THE MOST POWERFUL BMW road car ever built.

The fastest accelerating, too. Its long-wheelbase body also makes it the longest. And at over two tonnes it’s one of the heaviest to wear a tri-colour M-badge on its flanks and rump, making the BMW M760Li xDrive the most unlikely performance car.

A folly, then. An exercise in excess for those with more disposable income than sense. The answer to a question no one asked, because let’s be honest, has anyone ever thought: ‘Yes. I need a $419,000, 449kW, 800Nm 7-Series that will reach 100km/h quicker than any BMW that has gone before’?

Actually, they have. Quite a few people, in fact, because BMW expects to sell up around 500 M760Li limos globally this year.

In return for the chunky entry fee, each owner’s M760Li will be powered by a 6.6-litre twin-turbocharged V12, quite the motor for BMW to mark its 30th anniversary of producing V12s.

There’s also an eight-speed Steptronic gearbox that drives both pairs of wheels via BMW’s xDrive all-wheeldrive technology. In today’s world of turbocharged engines delivering unprecedented levels of torque from

T

It never feels as ferocious or as responsive as an M6 Gran Coupe or M5 engine speeds that barely register above tickover, rear-wheel drive was never an option for the M760Li. Neither was a short wheelbase.

As an M Performance model, the 760Li passes through the workshops of Carsten Pries, BMW M’s master.

But his team wasn’t given the remit to produce an all-out M7 model. ‘‘From the beginning we were always going to build an M Performance 7-Series as it meets the requirements of the customer,’’ explains Pries. ‘‘This is what they are asking for. They still want the luxury and style a 7-Series offers, and an M7 would perhaps have to sacrifice some of these elements.’’

What those customers do get are 20-inch wheels, M Performance aero elements – larger air intakes in the front bumper and the smallest of spoilers fixed to the boot – and

the availability of matt Cerium Grey paint. Inside, the subtlety goes a step farther with a regular 7-Series interior, which is no bad thing because it’s a fine place to be. But this is an M Performance model and no matter what level of luxury a 7-Series owner may expect, it’s an opportunity missed to not give the M760Li’s cabin a more performance-orientated look.

The sports exhaust is a little restrained, too. Unless born in Gaydon, V12s rarely raise their voice, but even by twin-turbocharged V12 standards the M760Li’s tone is certainly more limo than supersedan. This engine is an inspiring weapon, though.

From the off the torque mountain arrives quickly – it spreads from 1550 to 5000rpm – and hauls 2180kg along at an impressive rate. The 0-100km/h time of just 3.7sec may

make this the fastest-accelerating BMW road car to date, but it never feels as ferocious or as responsive as an M6 Gran Coupe or M5 sedan. It’s all a bit too reserved.

For such a big car it is agile, though.

Active anti-roll bars stem the body roll to an extent, although it doesn’t take much provocation to get the M760Li keeling over in a corner. From here the front end begins to push, but keep your foot in and the xDrive system does a good job of shuffling the torque to the rear axle to the point where you can exit the corner with the big beast neatly balanced. Switch off the stability control and it will wag its tail, too.

Ultimately the M760Li xDrive is less of a performance sedan and more of a luxury limo wearing soft-soled shoes.

When required it will reach silly speeds (300km/h with the limiter removed), but it sacrifices outright performance to retain the 7-Series’ core luxury attributes. We’d rather save $120,000 and buy an M6 Gran Coupe, which offers more thrills for a small sacrifice in luxury. And if we needed more rear seat space, Porsche’s outstanding Panamera Turbo would get our money.

Stuart Gallagher (@stuartg917)

Specification Engine

Power

Torque

0-100km/h

Top speed

Weight

Price

6592cc V12, dohc, 48v, twin-turbo

449kW @ 5500-6500rpm

800Nm @ 1550-5000rpm

3.7sec (claimed)

300km/h (de-limited)

2180kg (206kW/tonne)

$419,000

+ More capable than you’d think; strong engine - Too much of a limo to be genuinely entertaining

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P O RSC H E 9 1 1 GT 3

Heaven on a stick The Porsche 911 GT3 returns with a 368kW 4.0-litre flat six that revs to 9000rpm. More importantly for enthusiasts, there’s now a choice of manual or PDK gearboxes

by DA N P RO S S E R

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O P O RSC H E 9 1 1 GT 3

‘‘ONE LAST QUESTION,’’ I SAY TO ANDREAS Preuninger at the end of our interview. ‘‘Is this the best 911 GT3 ever?’’

We’re standing in a chilly photographic studio on the outskirts of Stuttgart, just a few kilometres from Porsche’s research and development centre at Weissach. The head of the company’s GT-car division has spent the last 30 minutes or so talking me around the latest in a long and extraordinary line of stripped-down, pumped-up, track-ready 911s, pointing out every little refinement, every hard-won efficiency.

This new car is a development of the first-gen 991 GT3 rather than an all-new model, but every major component has been polished or honed to deliver more performance or less resistance. In among the tumbling list of minute tweaks and infinitesimal modifications are two standout headlines: the flat-six engine is now a 4.0-litre unit, superseding both the 3.8 in the previous GT3 and the 4.0 in the GT3 RS and 911 R, and buyers can now choose between a six-speed manual gearbox and a seven-speed PDK transmission. ‘‘Our main focus was on engine development,’’ says Preuninger. ‘‘Since we introduced the new engine platform in the previous GT3 we have used it in the GT3 RS and the R, and now in the [mid-engined] 911 RSR race car that came second at Daytona. As you would expect, we have been gaining confidence and experience with that platform and we are getting ideas to make it better – more powerful, more revvy, more longevity, everything. The engine we have now is a quantum leap from the 3.8 and a big step up even from the RS engine.’’

The crankshaft is new and it now runs on bigger bearings.

Right: new ram-air intakes feed the 4.0-litre flat-six, which is a revised version of that found in the recent 911 GT3 RS and 911 R; the turbocharged Carrera S beats it for torque (500Nm plays 460Nm), but few will sniff at the GT3’s naturally aspirated 368kW at 8250rpm.

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It’s also cross-drilled with a central-fed oil system, so all the oil that lubricates the conrod bearings comes through the centre of the crank. This requires much less pressure for the oil to reach all the vital components, which means less internal resistance and, ultimately, more power at the wheels. ‘‘That’s what we were looking for,’’ says Preuninger. ‘‘Get internal resistance down and be more efficient.’’

The piston rings are lighter and thinner while the cylinder liners are coated in a very low-friction material, which further cuts resistance. The new oil pumps are more efficient, too. The air intake, meanwhile, features a twin-flap system.

A similar setup was used on the 4.0-litre Mezger engine fitted to the 997 GT3 RS 4.0, but previous versions of this engine used a single flap. ‘‘This greatly influences torque low down,’’ says Preuninger. ‘‘The only problem with having more parts is if something breaks it gets inhaled into the engine and, boom, it goes. We’ve found a way to make it bulletproof. ‘‘Everything is topped off by a completely new valvetrain.

Whereas earlier incarnations of this engine used conventional hydraulic valve-lift adjusters, which require lots of oil pressure to operate, this version uses a completely rigid valvetrain, like in a race motorcycle. By deleting the hydraulic elements we can lower the forces in the valvetrain substantially – we’re talking 30 per cent. We need less force to turn over the apparatus and less oil pressure. With that modification alone we gained about 7kW.’’ The results of all that development work are spectacular, on paper at least. Peak power is the same 368kW as the outgoing 4.0-litre RS unit while torque is rated at 460Nm, which is the same as the GT3 RS engine and an increase of 20Nm on the previous GT3.

Impressively, despite the longer stroke needed to increase engine capacity over the 3.8, the new engine still revs to 9000rpm. The GT3 RS and R engines revved only to 8800 and 8500rpm respectively, which was the main reason the smaller engine was actually more exciting at the top end.

Porsche has now combined the longer stroke and higher output with the head-spinning 9000rpm rev limit. ‘‘The engine is like a firecracker exploding after 5000rpm,’’ says Preuninger. ‘‘We understand this new platform now the way we understood the Mezger. It reacts completely differently to external inputs than the Mezger, so we had to rethink everything. You get new ideas from racing, from experience, and you have time to test. We are quite happy now that we know how to make this engine very powerful and efficient at the same time. The result is in this car.’’

Porsche caused a first-world furore when it dropped manual transmissions from its GT cars in 2013, but following the success of the manual-only Cayman GT4 and 911 R it was somewhat inevitable that this latest GT3 would be available with a choice of transmissions. It’s clearly the outcome Preuninger had hoped for – ‘‘I’m freaking out!’’ he says about the return of the manual GT3 – and he goes on to explain the decision to go PDK-only on the previous GT3: ‘‘On that car we had a completely new platform, so we couldn’t concentrate on making both gearbox versions. We had to design for one.

But after all this, who are we to say this is better or that is better? If you want to use the car on track, go for PDK, 100 per cent. If you occasionally go to the track and you’re looking for involvement and a car that makes you smile all the time, go for the manual.’’

Despite the longer stroke needed to increase capacity over the 3.8, the new engine still revs to 9000rpm

P O RSC H E 9 1 1 GT 3

Right: interior does the ‘stripped-back luxury’ thing very well, and the GT3 now gets the smallerdiameter steering wheel from the GT3 RS. Below: those red rings aren’t kerb protectors – they’re to demarcate the tyre wall and the wheel itself (and are optional).

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Preuninger can only guess what the split between PDK and manual will be among customers, but he estimates 60:40 in favour of the two-pedal option. Certain markets, however, including the US, will favour the manual transmission. It’s the same unit found in the 911 R, but it uses a dual-mass flywheel rather than a single-mass, which was an optional extra on the R. ‘‘We should address this point right now,’’ he says, sternly. ‘‘Don’t take the single-mass flywheel from the R and try to be clever and put it on the new GT3.

Why? You will ruin the engine. Believe me, we tried it.

But even with a dual-mass flywheel the engine is so fiery.’’

The manual ’box has a switchable throttle blip and drives through a mechanical limited-slip diff. The PDK car, meanwhile, uses a faster-reacting electronically controlled LSD. The twin-clutch is the same as in the GT3 RS, with the same gearing, but slightly improved shift times.

The chassis was perhaps the previous GT3’s ace card, but Preuninger’s team have still worked hard on the new car’s dynamics. The damper tuning has been revised and there are helper springs on the rear axle now, like on the GT3 RS, which give a little more pliancy over bumps. The tyres will be Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s, which have been further developed since being used on the previous GT3.

Cast-iron brake discs are standard fit and carbon-ceramics are available. The wheels, meanwhile, are the same design as before. ‘‘We loved the gen-one wheel so much [we kept it], but in matt black. I normally don’t like black wheels because you can’t see the point where the wheel starts and the tyre ends, but with the [body-coloured] pinstripe you can.’’

Preuninger says the car uses the latest version of Porsche’s

electric steering system, which has been improving since first appearing on a Porsche Motorsport car on the previous GT3. ‘‘We learned a lot on the 911 R,’’ he says, ‘‘so the steering feel is quite a leap in comparison. This car also uses the smaller, 360mm steering wheel.’’ The rear-axle steering system has been carried over but with changes to the software that improve the car’s low-speed agility.

The other major upgrade has been to the aerodynamics. ‘‘The aerodynamic efficiency of the car is way better,’’ says Preuninger. ‘‘We have the same coefficient of drag as the last one, but we’ve got 20 per cent more downforce. We learned on the 911 R that we could get better downforce by addressing the underbody.’‘ New vanes and spoilers on the underbody accelerate the air underneath the car and shoot it directly to the new diffuser.

With more power, torque, improved aerodynamics and tweaks to the chassis and tyres, the new GT3 will inevitably be faster than the old car, with Preuninger anticipating a Ring time of less than 7min 20sec. For reference, the twin-turbo 997 GT2 RS managed a time of 7min 18sec. Despite this new car being faster on circuit than the previous GT3, Preuninger also says it’s more comfortable on the road. Weight is more or less unchanged, at 1413kg, although the manual ’box saves 17kg compared to PDK. Porsche quotes a 3.9sec 0-100km/h time for the manual car and 3.4sec with PDK, with top speeds of 319km/h and 317km/h, respectively.

In light of the countless improvements and refinements Porsche has made to this new 911 GT3, Preuninger’s answer to my question is as emphatic as it is predictable. ‘‘Absolutely,’’ he says. ‘‘This is the best GT3 to date, no doubt about it.’’ L

Porsche 911 GT3 Engine Flat-six, 3996cc Power 368kW @ 8250rpm Torque 460Nm @ 6000rpm Weight 1413kg Power-to-weight 260kW/tonne 0-100km/h 3.9sec (claimed) Top speed 319km/h (claimed)

RETURN OF THE MAC The numbers are outrageous: 529kW, 770Nm, 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds, 0-200km/h in 7.8 seconds and a top speed beyond 340km/h. Welcome to the second coming of McLaren’s Super Series

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SECOND A LBUM SY NDROME. That’s what McLaren wants to avoid with the 720S. Not only is this new 529kW coupe the company’s first second-generation Super Series car and the replacement for the 650S, it is also the launch pad for 15 new McLaren models or derivatives that will be produced over the next five years.

Super Series is the core of McLaren’s DNA. It’s where the company started with the clumsily named MP4-12C and quickly learnt that building supercars isn’t without its pitfalls – and that buyers in this sector, and the media, are a tough bunch to please. Claiming you’ve built a Ferrari rival is one thing. Proving you have is an altogether tougher task.

It learnt, though. Updates came, the name was shortened and the 12C went on to blossom before eventually evolving into the 650S – a car that had the credentials to go nose-to-nose with Ferrari’s rather brilliant 488 GTB. ‘‘The 720S would be replacing the core of our range,’’ says Mark Vinnels, executive director for programme development at McLaren. ‘‘We knew we didn’t want it to be just an evolutionary step.

‘‘At the beginning we said [to the designers], show us sketches that aren’t comfortable [for us]. We could see there were things that would need to be developed, but at that stage we didn’t have the execution in our minds, such as the new carbonfibre structure.’’

The 720S is built around an evolution of the MonoCell used in the first-gen Super Series models, while taking elements from the MonoCage of the Ultimate Series P1. The fundamental change for the Super Series is that, where the MonoCell ended below the glasshouse, the carbon structure of the new MonoCage II has been designed to incorporate the roof and a pair of dihedral doors, just as the original MonoCage did on the P1. ‘‘The MonoCage II took the lessons from P1, and we saw the upper carbon structure was feasible. The challenge was how to manufacture it in enough volume and at a sensible cost,’’ says Vinnels.

Incorporating the roof into the car’s core structure has allowed chief designer Rob Melville to slim down the windscreen pillars and use glass for the C-pillars. In creating the 720S, Melville and his team have given

M c L A R E N 72 0 S

THE NEW McLAREN 720S SHIFTS THE COMPANY’S DESIGN DIRECTION

us a car that is unmistakably McLaren but which also moves on the company’s design language. It has elements of contention such as the headlights, which sit in what Melville describes as ‘eye sockets’. These are divided into two portions by sequential indicators, with one portion directing air to the radiators behind the front guards and the other housing the LED headlights. For some it looks like an unfinished design element, for others it’s an example of an original design solution answering an engineering dilemma.

It’s a similar story in regard to feeding air to the new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Previous McLarens had air intakes running along the doors, but the 720S has a sleeker, cleaner profile. Air for its engine runs through the bodywork and above the car’s rear haunches, and cooling has increased by 15 per cent.

Completing the car’s design is a new integrated rear wing that’s hydraulically operated. It also functions as an air brake and so has three main functions: downforce, DRS and high-speed braking.

However, it’s what sits within the illuminated engine bay and the components

that hang from the MonoCage that really increase the heart rate. This powerplant may feature eight cylinders in a V-formation and two turbos as per the 650S, but that’s where the similarities end. Forty-one per cent of the parts are new for the M840T. There’s a new cast-aluminium inlet plenum, lighter pistons, conrods and crankshaft. The twin-scroll turbochargers are new and faster-spooling to further improve throttle response, and the 3994cc motor (up from 3799cc) spins to 8100rpm in the first two gears and 8200rpm in third and above. Peak power increases to 529kW from 478kW in the 650S and arrives at 7500rpm; torque grows to 770Nm, up from 678Nm. The seven-speed double-clutch gearbox features upshifts that are up to 45 per cent quicker than those in the 675LT (due to better ignition-cut software) and the speed of the downshifts has improved as a result of the engine’s lower inertia.

The 720S weighs 9kg less than the 650S, tipping the scales at 1419kg with fluids. To achieve this, the electrics are 3kg lighter than before, the standard-fit carbon-ceramic brakes are 2kg lighter and a 1.5kg saving has Left: Pinched waist and bubble cockpit give the 720S the look of a 1980s Group C Le Mans racer.

Distinctive headlight treatment directs air to radiators behind the front guards.

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THE DIET AND ENGINE WORK RESULT IN A 2.9-SECOND 0-100KM/H AND 7.8-SECOND 0-200KM/H

Above and below: The carbonfibre structure of the 720S (dubbed MonoCage II) now incorporates the roof. Doors now take a chunk of the roof with them when open.

Below right: Red glow should be a driver’s delight.

Twin-turbo V8 now displaces 4.0 litres and makes 529kW and 770Nm.

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M c L A R E N 72 0 S

been found in the airboxes. The suspension weighs a hefty 16kg less than it does on the outgoing car, too. McLaren’s diet and engine workout result in a 2.9sec 0-100km/h time, with 200km/h coming up in 7.8sec. The car tops out at 341km/h.

Remarkably, not a single experimental prototype was built for the development of the McLaren 720S. ‘‘One push was to shorten the development time and make it more efficient,’’ says Haydn Baker, McLaren’s vehicle line director for Super Series. ‘‘So we decided to delete the experimental prototype phase, which was a huge challenge. All the proof of content was done on 650S mules, and we didn’t build any cars until less than a year ago. All the work was done using CAE and CFD, and signed off virtually. Our first cars were built by April 2016: there were 20 of these validation cars, and that was the complete fleet for everything – sign-off, mileage, electronics, driveability –

all built from production tooling.’’

Among the 15 new models scheduled by 2022 will not only be Spider and GT versions of the 720S, but also a more extreme replacement for the 675LT, too. Then we’re into Spider variants of today’s 570 and 540 models, before these too are replaced with significantly updated models that will have been developed with technology introduced on the 720S. Finally, there is the more-powerful replacement for the P1 – codename ‘BP23’.

Right now, though, the focus is on the car you see here. More power, more torque and a faster gearbox are the default upgrades for any new supercar. However, it’s the work that has gone into the chassis that will demonstrate whether McLaren has remembered that while numbers are one thing, it’s how they come together and allow the machine to interact with the driver that can mark a car out as being truly special and give it the potential to be a class winner and an object of true automotive desire.

McLaren knows this all too well after the less-than-glowing feedback that found its way to Woking in 2011 regarding the 12C. The steps it has taken to ensure every model since has answered those original criticisms are proof that it’s a manufacturer willing to listen, respond and deliver. Much of what McLaren has learnt with both the P1 and 675LT, undoubtedly two of the very best cars the company has produced in recent times and two of the very best performance cars of all time, has gone into the 720S. Befitting any new supercar worth its place on Instagram, McLaren will build, and has already sold, 400 Launch Edition 720Ss. For the rest of 2017, it expects to sell a further 800 examples in standard, Luxury and Performance trims.

Beyond this, 1500 examples will leave the MTC every 12 months, costing at least $489,900 apiece. When we drive a 720S in a month or so, we’ll tell you if you should be transferring your deposit to a Woking-based bank account.

M c L A R E N 72 0 S M S O

MAXIMUM VELOCITY AFTER THE REVEAL OF ITS NEW 720S, McLaren almost immediately took the covers off an even more exclusive version of its new car. Dubbed the 720S Velocity, it’s the latest car from the marque’s McLaren Special Operations personalisation service.

The MSO-tweaked car has an exposed carbonfibre bonnet, which has been tinted red.

This red tint then blends into the rest of the bodywork. In pictures the paint looks similar to the lurid flip-flop colours seen on 1990s TVRs. In fact, the two different shades of red have been applied by hand to get a smooth gradient effect that accentuates and flows with the taut shape of the 720S. The finish of the car displayed on McLaren’s Geneva stand costs an extra $150,000 over the standard list price of $489,900. But there is no fixed price, as the service that MSO offers is about providing each customer with a unique car, tailored to their own exact tastes.

McLaren has prev iously promoted personalisation and modifications by its MSO department later in each model’s lifespan, but with the 720S it expects customers to want to have more distinctive versions almost immediately after the car’s launch. L

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THE PAINT FINISH ON THE GENEVA SHOW CAR COST AN EXTRA $150,000 OVER THE $489,900 STANDARD CAR

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L A M B O R G H I N I H U R ACA N P E R F O R M A N T E

HERO OR VILLAIN? The Nurburgring is no stranger to controversy and the Green Hell has again provided the backdrop to yet another automotive soap opera. Is the Lamborghini Huracan Performante the fastest road car the Eifel Mountains have ever seen, or is it fake news?

by J E S S E TAY L O R

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On March 2, my inbox pinged with a press release from Lamborghini.

Top left: Stills from the Huracan's record lap. Some have pointed to glitches in the speed display as the smoking gun to the veracity of the lap.

Left: The Performante was still wearing prototype camouflage when Marco Mapelli attacked the Ring.

Nothing unusual there as I get hundreds of emails per day, and in the week leading up to the Geneva motor show, Outlook is in overdrive. But you tend to sit up and notice when a manufacturer coldly states that its 470kW naturally aspirated V10-powered Huracan Performante has just stolen the Nurburgring production car lap record from Porsche’s 652kW 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar.

And we weren’t talking a tenth or two either, but a full five seconds quicker than one of the most sophisticated weapons the automotive world has ever seen.

That 6:52.01 lap time dropped jaws the world over.

After a mad scramble to satisfy the web, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, I tried to digest the number and the car that produced it. Here at evo we have a love/hate relationship with the Huracan. The visceral performance is unique in a world increasingly filtered by regulation, but the chassis is just not quite there. As has become Lamborghini tradition, the first all-wheel-drive variants arrived with the chassis set to safe rather than stun. Understeer is the default handling option, which is disappointing as the related Audi R8 V10 Plus is much more neutral in its balance. The subsequent rear-drive variant, with a front axle uncorrupted by having to deliver drive is closer to the mark. But we’ve longed for more from what we know could be a brilliant supercar.

Without getting ahead of ourselves (we’ll drive it in the

next few weeks), the lighter, more-focused Performante sounds like a proper evo-spec Huracan.

The Performante’s underpinnings are a hybrid of aluminium and carbonfibre, and by forging the front and rear spoilers, engine cover, rear bumper and diffuser out of composites, the Performante manages to shave 40kg off the weight of the standard car. That brings the dry weight down to 1382kg and endows the baddest baby bull with a power-to-weight ratio of 340kW per tonne.

For the record, the Porsche 918 Spyder, when fitted with the Weissach Pack (as was the car that Marc Lieb used to record a 6:57 lap) was good for 383kW per tonne.

With fuel, oil, sundry other fluids and a driver, expect the Performante to be closer to 1550kg. The weight is distributed 43 per cent to the front and 57 per cent rearward.

The 5.2-litre V10 has been tweaked, too. A 21kW power boost means that the Huracan Performante now puts out 470kW, and torque is an impressive 600Nm (115Nm per litre is hard to beat for a naturally aspirated engine). Harnessed by all-wheel drive, the extra power will slingshot the Performante from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds. More impressively, given that all-wheeldrive traction is no longer a factor after the initial launch phase, the 0-200km/h claim dips under nine seconds by a tenth. That is outrageous acceleration for a naturally www.evomag.com.au 085

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aspirated car. Maximum speed is an academic 325km/h.

But five per cent more power and three per cent lower weight alone can’t be responsible for the Huracan’s incredible Nurburgring lap time of 6:52.01. This is where the active aero systems – named Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva – come in. The forged carbon front spoiler has active flaps on the top surface, while two ducts on the rear engine cover are connected to the inner channels of the rear wing.

When the flaps are closed, the rear wing acts as a traditional spoiler, providing vertical downforce, but when they’re open, air is channelled through ridges underneath the wing to reduce drag and maximise acceleration. The ducts can even operate independently, allowing what Lamborghini calls ‘aero vectoring’ for faster cornering.

The Performante also operates a stiffer suspension set-up than the standard Huracan, while 20-inch alloy wheels allow the car to run on Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres – 245/30 R20 front and 305/30 R20 rear. In a point seized upon by doubters and conspiracy theorists, the recordsetting car (still wearing its prototype camouflage) used Pirelli’s super sticky Trofeo R tyres. Lamborghini has since confirmed that the aggressive Trofeo R rubber is available as an option.

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Carbon ceramic brakes are standard, with 380mm front rotors clamped by six-piston calipers and 356mm rear rotors squeezed by four-piston calipers.

By mid-afternoon on March 2, the internet rumour mill had begun to churn. Driven largely by two bloggers, one with racing experience at the Nurburgring, doubts were being cast on Lamborghini’s moon landing. Aside from the tyre controversy, the trouble was with the video that Lamborghini had released. Marco Mapelli’s lap looked impossibly smooth, much more so than his wild ride to a 6:59 lap in the company’s Aventador SV (2015) or even Marc Lieb’s effort in the Porsche 918 Spyder (2013).

Unlike the latter two laps, there was no obvious time left on the table. After six viewings, my amateur eye had identified one tiny bit of understeer, a late shift and an early shift, plus two, slightly more obvious bobbles of oversteer under heavy braking. It looked as close to perfection as possible.

Was this one lap, or was it a series of perfect segments stitched together to give a theoretical best?

Then there was the video’s digital instrument panel overlay. Several times the speedo glitched, either jumping 30km/h in a frame or two, or showing a different speed for the same gear and rev position. Hmm. The buzz became a roar, and on the floor of the Geneva

Above and top right: active aero is the Performante's secret to success. Middle right: 5.2-litre V10 now produces 470kW and 600Nm, up 21kW and 40Nm.

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At the Geneva motor show, Lamborghini's CEO was asked point blank if the lap was real show on March 6, Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Maurizio Reggiani, Director of Research and Development, were asked point blank if the lap was real.

To their immense credit, they addressed the controversy head on, even firing up a laptop to show the original data file to US outlet Cnet Roadshow.

For the record, I don’t think that the Performante’s lap time is fake. I hope I’m not proven wrong.

Look closely at the trace, from a Racelogic system similar to the one that we use at evo, and it does show a few GPS drop outs. Is this the smoking gun that proves the lap was stitched together? We’ve had GPS glitches and drop outs at Sydney Motorsport Park, Wakefield Park, Phillip Island and Queensland Raceway. None of these circuits are located within a dense forest.

And digital speedo do weird things when cars get light (or airborne) at very high speed. Last year on an autobahn near Frankfurt, the Audi R8 V10 Plus I was driving got up on its tippy toes at an indicated 308km/h. In the split second that the tyres weren’t compressing into the concrete, the digital speed jumped to 330km/h. The car kept accelerating but the speedo remained at 330km/h until, after another 10 seconds or so, it started to creep up again as the wheel speed and speedo syncronised again.

In another example, years ago, I got a Lexus LFA airborne. According to the LFA’s digital speed display, we went from 277km/h to 340km/h in the time it took me to realise we were off the deck.

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But for me, my greatest proof (and hope) that the lap is real came back in mid-October when a text bingbonged into my phone. It was from a contact within the Volkswagen Group who had been at the Nurburgring on the afternoon on October 5, 2016. After one of the last industry pool days of the year (before the circuit shut for winter), my contact said that Lamborghini had successfully broken the production car lap record in a Huracan Performante prototype. He was coy on details but was generous enough to suggest that the 6:53 lap time being quoted by US outlets Road & Track and Motor Trend was close to accurate.

To my great regret as a journalist, I didn’t run the story at the time because I just didn’t believe the lap time.

While one of the two internet finger pointers has been satisfied by Lamborghini’s explanation, not everyone agrees. Jim Glickenhaus, gazillionaire US car collector and the brains and financial brawn behind the SCG 003 race and road car, still smells a rat. He’s also laid down a challenge for manufacturers to back up their claims during an open pool day at the Nurburgring.

And as we closed for press, the rumour mill began spinning again with the suggestion that Koenigsegg, with its Agera RS, has already lapped the Ring faster than the Lamborghini Performante, but is waiting for another shot to improve the time when the circuit reopens in the northern hemisphere spring (about now).

I promise, if I get a text this time, you’ll be the first to know. L

Above: less than a week after releasing the Performante's stunning Ring lap time, the car took centre stage at the Geneva motor show.

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TIMES

TESTING

C A R T EST I N G LO CAT I O N S

From the edge of the Arctic Circle to the scorched earth of Death Valley via Nardò and the Nürburgring, join us on a tour of the key locations where manufacturers put new cars through their paces

by DA N P RO S S E R , DAV I D V I V I A N & JOHN BA R K ER

MOBIS PROVING GROUND Arjeplog, Sweden DURING THE WINTER OF 1967, TWO Opel engineers drove north from Germany, not stopping until they’d covered almost the entire ice-ravaged length of Sweden. They stopped at a small town called Arvidsjaur, a few kilometres short of the Arctic circle, and found lodgings at the Laponia hotel.

They had travelled north in search of extreme winter conditions to test a new engine design, not thinking beyond the length of their to-do list. They could never have imagined that, every winter for the following 50 years and beyond, the world’s car engineers would decamp to Arvidsjaur and nearby Arjeplog to test their own new technologies.

Today, with 20 or so separate test facilities and a complete infrastructure built up over five decades, the region is the epicentre of the car industry’s winter testing activities. For 10 weeks each season, the population of Arjeplog triples as 2000 engineers from 30 car manufacturers descend on the town.

Hyundai and Kia come each year, using a facility that belongs to their major component supplier, Mobis. They come to develop ABS and ESC systems, using snow-covered tracks and circuits carved into frozen lakes. ‘‘We have to cover these kinds of conditions,’’ says Hyundai-Kia engineering boss Albert Biermann. ‘‘The range we have to master, the different levels of grip […] that is not so easy for the chassis systems.’’

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Being posted to the north of Sweden each winter to drive prototypes on frozen lakes sounds like a plum assignment.

The bitterly cold weather and the long nights (in January the sun sets just after lunch) plus the reality of being stuck in a small town away from friends and family, however, mean it’s no holiday. ‘‘I was first here in 1984 with the BMW 7-Series. I had heard about a frozen lake and I wanted to drive on it,’’ recalls Biermann. ‘‘I started slowly. Then after some time you try to be Walter Röhrl. Eventually I was too enthusiastic and I span the car 12 metres off the track and into the deep snow. It was an hour of shovelling… ‘‘Some of our guys are out here for eight weeks or so. I think, after two weeks, being here can get boring.’’ ‘‘You don’t want to do more than a couple of weeks at a time,’’ confirms Jaguar Land Rover chassis engineer Mike Hart. ‘‘I know one guy who did eight weeks straight. He was testing a car with three water-filled mannequins in it. He called them all Dave. He said he didn’t realise he was losing his mind until he found himself in the children’s playground in Arjeplog pushing them on the swings, laughing to himself.’’

The Mobis facility was established in 2005. Its land circuits cover 3.3 hectares (one hectare being roughly the size of a football pitch), while the lake circuits are spread over 163

Above: just a few kilometres short of the Arctic circle, vast test facilities at Arjeplog attract thousands of engineers every year.

Above right: a rather different climate awaits visitors to the Nardò test centre in southern Italy.

C A R T EST I N G LO CAT I O N S

NARDÒ TECHNICAL CENTER Nardò, Italy hectares. The Hyundai-Kia group had 120 engineers in the area this season, 20 of them working directly on the forthcoming turbocharged 272kW rear-wheel-drive Stinger GT performance car.

We’ve been following the Stinger GT since its unveiling late last year, and Kia invited evo to test the car on the lake, to explore its intriguing four-stage stability control system on a vast 250-metre-radius steering pad.

There’s so little grip on a frozen lake that any car will slide around a little, even with the systems on, but by and large the electronics keep the Kia in good shape. In Sport mode it will slide around a little before the computers trigger the brakes and kill the throttle to bring it back under control, preventing it from spinning. Pressing the stability control button once removes one more layer of electronic assistance. The car will still use its brakes to try to keep itself in shape, but now it won’t kill the throttle. It will spin in this mode, but you can also hold neat powerslides.

The final stage is to turn the systems off, which really means off. That turns the rear-wheel-drive Stinger GT into one of the most controllable and entertaining oversteer machines you can imagine – on this surface, at least.

There’s every chance the crucial work that goes on in northern Sweden each winter has at one time or another saved your bacon. It just so happens that ice driving is

THE PISTA DI PROVA DI NARDÒ DELLA Fiat opened for business on 1 July 1975 and quickly became a hot spot for serious vehicle testing in a part of Italy not noted for much apart from its largely unchanging sunny climate. Built by Fiat in the southern region of Apulia, and kissing the coast of the Ionian Sea, the spacious facility was eventually bought

by Porsche Engineering in 2012 and renamed – rather less long-windedly – the Nardò Technical Center.

It now boasts 20 tracks to cater for just about every shakedown scenario imaginable, from extreme durability to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) to low-friction ice simulations to near-death and actual death experiences for tyres and suspension. There are even facilities for measuring bodywork corrosion resistance.

Like the MIRA and Millbrook proving grounds in the UK, the NTC is open to all vehicle makers, as well as Porsche Engineering’s many customers and, of course, the Porsche AG car division itself, though the corporate line is keen to emphasise that it affords itself no preferential treatment.

For exclusive use, it has to book the time and stand in line.

Nardò is, after all, an important revenue stream for Porsche.

You have to take to a helicopter to fully appreciate just how expansive Nardò’s most famous circuit is. At 12.5km in circumference and 4.0km in diameter, the constant-radius

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NÜRBURGRING Germany Production car lap record runs grab the headlines in the specialist press but they’re a tiny percentage of the mileage that manufacturers rack up on exclusive ‘Industry Pool’ days at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Why go there at all, you might ask, given that there are virtually no places in the world where you can drive flat out on an endless one-way road that twists like the Targa Florio?

Well, car makers like to speed up development to find out if systems and components are robust, and the pace of the Nordschleife, combined with its bumps and elevation changes, is reckoned to make each 20.8km lap the equivalent of about 300km of normal road driving. If you’ve been there in your own car, you’ll know that it is gently but insistently stressful, and that’s why you’ll see as many ‘vanilla’ cars there as you do high-performance models.

high-speed bowl looks much like you’d imagine the (admittedly much larger) Large Hadron Collider would were it exposed to the air, as it encircles not just most of the site’s other facilities but also a large slice of the surrounding countryside. The banked track has four lanes, each with its own ‘hands off’ speed where, thanks to competing physical forces, the vehicle tracks true without any need for steering input from the driver. In lane four, the lane nearest the outer edge, this is a remarkable 240km/h, which makes the 160km/h ‘hands off’ speed on Millbrook’s much smaller bowl seem, well, rather pathetic.

The Large Hadron Collider analogy isn’t so fanciful, either.

If it’s all about speed, the NTC’s circular track is one of the few places in Europe where 330km/h-plus supercars can really be let off the leash to see what happens at vmax hour after hour.

It’s where the Volkswagen concept car, W12 Nardò, covered 7740km in 24 hours at an average speed of 322km/h.

The 6.1km handling track, opened in 2006, is hardly less exciting or challenging. It comprises 16 bends (nine left-handers and seven rights), some modelled on the more celebrated of the Nordschleife’s, and one in particular – the ever-tightening, downhill left-hander at the end of the main straight, entered more or less flat at around 290km/h in a 918 Spyder – has to be among the greatest ever, making Laguna Seca’s legendary Corkscrew seem a walk in the park by comparison. Porsche ambassador and superhand Walter Röhrl absolutely loves the track.

But even that isn’t NTC’s principal lure. As it always has been, it’s the consistency of the sun and dry tarmac all year round, assets that don’t only mean stable and efficient testing conditions on demand but also an ever-ready queue of Porsche personnel willing to tough it out for the greater good. And Nardò seldom disappoints. When it isn’t possible to test at the Nürburgring, a more frequent occurrence than you might imagine, Nardò’s accommodating climate provides the natural default location for Porsche’s evaluation programmes. It’s the same for Jaguar, Aston Martin, Audi and Lamborghini. In fact, nearly all of Europe’s car makers have test facilities at the NTC. And those facilities will expand in the coming years. The high-speed bowl is being completely resurfaced to eradicate the ostensibly minor lumps and bumps that are seriously amplified at 330km/h or so. There will be new off-road tracks and dirt roads emulating the worst Africa has to offer, too.

Perhaps the enduring appeal of Nardò is best summed up by Bugatti’s head of chassis development, Florian Umbach: ‘‘I was very impressed when I drove for the first time with our Bugatti Veyron Super Sport over the big jump on the great handling track, just facing the blue sky and the amazing view of the sea.’’

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LADOUX France Among the many test tracks at Michelin’s facility at Ladoux, just north of Clermont-Ferrand in central France, is one of the finest wet handling circuits we’ve tried and a simple yet remarkably revealing dry handling track. In combination, they make assessment of a car’s base handling characteristics a 20-minute job and offer excellent opportunities for fine-tuning a car’s traction and stability control systems.

Tucked away behind a scruffy industrial estate, the vast Michelin facility is by contrast as neat as a model railway, the approach to its main entrance via a bowstring bridge over a section of the looping high-speed track. The wet handling circuit is the big draw though, being wide, weir-fed – no need for wipers – and concocted of such curves and cambers that you find yourself grappling with lift-off oversteer without looking for it. It’s where Richard Hammond ‘learned’ to drift in episode 13 of The Grand Tour.

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Arjeplog Nardò Nürburgring Ladoux Ehra-Lessien Death Valley

EHRA-LESSIEN Germany If you want to run a road car at very high speed – well over 330km/h – your options are scant. The best place in the world is Ehra-Lessien in Germany with its 8.7km straights and long, banked links that permit a fast entry and exit. It sounds tailormade for the current era of 400km/h-plus road cars but is, in fact, a Cold War relic, built in what was a no-fly zone near the former East German border.

It’s owned today by the Volkswagen Group – a fact that some reckon gives the group’s Bugatti brand an advantage over every other car maker who fancies a pop at the title of World’s Fastest Production Car. It’s one of the few places where 400km/h-plus can be achieved – Nardò’s huge bowl comes with an unhelpful cornering load, while Papenburg in north Germany has straights of ‘only’ 4km – and it’s rare for other car makers to be granted access.

United States All car makers have access to test cells that can reproduce the harshest of environments, be they extreme heat, cold or humidity, but there’s nothing so thorough as actually being there and driving the test car, which is why Death Valley National Park in California, USA, is still one of the must-visit new-car development destinations. Its searing heat tests everything on the car, from the obvious such as the engine cooling system and the capacity and functionality of the cabin air conditioning, to the unexpected such as the glue sticking the rear-view mirror to the windscreen. It’s hottest in July and August, with average temperatures of 46-47deg C, which makes it a test of the engineers as well as the cars, not to mention the photographers who camp out to ‘scoop’ the latest prototypes.

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AU D I S 5 v B M W 4 4 0 i v M E RC E D ES -A M G C 4 3

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by A DA M T OW L E R

SIX P H O T O G R A P H Y by A S T O N PA R RO T T

MACHINES Which of these six-cylinder coupes should you choose: Audi’s new turbocharged S5, BMW’s 440i or Mercedes-AMG’s C43?

AU D I S 5 v B M W 4 4 0 i v M E RC E D ES -A M G C 4 3

Nice.

Not a good word, nice.

It’s a word you dread hearing after a first date. It’s bland but pleasant, inoffensive, nondescript, toothless – a word we were banned from using in English class at school.

At first glance the new Audi S5, BMW 440i and Mercedes-AMG C43 coupes are all ‘nice’ cars: expensive, fast, comfy. Nice badges on the nose. Nice dealerships, too, with nice coffee and nice sales people. They’re the indulgent purchase without getting too carried away. After all, each tends to have a bigger brother that gets the really exciting looks, the outrageous performance, the headlines: the M4s, the RS5s, the C63s – the real deal. Below our trio sit the big-engined diesel variants of the same cars, so smug in their claims that ‘in the real world’ they’re just as quick, while offering lower fuel consumption. Given these are usually daily drivers often run through a company, not Sunday-morning thrillers, that’s uncomfortable pressure.

But what if ‘The Thrill of Driving’ motivates you? Where do they fall then: a potent everyday compromise, or an awkward irrelevance?

The ‘old money’ in this test is the BMW. Not because Munich’s representative has a penchant for tweed and also owns a 30-year-old Volvo wagon – although it is the oldest design in this confrontation, dating back to 2014 – but because long, long ago, before Audi was capable of producing a convincing powerful luxury sports coupe and Mercedes was seemingly disinterested, this was BMW’s natural stomping ground. So if you wanted a small-ish, sporty, two-door body with an oversized and blue-blooded six-pot motor up front and a focus on enthusiast driving dynamics, once upon a time you’d just have bought the BMW and been done with it.

Times have long since changed. It’s no great surprise that we’re hanging this group test off the arrival of the new Audi S5, because the art of making a thoroughly useable, slickly designed, beautifully appointed and unassumingly rapid coupe has become an Audi hallmark. And from the outset, the S5 presses all the right buttons. It’s a great big chiselled hunk of German automotive power with its immaculate radii, and there’s just enough of the original A5’s distinctive lines intact to continue the resemblance. At its core is an all-new, 260kW 3.0-litre V6 with a single turbocharger instead of the supercharger of before. The S5 has just arrived in Australia at $105,800.

What then of the BMW? The current 4-Series may well adhere to the definition of a coupe but it rather plays it down in spirit. It limbos under the $100K barrier

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The BMW may be the least powerful car here, but it’s also the lightest and feels extremely keen

Top: the BMW 440i – the only rear-wheel-drive car in our trio – can be made to waggle its tail, but its sloppy, lifeless steering discourages you from doing so.

at $99,900. Sadly, the 440i badge doesn’t equate to a 4.0-litre V8 but rather the latest iteration of BMW’s single-turbocharged straight-six, here producing 240kW. Finally, there’s the C43. That’s another nameplate that sparks distant memories, but this is AMG’s junior model line to the V8-powered C63, using the 3.0-litre V6 with twin turbos that appears in cars such as the SL400. Here it has 270kW. Like the Audi, but not the BMW, the Mercedes is all-wheel drive. In Coupe guise is starts at $105,615.

All three cars here use a traditional torque converter auto ’box, rather than anything more racy such as a twin-clutch unit (as in the old S5).

First impressions of the Audi continue to be positive when opening the door and dropping down into the deeply bolstered sports seat. Ahead is the glow of the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit screen, just one element of a broad, narrow dash and high centre console festooned with carbon and silver-highlighted switchgear. It feels special and exudes quality. That may only be a perception, not based on any

cold hard fact of how reliable the oily parts underneath may turn out to be, but it’s not hard to see the S5 signing up converts before a test drive.

The Merc shares the Audi’s extrovert nature inside; in fact, it’s more flamboyant but in a notably different way, with curvier, friendlier shapes to the interior, just as the view out, while narrow-of-glass and coupe-like, is softer than the Audi’s brutal, straight-edged vista. I can never quite make up my mind on these new-age interiors from Mercedes. On one hand I applaud the willingness to experiment, to use different materials and textures, but look beneath that and it doesn’t feel like the sturdiest of creations. The BMW is unquestionably the least interesting of the three inside, with its blocky centre stack and familiar switchgear. Having said that, it is the one I find easiest to use, and the additional leather surfaces and Individual seats lift this particular 4-Series cabin hugely.

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might, how its interior makes you feel. It’s a very refined car, and while the ride quality is firm, in Comfort or Auto it’s actually very well controlled. It takes no time at all to realise that this is another very well sorted Audi; that those years of ham-fisted dynamics and harsh rides with little to compensate for them are very much behind us. Oddly, the new V6 seems notable by its absence, a small flourish on start-up, then retreating until it’s little more than a murmur, shuffling through the gears briskly under light throttle loads like all these cars do. You tend to drive the Audi with small, precise inputs. The Dynamic Steering gives a fast ratio, and in the less sporty modes the steering is very light. Frankly, it’s a rather odd facsimile of what a steering rack in a car used to feel like, but thankfully there’s nothing too weird about its self-centring or general weighting to make it feel actually unpleasant.

A few kilometres in the BMW is very revealing. The 440i is entirely capable of padding around, offering minimal intrusion into the driver’s life while they access one of the seemingly endless different ways you can listen to media.

Fine. But the manner in which it goes about this is hugely disappointing. The chief culprit is the steering: in the standard setting it’s as if its initial operation and weighting are controlled via a mechanism of elastic bands. It’s so

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Clockwise from left: the new S5’s cabin continues the great Audi tradition of high-quality efficiency; the BMW’s cabin architecture is familiar yet remains stylish; the AMG’s interior is bold and slightly brash.

AU D I S 5 v B M W 4 4 0 i v M E RC E D ES -A M G C 4 3

It’s hard to get the S5 to understeer. In extremes it’s more likely to slide deftly with all four wheels

sloppy and lifeless, so disconnected, you can’t help but wonder how it could be signed off like that. The BMW’s ride quality is curious too. In essence it rides well in Comfort on a smooth A-road or motorway, and with its comfortable seats (a shade better than the AMG’s, a lot better than the S5’s) and great driving position, it’s a really nice way to travel. But on urban or B-roads the body control is poor, and the dampers seem to run out of ideas very quickly, after which the intrusion of a pothole seems to be transferred straight into the bodyshell, complemented with a bang or a creak from the interior.

The BMW may well be the least powerful car here, but it’s also the lightest, and whatever the figures say on paper it feels extremely keen. So keen that on cold, damp roads the 4-Series has a really hard time of containing the sudden, massive build-up of torque from the straight-six, and the rear tyres more often than not give up the fight.

Shouldn’t we be extolling such things as ‘character’, the antidote to ‘nice’? Yes and no. It’s always worth peeling back a layer of ESC, else you become a prisoner to it, but while the 440i’s willingness to wag its tail is sometimes a giggle, without a limited-slip diff there’s not a great deal you can do with it, and it’s hard to know just how much ‘entertainment’ you’re going to get. It’s well worth moving into Sport or Sport+ mode, because the steering gains weight and the body control tightens up too. Driven thus it can be amusing, even if a lot of your time is spent managing traction. Incidentally, in left-hand-drive markets the 440i is available with xDrive all-wheel drive.

It’s AMG time. The biggest mistake you can make is to approach the C43 as though it’s a diet version of the C63

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Coupe, or any other V8 AMG monster of recent years. It is a proper AMG, but it’s not anything like the V8s, certainly not in spirit and definitely not in terms of oversteer. Like the other cars here, it’s an effortless place to cover big kilometres in, the ride compliant enough in Comfort although without the same control and isolation as the Audi. What’s initially most impressive is the steering, for while it’s a relatively feedback-free device in the modern style, it combines an immediate response with linearity and normal weighting, and I never give it a second thought – which is meant as a compliment. You can add more weight to it, but it’s hardly necessary.

The AMG-fettled biturbo V6 is distant in normal driving but it builds boost rapidly and punches very, very hard, as you might expect with 520Nm. Free from the traction headaches of the BMW, it’s probably the quickest car here, and it’s not all low-down punch either – it likes to rev as well. When you want to have fun the AMG is best driven

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in manual mode, though with nine gears it can be hard to know precisely where you are. In auto it’s too keen to downshift. With so much torque, part of the joy is to feel the performance build in a gear, but the constant shuffling of cogs in auto blunts that feeling and interrupts the acceleration, albeit briefly.

The C43 has more in common with an all-wheel-drive hot hatch than a rowdy coupe. Even in terrible weather it finds amazing traction (69 per cent of the torque goes to the rear axle), which combined with strong brakes and the AMGdeveloped chassis (C63 parts, stronger components and completely new geometry) means you can really commit to corners with confidence and maintain a lot of corner speed.

It’s not the most three-dimensional driving experience, but some sense of personality is added by the sports exhaust, which howls, pops and bangs ludicrously loudly.

In comparison, the Audi never quite steps up to the same level. Instead it takes its inherent competence and simply

Below: despite its bellowing, crackling biturbo V6, the all-wheeldrive C43 finds massive levels of grip, even when the weather conditions are poor.

goes down a road in a significantly quicker manner when asked to do so. Select Dynamic for the steering and it really takes on weight. The V6 finds its voice in its Dynamic setting, but it’s a curiously thin, reedy note, in keeping with an engine that’s more effective than charismatic. It’s the sort of car where you really need the speedo to get a sense of how fast you’re travelling, while the response of the gearbox seems a little slow at times, as though it can’t quite make up its mind.

The behaviour of the S5’s chassis is more impressive.

Possessed of a sense of measured control in almost all conditions, it’s also surprisingly neutral when pushed to the limit. The optional Sport Differential doesn’t mean oversteer on demand, yet it’s also hard to get the S5 to understeer, and in extremes – say, provoked by braking into the corner – the car is more likely to slide deftly with all four wheels.

BMW doesn’t make an M Performance 440i, but that would be a more natural rival to the other two here: the

regular 440i, despite its almost too powerful engine, doesn’t feel special enough, either in a touchy-feely sense or to drive. The caveat is that the 4-Series range gets another facelift this spring, and we’re told the suspension, steering and stability will be improved via higher quality suspension components and retuned dynamics. But for now, the BMW’s nice in parts, but bringing up the rear in this test.

The Audi is a fine car. Too good to be labelled ‘nice’, yet hard to truly love. It’s impressive, capable and fast, and if that’s the beginning and end of what you’re looking for then fine. But as an evo reader, you’ll be after more. Hence the AMG C43 is our winner here.

If these three cars really are about duality of purpose then the AMG is best at it. It’s very good at being comfortable and undemanding and linking to a smartphone, but it’s also got a wild side where it can get from A to B in foul weather at a crazy rate while making a lot of noise. Naughty but nice – now that’s a winning combination. L

Audi S5 Coupe

Mercedes-AMG C43 4Matic Coupe

BMW 440i Coupe

Engine 2995cc V6, turbo Power 260kW @ 5400-6400rpm Torque 500Nm @ 1370-4500rpm Transmission Eight-speed Tiptronic automatic, quattro all-wheel drive Tyres 255/35 R19 front and rear Weight 1615kg Power-to-weight 161kW/tonne 0-100km/h 4.7sec (claimed) Top speed 250km/h (limited) Basic price $105,800

Engine 2996cc V6, twin-turbo Power 270kW @ 5500-6000rpm Torque 520Nm @ 2000-4200rpm Transmission Nine-speed automatic, 4Matic all-wheel drive Tyres 225/45 R18 front, 25/40 R18 rear Weight 1660kg Power-to-weight 163kW/tonne 0-100km/h 4.7sec (claimed) Top speed 250km/h (limited) Basic price $105,615

Engine In-line 6-cyl, 2998cc, turbo Power 240kW @ 5500rpm Torque 450Nm @ 1380-5000rpm Transmission Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive Tyres 225/40 R19 front and rear (option) Weight 1555kg Power-to-weight 154kW/tonne 0-100km/h 5.0sec (claimed) Top speed 250km/h (limited) Basic price $99,990

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evo rating: ;;;;2

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E RU N N E R E L EC T R I C P I K ES P EA K RAC E R

Electric race cars came of age when Rhys Millen’s battery-powered beast won Pikes Peak overall in 2015. We drive the electric Tajima Rimac eRunner, which soon hopes to repeat the feat

by DA N P RO S S E R P H O T O G R A P H Y by A S T O N PA R RO T T

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T

HE SUMMIT OF THE PIKES PEAK International Hill Climb course is over 4200 metres above sea level. That’s halfway to the top of Mount Everest. What this means, of course, is that the air is very thin, which makes the simple act of breathing a real struggle. You gulp harder and faster and more deliberately at the air, but your lungs just don’t get the oxygen they need.

Down at sea level oxygen makes up 21 per cent of the atmosphere. At the top of Pikes Peak, that number drops to just 12 per cent. Being up there is like drowning in slow motion.

Anything that needs oxygen to operate suffers in the same way, internal combustion engines included.

A car might produce 530kW on the start line, but by the time it reaches the finish it’ll struggle to crank out much more than 300kW as it chokes on the thin, wispy air, the explosions in the combustion chambers popping like soggy fireworks rather than going off like grenades. This is where the electric motor steals an advantage. As long as the batteries feed it a current, the motor will spin away just as hard and as fast at the top of a mountain – or even at the point where flight becomes space travel – as it would on the shores of the Atlantic.

The electric motor has no need for oxygen.

That’s why electric cars are starting to have it their way at Pikes Peak. We’re at a sort of crossover point right now; an electric car will win one year and a combustion-engine car the next. But the trend suggests the Rocky Mountains might not rock to the sound of V8s, straight-sixes and turbocharged fours for a whole lot longer.

The Race to the Clouds was first won by an electric car in 2015.

THE CAR HAS RECORDED A SET OF ACCELERATION FIGURES THAT WOULD MAKE A FIGHTER PILOT NOD IN APPRECIATION

Left: orange cable trailing from the eRunner hints that fossil fuels aren’t required in this pit garage.

Above: through corners the car’s steering plays a less important role than its torque vectoring system.

The open-top, Radical-style machine, driven by New Zealander Rhys Millen, used six electric motors to develop 1050kW. It set a time of 9 minutes 7.2 seconds on the 19.9km course, beating the best-placed petrol-engined competitor by almost half a minute.

The car you see here, the Tajima Rimac eRunner, finished second that year, trailing Millen’s machine by 25 seconds. It, too, is all-electric, and were it not for brake failure part-way up the climb, it may well have beaten Millen’s time. The eRunner is the result of a collaboration between Monster Sport, the team owned by nine-time Pikes Peak winner Nobuhiro ‘Monster’ Tajima, and Rimac Automobili, the Croatian upstart behind the spectacular Concept One supercar.

It’s insured for around $5million, which means I’ll be trying very hard not to crash.

Monster Sport was responsible for the rolling spaceframe chassis, the bodywork and the aero, while Rimac developed the motors, the batteries, the cooling system and the software for the very clever torque-vectoring system. Just like the road-going Concept One, the

eRunner uses one motor for each wheel, here producing a total power output of 1120kW. The driver sits centrally beneath a fighter jet-style canopy, flanked on either side by huge battery packs. At 1500kg the eRunner is no flyweight.

You couldn’t call it a pretty race car, either, and from certain angles it seems quite tall and narrow, but it could hardly look more purposeful.

With its carbonfibre bodywork removed and a tangle of bright orange and yellow cables running across it like some colour-coded central nervous system, it looks dangerous, as though you should stand well back or risk getting fried. The huge rear wing helps to generate 800kg of downforce at 160km/h, although that drops by half at the top of the course as the air thins. Incidentally, the car carries an oxygen supply to make sure the driver doesn’t wilt like the downforce.

The eRunner has actually been around since 2012, long before Rimac got involved. The original version used Mitsubishi-supplied batteries and although it did have an electric motor on each wheel, there was no torque vectoring. It developed some 600kW, but riddled www.evomag.com.au

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Left: a lot to take in: the eRunner’s facia is awash with switches and buttons. Right: spaceframe chassis is the work of Monster Sport; battery packs reside either side of the driver’s seat.

THE TORQUE VECTORING IS SO EFFECTIVE THAT THE DRIVER HAS TO UNLEARN THEIR OWN DRIVING TECHNIQUE TO SOME EXTENT

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with gremlins it never set Pikes Peak alight. When Tajima met Rimac Automobili founder Mate Rimac late in 2014, a plan was hatched to drop the Concept One’s drivetrain into the car.

Like all the best motorsport projects, this one was desperately short on time. The chassis only arrived at Rimac’s Zagreb premises in March 2015, just three months ahead of that year’s event. ‘‘It was a crazy time for us,’’ says Tomislav Šimuni , vehicle dynamics team leader at Rimac.

During those three months the company’s technicians worked around the clock, fitting the motors, the power distribution unit, the heavyduty wiring, the pair of 200kg battery packs and the four chains that transfer drive from the motors to the wheels. The build was finished in May, leaving just a couple of weeks to make sure the thing actually worked before it was shipped to Colorado.

In the same way that a top-fuel dragster is designed specifically to accelerate over the quarter mile as quickly as possible, or the way a Bonneville racer is designed to reach high speeds over a longer distance, the eRunner is built for Pikes Peak and nothing else. It has a range of 25km, which leaves just enough sparks in reserve at the top of the climb to ensure the batteries don’t drop below the dreaded 20 per cent mark, the point at which power output starts to fade rapidly. The slick tyres, too, are designed to cover just 25km: the rubber is so soft you imagine you could burrow through the tread and down to the carcass using your fingernails alone. Even the weight distribution has been optimised at 52:48 front to rear to suit the course’s seven per cent incline.

During early shakedown runs the team recorded a set of acceleration figures that would make a fighter pilot nod in appreciation. From a standing start the car hit 100km/h in 2.3sec and 200km/h in just 5.4sec. It accelerated at 1.3 G all the way to 160km/h, which

is more G-force than a Porsche 911 GT3 can pull in an emergency braking manoeuvre. There was no doubt about it: Tajima’s men and Rimac’s team had built some special kind of monster.

The eRunner’s party piece, though, is its all-wheel torque vectoring.

With a motor per wheel, the computers can send drive exactly where it’s needed with incredible precision, and with much more immediacy than a combustion engine and a set of differentials can manage. It’s all about clawing every last ounce of grip from those four bubble gum-inthe-sun super-tacky tyres.

The torque vectoring is so effective, however, that the driver has to unlearn their own driving technique to some extent. For Tajima, who was 65 at the time, that didn’t come naturally. The Japanese rally driver made his name wrestling fearsomely quick petrol-engined monsters up Pikes Peak, back when it was paved in places and loose in others (it’s now all paved), and in that time he inevitably developed a certain style. ‘‘I’ve never seen a driver as aggressive as him,’’ comments Šimuni. ‘‘He’s an old-school driver and sometimes he fights the torque vectoring.’’ ‘‘The first thing I saw him do when he tried the car for the first time,’’ adds Kruno Hrvatini, Rimac’s torque-vectoring genius, ‘‘was turn up the power to 100 per cent, accelerate at full throttle, then brake so hard that all four tyres locked. We hadn’t locked the tyres once at that point.’’

In an all-wheel-torque-vectoring car such as this one, the steering wheel is less a device for controlling or balancing the vehicle and more a means of guiding it. The steering angle is really the only way the car can know where you want it to go, which means traditional rally-style techniques such as Scandinavian flicks and to some extent even opposite lock just don’t work. You’ll confuse the hell www.evomag.com.au

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out of it. Instead, you should simply point the steering wheel where you want the car to go and leave it to get you there, no matter how much you think it might oversteer here or push on there. It takes a neat, delicate driving style, not a flamboyant one honed over several decades on gravel rally stages.

With a record nine Pikes Peak victories Tajima is, of course, a driver with a rare natural ability, but he’s also less adaptable to new types of car than a younger, less experienced driver might be. Having spent so long pedalling conventional cars, Tajima also prefers a high level of regenerative braking to replicate engine braking. That’s good for the batteries’ state of charge, but as Hrvatini explains: ‘‘It just isn’t smooth.

Driving dynamics theory says the optimal amount of torque to put through the tyres at the apex of a corner is zero, so you want the motors to be disengaged, not recovering energy.’’ Still, Tajima dragged this thing up Pikes Peak faster than anybody with a cylinder block in 2015, so he must have been doing something right.

The car looks huge when it’s right in front of you. I swivel over the two-foot-wide battery pack on the left side and fall into the cockpit, noting how downright wrong the seating position is for my body shape.

The seat-back is bolt upright, the steering wheel is huge and almost out of reach, there’s no support for my thighs and the gap between the brake pedal and the throttle is so wide I worry my right foot might drop

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straight through the void just as I dive into the biggest braking zone on the circuit I’ll be driving it on. Tajima likes it that way.

The drawn-out starting procedure – prime this system here and isolate that doodad there, but only after you’ve double-checked that really important whatsit – is almost as baffling as the bank of dials and switches behind the steering wheel, dials and switches that toggle through countless settings for the power steering and the torque vectoring and the regen braking and whatever else. You could commute in this thing for a year and still only figure out what half of them do. It’s all a bit much.

The circuit is very cool, though, and properly atmospheric with it.

A couple of hours west of Zagreb, Grobnik is an unmanicured, tumbledown sort of place with flaky pit buildings and a crumbling track surface. And lots of stray cats. The kerbs are high and steeply angled and the corners are heavily cambered, which gives the track the runaway flow of a rollercoaster. In the shadow of a rugged mountain range it’s as characterful a circuit as you’ll find anywhere.

Electric cars are normally very quiet, but as soon as this eRunner gets moving at anything over walking pace it shrieks and screams and wails and whines so manically that I wonder if I’ve been sold a lie. Even through my helmet I can barely hear myself think. Chain drives. My word, they make a racket.

That’s just the first of many overwhelming sensory inputs, the second

E R U N N E R E L EC T R I C P I K ES P EA K RAC E R

IT'S LESS LIKE ACCELERATING IN A PETROL-POWERED CAR AND MORE LIKE PLUMMETING FROM SOME GREAT HEIGHT. THE SENSE OF PANIC IS THE SAME, TOO

being the outrageous straight-line acceleration. Now, the eRunner’s batteries have lived a life – the car went back to Pikes Peak in 2016 and finished fifth overall, running 20 seconds quicker than the previous year – so they’re beyond their best, which means the total power output is down to around 750kW. No biggie – even after a tough life the eRunner still packs an almighty punch.

Powerful electric machines have an immediate, uninterrupted way of flinging themselves down the road or circuit, and they feel faster and faster and seem to accelerate harder and harder the longer you keep your foot in, until you suddenly hit top speed. It’s less like accelerating in a petrol-powered car and more like plummeting from some great height.

The sense of panic is the same, too. The eRunner shoots away from standstill like nothing I’ve ever driven, yet once rolling it doesn’t shove a whole lot harder than a really quick road car, such as a McLaren 675LT. But with another 350kW? I can only imagine.

The brakes are strong and the steering very light, if quite vague. In fact, while the eRunner looks like a wild, untameable, only-the-brave competition machine, it’s no effort to drive around Grobnik: a Caterham track car takes more exertion. The significant factor here is the torque vectoring. With the system switched off the car does feel big and heavy, but with the computers juggling torque this way and that, dragging the inside wheels on the way into a corner to make it pivot, overloading the outside rear from the apex through to the exit to keep it on line, it feels like a different machine. It’s like taking 500kg out of it, or adding 500kg of downforce, or replacing worn-out tyres with sticky new slicks.

All-wheel torque vectoring is akin to black magic. It gives freakish dynamic ability and levels of grip and agility that normal cars just can’t hope to match. It’s as though the eRunner is hooking onto a pivot point on the inside of every corner and swinging around it like a chimp swinging from treetop to treetop. It makes me feel excited about the not-so-faraway Faraday future of the performance car, and when Šimuni says, ‘‘One day an electric car will beat Sébastien Loeb’s record time at Pikes Peak’’ – which would mean going 45 seconds faster than any electric car has ever gone – I simply have to believe him. L

Above: huge rear wing contributes to 800kg of downforce at 160km/h, at sea level, at least. Right: eRunner’s tyres have super-soft tread designed to last just 25km.

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AG E v P E R F O R M A N C E

AGE CONCERN b y C O L I N G O O DW I N

PHOTOGR A PH Y by JA MES L IPM A N

What impact does age have on your ability to drive? We put three racing drivers, aged from 27 through to 76, through a series of tests to find out

The Goodwood Revival, 1999.

A red McLaren M5A powered by a 3.0-litre BRM V12 is being driven fast and aggressively. Suddenly it tangles with another car, leaves the circuit and slams backwards into the tyre wall. In it is Sir Jack Brabham, who is knocked out but thankfully suffers no more than a few nights in hospital. Brabham, who died in 2014, was 73 years old when he drove in that race. It wasn’t his last either, for he continued to take part in classic events until 2004.

The link between age and speed has always fascinated me. At what stage in life does age start to affect a driver’s performance behind the wheel? And what factors are involved? Do reactions slow with age? To find out, we’ve brought together three generations of racing drivers at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone to put them through a series of physical tests and driving challenges.

First we have 27-year-old Dan Cammish. Winner of the British Porsche Carrera Cup in 2015 and 2016 and this year contesting the F1-supporting Supercup series as well as the Carrera Cup GB. With 12 wins out of 16 starts in 2016 he’s one of the hottest sports car drivers in the world.

Next we have David Brabham, youngest son of Sir Jack and winner of Le Mans in 2009 at the wheel of a Peugeot.

He’s now 51 years old.

Finally, we have Richard Attwood. Winner of Le Mans in 1970 driving a Porsche 917, Attwood was also a prolific talent in single-seaters. At last year’s Goodwood Revival he drove his old BRM P126 F1 car to qualify fourth in the Glover Trophy with a fourth in the race itself. Only an engine short of 2000rpm prevented an even more impressive result. Still, fourth is damned good going for a man 76 years of age.

Here’s our plan. First we’re going to subject our three drivers to a session in Porsche’s Human Performance lab under the expertise of sports scientist Jack Wilson. Then, when we’ve gathered data on their fitness and physical shape, we’re going to get them out onto the centre’s test tracks to see how they perform behind the wheel. Sitting next to them for each of the sessions will be a highly experienced instructor from the centre who will assess and comment on their driving.

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Human Performance David Brabham is our first victim, strapped to a machine that analyses the body’s composition and measures its levels of fat. ‘‘I’ve only just started training again after a break of a few years,’’ says Brabham. The Aussie tips the scales at 72.1kg of which 19.7 per cent is fat and 32.7kg muscle. Dan weighs in at 80kg of which 17.3 per cent is fat and 37kg is muscle. ‘‘I’ve only recently started training,’’ he explains. ‘‘Up until now I’ve simply relied on my driving talent, but now that I’m moving up a level I’m taking the fitness side of it more seriously.’’

In Attwood’s day training was unheard of. For one thing they were driving so much they were always match fit. That said, Attwood clearly looks after himself pretty well. ‘‘Over 50 your muscle mass drops by 1-2 per cent per year,’’ explains Jack Wilson, ‘‘but there’s a lot you can do to slow it down.’’ Attwood’s active lifestyle, including tennis once a fortnight or so, has resulted in a body-fat score of 24.6 per cent and a muscle mass of 29.6kg.

Next up is a posture check. This involves standing

DAN’S SPINE IS THAT OF A 50-YEAR-OLD. WE’RE SEEING THIS A LOT IN YOUNG DRIVERS BECAUSE KARTING IS NOT GOOD FOR THE BACK

against a background grid while our experts mark it with a felt pen and eye up the subject. Brabham is a bit rightside low – the result of a once broken collarbone. Young Dan is a surprise, for his spine is all over the place. It’s not helped by a pelvis broken in a Formula Ford crash, but according to Wilson’s team this is not the only factor: ‘‘Dan’s spine is that of a 50-year-old. We’re seeing this a lot in young drivers because they start karting at such a young age and being in a kart is not good for the back.’’

Dan concurs: ‘‘I started karting at 13 and was racing 42 weekends a year.’’ Both David and Richard have spinal columns that have been affected by thousands of hours in racing cars. Both also demonstrated a lack of mobility through the spine in all common movements, particularly on their right sides, possibly as a consequence of lapping on predominantly clockwise circuits throughout their careers.

Next is a couple of reaction tests. One uses a Saccadic

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fixator, which features lights that flick on at random and have to be turned off by touching them with a fingertip.

The other test uses a Batak machine, which has larger illuminated pads over a wider area that are hit with the palm of your hand to turn them off. Cammish scores well on both machines, helped by the fact he’s from the digital generation and has been brought up texting and playing computer games. David has slightly slower reactions, scoring 74 on the Batak machine to Dan’s 91. Richard does much less well on the Saccadic fixator but scores 65 on the Batak machine. ‘‘Richard’s score is what we’d expect to see from a Porsche customer attending the Porsche Human Performance centre who is 30-35 years old,’’ says Wilson. Clearly Richard’s tennis playing is a help but even considering that he has excellent reactions and mobility for his age.

Lastly there’s a test for grip strength, jump height (which gives an indication of overall core strength) and a session on the bike to measure maximum oxygen uptake, or VO2 max. David has a very good grip strength, better than Dan’s, with Richard coming in third with a still impressive 40.0 score from his right hand against David’s 49.9 and Dan’s 48.6. Attwood is excused from the jump test and the VO2 max test because a few years ago he had to have a bit of work done to his ticker’s plumbing and so we’re not keen to strain it. As you’d expect, Dan produces a better score than David with a VO2 score of 48 ml/min/kg against Brabham’s 39 ml/min/kg.

Porsche Cayenne Hybrid on the ‘Loop’ Our trio’s first driving test is in a Porsche Cayenne Hybrid on the centre’s ‘Loop’ circuit. As it’s name suggests, the course is a loop, but with the addition of a downhill twisty section that ends in a hairpin and a climb uphill to rejoin the main loop. The challenge for the drivers is to cover 15 laps in the shortest time with the lowest fuel consumption. The task will involve smooth driving and an understanding of the hybrid’s technology.

All three drivers are offered sighting laps. Attwood declines, as he regularly instructs at the centre and so knows the course and the car. As I had expected, all three of them are hugely competitive. The relaxed Attwood is suddenly a blur of activity, firing off questions to instructor Ben McLaughlin on how to adjust this and that for a better performance. But while his brain is racing, his driving is extremely smooth. ‘‘Richard hardly used the brakes at all,’’ comments McLaughlin. ‘‘He rolled into all the corners and was very light on the throttle down the straights.’’

Brabham sets off more aggressively, using more throttle than Attwood. The main indicator for how much energy is being used is the ‘power’ dial on the dashboard that has a needle that ideally should be no more than halfway along the scale. It’s a tall order to concentrate on driving and to monitor the battery use and variables on the dashboard. ‘‘David realised too late that his aggressive approach was not making best use of the Cayenne’s hybrid system and in particular the EV mode,’’ says McLaughlin. ‘‘He only slowed at the end when it was too late to achieve a good economy figure.’’

Dan sets off in the same aggressive way as David but soon realises his mistake. ‘‘The readout was showing

Above right and top right: 27-year-old Cammish is a newcomer to working out. Right and far right: 76-year-old Attwood on the Saccadic fixator and with the Batak machine.

Bottom right: 51-year-old Brabham prepares for the oxygen uptake test.

9.7L/100km when he adapted his driving to be much smoother with less braking,’’ observes McLaughlin.

As you can see from our table of results, Richard achieved by far the best outcome, matched only in average speed by Dan and exceeding the younger driver’s average economy by some margin. McLaughlin, who has been an instructor for 20 years, says Richard is the smoothest driver he’s ever met. It’s that smoothness, coupled with an ability to analyse what’s going on, that has put him on top of the podium for this test.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS on the main circuit Now for some excitement. It’s pretty simple: each driver, under the watchful eye of instructor Ed Pead, has 10 laps in the GT3 RS against the stopwatch. As well as the watch, the car’s onboard data logger

AG E v P E R F O R M A N C E

Conclusion

will transmit detailed information that can be read to check up on the driver’s throttle, brake and steering inputs.

One look at Ed Pead’s expression walking away from the RS after David Brabham’s laps gives a pretty good idea of David’s pace and approach: ‘‘He was in qualifying mode straight out of the car park. He pushed the car very hard initially, to the point where the car was oversteering or understeering on every corner. He turned in very aggressively and powered out confidently. Also, he was late on the brakes, which helps rotate the car.’’ ‘‘I’ve not driven the car before,’’ explains Brabham, ‘‘and I’ve never driven on this circuit. I knew from experience that I had to find the limits straight away if I was going to get a good time.’’ It worked, for the Australian posts today’s best time with a 39.54sec lap.

Next up is Dan Cammish, as experienced as anyone in a 911. ‘‘I was surprised how similar the car felt to my racing car,’’ he says after his laps. ‘‘Dan pushed the car quite hard initially to find the grip levels and was very comfortable with the car moving around underneath him,’’ says Ed. ‘‘His general technique was to slow the car at the apex and square off the corner to get on the power early and gain good exit speed. Also, he worked the car hard on turn-in to make sure the car rotated on entry to the corner.’’ Cammish’s more restrained approach saw lap times dropping by seconds each lap to a best of 40.52 on his final lap.

Now to Attwood, who knows the circuit intimately from his thousands of hours sitting next to customers. ‘‘I have never driven a car around the circuit as hard as that. Ever,’’ comments the veteran racer after his laps. ‘‘I’d never give a customer a ride like that.’’ The smooth style already demonstrated in the Cayenne was employed in the totally different RS. ‘‘Richard drove a very smooth session, especially on turning in,’’ says Ed. ‘‘He tended to carry the speed around the apex and be quite progressive on the throttle on the exit of the corner.’’ A very measured and controlled approach that nevertheless produced a fastest lap of 40.76sec. That’s two-tenths slower than a man who is 50 years younger and who competes on a very regular basis.

If there’s one thing our tests have revealed, it’s that if you’ve got it, you can hang on to it. Although the effects of ageing may chip away at your fitness, strength and speed of reaction, it would appear that even this can be offset to a good extent by keeping in good shape and continuing to practice the art of driving. ‘‘I suppose it is like riding a bike,’’ says Richard Attwood. ‘‘Though some speed must have been lost, I make up for some of it by experience.’’

Perhaps, though, there’s one more thing you need: raw talent. The kind of talent that has enabled Dan Cammish to be a stranger to the gymnasium yet dominate two championships, that has allowed David Brabham to put in a ridiculously fast lap in an unfamiliar car on a new circuit, and made it possible for Richard Attwood, at 76 years old, to maintain his pace nearly 50 years after winning Le Mans. L

The results Dan C am mish

C ayenne re sult s Time D is ta n ce Avera ge L / 100k m Avera ge sp eed E- ra n ge lef t Zero - emis sions dis tance

David B rab ham

18min 14. 2k m 8.1 46.7 k m / h 14. 5k m 7.4k m

C ayenne re sult s Time D is ta n ce: Avera ge L / 100k m Avera ge sp eed E- ra n ge lef t Zero - emis sions dis tance

Richard At twood

49.09, 4 4.11, 42.46, 41.98, 43. 54, 41. 33, 48.84, 42. 20, 40. 52

RS lap time s 20min 14. 2k m 9.9 43.4k m / h 16k m 6.4k m

C ayenne re sult s Time D is ta n ce Avera ge L / 100k m Avera ge sp eed E- ra n ge lef t Zero - em is si o n s d is ta n ce

Porsche 911 Carrera S wet handling

43. 50, 41. 29, 40. 31, 41.40, 39.84, 40.06, 40. 20, 39.94, 39. 59

RS lap time s 18min 14. 2k m 6. 5 46.7 k m / h 12.9 k m 7.7 k m

45.94, 45.14, 42.75, 4 4.02, 40.76, 42.09, 42. 33, 41.63, 42. 30

Ma xim um ox ygen uptake

David B rab ham

Dan C am mish

4.0 3.5 3.0 VO2 (litres/minute)

Drifting a car is a very particular skill. I’ve got a long history of watching drifting contests and have seen drivers as skilful as Jody Scheckter and even Richard Burns struggle with it. It’s a discipline that’s very different to racing or even rallying.

Both David and Dan struggle with the 911 on the low-friction and damp-handling circuit. There’s lots of understeer from both drivers and plenty of aggressive throttle stabbing. Richard, familiar with the experience, is much smoother and uses the classic 911 tactic of letting the steering wheel slip through his hands and then catching it and balancing the car on the throttle.

As both instructors note, if Dan and David had an extra half-hour in the car with no audience they’d both master the skill. Richard, with this naturally smooth style, is always going to be particularly quick around a wet and slippery circuit.

RS lap time s

2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.00 0.30 1.00

1.30

2.00 2.30 3.00 3.30 4.00 4.30 5.00

5.30 6.00 6.30 7.00 7.30 8.00 8.30 9.00

9.30 10.00 1030 11.00

Time (minutes)

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by A DA M T OW L E R P H O T O G R A P H Y by A S T O N PA R RO T T

GOLDEN OLDIE A homologation special that permitted Renault to take its hatchback rallying, the Clio Williams was the first hot hatch to put the legendary Peugeot 205 GTi in the shade

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Now as then it’s the engine that shines the brightest, producing 110kW at 6100rpm

U C C E S S I O N I S A LWAY S I N T R I G U I N G .

Sometimes the master won’t go quietly, doesn’t have to, and so plays on. Sometimes the handover of power is crushingly unsentimental, final.

It’s the early 1990s, and the 1.8-litre Clio 16v has tussled for hot-hatch glory with the ageing Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9. It’s a better car by many objective criteria, but not a convincingly faster one, and in the eyes of many the GTi still holds the crown. Yes, you could argue that Renault already holds the balance of power with the Clio’s forefather, the 5 GT Turbo.

You’ll find a few at evo who believe that, and they’re not necessarily wrong, although I can’t agree with them.

It took a truly special car to convincingly wrest supremacy away from Peugeot, to really bury the old-timer and to refine the class in the process. That car was the Clio Williams – so much more than simply a Clio 16v with an extra 200cc.

Sold with the compelling marketing tinsel of an F1 team association, the Williams was actually an homologation special in the familiar mould. It was built because Renault Sport wanted to go rallying and the class maximum displacement stood at 2.0 litres. Given this was still the era of homologation into classes A and N – oh how we all miss that – Renault simply had to build 2500 road cars to qualify, although it would eventually build many more.

Naturally, Renault Sport did a thorough job. The suspension uses a reinforced front subframe borrowed from the Clio Cup racer, plus uprated springs, dampers, rear torsion arms and thicker anti-roll bars. The track is increased by 34mm and the Speedline alloys are half an inch wider than the 16v’s, and unforgettably gold. Obviously. The gearbox is stronger, too, with revised ratios. There was just one exterior colour offered for the first generation of Williams – ‘449’ Metallic Sports Blue – and the cumulative effect of body (already blistered of arch, front and rear, and bulging of bonnet from the 16v), paint and those wheels is as close to hot-hatch perfection as I think you could ever hope to get. It is a small car, with a wheel pushed to the very extremity of each corner; a little shorter, slightly wider and significantly lower than a Clio 172 or 182; so tiny as to be incomparable with a current RS Clio.

Now as then it’s the engine that shines the brightest, producing 110kW at 6100rpm and 170Nm at 4500rpm.

Codenamed F7R and developed from the 16v’s 102kW F7P unit, it features a longer stroke and bigger bore size, and benefits from a stronger crankshaft (borrowed from the diesel Clio) plus new pistons, camshafts and conrods, with bigger valves and a lightweight exhaust manifold. Granted, those numbers today seem almost comically weak for a frontline supermini hot hatch, particularly the lowly rev-peak for maximum power – it may be naturally aspirated, but it’s

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hardly a screamer. Yet, as ever, context paints an altogether different picture: the Williams weighs just 981kg (marginally more than the 16v) and the big benefit of the new engine over the regular 1.8-litre lump was torque; not just the peak, but the fact that 85 per cent of it arrives from 2500rpm.

This left-hand-drive example is ‘0001’ – the car that sat idle in the Williams Grand Prix Collection for many years and is now owned by Renault UK. With just over 3000km on the clock it looks, smells and drives like a new car. It really is like stepping though a time portal back into 1993. If I’d thought about it in advance I could have brought The Orb along on cassette, and maybe acquired some baggy, shiny suit from a charity shop, which I then could have stored in the Williams’ curious zip-up suit holder that’s attached to the underside of the parcel shelf. Clearly French rally drivers liked to arrive at the next time control in some style.

Actually, there’d be no ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’ today (just the Welsh variety scudding over our heads), for when I lift the elephant-hide-textured plastic lid in the centre-console, the single DIN slot is deliberately empty – there’s no radio-cassette in this car. Otherwise, it’s fairly plush in a ’90s, French way, an interpretation of automotive luxury utterly alien to the current widely held notion of it.

The deeply bolstered sports seats are squishy in the traditional French style and covered in a curiously soft velour material, the random black pattern of which makes them look threadbare even when brand new – as these effectively are.

An oversized blue ‘W’ is imprinted into the backrest.

Renault Sport was not subtle with the blue theme: there are blue seatbelts, a filet of blue atop the gearknob, imprinted with the layout of the car’s five forward gears and reverse, and blue faces for the Sagem dials, including a trio of oilobsessed instrumentation at the top of the centre-console: level, temperature and pressure.

Nineteen-nineties man would have felt smug in here, pinballing down a B-road, the Clio’s solidity a notable improvement on what the 205 offered. I do too, until a little later when the front wheels lock momentarily over a damp crest and I remind myself with some urgency that ABS was not offered on the first Williams, and that the squishy pad in the centre of the steering wheel is for decoration.

The essence of our initial few kilometres through the Welsh mountains defines what currently makes ’90s performance cars so compelling: the Williams is defiantly mechanical in spirit, but also competent to a degree even a newly qualified motorist of today could relate to. Its power-assisted steering has surprising weight for anyone weaned on modern machinery but avoids the clumsy heft of a 205’s unassisted rack at low speeds, and its general manners are at least in the same orbit as cars from the past decade. That’s not to say that it doesn’t creak: it does, even this example, in inimitable French hothatch style, from the very moment you’re underway.

That 1988cc four-cylinder engine is familiar from the moment the starter churns – a flare of revs overlaid with belt whine, the slightly lumpy idle with that soft whur-whur-whur backbeat. Anyone who’s ever driven a naturally aspirated Renault Sport Clio could identify it blindfolded. For a car to be an icon it must have its own signature, and sound is often one of the elements that makes up that unique scrawl. The Williams is no exception.

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The moment I start driving it I want to drive it quickly until I’m grinning like a maniac and crouched forward around the wheel

The engine’s presence never fades. There’s a harmonic in the mid-range that sends a fizz through the shell and the seat, and an under-bonnet chuckle on the overrun not dissimilar to that of a later Renault Sport Clio as the revs fall back past 5000rpm. The gearlever vibrates and moves markedly with driveline shunt. This all reinforces the notion that the Williams is a tiny car with a mightily powerful engine, the sinews of its muscular delivery bulging the bonnet to the point of buckling the metal like the Hulk’s sacrificial T-shirt.

It is fast. Fast enough. It revs out raucously and keenly, if not dazzlingly so, but it’s the mid-range muscle that had journos of the time really wowed. Today we take for granted the immediate low-down shove of modern turbocharged performance engines, but back then the Williams’ ability to snap forward at 3000rpm must have seemed very special when combined with its energetic final 1500rpm.

The moment I begin to drive it I want to drive it quickly, until I’m grinning like a maniac and crouched forward around the wheel in a weird, legs-splayed, Tazio Nuvolaridrives-Auto Union style. In truth, part of that posture is because of a driving position that tilts the wheel with a pronounced forward rake. It’s a stretch to reach the top dead centre with my palms, and combined with the weight of the steering and the size of the wheel it means that the

Right: 2.0-litre engine offered 8kW more than the Clio 16v’s 1.8, and 21kW more than a 205 GTi’s 1.9. Below: this particular example – ‘0001’ – was the first ever built and has a scant 3000km on the clock.

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Right: soft suspension allows you to feel every inch of the way into a corner, and really encourages a gung-ho style. Below: fat arches and gold wheels give away the Williams’ homologation pedigree.

Williams is not a car I can drive from just my wrists; I’m working the wheel, moving my grip to feed the car into a corner, not flicking it. This is also precisely the moment that the Williams truly comes alive. It seems to almost visibly fizz with energy at the prospect of a challenging road, the more lumpy and awkward the better.

The Williams’ approach to enthusiastic cornering almost exclusively involves just three wheels. The fourth – the wheel on the rear axle that’s on the inside of the curve being taken – gets a welcome respite, and hangs for a fleeting moment in thin air, spinning with futility. This tripod is masterfully effective, forming a stable platform from which the car can summon terrific grip and poise. In fact, it’s not so much the ultimate grip level that betrays the car’s age, but its initial reaction to a turn. The whole car is much softer than a 182 Cup, let alone a current 220 Trophy. There’s more give. That body roll, the moment during which the car settles, detracts from the immediacy of the driving experience deemed so essential in modern sporting machinery, but it also communicates so much about what’s happening at the tyres’ contact patches.

It’s the difference between studiously reading a book’s foreword and every page, and skipping straight to the main event in chapter five. You learn so much more about what’s going on around the main characters, not just what actually happens. It also allows the Williams to soak up even the nastiest of cambers and holes while refusing to be nudged off line. As the miles betwixt hedgerows pass, the Williams feels a more sophisticated, matured product than the fabled Peugeot. That’s not to say it’s all grown up and lacking in humour, but whereas the flighty, lighter 205 tip-toes down a road always on the brink of oversteer that demands to be correctly handled, the Williams works its rear axle in a more precisely measured fashion; it

Renault Clio Williams Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1988cc, turbo Power 110kW @ 6100rpm Torque 170Nm @ 4500rpm Transmission Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive Front suspension MacPherson struts, coil springs, dampers, anti-roll bar Rear suspension Torsion beam, coil springs, dampers, anti-roll bar Brakes Ventilated 259mm front discs, solid 238mm rear discs Wheels 15 x 7.0-inch front and rear Tyres 185/55 R15 front and rear Weight 981kg Power-to-weight 112kW/tonne 0-100km/h 7.6sec (tested) Top speed 215km/h (claimed)

evo rating: ;;;;3

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The Williams’ approach to enthusiastic cornering almost exclusively involves just three wheels

will swing around, but it’s never what you might term wild.

Controversy stalked the Williams like it often does with icons, automotive, human or otherwise. Having made a brilliant car, and with the realisation it had a lucrative success on its hands, Renault couldn’t resist making a Williams ‘2’ in 1994.

Almost identical in specification, including colour, but based on the phase-two Clio Mk1 and devoid of a numbered plaque.

Owners of the original were not happy, their initial investment now looking decidedly shaky. There was even an action group set up, and the situation left an unpleasant fug of exploitation clinging to the car, a lesson to manufacturers that promises could not necessarily be broken. Even so, in 1995 Renault made a third instalment, this time in Monaco Blue, a lighter shade of the familial hue, and with ABS. Again, it wasn’t numbered. In total, 12,100 Clio Williams were made.

By now, the original great era of the hot hatch was fading fast, soured on car crime, insurance costs and changing fashion. In the mid-’90s manufacturers became obsessed with coupes, and hot-hatch residuals collapsed. Many were thrown into the scenery; plenty have since corroded past the point of no return.

That doesn’t apply to 0001, of course. It inevitably sits atop a pricing structure that has climbed spectacularly in recent years. And right now it’s time to take it back to its home, or the warm, dry confines of its covered transport that awaits, to be

precise – a rig that’s significantly farther away than planned due to some ‘misinterpretation’ of the map. Ahem.

With the rain beading rapidly up the heavily detailed windscreen to the point where the wipers are barely necessary, the Clio zips along in the darkness, past the faint silhouettes of distant mountains, expansive reservoirs and the distracting mirrors of roadside standing water. Just the Williams and me, mile after mile, the little car with the big heart, not intimidating despite the surroundings, its rarity or its value, and as ever demanding to be driven with a joie de vivre that strikes right to the absolute core of what driving for fun is about.

Perversely, it gives me time to think. The Clio Williams qualifies effortlessly for ‘icon’ status because it set a new performance benchmark in the hot-hatch arena, because it successfully completed the succession from the hitherto imperious 205, and because its visual presence carries an indefinable gravitas that requires no explanation. It’s also brilliantly entertaining to drive.

But I think for me, somewhere on this dark, wet road in Wales, what really makes the Williams an icon is that even now, in 2017, it’s able to accelerate, brake, turn and corner at a level that’s genuinely not far off the current crop of supermini tearaways. For a 24-year-old car, that’s exceptional. In 1993 it must have been a thing of wonder. L www.evomag.com.au

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Porsche 911 Carrera An old 911 joins the fleet, and being a 993, it’s one of the best of the breed

I’VE ALWAYS HAD A THING for 1990s automotive design. The decade gave us the last true ‘box’ hot hatches – the Clio Williams, the Integrale Evo and, of course, the big-bumper Mk2 Golf GTI – and some truly stunning supercars such as the McLaren F1, the Ferrari F50 and the Bugatti EB110.

Pure, uncensored car porn.

So getting to own a piece of precious metal from the same era is something of a dream come true for me. And here it is: a 1994 993-generation Porsche 911 Carrera in Midnight Blue. The car was already in the family but it’s now under my care. Manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, 200kW. Bliss.

Most of you will know that the 993 was the last of the air-cooled 911s, but it was also the last generation to be hand assembled. This particular example has had some interesting

I

parts fitted over the last 23 years, too, including the rear wing, front bumper and side-skirts from a Carrera RS of the same era. It’s also got a set of Gemballa dampers, and the 18-inch wheels (which I adore) were made by OZ Racing for Porsche-tuner extraordinaire Ruf. They’re wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Rossos – 225/40 at the front and 285/30 at the back – and there’s a set of four-piston Brembo brake calipers from a 993 Turbo to boot.

The car’s not quite standard, then, but the 3.6-litre engine is unchanged but for a Carrera Cup airbox with a K&N panel filter. The exhaust has the silencer from the Carrera RS Clubsport (and sounds rather good), and the six-speed gearbox has a quickshift fitted, also from the RS. The cabin is wonderfully airy compared with those of modern cars and contains a set of seats

from a 996 GT3 and some more Ruf goodies, including a leather steering wheel and a steel gearknob that feels like it was stolen from a racer.

There’s also a funky (okay, dodgy) ’90s-style satnav with more Ruf badges attached.

I love the way this car looks – all sultry curves and quiet intent – and I reckon the motorsport hardware really elevates it as a package.

I’m a big fan of modified 911s, and from talking to guys such as Alex Ross at Californian Porsche tuner SharkWerks, I can really understand the benefits of going down this path.

The plan now is just to get the car set up correctly and then take it to some good driving roads. I also want to properly understand what it is to drive an old-school 911 correctly, and how to handle its (in)famous weight distribution. Wish me luck! L Aston Parrott

I want to properly understand what it is to drive an oldschool 911 correctly, and how to handle its (in)famous weight distribution

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

April 2016 126,408 431 $0 13.7

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Lamborghini Murciélago Four years ago this car suffered a horror crash.

You’ve read about the restoration – now it’s back on the black stuff IT’S BEEN A WHILE SINCE the odo on SG54 LAM turned a few clicks, but turn they recently did – albeit only around a distinctly unglamorous industrial estate at first. I can’t deny I was a touch nervous as the car later pulled out onto a dual carriageway again for the first time. I suppose the severity of the impact it had suffered and the consequent damage to the chassis meant I was half expecting things to not feel quite right. But the farther the fat Pirellis travelled, the more confident I became, and the big Lamborghini tracked up the road straight as an arrow.

So the old girl is back. Finally!

Sod’s Law it’s also now winter, of course. However, that’s never stopped me using this car before, so the first overseas journey back ‘home’ to Sant’Agata is planned for

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I was a touch nervous pulling out onto a dual carriageway again for the first time

very soon. A 1600km round trip in the Italian winter should definitely blow any cobwebs away, especially the run through the snow tunnels of the Gotthard Pass.

Right now, though, the Murciélago is sitting quite contentedly in a Leeds shopping centre, doing promotional work for 6th Gear Experience’s supercardriving events. During the rebuild I decided to have the Tubi exhaust back-box and tips refitted, and the sound is, well, pretty deafening.

Either that or I’m getting old.

Whichever, driving it in the confined space of the mall created such a din that the security team insisted the car be pushed the final yards to its stand.

Whether I keep this setup on the car, bearing in mind the many more kilometres the Lambo is set to cover, or change the Tubi back-box for the factory item whilst keeping the tips (a nice compromise), will depend on the difference the longawaited interior headlining makes when installed. That part, it should be said, has been on factory backorder for a good six months. In the

meantime, I’ll just have to get used to seeing people who are waiting at a pedestrian crossing take a conscious step back from the kerb as the orange monster approaches.

Driving the Lambo again after a four-year break, the one thing that strikes me is the care needed with its manual gearbox, which has always required such a methodical approach. Just before the crash it had been totally rebuilt, so consequently the clutch is fabulously light. I’ve said more than once that premature clutch wear in a Murciélago is without doubt down to poor driving technique. Reversing up a hill or riding the car’s left pedal is a real no-no. This example has had seven clutches so far, averaging one every 60,000km or so (not bad going), so I’m hoping the eighth is some way off yet. L Simon George (@6gearexperience) Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

September 2004 415,640 360 $0 n/a

Ford Focus ST Estate It’s the biggest challenge yet for a Fast Fleet ST: impressing someone who doesn’t need 1502 litres of boot space FLICK THROUGH PAST issues of this magazine and you’ll notice that brisk estates, such as this Focus ST, have long been a feature of evo’s Fast Fleet. Whether diesel or petrol, front-, rear- or all-wheel-drive, and regardless of the badge on the nose, a fast estate pairs performance – something we’re rather keen on – with everyday practicality.

Or at least, I assume it does. I’ve never really needed a fast estate myself because I don’t have a family to cart around and my shopping trips rarely fill a passenger footwell, let alone an extended luggage area.

In fact, I’d go as far as saying that any car with more than two seats is a bit excessive for my needs. The most decadent, cavernous car I’ve ever personally owned was a nearly new Fiat Panda 100HP. As I write this, I’ve been custodian of our Focus ST Estate for around two weeks and have just realised that I’ve not even so much as looked in the boot yet. So I can’t tell you whether you’ll fit a refrigerator, wardrobe or the England XI in there (all popular measures of estate-car volume, I’m led to believe), and given that this ST spent a few weeks with former evo videographer Sam Riley, I’m not sure I want to break the seal on Pandora’s Box and let forth into the world any horrors lurking within.

To all intents and purposes, then, my experience with the ST will be as per a regular five-door hatchback, albeit one whose rear screen looks slightly farther away in my rearview mirror and whose profile is slightly more elegant – particularly in Deep Impact Blue – than that of

F

The highs and the lows of our old ST are all flooding back, from the engaging steering to the enraging touchscreen

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

November 2016 17,091 1239 $0 8.9

the slightly dumpy hatch. I’ve not yet been able to appreciate the full (deep) impact of the colour as winter roads have rendered the car a sludgy shade of dull navy, and having the thing cleaned in this weather is about as satisfying as trying to scoop up air with a fork.

I’m already settling in well, though, not least because there’s a warming sense of familiarity to it all. Back in September 2015 I took our previous, diesel long-term ST on a 6000km trip around Europe. The highs and the lows of that car are all flooding back, from the engaging steering to

the enraging touchscreen system.

The former is as welcome on early morning trips to Heathrow as it was on the Route Napoléon.

The latter is already giving me visions of one day having to make an awkward phone call to Ford explaining exactly why I pushed one of its cars off a very tall cliff. Thankfully that earlier car’s infuriating habit of blowing electric seat fuses is absent, so I won’t feel the urge to flick a lit match in there for good measure. L Antony Ingram (@ evoAntony) www.evomag.com.au

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Audi R8 Spyder Our Audi reveals exactly what we’re going to miss when every sports car is turbocharged

HAVE YOU EVER CHOPPED a firm, ever-so-slightly under-ripe tomato with a really sharp, professionalquality kitchen knife? It’s strangely satisfying. The forged-steel blade slices through the skin and then flesh of the helpless little fruit and down to the chopping board almost under its own weight. You barely need to apply any downward pressure yourself.

It’s a thousand times more enjoyable than trying to chop a squidgy, over-ripe tomato with the blunt old thing you inherited from the previous tenants, the one you swore you were going to throw away but haven’t got around to doing so yet. Maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, the tomato just sort of flattens a bit as you attempt to force the blade through the skin and all you’re left with is a juicy, fleshy blob like a pig’s liver rather than neat, precisely cut slices.

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It’s a bit like driving a really highrevving, normally aspirated engine compared with a blunt, soupy, turbocharged one. Once you’ve got over the fun of the forceful, torquerich power delivery of a turbo motor, which never takes all that long, a similarly powerful non-turbo engine is just massively more enjoyable to wind out to the redline. The soundtrack, the way the rate of acceleration builds and builds throughout the rev range like a heavy object falling off a high bridge, the drama of the delivery right at the top end… It’s no contest as far as I’m concerned.

There aren’t very many of those high-revving, normally aspirated engines left in new cars these days.

The Porsche 911 GT3’s six-cylinder lump certainly qualifies – and, incidentally, its 9000rpm engine is so much more thrilling than the GT3 RS’s more powerful, 8800rpm unit.

Another is the Audi R8 V10 Plus’s unit, which also revs all the way to

9000rpm and feels sharp enough at the top end to cut through bone.

The R8 Spyder uses a less powerful version of the same 5.2-litre V10 (397kW plays 449kW), and after more than 5000km at the wheel of our long-termer, I’ve had to conclude that its engine isn’t quite as spectacular as the more potent one. The redline is set 500rpm lower in this version, which means you shift gears a moment or two before your head feels like it’s going to explode with the noise and the fury of it all, and that seems like a shame.

But let’s get some perspective on this. A 397kW ten-cylinder engine that spins to 8500rpm is still a very special thing. In fact, it’s categorically one of the best-sounding and most exciting engines on sale from new today. It’s still at the very heart of the R8 Spyder ownership experience and I don’t see that appeal wearing thin any time soon. L Dan Prosser (@TheDanProsser)

The way the rate of acceleration builds and builds is like a heavy object falling off a high bridge

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

November 2016 6468 1319 $0 25.1

Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport Edition 40 The Clubsport’s wild side can be unleashed at the touch of a button (well, a few buttons) LAST MONTH I PRAISED the Golf’s ability to shrug off a rough road surface, but in the weeks since I’ve started to notice a downside to this impressive behaviour. With the optional DCC dampers in their oh-so-capable Normal setting, I’ve frequently found myself driving along quiet countryside roads without the enthusiasm that I perhaps should, or in other cars would. Instead I’ve been slipping into a cruise. Yes, a fast cruise, but a cruise nonetheless. Like the regular Golf GTI, it’s something the Clubsport is particularly good at, but what’s the point in having this special version of the GTI if you’re not getting more from it?

So to combat this curious semiapathy, I’ve now adopted a policy of always driving the Clubsport with its suspension in Sport mode, relenting only when carrying passengers or if outside temperatures threaten frost or ice. The jigglier ride instantly makes the car feel more purposeful,

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which in turn prods me into getting more involved, and that’s a very good thing, because this Golf really shines when you show it some commitment.

Selecting Sport for the suspension also brings more information through the seat, and a hint more through the steering, too. The latter is a constant stream of subtle and subtly varying vibrations that paint a picture of the road-surface texture. This is welcome stuff, but the addition of greater changes in steering weight to help you assess the remaining grip levels would be even more useful. Sadly, cornering speeds in the wet in particular are still based almost entirely upon educated guesswork rather than steering feedback, but that’s those pesky modern electronically assisted systems for you.

You can add more weight to the steering if desired, but it only does just that – add more weight – so going there seems somewhat

pointless. It’s for this reason that I’ve avoided the Golf’s across-the-board Sport setting and have instead, as is customary, created my own version of it in the Individual mode. This has the suspension and the limitedslip differential in Sport (the latter helping to keep unwanted wheelspin at bay), but leaves the steering and the engine noise in Normal (the louder soundtrack for the cabin is fine, but I find it more of a distraction than a genuine enhancement).

Set up thus, the Clubsport Edition 40 feels more like the sort of car I imagine it should be all of the time, more like a specialist tool. It may be less comfortable, and I’m not sure that the more restricted damping makes the Clubsport any more capable on B-roads – in fact it probably nudges it in the other direction. But by configuring it to be slightly worse for day-to-day use, I’m finding the Clubsport more enjoyable. Logic be damned. L Ian Eveleigh

What’s the point of having this special version of the GTI if you’re not getting more from it?

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

October 2016 9260 1752 $0 8.8

END OF TERM

Caterham Seven 420R Though it left us in less than auspicious circumstances, our Caterham offered some addictive highs

UNTIL I DROVE THE NEW Seven Sprint, I thought the only type of Caterham to have was a slightly bonkers trackday model that deafened you with its ripsaw induction noise. The Sprint taught me that there is a simple joy in a narrower, less grippy Seven, but as fun and charming as that car is, the Caterham I’d want would still look a lot like our departed 420R. Jethro Bovingdon and Dan Prosser spent a gruelling day at Llandow Circuit choosing which of the Caterham lineup would be the most fun to have as a long-termer and which options we should specify.

They didn’t try the entire range: the 160 was considered too gutless and the supercharged 620 too expensive.

That left the 270, 360 and 420, each

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of them equipped with the R pack that adds a limited-slip differential – essential in a Seven, even with the 100kW of the 270 – plus Sport suspension, a lightweight flywheel, a carbonfibre dash, shift lights and an uprated brake master cylinder.

It’s worth noting that these narrow-bodied Caterhams (denoted by the zero) are only for the UK domestic market and that Australian customers can choose from a fourmodel range (ending in a five) that starts with the $70K 275 and tops out with the $114,400 485S. After a full day of play – sorry, work – Jethro and Dan decided the 420R was The One. On top of the R pack we went for a six-speed gearbox, ventilated front brake discs with four-piston calipers, and amenities

such as a quick-release Momo steering wheel, doors, a roof and a windscreen and padded seats rather than bare buckets.

We thought it would be fun to try to build our Seven ourselves.

However, despite the use of Mission Motorsport’s workshop and our vast mechanical knowledge, this was something we didn’t actually manage to do. Poor instructions and the lack of some fundamental parts, including transmission mounts and rear brake lines, was our wellrehearsed excuse. We did manage to bolt-up the front suspension and install the engine and gearbox, but eventually we admitted defeat and asked Caterham to finish the job.

Once the 420R was back with us and run-in, its rabid 157kW

Irrespective of whatever injury our Seven imparted, the incredible thrills it delivered made the suffering absolutely worth it

2.0-litre Ford Duratec engine and playful chassis meant it quickly won our hearts. Despite the creature comforts our car was fitted with, it was still physical to drive. During a particularly enthusiastic session, whether on road or track, it would often give you a good beating. I bruised my knees, elbows and even my palm over just one weekend.

But irrespective of whatever injury our Seven imparted, the incredible thrills it delivered made the suffering absolutely worth it.

The 420R backed up its charms with pure performance, too. We saw how it stacked up against the Zenos E10 S in a data test. Although the Zenos accelerated marginally faster (hitting 100km/h in 4.3sec to the Seven’s 4.4), the 420R stopped better and lapped Blyton Park 0.9sec faster. Then we put the Caterham up

Below, clockwise from top left: evo staffers get stuck into building the 420R from scratch – a move that could have saved us c$6000; getting rescued after the alternator made a bid for freedom; in pristine condition after a service; raw Seven also proved the perfect tool for drivertraining duties.

against a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Even though the 911 was faster in every measurable way, we worked out that our 420R provided 81 per cent of the GT3 RS’s performance for just 26 per cent of the price. Just think about that…

In between those two challenges, the 420R also managed to score a podium finish in our 2016 Track Car of the Year test, rubbing shoulders with Porsche’s Cayman GT4 and Radical’s RXC Spyder.

Problems? The alternator bracket broke, loosening the auxiliary belt and leaving the car briefly stranded.

Then a few days later a stuttering engine was traced to a worn bit of wiring loom. And then there was the big one. You may remember the Caterham finished one trackday in a pool of its own oil. It transpired that oil starvation had caused the engine

to throw a rod and puncture the block, leaving a fist-sized hole for oil to escape from. The car’s dry-sump setup is the same as the one used

by Caterham’s R300 racers, so it’s safe to say this wasn’t the cause of the oil starvation. The conclusion was that the oil level had been allowed to get too low, either at the time of the failure or at some earlier point, though the cockpit oil gauges never recorded anything other than a correct level and pressure.

Regardless, Caterham’s warranty doesn’t cover failures that occur on track, so there would be no repair under warranty. And that was that.

Sad circumstances under which to say goodbye to our Seven, then, but they shouldn’t detract from what a wonderful little giant-killing, thrilldispensing machine it was. L Will Beaumont

Date acquired Duration of test Total test km Overall L/100km Costs

August 2015 18 months 9495 9.9 c$1300 four tyres, c$540 service, c$200 alternator bracket, c$110 sub-loom, c$90 spark plugs Purchase price n/a in Australia Value today n/a

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McLaren 675LT Spider The orange dream-machine gets a serious workout with a 1500km road-trip. So what are the drawbacks?

THE KILOMETRES I’VE covered so far in my McLaren 675LT Spider have left me deeply impressed and completely enamoured with this latest Woking convertible. It is a car that inspires you to think of as many reasons as possible just to go out for a drive. It’s also one of those rare cars that delivers fun and fulfilment at both low speeds and closer to the legal limit. And with more than 1500km clocked up in a single month, this one is certainly getting plenty of road time.

The majority of that mileage came on a long-weekend roadtrip up through Vermont and New Hampshire. The first part of

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the trip was a quick dash up the highway from New York to the New Hampshire border. Or at least it should have been a quick dash, and was until we hit a massive traffic jam caused by a downed tree. It then took an hour to crawl 8km, during which time the 675LT stayed much calmer (and cooler) than its owner, which is by no means a given with cars of this ilk.

Once clear and needing to make up time, we pushed on and the LT really started flowing. A brief but biblical downpour reinforced just how planted the long-tailed Mac is and we were able to continue making kilometres disappear at a rapid clip.

Day two was spent on A- and B-type roads, heading west and then south across Vermont. As they twist their way through the mountains, these are some of the best driving roads in the north-east United States. In this environment the McLaren 675LT Spider really shone, and after a bit of trial and error, I settled on a configuration of Sport for the twin-turbo V8 powertrain and Normal for the handling. The former ensures gearchanges from the twin-clutch transmission are close to instantaneous, each pull of a paddle followed by a

Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe The irresponsibility of AMG’s engine builders is mitigated only by the brilliance of its software engineers

The way the 675LT turns in and tracks through corners on the road is almost on par with the P1

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

September 2016 1577 1530 $0 19.0

smile-inducing whack as the drivetrain re-engages. The LT’s grip, meanwhile, is extraordinary, turbolag is basically non-existent, and the main challenge when pulling out to overtake is to not suddenly find yourself closing on the horizon much faster than anticipated. Indeed, the way the 675LT turns in and tracks through corners on the road is almost on par with the P1.

The rest of the trip was spent on a combination of highways and B-roads. Each day we travelled with the roof both opened and closed and noticed little difference in comfort level and the ability to carry on a conversation. Wind protection is also outstanding, meaning long distances are comfortable, even in a machine this hardcore. In terms of flaws, I haven’t found any yet.

I have a few more New Englandbased road-trips planned for the 675 through the coming months. As a result, the car will stay in the area for a while before it heads west to its more permanent home in the Rocky Mountains. This month has been absolutely terrific and I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of the LT once again. L Secret Supercar Owner (@SupercarOwner)

WITH WELL OVER 5000 kilometres driven, and deep into the British winter, I’d expected this update to include mention of a switch to allseason tyres. However, when nature decided to treat the UK to some long spells of unseasonably mild weather – it was 13C on Christmas Day, for heaven’s sake! – I became loath to ditch the C63 S’s Michelin Super Sport tyres.

And so it has remained, albeit with the nagging worry that this leaves me vulnerable to typically British cold snaps – or ‘Arctic blasts’ as the Daily Express prefers to describe them.

On the few occasions the mercury has headed below zero, the Merc has indeed been quite a handful, snapping and grabbing for traction

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as deep-frozen rubber compounds remain in hibernation just when you need them most. Still, as long as you pay it the respect due to a rear-driven car with 375kW, the electronics do an admirable job of keeping you facing in the correct direction. Just how good a job was revealed in an impromptu experiment (for scientific purposes, obviously) that saw the 63 – with ESC switched off – spinning its wheels from a standstill to some way north of, er, ‘motorway speeds’ in fourth gear.

This suggests a car that’s crazily over-powered. I suppose it is in tricky conditions with nothing to rein it in, but with the electronics engaged it never ceases to amaze me how much of its performance you can access. The twin-turbo V8 is utterly

addictive, as is the way it pulls and pulls all the way to 7000rpm, with a nice brrap from the exhausts on the upshift. It’s so much more exciting and special than the BMW M4’s twin-turbo straight-six that there’s almost no comparison.

Inevitably, it does like a drink.

Thus far I’ve averaged a smidge over 17L/100km. The absolute best I’ve seen is 13, but that was on a relatively steady motorway run. That means a range of around 500km, though this will drop to more like 400 if you’re clogging it on A- and B-roads. It hurts your credit card, but as any AMG driver will attest, the pain lasts just as long as it takes to walk from the petrol station kiosk, get back behind the wheel and press the big silver starter button. L Richard Meaden

The V8 is so much more exciting and special than the BMW M4’s twinturbo straight-six there’s almost no comparison Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

October 2016 5418 1855 $0 17.6

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BMW i8 Time to answer that all-important question: is it a sports car?

IT WAS TO BE EXPECTED that the i8, especially in purple, would draw curiosity every time I stepped out of it. The questions? ‘‘Is that one of those electric cars?’’ closely followed by queries regarding its colour, range, fuel economy, price, performance and finally the big one: ‘‘Is it a proper sport car?’’ This is the question that always requires a pause, though I’ve no idea why because it’s the question

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I answer more than any other.

The simple answer is yes, it is; the i8 is a sports car. It has the performance to match the looks, although it’s at its prime when there’s charge in the battery and the Sport driving mode is selected to get the most out of the three-cylinder petrol motor. It’s the initial surge of acceleration that grabs your breath as the electric motor serves up its 250Nm in an instant and is quickly

Peugeot 308 GTi 270 by PS Some buttons are best left alone…

I’M REALLY ENJOYING the 308 GTi. Okay, it isn’t quite as sprightly as its little brother, the 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport, and it doesn’t feel as sophisticated as the RCZ R, but it’s a mighty fine hot hatch. Every time I rev the 198kW engine to its 6500rpm limit, it surprises me with its potency. Below 4500rpm it’s unassuming and allows you to make swift progress, but rev it up and the 308 explodes forwards.

It’s rare for a modern turbo engine to take on such a distinctly different temperament as the boost increases, and the 308’s ballistic top end gives its 1.6 a loveable character.

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There are no downsides, either.

Rather than feeling old-school or laggy, the transition from mildmannered to insane is predictable and so well managed that you can deploy the Pug’s wild side any time.

What I’m struggling to get my head around is the Sport mode, which turns the dials red, changes the throttle map and increases the engine noise in the cabin. Sadly, not one of these changes improves the car. The all-red dials mean you have to really concentrate on where the needle is to see when the limiter is approaching, yet the last thing you want when the engine goes berserk is for your attention to be

BMW’s engineers have delivered a supple chassis without losing the sharpness of a Munich-built car

joined by the turbocharged engine’s 320Nm. The 96kW produced by the electric motor and the 170kW from the combustion engine feel secondary in the role of shoving the i8 down the road. A session at the test track is booked to provide a definitive answer as to how fast it actually is.

Away from the drag strip, the most impressive dynamic element of the i8 is how it disguises its weight.

It tips the scales at 1485kg, but there

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

November 2016 11,976 1728 $0 6.1

are no circumstances where it feels bulky and overstretched.

Yes, the steering is too light and never gains any weight, no matter the loads put through the front Bridgestones (our car runs the wider 215 front and 245 rear tyres), but it’s precise, allowing the car to be easily placed in a corner, and the stiffness offered by the i8’s carbonfibre shell has allowed BMW’s engineers to deliver a supple chassis without losing the sharpness expected of a Munich-built car.

The regenerative brakes are unexpectedly progressive, too.

Ultimately, you don’t feel as plugged in as you do in a 911. It’s not as visceral as a McLaren 540C and an M6 will demolish it in a straight line, too. But in its own unique way, the BMW i8 feels every bit as special as its traditional rivals, and I’m enjoying my time with it far more than I expected I would. L Stuart Gallagher (@stuartg917)

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100km this month

Skoda Octavia Estate vRS 230 Its firepower may be modest, but our low-key wagon is a gem nonetheless ON 19 AUGUST 2011, AT around 7:45am, a Skoda Octavia vRS piloted by evo contributing editor Richard Meaden became the world’s fastest 2.0-litre forced-induction production car, hitting a top speed of 365km/h on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats.

Check out this picture if you’ve never seen the Octavia that set the record (it’s the one on the right).

Our vRS met up with the 365km/h legend for a brief photo op this month, and the very focussed nature of the 450kW car got me thinking about what a brilliant all-rounder the vRS 230 Estate is. One minute it’s the consummate load-lugger, then when a decent stretch of road comes along I simply switch from Comfort to vRS mode – which I’ve configured to give greater steering weight and sharper engine response – and it comes alive.

There’s good feedback through

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the seat and steering wheel, and the car takes a great stance through corners, the limited-slip diff encouraging you to really push on.

The fruity sound from the sports exhaust motivates you to keep the needle up past 5000rpm, too, which is a real treat in what is essentially a practical car in a relatively modest price bracket. Sure, the power delivery is not as aggressive as it is in, for example, a Volkswagen Golf R or SEAT Leon Cupra, but the engine still pulls strongly at the top end of the tacho. The smoothness of the gear throw could be improved, though, as it feels a little clunky on shifts around second gear.

New cars are generally predictable in that they have everything you need for a fuss-free daily drive. You just jump in, the engine starts every time, and you begin your journey.

With the vRS, Skoda is offering this kind of motoring but with a huge

Date acquired Total km Km this month Costs this month L/100m this month

The fruity sound from the sports exhaust motivates you to keep the needle up past 5000rpm dose of practicality and a big chunk of excitement. But… wouldn’t it be fabulous if the company capitalised on its record-breaking achievement and sold an Octavia vRS Bonneville Edition, with, say, the 228kW engine from the Golf GTI Clubsport S, some neat aero additions and even a few flashy decals? I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one interested. L Aston Parrott (@AstonParrott)

November 2016 15,339 3294 $0 8.4

July 2016 10,601 1923 $0 8.1

on the instruments. The more eager throttle is no better, either – it makes it difficult to gradually feed in the power and it’s all too easy to provoke the front wheels into losing traction. As for the extra noise, well, it’s just so blatantly synthetic.

It wouldn’t be so offensive if the noise from the engine was dull or unpleasant when the 308 is in its default setting, but it’s not.

Sport mode, then, is best left off.

The 308 GTi is an exciting, fun and well-calibrated car as it is. L Will Beaumont (@WillBeaumont) www.evomag.com.au

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THE KNOWLEDGE RATINGS

3 Thrill-free zone 33 Tepid 333 Interesting 3333 Seriously good 33333 A truly great car

SU PE R M I N IS / HOT H ATC H E S

BEST OF THE REST

OUR CHOICE

BMW’s M135i feels like a bargain at $70K, and it’s rear-wheel drive too, of course. At less than half the money, the Ford Fiesta ST (left) is an absolute riot, as is the mental Mercedes A45 AMG. Benz’s latest weapon packs 265kW from just 2.0 litres.

Price

Engine cyl/cc

kW/rpm

Nm/rpm

Weight

kW/tonne

0-100km/h

Top speed

L/100km

Volkswagen Golf R. A flagship Golf to get really excited about, the new R offers immense pace and a truly engaging driving experience in a compromise-free package with class and quality aplenty. Cake both possessed and consumed.

$25,200 $39,150 $42,500 $59,900 $46,100 $68,400 $29,990 $38,990 $25,990 $38,290 ‘09-’11 $39,490 $49,900 $74,900 $40,500 $49,200 $52,600 $56,900 n/a $29,990 $29,290 ’09-’13 $42,640 $47,140 $27,990 $37,490 $23,990 $27,790 $41,990 ’09-’13 ’12-’13 ’10-’13 '05-'09 '06-'09 ’02-’04 ’88-’92 ’82-’84 ’08-’12

4/1368 4/1742 4/1390 4/1984 4/1997 6/2979 4/1598 4/1368 4/1596 4/1999 5/2522 4/2261 4/1991 4/1991 4/1598 4/1598 4/1598 4/1598 4/1598 4/1598 4/1618 4/1998 4/1998 4/1998 4/1390 4/1998 4/1586 4/1390 4/1984 4/1984 4/1984 4/1984 4/1984 6/3189 6/3189 4/1781 4/1781 5/2521

125/5500 173/5500 136/6200 206/5100 160/5000 235/5800 115/6000 118/5750 134/6000 184/5500 257/6500 190/5500 155/5500 265/6000 135/5500 155/6000 155/6000 160/6000 147/6000 147/5800 147/6000 147/7100 195/5500 195/5500 132/6200 147/5100 100/6900 132/6200 162/4700 155/5300 173/5500 188/6000 147/5100 184/6300 177/6250 100/6100 83/5800 169/5000

250/2500 340/1900 250/2000 380/1800 310/1350 450/1300 240/1400 230/3000 240/1600 360/1750 460/2300 380/3000 350/1200 450/2250 240/1600 280/2000 280/2000 280/2000 250/2400 275/1700 250/1750 215/5400 360/3000 360/3000 250/2000 280/1700 160/4400 250/2000 350/1500 280/1700 300/2200 330/2500 280/1800 320/2500 320/2800 168/4600 148/3500 320/1500

1145kg 1320kg 1190kg 1455kg 1345kg 1425kg 1165kg 1035kg 1197kg 1362kg 1467kg 1385kg 1445kg 1480kg 1140kg 1130kg 1165kg 1140kg 1293kg 1133kg 1204kg 1281kg 1375kg 1375kg 1253kg 1460kg 1060kg 1189kg 1354kg 1360kg 1318kg 1476kg 1336kg 1510kg 1477kg 1111kg 840kg 1469kg

109 179 155 142 119 165 99 114 112 135 175 137 108 179 118 137 133 140 114 130 122 115 142 142 105 101 94 111 120 114 179 127 110 122 120 93 99 113

7.5 6.8 7.0 4.9 6.4 5.1 7.2 7.4 6.9 6.4 5.9 6.5 6.6 4.5 7.2 6.5 6.5 6.3 7.8 6.8 6.7 7.2 6.0 6.0 7.3 7.3 8.7 7.0 6.5 6.9 6.5 5.9 6.7 5.8 6.4 8.0 8.1 6.7

219 240 227 250 250 250 214 210 220 248 262 250 240 270 228 238 240 241 216 230 230 227 250 250 224 240 195 228 246 238 248 250 233 250 248 200 180 240

6.0 7.6 5.9 6.9 6.6 8.0 6.7 6.5 6.2 9.9 6.6 6.9 5.8 6.9 7.1 7.1 6.9 5.9 8.2 8.2 8.2 6.2 7.7 6.5 6.1 7.2 7.7 8.1 8.7 10.7 11.5 9.8 7.8 8.7

Car Alfa Romeo Mito Alfa Romeo Giulietta Cloverleaf Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport Audi S3 BMW 125i BMW M135i Citroën DS3 Dsport Fiat 500 Abarth Esseesse Ford Fiesta ST Ford Focus ST Ford Focus RS500 Mazda 3 MPS Mercedes-Benz A250 Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG Mini Cooper S Mini John Cooper Works Mini John Cooper Works Coupe Mini John Cooper Works GP Nissan Juke Nismo Peugeot 208 GTi Renaultsport Clio 200 Turbo Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup Renaultsport Mégane 265 Cup Renaultsport Mégane 265 Trophee Skoda Fabia vRS Skoda Octavia vRS Suzuki Swift Sport VW Polo GTI VW Golf GTI (MkVII) VW Golf GTI (MkVI) VW Golf GTI Edition 35 VW Golf R (MkVI) VW Golf GTI (MkV) VW Golf R32 (MkV) VW Golf R32 (MkIV) VW Golf GTI 16v (MkII) VW Golf GTI (MkI) Volvo C30 T5 R-Design

rating + Great MultiAir engine, impressive ride - Not as feisty as we hoped + Shows signs of deep talent… - …but should be more exciting + Audi’s Mini rival is an accomplished thing - But not a hugely fun one + Very fast, very effective, very… err, quality - The VW Golf R is a touch more exciting + Performance, price, running costs - Dull four-pot soundtrack + Great fun, storming engine, playful chassis - Not a looker + First fun Citroën in ages - Petrolheads might find it too ‘designed’ + Tough but cute looks - Price buys lots of hotter hatches + Chassis, price, punchy performance - Firm ride but little else + Cracking hot hatch. Good value, too - There’s a bit of torque-steer + Huge performance, highly capable fwd chassis - It could be the last RS… + Quick, eager and very good value - Not on the radar of most buyers + Mercedes builds a proper hot hatch - But denies it a manual gearbox + Fastest, most powerful hatch ever made - Very firm ride + New engine, Mini quality - Lacks old car’s direct front end + A seriously rapid Mini - Occasionally just a little unruly + The usual raucous Mini JCW experience - But with a questionable ‘helmet’ roof… + Brazenly hyperactive - Too much for some roads and some tastes. + More than the sum of its parts - Juke is coming to Oz, but maybe not the Nismo version + Supple suspension an playful chassis - Some ergonomic issues + Faster, more refined, easier to drive - We miss the revvy atmo engine and manual ’box + The hot Clio at its best - Why the long face? + Standard RS Mégane gets same power as Trophy; chassis still superb - Not a lot + Hot Mégane gets more power and fwd Ring record - A pricey upgrade + Well priced, well made, with great engine and DSG ‘box - Dull steering + Drives like a GTI, a bit cheaper and more practical - Interior quality doesn't match VW + The Swift’s still a great pocket rocket - But it’s lost a little adjustability + Modern-day MkI Golf GTI gets twin-clutch DSG - It’s a little bit bland + More refined and faster than the MkVI - Still doesn't thrill like a Megane + Still a very accomplished hot hatch - Not as fun as a Megane RS + MkVI GTI gets the power it craves - Expensive compared to the standard car + Great engine, tremendous pace and poise - High price, ACC only optional + Character and ability: the original GTI is back - Lacking firepower? + Traction’s great and you’ll love the soundtrack - We’d still have a GTI + Charismatic - Boomy engine can be tiresome + Arguably the best all-round Golf GTI ever - We’d be splitting hairs + The car that started it all - Tricky to find an unmolested one + Good-looking, desirable Volvo - Lacks edge of best hatches

33342 33422 33334 33334 33332 33332 33322 33332 33334 33334 33342 33342 33332 33334 33334 33332 33332 33332 33332 33332 33334 33333 33333 33332 33342 33332 33334 33342 33332 33332 33334 33334 33333 33332 33332 33333 33332 33342

S E D A N S / WA G O N S / 4 X 4 S

OUR CHOICE

BEST OF THE REST

Mercedes-Benz E63 S. The facelifted E63 S looks better and, with a 430kW, 800Nm version of AMG’s twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8, it goes even harder than before. It’ll nail 100km/h in 4.2 seconds, cruise in comfort or tear up a mountain pass. And it sounds terrific.

Best big sedan ever made.

Aston Martin Rapide Audi A4 2.0 TFSI quattro Audi S4 Audi RS4 Avant (Mk3) Audi RS4 (Mk2) Audi RS4 Avant (Mk2) Audi RS4 (Mk1) Audi RS2 Audi RS6 Audi RS6 Audi RS6 Avant Audi RS6 Avant Audi S6 Audi S7 Audi S8 Audi SQ5

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$371,300 $61,700 $120,400 $149,400 '06-'08 ’07-’08 ’00-’02 ’94-’95 $225,000 '08-'10 '08-'10 ’02-’04 $168,900 $179,900 n/a $89,400

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12/5935 4/1984 6/2995 8/4163 8/4163 8/4163 6/2671 5/2226 8/3993 10/4991 10/4991 8/4172 8/3993 8/3993 8/3993 6/2967

350/6000 155/4300 245/5500 331/8250 309/7800 309/7800 280/6100 235/6500 412/5700 426/6250 427/6250 331/5700 309/5000 309/5000 383/5800 230/3900

600/5000 350/1500 440/2900 430/4000 430/5500 430/5500 440/2500 410/3000 700/1750 650/1500 650/1500 560/1950 550/1400 550/1400 650/1700 650/1450

1950kg 1530kg 1705kg 1795kg 1650kg 1710kg 1620kg 1595kg 1935kg 1985kg 2025kg 1865kg 1885kg 1945kg 1975kg 1880kg

179 101 144 184 194 183 163 150 213 218 214 180 164 159 194 122

Audi’s RS6 Avant runs the E63 S close and is the practical choice.

Twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 has great throttle response and eightspeed auto is brilliant. Want something smaller? Try Merc’s C63 sedan or wagon (and coupe). Last of the line 507 Edition models have arrived as a swansong to the atmo 6.2-litre V8.

5.2 6.5 5.0 4.6 4.5 4.9 4.9 5.0 3.9 4.5 4.6 4.9 4.6 4.7 4.2 5.2

306 246 250 250 250 250 274 262 305 250 250 250 250 250 250 250

14.9 6.8 8.1 10.7 13.5 13.5 16.6 15.7 9.8 13.9 14.0 14.6 9.6 9.6 10.2 6.8

+ Performance, soundtrack, looks - Rear room is absurb. Brakes lack bite + A good match for its German foes - No longer any naturally aspirated options + Seriously rapid, sounds good - Too subtle for some, RS4 overshadows it + Looks, value, quality, noise, balance - Harsh ride, unnatural steering + A leap on for fast Audis, superb engine - Busy under braking + Screaming V8 - Everyone thinking you’re married with kids + Effortless pace - Lacks finesse. + Storming performance (thanks to Porsche) - Try finding one + Sounds great, stunning acceleration and grip - Slightly inert steering + Looks and drives better than estate version - M5 still looks tempting + The world’s most powerful wagon - Power isn’t everything + Amazing V8 rumble, point-to-point ability - Numb steering + The ultimate Q-car - A little too Q? + Looks and drives better than S6 it’s based on - Costs a bomb more + Quicker and much more economical than before - But still underwhelming to drive + Performance, economy, comfort - Steering lacks feel

33334 33342 33342 33332 33333 33333 33332 33342 33334 33334 33332 33332 33332 33342 33332 33342

KEY

Entries in italics are for cars no longer on sale. Weight is the car’s kerb weight as quoted by the manufacturer. kW/tonne is the power-to-weight ratio based on manufacturer’s kerb weight.

0-100km/h figures in bold are independently recorded, all other performance figures are manufacturers’ claims. L/100km is the official ADR81/02 combined cycle figure or international equivalent.

0-100km/h

Top speed

800/2000 1020/1750 350/1250 400/1500 400/3900 440/3750 400/1500 350/1250 400/1200 680/1500 520/6100 500/3800 400/4750 340/4500 740/2000 600/1750 680/1500 631/4150 631/4150 300/1750 533/2000 565/1950 570/2200 530/4400 550/4600 570/4600 740/200 360/5200 450/3500 575/2000 680/2500 625/2500 500/4500 505/5200 490/4750 510/4750 600/5000 610/5200 510/4000 800/1750 630/5200 700/2650 530/3000 800/2000 1000/2000 700/1700 700/1750 760/2000 700/2750 407/3500 373/2750 500/3500 520/3500 700/2250 800/2250 515/3500 700/2250 340/1750 625/2000 700/1750 625/2000 780/1500 720/3500 407/4000 363/3200 500/2800

2475kg 2585kg 1455kg 1520kg 1605kg 1580kg 1535kg 1610kg 1700kg 1870kg 1755kg 1795kg 1653kg 1431kg 2190kg 2190kg 2305kg 1983kg 1983kg 1581kg 1694kg 1805kg 1822kg 1745kg 1792kg 1764kg 1800kg 1765kg 1695kg 1800kg 1912kg 1795kg 2700kg 1714kg 1990kg 1990kg 1730kg 1730kg 1635kg 1845kg 1840kg 1835kg 1642kg 2120kg 2260kg 1870kg 2345kg 2475kg 2580kg 1590kg 1365kg 1770kg 1920kg 1970kg 1995kg 2085kg 2170kg 1670kg 2590kg 2360kg 2330kg 2435kg 2650kg 1515kg 1270kg 1684kg

166 146 124 148 193 285 147 112 132 220 289 223 209 200 128 137 177 175 175 94 159 172 184 155 177 193 239 133 147 192 211 209 124 181 157 166 194 216 164 233 280 271 219 192 203 210 232 220 190 185 205 226 228 254 276 202 231 144 200 144 189 235 181 200 220 153

4.6 5.3 5.9 5.5 4.9 4.4 5.8 6.3 5.9 4.4 4.7 5.5 6.1 6.1 5.4 5.4 4.7 4.8 4.8 7.6 5.0 4.9 4.9 5.5 5.0 4.9 4.4 6.2 5.9 4.9 4.6 4.9 7.8 4.7 5.4 5.0 4.4 4.2 5.2 4.2 4.5 4.7 5.7 4.5 4.4 4.4 4.8 5.4 5.5 4.7 5.0 5.6 4.5 4.2 3.8 5.7 4.7 7.6 6.2 6.9 5.4 4.9 5.9 5.2 5.3 4.9

322 296 210 250 250 290 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 251 250 250 250 250 250 238 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 300 250 210 270 280 287 250 280 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 250 210 210 250 241 285 288 303 306 261 278 217 225 217 225 250 240 255 248 250

L/100km

kW/tonne

460/6000 377/4200 180/5000 225/5800 309/8300 331/8300 225/5800 180/5000 225/5800 423/6000 373/7750 294/6600 250/6900 210/6500 280/4000 300/5500 408/6000 347/6100 347/6100 149/6000 270/5250 310/5500 335/5750 270/5600 317/6000 340/6000 430/5250 235/7000 250/6500 346/6000 404/6500 375/6000 335/6800 311/6600 316/7000 331/7000 336/6800 373/6800 269/5750 430/5550 378/6800 350/6100 260/5500 400/5500 450/4750 386/5250 386/5250 400/5500 350/6100 217/6500 206/6500 294/6500 316/6700 368/6000 405/6000 309/6500 368/6000 177/5500 375/6000 250/3500 375/6000 420/5250 338/5350 221/6000 206/6000 257/5700

Weight

12/5998 8/6752 4/1997 6/2979 8/3999 8/4361 6/2979 4/1997 6/2979 8/4395 10/4999 8/4941 6/3795 6/3453 6/2993 8/4395 8/4395 8/6410 8/6410 4/1999 6/3983 6/3983 8/4951 8/5967 8/6162 8/6162 8/6162 6/3696 6/2995 8/5000 8/5000 8/5000 12/5167 8/4969 8/4691 8/4691 8/6208 8/6208 8/5439 8/5461 8/6208 8/5439 8/5439 8/5461 12/5980 8/5461 8/5461 8/5461 8/5439 4/1998 4/1997 8/4806 8/4806 8/4806 8/4806 8/4806 8/4806 4/1999 8/5000 8/4367 8/5000 12/6592 12/6749 4/2457 4/2212 6/2953

kW/rpm

$374,634 $662,857 $65,900 $91,400 '08-'11 '11-'12 '05-'11 $98,200 $115,600 $229,145 ’04-’10 ’99-’03 ’92-’96 ’86-’88 $147,000 $150,400 $190,900 $56,000 $66,000 $44,990 $46,235 $64,390 $70,790 $45,490 $60,990 $76,285 $92,990 $97,900 $95,295 $189,545 $222,545 $319,645 ’86-’89 $126,300 $250,000 $298,800 $154,900 $169,407 ’04-’08 $249,900 '06-'09 ’03-’06 ’98-’02 $392,400 $498,700 $263,000 $179,400 $216,730 '04-'12 $56,990 '00-'01 $287,100 $318,300 $382,400 $443,600 $150,400 $222,100 $61,395 $161,000 n/a ’09-’12 $645,000 $855,000 $59,990 ’98-’99 $99,950

Nm/rpm

Bentley Continental Flying Spur Bentley Mulsanne BMW 328i BMW 335i BMW M3 (E90) BMW M3 CRT (E90) BMW 335i M Sport (E90) BMW 528i BMW 535i BMW M5 (F10M) BMW M5 (E60) BMW M5 (E39) BMW M5 (E34) BMW M5 (E28) BMW X5 M50d BMW X6 xDrive50i BMW X6M Chrysler 300C SRT8 Core Chrysler 300C SRT8 Ford Mondeo 2.0 Eco Boost Titanium Ford Falcon XR6T FPV F6 FPV GT Holden Commodore SSV HSV Clubsport HSV Clubsport R8 SV HSV GTS Infiniti M37S Jaguar XF 3.0 V6 Supercharged Jaguar XFR Jaguar XFR-S Jaguar XJ Supersport Lamborghini LM002 Lexus IS-F Maserati Quattroporte S Maserati Q'porte Sport GTS Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Edition 507 Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG Mitsubishi Evo X Mitsubishi Evo VI Mäkinen Edition Porsche Panamera S Porsche Panamera GTS Porsche Panamera Turbo Porsche Panamera Turbo S Porsche Cayenne GTS Porsche Cayenne Turbo Range Rover Evoque Coupe Si4 Range Rover Sport V8 Supercharged Range Rover SDV8 Range Rover V8 Supercharged Rolls-Royce Ghost Rolls-Royce Phantom Subaru WRX STI Subaru Impreza 22B Volvo S60 Polestar

Engine cyl/cc

Car

Continued

Price

S E D A N S / WA G O N S / 4 X 4 S

16.6 16.9 6.3 7.2 12.4 12.7 9.6 6.8 8.4 9.9 14.8 13.9 16.5 7.5 12.5 13.9 13.0 13.0 8.0 12.0 12.3 13.6 11.5 10.2 9.8 12.2 9.6 11.4 15.7 15.7 12.0 12.0 11.9 10.0 14.3 12.9 12.1 10.6 14.3 10.0 11.8 13.8 15.9 10.8 12.5 10.7 11.5 11.5 10.7 11.5 8.7 14.9 8.7 14.9 13.6 14.8 10.5 11.2 10.2

rating + Performance, wonderful interior - Have you seen petrol prices? + Drives like a modern Bentley should - Shame it doesn’t look like one too + New-age four-pot 328i is great all-rounder - We miss the six-cylinder soundtrack + Great engine, fine handling, good value - Steering confuses weight with feel + Every bit as good as the M3 coupe - No carbon roof + Sedan chassis + weight savings + GTS engine = best E90 M3 - Just 67 were made + Stunning drivetrain, controlled chassis - Looks a bit steady + Four-pot 528 is downsizing near its best - You’ll miss the straight-six sound effects + New 5-series impresses… - But only with all the chassis options ticked + Twin-turbocharging suits all-new M5 well - Can feel heavy at times + Screaming V10, great chassis - SMG gearbox feels old-tech + Magnificent V8-engined super sedan - We’d be nit-picking + The Godfather of super sedans - The family can come too + Look what it started - Understated looks + Triple turbo has heaps of shove - Do you really need that in an SUV? + Stunningly good to drive - Will you want to be seen arriving? + Fast and with physics-defying handling - But it definitely lacks the M factor + Stripper model offers incredible value - Is it too bare? + Refined and very fast - Still not a proper sports sedan + Terrific chassis, sweet engine - Interior feels dated next to Mazda 6 + Performance car bargain - Its 2016 demise weighs heavily on buyer's minds + Jet-like thrust from turbo six - Chassis barely contains the power + Fabulous supercharged V8 - Styling isn't subtle + Great value and strong performance - Generic styling + Carry over engine, imporved refinement - Lacks equipment next to SSV + SV engine option and lightweight wheels - Styling isn't subtle + Monster grunt from supercharged Chev LSA V8 - Supercar scare, anyone? + Stands out from the crowd - Not as involving as some rivals + Fast, comfortable, refined - Bland engine, poor economy compared to diesel V6 + Brilliant blend of pace and refinement - Doesn’t sound as special as it is + Strong engine, superb auto gearbox, supple susension - Styling is a bit overt + Superb handling, monster performance - Opinion-dividing looks + Craziest 4x4 ever, Countach V12 - Craziest 4x4 ever… + Shockingly good Lexus - The M3’s available as a (second hand) four-door too + Finally, a QP with more power - Grille is a bit Hannibal Lecter + The most stylish sedan in the world - Slightly wooden brakes, unforgiving ride + Monstrous pace and extremely engaging - M3’s just a little better… + Harder-edged and faster than regular C63 - Rear suspension a touch firm + Furiously fast, commendably discreet - Overshadowed by M3 and RS4 + Engine is a monster but chassis is a match for it - Seats could be more supportive + Brilliant engine, indulgent chassis - Vague steering, speed limits + M5-humbling grunt, cosseting ride - Speed limits + Dragster disguised as a limo - Tyre bills + Massive torque, massively reduced emissions - Massive car + God’s own supersedan - Unholy price and thirst + Monster performance - Not as desirable as a (more expensive) Bentley or Aston + Great engine, surprisingly good dynamics - $180K almost buys a Boxster and an ML350… + It exists; epic soundtrack - Ancient chassis, silly price + Thuggishness, anti-style statement - It’s a bit silly + Evo gets twin-clutch transmission - Not as exciting as it used to be + Our favourite Evo - Subtle it is not + Great cabin and typically fine Porsche chassis - Only a mother could love its looks + Sharper chassis; more urgent and vocal V8 - A BMW M5 is $90K less… + Fast, refined and dynamically sound - It still leaves us cold + Pace, excellent ergonomics - Steering feel, ride + Dynamically the best SUV on sale - At two tons, it’s still no sports car + Greener, faster, better - Odd rear styling, numb steering + Striking looks, sporting dynamics - Hefty price, and petrol version is auto-only + Thumpingly fast and hugely comfortable - It’s no Cayenne in the corners + Lighter, more capable, even more luxurious - Diesel V6 model feels more alert + Fast, comfortable, luxurious - Big, heavy, thirsty + More sporting, more affordable Rolls-Royce - But it still costs $650K + Rolls reinvented for the 21st Century - The roads are barely big enough + Still a point-to-point weapon - Merc's A45 AMG is close on price + On paper, the ultimate - On the road, too uncompromising + Capable of very swift, smooth progress - Could be a bit more fun

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PAST MASTER

B ENGINEERING EDONIS This 507kW, reardrive, 370km/ Italian oddity rose briefly from the ashes of the Bugatti EB110. David Vivian was one of the few who drove it

Two things are immediately obvious. One, the Edonis steers like a Ferrari F40 – with almost sublime precision and beautifully judged feel. It installs instant confidence. And two, the 3.7-litre V12 behind my head is brutally, savagely turbocharged.

Lining up a tantalising straight,

I feed in the power slowly in third, feeling out the point at which the turbos hook up. They do. It’s as if the Edonis has been spat down the road by a cannon. More throttle, more acceleration. Still I haven’t got my toe down. Into fourth, and I stick it all the way.

The progression of accelerative

sensations moves swiftly from impressive to thrilling to vaguely unpleasant and swings rapidly into the panic zone and jams against the end stop.

This car is a drug. Quite honestly I’ve never experienced anything like it – and that includes the McLaren F1.

www.evomag.com.au

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Weight

kW/tonne

0-100km/h

Top speed

L/100km

8/4735 8/4735 12/5935 12/5935 12/5935 4/1984 5/2480 6/2995 8/4163 8/4163 10/5204 8/3933 4/1997 6/2979 6/3246 6/3246 6/2979 8/3999 8/4941 4/1397 4/1596 4/1999 4/1999 4/1595 4/1999 4/1999 4/2261 8/3855 6/2995 6/2995 8/5000 8/5000 8/5000 8/5000 4/1598 4/1798 8/4691 8/4691 4/1999 6/3498 8/5461 8/5439 8/4663 8/5461 8/6208 4/1598 2/1990 8/4799 6/3696 6/2706 6/3436 6/3800 6/3800

Nm/rpm

$260,000 $280,600 $431,561 $380,500 n/a $102,800 n/a $146,000 n/a $308,400 $395,800 $449,500 $79,900 $119,900 '06-'09 ’98-’02 $112,900 $173,450 ’00-’03 n/a $69,990 $84,990 $89,990 n/a n/a $108,990 n/a $409,888 $138,645 $171,045 $201,945 $213,000 $233,000 $299,000 $67,990 $79,990 $328,000 $338,000 $47,280 $118,595 $154,690 '07-'08 $304,145 $381,145 $486,645 n/a $97,500 $254,000 $76,500 $101,500 $126,500 $266,200 n/a

The mk3 Porsche Boxster S is a brilliant all-rounder, while the Lotus Exige S Roadster counters with a more focused driving experience. Jaguar’s F-type also impresses in both V6 S (left) and V8 S forms. Mazda’s MX-5 is best for budget rear-drive fun, but for the ultimate thrills, get a Caterham 620R or Ariel Atom.

kW/rpm

Price

Car Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster Aston Martin V12 Vantage Roadster Aston Martin DB9 Volante Aston Martin DBS Volante Audi TTS Roadster Audi TT RS Roadster Audi S5 Cabriolet Audi RS5 Cabriolet Audi R8 Spyder V8 Audi R8 Spyder V10 Bentley Continental GTC V8 BMW Z4 sDrive 20i (Mk2) BMW Z4 sDrive 35i (Mk2) BMW Z4 M Roadster BMW M Roadster BMW 335i BMW M3 Convertible (E93) BMW Z8 Caterham Seven Classic Caterham Seven Roadsport SV 120 Caterham Seven Roadsport SV 175 Caterham Seven CSR 175 Caterham Seven Supersport Caterham Seven Supersport R Caterham Seven 485 Caterham Seven CSR 260 Superlight Ferrari California T Jaguar F-Type V6 Jaguar F-Type V6 S Jaguar F-Type V8 S Jaguar XK 5.0 Jaguar XKR Jaguar XKR-S Lotus Elise 1.6 Lotus Elise S Maserati GranCabrio Maserati GranCabrio Sport Mazda MX-5 2.0 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG Black Mercedes-Benz SL500 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster Mini John Cooper Works Convertible Morgan 3 Wheeler Morgan Plus 8 Nissan 370Z Roadster Porsche Boxster (Mk3) Porsche Boxster S (Mk3) Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabrio (991) Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabrio (997)

Engine cyl/cc

Audi R8 Spyder. The Spyder boasts supercar looks, presence and performance, yet you really could drive one every day. And while the V10-engined car makes the more spine-tingling noise, the lighter and even more agile V8 version gets our vote.

313/7000 321/7300 380/6500 380/6500 380/6500 200/6000 265/5400 245/5500 331/8250 316/7900 386/8000 373/6000 135/5000 250/5900 252/7900 236/7400 225/5800 309/8300 294/6600 78/6000 85/6000 127/7200 127/7200 104/6900 134/7300 177/8500 191/7500 412/7500 250/6500 280/6500 364/6500 283/6500 375/6000 404/6000 100/6800 162/6800 324/7000 331/7000 118/7000 225/6500 310/6800 295/5750 320/5250 395/5500 420/6800 155/6000 60/5300 270/6300 245/7000 195/6700 232/6700 295/7400 300/7300

470/5750 490/5000 570/5750 620/5500 570/5750 350/2500 465/1650 440/2900 430/4000 430/4500 530/6500 660/1700 270/1250 500/1500 365/4900 350/3250 500/1300 400/3900 500/3800 129/5000 155/4150 177/6000 177/6000 163/5790 194/6100 206/6300 271/6200 755/4750 450/3500 460/3500 625/2500 515/3500 625/2500 680/2500 160/4400 250/4600 490/4750 510/4750 188/5000 370/3500 540/4500 520/3750 700/1800 800/2000 650/4750 280/2000 140/3250 490/3400 363/5200 280/4500 360/4500 440/5600 420/4200

1710kg 1690kg 1760kg 1815kg 1810kg 1455kg 1510kg 1875kg 1920kg 1660kg 1720kg 2470kg 1470kg 1505kg 1410kg 1375kg 1735kg 1810kg 1585kg 540kg 675kg 675kg 700kg 520kg 535kg 675kg 565kg 1729kg 1597kg 1614kg 1665kg 1621kg 1725kg 1725kg 876kg 924kg 1980kg 1980kg 1173kg 1465kg 1690kg 1495kg 1785kg 1785kg 1695kg 1185kg 525kg 1100kg 1554kg 1310kg 1320kg 1465kg 1515kg

183 190 216 210 210 187 225 178 235 259 183 151 92 166 178 171 130 171 185 144 126 188 181 200 250 262 338 238 157 173 219 175 217 234 114 175 164 167 101 154 183 197 179 221 248 131 114 245 158 149 178 201 198

4.9 4.6 4.5 4.6 4.3 5.6 4.4 5.4 4.9 4.8 3.8 5.0 6.9 4.8 5.0 5.4 5.8 5.3 4.7 6.8 6.0 4.9 5.0 4.9 4.8 3.4 3.2 3.6 5.3 4.9 4.3 5.6 4.8 4.4 6.5 4.6 5.5 5.2 7.6 5.6 4.6 4.5 4.6 4.3 3.8 6.9 6.0 4.5 5.8 5.8 5.1 4.7 4.8

290 305 306 295 305 250 280 250 250 300 311 301 232 250 250 250 250 250 250 177 190 208 208 193 209 240 250 315 260 275 300 250 250 300 204 234 283 285 213 250 250 280 250 250 317 235 185 250 250 264 279 301 302

13.8 12.9 16.4 14.3 15.5 8.2 9.1 8.5 10.7 14.4 14.9 10.9 6.8 9.0 12.1 11.1 8.8 12.7 14.5 6.2 8.2 8.2 7.7 10.5 9.0 9.1 11.1 11.2 12.3 12.3 6.3 7.5 15.4 14.5 8.1 8.3 8.5 12.2 9.4 10.1 13.3 7.1 12.1 11.2 8.2 8.8 9.7 11.2

rating + Sportiest, coolest drop-top Aston in years - Lacks real teeth + Sounds amazing, looks even better - Still not the best drop-top in its class + As good as the coupe, with amplified V12 rumble - Just a smidgen shakier + Consummate cruiser and capable when pushed - Roof-up wind noise + A feelgood car pa r excellence - It’s a bit of a heavyweight + Effortlessly quick - Long-term appeal open to question; not cheap either + Terrific engine… - …is the best thing about it + Gets the S4’s trick supercharged engine - Bordering on dull + Pace, looks, interior, naturally aspirated V8 - Not the last word in fun or involvement + Dynamically outstanding, sounds terrific - V10 sounds even better + Looks and sounds sensational - It’s the most expensive Audi ever + Still arguably the world’s best topless GT - Still no sports car + The Z4 has grown up… - …and got fat + As above, with more power - Not as much fun as it used to be + Exhilarating and characterful, that engine - Stiff suspension + Fresh-air M3, that motor, hunky looks - M Coupe drives better + Looks good, great to drive, fantastic engine - A bit shaky + M DCT transmission, pace, slick roof - Extra weight blunts the edge + M5-powered super-sportster - M5’s more fun to drive + The Caterham experience starts here - It’s pretty raw + New Ford-engined model is just great - Bigger drivers need SV model + The Caterham for everyday use - Loses intensity of R300 + Focused dynamics, more than enough performance - The usual Caterham downsides + One of the best Caterhams - You can build it yourself + The best road-and-track Seven yet - Impractical, noisy, uncomfortable + Hits 100km/h in 3.4sec and feels even faster - Will shock those coming out of a Boxster + Brilliant for high days, holidays and trackdays - Wet Wednesdays + A brilliant GT with an impressive turbo engine - doesn't engage like other Ferraris + Supercharged V6 sounds great - lots of expensive options + The sweet spot of the F-Type range - most supercars have more boot space + V8 punches hard but chassis doesn't sparkle - Starting to get pricey + Basic XK gets extra power… - …but loses some of its GT refinement + Gains Jag’s fantastic new V8 - Loses sporting ground to its main foes + Loud and mad; most exciting Jag in years - It’s also the most expensive in years + New 1.6 Elise is light and fantastic - Smaller engine could put some off + New supercharged Elise boasts epic grip and pace - Pricey) options + As good to drive as it is to look at - Lacks the grunt of some rivals + Looks, performance, cruising ability - Brakes could be sharper + Handles brilliantly again - Less than macho image + Best non-AMG SLK yet - Still no Boxster-beater + AMG SLK is quicker and more economical than ever - Should be sharper, though + AMG gets serious - Dull-witted 7G-Tronic auto box, uneven dynamics + Wafty performance, beautifully engineered - Lacks ultimate sports car feel + Monster performance, lighter than before - Still heavy, steering lacks consistency + Loses none of the coupe’s talents - But (understandably) loses the gullwing doors + A manlier Mini cabrio. As hardcore as the hatch… - …which is still better + Quirky, characterful, brilliant - Unnatural brake feel; you’d better not be shy + Hilarious mix of old looks and new mechanicals - Refinement is definitely old-school + The Zed’s old-school character remains intact - Its purposeful looks don’t + Goes & looks better; cleanest Boxster ever - Steering now electric to help cut consumption + Boxster steps out of 911’s shadow - But gets 911’s less appealing new steering + All-new open 911 drives just like the coupe - Which means the same artificial steering + The best 911 drop-top you can buy - Lacks glamour of an R8 Spyder

MERCEDES-AMG C63 COUPE

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

PORSCHE BOXSTER S

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF

FERRARI TURBOS

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TURBO 718 IT'S AS QUICK AS A 996 GT2

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EPIC 488 GTB MEETS LEGENDARY F40

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PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR

The shock and awe of the most important test of 2015

420KM/H*

BUGATTI CHIRON *WITHOUT THE SPEED LIMITER, IT NAILS 450KM/H

M4 GTS

FASTEST EVER BMW!

INSIDE REVEALED DRIVEN CON

Issue 30

Issue 32

Issue 34

AMG GT3 UNLEASHING THE SCARY FAST 400kW AMG TRACK STAR

INSIDE

TESTED FORD FOCUS RS v AUDI RS3 v VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R DRIVEN BMW M2 PORSCHE 911 TURBO S HURACAN LP580-2

NIRVANA 368kW MANUAL 911 R

THE BEST PORSCHE OF ALL TIME?

INSIDE

TESTED CAYMAN GT4 v LAMBO FERRARI BMW LOTUS & GT3 DRIVEN 272kW BMW M2 UNLEASHED AT TARGA TASMANIA

Issue 35

BIG MACS McLAREN 675LT SPIDER 650S AND 540C WEBBER ON LE MANS WHY IT'S BETTER THAN FORMULA 1

Issue 36

Issue 37

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

THE THRILL OF DRIVING

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McLaren

$14.95

FROM F1 TO P1

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NISMO GT-R

MEGA TEST

THREE DECADES

EVERY McLAREN ROAD CAR DRIVEN

ULT MATE GODZ LLA ROARS AROUND MOUNT PANORAMA

incl postage and handling

SLIDE SHOW MERCEDES AMG GT S ON ICE

GODZILLA

EVOLUTION OF THE BEAST: UNLEASHING NISSAN'S LEGENDARY HAKOSUKA AND 419kW GT-R TRACK

AMG HAMMER INSIDE

450kW E63 STORMS TO 100KM/H IN 3 4 SECONDS

GREEN SCHNELL

UNLEASHING AMG'S TW N TURBOCHARGED NURBURGR NG WEAPON

15 000km 5 days & 2016 s best new performance cars INSIDE

INSIDE

V12 FERRARI LEGENDS 574kW TDF MEETS $50 MILLION 250 GTO

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Issue 38

Issue 39

Issue 40

Issue 41

Issue 42

Issue 43

INSIDE USED HEROES THE BEST PERFORMANCE ICONS FOR UNDER $50K DR VEN LOTUS EX GE 380 + ASTON VANQU SH S + LEXUS LC500

Issue 44

ART CAR PAGANI REVEALS HUAYRA ROADSTER MASTERPIECE SUPERFAST 588kW V12 FERRARI 812 + LAMBO AVENTADOR S

Issue 45

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141

THE KNOWLEDGE

COUPES / GTS

BEST OF THE REST

OUR CHOICE

Engine cyl/cc

kW/rpm

Nm/rpm

Weight

kW/tonne

0-100km/h

Top speed

L/100km

$231,000 $251,700 $386,391 $349,500 n/a $75,050 $98,400 $139,400 $135,400 $161,400 $279,500 $366,900 $408,200 ’10-’12 $370,000 $408,870 $450,000 ’10-’12 $108,700 $155,100 '10-'11 ’00-’07 ’05-’07 ’03-’04 '06-'09 ’98-’03 $292,500 $38,490 $31,990 $83,500 $189,000 $209,000 $299,000 $119,990 $123,990 $145,990 $288,800 $308,800 $364,900 $157,900 '12 '06-'09 '07-'09 $422,800 $69,500 $172,000 ’99-’02 $58,990 $139,900 ’11-’13 ’11-’13 ’11-’13 '06-'09 $206,500 $243,100 $222,200 $258,800 $294,100 '08-'11 '08-'11 ’11-’12 ’04-’08 ’02-’05 ’98-’01 ’94-’97 ’09-’11 ‘10-’11 '11-'12 ‘07-’09 '07-'09 ’03-’05 ’03-’05 ’99 ’95 ’93-’95 $37,150 $29,990 n/a $47,990

8/4735 8/4735 12/5935 12/5935 12/5935 4/1984 4/1984 5/2480 6/2995 8/4163 8/4163 10/5204 10/5204 10/5204 8/3993 12/5998 12/5998 12/5998 6/2979 8/3999 8/4361 6/3246 6/3246 6/3246 6/3246 6/3246 6/2993 4/1497 4/1591 6/3696 8/5000 8/5000 8/5000 6/3456 6/3456 6/3456 8/4244 8/4691 8/4691 8/6208 8/6208 8/6208 8/6208 8/5461 6/3696 6/3799 6/2568 4/1598 6/3436 6/2893 6/3436 6/3436 6/3387 6/3436 6/3799 6/3436 6/3799 6/3799 6/3614 6/3799 6/3799 6/3824 6/3596 6/3387 6/3600 6/3797 6/3797 6/3996 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 6/3746 4/2990 4/1998 4/1998 4/1984 4/1984

313/7000 321/7300 380/6500 380/6500 380/6500 155/4300 200/6000 250/5400 245/5500 331/8250 316/7900 386/8000 404/8000 412/8000 373/6000 423/6000 460/6000 463/6000 225/5800 309/8300 331/8300 252/7900 338/7900 265/7900 252/7900 236/7400 412/6000 99/6600 136/5500 235/7000 283/6500 375/6000 405/6000 257/7000 206/6400 257/7000 302/7100 338/7000 338/7000 336/6800 380/6800 354/6800 373/6800 400/5500 245/7000 404/6400 206/6800 147/5500 239/7400 195/7200 235/7200 243/7400 217/6250 257/7400 295/7400 257/7400 295/7400 350/8250 254/6500 283/6500 300/7300 261/6600 235/6800 221/6800 200/6100 320/7600 331/7900 368/8250 305/7600 305/7600 280/7400 280/7400 265/7200 221/6500 176/6200 147/7000 147/7000 155/5300 188/6000

470/5750 490/5000 570/5750 620/5500 570/5750 350/1600 320/2500 450/1600 440/2900 430/4000 430/4500 530/6500 540/6500 540/6500 660/1700 700/1700 800/2000 800/1700 400/1300 400/3900 440/3750 365/4900 269/5000 370/4900 365/4900 350/3250 680/1500 172/1000 265/1500 360/5200 515/3500 625/2500 680/2500 400/4500 342/4700 400/4500 460/4750 520/4750 520/4750 600/5000 620/5200 630/5000 630/5250 800/2000 363/5200 632/3200 392/4400 275/1700 370/4500 300/4400 370/4750 370/4750 340/4200 390/5600 440/5600 390/5600 440/5600 440/6250 390/4400 420/4400 420/4200 400/4600 370/4250 350/4600 330/5000 430/6250 430/6750 460/5750 405/5500 405/5500 385/5000 385/5000 370/5000 355/5400 305/4100 205/6600 205/6600 280/1700 330/2500

1630kg 1610kg 1680kg 1785kg 1695kg 1295kg 1395kg 1450kg 1675kg 1715kg 1560kg 1620kg 1570kg 1520kg 2295kg 2320kg 2320kg 2240kg 1525kg 1580kg 1530kg 1495kg 1495kg 1385kg 1420kg 1375kg 1790kg 1198kg 1313kg 1706kg 1585kg 1678kg 1678kg 1176kg 1382kg 1430kg 1780kg 1880kg 1770kg 1730kg 1710kg 1755kg 1760kg 2135kg 1520kg 1740kg 1560kg 1421kg 1320kg 1330kg 1350kg 1295kg 1415kg 1380kg 1395kg 1430kg 1445kg 1430kg 1415kg 1425kg 1420kg 1420kg 1405kg 1320kg 1370kg 1395kg 1370kg 1435kg 1395kg 1375kg 1380kg 1330kg 1350kg 1270kg 1335kg 1216kg 1257kg 1373kg 1351kg

192 199 230 216 228 128 145 175 148 183 201 242 262 275 165 185 192 210 150 148 220 172 172 194 180 178 130 83 106 140 182 227 245 224 151 183 161 183 190 197 226 207 215 197 163 235 134 105 184 148 177 190 163 181 214 183 207 242 183 202 215 183 163 172 157 233 295 274 222 225 202 213 202 179 136 120 119 114 146

4.9 4.5 4.2 4.6 4.3 6.1 5.2 4.3 4.9 4.5 4.6 3.9 3.8 3.6 4.8 4.5 4.2 3.9 5.5 4.8 4.4 5.2 5.1 4.9 5.0 5.4 4.2 9.0 8.4 5.9 5.5 4.8 4.4 4.0 5.1 4.8 5.2 4.7 4.6 4.5 4.2 4.6 4.2 4.5 5.4 2.7 4.7 7.6 5.0 5.8 5.2 5.0 5.5 4.8 4.5 4.9 4.5 3.5 4.9 4.7 4.6 4.7 5.1 5.2 5.3 4.1 3.9 3.9 4.3 4.2 4.5 4.4 4.8 5.0 6.5 7.6 7.6 6.9 6.0

290 305 305 295 295 245 250 250 250 250 302 316 317 320 303 318 325 329 250 250 305 257 250 259 250 250 250 200 214 250 250 250 300 274 262 286 285 298 301 250 300 250 300 250 250 320 265 231 283 265 277 282 275 289 304 285 299 315 290 302 306 293 285 280 267 312 310 310 310 310 306 306 302 277 254 226 226 240 250

13.8 12.9 16.4 14.3 16.3 7.1 7.7 8.5 8.1 10.8 14.2 13.9 14.9 13.9 10.6 14.5 14.5 16.3 8.4 12.4 12.7 11.9 11.9 11.9 12.1 11.2 9.9 5.0 6.8 10.5 11.2 12.3 12.3 10.1 9.3 9.9 14.3 15.5 14.4 12.1 12.2 14.2 15.3 10.6 10.5 11.8 14.1 6.7 8.8 30.1 29.7 9.7 10.6 9.0 9.5 9.3 9.9 12.4 10.3 10.6 10.6 11.5 11.1 10.1 11.1 12.6 13.2 13.8 13.0 13.0 12.9 12.9 13.0 12.4 10.3 7.8 7.8 7.4 8.1

Car Aston Martin V8 Vantage (4.7) Aston Martin V8 Vantage S Aston Martin V12 Vantage Aston Martin DB9 Aston Martin DBS Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Audi TTS Audi TT RS Audi S5 Audi RS5 Audi R8 V8 Audi R8 V10 Audi R8 V10 Plus Audi R8 GT Bentley Continental GT V8 Bentley Continental GT Bentley Continental GT Speed Bentley Continental Supersports BMW 335i M Sport BMW M3 (E92) BMW M3 GTS (E92) BMW M3 (E46) BMW M3 CS (E46) BMW M3 CSL (E46) BMW Z4 M Coupe BMW M Coupe BMW M6 Honda CR-Z Hyundai Veloster Turbo Infiniti G37S Coupe Jaguar XK 5.0 Jaguar XKR Jaguar XKR-S Lotus Exige S (V6) Lotus Evora Lotus Evora S Maserati GranTurismo Maserati GranTurismo Sport Maserati GT MC Stradale Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG Nissan 370Z Nissan GT-R (MY13) Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) Peugeot RCZ 1.6 Porsche Cayman S (Mk3) Porsche Cayman (Mk2) Porsche Cayman S (Mk2) Porsche Cayman R Porsche Cayman S (Mk1) Porsche 911 Carrera (991) Porsche 911 Carrera S (991) Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (991) Porsche 911 Carrera 4S (991) Porsche 911 GT3 (991) Porsche 911 Carrera (997.2) Porsche 911 Carrera S (997.2) Porsche 911 Carrera GTS (997.2) Porsche 911 Carrera S (997.1) Porsche 911 Carrera 4S (996) Porsche 911 Carrera (996 3.4) Porsche 911 Carrera (993) Porsche 911 GT3 (997.2) Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997.2) Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 (997.2) Porsche 911 GT3 (997.1) Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997.1) Porsche 911 GT3 (996.2) Porsche 911 GT3 RS (996.2) Porsche 911 GT3 (996.1) Porsche 911 RS (993) Porsche 968 Club Sport Subaru BRZ Toyota 86 VW Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI VW Scirocco R

RATINGS 142

The new Cayman S is right up there with its 911 bigger brother – put simply, it’s sensational. The Lotus Exige S (left) is a proper road racer for $120K and our joint 2012 Car of the Year.

Audi’s R8 is another gem, especially in supercar-rivalling V10 Plus form. And, of course, there’s always the Nissan GT-R…

Price

Porsche 911 GT3. PDK, electric steering, a new engine with zero racing pedigree… Yes, we were nervous about the new GT3 before its arrival. Thankfully, it’s still fully deserving of the badge, although you’ll now need a healthy disregard for your licence to feel it truly come alive.

rating + 2012 upgrades keep the V8 Vantage on song - Starting to feel a little dated, though + Keener engine, V12 Vantage looks - Slightly sluggish auto only + The best series production car that Aston Martin makes - Erm, a tad thirsty? + Better than the old DB9 in every respect - Automatic gearbox could be quicker + Stupendous engine, gearbox, brakes - Pricey. Can bite the unwary + Front-driver loses nothing to quattro TTs - Steers like a computer game + Usefully quicker TT; great drivetrain - Still steers like a computer game + Sublime 5-cylinder turbo engine - Rest of package can’t quite match it + Supercharged V6 makes S5 cleaner and faster - Pricey once you add options + Brilliant engine and improved chassis - Still not as exciting as you’d hope + Finally, a true 911 alternative - Exclusivity comes at a price + Real supercar feel - We still prefer the V8 + More power and aggression, less weight - Firm ride may be too much for some + Everything we love about the R8 - Not as hardcore as we wanted + A proper drivers’ Bentley with decent economy - W12 suddenly seems pointless + 325km/h in utter comfort - Weight, thirst + 330km/h in utter comfort - Feels nose-heavy in slow corners + A thoroughly impressive car… - …rather than a fun and involving one + Eager engine, exploitable chassis - Slightly unadventurous styling + Fends off all of its talented new rivals - …except the cheaper 1-series M + Highly exclusive, most focused M-car ever - Good luck trying to find one + One of the best BMWs ever - Slightly artificial steering feel + CSL dynamics without CSL price - Looks like the standard car + Stripped-down road-race M3 - Standard brakes barely adequate + A real drivers’ car - You’ve got to be prepared to get stuck in + Quick and characterful - Lacks finesse + Great engine and economy, excellent build - Numb steering, unsettled B-road ride + The first hybrid with sporting intent - No match for a good diesel hot hatch + The usual Hyundai value, with added fun - Styling might be too quirky for some + Softer 370Z delivers sharp-driving swing at the Germans - Bland looks + Fine car for the likes of us - Jag buyers may not like the harder edge + Fast and incredibly rewarding Jag - The kids will have to stay at home + The most exciting XKR ever - It’s nearly $300,000 + Breathtaking road-racer; our joint 2012 Car of the Year - Doubts over Lotus’s future + Sublime ride and handling. Our 2009 car of the year - Pricey options + A faster and better Evora - But one which spars with the Porsche 911… + Striking, accomplished GT - Doesn’t spike the pulse like an Aston or 911 + The best everyday GranTurismo yet - Starting to get long in the tooth? + Brilliant blend of road racer and GT - No rear seats + Mercedes makes a proper two-door M3 rival - C63 saloon looks better + The C63 turned up to 11 - Too heavy, not as fiery as Black Series cars of old + Power, control, build quality - Lacks ultimate involvement + AMG goes Porsche-hunting - Dull-witted gearshift spoils the party + Presence, pace, monster engine - Stiff ride, stiff competition + Quicker, leaner, keener than 350Z - Not quite a Cayman-killer + GT-R is quicker and better than ever - Suspension is too firm for Australian roads + Big, brutal, and great fun - Very firm ride + Distinctive looks, highly capable handling - Could be a bit more exciting + The Cayman comes of age - Erm… + Extra power, just as involving - Still lacks the desirability of other Porsches + Still want that 911? - Yeah, us too + Total handling excellence - Styling additions not to all tastes + Pure and rewarding - If they’d just move the engine back a bit… + 911 becomes cleaner and cleverer - But some of its character’s gone AWOL + As above, but with supercar pace - Electric steering robs it of some tactility + A touch more engaging than 2wd 991 - Still stand-offish compared to 997 + The best 991-generation Carrera - Choose your spec carefully + Our 2013 eCOTY. Brilliant - Some purists will moan about the lack of manual + Faster and greener than the mk1 997 - Lost a little of the 911 magic + Poise, precision, blinding pace - Feels a bit clinical + Fitting finale for the 997 generation - Absolutely nothing + evo Car of the Year 2004; like a junior GT3 - Tech overload? + Second best 996 only to the GT3 - Very little + evo Car of the Year 1998; beautifully polished - Some like a bit of rough + More character than 996 - Harder work at speed + Even better than the car it replaced - Give us a minute… + Our 2010 car of the year - Looks and noise are slightly OTT + The ultimate modern 911, and our 2011 Car of the Year - Unforgiving on-road ride + Runner-up evo Car of the Year 2006 - Ferrari 599 GTBs + evo Car of the Year 2007 - A chunk more money than the brilliant GT3 + evo Car of the Year 2003 - Chassis is a bit too track-focused for some roads + Track-biased version of above - Limited supply + Our Car of the Year 1999 - Porsche didn’t build enough + Barking engine note, gearchange - Not quite hardcore enough + One of the all-time greats - Lots have been driven very hard + Fine chassis, great steering - Weak engine, not the slide-happy car they promised + More fun than its cousin (above) - Same lack of torque, poor interior quality + Golf GTI price and performance - Interior lacks flair + Great engine, grown-up dynamics - Perhaps a little too grown-up for some

3 Thrill-free zone 33 Tepid 333 Interesting 3333 Seriously good 33333 A truly great car

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THE KNOWLEDGE

SU PE RC A R S

BEST OF THE REST

OUR CHOICE

Porsche’s 918 Spyder (left) pips the McLaren P1 on the road, and vice versa on the track. (Is the LaFerrari better still? We’ll let you know when we get one together with its hybrid rivals.)

Meanwhile, Pagani’s Huayra was our joint 2012 Car of the Year and Lamborghini’s Aventador offers true supercar drama.

Price

Engine cyl/cc

kW/rpm

Nm/rpm

Weight

kW/tonne

0-100km/h

Top speed

L/100km

Ferrari 458 Speciale. The regular 458 Italia is amazing enough in itself – in fact it used to occupy this very space – but the Speciale follows in the tradition of the 360 Challenge Stradale and 430 Scuderia and makes the car it is based on even more, well, special. The supercar to buy.

$472,840 ’10-’12 ’78-’81 n/a n/a n/a ’91-’95 n/a $525,772 $588,806 $550,000 '04-'10 '04-'10 '07-'10 ’99-’04 ’03-’04 ’97-’99 $691,100 '06-'12 '10-'12 '11-'12 ’02-’06 ’97-’02 $625,000 '04-'11 ’02-’04 ’96-’97 ’87-’92 ’84-’85 ’04-’06 ’92-’94 $409,500 $455,000 n/a n/a ’06-’08 '07-'08 $761,500 $795,000 ’01-’06 '06-'11 '09-'11 ’99-’00 ’00-’02 ’88-’91 '10-12 n/a n/a ’94-’98 '09-'10 $467,965 $639,000 ’04-’07 n/a n/a ’01-’05 ’05-’06 '09-'10 ’09-’13 ’10-’13 ’10-’13 '06-'09 ’00-’06 ’04-’06 ’95-’98 ’96-’99 ’04-’06 ’87-’90

12/5935 12/7312 6/3500 16/7993 16/7993 16/7993 12/3500 8/6162 8/4499 8/4499 8/4499 8/4308 8/4308 8/4308 8/3586 8/3586 8/3496 12/6262 12/5999 12/5999 12/5999 12/5748 12/5474 12/6262 12/5748 12/5998 12/4698 8/2936 8/2855 8/5409 6/3498 10/5204 10/5204 10/5204 10/5204 10/4961 10/4961 12/6498 12/6498 12/6192 12/6496 12/6946 12/5992 12/5992 12/5167 10/4805 8/3799 8/3799 12/6064 12/5980 8/6208 8/6208 8/5439 12/5980 12/7291 12/7291 12/7291 12/7291 6/3800 6/3800 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 6/3600 10/5733 6/2850

421/6750 559/6000 204/6500 736/6000 736/6000 882/6400 412/8000 476/6500 419/9000 419/9000 445/9000 360/8500 360/8500 375/8500 294/8500 312/8500 279/8250 545/8250 456/7600 456/7600 493/8250 379/7250 357/7000 486/8000 397/7250 485/7800 383/8500 351/7000 295/7000 410/6500 404/7200 405/8000 412/8000 419/8000 419/8000 383/8000 390/8000 515/8250 515/8250 427/7500 471/8000 493/8000 423/7300 405/7100 339/7000 412/8700 459/7500 459/7500 461/7500 493/5400 420/6800 464/7400 460/6500 537/5800 567/6300 410/5500 443/6150 499/6200 368/6000 390/6250 456/6500 353/6000 309/6000 355/5700 300/5750 321/5750 450/8000 331/6500

620/5500 750/7600 330/5000 1250/2200 1250/2200 1500/3000 618/3750 819/3800 540/6000 540/6000 540/6000 465/5250 465/5250 470/5250 373/4750 373/4750 363/6000 690/6000 608/5600 608/5600 620/6500 589/5250 569/5000 683/6000 588/5250 657/5500 471/6500 577/4000 496/3800 678/3750 644/4500 540/6500 540/6500 540/6500 540/6500 510/4500 510/4250 690/5500 690/5500 650/5400 660/6000 660/6500 630/5500 620/5500 500/5200 480/7000 600/3000 600/3000 617/4000 1000/2200 650/4750 635/5500 780/3250 1000/2250 780/4500 750/4100 760/4000 780/4000 650/1950 700/2100 700/2250 680/2100 560/2700 640/3500 540/4500 540/4500 590/5750 500/5000

1739kg 1740kg 1303kg 1950kg 1990kg 1838kg 1566kg 1528kg 1485kg 1430kg 1395kg 1449kg 1520kg 1350kg 1390kg 1280kg 1350kg 1630kg 1688kg 1688kg 1605kg 1730kg 1716kg 1880kg 1840kg 1365kg 1229kg 1100kg 1160kg 1538kg 1470kg 1380kg 1410kg 1340kg 1485kg 1520kg 1420kg 1575kg 1625kg 1650kg 1665kg 1565kg 1490kg 1625kg 1447kg 1480kg 1434kg 1474kg 1137kg 1876kg 1620kg 1550kg 1768kg 1350kg 1210kg 1250kg 1230kg 1400kg 1570kg 1585kg 1370kg 1585kg 1540kg 1440kg 1500kg 1215kg 1380kg 1450kg

246 326 161 389 380 488 267 316 286 278 320 253 243 282 215 248 210 339 274 274 311 222 219 259 219 361 316 328 261 263 280 298 298 318 286 255 278 331 321 262 287 320 292 255 238 282 324 318 418 267 250 299 284 404 470 337 370 361 238 253 338 226 203 253 206 253 332 232

4.1 3.7 5.9 2.5 2.7 2.5 4.2 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.0 4.0 4.1 3.6 4.5 4.1 4.7 3.1 3.7 3.7 3.4 4.2 4.4 3.7 4.0 3.7 3.7 4.1 4.9 3.9 4.1 3.9 3.7 3.4 3.9 4.0 3.8 2.9 3.0 4.0 3.8 3.3 4.4 3.9 4.9 3.7 3.1 3.2 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.5 3.8 3.3 3.3 3.7 3.6 3.4 3.7 3.1 3.5 3.7 4.2 4.0 4.3 4.4 3.9 3.7

295 354 262 407 407 415 342 330 325 320 325 315 311 320 295 300 295 340 330 330 335 325 320 335 320 350 325 324 305 330 343 320 325 325 324 315 315 350 350 332 340 337 338 335 298 325 333 329 387 320 317 315 334 360 349 317 345 349 312 315 330 310 304 319 290 295 330 300

14.4 24.5 24.1 24.9 23.1 15.0 13.3 11.8 13.3 15.2 15.2 15.7 16.6 16.9 15.0 17.9 17.5 22.9 22.9 15.4 20.5 13.3 13.7 13.7 13.8 17.0 17.2 17.2 21.4 20.6 20.6 11.7 11.7 14.9 14.4 13.3 13.7 14.5 11.5 11.4 11.9 12.8 13.5 12.9 15.7 -

Car Aston Martin Vanquish (Mk2) Aston Martin One-77 BMW M1 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Bugatti EB110 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari 458 Spider Ferrari 458 Speciale Ferrari F430 Ferrari F430 Spider Ferrari 430 Scuderia Ferrari 360 Modena Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale Ferrari F355 F1 Berlinetta Ferrari F12 Berlinetta Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano HGTE Ferrari 599 GTO Ferrari 575M Fiorano Handling Pack Ferrari 550 Maranello Ferrari FF Ferrari 612 Scaglietti F1 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari F50 Ferrari F40 Ferrari 288GTO Ford GT Jaguar XJ220 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Lamborghini LP570-4 Superleggera Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante Lamborghini Gallardo Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Lamborghini Aventador Roadster Lamborghini Murciélago Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Lamborighini Murciélago LP670-4 SV Lamborghini Diablo GT Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 Lamborghini Countach QV Lexus LFA/LFA Nürburgring McLaren MP4-12C McLaren 12C Spider McLaren F1 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Pagani Huayra Pagani Zonda 760RS Pagani Zonda C12S Pagani Zonda F Pagani Zonda Cinque Roadster Porsche 911 Turbo (997.2) Porsche 911 Turbo S (997.2) Porsche 911 GT2 RS (997.2) Porsche 911 Turbo (997.1) Porsche 911 Turbo (996) Porsche 911 GT2 (996) Porsche 911 Turbo (993) Porsche 911 GT2 (993) Porsche Carrera GT Porsche 959

rating + A much better car than the DBS it succeeds - Shame it looks little different, then + The engine, the looks, the drama - Gearbox hates manoeuvring; only 77 were made + Early supercar icon - A bit under-endowed these days + Superbly engineered 4wd quad-turbo rocket - Er, lacks luggage space? + Warp speed and ferocious noise sans-roof - Ridiculous brolly/roof thing + The world’s fastest supercar - Limited to 415km/h for us mere mortals + Superbly engineered 4wd quad-turbo rocket - It just fizzled out + Huge pace and character - Take plenty of brave pills if there’s rain + An astounding achievement, looks fantastic - There’ll never be a manual + A 458 that sounds and feels more organic - Er, 5km/h slower? + The most exciting car available for sale in Australia - Just about perfect, so nothing + Just brilliant - Didn’t you read the plus point? + Berlinetta dynamics, 8000rpm with the roof down - Looks? + Successful F1 technology transplant - Likes to shout about it + Worthy successor to 355 - Not quite as involving as it should be + Totally exhilarating road-racer. It’s loud - It’s very, very loud + Looks terrific, sounds even better - Are you kidding? + 545kW isn’t too much power for the road - Not as dramatic as an Aventador + evo Car of the Year 2006 - Banks are getting harder to rob + As above, but with a bit more edge - Can be a little too edgy in the wet + One of the truly great Ferraris - Erm, the air con isn’t very good + Fiorano pack makes 575 truly great - It should have been standard + Everything - Nothing + Four seats and 4WD, but a proper Ferrari - Looks divide opinion + Awesomely capable grand tourer - See above + Intoxicating, exploitable - Cabin detailing falls short of Zonda or F1 + The best drivers’ Ferrari - Lines lack tension + The shape that launched a thousand posters - Er… + Painfully beautiful, rarer than the F40 - You are joking? + Our 2005 Car of the Year - JC had one. Reckoned it didn’t handle… + Britain’s greatest supercar… - …until McLaren built the F1 + The mad rear-driven Lambo is back! - Gallardo not feeling as fresh as the 458 + Still a missile from A to B - Starting to show its age + A reminder of how great the Gallardo is - LP560-4 does as good a job + It’s a Superleggera Spyder… - …that’s not actually that super-light + On a full-bore start it spins all four wheels. Cool - Slightly clunky e-gear + Lighter, more agile - Grabby carbon brakes, clunky e-gear + Most important new Lambo since the Countach - Erm… expensive? + Sensational engine and styling - A wee bit on the thirsty side + Gorgeous, capable and incredibly friendly - V12 feels stressed + Compelling old-school supercar - You’d better be on your toes + A supercar in its truest, wildest sense - Be prepared for stares + Briefly the world’s fastest production car - They made only 80 + Best-built, best-looking Diablo of all - People’s perceptions + Still the definitive supercar - Visibility, pract- oh hell, who cares? + Absurd and compelling supercar - Badge and price don’t quite match + Staggering performance, refinement - Lacks design flair + No discernible dynamic compromises - Requires commitment to come alive + Still the most single-minded supercar ever - There’ll never be another + Bonkers looks, bonkers speed - Bonkers price + Great engine and chassis (gullwing doors too!) - Slightly tardy gearbox + The most thrilling car to wear the pointed star - Can intimidate + Zonda-pace, 575-style drivability - Dreadful brake feel + Our joint 2012 Car of the Year - Engine isn’t as nape-prickling as the Zonda’s + The most extreme Zonda ever - The last Zonda ever (probably) + evo Car of the Year 2001 - Harry’s sold his long-termer + Everything an Italian supercar ought to be - Choose interior carefully + The best Zonda ever - Doesn't come up in the classifieds often + The Turbo at the very top of its game - The GT3’s cheaper… + As above, with more power - The GT3’s even cheaper… + More powerful than a Carrera GT. Handles, too - Erm… + Monster cornering ability - A bit woolly on its standard settings + evo Car of the year 2000; the 911 for all seasons - We can’t find any reasons + Later revisions made it even more of a star - Care still required + Stupendous all-weather supercar - It doesn’t rain enough + Hairy-arsed homologation special - Harry won’t buy one + Probably the greatest modern supercar - Can bite + Tech showcase, still a great drive - Limited choice of colours?

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BUYING GUIDE

RENAULT SPORT MÉGANE III

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Why would you?

Because it served as our hot hatch benchmark for seven years, winning numerous group tests. Its reputation for being the drivers’ hot hatch only grew as it evolved through 250, 265 and 275 versions, especially in Cup, Trophy or ultimate Trophy-R trim.

What to pay From $16K for a 250, $20K and up for a 265 Cup, $40K for an end-of-line 275 Cup, and $42K+ for a Trophy-R. What to look out for The engine is tough, but it’s vital not to miss the cambelt change at six years or 100,000km,

whichever comes first. Swivel-hub ball-joints are a costly weakness – around $1200 per side to sort – so listen for knocks and clonks from the front of higher-mileage cars. Front discs are around $800 a pair to replace, including labour, so factor this in if they’re past their best.

SPECIFICATION (250 CUP) Years 2009-2016 Engine In-line 4-cyl, 1998cc, turbo Power 184kW @ 5500rpm Torque 340Nm @ 3000rpm 0-100km/h 6.1sec (tested) Top speed 250km/h (claimed) Rating 33334

THE TH RIL

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FINAL

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Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS Wish you were here… A lone Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS roars along an arrow-straight section of coastal highway in the Cape region of South Africa during the car’s launch to the world’s press.

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T I M I N G

F O R

The new Edox Chronorally Chronograph is dedicated to rally drivers, true virtuosi of the tarmac and icy roads, and to all devotees of the automobile. This new sporty and masculine timepiece is created

C H A M P I O N S for champions and is an invaluable tool for GULYHUV ('2; LV WKH RIê FLDO WLPHNHHSHU for the Sauber F1 ® Team, the Extreme Sailing Series™ and for the World Curling Federation. Edox – Timing for Champions.

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