Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 0-100km/h in 4.7 secs, 19-inch wheels, 280km/h, 283kW and 370Nm, 3.4-litre boxer engine, Audi RS3, BMW 1M Coupe, Cayman, Cayman R vs BMW 1M vs Audi RS3, Cayman S, PDK, poor man's Porsche, Porsche, Posrche Cyamn R | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 14 second roof, 4.5-litre V8, 425kW and 540Nm, Aaron Borrill, Aaron Borrill tests Ferrari, Berlinetta, Cavalino Rampante, Ferrari, Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari 458 Italia vs 458 SPider, ferrari 458 spider, Ferrari La Spezia, Henri du Plessis, manettino dial, Manettino switch, Prancing Horse, Reggio Emilia Italy, Viglietti | 1 Comment »
My patience was wearing thin. After spending 12 consecutive hours flying from Cape Town to London I’m told that there’s still a long way to go before I can drive the Range Rover Evoque. The bus ride from Heathrow to Farnborough airport felt like a lifetime and the 45-minute charter flight to Anglesey in North Wales, an eternity. Thankfully, Anglesey is sunny in August and the lush, green landscape is strewn with historic architecture, unpronounceable village names and narrow winding roads that stretch as far as the eye can see. I could also see the Range Rover Evoque test-drive fleet from the aeroplane window. Apart from being the spiritual home of Land Rover, it’s easy to see why the Isle of Anglesey was chosen for the starting point of the global media drive – it’s one of the most picturesque places in the United Kingdom.
For those who don’t know, the Range Rover Evoque is the manifestation of the LRX concept car that was unveiled at the North American Auto Show in Detroit in 2008.The first thing you’ll notice is just how small the Evoque is when compared to its stable mates. That’s because it’s based on the Freelander platform but is far more luxurious and flaunts an elegant physique and well-appointed interior – an interior that has been co-designed and approved by none other than Land Rover design consultant/Evoque brand ambassador Victoria Beckham – eish!
Although available in a practical five-door arrangement the three-door coupé model looks best, especially when garbed in the Dynamic package. A 300-kilometre on-and-off-road drive through North Wales and Liverpool was the ideal environment to gauge just how good the Evoque is at handling everyday driving conditions. Thankfully, the Evoque is very competent on the rough and demonstrates high levels of grip on almost every surface.
The first real test took the Evoque convoy through the Snowdonia National Park where a series of rocky climbs, steep descents, sharp bends, deep furrows and sticky mud trails gave me an opportunity to properly test its mettle. Despite the lowered stance, the Evoque surprised me, particularly the manner in which it handled the descents. The speed-adjustable hill-descent function is a really handy tool. It takes some getting used to,but it essentially harnesses the ABS system to mechanically crawl down a slope with the driver needing only to steer. The four-wheel drive terrain response system – as with other Land Rovers – works well on trickier surfaces but seems to strain somewhat due to a shortage of mechanical traction and suspension travel – it’s a brilliant system nonetheless. The cabin can become bumpy and uncomfortable while negotiating uneven surfaces, but the optional MagneRide damper set-up nullifies this by delivering high levels of traction to enhance comfort.
It’s out on the road, however, where the Evoque is most at home. Its sportscar-like handling means it sticks to the road like a leech and leaves you, on most occasions, forgetting that it’s an SUV. Although there weren’t many opportunities to test the Evoque’s acceleration and top speed, at least I was able to test its manoeuvrability around the narrow village roads of Wales and busy streets of Liverpool. In the corners, the steering feels nicely weighted and responds crisply and quickly, but the brakes need to do a fair amount of scrubbing to bring it to a stop. The road system in the UK is very odd; I don’t think I’ve ever driven through as many roundabouts as I did during my two-day test drive. However, to avoid the monotony of these roundabouts I treated several of them as mini slaloms before hearing the Spice Girls song ‘2 become 1’ playing on the radio – a bad omen, perhaps? Just as I backed off, a red double-decker bus straddled the lines forcing me to take evasive action – could it be that I was saved by the Spice Girls?The Evoque is the most efficient vehicle ever made by Range Rover, discharging only 199g/km (2.0-litre turbo) and 174g/km (2.2-litre turbodiesel). The fuel economy figures are equally as good, returning a mere 8.4l/100km and 6.6l/100km respectively. I drove both engine derivatives but preferred the petrol version for obvious reasons. The 2.0-litre turbo engine is powerful (177kW and 340Nm) and pulls well enough to sprint from nought to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds and can reach a top speed of 217km/h if needed. The exhaust note is throaty, too.
As the banality of downtown Liverpool tested my patience, a detour on the route map took my driving partner and me through yet another challenge: a subway tunnel. The now derelict 19th Century Williamson Tunnels in Edge Hill run under the city and were specially cleared of dangerous debris for the Evoque test drive. It was, however, littered with obstacles such as rubble, ruts and water hazards that were yet again no match for Evoque’s traction abilities.
The Evoque’s interior is unquestionably Range Rover. The pop-up gear selector dial is borrowed from Jaguar and the dashboard, door cards and seats feature high-grade twin-needle-stitched leather. The Meridian 825W audio system is brilliant and belts out sound through a 19-speaker arrangement. The panoramic glass roof is also really cool, especially when you’re driving through a tunnel and even the lighting display on the cluster changes from white to red when you enable dynamic driving mode. Even though the Evoque proved its worth on some of the United Kingdom’s toughest terrain, one test still remains – South Africa, where minibus taxis, stray cattle and potholes the size of craters are everyday fare.
The Range Rover Evoque will do battle against the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, which are both very good vehicles but nowhere near as pretty as the Evoque and, let’s be honest, pretty cars sell. Despite it being able to traverse a feral landscape, the Evoque is ultimately going to be used by soccer moms to take the kids to school and the Afghan hound to the park with the only bit of off-roading coming in the form of mounting pavements and hopping kerbs – quite annoying considering its pedigree. I wonder how different things would be if Sylvester Stallone was the brand ambassador?
Specifications
Price: From R582 995
Engine: 2.0-litre Turbo
Power: 177kW and 340Nm
0-100km/h: 7.6 seconds
Top Speed: 217km/h
Road-test videos
Range Rover Evoque Part 1
Range Rover Evoque Part 2
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 177kW and 340Nm, 2.0-litre turbo, 2.2-litre turbodisel, Anglesey, Evoque in Liverpool, Evoque in Wales, Evoque vs Freelander, Evoque with MagneRide, five-door Evoque, Freelander chassis, Freelander platform, LRX concept, North Wales, Range Rover, Range Rover Evoque, Snowdonia National Park, three-door Evoque, Victoria Beckham | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 0-100km/h in 4.4 secs, 300km/h, 420kW and 900Nm, 5.5-litre V8 BiTurbo, AMG, AMG Sports Package, Merc, Mercedes-Benz. 7-Gtronic gearbox | 2 Comments »
Audis latest addition to the RS family is the swan song of the current A3 range, which has been around since 2003. So what’s all the fuss about? Well, for starters a 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged mill, the same one in fact that’s used by the TT RS, has been shoehorned into the engine bay with spine-twisting results. Cranking out 250kw and 450nm, the RS3 is the fastest production hatchback in the world. In fact, it’s as quick as an R8 V8 out of the blocks reaching 100km/h from standstill in 4.6 seconds flat – guaranteed using launch control. All 450Nm come into play from as low down as 1600rpm and remain steady all the way until 5300rpm where it gradually starts to drop off. Punch the go-faster pedal in any gear and the back of your head will meet the headrest with alarming force. The seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic gearbox swaps cogs with alacrity no matter which mode you’ve selected. The steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are fun and easy-to-use especially when you’ve selected manual mode. Unlike other auto-boxes with manual function, the S-tronic manual mode won’t kick over unless you physically click the paddle.
The RS3 is a versatile performer, and, although many owners will use it exclusively as a daily driver it performs well at the track, too. The Quattro permanent all wheel-drive system ensures high levels of grip, even at the limit, but turn into a corner too aggressively and it will understeer. Still, not at any point will you feel out of your depth – the ESP does very well to intervene when things get a little hairy by shuffling torque between the front and rear axle. Unfortunately, there isn’t a fancy sport differential like in the RS5 so the tail isn’t going to freely move around. One thing I did notice though is that the brakes do fade quite noticeably especially after excessive use at the track.
Aesthetically, the styling is a little too discreet for my liking. The front bumper boasts twin air intakes and new front wings while a spoiler, 19-inch wheels and a gloss-black diffuser make up the balance. The ageing interior has been freshened up with piano-black inlays, a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel and optional Recaro bucket seats.
Before I forget, there’s also a ‘Sport’ button that opens a flap in the exhaust system to beef up the engine tone. The soundtrack is still nowhere as throaty as the one found in the TT RS but is more sonorous than the regular S3.
Compared to it’s rivals, the Cayman R and BMW 1m Coupe, the driving experience does lack a certain degree of involvement – almost as if the car is driving itself but foibles aside it’s still bloody fast.
Is it a bargain? Well at R525 000 you can’t buy anything else that offers as much power and utility. The five-door arrangement is a bonus, too. Many will argue that it’s a glorified A3 but it’s furiously fast and that’s why all 54 units are spoken for.
Specifications:
Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo
Power: 250kW and 450Nm
0-100km/h: 4.6 seconds
Top speed: 250km/h
Price: R525 000
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 2.5-litre engine, 2.5-litre five cylinder, 250kW and 450Nm RS3, all-wheel drive, Audi, Audi RS3, Audi RS5, Audi TT RS, DSG, five pot engine, Quattro, Renn Sport, RS, RS3, RS3 around track, RS3 at track, S-tronic, seven speed S-tronic, sport button | Leave a Comment »
All petrolheads have a bucket list of cars they wish to drive before they die. My list is pretty lengthy and contains vehicles such as the Pagani Zonda Cinque, the Lamborghini Reventón and the Ferrari 250 GTO. I know I’ll probably never get to drive most of these cars but every now and then I do get to scratch something really special off the list. Recently, I couldn’t believe my luck when I was tossed the keys to bucket list number 13 – the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale. It’s no prancing horse or raging bull but it is Italian and possesses one of the best-sounding engine notes on the planet.
Based on the GranTurismo MC Trofeo race car, the MC Stradale is essentially a road-going track car but it’s also multitalented enough for visiting the mall and driving around town. Along with various other bits, it’s been stripped of its rear seats to save weight (110kg), so it’s definitely not for the family man but it is exceptionally quick and that’s all that counts for a bachelor. If you’re a passionate track-day enthusiast you can also order it with a roll cage and a four-point racing harness.
The cabin is much racier than the GranTurismo S and possesses a delicate balance between comfort and excitement. It features racing bucket seats, an Alcantara-clad dashboard, red-stitched leather seats, carbon-fibre accents and gearshift paddles while still exuding a high level of opulence with the customary Maserati clock resting atop the dashboard
Apart from the 7 000rpm redline and low odometer reading of 1 900km, the first thing that I noticed when I climbed into the car was the absence of a gear selector lever or dial. Instead, an arrangement of buttons marked A, 1 and R replace the gear selector. Neutral is applied by simply pulling the two paddle shifters toward you. Unlike other supercars, which use a start button, the MC Stradale uses a traditional key to fire up the big V8. Starting it up is undoubtedly the best part: the car howls emphatically for a moment before resting into a lumpy idle that sounds like it’s gargling ball bearings.
The noise, in fact, is so magical that every time you bludgeon the throttle pedal you’ll get enveloped in a tenor-like crescendo; think Luciano Pavarotti screaming into a megaphone – it’s that loud. The sound comes compliments of a 4.7-litre V8 engine – a more powerful and better tuned version of the GranTurismo S. More power has been extracted from the power plant by installing one-way flaps inside the engine’s oil sump and lining the tappets and camshaft lobes with a diamond-like coating to optimise efficiency. The result is power increased by 8kW and 20Nm for a total output of 331kW and 510Nm. It isn’t a lot by modern supercar standards but remember that the MC Stradale only weighs 1 770kg.
To counter the weight of the engine, the three-mode sequential robotic manual gearbox has been placed in the back. It’s been integrated with a differential and offers an Automatic, Sport and Race mode. In Automatic mode the car drives well; not too soft and not too hard and the shifts are precise and comfortable. However, it’s when you select either Sport or Race mode that all hell brakes loose. Race mode is underscored by a red MC Stradale logo that lights up on the cluster and a glorious engine sound that roars into existence thanks to the exhaust bypass flaps that stay open. In Sport mode, however, the bypass flaps only open once the tach needle sweeps past 4 000rpm.
Race mode also limits ESP interference so you can have a bit of fun sliding around corners before it steps in to sort things out. Race mode’s shifting is very aggressive and will give your passengers a pounding if not used correctly. The robotic manual gearbox – especially in Race mode – requires you to feather your right foot off the throttle ever so sightly before selecting another gear for smooth changes. If you keep your foot buried in the carpet, the shifts are incredibly violent and necks will be snapped. The MC Stradale can also downshift sequentially and, with upshifts taking only 60 milliseconds, it can reach 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds while it’s geared for a top speed of 301km/h.
Apart from the heavenly engine rasp, this car is all about sublime handling dynamics – the combination of which is a quasi-religious experience. It handles quite superbly and no matter where you point the steering wheel the nose follows its trajectory with precision. Like the GranTurismo S, the MC Stradale retains a 48:52 weight distribution that, in tandem with the bespoke, Pirelli-clad, 20-inch wheels, aids in magnetic-like road holding. The steering is perfectly weighted and makes you feel like you’re in control all the time. This is because the suspension arrangement has been completely redesigned. The springs have been stiffened by 8 per cent at front and rear and the anti-roll bar’s diameter increased to nullify roll and optimise handling.
Of course, something this fast needs to be able to stop well, too, and it does so thanks to a carbon-ceramic Brembo braking set up. It takes some getting used to but it’s much more effective, lighter and conducts less heat than regular steel rotors.
The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale is one of the most beautiful cars I’ve ever laid eyes on. Although its aesthetics are not to everyone’s taste, the MC Stradale turns a lot of heads – most of them female. In fact, it’s one of those cars that make people stop dead in their tracks as it drives past; almost as if they’ve been spellbound by its presence. Unlike other boisterous supercars I’ve tested over the years, people were surprisingly accepting of the Maserati GranTursimo MC Stradale even when hooning it through my conservative neighbourhood.
For a car of this calibre you’d probably expect to pay anything between R2m and R3m, right? Wrong. At R1.7m it’s only a fraction more than a 2011-spec Nissan GT-R . Yes, the GT-R is quicker in every way fathomable but it’s never going to be a Maserati. Ever.
I’m not sure what next year holds for me car-wise but one thing I know for certain is that it’s going to take a helluva lot to beat the MC Stradale. I think it’s close to the best car. The Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale is as close to automotive perfection as a car can get and proves that some cars do, in fact, have souls. It’s so perfect that driving anything else, or thinking of driving anything else, can almost be considered sacrilege.
At a glance:
Price: R1 699 000
Engine: 4.7-litre V8
Power: 331kW and 510Nm
0-100km/h: 4.6 seconds
Top speed: 301km/h
Small video sample of the MC Stradale shot by my friend on his Blackberry:
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 331kW and 510Nm, feear-built engine, Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferrari-built 4.7-litre V8, Maserati, Maserati 4.7-litre, Maserati GranTurimo MC Stradale, Maserati GranTurismo, Maserati Stradale, MC Stradale, Pagani Zonda Cinque | Leave a Comment »
I’m often asked which is the best car I’ve ever driven. It’s a difficult question to answer because each car brings with it a different experience but if I were honest, I’d say the most enjoyment comes from driving open-top sports cars. Yes, the handling dynamics are compromised due to the dearth of structural rigidity in the chassis, but still, nothing beats the feeling of the wind in your hair and the glorious sound of the engine when you put your foot down. One of the best and most fulfilling open-top cars I’ve ever driven is the Maserati GranCabrio – automotive perfection in its purist form. Essentially, a GranTurimo S with its roof chopped off, the GranCabrio is the Trident’s first four-seater cabriolet and is blessed with the most commodious and well-appointed cabin in its class. Staying true to tradition, Maserati has eschewed the popular folding metal roof in favour of a less complex and lighter fabric top. Unfortunately, boot space has been somewhat compromised but it’s still more cavernous than its adversaries and will easily consume a golf bag. The GranCabrio’s long-wheel base has resulted in a spacious interior with the rear seats offering the same levels of comfort as those in the front. The more traditional fabric roof, concertinas back in just 28 seconds and can be customised in six different colours to augment the cars suave façade. A drawback when chopping off a car’s roof is the loss of the structural integrity of the chassis. Often referred to as scuttle shake, Maserati has countered this notion by strengthening the under body and engine bay with aluminium and composite inserts that add only 100kg to its total weight. Measuring nearly five metres in length and weighing a hefty 1980kg the GranCabrio is a very big car. The chunky proportions do mean it can be quite difficult to park and manoeuvre about but all these idiosyncrasies are forgotten once you turn the key and bring the engine to life. Under the bonnet is one of the world’s best sounding power plants – a Ferrari-built 4.7-litre V8. Essentially the same engine as the one found in both the GranTurismo S and MC Stradale it supplies the rear wheels with a staggering 323kW and 490NM. The upshot is a top speed of 283km/h and a 0-100km/h time of 5.3 seconds. The GranCabrio employs a six-speed ZF automatic gearbox complete with sporty paddle shifters. Gear changes are smooth and crisp but lack the performance and urgency of say, a robotic sequential gearbox. Firing it up is the closest I’ve come to a religious experience – the V8 roars into life before settling into a hypnotic, offbeat idle. Push the Sport button and the GranCabrio transforms into a veritable driver’s car. Things like the suspension, gearbox response and throttle response sharpen up quite prodigiously, and the glorious engine note goes up a few octaves, too. In Sport mode, as soon as the tacho needle slides past 3000rpm, a bypass valve in the exhaust system opens to release the most guttural yet soothing noise imaginable – like Andrea Bocelli singing through a Didgeridoo. However, if the sound gets too obtrusive you can always just deselect Sport mode or drive under 3000rpm.
The GranCabrio is packed with intuitive technology such as the AudioPilot system, which maintains the volume and quality of the twelve-speaker Bose sound system by automatically compensating for nuances in engine noise and road noise. None other than Pininfarina is responsible for the svelte contours of the Maserati GranCabrio. No matter the angle at which you look at it, the GranCabrio exudes the muscular proportions of a sports car; this is accentuated by the low-slung stance, 20-inch wheels and open-mouthed grille with Trident badge. By parlaying the driving dynamics of the GranTurismo S into a much more exclusive package, Maserati has created one of the best handling cabriolets around. Thanks to the near-perfect power-to-weight ratio, the GranCabrio offers limitless grip and sticks to the road no matter how hard you push it. The steering is quite weighty and provides enough feedback for you to feel your way around corners with precision and the suspension arrangement sucks up most of the bumps and vibrations South African roads have to offer. The cabin is draped in opulent finishes like soft-touch leather and wooden veneers, which festoon the dashboard, door cards and rear panels, but the GranCabrio’s best quality is how it transports its occupants and the visceral driving experience that accompanies it. What makes the Maserati GranCabrio a truly exceptional car is the ability it has to not only fetch a top speed of over 280km/h but also comfortably transport four adults along the beach promenade in luxury and style – something most cabriolets fail to properly deliver. Coming standard with a 3-year/90 000km service plan with roadside assistance, the only problem comes in deciding which route you’re going to take home.
Price: From R1 549 000
Engine: 4.7-litre V8
Power: 323kW and 490Nm
CO2 emissions: 358g/km
0-100km/h: 5.3 seconds
Top speed: 283km/h
Fuel consumption: 15.4l/100km
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged Ferrari-built Maserati engine, GranCabrio 0-100km/h in 5.3 secs, Maserati, Maserati 4.7-litre V8. Ferrari. Ferrari-built V8, Maserati GranCabrio, six-speed ZF automatic gearbox | Leave a Comment »
It’s never easy waking up on a cold winter morning to catch the dawn flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg, but when it involves the Nissan GT-R and the open road, I’m not going to complain. A couple of years ago I missed out on a drive in the first-generation GT-R, so when Nissan’s exuberant PR lady invited me for an exclusive drive in the much faster and refined 2011 model, I was there before you could say G-Force.
Let me start by saying that the GT-R is the fastest car I’ve ever driven. And it’s not bad-looking. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a car enthusiast or not, the GT-R’s origami-imbued physique attracts attention wherever it drives. To the casual observer the differences between the old and new GT-R are hard to distinguish, but closer investigation reveals changes to both its exterior and mechanical innards.
It’s still as aggressive as ever but sports a reworked front bumper to increase downforce, LED strips and DRL headlight clusters, while the rear features a newly designed bumper with an extended diffuser, an LED fog lamp and four larger diameter exhaust tips.
The biggest and probably most exciting change lies under the bonnet. As with the previous-generation GT-R, the new version employs an oversquare 3.8-litre V6 twin turbocharged mill but unlike its forebear this one’s a whole lot more powerful. To achieve this, the ECU has been reprogrammed, the boost pressure increased, valve timing adjusted and larger turbo inlet pipes installed – all of which not only improve fuel economy and emissions but culminate in a power surge of 390kW and 612Nm.
Tipping the scales at 1 740kg, you’d expect the GT-R to be a little cumbersome but the performance testing data suggests otherwise. Launch control ensures a phenomenal 0–100km/h time of three seconds – almost one second faster than its predecessor – and if you find a deserted road, you’ll easily see the top speed of 315km/h.
Punch the loud pedal in any gear and all 612Nm of rotational force will pound your neck, back and arm muscles – a feeling that only gets worse on the track. Mid-range acceleration is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced from a road-going car before. It’s a strange feeling to describe, but the last time I endured this sort of numbing euphoria was when Lucas di Grassi took me for a ride around Kyalami circuit in his Renault Formula 1 car. The all-round Brembo braking system makes sure it stops fast, too.
The GT-R steers almost telepathically. The car handles exceptionally well and returns a considerable amount of steering feedback when powering through sharp corners. No doubt its 53:47 weight distribution has something to do with it but it also uses an advanced vehicle dynamic control (VDC), a rear limited-slip differential and intuitive all-wheel drive system to help harness its power delivery and keep it planted to the road.
The Bilstein DampTronic suspension offers three modes: normal, comfort and race – each of which help maintain a high level of control for straight-line driving, cornering, and braking. Even the wheels are specially designed 20-inch lightweight composites wrapped in bespoke Dunlop rubber.
My only issue with the GT-R is the paucity of engine noise. Don’t get me wrong, you still get enveloped in a guttural cacophony every time you send the rev needle into the red-numbered digits on the tachometer – it’s just lacking a few decibels.
Surprisingly, it isn’t very difficult to drive. It’s so versatile that you can take it to the mall, enjoy a leisurely Sunday drive and set a lap record at the race track. It also makes less experienced drivers look good. The six-speed sequential double-clutch transmission provides all the perks of a manual drivetrain without the burden of a clutch pedal. In race model it takes just 0.15 seconds to swop gears and if you listen closely you can hear all the mechanical bits of the transmission turning and grinding.
The cabin isn’t lavish but still flaunts a comprehensive list of luxuries. There are two trim levels on offer: the Premium Edition and Black Edition which simply offer different colour schemes. Still, both editions come with navigation, sports seats (the Black Edition offers red-stitched leather Recaro seats, too) and the renowned Playstation-like interface that monitors everything from engine coolant temperature to steering angle and longitudinal and lateral G-Force.
Admittedly, the GTR isn’t as pretty as some of its Italian and German rivals but it’s just as quick. I think it will give the Ferrari 458 Italia a proper run for its money in all departments if driven properly. The GT-R wasn’t just made to embarrass the rich guy in his Porsche; it was made to give the upper-middle-class man a chance at owning a veritable supercar, and that’s why I love the GT-R – it’s got all the embellishments of a supercar but costs just a fraction of the price.
SPECS
Price: R1 314 000 (Premium Edition), R1 364 000 (Black Edition)
Engine: 3.8-litre V6 twin turbo
Power: 390kW and 612Nm
0-100km/h: 3 seconds
Top speed: 315km/h
Watch the road-test video here:
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 2011-spec GT-R, 3.8-litre v6 twin turbo, 390kW and 612Nm, Black edition GT-R, Godzilla, Nissan, Nissan GT-R, Premium edition GT-R, revised GT-R, Seagram Pearce GT-R, Wilhelm Baard GT-R | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged Clio Hot Hatch, Clio R27, Clio RS, Gordini, Gordini Stripes, Renault Clio, Renault Clio Gordini RS | Leave a Comment »
I’m probably going to be carted off to the nearest nut house for saying this but here goes… I’ve been to the future.Before you lock me up in a rubber room and throw away the key, let me explain. You see, I recently travelled to Seoul to drive the new Hyundai Elantra and because Korea and South Africa fall under different time zones, I managed to zip seven hours into the future during my flight. So what’s it like in the future? Well, to be honest it’s hardly interesting. There aren’t any flying cars as in The Fifth Element, everyone drives on the wrong side of the road, people live like canned sardines in banal government-style apartments and breakfast, lunch and supper all involve some form of seafood – a food I hate.
Other than that, I don’t have any revelations about the end of the world nor do I know the winning Lotto numbers but I can tell you about the Hyundai Elantra.
The fifth-generation Elantra is far more refined and better to look at than its predecessor and that’s because the design acumen has been inspired by the motion of the wind. This fluidic sculpture-like process is called windcraft and it’s reflected throughout the Hyundai’s model line-up as well as its premium models such as the Equus and Genesis. The Elantra’s form has been strongly influenced by the Sonata and borrows several styling cues such as the eagle-eye headlamps, wrap-around tail-lamps and prominent shoulder line. These additions not only furnish the Elantra with a top-notch appearance, they give the allusion of movement even when standing still.
I like the Elantra because its appearance is far more radical than the stale and often outlandish design language of its rivals. Special attention has been paid to areas that other manufacturers often ignore. The ride height is lower than any of its rivals, its stance burly, slow-slung and aggressive, and the wheels – for once – haven’t been plundered from the spare parts bin.
Surprisingly, the cabin is impressively loaded with features such as a start/stop button, a multifunction steering wheel, Aux/iPod/USB connectivity and boasts segment-first appointments like front and rear heated seats. What’s good to see for a change is the symmetry between the car’s exterior and interior. The windcraft ideology is evident inside the cabin and forms part of the dashboard, door trim and fascia architecture.
However, the Elantra isn’t just a pretty face – it drives well, too. Its chassis coped rather well in the tight and undulating country roads of Seoul, but my attempts to properly test its cornering prowess were thwarted by the media convoy.
The range-topping 1.8-litre engine replaces the outgoing 2.0-litre mill of the previous generation and although smaller in size, it’s 18 per cent more economic and 30 per cent more environmentally affable. Together with dual continuous variable valve timing (D-CVVT), the engine boasts an enormous 110kw and 176Nm, which is good for a top speed of 202km/h.
It’s a very difficult car to fault but if I had to choose something it would be the auto gearbox. If there’s anything in the world I dislike more than seafood, it’s an automatic gearbox. The one in the Elantra makes the engine feel sluggish and the delay between mashing the throttle and gear kick down is very noticeable, but if it’s any consolation it does come equipped with Shiftronic manual control. I’m sure the manual version will be a lot more engaging to drive and the powerband undoubtedly more accessible.
Will it sell? Well, it’s difficult to say as the compact segment is packed with perennial performers such as the Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta and the newcomer, Chevrolet Cruze. The Elantra does seem to have a lot more going for it in terms of kit and aesthetic appeal but it’s ultimately going to come down to which car offers the best value for money. Like Jacques Kallis, the Hyundai Elantra is a class act; it may not be the flashiest thing around but it’s the best all-rounder in this segment and that’s got to count for something.
Things are looking promising at Hyundai Motors and for the first time, I’d actually consider buying a Hyundai… but only with a manual transmission.
SPECS
Price: R214 900
Engine: 1.8-litre
Power: 110kW and 176Nm
0-100km/h: 10.2 seconds
Top speed: 202km/h
Posted in Car reviews | Tagged 1.8-litre Elantra, 110kW and 176NM, CVT, CVT Elantra, CVT gearbox, Hyundai, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Veloster, Namyang R&D Centre | Leave a Comment »
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